The Faerie Queene

  Assembled were in field, the chalenge to define.

  4 The field with listes was all about enclos’d,

  To barre the prease of people farre away;

  And at th’one side sixe iudges were dispos’d,

  To view and deeme the deedes of armes that day;

  And on the other side in fresh aray,

  Fayre Canacee vpon a stately stage

  Was set, to see the fortune of that fray,

  And to be seene, as his most worthie wage,

  That could her purchase with his liues aduentur’d gage.

  5 Then entred Cambell first into the list,

  With stately steps, and fearelesse countenance,

  As if the conquest his he surely wist.

  Soone after did the brethren three aduance,

  In braue aray and goodly amenance,

  With scutchins gilt and banners broad displayd:

  And marching thrise in warlike ordinance,

  Thrise lowted lowly to the noble Mayd,

  The whiles shril trompets & loud clarions sweedy playd.

  6 Which doen the doughty chalenger came forth,

  All arm’d to point his chalenge to abet:

  Gainst whom Sir Priamond with equall worth:

  And equall armes himselfe did forward set

  A trompet blew; they both together met,

  With dreadfull force, and furious intent,

  Carelesse of perill in their fiers affret,

  As if that life to losse they had forelent,

  And cared not to spare, that should be shortly spent

  7 Right practicke was Sir Priamond in fight,

  And throughly skild in vse of shield and speare;

  Ne lesse approued was Cambelloes might,

  Ne lesse his skill in weapons did appeare,

  That hard it was to weene which harder were.

  Full many mightie strokes on either side

  Were sent, that seemed death in them to beare,

  But they were both so watchfull and well eyde,

  That they auoyded were, and vainely by did slyde.

  8 Yet one of many was so strongly bent

  By Priamond, that with vnluckie glaunce

  Through Cambels shoulder it vnwarely went,

  That forced him his shield to disaduaunce,

  Much was he grieued with that gracelesse chaunce,

  Yet from the wound no drop of bloud there fell,

  But wondrous paine, that did the more enhaunce

  His haughtie courage to aduengement fell:

  Smart daunts not mighty harts, but makes them more to swell.

  9 With that his poynant speare he fierce auentred,

  With doubled force close vnderneath his shield,

  That through the mayles into his thigh it entred,

  And there arresting, readie way did yield,

  For bloud to gush forth on the grassie field;

  That he for paine himselfe not right vpreare,

  But too and fro in great amazement reel’d,

  Like an old Oke whose pith and sap is seare,

  At puffe of euery storme doth stagger here and theare.

  10 Whom so dismayd when Campbell had espide,

  Againe he droue at him with double might,

  That nought mote stay the Steele, till in his side

  The mortall point most cruelly empight:

  Where fast infixed, whilest he sought by slight

  It forth to wrest, the staffe a sunder brake,

  And left the head behind: with which despight

  He all enrag’d, his shiuering speare did shake,

  And charging him afresh thus felly him bespake.

  11 Lo faitour there thy meede vnto thee take,

  The meede of thy mischalenge and abet:

  Not for thine owne, but for thy sisters sake,

  Haue I thus long thy life vnto thee let:

  But to forbeare doth not forgiue the det.

  The wicked weapon heard his wrathfull vow,

  And passing forth with furious affret,

  Pierst through his beuer quite into his brow,

  That with the force it backward forced him to bow.

  12 Therewith a sunder in the midst it brast,

  And in his hand nought but the troncheon left,

  The other halfe behind yet sticking fast,

  Out of his headpeece Cambell fiercely reft,

  And with such furie backe at him it heft,

  That making way vnto his dearest life,

  His weasand pipe it through his gorget cleft:

  Thence streames of purple bloud issuing rife,

  Let forth his wearie ghost and made an end of strife.

  13 His wearie ghost assoyld from fleshly band,

  Did not as others wont, directly fly

  Vnto her rest in Plutoes griesly land,

  Ne into ayre did vanish presently,

  Ne chaunged was into a starre in sky:

  But through traduction was eftsoones deriued,

  Like as his mother prayd the Destinie,

  Into his other brethren, that suruiued,

  In whom he liu’d a new, of former life depriued.

  14 Whom when on ground his brother next beheld,

  Though sad and sorie for so heauy sight,

  Yet leaue vnto his sorrow did not yeeld,

  But rather stird to vengeance and despight,

  Through secret feeling of his generous spright,

  Rusht fiercely forth, the battell to renew,

  As in reuersion of his brothers right;

  And chalenging the Virgin as bis dew.

  His foe was soone addrest: the trompets freshly blew.

  15 With that they both together fiercely met,

  As if that each ment other to deuoure;

  And with their axes both so sorely bet,

  That neither plate nor mayle, whereas their powre

  They felt, could once sustaine the hideous stowre,

  But riued were like rotten wood a sunder,

  Whilest through dieir rifts the ruddie bloud did showre

  And fire did flash, like lightning after thunder,

  That fild the lookers on attonce with ruth and wonder.

  16 As when two Tygers prickt with hungers rage,

  Haue by good fortune found some beasts fresh spoyle,

  On which they weene their famine to asswage,

  And gaine a feastfull guerdon, of their toyle,

  Both falling out doe stirre vp strifefull broyle,

  And cruell battell twixt themselues doe make,

  Whiles neither lets the other touch the soyle,

  But either sdeignes with other to partake:

  So cruelly these Knights stroue for that Ladies sake.

  17 Full many strokes, that mortally were ment,

  The whiles were enterchaunged twixt them two;

  Yet they were all with so good wariment

  Or warded, or auoyded and let goe,

  That still the life stood fearelesse of her foe:

  Till Diamond disdeigning long delay

  Of doubtfull fortune wauering to and fro,

  Resolu’d to end it one or other way;

  And heau’d his murdrous axe at him with mighty sway.

  18 The dreadfull stroke in case it had arriued,

  Where it was ment, (so deadly it was ment)

  The soule had sure out of his bodie riued,

  And stinted all the strife incontinent.

  But Cambels fate that fortune did preuent:

  For seeing it at hand, he swaru’d asyde,

  And so gaue way vnto his fell intent:

  Who missing of the marke which he had eyde,

  Was with the force nigh feld whilst his right foot did slyde.

  19 As when a Vulture greedie of his pray,

  Through hunger long, that hart to him doth lend,

  Strikes at an Heron with all his bodies sway,

  That from his force seemes nought may it defend;

  T
he warie fowle that spies him toward bend

  His dreadfull souse, auoydes it shunning light,

  And maketh him his wing in vaine to spend;

  That with the weight of his owne weeldlesse might,

  He falleth nigh to ground, and scarse recouereth flight.

  20 Which faire aduenture when Cambello spide,

  Full lightly, ere himselfe he could recower,

  From daungers dread to ward his naked side,

  He can let driue at him with all his power,

  And with his axe him smote in euill hower,

  That from his shoulders quite his head he reft:

  The headlesse tronke, as heedlesse of that stower,

  Stood still a while, and his fast footing kept,

  Till feeling life to fayle, it fell, and deadly slept

  21 They which that piteous spectacle beheld,

  Were much amaz’d the headlesse tronke to see

  Stand vp so long, and weapon vaine to weld,

  Vnweeting of the Fates diuine decree,

  For lifes succession in those brethren three.

  For notwithstanding that one soule was reft,

  Yet, had the bodie not dismembred bee,

  It would haue liued, and reuiued eft;

  But finding no fit seat, the lifelesse corse it left.

  22 It left; but that same soule, which therein dwelt,

  Streight entring into Triamond, him fild

  With double life, and griefe, which when he felt,

  As one whose inner parts had bene ythrild

  With point of Steele, that close his hartbloud spild,

  He lightly lept out of his place of rest,

  And rushing forth into the emptie field,

  Against Cambello fiercely him addrest;

  Who him affronting soone to fight was readie prest.

  23 Well mote ye wonder how that noble Knight,

  After he had so often wounded beene,

  Could stand on foot, now to renew the fight.

  But had ye then him forth aduauncing seene,

  Some newborne wight ye would him surely weene:

  So fresh he seemed and so fierce in sight;

  Like as a Snake, whom wearie winters teene,

  Hath worne to nought, now feeling sommers might,

  Casts off his ragged skin and freshly doth him dight.

  24 All was through vertue of the ring he wore,

  The which not onely did not from him let

  One drop of bloud to fall, but did restore

  His weakned powers, and dulled spirits whet,

  Through working of the stone therein yset.

  Eke how could one of equall might with most,

  Against so many no lesse mightie met,

  Once thinke to match three such on equall cost,

  Three such as able were to match a puissant host.

  25 Yet nought thereof was Triamond adredde,

  Ne desperate of glorious victorie,

  But sharpely him assayld, and sore bestedde,

  With heapes of strokes, which he at him let die,

  As thicke as hayle forth poured from the skie:

  He stroke, he soust, he foynd, he hewd, he lasht,

  And did his yron brond so fast applie,

  That from the same the fierie sparkles flasht,

  As fast as water-sprinkles gainst a rocke are dasht

  26 Much was Cambello daunted with his blowes,

  So thicke they fell, and forcibly were sent,

  That he was forst from daunger of the throwes

  Backe to retire, and somewhat to relent,

  Till th’heat of his fierce furie he had spent:

  Which when for want of breath gan to abate,

  He then afresh with new encouragement

  Did him assayle, and mightily amate,

  As fast as forward erst, now backward to retrate.

  27 Like as the tide that comes from th’Ocean mayne,

  Flowes vp the Shenan with contrarie forse,

  And ouerruling him in his owne rayne,

  Driues backe the current of his kindly course,

  And makes it seeme to haue some other fourse:

  But when the floud is spent, then backe againe

  His borrowed waters forst to redisbourse,

  He sends the sea his owne with double gaine,

  And tribute eke withall, as to his Soueraine.

  28 Thus did the battell varie to and fro,

  With diuerse fortune doubtfull to be deemed:

  Now this the better had, now had his fo;

  Then he halfe vanquisht, then the other seemed,

  Yet victors both them selues alwayes esteemed.

  And all the while the disentrayled blood

  Adowne their sides like litle riuers stremed,

  That with the wasting of his vitall flood,

  Sir Triamond at last full faint and feeble stood.

  29 But Cambell still more strong and greater grew,

  Ne felt his blood to wast, ne powres emperisht,

  Through that rings vertue, that with vigour new,

  Still when as he enfeebled was, him cherisht,

  And all his wounds, and all his bruses guarisht,

  Like as a withered tree through husbands toyle

  Is often seene full freshly to haue florisht,

  And fruitfull apples to haue borne awhile,

  As fresh as when it first was planted in the soyle.

  30 Through which aduantage, in his strength he rose,

  And smote the other with so wondrous might,

  That through the seame, which did his hauberk close,

  Into his throate and life it pierced quight,

  That downe he fell as dead in all mens sight:

  Yet dead he was not, yet he sure did die,

  As all men do, that lose the liuing spright:

  So did one soule out of his bodie flie

  Vnto her natiue home from mortall miserie.

  31 But nathelesse whilst all the lookers on

  Him dead behight, as he to all appeard,

  All vnawares he started vp anon,

  As one that had out of a dreame bene reard,

  And fresh assayld his foe, who halfe affeard

  Of th’vncouth sight, as he some ghost had seene,

  Stood still amaz’d, holding his idle sweard;

  Till hauing often by him stricken beene,

  He forced was to strike, and saue him selfe from teene.

  32 Yet from thenceforth more warily he fought,

  As one in feare the Stygian gods t’offend,

  Ne followd on so fast, but rather sought

  Him selfe to saue, and daunger to defend,

  Then life and labour both in vaine to spend.

  Which Triamond perceiuing, weened sure

  He gan to faint, toward the battels end,

  And that he should not long on foote endure,

  A signe which did to him the victorie assure.

  33 Whereof full blith, eftsoones his mightie hand

  He heav’d on high, in mind with that same blow

  To make an end of all that did withstand:

  Which Cambell seeing come, was nothing slow

  Him selfe to saue from that so deadly throw;

  And at that instant reaching forth his sweard

  Close vnderneath his shield, that scarce did show,

  Stroke him, as he his hand to strike vpreard,

  In th’arm-pit full, that through both sides the wound appeard.

  34 Yet still that direfull stroke kept on his way,

  And falling heauie on Cambelloes crest,

  Strooke him so hugely, that in swowne he lay,

  And in his head an hideous wound imprest:

  And sure had it not happily found rest

  Vpon the brim of his brode plated shield,

  It would haue cleft his braine downe to his brest.

  So both at once fell dead vpon the field,

  And each to other seemd the victorie
to yield.

  35 Which when as all the lookers on beheld,

  They weened sure the warre was at an end,

  And Iudges rose, and Marshals of the field

  Broke vp the listes, their armes away to rend;

  And Canacee gan wayle her dearest frend.

  All suddenly they both vpstarted light,

  The one out of the swownd, which him did blend,

  The other breathing now another spright,

  And fiercely each assayling, gan afresh to fight.

  36 Long while they then continued in that wize,

  As if but then the battell had begonne:

  Strokes, wounds, wards, weapons, all they did despise,

  Ne either car’d to ward, or perill shonne,

  Desirous both to haue the battell donne;

  Ne either cared life to saue or spill,

  Ne which of them did winne, ne which were wonne.

  So wearie both of fighting had their fill,

  That life it selfe seemd loathsome, and long safetie ill.

  37 Whilst thus the case in doubtfull ballance hong,

  Vnsure to whether side it would incline,

  And all mens eyes and hearts, which there among

  Stood gazing, filled were with rufull tine,

  And secret feare, to see their fatall fine,

  All suddenly they heard a troublous noyes,

  That seemd some perilous tumult to desine,

  Confusd with womens cries, and shouts of boyes,

  Such as the troubled Theaters oftimes annoyes.

  38 Thereat the Champions both stood still a-space,

  To weeten what that sudden clamour ment;

  Lo where they spyde with speedie whirling pace,

  One in a charet of straunge furniment,

  Towards them driuing like a storme out sent.

  The charet decked was in wondrous wize,

  With gold and many a gorgeous ornament,

  After the Persian Monarks antique guize,

  Such as the maker selfe could best by art deuize.

  39 And drawne it was (that wonder is to tell)

  Of two grim lyons, taken from the wood,

  In which their powre all others did excell;

  Now made forget their former cruell mood,

  T’obey their riders hest, as seemed good.

  And therein sate a Ladie passing faire

  And bright, that seemed borne of Angels brood,

  And with her beautie bountie did compare,

  Whether of them in her should haue the greater share.

  40 Thereto she learned was in Magicke leare,

  And all the artes, that subtill wits discouer,

  Hauing therein bene trained many a yeare,

  And well instructed by the Fay her mother,

  That in the same she farre exceld all other.

  Who vnderstanding by her mightie art,

  Of th’euill plight, in which her dearest brother