Laurel · Edmund Spenser · The Faerie Queene, Book I

Canto III

Edmund Spenser (c. 1552–1599) · 1590

iambic pentameter · ABABBCBCC · 400 lines · from The Faerie Queene, Book I

Forsaken Truth long seekes her love,and makes the Lyon mylde,Marres blind Devotions mart, and falsin hand of leachour vylde.

Nought is there under heav'ns wide hollownesse,That moves more deare compassion of mind,Then beautie brought t' unworthy wretchednesseThrough envies snares, or fortunes freakes unkind.I, whether lately through her brightnesse blind,Or through alleageance and fast fealtie,Which I do owe unto all woman kind,Feele my hart perst with so great agonie,When such I see, that all for pittie I could die.

And now it is empassioned so deepe,For fairest Unaes sake, of whom I sing,That my fraile eyes these lines with teares do steepe,To thinke how she through guilefull handeling,Though true as touch, though daughter of a king,Though faire as ever living wight was faire,Though nor in word nor deede ill meriting,Is from her knight divorced in despaire,And her due loves deriv'd to that vile witches share.

Yet she most faithfull Ladie all this whileForsaken, wofull, solitarie maydFar from all peoples prease, as in exile,In wildernesse and wastfull deserts strayd,To seeke her knight; who subtilly betraydThrough that late vision, which th' Enchaunter wrought,Had her abandond. She of nought affrayd,Through woods and wastnesse wide him daily sought;Yet wished tydings none of him unto her brought.

One day nigh wearie of the yrkesome way,From her unhastie beast she did alight,And on the grasse her daintie limbes did layIn secret shadow, farre from all mens sight:From her faire head her fillet she undight,And laid her stole aside. Her angels faceAs the great eye of heaven shyned bright,And made a sunshine in the shadie place;Did never mortall eye behold such heavenly grace.

It fortuned out of the thickest woodA ramping Lyon rushed suddainly,Hunting full greedy after salvage blood;Soone as the royall virgin he did spy,With gaping mouth at her ran greedily,To have attonce devourd her tender corse:But to the pray when as he drew more ny,His bloody rage asswaged with remorse,And with the sight amazd, forgat his furious forse.

In stead thereof he kist her wearie feet,And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong,As he her wronged innocence did weet.O how can beautie maister the most strong,And simple truth subdue avenging wrong?Whose yeelded pride and proud submission,Still dreading death, when she had marked long,Her hart gan melt in great compassion,And drizling teares did shed for pure affection.

The Lyon Lord of every beast in field,Quoth she, his princely puissance doth abate,And mightie proud to humble weake does yield,Forgetfull of the hungry rage, which lateHim prickt, in pittie of my sad estate:But he my Lyon, and my noble Lord,How does he find in cruell hart to hate,Her that him lov'd, and ever most adord,As the God of my life? why hath he me abhord?

Redounding teares did choke th' end of her plaint,Which softly ecchoed from the neighbour wood;And sad to see her sorrowfull constraintThe kingly beast upon her gazing stood;With pittie calmd, downe fell his angry mood.At last in close hart shutting up her paine,Arose the virgin borne of heavenly brood,And to her snowy Palfrey got againe,To seeke her strayed Champion, if she might attaine.

The Lyon would not leave her desolate,But with her went along, as a strong gardOf her chast person, and a faithfull mateOf her sad troubles and misfortunes hard:Still when she slept, he kept both watch and ward,And when she wakt, he waited diligent,With humble service to her will prepard:From her faire eyes he tooke commaundement,And ever by her lookes conceived her intent.

Long she thus traveiled through deserts wyde,By which she thought her wandring knight shold pas,Yet never shew of living wight espyde;Till that at length she found the troden gras,In which the tract of peoples footing was,Under the steepe foot of a mountaine hore;The same she followes, till at last she hasA damzell spyde slow footing her before,That on her shoulders sad a pot of water bore.

To whom approching she to her gan call,To weet, if dwelling place were nigh at hand;But the rude wench her answerd nought at all;She could not heare, nor speake, nor understand;Till seeing by her side the Lyon stand,With suddaine feare her pitcher downe she threw,And fled away: for never in that landFace of faire Ladie she before did vew,And that dread Lyons looke her cast in deadly hew.

Full fast she fled, ne never lookt behynd,As if her life upon the wager lay,And home she came, whereas her mother blyndSate in eternall night: nought could she say,But suddaine catching hold, did her dismayWith quaking hands, and other signes of feare;Who full of ghastly fright and cold affray,Gan shut the dore. By this arrived thereDame Una, wearie Dame, and entrance did requere.

Which when none yeelded, her unruly PageWith his rude claws the wicket open rent,And let her in; where of his cruell rageNigh dead with feare, and faint astonishment,She found them both in darkesome corner pent;Where that old woman day and night did prayUpon her beads devoutly penitent;Nine hundred Pater nosters every day,And thrise nine hundred Aves she was wont to say.

And to augment her painefull pennance more,Thrise every weeke in ashes she did sit,And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore,And thrise three times did fast from any bit:But now for feare her beads she did forget.Whose needlesse dread for to remove away,Faire Una framed words and count'nance fit:Which hardly doen, at length she gan them pray,That in their cotage small that night she rest her may.

The day is spent, and commeth drowsie night,When every creature shrowded is in sleepe;Sad Una downe her laies in wearie plight,And at her feete the Lyon watch doth keepe:In stead of rest, she does lament, and weepeFor the late losse of her deare loved knight,And sighes, and grones, and ever more does steepeHer tender brest in bitter teares all night,All night she thinks too long, and often lookes for light.

Now when Aldeboran was mounted hieAbove the shynie Cassiopeias chaire,And all in deadly sleepe did drowned lie,One knocked at the dore, and in would fare;He knocked fast, and often curst, and sware,That readie entrance was not at his call:For on his backe a heavy load he bareOf nightly stelths, and pillage severall,Which he had got abroad by purchase criminall.

He was, to weete, a stout and sturdy thiefe,Wont to robbe Churches of their ornaments,And poore mens boxes of their due reliefe,Which given was to them for good intents;The holy Saints of their rich vestimentsHe did disrobe, when all men carelesse slept,And spoild the Priests of their habiliments,Whiles none the holy things in safety kept;Then he by conning sleights in at the window crept.

And all that he by right or wrong could find,Unto this house he brought, and did bestowUpon the daughter of this woman blind,Abessa, daughter of Corceca slow,With whom he whoredome usd, that few did know,And fed her fat with feast of offerings,And plentie, which in all the land did grow;Ne spared he to give her gold and rings:And now he to her brought part of his stolen things.

Thus long the dore with rage and threats he bet,Yet of those fearfull women none durst rize,The Lyon frayed them, him in to let:He would no longer stay him to advize,But open breakes the dore in furious wize,And entring is; when that disdainfull beastEncountring fierce, him suddaine doth surprize,And seizing cruell clawes on trembling brest,Under his Lordly foot him proudly hath supprest.

Him booteth not resist, nor succour call,His bleeding hart is in the vengers hand,Who streight him rent in thousand peeces small,And quite dismembred hath: the thirsty landDrunke up his life; his corse left on the strand.His fearefull friends weare out the wofull night,Ne dare to weepe, nor seeme to understandThe heavie hap, which on them is alight,Affraid, least to themselves the like mishappen might.

Now when broad day the world discovered has,Up Una rose, up rose the Lyon eke,And on their former journey forward pas,In wayes unknowne, her wandring knight to seeke,With paines farre passing that long wandring Greeke,That for his love refused deitie;Such were the labours of his Lady meeke,Still seeking him, that from her still did flie;Then furthest from her hope, when most she weened nie.

Soone as she parted thence, the fearfull twaine,That blind old woman and her daughter deare,Came forth, and finding Kirkrapine there slaine,For anguish great they gan to rend their heare,And beat their brests, and naked flesh to teare.And when they both had wept and wayld their fill,Then forth they ran like two amazed deare,Halfe mad through malice, and revenging will,To follow her, that was the causer of their ill.

Whom overtaking, they gan loudly bray,With hollow howling, and lamenting cry,Shamefully at her rayling all the way,And her accusing of dishonesty,That was the flowre of faith and chastity;And still amidst her rayling, she did pray,That plagues, and mischiefs, and long miseryMight fall on her, and follow all the way,And that in endlesse error she might ever stray.

But when she saw her prayers nought prevaile,She backe returned with some labour lost;And in the way as shee did weepe and waile,A knight her met in mighty armes embost,Yet knight was not for all his bragging bost,But subtill Archimag, that Una soughtBy traynes into new troubles to have tost:Of that old woman tidings he besought,If that of such a Ladie she could tellen ought.

