Which when the Ladie saw, with great affright xxxi She starting vp, began to shrieke aloud, And with her garment couering him from sight, Seem’d vnder her protection him to shroud; And falling lowly at his feet, her bowd Vpon her knee, intreating him for grace, And often him besought, and prayd, and vowd; That with the ruth of her so wretched case, He stayd his second strooke, and did his hand abase. Her weed she then withdrawing, did him discover, xxxii Who now come to himselfe, yet would not rize, But still did lie as dead, and quake, and quiuer, That euen the Prince his basenesse did despize, And eke his Dame him seeing in such guize, Gan him recomfort, and from ground to reare. Who rising vp at last in ghastly wize, Like troubled ghost did dreadfully appeare, As one that had no life him left through former feare. Whom when the Prince so deadly saw dismayd, xxxiii He for such basenesse shamefully him shent, And with sharpe words did bitterly vpbrayd; Vile cowheard dogge, now doe I much repent, That euer I this life vnto thee lent, Whereof thou caytiue so vnworthie art; That both thy loue, for lacke of hardiment, And eke thy selfe, for want of manly hart, And eke all knights hast shamed with this knightlesse part. Yet further hast thou heaped shame to shame, xxxiv And crime to crime, by this thy cowheard feare. For first it was to thee reprochfull blame, To erect this wicked custome, which I heare, Gainst errant Knights and Ladies thou dost reare; Whom when thou mayst, thou dost of arms despoile, Or of their vpper garment, which they weare: Yet doest thou not with manhood, but with guile Maintaine this euill vse, thy foes thereby to foile. And lastly in approuance of thy wrong, xxxv To shew such faintnesse and foule cowardize, Is greatest shame: for oft it falles, that strong And valiant knights doe rashly enterprize, Either for fame, or else for exercize, A wrongfull quarrell to maintaine by fight[496]; Yet haue, through prowesse and their braue emprize, Gotten great worship in this worldes sight. For greater force there needs to maintaine wrong, then right. Yet since[497] thy[498] life vnto this Ladie fayre xxxvi I giuen haue, liue in reproch and scorne; Ne euer armes, ne euer knighthood dare Hence to professe: for shame is to adorne With so braue badges one so basely borne; But onely breath sith that I did forgiue. So hauing from his crauen bodie torne Those goodly armes, he them away did giue And onely suffred him this wretched life to liue.