That all his bones in peeces nigh he brake.
Where seeing him so lie, he left his steed,
And, to him leaping, vengeance thought to take
Of him, for all his former follies meed,
With flaming sword in hand his terror more to breed.
XII.
The fearfull Swayne beholding death so nie
Cryde out aloud, for mercie, him to save;
In lieu whereof he would to him descrie 1
Great treason to him meant, his life to reave.?
The Prince soone hearkned, and his life forgave.
Then thus said he; “ There is a straunger Knight,
The which, for promise of great meed, us drave
To this attempt, to wreake his hid despight,
For that himselfe thereto did want sufficient might.”
XIII.
The Prince much mused at such villenie,
And sayd; “ Now sure ye well have earn'd your meed;
For th’ one is dead, and th’ other soone shall die,
Unlesse to me thou hither bring with speed
The wretch that hyr'd you to this wicked deed.”
He glad of life, and willing eke to wreake
The guilt on him which did this mischiefe breed,
Swore by his sword, that neither day nor weeke
He would surceasse, but him whereso he were would seeke.
XIV.
So up he rose, and forth streightway he went
Backe to the place where Turpine late he lore 4;
There he him found in great astonishment,
To see him so bedight with bloodie gore
· Descrie, reveal. 2 Reave, take. 3 Surceasse, cease.
* Lore, left.
Bedight, covered.
And griesly wounds, that him appalled sore.
Yet thus at length he said ; “ How now, Sir Knight,
What meaneth this which here I see before ?
How fortuneth' this foule uncomely plight,
So different from that which earst? ye seem'd in sight?”
XV.
“Perdie, 3” said he, “in evill houre it fell,
That ever I for meed did undertake
So hard a taske as life for hyre to sell;
The which I earst 4 adventur'd for
your
sake:
Witnesse the wounds, and this wide bloudie lake,
Which ye may see yet all about me steeme.
Therefore now yeeld, as ye did promise make,
My due reward, the which right well I deeme
I yearned 5 have, that life so dearely did redeeme.”
XVI. “But where then is,” quoth he, halfe wrothfully, “ Where is the bootie, which therefore I bought, That cursed caytive, my strong enemy, That recreant Knight, whose hated life I sought? And where is eke your friend which halse it ought 6 ?” “ He lyes,” said he, “ upon the cold bare ground, Slayne of that Errant Knight with whom he fought;
Whom afterwards myselfe with many a wound Did slay againe, as ye may see there in the stound.”
XVII. Thereof false Turpin was full glad and faine, And needs with him streight to the place would ryde,
| Fortuneth, happeneth.
? Earst, before.
3 Perdie,
* Earst, lately.
Yearned, earned. 6 Ought, owned, had a right to
Where he himselfe might see his foeman slaine;
For else his feare could not be satisfyde.
So, as they rode, he saw the way all dyde
With streames of bloud; which tracting by the traile,
Ere long they came, whenas in evill tydel
That other Swayne, like ashes deadly pale,
Lay in the lap of death, rewing 2 his wretched bale.
XVIII.
Much did the Craven seeme to mone his case,
That for his sake his deare life had forgone;
And, him bewayling with affection base,
Did counterfeit kind pittie where was none:
For where's no courage, there's no ruth 3 nor mone. 4
Thence passing forth, not farre away he found
Whereas the Prince himselfe lay all alone,
Loosely displayd upon the grassie ground,
Possessed of sweete sleepe that luld him soft in swound.
XIX.
Wearie of travell 5 in his former fight,
He there in shade himselfe had layd to rest,
Having bis armes and warlike things undight,
Fearelesse of foes that mote his peace molest;
The whyles bis Salvage Page, that wont be prest,
Was wandred in the wood another way,
To doe some thing, that seemed to him best;
The whyles his Lord in silver slomber lay,
Like to the evening starre adorn’d with deawy ray.
XX
Whom whenas Turpin saw so loosely 8 layd,
| Tyde, time, fortune.
? Reving, lamenting.
3 Ruth, pity.
• Mone, compassion.
3 Trarell, toil.
6 Undight, put off.
7 Prest, ready.
& Loosely, carelessly.
He weened well that he indeed was dead,
Like as that other Knight to him had sayd:
But, when he nigh approcht, he mote aread
Plaine signes in him of life and livelihead.
Whereat much griev'd against that straunger Knight,
That him too light of credence did mislead,
He would have backe rety red from that sight,
That was to him on earth the deadliest despight.
XXI. But that same Knight would not once let him start; But plainely gan to him declare the case Of all his mischiefe and late lucklesse smart; How both he and his fellow there in place Were vanquished, and put to foule disgrace; And how that he, in lieu of life him lent, Had vow'd unto the Victor, him to trace
And follow through the world whereso he went,
Till that he him delivered to his punishment.
XXII.
He, therewith much abashed and affrayd,
Began to tremble every limbe and vaine;
And, softly whispering him, entyrely prayd
T'advize him better then 3 by such a traine 4
Him to betray unto a straunger Swaine:
Yet rather counseld him contrárywize,
Sith 5 he likewise did wrong by him sustaine,
To joyne with him and vengeance to devize,
Whylest time did offer meanes hiin sleeping to surprize.
Aread, perceive. · Entyrely, earnestly. 3 Then, than. * Traine, artifice.
5 Sith, since.
XX. 7. – Too light of credence.] Too easy of belief.
XXIII.
Nathelesse, for all his speach, the gentle Knight
Would not be tempted to such villenie,
Regarding more his faith which he did plight,
All were it to his mortall enemie,
Then 2 to entrap him by false treacherie:
Great shame in lieges blood to be embrew'd !
Thus whylest they were debating diverslie,
The Salvage forth out of the wood issew'd
Backe to the place, whereas his Lord he sleeping vew'd.
XXIV.
There when he saw those two so 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,
Himselfe 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 snatching neare his syde
His trustie sword, the servant of his might,
Like a fell lyon leaped to him light,
|