But ere he could him selfe recure againe, xxii Him in his iron paw he seized had; That when he wak’t out of his warelesse paine, He found him selfe,[249] vnwist, so ill bestad, That lim he could not wag. Thence he him lad, Bound like a beast appointed to the stall: The sight whereof the Lady sore adrad, And fain’d to fly for feare of being thrall; But he her quickly stayd, and forst to wend withall. When to the place they came, where _Artegall_ xxiii By that same carefull Squire did then abide, He gently gan him to demaund of all, That did betwixt him and that Squire betide. Who with sterne countenance and indignant pride Did aunswere, that of all he guiltlesse stood, And his accuser thereuppon defide: For neither he did shed that Ladies bloud, Nor tooke away his loue, but his owne proper good. Well did the Squire perceiue him selfe too weake, xxiv To aunswere his defiaunce in the field, And rather chose his challenge off to breake, Then to approue his right with speare and shield. And rather guilty chose him selfe to yield. But _Artegall_ by signes perceiuing plaine, That he it was not, which that Lady kild, But that strange Knight, the fairer loue to gaine, Did cast about by sleight the truth thereout to straine. And sayd, Now[250] sure this doubtfull causes right xxv Can hardly but by Sacrament be tride, Or else by ordele, or by blooddy fight; That ill perhaps mote fall to either side. But if ye please, that I your cause decide, Perhaps I may all further quarrell end, So ye will sweare my iudgement to abide. Thereto they both did franckly condiscend, And to his doome with listfull eares did both attend. Sith then (sayd he) ye both the dead deny, xxvi And both the liuing Lady claime your right, Let both the dead and liuing equally Deuided be betwixt you here in sight, And each of either take his share aright. But looke who does dissent from this my read, He for a twelue moneths day shall in despight Beare for his penaunce that same Ladies head; To witnesse to the world, that she by him is[251] dead. Well pleased with that doome was _Sangliere_, xxvii And offred streight the Lady to be slaine. But that same Squire, to whom she was more dere, When as he saw she should be cut in twaine, Did yield, she rather should with him remaine Aliue, then to him selfe be shared dead; And rather then his loue should suffer paine, He chose with shame to beare that Ladies head. True loue despiseth shame, when life is cald in dread.