Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

Who when on ground they saw their fellow slaine,

  And that same knight and salvage standing by, 200

  Upon them two they fell with might and maine,

  And on them layd so huge and horribly,

  As if they would have slaine them presently.

  But the bold Prince defended him so well,

  And their assault withstood so mightily, 205

  That, maugre all their might, he did repell

  And beat them back, whilest many underneath him fell.

  XXIV

  Yet he them still so sharpely did pursew,

  That few of them he left alive, which fled,

  Those evill tidings to their lord to shew. 210

  Who hearing how his people badly sped,

  Came forth in hast: where when as with the dead

  He saw the ground all strow’d, and that same knight

  And salvage with their bloud fresh steeming red,

  He woxe nigh mad with wrath and fell despight, 215

  And with reprochfull words him thus bespake on hight:

  XXV

  ‘Art thou he, traytor, that with treason vile

  Hast slaine my men in this unmanly maner,

  And now triumphest in the piteous spoile

  Of these poore folk, whose soules with black dishonor 220

  And foule defame doe decke thy bloudy baner?

  The meede whereof shall shortly be thy shame,

  And wretched end, which still attendeth on her.’

  With that him selfe to battell he did frame;

  So did his forty yeomen, which there with him came. 225

  XXVI

  With dreadfull force they all did him assaile,

  And round about with boystrous strokes oppresse,

  That on his shield did rattle like to haile

  In a great tempest; that, in such distresse,

  He wist not to which side him to addresse. 230

  And evermore that craven cowherd knight

  Was at his backe with heartlesse heedinesse,

  Wayting if he unwares him murther might:

  For cowardize doth still in villany delight.

  XXVII

  Whereof whenas the Prince was well aware, 235

  He to him turnd with furious intent,

  And him against his powre gan to prepare;

  Like a fierce bull, that being busie bent

  To fight with many foes about him ment,

  Feeling some curre behinde his heeles to bite, 240

  Turnes him about with fell avengement;

  So likewise turnde the Prince upon the knight,

  And layd at him amaine with all his will and might.

  XXVIII

  Who when he once his dreadfull strokes had tasted,

  Durst not the furie of his force abyde, 245

  But turn’d abacke, and to retyre him hasted

  Through the thick prease, there thinking him to hyde.

  But when the Prince had once him plainely eyde,

  He foot by foot him followed alway,

  Ne would him suffer once to shrinke asyde, 250

  But joyning close, huge lode at him did lay:

  Who flying still did ward, and warding fly away.

  XXIX

  But when his foe he still so eger saw,

  Unto his heeles himselfe he did betake,

  Hoping unto some refuge to withdraw: 255

  Ne would the Prince him ever foot forsake,

  Where so he went, but after him did make.

  He fled from roome to roome, from place to place,

  Whylest every joynt for dread of death did quake,

  Still looking after him that did him chace; 260

  That made him evermore increase his speedie pace.

  XXX

  At last he up into the chamber came,

  Whereas his love was sitting all alone,

  Wayting what tydings of her folke became.

  There did the Prince him overtake anone, 265

  Crying in vaine to her, him to bemone;

  And with his sword him on the head did smyte,

  That to the ground he fell in senselesse swone:

  Yet whether thwart or flatly it did lyte,

  The tempred steele did not into his braynepan byte. 270

  XXXI

  Which when the ladie saw, with great affright

  She starting up, began to shrieke aloud,

  And with her garment covering him from sight,

  Seem’d under her protection him to shroud;

  And falling lowly at his feet, her bowd 275

  Upon her knee, intreating him for grace,

  And often him besought, and prayd, and vowd;

  That, with the ruth of her so wretched case,

  He stayd his second strooke, and did his hand abase.

  XXXII

  Her weed she then withdrawing, did him discover, 280

  Who now come to himselfe, yet would not rize,

  But still did lie as dead, and quake, and quiver,

  That even the Prince his basenesse did despize,

  And eke his dame, him seeing in such guize,

  Gan him recomfort, and from ground to reare. 285

  Who rising up at last in ghastly wize,

  Like troubled ghost did dreadfully appeare,

  As one that had no life him left through former feare.

  XXXIII

  Whom when the Prince so deadly saw dismayd,

  He for such basenesse shamefully him shent, 290

  And with sharpe words did bitterly upbrayd:

  ‘Vile cowheard dogge, now doe I much repent,

  That ever I this life unto thee lent,

  Whereof thou, caytive, so unworthie art;

  That both thy love, for lacke of hardiment, 295

  And eke thy selfe, for want of manly hart,

  And eke all knights hast shamed with this knightlesse part.

  XXXIV

  ‘Yet further hast thou heaped shame to shame,

  And crime to crime, by this thy cowheard feare.

  For first it was to thee reprochfull blame, 300

  To erect this wicked custome, which I heare

  Gainst errant knights and ladies thou dost reare;

  Whom, when thou mayst, thou dost of arms despoile,

  Or of their upper garment which they weare:

  Yet doest thou not with manhood, but with guile, 305

  Maintaine this evill use, thy foes thereby to foile.

