His fickle mind full of inconstancie :

And now himselfe he fitted had right well
With two companions of like qualitie,

Faithlesse Duessa, and false Paridell,

That whether1 were more false, full hard it is to tell.

33 Now when this gallant with his goodly crew
From farre espide the famous Britomart,
Like knight adventurous in outward vew,
With his faire paragon,2 his conquests part,
Approching nigh; eftsoones his wanton hart
Was tickled with delight, and iesting sayd:
"Lo! there, Sir Paridel, for your desart,
Good lucke presents you with yond lovely mayd,
For pitie that ye want a fellow for your ayd."

34 By that the lovely paire drew nigh to hond.
Whom when as Paridel more plaine beheld,
Albee in heart he like affection fond,3
Yet mindfull how he late by one was feld

That did those armes and that same scutchion weld,"
He had small lust to buy his Love so deare,
But answerd: "Sir, him wise I never held,
That, having once escaped perill neare,

Would afterwards afresh the sleeping evill reare."

1 Whether, which of the two.

2 Paragon, companion.

8 Fond, found, felt.

5 Weld, wield.

6 Lust, desire.

7 Reare, rouse.

4 Scutchion, shield.

with the Earl of Westmoreland (according to the same authority, the prototype of Paridell) in a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth. XXXIV. 5. —Same scutchion.] See Book III. Canto I. 4.

66

35 This Knight too late his manhood and his might I did assay, that me right dearely cost; Ne list I for revenge provoke new fight, Ne for light ladies love, that soone is lost." The hot-spurre youth so scorning to be crost, "Take then to you this dame of mine," quoth hee, "And I, without your perill or your cost,

Will chalenge1yond same other for my fee.2" So forth he fiercely prickt, that one him scarce could see.

86 The warlike Britonesse her soone addrest,
And with such uncouth welcome did receave
Her fayned paramour, her forced guest,
That, being forst his saddle soone to leave,
Himselfe he did of his new love deceave3;
And made himselfe th' ensample of his follie.
Which done, she passed forth, not taking leave,
And left him now as sad as whilome iollie,
Well warned to beware with whom he dar'd to dallie.

37 Which when his other companie beheld, They to his succour ran with readie ayd ; And, finding him unable once to weld,5

1 Chalenge, claim.

2 Fee, property.

8 Deceave, defraud, deprive.

4 Dallie, trifle.

5 Weld, turn, move.

XXXV. 5.— The hot-spurre youth.] Blandamour. This epithet is one of the reasons which leads Upton to think that the Earl of Northumberland is meant by Blandamour, Hotspur being the name given to young Percy in the reign of Henry V., as every reader of Shakespeare knows. H.

They reared him on horse-backe and upstayd, Till on his way they had him forth convayd: And all the way, with wondrous griefe of mynd And shame, he shewd himselfe to be dismayd More for the Love which he had left behynd, Then that which he had to Sir Paridel resynd.

38 Nathlesse he forth did march, well as he might,
And made good semblance to his companie,
Dissembling his disease and evill plight ;
Till that ere long they chaunced to espie
Two other Knights, that towards them did ply
With speedie course, as bent to charge them new:
Whom when as Blandamour approching nie

Perceiv'd to be such as they seemd in vew,
He was full wo,1 and gan his former griefe renew.

89 For th' one of them he perfectly descride
To be Sir Scudamour, (by that he bore
The God of Love with wings displayed wide,)
Whom mortally he hated evermore,

Both for his worth, that all men did adore,
And eke because his Love he wonne by right:
Which when he thought, it grieved him full sor¬
That, through the bruses of his former fight,
He now unable was to wreake his old despight.

1 Wo, sad.

XXXIX. 3. The God of Love.] See Book III. Canto XI. 7. The family of Scudamore derived this surname from their bearing the Shield of Divine Love (scudo d'amore) for their arms.

40 Forthy he thus to Paridel bespake:

"Faire Sir, of friendship let me now you pray, That as I late adventured for your sake, The hurts whereof me now from battell stay, Ye will me now with like good turne repay, And iustifie my cause on yonder knight.” "Ah! Sir," said Paridel, "do not dismay Yourselfe for this; myselfe will for you fight, As ye have done for me: the left hand rubs the right."

41 With that he put his spurres unto his steed,
With speare in rest, and toward him did fare,
Like shaft out of a bow preventing1 speed.
But Scudamour was shortly well aware
Of his approch, and gan himselfe prepare
Him to receive with entertainment meete.
So furiously they met, that either bare

The other downe under their horses feete,

That what of them became themselves did scarsly

'weete.

42 As when two billowes in the Irish sowndes,
Forcibly driven with contrárie tydes,

Do meete together, each abacke rebowndes
With roaring rage; and dashing on all sides,
That filleth all the sea with fome, divydes
The doubtfull current into divers wayes:
So fell those two in spight of both their prydes;

1 Preventing, coming before, surpassing.

XL. 9. "Una mano lava l'altra." "Eine Hand wäscht die andere." "One good turn deserves another." C

But Scudamour himselfe did soone uprayse,

And, mounting light, his foe for lying long upbrayes1:

43 Who, rolled on an heape, lay still in swound,
All carelesse of his taunt and bitter rayle 2;
Till that the rest, him seeing lie on ground,
Ran hastily, to weete what did him ayle:
Where finding that the breath gan him to fayle,
With busie care they strove him to awake,
And doft his helmet, and undid his mayle:
So much they did, that at the last they brake
His slomber, yet so mazed that he nothing spake.

8

44 Which whenas Blandamour beheld, he sayd: "False faitour Scudamour, that hast by slight And foule advantage this good knight dismayd,5 A knight much better then thyselfe behight, Well falles it thee that I am not in plight,

This day, to wreake the dammage by thee donne! Such is thy wont, that still when any knight Is weakned, then thou doest him overronne: So hast thou to thyselfe false honour often wonne."

45 He little answer'd, but in manly heart

His mightie indignation did forbeare;
Which was not yet so secret, but some part
Thereof did in his frouning face appeare:
Like as a gloomie cloud, the which doth beare

1 Upbrayes, upbraids.

2 Rayle, railing.

5 Dismayd, overpowered.

6 Behight, bespoken, reputed.

8 False faitour, false-doer, traitor. 7 I. e. it is well for you. 4 Slight, sleight.