That girdle gaue the vertue of chast loue, iii And wiuehood true, to all that did it beare; But whosoeuer contrarie doth proue, Might not the same about her middle weare, But it would loose, or else a sunder teare. Whilome it was (as Faeries wont report) Dame _Venus_ girdle, by her steemed deare, What time she vsd to liue in wiuely sort; But layd aside, when so she vsd her looser sport. Her husband _Vulcan_ whylome for her sake, iv When first he loued her with heart entire, This pretious ornament they say did make, And wrought in _Lemno_ with vnquenched fire: And afterwards did for her loues first hire, Giue it to her, for euer to remaine, Therewith to bind lasciuious desire, And loose affections streightly to restraine; Which vertue it for euer after did retaine. The same one day, when she her selfe disposd v To visite her beloued Paramoure, The God of warre, she from her middle loosd, And left behind her in her secret bowre, On _Acidalian_[84] mount, where many an howre She with the pleasant _Graces_ wont to play. There _Florimell_ in her first ages flowre Was fostered by those _Graces_, (as they say) And brought with her from thence that goodly belt away. That goodly belt was _Cestus_[85] hight by name, vi And as her life by her esteemed deare. No wonder then, if that to winne the same So many Ladies sought, as shall appeare; For pearelesse she was thought, that did it beare. And now by this their feast all being ended, The iudges which thereto selected were, Into the Martian field adowne descended, To deeme this doutfull case, for which they all contended. But first was question made, which of those Knights vii That lately turneyd, had the wager wonne: There was it iudged by those worthie wights, That _Satyrane_ the first day best had donne: For he last ended, hauing first begonne. The second was to _Triamond_ behight, For that he sau’d the victour from fordonne: For _Cambell_ victour was in all mens sight, Till by mishap he in his foemens hand did light. The third dayes prize vnto that[86] straunger Knight, viii Whom all men term’d Knight of the Hebene speare, To _Britomart_ was giuen by good right; For that with puissant stroke she downe did beare The _Saluage_ Knight, that victour was whileare, And all the rest, which had the best afore, And to the last vnconquer’d did appeare; For last is deemed best. To her therefore The fayrest Ladie was adiudgd for Paramore.