Then wist I flight could nothing mee preuayle, I fearde her pardon would not saue my life: The storme was such I durst not beare a sayle, I durst not goe t’intreate my father’s wife, Although I neuer was the cause of strife: For gelosie, deuoyde of reason’s raygne, With frenzyes fume enragde her restles brayne. 9. But see the chaunce: Thus compast rounde with feare, In broyles of bloude, as in the fielde I stand, I wisht to God my corps were any where, As out of life, or of this hatefull land. No sooner wisht, but there was euen at hand A souldier vile: “In haste (quoth hee) come on, “Queene _Elstride_ will, before thou come, begon.” 10. The rascall rude, the roag, the clubfist griepte My sclender[315] arme, and pluckt mee on in hast: And with my robes the bloudy ground hee sweepte: As I drue backe hee hal’d mee on full fast. Vnder his arme my carefull[316] corps hee cast. “Sith that (quoth hee) thou put’st mee to this payne, “Thou shalt thereby at length but little gayne.”[317] 11. So[318] at the length wee came where wee descri’d A number huge of folkes about the Queene: As when you see some wonder great betide, Or else the place where some straunge sight hath bene: So might you there the people standing seene, And gazed all when as they see mee brought, Then sure I deem’d I was not come for nought. 12. And in the prease, some prays’d my comely face, In beauty _Elstride_ which resembled right:[319] Some sayd I looked like my father’s grace, But[320] others sayd it was a piteous sight I should so dye: the Queene mee pardon might. Then sayd the beast[321] mee bore did mee abuse, Which[322] not so rudely ought a Pryncesse vse. 13. But what did this redresse my woefull care, You wotte the commons vse suche prouerbes still: And yet the captiues poore no better are, It rather helpes theyr payned hearts to kill. To pittie one in griefe doth worke him ill. Bemone his woe, and cannot ease his thrall, It killes his heart, but comforts none[323] at all. 14. Thus past wee through the prease: at length wee came Into the presence of the gelous Queene, Who nought at all the rascall rude did blame That bare mee so, but askte if I had seene My father slayne, that cause thereof had beene. “O Queene (quoth I) God knowes my whole intent Of slaughter giltlesse: I am innocent.”[324] 15.