XLIV.

Only his fhield and armour, which there lay,

Though nothing whole, but all too bruis'd and broken,
He up did take, and with him brought away,
That mote remain for an eternal token.

To all 'mongst whom this story should be spoken,
How worthily, by heavens high decree,

Juftice that day of wrong her felf had wroken;
That all men which that fpectacle did fee,
By like enfample mote for ever warned be.
XLV.

So on a tree before the tyrants dore,

He caufed them be hung in all mens fight;
To be a monument for evermore.

Which when his Lady from the caftles height
Beheld, it much appall'd her troubled spright:
Yet not as women wont in doleful fit,

She was difmayd, or fainted through affright,
But gather'd unto her her troubled wit,
And 'gan eftfoons devife to be aveng'd for it.
XLVI.

Straight down the ran like an enraged Cow,
That is berobbed of her youngling dear,
With knife in hand, and fatally did vow,
To wreak her on that maiden meffengere,
Whom she had caus'd be kept as prifonere
By Arthegal, mifween'd for her own Knight,
That brought her back: And coming prefent there,
She at her ran with all her force and might,
All flaming with revenge and furious defpight.
XLVII.

Like raging Ino, when with knife in hand
She threw her husband's murdred infant out;
Or fell Medea, when on Colchick ftrand
Her brothers bones fhe fcattred all about;
Or as that madding mother, 'mongst the rout
Of Bacchus Priefts her own dear flesh did tear.
Yet neither Ino, nor Medea ftout,

Nor all the Menades fo furious were,

As this bold woman, when the faw that Damzel there.

XLVIII.

But Arthegal being thereof aware,

Did ftay her cruel hand, ere the her raught,
And as he did her felf to ftrike prepare,
Out of her fift the wicked weapon caught:
With that, like one enfelon'd or diftraught,
She forth did roam, whither her rage her bore,
With frantick paffion, and with fury fraught;
And breaking forth out at a postern dore,
Unto the wild wood ran, her dolours to deplore.
XLIX.

As a mad Bitch, whenas the frantick fit

Her burning tongue with rage inflamed hath,
Doth run at random, and with furious bit
Snatching at every thing, doth wreak her wrath
On man and beaft that cometh in her path.
There they do fay, that she transformed was
Into a Tiger, and that Tigers feath

In cruelty and courage she did pass,
To prove her firname true, that the impofed has.
L.

Then Arthegal himself discovering plain,

Did iffue forth 'gainft all that warlike rout
Of Knights and armed men, which did maintain
That Ladies part, and to the Souldan lout:
All which he did affault with courage ftout,
All were they nigh an hundred Knights of name,
And like wild Goats them chaced all about,
Flying from place to place with coward shame,
So that with final force them all he overcame.
LI.

Then caufed he the gates be open'd wide;
And there the Prince as victor of that day,
With triumph entertain'd and glorifide,
Prefenting him with all the rich array,

And royal pomp, which there long hidden lay,
Purchaft through lawless powre and tortious wrong
Of that proud Souldan, whom he earft did flay.
So both for reft there having staid not long,
Marcht with that Maid; fit matter for another fong.

CANTO IX.

Arthur and Arthegal catch Guile,
Whom Talus doth difmay:
They to Mercillas palace come,
And fee ber rich array.

I.

What Tiger, or what other falvage wight

Is fo exceeding furious and fell,

As Wrong, when it hath arm'd it felf with might?
Not fit 'monft men, that do with reafon mell,
But 'mongst wild beats and falvage woods to dwell;
Where still the ftronger doth the weak devour,
And they that most in boldness do excell,

Are dreaded moft, and feared for their powre:
Fit for Adicia there to build her wicked bowre.

II.

There let her wonne far from refort of men,
Where righteous Arthegal her late exil'd;
There let her ever keep her damned den,
Where none may be with her lewd parts defil'd,
Nor none but beafts may be of her defpoil'd:
And turn we to the noble Prince where late
We did him leave, after that he had foil'd
The cruel Souldan, and with dreadful fate
Had utterly fubverted his unrighteous ftate.
III.

Where having with Sir Arthegal a space

Well folac'd in that Souldans late delight,
They both refolving now to leave the place,
Both it and all the wealth therein behight
Unto that Damzel in her Ladies right,
And so would have departed on their way.
But the them woo'd by all the means fhe might,
And earneftly befought to wend that day
With her to fee her Lady thence not far away.
VOL. II.

R

By whofe

IV.

entreaty both they overcomen,

Agree to go with her, and by the way,

(As often falls) of fundry things did commen. 'Mongst which that Damzell did to them bewray A ftrange adventure, which not far thence lay; To weet, a wicked villain bold and ftout, Which wonned in a rock not far away, That robbed all the country thereabout,

And brought the pillage home, whence none could get it

V.

Thereto both his own wily wit, fhe faid,
And eke the faftnefs of his dwelling place,
Both unaffailable, gave him great aid:
For he fo crafty was to forge and face,
So light of hand, and nimble of his pace,
So fmooth of tongue, and fubtle in his tale,
That could deceive one looking in his face;
Therefore by name Malengin they him call,
Well knowen by his feats, and famous over all.
VI.

Through these his flights he many doth confound:
And eke the rock in which he wonts to dwell,
Is wondrous strong, and hew'n far under ground
A dreadful depth, how deep no man can tell;
But fome do fay, it goeth down to Hell.
And all within it full of windings is,

[out.

And hidden ways, that fcarce an hound by fmell
Can follow out thofe falfe footsteps of his,

Ne none can back return that once are gone amifs.

VII.

[yearn,

Which when thofe Knights had heard, their hearts 'gan
To underftand that villains dwelling place,
And greatly it defir'd of her to learn,

And by which way they towards it should trace.
Were not, faid fhe, that it fhould let your pace
Towards my Ladies prefence by you meant,
I would you guide directly to the place.
Then let not that faid they ftay your intent.

For neither will one foot, till we that Carle have hent.

VIII.

So forth they paft, till they approached nigh
Unto the rock where was the villains wonne,
Which when the Damzel near at hand did fpy,
She warn'd the Knights thereof: who thereupon
'Gan to advize what beft were to be done.
So both agreed to fend that Maid afore,
Where the might fit nigh to the den alone,
Wailing, and raising pitiful uprore,
As if she did fome great calamity deplore.
IX.

With noise whereof whenas the caitive Carle
Should iffue forth in hope to find fome fpoil,
They in await would clofely him enfnarle,
Ere to his den he backward could recoil,
And fo would hope him eafily to foil.
The Damzel ftraight went as fhe was directed,
Unto the rock; and there upon the foil
Having her felf in wretched wife abjected,
'Gan weep and wail, as if great grief had her affected.
X.

The cry whereof entring the hollow cave,

Eftfoons brought forth the villain, as they meant,
With hope of her fome wifhful boot to have.
Full dreadful wight he was, as ever went
Upon the earth, with hollow eyes deep pent,
And long curld locks, that down his fhoulders fhagg'd,
And on his back an uncouth veftiment,

Made of strange stuff, but all too worn and ragged And underneath, his breech was all too torn and jagged. · XI.

And in his hand an huge long staff he held,

Whose top was arm'd with many an iron hook, Fit to catch hold of all that he could weld, Or in the compass of his clouches took; And ever round about he caft his look. Als at his back a great wide net he bore, With which he feldom fifhed at the brook, But us'd to fish for fools on the dry fhore, Of which he in fair weather wont to take great ftore.