By this the other, which was passed by, x Himselfe recouering, was return’d to fight; Where when he saw his fellow lifelesse ly, He much was daunted with so dismall sight; Yet nought abating of his former spight, Let driue at him with so malitious mynd, As if he would haue passed through him quight: But the steele-head no stedfast hold could fynd, But glauncing by, deceiu’d him of that he desynd. Not so the Prince: for his well learned speare xi Tooke surer hould, and from his horses backe Aboue a launces length him forth did beare, And gainst the cold hard earth so sore him strake, That all his bones in peeces nigh he brake. Where seeing him so lie, he left his steed, And to him leaping, vengeance thought to take Of him, for all his former follies meed, With flaming sword in hand his terror more to breed. The fearefull swayne beholding death so nie, xii Cryde out aloud for mercie him to saue; In lieu whereof he would to him descrie, Great treason to him meant, his life to reaue. The Prince soone hearkned, and his life forgaue. Then thus said he, There is a straunger knight, The which for promise of great meed, vs draue To this attempt, to wreake his hid despight, For that himselfe thereto did want sufficient might. The Prince much mused at such villenie, xiii And sayd; Now sure ye well haue earn’d your meed, For th’one is dead, and th’other soone shall die, Vnlesse to me thou hether bring with speed The wretch, that hyr’d you to this wicked deed.[504] He glad of life, and willing eke to wreake The guilt on him, which did this mischiefe breed, Swore by his sword, that neither day nor weeke He would surceasse, but him, where so he were, would seeke. So vp he rose, and forth streight way he went xiv Backe to the place, where _Turpine_ late he lore; There he him found in great astonishment, To see him so bedight with bloodie gore, And griesly wounds that him appalled sore. Yet thus at length he said, How[505] now Sir knight? What meaneth this, which here I see before? How fortuneth this foule vncomely plight, So different from that, which earst ye seem’d in sight? Perdie (said he) in euill houre it fell, xv That euer I for meed did vndertake So hard a taske, as life for hyre to sell; The which I earst aduentur’d for your sake. Witnesse the wounds, and this wyde bloudie lake, Which ye may see yet all about me steeme. Therefore now yeeld, as ye did promise make, My due reward, the which right well I deeme I yearned[506] haue, that life so dearely did redeeme.