Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

Her plong, as over maystered by might, 570

  Where both awhile would covered remaine,

  And each the other from to rise restraine;

  The whiles their snowy limbes, as through a vele,

  So through the christall waves appeared plaine:

  Then suddeinly both would themselves unhele, 575

  And th’ amarous sweet spoiles to greedy eyes revele.

  LXV

  As that faire starre, the messenger of morne,

  His deawy face out of the sea doth reare,

  Or as the Cyprian goddesse, newly borne

  Of th’ oceans fruitfull froth, did first appeare, 580

  Such seemed they, and so their yellow heare

  Christalline humor dropped downe apace.

  Whom such when Guyon saw, he drew him neare,

  And somewhat gan relent his earnest pace;

  His stubborne brest gan secret pleasaunce to embrace. 585

  LXVI

  The wanton maidens, him espying, stood

  Gazing a while at his unwonted guise;

  Then th’ one her selfe low ducked in the flood,

  Abasht that her a straunger did avise:

  But thother rather higher did arise, 590

  And her two lilly paps aloft displayd,

  And all, that might his melting hart entyse

  To her delights, she unto him bewrayd:

  The rest, hidd underneath, him more desirous made.

  LXVII

  With that the other likewise up arose, 595

  And her faire lockes, which formerly were bownd

  Up in one knott, she low adowne did lose:

  Which, flowing long and thick, her cloth’d arownd,

  And th’yvorie in golden mantle gownd:

  So that faire spectacle from him was reft, 600

  Yet that which reft it no lesse faire was fownd:

  So hidd in lockes and waves from lookers theft,

  Nought but her lovely face she for his looking left.

  LXVIII

  Withall she laughed, and she blusht withall,

  That blushing to her laughter gave more grace, 605

  And laughter to her blushing, as did fall.

  Now when they spyde the knight to slacke his pace,

  Them to behold, and in his sparkling face

  The secrete signes of kindled lust appeare,

  Their wanton meriments they did encreace, 610

  And to him beckned to approch more neare,

  And shewd him many sights, that corage cold could reare.

  LXIX

  On which when gazing him the palmer saw,

  He much rebukt those wandring eyes of his,

  And, counseld well, him forward thence did draw. 615

  Now are they come nigh to the Bowre of Blis,

  Of her fond favorites so nam’d amis:

  When thus the palmer: ‘Now, sir, well avise;

  For here the end of all our traveill is:

  Here wonnes Acrasia, whom we must surprise, 620

  Els she will slip away, and all our drift despise.’

  LXX

  Eftsoones they heard a most melodious sound,

  Of all that mote delight a daintie eare,

  Such as attonce might not on living ground,

  Save in this paradise, be heard elswhere: 625

  Right hard it was for wight which did it heare,

  To read what manner musicke that mote bee:

  For all that pleasing is to living eare

  Was there consorted in one harmonee;

  Birdes, voices, instruments, windes, waters, all agree. 630

  LXXI

  The joyous birdes, shrouded in chearefull shade,

  Their notes unto the voice attempred sweet:

  Th’ angelicall soft trembling voyces made

  To th’ instruments divine respondence meet:

  The silver sounding instruments did meet 635

  With the base murmure of the waters fall

  The waters fall with difference discreet,

  Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call:

  The gentle warbling wind low answered to all.

  LXXII

  There, whence that musick seemed heard to bee, 640

  Was the faire witch, her selfe now solacing

  With a new lover, whom, through sorceree

  And witchcraft, she from farre did thether bring:

  There she had him now laid a slombering,

  In secret shade after long wanton joyes: 645

  Whilst round about them pleasauntly did sing

  Many faire ladies and lascivious boyes,

  That ever mixt their song with light licentious toyes.

  LXXIII

  And all that while, right over him she hong,

  With her false eyes fast fixed in his sight, 650

  As seeking medicine whence she was stong,

  Or greedily depasturing delight:

  And oft inclining downe, with kisses light,

  For feare of waking him, his lips bedewd,

  And through his humid eyes did sucke his spright, 655

  Quite molten into lust and pleasure lewd;

  Wherewith she sighed soft, as if his case she rewd.

  LXXIV

  The whiles some one did chaunt this lovely lay: —

  Ah! see, who so fayre thing doest faine to see,

  In springing flowre the image of thy day; 660

  Ah! see the virgin rose, how sweetly shee

  Doth first peepe foorth with bashfull modestee,

  That fairer seemes, the lesse ye see her may;

  Lo! see soone after, how more bold and free

  Her bared bosome she doth broad display; 665

  Lo! see soone after, how she fades and falls away.

  LXXV

  So passeth, in the passing of a day,

  Of mortall life the leafe, the bud, the flowre,

  Ne more doth florish after first decay,

  That earst was sought to deck both bed and bowre 670

  Of many a lady, and many a paramowre:

  Gather therefore the rose, whilest yet is prime,

  For soone comes age, that will her pride deflowre:

  Gather the rose of love, whilest yet is time,

  Whilest loving thou mayst loved be with equall crime. 675

  LXXVI

  He ceast, and then gan all the quire of birdes

  Their diverse notes t’ attune unto his lay,

  As in approvaunce of his pleasing wordes.

