Sir Calidore thence travelled not long,
Whenas by chance a comely Squire he found,
That thorough fome more mighty enemies wrong,
Both hand and foot unto a tree was bound:
Who seeing him from far, with piteous found
Of his fhrill cries him called to his aid.
To whom approaching in that painful stound
When he him faw, for no demands he ftaid,
But firft him loos'd, and afterwards thus to him faid.
XII.
Unhappy Squire, what hard mishap thee brought
Into this bay of peril and difgrace?
What cruel hand thy wretched thraldom wrought,
And thee captived in this fhameful place?
To whom he anfwer'd thus; My hapless cafe
Is not occafion'd through my mis-defert,
But through misfortune, which did me abafe
Unto this shame, and my young hope fubvert,
Ere that I in her guileful trains was well expert.
XIII.
Not far from hence, upon yond rocky hill,
Hard by a ftreight there stands a castle strong,
Which doth observe a custom lewd and ill,
And it hath long maintaind with mighty wrong:
For may no Knight nor Lady pass along
That way (and yet they needs muft pafs that way)
By reafon of the ftreight, and rocks among,
But they that Ladies locks do fhave away,
And that Knights beard for toll, which they for paffage pay. XIV.
A fhameful use as ever I did hear,
Said Calidore, and to be overthrown.
But by what means did they at first it rear, And for what caufe? tell if thou have it known. Said then the Squire: The Lady which doth own This caftle, is by name Briana hight, Than which a prouder Lady liveth none: She long time hath dear lov'd a doughty Knight, And fought to win his love by all the means fhe might.
His name is Crudor, who through high difdain
And proud defpight of his self-pleasing mind,
Refufed hath to yeild her love again,
Untill a mantle the for him do find,
With beards of Knights, and locks of Ladies lin❜d.
Which to provide the hath this caftle dight
And therein hath a Senefchall affign'd,
Call'd Maleffort, a man of mickle might,
Who executes her wicked will, with worfe defpight.
XVI.
He this fame day, as I that way did come
With a fair Damzell, my beloved dear,
In execution of her lawleffe doom.
Did fet upon us flying both for fear:
For little boots against him hand to rear.
Me first he took, unable to withstond;
And whiles he her purfued every where.
Till his return unto this tree he bond:
Ne wote I furely, whether her he yet have fond.
XVII.
Thus whiles they fpake, they hear a ruefull shriek,
Of one loud crying, which they ftraightway guest
That it was fhe, the which for help did feek,
Tho looking up unto the cry to left,
They faw that Carle from far, with hand unblest
Haling that Maiden by the yellow hair,
That all her garments from her fnowy breast,
And from her head her locks he nigh did tear,
Ne would he spare for pity, nor refrain for fear.
XVIII.
Which hainous fight when Calidore beheld,
Eftfoons he loos'd that Squire, and fo him left,
With hearts difmay, and inward dolour queld,
For to pursue that villain, which had reft
That piteous fpoil by fo injurious theft.
Whom overtaking, loud to him he cride;
Leave faytor quickly that mifgotten weft,
To him that hath it better juftifide,
And turn thee foon to him, of whom thou art defide.
Who hearkning to that voice himself upreard,
And seeing him fo fiercely towards make,
Against him ftoutly ran, as nought afeard,
But rather more enrag'd for those words fake;
And with ftern count'nance thus unto him fpake;
Art thou the caitive that defieft me,
And for this Maid, whofe party thou doft take,
Wilt give thy beard, though it but little be?
Yet fhall it not her locks for ranfom from me free.
XX.
With that he fiercely at him flew, and layd
On hideous ftrokes with most importune might,
That oft he made him ftagger as unftayd,
And oft recuile to fhun his fharp defpight.
But Calidore, that was well fkilld in fight,
Him long forbore, and ftill his fpirit fpar'd,
Lying in wait how he him damage might.
But when he felt him fhrink, and come to ward, He greater grew, and 'gan to drive at him more hard. XXI.
