Cant. II. The Redcrosse knight to Britomart describeth Artegall: The wondrous myrrhour, by which she in loue love with him did fall. [1] H E e re haue have I cause in men iust just blame to find, That in their proper praise too partiall bee, And not indifferent to woman kind, To whom no share in armes and cheualree chevalree , They doe impart, ne maken memoree Of their braue brave gestes and prowesse martiall; Scarse doe they spare to one or two or three, Rowme in their writtes; yet the same writing small Does all their deedes deface, and dims their glories all. all: all, 411 the Faery Queene. Cant. II. And [2] But by record of antique times I finde, That wemen wont in warres to beare most sway, And to all great exploites them selues selves inclind: Of which they still the girlond bore away, Till enuious envious Men fearing their rules decay, Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty, Yet sith they warlike armes haue have laide away, They haue have exceld in artes and pollicy, That now we foolish men that prayse gin eke t’ enuy envy . [3] Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent, Be thou faire Britomart, whose prayse I wryte, But of all wisedom bee thou precedent, O soueraine soveraine Queene, whose prayse I would endyte, Endite I would as dewtie doth excyte; But ah my rymes too to rude and rugged arre, When in so high an obiect object they doe lyte, And striuing striving , fit to make, I feare doe marre: Thy selfe thy prayses tell, and make them knowen farre. [4] She traueiling traveiling with Guyon by the way, Of sondry thinges faire purpose gan to find, T’abridg their iourney journey long, and lingring day; Mongst which it fell into that Fairies mind, To aske this Briton Maid, what vncouth uncouth wind, Brought her into those partes, and what inquest Made her dissemble her disguised kind: Faire Lady she him seemd, like Lady drest, But fairest knight aliue alive , when armed was her brest. [5] Thereat she sighing softly, had no powre To speake a while, ne ready answere make, But with hart-thrilling throbs and bitter stowre, As if she had a feuer fever fitt, did quake, 412 The third Booke of Cant. II. The And euery every daintie limbe with horrour shake, And euer ever and anone the rosy red, Flasht through her face, as it had beene a flake Of lightning, through bright heuen heven fulmined; At last the passion past she thus him answered. [6] Faire Sir, I let you weete, that from the howre I taken was from nourses tender pap, I haue have beene trained vp up in warlike stowre, To tossen speare and shield, and to affrap The warlike ryder to his most mishap; Sithence I loathed haue have my life to lead, As Ladies wont, in pleasures wanton lap, To finger the fine needle and nyce thread, thread; Me leuer lever were with point of foemans speare be dead. [7] All my delight on deedes of armes is sett, To hunt out perilles and aduentures adventures hard, By sea, by land, where so they may be mett, Onely for honour and for high regard, Without respect of richesse or reward. For such intent into these partes I came, Withouten compasse, or withouten card, Far fro my natiue native soyle, that is by name The greater Brytayne Britaine , here to seeke for praise and fame. [8] Fame blazed hath, that here in Faery lond Doe many famous knightes and Ladies wonne, And many straunge aduentures adventures to bee fond, Of which great worth and worship may be wonne; Which to proue, I to prove, I I to proue, I to prove, this voyage haue have begonne. But mote I weet of you, right courteous knight, Tydings of one, that hath vnto unto me donne Late foule dishonour and reprochfull spight, The which I seeke to wreake, and Arthegall he hight. 413 the Faerie Queene. Cant. II. Your [9] The word gone out, she backe againe would call, As her repenting so to haue have missayd, But that he it vptaking uptaking ere the fall, Her shortly answered; Faire martiall Mayd Certes ye misauised misavised beene, t’ vpbrayd upbrayd , A gentle knight with so vnknightly unknightly blame: For weet ye well of all, that euer ever playd At tilt or tourney, or like warlike game, The noble Arthegall hath euer ever borne the name. [10] For thy great wonder were it, if such shame Should euer ever enter in his bounteous thought, Or euer ever doe, that mote deseruen deserven blame: The noble corage neuer never weeneth ought, That may vnworthy unworthy of itselfe be thought. Therefore, faire Damzell, be ye well aware, Least that too farre ye haue have your sorrow sought: You and your countrey both I wish welfare, And honour both; for each of other worthy are. [11] The royall Maid woxe inly wondrous glad, To heare