Cant. III.
the Faery Queene.
223
Dotard, (saide he) let be thy deepe aduise;Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile,And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise,Els neuer should thy iudgement be so frayle,To measure manhood by the sword or mayle.Is not enough fowre quarters of a man,Withouten sword or shield, an hoste to quayle?Thou litle wotest, what this right-hand can:Speake they, which haue beheld the battailes, which it wan.
The man was much abashed at his boast;Yet well he wist, that who so would contendWith either of those knightes on euen coast,Should neede of all his armes, him to defend,Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend,When Braggadocchio saide, Once I did sweare,When with one sword seuen knightes I brought to end,Thence forth in battaile neuer sword to beare,But it were that, which noblest knight on earth doth weare.
Perdy Sir knight, saide then th'enchaunter bliue,That shall I shortly purchase to your hond:For now the best and noblest knight aliue,Prince Arthur is, that wonnes in Faerie lond;He hath a sword, that flames like burning brond.The same by my deuice I vndertakeShall by to morrow by thy side be fond.At which bold word that boaster gan to quake,And wondred in his minde, what mote that Monster make.
He stayd not for more bidding, but awayWas suddein vanished out of his sight:The Northerne winde his wings did broad displayAt his commaund, and reared him vp light
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