Cant. IX.

The Squire of low degree releast Pœana takes to wife: Britomart fightes with many Knights, Prince Arthur stints their strife.

[1] Hard is the doubt, and difficult to deeme, When all three kinds of loue love together meet, And doe dispart the hart with powre extreme, Whether shall weigh the balance downe; to weet The deare affection vnto unto kindred sweet, Or raging fire of loue love to woman kind, Or zeale of friends combynd with vertues meet. But of them all the band of vertues mind Me seemes the gentle hart, should most assured bind. [2] For naturall affection soone doth cesse, And quenched is with Cupids greater flame: But faithfull friendship doth them both suppresse, And them with maystring discipline doth tame, Through thoughts aspyring to eternall fame. For as the soule doth rule the earthly masse, And all the seruice service of the bodie frame, So loue love of soule doth loue love of bodie passe, No lesse 1596.bk4.IV.ix.2.9. then: than then than perfect gold surmounts the meanest brasse. [3] All which who list by tryall to assay, Shall in this storie find approued approved plaine; In which these Squires true friendship more did sway, 1596.bk4.IV.ix.3.4. Then: Than Then Than either care of parents could refraine, 128 THE IIII. BOOKE OF THE Cant. IX. Whence Or loue love of fairest Ladie could constraine. For though Pœana were as faire as morne, Yet did this Trustie squire with proud disdaine For his friends sake her offred fauours favours scorne, And she her selfe her syre, of whom she was yborne. [4] Now after that Prince Arthur graunted had, To yeeld strong succour to that gentle swayne, Who now long time had lyen in prison sad, He gan aduise advise how best he mote darrayne That enterprize, for greatest glories gayne. That headlesse tyrants tronke he reard from ground, And hauing having ympt the head to it agayne, Vpon Upon his vsuall usuall beast it firmely bound, And made it so to ride, as it aliue alive was found. [5] Then did he take that chaced Squire, and layd Before the ryder, as he captiue captive were, And made his Dwarfe, though with vnwilling unwilling ayd, To guide the beast, that did his maister beare, Till to his castle they approched neare. Whom when the watch, that kept continuall ward Saw comming home; all voide of doubtfull feare, He running downe, the gate to him vnbard unbard ; Whom straight the Prince ensuing, in together far’d. [6] There he did find in her delitious boure The faire Pœana playing on a Rote, Complayning of her cruell Paramoure, And singing all her sorrow to the note, As she had learned readily by rote. That with the sweetnesse of her rare delight, The Prince halfe rapt, began on her to dote: Till better him bethinking of the right, He her vnawares unawares attacht, and captiue captive held by might. Cant. IX. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 129 I [7] Whence being forth produc’d, when she perceiued perceived Her owne deare sire, she cald to him for aide. But when of him no aunswere she receiued received , But saw him sencelesse by the Squire vpstaide upstaide , She weened well, that then she was betraide: Then gan she loudly cry, and weepe, and waile, And that same Squire of treason to vpbraide upbraide . But all in vaine, her plaints might not preuaile prevaile , Ne none there was to reskue her, ne none to baile. [8] Then tooke he that same Dwarfe, and him compeld To open vnto unto him the prison dore, And forth to bring those thrals, which there he held. Thence forth were brought to him aboue above a score Of Knights and Squires to him vnknowne unknowne afore: All which he did from bitter bondage free, And vnto unto former liberty restore. Amongst the rest, that Squire of low degree Came forth full weake and wan, not like him selfe to bee. [9] Whom soone as faire Æmylia beheld, And Placidas, they both vnto unto him ran, And him embracing fast betwixt them held, Striuing Striving to comfort him all that they can, And kissing oft his visage pale and wan. That faire Pœana them beholding both, Gan both enuy envy , and bitterly to ban; Through iealous jealous passion weeping inly wroth, To see the sight perforce, that both her eyes were loth. [10] But when a while they had together beene, And diuersly diversly conferred of their case, She, though full oft she both of them had seene A sunder Asunder , yet not euer ever in one place, 130 THE IIII. BOOKE OF THE Cant. IX. But Began to doubt, when she them saw embrace, Which was the captiue captive Squire she lou’d lov’d so deare, Deceiued Deceived through great likenesse of their face, For they so like in