vncouth

ioyous

The sayling Pine, the Cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop Elme, the Poplar neuer dry, The builder Oake, sole king of forrests all, The Aspine good for staues, the Cypresse funerall.

The day with cloudes was suddeine ouercast,

  Too false and strong for earthly skill or might,   Vnwares me wrought vnto her wicked will, And to my foe betrayd, when least I feared ill.

A louely Ladie rode him faire beside, Vpon a lowly Asse more white then snow, Yet she much whiter

For she had great doubt of his safety, Since late she saw him fall before his enemy.

That greatest Gloriana to him gaue, That greatest Glorious Queene of Faerie lond, To winne him worship, and her grace to haue, Which of all earthly things he most did craue;

In loues and gentle iollities arrayd,

blazon

  That huge great body, which the Gyaunt bore,   Was vanisht quite, and of that monstrous mas Was nothing left, but like an emptie bladder was.

Such restlesse passion did all night torment

guile

Arriued there they passed in forth right; For still to all the gates stood open wide, Yet charge of them was to a Porter hight Cald Maluenœ, who entrance none denide:

They cannot finde that path, which first was showne, But wander too and fro in wayes vnknowne, Furthest from end then, when they neerest weene,

intent.

There did I find, or rather I was found   Of this false woman, that Fidessa hight,   Fidessa hight the falsest Dame on ground,   Most false Duessa, royall richly dight,

His blazing eyes, like two bright shining shields,   Did burne with wrath, and sparkled liuing fyre;   As two broad Beacons,

Dame Cælia men did her call, as thought   From heauen to come, or thither to arise,   The mother of three daughters, well vpbrought   In goodly thewes, and godly exercise:   The eldest two most sober, chast, and wise,   Fidelia and Speranza virgins were,   Though spousd, yet wanting wedlocks solemnize;   But faire Charissa to a louely fere

And all the day in doing good and godly deedes.

Arise, Sir knight arise, and leaue this cursed place.

From that day forth Duessa was his deare

Of murdred men which therein strowed lay, Without remorse, or decent funerall: Which all through that great Princesse pride did fall And came to shamefull end. And them beside

There was Ixion turned on a wheele, For daring tempt the Queene of heauen to sin; And Sisyphus an huge round stone did reele Against an hill, ne might from labour lin; There thirstie Tantalus hong by the chin; And Tityus fed a vulture on his maw; Typhoeus ioynts were stretched on a gin, Theseus condemned to endlesse slouth by law, And fifty sisters water in leake vessels draw.

When two of three her Nephews are so fowle forlorne?

And Phoebus fresh, as bridegrome to his mate, Came dauncing forth, shaking his deawie haire: And hurld his glistring beames through gloomy aire.

But this was drawne of six vnequall beasts, On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde,

It was a goodly heape for to behould, And spake the praises of the workmans wit; But full great pittie, that so faire a mould Did on so weake foundation euer sit: For on a sandie hill, that still did flit, And fall away, it mounted was full hie, That euery breath of heauen shaked it: And all the hinder parts, that few could spie, Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly.

And on his shield Sans loy in bloudie lines was dyde. When nigh he drew vnto this gentle payre And saw the Red-crosse, which the knight did beare,

And weeping said, Ah my long lacked Lord, Where haue ye bene thus long out of my sight?

All night she thinks too long, and often lookes for light.

Then turning to his Lady, dead with feare her found.

With whom as once I rode accompanyde, Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee, That had a like faire Lady by his syde, Like a faire Lady, but did fowle Duessa hyde.

The Lady when she saw her champion fall, Like the old ruines of a broken towre,

He saw diuided into double parts,

Like a young Squire, in loues and lusty-hed

With that misformed spright he backe returnd againe.

Errours

The sayling Pine, the Cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop Elme, the Poplar neuer dry, The builder Oake, sole king of forrests all, The Aspine good for staues, the Cypresse funerall. The Laurell, meed of mightie Conquerours And Poets sage, the Firre that weepeth still, The Willow worne of forlorne Paramours, The Eugh obedient to the benders will, The Birch for shaftes, the Sallow for the mill, The Mirrhe sweete bleeding in the bitter wound, The warlike Beech, the Ash for nothing ill, The fruitfull Oliue, and the Platane round, The caruer Holme, the Maple seeldom inward sound.

