L
Then Artegall himselfe discovering plaine,
Did issue forth gainst all that warlike rout
Of knights and armed men, which did maintaine
That ladies part, and to the Souldan lout: 445
All which he did assault with courage stout,
All were they nigh an hundred knights of name,
And like wyld goates them chaced all about,
Flying from place to place with cowheard shame,
So that with finall force them all he overcame. 450
LI
Then caused he the gates be opened wyde,
And there the Prince, as victour of that day,
With tryumph entertayn’d and glorifyde,
Presenting him with all the rich array
And roiall pompe, which there long hidden lay, 455
Purchast through lawlesse powre and tortious wrong
Of that proud Souldan, whom he earst did slay.
So both, for rest there having stayd not long,
Marcht with that mayd, fit matter for another song.
Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents
Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’
Canto IX
Arthur and Artegall catch Guyle,
Whom Talus doth dismay:
They to Mercillaes pallace come,
And see her rich array.
I
WHAT tygre, or what other salvage wight,
Is so exceeding furious and fell
As Wrong, when it hath arm’d it selfe with might?
Not fit mongst men, that doe with reason mell,
But mongst wyld beasts and salvage woods to dwell; 5
Where still the stronger doth the weake devoure,
And they that most in boldnesse doe excell
Are dreadded most, and feared for their powre;
Fit for Adicia, there to build her wicked bowre.
II
There let her wonne farre from resort of men, 10
Where righteous Artegall her late exyled;
There let her ever keepe her damned den,
Where none may be with her lewd parts defyled,
Nor none but beasts may be of her despoyled:
And turne we to the noble Prince, where late 15
We did him leave, after that he had foyled
The cruell Souldan, and with dreadfull fate
Had utterly subverted his unrighteous state.
III
Where having with Sir Artegall a space
Well solast in that Souldans late delight, 20
They both resolving now to leave the place,
Both it and all the wealth therein behight
Unto that damzell in her ladies right,
And so would have departed on their way.
But she them woo’d by all the meanes she might, 25
And earnestly besought, to wend that day
With her, to see her ladie thence not farre away.
IV
By whose entreatie both they overcommen,
Agree to goe with her, and by the way,
(As often falles) of sundry things did commen. 30
Mongst which that damzell did to them bewray
A straunge adventure, which not farre thence lay;
To weet, a wicked villaine, bold and stout,
Which wonned in a rocke not farre away,
That robbed all the countrie there about, 35
And brought the pillage home, whence none could get it out.
V
Thereto both his owne wylie wit (she sayd)
And eke the fastnesse of his dwelling place,
Both unassaylable, gave him great ayde:
For he so crafty was to forge and face, 40
So light of hand, and nymble of his pace,
So smooth of tongue, and subtile in his tale,
That could deceive one looking in his face;
Therefore by name Malengin they him call,
Well knowen by his feates, and famous over all. 45
VI
Through these his slights he many doth confound,
And eke the rocke, in which he wonts to dwell,
Is wondrous strong, and hewen farre under ground
A dreadfull depth, how deepe no man can tell;
But some doe say, it goeth downe to hell. 50
And all within, it full of wyndings is,
And hidden wayes, that scarse an hound by smell
Can follow out those false footsteps of his,
Ne none can backe returne that once are gone amis.
VII
Which when those knights had heard, their harts gan earne 55
To understand that villeins dwelling place,
And greatly it desir’d of her to learne,
And by which way they towards it should trace.
‘Were not,’ sayd she, ‘that it should let your pace
Towards my ladies presence by you ment, 60
I would you guyde directly to the place.’
‘Then let not that,’ said they, ‘stay your intent;
For neither will one foot, till we that carle have hent.’
VIII
So forth they past, till they approched ny
Unto the rocke where was the villains won: 65
Which when the damzell neare at hand did spy,
She warn’d the knights thereof: who thereupon
Gan to advize what best were to be done.
So both agreed to send that mayd afore,
Where she might sit nigh to the den alone, 70
Wayling, and raysing pittifull uprore,
As if she did some great calamitie deplore.
IX
With noyse whereof when as the caytive carle
Should issue forth, in hope to find some spoyle,
They in awayt would closely him ensnarle, 75
Ere to his den he backward could recoyle,
And so would hope him easily to foyle.
The damzell straight went, as she was directed,
Unto the rocke, and there upon the soyle
Having her selfe in wretched wize abjected, 80
Gan weepe and wayle, as if great griefe had her affected.
X
The cry whereof entring the hollow cave,
Eftsoones brought forth the villaine, as they ment,
With hope of her some wishfull boot to have.
