478 The thirdBooke of Cant. VI. That Cant. VI. The birth of fayre Belphoebe and Of Amorett is told. The Gardins of Adonis fraught With pleasures manifold. [1] W E e ll may I weene, faire Ladies, all this while Ye wonder, how this noble Damozell So great perfections did in her compile, Sith that in saluage salvage forests she did dwell, So farre from court and royall Citadell, The great schoolmaistresse of all courtesy: Seemeth that such wilde woodes should far expell All ciuile civile vsage usage and gentility, And gentle sprite deforme with rude rusticity. [2] But to this faire Belphœbe in her berth The heuens hevens so fauorable favorable were and free, Looking with myld aspect vpon upon the earth, In th’Horoscope of her natiuitee nativitee , That all the gifts of grace and chastitee On her they poured forth of plenteous horne; Ioue Jove laught on Venus from his souerayne soverayne see, And Phœbus with faire beames did her adorne, And all the Graces rockt her cradle being borne. [3] Her berth was of the wombe of Morning dew, And her conception of the ioyous joyous Prime, And all her whole creation did her shew Pure and vnspotted unspotted from all loathly crime, 479 the Faery Queene. Cant. VI. Till Hh That is ingenerate in fleshly slime. So was this virgin borne, so was she bred, So was she trayned vp up from time to time, In all chaste vertue, and true bounti-hed Till to her dew perfection she were was ripened. [4] Her mother was the faire Chrysogonee, The daughter of Amphisa, who by race A Faerie was, yborne of high degree, She bore Belphœbe Belphæbe , she bore in like cace Fayre Amoretta in the second place: These two were twinnes, & and twixt them two did share The heritage of all celestiall grace. That all the rest it seemd they robbed bare Of bounty, and of beautie, and all vertues rare. [5] It were a goodly storie, to declare, By what straunge accident faire Chrysogone Conceiu’d Conceiv’d these infants, and how them she bare bore , In this wilde forrest wandring all alone, After she had nine moneths fulfild and gone: For not as other wemens commune brood, They were enwombed in the sacred throne Of her chaste bodie, nor with commune food, As other wemens babes, they sucked vitall blood. [6] But wondrously they were begot, and bred Through influence of th’ heuens hevens fruitfull ray, As it in antique bookes is mentioned. It was vpon upon a Sommers shinie day, When Titan faire his beames did display, In a fresh fountaine, far from all mens vew, She bath’d her brest, the boyling heat t’allay; She bath’d with roses red, and violets blew, And all the sweetest flowres, that in the forrest grew. 480 The third Booke of Cant. VI. And [7] Till faint through yrkesome wearines, adowne Vpon Upon the grassy ground her selfe she layd To sleepe, the whiles a gentle slombring swowne Vpon Upon her fell all naked bare displayd; The sunbeames bright vpon upon her body playd, Being through former bathing mollifide, And pierst into her wombe, where they embayd With so sweet sence and secret power vnspide unspide , That in her pregnant flesh they shortly fructifide. [8] Miraculous may seeme to him, that reades So straunge ensample of conception, But reason teacheth that the fruitfull seades Of all things liuing living , through impression Of the sunbeames in moyst complexion, Doe life conceiue conceive and quickned are by kynd: So after Nilus invndation inundation , Infinite shapes of creatures creature men doe fynd, Informed in the mud, on which the Sunne hath shynd. [9] Great father he of generation Is rightly cald, th’authour of life and light; And his faire sister for creation Ministreth matter fit, which tempred right With heate and humour, breedes the liuing living wight. So sprong these twinnes in womb of Chrysogone, Yet wist she nought thereof, but sore affright, Wondred to see her belly so vpblone upblone , Which still increast, till she her terme had full outgone. [10] Whereof conceiuing conceiving shame and foule disgrace, Albe her guiltlesse conscience her cleard, She fled into the wildernesse a space, Till that vnweeldy unweeldy burden she had reard, 481 the Faerie Queene. Cant. VI. She Hh 2 And shund dishonor, which as death she feard: Where wearie of long traueill traveill , downe to rest Her selfe she set, and comfortably cheard; There a sad cloud of sleepe her ouerkest overkest , And seized euery every sence with sorrow sore opprest. [11] It fortuned, faire Venus hauing having lost Her little sonne, the winged god of loue love , Who for some light displeasure, which him crost, Was from her fled, as flit as ayery Doue Dove , And left her blisfull bowre of ioy joy aboue above , (So from her often he had fled away, When she for ought him sharpely did reproue reprove , And wandred in the world