Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

  And envying the Britons blazed fame,

  (O hideous hunger of dominion!) hether came.

  XLVIII

  Yet twise they were repulsed backs againe,

  And twise renforst backs to their ships to fly, 425

  The whiles with blood they all the shore did staine,

  And the gray ocean into purple dy:

  Ne had they footing found at last perdie,

  Had not Androgeus, false to native soyle,

  And envious of uncles soveraintie, 430

  Betrayd his countrey unto forreine spoyle:

  Nought els but treason from the first this land did foyle.

  XLIX

  So by him Cæsar got the victory,

  Through great bloodshed and many a sad assay,

  In which himselfe was charged heavily 435

  Of bardy Nennius, whom he yet did slay,

  But lost his sword, yet to be seene this day.

  Thenceforth this land was tributarie made

  T’ambitious Rome, and did their rule obay,

  Till Arthur all that reckoning defrayd; 440

  Yet oft the Briton kings against them strongly swayd.

  L

  Next him Tenantius raignd; then Kimbeline,

  What time th’ Eternall Lord in fleshly slime

  Enwombed was, from wretched Adams line

  To purge away the guilt of sinfull crime: 445

  O joyous memorie of happy time,

  That heavenly grace so plenteously displayd!

  O too high ditty for my simple rime!

  Soone after this the Romanes him warrayd,

  For that their tribute he refusd to let be payd. 450

  LI

  Good Claudius, that next was emperour,

  An army brought, and with him batteile fought,

  In which the king was by a treachetour

  Disguised slaine, ere any thereof thought:

  Yet ceased not the bloody fight for ought; 455

  For Arvirage his brothers place supplyde,

  Both in his armes and crowne, and by that draught

  Did drive the Romanes to the weaker syde,

  That they to peace agreed. So all was pacifyde.

  LII

  Was never king more highly magnifide, 460

  Nor dredd of Romanes, then was Arvirage;

  For which the emperour to him allide

  His daughter Genuiss’ in marriage:

  Yet shortly he renounst the vassallage

  Of Rome againe, who hether hastly sent 465

  Vespasian, that with great spoile and rage

  Forwasted all, till Genuissa gent

  Persuaded him to ceasse, and her lord to relent.

  LIII

  He dide; and him succeeded Marius,

  Who joyd his dayes in great tranquillity: 470

  Then Coyll, and after him good Lucius,

  That first received Christianity,

  The sacred pledge of Christes Evangely:

  Yet true it is, that long before that day

  Hither came Joseph of Arimathy, 475

  Who brought with him the Holy Grayle, (they say)

  And preacht the truth; but since it greatly did decay.

  LIV

  This good king shortly without issew dide,

  Whereof great trouble in the kingdome grew,

  That did her selfe in sondry parts divide, 480

  And with her powre her owne selfe overthrew,

  Whilest Romanes daily did the weake subdew:

  Which seeing stout Bunduca, up arose,

  And taking armes, the Britons to her drew;

  With whom she marched streight against her foes, 485

  And them unwares besides the Severne did enclose.

  LV

  There she with them a cruell batteill tryde,

  Not with so good successe as shee deserv’d,

  By reason that the captaines on her syde,

  Corrupted by Paulinus, from her swerv’d: 490

  Yet such as were through former flight preserv’d

  Gathering againe, her host she did renew,

  And with fresh corage on the victor serv’d:

  But being all defeated, save a few,

  Rather then fly, or be captiv’d, her selfe she slew. 495

  LVI

  O famous moniment of womens prayse,

  Matchable either to Semiramis,

  Whom antique history so high doth rayse,

  Or to Hypsiphil’, or to Thomiris!

  Her host two hundred thousand numbred is; 500

  Who, whiles good fortune favoured her might,

  Triumphed oft against her enemis;

  And yet, though overcome in haplesse fight,

  Shee triumphed on death, in enemies despight.

  LVII

  Her reliques Fulgent having gathered, 505

  Fought with Severus, and him overthrew;

  Yet in the chace was slaine of them that fled:

  So made them victors whome he did subdew.

  Then gan Carausius tirannize anew,

  And gainst the Romanes bent their proper powre; 510

  But him Allectus treacherously slew,

  And tooke on him the robe of emperoure:

  Nath’lesse the same enjoyed but short happy howre.

  LVIII

  For Asclepiodate him overcame,

  And left inglorious on the vanquisht playne, 515

  Without or robe or rag to hide his shame.

  Then afterwards he in his stead did raigne;

  But shortly was by Coyll in batteill slaine:

  Who after long debate, since Lucies tyme,

  Was of the Britons first crownd soveraine. 520

  Then gan this realme renew her passed prime:

  He of his name Coylchester built of stone and lime.

  LIX

  Which when the Romanes heard, they hether sent

  Constantius, a man of mickle might,

  With whome King Coyll made an agreement, 525

  And to him gave for wife his daughter bright,

  Fayre Helena, the fairest living wight;

  Who in all godly thewes, and goodly praise,

  Did far excell, but was most famous hight

  For skil in musicke of all in her daies, 530

  Aswell in curious instruments as cunning laies.

