The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  That all regard of shame she had discust,

  And meet respect of honour put to flight:

  So shamelesse beauty soone becomes a loathy sight.

  Faire Ladies, that to loue captiued arre,

  And chaste desires do nourish in your mind,

  Let not her fault your sweet affections marre,

  Ne blot the bounty of all womankind;

  'Mongst thousands good one wanton Dame to find:

  Emongst the Roses grow some wicked weeds;

  For this was not to loue, but lust inclind;

  For loue does alwayes bring forth bounteous deeds,

  And in each gentle hart desire of honour breeds.

  Nought so of loue this looser Dame did skill,

  But as a coale to kindle fleshly flame,

  Giuing the bridle to her wanton will,

  And treading vnder foote her honest name:

  Such loue is hate, and such desire is shame.

  Still did she roue at her with crafty glaunce

  Of her false eyes, that at her hart did ayme,

  And told her meaning in her countenaunce;

  But Britomart dissembled it with ignoraunce.

  Supper was shortly dight and downe they sat,

  Where they were serued with all sumptuous fare,

  Whiles fruitfull Ceres, and Lyæus fat

  Pourd out their plenty, without spight or spare:

  Nought wanted there, that dainty was and rare;

  And aye the cups their bancks did ouerflow,

  And aye betweene the cups, she did prepare

  Way to her loue, and secret darts did throw;

  But Britomart would not such guilfull message know.

  So when they slaked had the feruent heat

  Of appetite with meates of euery sort,

  The Lady did faire Britomart entreat,

  Her to disarme, and with delightfull sport

  To loose her warlike limbs and strong effort,

  But when she mote not thereunto be wonne,

  (For she her sexe vnder that straunge purport

  Did vse to hide, and plaine apparaunce shonne:)

  In plainer wise to tell her grieuaunce she begonne.

  And all attonce discouered her desire

  With sighes, and sobs, and plaints, & piteous griefe,

  The outward sparkes of her in burning fire;

  Which spent in vaine, at last she told her briefe,

  That but if she did lend her short reliefe,

  And do her comfort, she mote algates dye.

  But the chaste damzell, that had neuer priefe

  Of such malengine and fine forgerie,

  Did easily beleeue her strong extremitie.

  Full easie was for her to haue beliefe,

  Who by self-feeling of her feeble sexe,

  And by long triall of the inward griefe,

  Wherewith imperious loue her hart did vexe,

  Could iudge what paines do louing harts perplexe.

  Who meanes no guile, be guiled soonest shall,

  And to faire semblaunce doth light faith annexe;

  The bird, that knowes not the false fowlers call,

  Into his hidden net full easily doth fall.

  For thy, she would not in discourteise wise,

  Scorne the faire offer of good will profest;

  For great rebuke it is, loue to despise,

  Or rudely sdeigne a gentle harts request;

  But with faire countenaunce, as beseemed best,

  Her entertaynd; nath'lesse she inly deemd

  Her loue too light, to wooe a wandring guest:

  Which she misconstruing, thereby esteemd

  That from like inward fire that outward smoke had steemd.

  Therewith a while she her flit fancy fed,

  Till she mote winne fit time for her desire,

  But yet her wound still inward freshly bled,

  And through her bones the false instilled fire

  Did spred it selfe, and venime close inspire.

  Tho were the tables taken all away,

  And euery knight, and euery gentle Squire

  Gan choose his dame with Basciomani gay,

  With whom he meant to make his sport & courtly play.

  Some fell to daunce, some fell to hazardry,

  Some to make loue, some to make meriment,

  As diuerse wits to diuers things apply;

  And all the while faire Malecasta bent

  Her crafty engins to her close intent.

  By this th'eternall lampes, wherewith high Ioue

  Doth light the lower world, were halfe yspent,

  And the moist daughters of huge Atlas stroue

  Into the Ocean deepe to driue their weary droue.

  High time it seemed then for euery wight

  Them to betake vnto their kindly rest;

  Eftsoones long waxen torches weren light,

  Vnto their bowres to guiden euery guest:

  Tho when the Britonesse saw all the rest

  Auoided quite, she gan her selfe despoile,

  And safe commit to her soft fethered nest,

  Where through long watch, & late dayes weary toile,

  She soundly slept, & carefull thoughts did quite assoile.

  Now whenas all the world in silence deepe

  Yshrowded was, and euery mortall wight

  Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleepe,

  Faire Malecasta, whose engrieued spright

  Could find no rest in such perplexed plight,

  Lightly arose out of her wearie bed,

  And vnder the blacke vele of guilty Night,

  Her with a scarlot mantle couered,

  That was with gold and Ermines faire enueloped.

  Then panting soft, and trembling euerie ioynt,

  Her fearfull feete towards the bowre she moued;

  Where she for secret purpose did appoynt

  To lodge the warlike mayd vnwisely loued,

  And to her bed approching, first she prooued,

  Whether she slept or wakt, with her soft hand

  She softly felt, if any member mooued,

  And lent her wary eare to vnderstand,

  If any puffe of breath, or signe of sence she fand.

