785. To make it wys if ye be not merry. Cf. Ger. suchen. to make it a matter of serious deliberation. 786. Avys advice, consideration. Cf. Fr. avis. = 798. Of best sentence and most solas = the most instructive and the most amusing. 799. At oure alther cost 810. Oure othes swore 816. Devys= 819. Fet = at the cost of us all. we swore our oaths. decision, direction. 822. A morwe on the morrow, the 18th of April. 826. The watering of St. Thomas was at the second mile-stone on the old road to Canterbury. 827. Bigan-areste = did. = halted. Bigan is sometimes used as an auxiliary 829. Forward promise, covenant. A. S. foreword, covenant, agree ment. 844. Aventure, or sort, or cas= by chance, or luck, or accident. 854. A Goddes name= in God's name. 857. Right a merie chere a right merry countenance. SELECTIONS FROM FIRST CREATIVE PERIOD. (1558-1625.) FIRST BOOK OF SPENSER'S FAERY QUEENE, CONTAYNING THE LEGEND OF THE KNIGHT OF THE RED Crosse, or OF HOLINESSE. I. Lo! I, the man whose Muse whylome did maske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine oaten reeds, II. Helpe then, O holy virgin, chiefe of nyne, Thy weaker Novice to performe thy will; Sought through the world, and suffered so much ill, O, helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong! III. And thou, most dreaded impe of highest Jove, Lay now thy deadly heben bowe apart, And with thy mother mylde come to mine ayde; After his murdrous spoyles and bloudie rage allayd. IV. And with them eke, O Goddesse heavenly bright, Mirrour of grace and majestie divine, Great ladie of the greatest isle, whose light Like Phoebus lampe throughout the world doth shine, And raise my thoughtes, too humble and too vile, The argument of mine afflicted stile: The which to heare vouchsafe, O dearest dread. a while. CANTO I. The patron of true Holinesse, Doth to his home entreate. I. A GENTLE Knight was pricking on the plaine, II. And on his brest a bloodie crosse he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord, Upon his shield the like was also scor❜d, For soveraine hope which in his helpe he had. Right, faithfull, true he was in deede and word; But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad; Yet nothing did he dread, but ever was ydrad. III. Upon a great adventure he was bond, (That greatest glorious queene of Faery lond,) To prove his puissance in battell brave IV. A lovely ladie rode him faire beside, V.. So pure and innocent, as that same lambe, She was in life and every vertuous lore ; And by descent from royall lynage came, Of ancient kinges and queenes, that had of yore And all the world in their subjection held; Forwasted all their land, and them expeld; VI. Behind her farre away a dwarfe did lag, That lasie seemd, in being ever last, Or wearied with bearing of her bag Of needments at his backe. Thus as they past, The day with cloudes was suddeine overcast, Did poure into his lemans lap so fast, That everie wight to shrowd it did constrain; And this faire couple eke to shroud themselves were fain. VII. Enforst to seeke some covert nigh at hand, A shadie grove not farr away they spide, And all within were pathes and alleies wide, VIII. And foorth they passe, with pleasure forward led, Joying to heare the birds sweete harmony, Which, therein shrouded from the tempest dred, Seemd in their song to scorne the cruell sky. Much can they praise the trees so straight and hy, The sayling pine; the cedar proud and tall; The vine-propp elme; the poplar never dry; The builder oake, sole king of forrests all; The aspine good for staves; the cypresse funerall; IX. The laurell, meed of mightie conquerours The carver holme; the maple seeldom inward sound. |