Season 5 Podcast 13 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 12 Pt IV Episode 41 “The Marriage of Una and the Redcross Knight.” Welcome to the final episode of Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen. In last week’s episode, there was a tremendous celebration upon the death of the dragon. The Redcross Knight is honored. The King of Eden announced the betrothal of his daughter Una to the Redcross Knight; however, the knight must first serve the Faerie Queene for seven more years. As they celebrate the betrothal a letter is delivered by courier to the King declaring that the Redcross Knight is already engaged to Fidessa. Fidessa, who wrote the letter, is actually Duessa, an evil witch who has devoted her life to destroying the Redcross Knight for killing her lover Sans Foy in battle.After reading the letter the astonished king turns to the Redcross Knight and commands him to answer the charges.When he these bitter byting wordes had red,The tydings straunge did him abashed make, That still he sate long time astonished,As in great muse, ne word to creature spake.At last his solemne silence thus he brake,With doubtfull eyes fast fixed on his guest;Redoubted knight, that for mine onely sake Thy life and honour late adventurest,Let nought be hid from me, that ought to be exprest. He asks the Redcross Knight a number of questions:·      What do the vows and idle threats mean?·      What solemn vows of marriage before God were made?·      What crimes are you hiding? What meane these bloody vowes, and idle threats,Throwne out from womanish impatient mind?What heavens? what altars? what enraged heates Here heaped up with termes of love unkind,My conscience cleare with guilty bands would bind?High God be witnesse, that I guiltlesse ame.But if your selfe, Sir knight, ye faultie find,Or wrapped be in loves of former Dame, With crime do not it cover, but disclose the same. The innocent knight answers forthrightly. He confesses his past behavior with the deceitful Fidessa. He asks the king to withhold judgment until he knows the truth about Fidessa.To whom the Redcrosse knight this answere sentMy Lord, my King, be nought hereat dismayd,Till well ye wote by grave intendiment,What woman, and wherefere doth me upbrayd With breach of love, and loyalty betrayd.It was in my mishaps, as hitherwardI lately traveild, that unwares I straydOut of my way, through perils straunge and hard;That day should faile me, ere I had them all declard. The Redcross Knight relates how Fidessa, the falsest woman who ever lived, inveigled herself into his youthful inexperience. She won him by her wicked arts and crafty skill. She was evil and he a young knight was innocent and inexperienced to her wily ways. She trapped him when he least expected it.There did I find, or rather I was foundOf this false woman, that Fidessa hight,Fidessa hight the falsest Dame on ground,Most false Duessa, royall richly dight,That easy was to invegle weaker sight: Who by her wicked arts, and wylie skill,Too false and strong for earthly skill or might,Unwares me wrought unto her wicked will,And to my foe betrayd, when least I feared ill. 

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