THE KNIGHT OF THE RED CROSS AT THE HOUSE | That every breath of heaven shaked it: Great troupes of people traveild thitherward And all the hinder parts, that few could spie, Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly. 6 Arrived there, they passed in forth right; 7 By them they passe, all gazing on them round, And to the Presence mount; whose glorious vew3 Their frayle amazed senses did confound: Of Lordes and Ladies stood on every side, Which with their presence faire the place much beautifide. 8 High above all a cloth of State was spred, A mayden Queene, that shone as Titans ray, And also nigh consumed is the lingring day. To dim the brightnesse of her glorious throne, And sitting high; for lowly she did hate: Lo underneath 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-lov'd semblance tooke delight; Some frounce their curled haire in courtly guise, Some prancke their ruffes, and others trimly dight Their gay attire: each others greater pride does spight. 15 For she was wondrous faire, as any living Goodly they all that knight do entertaine, wight. 11 Of griesly Pluto she the daughter was, And wield the world, she claymed for her syre, For to the highest she did still aspyre, Right glad with him to have increast their crew: But to Duess' each one himselfe did paine [Sansjoy (Joyless, third of the pagan broth Or if ought higher were then that, did it erhood) appears, seeking vengeance for the desyre. 12 And proud Lucifera men did her call, death of Sansfoy, and, secretly encouraged by Duessa, challenges the Knight to combat.] That made her selfe a Queene, and crowned to THE COMBAT BETWEEN THE KNIGHT OF THE be, Yet rightfull kingdome she had none at all, 13 Soone as the Elfin knight in presence came, So goodly brought them to the lowest staire Making obeyssance, did the cause declare, Why they were come, her royall state to see, To prove the wide report of her great Majestee. 14 With loftie eyes, halfe loth to looke so low, Court ladies used to carry mirrors. Pride and her six counsellors, Idleness, Gluttony. Lechery, Avarice, Envy, and Wrath, constitute the "seven deadly sins." RED CROSS AND SANSJOY. FROM BOOK I, CANTO V. 1 The noble hart, that harbours vertuous thought, 2 At last the golden Orientall gate, Which when the wakeful Elfe perceiv 'd, streightway He started up, and did him selfe prepaire, For with that Pagan proud he combat will that day. 3 And forth he comes into the commune hall, To weet what end to straunger knights may Where earely waite him many a gazing eye, fall. There many Minstrales maken melody, 1 heart To drive away the dull melancholy, 8 And many Bardes, that to the trembling chord So th' one for wrong, the other strives for right; As when Gryfon seized of his pray, Old loves, and warres for Ladies doen by A Dragon fiers encount reth in his flight, many a Lord. Through widest ayre making his ydle way, Not all so satisfide, with greedie eye So marcheth home, and by her takes the knight, Whom all the people follow with great glee, Shouting, and clapping all their hands on hight, That all the aire it fils, and flyes to heaven bright. 17 Home is he brought, and laid in sumptuous bed: Where many skilfull leaches him abide, And all the while Duessa wept full bitterly. [The Knight and the Dwarf escape from the house of Pride, but the Knight is captured by the giant Orgoglio (another impersonator of Pride) and thrown into a dungeon. Meanwhile Una, having escaped from Sansloy, meets the Dwarf, who tells her what has befallen. Just then appears Prince Arthur, seeking the court of the Faerie Queene. He hears their story, fights with Orgoglio, and frees his prisoner. Reunited, the Knight and Una proceed on their way. After further trial in the Cave of Despair, and wholesome discipline at the House of Holiness, they reach the goal of their journeythe wasted kingdom, and the brazen tower where Una's parents are imprisoned by the Dragon. The Knight engages in a desperate conflict with the Dragon, and only on the third day succeeds in conquering him.] THE DRAGON SLAIN. THE BETROTHAL OF UNA. FROM BOOK I, CANTO XII. 1 Behold I see the haven nigh at hand, To which I meane my wearie course to bend; Vere the maine shete, and beare up with the land, And to him brought the shield, the cause of The which afore is fairely to be kend, enmitie. 2 Scarsely had Phoebus in the glooming East Yet harnessed his firie-footed teeme, Ne reard above the earth his flaming creast; When the last deadly smoke aloft did steeme That signe of last outbreathed life did seeme Unto the watchman on the castle wall, As fresh as flowres in medow greene do grow, When morning deaw upon their leaves doth light: And in their hands sweet Timbrels all upheld on hight. 17 Who thereby dead that balefull Beast did Then sayd the royall Pere in sober wise; deeme, And to his Lord and Ladie lowd gan call, To tell how he had seene the Dragons fatall fall. Deare Sonne, great beene the evils which yo bore From first to last in your late enterprise, 18 Ah, dearest Lord, said then that doughty knight, Of ease or rest I may not yet devize, For by the faith, which I to armes have plight, Therefore I ought crave pardon, till I there have beene. 19 Unhappie falles that hard necessitie, (Quoth he) the troubler of my happie peace, And vowed foe of my felicitie; Ne I against the same can justly preace: 8 But since that band ye cannot now release, Forth came that auncient Lord and aged Nor doen undo;9 (for vowes may not be vaine), Soone as the terms of those six yeares shall |