The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  Betweene them both, by conduct of his blade.

  Wondrous great prowesse and heroick worth

  He shewd that day, and rare ensample made,

  When two so mighty warriours he dismade:

  Attonce he wards and strikes, he takes and payes,

  Now forst to yield, now forcing to inuade,

  Before, behind, and round about him layes:

  So double was his paines, so double be his prayse.

  Straunge sort of fight, three valiaunt knights to see

  Three combats ioyne in one, and to darraine

  A triple warre with triple enmitee,

  All for their Ladies froward loue to gaine,

  Which gotten was but hate. So loue does raine

  In stoutest minds, and maketh monstrous warre;

  He maketh warre, he maketh peace againe,

  And yet his peace is but continuall iarre:

  O miserable men, that to him subiect arre.

  Whilst thus they mingled were in furious armes,

  The faire Medina with her tresses torne,

  And naked brest, in pitty of their harmes,

  Emongst them ran, and falling them beforne,

  Besought them by the womb, which them had borne,

  And by the loues, which were to them most deare,

  And by the knighthood, which they sure had sworne,

  Their deadly cruell discord to forbeare,

  And to her iust conditions of faire peace to heare.

  But her two other sisters standing by,

  Her lowd gainsaid, and both their champions bad

  Pursew the end of their strong enmity,

  As euer of their loues they would be glad.

  Yet she with pitthy words and counsell sad,

  Still stroue their stubborne rages to reuoke,

  That at the last suppressing fury mad,

  They gan abstaine from dint of direfull stroke,

  And hearken to the sober speaches, which she spoke.

  Ah puissaunt Lords, what cursed euill Spright,

  Or fell Erinnys, in your noble harts

  Her hellish brond hath kindled with despight,

  And stird you vp to worke your wilfull smarts?

  Is this the ioy of armes? be these the parts

  Of glorious knighthood, after bloud to thrust,

  And not regard dew right and iust desarts?

  Vaine is the vaunt, and victory vniust,

  That more to mighty hãds, th&etilde; rightfull cause doth trust.

  And were there rightfull cause of difference,

  Yet were not better, faire it to accord,

  Then with bloud guiltinesse to heape offence,

  And mortall vengeaunce ioyne to crime abhord?

  O fly from wrath, fly, O my liefest Lord:

  Sad be the sights, and bitter fruits of warre,

  And thousand furies wait on wrathfull sword;

  Ne ought the prayse of prowesse more doth marre,

  Then fowle reuenging rage, and base contentious iarre.

  But louely concord, and most sacred peace

  Doth nourish vertue, and fast friendship breeds;

  Weake she makes strõg, & strõg thing does increace,

  Till it the pitch of highest prayse exceeds:

  Braue be her warres, and honorable deeds,

  By which she triumphes ouer ire and pride,

  And winnes an Oliue girlond for her meeds:

  Be therefore, O my deare Lords, pacifide,

  And this misseeming discord meekely lay aside.

  Her gracious words their rancour did appall,

  And suncke so deepe into their boyling brests,

  That downe they let their cruell weapons fall,

  And lowly did abase their loftie crests

  To her faire presence, and discrete behests.

  Then she began a treatie to procure,

  And stablish termes betwixt both their requests,

  That as a law for euer should endure;

  Which to obserue in word of knights they did assure.

  Which to confirme, and fast to bind their league,

  After their wearie sweat and bloudy toile,

  She them besought, during their quiet treague,

  Into her lodging to repaire a while,

  To rest themselues, and grace to reconcile.

  They soone consent: so forth with her they fare,

  Where they are well receiu'd, and made to spoile

  Themselues of soiled armes, and to prepare

  Their minds to pleasure, & their mouthes to dainty fare.

  And those two froward sisters, their faire loues

  Came with them eke, all were they wondrous loth,

  And fained cheare, as for the time behoues,

  But could not colour yet so well the troth,

  But that their natures bad appeard in both:

  For both did at their second sister grutch,

  And inly grieue, as doth an hidden moth

  The inner garment fret, not th'vtter touch;

  One thought their cheare too litle, th'other thought too mutch.

  Elissa (so the eldest hight) did deeme

  Such entertainment base, ne ought would eat,

  Ne ought would speake, but euermore did seeme

  As discontent for want of merth or meat;

  No solace could her Paramour intreat,

  Her once to show, ne court, nor dalliance,

  But with bent lowring browes, as she would threat,

  She scould, and frownd with froward countenaunce,

  Vnworthy of faire Ladies comely gouernaunce.

  But young Perissa was of other mind,

  Full of disport, still laughing, loosely light,

  And quite contrary to her sisters kind;

  No measure in her mood, no rule of right,

  But poured out in pleasure and delight;

  In wine and meats she flowd aboue the bancke,

  And in excesse exceeded her owne might;

  In sumptuous tire she ioyd her selfe to prancke,

  But of her loue too lauish (litle haue she thancke.)

