Cant. VIII. Faire virgin to redeeme her deare Brings Arthure to the fight: Who slayes the that Gyaunt, wounds the beast, And strips Duessa quight. [1] AY Ay me, how many perils doe enfold The righteous man, to make him daily fall, fall? Were not that heauenly heavenly grace doth him vphold uphold , And stedfast truth acquite him out of all: all. 105 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. The Her loue love is firme, her care continuall, So oft as he thorough his own foolish pride, Or weaknes is to sinfull bands made thrall: Els should this Redcrosse knight in bands haue have dyde, For whose deliuerãce deliuerance deliverãce deliverance she this Prince doth thether guyd. [2] They sadly traueild traveild thus, vntill untill they came Nigh to a castle builded strong and hye: Then cryde the Dwarfe, lo yonder is the same, In which my Lord my liege doth lucklesse ly, Thrall to that Gyaunts hatefull tyranny: Therefore, deare Sir, your mightie powres assay. The noble knight alighted by and by From loftie steed, and badd the Ladie stay, To see what end of fight should him befall that day. [3] So with his Squire the Squire , th’admirer of his might, He marched forth towardes that castle wall; Whose gates he fownd fast shutt, ne liuing living wight To warde the same, nor answere commers call. Then tooke that Squire an horne of bugle small, Which hong adowne his side in twisted gold, And tasselles gay. Wyde wonders ouer over all Of that same hornes great vertues weren told, Which had approued approved bene in vses uses manifold. [4] Was neuer never wight, that heard that shrilling sownd, But trembling feare did feel in euery every vaine; Three miles it might be easy heard arownd, And Ecchoes three aunswerd it selfe againe: No false enchauntment, nor deceiptfull traine Might once abide the terror of that blast, But presently was void and wholly vaine: No gate so strong, no locke so firme and fast, But with that percing noise flew open quite, or brast. 106 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. So [5] The same before the Geaunts gate he blew, That all the castle quaked from the grownd, And euery every dore of freewill open flew: The Gyaunt selfe dismaied with that sownd, Where he with his Duessa dalliaunce fownd, fownd. fownd) In hast came rushing forth from inner bowre, With staring countenance sterne, as one astownd, And staggering steps, to weet, what suddein stowre, Had wrought that horror strange, and dar’d his dreaded (powre. [6] And after him the proud Duessa came, High mounted on her many headed beast, And euery every head with fyrie tongue did flame, And euery every head was crowned on his creast, And bloody mouthed with late cruell feast. That when the knight beheld, his mightie shild Vpon Upon his manly arme he soone addrest, And at him fiersly flew, with corage fild, And eger greedinesse through euery every member thrild. [7] Therewith the Gyant buckled him to fight, Inflamd with scornefull wrath and high disdaine, And lifting vp up his dreadfull club on hight, All armd with ragged snubbes and knottie graine, Him thought at first encounter to haue have slaine. But wiſewise wiſtwist and wary was that noble Pere, And lightly leaping from so monstrous maine, Did fayre auoide avoide the violence him nere; It booted nought, to thinke, such thunderbolts to beare. [8] Ne shame he thought to shonne so hideous might: might, The ydle stroke, enforcing furious way, Missing the marke of his misaymed sight Did fall to ground, and with his heauy heavy sway 107 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. That So deepely dinted in the driuen driven clay, That three yardes deepe a furrow vp up did throw: The sad earth wounded with so sore assay, Did grone full grieuous grievous vnderneath underneath the blow, And trembling with strange feare, did like an erthquake (show. [9] As when almightie Ioue Jove in wrathfull mood, To wreake the guilt of mortall sins is bent, Hurles forth his thundring dart with deadly food, Enrold in flames, and smouldring dreriment, Through riuen riven cloudes and molten firmament; The fiers threeforked engin making way, Both loftie towres and highest trees hath rent, And all that might his angry passage stay, And shooting in the earth, castes vp up a mount of clay. [10] His boystrous club, so buried in the grownd, He could not rearen vp up againe so light, But that the knight him at aduantage advantage fownd, And whiles he stroue strove his combred clubbe to quight, Out of the earth, with blade all burning bright He smott off of his left arme, which like a block Did fall to ground, depriu’d depriv’d of natiue native might; Large streames of blood out of the truncked stock Forth gushed, like fresh water streame from riuen riven rocke. [11] Dismayed with so desperate deadly wound, And eke impatient of vnwonted unwonted payne, He lowdly brayd with beastly yelling sownd, That all the fieldes rebellowed againe, againe; As great a noyse, as when in Cymbrian plaine An heard of Bulles, whom kindly rage doth sting, Doe for the milky mothers want complaine, And fill the fieldes with troublous bellowing, The neighbor woods arownd with hollow murmur ring murmuring . 