her Loue Love so highly magnifyde, And ioyd joyd that euer ever she affixed had, Her hart on knight so goodly glorifyde, How euer ever finely she it faind to hyde: The louing loving mother, that nine monethes did beare, In the deare closett of her painefull syde, Her tender babe, it seeing safe appeare, Doth not so much reioyce rejoyce , as she reioyced rejoyced theare. [12] But to occasion him to further talke, To feed her humor with his pleasing style, Her list in stryfull termes with him to balke, And thus replyde, How euer ever , Sir, ye fyle 414 The third Booke of Cant. II. And Your courteous tongue, his prayses to compyle, It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort, Such as ye haue have him boasted, to beguyle A simple maide, and worke so hainous tort, In shame of knighthood, as I largely can report. [13] Let bee therefore my vengeaunce to disswade, And read, where I that faytour false may find. Ah, but if reason faire might you perswade, To slake your wrath, and mollify your mind, (Said he) perhaps ye should it better find: For hardie thing it is, to weene by might, That man to hard conditions to bind, Or euer ever hope to match in equall fight, Whose prowesse paragone saw neuer never liuing living wight. [14] Ne soothlich is it easie for to read, Where now on earth, or how he may be fownd; For he ne wonneth in one certeine stead, But restlesse walketh all the world arownd, Ay doing thinges, that to his fame redownd, Defending Ladies cause, and Orphans right, Where so he heares, that any doth confownd Them comfortlesse, through tyranny or might; So is his soueraine soveraine honour raisde to heuens hevens hight. [15] His feeling wordes her feeble sence much pleased, And softly sunck into her molten hart; Hart that is inly hurt, is greatly eased With hope of thing, that may allegge his smart; For pleasing wordes are like to Magick art, That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay: Such secrete ease felt gentle Britomart, Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay; So dischord ofte in Musick makes the sweeter lay. 415 the Faery Queene. Cant. II. What Dd [16] And sayd, Sir knight, these ydle termes forbeare, And sith it is vneath uneath to finde his haunt, Tell me some markes, by which he may appeare, If chaunce I him encounter parauaunt paravaunt ; For perdy one shall other slay, or daunt: What shape, what shield, what armes, what steed, (what stedd, And what so else his person most may vaunt? All which the Redcrosse knight to point aredd, And him in euerie everie part before her fashioned. [17] Yet him in euerie everie part before she knew, How euer ever list her now her knowledge fayne, Sith him whylome in Brytayne Britaine she did vew, To her reuealed revealed in a mirrhour playne, Whereof did grow her first engraffed payne, Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did taste, That but the fruit more sweetnes did contayne, Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote waste, And yield the pray of loue love to lothsome death at last. [18] By straunge occasion she did him behold, And much more straungely gan to loue love his sight, As it in bookes hath written beene of old. In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight, What time king Ryence raign’d, and dealed right, The great Magitien Merlin had deuiz’d deviz’d , By his deepe science, and hell-dreaded might, A looking glasse, right wondrously aguiz’d, Whose vertues through the wyde worlde soone were (solemniz’d. [19] It vertue had, to shew in perfect sight, What euer ever thing was in the world contaynd, Betwixt the lowest earth and heuens hevens hight, So that it to the looker appertaynd; 416 The third Booke of Cant. II. But What euer ever foe had wrought, or frend had faynd, Therein discouered discovered was, ne ought mote pas, Ne ought in secret from the same remaynd; For thy it round and hollow shaped was, Like to the world it selfe, and seemd a world of glas. [20] Who wonders not, that reades so wonderous wondrous worke? But who does wonder, that has red the Towre, Wherein th’Aegyptian Phao long did lurke From all mens vew, that none might her discoure discovre , Yet she might all men vew out of her bowre? Great Ptolomæe it for his lemans sake Ybuilded all of glasse, by Magicke powre, And also it impregnable did make; Yet when his loue love was false, he with a peaze it brake. [21] Such was the glassy globe that Merlin made, And gaue gave vnto unto king Ryence for his gard, That neuer never foes his kingdome might inuade invade , But he it knew at home before he hard Tydings thereof, and so them still debar’d. It was a famous Present for a Prince, And worthy worke of infinite reward, That treasons could bewray and foes conuince convince ; Happy this Realme, had it remayned euer ever since. [22] One day it fortuned, fayre Britomart Into her fathers closet to repayre; For nothing he from her reseru’d reserv’d apart, Being his onely daughter and his hayre: Where when she had espyde that mirrhour fayre, Her selfe awhile therein she vewd in vaine; Tho her auizing avizing of the vertues rare, Which thereof spoken were, she gan againe Her to bethinke of, that mote to her selfe pertaine. 