THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QUEENE, CONTAYNING THE LEGEND OF THE KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSSE, OR OF HOLINESSE. 1 Lo! I, the man whose Muse whylome did maske, As time her taught, in lowly shephards weeds,1 Am now enforst, a farre unfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine oaten reeds, And sing of knights and ladies gentle deeds; Whose praises having slept in silence long, Me, all too meane, the sacred Muse areeds 2 To blazon broade emongst her learned throng: Fierce warres and faithfull loves shall moralize my song. 2 Helpe then, O holy virgin, chiefe of nyne, Thy weaker novice to performe thy will; Lay forth out of thine everlasting scryne 1 Weeds, clothes. 3 2 Areeds, counsels, incites. 8 Scryne, box for books or papers (scrinium). The antique rolles, which there lye hidden still, 1 Whom that most noble Briton Prince so long Sought through the world, and suffered so much ill, That I must rue his undeserved wrong: O, helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong! 3 And thou, most dreaded impe2 of highest Iove, And, with thy mother mylde, come to mine ayde ; After his murdrous spoyles and bloudie rage allayd. 4 And with them eke, O Goddesse heavenly bright, Mirrour of grace, and maiestie divine, Great Ladie of the greatest Isle, whose light Like Phoebus lampe throughout the world doth shine, Shed thy faire beames into my feeble eyne, And raise my thoughtes, too humble and too vile, 6 The which to heare vouchsafe, O dearest Dread, a while. 1 Tanaquill is another name for Gloriana, the Faerie Queene. 2 Impe, child. 3 Rove, shoot. 4 Heben, ebony. 5 Afflicted, low, or humble. 6 Dread, object of reverence. CANTO I. The Patrone of true Holinesse Doth to his home entreate. 1 A GENTLE Knight was pricking on the plaine, 1 Ycladd, clad. 2 2 Giusts, jousts, tournaments. I. 5. Yet armes till that time did he never wield.] St. George, the hero of this legend, though of royal Saxon blood, had been brought up as a ploughman, having been stolen away in his infancy by a fairy. (Canto X. 65, 66.) When come to the age of man, he presented himself, "a tall, clownish young man," at the court of the Fairy Queen, and desired the achievement of some adventure. The first which offered itself was that of the dragon, but his rustic appearance was made an objection to his attempting such an exploit, and he was required, as a test of his fitness, to try on a suit of armor, the "whole armor" of a Christian soldier, described by Paul in the sixth chapter of the Ephesians. Having successfully undergone this probation, he was accepted, and, immediately taking on him the vows of knighthood, set forth on his enterprise. See pp. 8, 9. C. 2 And on his brest a bloodie crosse he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord, 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 1 did seeme too solemne sad; Yet nothing did he dread, but ever was ydrad.2 1 3 Upon a great adventure he was bond, That greatest Gloriana to him gave, That greatest glorious queene of Faery lond, To winne him worshippe, and her grace to have, Which of all earthly thinges he most did crave: And ever, as he rode, his hart did earne To prove his puissance in battell brave Upon his foe, and his new force to learne; Upon his foe, a Dragon horrible and stearne. 4 4 A lovely Ladie rode him faire beside, 1 Cheere, countenance. 2 Ydrad, dreaded. 8 Earne, yearn. 4 Wimpled, drawn about her. |