  XXXV

  ‘And lastly, in approvance of thy wrong

  To shew such faintnesse and foule cowardize

  Is greatest shame: for oft it falles, that strong

  And valiant knights doe rashly enterprize, 310

  Either for fame, or else for exercize,

  A wrongfull quarrell to maintaine by fight;

  Yet have, through prowesse and their brave emprize,

  Gotten great worship in this worldes sight:

  For greater force there needs to maintaine wrong then right. 315

  XXXVI

  ‘Yet since thy life unto this ladie fayre

  I given have, live in reproch and scorne;

  Ne ever armes, ne ever knighthood dare

  Hence to professe: for shame is to adorne

  With so brave badges one so basely borne; 320

  But onely breath, sith that I did forgive.’

  So having from his craven bodie torne

  Those goodly armes, he them away did give,

  And onely suffred him this wretched life to live.

  XXXVII

  There whilest he thus was setling things above, 325

  Atwence that ladie myld and recreant knight,

  To whom his life he graunted for her love,

  He gan bethinke him, in what perilous plight

  He had behynd him left that salvage wight,

  Amongst so many foes, whom sure he thought 330

  By this quite slaine in so unequall fight:

  Therefore descend
ing backe in haste, he sought

  If yet he were alive, or to destruction brought.

  XXXVIII

  There he him found environed about

  With slaughtred bodies, which his hand had slaine, 335

  And laying yet a fresh, with courage stout,

  Upon the rest that did alive remaine;

  Whom he likewise right sorely did constraine,

  Like scattred sheepe, to seeke for safetie,

  After he gotten had with busie paine 340

  Some of their weapons which thereby did lie,

  With which he layd about, and made them fast to flie.

  XXXIX

  Whom when the Prince so felly saw to rage,

  Approching to him neare, his hand he stayd,

  And sought, by making signes, him to asswage: 345

  Who them perceiving, streight to him obayd,

  As to his lord, and downe his weapons layd,

  As if he long had to his heasts bene trayned.

  Thence he him brought away, and up convayd

  Into the chamber, where that dame remayned 350

  With her unworthy knight, who ill him entertayned.

  XL

  Whom when the salvage saw from daunger free,

  Sitting beside his ladie there at ease,

  He well remembred that the same was hee

  Which lately sought his lord for to displease: 355

  Tho all in rage, he on him streight did seaze,

  As if he would in peeces him have rent;

  And were not that the Prince did him appeaze,

  He had not left one limbe of him unrent:

  But streight he held his hand at his commaundement. 360

  XLI

  Thus having all things well in peace ordayned,

  The Prince himselfe there all that night did rest,

  Where him Blandina fayrely entertayned,

  With all the courteous glee and goodly feast

  The which for him she could imagine best. 365

  For well she knew the wayes to win good will

  Of every wight, that were not too infest,

  And how to please the minds of good and ill,

  Through tempering of her words and lookes by wondrous skill.

  XLII

  Yet were her words and lookes but false and fayned, 370

  To some hid end to make more easie way,

  Or to allure such fondlings, whom she trayned

  Into her trap unto their owne decay:

  Thereto, when needed, she could weepe and pray,

  And when her listed, she could fawne and flatter; 375

  Now smyling smoothly, like to sommers day,

  Now glooming sadly, so to cloke her matter;

  Yet were her words but wynd, and all her teares but water.

  XLIII

  Whether such grace were given her by kynd,

  As women wont their guilefull wits to guyde, 380

  Or learn’d the art to please, I doe not fynd.

  This well I wote, that she so well applyde

  Her pleasing tongue, that soone she pacifyde

  The wrathfull Prince, and wrought her husbands peace.

  Who nathelesse not therewith satisfyde, 385

  His rancorous despight did not releasse,

  Ne secretly from thought of fell revenge surceasse.

  XLIV

  For all that night, the whyles the Prince did rest

  In carelesse couch, not weeting what was ment,

  He watcht in close awayt with weapons prest, 390

  Willing to worke his villenous intent

  On him that had so shamefully him shent:

  Yet durst he not for very cowardize

  Effect the same, whylest all the night was spent.

  The morrow next the Prince did early rize, 395

  And passed forth, to follow his first enterprize.

  Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents

  Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’

  Canto VII

  Turpine is baffuld; his two knights

  Doe gaine their treasons meed.

  Fayre Mirabellaes punishment

  For loves disdaine decreed.

  I

  LIKE as the gentle hart it selfe bewrayes

  In doing gentle deedes with franke delight,

  Even so the baser mind it selfe displayes

  In cancred malice and revengefull spight.

  For to maligne, t’ envie, t’ use shifting slight, 5

  Be arguments of a vile donghill mind,

  Which what it dare not doe by open might,

  To worke by wicked treason wayes doth find,

  By such discourteous deeds discovering his base kind.

