The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  He thrust, and smote downe all that was betweene,

  Caried with feruent zeale, ne did he ceasse,

  Till that he came, where he had Cambell seene,

  Like captive thral two other Knights atweene,

  There he amongst them cruell hauocke makes;

  That they which lead him, soone enforced beene

  To let him loose, to saue their proper stakes;

  Who being freed, from one a weapon fiercely takes.

  With that he driues at them with dreadfull might,

  Both in remembrance of his friends late harme,

  And in reuengement of his owne despight,

  So both together giue a new allarme,

  As if but now the battell wexed warme.

  As when two greedy Wolues doe breake by force

  Into an heard, farre from the husband farme,

  They spoile and rauine without all remorse,

  So did these two through all the field their foes enforce.

  Fiercely they followd on their bolde emprize,

  Till trumpets sound did warne them all to rest;

  Then all with one consent did yeeld the prize

  To Triamond and Cambell as the best.

  But Triamond to Cambell it relest,

  And Cambell it to Triamond transferd;

  Each labouring t'aduance the others gest,

  And make his praise before his owne preferd:

  So that the doome was to another day differd.

  The last day came, when all those knightes againe

  Assembled were their deedes of armes to shew.

  Full many deedes that day were shewed plaine:

  But Satyrane boue all the other crew,

  His wondrous worth declared in all mens view.

  For from the first he to the last endured,

  And though some while Fortune from him withdrew,

  Yet euermore his honour he recured,

  And with vnwearied powre his party still assured.

  Ne was there Knight that euer thought of armes,

  But that his vtmost prowesse there made knowen,

  That by their many wounds, and carelesse harmes,

  By shiuered speares, and swords all vnder strowen,

  By scattered shields was easie to be showen.

  There might ye see loose steeds at randon ronne,

  Whose luckelesse riders late were ouerthrowen;

  And squiers make hast to helpe their Lords fordonne.

  But still the Knights of Maidenhead the better wonne.

  Till that there entred on the other side,

  A straunger knight, from whence no man could reed,

  In quyent disguise, full hard to be descride.

  For all his armour was like saluage weed,

  With woody mosse bedight, and all his steed

  With oaken leaues attrapt, that seemed fit

  For saluage wight, and thereto well agreed

  His word, which on his ragged shield was writ,

  Saluagesse sans finesse, shewing secret wit.

  He at his first incomming, charg'd his spere

  At him, that first appeared in his sight:

  That was to weet, the stout Sir Sangliere,

  Who well was knowen to be a valiant Knight,

  Approued oft in many a perlous fight.

  Him at the first encounter downe he smote,

  And ouerbore beyond his crouper quight,

  And after him another Knight, that hote

  Sir Brianor, so sore, that none him life behote.

  Then ere his hand he reard, he ouerthrew

  Seuen Knights one after other as they came:

  And when his speare was brust, his sword he drew,

  The instrument of wrath, and with the same

  Far'd like a lyon in his bloodie game,

  Hewing, and slashing shields, and helmets bright,

  And beating downe, what euer nigh him came,

  That euery one gan shun his dreadfull sight,

  No lesse then death it selfe, in daungerous affright.

  Much wondred all men, what, or whence he came,

  That did amongst the troupes so tyrannize;

  And each of other gan inquire his name.

  But when they could not learne it by no wize,

  Most answerable to his wyld disguize

  It seemed, him to terme the saluage knight.

  But certes his right name was otherwize,

  Though knowne to few, that Arthegall he hight,

  The doughtiest knight that liv'd that day, and most of might.

  Thus was Sir Satyrane with all his band

  By his sole manhood and atchieuement stout

  Dismayd, that none of them in field durst stand,

  But beaten were, and chased all about.

  So he continued all that day throughout,

  Till euening, that the Sunne gan downward bend.

  Then rushed forth out of the thickest rout

  A stranger knight, that did his glorie shend:

  So nought may be esteemed happie till the end.

  He at his entrance charg'd his powrefull speare

  At Artegall, in middest of his pryde,

  And therewith smote him on his Vmbriere

  So sore, that tombling backe, he downe did slyde

  Ouer his horses taile aboue a stryde:

  Whence litle lust he had to rise againe.

  Which Cambell seeing, much the same enuyde,

  And ran at him with all his might and maine;

  But shortly was likewise seene lying on the plaine.

  Whereat full inly wroth was Triamond,

  And cast t'auenge the shame doen to his freend:

  But by his friend himselfe eke soone he fond,

  In no lesse neede of helpe, then him he weend.

  All which when Blandamour from end to end

  Beheld, he woxe therewith displeased sore,

  And thought in mind it shortly to amend:

  His speare he feutred, and at him it bore;

  But with no better fortune, then the rest afore.