in straunge aray, Disguiz’d in thousand shapes, that none might him be-(wray.) [12] Him for to seeke, she left her heauenly heavenly hous, The house of goodly formes and faire aspects, Whence all the world deriues derives the glorious Features of beautie beauties , and all shapes select, With which high God his workmanship hath deckt; And searched euerie everie way, through which his wings Had borne him, or his tract she mote detect: She promist kisses sweet, and sweeter things, Vnto Unto the man, that of him tydings to her brings. [13] First she him sought in Court, where most he vs us ’d Whylome to haunt, but there she found him not; But many there she found, which sore accus’d His falshood, and with fowle infamous blot His cruell deedes and wicked wyles did spot: Ladies and Lordes she euery every where mote heare Complayning, how with his empoysned shot Their wofull harts he wounded had whyleare, And so had left them languishing twixt hope and feare. 482 The third Booke of Cant. VI. Some [14] She then the Cities sought from gate to gate, And euerie everie one did aske did he him see; And euerie everie one her answerd, that too late He had him seene, and felt the crueltee Of his sharpe dartes and whot artilleree altilleree artillerie ; And euery every one threw forth reproches rife riſe rise Of his mischieuous mischievous deedes, and sayd, That hee Was the disturber of all ciuill civill life, The enimy of peace, and authour of all strife. [15] Then in the countrey she abroad him sought, And in the rurall cottages inquir’d, Where also many plaintes to her were brought, How he their heedelesse harts with loue love had fir’d, And his false venim through their veines inspir’d; And eke the gentle Shepheard swaynes, which sat Keeping their fleecy flockes, as they were hyr’d, She sweetly heard complaine, both how and what Her sonne had to them doen; yet she did smile thereat. [16] But when in none of all these she him got, She gan auize avize , where els he mote him hyde: At last she her bethought, that she had not Yet sought the saluage salvage woods and forests wyde, In which full many louely lovely Nymphes abyde, Mongst whom might be, that he did closely lye, Or that the loue love of some of them him tyde: For thy she thether cast her course t’apply, To search the secret haunts of Dianes company. [17] Shortly vnto unto the wastefull woods she came, Whereas she found the Goddesse with her crew, After late chace of their embrewed game, Sitting beside a fountaine in a rew, 483 the Faery Queene. Cant. VI. Thereat Hh 3 Some of them washing with the liquid dew From off of their dainty limbs the dusty sweat, And soyle which did deforme their liuely lively hew, Others lay shaded from the scorching heat; The rest vpon upon her person gaue gave attendance great. [18] She hauing having hong vpon upon a bough on high Her bow and painted quiuer quiver , had vnlaste unlaste Her siluer silver buskins from her nimble thigh, And her lanck loynes vngirt ungirt , and brests vnbraste unbraste , After her heat the breathing cold to taste; Her golden lockes, that late in tresses bright Embreaded were for hindring of her haste, Now loose about her shoulders hong vndight undight , And were with sweet Ambrosia all besprinckled light. [19] Soone as she Venus saw behinde her backe, She was asham’d to be so loose surpriz’d And woxe halfe wroth against her damzels slacke, That had not her thereof before auiz’d aviz’d , But suffred her so carelesly disguiz’d Be ouertaken overtaken . Soone her garments loose Vpgath’ring Upgath’ring , in her bosome she compriz’d, Well as she might, and to the Goddesse rose, Whiles all her Nymphes did like a girlond her enclose. [20] Goodly she gan faire Cytherea greet, And shortly asked her, what cause her brought Into that wildernesse for her vnmeet unmeet , From her sweete bowres, and beds with pleasures (fraught: That suddein chaung she straung aduenture adventure thought. To whom halfe weeping, she thus answered, That she her dearest sonne Cupido sought, Who in his frowardnes from her was fled; That she repented sore, to haue have him angered. 