Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

  XVIII

  ‘Sonne,’ said he then, ‘lett be thy bitter scorne,

  And leave the rudenesse of that antique age 155

  To them that liv’d therin in state forlorne.

  Thou, that doest live in later times, must wage

  Thy workes for wealth, and life for gold engage.

  If then thee list my offred grace to use,

  Take what thou please of all this surplusage; 160

  If thee list not, leave have thou to refuse:

  But thing refused doe not afterward accuse.’

  XIX

  ‘Me list not,’ said the Elfin knight, ‘receave

  Thing offred, till I know it well be gott;

  Ne wote I, but thou didst these goods bereave 165

  From rightfull owner by unrighteous lott,

  Or that blood guiltinesse or guile them blott.’

  ‘Perdy,’ quoth he, ‘yet never eie did vew,

  Ne tong did tell, ne hand these handled not;

  But safe I have them kept in secret mew 170

  From hevens sight, and powre of al which them poursew.’

  XX

  ‘What secret place,’ quoth he, ‘can safely hold

  So huge a masse, and hide from heavens eie?

  Or where hast thou thy wonne, that so much gold

  Thou canst preserve from wrong and robbery?’ 175

  ‘Come thou,’ quoth he, ‘and see.’ So by and by,

  Through that thick covert he him led, and fownd

  A darkesome way, which no man could descry,

  That deep descended through the hollow grownd,

  And was with dread and horror compassed arownd. 180

  XXI

  At length they came into a larger space,

  That stretcht it selfe into an ample playne,

  Through which a beaten broad high way did trace,

  That streight did lead to Plutoes griesly rayne:

  By that wayes side there sate infernall Payne, 185

  And fast beside him sat tumultuous Strife:

  The one in hand an yron whip did strayne,

  The other brandished a bloody knife,

  And both did gnash their teeth, and both did threten life.

  XXII

  On thother side, in one consort, there sate 190

  Cruell Revenge, and rancorous Despight,

  Disloyall Treason, and hart-burning Hate;

  But gnawing Gealosy, out of their sight

  Sitting alone, his bitter lips did bight;

  And trembling Feare still to and fro did fly, 195

  And found no place, wher safe he shroud him might;

  Lamenting Sorrow did in darknes lye;

  And Shame his ugly face did hide from living eye.

  XXIII

  And over them sad Horror with grim hew

  Did alwaies sore, beating his yron wings; 200

  And after him owles and night-ravens flew,

  The hatefull messengers of heavy things,

  Of death and dolor telling sad tidings;

  Whiles sad Celeno, sitting on a clifte,

  A song of bale and bitter sorrow sings, 205

  That hart of flint a sonder could have rifte:

  Which having ended, after him she flyeth swifte.

  XXIV

  All these before the gates of Pluto lay;

  By whom they passing, spake unto them nought.

  But th’ Elfin knight with wonder all the way 210

  Did feed his eyes, and fild his inner thought,

  At last him to a litle dore he brought,

  That to the gate of hell, which gaped wide,

  Was next adjoyning, ne them parted ought:

  Betwixt them both was but a litle stride, 215

  That did the house of Richesse from hell-mouth divide.

  XXV

  Before the dore sat selfe-consuming Care,

  Day and night keeping wary watch and ward,

  For feare least Force or Fraud should unaware

  Breake in, and spoile the treasure there in gard: 220

  Ne would he suffer Sleepe once thetherward

  Approch, albe his drowsy den were next;

  For next to Death is Sleepe to be compard:

  Therefore his house is unto his annext;

  Here Sleep, ther Richesse, and helgate them both betwext. 225

  XXVI

  So soone as Mammon there arrivd, the dore

  To him did open and affoorded way;

  Him followed eke Sir Guyon evermore,

  Ne darkenesse him, ne daunger might dismay.

  Soone as he entred was, the dore streight way 230

  Did shutt, and from behind it forth there lept

  An ugly feend, more fowle then dismall day,

  The which with monstrous stalke behind him stept,

  And ever as he went, dew watch upon him kept.

  XXVII

  Well hoped hee, ere long that hardy guest, 235

  If ever covetous hand, or lustfull eye,

  Or lips he layd on thing that likte him best,

  Or ever sleepe his eiestrings did untye,

  Should be his pray. And therefore still on hye

  He over him did hold his cruell clawes, 240

  Threatning with greedy gripe to doe him dye,

  And rend in peeces with his ravenous pawes,

  If ever he transgrest the fatall Stygian lawes.

  XXVIII

  That houses forme within was rude and strong,

  Lyke an huge cave, hewne out of rocky clifte, 245

  From whose rough vaut the ragged breaches hong,

  Embost with massy gold of glorious guifte,

  And with rich metall loaded every rifte,

  That heavy ruine they did seeme to threatt;

  And over them Arachne high did lifte 250

  Her cunning web, and spred her subtile nett,

  Enwrapped in fowle smoke and clouds more black then jett.

