The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

36 Yet greatly did the Beast repine at those

  Straunge bands, whose like till then he neuer bore,

  Ne euer any durst till then impose,

  And chauffed inly, seeing now no more

  Him liberty was left aloud to rore;

  Yet durst he not draw backe; nor once withstand

  The proued powre of noble Calidore,

  But trembled vnderneath his mighty hand,

  And like a fearefull dog him followed through the land.

  37 Him through all Faery land he follow’d so,

  As if he learned had obedience long,

  That all the people where so he did go,

  Out of their townes did round about him throng,

  To see him leade that Beast in bondage strong,

  And seeing it, much wondred at the sight;

  And all such persons, as he earst did wrong,

  Reioyced much to see his captiue plight,

  And much admyr’d the Beast, but more admyr’d the Knight

  38 Thus was this Monster by the maystring might

  Of doughty Calidore, supprest and tamed,

  That neuer more he mote endammadge wight

  With his vile tongue, which many had defamed,

  And many causelesse caused to be blamed:

  So did he eeke long after this remaine,

  Vntill that, whether wicked fate so framed,

  Or fault of men, he broke his yron chaine,

  And got into the world at liberty againe.

  39 Thenceforth more mischiefe and more scath he wrought

  To mortall men, then he had done before;

  Ne euer could by any more be brought

  Into like bands, ne maystred any more:

  Albe that long time after Calidore,

  The good Sir Pelleas him tooke in hand,

  And after him Sir Lamoracke of yore,

  And all his brethren borne in Britaine land;

  Yet none of them could euer bring him into band.

  40 So now he raungeth through the world againe,

  And rageth sore in each degree and state;

  Ne any is, that may him now restraine,

  He growen is so great and strong of late,

  Barking and biting all that him doe bate,

  Albe they worthy blame, or cleare of crime:

  Ne spareth he most learned wits to rate,

  Ne spareth he the gentle Poets rime,

  But rends without regard of person or of time.

  41 Ne may this homely verse, of many meanest,

  Hope to escape his venemous despite,

  More then my former writs, all were they clearest

  From blamefull blot, and free from all that wite,

  With which some wicked tongues did it backebite,

  And bring into a mighty Peres displeasure,

  That neuer so deserued to endite.

  Therfore do you my rimes keep better measure,

  And seeke to please, that now is counted wisemens threasure.

  TWO CANTOS

  OF

  MUTABILITIE:

  WHICH, BOTH FOR FORME AND MATTER,

  APPEARS TO BE PARCELL OF SOME FOLLOWING

  BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QVEBNE

  UNDER THE LEGEND

  OF

  CONSTANCIE.

  Neuer before imprinted.

  CANTO VI

  Proud Change (not pleasd, in mortall things,

  beneath the Moone, to raigne)

  Pretends, as well of Gods, as Men,

  to be the Soueraine.

  1 What man that sees the euer-whirling wheele

  Of Change, the which all mortall dungs doth sway,

  But that therby doth find, & plainly feele,

  How MVTABILITY in them doth play

  Her cruell sports, to many mens decay?

  Which that to all may better yet appeare,

  I will rehearse that whylome I heard say,

  How she at first her selfe began to reare,

  Gainst all the Gods, and th’empire sought from them to beare.

  2 But first, here falleth fittest to vnfold

  Her antique race and linage ancient,

  As I haue found it registred of old,

  In Faery Land mongst records permanent:

  She was, to weet, a daughter by descent

  Of those old Titans, that did whylome striue

  With Saturnes sonnc for heauens regiment

  Whom, though high Ioue of kingdome did depriue,

  Yet many of their stemme long after did surviue.

  3 And many of them, afterwards obtain’d

  Great power of Ioue, and high authority;

  As Hecaté, in whose almighty hand,

  He plac’t all rule and principality,

  To be by her disposed diuersly,

  To Gods, and men, as she them list diuide:

  And drad Bellona, that doth sound on hie

  Warres and allarums vnto Nations wide,

  That makes both heauen & earth to tremble at her pride.

  4 So likewise did this Titanesse aspire,

  Rule and dominion to her selfe to gaine;

  That as a Goddesse, men might her admire,

  And heauenly honours yield, as to them twaine.

  And first, on earth she sought it to obtaine;

  Where she such proofe and sad examples shewed

  Of her great power, to many ones great paine,

  That not men onely (whom she soone subdewed)

  But eke all other creatures, her bad dooings rewed.

  5 For, she the face of earthly things so changed,

  That all which Nature had establisht first

  In good estate, and in meet order ranged,

  She did pervert, and all their statutes burst:

  And all the worlds faire frame (which none yet durst

  Of Gods or men to alter or misguide)

  She alter’d quite, and made them all accurst

  That God had blest; and did at first prouide

  In that still happy state for euer to abide.

  6 Ne shee the lawes of Nature onely brake,

  But eke of Iustice, and of Policie;

  And wrong of right, and bad of good did make.

  And death for life exchanged foolishlie:

  Since which, all liuing wights haue learn’d to die,

  And all this world is woxen daily worse.

  O pittious worke of MVTABILITIE !

  By which, we all are subiect to that curse,

  And death in stead of life haue sucked from our Nurse.

  7 And now, when all the earth she thus had brought

  To her behest, and thralled to her might,

  She gan to cast in her ambitious thought,

  T’attempt th’empire of the heauens hight,

  And Ioue himselfe to shoulder from his right

  And first, she past the region of the ayre,

  And of the fire, whose substance thin and slight,

  Made no resistance, ne could her contraire,

  But ready passage to her pleasure did prepaire.

  8 Thence, to the Circle of the Moone she clambe,

  Where Cynthia raignes in euerlasting glory,

  To whose bright shining palace straight she came,

  All fairely deckt with heauens goodly story;

  Whose siluer gates (by which there sate an hory

  Old aged Sire, with hower-glasse in hand,

  Hight Tyme) she entred, were he liefe or sory:

  Ne staide till she the highest stage had scand,

  Where Cynthia did sit, that neuer still did stand.

  9 Her sitting on an Iuory throne shee found,

  Drawne of two steeds, th’one black, the other white,

  Environd with tenne thousand starres around,

  That duly her attended day and night;

  And by her side, there ran her Page, that hight

  Vesper, whom we the Euening-starre intend:

  That with his Torche, still twinkling like twylight
;

  Her lightened all the way where she should wend,

  And ioy to weary wandring trauailers did lend:

  10 That when the hardy Titanesse beheld

  The goodly building of her Palace bright,

  Made of the heauens substance, and vp-held

  With thousand Crystall pillors of huge hight,

  Shee gan to burne in her ambitious spright,

  And t’envie her that in such glorie raigned.

  Eftsoones she cast by force and tortious might,

  Her to displace, and to her selfe to haue gained

  The kingdome of the Night, and waters by her wained.

  11 Boldly she bid the Goddesse downe descend,

  And let her selfe into that Ivory throne;

  For, shee her selfe more worthy thereof wend,

  And better able it to guide alone:

  Whether to men, whose fall she did bemone,

  Or vnto Gods, whose state she did maligne,

  Or to th’infernall Powers, her need giue lone

  Of her faire light, and bounty most benigne,

  Her selfe of all that rule shee deemed most condigne.

  12 But shee that had to her that soueraigne seat

  By highest Ioue assign’d, therein to beare

  Nights burning lamp, regarded not her threat,

  Ne yielded ought for fauour or for feare;

  But with sterne countenaunce and disdainfull cheare,

  Bending her horned browes, did put her back:

  And boldly blaming her for comming there,

  Bade her attonce from heauens coast to pack,

  Or at her perill bide the wrathfull Thunders wrack.

  13 Yet nathemore the Giantesse forbare:

  But boldly preacing-on, raught forth her hand

  To pluck her downe perforce from off her chaire;

  And there-with lifting vp her golden wand,

  Threatned to strike her if she did with-stand.

  Where-at the starres, which round about her blazed,

  And eke the Moones bright wagon, still did stand,

  All beeing with so bold attempt amazed,

  And on her vncouth habit and sterne looke still gazed.

  14 Meane-while, the lower World, which nothing knew

  Of all that chaunced here, was darkned quite;

  And eke the heauens, and all the heauenly crew

  Of happy wights, now vnpurvaide of light,

  Were much afraid, and wondred at that sight;

  Fearing least Chaos broken had his chaine,

  And brought againe on them eternall night:

  But chiefely Mercury, that next doth raigne,

  Ran forth in haste, vnto the king of Gods to plaine.

  15 All ran together with a great out-cry,

  To Ioues faire Palace, fixt in heauens hight;

  And beating at his gates full earnestly,

  Gan call to him aloud with all their might,

  To know what meant that suddaine lack of light.

  The father of the Gods when this he heard,

  Was troubled much at their so strange affright,

  Doubting least Typhon were againe vprear’d,

  Or other his old foes, that once him sorely fear’d.

  16 Eftsoones the sonne of Maia forth he sent

  Downe to the Circle of the Moone, to knowe

  The cause of this so strange astonishment,

  And why shee did her wonted course forslowe;

  And if that any were on earth belowe

  That did with charmes or Magick her molest,

  Him to attache, and downe to hell to throwe:

  But, if from heauen it were, then to arrest

  The Author, and him bring before his presence prest.

  17 The wingd-foot God, so fast his plumes did beat,

  That soone he came where-as the Titanesse

  Was striuing with faire Cynthia for her seat:

  At whose strange sight, and haughty hardinesse,

  He wondred much, and feared her no lesse.

  Yet laying feare aside to doe his charge,

  At last, he bade her (with bold stedfastnesse)

  Ceasse to molest the Moone to walke at large,

  Or come before high Ioue, her dooings to discharge.

  18 And there-with-all, he on her shoulder laid

  His snaky-wreathed Mace, whose awfull power

  Doth make both Gods and hellish fiends affraid:

  Where-at the Titanesse did sternely lower,

  And stoutly answer’d, that in euill hower

  He from his Ioue such message to her brought,

  To bid her leaue faire Cynthias siluer bower;

  Sith shee his Ioue and him esteemed nought,

  No more then Cynthias selfe; but all their kingdoms sought.

  19 The Heauens Herald staid not to reply,

  But past away, his doings to relate

  Vnto his Lord; who now in th’highest sky,

  Was placed in his principall Estate,

  With all the Gods about him congregate:

  To whom when Hermes had his message told,

  It did them all exceedingly amate,

  Saue Ioue; who, changing nought his count’nance bold,

  Did vnto them at length these speeches wise vnfold;

  20 Harken to mee awhile yee heauenly Powers;

  Ye may remember since th’Earths cursed seed

  Sought to assaile the heauens eternal towers,

  And to vs all exceeding feare did breed:

  But how we then defeated all their deed,

  Yee all doe knowe, and them destroied quite;

  Yet not so quite, but that there did succeed

  An off-spring of their bloud, which did alite

  Vpon the fruitfull earth, which doth vs yet despite.

  21 Of that bad seed is this bold woman bred,

  That now with bold presumption doth aspire

  To thrust faire Phoebe from her siluer bed,

  And eke our selues from heauens high Empire,

  If that her might were match to her desire:

  Wherefore, it now behoues vs to advise

  What way is best to driue her to retire;

  Whether by open force, or counsell wise,

  Areed ye sonnes of God, as best ye can deuise.

  22 So hauing said, he ceast; and with his brow

  (His black eye-brow, whose doomefull dreaded beck

  Is wont to wield the world vnto his vow,

  And euen the highest Powers of heauen to check)

  Made signe to them in their degrees to speake:

  Who straight gan cast their counsell graue and wise.

  Meane-while, th’Earths daughter, thogh she nought did reck

  Of Hermes message; yet gan now advise,

  What course were best to take in this hot bold emprize.

  23 Eftsoones she thus resolv’d; that whil’st the Gods

  (After returne of Hermes Embassie)

  Were troubled, and amongst themselues at ods,

  Before they could new counsels re-allie,

  To set vpon them in that extasie;

  And take what fortune time and place would lend:

  So, forth she rose, and through the purest sky

  To Ioues high Palace straight cast to ascend,

  To prosecute her plot: Good on-set boads good end.

  24 Shee there arriuing, boldly in did pass;

  Where all the Gods she found in counsell close,

  All quite vnarm’d, as then their manner was.

  At sight of her they suddaine all arose,

  In great amaze, ne wist what way to chose.

  But Ioue, all fearelesse, forc’t them to aby;

  And in bis soueraine throne, gan straight dispose

  Himselfe more full of grace and Maiestie,

  That mote encheare his friends, & foes mote terrific.

  25 That, when the haughty Titanesse beheld,

  All were she fraught with pride and impudence, />
  Yet with the sight thereof was almost queld;

  And inly quaking, seem’d as reft of sense,

  And voyd of speech in that drad audience,

  Vntill that Ioue himselfe, her selfe bespake:

  Speake thou fraile woman, speake with confidence,

  Whence art thou, and what doost thou here now make?

  What idle errand hast thou, earths mansion to forsake?

  26 Shee, halfe confused with his great commaund,

  Yet gathering spirit of her natures pride,

  Him boldly answer’d thus to his demaund:

  I am a daughter, by the mothers side,

  Of her that is Grand-mother magnifide

  Of all the Gods, great Earth, great Chaos child:

  But by the fathers (be it not envide)

  I greater am in bloud (whereon I build)

  Then all the Gods, though wrongfully from heauen exil’d.

  27 For, Titan (as ye all acknowledge must)

  Was Saturnes elder brother by birth-right;

  Both, sonnes of Vranus: but by vniust

  And guilefull meaties, through Corybantes slight,

  The younger thrust the elder from his right:

  Since which, thou Ioue, iniuriously hast held

  The Heauens rule from Titans sonnes by might;

  And them to hellish dungeons downe hast feld:

  Witnesse ye Heauens the truth of all that I haue teld.

  28 Whilst she thus spake, the Gods that gaue good eare

  To her bold words, and marked well her grace,

  Beeing of stature tall as any there

  Of all the Gods, and beautifull of face,

  As any of the Goddesses in place,

  Stood all astonied, like a sort of Steeres;

  Mongst whom, some beast of strange & forraine race,

  Vnwares is chaunc’t, far straying from his peeres:

  So did their ghastly gaze bewray their hidden feares.

  29 Till hauing pauz’d awhile, Ioue thus bespake;

  Will neuer mortall thoughts ceasse to aspire,

  In this bold sort, to Heauen claime to make,

  And touch celestiall seates with earthly mire?

  I would haue thought, that bold Procrustes hire,

  Or Typhons fall, or proud Ixions paine,

  Or great Prometheus, tasting of our ire,

  Would haue suffiz’d, the rest for to restraine;

  And warn’d all men by their example to refraine:

  30 But now, this off-scum of that cursed fry,

  Dare to renew the like hold enterprize,

  And chalenge th’heritage of this our skie;

  Whom what should hinder, but that we likewise

  Should handle as the rest of her allies,

  And thunder-driue to hell? With that, he shooke

  His Nectar-deawed locks, with which the skyes