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Cant I FAERIE QVEENE 279
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He now went with him in this new inquest, Which when his Ladie saw, she follow'd fast,
Him for to aide, if aide he chaunst to neede, And on him catching hold, gan loud to ere
Against that cruell Tyrant, which opprest Not so to leaue her, nor away to cast,
The faire Irena with his foule misdecde, But rather of his hand besought to die
And kept the crowne m which she should With that his sword he drew all wrathfully,
succeed
And at one stroke cropt off her head with scorne,
And now together on their way they bin, In that same place, whereas it now doth he
When as they saw a Squire in squallid weed, bo he my loue away with him hath borne,
Lamenting sore his sorowfull sad tyne, And left me here, both his and mine own loue
With many bitter teares shed from his blubbred to morne
eyne
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Aread (sayd he) which way then did he make ?
To whom as they approched, they espide And by whatmarkes may he be knowne againe?
A sone sight, as euer scene with eye, To hope (quoth he) him soone to ouertake,
An hcadlesse Ladie lying him beside, That hence so long departed, is but vame
In her owne blood all wallow'd wofully, But yet he pricked ouer yonder plaine,
That her gay clothes did m discolour die And as I marked, bore vpon his shield,
Much was he moued at that ruefull sight, By which it's easie him to know agame,
And flam'd with zeale of vengeance inwardly, A broken sword withm a bloodie field ,
lie askt, who had that Dame so fouly dight, Expressing well his nature, which the same did
Or whether his owne hand, or whether other wield
wight?
20
15
No sooner sayd, but streight he after sent
Ah woe is me, and well away (quoth hee) His yron page, who him pursew'd so light,
Burstingforthteares,hkespringsoutofabanke, As that it seem'd aboue the ground he went
That euer I this dismall day did see
For he was swift as swallow m her flight,
Full farre was I from thinking such a pranke , And strong as Lyon in his Lordly might
Yet litle losse it were, and mickle thanke, It was not long, before he ouertooke
If I should graunt that I haue doen the same, Sir Sangher, (so cleeped was that Knight)
That I mote drinke the cup ,whereof she dranke Whom at the first he ghessed by his looke,
But that I should die guiltie of the blame, And by the other markes, which of his shield he
The which another did, who now is fled with tooke
shame
2
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He bad him stay, and backe with him retire,
Who was it then (sayd Artegall) that wrought? Who full of scorne to be commaunded so,
And why ? doe it declare vnto me trew The Lady to alight did eft require,
A knight (said he) if knight he may be thought, Whilest he reformed that vncmill fo
That did his hand in Ladies bloud embrew, And streight at him with all his force did go
And for no cause, but as I shall you shew Who mou'd no more therewith, then when a
This day as I in solace sate hereby
rocke
With a fayre loue, whose losse I now do rew, Is lightly stricken with some stones throw,
There came this knight, hauing in compame But to him leaping, lent him such a knocke,
This lucklesse Ladie, which now here doth That on the ground he layd him like a sence
headlesse he
lessc blocke
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He, whether mine seem'd fayrer in his eye, But ere he could him selfe recure againe,
Or that he wexed weary of his owne, Him m his iron paw he seized had ,
Would change with me, but I did it denye, That when he wak't out of his warelesse paine,
So did the Ladies both, as may be knowne, He found him selfe, vnwist, so ill bestad,
But he, whose spirit was with pride vpblowne, That lim he could not wag Thence he him lad,
Would not so rest contented with his right, Bound like a beast appointed to the stall
Buthauingfrom his courser her downethrowne, The sight whereof the Lady sore adrad,
Fro me reft mine away by lawlesse might, And fam'd to fly for feare of being thrall,
And on his steed her set, to beare her out of But he her quietly stayd, and forst to wend
sight
withall