Such when as hartlesse _Trompart_ her did vew, xxxii He was dismayed in his coward mind, And doubted, whether he himselfe should shew, Or fly away, or bide alone behind: Both feare and hope he in her face did find, When she at last him spying thus bespake; Hayle Groome; didst not thou see a bleeding Hind, Whose right haunch earst my stedfast arrow strake? If thou didst, tell me, that I may her ouertake. Wherewith reviu’d, this answere forth he threw; xxxiii O Goddesse, (for such I thee take to bee) For neither doth thy face terrestriall shew, Nor voyce sound mortall; I auow to thee, Such wounded beast, as that, I did not see, Sith earst into this forrest wild I came. But mote thy goodlyhed forgiue it mee, To weet, which of the Gods I shall thee name, That vnto thee due worship I may rightly frame. To whom she thus; but ere her words ensewed, xxxiv Vnto the bush her eye did suddein glaunce, In which vaine _Braggadocchio_ was mewed, And saw it stirre: she left her percing launce, And towards gan a deadly shaft aduaunce, In mind to marke the beast. At which sad stowre, _Trompart_ forth stept, to stay the mortall chaunce, Out crying, O what euer heauenly powre, Or earthly wight thou be, withhold this deadly howre. O stay thy hand,[545] for yonder is no game xxxv For thy fierce arrowes, them to exercize, But loe my Lord, my liege, whose warlike name[546] Is farre renowmd through many bold emprize; And now in shade he shrowded yonder lies. She staid: with that he crauld out of his nest, Forth creeping on his caitiue hands and thies, And standing stoutly vp, his loftie crest Did fiercely shake, and rowze, as comming late from rest. As fearefull fowle, that long in secret caue xxxvi For dread of soaring hauke her selfe hath hid, Not caring how, her silly life to saue, She her gay painted plumes disorderid, Seeing at last her selfe from daunger rid, Peepes foorth,[547] and soone renewes her natiue pride; She gins her feathers foule disfigured Proudly to prune, and set on euery side, So shakes off shame, ne thinks how erst she did her hide. So when her goodly visage he beheld, xxxvii He gan himselfe to vaunt: but when he vewed Those deadly tooles, which in her hand she held, Soone into other fits he was transmewed, Till she to him her gratious speach renewed; All haile, Sir knight, and well may thee befall, As all the like, which honour haue pursewed Through deedes of armes and prowesse martiall; All vertue merits praise, but such the most of all.