Ne doffe her armes, though he her much besought:

For she had vow'd, she sayd, 1ot to forgo Those warlike weedes, till she revenge had wrought

Of a late wrong uppon a mortall foe;

sore,

Which she would sure performe, betide her Perceiving well the treason which was ment;

wele or wo.

XXIV

Which when their Host perceiv'd, right dis

content

In minde he grew, for feare least by that art
He should his purpose misse, which close he

ment:

Yet taking leave of her he did depart.
There all that night remained Britomart,
Restlesse, recomfortlesse, with heart deepe
grieved,

Yet stirred not at all for doubt of more,
But kept her place with courage confident,
Wayting what would ensue of that event.
It was not long before she heard the sound
Of armed men comming with close intent
Towards her chamber; at which dreadfull
stound
[about her bound.
She quickly caught her sword, and shield

XXIX

[start With that there came unto her chamber dore Nor suffering the least twinckling sleepe to Two Knights all armed ready for to fight; Into her eye, which th' heart mote have re- And after them full many other more, [reprieved: A rask all rout, with weapons rudely dight: But if the least appear'd, her eyes she streight Whom soone as Talus spide by glims of

lieved;

XXV

night,

He started up, there where on ground he lay,

'Ye guilty eyes,' (sayd she) 'the which with And in his hand his thresher ready keight.

guyle

My heart at first betrayd, will ye betray
My life now too, for which a little whyle
Ye will not watch? false watches, wellaway!
I wote when ye did watch both night and day
Unto your losse; and now needes will ye
sleepe?

Now ye have made my heart to wake alway,
Now will ye sleepe? ah! wake, and rather
[yee waking keepe.'
To thinke of your nights want, that should

weepe

They seeing that let drive at him streightway,
And round about him preace in riotous aray.

XXX

But, soone as he began to lay about
With his rude yron faile, they gan to flie,
Both armed Knights and eke unarmed rout;
Yet Talus after them apace did plie,
Where ever in the darke he could them spie,
That here and there like scattred sheepe they
lay:

Then, backe returning where his Dame did lie,
He to her told the story of that fray,
And all that treason there intended did bewray.

XXXI

Wherewith though wondrous wroth, and inly
burning

To be avenged for so fowle a deede,
Yet being forst to abide the daies returning,
She there remain'd; but with right wary heede,
Least any more such practise should proceede.
Now mote ye know (that which to Britomart
Unknowen was) whence all this did proceede;
And for what cause so great mischievous smart
Was ment to her that never evill ment in
hart.

XXXII

The goodman of this house was Dolon hight;
A man of subtill wit and wicked minde,
That whilome in his youth had bene a Knight,
And armes had borne, but little good could
finde,

And much lesse honour by that warlike kinde Streight was the passage, like a ploughed Of life: for he was nothing valorous,

But with slie shiftes and wiles did underminde That, if two met, the one mote needes fall over
All noble Knights, which were adventurous,
And many brought to shame by treason trea-
cherous.

With these his wicked sons, and shewd his Of Guizor by thee slaine, and murdred by thy

NOUGHT is on earth more sacred or divine,
That Gods and men doe equally adore,
Then this same vertue that doth right define:
For th' hevens themselves, whence mortal men
implore

Right in their wrongs, are rul'd by righteous
lore

Like as Osyris signifies the Sunne :
For that they both like race in equall justice

runne.

V

The Championesse them greeting, as she could,
Was thence by them into the Temple led;
Whose goodly building when she did behould,
Borne uppon stately pillours, all dispred

Of highest Jove, who doth true justice deale With shining gold, and arched over hed,
To his inferiour Gods, and evermore
Therewith containes his heavenly Common-

weale:

She wondred at the workemans passing skill, Whose like before she never saw nor red; [reveale, And thereuppon long while stood gazing still, But thought that she thereon could never gaze her fill.

The skill whereof to Princes hearts he doth

They more the better send to their devotion. Eppon the mount; vile endet primly,