Full dreadfull wight he was, as ever went 85
Upon the earth, with hollow eyes deepe pent,
And long curld locks, that downe his shoulders shagged,
And on his backe an uncouth vestiment
Made of straunge stuffe, but all to-worne and ragged,
And underneath his breech was all to-torne and jagged. 90
XI
And in his hand an huge long staffe he held,
Whose top was arm’d with many an yron hooke,
Fit to catch hold of all that he could weld,
Or in the compasse of his clouches tooke;
And ever round about he cast his looke. 95
Als at his backe a great wyde net he bore,
With which he seldome fished at the brooke,
But usd to fish for fooles on the dry shore,
Of which he in faire weather wont to take great store.
XII
Him when the damzell saw fast by her side, 100
So ugly creature, she was nigh dismayd,
And now for helpe aloud in earnest cride.
But when the villaine saw her so affrayd,
He gan with guilefull words her to perswade
To banish feare, and with Sardonian smyle 105
Laughing on her, his false intent to shade,
Gan forth to lay his bayte her to beguyle,
That from her self unwares he might her steale the whyle.
XIII
Like as the fouler on his guilefull pype
Charmes to the birds full many a pleasant lay, 110
That they the whiles may take lesse heedie keepe,
How he his nets doth for their ruine lay:
So did the villaine to her prate and play,
And many pleasant trickes before her show,
To turne her eyes from his intent away: 115
For he in slights and jugling feates did flow,
And of legierdemayne the mysteries did know.
XIV
To which whilest she lent her intentive mind,
He suddenly his net upon her threw,
That oversprad her like a puffe of wind; 120
And snatching her soone up, ere well she knew,
Ran with her fast away unto his mew,
Crying for helpe aloud. But when as ny
He came unto his cave, and there did vew
The armed knights stopping his passage by, 125
He threw his burden downe, and fast away did fly.
XV
But Artegall him after did pursew,
The whiles the Prince there kept the entrance still:
Up to the rocke he ran, and thereon flew
Like a wyld gote, leaping from hill to hill, 130
And dauncing on the craggy cliffes at will;
That deadly daunger seem’d in all mens sight,
To tempt such steps, where footing was so ill:
Ne ought avayled for the armed knight
To thinke to follow him, that was so swift and light. 135
XVI
Which when he saw, his yron man he sent
To follow him; for he was swift in chace.
He him pursewd, where ever that he went;
Both over rockes, and hilles, and every place,
Where so he fled, he followd him apace: 140
So that he shortly forst him to forsake
The hight, and downe descend unto the base.
There he him courst a fresh, and soone did make
To leave his proper forme, and other shape to take.
XVII
Into a foxe himselfe he first did tourne; 145
But he him hunted like a foxe full fast:
Then to a bush himselfe he did transforme;
But he the bush did beat, till that at last
Into a bird it chaung’d, and from him past,
Flying from tree to tree, from wand to wand: 150
But he then stones at it so long did cast,
That like a stone it fell upon the land;
But he then tooke it up, and held fast in his hand.
XVIII
So he it brought with him unto the knights,
And to his lord, Sir Artegall, it lent, 155
Warning him hold it fast, for feare of slights.
Who whilest in hand it gryping hard he hent,
Into a hedgehogge all unwares it went,
And prickt him so that he away it threw.
Then gan it runne away incontinent, 160
Being returned to his former hew:
But Talus soone him overtooke, and backward drew.
XIX
But when as he would to a snake againe
Have turn’d himselfe, he with his yron flayle
Gan drive at him, with so huge might and maine, 165
That all his bones as small as sandy grayle
He broke, and did his bowels disentrayle;
Crying in vaine for helpe, when helpe was past.
So did deceipt the selfe deceiver fayle.
There they him left a carrion outcast, 170
For beasts and foules to feede upon for their repast.
XX
Thence forth they passed with that gentle mayd,
To see her ladie, as they did agree.
To which when she approched, thus she sayd:
‘Loe now, right noble knights, arriv’d ye bee 175
Nigh to the place which ye desir’d to see:
There shall ye see my soverayne Lady Queene,
Most sacred wight, most debonayre and free,
That ever yet upon this earth was seene,
Or that with diademe hath ever crowned beene.’ 180
XXI
The gentle knights rejoyced much to heare
The prayses of that prince so manifold,
And passing litle further, commen were
Where they a stately pallace did behold,
Of pompous show, much more then she had told; 185
With many towres and tarras mounted hye,
And all their tops bright glistering with gold,
That seemed to outshine the dimmed skye,
And with their brightnesse daz’d the straunge beholders eye.