108 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. That [12] That when his deare Duessa heard, and saw The euill evill stownd, that daungerd her estate, Vnto Unto his aide she hastily did draw Her dreadfull beast, who swolne with blood of late Came ramping forth with proud presũpteous presumpteous gate, And threatned all his heades like flaming brandes. But him the Squire made quickly to retrate, Encountring fiers with single sword in hand, And twixt him and his Lord did like a bulwarke stand. [13] The proud Duessa full of wrathfull spight, And fiers disdaine, to be affronted so, Enforst her purple beast with all her might That stop out of the way to ouerthroe overthroe , Scorning the let of so vnequall unequall foe: But nathemore would that corageous swayne To her yeeld passage, gainst his Lord to goe, But with outrageous strokes did him restraine, And with his body bard the way atwixt them twaine. [14] Then tooke the angrie witch her golden cup, Which still she bore, replete with magick artes; Death and despeyre did many thereof sup, And secret poyson through their inner partes, Th’eternall bale of heauie heavie wounded harts; Which after charmes and some enchauntments said, She lightly sprinkled on his weaker partes; Therewith his sturdie corage soone was quayd, And all his sences were with suddein dread diſmayd.dismayd. diſmayddismayd diſmaid.dismaid. [15] So downe he fell before the cruell crnell cruell beast, Who on his neck his bloody clawes did seize, That life nigh night crusht out of his panting brest: No powre he had to stirre, nor will to rize. 109 119 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. And That when the carefull knight gan well auise avise , He lightly left the foe, with whom he fought, And to the beast gan turne his enterprise; For wondrous anguish in his hart it wrought, To see his loued loved Squyre into such thraldom brought. [16] And high aduauncing advauncing his blood-thirstie blade, Stroke one of those deformed heades so sore, That of his puissaunce proud ensample made; His monstrous scalpe downe to his teeth it tore, And that misformed shape misshaped more: A sea of blood gusht from the gaping wownd, That her gay garments staynd with filthy gore, And ouerflowed overflowed all the field arownd; That ouer over shoes in blood he waded on the grownd. [17] Thereat he rored for exceeding excecding paine, That to haue have heard, great horror would haue have bred, And scourging th’emptie ayre with his long trayne, Through great impatience of his grieued grieved hed His gorgeous ryder from her loftie sted Would haue have cast downe, and trodd in durty myre, Had not the Gyaunt soone her succoured; Who all enrag’d with smart and frantick yre, Came hurtling in full fiers, and forst the knight retyre. [18] The force, which wont in two to be disperst, In one alone left hand he now vnites unites , Which is through rage more strong 1590.bk1.I.viii.18.3. then: than then than both were (erst; With which his hideous club aloft he dites, And at his foe with furious rigor smites, That strongest Oake might seeme to ouerthrow overthrow : The stroke vpon upon his shield so heauie heavie lites, That to the ground it doubleth him full low What mortall wight could euer ever beare so monstrous (blow? 110 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. That [19] And in his fall his shield, that couered covered was, Did loose his vele by chaunce, and open flew: The light whereof, that heuens light did pas, Such blazing brightnesse through the ayer threw, That eye mote not the same endure to vew. Which when the Gyaunt spyde with staring eye, He downe let fall his arme, and soft withdrew His weapon huge, that heaued heaved was on hye, For to haue have slain the man, that on the ground did lye. [20] And eke the fruitfull-headed beast, amazd At flashing beames of that sunshiny shield, Became stark blind, and all his sences dazd That downe he tumbled on the durtie field, And seemd himselfe as conquered