Artegall fights with Radigund
And is subdewd by guile:
He is by herhcr emprisoned,
But wrought by Clarins wile.
[1]
SOSo soone as day forth dawning from the
East,
Nights humid curtaine from the heauensheavens withdrew,
And earely calling forth both man and beast,
Comaunded them their daily workes renew,
These noble warriors, mindefull to pursew
The last daies purpose of their vowed fight,
Them seluesselves thereto preparde in order dew;
The Knight, as best was seeming for a Knight,
And th’Amazon, as best it likt her selfe to dight.
[2]
All in a Camis light of purple silke
WouenWoven
vpponuppon with siluersilver, subtly wrought,
And quilted vpponuppon sattin white as milke,
Trayled with ribbands diuerslydiversly distraught
Like as the workeman had their courses taught;
Which was short tucked for light motion
VpUp to her ham, but when she list, it raught
Downe to her lowest heele, and thereuppon
She wore for her defence a mayled habergeon.
[3]
And on her legs she painted buskins wore,
Basted with bends of gold on eueryevery side,
And mailes betweene, and laced close afore:
VpponUppon her thigh her Cemitare was tide,
With an embrodered belt of mickell pride;
And on her shoulder hung her shield, bedeckt
VpponUppon the bosse with stones, that shined wide,
As the faire Moone in her most full aspect,
That to the Moone it mote be like in each respect.
[4]
So forth she came out of the citty gate,
With stately port and proud magnificence,
Guarded with many damzels, that did waite
VpponUppon her person for her sure defence,
Playing on shaumes and trumpets, that from hence
Their sound did reach vntounto the heauensheavens hight.
So forth into the field she marched thence,
Where was a rich PauilionPavilion ready pight,
Her to receiuereceive, till time they should begin the fight.
[5]
Then forth came Artegall out of his tent,
All arm’d to point, and first the Lists did enter:
Soone after eke came she, with fell intent,
And countenaunce fierce, as hauinghaving fully bent her,
That battels vtmostutmost triall to aduenteradventer.
The Lists were closed fast, to barre the rout
From rudely pressing to the middle center;
Which in great heapes them circled all about,
Wayting, how Fortune would resolueresolve that daungerous dout.
[6]
The Trumpets sounded, and the field began;
With bitter strokes it both began, and ended.
She at the first encounter on him ran
With furious rage, as if she had intended
Out of his breast the very heart hauehave rended:
But he that had like tempests often tride,
From that first flaw him selfe right well defended.
The more she rag’d, the more he did abide;
She hewd, she foynd, she lasht, she laid on eueryevery side.
[7]
Yet still her blowes he bore, and her forbore,
Weening at last to win aduantageadvantage new;
Yet still her crueltie increased more,
And though powre faild, her courage did accrew,
Which fayling he gan fiercely her pursew.
Like as a Smith that to his cunning feat
The stubborne mettall seeketh to subdew,
Soone as he feeles it mollifide with heat,
With his great yron sledge doth strongly on it beat.
[8]
So did Sir Artegall
vponupon her lay,
As if she had an yron anduileandvile beene,
That flakes of fire, bright as the sunny ray,
Out of her steely armes were flashing seene,
That all on fire ye would her surely weene.
But with her shield so well her selfe she warded,
From the dread daunger of his weapon keene,
That all that while her life she safely garded:
But he that helpe from her against her will discarded.
[9]
For with his trenchant blade at the next blow
Halfe of her shield he shared quite away,
That halfe her side it selfe did naked show,
And thenceforth vntounto daunger opened way.
Much was she mouedmoved with the mightie sway
Of that sad stroke, that halfe enrag’d she grew,
And like a greedie Beare vntounto her pray,
With her sharpe Cemitare at him she flew,
That glauncing downe his thigh, the purple bloud forth drew.
[10]
Thereat she gan to triumph with great boast,
And to vpbraydupbrayd that chaunce, which him misfell,
As if the prize she gotten had almost,
With spightfull speaches, fitting with her well;
That his great hart gan inwardly to swell
With indignation, at her vaunting vaine,
And at her strooke with puissance fearefull fell;
Yet with her shield she warded it againe,
That shattered all to peeces round about the plaine.
