A gentle knight was
pricking
on the playne, etc.
Spenser - Faerie Queene - 1
But of the twelve other vertues I make XII
other knights the patrons, for the more varietie of the historic: Of which
these three bookes containe three. The first, of the Knight of the Red
crosse, in whom I expresse Holinesse: the second of Sir Guyon, in whome I
set foorth Temperance: the third of Britomartis, a Lady knight, in whom I
picture Chastitie. But because the beginning of the whole worke seemeth
abrupt and as depending upon other antecedents, it needs that yee know the
occasion of these three knights severall adventures. For the Methode of a
Poet historicall is not such as of an Historiographer. For an
Historiographer discourseth of affaires orderly as they were done,
accounting as well the times as the actions; but a Poet thrusteth into the
middest, even where it most concerneth him, and there recoursing to the
things forepast, and divining of things to come, maketh a pleasing analysis
of all. The beginning therefore of my historie, if it were to be told by an
Historiographer, should be the twelfth booke, which is the last; where I
devise that the Faery Queene kept her annuall feast twelve daies; uppon
which twelve severall dayes, the occasions of the twelve severall
adventures hapned, which being undertaken by XII severall knights, are in
these twelve books severally handled and discoursed.
The first was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented him
selfe a tall clownish younge man, who falling before the Queene of Faeries
desired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might
not refuse: which was that hee might have the atchievement of any
adventure, which during that feast should happen; that being granted, he
rested him selfe on the fioore, unfit through his rusticitie for a better
place. Soone after entred a faire Ladie in mourning weedes, riding on a
white Asse, with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed, that bore the
Armes of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes hand. She falling before
the Queene of Faeries, complayned that her father and mother, an ancient
King and Queene, had bene by an huge dragon many yeers shut up in a brazen
Castle, who thence suffered them not to issew: and therefore besought the
Faery Queene to assigne her some one of her knights to take on him that
exployt. Presently that clownish person upstarting, desired that adventure;
whereat the Queene much wondering, and the Lady much gaine-saying, yet he
earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told him, that unlesse
that armour which she brought would serve him (that is, the armour of a
Christian man specified by Saint Paul, V. Ephes. ) that he could not succeed
in that enterprise: which being forth with put upon him with due furnitures
thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in al that company, and was well
liked of the Lady. And eftesoones taking on him knighthood, and mounting on
that straunge Courser, he went forth with her on that adventure: where
beginneth the first booke, viz.
A gentle knight was pricking on the playne, etc.
The second day there came in a Palmer bearing an Infant with bloody hands,
whose Parents he complained to have bene slaine by an enchauntresse called
Acrasia: and therefore craved of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some
knight to performe that adventure, which being assigned to Sir Guyon, he
presently went foorth with the same Palmer: which is the beginning of the
second booke and the whole subject thereof. The third day there came in a
Groome, who complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter,
called Busirane, had in hand a most faire Lady, called Amoretta, whom he
kept in most grevious torment. Whereupon Sir Scudamour, the lover of that
Lady, presently tooke on him that adventure. But beeing unable to performe
it by reason of the hard Enchauntments, after long sorrow, in the end met
with Britomartis, who succoured him, and reskewed his love.
But by occasion hereof, many other adventures are intermedled; but rather
as accidents then intendments. As the love of Britomart, the overthrow of
Marinell, the miserie of Florimell, the vertuousness of Belphoebe; and many
the like.
Thus much, Sir, I have briefly-over-run to direct your understanding to the
wel-head of the History, that from thence gathering the whole intention of
the conceit, ye may as in a handfull gripe all the discourse, which
otherwise may happely seem tedious and confused. So humbly craving the
continuance of your honourable favour towards me, and th' eternall
establishment of your happines, I humbly take leave.
Yours most humbly affectionate,
EDM. SPENSER.
23 Januarie, 1589.
[1] The letter served as an introduction to the first three books of the
_Faerie Queene_.
[2] An allusion to Sir Walter Raleigh's poem _Cynthia_.
* * * * *
_To the Right Noble and Valorous Knight_,
SIR WALTER RALEIGH,
_Lord Wardein of the Stanneryes, and Lieftenaunt of Cornewaile_,
To thee that art the sommers Nightingale,
Thy soveraigne Goddesses most deare delight,
Why doe I send this rustick Madrigale,
That may thy tunefull eare unseason quite?
