The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

462 THE FAER~RE QUEEN. [BOOK IV.
From her fair eyes wiping-the dewy'wet, W'retchedly wearing out his youthly years,
W hich softly still'd,l and kissing them atween, Through wilful penury9 consumed quite, -
And handling soft the hurts which she did get: That like a pined ghost he soon appears:
For of that carl she sorely bruis'd had been, For other food than that wild forest bears,
Als' 2 of his own rash hands one wound was to Nor other drink there did he ever taste
be seen. Than running water temper'd with his tears,
The more his weaken'd body so to waste:
Which when she saw with sudden glancing eye,, That out of all men's knowledge he was worn
Her noble heart, with sight thereof, was fil'd'With deep disdain, and great indignity,
That in her wrath she thought them both have For on a day, by fortune as it fell,
thrill'd 3 His own dear lord.Prince Arthur came that way,
With that self arrow which the carl had kill'd: Seeking adventures where he might hear tell;
Yet held herwrathfulhand from vengeance sore: And, as he through the wand'ring wood did
But, drawing nigh, ere he her well beheld, stray,
"Is this the faith?" 4 she said-and said no Having espied his cabin far away,
more, He to it drew, to weet 10 who there did won; 1
But turn'd her face, and fled away for evermore. Weening therein some holy hermit lay,
That did resort of sinful people shun;
He, seeing her depart, arose up light, odmn shrouded there from
Or else some woodman shrouded there from
Right sore aggrieved at her sharp reproof,
scorching sun.
And follow'd fast: but, when he came in sight,
He durst not nigh approach, but kept aloof, Arriving there, he found this wretched man
For dread of her displeasure's utmost proof: Spending his days in dolour and despair,
And evermore, when he did grace entreat, And, through long fasting, waxing pale and wan,
And framed speeches fit for his behoof, All overgrown with rude and rugged hair;
Her mortal arrows she at him did threat, That albeit his own dear Squire he were,
And forc'd him back with foul dishonour to Yet he him knew not, nor advis'd 2 at all;
retreat. But Iike strange wight, whom he had seen
nowh6re,
At last, when long he follow'd had in vain, a h
Saluting him gan into speech to fall,
Yet found no ease of grief nor hope of grace, d piy m his pi, t l l
And pity much his plight, that liv'd like outUnto those woods he turned back again, thrall.
Full of sad anguish and in heavy case:
And, finding there fit solitary pladeBut to his speech he answered no whit,
For woeful wight, chose out a gloomy glade, But stood still mute as if he had been dumb,
Where hardly eye might see bright heaven's face Nor sign of sense did show, nor common wit,
For mossy trees, which cover'd all with shade As one with grief and anguish overcome;
And sad melancholy; there he his cabin made. And unto ev'rything did answer mum:
And ever, when the Prince unto him spake,
His wonted warlike weapons all he broke He louted3 lowly, as did him become
And threw away, with vow to use no more, And humble homage did unto him make;
Nor thenceforth ever strike in battle stroke, Midst sorrow showing joyous semblance for his
Nor ever word to speak to woman more; k.
But in that wilderness, of men forlore,s 5
But in that wilderness, of men forlore,5 At which his uncouth guise and usage quaint
And of the wicked world forgotten quite,
And of the wicked world forgotten qe, The Prince did wonder much, yet could not
His hard mishap in dolour to deplore, guess
And waste his wretched days in woeful plight: The cause of that his sorrowful constraint
So on himself to wreak his folly's own despite. Yet ween'd, by secret signs of manliness
And eke his garment, to be thereto meet, Which close appear'd in that rude brutishness,
He wilfully did cut and shape anew; That he whil6m some gentle swain, had been,
And his fair locks, that wont with ointment Train'd up in feats of arms and knightliness;
sweet Which he observ'd, by that he him had seen
To be embalm'd, and sweat out dainty dew, To wield his naked sword, and try the edges
He let to grow and grisly to concrue,6 keen;
Uncomb'd, uncurl'd, and carelessly unshed; And eke by that he saw on ev'ry tree
That in short time his face they overgrew, ow he the name of one engraven had.And over all his shoulders did dispread, Which likely was his liefest 14 love to be,
That who he whilom was unneth wasto be read. From whom he now so sorely was bestad;5
There he continued in this careful8 plight, Which was by him BELPHIEBE rightly rad:16
1 Distilled. 2 Also. 3 Pierced. the career of his friend Raleigh (whom as it has been
4 In or shortly after the year 1592, Raleigh incurred already stated, Timias represents) that Spenser refers
the grave displeasure of Queen Elizabeth, by an amour in the not less bold than beautiful passage before us.
which was discovered to exist between him and one of 5 Abandoned. 6 Grow together.
her maids,of honour-Elizabeth, daughter of Sir 7 That it was scarcely possible to tell who he formerly
Nicholas Throckmorton. Though he made reparation was. 8 Sorrowful. 9 Privation.
to the lady's honour by marrying her, still ~he was im- 1o Learn. 11 Dwell.
prisoned for several months, and banished from the 12 Recognised. 13 Bowed. 14 Dearest.
Queen's presence and Court. It is tothis episode in 15 Separated from whom hewas sowretched. 16 Read.