The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  So likewise did this Titanesse aspire,

  Rule and dominion to her selfe to gaine;

  That as a Goddesse, men might her admire,

  And heauenly honours yield, as to them twaine.

  At first, on earth she sought it to obtaine;

  Where she such proofe and sad examples shewed

  Of her great power, to many ones great paine,

  That not men onely (whom she soone subdewed)

  But eke all other creatures, her bad dooings rewed.

  For, she the face of earthly things so changed,

  That all which Nature had establisht first

  In good estate, and in meet order ranged,

  She did pervert, and all their statutes burst:

  And all the worlds faire frame (which none yet durst

  Of Gods or men to alter or misguide)

  She alter'd quite, and made them all accurst

  That God had blest; and did at first prouide

  In that still happy state for euer to abide.

  Ne shee the lawes of Nature onely brake,

  But eke of Iustice, and of Policie;

  And wrong of right, and bad of good did make,

  And death for life exchanged foolishlie:

  Since which, all liuing wights haue learn'd to die,

  And all this world is woxen daily worse.

  Of pittious worke of MVTABILITIE!

  By which, we all are subiect to that curse,

  And death in stead of life haue sucked from our Nurse.

  And now, when all the earth she thus had brought

  To her behest, and thralled to her might,

  She gan to cast in her ambitious thought,

  T'attempt the empire of the heauens hight,

  And Ioue himselfe to shoulder from his right.

  And first, she past the region of the ayre,

  And of the fire, whose substance thin and slight,

  Made no resistance, ne could her contraire,

  But ready passage to her pleasure did prepaire.

  Thence, to the Circle of the Moone she clambe,

  Where Cynthia raignes in euerlasting glory,

  To whose bright shining palace straight she came,

  All fairely deckt with heauens goodly story:

  Whose siluer gates (by which there sate an hory

  Old aged Sire, with hower-glasse in hand,

  Hight Tyme) she entred, were he liefe or sory:

  Ne staide till she the highest stage had scand,

  VVhere Cynthia did sit, that neuer still did stand.

  Her sitting on an Iuory throne shee found,

  Drawne of two steeds, th'one black, the other white,

  Environd with tenne thousand starres around,

  That duly her attended day and night;

  And by her side, there ran her Page, that hight

  Vesper, whom we the Euening-starre intend:

  That with his Torche, still twinkling like twylight,

  Her lightened all the way where she should wend,

  And ioy to weary wandring trauailers did lend:

  That when the hardy Titanesse beheld

  The goodly building of her Palace bright,

  Made of the heauens substance, and vp-held

  With thousand Crystall pillors of huge hight,

  Shee gan to burne in her ambitious spright,

  And t'envie her that in such glorie raigned.

  Eftsoones she cast by force and tortious might,

  Her to displace; and to her selfe to haue gained

  The kingdome of the Night, and waters by her wained.

  Boldly she bid the Goddesse downe descend,

  And let her selfe into that Ivory throne;

  For, shee her selfe more worthy thereof wend,

  And better able it to guide alone:

  Whether to men, whose fall she did bemone,

  Or vnto Gods, whose state she did maligne,

  Or to th'infernall Powers, her need giue lone

  Of her faire light, and bounty most benigne,

  Her selfe of all that rule shee deemed most condigne.

  But shee that had to her that soueraigne seat

  By highest Ioue assign'd, therein to beare

  Nights burning lamp, regarded not her threat,

  Ne yielded ought for fauour or for feare;

  But with sterne countenaunce and disdainfull cheare,

  Bending her horned browes, did put her back:

  And boldly blaming her for comming there,

  Bade her attonce from heauens coast to pack,

  Or at her perill bide the wrathfull Thunders wrack.

  Yet nathemore the Giantesse forbare:

  But boldly preacing-on, raught forth her hand

  To pluck her downe perforce from off her chaire;

  And there-with lifting vp her golden wand,

  Threatned to strike her if she did with-stand.

  Whereat the starres, which round about her blazed,

  And eke the Moones bright wagon, still did stand,

  All beeing with so bold attempt amazed,

  And on her vncouth habit and sterne looke still gazed.

  Meane-while, the lower World, which nothing knew

  Of all that chaunced here, was darkned quite;

  And eke the heauens, and all the heauenly crew

  Of happy wights, now vnpurvaide of light,

  Were much afraid, and wondred at that sight;

  Fearing least Chaos broken had his chaine,

  And brought againe on them eternall night:

  But chiefely Mercury, that next doth raigne,

  Ran forth in haste, vnto the king of Gods to plaine.

  All ran together with a great out-cry,

  To Ioues faire Palace, fixt in heauens hight;

  And beating at his gates full earnestly,

  Gan call to him aloud with all their might,

  To know what meant that suddaine lack of light.

  The father of the Gods when this he heard,

  Was troubled much at their so strange affright,

  Doubting least Typhon were againe vprear'd,

  Or other his old foes, that once him sorely fear'd.

