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THE THIRD BOOK

OF

THE FAERIE QUEENE,

CONTAINING

THE LEGEND OF BRITOMARTIS, OR OF CHASTITY.

I.

Ir falls me here to write of Chastity, a
That fairest virtue, far above the rest: b
For which what needs me fetch from Faëry
Foreign ensamples it to have exprest? b
Sith1 it is shrined in my Sovereign's breast, b
And form'd so lively in each perfect part, c
That to all ladies, which have it profest,
Need but behold the portrait of her heart; C
If pourtray'd it might be by any living art: C

II.

But living art may not least part express,

10

1 Since.

a

2 Al

b

Nor life-resembling pencil it can paint:
All2 were it Zeuxis or Praxiteles,
His dædal3 hand would fail and greatly faint,b
And her perfections with his error taint:
Ne poet's wit, that passeth painter far
In picturing the parts of beauty daint,4
So hard a workmanship adventure dare,
For fear through want of words her excellence to

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though. 3 Creative.

b

4 Dainty.

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1 Former

ly.

2 Since.

III.

How then shall I, apprentice of the skill
That whilome1 in divinest wits did reign,
Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill?
Yet now my luckless lot doth me constrain
Hereto perforce: but, O dread Soveraine,
Thus far forth pardon, sith2 that choicest wit
Cannot your glorious portrait figure plain,
That I in colour'd shows may shadow it,
And antique praises unto present persons fit.

IV.

But if in living colours, and right hue,
Thyself thou covet to see pictured,

Who can it do more lively, or more true,
Than that sweet verse, with nectar sprinkeled,
In which a gracious servant* pictured
His Cynthia, his heaven's fairest light?
That with his melting sweetness ravished,
And with the wonder of her beamës bright,
My senses lulled are in slumber of delight.

V.

But let that same delicious poet lend

A little leave unto a rustic Muse

To sing his Mistress' praise; and let him mend,
If ought amiss her liking may abuse:

Ne let his fairest Cynthia refuse

In mirrors more than one herself to see;
But either Gloriana let her chuse,

Or in Belphœbe fashioned to be;

In th' one her rule, in th' other her rare chastity.

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* Servant:' Sir Walter Raleigh, who wrote a poem called 'Cynthia,' eulogising Queen Elizabeth.

CANTO I.

Guyon encount'reth Britomart:
Fair Florimell is chas'd:
Duessa's trains and Malecas-

ta's champions are defac'd.

I.

THE famous Briton Prince and Faery Knight,
After long ways and perilous pains endur'd,
Having their weary limbs to perfect plight
Restor❜d, and sorry wounds right well recur'd,
Of the fair Alma greatly were procur'd1
To make there longer sojourn and abode;
But, when thereto they might not be allur'd
From seeking praise and deeds of arms abroad,

1 Entreated.

They courteous congé2 took, and forth together yode.32 Farewell.

II.

But the captív'd Acrasia he sent,
Because of travel long, a nigher way,
With a strong guard, all rescue to prevent,
And her to Faery Court safe to convey;
That her for witness of his hard assay
Unto his Faery Queen he might present:
But he himself betook another way,

To make more trial of his hardiment,4

And seek adventures, as he with Prince Arthur went.

III.

Long so they travelled through wasteful ways,

3 Went.

4 Courage.

Where dangers dwelt, and perils most did wonne,5 Dwell.

To hunt for glory and renowned praise:

Full many countries they did overrun,
From the uprising to the setting sun,
And many hard adventures did achieve;

1 Went.

2 Bend.

3 Make ready.

4 Reached.

5 Spur.

6 Nor.

7 Struck.

8 Saddle.

9 As if.

Of all the which they honour ever won,
Seeking the weak oppressed to relieve,
And to recover right for such as wrong did grieve.

IV.

At last, as through an open plain they yode,1
They spied a knight that towards pricked fair;
And him beside an aged squire there rode,
That seem'd to couch2 under his shield three-

square,

As if that age bade him that burden spare,
And yield it those that stouter could it wield:
He, them espying, gan himself prepare,
And on his arm address3 his goodly shield
That bore a lion passant in a golden field.

V.

Which seeing, good Sir Guyon dear besought
The Prince, of grace, to let him run that turn.
He granted: then the Faery quickly raught4
His poignant spear, and sharply gan to spurn5
His foamy steed, whose fiery feet did burn
The verdant grass as he thereon did tread;
Ne did the other back his foot return,
But fiercely forward came withouten dread,
And bent his dreadful spear against the other's head.

VI.

They been ymet, and both their points arriv'd;7
But Guyon drove so furious and fell, [riv'd;
That seem❜d both shield and plate it would have
Nathdless it bore his foe not from his sell,8
But made him stagger, as he were not well:
But Guyon self, ere well he was aware,

Nigh a spear's length behind his crupper fell;
Yet in his fall so well himself he bare, [spare.
That mischievous mischance his life and limbs did

VII.

Great shame and sorrow of that fall he took;
For never yet, sith1 warlike arms he bore
And shivering spear in bloody field first shook,
He found himself dishonoured so sore.

Ah! gentlest knight, that ever armour bore,
Let not thee grieve dismounted to have been,
And brought to ground, that never wast before;
For not thy fault, but secret power unseen;
That spear enchanted was which laid thee on the
green!

VIII.

But weenedst thou what wight thee overthrew,
Much greater grief and shamefuller regret
For thy hard fortune then thou wouldst renew,
That of a single damsel thou wert met
On equal plain, and there so hard beset:
Even the famous Britomart it was,

Whom strange adventure did from Britain fet 2
To seek her lover (love far sought alas!)

Whose image she had seen in Venus' looking-glass.

IX.

Full of disdainful wrath, he fierce uprose
For to revenge that foul reproachful shame,
And snatching his bright sword began to close
With her on foot, and stoutly forward came;
Die rather would he than endure that same.
Which when his Palmer saw, he gan to fear
His toward peril, and untoward blame,1
Which by that new rencounter he should rear;
For Death sate on the point of that enchanted

3

X.

And hasting towards him, gan fair persuade
Not to provoke misfortune, nor to ween 6

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