  Full many others at him likewise ran:

  But all of them likewise dismounted were,

  Ne certes wonder; for no powre of man

  Could bide the force of that enchaunted speare,

  The which this famous Britomart did beare;

  With which she wondrous deeds of arms atchieued,

  And ouerthrew, what euer came her neare,

  That all those stranger knights full sore agrieued,

  And that late weaker band of chalengers relieued.

  Like as in sommers day when raging heat

  Doth burne the earth, and boyled riuers drie,

  That all brute beasts forst to refraine fro meat,

  Doe hunt for shade, where shrowded they may lie,

  And missing it, faine from themselues to flie;

  All trauellers tormented are with paine:

  A watry cloud doth ouercast the skie,

  And poureth forth a sudden shoure of raine,

  That all the wretched world recomforteth againe.

  So did the warlike Britomart restore

  The prize, to knights of Maydenhead that day,

  Which else was like to haue bene lost, and bore

  The prayse of prowesse from them all away.

  Then shrilling trompets loudly gan to bray,

  And bad them leaue their labours and long toyle,

  To ioyous feast and other gentle play;

  Where beauties prize shold win that pretious spoyle:

  Where I with sound of trompe will also rest a whyle.

  Cant. V.

  The Ladies for the Girdle striue

  of famous Florimell:

  Scudamour comming to Cares house,

  doth sleepe from him expell.

  I T hath bene through all ages euer seene,

  That with the praise of armes and cheualrie,

  The prize of beautie still hath ioyned beene;

&nbs
p; And that for reasons speciall priuitie:

  For either doth on other much relie.

  For he me seemes most fit the faire to serue,

  That can her best defend from villenie;

  And she most fit his seruice doth deserue,

  That fairest is and from her faith will neuer swerue.

  So fitly now here commeth next in place,

  After the proofe of prowesse ended well,

  The controuerse of beauties soueraine grace;

  In which to her that doth the most excell,

  Shall fall the girdle of faire Florimell:

  That many wish to win for glorie vaine,

  And not for vertuous vse, which some doe tell

  That glorious belt did in it selfe containe,

  Which Ladies ought to loue, and seeke for to obtaine.

  That girdle gaue the vertue of chast loue,

  And wiuehood true, to all that did it beare;

  But whosoeuer contrarie doth proue,

  Might not the same about her middle weare.

  But it would loose, or else a sunder teare.

  Whilome it was (as Faeries wont report)

  Dame Venus girdle, by her steemed deare,

  What time she vsd to liue in wiuely sort;

  But layd aside, when so she vsd her looser sport.

  Her husband Vulcan whylome for her sake,

  When first he loued her with heart entire,

  This pretious ornament they say did make,

  And wrought in Lemno with vnquenched fire:

  And afterwards did for her loues first hire,

  Giue it to her, for euer to remaine,

  Therewith to bind lasciuious desire,

  And loose affections streightly to restraine;

  Which vertue it for euer after did retaine.

  The same one day, when she her selfe disposd

  To visite her beloued Paramoure,

  The God of warre, she from her middle loosd,

  And left behind her in her secret bowre,

  On Acidalian mount, where many an howre

  She with the pleasant Graces wont to play.

  There Florimell in her first ages flowre

  Was fostered by those Graces, (as they say)

  And brought with her fro˜ thence that goodly belt away.

  That goodly belt was Cestus hight by name,

  And as her life by her esteemed deare.

  No wonder then, if that to winne the same

  So many Ladies sought, as shall appeare;

  For pearelesse she was thought, that did it beare.

  And now by this their feast all being ended,

  The iudges which thereto selected were,

  Into the Martian field adowne descended,

  To deeme this doutfull case, for which they all cõtended.

  But first was question made, which of those Knights

  That lately turneyd, had the wager wonne:

  There was it iudged by those worthie wights,

  That Satyrane the first day best had donne:

  For he last ended, hauing first begonne.

  The second was to Triamond behight,

  For that he sau'd the victour from fordonne:

  For Cambell victour was in all mens sight,

  Till by mishap he in his foemens hand did light.

  The third dayes prize vnto that straunger Knight,

  Whom all men term'd Knight of the Hebene speare,

  To Britomart was giuen by good right;

  For that with puissant stroke she downe did beare

  The Saluage Knight, that victour was whileare,

  And all the rest, which had the best afore,

  And to the last vnconquer'd did appeare;

  For last is deemed best. To her therefore

  The fayrest Ladie was adiudgd for Paramore.

  But thereat greatly grudged Arthegall,

  And much repynd, that both of victors meede,

  And eke of honour she did him forestall.

  Yet mote he not withstand, what was decreede;

  But inly thought of that despightfull deede

  Fit time t'awaite auenged for to bee.

  This being ended thus, and all agreed,

  Then next ensew'd the Paragon to see

  Of beauties praise, and yeeld the fayrest her due fee.

