When all men had with full fatiety
Of meats and drinks their appetites fuffiz'd,
To deeds of arms and proof of chevalrie
They 'gan themselves addrefs, full rich aguiz'd,
As each one had his furnitures deviz'd.
And first of all iffu'd Sir Marinell,
And with him fix Knights more, which enterpriz'd To challenge all in right of Florimell,
And to maintain that fhe all others did excell.
The firft of them was hight Sir Orimont,
A noble Knight, and tride in hard assays:
The fecond had to name Sir Beilifont,
But fecond unto none in prowefs praise;
The third was Brunel, famous in his days;
The fourth Ecaftor, of exceeding might;
The fifth Armeddan, skill'd in lovely lays;
The fixth was Lansack, a redoubted Knight :
All fix well feen in arms, and prov'd in many a fight.
VI.
And them against came all that lift to giuft,
From every coast, and country under fun:
None was debar'd, but all had leave that luft.
The trumpets found; then all together run,
Full many deeds of arms that day were done,
And many Knights unhorft, and many wounded,
As fortune fell; yet little loft or won :
But all that day the greatest praise redounded
To Marinell, whofe name the Heralds loud refounded.
VII.
The second day, fo foon as morrow light
Appear'd in heaven into the field they came,
And there all day continu'd cruel fight,
With diverfe fortune fit for fuch a game,
In which all ftrove with peril to win fame.
Yet whether fide was victor, n'ote be guest:
But at the laft, the trumpets did proclaim
That Marinell that day deferved best.
So they difparted were, and all men went to reft.
The third day came, that fhould due trial lend
Of all the reft, and then this warlike crew
Together met, of all to make an end,
There Marinell great deeds of arms did fhew;
And through the thickeft like a Lyon flew,
Rafhing off helms, and riving plates afunder,
That every one his danger did efchew.
So terribly his dreadful strokes did thunder.
That all men stood amaz'd, and at his might did wonder.
IX.
But what on earth can always happy stand?
The greatest prowess greater perils find.
So far he past amongst his enemies band,
That they have him enclosed so behind,
As by no means he can himself out-wind.
And now perforce they have him prifoner taken;
And now they do with captive bands him bind;
And now they lead him thence of all forsaken,
Unless fome fuccour had in time him overtaken.
X.
It fortun'd whilft they were thus ill befet,
Sir Arthegal into the tilt-yard came,
With Braggadochio, whom he lately met
Upon the way, with that his fnowy Dame.
Where when he understood by common fame,
What evil hap to Marinell betid,
He much was mov'd at fo unworthy fhame,
And ftraight that boafter pray'd, with whom he rid, To change his fhield with him, to be the better hid. XI.
So forth he went, and foon them over-hent,
Where they were leading Marinell away,
Whom he affail'd with dreadlefs hardiment,
And forc'd the burden of their prize to stay.
They were an hundred Knights of that array;
Of which th'one half upon himself did fet,
The other ftaid behind to guard the prey.
But he ere long the former fifty bet;
And from the other fifty, foon the prifoner fet.
So back he brought Sir Marinell away,
Whom having quickly arm'd again anew,
They both together joined might and main,
To fet afresh on all the other crew.
Whom with fore havock foon they overthrew,
And chafed quite out of the field, that none
Against them durft his head to peril fhew.
So were they lef: Lords of the field alone:
So Marinell by him was refcu'd from his fone.
XIII.
Which when he had perform'd, then back again
To Braggadochio did his fhield restore :
Who all this while behind him did remain,
Keeping there clofe with him in precious store
That his falfe Lady, as ye heard afore.
Then did the trumpets found, and judges rofe,
And all these Knights, which that day armour bore,
Came to the open hall, to liften whofe
The honour of the prize should be adjudg'd by those. ?
XIV.
And thither alfo came in open fight
Fair Florimell into the common hall,
To greet his guerdon unto every Knight,
And beft to him, to whom the best fhould fall.
