THE SIXTE BOOKE

OF

THE FAERIE QUEENE

CONTAYNING THE LEGEND OF SIR CALIDORE, OR COURTESIE.

Of yertue, which with you doth there re- As in your selfe, O soveraine Lady Queene?

Who, hearkning to that voice, him selfe up-
reard,

And seeing him so fiercely towardes make,
Against him stoutly ran, as nought afeard,
But rather more enrag'd for those words sake;
And with sterne count'naunce thus unto him
spake:

His hope of refuge used to remaine :
Whom Calidore perceiving fast to flie,
He him pursu'd and chaced through the plaine,
That he for dread of death gan loude to crie
Unto the ward to open to him hastilie.

XXIII

They, from the wall him seeing so aghast,
The gate soone opened to receive him in;
But Calidore did follow him so fast,
That even in the Porch he him did win,
And cleft his head asunder to his chin.
Did choke the entraunce with a lumpe of sin,
The carkasse tumbling downe within the dore
That it could not be shut; whilest Calidore
Did enter in, and slew the Porter on the flore.

XXIV

With that the rest the which the Castle kept About him flockt, and hard at him did lay; But he them all from him full lightly swept, As doth a Steare, in heat of sommers day, With his long taile the bryzes brush away. 'Art thou the caytive that defyest me? Thence passing forth into the hall he came, And for this Mayd, whose party thou doest take, Where of the Lady selfe in sad dismay Wilt give thy beard, though it but little bee? He was ymett, who with uncomely shame Yet shall it not her lockes for raunsome fro me Gan him salute, and fowle upbrayd with faulty

free.'

XX

With that he fiercely at him flew, and layd
On hideous strokes with most importune might,
That oft he made him stagger as unstayd,
And oft recuile to shunne his sharpe despight:
But Calidore, that was well skild in fight,
Him long forbore, and still his spirite spar'd,
Lying in waite how him he damadge might;
But when he felt him shrinke, and come to
ward,
[hard.
He greater grew, and gan to drive at him more

XXI

Like as a water-streame, whose swelling sourse
Shall drive a Mill, within strong bancks is pent,
And long restrayned of his ready course,
So soone as passage is unto him lent,
Breakes forth, and makes his way more violent;
Such was the fury of Sir Calidore:
When once he felt his foeman to relent,
He fiercely him pursu'd, and pressed sore;
Who as he still decayd so he encreased more.

XXII

The heavy burden of whose dreadfull might Whenas the Carle no longer could sustaine, His heart gan faint, and streight he tooke his flight

Toward the Castle, where, if need constraine,

blame.

'Then doe your selfe, for dread of shame, for-
goe

This evill manner which ye here maintaine,
And doe instead thereof mild curt'sie showe
To all that passe: That shall you glory gaine

XXXII

More then his love, which thus ye seeke t' obtaine.' Thereof full blyth the Lady streight became, Wherewith all full of wrath she thus replyde: And gan t'augment her bitternesse much "Vile recreant! know that I doe much disdaine

more;

Thy courteous lore, that doest my love deride, Yet no whit more appalled for the same,
Who scornes thy ydle scoffe, and bids thee be Ne ought dismayed was Sir Calidore,

defyde.'

XXVIII

'To take defiaunce at a Ladies word (Quoth he) 'I hold it no indignity; But were he here, that would it with his sword Abett, perhaps he mote it deare aby.' 'Cowherd!' (quoth she) were not that thou wouldst fly

Ere he doe come, he should be soone in place. 'If I doe so,' (sayd he) then liberty

I leave to you for aye me to disgrace

But rather did more chearefull seeme there

fore:

And having soone his armes about him dight,
Did issue forth to meete his foe afore;
Where long he stayed not, when as a Knight
He spide come pricking on with all his powre
and might.

XXXIII

Well weend he streight that he should be the

same

Which tooke in hand her quarrell to maintaine;

With all those shames, that erst ye spake me Ne stayd to aske if it were he by name,

to deface.'

ΧΧΙΧ

With that a Dwarfe she cald to her in hast,
And taking from her hand a ring of gould,
A privy token which betweene them past,
Bad him to flie with all the speed he could
To Crudor; and desire him that he would
Vouchsafe to reskue her against a Knight,
Who through strong powre had now her self
in hould,

Having late slaine her Seneschall in fight,
And all her people murdred with outragious
might:

XXX

But coucht his speare, and ran at him amaine.
They bene ymett in middest of the plaine
With so fell fury and dispiteous forse,
That neither could the others stroke sustaine,
But rudely rowld to ground, both man and
horse,

Neither of other taking pitty nor remorse.

XXXIV

But Calidore uprose againe full light,
Whiles yet his foe lay fast in sencelesse swound;
Yet would he not him hurt although he might;
For shame he weend a sleeping wight to wound.
But when Briana saw that drery stound,

The Dwarfe his way did hast, and went all There where she stood uppon the Castle wall,
She deem'd him sure to have bene dead on

night;

But Calidore did with her there abyde
The comming of that so much threatned
Knight;
[pryde
Where that discourteous Dame with scorufull
And fowle entreaty him indignifyde,
That yron heart it hardly could sustaine :
Yet he, that could his wrath full wisely guyde,
Did well endure her womanish disdaine,
And did him selfe from fraile impatience re-
fraine.

XXXI

The morrow next, before the lampe of light
Above the earth upreard his flaming head,
The Dwarfe, which bore that message to her
knight,
[bread
Brought aunswere backe, that ere he tasted
He would her succour, and alive or dead
Her foe deliver up into her hand :
Therefore he wild her doe away all dread;
And, that of him she mote assured stand,
He sent to her his basenet as a faithfull
band.