person did appeare, That she vneath uneath discerned, whether whether weare. [11] And eke the Prince, when as he them auized avized , Their like resemblaunce much admired there, And mazd how nature had so well disguized Her worke, and counterfet her selfe so nere, As if that by one patterne seene somewhere, She had them made a paragone to be, Or whether it through skill, or errour were. Thus gazing long, at them much wondred he, So did the other knights and Squires, which him did see. [12] Then gan they ransacke that same Castle strong, In which he found great store of hoorded threasure, The which that tyrant gathered had by wrong And tortious powre, without respect or measure. Vpon Upon all which the Briton Prince made seasure, And afterwards continu’d there a while, To rest him selfe, and solace in soft pleasure Those weaker Ladies after weary toile; To whom he did diuide divide part of his purchast spoile. [13] And for more ioy joy , that captiue Lady faire The faire Pœana he enlarged free; And by the rest did set in sumptuous chaire, To feast and frollicke; nathemore would she Shew gladsome countenaunce nor pleasaunt glee: But grieued grieved was for losse both of her sire, And eke of Lordship, with both land and fee: But most she touched was with griefe entire, For losse of her new loue love , the hope of her desire. Cant. IX. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 131 I2 [14] But her the Prince through his well wonted grace, To better termes of myldnesse did entreat, From that fowle rudenesse, which did her deface; And that same bitter corsiue corsive , which did eat Her tender heart, and made refraine from meat, He with good thewes and speaches well applyde, Did mollifie, and calme her raging heat. For though she were most faire, and goodly dyde, Yet she it all did mar with cruelty and pride. [15] And for to shut vp up all in friendly loue love , Sith loue love was first the ground of all her griefe, That trusty Squire he wisely well did moue move Not to despise that dame, which lou’d lov’d him liefe, Till he had made of her some better priefe, But to accept her to his wedded wife. Thereto he offred for to make him chiefe Of all her land and lordship during life: He yeelded, and her tooke; so stinted all their strife. [16] From that day forth in peace and ioyous joyous blis, They liu’d liv’d together long without debate, Ne priuate private iarre jarre , ne spite of enemis Could shake the safe assuraunce of their state. And she whom Nature did so faire create, That she mote match the fairest of her daies, Yet with lewd loues loves and lust intemperate Had it defaste; thenceforth reformd her waies, That all men much admyrde her change, and spake her (praise. [17] Thus when the Prince had perfec⁀tly perfectly pefec⁀tly pefectly compylde These paires of friends in peace and setled rest, Him selfe, whose minde did trauell travell as with chylde, Of his old loue love , conceau’d conceav’d in secret brest, 132 THE IIII. BOOKE OF THE Cant. IX. Druons Resolued Resolved to pursue his former guest; And taking leaue leave of all, with him did beare Faire Amoret, whom Fortune by bequest Had left in his protection whileare, Exchanged out of one into an other feare. [18] Feare of her safety did her not constraine, For well she wist now in a mighty hond, Her person late in perill, did remaine, Who able was all daungers to withstond. But now in feare of shame she more did stond, Seeing her selfe all soly succourlesse, Left in the victors powre, like vassall bond; Whose will her weakenesse could no way represse. In case his burning lust should breake into excesse. [19] But cause of feare sure had she none at all Of him, who goodly learned had of yore The course of loose affection to forstall, And lawlesse lust to rule with reasons lore; That all the while he by his side her bore, She was as safe as in a Sanctuary; Thus many miles they two together wore, To seeke their loues loves dispersed diuersly diversly , Yet neither shewed to other their hearts priuity privity . [20] At length they came, whereas a troupe of Knights They saw together skirmishing, as seemed: Sixe they were all, all full of fell despight, But foure of them the battell best beseemed, That which of them was best, mote not be deemed. Those foure were they, from whom false Florimell By Braggadochio lately was redeemed. To weet, sterne Druon, and lewd Claribell, Loue-lauish Love-lavish Blandamour, and lustfull Paridell. Cant. IX. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 133 I3 [21] Druons delight was all in single life, And vnto unto Ladies loue love would lend no leasure: The more was Claribell enraged rife With feruent fervent flames, and loued loved out of measure: So eke lou’d lov’d Blandamour, but yet at pleasure Would change his liking, and new Lemans proue prove : But Paridell of loue love did make no threasure, But lusted after all, that him did moue move . So diuersly diversly these foure disposed were to loue love . [22] But those two other which beside them stoode, Were Britomart, and gentle Scudamour, Who all the while beheld their wrathfull moode, And wondred at their impacable stoure, Whose like they neuer never saw till that same houre: So dreadfull strokes each did at other driue drive , And laid on load with all their might and powre, As if that euery every dint the ghost would riue rive Out of their wretched corses, and their liues lives depriue deprive . [23] As when Dan AEolus in great displeasure, For losse of his deare loue love by Neptune hent, Sends forth the winds out of his hidden threasure, Vpon Upon the sea to wreake his fell intent; They breaking forth with rude vnruliment unruliment , From all foure parts of heauen heaven doe rage full sore, And tosse the deepes, and teare the firmament, And all the world confound with wide vprore uprore , As if in stead thereof they Chaos would restore. [24] Cause of their discord, and so fell debate, Was for the loue love of that same snowy maid, Whome they had lost in Turneyment of late, And seeking long, to weet which way she straid 134 THE IIII. BOOKE OF THE Cant. IX. Thus Met here together, where through lewd vpbraide upbraide Of Ate and Duessa they fell out, And each one taking part in others aide, This cruell conflict raised thereabout, Whose dangerous successe depended yet in dout. [25] For sometimes Paridell and Blandamour The better had, and bet the others backe, Eftsoones the others did the field recoure, And on their foes did worke full cruell wracke: Yet neither would their fiendlike fury slacke, But euermore evermore their malice did augment; Till that vneath uneath they forced were for lacke Of breath, their raging rigour to relent, And rest themselues themselves for to recouer recover spirits spent. [26] 1596.bk4.IV.ix.26.1. Their: There Their There gan they change their sides, and new parts take; For Paridell did take to Druons side, For old despight, which now forth newly brake Gainst Blandamour, whom alwaies he enuide envide : And Blandamour to Claribell relide. So all afresh gan former fight renew. As when two Barkes, this caried with the tide, That with the wind, contrary courses sew, If wind and tide doe change, their courses change anew. [27] Thenceforth they much more furiously gan fare, As if but then the battell had begonne, Ne helmets bright, ne hawberks strong did spare, That through the clifts the vermeil bloud out sponne, And all adowne their riuen riven sides did ronne. Such mortall malice, wonder was to see In friends profest, and so great outrage donne: But sooth is said, and tride in each degree, Faint friends when they fall out, most cruell fomen bee. Cant. IX. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 135 I4 [28] Thus they long while continued in fight, Till Scudamour, and that same Briton maide, By fortune in that place did chance to light: Whom soone as they with wrathfull eie bewraide, They gan remember of the fowle vpbraide upbraide , The which that Britonesse had to them donne, In that late Turney for the snowy maide; Where she had them both shamefully fordonne, And eke the famous prize of beauty from them wonne. [29] Eftsoones all burning with a fresh desire Of fell reuenge revenge , in their malicious mood They from them selues selves gan turne their furious ire, And cruell blades yet steeming with whot bloud, Against those two let driue drive , as they were wood: Who wondring much at that so sodaine fit, Yet nought dismayd, them stoutly well withstood; Ne yeelded foote, ne once abacke did flit, But being doubly smitten likewise doubly smit. [30] The warlike Dame was on her part assaid, Of Claribell and Blandamour attone; And Paridell and Druon fiercely laid At Scudamour, both his professed fone. Foure charged two, and two surcharged one; Yet did those two them selues selves so brauely bravely beare, That the other litle gained by the lone, But with their owne repayred duely weare, And vsury usury withall: such gaine was gotten deare. [31] Full oftentimes did Britomart assay To speake to them, and some emparlance moue move ; But they for nought their cruell hands would stay, Ne lend an eare to ought, that might behoue behove , 136 THE IIII. BOOKE OF THE Cant. IX. But