The Faerie Queene

by The Faerie Queen(Lit)

  With whom the woody Gods did oft consort:

  For, with the Nymphes, the Satyres loue to play & sport.

  Amongst the which, there was a Nymph that hight

  Molanna; daughter of old father Mole,

  And sister vnto Mulla, faire and bright:

  Vnto whose bed false Bregog whylome stole,

  That Shepheard Colin dearely did condole,

  And made her lucklesse loues well knowne to be.

  But this Molanna, were she not so shole,

  Were no lesse faire and beautifull then shee:

  Yet as she is, a fairer flood may no man see.

  For, first, she springs out of two marble Rocks,

  On which, a groue of Oakes high mounted growes,

  That as a girlond seemes to deck the locks

  Of som faire Bride, brought forth with pompous showes

  Out of her bowre, that many flowers strowes:

  So, through the flowry Dales she tumbling downe,

  Through many woods, and shady coverts flowes

  (That on each side her siluer channell crowne)

  Till to the Plaine she come, whose Valleyes shee doth drowne.

  In her sweet streames, Diana vsed oft

  (After her sweatie chace and toilesome play)

  To bathe her selfe; and after, on the soft

  And downy grasse, her dainty limbes to lay

  In couert shade, where none behold her may:

  For, much she hated sight of liuing eye.

  Foolish God Faunus, though full many a day

  He saw her clad, yet longed foolishly

  To see her naked mongst her Nymphes in priuity.

  No way he found to compasse his desire,

  But to corrupt Molanna, this her maid,

  Her to discouer for some secret hire:

  So, her with flattering words he first assaid;

  And after, pleasing gifts for her purvaid,

  Queene-apples, and red Cherries from the tree,

  VVith which he her allured and betraid,

  To tell what time he might her Lady see

  When she her selfe did bathe, that he might secret bee.

  There-to hee promist, if shee would him pleasure

  With this small boone, to quit her with a better;

  To weet, that where-as shee had out of measure

  Long lov'd the Fanchin, who by nought did set her,

  That he would vndertake, for this to get her

  To be his Loue, and of him liked well:

  Besides all which, he vow'd to be her debter

  For many moe good turnes then he would tell;

  The least of which, this little pleasure should excell.

  The simple maid did yield to him anone;

  And eft him placed where he close might view

  That neuer any saw, saue onely one;

  VVho, for his hire to so foole-hardy dew,

  Was of his hounds devour'd in Hunters hew.

  Tho, as her manner was on sunny day,

  Diana, with her Nymphes about her, drew

  To this sweet spring; where, doffing her array,

  She bath'd her louely limbes, for Ioue a likely pray.

  There Faunus saw that pleased much his eye,

  And made his hart to tickle in his brest,

  That for great ioy of some-what he did spy,

  He could him not containe in silent rest;

  But breaking forth in laughter, loud profest

  His foolish thought. O foolish Faune indeed,

  That couldst not hold thy selfe so hidden blest,

  But wouldest needs thine owne conceit areed.

  Babblers vnworthy been of so diuine a meed.

  The Goddesse, all abashed with that noise,

  In haste forth started from the guilty brooke;

  And running straight where-as she heard his voice,

  Enclos'd the bush about, and there him tooke,

  Like darred Larke; not daring vp to looke

  On her whose sight before so much he sought.

  Thence, forth they drew him by the hornes, & shooke

  Nigh all to peeces, that they left him nought;

  And then into the open light they forth him brought.

  Like as an huswife, that with busie care

  Thinks of her Dairie to make wondrous gaine,

  Finding where-as some wicked beast vnware

  That breakes into her Dayr'house, there doth draine

  Her creaming pannes, and frustrate all her paine;

  Hath in some snare or gin set close behind,

  Entrapped him, and caught into her traine,

  Then thinkes what punishment were best assign'd,

  And thousand deathes deuiseth in her vengefull mind:

  So did Diana and her maydens all

  Vse silly Faunus, now within their baile:

  They mocke and scorne him, and him foule miscall;

  Some by the nose him pluckt, some by the taile,

  And by his goatish beard some did him haile:

  Yet he (poore soule) with patience all did beare;

  For, nought against their wils might countervaile:

  Ne ought he said what euer he did heare;

  But hanging downe his head, did like a Mome appeare.

  At length, when they had flouted him their fill,

  They gan to cast what penaunce him to giue.

  Some would haue gelt him, but that same would spill

  The Wood-gods breed, which must for euer liue:

  Others would through the riuer him haue driue,

  And ducked deepe: but that seem'd penaunce light;

  But most agreed and did this sentence giue,

  Him in Deares skin to clad; & in that plight,

  To hunt him with their hounds, him selfe saue how hee might.

  But Cynthia's selfe, more angry then the rest,

  Thought not enough, to punish him in sport,

  And of her shame to make a gamesome iest;

  But gan examine him in straighter sort,

  Which of her Nymphes, or other close consort,

  Him thither brought, and her to him betraid?

