erfection of all the rest, and
127 conteineth in it them all, therefore in the whole course I
128 mention the deedes of Arthure applyable to that vertue, which
129 I write of in that booke. But of the xii. other vertues, I
130 make xii. other knights the patrones, for the more variety
131 of the history: Of which these three bookes contayn three. The
132 first of the knight of the Redcrosse, in whome I expresse
133 Holynes: The seconde of Sir Guyon, in whome I sette forth
134 Temperaunce: The third of Britomartis a Lady knight, in
135 whome I picture Chastity. But because the beginning of the
136 whole worke seemeth abrupte and as depending vpon other
137 antecedents, it needs that ye know the occasion of these
138 three knights seuerall aduentures. For the Methode of a Poet
139 historical is not such, as of an Historiographer. For an
140 Historiographer discourseth of affayres orderly as they were
141 donne, accounting as well the times as the actions, but a Poet
142 thrusteth into the middest, euen where it most concerneth him,
143 and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste, and diuining
144 of thinges to come, maketh a pleasing Analysis of all. The
145 beginning therefore of my history, if it were to be told by an
146 Historiographer should be the twelfth booke, which is the
147 last, where I deuise that the Faery Queene kept her Annuall
148 feaste xii. dayes, vppon which xii. seuerall dayes, the
149 occasions of the xii. seuerall aduentures hapned, which
150 being vndertaken by xii. seuerall knights, are in these
151 xii. books seuerally handled and discoursed. The first
152 was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented him selfe a
153 tall clownishe younge man, who falling before the Queen of
154 Faries desired a boone (as the manner then was) which
155 during that feast she might not refuse: which was that hee
156 might haue the atchieuement of any aduenture, which during
157 that feaste should happen, that being graunted, he rested him
158 on the floore, vnfitte through his rusticity for a better place.
159 Soone after entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a
160 white Asse, with a dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed,
161 that bore the Armes of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes
162 hand. Shee falling before the Queene of Faeries, complayned
163 that her father and mother an ancient King and Quee