Therewith she gan her passion to renew,And cry, and curse, and raile, and rend her heare,Saying, that harlot she too lately knew,That caused her shed so many a bitter teare,And so forth told the story of her feare:Much seemed he to mone her haplesse chaunce,And after for that Ladie did inquere;Which being taught, he forward gan advaunceHis fair enchaunted steed, and eke his charmed launce.

Ere long he came where Una traveild slow,And that wilde Champion wayting her besyde:Whom seeing such, for dread he durst not showHimselfe too nigh at hand, but turned wydeUnto an hill; from whence when she him spyde,By his like seeming shield, her knight by nameShe weend it was, and towards him gan ryde:Approaching nigh, she wist it was the same,And with faire fearefull humblesse towards him shee came:

And weeping said, Ah my long lacked Lord,Where have ye bene thus long out of my sight?Much feared I to have bene quite abhord,Or ought have done, that ye displeasen might,That should as death unto my deare heart light:For since mine eye your joyous sight did mis,My chearefull day is turnd to chearelesse night,And eke my night of death the shadow is;But welcome now my light, and shining lampe of blis.

He thereto meeting said, My dearest Dame,Farre be it from your thought, and fro my will,To thinke that knighthood I so much should shame,As you to leave, that have me loved still,And chose in Faery court of meere goodwill,Where noblest knights were to be found on earth:The earth shall sooner leave her kindly skill,To bring forth fruit, and make eternall derth,Then I leave you, my liefe, yborne of heavenly berth.

And sooth to say, why I left you so long,Was for to seeke adventure in strange place,Where Archimago said a felon strongTo many knights did daily worke disgrace;But knight he now shall never more deface:Good cause of mine excuse; that mote ye pleaseWell to accept, and evermore embraceMy faithfull service, that by land and seasHave vowd you to defend: now then your plaint appease.

His lovely words her seemd due recompenceOf all her passed paines: one loving howreFor many yeares of sorrow can dispence:A dram of sweet is worth a pound of sowre:She has forgot, how many a woful stowreFor him she late endurd; she speakes no moreOf past: true is, that true love hath no powreTo looken backe; his eyes be fixt before.Before her stands her knight, for whom she toyld so sore.

Much like, as when the beaten marinere,That long hath wandred in the Ocean wide,Oft soust in swelling Tethys saltish teare,And long time having tand his tawney hideWith blustring breath of heaven, that none can bide,And scorching flames of fierce Orions hound,Soone as the port from farre he has espide,His chearefull whistle merrily doth sound,And Nereus crownes with cups; his mates him pledg around.

Such joy made Una, when her knight she found;And eke th' enchaunter joyous seemd no lesse,Then the glad marchant, that does vew from groundHis ship farre come from watrie wildernesse,He hurles out vowes, and Neptune oft doth blesse:So forth they past, and all the way they spentDiscoursing of her dreadful late distresse,In which he askt her, what the Lyon ment:Who told her all that fell in journey as she went.

They had not ridden farre, when they might seeOne pricking towards them with hastie heat,Full strongly armd, and on a courser free,That through his fiercenesse fomed all with sweat,And the sharpe yron did for anger eat,When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side;His looke was sterne, and seemed still to threatCruell revenge, which he in hart did hyde,And on his shield Sans loy in bloudie lines was dyde.

When nigh he drew unto this gentle payreAnd saw the Red-crosse, which the knight did beare,He burnt in fire, and gan eftsoones prepareHimselfe to battell with his couched speare.Loth was that other, and did faint through feare,To taste th' untryed dint of deadly steele;But yet his Lady did so well him cheare,That hope of new goodhap he gan to feele;So bent his speare, and spurd his horse with yron heele.

But that proud Paynim forward came so fierce,And full of wrath, that with his sharp-head speare,Through vainly crossed shield he quite did pierce,And had his staggering steede not shrunke for feare,Through shield and bodie eke he should him beare:Yet so great was the puissance of his push,That from his saddle quite he did him beare:He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush,And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush.

Dismounting lightly from his loftie steed,He to him lept, in mind to reave his life,And proudly said, Lo there the worthie meedOf him that slew Sansfoy with bloudie knife;Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife,In peace may passen over Lethe lake,When mourning altars purgd with enemies life,The blacke infernall Furies doen aslake:Life from Sansfoy thou tookst, Sansloy shall from thee take.

Therewith in haste his helmet gan unlace,Till Una cried, O hold that heavie hand,Deare Sir, what ever that thou be in place:Enough is, that thy foe doth vanquisht standNow at thy mercy: Mercie not withstand:For he is one the truest knight alive,Though conquered now he lie on lowly land,And whilest him fortune favourd, faire did thriveIn bloudie field: therefore of life him not deprive.

Her piteous words might not abate his rage,But rudely rending up his helmet, wouldHave slaine him straight: but when he sees his age,And hoarie head of Archimago old,His hasty hand he doth amazed hold,And halfe ashamed, wondred at the sight:For that old man well knew he, though untold,In charmes and magicke to have wondrous might,Ne ever wont in field, ne in round lists to fight;

And said, Why Archimago, lucklesse syre,What doe I see? what hard mishap is this,That hath thee hither brought to taste mine yre?Or thine the fault, or mine the error is,Instead of foe to wound my friend amis?He answered nought, but in a traunce still lay,And on those guilefull dazed eyes of hisThe cloude of death did sit. Which doen away,He left him lying so, ne would no lenger stay:

But to the virgin comes, who all this whileAmased stands, her selfe so mockt to seeBy him, who has the guerdon of his guile,For so misfeigning her true knight to bee:Yet is she now in more perplexitie,Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold,From whom her booteth not at all to flie;Who, by her cleanly garment catching hold,Her from her Palfrey pluckt, her visage to behold.

But her fierce servant, full of kingly aweAnd high disdaine, whenas his soveraine DameSo rudely handled by her foe he sawe,With gaping jawes full greedy at him came,And ramping on his shield, did weene the sameHave reft away with his sharpe rending clawes:But he was stout, and lust did now inflameHis corage more, that from his griping pawesHe hath his shield redeem'd, and foorth his swerd he drawes.

O then too weake and feeble was the forseOf salvage beast, his puissance to withstand:For he was strong, and of so mightie corse,As ever wielded speare in warlike hand,And feates of armes did wisely understand.Eftsoones he perced through his chaufed chestWith thrilling point of deadly yron brand,And launcht his Lordly hart: with death opprestHe roar'd aloud, whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest.

Who now is left to keepe the forlorne maidFrom raging spoile of lawlesse victors will?Her faithfull gard remov'd, her hope dismaid,Her selfe a yielded pray to save or spill.He now Lord of the field, his pride to fill,With foule reproches, and disdainfull spightHer vildly entertaines, and will or nill,Beares her away upon his courser light:Her prayers nought prevaile, his rage is more of might.

And all the way, with great lamenting paine,And piteous plaints she filleth his dull eares,That stony hart could riven have in twaine,And all the way she wets with flowing teares:But he enrag'd with rancor, nothing heares.Her servile beast yet would not leave her so,But followes her farre off, ne ought he feares,To be partaker of her wandring woe,More mild in beastly kind, then that her beastly foe.

Words in this poem 111

mart v. t.: To buy or sell in, or as in, a mart.
deare: variant of Dere, v. t. & n.
unkind a.: Having no race or kindred; childless. [See Kin kindred.]
guilefull a.: Full of guile; characterized by cunning, deceit, or treachery; guilty.
wight n.: A whit; a bit; a jot. [OE. wight, wiht, a wight, a whit, AS. wiht, wuht, a creature, a thing; skin to D. wicht a child, OS. & OHG. wiht a creature, thing, G. wicht a creature, Icel. v]
faithfull a.: Full of faith, or having faith; disposed to believe, especially in the declarations and promises of God.
wofull a.: Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity; afflicted; wretched; unhappy; sad.
prease v. t.: To press; to crowd. -- n.
farre n.: A young pig, or a litter of pigs. [See Farrow.]
undight v. t.: To put off; to lay aside, as a garment. [1st pref. un- + dight.]
stole n.: A long, loose garment reaching to the feet. [AS. stole, L. stola, Gr. stall. See Stall.]
sunshine n.: The light of the sun, or the place where it shines; the direct rays of the sun, the place where they fall, or the warmth and light which they give.
mortall a.: Subject to death; destined to die; as, man is mortal. [F. mortel, L. mortalis, from mors, mortis, death, fr. moriri 8die; akin to E. murder. See Murder, and cf. Filemot, Mere a lake, Mortgage.]
rushed a.: Abounding or covered with rushes.
salvage n.: The act of saving a vessel, goods, or life, goods, or life, from perils of the sea. [F. salvage, OF. salver to save, F. sauver, fr. L. salvare. See Save.]
royall a.: Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F. royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See Rich, and cf. regal, real a coin, Rial.]
attonce adv.: At once; together. [At + once.]
corse n.: A living body or its bulk. [OF. cors, F. corps. See Corpse.]
kist n.: A chest; hence, a coffin. Jamieson. [See Chest.]
weet v. i.: To know; to wit. Tyndale. [See Wit to know.]
maister n.: Master. Chaucer.
quoth v. t.: Said; spoke; uttered; -- used only in the first and third persons in the past tenses, and always followed by its nominative, the word or words said being the object; as, quoth I. quoth he. [AS.cweedhan, imp cwæedh, pl. cwædon; akin to OS. queedhan, OHG. quethan, quedan, Icel. kveedha, Goth. qiþan. sq. root22. Cf. Bequeath.]
puissance n.: Power; strength; might; force; potency. [F., fr.puissant. See Puissant, and cf. Potency, Potance, Potence.]
forgetfull a.: Apt to forget; easily losing remembrance; as, a forgetful man should use helps to strengthen his memory.
cruell a.: Disposed to give pain to others; willing or pleased to hurt, torment, or afflict; destitute of sympathetic kindness and pity; savage; inhuman; hard-hearted; merciless. [F. cruel, fr. L. crudelis, fr. crudus. See Crude.]
plaint n.: Audible expression of sorrow; lamentation; complaint; hence, a mournful song; a lament. Chaucer."The Psalmist's mournful plaint." [OE. plainte, pleynte, F. plainte, fr. L. plangere, planctum (plancta, fem. p.p.), to beat, beat the breast, lament. Cf. Complain, Plague, Plangent.]
neighbour v. i.: To dwell in the vicinity; to be a neighbor, or in the neighborhood; to be near.
sorrowfull a.: Full of sorrow; exhibiting sorrow; sad; dejected; distressed. [OE. sorweful, AS. sorgful.]
angry a.: Troublesome; vexatious; rigorous. [See Anger.]
snowy a.: White like snow.
palfrey n.: A saddle horse for the road, or for state occasions, as distinguished from a war horse. [OE. palefrai, OF. palefrei, F. palefroi, LL. palafredus, parafredus, from L. paraveredus a horse for extraordinary occasions, an extra post horse; Gr. veredus a]
went n.: Course; way; path; journey; direction.
shew n.: Show. [Obs. except in shewbread.]
whereas adv.: At which place; where.
sate v. t.: To satisfy the desire or appetite of; to satiate; to glut; to surfeit. [Probably shortened fr. satiate: cf. L. satus full. See Satiate.]
eternall a.: Without beginning or end of existence; always existing. [F. éternel, L. aeternalis, fr. aeternus. See Etern.]
dore v. t.: One who does; one performs or executes; one who is wont and ready to act; an actor; an agent. [From Do, v. t. & i.]
dame n.: A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. [F. dame, LL. domna, fr. L. domina mistress, lady, fem. of dominus master, ruler, lord; akin to domare to tame, subdue. See Tame, and cf. Dam mother, Dan, Danger]
astonishment n.: The condition of one who is stunned. Hence: Numbness; loss of sensation; stupor; loss of sense. [Cf. OF. est, F. étonnement.]
pent p. p.: Penned or shut up; confined; -- often with up. [From Pen, v. t.]
devoutly adv.: In a devout and reverent manner; with devout emotions; piously.
sackcloth n.: Linen or cotton cloth such a sacks are made of; coarse cloth; anciently, a cloth or garment worn in mourning, distress, mortification, or penitence.
plight v. t.: To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait. [OE. pliten; probably through Old French, fr. LL. plectare, L. plectere. See Plait, Ply.]
losse n.: Praise. See Loos.
curst a.: Froward; malignant; mischievous; malicious; snarling. [SeeCurse.]
nightly a.: Of or pertaining to the night, or to every night; happening or done by night, or every night; as, nightly shades; he kept nightly vigils.
severall adv.: By itself; severally.
criminall a.: Guilty of crime or sin. [L. criminalis, fr. crimen: cf. F. criminel. See Crime.]
robbe n.: The inspissated juice of ripe fruit, obtained by evaporation of the juice over a fire till it acquires the consistence of a sirup. It is sometimes mixed with honey or sugar. [F.; cf. Sp. rob, It. rob, robbo, Pg. robe, arrobe, Ar. rubb, robb, Per. rub.]
disrobe v. t.: To divest of a robe; to undress; figuratively, to strip of covering; to divest of that which clothes or decorates; as, autumn disrobes the fields of verdure.
whiles conj.: During the time that; while. Chaucer. Fuller.
fearfull a.: Full of fera, apprehension, or alarm; afraid; frightened.
disdainfull a.: Full of disdain; expressing disdain; scornful; contemptuous; haughty.
succour v. t.: tiono run to, or run to support; hence, to help or relieve when in difficulty, want, or distress; to assist and deliver from suffering; to relieve; as, to succor a besieged city. [OE. socouren, OF. sucurre, soucourre, secorre, F. secourir, L. succurrere, succursum, to run under, run to the aid of, help, succor; sub under + currere to run.]
mishappen v. i.: To happen ill or unluckily.
revenging a.: Executing revenge; revengeful.
causer n.: One who or that which causes.
bray v. t.: To pound, beat, rub, or grind small or fine. [OE. brayen, OF. breier, F. broyer to pound, grind, fr. OHG. brehhan to break. See Break.]
dishonesty n.: Dishonor; dishonorableness; shame. [Cf. OF. deshonesté, F. déshonnêteté.]
flowre n.: In the popular sense, the bloom or blossom of a plant; the showy portion, usually of a different color, shape, and texture from the foliage. [OE. flour, OF. flour, flur, flor, F. fleur, fr. L. flos, floris. Cf. Blossom, Effloresce, Floret, Florid, Florin, Flour, Flourish.]
amidst prep.: In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a la]
tellen n.: Any species of Tellina.
ought p. p.: Was or were under obligation to pay; owed. [Orig. the preterit of the verb to owe. OE. oughte, aughte, ahte, AS. ahte. sq. root110. See Owe.]
therewith adv.: With that or this.
steed n.: A horse, especially a spirited horse for state of war; -- used chiefly in poetry or stately prose. [OE. stede, AS. steda a stud-horse, war horse, fr. stod a stud of breeding steeds; akin to G. stute a mare, Icel. stedda, sto, a stud. *163. See Stud of horses.]
humblesse n.: Humbleness; abasement; low obeisance. Chaucer. [OF.]
bene n.: A prayer; boon. [AS. b.]
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
derth n.: Dearth; scarcity.
berth v. t.: To give an anchorage to, or a place to lie at; to place in a berth; as, she was berthed stem to stern with the Adelaide.
sooth a.: True; faithful; trustworthy. [OE. soth, AS. s, for san; akin to OS. s, OHG. sand, Icel. sannr, Sw. sann, Dan. sand, Skr. sat, sant, real, genuine, present, being; properly p. pr. from a root]
mote n.: A meeting of persons for discussion; as, a wardmote in the city of London. [See Moot, a meeting.]
evermore adv.: During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for.
sowre n.: One who, or that which, sows.
woful a.: Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity; afflicted; wretched; unhappy; sad.
tethys n.: A genus of a large naked mollusks having a very large, broad, fringed cephalic disk, and branched dorsal gills. Some of the species become a foot long and are brilliantly colored.
bide v. i.: To dwell; to inhabit; to abide; to stay. [OE. biden, AS. bidan; akin to OHG. bitan, Goth. beidan, Icel. bi; perh. orig., to wait with trust, and akin to bid. See Bid, v. t., and cf. Abide.]
scorching a.: Burning; parching or shriveling with heat.
dreadful a.: Full of dread or terror; fearful.
courser n.: One who courses or hunts. [F. coursier.]
ryder n.: A clause added to a document; a rider. See Rider.
sans prep.: Without; deprived or destitute of. Rarely used as an English word. [F., from L. sine without.]
payre n.: One who pays; specifically, the person by whom a bill or note has been, or should be, paid.
crosse n.: The implement with which the ball is thrown and caught in the game of lacrosse.
battell n.: A single combat; as, trial by battel. See Wager of battel, under Wager. [Obs. form. of Battle.]
dint n.: A blow; a stroke. [OE. dint, dent, dunt, a blow, AS. dynt; akin to Icel. dyntr a dint, dynta to dint, and perh. to L. fendere (in composition). Cf. 1st Dent, Defend.]
reave v. t.: To take away by violence or by stealth; to snatch away; to rob; to despoil; to bereave. . [AS. reáfian, from reáf spoil, plunder, clothing, reófan to break (cf. bireófan to deprive of); akin to G. rauben to rob, Icel. raufa to rob, rjufa to break, vio]
meed v. t.: To reward; to repay. Waytt.
henceforth adv.: From this time forward; henceforward.
ghost n.: The spirit; the soul of man. [OE. gast, gost, soul, spirit, AS. gast breath, spirit, soul; akin to OS. g spirit, soul, D. geest, G. geist, and prob. to E. gaze, ghastly.]
strife n.: The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
lethe n.: A river of Hades whose waters when drunk caused forgetfulness of the past.
infernall a.: Of or pertaining to or suitable for the lower regions, inhabited, according to the ancients, by the dead; pertaining to Pluto's realm of the dead, the Tartarus of the ancients. [F. infernal, L. infernalis, fr. infernus that which lies beneath, the lower. See Inferior.]
aslake v. t.: To mitigate; to moderate; to appease; to abate; to diminish. [AS. aslacian, slacian, to slacken. Cf. Slake.]
unlace v. t.: To loose by undoing a lacing; as, to unlace a shoe. [1st un- + lace.]
untold a.: Not told; not related; not revealed; as, untold secrets.
wondrous adv.: In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
mishap v. i.: To happen unluckily; -- used impersonally.
lenger a.: Longer; longest; -- obsolete compar. and superl. of long.
guerdon n.: A reward; requital; recompense; -- used in both a good and a bad sense. [OF. guerdon, guerredon, LL. widerdonum (influenced by L. donum gift, cf. Donation ), fr. OHG. widarl; widar again, against (G. wider wieder) + lon reward, G. lo]
cleanly a.: Habitually clean; pure; innocent. [From Clean.]
visage n.: The face, countenance, or look of a person or an animal; -- chiefly applied to the human face. [F. visage, from L. visus a seeing, a look, fr. videre, visum, to see. See Vision.]
reft n.: A chink; a rift. See Rift. Rom. of R.
lust v. i.: To list; to like. [AS. lystan. See Lust, n., and cf. List to choose.]
thrilling a.: Causing a thrill; causing tremulous excitement; deeply moving; as, a thrilling romance.
aloud adv.: With a loud voice, or great noise; loudly; audibly. [Pref. a- + loud.]
spill n.: A bit of wood split off; a splinter. [sq. root170. Cf. Spell a splinter.]
spight n.: A woodpecker. See Speight.
nill v. t.: Not to will; to refuse; to reject. [AS. nilan, nyllan; ne not + willan to will. See No, and Will.]
rancor n.: The deepest malignity or spite; deep-seated enmity or malice; inveterate hatred. [OE. rancour, OF. rancor, rancur, F. rancune, fr. L. rancor rancidity, rankness; tropically, an old grudge, rancor, fr. rancere to be rank or rancid.]
beastly a.: Pertaining to, or having the form, nature, or habits of, a beast.

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

Canto III is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Faerie Queene, Book I, Project Gutenberg ebook #15272; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Edmund Spenser, Canto III, in The Faerie Queene, Book I (1590), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #15272, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/faerie-queene/canto-iii.html, id L15818.

Form and metre

Canto III is 400 lines in 45 stanzas. The rhyme scheme is ABABBCBCC, complete in 44 of its 45 stanzas. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 88%). 97% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 10.2 syllables. 24 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 17% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end. Rhymes that have moved apart since the poem was written: gras / has, alas / was, alas / pas, amis / his, amis / kis and 30 more.

See other poems in iambic pentameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 -A-A love · mylde^A · fals · vylde^A
2 ABABBCBCC hollownesse^A · mind^B · wretchednesse^A · unkind^B · blind^B · fealtie^C · kind^B · agonie^C · die^C
3 ABABBCBCC deepe^A · sing^B · steepe^A · handeling^B · king^B · faire^C · meriting^B · despaire^C · share^C
4 ABABBCBCC while^A · mayd^B · exile^A · strayd^B · betrayd^B · wrought^C · affrayd^B · sought^C · brought^C
5 ABABBCBCC way^A · alight^B · lay^A · sight^B · undight^B · face^C · bright^B · place^C · grace^C
6 ABABBCBCC wood^A · suddainly^B · blood^A · spy^B · greedily^B · corse^C · ny^B · remorse^C · forse^C
7 ABABBCBCC feet^A · tong^B · weet^A · strong^B · wrong^B · submission^C · long^B · compassion^C · affection^C
8 ABABBCBCC field^A · abate^B · yield^A · late^B · estate^B · lord^C · hate^B · adord^C · abhord^C
9 ABABBCBCC plaint^A · wood^B · constraint^A · stood^B · mood^B · paine^C · brood^B · againe^C · attaine^C
10 ABABBCBCC desolate^A · gard^B · mate^A · hard^B · ward^B · diligent^C · prepard^B · commaundement^C · intent^C
11 ABABBCBCC wyde^A · pas^B · espyde^A · gras^B · was^B · hore^C · has^B · before^C · bore^C
12 ABABBCBCC call^A · hand^B · all^A · understand^B · stand^B · threw^C · land^B · vew^C · hew^C
13 ABABBCBCC behynd^A · lay^B · blynd^A · say^B · dismay^B · feare^C · affray^B · there^C · requere^C
14 ABABBCBCC page^A · rent^B · rage^A · astonishment^B · pent^B · pray^C · penitent^B · day^C · say^C
15 ABABBCBCC more^A · sit^B · wore^A · bit^B · forget^B · away^C · fit^B · pray^C · may^C
16 ABABBCBCC night^A · sleepe^B · plight^A · keepe^B · weepe^B · knight^C · steepe^B · night^C · light^C
17 ABABBCBCC hie^A · chaire^B · lie^A · fare^B · sware^B · call^C · bare^B · severall^C · criminall^C
18 ABABBCBCC thiefe^A · ornaments^B · reliefe^A · intents^B · vestiments^B · slept^C · habiliments^B · kept^C · crept^C
19 ABABBCBCC find^A · bestow^B · blind^A · slow^B · know^B · offerings^C · grow^B · rings^C · things^C
20 ABABBCBCC bet^A · rize^B · let^A · advize^B · wize^B · beast^C · surprize^B · brest^C · supprest^C
21 ABABBCBCC call^A · hand^B · small^A · land^B · strand^B · night^C · understand^B · alight^C · might^C
22 ABABBCBCC has^A · eke^B · pas^A · seeke^B · greeke^B · deitie^C · meeke^B · flie^C · nie^C
23 ABABBCBCC twaine^A · deare^B · slaine^A · heare^B · teare^B · fill^C · deare^B · will^C · ill^C
24 ABABBCBCC bray^A · cry^B · way^A · dishonesty^B · chastity^B · pray^C · misery^B · way^C · stray^C
25 ABABBCBCC prevaile^A · lost^B · waile^A · embost^B · bost^B · sought^C · tost^B · besought^C · ought^C
26 ABABBCBCC renew^A · heare^B · knew^A · teare^B · feare^B · chaunce^C · inquere^B · advaunce^C · launce^C
27 ABABBCBCC slow^A · besyde^B · show^A · wyde^B · spyde^B · name^C · ryde^B · same^C · came^C
28 ABABBCBCC lord^A · sight^B · abhord^A · might^B · light^B · mis^C · night^B · is^C · blis^C
29 ABABBCBCC dame^A · will^B · shame^A · still^B · goodwill^B · earth^C · skill^B · derth^C · berth^C
30 ABABBCBCC long^A · place^B · strong^A · disgrace^B · deface^B · please^C · embrace^B · seas^C · appease^C
31 ABABBCBCC recompence^A · howre^B · dispence^A · sowre^B · stowre^B · more^C · powre^B · before^C · sore^C
32 ABABBCBCC marinere^A · wide^B · teare^A · hide^B · bide^B · hound^C · espide^B · sound^C · around^C
33 ABABBCBCC found^A · lesse^B · ground^A · wildernesse^B · blesse^B · spent^C · distresse^B · ment^C · went^C
34 ABABBCBCC see^A · heat^B · free^A · sweat^B · eat^B · side^C · threat^B · hyde^C · dyde^C
35 ABABBCBCC payre^A · beare^B · prepare^A · speare^B · feare^B · steele^C · cheare^B · feele^C · heele^C
36 ABABBCBCC fierce^A · speare^B · pierce^A · feare^B · beare^B · push^C · beare^B · rush^C · gush^C
37 ABABBCBCC steed^A · life^B · meed^A · knife^B · strife^B · lake^C · life^B · aslake^C · take^C
38 ABABBCBCC unlace^A · hand^B · place^A · stand^B · withstand^B · alive^C · land^B · thrive^C · deprive^C
39 ABABBCBCC rage^A · would^B · age^A · old^B · hold^B · sight^C · untold^B · might^C · fight^C
40 ABABBCBCC syre^A · this^B · yre^A · is^B · amis^B · lay^C · his^B · away^C · stay^C
41 ABABBCBCC while^A · see^B · guile^A · bee^B · perplexitie^B · bold^C · flie^B · hold^C · behold^C
42 ABABBCBCC awe^A · dame^B · sawe^A · came^B · same^B · clawes^C · inflame^B · pawes^C · drawes^C
43 ABABBCBCC forse^A · withstand^B · corse^A · hand^B · understand^B · chest^C · brand^B · opprest^C · brest^C
44 ABABBCBCC maid^A · will^B · dismaid^A · spill^B · fill^B · spight^C · nill^B · light^C · might^C
45 ABABBCBCC paine^A · eares^B · twaine^A · teares^B · heares^B · so^C · feares^B · woe^C · foe^C

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
Forsaken Truth long seekes her love,	8	˘/˘·····
and makes the Lyon mylde,	6	···/˘·
Marres blind Devotions mart, and fals	8	··˘/˘···
in hand of leachour vylde.	6	······
Nought is there under heav'ns wide hollownesse,	10	··········
That moves more deare compassion of mind,	9	····˘/˘··
Then beautie brought t' unworthy wretchednesse	11	·····˘/˘···
Through envies snares, or fortunes freakes unkind.	10	·/˘··/˘·˘/
I, whether lately through her brightnesse blind,	10	···/˘·····
Or through alleageance and fast fealtie,	9	·········
Which I do owe unto all woman kind,	10	·······/˘·
Feele my hart perst with so great agonie,	11	···········
When such I see, that all for pittie I could die.	12	············
And now it is empassioned so deepe,	10	·······˘··
For fairest Unaes sake, of whom I sing,	9	·/˘······
That my fraile eyes these lines with teares do steepe,	11	···········
To thinke how she through guilefull handeling,	11	········/˘˘
Though true as touch, though daughter of a king,	10	·····/˘···
Though faire as ever living wight was faire,	10	···/˘/˘···
Though nor in word nor deede ill meriting,	10	·······/˘˘
Is from her knight divorced in despaire,	10	····˘/˘···
And her due loves deriv'd to that vile witches share.	12	····˘/···/˘·
Yet she most faithfull Ladie all this while	10	···/˘·····
Forsaken, wofull, solitarie mayd	10	˘/˘·······
Far from all peoples prease, as in exile,	10	···/˘···/·
In wildernesse and wastfull deserts strayd,	10	·······/˘·
To seeke her knight; who subtilly betrayd	10	··········
Through that late vision, which th' Enchaunter wrought,	10	···/˘·····
Had her abandond. She of nought affrayd,	10	··········
Through woods and wastnesse wide him daily sought;	10	·······/˘·
Yet wished tydings none of him unto her brought.	11	··/˘·······
One day nigh wearie of the yrkesome way,	11	···········
From her unhastie beast she did alight,	10	········˘/
And on the grasse her daintie limbes did lay	10	··········
In secret shadow, farre from all mens sight:	10	·/˘/······
From her faire head her fillet she undight,	10	·····˘/·˘/
And laid her stole aside. Her angels face	10	····˘/·/˘·
As the great eye of heaven shyned bright,	10	·····/˘·˘·
And made a sunshine in the shadie place;	10	···/······
Did never mortall eye behold such heavenly grace.	11	·//˘·˘/·/˘·
It fortuned out of the thickest wood	10	·/˘˘···/˘·
A ramping Lyon rushed suddainly,	10	·/˘/˘·˘···
Hunting full greedy after salvage blood;	10	/˘·/˘··/˘·
Soone as the royall virgin he did spy,	10	···/˘/˘···
With gaping mouth at her ran greedily,	10	·/˘····/˘˘
To have attonce devourd her tender corse:	10	··˘/···/˘·
But to the pray when as he drew more ny,	10	··········
His bloody rage asswaged with remorse,	10	·/˘···˘·˘/
And with the sight amazd, forgat his furious forse.	12	·········/˘·
In stead thereof he kist her wearie feet,	10	··········
And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong,	10	···/˘··/˘·
As he her wronged innocence did weet.	10	····˘/˘˘··
O how can beautie maister the most strong,	10	·····/˘···
And simple truth subdue avenging wrong?	10	·/˘·˘/˘/˘·
Whose yeelded pride and proud submission,	9	······˘/˘
Still dreading death, when she had marked long,	10	·/˘·····˘·
Her hart gan melt in great compassion,	9	······˘/˘
And drizling teares did shed for pure affection.	11	········˘/˘
The Lyon Lord of every beast in field,	10	·/˘··/˘···
Quoth she, his princely puissance doth abate,	11	···/˘/˘˘·˘/
And mightie proud to humble weake does yield,	10	·····/˘···
Forgetfull of the hungry rage, which late	10	˘/˘··/˘···
Him prickt, in pittie of my sad estate:	10	········˘/
But he my Lyon, and my noble Lord,	10	···/˘··/˘·
How does he find in cruell hart to hate,	10	·····/˘···
Her that him lov'd, and ever most adord,	10	·····/˘···
As the God of my life? why hath he me abhord?	12	············
Redounding teares did choke th' end of her plaint,	10	˘/˘·······
Which softly ecchoed from the neighbour wood;	10	·/˘·˘··/˘·
And sad to see her sorrowfull constraint	10	·····/˘˘˘/
The kingly beast upon her gazing stood;	10	·/˘····/˘·
With pittie calmd, downe fell his angry mood.	10	·······/˘·
At last in close hart shutting up her paine,	10	·····/˘···
Arose the virgin borne of heavenly brood,	10	˘/·/˘··/˘·
And to her snowy Palfrey got againe,	10	···/˘/˘···
To seeke her strayed Champion, if she might attaine.	11	····/˘·····
The Lyon would not leave her desolate,	10	·/˘····/˘·
But with her went along, as a strong gard	10	····˘/····
Of her chast person, and a faithfull mate	10	···/˘··/˘·
Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard:	10	···/˘·˘/˘·
Still when she slept, he kept both watch and ward,	10	··········
And when she wakt, he waited diligent,	10	·····/˘/˘˘
With humble service to her will prepard:	10	·/˘/˘·····
From her faire eyes he tooke commaundement,	10	··········
And ever by her lookes conceived her intent.	10	·/···˘/·˘/
Long she thus traveiled through deserts wyde,	10	·····˘·˘/·
By which she thought her wandring knight shold pas,	10	·····/˘···
Yet never shew of living wight espyde;	10	·/˘··/˘···
Till that at length she found the troden gras,	10	··········
In which the tract of peoples footing was,	10	·····/˘/˘·
Under the steepe foot of a mountaine hore;	10	··········
The same she followes, till at last she has	10	···/˘·····
A damzell spyde slow footing her before,	10	·····/˘···
That on her shoulders sad a pot of water bore.	12	···/˘····/˘·
To whom approching she to her gan call,	10	··········
To weet, if dwelling place were nigh at hand;	10	···/˘·····
But the rude wench her answerd nought at all;	10	··········
She could not heare, nor speake, nor understand;	10	········˘/
Till seeing by her side the Lyon stand,	10	·/˘····/˘·
With suddaine feare her pitcher downe she threw,	10	·····/˘···
And fled away: for never in that land	10	··˘/·/˘···
Face of faire Ladie she before did vew,	10	··········
And that dread Lyons looke her cast in deadly hew.	12	···/˘····/˘·
Full fast she fled, ne never lookt behynd,	10	·····/˘···
As if her life upon the wager lay,	10	·······/˘·
And home she came, whereas her mother blynd	10	····˘/·/˘·
Sate in eternall night: nought could she say,	10	··˘/˘·····
But suddaine catching hold, did her dismay	10	···/˘···˘/
With quaking hands, and other signes of feare;	10	·/˘··/˘···
Who full of ghastly fright and cold affray,	10	···/˘···˘/
Gan shut the dore. By this arrived there	10	······˘/˘·
Dame Una, wearie Dame, and entrance did requere.	12	·/˘····/˘·˘/
Which when none yeelded, her unruly Page	10	······˘/˘·
With his rude claws the wicket open rent,	10	·····/˘/˘·
And let her in; where of his cruell rage	10	·······/˘·
Nigh dead with feare, and faint astonishment,	10	······˘/˘˘
She found them both in darkesome corner pent;	11	········/˘·
Where that old woman day and night did pray	10	···/˘·····
Upon her beads devoutly penitent;	10	····˘/˘/˘˘
Nine hundred Pater nosters every day,	10	·/˘/˘··/˘·
And thrise nine hundred Aves she was wont to say.	12	···/˘/˘·····
And to augment her painefull pennance more,	11	··˘/·······
Thrise every weeke in ashes she did sit,	10	·/˘··/˘···
And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore,	10	···/˘··/˘·
And thrise three times did fast from any bit:	10	·······/˘·
But now for feare her beads she did forget.	10	········˘/
Whose needlesse dread for to remove away,	10	·/˘···˘/˘/
Faire Una framed words and count'nance fit:	10	·/˘·˘·····
Which hardly doen, at length she gan them pray,	10	·/˘·······
That in their cotage small that night she rest her may.	12	············
The day is spent, and commeth drowsie night,	10	·····/˘···
When every creature shrowded is in sleepe;	10	·/˘/˘·····
Sad Una downe her laies in wearie plight,	10	·/˘·······
And at her feete the Lyon watch doth keepe:	10	·····/˘···
In stead of rest, she does lament, and weepe	10	······˘/··
For the late losse of her deare loved knight,	10	········˘·
