So as they had deuiz’d, sir _Artegall_ xxvi Him clad in th’armour of a Pagan knight, And taking with him, as his vanquisht thrall, That Damzell, led her to the Souldans right. Where soone as his proud wife of her had sight, Forth of her window as she looking lay, She weened streight, it was her Paynim Knight, Which brought that Damzell, as his purchast pray; And sent to him a Page, that mote direct his way. Who bringing them to their appointed place, xxvii Offred his seruice to disarme the Knight; But he refusing him to let vnlace, For doubt to be discouered by his sight, Kept himselfe still in his straunge armour dight. Soone after whom the Prince arriued there, And sending to the Souldan in despight A bold defyance, did of him requere That Damzell, whom he held as wrongfull prisonere. Wherewith the Souldan all with furie fraught, xxviii Swearing, and banning most blasphemously, Commaunded straight his armour to be brought, And mounting straight vpon a charret hye, With yron wheeles and hookes arm’d dreadfully, And drawne of cruell steedes, which he had fed With flesh of men, whom through fell tyranny He slaughtred had, and ere they were halfe ded, Their bodies to his beasts for prouender did spred. So forth he came all in a cote of plate, xxix Burnisht with bloudie rust, whiles on the greene The Briton Prince him readie did awayte, In glistering armes right goodly well beseene, That shone as bright, as doth the heauen sheene; And by his stirrup _Talus_ did attend, Playing his pages part, as he had beene Before directed by his Lord; to th’end He should his flale to finall execution bend. Thus goe they both together to their geare, xxx With like fierce minds, but meanings different: For the proud Souldan with presumpteous[327] cheare, And countenance sublime and insolent, Sought onely slaughter and auengement: But the braue Prince for honour and for right, Gainst tortious powre and lawlesse regiment, In the behalfe of wronged weake did fight: More in his causes truth he trusted then in might. Like to the _Thracian_ Tyrant, who they say xxxi Vnto his horses gaue his guests for meat, Till he himselfe was made their greedie pray, And torne in peeces by _Alcides_ great. So thought the Souldan in his follies threat, Either the Prince in peeces to haue torne With his sharpe wheeles, in his first rages heat, Or vnder his fierce horses feet haue borne And trampled downe in dust his thoughts disdained scorne.