XXII
There they alighting, by that damzell were 190
Directed in, and shewed all the sight:
Whose porch, that most magnificke did appeare,
Stood open wyde to all men day and night;
Yet warded well by one of mickle might,
That sate thereby, with gyantlike resemblance, 195
To keepe out Guyle, and Malice, and Despight,
That under shew oftimes of fayned semblance
Are wont in princes courts to worke great scath and hindrance.
XXIII
His name was Awe; by whom they passing in
Went up the hall, that was a large wyde roome, 200
All full of people making troublous din,
And wondrous noyse, as if that there were some
Which unto them was dealing righteous doome.
By whom they passing, through the thickest preasse,
The marshall of the hall to them did come; 205
His name hight Order, who, commaunding peace,
Them guyded through the throng, that did their clamors ceasse.
XXIV
They ceast their clamors upon them to gaze;
Whom seeing all in armour bright as day,
Straunge there to see, it did them much amaze, 210
And with unwonted terror halfe affray:
For never saw they there the like array;
Ne ever was the name of warre there spoken,
But joyous peace and quietnesse alway,
Dealing just judgements, that mote not be broken 215
For any brybes, or threates of any to be wroken.
XXV
There as they entred at the scriene, they saw
Some one, whose tongue was for his trespasse vyle
Nayld to a post, adjudged so by law:
For that therewith he falsely did revyle 220
And foule blaspheme that queene for forged guyle,
Both with bold speaches which he blazed had,
And with lewd poems which he did compyle;
For the bold title of a poet bad
He on himselfe had ta’en, and rayling rymes had sprad. 225
XXVI
Thus there he stood, whylest high over his head
There written was the purport of his sin,
In cyphers strange, that few could rightly read,
Bon font: but Bon, that once had written bin,
Was raced out, and Mal was now put in: 230
So now Malfont was plainely to be red;
Eyther for th’ evill which he did therein,
Or that he likened was to a welhed
Of evill words, and wicked sclaunders by him shed.
XXVII
They, passing by, were guyded by degree 235
Unto the presence of that gratious queene:
Who sate on high, that she might all men see,
And might of all men royally be seene,
Upon a throne of gold full bright and sheene,
Adorned all with gemmes of endlesse price, 240
As either might for wealth have gotten bene,
Or could be fram’d by workmans rare device;
And all embost with lyons and with flourdelice.
XXVIII
All over her a cloth of state was spred,
Not of rich tissew, nor of cloth of gold, 245
&nb
sp; Nor of ought else that may be richest red,
But like a cloud, as likest may be told,
That her brode spreading wings did wyde unfold;
Whose skirts were bordred with bright sunny beams,
Glistring like gold, amongst the plights enrold, 250
And here and there shooting forth silver streames,
Mongst which crept litle angels through the glittering gleames.
XXIX
Seemed those litle angels did uphold
The cloth of state, and on their purpled wings
Did beare the pendants, through their nimblesse bold: 255
Besides, a thousand more of such as sings
Hymnes to High God, and carols heavenly things,
Encompassed the throne on which she sate:
She angel-like, the heyre of ancient kings
And mightie conquerors, in royall state, 260
Whylest kings and kesars at her feet did them prostrate.
XXX
Thus she did sit in soverayne majestie,
Holding a scepter in her royall hand,
The sacred pledge of peace and clemencie,
With which High God had blest her happie land, 265
Maugre so many foes which did withstand.
But at her feet her sword was likewise layde,
Whose long rest rusted the bright steely brand;
Yet when as foes enforst, or friends sought ayde,
She could it sternely draw, that all the world dismayde. 270
XXXI
And round about, before her feet there sate
A bevie of faire virgins clad in white,
That goodly seem’d t’ adorne her royall state,
All lovely daughters of high Jove, that hight
Litæ, by him begot in loves delight 275
Upon the righteous Themis: those they say
Upon Joves judgement seat wayt day and night,
And when in wrath he threats the worlds decay,
They doe his anger calme, and cruell vengeance stay.
XXXII
They also doe by his divine permission 280
Upon the thrones of mortall princes tend,
And often treat for pardon and remission
To suppliants, through frayltie which offend.
Those did upon Mercillaes throne attend:
Just Dice, wise Eunomie, myld Eirene; 285
And them amongst, her glorie to commend,
Sate goodly Temperance in garments clene,
And sacred Reverence, yborne of heavenly strene.
XXXIII
Thus did she sit in royall rich estate,
Admyr’d of many, honoured of all, 290
An underneath her feete, there as she sate,
An huge great lyon lay, that mote appall
An hardie courage, like captived thrall,
With a strong yron chaine and coller bound,
That once he could not move, nor quich at all; 295
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