.

.

auenging

benumbd

Styx

Aegyptian

Her vomit full of bookes and papers was, With loathly frogs and toades, which eyes did lacke,

vncouth

A ramping Lyon rushed suddainly, Hunting full greedie after saluage blood; Soone as the royall virgin he did spy, With gaping mouth at her ran greedily, To haue attonce deuour’d her tender corse: But to the pray when as he drew more ny, His bloudie rage asswaged with remorse, And with the sight amazd, forgat his furious forse.

Faire Vna to the Redcrosse knight betrouthed is with ioy:

Soone as the terme of those six yeares shall cease,   Ye then shall hither backe returne againe, The marriage to accomplish vowd betwixt you twain.

rue

vndeserued

blazon

 In which him chaunced false Duessa meete,   Mine onely foe, mine onely deadly dread,   Who with her witchcraft and misseeming sweete, Inueigled him to follow her desires vnmeete.

At last she chaunced by good hap to meet   A goodly knight, faire marching by the way   Together with his Squire, arayed meet

And to the knight his daughter deare he tyde, With sacred rites and vowes for euer to abyde. His owne two hands the holy knots did knit,   That none but death for euer can deuide

From thence, far off he vnto him did shew   A litle path, that was both steepe and long,   Which to a goodly Citie led his vew;   Whose wals and towres were builded high and strong   Of perle and precious stone, that earthly tong   Cannot describe, nor wit of man can tell

The knight and Vna entring, faire her greet,   And bid her ioy of that her happie brood;   Who them requites with court’sies seeming meet,   And entertaines with friendly chearefull mood.

Ere long they come, where that same wicked wight   His dwelling has, low in an hollow caue,   Farre vnderneath a craggie clift ypight,   Darke, dolefull, drearie, like a greedie graue,   That still for carrion carcases doth craue

So as they traueild, lo they gan espy   An armed knight towards them gallop fast,   That seemed from some feared foe to fly,   Or other griesly thing, that him agast.

Whom when his Lady saw, to him she ran   With hasty ioy: to see him made her glad,   And sad to view his visage pale and wan

The knight approching nigh, of him inquerd   Tydings of warre, and of aduentures new

Lo vnderneath her scornefull feete, was layne A dreadfull Dragon with an hideous trayne, And in her hand she held a mirrhour bright, Wherein her face she often vewed fayne, And in her selfe-lou’d semblance tooke delight

But this was drawne of six vnequall beasts, On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde,

And proud Lucifera men did her call, That made her selfe a Queene, and crownd to be, Yet rightfull kingdome she had none at all,

Her seeming dead he found with feigned feare, As all vnweeting of that well she knew, And paynd himselfe with busie care to reare Her out of carelesse swowne. Her eylids blew And dimmed sight with pale and deadly hew At last she vp gan lift: with trembling cheare Her vp he tooke, too simple and too trew, And oft her kist. At length all passed feare, He set her on her steede, and forward forth did beare.

Who whiles he liu’de, was called proud Sans foy, The eldest of three brethren, all three bred Of one bad sire, whose youngest is Sans ioy, And twixt them both was borne the bloudy bold Sans loy.

Borne the sole daughter of an Emperour, He that the wide West vnder his rule has, And high hath set his throne, where Tiberis doth pas. He in the first flowre of my freshest age, Betrothed me vnto the onely haire Of a most mighty king, most rich and sage; Was neuer Prince so faithfull and so faire, Was neuer Prince so meeke and debonaire; But ere my hoped day of spousall shone, My dearest Lord fell from high honours staire, Into the hands of his accursed fone, And cruelly was slaine, that shall I euer mone.

He then deuisde himselfe how to disguise; For by his mightie science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise, As euer Proteus to himselfe could make: Sometime a fowle, sometime a fish in lake, Now like a foxe, now like a dragon fell, That of himselfe he oft for feare would quake, And oft would flie away. O who can tell The hidden power of herbes, and might of Magicke spell?