  Then first Cambello brought vnto their view

  His faire Cambina, couered with a veale;

  Which being once withdrawne, most perfect hew

  And passing beautie did eftsoones reueale,

  That able was weake harts away to steale.

  Next did Sir Triamond vnto their sight

  The face of his deare Canacee vnheale;

  Whose beauties beame eftsoones did shine so bright,

  That daz'd the eyes of all, as with exceeding light.

  And after her did Paridell produce

  His false Duessa, that she might be seene;

  Who with her forged beautie did seduce

  The hearts of some, that fairest her did weene;

  As diuerse wits affected diuers beene.

  Then did Sir Ferramont vnto them shew

  His Lucida, that was full faire and sheene,

  And after these an hundred Ladies moe

  Appear'd in place, the which each other did outgoe.

  All which who so dare thinke for to enchace,

  Him needeth sure a golden pen I weene,

  To tell the feature of each goodly face.

  For since the day that they created beene,

  So many heauenly faces were not seene

  Assembled in one place: ne he that thought

  For Chian folke to pourtraict beauties Queene,

  By view of all the fairest to him brought,

  So many faire did see, as here he might haue sought.

  At last the most redoubted Britonesse,

  Her louely Amoret did open shew;

  Whose face discouered, plainely did expresse

  The heauenly pourtraict of bright Angels hew.

  Well weened all, which her that time did vew,

  That she should surely beare the bell away,

  Till Blandamour, who thought he had the trew

  And very Florimell, did her display:

  The sight of whom once seene did all the rest dismay.

  For all afore that seemed fayre and bright,

  Now base and contemptible did appeare,

  Compar'd to her, that shone as Phebes light,

  Amongst the lesser starres in euening cleare.

  All that her saw with wonder rauisht weare,

  And weend no mortall creature she should bee,

  But some celestiall shape, that flesh did beare:

  Yet all were glad there Florimell to see;

  Yet thought that Florimell was not so faire as shee.

  As guilefull Goldsmith that by secret skill,

  With golden foyle doth finely ouer spred

  Some baser metall, which commend he will

  Vnto the vulgar for good gold insted,

  He much more goodly glosse thereon doth shed,

  To hide his falshood, then if it were trew:

  So hard, this Idole was to be ared,

  That Florimell her selfe in all mens vew

  She seem'd to passe: so forged things do fairest shew.

  Then was that golden belt by doome of all

  Graunted to her, as to the fayrest Dame.

  Which being brought, about her middle small

  They thought to gird, as best it her became;

  But by no meanes they could it thereto frame.

  For euer as they fastned it, it loos'd

  And fell away, as feeling secret blame.

  Full oft about her wast she it enclos'd;

  And it as oft was from about her wast disclos'd.

  That all men wondred at the vncouth sight,

  And each one thought, as to their fancies came.

  But she her selfe did thinke it doen for spight,
r />   And touched was with secret wrath and shame

  Therewith, as thing deuiz'd her to defame.

  Then many other Ladies likewise tride,

  About their tender loynes to knit the same;

  But it would not on none of them abide,

  But when they thought it fast, eftsoones it was vntide.

  Which when that scornefull Squire of Dames did vew,

  He lowdly gan to laugh, and thus to iest;

  Alas for pittie that so faire a crew,

  As like can not be seene from East to West,

  Cannot find one this girdle to inuest.

  Fie on the man, that did it first inuent,

  To shame vs all with this, Vngirt vnblest.

  Let neuer Ladie to his loue assent,

  That hath this day so many so vnmanly shent.

  Thereat all Knights gan laugh, and Ladies lowre:

  Till that at last the gentle Amoret

  Likewise assayd, to proue that girdles powre;

  And hauing it about her middle set,

  Did find it fit, withouten breach or let.

  Whereat the rest gan greatly to enuie:

  But Florimell exceedingly did fret,

  And snatching from her hand halfe angrily

  The belt againe, about her bodie gan it tie.

  Yet nathemore would it her bodie fit;

  Yet nathelesse to her, as her dew right,

  It yeelded was by them, that iudged it:

  And she her selfe adiudged to the Knight,

  That bore the Hebene speare, as wonne in fight.

  But Britomart would not thereto assent,

  Ne her owne Amoret forgoe so light

  For that strange Dame, whose beauties wonderment

  She lesse esteem'd, then th'others vertuous gouernment.

  Whom when the rest did see her to refuse,

  They were full glad, in hope themselues to get her:

  Yet at her choice they all did greatly muse.

  But after that the Iudges did arret her

  Vnto the second best, that lou'd her better;

  That was the Saluage Knight: but he was gone

  In great displeasure, that he could not get her.

  Then was she iudged Triamond his one;

  But Triamond lou'd Canacee, and other none.

  Tho vnto Satyran she was adiudged,