  LX

  Of whom he did great Constantine begett,

  Who afterward was emperour of Rome;

  To which whiles absent he his mind did sett,

  Octavius here lept into his roome, 535

  And it usurped by unrighteous doome:

  But he his title justifide by might,

  Slaying Traherne, and having overcome

  The Romane legion in dreadfull fight:

  So settled he his kingdome, and confirmd his right. 540

  LXI

  But wanting yssew male, his daughter deare

  He gave in wedlocke to Maximian,

  And him with her made of his kingdome heyre,

  Who soone by meanes thereof the empire wan,

  Till murdred by the freends of Gratian. 545

  Then gan the Hunnes and Picts invade this land,

  During the raigne of Maximinian;

  Who dying left none heire them to withstand,

  But that they overran all parts with easy hand.

  LXII

  The weary Britons, whose war-hable youth 550

  Was by Maximian lately ledd away,

  With wretched miseryes and woefull ruth

  Were to those pagans made an open pray,

  And daily spectacle of sad decay:

  Whome Romane warres, which now fowr hundred yeares 555

  And more had wasted, could no whit dismay;

  Til by consent of Commons and of Peares,

  They crownd the second Constantine with joyous teares.

  LXIII

  Who having oft in batteill vanquished

  Those spoylefull Picts, and swarming Easterlin
gs, 560

  Long time in peace his realme established,

  Yet oft annoyd with sondry bordragings

  Of neighbour Scots, and forrein scatterlings,

  With which the world did in those dayes abound:

  Which to outbarre, with painefull pyonings 565

  From sea to sea he heapt a mighty mound,

  Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border bownd.

  LXIV

  Three sonnes he dying left, all under age;

  By meanes whereof, their uncle Vortigere

  Usurpt the crowne during their pupillage; 570

  Which th’ infants tutors gathering to feare,

  Them closely into Armorick did beare:

  For dread of whom, and for those Picts annoyes,

  He sent to Germany, straunge aid to reare;

  From whence eftsoones arrived here three hoyes 575

  Of Saxons, whom he for his safety imployes.

  LXV

  Two brethren were their capitayns, which hight

  Hengist and Horsus, well approv’d in warre,

  And both of them men of renowmed might;

  Who, making vantage of their civile jarre, 580

  And of those forreyners which came from farre,

  Grew great, and got large portions of land,

  That in the realme ere long they stronger arre

  Then they which sought at first their helping hand,

  And Vortiger have forst the kingdome to aband. 585

  LXVI

  But by the helpe of Vortimere his sonne,

  He is againe unto his rule restord;

  And Hengist, seeming sad for that was donne,

  Received is to grace and new accord,

  Through his faire daughters face and flattring word. 590

  Soone after which, three hundred lords he slew

  Of British blood, all sitting at his bord;

  Whose dolefull moniments who list to rew,

  Th’eternall marks of treason may at Stonheng vew.

  LXVII

  By this the sonnes of Constantine, which fled, 595

  Ambrose and Uther, did ripe yeares attayne,

  And here arriving, strongly challenged

  The crowne, which Vortiger did long detayne;

  Who, flying from his fuilt, by them was slayne,

  And Hengist eke soone brought to shamefull death. 600

  Thenceforth Aurelius peaceably did rayne,

  Till that throught poyson stopped was his breath;

  So now entombed lies at Stoneheng by the heath.

  LXVIII

  After him Uther, which Pendragon hight,

  Succeeding —— There abruptly it did end, 605

  Without full point, or other cesure right,

  As if the rest some wicked hand did rend,

  Or th’ author selfe could not at least attend

  To finish it: that so untimely breach

  The Prince him selfe halfe seemed to offend; 610

  Yet secret pleasure did offence empeach,

  And wonder of antiquity long stopt his speach.

  LXIX

  At last, quite ravisht with delight, to heare

  The royall ofspring of his native land,

  Gryde out: ‘Deare countrey! O how dearely deare 615

  Ought thy remembraunce and perpetual band

  Be to thy foster childe, that from thy hand

  Did commun breath and nouriture receave!

  How brutish is it not to understand

  How much to her we owe, that all us gave, 620

  That gave unto us all, what ever good we have!’

  LXX

  But Guyon all this while his booke did read,

  Ne yet has ended: for it was a great

  And ample volume, that doth far excead

  My leasure, so long leaves here to repeat: 625

  It told, how first Prometheus did create

  A man, of many parts from beasts deryv’d,

  And then stole fire from heven, to animate

  His worke, for which he was by Jove depryv’d

  Of life him self, and hart-strings of an aegle ryv’d. 630

  LXXI

  That man so made he called Elfe, to weet

  Quick, the first author of all Elfin kynd:

  Who, wandring through the world with wearie feet,

  Did in the gardins of Adonis fynd

  A goodly creature, whom he deemd in mynd 635

  To be no earthly wight, but either spright

  Or angell, th’ authour of all woman kynd;

  Therefore a Fay he her according hight,

  Of whom all Faryes spring, and fetch their lignage right.