And after him she rode with so much speede As her slow beast could make; but all in vaine

All in amaze he suddenly vp start With sword in hand, and with the old man went; Who soone him brought into a secret part, Where that false couple were full closely ment In wanton lust and lewd embracement: Which when he saw, he burnt with gealous fire, The eye of reason was with rage yblent, And would haue slaine them in his furious ire, But hardly was restreined of that aged sire.

Forthwith he runnes with feigned faithfull hast Vnto his guest, who after troublous sights And dreames, gan now to take more sound repast, Whom suddenly he wakes with fearefull frights, As one aghast with feends or damned sprights, And to him cals, Rise rise vnhappy Swaine, That here wex old in sleepe, whiles wicked wights Haue knit themselues in Venus shamefull chaine; Come see, where your false Lady doth her honour staine.

In loues and gentle iollities arrayd,

KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSSE

turnd

to you bound

beguiled of her art

appease

procure

irkesome

vnknowne

disdainefull spight

redoubted

deare

frayes

languor

rew

Die is my dew

amate

that false winged boy

the blind God

Tho can

despight

vncouth

seruice

toy

Dame pleasures

vsage sly

hew

In sort as

ydle

Vna

sent

fancies

dryer

paine

rudely

swowne

doth steepe

Cynthia

euer damned

Cocytus

quakes

sad humour

For that old man of pleasing wordes had store, And well could file his tongue as smooth as glas; He told of Saintes and Popes, and euermore He strowd an Aue-Mary after and before.

the twelve private morall vertues, as Aristotle hath devised

William Shakespeare

And for they looked but with divining eyes, They had not skill enough your worth to sing: For we, which now behold these present days, Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise

wasted time

Fair, kind, and true, have often liv’d alone, Which three till now, never kept seat in one.

Like widow’d wombs after their lords’ decease

!

How like Eve’s apple doth thy beauty grow, If thy sweet virtue answer not thy show!

true

Thus have I had thee, as a dream doth flatter, In sleep a king, but waking no such matter.

others, for the breath of words respect, Me for my dumb thoughts, speaking in effect

The humble as the proudest sail doth bear

might

Without all bail

none

yellow leaves

on the ashes of his youth doth lie

Death’s second self

behold

But let your love even with my life decay; Lest the wise world should look into your moan, And mock you with me after I am gone.

fled

When I perhaps compounded am with clay, Do not so much as my poor name rehearse

Time’s best jewel

Since brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea, But sad mortality o’ersways their power, How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea, Whose action is no stronger than a flower? O! how shall summer’s honey breath hold out, Against the wrackful siege of battering days, When rocks impregnable are not so stout, Nor gates of steel so strong but Time decays?

impregnable

iniquity

And for myself mine own worth do define, As I all other in all worths surmount.

glass

It is so grounded inward in my heart

Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye And all my soul

my verse shall stand. Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand

rarities

And Time that gave doth now his gift confound.

posterity

broils

Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are

Such civil war is in my love and hate

Myself corrupting, salving thy amiss

Authorizing thy trespass with compare

Full many a glorious morning have I seen Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye, Kissing with golden face the meadows green, Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy

But out! alack! he was but one hour mine,

Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye

But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restor’d and sorrows end.

weep afresh love’s long since cancell’d woe

For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Haply

Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising

With what I most enjoy contented least

look upon myself

beweep

As an unperfect actor on the stage, Who with his fear is put beside his part

perfect ceremony

Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting, And by addition me of thee defeated, By adding one thing to my purpose nothing. But since she prick’d thee out for women’s pleasure, Mine be thy love and thy love’s use their treasure.

master mistress

Him in thy course untainted do allow For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men.

I forbid thee one most heinous crime: O! carve not with thy hours my love’s fair brow

sweets

fleets

phoenix

keen

brood

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

temperate

And all in war with Time for love of you, As he takes from you, I engraft you new

To change your day of youth to sullied night

wasteful Time debateth with decay

this huge stage

contracted to

we desire increase

remember’d not to be

beguile

And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves, Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,

summer’s green

erst

canopy

When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls, all silvered o’er with white; When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer’s green all girded up in sheaves,

sable

prime,

should form another

Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest Now is the time that face should form another

Within thine own bud buriest thy content

mak’st

And only herald to the gaudy spring,

Why is “The Dark Lady” considered a woman, or could it be death?

.