  XXIX

  Both roofe, and floore, and walls were all of gold,

  But overgrowne with dust and old decay,

  And hid in darkenes, that none could behold 255

  The hew thereof: for vew of cherefull day

  Did never in that house it selfe display,

  But a faint shadow of uncertein light;

  Such as a lamp, whose life does fade away;

  Or as the moone, cloathed with clowdy night, 260

  Does shew to him that walkes in feare and sad affright.

  XXX

  In all that rowme was nothing to be seene,

  But huge great yron chests and coffers strong,

  All bard with double bends, that none could weene

  Them to efforce by violence or wrong: 265

  On every side they placed were along.

  But all the grownd with sculs was scattered,

  And dead mens bones, which round about were flong;

  Whose lives, it seemed, whilome there were shed,

  And their vile carcases now left unburied. 270

  XXXI

  They forward passe, ne Guyon yet spoke word,

  Till that they came unto an yron dore,

  Which to them opened of his owne accord,

  And shewd of richesse such exceeding store,

  As eie of man did never see before, 275

  Ne ever could within one place be fownd,

  Though all the wealth, which is, or was of yore,

  Could gathered be through all the world arownd,

  And that above were added to that under grownd.

  XXXII

  The charge thereof unto a covetous spright 280

  Commaunded was, who thereby did attend,

  And warily awaited day and night,

  From other covetous feends it to defend,

  Who it to rob and ransacke did intend.

  Then Mammon, turning to that warriour, said: 285

  ‘Loe here the worldes blis! loe here the end,

  To which al men doe ayme
, rich to be made!

  Such grace now to be happy is before thee laid.’

  XXXIII

  ‘Certes,’ sayd he, ‘I n’ill thine offred grace,

  Ne to be made so happy doe intend: 290

  Another blis before mine eyes I place,

  Another happines, another end.

  To them that list, these base regardes I lend:

  But I in armes, and in atchievements brave,

  Do rather choose my flitting houres to spend, 295

  And to be lord of those that riches have,

  Then them to have my selfe, and be their servile sclave.’

  XXXIV

  Thereat the feend his gnashing teeth did grate,

  And griev’d, so long to lacke his greedie pray;

  For well he weened that so glorious bayte 300

  Would tempt his guest to take thereof assay:

  Had he so doen, he had him snatcht away,

  More light then culver in the faulcons fist.

  Eternall God thee save from such decay!

  But whenas Mammon saw his purpose mist, 305

  Him to entrap unwares another way he wist.

  XXXV

  Thence forward he him ledd, and shortly brought

  Unto another rowme, whose dore forthright

  To him did open, as it had beene taught:

  Therein an hundred raunges weren pight, 310

  And hundred fournaces all burning bright:

  By every fournace many feendes did byde,

  Deformed creatures, horrible in sight;

  And every feend his busie paines applyde,

  To melt the golden metall, ready to be tryde. 315

  XXXVI

  One with great bellowes gathered filling ayre,

  And with forst wind the fewell did inflame;

  Another did the dying bronds repayre

  With yron tongs, and sprinckled ofte the same

  With liquid waves, fiers Vulcans rage to tame, 320

  Who, maystring them, renewd his former heat;

  Some scumd the drosse, that from the metall came,

  Some stird the molten owre with ladles great;

  And every one did swincke, and every one did sweat.

  XXXVII

  But when an earthly wight they present saw, 325

  Glistring in armes and battailous aray,

  From their whot work they did themselves withdraw

  To wonder at the sight: for, till that day,

  They never creature saw, that cam that way.

  Their staring eyes, sparckling with fervent fyre, 330

  And ugly shapes did nigh the man dismay,

  That, were it not for shame, he would retyre;

  Till that him thus bespake their soveraine lord and syre:

  XXXVIII

  ‘Behold, thou Faeries sonne, with mortall eye,

  That living eye before did never see: 335

  The thing that thou didst crave so earnestly

  To weet, whence all the wealth late shewd by mee

  Proceeded, lo! now is reveald to thee.

  Here is the fountaine of the worldes good:

  Now therefore, if thou wilt enriched bee, 340

  Avise thee well, and chaunge thy wilfull mood;

  Least thou perhaps hereafter wish, and be withstood.’

  XXXIX

  ‘Suffise it then, thou Money God,’ quoth hee,

  ‘That all thine ydle offers I refuse.

  All that I need I have; what needeth mee 345

  To covet more then I have cause to use?

  With such vaine shewes thy worldlinges vyle abuse:

  But give me leave to follow mine emprise.’

  Mammon was much displeasd, yet no’te he chuse

  But beare the rigour of his bold mesprise, 350

  And thence him forward ledd, him further to entise.

  XL

  He brought him through a darksom narrow strayt,

  To a broad gate, all built of beaten gold:

  The gate was open, but therein did wayt

  A sturdie villein, stryding stiffe and bold, 355

  As if that Highest God defy he would:

  In his right hand an yron club he held,

  But he himselfe was all of golden mould,

  Yet had both life and sence, and well could weld

  That cursed weapon, when his cruell foes he queld. 360

  XLI

  Disdayne he called was, and did disdayne

  To be so cald, and who so did him call:

  Sterne was his looke, and full of stomacke vayne,

  His portaunce terrible, and stature tall,

  Far passing th’ hight of men terrestriall, 365

  Like an huge gyant of the Titans race;

  That made him scorne all creatures great and small,

  And with his pride all others powre deface:

  More fitt emongst black fiendes then men to have his place.

