Home > Work > The Faerie Queene, Books Three and Four
1 " So furiously each other did assayle, As if their soules they would attonce haue rent Out of their brests, that streames of bloud did rayle Adowne, as if their springes of life were spent; That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent, And all their armours staynd with bloudie gore, Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent, So mortall was their malice and so sore,Become of fayned friendship which they vow'd afore. "
― Edmund Spenser , The Faerie Queene, Books Three and Four
2 " Here haue I cause, in men iust blame to find,That in their proper prayse too partiall bee,And not indifferent to woman kind,To whom no share in armes and cheualrieThey do impart, ne maken memorieOf their brave gestes and prowess martiall;Scarse do they spare to one or two or three,Rowme in their writs; yet the same writing smallDoes all their deeds deface, and dims their glories all,But by record of antique times I find,That women wont in warres to beare most sway,And to all great exploits them selues inclind:Of which they still the girlond bore away,Till enuious Men fearing their rules decay,Gan coyne straight laws to curb their liberty;Yet sith they warlike armes haue layd away:They haue exceld in artes and policy,That now we foolish men that prayse gin eke t'enuy. "