Tales from Spenser, Chosen from the Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

  THE STORY OF MARINELL AND FLORIMELL.

  Faerie Queene. Book III., Cantos IV., VII., VIII.; Book IV., Canto XII.;Book V., Canto III.

  In the days of Britomart there lived a famous knight named Marinell.

  Now this Marinell was a sea-nymph's son, and dwelt in a rocky cave bythe sea-shore. His mother had trained him to deeds of daring and a lifeof hardihood. Along the strand on which he dwelt no man durst passwithout first doing battle with Marinell. He had subdued and madevassals of a hundred brave knights, and his renown had reached the Courtof Gloriana, Queen of Faeryland.

  Yet Cymoent, his mother, was not satisfied, but prayed the sea-godto make her son richer than the son of any of the mortals.The sea-god granted her prayer, and bade the waves yield him theirtreasure--treasure gained by the wreck of many a gallant craft.

  So there were heaped upon his shores great riches--gold, amber, ivory,pearls, jewels, rings, and all else that was precious, until Marinellbecame as great a lord as any that dwelt in the land. So powerful did hegrow that his mother began to fear lest his boldness and haughtinessmight cost him his life, and she counselled him to forbear furtherwarfare and be at rest.

  That she might be the more secure of his welfare, Cymoent inquired ofProteus, the sea-god, concerning her son's future. Proteus replied thatMarinell must beware of all womankind, as one day a strange maiden wouldcause him much dismay, if not destroy his life. Now Cymoent supposedthis to mean that Marinell must not love any woman; she counselled herson accordingly, and he listened to her words and followed her advice.

  One day as Marinell rode on the rich strand dressed in gay arms, lookinghere and there, he descried a rider on the forbidden ground.

  This was no other than Britomart, journeying in disguise. Marinell rodefiercely up to her, and haughtily bade her retire before he made retreatimpossible. She was filled with disdain at his proud threat, andreplying, "Fly they that need to fly," thrust at him with her magicspear. Thereupon Marinell struck her on the breast; for a moment herhead bent low upon her horse's neck; then she raised herself and smotehim so hard a blow that her spear pierced his shield and hauberk, andglancing off, wounded his side.

  Thus Britomart bore him down until he fell helpless on the sand. She didnot stay to lament his fall, but went on her way, passing by histreasure, and caring nothing for it.

  This then was the woman of whom Proteus, the sea-god, had given warning.

  Now, the sad tidings of Marinell's overthrow reached Cymoent as she andher sister-nymphs were disporting themselves by a pond gatheringdaffodils to make garlands wherewith to shade their foreheads from thesun. When Cymoent heard the melancholy news, she flung away her flowers,and rending her hair, threw herself speechless on the ground. The nymphslikewise tore off their garlands, and loudly lamented Marinell's fate.

  At length Cymoent arose out of her swoon. She at once called for herchariot, while the sea-nymphs called for theirs, and set out with her ontheir mournful errand. The waves ceased to rage, and helped them ontheir way, while the dolphins which drew the chariots sped swiftlythrough the water, and brought Cymoent and her sisters to where Marinelllay.

  They found him in a deadly faint. When his mother saw him lying thus,she fell from one swoon into another, and when she at length recovered,made such piteous moanings that the very rocks could scarce refrain fromtears. She bewailed her son's fall, and wished that she too had beenmortal to have shared his fate.

  At length, after long sorrowing and great wailing, the sea-nymphs tookMarinell's armour off, spread their silver-fringed garments on thestrand, and laid him upon them. They then examined his wound, washed theblood away, and poured in balm and nectar. Then Liagore, thelily-handed, trained by Apollo in the surgeon's lore, felt his pulse,and discovered that life still lingered in his frame. Whereupon hismother no longer despaired, but, aided by the sea-nymphs, bore him toher chariot. At her command the dolphin-team remained still whileflowers were strewn over him as if he were already dead. Thesister-nymphs then climbed into their chariots, and Marinell was borneswiftly to Cymoent's sea cave. It was far down at the bottom of the sea,and built up of hollow billows heaped high on all sides. Here, on thesoftest of couches, they laid him, while Cymoent sent for Tryphon, thebest esteemed among the sea-gods in the art of healing, and the nymphssat round bemoaning his sad plight.

  Now, the news of Marinell's sad overthrow reached the court of Gloriana,Queen of Faeryland, where was the lady Florimell, who was famed for herrare goodness and great beauty, and was held in high repute throughoutall Elfin-land. She was loved of many knights, but she herself lovedonly Marinell, and when the news of his fall reached her, Florimellresolved to leave the court of Gloriana, and vowed that she would notreturn until she had found her love, alive or dead. She mounted asnow-white palfrey, and attended by a trusty dwarf, set forth: she wasclad in a dress of cloth of gold, and her fair locks were bound in ajewelled circlet.

  Some days after, it happened that Prince Arthur, accompanied by Timias,his squire, and one or two others whom they had encountered on theirway, were riding leisurely through the woods that led to Marinell'sabode, when the fair Florimell dashed suddenly across their path. Shehad burst out from the brushwood, and rode as if for her life. Her hairstreamed behind her, and she constantly looked back as if fearingpursuit. And sure enough, there appeared a rough forester, riding ajaded steed, which he was urging over bush and bank until the bloodflowed from its sides.

  Now, when the Prince saw this, he and a knight named Guyon hastened toFlorimell's rescue, while Timias, the Prince's squire, followed theforester. Through thick and thin, over hill and plain, the Prince andthe knight followed, but the poor damsel feared them as much as shefeared the forester, and fled from them so swiftly, that when theyreached a double way she was out of sight, and they could not tell whichpath to take. Each took a separate one, and that chosen by the Princeproved right. At length he came in sight of Florimell. Urging afresh hisfoaming steed, he approached the terrified damsel, and called on her tohave no fear. She looked back, but, not recognizing Prince Arthur's armsor shield, paid no attention to his call. And so it fell that darknesscame on, and the Prince was reluctantly obliged to give up all hope ofhelping her. Little did she think from how great and good a deliverershe fled, or into what miseries this flight would lead her.

  Thus Florimell sped on, fearing every shadow and every sound, until whendarkness fell, she grew so weary that her palfrey wrested the reins fromher slack hold, and went where he would. At length even he could go nofarther, and to her dismay, lay down. Florimell was now forced to alightand lead him.

  After travelling slowly for some time, she came to a hill-side, and hereshe saw below her a little valley thickly clothed with wood. Fromamongst its high trees there arose a wreath of thin blue smoke, andencouraged by this sign of habitation, the maiden went on her way morehopefully. But she was very weary and worn when she reached the placefrom which the smoke proceeded. It was a cottage built of sticks andreeds, walled round with sods, where dwelt a witch, dressed in poor anddirty rags, and living wilfully in want. She dwelt in these dark woodsbecause her deeds were evil.

  Here poor Florimell entered, and found the hag seated on the ground,apparently busied in magic arts; she started up when she saw Florimell,stared at her, but said nothing. Very soon her fear, for such it seemed,turned to anger, and she asked the damsel who she was, and what illfortune had sent her there, unwelcome and uninvited.

  Florimell replied that she had lost her way, and prayed her not to beangry with one who was unwilling to intrude on her, and only beggedshelter and rest for a little space. As she spoke, tears dropped fromher eyes, and she sighed so gently and sadly that the wicked old womancould not help being sorry for her, and began in her rude way to showsome kindly feeling; wiping the tears from Florimell's eyes, she badeher sit down and rest. Florimell gladly obeyed; she sat down on thedusty ground, put her torn garments into better order, smoothed her fairhair, and fastened it into its golden circlet. When the hag saw the ri
chornaments in Florimell's hair, and beheld how beautiful she was, shewondered greatly, and feared lest a goddess had found her way to thehut.

  This old witch had a son who was as wicked as herself. He was also lazyand good-for-nothing, loving to lounge in the sunshine, and sleep awayhis time. When he returned home, and found a fair lady sitting by hismother, he was so astonished at the sight of beauty in such a place,that he stood quite still, staring at Florimell, and saying never aword. At length he went up to his mother, and asked her in a whisper bywhat strange chance this vision had appeared. His mother only replied bya scared look, as if her wits were gone, and the two gazed first atFlorimell, and then at one another.