[11]
HauingHaving her thus disarmed of her shield,
VponUpon her helmet he againe her strooke,
That downe she fell vponupon the grassie field,
In sencelesse swoune, as if her life forsooke,
And pangs of death her spirit ouertookeovertooke.
Whom when he saw before his foote prostrated,
He to her lept with deadly dreadfull looke,
And her sunshynie helmet soone vnlacedunlaced,
Thinking at once both head and helmet to hauehave raced.
[12]
But when as he discouereddiscovered had her face,
He saw his senses straunge astonishment,
A miracle of natures goodly grace,
In her faire visage voide of ornament,
But bath’d in bloud and sweat together ment;
Which in the rudenesse of that euillevill plight,
Bewrayd the signes of feature excellent:
Like as the Moone in foggie winters night,
Doth seeme to be her selfe, though darkned be her light.
[13]
At sight thereof his cruell minded hart
Empierced was with pittifull regard,
That his sharpe sword he threw from him apart,
Cursing his hand that had that visage mard:
No hand so cruell, nor no hart so hard,
But ruth of beautie will it mollifie.
By this vpstartingupstarting from her swoune, she star’d
A while about her with confused eye;
Like one that from his dreame is waked suddenlye.
[14]
Soone as the knight she there by her did spy,
Standing with emptie hands all weaponlesse,
With fresh assault vponupon him she did fly,
And gan renew her former cruelnesse:
And though he still retyr’d, yet nathelesse
With huge redoubled strokes she on him layd;
And more increast her outrage mercilesse,
The more that he with meeke intreatie prayd,
Her wrathful hand from greedy vengeance to hauehave stayd.
[15]
Like as a Puttocke hauinghaving spyde in sight
A gentle Faulcon sitting on an hill,
Whose other wing, now made vnmeeteunmeete for flight,
Was lately broken by some fortune ill;
The foolish Kyte, led with licentious will,
Doth beat vponupon the gentle bird in vaine,
With many idle stoups her troubling still:
EuenEven so did Radigund with bootlesse paine
Annoy this noble Knight, and sorely him constraine.
[16]
Nought could he do, but shun the dred despight
Of her fierce wrath, and backward still retyre,
And with his single shield, well as he might,
Beare off the burden of her raging yre;
And euermoreevermore he gently did desyre,
To stay her stroks, and he himselfe would yield:
Yet nould she hearke, ne let him once respyre,
Till he to her deliuereddelivered had his shield,
And to her mercie him submitted in plaine field.
[17]
So was he ouercomeovercome, not ouercomeovercome,
But to her yeelded of his owne accord;
Yet was he iustlyjustly damned by the doome
Of his owne mouth, that spake so warelesse word,
To be her thrall, and seruiceservice her afford.
For though that he first victorie obtayned,
Yet after by abandoning his sword,
He wilfull lost, that he before attayned.
No fayrer conquest, 1596.bk5.V.v.17.9. then: thanthenthan that with goodwill is gayned.
[18]
Tho with her sword on him she flatling strooke,
In signe of true subiectionsubjection to her powre,
And as her vassall him to thraldome tooke.
But Terpine borne to’a more vnhappyunhappy howre,
As he, on whom the lucklesse starres did lowre,
She causd to be attacht, and forthwith led
VntoUnto the crooke t’abide the balefull stowre,
From which he lately had through reskew fled:
Where he full shamefully was hanged by the hed.
[19]
But when they thought on Talus hands to lay,
He with his yron flaile amongst them thondred,
That they were fayne to let him scape away,
Glad from his companie to be so sondred;
Whose presence all their troups so much encombred
That th’heapes of those, which he did wound and slay,
Besides the rest dismayd, might not be nombred:
Yet all that while he would not once assay,
To reskew his owne Lord, but thought it iustjust t’obay.
[20]
Then tooke the Amazon this noble knight,
Left to her will by his owne wilfull blame,
And caused him to be disarmed quight,
Of all the ornaments of knightly name,
With which whylome he gotten had great fame:
In stead whereof she made him to be dight
In womans weedes, that is to manhood shame,
And put before his lap a napron white,
In stead of Curiets and bases fit for fight.
[21]
So being clad, she brought him from the field,
In which he had bene trayned many a day,
Into a long large chamber, which was sield
With moniments of many knights decay,
By her subdewed in victorious fray:
Amongst the which she causd his warlike armes
Be hang’d on high, that mote his shame bewray;
And broke his sword, for feare of further harmes,
With which he wont to stirre vpup battailous alarmes.
[22]
There entred in, he round about him saw
Many brauebrave knights, whose names right well he knew,
There bound t’obay that Amazons proud law,
Spinning and carding all in comely rew,
That his bigge hart loth’d so vncomelyuncomely vew.
But they were forst through penurie and pyne,
To doe those workes, to them appointed dew:
For nought was giuengiven them to sup or dyne,
But what their hands could earne by twisting linnen twyne.
[23]
Amongst them all she placed him most low,
And in his hand a distaffe to him gauegave,
That he thereon should spin both flax and tow;
A sordid office for a mind so brauebrave.
So hard it is to be a womans slaueslave.
Yet he it tooke in his owne selfes despight,
And thereto did himselfe right well behauebehave,
Her to obay, sith he his faith had plight,
Her vassall to become, if she him wonne in fight.
[24]
Who had him seene, imagine mote thereby,
That whylome hath of Hercules bene told,
How for Iolas sake he did apply
His mightie hands, the distaffe vile to hold,
For his huge club, which had subdew’d of old
So many monsters, which the world annoyed;
His Lyons skin chaungd to a pall of gold,
In which forgetting warres, he onely ioyedjoyed
In combats of sweet louelove, and with his mistresse toyed.
[25]
Such is the crueltie of womenkynd,
When they hauehave shaken off the shamefast band,
With which wise Nature did them strongly bynd,
T’obay the heasts of mans well ruling hand,
That then all rule and reason they withstand,
To purchase a licentious libertie.
But vertuous women wisely vnderstandunderstand,
That they were borne to base humilitie,
VnlesseUnlesse the heauensheavens them lift to lawfull soueraintiesoveraintie.
[26]
Thus there long while continu’d Artegall,
SeruingServing proud Radigund with true subiectionsubjection;
How euerever it his noble heart did gall,
T’obay a womans tyrannous direction,
That might hauehave had of life or death election:
But hauinghaving chosen, now he might not chaunge.
During which time, the warlike Amazon,
Whose wandring fancie after lust did raunge,
Gan cast a secret liking to this captiuecaptive straunge.
[27]
Which long concealing in her couertcovert brest,
She chaw’d the cud of louerslovers carefull plight;
Yet could it not so thoroughly digest,
Being fast fixed in her wounded spright,
But it tormented her both day and night:
Yet would she not thereto yeeld free accord,
To serueserve the lowly vassall of her might,
And of her seruantservant make her soueraynesoverayne Lord:
So great her pride, that she such basenesse much abhord.
[28]
So much the greater still her anguish grew,
Through stubborne handling of her loue-sickelove-sicke hart;
And still the more she strouestrove it to subdew,
The more she still augmented her owne smart,
And wyder made the wound of th’hidden dart.
At last when long she struggled had in vaine,
She gan to stoupe, and her proud mind conuertconvert
To meeke obeysance of louesloves mightie raine,
And him entreat for grace, that had procur’d her paine.
[29]
VntoUnto her selfe in secret she did call
Her nearest handmayd, whom she most did trust,
And to her said; Clarinda whom of all
I trust a liuealive, sith I thee fostred first;
Now is the time, that I vntimelyuntimely must
Thereof make tryall, in my greatest need:
It is so hapned, that the heauensheavens
vniustunjust,
Spighting my happie freedome, hauehave agreed,
To thrall my looser life, or my last bale to breed.