Like as a water-ftream, whofe fwelling fourfe
Shall drive a mill, within ftrong banks is pent,
And long restrained of his ready course;
So foon as paffage is unto him lent,
Breaks forth, and makes his way more violent.
Such was the fury of Sir Calidore,
When once he felt his foe-man to relent;
He fiercely him purfu'd, and preffed fore,
Who as he still decayd, fo he encreased more.
XXII.
The heavy burden of whofe dreadful might
Whenas the Carle no longer could fuftain,
His heart 'gan faint, and ftraight he took his flight
Towards the caftle, where if need constrain,
His hope of refuge used to remain.
Whom Calidore perceiving faft to fly,
He him purfu'd and chaced through the plain,
That he for dread of death 'gan loud to cry
Unto the ward, to open to him hastily.
They from the wall him seeing fo aghast,
The gate foon open'd to receive him in;
But Calidore did follow him fo faft,
That even in the porch he him did win,
And cleft his head afunder to his chin.
The carcafs tumbling down within the door,
Did choke the entrance with a lump of fin,
That it could not be fhut, whilft Calidore
Did enter in, and flew the Porter on the floor.
XXIV.
With that the reft the which the castle kept,
About him flockt, and hard at him did lay;
But he them all from him full lightly swept,
As doth a Stear, in heat of fummers day,
With his long tail the bryzes brush away.
Thence paffing forth, into the hall he came,
Where of the Lady felf in fad difmay
He was ymet: who with uncomely fhame
Gan him falute, and foul upbraid with faulty blame.
XXV.
False traytor Knight, faid he, no Knight at all,
But fcorn of arms, that haft with guilty hand
Murdred my men, and flain my Seneschall;
Now comeft thou to rob my house unmand,
And spoil myself, that cannot thee withstand?
Yet doubt thou not, but that fome better Knight
Than thou, that shall thy treason understand,
Will it avenge, and pay thee with thy right:
And if none do, yet fhame fhall thee with fhame requight.
XXVI.
Much was the Knight abafhed at that word;
Yet anfwered thus; Not unto me the fhame,
But to the fhameful doer it afford.
Blood is no blemish; for it is no blame
To punish thofe that do deferve the fame;
But they that break bands of civility,
And wicked cuftoms make, thofe do defame
Both noble arms and gentle courtesy.
No greater fhame to man than inhumanity.
Then do yourself, for dread of fhame forgo
This evil manner, which ye here maintain,
And do inftead thereof mild court'fie fhow
To all that pass. That fhall you glory gain
More than his love, which thus ye feek t'obtain.
Wherewith all full of wrath fhe thus replide;
Vile recreant, know that I do much difdain
Thy courteous lore, that doft my Love deride,
Who fcorns thy idle fcoff, and bids thee be defide.
XXVIII.
To take defiance at a Ladies word
Quoth he, I hold it no indignity;
But were he here, that would it with his fword
Abet, perhaps he mote it dear aby.
Coward, quoth fhe, were not that thou wouldst fly, Ere he do come, he should be foon in place.
If I do fo, faid he, then liberty
I leave to you, for aye me to difgrace,
With all thofe fhames that earft ye fpake me to deface.
With that a Dwarf fhe call'd to her in hafte,
And taking from her hand a ring of gold
(A privy token which between them past)
Bade him to fly with all the speed he could
To Crudor, and defire him that he would
Vouchsafe to rescue her against a Knight,
Who through ftrong powre had now herself in hold,
Having late flain her Senefchall in fight,
And all her people murdred with outrageous might.
The Dwarf his way did hafte, and went all night;
But Calidore did with her there abide
The coming of that fo much threatned Knight,
Where that difcourteous Dame with fcornful pride,
And foul entreaty him indignifide,
That Iron heart it hardly could sustain :
Yet he that could his wrath full wifely guide,
Did well endure her womanifh difdain,
And did himself from frail impatience refrain.
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