The Faerie Queene

The Faerie Queene

By Edmund Spenser.

Table of Contents

1. Titlepage
2. Imprint
3. Dedication to the Edition of 1590
4. Dedication to the Edition of 1596
5. Dedicatory Sonnets
   1. Sonnet I
   2. Sonnet II
   3. Sonnet III
   4. Sonnet IV
   5. Sonnet V
   6. Sonnet VI
   7. Sonnet VII
   8. Sonnet VIII
   9. Sonnet IX
   10. Sonnet X
   11. Sonnet XI
   12. Sonnet XII
   13. Sonnet XIII
   14. Sonnet XIV
   15. Sonnet XV
   16. Sonnet XVI
   17. Sonnet XVII
6. A Letter to Sir Walter Raleigh
7. The Faerie Queene
   1. Book I: The Legend of the Knight of the Red Cross, or of Holiness
      1. Canto I
      2. Canto II
      3. Canto III
      4. Canto IV
      5. Canto V
      6. Canto VI
      7. Canto VII
      8. Canto VIII
      9. Canto IX
      10. Canto X
      11. Canto XI
      12. Canto XII
   2. Book II: The Legend of Sir Guyon, or of Temperance
      1. Canto I
      2. Canto II
      3. Canto III
      4. Canto IV
      5. Canto V
      6. Canto VI
      7. Canto VII
      8. Canto VIII
      9. Canto IX
      10. Canto X
      11. Canto XI
      12. Canto XII
   3. Book III: The Legend of Britomartis, or of Chastity
      1. Canto I
      2. Canto II
      3. Canto III
      4. Canto IV
      5. Canto V
      6. Canto VI
      7. Canto VII
      8. Canto VIII
      9. Canto IX
      10. Canto X
      11. Canto XI
      12. Canto XII
   4. Book IV: The Legend of Cambel and Triamond, or of Friendship
      1. Canto I
      2. Canto II
      3. Canto III
      4. Canto IV
      5. Canto V
      6. Canto VI
      7. Canto VII
      8. Canto VIII
      9. Canto IX
      10. Canto X
      11. Canto XI
      12. Canto XII
   5. Book V: The Legend of Artegall, or of Justice
      1. Canto I
      2. Canto II
      3. Canto III
      4. Canto IV
      5. Canto V
      6. Canto VI
      7. Canto VII
      8. Canto VIII
      9. Canto IX
      10. Canto X
      11. Canto XI
      12. Canto XII
   6. Book VI: The Legend of Calidore, or of Courtesy
      1. Canto I
      2. Canto II
      3. Canto III
      4. Canto IV
      5. Canto V
      6. Canto VI
      7. Canto VII
      8. Canto VIII
      9. Canto IX
      10. Canto X
      11. Canto XI
      12. Canto XII
   7. Mutability: The Legend of Constancy
      1. Canto VI
      2. Canto VII
      3. Canto VIII: Unperfite
8. Colophon
9. Uncopyright

Imprint

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Dedication to the Edition of 1590

To the most mightie and magnificent Empresse Elizabeth, by the grace of God Queene of England, France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c.

Her most humble

Servant:

Ed. Spenser.

Dedication to the Edition of 1596

To
the most high,
mightie
And
magnificent
Empresse renovv-
med for pietie, ver-
tve, and all gratiovs
government Elizabeth by
the grace of God Qveene
of England Fravnce and
Ireland and of Virgi-
nia, defendovr of the
faith, &c. Her most
hvmble servavnt
Edmvnd spenser
doth in all hv-
militie dedi-
cate, pre-
sent
and consecrate these
his labovrs to live
with the eterni-
tie of her
fame.

Dedicatory Sonnets

Sonnet I

To the Right honourable Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord high Chauncelor of England, etc.

Those prudent heads, that with their counsels wise
Whylom the pillours of th’earth did sustaine,
And taught ambitious Rome to tyrannise
And in the neck of all the world to rayne;
Oft from those grave affaires were wont abstaine,
With the sweet Lady Muses for to play:
So Ennius the elder Africane,
So Maro oft did Caesars cares allay.
So you, great Lord, that with your counsell sway
The burdeine of this kingdom mightily,
With like delightes sometimes may eke delay
The rugged brow of carefull Policy;
And to these ydle rymes lend litle space,
Which for their titles sake may find more grace.

Sonnet II

To the right honourable the Lo. Burleigh, Lo. high Threasurer of England.

To you, right noble Lord, whose carefull brest
To menage of most grave affaires is bent;
And on whose mightie shoulders most doth rest
The burdein of this kingdomes governement,
As the wide compasse of the firmament
On Atlas mighty shoulders is upstayd,
Unfitly I these ydle rimes present,
The labor of lost time, and wit unstayd:
Yet if their deeper sence be inly wayd,
And the dim vele, with which from commune vew
Their fairer parts are hid, aside be layd,
Perhaps not vaine they may appeare to you.
Such as they be, vouchsafe them to receave,
And wipe their faults out of your censure grave.

Sonnet III

To the right Honourable the Earle of Oxenford, Lord high Chamberlayne of England etc.

Receive, most Noble Lord, in gentle gree,
The unripe fruit of an unready wit;
Which by thy countenaunce doth crave to bee
Defended from foule Envies poisnous bit.
Which so to doe may thee right well besit,
Sith th’antique glory of thine auncestry
Under a shady vele is therein writ,
And eke thine owne long living memory,
Succeeding