His boystrous club, so buried in the ground, x He could not rearen vp againe so light, But that the knight him at auantage[271] found, And whiles he stroue his combred clubbe to quight Out of the earth, with blade all burning bright He smote off his left arme, which like a blocke Did fall to ground, depriu’d of natiue might; Large streames of bloud out of the truncked stocke Forth gushed, like fresh water streame from riuen rocke. Dismaied with so desperate deadly wound, xi And eke impatient of vnwonted paine, He loudly brayd with beastly yelling sound, That all the fields rebellowed againe; As great a noyse, as when in Cymbrian plaine An heard of Bulles, whom kindly rage doth sting, Do for the milkie mothers want complaine, And fill the fields with troublous bellowing, The neighbour woods around with hollow murmur ring[272]. That when his deare _Duessa_ heard, and saw xii The euill stownd, that daungerd her estate, Vnto his aide she hastily did draw Her dreadfull beast, who swolne with bloud of late Came ramping forth with proud presumpteous[273] gate, And threatned all his heads like flaming brands. But him the Squire made quickly to retrate, Encountring fierce with single sword in hand, And twixt him and his Lord did like a bulwarke stand. The proud _Duessa_ full of wrathfull spight, xiii And fierce disdaine, to be affronted so, Enforst her purple beast with all her might That stop out of the way to ouerthroe, Scorning the let of so vnequall foe: But nathemore would that courageous swayne To her yeeld passage, gainst his Lord to goe, But with outrageous strokes did him restraine, And with his bodie bard the way atwixt them twaine. Then tooke the angrie witch her golden cup, xiv Which still she bore, replete with magick artes; Death and despeyre did many thereof sup, And secret poyson through their inner[274] parts, Th’eternall bale of heauie wounded harts; Which after charmes and some enchauntments said, She lightly sprinkled on his weaker parts; Therewith his sturdie courage soone was quayd, And all his senses were with suddeine dread dismayd. So downe he fell before the cruell beast, xv Who on his necke his bloudie clawes did seize, That life nigh[275] crusht out of his panting brest: No powre he had to stirre, nor will to rize. That when the carefull knight gan well auise, He lightly left the foe, with whom he fought, And to the beast gan turne his enterprise; For wondrous anguish in his hart it wrought, To see his loued Squire into such thraldome brought.