Selections from Spenser's The Faerie Queene

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Longmans, Green, and Company, 1905 - Knights and knighthood - 179 pages

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Page 169 - I chose the historye of King Arthure, as most fitte for the excellency of his person, being made famous by many mens former workes, and also furthest from the daunger of envy, and suspition of present time.
Page 23 - Soone as the royall virgin he did spy, With gaping mouth at her ran greedily, To have attonce devourd her tender corse ; But to the pray when as he drew more ny, His bloody rage aswaged with remorse, And, with the sight amazd, forgat his furious forse. In stead thereof he kist her wearie feet, And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong, As he her wronged innocence did weet.
Page 11 - He, making speedy way through spersed ayre, And through the world of waters wide and deepe, To Morpheus house doth hastily repaire. Amid the bowels of the earth full steepe, And low, where dawning day doth never peepe, His dwelling is ; there Tethys his wet bed Doth ever wash, and Cynthia still doth steepe In silver deaw his ever-drouping hed, Whiles sad Night over him her mantle black doth spred.
Page 1 - Crosse he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord, For whose sweete sake that glorious badge he 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.
Page 24 - Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward ; And, when she wakt, he wayted diligent, With humble service to her will prepard : From her fayre eyes he tooke commandement, And ever by her lookes conceived her intent.
Page 44 - His haughtie helmet, horrid all with gold. Both glorious brightnesse and great terrour bredd: For all the crest a dragon did enfold With greedie pawes, and over all did spredd His golden winges ; his dreadfull hideous hedd Close couched on the bever, seemd to throw •** From flaming mouth bright sparckles fiery redd.
Page 123 - O! th' exceeding grace Of highest God, that loves his creatures so, And all His works with mercy doth embrace, That blessed angels He sends to and fro To serve to wicked man, to serve his wicked foe!
Page 171 - For the Methode of a Poet historical is not such, as of an Historiographer. For an Historiographer discourseth of affayres orderly as they were donne, accounting as well the times as the actions, but a Poet thrusteth into the middest, even where it most concerneth him, and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste, and divining of thinges to come, maketh a pleasing Analysis of all.
Page 90 - Now, strike your sailes, yee jolly Mariners, For we be come unto a quiet rode, Where we must land some of our passengers, And light this weary vessell of her lode : Here she a while may make her safe abode, Till she repaired have her tackles spent...
Page 3 - The laurell, meed of mightie conquerours And poets sage ; the firre that weepeth still ; The willow, worne of forlorne paramours; The eugh, obedient to the benders will; The birch for shaftes; the sallow for the mill...

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