The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  For he was false, and fraught with ficklenesse,

  And learned had to loue with secret lookes,

  And well could daunce, and sing with ruefulnesse,

  And fortunes tell, and read in louing bookes,

  And thousand other wayes, to bait his fleshly hookes.

  Inconstant man, that loued all he saw,

  And lusted after all, that he did loue,

  Ne would his looser life be tide to law,

  But ioyd weake wemens hearts to tempt, and proue

  If from their loyall loues he might then moue;

  Which lewdnesse fild him with reprochfull paine

  Of that fowle euill, which all men reproue,

  That rots the marrow, and consumes the braine:

  Such one was Lecherie, the third of all this traine.

  And greedy Auarice by him did ride,

  Vpon a Camell loaden all with gold;

  Two iron coffers hong on either side,

  With precious mettall full, as they might hold,

  And in his lap an heape of coine he told;

  For of his wicked pelfe his God he made,

  And vnto hell him selfe for money sold;

  Accursed vsurie was all his trade,

  And right and wrong ylike in equall ballaunce waide.

  His life was nigh vnto deaths doore yplast,

  And thred-bare cote, and cobled shoes he ware,

  Ne scarse good morsell all his life did tast,

  But both from backe and belly still did spare,

  To fill his bags, and richesse to compare;

  Yet chylde ne kinsman liuing had he none

  To leaue them to; but thorough daily care

  To get, and nightly feare to lose his owne,

  He led a wretched life vnto him selfe vnknowne.

  Most wretched wight, whom nothing might suffise,

  Whose greedy lust did lacke in greatest store,

  Whose need had end, but no end couetise,

  Whose wealth was want, whose pl&etilde;ty made him pore,

  Who had enough, yet wished euer more;

  A vile disease, and eke in foote and hand

  A grieuous gout tormented him full sore,

  That well he could not touch, nor go, nor stand:

  Such one was Auarice, the fourth of this faire band.

  And next to him malicious Enuie rode,

  Vpon a rauenous wolfe, and still did chaw

  Betweene his cankred teeth a venemous tode,

  That all the poison ran about his chaw;

  But inwardly he chawed his owne maw

  At neighbours wealth, that made him euer sad;

  For death it was, when any good he saw,

  And wept, that cause of weeping none he had,

  But when he heard of harme, he wexed wondrous glad.

  All in a kirtle of discolourd say

  He clothed was, ypainted full of eyes;

  And in his bosome secretly there lay

  An hatefull Snake, the which his taile vptyes

  In many folds, and mortall sting implyes.

  Still as he rode, he gnasht his teeth, to see

  Those heapes of gold with griple Couetyse,

  And grudged at the great felicitie

  Of proud Lucifera, and his owne companie.

  He hated all good workes and vertuous deeds,

  And him no lesse, that any like did vse,

  And who with gracious bread the hungry feeds,

  His almes for want of faith he doth accuse;

  So euery good to bad he doth abuse:

  And eke the verse of famous Poets witt

  He does backebite, and spightfull poison spues

  From leprous mouth on all, that euer writt:

  Such one vile Enuie was, that fift in row did sitt.

  And him beside rides fierce reuenging VVrath,

  Vpon a Lion, loth for to be led;

  And in his hand a burning brond he hath,

  The which he brandisheth about his hed;

  His eyes did hurle forth sparkles fiery red,

  And stared sterne on all, that him beheld,

  As ashes pale of hew and seeming ded;

  And on his dagger still his hand he held,

  Trembling through hasty rage, wh&etilde; choler in him sweld.

  His ruffin raiment all was staind with blood,

  Which he had spilt, and all to rags yrent,

  Through vnaduized rashnesse woxen wood;

  For of his hands he had no gouernement,

  Ne car'd for bloud in his auengement:

  But when the furious fit was ouerpast,

  His cruell facts he often would repent;

  Yet wilfull man he neuer would forecast,

  How many mischieues should ensue his heedlesse hast.

  Full many mischiefes follow cruell VVrath;

  Abhorred bloudshed, and tumultuous strife,

  Vnmanly murder, and vnthrifty scath,

  Bitter despight, with rancours rusty knife,

  And fretting griefe the enemy of life;

  All these, and many euils moe haunt ire,

  The swelling Splene, and Frenzy raging rife,

  The shaking Palsey, and Saint Fraunces fire:

  Such one was VVrath, the last of this vngodly tire.

  And after all, vpon the wagon beame

  Rode Sathan, with a smarting whip in hand,

  With which he forward lasht the laesie teme,

  So oft as Slowth still in the mire did stand.

  Huge routs of people did about them band,

  Showting for ioy, and still before their way

  A foggy mist had couered all the land;

  And vnderneath their feet, all scattered lay

  Dead sculs & bones of men, whose life had gone astray.

  So forth they marchen in this goodly sort,

  To take the solace of the open aire,

  And in fresh flowring fields themselues to sport;

  Emongst the rest rode that false Lady faire,

  The fowle Duessa, next vnto the chaire

  Of proud Lucifer', as one of the traine:

  But that good knight would not so nigh repaire,

  Him selfe estraunging from their ioyaunce vaine,

  Whose fellowship seemd far vnfit for warlike swaine.

