<* 'bV 1 * \° A 9 ♦*' >. o " A ^ PROTHALAMION v L. EDMUND SPENSER J -■-i-i-i-.-.-,,,,,,,,.,,, ^.^ ^ NEW YORK: Maynard, Mieeiil, & Co., 29, 31, amd 33 East Nineteenth Street. MAYNARD'S ENGLISH CLASSIC SERIES, For Classes In English Literature, Reading, Grammar, etc. EDITED BY EMINENT AMERICAN AND ENGLISH SCHOLARS. Booh Volume contains a Sketch of the Author's Life, Prefatory and Explanatory Note*, etc,, etc 12 24 Byron*! Prophecy of Dante. (Cantos I. and II.) Milton's L' Allegro, and II Penseroso. Lord Bacon's Essays, Civil and Moral. (Selected.) Byron's Prisoner of Chillon. Moore's Fire Worshippers. (Lalla Rookh. Selected.) Goldsmith's Deserted Tillage* Scott's Marmion. (Selections from Canto VI.) Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel. (Introduction and Canto I.) Burns's Cotter's Saturday Night, and other Poems. Crabbe's The Tillage. Campbell's Pleasures of Hope.(Abridg ment of Part I.) Macaulay's Essay on Banyan's Pil- grim's Progress. Macaulay's Armada, and other Poems Shakespeare's Merchant of Tenice. (Selections from Acts I. , III. , and IV.) Goldsmith's Traveler. Hogg's Queen's Wake. (Selections.) Coleridge's Ancient Mariner. Addison's Sir Boger de Coverley. Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard. Scott's Lady of the Lake. (Canto I.) Shakespeare's As You Like It, etc. (Selections.) Shakespeare's King John, and Bich- ard III. (Selections.) Shakespeare's Henry IT., Henry T. Henry VI., and Bichard III. (Selec tions.) Shakespeare's Henry Till., and Julius Caesar. (Selections.) Wordsworth's Excursion. (Book I.) Pope's Essay on Criticism. Spenser's Faerie Queene. (Cantos I. and II.) Cowper's Task. (Book I.) Milton's Comus. Tennyson's Enoch Arden, The Lotus Eaters, Ulysses, and Tithonus. Irving's Sketch Book. (Selections.) Bickeii8's Christmas Carol. (Condsd.) Carlyle's Hero as Prophet. Macaulay's Warren Hastings. (Con- densed.) Goldsmith's Ticar of Wakefield. (Condensed.) Tennyson's The Two ToiceSt and A Cream of Fair Women. Memory Quotations. Cavalier Poets. Dryden'e Alex*nriAr*« feast, Mac- Flecknot,, and St. Cecilia's Day. — *— *— g m i — ■ . . i 40 Keats's The Ere of St. Agnes. 41 Irving' s Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 42 Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare. 43 Le Bow's How to Teach Beading. 44 Webster's Bunker Hill Orations. 45 The Academy Orthoepist. A Manual of Pronunciation. 46 Milton's Ljcidas, and Hymn on the Nativity. 47 Bryant's Thanatopsis, and other Poems 48 Buskin's Modern Painters. (Selections.) 49 The Shakespeare Speaker. 50 Thackeray's Roundabout Papers. 51 Webster's Oration on Adams and Jef- ferson. 52 Brown's Bab and His Friends. 53 Morris's Life and Death of Jason. 54 Burke's Speech on Americau Taxation. 55 Pope's Bape of the Lock. 56 Tennyson's Elaine. 57 Tennyson's In Memoriam. (Condsd.) 58 Church's Story of the J£neid. (Abgd.) 59 Church's Story of the Iliad. (Abgd.) 60 Swift's Gulliver's Toyage to Lilliput. 61 Macaulay's Essay on Lord Bacon. (Condensed.) 62 The Alcestis of Euripides. English Version by Rev. R. Potter, M.A. 63 The Antigone of Sophocles. English Version by Thos. Francklin, D.D. 64 Elizabeth Barrett Browning. (Se- lected Poems ) 65 Bobert Browning. (Selected Poems.) 66 Addison's Spectator. (Selections.) 67 Scenes from George Eliot's Adam Bede. 68 Matt he>r A mold 'sCultu re and Anarchy. 69 DeOuincey's Joan of Arc. 70 Carlyle's Essay on Burns. 71 Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. (Cantos I. and II.) 72 Poe's Baven, and other Poems. 73-74 Macaulay's Lord Clive. (Double Number.) 75 Webster's Beply to Hayne. 76-77 Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Borne. (Double Number.) (Selections.) 78 American Patriotic Selections : Dec- laration of Independence, Washing- ton's Farewell Address, Lincoln's Gettysburg Speech, etc. 79-80 Scott's Lady of the Lake. (Con- densed.) 81-82 Scott's Marmion. (Condensed.) 83-84 Pope's Essay on Man. 85 Shelley's Skylark, Adonais, and other Poems. 86 Dickens's Cricket on the Hearth. (Abridged.) 87 Spencer's Philosophy of Style. EDMUND SPENSER MAYNARD'S ENGLISH CLASSIC SERIES.— No. 27 THE FAERIE QUEENE CANTOS I.— II. AND THE PROTHALAMION By EDMUND SPENSER Library of Concn Two Copies Recei* ^ JAN 19 191 r\ Copyright entry SECOND COPY WITH PREFATORY AND EXPLANATORY NOTES NEW YORK Maynard, Merrill, & Co. 29, 31, and 33 East Nineteenth Street New Series, No. 23. January 8, 1S98. Published Semi-weekly. Subscription Price, $10. Entered at Post Office, New York, as Secoud-class Matter. M A Complete Course in the Study of English, Spelling, Language, Grammar, Composition, Literature. Reed's Word Lessons— A Complete Speller. Reed's Introductory Language Work. Reed & Kellogg's Graded Lessons in English. Reed & Kellogg's Higher Lessons in English. Reed & Kellogg's One-Book Course in English, Kellogg & Reed's Word Building. Kellogg & Reed's The English Language. Kellogg's Text-Book on Rhetoric. Kellogg's Illustrations of Style. Kellogg's Text-Book on English Literature. In the preparation of this series the authors have had one object clearly in view — to so develop the study of the English language as Co present a complete, progressive course, from the Spelling-Book to the study of English Literature. The troublesome contradictions which arise in using books arranged by different authors on these subjects, and which require much time for explanation in the school- room, will be avoided by the use of the above " Complete Course." Teachers are earnestly invited to examine these books. MAYNARD, MERRILL, & Co., Publishers, New York. LIFE OF SPENSER. Edmund Spehser is supposed to have been born in the year 1553, in East Smithfield, London. Little or nothing is known of his parents: he claimed connection with the noble House of Spencer or Spenser, and the relationship was recognised by the principal branches of that family. He eLtered Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, as a sizar, May 20,1569, and here He ueems to have remained till he took his degree of M.A. in June 1576. At college, one of his most intimate friends was Gabriel Harvey, himself a poet, who first drew Spenser to London in 1578; Spenser, on quitting the university, having gone to reside with some relations in the north of England, possibly in the capacity of domestic tutor. In London, Spen- ser became acquainted with Sir Philip Sidney, who took him for some time to his seat of Penshurst in Kent. Here he probably wrote his Shepherd's Calendar, his first published work. In 1580, Spenser accom- panied as secretary Lord Grey of Wilton, appointed Lord deputy of Ire- land ; and in 1586 he is found in possession of 3028 acres of land in the coun- ty of Cork, presented to him for his services by Queen Elizabeth. Here he lived till 1589, when he accompanied Raleigh to England; and in 1590 published the first three books of the Faerie Queene. In February 1591, the Queen bestowed on Spenser a pension of £50, and in the same year he published a volume of smaller poems. About this time he returned to Ireland, where he lived, occasionally visiting England, till 1598. In 1595, he published a collection of sonnets entitled Amoretti; and, it is supposed, about the same time married an Irish girl of great beauty, but humble birth. In 1596, he presented to the Queen his prose work, A View of the State of Ireland, not printed till 1633; and in the same year he published three more books of the Faerie Queene, together with a new edition of the first three. In October 1598, the insurrection known as " Tyrone's Rebellion " broke out in Ireland, spreading confusion and desolation over a great part of the land. Spenser was one of the suffer- ers. All his property was plundered or destroyed, and his house burned, he himself, along with his wife and two eldest sons, narrowly escaping from tne flames. An infant was left behind, and burned to death among the rains. He made his way to London and died, January 1599, of a broken heart, at an inn in King Street, Westminster. The Earl of Essex charged himself with the expenses of the funeral; and the poet was buried in Westminster Abbey, close to the grave of Chaucer. His wife survived him some time, and both his sons left descendants. The Faerie Queene, intended by Spenser to have occupied twelve books, is only little more than half finished. THE FAERY QUEENE. When the " Faery Queene" first appeared, the -whole of Eng- land seems to have been moved by it. No such poet had arisen in this country for nearly two hundred years. Since Chaucer and the author of "Piers Plowman" there had been no great poem. The fifteeuth century had been almost a blank, the dark- est period of our literary annals; the earlier part of the sixteenth had been occupied with great theological questions, which had engrossed men's minds till the long reign of Elizabeth gave sta- bility to the Reformation in England, and the first fervor of the Church writers subsided. The tone of society was favorable to a work which, with a strong theological element in it, still dealt with feats of chivalry and heroes of romance. The English mind was filled with a sense of poetry yet unexpressed. Great deeds, great discoveries, and men of capacity moving among them, had roused the spirit of the nation. The people were proud of their Queen and their freedom ; the new aristocracy was just feeling its strength; it was a time of most varied life. Nothing was wanted but a great poem to express the universal desire ; and Spenser first, and then Shakespeare appeared, to fulfill the national instinct. Drayton, Fletcher (in his "Purple Island"), Milton, and perhaps Bunyan, show in their writings the effect of our poet's genius. . . . In speaking of Spenser, Milton did not hesitate to call him "a better teacher than Scotus or Aquinas "—a better philosopher, a purer moralist, than either one or other of the leaders of scholas- tic lore; and we may re-echo his words without offense, when we say that a young student is as likely to gain a vivid conception of duty and virtue from his pages as from those works which deal in a more exact manner with the moral constitution of man's nature. Here the qualities and actions of man are set before us in their living forms; the genius of the poet carries us along with him: we personify with him; we enact the scenes which paint the victory of Good over the monster dragon of Evil.— G. W. Kitchin, D.D., Dean of Winchester. A LETTER OF THE AUTHORS, EXPOUNDING HIS WHOLE INTENTION IN THE COURSE OF THIS WORKE: WHICH, FOR THAT IT GIVETH GREAT LIGHT TO THE READER, FOR THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING IS HEREUNTO ANNEXED. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND VALOROUS Sir AY ALTER RALEIGH, Knight. LORD WARDEIN OF THE STANNERYES, AND HER MAIESTIES LIEFETENAUNT OF THE COUNTY OF CORNEWAYLL. Sir, knowing how doubtfully all Allegories may be construed, and this booke of mine, which I have entituled the Faery Queene, being a con- tinued allegory, or darke conceit, I haue thought good, as well for avoyd- ing of gealous opinions and misconstructions, as also for your better light in reading thereof, (being so by you commanded,) to discover unto you the general intention and meaning, which in the whole course there- of I have fashioned, without expressing of any particular purposes, or by accidents, therein occasioned. The generall end therefore of all the booke is to fashion a gentleman or noble person in vertuous and gentle discipline: Which for that I conceived shoulde be most plausible and pleasing, being coloured with an historical! fiction, the which the most part of men delight to read, rather for variety of matter then for profite of the ensample, I chose the historye of King Arthure, as most iltte for the excellency of his person, being made famous by many mens former workes, and also furthest from the daunger of envy, and suspition of present time In which I have followed all the antique poets historicall: first Homere, who in the persons of Agamemnon and Ulysses hath en sampled a good governour and a vertuous man, the one in his /lias, the other in his Odysseis: then Virgil, whose like intention was to doe in the person of Aeneas: after him Ariosto comprised them both in his Orlan- do: and lately Tasso dissevered them againe, and formed both parts in two persons, namely that part which they in Philosophy call Ethice, or vertues of a private man, coloured in his Rinaldo; the other named Politice in his Godfredo. By ensample of which excellente poets, I labour to pourtraict in Arthure, before he was king, the image of a brave knight, perfected in the twelve private niorall vertues, as Aristotle 6 THE FAERIE QUEENE. hath devised: the which is the purpose of these first twelve bookes: which if I finde to be well accepted, I may be perhaps encoraged to frame the other part of polliticke vertues in his person, after that hee came to be king. To some, I know, this methode will seeme displeasaunt, which had rather have good discipline delivered plainly in way of precepts, or ser- moned at large, as they use, then thus clowdily enwrapped in allegori- call devises. But such, me seeme, should be satisfide with the use of these dayes, seeing all things accounted by their showes, and nothing esteemed of, that is not delightfull and pleasing to commune sence. For this cause is Xenophon preferred before Plato, for that the one, in the exquisite depth of his judgement, formed a commune-welth, such as it should be; but the other in the person of Cyrus, and the Persians, fashioned a government, such as might best be: So much more profit- able and gratious is doctrine by ensample, then by rule. So haue I laboured to doe in the person of Arthure: whome I conceive, after his long education by limon, to whom he was by Merlin delivered to be brought up, so soone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne, to have seene in a dream or vision the Faery Queene, with whose excellent beauty ravished, he awaking resolved to seeke her out; and so being by Merlin armed, and by Timon throughly instructed, he went to