XXX.

There eke he placed a strong garrisone,
And set a Seneschall of dreaded might,
That by his powre oppressed every one,
And vanquished all venturous Knights in fight;
To whom he wont shew all the shame he might,
After that them in battell he had wonne:

To which when now they gan approch in sight,
The Ladie counseld him the place to shonne,
Whereas so many Knights had fouly bene fordonne.

XXXI.

Her fearefull speaches nought he did regard;
But, ryding streight under the Castle wall,
Called aloud unto the watchfull Ward

Which there did wayte, willing them forth to call
Into the field their Tyrants Seneschall:

To whom when tydings thereof came, he streight Cals for his armes, and arming him withall Eftsoones forth pricked proudly in his might, gan with courage fierce addresse him to the fight.

And

XXXII.

They both encounter in the middle plaine,

And their sharpe speares doe both together smite Amid their shields with so huge might and maine, That seem'd their soules they would have ryven quight Out of their breasts with furious despight:

Yet could the Seneschals no entrance find Into the Princes shield where it empight, (So pure the metall was and well refynd,) But shivered all about, and scattered in the wynd:

XXXIII.

Not so the Princes; but with restlesse force
Into his shield it readie passage found,

Both through his haberieon and eke his corse;
Which tombling downe upon the senselesse ground
Gave leave unto his ghost from thraldome bound
To wander in the griesly shades of night:

There did the Prince him leave in deadly swound, And thence unto the Castle marched right, To see if entrance there as yet obtaine he might.

XXXIV.

But, as he nigher drew, three Knights he spyde,
All arm'd to point issuing forth apace,

Which towards him with all their powre did ryde,
And meeting him right in the middle race
Did all their speares attonce on him enchace.
As three great culverings for batterie bent,
And leveld all against one certaine place,
Doe all attonce their thunders rage forthrent,
That makes the wals to stagger with astonishment:

XXXV.

So all attonce they on the Prince did thonder;
Who from his saddle swarved nought asyde,

Ne to their force gave way, that was great wonder;
But like a bulwarke firmely did abyde,

Rebutting him, which in the midst did ryde,

With so huge rigour, that his mortall speare

Past through his shield and pierst through either syde; That downe he fell uppon his mother deare,

And powred forth his wretched life in deadly dreare.

XXXVI.

Whom when his other fellowes saw, they fled
As fast as feete could carry them away;
And after them the Prince as swiftly sped,
To be aveng'd of their unknightly play.
There, whilest they entring th' one did th' other stay,
The hindmost in the gate he overhent,

And, as he pressed in, him there did slay:
His carkasse tumbling on the threshold sent
His groning soule unto her place of punishment.

XXXVII.

The other which was entred laboured fast

Το sperre the gate; but that same lumpe of clay,
Whose grudging ghost was thereout fled and past,
Right in the middest of the threshold lay,
That it the posterne did from closing stay:
The whiles the Prince hard preased in betweene,
And entraunce wonne: streight th' other fled away,
And ran into the hall, where he did weene

Himselfe to save; but he there slew him at the skreene.

XXXVIII.

Then all the rest which in that Castle were,

Seeing that sad ensample them before,
Durst not abide, but fled away for feare,

And them convayd out at a posterne dore.

Long sought the Prince; but, when he found no more T'oppose against his powre, he forth issued

Unto that Lady, where he her had lore,

And her gan cheare with what she there had vewed, And, what she had not seené within, unto her shewed:

XXXIX.

Who with right humble thankes him goodly greeting
For so great prowesse as he there had proved,
Much greater then was ever in her weeting,
With great admiraunce inwardly was moved,
And honourd him with all that her behoved.
Thenceforth into that Castle he her led

With her two Sonnes right deare of her beloved; Where all that night themselves they cherished, And from her balefull minde all care he banished.

CANTO XI.

Prince Arthure overcomes the great
Gerioneo in fight:

Doth slay the Monster, and restore
Belge unto her right.

I.

IT often fals, in course of common life,
That right long time is overborne of wrong
Through avarice, or powre, or guile, or strife,
That weakens her, and makes her party strong:
But Iustice, though her dome she doe prolong,
Yet at the last she will her owne cause right:
As by sad Belgè seemes; whose wrongs though long
She suffred, yet at length she did requight,

And sent redresse thereof by this brave Briton Knight.

II.

Whereof when newes was to that Tyrant brought,
How that the Lady Belgè now had found
A Champion, that had with his Champion fought,
And laid his Seneschall low on the ground,
And eke himselfe did threaten to confound;
He gan to burne in rage, and friese in feare,
Doubting sad end of principle unsound :
Yet, sith he heard but one that did appeare,
He did himselfe encourage and take better cheare.