XXVIII.

The fearful Dame all quaked at the fight,
And turning back, 'gan faft to fly away,
Until with love revokt from vain affright,
She hardly yet perfuaded was to stay,

And then to him these womanish words 'gan fay;
Ah Satyrane, my dearling and my joy,
For love of me leave off this dreadful play;
To dally thus with death, is no fit toy,

Go find some other play-fellows, mine own fweet boy.
XXIX.

In these, and like delights of bloody game
He trained was, till riper years he raught;
And there abode, whilft any beast of name
Walkt in that foreft, whom he had not taught
To fear his force and then his courage haught
Defired of foreign foemen to be known,

And far abroad for ftrange adventures fought:
In which his might was never overthrown,

But through all Fairy land his famous worth was blown.
XXX.

Yet evermore it was his manner fair,

After long labours and adventures spent, Unto those native woods for to repair, To fee his Sire and off-fpring ancient. And now he thither came for like intent; Where he unwares the fairest Una found, Strange Lady in fo ftrange habiliment, Teaching the Satyres, which her fate around, True facred lore, which from her sweet lips did redound. XXXI.

He wondred at her wisdom heavenly rare,

Whose like in womens wit he never knew;
And when her courteous deeds he did compare,
'Gan her admire, and her fad forrows rew,
Blaming of Fortune, which fuch troubles threw,
And joy'd to make proof of her cruelty
On gentle Dame, fo hurtlefs, and so true:
Thenceforth he kept her goodly company,
And learn'd her difcipline of faith and verity.

1

XXXII,

But fhe, all vow'd unto the Red-cross Knight,
His wandring peril clofely did lament,
Ne in this new acquaintance could delight,
But her dear heart with anguifh did torment,
And all her wit in fecret counfels fpent,
How to escape. At laft, in privy wife
To Satyrane fhe fhewed her intent;

Who glad to gain fuch favour, 'gan devise,

How with that penfive maid he beft might thence arife.
XXXIII.

So on a day, when Satyres all were gone
To do their service to Sylvanus old,
The gentle virgin (left behind alone)
He led away with courage ftout and bold.
Too late it was to Satyres to be told,
Or ever hope recover her again:

In vain he feeks, that having cannot hold.
So faft he carried her with careful pain,

That they the woods are paft, and come now to the plain.
XXXIV.

The better part now of the lingring day
They travel'd had, whenas they far efpide
A weary wight forwandring by the way;
And towards him they 'gan in hafte to ride,
To weet of news that did abroad betide,
Or tydings of her Knight of the Red-crofs.
But he them spying, 'gan to turn afide,
For fear, as feem'd, or for fome feigned lofs;
More greedy they of news, faft towards him do crofs.
XXXV.

A filly man, in fimple weeds forworn,

And foild with duft of the long dryed way;
His fandals were with toylfome travel torn,
And face all tand with fcorching funny ray,
As he had traveld many a fummers day,
Through boyling fands of Araby and Ind;
And in his hand a Jacobs staff, to stay
His weary limbs upon: and eke behind,
His fcrip did hang, in which his needments he did bind

XXXVI.

The Knight approching nigh, of him enquer'd
Tydings of war, and of adventures new;
But wars, not new adventures none he heard.
Then Una 'gan to ask, if ought he knew,
Or heard abroad of that her champion true,
That in his armour bare a croflet red.

Aye me, dear Dame (quoth he) well may I rue To tell the fad fight which mine eyes have read : These eyes did fee that Knight both living and eke dead. XXXVII.

That cruel word her tender heart fo thrilld,

That fuddain cold did run through every vein,
And ftony horrour all her fenfes filld

With dying fit, that down fhe fell for pain.
The Knight her lightly reared up again,
And comforted with courteous kind relief :
Then won from death, fhe bade him tellen plain
The further procefs of her hidden grief;

The leffer pangs can bear, who hath endureth the chief.
XXXVIII.

