Cant. VII. The Redcrosse knight is captiue captive made By Gyaunt proud opprest, Prince Arthure meets with Una great- ly with those newes distrest. [1] WHat What man so wise, what earthly witt so ware, As to discry the crafty cunning traine, By which deceipt doth maske in visour faire, And cast her coulours died deepe in graine, To seeme like truth, whose shape she well can faine, And fitting gestures to her purpose frame; The guiltlesse man with guile to entertaine? Great maistresse of her art was that false Dame, The false Duessa, cloked with Fidessaes name. 92 The first Booke of Cant. VII. The [2] Who when returning from the drery Night, She fownd not in that perilous hous of Pryde, Where she had left, the noble Redcross knight, Her hoped pray; she would no lenger byde, But forth she went, to seeke him far and wide. Ere long she fownd, whereas he wearie sate, To rest him selfe, foreby a fountaine syde, Disarmed all of yron-coted Plate, And by his side his steed the grassy forage ate. [3] Hee feedes vpon upon the cooling shade, and bayes His sweatie forehead in the breathing wynd, Which through the trẽbling trembling leaues leaves full gently playes Wherein the chearefull birds of sundry kynd Doe chaunt sweet musick, to delight his mynd: mynd, The witch approching gan him fayrely greet, And with reproch of carelesnes vnkynd unkynd , Vpbrayd Upbrayd , for leauing leaving her in place vnmeet unmeet , With fowle words tempring faire, soure gall with hony (sweet. [4] Vnkindnesse Unkindnesse past, they gan of solace treat, And bathe in pleasaunce of the ioyous joyous shade, Which shielded them against the boyling heat, And with greene boughes decking a gloomy glade, About the fountaine like a girlond made; Whose bubbling waue wave did euer ever freshly well, Ne euer ever would through feruent fervent sommer fade: fade The sacred Nymph, which therein wont to dwell, Was out of Dianes fauor favor , as it then befell. [5] The cause was this: one day when Phœbe fayre With all her band was following the chace, This Nymph, quite tyr’d with heat of scorching ayre Satt downe to rest in middest of the race: 93 the Faery Queene. Cant. VII. The The goddesse wroth gan fowly her he disgrace, And badd the waters, which from her did flow, Be such as she her selfe was then in place. Thenceforth her waters wexed dull and slow, And all that drinke thereof, do drunke thereof, did drunk thereof, did faint and feeble grow. [6] Hereof this gentle knight vnweeting unweeting was, And lying downe vpon upon the sandie graile, Dronke of the streame, as cleare as christall glas; glas, glaſs:glass: Eftsoones his manly forces gan to fayle, And mightie strong was turnd to feeble frayle: His chaunged powres at first them selues selves not felt, Till crudled cold his corage gan assayle, And chearefull blood in fayntnes chill did melt, Which like a feuer fever fit through all his body swelt. [7] Yet goodly court he made still to his Dame, Pourd out in loosnesse on the grassy grownd, Both carelesse of his health, and of his fame: Till at the last he heard a dreadfull sownd, Which through the wood loud bellowing, did re-(bownd, That all the earth for terror seemd to shake, And trees did tremble. Th’Elfe therewith astownd, Vpstarted Upstarted lightly from his looser make, And his vnready unready weapons gan in hand to take. [8] But ere he could his armour on him dight, Or gett his shield, his monstrous enimy With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight, An hideous Geaunt horrible and hye, That with his tallnesse seemd to threat the skye, The ground eke groned vnder under him for dreed; His liuing living like saw neuer never liuing living eye, Ne durst behold: his stature did exceed The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed. 92 The first Booke of Cant. VII. But [9] The greatest Earth his vncouth uncouth mother was, And blustring Aeolus AEolus his boasted syre, Who with his breath, which through the world doth (pas, Her hollow womb did secretly inspyre, And fild her hidden caues caves with stormie yre, That she conceiu’d conceiv’d ; and trebling the dew time, In which the wombes of wemen doe expyre, Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slyme, Puft vp up with emptie wynd, and fild with sinfull cryme. [10] So growen great through arrogant delight Of th’high descent, whereof he was yborne, And through preſumptionpresumption preſu mptionpresu mption of his matchlesse might, All other powres and knighthood he did scorne. Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne, And left to losse: his stalking steps are stayde Vpon Upon a snaggy Oke, which he had torne Out of his mothers bowelles, and it made His mortall mace, wherewith his foemen he dismayde. [11] That when the knight he spyde, he gan aduaunce advaunce With huge force and insupportable mayne, And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce; Who haplesse, and eke hopelesse; all in vaine Did to him pace, sad battaile to darrayne, Disarmd, disgraste, and inwardly inwarldly inwardly dismayde, And eke so faint in euery every ioynt joynt and vayne, Through that fraile foũtain fountain , which him feeble made, That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade. [12] The Geaunt strooke so maynly mercilesse, That could haue have ouerthrowne overthrowne a stony towre, And were not heuenlyhevenly grace, that him did blesse, He had beene pouldred all, as thin as flowre: 93 the Faerie Queene. Cant. VII. From But he was wary of that deadly stowre, And lightly lept from vnderneath underneath the blow blow: blowe: Yet so exceeding was the villeins powre That with the winde it did him ouerthrow overthrow , And all his sences stoond, that still he lay full low. [13] As when that diuelish divelish yron Engin wrought In deepest Hell, Hell,, and framd by Furies skill, With windy Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught, And ramd with bollet rownd, ordaind to kill, Conceiueth Conceiveth fyre, the heauens heavens it doth fill With thundring noyse, and all the ayre doth choke, That none can breath, nor see, nor heare at will, Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smok, That th’onely breath him daunts, who hath escapt the (stroke. [14] So daunted when the Geaunt saw the knight, His heauie heavie hand he heaued heaved vp up on hye, And him to dust thought to haue have battred quight, Vntill Untill Duessa loud to him gan crye; O great Orgoglio, greatest vnder under skye, O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake, Hold for my sake, and doe him not to dye, But vanquisht thine eternall bondslaue bondslave make, And me thy worthy meed vnto unto thy Leman take. [15] He hearkned, and did stay from further harmes, To gayne so goodly guerdon, as she spake: So willingly she came into his armes, Who her as willingly to grace did take, And was possessed of his newfound make. Then vp up he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse, And ere he could out of his swowne awake, Him to his castle brought with hastie forse, And in a Dongeon deep him threw without remorse. 96 The first Booke of Cant. VII. His [16] From that day forth Duessa was his deare, And highly honourd in his haughtie eye, He gaue gave her gold and purple pall to weare, And triple crowne set on her head full hye, And her endowd with royall maiestye majestye : Then for to make her dreaded dteaded more of men, And peoples hartes with awfull terror tye, A monstrous beast ybredd in filthy fen He chose, which he had kept long time in darksom den. [17] Such one it was, as that renowmed Snake Which great Alcides in Stremona slew, Long fostred in the filth of Lerna lake, Whose many heades out budding euer ever new, Did breed him endlesse labor to subdew: But this same Monster much more vgly ugly was; For seuen seven great heads out of his body grew, An yron brest, and back of scaly bras, And all embrewd in blood, his eyes did shine as glas. [18] His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length, That to the hous of heuenlyhevenly gods it raught, And with extorted powre, and borrow’d strength, The euerburning everburning lamps from thence it braught, And prowdly threw to ground, as things of naught; And vnderneath underneath his filthy feet did tread, The sacred thinges, and holy heastes foretaught. Vpon Upon this dreadfull Beast with seuenfold sevenfold head He sett the false Duessa, for more aw and dread. [19] The wofull Dwarfe, which saw his maisters fall, Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed, And valiant knight become a caytiue caytive thrall, When all was past, tooke vp up his forlorne weed, 95 the Faery Queene. Cant. VII. O G His mightie Armour, missing most at need; His siluer silver shield, now idle maisterlesse; His poynant speare, that many made to bleed, The ruefull moniments of heauinesse heavinesse , And with them all departes, to tell his great distresse. [20] He had not trauaild travaild long, when