  LXXII

  Of these a mighty people shortly grew, 640

  And puissant kinges, which all the world warrayd,

  And to them selves all nations did subdew.

  The first and eldest, which that scepter swayd,

  Was Elfin; him all India obayd,

  And all that now America men call: 645

  Next him was noble Elfinan, who laid

  Cleopolis foundation first of all:

  But Elfiline enclosd it with a golden wall.

  LXXIII

  His sonne was Elfinell, who overcame

  The wicked Gobbelines in bloody field: 650

  But Elfant was of most renowmed fame,

  Who all of christall did Panthea build:

  Then Elfar, who two brethren gyauntes kild,

  The one of which had two heades, th’ other three:

  Then Elfinor, who was in magick skild; 655

  He built by art upon the glassy see

  A bridge of bras, whose sound hevens thunder seem’d to bee.

  LXXIV

  He left three sonnes, the which in order raynd,

  And all their ofspring, in their dew descents,

  Even seven hundred princes, which maintaynd 660

  With mightie deedes their sondry governments;

  That were too long their infinite contents

  Here to record, ne much materiall;

  Yet should they be most famous moniments,

  And brave ensample, both of martiall 665

  And civil rule, to kinges and states imperiall.

  LXXV

  After all these Elficleos did rayne,

  The wise Elficleos in great majestie,

  Who mightily that scepter did sustayne,

  And with rich spoyles and famous victorie 670

  Did high advaunce the crowne of Faery:

  He left two sonnes, of which faire Elferon,

  The eldest brother, did untimely dy;

  Whose emptie place the mightie Oberon

  Doubly supplide, in spousall and dominion. 675

  LXXVI

  Great was his power and glorie over all

  Which, him before, that sacred seate did fill,

  That yet remaines his wide memoriall:

  He dying left the fairest Tanaquill,

  Him to succeede therein, by his last will: 680

  Fairer and nobler liveth none this howre,

  Ne like in grace, ne like in learned skill;

  Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre:

  Long mayst thou, Glorian, live, in glory and great powre!

  LXXVII

  Beguyld thus with delight of novelties, 685

  And naturall desire of countryes state,

  So long they redd in those antiquities,

  That how the time was fled they quite forgate;

  Till gentle Alma, seeing it so late,

  Perforce their studies broke, and them besought 690

  To thinke how supper did them long awaite:

  So halfe unwilling from their bookes them brought,

  And fayrely feasted, as so noble knightes she ought.

  Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents

  Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’

  Canto XI

  The enimies of Temperaunce

  Besiege her dwe
lling place:

  Prince Arthure them repelles, and fowle

  Maleger doth deface.

  I

  WHAT warre so cruel, or what siege so sore,

  As that which strong affections doe apply

  Against the forte of reason evermore,

  To bring the sowle into captivity?

  Their force is fiercer through infirmity 5

  Of the fraile flesh, relenting to their rage,

  And exercise most bitter tyranny

  Upon the partes, brought into their bondage:

  No wretchednesse is like to sinfull vellenage.

  II

  But in a body which doth freely yeeld 10

  His partes to reasons rule obedient,

  And letteth her, that ought, the scepter weeld,

  All happy peace and goodly government

  Is setled there in sure establishment.

  There Alma, like a virgin queene most bright, 15

  Doth florish in all beautie excellent,

  And to her guestes doth bounteous banket dight,

  Attempred goodly well for health and for delight.

  III

  Early, before the morne with cremosin ray

  The windowes of bright heaven opened had, 20

  Through which into the world the dawning day

  Might looke, that maketh every creature glad,

  Uprose Sir Guyon, in bright armour clad,

  And to his purposd journey him prepar’d:

  With him the palmer eke in habit sad 25

  Him selfe addrest to that adventure hard:

  So to the rivers syde they both together far’d.

  IV

  Where them awaited ready at the ford

  The ferriman, as Alma had behight,

  With his well rigged bote. They goe abord, 30

  And he eftsoones gan launch his barke forth-right.

  Ere long they rowed were quite out of sight,

  And fast the land behynd them fled away.

  But let them pas, whiles winde and wether right

  Doe serve their turnes: here I a while must stay, 35

  To see a cruell fight doen by the Prince this day.

  V

  For all so soone as Guyon thence was gon

  Upon his voyage with his trustie guyde,

  That wicked band of villeins fresh begon

  That castle to assaile on every side, 40

  And lay strong siege about it far and wyde.

  So huge and infinite their numbers were,

  That all the land they under them did hyde;

  So fowle and ugly, that exceeding feare

  Their visages imprest, when they approched neare. 45

  VI

  Them in twelve troupes their captein did dispart,

  And round about in fittest steades did place,

  Where each might best offend his proper part,

  And his contrary object most deface,

  As every one seem’d meetest in that cace. 50

  Seven of the same against the castle gate