417 the Faerie Queene. Cant. II. Lay Dd 2 [23] But as it falleth, in the gentlest harts Imperious Loue Love hath highest set his throne, And tyrannizeth in the bitter smarts Of them, that to him buxome are and prone: So thought this Mayd (as maydens vse use to done) Whom fortune for her husband would allot, Not that she lusted after any one; For she was pure from blame of sinfull blot, Yet wist her life at last must lincke in that same knot. [24] Eftsoones there was presented to her eye A comely knight, all arm’d in complete wize, Through whose bright ventayle lifted vp up on hye His manly face, that did his foes agrize, And frends to termes of gentle truce entize, Lookt foorth, as Phœbus face out of the east, Betwixt two shady mountaynes doth arize; Portly his person was, and much increast Through his Heroicke grace, and honorable gest. [25] His crest was couered covered with a couchant Hownd, And all his armour seemd of antique mould, But wondrous massy and assured sownd, And round about yfretted all with gold, In which there written was with cyphres old, Achilles armes, which Arthogall Arthegall did win. And on his shield enueloped enveloped seuenfold sevenfold He bore a crowned litle Ermilin, That deckt the azure field with her fayre pouldred skin. [26] The Damzell well did vew his Personage, And liked well, ne further fastned not, But went her way; ne her vnguilty unguilty age Did weene, vnwares unwares , that her vnlucky unlucky lot 418 The third Booke of Cant. II. One Lay hidden in the bottome of the pot; Of hurt vnwist unwist most daunger doth redound: But the false Archer, which that arrow shot So slyly, that she did not feele the wound, Did smyle full smoothly at her weetlesse wofull stound. [27] Thenceforth the fether in her lofty crest, Ruffed of loue love , gan lowly to auaile availe , And her prowd portaunce, and her princely gest, With which she earst tryumphed, now did quaile: Sad, solemne, sowre, and full of fancies fraile She woxe; yet wist she nether how, nor why, She wist not, silly Mayd, what she did aile, Yet wist, she was not well at ease perdy, Yet thought it was not loue love , but some melancholy. [28] So soone as Night had with her pallid hew Defaste the beautie of the shyning skye, And reft from men the worldes desired vew, She with her Nourse adowne to sleepe did lye; But sleepe full far away from her did fly: In stead thereof sad sighes, and sorrowes deepe Kept watch and ward about her warily, That nought she did but wayle, and often steepe Her dainty couch with teares, which closely she did (weepe. [29] And if that any drop of slombring rest Did chaunce to still into her weary spright, When feeble nature felt her selfe opprest, Streight way with dreames, and with fantastick sight Of dreadfull things the same was put to flight, That oft out of her bed she did astart, As one with vew of ghastly feends affright: Tho gan she to renew her former smart, And thinke of that fayre visage, written in her hart. 419 the Faery Queene. Cant. II. Then Dd 3 [30] One night, when she was tost with such vnrest unrest , Her aged Nourse, whose name was Glauce hight, Feeling her leape out of her loathed nest, Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight, And downe againe her in her warme bed in her warme bed her dight, dight; Ah my deare daughter, ah my dearest dread, What vncouth uncouth fit (sayd she) what euill evill plight Hath thee opprest, and with sad drearyhead Chaunged thy liuely lively cheare, & and liuing living made thee dead? [31] For not of nought these suddein ghastly feares All night afflict thy naturall repose, And all the day, when as thine equall peares Their fit disports with faire delight doe chose, Thou in dull corners doest thy selfe inclose, Ne tastest Princes pleasures, ne doest spred Abroad thy fresh youths fayrest flowre, but lose Both leafe and fruite, both too vntimely untimely shed, As one in wilfull bale for euer ever buried. [32] The time, that mortall men their weary cares Do lay away, and all wilde beastes do rest, And euery every riuer river eke his course forbeares, Then doth