Season 4 Podcast 179 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 10 Pt IV Episode 31 “Contemplation.”

Season 4 Podcast 179 Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queen, Book I, Canto 10 Pt IV Episode 31 “Contemplation.” In last week’s episode, the Redcross Knight is subject to rigorous sanctification. Following his sanctification, he is taken to Una by Charissa (Charity) with a clean conscience. Una and the Redcross Knight bid Charissa to have great joy in her happy posterity. Charissa takes the Redcross Knight by the hand and instructs him about love, righteousness, well doing, and other works of charity. She taught him to shun wrath and hatred and to walk the straight and narrow path to God. He is then introduced to Mercy, known for her wisdom, grace, and generosity. Charissa charged Mercy to lead him right that he might be saved by Grace. Mercy removed obstacles from the Redcross Knight’s path. She takes him to the seven Beads-men who represent the virtues of chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility which oppose the seven deadly sins, lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, and pride. In this week’s episode, the Redcross Knight meets the most important of the seven Beads-men whose responsibility was to welcome guests. The Beads-man sees Mercy who is accompanying the Redcross Knight. He reverences Mercy, who was Patroness though the chiefest of the virtues was Charissa or charity.The Redcross Knight is led up a very high mountain where he meets contemplation. Perhaps one of the great virtues we have lost in our noisy society is meditation. Noise drowns out the still small voice or the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Contemplation creates the quality environment where the still small voice can better be heard. Some synonyms for Contemplation are introspection, observe thoughtfully, view attentively, pour over, envision, think studiously, meditate, ponder, study, reflect upon, deliberate, reason about, mull over, & brood over. There when the Elfin knight arrived was,The first and chiefest of the seven, whose care Was guests to welcome, towardes him did pas:Where seeing Mercie, that his steps upbare,And alwayes led, to her with reverence rareHe humbly louted in meeke lowlinesse,And seemely welcome for her did prepare: For of their order she was Patronesse,Albe Charissa were their chiefest founderesse.Charissa remains a while and instructs the Redcross Knight in almes and charity. She teaches him with such industry that he becomes perfect in obeying her teachings and learns how to frame his life in righteousness and how to be without rebuke and blameless before his fellowman.There she awhile him stayes, him selfe to rest,That to the rest more able he might bee:During which time, in every good behest And godly worke of almes and charitee,She him instructed with great industree;Shortly therein so perfect he became,That from the first unto the last degree,His mortall life he learned had to frame In holy righteousnesse, without rebuke or blame.Still led by Mercy the Redcross Knight moves forward. Painfully they arrive at a hill very steep and high. On top of the hill is a sacred chapel and a nearby hermitage where lived a very old and holy man who gave his life to devotion to God. He had no other business but mediation. His name was Contemplation. He meditated only on goodness.Thence forward by that painfull way they pas,Forth to an hill, that was both steepe and hy;On top whereof a sacred chappell was,And eke a little Hermitage thereby, Wherein an aged holy man did lye,That day and night said his devotion,Ne other worldly busines did apply;His name was heavenly Contemplation;Of God and goodnesse was his meditation.