Cant. II. The guilefull great Enchaunter parts. The Redcrosse Knight from Truth: Into whose ſteadstead ſtepssteps faire falshood steps, And workes him woefull ruth. [1] BY By this the Northerne wagoner had set His seuenfold sevenfold teme behind the stedfast starre, That was in Ocean waues waves yet neuer never wet, But Bur firme is fixt, and sendeth light from farre To al, that in the wide deepe wandring arre: And chearefull Chaunticlere with his note shrill Had warned once, that Phoebus fiery carre, In hast was climbing vp up the Easterne hill, Full enuious envious that night so long his roome did fill. [2] When those accursed messengers of hell, That feigning dreame, and that faire-forged Spright Came to their wicked maister, and gan tel Their bootelesse paines, and ill succeeding night: Who all in rage to see his skilfull might Deluded so, gan threaten hellish paine And sad Proserpines wrath, them to affright. But when he saw his threatning was but vaine, He cast about, and searcht his baleful bokes againe. [3] Eftsoones he tooke that miscreated faire, And that false other Spright, on whom he spred A seeming body of the subtile aire, Like a young Squire, in loues loves and lusty hed 20 The first Booke of Cant. II. Now His wanton daies that euer ever loosely led, Without regard of armes and dreaded fight: Those twoo he tooke, and in a secrete bed, Couered Covered with darkenes and misdeeming night, Them both together laid, to ioy joy in vaine delight. [4] Forthwith he runnes with feigned faithfull hast Vnto Unto his guest, who after troublous sights And dreames gan now to take more sound repast, Whom suddenly he wakes with fearful frights, As one aghast with feends or damned sprights, And to him cals, Rise rise vnhappy unhappy Swaine, That here wex old in sleepe, whiles wicked wights Haue Have knit themselues themselves in Venus shameful chaine; Come see, where your false Lady doth her honor staine. [5] All in amaze he suddenly vp up start With sword in hand, and with the old man went; Who soone him brought into a secret part, Where that false couple were full closely ment In wanton lust and leud enbracement: Which when he saw, he burnt with gealous fire, The eie of reason was with rage yblent, And would haue have slaine them in his furious ire, But hardly was restreined of that aged sire. [6] Retourning to his bed in torment great, And bitter anguish of his guilty sight, He could not rest, but did his stout heart eat, And wast his inward gall with deepe despight, Yrkesome of life, and too long lingring night. At last faire Hesperus in highest skie Had spent his lãpe lampe , and brought forth dawning light, Then vp up he rose, and clad him hastily; The dwarfe him brought his steed: so both away do fly. 21 the Faerie Queene. Cant. II. Sometime B4 [7] Now when the rosy fingred Morning faire, Weary of aged Tithones saffron bed, Had spred her purple robe through deawy aire, And the high hils Titan discouered discovered , The royall virgin shooke of drousy hed, And rising forth out of her baser bowre, Lookt for her knight, who far away was fled, And for her dwarfe, that wont to wait each howre; Then gan she wail and weepe, to see that woeful stowre. [8] And after him she rode with so much speede, As her slowe beast could make; but all in vaine: For him so far had borne his light-foot steede, Pricked with wrath and fiery fierce disdaine, That him to follow was but fruitlesse paine; Yet she her weary limbes would neuer never rest, But euery every hil and dale, each wood and plaine Did search, sore grieued grieved in her gentle brest, He so vngently ungently left her, whome she louedloved louest loveſt lovest best. [9] But subtill Archimago when his guests He saw diuided divided into double parts, And Vna Una wandring in woods and forrests, Th’end of his drift, he praisd his diuelish divelish arts, That had such might ouer over true meaning harts: Yet rests not so, but other meanes doth make, How he may worke vnto unto her further smarts: For her he hated as the hissing snake, And in her many troubles did most pleasure take. [10] He then deuisde devisde himselfe how to disguise; For by his mighty science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise, As euer ever Proteus to himselfe could make: 22 The first Booke of Cant. II. With Sometime a fowle, sometime a fish in lake, Now like a foxe, now like a dragon fell, That of himselfe he ofte for feare would quake, And oft would flie away. O who can tell The hidden powre of herbes, and might of Magick spel? [11] But now seemde best, the person to put on Of that good knight, his late beguiled guest: In mighty armes he was yclad anon: And siluer silver shield, vpon upon his coward brest A bloody crosse, and on his crauen craven crest A bounch of heares discolourd diuersly diversly : Full iolly jolly knight he seemde, and wel addrest, And when he sate vppon uppon his courser free, Saint George himselfe ye would haue have deemed him to be. [12] But he the knight, whose semblaunt he did beare, The true Saint George was wandred far away, Still flying from his thoughts and gealous feare; Will was his guide, and griefe led him astray. At last him chaunst to meete vpon upon the way A faithlesse Sarazin all armde to point, In whose great shield was writ with letters gay Sans foy: full large of limbe and euery every ioint joint He was, and cared not for God or man a point. [13] Hee had a faire companion of his way, A goodly Lady clad in scarlot red, Purfled with gold and pearle of rich assay, And like a Persian mitre on her hed Shee wore, with crowns and owches garnished, The which her lauish lavish louers lovers to her gaue gave ; Her wanton palfrey all was ouerspred overspred With tinsell trappings, wouen woven like a waue wave , Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses braue brave . 