Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

  Yet did he murmure with rebellious sound,

  And softly royne, when salvage choler gan redound.

  XXXIV

  So sitting high in dreaded soverayntie,

  Those two strange knights were to her presence brought;

  Who, bowing low before her majestie, 300

  Did to her myld obeysance, as they ought,

  And meekest boone that they imagine mought.

  To whom she eke inclyning her withall,

  As a faire stoupe of her high soaring thought,

  A chearefull countenance on them let fall, 305

  Yet tempred with some majestie imperiall.

  XXXV

  As the bright sunne, what time his fierie teme

  Towards the westerne brim begins to draw,

  Gins to abate the brightnesse of his beme,

  And fervour of his flames somewhat adaw: 310

  So did this mightie ladie, when she saw

  Those two strange knights such homage to her make,

  Bate somewhat of that majestie and awe,

  That whylome wont to doe so many quake,

  And with more myld aspect those two to entertake. 315

  XXXVI

  Now at that instant, as occasion fell,

  When these two stranger knights arriv’d in place,

  She was about affaires of common wele,

  Dealing of justice with indifferent grace,

  And hearing pleas of people meane and base. 320

  Mongst which, as then, there was for to be heard

  The tryall of a great and weightie case,

  Which on both sides was then debating hard:

  But at the sight of these, those were a while debard.

  XXXVII

  But after all her princely entertayne, 325

  To th’ hearing of that former cause in hand

  Her selfe eftsoones she gan convert againe;

  Which that those knights likewise mote understand,

  And witnesse forth aright in forrain land,

  Taking them up unto her stately throne, 330

  Where they mote heare the matter throughly scand

  On either part, she placed th’ one on th’ one,

  The other on the other side, and neare them none.

  XXXVIII

  Then was there brought, as prisoner to the barre,

  A ladie of great countenance and place, 335

  But that she it with foule abuse did marre;

  Yet did appeare rare beautie in her face,

  But blotted with condition vile and base,

  That all her other honour did obscure,

  And titles of nobilitie deface: 340

  Yet in that wretched semblant, she did sure

  The peoples great compassion unto her allure.

  XXXIX

  Then up arose a person of deepe reach,

  And rare in-sight, hard matters to revele;

  That well could charme his tongue, and time his speach 345

  To all assayes; his name was called Zele:

  He gan that ladie strongly to appele

  Of many haynous crymes, by her enured,

  And with sharpe reasons rang her such a pele,

  That those whom she to pitie had allured 350

  He now t’ abhorre and loath her person had procured.

  XL

  First gan he tell, how this, that seem’d so faire

  And royally arayd, Duessa hight,

  That false Duessa, which had wrought great care

  And mickle mischiefe unto many a knight, 355

  By her beguyled and confounded quight:

  But not for those she now in question came,

  Though also those mote question’d be aright,

  But for vyld treasons and outrageous shame,

  Which she against the dred Mercilla oft did frame. 360

  XLI

  For she whylome (as ye mote yet right well

  Remember) had her counsels false conspyred

  With faithlesse Blandamour and Paridell,

  (Both two her paramours, both by her hyred,

  And both with hope of shadowes vaine inspyred.) 365

  And with them practiz’d, how for to depryve

  Mercilla of her crowne, by her aspyred,

  That she might it unto her selfe deryve,

  And tryumph in their blood, whom she to death did dryve.

  XLII

  But through high heavens grace, which favour not 370

  The wicked driftes of trayterous desynes

  Gainst loiall princes, all this cursed plot,

  Ere proofe it tooke, discovered was betymes,

  And th’ actours won the meede meet for their crymes.

  Such be the meede of all that by such mene 375

  Unto the type of kingdomes title clymes.

  But false Duessa, now untitled queene,

  Was brought to her sad doome, as here was to be seene.

  XLIII

  Strongly did Zele her haynous fact enforce,

  And many other crimes of foule defame 380

  Against her brought, to banish all remorse,

  And aggravate the horror of her blame.

  And with him to make part against her, came

  Many grave persons, that against her pled:

  First was a sage old syre, that had to name 385

  The Kingdomes Care, with a white silver hed,

  That many high regards and reasons gainst her red.

  XLIV

  Then gan Authority her to appose

  With peremptorie powre, that made all mute;

  And then the Law of Nations gainst her rose, 390

  And reasons brought, that no man could refute;

  Next gan Religion gainst her to impute

  High Gods beheast, and powre of holy lawes;

  Then gan the Peoples Cry and Commons Sute

  Importune care of their owne publicke cause; 395

  And lastly Justice charged her with breach of lawes.

