52 Which lawlesse multitude him comming too In warlike wise, when Artegall did vew, He much was troubled, ne wist what to doo. For loth he was his noble hands t'embrew In the base blood of such a rascall crew; And otherwise, if that he should retire, He fear'd least they with shame would him pursew.

Therefore he Talus to them sent, t'inquire The cause of their array, and truce for to desire.

53

But soone as they him nigh approching spide,
They gan with all their weapons him assay,
And rudely stroke at him on euery side:
Yet nought they could him hurt, ne ought
dismay.

But when at them he with his flaile gan lay, He like a swarme of flyes them ouerthrew ; Ne any of them durst come in his way, But here and there before his presence flew, And hid themselues in holes and bushes from his vew. 54

As when a Faulcon hath with nimble flight Flowne at a flush of Ducks, foreby the brooke, The trembling foule dismayd with dreadfull sight

Of death, the which them almost ouertooke, Doe hide themselues from her astonying looke, Amongst the flags and couert round about. When Talus saw they all the field forsooke And none appear'd of all that raskall rout, To Artegall he turn'd, and went with him throughout.

Cant. III.

The spousals of faire Florimell, where turney many knights: There Braggadochio is vncas'd in all the Ladies sights.

I

After long stormes and tempests ouerblowne,
The sunne at length his ioyous face doth cleare:
So when as fortune all her spight hath showne,
Some blisfull houresat last must needes appeare;
Else should afflicted wights oftimes despeire.
So comes it now to Florimell by tourne,
After long sorrowes suffered whyleare,
In which captiu'dshe many moneths didmourne,
Totast of ioy, and to wont pleasures to retourne.

2

Who being freed from Proteus cruell band
By Marinell, was vnto him affide,

And by him brought againe to Faerie land;
Where he her spous'd,and madehisioyous bride.
The time and place was blazed farre and wide;
And solemne feasts and giusts ordain'd there-
fore.

To which there did resort from euery side Of Lords and Ladies infinite great store; Ne any Knight was absent, that braue courage bore. 3

To tell the glorie of the feast that day,
The goodly seruice, the deuicefull sights,
The bridegromes state, the brides most rich
aray,

The pride of Ladies, and the worth of knights,
The royall banquets, and the rare delights
Were worke fit for an Herauld, not for me:
But for so much as to my lot here lights,
That with this present treatise doth agree,
True vertue to aduance, shall here recounted bee.

12

So backe he brought Sir Marinell againe ;
Whom hauing quickly arm'd againe anew,
They both together ioyned might and maine,
To set afresh on all the other crew.
Whom with sore hauocke soone they ouerthrew,
And chaced quite out of the field, that none
Against them durst his head to perill shew.
So were they left Lords of the field alone :
So Marinell by him was rescu'd from his fone.
13

Which when he had perform'd, then backe againe
To Braggadochio did his shield restore :
Who all this while behind him did remaine,
Keeping there close with him in pretious store
That his false Ladie, as ye heard afore.
Then did the trompets sound, and Iudges rose,
And all these knights, which that day armour
bore,

The honour of the prize should be adiudg'd by
Came to the open hall, to listen whose

those.

14

And thether also came in open sight
Fayre Florimell, into the common hall,
To greet his guerdon vnto euery knight,
And best to him, to whom the best should fall.
Then for that stranger knight they loud did call,
To whom that day they should the girlond yield
Who came not forth, but for Sir Artegall
Came Braggadochio, and did shew his shield,
Which bore the Sunne brode blazed in a golden
field.
15

The sight whereof did all with gladnesse fill:
So vnto him they did addeeme the prise
Of all that Tryumph. Then the trompets shrill
Don Braggadockios name resounded thrise :
So courage lent a cloke to cowardise.

And then to him came fayrest Florimell,
And goodly gan to greet his braue emprise,
And thousand thankes him yeeld, that had so
well

Approu'd that day, that she all others did excell.

16

To whom the boaster, that all knights did blot, With proud disdaine did scornefull answere make;

That what he did that day, he did it not For her, but for his owne deare Ladies sake, Whom on his perill he did vndertake, Both her and eke all others to excell: And further did vncomely speaches crake. Much did his words the gentle Ladie quell, And turn'd aside for shame to heare, what he did tell.

Thatshield,which thou doest beare,was it indeed,
Which this dayes honour sau'd to Marinell;
But not that arme, nor thou the man I reed,
Which didst that seruice vnto Florimell.
For proofe shew forth thy sword, and let it tell,
What strokes, what dreadfull stoure it stird
this day:

Or shew the wounds, which vnto thee befell; Or shew the sweat, with which thou diddest sway

Which when as all that present were, beheld,
They stricken were with great astonishment,
And their faint harts with senselesse horrour
queld,

To see the thing, that seem'd so excellent,
So stolen from their fancies wonderment;
That what of it became, none vnderstood.
And Braggadochio selfe with dreriment
So daunted was in his despeyring mood,