23 the Faerie Queene. Cant. II. And [14] With faire disport and courting dalliaunce She intertainde her louer lover all the way: But when she saw the knight his speare aduaunce advaunce , Shee soone left 1590.bk1.I.ii.14.4. of: offofoff her mirth and wanton play, And bad her knight addresse him to the fray: His foe was nigh at hand. He prickte with pride And hope to winne his Ladies hearte that day, day. Forth spurred fast: adowne his coursers side The red bloud trickling staind the way, as he did ride. [15] The knight of the Redcrosse when him he spide, Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous, Gan fairely couch his speare, and towards ride: Soone meete they both, both fell and furious, That daunted with theyr forces hideous, Their Theit steeds doe stagger, and amazed stand, And eke themselues themselves too rudely rigorous, Astonied with the stroke of their owne hand, Doe backe rebutte, and ech to other yealdeth land. [16] As when two rams stird with ambitious pride, Fight for the rule of the rich fleeced flocke, Their horned fronts so fierce on either side, Doe meete, that with the terror of the ſ⁀hockeshocke ſ⁀hocke.shocke. ſ⁀hockshock Aſtonied both,Astonied both, Aſtonied, bothAstonied, both ſtand ſenceleſ⁀ſestand sencelesse ſtands fenceleſ⁀ſestands fencelesse as a blocke, blocke. block, Forgetfull of the hanging victory: So stood these twaine, vnmoued unmoved as a rocke, Both staring fierce, and holding idely, The broken reliques of their former cruelty. [17] The Sarazin sore daunted with the buffe Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies; Who well it wards, and quyteth cuff with cuff: Each others equall puissaunce enuies envies , 24 The first Booke of Cant. II. Shee And through their iron sides with cruell spies cruelties Does seeke to perce: repining courage yields No foote to foe. The flashing fier flies As from a forge out of their burning shields, And streams of purple bloud new dies the verdãt verdant fields. [18] Curse on that Crosse (qd.quoth then the Sarazin) That keepes thy body from the bitter fitt; Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin, Had not that charme from thee forwarned itt: But yet I warne thee now assured sitt, And hide thy head. Therewith vpon upon his crest With rigor so outrageous he smitt, That a large share it hewd out of the rest, And glauncing downe his shield, from blame him fairely (blest. [19] Who thereat wondrous wroth, the sleeping spark Of natiue native vertue gan eftsoones reuiue revive , And at his haughty helmet making mark, So hugely stroke, that it the steele did riue rive , And cleft his head. He tumbling downe aliue alive , With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis, Greeting his graue grave : his grudging ghost did striue strive With the fraile flesh; at last it flitted is, Whether the soules doe fly of men, that liue live amis. [20] The Lady when she saw her champion fall, Like the old ruines of a broken towre, Staid not to waile his woefull funerall, But from him fled away with all her powre; Who after her as hastily gan scowre, Bidding the dwarfe with him to bring away The Sarazins shield, signe of the conqueroure, Her soone he ouertooke overtooke , and bad to stay, For present cause was none of dread her to dismay. 25 the Faerie Queene. Cant. II. O how [21] Shee turning backe with ruefull countenaunce, Cride, Mercy mercy Sir vouchsafe to ſ⁀howshow ſ⁀howeshowe ſ⁀howshow ſ⁀howeshowe On silly Dame, subiect subject to hard mischaunce, And to your mighty wil. Her humblesse low In so ritch weedes and seeming glorious show, Did much emmoue emmove his stout heroïcke heart, And said, Deare dame, your suddein ouerthrow overthrow Much rueth me; but now put feare apart, And tel, both who ye be, and who that tooke your part. [22] Melting in teares, then gan shee thus lament; The wreched woman, whom vnhappy unhappy howre Hath now made thrall to your commandement, Before that angry heauens heavens list to lowre, And fortune false betraide me to thy your powre, Was, (O what now auaileth availeth that I was? was! ) Borne the sole daughter of an Emperour, He that the wide West vnder under his rule has, And high hath set his throne, where Tiberis doth pas. [23] He in the first flowre of my freshest age, Betrothed me vnto unto the onely haire Of a most mighty king, most