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

Then was I taken and before her brought,                           lvi
      Who through the likenesse of my outward hew,
      Being likewise beguiled in her thought,
      Gan blame me much for being so vntrew,
      To seeke by flight her fellowship t’eschew,
      That lou’d me deare, as dearest thing aliue.
      Thence she commaunded me to prison new;
      Whereof I glad did not gainesay nor striue,
    But suffred that same Dwarfe me to her dongeon driue.

    There did I finde mine onely faithfull frend                      lvii
      In heauy plight and sad perplexitie;
      Whereof I sorie, yet my selfe did bend,
      Him to recomfort with my companie.
      But him the more agreeu’d I found thereby:
      For all his ioy, he said, in that distresse
      Was mine and his _Æmylias_ libertie.
      _Æmylia_ well he lou’d, as I mote ghesse;
    Yet greater loue to me then her he did professe.

    But I with better reason him auiz’d,                             lviii
      And shew’d him how through error and mis-thought
      Of our like persons eath to be disguiz’d,
      Or his exchange, or freedome might be wrought.
      Whereto full loth was he, ne would for ought
      Consent, that I who stood all fearelesse free,
      Should wilfully be into thraldome brought,
      Till fortune did perforce it so decree.
    Yet ouerrul’d at last, he did to me agree.

    The morrow next about the wonted howre,                            lix
      The Dwarfe cald at the doore of _Amyas_,
      To come forthwith vnto his Ladies bowre.
      In steed of whom forth came I _Placidas_,
      And vndiscerned, forth with him did pas.
      There with great ioyance and with gladsome glee,
      Of faire _Pœana_ I receiued was,
      And oft imbrast, as if that I were hee,
    And with kind words accoyd, vowing great loue to mee.

    Which I, that was not bent to former loue,                          lx
      As was my friend, that had her long refusd,
      Did well accept, as well it did behoue,
      And to the present neede it wisely vsd.
      My former hardnesse first I faire excusd;
      And after promist large amends to make.
      With such smooth termes her error I abusd,
      To my friends good, more then for mine owne sake,
    For whose sole libertie I loue and life did stake.

    Thenceforth I found more fauour at her hand,                       lxi
      That to her Dwarfe, which had me in his charge,
      She bad to lighten my too heauie band,
      And graunt more scope to me to walke at large.
      So on a day as by the flowrie marge
      Of a fresh streame I with that Elfe did play,
      Finding no meanes how I might vs enlarge,
      But if that Dwarfe I could with me conuay,
    I lightly snatcht him vp, and with me bore away.

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

Then was I taken and before her brought,                           lvi
      Who through the likenesse of my outward hew,
      Being likewise beguiled in her thought,
      Gan blame me much for being so vntrew,
      To seeke by flight her fellowship t’eschew,
      That lou’d me deare, as dearest thing aliue.
      Thence she commaunded me to prison new;
      Whereof I glad did not gainesay nor striue,
    But suffred that same Dwarfe me to her dongeon driue.

    There did I finde mine onely faithfull frend                      lvii
      In heauy plight and sad perplexitie;
      Whereof I sorie, yet my selfe did bend,
      Him to recomfort with my companie.
      But him the more agreeu’d I found thereby:
      For all his ioy, he said, in that distresse
      Was mine and his _Æmylias_ libertie.
      _Æmylia_ well he lou’d, as I mote ghesse;
    Yet greater loue to me then her he did professe.

    But I with better reason him auiz’d,                             lviii
      And shew’d him how through error and mis-thought
      Of our like persons eath to be disguiz’d,
      Or his exchange, or freedome might be wrought.
      Whereto full loth was he, ne would for ought
      Consent, that I who stood all fearelesse free,
      Should wilfully be into thraldome brought,
      Till fortune did perforce it so decree.
    Yet ouerrul’d at last, he did to me agree.

    The morrow next about the wonted howre,                            lix
      The Dwarfe cald at the doore of _Amyas_,
      To come forthwith vnto his Ladies bowre.
      In steed of whom forth came I _Placidas_,
      And vndiscerned, forth with him did pas.
      There with great ioyance and with gladsome glee,
      Of faire _Pœana_ I receiued was,
      And oft imbrast, as if that I were hee,
    And with kind words accoyd, vowing great loue to mee.

    Which I, that was not bent to former loue,                          lx
      As was my friend, that had her long refusd,
      Did well accept, as well it did behoue,
      And to the present neede it wisely vsd.
      My former hardnesse first I faire excusd;
      And after promist large amends to make.
      With such smooth termes her error I abusd,
      To my friends good, more then for mine owne sake,
    For whose sole libertie I loue and life did stake.

    Thenceforth I found more fauour at her hand,                       lxi
      That to her Dwarfe, which had me in his charge,
      She bad to lighten my too heauie band,
      And graunt more scope to me to walke at large.
      So on a day as by the flowrie marge
      Of a fresh streame I with that Elfe did play,
      Finding no meanes how I might vs enlarge,
      But if that Dwarfe I could with me conuay,
    I lightly snatcht him vp, and with me bore away.

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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