And for defence thereof, on th’other end vii There reared was a castle faire and strong, That warded all which in or out did wend, And flancked both the bridges sides along, Gainst all that would it faine to force or wrong. And therein wonned twenty valiant Knights; All twenty tride in warres experience long; Whose office was, against all manner[171] wights By all meanes to maintaine[172] that castels[173] ancient rights. Before that Castle was an open plaine, viii And in the midst thereof a piller placed; On which this shield, of many sought in vaine, The shield of Loue, whose guerdon me hath graced, Was hangd on high with golden ribbands laced; And in the marble stone was written this, With golden letters goodly well enchaced, _Blessed the man that well can vse his blis: Whose euer be the shield, faire Amoret be his._ Which when I red, my heart did inly earne[174], ix And pant with hope of that aduentures hap: Ne stayed further newes thereof to learne, But with my speare vpon the shield did rap, That all the castle ringed with the clap. Streight forth issewd a Knight all arm’d to proofe, And brauely mounted to his most mishap: Who staying nought to question from aloofe, Ran fierce at me, that fire glaunst from his horses hoofe. Whom boldly I encountred (as I could) x And by good fortune shortly him vnseated. Eftsoones out sprung two more of equall mould; But I them both with equall hap defeated: So all the twenty I likewise entreated, And left them groning there vpon the plaine. Then preacing to the pillour I repeated The read thereof for guerdon of my paine, And taking downe the shield, with me did it retaine. So forth without impediment I past, xi Till to the Bridges vtter gate I came: The which I found sure lockt and chained fast. I knockt, but no man aunswred me by name; I cald, but no man answerd to my clame. Yet I perseuer’d still to knocke and call, Till at the last I spide within the same, Where one stood peeping through a creuis small, To whom I cald aloud, halfe angry therewithall. That was to weet the Porter of the place, xii Vnto whose trust the charge thereof was lent: His name was _Doubt_, that had a double face, Th’one forward looking, th’other backeward bent, Therein resembling _Ianus_ auncient, Which hath in charge the ingate of the yeare: And euermore his eyes about him went, As if some proued perill he did feare, Or did misdoubt some ill, whose cause did not appeare.