The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

That all she sought, was mens good name to haue bereaued.

  For what soeuer good by any sayd,

  Or doen she heard, she would streightwayes inuent,

  How to depraue, or slaunderously vpbrayd,

  Or to misconstrue of a mans intent,

  And turne to ill the thing, that well was ment.

  Therefore she vsed often to resort,

  To common haunts, and companies frequent,

  To hearke what any one did good report,

  To blot the same with blame, or wrest in wicked sort.

  And if that any ill she heard of any,

  She would it eeke, and make much worse by telling,

  And take great ioy to publish it to many,

  That euery matter worse was for her melling,

  Her name was hight Detraction, and her dwelling

  Was neare to Enuie, euen her neighbour next;

  A wicked hag, and Enuy selfe excelling

  In mischiefe: for her selfe she onely vext;

  But this same both her selfe, and others eke perplext.

  Her face was vgly, and her mouth distort,

  Foming with poyson round about her gils,

  In which her cursed tongue full sharpe and short

  Appear'd like Aspis sting, that closely kils,

  Or cruelly does wound, whom so she wils:

  A distaffe in her other hand she had,

  Vpon the which she litle spinnes, but spils,

  And faynes to weaue false tales and leasings bad,

  To throw amongst the good, which others had disprad.

  These two now had themselues combynd in one,

  And linckt together gainst Sir Artegall,

  For whom they wayted as his mortall fone,

  How they might make him into mischiefe fall,

  For freeing from their snares Irena thrall:

  Besides vnto themselues they gotten had

  A monster, which the Blatant beast men call,

  A dreadfull feend of gods and men ydrad,

  Whom they by slights allur'd, and to their purpose lad.

  Such were these Hags, and so vnhandsome drest:

  Who when they nigh approching, had espyde

  Sir Artegall return'd from his late quest,

  They both arose, and at him loudly cryde,

  As it had bene two shepheards curres, had scryde

  A rauenous Wolfe amongst the scattered flockes.

  And Enuie first, as she that first him eyde,

  Towardes him runs, and with rude flaring lockes

  About her eares, does beat her brest, & forhead knockes.

  Then from her mouth the gobbet she does take,

  The which whyleare she was so greedily

  Deuouring, euen that halfe-gnawen snake,

  And at him throwes it most despightfully.

  The cursed Serpent, though she hungrily

  Earst chawd thereon, yet was not all so dead,

  But that some life remayned secretly,

  And as he past afore withouten dread,

  Bit him behind, that long the marke was to be read.

  Then th'other comming neare, gan him reuile,

  And fouly rayle, with all she could inuent;

  Saying, that he had with vnmanly guile,

  And foule abusion both his honour blent,

  And that bright sword, the sword of Iustice lent,

  Had stayned with reprochfull crueltie,

  In guiltlesse blood of many an innocent:

  As for Grandtorto, him with treacherie

  And traynes hauing surpriz'd, he fouly did to die.

  Thereto the Blatant beast by them set on

  At him began aloud to barke and bay,

  With bitter rage and fell contention,

  That all the woods and rockes nigh to that way,

  Began to quake and tremble with dismay;

  And all the aire rebellowed againe.

  So dreadfully his hundred tongues did bray,

  And euermore those hags them selues did paine,

  To sharpen him, and their owne cursed tongs did straine.

  And still among most bitter wordes they spake,

  Most shamefull, most vnrighteous, most vntrew,

  That they the mildest man aliue would make

  Forget his patience, and yeeld vengeaunce dew

  To her, that so false sclaunders at him threw.

  And more to make th&etilde; pierce & wound more deepe,

  She with the sting, which in her vile tongue grew,

  Did sharpen them, and in fresh poyson steepe:

  Yet he past on, and seem'd of them to take no keepe.

  But Talus hearing her so lewdly raile,

  And speake so ill of him, that well deserued,

  Would her haue chastiz'd with his yron flaile,

  If her Sir Artegall had not preserued,

  And him forbidden, who his heast obserued.

  So much the more at him still did she scold,

  And stones did cast, yet he for nought would swerue

  From his right course, but still the way did hold

  To Faery Court, where what him fell shall else be told.

  THE SIXTH

  BOOKE OF THE

  FAERIE QVEENE.

  Contayning

  THE LEGEND OF S. CALIDORE

  OR

  OF COVRTESIE.

  T He waies, through which my weary steps I guyde,

  In this delightfull land of Faery,

  Are so exceeding spacious and wyde,

  And sprinckled with such sweet variety,

  Of all that pleasant is to eare or eye,

  That I nigh rauisht with rare thoughts delight,

  My tedious trauell doe forget thereby;

  And when I gin to feele decay of might,

  It strength to me supplies, & chears my dulled spright.

  Such secret comfort, and such heauenly pleasures,

  Ye sacred imps, that on Parnasso dwell,

  And there the keeping haue of learnings threasures,

  Which doe all worldly riches farre excell,

  Into the mindes of mortall men doe well,

  And goodly fury into them infuse;

  Guyde ye my footing, and conduct me well

  In these strange waies, where neuer foote did vse,

  Ne none can find, but who was taught them by the Muse.

