"But since faire Sunne hath sperst that lowring clowd, Thereto said he, "Faire Dame, be nought dismaid 49 For needlesse feare did never vantage none; Dead is Sansfoy, his vitall paines are past, "O! but I feare the fickle freakes," (quoth shee) 50 "Of fortune false, and oddes of armes in field." "Why, dame," (quoth he) "what oddes can ever bee, Where both doe fight alike, to win or yield ?" "Yea, but," (quoth she) "he beares a charmed shield, And eke enchaunted armes, that none can perce; Ne none can wound the man that does them wield." "Charmd or enchaunted," (answerd he then ferce) "I no whitt reck; ne you the like need to reherce. 66 "But, faire Fidessa, sithens fortunes guile, Or enimies powre, hath now captived you, Returne from whence ye came, and rest a while, Till morrow next that I the Elfe subdew, And with Sansfoyes dead dowry you endew." Ay me! that is a double death," (she said) "With proud foes sight my sorrow to renew: Where ever yet I be, my secret aide Shall follow you." So, passing forth she him obaid. CANTO V. The faithfull knight in equall field HE noble hart that harbours vertuous thought, And is with childe of glorious great intent, Can never rest, untill it forth have brought Th' eternall brood of glorie excellent. Such restlesse passion did all night torment The flaming corage of that Faery knight, Devizing how that doughtie turnament With greatest honour he atchieven might : Still did he wake, and still did watch for dawning light. At last, the golden Orientall gate 2 Of greatest heaven gan to open fayre; And Phoebus, fresh as brydegrome to his mate, Came dauncing forth, shaking his deawie hayre, And hurls his glistring beams through gloomy ayre. Which when the wakeful Elfe perceiv'd, streight way, He started up, and did him selfe prepayre In sunbright armes, and battailous array; For with that Pagan proud he combatt will that day. And forth he comes into the commune hall; Where earely waite him many a gazing eye, To drive away the dull melancholy; And many Bardes, that to the trembling chord Can tune their timely voices cunningly ; And many Chroniclers, that can record Old loves, and warres for Ladies doen by many a Lord. 3 Soone after comes the cruell Sarazin, In woven maile all armed warily; And in the wine a solemne oth they bynd T'observe the sacred lawes of armes that are assynd. At last forth comes that far renowmed Queene: 5 With royall pomp and princely majestie She is ybrought unto a paled greene, And placed under stately canapee, The warlike feates of both those knights to see. On th' other side in all mens open vew Duessa placed is, and on a tree Sansfoy his shield is hangd with bloody hew; Both those the lawrell girlonds to the victor dew. A shrilling trompett sownded from on hye, 6 And unto battaill bad them selves addresse: With greedy force each other doth assayle, The Sarazin was stout and wondrous strong, 7 And heaped blowes like yron hammers great; For after blood and vengeance he did long : The knight was fiers, and full of youthly heat, And doubled strokes, like dreaded thunders threat; For all for praise and honour he did fight. Both stricken stryke, and beaten both doe beat; That from their shields forth flyeth firie light, And hewen helmets deepe shew marks of eithers might. 8 So th' one for wrong, the other strives for right. Th' amazed vulgar telles of warres and mortall fight. So th' one for wrong, the other strives for right, 9 In tender flesh, that streames of blood down flow; With which the armes, that earst so bright did show, Into a pure vermillion now are dyde. 10 Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow, Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde, That victory they dare not wish to either side. At last the Paynim chaunst to cast his eye, His suddein eye flaming with wrathfull fyre, Upon his brothers shield, which hong thereby : Therewith redoubled was his raging yre, And said; "Ah! wretched sonne of wofull syre, Doest thou sit wayling by blacke Stygian lake, Whylest here thy shield is hangd for victors hyre? And, sluggish german, doest thy forces slake To after-send his foe, that him may overtake? "Goe, caytive Elfe, him quickly overtake, II And soone redeeme from his long-wandring woe: Goe, guiltie ghost, to him my message make, That I his shield have quit from dying foe." Therewith upon his crest he stroke him so, That twise he reeled, readie twise to fall: End of the doubtfull battaile deemed tho The lookers on; and lowd to him gan call The false Duessa, “Thine the shield, and I, and all !” Soone as the Faerie heard his Ladie speake, Out of his swowning dreame he gan awake; And quickning faith, that earst was woxen weake, And with so' exceeding furie at him strake, 13 Had he not stouped so, he should have cloven bee. But answer none receives; the darknes him does shrowd. In haste Duessa from her place arose, And to him running sayd; "O! prowest knight, 14 Have borne him hence to Plutoes balefull bowres : The conquest yours; I yours; the shield, and glory yours." Not all so satisfide, with greedy eye He sought all round about, his thristy blade Who all that while lay hid in secret shade. He standes amazed how he thence should fade: 15 And to him brought the shield, the cause of enmitie. |