on the way He wofull Lady, wofull Vna Una met, Fast flying from that 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 tydinges spake, She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret, And liuely lively breath her sad brest did forsake, Yet might her pitteous hart be seene to pant and quake. [21] The messenger of so vnhappie unhappie newes, Would faine haue have dyde: dead was his hart within, Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes: At last recouering recovering hart, he does begin To rubb her temples, and to chaufe her chin, And euerie everie tender part does tosse and turne: So hardly he the flitted life does win, Vnto Unto her natiue native prison to retourne: Then gins her grieued grieved ghost thus to lament & and mourne. [22] 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 threds threeds vnfould unfould , The which my life and loue love together tyde? Now let the stony dart of sencelesse cold Perce to my hart, and pas through euerie everie side, And let eternall night ſo ſad ſightso sad sight ſo ſadso sad fro me hyde. 96 The first Booke of Cant. VII. The [23] O lightsome day, the lampe of highest Ioue Jove , First made by him, mens wandring wayes to guyde, When darknesse he in deepest dongeon droue drove , Henceforth thy hated face for euer ever hyde, And shut vp up heauens heavens 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 up with death, shall haue have their deadly meed. [24] Then downe againe she fell vnto unto the ground; But he her quickly reared vp up againe: Thrise did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd, And thrise he her reviu’d reviv’d with busie paine: At last when life recouer recover ’d had the raine, And ouer over -wrestled his strong enimy, With foltring tong, and trembling euerie everie vaine, Tell on (quoth she) the wofull Tragedy, The which these reliques sad present vnto unto mine eye. [25] Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight, And thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost utmost dart; Thy sad tong cannot tell more heauy heavy plight, 1590.bk1.I.vii.25.4. Then: Than Then Than that I feele ſeeleseele feele , and harbour in mine hart: Who hath endur’d the whole, can beare ech 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, 1590.bk1.I.vii.25.9. then: than then than that I feare, more fauour favour I haue have found. [26] Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare, The subtile traines of Archimago old; The wanton loues loves of false Fidessa fayre, Bought with the blood of vanquisht Paynim bold: 97 the Faery Queene. Cant. VII. And G2 The wretched payre transformd to treen mould; The house of Pryde, and perilles round about; The combat, which he with Sansioy did hould; The lucklesse conflict with the Gyaunt stout, Wherein captiu’d captiv’d , of life or death he stood in doubt. [27] She heard with patience all vnto unto the end, And stroue strove to maister sorrowfull assay, Which greater grew, the more she did contend, And almost rent her tender hart in tway; And loue love fresh coles vnto unto her fire did lay: For greater loue love , the greater is the losse. Was neuer never Lady loued loved dearer day, 1590.bk1.I.vii.27.8. Then: Than Then Than she did loue love the knight of the Redcrosse; For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse. [28] At last when feruent fervent sorrow slaked was, She vp up arose, resoluing resolving him to find Aliue Alive or dead: and forward forth doth pas, All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd: And euer ever more in constant carefull mind She fedd her wound with fresh renewed bale; Long tost with stormes, and bet with bitter wind, High ouer over hills, and lowe adowne the dale, She wandred many a wood, and measurd many a vale. [29] At last she chaunced by good hap to meet A goodly knight, faire marching by the way Together with his Squyre, arayed meet: His glitterand armour shined far away, Like glauncing light of Phœbus brightest ray; From top to toe no place appeared bare, That deadly dint of steele endanger may: Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue brave he ware, That shind, like twinkling stars, with stones most pretious (rare. 98 The first Booke of Cant. VII. But [30] 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 strove for to amaze the weaker sights; Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory yvory sheath; ycaru’d ycarv’d with curious slights; Whose