484 The third Booke of Cant. VI. Ne [21] Thereat Diana gan to smile, in scorne Of her vaine playnt, and to her scoffing sayd; Great pitty sure, that ye be so forlorne Of your gay sonne, that giues gives ye so good ayd To your disports: ill mote ye bene apayd, apayd. But she was more engrieued engrieved , and replide; Faire sister, ill beseemes it to vpbrayd upbrayd A dolefull heart with so disdainfull pride; The like that mine, may be your paine another tide. [22] As you in woods and wanton wildernesse Your glory sett, to chace the saluage salvage beasts, So my delight is all in ioyfulnesse joyfulnesse , In beds, in bowres, in banckets, and in feasts: And ill becomes you with your lofty creasts, To scorne the ioy joy , that Ioue Jove is glad to seeke; We both are bownd to follow heauens heavens beheasts, And tend our charges with obeisaunce meeke: Spare, gentle sister, with reproch my paine to eeke. [23] And tell me, if that ye my sonne haue have heard, To lurke emongst your Nimphes in secret wize; Or keepe their cabins: much I am affeard, Least he like one of them him selfe disguize, And turne his arrowes to their exercize: So may he long him selfe full easie hide: For he is faire and fresh in face and guize, As any Nimphe (let not it be enuide.) enuide). envide.) envide). So saying euery every Nimph full narrowly shee eide. [24] But Phœbe therewith sore was angered, And sharply saide, Goe Dame, goe seeke your boy, Where you him lately lefte, in Mars his bed; He comes not here, we scorne his foolish ioy joy , 485 the Faery Queene. Cant. VI. Vp Up Hh 4 Ne lend we leisure to his idle toy: But if I catch him in this company, By Stygian lake I vow, whose sad annoy The Gods doe dread, he dearly shall abye: Ile clip his wanton wings, that he no more shall flye. [25] Whom whenas Venus saw so sore displeasd, Shee inly sory was, and gan relent, What shee had said: so her she soone appeasd, With sugred words and gentle blandishment, From which a fountaine from her sweete lips went, And welled goodly forth, that in short space She was well pleasd, and forth her damzells sent Through Thtough all the woods, to search frõ from place to place. If any tract of him or tidings they mote trace. [26] To search the God of loue love her Nimphes she sent, Throughout the wandring forest euery every where: And after them her selfe eke with her went To seeke the fugitiue fugitive . To seek the fugitiue both farre and nere, To seek the fugitive both farre and nere, To seek the fugitiue both farre and nere. To seek the fugitive both farre and nere. So long they sought, till they arriued arrived were In that same shady couert covert , whereas lay Faire Crysogone in slombry traunce whilere: Who in her sleepe (a wondrous thing to say) Vnwares Unwares had borne two babes, as faire as springing day. [27] Vnwares Unwares she them conceiud conceivd , vnwares unwares she bore: She bore withouten paine, that she conceiu’d conceiv’d Withouten pleasure: ne her need implore Lucinaes aide: which when they both perceiu’d perceiv’d , They were through wonder nigh of sence bereu’d berev’d , And gazing each on other, nought bespake: At last they both agreed, her seeming grieu’d griev’d Out of her heauie heavie swowne not to awake, But from her louing loving side the tender babes to take. 488 486 The third Booke of Cant. VI. And [28] Vp Up they them tooke, eachone each one a babe vptooke uptooke , And with them carried, to be fostered; Dame Phoebe Phæbe Phœbe to a Nymphe her babe betooke, To be vpbrought upbrought in perfect Maydenhed, And of herselfe her name Belphœbe red: But Venus hers thence hence far away conuayd convayd , To be vpbrought upbrought in goodly womanhed, And in her litle loues loves stead, which was strayd, Her Amoretta cald, to comfort her dismayd. [29] Shee brought her to her ioyous joyous Paradize, Wher most she wonnes, whẽ when she on earth does dwell. So faire a place, as Nature can deuize devize : Whether in Paphos, or Cytheron hill, Or it in Gnidas Gnidus bee, I wote not well; But well I wote by triall, that this same All other pleasaunt places doth excell, And called is by her lost louers lovers name, The Gardin of Adonis, far renowmd by fame. [30] In that same Gardin all the goodly flowres, Wherewith dame Nature doth her beautify, And decks the girlonds of her Paramoures, Are fetcht: there is the first seminary Of all things, that are borne to liue live and dye, According to their kynds. Long worke it were, Here to account the endlesse progeny Of all the weeds, that bud and blossome there; But so much as doth need, must needs be counted here. [31] It sited was in fruitfull soyle of old, And girt in with two walls on either side; The one of yron, the other of bright gold, That none might thorough breake, nor ouer over -stride: 489 487 the Faery Queene. Cant. VI. Infinite And double gates it had, which opened wide, By which both in and out men moten pas; Th’one faire and fresh, the other old and dride: Old Genius the porter of them was, Old Genius, the which a double nature has. [32] He letteth in, he letteth out to wend, All that to come into the world desire; A thousand thousand naked babes attend About him day and night, which doe require, That he with fleshly weeds would them attire: Such as him list, such as eternall fate Ordained hath, he clothes with sinfull mire, And sendeth forth to liue live in mortall state, Till they agayn returne backe by the hinder gate. [33] After that they againe retourned beene, They in that Gardin planted bee agayne; And grow afresh, as they had neuer never seene Fleshly corruption, nor mortall payne. Some thousand yeares so doen they there remayne, remaire; remaine; And then of him are clad with other hew, Or sent into the chaungefull world agayne, Till thether they retourne, where first they grew: So like a wheele arownd they ronne from old to new. [34] Ne needs there Gardiner to sett, or sow, To plant plant, or of prune: for of their owne accord All things, as they created were, doe grow, And yet remember well the mighty word, Which first was spoken by th’Almighty lord, That bad them to increase and multiply: Ne doe they need with water of the ford, Or of the clouds to moysten their roots dry; For in themselues themselves eternall moisture they imply. 488 The third Booke of Cant. VI. Meet [35] Infinite shapes of creatures there are bred, And vncouth uncouth formes, which none yet euer ever knew, And euery every sort is in a sondry bed Sett by it selfe, and ranckt in comely rew: Some fitt for reasonable sowles t’indew, Some made for beasts, some made for birds to weare, And all the fruitfull spawne of fishes hew In endlesse rancks along enraunged were, That seemd the Ocean could not containe them there. [36] Daily they grow, and daily forth are sent Into the world, it to replenish more, Yet is the stocke not lessened, nor spent, But still remaines in euerlasting everlasting store, As it at first created was of yore. For in the wide wombe of the world there lyes, In hatefull darknes and in deepe horrore, An huge eternal Chaos, which supplyes The substaunces of natures fruitfull progenyes. [37] All things from thence doe their first being fetch, And borrow matter, where of they are made, Which whenas forme and feature it does ketch, Becomes a body, and doth then inuade invade The state of life, out of the griesly shade. That substaunce is eterne, and bideth so, Ne when the life decayes, and forme does fade, Doth it consume, and into nothing goe, But chaunged is, and often altred to and froe. [38] The substaunce is not chaungd, nor altered, But th’only forme and outward fashion; For euery every substaunce is conditioned To chaunge her hew, and sondry formes to don 489 the Faery Queene. Cant. VI. There Meet for her temper and complexion: For formes are variable and decay, By course of kinde, and by occasion; And that faire flowre of beautie fades away, As doth the lilly fresh before the sunny ray. [39] Great enimy to it, and to all the rest, That in the Gardin of Adonis springs, Is wicked Tyme, who with his scyth addrest, Does mow the flowring herbes and goodly things, And all their glory to the ground downe flings, Where they do wither, and are fowly mard: He flyes about, and with his flaggy winges Beates downe both leaues leaves and buds without regard, Ne euer ever pitty may relent his malice hard. [40] Yet pitty often did the gods relent, To see so faire thinges mard, and spoiled quight: And their great mother Venus did lament The losse of her deare brood, her deare delight: Her hart was pierst with pitty at the sight, When walking through the Gardin, them she saw spyde, Yet n’ote no’te she find redresse for such despight: For all that liues lives , is subiect subject to that law: All things decay in time, and to their end doe draw. [41] But were it not, that Time their troubler is, All that in this delightfull Gardin growes, Should happy bee, and haue have immortall blis: For here all plenty, and all pleasure flowes, And sweete loue love gentle fitts emongst them throwes, Without fell rancor, or fond gealosy; Franckly each Paramor his leman knowes, Each bird his mate, ne any does enuy envy Their goodly meriment, and gay felicity. 490 The third Booke of Cant. VI. Sad [42] There is continuall Spring, and haruest harvest there Continuall, both meeting at one tyme: For both the boughes doe laughing blossoms beare, And with fresh colours decke the wanton Pryme, And eke attonce the heauenly heavenly heauy heavy trees they clyme, Which seeme to labour vnder under their fruites lode: The whiles the ioyous joyous birdes make their pastyme Emongst the shady leaues leaves , their sweet abode, And their trew loues loves without suspition tell abrode. [43] Right in the middest of that Paradise, There stood a stately Mount, on whose round top A gloomy groue grove of mirtle trees did rise, Whose shady boughes sharp steele did neuer never lop, Nor wicked beastes their tender buds did crop, But like a girlond compassed the hight, And from their fruitfull sydes sweet gum did drop, That all the ground with pretious deaw bedight, Threw forth most dainty odours, & and most sweet delight. [44] And in the thickest couert