entures hapned, which,
being undertaken by xii. severall knights, are in these xii.
books severally handled and discoursed. The first was this. In
the beginning of the feast, there presented him selfe a tall
clownishe younge man, who falling before the Queene of Faries
desired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that
feast she might not refuse; which was that hee might have the
atchievement of any adventure, which during that feaste should
happen: that being graunted, he rested him on the floore,
unfitte through his rusticity for a better place. Soone after
entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white
Asse, with a dwarfe behinde her leading a warlike steed, that
bore the Armes of a knight, and his speare in the dwarfes
hand. Shee, falling before the Queene of Faeries, complayned
that her father and mother, an ancient King and Queene, had
beene by an huge dragon many years shut up in a brasen Castle,
who thence suffred them not to yssew; and therefore besought
the Faery Queene to assygne her some one of her knights to
take on him that exployt. Presently that clownish person,
upstarting, desired that adventure: whereat the Queene much
wondering, and the Lady much gainesaying, yet he earnestly
importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told him, that
unlesse that armour which she brought would serve him (that
is, the armour of a Christian man specified by Saint Paul, vi.
Ephes.) that he could not succeed in that enterprise; which
being forthwith put upon him, with dewe furnitures thereunto,
he seemed the goodliest man in al that company, and was well
liked of the Lady. And eftesoones taking on him knighthood,
and mounting on that straunge courser, he went forth with her
on that adventure: where beginneth the first booke, viz.

A gentle knight was pricking on the playne, &c.

That it was not without reason that this explanatory key was prefixed to
the work, and that either Spenser or Ralegh felt it to be almost
indispensable, appear from the concluding paragraph.

Thus much, Sir, I have briefly overronne to direct your
understanding to the wel-head of the History; that from thence
gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a
handfull gripe al the discourse, which otherwise may happily
seeme tedious and c