Works of Edmund Spenser

"Fro thence I durst in derring to compare
With shepheardes swayne whatever fed in field;
And, if that Hobbinoll right iudgement bare,
To Pan his own selfe pype I need not yield:
For, if the flocking nymphes did follow Pan,
The wiser Muses after Colin ran.

"But, ah! such pride at length was ill repayde;
The shepheards god (perdie god was he none)
My hurtlesse pleasaunce did me ill upbraide,
My freedome lorne, my life he left to mone.

Love they him called that gave me checkmate,
But better mought they have behote him Hate.

"Tho gan my lovely spring bid me farewell,
And sommer season sped him to display
(For Love then in the Lyons house did dwell,)
The raging fire that kindled at his ray.

A comet stird up that unkindly heate,
That reigned (as men said) in Venus seate.

"Forth was I ledde, not as I wont afore,
When choice I had to choose my wandring way,
But whether Luck and Loves unbridled lore
Would lead me forth on Fancies bitte to play:

The bush my bed, the bramble was my bowre, 65 The woodes can witnesse many a wofull stowre.

The eare that budded fayre is burnt and blasted, And all my hoped gaine is turn'd to scathe. 100 Of all the seede, that in my youth was sowne, Was none but brakes and brambles to be mowne.

"My boughs with bloosmes that crowned were at
And promised of timely fruite such store, [first,
Are left both bare and barrein now at erst;
The flattering fruite is fallen to ground before,
And rotted ere they were halfe mellow ripe;
My harvest, wast, my hope away did wipe.
"The fragrant flowres, that in my garden grewe,
Bene withered, as they had bene gathered long;
Theyr rootes bene dryed up for lack of dewe,
Yet dewed with teares they han be ever among.
Ah! who has wrought my Rosalind this spight,
To spill the flowres that should her gir.ond dight!

"And I, that whilome wont to frame my pype
Unto the shifting of the shepheards foote,
Sike follies now have gathered as too ripe,
And cast hem out as rotten and unsoote.

110

115

120

The loser lasse I cast to please no more ; One if I please, enough is me therefore. "And thus of all my harvest-hope I have Nought reaped but a weedie crop of care; Which, when I thought have thresht in swelling sheave,

Cockle for corn, and chaffe for barley, bare :

Soon as the chaffe should in the fan be fynd, 125 All was blown away of the wavering wynd.

Lions house he imagineth simply that Cupid, which is ove, had his abode in the hot signe Leo. which is in midst of Sonimer; a pretie allegory; wherof the meaning is, that love in him wrought an extraordinarie heat of lust. His ray, which is Cupids beame of flames of love.

A comet, a blasing starre, meant of beautie, which was the cause of his hot love.

Venus, the goddesse of beautie or pleasure. Also a signe in heaven, as it is here taken. So he meaneth that beautie, which hath alway aspect to Venus, was the cause of his unquietnesse in love.

Where I was: a fine description of the change of his life and liking, for all things now seemed to him to have altered their kindly course.

Lording: Spoken after the manner of Paddocks and Frogs sitting, which is indeed lordly, not mooving or looking once aside, unlesse they be stirred.

Then as: The second part, that is, his manhood. Cotes, Shepcotes, for such be exercises of shepheards. Sale or sallow, a kinde of wood like willow, fitte to wreathe and binde in heapes to catch fish withall.

Phæbe failes, The Eclipse of the Moone, which is alwayes in Cauda, or Capite Draconis, signes in heaven.

Venus, 8. Venus starre, otherwise called Hesperus, and Vesper, and Lucifer, both because he seemeth to be one of the brightest stars, and also first riseth, and setteth last. All which skill in starres being convenient for shepheards to know, Theocritus and the rest use.

Kaying seas: The cause of the swelling and ebbing of the sea cometh of the course of the Mocne, sometime increasing, sometime waining and decreasing.

