Cant. I. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 187 Cant. I.

Artegall trayn’d in Iustice Justice lore Irenaes quest pursewed, He doeth auenge avenge on Sanglier his Ladies bloud embrewed.

[1] Though vertue then were held in highest price, In those old times, of which I doe intreat, Yet then likewise the wicked seede of vice Began to spring which shortly grew full great, And with their boughes the gentle plants did beat. But euermore evermore some of the vertuous race Rose vp up , inspired with heroicke heat, That cropt the branches of the sient base, And with strong hand their fruitfull rancknes did deface. [2] Such first was Bacchus, that with furious might All th’East before vntam’d untam’d did ouerronne overronne , And wrong repressed, and establisht right, Which lawlesse men had formerly fordonne. There Iustice Justice first her princely rule begonne. Next Hercules his like ensample shewed, Who all the West with equall conquest wonne, And monstrous tyrants with his club subdewed; The club of Iustice Justice dread, with kingly powre endewed. [3] And such was he, of whom I haue have to tell, The Champion of true Iustice Justice Artegall. Whom (as ye lately mote remember well) An hard aduenture adventure , which did then befall, 188 THE V. BOOK OF THE Cant. I. There Into redoubted perill forth did call; That was to succour a distressed Dame, Whom a strong tyrant did vniustly unjustly thrall, And from the heritage, which she did clame, Did with strong hand withhold: Grantorto was his name. [4] Wherefore the Lady, which Eirena hight, Did to the Faery Queene her way addresse, To whom complayning her afflicted plight, She her besought of gratious redresse. That soueraine soveraine Queene, that mightie Emperesse, Whose glorie is to aide all suppliants pore, And of weake Princes to be Patronesse, Chose Artegall to right her to restore; For that to her he seem’d best skild in righteous lore. [5] For Artegall in iustice justice was vpbrought upbrought Euen Even from the cradle of his infancie, And all the depth of rightfull doome was taught By faire Astræa, with great industrie, Whilest here on earth she liued lived mortallie. For till the world from his perfection fell Into all filth and foule iniquitie, Astræa here mongst earthly men did dwell, And in the rules of iustice justice them instructed well. [6] Whiles through the world she walked in this sort, Vpon Upon a day she found this gentle childe, Amongst his peres playing his childish sport: Whom seeing fit, and with no crime defilde, She did allure with gifts and speaches milde, To wend with her. So thence him farre she brought Into a caue cave from companie exilde, In which she noursled him, till yeares he raught, And all the discipline of iustice justice there him taught. Cant. I. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 189 [7] There she him taught to weigh both right and wrong In equall ballance with due recompence, And equitie to measure out along, According to the line of conscience, When so it needs with rigour to dispence. Of all the which, for want there of mankind, She caused him to make experience Vpon Upon wyld beasts, which she in woods did find, With wrongfull powre oppressing others of their kind. [8] Thus she him trayned, and thus she him taught, In all the skill of deeming wrong and right, Vntill Untill the ripenesse of mans yeares he raught; That euen even wilde beasts did feare his awfull sight, And men admyr’d his ouerruling overruling might; Ne any liu’d liv’d on ground, that durst withstand His dreadfull heast, much lesse him match in fight, Or bide the horror of his wreakfull hand, When so he list in wrath lift vp up his steely brand. [9] Which steely brand, to make him dreaded more, She gaue gave vnto unto him, gotten by her slight And earnest search, where it was kept in store In Ioues Joves eternall house, vnwist unwist of wight, Since he himselfe it vs’d us’d in that great fight Against the Titans, that whylome rebelled Gainst highest heauen heaven ; Chrysaor it was hight; Chrysaor that all other swords excelled, Well prou’d prov’d in that same day, when Ioue Jove those Gyants quelled. [10] For of most perfect metall it was made, Tempred with Adamant amongst the same, And garnisht all with gold vpon upon the blade In goodly wise, whereof it tooke his name, 190 THE V. BOOK OF THE Cant. I. To And was of no lesse vertue, 1596.bk5.V.i.10.5. then: than then than of fame. For there no substance was so firme