Tho whenas all were put to shamefull flight, lxvii The noble _Britomartis_ her arayd, And her bright armes about her body dight: For nothing would she lenger there be stayd, Where so loose life, and so vngentle trade Was vsd of Knights and Ladies seeming gent: So earely ere the grosse Earthes gryesy shade[881] Was all disperst out of the firmament, They tooke their steeds, and forth vpon their iourney went. FOOTNOTES: [861] Arg. 3 _Malecastaes_] _Materastaes_ _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._ [862] vii 2 sith] since _1609_ [863] xiv 8 creature _1590_ [864] xxx 6 mard] shard _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._ [865] xxxi 6 of _om. 1596, 1609_ [866] 8 sight. _1596_ [867] xxxiii 4 be seeme _1596_ [868] xxxvii 8 scathe _1609_ [869] xli 8 lightly] highly _1590_, _1596_ [870] xlvi 7 briers _1609_ [871] xlvii 1 wight. _1596_ [872] 7 which] that _1590_ [873] slender _1609_ [874] xlviii 2 burst _1609_ [875] 9 loathy _1596_, _1609_ [876] sight, _1596_ [877] liv 6 beguiled _1596_ be ’guiled _1609_ [878] lvi 8 _Bascimano_ _1590_ [879] lx 8 weary _1590_, _1596_ [880] 9 fand _1609_ [881] lxvii 7 shade, _1590 &c._ _Cant. II._ [Illustration: _The Redcrosse knight to Britomart describeth Artegall: The wondrous myrrhour, by which she in loue with him did fall._ ] Here haue I cause, in men iust blame to find, i That in their proper prayse too partiall bee, And not indifferent to woman kind, To whom no share in armes and cheualrie They do impart, ne maken memorie Of their braue gestes and prowesse martiall; Scarse do they spare to one or two or three, Rowme in their writs; yet the same writing small Does all their deeds deface, and dims their glories all. But by record of antique times I find, ii That women[882] wont in warres to beare most sway, And to all great exploits them selues inclind: Of which they still the girlond bore away, Till enuious Men fearing their rules decay, Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty; Yet sith they warlike armes haue layd away,[883] They haue exceld in artes and pollicy, That now we foolish men that prayse gin eke t’enuy. Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent, iii Be thou faire _Britomart_, whose prayse I write, But of all wisedome be thou precedent, O soueraigne Queene, whose prayse I would endite, Endite I would as dewtie doth excite; But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre, When in so high an obiect they do lite, And striuing, fit to make, I feare do marre: Thy selfe thy prayses tell, and make them knowen farre.