The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  Lo recreant (sayd he) the fruitlesse end

  Of thy vaine boast, and spoile of loue misgotten,

  Whereby the name of knighthood thou dost shend,

  And all true louers with dishonor blotten,

  All things not rooted well, will soone be rotten.

  Fy fy false knight (then false Duessa cryde)

  Vnworthy life that loue with guile hast gotten,

  Be thou, where euer thou do go or ryde,

  Loathed of ladies all, and of all knights defyde.

  But Scudamour for passing great despight

  Staid not to answer, scarcely did refraine,

  But that in all those knights and ladies sight,

  He for reuenge had guiltlesse Glauce slaine:

  But being past, he thus began amaine;

  False traitour squire, false squire, of falsest knight,

  Why doth mine hand from thine auenge abstaine,

  Whose Lord hath done my loue this foule despight?

  Why do I not it wreake, on thee now in my might?

  Discourteous, disloyall Britomart,

  Vntrue to God, and vnto man vniust,

  What vengeance due can equall thy desart,

  That hast with shamefull spot of sinfull lust

  Defil'd the pledge committed to thy trust?

  Let vgly shame and endlesse infamy

  Colour thy name with foule reproaches rust.

  Yet thou false Squire his fault shalt deare aby,

  And with thy punishment his penance shalt supply.

  The aged Dame him seeing so enraged,

  Was dead with feare, nathlesse as neede required,

  His flaming furie sought to haue assuaged

  With sober words, that sufferance desired,

  Till time the tryall of her truth expyred:

  And euermore sought Britomart to cleare.

  But he the more with furious rage was fyred,

  And thrise his hand to kill her did vpreare,

  And thrise he drew it backe: so did at last forbeare.

  Cant. II.

  Blandamour winnes false Florimell,

  Paridell for her striues,

  They are accorded: Agape

  doth lengthen her sonnes liues.

  F Irebrand of hell first tynd in Phlegeton,

  By thousand furies, and from thence out throwen

  Into this world, to worke confusion,

  And set it all on fire by force vnknowen,

  Is wicked discord, whose small sparkes once blowen

  None but a God or godlike man can slake;

  Such as was Orpheus, that when strife was growen

  Amongst those famous ympes of Greece, did take

  His siluer Harpe in hand, and shortly friends them make.

  Or such as that celestiall Psalmist was,

  That when the wicked feend his Lord tormented,

  With heauenly notes, that did all other pas,

  The outrage of his furious fit relented.

  Such Musicke is wise words with time concented,

  To moderate stiffe minds, disposd to striue:

  Such as that prudent Romane well inuented,

  What time his people into partes did riue,

  Them reconcyld againe, and to their homes did driue.

  Such vs'd wise Glauce to that wrathfull knight,

  To calme the tempest of his troubled thought:

  Yet Blandamour with termes of foule despight,

  And Paridell her scornd, and set at nought,

  As old and crooked and not good for ought.

  Both they vnwise, and warelesse of the euill,

  That by themselues vnto themselues is wrought,

  Through that false witch, and that foule aged dreuill,

  The one a feend, the other an incarnate deuill.

  With whom as they thus rode accompanide,

  They were encountred of a lustie Knight,

  That had a goodly Ladie by his side,

  To whom he made great dalliance and delight.

  It was to weete the bold Sir Ferraugh hight,

  He that from Braggadocchio whilome reft

  The snowy Florimell, whose beautie bright

  Made him seeme happie for so glorious theft;

  Yet was it in due triall but a wandring weft.

  Which when as Blandamour, whose fancie light

  Was alwaies flitting as the wauering wind,

  After each beautie, that appeard in sight,

  Beheld, eftsoones it prickt his wanton mind

  With sting of lust, that reasons eye did blind,

  That to Sir Paridell these words he sent;

  Sir knight why ride ye dumpish thus behind,

  Since so good fortune doth to you present

  So fayre a spoyle, to make you ioyous meriment?

  But Paridell that had too late a tryall

  Of the bad issue of his counsell vaine,

  List not to hearke, but made this faire denyall;

  Last turne was mine, well proued to my paine,

  This now be yours, God send you better gaine.

  Whose scoffed words he taking halfe in scorne,

  Fiercely forth prickt his steed as in disdaine,

  Against that Knight, ere he him well could torne

  By meanes whereof he hath him lightly ouerborne.

  Who with the sudden stroke astonisht sore,

  Vpon the ground a while in slomber lay;

  The whiles his loue away the other bore,

  And shewing her, did Paridell vpbray;

  Lo sluggish Knight the victors happie pray:

  So fortune friends the bold: whom Paridell

  Seeing so faire indeede, as he did say,

  His hart with secret enuie gan to swell,

  And inly grudge at him, that he had sped so well.