and hard, But it would pierce or cleaue cleave , where so it came; Ne any armour could his dint out ward, But wheresoeuer wheresoever it did light, it throughly shard. [11] Now when the world with sinne gan to abound, Astræa loathing lenger here to space Mongst wicked men, in whom no truth she found, Return’d to heauen heaven , whence she deriu’d deriv’d her race; Where she hath now an euerlasting everlasting place, Mongst those twelue twelve signes, which nightly we doe see The heauens heavens bright-shining baudricke to enchace; And is the Virgin, fixt in her degree, And next her selfe her righteous ballance hanging bee. [12] But when she parted hence, she left her groome An yron man, which did on her attend Alwayes, to execute her stedfast doome, And willed him with Artegall to wend, And doe what euer ever thing he did intend. His name was Talus, made of yron mould, Immoueable Immoveable , resistlesse, without end. Who in his hand an yron flale did hould, With which he thresht out falshood, and did truth vn-fould. un-fould. [13] He now went with him in this new inquest, Him for to aide, if aide he chaunst to neede, Against that cruell Tyrant, which opprest The faire Irena with his foule misdeede, And kept the crowne in which she should succeed. And now together on their way they bin, When as they saw a Squire in squallid weed, Lamenting sore his sorowfull sad tyne, With many bitter teares shed from his blubbred eyne. Cant. I. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 191 [14] To whom as they approched, they espide A sorie sight, as euer ever seene with eye; An headlesse Ladie lying him beside, In her owne blood all wallow’d wofully, That her gay clothes did in discolour die. Much was he moued moved at that ruefull sight; And flam’d with zeale of vengeance inwardly, He askt, who had that Dame so fouly dight; Or whether his owne hand, or whether other wight? [15] Ah woe is me, and well away (quoth hee) Bursting forth teares, like springs out of a banke, That euer ever I this dismall day did see: Full farre was I from thinking such a pranke; Yet litle losse it were, and mickle thanke, If I should graunt that I haue have doen the same, That I mote drinke the cup, whereof she dranke: But that I should die guiltie of the blame, The which another did, who now is fled with shame. [16] Who was it then (sayd Artegall) that wrought? And why, doe it declare vnto unto me trew. A knight (said he) if knight he may be thought, That did his hand in Ladies bloud embrew, And for no cause, but as I shall you shew. This day as I in solace sate hereby With a fayre loue love , whose losse I now do rew, There came this knight, hauing having in companie This lucklesse Ladie, which now here doth headlesse lie. [17] He, whether mine seem’d fayrer in his eye, Or that he wexed weary of his owne, Would change with me; but I did it denye; So did the Ladies both, as may be knowne, 192 THE V. BOOK OF THE Cant. I. He But he, whose spirit was with pride vpblowne upblowne , Would not so rest contented with his right, But hauing having from his courser her downe throwne, Fro me reft mine away by lawlesse might, And on his steed her set, to beare her out of sight. [18] Which when his Ladie saw, she follow’d fast, And on him catching hold, gan loud to crie Not so to leaue leave her, nor away to cast, But rather of his hand besought to die. With that his sword he drew all wrathfully, And at one stroke cropt off her head with scorne, In that same place, whereas it now doth lie. So he my loue love away with him hath borne, And left me here, both his & and mine owne loue love to morne. [19] Aread (sayd he) which way then did he make? And by what markes may he be knowne againe? To hope (quoth he) him soone to ouertake overtake , That hence so long departed, is but vaine: But yet he pricked ouer over yonder plaine, And as I marked, bore vpon upon his shield, By which it’s easie him to know againe, A broken sword within a bloodie field; Expressing well his nature, which the same did wield. [20] No sooner sayd, but streight he after sent His yron page, who him pursew’d so light, As that it seem’d aboue above the ground he went: For he was swift as swallow in her flight, And strong as Lyon in his Lordly might. It was not long, before he ouertooke overtooke Sir Sanglier; (so cleeped was that Knight) Whom at the first he ghessed by his looke, And by the other markes, which of his shield he tooke. Cant. II. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 193 N [21] He bad him stay, and backe with him retire; Who full of scorne to be commaunded so, The Lady to alight did eft require, Whilest he reformed that vnciuill uncivill fo: And streight at him with all his force did go. Who mou’d mov’d no more therewith, 1596.bk5.V.i.21.6. then: than then than when a rocke Is lightly stricken with some stones throw; But to him leaping, lent him such a knocke, That on the ground he layd him like a sencelesse blocke. [22] But ere he could him selfe recure againe, Him in his iron paw he seized had; That when he wak’t out of his warelesse paine, He found him selfe vnwist unwist , so ill bestad, That lim he could not wag. Thence he him lad, Bound like a beast appointed to the stall: The sight whereof the Lady sore adrad, And fain’d to fly for feare of being thrall; But he her quickly stayd, and forst to wend withall. [23] When to the place they came, where Artegall By that same carefull Squire did then abide, He gently gan him to demaund of all, That did betwixt him and that Squire betide. Who with sterne countenance and indignant pride Did aunswere, that of all he guiltlesse stood, And his accuser thereuppon defide: For neither he did shed that Ladies bloud, Nor tooke away his loue love , but his owne proper good. [24] Well did the Squire perceiue perceive him selfe too weake, To aunswere his defiaunce in the field, And rather chose his challenge off to breake, 1596.bk5.V.i.24.4. Then: Than Then Than to approue approve his right with speare and shield. 194 THE V. BOOKE OF THE Cant. I. Whom And rather guilty chose him selfe to yield. But Artegall by signes perceiuing perceiving plaine, That he it was not, which that Lady kild, But that strange Knight, the fairer loue love to gaine, Did cast about by sleight the truth thereout to straine. [25] And sayd, now sure this doubtfull causes right Can hardly but by Sacrament be tride, Or else by ordele, or by blooddy fight; That ill perhaps mote fall to either side. But if ye please, that I your cause decide, Perhaps I may all further quarrell end, So ye will sweare my iudgement judgement to abide. Thereto they both did franckly condiscend, And to his doome with listfull eares did both attend. [26] Sith then (sayd he) ye both the dead deny, And both the liuing living Lady claime your right, Let both the dead and liuing living equally Deuided be betwixt you here in sight, And each of either take his share aright. But looke who does dissent from this my read, He for a twelue twelve moneths day shall in despight Beare for his penaunce that same Ladies head; To witnesse to the world, that she by him is dead. [27] Well pleased with that doome was Sangliere, And offred streight the Lady to be slaine. But that same Squire, to whom she was more dere, When as he saw she should be cut in twaine, Did yield, she rather should with him remaine Aliue Alive , 1596.bk5.V.i.27.6. then: than then than to him selfe be shared dead; And rather 1596.bk5.V.i.27.7. then: than then than his loue love should suffer paine, He chose with shame to beare that Ladies head. True loue love despiseth shame, when life is cald in dread. Cant. I. FAERIE QVEENE QUEENE . 195 N2 [28] Whom when so willing Artegall perceaued perceaved ; Not so thou Squire, (he sayd) but thine I deeme The liuing living Lady, which from thee he reaued reaved : For worthy thou of her doest rightly seeme. And you, Sir Knight, that loue love so light esteeme, As that ye would for little leaue leave the same, Take here your owne, that doth you best beseeme, And with it beare the burden of defame; Your owne dead Ladies head, to tell abrode your shame. [29] But Sangliere disdained much his doome, And sternly gan repine at his beheast; Ne would for ought obay, as did become, To beare that Ladies head before his breast. Vntill Untill that Talus had his pride represt, And forced him, maulgre, it vp up to reare. Who when he saw it bootelesse to resist, He tooke it vp up , and thence with him did beare, As rated Spaniell takes his burden vp up for feare. [30] Much did that Squire Sir Artegall adore, For his great iustice justice , held in high regard; And as his Squire him offred euermore evermore To serue serve , for want of other meete reward, And wend with him on his aduenture adventure hard. But he thereto would by no meanes consent; But leauing leaving him forth on his iourney journey far’d: Ne wight with him but onely Talus went. They two enough t’encounter an whole Regiment.