rich and sage; Was neuer never Prince so faithfull and so faire, Was neuer never Prince so meeke and debonaire; But ere my hoped day of spousall shone, My dearest Lord fell from high honors staire, Into the hands of hys accursed fone, And cruelly was slaine, that shall I euer ever mone. [24] His blessed body spoild of liuely lively breath, Was afterward, I know not how, conuaid convaid And fro me hid: of whose most innocent death When tidings came to mee vnhappy unhappy maid, 26 The first Booke of Cant. II. Long O how great sorrow my sad soule assaid soulea ssaid . Then forth I went his woefull corse to find, And many yeares throughout the world I straid, A virgin widow, whose deepe wounded mind With loue love , long time did languish as the striken hind. [25] At last it chaunced this proud Sarazin, To meete me wandring, who perforce me led With him away, but yet could neuer never win The Fort, that Ladies hold in soueraigne soveraigne dread. There lies he now with foule dishonor dead, Who whiles he liude livde , was called proud Sans foy, The eldest of three brethren, all three bred Of one bad sire, whose youngest is Sansioy Sansjoy , And twixt them both was born the bloudy bold Sansloy Sans loy . [26] In this sad plight, friendlesse, vnfortunate unfortunate , Now miserable I Fidessa dwell, Crauing Craving of you in pitty of my state, To doe none ill, if please ye not doe well. He in great passion al this while did dwell, More busying his quicke eies, her face to view, 1590.bk1.I.ii.26.7. Then: Than Then Than his dull eares, to heare what shee did tell, And said, faire Lady hart of flint would rew The vndeserued undeserved woes and sorrowes, which ye shew. [27] Henceforth in safe assuraunce may ye rest, Hauing Having both found a new friend you to aid, And lost an old foe, that did you molest: Better new friend 1590.bk1.I.ii.27.4. then: than then than an old foe is said. With chaunge of chear the seeming simple maid Let fal her eien, as shamefast to the earth, And yeelding soft, in that she nought gain-said, So forth they rode, he feining seemely merth, And shee coy lookes: so dainty they say maketh derth. 27 the Faery Queene. Cant. II. Least [28] Long time they thus together traueiled traveiled , Til weary of their way, they came at last, Where grew two goodly trees, that faire did spred Their armes abroad, with gray mosse ouercast overcast , And their greene leaues leaves trembling with euery every blast, Made a calme shadowe far in compasse round: The fearefull Shepheard often there aghast Vnder Under them neuer never sat, ne wont there sound His mery oaten pipe, but shund th’ vnlucky unlucky ground. [29] But this good knight soone as he them can spie, For the coole ſ⁀hade himshade him ſ⁀hadeshade ſ⁀hadowshadow thither hastly got: For golden Phoebus now ymounted that mounted hie, From fiery wheeles of his faire chariot Hurled his beame so scorching cruell hot, That liuing living creature mote it not abide; And his new Lady it endured not. There they alight, in hope themselues themselves to hide From the fierce heat, and rest their weary limbs a tide. tide, [30] Faire seemely pleasaunce each to other makes, With goodly purposes there as they sit: And in his falsed fancy he her takes To be the fairest wight, that liued lived yit; Which to expresse, he bends his gentle wit, And thinking of those braunches greene to frame A girlond for her dainty forehead fit, He pluckt a bough; out of whose rifte there came Smal drops of gory bloud, that trickled down the same. [31] Therewith a piteous yelling voice was heard, Crying, O spare with guilty hands to teare My tender sides in this rough rynd embard, But fly, ah fly far hence away, for feare 28 The first Booke of Cant. II. In Least to you hap, that happened to me heare, And to this wretched Lady, my deare loue love , O too deare loue love , loue love bought with death too deare. Astond he stood, and vp up his heare did houe hove , And with that suddein horror could no member moue move . [32] At last whenas the dreadfull passion Was ouerpast overpast , and manhood well awake, Yet musing at the straunge occasion, And doubting much his sence, he thus bespake; What voice of damned Ghost from Limbo lake, Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire, Both which fraile men doe oftentimes mistake, Sends to my doubtful eares these speaches rare, And ruefull tuefull plaints plants , me bidding guiltlesse blood to spare? [33] Then groning deep, Nor damned Ghost, (qd.quoth he,) Nor guileful sprite to thee these words doth speake, But once a man Fradubio, now a tree, Wretched man, wretched tree; whose nature weake A cruell witch her cursed will to wreake, Hath thus transformd, and plast in open plaines, Where Boreas doth blow full bitter bleake, And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines: For though a tree I seme, yet cold & and heat me paines. [34] Say on Fradubio then, or man, or tree, Qd.Quoth then the knight, by whose mischieuous mischievous arts Art thou misshaped thus, as now I see? He oft finds med’cine, who his griefe imparts; But double griefs afflict concealing harts, As raging flames who striueth striveth to suppresse. The author then (said he) of all my smarts, Is one Duessa a false sorceresse, That many errãt errant knights hath broght to wretchednesse. 