210
The second Booke of
Cant. II.
Since errant armes to sew he first began;More huge in strength, then wise in workes he was,And reason with foole-hardize ouer ran;Sterne melancholy did his courage pas,And was for terrour more, all armd in shyning bras.
But he that lou'd the youngest, was Sansloy,He that faire Vna late fowle outraged,The most vnruly, and the boldest boy,That euer warlike weapons menaged,And to all lawlesse lust encouraged,Through strong opinion of his matchlesse might:Ne ought he car'd, whom he endamagedBy tortious wrong, or whom bereau'd of right.He now this Ladies Champion chose for loue to fight.
These two gay knights, vowd to so diuerse loues,Each other does envy with deadly hate,And daily warre against his foeman moues,In hope to win more fauour with his mate,And th'others pleasing seruice to abate,To magnifie his owne. But when they heard,How in that place straunge knight arriued late,Both knightes and ladies forth right angry far'd,And fercely vnto battell sterne themselues prepar'd.
But ere they could proceede vnto the place,Where he abode, themselues at discord fell,And cruell combat ioynd in middle space:With horrible assault, and fury fell,They heapt huge strokes, the scorned life to quell,That all on vprore from her settled seat,The house was raysd, and all that in did dwell;Seemd that lowde thunder with amazement greatDid rend the ratling skyes with flames of fouldring heat.
The
