The knight approching nigh, thus to her said, xiv Faire Ladie, through foule sorrow ill bedight, Great pittie is to see you thus dismaid, And marre the blossome of your beautie bright: For thy appease your griefe and heauie plight, And tell the cause of your conceiued paine. For if he liue, that hath you doen despight,[451] He shall you doe due recompence againe, Or else his wrong with greater puissance maintaine. Which when she heard, as in despightfull wise, xv She wilfully her sorrow did augment, And offred hope of comfort did despise: Her golden lockes most cruelly she rent, And scratcht her face with ghastly dreriment, Ne would she speake, ne see, ne yet be seene, But hid her visage, and her head downe bent, Either for grieuous shame, or for great teene, As if her hart with sorrow had transfixed beene. Till her that Squire bespake, Madame my liefe[452], xvi For Gods deare loue be not so wilfull bent, But doe vouchsafe now to receiue reliefe, The which good fortune doth to you present. For what bootes it to weepe and to wayment, When ill is chaunst, but doth the ill increase, And the weake mind with double woe torment? When she her Squire heard speake, she gan appease Her voluntarie paine, and feele some secret ease. Eftsoone she said, Ah gentle trustie Squire, xvii What comfort can I wofull wretch conceaue, Or why should euer I henceforth desire[453] To see faire heauens face, and life not leaue, Sith that false Traytour did my honour reaue? False traytour certes (said the Faerie knight) I read the man, that euer would deceaue A gentle Ladie, or her wrong through might: Death were too little paine for such a foule despight. But now, faire Ladie, comfort to you make, xviii And read, who hath ye wrought this shamefull plight;[454] That short reuenge the man may ouertake, Where so he be, and soone vpon him light. Certes (saide she) I wote not how he hight, But vnder him a gray steede did he[455] wield, Whose sides with dapled circles weren dight; Vpright he rode, and in his siluer shield He bore a bloudie Crosse, that quartred all the field. Now by my head (said _Guyon_) much I muse, xix How that same knight should do so foule amis, Or euer gentle Damzell so abuse: For may I boldly say, he surely is A right good knight, and true of word ywis: I present was, and can it witnesse well, When armes he swore, and streight did enterpris Th’aduenture of the _Errant damozell_, In which he hath great glorie wonne, as I heare tell.