So th’one for wrong, the other striues for right, ix And each to deadly shame would driue his foe: The cruell steele so greedily doth bight In tender flesh, that streames of bloud down flow, With which the armes, that earst so bright did show[177], Into a pure vermillion now are dyde: Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow, Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde, That victory they dare not wish to either side. At last the Paynim chaunst to cast his eye, x His suddein eye, flaming with wrathfull fyre, Vpon his brothers shield, which hong thereby: Therewith redoubled was his raging yre, And said, Ah wretched sonne of wofull syre, Doest[178] thou sit wayling by black _Stygian_ lake, Whilest here thy shield is hangd for victors hyre, And sluggish german doest thy forces slake, To after-send his foe, that him may ouertake? Goe caytiue Elfe, him quickly ouertake, xi And soone redeeme from his long wandring woe; Goe guiltie ghost, to him my message make, That I his shield haue quit from dying foe. Therewith vpon his crest he stroke him so, That twise he reeled, readie twise to fall; End of the doubtfull battell[179] deemed tho The lookers on, and lowd to him gan call The false _Duessa_, Thine the shield, and I, and all. Soone as the Faerie heard his Ladie speake, xii Out of his swowning dreame he gan awake, And quickning faith, that earst was woxen weake, The creeping deadly cold away did shake: Tho mou’d with wrath, and shame, and Ladies sake, Of all attonce he cast auengd to bee, And with so’exceeding furie at him strake, That forced him to stoupe[180] vpon his knee; Had he not stouped so, he should haue clouen bee. And to him said, Goe now proud Miscreant, xiii Thy selfe thy message doe to german deare, Alone he wandring thee too long doth want: Goe say, his foe thy shield with his doth beare. Therewith his heauie hand he high gan reare, Him to haue slaine; when loe a darkesome clowd Vpon him fell: he no where doth appeare, But vanisht is. The Elfe him cals alowd, But answer none receiues: the darknes him does shrowd. In haste _Duessa_ from her place arose, xiv And to him running said, O prowest knight, That euer Ladie to her loue did chose, Let now abate the terror[181] of your might, And quench the flame of furious despight, And bloudie vengeance; lo th’infernall powres Couering your foe with cloud of deadly night, Haue borne him hence to _Plutoes_ balefull bowres. The conquest yours, I yours, the shield, and glory yours.