Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

A LETTER OF THE
THE AUTHOR'S

Expounding his whole intention in the course of this Worke; which, for that it giueth great light to the Reader, for the better understanding is hereunto annexed.

TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND VALOROUS

SIR WALTER RALEIGH, KNT.

Lord Warden of the Stanneryes and her Maieftie's liefienaunt of the Country of Cornewayll.

SI, knowing how doubtfully all Allegories may be conftrued, and this booke of mine, which I have entituled The Faery Queene, being a continued Allegory, or darke conceit, I haue thought good, as well for auoyding of gealous opinions and mifconftructions, as alfo for your better light in reading thereof, (being fo by you commanded) to difcouer unto you the general intention and meaning, which in the whole courfe thereof I have fashioned, without expreffing of any particular purposes, or bye-accidents, therein occafioned. The general end, therefore, of all the booke, is to fashion a gentleman or noble perfon in vertuous and gentle difcipline; which, for that I conceived, fhould be most plaufible and pleafing, being coloured with an hiftorical fiction, the which the most part of men delight to read, rather for variety of matter, then for profite of the enfample, I chose the hiftorye of King Arthure, as moft fitte for the excellency of his perfon, being made famous by many mens former workes, and alfo Furtheft from the daunger of enuy, and fufpition

of prefent time. In which I haue followed all the antique poets hiftoricall; firft Homere, who in the perfons of Agamennon and Ulyffes hath enfampled a good gouernour and a vertuous man, the one in his Ilias, the other in his Odyffeis; then Virgil, whofe like intention was to doe in the perfon of Aneas; after him Ariofto comprised them both in his Orlando; and lately Taffo diffeuered them again, and formed both parts in two perfons, namely, that part which they in philofophy call Ethice, or Vertues of a private man, colour ed in his Rinaldo; the other named Politice, in his Godfredo. By enfample of which excellente poets, I labour to pourtraict in Arthure, before he was king, the image of a braue knight, perfected in the twelue priuate morall vertues, as Ariftotle hath deuifed; the which is the purpose of thefe first twelue bookes: which if I finde to be well accepted, I may be perhaps encouraged to frame the other part of politicke vertues in his perfon, after that hee came to be king. To feme I know this methode will feem difpleafaunt, which

had rather haue good discipline deliuered plainly in way of precepts, or fermoned at large, as they ufe, then thus clowdily enwrapped in allegorical deuifes. But fuch, me feeme, fhould be fatisfide with the use of these days, feeing all things accounted by their fhowes, and nothing efteemed of, that is not delightful and pleasing to commune fcence. For this caufe is Xenophon preferred before Plato, for that the one, in the exquisite depth of his judgment, formed a commune-wealth, such as it fhould be; but the other in the perfon of Cyrus, and the Perfians, fashioned a gouerment fuch as might best be; fo much more profitable and gratious is doctrine by enfample then by rule. So haue I laboured to doe in the perfon of Arthure : whom I conceiue, after his long education by Timon, to whom he was by Merlin deliuered to be brought up, fo foone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne, to haue feene in a dream or vision the Faery Queene, with whofe excellent beauty rauifhed, he awaking refolued to feeke her out; and fo being by Merlin armed, and by Timon throughly inftructed, he went to feeke her forth in Faery Land. In that Faery Queene I meane glory in my generall intention, but in my particular I conceive the most excellent and glorious perfon of our foueraine the Queene, and her kingdom in Faery Land. And yet in fome places els, I do otherwife shadow her. For confidering the beareth two perfons, the one of a moft royal Queene or Empreffe, the other of a moft vertuous and beautifull lady, this latter part in fome places I doe expreffe in Belphebe, fashioning her name according to your owne excellent conceipt of Cynthia: Phœbe and Cynthia being both names of Diana. So in the perfon of Prince Arthure I fette forth magnificence in particular, which vertue for that (according to Ariftotle and the reft) it is the perfection of all the reft, and conteineth in it them all, therefore in the whole course I mention the deeds of Arthure applyable to that vertue, which I write of in that booke. But of the xii other vertues, I make xii other knights the patrones, for the more variety of the hiftory: of which these three bookes contayn three.

