QUEENE.

J.

NOUGHT under heaven fo ftrongly doth allure The fence of man, and all his minde possesse, As beauties lovely baite, that doth procure Great warriours oft their rigour to repreffe, And mighty hands forget their manlineffe;

IV.

So travelling, he chaunft far off to heed
A damzell flying on a palfrey faft

Before two knights that after her did speed
With all their powre, and her futi fiercely chaf,
In hope to have her overhent at last;

II.

So whylome learnd that mighty lewish swaine,
Fach of whofe lockes did match a man in might,
To lay his fpoiles before his leman's traine;"
So alfo did that great Oetean knight
For his love's fake his lion's fkin undight;
And fo did warlike Antony neglec

The world's whole rule for Cleopatra's fight:
Such wondrous powre hath wemens faire aspect
To captive men, and make them all the world
reiect.

111.

Yet could it not fterne Artegall retaine,
Nor hold from fuite of his avowed quest,
Which he had undertane to Gloriane,
But left his love (albe her ftrong request)
Faire Britomart, in languor and unrest,
And rode himfelfe uppon his first intent;
Ne day or night did ever idly reft,
Ne wight but only Talus with him went,
The true guide of his way and vertuous govern-

ment.

Carried with wings of feare, like fowle aghaft, With locks all loofe, and rayment all to rent, | And ever as the rode her eye was backeward ben

V.

Soonc after this he saw another knight,
That after those two former rode apace
With speare in reft, and prickt with all his might
So ran they all as they had bene at bace,
They being chafed that did others chace:
At length he faw the hindmoft overtake
One of thofe two, and force him turne his face;
However loth he were his way to flake.
Yet more he algates now abide, and anfwer
make.

VI.

But th' other ftill purfu'd the fearfull mayd,
Who ftili from him as faft away did flie,
Ne once for nought her freede paffage ftayd,
Till that at length fhe did before her frie
Sir Artegall, to whom the freight did hie
With gladfull haft, in hope of him to get
Succour against her greedy enimy;
Who feeing her approach, gan forward fet
To fave her from her fear, and him from force t

let.

QUEEN E.

XIII.

XIV.

"But fith ye pleafe that both our blames fhall die
"Amends may for the trefpafic foone be made,
"Since Leither is endamadg'd much thereby."
So can they both themfelves full eath perfwade
To faire accordaunce, and both faults to fhade,
Either embracing other lovingly,

And fwearing faith to either on his blade,
Never thenceforth to nourish enmity,

But either other's caufe to maintaine mutually.

XV.

Then Artegall gan of the prince enquire What were thofe knights which there on ground were lavd,

And had receiv'd their follies worthy hire, And for what cause they chafed fo that mayd? "Certes I wote not well," the prince then fayd, "But by adventure found them fayring so, "As by the way unweetingly I firayd, "And lo the damzell felfe, whence all did grow, "Of whom we may at will the whole occafion "know."

XVI.

Then they that damzeil called to them nie,
And asked her what were thofe two her fone,
From whom the earft fo faft away did flie;
And what was the herfelfe, fo woe begonne,
And for what caufe purfu'd of them attone?
To whom the thus; "Then wote ye well that I
"Doe ferve a queene that not far hence doth

And her good knights (of which so brave a band,

"Serves her as any princeffe under sky) "He cither spoiles, if they against him stand, "Or to his part allures, and bribeth under hand.

XIX.

“Ne him fufficeth all the wrong and ill "Which he unto her people does each day, "But that he feekes by trayterous traines to fpill "Her perfen, and her facred felfe to flay; "That, O ye Heavens! defend, and turne away "From her unto the mifcreant himselfe, "That neither hath religion nor fay,

"But makes his god of his ungodly pelfe,

Were moved much thereat, and twixt them faired,
With all their force to worke avengement ftrong
Uppon the Souldan felfe, which it mayntained,
And on his lady, th' author of that wrong,
And uppon all thofe knights that did to her be-
long.

XXV.

But thinking beft by counterfet disguise
To their defeigne to make the easier way,
They did this complot twixt themselves devife;
First that Sir Artegall should him array

Like one of thofe two knights which dead there lay,

And then that damzell, the fad Samient,

But the brave prince for honour and for right, Gainft tortious powre and lawleffe regiment, the behalfe of wronged weake did fight:

So cruelly did him purfew and chace,
That his good steed, all were he much renound
For noble courage and for hardie race,

Oft drew the prince unto his charret nigh
la hope fome ftroke to faften on him neare,
But he was mounted in his feat so high,
And his wing-footed courfers him did beare
So faft away, that ere his readie speare

He could advaunce, he farre was gon and past;

Yet ftill he him did follow every where,
And followed was of him likewife full fast,

to place.

XXXVII.

Thus long they traft and traverst to and fro,
Seeking by every way to make fome breach,
Yet could the prince not nigh unto him goe,
That one fure ftroke he might unto him reach,
Where by his ftrengthes affay he might him
teach:

At laft from his victorious fhield he drew The vaile, which did his powrefull light empeach, | And comming full before his horfes vew, As they upon him preft, it plaine to them did fhew.

XXXVIII.

Like lightening flash that hath the gazer burned,
So did the fight thereof their fense dismay,
That backe againe upon themselves they turned,
And with their ryder ranne perforce away;
Ne could the Souldan them from flying stay
With raynes or wonted rule, as well he knew;
Nought feared they what he could do or fay,
But th' onely feare that was before their vew,
From which like mazed deer difmayfully they
flew.

XXXIX.

Fast did they fly, as them their feete could beare,
High over hilles and lowly over dales,

As they were follow'd of their former feare:
In vaine the pagan bannes, and fweares, and

rayles,

And backe with both his hands unto him hayles The refty raynes, regarded now no more: