I.

Britomart encounters Prince Arthur and Sir Guyon. After separating from them, she passes on to Castle Joyous where she falls in with the Redcross knight.

I THE famous Briton prince1 and faery knight,2
After long ways and perilous pains endured,
Having their weary limbs to perfect plight
Restored, and sorry wounds right well recured,
Of the fair Alma3 greatly were procured 1
To make there lenger sojourn and abode;
But, when thereto they might not be allured
From seeking praise and deeds of arms abrode,
They courteous congé5 took, and forth together
yode.6

2 Long so they travelled through wasteful ways,7 Where dangers dwelt, and perils most did won,8 To hunt for glory and renowmèd9 praise:

Full many countries they did overrun,
From the uprising to the setting sun,
And many hard adventures did achieve;
Of all the which they honour ever won,
Seeking the weak oppressed to relieve,

And to recover right for such as wrong did grieve.

3 At last, as through an open plain they yode, They spied a knight that towards prickèd1 fair;

And him beside an aged squire there rode,

That seemed to couch2 under his shield three

square,3

As if that age bade him that burden spare,

And yield it those that stouter could it wield:
He, them espying, gan himself prepare,
And on his arm address his goodly shield
That bore a lion passant 5 in a golden field.

4 Which seeing, good Sir Guyon dear besought
The prince, of grace, to let him run that turn.
He granted: then the Faery quickly raught
His poignant spear, and sharply gan to spurn
His foamy steed, whose fiery feet did burn
The verdant grass as he thereon did tread;
Ne did the other back his foot return,

1 Pricked, spurred onward.

2 Couch, bend.

8 Three-square, having three

equal sides.

4 Stouter, more boldly.

5 Passant, walking.

9

9

6 Field, term in heraldry for the surface of a shield. Britomart bore the legendary arms of Brute, her ancestor.

7 Raught, reached.
8 Poignant, sharp.

Spurn, spur.

But fiercely forward came withouten dread,

And bent his dreadful spear against the other's head.

5 They been ymet, and both their points arrived; But Guyon drove so furious and fell,1

That seemed both shield and plate it would have rived 2;

Natheless it bore his foe not from his sell,4

But made him stagger, as he were not well:

But Guyon self, ere well he was aware,

Nigh a spear's length behind his crouper fell;

Yet in his fall so well himself he bare,

That mischievous mischance his life and limbs did

spare.

6 Great shame and sorrow of that fall he took ;
For never yet, sith warlike arms he bore
And shivering spear in bloody field first shook,
He found himself dishonoured so sore.
Ah! gentlest knight that ever armour bore,
Let not thee grieve dismounted to have been,
And brought to ground, that never wast before;
For not thy fault, but secret pow'r unseen;

That spear enchanted was which laid thee on the green!

7 But weenedst thou what wight 5 thee overthrew,
Much greater grief and shamefuller regret
For thy hard fortune then thou wouldst renew,
That of a single damsel thou wert met

1 Fell, fiercely.

2 Rived, torn apart.

3 Natheless, nevertheless.

4 Sell, saddle.

5 Wight, person.

6 Single, weak.

On equal plain, and there so hard beset :

Even the famous Britomart it was,

Whom strange adventure did from Britain fett 1
To seek her lover, (love far sought, alas!)
Whose image she had seen in Venus' looking-glass.

8 Full of disdainful wrath, he fierce uprose
For to revenge that foul reproachful shame,
And, snatching his bright sword, began to close
With her on foot, and stoutly forward came ;
Die rather would he then 2 endure that same.
Which when his palmer saw, he gan to fear
His tóward1 peril, and untoward 5 blame,
Which by that new rencounter he should rear6;
For death sat on the point of that enchanted spear:

9 And hasting towards him gan fair persuade

Not to provoke misfortune, nor to ween7
His spear's default to mend with cruel blade;
For by his mighty science he had seen

The secret virtue of that weapon keen,

8

That mortal puissance mote not withstond :
Nothing on earth mote always happy9 been!
Great hazard were it, and adventure fond, 10
To lose long-gotten honour with one evil hond.11