Too boastfull _Blandamour_, too long I beare xiii The open wrongs, thou doest me day by day;[25] Well know’st thou, when we friendship first did sweare, The couenant was, that euery spoyle or pray Should equally be shard betwixt vs tway: Where is my part then of this Ladie bright, Whom to thy selfe thou takest quite away? Render therefore therein to me my right, Or answere for thy wrong, as shall fall out in fight. Exceeding wroth thereat was _Blandamour_, xiv And gan this bitter answere to him make; Too foolish _Paridell_, that fayrest floure Wouldst gather faine, and yet no paines wouldst take: But not so easie will I her forsake; This hand her wonne, this hand shall her defend. With that they gan their shiuering speares to shake, And deadly points at eithers breast to bend, Forgetfull each to haue bene euer others frend. Their firie Steedes with so vntamed forse xv Did beare them both to fell auenges end, That both their speares with pitilesse remorse, Through shield and mayle, and haberieon did wend, And in their flesh a griesly passage rend, That with the furie of their owne affret, Each other horse and man to ground did send; Where lying still a while, both did forget The perilous present stownd, in which their liues were set. As when two warlike Brigandines at sea, xvi With murdrous weapons arm’d to cruell fight, Doe meete together on the watry lea, They stemme ech other with so fell despight, That with the shocke of their owne heedlesse might, Their wooden ribs are shaken nigh a sonder; They which from shore behold the dreadfull sight Of flashing fire, and heare the ordenance thonder, Do greatly stand amaz’d at such vnwonted wonder. At length they both vpstarted in amaze,[26] xvii As men awaked rashly out of dreme;[27] And round about themselues a while did gaze, Till seeing her, that _Florimell_ did seme, In doubt to whom she victorie should deeme, Therewith their dulled sprights they edgd anew, And drawing both their swords with rage extreme, Like two mad mastiffes each on other flew, And shields did share, and mailes did rash, and helmes did hew. So furiously each other did assayle, xviii As if their soules they would attonce haue rent Out of their brests, that streames of bloud did rayle Adowne, as if their springs of life were spent; That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent, And all their armours staynd with bloudie gore, Yet scarcely once to breath[28] would they relent, So mortall was their malice and so sore, Become of fayned friendship which they vow’d afore.