The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  Witnesse the guiltlesse bloud pourd oft on ground,

  The crowned often slaine, the slayer cround,

  The sacred Diademe in peeces rent,

  And purple robe gored with many a wound;

  Castles surprizd, great cities sackt and brent:

  So mak'st thou kings, & gaynest wrongfull gouernement.

  Long were to tell the troublous stormes, that tosse

  The priuate state, and make the life vnsweet:

  Who swelling sayles in Caspian sea doth crosse,

  And in frayle wood on Adrian gulfe doth fleet,

  Doth not, I weene, so many euils meet.

  Then Mammon wexing wroth, And why then, said,

  Are mortall men so fond and vndiscreet,

  So euill thing to seeke vnto their ayd,

  And hauing not complaine, and hauing it vpbraid?

  Indeede (quoth he) through fowle intemperaunce,

  Frayle men are oft captiu'd to couetise:

  But would they thinke, with how small allowaunce

  Vntroubled Nature doth her selfe suffise,

  Such superfluities they would despise,

  Which with sad cares empeach our natiue ioyes:

  At the well head the purest streames arise:

  But mucky filth his braunching armes annoyes,

  And with vncomely weedes the gentle waue accloyes.

  The antique world, in his first flowring youth,

  Found no defect in his Creatours grace,

  But with glad thankes, and vnreproued truth,

  The gifts of soueraigne bountie did embrace:

  Like Angels life was then mens happy cace;

  But later ages pride, like corn-fed steed,

  Abusd her plenty, and fat swolne encreace

  To all licentious lust, and gan exceed

  The measure of her meane, and naturall first need.

  Then gan a cursed hand the quiet wombe

  Of his great G[r]andmother with steele to wound,

  And the hid treasures in her sacred tombe,

  With Sacriledge to dig. Therein he found

  Fountaines of gold and siluer to abound,

  Of which the matter of his huge desire

  And pompous pride eftsoones he did compound;

  Then auarice gan through his veines inspire

  His greedy flames, and kindled life-deuouring fire.

  Sonne (said he then) let be thy bitter scorne,

  And leaue the rudenesse of that antique age

  To them, that liu'd therein in state forlorne;

  Thou that doest liue in later times, must wage

  Thy workes for wealth, and life for gold engage.

  If then thee list my offred grace to vse,

  Take what thou please of all this surplusage;

  If thee list not, leaue haue thou to refuse:

  But thing refused, do not afterward accuse.

  Me list not (said the Elfin knight) receaue

  Thing offred, till I know it well be got,

  Ne wote I, but thou didst these goods bereaue

  From rightfull owner by vnrighteous lot,

  Or that bloud guiltinesse or guile them blot.

  Perdy (quoth he) yet neuer eye did vew,

  Ne toung did tell, ne hand these handled not,

  But safe I haue them kept in secret mew,

  From heauens sight, and powre of all which th&etilde; pursew.

  What secret place (quoth he) can safely hold

  So huge a masse, and hide from heauens eye?

  Or where hast thou thy wonne, that so much gold

  Thou canst preserue from wrong and robbery?

  Come thou (quoth he) and see. So by and by

  Through that thicke couert he him led, and found

  A darkesome way, which no man could descry,

  That deepe descended through the hollow ground,

  And was with dread and horrour compassed around.

  At length they came into a larger space,

  That stretcht it selfe into an ample plaine,

  Through which a beaten broad high way did trace,

  That streight did lead to Plutoes griesly raine:

  By that wayes side, there sate infernall Payne,

  And fast beside him sat tumultuous Strife:

  The one in hand an yron whip did straine,

  The other brandished a bloudy knife,

  And both did gnash their teeth, & both did threaten life.

  On thother side in one consort there sate,

  Cruell Reuenge, and rancorous Despight,

  Disloyall Treason, and hart-burning Hate,

  But gnawing Gealosie out of their sight

  Sitting alone, his bitter lips did bight,

  And trembling Feare still to and fro did fly,

  And found no place, where safe he shroud him might,

  Lamenting Sorrow did in darknesse lye,

  And Shame his vgly face did hide from liuing eye.

  And ouer them sad Horrour with grim hew,

  Did alwayes sore, beating his yron wings;

  And after him Owles and Night-rauens flew,

  The hatefull messengers of heauy things,

  Of death and dolour telling sad tidings;

  Whiles sad Celeno, sitting on a clift,

  A song of bale and bitter sorrow sings,

  That hart of flint a sunder could haue rift:

  Which hauing ended, after him she flyeth swift.

  All these before the gates of Pluto lay,

  By whom they passing, spake vnto them nought.

  But th'Elfin knight with wonder all the way

  Did feed his eyes, and fild his inner thought.

  At last him to a litle dore he brought,

  That to the gate of Hell, which gaped wide,

  Was next adioyning, ne them parted ought:

  Betwixt them both was but a litle stride,

  That did the house of Richesse from hell-mouth diuide.

