The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  And there with many gentle termes her faire besought.

  But that old leachour, which with bold assault

  That beautie durst presume to violate,

  He cast to punish for his hainous fault;

  Then tooke he him yet trembling sith of late,

  And tyde behind his charet, to aggrate

  The virgin, whom he had abusde so sore:

  So drag'd him through the waues in scornefull state,

  And after cast him vp, vpon the shore;

  But Florimell with him vnto his bowre he bore.

  His bowre is in the bottome of the maine,

  Vnder a mightie rocke, gainst which do raue

  The roaring billowes in their proud disdaine,

  That with the angry working of the waue,

  Therein is eaten out an hollow caue,

  That seemes rough Masons hand with engines keene

  Had long while laboured it to engraue:

  There was his wonne, ne liuing wight was seene,

  Saue one old Nymph, hight Panope to keepe it cleane.

  Thither he brought the sory Florimell,

  And entertained her the best he might

  And Panope her entertaind eke well,

  As an immortall mote a mortall wight,

  To winne her liking vnto his delight:

  With flattering words he sweetly wooed her,

  And offered faire gifts t'allure her sight,

  But she both offers and the offerer

  Despysde, and all the fawning of the flatterer.

  Daily he tempted her with this or that,

  And neuer suffred her to be at rest:

  But euermore she him refused flat,

  And all his fained kindnesse did detest.

  So firmely she had sealed vp her brest.

  Sometimes he boasted, that a God he hight:

  But she a mortall creature loued best:

  Then he would make himselfe a mortall wight;

  But then she said she lou'd none, but a Faerie knight.

  Then like a Faerie knight himselfe he drest;

  For euery shape on him he could endew:

  Then like a king he was to her exprest,

  And offred kingdomes vnto her in vew,

  To be his Leman and his Ladie trew:

  But when all this he nothing saw preuaile,

  With harder meanes he cast her to subdew,

  And with sharpe threates her often did assaile,

  So thinking for to make her stubborne courage quaile.

  To dreadfull shapes he did himselfe transforme,

  Now like a Gyant, now like to a feend,

  Then like a Centaure, then like to a storme,

  Raging within the waues: thereby he weend

  Her will to win vnto his wished end.

  But when with feare, nor fauour, nor with all

  He else could doe, he saw himselfe esteemd,

  Downe in a Dongeon deepe he let her fall,

  And threatned there to make her his eternall thrall.

  Eternall thraldome was to her more liefe,

  Then losse of chastitie, or chaunge of loue:

  Die had she rather in tormenting griefe,

  Then any should of falsenesse her reproue,

  Or loosenesse, that she lightly did remoue.

  Most vertuous virgin, glory be thy meed,

  And crowne of heauenly praise with Saints aboue,

  Where most sweet hymmes of this thy famous deed

  Are still emongst them song, that far my rymes exceed.

  Fit song of Angels caroled to bee;

  But yet what so my feeble Muse can frame,

  Shall be t'aduance thy goodly chastitee,

  And to enroll thy memorable name,

  In th'heart of euery honourable Dame,

  That they thy vertuous deedes may imitate,

  And be partakers of thy endlesse fame.

  It yrkes me, leaue thee in this wofull state,

  To tell of Satyrane, where I him left of late.

  Who hauing ended with that Squire of Dames

  A long discourse of his aduentures vaine,

  The which himselfe, then Ladies more defames,

  And finding not th'Hyena to be slaine,

  With that same Squyre, returned backe againe

  To his first way. And as they forward went,

  They spyde a knight faire pricking on the plaine,

  As if he were on some aduenture bent,

  And in his port appeared manly hardiment.

  Sir Satyrane him towards did addresse,

  To weet, what wight he was, and what his quest:

  And comming nigh, eftsoones he gan to gesse

  Both by the burning hart, which on his brest

  He bare, and by the colours in his crest,

  That Paridell it was. Tho to him yode,

  And him saluting, as beseemed best,

  Gan first inquire of tydings farre abrode;

  And afterwardes, on what aduenture now he rode.

  Who thereto answering, said; the tydings bad,

  Which now in Faerie court all men do tell,

  Which turned hath great mirth, to mourning sad,

  Is the late ruine of proud Marinell,

  And suddein parture of faire Florimell,

  To find him forth: and after her are gone

  All the braue knights, that doen in armes excell,

  To saueguard her, ywandred all alone;

  Emongst the rest my lot (vnworthy) is to be one.

  Ah gentle knight (said then Sir Satyrane)

  Thy labour all is lost, I greatly dread,

  That hast a thanklesse seruice on thee ta'ne,

  And offrest sacrifice vnto the dead:

  For dead, I surely doubt, thou maist aread

  Henceforth for euer Florimell to be.

  That all the noble knights of Maydenhead,

  Which her ador'd, may sore repent with me,

  And all faire Ladies may for euer sory be.

  Which words when Paridell had heard, his hew

  Gan greatly chaunge, and seem'd dismayd to bee;

  Then said, Faire Sir, how may I weene it trew,

  That ye doe tell in such vncertaintee?