hilts were burnisht gold, and handle strong Of mother perle, and buckled with a golden tong. [31] His haughtie Helmet, horrid all with gold, Both glorious brightnesse, and great terrour bredd, bred; For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes, and ouer over all did spredd His golden winges: his dreadfull hideous hedd Close couched on the beuer bever , seemd to throw From flaming mouth bright sparckles fiery redd, That suddeine horrour to faint hartes did show; And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his back full low. [32] Vpon Upon the top of all his loftie crest, A bounch of heares discolourd diuersly diversly , With sprincled pearle, and gold full richly drest, Did shake, and seemd to daunce for iollity jollity , Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis all alone, With blossoms braue brave bedecked daintily; Her WhoſeWhose tender locks do tremble euery every one At euerie everie little breath, that vnder under heauen heaven is blowne. [33] His warlike shield all closely couer cover ’d was, Ne might of mortall eye be euer ever seene; Not made of ſteelesteele ſteeldsteeld , nor of enduring bras, Such earthly mettals soone consumed beene: 99 the Faery Queene. Cant. VII. A G3 But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was, one massy entire mould, Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene, That point of speare it neuer never percen could, Ne dint of direfull sword diuide divide the substance would. [34] The same to wight he neuer never wont disclose, But when as monsters huge he would dismay, Or daunt vnequall unequall armies of his foes, Or when the flying heauens heavens he would affray: For so exceeding shone his glistring ray, That Phœbus golden face it did attaint, As when a cloud his beames doth ouer over -lay And siluer silver Cynthia wexed pale and faynt, As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint. [35] No magicke arts hereof had any might, Nor bloody 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. [36] Ne let it ſeemeseeme ſeeneseene that credence this exceedes, For he that made the same, was knowne right well To haue have done much more admirable deedes. It Merlin was, which whylome did excell All liuing living 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, fell; But when he dyde, the Faery Queene it brought To Faerie lond, where yet it may be seene, if sought. 100 The first Booke of Cant. VII. But [37] A gentle youth, his dearely loued loved Squire His ſpearespeare fpeare of heben wood behind him bare, Whose harmeful head, thrise heated in the fire, Had riuen riven many a brest with pikehead square; A goodly person, and could menage faire, His stubborne steed with curbed canon bitt, Who vnder under him did amble trample as the aire, And chauft chanſtchanst , that any on his backe should sitt; The yron rowels into frothy fome he bitt. [38] When as this knight nigh to the Lady drew, With louely lovely court he gan her entertaine; But when he heard her aunswers 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 humor fitting purpose faine, To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray; Wherewith enmoud enmovd , these bleeding words she gan to (say. [39] What worlds delight, or ioy joy of liuing living speach Can hart, so plungd in sea of sorrowes deep, And heaped with so huge misfortunes, reach? The carefull cold beginneth for to creep, And in my heart his yron arrow steep, Soone as I thinke vpon upon my bitter bale: Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keep, 1590.bk1.I.vii.39.8. Then: Than Then Than rip vp up griefe, where it may not auaile availe , My last left comfort is, my woes to weepe and waile. [40] Ah Lady deare, qd.quoth then the gentle knight, Well may I ween, your grief is wondrous great; For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright, Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat. 101 the Faery Queene. Cant. VII. Till G4 But woefull Lady, let me you intrete, For to vnfold unfold the anguish of your hart: Mishaps are maistred by aduice advice discrete, And counsell mitigates the greatest smart; Found neuer never help, who neuer never would his hurts impart. [41] O but (qd.quoth she) great griefe will not be tould, And can more easily be thought, 1590.bk1.I.vii.41.2. then: than then than said. Right ſoso ſo;so; (qd.quoth he) but he, that neuer never would, Could neuer never : will to might giues gives greatest aid. But griefe (qd.quoth