For with his trenchant blade at the next blow ix Halfe of her shield he shared quite away, That halfe her side it selfe did naked show, And thenceforth vnto daunger opened way. Much was she moued with the mightie sway Of that sad stroke, that halfe enrag’d she grew, And like a greedie Beare vnto her pray, With her sharpe Cemitare at him she flew, That glauncing downe his thigh, the purple bloud forth drew. Thereat she gan to triumph with great boast, x And to vpbrayd that chaunce, which him misfell, As if the prize she gotten had almost, With spightfull speaches, fitting with her well; That his great hart gan inwardly to swell With indignation, at her vaunting vaine, And at her strooke with puissance fearefull fell; Yet with her shield she warded it againe, That shattered all to peeces round about the plaine. Hauing her thus disarmed of her shield, xi Vpon her helmet he againe her strooke, That downe she fell vpon the grassie field, In sencelesse swoune, as if her life forsooke, And pangs of death her spirit ouertooke. Whom when he saw before his foote prostrated, He to her lept with deadly dreadfull looke, And her sunshynie helmet soone vnlaced, Thinking at once both head and helmet to haue raced. But when as he discouered had her face, xii He saw his senses straunge astonishment, A miracle of natures goodly grace, In her faire visage voide of ornament, But bath’d in bloud and sweat together ment; Which in the rudenesse of that euill plight, Bewrayd the signes of feature excellent: Like as the Moone in foggie winters night, Doth seeme to be her selfe, though darkned be her light. At sight thereof his cruell minded hart xiii Empierced was with pittifull regard, That his sharpe sword he threw from him apart, Cursing his hand that had that visage mard: No hand so cruell, nor no hart so hard, But ruth of beautie will it mollifie. By this vpstarting from her swoune, she star’d A while about her with confused eye; Like one that from his dreame is waked suddenlye. Soone as the knight she there by her did spy, xiv Standing with emptie hands all weaponlesse, With fresh assault vpon him she did fly, And gan renew her former cruelnesse: And though he still retyr’d, yet nathelesse With huge redoubled strokes she on him layd; And more increast her outrage mercilesse, The more that he with meeke intreatie prayd, Her wrathful hand from greedy vengeance to haue stayd.