At last whenas the dreadfull passion xxxii Was ouerpast, and manhood well awake, Yet musing at the straunge occasion, And doubting much his sence, he thus bespake; What voyce of damned Ghost from _Limbo_ lake, Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire, Both which fraile men do oftentimes mistake, Sends to my doubtfull eares these speaches rare, And ruefull[101] plaints[102], me bidding guiltlesse[103] bloud to spare? Then groning deepe, Nor damned Ghost, (quoth he,) xxxiii Nor guilefull sprite to thee these wordes doth speake, But once a man _Fradubio_, now a tree, Wretched man, wretched tree; whose nature weake, A cruell witch her cursed will to wreake, Hath thus transformd, and plast in open plaines, Where _Boreas_ doth blow full bitter bleake, And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines: For though a tree I seeme, yet cold and heat me paines. Say on _Fradubio_ then, or man, or tree, xxxiv Quoth then the knight, by whose mischieuous arts Art thou misshaped thus, as now I see? He oft finds med’cine, who his griefe imparts; But double griefs afflict concealing harts, As raging flames who striueth to suppresse. The author then (said he) of all my smarts, Is one _Duessa_ a false sorceresse, That many errant knights hath brought to wretchednesse. In prime of youthly yeares, when corage hot xxxv The fire of loue and ioy of cheualree First kindled in my brest, it was my lot To loue this gentle Lady, whom ye see, Now not a Lady, but a seeming tree; With whom as once I rode accompanyde, Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee, That had a like faire Lady by his syde, Like a faire Lady, but did fowle _Duessa_ hyde. Whose forged beauty he did take in hand, xxxvi All other Dames to haue exceeded farre; I in defence of mine did likewise stand, Mine, that did then shine as the Morning starre: So both to battell[104] fierce arraunged arre, In which his harder fortune was to fall Vnder my speare: such is the dye of warre: His Lady left as a prise martiall, Did yield her comely person, to be at my call. So doubly lou’d of Ladies vnlike faire, xxxvii Th’one seeming such, the other such indeede, One day in doubt I cast for to compare, Whether in beauties glorie did exceede; A Rosy girlond was the victors meede: Both seemde to win, and both seemde won to bee, So hard the discord was to be agreede. _Frælissa_ was as faire, as faire mote bee, And euer false _Duessa_ seemde as faire as shee.