L O! I, the man whose Muse whylome did maske, 1 As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds, Am now enforst, a farre unfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine oaten reeds, Help then, O holy Virgin, chiefe of nyne, 2 O, helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong! And thou, most dreaded impe of highest Iove, 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 iollities arraid, After his murdrous spoyles and bloudie rage allayd. And with them eke, O Goddesse heavenly bright, Great Ladie of the greatest Isle, whose light 3 Like Phabus lampe throughout the world doth shine, And raise my thoughtes, too humble and too vile, The Argument of mine afflicted stile: The which to heare vouchsafe, O dearest Dread, a while. CANTO I. The Patron of true Holinesse A GENTLE Knight was pricking on the Plaine, Ycladd in mightie armes and silver shielde, As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt. 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 scor❜d, 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. Upon a great adventure he was bond, That greatest Gloriana to him gave, (That greatest Glorious Queene of Faery lond,) 1 2 A lovely Ladie rode him faire beside, Upon a lowly Asse more white then snow; 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 5 Whom to avenge, she had this Knight from far compeld. 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 Iove an hideous storme of raine Did poure into his Lemans lap so fast, That everie wight to shrowd it did constrain; 6 And this faire couple eke to shroud themselves were fain. Enforst to seeke some covert nigh at hand, That promist ayde the tempest to withstand; And all within were pathes and alleies wide, 7 And foorth they passe, with pleasure forward led, 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 for shaftes; 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. Led with delight, they thus beguile the way, Untill the blustring storme is overblowne; 8 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, 9 10 Furthest from end then, when they neerest weene, That, which of them to take, in diverse doubt they been. 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, Which when by tract they hunted had throughout, 11 And to the Dwarfe a while his needlesse spere he gave. |