  Which whenas none she fond, with easie shift,

  For feare least her vnwares she should abrayd,

  Th'embroderd quilt she lightly vp did lift,

  And by her side her selfe she softly layd,

  Of euery finest fingers touch affrayd;

  Ne any noise she made, ne word she spake,

  But inly sigh'd. At last the royall Mayd

  Out of her quiet slomber did awake,

  And chaungd her weary side, the better ease to take.

  Where feeling one close couched by her side,

  She lightly lept out of her filed bed,

  And to her weapon ran, in minde to gride

  The loathed leachour. But the Dame halfe ded

  Through suddein feare and ghastly drerihed,

  Did shrieke alowd, that through the house it rong,

  And the whole family therewith adred,

  Rashly out of their rouzed couches sprong,

  And to the troubled chamber all in armes did throng.

  And those six Knights that Ladies Champions,

  And eke the Redcrosse knight ran to the stownd,

  Halfe armd and halfe vnarmd, with them attons:

  Where when confusedly they came, they fownd

  Their Lady lying on the sencelesse grownd;

  On th'other side, they saw the warlike Mayd

  All in her snow-white smocke, with locks vnbownd,

  Threatning the point of her auenging blade,

  That with so troublous terrour they were all dismayde.

  About their Lady first they flockt arownd,

  Whom hauing laid in comfortable couch,

  Shortly they reard out of her frosen swownd;

  And afterwards they gan with fowle reproch

&nb
sp; To stirre vp strife, and troublous contecke broch:

  But by ensample of the last dayes losse,

  None of them rashly durst to her approch,

  Ne in so glorious spoile themselues embosse;

  Her succourd eke the Champion of the bloudy Crosse.

  But one of those sixe knights, Gardante hight,

  Drew out a deadly bow and arrow keene,

  Which forth he sent with felonous despight,

  And fell intent against the virgin sheene:

  The mortall steele stayd not, till it was seene

  To gore her side, yet was the wound not deepe,

  But lightly rased her soft silken skin,

  That drops of purple bloud thereout did weepe,

  Which did her lilly smock with staines of vermeil steepe.

  Wherewith enrag'd she fiercely at them flew,

  And with her flaming sword about her layd,

  That none of them foule mischiefe could eschew,

  But with her dreadfull strokes were all dismayd:

  Here, there, and euery where about her swayd

  Her wrathfull steele, that none mote it abide;

  And eke the Redcrosse knight gaue her good aid,

  Ay ioyning foot to foot, and side to side,

  That in short space their foes they haue quite terrifide.

  Tho whenas all were put to shamefull flight,

  The noble Britomartis her arayd,

  And her bright armes about her body dight:

  For nothing would she lenger there be stayd,

  Where so loose life, and so vngentle trade

  Was vsd of Knights and Ladies seeming gent:

  So earely ere the grosse Earthes gryesy shade

  Was all disperst out of the firmament,

  They tooke their steeds, & forth vpõ their iourney went.

  Cant. II.

  The Redcrosse knight to Britomart

  describeth Artegall:

  The wondrous myrrhour, by which she

  in loue with him did fall.

  H Ere haue I cause, in men iust blame to find,

  That in their proper prayse too partiall bee,

  And not indifferent to woman kind,

  To whom no share in armes and cheualrie

  They do impart, ne maken memorie

  Of their braue gestes and prowesse martiall;

  Scarse do they spare to one or two or three,

  Rowme in their writs; yet the same writing small

  Does all their deeds deface, and dims their glories all.

  But by record of antique times I find,

  That women wont in warres to beare most sway,

  And to all great exploits them selues inclind:

  Of which they still the girlond bore away,

  Till enuious Men fearing their rules decay,

  Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty;

  Yet sith they warlike armes haue layd away:

  They haue exceld in artes and pollicy,

  That now we foolish men that prayse gin eke t'enuy.

  Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent,

  Be thou faire Britomart, whose prayse I write,

  But of all wisedome be thou precedent,

  O soueraigne Queene, whose prayse I would endite,

  Endite I would as dewtie doth excite;

  But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre,

  When in so high an obiect they do lite,

  And striuing, fit to make, I feare do marre:

  Thy selfe thy prayses tell, and make them knowen farre.

  She trauelling with Guyon by the way,

  Of sundry things faire purpose gan to find,

  T'abridg their iourney long, and lingring day;

  Mongst which it fell into that Faeries mind,

  To aske this Briton Mayd, what vncouth wind,

  Brought her into those parts, and what inquest

  Made her dissemble her disguised kind:

  Faire Lady she him seemd, like Lady drest,

  But fairest knight aliue, when armed was her brest.

