To griesly Pluto what on earth was donne, And to the other damned ghosts which dwell For aye in darkenesse which day-light doth shonne: So led this knight his captyve with like conquest wonne. 36 Yet greatly did the Beast repine1 at those Straunge bands, whose like till then he never bore, Ne ever any durst till then impose; And chauffed inly, seeing now no more Him liberty was left aloud to rore: Yet durst he not draw backe, nor once withstand The proved powre of noble Calidore; But trembled underneath his mighty hand, And like a fearefull dog him followed through the land. 37 Him through all Faery Land he follow'd so, As if he learned had obedience long, That all the people, whereso he did go, Out of their townes did round about him throng, And much admyr'd2 the Beast, but more admyr'd2 the 38 Thus was this monster, by the maystring3 might Of doughty Calidore, supprest and tamed, That never more he mote endammadge wight 1 Repine, fret. 2 Admyr'd, wondered at. VOL. IV. 14 8 Maystring, mastering. With his vile tongue, which many had defamed, And many causelesse caused to be blamed: So did he eeke long after this remaine, Untill that, (whether wicked fate so framed Or fault of men,) he broke his yron chaine, And got into the world at liberty againe. 39 Thenceforth more mischiefe and more scath1 he wrought To mortall men then he had done before; And all his brethren borne in Britaine land; Yet none of them could ever bring him into band. 40 So now he raungeth through the world againe, 11 Ne may this homely verse, of many meanest, Hope to escape his venemous despite, 1 Scath, injury. 2 Bate, bait. 3 Albe they, whether they be. More then my former writs, all were they cleanest Therfore do you, my rimes, keep better measure, And seeke to please; that now is counted wisemens threasure. 1 Wite, blame. 2 Endite, indict, accuse. XLI. 6. Mighty Peres displeasure.] This is probably the Lord Treasurer Burleigh, who is well known to have been unfriendly to the poet. He is supposed to have been offended with Spenser's satire upon Bishop Aylmer (Ellmor), under the name of Morell, in the seventh eclogue of the Shepherd's Calendar. H. TWO CANTOS OF MUTABILITIE: WHICH, BOTH FOR FORME AND MATTER, APPEARE TO BD. PARCELL OF SOME FOLLOWING BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QUEENE, UNDER THE LEGEND OF CONSTANCIE.* CANTO VI. Proud Change, not pleasd in mortall things Beneath the moone to raigne, Pretends as well of gods as men To be the soveraine. 1 WHAT man that sees the ever-whirling wheele Of Change, the which all mortall things doth sway. But that therby doth find, and plainly feele, How Mutability in them doth play Her cruell sports to many mens decay 1? 1 Decay, destruction. *These two cantos, and the fragment of the third, were not published during Spenser's life. They appeared for the first time in the folio edition of the Faerie Queene, published in 1609, without any further preface or explanation than is given above. H. Which that to all may better yet appeare, I will rehearse that whylome I heard say, How she at first herselfe began to reare Gainst all the gods, and th' empire sought from them to beare. 2 But first, here falleth fittest to unfold 3 And many of them afterwards obtain'd To gods and men, as she them list divide; Warres and allarums unto nations wide, 'That makes both heaven and earth to tremble at her 4 pride. So likewise did this Titanesse aspire Rule and dominion to herselfe to gaine; That as a goddesse men might her admire, 1 Regiment, government. |