The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  I liue this day, and see my foes subdewd,

  What may suffise, to be for meede repayd

  Of so great graces, as ye haue me shewd,

  But to be euer bound

  To whom the Infant thus, Faire Sir, what need

  Good turnes be counted, as a seruile bond,

  To bind their doers, to receiue their meede?

  Are not all knights by oath bound, to withstond

  Oppressours powre by armes and puissant hond?

  Suffise, that I haue done my dew in place.

  So goodly purpose they together fond,

  Of kindnesse and of curteous aggrace;

  The whiles false Archimarge and Atin fled apace.

  Cant. IX.

  The house of Temperance, in which

  doth sober Alma dwell,

  Besiegd of many foes, whom straunger

  knightes to flight compell.

  O F all Gods workes, which do this world adorne,

  There is no one more faire and excellent,

  Then is mans body both for powre and forme,

  Whiles it is kept in sober gouernment;

  But none then it, more fowle and indecent,

  Distempred through misrule and passions bace:

  It growes a Monster, and incontinent

  Doth loose his dignitie and natiue grace.

  Behold, who list, both one and other in this place.

  After the Paynim brethren conquer'd were,

  The Briton Prince recou'ring his stolne sword,

  And Guyon his lost shield, they both yfere

  Forth passed on their way in faire accord,

  Till him the Prince with gentle court did bord;

  Sir knight, mote I of you this curt'sie read,

  To weet why on your shield so goodly scord

  Beare ye the picture of that Ladies head?

  Full liuely is the semblaunt, though the substance dead.

  Faire Sir (said he) if in that picture dead

  Such life ye read, and vertue in vaine shew,

  What mote ye weene, if the trew liuely-head

  Of that most glorious visage ye did vew?

  But if the beautie of her mind ye knew,

  That is her bountie, and imperiall powre,

  Thousand times fairer then her mortall hew,

  O how great wonder would your thoughts deuoure,

  And infinite desire into your spirite poure!

  She is the mighty Queene of Faerie,

  Whose faire retrait I in my shield do beare;

  She is the flowre of grace and chastitie,

  Throughout the world renowmed far and neare,

  My liefe, my liege, my Soueraigne, my deare,

  Whose glory shineth as the morning starre,

  And with her light the earth enlumines cleare;

  Far reach her mercies, and her prayses farre,

  As well in state of peace, as puissaunce in warre.

  Thrise happy man, (said then the Briton knight)

  Whom gracious lot, and thy great valiaunce

  Haue made thee souldier of that Princesse bright,

  Which with her bounty and glad countenance

  Doth blesse her seruaunts, and them high aduaunce.

  How may straunge knight hope euer to aspire,

  By faithfull seruice, and meet amenance,

  Vnto such blisse? sufficient were that hire

  For losse of thousand liues, to dye at her desire.

  Said Guyon, Noble Lord, what meed so great,

  Or grace of earthly Prince so soueraine,

  But by your wondrous worth and warlike feat

  Ye well may hope, and easely attaine?

  But were your will, her sold to entertaine,

  And numbred be mongst knights of Maydenhed,

  Great guerdon, well I wote, should you remaine,

  And in her fauour high be reckoned,

  As Arthegall, and Sophy now beene honored.

  Certes (then said the Prince) I God auow,

  That sith I armes and knighthood first did plight,

  My whole desire hath beene, and yet is now,

  To serue that Queene with all my powre and might.

  Now hath the Sunne with his lamp-burning light,

  Walkt round about the world, and I no lesse,

  Sith of that Goddesse I haue sought the sight,

  Yet no where can her find: such happinesse

  Heauen doth to me enuy, and fortune fauourlesse.

  Fortune, the foe of famous cheuisaunce

  Seldome (said Guyon) yields to vertue aide,

  But in her way throwes mischiefe and mischaunce,

  Whereby her course is stopt, and passage staid.

  But you, faire Sir, be not herewith dismaid,

  But constant keepe the way, in which ye stand;

  Which were it not, that I am else delaid

  With hard aduenture, which I haue in hand,

  I labour would to guide you through all Faery land.

  Gramercy Sir (said he) but mote I wote,

  What straunge aduenture do ye now pursew?

  Perhaps my succour, or aduizement meete

  Mote stead you much your purpose to subdew.

  Then gan Sir Guyon all the story shew

  Of false Acrasia, and her wicked wiles,

  Which to auenge, the Palmer him forth drew

  From Faery court. So talked they, the whiles

  They wasted had much way, and measurd many miles.

  And now faire Phoebus gan decline in hast

  His weary wagon to the Westerne vale,

  Whenas they spide a goodly castle, plast

  Foreby a riuer in a pleasaunt dale,

  Which choosing for that euenings hospitale,

  They thither marcht: but when they came in sight,

  And from their sweaty Coursers did auale,

  They found the gates fast barred long ere night,

  And euery loup fast lockt, as fearing foes despight.