  II

  That well appeares in this discourteous knight, 10

  The coward Turpine, whereof now I treat;

  Who notwithstanding that in former fight

  He of the Prince his life received late,

  Yet in his mind malitious and ingrate

  He gan devize to be aveng’d anew 15

  For all that shame, which kindled inward hate.

  Therefore, so soone as he was out of vew,

  Himselfe in hast he arm’d, and did him fast pursew.

  III

  Well did he tract his steps, as he did ryde,

  Yet would not neare approch in daungers eye, 20

  But kept aloofe for dread to be descryde,

  Untill fit time and place he mote espy,

  Where he mote worke him scath and villeny.

  At last he met two knights to him unknowne,

  The which were armed both agreeably, 25

  And both combynd, what ever chaunce were blowne,

  Betwixt them to divide, and each to make his owne.

  IV

  To whom false Turpine comming courteously,

  To cloke the mischiefe which he inly ment,

  Gan to complaine of great discourtesie, 30

  Which a straunge knight, that neare afore him went,

  Had doen to him, and his deare ladie shent:

  Which if they would afford him ayde at need

  For to avenge, in time convenient,

  They should accomplish both a knightly deed, 35

  And for their paines obtaine of him a goodly meed.

  V

  The knights beleev’d that all he sayd was trew,

  And being fresh and full of youthly spright,

  Were glad to heare of that adventure new,

  In which they mote make triall of their might, 40

  Which never yet they had approv’d in fight;

  And eke desirous of the offred meed.

  Said then the one of them: ‘Where is that wight,

  The which hath doen to thee this wrongfull deed,

  That we may it avenge, and punish him with speed?’ 45

  VI

  ‘He rides,’ said Turpine, ‘there not farre afore,

  With a wyld man soft footing by his syde,

  That if ye list to haste a litle more,

  Ye may him overtake in timely tyde.’

  Eftsoones they pricked forth with forward pryde, 50

  And ere that litle while they ridden had,

  The gentle Prince not farre away they spyde,

  Ryding a softly pace with portance sad,

  Devizing of his love more then of daunger drad.

  VII

  Then one of them aloud unto him cryde, 55

  Bidding him turne againe, false traytour knight,

  Foule womanwronger, for he him defyde.

  With that they both at once with equall spight

  Did bend their speares, and both with equall might

  Against him ran; but th’ one did misse his marke, 60

  And being carried with his force forthright,

  Glaunst swiftly by; like to that heavenly sparke,

  Which, glyding through the ayre, lights all the heavens darke.

  VIII

  But th’ other, ayming bet
ter, did him smite

  Full in the shield, with so impetuous powre, 65

  That all his launce in peeces shivered quite,

  And scattered all about, fell on the flowre.

  But the stout Prince, with much more steddy stowre,

  Full on his bever did him strike so sore,

  That the cold steele, through piercing, did devowre 70

  His vitall breath, and to the ground him bore,

  Where still he bathed lay in his owne bloody gore.

  IX

  As when a cast of faulcons make their flight

  At an herneshaw, that lyes aloft on wing,

  The whyles they strike at him with heedlesse might, 75

  The warie foule his bill doth backward wring;

  On which the first, whose force her first doth bring,

  Her selfe quite through the bodie doth engore,

  And falleth downe to ground like senselesse thing,

  But th’ other, not so swift as she before, 80

  Fayles of her souse, and passing by doth hurt no more.

  X

  By this the other, which was passed by,

  Himselfe recovering, was return’d to fight;

  Where when he saw his fellow lifelesse ly,

  He much was daunted with so dismall sight; 85

  Yet nought abating of his former spight,

  Let drive at him with so malitious mynd,

  As if he would have passed through him quight:

  But the steele-head no stedfast hold could fynd,

  But glauncing by, deceiv’d him of that he desynd. 90

  XI

  Not so the Prince: for his well learned speare

  Tooke surer hould, and from his horses backe

  Above a launces length him forth did beare,

  And gainst the cold hard earth so sore him strake,

  That all his bones in peeces nigh he brake. 95

  Where seeing him so lie, he left his steed,

  And to him leaping, vengeance thought to take

  Of him, for all his former follies meed,

  With flaming sword in hand his terror more to breed.

  XII

  The fearefull swayne, beholding death so nie, 100

  Cryde out aloud, for mercie, him to save;

  In lieu whereof he would to him descrie

  Great treason to him meant, his life to reave.

  The Prince soone hearkned, and his life forgave.

  Then thus said he: ‘There is a straunger knight, 105

  The which, for promise of great meed, us drave

  To this attempt, to wreake his hid despight,

  For that himselfe thereto did want sufficient might.’

  XIII

  The Prince much mused at such villenie,

  And sayd: ‘Now sure ye well have earn’d your meed, 110

  For th’ one is dead, and th’ other soone shall die,

  Unlesse to me thou hether bring with speed

  The wretch that hyr’d you to this wicked deed.’