Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

But with no better fortune then the rest afore. 405

  XLVI

  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; 410

  With which she wondrous deeds of arms atchieved,

  And overthrew what ever came her neare,

  That all those stranger knights full sore agrieved,

  And that late weaker band of chalengers relieved.

  XLVII

  Like as in sommers day, when raging heat 415

  Doth burne the earth, and boyled rivers drie,

  That all brute beasts, forst to refraine fro meat,

  Doe hunt for shade, where shrowded they may lie,

  And missing it, faine from themselves to flie;

  All travellers tormented are with paine: 420

  A watry cloud doth overcast the skie,

  And poureth forth a sudden shoure of raine,

  That all the wretched world recomforteth againe.

  XLVIII

  So did the warlike Britomart restore

  The prize to Knights of Maydenhead that day, 425

  Which else was like to have bene lost, and bore

  The prayse of prowesse from them all away.

  Then shrilling trompets loudly gan to bray,

  And bad them leave their labours and long toyle

  To joyous feast and other gentle play, 430

  Where beauties prize shold win that pretious spoyle:

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

  Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents

  Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’

  Canto V

  The ladies for the girdle strive

  Of famous Florimell:

  Scudamour, comming to Cares house,

  Doth sleepe from him expell.

  I

  IT hath bene through all ages ever seene,

  That with the praise of armes and chevalrie

  The prize of beautie still hath joyned beene;

  And that for reasons speciall privitie:

  For either doth on other much relie. 5

  For he me seemes most fit the faire to serve,

  That can her best defend from villenie;

  And she most fit his service doth deserve,

  That fairest is and from her faith will never swerve.

  II

  So fitly now here commeth next in place, 10

  After the proofe of prowesse ended well,

  The controverse of beauties soveraine 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, 15

  And not for vertuous use, which some doe tell

  That glorious belt did in it selfe containe,

  Which ladies ought to love, and seeke for to obtaine.

  III

  That girdle gave the vertue of chast love

  And wivehood true to all that did it beare; 20

  But whosoever contrarie doth prove

  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, 25

  What time she usd to live in wively sort;

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

  IV

  Her husband Vulcan whylome for her sake,

  When first he loved her with heart entire,

  This pretious ornament, they say, did make, 30

  And wrought in Lemno with unquenched fire:

  And afterwards did for her loves first hire

  Give it to her, for ever to remaine,

  Therewith to bind lascivious desire,

  And loose affections streightly to restraine; 35

  Which vertue it for ever after did retaine.

  V

  The same one day, when she her selfe disposd

  To visite her beloved paramoure,

  The God of Warre, she from her middle loosd,

  And left behind her in her secret bowre, 40

  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 from thence that goodly belt away. 45

  VI

  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. 50

  And now by this their feast all being ended,

  The judges which thereto selected were

  Into the Martian field adowne descended,

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

  VII

  But first was question made, which of those knights 55

  That lately turneyd had the wager wonne:

  There was it judged by those worthie wights,

  That Satyrane the first day best had donne:

  For he last ended, having first begonne.

  The second was to Triamond behight, 60

  For that he sav’d the victour from fordonne:

  For Cambell victour was in all mens sight,

  Till by mishap he in foemens hand did light.

  VIII

  The third dayes prize unto that straunger knight,

  Whom all men term’d Knight of the Hebene Speare, 65

  To Britomart, was given by good right;

  For that with puissant stroke she downe did beare

  The Salvage Knight, that victour was whileare,

  And all the rest which had the best afore,

  And to the last unconquer’d did appeare; 70

  For last is deemed best. To her therefore

  The fayrest ladie was adjudgd for paramore.

  IX

  But thereat greatly grudged Arthegall,

  And much repynd, that both of victors meede

  And eke of honour she did him forestall. 75

  Yet mote he not withstand what was decreede;

  But inly thought of that despightfull deede

  Fit time t’ awaite avenged for to bee.