The firft of the Knight of the Red-croffe, in whom I expreffe Holyneffe: the feconde of Sir Guyon, in whom I fette forth temperaunce: the third of Britomartis, a lady-knight, in whom I picture chastity. But becaufe the beginning of the whole work feemeth abrupte, and as depending upon other antecedents, it needs that ye know the occafion of these three knights feuerall aduen

tures.

For the methode of a poet hiftorical is not fuch, as of an hiftoriagrapher. Foran hiftoriographer difcourfeth of affayrs orderly as they were donne, accounting as well the times as the actions; but a poet thrusteth into the middeft, euen where it most concerneth him, and there recourfing to the thinges forepafte, and diuining of thinges to come; maketh a pleafing analysis of all.

The beginning, therefore, of my hiftory, if it were to be told by an historiographer, fhould be the twelfth booke, which is the laft, where I

deuife that the Faery Queene kept her annual feafte xii days; uppon which xii feuerall dayes, the occafions of the xii feuerall aduentures hapned, which being undertaken by xii feueral knights, are in these xii books feuerally handled and difcourfed. The first was this: In the beginning of the feaft, there prefented himselfe a tall clownishe young man, who falling before the Queene of Faeries defired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feaft fhe might not refuse; which was that he might haue the atchicument of any aduenture, which during that feaste should happen. That being graunted, he refted him on the floore, unfitte through his rufticity for a better place. Soone after entred a faire ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white affe, with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike fteed, that bore the arms of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfe's hand. Shee falling before the Queene of Faeries, complayned that her father and mother, an ancient king and queene, had bene by an huge dragon many years shut up in a brafen castle, who thence fuffered them not to yffew and therefore befought the Faery Queene to affygne her fome one of her knights to take upon him that exployt. Presently that clownish person upstarting, desired that aduenture: whereat the Queene much wondering, and the lady much gainefaying, yet he earnestly importuned his defire. In the end the lady told him, that unleffe that armour which she brought would ferue him, (that is the armour of a Christian man fpecified by St. Paule, v. Ephes.) that he could not fucceed in that enterprise : which being forthwith put upon him with dew furnitures thereunto, he seemed the goodlicft man in al that company, and was well liked of the lady. And eftefoones taking on him knighthood, and mounting on that ftrange courfer, he went forth with her on that adventure: where beginneth the firft booke, viz.

A gentle knight was pricking on the playne, &c.

The second day there came in a palmer bearing an infant with bloody hands, whofe parents he complained to haue Bene flayne by an enchauntreffe called Acrafia: and therefore craued of the Faery Queene to appoint him fome knight to petforme that aduenture, which being affigned to Sir Guyon, he prefently went forth with that fame palmer: which is the beginning of the fecond booke, and the whole fubiect thereof. The third day there came in a groome, who complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile enchanter called Bufirane had in hand a most faire lady called Amoretta, whom he kept in moft grieuous torment, because she would not yield him the pleafure of her body. Whereupon Sir Scudamour the lover of that lady prefently tooke on him that aduenture. But being unable to performe it by reafon of the hard enchauntments, after long forrow, in the end met with Britomartis, who fuccoured him; and refkewed his love.

But, by occafion hereof, many other aduentures are intermedled, but rather as accidents, then in

tendments: as the loue of Britomart, the ouerthrow of Marinell, the mifery of Florimell, the vertuousness of Belphœbe, the lafciuioufnes of Hellenora; and many the like.

Thus much, Sir, I haue briefly ouerronne to dire&t your understanding to the wel-head of the hiftory, that from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a handful gripe al the discourse, which otherwise may hapJaly feem tedious and confufed. So humbly cra

uing the continuance of your honourable fauour towards me, and th' eternall establishment of your happiness, I humbly take leaue.

Yours moft humbly affectionate,

23. fan. 1589.

ED. SPENSER

To the Moft High, Mightie, and Magnificent

EMPRESSE,

Renowmed for Pietie, Vertve, and all Gracious Government,

ELISABETH,

By the Grace of God,

QVEENE OF ENGLAND, FRAVNCE

AND IRELAND, AND OF VIRGINIA;

Defendour of the Faith, &c.

HER MOST HVMBLE SERVANT,

EDMVND SPENSER,

Doth, in all Humilitie,

DEDICATE, PRESENT, AND CONSECRATE

THESE HIS L'ABOVRS,

To live with the Eternitie of her Fame.

« ПредишнаНапред »