Dame Cælia1 men did her call, as thought
From heaven to come, or thether to arise;
The mother of three daughters, well upbrought
In goodly thewes2 and godly exercise:
The eldest two, most sober, chast, and wise,
Fidelia and Speranza, virgins were;
Though spous'd, yet wanting wedlock's solemnize.
But faire Charissa 5, to a lovely 6 fere
Was lincked, and by him had many pledges dere.
Arrived there, the dore they find faste lockt;
For it was warely watched night and day,
For feare of many foes; but, when they knockt,
The porter opened unto them straight way.
He was an aged syre all hory gray,
With looks full lowly caste, and gate full slow,
Wont on a staffe his feeble steps to stay,
Hight Humilta. They pass in stouping low;
For straight and narrow was the way which he did show.
Each goodly thing is hardest to begin;
But, entred in, a spatious court they see,
Both plaine and pleasaunt to be walked in,
Where there does meete a francklin faire and free,
And entertaines with comely courteous glee:
His name was Zele, that him right well became,
For in his speeches and behaviour hee
Did labour lively to express the same,
And gladly did them guide, till to the hall they came.
There fayrely them receives a gentle squyre,
Of mild demeanure and rare courtesie,
Right cleenly clad in comely sad attyre;
In worde and deede that showed great modestie,
And knew his good to all of each degree
Hight Reverence: he them with speeches meet
Does faire entreat; no courting nicitie,
But simple, trew, and eke unfained sweet,
As might become a squyre so great persons to grect.
3 Faith and Hope.
5 Charity.
2 Manners, customs.
4 Betrothed.
6 Companion, spouse.
And afterwards them to his dame he leades,
That aged dame, the lady of the place,
Who all this while was busy at her beades;
Which doen, she uparose with seemly grace,
And toward them full matronely did pace:
Where, when that fairest Una she beheld,
Whom well she knew to spring from heavenly race,
Her heart with joy unwonted inly sweld,
As feeling wondrous comfort in her weaker eld;
And her embracing, said, “Oh happy earth!
Whereon thy innocent feet doe ever tread!
Most verteous virgin, borne of heavenly birth,
That, to redeem thy woefull parents head
From tyrans rage and ever dying dread,
Hast wandred through the world now long a day,
Yett ceassest not thy weary soles to lead;
What grace hath thee now hether brought this way,
Or doen thy feeble feet unweeting hether stray?
"Straunge thing it is an errant knight to see
Here in this place; or any other wight
That hether turns his steps: so few there bee
That chose the narrow path, or seek the right!
All keepe the broad high way, and take delight
With many rather for to go astray,
And be partakers of their evill plight,
Than with a few to walke the rightest way:
O foolish men, why hast ye to your own decay?
Thy selfe to see and tyred limbes to rest
O matrone sage," quoth she, " I hether came;
And this good knight his way with me addrest,
Ledd with thy prayers and broad-blazed fame,
That up to heaven is blown." The auncient dame
Him goodly greeted in her modest guyse,
And enterteynd them both, as best became,
With all the court'sies that she could devyse,
Ne wanted ought to shew her bounteous or wise.
Thus as they gan of sundrie thinges devise,
Loe! two most godly virgins came in place,
Ylinked arm in arm in lovely wise;
With countenance demure and modest grace,
They numbred even steps and equall pace;
Of which the eldest, that Fidelia hight,
Like sunny beames, threw from her chrystal face
That could have dazd the rash beholders sight,
And round about her head did shine like hevens light.
She was arraied all in lilly white,
And in her right hand bore a cup of gold
With wine and water fild up to the hight,
In which a serpent' did himselfe enfold,
That horrour made to all that did behold;
But she no whitt did change her constant mood,
And in her hand she fast did hold
A booke, that was both signd and seald with blood;
Wherein dark things were writt, harde to be understood.
Her younger sister, that Speranza hight,
Was clad in blew, that her beseemed well;
Not all so chearefull seemed she of sight
As was her sister; whether dread did dwell
Or anguish in her hart, is hard to tell :
Upon her arme a silver anchor lay,
Whereon she leaned ever, as befell;
And ever up to heven, as she did pray,
Her stedfast eyes were bent, ne swarved other way
They, seeing Una, towardes her gan wend,
Who them encounters with like courtesee;
Many kind speeches they between them spend,
And greatly ioy each other for to see:
Then to the Knight with shamefast modestie
They turne themselves, at Una's meek request,
And him salute with well-beseeming glee;
Who faire them quites, as him beseemed best,
And goodly gan discourse of many a noble gest.
Now when their wearie limbes with kindly rest,
And bodies were refresht with dew repast,
Fayre Una gan Fidelia fayre request
To have her Knight into her scutchons plaste,
That of her heavenly learning he might taste,
And heare the wisedom of her wordes divine.
She granted and that Knight so much agraste
That she him taught celestiall discipline,
And opened his dull eyes, that light mote in them shine.
And that her sacred booke with blood ywritt,
That none could read except she did them teach,
She unto him disclosed every whitt;
And heavenly documents thereout did preach,
That weaker wit of man could never reach;
Of God, of Grace, of Justice, of Freewill:
That wonder was to hear her goodly speach;
For she was able with her words to kill,
And raise again to life the heart that she did thrill.
[The following stanzas then describe the recovery of the knight under the conduct of Faith, Hope, and Charity; and the last canto relates the conquest of the dragon by him, and the restoration of Una to her kingdom.]
FROM THE LEGEND OF SIR GUYON.
And is there care in heaven?
In heavenly spirits to these creatures base,
That may compassion of their evils move?
There is:- else much more wretched were the case
Of men than beasts: but O! th' exceeding grace
Of highest God, that loves his creatures so,
And all His works with mercy doth embrace,
That blessed angels He sends to and fro
To serve to wicked man, to serve his wicked foe!
How oft do they their silver bowers leave
To come to succour us that succour want!
How oft do they with golden pinions cleave
The flitting skies like flying pursuivant,
Against foul fiends to aid us militant!
They for us fight, they watch and duly ward,
And their bright squadrons round about us plant;
And all for love, and nothing for reward:
O why should Heavenly God to men have such regard ?
SPOTTISWOODES and SHAW
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