At last she chaunced by good hap to meet xxix A goodly knight, faire marching by the way Together with his Squire, arayed meet: His glitterand armour shined farre away, Like glauncing light of _Phœbus_ brightest ray; From top to toe no place appeared bare, That deadly dint of steele endanger may: Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue he ware, That shynd, like twinkling stars, with stons most pretious rare. And in the midst thereof one pretious stone xxx Of wondrous worth, and eke of wondrous mights, Shapt like a Ladies head, exceeding shone, Like _Hesperus_ emongst the lesser lights, And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights; Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory sheath, ycaru’d with curious slights; Whose hilts were burnisht gold, and handle strong Of mother pearle, and buckled with a golden tong. His haughtie helmet, horrid all with gold, xxxi Both glorious brightnesse, and great terrour bred; For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes, and ouer all did spred His golden wings: his dreadfull hideous hed Close couched on the beuer, seem’d to throw From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red, That suddeine horror to faint harts did show; And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low. Vpon the top of all his loftie crest, xxxii A bunch[248] of haires discolourd diuersly, With sprincled pearle, and gold full richly drest, Did shake, and seem’d to daunce for iollity, Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene _Selinis_[249] all alone, With blossomes braue bedecked daintily; Whose[250] tender locks do tremble euery one At euery little breath, that vnder heauen is blowne. His warlike shield all closely couer’d was, xxxiii Ne might of mortall eye be euer seene; Not made of steele[251], nor of enduring bras, Such earthly mettals soone consumed bene: But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was, one massie entire mould, Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene, That point of speare it neuer percen could, Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would. The same to wight he neuer wont disclose, xxxiv But when as monsters huge he would dismay, Or daunt vnequall armies of his foes, Or when the flying heauens he would affray; For so exceeding shone his glistring ray, That _Phœbus_ golden face it did attaint, As when a cloud his beames doth ouer-lay; And siluer _Cynthia_ wexed pale and faint, As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint.