Who, when he once his dreadfull strokes had tasted, Durst not the furie of his force abyde, But turn'd abacke, and to retyre him hasted Through the thick prease, there thinking him to hyde: But, when the Prince had once him plainely eyde, He foot by foot him followed alway, Ne would him suffer once to shrinke asyde, But joyning close huge lode at him did lay; Who flying still did ward, and warding fly away. 29 But, when his foe he still so eager saw, Whereas his love was sitting all alone, 30 The tempred steele did not into his braynepan byte. Which when the Ladie saw, with great affright 31 He stayd his second strooke, and did his hand abase. Her weed she then withdrawing did him discover; 32 Like troubled ghost, did dreadfully appeare, Whom when the Prince so deadly saw dismayd, He for such basenesse shamefully him shent, Whereof thou, caytive, so unworthie art, 33 34 And eke thy selfe, for want of manly hart, [part. And eke all knights hast shamed with this knightlesse "Yet further hast thou heaped shame to shame, And crime to crime, by this thy cowheard feare: For first, it was to thee reprochfull blame To erect this wicked custome, which I heare Gainst errant Knights and Ladies thou dost reare; Whom when thou mayst thou dost of arms despoile, Or of their upper garment which they weare; Yet doest thou not with manhood, but with guile, Maintaine this evil use, thy foes thereby to foile. "And lastly, in approvance of thy wrong, 35 To shew such faintnesse and foule cowardize For greater force there needs to maintaine wrong then right. 66 Yet, since thy life unto this Ladie fayre Those goodly armes, he them away did give, There whilest he thus was setling things above He ეხ 37 38 With slaughtred bodies which his hand had slaine, 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, 39 Approching 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. Whom when the Salvage saw from daunger free 40 Sitting beside his Ladie there at ease, 41 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; And how to please the minds of good and ill, Through tempering of her words and lookes by wondrous skill. Yet were her words and lookes but false and fayned, 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 teares but water. Whether such grace were given her by kynd, 43 As women wont their guilefull wits to guyde, [peace: Ne secretly from thought of fell revenge surceasse : For all that night, the whyles the Prince did rest 44 On him that had so shamefully him shent : 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. |