  Eftsoones the sonne of Maia forth he sent

  Downe to the Circle of the Moone, to knowe

  The cause of this so strange astonishment,

  And why shee did her wonted course forslowe;

  And if that any were on earth belowe

  That did with charmes or Magick her molest,

  Him to attache, and downe to hell to throwe:

  But, if from heauen it were, then to arrest

  The Author, and him bring before his presence prest.

  The wingd-foot God, so fast his plumes did beat,

  That soone he came where-as the Titanesse

  Was striuing with faire Cynthia for her seat:

  At whose strange sight, and haughty hardinesse,

  He wondred much, and feared her no lesse.

  Yet laying feare aside to doe his charge,

  At last, he bade her (with bold stedfastnesse)

  Ceasse to molest the Moone to walke at large,

  Or come before high Ioue, her dooings to discharge.

  And there-with-all, he on her shoulder laid

  His snaky-wreathed Mace, whose awfull power

  Doth make both Gods and hellish fiends affraid:

  Where-at the Titanesse did sternely lower,

  And stoutly answer'd, that in euill hower

  He from his Ioue such message to her brought,

  To bid her leaue faire Cynthias siluer bower;

  Sith shee his Ioue and him esteemed nought,

  No more then Cynthia's selfe; but all their kingdoms sought.

  The Heauens Herald staid not to reply,

  But past away, his doings to relate

  Vnto his Lord; who now in th'highest sky,

  VVas placed in his principall Estate,

  VVith all the Gods about him congregate:

&
nbsp; To whom when Hermes had his message told,

  It did them all exceedingly amate,

  Saue Ioue; who, changing nought his count'nance bold,

  Did vnto them at length these speeches wise vnfold;

  Harken to mee awhile yee heauenly Powers;

  Ye may remember since th'Earths cursed seed

  Sought to assaile the heauens eternall towers,

  And to vs all exceeding feare did breed:

  But how we then defeated all their deed,

  Yee all doe knowe, and them destroied quite;

  Yet not so quite, but that there did succeed

  An off-spring of their bloud, which did alite

  Vpon the fruitfull earth, which doth vs yet despite.

  Of that bad seed is this bold woman bred,

  That now with bold presumption doth aspire

  To thrust faire Phoebe from her siluer bed,

  And eke our selues from heauens high Empire,

  If that her might were match to her desire:

  Wherefore, it now behoues vs to advise

  What way is best to driue her to retire;

  Whether by open force, or counsell wise,

  Areed ye sonnes of God, as best ye can deuise.

  So hauing said, he ceast; and with his brow

  (His black eye-brow, whose doomefull dreaded beck

  Is wont to wield the world vnto his vow,

  And euen the highest Powers of heauen to check)

  Made signe to them in their degrees to speake:

  Who straight gan cast their counsell graue and wise.

  Meane-while, th'Earths daughter, thogh she nought did reck

  Of Hermes message; yet gan now advise,

  What course were best to take in this hot bold emprize.

  Eftsoones she thus resolv'd; that whil'st the Gods

  (After returne of Hermes Embassie)

  Were troubled, and amongst themselues at ods,

  Before they could new counsels re-allie,

  To set vpon them in that extasie;

  And take what fortune time and place would lend:

  So, forth she rose, and through the purest sky

  To Ioues high Palace straight cast to ascend,

  To prosecute her plot: Good on-set boads good end.

  Shee there arriuing, boldly in did pass;

  Where all the Gods she found in counsell close,

  All quite vnarm'd, as then their manner was.

  At sight of her they suddaine all arose,

  In great amaze, ne wist what way to chose.

  But Ioue, all fearelesse, forc't them to aby;

  And in his soueraine throne, gan straight dispose

  Himselfe more full of grace and Maiestie,

  That mote encheare his friends, & foes mote terrifie.

  That, when the haughty Titanesse beheld,

  All were she fraught with pride and impudence,

  Yet with the sight thereof was almost queld;

  And inly quaking, seem'd as reft of sense,

  And voyd of speech in that drad audience;

  Vntill that Ioue himselfe, her selfe bespake:

  Speake thou fraile woman, speake with confidence,

  Whence art thou, and what doost thou here now make?

  What idle errand hast thou, earths mansion to forsake?

  Shee, halfe confused with his great commaund,

  Yet gathering spirit of her natures pride,

  Him boldly answer'd thus to his demaund:

  I am a daughter, by the mothers side,

  Of her that is Grand-mother magnifide

  Of all the Gods, great Earth, great Chaos child:

  But by the fathers (be it not envide)

  I greater am in bloud (whereon I build)

  Then all the Gods, though wrongfully from heauen exil'd.

  For, Titan (as ye all acknowledge must)

  Was Saturnes elder brother by birth-right;

  Both, sonnes of Vranus: but by vniust

  And guilefull meanes, through Corybantes slight,

  The younger thrust the elder from his right:

  Since which, thou Ioue, iniuriously hast held

  The Heauens rule from Titans sonnes by might;

  And them to hellish dungeons downe hast feld:

  Witnesse ye Heauens the truth of all that I haue teld.

