THE FAERIE QUEENE by Edmund Spenser TO The ... - Planet.ee

www.TaleBooks.comSo still his Malady the more increast,The whiles her matchlesse beautie him dismayd,Ah God! what other could he do at least,But love so fayre a Lady that his life releast?XLIV. Long while he strove in his corageous brestWith reason dew the passion to subdew,And love for to dislodge out of his nest:Still when her excellencies he did vew,Her soveraine bountie and celestiall hew,The same to love he strongly was constraynd;But when his meane estate he did revew,He from such hardy boldnesse was restraynd,And of his lucklesse lott and cruell love thus playnd:XLV. "Unthankfull wretch," (said he) "is this the meed,With which her soverain mercy thou doest quight?Thy life she saved by her gratious deed;But thou doest weene with villeinous despightTo blott her honour, and her heavenly light.Dye rather, dye, then so disloyallyDeeme of her high desert, or seeme so light:Fayre death it is, to shonne more shame, to dy:Dye rather, dy, then ever love disloyally.XLVI. "But if to love disloyalty it bee,Shall I then hate her that from deathes doreMe brought? ah, farre be such reproch fro mee!What can I lesse doe then her love therefore,Sith I her dew reward cannot restore?Dye rather, dye, and dying doe her serve;Dying her serve, and living her adore;Thy life she gave, thy life she doth deserve:Dye rather, dye, then ever from her service swerve.XLVII. "But, foolish boy, what bootes thy service baceTo her to whom the hevens doe serve and sew?Thou, a meane Squyre of meeke and lowly place;She, hevenly borne and of celestiall hew.How then? of all love taketh equall vew;And doth not highest God vouchsafe to takeThe love and service of the basest crew?If she will not, dye meekly for her sake:Dye rather, dye, then ever so faire love forsake!"XLVIII. Thus warreid he long time against his will;Till that through weaknesse he was forst at lastTo yield himselfe unto the mightie ill,Which, as a victour proud, gan ransack fastHis inward partes, and all his entrayles wast,That neither blood in face nor life in hartIt left, but both did quite drye up and blast;As percing levin, which the inner partOf every thing consumes, and calcineth by art.Page 313 , Faerie Queene, The - Edmund Spenser