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294 THE V BOOKE OF THE Cant IIII
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With that, like one that hopelesse was repryu'd Soone as she saw him on the ground to grouell,
From deathes dore, at which he lately lay, She lightly to him leapt, and in his necke
Those yron fetters, wherewith he was gvu'd, Her proud foote setting, at his head did leuell,
The badges of reproch, he threw away, Weening at once her wrath on him to wreake,
And nimbly did him dight to guide the way And his contempt, that did her wdg'ment
Vnto the dwelling of that Amazone
breake
Which was from thence not pastamileortway As when a Beare hath seiz'd her cruell clawes
A goodly citty and a mighty one,
Vppon the carkasse of some beast too weake,
The v, hich of her owne name she called Radegone Proudly stands ouer, and a while doth pause,
Toheare the piteous beast pleading her plaintiffe
Where they arriumg, by the watchmen were
cause
Descried streight, who all the citty warned,
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How that three warlike persons did appeare,
Whom when as Ariegall in that distresse
Of which the one him seem'd a Knightall armed,
By chaunce beheld,he left the bloudy slaughter,
And th'other two well likely to haue harmed In which he swam, and ranne to his redresse
Ef tsoones the people all to harnesse ran, There her assay lmg fiercely fresh, he raught her
And like a sort of Bees in clusters swarmed Such an huge stroke, that it of sence distraught
Ere long their Queene her selfe, halfe like a And had she not it warded warily, [her
It had depnu'd her mother of a daughter
man
Nathlesse for all the powre she did apply,
Came forth into the rout, and them t'array
It made her stagger oft, and stare with ghastly
began
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eye 42
And now the Knights being arnued neare, Like to an Eagle in his kingly pride,
Did beat vppon the gates to enter m, Soring through his wide Empire of the aire,
And at the Porter, skornmg them so few, To weather his brode sailes, by chaunce hath
Threw many threats, if they the towne did win, spide
To teare his flesh in peeces for his sin A Goshauke, which hath seized for her share
Which when as Radtgund there commmg heard, Vpponsomefowle,thatshouldherfeastprepare,
Her heart forragedid grate,and teeth did grin With dreadfull force he flies at her byhue,
She bad that streight the gates should be That with his souce, which none enduren dare,
vnbard,
Her from the quarrey he away doth dnue,
And to them way to make, with weapons well And from her griping pounce the greedy prey
prepard 38
doth nue
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Soone as the gates were open to them set, But soone as she her sence recouer'd had,
They pressed forward, entraunce to haue made She hercely towards him her selfe gan dight,
But in the middle way they were ymet Through vengeful wrath and sdeignfull pride
With a sharpe showre of arrowes, which them half mad
staid,
For neuer had she suffred such despight
And better bad aduise, ere they assaid But ere she could loyne hand with him to fight,
Vnknowen perill of bold womens pride Her warlike maides about her flockt so fast,
Then all that rout vppon them rudely laid, That they disparted them,maugre their might,
And heaped strokes so fast on euery side, And with their troupes did far a sunder cast
And arrowes haild so thicke, that they could But mongst the rest the fight did vntill cuemng
not abide
last
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But Radtgund her selfe, when she espide And euery while that mighty yron man,
Sir Terpm, from her direfull doome acquit, With his strange weapon, neuer wont in warre,
So cruell doale amongst her maides diuide, Them sorely vext, and courst, and ouerran,
T'auenge that shame, they did on him commit, And broke their bowes, and did their shooting
All sodainely enflam'd with furious fit, marre,
Like a fell Lionesse at him she flew, That none of all the many once did darre
And on his head peece him so fiercely smit, Him to assault, nor once approach him me,
That to the ground him quite she ouerthrew, But like a sort of sheepe dispersed farre
Dismayd so with the stroke, that he no colours For dread of their deuounng enemie, [flie
knew
Through all the fields and vallies did before him