Whom when so willing _Artegall_ perceaued; xxviii Not so thou Squire, (he sayd) but thine I deeme The liuing Lady, which from thee he reaued: For worthy thou of her doest rightly seeme. And you, Sir Knight, that loue so light esteeme, As that ye would for little leaue the same, Take here your owne, that doth you best beseeme, And with it beare the burden of defame; Your owne dead Ladies head, to tell abrode your shame. But _Sangliere_ disdained much his doome, xxix And sternly gan repine at his beheast; Ne would for ought obay, as did become, To beare that Ladies head before his breast. Vntill that _Talus_ had his pride represt, And forced him, maulgre, it vp to reare. Who when he saw it bootelesse to resist, He tooke it vp, and thence with him did beare, As rated Spaniell takes his burden vp for feare. Much did that Squire Sir _Artegall_ adore, xxx For his great iustice, held in high regard; And as his Squire him offred euermore To serue, for want of other meete reward, And wend with him on his aduenture hard. But he thereto would by no meanes consent; But leauing him forth on his iourney far’d: Ne wight with him but onely _Talus_ went. They two enough t’encounter an whole Regiment. FOOTNOTES: [245] iv 1 _Eirena_ _1596_ [246] xiv 7 inwardly: _1609_ [247] xv 1 weal-away _1609_ [248] xvi 2 why, _1596_ [249] xxii 4 selfe _1596_, _1609_ [250] xxv 1 now _1596_ [251] xxvi 9 is] his _1609_ _Cant. II._ [Illustration: _Artegall heares of Florimell, Does with the Pagan fight: Him slaies, drownes Lady Munera[252], Does race her castle quight._ ] Nought is more honorable to a knight, i Ne better doth beseeme braue cheualry, Then to defend the feeble in their right, And wrong redresse in such as wend awry. Whilome those great Heroes got thereby Their greatest glory, for their rightfull deedes, And place deserued with the Gods on hy. Herein the noblesse of this knight exceedes, Who now to perils great for iustice sake proceedes. To which as he now was vppon the way, ii He chaunst to meet a Dwarfe in hasty course; Whom he requir’d his forward hast to stay, Till he of tidings mote with him discourse. Loth was the Dwarfe, yet did he stay perforse, And gan of sundry newes his store to tell, As[253] to his memory they had recourse: But chiefely of the fairest _Florimell_, How she was found againe, and spousde to _Marinell_.