Unworthy of faire ladies comely governaunce. 315
XXXVI
But young Perissa was of other mynd,
Full of disport, still laughing, loosely light,
And quite contrary to her sisters kynd;
No measure in her mood, no rule of right,
But poured out in pleasure and delight; 320
In wine and meats she flowd above the banck,
And in excesse exceeded her owne might;
In sumptuous tire she joyd her selfe to pranck,
But of her love too lavish (litle have she thanck.)
XXXVII
Fast by her side did sitt the bold Sansloy, 325
Fitt mate for such a mincing mineon,
Who in her loosenesse tooke exceeding joy;
Might not be found a francker franion,
Of her leawd parts to make companion:
But Huddibras, more like a malecontent, 330
Did see and grieve at his bold fashion;
Hardly could he endure his hardiment,
Yett still he satt, and inly did him selfe torment.
XXXVIII
Betwixt them both the faire Medina sate
With sober grace and goodly carriage: 335
With equall measure she did moderate
The strong extremities of their outrage.
That forward paire she ever would asswage,
When they would strive dew reason to exceed;
But that same froward twaine would accorage, 340
And of her plenty adde unto their need:
So kept she them in order, and her selfe in heed.
XXXIX
Thus fairely shee attempered her feast,
And pleasd them all with meete satiety:
At last, when lust of meat and drinke was ceast, 345
She Guyon deare besought of curtesie,
To tell from whence he came through jeopardy,
And whether now on new adventure bownd:
Who with bold grace, and comely gravity,
Drawing to him the eies of all arownd, 350
From lofty siege began these words aloud to sownd.
XL
‘This thy demaund, O lady, doth revive
Fresh memory in me of that great Queene,
Great and most glorious virgin Queene alive,
That with her soveraine powre, and scepter shene, 355
All Faery Lond does peaceably sustene.
In widest ocean she her throne does reare,
That over all the earth it may be seene;
As morning sunne her beames dispredden cleare,
And in her face faire peace and mercy doth appeare. 360
XLI
‘In her the richesse of all heavenly grace
In chiefe degree are heaped up on hye:
And all, that els this worlds enclosure bace
Hath great or glorious in mortall eye,
Adornes the person of her Majestye; 365
That men beholding so great excellence,
And rare perfection in mortalitye,
Doe her adore with sacred reverence,
As th’ idole of her Makers great magnificence.
XLII
‘To her I homage and my service owe, 370
In number of the noblest knightes on ground,
Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe
Order of Maydenhead, the most renownd,
That may this day in all the world be found.
An yearely solemne feast she wontes to hold, 375
The day that first doth lead the yeare around;
To which all knights of worth and courage bold
Resort, to heare of straunge adventures to be told.
XLIII
‘There this old palmer shewd himselfe that day,
And to that mighty Princesse did complaine 380
Of grievous mischiefes, which a wicked Fay
Had wrought, and many whelmd in deadly paine,
Whereof he crav’d redresse. My soveraine,
Whose glory is in gracious deeds, and joyes
Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine, 385
Eftsoones devisd redresse for such annoyes:
Me, all unfitt for so great purpose, she employes.
XLIV
‘Now hath faire Phebe with her silver face
Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world,
Sith last I left that honorable place, 390
In which her roiall presence is enrold;
Ne ever shall I rest in house nor hold,
Till I that false Acrasia have wonne;
Of whose fowle deedes, too hideous to bee told,
I witnesse am, and this their wretched sonne, 395
Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne.’
XLV
‘Tell on, fayre sir,’ said she, ‘that dolefull tale,
From which sad ruth does seeme you to restraine,
That we may pitty such unhappie bale,
And learne from Pleasures poyson to abstaine: 400
Ill by ensample good doth often gayne.’
Then forward he his purpose gan pursew,
And told the story of the mortall payne,
Which Mordant and Amavia did rew;
As with lamenting eyes him selfe did lately vew. 405
XLVI
Night was far spent, and now in ocean deep
Orion, flying fast from hissing Snake,
His flaming head did hasten for to steep,
When of his pitteous tale he end did make;
Whilst with delight of that he wisely spake 410
Those guestes beguyled did beguyle their eyes
Of kindly sleepe, that did them overtake.
At last, when they had markt the chaunged skyes,
They wist their houre was spent; then each to rest him hyes.
Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents
Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’
Canto III
Vaine Braggadocchio, getting Guyons
horse, is made the scorne
Of knighthood trew, and is of fayre
Belphœbe fowle forlorne.
I
SOONE as the morrow fayre with purple beames
Disperst the shadowes of the misty night,
And Titan, playing on the eastern streames,
Gan cleare the deawy ayre with springing light,
Sir Guyon, mindfull of his vow yplight, 5
Uprose from drowsie couch, and him addrest
Unto the journey which he had behight:
His puissaunt armes about his noble brest,
And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest.
