CANTO XII

The maske of Cupid, and th'enchaunted
2 Chamber are displayd,
Whence Britomart redeemes faire
4 Amoret, through charmes decayd.

1 The Masque of Cupid, and the enchanted 2 Chamber are displayed, 3 Whence Britomart redeems fair 4 Amoret, through charms decayed.

charms > magic spells decayed > wasted, debilitated

312.1

THo when as chearlesse Night ycouered had
2 Faire heauen with an vniuersall cloud,
That euery wight dismayd with darknesse sad,
4 In silence and in sleepe themselues did shroud,
She heard a shrilling Trompet sound aloud,
6 Signe of nigh battell, or got victory;
Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud,
8 But rather stird to cruell enmity,
Expecting euer, when some foe she might descry.

1 Tho when cheerless Night covered had

Tho > Then
Night > (Nox; see 304.55 ff.)

2 Fair heaven with a universal cloud, 3 That every wight, dismayed with darkness sad,

That > [So that] every > [all severally: all the wights; cf. 301.58:1] wight > person, creature sad > sad; heavy

4 In silence and in sleep themselves did shroud,

shroud > conceal

5 She heard a shrilling trumpet sound aloud, 6 Sign of nigh battle, or got victory; 7 Naught therewith daunted was her courage proud,

therewith > with that courage > spirit

8 But rather stirred to cruel enmity, 9 Expecting ever when some foe she might descry.

Expecting ever > Waiting continuously when > [for the time when]

312.2

With that, an hideous storme of winde arose,
2 With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt,
And an earth-quake, as if it streight would lose
4 The worlds foundations from his centre fixt;
A direfull stench of smoke and sulphure mixt
6 Ensewd, whose noyance fild the fearefull sted,
From the fourth houre of night vntill the sixt;
8 Yet the bold Britonesse was nought ydred,
Though much emmou'd, but stedfast still perseuered.

1 With that, a hideous storm of wind arose,

hideous > terrific; hence: violent (cf. 101.6:6)

2 With dreadful thunder and lightning atwixt,

atwixt > between; hence: also, mixed in

3 And an earthquake, as if it straight would loose

straight > straightway, immediately

4 The world's foundations from its centre fixed;

centre fixed > [fixed centre]

5 A direful stench of smoke and sulphur mixed

direful > terrible, dreadful

6 Ensued, whose noyance fild the fearful stead

noyance > annoyance fild > filled; or: defiled (cf. 105.32:2 etc.) stead > place

7 From the fourth hour of night until the sixth;

the fourth hour of night > [10 p.m.] sixth > [midnight]

8 Yet the bold Britoness was naught adrad,

adrad > frightened

9 Though much enmoved, but steadfast still persevered.

enmoved > moved persevered > remained [where she was]

312.3

All suddenly a stormy whirlwind blew
2 Throughout the house, that clapped euery dore,
With which that yron wicket open flew,
4 As it with mightie leuers had bene tore:
And forth issewd, as on the ready flore
6 Of some Theatre, a graue personage,
That in his hand a branch of laurell bore,
8 With comely haueour and count'nance sage,
Yclad in costly garments, fit for tragicke Stage.

1 All suddenly a stormy whirlwind blew 2 Throughout the house, that clapped every door,

clapped > slammed

3 With which that iron wicket open flew,

wicket > {Small door or gate made in or placed beside a large one; hence: door: see 311.54:7}

4 As it with mighty levers had been torn:

As > [As if] torn > forced

5 And forth issued, as on the ready floor

ready > prepared [as if for a performance, with an expectant audience]

6 Of some theatre, a grave personage, 7 That in his hand a branch of laurel bore, 8 With comely haviour and countenance sage,

haviour > deportment, bearing

9 Clad in costly garments, fit for tragic stage.

312.4

Proceeding to the midst, he still did stand,
2 As if in mind he somewhat had to say,
And to the vulgar beckning with his hand,
4 In signe of silence, as to heare a play,
By liuely actions he gan bewray
6 Some argument of matter passioned;
Which doen, he backe retyred soft away,
8 And passing by, his name discouered,
Ease, on his robe in golden letters cyphered.

1 Proceeding to the midst, he still did stand, 2 As if in mind he somewhat had to say,

somewhat > something

3 And to the vulgar beckoning with his hand,

vulgar > common people (typically, the groundlings in the pit of the theatre)

4 In sign of silence, as to hear a play, 5 By lively actions he gan bewray

gan bewray > did reveal

6 Some argument of matter passioned;

argument > subject-matter [of the show about to be performed] matter passioned > [the] matter expressed [in the show]

7 Which done, he back retired soft away, 8 And, passing by, his name discovered:

discovered > revealed

9 Ease, on his robe in golden letters ciphered.

ciphered > written

312.5

The noble Mayd, still standing all this vewd,
2 And merueild at his strange intendiment;
With that a ioyous fellowship issewd
4 Of Minstrals, making goodly meriment,
With wanton Bardes, and Rymers impudent,
6 All which together sung full chearefully
A lay of loues delight, with sweet +concent+:
8 After whom marcht a iolly company,
In manner of a maske, enranged orderly.