  Nathlesse proud man himselfe the other deemed,

  Hauing so peerelesse paragon ygot:

  For sure the fayrest Florimell him seemed,

  To him was fallen for his happie lot,

  Whose like aliue on earth he weened not:

  Therefore he her did court, did serue, did wooe,

  With humblest suit that he imagine mot,

  And all things did deuise, and all things dooe,

  That might her loue prepare, and liking win theretoo.

  She in regard thereof him recompenst

  With golden words, and goodly countenance,

  And such fond fauours sparingly dispenst:

  Sometimes him blessing with a light eye-glance,

  And coy lookes tempring with loose dalliance;

  Sometimes estranging him in sterner wise,

  That hauing cast him in a foolish trance,

  He seemed brought to bed in Paradise,

  And prou'd himselfe most foole, in what he seem'd most wise.

  So great a mistresse of her art she was,

  And perfectly practiz'd in womans craft,

  That though therein himselfe he thought to pas,

  And by his false allurements wylie draft

  Had thousand women of their loue beraft,

  Yet now he was surpriz'd: for that false spright,

  Which that same witch had in this forme engraft,

  Was so expert in euery subtile slight,

  That it could ouerreach the wisest earthly wight.

  Yet he to her did dayly seruice more,

  And dayly more deceiued was thereby;

  Yet Paridell him enuied therefore,

  As seeming plast in sole felicity:

  So blind is lust, false colours to descry.

  But Ate soone discouering his desire,

  And finding now fit opportunity

  To stirre vp strife, twixt loue and spight and ire,

  Did priuily put coles vnto his secret fire.

  By sundry meanes thereto she prickt him forth,

  Now with remembrance of those spightfull speaches,

  Now with opinion of his owne more worth,

  Now with recoun
ting of like former breaches

  Made in their friendship, as that Hag him teaches:

  And euer when his passion is allayd,

  She it reuiues and new occasion reaches:

  That on a time as they together way'd,

  He made him open chalenge, and thus boldly sayd.

  Too boastfull Blandamour, too long I beare

  The open wrongs, thou doest me day by day;

  Well know'st thou, whe˜ we friendship first did sweare,

  The couenant was, that euery spoyle or pray

  Should equally be shard betwixt vs tway:

  Where is my part then of this Ladie bright,

  Whom to thy selfe thou takest quite away?

  Render therefore therein to me my right,

  Or answere for thy wrong, as shall fall out in fight.

  Exceeding wroth thereat was Blandamour,

  And gan this bitter answere to him make;

  Too foolish Paridell, that fayrest floure

  Wouldst gather faine, and yet no paines wouldst take:

  But not so easie will I her forsake;

  This hand her wonne, this hand shall her defend.

  With that they gan their shiuering speares to shake,

  And deadly points at eithers breast to bend,

  Forgetfull each to haue bene euer others frend.

  Their firie Steedes with so vntamed forse

  Did beare them both to fell auenges end,

  That both their speares with pitilesse remorse,

  Through shield and mayle, and haberieon did wend,

  And in their flesh a griesly passage rend,

  That with the furie of their owne affret,

  Each other horse and man to ground did send;

  Where lying still a while, both did forget

  The perilous present stownd, in which their liues were set.

  As when two warlike Brigandines at sea,

  With murdrous weapons arm'd to cruell fight,

  Doe meete together on the watry lea,

  They stemme ech other with so fell despight,

  That with the shocke of their owne heedlesse might,

  Their wooden ribs are shaken nigh a sonder;

  They which from shore behold the dreadfull sight

  Of flashing fire, and heare the ordenance thonder,

  Do greatly stand amaz'd at such vnwonted wonder.

  At length they both vpstarted in amaze;

  As men awaked rashly out of dreme,

  And round about themselues a while did gaze,

  Till seeing her, that Florimell did seme,

  In doubt to whom she victorie should deeme,

  Therewith their dulled sprights they edgd anew,

  And drawing both their swords with rage extreme,

  Like two mad mastiffes each on other flew,

  And shields did share, & mailes did rash, and helmes did hew.

  So furiously each other did assayle,

  As if their soules they would attonce haue rent

  Out of their brests, that streames of bloud did rayle

  Adowne, as if their springes of life were spent;

  That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent,

  And all their armours staynd with bloudie gore,

  Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent,

  So mortall was their malice and so sore,

  Become of fayned friendship which they vow'd afore.

  And that which is for Ladies most befitting,

  To stint all strife, and foster friendly peace,

  Was from those Dames so farre and so vnfitting,

  As that in stead of praying them surcease,

  They did much more their cruelty encrease;

  Bidding them fight for honour of their loue,

  And rather die then Ladies cause release.

  With which vaine termes so much they did the˜ moue,

  That both resolu'd the last extremities to proue.

