They after both, and boldly bad him bace,
And each did ftriue the other to out-goe,
But he them both outran a wondrous space,

For he was long, and swift as any Roe,

And now made better speed, t'efcape his feared foe. 50

It was not Satyrane, whom he did feare,

But Britomart the flowre of chastity;

For he the powre of chaft hands might not beare,

But alwayes did their dread encounter fly :

And now fo faft his feet he did apply,
That he has gotten to a forrest neare,
Where he is fhrowded in fecurity.

The wood they enter, and fearch euery where,
They fearched diuerfely, fo both diuided were. /

Faire Britomart fo long him followed,

That she at laft came to a fountaine fheare,
By which there lay a knight all wallowed
Vpon the graffy ground, and by him neare
His habericon, his helmet, and his fpeare;
A little off, his fhield was rudely throwne,
On which the winged boy in colours cleare
Depeincted was, full eafie to be knowne,
And he thereby, where euer it in field was showne.

His face vpon the ground did groueling ly,
As if he had bene flombring in the shade,

60

70

That the braue Mayd would not for courtesy,

Out of his quiet flomber him abrade,

6

1. 47, outgoe': 1. 56, has' is 'was in 1611: 1. 58, 'euerie': 1. 60, 'Fayre': 1. 65, 'of': 1. 69, 'grownd': 1. 70, 'beene.'

Nor feeme too suddeinly him to inuade :
Still as fhe flood, fhe heard with grieuous throb
Him grone, as if his hart were peeces made,
And with moft painefull pangs to figh and fob,
That pitty did the Virgins hart of patience rob.

At laft forth breaking into bitter plaintes

He faid; ô foueraigne Lord that fit'ft on hye,
And raignft in blis emongst thy blessed Saintes,
How fuffreft thou fuch fhamefull cruelty,
So long vnwreaked of thine enimy?

80

Or haft, thou Lord, of good mens cause no heed? Or doth thy iuftice fleepe, and filent ly? What booteth then the good and righteous deed, If goodneffe find no grace, nor righteoufneffe no meed?

If good find grace, and righteousnesse reward,

Why then is Amoret in caytiue band,

Sith that more bounteous creature neuer far'd
On foot, vpon the face of liuing land?
Or if that heauenly iuftice may withstand
The wrongfull outrage of vnrighteous men,
Why then is Bufirane with wicked hand
Suffred, these feuen monethes day in fecret den
My Lady and my loue fo cruelly to pen?

My Lady and my loue is cruelly pend

In dolefull darkenesse from the vew of day,
Whileft deadly torments do her chaft breft rend,
And the sharpe steele doth riue her hart in tway,

90

1. 79, fayd, O fouerayne': 1. 86, 'righteousnes,' and so 1. 87: 1. 91, heuenly,' and so l. 125 : l. 97, 'darkenes': 1. 98, 'doe.'

All for fhe Scudamore will not denay.

Yet thou vile man, vile Scudamore art found, Ne canft her ayde, ne canft her foe difmay : Vnworthy wretch to tread vpon the ground, For whom so faire a Lady feeles fo fore a wound.

There an huge heape of fingulfes did oppreffe

100

His ftrugling foule, and fwelling throbs empeach
His foltring toung with pangs of drerinesse,
Choking the remnant of his plaintife speach,
As if his dayes were come to their last reach.
Which when she heard, and faw the ghaftly fit, 110
Threatning into his life to make a breach,

Both with great ruth and terrour she was smit, Fearing least from her cage the wearie foule would flit.

Tho ftooping downe she him amoued light;

Who therewith somewhat starting, vp gan looke,
And seeing him behind a ftraunger knight,

Whereas no liuing creature he mistooke,

With great indignaunce he that fight forfooke,
And downe againe himfelfe difdainefully

Abiecting, th'earth with his faire forhead strooke: 120
Which the bold Virgin seeing, gan apply

Fit medcine to his griefe, and fpake thus courtefly. /

Ah gentle knight, whofe deepe conceiued griefe
Well feemes t'exceede the powre of patience,
Yet if that heauenly grace fome good reliefe
You fend, submit you to high prouidence,

1. 105, fingulfes' is 'fingults' in 1609-see Glossary s.v. l. 116, 'franger: 1. 120, after Abiecting' accepted from '90: 1. 123, ‘cenceiued' (misprint '96).

And euer in your noble hart prepense,

That all the forrow in the world is leffe,

Then vertues might, and values confidence,

For who nill bide the burden of diftreffe,

130

Muft not here thinke to liue for life is wretchedneffe.

Therefore, faire Sir, do comfort to you take,

And freely read, what wicked felon for

Hath outrag'd you, and thrald your gentle make.
Perhaps this hand may helpe to ease your woc,

And wreake your forrow on your cruell foe,
At least it faire endeuour will apply.

Those feeling wordes fo neare the quicke did goe,
That vp his head he reared easily,

And leaning on his elbow, these few wordes let fly. 140

What boots it plaine, that cannot be redreft,
And fow vaine forrow in a fruitleffe eare,
Sith powre of hand, nor fkill of learned breft,
Ne worldly price cannot redeeme my deare,
Out of her thraldome and continuall feare?
For he the tyraunt, which her hath in ward

By ftrong enchauntments and blacke Magicke leare,
Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard,
And many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard.

There he tormenteth her moft terribly,

150

And day and night afflicts with mortall paine,
Because to yield him loue fhe doth deny,
Once to me yold, not to be yold againe :

1. 137, ‘At' is misprinted 'And' in ‘96: l. 138, 'words': 1. 140,

• elbowe

lett': 1. 142, fruitleffe' is misprinted in '96 'fruilesse':

1. 146, tyrant': 1. 153, 'yolde' (2nd).

But yet by torture he would her constraine
Loue to conceiue in her difdainfull breft;

Till fo the do, fhe muft in doole remaine,

Ne may by liuing meanes be thence relest:

What boots it then to plaine, that cannot be redrest?

With this fad herfall of his heauy ftreffe,

The warlike Damzell was empassiond sore,

160

And faid; Sir knight, your cause is nothing leffe,

Then is your forrow, certes if not more;

For nothing fo much pitty doth implore,

As gentle Ladies helpleffe mifery.

But yet, if please ye liften to my lore,

I will with proofe of laft extremity,

Deliuer her fro thence, or with her for you dy.

Ah gentlest knight aliue, (said Scudamore)
What huge heroicke magnanimity

(more,

Dwels in thy bounteous breft? what couldst thou

171

If the were thine, and thou as now am I? O fpare thy happy dayes, and them apply To better boot, but let me dye, that ought; More is more loffe: one is enough to dy. Life is not loft, (said she) for which is bought Endlesse renowm, that more then death is to be sought.

Thus fhe at length perswaded him to rise,

And with her wend, to fee what new fucceffe

Mote him befall vpon new enterprise;

His armes, which he had vowed to difprofeffe,

180

1. 155, ; for,-accepted: 1. 156, 'doe': l. 161, 'fayd,' and so l. 168: ib.,, for; l. 164, 'Ladyes': 1. 170, 'dwels': 1. 172, 'daies': 1. 173, * die': 1. 176, ' death'—Jortin suggests 'life': 1. 177, 'lee.. berfuaded.'