FOOTNOTES:

THE SIXTEBOOKE OF THEFAERIE QVEENE.ContayningTHE LEGEND OF S. CALIDOREOROF COVRTESIE.

The waies, through which my weary steps I guyde,ithis delightfull land of Faery,Are so exceeding spacious and wyde,And sprinckled with such sweet variety,Of all that pleasant is to eare or eye,That I nigh rauisht with rare thoughts delight,My tedious trauell doe forget thereby;And when I gin to feele decay of might,It[398]strength to me supplies, and chears my dulled spright.Such secret comfort, and such heauenly pleasures,iiYe sacred imps, that onParnassodwell,And there the keeping haue of learnings threasures,Which doe all worldly riches farre excell,Into the mindes of mortall men doe well,And goodly fury into them infuse;Guyde ye my footing, and conduct me wellIn these strange waies, where neuer foote did vse,Ne none can find, but who was taught them by the Muse.Reuele to me the sacred nourseryiiiOf vertue, which with you doth there remaine,Where it in siluer bowre does hidden lyFrom view of men, and wicked worlds disdaine.Since[399]it at first was by the Gods with painePlanted in earth, being deriv’d at furstFrom heauenly seedes of bounty soueraine,And by them long with carefull labour nurst,Till it to ripenesse grew, and forth to honour burst.Amongst them all growes not a fayrer flowre,ivThen is the bloosme of comely courtesie,Which though it on a lowly stalke doe bowre,Yet brancheth forth in braue nobilitie,And spreds it selfe through all ciuilitie:Of which though present age doe plenteous seeme,Yet being matcht with plaine Antiquitie,Ye will them all but fayned showes esteeme,Which carry colours faire, that feeble eies misdeeme.But in the triall of true curtesie,vIts now so farre from that, which then it was,That it indeed is nought but forgerie,Fashion’d to please the eies of them, that pas,Which see not perfect things but in a glas:Yet is that glasse so gay, that it can blyndThe wisest sight, to thinke gold that is bras.But vertues seat is deepe within the mynd,And not in outward shows, but inward thoughts defynd.But where shall I in all AntiquityviSo faire a patterne finde, where may be seeneThe goodly praise of Princely curtesie,As in your selfe, O soueraine Lady Queene,In whose pure minde, as in a mirrour sheene,It showes, and with her brightnesse doth inflameThe eyes of all, which thereon fixed beene;But meriteth indeede an higher name:Yet so from low to high vplifted is your name[400].Then pardon me, most dreaded Soueraine,viiThat from your selfe I doe this vertue bring,And to your selfe doe it returne againe:So from the Ocean all riuers spring,And tribute backe repay as to their King.Right so from you all goodly vertues wellInto the rest, which round about you ring,Faire Lords and Ladies, which about you dwell,And doe adorne your Court, where courtesies excell.

The waies, through which my weary steps I guyde,i

this delightfull land of Faery,

Are so exceeding spacious and wyde,

And sprinckled with such sweet variety,

Of all that pleasant is to eare or eye,

That I nigh rauisht with rare thoughts delight,

My tedious trauell doe forget thereby;

And when I gin to feele decay of might,

It[398]strength to me supplies, and chears my dulled spright.

Such secret comfort, and such heauenly pleasures,iiYe sacred imps, that onParnassodwell,And there the keeping haue of learnings threasures,Which doe all worldly riches farre excell,Into the mindes of mortall men doe well,And goodly fury into them infuse;Guyde ye my footing, and conduct me wellIn these strange waies, where neuer foote did vse,Ne none can find, but who was taught them by the Muse.

Such secret comfort, and such heauenly pleasures,ii

Ye sacred imps, that onParnassodwell,

And there the keeping haue of learnings threasures,

Which doe all worldly riches farre excell,

Into the mindes of mortall men doe well,

And goodly fury into them infuse;

Guyde ye my footing, and conduct me well

In these strange waies, where neuer foote did vse,

Ne none can find, but who was taught them by the Muse.

Reuele to me the sacred nourseryiiiOf vertue, which with you doth there remaine,Where it in siluer bowre does hidden lyFrom view of men, and wicked worlds disdaine.Since[399]it at first was by the Gods with painePlanted in earth, being deriv’d at furstFrom heauenly seedes of bounty soueraine,And by them long with carefull labour nurst,Till it to ripenesse grew, and forth to honour burst.

Reuele to me the sacred nourseryiii

Of vertue, which with you doth there remaine,

Where it in siluer bowre does hidden ly

From view of men, and wicked worlds disdaine.

Since[399]it at first was by the Gods with paine

Planted in earth, being deriv’d at furst

From heauenly seedes of bounty soueraine,

And by them long with carefull labour nurst,

Till it to ripenesse grew, and forth to honour burst.

Amongst them all growes not a fayrer flowre,ivThen is the bloosme of comely courtesie,Which though it on a lowly stalke doe bowre,Yet brancheth forth in braue nobilitie,And spreds it selfe through all ciuilitie:Of which though present age doe plenteous seeme,Yet being matcht with plaine Antiquitie,Ye will them all but fayned showes esteeme,Which carry colours faire, that feeble eies misdeeme.

Amongst them all growes not a fayrer flowre,iv

Then is the bloosme of comely courtesie,

Which though it on a lowly stalke doe bowre,

Yet brancheth forth in braue nobilitie,

And spreds it selfe through all ciuilitie:

Of which though present age doe plenteous seeme,

Yet being matcht with plaine Antiquitie,

Ye will them all but fayned showes esteeme,

Which carry colours faire, that feeble eies misdeeme.

But in the triall of true curtesie,vIts now so farre from that, which then it was,That it indeed is nought but forgerie,Fashion’d to please the eies of them, that pas,Which see not perfect things but in a glas:Yet is that glasse so gay, that it can blyndThe wisest sight, to thinke gold that is bras.But vertues seat is deepe within the mynd,And not in outward shows, but inward thoughts defynd.

But in the triall of true curtesie,v

Its now so farre from that, which then it was,

That it indeed is nought but forgerie,

Fashion’d to please the eies of them, that pas,

Which see not perfect things but in a glas:

Yet is that glasse so gay, that it can blynd

The wisest sight, to thinke gold that is bras.

But vertues seat is deepe within the mynd,

And not in outward shows, but inward thoughts defynd.

But where shall I in all AntiquityviSo faire a patterne finde, where may be seeneThe goodly praise of Princely curtesie,As in your selfe, O soueraine Lady Queene,In whose pure minde, as in a mirrour sheene,It showes, and with her brightnesse doth inflameThe eyes of all, which thereon fixed beene;But meriteth indeede an higher name:Yet so from low to high vplifted is your name[400].

But where shall I in all Antiquityvi

So faire a patterne finde, where may be seene

The goodly praise of Princely curtesie,

As in your selfe, O soueraine Lady Queene,

In whose pure minde, as in a mirrour sheene,

It showes, and with her brightnesse doth inflame

The eyes of all, which thereon fixed beene;

But meriteth indeede an higher name:

Yet so from low to high vplifted is your name[400].

Then pardon me, most dreaded Soueraine,viiThat from your selfe I doe this vertue bring,And to your selfe doe it returne againe:So from the Ocean all riuers spring,And tribute backe repay as to their King.Right so from you all goodly vertues wellInto the rest, which round about you ring,Faire Lords and Ladies, which about you dwell,And doe adorne your Court, where courtesies excell.

Then pardon me, most dreaded Soueraine,vii

That from your selfe I doe this vertue bring,

And to your selfe doe it returne againe:

So from the Ocean all riuers spring,

And tribute backe repay as to their King.

Right so from you all goodly vertues well

Into the rest, which round about you ring,

Faire Lords and Ladies, which about you dwell,

And doe adorne your Court, where courtesies excell.

FOOTNOTES:[398]9 It] tI1596[399]iii 5 Since] Sith1609[400]vi 9 name] fameedd.

[398]9 It] tI1596

[399]iii 5 Since] Sith1609

[400]vi 9 name] fameedd.

Back to Index Next