The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

And why? doe it declare vnto me trew.

  A knight (said he) if knight he may be thought,

  That did his hand in Ladies bloud embrew,

  And for no cause, but as I shall you shew.

  This day as I in solace sate hereby

  With a fayre loue, whose losse I now do rew,

  There came this knight, hauing in companie

  This lucklesse Ladie, which now here doth headlesse lie.

  He, whether mine seem'd fayrer in his eye,

  Or that he wexed weary of his owne,

  Would change with me; but I did it denye;

  So did the Ladies both, as may be knowne,

  But he, whose spirit was with pride vpblowne,

  Would not so rest contented with his right,

  But hauing from his courser her downe throwne,

  Fro me reft mine away by lawlesse might,

  And on his steed her set, to beare her out of sight.

  Which when his Ladie saw, she follow'd fast,

  And on him catching hold, gan loud to crie

  Not so to leaue her, nor away to cast,

  But rather of his hand besought to die.

  With that his sword he drew all wrathfully,

  And at one stroke cropt off her head with scorne,

  In that same place, whereas it now doth lie.

  So he my loue away with him hath borne,

  And left me here, both his & mine owne loue to morne.

  Aread (sayd he) which way then did he make?

  And by what markes may he be knowne againe?

  To hope (quoth he) him soone to ouertake,

  That hence so long departed, is but vaine:

  But yet he pricked ouer yonder plaine,

  And as I marked, bore vpon his shield,

  By which it's easie him to know againe,

  A broken sword within a bloodie field;

  Expressing well his nature, which the same did wield.

  No sooner sayd, but streight he after sent

  His yron page, who him pursew'd so light,

  As that it seem'd aboue the ground he went:

  For he was swift as swallow in her flight,

  And strong as Lyon in his Lordly might.

  It was not long, before he ouertooke

  Sir Sanglier; (so cleeped was that Knight)

  Whom at the first he ghessed by his looke,

  And by the other markes, which of his shield he tooke.

  He bad him stay, and backe with him retire;

  Who full of scorne to be commaunded so,

  The Lady to alight did eft require,

  Whilest he reformed that vnciuill fo:

  And streight at him with all his force did go.

  Who mou'd no more therewith, then when a rocke

  Is lightly stricken with some stones throw;

  But tlo him leaping, len him such a knocke,

  That on the ground he layd him like a sencelesse blocke.

  But ere he could him selfe recure againe,

  Him in his iron paw he seized had;

  That when he wak't out of his warelesse paine,

  He found him selfe, vnwist, so ill bestad,

  That lim he could not wag. Thence he him lad,

  Bound like a beast appointed to the stall:

  The sight whereof the Lady sore adrad,

  And fain'd to fly for feare of being thrall;

  But he her quickly stayd, and forst to wend withall.

  When to the place they came, where Artegall

  By that same carefull Squire did then abide,

  He gently gan him to demaund of all,

  That did betwixt him and that Squire betide.

  Who with sterne countenance and indignant pride

  Did aunswere, that of all he guiltlesse stood,

  And his accuser thereuppon defide:

  For neither he did shed that Ladies bloud,

  Nor tooke away his loue, but his owne proper good.

  Well did the Squire perceiue him selfe too weake,

  To aunswere his defiaunce in the field,

  And rather chose his challenge off to breake,

  Then to approue his right with speare and shield.

  And rather guilty chose him selfe to yield.

  But Artegall by signes perceiuing plaine,

  That he it was not, which that Lady kild,

  But that strange Knight, the fairer loue to gaine,

  Did cast about by sleight the truth thereout to straine.

  And sayd, Now sure this doubtfull causes right

  Can hardly but by Sacrament be tride,

  Or else by ordele, or by blooddy fight;

  That ill perhaps mote fall to either side.

  But if ye please, that I your cause decide,

  Perhaps I may all further quarrell end,

  So ye will sweare my iudgement to abide.

  Thereto they both did franckly condiscend,

  And to his doome with listfull eares did both attend.

  Sith then (sayd he) ye both the dead deny,

  And both the liuing Lady claime your right,

  Let both the dead and liuing equally

  Deuided be betwixt you here in sight,

  And each of either take his share aright.

  But looke who does dissent from this my read,

  He for a twelue moneths day shall in despight

  Beare for his penaunce that same Ladies head;

  To witnesse to the world, that she by him is dead.

  Well pleased with that doome was Sangliere,

  And offred streight the Lady to be slaine.

  But that same Squire, to whom she was more dere,

  When as he saw she should be cut in twaine,

  Did yield, she rather should with him remaine

  Aliue, then to him selfe be shared dead;

  And rather then his loue should suffer paine,

  He chose with shame to beare that Ladies head

  True loue despiseth shame, when life is cald in dread.

