Doe meete together on the watry lea,

They stemme1ech other with so fell despight, That with the shocke of their owne heedlesse might Their wooden ribs are shaken nigh asonder;

They which from shore behold the dreadfull sight Of flashing fire, and heare the ordenance thonder, Do greatly stand amaz'd at such unwonted wonder.

17 At length they both upstarted in amaze,
As men awaked rashly out of dreme,

And round about themselves a while did gaze;
Till, seeing her that Florimell did seme,

In doubt to whom she victorie should deeme,2
Therewith their dulled sprights thay edgd anew,
And, drawing both their swords with rage extreme,
Like two mad mastiffes each on other flew,

3

And shields did share, and mailes did rash, and helmes did hew.

18 So furiously each other did assayle,

As if their soules they would attonce have rent Out of their brests, that streames of bloud did rayle 5 Adowne, as if their springs of life were spent ; That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent, And all their armours staynd with bloudie gore; Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent, So mortall was their malice and so sore Become, of fayned friendship which they vow'd afore.

1 Stemme, run against.

2 Deeme, adjudge.

8 Share, shear, cut.

VOL. III.

3

4 Rash, slash.

5 Rayle, flow.

6 Sprent, sprinkled.

19 And that which is for ladies most besitting,
To stint all strife, and foster friendly peace,
Was from those dames so farre and so unfitting,
As that, instead of praying them surcease,
They did much more their cruelty encrease;
Bidding them fight for honour of their love,
And rather die then ladies cause release 2:

With which vaine termes so much they did them

move,

That both resolv'd the last extremities to prove.

20 There they, I weene, would fight untill this day,
Had not a Squire, even he the Squire of Dames,
By great adventure travelled that way;
Who seeing both bent to so bloudy games,
And both of old well knowing by their names,
Drew nigh, to weete the cause of their debate:
And first laide on those ladies thousand blames,
That did not seeke t' appease their deadly hate,
But gazed on their harmes, not pittying their es-

tate:

21 And then those Knights he humbly did beseech To stay their hands, till he a while had spoken: Who lookt a little up at that his speech,

Yet would not let their battell so be broken,
Both greedie fiers on other to be wroken.1

Yet he to them so earnestly did call,

And them coniur'd by some well knowen token,

1 Besitting, becoming.

2 Release, give up.

8 Adventure, chance.

4 Wroken, avenged.

That they at last their wrothfull hands let fall, Content to heare him speake, and glad to rest with

all.

22 First he desir'd their cause of strife to see: They said, it was for love of Florimell.

"Ah! gentle Knights," quoth he, "how may that

bee,

And she so farre astray, as none can tell? "Fond Squire," full angry then sayd Paridell, "Seest not the ladie there before thy face?" He looked backe, and, her avizing1 well, Weend, as he said, by that her outward grace, That fayrest Florimell was present there in place.

23 Glad man was he to see that ioyous sight, For none alive but ioy'd in Florimell,

And lowly to her lowting, thus behight3:

Fayrest of faire, that fairenesse doest excell, This happie day I have to greete you well, In which you safe I see, whom thousand late Misdoubted lost through mischiefe that befell; Long may you live in health and happie state!" She litle answer'd him, but lightly did aggrate.*

24 Then, turning to those Knights, he gan anew: "And you, Sir Blandamour, and Paridell, That for this ladie present in your vew

1 Avizing, considering.

2 Lowting, bowing.

Behight, bespoke.

4 I. e. easily pleased him, or, perhaps, favored him with a slight acknowledgment.

Have rays'd this cruell warre and outrage fell,
Certes, me seemes, bene not advised well;
But rather ought in friendship for her sake
To ioyne your force, their forces to repell

That seeke perforce her from you both to take, And of your gotten spoyle their owne triúmph to make.”

25 Thereat Sir Blandamour, with countenance sterne All full of wrath, thus fiercely him bespake: "Aread, thou Squire, that I the man may learne, That dare fro me thinke Florimell to take!" "Not one," quoth he, "but many doe partake Herein; as thus:- It lately so befell, That Satyran a girdle did uptake

Well knowne to appertaine to Florimell,

Which for her sake he wore, as him beseemed well.

26 "But, whenas she herselfe was lost and gone,
Full many knights, that loved her like deare,
Thereat did greatly grudge, that he alone
That lost faire ladies ornament should weare,
And gan therefore close spight to him to beare,
Which he to shun, and stop vile envies sting,
Hath lately caus'd to be proclaim'd each where

1 Aread, explain.

XXV. 7.- A Girdle did uptake.] In Book III. Canto VIII. 2, we are told that the beast, which the witch had sent after Florimel, returned with her girdle; and we are not informed how it came into the possession of Sir Satyrane. The account given in the text, however, agrees with that contained in Book III. Canto VIII. 49. H.

A solemne feast, with publike turneying,

To which all knights with them their ladies are to

bring:

27 "And of them all she that is fayrest found Shall have that golden girdle for reward;

And of those knights, who is most stout on ground
Shall to that fairest ladie be prefard.

Since therefore she herselfe is now your ward,
Το you that ornament of hers pertaines

Against all those that chalenge it to gard,

And save her honour with your ventrous paines; That shall you win more glory then ye here find gaines."

28 When they the reason of his words had hard,
They gan abate the rancour of their rage,
And with their honours and their loves regard
The furious flames of malice to asswage.

Tho each to other did his faith

engage,

Like faithfull friends thenceforth to ioyne in one With all their force, and battell strong to wage Gainst all those knights, as their professed fone,1 'That chaleng'd ought in Florimell, save they alone.

29 So, well accorded, forth they rode together
In friendly sort, that lasted but a while;

And of all old dislikes they made faire weather:
Yet all was forg'd and spred with golden foyle,
That under it hidde hate and hollow guyle.
Ne certes can that friendship long endure,

1 Fone, foes.