When Scudamour heard mention of that fpear,
He wift right well, that it was Britomart,
The which from him his fairest Love did bear.
Tho 'gan he fwell in every inner part,
For fell defpight, and gnaw his jealous heart,
That thus he fharply faid; Now by my head,
Yet is not this the firft unknightly part,
Which that fame Knight, whom by his lance I read, Hath done to noble Knights, that many makes him dread. VIII.
For lately he my Love hath from me reft,
And eke defiled with foul villany
The facred pledge, which in his faith was left,
In fhame of Knighthood and fidelity;
The which ere long full dear he shall aby.
And if to that avenge by you decreed
This hand may help, or fuccour ought fupply,
It fhall not fail, whenfo ye fhall it need.
So both to wreak their wraths on Britomart agreed.
IX.
Whiles thus they communed, lo far away
A Knight foft riding towards them they spide,
Attir'd in foreign arms and ftrange array:
Whom when they nigh approacht, they plain defcride
To be the fame, for whom they did abide.
Said then Sir Scudamour, Sir Salvage Knight,
Let me this crave, fith firft I was defide,
That first I may that wrong to him requite:
And if I hap to fail, you fhall recure my right.
X.
Which being yielded, he his threatful spear,
'Gan fewter, and againft her fiercely ran.
Who foon as the him faw approaching near
With fo fell rage, herfelf the lightly 'gan
To dight, to welcome him, well as fhe can;
But entertain'd him in fo rude a wife,
That to the ground the fmote both horse and man;
Whence neither greatly hafted to arife,
But on their common harms together did devife.
But Arthegall, beholding his mifchance,
New matter added to his former fire;
And eft aventring his fteel-headed lance,
Against her rode, full of difpiteous ire,
That nought but fpoil and vengeance did require.
But to himself his felonous intent
Returning, difappointed his defire,
Whiles unawares his faddle he forwent,
And found himself on ground in great amazement.
XII.
Lightly he started up out of that stound;
And fnatching forth his direful deadly blade,
Did leap to her, as doth an eager hound
Thruft to an Hind within fome covert glade,
Whom without peril he cannot invade.
With fuch fell greediness he her affail'd,
That though fhe mounted were, yet he her made To give him ground (fo much his force prevail'd) And fhun his mighty ftrokes,'gainft which no arms avail'd. XIII.
So as they courfed here and there, it chaunft
That in her wheeling round, behind her creft
So forely he her ftrook, that thence it glaunft
Adown her back, the which it fairly bleft
From foul mifchaunce; ne did it ever reft,
Till on her horfes hinder parts it fell;
Where biting deep, fo deadly it impreft,
That quite it chyn'd his back behind the sell,
And to alight on foot her algates did compell:
XIV.
Like as the lightning brond from riven sky,
Thrown out by angry Jove in his vengeance,
With dreadful force falls on fome steeple high;
Which battring down it on the church doth glance,
And tears it all with terrible mischance.
Yet fhe no whit dismaid, her steed forfook,
And cafting from her that enchanted lance,
Unto her fword and fhield her foon betook;
And therewithal at him right furiously fhe ftrook.
So furiously she ftrook in her first heat,
Whiles with long fight on foot he breathless was,
That the him forced backward to retreat,
And yield unto her weapon way to país:
Whofe raging rigour neither steel nor brass
Could stay, but to the tender flesh it went,
And pour'd the purple blood forth on the grass;
That all his mail yriv'd, and plates yrent,
Shew'd all his body bare unto the cruel dent.
XVI.
At length, whenas he faw her hafty heat
Abate, and panting breath begin to fail,
He through long fuffrance growing now more great,
Rofe in his strength, and 'gan her fresh affail,
Heaping huge ftroaks, as thick as fhowre of hail,
And lafhing dreadfully at every part,
As if he thought her foul to difentrail.
Ah! cruel hand, and thrice more cruel heart, That work'ft fuch wreck on her, to whom thou dearest art. XVII.