this wicked euill evill thee infest, And riue rive with thousand throbs thy thrilled brest; Like an huge Aetn’ of deepe engulfed gryefe, Sorrow is heaped in thy hollow chest, Whence foorth it breakes in sighes and anguish ryfe, As smoke and sulphure mingled with confuſed confused confufed stryfe. [33] Ay me, how much I feare, least loue love it bee, But if that loue love it be, as sure I read By knowen signes and passions, which I see, Be it worthy of thy race and royall sead, 420 The third Booke of Cant. II. These Then I auow avow by this most sacred head Of my deare foster childe, to ease thy griefe, And win thy will: Therefore away doe dread; For death nor daunger from thy dew reliefe Shall me debarre; debarre, debarre. tell me therefore my liefest liefe. [34] So hauing having sayd, her twixt her armes twaine Shee streightly straynd, and colled tenderly, And euery every trembling ioynt joynt , and euery every vaine Shee softly felt, and rubbed busily, To doe the frosen cold away to fly; And her faire deawy eies with kisses deare Shee ofte did bathe, and ofte againe did dry; And euer ever her importund, not to feare To let the secret of her hart to her appeare. [35] The Damzell pauzd, and then thus fearfully; Ah Nurse, what needeth thee to eke my paine? Is not enough, that I alone doe dye, But it must doubled bee with death of twaine? For nought for me, but death there doth remaine. O daughter deare (said she) despeire no whit, For neuer never sore, but might a salue salve obtaine: That blinded God, which hath ye blindly smit, Another arrow hath your louers lovers hart to hit. [36] But mine is not (quoth she) like other others wownd; For which no reason can finde remedy. Was neuer never such, but mote the like be fownd, (Said she) and though no reason may apply Salue Salve to your sore, yet loue love can higher stye, 1590.bk3.III.ii.36.6. Then: Than Then Than reasons reach, and oft hath wonders donne. But neither God of loue love , nor God of skye Can doe (said she) that, which cannot be donne. Things ofte impossible (quoth she) seeme ere begonne. 421 the Faery Queene. Cant. II. But Dd4 [37] These idle wordes (said she) doe nought aswage My stubborne smart, but more annoiaunce breed. For no no vsuall usuall fire, no vsuall usuall rage Yt is, O Nourse, which on my life doth feed, And sucks the blood, which frõ from my hart doth bleed. But since thy faithfull zele lets me not hyde My crime, (if crime it be) I will it reed. Nor Prince, nor pere it is, whose loue love hath gryde My feeble brest of late, and launched this wound wyde. [38] Nor man it is, nor other liuing living wight; For then some hope I might vnto unto me draw, But th’only shade and semblant of a knight, Whose shape or person yet I neuer never saw, Hath me subiected subjected to loues loves cruell law: The same one day, as me misfortune led, I in my fathers wondrous mirrhour saw, And pleased with that seeming goodly-hed, Vnwares Unwares the hidden hooke with baite I swallowed. [39] Sithens it hath infixed faster hold Within my bleeding bowells, and so sore Now ranckleth in this same fraile fleshly mould, That all mine entrailes flow with poisnous gore, And th’vlcer th’ulcer groweth daily more and more; Ne can my ronning sore finde remedee, Other 1590.bk3.III.ii.39.7. then: than then than my hard fortune to deplore, And languish as the leafe faln from the tree, Till death make one end of my daies and miseree. [40] Daughter (said she) what needye be dismayd, Or why make ye such Monster of your minde? Of much more vncouth uncouth thing I was affrayd; Of filthy lust, contrary vnto unto kinde: 422 The third Booke of Cant. II. But But this affection nothing straunge I finde fi nde ; For who with reason can you aye reproue reprove , To loue love the semblaunt pleasing most your minde, And yield your heart, whence ye cannot remoue remove ? No guilt in you, but in the tyranny of loue love . [41] Not so th’Arabian Myrrhe did sett her mynd, Nor nor Not so did Biblis spend her pining hart, But lou’d lov’d their natiue native flesh against al kynd, And to their purpose vsed used wicked art: Yet playd Pasiphaë a more monstrous part, That lou’d lov’d a Bul, and learnd a beast to bee; Such shamefull lusts who loaths not, which depart From course of nature and of modestee? Swete loue love such lewdnes bands from his faire cõpanee companee . [42] But thine my Deare (welfare thy heart my deare) Though straunge beginning had, yet fixed is On one, that worthy may perhaps appeare; And certes seemes bestowed not amis: Ioy Joy thereof haue have thou and eternall blis. With that vpleaning upleaning on her elbow weake, Her alablaſter alablaster alablaſted alablasted brest she soft did kis, Which all that while shee felt to pant and quake, As it an Earth-quake were, at last she thus bespake. [43] Beldame, your words doe worke me litle ease; For though my loue love be not so lewdly bent, As those ye blame, yet may it nought appease My raging smart, ne ought my flame relent, But rather doth my helpelesse griefe augment. For they, how euer ever shamefull and vnkinde unkinde , Yet did possesse their horrible intent: Short end of sorowes they therby did finde; So was their fortune good, though wicked were their (minde. 