Sooth of birds, a kind of soothsaying used in the elder times, which they gathered by the flying of birds: First (as is said) invented by the Tuscans, and from them derived to the Romanes who, as it is said in Livy, were so superstitiously rooted in the same, that they agreed that every noble man should put his sonne to the Tuscanes, by them to be brought up in that knowledge.

Of herbs: That wondrous things be wrought by herbs, as wel appeareth by the common working of them in our bodyes, as also by the wonderfull enchauntments and sorceries that have beene wrought by them, insomuch that it is said, that Circe, a famous sorceresse, turned men into sundry kinds of beasts and monsters, and only by herbes : as the Port saith,

"Dea sava potentibus herbis &c."

Kidst, knowest.

Eare, of corne.

Scathe, losse, hindrance.

Ever among. Ever and anone.

And thus: The third part wherein is set forth his ripe yeares as an untimely harvest that bringeth little fruit.

The fragrant flowers, sundry studies and laudable parts of learning, wherein our poet is seene: be they witnesse which are privie to this study.

So now my yeere: The last part, wherein is described his age, by comparison of wintrie stormes.

Carefull cold, for care is said to coole the bloud.

Glee, mirth.

Hoarie frost, a metaphor of hoarie haires scattered like a gray frost.

Breeme, sharpe and bitter.

Adieu delights, is a conclusion of all. Where in sixe verses he comprehendeth all that was touched in this booke. In the first verse his delights of youth generally: In the second, the love of Rosalinde: In the third, the keeping of sheep, which is the argument of al the Æglogues: In the fourth, his complaints: And in the last two, his professed friendship and good will to his good friend Hobbinoll.

EMBLEME.

The meaning whereof is, that all things perish and come to their last end, but works of learned wits and monuments abide for ever. And therefore Horace of his Odes, a worke though full indeed of great wit and learning yet of no so great weight and importance, boldly saitli,

"Exegi monimentum ære perennius,

"Quod non imber edax, non aquilo impotens &c."

Therefore let not be envied, that this Poet in his Epilogue saith, he made a Calender that shall endure as long as time, &c. following the example of Horace and Ovid in the like.

"Grande opus exegi, quod nec Iovis ira, nec ignis, "Nec ferrum poterit nec edax abolere vetustas, &c."

MUIOPOTMOS:

OR, THE FATE OF THE BUTTERFLIE.

1590.

ΤΟ

THE RIGHT WORTHY AND VERTUOUS LADIE; THE LA: CAREY.

MOST brave and bountifull La: for so excellent favours as I have received at your sweet handes, to offer these fewe leaves as in recompence, should be as to offer flowers to the gods for their divine benefites. Therefore I have determined to give my selfe wholy to you, as quite abandoned from my selfe, and absolutely vowed to your services which in all right is ever held for full recompence of debt or damage, to have the person yeelded. My person I wot wel how little worth it is. But the faithfull minde and humble zeale which I bear unto your La: may perhaps be more of price, as may please you to account and use the poore service therof; which taketh glory to advance your excellent partes and noble vertues, and to spend it selfe in honouring you; not so much for your great bounty to my self, which yet may not be unminded; nor for name or kindreds sake by you vouchsafed; being also regardable; as for that honorable name, which yee have by your brave deserts purchast to your selfe, and spred in the mouths of all men with which I have also presumed to grace my verses; and, under your Name, to commend to the world this small Poëme. The which beseeching your La: to take in worth, and of all things therin according to your wonted graciousnes to make a milde construction, I humbly pray for your happines.

I SING of deadly dolorous debate,
Stir'd up through wrathfull Nemesis despight,
Betwixt two mightie ones of great estate,
Drawne into armes, and proofe of mortall fight,
Through prowd ambition and hart-swelling hate,
Whilst neither could the others greater might
And sdeignfull scorne endure; that from small iarre
Their wraths at length broke into open warre.

The roote whereof and tragicall effect,
Vouchsafe, thou the mournfulst Muse of nyne,
That wont'st the tragick stage for to direct,
In funerall complaints and wailefull tyne,
Reveale to me, and all the meanes detect,
Through which sad Clarion did at last decline
To lowest wretchednes: And is there then
Such rancour in the harts of mightie men?

