English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Virtues -- Poetry
4 And all the way she wets with flowing tears:
5 But he, enraged with rancour, nothing hears.
6 Her servile beast yet would not leave her so,
beast > [horse]
7 But follows her far off (nor aught he fears)
aught > anything at all
8 To be partaker of her wandering woe,
partaker of > [a] participant in
9 More mild, in beastly kind, than her beastly foe.
beastly > animal, beast-like
kind > nature
beastly > vile, despicable
CANTO IIII
_To sinfull house of Pride, Duessa
2 guides the faithfull knight,
Where brothers death to wreak Sansioy
4 doth chalenge him to fight._
1 To sinful House of Pride Duessa
2 guides the faithful knight;
3 Where, brother's death to wreak, Sansjoy
wreak > avenge
4 does challenge him to fight.
104.1
YOung knight, what euer that dost armes professe,
2 And through long labours huntest after fame,
Beware of fraud, beware of ficklenesse,
4 In choice, and change of thy deare loued Dame,
Least thou of her beleeue too lightly blame,
6 And rash misweening doe thy hart remoue:
For vnto knight there is no greater shame,
8 Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue;
That doth this _Redcrosse_ knights ensample plainly proue.
1 Young knight, whatever that do arms profess,
whatever that > whoever [you are] that
arms > feats of arms
profess > lay claim to, pretend to
2 And through long labours hunt after fame,
3 Beware of fraud, beware of fickleness,
fraud > faithlessness
4 In choice, and change of your dear-loved dame,
5 Lest you of her believe too lightly blame,
blame > accusation, charge; blame
6 And, rash misweening, do your heart remove:
rash misweening > rashly misunderstanding
7 For to knight there is no greater shame
8 Than lightness and inconstancy in love;
9 That does this Redcross Knight's example plainly prove.
104.2
Who after that he had faire _Vna_ lorne,
2 Through light misdeeming of her loialtie,
And false _Duessa_ in her sted had borne,
4 Called _Fidess_', and so supposd to bee;
Long with her traueild, till at last they see
6 A goodly building, brauely garnished,
The house of mightie Prince it seemd to bee:
8 And towards it a broad high way that led,
All bare through peoples feet, which thither traueiled.
1 Who, after he had fair Una forlorn,
forlorn > lost; left, forsaken (catachr.)
2 Through light misdeeming of her loyalty,
misdeeming > misjudgement
3 And false Duessa in her stead had borne,
borne > taken as a companion
4 Called "Fidessa", and so supposed to be;
5 Long with her travelled, till at last they see
6 A goodly building, bravely garnished,
goodly > fine, beautiful
bravely garnished > splendidly adorned
7 The house of mighty prince it seemed to be:
8 And towards it a broad highway that led,
broad highway > (See _Matt._ 7.13)
9 All bare through people's feet, which thither travelled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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