Which, what it dare not doe by open might, To worke by wicked treason wayes doth find, By fuch difcourteous deeds discovering his base

kind.

II.

That well appears in this difcourteous Knight,
The coward Turpine, whereof now I treat;
Who notwithstanding that in former fight
He of the Prince his life received late,
Yet in his mind malitious and ingrate
He gan devize to be aveng'd anew

For all that shame, which kindled inward hate: Therefore, fo foone as he was out of vew, Himfelfe in haft he arm'd, and did him faft

purfew.

III.

Well did he tract his fteps as he did ryde,
Yet would not neare approch in daungers eye,
But kept aloofe for dread to be defcryde,
Untill fit time and place he mote efpy,
Where he mote worke him fcath and villeny.
At laft he met two Knights to him unknowne,
The which were armed both agreeably,
And both combynd, whatever chaunce were
blowne,

Betwixt them to divide and each to make his

owne.

III. 7.

agreeably,] Alike,

like each other. See C. xi. fl. 36. CHURCH.

IV.

To whom falfe Turpine comming courteously, To cloke the mischiefe which he inly ment, Gan to complaine of great difcourtefie, Which a ftraunge Knight, that neare afore him went,

Had doen to him, and his deare Ladie fhent ; Which if they would afford him ayde at need For to avenge in time convenient,

They fhould accomplish both a knightly deed, And for their paines obtaine of him a goodly

meed.

V.

The Knights beleev'd that all he fayd was trew;
And, being fresh and full of youthly fpright,
Were glad to heare of that adventure new,
In which they mote make triall of their
might

Which never yet they had approv'd in fight,
And eke defirous of the offred meed:

Said then the one of them; "Where is that
wight,

The which hath doen to thee this wrongfull

Which, what it dare not doe by open might, To worke by wicked treafon wayes doth find, By fuch difcourteous deeds difcovering his base kind.

II.

That well appears in this difcourteous Knight,
The coward Turpine, whereof now I treat;
Who notwithstanding that in former fight
He of the Prince his life received late,
Yet in his mind malitious and ingrate
He gan devize to be aveng'd anew

For all that shame, which kindled inward hate: Therefore, fo foone as he was out of vew, Himfelfe in haft he arm'd, and did him faft

purfew.

III.

Well did he tract his fteps as he did ryde,
Yet would not neare approch in daungers eye,
But kept aloofe for dread to be defcryde,
Untill fit time and place he mote espy,
Where he mote worke him fcath and villeny.
At laft he met two Knights to him unknowne,
The which were armed both agreeably,
And both combynd, whatever chaunce were
blowne,

Betwixt them to divide and each to make his

owne.

III. 7. —

agreeably,] Alike,

like each other. See C. xi. fl. 36. CHURCH.

IV.

To whom falfe Turpine comming courteously,
To cloke the mifchiefe which he inly ment,
Gan to complaine of great difcourtefie,
Which a ftraunge Knight, that neare afore
him went,

Had doen to him, and his deare Ladie fhent;
Which if they would afford him ayde at need
For to avenge in time convenient,

They fhould accomplish both a knightly deed, And for their paines obtaine of him a goodly

meed.

V.

The Knights beleev'd that all he fayd was trew; And, being fresh and full of youthly fpright, Were glad to heare of that adventure new, In which they mote make triall of their might

Which never yet they had approv'd in fight, And eke defirous of the offred meed:

Said then the one of them; "Where is that wight,

The which hath doen to thee this wrongfull deed,

That we may it avenge, and punish him with speed ?"

V. 2.

of 1751 reads youthfull. CHURCH.

youthly] The edition

VI.

"He rides," faid Turpine, "there not farre afore,

With a Wyld Man soft footing by his fyde;
That, if
lift to haste a litle more,

ye

Ye him overtake in timely tyde."

may

Eftfoones they pricked forth with forward pryde;

And, ere that litle while they ridden had, The gentle Prince not farre away they spyde, Ryding a foftly pace with portance fad, Devizing of his Love more then of daunger drad.

VII.

Then one of them aloud unto him cryde,

Bidding him turne againe; "False traytour
Knight,

Foule woman-wronger!"—for he him defyde.
With that they both at once with equall spight
Did bend their speares, and both with equall
might

Against him ran; but th' one did misse his
marke,

And being carried with his force forthright Glaunft fwiftly by; like to that heavenly fparke,

Which glyding through the ayre lights all the heavens darke.

VII. 8.

like to that heavenly Sparke, Which glyding through the ayre lights all the heavens durke.] The fimile is elegant, and borrowed from Homer, who