  Fast by her side did sit the bold Sans-loy

  Fit mate for such a mincing mineon,

  Who in her loosenesse tooke exceeding ioy;

  Might not be found a franker franion,

  Of her lewd parts to make companion;

  But Huddibras, more like a Malecontent,

  Did see and grieue at his bold fashion;

  Hardly could he endure his hardiment,

  Yet still he sat, and inly did him selfe torment.

  Betwixt them both the faire Medina sate

  With sober grace, and goodly carriage:

  With equall measure she did moderate

  The strong extremities of their outrage;

  That forward paire she euer would asswage,

  When they would striue dew reason to exceed;

  But that same froward twaine would accourage,

  And of her plenty adde vnto their need:

  So kept she them in order, and her selfe in heed.

  Thus fairely she attempered her feast,

  And pleasd them all with meete satietie,

  At last when lust of meat and drinke was ceast,

  She Guyon deare besought of curtesie,

  To tell from whence he came through ieopardie,

  And whither now on new aduenture bound.

  Who with bold grace, and comely grauitie,

  Drawing to him the eyes of all around,

  From lofty siege began these words aloud to sound.

  This thy demaund, ô Lady, doth reuiue

  Fresh memory in me of that great Queene,

  Great and most glorious virgin Queene aliue,

  That with her soueraigne powre, and scepter shene

  All Faery lond does peaceable sustene.

  In widest Ocean she her throne does reare,

  That ouer all the earth it may be seene;

  As morning Sunne her be
ames dispredden cleare,

  And in her face faire peace, and mercy doth appeare.

  In her the richesse of all heauenly grace

  In chiefe degree are heaped vp on hye:

  And all that else this worlds enclosure bace,

  Hath great or glorious in mortall eye.

  Adornes the person of her Maiestie;

  That men beholding so great excellence,

  And rare perfection in mortalitie,

  Do her adore with sacred reuerence,

  As th'Idole of her makers great magnificence.

  To her I homage and my seruice owe,

  In number of the noblest knights on ground,

  Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe

  Order of Maydenhead, the most renownd,

  That may this day in all the world be found:

  An yearely solemne feast she wontes to make

  The day that first doth lead the yeare around;

  To which all knights of worth and courage bold

  Resort, to heare of straunge aduentures to be told.

  There this old Palmer shewed himselfe that day,

  And to that mighty Princesse did complaine

  Of grieuous mischiefes, which a wicked Fay

  Had wrought, and many whelmd in deadly paine,

  Whereof he crau'd redresse. My Soueraine,

  Whose glory is in gracious deeds, and ioyes

  Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine,

  Eftsoones deuisd redresse for such annoyes;

  Me all vnfit for so great purpose she employes.

  Now hath faire Phoebe with her siluer face

  Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world,

  Sith last I left that honorable place,

  In which her royall presence is introld;

  Ne euer shall I rest in house nor hold,

  Till I that false Acrasia haue wonne;

  Of whose fowle deedes, too hideous to be told

  I witnesse am, and this their wretched sonne,

  Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne.

  Tell on, faire Sir, said she, that dolefull tale,

  From which sad ruth does seeme you to restraine,

  That we may pitty such vnhappy bale,

  And learne from pleasures poyson to abstaine:

  Ill by ensample good doth often gayne.

  Then forward he his purpose gan pursew,

  And told the storie of the mortall payne,

  Which Mordant and Amauia did rew;

  As with lamenting eyes him selfe did lately vew.

  Night was far spent, and now in Ocean deepe

  Orion, flying fast from hissing snake,

  His flaming head did hasten for to steepe,

  When of his pitteous tale he end did make;

  Whilest with delight of that he wisely spake,

  Those guestes beguiled, did beguile their eyes

  Of kindly sleepe, that did them ouertake.

  At last when they had markt the chaunged skyes,

  They wist their houre was sp&etilde;t; th&etilde; each to rest him hyes.

  Cant. III.

  Vaine Braggadocchio getting Guyons

  horse is made the scorne

  Of knighthood trew, and is of fayre

  Belphoebe fowle forlorne.

  S Oone as the morrow faire with purple beames

  Disperst the shadowes of the mistie night,

  And Titan playing on the eastern streames,

  cleare the deawy ayre with springing light,

  Sir Guyon mindfull of his vow yplight,

  Vprose from drowsie couch, and him addrest

  Vnto the iourney which he had behight:

  His puissaunt armes about his noble brest,

  And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest.

  Then taking Congé of that virgin pure,

  The bloudy-handed babe vnto her truth

  Did earnestly commit, and her coniure,

  In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth,

  And all that gentle noriture ensu'th:

  And that so soone as ryper yeares he raught,

  He might for memorie of that dayes ruth,

  Be called Ruddymane, and thereby taught,

  T'auenge his Par&etilde;ts death on them, that had it wrought.

