268
The second Booke of
Cant. VI.
With that he stifly shooke his steelhead dart:But sober Guyon, hearing him so rayle,Though somewhat moued in his mightie hart,Yet with strong reason maistred passion fraile,And passed fayrely forth. He turning taile,Backe to the strond retyrd, and there still stayd,Awaiting passage, which him late did faile;The whiles Cymochles with that wanton maydThe hasty heat of his auowd reuenge delayd
Whylest there the varlet stood, he saw from farreAn armed knight, that towardes him fast ran,He ran on foot, as if in lucklesse warreHis forlorne steed from him the victour wan;He seemed breathlesse, hartlesse, faint, and wan,And all his armour sprinckled was with blood,And soyld with durtie gore, that no man canDiscerne the hew thereof. He neuer stood,But bent his hastie course towardes the ydle flood.
The varlett saw, when to the flood he came,How without stop or stay he fiersly lept,And deepe him selfe beducked in the same,That in the lake his loftie crest was stept,Ne of his safetie seemed care he kept,But with his raging armes he rudely flasht,The waues about, and all his armour swept,That all the blood and filth away was washt,Yet still he bet the water, and the billowes dasht.
Atin drew nigh, to weet, what it mote bee;For much he wondred at that vncouth sight;Whom should he, but his own deare Lord, there see,His owne deare Lord Pyrrhochles, in sad plight,
Ready
