Thus having her restored trustily,

As he had vow'd, some small continuaunce He there did make, and then most carefully Unto his first exploite he did himselfe apply.

20 So, as he was pursuing of his quest,

He chaunst to come whereas a iolly Knight
In covert shade himselfe did safely rest,
To solace with his lady in delight:

His warlike armes he had from him undight;
For that himselfe he thought from daunger free,
And far from envious eyes that mote him spight:
And eke the lady was full faire to see,
And courteous withall, becomming her degree.

21 To whom Sir Calidore approaching nye,
Ere they were well aware of living wight,
Them much abasht, but more himselfe thereby,
That he so rudely did uppon them light,
And troubled had their quiet loves delight:
Yet since it was his fortune, not his fault,
Himselfe thereof he labour'd to acquite,
And pardon crav'd for his so rash default,
That he gainst courtesie so fewly did default.

22 With which his gentle words and goodly wit
He soone allayd that Knights conceiv'd displeasure,
That he besought him downe by him to sit,
That they mote treat of things abrode at leasure,
And of adventures, which had in his measure
Of so long waies to him befallen late.

So downe he sate, and with delightfull pleasure

His long adventures gan to him relate,

Which he endured had through daungerous debate1.

13 Of which whilest they discoursed both together, The faire Serena (so his lady hight)

Allur'd with myldnesse of the gentle wether, And pleasaunce of the place, the which was dight With divers flowres distinct with rare delight, Wandred about the fields, as liking led Her wavering lust2 after her wandring sight, To make a garland to adorne her hed, Without suspect of ill or daungers hidden dred.

24 All sodainely out of the forrest nere

The Blatant Beast forth rushing unaware Caught her thus loosely wandring here and there And in his wide great mouth away her bare, Crying aloud to shew her sad misfare Unto the knights, and calling oft for ayde: Who with the horrour of her haplesse care Hastily starting up, like men dismayde, Ran after fast to reskue the distressed mayde.

25 The Beast, with their pursuit incited more,
Into the wood was bearing her apace
For to have spoyled her; when Calidore,

1 Debate, contention.

2 Lust, inclination.

XXIII. 5.-.

8

8 Care, distress, disaster.

- Distinct with rare delight.] Flowers of such vari ety (perhaps of such diversity of colors) as to afford rare pleas ire. C.

VOL. IV.

a Vio athelesse, when he the Laiy sav

There left in ground, honen in ful evill night, Yet sawing hat er night now neare did iraw, Stade Tot în aerour der in that affent,

But flow 1 fast the monster in as fight: Timingh woods and his he flow'i him so fast. That je wnais et him breath nor gather spright But frat him goe and gaspe, with read aghast, As if his lungs and lites were nigh asunder brast.

27 And now by this, Sir Calepine, so hight, Came to the place where he his lady found In dolorous di-may and deadly plight,

All in gore bloud there tumbied on the ground, Having both sides through grypt with griesly wound. His weapons soone from him he threw away, And stouping downe to her in drery swound Uprear'd her from the ground whereon she lay, And in his tender armes her forced up to stay.

an So well he did his busie paines apply,
That the faint sprite he did revoke againe

Nould, would not.
Npright, breath.

Revoke, call back.

To her fraile mansion of mortality:

Then up he tooke her twixt his armës twaine,
And setting on his steede her did sustaine
With carefull hands, soft footing her beside;
Till to some place of rest they mote attaine,
Where she in safe assuraunce mote abide,
Till she recured were of those her woundës wide

29 Now when as Phoebus with his fiery waine
Unto his inne1 began to draw apace;
Tho, wexing weary of that toylesome paine,
In travelling on foote so long a space,

Not wont on foote with heavy armes to trace2;
Downe in a dale forby a rivers syde

He chaunst to spie a faire and stately place,
To which he meant his weary steps to guyde,

In hope there for his Love some succour to provyde.

30 But, comming to the rivers side, he found

That hardly passable on foote it was;

Therefore there still he stood as in a stound,

Ne wist which way he through the foord mote pas:
Thus whilest he was in this distressed case,

Devising what to doe, he nigh espyde
An armed Knight approaching to the place

With a faire Lady lincked by his side,

The which themselves prepard thorough the foord to ride.

11. e. resting-place.

8 Trace, walk.

8 Stound, perplexity, amazement.

Whom Calepine saluting, as became,
Besought of courtesie, in that his neede,
For safe conducting of his sickely dame
Through that same perillous foord with better
heede,

To take him up behinde upon his steed:
To whom that other did this taunt returne:
"Perdy, thou peasant Knight, mightst rightly reed1
Me then to be full base and evill borne,

If I would beare behinde a burden of such scorne.

66

2

82 But, as thou hast thy steed forlorne with shame, So fare on foote till thou another gayne,

And let thy lady likewise doe the same,

Or beare her on thy backe with pleasing payne,
And prove thy manhood on the billowes vayne.”
With which rude speach his Lady much dis
pleased

Did him reprove, yet could him not restrayne, And would on her owne palfrey him have eased For pitty of his dame whom she saw so diseased."

B3 Sir Calepine her thanckt; yet, inly wroth
Against her knight, her gentlenesse refused,
And carelesly into the river goth,

As in despight to be so fowle abused

Of a rude churle, whom often he accused
Of fowle discourtesie, unfit for knight;

And, strongly wading through the waves unused.

Reed, conceive. 2 Forlorne, lost.

Diseased, suffering.