  He, much affeard, to her confessed short,

  That 'twas Molanna which her so bewraid.

  Then all attonce their hands vpon Molanna laid.

  But him (according as they had decreed)

  With a Deeres-skin they couered, and then chast

  With all their hounds that after him did speed;

  But he more speedy, from them fled more fast

  Then any Deere: so sore him dread aghast.

  They after follow'd all with shrill out-cry,

  Shouting as they the heauens would haue brast:

  That all the woods and dales where he did flie,

  Did ring againe, and loud reeccho to the skie.

  So they him follow'd till they weary were;

  When, back returning to Molann' againe,

  They, by commaund'ment of Diana, there

  Her whelm'd with stones. Yet Faunus (for her paine)

  Of her beloued Fanchin did obtaine,

  That her he would receiue vnto his bed.

  So now her waues passe through a pleasant Plaine,

  Till with the Fanchin she her selfe doe wed,

  And (both combin'd) themselues in one faire riuer spred.

  Nath'lesse, Diana, full of indignation,

  Thence-forth abandond her delicious brooke;

  In whose sweet streame, before that bad occasion,

  So much delight to bathe her limbes she tooke:

  Ne onely her, but also quite forsooke

  All those faire forrests about Arlo hid,

  And all that Mountaine, which doth over-looke

  The richest champian that may else be rid,

  And the faire Shure, in which are thousand Salmons bred.

  Them all, and all that she so deare did way,

  Thence-forth she left; and parting from the place,

  There-on an h
eauy haplesse curse did lay,

  To weet, that Wolues, where she was wont to space,

  Should harbour'd be, and all those Woods deface,

  And Thieues should rob and spoile that Coast around.

  Since which, those Woods, and all that goodly Chase,

  Doth to this day with Wolues and Thieues abound:

  Which too-too true that lands in-dwellers since haue foũd.

  Cant. VII.

  Pealing, from Ioue, to Natur's Bar,

  bold Alteration pleades

  Large Euidence: but Nature soone

  her righteous Doome arades.

  A H! whither doost thou now thou greater Muse

  Me from these woods & pleasing forrests bring?

  And my fraile spirit (that dooth oft refuse

  This too high flight, vnfit for her weake wing)

  Lift vp aloft, to tell of heauens King

  (Thy soueraine Sire) his fortunate successe,

  And victory, in bigger noates to sing,

  Which he obtain'd against that Titanesse,

  That him of heauens Empire sought to dispossesse.

  Yet sith I needs must follow thy behest,

  Doe thou my weaker wit with skill inspire,

  Fit for this turne ; and in my sable brest

  Kindle fresh sparks of that immortall fire,

  Which learned minds inflameth with desire

  Of heauenly things: for, who but thou alone,

  That art yborne of heauen and heauenly Sire,

  Can tell things doen in heauen so long ygone:

  So farre past memory of man that may be knowne.

  Now, at the time that was before agreed,

  The Gods assembled all on Arlo hill;

  As well those that are sprung of heauenly seed,

  As those that all the other world doe fill,

  And rule both sea and land vnto their will:

  Onely th'infernall Powers might not appeare;

  Aswell for horror of their count'naunce ill,

  As for th'vnruly fiends which they did feare;

  Yet Pluto and Proserpina were present there.

  And thither also came all other creatures,

  What-euer life or motion doe retaine,

  According to their sundry kinds of features;

  That Arlo scarsly could them all containe;

  So full they filled euery hill and Plaine:

  And had not Natures Sergeant (that is Order)

  Them well disposed by his busie paine,

  And raunged farre abroad in euery border,

  They would haue caused much confusion and disorder.

  Then forth issewed (great goddesse) great dame Nature,

  With goodly port and gracious Maiesty;

  Being far greater and more tall of stature

  Then any of the gods or Powers on hie:

  Yet certes by her face and physnomy,

  Whether she man or woman inly were,

  That could not any creature well descry:

  For, with a veile that wimpled euery where,

  Her head and face was hid, that mote to none appeare

  That some doe say was so by skill deuized,

  To hide the terror of her vncouth hew,

  From mortall eyes that should be sore agrized;

  For that her face did like a Lion shew,

  That eye of wight could not indure to view:

  But others tell that it so beautious was,

  And round about such beames of splendor threw,

  That it the Sunne a thousand times did pass,

  Ne could be seene, but like an image in a glass.

  That well may seemen true: for, well I weene

  That this same day, when she on Arlo sat,

  Her garment was so bright and wondrous sheene,

  That my fraile wit cannot deuize to what

  It to compare, nor finde like stuffe to that,

  As those three sacred Saints, though else most wise,

  Yet on mount Thabor quite their wits forgat,

  When they their glorious Lord in strange disguise

  Transfigur'd sawe; his garments so did daze their eyes.

