Complete Works of Edmund Spenser

by Edmund Spenser

  Where none shall name the number of his place?

  One joyous houre in blisfull happines,

  I chose before a life of wretchednes.

  Be therefore counselled herein by me, 985

  And shake off this vile harted cowardree.

  If he awake, yet is not death the next,

  For we may coulor it with some pretext

  Of this or that, that may excuse the cryme:

  Else we may flye; thou to a tree mayst clyme, 990

  And I creepe under ground; both from his reach:

  Therefore be rul’d to doo as I doo teach.’

  The Ape, that earst did nought but chill and quake,

  Now gan some courage unto him to take,

  And was content to attempt that enterprise, 995

  Tickled with glorie and rash covetise.

  But first gan question, whither should assay

  Those royall ornaments to steale away.

  ‘Marie, that shall your selfe,’ quoth he theretoo,

  ‘For ye be fine and nimble it to doo; 1000

  Of all the beasts which in the forrests bee

  Is not a fitter for this turne than yee:

  Therefore, mine owne deare brother, take good hart,

  And ever thinke a kingdome is your part.’

  Loath was the Ape, though praised, to adventer, 1005

  Yet faintly gan into his worke to enter,

  Afraid of everie leafe that stir’d him by,

  And everie stick that underneath did ly:

  Upon his tiptoes nicely he up went,

  For making noyse, and still his eare he lent 1010

  To everie sound that under heaven blew;

  Now went, now stept, now crept, now backward drew,

  That it good sport had been him to have eyde.

  Yet at the last (so well he him applyde)

  Through his fine handling and cleanly play 1015

  He all those royall signes had stolne away,

  And with the Foxes helpe them borne aside

  Into a secret corner unespide.

  Whether whenas they came, they fell at words,

  Whether of them should be the lord of lords: 1020

  For th’ Ape was stryfull and ambicious,

  And the Foxe guilefull and most covetous;

  That neither pleased was, to have the rayne

  Twixt them divided into even twaine,

  But either algates would be lord alone: 1025

  For love and lordship bide no paragone.

  ‘I am most worthie,’ said the Ape, ‘sith I

  For it did put my life in jeopardie:

  Thereto I am in person and in stature

  Most like a man, the lord of everie creature; 1030

  So that it seemeth I was made to raigne,

  And borne to be a kingly soveraigne.’

  ‘Nay,’ said the Foxe, ‘Sir Ape, you are astray:

  For though to steale the diademe away

  Were the worke of your nimble hand, yet I 1035

  Did first devise the plot by pollicie;

  So that it wholly springeth from my wit:

  For which also I claime my selfe more fit

  Than you to rule: for government of state

  Will without wisedome soone be ruinate. 1040

  And where ye claime your selfe for outward shape

  Most like a man, man is not like an ape

  In his chiefe parts, that is, in wit and spirite;

  But I therein most like to him doo merite,

  For my slie wyles and subtill craftinesse, 1045

  The title of the kingdome to possesse.

  Nath’les (my brother) since we passed are

  Unto this point, we will appease our jarre;

  And I with reason meete will rest content,

  That ye shall have both crowne and government, 1050

  Upon condition that ye ruled bee

  In all affaires, and counselled by mee;

  And that ye let none other ever drawe

  Your minde from me, but keepe this as a lawe:

  And hereupon an oath unto me plight.’ 1055

  The Ape was glad to end the strife so light,

  And thereto swore: for who would not oft sweare,

  And oft unsweare, a diademe to beare?

  Then freely up those royall spoyles he tooke;

  Yet at the Lyons skin he inly quooke; 1060

  But it dissembled; and upon his head

  The crowne, and on his backe the skin, he did,

  And the false Foxe him helped to array.

  Then when he was all dight he tooke his way

  Into the forest, that he might be seene 1065

  Of the wilde beasts in his new glory sheene.

  There the two first whome he encountred were

  The Sheepe and th’ Asse, who, striken both with feare

  At sight of him, gan fast away to flye;

  But unto them the Foxe alowd did cry, 1070

  And in the kings name bad them both to stay,

  Upon the payne that thereof follow may.

  Hardly naythles were they restrayned so,

  Till that the Foxe forth toward them did goe,

  And there disswaded them from needlesse feare, 1075

  For that the king did favour to them beare;

  And therefore dreadles bad them come to corte:

  For no wild beasts should do them any torte

  There or abroad, ne would his Majestye

  Use them but well, with gracious clemencye, 1080

  As whome he knew to him both fast and true.

  So he perswaded them, with homage due

  Themselves to humble to the Ape prostrate,

  Who, gently to them bowing in his gate,

  Receyved them with chearefull entertayne. 1085

  Thenceforth proceeding with his princely trayne,

  He shortly met the Tygre, and the Bore,

  Which with the simple Camell raged sore

  In bitter words, seeking to take occasion,

  Upon his fleshly corpse to make invasion: 1090

  But soone as they this mock-king did espy,

  Their troublous strife they stinted by and by,

  Thinking indeed that it the Lyon was.

  He then, to prove whether his powre would pas

  As currant, sent the Foxe to them streight way, 1095

  Commaunding them their cause of strife bewray;

  And, if that wrong on eyther side there were,

  That he should warne the wronger to appeare

  The morrow next at court, it to defend;

  In the meane time upon the king t’ attend. 1100

  The subtile Foxe so well his message sayd,

  That the proud beasts him readily obayd:

  Whereby the Ape in wondrous stomack woxe,

  Strongly encorag’d by the crafty Foxe;

  That king indeed himselfe he shortly thought, 1105

  And all the beasts him feared as they ought,

  And followed unto his palaice hye;

  Where taking conge, each one by and by

  Departed to his home in dreadfull awe,

  Full of the feared sight, which late they sawe. 1110

  The Ape, thus seized of the regall throne,

  Eftsones by counsell of the Foxe alone

  Gan to provide for all things in assurance,

  That so his rule might lenger have endurance.

  First, to his gate he pointed a strong gard, 1115

  That none might enter but with issue hard:

  Then, for the safegard of his personage,

  He did appoint a warlike equipage

  Of forreine beasts, not in the forest bred,

  But part by land and part by water fed; 1120

  For tyrannie is with strange ayde supported.

  Then unto him all monstrous beasts resorted

  Bred of two kindes, as Griffons, Minotaures,

  Crocodiles, Dragons, Beavers, and Centaures:

 
With those himselfe he strengthned mightelie, 1125

  That feare he neede no force of enemie.

  Then gan he rule and tyrannize at will,

  Like as the Foxe did guide his graceles skill,

  And all wylde beasts mado vassals of his pleasures,

  And with their spoyles enlarg’d his private treasures. 1130

  No care of justice, nor no rule of reason,

  No temperance, nor no regard of season,

  Did thenceforth ever enter in his minde,

  But crueltie, the signe of currish kinde,

  And sdeignfull pride, and wilfull arrogaunce; 1135

  Such followes those whom fortune doth advaunce.

  But the false Foxe most kindly plaid his part:

  For whatsoever mother wit or arte

  Could worke, he put in proofe: no practise slie,

  No counterpoint of cunning policie, 1140

  No reach, no breach, that might him profit bring,

  But he the same did to his purpose wring.

  Nought suffered he the Ape to give or graunt,

  But through his hand must passe the fiaunt.

  All offices, all leases by him lept, 1145

  And of them all whatso he likte he kept.

  Justice he solde injustice for to buy,

  And for to purchase for his progeny.

  Ill might it prosper, that ill gotten was,

  But, so he got it, little did he pas. 1150

  He fed his cubs with fat of all the soyle,

  And with the sweete of others sweating toyle;

  He crammed them with crumbs of benefices,

  And fild their mouthes with meeds of malefices;

  He cloathed them with all colours save white, 1155

  And loded them with lordships and with might,

  So much as they were able well to beare,

  That with the weight their backs nigh broken were.

  He chaffred chayres in which churchmen were set,

  And breach of lawes to privie ferme did let; 1160

  No statute so established might bee,

  Nor ordinaunce so needfull, but that hee

  Would violate, though not with violence,

  Yet under colour of the confidence

  The which the Ape reposd’ in him alone, 1165

  And reckned him the kingdomes corner stone.

  And ever, when he ought would bring to pas,

  His long experience the platforme was:

  And when he ought not pleasing would put by,

  The cloke was care of thrift, and husbandry, 1170

  For to encrease the common treasures store.

  But his owne treasure he encreased more,

  And lifted up his loftie towres thereby,

  That they began to threat the neighbour sky;

  The whiles the princes pallaces fell fast 1175

  To ruine, (for what thing can ever last?)

  And whilest the other peeres, for povertie,

  Were forst their auncient houses to let lie,

  And their olde castles to the ground to fall,

  Which their forefathers, famous over all, 1180

  Had founded for the kingdomes ornament,

  And for their memories long moniment.

  But he no count made of nobilitie,

  Nor the wilde beasts whom armes did glorifie,

  The realmes chiefe strength and girlond of the crowne. 1185

  All these through fained crimes he thrust adowne,

  Or made them dwell in darknes of disgrace:

  For none but whom he list might come in place.

  Of men of armes he had but small regard,

  But kept them lowe, and streigned verie hard. 1190

  For men of learning little he esteemed;

  His wisedome he above their learning deemed.

  As for the rascall commons, least he cared;

  For not so common was his bountie shared:

  ‘Let God,’ said he, ‘if please, care for the manie, 1195

  I for my selfe must care before els anie.’

  So did he good to none, to manie ill,

  So did he all the kingdome rob and pill,

  Yet none durst speake, ne none durst of him plaine;

  So great he was in grace, and rich through gaine. 1200

  Ne would he anie let to have accesse

  Unto the prince, but by his owne addresse:

  For all that els did come were sure to faile;

  Yet would he further none but for availe.

