Bold Britomart, as she had late forecast,1 Nether of ydle showes nor of false charmes aghast.

30 So soone as she was entred, rownd about
Shee cast her eies to see what was become
Of all those persons which she saw without.
But lo! they streight were vanisht all and some2;
Ne living wight she saw in all that roome,
Save that same woefull Lady; both whose hands
Were bounden fast, that did her ill become,3

And her small waste girt rownd with yron bands Unto a brasen pillour, by the which she stands.

31 And, her before, the vile Enchaunter sate,
Figuring straunge charácters of his art;
With living blood he those charácters wrate,
Dreadfully dropping from her dying hart,
Seeming transfixed with a cruell dart;
And all perforce to make her him to love.
Ah! who can love the worker of her smart!
A thousand charmes he formerly did prove1;

Yet thousand charmes could not her stedfast hart re

move.

32 Soone as that Virgin Knight he saw in place, His wicked bookes in hast he overthrew,

Not caring his long labours to deface;

1 Forecast, previously purposed.

2 All and some, one and all.

8 I. e which ill agreed with her.

4 Prove, try.

XXXII. 3.- Not caring, &c.] Not caring whether he defaced his long labors or not. H.

And, fiercely running to that lady trew,
A murdrous knife out of his pocket drew,
The which he thought, for villeinous despight,
In her tormented bodie to embrew:

But the stout Damzell, to him leaping light,
His cursed hand withheld, and maistered his might.

33 From her, to whom his fury first he ment,
The wicked weapon rashly1 he did wrest,2
And, turning to herselfe his fell intent,
Unwares it strooke into her snowie chest,
That litle drops empurpled her faire brest.
Exceeding wroth therewith the Virgin grew,
Albe the wound were nothing deepe imprest,
And fiercely forth her mortall blade she drew,
To give him the reward for such vile outrage dew.

34 So mightily she smote him, that to ground

He fell halfe dead; next stroke him should have

slaine,

Had not the Lady, which by him stood bound,

8

Dernly unto her called to abstaine

From doing him to dy; for else her paine Should be remédilesse; sith none but hee Which wrought it could the same recure againe. Therewith she stayd her hand, loth stayd to bee; For life she him envýde, and long'd revenge to see :

93 And to him said: "Thou wicked man, whose meed For so huge mischiefe and vile villany

1 Rushly, quickly.

2 Wrest, turn aside.

8 Dernly, secretly; in a low voice.

Is death, or if that ought doe death exceed; Be sure that nought may save thee from to dy But if that thou this Dame doe presently Restore unto her health and former state; This doe, and live; els dye undoubtedly." He, glad of life, that lookt for death but late, Did yield himselfe right willing to prolong his date:

36 And, rising up, gan streight to over-looke

Those cursed leaves, his charmes back to reverse. Full dreadfull thinges out of that balefull booke He red, and measur'd many a sad verse, That horrour gan the Virgins hart to perse, And her faire locks up stared stiffe on end, Hearing him those same bloody lynes reherse; And, all the while he red, she did extend Her sword high over him, if ought he did offend.

87 Anon she gan perceive the house to quake, And all the dores to rattle round about;

Yet all that did not her dismaied make, Nor slack her threatfull hand for daungers dout,1 But still with stedfast eye and courage stout Abode, to weet what end would come of all : At last that mightie chaine, which round about Her tender waste was wound, adowne gan fall, And that great brasen pillour broke in peeces small.

38 The cruell steele, which thrild her dying hart, Fell softly forth, as of his owne accord ; And the wyde wound, which lately did dispart

1 Dout, apprehension.

2 Thrild, pierced.

Her bleeding brest and riven bowels gor'd,
Was closed up, as it had not beene bor'd;
And every part to safety full sownd,

As she were never hurt, was soone restor’d:
Tho, when she felt herselfe to be unbownd
And perfect hole, prostrate she fell unto the grownd:

39 Before faire Britomart she fell prostrate,
Saying: "Ah! noble Knight, what worthy meede
Can wretched lady, quitt from wofull state,
Yield you in lieu of this your gracious deed?
Your vertue selfe her owne reward shall breed,
Even immortall prayse and glory wyde,
Which I, your vassall, by your prowesse freed,
Shall through the world make to be notifyde,1
And goodly well advaunce that goodly well was tryde."

40 But Britomart, uprearing her from grownd,
Said: "Gentle Dame, reward enough I weene,
For many labours more then I have found,
This, that in safetie now I have you seene,
And meane of your deliverance have beene:
Henceforth, faire Lady, comfort to you take,
And put away remembraunce of late teene2;
In sted thereof, know that your loving make
Hath no lesse griefe endured for your gentle sake."

1 Notifyde, proclaimed.

2 Teene, sorrow.

8 Make, mate.

XXXIX. 9.- And goodly well adraunce, &c.] And properly extol the qualities that have been so well tried. H.

41 She much was cheard to heare him mentiond,
Whom of all living wightes she loved best.
Then laid the noble Championesse strong hond
Upon th' Enchaunter which had her distrest
So sore, and with foule outrages opprest:
With that great chaine, wherewith not long ygoe
He bourd that pitteous lady prisoner now relest,
Himselfe she bound, more worthy to be so,
And captive with her led to wretchednesse and wo.

42 Returning back, those goodly rowmes, which erst She saw so rich and royally arayd,

Now vanisht utterly and cleane subverst She found, and all their glory quite decayd, That sight of such a chaunge her much dismayd. Thenceforth descending to that perlous porch, Those dreadfull flames she also found delayd1 And quenched quite, like a consumed torch, That erst all entrers wont so cruelly to scorch.

43 More easie issew now then entrance late
She found; for now that fained-dreadfull flame,
Which chokt the porch of that enchaunted gate
And passage bard to all that thither came,
Was vanisht quite, as it were not the same,
And gave her leave at pleasure forth to passe.
Th' Enchaunter selfe, which all that fraud did frame
To have efforst the love of that faire lasse,

Seeing his worke now wasted, deepe engrieved was. 1 Delayd, abated.

XLI. 7.- Two superfluous syllables have crept in here, probably through the carelessness of the printer.