But that young Knight, which through her gentle deed xv Was to that goodly fellowship restor’d, Ten thousand thankes did yeeld her for her meed, And doubly ouercommen, her ador’d: So did they all their former strife accord; And eke fayre _Amoret_ now freed from feare, More franke affection did to her afford, And to her bed, which she was wont forbeare, Now freely drew, and found right safe assurance theare. Where all that night they of their loues did treat, xvi And hard aduentures twixt themselues alone, That each the other gan with passion great, And griefull[9] pittie priuately bemone. The morow next so soone as _Titan_ shone, They both vprose, and to their waies them dight: Long wandred they, yet neuer met with none[10], That to their willes could them direct aright, Or to them tydings tell, that mote their harts delight. Lo thus they rode, till at the last they spide xvii Two armed Knights, that toward them did pace, And ech of them had ryding by his side A Ladie, seeming in so farre a space, But Ladies none they were, albee in face And outward shew faire semblance they did beare; For vnder maske of beautie and good grace, Vile treason and fowle falshood hidden were, That mote to none but to the warie wise appeare. The one of them the false _Duessa_ hight, xviii That now had chang’d her former wonted hew: For she could d’on so manie shapes in sight, As euer could Cameleon[11] colours new; So could she forge all colours, saue the trew. The other no whit better was then shee, But that such as she was, she plaine did shew; Yet otherwise much worse, if worse might bee, And dayly more offensiue vnto each degree. Her name was _Ate_, mother of debate, xix And all dissention, which doth dayly grow Amongst fraile men, that many a publike[12] state And many a priuate oft doth ouerthrow. Her false _Duessa_ who full well did know, To be most fit to trouble noble knights, Which hunt for honor, raised from below, Out of the dwellings of the damned sprights, Where she in darknes wastes her cursed daies and nights. Hard by the gates of hell her dwelling is, xx There whereas all the plagues and harmes abound, Which punish wicked men, that walke amisse:[13] It is a darksome delue farre vnder ground, With thornes and barren brakes enuirond round, That none the same may easily out win; Yet many waies to enter may be found, But none to issue forth when one is in: For discord harder is to end then to begin.