The Prince, according to the former token,
Which fair Serene to him deliver'd had,
Purfu'd him ftraight, in mind to been ywroken
Of all the vile demean, and ufage bad,
With which he had thofe two fo ill beftad:
Ne wight with him on that adventure went,
But that wild man; whom though he oft forbad,
Yet for no bidding, nor for being fhent,
Would he restrained be from his attendement.
Arriving there, as did by chance befall,
He found the gate wide ope, and in he rode,
Ne ftayd, till that he came into the hall :
Where foft difmounting like a weary lode,
Upon the ground with feeble feet he trode,
As he unable were for very need
To move one foot, but there must make abode; The whiles the falvage man did take his steed, And in some stable near did fet him up to feed, XX.
Ere long to him a homely Groom there came,
That in rude wife him afked what he was,
That durft fo boldly, without let or shame,
Into his Lords forbidden hall to pafs.
To whom, the Prince (him faining to embase)
Mild anfwer made; he was an errant Knight,
The which was fall'a into this feeble cafe,
Through many wounds, which lately he in fight,
Received had, and prayd to pity his ill plight.
XXI.
But he the more outrageous and bold,
Sternly did bid him quickly thence avaunt, Or dear aby; for why, his Lord of old Did hate all errant Knights which there did haunt, Ne lodging would to any of them grant: And therefore lightly bade him pack away, Not fparing him with bitter words to taunt; And there-withall, rude hand on him did lay, To thruft him out of door, doing his worft aflay.
Which when the Salvage coming now in place
Beheld, eftfoons he all enraged grew;
And running straight upon that villain bafe,
Like a fell Lyon at him fiercely flew,
And with his teeth and nails, in prefent view
Him rudely rent, and all to pieces tore:
So miferably him all helpless flew,
That with the noife, whilft he did loudly rore,
The people of the house rofe forth in great uprore.
XXIII.
Who when on ground they faw their fellow flain,
And that fame Knight and Salvage ftanding by,
Upon them two they fell with might and main,
And on them laid fo huge and horribly,
As if they would have flain them presently.
But the bold Prince defended him fo well,
And their affault withstood fo mightily,
That maugre all their might, he did repell
And beat them back, whilft many underneath him fell.
XXIV.
Yet he them still fo fharply did purfue,
That few of them he left alive, which fled,
Thofe evil tidings to their Lord to fhew.
Who hearing how his people badly fped,
Came forth in hafte: where, whenas with the dead
He saw the ground all ftrow'd, and that fame Knight
And Salvage with their blood fresh-steeming red,
He wox nigh mad with wrath and fell defpight,
And with reproachful words him thus befpake on height;
XXV.
Art thou he, traytor, that with treafon vile
Haft flain my men in this unmanly manner,
And now triumpheft in the piteous fpoil
Of thefe poor folk, whofe fouls with black dishonour
And foul defame do deck thy bloody banner?
The meed whereof fhall fhortly be thy fhame,
And wretched end, which still attendeth on her.
With that, himself to battle he did frame;
So did his forty yeomen, which there with him came.
With dreadful force they all did him affail,
And round about with boiftrous ftrokes oppress,
That on his fhield did rattle like to hail
In a great tempeft; that in fuch diftrefs,
He wift not to which fide him to addrefs.
And evermore that craven coward Knight,
Was at his back with heartless heediness,
Waiting if he unwares him murther might:
For cowardize doth ftill in villany delight.
XXVII.
Whereof whenas the Prince was well aware,
He to him turn'd with furious intent,
And him against his powre 'gan to prepare ;
Like a fierce Bull, that being busy bent
To fight with many foes about him ment,
Feeling fome Cur behind his heels to bite,
Turns him about with fell avengement:
So likewife turn'd the Prince upon the Knight,
And layd at him amain with all his will and might.
XXVIII.
Who when he once his dreadful ftrokes had tafted,
Durft not the fury of his force abide,
But turn'd aback, and to retire him hafted
Through the thick preace, there thinking him to hide.
