The fpoufals of faire Florimell,
where turney many knights:
There Braggadochio is vncaf d
in all the Ladies fights.
ftormes and tempefts ouerblowne,
The funne at length his ioyous face doth cleare: So when as fortune all her spight hath showne, Some blisfull houres at last must needes appeare; Elfe should afflicted wights oftimes defpeire. So comes it now to Florimell by tourne, After long forrowes fuffered whyleare,
In which captiu'd fhe many moneths did mourne, To tast of ioy, and to wont pleasures to retourne.
Who being freed from Proteus cruell band
By Marinell, was vnto him affide,
And by him brought againe to Faerie land;
Where he her spous'd and made his ioyous bride.
The time and place was blazed farre and wide;
And folemne feasts and giufts ordain'd therefore. 20
To which there did resort from euery fide
Of Lords and Ladies infinite great ftore;
Ne any Knight was abfent, that braue courage bore.
To tell the glorie of the feast that day,
The goodly feruice, the deuicefull fights,
The bridegromes ftate, the brides most rich aray,
The pride of Ladies, and the worth of knights,
The royall banquets, and the rare delights,
Were worke fit for an Herauld, not for me:
But for fo much as to my lot here lights,
That with this present treatisfe doth agree,
True vertue to aduance, shall here recounted bee.
When all men had with full fatietie
Of meates and drinkes their appetites fuffiz'd,
To deedes of armes and proofe of cheualrie
They gan themfelues addresse, full rich aguiz'd,
As each one had his furnitures deuiz'd.
And first of all iffu'd Sir Marinell,
And with him fixe knights more, which enterpriz'd To chalenge all in right of Florimell,
And to maintaine, that the all others did excell.
The first of them was hight Sir Orimont,
A noble Knight, and tride in hard affayes:
The fecond had to name Sir Bellifont,
But fecond vnto none in prowesse prayse;
The third was Brunell, famous in his dayes;
The fourth Ecaftor, of exceeding might;
The fift Armeddan, fkild in louely layes;
The fixt was Lanfack, a redoubted Knight: (fight. All fixe well feene in armes, and prou'd in many a
And them against came all that lift to giust,
From euery coaft and countrie vnder funne:
1. 28,, after 'delights'—accepted.
None was debard, but all had leaue that luft.
The trompets found; then all together ronne.
Full many deedes of armes that day were donne,
And many knights vnhorst, and many wounded,
As fortune fell; yet litle loft or wonne :
But all that day the greatest prayse redounded
To Marinell, whose name the Heralds loud refounded. /
The second day, fo foone as morrow light
Appear'd in heauen, into the field they came,
And there all day continew'd cruell fight,
With diuers fortune fit for fuch a game,
In which all ftroue with perill to winne fame.
Yet whether fide was victor, note be gheft:
But at the laft the trompets did proclame
That Marinell that day deferued best.
So they difparted were, and all men went to rest.
The third day came, that should due tryall lend
Of all the reft, and then this warlike crew
Together met, of all to make an end.
There Marinell great deeds of armes did fhew;
And through the thickest like a Lyon flew,
Rafhing off helmes, and ryuing plates a fonder,
That euery one his daunger did eschew.
So terribly his dreadfull ftrokes did thonder, That all men stood amaz'd, & at his might did wonder.
But what on earth can alwayes happie ftand?
The greater prowesse greater perils find.
1. 54, 'runne': 1. 65, 'n'ote.'
So farre he past amongst his enemies band,
That they haue him enclosed fo behind,
As by no meanes he can himselfe outwind.
And now perforce they haue him prifoner taken;
And now they doe with captiue bands him bind;
And now they lead him thence, of all forfaken,
Vnleffe fome fuccour had in time him ouertaken.
It fortun'd whyleft they were thus ill beset,
Sir Artegall into the Tilt-yard came,
With Braggadochio, whom he lately met.
Vpon the way, with that his fnowy Dame.
Where when he vnderstood by common fame,
What euill hap to Marinell betid,
He much was mou'd at fo vnworthie fhame,
And ftreight that boaster prayd, with whom he rid,
To change his fhield with him, to be the better hid.
So forth he went, and foone them ouer hent,
Where they were leading Marinell away,
Whom he affayld with dreadlesse hardiment,
And forft the burden of their prize to ftay.
They were an hundred knights of that array;
Of which th'one halfe vpon himselfe did fet,
Th'other stayd behind to gard the pray.
But he ere long the former fiftie bet;
And from th'other fiftie foone the prisoner fet.
So backe he brought Sir Marinell againe ;
Whom hauing quickly arm'd againe anew,
They both together ioyned might and maine,
To set afresh on all the other crew.
Whom with fore hauocke foone they ouerthrew,
And chaced quite out of the field, that none
Against them durft his head to perill fhew.
So were they left Lords of the field alone:
So Marinell by him was refcu'd from his fone.
Which when he had perform'd, then backe againe
To Braggadochio did his fhield restore :
Who all this while behind him did remaine,
Keeping there close with him in pretious ftore
That his falfe Ladie, as ye heard afore.
Then did the trompets found, and Iudges rofse,
And all these knights, which that day armour bore,
Came to the open hall, to liften whose
The honour of the prize should be adiudg'd by those. /
And thether alfo came in open fight
Fayre Florimell, into the common hall,
To greet his guerdon vnto euery knight,
And beft to him, to whom the best should fall.
Then for that ftranger knight they loud did call,
To whom that day they should the girlond yield.
Who came not forth but for Sir Artegall
Came Braggadochio, and did fhew his shield,
Which bore the Sunne brode blazed in a golden field.
The fight whereof did all with gladneffe fill:
So vnto him they did addeeme the prise
Of all that Tryumph. Then the trompets fhrill
Don Braggadochios name refounded thrise :
So courage lent a cloke to cowardise.
And then to him came fayreft Florimell,
And goodly gan to greet his braue emprise,
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