VI.

There did he find in her delitious boure
The faire Poeana playing on a rote,
Complayning of her cruell paramoure,
And singing all her sorrow to the note,
As she had learned readily by rote;
That with the sweetnesse of her rare delight,
The prince half rapt began on her to dote,
Till better him bethinking of the right,

He her unwares attacht, and captive held by might.
VII.

Whence being forth produc'd, when she perceived
Her owne deare sire, she cald to him for aide;
But when of him no aunswere she received,
But saw him sencelesse by the squire up-staide,
She weened well that then she was betraide;
Then gan she loudly cry, and weepe and waile,
And that same squire of treason to upbraide;
But all in vaine; her plaints might not prevaile,
Ne none there was to reskue her, ne none to baile.
VIII.

Then tooke he that same dwarfe, and him compeld
To open unto him the prison dore,

And forth to bring those thrals which there he held :
Thence forth were brought to him above a score
Of knights and squires to him unknowne afore;
All which he did from bitter bondage free,
And unto former liberty restore;

Amongst the rest that Squire of Low Degree

Came forth full weake and wan, not like himselfe to

bee.

IX.

Whom soon as faire Aemylia beheld
And Placidas, they both unto him ran,
And him embracing fast betwixt them held,
Striving to comfort him all that they can,
And kissing oft his visage pale and wan;
That faire Poeana them beholding both,
Gan both envy and bitterly to ban,

Through iealous passion weeping inly wroth,

To see the sight perforce that both her eyes were

X.

But when awhile they had together beene,
And diversly conferred of their case,

[loth.

She, though full oft she both of them had seene
Asunder, yet not ever in one place,

Began to doubt, when she them saw embrace,
Which was the captive squire she lov'd so deare,
Deceived through great likenesse of their face;
For they so like in person did appeare,

That she uneath discerned whether whether weare.
XI.

And eke the prince, whenas he them avized,
Their like resemblaunce much admired there,
And mazd how Nature had so well disguized
Her worke, and counterfet herselfe so nere,
As if that by one patterne seene somewhere
She had them made a paragone to be;
Or whether it through skill or errour were:
Thus gazing long at them much wondred he, [see.
So did the other knights and squires which him did

XII.

Then gan they ransacke that same castle strong,
In which he found great store of hoorded threasure,
The which that tyrant gathered had by wrong
And tortious powre, without respect or measure;
Upon all which the Briton prince made seasure,
And afterwards continu'd there awhile

To rest himselfe, and solace in soft pleasure
Those weaker ladies after weary toile,

To whom he did divide part of his purchast spoile.
XIII.

And for more ioy that captive lady faire,
The faire Poana, he enlarged free,

And by the rest did set in sumptuous chaire
To feast and frollicke, nathemore would she
Shew gladsome countenaunce nor pleasaunt glee,
But grieved was for losse both of her sire
And eke of lordship, with both land and fee;
But most she touched was with griefe entire
For losse of her new love, the hope of her desire.
XIV.

But her the prince through his well-wonted grace
To better termes of myldnesse did entreat,
From that fowle rudenesse which did her deface,
And that same bitter cor'sive which did eat
Her tender heart, and made refraine from meat;
He with good thewes and speaches well applyde
Did mollifie, and calme her raging heat,
For though she were most faire and goodly dyde,
Yet she it all did mar with cruelty and pride.

XV.

And for to shut up all in friendly love,

Sith love was first the ground of all her griefe,
That trusty squire he wisely well did move
Not to despise that dame which lov'd him liefe,
Till he had made of her some better priefe,
But to accept her to his wedded wife :
Thereto he offred for to make him chiefe
Of all her land and lordship during life:

He yeelded and her tooke; so stinted all their strife.
XVI.

From that day forth in peace and ioyous blis
They liv'd together long without debate ;
Ne private iarre, ne spite of enemis,

Could shake the safe assuraunce of their state;
And she whom Nature did so faire create,
That she mote match the fairest of her daies,
Yet with lewd loves and lust intemperate
Had it defaste, thenceforth reformd her waies,
That all men much admyrde her change, and spake
[her praise.
Thus when the prince had perfectly compylde

XVII.

These paires of friends in peace and setled rest,
Himselfe, whose minde did travell as with chylde
Of his old love conceav'd in secret brest,
Resolved to pursue his former guest;
And taking leave of all, with him did beare
Faire Amoret, whom Fortune by bequest
Had left in his protection whileare,
Exchanged out of one into another feare.

XVIII.

Feare of her safety did her not constraine ;
For well she wist now in a mighty hond
Her person
late in perill did remaine,
Who able was all daungers to withstond;
But now in feare of shame she more did stond,
Seeing herselfe all soly succourlesse,

Left in the victor's powre, like vassal bond,
Whose will her weakenesse could no way represse,
In case his burning lust should breake into excesse.
XIX.

But cause of feare sure had she none at all
Of him, who goodly learned had of yore
The course of loose affection to forstall,
And lawlesse lust to rule with reason's lore,
That all the while he by his side her bore,
She was as safe as in a sanctuary.
Thus many miles they two together wore,
To seeke their loves dispersed diversly,

Yet neither shewed to other their heart's privity.
XX.

At length they came whereas a troupe of knights
They saw together skirmishing, as seemed;
Sixe they were all, all full of fell despight,
But foure of them the battell best beseemed,

That which of them was best mote not be deemed.
Those foure were they from whom false Florimell
By Braggadochio lately was redeemed,

To weet sterne Druon, and lewd Claribell,
Love-lavish Blandamour, and lustfull Paridell.