  This being ended thus, and all agreed,

  Then next ensew’d the paragon to see 80

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

  X

  Then first Cambello brought unto their view

  His faire Cambina, covered with a veale;

  Which being once withdrawne, most perfect hew

  And passing beautie did eftsoones reveale, 85

  That able was weake harts away to steale.

  Next did Sir Triamond unto their sight

  The face of his deare Canacee unheale;

  Whose beauties beame eftsoones did shine so bright,

  That daz’d the eyes of all, as with exceeding light. 90

  XI

  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 diverse wits affected divers beene. 95

  Then did Sir Ferramont unto 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.

  XII

  All which who so dare thinke for to enchace, 100

  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 he
avenly faces were not seene

  Assembled in one place: ne he that thought 105

  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 have sought.

  XIII

  At last, the most redoubted Britonesse

  Her lovely Amoret did open shew; 110

  Whose face discovered, plainely did expresse

  The heavenly 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 115

  And very Florimell, did her display:

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

  XIV

  For all afore that seemed fayre and bright,

  Now base and contemptible did appeare,

  Compar’d to her, that shone as Phebes light 120

  Amongst the lesser starres in evening cleare.

  All that her saw with wonder ravisht 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; 125

  Yet thought that Florimell was not so faire as shee.

  XV

  As guilefull goldsmith that, by secret skill,

  With golden foyle doth finely over spred

  Some baser metall, which commend he will

  Unto the vulgar for good gold insted, 130

  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. 135

  XVI

  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. 140

  For, ever 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.

  XVII

  That all men wondred at the uncouth sight, 145

  And each one thought as to their fancies came.

  But she her selfe did thinke it doen for spight,

  And touched was with secret wrath and shame

  Therewith, as thing deviz’d her to defame.

  Then many other ladies likewise tride 150

  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 untide.

  XVIII

  Which when that scornefull Squire of Dames did vew,

  He lowdly gan to laugh, and thus to jest: 155

  ‘Alas for pittie, that so faire a crew,

  As like can not be seene from east to west,

  Cannot find one this girdle to invest!

  Fie on the man that did it first invent,

  To shame us all with this, Ungirt unblest! 160

  Let never ladie to his love assent,

  That hath this day so many so unmanly shent.’

  XIX

  Thereat all knights gan laugh, and ladies lowre:

  Till that at last the gentle Amoret

  Likewise assayd, to prove that girdles powre; 165

  And having it about her middle set,

  Did find it fit withouten breach or let.

  Whereat the rest gan greatly to envie:

  But Florimell exceedingly did fret,

  And snatching from her hand halfe angrily 170

  The belt againe, about her bodie gan it tie.

  XX

  Yet nathemore would it her bodie fit;

  Yet nathelesse to her, as her dew right,

  It yeelded was by them that judged it:

  And she her selfe adjudged to the knight 175

  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 government. 180

  XXI

  Whom when the rest did see her to refuse,

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

  Yet at her choice they all did greatly muse.

  But after that, the judges did arret her

  Unto the second best, that lov’d her better; 185

  That was the Salvage Knight: but he was gone

  In great displeasure, that he could not get her.

  Then was she judged Triamond his one;

  But Triamond lov’d Canacee, and other none.

  XXII

  Tho unto Satyran she was adjudged, 190

  Who was right glad to gaine so goodly meed:

  But Blandamour thereat full greatly grudged,

  And litle prays’d his labours evill speed,

  That, for to winne the saddle, lost the steed.

  Ne lesse thereat did Paridell complaine, 195

  And thought t’ appeale from that which was decreed

  To single combat with Sir Satyrane.

  Thereto him Ate stird, new discord to maintaine.

  XXIII

  And eke with these, full many other knights

  She through her wicked working did incense, 200

  Her to demaund, and chalenge as their rights,

  Deserved for their perils recompense.

  Amongst the rest, with boastfull vaine pretense

  Stept Braggadochio forth, and as his thrall

  Her claym’d, by him in battell wonne long sens: 205

  Whereto her selfe he did to witnesse call;

  Who being askt, accordingly confessed all.

