With speare in th' one hand stayd himselfe upright, With th' other staide his lady up with steddy might.

34 And all the while that same discourteous knight Stood on the further bancke beholding him; At whose calamity, for more despight,

He laught, and mockt to see him like to swim. But when as Calepine came to the brim, And saw his carriage1 past that perill well, Looking at that same carle2 with count'nance grim, His heart with vengeaunce inwardly did swell, And forth at last did breake in speaches sharpe and

fell:

35"Unknightly Knight, the blemish of that name,
And blot of all that armes uppon them take,
Which is the badge of honour and of fame,
Loe! I defie thee; and here challenge make,
That thou for ever doe those armes forsake,
And be for ever held a recreant knight,
Unlesse thou dare, for thy deare ladies sake
And for thine owne defence, on foote alight
To instifie thy fault gainst me in equall fight."

36 The dastard, that did heare himselfe defyde,
Seem'd not to weigh his threatfull words at all,
But laught them out, as if his greater pryde
Did scorne the challenge of so base a thrall3;
Or had no courage, or else had no gall.
So much the more was Calepine offended,

1 Carriage, burden. 2 Carle, churl. 8 Thrall, slave

In im to no revenge he forti raid cali It has chalenge and him-le comemaed, A care, as a cowaru so to be condemned.

- ha in mouth; weighing what he say or did, Cute At Stend about another way,

A will hits and to the caster Tiú

War was it wor1, me did the other stay, hat went directly as he may,

It was sickt charge some harbour there to seeke Waen in arriving with the tall of day

Irew a the galt, and there with prayers meeke All my & entraty touging for her did beseeke.

But the rude Porter, that no manners had,
The shut the gate against him in his face,
An entrance boidy unto him forbad:
Nacheresse tre Knigia, now in so needy case,
Grat fum entreat even with submission base,
A lumay period to let them in that night:
Who to i.m answer'd, that there was no place
Or soleng ft for any errant knight,

Unlesse that with has lord he formerly did fight.

Full loth an I." quoth be, "as now at earst When day is spent, and rest us needeth most, And that this lady, both whose sides are pearst With wounds, is ready to forgo the ghost;

1 Won, dwelling.

2 Base, humble.

Formerly, beforehand.

5 Forgo, give up.

I. e. for the present, when day is just spent.

Ne would I gladly combate with mine host,
That should to me such curtesie afford,
Unlesse that I were thereunto enforst:

But yet aread' to me how hight thy lord, That doth thus strongly ward the castle of the ford."

10 "His name," quoth he, "if that thou list to learne,
Is hight Sir Turpine, one of mickle might
And manhood rare, but terrible and stearne
In all assaies, to every errant knight,

Because of one that wrought him fowle despight."
"Ill seemes," sayd he, "if he so valiaunt be,
That he should be so sterne to stranger wight:
For seldome yet did living creature see
That curtesie and manhood ever disagree.

41 "But go thy waies to him, and fro me say
That here is at his gate an errant knight,
That house-rome craves; yet would be loth t' assay
The proofe of battell now in doubtfull night,
Or curtesie with rudenesse to requite:

Yet, if he needes will fight, crave leave till morne,
And tell withall the lamentable plight

In which this lady languisheth forlorne,

That pitty craves, as he of woman was yborne."

2 The groome3 went streightway in, and to his lord Declar'd the message which that knight did move1; Who, sitting with his lady then at bord,

Not onely did not his demaund approve,

1 Aread, explain.

3 Assaies, trials (of arms).

8 Groome, servant.

4 Move, send.

But both himselfe revil'd and eke his Love;

Albe his lady, that Blandina hight,

Him of ungentle usage did reprove,

And earnestly entreated that they might

Finde favour to be lodged there for that same night

43 Yet would he not perswaded be for ought,
Ne from his currish will a whit reclame.1
Which answer when the groome returning brought
To Calepine, his heart did inly flame

With wrathfull fury for so foule a shame,
That he could not thereof avenged bee:
But most for pitty of his dearest dame,

Whom now in deadly daunger he did see;

Yet had no meanes to comfort, nor procure her glee.

44 But all in vaine; for why? no remedy He saw the present mischiefe to redresse, But th' utmost end perforce for to aby,

Which that nights fortune would for him addresse. So downe he tooke his lady in distresse, And layd her underneath a bush to sleepe, Cover'd with cold, and wrapt in wretchednesse; Whiles he himselfe all night did nought but weepe And wary watch about her for her safegard keepe.

15 The morrow next, so soone as ioyous day Did shew itselfe in sunny beames bedight, Serena full of dolorous dismay,

Twixt darkenesse dread and hope of living light,

1 Reclame, withdraw.

Glee, nirth, relief.

Addresse, prepare.

Uprear'd her head to see that chearefull sight.
Then Calepine, however inly wroth,

And greedy to avenge that vile despight, Yet for the feeble Ladies sake, full loth To make there lenger stay, forth on his iourney goth.

16 He goth on foote all armed by her side, Upstaying still herselfe uppon her steede, Being unhable else alone to ride;

So sore her sides, so much her wounds did bleede : Till that at length, in his extreamest neede, He chaunst far off an armed Knight to spy Pursuing him apace with greedy speede; Whom well he wist to be some enemy, That meant to make advantage of his misery.

47 Wherefore he stayd, till that he nearer drew,
To weet what issue would thereof betyde:
Tho, whenas he approched nigh in vew,
By certaine signes he plainely him descryde
To be the man that with such scornefull pryde
Had him abusde and shamed yesterday;
Therefore, misdoubting least he should misguyde
His former malice to some new assay,
He cast to keepe himselfe so safely as he may.

Is By this the other came in place likewise,
And couching close his speare and all his powre,
As bent to some malicious enterprise,

XLVIII. 2. -And all his powre.

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