XXIII.

Natheleffe for all his speech the gentle knight
Would not be tempted to fuch villenie,
Regarding more his faith which he did plight,
All were it to his mortall enemie,
Then to entrap him by false treacherie :
Great shame in lieges blood to be embrew'd.
Thus whyleft they were debating diverslie,
The falvage forth out of the wood iffew'd
Backe to the place whereas his lord he sleeping vew'd.
XXIV.

There when he faw thofe two fo neare him stand,
He doubted much what mote their meaning bee;
And throwing downe his load out of his hand,
(To weet great store of forrest frute which hee
Had for his food late gathered from the tree)
Himfelfe unto his weapon he betooke,
That was an oaken-plant, which lately hee
Rent by the root; which he so sternly shooke,
That like an hazell wand it quivered and quooke.
XXV,

Whereat the prince awaking, when he spyde
The traytour Turpin with that other knight,
He started up, and fnatching near his fyde
His truftie fword, the fervant of his might,
Like a fell lyon leaped to him light,
And his left hand upon his collar layd.
Therewith the cowheard, deaded with affright,
Fell flat to ground, ne word unto him fayd,

But holding up his hands with filence mercie prayd.

But he fo full of indignation was,

XXVI.

That to his prayer nought he would incline,

But as he lay upon the humbled gras,
His foot he fet on his vile necke, in figne
Of fervile yoke, that nobler harts repine.
Then letting him arise like abiect thrall,
He gan to him obiect his haynous crime,
And to revile, and rate, and recreant call,
And lastly to deft oyle of knightly bannerall:

XXVII. And

XXVII.

And after all, for greater infamie,
He by the heeles him hung upon a tree,
And baffuld fo, that all which paffed by
The picture of his punishment might see,
And by the like enfample warned bee,
However they through treafon doe trefpaffe.
But turne we now backe to that ladie free,
Whom late we left ryding upon an asse,

Led by a carle and foole, which by her fide did paffe.

She was a ladie of great dignitie,

XXVIII.

And lifted up to honorable place,

Famous through all the land of Faerie,

Though of meane parentage and kindred base,
Yet deckt with wondrous giftes of natures grace,
That all men did her perfon much admire,
And praise the feature of her goodly face;
The beames whereof did kindle lovely fire

In th❜harts of many a knight, and many a gentle squire :

XXIX.

But the thereof grew proud and infolent,

That none she worthie thought to be her fere,
But fcornd them all that love unto her ment;
Yet was the lov'd of many a worthy pere,
Unworthy the to be belov'd fo dere,
That could not weigh of worthineffse aright:
For beautie is more glorious, bright and clere,
The more it is admir'd of many a wight,
And nobleft she that ferved is of nobleft knight.

XXX.

But this coy damzell thought contrariwize,

That fuch proud looks would make her praysed more;
And that the more she did all love despizę,
The more would wretched lovers her adore.
What cared the who fighed for her fore,
Or who did wayle or watch the wearie night?
Let them that lift their luckleffe lot deplore;
She was borne free, not bound to any wight,
And fo would ever live, and love her owne delight.
VOL. II

Gg

XXXI. Through

XXXI.

Through fuch her stubborne stifneffe and hard hart,
Many a wretch for want of remedie

Did languish long in life-consuming smart,
And at the last through dreary dolour die :
Whyleft she, the ladie of her libertie,

Did boast her beautie had fuch foveraine might,
That with the onely twinckle of her eye

She could or fave or fpill whom she would hight:
What could the gods doe more, but doe it more aright?
XXXII.

But loe the gods, that mortall follies vew,
Did worthily revenge this maydens pride;
And nought regarding her fo goodly hew
Did laugh at her, that many did deride,
Whileft she did weepe, of no man mercifide:
For on a day, when Cupid kept his court,
As he is wont at each faint Valentide,
Unto the which all lovers doe refort,

That of their loves fucceffe they there may make report.
XXXIII.

It fortun'd then, that when the roules were red,

In which the names of all loves folke were fyled,
That many there were miffing, which were ded,
Or kept in bands, or from their loves exyled,
Or by fome other violence defpoyled.
Which whenas Cupid heard, he wexed wroth,
And doubting to be wronged or beguyled,

He bad his eyes to be unblindfold both,

That he might see his men, and mufter them by oth.

XXXV.

Fayre Mirabella was her name, whereby
Of all those crymes she there indited was :
All which when Cupid heard, he by and by

In

great displeasure wil'd a capias

Should iffue forth t'attach that scornefull laffe.
The warrant straight was made, and therewithall
A baylieffe errant forth in poft did paffe,
Whom they by name there Portamore did call
He which doth fummon lovers to loves judgement hall.
XXXVI.

The damzell was attacht, and shortly brought
Unto the barre whereas she was arrayned:

;

But she thereto nould plead, nor anfwere ought,
Even for stubborne pride, which her restrayned:
So iudgement past, as is by law ordayned
In cases like, which when at laft fhe faw,
Her stubborne hart, which love before difdayned,
Gan ftoupe, and falling downe with humble awe,
Cryde mercie, to abate the extremitie of law.
XXXVII.

The fonne of Venus, who is myld by kynd,
But where he is provokt with peevishneffe,
Unto her prayers piteously enclynd,
And did the rigour of his doome repreffe ;
Yet not fo freely, but that natheleffe

He unto her a penance did impofe,

Which was, that through this worlds wyde wildernes
She wander should in companie of thofe,

Till she had fav'd fo many loves as the did lofe.

XXXVIII.

So now she had bene wandring two whole yeares
Throughout the world in this uncomely case,
Wafting her goodly hew in heavie teares,
And her good dayes in dolorous difgrace:
Yet had she not in all these two yeares space
Saved but two; yet in two yeares before

Through her difpiteous pride, whileft love lackt place,
She had destroyed two and twenty more.

Aie me, how could her love make half amends therefore!

Gg 2

XXXIX. And

XXXIX.

And now the was uppon the weary way,
Whenas the gentle squire with faire Serene
Met her in fuch miffeeming foule array;
The whiles that mighty man did her demeane
With all the evil termes and cruell meane
That he could make; and eeke that
angry foole,
Which follow'd her, with curfed hands uncleane
Whipping her horfe, did with his smarting toole
Oft whip her dainty felfe, and much augment her doole.

XL.

Ne ought it mote availe her to entreat
The one or th'other better her to use;
For both fo wilfull were and obstinate
That all her piteous plaint they did refuse,
And rather did the more her beate and bruse:
But most the former villaine, which did lead
Her tyreling iade, was bent her to abuse;
Who though she were with wearineffe nigh dead,
Yet would not let her lite, nor reft a little ftead:

XLI.

For he was fterne and terrible by nature,

And eeke of perfon huge and hideous,
Exceeding much the measure of mans stature,
And rather like a gyant monftruous :
For footh he was defcended of the hous
Of those old gyants, which did warres darraine
Against the heaven in order battailous,
And fib to great Orgolio, which was flaine
By Arthure, whenas Unas knight he did maintaine.
XLII.

His lookes were dreadfull, and his fiery eies

Like two great beacons glared bright and wyde,
Glauncing askew, as if his enemies

He scorned in his over-weening pryde;

And stalking ftately like a crane did ftryde
At every step uppon the tiptoes hie;
And all the way he went, on every syde

He gaz'd about and stared horriblie,

As if he with his lookes would all men terrifie.

XLIII. He