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CANTO VIII.

Prince Arthur overcomes Difdain,
Quits Mirabell from dreed:
Serena, found of Salvages,
By Calepine is freed.

I.

Ye gentle Ladies, in whose foveraine powre
Love hath the glory of his kingdom left,
And th' hearts of men, as your eternal dowre,
In iron chains, of liberty bereft,

Deliver'd hath into your hands by gift;
Be well aware, how ye the fame do use,
That pride do not to tyranny you lift;
Left if men you of cruelty accufe,

He from you take that chiefdom which ye do abuse.
II.

And as ye foft and tender are by kind,

Adorn'd with goodly gifts of beauties grace,
So be ye foft and tender eke in mind;
But cruelty and hardness from you chace,
That all your other praifes will deface,
And from you turn the love of men, to hate.
Enfample take of Mirabellas cafe,

Who from the high degree of happy state, Fell into wretched woes, which the repented late. III.

Who after thraldom of the gentle Squire,
Which the beheld with lamentable eye,
Was touched with compaffion entire,
And much lamented his calamity,
That for her fake fell into misery :

Which booted nought for prayers, nor for threat,
To hope for to release or mollify;

For aye the more that fhe did them intreat,
The more they him mifus'd, and cruelly did beat.

IV.

So as they forward on their way did pass,
Him ftill reviling and afflicting fore,
They met Prince Arthur with Sir Enias,
(That was that courteous Knight, whom he before
Having fubdu'd, yet did to life restore)
To whom as they approacht, they 'gan augment
Their cruelty, and him to punish more,
Scourging and haling him more vehement:
As if it them fhould grieve to fee his punishment.
V.

The Squire himself, whenas he faw his Lord,
The witness of his wretchednefs, in place,
Was much afham'd, that with an hempen cord
He like a Dog was led in captive cafe;
And did his head for bashfulness abase,
As loth to fee, or to be feen at all:
Shame would be hid. But whenas Enias
Beheld two fuch, of two such villains thrall,
His manly mind was much emmoved therewithall,
VI.

And to the Prince thus faid; See you, Sir Knight,
The greatest shame that ever eye yet faw?
Yond Lady and her Squire with foul defpight
Abus'd, against all reafon and all law,
Without regard of pity or of awe.

See how they do that Squire beat and revile;
See how they do the Lady hale and draw.
But if ye please to lend me leave awhile,

I will them foon acquit, and both of blame affoil.
VII.

The Prince affented: and then he straightway
Difmounting light, his fhield about him threw,
With which approaching, thus he 'gan to fay;
Abide ye caitive treachetours untrue,
That have with treafon thralled unto you
Thefe two, unworthy of your wretched bands;
And now your crime with cruelty pursue.
Abide, and from them lay your loathly hands;
Or elle abide the death, that hard before you stands.

VIII

The villain ftaid not anfwer to invent,
But with his iron club preparing way,
His minds fad meffage back unto him fent;
The which defcended with fuch dreadful sway,
That seemed nought the course thereof could ftay :
No more than lightning from the lofty fky.
Ne lift the Knight the powre thereof affay,
Whose doom was death; but lightly flipping by,
Unwares defrauded his intended destiny.

IX.

And to requite him with the like again,

With his fharp fword he fiercely at him flew,
And ftrook fo ftrongly, that the Carle with pain
Saved himself, but that he there him flew :
Yet fav'd not fo, but that the blood it drew,
And gave his foe good hope of victory.
Who therewith flefht, upon him fet anew,
And with the second stroke, thought certainly
To have fupplide the firft, and paid the ufury.
X.

But Fortune anfwer'd not unto his call;

For as his hand was heaved up on height,

The villain met him in the middle fall,

And with his club beat back his brondiron bright
So forcibly, that with his own hands might
Rebeaten back upon himfelf again,

He driven was to ground in felf defpight;
From whence ere he recovery could gain,

He in his neck did fet his foot with fell disdain.

XI.

With that, the Fool, which did that end await,
Came running in; and whilft on ground he lay,
Laid heavy hands on him, and held fo ftreight,
That down he kept him with his fcornful fway,
So as he could not wield him any way.

The whiles that other villain went about

Him to have bound, and thrall'd without delay; The whiles, the Fool did him revile and flout, [ftout. Threatning to yoke them two, and tame their courage

XII.

As when a sturdy Plough-man with his Hind
By ftrength have overthrown a stubborn Stear,
They down him hold, and faft with cords do bind
Till they him force the buxom yoke to bear :
So did these two this Knight oft tug and tear.
Which when the Prince beheld, there ftanding by,
He left his lofty steed to aid him near;

And buckling foon himfelf, 'gan fiercely fly Upon that Carle, to fave his friend from jeopardy..

XIII.

The villain, leaving him unto his Mate
To be captiv'd, and handled as he lift,
Himfelf addreft unto this new debate,
And with his club him all about fo blift,
That he which way to turn him fcarcely wift:
Sometimes aloft he laid, fometimes alow;

Now here, now there, and oft him near he mift; So doubtfully, that hardly one could know Whether more wary were to give or ward the blow. XIV.

But yet the Prince fo well enured was

With fuch huge ftrokes, approved oft in fight, That way to them he gave forth-right to pafs; Ne would endure the danger of their might, But wait advantage, when they down did light. At laft, the caitive after long difcourfe, When all his ftrokes he faw avoided quite, Refolv'd in one t'affemble all his force, And make an end of him without ruth or remorse. XV.

His dreadful hand he heaved up aloft;

And with his dreadful inftruments of ire,
Thought fure have pounded him to powder foft,
Or deep embowel'd in the earth entire :
But fortune did not with his will confpire.
For ere his ftroke attained his intent,
The noble child preventing his desire,
Under his club with wary boldness went,

And fmote him on the knee, that never yet was bent.

XVI.

It never yet was bent, ne bent it now,

Albe the ftroke fo ftrong and puissant were,
That feem'd a marble pillour it could bow:
But all that leg which did his body bear,

It crackt throughout, yet did no blood appear;
So as it was unable to fupport

So huge a burden on fuch broken gear,

But fell to ground, like to a lump of dirt; Whence he affaid to rife, but could not for his hurt. XVII.

Eftfoons the Prince to him full nimbly stept;
And left he should recover foot again,

His head meant from his fhoulders to have swept.
Which when the Lady faw, fhe cride amain;
Stay, ftay, Sir Knight, for love of God abftain,
From that unwares ye weetlefs do intend;
Slay not that Carle though worthy to be flain:
For more on him doth than himself depend;
My life will by his death have lamentable end.
XVIII.

He ftayd his hand according her defire,
Yet nathemore him fuffred to arife;
But ftill fuppreffing, 'gan of her inquire,
What meaning mote thofe uncouth words comprife,
That in that villains health her fafety lies:
That were no might in man, nor heart in Knights,
Which durft her dreaded refcue enterprise,

Yet heavens themselves, that favour feeble rights, Would for itself redrefs, and punish fuch defpights. XIX.

Then bursting forth in tears, which gushed faft
Like many water-ftreams, awhile the ftaid:
Till the harp paffion being over-past,
Her tongue to her reftor'd, then thus fhe faid;
Nor heavens, nor men, can me moft wretched Maid
Deliver from the doom of my defart;

The which the God of Love hath on me laid,
And damned to endure this direful fmart,

For penance of my proud and hard rebellious heart.

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