XVI.

As when two Tygers prickt with hungers rage
Have by good fortune found fome beafts fresh spoil,
On which they ween their famine to affuage,
And gain a feastful guerdon of their toil,
Both falling out, do ftir up ftrifeful broil,
And cruel battle 'twixt theinfelves do make,
Whiles neither lets the other touch the foil,
But either 'fdeignes with other to partake:
So cruelly these Knights ftrove for that Ladies fake.
XVII.

Full many ftrokes, that mortally were meant,
The whiles were enterchanged 'twixt them two:
Yet they were all with so good wariment
Or warded, or avoided and let goe,

That ftill the life ftood fearless of her foe:
Till Diamond, difdeigning long delay
Of doubtful fortune wav'ring to and fro,
Refolv'd to end it one or other way;

And heav'd his murdrous axe at him with mighty fway. XVIII.

The dreadful ftroke in case it had arriv'd,

Where it was meant (fo deadly was it meant)
The foul had fure out of the body riv'd,
And ftinted all the ftrife incontinent.
But Cambells fate that fortune did prevent :
For feeing it at hand he fwerv'd afide,
And fo gave way unto his fell intent:

Who mifling of the mark which he had eyde,
Was with the force nigh fel'd, whilft his right foot did flide.
XIX.

As when a Vulture greedy of his prey,

Through hunger long, that heart to him doth lend, Strikes at an Heron with all his bodies fway, That from his force feems nought may it defend; The wary fowl, that fpies him toward bend, His dreadful foufe avoids, it fhunning light, And maketh him his wing in vain to spend; That with the weight of his own weildless might, He falleth nigh to ground, and fearce recov'reth flight,

XX.

Which fair adventure when Cambello fpide,

Full lightly, ere himself he could recoure
From dangers dread to ward his naked fide,
He gan let drive at him with all his powre,
And with his axe him fmote in evil houre,
That from his fhoulders quite his head he reft;
The headlefs trunk, as heedlefs of that ftowre,
Stood still awhile, and his faft footing kept,
Till feeling life to fail, it fell, and deadly flept.
XXI.

They which that piteous fpectacle beheld,

Were much amaz'd the head-lefs trunk to fee
Stand up fo long, and weapon vain to weld,
Unweeting of the Fates divine decree,
For lifes fucceffion in thofe brethren three,
For notwithstanding that one foul was reft,
Yet had the body not difmembred be,
It would have lived, and revived eft;
But finding no fit feat, the lifelefs corfe it left.
XXII.

It left; but that fame foul which therein dwelt,
Straight entring into Triamond, him fill'd

With double life, and grief; which when he felt,
As one whofe inner parts had been ythrild
With point of fteel, that clofe his heart-blood spilld,
He highly leapt out of his place of rest,
And rufhing forth into the empty field,
Against Cambello fiercely him addreft;

Who him affronting, foon to fight was ready preft.
XXIII.

Well mote ye wonder, how that noble Knight
After he had fo often wounded been,

Could stand on foot now to renew the fight.
But had he then him forth advancing feen,
Some new born wight ye would him furely ween:
So fresh he feemed, and fo fierce in fight;
Like as a Snake, whom weary winters teen
Hath worn to nought, now feeling fummers might,
Cafts off his ragged skin, and freshly doth him dight.

XXIV.

All was through vertue of the ring he wore,
The which not only did not from him let
One drop of blood to fall, but did restore
His weakned powres, and dulled fpirits whet,
Through working of the ftone therein yfet.
Elfe how could one of equal might with moft,
Against so many no less mighty met,

Once think to match three fuch on equal cost?
Three fuch as able were to match a puiffant host.
XXV.

Yet nought thereof was Triamond adred,
Ne defperate of glorious victory,

But fharply him affail'd, and fore bested,
With heaps of ftrokes, which he at him let fly,
As thick as hail forth poured from the sky: n
He ftrook, he fouft, he foin'd, he hew'd, he lafht,
And did his iron brond fo fast apply,

That from the fame the firy sparkles flasht,
As faft as water-fprinkles 'gainft a rock are dafht..
XXVI.

