He little answer’d, but in manly heart xlv His mightie indignation did forbeare, Which was not yet so secret, but some part Thereof did in his frouning face appeare: Like as a gloomie cloud, the which doth beare An hideous storme, is by the Northerne blast Quite ouerblowne, yet doth not passe so cleare, But that it all the skie doth ouercast With darknes dred[19], and threatens all the world to wast. Ah gentle knight,[20] then false _Duessa_ sayd, xlvi Why do ye striue for Ladies loue so sore, Whose chiefe desire is loue and friendly aid Mongst gentle Knights to nourish euermore? Ne be ye wroth Sir _Scudamour_ therefore, That she your loue list loue another knight, Ne do your selfe dislike a whit the more; For Loue is free, and led with selfe delight, Ne will enforced be with maisterdome or might. So false _Duessa_, but vile _Ate_ thus; xlvii Both foolish knights, I can but laugh at both, That striue and storme with stirre outrageous, For her that each of you alike doth loth, And loues another, with whom now she goth In louely wise, and sleepes, and sports, and playes; Whilest both you here with many a cursed oth, Sweare she is yours, and stirre vp bloudie frayes, To win a willow bough, whilest other weares the bayes. Vile hag (sayd _Scudamour_) why dost thou lye? xlviii And falsly seekst a vertuous wight to shame? Fond knight (sayd she) the thing that with this eye I saw, why should I doubt to tell the same? Then tell (quoth _Blandamour_) and feare no blame, Tell what thou saw’st, maulgre who so it heares. I saw (quoth she) a stranger knight, whose name I wote not well, but in his shield he beares (That well I wote) the heads of many broken speares. I saw him haue your _Amoret_ at will, xlix I saw him kisse, I saw him her embrace, I saw him sleepe with her all night his fill, All manie nights, and manie by in place, That present were to testifie the case. Which when as _Scudamour_ did heare, his heart Was thrild with inward griefe, as when in chace The Parthian strikes a stag with shiuering dart, The beast astonisht stands in middest of his smart. So stood Sir _Scudamour_, when this he heard, l Ne word he had to speake for great dismay, But lookt on _Glauce_ grim, who woxe afeard Of outrage for the words, which she heard say, Albee vntrue she wist them by assay. But _Blandamour_, whenas he did espie His chaunge of cheere, that anguish did bewray, He woxe full blithe, as he had got thereby, And gan thereat to triumph without victorie.