29 the Faery Queene. Cant. II. A foggy [35] In prime of youthly yeares, when corage hott The fire of loue love and ioy joy of cheualree chevalree First kindled in my brest, it was my lott To loue love this gentle Lady, whome ye see, Now not a Lady, but a seeming tree; With whome as once I rode accompanyde, Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee, That had a like faire Lady by his syde, Lyke a faire Lady, but did fowle Duessa hyde. [36] Whose forged beauty he did take in hand, All other Dames to haue have exceded farre; I in defence of mine did likewise stand, Mine, that did then shine as the Morning starre: So both to batteill fierce arraunged arre, In which his harder fortune was to fall Vnder Under my speare: such is the dye of warre: His Lady left as a prise martiall, Did yield her comely person, to be at my call. [37] So doubly lou’d lov’d of ladies vnlike unlike faire, Th’one seeming such, the other such indeede, One day in doubt I cast for to compare, Whether in beauties glorie did exceede; A Rosy girlond was the victors meede: Both seemde to win, and both seemde won to bee, So hard the discord was to be agreede. Fræliſſa Frælissa FraliſſaFralissa was as faire, as faire mote bee, And euer ever false Duessa seemde as faire as shee. [38] The wicked witch now seeing all this while The doubtfull ballaunce equally to sway, What not by right, she cast to win by guile, And by her hellish science raisd streight way 30 The first Booke of Cant. II. The A foggy mist, that ouercast overcast the day, And a dull blast, that breathing on her face, Dimmed her former beauties shining ray, And with foule vgly ugly forme did her disgrace: Then was she fayre alone, when none was faire in place. [39] Then cride she out, fye, fye, deformed wight, Whose borrowed beautie now appeareth plaine To haue have before bewitched all mens sight; O leaue leave her soone, or let her soone be slaine. Her loathly visage viewing with disdaine, Eftsoones I thought her such, as she me told, And would haue have kild her; but with faigned paine, The false witch did my wrathfull hand with-hold: So left her, where she now is turnd to treen mould. [40] Thens forth Then forth Thenceforth I tooke Duessa for my Dame, And in the witch vnweeting unweeting ioyd joyd long time, Ne euer ever wist, but that she was the same, Till on a day (that day is euerie everie Prime, When Witches wont do penance for their crime) I chaunst to see her in her proper hew, Bathing her selfe in origane and thyme: A filthy foule old woman I did vew, That euer ever to haue have toucht her, I did deadly rew. [41] Her neather partes misshapen, monstruous, Were hidd in water, that I could not see, But they did seeme more foule and hideous, 1590.bk1.I.ii.41.4. Then: Than Then Than womans shape man would beleeue beleeve to bee. Thens forth Then forth Thenceforth from her most beastly companie I gan refraine, in minde to slipp away, Soone as appeard safe opportunitie: For danger great, if not assurd decay I saw before mine eyes, if I were knowne to stray. 31 The first Booke of Cant. II. And C [42] The diuelish divelish hag by chaunges of my cheare Perceiu’d Perceiv’d my thought, and drownd in sleepie night, With wicked herbes and oyntments did besmeare My body all, through charmes and magicke might, That all my senses were bereaued bereaved quight: Then brought she me into this desert waste, And by my wretched louers lovers side me pight, Where now enclosd in wooden wals full faste, Banisht from liuing living wights, our wearie daies we waste. [43] But how long time, said then the Elfin knight, Are you in this misformed hous to dwell? We may not chaunge (quoth he) this euill evill plight, Till we be bathed in a liuing living well; That is the terme prescribed by the spell. O how, sayd he, mote I that well out find, That may restore you to your wonted well? Time and suffised fates to former kynd Shall vs us restore, none else from hence may vs us vnbynd unbynd . [44] The false Duessa, now Fidessa hight, Heard how in vaine Fradubio did lament, And knew well all was true. But the good knight Full of sad feare and ghastly dreriment, When all this speech the liuing living tree had spent, The bleeding bough did thrust into the ground, That from the blood he might be innocent, And with fresh clay did close the wooden wound: Then turning to his Lady, dead with feare her fownd. [45] Her seeming dead he fownd with feigned feare, As all vnweeting unweeting of that well she knew, And paynd himselfe with busie care to reare Her out of carelesse swowne. Her eylids blew 32 The first Booke of Cant. III. Yet And dimmed sight with pale and deadly hew At last she vp up gan lift: with trembling cheare Her vp up he tooke, too simple and too trew, And oft her kist. At length all passed feare, He set her on her steede, and forward forth did beare.