Thou onely fit this argument to write
In whose high thoughts Pleasure hath built her bowre,
And dainty Love learnd sweetly to endite.
other knights the patrons, for the more varietie of the historic: Of which
these three bookes containe three. The first, of the Knight of the Red
crosse, in whom I expresse Holinesse: the second of Sir Guyon, in whome I
set foorth Temperance: the third of Britomartis, a Lady knight, in whom I
picture Chastitie. But because the beginning of the whole worke seemeth
abrupt and as depending upon other antecedents, it needs that yee know the
occasion of these three knights severall adventures. For the Methode of a
Poet historicall is not such as of an Historiographer. For an
Historiographer discourseth of affaires orderly as they were done,
accounting as well the times as the actions; but a Poet thrusteth into the
middest, even where it most concerneth him, and there recoursing to the
things forepast, and divining of things to come, maketh a pleasing analysis
of all. The beginning therefore of my historie, if it were to be told by an
Historiographer, should be the twelfth booke, which is the last; where I
devise that the Faery Queene kept her annuall feast twelve daies; uppon
which twelve severall dayes, the occasions of the twelve severall
adventures hapned, which being undertaken by XII severall knights, are in
these twelve books severally handled and discoursed.
The first was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented him
selfe a tall clownish younge man, who falling before the Queene of Faeries
desired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might
not refuse: which was that hee might have the atchievement of any
adventure, which during that feast should happen; that being granted, he
rested him selfe on the fioore, unfit through his rusticitie for a better
place. Soone after entred a faire Ladie in mourning weedes, riding on a
white Asse, with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed, that bore the
Armes of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes hand. She falling before
the Queene of Faeries, complayned that her father and mother, an ancient
King and Queene, had bene by an huge dragon many yeers shut up in a brazen
Castle, who thence suffered them not to issew: and therefore besought the
Faery Queene to assigne her some one of her knights to take on him that
exployt. Presently that clownish person upstarting, desired that adventure;
whereat the Queene much wondering, and the Lady much gaine-saying, yet he
earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told him, that unlesse
that armour which she brought would serve him (that is, the armour of a
Christian man specified by Saint Paul, V. Ephes. ) that he could not succeed
in that enterprise: which being forth with put upon him with due furnitures
thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in al that company, and was well
liked of the Lady. And eftesoones taking on him knighthood, and mounting on
that straunge Courser, he went forth with her on that adventure: where
beginneth the first booke, viz.
A gentle knight was pricking on the playne, etc.
The second day there came in a Palmer bearing an Infant with bloody hands,
whose Parents he complained to have bene slaine by an enchauntresse called
Acrasia: and therefore craved of the Faery Queene, to appoint him some
knight to performe that adventure, which being assigned to Sir Guyon, he
presently went foorth with the same Palmer: which is the beginning of the
second booke and the whole subject thereof. The third day there came in a
Groome, who complained before the Faery Queene, that a vile Enchaunter,
called Busirane, had in hand a most faire Lady, called Amoretta, whom he
kept in most grevious torment. Whereupon Sir Scudamour, the lover of that
Lady, presently tooke on him that adventure. But beeing unable to performe
it by reason of the hard Enchauntments, after long sorrow, in the end met
with Britomartis, who succoured him, and reskewed his love.
But by occasion hereof, many other adventures are intermedled; but rather
as accidents then intendments. As the love of Britomart, the overthrow of
Marinell, the miserie of Florimell, the vertuousness of Belphoebe; and many
the like.
Thus much, Sir, I have briefly-over-run to direct your understanding to the
wel-head of the History, that from thence gathering the whole intention of
the conceit, ye may as in a handfull gripe all the discourse, which
otherwise may happely seem tedious and confused. So humbly craving the
continuance of your honourable favour towards me, and th' eternall
establishment of your happines, I humbly take leave.
Yours most humbly affectionate,
EDM. SPENSER.
23 Januarie, 1589.
[1] The letter served as an introduction to the first three books of the
_Faerie Queene_.
[2] An allusion to Sir Walter Raleigh's poem _Cynthia_.
* * * * *
_To the Right Noble and Valorous Knight_,
SIR WALTER RALEIGH,
_Lord Wardein of the Stanneryes, and Lieftenaunt of Cornewaile_,
To thee that art the sommers Nightingale,
Thy soveraigne Goddesses most deare delight,
Why doe I send this rustick Madrigale,
That may thy tunefull eare unseason quite?
Thou onely fit this argument to write
In whose high thoughts Pleasure hath built her bowre,
And dainty Love learnd sweetly to endite.
