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

Which who so list looke backe to former ages,                      iii
      And call to count the things that then were donne,
      Shall find, that all the workes of those wise sages,
      And braue exploits which great Heroes wonne,
      In loue were either ended or begunne:
      Witnesse the father of Philosophie,
      Which to his _Critias_, shaded oft from sunne,
      Of loue full manie lessons did apply,
    The which these Stoicke censours cannot well deny.

    To such therefore I do not sing at all,                             iv
      But to that sacred Saint my soueraigne Queene,
      In whose chast[3] breast all bountie naturall,
      And treasures of true loue enlocked beene,
      Boue all her sexe that euer yet was seene;
      To her I sing of loue, that loueth best,
      And best is lou’d of all aliue I weene:
      To her this song most fitly is addrest,
    The Queene of loue, and Prince of peace from heauen blest.

    Which that she may the better deigne to heare,                       v
      Do thou dred[4] infant, _Venus_ dearling doue,
      From her high spirit chase imperious feare,
      And vse of awfull Maiestie remoue:
      In sted thereof[5] with drops of melting loue,
      Deawd with ambrosiall kisses, by thee gotten
      From thy sweete smyling mother from aboue,
      Sprinckle her heart, and haughtie courage soften,
    That she may hearke to loue, and reade this lesson often.


FOOTNOTES:

[1] Title 5 TELAMOND] _Triamond_ II xxxi. l. 8 &c.

[2] i 2 Wields _1609_

[3] iv 3 chaste _1609 passim_

[4] v 2 dred] drad _1609_

[5] 5 whereof _1609_




_Cant. I._

[Illustration:

    _Fayre Britomart saues Amoret,
      Duessa discord breedes
    Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour:
      Their fight and warlike deedes._
]


    Of louers sad calamities of old,                                     i
      Full many piteous stories doe remaine,
      But none more piteous euer was ytold,
      Then that of _Amorets_ hart-binding chaine,
      And this of _Florimels_ vnworthie paine:
      The deare compassion of whose bitter fit
      My softened heart so sorely doth constraine,
      That I with teares full oft doe pittie it,
    And oftentimes doe wish it neuer had bene writ.

    For from the time that _Scudamour_ her bought                       ii
      In perilous fight, she neuer ioyed day,
      A perilous fight when he with force her brought
      From twentie Knights, that did him all assay:
      Yet fairely well he did them all dismay:
      And with great glorie both the shield of loue,
      And eke the Ladie selfe he brought away,
      Whom hauing wedded as did him behoue,
    A new vnknowen mischiefe did from him remoue.

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

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

No reviews yet