That thousand deathes me lever 1

were to dye
Then breake the vow that to faire Columbell
I plighted have, and yet keepe stedfastly:
As for my name, it mistreth 2 not to tell;

Call me the Squyre of Dames; that me beseemeth well.

LII.

"But that bold Knight, whom ye pursuing saw
That Geauntesse, is not such as she seemd,
But a faire Virgin that in martiall law

And deedes of armes above all Dames is deemd,
And above many Knightes is eke esteemd
For her great worth; she Palladine is hight 3:
She you from death, you me from dread, redeemd:
Ne any may that monster match in fight,

But she, or such as she, that is so chaste a wight."

LIII.

"Her well beseemes that quest," quoth Satyrane: "But read,5 thou Squyre of Dames, what vow is this, Which thou upon thyselfe hast lately ta'ne?" "That shall I you recount," quoth he, "ywis,

So be ye pleasd to pardon all amis.

That gentle Lady whom I love and serve,

After long suit and wearie servicis,

Did aske me how I could her love deserve,

And how she might be sure that I would never swerve.

LIV.

"I, glad by any meanes her grace to gaine.

1 Me lever, I would rather.

2 Mistreth, signifieth.

3 Hight, called.

LIII. 4.

4 Quest, expedition.

5 Read, explain.

6 Ywis, certainly.

That shall I you recount, quoth he.] "The tale of the Squyre of Dames is a copy of the Host's tale in Ariosto, canto XXVIII."-WARTON.

Badd her commaund my life to save or spill1:
Eftsoones 2 she badd me with incessaunt paine
To wander through the world abroad at will,
And every where, where with my power or skill

I might doe service unto gentle Dames,

That I the same should faithfully fulfill;

And at the twelve monethes end should bring their names And pledges, as the spoiles of my victorious games.

LV.

"So well I to faire Ladies service did,

And found such favour in their loving hartes,
That, ere the yeare his course had compassid,
Three hundred pledges for my good desartes,
And thrice three hundred thanks for my good partes,
I with me brought and did to her present:
Which when she saw, more bent to eke 3
Then to reward my trusty true intent,
She gan for me devise a grievous punishment;

LVI.

my smartes

“To weet, that I my traveill should resume, And with like labour walke the world arownd, Ne ever to her presence should presume,

Till I so many other Dames had fownd,

The which, for all the suit I could propownd,
Would me refuse their pledges to afford,

But did abide for ever chaste and sownd."
"Ah! gentle Squyre,” quoth he, "tell at one word,
How
many fownd'st thou such to put in thy record?"

LVII.

"Indeed, Sir Knight," said he, "one word may tell All that I ever fownd so wisely stayd,5

1 Spill, spoil, destroy.

4 Then, than.

2 Eftsoones, immediately.

3 Eke, increase.

5 Stayd, staid, or discreet.

i

For onely three they were disposd so well;

And yet three yeares I now abrode have strayd,
To find them out." "Mote I," then laughing sayd
The Knight," inquire of thee what were those three,
The which thy proffred curtesie denayd1?

Or ill they seemed sure avizd 2 to bee,

Or brutishly brought up, that nev'r did fashions see."

LVIII.

"The first which then refused me," said hee, "Certes 3 was but a common courtisane;

Yet flat refusd to have adoe with mee, Because I could not give her many a jane." (Thereat full hartely laughed Satyrane.) "The second was an holy nunne to chose, Which would not let me be her chappellane, Because she knew, she sayd, I would disclose Her counsell, if she should her trust in me repose.

LIX.

"The third a damzell was of low degree,
Whom I in countrey cottage fownd by chaunce:
Full litle weened I that chastitee

Had lodging in so meane a maintenaunce1;
Yet was she fayre, and in her countenaunce
Dwelt simple truth in seemely fashion :
Long thus I woo'd her with due observaunce,
In hope unto my pleasure to have won ;
But was as far at last, as when I first begon.

1 Denayd, denied.
2 Avizd, disposed.

3 Certes, truly.

4 Maintenaunce, condition.

LVIII. 4. Many a jane.] Much money.-Jane, according to Tyrwhitt, was a small coin of Genoa, or Janua.

LX.

"Safe 1 her, I never any woman found
That chastity did for itselfe embrace,
But were for other causes firme and sound;
Either for want of handsome time and place,
Or else for feare of shame and fowle disgrace.
Thus am I hopelesse ever to attaine

My Ladies love, in such a desperate case,
But all my dayes am like to waste in vaine,

Seeking to match the chaste with th' unchaste Ladies traine."

LXI.

"Perdy," sayd Satyrane, "thou Squyre of Dames,
Great labour fondly 3 hast thou hent in hand,
To get small thankes, and therewith many blames;
That may emongst Alcides labours stand."
Thence backe returning to the former land,5
Where late he left the beast he overcame,
He found him not; for he had broke his band,
And was returnd againe unto his Dame,
To tell what tydings of fayre Florimell became.

1 Safe, save. 2 Perdy, truly.

4 Hent, taken.

3 Fondly, foolishly. 5 Land, place.

LX. 1.- Safe her, &c.] Let it be remembered that these sentiments are put by Spenser into the mouth of a light and vain profligate, and that they are no more to be regarded as his own, than the language of the fallen angels, in Paradise Lost, is to be deemed as expressive of Milton's own opinions. No poet ever had a truer respect for woman than Spenser.

LX. 9. Seeking to match, &c.] Seeking to make up the number of three hundred of each.

LXI. 6. Where late he left, &c.] See stanzas XXXVI. and XXXVIII.

CANTO VIII.

The Witch creates a snowy La

dy like to Florimell;

Who wrong'd by Carle, by Proteus sav'd,
Is sought by Paridell.

I.

So oft as I this history record,

My hart doth melt with meere compassion,
To thinke how causelesse of her owne accord
This gentle Damzell, whom I write upon,
Should plonged be in such affliction,
Without all hope of comfort or reliefe;
That sure I weene the hardest hart of stone
Would hardly finde1 to aggravate her griefe:
For misery craves rather mercy then 2 repriefe.3

II.

But that accursed Hag, her hostesse late,
Had so enranckled her malitious hart,
That she desyrd th' abridgement of her fate,4
Or long enlargement of her painefull smart.
Now when the beast, which by her wicked art
Late foorth she sent, she backe retourning spyde
Tyde with her golden girdle; it a part

1 Finde, choose.

2 Then, than.

3 Repriefe, reproof.

4 Fate, fated term of life.

I. 3. — Causelesse of her owne accord.] Without any act or consent

of her own.