Whom I did follow, hastned on by fate, And did besiege the towne, where in mine ire For such indignitie against my state, I made my vowes thence neuer to retire, Vntill I should obtaine my iust desire: Three daies with fierce assault I did assaile, But all in vaine, my power could not preuaile. 84. The towne so strongly situated was, And the stout foes imboldned by the same, That of our powers they did little passe: Whose stubborne pride of strength that I might tame, I chose a captaine, _Marchades_ by name, To walke with me, and view that fatall towne, Where t’vndermine her walles and cast them downe. 85. Each step I treade doth hasten on my end, And leads to death vnthought vpon, vnseene: For as with eyes infixt I did attend The towne’s foundation, loe, an arrow keene Sent from the towne wall, wounded me betweene The necke and shoulder with his venom’d poynt, Iust in the natiue closure of the ioynt. 86. Deepe was the wound and full of deadly paine, Yet did it not my mightie minde appall, Before the towne in siege I did remaine, Vntill her people did for mercie call, And prostrate at my feet did humblie fall: Whom when the raging souldiers in their ire Would haue deuour’d, I spar’d from spoile and fire. 87. But death doth hasten my vntimely end, The wound lookes blacke, the poison doth appeare In his effects, and bids me to commend My soule to God: my friends who held me deare, All round about me stand with heauie cheare: And when I knew that breath began to vade, I call’d for him that had my life betray’d. 88. Vnto the man before me brought, whose name _Bertram de Gord’an_ was, these words I spake, “What iust offence,” quoth I, “did cause thee aime At my deare life? or wherefore didst thou take Me for thy marke, and in thy aime forsake Hight _Marchades_, my friend, that by me stood, When thou didst shoot thy shaft to shed my blood?” 89. The man with courage turn’d this stout replie: “Because,” said he, “thou in thy warres didst kill My father and my brethren, therefore I Did vow in my reuenge thy blood to spill: Which since I haue attain’d and haue my will, What do I care though all thy friends do weepe, Seeing that mine shall not vnreuenged sleepe?” 90.