THE

THIRD BOOK

OF THE

FAIRY-QUEEN:

CONTAINING

The Legend of Britomartis or of
Chastity.

I

1.

T'falls me here to write of Chastity,
That faireft Vertue, far above the reft;
For which what needs me fetch from Fairy,
Foreign Enfamples, it to have exprefs'd?
Sith it is fhrined in my Sovereign's Breaft,
And form'd fo lively in each perfect Part,
That to all Ladies, which have it profefs'd,
Need but behold the Pourtraict of her Heart,
If pourtray'd it might be by any living Art.

II.

But living Art may not least Part express,
Nor Life-refembling Pencil it can paint,
All were it Zeuxis or Praxiteles;

His Dadale Hand would fail, and greatly faint,
And her Perfections with his Error taint:
Ne Poet's Wit, that paffeth Painter far
In picturing the Parts of Beauty daint,
So hard a Workmanship adventure dare,

For fear, thro want of Words, her Excellence to mar.
III.

How then fhall I, Apprentice of the Skill,
That whilom in divineft Wits did reign,
Prefume fo high to stretch mine humble Quill?
Yet now my luckless Lot doth me constrain
Hereto perforce. But oh! dread Sovereign,
Thus far forth pardon, fith that choiceft Wit
Cannot your glorious Pourtraict figure plain,
That I in colour'd Shows may shadow it,
And antique Praises unto prefent Persons fit.
IV.

But if in living Colours, and right Hue,
Your felf you covet to fee you pictured,
Who can do it more lively, or more true,
Than that sweet Verse, with Nectar sprinkeled,
In which a gracious Servaunt pictured
His Cynthia, his Heaven's faireft Light?
That with his melting Sweetness ravished,
And with the Wonder of her Beamez bright,
My Senfes lulled are in Slumber of Delight
V.

But let that fame delicious Poet lend

A little leave unto a ruftick Mufe,

To fing his Mistress' Praise; and let him mend,

If ought amifs her Liking may abuse:

Ne let his faireft Cynthia refufe,

In Mirrours more than one her felf to fee;
But either Gloriana let her chufe,
Or in Belpbabe fashioned to be:

In th' one her Rule, in th' other here rare Chastity.

**********

CANTO I.

Guyon encountreth Britomart,
Fair Florimel is chac'd:
Dueffa's Trains and Materafta's
Champions are defac'd.

TH

I.

HE famous Briton Prince and Fairy Knight,
After long ways and per❜lous Pains endur'd,
Having their weary Limbs to perfect plight
Reftor'd, and fory Wounds right well recur'd,
Of the fair Alma greatly were procur'd

To make there lenger Sojourn and Abode ;
But when thereto they might not be allur'd,
From seeking Praife, and Deeds of Arms abroad,
They courteous Conge took, and forth together yode.
II.

But the captiv'd Acrafia he fent,

Because of Travel long, a nigher way,

With a ftrong Guard, all Refcue to prevent,
And to her Fairy-Court fafe to convey;
That her for witness of his hard Affay,
Unto his Fairy-Queen he might present:
But he himself betook another way,
To make more trial of his Hardiment,

And feek Adventures, as he with Prince Arthur went,
III.

Long fo they travelled thro wafteful ways,

Where Dangers dwelt, and Perils moft did wonne,
To hunt for Glory and renowned Praise ;
Full many Countries they did over-run,
From the uprifing to the setting Sun,
And many hard Adventures did atchieve;
Of all the which they Honour ever won,
Seeking the weak oppreffed to relieve,
And to recover Right for fuch as Wrong did grieve,

IV.

.At last, as thro an open Plain they yode,

They spy'd a Knight, that towards pricked fair,
And him befide an aged Squire there rode,

That feem'd to couch under his Shield three-fquare,
As if that Age bade him that Burden fpare,
And yield it to those that fouter could it wield :
He them efpying, 'gan himself prepare,
And on his Arm addrefs his goodly Shield,
That bore a Lion paffant in a golden Field.

V.

Which feeing, good Sir Guyon, dear befought
The Prince of Grace, to let him run that turn.
He graunted: then the Fairy quickly raught
His poinant Spear, and fharply 'gan to fpurn
His foamy Steed, whofe fiery Feet did burn
The verdant Grafs, as he thereon did tread;
Ne did the other back his Foot return,

But fiercely forward came withouten Dread,
And bent his dreadful Spear against the other's Head.
VI.

They been ymet, and both their Points arriv'd,
But Guyon drove fo furious and fell,

That feem'd both Shield and Plate it would have riv'd;
Nathelefs, it bore his Foe not from his Sell,

But made him ftagger, as he were not well;

But Guyon felf, e'er well he was aware,
Nigh a Spear's length behind his Crouper fell,
Yet in his Fall fo well himself he bare,

That, mifchievous Mifchaunce his Life and Limbs did fpare.
VII.

Great Shame and Sorrow of that Fall he took;
For never yet fince warlike Arms he bore,
And fhivering Spear in bloody Field first shook,
He found himself difhonoured fo fore.

Ah gentleft Knight that ever Armour bore,
Let not thee grieve difmounted to have been,
And brought to ground, that never waft before;
For not thy fault, but fecret Power unfeen,

That Spear enchaunted was, which laid thee on the Green.

VIII.

But weenedft thou what Wight thee overthrew,
Much greater Grief and shamefuller Regret
For thy hard Fortune then thou wouldst renew,
That of a fingle Damfel thou wert met

On equal Plain, and there so hard beset;
Even the famous Britomart it was,

Whom ftrange Adventure did from Britain set,
To feek her Lover (Love far fought alas!)
Whose Image she had seen in Venus' Looking-Glass.
IX.

Full of difdainful Wrath, he fierce up-rofe,
For to revenge that foul reproachful Shame,
And fnatching his bright Sword, began to clofe
With her on foot, and ftoutly forward came;
Die rather would he than endure that fame.
Which when his Palmer faw, he 'gan to fear
His toward Pencil, and untoward Blame,

Which by that new Rencounter he should rear:
For Death fate on the Point of that enchaunted Spear.
X.

And hafting towards him, 'gan fair perfuade

Not to provoke Misfortune, nor to ween

His Spear's Default to mend with cruel Blade;
For by his mighty Science he had seen
The fecret Vertue of that Weapon keen,
That mortal Puiffance mote not withftond:
Nothing on Earth mote always happy been.
Great Hazard were it, and Adventure fond,
To lofe long-gotten Honour with one evil Hond.
XI.

By fuch good Means he him discounselled,
From profecuting his revenging Rage:
And eke the Prince like Treaty handeled,
His wrathful Will with Reafon to affuage,
And laid the Blame, not to his Carriage,
But to his ftarting Steed, that fwerv'd afide
And to the ill Purveyance of his Page,
That had his Furnitures not firmly ty'd:
So is his angry Courage fairly pacify'd.