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Yet, since thy life unto this Ladie fayre
I given have, live in reproch and scorne!
Ne ever armes ne ever knighthood dare
Hence to professe; for shame is to adorne
With so brave badges one so basely borne;
But onely breath, sith that I did forgive!"
So having from his craven bodie torne
Those goodly armes, he them away did give,
And onely suffred him this wretched life to live.

There whilest he thus was setling things above,

Atwene that Ladie myld and recreant Knight,
To whom his life he graunted for her love,
He gan bethinke him in what perilous plight
He had behynd him left that salvage wight
Amongst so many foes, whom sure he thought
By this quite slaine in so unequall fight :
Therefore descending backe in haste he sought
If yet he were alive, or to destruction brought.

There he him found environed about

With slaughtred bodies, which his hand had slaine;
And laying yet afresh with courage stout
Upon the rest that did alive remaine;

Whom he likewise right sorely did constraine,
Like scattred sheepe, to seeke for safetie,
After he gotten had with busie paine

Some of their weapons which thereby did lie,
With which he layd about, and made them fast to flie.

Whom when the Prince so felly saw to rage,

Approaching to him neare, his hand he stayd,
And sought, by making signes, him to asswage:
Who them perceiving, streight to him obayd,
As to his Lord, and downe his weapons layd,
As if he long had to his heasts bene trayned.
Thence he him brought away, and up convayd
Into the chamber, where that Dame remayned
With her unworthy Knight, who ill him entertayned.

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Whom when the Salvage saw from daunger free,
Sitting beside his Ladie there at ease,

He well remembred that the same was hee,
Which lately sought his Lord for to displease:
Tho all in rage he on him streight did seaze,
As if he would in peeces him have rent;
And, were not that the Prince did him appeaze,
He had not left one limbe of him unrent:
But streight he held his hand at his commaundement.

Thus having all things well in peace ordayned,
The Prince himselfe there all that night did rest;
Where him Blandina fayrely entertayned
With all the courteous glee and goodly feast
The which for him she could imagine best:
For well she knew the wayes to win good will
Of every wight, that were not too infest;

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And how to please the minds of good and ill, [skill. Through tempering of her words and lookes by wondrous

Yet were her words and lookes but false and fayned, 42
To some hid end to make more easie way,

Or to allure such fondlings whom she trayned
Into her trap unto their owne decay:

Thereto, when needed, she could weepe and pray,
And when her listed she could fawne and flatter;
Now smyling smoothly like to sommers day,
Now glooming sadly, so to cloke her matter;
Yet were her words but wynd, and all her tears but water.

Whether such grace were given her by kynd,

As women wont their guilefull wits to guyde;
Or learnd the art to please, I doe not fynd:
This well I wote, that she so well applyde
Her pleasing tongue, that soon she pacifyde

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The wrathfull Prince, and wrought her husbands peace: Who nathëlesse, not therewith satisfyde,

His rancorous despight did not releasse,

Ne secretly from thought of fell revenge surceasse:

For all that night, the whyles the Prince did rest
In carelesse couch not weeting what was ment,
He watcht in close awayt with weapons prest,
Willing to worke his villenous intent

On him, that had so shamefully him shent:
Yet durst he not for very cowardize
Effect the same, whylest all the night was spent.
The morrow next the Prince did early rize,
And passed forth to follow his first enterprize.

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CANTO VII.

Turpine is baffuld; his two Knights
Doe gaine their treasons meed.
Fayre Mirabellaes punishment
For Loves disdaine decreed.

LIKE as the gentle hart itselfe bewrayes

In doing gentle deedes with franke delight,
Even so the baser mind itselfe displayes
In cancred malice and revengefull spight:
For to maligne, t' envie, t' use shifting slight,
Be arguments of a vile donghill mind;
Which, what it dare not doe by open might,
To worke by wicked treason wayes doth find,
By such discourteous deeds discovering his base kind.

That well appears in this discourteous Knight,
The coward Turpine, whereof now I treat;
Who notwithstanding that in former fight
He of the Prince his life received late,
Yet in his mind malitious and ingrate
He gan devize to be aveng'd anew

For all that shame, which kindled inward hate :
Therefore, so soone as he was out of vew,
Himselfe in hast he arm'd, and did him fast pursew.

Well did he tract his steps as he did ryde,

Yet would not neare approch in daungers eye, But kept aloofe for dread to be descryde, Untill fit time and place he mote espy, Where he mote worke him scath and villeny. At last he met two Knights to him unknowne, The which were armed both agreeably, And both combynd, whatever chaunce were blowne, Betwixt them to divide and each to make his owne.

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To whom false Turpine comming courteously,

To cloke the mischiefe which he inly ment,
Gan to complaine of great discourtesie,

Which a straunge Knight, that neare afore him went,
Had doen to him, and his deare Ladie shent ;
Which if they would afford him ayde at need
For to avenge in time convenient,

They should accomplish both a knightly deed,
And for their paines obtaine of him a goodly meed.

The Knights beleev'd that all he sayd was trew;
And, being fresh and full of youthly spright,
Were glad to heare of that adventure new,
In which they mote make triall of their might
Which never yet they had approv'd in fight,
And eke desirous of the offred meed:

Said then the one of them; "Where is that wight, The which hath doen to thee this wrongfull deed, That we may it avenge, and punish him with speed?”

“He rides,” said Turpine, “ there not farre afore,
With a Wyld Man soft footing by his syde;
That, if ye list to haste a litle more,
Ye may him overtake in timely tyde."
Eftsoones they pricked forth with forward pryde;
And, ere that litle while they ridden had,
The gentle Prince not farre away they spyde,
Ryding a softly pace with portance sad,
Devizing of his Love more then of daunger drad.

Then one of them aloud unto him cryde,

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Bidding him turne againe ; "False traytour Knight, Foule woman-wronger!"—for he him defyde. With that they both at once with equall spight Did bend their speares, and both with equall might Against him ran; but th' one did misse his marke, And being carried with his force forthright Glaunst swiftly by; like to that heavenly sparke, Which glyding through the ayre lights all the heavens darke.

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