And sooth to say, why I left you so long, Was for to seeke adventure in strange place, Where Archimago said a felon strong 255 To many knights did daily worke disgrace; But knight he now shall never more deface: Good cause of mine excuse; that mote ye please Well to accept, and evermore embrace My faithfull service, that by land and seas 260 Have vowd you to defend: now then your plaint appease.
His lovely words her seemd due recompence Of all her passed paines: one loving howre For many yeares of sorrow can dispence: A dram of sweet is worth a pound of sowre: 265 She has forgot, how many a woful stowre For him she late endurd; she speakes no more Of past: true is, that true love hath no powre To looken backe; his eyes be fixt before. Before her stands her knight, for whom she toyld so sore. 270
Much like, as when the beaten marinere, That long hath wandred in the Ocean wide, Oft soust in swelling Tethys saltish teare, And long time having tand his tawney hide With blustring breath of heaven, that none can bide, 275 And scorching flames of fierce Orions hound,° Soone as the port from farre he has espide, His chearefull whistle merrily doth sound, And Nereus crownes with cups°; his mates him pledg around.
Such joy made Una, when her knight she found; 280 And eke th' enchaunter joyous seemd no lesse, Then the glad marchant, that does vew from ground° His ship farre come from watrie wildernesse, He hurles out vowes, and Neptune oft doth blesse: So forth they past, and all the way they spent 285 Discoursing of her dreadful late distresse, In which he askt her, what the Lyon ment: Who told her all that fell in journey as she went.
They had not ridden farre, when they might see One pricking towards them with hastie heat, 290 Full strongly armd, and on a courser free, That through his fiercenesse fomed all with sweat, And the sharpe yron did for anger eat, When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side; His looke was sterne, and seemed still to threat 295 Cruell revenge, which he in hart did hyde, And on his shield _Sans loy_° in bloudie lines was dyde.
When nigh he drew unto this gentle payre And saw the Red-crosse, which the knight did beare, He burnt in fire, and gan eftsoones prepare 300 Himselfe to battell with his couched speare. Loth was that other, and did faint through feare, To taste th' untryed dint of deadly steele; But yet his Lady did so well him cheare, That hope of new goodhap he gan to feele; 305 So bent his speare, and spurd his horse with yron heele.