Of all the race of silver-winged Flies
Which doo possesse the empire of the aire,
Betwixt the centred earth, and azure skies,
Was none more favourable, nor more faire,
Whilst heaven did favour his felicities,
Then Clarion, the eldest sonne and heire
Of Muscaroll, and in his fathers sight
Of all alive did seeme the fairest wight.

With fruitfull hope his aged breast he fed
Of future good, which his young toward yeares,

Your La ever humbly;

E. S.

Ver. 34. Of lustfull yongth] Yongth is youth. TODD.
Ver. 42. - stie] Ascend. T. WARION.

And high in heaven Hyperion's fierie childe
Ascending did his beames abroad dispred,
Whiles all the heavens on lower creatures smilde;
Young Clarion, with vauntfull lustiched,
After his guize did cast abroad to fare;
And thereto gan his furnitures prepare.

His breast-plate first, that was of substance pure,
Before his noble heart he firmely bound,
That mought his life from yron death assure,
And ward his gentle corps from cruell wound:
For it by arte was framed, to endure
The bit of balefull steele and bitter stownd,
No lesse then that which Vulcane made to shield
Achilles life from fate of Troyan field.

In spring when flowres doo clothe the fruitfull ground,
Walking abroad with all her nymphes to play,
Bad her faire damzels flocking her arownd
To gather flowres, her forhead to array:
Emongst the rest a gentle Nymph was found,
Hight Astery, excelling all the crewe
In curteous usage and unstained hewe.

Who beeing nimbler ioynted then the rest,
And more industrious, gathered more store
Of the fields honour, than the others best;
Which they in secret harts envying sore,
Tolde Venus, when her as the worthiest
She praisd, that Cupide (as they heard before)
Did lend her secret aide, in gathering

And then about his shoulders broad he threw
An hairie hide of some wild beast, whom hee
In salvage forrest by adventure slew,
And reft the spoyle his ornament to bee;
Which, spredding all his backe with dreadfull view, | Into her lap the children of the Spring.

Made all, that him so horrible did see,

Thinke him Alcides with the Lyons skin,

When the Næméan conquest he did win.

Upon his head his glistering burganet,
The which was wrought by wonderous device,
And curiously engraven, he did set:
The metall was of rare and passing price;
Not Bilbo steele, nor brasse from Corinth fet,
Nor costly oricalche from strange Phonice;
But such as could both Phoebus arrowes ward,
And th' hayling darts of heaven beating hard.

Therein two deadly weapons fixt he bore,
Strongly outlaunced towards either side,
Like two sharpe speares, his enemies to gore:
Like as a warlike brigandine, applyde
To fight, layes forth her threatfull pikes afore,
The engines which in them sad death doo hyde:
So did this Flie outstretch his fearefull hornes,
Yet so as him their terrour more adornes.

Lastly his shinie wings as silver bright,
Painted with thousand colours passing farre
All painters skill, he did about him dight:
Not halfe so manie sundrie colours arre
In Iris bowe; ne heaven doth shine so bright,
Distinguished with manie a twinckling starre;
Nor Iunoes bird, in her ey-spotted traine,
So many goodly colours doth containe.

Ne (may be withouten perill spoken)
The Archer god, the sonne of Cytheree,
That ioyes on wretched lovers to be wroken,
And heaped spoyles of bleeding harts to see,
Beares in his wings so manie a changefull token.
Ah! my liege Lord, forgive it unto mee,
If ought against thine honour I have tolde;
Yet sure those wings were fairer manifolde.

Full many a Ladie faire, in Court full oft
Beholding them, him secretly envide,
And wisht that two such fannes, so silken soft,
And golden faire, her Love would her provide ;
Or that, when them the gorgeous Flie had doft,

Ver. 78.

100

105

oricalche] Oguíxæλzov, orichalchum, the most sonorous of metals for tube and tibiæ. BENTLEY. Ver. 99. wroken,] Revenged. TODD.

