Had yow'd unto the Victor, him to trace

And follow through the world wherefo he 76, went, and ai bind as

Till that he him delivered to his punishment,

XXII.

He, therewith much abashed and affrayd,
Began to tremble every limbe and vaine;
And, foftly whispering him, entyrely prayd
Tadvize him better then by fuch a traine
Him to betray unto a ftraunger Swaine :
Yet rather counfeld him contrárywize,
Sith he likewife did wrong by him sustaine,
To ioyne with him and vengeance to devize,
Whyleft time did offer meanes him fleeping to
furprizel bayar adond aman ber

Natheleffe, for all his fpeach, the gentle Knight
Would not be tempted to fuch villenie,
Regarding more his faith which he did plight,
All were it to his mortall enemie,
Then to entrap him by falfe treacherie:
Great fhame in lieges blood to be embrew'd!
Thus whyleft they were debating diverflie,
The Salvage forth out of the wood iffew'd
Backe to the place, whereas his Lord he fleeping
vew'd.

He doubted much what mote their meaning

bee;

And, throwing downe his load out of his hand,
(To weet, great store of forreft frute which hee
Had for his food late gathered from the tree,)
Himfelfe unto his weapon he betooke,

That was an oaken plant, which lately hee Rent by the root; which he fo fternly shooke, That like an hazell wand it quivered and quooke.

XXV.

Whereat the Prince awaking, when he spyde
The traytour Turpin with that other Knight,
He started up; and fnatching neare his fyde
His truftie fword, the fervant of his might,
Like a fell lyon leaped to him light,
And his left hand upon his collar layd.
Therewith the Cowheard, deaded with affright,

t

Fell flat to ground, ne word unto him fayd, But, holding up his hands, with filence mercie

prayd.

XXVI.

But he fo full of indignation was,

That to his prayer nought he would incline, But, as he lay upon the humbled gras,

XXVI. 3. the humbled gras,] See the note on "fenfeleffe ground," F. Q. y. x. 33. T. WARTON. Hughes reads humble, which I like better. The adjective is properly to be joined to he, viz. he humbled. But poetry loves to invert the natural order of words. UPTON.

His foot he fet on his vile necke, in figne Of fervile yoke, that nobler harts repine. Then, letting him arife like abiect thrall, He gan to him obiect his haynous crimé, And to revile, and rate, and recreant call, And lastly to defpoyle of knightly bannerall.

XXVII.

And after all, for greater infamie,

He by the heeles him hung upon a tree, And baffuld fo, that all which paffed by The picture of his punishment might fee, And by the like enfample warned bee, However they through treafon doe trefpáfse. But turne we now backe to that Ladie free, Whom late we left ryding upon an asse, Led by a Carle and Foole which by her fide did paffe.

XXVI. 4. His foot he fet &c.] The ancient custom shewn towards the conquered by conquerors. See C. viii. ft. 10. See alfo Joh. x. 24. "Put your feet on the necks of these kings." TODD.

XXVI. 5.

repine at. CHURCH.

XXVI. 9.

repine.] For

bannerall.] A little

flag; a penon worne on the top of a launce, by a horfeman that would be gallant. Cotgrave, in V. Banderolle. It is written in old French bannerolle. So in the Cronicque du petit Saintre, fol. xli. "Il baissa sa bannerolle &c." TODD.

XXVII. 7. But turne we now backe to that Ladie free,] But turn we now" Mai torniamo," as Boiardo and Ariosto fay, when they refume a story juft mentioned before. The fame expreffion frequently occurs in the Hiftory of Prince Arthur. This tale is begun, and left above, C. vi. ft. 16. Free is a perpetual epithet of this Lady: fee below, ft. 30. "She was born free," and ft, 31."The Lady of her liberty."

UPTON.

She was a Ladie of great dignitie,
And lifted up to honorable place,
Famous through all the Land of Fai
Though of meane parentage and kindr
Yet deckt with wondrous giftes of
grace,

That all men did her perfon much ad And praise the feature of her goodly The beames whereof did kindle lovely In th' harts of many a Knight, and n gentle Squire:

XXIX.

But the thereof grew proud and infolent That none the worthie thought to be h But fcornd them all that love unto her Yet was the lov'd of many a worthy Pe Unworthy fhe to be belov'd fo dere, That could not weigh of worthineffe ar For beautie is more glorious bright and The more it is admir'd of many a wight And nobleft fhe that ferved is of n

Knight.

XXX.

But this coy Damzell thought contráriwi That fuch proud looks would make her pr

more;

And that, the more fhe did all love def

The more would wretched Lovers her ad

What cared fhe who fighed for her fore, Or who did wayle or watch the wearie night? Let them that lift their luckleffe lot deplore; She was borne free, not bound to any wight, And fo would ever lives and love her own delight.

Through fuch her ftubborne ftifneffe and hard

hart,

Many a wretch for want of remedie

Did languish long in life-confuming fmart, And at the last through dreary dolour die: Whyleft fhe, the Ladie of her libertie,

Did boaft her beautie had fuch foveraine might,

That with the onely twinckle of her eye She could or fave or fpill whom she would hight:

What could the Gods doe more, but doe it more

But loe! the gods, that mortall follies vew, Did worthily revenge this Maydens pride; And, nought regarding her fo goodly hew, Did laugh at her that many did deride, Whileft the did weepe, of no man mercifide : For on a day, when Cupid kept his Court,

XXXII. 5.

A word of his own. CHURCH.

VOL. VII.

વ

mercifide:] Pitied.