For not I him[421], as this his Ladie here viii May witnesse well, did offer first to wrong, Ne surely thus vnarm’d I likely were; But he me first, through pride and puissance strong Assayld, not knowing what to armes doth long. Perdie great blame, (then said Sir _Calidore_) For armed knight a wight vnarm’d to wrong. But then aread, thou gentle chyld, wherefore Betwixt you two began this strife and sterne vprore. That shall I sooth (said he) to you declare, ix I whose vnryper yeares are yet vnfit For thing of weight, or worke of greater care, Doe spend my dayes, and bend my carelesse wit To saluage chace, where I thereon may hit In all this forrest, and wyld wooddie raine: Where, as this day I was enraunging[422] it, I chaunst to meete this knight, who there lyes slaine, Together with this Ladie, passing on the plaine. The knight, as ye did see, on horsebacke was, x And this his Ladie, (that him ill became,) On her faire feet by his horse side did pas Through thicke and thin, vnfit for any Dame. Yet not content, more to increase his shame, When so she lagged, as she needs mote so, He with his speare, that was to him great blame, Would thumpe her forward, and inforce to goe, Weeping to him in vaine, and making piteous woe. Which when I saw, as they me passed by, xi Much was I moued in indignant mind, And gan to blame him for such cruelty Towards a Ladie, whom with vsage kind He rather should haue taken vp behind. Wherewith he wroth, and full of proud disdaine, Tooke in foule scorne, that I such fault did find, And me in lieu thereof reuil’d againe, Threatning to chastize me, as doth t’a chyld pertaine. Which I no lesse disdayning, backe returned xii His scornefull taunts vnto his teeth againe, That he streight way with haughtie choler burned, And with his speare strooke me one stroke or twaine; Which I enforst to beare though to my paine, Cast to requite, and with a slender dart, Fellow of this I beare, throwne not in vaine, Strooke him, as seemeth, vnderneath the hart, That through the wound his spirit shortly did depart. Much did Sir _Calidore_ admyre his speach xiii Tempred so well, but more admyr’d the stroke That through the mayles had made so strong a breach Into his hart, and had so sternely wroke His wrath on him, that first occasion broke. Yet rested not, but further gan inquire Of that same Ladie, whether what he spoke, Were soothly so, and that th’vnrighteous ire Of her owne knight, had giuen him his owne due hire.