  Before the dore sat selfe-consuming Care,

  Day and night keeping wary watch and ward,

  For feare least Force or Fraud should vnaware

  Breake in, and spoile the treasure there in gard:

  Ne would he suffer Sleepe once thither-ward

  Approch, albe his drowsie den were next;

  For next to death is Sleepe to be compard:

  Therefore his house is vnto his annext;

  Here Sleep, there Richesse, & Hel-gate th&etilde; both betwext.

  So soone as Mammon there arriu'd, the dore

  To him did open, and affoorded way;

  Him followed eke Sir Guyon euermore,

  Ne darkenesse him, ne daunger might dismay.

  Soone as he entred was, the dore streight way

  Did shut, and from behind it forth there lept

  An vgly feend, more fowle then dismall day,

  The which with monstrous stalke behind him stept,

  And euer as he went, dew watch vpon him kept.

  Well hoped he, ere long that hardy guest,

  If euer couetous hand, or lustfull eye,

  Or lips he layd on thing, that likt him best,

  Or euer sleepe his eye-strings did vntye,

  Should be his pray. And therefore still on hye

  He ouer him did hold his cruell clawes,

  Threatning with greedy gripe to do him dye

  And rend in peeces with his rauenous pawes,

  If euer he transgrest the fatall Stygian lawes.

  That houses forme within was rude and strong,

  Like an huge caue, hewne out of rocky clift,

  From whose rough vaut the ragged breaches hong,

  Embost with massy gold of glorious gift,

  And with rich metall loaded euery rift,

  That heauy ruine they did seeme to threat;

  And ouer them Arachne high did lift

  Her cunning web, and spred her subtile net,

  Enwrapped in fowle smoke and clouds more blacke then Iet.

  Both
roofe, and floore, and wals were all of gold,

  But ouergrowne with dust and old decay,

  And hid in darkenesse, that none could behold

  The hew thereof: for vew of chearefull day

  Did neuer in that house it selfe display,

  But a faint shadow of vncertain light;

  Such as a lamp, whose life does fade away:

  Or as the Moone cloathed with clowdy night,

  Does shew to him, that walkes in feare and sad affright.

  In all that rowme was nothing to be seene,

  But huge great yron chests and coffers strong,

  All bard with double bends, that none could weene

  Them to efforce by violence or wrong;

  On euery side they placed were along.

  But all the ground with sculs was scattered,

  And dead mens bones, which round about were flong,

  Whose liues, it seemed, whilome there were shed,

  And their vile carcases now left vnburied.

  They forward passe, ne Guyon yet spoke word,

  Till that they came vnto an yron dore,

  Which to them opened of his owne accord,

  And shewd of richesse such exceeding store,

  As eye of man did neuer see before;

  Ne euer could within one place be found,

  Though all the wealth, which is, or was of yore,

  Could gathered be through all the world around,

  And that aboue were added to that vnder ground.

  The charge thereof vnto a couetous Spright

  Commaunded was, who thereby did attend,

  And warily awaited day and night,

  From other couetous feends it to defend,

  Who it to rob and ransacke did intend.

  Then Mammon turning to that warriour, said;

  Loe here the worldes blis, loe here the end,

  To which all men do ayme, rich to be made:

  Such grace now to be happy, is before thee laid.

  Certes (said he) I n'ill thine offred grace,

  Ne to be made so happy do intend:

  Another blis before mine eyes I place,

  Another happinesse, another end.

  To them, that list, these base regardes I lend:

  But I in armes, and in atchieuements braue,

  Do rather choose my flitting houres to spend,

  And to be Lord of those, that riches haue,

  Then them to haue my selfe, and be their seruile sclaue.

  Thereat the feend his gnashing teeth did grate,

  And grieu'd, so long to lacke his greedy pray;

  For well he weened, that so glorious bayte

  Would tempt his guest, to take thereof assay:

  Had he so doen, he had him snatcht away,

  More light then Culuer in the Faulcons fist.

  Eternall God thee saue from such decay.

  But whenas Mammon saw his purpose mist,

  Him to entrap vnwares another way he wist.

  Thence forward he him led, and shortly brought

  Vnto another rowme, whose dore forthright,

  To him did open, as it had beene taught:

  Therein an hundred raunges weren pight,

  And hundred fornaces all burning bright;

  By euery fornace many feends did bide,

  Deformed creatures, horrible in sight,

  And euery feend his busie paines applide,

  To melt the golden metall, ready to be tride.

  One with great bellowes gathered filling aire,

  And with forst wind the fewell did inflame;

  Another did the dying bronds repaire

  With yron toungs, and sprinckled oft the same

  With liquid waues, fiers Vulcans rage to tame,

  Who maistring them, renewd his former heat;

  Some scumd the drosse, that from the metall came;

  Some stird the molten owre with ladles great;

  And euery one did swincke, and euery one did sweat.

  But when as earthly wight they present saw,

  Glistring in armes and battailous aray,

  From their whot worke they did themselues withdraw

  To wonder at the sight: for till that day,

  They neuer creature saw, that came that way.

