But subtill Archimago, when his guests He saw divided into double parts, And Una wandring in woods and forrests, (Th' end of his drift) he praisd his divelish arts, That had such might over true-meaning harts : Yet rests not so, but other meanes doth make, How he may worke unto her further smarts For her he hated as the hissing snake,
And in her many troubles did most pleasure take.
He then devisde himselfe how to disguise; For by his mighty science he could take As many formes and shapes in seeming wise As ever Proteus to himselfe could make : Sometime a fowle, sometime a fish in lake, Now like a foxe, now like a dragon fell; That of himselfe he ofte for feare would quake, And oft would flie away. O who can tell The hidden powre of herbes, and might of magick [spell?
But now seemde best the person to put on Of that good knight, his late beguiled guest. In mighty armes he was yclad anon, And silver shield; upon his coward brest A bloody crosse, and on hes craven crest A bounch of heares discoloured diversly. Full iolly knight he seemde, and well addrest; And when he sate uppon his courser free, Saint George himselfe ye would have deemed him to
But he, the knight whose semblaunt he did beare, The true Saint George, was wandred far away, Still flying from his thoughts and gealous feare; Will was his guide, and griefe led him astray. At last him chaunst to meete upon the way A faithless Sarazin, all armde to point, In whose great shield was writ with letters gay Sansfoy: full large of limbe and every ioint He was, and cared not for God or man a point,
Hee had a faire companion of his way, A goodly lady clad in scarlot red, Purfled with gold and pearle of rich assay, And like a Persian mitre on her hed
Shee wore, with crowns and owches garnished, The which her lavish lovers to her gave: Her wanton palfrey all was overspred With tinsell trappings, woven like a wave, Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses brave.
With faire disport, and courting dalliaunce, She intertainde her lover all the way;
But when she saw the knight his speare advaunce, Shee soone left off her mirth and wanton play, And bad her knight addresse him to the fray; His foe was nigh at hand. He, prickte with pride, And hope to winne his ladies hearte that day, Forth spurred fast: adowne his courser's side The red bloud trickling staind the way as he did ride.
The Knight of the Red-crosse, when him he spide
Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous,
Gan fairely couch his speare, and towards ride. Soone meete they both; both fell and furious, That daunted with their forces hideous
Their steeds doe stagger, and amazed stand; And eke themselves, too rudely rigorous, Astoined with the stroke of their owne hand, Doe backe rebutte, and each to other yealdeth land.
As when two rams, stird with ambitious pride, Fight for the rule of the rich-fleeced flocke, Their horned fronts so fierce on either side Doe meete, that with the terror of the shocke Astoined both stand sencelesse as a blocke, Forgetfull of the hanging victory :. So stood these twaine, unmoved as a rocke, Both staring fierce, and holding idely The broken reliques of their former cruelty.
The Sarazin, sore daunted with the buffe, Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies, Who well it wards, and quyteth cuff with cuff: Each others equall puissaunce envies, And through their iron sides with cruell spies Does seeke to perce; repining courage yields No foote to foe; the flashing fier flies, As from a forge, out of their burning shields, And streams of purple bloud newdie theverdantfields.
" Curse on that crosse," quoth then the Sarazin,
"That keeps thy body from the bitter fitt; "Dead long ygoe, I wote, thou haddest bin, "Had not that charme from thee forwarned itt;
"But yet I warne thee now assured sitt, "And hide thy head." Therewith upon his crest With rigor so outrageous he smitt, That a large share it hewd out of the rest,
And glauncing downe his shield from blame him fair
Who thereat wondrous wroth, the sleeping spark Of native vertue gan eftsoones revive; And at his haughty helmet making mark, So hugely stroke, that it the steele did rive, And cleft his head. He tumbling downe alive, With bloudy mouth his mother Earth did kis, Greeting his grave: his grudging ghost did strive With the fraile flesh; at last it flitted is
Whether the soules doe fly of men that live amis.
The lady, when she saw her champion fall, Like the old ruines of a broken towre, Staid not to waile his woefull funerall,
But from him fled away with all her powre; Who after her as hastily gan scowre, Bidding the dwarfe with him to bring away The Sarazin's shield, signe of the conqueroure. Her soone he overtooke, and bad to stay,
For present cause was none of dread her to dismay.
Shee turning backe, with ruefull countenaunce Cride, "Mercy, mercy, Sir, vouchsafe to show "On silly dame, subiect to hard mischaunce, "And to your mighty will." Her humblesse low, In so rich weedes and seeming glorious show, Did much emmove his stout heroïcke heart, And said, "Deare dame, your suddein overthrow " Much rueth me; but now put feare apart, "And tel both who ye be, and who that tooke your [part."
Melting in teares, then gan shee thus lament; "The wretched woman, whom unhappy howre "Hath now made thrall to your commandement, "Before that angry heavens list to lowre, "Aud Fortune false betraide me to your powre, "Was (O what now availeth that I was!) "Borne the sole daughter of an emperour; "He that the wide West under his rule has, "And high hath set his throne where Tiberis doth [pas.
"He, in the first flowre of my freshest age, " Betrothed me unto the onely haire "Of a most mighty king, most rich and sage; "Was never prince so faithfull and so faire, "Was never prince so meeke and debonaire: "But ere my hoped day of spousall shone, "My dearest lord fell from high honor's staire "Into the hands of hys accursed fone, "And cruelly was slaine; that shall I ever mone.
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