Then 'gan the Pilgrim thus; I chanct this day,
This fatal day, that I fhall ever rue,
To fee two Knights in travel on my way
(A forry fight) arrang'd in battle new,

Both breathing vengeance, both of wrathful hew:
My fearful fleth did tremble at their strife,

To fee their blades fo greedily imbrew,

That dronk with blood, yet thirsted after life: What more?the RedcrofsKnight wasflainwith Paynim knife.

XXXIX.

Ah dearest Lord (quoth fhe) how might that be,
And he the ftouteft Knight that ever won?
Ah dearest Dame (quoth he) how might I fee
The thing that might not be, and yet was done?
Where is (faid Satyrane) that Paynims fon,
That him of life, and us of joy hath reft;
Not far away (quoth he) he hence doth wone
Foreby a fountain, where I late him left

[cleft.

Washing his bloody wounds, that through the steel were

XL.

Therewith the Knight thence marched forth in hafte,
Whiles Una with huge heaviness oppreft,
Could not for forrow follow him fo faft;
And foon he came, as he the place had guest,
Whereas that Pagan proud himself did reft,
In fecret shadow by a fountain fide:

Even he it was, that earft would have fuppreft
Fair Una: whom when Satyrane efpide,

With foul reprochful words he boldly him defide;
XLI.

And faid, arife thou cursed mifcreant,

That haft with Knightless guile and treacherous train,
Fair Knighthood fouly fhamed, and doft vaunt
That good Knight of the Redcrofs to have flain :
Arife, and with like treason now maintain
Thy guilty wrong, or elfe thee guilty yield.
The Sarazin this hearing, rofe amain,

And catching up in hafte his three fquare fhield,
And fhining helmet, foon him buckled to the field.
XLII.

And drawing nigh him said, ah misborn Elf,
In evil hour thy foes thee hither sent,
Anothers wrongs to wreak upon thy felf:
Yet ill thou blameft me for having blent
My name with guile and traiterous intent;
That Redcrofs Knight, perdie, I never flew :
But had he been, where earft his arms were lent,
Th' enchanter vain his error should not rue :
But thou his error fhalt, I hope, now proven true.
XLIII.

Therewith they 'gan, both furious and fell,
To thunder blows, and fiercely to affail ;
Each other bent his enemy to quell,

That with their force they pierct both plate and mail,
And made wide furrows in their fleshes frail,

That it would pity any living eye.

Large floods of blood adown their fides did rail
But floods of blood could not them fatisfie:

But hungred after death: both chose to win, or die,

XLIV.

So long they fight, and fell revenge pursue,
That fainting each, themselves to breathen let;
And oft refreshed, battle oft renew:

As when two Boars with rankling malice met,
Their gory fides fresh bleeding fiercely fret,
Till breathlefs both themselves afide retire,

Where foming wrath, their cruel tufks they whet, And trample th' earth, the whiles they may refpire; Then back to fight again, new breathed and entire. XLV.

So fiercely when these Knights had breathed once,
They 'gan to fight return, increasing more
Their puiffant force, and cruel rage attonce,
With heaped ftrokes, more hugely than before,
That with their drery wounds and bloody gore
They both deformed, fcarcely could be known.
By this, fad Una fraught with anguish fore,

Led with their noife, which through the air was thrown Arrived, where they in earth their fruitlefs blood had fown. XLVI.

Whom all fo foon as that proud Sarazin
Efpide, he 'gan revive the memory
Of his lewd lufts, and late attempted fin,
And left the doubtful battle haftily,

To catch her, newly offred to his eye:

But Satyrane with ftrokes him turning, staid, And fternly bade him other business ply, Than hunt the fteps of pure unfpotted maid Wherewith he all enrag'd, thefe bitter fpeeches faid; XLVII.

O foolish Fairies fon, what fury mad

Hath thee incenft, 'to hafte thy doleful fate?
Were it not better I that Lady had,

Than that thou hadft repented it too late?
Moft fenfeless man he, that himself doth hate,
To love another. Lo then for thine aid,
Here take thy lovers token on thy pate.
So they to fight; the whiles the royal maid
Fled far away, of that proud Paynim fore affraid.