[30]
With that she turn’d her head, as halfe abashed,
To hide the blush which in her visage rose,
And through her eyes like sudden lightning flashed,
Decking her cheeke with a vermilion rose:
But soone she did her countenance compose,
And to her turning, thus began againe;
This griefes deepe wound I would to thee disclose,
Thereto compelled through hart-murdring paine,
But dread of shame my doubtfull lips doth still restraine.
[31]
Ah my deare dread (said then the faithfull Mayd)
Can dread of ought your dreadlesse hart withhold,
That many hath with dread of death dismayd,
And dare eueneven deathes most dreadfull face behold?
Say on my souerayne Ladie, and be bold;
Doth not your handmayds life at your foot lie?
Therewith much comforted, she gan vnfoldunfold
The cause of her conceiuedconceived maladie,
As one that would confesse, yet faine would it denie.
[32]
Clarin (sayd she) thou seest yond Fayry Knight,
Whom not my valour, but his owne brauebrave mind
SubiectedSubjected hath to my vnequallunequall might;
What right is it, that he should thraldome find,
For lending life to me a wretch vnkindunkind;
That for such good him recompence with ill?
Therefore I cast, how I may him vnbindunbind,
And by his freedome get his free goodwill;
Yet so, as bound to me he may continue still.
[33]
Bound vntounto me, but not with such hard bands
Of strong compulsion, and streight violence,
As now in miserable state he stands;
But with sweet louelove and sure beneuolencebenevolence,
Voide of malitious mind, or foule offence.
To which if thou canst win him any way,
Without discoueriediscoverie of my thoughts pretence,
Both goodly meede of him it purchase may,
And eke with gratefull seruiceservice me right well apay.
[34]
Which that thou mayst the better bring to pas,
Loe here this ring, which shall thy warrant bee,
And token true to old Eumenias,
From time to time, when thou it best shalt see,
That in and out thou mayst hauehave passage free.
Goe now, Clarinda, well thy wits aduiseadvise,
And all thy forces gather vntounto thee;
Armies of louelylovely lookes, and speeches wise,
With which thou canst eueneven
IoueJove
himselfe to louelove entise.
[35]
The trustie Mayd, conceiuingconceiving her intent,
Did with sure promise of her good indeuourindevour,
GiueGive her great comfort, and some harts content.
So from her parting, she thenceforth did labour
By all the meanes she might, to curry fauourfavour
With th’Elfin Knight, her Ladies best belouedbeloved;
With daily shew of courteous kind behauiourbehaviour,
EuenEven at the markewhite of his hart she rouedroved,
And with wide glauncing words, one day she thus him
proued.proved.
[36]
VnhappieUnhappie Knight, vponupon whose hopelesse state
Fortune enuyingenvying good, hath felly frowned,
And cruell heauensheavens
hauehave heapt an heauyheavy fate;
I rew that thus thy better dayes are drowned
In sad despaire, and all thy senses swowned
In stupid sorow, sith thy iusterjuster merit
Might else hauehave with felicitie bene crowned:
Looke vpup at last, and wake thy dulled spirit,
To thinke how this long death thou mightest disinherit.
[37]
Much did he maruellmarvell at her vncouthuncouth speach,
Whose hidden drift he could not well perceiueperceive;
And gan to doubt, least she him sought t’appeach
Of treason, or some guilefull traine did weaueweave,
Through which she might his wretched life bereauebereave.
Both which to barre, he with this answere met her;
Faire Damzell, that with ruth (as I perceaueperceave)
Of my mishaps, art mou’dmov’d to wish me better,
For such your kind regard, I can but rest your detter.
[38]
Yet weet ye well, that to a courage great
It is no lesse beseeming well, to beare
The storme of fortunes frowne, or heauensheavens threat,
1596.bk5.V.v.38.4. Then: ThanThenThan in the sunshine of her countenance cleare
Timely to ioyjoy, and carrie comely cheare.
For though this cloud hauehave now me ouercastovercast,
Yet doe I not of better times despeyre;
And, though vnlikeunlike, they should for euerever last,
Yet in my truthes assurance I rest fixed fast.