seeke her forth in Faerye land. In that Faery Queene I meane Glory in my generall in- tention, but in my particular I conceive the most excellent and glorious person of our soveraine the Queene, and her kingdome in Faery lande. And yet, in some places els, I doe otherwise shadow her. For consider- ing she beareth two persons, the one of a most royall Queene or Em- presse, the other of a most vertuous and beautiful Lady, this latter part in some places I doe expresse in Belphcebe, fashioning her name accord- ing to your owne excellent conceipt of Cynthia, (Phoebe and Cynthia being both names of Diana.) So in the person of Prince Arthure I sette forth magnificence in particular; which vertue, for that (according to Aristotle and the rest) it is the perfection of all the rest, and conteineth in it them all, therefore in the whole course I mention the deedes of Arthure applyable to that vertue, which I write of in that booke. But of the xii. other vertues, I make xii. other knights the patrones, for the more variety of the history: Of which these three bookes contayn three. The first of the knight of the Redcrosse, in whome I expresse Holynes: The seconde of Sir Guyon, in whome I sette forth Temperaunce: The third of Britomartis, a Lady Knight, in whome I picture Chastity. But, because the beginning of the whole worke seemeth abrupte, and as de- pending upon other antecedents, it needs that ye know the occasion of these three knights seuerall adventures. For the methode of a poet historical is not such, as of an Historiographer. For an historiographer discourseth of affayres orderly as they were donne, accounting as w r ell the times as the actions; but a poet thrusteth into the middest, even where it most concerneth him, and there recoursing to the thinges fore- paste and divining of thinges to come, maketh a pleasing Analysis of all. The beginning therefore of my history, if it were to be told by an historiographer should be the twelfth booke, which is the last; where I Revise that the Faery Queene kept her annuall feaste xii. dayes: uppon *HE FAERIE QtJEEKE. 7 which xii. severall dayes, the occasions of the xii. severall adventures hapned, which, being undertaken by xii. severall knights, are in these xii. books severally handled and discoursed. The first was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented him selfe a tall clownishe younge man, who falling before the Queene of Faries desired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might not refuse; which was that hee might have the atchievement of any adventure, which dur- ing that feaste should happen: that being graunted, he rested him on the floore, unfitte through his rusticity for a better place. Soone after entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white Asse, with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed, that bore the Armes of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes hand. She, falling before the Queene of Faeries, complayned that her father and mother, an ancient King and Queene, had bene by an huge dragon many years shut up in a brasen Castle, who thence suffred them not to yssew; and therefore be- sought the Faery Queene to assj-gne her some one of her knights to take on him that exployt. Presently that clownish person, upstarting, desired that adventure : whereat the Queene much wondering, and the Lady much gainesaying, yet he earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told him, that unlesse that armour which she brought, would serve him (that is, the armour of a Christian man specified by St. Paul, vi. Ephes.) that he could not succeed in that enterprise; which being forth- with put upon him, with dewe furnitures thereunto, he seemed the good- liest man in all that company, and was well liked of the Lady. And eftesoones taking on him knighthood, and mounting on that straunge courser, he went forth with her on that adventure: where beginneth the first booke, viz. A gentle knight was pricking on the playne, &c. The second day ther came in a Palmer, bearing an Infant with blood;* hand's, whose Parents he complained to have bene slayn by an Enchaunt- eresse called Acrasia; and therefore craved of the Faery Queene to appoint him some knight to performe that adventure; which being assigned to Sir Guyon, he presently went forth with that same Palmer: which is the beginning of the second booke, and the whole subject there- of. The third day there came in a Groome, who complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter, called Busirane, had in hand a most faire Lady, called Amoretta, whom he kept in most grievous tor- ment, because she would not yield him the pleasure of her body. Where- upon Sir Scudamour, the lover of that Lady, presently tooke on him that adventure. But being vnable to performe it by reason of the hard en- chauntments, after long sorrow, in the end met with Britomartis, who succoured him, and reskewed his loue. But by occasion hereof m^ny other adventures are intermedled; but rather as accidents then intendments: As the love of Britomart, the overthrow of Marinell, the misery of Florimell, the vertuousnes of Bel- phoebe, the lasciviousnes of Hellenora, and many the like. Thus much, Sir, I have briefly overronne to direct your understanding b TfiE FAERIE QUEEKE. to the wel-head of the History; that from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a handfull gripe al the discourse, winch otherwise may happily seeme tedious and confused. So, humbly craving the continuance of your honorable favour towards me, and th' eternail establishment of your happines, I humbly take leave. 23. Ianuary 1589. Yours most humbly affectionate, Ed. Spenser. ABBREVIATIONS. Ar.., Arabic. A.S Anglo-Saxon. bk book. c . . „ canto. ch chapter. comp comparative. Dan Danish . Eng English. Fr French. Gael Gaelic. Ger German. Goth Gothic. Gr Greek. Ice Icelandic. Inf ..Infinitive. Introd Introduction. Ital Italian. L Latin. lit literal or -ly. orig original or -ly. pa.p past particle. pa.t past tense. pi plural. Port Portuguese. pr.p present participle prob .probably. prov provincial. Provl Provencal. Sc Scotch. Sp Spanish. st stanza. v verb. [In the references, the first figure refers to the canto, the second to cha stanza, and the third to the line.] THE FIRST BOOK THE FAEEIE QTJEENE. OONTAYNING THE LEGEND OF THE KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSSE, OR OF HOLINESSE. t Lo ! I, the man whose Muse whylome did maske, As time' her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds, Am now enforst, a farre unfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine oaten reeds, And sing of knights and ladies gentle deeds; Whose praises having slept in silence long, Me, all to meane, the sacred Muse areeds To blazon broade emongst her learned throng: Fierce wanes and faithful loves shall moralize my song. II. Helpe then, O holy virgin, chiefe of nyne, Thy weaker Novice to performe thy will; Lay forth out of thine everlasting scryne The antique rolles, which there lye hidden still, 1 1 Ia>! I, the man.— Imitated from the lines prefixed to Virgil's JEneid.-whylome, once, formerly. A.S. hivilon hwdun .awhile for a while or time.-maske, to be disguised as in a mask or ■ a ; a masqueiade^ Fr masque, perhaps from Ar. maskarah, an object of laughter, or low L V H ?TheTheard a s h wleds.-Alluding to his Shepherd's Calendar, a *T! ° f ol^^e V ^%K^^^V^s or Pan's pipe was made l! 7. Areeds.- Counsels, advises, commands. Sc. rede or read, A.b rce'dan, to declare, raid, arced, counsel. l" 9 Mo°™ *£e7-Make of the nature of a moral, moral-play, or moral ity! a'kind of drama in which virtues and vices personified are the cnar a< 2 e 7' Holy virgin, chiefe, etc.-Clio, the Muse of History and of Epic Poetry, the first of the nine Muses. 2 2. Weaker Too or very weak. . 2. 3. Scryne.-An escritoire or writing-desk; old Fr escrin, A.S set in, L. scrinium—scribo, to write. 10 THE FAERIE QUEEN/E. Of Faerie knights, and fay rest Tanaquili, Whom that most noble Briton Prince so long Sought through the world, and suffered so much ill, That I must rue his undeserved wrong: O, helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong! in. And thou, most dreaded impe of highest Jove, Faire Venus sonne, that with thy crueli dart At that good knight so cunningly didst rove, That glorious fire it kindled in his hart; Lay now thy deadly heben bowe apart, And with thy mother mylde come to mine ayde; Come, both; and with you bring triumphant Mart, In loves and gentle jollities arraid, After his murdrous spoyles and bloudie rage allayd. rv. And with them eke, O Goddesse heavenly bright, Mirrour of grace and majestie divine, Great ladie of the greatest isle, whose light Like Phoebus lampe throughout the world doth shine, Shed thy faire beames into my feeble eyne, And raise my thoughtes, too humble and too vile, To thinke of that true glorious type of thine, The argument of mine afflicted stile: The which to heare vouchsafe, O dearest dread, a while. 2. 5. Tanaquili.— An ancient British princess, intended to represent Queen Elizabeth. 2. 6. Noble Briton Prince. — King Arthur. 2. 7. Ana suffered.— That is, for whom he suffered. 3. 1. Impe of, etc. — Cupid, son of Jove or Jupiter and Venus. Imp here = shoot, offspring, child; A.S. impan, to graft. 3. 5. Heben Ebon. 3. 7. Mart.— Mars, god of war; L. Mars, Martis. 4. 1. Eke.— Also; v. eke. to increase; A.S. eac, also, eacan, to increase. — Goddesse, etc., Queen Elizabeth. 4. 4. Phoebus lampe — The sun. See II. xxix. 3. 4. 5. Eyne, or eyea — Old pi. eye, still seen in children, kine, oxen, Sc ihoon, etc. 4. 7. Type, etc.— Una, or Truth. 4. 8. Argument.— Subject— afflicted, low or lowly— stile, pen; the fine means, " subject of my humble song." 4. 9. Dearest dread.— An expression of loving veneration, somewhat «e the modern reverence; used in c. vi. 2. of Una. THE FAERIE QUEENE. 11 CANTO I. [The Redcrosse Knight and Una, with her dwarf, caught by a storm, are forced to seek shelter in a wood, which turns out to be the wood of Error. Here the knight encounters Error, half serpent, half woman, in her den. The knight attacks the monster, and slays it. After this, they encounter 'an aged sire/ who turns out to be the enchanter Archimago, with whom they went home. Archimago, by his witchcraft, makes the knight believe that Una is unfaithful to him.] The patron of true Holinesse, Foule Errour doth defeate ; Hypocrisie, him to entrappe, Doth to his home entreate. I. A gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine, Yclacld in mightie armes and silver shielde, Wherein old dints of deepe wouudes did remaine, The cruell markes of many a bloody fielde; Yet armes till that time did he never wield: His angry steede did chide his foming bitt, As much disdayning to the curbe to yield: Full jolly knight he seemd, and faire did sitt, As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt. II. And on his brest a bloodie crosse he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord, For whose sweete sake that glorious badge he wore, And dead, as living ever, him ador'd: Upon his shield the like was also scord, 1. 1. A gentle Knight. -The Redcrosse Knight, St. George, the tute- lary saint of England. See his armor and the nature of his mission described in the Author's Prefatory Letter. See also Note II. ii. 9.— pricking, riding quickly or caperingly by pricking or spurring on his horse. 1. 2. Ycladd — Clad. The y is the A.S. and old Eng. ge, often prefixed to any part of the verb, but especially to the pa.p. ; in Ger. it is the sign of the pa.p.— silver shielde. Hardyng, in his Chronicle, tell us that " a shield of silver white," with "acros? endlong and overthwart full per- fect," were regarded as St. George's arms. 1. 8. Jolly.— Handsome. Fr. jolt, good-looking. 1. 9. Giusts.— Jousts, tilts or encounters at a tournament; old Fr. juste, Fr. joute, prob. from L. juxta, together; allied to jostle. 2. 4. And dead, etc.— "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, bo- hold, I am alive for evermore." Rev. i. 18. 12 THE FAERIE QTJEENE. For soveraine hope which in his helpe he had. Right, faithfull, true he was in deede and word; But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad; Yet nothing did he dread, but ever was ydrad. in. Upon a great adventure he was bond, That greatest Gloriana to him gave, (That greatest glorious queene of Faery lond,) To winne him worshippe, and her grace to have, Which of all earthly things he most did crave: And ever as he rode his hart did earne To prove his puissance in battell brave Upon his foe, and his new force to learne; Upon his foe, a dragon horrible and stearne. rv. A lovely ladie rode him faire beside, Upon a lowly asse more white then snow, Yet she much whiter; but the same did hide Under a vele, that wimpled was full low; And over all a blacke stole shee did throw: As one that inly mournd, so was she sad, And heavie sate upon her palfrey slow; Seemed in heart some hidden care she had; And by her in a line a milkewhite lambe she lad. 2. 6. For soveraine hope, etc.— That is, the cross scored on his shield was a sign of the sovereign hope he had in the help of his Lord. 2. 8. Cheere.— Countenance, old Fr. chiere, Ital. cera, the counte- nance; low L. cava, Gr. kara, head, face.— solemne sad, " solemnly- grave, " or ■' solemn and grave." Sad, in old Eng., often means " grave," R sedate." "staid." A.S. said, sated, weary; Ice. settr, sedate. 2. 9. Ydrad "Dreaded," pa.p. of dread. See Ycladd, I. i. 2. 3. 2. Gloriana.— Queen of Fairy Land, representative of Queen Eliza- beth. See Author's Letter. 3. 4. "Worshippe.— Worthiness, honor; ivorth, and affix ship. 3. 6. Earne.— Yearn; hence earnest; A.S. georn, desirous. 3. 8. His foe — Probably popery. 4. 1. A lovely ladie.— Una, or Truth. See Author's Letter— faire, fairly. According to R. Morris, -e is an early Eng. adverbial termination. 4. 4. Wimpled.— Plaited or folded like the white linen neckerchief worn by nuns. A.S. icinpel; old Ger. wimpel, a veil, streamer; Fr. guimpe. 4. 5. Stole.