  XXIV

  Thereat exceeding wroth was Satyran;

  And wroth with Satyran was Blandamour;

  And wroth with Blandamour was Erivan; 210

  And at them both Sir Paridell did loure.

  So all together stird up strifull stoure,

  And readie were new battell to darraine.

  Each one profest to be her paramoure,

  And vow’d with speare and shield it to maintaine; 215

  Ne judges powre, ne reasons rule, mote them restraine.

  XXV

  Which troublous stirre when Satyrane aviz’d,

  He gan to cast how to appease the same,

  And, to accord them all, this meanes deviz’d:

  First in the midst to set that fayrest dame, 220

  To whom each one his chalenge should disclame,

  And he himselfe his right would eke releasse:

  Then looke, to whom she voluntarie came,

  He should without disturbance her possesse:

  Sweete is the love that comes alone with willingnesse. 225

  XXVI

  They all agreed, and then that snowy mayd

  Was in the middest plast among them all:

  All on her gazing wisht, and vowd, and prayd,

  And to the Queene of Beautie close did call,

  That she unto their portion might befall. 230

  Then when she long had lookt upon each one,

  As though she wished to have pleasd them all,

  At last to Braggadochio selfe alone

  She came of her accord, in spight of all his fone.

  XXVII

  Which when they all beheld, they chaft, and rag’d, 235

  And woxe nigh mad for very harts despight,

  That from revenge their willes they scarse asswag’d:

  Some thought from him her to have reft by might;

  Some proffer made with him for her
to fight.

  But he nought car’d for all that they could say: 240

  For he their words as wind esteemed light.

  Yet not fit place he thought it there to stay,

  But secretly from thence that night her bore away.

  XXVIII

  They which remaynd, so soone as they perceiv’d

  That she was gone, departed thence with speed, 245

  And follow’d them, in mind her to have reav’d

  From wight unworthie of so noble meed.

  In which poursuit how each one did succeede,

  Shall else be told in order, as it fell.

  But now of Britomart it here doth neede, 250

  The hard adventures and strange haps to tell;

  Since with the rest she went not after Florimell.

  XXIX

  For soone as she them saw to discord set,

  Her list no longer in that place abide;

  But taking with her lovely Amoret, 255

  Upon her first adventure forth did ride,

  To seeke her lov’d, making blind Love her guide.

  Unluckie mayd, to seeke her enemie!

  Unluckie mayd, to seeke him farre and wide,

  Whom, when he was unto her selfe most nie, 260

  She through his late disguizement could him not descrie!

  XXX

  So much the more her griefe, the more her toyle:

  Yet neither toyle nor griefe she once did spare,

  In seeking him that should her paine assoyle;

  Whereto great comfort in her sad misfare 265

  Was Amoret, companion of her care:

  Who likewise sought her lover long miswent,

  The gentle Scudamour, whose hart whileare

  That stryfull hag with gealous discontent

  Had fild, that he to fell reveng was fully bent. 270

  XXXI

  Bent to revenge on blamelesse Britomart

  The crime which cursed Ate kindled earst,

  The which like thornes did pricke his gealous hart,

  And through his soule like poysned arrow perst,

  That by no reason it might be reverst, 275

  For ought that Glauce could or doe or say.

  For aye the more that she the same reherst,

  The more it gauld and griev’d him night and day,

  That nought but dire revenge his anger mote defray.

  XXXII

  So as they travelled, the drouping night, 280

  Covered with cloudie storme and bitter showre,

  That dreadfull seem’d to every living wight,

  Upon them fell, before her timely howre;

  That forced them to seeke some covert bowre,

  Where they might hide their heads in quiet rest, 285

  And shrowd their persons from that stormie stowre.

  Not farre away, not meete for any guest,

  They spide a little cottage, like some poore mans nest.

  XXXIII

  Under a steepe hilles side it placed was,