Complete Works of Edmund Spenser by Edmund Spenser

Author:Edmund Spenser
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Poetry
Publisher: Delphi Classics
Published: 2012-11-14T16:00:00+00:00

Canto X

Prince Arthur takes the enterprize

For Belgee for to fight:

Gerioneos seneschall

He slayes in Belges right.

I

SOME clarkes doe doubt in their devicefull art,

Whether this heavenly thing whereof I treat,

To weeten Mercie, be of Justice part,

Or drawne forth from her by divine extreate.

This well I wote, that sure she is as great, 5

And meriteth to have as high a place,

Sith in th’ Almighties everlasting seat

She first was bred, and borne of heavenly race;

From thence pour’d down on men, by influence of grace.

II

For if that vertue be of so great might, 10

Which from just verdict will for nothing start,

But, to preserve inviolated right,

Oft spiles the principall, to save the part;

So much more then is that of powre and art,

That seekes to save the subject of her skill, 15

Yet never doth from doome of right depart:

As it is greater prayse to save then spill,

And better to reforme then to cut off the ill.

III

Who then can thee, Mercilla, throughly prayse,

That herein doest all earthly princess pas? 20

What heavenly muse shall thy great honour rayse

Up to the skies, whence first deriv’d it was,

And now on earth it selfe enlarged has

From th’ utmost brinke of the Americke shore

Unto the margent of the Molucas? 25

Those nations farre thy justice doe adore:

But thine owne people do thy mercy prayse much more.

IV

Much more it praysed was of those two knights,

The noble Prince and righteous Artegall,

When they had seene and heard her doome a rights 30

Against Duessa, damned by them all;

But by her tempred without griefe or gall,

Till strong constraint did her thereto enforce:

And yet even then running her wilfull fall

With more then needfull naturall remorse, 35

And yeelding the last honour to her wretched corse.

V

During all which, those knights continu’d there,

Both doing and receiving curtesies

Of that great ladie, who with goodly chere

Them entertayn’d, fit for their dignities, 40

Approving dayly to their noble eyes

Royall examples of her mercies rare,

And worthie paterns of her clemencies;

Which till this day mongst many living are,

Who them to their posterities doe still declare. 45

VI

Amongst the rest, which in that space befell,

There came two springals of full tender yeares,

Farre thence from forrein land, where they did dwell,

To seeke for succour of her and of her peares,

With humble prayers and intreatfull teares; 50

Sent by their mother, who a widow was,

Wrapt in great dolours and in deadly feares

By a strong tyrant, who invaded has

Her land, and slaine her children ruefully, alas!

VII

Her name was Belgæ, who in former age 55

A ladie of great worth and wealth had beene,

And mother of a frutefull heritage,

Even seventeene goodly sonnes; which who had seene

In their first flowre, before this fatall teene

Them overtooke, and their faire blossomes blasted, 60

More happie mother would her surely weene

Then famous Niobe, before she tasted

Latonaes childrens wrath, that all her issue wasted.

VIII

But this fell tyrant, through his tortious powre,

Had left her now but five of all that brood: 65

For twelve of them he did by times devoure,

And to his idole sacrifice their blood,

Whylest he of none was stopped, nor withstood.

For soothly he was one of matchlesse might,

Of horrible aspect and dreadfull

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