she) does greater grow displaid, If then it find not helpe, and breeds despaire. Despaire breeds not (qd.quoth he) where faith is ſtaidstaid ſt[inverted]aidst[inverted]aid ſtaidstaid . No faith so fast (qd.quoth she) but flesh does paire. Flesh may empaire (qd.quoth he) but reason can repaire. [42] His goodly reason, and well guided speach So deepe did settle in her gracious thought, That her perswaded to disclose the breach, Which loue love and fortune in her heart had wrought, And ſaidsaid ſaid;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 story sad, which I shall tell you briefe. [43] The forlorne Maiden, whom your eies haue have seene The laughing stocke of fortunes mockeries, Am th’onely daughter of a King and Queene, Whose parents deare whiles equal destinies, Did ronne come runne about, and their felicities The fauourable favourable heauens heavens did not enuy envy , Did spred their rule through all the territories, Which Phison and Euphrates floweth by, And Gehons Gebons golden waues waves doe wash continually. 102 The first Booke of Cant. VII. Had [44] Till that their cruell cursed enemy, An huge great Dragon horrible in sight, Bred in the loathly lakes of Tartary, With murdrous rauine ravine , and deuouring devouring might Their kingdome spoild, and countrey wasted quight: Themselues Themselves , for feare into his iawes jawes to fall, He forst to castle strong to take their flight, Where fast embard in mighty brasen wall, He has them now fowr years besiegd to make thẽ them thrall. [45] Full many knights aduenturous adventurous and stout Haue Have enterprizd that Monster to subdew; From euery every coast that heauen heaven walks about, Haue Have thither come the noble Martial crew, That famous harde atchieuements atchievements still pursew, Yet neuer never 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 fiers cruelty haue have bin. [46] At last yled with far reported praise, Which flying fame throughout the world had spred, Of doughty knights, whom Fary 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 deliver might. [47] Yt was my chaunce (my chaunce was faire and good) There for to find a fresh vnproued unproved knight, Whose manly hands hand imbrewd in guilty blood Had neuer never beene, ne euer ever by his might 103 the Faery Queene Cant. VII. As Had throwne to ground gtound the vnregarded unregarded right: Yet of his prowesse proofe he since hath made (I witnes am) in many a cruell fight; The groning ghosts of many one dismaide Haue Have felt the bitter dint of his auenging avenging blade. [48] And ye the forlorne reliques of his powre, His biting sword, and his deuouring devouring speare, Which haue have 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 disaventurous deare: O heauie heavie record of the good Redcrosse, Where haue have yee you left your lord, that could so well you (tosse? [49] Well hoped I, and faire beginnings had, That he my captiue captive languor should redeeme, Till all vnweeting unweeting , an Enchaunter bad His sence abusd, and made him to misdeeme My loyalty, not such as it did ſeemeseeme ſeeme;seeme; That rather death desire, 1590.bk1.I.vii.49.6. then: than then than such despight. Be iudge judge ye heauens heavens , that all things right esteeme, How I him lou’d lov’d , and loue love with all my might, So thought I eke of him, and think I thought aright. [50] Thenceforth me desolate he quite forſookeforsooke forfooke , To wander, where wilde fortune would me lead, And other bywaies he himselfe betooke, Where neuer never foote of liuing living 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 Inveigled him to follow her desires vnmeete unmeete . 104 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. Her [51] At last by subtile sleights she him betraid Vnto Unto his foe, a Gyaunt huge and tall, Who him disarmed, dissolute, dismaid, Vnwares Unwares surprised, and with mighty mall The monster mercilesse him made to fall, Whose fall did neuer never 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, 1590.bk1.I.vii.51.9. then: than then than may be told. [52] Ere she had ended all, she gan to faint: But he her comforted, and faire bespake, Certes, Madame, ye haue have 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 have acquitt your captiue captive knight, Assure your selfe, I will you not forsake. His chearefull words reviu’d reviv’d her chearelesse spright, So forth they went, the Dwarfe thẽ them guiding euer ever right.