XII

That when his deare Duessa heard, and saw 100
  The evil stownd, that daungerd her estate,
  Unto his aide she hastily did draw
  Her dreadfull beast, who swolne with blood of late
  Came ramping forth with proud presumpteous gate,
  And threatned all his heads like flaming brands.[*] 105
  But him the Squire made quickly to retrate,
  Encountring fierce with single sword in hand,
And twixt him and his Lord did like a bulwarke stand.

XIII

The proud Duessa, full of wrathfull spight,
  And fierce disdaine, to be affronted so, 110
  Enforst her purple beast with all her might
  That stop out of the way to overthroe,
  Scorning the let of so unequall foe: 
  But nathemore would that courageous swayne
  To her yeeld passage, gainst his Lord to goe, 115
  But with outrageous strokes did him restraine,
And with his bodie bard the way atwixt them twaine.

XIV

Then tooke the angrie witch her golden cup,[*]
  Which still she bore, replete with magick artes;
  Death and despeyre did many thereof sup, 120
  And secret poyson through their inner parts,
  Th’ eternall bale of heavie wounded harts;
  Which after charmes and some enchauntments said
  She lightly sprinkled on his weaker parts;
  Therewith his sturdie courage soone was quayd, 125
And all his senses were with suddeine dread dismayd.

XV

So downe he fell before the cruell beast,
  Who on his neck his bloody clawes did seize,
  That life nigh crusht out of his panting brest: 
  No powre he had to stirre, nor will to rize. 130
  That when the carefull knight gan well avise,
  He lightly left the foe, with whom he fought,
  And to the beast gan turne his enterprise;
  For wondrous anguish in his hart it wrought,
To see his loved Squire into such thraldome brought. 135

XVI

And high advauncing his blood-thirstie blade,
  Stroke one of those deformed heads so sore,
  That of his puissance proud ensample made;
  His monstrous scalpe downe to his teeth it tore,
  And that misformed shape mis-shaped more:  140
  A sea of blood gusht from the gaping wound,
  That her gay garments staynd with filthy gore,
  And overflowed all the field around;
That over shoes in bloud he waded on the ground.

XVII

Thereat he roared for exceeding paine, 145
  That to have heard great horror would have bred,
  And scourging th’ emptie ayre with his long traine,
  Through great impatience[*] of his grieved hed
  His gorgeous ryder from her loftie sted
  Would have cast downe, and trod in durtie myre, 150
  Had not the Gyant soone her succoured;
  Who all enrag’d with smart and franticke yre,
Came hurtling in full fierce, and forst the knight retyre.