  Reuele to me the sacred noursery

  Of vertue, which with you doth there remaine,

  Where it in siluer bowre does hidden ly

  From view of men, and wicked worlds disdaine.

  Since it at first was by the Gods with paine

  Planted in earth, being deriu'd at furst

  From heauenly seedes of bounty soueraine,

  And by them long with carefull labour nurst,

  Till it to ripenesse grew, and forth to honour burst.

  Amongst them all growes not a fayrer flowre,

  Then is the bloosme of comely courtesie,

  Which though it on a lowly stalke doe bowre,

  Yet brancheth forth in braue nobilitie,

  And spreds it selfe through all ciuilitie:

  Of which though present age doe plenteous seeme,

  Yet being matcht with plaine Antiquitie,

  Ye will them all but fayned showes esteeme,

  Which carry colours faire, that feeble eies misdeeme.

  But in the triall of true curtesie,

  Its now so farre from that, which then it was,

  That it indeed is nought but forgerie,

  Fashion'd to please the eies of them, that pas,

  Which see not perfet things but in a glas:

  Yet is that glasse so gay, that it can blynd

  The wisest sight, to thinke gold that is bras.

  But vertues seat is deepe within the mynd,

  And not in outward shows, but inward thoughts defynd.

  But where shall I in all Antiquity

  So faire a patterne finde, where may be seene

 
The goodly praise of Princely curtesie,

  As in your selfe, O soueraine Lady Queene,

  In whose pure minde, as in a mirrour sheene

  It showes, and with her brightnesse doth inflame

  The eyes of all, which thereon fixed beene;

  But meriteth indeede an higher name:

  Yet so from low to high vplifted is your fame.

  Then pardon me, most dreaded Soueraine,

  That from your selfe I doe this vertue bring,

  And to your selfe doe it returne againe:

  So from the Ocean all riuers spring,

  And tribute backe repay as to their King.

  Right so from you all goodly vertues well

  Into the rest, which round about you ring,

  Faire Lords and Ladies, which about you dwell,

  And doe adorne your Court, where courtesies excell.

  Canto I.

  Calidore saues from Maleffort,

  A Damzell vsed vylde:

  Doth vanquish Crudor, and doth make

  Briana wexe more mylde.

  O F Court it seemes, men Courtesie doe call,

  For that it there most vseth to abound;

  And well beseemeth that in Princes hall

  That vertue should be plentifully found,

  Which of all goodly manners is the ground,

  And roote of ciuill conuersation.

  Right so in Faery court it did redound,

  Where curteous Knights and Ladies most did won

  Of all on earth, and made a matchlesse paragon.

  But mongst them all was none more courteous Knight,

  Then Calidore, beloued ouer all,

  In whom it seemes, that gentlenesse of spright

  And manners mylde were planted naturall;

  To which he adding comely guize withall,

  And gracious speach, did steale mens hearts away.

  Nathlesse thereto he was full stout and tall,

  And well approu'd in batteilous affray,

  That him did much renowme, and far his fame display.

  Ne was there Knight, ne was there Lady found

  In Faery court, but him did deare embrace,

  For his faire vsage and conditions sound,

  The which in all mens liking gayned place,

  And with the greatest purchast greatest grace:

  Which he could wisely vse, and well apply,

  To please the best, and th'euill to embase.

  For he loathd leasing, and base flattery,

  And loued simple truth and stedfast honesty.

  And now he was in trauell on his way,

  Vppon an hard aduenture sore bestad,

  Whenas by chaunce he met vppon a day

  With Artegall, returning yet halfe sad

  From his late conquest, which he gotten had.

  Who whenas each of other had a sight,

  They knew them selues, and both their persons rad:

  When Calidore thus first; Haile noblest Knight

  Of all this day on ground, that breathen liuing spright.

  Now tell, if please you, of the good successe,

  Which ye haue had in your late enterprize.

  To whom Sir Artegall gan to expresse

  His whole exploite, and valorous emprize,

  In order as it did to him arize.

  Now happy man (sayd then Sir Calidore)

  Which haue so goodly, as ye can deuize,

  Atchieu'd so hard a quest, as few before;

  That shall you most renowmed make for euermore.

  But where ye ended haue, now I begin

  To tread an endlesse trace, withouten guyde,

  Or good direction, how to enter in,

  Or how to issue forth in waies vntryde,

  In perils strange, in labours long and wide;

  In which although good Fortune me befall,

  Yet shall it not by none be testifyde.

  What is that quest (quoth then Sir Artegall)

  That you into such perils presently doth call?

  The Blattant Beast (quoth he) I doe pursew,

  And through the world incessantly doe chase,

  Till I him ouertake, or else subdew:

  Yet know I not or how, or in what place

  To find him out, yet still I forward trace.