  Or speake ye of report, or did ye see

  Iust cause of dread, that makes ye doubt so sore?

  For perdie else how mote it euer bee,

  That euer hand should dare for to engore

  Her noble bloud? the heauens such crueltie abhore.

  These eyes did see, that they will euer rew

  T'haue seene, (quoth he) when as a monstrous beast

  The Palfrey, whereon she did trauell, slew,

  And of his bowels made his bloudie feast:

  Which speaking token sheweth at the least

  Her certaine losse, if not her sure decay:

  Besides, that more suspition encreast,

  I found her golden girdle cast astray,

  Distaynd with durt and bloud, as relique of the pray.

  Aye me, (said Paridell) the signes be sad,

  And but God turne the same to good soothsay,

  That Ladies safetie is sore to be drad:

  Yet will I not forsake my forward way,

  Till triall doe more certaine truth bewray.

  Faire Sir (quoth he) well may it you succeed,

  Ne long shall Satyrane behind you stay,

  But to the rest, which in this Quest proceed

  My labour adde, and be partaker of their speed.

  Ye noble knights (said then the Squire of Dames)

  Well may ye speed in so praiseworthy paine:

  But sith the Sunne now ginnes to slake his beames,

  In deawy vapours of the westerne maine,

  And lose the teme out of his weary waine,

  Mote not mislike you also to abate

  Your zealous hast, till morrow next againe

  Both light of heauen, and strength of men relate:

  Which if ye please, to yonder c
astle turne your gate.

  That counsell pleased well; so all yfere

  Forth marched to a Castle them before,

  Where soone arriuing, they restrained were

  Of readie entrance, which ought euermore

  To errant knights be commun: wondrous sore

  Thereat displeasd they were, till that young Squire

  Gan them informe the cause, why that same dore

  Was shut to all, which lodging did desire:

  The which to let you weet, will further time require.

  Cant. IX.

  Malbecco will no straunge knights host,

  For peeuish gealosie:

  Paridell giusts with Britomart:

  Both shew their auncestrie.

  R Edoubted knights, and honorable Dames,

  To whom I leuell all my labours end,

  Right sore I feare, least with vnworthy blames

  This odious argument my rimes should shend,

  Or ought your goodly patience offend,

  Whiles of a wanton Lady I do write,

  Which with her loose incontinence doth blend

  The shyning glory of your soueraigne light,

  And knighthood fowle defaced by a faithlesse knight.

  But neuer let th'ensample of the bad

  Offend the good: for good by paragone

  Of euill, may more notably be rad,

  As white seemes fairer, macht with blacke attone;

  Ne all are shamed by the fault of one;

  For lo in heauen, whereas all goodnesse is,

  Emongst the Angels, a whole legione

  Of wicked Sprights did fall from happy blis;

  What wonder then, if one of women all did mis?

  Then listen Lordings, if ye list to weet

  The cause, why Satyrane and Paridell

  Mote not be entertaynd, as seemed meet,

  Into that Castle (as that Squire does tell.)

  Therein a cancred crabbed Carle does dwell,

  That has no skill of Court nor courtesie,

  Ne cares, what men say of him ill or well;

  For all his dayes he drownes in priuitie,

  Yet has full large to liue, and spend at libertie.

  But all his mind is set on mucky pelfe,

  To hoord vp heapes of euill gotten masse,

  For which he others wrongs, and wreckes himselfe;

  Yet is he lincked to a louely lasse,

  Whose beauty doth her bounty far surpasse,

  The which to him both far vnequall yeares,

  And also far vnlike conditions has;

  For she does ioy to play emongst her peares,

  And to be free from hard restraint and gealous feares.

  But he is old, and withered like hay,

  Vnfit faire Ladies seruice to supply;

  The priuie guilt whereof makes him alway

  Suspect her truth, and keepe continuall spy

  Vpon her with his other blincked eye;

  Ne suffreth he resort of liuing wight

  Approch to her, ne keepe her company,

  But in close bowre her mewes from all mens sight,

  Depriu'd of kindly ioy and naturall delight.

  Malbecco he, and Hellenore she hight,

  Vnfitly yokt together in one teeme,

  That is the cause, why neuer any knight

  Is suffred here to enter, but he seeme

  Such, as no doubt of him he neede misdeeme.

  Thereat Sir Satyrane gan smile, and say;

  Extremely mad the man I surely deeme,

  That weenes with watch and hard restraint to stay

  A womans will, which is disposd to go astray.

  In vaine he feares that, which he cannot shonne:

  For who wotes not, that womans subtiltyes

  Can guilen Argus, when she list misdonne?

  It is not yron bandes, nor hundred eyes,

  Nor brasen walls, nor many wakefull spyes,

  That can withhold her wilfull wandring feet;

  But fast good will with gentle curtesyes,

  And timely seruice to her pleasures meet

  May her perhaps containe, that else would algates fleet.

