The Faerie Queene

by Edmund Spenser

Yet cruell Cupid, not herewith content,

  Forst him eftsoones to follow other game,

  And loue a Shepheards daughter for his dearest Dame.

  39 He loued Isse for his dearest Dame,

  And for her sake her cattell fed a while,

  And for her sake a cowheard vile became,

  The seruant of Admetus cowheard vile,

  Whiles that from heauen he suffered exile.

  Long were to tell each other louely fit,

  Now like a Lyon, hunting after spoile,

  Now like a Hag, now like a faulcon flit:

  All which in that faire arras was most liuely writ.

  40 Next vnto him was Neptune pictured,

  In his diuine resemblance wondrous lyke:

  His face was rugged, and his hoarie hed

  Dropped with brackish deaw; his three-forkt Pyke

  He stearnly shooke, and therewith fierce did stryke

  The raging billowes, that on euery syde

  They trembling stood, and made a long broad dyke,

  That his swift charet might haue passage wyde,

  Which foure great Hippodames did draw in temewise tyde.

  41 His sea-horses did seeme to snort amayne,

  And from their nosethrilles blow the brynie streame,

  That made the sparckling waues to smoke agayne,

  And flame with gold, but the white fomy creame,

  Did shine with siluer, and shoot forth his beame.

  The God himselfe did pensiue seeme and sad,

  And hong adowne his head, as he did dreame:

  For priuy loue his brest empierced had,

  Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad.

  42 He loued eke Iphimedia deare,

  And Aeolus faire daughter Ante bight,

  For whom he turnd him selfe into a Steare,

  And fed on fodder, to beguile her sight.

  Also to win Deucalions daughter bright,

  He turnd him selfe into a Dolphin fayre;

  And like a winged horse he tooke his flight,

  To snaky-locke Medusa to repayre,

  On whom he got faire Pegasus, that flitteth in the ayre.

  43 Next Satume was, (but who would euer weene,

  The sullein Satume euer weend to loue?

  Yet loue is sullein, and Saturnlike seene,

  As he did for Erigone it proue)

  That to a Centaure did him selfe transmoue.

  So proou’d it eke that gracious God of wine,

  When for to compasse Philliras hard loue,

  He turnd himselfe into a fruitfull vine,

  And into her faire bosome made his grapes decline.

  44 Long were to tell the amorous assayes,

  And gentle pangues, with which he maked meeke

  The mighty Mars, to learne his wanton playes:

  How oft for Venus, and how often eek

  For many other Nymphes he sore did shreek,

  With womanish teares, and with vnwarlike smarts,

  Priuily moystening his horrid cheek.

  There was he painted full of burning darts,

  And many wide woundes launched through his inner parts.

  45 Ne did he spare (so cruell was the Elfe)

  His owne deare mother, (ah why should he so?)

  Ne did he spare sometime to pricke himselfe,

  That he might tast the sweet consuming woe,

  Which he had wrought to many others moe.

  But to declare the mournfull Tragedyes,

  And spoiles, wherewith he all the ground did strow,

  More eath to number, with how many eyes

  High heauen beholds sad louers nightly theeueryes.

  46 Kings Queenes, Lord’s Ladies, Knights & Damzels gent

  Were heap’d together with the vulgar sort,

  And mingled with the raskall rablement,

  Without respect of person or of port,

  To shew Dan Cupids powre and great effort:

  And round about a border was entrayld,

  Of broken bowes and arrowes shiuered short,

  And a long bloudy riuer through them rayld,

  So liuely and so like, that liuing sence it fayld.