  So forth he far'd, as now befell, on foot,

  Sith his good steed is lately from him gone;

  Patience perforce; helpelesse what may it boot

  To fret for anger, or for griefe to mone?

  His Palmer now shall foot no more alone:

  So fortune wrought, as vnder greene woods syde

  He lately heard that dying Lady grone,

  He left his steed without, and speare besyde,

  And rushed in on foot to ayd her, ere she dyde.

  The whiles a losell wandring by the way,

  One that to bountie neuer cast his mind,

  Ne thought of honour euer did assay

  His baser brest, but in his kestrell kind

  A pleasing vaine of glory vaine did find,

  To which his flowing toung, and troublous spright

  Gaue him great ayd, and made him more inclind:

  He that braue steed there finding ready dight,

  Purloynd both steed and speare, and ran away full light.

  Now gan his hart all swell in iollitie,

  And of him selfe great hope and helpe conceiu'd,

  That puffed vp with smoke of vanitie,

  And with selfe-loued personage deceiu'd,

  He gan to hope, of men to be receiu'd

  For such, as he him thought, or faine would bee:

  But for in court gay portaunce he perceiu'd,

  And gallant shew to be in greatest gree,

  Eftsoones to court he cast t'auaunce his first degree.

  And by the way he chaunced to espy

  One sitting idle on a sunny bancke,

  To whom auaunting in great brauery,

  As Peacocke, that his painted plumes doth prancke,

  He smote his courser in the trembling flancke,

  And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare:

  The seely man seeing him ryde so rancke,

  And ayme at him, fell flat to ground for feare,

  And crying Mercy lowd, his pitious hands gan reare.

  Thereat the Scarcrow wexed wondrous prowd,

  Through fortune of his first aduenture faire,

  And with big thundring voyce reuyld him lowd;

  Vile Caytiue, vassall of dread and despaire,

  Vnworthie of the commune breathed aire,

  Why liuest thou, dead dog, a lenger day,

  And doest not vnto death thy selfe prepaire.

  Dye, or thy selfe my captiue yield for ay;

  Great fauour I thee graunt, for aunswere thus to stay.

  Hold, ô deare Lord, hold your dead-doing hand,

  Then loud he cryde, I am your humble thrall.

  Ah wretch (quoth he) thy destinies withstand

  My wrathfull will, and do for mercy call.

  I giue thee life: therefore prostrated fall,

  And kisse my stirrup; that thy homage bee.

  The Miser threw him selfe, as an Offall,

  Streight at his foot in base humilitee,

  And cleeped him his liege, to hold of him in fee.

  So happy peace they made and faire accord:

  Eftsoones this liege-man gan to wexe more bold,

  And when he felt the folly of his Lord,

  In his owne kind he gan him selfe vnfold:

  For he was wylie witted, and growne old

  In cunning sleights and practick knauery.

  From that day forth he cast for to vphold

  His idle humour with fine flattery,

  And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity.

  Trompart fit man for Braggadocchio,

  To serue at court in view of vaunting eye;

  Vaine-glorious man, when fluttring wind does blow

&nb
sp; In his light wings, is lifted vp to skye:

  The scorne of knighthood and trew cheualrye,

  To thinke without desert of gentle deed,

  And noble worth to be aduaunced hye:

  Such prayse is shame; but honour vertues meed

  Doth beare the fairest flowre in honorable seed.

  So forth they pas, a well consorted paire,

  Till that at length with Archimage they meet:

  Who seeing one that shone in armour faire,

  On goodly courser thundring with his feet,

  Eftsoones supposed him a person meet,

  Of his reuenge to make the instrument:

  For since the Redcrosse knight he earst did weet,

  To beene with Guyon knit in one consent,

  The ill, which earst to him, he now to Guyon ment.

  And comming close to Trompart gan inquere

  Of him, what mighty warriour that mote bee,

  That rode in golden sell with single spere,

  But wanted sword to wreake his enmitee.

  He is a great aduenturer, (said he)

  That hath his sword through hard assay forgone,

  And now hath vowd, till he auenged bee,

  Of that despight, neuer to wearen none;

  That speare is him enough to doen a thousand grone.

  Th'enchaunter greatly ioyed in the vaunt,

  And weened well ere long his will to win,

  And both his foen with equall foyle to daunt.

  Tho to him louting lowly, did begin

  To plaine of wrongs, which had committed bin

  By Guyon, and by that false Redcrosse knight,

  Which two through treason and deceiptfull gin,

  Had slaine Sir Mordant, and his Lady bright:

  That mote him honour win, to wreake so foule despight.

  Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enraged,

  And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce,

  As if their liues had in his hand beene gaged;

  And with stiffe force shaking his mortall launce,

  To let him weet his doughtie valiaunce,

  Thus said; Old man, great sure shalbe thy meed,

  If where those knights for feare of dew vengeaunce

  Do lurke, thou certainly to me areed,

  That I may wreake on them their hainous hatefull deed.

  Certes, my Lord, (said he) that shall I soone,