But in a jacket, quilted richly rare

Upon checklaton, he was ftraungely dight;
And on his head a roll of linnen plight,
Like to the Mores of Malaber, he wore, quo 54
With which his locks, as blacke as pitelly
night,

Were bound about, and voyded from before,
And in his hand a mighty yron club he bore.

XLIV.

This was Difdaine, who led that ladies horfe Thro' thick and thin, thro' mountains and thro' plains,

Compelling her where she would not by force,
Haling her palfrey by the hempen raines;

But that fame foole, which most increast her

paines,

Was Scorne, who having in his hand a whip, Her therewith yirks, and ftill when the complaines

The more he laughes, and does her closely quip, To fee her fo lament, and bite her tender lip.

XLV.

Whofe cruell handling when that squire beheld,
And faw thofe villaines her fo vildely ufe,
His gentle heart with indignation fweld,
And could no lenger beare fo great abuse,
As fuch a lady fo to beate and brufe;
But to him ftepping, fuch a stroke him lent,
That fort him th' halter from his hard to loofe,
And maugre all his might backe to relent;

Elfe had he furely there bene faine or fowly fhent.

XLVI.

The villaine, wroth for greeting him fo fore,
Gathered himselfe together foone againe,
And with his yron batton which he bore
Let drive at him fo dreadfully amaine,
That for his fafety he did him constraine
To give him ground, and thift to every fide,
Rather then once his burden to fustaine;
For booteleffe thing him feemed to abide
So mighty blowes, or prove the puiflaunce of his
pride.

XLVII.

Like as a maftiffe having at a bay

A falvage bull, whofe cruell hornes doe threat
Defperate daunger if he them affay,
Traceth is ground, and round about doth beat,
To fpy where he may fome advantage get,
The whiles the beaft doth rage and loudly rore;
So did the fquire, the whiles the carle did fret
And fume in his difdainefull mynd the more,
And oftentimes by Turmagant and Mahound
fwore.

XLVIII.

Natheleffe fo fharpely ftill he him purfewd,
That at advantage him at laft he tooke,
When his foote flipt, (that flip he dearely rewd)
And with his yron club to ground him ftrocke,
Where till he lay, ne cut of fwoune awooke,
Till heavy hand the carle upon him layd,
And bound him faft; tho when he up did looke,
And faw himfelfe captiv'd, he was difmayd,
Ne powre had to withfland, ne hope of any ayd.

XLIX.

Then up he made him rise, and forward fare,
Led in a rope which both his hands did bynd,
Ne ought that foole for pitty did him spare,
But with his whip him following behynd,
Him often fcourg'd, and forft his feete to fynd;
And otherwhiles with bitter mockes and mowes
He would him fcorne, that to his gentle mynd,
Was much more grievous than the other's blowes:
Words fharpcly wound, but greatest griefe of
scorning growes.

L.

The faire Serena, when she saw him fall
Under that villaines club, then furely thought
That flaine he was, or made a wretched thrall,
And fled away with all the speede the mought
To feeke for fafety, which long time she fought,
And past through many perils by the way,
Ere the againe to Calepine was brought;
The which difcourfe as now I must delay,
Till Mirabellaes fortunes I doe further fay,

III.

Who after thraldome of the gentle fquire,
Which the beheld with lamentable eye,
Was touched with compaffion entire,
And much lamented his calamity,
That for her fake fell into misery;

Which booted nought for prayers nor for threat
To hope for to release or mollify,

For aye the more that she did them entreat,
The more they him mifuft, and cruelly did beat.

withall;

VI.

And to the prince thus fayd, "See you, Sir

"knight,

"The greatest shame that ever eye yet faw, "Yond lady and her fquire, with foule defpight, "Abufde, against all reasons and all law, "Without regard of pitty or of awe : "See how they doe that fquire beat and revile; "See how they doe the lady hale and draw ;