The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  Did breed him endlesse labour to subdew:

  But this same Monster much more vgly was;

  For seuen great heads out of his body grew,

  An yron brest, and backe of scaly bras,

  And all embrewd in bloud, his eyes did shine as glas.

  His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length,

  That to the house of heauenly gods it raught,

  And with extorted powre, and borrow'd strength,

  The euer-burning lamps from thence it braught,

  And prowdly threw to ground, as things of naught;

  And vnderneath his filthy feet did tread

  The sacred things, and holy heasts foretaught.

  Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuenfold head

  He set the false Duessa, for more aw and dread.

  The wofull Dwarfe, which saw his maisters fall,

  Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed,

  And valiant knight become a caytiue thrall,

  When all was past, tooke vp his forlorne weed,

  His mightie armour, missing most at need;

  His siluer shield, now idle maisterlesse;

  His poynant speare, that many made to bleed,

  The ruefull moniments of heauinesse,

  And with them all departes, to tell his great distresse.

  He had not trauaild long, when on the way

  He wofull Ladie, wofull Vna met,

  Fast flying from the Paynims greedy pray,

  Whilest Satyrane him from pursuit did let:

  Who when her eyes she on the Dwarf had set,

  And saw the signes, that deadly tydings spake,

  She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret,

  And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake,

  Yet might her pitteous hart be seene to pant and quake.

  The messenger of so vnhappie newes

  Would faine haue dyde: dead was his hart within,

  Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes:

  At last recouering hart, he does begin

  To rub her temples, and to chaufe her chin,

  And euery tender part does tosse and turne:

  So hardly he the flitted life does win,

  Vnto her natiue prison to retourne:

  Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament and mourne.

  Ye dreary instruments of dolefull sight,

  That doe this deadly spectacle behold,

  Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light,

  Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould,

  Sith cruell fates the carefull threeds vnfould,

  The which my life and loue together tyde?

  Now let the stony dart of senselesse cold

  Perce to my hart, and pas through euery side,

  And let eternall night so sad [sight] fro me hide.

  O lightsome day, the lampe of highest Ioue,

  First made by him, mens wandring wayes to guyde,

  When darknesse he in deepest dongeon droue,

  Henceforth thy hated face for euer hyde,

  And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde:

  For earthly sight can nought but sorow breed,

  And late repentance, which shall long abyde.

  Mine eyes no more on vanitie shall feed,

  But seeled vp with death, shall haue their deadly meed.

  Then downe againe she fell vnto the ground;

  But he her quickly reared vp againe:

  Thrise did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd,

  And thrise he her reviu'd with busie paine:

  At last when life recouer'd had the raine,

  And ouer-wrestled his strong enemie,

  With foltring tong, and trembling euery vaine,

  Tell on (quoth she) the wofull Tragedie,

  The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eie.

  Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight,

  And thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart;

  Thy sad tongue cannot tell more heauy plight,

  Then that I feele, and harbour in mine hart:

  Who hath endur'd the whole, can beare each part.

  If death it be, it is not the first wound,

  That launched hath my brest with bleeding smart.

  Begin, and end the bitter balefull stound;

  If lesse, then that I feare, more fauour I haue found.

  Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare,

  The subtill traines of Archimago old;

  The wanton loues of false Fidessa faire,

  Bought with the bloud of vanquisht Paynim bold:

  The wretched payre transform'd to treen mould;

  The house of Pride, and perils round about;

  The combat, which he with Sansioy did hould;

  The lucklesse conflict with the Gyant stout,

  Wherein captiu'd, of life or death he stood in doubt.

  She heard with patience all vnto the end,

  And stroue to maister sorrowfull assay,

  Which greater grew, the more she did contend,

  And almost rent her tender hart in tway;

  And loue fresh coles vnto her fire did lay:

  For greater loue, the greater is the losse.

  Was neuer Ladie loued dearer day,

  Then she did loue the knight of the Redcrosse;

  For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse.

  At last when feruent sorrow slaked was,

  She vp arose, resoluing him to find

  A liue or dead: and forward forth doth pas,

  All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd:

  And euermore in constant carefull mind

  She fed her wound with fresh renewed bale;

  Long tost with stormes, and bet with bitter wind,

  High ouer hils, and low adowne the dale,

  She wandred many a wood, and measurd many a vale.

  At last she chaunced by good hap to meet

  A goodly knight, faire marching by the way

  Together with his Squire, arayed meet:

  His glitterand armour shined farre away,

  Like glauncing light of Phoebus brightest ray;

  From top to toe no place appeared bare,

  That deadly dint of steele endanger may:

  Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue he ware,

  That shynd, like twinkling stars, with stons most pretious rare.