  47 And at lie vpper end of that faire rowme,

  There was an Altar built of pretious stone,

  Of passing valew, and of great renowme,

  On which there stood an Image all alone,

  Of massy gold, which with his owne light shone;

  And wings it had with sundry colours dight,

  More sundry colours, then the proud Pauone

  Beares in his boasted fan, or Iris bright,

  When her discolourd bow she spreds through heauen bright

  48 Blindfold he was, and in his cruell fist

  A mortall bow and arrowes keene did hold,

  With which he shot at randon, when him list,

  Some headed with sad lead, some with pure gold;

  (Ah man beware, how thou those darts behold)

  A wounded Dragon vnder him did ly,

  Whose hideous tayle his left foot did enfold,

  And with a shaft was shot through either eye,

  That no man forth might draw, ne no man remedye.

  49 And vnderneath his feet was written thus,

  Vnto the Victor of the Gods this bee:

  And all the people in that ample hous

  Did to that image bow their humble knee,

  And oft committed fowle Idolatree.

  That wondrous sight faire Britomart amazed,

  Ne seeing could her wonder satisfie,

  But euer more and more vpon it gazed,

  The whiles the passing brightnes her fraile sences dazed.

  50 Tho as she backward cast her busie eye,

  To search each secret of that goodly sted

  Ouer the dore thus written she did spye

  Be bold: she oft and oft it ouer-red,

  Yet could not find what sence it figured:

  But what so were therein or writ or ment,

  She was no whit thereby discouraged

  From prosecuting of her first intent,

  But forward with bold steps into the next roome went.

  51 Much fairer, then the former, was that roome,

  And richlier by many partes arayd:

  For not with arras made in painefull loome,

  But with pure gold it all was ouerlayd,

  Wrought with wilde Antickes, which their follies playd,

  In the rich metall, as they liuing were:

  A thousand monstrous formes therein were made,

  Such as false loue doth oft vpon him weare,

  For loue in thousand monstrous formes doth oft appeare.

  52 And all about, the glistring walles were hong

  With warlike spoiles, and with victorious prayes,

  Of mighty Conquerours and Captaines strong,

  Which were whilome captiued in their dayes

  To cruell loue, and wrought their owne decayes:

  Their swerds & speres were broke, & hauberques rent;

  And their proud girlonds of tryumphant bayes

  Troden in dust with fury insolent,

  To shew the victors might and mercilesse intent.

  53 The warlike Mayde beholding earnestly

  The goodly ordinance of this rich place,

  Did greatly wonder ne could satisfie

  Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space,

  Sut more she meruaild that no footings trace,

  Nor wight appear’d, but wastefull emptinesse,

  And solemne silence ouer all that place:

  Straunge thing it seem’d, that none was to possesse

  So rich purueyance, ne them keepe with carefulnesse.

  54 And as she lookt about, she did behold,

  How ouer that same dore was likewise writ,

  Be hold, be bold, and euery where Be bold,

  That much she muz’d, yet could not construe it

  By any ridling skill, or co
mmune wit.

  At last she spyde at that roomes vpper end,

  Another yron dore, on which was writ,

  Be not too bold; whereto though she did bend

  Her earnest mind, yet wist not what it might intend.

  55 Thus she there waited vntill euentyde,

  Yet liuing creature none she saw appeare:

  And now sad shadowes gan the world to hyde,

  From mortall vew, and wrap in darkenesse dreare;

  Yet nould she d’off her weary armes, for feare

  Of secret daunger, ne let sleepe oppresse

  Her heauy eyes with natures burdein deare,

  But drew her selfe aside in sickernesse,

  And her welpointed weapons did about her dresse.

  CANTO XII

  The maske of Cupid, and th’enchaunted

  Chamber are displayd,

  Whence Britomart redeemes faire

  Atnoret, through charities decayd.

  1 Tho when as chearelesse Night ycouered had

  Faire heauen with an vniuersall cloud,

  That euery wight dismayd with darknesse sad,

  In silence and in sleepe themselues did shroud,

  She heard a shrilling Trompet sound aloud,

  Signe of nigh battell, or got victory;

  Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud,

  Sut rather stird to cruell enmity,

  Expecting euer, when some foe she might descry.

