Here she a while may make her safe abode, On the long voiage whereto she is bent: Well may she speede, and fairely finish her intent! * * We do not learn the particular enterprises in which the Redcross Knight engaged after his marriage with Una. He appears occasionally in the subsequent books, but only incidentally, and not to take any part in the main action. H. THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QUEENE, CONTAYNING THE LEGEND OF SIR GUYON, OR OF TEMPERAUNCE. 1 RIGHT well I wote, most mighty Soveraine, Of some th' aboundance of an ydle braine Sith none that breatheth living aire does know Which I so much doe vaunt, yet no where show; But vouch antiquities, which no body can know. 2 But let that man with better sence advize1 1 Advize, bear in mind. 2 Red, made known. Or who in venturous vessell measured The Amazon huge river, now found trew? Or fruitfullest Virginia who did ever vew? 3 Yet all these were, when no man did them know, Yet have from wisest ages hidden beene; And later times thinges more unknowne shall show. Why then should witlesse man so much misweene,1 That nothing is, but that which he hath seene? What, if within the moones fayre shining spheare, What, if in every other starre unseene Of other worldes he happily 2 should heare? He wonder would much more; yet such to some appeare. 4 Of Faery lond yet if he more inquyre, 3 That no'te without an hound fine footing trace. And thou, O fayrest Princesse under sky, In this fayre mirrhour maist behold thy face, And thine owne realmes in lond of Faëry, And in this antique ymage thy great auncestry. 5 The which, O, pardon me thus to enfold 1 Misweene, misjudge. 2 Happily, haply. 8 No'te, knows not, contracted from ne wote. IV. 6. Fayrest Princesse.] Queen Elizabeth. That feeble eyes your glory may behold, In whom great rule of Temp'raunce goodly doth appeare. CANTO I. Guyon, by Archimage abusd, 1 THAT conning Architect of cancred guyle, Whom Princes late displeasure left in bands, For falsed letters, and suborned wyle, Soone as the Redcrosse Knight he understands To beene departed out of Eden landes, To serve againe his soveraine Elfin Queene, His artes he moves, and out of caytives handes1 Himselfe he frees by secret meanes unseene; His shackles emptie lefte, himselfe escaped cleene, 2 And forth he fares, full of malicious mynd,. 1 Caytives handes, hands of menials employed to keep him. 2 Algates, in any case, at any rate. |