  Then is he not more mad (said Paridell)

  That hath himselfe vnto such seruice sold,

  In dolefull thraldome all his dayes to dwell?

  For sure a foole I do him firmely hold,

  That loues his fetters, though they were of gold.

  But why do we deuise of others ill,

  Whiles thus we suffer this same dotard old,

  To keepe vs out, in scorne of his owne will,

  And rather do not ransack all, and him selfe kill?

  Nay let vs first (said Satyrane[)] entreat

  The man by gentle meanes, to let vs in,

  And afterwardes affray with cruell threat,

  Ere that we to efforce it do begin:

  Then if all fayle, we will by force it win,

  And eke reward the wretch for his mesprise,

  As may be worthy of his haynous sin.

  That counsell pleasd: then Paridell did rise,

  And to the Castle gate approcht in quiet wise.

  Whereat soft knocking, entrance he desyrd.

  The good man selfe, which then the Porter playd,

  Him answered, that all were now retyrd

  Vnto their rest, and all the keyes conuayd

  Vnto their maister, who in bed was layd,

  That none him durst awake out of his dreme;

  And therefore them of patience gently prayd.

  Then Paridell began to chaunge his theme,

  And threatned him with force & punishment extreme.

  But all in vaine; for nought mote him relent,

  And now so long before the wicket fast

  They wayted, that the night was forward spent,

  And the faire welkin fowly ouercast,

  Gan blowen vp a bitter stormy blast,

  With shoure and hayle so horrible and dred,

  That this faire many were compeld at last,

  To fly for succour to a little shed,

  The which beside the gate for swine was ordered.

  It fortuned, soone after they were gone,

  Another knight, whom tempest thither brought,

  Came to that Castle, and with earnest mone,

  Like as the rest, late entrance deare besought;

  But like so as the rest he prayd for nought,

  For flatly he of entrance was refusd,

  Sorely thereat he was displeasd, and thought

  How to auenge himselfe so sore abusd,

  And euermore the Carle of curtesie accusd.

  But to auoyde th'intollerable stowre,

  He was compeld to seeke some refuge neare,

  And to that shed, to shrowd him from the showre,

  He came, which full of guests he found whyleare,

  So as he was not let to enter there:

  Whereat he gan to wex exceeding wroth,

  And swore, that he would lodge with them yfere,

  Or them dislodge, all were they liefe or loth;

  And so defide them each, and so defide them both.

  Both were full loth to leaue that needfull tent,

  And both full loth in darkenesse to debate;

  Yet both full liefe him lodging to haue lent,

  And both full liefe his boasting to abate;

  But chiefly Paridell his hart did grate,

  To heare him threaten so despightfully.

  As if he did a dogge to kenell rate,

  That durst not barke; and rather had he dy,

  Then when he was defide, in coward corner ly.

  Tho hastily remounting to his steed,

  He forth issew'd; like as a boistrous wind,

  Which in th'earthes hollow caues hath long bin hid,

  And shut vp fast within her prisons blind,

  Makes the huge element against her kind

  To moue, and tremble as it were agast,
/>   Vntill that it an issew forth may find;

  Then forth it breakes, and with his furious blast

  Confounds both land & seas, and skyes doth ouercast.

  Their steel-hed speares they strongly coucht, and met

  Together with impetuous rage and forse,

  That with the terrour of their fierce affret,

  They rudely droue to ground both man and horse,

  That each awhile lay like a sencelesse corse.

  But Paridell sore brused with the blow,

  Could not arise, the counterchaunge to scorse,

  Till that young Squire him reared from below;

  Then drew he his bright sword, & gan about him throw.

  But Satyrane forth stepping, did them stay

  And with faire treatie pacifide their ire,

  Then when they were accorded from the fray,

  Against that Castles Lord they gan conspire,

  To heape on him dew vengeaunce for his hire.

  They bene agreed, and to the gates they goe

  To burne the same with vnquenchable fire,

  And that vncurteous Carle their commune foe

  To do fowle death to dye, or wrap in grieuous woe.

  Malbecco seeing them resolu'd in deed

  To flame the gates, and hearing them to call

  For fire in earnest, ran with fearefull speed,

  And to them calling from the castle wall,

  Besought them humbly, him to beare withal,

  As ignoraunt of seruants bad abuse,

  And slacke attendaunce vnto straungers call.

  The knights were willing all things to excuse,

  Though nought beleu'd, & entraũce late did not refuse.

  They bene ybrought into a comely bowre,

  And seru'd of all things that mote needfull bee;

  Yet secretly their hoste did on them lowre,

  And welcomde more for feare, then charitee;

  But they dissembled, what they did not see,

  And welcomed themselues. Each gan vndight

  Their garments wet, and weary armour free,

  To dry them selues by Vulcanes flaming light,

  And eke their lately bruzed parts to bring in plight.

  And eke that straunger knight emongst the rest;

  Was for like need enforst to disaray:

  Tho whenas vailed was her loftie crest,