  So hauing solaced themselues a space

  With pleasaunce of the breathing fields yfed

  They backe returned to the Princely Place;

  Whereas an errant knight in armes ycled,

  And heathnish shield, wherein with letters red

  Was writ Sans ioy, they new arriued find:

  Enflam'd with fury and fiers hardy-hed,

  He seemd in hart to harbour thoughts vnkind,

  And nourish bloudy vengeaunce in his bitter mind.

  Who when the shamed shield of slaine Sans foy

  He spide with that same Faery champions page,

  Bewraying him, that did of late destroy

  His eldest brother, burning all with rage

  He to him leapt, and that same enuious gage

  Of victors glory from him snatcht away:

  But th'Elfin knight, which ought that warlike wage,

  Disdaind to loose the meed he wonne in fray,

  And him rencountring fierce, reskewd the noble pray.

  Therewith they gan to hurtlen greedily,

  Redoubted battaile ready to darrayne,

  And clash their shields, and shake their swords on hy,

  That with their sturre they troubled all the traine;

  Till that great Queene vpon eternall paine

  Of high displeasure, that ensewen might,

  Commaunded them their fury to refraine,

  And if that either to that shield had right,

  In equall lists they should the morrow next it fight.

  Ah dearest Dame, (quoth then the Paynim bold,)

  Pardon the errour of enraged wight,

  Whom great griefe made forget the raines to hold
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  Of reasons rule, to see this recreant knight,

  No knight, but treachour full of false despight

  And shamefull treason, who through guile hath slayn

  The prowest knight, that euer field did fight,

  Euen stout Sans foy (O who can then refrayn?)

  Whose shield he beares renuerst, the more to heape disdayn.

  And to augment the glorie of his guile,

  His dearest loue the faire Fidessa loe

  Is there possessed of the traytour vile,

  Who reapes the haruest sowen by his foe,

  Sowen in bloudy field, and bought with woe:

  That brothers hand shall dearely well requight

  So be, ô Queene, you equall fauour showe.

  Him litle answerd th'angry Elfin knight;

  He neuer meant with words, but swords to plead his right.

  But threw his gauntlet as a sacred pledge,

  His cause in combat the next day to try:

  So been they parted both, with harts on edge,

  To be aueng'd each on his enimy.

  That night they pas in ioy and iollity,

  Feasting and courting both in bowre and hall;

  For Steward was excessiue Gluttonie,

  That of his plenty poured forth to all:

  Which doen, the Chamberlain Slowth did to rest them call.

  Now whenas darkesome night had all displayd

  Her coleblacke curtein ouer brightest skye,

  The warlike youthes on dayntie couches layd,

  Did chace away sweet sleepe from sluggish eye,

  To muse on meanes of hoped victory.

  But whenas Morpheus had with leaden mace

  Arrested all that courtly company,

  Vp-rose Duessa from her resting place,

  And to the Paynims lodging comes with silent pace.

  Whom broad awake she finds, in troublous fit,

  Forecasting, how his foe he might annoy,

  And him amoues with speaches seeming fit:

  Ah deare Sans ioy, next dearest to Sans foy,

  Cause of my new griefe, cause of my new ioy,

  Ioyous, to see his ymage in mine eye,

  And greeu'd, to thinke how foe did him destroy,

  That was the flowre of grace and cheualrye;

  Lo his Fidessa to thy secret faith I flye.

  With gentle wordes he can her fairely greet,

  And bad say on the secret of her hart.

  Then sighing soft, I learne that litle sweet

  Oft tempred is (quoth she) with muchell smart:

  For since my brest was launcht with louely dart

  Of deare Sansfoy, I neuer ioyed howre,

  But in eternall woes my weaker hart

  Haue wasted, louing him with all my powre,

  And for his sake haue felt full many an heauie stowre.

  At last when perils all I weened past,

  And hop'd to reape the crop of all my care,

  Into new woes vnweeting I was cast,

  By this false faytor, who vnworthy ware

  His worthy shield, whom he with guilefull snare

  Entrapped slew, and brought to shamefull graue.

  Me silly maid away with him he bare,

  And euer since hath kept in darksome caue,

  For that I would not yeeld, that to Sans-foy I gaue.

  But since faire Sunne hath sperst that lowring clowd,

  And to my loathed life now shewes some light,

  Vnder your beames I will me safely shrowd,

  From dreaded storme of his disdainfull spight:

  To you th'inheritance belongs by right

  Of brothers prayse, to you eke longs his loue.

  Let not his loue, let not his restlesse spright

  Be vnreueng'd, that calles to you aboue

  From wandring Stygian shores, where it doth endlesse moue.

  Thereto said he, Faire Dame be nought dismaid

  For sorrowes past; their griefe is with them gone:

  Ne yet of present perill be affraid;

  For needlesse feare did neuer vantage none,

  And helplesse hap it booteth not to mone.

