THE FOURTH BOOKE OF

THE FAERIE QUEENE

CONTAYNING

THE LEGEND OF CAMBEL AND TRIAMOND, OR OF FRIENDSHIP.

I.

THE rugged forhead, that with grave forefight
Welds kingdomes causes and affaires of state,
My loofer rimes, I wote, doth fharply wite
For praifing love as I have done of late,
And magnifying lovers deare debate;
By which fraile youth is oft to follie led,
Through false allurement of that pleasing
baite,

That better were in vertues difcipled,

Then with vaine poemes weeds to have their fancies fed.

Triamond,] All the editions read Telamond; but Triamond is the true name. See F. Q. iv. ii. 31.

CHURCH.

I. 1. The rugged forhead, that with grave forefight &c.] In the Letter (which I printed formerly) to Mr. Weft concerning a new edition of Spenfer, I obferved that the Lord Treasurer Burleigh was hinted at in these verses. And I find that Mr. Birch, in his Life of Spenfer, has been pleased to concur likewife in the fame obfervation. UPTON.

II.

Such ones ill iudge of love, that cannot love, Ne in their frofen hearts feele kindly flame: Forthy they ought not thing unknowne re

prove,

Ne naturall affection faultleffe blame

For fault of few that have abufd the fame : For it of honor and all vertue is

The roote, and brings forth glorious flowres of fame,

That crowne true lovers with immortall blis, The meed of them that love, and do not live

amiffe.

III.

Which whofo lift looke backe to former ages, And call to count the things that then were donne,

Shall find that all the workes of those wife

fages,

And brave exploits which great heroës wonne,
In love were either ended or begunne:
Witneffe the Father of Philofophie,

Which to his Critias, fhaded oft from funne,
Of love full manie leffons did apply,

The which thefe Stoicke cenfours cannot well

deny.

III. 9. The which thefe Stoicke cenfours cannot well deny.] These reflections caft on the Stoicks, as being rigid and fevere in their notions of love, are not true. Zeno differed from Plato

IV.

To fuch therefore I do not fing at all;
But to that facred Saint my foveraigne

Queene,

In whofe chaft breft all bountie naturall And treasures of true love enlocked beene, Bove all her fexe that ever yet was seene; To her I fing of love, that loveth best, And beft is lov'd of all alive I weene; To her this fong most fitly is addrest, The Queene of love, and Prince of peace from heaven bleft.

V.

Which that he may the better deigne to heare,

Do thou, dred Infant, Venus dearling dove,
From her high spirit chafe imperious feare,
And ufe of awfull maieftie remove:
Infted thereof with drops of melting love,
Deawd with ambrofiall kiffes, by thee gotten
From thy fweete-fmyling Mother from above,

in manner more than in matter: and all the Stoicks looked up to Socrates as the father of true philofophy. I will venture to fay, Spenfer should have written,

"The which thofe Cynicke cenfours cannot well deny."

UPTON.

V. 3. imperious feare,] By fear he means an awful majesty raising fear in those who approach her. JORTIN.

V. 7. From thy fweete-fmyling Mother] Adu yeháσa, dulce ridens: he calls her in F. Q. iv. x. 47. Mother of laughter, Φιλομμειδής Αφροδίτη, Hom. Il. γ'. 424.

UPTON.

Sprinckle her heart, and haughtie courage

foften,

That the may hearke to love, and reade this leffon often.

V. 9.

he gave it,

and reade this lesson often.] Perhaps

" and read his leffon often."

That is, The leffon which Love dictates, as the addrefs requires. UPTON.

CANTO I.

Fayre Britomart faves Amoret:
Dueffa difcord breedes

Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour:
Their fight and warlike deedes.

I.

OF lovers fad calamities of old
Full many piteous ftories doe remaine,
But none more piteous ever was ytold
Then that of Amorets hart-binding chaine,
And this of Florimels unworthie paine:
The deare compaffion of whose bitter fit
My foftned heart fo forely doth constraine,
That I with teares full oft doe pittie it,
And oftentimes doe wifh it never had bene writ.

I. 4. Then that of Amorets &c.] So all the editions. Spenfer, I imagine, wrote thus:

"Then that of Florimels unworthie paine,

"And this of Amorets hart-binding chaine:" The conftruction plainly requires it; and the miftake, by a flip of the printer's eye, was eaty. See a like inftance, F. Q. i. xi, 39. CHURCH.

I. 8. That I with teares &c.] The poet fpeaks in his own perfon, how he himself is affected in the meer relation: fo Ariofto, while he is relating the story of Angelica going to be devoured of the monster, turns to himself, C. viii. 66.

"Io no'l dirò, che fi il dolor mi muove." UPTON.