II
Then taking congè of that virgin pure, 10
The bloody-handed babe unto her truth
Did earnestly committ, and her conjure,
In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth,
And all that gentle noriture ensueth:
And that, so soone as ryper yeares he raught, 15
He might, for memory of that dayes ruth,
Be called Ruddymane, and thereby taught
T’ avenge his parents death on them that had it wrought.
III
So forth he far’d, as now befell, on foot,
Sith his good steed is lately from him gone; 20
Patience perforce: helplesse what may it boot
To frett for anger, or for griefe to mone?
His palmer now shall foot no more alone.
So fortune wrought, as under greene woodes syde
He lately hard that dying lady grone, 25
He left his steed without, and speare besyde,
And rushed in on foot to ayd her, ere she dyde.
IV
The whyles a losell wandring by the way,
One that to bountie never cast his mynd,
Ne thought of honour ever did assay 30
His baser brest, but in his kestrell kynd
A ple
asing vaine of glory he did fynd,
To which his flowing toung and troublous spright
Gave him great ayd, and made him more inclynd:
He, that brave steed there finding ready dight, 35
Purloynd both steed and speare, and ran away full light.
V
Now gan his hart all swell in jollity,
And of him selfe great hope and help conceiv’d,
That puffed up with smoke of vanity,
And with selfe-loved personage deceiv’d, 40
He gan to hope of men to be receiv’d
For such as he him thought, or faine would bee:
But for in court gay portaunce he perceiv’d
And gallant shew to be in greatest gree,
Eftsoones to court he cast t’ advaunce his first degree. 45
VI
And by the way he chaunced to espy
One sitting ydle on a sunny banck,
To whom avaunting in great bravery,
As peacocke, that his painted plumes doth pranck,
He smote his courser in the trembling flanck, 50
And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare:
The seely man, seeing him ryde so ranck
And ayme at him, fell flatt to ground for feare,
And crying ‘Mercy!’ loud, his pitious handes gan reare.
VII
Thereat the scarcrow wexed wondrous prowd, 55
Through fortune of his first adventure fayre,
And with big thundring voice revyld him lowd:
‘Vile caytive, vassall of dread and despayre,
Unworthie of the commune breathed ayre,
Why livest thou, dead dog, a lenger day, 60
And doest not unto death thy selfe prepayre?
Dy, or thy selfe my captive yield for ay;
Great favour I thee graunt, for aunswere thus to stay.’
VIII
‘Hold, O deare lord, hold your dead-doing hand!’
Then loud he cryde, ‘I am your humble thrall.’ 65
‘Ah, wretch!’ quoth he, ‘thy destinies withstand
My wrathfull will, and doe for mercy call.
I give thee life: therefore prostrated fall,
And kisse my stirrup; that thy homage bee.’
The miser threw him selfe, as an offall, 70
Streight at his foot in base humilitee,
And cleeped him his liege, to hold of him in fee.
IX
So happy peace they made and faire accord.
Eftsoones this liegeman gan to wexe more bold,
And when he felt the folly of his lord, 75
In his owne kind he gan him selfe unfold:
For he was wylie witted, and growne old
In cunning sleightes and practick knavery.
From that day forth he cast for to uphold
His ydle humour with fine flattery, 80
And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity.
X
Trompart, fitt man for Braggadochio,
To serve at court in view of vaunting eye;
Vaineglorious man, when fluttring wind does blow
In his light winges, is lifted up to skye; 85
The scorne of knighthood and trew chevalrye,
To thinke, without desert of gentle deed
And noble worth, to be advaunced hye:
Such prayse is shame; but honour, vertues meed,
Doth beare the fayrest flowre in honourable seed. 90
XI
So forth they pas, a well consorted payre,
Till that at length with Archimage they meet:
Who, seeing one that shone in armour fayre,
On goodly courser thondring with his feet,
Eftsoones supposed him a person meet 95
Of his revenge to make the instrument:
For since the Redcrosse Knight he erst did weet,
To beene with Guyon knitt in one consent,
The ill, which earst to him, he now to Guyon ment.
XII
And comming close to Trompart gan inquere 100
Of him, what mightie warriour that mote bee,
That rode in golden sell with single spere,
But wanted sword to wreake his enmitee.
‘He is a great adventurer,’ said he,
‘That hath his sword through hard assay forgone, 105
And now hath vowd, till he avenged bee
Of that despight, never to wearen none;
That speare is him enough to doen a thousand grone.’
