Long while they then continued in that wife,
As if but then the battle had begun :
Strokes, wounds, wards, weapons, all they did despise,
Ne either car'd to ward, or peril fhun,
Defirous both to have the battle done;
Ne either cared life to fave or spill,
Ne which of them did win, ne which were won.
So weary, both of fighting had their fill,
That life it felf feem'd loathfome, and long fafety ill.
XXXVII.
Whilft thus the cafe in doubtful ballance hong,
Unfure to whether fide it would incline,
And all mens eyes and hearts which there among
Stood gazing, filled were with rueful tine,
And fecret fear to fee their fatal fine;
All fuddainly they heard a troublous noise
That feem'd fome per'lous tumult to define,
Confus'd with womens cries, and shouts of boys,
Such as the troubled theatres oft-times annoys.
XXXVIII.
Thereat the champions both ftood still a space,
To weeten what that fudden clamour meant ;
Lo where they fpide with fpeedy whirling pace,
One in a charet of ftrange furniment,
Towards them driving like a ftorm out fent.
The charet decked was in wondrous wife,
With gold and many a gorgeous ornament,
After the Perfian Monarch's antique guife
Such as the maker felf could beft by art devife.
XXXIX.
And drawn it was (that wonder is to tell)
Of two grim Lyons, taken from the wood,
In which their powre all others did excell;
Now made forget their former cruel mood,
T'obey their riders heft, as feemed good.
And therein fate a Lady paffing fair
And bright, that feemed born of Angels brood, And with her beauty, bounty did compare, Whether of them in her fhould have the greater fhare.
Thereto fhe learned was in magick lear,
And all the arts that fubtil wits difcover,
Having therein been trained many a year,
And well inftructed by the Fay her mother,
That in the fame fhe far excell'd all other.
Who understanding by her mighty art,
Of th' evil plight, in which her deareft brother
Now ftood, came forth in hafte to take his part,
And pacifie the ftrife, which caus'd fo deadly fmart.
XLI.
And as the paffed through th' unruly preace
Of people thronging thick her to behold,
Her angry team breaking their bonds of peace,
Great heaps of them, like fheep in narrow fold,
For hafte did over-run, in duft enrould;
That thorough rude confufion of the rout,
Some fearing fhriek'd, fome being harmed howld, Some laught for fport, fome did for wonder fhout, And fome that would feem wife, their wonder turn'd to [doubt.
In her right hand a rod of peace she bore,
About the which two Serpents weren wound,
Entrailed mutually in lovely lore,
And by the tails together firmly bound,
And both were with one Olive girlond crown'd,
Like to the rod which Maias fon doth wield,
Wherewith the hellish Fiends he doth confound.
And in her other hand a cup fhe hild,
The which was with Nepenthe to the brim up-filld.
XLIII.
Nepenthe is a drink of foverathe grace,
Devised by the Gods, for to affuage
Hearts grief, and bitter gall away to chafe,
Which tirs up anguish and contentious rage:
In ftead thereof, fweet peace and quiet age
It doth establish in the troubled mind.
Few men, but fuch as fober are and fage,
Are by the Gods to drink thereof affign'd;
But fuch as drink, eternal happiness to find.
Such famous men, fuch worthies of the earth,
As Jove will have advanced to the sky,
And there made Gods, though born of mortal birth,
For their high merits and great dignity,
Are wont, before they may to heaven fly,
To drink hereof; whereby, all cares forepaft
Are wafht away quite from their memory.
So did those old Heroes hereof taste,
Before that they in blifs amongst the Gods were plaste.
XLV.
Much more of price, and of more gracious powre
Is this, than that fame water of Arden,
The which Rinaldo drunk in happy houre,
Described by that famous Tufcan pen:
For that had might to change the hearts of men
From love to hate, a change of evil choice:
But this doth hatred make in Love to bren,
And heavy heart with comfort doth rejoice.
Who would not to this vertue rather yield his voice?
XLVI.
At laft arriving by the liftës fide,
She with her rod did foftly fmite the rail;
Which ftreight flew ope, and gave her way to ride,
Eftfoons out of her coach fhe 'gan avail,
And paceing fairly forth did bid All hail,
Firft to her brother, whom fhe loved dear,
That fo to fee him made her heart to quail :
And next to Cambell, whofe fad rueful chear
Made her to change her hue, and hidden Love t' appear.
XLVII.
They lightly her requit (for small delight
They had as then her long to entertain.)
And eft them turned both again to fight.
Which when she faw, down on the bloody plain
Her self she threw, and tears 'gan fhed amain;
Amongst her tears immixing prayers meek,
And (with her prayers, reafons to restrain
From bloody ftrife, and bleffed peace to feek)
By all that unto them was dear, did them beseek.
But whenas all might nought with them prevail,
She fmote them lightly with her powreful wand.
Then fuddainly, as if their hearts did fail,
Their wrathful blades down fell out of their hand, And they like men aftonisht, ftill did ftand. Thus whilft their minds were doubtfully diftraught, And mighty fpirits bound with mightier band, Her golden cup to them for drink the raught, Whereof full glad for thirft, each drunkan hearty draught.
Of which fo foon as they once tafted had
(Wonder it is that fudden change to fee.)
Inftead of ftrokes, each other kiffed glad,
And lovely haulft from fear of treason free,
And plighted hands for ever friends to be.
When all men faw this fudden change of things,
So mortal foes fo friendly to agree,
For paffing joy, which fo great marvail brings, They all 'gan fhout aloud, that all the heaven rings.
All which, when gentle Canacee beheld,
In haste she from her lofty chair defcended,
To weet what fudden tidings was befeld:
Where when she faw that cruel war fo ended,
And deadly foes fo faithfully affriended,
In lovely wife the 'gan that Lady greet,
Which had fo great difmay fo well amended;
And entertaining her with court'fies meet,
Profest to her true friendship and affection fweet.
LI.
Thus when they all accorded goodly were,
The trumpets founded, and they all arose,
Thence to depart with glee and gladfome chear.
Those warlike champions both together chofe,
Homeward to march, themselves there to repofe:
And wife Cambina taking by her fide
Fair Canacee as fresh as morning Rofe,
Unto her coach remounting, home did ride,
Admir'd of all the people, and much glorifide.
Where making joyous feafts, their days they spent
In perfect Love, devoid of hateful strife,
Allide with bands of mutual compliment;
For Triamond had Canacee to wife,
With whom he led a long and happy life;
And Cambell took Cambina to his fere,
The which as life were each to other lief,
So all alike did love, and loved were,
That fince their day fuch lovers were not found elsewhere.
Satyrane makes a turneyment
For love of Florimell:
Britomart wins the prize from all,
And Arthegall doth quell.
Toften falls (as here it earft befell)
That mortal foes do turn to faithful friends:
That friends profeft, are chang'd to foemen fell:
The cause of both, of both their minds depends;
And th'end of both, likewife of both their ends.
For enmity, that of no ill proceeds,
But of occafion, with th' occafion ends;
And friendship, which a faint affection breeds
Without regard of good, dies like ill grounded feeds.
That well (me feems) appears, by that of late
Twixt Cambell and Sir Triamond befell;
As als by this, that now a new debate
Stird up twixt Blandamcur and Paridell,
The which by courfe befalls me here to tell:
Who having those two other Knights efpide
Marching afore, as ye remember well,
Sent forth their Squire to have them both defcride,
And eke thofe masked Ladies riding them befide.
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