By Edmund Spenser (1552-1599).
Right well I wote, most mighty sovereign;
That all this famous antique history,
Of some, th' abundance of an idle brain,
Will judged be, and painted forgery,
Rather than matter of just memory; 5
Sith° none that breatheth living air, does know,
Where is that happy Land of Fairy,
Which I so much do vaunt, yet nowhere show,
But vouch antiquities, which nobody can know.
But let that man with better sense advise, 10
That of the world least part to us is read;
And daily how through hardy enterprise,
Many great regions are discovered,
Which to late age were never mentioned.
Who ever heard of th' Indian Peru? 15
Or who in venturous vessel measured
The Amazon's huge river now found true?
Or fruitfullest Virginia who did ever view?
Yet all these were, when no man did them know;
Yet have from wisest ages hidden been: 20
And later times things more unknown shall show.
Why then should witless man so much misween,
That nothing is, but that which he hath seen?
What if within the moon's fair shining sphere,
What if in every other star unseen, 25
Of other worlds he happily should hear?
He wonder would much more: yet such to some appear.
Of Fairyland yet if he more enquire,
By certain signs, here set in sundry place,
He may it find; ne let him then admire, 30
But yield his sense to be too blunt and base,
That no'te without an hound fine footing trace.
And thou, o fairest princess under sky,
In this fair mirror mayst behold thy face,
And thine own realms in Land of Fairy, 35
And in this antique image thy great ancestry.
The which, o pardon me thus to enfold
In covert veil, and wrap in shadows light,
That feeble eyes your glory may behold,
Which else could not endure those beames bright: 40
But would be dazzled with exceeding light.
O pardon, and vouchsafe with patient ear
The brave adventures of this fairy knight,
The good Sir Guyon, graciously to hear,
In whom great rule of Temp'rance goodly doth appear. 45
Notes
Line 6: sith. Since.
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