Such famous Men, fuch Worthies of the Earth,
As Jove will have advaunced to the Sky,
And there made Gods, tho born of mortal Birth,
For their high Merits and great Dignity,
Are wont, before they may to Heaven fly,
To drink hereof; whereby all Cares forepaft
Are wash'd away quite from their Memory.
So did thofe old Heroes hereof taste,
Before that they in Blifs amongst the Gods were plac'd.
XLV.
Much more of Price, and of more gracious Power
Is this, than that fame Water of Arden,
The which Rinaldo drunk in happy hour,
Defcribed by that famous Tufcan Pen;
For that had Might to change the Hearts of Men
From Love to Hate, a Change of evil Choice:
But this doth Hatred make in Love to bren,
And heavy Heart with Comfort doth rejoice,
Who would not to this Vertue rather yield his Voice?
XLVI.
At laft, arriving by the Liftes fide,
She with her Rod did foftly fmite the Rail;
Which ftrait flew ope, and gave her way to ride.
Eftfoons out of her Coach the 'gan avail,
And pacing fairly forth did bid, All hail,
First to her Brother, whom he loved dear,
That fo to fee him made her Heart to quail;
And next to Cambel, whofe fad rueful Chear
Made her to change her Hue, and hidden Love t'appear.
XLVII.
They lightly her requit (for fmall Delight
They had as then her long to entertain)
And eft them turned both again to fight.
Which when she saw, down on the bloody Plain
Her felf fhe threw, and Tears 'gan fhed amain;
Amongst her Tears immixing Prayers meek,
And (with her Prayers, Reasons to restrain
From bloody Strife, and bleffed Peace to feck)
By all that unto them was dear, did them befeek.
But when-as all might nought with them prevail.
She Imote them lightly with her powerful Wand.
Then fuddenly, as if their Hearts did fail,
Their wrathful Blades down fell out of their Hand,
And they like Men astonish'd still did stand.
Thus whilft their Minds were doubtfully diftraught
And mighty Spirits bound with mightier Band,
Her golden Cup to them for Drink she raught,
Whereof full glad for Thirft, each drunk an hearty Draught.
XLIX.
Of which fo foon as they once tafted had
(Wonder it is that fudden Change to fee).
Inftead of Strokes, each other, kiffed glad,
And lovely haulft from Fear of Treason free,
And plighted Hands for ever Friends to be.
When all Men faw this fudden Change of things,
So mortal Foes fo friendly to agree,
For palling Joy, which fo great Marvel brings,
They all 'gan fhout aloud, that all the Heaven rings.
All which, when gentle Canacee beheld,
In hafte fhe from her lofty Chair defcended,
To weet what fudden Tidings was befell'd:
Where when the faw that cruel War fo ended,
And deadly Foes fo faithfully affriended,
In lovely wife fhe 'gan that Lady greet,
Which had fo great Difmay fo well amended;
And entertaining her, with Court'fies meet,
Profess'd to her true Friendship and Affection sweet,
LI.
Thus when they all accorded goodly were,
The Trumpets founded, and they all arose,
Thence to depart with Glee and gladfom Chear.
Those warlike Champions both together chofe,
Homeward to march, themselves there to repose:
And wife Cambina, taking by her Side
Fair Canacee as fresh as Morning-Rofe,
Unto her Coach remounting, home did ride.
Admir'd of all the People, and much glorify'd.
Where making joyous Feafts, their Days they spent
In perfect Love, devoid of hateful Strife,
Ally'd with Bands of mutual Couplement ;
For Triamond had Canacee to Wife,
With whom he led a long and happy Life;
And Cambel took Cambina to his Fere,
The which as Life were each to other liefe.
So all alike did love, and loved were,
That fince their Days fuch Lovers were not found elsewhere.
CANTO IV.
Satyrane makes a Turneyment
For Love of Florimel :
Britomart wins the Prize from all
And Arthegal doth quell.