  For on a time the Sheepe, to whom of yore 1205

  The Foxe had promised of friendship store,

  What time the Ape the kingdome first did gaine,

  Came to the court, her case there to complaine;

  How that the Wolfe, her mortall enemie,

  Had sithence slaine her lambe most cruellie; 1210

  And therefore crav’d to come unto the king,

  To let him knowe the order of the thing.

  ‘Soft, Gooddie Sheepe!’ then said the Foxe, ‘not soe:

  Unto the king so rash ye may not goe;

  He is with greater matter busied 1215

  Than a lambe, or the lambes owne mothers hed.

  Ne certes may I take it well in part,

  That ye my cousin Wolfe so fowly thwart,

  And seeke with slaunder his good name to blot:

  For there was cause, els doo it he would not: 1220

  Therefore surcease, good dame, and hence depart.’

  So went the Sheepe away with heavie hart:

  So manie moe, so everie one was used,

  That to give largely to the boxe refused.

  Now when high Jove, in whose almightie hand 1225

  The care of kings and power of empires stand,

  Sitting one day within his turret hye,

  From whence he vewes with his blacklidded eye

  Whatso the heaven in his wide vawte containes,

  And all that in the deepest earth remaines, 1230

  And troubled kingdome of wilde beasts behelde,

  Whom not their kindly sovereigne did welde,

  But an usurping Ape, with guile suborn’d,

  Had all subverst, he sdeignfully it scorn’d

  In his great heart, and hardly did refraine 1235

  But that with thunder bolts he had him slaine,

  And driven downe to hell, his dewest meed.

  But him avizing, he that dreadfull deed

  Forbore, and rather chose with scornfull shame

  Him to avenge, and blot his brutish name 1240

  Unto the world, that never after anie

  Should of his race be voyd of infamie:

  And his false counsellor, the cause of all,

  To damne to death, or dole perpetuall,

  From whence he never should be quit nor stal’d. 1245

  Forthwith he Mercurie unto him cal’d,

  And bad him flie with never resting speed

  Unto the forrest, where wilde beasts doo breed,

  And there enquiring privily, to learne

  What did of late chaunce to the Lyon stearne, 1250

  That he rul’d not the empire, as he ought;

  And whence were all those plaints unto him brought

  Of wrongs and spoyles by salvage beasts committed;

  Which done, he bad the Lyon be remitted

  Into his seate, and those same treachours vile 1255

  Be punished for their presumptuous guile.

  The sonne of Maia, soone as he receiv’d

  That word, streight with his azure wings he cleav’d

  The liquid clowdes and lucid firmament;

  Ne staid, till that he came with steep descent 1260

  Unto the place, where his prescript did showe.

  There stouping, like an arrowe from a bowe,

  He soft arrived on the grassie plaine,

  And fairly paced forth with easie paine,

  Till that unto the pallace nigh he came. 1265

  The
n gan he to himselfe new shape to frame.

  And that faire face, and that ambrosiall hew,

  Which wonts to decke the gods immortall crew,

  And beautefie the shinie firmament,

  He doft, unfit for that rude rabblement. 1270

  So standing by the gates in strange disguize,

  He gan enquire of some in secret wize,

  Both of the king, and of his government,

  And of the Foxe, and his false blandishment:

  And evermore he heard each one complaine 1275

  Of foule abuses both in realme and raine:

  Which yet to prove more true, he meant to see,

  And an ey-witnes of each thing to bee.

  Tho on his head his dreadfull hat he dight,

  Which maketh him invisible in sight, 1280

  And mocketh th’ eyes of all the lookers on,

  Making them thinke it but a vision.

  Through power of that, he runnes through enemies swerds;

  Through power of that, he passeth through the herds

  Of ravenous wilde beasts, and doth beguile 1285

  Their greedie mouthes of the expected spoyle;

  Through power of that, his cunning theeveries

  He wonts to worke, that none the same espies;

  And through the power of that, he putteth on

  What shape he list in apparition. 1290

  That on his head he wore, and in his hand

  He tooke Caduceus, his snakie wand,

  With which the damned ghosts he governeth,

  And furies rules, and Tartare tempereth.

  With that he causeth sleep to seize the eyes, 1295

  And feare the harts of all his enemyes;

  And when him list, an universall night

  Throughout the world he makes on everie wight,

  As when his syre with Alcumena lay.

  Thus dight, into the court he tooke his way, 1300

  Both through the gard, which never him descride,

  And through the watchmen, who him never spide:

  Thenceforth he past into each secrete part,

  Whereas he saw, that sorely griev’d his hart,

  Each place abounding with fowle injuries, 1305

  And fild with treasure rackt with robberies;

  Each place defilde with blood of guiltles beasts,

  Which had been slaine, to serve the Apes beheasts;

  Gluttonie, malice, pride, and covetize,

  And lawlesnes raigning with riotize; 1310

  Besides the infinite extortions,

  Done through the Foxes great oppressions,

  That the complaints thereof could not be tolde.

  Which when he did with lothfull eyes beholde,

  He would no more endure, but came his way, 1315

  And cast to seeke the Lion, where he may,

  That he might worke the avengement for this shame

  On those two caytives, which had bred him blame;