XXVI.

There 'gan they change their fides, and new parts take; For Paridell did take to Druons fide,

For old defpight, which now forth newly brake 'Gainft Blandamour, whom always he envide: And Blandamour to Claribell relide.

So all afresh 'gan former fight renew:

As when two barks, this carried with the tide,
That with the wind, contrary courses 'fue,

If wind and tide do change, their courfes change anew:
XXVII.

Thenceforth, they much more furiously 'gan fare,
As if but then the battle had begun;

Ne helmets bright, ne hawberks ftrong did fpare,
That through the clifts the vermeil blood out fpun,
And all adown their riven fides did run,

Such mortal malice, wonder was to fee In friends profeft, and fo great outrage done: But footh is faid, and tride in each degree, Faint friends when they fall out most cruel foemen be. XXVIII.

Thus they long while continued in fight,

Till Scudamour, and that fame Briton maid, By fortune in that place did chance to light: Whom foon as they with wrathful eye bewraid, They 'gan remember of the foul upbraid, The which that Britonefs had to them done, In that late turney for the fnowy maid; Where the had them both fhamefully fordone, And eke the famous prize of beauty from them won. XXIX.

Eftfoons all burning with a fresh desire

Of fell revenge, in their malicious mood,
They from themselves 'gan turn their furious ire,
And cruel blades yet fteaming with hot blood,
Against those two let drive, as they were wood:
Who wondring much at that fo fudden fit,
Yet nought difmaid, them ftoutly well withstood
Ne yielded foot, ne once aback did fit,
But being doubly fmitten, likewife doubly fmit.

XXX.

The warlike Dame was on her part affaid
Of Claribell and Blandamour attone;
And Paridell and Druon fiercely laid
At Scudamour, both his profeffed fone.
Four charged two, and two furcharged one:
Yet did those two themselves fo bravely bear,
That th'other little gained by the lone,
But with their own repayed duely were,
And ufury withall: fuch gain was gotten dear.
XXXI.

Full oftentimes did Britcmart affay

To speak to them, and fome emparlance move;
But they for nought their cruel hands would stay,
Ne lend an ear to ought that might behove.
'A's when an eager maftiff once doth prove,
The tafte of blood of fome engored beaft,
No words may rate, nor rigour him remove
From greedy hold of that his bloody feaft:
So little did they hearken to her fweet beheaft.
XXXII.

Whom when the Briton Prince afar beheld
With odds of fo unequal match oppreft,
His mighty heart with indignation fwelld,
And inward grudge fill'd his heroick breaft:
Eftfoons himself he to their aid addreft;
And thrusting fierce into the thickest preace,
Divided them, however loth to reft,

And would them fain from battle to furceafe,
With gentle words perfuading them to friendly peace.
XXXIII.

But they fo far from peace or patience were,
That all attonce at him 'gan fiercely fly,
And lay on load, as they him down would bear;
Like to a storm, which hovers under sky
Long here and there, and round about doth ftie,
At length breaks down in rain, and hail, and fleet,
First from one coaft, till nought thereof be dry;
And then another, till that likewife fleet;

And fo from fide to fide, till all the world it weet.

!

XXXIV.

But now their forces greatly were decay'd,

The Prince yet being fresh untoucht afores.
Who them with speeches mild 'gan first diffuade
From fuch foul outrage, and them long forbore:
Till feeing them through fuffrance heartned more,
Himself he bent their furies to abate:

And laid at them fo fharply and fo fore,
That shortly them compelled to retrate,
And being brought in danger, to relent too late.
XXXV.

But now his courage being throughly fir'd,
He meant to make them know their follies prife,
Had not thofe two him inftantly defir'd
T' affuage his wrath, and pardon their mefprife.
At whofe request he 'gan himself advise
To stay his hand, and of a truce to treat
In milder terms, as lift them to devife:
'Mongft which, the cause of their fo cruel heat
He did them afk: who all that paffed 'gan repeat;
XXXVI.

And told at large, how that fame errant Knight,
To weet, fair Britomart, them late had foil'd
In open turney, and by wrongful fight,
Both of their publick praise had them defpoil'd,
And alfo of their private Loves beguil'd;
Of two, full hard to read the harder theft.
But fhe that wrongful challenge foon affoil'd,
And fhew'd that he had not that Lady reft
(As they fuppos'd) but her had to her liking left.
XXXVII.

To whom, the Prince thus goodly well replide;
Certes, Sir Knight, ye feemen much to blame,
To rip up wrong, that battle once hath tride;
Wherein the honour both of arms ye fhame,
And eke the love of Ladies foul defame;
To whom the world this franchise ever yielded,
That of their Loves choice they might freedom claim,
And in that right, fhould by all Knights be fhielded :
'Gainft which me feems this war ye wrongfully have
[wielded

H 4

XXXVIII.

And yet, quoth fhe, a greater wrong remains :
For I thereby my former Love have loft;
Whom seeking ever fince with endless pains,
Hath me much forrow and much travel coft.
Ay me! to fee that gentle maid so toft.
But Scudamour then fighing deep, thus faid;
Certes her lofs ought me to forrow moft,
Whofe right she is, wherever she be ftraid,
Through many perils won, and many fortunes waid.
XXXIX.

For from the first that I her love profeft,
Unto this hour, this prefent luckless hour,
I never joyed happiness nor reft;

But thus turmoil'd from one to other ftour,
I wafte my life, and do my days devour
In wretched anguifh, and inceffant woe,
Paffing the measure of my feeble powre,
That living thus, a wretch, and loving fo,
I neither can my Love, ne yet my life forgo.
XL.

Then good Sir Claribell him thus bespake;
Now were it not Sir Scudamour to you
Dislikeful pain, so sad a task to take,
Mote we entreat you, fith this gentle crew
Is now fo well accorded all anew;
That as we ride together on our way,
Ye will recount to us in order due

All that adventure, which ye did affay
For that fair Ladies love: paft perils well
XLI.

apay.

So 'gan the reft him likewife to require;
But Britomart did him importune hard,
To take on him that pain: whose great defire
He glad to fatisfie, himfelf prepar'd

To tell through what misfortune he had far'd,
In that atchievement, as to him befell:
And all thofe dangers unto them declar'd:
: Which fith they cannot in this canto well
Comprifed be, I will them in another tell.

CANTO X.

Scudamour doth his conqueft tell
Of virtuous Amoret :
Great Venus temple is defcrib'd,
And lovers life forth fet.

I.

rue he it faid, whatever man it said,

True

That Love with gall and hony doth abound: But if the one be with the other weigh'd, For every dram of hony therein found, A pound of gall doth over it redound. That I too true by trial have approv'd: For fince the day that firft with deadly wound My heart was launc'd, and learned to have lov'd, I never joyed hour, but still with care was mov'd.

LI.

And yet fuch grace is given them from above,
That all the cares and evil which they meet,
May nought at all their fettled minds remove,
But feem 'gainst common fenfe to them moft fweets
As boasting in their martyrdom unmeet.

So all that ever yet I have endur'd,

I count as nought, and tread down under feet,
Sith of my Love at length I reft affur'd,

That to difloyalty fhe will not be allur'd.

III.

Long were to tell the travel and long toil,

Through which this fhield of love I late have won, And purchased this peerless beauties spoil, That harder may be ended, than begun. But fince ye fo defire, your will be done. Then heark, ye gentle Knights and Ladies free, My hard mishaps, that ye may learn to fhun; For though sweet love to conquer glorious be, Yet is the pain thereof much greater than the fee.