She comming forth, when as she first beheld xxvi The armed Prince, with shield so blazing bright, Her ready to assaile, was greatly queld, And much dismayd with that dismayfull sight, That backe she would haue turnd for great affright. But he gan her with courage fierce assay, That forst her turne againe in her despight, To saue her selfe, least that he did her slay: And sure he had her slaine, had she not turnd her way. Tho when she saw, that she was forst to fight, xxvii She flew at him, like to an hellish feend, And on his shield tooke hold with all her might, As if that it she would in peeces rend, Or reaue out of the hand, that did it hend. Strongly he stroue out of her greedy gripe To loose his shield, and long while did contend: But when he could not quite it, with one stripe Her Lions clawes he from her feete away did wipe. With that aloude she gan to bray and yell, xxviii And fowle blasphemous speaches forth did cast, And bitter curses, horrible to tell, That euen the Temple, wherein she was plast, Did quake to heare, and nigh asunder brast. Tho with her huge long taile she at him strooke, That made him stagger, and stand halfe agast With trembling ioynts, as he for terrour shooke; Who nought was terrifide, but greater courage tooke. As when the Mast of some well timbred hulke xxix Is with the blast of some outragious storme Blowne downe, it shakes the bottome of the bulke, And makes her ribs to cracke, as they were torne, Whilest still she stands as stonisht and forlorne: So was he stound[368] with stroke of her huge taile. But ere that it she backe againe had borne, He with his sword it strooke, that without faile He ioynted it, and mard the swinging of her flaile. Then gan she cry much louder then afore, xxx That all the people there without it heard, And _Belge_ selfe was therewith stonied sore, As if the onely sound thereof she feard. But then the feend her selfe more fiercely reard Vppon her wide great wings, and strongly flew With all her body at his head and beard, That had he not foreseene with heedfull vew, And thrown his shield atween, she had him done to rew. But as she prest on him with heauy sway, xxxi Vnder her wombe his fatall sword he thrust, And for her entrailes made an open way, To issue forth; the which once being brust, Like to a great Mill damb forth fiercely gusht, And powred out of her infernall sinke Most vgly filth, and poyson therewith rusht, That him nigh choked with the deadly stinke: Such loathly matter were small lust to speake, or thinke.