So travelling, he chanc'd far off to heed
A Damzel flying on a palfrey fast
Before two Knights, that after her did speed
With all their powre, and her full fiercely chac'd,
In hope to have her overhent at laft:
Yet fled fhe faft, and both them far outwent,
Carried with wings of fear, like fowl aghaft,
With locks all loofe, and rayment all to rent;
And ever as fhe rode, her eye was backward bent.
V.
Soon after thefe, he faw another Knight,
That after those two former rode apace,
With spear in reft, and prickt with all his might:
So ran they all as they had been at base,
They being chafed, that did others chafe.
At length he faw the hindmoft overtake
One of those two, and force him turn his face;
However loth he were his way to flake,
Yet mote he algates now abide, and anfwer make.
VI.
But th' other ftill purfu'd the fearful Maid;
Who ftill from him as faft away did fly,
Ne once for ought her speedy paffage staid,
Till that at length fhe did before her spy
Sir Arthegal, to whom she ftraight did hie
With gladful hafte, in hope of him to get
Succour against her greedy enemy:
Who feeing her approach, 'gan forward fet
To fave her from her fear, and him from force to let
VII.
But he like hound full greedy of his prey,
Being impatient of impediment,
Continu'd ftill his courfe, and by the way
Thought with his fpear him quite have overwent.
So both together ylike felly bent,
Like fiercely met. But Arthegal was stronger,
And better skill'd in tilt and turnament,
And bore him quite out of his faddle, longer [wronger. Than two fpears length; fo mifchief over-matcht the
And in his fall misfortune him mistook;
For on his head unhappily he pight,
That his own weight his neck afunder broke,
And left there dead. Mean while the other Knight
Defeated had the other faytour quight,
And all his bowels in his body braft:
Whom leaving there in that defpiteous plight.
He ran ftill on, thinking to follow faft
His other fellow Pagan, which before him past.
IX.
Inftead of whom, finding there ready prest
Sir Arthegal, without difcretion
He at him ran, with ready fpear in rest:
Who feeing him come ftill fo fiercely on,
Against him made again. fo both anon
Together met, and ftrongly either ftrook
And broke their fpears; yet neither has forgon
His horfes back, yet to and fro long hook, [quook.
And totter'd like two towres, which through a tempeft
X.
But when again they had recover'd sense,
They drew their swords, in mind to make amends
For what their pears had fail'd of their pretence.
Which when the Damzel, who thofe deadly ends
Of both her foes had feen, and now her friends
For her beginning a more fearful fray;
She to them runs in hafte, and her hair rends,
Crying to them their cruel hands to stay,
Untill they both do hear, what fhe to them will say.
They ftayd their hands, when fhe thus 'gan to fpeak;
Ah! gentle Knights, what mean ye thus unwife
Upon your felves anothers wrong to wreak?
I am the wrong'd, whom ye did enterprise
Both to redrefs, and both redreft likewife:
Witnefs the Paynims both, whom ye may
fee
There dead on ground. What do ye then devife
Of more revenge? if more, then I am fhe,
Which was the root of all; end your revenge on me.
Whom when they heard fo fay, they lookt about,
To weet if it were true as fhe had told;
Where when they faw their foes dead out of doubt,
Eftfoons they 'gan their wrathful hands to hold,
And ventails rear each other to behold,
Tho whenas Arthegal did Arthur view,
So fair a creature and fo wondrous bold,
He much admired both his heart and hue,
And touched with intire affection, nigh him drew.
XIII.
Saying, Sir Knight, of pardon I you pray,
That all unweeting have you wrong'd thus fore
Suffring my hand against my heart to stray:
Which if ye please forgive, I will therefore
Yield for amends my felf yours evermore,
Or whatso penance fhall by you be read.
To whom the Prince; Certes, me needeth more
To crave the fame, whom errour fo mifled,
As that I did miftake the living for the dead.
XIV.
But fith ye please, that both our blames fhall dye,
Amends may for the trefpafs foon be made,
Since neither is endamag'd much thereby.
So 'gan they both themfelves full eath perfuade
To fair accordance, and both faults to fhade,
Either embracing other lovingly,
And fwearing faith to either on his blade,
Never thenceforth to nourish enmity,
But either others caufe to maintain mutually.
XV.
Then Arthegal, 'gan of the Prince enquire,
What were thofe Knights which there on ground were
And had receiv'd their follies worthy hire,
And for what caufe they chafed fo that maid.
Certes, I wote not well, the Prince then faid;
But by adventure found them faring fo,
As by the way unweetingly I ftrayd :
And lo, the Damzel felf, whence all did grow,
Of whom we may at will the whole occafion know.
XVI.
Then they that Damzel calfed to them nigh,
And asked her, what were thofe two her fone,
From whom fhe earst fo faft away did fly;
And what was fhe herself fo woe-begone,
And for what caufe purfu'd of them attone.
To whom the thus; then wote ye well, that I
Do ferve a Queen that not far hence doth wonne,
A Princefs of great powre and majesty,
Famous through all the world, and honour'd far and nigh.
XVII.
Her name Mercilla moft men use to call;
That is a maiden Queen of high renown,
For her great bounty knowen over all,
And foveraine grace, with which her royal crown
She doth fupport, and ftrongly beateth down
The malice of her foes which her envy,
And at her happiness do fret and frown:
Yet fhe her felf the more doth magnify,
And even to her foes her mercies multiply.
XVIII.
Mongft many which maligne her happy ftate,
There is a mighty man, which wonnes hereby,
That with moft fell defpight and deadly hate,
Seeks to fubvert her crown and dignity;
And all his powre doth thereunto apply:
And her good Knights (of which fo brave a band
Serves her, as any Princess under sky)
He either fpoils, if they againft him ftand,
Or to his part allures, and bribeth underhand.
Ne him fufficeth all the wrong and ill
Which he unto her people does each day;
But that he feeks by traytrous trains to fpill
Her perfon, and her facred felf to flay:
That O ye heavens defend, and turn away
From her unto the mifcreant himself,
That neither hath religion nor fay,
But makes his God of his ungodly pelf,
And Idols ferves; fo let his Idols ferve the Elf.
To all which cruel tyranny they fay,
He is provokt, and ftird up day and night
By his bad wife that hight Adicia,
Who counfels him (through confidence of might) To break all bonds of law, and rules of right. For the herself profeffeth mortal foe
To Juftice, and againft her ftill doth fight,
Working to all that love her, deadly woe,
And making all her Knights and people to do fo.
XXI.
Which my liege Lady feeing thought it beft,
With that his wife in friendly wife to deal,
For ftint of ftrife, and ftablishment of reft
Both to herself, and to her commonweal,
And all forepaft difpleasures to repeal.
So me in meffage unto her fhe fent,
To treat with her by way of enterdeal,
Of final peace and fair attonement,
Which might concluded be by mutual confent.
XXII.
All times have wont fafe paffage to afford
To meffengers that come for causes juft:
But this proud Dame difdaining all accord,
Not only into bitter terms forth bruft,
Reviling me, and railing as fhe luft;
But lastly, to make proof of utmost shame,
Me like a Dog fhe out of doors did thrust,
Mifcalling me by many a bitter name,
That never did her ill, ne once deferved blame.
XXIII.
And lastly that no fhame might wanting be,
When I was gone, foon after me the fent
These two falfe Knights, whom there ye lying see,
To be by them dishonoured and fhent :
But thankt be God, and your good hardiment,
They have the price of their own folly paid.
So faid this Damzel, that hight Samient;
And to thofe Knights for their fo noble aid,
Herfelf moft grateful fhew'd, and heaped thanks repaid.
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