Both of them high attonce their hands enhaunst, xxxi And both attonce their huge blowes downe did sway; _Cymochles_ sword on _Guyons_ shield yglaunst, And thereof nigh one quarter sheard away; But _Guyons_ angry blade so fierce did play On th’others helmet, which as _Titan_ shone, That quite it cloue his plumed crest in tway, And bared all his head vnto the bone; Wherewith astonisht, still he stood, as senselesse stone. Still as he stood, faire _Phædria_, that beheld xxxii That deadly daunger, soone atweene them ran; And at their feet her selfe most humbly feld, Crying with pitteous voice, and count’nance wan; Ah well away, most noble Lords, how can Your cruell eyes endure so pitteous sight, To shed your liues on ground? wo worth the man, That first did teach the cursed steele to bight In his owne flesh, and make way to the liuing spright. If euer loue of Ladie did empierce xxxiii Your yron brestes, or pittie could find place, Withhold your bloudie hands from battell fierce, And sith for me ye fight, to me this grace Both yeeld, to stay your deadly strife a space. They stayd a while: and forth she gan proceed: Most wretched woman, and of wicked race, That am the author of this hainous deed, And cause of death betweene two doughtie knights doe breed. But if for me ye fight, or me will serue, xxxiv Not this rude kind of battell, nor these armes Are meet, the which doe men in bale to sterue, And dolefull sorrow heape with deadly harmes: Such cruell game my scarmoges disarmes: Another warre, and other weapons I Doe loue, where loue does giue his sweet alarmes, Without bloudshed, and where the enemy Does yeeld vnto his foe a pleasant victory. Debatefull strife, and cruell enmitie xxxv The famous name of knighthood fowly shend[634]; But louely peace, and gentle amitie, And in Amours the passing houres to spend, The mightie martiall hands doe most commend; Of loue they euer greater glory bore, Then of their armes: _Mars_ is _Cupidoes_ frend, And is for _Venus_ loues renowmed more, Then all his wars and spoiles, the which he did of yore. Therewith she sweetly smyld. They though full bent[635] xxxvi To proue extremities of bloudie fight, Yet at her speach their rages gan relent, And calme the sea of their tempestuous spight, Such powre haue pleasing words: such is the might Of courteous clemencie in gentle hart. Now after all was ceast, the Faery knight Besought that Damzell suffer him depart, And yield him readie passage to that other part.