  In a fayre Plaine vpon an equall Hill,

  She placed was in a pauilion;

  Not such as Craftes-men by their idle skill

  Are wont for Princes states to fashion:

  But th'earth her self of her owne motion,

  Out of her fruitfull bosome made to growe

  Most dainty trees; that, shooting vp anon,

  Did seeme to bow their bloosming heads full lowe,

  For homage vnto her, and like a throne did shew.

  So hard it is for any liuing wight,

  All her array and vestiments to tell,

  That old Dan Geffrey (in whose gentle spright

  The pure well head of Poesie did dwell)

  In his Foules parley durst not with it mel,

  But it transferd to Alane, who he thought

  Had in his Plaint of kindes describ'd it well:

  Which who will read set forth so as it ought,

  Go seek he out that Alane where he may be sought.

  And all the earth far vnderneath her feete

  Was dight with flowres, that voluntary grew

  Out of the ground, and sent forth odours sweet;

  Tenne thousand mores of sundry sent and hew,

  That might delight the smell, or please the view:

  The which, the Nymphes, from all the brooks thereby

  Had gathered, which they at her foot-stoole threw;

  That richer seem'd then any tapestry,

  That Princes bowres adorne with painted imagery.

  And Mole himselfe, to honour her the more,

  Did deck himself in freshest faire attire,

  And his high head, that seemeth alwaies hore

  With hardned frosts of former winters ire,

  He with an Oaken girlond now did tire,

  As if the loue of some new Nymph late seene,

  Had in him kindled youthfull fresh desire,

  And made him change his gray attire to greene;

  Ah gentle Mole! such ioyance hath thee well beseene.

  Was neuer so great ioyance since the day,

  That all the gods whylome assembled were,

  On Hæmus hill in their diuine array,

  To celebrate the solemne bridall cheare,

  Twixt Peleus, and dame Thetis pointed there;

  Where Phoebus self, that god of Poets hight,

  They say did sing the spousall hymne full cleere,

  That all the gods were rauisht with delight

  Of his celestiall song, & Musicks wondrous might.

  This great Grandmother of all creatures bred

  Great Nature, euer young yet full of eld,

  Still moouing, yet vnmoued from her sted;

  Vnseene of any, yet of all beheld;

  Thus sitting in her throne as I haue teld,

  Before her came dame Mutabilitie;

  And being lowe before her presence feld,

  With meek obaysance and humilitie,

  Thus gan her plaintif Plea, with words to amplifie;

  To thee ô greatest goddesse, onely great,

  An humble suppliant loe, I lowely fly

  Seeking for Right, which I of thee entreat;

  Who Right to all dost deale indifferently,

  Damning all Wrong and tortious Iniurie,

  Which any of thy creatures doe to other

  (Oppressing them with power, vnequally)

  Sith of them all thou art the equall mother,

  And knittest each to each, as brother vnto brother.

  To thee therefore of this same Ioue I plaine,

  And of his fellow gods that faine to be,

  That challenge to themselues the whole worlds raign;

  Of which, the greatest part is due to me,

  And heauen it selfe by heritage in Fee:

  For, heauen and earth I both alike do deeme,

>   Sith heauen and earth are both alike to thee;

  And, gods no more then men thou doest esteeme:

  For, euen the gods to thee, as men to gods do seeme.

  Then weigh, ô soueraigne goddesse, by what right

  These gods do claime the worlds whole souerainty;

  And that is onely dew vnto thy might

  Arrogate to themselues ambitiously:

  As for the gods owne principality,

  Which Ioue vsurpes vniustly; that to be

  My heritage, Ioue's self cannot deny,

  From my great Grandsire Titan, vnto mee,

  Deriv'd by dew descent; as is well knowen to thee.

  Yet mauger Ioue, and all his gods beside,

  I doe possesse the worlds most regiment;

  As, if ye please it into parts diuide,

  And euery parts inholders to conuent,

  Shall to your eyes appeare incontinent.

  And first, the Earth (great mother of vs all)

  That only seems vnmov'd and permanent,

  And vnto Mutability not thrall;

  Yet is she chang'd in part, and eeke in generall.

  For, all that from her springs, and is ybredde,

  How-euer fayre it flourish for a time,

  Yet see we soone decay; and, being dead

  To turne again vnto their earthly slime:

  Yet, out of their decay and mortall crime,

  We daily see new creatures to arize;

  And of their Winter spring another Prime,

  Vnlike in forme, and chang'd by strange disguise:

  So turne they still about, and change in restlesse wise.

  As for her tenants; that is, man and beasts,

  The beasts we daily see massacred dy,

  As thralls and vassalls vnto mens beheasts:

  And men themselues doe change continually,

  From youth to eld, from wealth to pouerty,

  From good to bad, from bad to worst of all.

  Ne doe their bodies only flit and fly:

  But eeke their minds (which they immortall call)

  Still change and vary thoughts, as new occasions fall.

  Ne is the water in more constant case;

  Whether those same on high, or these belowe.

  For, th'Ocean moueth stil, from place to place;

  And euery Riuer still doth ebbe and flowe: