Canto 17

THe most iust God, when once mans sins do grow
Beyond the boúds of pardon and of grace,
Because that mé his iudgements iust may know,
No lesse then loue, to rule on earth doth place,
Vile Monsters such as tyrannize vs so,
With wrong the right, with lust they lawes deface:
For this same c[…]use were Sylla sent and Marius,
The Nerons both, and filthie minded Varius.

For this Domician held in Rome the raigne,
And Antoninus of that name the last,
And Massimin a base vnworthie swaine,
To plague mankind in Princely throne was plast:
For this in Thebs did cruell Creon raigne,
With other tyrants more in ages past,
For this of late hath Italie beene wonne,
By men of Lumbardie, of Goth and Hunne.

What should I of vniust Attyla speake?
Of Esselin, and of an hundred more?
Whom God doth send his anger iust to wreake,
On vs that still neglect his sacred lore.
The times forepast long since, the present cake,
Of such examples yeelds vs wofull store,
How we vnthankfull and vnfruitfull sheepe.
Are giu'n to hungrie rau'ning Wolues to keepe.

Such Wolues as would not onely by their wills,
Seaze all our goods and substance as their pray,
But also send beyond the Alps high hills,
For other Wolues more hunger staru'd then thay:
The bones of men that Thrasimeno fills;
The fights of Treb and Cannas are but play,
If with our bloodie slaughters they compare,
Of Adda, Mela, Ronco, and of Tare.

No doubt God in heau'nly throne that sits,
And thence our deeds and thoughts doth plainly see
Vs to be spoild and conquerd thus permits,
By those that are perhaps as ill as we:
But if to please him we would bend our wits,
Then from these foes he soone would set vs free,
And we should see their punishment er long,
That vs oppresse by villanie and wrong.

But now to turne from whence I did digresse,
I told you how when Charles the news had hard,
Of houses burnd, and men in great distresse,
By him that doth nor God nor man regard,
Vnto their aid he doth himselfe addresse,
And chuse some speciall men to be his guard,
And meeting such as fled, their course he staid,
And these or such like words to them he said.

O simple fooles, what meane you hence to runne?
Turne backe for shame, turne backe and do not fly,
You chuse the greater ill the lesse to shunne,
To liue with shame, and may with honor dy,
What citie haue you left when this is wonne?
What hope is left a fortune new to try?
Shall one vile Pagan bost another day,
That he alone bath d[…]u'n you all away?

This said, he came vnto the pallace gate,
Where now the Pagan Prince triumphant stood,
Most like a serpent fierce that hath of late,
His old skin cast and left it in the wood,
Reioycing now of his renewed state,
Of his fresh strength, of young and lustie blood,
He shewes his forked tongue and comes apace,
And eu'rie beast that sees him giues him place.

Thus scornfull and thus proud the Pagan stands,
With threats to spoile the Pallace and deface,
And not a man that once his force withstands,
Vntill king Charles appeared in the place;
Who looking on his old victorious hands,
Said thus: and is now alterd so the case,
That these my hands that wonted were to win,
To yeeld and to be faint should now begin?

Why should the strength, the vigor and the might,
That I was wont in you to feele now faile?
Shall this same Panim dogge eu'n in my sight,
My people slay, my dwelling house assaile?
No, first on me a thousand deaths alight,
No death can make a princely heart to quaile;
And with that word with couched speare in rest,
He runnes and smites the Pagan on the brest.

And straight the other of the chosen crew,
On eu'rie side the Pagan do beset,
But how he scapt, and what did then ensew,
Another time ile tell, but not as yet:
For first some matters past I must renew,
And namely Griffin I may not forget,
And craftie Origilla with the tother,
That was her bedfellow and not her brother.

These three vnto Damasco came togither,
The fair'st and richest towne of all the East,
What time great lords and knights repaired thither,
Allured by the same of such a feast.
I told you from the holy citie hither,
Was fiue or sixe dayes iourney at the least:
But all the townes about both small and great,
Are not like this for state and fruitfull seat.

For first, beside the cleare and temprat aire,
Not noid with sommers heat nor winters cold,
There are great store of buildings large and faire,
Of carued stone most stately to behold,
The streetes all pau'd where is their most repaire,
And all the ground is of so fruitfull mold,
That all the yeare their spring doth seeme to last,
And brings them store of fruites of daintie tast.

Aboue the Citie lies a little hill,
That shades the morning sunne in erly houres,
Of waters sweet (which here we vse to still)
They make such store with spice and iuyce of flowrs
As for the quantitie might driue a mill,
Their gardens haue faire walkes and shady bowrs:
But (that which chiefe maintaineth all the sweets)
Two christall streames do runne a mid the streets.

Such was the natiue beautie of the towne:
But now because they looke for great resort,
Of Princes and of Lords of great renowne,
They decke their citie in another sort:
Each Ladie putteth on her richest gowne,
Each house with Arras hang'd in stately port:
The noble youths do stand vpon comparison,
Whose horse doth best, who weares the best caparis[…]

Thus Griffin and his mates come to this place,
And first they view these shows with great delight,
And after they had rode a little space,
A curteous squire perswades them to alight,
And praieth them to do his house that grace,
To eate and take their lodgings there that night:
They thanke him for his kind an friendly offer,
And straight accept the courtsie he doth profer.

They had set downe before them costly meat,
Of sundrie wines there was no little store,
Of precious fruits the plentie was so great,
As they had seldome seene the like before:
The while their host doth vnto them repeat,
The cause of all this feasting, and wherefore
The king appointed all these solemne sports,
To draw togither knights of sundrie sorts.

But Griffin (though he came not for this end,
For praise and brauerie at tilt to runne,
But came to find his fleeting female frend)
Yet was his courage such he would not shunne,
In these braue sports some little time to spend,
Where of well doing honor might be wonne,
He promist straight though little were his leasure,
Before he go to see and shew some pleasure.

And first he asketh farther of the feast,
If it were new ordaind, or else of old?
His host replieth thus (my worthie guest)
I shall in briefe to you this thing vnfold:
Our Prince the greatest Prince in all the East,
Hath newly pointed this great feast to hold;
This is the first, but all of his retinew,
Mind ech fourth month this custome to continew.

In token of great gladnes and great ioy,
By all the citie is the feast begunne,
In token of the danger and annoy,
That Norandin (our king) did lately shunne,
Lockt vp foure months where he could not enioy
The vse of earth, of water, aire nor sunne:
Yet at the four months end by hap he scaped
The death, with yawning mouth on him that gaped.

(But plaine to shew you whence did come the seed,
Of which this danger seemed first to grow)
Loue did to Norandin this danger breed,
The king of Cypres daughter pleasd him so,
Because her beautie did the rest exceed,
To see her, needs (in person) he would go:
He saw, he likt, he woode, he wun, he marrid her,
And homward then by ship he would haue carid her

But lo a wind and tempest rose so sore,
As three dayes space they looked to be drownd,
And made them land vpon an vnknowne shore,
Where straight we pitcht our tents vpon the ground,
And (for of trees and grasse there was good store)
The King in hope some venson to haue found,
Into the next adioyning wood doth goe,
Two pages beare his quiuer and his boe.

His meaning was some stag or buck to kill,
We wait his comming in the tent at ease,
When suddenly such noise our eares doth fill,
As winds in woods, and waues do make in seas,
And ay more nie vs it approched, till
We plaine might see vnto our sore disease,
A monster huge that ran along the sand,
Destroying all that in the way did stand.

This Orke (for so men do the monster call)
Directed straight his course vpon our tent,
His eyes were out, how ere it did befall,
But yet he was so quicke and sharpe of sent,
As all his blindnesse holpe not vs at all,
He hunteth like a spaniell by the vent,
His sent is such as none can hope to shunne him,
His pace is such as no man can outrunne him.

Thus whether they prepar'd to fight or fly,
Or whether feare both sight and flight did let,
He takes them as his prisners by and by,
Of fortie, ten scarce to the ship could get,
Among the other prisners tane was I,
Whilst I our Queene in safetie would haue set,
But all in vaine to flie, it did not boote,
He was so quicke of sent, aud swift of foote.

As shepheards hang a wallet at their wast,
So at his gudle hangs a mightie sacke,
In which the better sort of vs he plast,
The rest he bound together in a packe,
And to his caue that was most huge and vast,
He beares vs (hopelesse euer to come backe)
A comely matron in this den he had,
Maids faire and foule, some poore, some richly clad.

Beside this female family of his,
He hath a caue wherein he keepes his flocke,
That caue in length and largenesse passeth this,
Made all by hand out of the stonie rocke:
And (for mans flesh his chiefest daintie is)
Into the caue he safely doth vs locke,
The while he leades abroade his goates and sheepe,
Which in the fields adioyning he doth keepe.

The King not knowing this, returned backe,
The silence that he found some feare did breed:
But when he found his wife and men were lacke,
He then to sea did hast him with great speed:
He sees plaine signes of hast, of spoyle, of wracke,
Yet knowes he not the author of this deed,
Vntill he had his ship by hap recouered,
Then by his men the fact was plaine discouered.

When he had heard at last the wofull newes,
How greatly was his heart surprysd with griefe?
What gods, what fortune did he not accuse?
For all his losses but Lucyna chiefe?
But dangers all and death he first will chuse,
Ere he then leaue his loue without reliefe,
He either will her libertie procure,
Or else he will like chance with her endure.

He leaues his ship and goes by land apace,
There where the monster had his loue conuaid,
And often wailes her hard and wofull case,
Desiring and despairing of her aid.
Now came he in the kenning of the place,
And stands twixt halfe amazd and halfe afraid:
At last he enters (loue expelling feare)
When by good hap the monster was not there.

His wife was there, who with compassion moued,
Admonisht him to make but little stay,
But hasten thence if so his life he loued,
Lest that her husband find him in the way:
Yet from his purpose this him not remoued,
But to the sober matron he doth say,
In vaine you seeke to driue me hence by terror,
Desire hath hither brought me, and not error.

By my ill hap while I abroade was riding,
The Orko bare away my dearest wife,
I hither come of her to heare some tiding,
Or hauing lost my loue, to leese my life,
I care not I, if she in life be biding,
If she be dead, my death shall end this strife,
Loue in this point so resolute hath made me,
You should but leese your labour to distwade me.

The gentle matron in this sort replies,
Know this, thy wife in safetie doth remaine,
But hard it is to compasse or deuise,
Which way to get her from his hand againe,
His want of fight, his passing sent supplies,
To striue with him by force it were but vaine,
He spoileth men, but women do not die,
Saue onely such as striue away to flie.

But those he finds his companie to shunne,
With hatred gr[…]e doth for ay pursew,
Some he doth hang ail naked in the sunne,
And day by day their torments doth renew;
And some immediatly to death are done,
Both yong and old, both foule or faire of hew,
So that to seeke to set Lucyna free,
May harme her much, and little profit thee.

Wherefore my sonne depart the while thou may,
(The matron saith) Lucyna shall not die,
For hither shortly he will her conuay,
Where she shall fare no worse then these and I,
Depart? (quoth he) nay here I mind to stay,
And fall what shall, I will my fortune trie,
And if my hap be such I cannot free her,
At least I meane before I die to see her.

The matrons mind with much compassion moued,
To see his louing and most constant mind,
That from his purpose would not be remoued,
To bring him aid and comfort was inclind:
And then she told him how it him behoued,
If so to see his wife he had assignd,
To vse some such deuice as she would tel him,
That when the Ork should come be might not smel him.

She had that hanged in the houses roofe,
The hairie skins of many a bearded goate,
And knowing best what was for his behoofe,
Of one of them she makes him make a coate,
And with goates suet for a further proofe,
To noint his body from the foote to throate:
And in this sort his shape and sauour hiding,
He commeth to the place where we were biding.

Now night drew neare, his horne the Orke doth blow,
And all his heards came backe vnto his sold,
And Norandin among the goates doth go,
And enters in, loue maketh him so bold,
The Orko shuts the doore, and leaues vs so,
Shut vp as safe as in a towre or hold,
Then doth the king at large vnto his louer,
His comming and the meanes thereof discouer.

[…] doth not onely not reioyce,
To see her husband come thus strangely clad,
But with most lamentable mournfull voyce,
She blamd him that such perill venterd had,
And sweares that if she might haue had her choyce,
She would alone haue felt this fortune bad,
And that before it somewhat easd her paine,
To thinke that he in safetie did remaine.

Thus said Lucina faire with watred eies,
As seeming now more dolefull then before;
But Norandino in this sort replies,
Thinkst thou my deare I loued thee no more?
Yes sure, and will eu'n now a meane deuise
Both thee and these to freedome to restore,
And to deliuer from this seruile slauery,
By helpe of this same skin and grease vnsauery.

And straight he taught vs as himselfe had tride,
Each one to kill a goate and take the skin,
And outwardly to weare the hairy hide,
And to be nointed with the grease within.
Thus eu'ry one doth for himselfe prouide,
Before the sunne did yet to shine begin,
Then came the Orke and mou'd away the stone,
And out the bearded goates came one and one.

The smelling Orko at the doore doth stand,
We past like goates and make no noise nor speech,
Yet oft he groped with his hideous hand,
But poore Lucina could not chuse but skreech;
Or that he hapt to touch her with his wand,
Or else too roughly pawd her by the breech,
So back he puts her straight, and locks her vp,
And sweares that she should drinke a sory cup.

Himselfe driues out his flocke (as wont he was)
And we like goates among the goates do keepe,
And when as they were feeding on the grasse,
The monstrous heardman laid him downe to sleepe.
Thus we escapt, but our good King alas,
(That mist his loue) doth nought but waile & weep
And saue that still he hopt of her reliefe.
He would no doubt haue dide of very griefe.

At night he turneth back with like desire,
As he before had come to set her sree,
And he conceales himselfe with like attire,
From him that wants his instrument to see.
The Orke inflam'd with cruell rage and ire,
And finds himselfe deceiued thus to be,
This recompence he points her for her paines,
Vpon that hill to hang each day in chaines.

A cruell doome, but who could it resist?
Away went we, each for himselfe afraid,
But Noranaino euer doth persist
In his first purpose of procuring aid,
Lamenting that so narrowly he mist
To […]g her out, among the goates he staid,
And like a goate (forgetting his estate)
He go'th out early, and returneth late.

She sees him go and come, but all in vaine,
She maketh signes to him to haue him part,
He constantly resolueth to remaine,
The loue of her possesseth so his hart,
Despising danger and enduring paine,
He hopeth hopelesse still to ease her smart,
At foure […]onths end (good fortune so prepard)
Gradasso in[…]er came and Mandricard.

And (for her father was their louing frend)
They gaue this bold attempt to set her free,
And to her father straight they do her send,
Who was full glad and ioyfull her to see,
And that her daungers had this happie end:
But Norandino was more glad then he;
Who with the goats no longer now did stay,
But […]hile the Orko slept he stale away.

And now for ioy of this great perill past,
In which he stayd so wofull and forlorne,
And that the memorie therof may last,
To those that shalbe, and are yet vnborne,
(For neuer Prince before such wo did tast,
Nor stayd so long in miserie and scorne,
And it shalbe iust sixteene weeks tomorow,
That he remained in this wo and sorow.)

Therfore I say the king prepares this sport,
With verie great magnificence and bost,
Inuiting hither men of eu'rie sort,
Such as in chiualrie excell the most,
That far and neare may carie the report,
Of these great triumphs vnto eu'rie cost.
This tale the courteous host did tell his guest,
Of him that first ordaind the sumptuous feast.

In this and such like talke they spend the night,
And then they sleepe vpon their beds of downe,
But when that once it shined cleare and light,
The trumpets sounded ouer all the towne,
And Griffin straight puts on his armor bright,
Aspiring after same and high renowne;
His leud companion likewise doth the same,
To shew a hope as well as he of fame.

All armed thus they came vnto the field,
And view the warlike troupes as they did passe,
Where some had painted on their crest and shield,
Or some deuice that there described was,
What hope or doubt his loue to him did yeeld,
They all were Christens then, but now alas,
They all are Turks vnto the endlesse shame,
Of those that may and do not mend the same.

For where they should employ their sword and lance,
Against the Infidels our publike foes,
Gods word and true religion to aduance,
They to poore Christens worke perpetuall woes:
To you I write, ye kings of Spaine and France,
Let these alone, and turne your force on those:
And vnto you also I write as much,
Ye nations fierce, Zwizzers I meane and Dutch.

Lo, tone of Christen kings vsurps a name,
Another Catholike will needs be called:
Why do not both your deeds declare the same?
Why are Christs people slaine by you and thralled?
Get backe againe Ierusalem for shame,
That now the Turke hath tane from you and walled
Constantinople get that famous towne,
That erst belonged to th'Imperiall crowne.

Dost not thou Spaine confront with Affrike shore,
That more then Italy hath thee offended?
Yet to her hart thou leauest that before,
Against the Infidels thou hadst intended:
O Italy a slaue for euermore,
In such sort mard as neuer can be mended,
A slaue to slaues, and made of sinne a sinke,
And lotted sleepe like men orecome with drinke.

Ye Swizzers fierce, if feare of famine driue you,
To come to Lombardie to seeke some food,
Are not the Turks as neare? why should it grieue you
To spill your foes, and spare your brothers blood?
They haue the gold and riches to relieue you,
Enrich your selues with lawfull gotten good,
So shall all Europe be to you beholding,
For driuing them from these parts and withholding.

Thou Lion stout that holdst of heau'n the kayes,
(A waightie charge) see that from drowsie sleepe
Thou wake our realme, and bring her ioyfull dayes,
And from these forren wolues it safely keepe,
God doth thee to this height of honor raise,
That thou mayst feed and well defend thy sheepe,
That with a roring voice and mighty arme,
Thou mayst withhold thy flock from eu'ry harme.

But whither roues my rudely rolling pe[…],
That waxe so sawcie to reproue such peeres?
I said before that in Damasco then
They Christend were (as in records appeares)
So that the armor of their horse and men
Was like to ours (though changd of later yeares)
And Ladies fild their galleries and towrs,
To see the iusts as they did here in ours.

Each striues in shew his fellow to exceed,
And to be gallant in his mistris sight,
To see each one manage his stately steed,
Was to the standers by a great delight:
Some praise vnto themselues, some shame do breed,
By shewing horses doings wrong or right,
The chiefest prize that should be of this tilt,
An armor was rich, set with stone and gilt.

By hap a merchant of Armenia found
This armour, and to Norandin it sold,
Who, had he knowne how good it was and sound,
Would not haue left it sure for any gold,
(The circumstance I cannot now expound,
I meane ere long it shall to you be told)
Now must I tell of Griffin that came in,
Iust when the sport and tilting did begin.

Eight valiant knights the chalenge did sustaine,
Against all commers that would runne that day,
These eight were of the Princes priuate traine,
Of noble blood, and noble eu'ry way,
They fight in sport, but some in sport were slaine,
For why as hotly they did fight in play,
As deadly foes do fight in battell ray,
Saue that the King may when he list them stay.

Now Griffins fellow was Martano named,
Who (though he were a coward and a beast)
Like bold blind Bayard he was not ashamed,
To enter like a knight among the rest,
His countenance likewise in shew he framed,
As though he were as forward as the best,
And thus he stood and viewd a bitter fight,
Between a Baron and another Knight.

Lord of Seleucia the tone they call,
And one of eight that did maintaine the iust,
The Knight Ombruno hight of person tall,
Who in his vizer tooke so great a thrust,
That from his horse astonied he did fall,
And with his liuely blood distaind the dust:
This sight amazd Martano in such sort,
He was afraid to leese his life in sport.

Soone after this so fierce conflict was done,
Another challenger straight steppeth out,
With whom Martano was requird to runne,
But he (whose heart was euer full of doubt)
With fond excuses sought the same to shunne,
And shewd himselfe a faint and dastard lout,
Till Griffin egd him on, and blam'd his feare,
As men do set a mastiue on a Beare.

Then tooke he heart of grace, and on did ride,
And makes a little florish with his speare,
But in the middle way he stept aside,
For feare the blow would be too big to beare:
Yet one that would seeke this disgrace to hide,
Might in this point impure it not to feare,
But rather that his horse not good and redie,
Did shun the tilt, and ranne not eu'n nor stedie.

But after with his sword he dealt so ill,
Demosthenes him could not haue defended,
He shewd both want of courage and of skill,
So as the lookers on were all oftended,
And straight with hissing and with voices shrill,
The conflict cowardly begun was ended:
In his behalfe was Griffin sore ashamed,
His heart thereto with double heate inflamed.

For now he sees how much on him it stands,
With double value to wipe out the blot,
And shew himselfe the more stout of his hands,
Sith his companion shewd himselfe a sot,
His fame or shame must flie to forren lands,
And if he now should faile one little iot,
The same wold seem a foule and huge transgression,
His mate had fild their minds with such impression.

The first he met Lord of Sidona hight,
And towards him he runs with massie speare,
And gaue a blow that did so heauie light,
As to the ground it did him backward beare:
Then came of Laodice another knight,
On him the staffe in peeces three did teare,
Yet was the counterbuffe thereof so great,
The knight had much ado to keepe his seate.

But when they came with naked swords to trie,
Which should the honor and the prise obtaine,
So Griffin did with deadly strokes him plie,
At last he left him stom'd on the plaine.
Straightway two valiant brothers standing by,
That at Griffino tooke no small disdaine,
The tone Corimbo, tother Tirse hight,
These two forthwith do challenge him to fight.

Successiuely them both he ouerthrew,
And now men thought that he the prise would win,
But Salintern that saw them downe in vew,
To enuie good Griffino doth begin,
This man the stoutst of all the courtly crew,
Doth take a speare in hand, and enters in,
And to the combat Griffin straight defies,
And scornes to haue a stranger win the prize.

But Griffin chose one staffe among the rest,
The biggest and the strongest of a score,
And with the same he pierceth backe and brest,
That downe he fell and neuer stirred more;
The King that loued and esteemd him best,
Laments his death, and maketh mone therefore,
But yet the common sort were faine and glad,
That knew his mind and manners were but bad.

Next after him two others he doth meat,
Ermofilo the captaine of his guard,
And Carmond Admirall of all his fleet,
With these a while he had a conflict hard,
The first vnhorst was left vpon his feet,
The other with a blow was almost mard.
Thus of eight challengers remaind but one,
The rest were quite subdude by him alone.

This one was he of whom at first I spake,
Lord of Seleucia a valiant man,
This one to Griffin did resistance make,
And long it was ere ought of him he wan,
But one blow on his head so fierce he strake,
As he likewise to stagger now began,
Had not the King made them to haue bene parted,
Sure Griffin had him kild ere he had parted.

Thus all those eight, that all the world defide,
By one alone were vanquished and slaine,
So as the King was forced to prouide,
An order new for those that do remaine;
(By parting runners some on either side)
For yet was spent not past an houre or twaine,
Lest this his triumph should haue end too soone,
He makes them spend therein the afternoone.

But Griffin full of wrath and discontent,
Backe to his host with his companion came,
The praise he wan did him not so content,
As he was grieu'd at his companions shame:
Wherefore to leaue the towne they do consent,
While men were busie looking on the game,
And to a little towne fast by he goes,
And meanes himselfe a while for to repose.

The trauell sore he had before endured,
So great a wearinesse in him had bred,
And such desire of sleepe withall procured,
As straight he gat him to his naked bed.
The while Martano to all fraud inured,
And vsing aid of her mischieuous head,
(as he did soundly sleepe) deuisd the while
A stratageme most strange, him to beguise.

They do conclude to take Griffinos steed,
And cote, and eu'ry warlike implement,
And that Martano in Griffinos steed,
Himselfe to Norandino shall present.
This they deuisd, this they performd in deed,
And boldly backe againe Martano went,
In Griffins armor stoutly stepping in.
As did the Asse that ware the Lions skin.

He rusheth in among the thickest presse,
An houre before the setting of the sunne,
The King and all the rest straightway do guesse,
That this was he that had such honor wonne:
And straight great honour they to him addresse,
And cause the like by others to be done,
And his base name, not worthy to be named,
About the towne with honor was proclamed

Fast by the King he rideth cheeke by cheeke,
And in his praise they songs and verses make,
In Hebrew tongue, in Latin and in Greeke.
And now this while did Griffin hap to wake,
And seeing that his armour was to seeke,
He first begins some small mistrust to take,
Yet hardly could it sinke into his reason,
That she had giu'n consent to such a treason.

In feare and doubt no little time he houered;
But when his host the truth had plaine declard,
And that he saw the falshood plaine disouered,
By which she had in follies bands him snard,
Thē truth shewd plain that loue before had couered,
And to reuenge this wrong he straight prepard,
But wanting other furniture (perforce)
He tooke Martanos armor and his horse.

And backe vnto Damasco he doth ride,
Arriuing there within an houre of night,
And entring at the gate vpon the side,
The pallace of the King stood plaine in sight,
Where then the King a banket did prouide,
For many a Duke and Lord, and valiant Knight,
And Griffin boldly sate among the rest,
Forgetting that he ware the scorned crest.

And taken for the man whose coate he ware,
His presence did the better sort offend,
Of which when vile Martano was aware,
That of the table sate at th'vpper end,
And sees that to disgrace him they forbare,
And thinke him his companion and his frend:
His friendship and acquaintance he renounced,
And this hard doom of him he straight pronounced.

Sir King (quoth he) it seems that for my sake,
You graciously forbeare to do him shame,
That of his basenesse shamefull proofe did make
This day, and now againe confirmes the same:
But you the matter and the man mistake,
I know not him, his nation, nor his name,
By chance I met him onely on the way,
I neuer saw him I, till yesterday.

Wherefore might I herein your grace aduise,
You should a sample make him for the rest,
That here presents vnto your princely eies,
Himselfe vnworthy, and vnwelcome guest,
Let him tormented be in cruell wise,
(This is my doome) let him be hangd at least,
And vnreuenged let him not be borne,
That knighthood should receiue so great a scorne.

Thus much the vile and base Martano seth,
And Origilla soothd it with as much,
And wisht an halter stop the villains breth.
Nay (quoth the King) the sinne is nothing such,
As is in law or reason worthy death,
His life or yet his libertie to tuch:
This, for examples sake I thinke it meet,
To do him some disgrace in open street.

And straight he rounds a Sergeant in his care,
And secretly appoints him what to do,
Who came forthwith vnto the table where
Griffino sate, and made no more ado,
But leadeth him, that no such thing did feare,
A secret prison and a sure vnto,
And for that night he clapt him vp in fetters,
Where theeues do vse to lie and euill debters.

Next day Martano that did greatly dread,
Lest this his foule deuice would come to light,
If Griffin should be heard his cause to pleade,
Therefore as soone as Phoebus shined bright,
(Pretending businesse) away he sped,
And leaues Griffino in this wofull plight:
But ere he goes, the King to him imparts
No small rewards for his, not his desarts.

But let him go his wayes, and do not doubt,
That this vnknowne and vnreuengd shall be:
Straight was Griffino from the iayle put out,
And carted so as all men might him see,
Tide hand and foot, and people all about,
Of which the most were but of meane degree,
Also the armor whence this error came,
Was hald about vnto his farder shame.

With many filthy words they him reuile,
From filthy tongues, that hard it is to stop,
And shewd him round about the towne the while,
At eu'ry crosse, and house, and stall and shop:
Then thinking him for euer to exile,
They led him of that hill vnto the top,
And there his bonds they loose with great disgrace,
And then they will him packe him thence apace.

With scornfull sound of basen, pot and pan,
They thought to driue him thence like Bees in swarmes,
But when he was vntide then he began
To make them know their error to their harmes,
Then he did lay about, and play the man,
Now hauing vse of both his warlike armes,
But in what sort the them dismayd and scared,
Within another booke shall be declared.