Much was Cambello daunted with his blows: '
So thick they fell, and forcibly were fent,
That he was forc'd (from danger of the throws)
Back to retire, and fomewhat to relent,
Till th' heat of his fierce fury he had spent :
Which when for want of breath 'gan to abate,
He then afresh, with new encouragement,
Did him affail, and mightily amate,

As faft as forward earft, now backward to retrate.
XXVII.

DA

Like as the tide that comes from th' Ocean main,
Flows up the Shenan with contrary force:
And over-ruling him in his own reign,
Drives back the current of his kindly courfe, af.
And makes it feem to have fome other fourfe:
But when the flood is fpent, then back again :)
His borrow'd waters forc'd to redifbourfe,
He fends the fea his own with double gain,
And tribute eke withall, as to his foveraine.

I

XXVIII.

Thus did the battle vary to and fro,

With diverse fortune doubtful to be deem'd
Now this the better had, now had his foe;
Then he half vanquifht, then the other feem'd ;
Yet Victors both themselves always efteem'd.
And all the while, the difentrailed blood,
Adown their fides like little rivers ftream'd;
That with the wafting of his vital flood,
Sir Triamond at last, full faint and feeble flood..
XXIX.

But Cambell still more ftrong and greater grew,
Ne felt his blood to wafte, ne powres emperisht,
Through that rings vertue, that with vigour new,
Still whenas he enfeebled was him cherisht,
And all his wounds, and all his bruifes guerifht:
Like as a wither'd tree through husbands toil
Is often seen full freshly to have flourisht,
And fruitful apples to have borne awhile,
As fresh as when it first was planted in the foil.
XXX.

Through which advantage, in his ftrength he rofe,
And fmote the other with fo wondrous might,
That through the feam, which did his hauberk close,
Into his throat and life it pierced quight,
That down he fell, as dead in all mens fight
Yet dead he was not, yet he fure did dye,
As all men do, that lofe the living fpright;
So did one foul out of his body fly

Unto her native home, from mortal mifery,
XXXI.

But natheless, whilft all the lookers on
Him dead behight, as he to all appear'd,
All unawares he started up anon,

As one that had out of a dream been rear'd,
And fresh affail'd his foe; who half affear'd
Of th' uncouth fight, as he fome ghost had feen,
Stood ftill amaz'd, holding his idle fweard;
Till having often by him ftriken been,

He forced was to ftrike, and fave himself from teen,

XXXII.

Yet from thenceforth, more warily he fought,
As one in fear the Stygian Gods t'offend,
Ne follow'd on fo faft, but rather fought
Himself to fave, and danger to defend,
Than life and labour both in vain to spend.
Which Triamond perceiving, weened fure
Hegan to faint, toward the battles end,
And that he should not long on foot endure;
A fign which did to him the victory affure.
XXXIII.

Whereof full blith, eftfoons his mighty hand
He heav'd on high, in mind with that fame blow.
To make an end of all that did withstand:
Which Cambell feeing come, was nothing flow
Himself to fave from that fo deadly throw;
And at that inftant reaching forth his fweard,
Clofe underneath his fhield, that scarce did show,
Strook him, as he his hand to strike up-rear'd, [pear'd.
In th' armpit full that through both fides the wound ap◄
XXXIV.

Yet ftill that direful ftroke kept on his way,
And falling heavy on Cambellos crest,

Strook him fo hugely, that in fwoon he lay,
And in his head an hideous wound impreft:
And fure, had it not happily found rest
Upon the brim of his broad plated shield,
It would have cleft his brain down to his breast.
So both at once fell dead upon the field,
And each to other seem'd the victory to yield.
XXXV.

Which whenas all the lookers on beheld,
They weened fure the war was at an end,
And Judges rofe, and Marfhals of the field
Broke up the lifts, their arms away to rend,
And Canacee 'gan wail her dearest friend.
All fuddainly they both upstarted light,
The one out of the fwoon, which him did blend,
The other breathing now another spright,
And fiercely each aslailing, 'gan afresh to fight.