And sighes, and grones, and ever more does steepe	10	·····/˘···
Her tender brest in bitter teares all night,	10	·/˘··/˘···
All night she thinks too long, and often lookes for light.	12	·······/˘···
Now when Aldeboran was mounted hie	10	·······/˘·
Above the shynie Cassiopeias chaire,	9	·········
And all in deadly sleepe did drowned lie,	10	···/˘···˘·
One knocked at the dore, and in would fare;	10	··˘·······
He knocked fast, and often curst, and sware,	10	··˘··/˘···
That readie entrance was not at his call:	10	···/˘·····
For on his backe a heavy load he bare	10	·····/˘···
Of nightly stelths, and pillage severall,	9	·/˘··/˘/˘
Which he had got abroad by purchase criminall.	11	····˘/·/˘/˘
He was, to weete, a stout and sturdy thiefe,	10	·······/˘·
Wont to robbe Churches of their ornaments,	10	···/˘··/˘˘
And poore mens boxes of their due reliefe,	10	···/˘·····
Which given was to them for good intents;	10	·/˘·····˘/
The holy Saints of their rich vestiments	10	·/˘·······
He did disrobe, when all men carelesse slept,	11	··˘/·······
And spoild the Priests of their habiliments,	10	··········
Whiles none the holy things in safety kept;	10	···/˘··/˘·
Then he by conning sleights in at the window crept.	12	···/˘····/˘·
And all that he by right or wrong could find,	10	··········
Unto this house he brought, and did bestow	10	········˘/
Upon the daughter of this woman blind,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Abessa, daughter of Corceca slow,	10	···/˘·····
With whom he whoredome usd, that few did know,	11	···········
And fed her fat with feast of offerings,	10	·······/˘˘
And plentie, which in all the land did grow;	10	··········
Ne spared he to give her gold and rings:	10	··˘·······
And now he to her brought part of his stolen things.	12	·········/˘·
Thus long the dore with rage and threats he bet,	10	··········
Yet of those fearfull women none durst rize,	10	···/˘/˘···
The Lyon frayed them, him in to let:	10	·/˘·˘·····
He would no longer stay him to advize,	10	···/˘·····
But open breakes the dore in furious wize,	10	·/˘····/˘·
And entring is; when that disdainfull beast	10	·/˘···˘/˘·
Encountring fierce, him suddaine doth surprize,	10	˘/˘·······
And seizing cruell clawes on trembling brest,	10	·/˘/˘··/˘·
Under his Lordly foot him proudly hath supprest.	12	···/˘··/˘·/˘
Him booteth not resist, nor succour call,	10	·/˘·˘/·/˘·
His bleeding hart is in the vengers hand,	10	·/˘·······
Who streight him rent in thousand peeces small,	10	·····/˘···
And quite dismembred hath: the thirsty land	10	··˘/˘··/˘·
Drunke up his life; his corse left on the strand.	10	··········
His fearefull friends weare out the wofull night,	11	···········
Ne dare to weepe, nor seeme to understand	10	········˘/
The heavie hap, which on them is alight,	10	········˘/
Affraid, least to themselves the like mishappen might.	12	····˘/··˘/˘·
Now when broad day the world discovered has,	10	······˘/˘·
Up Una rose, up rose the Lyon eke,	10	·/˘····/˘·
And on their former journey forward pas,	10	···/˘/˘/˘·
In wayes unknowne, her wandring knight to seeke,	10	·····/˘···
With paines farre passing that long wandring Greeke,	10	···/˘··/˘·
That for his love refused deitie;	9	····˘/˘··
Such were the labours of his Lady meeke,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Still seeking him, that from her still did flie;	10	·/˘·······
Then furthest from her hope, when most she weened nie.	11	·/˘········
Soone as she parted thence, the fearfull twaine,	10	···/˘··/˘·
That blind old woman and her daughter deare,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Came forth, and finding Kirkrapine there slaine,	10	···/˘·····
For anguish great they gan to rend their heare,	10	·/˘·······
And beat their brests, and naked flesh to teare.	10	·····/˘···
And when they both had wept and wayld their fill,	10	··········
Then forth they ran like two amazed deare,	10	······˘/˘·
Halfe mad through malice, and revenging will,	10	···/˘·˘/˘·
To follow her, that was the causer of their ill.	12	·/˘····/˘···
Whom overtaking, they gan loudly bray,	10	·/˘·˘··/˘·
With hollow howling, and lamenting cry,	10	·/˘/˘·˘/˘·
Shamefully at her rayling all the way,	11	······/˘···
And her accusing of dishonesty,	10	··˘/˘·˘/˘˘
That was the flowre of faith and chastity;	11	···/˘···/˘˘
And still amidst her rayling, she did pray,	10	··˘/·/˘···
That plagues, and mischiefs, and long misery	10	···/˘··/˘˘
Might fall on her, and follow all the way,	10	·····/˘···
And that in endlesse error she might ever stray.	11	·····/˘··/·
But when she saw her prayers nought prevaile,	10	··········
She backe returned with some labour lost;	10	··˘/˘··/··
And in the way as shee did weepe and waile,	11	···········
A knight her met in mighty armes embost,	10	·····/˘···
Yet knight was not for all his bragging bost,	10	·······/˘·
But subtill Archimag, that Una sought	10	·······/˘·
By traynes into new troubles to have tost:	10	·····/˘···
Of that old woman tidings he besought,	10	···/˘/˘·˘/
If that of such a Ladie she could tellen ought.	12	·········/˘·
Therewith she gan her passion to renew,	10	˘/···/˘·˘/
And cry, and curse, and raile, and rend her heare,	10	··········
Saying, that harlot she too lately knew,	10	/˘·/˘··/˘·
That caused her shed so many a bitter teare,	10	·····/·/˘·
And so forth told the story of her feare:	10	·····/˘···
Much seemed he to mone her haplesse chaunce,	10	··˘·······
And after for that Ladie did inquere;	10	··········
Which being taught, he forward gan advaunce	10	·/˘··/˘···
His fair enchaunted steed, and eke his charmed launce.	11	···········
Ere long he came where Una traveild slow,	10	·····/˘···
And that wilde Champion wayting her besyde:	10	···/˘/˘···
Whom seeing such, for dread he durst not show	10	·/˘·······
Himselfe too nigh at hand, but turned wyde	10	········˘·
Unto an hill; from whence when she him spyde,	10	··········
By his like seeming shield, her knight by name	10	···/˘·····
She weend it was, and towards him gan ryde:	10	··········
Approaching nigh, she wist it was the same,	10	˘/˘·······
And with faire fearefull humblesse towards him shee came:	12	······/˘····
And weeping said, Ah my long lacked Lord,	10	·/˘·····˘·
Where have ye bene thus long out of my sight?	11	···/˘······
Much feared I to have bene quite abhord,	10	·····/˘···
Or ought have done, that ye displeasen might,	10	··········
That should as death unto my deare heart light:	10	··········
For since mine eye your joyous sight did mis,	10	·····/˘···
My chearefull day is turnd to chearelesse night,	12	············
And eke my night of death the shadow is;	10	·······/··
But welcome now my light, and shining lampe of blis.	12	·/˘····/˘···
He thereto meeting said, My dearest Dame,	10	·˘//˘··/˘·
Farre be it from your thought, and fro my will,	10	··········
To thinke that knighthood I so much should shame,	10	···/······
As you to leave, that have me loved still,	10	········˘·
And chose in Faery court of meere goodwill,	10	········//
Where noblest knights were to be found on earth:	10	·/˘·······
The earth shall sooner leave her kindly skill,	10	···/˘··/˘·
To bring forth fruit, and make eternall derth,	10	······˘/˘·
Then I leave you, my liefe, yborne of heavenly berth.	12	·········/˘·
And sooth to say, why I left you so long,	10	··········
Was for to seeke adventure in strange place,	10	····˘/˘···
Where Archimago said a felon strong	10	·······/˘·
To many knights did daily worke disgrace;	10	·/˘··/˘·˘/
But knight he now shall never more deface:	10	·····/˘·˘/
Good cause of mine excuse; that mote ye please	10	····˘/····
Well to accept, and evermore embrace	10	··˘/·/˘·˘/
My faithfull service, that by land and seas	10	·/˘/˘·····
Have vowd you to defend: now then your plaint appease.	12	····˘/····˘/
His lovely words her seemd due recompence	10	·/˘·······
Of all her passed paines: one loving howre	10	······/˘/˘
For many yeares of sorrow can dispence:	10	·/˘··/˘·˘/
A dram of sweet is worth a pound of sowre:	11	·········/˘
