Then up she rose,

XII.

and on herselfe did dight

Most squalid garments, fit for such a day;

And with dull countenance and with doleful spright She forth was brought in sorrowfull dismay

For to receive the doome of her decay:

But comming to the place, and finding there
Sir Artegall in battailous array

Wayting his foe, it did her dead hart cheare,
And new life to her lent in midst of deadly feare.

XIII.

Like as a tender rose in open plaine,

That with untimely drought nigh withered was,
And hung the head, soone as few drops of raine
Thereon distill and deaw her daintie face,
Gins to look up, and with fresh wonted grace
Dispreds the glorie of her leavës gay;
Such was Irenas countenance, such her case,
When Artegall she saw in that array,

There wayting for the Tyrant till it was farre day:

XIV.

Who came at length with proud presumpteous gate
Into the field, as if he fearelesse were,
All armed in a cote of yron plate

Of great defence to ward the deadly feare,
And on his head a steele-cap he did weare
Of colour rustie-browne, but sure and strong;
And in his hand an huge polaxe did beare,
Whose steale was yron-studded, but not long,
With which he wont to fight, to iustifie his wrong.

XV.

Of stature huge and hideous he was,

Like to a giant for his monstrous hight, And did in strength most sorts of men surpas, Ne ever any found his match in might; Thereto he had great skill in single fight: His face was ugly and his countenance sterne, That could have frayd one with the very sight, And gaped like a gulfe when he did gerne ; That whether man or monster one could scarse discerne.

XVI.

Soone as he did within the listes appeare,

With dreadfull looke he Artegall beheld,

As if he would have daunted him with feare; And, grinning griesly, did against him weld His deadly weapon which in hand he held : But th' Elfin Swayne, that oft had seene like sight, Was with his ghastly count'nance nothing queld; But gan him streight to buckle to the fight, And cast his shield about to be in readie plight.

XVII.

The trompets sound; and they together goe
With dreadfull terror and with fell intent;
And their huge strokes full daungerously bestow,
To doe most dammage whereas most they ment:
But with such force and furie violent

The Tyrant thundred his thicke blowes so fast,
That through the yron walles their way they rent,
And even to the vitall parts they past,

Ne ought could them endure, but all they cleft or brast.

XVIII.

Which cruell outrage whenas Artegall

Did well avize, thenceforth with warie heed He shund his strokes, where-ever they did fall, And way did give unto their gracelesse speed: As when a skilfull marriner doth reed A storme approching that doth perill threat, He will not bide the daunger of such dread,' But strikes his sayles, and vereth his main-sheat, And lends unto it leave the emptie ayre to beat.

XIX.

So did the Faerie Knight himselfe abeare,

And stouped oft his head from shame to shield:
No shame to stoupe, ones head more high to reare ;
And, much to gaine, a litle for to yield:

So stoutest Knights doen oftentimes in field.
But still the Tyrant sternely at him layd,
And did his yron axe so nimbly wield,
That many wounds into his flesh it made,

And with his burdenous blowes him sore did overlade.

XX.

Yet whenas fit advantage he did spy,

The whiles the cursed Felon high did reare

His cruell hand to smite him mortally,

Under his stroke he to him stepping neare

Right in the flanke him strooke with deadly dreare,
That the gore-bloud thence gushing grievously
Did underneath him like a pond appeare,
And all his armour did with purple dye :

Thereat he brayed loud, and yelled dreadfully.

XXI.

Yet the huge stroke, which he before intended,
Kept on his course, as he did it direct,

And with such monstrous poise adowne descended,
That seemed nought could him from death protect:
But he it well did ward with wise respect,

And twixt him and the blow his shield did cast, Which thereon seizing tooke no great effect; But, byting deepe, therein did sticke so fast That by no meanes it backe againe he forth could wrast.

XXII.

Long while he tug'd and strove to get it out,
And all his powre applyed thereunto,

That he therewith the Knight drew all about:
Nathlesse, for all that ever he could doe,
His axe he could not from his shield undoe.
Which Artegall perceiving, strooke no more,
But loosing soone his shield did it forgoe;
And, whiles he combred was therewith so sore,
He gan at him let drive more fiercely then afore.

XXIII.

So well he him pursew'd, that at the last
He stroke him with Chrysaor on the hed,
That with the souse thereof full sore aghast
He staggered to and fro in doubtfull sted:
Againe, whiles he him saw so ill bested,
He did him smite with all his might and maine,
That, falling, on his mother earth he fed :
Whom when he saw prostrated on the plaine,
He lightly reft his head to ease him of his paine,

XXIV.

Which when the people round about him saw,
They shouted all for ioy of his successe,

Glad to be quit from that proud Tyrants awe,
Which with strong powre did them long time oppresse;
And, running all with greedie ioyfulnesse

To faire Irena, at her feet did fall,

And her adored with due humblenesse

As their true Liege and Princesse naturall; And eke her Champions glorie sounded over all:

XXV.

Who, streight her leading with meete maiestie
Unto the pallace where their kings did rayne,
Did her therein establish peaceablie,

And to her kingdomes seat restore agayne;
And all such persons, as did late maintayne
That Tyrants part with close or open ayde,
He sorely punished with heavie payne;

That in short space, whiles there with her he stayd, Not one was left that durst her once have disobayd.

XXVI.

During which time that he did there remayne,

His studie was true Iustice how to deale,
And day and night employ'd his busie paine
How to reforme that ragged common-weale :
And that same Yron Man, which could reveale
All hidden crimes, through all that Realme he sent
To search out those that usd to rob and steale,
Or did rebell gainst lawfull government;

On whom he did inflict most grievous punishment.