  2 With that, an hideous storme of winde arose,

  With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt,

  And an earth-quake, as if it streight would lose

  The worlds foundations from his centre fixt;

  A direfull stench of smoke and sulphure mixt

  Ensewd, whose noyance fild the fearefull sted,

  From the fourth houre of night vntill the sixt;

  Yet the bold Britonesse was nought ydred,

  Though much emmou’d, but stedfast still perseuered.

  3 All suddenly a stormy whirlwind blew

  Throughout the house, that clapped euery dore,

  With which that yron wicket open flew,

  As it with mightie leuers had bene tore:

  And forth issewd, as on the ready flore

  Of some Theatre, a graue personage,

  That in his hand a branch of laurell bore,

  With comely haueour and count’nance sage,

  Yclad in costly garments, fit for t

  4 Proceeding to the midst, he still did stand,

  As if in mind he somewhat had to say,

  And to the vulgar beckning with his hand,

  In signe of silence, as to heare a play,

  By liuely actions he gan bewray

  Some argument of matter passioned;

  Which doen, he backe retyred soft away,

  And passing by, his name discouered,

  Ease, on his robe in golden letters cyphered.

  5 The noble Mayd, still standing all this vewd,

  And merueild at his strange intendiment;

  With that a ioyous fellowship issewd

  Of Minstrals, making goodly meriment,

  With wanton Bardes, and Rymers impudent,

  All which together sung full chearefully

  A lay of loues delight, with sweet consent:

  After whom marcht a iolly company,

  In manner of a maske, enranged orderly.

  6 The whiles a most delirious harmony,

  In full straunge notes was sweetly heard to sound,

  That the rare sweetnesse of the melody

  The feeble senses wholly did confound,

  And the fraile soule in deepe delight nigh dround:

  And when it ceast, shrill trompets loud did bray,

  That their report did farre away rebound,

  And when they ceast, it gan againe to play,

  The whiles the maskers inarched forth in trim aray.

  7 The first was Fancy, like a louely boy,

  Of rare aspect, and beaurie without peare;

  Matchable either to that ympe of Troy,

  Whom Ioue did loue, and chose bis cup to beare,

  Or that same dainrie lad, which was so deare

  To great Alcides, that when as he dyde,

  He wailed womanlike with many a teare,

  And euery wood, and euery valley wyde

  He fild with Hylas name; the Nymphes eke Hylas cryde.

  8 His garment neither was of silke nor say,

  But painted plumes, in goodly order dight,

  Like as the sunburnt Indians do aray

  Their tawney bodies, in their proudest plight:

  As those same plumes, so seemd he vaine and light,

  That by his gate might easily appeare;

  For still he far’d as daunting in delight,

  And in his hand a windy fan did beare,

  That in the idle aire he mou’d still here and there.

  9 And him beside marcht amorous Desyre,

  Who seemd of riper yeares, then th’other Swaine,

  Yet was that other swayne this elders syre,

  And gaue him being, commune to them twaine:

  His garment was disguised very vaine,

  And his embrodered Bonet sat awry;

  Twixt both his hands few sparkes he close did straine,

  Which still he blew, and kindled busily,

  That soone they life conceiu’d, & forth in flames did fly.

  10 Next after him went Doubt, who was yclad

  In a disco’lour’d cote, of straunge disguyse.

  That at his backe a brode Capuccio had,

  And sleeues dependant Albanese-wyse:

  He lookt askew with his mistrustfull eyes,

  And nicely trode, as thornes lay in his way,

  Or that the flore to shrinke he did auyse,

  And on a broken reed he still did stay

  His feeble steps, which shrunke, when hard theron he lay.

  11 With him went Daunger, cloth’d in ragged weed,

  Made of Beares skin, that him more dreadfull made,

  Yet his owne face was dreadfull, ne did need

  Straunge horrour, to deforme his griesly shade;

  A net in th’one hand, and a rustie blade

  In th’other was, this Mischiefe, that Mishap;

  With th’one his foes he threatned to inuade,

  With th’odier he his friends ment to enwrap:

  For whom he could not kill, he practizd to entrap.

