To all which cruell tyranny they say, xx He is prouokt, and stird vp day and night By his bad wife, that hight _Adicia_, Who counsels him through confidence of might, To breake all bonds of law, and rules of right. For she her selfe professeth mortall foe To Iustice, and against her still doth fight, Working to all, that loue her, deadly woe, And making all her Knights and people to doe so. Which my liege Lady seeing, thought it best, xxi With that his wife in friendly wise to deale, For stint of strife, and stablishment of rest Both to her selfe, and to her common weale, And all forepast displeasures to repeale. So me in message vnto her she sent, To treat with her by way of enterdeale, Of finall peace and faire attonement, Which might concluded be by mutuall consent. All times haue wont safe passage to afford xxii To messengers, that come for causes iust: But this proude Dame disdayning all accord, Not onely into bitter termes forth brust, Reuiling me, and rayling as she lust, But lastly to make proofe of vtmost shame, Me like a dog she out of dores did thrust, Miscalling me by many a bitter name, That neuer did her ill, ne once deserued blame. And lastly, that no shame might wanting be, xxiii When I was gone, soone after me she sent These two false Knights, whom there ye lying see, To be by them dishonoured and shent: But thankt be God, and your good hardiment, They haue the price of their owne folly payd. So said this Damzell, that hight _Samient_, And to those knights, for their so noble ayd, Her selfe most gratefull shew’d, and heaped thanks repayd. But they now hauing throughly heard, and seene xxiv Al those great wrongs, the which that mayd complained[326] To haue bene done against her Lady Queene, By that proud dame, which her so much disdained, Were moued much thereat, and twixt them fained, With all their force to worke auengement strong Vppon the Souldan selfe, which it mayntained, And on his Lady, th’author of that wrong, And vppon all those Knights, that did to her belong. But thinking best by counterfet disguise xxv To their deseigne to make the easier way, They did this complot twixt them selues deuise, First, that sir _Artegall_ should him array, Like one of those two Knights, which dead there lay. And then that Damzell, the sad _Samient_, Should as his purchast prize with him conuay Vnto the Souldans court, her to present Vnto his scornefull Lady, that for her had sent.