With his vile tongue, which many had defamed, And many causelesse caused to be blamed: So did he eeke long after this remaine, Untill that, (whether wicked fate so framed Or fault of men,) he broke his yron chaine, And got into the world at liberty againe. 39 Thenceforth more mischiefe and more scath1 he wrought To mortall men then he had done before; And all his brethren borne in Britaine land; 40 So now he raungeth through the world againe, 41 Ne may this homely verse, of many meanest, Hope to escape his venemous despite, 1 Scath, injury. 2 Bate, bait. 3 Albe they, whether they be. More then my former writs, all were they cleanest Therfore do you, my rimes, keep better measure. And seeke to please; that now is counted wisemens threasure.. 1 Wite, blame. - 2 Endite, indict, accuse. XLI. 6. Mighty Peres displeasure.] This is probably the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, who is well known to have been unfriendly to the poet. He is supposed to have been offended with Spenser's satire upon Bishop Aylmer (Ellmor), under the name of Morell, in the seventh eclogue of the Shepherd's Calendar. H. TWO CANTOS OF MUTABILITIE: WHICH, BOTH FOR FORME AND MATTER, APPEARE TO BE PARCELL OF SOME FOLLOWING BOOKE OF Proud Change, not pleasd in mortall things Beneath the moone to raigne, Pretends as well of gods as men To be the soveraine. 1 WHAT man that sees the ever-whirling wheele How Mutability in them doth play 1 Decay, destruction. fragment of the third, were not They appeared for the first time *These two cantos, and the published during Spenser's life. in the folio edition of the Faerie Queene, published in 1609, without any further preface or explanation than is given above. H. Which that to all may better yet appeare, I will rehearse that whylome I heard say, How she at first herselfe began to reare Gainst all the gods, and th' empire sought from them to beare. 2 But first, here falleth fittest to unfold Whom though high Iove of kingdome did deprive, Yet many of their stemme long after did survive: 3 And many of them afterwards obtain'd Great power of Iove, and high authority: As Hecatè, in whose almighty hand To gods and men, as she them list divide; Warres and allarums unto nations wide, That makes both heaven and earth to tremble at her pride. 4 So likewise did this Titanesse aspire 1 Regiment, government. 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 power to many ones great paine, That not men onely (whom she soone subdewed), But eke all other creatures, her bad dooings rewed. For she the face of earthly things so changed, In good estate, and in meet order ranged, Of gods or men to alter or misguide) She alter'd quite; and made them all accurst In that still happy state for ever to abide. 6 Ne shee the lawes of Nature onely brake, And wrong of right, and bad of good did make, Since which, all living wights have learn'd to die, O pittious worke of Mutabilitie, By which we all are subiect to that curse, And death, in stead of life, have sucked from our nurse! 7 And now, when all the earth she thus had brought |