She has forgot, how many a woful stowre	11	··˘/·/···/˘
For him she late endurd; she speakes no more	10	··········
Of past: true is, that true love hath no powre	11	·········/˘
To looken backe; his eyes be fixt before.	10	··········
Before her stands her knight, for whom she toyld so sore.	12	············
Much like, as when the beaten marinere,	10	·····/˘···
That long hath wandred in the Ocean wide,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Oft soust in swelling Tethys saltish teare,	10	···/˘/˘/˘·
And long time having tand his tawney hide	10	···/˘··/˘·
With blustring breath of heaven, that none can bide,	10	·/˘··/····
And scorching flames of fierce Orions hound,	10	·/˘···˘/˘·
Soone as the port from farre he has espide,	10	··········
His chearefull whistle merrily doth sound,	10	····/˘/˘··
And Nereus crownes with cups; his mates him pledg around.	12	············
Such joy made Una, when her knight she found;	10	···/˘·····
And eke th' enchaunter joyous seemd no lesse,	10	·····/˘···
Then the glad marchant, that does vew from ground	10	···/˘·····
His ship farre come from watrie wildernesse,	10	··········
He hurles out vowes, and Neptune oft doth blesse:	10	·····/˘···
So forth they past, and all the way they spent	10	··········
Discoursing of her dreadful late distresse,	10	/˘˘··/˘···
In which he askt her, what the Lyon ment:	10	·······/˘·
Who told her all that fell in journey as she went.	12	·······/˘···
They had not ridden farre, when they might see	10	···/˘·····
One pricking towards them with hastie heat,	10	·/˘····/˘·
Full strongly armd, and on a courser free,	10	·/˘····/˘·
That through his fiercenesse fomed all with sweat,	10	··········
And the sharpe yron did for anger eat,	10	·······/˘·
When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side;	10	···/˘···˘·
His looke was sterne, and seemed still to threat	10	······˘···
Cruell revenge, which he in hart did hyde,	10	/˘˘/······
And on his shield Sans loy in bloudie lines was dyde.	12	············
When nigh he drew unto this gentle payre	11	·······/˘/˘
And saw the Red-crosse, which the knight did beare,	10	··········
He burnt in fire, and gan eftsoones prepare	10	···/····˘/
Himselfe to battell with his couched speare.	10	········˘·
Loth was that other, and did faint through feare,	10	···/˘·····
To taste th' untryed dint of deadly steele;	9	···˘··/˘·
But yet his Lady did so well him cheare,	10	···/˘·····
That hope of new goodhap he gan to feele;	11	···········
So bent his speare, and spurd his horse with yron heele.	13	·············
But that proud Paynim forward came so fierce,	10	···/˘/˘···
And full of wrath, that with his sharp-head speare,	10	··········
Through vainly crossed shield he quite did pierce,	10	·/˘·˘·····
And had his staggering steede not shrunke for feare,	10	···/˘·····
Through shield and bodie eke he should him beare:	10	···/˘·····
Yet so great was the puissance of his push,	11	·····/˘˘···
That from his saddle quite he did him beare:	10	···/˘·····
He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush,	10	···/˘·····
And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush.	11	···········
Dismounting lightly from his loftie steed,	10	···/˘·····
He to him lept, in mind to reave his life,	10	··········
And proudly said, Lo there the worthie meed	10	·/˘·······
Of him that slew Sansfoy with bloudie knife;	10	··········
Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife,	10	//········
In peace may passen over Lethe lake,	10	·······/˘·
When mourning altars purgd with enemies life,	10	·/˘/˘··/˘·
The blacke infernall Furies doen aslake:	10	··˘/˘/˘·˘/
Life from Sansfoy thou tookst, Sansloy shall from thee take.	12	············
Therewith in haste his helmet gan unlace,	10	˘/···/˘·˘/
Till Una cried, O hold that heavie hand,	10	·/˘·······
Deare Sir, what ever that thou be in place:	10	···/˘·····
Enough is, that thy foe doth vanquisht stand	10	˘/········
Now at thy mercy: Mercie not withstand:	10	···/˘···˘/
For he is one the truest knight alive,	10	·····/˘·˘/
Though conquered now he lie on lowly land,	10	·/˘····/˘·
And whilest him fortune favourd, faire did thrive	11	·/˘·/˘·····
In bloudie field: therefore of life him not deprive.	12	··········˘/
Her piteous words might not abate his rage,	11	·/˘˘···˘/··
But rudely rending up his helmet, would	10	·/˘/˘··/˘·
Have slaine him straight: but when he sees his age,	10	··········
And hoarie head of Archimago old,	10	··········
His hasty hand he doth amazed hold,	10	·/˘···˘/˘·
And halfe ashamed, wondred at the sight:	10	··˘/˘/˘···
For that old man well knew he, though untold,	10	········˘/
In charmes and magicke to have wondrous might,	10	·······/˘·
Ne ever wont in field, ne in round lists to fight;	11	·/·········
And said, Why Archimago, lucklesse syre,	10	··········
What doe I see? what hard mishap is this,	10	······/···
That hath thee hither brought to taste mine yre?	10	···/˘·····
Or thine the fault, or mine the error is,	10	·······/˘·
Instead of foe to wound my friend amis?	10	˘/······/˘
He answered nought, but in a traunce still lay,	10	·/˘·······
And on those guilefull dazed eyes of his	10	··········
The cloude of death did sit. Which doen away,	10	········˘/
He left him lying so, ne would no lenger stay:	12	···/˘····/˘·
But to the virgin comes, who all this while	10	···/˘·····
Amased stands, her selfe so mockt to see	10	··˘·······
By him, who has the guerdon of his guile,	10	·····/˘···
For so misfeigning her true knight to bee:	10	··········
Yet is she now in more perplexitie,	10	··········
Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold,	10	·······/˘·
From whom her booteth not at all to flie;	10	···/˘·····
Who, by her cleanly garment catching hold,	10	···/˘/˘/˘·
Her from her Palfrey pluckt, her visage to behold.	12	···/˘··/˘·˘/
But her fierce servant, full of kingly awe	10	···/˘··/˘·
And high disdaine, whenas his soveraine Dame	11	····/˘·····
So rudely handled by her foe he sawe,	10	·/˘/˘·····
With gaping jawes full greedy at him came,	10	·/˘··/˘···
And ramping on his shield, did weene the same	10	·/˘·······
Have reft away with his sharpe rending clawes:	10	··˘/···/˘·
But he was stout, and lust did now inflame	10	········˘/
His corage more, that from his griping pawes	10	·/˘····/˘·
He hath his shield redeem'd, and foorth his swerd he drawes.	12	····˘/······
O then too weake and feeble was the forse	10	·····/˘···
Of salvage beast, his puissance to withstand:	11	·/˘··/˘˘·˘/
For he was strong, and of so mightie corse,	10	··········
As ever wielded speare in warlike hand,	10	·/˘/˘··/··
And feates of armes did wisely understand.	10	·····/˘·˘/
Eftsoones he perced through his chaufed chest	10	····˘···˘·
With thrilling point of deadly yron brand,	10	·/˘··/˘···
And launcht his Lordly hart: with death opprest	11	···/˘···/˘˘
He roar'd aloud, whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest.	12	··˘/········
Who now is left to keepe the forlorne maid	10	··········
From raging spoile of lawlesse victors will?	11	·/˘·····/˘·
Her faithfull gard remov'd, her hope dismaid,	10	·/˘·˘/····
Her selfe a yielded pray to save or spill.	10	···/˘·····
He now Lord of the field, his pride to fill,	10	··········
With foule reproches, and disdainfull spight	11	·/˘····˘/˘·
Her vildly entertaines, and will or nill,	10	····˘/····
Beares her away upon his courser light:	10	··˘/···/˘·
Her prayers nought prevaile, his rage is more of might.	12	············
And all the way, with great lamenting paine,	10	······˘/˘·
And piteous plaints she filleth his dull eares,	11	·/˘˘··/˘···
That stony hart could riven have in twaine,	10	·/˘··/˘···
And all the way she wets with flowing teares:	10	·······/˘·
But he enrag'd with rancor, nothing heares.	10	··˘/·/˘/˘·
Her servile beast yet would not leave her so,	10	·/˘·······
But followes her farre off, ne ought he feares,	10	·/˘·······
To be partaker of her wandring woe,	10	··˘/˘··/˘·
More mild in beastly kind, then that her beastly foe.	12	···/˘····/˘·

On this poem

I. The Plot: Una wandering in quest of her Knight is guarded by a Lion. With difficulty they gain entrance to the cottage of Corceca and her daughter Abessa, the paramour of Kirkrapine. The latter is killed by the Lion. Fleeing the next day, Una falls in with Archimago disguised as the Redcross Knight. They journey on and meet a second Saracen knight, Sansloy. In the fight which ensues Archimago is unhorsed and his deception unmasked. The Lion is slain, and Una becomes the captive of Sansloy. II. The Allegory: 1. Truth finds temporary protection in Reason, or Natural Honor (Lion), and with its help puts a stop to the Robbing of Churches (Kirkrapine), which is connived at by Blind Devotion (Corceca) and Secret Sin (Abessa). Truth is then associated with Hypocrisy under the guise of Holiness, but it is soon unmasked by Lawlessness (Sansloy), with which Truth is forced into an unnatural alliance.

Notes from the edition 37

Notes by Kate M. Warren to The Faerie Queene, Book I (1897; Project Gutenberg #15272).

Stanza 1, line 1 What moral reflections does the poet make in the introductory stanza? Note the reference to the Queen. 2. What do you learn of the laws, customs, and sentiments of chivalry in this canto? 3. Give an account of Una's meeting with the Lion. 4. Explain the allegory of the incident of the Lion.
Stanza 1, line 2 "The lion is said to represent Henry VIII, overthrowing the monasteries, destroying church-robbers, disturbing the dark haunts of idleness, ignorance and superstition."--Kitchin. The battle between Archimago and Sansloy refers to the contests of the Catholic powers with the Moslems. The whole canto also has a hint of the violence and lawlessness connected with the English conquest of Ireland.
Stanza 2, line 1 Describe the character, appearance, and actions of Corceca, and explain the allegory. 6. Note the use of the stars to indicate time. 7. Under what circumstances does Una meet Archimago? 8. Explain the allegory in ix. 9. Note the Euphuistic balance in xxvii. 10. What figure do you find in xxxi? Note the Homeric style. 11. Describe the fight between Archimago and Sansloy, and explain the double allegory. 12. What is the moral interpretation of xli-xlii?
Stanza 2, line 9 Explain the Latinisms in ll. 37 and 377. 14. How are the adjectives used in l. 57? 15. Note change of pronouns in vii from third person to first. 16. Explain tense of shold pas in l. 83. 17. Note confusion of pronouns in xxii and xxxv. 18. Examine the nominative absolute construction in st. xiv and xxxix. 19. Explain the ambiguous construction in l. 165. 20. Parse her in l. 262. 21. Note careless use of relative in l. 288.
Stanza 3, line 5 THOUGH TRUE AS TOUCH, though true as if tested on the touchstone (by which true gold was distinguished from counterfeit).
Stanza 3, line 9 AND HER DUE LOVES, etc., the love due to her diverted, etc.
Stanza 4, line 9 YET WISHED TYDINGS, etc., yet none brought unto her the wished-for tidings of him. An awkward transposition.
Stanza 5, line 7 THE GREAT EYE OF HEAVEN, the sun. Cf. Paradise Lost, v. 171.
Stanza 6, line 2 A RAMPING LYON. Reason or Natural Honor; also Henry VIII. According to the ancient belief, no lion would attack a true virgin or one of royal blood. Similar scenes are found in Sir Bevis of Hampton, The Seven Champions of Christendom, etc. Cf. I Henry IV, ii, 4. The allegory signifies that man guided merely by reason will recognize Truth and pay it homage.
Stanza 7, line 6 WHOSE YEELDED PRIDE, etc., object of had marked, l. 52.
Stanza 10, line 5 HE KEPT BOTH WATCH AND WARD, he kept awake and guarded her.
Stanza 11, line 8 A DAMZELL SPYDE, Abessa, who symbolizes Flagrant or Secret Sin.
Stanza 12, line 9 HER CAST IN DEADLY HEW, threw her into a deathly paleness.
Stanza 13, line 2 UPON THE WAGER LAY, was at stake.
Stanza 13, line 3 WHEREAS HER MOTHER BLYND, where her blind mother, Corceca, or Blind Devotion.
Stanza 14, line 1 UNRULY PAGE. This refers to the violence with which Henry VIII forced Protestantism upon the people. In his Present State of Ireland (p. 645), Spenser speaks of the ignorance and blind devotion of the Irish Papists in the benighted country places.
Stanza 14, line 8 PATER NOSTERS, the Lord's Prayer; AVES, prayers to the Virgin.
Stanza 17, line 1 ALDEBORAN, the Bull's Eye, a double star of the first magnitude in the constellation Taurus.
Stanza 17, line 2 CASSIOPEIAS CHAIRE, a circumpolar constellation having a fancied resemblance to a chair.
Stanza 17, line 4 ONE KNOCKED AT THE DORE, Kirkrapine, the plunderer of the Church. Spenser represents in him the peculiar vices of the Irish clergy and laity.
Stanza 20, line 4 STAY HIM TO ADVIZE, stop to reflect.
Stanza 21, line 1 HIM BOOTETH NOT RESIST, it does him no good to resist. This whole passage refers, perhaps, to Henry VIII's suppression of the monasteries and convents in 1538-39.
Stanza 22, line 5 THAT LONG WANDRING GREEKE. Ulysses, or Odysseus, the hero of Homer's Odyssey, who wandered ten years and refused immortality from the goddess Calypso in order that he might return to Penelope. xxii. Note the rhymes deare, heare, and teare (air). This 16th century pronunciation still survives in South Carolina. See Ellis's Early English Pronunciation, III, 868. This stanza reads like the description of an Irish wake.
Stanza 28, line 4 OR OUGHT HAVE DONE, or have done something to displease you.
Stanza 28, line 5 THAT SHOULD AS DEATH, etc., that should settle like death, etc.
Stanza 29, line 5 AND CHOSE IN FAERY COURT. See Spenser's letter to Sir W. Raleigh, p. 6.
Stanza 29, line 7 HER KINDLY SKILL, her natural power.
Stanza 32, line 6 FIERCE ORIONS HOUND, Sirius, the Dog-star, the brightest of the fixed stars. The constellation Orion was named from a giant hunter who was beloved by Aurora and slain by Diana.
Stanza 32, line 9 AND NEREUS CROWNES WITH CUPS, and Nereus drinks bumpers in his honor. Nereus was a sea-god, son of Ocean and Earth.
Stanza 33, line 3 FROM GROUND, from the land.
Stanza 34, line 9 SANS LOY symbolizes the pagan lawlessness in Ireland. There is also a wider reference to the struggles between the Turks and the allied Christian powers, which had been going on since the siege of Vienna in 1529.
Stanza 36, line 3 VAINLY CROSSED SHIELD, Archimago's false cross lacked the protecting power of St. George's charmed true cross.
Stanza 37, line 3 Refers to the ancient custom of sacrificing an enemy on the funeral altar to appease the shade of the dead.
Stanza 37, line 6 LETHE LAKE, a lake or river of Hades, whose water brought oblivion or forgetfulness to all who drank of it.
Stanza 37, line 6 In romance it was customary for the victor to unlace the helmet of the knight whom he had unhorsed before slaying him. Friends and relatives were sometimes discovered by this precaution.
Stanza 37, line 8 THE BLACKE INFERNALL FURIES, the Erinyes, or goddesses of vengeance, who dwelt in Erebus. They were robed in black, bloody garments befitting their gloomy character.
Stanza 39, line 9 NE EVER WONT IN FIELD, etc., was never accustomed to fight in the battle-field or in the lists of the tournament. xliii. Contrast Sansloy's rude treatment of Una with the chivalrous respect and courtesy always shown by a true knight to woman. QUESTIONS AND TOPICS (Canto III)

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

More by Edmund Spenser

The Faerie Queene, Book I