Free The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser Page B

shame,
    Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue;
    That doth this
Redcrosse
knights ensample plainly proue.
    2 Who after that he had faire
Vna
lorne,
    Through light misdeeming of her loialtie,
    And false
Duessa
in her sted had borne,
    Called
Fidess’,
and so supposd to bee;
    Long with her traueild, till at last they see
    A goodly building, brauely garnished,
    The house of mightie Prince it seemd to bee:
    And towards it a broad high way that led,
    All bare through peoples feet, which thither traueiled.
    3 Great troupes of people traueild thitherward
    Both day and night, of each degree and place,
    But few returned, hauing scaped hard,
    With balefull beggerie, or foule disgrace,
    Which euer after in most wretched case,
    Like loathsome lazars, by the hedges lay.
    Thither
Duessa
bad him bend his pace:
    For she is wearie of the toilesome way,
    And also nigh consumed is the lingring day.
    4 A stately Pallace built of squared bricke,
    Which cunningly was without morter laid,
    Whose wals were high, but nothing strong, nor thick,
    And golden foile all ouer them displaid.
    That purest skye with brightnesse they dismaid:
    High lifted vp were many loftie towres,
    And goodly galleries farre ouer laid,
    Full of faire windowes, and delightfull bowres;
    And on the top a Diall told the timely howres.
    5 It was a goodly heape for to behould,
    And spake the praises of the workmans wit;
    But full great pittie, that so faire a mould
    Did on so weake foundation euer sit:
    For on a sandie hill, that still did flit,
    And fall away, it mounted was full hie,
    That euery breath of heauen shaked it:
    And all the hinder parts, that few could spie,
    Were ruinous and old, but painted cunningly.
    6 Arriued there they passed in forth right;
    For still to all the gates stood open wide,
    Yet charge of them was to a Porter hight
    Cald
Maluenù,
who entrance none denide:
    Thence to the hall, which was on euery side
    With rich array and costly arras dight:
    Infinite sorts of people did abide
    There waiting long, to win the wished sight
    Of her, that was the Lady of that Pallace bright
    7 By them they passe, all gazing on them round,
    And to the Presence mount; whose glorious vew
    Their frayle amazed senses did confound:
    In liuing Princes court none euer knew
    Such endlesse richesse, and so sumptuous shew;
    Ne
Persia
selfe, the nourse of pompous pride
    Like euer saw. And there a noble crew
    Of Lordes and Ladies stood on euery side,
    Which with their presence faire, the place much beautifide.
    8 High aboue all a cloth of State was spred,
    And a rich throne, as bright as sunny day,
    On which there sate most braue embellished
    With royall robes and gorgeous array,
    A mayden Queene, that shone as
Titans
ray,
    In glistring gold, and peerelesse pretious stone:
    Yet her bright blazing beautie did assay
    To dim the brightnesse of her glorious throne,
    As enuying her selfe, that too exceeding shone.
    9 Exceeding shone, like
Phoebus
fairest childe,
    That did presume his fathers firie wayne,
    And flaming mouthes of steedes vnwonted wilde
    Through highest heauen with weaker hand to rayne;
    Proud of such glory and aduancement vaine,
    While flashing beames do daze his feeble eyen,
    He leaues the welkin way most beaten plaine,
    And rapt with whirling wheeles, inflames the skyen,
    With fire not made to burne, but fairely for to shyne.
    10 So proud she shyned in her Princely state,
    Looking to heauen; for earth she did disdayne,
    And sitting high; for lowly she did hate:
    Lo vnderneath her scornefull feete, was layne
    A dreadfull Dragon with an hideous trayne,
    And in her hand she held a mirrhour bright,
    Wherein her face she often vewed fayne,
    And in her selfe-lou’d semblance tooke delight;
    For she was wondrous faire, as any liuing wight.
    11 Of griesly
Pluto
she the daughter was,
    And sad
Proserpina
the Queene of hell;
    Yet did she thinke her pearelesse worth to pas
    That parentage, with pride so did she swell,
    And thundring
Ioue,
that high in heauen doth