The Faerie Queene

"Eftsoones they heard a most melodious sound, Of all that mote delight a daintie eare, Such as attonce might not on liuing ground, Saue in this Paradise, be heard elswhere: Right hard it was, for wight, which did it heare, To read, what manner musicke that mote bee: For all that pleasing is to liuing eare, Was there consorted in one harmonee, Birdes, voices, instruments, windes, waters, all agree.'The ioyous birdes shrouded in chearefull shade, Their notes vnto the voice attempred sweet; Th'Angelicall soft trembling voyces made To th'instruments diuine respondence meet: The siluer sounding instruments did meet With the base murmure of the waters fall: The waters fall with difference discreet, Now soft, now loud, vnto the wind did call: The gentle warbling wind low answered to all."

"So passeth, in the passing of a day, Of mortall life the leafe, the bud, the flowre, Ne more doth florish after first decay, That earst was sought to deck both bed and bowre, Of many a Lady, and many a Paramowre: Gather therefore the Rose, whilest yet is prime, For soone comes age, that will her pride deflowre: Gather the Rose of loue, whilest yet is time, Whilest louing thou mayst loued be with equall crime."

"But all those pleasaunt bowres and Pallace braue, Guyon broke downe, with rigour pittilesse; Ne ought their goodly workmanship might saue Them from the tempest of his wrathfulnesse, But that their blisse he turn'd to balefulnesse: Their groues he feld, their gardins did deface, Their arbers spoyle, their Cabinets suppresse, Their banket houses burne, their buildings race, And of the fayrest late, now made the fowlest place."

"The donghill kinde Delightes in filth and fowle incontinence: Let Gryll be Gryll, and haue his hoggish minde."

"For who can shun the chance, that dest'ny doth ordaine?"

"Through thicke and thin, both ouer banck and bush In hope her to attaine by hooke or crooke."

"Like dastard Curres, that hauing at a bay The saluage beast embost in wearie chace, Dare not aduenture on the stubborne pray, Ne byte before, but rome from place to place, To get a snatch, when turned is his face."

"For shee was full of amiable grace, And manly terror mixed therewithall, That as the one stird vp affections bace, So th'other did mens rash desires apall, And hold them backe, that would in error fall; As hee, that hath espide a vermeill Rose, To which sharpe thornes and breres the way forstall, Dare not for dread his hardy hand expose, But wishing it far off, his ydle wish doth lose."

"Shee greatly gan enamoured to wex, And with vaine thoughts her falsed fancy vex: Her fickle hart conceiued hasty fyre, Like sparkes of fire, that fall in sclender flex, That shortly brent into extreme desyre, And ransackt all her veines with passion entyre."

"Nought so of loue this looser Dame did skill, But as a cole to kindle fleshly flame, Giuing the bridle to her wanton will, And treading vnder foote her honest name."

"His feeling wordes her feeble sence much pleased, And softly sunck into her molten hart; Hart that is inly hurt, is greatly eased With hope of thing, that may allegge his smart, For pleasing wordes are like to Magick art, That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay:"

"Dischord ofte in Musick makes the sweeter lay."

"But as it falleth, in the gentlest harts Imperious Loue hath highest set his throne, And tyrannizeth in the bitter smarts Of them, that to him buxome are and prone:"

"Sad, solemne, sowre, and full of fancies fraile She woxe; yet wist she nether how, nor why, She wist not, silly Mayd, what she did aile, Yet wist, she was not well at ease perdy, Yet thought it was not loue, but some melancholy."

"The generall end therefore of all the booke is to fashion a gentleman or noble person in vertuous and gentle discipline."