  Thereat she sighing softly, had no powre

  To speake a while, ne ready answere make,

  But with hart-thrilling throbs and bitter stowre,

  As if she had a feuer fit, did quake,

  And euery daintie limbe with horrour shake;

  And euer and anone the rosy red,

  Flasht through her face, as it had been a flake

  Of lightning, through bright heauen fulmined;

  At last the passion past she thus him answered.

  Faire Sir, I let you weete, that from the howre

  I taken was from nourses tender pap,

  I haue beene trained vp in warlike stowre,

  To tossen speare and shield, and to affrap

  The warlike ryder to his most mishap;

  Sithence I loathed haue my life to lead,

  As Ladies wont, in pleasures wanton lap,

  To finger the fine needle and nyce thread;

  Me leuer were with point of foemans speare be dead.

  All my delight on deedes of armes is set,

  To hunt out perils and aduentures hard,

  By sea, by land, where so they may be met,

  Onely for honour and for high regard,

  Without respect of richesse or reward.

  For such intent into these parts I came,

  Withouten compasse, or withouten card,

  Far fro my natiue soyle, that is by name

  The greater Britaine, here to seeke for prayse and fame.

  Fame blazed hath, that here in Faery lond

  Do many famous Knightes and Ladies wonne,

  And many straunge aduentures to be fond,

  Of which great worth and worship may be wonne;

  Which I to proue, this voyage haue begonne.

  But mote I weet of you, right curteous knight,

  Tydings of one, that hath vnto me donne

  Late foule dishonour and reprochfull spight,

  The which I seeke to wreake, and Arthegall he hight.

  The word gone out, she backe againe would call,

  As her repenting so to haue missayd,

  But that he it vp-taking ere the fall,

  Her shortly answered; Faire martiall Mayd

  Certes ye misauised beene, t'vpbrayd

  A gentle knight with so vnknightly blame:

  For weet ye well of all, that euer playd

  At tilt or tourney, or like warlike game,

  The noble Arthegall hath euer borne the name.

  For thy great wonder were it, if such shame

  Should euer enter in his bounteous thought,

  Or euer do, that mote deseruen blame:

  The noble courage neuer weeneth ought,

  That may vnworthy of it selfe be thought.

  Therefore, faire Damzell, be ye well aware,

  Least that too farre ye haue your sorrow sought:

  You and your countrey both I wish welfare,

  And honour both; for each of other worthy are.

  The royall Mayd woxe inly wondrous glad,

  To heare her Loue so highly magnifide,

  And ioyd that euer she affixed had,

  Her hart on knight so goodly glorifide,

  How euer finely she it faind to hide:

  The louing mother, that nine monethes did beare,

  In the deare closet of her painefull side,

  Her tender babe, it seeing safe appeare,

  Doth not so much reioyce, as she reioyced theare.

  But to occasion him to further talke,

  To feed her humour with his pleasing stile,

  Her list in strifull termes with him to balke,

  And thus replide, How euer, Sir, ye file

  Your curteous tongue, his prayses to compile,

  It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort,

  Such as ye haue him boasted, to beguile

  A simple mayd, and worke so haynous tort,

  In shame of knighthood, as I largely
can report.

  Let be therefore my vengeaunce to disswade,

  And read, where I that faytour false may find.

  Ah, but if reason faire might you perswade,

  To slake your wrath, and mollifie your mind,

  (Said he) perhaps ye should it better find:

  For hardy thing it is, to weene by might,

  That man to hard conditions to bind,

  Or euer hope to match in equall fight,

  Whose prowesse paragon saw neuer liuing wight.

  Ne soothlich is it easie for to read,

  Where now on earth, or how he may be found;

  For he ne wonneth in one certaine stead,

  But restlesse walketh all the world around,

  Ay doing things, that to his fame redound,

  Defending Ladies cause, and Orphans right,

  Where so he heares, that any doth confound

  Them comfortlesse, through tyranny or might:

  So is his soueraine honour raisde to heauens hight.

  His feeling words her feeble sence much pleased,

  And softly sunck into her molten hart;

  Hart that is inly hurt, is greatly eased

  With hope of thing, that may allegge his smart;

  For pleasing words are like to Magick art,

  That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay:

  Such secret ease felt gentle Britomart,

  Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay;

  So dischord oft in Musick makes the sweeter lay.

  And said, Sir knight, these idle termes forbeare,

  And sith it is vneath to find his haunt,

  Tell me some markes, by which he may appeare,

  If chaunce I him encounter parauaunt;

  For perdie one shall other slay, or daunt:

  What shape, what shield, what armes, what steed, what sted,

  And what so else his person most may vaunt?

  All which the Redcrosse knight to point ared,

  And him in euery part before her fashioned.

  Yet him in euery part before she knew,

  How euer list her now her knowledge faine,

  Sith him whilome in Britaine she did vew,

  To her reuealed in a mirrhour plaine,

  Whereof did grow her first engraffed paine;

  Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did tast,

  That but the fruit more sweetnesse did containe,