Through all three bodies he him strooke attonce; xiv That all the three attonce fell on the plaine: Else should he thrise haue needed, for the nonce Them to haue stricken, and thrise to haue slaine. So now all three one sencelesse lumpe remaine, Enwallow’d in his owne blacke bloudy gore, And byting th’earth for very deaths disdaine; Who with a cloud of night him couering, bore Downe to the house of dole,[363] his daies there to deplore. Which when the Lady from the Castle saw, xv Where she with her two sonnes did looking stand, She towards him in hast her selfe did draw, To greet him the good fortune of his hand: And all the people both of towne and land, Which there stood gazing from the Citties wall Vppon these warriours, greedy t’vnderstand, To whether should the victory befall, Now when they saw it falne, they eke him greeted all. But _Belge_ with her sonnes prostrated low xvi Before his feete, in all that peoples sight[364], Mongst ioyes mixing some tears, mongst wele, some wo Him thus bespake; O most redoubted Knight, The which hast me, of all most wretched wight, That earst was dead, restor’d to life againe, And these weake impes replanted by thy might; What guerdon can I giue thee for thy paine, But euen that which thou sauedst, thine still to remaine? He tooke her vp forby the lilly hand, xvii And her recomforted the best he might, Saying; Deare Lady, deedes ought not be scand By th’authors manhood, nor the doers might, But by their trueth and by the causes right: That same is it, which fought for you this day. What other meed then need me to requight, But that which yeeldeth vertues meed alway? That is the vertue selfe, which her reward doth pay. She humbly thankt him for that wondrous grace, xviii And further sayd; Ah Sir, but mote ye please, Sith ye thus farre haue tendred my poore case, As from my chiefest foe me to release, That your victorious arme will not yet cease, Till ye haue rooted all the relickes out Of that vilde[365] race, and stablished my peace. What is there else (sayd he) left of their rout? Declare it boldly Dame, and doe not stand in dout. Then wote you, Sir, that in this Church hereby, xix There stands an Idole of great note and name, The which this Gyant reared first on hie, And of his owne vaine fancies thought did frame: To whom for endlesse horrour of his shame, He offred vp for daily sacrifize My children and my people, burnt in flame; With all the tortures, that he could deuize, The more t’aggrate his God with such his blouddy guize.