There he her found in sorrow and dismay, xix All solitarie without liuing wight; For all her other children, through affray, Had hid themselues, or taken further flight: And eke her selfe through sudden strange affright, When one in armes she saw, began to fly; But when her owne two sonnes she had in sight, She gan take hart, and looke vp ioyfully: For well she wist this knight came, succour to supply. And running vnto them with greedy ioyes, xx Fell straight about their neckes, as they did kneele, And bursting forth in teares; Ah my sweet boyes, (Sayd she) yet now I gin new life to feele, And feeble spirits, that gan faint and reele, Now rise againe, at this your ioyous sight. Alreadie seemes that fortunes headlong wheele Begins to turne, and sunne to shine more bright, Then it was wont, through comfort of this noble knight. Then turning vnto him; And you Sir knight xxi (Said she) that taken haue this toylesome paine For wretched woman, miserable wight, May you in heauen immortall guerdon gaine For so great trauell, as you doe sustaine: For other meede may hope for none of mee, To whom nought else, but bare life doth remaine, And that so wretched one, as ye do see Is liker lingring death, then loathed life to bee. Much was he moued with her piteous plight, xxii And low dismounting from his loftie steede, Gan to recomfort her all that he might, Seeking to driue away deepe rooted dreede, With hope of helpe in that her greatest neede. So thence he wished her with him to wend, Vnto some place, where they mote rest and feede, And she take comfort, which God now did send: Good hart in euils doth the euils much amend. Ay me (sayd she) and whether shall I goe? xxiii Are not all places full of forraine powres? My pallaces possessed of my foe, My cities sackt, and their sky-threating towres Raced, and made smooth fields now full of flowres? Onely these marishes, and myrie bogs, In which the fearefull ewftes do build their bowres, Yeeld me an hostry mongst the croking frogs, And harbour here in safety from those rauenous dogs. Nathlesse (said he) deare Ladie with me goe, xxiv Some place shall vs receiue, and harbour yield; If not, we will it force, maugre your foe, And purchase it to vs with speare and shield: And if all fayle, yet farewell open field: The earth to all her creatures lodging lends. With such his chearefull speaches he doth wield Her mind so well, that to his will she bends And bynding vp her locks and weeds, forth with him wends.