  Whom when so willing Artegall perceaued;

  Not so thou Squire, (he sayd) but thine I deeme

  The liuing Lady, which from thee he reaued:

  For worthy thou of her doest rightly seeme.

  And you, Sir Knight, that loue so light esteeme,

  As that ye would for little leaue the same,

  Take here your owne, that doth you best beseeme,

  And with it beare the burden of defame;

  Your owne dead Ladies head, to tell abrode your shame.

  But Sangliere disdained much his doome,

  And sternly gan repine at his beheast;

  Ne would for ought obay, as did become,

  To beare that Ladies head before his breast.

  Vntill that Talus had his pride represt,

  And forced him, maulgre, it vp to reare.

  Who when he saw it bootelesse to resist,

  He tooke it vp, and thence with him did beare,

  As rated Spaniell takes his burden vp for feare.

  Much did that Squire Sir Artegall adore,

  For his great iustice, held in high regard;

  And as his Squire him offred euermore

  To serue, for want of other meete reward,

  And wend with him on his aduenture hard.

  But he thereto would by no meanes consent;

  But leauing him forth on his iourney far'd:

  Ne wight with him but onely Talus went.

  They two enough t'encounter an whole Regiment.

  Cant. II.

  Artegall heares of Florimell,

  Does with the Pagan fight:

  Him slaies, drownes Lady Munera

  Does race her castle quight.

  N Ought is more honorable to a knight,

  Ne better doth beseeme braue cheualry,

  Then to defend the feeble in their right,

  And wrong redresse in such as wend awry.

  Whilome those great Heroes got thereby

  Their greatest glory, for their rig
htfull deedes,

  And place deserued with the Gods on hy.

  Herein the noblesse of this knight exceedes,

  Who now to perils great for iustice sake proceedes.

  To which as he now was vppon the way,

  He chaunst to meet a Dwarfe in hasty course;

  Whom he requir'd his forward hast to stay,

  Till he of tidings mote with him discourse.

  Loth was the Dwarfe, yet did he stay perforse,

  And gan of sundry newes his store to tell,

  As to his memory they had recourse:

  But chiefely of the fairest Florimell,

  How she was found againe, and spousde to Marinell.

  For this was Dony, Florimels owne Dwarfe,

  Whom hauing lost (as ye haue heard whyleare)

  And finding in the way the scattred scarfe,

  The fortune of her life long time did feare.

  But of her health when Artegall did heare,

  And safe returne, he was full inly glad,

  And askt him where, and when her bridale cheare

  Should be solemniz'd: for if time he had,

  He would be there, and honor to her spousall ad.

  Within three daies (quoth hee) as I do here,

  It will be at the Castle of the strond;

  What time if naught me let, I will be there

  To doe her seruice, so as I am bond.

  But in my way a little here beyond

  A cursed cruell Sarazin doth wonne,

  That keepes a Bridges passage by strong hond,

  And many errant Knights hath there fordonne;

  That makes all men for feare that passage for to shonne.

  What mister wight (quoth he) and how far hence

  Is he, that doth to trauellers such harmes?

  He is (said he) a man of great defence;

  Expert in battell and in deedes of armes;

  And more emboldned by the wicked charmes,

  With which his daughter doth him still support;

  Hauing great Lordships got and goodly farmes,

  Through strong oppression of his powre extort;

  By which he stil them holds, & keepes with strong effort.

  And dayly he his wrongs encreaseth more,

  For neuer wight he lets to passe that way,

  Ouer his Bridge, albee he rich or poore,

  But he him makes his passage-penny pay:

  Else he doth hold him backe or beat away.

  Thereto he hath a groome of euill guize,

  Whose scalp is bare, that bondage doth bewray,

  Which pols and pils the poore in piteous wize;

  But he him selfe vppon th rich doth tyrannize.

  His name is hight Pollente, rightly so

  For that he is so puissant and strong,

  That with his powre he all doth ouergo,

  And makes them subiect to his mighty wrong;

  And some by sleight he eke doth vnderfong.

  For on a Bridge he custometh to fight,

  Which is but narrow, but exceeding long;

  And in the same are many trap fals pight,

  Through which the rider downe doth fall through ouersight.

  And vnderneath the same a riuer flowes,

  That is both swift and dangerous deepe withall;

  Into the which whomso he ouerthrowes,

  All destitute of helpe doth headlong fall,

  But he him selfe, through practise vsuall,

  Leapes forth into the floud, and there assaies

  His foe confused through his sodaine fall,

  That horse and man he equally dismaies,

  And either both them drownes, or trayterously slaies.

  Then doth he take the spoile of them at will,

  And to his daughter brings, that dwels thereby:

  Who all that comes doth take, and therewith fill

  The coffers of her wicked threasury;

  Which she with wrongs hath heaped vp so hy,

  That many Princes she in wealth exceedes,

  And purchast all the countrey lying ny

  With the reuenue of her plenteous meedes:

  Her name is Munera, agreeing with her deedes.