  XLV

  But then for her, on the contrarie part,

  Rose many advocates for her to plead:

  First there came Pittie, with full tender hart,

  And with her joyn’d Regard of Womanhead; 400

  And then came Daunger, threatning hidden dread

  And high alliance unto forren powre;

  Then came Nobilitie of Birth, that bread

  Great ruth through her misfortunes tragicke stowre;

  And lastly Griefe did plead, and many teares forth powre. 405

  XLVI

  With the neare touch whereof in tender hart

  The Briton Prince was sore empassionate,

  And woxe inclined much unto her part,

  Through the sad terror of so dreadfull fate,

  And wretched ruine of so high estate, 410

  That for great ruth his courage gan relent.

  Which when as Zele perceived to abate,

  He gan his earnest fervour to augment,

  And many fearefull objects to them to present.

  XLVII

  He gan t’ efforce the evidence anew, 415

  And new accusements to produce in place:

  He brought forth that old hag of hellish hew,

  The cursed Ate, brought her face to face,

  Who privie was, and partie in the case:

  She, glad of spoyle and ruinous decay, 420

  Did her appeach, and, to her more disgrace,

  The plot of all her practise did display,

  And all her traynes and all her treasons forth did lay.

  XLVIII

  Then brought he forth, with griesly grim aspect,

  Abhorred Murder, who with bloudie knyfe 425

  Yet dropping fresh in hand did her detect,

  And there with guiltie bloudshed charged ryfe:

  Then brought he forth Sedition, breeding stryfe

  In troublous wits, and mutinous uprore:

  Then brought he forth Incontinence of Lyfe, 430
/>   Even foule Adulterie her face before,

  And lewd Impietie, that her accused sore.

  XLIX

  All which when as the Prince had heard and seene,

  His former fancies ruth he gan repent,

  And from her partie eftsoones was drawen cleene. 435

  But Artegall, with constant firme intent,

  For zeale of justice was against her bent.

  So was she guiltie deemed of them all.

  Then Zele began to urge her punishment,

  And to their queene for judgement loudly call, 440

  Unto Mercilla myld, for justice gainst the thrall.

  L

  But she, whose princely breast was touched nere

  With piteous ruth of her so wretched plight,

  Though plaine she saw, by all that she did heare,

  That she of death was guiltie found by right, 445

  Yet would not let just vengeance on her light;

  But rather let in stead thereof to fall

  Few perling drops from her faire lampes of light;

  The which she covering with her purple pall

  Would have the passion hid, and up arose withall. 450

  Faerie Queene Detailed Table of Contents

  Glossary for ‘The Faerie Queene’

  Canto X

  Prince Arthur takes the enterprize

  For Belgee for to fight:

  Gerioneos seneschall

  He slayes in Belges right.

  I

  SOME clarkes doe doubt in their devicefull art,

  Whether this heavenly thing whereof I treat,

  To weeten Mercie, be of Justice part,

  Or drawne forth from her by divine extreate.

  This well I wote, that sure she is as great, 5

  And meriteth to have as high a place,

  Sith in th’ Almighties everlasting seat

  She first was bred, and borne of heavenly race;

  From thence pour’d down on men, by influence of grace.

  II

  For if that vertue be of so great might, 10

  Which from just verdict will for nothing start,

  But, to preserve inviolated right,

  Oft spiles the principall, to save the part;

  So much more then is that of powre and art,

  That seekes to save the subject of her skill, 15

  Yet never doth from doome of right depart:

  As it is greater prayse to save then spill,

  And better to reforme then to cut off the ill.

  III

  Who then can thee, Mercilla, throughly prayse,

  That herein doest all earthly princess pas? 20

  What heavenly muse shall thy great honour rayse

  Up to the skies, whence first deriv’d it was,

  And now on earth it selfe enlarged has

  From th’ utmost brinke of the Americke shore

  Unto the margent of the Molucas? 25

  Those nations farre thy justice doe adore:

  But thine owne people do thy mercy prayse much more.

  IV

  Much more it praysed was of those two knights,

  The noble Prince and righteous Artegall,

  When they had seene and heard her doome a rights 30

  Against Duessa, damned by them all;

  But by her tempred without griefe or gall,

  Till strong constraint did her thereto enforce:

  And yet even then running her wilfull fall

  With more then needfull naturall remorse, 35

  And yeelding the last honour to her wretched corse.

  V

  During all which, those knights continu’d there,

  Both doing and receiving curtesies

  Of that great ladie, who with goodly chere

  Them entertayn’d, fit for their dignities, 40

  Approving dayly to their noble eyes

  Royall examples of her mercies rare,

  And worthie paterns of her clemencies;

  Which till this day mongst many living are,

  Who them to their posterities doe still declare. 45

  VI

  Amongst the rest, which in that space befell,

  There came two springals of full tender yeares,

  Farre thence from forrein land, where they did dwell,

  To seeke for succour of her and of her peares,

  With humble prayers and intreatfull teares; 50

  Sent by their mother, who a widow was,

  Wrapt in great dolours and in deadly feares

  By a strong tyrant, who invaded has

  Her land, and slaine her children ruefully, alas!

  VII

  Her name was Belgæ, who in former age 55

  A ladie of great worth and wealth had beene,

  And mother of a frutefull heritage,

  Even seventeene goodly sonnes; which who had seene

  In their first flowre, before this fatall teene

  Them overtooke, and their faire blossomes blasted, 60

  More happie mother would her surely weene

  Then famous Niobe, before she tasted

  Latonaes childrens wrath, that all her issue wasted.

  VIII

  But this fell tyrant, through his tortious powre,

  Had left her now but five of all that brood: 65

  For twelve of them he did by times devoure,

  And to his idole sacrifice their blood,

  Whylest he of none was stopped, nor withstood.

  For soothly he was one of matchlesse might,

  Of horrible aspect and dreadfull mood, 70

  And had three bodies in one wast empight,

  And th’ armes and legs of three, to succour him in fight.

  IX

  And sooth they say that he was borne and bred

  Of gyants race, the sonne of Geryon,

  He that whylome in Spaine so sore was dred 75

  For his huge powre and great oppression,

  Which brought that land to his subjection

  Through his three bodies powre, in one combynd;

  And eke all strangers, in that region

  Arryving, to his kyne for food assynd; 80

  The fayrest kyne alive, but of the fiercest kynd.

  X

  For they were all, they say, of purple hew,

  Kept by a cowheard, hight Eurytion,

  A cruell carle, the which all strangers slew,

  Ne day nor night did sleepe, t’ attend them on, 85

  But walkt about them ever and anone,

  With his two headed dogge, that Orthrus hight;

  Orthrus begotten by great Typhaon

  And foule Echidna, in the house of Night;

  But Hercules them all did overcome in fight. 90

  XI

  His sonne was this, Geryoneo hight;

  Who, after that his monstrous father fell

  Under Alcides club, streight tooke his flight

  From that sad land, where he his syre did quell,

  And came to this, where Belge then did dwell 95

  And flourish in all wealth and happinesse,

  Being then new made widow (as befell)

  After her noble husbands late decesse;

  Which gave beginning to her woe and wretchednesse.

  XII

  Then this bold tyrant, of her widowhed 100

  Taking advantage, and her yet fresh woes,

  Himselfe and service to her offered,

  Her to defend against all forrein foes,

  That should their powre against her right oppose.

  Whereof she glad, now needing strong defence, 105

  Him entertayn’d, and did her champion chose:

  Which long he usd with carefull diligence,

  The better to confirme her fearelesse confidence.

  XIII

  By meanes whereof, she did at last commit

  All to his hands, and gave him soveraine powre 110

  To doe what ever he thought good o
r fit.

  Which having got, he gan forth from that howre

  To stirre up strife, and many a tragicke stowre,

  Giving her dearest children one by one

  Unto a dreadfull monster to devoure, 115

  And setting up an idole of his owne,

  The image of his monstrous parent Geryone.

  XIV

  So tyrannizing, and oppressing all,

  The woefull widow had no meanes now left,

  But unto gratious great Mercilla call 120

  For ayde against that cruell tyrants theft,

  Ere all her children he from her had reft.

  Therefore these two, her eldest sonnes, she sent,

  To seeke for succour of this ladies gieft:

  To whom their sute they humbly did present, 125

  In th’ hearing of full many knights and ladies gent.

  XV

  Amongst the which then fortuned to bee

  The noble Briton Prince, with his brave peare;

  Who when he none of all those knights did see

  Hastily bent that enterprise to heare, 130

  Nor undertake the same, for cowheard feare,

  He stepped forth with courage bold and great,

  Admyr’d of all the rest in presence there,

  And humbly gan that mightie queene entreat

  To graunt him that adventure for his former feat. 135

  XVI

  She gladly graunted it: then he straight way

  Himselfe unto his journey gan prepare,

  And all his armours readie dight that day,

  That nought the morrow next mote stay his fare.

  The morrow next appear’d, with purple hayre 140

  Yet dropping fresh out of the Indian fount,

  And bringing light into the heavens fayre,

  When he was readie to his steede to mount,

  Unto his way, which now was all his care and count.

  XVII

  Then taking humble leave of that great queene, 145

  Who gave him roiall giftes and riches rare,

  As tokens of her thankefull mind beseene,

  And leaving Artegall to his owne care,

  Upon his voyage forth he gan to fare,

  With those two gentle youthes, which him did guide, 150

  And all his way before him still prepare.

  Ne after him did Artigall abide,

  But on his first adventure forward forth did ride.

  XVIII

  It was not long till that the Prince arrived

  Within the land where dwelt that ladie sad, 155

  Whereof that tyrant had her now deprived,

  And into moores and marshes banisht had,

  Out of the pleasant soyle and citties glad,

  In which she wont to harbour happily:

  But now his cruelty so sore she drad, 160

  That to those fennes for fastnesse she did fly,

  And there her selfe did hyde from his hard tyranny.

  XIX