THE

To ketch him at a vauntage in his fnares:
But now fo wife and wary was te knight
By tryall of his former harmes and cares,
That he defcryde and shonned ftill his flight:
The fish that once was caught new bayt wil hard-
ly byte.

Nath'leffe th' enchaunter would not fpare his
In hope to win occafion to his will; [payne,
Which, when he long awaited had in vayne,
He chaungd his mind from one to other ill;
For to all good he enimy was still.
Upon the way him fortuned to meete,
Fayre marching underneath a shady hill,
A goodly knight, all armed in harnesse meete,
That from his head no place appeared to his feete.

"Or rather would, (O would it fo had chaunft!) "That you, most noble Sir! had present beene "When that lewd rybauld, with vile luft advaunft, "Laid first his fiithie hands on virgin clcene, "To spoyle her dainty corps fo faire and sheene, "As on the earth, great mother of us all, "With living eye more fayre was never seene "Of chaftity and honour virginall: "Witnes ye Heav'ns! whom the in vaine to help "did call,"

XVI.

Till her that squyre befpake; " Madam, my liefe,

"For God's deare love be not fo wilfull bent, "But doe vouchsafe now to receive reliefe, "The which good Fortune doth to you prefent; "For what bootes it to weepe and to wayment! "When ill is chaunft, but doth the ill increase, "And the weake minde with double woe tor"ment."

[peale When the her fquyre heard fpeake, fhe gan ap Her voluntarie paine, and feele some secret cafe.

XVII.

Eftfoone she said, "Ah! gentle truftie Squyre, "What comfort can I wofull wretch conceave! "Or why should ever I henceforth defyre "To fee faire heaven's face, and life not leave, "Sith that false traytour did my honour reave!" "False traytor, certes," faide the Faerie knight, "I read the man, that ever would deceave "A gentle lady, or her wrong through might; "Death were too litle paine for fuch a fowle e"spight.

XVIII.

"But now, fayre Lady! comfort to you make, "And reade who hath ye wrought this fhame"full plight, "That short revenge the man may overtake, "Wherefo he be, and foone upon him light." "Certes," faide fhe, "I wote not how he hight, "But under him a gray steede he did wield, "Whofe fides with dapled circles weren dight; “Upright he rode, and in his filver shield [field." "He bore a bloodie crofle, that quarter'd all the

XIX.

"Now by my head," faide Guyon," much I "muse,

"How that fame knight should doe fo fowle amis, "Or ever gentle damzell so abuse; "For may I boldly fay, he furely is

"A right good knight, and trew of word ywis: "I prefent was, and can it witnesse well, "When armes he swore, and ftreight did enterpris "Th' adventure of the errant damozell,

"In which he hath great glory wonne, as I heare "tell.

XX.

XXV.

"Lo yonder he," cryde Archimage alowd, "That wrought the fhamefull fact which I did "shew,

"And now he doth himfelfe in fecret fhrowd, "To fly the vengeaunce for his outrage dew: "But vaine; for he shall dearely do him rew; "So God ye fpeed, and fend you good fucceffe, "Which we far off will here abide to vew." So they him left inflam'd with wrathfulneffe, That ftreight against that knight his fpeare he did addreffe.

XXVI.

"Me for to meet, that feemed ill befed,

"Palmer," him anfwered the Red-croffe knight, "His be the praife that this atchiev'ment wrought, "Who made my hand the organ of his might; "More than goodwill to me attribute nought, "For all I did, I did but as I ought." "But you, faire Sir! whofe pageant next en"Lewes,

"Wellmote yee thee, as well can wish your thought, "That home ye may report thrife happy newes; "For well ye worthy bene for worth and gentle "thewes."

Which when that warriour heard, difmounting ftraict

From his tall feed, he rufht into the thick,
And foone arrived where that fad pourtraict
Of death and dolour lay, halfe dead, halfe quick;
In whofe white alabafter breft did ftick
A cruell knife, that made a griefly wownd,
From which forth gusht a ftream of gore blood

thick,

That all her goodly guments ftaind arownd, And into a deepe fanguine dide the graffy grownd,

IL.

Pitifull fpectacle of deadly smart,
Befide a bubling fountaine low the lay,
Which the increafed with her bleeding hart,
And the cleane waves with purple gore did ray;
Als in her lap a lovely babe did play
His cruel sport instead of forrow dew;
For in her streaming blood he did embay
His litle hands and tender joints embrew;
Pitifull fpectacle, as ever eie did vew.

XLI.

Befides them both, upon the foiled gras,
The dead corfe of an armed knight was fpred,