— A long robe reaching to the feet. Gr. stole, a robe. 4. 6. Sad. See I. ii. 8 4. 8. Seemed.— That is, it seemed. 4. 9. Lad.— Led. THE FAERIE QUEEtfE. 13 V. So pure and innocent, as that same lambe, She was in life and every vertuous lore; And by descent from royall lynage came, Of ancient kinges and queenes, that had of yore Their scepters stretcht from east to westerne shore, And all the world in their subjection held; Till that infernall feend with foule uprore Forwasted all their land, and them expeld; Whom to avenge she had this knight from far compeld. VI. Behind her farre away a dwarfe did lag, That lasie seemd, in being ever last, Or wearied with bearing of her bag Of needments at his backe. Thus as they past, The day with cloudes was suddeine overcast, And angry Jove an hideous storme of raine Did poure into his lemans lap so fast, That everie wight to shrowd it did constrain; And this faire couple eke to shroud themselves were fain. VII. Enforst to seeke some covert nigh at hand, A shadie grove not fair away they spide, That promist ayde the tempest to withstand; Whose loftie trees, yclad with sommers pride, Did spred so broad, that heavens light did hide, 5. 3. And by descent, etc.— Probably the Church of England is meant here. % 5. 8. Forwasted.— Utterly laid waste. For is an intensive prefix, as in forego, forbid, forlorn = L. per, Ger. ver. 6. 1. A dwarfe.— Dwarfs, in the days of knight-errantry, were usual attendants of ladies, to whom they were ever faithful. Here the dwarf may represent Providence or Prudence, as he bears the " bag of need- ments." 6. 5. Suddeine. See note I. iv. 1, faire. 6. 7. Lemans.— Mistress's— that is, the Earth, represented by the an- cient Roman poets as the wife or mistress of Jupiter. Old Eng. lefman = loveman, or loved one of either sex; from A.S. luf, loved, dear. 6. 8. Wight.— Person, creature. A.S. wiht— shrowd, to hide or take shelter from, as under a shroud or covering. 6. 9. Eke. See Introduction, iv. I.— fain, glad, eager. A.S. fcecen, glad: Goth, faginon. Ice. fagna, to be glad or joyful. 7. 2. A shadie grove.— The grove or wood of Error. 14 THE FAERIE QUEENE. Not perceable with power of any starr: And all within were pathes and alleies wide, With footing worne, and leading inward farr: Faire harbour that them seems; so in they entred ar, VIII. And foorth they passe, with pleasure forward led. Joying to heare the birds sweete harmony, Which, therein shrouded from the tempest dred, Seemd in their song to scorne the cruell sky. Much can they praise the trees so straight and hy, The say ling pine; the cedar proud and tall; The vine-propp elme; the poplar never dry; The builder oake, sole king of forrests all; The aspine good for staves; the cypresse funerall; IX. The laurell, meed of mightie conquerours And poets sage; the firre that weepeth still; The willow, worne of forlorne paramours; The eugh, obedient to the benders will; The birch forshaftes; the sallow for the mill; The mirrhe sweete-bleeding in the bitter wound; The warlike beech; the ash for nothing ill; The fruitfull olive; and the platane round; The carver holme; the maple seeldom inward sound. 7. 9. Harbour.— Refuge. Old Eng. herbour, herbergh; A.S. hereberga, a station or resting-place for an army — here, an ariny, and beorgan, to protect. Ger. herberge; Fr. auberge. 8. 5. Can they praise.— Spenser sometimes uses "can" for "gan" —that is, began. Here, however, this phrase may simplj- mean " they praised." A similar description of trees is in Chaucer's Assembly of Foides. 8. 6. Sayling pine.— Alluding to its use in ship-building. 8. 7. Vine-propp elme.— That is, the elm that props or supports the vine. 8. 9. Cypresse funerall.— The cypress was of old planted over graves. £. 2. The firre, etc.— From its exuding resin. 9. 4. The eugh, etc.— Bows were made of yew; Chaucer has "the shoote: yew." S. 6. The mirrhe, etc.— Prob. means the myrrh that exudes a sweet gum from its wounded bark, which has a bitter taste. 9. 7. The warlike beech.— Possibly war-chariots were of old mad© from beech, or some of the ancient war-weapons. 9. 8. Platane.— The plane-tree. Fr. plane, platane. THE FAERIE QUEEtfE. V> X. Led with delight, they thus beguile the way, Untill the blustring storme is overblowue; "When, weening to returne whence they did stray, They cannot finde that path, which first was showne, But wander too and fro in waies unknowne, Furthest from end then, when they neerest weene, That makes them doubt their wits be not their owne: So many pathes, so many turnings seene, That which of them to take in diverse doubt they been. XI. At last resolving forward still to fare, Till that some end they finde, or in or out, That path they take, that beaten seemd most bare, And like to lead the labyrinth about ; Which wh©n by tract they hunted had throughout^ At length it brought them to a hollo we cave Amid the thickest woods. The champion stout Eftsoones dismounted from his courser brave, And to the dwarfe a while his needless spere he gave. xn. " Be well aware," quoth then that ladie milde, "Least suddaine mischiefe ye too rash provoke: The danger hid, the place unknowne and wilde, Breedes dreadfull doubts: oft fire is without smoke, And perill without show: therefore your stroke, Sir knight, with-hold, till further tryall made." "Ah ladie," sayd he, "shame were to revoke The forward footing for an hidden shade: Vertue gives her selfe light through darknesse for to wade„ 10. 3. "Weening.— Thinking. A. S. wenan, to hope, expect. 10. 7. Doubt.— Fear, suspect, often used by Spenser in the sense. Low L., dubito, to fear; Fr. redouter. 11. 1. Fare.-^Go. A.S. faran, Ger. fahren, to go. 11. 4. !Like to lead, etc.— That is, like to lead them round about the mazes of the labyrinth till they came to its outlet. 11. 5. Tract.— Trace, beaten path. 11. 8. Eftsoones.— Soon after, straightway. Eft, s&me as aft. A.S. reft 16 THE FAERIE QUEENE. xrrt. " Yea but," quoth she, " the perill of this place I better wot then you: though nowe too late To wish you backe returne with foule disgrace, Yet wisedome warnes, whilest foot is in the gate, To stay the steppe, ere forced to retrate. This is the wandring wood, this Errours den, A. monster vile, whom God and man does hate Therefore I read beware." "Fly, fly," quoth then The fearefull dwarf e, " This is no place for living men.' xrv. But, full of fire and greedy hardiment, The youthfull knight could not for ought be staide; But forth unto the darksom hole he went, And looked in: his glistring armor made A litle glooming light, much like a shade; By which he saw the ugly monster plaine, Halfe like a serpent horribly displaide, But th'other halfe did womans shape retaine, Most lothsom, filthie, foule, and full of vile disdaine. XT. And, as she lay upon the durtie ground, Her huge long taile her den all overspred, Yet was in knots and many boughtes upwound, Pointed with mortall sting. Of her there bred A thousand yong ones, which she dayly fed, Sucking upon her poisnous dugs; each one Of sundrie shapes, yet all ill-favored : 13. 2. "Wot.— Know. A.S. witan; hence wit. 13. 8. Read.— Advise. See Introduction, note i. 7. 14. 1. Greedy hardiment.— Hardiness, or hardihood, greedy or eagei for an adventure. 14. 5. Glooming light.— Compare Sc. gloaming, twilight. 14. 6. The ugly monster. — Falsehood or Error. Her shape is sup- posed to be taken from Hesiod's monster, Echidna. See also Rev. ix. 7-10. 14. 9. Full of vile disdaine.— Calculated to fill an onlooker with vile disdain. 15. 3. Boughtes.— Bends, folds. Allied to bough and how, from A.S. bugan, to bend; Sc. bucht, a sheep-fold. 15. 4. Bred.— "Were bred or born. 15. 7. Of sundrie shapes.— Prob. meaning that each one could assume various shapes; error is manifold. THE FAERIE QUEENE. 17 Soone as that uncouth light upon them shone, Into her mouth they crept, and suddain all were gone. XVI. Their dam upstart out of her den effraide, And rushed forth, hurling her hideous taile About her cursed head; whose folds displaid Were stretcht now forth at length without entraile. She lookt about, and seeing one in mayle, Armed to point, sought backe to turne againe; For light she hated as the deadly bale, Ay wont in desert darknes to remaine, Where plain none might her see, nor she see any plaine. XVII. Which when the valiant elfe perceiv'd, he lept As lyon fierce upon the flying pray, And with his trenchand blade her boldly kept From turning backe, and forced her to stay: Therewith enrag'd she loudly gan to bray, And turning fierce her speckled taile advaunst, Threatning her angrie sting, him to dismay; Who, nought aghast, his mightie hand enhaunst: The stroke down from her head unto hei shoulder glaunst. XVIII. Much daunted with that dint her sence was dazd; Yet kindling rage her selfe she gathered round, And all attonce her beastly bodie raizd With double forces high above the ground: 15. 8. Uncouth.— Unknown, unwonted. A.S. uncudh—un, not, &nd Ciidh, gecudh, known — cunnan, to know. 16. 1. Upstart.— Upstarted— effraide, frightened ; Fr. effrayer, to terrify. 16. 4. Without entraile.— Untwisted, without folds. 16. 6. To point.— At all points, completely. 15. 7. Bale.— Evil, calamity. A.S. bealo, Ice. bol, woe, evil. 17. 1. Elfe.— Called so because he belongs to Fairy Land. 17. 3. Trenchand.— Trenchant, cutting, keen. Old Fr. trencher, to cut; perhaps from L. truncus, a trunk. 17. 5. Bray.— Make a loud noise, not necessarily like that made by an ass. 17. 8. Enhaunst.— Lifted up. Prob. connected with Fr. hausser, to raise, from haut, high. 18. 3. Attonce.— At once. 18 THE FAERIE QUEENE. Tho, wrapping up her wrethed sterne arownd, Lept fierce upon his shield, and her huge traine All suddenly about his body wound, That hand or foot to stirr he strove in vaine. God helpe the man so wrapt in Errours endlesse traine! XIX. His lady, sad to see his sore constraint, Cride out, " Now, now, Sir knight, shew what ye bee; Add faith unto your force, and be not faint; Strangle her, els she sure will strangle thee. " That when he heard, in great perplexitie, His gall did grate for grief e and high disdaine; And, knitting all his force, got one hand free, Wherewith he grypt her gorge with so great paine, That soone to loose her wicked bands did her constraine. Therewith she spevvd out of her filthie maw A floud of poyson horrible and blacke, Full of great lumps of flesh and gobbets raw, Which stunck of vildly, that it forst him slacke His grasping hold, and from her turne him backe: Her vomit full of bookes and papers was, With loathly frogs and toades, which eyes did lacke. And creeping sought way in the weedy gras: Her filthie parbreake all the place defiled has. XXI. As when old father Nilus gins to swell With timely pride above the Aegyptian vale, His fattie waves doe fertile slime outwell, 18. 5. Tho — Then. Old Eng. dho, A.S. thonne. 18. 6. Traine.— Tail. 18. 9. Traine.— Deceit, snare. 19. 6. Gall.— Bile, choler, anger.— did grate, was strongly roiisod. 19. 8. Gorge.— Throat. 20. 3. Gobbets — Mouthfuls, little lumps. Old Eng. gob, Gael gob, the mouth. Connected with gobble. 20. 4. Vildly.— Vilely. TJO. 6. Bookes and papers.— Alluding, no doubt, to the many Soman Catholic publications against the Reformed Church of England. 20. 7. Lioathly. — Loathsome. 20. 9. Parbreake.— Vomit. To parbredk means to break forth. 81. 3. Outwell.— Well out, exude. THE FAERIE QUEEtfE. 19 And overflow each plaine and lowly dale: But, when his later spring gins to avale, Huge heapes of mudd he leaves, wherein there breed Ten thousand kindes of creatures, partly male And partly f email, of his fruitful seed; Such ugly monstrous shapes elswher may no man reed. XXII. The same so sore annoyed has the knight, That, welnigh choked with the deadly stinke, His forces faile, ne can no lenger fight: Whose corage when the feend perceivd to shrinke, She poured forth out of her hellish sinke Her fruitfull cursed spawne of serpents small, (Deformed monsters, fowle, and blacke as inke,) Which swarming all about his legs did crall, And him encombred sore, but could not hurt at all. XXIII. As gentle shepheard in sweete eventide, When ruddy Phebus gins to welke in west, High on an hill, his flocke to vewen wide, Markes which doe byte their hasty supper best; A cloud of cumbrous gnattes doe him molest, All striving to infixe their feeble stinges, That from their noyance he no where can rest; But with his clownish hands their tender wings He brusheth oft, and oft doth mar their mu/murings. XXIV. Thus ill bestedd, and fearefull more of shame Then of the certeine perill he stood in, Halfe furious unto his foe he came, Resolvd in minde all suddenly to win, 21. 5. But, when, etc.— That is, but when the last of his tide begins to fall or abate, or, when the inundation subsides. — Avale — lit., to descend to the vale, to lower, go down; Fr. aval, downwards, old Fr. avaler, to descend: from L. ad, to, vallis, a vale. 21. 9. Reed.— Find out, discover. See Introduction, note i. 7. 22. 3. Ne.— Nor. 23. 2. Phoebus — The sun; a name of Apollo. See II, xxix. 3.— welke, fade. Old Eng. welyen, to wither, A.S. wealowegan, to roll up, wither; wallow. 23. 7. Noyance.— Annoyance. 20 THE FAERIE QUEENE. Or soone to lose, before lie once would lin ; And stroke at her with more then manly force, That from her body, full of filthie sin, He raft her hateful! heade without remorse: A streame of cole- black blood forth gushed from her corse. XXV. Her scattered brood, soone as their parent deare They saw so rudely falling to the ground, Groning full deadly all with troublous feare Gathred themselves about her body round, Weening their wonted entrance to have found At her wide mouth; but, being there withstood, They flocked all about her bleeding wound, And sucked up ther dying mothers bloud; Making her death their life, and eke her hurt their good. XXVI. That detestable sight him much amazde, To see th'unkindly impes, of heaven accurst, Devoure their dam; on whom while so he gazd, Having all satisfide their bloudy thurst, Their bellies swolne he saw with fulnesse burst And bowels gushing forth: well worthy end Of such, as drunke her life, the which them nurst! Now needeth him no lenger labour spend, His foes have slaine themselves, with whom he should contend XXVII. His lady seeing all that chaunst from farre, Approcht in hast to greet his victorie ; And saide, " Faire knight, borne under happie starre, Who see your vanquisht foes before you lye, Well worthie be you of that armory, 24. 5. Lin.— Stop. Sc. blin: A.S. linnan, to cease. 24. 6. Stroke.— Struck; old past tense strook. 24. 8. Raft — Reft, snatched ; pa.t. of reave. 20. 2. Impes. See Introduction, note iii. 1. 26. 7. Which here refers to her; in Spenser's time it was frequently used for who, as in " Our Father which art," etc. 26. 9. Should contend.— That is, should have (otherwise) contended. 27. 1. Chaunst.— Took place, happened. 27. 5. Armory.— Armor. See Author's Letter. THE FAERIE QUEEKE. 21 Wherein ye have great glory wonne this day, And prov'd your strength on a strong enimie, Your first adventure ■ many such I pray, And henceforth ever wish that like succeed it may!" XXVIII. Then mounted he upon his steede againe, And with the lady backward sought to wend: That path he kept, which beaten was most plaine, Ne ever would to any byway bend ; But still did follow one unto the end, The whicli at last out of the wood them brought. So forward on his way (with God to frend) He passed forth, and new adventure sought: Long way he travelled, before he heard of ought. XXIX. At length they ehaunst to meet upon the way An aged sire, in long blacke weedes yclad, His feete all bare, his beard all hoarie gray, And by his belt his booke he hanging had; Sober he seemde, and very sagely sad ; And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent, Simple in shew, and voide of malice bad; And all the way he prayed as he went, And often knockt his brest, as one that did repent. XXX. He faire the knight saluted, louting low, Who faire him quited, as that courteous was: And after asked him, if he did know Of straunge adventures, which abroad did pas. 27. 9. That like, etc.— That is. that like victories may succeed it. 28. 2. Wend.— Go. A.S. wendan, to go, wend, a turn: hence went wind. 28. 4. Ne.— Nor. 28. 7. To frend — Either for a friend, or to befriend ; prob. the former. 29. 2. An aged sire.— Archimago, in the guise of a monk, the prince of magicians or enchanters, prob. representative of the pope or of the Father of Lies. This adventure is taken from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. —yclad. See I. i. 2. 29. 5. Sad. See I. ii. 8. 30. 1. Louting — Bowing. Prov. Eng. lout, to bow; A.S. lutau, to bow. 30. 2. Quited.— Requited, returned his salutation. 22 THE FAERIE QUEENE. "Ah! my dear sonne," quoth he, "how should, alasS Silly old man, that lives in hidden cell, Bidding his beades all day for his trespas, Tydings of warre and worldly trouble tell? With holy father sits not with such thinges to meli. XXXI. "But if of daunger, which hereby doth dwell, And homebredd evil ye desire to heare, Of a slraunge man I can you tidings tell, That wasteth all this countrie, farre and neare." " Of suche," saide he, "I chiefly doe inquere; And shall thee well rewarde to shew the place, In which that "wicked wight his dayes doth weare: For to all knighthood it is foule disgrace, That such a cursed creature lives so long a space." XXXII. "Far hence," quoth he, " in wastfull wildernesse His dwelling is. by which no living wight May ever passe, but thorough great distresse." "Now," saide the ladie, " draweth toward night; And well I wote, that of your later fight Ye all for wearied be; for what so strong, But, wanting rest, will also want of might? The sunne, that measures heaven all day long, At night doth baite his steedes the ocean waves emong. XXXIII. "Then with the sunne take, Sir, your timely rest, And with new day new worke at once begin: Untroubled night, they say, gives counsell best." "Right well, Sir knight, ye have advised bin," 30. 6. Silly.— Simple. 30. 7. Bidding his beades.— Saying, or rather, praying his prayers. Bead, a prayer, and then the little ball on which prayers are counted, is from A.S. bead, gebed, a prayer, from biddan, to ask, to pray, entreat, the root of bid. 30. 9. Sits not.— "It sits not," "it is not becoming." Fr. il sied, it sits well, is becoming.— meli, meddle. Fr. meler; old Fr. medler,mesler; Low L. misculare, from misceo, to mix. 32. 3. Thorough.— Through. Old Eng. thurgh, thorowe; A.S. thurh, thorh; Ger. durch. 32. 4. Draweth — " It draweth." 32. 5. Wote.— Know. See note I. xiii. 2. <& 6. Forwearied.— Utterly wearied or exhausted. See note I. v. 8. THE FAERIE QUEENE. 23 Quoth then that aged man; " the way to win Is wisely to advise; now day is spent; Therefore with me ye may take up your in For this same night." The knight was well content So with that godly father to his home they went. xxxrv. A Title lowly hermitage it was, Downe in a dale, hard by a forests side, Far from resort of people that did pas In traveill to and froe: a little wyde There was an holy chappell edifyde, Wherein the hermite dewly wont to say His holy thinges each morne and eventyde: Thereby a christall streame did gently play, Which from a sacred fountaine welled forth alway. XXXV. Arrived there, the litle house they fill, Ne looke for entertainement, where none was; Rest is their feast, and all thinges at their will: The noblest mind the best contentment has. With faire discourse the evening so they pas; For that olde man of pleasing wordes had store, And well could file his tongue as smooth as glas: He told of saintes and popes, and evermore He strowd an Ave-Mary after and before. XXXVI. The drouping night thus creepeth on them fast; And the sad humor loading their eyeliddes, 33. 7. In or inn. — Lodging, abode ; often used in the sense of Aouse or lodging by old writers, as also the verb to inn = to lodge Hence the significance of the phrase, "to take one's ease in one's inn." 34. 4. Wyde — Apart, at a distance. 34. 5. Edifyde. — Built, in its lit. and orig. sense, from L. cedes, a house, and facio, to make. 34. 6. Wont.-Was wont. 35. 2. Ne.-Nor. 35. 3. Rest, etc.— That is, prob., rest satisfied all their longings. 35. 7. File — Polish or smooth. oa' o D Ave " Mar y — " Hail Mary," a salutation to the Virgin. 36. 2, 3. And the sad humor, etc.— This refers to the ancient fables about Morpheus, the god of sleep and dreams, who is represented as a winjed ole man carry 'ug a horn, and sprinkling the timely dew of sleep 24 THE FAERIE QUEENE. As messenger of Morpheus, on them cast Sweet slombring deaw, the which to sleep them biddes Unto their lodgings then his guestes he riddes: Where when all drownd in deadly sleepe he findes, He to his studie goes; and there amiddes His magick bookes, and artes of sundrie kindes, He seekes out mighty charmes to trouble sleepy minds XXXVII. Then choosing out few words most horrible, (Let none them read) thereof did verses frame; With which, and other spelles like terrible, He bad awake blacke Plutoes griesly Dame; And cursed heven ; and spake reprochful shame Of highest God, the Lord of life and light. A bold bad man, that dar'd to call by name Great Gorgon, prince of darknes and dead night; At which Cocytus quakes, and Styx is put to flight. XXXVIII. And forth he cald out of deepe darknes dredd Legions of Sprights, the which, like litle flyes Fluttring about his ever-damned hedd, Aw r aite whereto their service he applyes, To aide his friendes, or fray his enimies: on wearied eyelids from his wings, or his horn, or from a hough he car. ried dipped in Lethe, the river of forgetfulness. Humor here simply means moisture, dew. Sad = heavy. See I. ii. 8. 36. 5.— Riddes.— Delivers, takes, removes. A.S. hreddan, to deliver; Dan. redde; Sc. red, to clear away. 37. 3. Like.— Alike. 37. 4. Plutoes griesly Dame.— That is, Proserpine, daughter of Zeus (L. Jupiter) and DemeteV (L. Ceres), whom Pluto is fabled to have car- ried off as she was gathering flowers on the plains of Enna, in Sicily. She is represented as the all-pervading goddess of nature, who produces and destrovs everything, and, in connection with Hecate, she is some- times described as'a powerful, infernal, and cruel deity, who has all the magic powers of heaven, earth, and sea at her command. In this latter character she figures here. Pluto is the god of Hades, the realm of darkness and ghostlv shades, and rules the spirits of the dead. 37 8. Gorgon.— Not Medusa, but Demogorgon, an evil divinity who ruled the spirits of darkness, and whose name the ancients were super- stitiouslv fearful of uttering. 37. 9. "Cocytus.— A river of the infernal regions, a branch of the Styx, from Gr. kokytos, wailing.— Styx, from Gr. stygeo, to shudder at, hate, a river of Hades, or the Infernal Regions, round which it flowed seven times, and over which departed shades were ferried by Charon. 38. 5. Fray.— Frighten. See I. xvi. 1. THE FAERIE QUEENE. 25 Of those he chose out two, the falsest twoo, And fittest for to forge true-seeming lyes; The one of them he gave a message to, The other by him selfe staide other worke to doo. XXXIX. He, making speedy way through spersed ayre, And through the world of waters wide and deepe, To Morpheus house doth hastily repaire. Amid the bowels of the earth full steepe, And low, where dawning day doth never peepe, His dwelling is; there Tethys his wet bed Doth ever wash, and Cynthia still doth steepe In silver deaw his ever-drouping hed, Whiles sad Night over him her mantle black doth spred. XL. Whose double gates he findeth locked fast; The one faire fram'd of burnisht yvory, The other all with silver overcast; And wakeful dogges before them farre doe lye, Watching to banish Care their enimy, Who oft is wont to trouble gentle Sleepe. By them the sprite doth passe in quietly, And unto Morpheus comes, whom drowned deepe In drowsie fit he findes; of nothing he takes keepe. XLI. And, more to lulle him in his slumber soft, A trickling strearae from high rock tumbling downe, spread Spersed — Dis P er sed, scattered. L. spargo, sparsus, to scatter, 39. 3. Morpheus. See I. xxvi. 2. 39^ 6. Tethys.— Daughter of Uranus (heaven) and Ge (earth), and wife oa c 2 ai } us ' the ocean, to which her name, as here, is often applied «< •£ * Cynthia.— The goddess of the moon, fabled to have been born at Mount Cyn thus, in Greece. She is also called Artemis and Diana. 40. 1. Whose double gates, etc.— That is, of Morpheus's dwelling- place, which was supposed to have two gates, one of horn (overcast by Spenser with silver), from which proceeded true dreams; the other o' ivory, from which came false dreams. ■JJJ. 4. Before them farre Far in front. 40. 9. Keepe.— Care. heed. A.S. cepan, to regard; Sc. kepe, care. 26 THE FAERIE QUEENE. And ever-drizling raine upon the loft, Mixt with a murmuring winde, much like the sowne Of swarming bees, did cast him in a swowne. No other noyse, nor peoples troublous cryes, As still are wont t' annoy the walled towne, Might there be heard; but carelesse Quiet lyes Wrapt in eternall silence farre from enimyes. The messenger approching to him spake; But his waste wordes retournd to him in vaine: 80 sound he slept, that nought mought him awake. Then rudely he him thrust, and pusht with paine, "Whereat he gan to stretch : but he againe Shooke him so hard, that forced him to speake. As one then in a dreame, whose dryer braine Is tost with troubled sights and fancies weake, He mumbled soft, but would not all his silence breake. The sprite then gan more boldly him to wake, And threatned unto him the dreaded name Of Hecate: whereat he gan to quake, And, lifting up his lompish head, with blame Halfe angrie asked him, for what he came. " Hether," quotli he, " me Archimago sent, He that the stubborne sprites can wisely tame, He bids thee to him send for his intent A fit false dreame, that can delude the sleepers sent. 41. 3. Upon the loft.— Aloft, on high, in the air. Allied to lift; A.S lyft, Ger. luft, Sc. lift, the air, sky, that which is lifted up. 41. 4. Sown*.,— Sound. A.S. and Fr. son; L. sonus. 42. 3. Mought.— Might. Old Eng. moghte, moughte, mighte, pa.t. ot mogen, to be able, may. 42. 6. That forced = that he forced. 43. 3. Hecate. See I. xxxvii. 4. She was an ancient Gr. goddess, daugh- ter of a Titan and Night. As an infernal goddess, she was represented with serpents issuing from her feet and twined in her hair, a lighted torch and a sword in her hand, and two black shaggy dogs as attendants. She was believed to send forth at night from the lower world all kinds of demons and terrible phantoms, who taught sorcery and witchcraft. 43. 6. Archimago. See I. xxix. 2. 43. 9. Sent.— Scent, sense, sensation, perception. L. sensus, from sentio, to feel, perceive. THE FAERIE QUEEKE. 27 XLIV. The god obayde; and, calling forth straight way A diverse dreame out of his prison darke, Delivered it to him, and downe did lay His heavie head, devoide of careful carke; Whose sences all were straight benumbd and starke. He, backe returning by the yvorie dore, Remounted up as light as chearefull larke; And on his litle winges the dreame he bore In hast unto his lord, where he him left afore. XLV. Who all this while, with charmes and hidden artes, Had made a lady of that other spright, And fram'd of liquid ayre her tender partes, So lively, and so like in all mens sight, That weaker sence it could have ravisht quight: The maker selfe, for all his wondrous witt, Was nigh beguiled with so goodly sight. Her all in white he clad, and over it Cast a black stole, most like to seeme for Una fit. XLVI. Now, when that ydle dreame was to him brought, Unto that elfin knight he bad him fly, Where he slept soundly void of evil thought, And with false shewes abuse his fantasy, In sort as he him schooled privily. And that new creature, borne without her dew. ™™ 'mk A • < ?| ve r, se dr eam.— A diverting or distracting dream, one that would bewilder the senses. 44. 4. Carke — Care, anxiety; A.S. care. i,«t^ . 5 n Sfcar * ke ,' -S , ti , ff A rigi f as in death - AS - starc ' stearc , strong, hard; Ger. stark; old Ger. starr, stiff H ?• £ f