So hauing solaced themselues a space
With pleasaunce of the breathing fields yfed,
They backe returned to the Princely Place;
Whereas an errant knight in armes ycled,
And heathnish shield, wherein with letters red
Was writ Sans ioy, they new arriued find:
Enflam'd with fury and fiers hardy-hed,
He seemd in hart to harbour thoughts vnkind,
And nourish bloudy vengeaunce in his bitter
mind.
Who when the shamed shield of slaine Sans foy
He spide with that same Faery champions page,
Bewraying him, that did of late destroy
His eldest brother, burning all with rage
He to him leapt, and that same enuious gage
Of victors glory from him snatcht away:
But th'Elfin knight, which ought that warlike
wage,
Disdaind to loose the meed he wonne in fray,
And him rencountring fierce, reskewd the noble
At last when perils all I weened past,
And hop'd to reape the crop of all my care,
Into new woes vnweeting I was cast,
By this false faytor, who vnworthy ware
His worthy shield, whom he with guilefull snare
Entrapped slew,and brought to shamefull graue.
Me silly maid away with him he bare,
And euer since hath kept in darksome caue,
For that I would not yeeld, that to Sans-foy
I gaue.
48
But since faire Sunne hath sperst that lowring
clowd,
Vnder your beames I will me safely shrowd,
And to my loathed life now shewes some light,
From dreaded storme of his disdainfull spight:
To you th'inheritance belongs by right
Of brothers prayse, to you eke longs his loue.
Let not his loue, let not his restlesse spright
From wandring Stygian shores, where it doth
Be vnreueng'd, that calles to you aboue
O but I feare the fickle freakes (quoth shee) Of fortune false, and oddes of armes in field. Why dame (quoth he) what oddes can euer bee, Where both do fight alike, to win or yield? Yea but (quoth she) he beares a charmed shield, And eke enchaunted armes, that none can perce, Ne none can wound the man, that does them wield.
Charmd or enchaunted (answerd he then ferce) I no whit reck, ne you the like need to reherce.
But faire Fidessa, sithens fortunes guile,
Or enimies powre hath now captiued you,
Returne from whence ye came, and rest a while
Till morrow next, that I the Elfe subdew,
And with Sans-foyes dead dowry you endew.
Ay me, that is a double death (she said)
With proud foes sight my sorrow to renew :
Where euer yet I be, my secrete aid
Shall follow you. So passing forth she him obaid.
So th'one for wrong, the other striues for right:
As when a Gryfon seized of his pray,
A Dragon fiers encountreth in his flight,
Through widest ayre making his ydle way,
That would his rightfull rauine rend away :
With hideous horrour both together smight,
And souce so sore,that they the heauens affray:
The wise Southsayer seeing so sad sight,
Th'amazed vulgar tels of warres and mortall
fight.
So th'one for wrong, the other striues for right,
And each to deadly shame would driue his foe:
The cruell steele so greedily doth bight
In tender flesh, that streames of bloud down
flow,
[show,
With which the armes, that earst so bright did
Into a pure vermillion now are dyde:
Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow, Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde, That victory they dare not wish to either side.
Not all so satisfide, with greedie eye
He sought all round about, his thirstie blade
To bath in bloud of faithlesse enemy;
Who all that while lay hid in secret shade:
He standes amazed, how he thence should fade.
At last the trumpets Triumph sound on hie,
And running Heralds humble homage made,
Greeting him goodly, with new victorie,
And to him brought the shield, the cause of
enmitie.
16
Wherewith he goeth to that soueraine Queene,
And falling her before on lowly knee,
To her makes present of his seruice seene :
Which she accepts, with thankes, and goodly
gree,
Greatly aduauncing his gay cheualree.
Somarcheth home, and by her takes the knight, Whom all the people follow with great glee, That all the aire it fils, and flyes to heauen Shouting, and clapping all their hands on hight, bright.
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