  What is that Blattant Beast? (then he replide)

  It is a Monster bred of hellishe race,

  (Then answerd he) which often hath annoyd

  Good Knights and Ladies true, and many else destroyd.

  Of Cerberus whilome he was begot,

  And fell Chimaelig;ra in her darkesome den,

  Through fowle commixture of his filthy blot;

  Where he was fostred long in Stygian fen,

  Till he to perfect ripenesse grew, and then

  Into this wicked world he forth was sent,

  To be the plague and scourge of wretched men:

  Whom with vile tongue and venemous intent

  He sore doth wound, and bite, and cruelly torment.

  Then since the saluage Island I did leaue

  Sayd Artegall, I such a Beast did see,

  The which did seeme a thousand tongues to haue,

  That all in spight and malice did agree,

  With which he bayd and loudly barkt at mee,

  As if that he attonce would me deuoure.

  But I that knew my selfe from perill free,

  Did nought regard his malice nor his powre,

  But he the more his wicked poyson forth did poure.

  That surely is that Beast (saide Calidore)

  Which I pursue, of whom I am right glad

  To heare these tidings, which of none afore

  Through all my weary trauell I haue had:

  Yet now some hope your words vnto me add.

  Now God you speed (quoth then Sir Artegall)

  And keepe your body from the daunger drad:

  For ye haue much adoe to deale withall.

  So both tooke goodly leaue, and parted seuerall.

  Sir Calidore thence trauelled not long,

  When as by chaunce a comely Squire he found,

  That thorough some more mighty enemies wrong,

  Both hand and foote vnto a tree was bound:

  Who seeing him from farre, with piteous sound

  Of his shrill cries him called to his aide.

  To whom approching, in that painefull stound

  When he him saw, for no demaunds he staide,

  But first him losde, and afterwards thus to him saide.

  Vnhappy Squire, what hard mishap thee brought

  Into this bay of perill and disgrace?

  What cruell hand thy wretched thraldome wrought,

  And thee captyued in this shamefull place?

  To whom he answerd thus; My haplesse case

  Is not occasiond through my misdesert,

  But through misfortune, which did me abase

  Vnto this shame, and my young hope subuert,

  Ere that I in her guilefull traines was well expert.

  Not farre from hence, vppon yond rocky hill,

  Hard by a streight there stands a castle strong,

  Which doth obserue a custome lewd and ill,

  And it hath long mayntaind with mighty wrong:

  For may no Knight nor Lady passe along

  That way, (and yet they needs must passe that way),

  By reason of the streight, and rocks among,

  But they that Ladies lockes doe shaue away,

  And that knights berd for toll, which they for passage pay.

  A shamefull vse as euer I did heare,

  Sayd Calidore, and to be ouerthrowne.

  But by what meanes did they at first it reare,

  And for what cause, tell if thou haue it knowne.

  Sayd then that Squire: The Lady which doth owne

  This Castle, is by name Briana hight.

  Then which a prouder Lady liueth none:

  She long time hath deare lou'd a do
ughty Knight,

  And sought to win his loue by all the meanes she might.

  His name is Crudor, who through high disdaine

  And proud despight of his selfe pleasing mynd,

  Refused hath to yeeld her loue againe,

  Vntill a Mantle she for him doe fynd,

  With beards of Knights and locks of Ladies lynd.

  Which to prouide, she hath this Castle dight,

  And therein hath a Seneschall assynd,

  Cald Maleffort, a man of mickle might,

  Who executes her wicked will, with worse despight.

  He this same day, as I that way did come

  With a faire Damzell, my beloued deare,

  In execution of her lawlesse doome,

  Did set vppon vs flying both for feare:

  For little bootes against him hand to reare.

  Me first he tooke, vnhable to withstond;

  And whiles he her pursued euery where,

  Till his returne vnto this tree he bond:

  Ne wote I surely, whether her he yet haue fond.

  Thus whiles they spake, they heard a ruefull shrieke

  Of one loud crying, which they streight way ghest,

  That it was she, the which for helpe did seeke.

  Tho looking vp vnto the cry to lest,

  They saw that Carle from farre, with hand vnblest

  Hayling that mayden by the yellow heare,

  That all her garments from her snowy brest,

  And from her head her lockes he nigh did teare,

  Ne would he spare for pitty, nor refraine for feare.

  Which haynous sight when Calidore beheld,

  Eftsoones he loosd that Squire, and so him left,

  With hearts dismay and inward dolour queld,

  For to pursue that villaine, which had reft

  That piteous spoile by so iniurious theft.

  Whom ouertaking, loude to him he cryde;

  Leaue faytor quickely that misgotten weft

  To him, that hath it better iustifyde,

  And turne thee soone to him, of whom thou art defyde.

  Who hearkning to that voice, him selfe vpreard,

  And seeing him so fiercely towardes make,

  Against him stoutly ran, as nought afeard,

  But rather more enrag'd for those words sake;

  And with sterne count'naunce thus vnto him spake.