7 concent > consent 1596

1 The noble maid, still standing, all this viewed, 2 And marvelled at his strange intendiment;

intendiment > intention, purpose

3 With that, a joyous fellowship issued

fellowship > body, company

4 Of minstrels, making goodly merriment,

merriment > entertainment (cf. Midsummer-night's Dream III ii 146)

5 With wanton bards, and rhymers impudent,

wanton > playful; lewd rhymers > versifiers; "Chroniclers" (cf. 105.3) impudent > shameless, indelicate

6 All which together sang full cheerfully

full > very

7 A lay of love's delight, with sweet concent:

lay > song concent > harmony, accord

8 After whom marched a jolly company,

jolly > handsome; fine; jolly

9 In manner of a masque, enranged orderly.

enranged > arranged orderly > in an orderly fashion; in order

312.6

The whiles a most delitious harmony,
2 In full straunge notes was sweetly heard to sound,
That the rare sweetnesse of the melody
4 The feeble senses wholly did confound,
And the fraile soule in deepe delight nigh dround:
6 And when it ceast, shrill trompets loud did bray,
That their report did farre away rebound,
8 And when they ceast, it gan againe to play,
The whiles the maskers marched forth in trim aray.

1 The whiles a most delicious harmony,

The whiles > Meanwhile

2 In full strange notes, was sweetly heard to sound,

full > exceedingly

3 That the rare sweetness of the melody

That > [So that]

4 The feeble senses wholly did confound, 5 And the frail soul in deep delight nigh drowned:

frail > weak; morally weak

6 And when it ceased, shrill trumpets loud did bray,

bray > {Make a loud harsh jarring sound; applied esp. to trumpets}

7 That their report did far away rebound;

That > [So that] report > response; note rebound > re-echo, reverberate

8 And when they ceased, it began again to play, 9 While the maskers marched forth in trim array.

masker > {One who takes part in a masque} trim > good, well-ordered; also, in ironical use: fine, nice, pretty

312.7

The first was Fancy, like a louely boy,
2 Of rare aspect, and beautie without peare;
Matchable +either+ to that ympe of Troy,
4 Whom Ioue did loue, and chose his cup to beare,
Or that same daintie lad, which was so deare
6 To great Alcides, that when as he dyde,
He wailed womanlike with many a teare,
8 And euery wood, and euery valley wyde
He fild with Hylas name; the Nymphes eke Hylas cryde.

3 either > ether 1590

1 The first was Fancy, like a lovely boy, 2 Of rare aspect, and beauty without peer;

aspect > appearance; countenance, expression

3 Matchable either to that imp of Troy,

Matchable > Comparable that imp of Troy > (Ganymede: see 311.34:4-9; imp = child, scion)

4 Whom Jove did love, and chose his cup to bear, 5 Or that same dainty lad, who was so dear

dainty > {Handsome, of delicate beauty} lad > (Hylas, a youth who accompanied Hercules on board the Argo. When Hylas died, the distraught Hercules wandered the shore crying his name)

6 To great Alcides that, when he died, 7 He wailed womanlike with many a tear, 8 And every wood, and every valley wide 9 He filled with Hylas' name; the nymphs eke "Hylas!" cried.

nymphs > (Nymphs are the minor female divinities with whom the Greeks peopled all parts of nature: the seas, springs, rivers, grottoes, trees, mountains. Here the reference is to the naiads, who carried Hylas off when he went ashore to fetch fresh water) eke > also

312.8

His garment +neither+ was of silke nor say,
2 But painted plumes, in goodly order dight,
Like as the sunburnt Indians do aray
4 Their tawney bodies, in their proudest plight:
As those same plumes, so seemd he vaine and light,
6 That by his gate might easily appeare;
For still he far'd as dauncing in delight,
8 And in his hand a windy fan did beare,
That in the idle aire he mou'd still here and there.

1 neither > nether 1590

1 His garment neither was of silk nor say,

say > {A thin material used for cloaks, etc.}

2 But painted plumes, in goodly order dight,

dight > arranged

3 Like the sunburnt Indians do array

Like > [Like those with which]
Indians > [North American Indians]

4 Their tawny bodies in their proudest plight:

plight > attire, dress

5 As those same plumes, so seemed he vain and light, 6 That by his gate might easily appear;

gate > manner, way of behaving

7 For still he fared as dancing in delight,

still > ever fared > acted; made his way as > [as though]

8 And in his hand a windy fan did bear,

windy > {Producing wind}

9 That in the idle air he moved still here and there.

idle > empty still > continuously

312.9

And him beside marcht amorous Desyre,
2 Who seemd of riper yeares, then th'other Swaine,
Yet was that +other+ swayne this elders syre,
4 And gaue him being, commune to them twaine:
His garment was disguised very vaine,
6 And his embrodered Bonet sat awry;
Twixt both his hands few sparkes he close did straine,
8 Which still he blew, and kindled busily,
That soone they life conceiu'd, and forth in flames did fly.

3 other > others 1590, 1596

1 And him beside marched amorous Desire,

him beside > [beside him]

2 Who seemed of riper years than the other swain,

swain > young man; fellow

3 Yet was that other swain this elder's sire,

sire > father (i.e. Fancy is the father of Desire)

4 And gave him being, common to them twain:

them twain > the two of them

5 His garment was disguised very vain,

disguised > {To "disguise" is to alter the fashion or guise of clothing, and to dress in an unusual, fantastic, ostentatious, or inappropriate manner. Here, "disguised" might be taken to mean "got up"}