190
The second Booke of
Cant. I.
To spoyle her dainty corps so faire and sheene,As on the earth, great mother of vs all,With liuing eye more fayre was neuer seene,Of chastity and honour virginall:Witnes ye heauens, whom she in vaine to help did call.
How may it be, sdyd then the knight halfe wroth,That knight should knighthood euer so haue shent?None but that saw (qd. he) would weene for troth,How shamefully that Mayd he did torment.Her looser golden lockes he rudely rent,And drew her on the ground, and his sharpe sword,Against her snowy brest he fiercely bent,And threatned death with many a bloodie word;Tongue hates to tell the rest, that eye to see abhord.
Therewith amoued from his sober mood,And liues he yet (said he) that wrought this act,And doen the heauens afford him vitall food?He liues, (quoth he) and boasteth of the fact,Ne yet hath any knight his courage crackt.Where may that treach our then (sayd he) be found,Or by what meanes may I his footing tract?That shall I shew (sayd he) as sure, as houndThe strickē Deare doth chaleng by the bleeding wound.
He stayd not lenger talke, but with fierce yreAnd zealous haste away is quickly gone,To seeke that knight, where him that crafty SquyreSupposd to be. They do arriue anone,Where sate a gentle Lady all alone,With garments rent, and heare discheueled,Wringing her handes, and making piteous mone;Her swollen eyes were much disfigured,And her faire face with teares was fowly blubbered.
The