[39]
But what so stonie mind (she then replyde)
But if in his owne powre occasion lay,
Would to his hope a windowe open wyde,
And to his fortunes helpe make readie way?
VnworthyUnworthy sure (quoth he) of better day,
That will not take the offer of good hope,
And eke pursew, if he attaine it may.
Which speaches she applying to the scope
Of her intent, this further purpose to him shope.
[40]
Then why doest not, thou ill aduizedadvized man,
Make meanes to win thy libertie forlorne,
And try if thou by faire entreatie, can
MoueMove
Radigund? who though she still hauehave worne
Her dayes in warre, yet (weet thou) was not borne
Of Beares and Tygres, nor so saluagesalvage mynded,
As that, albe all louelove of men she scorne,
She yet forgets, that she of men was kynded:
And sooth oft seene, that proudest harts base louelove hath blynded.
[41]
Certes Clarinda, not of cancred will,
(Sayd he) nor obstinate disdainefull mind,
I hauehave forbore this duetie to fulfill:
For well I may this weene, by that I fynd,
That she a Queene, and come of Princely kynd,
Both worthie is for to be sewd vntounto,
Chiefely by him, whose life her law doth bynd,
And eke of powre her owne doome to vndoundo,
And als’ of princely grace to be inclyn’d thereto.
[42]
But want of meanes hath bene mine onely let,
From seeking fauourfavour, where it doth abound;
Which if I might by your good office get,
I to your selfe should rest for euerever bound,
And readie to deseruedeserve, what grace I found.
She feeling him thus bite vponupon the bayt,
Yet doubting least his hold was but vnsoundunsound,
And not well fastened, would not strike him strayt,
But drew him on with hope, fit leasure to awayt.
[43]
But foolish Mayd, whyles heedlesse of the hooke,
She thus oft times was beating off and on,
Through slipperie footing, fell into the brooke,
And there was caught to her confusion.
For seeking thus to saluesalve the Amazon,
She wounded was with her deceipts owne dart,
And gan thenceforth to cast affection,
ConceiuedConceived close in her beguiled hart,
To Artegall, through pittie of his causelesse smart.
[44]
Yet durst she not disclose her fancies wound,
Ne to himselfe, for doubt of being sdayned,
Ne yet to any other wight on ground,
For feare her mistresse shold hauehave knowledge gayned,
But to her selfe it secretly retayned,
Within the closet of her couertcovert brest:
The more thereby her tender hart was payned.
Yet to awayt fit time she weened best,
And fairely did dissemble her sad thoughts vnrestunrest.
[45]
One day her Ladie, calling her apart,
Gan to demaund of her some tydings good,
Touching her louesloves successe, her lingring smart.
Therewith she gan at first to change her mood,
As one adaw’d, and halfe confused stood;
But quickly she it ouerpastoverpast, so soone
As she her face had wypt, to fresh her blood:
Tho gan she tell her all, that she had donne,
And all the wayes she sought, his louelove for to hauehave wonne.
[46]
But sayd, that he was obstinate and sterne,
Scorning her offers and conditions vaine;
Ne would be taught with any termes, to lerne
So fond a lesson, as to louelove againe.
Die rather would he in penurious paine,
And his abridged dayes in dolour wast,
1596.bk5.V.v.46.7. Then: ThanThenThan his foes louelove or liking entertaine:
His resolution was both first and last,
His bodie was her thrall, his hart was freely plast.
[47]
Which when the cruell Amazon perceiuedperceived,
She gan to storme, and rage, and rend her gall,
For very fell despight, which she conceiuedconceived,
To be so scorned of a base borne thrall,
Whose life did lie in her least eye-lids fall;
Of which she vow’d with many a cursed threat,
That she therefore would him ere long forstall.
Nathlesse when calmed was her furious heat,
She chang’d that threatfull mood, &and mildly gan entreat.
[48]
What now is left Clarinda? what remaines,
That we may compasse this our enterprize?
Great shame to lose so long employed paines,
And greater shame t’abide so great misprize,
With which he dares our offers thus despize.