  Their staring eyes sparckling with feruent fire,

  And vgly shapes did nigh the man dismay,

  That were it not for shame, he would retire,

  Till that him thus bespake their soueraigne Lord & sire.

  Behold, thou Faeries sonne, with mortall eye,

  That liuing eye before did neuer see:

  The thing, that thou didst craue so earnestly,

  To weet, whence all the wealth late shewd by mee,

  Proceeded, lo now is reueald to thee.

  Here is the fountaine of the worldes good:

  Now therefore, if thou wilt enriched bee,

  Auise thee well, and chaunge thy wilfull mood,

  Least thou perhaps hereafter wish, and be withstood.

  Suffise it then, thou Money God (quoth hee)

  That all thine idle offers I refuse.

  All that I need I haue; what needeth mee

  To couet more, then I haue cause to vse?

  With such vaine shewes thy worldlings vile abuse:

  But giue me leaue to follow mine emprise.

  Mammon was much displeasd, yet no'te he chuse,

  But beare the rigour of his bold mesprise,

  And thence him forward led, him further to entise.

  He brought him through a darksome narrow strait,

  To a broad gate, all built of beaten gold:

  The gate was open, but therein did wait

  A sturdy villein, striding stiffe and bold,

  As if that highest God defie he would;

  In his right hand an yron club he held,

  But he himselfe was all of golden mould,

  Yet had both life and sence, and well could weld

  That cursed weapon, when his cruell foes he queld.

  Disdayne he called was, and did disdaine

  To be so cald, and who so did him call:

  Sterne was his looke, and full of stomacke vaine,

  His portaunce terrible, and stature tall,

  Far passing th'hight of men terrestriall;

  Like an huge Gyant of the Titans race,

  That made him scorne all creatures great and small,

  And with his pride all others powre deface:

  More fit amongst blacke fiendes, then men to haue his place.

  Soone as those glitterand armes he did espye,

  That with their brightnesse made that darknesse light,

  His harmefull club he gan to hurtle hye,

  And threaten batteill to the Faery knight;

  Who likewise gan himselfe to batteill dight,

  Till Mammon did his hasty hand withhold,

  And counseld him abstaine from perilous fight:

  For nothing might abash the villein bold,

  Ne mortall steele emperce his miscreated mould.

  So hauing him with reason pacifide,

  And the fiers Carle commaunding to forbeare,

  He brought him in. The rowme was large and wide,

  As it some Gyeld or solemne Temple weare:

  Many great golden pillours did vpbeare

  The massy roofe, and riches huge sustayne,

  And euery pillour decked was full deare

  With crownes and Diademes, & titles vaine,

  Which mortall Princes wore, whiles they on earth did rayne.

  A route of people there assembled were,

  Of euery sort and nation vnder skye,

  Which with great vprore preaced to draw nere

  To th'vpper part, where was aduaunced hye

  A stately siege of soueraigne maiestye;

  And thereon sat a woman gorgeous gay,

  And richly clad in robes of royaltye,

  That neuer earthly Prince in such aray

>   His glory did enhaunce, and pompous pride display.

  Her face right wondrous faire did seeme to bee,

  That her broad beauties beam great brightnes threw

  Through the dim shade, that all men might it see:

  Yet was not that same her owne natiue hew,

  But wrought by art and counterfetted shew,

  Thereby more louers vnto her to call;

  Nath'lesse most heauenly faire in deed and vew

  She by creation was, till she did fall;

  Thenceforth she sought for helps, to cloke her crime withall.

  There, as in glistring glory she did sit,

  She held a great gold chaine ylincked well,

  Whose vpper end to highest heauen was knit,

  And lower part did reach to lowest Hell;

  And all that preace did round about her swell,

  To catchen hold of that long chaine, thereby

  To clime aloft, and others to excell:

  That was Ambition, rash desire to sty,

  And euery lincke thereof a step of dignity.

  Some thought to raise themselues to high degree,

  By riches and vnrighteous reward,

  Some by close shouldring, some by flatteree;

  Others through friends, others for base regard;

  And all by wrong wayes for themselues prepard.

  Those that were vp themselues, kept others low,

  Those that were low themselues, held others hard,

  Ne suffred them to rise or greater grow,

  But euery one did striue his fellow downe to throw.

  Which whenas Guyon saw, he gan inquire,

  What meant that preace about that Ladies throne,

  And what she was that did so high aspire.

  Him Mammon answered; That goodly one,

  Whom all that folke with such contention,

  Do flocke about, my deare my daughter is;

  Honour and dignitie from her alone,

  Deriued are, and all this worldes blis

  For which ye men do striue: few get, but many mis.

  And faire Philotime she rightly hight,

  The fairest wight that wonneth vnder skye,

  But that this darksome neather world her light

  Doth dim with horrour and deformitie,

  Worthy of heauen and hye felicitie,

  From whence the gods haue her for enuy thrust:

  But sith thou hast found fauour in mine eye,