Then for that stranger Knight they loud did call,
To whom that day they fhould the girlond yield;
Who came not forth: but for Sir Arthegall
Came Braggadochio, and did fhew his shield,
Which bore the fun, broad blazed in a golden field.
XV.
The fight whereof did all with gladness fill:
So unto him they did addeem the prize
Of all that triumph. Then the trumpets fhrill
Don Braggadochio's name refounded thrife:
So courage lent a cloak to cowardise.
And then to him came fairest Florimell,
And goodly 'gan to greet his brave emprise,
And thousand thanks him yield, that had fo well
Approv'd that day, that the all others did excell.
To whom the boaster, that all Knights did blot,
With proud difdain did fcornful anfwer make;
That what he did that day, he did it not
For her, but for his own dear Ladies fake;
Whom on his peril he did undertake,
Both her, and eke all others to excell:
And further did uncomely fpeeches crake.
Much did his words the gentle Lady quell,
And turn'd afide for fhame to hear what he did tell.
XVII.
Then forth he brought his fnowy Florimell,
Whom Trompart had in keeping there befide,
Cover'd from peoples gazement with a veil.
Whom when discover'd they had throughly ey'd,
With great amazement they were stupifide;
And faid that furely Florimell it was,
Or if it were not Florimell fo tride,
That Florimell her self fhe then did pass.
So feeble skill of perfect things the vulgar has.
XVIII.
Which whenas Marinel beheld likewife,
He was therewith exceedingly difmaid;
Ne wift he what to think, or to devife:
But like as one, whom Fiends had made affraid,
He long astonisht stood: ne ought he said,
Ne ought he did, but with faft fixed eyes
He gazed still upon that fnowy maid:
Whom ever as he did the more avize,
The more to be true Florimell he did furmize.
XIX.
As when two funs appear in th'azure sky,
Mounted in Phabus charet firy bright;
Both darting forth fair beams to each mans eye,
And both adorn'd with lamps of flaming light,
All that behold fo ftrange prodigious fight,
Not knowing natures work, nor what to ween,
Are rapt with wonder, and with rare affright:
So ftood Sir Marinell, when he had feen
The femblant of this falfe by his fair beauties Queen.
All which, when Arthegal (who all this while
Stood in the prease close cover'd) well had view'd,
And faw that boasters pride and graceless guile,
He could no longer bear, but forth iffu'd,
And unto all himself there open thew'd:
And to the boafter faid; Thou Lofel bafe,
That haft with borrow'd plumes thy felf endu'd,
And others worth with leafings dost deface,
When they are all reftor'd, thou fhalt reft in difgrace.
XXI.
That shield which thou doft bear, was it indeed
Which this days honour fav'd to Marinell;
But not that arm, nor thou the man I read,
Which didft that fervice unto Florimell.
For proof, fhew forth thy fword, and let it tell,
What strokes, what dreadful ftoure it ftird this day:
Or fhew the wounds which unto thee befell;
Or fhew the sweat, with which thou diddest sway
So sharp a battle, that fo many did dismay.
But this the fword, which wrought thofe cruel ftounds,
And this the arm, the which that shield did bear,
And these the figns (fo fhewed forth his wounds)
By which that glory gotten doth appear.
As for this Lady which he fheweth here,
Is not (I wager) Florimell at all;
But fome fair Franion, fit for fuch a Fere,
That by misfortune in his hand did fall.
For proof whereof, he bade them Florimell forth call.
XXIII.
So forth the noble Lady was ybrought,
Adorn'd with honour and all comely grace:
Whereto her bafhful fhamefac'dnefs y wrought
A great increase in her fair blufhing face,
As Rofes.did with Lillies interlace.
For of thofe words, the which that boafter threw,
She inly yet conceived great difgrace.
Whom whenas all the people fuch did view,
They shouted loud, and figns of gladness all did fhew.
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