Nought booted it the Paynim then to striue; l For as a Bittur in the Eagles claw, That may not hope by flight to scape aliue, Still waites for death with dread and trembling aw; So he now subiect to the victours law, Did not once moue, nor vpward cast his eye, For vile disdaine and rancour, which did gnaw His hart in twaine with sad melancholy, As one that loathed life, and yet despisd to dye. But full of Princely bounty and great mind, li The Conquerour nought cared him to slay, But casting wrongs and all reuenge behind, More glory thought to giue life, then decay, And said, Paynim, this is thy dismall day; Yet if thou wilt renounce thy miscreaunce, And my trew liegeman yield thy selfe for ay, Life will I graunt thee for thy valiaunce, And all thy wrongs will wipe out of my souenaunce. Foole (said the Pagan) I thy gift defye, lii But vse thy fortune, as it doth befall, And say, that I not ouercome do dye, But in despight of life, for death do call. Wroth was the Prince, and sory yet withall, That he so wilfully refused grace; Yet sith his fate so cruelly did fall, His shining Helmet he gan soone vnlace, And left his headlesse body bleeding all the place. By this Sir _Guyon_ from his traunce awakt, liii Life hauing maistered her sencelesse foe; And looking vp, when as his shield he lakt, And sword saw not, he wexed wondrous woe: But when the Palmer, whom he long ygoe Had[718] lost, he by him spide, right glad he grew, And said, Deare sir, whom wandring to and fro I long haue lackt, I ioy thy face to vew; Firme is thy faith, whom daunger neuer fro me drew. But read what wicked hand hath robbed mee liv Of my good sword and shield? The Palmer glad, With so fresh hew vprising him to see, Him answered; Faire[719] sonne, be no whit sad For want of weapons, they shall soone be had. So gan he to discourse the whole debate, Which that straunge knight for him sustained had, And those two Sarazins confounded late, Whose carcases on ground were horribly prostrate. Which when he heard, and saw the tokens trew, lv His hart with great affection was embayd, And to the Prince bowing with[720] reuerence dew, As to the Patrone of his life, thus sayd; My Lord, my liege, by whose most gratious ayd I liue this day, and see my foes subdewd, What may suffise, to be for meede repayd Of so great graces, as ye haue me shewd, But to be euer bound