Whereof the goddesse gathering iealous feare,
Not yet unmindfull, how not long agoe
Her sonne to Psyche secrete love did beare,
And long it close conceal'd, till mickle woe
Thereof arose, and manie a rufull teare;
Reason with sudden rage did overgoe;
And, giving hastie credit to th' accuser,
Was led away of them that did abuse her.

Eftsoones that Damzell, by her heavenly might,
She turn'd into a winged Butterflie,

In the wide aire to make her wandring flight;
And all those flowres, with which so plenteouslie
Her lap she filled had, that bred her spight,
She placed in her wings, for memorie

Of her pretended crime, though crime none were:
Since which that Flie them in her wings doth beare,

Thus the fresh Clarion, being readie dight,
Unto his journey did himselfe addresse,
And with good speed began to take his flight:
Over the fields, in his franke lustinesse,
And all the champaine o're he soared light;
And all the countrey wide he did possesse,
Feeding upon their pleasures bounteouslie,
That none gainsaid, nor none did him envie.

The woods, the rivers, and the medowes greene,
With his aire-cutting wings he measured wide,
Ne did he leave the mountaines bare unseene,
Nor the ranke grassie fennes delights untride.
But none of these, how ever sweet they beene,
Mote please his fancie, nor him cause t' abide :
His choicefull sense with every change doth flit.
No common things may please a wavering wit.

To the gay gardins his unstaid desire
Him wholly caried, to refresh his sprights:
There lavish Nature, in her best attire,
Powres forth sweete odors and alluring sights;
And Arte, with her contending, doth aspire,
T'excell the naturall with made delights:
And all, that faire or pleasant may be found,
In riotous excesse doth there abound.

185

And then againe he turneth to his play,
To spoyle the pleasures of that Paradise;
The wholesome saulge, and lavender still gray,
Ranke smelling rue, and cummin good for eyes,
The roses raigning in the pride of May,
Sharpe isope good for greene wounds remedies, 190
Faire marigoldes, and bees-alluring thime,
Sweet marioram, and daysies decking prime:

Coole violets, and orpine growing still,
Embathed balme, and chearfull galingale,
Fresh costmarie, and breathfull camomill,
Dull poppy, and drink-quickning setuale,
Veyne-healing verven, and hed-purging dill,
Sound savorie, and bazil hartie-hale,
Fat colworts, and comforting perseline,
Cold lettuce, and refreshing rosmarine.

And whatso else of vertue good or ill
Grewe in this Gardin, fetcht from farre away,
Of everie one he takes, and tastes at will,
And on their pleasures greedily doth pray.
Then when he hath both plaid, and fed his fill,
In the warme sunne he doth himselfe embay,
And there him rests in riotous suffisaunce
Of all his gladfulnes, and kingly ioyaunce.

195

200

205

210

What more felicitie can fall to creature
Then to enjoy delight with libertie,
And to be lord of all the workes of Nature,
To raigne in th' aire from th' earth to highest skie,
To feed on flowres and weeds of glorious feature,
To take what ever thing doth please the eie?
Who rests not pleased with such happines,
Well worthy he to taste of wretchednes.

But what on earth can long abide in state?
Or who can him assure of happy day?
Sith morning faire may bring fowle evening late,
And least mishap the most blisse alter may !
For thousand perills lie in close awaite
About us daylie, to worke our decay;
That none, except a God, or God him guide,
May them avoyde, or remedie provide.

And whatso heavens in their secret doome
Ordained have, how can fraile fleshly wight
Forecast, but it must needs to issue come?
The sea, the aire, the fire, the day, the night,
And th' armies of their creatures all and some
Do serve to them, and with importune might

215

220

225

230

maliced,] Bore him so much ill will. TODD. confound, For confounded. TODD. tapet] Worked or figured stuff. In the Swedish language, I may add, a TAPESTRY-maker is termed TAPET-makare. TODD.

Ver. 276.

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