And by the way she sundry purpose found xlv Of this or that, the time for to delay, And of the perils whereto he was bound, The feare whereof seem’d much her to affray: But all she did was but to weare out day. Full oftentimes she leaue of him did take; And eft againe deuiz’d some what to say, Which she forgot, whereby excuse to make: So loth she was his companie for to forsake. At last when all her speeches she had spent, xlvi And new occasion fayld her more to find, She left him to his fortunes gouernment, And backe returned with right heauie mind, To _Scudamour_, who she had left behind, With whom she went to seeke faire _Amoret_, Her second care, though in another kind; For vertues onely sake, which doth beget True loue and faithfull friendship, she by her did set. Backe to that desert forrest they retyred, xlvii Where sorie _Britomart_ had lost her late; There they her sought, and euery where inquired, Where they might tydings get of her estate; Yet found they none. But by what haplesse fate, Or hard misfortune she was thence conuayd, And stolne away from her beloued mate, Were long to tell; therefore I here will stay Vntill another tyde, that I it finish may. FOOTNOTES: [102] xvii 8 bathe _1609_ [103] friend _1609_ [104] xviii 8 strooke _1609_ [105] xxiv 8 his _om. 1609_ [106] xxviii 6 He] Her _1596_: Him _conj. Upton_ [107] certes _1596_ [108] xxxi 5 withstand _1596_ [109] xxxv 1 certes _1596_ [110] xl 5 launc’t _1609_ [111] xliv 4 in] on _1609_ _Cant. VII._ [Illustration: _Amoret rapt by greedie lust Belphebe saues from dread, The Squire her loues, and being blam’d his dayes in dole[112] doth lead._ ] Great God of loue, that with thy cruell dart[113] i Doest conquer greatest conquerors on ground, And setst thy kingdome in the captiue harts Of Kings and Keasars, to thy seruice bound, What glorie, or what guerdon hast thou found In feeble Ladies tyranning so sore; And adding anguish to the bitter wound, With which their liues thou lanchedst[114] long afore, By heaping stormes of trouble on them daily more? So whylome didst thou to faire _Florimell_; ii And so and so to noble _Britomart_: So doest thou now to her, of whom I tell, The louely _Amoret_, whose gentle hart Thou martyrest with sorow and with smart, In saluage forrests, and in deserts wide, With Beares and Tygers taking heauie part, Withouten comfort, and withouten guide, That pittie is to heare the perils, which she tride.