  XLII

  Soone as those glitterand armes he did espye, 370

  That with their brightnesse made that darknes light,

  His harmefull club he gan to hurtle hye,

  And threaten batteill to the Faery knight;

  Who likewise gan himselfe to batteill dight,

  Till Mammon did his hasty hand withhold, 375

  And counseld him abstaine from perilous fight:

  For nothing might abash the villein bold,

  Ne mortall steele emperce his miscreated mould.

  XLIII

  So having him with reason pacifyde,

  And the fiers carle commaunding to forbeare, 380

  He brought him in. The rowme was large and wyde,

  As it some gyeld or solemne temple weare:

  Many great golden pillours did upbeare

  The massy roofe, and riches huge sustayne,

  And every pillour decked was full deare 385

  With crownes, and diademes, and titles vaine,

  Which mortall princes wore, whiles they on earth did rayne.

  XLIV

  A route of people there assembled were,

  Of every sort and nation under skye,

  Which with great uprore preaced to draw nere 390

  To th’ upper part, where was advaunced hye

  A stately siege of soveraine majestye;

  And thereon satt a woman gorgeous gay,

  And richly cladd in robes of royaltye,

  That never earthly prince in such aray 395

  His glory did enhaunce and pompous pryde display.

  XLV

  Her face right wondrous faire did seeme to bee,

  That her broad beauties beam great brightnes threw

  Through the dim shade, that all men might it see:

  Yet was not that same her owne native hew, 400

  But wrought by art and counterfetted shew,

  Thereby more lovers unto her to call;

  Nath’lesse most hevenly faire in deed and vew

  She by creation was, till she did fall;

  Thenceforth she sought for helps to cloke her crime withall. 405

  XLVI

  There as in glistring glory she did sitt,

  She held a great gold chaine ylincked well,

  Whose upper end to highest heven was knitt,

  And lower part did reach to lowest hell;

  And all that preace did rownd about her swell, 410

  To catchen hold of that long chaine, thereby

  To climbe aloft, and others to excell:

  That was Ambition, rash desire to sty,

  And every linck thereof a step of dignity.

  XLVII

  Some thought to raise themselves to high degree 415

  By riches and unrighteous reward;

  Some by close shouldring, some by flatteree;

  Others through friendes, others for base regard;

  And all by wrong waies for themselves prepard.

  Those that were up themselves, kept others low, 420

  Those that were low
themselves, held others hard,

  Ne suffred them to ryse or greater grow,

  But every one did strive his fellow downe to throw.

  XLVIII

  Which whenas Guyon saw, he gan inquire,

  What meant that preace about that ladies throne, 425

  And what she was that did so high aspyre.

  Him Mammon answered: ‘That goodly one,

  Whom all that folke with such contention

  Doe flock about, my deare, my daughter is:

  Honour and dignitie from her alone 430

  Derived are, and all this worldes blis,

  For which ye men doe strive: few gett, but many mis.

  XLIX

  ‘And fayre Philotime she rightly hight,

  The fairest wight that wonneth under skye,

  But that this darksom neather world her light 435

  Doth dim with horror and deformity,

  Worthie of heven and hye felicitie,

  From whence the gods have her for envy thrust:

  But sith thou hast found favour in mine eye,

  Thy spouse I will her make, if that thou lust, 440

  That she may thee advance for works and merits just.’

  L

  ‘Gramercy, Mammon,’ said the gentle knight,

  ‘For so great grace and offred high estate,

  But I, that am fraile flesh and earthly wight,

  Unworthy match for such immortall mate 445

  My selfe well wote, and mine unequall fate:

  And were I not, yet is my trouth yplight,

  And love avowd to other lady late,

  That to remove the same I have no might:

  To chaunge love causelesse is reproch to warlike knight.’ 450

  LI

  Mammon emmoved was with inward wrath;

  Yet, forcing it to fayne, him forth thence ledd,

  Through griesly shadowes by a beaten path,

  Into a gardin goodly garnished

  With hearbs and fruits, whose kinds mote not be redd: 455

  Not such as earth out of her fruitfull woomb

  Throwes forth to men, sweet and well savored,

  But direfull deadly black, both leafe and bloom,

  Fitt to adorne the dead and deck the drery toombe.

  LII

  There mournfull cypresse grew in greatest store, 460

  And trees of bitter gall, and heben sad,

  Dead sleeping poppy, and black hellebore,

  Cold coloquintida, and tetra mad,

  Mortall samnitis, and cicuta bad,

  With which th’ unjust Atheniens made to dy 465

  Wise Socrates, who thereof quaffing glad,

  Pourd out his life and last philosophy

  To the fayre Critias, his dearest belamy.

  LIII

  The Gardin of Proserpina this hight;

  And in the midst thereof a silver seat, 470

  With a thick arber goodly overdight,

  In which she often usd from open heat

  Her selfe to shroud, and pleasures to entreat.