  And in the midst thereof one pretious stone

  Of wondrous worth, and eke of wondrous mights,

  Shapt like a Ladies head, exceeding shone,

  Like Hesperus emongst the lesser lights,

  And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights;

  Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong

  In yuory sheath, ycaru'd with curious slights;

  Whose hilts were burnisht gold, and handle strong

  Of mother pearle, and buckled with a golden tong.

  His haughtie helmet, horrid all with gold,

  Both glorious brightnesse, and great terrour bred;

  For all the crest a Dragon did enfold

  With greedie pawes, and ouer all did spred

  His golden wings: his dreadfull hideous hed

  Close couched on the beuer, seem'd to throw

  From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red,

  That suddeine horror to faint harts did show;

  And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low.

  Vpon the top of all his loftie crest,

  A bunch of haires discolourd diuersly,

  With sprincled pearle, and gold full richly drest,

  Did shake, and seem'd to daunce for iollity,

  Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye

  On top of greene Selinis all alone,

  With blossomes braue bedecked daintily;

  Whose tender locks do tremble euery one

  At euery little breath, that vnder heauen is blowne.

  His warlike shield all closely couer'd was,

  Ne might of mortall eye be euer
seene;

  Not made of steele, nor of enduring bras,

  Such earthly mettals soone consumed bene:

  But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene

  It framed was, one massie entire mould,

  Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene,

  That point of speare it neuer percen could,

  Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would.

  The same to wight he neuer wont disclose,

  But when as monsters huge he would dismay,

  Or daunt vnequall armies of his foes,

  Or when the flying heauens he would affray;

  For so exceeding shone his glistring ray,

  That Phoebus golden face it did attaint,

  As when a cloud his beames doth ouer-lay;

  And siluer Cynthia wexed pale and faint,

  As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint.

  No magicke arts hereof had any might,

  Nor bloudie wordes of bold Enchaunters call,

  But all that was not such, as seemd in sight,

  Before that shield did fade, and suddeine fall:

  And when him list the raskall routes appall,

  Men into stones therewith he could transmew,

  And stones to dust, and dust to nought at all;

  And when him list the prouder lookes subdew,

  He would them gazing blind, or turne to other hew.

  Ne let it seeme, that credence this exceedes,

  For he that made the same, was knowne right well

  To haue done much more admirable deedes.

  It Merlin was, which whylome did excell

  All liuing wightes in might of magicke spell:

  Both shield, and sword, and armour all he wrought

  For this young Prince, when first to armes he fell;

  But when he dyde, the Faerie Queene it brought

  To Faerie lond, where yet it may be seene, if sought.

  A gentle youth, his dearely loued Squire

  His speare of heben wood behind him bare,

  Whose harmefull head, thrice heated in the fire,

  Had riuen many a brest with pikehead square;

  A goodly person, and could menage faire

  His stubborne steed with curbed canon bit,

  Who vnder him did trample as the aire,

  And chauft, that any on his backe should sit;

  The yron rowels into frothy fome he bit.

  When as this knight nigh to the Ladie drew,

  With louely court he gan her entertaine;

  But when he heard her answeres loth, he knew

  Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine:

  Which to allay, and calme her storming paine,

  Faire feeling words he wisely gan display,

  And for her humour fitting purpose faine,

  To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray;

  Wherewith emmou'd, these bleeding words she gan to say.

  What worlds delight, or ioy of liuing speach

  Can heart, so plung'd in sea of sorrowes deepe,

  And heaped with so huge misfortunes, reach?

  The carefull cold beginneth for to creepe,

  And in my heart his yron arrow steepe,

  Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale:

  Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keepe,

  Then rip vp griefe, where it may not auaile,

  My last left comfort is, my woes to weepe and waile.

  Ah Ladie deare, quoth then the gentle knight,

  Well may I weene, your griefe is wondrous great;

  For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright,

  Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat.

  But wofull Ladie let me you intrete,

  For to vnfold the anguish of your hart:

  Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete,

  And counsell mittigates the greatest smart;

  Found neuer helpe, who neuer would his hurts impart.

  O but (quoth she) great griefe will not be tould,

  And can more easily be thought, then said.

  Right so; (quoth he) but he, that neuer would,

  Could neuer: will to might giues greatest aid.

  But griefe (quoth she) does greater grow displaid,

  If then it find not helpe, and breedes despaire.

  Despaire breedes not (quoth he) where faith is staid.

  No faith so fast (quoth she) but flesh does paire.

  Flesh may empaire (quoth he) but reason can repaire.

