The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

458 THE FAERIE QUEEN [BOOK Iv.
rode on, full of melancholy, untilihe espied "an After a long contest, Artegall, still regaining
armed knight under a forest side, sitting in strength as his adversary's declined, gathered
shade beside his grazing steed." The stranger all his forces for a final blow.
was about to attack Scudamour, who prepared The wicked stroke upon her helmet chanc'd,
to rencounter him in equal race; but suddenly And with the force, which in itself it bore,
the first lowered his spear, and, calling Scuda- Her ventail6 shear'd away, and thence forth
mour by his name, craved pardon for the offence glanc'd
he had almost committed. In surprise, Scuda- Adown in vain, nor harm'd her any more.
more inquired who he was; but was asked to With that, her angel's face, unseen afore,
excuse him from discovering his name aright, Like to the ruddy morn appear'd in sight,
and call him "the Salvage Knight." A stranger Dewtd with silver drops through sweating sore;
knight had done him shame and dishonour; and But somewhat redder than beseem'd aright,
he waited there to wreak on him that foul Through toilsome heat and labour of her weary
despite, whenever he might pass. Learning that fight:
the offending knight was he of the ebon spear
(Britomart, yet unknown by name) Scudamour And round about the same her yellow hair,
(Britomart, yet unknown by name) Scudamour
"swell'd in every part for fell despite," and Having through stirring loos'd their wonted
swell'd in every part for bfell despite, and band,
related his own grievance against that knight,
who had reft from him his love, "and eke defiled Like to a golden border did appear,'1,,i i., T.' Frameod in goldsmith's forge with cunning hand:
with foul villainy the sacred pledge which in in mi i nnn
Yet goldsmith's cunning could. not understand
his faith was left." Both agreed to wreak their Yet goldsmth's cunning could not understand
To frame such subtile wire, so shiny clear;
wraths on Britomart; and soon they saw her
For it did glister like the golden sand
approach. By his own request, Scudamour first For i did glister like the golden sand
f ^ t., Act __ ) -,.^-T J 1.1 J T. 4.1, The which Pactblus, with his waters sheer, 7
attacked; but the warlike Maid tumbled both e
Throws forth upon the rivage 8 rounc about him
horse and man to ground, where they lay. Arte-Th rows forth upon the rivage round about h
gall in turn attacked, and was unhorsed; but,
lightly recovering, he assailed his enemywith his And as his hand he up again did rear,
sword, so furiously that she had to give ground. Thinking to work on her his utmost wrack,
A stroke of his sword, glancing down her back, His pow'rless arm, benumb'd with secret fear,
cut her horse in two, compelling her also to From his revengeful purpose shrunk aback,
alight and fight on foot: And cruel sword out of his fingers slack
Fell down to ground, as if the steel had sense
Like as the lightning-brand from riven sky,
Like as the lightning-brand from riven sky, And felt some ruth,'0 or sense his hand did lack,
Thrown out by angry Jove in his vengeance, Or both of them did think obedience
With dreadful force falls on some steeple high; oto diinsexeence
To do to so divine a beauty's excellence.
Which battering down, it on the church doth
glance, And he himself, long gazing thereupon,
And tears it all with terrible mischance. At last fell humbly down upon his knee,
Yet she no whit dismay'd her steed forsook; And of his wonder made religion,"
And, casting from her that enchanted lance, Weening some heav'nly goddess he did see,
Unto her sword and shield her soon betook; Or else unweeting 12 what it else might be;
And therewithal at him right furiously she And pardon her besought his error frail,
strook.l That had done outrage in so high degree:
Whilst trembling horror did his sense assail,
So furiously she struck in her first heat,
So furiously she truck n he the, And made each member quake, and manly heart
While with long fight on foot he breathless was, to quail.
That she him forcid backward to retreat,
And yield unto her weapon way to pass: Nathless she, full of wrath for that late stroke,
Whose raging rigour neither steel nor brass All that long while upheld her wrathful hand,
Could stay, but to the tender flesh it went, With fell intent on him to be y-wroke;13
And pour'd the purple blood forth on the grass; And, looking stern, still over him did stand,
That all his mail y-riv'd,2 and plates y-rent, Threat'ning to strike unless he would withShow'd all his body bare unto the cruel dent.3 stand;14
At length, when as he saw her hasty heat And bade him rise, or surely he should die.
Abate, and panting breath begin to fail, But, -die or live, for naught he would upstand;
He through long sufferance 4 growing now more But her of pardon pray'd more earnestly
Rose inhisstrength, an a e rehasi, Or wreak on him her will for so great injurey.
great,
Rose in his strength, and gan her fresh assail, 4Scudamour, recovering from his overthrow,
Heaping huge strokes as thick as show'r of hail, now drew near, and, " turning fear to faint deAnd lashing dreadfully at every part, votion," worshipped the Maid as some celestial
As if he thought her soul to disentrail.5 vision. Glanuc also advanced, and persuaded
Ah I cruel hand, and thrice more cruel heart, her to grant to those warriors a truce. Then
That work'st such wreck on her to whom thou they lifted their beavers, and showed her their
dearest art! faces.
I Struck. 2 Cloven. 3 Blow. 8 Bank. 9 Wreck, destruction. 10 Pity.
4 Patience. 5 Dislodge. 11 Changed his wonder into worship.
6 Front of the helmet. 7 Clear, pure. 12 Unknowing. 13 Revenged. 14 Resist.