Presently that clownish person upstarting, desired that adventure: whereat the Queene much wondering, and the lady much gainsaying, yet he earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the lady told him, that unless 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 forthwith put upon him with due furnitures thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in all that company, and was well liked of the lady. And eftesoones! taking on him knighthood, and mounting on that strange courser, he went forth with her on that adventure; where beginneth the first book, viz.

A gentle knight was pricking on the plain, &c.

The second day there came in a palmer, bearing an infant with bloody hands, whose parents he complained to have been slain by an enchantress called Acrasia: and therefore craved of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some knight, to perform that adventure; which being assigned to Sir Guyon, he presently went forth with that same palmer which is the beginning of the second book and the whole subject thereof. The third day there came in a groom, who complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile enchanter, called Busirane, had in hand a most fair lady, called Amoretta, whom he kept in most grievous torment, because she would not yield him the pleasure of her body. Whereupon Sir Scudamour, the lover of that lady, presently took on him that adventure. But being unable to perform it by reason of the hard enchantments, after long sorrow, in the end met with Britomartis, who succoured him, and rescued his love.

But by occasion hereof, many other adventures are intermedled, but rather as accidents, then intendments: As the love of Britomart, the overthrow of Marinell, the misery of Florimell, the virtuousness of Belphœbe, the lasciviousness of Hellenora, and many the like.

This much, Sir, I have briefly overrun to direct your understanding to the well-head of the history, that from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a handful gripe all the discourse, which otherwise may happily seem tedious and confused. So humbly craving the continuance of your honourable favour towards me, and the eternal establishment of your happiness, I humbly take leave.

Yours most humbly affectionate,
ED. SPENSER.

Jan. 23, 1589.

1 'Eftesoones:' immediately.

VERSES ADDRESSED BY AUTHOR TO NOBLEMEN, ETC.

7

VERSES

ADDRESSED, BY THE AUTHOR OF THE FAERIE QUEENE,
TO SEVERAL NOBLEMEN, ETC.

To the Right Honourable Sir Christopher Hatton,*
Lord high Chancellor of England, &c.

THOSE prudent heads, that with their counsels wise
Whylom1 the pillars of th' earth did sustain,
And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannise
And in the neck of all the world to reign;
Oft from those grave affairs were wont abstain,
With the sweet lady Muses for to play:
So Ennius the elder Africane

So Maro oft did Cæsar's cares allay.

So you, great Lord, that with your counsel sway
The burden of this kingdom mightily,

With like delights sometimes may eke2 delays
The rugged brow of careful Policy;
And to these idle rhymes lend little space,
Which for their title's sake may find more grace.

E. S.

To the Right Honourable the Lord Burleigh, Lord
high Treasurer of England.

To you, right noble Lord, whose careful breast
To menage1 of most grave affairs is bent;
And on whose mighty shoulders most doth rest
The burden of this kingdom's government,

*Hatton:' made Chancellor in 1587, died in 1591.

1 Formerly.

2 Also.

3 Smooth.

4 Manage

ment.

(As the wide compass of the firmament
On Atlas' mighty shoulders is upstay'd,)
Unfitly I these idle rhymes present,
The labour of lost time, and wit unstay'd:
Yet if their deeper sense be inly weigh'd,
And the dim veil, with which from common view
Their fairer parts are hid, aside be laid,
Perhaps not vain they may appear to you.
Such as they be, vouchsafe them to receive,
And wipe their faults out of your censure grave.
E. S.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Oxenford,
Lord high Chamberlain of England, &c.

Favour. RECEIVE, most noble Lord, in gentle gree,1
The unripe fruit of an unready wit;

Which, by thy countenance, doth crave to be
Defended from foul envy's pois'nous bit.
Which so to do may thee right well befit,
Sith2 th' antique glory of thine ancestry
Under a shady veil is therein writ,
And eke3 thine own long living memory,
Succeeding them in true nobility:

And also for the love* which thou dost bear
To th' Heliconian imps, and they to thee;
They unto thee, and thou to them, most dear:
Dear as thou art unto thyself, so love5

That loves and honours thee; as doth behove.

E. S.

* The love,' &c.: Oxenford wrote verses; for instance, a Dialogue be tween Fancy and Desire.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of
Northumberland.*

THE sacred Muses have made always claim
To be the nurses of nobility,

And registers of everlasting fame,
To all that arms profess and chivalry.
Then, by like right, the noble progeny,

Which them succeed in fame and worth, are tied
T'embrace the service of sweet Poetry,
By whose endeavours they are glorified;
And eke1 from all, of whom it is envied,
To patronize the author of their praise,
Which gives them life, that else would soon have
died,

And crowns their ashes with immortal bays.

To thee therefore, right noble Lord, I send
This present of my pains, it to defend.

E. S.

1 Also.

To the Right Honourable the Earl of Cumberland.t
REDOUBTED Lord, in whose courageous mind
The flower of chivalry, now bloss'ming fair,
Doth promise fruit worthy the noble kind
Which of their praises have left you the heir;
Το
you this humble present I prepare,

For love of virtue and of martial praise;
To which though nobly ye inclined are,
(As goodly well ye show'd in late assays,)2

* Northumberland:' Henry Percy, not Thomas, who was beheaded at York. Cumberland:' did good service against the Spaniards in the West Indies, 1597.

2 Trials.

Yet brave ensample of long passed days,
In which true honour ye may fashion'd see,
To like desire of honour may ye raise,
And fill your mind with magnanimity.
Receive it, Lord, therefore as it was meant,
For honour of your name and high descent.

E. S.

1 Disdain.

2 Fleet, swift.

To the most Honourable and excellent Lord the Earl of Essex, Great Master of the Horse to her Highness, and Knight of the Noble order of the Garter, &c.

MAGNIFIC Lord, whose virtues excellent

Do merit a most famous poet's wit

To be thy living praise's instrument;

Yet do not sdeign1 to let thy name be writ
In this base poem, for thee far unfit;

Nought is thy worth disparaged thereby.

But when my Muse, whose feathers, nothing flit,2
Do yet but flag and lowly learn to fly,

3 Ascend. With bolder wing shall dare aloft to stye3
To the last praises of this Faery Queene;
Then shall it make most famous memory
Of thine heroic parts, such as they been:
Till then, vouchsafe thy noble countenance
To their first labour's needed furtherance.

E. S.