  The constant payre heard all that he did say,

  Yet swarved not, but kept their forward way, 680

  Through many covert groves and thickets close,

  In which they creeping did at last display

  That wanton lady, with her lover lose,

  Whose sleepie head she in her lap did soft dispose.

  LXXVII

  Upon a bed of roses she was layd, 685

  As faint through heat, or dight to pleasant sin,

  And was arayd, or rather disarayd,

  All in a vele of silke and silver thin,

  That hid no whit her alablaster skin,

  But rather shewd more white, if more might bee: 690

  More subtile web Arachne cannot spin,

  Nor the fine nets, which oft we woven see

  Of scorched deaw, do not in th’ ayre more lightly flee.

  LXXVIII

  Her snowy brest was bare to ready spoyle

  Of hungry eies, which n’ote therewith be fild; 695

  And yet through languour of her late sweet toyle,

  Few drops, more cleare then nectar, forth distild,

  That like pure orient perles adowne it trild;

  And her faire eyes, sweet smyling in delight,

  Moystened their fierie beames, with which she thrild 700

  Fraile harts, yet quenched not, like starry light,

  Which, sparckling on the silent waves, does seeme more bright.

  LXXIX

  The
young man, sleeping by her, seemd to be

  Some goodly swayne of honorable place,

  That certes it great pitty was to see 705

  Him his nobility so fowle deface:

  A sweet regard and amiable grace,

  Mixed with manly sternesse, did appeare,

  Yet sleeping, in his well proportioned face,

  And on his tender lips the downy heare 710

  Did now but freshly spring, and silken blossoms beare.

  LXXX

  His warlike armes, the ydle instruments

  Of sleeping praise, were hong upon a tree,

  And his brave shield, full of old moniments,

  Was fowly ra’st, that none the signes might see; 715

  Ne for them, ne for honour, cared hee,

  Ne ought that did to his advauncement tend,

  But in lewd loves, and wastfull luxuree,

  His dayes, his goods, his bodie he did spend:

  O horrible enchantment, that him so did blend! 720

  LXXXI

  The noble Elfe and carefull palmer drew

  So nigh them, minding nought but lustfull game,

  That suddein forth they on them rusht, and threw

  A subtile net, which only for that same

  The skilfull palmer formally did frame: 725

  So held them under fast, the whiles the rest

  Fled all away for feare of fowler shame.

  The faire enchauntresse, so unwares opprest,

  Tryde all her arts and all her sleights, thence out to wrest.

  LXXXII

  And eke her lover strove: but all in vaine; 730

  For that same net so cunningly was wound,

  That neither guile nor force might it distraine.

  They tooke them both, and both them strongly bound

  In captive bandes, which there they readie found:

  But her in chaines of adamant he tyde; 735

  For nothing else might keepe her safe and sound;

  But Verdant (so he hight) he soone untyde,

  And counsell sage in steed thereof to him applyde.

  LXXXIII

  But all those pleasaunt bowres and pallace brave

  Guyon broke downe, with rigour pittilesse; 740

  Ne ought their goodly workmanship might save

  Them from the tempest of his wrathfulnesse,

  But that their blisse he turn’d to balefulnesse:

  Their groves he feld, their gardins did deface,

  Their arbers spoyle, their cabinets suppresse, 745

  Their banket houses burne, their buildings race,

  And, of the fayrest late, now made the fowlest place.

  LXXXIV

  Then led they her away, and eke that knight

  They with them led, both sorrowfull and sad:

  The way they came, the same retourn’d they right, 750

  Till they arrived where they lately had

  Charm’d those wild-beasts, that rag’d with furie mad:

  Which, now awaking, fierce at them gan fly,

  As in their mistresse reskew, whom they lad;

  But them the palmer soone did pacify. 755

  Then Guyon askt, what meant those beastes which there did ly.

  LXXXV

  Sayd he: ‘These seeming beasts are men indeed,

  Whom this enchauntresse hath transformed thus,

  Whylome her lovers, which her lustes did feed,

  Now turned into figures hideous, 760

  According to their mindes like monstruous.’

  ‘Sad end,’ quoth he, ‘of life intemperate,

  And mournefull meed of joyes delicious!

  But, palmer, if it mote thee so aggrate,

  Let them returned be unto their former state.’ 765

  LXXXVI

  Streight way he with his vertuous staffe them strooke,

  And streight of beastes they comely men became;

  Yet being men they did unmanly looke,

  And stared ghastly, some for inward shame,

  And some for wrath, to see their captive dame: 770

  But one above the rest in speciall,

  That had an hog beene late, hight Grylle by name,

  Repyned greatly, and did him miscall,

  That had from hoggish forme him brought to naturall.

  LXXXVII

  Saide Guyon: ‘See the mind of beastly man, 775

  That hath so soone forgot the excellence

  Of his creation, when he life began,

  That now he chooseth, with vile difference,

  To be a beast, and lacke intelligence.’