T often falls (as here it earft befel)
That mortal Foes do turn to faithful Friends;
And Friends profefs'd, are chang'd to Foe-men fell :
The Cause of both, of both their Minds depends
And th' End of both, likewife of both their Ends.
For Enmity, that of no Ill proceeds,
But of Occafion, with th' Occafion ends;
And Friendship, which a faint Affection breeds
Without regard of Good, dies like ill-grounded Seeds.
11.
That well (me feems) appears, by that of late
"Twixt Cambel and Sir Triamond befel:
As als by this, that now a new Debate
Stir'd up 'twixt Blandamore and Paridel,
The which by courfe befals me here to tell :
Who, having thofe two other Knights espy'd
Marching afore, as ye remember well,
Sent forth their Squire to have them both defcry'd,
And eke thofe mafked Ladies riding them befide.
Who, back returning, told as he had seen,
That they were doubty Knights of dreaded Name
And those two Ladies, their two Loves unfeen;
And therefore wifh'd them without Blot or Blame,
To let them pafs at will, for Dread of Shame.
But Blandamore, full of vainglorious Spright,
And rather ftir'd by his difcordful Dame,
Upon them gladly would have prov'd his Might,
But that he yet was fore of his late luckless Fight.
IV.
Yet nigh approaching, he them foul bespake,
Difgracing them, himself thereby to grace,
As was his wont; fo weening way to make
To Ladies Love, where-fo he came in place,
And with leud Terms their Lovers to deface.
Whose sharp Provokement them incens'd fo fore,
That both were bent t'avenge his Usage bafe,
And 'gan their Shields address themselves afore:
For evil Deeds may better than bad Words be bore.
V.
But fair Cambina, with Perfuafions mild,
Did mitigate the Fierceness of their Mode,
That for the prefent they were reconcil'd,
And 'gan to treat of Deeds of Arms abroad,
And ftrange Adventures all the way they rode:
Amongst the which they told, as then befel,
Of that great Turney, which was blaz'd abroad
For that rich Girdle of fair Florimel,
The Prize of her, which did in Beauty moft excel.
To which Folk-mote they all with one. Confent,
Sith each of them his Lady had him by,
Whofe Beauty each of them thought excellent,
Agreed to travel, and their Fortunes try.
So as they paffed forth, they did efpy
One in bright Arms with ready Spear in reft,
That toward them his Courfe feem'd to apply,
'Gainst whom Sir Paridel himself addrefs'd,
Him weening, e'er him nigh approach'd, to have reprefs'd.
Which th' other feeing, 'gan his Course relent,
And vaunted Spear eftfoons to difadvance,
As if he nought but Peace and Pleasure meant,
Now faln into their Fellowship by chance;
Whereat they fhewed courteous Countenance.
So as he rode with them accompany'd,
His roving Eye did on the Lady glance,
Which Blandamore had riding by his Side:
Whom fure he ween'd, that he fomewhere tofore had ey❜d.
VIII.
It was to weet, that fnowy Florimel,
Which Ferrau late from Braggadochio won;
Whom he now feeing, har remember'd well,
How having reft her from the Witch's Son,
He foon her loft: whereof he now begun
To challenge her anew, as his own Prize,
Whom formerly he had in Battle won,
And proffer made by Force her to reprise:
Which fcornful Offer Blandamore 'gan foon defpife.
IX.
And faid, Sir Knight, fith ye this Lady claim,
Whom he that hath were loth to lose fo light,
(For fo to lose a Lady were great Shame)
Ye fhall her win, as I have done in Fight:
And, lo! the fhall be placed here in fight,
Together with this Hag befide her fet,
That whofo wins her, may her have by right:
But he fhall have the Hag that is ybet,
And with her always ride, till he another get.
X.
That Offer pleafed all the Company,
So Florimel with Ate forth was brought;
At which they all 'gan laugh full merrily:
But Braggadochio faid, he never thought,
For fuch an Hag that feemed worse than nought
His Perfon to imperil fo in Fight.
But if to match that Lady they had fought,
Another like, that were like fair and bright,
His Life he then would spend to justify his Right.
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