  By-and-bye, however, they grew accustomed to her presence. Her ways wereso gentle that the witch's son became enamoured of her beauty, andbrought her young birds and garlands of flowers, and a wild squirrelwhich he tamed. Florimell received his gifts courteously, but she fearedhim, and so, when an opportunity came, she saddled and bridled herpalfrey, and early one morning made her escape. She went in greattrepidation, for she was afraid that she might be followed andovertaken.

  Now when the witch and her son awoke and found her gone, their grief wasvery great. Indeed, the son became almost frantic, and nothing hismother could do would pacify him. So she bethought herself of her wickedarts, and retiring to her secret cave, called up a hideous beast,monstrous and misshapen;--its back speckled with a thousand spots, andso swift that it could overtake the fleetest steed. Nothing like it hadever been seen, yet it more resembled a hyena than any other creature.

  This monster the hag sent after Florimell, charging it not to pauseuntil it found her, and either to bring her back or slay and devour her.The moment she ceased speaking, it set off, and by the help of its keensense, surely and swiftly traced the maiden. When Florimell saw thecruel monster, and perceived that it began to overtake her, her heartquaked with fear. Terror also seized her palfrey, who, as long as breathsupplied him with strength, fled onwards. At length his pace began toslacken fatally, and then indeed, Florimell believed herself at the lastextremity. But just as her horse's strength gave way, she reached theshore, and slipping hastily to the ground, sped towards the water,thinking to drown herself rather than have the monster seize her. Allunexpectedly she found a little boat, with an old fisherman asleep init, drawn up at the water's edge. Leaping into the boat, she seized anoar, and pushed it out from the land.

  Her escape was none too soon, for the monster was close upon her, andready to spring just as her boat left the shore. It gaped greedily ather, but durst not venture into the water, and turning back avenged itswicked spite upon the noble palfrey.

  By-and-bye the good Sir Satyrane, who had delivered Una from the Satyrs,rode that way, and seeing the dead body of the horse, recognized it asbelonging to Florimell. He feared some ill must have befallen themaiden, and his fears were confirmed when he found a golden girdle shewas wont to wear lying on the sand. Full of grief and rage, he fell uponthe speckled beast, and wounded it severely; but it managed to escapefrom him, and returned to the old hag, while Sir Satyrane was forced togo on his way. When the old woman saw the beast return, she believedthat Florimell was dead, and rejoiced in her heart, but her son becamemore wretched than ever, and to comfort him, his mother made an image,and calling a wicked spirit into it, gave it such a likeness toFlorimell that her son mistook it for her, and was comforted.

  Meanwhile the true Florimell was in fresh straits. For a long time thefisherman slept on, so that she had to steer the boat as best she could,but this was an easy task, for the wind was light and the sky clear. Butwhen the old man awoke, she discovered that he was rude and cruel, andwould have made a slave of her if he could. It chanced, however, thatProteus, god of the seas, was abroad that day, and was roving over thefoamy waves, drawn by his finny steeds. He came upon the little boat,and when he saw that the fisherman behaved roughly to the damsel, hebeat the old man and took Florimell into his own chariot.

  Now Proteus was an aged god, whose hoary hair was frozen, and on whoselong beard icicles hung. He told the still affrighted Florimell who hewas, and bade her no longer fear, and spoke so kindly to her that shewas comforted and cheered. The sea-god bore her to his own dwelling, ahollow cave eaten out by the angry waves from under a mighty rock at thebottom of the sea. Here Proteus dwelt with no living being save an oldnymph whose name was Panope, and whose care it was to keep the cavernclean. He was very pleased to have Florimell, and thought to keep herthere. But he soon discovered that she thought much more of Marinellthan of anyone else, and that nothing he could do would make her forgetthe knight, or be content to remain in the ocean cave. At this he becamevery angry, and at last let her down into a deep dungeon, where hethreatened to keep her until she died. And for seven long months thepoor damsel was imprisoned there bound in chains, guarded by ragingwaves and grizzly ocean monsters.

  Meantime Marinell still lingered in his mother's bower. By the aid ofTryphon, the sea-god's surgeon, he had been cured of the wound inflictedby Britomart. But so fearful was his mother lest further ill shouldbefall her son, that sorely against his will she kept him in her cavealmost as closely confined as if he had been a prisoner.