  To whom the palmer thus: ‘The donghill kinde 780

  Delightes in filth and fowle incontinence:

  Let Gryll be Gryll, and have his hoggish minde;

  But let us hence depart, whilest wether serves and winde.’

  Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents

  Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’

  Faerie Queene: Book III. The Legend of Britomartis

  Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents

  Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’

  Canto I

  THE THIRDE BOOKE

  OF THE FAERIE QUEENE

  CONTAYNING

  THE LEGEND OF BRITOMARTIS

  OR

  OF CHASTITY

  I

  IT falls me here to write of Chastity,

  That fayrest vertue, far above the rest;

  For which what needes me fetch from Faery

  Forreine ensamples, it to have exprest?

  Sith it is shrined in my Soveraines brest, 5

  And formd so lively in each perfect part,

  That to all ladies, which have it profest,

  Neede but behold the pourtraict of her hart,

  If pourtrayd it might bee by any living art.

  II

  But living art may not least part expresse, 10

  Nor life-resembling pencill it can paynt,

  All were it Zeuxis or Praxiteles:

  His dædale hand would faile, and greatly faynt,

  And her perfections with his error taynt:

  Ne poets witt, that passeth painter farre 15

  In picturing the parts of beauty daynt,

  So hard a workemanship adventure darre,

  For fear through want of words her excellence to marre.

  III

  How then shall I, apprentice of the skill

  That whilome in divinest wits did rayne, 20

  Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill?

  Yet now my luckelesse lott doth me constrayne

  Hereto perforce. But, O dredd Soverayne,

  Thus far forth pardon, sith that choicest witt

  Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure playne, 25

  That I in colourd showes may shadow itt,

  And antique praises unto present persons fitt.

  IV

  But if in living colours, and right hew,

  Your selfe you covet to see pictured,

  Who can it doe more lively, or more trew, 30

  Then that sweete verse, with nectar sprinckeled,

  In which a gracious servaunt pictured

  His Cynthia, his heavens fayrest light?

  That with his melting sweetnes ravished,

  And with the wonder of her beames bright, 35

  My sences lulled are in slomber of delight.

  V

  But let that same delitious poet lend

  A little leave unto a rusticke Muse

  To sing his mistresse prayse, and let him mend,

  If ought amis her liking may abuse: 40

  Ne let his fayrest Cynthia refuse,

  In mirrours more then one her selfe to see,

  But either Gloriana let her chuse,

  Or in Belphœbe fashioned to bee:

  In th’ one her rule, in th’ other her rare chastitee. 45

  CANTO I

  Guyon encountreth Britomart:

  Fayre Florimell is cha
ced:

  Duessaes traines and Malecastaes

  champions are defaced.

  I

  THE FAMOUS Briton Prince and Faery knight,

  After long wayes and perilous paines endur’d,

  Having their weary limbes to perfect plight

  Restord, and sory wounds right well recur’d,

  Of the faire Alma greatly were procur’d 50

  To make there lenger sojourne and abode;

  But when thereto they might not be allur’d

  From seeking praise and deeds of armes abrode,

  They courteous conge tooke, and forth together yode.

  II

  But the captiv’d Acrasia he sent, 55

  Because of traveill long, a nigher way,

  With a strong gard, all reskew to prevent,

  And her to Faery court safe to convay,

  That her for witnes of his hard assay

  Unto his Faery Queene he might present: 60

  But he him selfe betooke another way,

  To make more triall of his hardiment,

  And seeke adventures, as he with Prince Arthure went.

  III

  Long so they traveiled through wastefull wayes,

  Where daungers dwelt, and perils most did wonne, 65

  To hunt for glory and renowmed prayse:

  Full many countreyes they did overronne,

  From the uprising to the setting sunne,

  And many hard adventures did atchieve;

  Of all the which they honour ever wonne, 70

  Seeking the weake oppressed to relieve,

  And to recover right for such as wrong did grieve.

  IV

  At last, as through an open plaine they yode,

  They spide a knight, that towards pricked fayre;

  And him beside an aged squire there rode, 75

  That seemd to couch under his shield three-square,

  As if that age badd him that burden spare,

  And yield it those that stouter could it wield:

  He them espying, gan him selfe prepare,

  And on his arme addresse his goodly shield, 80

  That bore a lion passant in a golden field.

  V

  Which seeing good Sir Guyon, deare besought

  The Prince, of grace, to let him ronne that turne.

  He graunted: then the Faery quickly raught

  His poynant speare, and sharply gan to spurne 85

  His fomy steed, whose fiery feete did burne

  The verdant gras, as he thereon did tread;

  Ne did the other backe his foote returne,

  But fiercely forward came withouten dread,

  And bent his dreadful speare against the others head. 90

  VI

  They beene ymett, and both theyr points arriv’d;

  But Guyon drove so furious and fell,

  That seemd both shield and plate it would have riv’d:

  Nathelesse it bore his foe not from his sell,