423 the Faery Queene: Cant. II. The [44] But wicked fortune mine, though minde be good, Can haue have no end, nor hope of my desire, But feed on shadowes, whiles I die for food, And like a shadow wexe, whiles with entire Affection, I doe languish and expire. I fonder, 1590.bk3.III.ii.44.6. then: than then than Cephisus foolish chyld, Who hauing having vewed in a fountaine shere His face, was with the loue love thereof beguyld; I fonder loue love a shade, the body far exyld. [45] Nought like (quoth shee) for that same wretched boy Was of him selfe the ydle Paramoure; Both loue love and louer lover , without hope of ioy joy , For which he faded to a watry flowre. But better fortune thine, and better howre, Which lou’st lov’st the shadow of a warlike knight; No shadow, but a body hath in powre: That body, wheresoeuer wheresoever that it light, May learned be by cyphers, or by Magicke might. [46] But if thou may with reason yet represse The growing euill evill , ere it strength haue have gott, And thee abandond wholy doe possesse, Against it strongly striue strive , and yield thee nott, Til thou in open fielde adowne be smott. But if the passion mayster thy fraile might, So that needs loue love or death must bee thy lott, Then I auow avow to thee, by wrong or right To compas thy desire, and find that loued loved knight. [47] Her chearefull words much cheard the feeble spright Of the sicke virgin, that her downe she layd In her warme bed to sleepe, if that she might; And the old-woman carefully displayd 424 The third Booke of Cant. II That The clothes about her round with busy ayd, So that at last a litle creeping sleepe Surprisd her sence: Shee therewith well apayd, The dronken lamp down in the oyl oyle did steepe, And sett her by to watch, and sett her by to weepe. [48] Earely the morrow next, before that day His ioyous joyous face did to the world reuele revele , They both vproſe, vprose, uproſe, uprose, vproſe vprose uproſe uprose and tooke their ready way Vnto Unto the Church, their praiers to appele, With great deuotion devotion , and with litle zele zel e : For the faire Damzel from the holy herse Her loue love -sicke hart to other thoughts did steale; And that old Dame said many an idle verse, Out of her daughters hart fond fancies to reuerse reverse . [49] Retourned home, the royall Infant fell Into her former fitt; for why no powre, Nor guidaunce of her selfe in her did dwell. But th’aged Nourse her calling to her bowre, Had gathered Rew, and Sauine Savine , and the flowre Of Camphora Camphara , and Calamint, and Dill, All which she in an a earthen Pot did poure, And to the brim with Colt wood did it fill, And many drops of milk and blood through it did spill. [50] Then taking thrise three heares from off of her head, Them Then trebly breaded in a threefold lace, And round about the Pots mouth, boũd bound the thread, And after hauing having whispered a space Certein sad words, with hollow voice and bace, Shee to the virgin sayd, thrise sayd she itt; Come daughter come, come; spit vpon upon my face, Spitt thrise vpon upon me, thrise vpon upon me spitt; Th’ vneuen uneven nomber for this busines is most fitt. 425 the Faery Queene. Cant. III. Not [51] That sayd, her rownd about she from her turnd, She turned her contrary to the Sunne, Thrise she her turnd contrary, and returnd, All contrary; for she the right did shunne, And euer ever what she did, was streight vndonne undonne . So thought she to vndoe undoe her daughters loue love : But loue love , that is in gentle brest begonne, No ydle charmes so lightly may remoue remove , That well can witnesse, who by tryall it does proue prove . [52] Ne ought it mote the noble Mayd auayle avayle , Ne slake the fury of her cruell flame, But that shee still did waste, and still did wayle, That through long languour, & and hart-burning brame She shortly like a pyned ghost became, Which long hath waited by the Stygian strond. That when old Glauce saw, for feare least blame Of her miscarriage should in her be fond, She wist not how t’amend, nor how it to withstond.