It seemed, him to terme the faluage knight.
But certes his right name was otherwize,
Though knowne to few, that Arthegall he hight,
The doughtieft knight that liv'd that day, and most of might.
Thus was Sir Satyrane with all his band
By his fole manhood and atchieuement stout
Dismayd, that none of them in field durst stand,
But beaten were, and chased all about.
So he continued all that day throughout,
Till euening, that the Sunne gan downward bend.
Then rushed forth out of the thickest rout
A ftranger knight, that did his glorie fhend:
So nought may be efteemed happie till the end.
He at his entrance charg'd his powrefull speare
At Artegall, in middest of his pryde,
And therewith smote him on his Vmbriere
So fore, that tombling backe, he downe did flyde
Ouer his horses taile aboue a stryde:
Whence litle luft he had to rise againe.
Which Cambell feeing, much the fame enuyde,
And ran at him with all his might and maine; 400 But shortly was likewise seene lying on the plaine.
Whereat full inly wroth was Triamond,
And caft t'euenge the fhame doen to his freend:
But by his friend himselfe eke foone he fond,
In no leffe neede of helpe, then him he weend.
All which when Blandamour from end to end
Beheld, he woxe therewith displeased fore,
And thought in mind it shortly to amend :
His fpeare he feutred, and at him it bore ; But with no better fortune, then the reft afore. Full many others at him likewise ran :
But all of them likewife difmounted were. Ne certes wonder; for no powre of man Could bide the force of that enchaunted speare, The which this famous Britomart did beare; With which she wondrous deeds of arms atchieued, And ouerthrew, what euer came her neare, That all those stranger knights full fore agrieued, And that late weaker band of chalengers relieued. Like as in fommers day when raging heat
Doth burne the earth, and boyled riuers drie,
That all brute beafts forft to refraine fro meat,
Doe hunt for shade, where shrowded they may lie,
And miffing it, faine from themfelues to flie;
All trauellers tormented are with paine :
A watry cloud doth ouercast the skie,
And poureth forth a sudden fhoure of raine, That all the wretched world recomforteth againe.
So did the warlike Britomart restore
The prize, to knights of Maydenhead that day, 430
Which else was like to haue bene loft, and bore
The prayse of prowesse from them all away. /
Then fhrilling trompets loudly gan to bray,
And bad them leaue their labours and long toyle,
To ioyous feaft and other gentle play;
Where beauties prize fhold win that pretious spoyle: Where I with found of trompe will alfo reft a whyle.
1. 412,. for,-accepted: 1. 431, Which... lol' in ( ): 1. 435, ; for accepted.
T hath bene through all ages euer feene,
That with the praise of armes and cheualrie,
The prize of beautie ftill hath ioyned beene;
And that for reafons fpeciall priuitie:
For either doth on other much relie.
For he me feemes moft fit the faire to ferue,
That can her beft defend from villenie;
And fhe moft fit his feruice doth deferue,
That faireft is and from her faith will neuer fwerue.
So fitly now here commeth next in place,
After the proofe of proweffe ended well,
The controuerfe of beauties foueraine grace;
In which to her that doth the moft excell,
Shall fall the girdle of faire Florimell:
That many wifh to win for glorie vaine,
And not for vertuous vfe, which fome doe tell
That glorious belt did in it felfe containe,
Which Ladies ought to loue, and feeke for to obtaine.
That girdle gaue the vertue of chaft loue,
And wiuehood true, to all that did it beare ;
But whofoeuer contrarie doth proue,
Might not the fame about her middle weare.
But it would loose, or else a funder teare.
Whilome it was (as Faeries wont report)
Dame Venus girdle, by her fteemed deare,
What time she vfd to liue in wiuely fort;
But layd afide, when so she vsd her looser sport.
Her husband Vulcan whylome for her fake,
When first he loued her with heart entire,
This pretious ornament they fay did make,
And wrought in Lemno with vnquenched fire :
And afterwards did for her loues first hire,
Giue it to her, for euer to remaine,
Therewith to bind lafciuious defire,
And loose affections ftreightly to restraine;
Which vertue it for euer after did retaine.
The fame one day, when the her felfe difpofd
To vifite her beloued Paramoure,
The God of warre, fhe from her middle loofd,
And left behind her in her fecret bowre,
On Acidalian mount, where many an howre
She with the pleasant Graces wont to play.
There Florimell in her first ages flowre
Was foftered by thofe Graces, (as they fay)
And brought with her fro thence that goodly belt
1. 36, Lemnos' 1611: 1. 46, misprinted Aridalian' in 1609: 1. 49, 'fofterd.'
That goodly belt was Ceftus hight by name,
And as her life by her efteemed deare.
No wonder then, if that to winne the fame
So many Ladies fought, as shall appeare ;/
For pearelesse she was thought, that did it beare.
And now by this their feast all being ended,
The judges which thereto selected were,
Into the Martian field adowne defcended,
To deeme this doutfull case, for which they all côtended.
But first was question made, which of those Knights 60
That lately turneyd, had the wager wonne :
There was it iudged by those worthie wights,
That Satyrane the first day best had donne :
For he last ended, hauing first begonne.
The second was to Triamond behight,
For that he fau'd the victour from fordonne:
For Cambell victour was in all mens fight,
Till by mishap he in his foemens hand did light.
The third dayes prize vnto that straunger Knight, 69
Whom all men term'd Knight of the Hebene speare,
To Britomart was giuen by good right;
For that with puiffant ftroke fhe downe did beare
The Saluage Knight, that victour was whileare,
And all the reft, which had the best afore,
And to the laft vnconquer'd did appeare;
For laft is deemed best. To her therefore
The fayreft Ladie was adiudgd for Paramore.
1. 55, 'peerelesse': 1. 58, 'Martian'—qy. 'martial'? as Dr. Morris
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