But where shall I in all antiquity
So fair a pattern find, where may be seen.
The goodly praise of princely Courtesy,
As in yourself, O sovereign Lady Queen?
In whose pure mind, as in a mirror sheen,1
It shows, and with her brightness doth inflame
The eyes of all which thereon fixed been;
But meriteth indeed an higher name:
Yet so, from low to high, uplifted is your name.
Then pardon me, most dreaded Soveraine,
That from yourself I do this Virtue bring,
And to yourself do it return again:
So from the ocean all rivers spring,
And tribute back repay as to their king:
Right so from you all goodly virtues well2
Into the rest which round about you ring,3
Fair Lords and Ladies which about you dwell,
And do adorn your Court where courtesies excel.
5 Love, regard. 6 Qualities.
CANTO I.
Calidore saves from Maleffort
A damsel used vild: 1
Doth vanquish Crudor: and doth make
Briana wax more mild.
OF Court, it seems, men Courtesy do call,
For that it there most useth to abound;
And well beseemeth that in Prince's hall
That Virtue should be plentifully found,
Which of all goodly manners is the ground,
And root of civil conversation:
Right so in Faery Court it did redound,
Where courteous Knights and Ladies most did
Of all on earth, and made a matchless paragon.3
But 'mongst them all was none more courteous knight
Than Calidore, beloved over all:
In whom it seems that gentleness of sprite
And manners mild were planted natural;
To which he adding comely guise withal
And gracious speech, did steal men's hearts away:
Nathless thereto1 he was full stout and tall,
And well approv'd in battailous affray,
That him did much renown, and far his fame display.
Ne was there knight, ne was there lady found
In Faery Court, but him did dear embrace 5
For his fair usage and conditions sound,
The which in all men's liking gained place,
And with the greatest purchas'd greatest grace;
Which he could wisely use, and well apply,
To please the best, and th' evil to embase:1 For he loath'd leasing and base flattery, And loved simple truth and steadfast honesty.
And now he was in travel on his way,
Upon an hard adventure sore bestad,2
Whenas by chance he met upon a day
With Artegall, returning yet half sad
From his late conquest which he gotten had:
Who whenas each of other had a sight,
They knew themselves, and both their persons rad:3 Recog When Calidore thus first; 'Hail, noblest Knight, Of all this day on ground that breathen living sprite!
Now tell, if please you, of the good success
Which ye have had in your late enterprise.'
To whom Sir Artegall gan to express
His whole exploit and valorous emprise,
In order as it did to him arise.
'Now, happy man,' said then Sir Calidore,
Which have, so goodly as ye can devise,
Achiev'd so hard a quest, as few before;
That shall you most renowned make for evermore.
'But where ye ended have, now I begin
To tread an endless trace; withouten guide
Or good direction how to enter in,
Or how to issue forth in ways untried,
In perils strange, in labours long and wide;
In which although good fortune me befall,
Yet shall it not by none be testified.'
What is that quest,' quoth then Sir Artegall,
That you into such perils presently doth call?'
'The Blatant Beast,' quoth he, 'I do pursue,
And through the world incessantly do chase,
Till I him overtake, or else subdue:
Yet know I not or how or in what place
To find him out, yet still I forward trace.'
'What is that Blatant Beast then?' he replied.
'It is a monster bred of hellish race,'
Then answered he, which often hath annoy'd Good knights and ladies true, and many else destroy'd.
'Of Cerberus whilome1 he was begot
And fell Chimæra, in her darksome den,
Through foul commixture of his filthy blot;
Where he was foster'd long in Stygian fen,
Till he to perfect ripeness grew; and then
Into this wicked world he forth was sent
To be the plague and scourge of wretched men:
Whom with vile tongue and venomous intent
He sore doth wound, and bite, and cruelly torment.'
'Then, since the Savage Island I did leave,'
Said Artegall, I such a Beast did see,
The which did seem a thousand tongues to have,
That all in spite and malice did agree,
With which he bay'd and loudly bark'd at me,
As if that he at once would me devour:
But I, that knew myself from peril free,
Did nought regard his malice nor his power;
But he the more his wicked poison forth did pour.'
'That surely is that Beast,' said Calidore,
"Which I pursue, of whom I am right glad
To hear these tidings which of none afore
Through all my weary travel I have had: Yet now some hope your words unto me add.' 'Now God you speed,' quoth then Sir Artegall, 'And keep your body from the danger drad:1 For ye have much ado to deal withal!' So both took goodly leave, and parted several.
Sir Calidore thence travelled not long,
Whenas by chance a comely squire he found,
That thorough some more mighty enemy's wrong 2 Through. Both hand and foot unto a tree was bound; Who, seeing him from far, with piteous sound Of his shrill cries him called to his aid: To whom approaching, in that painful stound3 When he him saw, for no demands he staid, But first him loos'd, and afterwards thus to him said;
Unhappy squire, what hard mishap thee brought
Into this bay of peril and disgrace?
What cruel hand thy wretched thraldom wrought,
And thee captived in this shameful place?'
To whom he answered thus; 'My hapless case
Is not occasion'd through my misdesert,
But through misfortune, which did me abase
Unto this shame, and my young hope subvert,
Ere that I in her guileful trains was well expert.
Not far from hence, upon yon rocky hill,
Hard by a strait there stands a castle strong,
Which doth observe a custom lewd5 and ill,
And it hath long maintain'd with mighty wrong:
For may no knight nor lady pass along
That way, (and yet they needs must pass that way,
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