to yield. Whom when his maistresse proud perceiu’d perceiv’d to fall, Whiles yet his feeble feet for faintnesse reeld, Vnto Unto the Gyaunt lowdly she gan call, O helpe Orgoglio, helpe, or els we perish all. [21] At her so pitteous cry was much amoou’d amoov’d , Her champion stout, and for to ayde his frend, Againe his wonted angry weapon proou’d proov’d : But all in vaine: for he has redd his end In that bright shield, and all their forces spend Them selues selves in vaine: for since that glauncing sight, He hath no poure to hurt, nor to defend; As where th’Almighties lightning brond does light, It dimmes the dazed eyen, and daunts the sences quight. [22] Whom when the Prince, to batteill new addrest, And threatning high his dreadfull stroke did see, His sparkling blade about his head he blest, And smote off quite his right leg by the knee, 111 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. The H That downe he tombled; as an aged tree, High growing on the top of rocky clift, Whose hartstrings with keene steele nigh hewen be, The mightie trunck halfe rent, with ragged rift Doth roll adowne the rocks, and fall with fearefull drift. [23] Or as a Castle reared high and round, By subtile engins and malitious slight Is vndermined undermined from the lowest ground, And her foundation forst, and feebled quight, At last downe falles, and with her heaped hight Her haſtieHer hastie HerhaſtieHerhastie ruine does more heauie heavie make, And yields it selfe vnto unto the victours might; Such was this Gyaunts fall, that seemd to shake The stedfast globe of earth, as it for feare did quake. [24] The knight then lightly leaping to the pray, With mortall steele him smot againe so sore, That headlesse his vnweldy unweldy bodie lay, All wallowd in his owne fowle bloody gore, Which flowed from his wounds in wondrous ſtore.store. ſtore,store, ſtore:store: But soone as breath out of her his brest did pas, That huge great body, which the Gyaunt bore, Was vanisht quite, and of that monstrous mas Was nothing left, but like an emptie blader was. [25] Whose grieuous grievous fall, when false Duessa spyde, Her golden cup she cast vnto unto the ground, And crowned mitre rudely threw asyde; Such percing griefe her stubborne hart did wound, That she could not endure that dolefull stound, But leauing leaving all behind her, fled away: The light-foot Squyre her quickly turnd around, And by hard meanes enforcing her to stay, So brought vnto unto his Lord, as his deserued deserved pray. 112 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. Where [26] The roiall Virgin, which beheld from farre, In pensiue pensive plight, and sad perplexitie, The whole atchieuement atchievement of this doubtfull warre, Came running fast to greet his victorie, With sober gladnesse, and myld modestie, And with sweet ioyous joyous cheare him thus bespake; Fayre braunch of noblesse, flowre of chevalrie, That with your worth the world amazed make, How shall I quite the paynes, ye suffer for my sake? [27] And you fresh budd of vertue springing fast, Whom these sad eyes saw nigh vnto unto deaths dore, What hath poore Virgin for such perill past, Wherewith you to reward? Accept therefore My simple selfe, and seruice service euermore evermore : And he that high does sit, and all things see With equall eye eyes , their merites to restore, Behold what ye this day haue have done for mee, And what I cannot quite, requite with vsuree usuree . [28] But sith the heauens heavens , and your faire handeling Haue Have made you master of the field this day, Your fortune maister eke with gouerning governing , And well begonne end all so well, I pray, Ne let that wicked woman scape away; For she it is, that did my Lord bethrall, My dearest Lord, and deepe in dongeon lay, Where he his better dayes hath wasted all. O heare, how piteous he to you for ayd does call. [29] Forthwith he gaue gave in charge vnto unto his Squyre, That scarlot whore to keepen carefully; Whyles he himselfe with greedie great desyre Into the Castle entred forcibly, forcibly. forcibly; 113 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. Then H2 Where liuing living creature none he did espye; Then gan he lowdly through the house to call: But no man car’d to answere to his crye. There raignd a solemne silence ouer over all, Nor voice was heard, nor wight was seene in bowre or (hall. [30] At last with creeping crooked pace forth came An And old old man, with beard as white as snow, That on a staffe his feeble steps did frame, And guyde his wearie gate both 1590.bk1.I.viii.30.4. too: to too to and