What iron courage ever could endure,
To work fuch outrage on fo fair a creature?
And in his madness think with hands impure
To spoil fo goodly workmanship of nature,
The maker self refembling in her feature?
Certes fome hellifh fury, or fome Fiend
This mifchief fram'd, for their first loves defeature, To bathe their hands in blood of dearest friend, Thereby to make their loves beginning, their lives end. XVIII.
Thus long they trac'd, and traverst to and fro,
Sometimes pursuing, and fometimes purfu'd,
Still as advantage they efpide thereto :
But toward th'end, Sir Arthegal renew'd
His strength ftill more, but the ftill more decrew'd.
At laft his lucklefs hand he heav'd on high,
Having his forces all in one accrew'd;
And therewith ftrook at her fo hideously,
That feemed nought but death mote be her deftiny.
The wicked stroke upon her helmet chaunft,
And with the force which in itself it bore,
Her ventall fhar'd away, and thence forth glaunft
Adown in vain, ne harm'd her any more.
With that her Angels face (unfeen afore,)
Like to the ruddy morn appear'd in fight,
Dewed with filver drops, through fweating fore;
But fomewhat redder than befeem'd aright,
Through toilfome heat, and labour of her weary fight.
XX.
And round about the fame, her yellow hair
Having through stirring loos'd their wonted band, Like to a golden border did appear,
Framed in goldfmiths forge with cunning hand; Yet goldfmiths cunning could not understand To frame fuch fubtile wire fo fhiny clear. For it did glifter like the golden fand, The which Pactolus with his waters fheer, Throws forth upon the rivage round about him near. XXI.
And as his hand he up again did rear,
Thinking to work on her his utmoft wrack,
His powreless arm benumb'd with fecret fear,
From his revengefull purpofe fhrunk aback;
And cruel fword out of his fingers flack
Fell down to ground, as if the fteel had fenfe,
And felt fome ruth, or fenfe his hand did lack:
Or both of them did think, obedience
To do to fo divine a beauties excellence.
XXII.
And he himself long gazing thereupon,
At last fell humbly down upon his knee,
And of his wonder made religion,
Weening fome heavenly Goddefs he did fee,
Or elfe unweeting what it elfe might be;
And pardon her befought his errour frail,
That had done outrage in fo high degree:
Whilft trembling horrour did his fenfe affail.
And made each member quake,and manly heart to quail,
Nath'lefs, fhe full of wrath for that late ftroke,
All that long while upheld her wrathfull hand,
With fell intent, on him to been yroke,
And looking ftern, ftill over him did stand,
Threatning to ftrike, unless he would withstand:
And bade him rife or furely he should die.
But die or live, for nought he would upstand,
But her of pardon prayd more earnestly,
Or wreak on him her will for fo great injury.
XXIV.
Which whenas Scudamour, who now abraid,
Beheld, whereas he ftood not far afide,
He was therewith right wondrously dismaid:
And drawing nigh, whenas he plain defcride
That peerless pattern of Dame natures pride,
And heavenly image of perfection,
He bleft himself, as one fore terrifide;
And turning fear to faint devotion,
Did worship her as fome celeftial vifion.
But Glauce, feeing all that chanced there,
Well weeting how their errour to affoil,
Full glad of fo good end, to them drew near,
And her falewd with feemly bel-accoil,
Joyous to fee her fafe after long toil,
Then her befought, as the to her was dear,
To grant unto thofe warriours truce awhile;
Which yielded, they their beavers up did rear,
And fhew'd themfelves to her, fuch as indeed they were.
XXVI.
When Britomart with fharp avizeful eye
Beheld the lovely face of Artbegal,
Tempred with fternnefs and ftout majefty,
She 'gan eftfoons it to her mind to call,
To be the fame which in her fathers hall
Long fince in that enchanted glafs fhe faw.
Therewith her wrathful courage 'gan appall,
And haughty spirits meekly to adaw,
That her enhanced hand fhe down, 'gan foft withdraw.
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