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SPENSER'S POETICAL WORKS.

THE FOURTH BOOK

OF

THE FAERIE QUEENE,

CONTAINING

THE LEGEND OF CAMBEL AND TRIAMOND, OR OF

FRIENDSHIP.

CANTO II.

Blandamour wins false Florimell;
Paridell for her strives:

They are accorded:1 Agapè

Doth lengthen her sons' lives.

I.

FIREBRAND of hell, first tin'd2 in Phlegethon

By thousand Furies, and from thence out-thrown
Into this world to work confusion

And set it all on fire by force unknown,

Is wicked Discord; whose small sparks once blown
None but a god or godlike man can slake:
Such as was Orpheus, that, when strife was grown
Amongst those famous imps of Greece,3 did take
His silver harp in hand and shortly friends them
make:

[blocks in formation]

'Bo. conciled

2 Kindled.

The Argonauts.

• Harmonised.

• Divide.

Unaware.

• Driveller.

By.

"Called.

• Formerly. Took.

• When duly tried.

10 Waif.

II.

Or such as that celestial Psalmist was,

That, when the wicked fiend his lord tormented,
With heavenly notes, that did all other pass,
The outrage of his furious fit relented.

Such music is wise words with time concented,1
To moderate stiff minds dispos'd to strive:
Such as that prudent Roman* well invented;
What time his people into parts did rive,2

Them reconcil'd again, and to their homes did drive.

III.

Such us'd wise Glaucè to that wrathful knight,
To calm the tempest of his troubled thought:
Yet Blandamour, with terms of foul despite,
And Paridell her scorn'd, and set at naught,
As old and crooked and not good for aught.
Both they unwise, and wareless of the evil
That by themselves unto themselves is wrought,
Through that false witch, and that foul aged
drivel;1

The one a fiend, the other an incarnate devil.

IV.

With whom as they thus rode accompanied,
They were encounter'd of a lusty knight
That had a goodly lady by his side,

To whom he made great dalliance and delight:
It was, to wit, the bold Sir Ferraugh hight,
He that from Braggadocchio whilome7 reft
The snowy Florimell, whose beauty bright
Made him seem happy for so glorious theft;
Yet was it in due trial9 but a wand'ring weft.10

* 'Roman:' Menenius Agrippa, who, when the Roman populace had withdrawn to Mons Sacer, persuaded them to return by the well-known fable of the Belly and the Members.

V.

Which whenas Blandamour, whose fancy light
Was always flitting as the wav'ring wind
After each beauty that appear'd in sight,
Beheld, eftsoons1 it prick'd his wanton mind
With sting of lust that reason's eye did blind,
That to Sir Paridell these words he sent;2
'Sir Knight, why ride ye dumpish thus behind,
Since so good fortune doth to you present
So fair a spoil, to make you joyous merriment?'

VI.

But Paridell, that had too late3 a trial
Of the bad issue of his counsel vain,

List not to hark, but made this fair denial;
'Last turn was mine, well provéd to my pain;
This now be yours; God send you better gain!'
Whose scoffed words he taking half in scorn,
Fiercely forth prick'd his steed as in disdain

1 Immediately

? Address

ed.

• Recent.

4

Against that knight, ere he him well could torn; Turn. By means whereof he hath him lightly overborne.

VII.

Who, with the sudden stroke astonish'd sore,
Upon the ground awhile in slumber lay;
The whiles his love away the other bore,
And, showing her, did Paridell upbray,6
'Lo! sluggish knight, the victor's happy prey!
So fortune friends" the bold.' Whom Paridell
Seeing so fair indeed, as he did say,
His heart with secret envy gan to swell,

And inly grudge at him that he had sped so well.

VIII.

Nathless proud man himself the other deem'd,
Having so peerless paragons ygot:

For sure the fairest Florimell him seem'd

Easily.

6 Upbraid.

↑ Be

friends.

Companion.

1 Might.

2 Surpass.

3 Attraction.

4 Bereft.

• Moulded.

To him was fallen for his happy lot,

Whose like alive on earth he weenéd not:
Therefore he her did court, did serve, did woo,
With humblest suit that he imagine mot,1

And all things did devise, and all things do,
That might her love prepare, and liking win thereto.

IX.

She, in regard thereof, him recompens'd
With golden words and goodly countenance,
And such fond favours sparingly dispens'd:
Sometimes him blessing with a light eye-glance,
And coy looks temp'ring with loose dalliance;
Sometimes estranging him in sterner wise;
That, having cast him in a foolish trance,
He seemed brought to bed in Paradise,
And prov'd himself most fool in what he seem'd
most wise.

X.

So great a mistress of her art she was,
And perfectly practís'd in woman's craft,

That though therein himself he thought to pass,2
And by his false allurements' wily draft3
Had thousand women of their love beraft,*
Yet now he was surpris'd: for that false sprite,
Which that same witch had in this form engraft,5
Was so expert in every subtle sleight,

That it could overreach the wisest earthly wight.

XI.

Yet he to her did daily service more,
And daily more deceivéd was thereby;
Yet Paridell him enviéd therefore,
As seeming plac'd in sole felicity:
So blind is lust false colours to descry.
But Atè soon discovering his desire,

And finding now fit opportunity

To stir up strife twixt love and spite and ire, Did privily put coals unto his secret fire.

XII.

By sundry means thereto she prick'd him forth;
Now with remembrance of those spiteful speeches,
Now with opinion of his own more worth,
Now with recounting of like former breaches
Made in their friendship, as that hag him teaches:
And ever, when his passion is allay'd,
She it revives, and new occasion reachés:
That, on a time as they together way'd,1

He made him open challenge, and thus boldly said;

XIII.

'Too boastful Blandamour! too long I bear
The open wrongs thou doest me day by day:
Well know'st thou, when we friendship first did

swear,

The cov❜nant was, that every spoil or prey
Should equally be shar'd betwixt us tway:
Where is my part then of this lady bright,
Whom to thyself thou takest quite away?
Render therefore therein to me my right,
Or answer for thy wrong as shall fall out in fight.'

XIV.

Exceeding wroth thereat was Blandamour,
And gan this bitter answer to him make;
'Too foolish Paridell! that fairest flower
Wouldst gather fain, and yet no pains wouldst
But not so easy will I her forsake;

[take:

This hand her won, this hand shall her defend.' With that they gan their shivering2 spears to shake,

· Journey. ed.

2 Quivering.

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