All which when she unto the end had heard,

She much was eased in her troublous thought,
And on those Priests bestowed rich reward;
And royall gifts of gold and silver wrought
She for a present to their Goddesse brought.
Then taking leave of them, she forward went
To seeke her love, where he was to be sought;
Ne rested till she came without relent

Unto the land of Amazons, as she was bent.

24

Whereof when newes to Radigund was brought, 25
Not with amaze, as women wonted bee,
She was confused in her troublous thought;
But fild with courage and with joyous glee,
As glad to heare of armes, the which now she
Had long surceast, she bad to open bold,
That she the face of her new foe might see:

But when they of that yron man had told, [hold. Which late her folke had slaine, she bad them forth to

So there without the gate, (as seemed best)
She caused her Pavilion to be pight;

26

In which stout Britomart her selfe did rest,
Whiles Talus watched at the dore all night.
All night likewise they of the towne in fright
Uppon their wall good watch and ward did keepe.
The morrow next, so soone as dawning light
Bad doe away the dampe of drouzie sleepe,
The warlike Amazon out of her bowre did peepe.

And caused streight a Trumpet loud to shrill,
To warne her foe to battell soone be prest:
Who, long before awoke, (for she ful ill
Could sleepe all night, that in unquiet brest
Did closely harbour such a jealous guest)
Was to the battell whilome ready dight.
Eftsoones that warriouresse with haughty crest
Did forth issue all ready for the fight:

On th' other side her foe appeared soone in sight.

27

But ere they reared hand the Amazone

Began the streight conditions to propound,
With which she used still to tye her fone,
To serve her so as she the rest had bound:
Which when the other heard, she sternly frownd
For high disdaine of such indignity,

And would no lenger treat, but bad them sound
For her no other termes should ever tie
Then what prescribed were by lawes of chevalrie.
The Trumpets sound, and they together run

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29

With greedy rage, and with their faulchins smot; Ne either sought the others strokes to shun, But through great fury both their skill forgot, And practicke use in armes; ne spared not Their dainty parts, which nature had created, So faire and tender without staine or spot, For other uses then they them translated; [hated. Which they now hackt and hewd as if such use they As when a Tygre and a Lionesse

Are met at spoyling of some hungry pray, Both challenge it with equall greedinesse : But first the Tygre clawes thereon did lay, And therefore, loth to loose her right away, Doth in defence thereof full stoutly stond: To which the Lion strongly doth gainesay, That she to hunt the beast first tooke in hond; And therefore ought it have where ever she it fond Full fiercely layde the Amazon about,

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31

And dealt her blowes unmercifully sore; Which Britomart withstood with courage stout, And them repaide againe with double more. So long they fought, that all the grassie flore Was fild with bloud which from their sides did flow, And gushed through their armes, that all in gore They trode, and on the ground their lives did strow, Like fruitles seede, of which untimely death should grow.

At last proud Radigund, with fell despight,

32

Having by chaunce espide advantage neare, Let drive at her with all her dreadfull might, And thus upbrayding said: "This token beare Unto the man whom thou doest love so deare; And tell him for his sake thy life thou gavest." Which spitefull words she, sore engriev'd to heare, Thus answer'd: "Lewdly thou my love depravest, Who shortly must repent that now so vainely bravest."

33

Nath'lesse that stroke so cruell passage found,
That glauncing on her shoulder plate it bit
Unto the bone, and made a griesly wound,
That she her shield, through raging smart of it,
Could scarse uphold: yet soone she it requit;
For, having force increast through furious paine,
She her so rudely on the helmet smit
That it empierced to the very braine,
And her proud person low prostrated on the plaine.

Where being layd, the wrothfull Britonesse

34

Stayd not till she came to her selfe againe,
But in revenge both of her loves distresse
And her late vile reproch though vaunted vaine,
And also of her wound which sore did paine,
She with one stroke both head and helmet cleft.
Which dreadfull sight when all her warlike traine
There present saw, each one of sence bereft
Fled fast into the towne, and her sole victor left.

But yet so fast they could not home retrate,
But that swift Talus did the formost win;
And pressing through the preace unto the gate,
Pelmell with them attonce did enter in.
There then a piteous slaughter did begin;
For all that ever came within his reach
He with his yron flale did thresh so thin,

35

That he no worke at all left for the leach: [peach. Like to an hideous storme, which nothing may em

And now by this the noble Conqueresse

Her selfe came in, her glory to partake; Where, though revengefull vow she did professe, Yet when she saw the heapes which he did make Of slaughtred carkasses, her heart did quake For very ruth, which did it almost rive, That she his fury willed him to slake: For else he sure had left not one alive; But all, in his revenge, of spirite would deprive. Tho when she had his execution stayd,

She for that yron prison did enquire,

In which her wretched love was captive layd:
Which breaking open with indignant ire,
She entred into all the partes entire ;
Where when she saw that lothly uncouth sight
Of men disguiz'd in womanishe attire,

Her heart gan grudge for very deepe despight
Of so unmanly maske in misery misdight.

At last when as to her owne Love she came,
Whom like disguize no lesse deformed had,
At sight thereof abasht with secrete shame
She turnd her head aside, as nothing glad
To have beheld a spectacle so bad;
And then too well believ'd that, which tofore
Jealous suspect as true untruely drad:

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37

38

Which vaine conceipt now nourishing no more, She sought with ruth to salve his sad misfortunes sore.

Not so great wonder and astonishment

39

Did the most chast Penelope possesse To see her Lord, that was reported drent And dead long since in dolorous distresse, Come home to her in piteous wretchednesse, After long travell of full twenty yeares; That she knew not his favours likelynesse, For many scarres and many hoary heares; But stood long staring on him mongst uncertaine feares.

"Ah, my deare Lord! what sight is this?" quoth she, "What May-game hath misfortune made of you? Where is that dreadfull manly looke? where be Those mighty palmes, the which ye wont t' embrew In bloud of Kings, and great hoastes to subdew ? Could ought on earth so wondrous change have wrought,

As to have robde you of that manly hew?

Could so great courage stouped have to ought? Then, farewell fleshly force; I see thy pride is nought." Thenceforth she streight into a bowre him brought, 41 And causd him those uncomely weedes undight; And in their steede for other rayment sought, Whereof there was great store, and armors bright Which had bene reft from many a noble Knight, Whom that proud Amazon subdewed had, Whilest Fortune favourd her successe in fight: In which when as she him anew had clad, She was reviv'd, and joyd much in his semblance glad. So there a while they afterwards remained,

Him to refresh, and her late wounds to heale: During which space she there as Princes rained, And changing all that forme of common weale The liberty of women did repeale,

42

Which they had long usurpt; and, them restoring
To mens subjection, did true Justice deale,
That all they, as a Goddesse her adoring,

Her wisedome did admire, and hearkned to her loring.
For all those Knights, which long in captive shade 43
Had shrowded bene, she did from thraldome free,
And magistrates of all that city made,

And gave to them great living and large fee :
And that they should for ever faithfull bee,
Made them sweare fealty to Artegall;

Who when him selfe now well recur'd did see,
He purposd to proceed, what so be fall,

Uppon his first adventure which him forth did call.