Who, by her cleanly garment catching hold, Her from her palfrey pluckt, her visage to behold.
XLI.
By her fiers servant, full of kingly aw
And high disdaine, whenas his soveraine Dame
So rudely handled by her foe he saw,
With gaping iawes full greedy at him came,
And, ramping on his shield, did weene1 the same
Have reft away with his sharp rending clawes:
But he was stout, and lust did now inflame
His corage more, that from his griping pawes
He hath his shield redeemd; and forth his swerd he arawes.
XLII.
O then, too weake and feeble was the forse
Of salvage beast, his puissance to withstand!
For he was strong, and of so mightie corse,2
As ever wielded speare in warlike hand;
And feates of armes did wisely understand.
Eftsoones he perced through his chaufed1 chest
With thrilling point of deadly yron brand,
And launcht his lordly hart: with death opprest
He ror'd aloud, whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest.
XLIII.
Who now is left to keepe the forlorne Maid
From raging spoile of lawlesse victors will?
Her faithfull gard remov'd; her hope dismaid;
Her selfe a yielded pray to save or spill 5!
He now, lord of the field, his pride to fill,
With foule reproches and disdaineful spight
Her vildly entertaines; and, will or nill,
1 Weene, purpose.
2 Corse, frame.
3 Eftsoones, immediately.
4 Chaufed, chafed.
5
Spill, destroy.
Bears her away upon his courser light:
Her
prayers nought prevaile; his rage is more of might.
XLIV.
And all the way, with great lamenting paine,
And piteous plaintes, she filleth his dull eares,
That stony hart could riven have in twaine;
And all the way she wetts with flowing teares;
But he, enrag'd with rancor, nothing heares.
Her servile beast yet would not leave her so,
But followes her far off, ne ought he feares
To be partaker of her wandring woe.
More mild in beastly kind, then that her beastly foe.*
* The defeat of Archimago in this canto seems hardly consistent with his magical skill. Spenser may mean to inculcate by it the moral, that the pretended friends of Truth are overthrown and detected in the hour of peril. The captivity of Una and the death of the lion may be typical of the dangers to which Truth and her stout and simple champions are exposed from lawless violence.
To sinfull Hous of Pryde Duess
a guydes the faithfull Knight;
Where, brothers death to wreak, Sansioy
Doth chaleng him to fight.
1.
YOUNG Knight whatever, that dost armes professe,
And through long labours huntest after fame,
Beware of fraud, beware of ficklenesse,
In choice, and chaunge, of thy deare-loved dame;
Least thou of her believe too lightly blame,
And rash misweening doe thy hart remove:
For unto Knight there is no greater shame,
Then lightnesse and inconstancie in love:
That doth this Redcrosse Knights ensample plainly prove.
II.
Who, after that he had faire Una lorne,
Through light misdeeming of her loialtie;
And false Duessa in her sted had borne,
Called Fidess', and so supposd to be;
2 Lorne, deserted.
Arg. 1.To sinfull Hous, &c.] The adventures of the Red-cross Knight are resumed from the second canto.
1. 9. — This Redcrosse Knights ensample.] “The author has shown judgment in making his Knight of the Red-cross, or St. George, no perfect character, without which many of the incidents could not have been represented."- HUGHES.
Long with her traveild; till at last they see
A goodly building, bravely garnished;
The house of mightie prince it seemd to be;
And towards it a broad high way that led,
All bare through peoples feet, which thether traveiled.
III.
Great troupes of people traveild thetherward
Both day and night, of each degree and place;
But few returned, having scaped hard,
With balefull beggery, or foule disgrace;
Which ever after in most wretched case,
Like loathsome lazars, by the hedges lay.
Thether Duessa badd him bend his pace;
For she is wearie of the toilsom way;
And also nigh consumed is the lingring day.
IV.
A stately pallace built of squared bricke,
Which cunningly was without morter laid,
Whose wals were high, but nothing strong nor thick,
And golden foile all over them displaid,
That purest skye with brightnesse they dismaid;
High lifted up were many loftie towres,
And goodly galleries far over laid,
Full of faire windowes and delightful bowres ; And on the top a diall told the timely howres.
V.
It was a goodly heape for to behould,
And spake the praises of the workmans witt:
But full great pittie, that so faire a mould.
Did on so weake foundation ever sitt :
For on a sandie hill, that still did flitt
1 Lazars, leprous persons.
And fall away, it mounted was full hie:
That every breath of heaven shaked itt:
And all the hinder partes, that few could spie,
Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly.
VI.
Arrived there, they passed in forth right;
For still to all the gates stood open wide:
Yet charge of them was to a porter hight,1
Cald Malvenu, who entrance none denide :
Thence to the hall, which was on every side
With rich array and costly arras dight 2:
Infinite sortes of people did abide
There waiting long, to win the wished sight
Of her, that was the Lady of that pallace bright.
VII.
By them they passe, all gazing on them round,
And to the Presence 3 mount; whose glorious vew
Their frayle amazed senses did confound.
In living princes court none ever knew
Such endlesse richesse, and so sumpteous shew:
Ne Persia selfe, the nourse of pompous pride,
Like ever saw: And there a noble crew
Of Lords and Ladies stood on every side,
Which, with their presence fayre, the place much beautifide.
VIII.
High above all a cloth of state was spred,
And a rich throne, as bright as sunny day;
On which there sate, most brave embellished
With royall robes and gorgeous array,
A mayden Queene that shone, as Titans ray,
3 Presence, presence- or reception-room.
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