  Which when they saw, they weened fowle reproch

  Was to them doen, their entrance to forstall,

  Till that the Squire gan nigher to approch;

  And wind his horne vnder the castle wall,

  That with the noise it shooke, as it would fall:

  Eftsoones forth looked from the highest spire

  The watch, and lowd vnto the knights did call,

  To weete, what they so rudely did require.

  Who gently answered, They entrance did desire.

  Fly fly, good knights, (said he) fly fast away

  If that your liues ye loue, as meete ye should;

  Fly fast, and saue your selues from neare decay,

  Here may ye not haue entraunce, though we would:

  We would and would againe, if that we could;

  But thousand enemies about vs raue,

  And with long siege vs in this castle hould:

  Seuen yeares this wize they vs besieged haue,

  And many good knights slaine, that haue vs sought to saue.

  Thus as he spoke, loe with outragious cry

  A thousand villeins round about them swarmd

  Out of the rockes and caues adioyning nye,

  Vile caytiue wretches, ragged, rude, deformd,

  All threatning death, all in straunge manner armd,

  Some with vnweldy clubs, some with long speares,

  Some rusty kniues, some staues in fire warmd.

  Sterne was their looke, like wild amazed steares,

  Staring with hollow eyes, and stiffe vpstanding heares.

  Fiersly at first those knights they did assaile,

  And droue them to recoile: but when againe

  They gaue fresh charge, their forces gan to faile,

  Vnhable their encounter to sustaine;

  For with such puissaunce and impetuous maine

  Those Champions broke on them, that forst them fly,

  Like scattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepheards swaine

  A Lyon and a Tigre
doth espye,

  With greedy pace forth rushing from the forest nye.

  A while they fled, but soone returnd againe

  With greater fury, then before was found;

  And euermore their cruell Capitaine

  Sought with his raskall routs t'enclose them round,

  And ouerrun to tread them to the ground.

  But soone the knights with their bright-burning blades

  Broke their rude troupes, and orders did confound,

  Hewing and slashing at their idle shades;

  For though they bodies seeme, yet substance from them fades.

  As when a swarme of Gnats at euentide

  Out of the fennes of Allan do arise,

  Their murmuring small trompets sounden wide,

  Whiles in the aire their clustring army flies,

  That as a cloud doth seeme to dim the skies;

  Ne man nor beast may rest, or take repast,

  For their sharpe wounds, and noyous iniuries,

  Till the fierce Northerne wind with blustring blast

  Doth blow them quite away, and in the Ocean cast.

  Thus when they had that troublous rout disperst,

  Vnto the castle gate they come againe,

  And entraunce crau'd, which was denied erst.

  Now when report of that their perilous paine,

  And combrous conflict, which they did sustaine,

  Came to the Ladies eare, which there did dwell,

  She forth issewed with a goodly traine

  Of Squires and Ladies equipaged well,

  And entertained them right fairely, as befell.

  Alma she called was, a virgin bright;

  That had not yet felt Cupides wanton rage,

  Yet was she woo'd of many a gentle knight,

  And many a Lord of noble parentage,

  That sought with her to lincke in marriage:

  For she was faire, as faire mote euer bee,

  And in the flowre now of her freshest age;

  Yet full of grace and goodly modestee,

  That euen heauen reioyced her sweete face to see.

  In robe of lilly white she was arayd,

  That from her shoulder to her heele downe raught,

  The traine whereof loose far behind her strayd,

  Braunched with gold & pearle, most richly wrought,

  And borne of two faire Damsels, which were taught,

  That seruice well. Her yellow golden heare

  Was trimly wouen, and in tresses wrought,

  Ne other tyre she on her head did weare,

  But crowned with a garland of sweet Rosiere.

  Goodly she entertaind those noble knights,

  And brought them vp into her castle hall;

  Where gentle court and gracious delight

  She to them made, with mildnesse virginall,

  Shewing her selfe both wise and liberall:

  There when they rested had a season dew,

  They her besought of fauour speciall,

  Of that faire Castle to affoord them vew;

  She graunted, & them leading forth, the same did shew.

  First she them led vp to the Castle wall,

  That was so high, as foe might not it clime,

  And all so faire, and fensible withall,

  Not built of bricke, ne yet of stone and lime,

  But of thing like to that AEgyptian slime,

  Whereof king Nine whilome built Babell towre;

  But ˆo; great pitty, that no lenger time

  So goodly workemanship should not endure:

  Soone it must turne to earth; no earthly thing is sure.

  The frame thereof seemd partly circulare,

  And part triangulare, ô: worke diuine;

  Those two the first and last proportions are,

  The one imperfect, mortall, foeminine;

  Th'other immortall, perfect, masculine,

  And twixt them both a quadrate was the base,

  Proportioned equally by seuen and nine;

  Nine was the circle set in heauens place,

  All which compacted made a goodly Diapase.

