Fayre Britomart saves Amoret:
Duessa discord breedes
Twixt Scudamour and Blandamour:
Their fight and warlike deedes.
Of lovers sad calamities of old
Full many piteous stories doe remaine,
But none more piteous ever was ytold
Then that of Amorets hart-binding chaine,
And this of Florimels unworthie paine:
The deare compassion of whose bitter fit
My softned heart so sorely doth constraine,
That I with teares full oft doe pittie it,
And oftentimes doe wish it never had bene writ.
For, from the time that Scudamour her bought
In perilous fight, she never ioyed day;
A perilous fight! when he with force her brought
From twentie Knights that did him all assay;
Yet fairely well he did them all dismay,
And with great glorie both the Shield of Love And eke the Ladie selfe he brought away;
Whom having wedded, as did him behove, A new unknowen mischiefe did from him remove.
For that same vile Enchauntour Busyran,
The very selfe same day that she was wedded, Amidst the bridale feast, whilest every man Surcharg'd with wine were heedlesse and ill-hedded, All bent to mirth before the Bride was bedded, Brought in that Mask of Love which late was showen; And there the Ladie ill of friends bestedded, By way of sport, as oft in Maskes is knowen, Conveyed quite away to living wight unknowen.
Seven moneths he so her kept in bitter smart,
Because his sinfull lust she would not serve,
Untill such time as noble Britomart
Released her, that else was like to sterve
Through cruell knife that her deare heart did kerve: And now she is with her upon the way
Marching in lovely wise, that could deserve No spot of blame, though spite did oft assay To blot her with dishonor of so faire, a pray.
Yet should it be a pleasant tale, to tell
The diverse usage, and demeanure daint,
That each to other made, as oft befell:
For Amoret right fearefull was and faint
Lest she with blame her honor should attaint,
That everie word did tremble as she spake,
And everie looke was coy and wondrous quaint,
And everie limbe that touched her did quake;
Yet could she not but curteous countenance to her make.
For well she wist, as true it was indeed,
That her live's lord and patrone of her health
Right well deserved, as his duefull meed,
Her love, her service, and her utmost wealth:
All is his iustly that all freely deal'th.
Nathlesse her honor dearer then her life
She sought to save, as thing reserv'd from stealth;
Die had she lever with Enchanters knife
Then to be false in love, profest a virgine wife.
Thereto her feare was made so much the greater
Through fine abusion of that Briton Mayd;
Who, for to hide her fained sex the better
And maske her wounded mind, both did and sayd
Full many things so doubtfull to be wayd,
That well she wist not what by them to gesse :
For otherwhiles to her she purpos made
Of love, and otherwhiles of lustfulnesse,
That much she feard his mind would grow to some excesse.
His will she feard; for him she surely thought
To be a man, such as indeed he seemed;
And much the more, by that he lately wrought,
When her from deadly thraldome he redeemed,
For which no service she too much esteemed:
Yet dread of shame and doubt of fowle dishonor
Made her not yeeld so much as due she deemed.
Yet Britomart attended duly on her,
As well became a Knight, and did to her all honor.
It so befell one evening that they came
Unto a Castell, lodged there to bee,
Where many a Knight, and many a lovely Dame,
Was then assembled deeds of armes to see:
Amongst all which was none more faire then shee,
That many of them mov'd to eye her sore.
The custome of that place was such, that hee, Which had no Love nor Lemman there in store, Should either winne him one, or lye without the dore.
Amongst the rest there was a iolly Knight,
Who, being asked for his Love, avow'd
That fairest Amoret was his by right,
And offred that to iustifie alowd.
The warlike Virgine, seeing his so prowd
And boastfull chalenge, wexed inlie wroth,
But for the present did her anger shrowd;
And sayd, her Love to lose she was full loth,
But either he should neither of them have, or both.
So foorth they went, and both together giusted;
But that same younker soone was overthrowne,
And made repent that he had rashly lusted
For thing unlawfull that was not his owne :
Yet since he seemed valiant, though unknowne,
She, that no lesse was courteous then stout,
Cast how to salve, that both the custome showne
Were kept, and yet that Knight not locked out;
That seem'd full hard t' accord two things so far in dout.
The seneschall was cal'd to deeme the right;
Whom she requir'd, that first fayre Amoret
Might be to her allow'd, as to a Knight
That did her win and free from chalenge set:
Which straight to her was yeelded without let:
Then, since that strange Knights Love from him was
quitted,
She claim'd that to herselfe, as Ladies det,
He as a Knight might iustly be admitted;
So none should be out shut, sith all of Loves were fitted.
With that, her glistring helmet she unlaced;
Which doft, her golden lockes, that were upbound
Still in a knot, unto her heeles downe traced,
And like a silken veile in compasse round
About her backe and all her bodie wound:
Like as the shining skie in summers night,
What time the dayes with scorching heat abound,
Is creasted all with lines of firie light,
That it prodigious seemes in common peoples sight.
Such when those Knights and Ladies all about
Beheld her, all were with amazement smit,
And every one gan grow in secret dout
Of this and that, according to each wit:
Some thought that some enchantment faygned it;
Some, that Bellona in that warlike wise
To them appear'd, with shield and armour fit;
Some, that it was a maske of strange disguise:
So diversely each one did sundrie doubts devise.
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