Certes (said she) then bene ye sixe to blame, xxv To weene your wrong by force to iustifie: For knight to leaue his Ladie were great shame, That faithfull is, and better were to die. All losse is lesse, and lesse the infamie, Then losse of loue to him, that loues but one; Ne may loue be compeld by maisterie; For soone as maisterie comes, sweet loue anone Taketh his nimble wings, and soone away is gone. Then spake one of those sixe, There dwelleth here xxvi Within this castle wall a Ladie faire, Whose soueraine beautie hath no liuing pere, Thereto so bounteous and so debonaire, That neuer any mote with her compaire. She hath ordaind this law, which we approue, That euery knight, which doth this way repaire, In case he haue no Ladie, nor no loue, Shall doe vnto her seruice neuer to remoue. But if he haue a Ladie or a Loue, xxvii Then must he her forgoe with foule defame, Or else with vs by dint of sword approue, That she is fairer, then our fairest Dame, As did this knight, before ye hither came. Perdie (said _Britomart_) the choise is hard: But what reward had he, that ouercame? He should aduaunced be to high regard, (Said they) and haue our Ladies loue for his reward. Therefore a read Sir, if thou haue a loue. xxviii Loue haue I sure, (quoth she) but Lady none; Yet will I not fro mine owne loue remoue, Ne to your Lady will I seruice done, But wreake your wrongs wrought to this knight alone, And proue his cause. With that her mortall speare She mightily auentred towards one, And downe him smot, ere well aware he weare, Then to the next she rode, and downe the next did beare. Ne did she stay, till three on ground she layd, xxix That none of them himselfe could reare againe; The fourth was by that other knight dismayd, All were he wearie of his former paine, That now there do but two of six remaine; Which two did yield, before she did them smight. Ah (said she then) now may ye all see plaine, That truth is strong, and trew loue most of might, That for his trusty seruaunts doth so strongly fight. Too well we see, (said they) and proue too well xxx Our faulty weaknesse, and your matchlesse might: For thy, faire Sir, yours be the Damozell, Which by her owne law to your lot doth light, And we your liege men faith vnto you plight. So vnderneath her feet their swords they mard[864], And after her besought, well as they might, To enter in, and reape the dew reward: She graunted, and then in they all together far’d.