Lo recreant (sayd he) the fruitlesse end li Of thy vaine boast, and spoile of loue misgotten, Whereby the name of knight-hood thou dost shend, And all true louers with dishonor blotten, All things not rooted well, will soone be rotten.[21] Fy fy false knight (then false _Duessa_ cryde) Vnworthy life that loue with guile hast gotten, Be thou, where euer thou do go or ryde, Loathed of ladies all, and of all knights defyde. But _Scudamour_ for passing great despight lii Staid not to answer, scarcely did refraine, But that in all those knights and ladies sight, He for reuenge had guiltlesse _Glauce_ slaine: But being past, he thus began amaine; False traitour squire, false squire, of falsest knight, Why doth mine hand from thine auenge abstaine, Whose Lord hath done my loue this foule despight? Why do I not it wreake, on thee now in my might? Discourteous, disloyall _Britomart_, liii Vntrue to God, and vnto man vniust, What vengeance due can equall thy desart, That hast with shamefull spot of sinfull lust Defil’d the pledge committed to thy trust? Let vgly shame and endlesse infamy Colour thy name with foule reproaches rust. Yet thou false Squire his fault shalt deare aby, And with thy punishment his penance shalt supply. The aged Dame him seeing so enraged, liv Was dead with feare, nathlesse as neede required, His flaming furie sought to haue assuaged With sober words, that sufferance desired, Till time the tryall of her truth expyred: And euermore sought _Britomart_ to cleare. But he the more with furious rage was fyred, And thrise his hand to kill her did vpreare, And thrise he drew it backe: so did at last forbeare. FOOTNOTES: [6] vii 6 ghesse _1609_ [7] xi 5 since] sith _1609_ [8] 6 then] and _1609_ [9] xvi 4 griefe-full _1609_ [10] 7 none] one _1609_ [11] xviii 4 Chameleon _1609_ [12] xix 3 publique _1609_ [13] xx 3 amisse, _1596_ [14] xxi 4, 5 plac’t, defac’t _1609_ [15] xxi 4, 5 plac’t, defac’t _1609_ [16] xxiii 1 reliques _1609_ [17] xxv 7 forth _1609_ [18] xxxviii 5 ply. _1596_ [19] xlv 9 dred] drad _1609_ [20] xlvi 1 knight _1596_ [21] li 5 rotten, _1596_ _Cant. II._ [Illustration: _Blandamour winnes false Florimell, Paridell for her striues, They are accorded: Agape doth lengthen her sonnes liues._ ]