  His goodly reason, and well guided speach

  So deepe did settle in her gratious thought,

  That her perswaded to disclose the breach,

  Which loue and fortune in her heart had wrought,

  And said; faire Sir, I hope good hap hath brought

  You to inquere the secrets of my griefe,

  Or that your wisedome will direct my thought,

  Or that your prowesse can me yield reliefe:

  Then heare the storie sad, which I shall tell you briefe.

  The forlorne Maiden, whom your eyes haue seene

  The laughing stocke of fortunes mockeries,

  Am th'only daughter of a King and Queene,

  Whose parents deare, whilest equall destinies

  Did runne about, and their felicities

  The fauourable heauens did not enuy,

  Did spread their rule through all the territories,

  Which Phison and Euphrates floweth by,

  And Gehons golden waues doe wash continually.

  Till that their cruell cursed enemy,

  An huge great Dragon horrible in sight,

  Bred in the loathly lakes of Tartary,

  With murdrous rauine, and deuouring might

  Their kingdome spoild, and countrey wasted quight:

  Themselues, for feare into his iawes to fall,

  He forst to castle strong to take their flight,

  Where fast embard in mightie brasen wall,

  He has them now foure yeres besiegd to make th&etilde; thrall.

  Full many knights aduenturous and stout

  Haue enterprizd that Monster to subdew;

  From euery coast that heauen walks about,

  Haue thither come the noble Martiall crew,

  That famous hard atchieuements still pursew,

  Yet neuer any could that girlond win,

  But all still shronke, and still he greater grew:

  All they for want of faith, or guilt of sin,

  The pitteous pray of his fierce crueltie haue bin.

  At last yledd with farre reported praise,

  Which flying fame throughout the world had spred,

  Of doughtie knights, whom Faery land did raise,

  That noble order hight of Maidenhed,

  Forthwith to court of Gloriane I sped,

  Of Gloriane great Queene of glory bright,

  Whose kingdomes seat Cleopolis is red,

  There to obtaine some such redoubted knight,

  That Parents deare from tyrants powre deliuer might.

  It was my chance (my chance was faire and good)

  There for to find a fresh vnproued knight,

  Whose manly hands imbrew'd in guiltie blood

  Had neuer bene, ne euer by his might

  Had throwne to ground the vnregarded right:

  Yet of his prowesse proofe he since hath made

  (I witnesse am) in many a cruell fight;

  The groning ghosts of many one dismaide

  Haue felt the bitter dint of his auenging blade.

  And ye the forlorne reliques of his powre,

  His byting sword, and his deuouring speare,

  Which haue endured many a dreadfull stowre,

  Can speake his prowesse, that did earst you beare,

  And well could rule: now he hath left you heare,

  To be the record of his ruefull losse,

  And of my dolefull disauenturous deare:

  O heauie record of the good
Redcrosse,

  Where haue you left your Lord, that could so well you tosse?

  Well hoped I, and faire beginnings had,

  That he my captiue langour should redeeme,

  Till all vnweeting, an Enchaunter bad

  His sence abusd, and made him to misdeeme

  My loyalty, not such as it did seeme;

  That rather death desire, then such despight.

  Be iudge ye heauens, that all things right esteeme,

  How I him lou'd, and loue with all my might,

  So thought I eke of him, and thinke I thought aright.

  Thenceforth me desolate he quite forsooke,

  To wander, where wilde fortune would me lead,

  And other bywaies he himselfe betooke,

  Where neuer foot of liuing wight did tread,

  That brought not backe the balefull body dead;

  In which him chaunced false Duessa meete,

  Mine onely foe, mine onely deadly dread,

  Who with her witchcraft and misseeming sweete,

  Inueigled him to follow her desires vnmeete.

  At last by subtill sleights she him betraid

  Vnto his foe, a Gyant huge and tall,

  Who him disarmed, dissolute, dismaid,

  Vnwares surprised, and with mightie mall

  The monster mercilesse him made to fall,

  Whose fall did neuer foe before behold;

  And now in darkesome dungeon, wretched thrall,

  Remedilesse, for aie he doth him hold;

  This is my cause of griefe, more great, then may be told.

  Ere she had ended all, she gan to faint:

  But he her comforted and faire bespake,

  Certes, Madame, ye haue great cause of plaint,

  That stoutest heart, I weene, could cause to quake.

  But be of cheare, and comfort to you take:

  For till I haue acquit your captiue knight,

  Assure your selfe, I will you not forsake.

  His chearefull words reuiu'd her chearelesse spright,

  So forth they went, the Dwarfe them guiding euer right.

  Cant. VIII.

  Faire virgin to redeeme her deare

  brings Arthur to the fight,

  Who slayes the Gyant, wounds the beast,

  and strips Duessa quight.

  AY me, how many perils doe enfold