But when the Prince had once him plainly eyde,
He foot by foot him followed alway,
Ne would him fuffer once to fhrink afide;
But joining clofe, huge load at him did lay:
Who flying ftill did ward, and warding fly away.
But when his foe he ftill fo eager faw,
Unto his heels himself he did betake,
Hoping unto fome refuge to withdraw :
Ne would the Prince him ever foot forfake,
Wherefo he went, but after him did make.
He fled from room to room, from place to place,
Whilft every joint for dread of death did quake,
Still looking after him that did him chace:
That made him evermore increase his fpeedy pace.
At last he up into the chamber came,
Whereas his Love was fitting all alone,
Waiting what tidings of her folk became.
There did the Prince him overtake anone,
Crying in vain to her, him to bemoane;
And with his fword him on the head did fmite,
That to the ground he fell in fenfeless swone:
Yet whether thwart or flatly did it lite,
The tempred steel did not into his brain-pan bite.
XXXI.
Which when the Lady faw, with great affright
She starting up, began to fhriek aloud;
And with her garment covering him from fight,
Seem'd under her protection him to shroud;
And falling lowly at his feet, her bow'd
Upon her knee, intreating him for grace,
And often him befought, and pray'd and vow'd;
That with the ruth of her fo wretched cafe,
He ftayd his fecond stroke, and did his hand abase.
XXXII.
Her weed she then withdrawing, did him difcover:
Who now come to himself, yet would not rise,
But ftill did lie as dead, and quake and quiver,
That even the Prince his bafenefs did defpife;
And eke his Dame him feeing in fuch guife,
Gan him recomfort, and from ground to rear.
Who rifing up at last in ghaftly wife,
Like troubled Ghoft did dreadfully appear,
As one that had no life him left through former fear.
XXXIII.
Whom when the Prince fo deadly faw difmayd,
He for fuch bafenefs fhamefully him fhent,
And with fharp words did bitterly upbrayd;.
Vile coward dog, now do I much repent,
That ever I this life unto thee lent,
Whereof thou caitive fo unworthy art;
That both thy Love, for lack of hardiment,
And eke thy felf, for want of manly heart,
And eke allKnights haft fhamed with this knightlefs part.
Yet further haft thou heaped fhame to fhame,
And crime to crime, by this thy coward fear.
For first it was to thee reproachful blame,
T'erect this wicked cuftom which I hear,
Gainst errant Knights and Ladies thou doft rear;
Whom when thou mayft, thou doft of arms defpoil,
Or of their upper garment which they wear :
Yet doft thou not with manhood, but with guile,
Maintain this evil ufe, thy foes thereby to foil.
XXXV.
And lastly, in approvance of thy wrong,
To fhew fuch faintnefs and foul cowardice,
Is greatest shame: for oft it falls, that strong
And valiant Knights do rafhly enterprize,
Either for fame, or else for exercise,
A wrongful quarrel to maintain by fight;
Yet have, through prowels and their brave emprize,
Gotten great worship in this worldës fight.
For greater force there needs to maintainwrong than right.
XXXVI.
Yet fith thy life unto this Lady fair
I given have, live in reproach and fcorn;
Ne ever arms, ne ever knighthood dare
Hence to profefs: for fhame is to adorn
With fo brave badges one fo bafely born,
But only breathe, fith that I did forgive.
So having from his craven body torn
Thofe goodly arms, he them away did give,
And only fuffred him this wretched life to live.
XXXVII.
There whilft he thus was fetling things above,
Atween that Lady mild and recreant Knight,
To whom his life he granted for her Love,
He 'gan bethink him in what per❜lous plight
He had behind him left that Salvage wight,
Amongst fo many foes, whom fure he thought
By this quite flain in fo unequal fight:
Therefore defcending back in hatte, he fought
If yet he were alive, or to deftruction brought.
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