Spenser's Faerie Queene, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Books IV-VII

Name: Spenser's Faerie Queene, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Books IV-VII
Author: Spenser, Edmund

Spenser, Edmund

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Virtues -- Poetry

Ne was there Knight, ne was there Lady found                       iii
      In Faery court, but him did deare embrace,
      For his faire vsage and conditions sound,
      The which in all mens liking gayned place,
      And with the greatest purchast greatest grace:
      Which he could wisely vse, and well apply,
      To please the best, and th’euill to embase.
      For he loathd leasing, and base flattery,
    And loued simple truth and stedfast honesty.

    And now he was in trauell on his way,                               iv
      Vppon an hard aduenture sore bestad,
      Whenas by chaunce he met vppon a day
      With _Artegall_, returning yet halfe sad
      From his late conquest, which he gotten had.
      Who whenas each of other had a sight,
      They knew them selues, and both their persons rad:
      When _Calidore_ thus first; Haile noblest Knight
    Of all this day on ground, that breathen liuing spright.

    Now tell, if please you, of the good successe,                       v
      Which ye haue had in your late enterprize.
      To whom Sir _Artegall_ gan to expresse
      His whole exploite, and valorous emprize,
      In order as it did to him arize.
      Now happy man (sayd then Sir _Calidore_)
      Which haue so goodly, as ye can deuize,
      Atchieu’d so hard a quest, as few before;
    That shall you most renowmed make for euermore.

    But where ye ended haue, now I begin                                vi
      To tread an endlesse trace, withouten guyde,
      Or good direction, how to enter in,
      Or how to issue forth in waies vntryde,
      In perils strange, in labours long and wide,
      In which although good Fortune me befall,
      Yet shall it not by none be testifyde.
      What is that quest (quoth then Sir _Artegall_)
    That you into such perils presently doth call?

    The Blattant Beast (quoth he) I doe pursew,                        vii
      And through the world incessantly doe chase,
      Till I him ouertake, or else subdew:
      Yet know I not or how, or in what place
      To find him out, yet still I forward trace.
      What is that Blattant Beast? (then he replide.)[401]
      It is a Monster bred of hellishe race,
      (Then answerd he) which often hath annoyd
    Good Knights and Ladies true, and many else destroyd.

    Of _Cerberus_ whilome he was begot,                               viii
      And fell _Chimæra_ in her darkesome den,
      Through fowle commixture of his filthy blot;
      Where he was fostred long in _Stygian_ fen,
      Till he to perfect ripenesse grew, and then
      Into this wicked world he forth was sent,
      To be the plague and scourge of wretched men:
      Whom with vile tongue and venemous intent
    He sore doth wound, and bite, and cruelly torment.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Spenser's Faerie Queene, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Books IV-VIISpenser, Edmund

General

Spenser's Faerie Queene, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Books IV-VII

Spenser, Edmund

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Virtues -- Poetry

Ne was there Knight, ne was there Lady found                       iii
      In Faery court, but him did deare embrace,
      For his faire vsage and conditions sound,
      The which in all mens liking gayned place,
      And with the greatest purchast greatest grace:
      Which he could wisely vse, and well apply,
      To please the best, and th’euill to embase.
      For he loathd leasing, and base flattery,
    And loued simple truth and stedfast honesty.

    And now he was in trauell on his way,                               iv
      Vppon an hard aduenture sore bestad,
      Whenas by chaunce he met vppon a day
      With _Artegall_, returning yet halfe sad
      From his late conquest, which he gotten had.
      Who whenas each of other had a sight,
      They knew them selues, and both their persons rad:
      When _Calidore_ thus first; Haile noblest Knight
    Of all this day on ground, that breathen liuing spright.

    Now tell, if please you, of the good successe,                       v
      Which ye haue had in your late enterprize.
      To whom Sir _Artegall_ gan to expresse
      His whole exploite, and valorous emprize,
      In order as it did to him arize.
      Now happy man (sayd then Sir _Calidore_)
      Which haue so goodly, as ye can deuize,
      Atchieu’d so hard a quest, as few before;
    That shall you most renowmed make for euermore.

    But where ye ended haue, now I begin                                vi
      To tread an endlesse trace, withouten guyde,
      Or good direction, how to enter in,
      Or how to issue forth in waies vntryde,
      In perils strange, in labours long and wide,
      In which although good Fortune me befall,
      Yet shall it not by none be testifyde.
      What is that quest (quoth then Sir _Artegall_)
    That you into such perils presently doth call?

    The Blattant Beast (quoth he) I doe pursew,                        vii
      And through the world incessantly doe chase,
      Till I him ouertake, or else subdew:
      Yet know I not or how, or in what place
      To find him out, yet still I forward trace.
      What is that Blattant Beast? (then he replide.)[401]
      It is a Monster bred of hellishe race,
      (Then answerd he) which often hath annoyd
    Good Knights and Ladies true, and many else destroyd.

    Of _Cerberus_ whilome he was begot,                               viii
      And fell _Chimæra_ in her darkesome den,
      Through fowle commixture of his filthy blot;
      Where he was fostred long in _Stygian_ fen,
      Till he to perfect ripenesse grew, and then
      Into this wicked world he forth was sent,
      To be the plague and scourge of wretched men:
      Whom with vile tongue and venemous intent
    He sore doth wound, and bite, and cruelly torment.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Spenser's Faerie Queene, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Books IV-VII

Spenser's Faerie Queene, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b Books IV-VII

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