The Faerie Queene (72 page)

And many a one suppos'd to be a mayd:

Yet it to none of all their loynes would fit,

Till
Florimell
about her fastned it.

Such power it had, that to no womans wast

By any skill or labour it would fit,

Vnlesse that she were continent and chast,

But it would lose or breake, that many had disgrast.

29
Whilest thus they busied were bout
Florimell,

And boastfuil
Braggadochio
to defame,

Sir
Guyon
as by fortune then befell,

Forth from the thickest preasse of people came,

His owne good steed, which he had stolne, to came;

And th'one hand seizing on his golden bit,

With th'other drew his sword: for with the same

He merit the thiefe there deadly to haue smit:

And had he not bene held, he nought had fayld of it.

30
Thereof great hurly burly moued was

Throughout the hall, for that same warlike horse.

For
Braggadochio
would not let him pas;

And
Guyon
would him algates haue perforse,

Or it approue vpon his carrion corse.

Which troublous stirre when
Artegall
perceiued,

He nigh them drew to stay th'auengers forse,

And gan inquire, how was that steed bereaued,

Whether by might extort, or else by slight deceaued.

31
Who all that piteous storie, which befell

About that wofull couple, which were slaine,

And their young bloodie babe to him gan tell;

With whom whiles he did in the wood remaine,

His horse purloyned was by subtill traine:

For which he chalenged the thiefe to fight.

But he for nought could him thereto constraine.

For as the death he hated such despight,

And rather had to lose, then trie in armes his right

32
Which
Artegall
well hearing, though no more

By law of armes there neede ones right to trie,

As was the wont of warlike knights of yore,

Then that his foe should him the field denie,

Yet further right by tokens to descrie,

He askt, what priuie tokens he did beare.

If that (said
Guy on)
may you satisfie,

Within his mouth a blacke spot doth appeare,

Shapt like a horses shoe, who list to seeke it there.

33
Whereof to make due tryall, one did take

The horse in hand, within his mouth to looke:

But with his heeles so sorely he him strake,

That all his ribs he quite in peeces broke,

That neuer word from that day forth he spoke.

Another that would seeme to haue more wit,

Him by the bright embrodered hedstall tooke:

But by the shoulder him so sore he bit,

That he him maymed quite, and all his shoulder split

34
Ne he his mouth would open vnto wight,

Vntill that
Guyon
selfe vnto him spake,

And called
Brigadore
(so was he hight)

Whose voice so soone as he did vndertake,

Eftsoones he stood as still as any stake,

And suffred all his secret marke to see:

And when as he him nam'd, for ioy he brake

His bands, and follow'd him with gladful glee,

And friskt, and flong aloft, and louted low on knee.

35
Thereby Sir
Artegall
did plaine areed,

That vnto him the horse belong'd, and sayd;

Lo there Sir
Guyon,
take to you the steed,

As he with golden saddle is arayd;

And let that losell, plainely now displayd,

Hence fare on foot, till he an horse haue gayned.

But the proud boaster gan his doome vpbrayd,

And him reuil'd, and rated, and disdayned,

That iudgement so vniust against him had ordayned.

36
Much was the knight incenst with his lewd word,

To haue reuenged that his villeny;

And thrise did lay his hand vpon his sword,

To haue him slaine, or dearely doen aby.

But
Guyon
did his choler pacify,

Saying, Sir knight, it would dishonour bee

To you, that are our iudge of equity,

To wreake your wrath on such a carle as hee

It's punishment enough, that all bis shame doe see.

37
So did he mitigate Sir
Artegall,

But
Talus
by the backe the boaster bent,

And drawing him out of the open hall,

Vpon him did inflict this punishment.

First he his beard did shaue, and fowly shent:

Then from him reft his shield, and it renuerst,

And blotted out his armes with falshood blent,

And himselfe bafruld, and his armes vnherst,

And broke his sword in twaine, and all bis armour sperst.

38
The whiles his guilefull groome was fled away:

But vaine it was to thinke from him to flie.

Who ouertaking him did disaray,

And all his face deform'd with infamie,

And out of court him scourged openly.

So ought all faytours, that true knighthood shame,

And armes dishonour with base villanie,

From all braue knights be banisht with defame:

For oft their lewdnes blotteth good deserts with blame.

39
Now when these counterfeits were thus vncased

Out of the foreside of their forgerie,

And in the sight of all men cleane disgraced,

All gan to iest and gibe full merilie

At the remembrance of their knauerie.

Ladies can laugh at Ladies, Knights at Knights,

To thinke with how great vaunt of brauerie

He them abused, through his subtill slights,

And what a glorious shew he made in all their sights.

40
There leaue we them in pleasure and repast,

Spending their ioyous dayes and gladfull nights,

And taking vsurie of time forepast,

With all deare delices and rare delights,

Fit for such Ladies and such louely knights:

And turne we here to this faire furrowes end

Our wearie yokes, to gather fresher sprights,

That when as time to
Artegall
shall tend,

We on his first aduenture may him forward send.

Artegall dealeth right betwixt
   two brethren that doe striue,
Saues Terpine from the gallow tree,
   and doth from death repriue.

1
Who so vpon him selfe will take the skill

True Iustice vnto people to diuide,

Had neede haue mightie hands, for to fulfill

That, which he doth with righteous doome decide,

And for to maister wrong and puissant pride.

For vaine it is to deeme of things aright,

And makes wrong doers iustice to deride,

Vnlesse it be perform'd with dreadlesse might.

For powre is the right hand of Iustice truely hight.

2
Therefore whylome to knights of great emprise

The charge of Iustice giuen was in trust,

That they might execute her iudgements wise,

And with their might beat downe licentious lust,

Which proudly did impugne her sentence iust.

Whereof no brauer president this day

Remaines on earth, preseru'd from yron rust

Of rude obliuion, and long times decay,

Then this of
Artegall,
which here we haue to say.

3
Who hauing lately left that louely payre,

Enlincked fast in wedlockes loyall bond,

Bold
Marinell
with
Florimell
the fayre,

With whom great feast and goodly glee he fond,

Departed from the Castle of the strond,

To follow his aduentures first intent,

Which long agoe he taken had in hond:

Ne wight with him for his assistance went,

But that great yron groome, his gard and gouemment.

4
With whom as he did passe by the sea shore,

He chaunst to come, whereas two comely Squires,

Both brethren, whom one wombe together bore,

But stirred vp with different desires,

Together stroue, and kindled wrathfull fires:

And them beside two seemely damzels stood,

By all meanes seeking to asswage their ires,

Now with faire words; but words did little good,

Now with sharpe threats; but threats the more increast their

[mood.

5
And there before them stood a Coffer strong,

Fast bound on euery side with iron bands,

But seeming to haue suffred mickle wrong,

Either by being wreckt vppon the sands,

Or being carried farre from forraine lands.

Seem'd that for it these Squires at ods did fall,

And bent against them selues their cruell hands.

But euermore, those Damzels did forestall

Their furious encounter, and their fiercenesse pall.

6
But firmely fixt they were, with dint of sword,

And battailes doubtfull proofe their rights to try,

Ne other end their fury would afford,

But what to them Fortune would iustify.

So stood they both in readinesse: thereby

To ioyne the combate with cruell intent;

When
Artegall
arriuing happily,

Did stay a while their greedy bickerment,

Till he had questioned the cause of their dissent

7
To whom the elder did this aunswere frame;

Then weete ye Sir, that we two brethren be,

To whom our sire,
Milsio
by name,

Did equally bequeath his lands in fee,

Two Hands, which ye there before you see

Not farre in sea; of which the one appeares

But like a little Mount of small degree;

Yet was as great and wide ere many yeares,

As that same other Isle, that greater bredth now beares.

8
But tract of time, that all things doth decay,

And this deuouring Sea, that naught doth spare,

The most part of my land hath washt away,

And throwne it vp vnto my brothers share:

So his encreased, but mine did empaire.

Before which time I lou'd, as was my lot,

That further mayd, hight
Philtera
the faire,

With whom a goodly doure I should haue got,

And should haue ioyned bene to her in wedlocks knot.

9
Then did my younger brother
Amidas

Loue that same other Damzell,
Lucy
bright,

To whom but little dowre allotted was;

Her vertue was the dowre, that did delight.

What better dowre can to a dame be hight?

But now when
Philtra
saw my lands decay,

And former liuelod fayle, she left me quight,

And to my brother did ellope streight way:

Who taking her from me, his owne loue left astray.

10
She seeing then her selfe forsaken so,

Through dolorous despaire, which she conceyued,

Into the Sea her selfe did headlong throw,

Thinking to haue her griefe by death bereaued.

But see how much her purpose was deceaued.

Whilest thus amidst the billowes beating of her

Twixt life and death, long to and fro she weaued,

She chaunst vnwares to light vppon this coffer,

Which to her in that daunger hope of life did offer.

11
The wretched mayd that earst desir'd to die,

When as the paine of death she tasted had,

And but halfe seene his vgly visnomie,

Gan to repent, that she had beene so mad,

For any death to chaunge life though most bad:

And catching hold of this Sea-beaten chest,

The lucky Pylot of her passage sad,

After long tossing in the seas distrest,

Her weary barke at last vppon mine Isle did rest.

12
Where I by chaunce then wandring on the shore,

Did her espy, and through my good endeuour

From dreadfull mouth of death, which threatned sore

Her to haue swallow'd vp, did helpe to saue her.

She then in recompence of that great fauour,

Which I on her bestowed, bestowed on me

The portion of that good, which Fortune gaue her,

Together with her selfe in dowry free;

Both goodly portions, but of both the better she.

13
Yet in this coffer, which she with her brought,

Great threasure sithence we did finde contained;

Which as our owne we tooke, and so it thought.

But this same other Damzell since hath fained,

That to her selfe that threasure appertained;

And that she did transport the same by sea,

To bring it to her husband new ordained,

But suffred cruell shipwracke by the way.

But whether it be so or no, I can not say.

14
But whether it indeede be so or no,

This doe I say, that what so good or ill

Or God or Fortune vnto me did throw,

Not wronging any other by my will,

I hold mine owne, and so will hold it still.

And though my land he first did winne away,

And then my loue (though now it little skill,)

Yet my good lucke he shall not likewise pray;

But I will it defend, whilst euer that I may.

15
So hauing sayd, the younger did ensew;

Full true it is, what so about our land

My brother here declared hath to you:

But not for it this ods twixt vs doth stand,

But for this threasure throwne vppon his strand;

Which well I proue, as shall appeare by triall,

To be this maides, with whom I fastned hand,

Known by good markes, and perfect good espiall,

Therefore it ought be rendred her without deniall

16
When they thus ended had, the Knight began;

Certes your strife were easie to accord,

Would ye remit it to some righteous man.

Vnto your selfe, said they, we giue our word,

To bide what iudgement ye shall vs afford.

Then for assuraunce to my doome to stand,

Vnder my foote let each lay downe his sword,

And then you shall my sentence vnderstand.

So each of them layd downe his sword out of his hand.

17
Then
Artegall
thus to the younger sayd;

Now tell me
Amidas,
if that ye may,

Your brothers land the which the sea hath layd

Vnto your part, and plukt from his away,

By what good right doe you withhold this day?

What other right (quoth he) should you esteeme,

But that the sea it to my share did lay?

Your right is good (sayd he) and so I deeme;

That what the sea vnto you sent, your own should seeme.

18
Then turning to the elder thus he sayd;

Now
Bracidas
let this likewise be showne.

Your brothers threasure, which from him is strayd,

Being the dowry of his wife well knowne,

By what right doe you claime to be your owne?

What other right (quoth he) should you esteeme,

But that the sea hath it vnto me throwne?

Your right is good (sayd he) and so I deeme,

That what the sea vnto you sent, your own should seeme.

19
For equall right in equall things doth stand,

For what the mighty Sea hath once possest,

And plucked quite from all possessors hand,

Whether by rage of waues, that neuer rest,

Or else by wracke, that wretches hath distrest,

He may dispose by his imperiall might,

As thing at randon left, to whom he list.

So
Amidas,
the land was yours first hight,

And so the threasure yours is
Bracidas
by right.

20
When he his sentence thus pronounced had,

Both
Amidas
and
Philtra
were displeased:

But
Bracidas
and
Lucy
were right glad,

And on the threasure by that iudgement seased.

So was their discord by this doome appeased,

And each one had his right. Then
Artegall

When as their sharpe contention he had ceased,

Departed on his way, as did befall,

To follow his old quest, the which him forth did call

21
So as he trauelled vppon the way,

He chaunst to come, where happily he spide

A rout of many people farre away;

To whom his course he hastily applide,

To weete the cause of their assemblaunce wide.

To whom when he approched neare in sight,

(An vncouth sight) he plainely then descride

To be a troupe of women warlike dight,

With weapons in their hands, as ready for to fight.

22
And in the midst of them he saw a Knight,

With both his hands behinde him pinnoed hard,

And round about his necke an halter tight,

As ready for the gallow tree prepard:

His face was couered, and his head was bar'd,

That who he was, vneath was to descry;

And with full heauy heart with them he far'd,

Grieu'd to the soule, and groning inwardly,

That he of womens hands so base a death should dy.

23
But they like tyrants, mercilesse the more,

Reioyced at his miserable case,

And him reuiled, and reproched sore

With bitter taunts, and termes of vile disgrace.

Now when as
Artegall
arriu'd in place,

Did aske, what cause brought that man to decay,

They round about him gan to swarme apace,

Meaning on him their cruell hands to lay,

And to haue wrought vnwares some villanous assay.

24
But he was soone aware of their ill minde,

And drawing backe deceiued their intent;

Yet though him selfe did shame on womankinde

His mighty hand to shend, he
Talus
sent

To wrecke on them their follies hardyment:

Who with few sowces of his yron flale,

Dispersed all their troupe incontinent,

And sent them home to tell a piteous tale,

Of their vaine prowesse, turned to their proper bale.

25
But that same wretched man, ordaynd to die,

They left behind them, glad to be so quit:

Him
Talus
tooke out of perplexitie,

And horrour of fowle death for Knight vnfit,

Who more then losse of life ydreaded it;

And him restoring vnto liuing light,

So brought vnto his Lord, where he did sit,

Beholding all that womanish weake fight;

Whom soone as he beheld, he knew, and thus behight.

26
Sir
Turpine,
haplesse man, what make you here?

Or haue you lost your selfe, and your discretion,

That euer in this wretched case ye were?

Or haue ye yeelded you to proude oppression

Of womens powre, that boast of mens subiection?

Or else what other deadly dismall day

Is falne on you, by heauens hard direction,

That ye were runne so fondly far astray,

As for to lead your selfe vnto your owne decay?

27
Much was the man confounded in his mind,

Partly with shame, and partly with dismay,

That all astonisht he him selfe did find,

And little had for his excuse to say,

But onely thus; Most haplesse well ye may

Me iustly terme, that to this shame am brought,

And made the scorne of Knighthod this same day.

But who can scape, what his owne fate hath wrought?

The worke of heauens will surpasseth humaine thought.

28
Right true: but faulty men vse oftentimes

To attribute their folly vnto fate,

And lay on heauen the guilt of their owne crimes.

But tell, Sir
Terpin,
ne let you amate

Your misery, how fell ye in this state.

Then sith ye needs (quoth he) will know my shame,

And all the ill, which chaunst to me of late,

I shortly will to you rehearse the same,