quight

ΧΙ

Dismayed with so desperate deadly wound,
And eke impatient of unwonted payne,
He loudly brayd with beastly yelling sownd,
That all the fieldes rebellowed againe.
As great a noyse, as when in Cymbrian plaine
An heard of Bulles, whom kindly rage doth
sting,

Doe for the milky mothers want complaine,
And fill the fieldes with troublous bellowing:
The neighbor woods arownd with hollow mur-
mur ring.

XII

That when his deare Duessa heard, and saw

The evil stownd that daungerd her estate,
Her dreadfull beast, who, swolne with blood
Unto his aide she hastily did draw of late,
Came ramping forth with proud presumpteous
gate,

And threatned all his heades like flaming

brandes.

But him the Squire made quickly to retrate,
Encountring fiers with single sword in hand;
And twixt him and his Lord did like a bul-

warke stand.

XIII

The proud Duessa, full of wrathfull spight,
And fiers disdaine to be affronted so,
Enforst her purple beast with all her might,
That stop out of the way to overthroe,
Scorning the let of so unequall foe:

But nathemore would that corageous swayne
But with outrageous strokes did him restraine,
To her yeeld passage gainst his Lord to goe,
And with his body bard the way atwixt them
twaine.

XIV

Then tooke the angrie witch her golden cup,
Which still she bore, replete with magick artes;
Death and despeyre did many thereof sup,
And secret poyson through their inner partes,
Th' eternall bale of heavie wounded harts·
Which, after charmes and some enchaunt-
ments said,

She lightly sprinkled on his weaker partes:
Therewith his sturdie corage soon was quayd,
And all his sences were with suddein dread
dismayd.

XV

Out of the earth, with blade all burning bright| So downe he fell before the cruell beast,
He smott off his left arme, which like a block Who on his neck his bloody clawes did seize,
Did fall to ground, depriv'd of native might: That life nigh crusht out of his panting brest:
Large streames of blood out of the truncked No powre he had to stirre, nor will to rize.
stock
That when the carefull knight gan well avise,
Forth gushed, like fresh water streame from He lightly left the foe with whom he fought,
riven rocke.
And to the beast gan turne his enterprise,

For wondrous anguish in his hart it wrought, And seemd himselfe as conquered to yield.
To see his loved Squyre into such thraldom Whom when his maistresse proud perceiv'd to

Would have cast downe, and trodd in durty Whom when the Prince, to batteill new ad

XXXV

There all within full rich arayd he found,
With royall arras, and resplendent gold,
And did with store of every thing abound,
That greatest Princes presence might behold.
But all the floore (too filthy to be told)
With blood of guiltlesse babes, and innocents
trew,
[fold,
Which there were slaine as sheepe out of the
Defiled was, that dreadfull was to vew;
And sacred ashes over it was strowed new.
XXXVI

And there beside of marble stone was built
An Altare, carv'd with cunning ymagery,
On which trew Christians blood was often spilt,
And holy Martyres often doen to dye
With cruell malice and strong tyranny:
Whose blessed sprites, from underneath the

stone,

Which shaking off, he rent that yron dore
With furious force and indignation fell;
Where entred in, his foot could find no flore,
But all a deepe descent, as darke as hell,
That breathed ever forth a filthie banefull smell.

XL

But nether darkenesse fowle, nor filthy bands,
Nor noyous smell, his purpose could withhold,
(Entire affection hateth nicer hands)
But that with constant zele and corage bold,
After long paines and labors manifold,
He found the meanes that Prisoner up to reare ;
Whose feeble thighes, unable to uphold [beare;
His pined corse, him scarse to light could
A ruefull spectacle of death and ghastly drere.

XLI

His sad dull eies, deepe sunck in hollow pits, Could not endure th' unwonted sunne to view; His bare thin cheekes for want of better bits,

To God for vengeance cryde continually; And with great griefe were often heard to And empty sides deceived of their dew, grone, [piteous mone. Could make a stony hart his hap to rew; That hardest heart would bleede to hear their His rawbone armes, whose mighty brawned

bowrs

[hew, Were wont to rive steele plates, and helmets Were clene consum'd; and all his vitall powres Decayd, and al his flesh shronk up like withered flowres.

XLII

Whome when his Lady saw, to him she ran With hasty joy: to see him made her glad, And sad to view his visage pale and wan, Who earst in flowres of freshest youth was clad. Tho, when her well of teares she wasted had, She said; Ah dearest Lord! what evill starre On you hath frownd, and pourd his influence That of your selfe ye thus berobbed arre, [bad, And this misseeming hew your manly looks

6

doth marre ?

XLIII

Therewith an hollow, dreary, murmuring voyce These pitteous plaintes and dolours did resound: [choyce O! who is that, which bringes me happy 'But welcome now, my Lord in wele or woe, Of death, that here lye dying every stound, Whose presence I have lackt too long a day : Yet live perforce in balefull darkenesse bound? And fie on Fortune, mine avowed foe, [alay; For now three Moones have changed thrice Whose wrathful wreakes them selves doe now their hew, [ground, And for these wronges shall treble penaunce pay And have been thrice hid underneath the Of treble good: good growes of evils priefe.' Since I the heavens chearefull face did vew. The chearelesse man, whom sorrow did dismay, O! welcome thou, that doest of death bring Had no delight to treaten of his griefe; tydings trew.' His long endured famine needed more reliefe.