Season 4 Podcast 176 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 10 Pt III Episode 30 “The Seven Heavenly Virtues.” In last week’s episode The Redcross Knight was taught from the Sacred Book by Fidelia and Speranza. He was also taught by Patience, Penance, Remorse, and Repentance until he was purified from his sins. Following his repentance, he was brought by Charissa, whose strength had been renewed, to Una who suffered from his cries. With a clean conscience, he embraces Una.Whom thus recover'd by wise PatienceAnd trew Repentaunce they to Una brought: Who joyous of his cured conscience,Him dearely kist, and fairely eke besoughtHimselfe to chearish, and consuming thoughtTo put away out of his carefull brest.By this Charissa, late in child-bed brought, Was woxen strong, and left her fruitfull nest;To her faire Una brought this unacquainted guest. Charissa, who symbolizes charity, is always of the freshest age and remarkable beauty. Representing the love of Christ, she is filled with love for everyone, but she hates wantonness and lust. She was a woman in her freshest ageOf wondrous beauty, and of bountie rare,With goodly grace and comely personage, That was on earth not easie to compare;Full of great love, but Cupid's wanton snareAs hell she hated, chast in worke and will;Her necke and breasts were ever open bare,That ay thereof her babes might sucke their fill; The rest was all in yellow robes arayed still.A multitude of children hung about Charissa playing their sports. They thrilled at being around her. She fed all who were weak and young but demanded independence from those who reached accountability. She wore a golden crown adorned with priceless jewels, one the pearl of great price which is the kingdom of heaven. She sat in an ivory throne flanked by a pair of gentle turtle doves.A multitude of babes about her hong,Playing their sports, that joyd her to behold,Whom still she fed, whiles they were weake and young,But thrust them forth still as they wexed old: And on her head she wore a tyre of gold,Adornd with gemmes and owches wondrous faire,Whose passing price uneath was to be told:And by her side there sate a gentle paireOf turtle doves, she sitting in an yvorie chaire.Una and the Redcross Knight greet Charissa and bid her joy in her happy posterity whom she entertains always with a cheerful smile. Earlier Una had asked Fidelia to school the Redcross Knight from the Sacred Book which led to his sore repentance. Now Una begs Charissa to school her knight in the works of charity. The knight and Una entring faire her greet,And bid her joy of that her happie brood;Who them requites with court'sies seeming meet,And entertaines with friendly chearefull mood.Then Una her besought, to be so good As in her vertuous rules to schoole her knight,Now after all his torment well withstood,In that sad house of Penaunce, where his sprightHad past the paines of hell, and long enduring night.Charissa gladly complied. She took the Redcross Knight by the hand and began to instruct him about pure love, righteousness, and well doing. It is clearly a reference to the words of Paul who defined charity.“1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

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