After long stormes and tempests ouerblowne, i The sunne at length his ioyous face doth cleare: So when as fortune all her spight hath showne, Some blisfull houres at last must needes appeare; Else should afflicted wights oftimes despeire. So comes it now to _Florimell_ by tourne, After long sorrowes suffered whyleare, In which captiu’d she many moneths did mourne, To tast of ioy, and to wont pleasures to retourne. Who being freed from _Proteus_ cruell band ii By _Marinell_, was vnto him affide, And by him brought againe to Faerie land; Where he her spous’d, and made his ioyous bride. The time and place was blazed farre and wide; And solemne feasts and giusts ordain’d therefore. To which there did resort from euery side Of Lords and Ladies infinite great store; Ne any Knight was absent, that braue courage bore. To tell the glorie of the feast that day, iii The goodly seruice, the deuicefull sights, The bridegromes state, the brides most rich aray, The pride of Ladies, and the worth of knights, The royall banquets, and the rare delights Were worke fit for an Herauld, not for me: But for so much as to my lot here lights, That with this present treatise doth agree, True vertue to aduance, shall here recounted bee. When all men had with full satietie iv Of meates and drinkes their appetites suffiz’d, To deedes of armes and proofe of cheualrie They gan themselues addresse, full rich aguiz’d, As each one had his furnitures deuiz’d. And first of all issu’d Sir _Marinell_, And with him sixe knights more, which enterpriz’d To chalenge all in right of _Florimell_, And to maintaine, that she all others did excell. The first of them was hight Sir _Orimont_, v A noble Knight, and tride in hard assayes: The second had to name Sir _Bellisont_, But second vnto none in prowesse prayse; The third was _Brunell_, famous in his dayes; The fourth _Ecastor_, of exceeding might; The fift _Armeddan_, skild in louely layes; The sixt was _Lansack_, a redoubted Knight: All sixe well seene in armes, and prou’d in many a fight. And them against came all that list to giust, vi From euery coast and countrie vnder sunne: None was debard, but all had leaue that lust. The trompets sound; then all together ronne. Full many deedes of armes that day were donne, And many knights vnhorst, and many wounded, As fortune fell; yet litle lost or wonne: But all that day the greatest prayse redounded To _Marinell_, whose name the Heralds loud resounded.