XXXVII. Him through all Faery Land he follow'd so, Out of their townes did round about him throng, And much admyr'd the Beast, but more admyr'd the Knight. XXXVIII. Thus was this Monster, by the maystring 3 might 4 Of doughty Calidore, supprest and tamed, XXXIX. 6 Thenceforth more mischiefe and more scath he wrought And all his brethren borne in Brittaine land: 1 Earst, before. 3 Maystring, mastering, subduing. 5 Causelesse, without reason. 2 Admyr'd, wondered at. 4 Endammadge, do harm to. 6 Scath, injury. XL. So now he raungeth through the world againe, But rends, without regard of person or of time. XLI. Ne may this homely Verse, of many meanest, More than my former Writs, all were they cleanest Therefore do you, my rimes, keep better measure, And seeke to please; that now is counted wise mens threasure. 'Bate, bait, attack, molest. 3 Wite, blame. 2 All, although. 4 Endite, indict, censure. XL. 6.- Albe they.] Whether they be. XLI. 6.- Mighty Peres displeasure.] This is probably the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, who is well known to have been unfriendly to the poet. Upton supposes that he was offended with Spenser's satire upon Bishop Aylmer, (under the name of Morell,) in the seventh eclogue of the "Shepheard's Calender " TWO CANTOS OF MUTABILITIE: WHICH, BOTH FOR FORME AND MATTER, APPEARE TO BE PARCELL OF SOME FOLLOWING BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QUEENE, UNDER THE LEGEND OF CONSTANCIE. CANTO VI. Proud Change (not pleasd in mortall things Beneath the moone to raigne) Pretends, as well of gods as men, To be the soveraine. I. WHAT man that sees the ever-whirling wheele I. 1. What man, &c.] These two cantos, and the fragment of the third, were not published during Spenser's life. They appeared for the first time in the folio edition of the Faerie Queene, published in 1609, which contains no preface or explanation. Her cruell sports to many mens decay1? Gainst all the gods, and th' empire sought from them to beare. II. But first, here falleth fittest to unfold Yet III. And many of them afterwards obtain'd Great power of love, and high authority: As Hecate, in whose almighty hand To be by her disposed diversly To gods and men, as she them list divide; And drad Bellona, that doth sound on hie Warres and allarums unto nations wide, That makes both heaven and earth to tremble at her pride. IV. So likewise did this Titanesse aspire Rule and dominion to herselfe to gaine; That as a goddesse men might her admire, 1 Decay, ruin, destruction. 2 Whylome, formerly. Regiment, government. 5 Stemme, race. • Drad, dreaded. 19 3 Reare, raise, set up. And heavenly honours yield, as to them twaine: And first, on earth she sought it to obtaine; Where she such proofe and sad examples shewed Of her great powre, to many ones great paine, That not men onely (whom she soone subdewed) But eke all other creatures her bad dooings rewed.1 V. For she the face of earthly things so changed, In good estate, and in meet order ranged, She did pervert, and all their statutes burst: And all the worlds faire frame (which none yet durst She alter'd quite; and made them all accurst In that still happy state for ever to abide. VI. Ne shee the lawes of Nature onely brake, But eke of Iustice, and of Policie; And wrong of right, and bad of good did make, And death for life exchanged foolishlie : Since which, all living wights have learn'd to die, And all this world is woxen daily worse. O pittious work of Mutabilitie, By which we all are subiect to that curse, And death, in stead of life, have sucked from our nurse! VII. And now, when all the earth she thus had brought To her behest and thralled to her might, She gan to cast in her ambitious thought 1 1 Rewed, lamented. |