  There they I weene would fight vntill this day,

  Had not a Squire, euen he the Squire of Dames,

  By great aduenture trauelled that way;

  Who seeing both bent to so bloudy games,

  And both of old well knowing by their names,

  Drew nigh, to weete the cause of their debate:

  And first laide on those Ladies thousand blames,

  That did not seeke t'appease their deadly hate,

  But gazed on their harmes, not pittying their estate.

  And then those Knights he humbly did beseech,

  To stay their hands, till he a while had spoken:

  Who lookt a little vp at that his speech,

  Yet would not let their battell so be broken,

  Both greedie fiers on other to be wroken.

  Yet he to them so earnestly did call,

  And them coniur'd by some well knowen token,

  That they at last their wrothfull hands let fall,

  Content to heare him speake, and glad to rest withall.

  First he desir'd their cause of strife to see:

  They said, it was for loue of Florimell.

  Ah gentle knights (quoth he) how may that bee,

  And she so farre astray, as none can tell.

  Fond Squire, full angry then sayd Paridell,

  Seest not the Ladie there before thy face?

  He looked backe, and her aduizing well,

  Weend as he said, by that her outward grace,

  That fayrest Florimell was present there in place.

  Glad man was he to see that ioyous sight,

  For none aliue but ioy'd in Florimell,

  And lowly to her lowting thus behight;

  Fayrest of faire, that fairenesse doest excell,

  This happie day I haue to greete you well,

  In which you safe I see, whom thousand late,

  Misdoubted lost through mischiefe that befell;

  Long may you liue in health and happie state.

  She litle answer'd him, but lightly did aggrate.

  Then turning to those Knights, he gan a new;

  And you Sir Blandamour and Paridell,

  That for this Ladie present in your vew,

  Haue rays'd this cruell warre and outrage fell,

  Certes me seemes bene not aduised well,

  But rather ought in friendship for her sake

  To ioyne your force, their forces to repell,

  That seeke perforce her from you both to take,

  And of your gotten spoyle their owne triumph to make.

  Thereat Sir Blandamour with countenance sterne,

  All full of wrath, thus fiercely him bespake;

  A read thou Squire, that I the man may learne,

  That dare fro me thinke Florimell to take.

  Not one (quoth he) but many doe partake

  Herein, as thus. It lately so befell,

  That Satyran a girdle did vptake,

  Well knowne to appertaine to Florimell,

  Which for her sake he wore, as him beseemed well.

  But when as she her selfe was lost and gone,

  Full many knights, that loued her like deare,

  Thereat did greatly grudge, that he alone

  That lost faire Ladies ornament should weare,

  And gan therefore close spight to him to beare:

  Which he to shun, and stop vile enuies sting,

  Hath lately caus'd to be proclaim'd each where

  A solemne feast, with publike turneying,

  To which all knights with them their Ladies are to bring.

  And of them all she that is fayrest found,

  Shall haue that golden girdle for reward,

  And of those Knights who is most stout on ground,

  Shall to that fairest Ladie be prefard.

  Since therefore she her selfe is now your ward,

  To you that ornament of hers pertaines,

  Against all those, that chalenge it to gard,

  And saue her honour with your ventrous paines;

  That sha
ll you win more glory, then ye here find gaines.

  When they the reason of his words had hard,

  They gan abate the rancour of their rage,

  And with their honours and their loues regard,

  The furious flames of malice to asswage.

  Tho each to other did his faith engage,

  Like faithfull friends thenceforth to ioyne in one

  With all their force, and battell strong to wage

  Gainst all those knights, as their professed fone,

  That chaleng'd ought in Florimell, saue they alone.

  So well accorded forth they rode together

  In friendly sort, that lasted but a while;

  And of all old dislikes they made faire weather,

  Yet all was forg'd and spred with golden foyle,

  That vnder it hidde hate and hollow guyle.

  Ne certes can that friendship long endure,

  How euer gay and goodly be the style,

  That doth ill cause or euill end enure:

  For vertue is the band, that bindeth harts most sure.

  Thus as they marched all in close disguise,

  Of fayned loue, they chaunst to ouertake

  Two knights, that lincked rode in louely wise,

  As if they secret counsels did partake;

  And each not farre behinde him had his make,

  To weete, two Ladies of most goodly hew,

  That twixt themselues did gentle purpose make

  Vnmindfull both of that discordfull crew,

  The which with speedie pace did after them pursew.

  Who as they now approched nigh at hand,

  Deeming them doughtie as they did appeare,

  They sent that Squire afore, to vnderstand,

  What mote they be: who viewing them more neare

  Returned readie newes, that those same weare

  Two of the prowest Knights in Faery lond;

  And those two Ladies their two louers deare,

  Couragious Cambell, and stout Triamond,

  With Canacee and Cambine linckt in louely bond.

  Whylome as antique stories tellen vs,

  Those two were foes the fellonest on ground,

  And battell made the dreddest daungerous,

  That euer shrilling trumpet did resound;

  Though now their acts be no where to be found,