  Thereto she is full faire, and rich attired,

  With golden hands and siluer feete beside,

  That many Lords haue her to wife desired:

  But she them all despiseth for great pride.

  Now by my life (sayd he) and God to guide,

  None other way will I this day betake,

  But by that Bridge, whereas he doth abide:

  Therefore me thither lead. No more he spake,

  But thitherward forthright his ready way did make.

  Vnto the place he came within a while,

  Where on the Bridge he ready armed saw

  The Sarazin, awayting for some spoile.

  Who as they to the passage gan to draw,

  A villaine to them came with scull all raw,

  That passage money did of them require,

  According to the custome of their law.

  To whom he aunswerd wroth, Loe there thy hire;

  And with that word him strooke, that streight he did expire.

  Which when the Pagan saw, he wexed wroth,

  And streight him selfe vnto the fight addrest,

  Ne was Sir Artegall behinde: so both

  Together ran with ready speares in rest.

  Right in the midst, whereas they brest to brest

  Should meete, a trap was letten downe to fall

  Into the floud: streight leapt the Carle vnblest,

  Well weening that his foe was falne withall:

  But he was well aware, and leapt before his fall.

  There being both together in the floud,

  They each at other tyrannously flew;

  Ne ought the water cooled their whot bloud,

  But rather in them kindled choler new.

  But there the Paynim, who that vse well knew

  To fight in water, great aduantage had,

  That oftentimes him nigh he ouerthrew:

  And eke the courser, whereuppon he rad,

  Could swim like to a fish, whiles he his backe bestrad.

  Which oddes when as Sir Artegall espide,

  He saw no way, but close with him in hast;

  And to him driuing strongly downe the tide,

  Vppon his iron coller griped fast,

  That with the straint his wesand nigh he brast.

  There they together stroue and struggled long,

  Either the other from his steede to cast;

  Ne euer Artegall his griple strong

  For any thing wold slacke, but still vppon him hong.

  As when a Dolphin and a Sele are met,

  In the wide champian of the Ocean plaine:

  With cruell chaufe their courages they whet,

  The maysterdome of each by force to gaine,

  And dreadfull battaile twixt them do darraine:

  They snuf, they snort, they bo˜uce, they rage, they rore,

  That all the sea disturbed with their traine,

  Doth frie with fome aboue the surges hore.

  Such was betwixt these two the troublesome vprore.

  So Artegall at length him forst forsake

  His horses backe, for dread of being drownd,

  And to his handy swimming him betake.

  Eftsoones him selfe he from his hold vnbownd,

  And then no ods at all in him he fownd:

  For Artegall in swimming skilfull was,

  And durst the depth of any water sownd.

  So ought each Knight, that vse of perill has,

  In swimming be expert through waters force to pas.

  Then very doubtfull was the warres euent,

  Vncertaine whether had the better side:

  For both were skild in that experiment,

  And both in armes well traind and throughly tride.

  But Artegall was better breath'd beside,

&
nbsp; And towards th'end, grew greater in his might,

  That his faint foe no longer could abide

  His puissance, ne beare him selfe vpright,

  But from the water to the land betooke his flight.

  But Artegall pursewd him still so neare,

  With bright Chrysaor in his cruell hand,

  That as his head he gan a litle reare

  Aboue the brincke, to tread vpon the land,

  He smote it off, that tumbling on the strand

  It bit the earth for very fell despight,

  And gnashed with his teeth, as if he band

  High God, whose goodnesse he despaired quight,

  Or curst the hand, which did that veng&etilde;ace on him dight.

  His corps was carried downe along the Lee,

  Whose waters with his filthy bloud it stayned:

  But his blasphemous head, that all might see,

  He pitcht vpon a pole on high ordayned;

  Where many years it afterwards remayned,

  To be a mirrour to all mighty men,

  In whose right hands great power is contayned,

  That none of them the feeble ouerren,

  But alwaies doe their powre within iust compasse pen.

  That done, vnto the Castle he did wend,

  In which the Paynims daughter did abide,

  Guarded of many which did her defend:

  Of whom he entrance sought, but was denide,

  And with reprochfull blasphemy defide,

  Beaten with stones downe from the battilment,

  That he was forced to withdraw aside;

  And bad his seruant Talus to inuent

  Which way he enter might, without endangerment.

  Eftsoones his Page drew to the Castle gate,

  And with his iron flale at it let flie,

  That all the warders it did sore amate,

  The which erewhile spake so reprochfully,

  And made them stoupe, that looked earst so hie.

  Yet still he bet, and bounst vppon the dore,

  And thundred strokes thereon so hideouslie,

  That all the peece he shaked from the flore,

  And filled all the house with feare and great vprore.

  With noise whereof the Lady forth appeared

  Vppon the Castle wall, and when she saw

  The daungerous state, in which she stood, she feared