As when an eager mastiffe once doth proue prove The tast of bloud of some engored beast, No words may rate, nor rigour him remoue remove From greedy hold of that his blouddy feast: So litle did they hearken to her sweet beheast. [32] Whom when the Briton Prince a farre afarre beheld With ods of so vnequall unequall match opprest, His mighty heart with indignation sweld, And inward grudge fild his heroicke brest: Eftsoones him selfe he to their aide addrest, And thrusting fierce into the thickest preace, Diuided Divided them, how euer ever loth to rest, And would them faine from battell to surceasse, With gentle words perswading them to friendly peace. [33] But they so farre from peace or patience were, That all at once at him gan fiercely flie, And lay on load, as they him downe would beare; Like to a storme, which houers hovers vnder under skie Long here and there, and round about doth stie, At length breakes downe in raine, and haile, and sleet, First from one coast, till nought thereof be drie; And then another, till that likewise fleet; And so from side to side till all the world it weet. [34] But now their forces greatly were decayd, The Prince yet being fresh vntoucht untoucht afore; Who them with speaches milde gan first disswade From such foule outrage, and them long forbore: Till seeing them through suffrance hartned more, Him selfe he bent their furies to abate, And layd at them so sharpely and so sore, That shortly them compelled to retrate, And being brought in daunger, to relent too late. Cant. IX. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 137 [35] But now his courage being throughly fired, He ment to make them know their follies prise, Had not those two him instantly desired T’asswage his wrath, and pardon their mesprise. At whose request he gan him selfe aduise advise To stay his hand, and of a truce to treat In milder tearmes, as list them to deuise devise : Mongst which the cause of their so cruell heat He did them aske, who all that passed gan repeat. [36] And told at large how that same errant Knight, To weet faire Britomart, them late had foyled In open turney, and by wrongfull fight Both of their publicke praise had them despoyled, And also of their priuate private loues loves beguyled, Of two full hard to read the harder theft. But she that wrongfull challenge soone assoyled, And shew’d that she had not that Lady reft, (As they supposd) but her had to her liking left. [37] To whom the Prince thus goodly well replied; Certes sir Knight, ye seemen much to blame, To rip vp up wrong, that battell once hath tried; Wherein the honor both of Armes ye shame, And eke the loue love of Ladies foule defame; To whom the world this franchise euer ever yeelded, That of their loues loves choise they might freedom clame, And in that right should by all knights be shielded: Gainst which me seemes this war ye wrongfully haue have (wielded. [38] And yet (quoth she) a greater wrong remaines: For I thereby my former loue love haue have lost, Whom seeking euer ever since with endlesse paines, Hath me much sorrow and much trauell travell cost; 138 THE IIII. BOOKE OF THE Cant. IX. Cant. Aye me to see that gentle maide so tost. But Scudamour then sighing deepe, thus saide, Certes her losse ought me to sorrow most, Whose right she is, where euer ever she be straide, Through many perils wonne, and many fortunes waide. [39] For from the first that I her loue love profest, Vnto Unto this houre, this present lucklesse howre, I neuer never ioyed joyed happinesse nor rest, But thus turmoild from one to other stowre, I wast my life, and doe my daies deuowre devowre In wretched anguishe and incessant woe, Passing the measure of my feeble powre, That liuing living thus, a wretch I and louing loving so, I neither can my loue love , ne yet my life forgo. [40] Then good sir Claribell him thus bespake, Now were it not sir Scudamour to you, Dislikefull paine, so sad a taske to take, Mote we entreat you, sith this gentle crew Is now so well accorded all anew; That as we ride together on our way, Ye will recount to vs us in order dew All that aduenture adventure , which ye did assay For that faire Ladies loue love : past perils well apay. [41] So gan the rest him likewise to require, But Britomart did him importune hard, To take on him that paine: whose great desire He glad to satisfie, him selfe prepar’d To tell through what misfortune he had far’d, In that atchieuement atchievement , as to him befell. And all those daungers vnto unto them declar’d, Which sith they cannot in this Canto well Comprised be, I will them in another tell.