  12 Next him was Feare, all arm’d from top to toe,

  Yet thought himselfe not safe enough thereby,

  But feard each shadow mouing to and fro,

  And his owne armes when glittering he did spy,

  Or clashing heard, he fast away did fly,

  As ashes pale of hew, and winged heeld;

  And euermore on daunger fixt his eye,

  Gainst whom he alwaies bent a brasen shield,

  Which his right hand vnarmed fearefully did wield.

  13 With him went Hope in rancke, a handsome Mayd,

  Of chearefull looke and louely to behold;

  In silken samite she was light arayd,

  And her faire lockes were wouen vp in gold;

  She alway smyld, and in her hand did hold

  An holy water Sprinckle, dipt in deowe,

  With which she sprinckled fauours manifold,

  On whom she list, and did great liking sheowe,

  Great liking vnto many, but true loue to feowe.

  14 And after them Dissemblance, and Suspect

  Marcht in one rancke, yet an vnequall paire:

  For she was gentle, and of milde aspect,

  Courteous to all, and seeming debonaire,

  Goodly adorned, and exceeding faire:

  Yet was that all but painted, and purloynd,

  And her bright browes were deckt with borrowed haire:

  Her deedes were forged, and her words false coynd,

  And alwaies in her hand two clewes of silke s
he twynd.

  15 But he was foule, ill fauoured, and grim,

  Vnder his eyebrowes looking still askaunce;

  And euer as Dissemblance laught on him,

  He lowrd on her with daungerous eyeglaunce;

  Shewing his nature in his countenaunce;

  His rolling eyes did neuer rest in place,

  But walkt each where, for feare of hid mischaunce,

  Holding a lattice still before his face,

  Through which he still did peepe, as forward he did pace.

  16 Next him went Griefe, and Fury matcht yfere;

  Griefe all in sable sorrowfully clad,

  Downe hanging his dull head, with heauy chere,

  Yet inly being more, then seeming sad:

  A paire of Pincers in his hand he had,

  With which he pinched people to the hart,

  That from thenceforth a wretched life they lad,

  In wilfull languor and consuming smart,

  Dying each day with inward wounds of dolours dart

  17 But Fury was full ill apparelled

  In rags, that naked nigh she did appeare,

  With ghastly lookes and dreadfull drerihed;

  For from her backe her garments she did teare,

  And from her head oft rent her snarled heare:

  In her right hand a firebrand she did tosse

  About her head, still roming here and there;

  As a dismayed Deare in chace embost,

  Forgetfull of his safety, hath his right way lost.

  18 After them went Displeasure and Pleasance,

  He looking lompish and full sullein sad,

  And hanging downe his heauy countenance;

  She chearefull fresh and full of ioyance glad,

  As if no sorrow she ne felt ne drad;

  That euill matched paire they seemd to bee:

  An angry Waspe th’one in a viall had:

  Th’other in hers an hony-lady Bee;

  Thus marched these sixe couples forth in faire degree.

  19 After all these there marcht a most faire Dame,

  Led of two grysie villeins, th’one Despight,

  The other cleped Cruelty by name:

  She dolefull Lady, like a dreary Spright,

  Cald by strong charmes out of eternall night,

  Had deathes owne image figurd in her face,

  Full of sad signes, fearefull to liuing sight;

  Yet in that horror shewd a seemely grace,

  And with her feeble feet did moue a comely pace.

  20 Her brest all naked, as net iuory,

  Without adorne of gold or siluer bright,

  Wherewith the Craftesman wonts it beautify,

  Of her dew honour was despoyled quight,

  And a wide wound therein (O ruefull sight)

  Entrenched deepe with knife accursed keene,

  Yet freshly bleeding forth her fainting spright,

  (The worke of cruell hand) was to be seene,