And euery while that mighty yron man, xliv With his strange weapon, neuer wont in warre, Them sorely vext, and courst, and ouerran, And broke their bowes, and did their shooting marre, That none of all the many once did darre Him to assault, nor once approach him nie, But like a sort of sheepe dispersed farre For dread of their deuouring enemie, Through all the fields and vallies did before him flie. But when as daies faire shinie-beame, yclowded xlv With fearefull shadowes of deformed night, Warn’d man and beast in quiet rest be shrowded, Bold _Radigund_ with sound of trumpe on hight, Causd all her people to surcease from fight, And gathering them vnto her citties gate, Made them all enter in before her sight, And all the wounded, and the weake in state, To be conuayed in, ere she would once retrate. When thus the field was voided all away, xlvi And all things quieted, the Elfin Knight Weary of toile and trauell of that day, Causd his pauilion to be richly pight Before the city gate, in open sight; Where he him selfe did rest in safety, Together with sir _Terpin_ all that night: But _Talus_ vsde in times of ieopardy To keepe a nightly watch, for dread of treachery. But _Radigund_ full of heart-gnawing griefe, xlvii For the rebuke, which she sustain’d that day, Could take no rest, ne would receiue reliefe, But tossed in her troublous minde, what way She mote reuenge that blot, which on her lay. There she resolu’d her selfe in single fight To try her Fortune, and his force assay, Rather then see her people spoiled quight, As she had seene that day a disauenterous sight. She called forth to her a trusty mayd, xlviii Whom she thought fittest for that businesse, Her name was _Clarin_[289], and thus to her sayd; Goe damzell quickly, doe thy selfe addresse, To doe the message, which I shall expresse. Goe thou vnto that stranger Faery Knight, Who yesterday[290] droue vs to such distresse, Tell, that to morrow I with him wil fight, And try in equall field, whether hath greater might. But these conditions doe to him propound, xlix That if I vanquishe him, he shall obay My law, and euer to my lore be bound, And so will I, if me he vanquish may; What euer he shall like to doe or say: Goe streight, and take with thee, to witnesse it, Sixe of thy fellowes of the best array, And beare with you both wine and iuncates fit, And bid him eate, henceforth he oft shall hungry sit.