XXXII
Upon the top of all his loftie crest, 275 A bunch of haires discolourd diversly, With sprincled pearle, and gold full richly drest, Did shake, and seemd to daunce for jollity, Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis° all alone, 280 With blossoms brave bedecked daintily; Whose tender locks do tremble every one At every little breath that under heaven is blowne.
XXXIII
His warlike shield° all closely cover'd was, Ne might of mortall eye be ever seene; 285 Not made of steele, nor of enduring bras, Such earthly mettals soone consumed beene; But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was, one massie entire mould, Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene, 290 That point of speare it never percen could, Ne dint of direfull sword divide the substance would.
XXXIV
The same to wight he never wont disclose, But when as monsters huge he would dismay, Or daunt unequall armies of his foes, 295 Or when the flying heavens he would affray; For so exceeding shone his glistring ray, That Phoebus golden face it did attaint, As when a cloud his beames doth over-lay; And silver Cynthia° wexed pale and faint, 300 As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint.
XXXV
No magicke arts hereof had any might, Nor bloudie wordes of bold Enchaunters call; But all that was not such as seemd in sight,° Before that shield did fade, and suddeine fall; 305 And, when him list° the raskall routes appall, Men into stones therewith he could transmew, And stones to dust, and dust to nought at all; And when him list the prouder lookes subdew, He would them gazing blind, or turne to other hew. 310
XXXVI
Ne let it seeme, that credence this exceedes, For he that made the same, was knowne right well To have done much more admirable deedes. It Merlin° was, which whylome did excell All living wightes in might of magicke spell: 315 Both shield, and sword, and armour all he wrought For this young Prince, when first to armes he fell; But when he dyde, the Faerie Queene it brought To Faerie lond, where yet it may be seene, if sought.
XXXVII
A gentle youth, his dearely loved Squire, 320 His speare of heben wood behind him bare, Whose harmefull head, thrice heated in the fire, Had riven many a brest with pikehead square: A goodly person, and could menage faire His stubborne steed with curbed canon bit, 325 Who under him did trample° as the aire, And chauft, that any on his backe should sit; The yron rowels into frothy fome he bit.
XXXVIII
When as this knight nigh to the Ladie drew, With lovely court he gan her entertaine; 330 But when he heard her answeres loth, he knew Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine: Which to allay, and calme her storming paine, Faire feeling words he wisely gan display, And for her humour° fitting purpose faine, 335 To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray; Wherewith emmov'd, these bleeding words she gan to say.
XXXIX
What worlds delight, or joy of living speach Can heart, so plung'd in sea of sorrowes deep, And heaped with so huge misfortunes, reach? 340 The carefull cold beginneth for to creepe, And in my heart his yron arrow steepe, Soone as I thinke upon my bitter bale: Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keepe, Then rip up griefe, where it may not availe, 345 My last left comfort is, my woes to weepe and waile.
XL
Ah Ladie deare, quoth then the gentle knight, Well may I weene your griefe is wondrous great; For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright, Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat. 350 But wofull Ladie, let me you intrete For to unfold the anguish of your hart: Mishaps are maistred by advice discrete, And counsell mittigates the greatest smart; Found° never helpe who never would his hurts impart. 355
XLI
O but (quoth she) great griefe will not be tould,° And can more easily be thought then said. Right so (quoth he), but he that never would, Could never: will to might gives greatest aid. But griefe (quoth she) does greater grow displaid, 360 If then it find not helpe, and breedes despaire. Despaire breedes not (quoth he) where faith is staid. No faith° so fast (quoth she) but flesh does paire. Flesh may empaire (quoth he) but reason can repaire.
XLII
His goodly reason, and well guided speach, 365 So deepe did settle in her gracious thought, That her perswaded to disclose the breach, Which love and fortune in her heart had wrought, And said; Faire Sir, I hope good hap hath brought You to inquire the secrets of my griefe, 370 Or that your wisedome will direct my thought, Or that your prowesse can me yield reliefe: Then heare the storie sad, which I shall tell you briefe.
XLIII
The forlorne Maiden, whom your eyes have seene The laughing stocke of fortunes mockeries, 375 Am th' only daughter° of a King and Queene, Whose parents deare, whilest equal destinies° Did runne about, and their felicities The favourable heavens did not envy, Did spread their rule through all the territories, 380 Which Phison° and Euphrates floweth by, And Gehons golden waves doe wash continually.
XLIV
Till that their cruell cursed enemy, An huge great Dragon horrible in sight, Bred in the loathly lakes of Tartary,° 385 With murdrous ravine, and devouring might Their kingdome spoild, and countrey wasted quight: Themselves, for feare into his jawes to fall, He forst to castle strong to take their flight, Where fast embard in mighty brasen wall, 390 He has them now foure yeres besiegd to make them thrall.°
XLV
Full many knights adventurous and stout Have enterpriz'd that Monster to subdew; From every coast that heaven walks about,° Have thither come the noble Martiall crew, 395 That famous hard atchievements still pursew; Yet never any could that girlond win, But all still shronke, and still he greater grew: All they for want of faith, or guilt of sin, The pitteous pray of his fierce crueltie have bin. 400
XLVI
At last yledd with farre reported praise, Which flying fame throughout the world had spred, Of doughty knights, whom Faery land did raise, That noble order° hight of Maidenhed, Forthwith to court of Gloriane° I sped 405 Of Gloriane great Queene of glory bright, Whose Kingdomes seat Cleopolis° is red, There to obtaine some such redoubted knight, The Parents deare from tyrants powre deliver might.
XLVII
It was my chance (my chance was faire and good) 410 There for to find a fresh unproved knight, Whose manly hands imbrew'd in guiltie blood Had never bene, ne ever by his might Had throwne to ground the unregarded right: Yet of his prowesse proofe he since hath made 415 (I witnesse am) in many a cruell fight; The groning ghosts of many one dismaide Have felt the bitter dint of his avenging blade.
XLVIII
And ye the forlorne reliques of his powre, His byting sword, and his devouring speare, 420 Which have endured many a dreadfull stowre, Can speake his prowesse, that did earst you beare, And well could rule: now he hath left you heare To be the record of his ruefull losse, And of my dolefull disaventurous deare:° 425 O heavie record of the good Redcrosse, Where have you left your Lord, that could so well you tosse?
XLIX
Well hoped I, and faire beginnings had, That he my captive languor° should redeeme, Till all unweeting, an Enchaunter bad 430 His sence abusd, and made him to misdeeme My loyalty,° not such as it did seeme; That rather death desire, then such despight. Be judge ye heavens, that all things right esteeme, How I him lov'd, and love with all my might, 435 So thought I eke of him, and thinke I thought aright.
L
Thenceforth me desolate he quite forsooke, To wander, where wilde fortune would me lead, And other bywaies he himselfe betooke, Where never foot of living wight did tread, 440 That brought° not backe the balefull body dead; In which him chaunced false Duessa meete, Mine onely foe, mine onely deadly dread, Who with her witchcraft, and misseeming sweete, Inveigled him to follow her desires unmeete. 445