XVII

Thine, O then, said the gentle Recrosse knight, 145
  Next to that Ladies love,[*] shal be the place,
  O fairest virgin, full of heavenly light,
  Whose wondrous faith exceeding earthly race,
  Was firmest fixt[*] in mine extremest case. 
  And you, my Lord, the Patrone of my life, 150
  Of that great Queene may well gaine worthy grace: 
  For onely worthy you through prowes priefe,
Yf living man mote worthie be, to be her liefe.

XVIII

So diversly discoursing of their loves,
  The golden Sunne his glistring head gan shew, 155
  And sad remembraunce now the Prince amoves
  With fresh desire his voyage to pursew;
  Als Una earnd her traveill to renew. 
  Then those two knights, fast friendship for to bynd,
  And love establish each to other trew, 160
  Gave goodly gifts, the signes of gratefull mynd,
And eke the pledges firme, right hands together joynd.

XIX

Prince Arthur gave a boxe of Diamond sure,
  Embowd with gold and gorgeous ornament,
  Wherein were closd few drops of liquor pure, 165
  Of wondrous worth, and vertue excellent,
  That any wound could heale incontinent: 
  Which to requite, the Redcrosse knight him gave
  A booke,[*] wherein his Saveours testament
  Was writ with golden letters rich and brave; 170
A worke of wondrous grace, and able soules to save.

XX

Thus beene they parted, Arthur on his way
  To seeke his love, and th’ other for to fight
  With Unaes foe, that all her realme did pray. 
  But she now weighing the decayed plight, 175
  And shrunken synewes of her chosen knight,
  Would not a while her forward course pursew,
  Ne bring him forth in face of dreadfull fight,
  Till he recovered had his former hew: 
For him to be yet weake and wearie well she knew. 180

XXI

So as they traveild, lo they gan espy
  An armed knight[*] towards them gallop fast,
  That seemed from some feared foe to fly,
  Or other griesly thing, that him aghast. 
  Still as he fled, his eye was backward cast, 185
  As if his feare still followed him behind;
  Als flew his steed, as he his bands had brast,
  And with his winged heeles did tread the wind,
As he had beene a fole of Pegasus[*] his kind.

XXII

Nigh as he drew, they might perceive his head 190
  To be unarmd, and curld uncombed heares
  Upstaring stiffe, dismayd with uncouth dread;
  Nor drop of bloud in all his face appeares
  Nor life in limbe:  and to increase his feares
  In fowle reproch of knighthoods faire degree, 195
  About his neck an hempen rope he weares,
  That with his glistring armes does ill agree;
But he of rope or armes has now no memoree.