XIII
Th’ enchaunter greatly joyed in the vaunt,
And weened well ere long his will to win, 110
And both his foen with equall foyle to daunt.
Tho to him louting lowly did begin
To plaine of wronges, which had committed bin
By Guyon, and by that false Redcrosse Knight,
Which two, through treason and deceiptfull gin, 115
Had slayne Sir Mordant and his lady bright:
That mote him honour win, to wreak so foule despight.
XIV
Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enragd,
And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce,
As if their lives had in his hand beene gagd; 120
And with stiffe force shaking his mortall launce,
To let him weet his doughtie valiaunce,
Thus said: ‘Old man, great sure shalbe thy meed,
If, where those knights for feare of dew vengeaunce
Doe lurke, thou certeinly to mee areed, 125
That I may wreake on them their hainous hateful deed.’
XV
‘Certes, my lord,’ said he, ‘that shall I soone,
And give you eke good helpe to their decay.
But mote I wisely you advise to doon,
Give no ods to your foes, but doe purvay 130
Your selfe of sword before that bloody day:
For they be two the prowest knights on grownd,
And oft approv’d in many hard assay;
And eke of surest steele, that may be fownd,
Doe arme your self against that day, them to confownd.’ 135
XVI
‘Dotard,’ saide he, ‘let be thy deepe advise;
Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile,
And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise,
Els never should thy judgement be so frayle,
To measure manhood by the sword or mayle. 140
Is not enough fowre quarters of a man,
Withouten sword or shield, an hoste to quayle?
Thou litle wotest what this right-hand can:
Speake they, which have beheld the battailes which it wan.’
XVII
The man was much abashed at his boast; 145
Yet well he wist, that who so would contend
With either of those knightes on even coast,
Should neede of all his armes, him to defend;
Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend:
When Braggadocchio saide: ‘Once I did sweare, 150
When with one sword seven knightes I brought to end,
Thence forth in battaile never sword to beare,
But it were that which noblest knight on earth doth weare.’
XVIII
‘Perdy, sir knight,’ saide then th’ enchaunter blive,
‘That shall I shortly purchase to your hond: 155
For now the best and noblest knight alive
Prince Arthur is, that wonnes in Faerie Lond;
He hath a sword, that flames like burning brond.
The same, by my device, I undertake
Shall by to morrow by thy side be fond.’ 160
At which bold word that boaster gan to quake,
And wondred in his minde what mote that monster make.
XIX
He stayd not for more bidding, but away
Was suddein vanished out of his sight:
The northerne winde his wings did broad display 165
At his commaund, and reared him up light
From of the earth to take his aerie flight.
They lookt about, but no where could espye
Tract of his foot: then dead through great affright
They both nigh were, and each bad other flye: 170
Both fled attonce, ne ever backe retourned eye:
XX
Till that they come unto a forrest greene,
In which they shrowd themselves from causeles feare;
Yet feare them followes still, where so they beene.
Each trembling leafe and whistling wind they heare, 175
As ghastly bug, their haire on end does reare:
Yet both doe strive their fearefulnesse to faine.
At last they heard a horne, that shrilled cleare
Throughout the wood, that ecchoed againe,
And made the forrest ring, as it would rive in twaine. 180
XXI
Eft through the thicke they heard one rudely rush;
With noyse whereof he from his loftie steed
Downe fell to ground, and crept into a bush,
To hide his coward head from dying dreed.
But Trompart stoutly stayd to taken heed 185
Of what might hap. Eftsoone there stepped foorth
A goodly ladie clad in hunters weed,
That seemd to be a woman of great worth,
And, by her stately portance, borne of heavenly birth.
XXII
Her face so faire as flesh it seemed not, 190
But hevenly pourtraict of bright angels hew,
Cleare as the skye, withouten blame or blot,
Through goodly mixture of complexions dew;
And in her cheekes the vermeill red did shew
Like roses in a bed of lillies shed, 195
The which ambrosiall odours from them threw,
And gazers sense with double pleasure fed,
Hable to heale the sicke, and to revive the ded.
XXIII
In her faire eyes two living lamps did flame,
Kindled above at th’ Hevenly Makers light, 200
And darted fyrie beames out of the same,
So passing persant, and so wondrous bright,
That quite bereav’d the rash beholders sight:
In them the blinded god his lustfull fyre
To kindle oft assayd, but had no might; 205
For with dredd majestie and awfull yre
She broke his wanton darts, and quenched bace desyre.
XXIV
Her yvorie forhead, full of bountie brave,
Like a broad table did it selfe dispred,
For Love his loftie triumphes to engrave, 210
And write the battailes of his great godhed:
All good and honour might therein be red:
For there their dwelling was. And when she spake,
Sweete wordes, like dropping honny, she did shed,
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