It so befell one euening, that they came ix Vnto a Castell, lodged there to bee, Where many a knight, and many a louely Dame Was then assembled, deeds of armes to see: Amongst all which was none more faire then shee, That many of them mou’d to eye her sore. The custome of that place was such, that hee Which had no loue nor lemman there in store, Should either winne him one, or lye without the dore. Amongst the rest there was a iolly knight, x Who being asked for his loue, auow’d That fairest _Amoret_ was his by right, And offred that to iustifie alowd. The warlike virgine seeing his so prowd And boastfull chalenge, wexed inlie wroth, But for the present did her anger shrowd; And sayd, her loue to lose she was full loth, But either he should neither of them haue, or both. So foorth they went, and both together giusted; xi But that same younker soone was ouerthrowne, And made repent, that he had rashly lusted For thing vnlawfull, that was not his owne: Yet since[7] he seemed valiant, though vnknowne, She that no lesse was courteous then[8] stout, Cast how to salue, that both the custome showne Were kept, and yet that Knight not locked out, That seem’d full hard t’accord two things so far in dout. The Seneschall was cal’d to deeme the right, xii Whom she requir’d, that first fayre _Amoret_ Might be to her allow’d, as to a Knight, That did her win and free from chalenge set: Which straight to her was yeelded without let. Then since that strange Knights loue from him was quitted, She claim’d that to her selfe, as Ladies det, He as a Knight might iustly be admitted; So none should be out shut, sith all of loues were fitted. With that her glistring helmet she vnlaced; xiii Which doft, her golden lockes, that were vp bound Still in a knot, vnto her heeles downe traced, And like a silken veile in compasse round About her backe and all her bodie wound: Like as the shining skie in summers night, What time the dayes with scorching heat abound, Is creasted all with lines of firie light, That it prodigious seemes in common peoples sight. Such when those Knights and Ladies all about xiv Beheld her, all were with amazement smit, And euery one gan grow in secret dout Of this and that, according to each wit: Some thought that some enchantment faygned it; Some, that _Bellona_ in that warlike wise To them appear’d, with shield and armour fit; Some, that it was a maske of strange disguise: So diuersely each one did sundrie doubts deuise.