The Faery Queen and Her Knights: Stories Retold from Edmund Spenser

by Alfred John Church; Edmund Spenser

“Tell me more about the villain,” said Sir Artegall. Then Dony set forth the whole matter.

“He is a man of great strength, and expert in battle. Moreover, he is not a little helped by the charms with which the wicked witch, his daughter, supports him. Thus he has gathered together much wealth, store of gold, and lordships and farms. This wealth he daily increases, greatly by means of this same bridge which he holds by force of arms. No one will he suffer to go over unless he first pays a toll, be he rich or poor. If the traveller be poor, then a squire whom he sets over this business extorts from him this tribute. As for the richer sort, these he deals with himself. Men call him Pollenté, which, being interpreted, is ‘Powerful,’ and the name is fitting, for much power he has. And besides the power he has not a little cunning, for he is wont to fight on this same bridge. Exceeding long is it and narrow, and full of pitfalls which he knows, but a stranger knows not. And often it happens that the stranger falls through one of these said pitfalls into the river beneath. And while he is confused with his fall, Pollenté leaps into the river and takes him at a disadvantage, and either slays him outright or causes him to drown. Then he takes the spoils of them who perish in this fashion, and brings them to his daughter, who dwells hard by. Thus she has gathered together great store of wealth, so that she exceeds even kings. Her they call Munera. Very fair is she, and gorgeously attired; many lords have sought to have her for a wife, but in her pride she thinks scorn of them all.”

This is the story which Dony the dwarf told to Sir Artegall. When the knight heard it, he cried, “Now, by my life, I will go none other way but this, God helping me.”

So he went on with Talus, and the dwarf followed. When they came to the bridge, there came to them an evil-looking villain, who said, “Give me the passage-money, according to the custom of the place!”

“Here,” answered Sir Artegall, “is my passage-money,” and therewith dealt him such a blow that he fell dead upon the ground. When the Saracen knight saw this, he was very wrath, and charged at Sir Artegall full tilt; nor did Sir Artegall lag behind. They met in the middle of the bridge, where there was a trap cunningly devised. The Saracen looked that his adversary should fall into it unawares and be sorely bruised and wounded; but Sir Artegall, having been forewarned by the dwarf, leapt into the river, clear of all that might do damage to horse or man. The Saracen leapt in like fashion, and the two met in the water, not one whit less hotly than had they been on the dry land. And here the pagan had no small advantage, for he was accustomed to fight in this fashion, and his horse also could swim like a fish. Sir Artegall, perceiving that the odds were against him, saw that he must close with his adversary without delay. Long they wrestled together, and Sir Artegall never loosened his grip one whit, and at last forced him from his saddle, so that he no longer had the advantage of the swimming of his horse. And yet the issue of the fight was doubtful awhile, for the Saracen was both brave and expert in arms. Nevertheless Sir Artegall had the better breath, as one that followed temperance in all things, and so prevailed until the Saracen was compelled to turn from the river to the land, hoping so to escape. Yet even as he lifted his head from the stream to the brink, the knight dealt him so heavy a blow that it clean shore the head from the neck. And this being done, then he went his way to the castle where the pagan’s daughter dwelt.

Sir Artegall and the Saracen.

Here he was denied entrance, being received with so great a shower of stones that he was forced to retreat. Then he sent Talus, bidding him compel an entrance. And this he did without damage to himself, and with his iron flail he battered the door so fiercely that the whole place shook from the foundation to the roof. All who were within were greatly dismayed, and the Lady Munera herself came out, and stood upon the castle wall. When she saw in what peril she was, she used all the devices which she could imagine to deliver herself. First she besought the adversary with many prayers to cease from his attack—and, indeed, she was not wont to beseech in vain. Then she tried what enchantments could do, and of these she had a great store at her command. And when she found that prayers and enchantments availed nothing, she thought to corrupt the man with great gifts. She caused sacks of gold and precious things to be brought, and poured from the castle wall, thinking to herself that he would surely cease from his battering, and give her, at the least, some respite and delay.

But the riches moved him no more than the entreaties and enchantments. Still he battered with his iron flail till he broke down the door and made a way for his master to enter. No one dared to lift a hand against them: all through the castle they moved at their will. The Lady Munera for a while they could not find. At the last Talus, than whom a bloodhound was not more keen to scent a runaway, found her hidden under a heap of gold. Thence he drew her from her lair, pitying her not at all. For now even Sir Artegall, seeing how fair she was, had some compassion in his heart, and when she knelt before him would have given her some remission of the penalty. But there was no such thought in the heart of Talus. He cared for naught but to do justice to the full. So he took her by the waist, she crying loudly the while, and cast her into the river. And when he had wrought this justice upon her, he took all the pelf that he found in the castle, and ground it small to powder, and threw it into the water. This done, he razed the castle to the ground, destroying it utterly, so that no one in days to come should think to set it up again. After this Sir Artegall reformed the evil customs of the bridge, ordering that in time to come it should be free for all to pass over.

This good deed accomplished, they journeyed on to the castle by the sea, where the nuptials of Sir Marinell and the fair Florimell were to be celebrated with great honour. There were great feastings and rejoicings, to which an infinite concourse of lords and ladies resorted from all quarters; no knight that was held in repute for valour and deeds of arms was absent. When the banquet, which was furnished with all rare meats and drinks that the heart of man could desire, was finished, then the company addressed themselves to feats of arms. First came forth Sir Marinell and six knights with him, declaring to hold the field against all comers, in right of Florimell, and to affirm that she was the fairest of all the ladies upon earth. Against these there came from all parts such as desired to try their fortune in the lists—none were debarred. Many feats of arms were wrought that day; many knights were unhorsed, and some were wounded; but none, so it was judged by common consent, bore themselves more bravely than did Sir Marinell. His name, therefore, did the heralds proclaim as the champion of the day. And on the second day the event was the same. There was much fighting, many suffered loss and overthrow; and in the end the heralds proclaimed, as they had done before, the victory of Sir Marinell. But on the third day things fell out otherwise, for the knight pursuing his adversaries when he had put them to flight, somewhat rashly, was surrounded by them and taken prisoner. While they were leading him away, it so chanced that Sir Artegall came into the tilting-yard, and close behind him followed Bragadocchio, who had in his company the false Florimell.