fro; For his eye sight him fayled long ygo, And on his arme a bounch of keyes he bore, The which vnused unused rust did ouergrow overgrow : Those were the keyes of euery every inner dore, But he could not them vse use , but kept them still in store. [31] But very vncouth uncouth sight was to behold, How he did fashion his vntoward untoward pace, For as he forward mooud moovd his footing old, So backward still was turnd his wrincled face, Vnlike Unlike to men, who euer ever as they trace, Both feet and face one way are wont to lead. This was the auncient keeper of that place, And foster father of the Gyaunt dead; His name Ignaro did his nature right aread. [32] His reuerend reverend heares and holy grauitee gravitee The knight much honord, as beseemed well, And gently askt, where all the people bee, Which in that stately building wont to dwell. Who answerd him full soft, he could not tell. Againe he askt, where that same knight was layd, Whom great Orgoglio with his puissaunce fell Had made his caytiue caytive thrall; againe he sayde, He could not tell: ne euer ever other answere made. 114 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. With [33] Then asked he, which way he in might pas: He could not tell, againe he answered. Thereat the courteous knight displeased was, And said, Old syre, it seemes thou hast not red How ill it ſitssits fits with that same siluer silver hed, In vaine to mocke, or mockt in vaine to bee: But if thou be, as thou art pourtrahed With natures pen, in ages graue grave degree, Aread in grauer graver wise, what I demaund of thee. [34] His answere likewise was, he could not tell. Whose sencelesse speach, and doted ignorance When as the noble Prince had marked well, He ghest his nature by his countenance, And calmd his wrath with goodly temperance. Then to him stepping, from his arme did reach Those keyes, and made himselfe free enterance. Each dore he opened without any breach; There was no barre to stop, nor foe him to empeach. [35] There all within full rich arayd he found, With royall arras and resplendent gold, gold. And did with store of euery thing abound, That greatest Princes presence might behold. But all the floore (too filthy to be told) With blood of guiltlesse babes, and innocents trew, Which there were slaine, as sheepe out of the fold, Defiled was, that dreadfull was to vew, And sacred ashes ouer over it was strowed new. [36] And there beside of marble stone was built An Altare, caru’d carv’d with cunning ymagery, On which trew Christians blood was often spilt, And holy Martyres often doen to dye, 115 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. But H3 With cruell malice and strong tyranny: Whose blessed sprites from vnderneath underneath the stone To God for vengeance cryde continually, And with great griefe were often heard to grone, That hardest heart would bleede, to heare their piteous (mone. [37] Through euery every rowme he sought, and euerie everie bowr, But no where could he find that wofull thrall: At last he came vnto unto an yron doore, That fast was lockt, but key found not at all Emongst that bounch, to open it withall; But in the same a little grate was pight, Through which he sent his voyce, and lowd did call With all his powre, to weet, if liuing living wight Were housed therewithin, whom he enlargen might. [38] Therewith an hollow, dreary, murmuring voyce These pitteous plaintes and dolours did resound; O who is that, which bringes me happy choyce Of death, that here lye dying euery every stound, Yet liue live perforce in balefull darkenesse bound? For now three Moones haue have chãged changed thrice their hew, And haue have beene thrice hid vnderneath underneath the ground, Since I the heauens heavens chearefull face did vew, O welcome thou, that doest of death bring tydings trew. [39] Which whẽ when that Champion heard, with percing point Of pitty deare his hart was thrilled sore, And trembling horrour ran through euery every ioynt joynt , For ruth of gentle knight so fowle forlore: Which shaking off, he rent that yron dore, With furious force, and indignation fell; Where entred in, his foot could find no flore, But all a deepe descent, as darke as hell, That breathed euer ever forth a filthie banefull smell. 