  It happened at this time that all the sea-gods met to celebrate thewedding of the Thames and the Medway. A solemn feast in honour of theevent was held at the abode of Proteus, and there Cymoent, with manyothers, was summoned. With her went Marinell, but, as his father wasonly a mortal, Marinell was not accounted a god, and might not banquetwith immortals or eat of their food. Therefore, while his mother waswithin, he wandered about examining the strange abode, and, as he didso, there befel to him a strange adventure. From under a hideousoverhanging cliff he heard a sad voice uttering such piteouslamentations that the cruel rocks and raging billows seemed moved insympathy. It was Florimell, who, believing herself alone, bewailed herfate aloud. Though none could hear, she nevertheless spoke out her griefin the hope that the very recital might yield her some comfort, for

  Heaven, that unto all lends equal ear, Is far from hearing of my heavy plight, And lowest hell, to which I lie most near, Cares not what evils hap to wretched wight, And greedy seas do in the spoil of life delight.

  She mourned that while the beating of the waves pierced the hardestrocks, her piteous plaints only hardened the tyrant's heart against her.Then she prayed all the sea-gods to release her, or else to let her dieat once, and ended by the words, "Know, Marinell, that all this is forthee." After this followed such an outburst of grief and weeping that itseemed as if poor Florimell's heart must break.

  On hearing her sad complaint, Marinell, who had never yet been touchedby pity for the misfortune of any, was filled with remorse and grief atthe thought of Florimell's condition.

  In his sorrow began the dawning of his love, and he set himself todevise the fair damsel's escape. He thought of suing Proteus for herrelease, but this he could not do without his mother's aid, and heremembered her charge against the love of women. For a moment hecontemplated rescuing her by force of arms, but Proteus was a god, whilehe had only mortal's might. Then he bethought himself of carrying heroff by stealth, but the damsel was surrounded by water, and he possessedno means of getting her to land. So he wandered sadly about the rock,blaming himself severely for not having acknowledged her goodness andbeauty long ago.

  At length the feast was over, and Marinell was obliged to accompany hismother home, and, sore against his will, leave Florimell in hersea-walled dungeon. Thinking of nothing but her sad fate, he was silentand disinclined for companionship, and so brooded over his secret sorrowthat he could neither eat nor sleep. He pined and languished and weptuntil he grew so weak and ill that he could not stand upright, but wasforced to lie upon his couch.

  When his mother saw his miserable state, she was greatly troubled, andknew not what to think, for she could not discover the source of hismalady. She fancied his old wound was the cause, and repaired toTryphon, whom she chid sharply because of her son's d
istress. Hereturned with her and examined the wound, but said that Marinell'spresent discomfiture must have some other source, perhaps an unknowngrief. At this Cymoent was more troubled than before, and went to herson, beseeching him to reveal to her what lay hidden in his heart, buthe would not. Then forsaking the sea-gods as of no avail, she hastenedto the heavens, and thence brought Apollo, god of healing, to see herson. He declared the disease to be love.

  Cymoent grieved and fretted greatly when she heard this, and went to herson and prayed him in gentle words to tell her which one of thesea-nymphs he loved. She felt sure it must be a sea-nymph, and was theless concerned since the god's warning had been only against a mortalmaid. She therefore promised, whoever it might be, to aid him in hissuit. Great was her dismay when Marinell replied that he lovedFlorimell. But it was no time to indulge in fruitless grief, for her sonlay in danger of his life. Cymoent therefore went straight to Neptune,and telling him of Proteus' cruelty towards Florimell, begged him toorder her release. This Neptune at once did, and armed with his warrantshe went to Proteus' cave, and there saw the maiden whom her son loved.The old sea-god read his monarch's mandate in moody silence, but wasforced to obey, and therefore yielded his prisoner to Cymoent. She,charmed by Florimell's grace and gentle loveliness, took her by thehand, and welcomed her lovingly, rejoicing that her son should have sofair a wife. Then Cymoent showed her son the fair maiden, and his heartand spirit were so cheered within him that his strength graduallyreturned, and he became himself again. Nor was Florimell less glad.

  After a time Marinell took her back to Faeryland, where he married her,and there was a great banquet held in honour of the wedding, and afterthe feast a tournament, in which Marinell did deeds of great renown, ofwhich you shall hear more in the tale of Braggadochio.