  Dead is Sans-foy, his vitall paines are past,

  Though greeued ghost for vengeance deepe do grone:

  He liues, that shall him pay his dewties last,

  And guiltie Elfin bloud shall sacrifice in hast.

  O but I feare the fickle freakes (quoth shee)

  Of fortune false, and oddes of armes in field.

  Why dame (quoth he) what oddes can euer bee,

  Where both do fight alike, to win or yield?

  Yea but (quoth she) he beares a charmed shield,

  And eke enchaunted armes, that none can perce,

  Ne none can wound the man, that does them wield.

  Charmd or enchaunted (answerd he then ferce)

  I no whit reck, ne you the like need to reherce.

  But faire Fidessa, sithens fortunes guile,

  Or enimies powre hath now captiued you,

  Returne from whence ye came, and rest a while

  Till morrow next, that I the Elfe subdew,

  And with Sans-foyes dead dowry you endew.

  Ay me, that is a double death (she said)

  With proud foes sight my sorrow to renew:

  Where euer yet I be, my secrete aid

  Shall follow you. So passing forth she him obaid.

  Cant. V.

  The faithfull knight in equall field

  subdewes his faithlesse foe,

  Whom false Duessa saues, and for

  his cure to hell does goe.

  THe noble hart, that harbours vertuous thought,

  And is with child of glorious great intent,

  Can neuer rest, vntill it forth haue brought

  Th'eternall brood of glorie excellent:

  Such restlesse passion did all night torment

  The flaming corage of that Faery knight,

  Deuizing, how that doughtie turnament

  With greatest honour he atchieuen might;

  Still did he wake, and still did watch for dawning light.

  At last the golden Orientall gate

  Of greatest heauen gan to open faire,

  And Phoebus fresh, as bridegrome to his mate,

  Came dauncing forth, shaking his deawie haire:

  And hurld his glistring beames through gloomy aire.

  Which when the wakeful Elfe perceiu'd, streight way

  He started vp, and did him selfe prepaire,

  In sun-bright armes, and battailous array:

  For with that Pagan proud he combat will that day.

  And forth he comes into the commune hall,

  Where earely waite him many a gazing eye,

  To weet what end to straunger knights may fall.

  There many Minstrales maken melody,

  To driue away the dull melancholy,

  And many Bardes, that to the trembling chord

  Can tune their timely voyces cunningly,

  And many Chroniclers, that can record

  Old loues, and warres for Ladies doen by many a Lord.

  Soone after comes the cruell Sarazin,

  In wouen maile all armed warily,

  And sternly lookes at him, who not a pin

  Does care for looke of liuing creatures eye.

  They bring them wines of Greece and Araby,

  And daintie spices fetcht from furthest Ynd,

  To kindle heat of corage priuily:

  And in the wine a solemne oth they bynd

  T'obserue the sacred lawes of armes, that are assynd.

  At last forth comes that far renowmed Queene,

  With royall pomp and Princely maiestie;

  She is ybrought vnto a paled greene,

  And placed vnder stately canapee,

  The warlike feates of both those knights to see.

  On th'other side in all mens open vew

  Duessa placed is, and on a tree

  Sans-f
oy his shield is hangd with bloudy hew:

  Both those the lawrell girlonds to the victor dew.

  A shrilling trompet sownded from on hye,

  And vnto battaill bad them selues addresse:

  Their shining shieldes about their wrestes they tye,

  And burning blades about their heads do blesse,

  The instruments of wrath and heauinesse:

  With greedy force each other doth assayle,

  And strike so fiercely, that they do impresse

  Deepe dinted furrowes in the battred mayle;

  The yron walles to ward their blowes are weake & fraile.

  The Sarazin was stout, and wondrous strong,

  And heaped blowes like yron hammers great:

  For after bloud and vengeance he did long.

  The knight was fiers, and full of youthly heat:

  And doubled strokes, like dreaded thunders threat:

  For all for prayse and honour he did fight.

  Both stricken strike, and beaten both do beat,

  That from their shields forth flyeth firie light,

  And helmets hewen deepe, shew marks of eithers might.

  So th'one for wrong, the other striues for right:

  As when a Gryfon seized of his pray,

  A Dragon fiers encountreth in his flight,

  Through widest ayre making his ydle way,

  That would his rightfull rauine rend away:

  With hideous horrour both together smight,

  And souce so sore, that they the heauens affray:

  The wise Southsayer seeing so sad sight,

  Th'amazed vulgar tels of warres and mortall fight.

  So th'one for wrong, the other striues for right,

  And each to deadly shame would driue his foe:

  The cruell steele so greedily doth bight

  In tender flesh, that streames of bloud down flow,

  With which the armes, that earst so bright did show,

  Into a pure vermillion now are dyde:

  Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow,

  Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde,

  That victory they dare not wish to either side.

  At last the Paynim chaunst to cast his eye,

  His suddein eye, flaming with wrathfull fyre,

  Vpon his brothers shield, which hong thereby: