24
The first Booke of
Cant. II.
And through their iron sides with crueltiesDoes seeke to perce: repining courage yieldsNo foote to foe. The flashing fier fliesAs from a forge out of their burning shields,And streams of purple bloud new dies the verdāt fields.
Curse on that Crosse (qd. then the Sarazin)That keepes thy body from the bitter fitt;Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin,Had not that charme from thee forwarned itt:But yet I warne thee now assured sitt,And hide thy head. Therewith vpon his crestWith rigorso outrageous he smitt,That a large share it hewd out of the rest,And glauncing downe his shield, from blame him fairely blest.
Who thereat wondrous wroth, the sleeping sparkOf natiue vertue gan eftsoones reuiue,And at his haughty helmet making mark,So hugely stroke, that it the steele did riue,And cleft his head. He tumbling downe aliue,With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis,Greeting his graue: his grudging ghost did striueWith the fraile flesh; at last it flitted is,Whether the soules doe fly of men, that liue amis.
The Lady when she saw her champion fall,Like the old ruines of a broken towre,Staid not to waile his woefull funerall,But from him fled away with all her powre;Who after her as hastily gan scowre,Bidding the dwarfe with him to bring awayThe Sarazins shield, signe of the conqueroure,Her soone he ouertooke, and bad to stay,For present cause was none of dread her to dismay.
Shee