covert of that shade, There was a pleasaunt Arber Arbcr arbour Arbour , not by art, But of the trees owne inclination made, Which knitting their rancke braunches part to part, With wanton yuie yvie twyne entrayld athwart, And Eglantine, and Caprifole emong, Fashiond aboue above within their inmost part, That nether Phoebus beams could through thẽ them thrõg throng , Nor Aeolus sharp blast could worke them any wrong. [45] And all about grew euery every sort of flowre, To which sad louers lovers were transformde of yore; Fresh Hyacinthus, Phœbus paramoure, And dearest louelove, [word missing] Foolish NarciſſeNarcisse MarciſſeMarcisse , that likes the watry shore, 491 the Faery Queene. Cant. VI. There Sad Amaranthus, made a flowre but late, Sad Amaranthus, in whose purple gore Me seemes I see Amintas wretched fate, To whom sweet Poets verse hath giuen given endlesse date. [46] There wont fayre Venus often to enioy enjoy Her deare Adonis ioyous joyous company, And reape sweet pleasure of the wanton boy: There yet, some say, in secret he does ly, Lapped in flowres and pretious spycery, By her hid from the world, and from the skill Of Stygian Gods, which doe her loue love enuy envy ; But she her selfe, when euer ever that she will, Possesseth him, and of his sweetnesse takes her fill. [47] And sooth it seemes they say: for he may not For euer ever dye, and euer ever buried bee In balefull night, where all thinges are forgot; All be he subiect subject to mortalitie, Yet is eterne in mutabilitie, And by succession made perpetuall, Transformed oft, and chaunged diuerslie diverslie : For him the Father of all formes they call; Therfore needs mote he liue live , that liuing living giues gives to all. [48] There now he liueth liveth in eternall blis, Ioying Joying his goddesse, and of her enioyd enjoyd : Ne feareth he henceforth that foe of his, Which with his cruell tuske him deadly cloyd: For that wilde Bore, the which him once annoyd, She firmely hath emprisoned for ay, That her sweet loue love his malice mote auoyd avoyd , In a strong rocky Caue Cave , which is they say, Hewen vnderneath underneath that Mount, that none him losen (may. 492 The third Booke of Cant.VI. And [49] There now he liues lives in euerlasting everlasting ioy joy , With many of the Gods in company, Which thether haunt, and with the winged boy Sporting him selfe in safe felicity: Who when he hath with spoiles and cruelty Ransackt the world, and in the wofull harts Of many wretches set his triumphes hye, Thether resortes, and laying his sad dartes Asyde, with faire Adonis playes his wanton partes. [50] And his trew loue love faire Psyche with him playes, Fayre Psyche to him lately reconcyld, After long troubles and vnmeet unmeet vpbrayes upbrayes , With which his mother Venus her reuyld revyld , And eke himselfe her cruelly exyld: But now in stedfast loue love and happy state She with him liues lives , and hath him borne a chyld, Pleasure, that doth both gods and men aggrate, Pleasure, the daughter of Cupid and Psyche late. [51] Hether great Venus brought this infant fayre, The yonger daughter of Chrysogonee, And vnto unto Psyche with great trust and care Committed her, yfostered to bee, And trained vp up in trew feminitee: Who no lesse carefully her tendered, 1590.bk3.III.vi.51.7. Then: Than Then Than her owne daughter Pleasure, to whom shee Made her companion, and her lessoned In all the lore of loue love , and goodly womanhead. [52] In which when she to perfect ripenes grew, Of grace and beautie noble Paragone, She brought her forth into the worldes vew, To be th’ensample of true loue love alone, 493 the Faerie Queene. Cant. VI. Cant. And Lodestarre of all chaste affection, To all fayre Ladies, that doe liue live on grownd. To Faery court she came, where many one Admyrd her goodly haueour haveour , and fownd His feeble hart wide launch launched launced with loues loves cruel wownd. [53] But she to none of them her loue love did cast, Saue Save to the noble knight Sir Scudamore, To whom her louing loving hart she linked fast In faithfull loue love , t’abide for euermore evermore , And for his dearest sake endured sore, Sore trouble of an hainous enimy, Who her would forced haue have to haue have forlore forlor, forlore Her former loue love , and stedfast loialty, As ye may elswhere reade that ruefull history. [54] But well I weene, ye first desire to learne, What end vnto unto that fearefull Damozell, Which fledd so fast from that same foster stearne, Whom with his brethren Timias slew, befell: That was to weet, the goodly Florimell, Who wandring for to seeke her louer lover deare, Her louer lover deare, her dearest Marinell, Into misfortune fell, as ye did heare, And from Prince Arthure Arthur fled with wings of idle feare.