  Therein two gates were placed seemly well:

  The one before, by which all in did pas,

  Did th'other far in workmanship excell;

  For not of wood, nor of enduring bras,

  But of more worthy substance fram'd it was;

  Doubly disparted, it did locke and close,

  That when it locked, none might thorough pas,

  And when it opened, no man might it close,

  Still open to their friends, and closed to their foes.

  Of hewen stone the porch was fairely wrought,

  Stone more of valew, and more smooth and fine,

  Then Iet or Marble far from Ireland brought;

  Ouer the which was cast a wandring vine,

  Enchaced with a wanton yuie twine.

  And ouer it a faire Portcullis hong,

  Which to the gate directly did incline,

  With comely compasse, and compacture strong,

  Neither vnseemely short, nor yet exceeding long.

  Within the Barbican a Porter sate,

  Day and night duely keeping watch and ward,

  Nor wight, nor word mote passe out of the gate,

  But in good order, and with dew regard;

  Vtterers of secrets he from thence debard,

  Bablers of folly, and blazers of crime.

  His larumbell might lowd and wide be hard,

  When cause requird, but neuer out of time;

  Early and late it rong, at euening and at prime.

  And round about the porch on euery side

  Twise sixteen warders sat, all armed bright

  In glistring steele, and strongly fortifide:

  Tall yeomen seemed they, and of great might,

  And were enraunged ready, still for fight.

  By them as Alma passed with her guestes,

  They did obeysaunce, as beseemed right,

  And then againe returned to their restes:

  The Porter eke to her did lout with humble gestes.

  Thence she them brought into a stately Hall,

  Wherein were many tables faire dispred,

  And ready dight with drapets festiuall,

  Against the viaundes should be ministred.

  At th'upper end there sate, yclad in red

  Downe to the ground, a comely personage,

  That in his hand a white rod menaged,

  He Steward was hight Diet; rype of age,

  And in demeanure sober, and in counsell sage.

  And through the Hall there walked to and fro

  A iolly yeoman, Marshall of the same,

  Whose name was Appetite; he did bestow

  Both guestes and meate, when euer in they came,

  And knew them how to order without blame,

  As him the Steward bad. They both attone

  Did dewty to their Lady, as became;

  Who passing by, forth led her guestes anone

  Into the kitchin rowme, ne spard for nicenesse none.

  It was a vaut ybuilt for great dispence,

  With many raunges reard along the wall;

  And one great chimney, whose long tonnell thence,

  The smoke forth threw. And in the midst of all

  There placed was a caudron wide and tall,

  Vpon a mighty furnace, burning whot,

  More whot, then Aetn', or flaming Mongiball:

  For day and night it brent, ne ceased not,

  So long as any thing it in the caudron got.

  But to delay the heat, least by mischaunce

  It might breake out, and set the whole on fire,

  There added was by goodly ordinaunce,

  An huge great paire of bellowes, which did styre

  Continually, and cooling breath inspyre.

  About the Caudron many Cookes accoyld,

  With hookes and ladles, as need did require;

  The whiles th
e viandes in the vessell boyld

  They did about their businesse sweat, and sorely toyld.

  The maister Cooke was cald Concoction,

  A carefull man, and full of comely guise:

  The kitchin Clerke, that hight Digestion,

  Did order all th'Achates in seemely wise,

  And set them forth, as well he could deuise.

  The rest had seuerall offices assind,

  Some to remoue the scum, as it did rise;

  Others to beare the same away did mind;

  And others it to vse according to his kind.

  But all the liquour, which was fowle and wast,

  Not good nor seruiceable else for ought,

  They in another great round vessell plast,

  Till by a conduit pipe it thence were brought:

  And all the rest, that noyous was, and nought,

  By secret wayes, that none might it espy,

  Was close conuaid, and to the back-gate brought,

  That cleped was Port Esquiline, whereby

  It was auoided quite, and throwne out priuily.

  Which goodly order, and great workmans skill

  Whenas those knights beheld, with rare delight,

  And gazing wonder they their minds did fill;

  For neuer had they seene so straunge a sight.

  Thence backe againe faire Alma led them right,

  And soone into a goodly Parlour brought,

  That was with royall arras richly dight,

  In which was nothing pourtrahed, nor wrought,

  Not wrought, nor pourtrahed, but easie to be thought.

  And in the midst thereof vpon the floure,

  A louely beuy of faire Ladies sate,

  Courted of many a iolly Paramoure,

  The which them did in modest wise amate,

  And each one sought his Lady to aggrate:

  And eke emongst them litle Cupid playd

  His wanton sports, being returned late

  From his fierce warres, and hauing from him layd

  His cruell bow, wherewith he thousands hath dismayd.

  Diuerse delights they found them selues to please;

  Some song in sweet consort, some laught for ioy,

  Some plaid with strawes, some idly sat at ease;

  But other some could not abide to toy,

  All pleasaunce was to them griefe and annoy: