THE LEGEND OF CAMBEL AND TRIAMOND, OR OF
FRIENDSHIP.
THE rugged forehead,* that with grave foresight
Wields kingdoms' causes and affairs of state,
My looser rhymes, I wote, doth sharply wite1
For praising love as I have done of late,
And magnifying lovers' dear debate;
By which frail youth is oft to folly led,
Through false allurement of that pleasing bait,
That better were in virtues discipled,2
Than with vain poems' weeds to have their fancies
Such ones ill judge of love, that cannot love,
Ne in their frozen hearts feel kindly flame:
Forthy they ought not thing unknown reprove,
Ne natural affection faultless blame
For fault of few that have abus'd the same:
For it of honour and all virtue is
The root, and brings forth glorious flowers of fame,
* The rugged forehead:' supposed to refer to Burleigh.
That crown true lovers with immortal bliss,
The meed of them that love, and do not live amiss.
Which whoso list look back to former ages,
And call to count the things that then were done,
Shall find that all the works of those wise sages,
And brave exploits which great heroës won,
In love were either ended or begun:
Witness the Father of Philosophy,1
Which to his Critias, shaded oft from sun,
Of love full many lessons did apply,
The which these Stoic censors cannot well deny.
To such therefore I do not sing at all;
But to that sacred Saint my sovereign Queen,
In whose chaste breast all bounty natural
And treasures of true love enlocked been,
'Bove all her sex that ever yet was seen;
To her I sing of love, that loveth best,
And best is lov'd of all alive I ween;
To her this song most fitly is addrest,
The Queen of love, and prince of peace from heaven
Which that she may the better deign to hear,
Do thou, dread Infant,2 Venus' darling dove,
From her high spirit chase imperious fear,3
And use of awful majesty remove:
Instead thereof with drops of melting love,
Dew'd with ambrosial kisses, by thee gotten
From thy sweet-smiling mother from above,
Sprinkle her heart, and haughty courage soften,
That she may hark to love, and read this lesson often.
CANTO I.
Fair Britomart saves Amoret:
Duessa discord breeds
Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour:
Their fight and warlike deeds.
OF lovers' sad calamities of old
Full many piteous stories do remain,
But none more piteous ever was ytold
Than that of Amoret's heart-binding chain,
And this of Florimell's unworthy pain:
The dear compassion of whose bitter fit1
My soften'd heart so sorely doth constrain,
That I with tears full oft do pity it,
And oftentimes do wish it never had been writ.
For, from the time that Scudamour her bought2
In perilous fight, she never joyed day;
A perilous fight! when he with force her brought
From twenty knights that did him all assay;
Yet fairly well he did them all dismay,3
And with great glory both the Shield of Love
And eke the Lady self he brought away;
Whom having wedded, as did him behove,
A new unknowen mischief did from him remove.
For that same vile enchanter Busiran,
The very self same day that she was wedded,
Amidst the bridal feast, whilst every man
Surcharg'd with wine was heedless and ill-headed, Disturb
All bent to mirth before the bride was bedded,
Brought in that masque of Love which late was
showen;
• Bestow-
eth.
7 Never-
theless.
And there the Lady ill of friends bestedded,1 By way of sport, as oft in masques is knowen, Conveyed quite away to living wight unknowen.
Seven months he so her kept in bitter smart,
Because his sinful lust she would not serve,
Until such time as noble Britomart
Released her, that else was like to sterve2
Through cruel knife that her dear heart did kerve:3
And now she is with her upon the way
Marching in lovely wise, that could deserve
No spot of blame, though spite did oft assay
To blot her with dishonour of so fair a prey.
Yet should it be a pleasant tale, to tell
The diverse usage, and demeanor daint,*
That each to other made, as oft befell:
For Amoret right fearful was and faint
Lest she with blame her honour should attaint,
That every word did tremble as she spake,
And every look was coy and wondrous quaint,
And every limb that touched her did quake;
Yet could she not but courteous countenance to her
make.
For well she wist, as true it was indeed,
That her life's lord and patron of her health 5
Right well deserved, as his dueful meed,
Her love, her service, and her utmost wealth:
All is his justly that all freely deal'th.6
Nathless her honour dearer than her life
She sought to save, as thing reserv'd from stealth;
Die had she levers with enchanter's knife
Than to be false in love, profess'd a virgin wife.
Thereto her fear was made so much the greater 1 Besides.
Through fine abusion2 of that Briton Maid;
Who, for to hide her feigned sex the better
And mask her wounded mind, both did and said
Full many things so doubtful to be weigh'd,
That well she wist not what by them to guess:
For otherwhiles to her she purpose3 made
Of love, and otherwhiles of lustfulness, [excess. sation. That much she fear'd his mind would grow to some
His will she fear'd; for him she surely thought
To be a man, such as indeed he seemed;
And much the more, by that he lately wrought,
When her from deadly thraldom he redeemed,
For which no service she too much esteemed:
Yet dread of shame and doubt of foul dishonour
Made her not yield so much as due she deemed.
Yet Britomart attended duly on her,
As well became a knight, and did to her all honour.
It so befell one evening that they came
Unto a castle, lodged there to be,
Where many a knight, and many a lovely dame,
Was then assembled deeds of arms to see:
Amongst all which was none more fair than she,
That many of them mov'd to eye her sore.
The custom of that place was such, that he,
Which had no love nor leman there in store,
Should either win him one, or lie without the door.
Amongst the rest there was a jolly knight,
Who, being asked for his love, avow'd
That fairest Amoret was his by right,
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