  Whil'st she thus spake, the Gods that gaue good eare

  To her bold words, and marked well her grace,

  Beeing of stature tall as any there

  Of all the Gods, and beautifull of face,

  As any of the Goddesses in place,

  Stood all astonied, like a sort of Steeres;

  Mongst whom, some beast of strange & forraine race,

  Vnwares is chaunc't, far straying from his peeres:

  So did their ghastly gaze bewray their hidden feares.

  Till hauing pauz'd awhile, Ioue thus bespake;

  VVill neuer mortall thoughts ceasse to aspire,

  In this bold sort, to Heauen claime to make,

  And touch celestiall seates with earthly mire?

  I would haue thought, that bold Procrustes hire,

  Or Typhons fall, or proud Ixions paine,

  Or great Prometheus, tasting of our ire,

  Would haue suffiz'd, the rest for to restraine;

  And warn'd all men by their example to refraine:

  But now, this off-scum of that cursed fry,

  Dare to renew the like bold enterprize,

  And chalenge th'heritage of this our skie;

  Whom what should hinder, but that we likewise

  Should handle as the rest of her allies,

  And thunder-driue to hell? With that, he shooke

  His Nectar-deawed locks, with which the skyes

  And all the world beneath for terror quooke,

  And eft his burning levin-brond in hand he tooke.

  But, when he looked on her louely face,

  In which, faire beames of beauty did appeare,

  That could the greatest wrath soone turne to grace

  (Such sway doth beauty euen in Heauen beare)

  He staide his hand: and hauing chang'd his cheare,

  He thus againe in milder wise began;

  But ah! if Gods should striue with flesh yfere,

  Then shortly should the progeny of Man

  Be rooted out, if Ioue should doe still what he can:

  But thee faire Titans child, I rather weene,

  Through some vaine errour or inducement light,

  To see that mortall eyes haue neuer seene;

  Or through ensample of thy sisters might,

  Bellona; whose great glory thou doost spight,

  Since thou hast seene her dreadfull power belowe,

  Mongst wretched men (dismaide with her affright)

  To bandie Crownes, and Kingdomes to bestowe:

  And sure thy worth, no lesse then hers doth seem to showe.

  But wote thou this, thou hardy Titanesse,

  That not the worth of any liuing wight

  May challenge ought in Heauens interesse;

  Much lesse the Title of old Titans Right:

  For, we by Conquest of our soueraine might,

  And by eternall doome of Fates decree,

  Haue wonne the Empire of the Heauens bright;

  Which to our selues we hold, and to whom wee

  Shall worthy deeme partakers of our blisse to bee.

  Then ceasse thy idle claime thou foolish gerle,

  And seeke by grace and goodnesse to obtaine

  That place from which by folly Titan fell;

  There-to thou maist perhaps, if so thou faine

  Haue Ioue thy gratious Lord and Soueraigne.

  So, hauing said, she thus to him replide;

  Ceasse Saturnes sonne, to seeke by proffers vaine

  Of idle hopes t'allure mee to thy side,

  For to betray my Right, before I haue it tride.

  But thee, ô Ioue, no equall Iudge I deeme

&nbs
p; Of my desert, or of my dewfull Right;

  That in thine owne behalfe maist partiall seeme:

  But to the highest him, that is behight

  Father of Gods and men by equall might;

  To weet, the God of Nature, I appeale.

  There-at Ioue wexed wroth, and in his spright

  Did inly grudge, yet did it well conceale;

  And bade Dan Phoebus Scribe her Appellation seale.

  Eftsoones the time and place appointed were,

  Where all, both heauenly Powers, & earthly wights,

  Before great Natures presence should appeare,

  For triall of their Titles and best Rights:

  That was, to weet, vpon the highest hights

  Of Arlo-hill (Who knowes not Arlo-hill?)

  That is the highest head (in all mens sights)

  Of my old father Mole, whom Shepheards quill

  Renowmed hath with hymnes fit for a rurall skill.

  And, were it not ill fitting for this file,

  To sing of hilles & woods, mongst warres & Knights,

  I would abate the sternenesse of my stile,

  Mongst these sterne stounds to mingle soft delights;

  And tell how Arlo through Dianaes spights

  (Beeing of old the best and fairest Hill

  That was in all this holy-Islands hights)

  Was made the most vnpleasant, and most ill.

  Meane while, ô Clio, lend Calliope thy quill.

  Whylome, when IRELAND florished in fame

  Of wealths and goodnesse, far aboue the rest

  Of all that beare the British Islands name,

  The Gods then vs'd (for pleasure and for rest)

  Oft to resort there-to, when seem'd them best:

  But none of all there-in more pleasure found,

  Then Cynthia; that is soueraine Queene profest

  Of woods and forrests, which therein abound,

  Sprinkled with wholsom waters, more th&etilde; most on ground.

  But mongst them all, as fittest for her game,

  Either for chace of beasts with hound or boawe,

  Or for to shroude in shade from Phoebus flame,

  Or bathe in fountaines that doe freshly flowe,

  Or from high hilles, or from the dales belowe,

  She chose this Arlo; where shee did resort

  With all her Nymphes enranged on a rowe,