Yet that his guilt the greater may appeare,
And more my gratious mercie by this wize,
I will a while with his first folly beare,
Till thou hauehave tride againe, &and tempted him more neare.
[49]
Say, and do all, that may thereto preuaileprevaile;
LeaueLeave nought vnpromistunpromist, that may him perswade,
Life, freedome, grace, and gifts of great auaileavaile,
With which the Gods themseluesthemselves are mylder made:
Thereto adde art, eueneven womens witty trade,
The art of mightie words, that men can charme;
With which in case thou canst him not inuadeinvade,
Let him feele hardnesse of thy heauieheavie arme:
Who will not stoupe with good, shall be made stoupe with harme.
[50]
Some of his diet doe from him withdraw;
For I him find to be too proudly fed.
GiueGive him more labour, and with streighter law,
That he with worke may be forwearied.
Let him lodge hard, and lie in strawen bed,
That may pull downe the courage of his pride;
And lay vponupon him, for his greater dread,
Cold yron chaines, with which let him be tide;
And let, what euerever he desires, be him denide.
[51]
When thou hast all this doen, then bring me newes
Of his demeane: thenceforth not like a louerlover,
But like a rebell stout I will him vseuse.
For I resolueresolve this siege not to giuegive
ouerover,
Till I the conquest of my will recouerrecover.
So she departed, full of griefe and sdaine,
Which inly did to great impatience mouemove her.
But the false mayden shortly turn’d againe
VntoUnto the prison, where her hart did thrall remaine.
[52]
There all her subtill nets she did vnfoldunfold,
And all the engins of her wit display;
In which she meant him warelesse to enfold,
And of his innocence to make her pray.
So cunningly she wrought her crafts assay,
That both her Ladie, and her selfe withall,
And eke the knight attonce she did betray:
But most the knight, whom she with guilefull call
Did cast for to allure, into her trap to fall.
[53]
As a bad Nurse, which fayning to receiuereceive
In her owne mouth the food, ment for her chyld,
Withholdes it to her selfe, and doeth deceiuedeceive
The infant, so for want of nourture spoyld:
EuenEven so Clarinda her owne Dame beguyld,
And turn’d the trust, which was in her affyde,
To feeding of her priuateprivate fire, which boyld
Her inward brest, and in her entrayles fryde,
The more that she it sought to couercover and to hyde.
[54]
For comming to this knight, she purpose fayned,
How earnest suit she earst for him had made
VntoUnto her Queene, his freedome to hauehave gayned;
But by no meanes could her thereto perswade:
But that in stead therof, she sternely bade
His miserie to be augmented more,
And many yron bands on him to lade.
All which nathlesse she for his louelove forbore:
So praying him t’accept her seruiceservice
euermoreevermore.
[55]
And more 1596.bk5.V.v.55.1. then: thanthenthan that, she promist that she would,
In case she might finde fauourfavour in his eye,
DeuizeDevize how to enlarge him out of hould.
The Fayrie glad to gaine his libertie,
Can yeeld great thankes for such her curtesie,
And with faire words, fit for the time and place,
To feede the humour of her maladie;
Promist, if she would free him from that case,
He wold by all good means he might, deseruedeserve such grace.
[56]
So daily he faire semblant did her shew,
Yet neuernever meant he in his noble mind,
To his owne absent louelove to be vntrewuntrew:
Ne euerever did deceiptfull Clarin find
In her false hart, his bondage to vnbindunbind;
But rather how she mote him faster tye.
Therefore vntounto her mistresse most vnkindunkind
She daily told, her louelove he did defye,
And him she told, her Dame his freedome did denye.
[57]
Yet thus much friendship she to him did show,
That his scarse diet somewhat was amended,
And his worke lessened, that his louelove mote grow:
Yet to her Dame him still she discommended,
That she with him mote be the more offended.
Thus he long while in thraldome there remayned,
Of both belouedbeloved well, but litle frended;
VntillUntill his owne true louelove his freedome gayned,
Which in an other Canto will be best contayned.
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;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
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