116 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. And [40] But nether darkenesse fowle, nor filthy bands, Nor noyous smell his purpose could withhold, (Entire affection hateth nicer hands) But that with constant zele, and corage bold, After long paines and labors manifold, He found the meanes that Prisoner vp up to reare; Whose feeble thighes, vnhable unhable to vphold uphold His pined corse, him scarse to light could beare, A ruefull spectacle of death and ghastly drere. [41] His sad dull eies deepe sunck in hollow pits, Could not endure th’ vnwonted unwonted sunne to view; His bare thin cheekes for want of better bits, And empty sides deceiued deceived of their dew, Could make a stony hart his hap to rew; His rawbone armes, whose mighty brawned bowrs Were wont to riue rive steele plates, and plates, plates, & helmets hew, Were clene consum’d, and all his vitall powres Decayd, and al his flesh shronk vp up like withered flowres. [42] Whome when his Lady saw, to him she ran With hasty ioy joy : to see him made her glad, And sad to view his visage pale and wan, Who earst in flowres of freshest youth was clad. Tho when her well of teares she wasted had, She said, Ah dearest Lord, what euill evill starre On you hath frownd, and pourd his influence bad, That of your selfe ye thus berobbed arre, And this misseeming hew your mãly manly looks doth marre? [43] But welcome now my Lord, in wele or woe, Whose presence I hauehave kauekave lackt too long a day; And fye ſie sie fie on Fortune mine auowed avowed foe, Whose wrathful wreakes them selues selves doe now alay, alay. 117 the Faery Queene. Cant. VIII. Her H4 And for these wronges shall treble penaunce pay Of treble good: good growes of euils evils priefe. The chearelesse man, whom sorow did dismay, Had no delight to treaten of his griefe; His long endured famine needed more reliefe. [44] Faire Lady, then said that victorious knight, The things, that grieuous grievous were to doe, or beare, Them to renew, I wote, breeds no delight; Best musicke breeds delight in loathing eare: But th’only good, that growes of passed feare, Is to be wise, and ware of like agein. This daies ensample hath this lesson deare Deepe written in my heart with yron pen, That blisse may not abide in state of mortall men. [45] Henceforth Sir knight, take to you wonted strength, And maister these mishaps with patient might; Loe wher your foe lies stretcht in monstrous length, And loe that wicked woman in your sight, The roote of all your care, and wretched plight, Now in your powre, to let her liue live , or die. To doe her die (qd.quoth Vna Una ) were despight, And shame t’ auenge avenge so weake an enimy; But spoile her of her scarlot robe, and let her fly. [46] So as she bad, that witch they disaraid, And robd of roiall robes, and purple pall, And ornaments that richly were displaid; Ne spared they to strip her naked all. Then when they had despoyld her tire and call, Such as she was, their eies might her behold, That her misshaped parts did them appall, A loathly, wrinckled hag, ill fauoured favoured , old, Whose secret filth good manners biddeth not be told. told, 118 The first Booke of Cant. VIII. And [47] Her crafty head was altogether bald, And as in hate of honorable eld, Was ouergrowne overgrowne with scurfe and filthy scald; Her teeth out of her rotten gummes were feld, And her sowre breath abhominably smeld; Her dried dugs, lyke bladders lacking wind, Hong downe, and filthy matter from them weld; Her wrizled skin as rough, as maple rind, So scabby was, that would haue have loathd all womankind. [48] Her neather parts, the shame of all her kind, My chaster Muse for shame doth blush to write; write write: But at her rompe she growing had behind A foxes taile, with dong all fowly dight; And eke her feete most monstrous were in sight; For one of them was like an Eagles claw, With griping talaunts armd to greedy fight, The other like a beares vneuen uneven paw: More vgly ugly shape yet neuer never liuing living creature saw. [49] Which when the knights beheld, amazd they were, And wondred at so fowle deformed wight. Such then (said Vna Una ) as she seemeth here, Such is the face of falshood, such the sight Of fowle Duessa, when her borrowed light Is laid away, and counterfesaunce knowne. Thus when they had the witch disrobed quight, And all her filthy feature open showne, They let her goe at will, and wander waies vnknowne unknowne . [50] Shee flying fast from heauens heavens hated face, And from the world that her discouered discovered wide, Fled to the wastfull wildernesse apace, From liuing living eies her open shame to hide, 119 the Faery Queene Cant. IX. Faire And lurkt in rocks and caues caves long vnespide unespide . But that faire crew of knights, and Vna Una faire Did in that castle afterwards abide, To rest them selues selves , and weary powres repaire, Where store they fownd of al, that dainty was and rare.