At last whenas the dreadfull passion 280 Was overpast, and manhood well awake, Yet musing at the straunge occasion, And doubting much his sence, he thus bespake; What voyce of damned Ghost from Limbo lake,° Or guilefull spright wandring in empty aire, 285 Both which fraile men do oftentimes mistake, Sends to my doubtfull eares these speaches rare, And ruefull plaints, me bidding guiltlesse bloud to spare?
Then groning deepe, Nor damned Ghost, (quoth he,) Nor guileful sprite to thee these wordes doth speake, 290 But once a man Fradubio,° now a tree, Wretched man, wretched tree; whose nature weake A cruell witch her cursed will to wreake, Hath thus transformd, and plast in open plaines, Where Boreas doth blow full bitter bleake, 295 And scorching Sunne does dry my secret vaines: For though a tree I seeme, yet cold and heat me paines.
Say on Fradubio then, or man, or tree, Quoth then the knight, by whose mischievous arts Art thou misshaped thus, as now I see? 300 He oft finds med'cine, who his griefe imparts; But double griefs afflict concealing harts, As raging flames who striveth to suppresse. The author then (said he) of all my smarts, Is one Duessa a false sorceresse, 305 That many errant knights hath brought to wretchednesse.
In prime of youthly yeares, when corage hot The fire of love and joy of chevalree First kindled in my brest, it was my lot To love this gentle Lady, whom ye see, 310 Now not a Lady, but a seeming tree; With whom as once I rode accompanyde, Me chaunced of a knight encountred bee, That had a like faire Lady by his syde, Like a faire Lady, but did fowle Duessa hyde. 315
Whose forged beauty he did take in hand, All other Dames to have exceeded farre; I in defence of mine did likewise stand, Mine, that did then shine as the Morning starre. So both to battell fierce arraunged arre, 320 In which his harder fortune was to fall Under my speare: such is the dye of warre: His Lady left as a prise martiall, Did yield her comely person to be at my call.
So doubly lov'd of Ladies unlike faire, 325 Th' one seeming such, the other such indeede, One day in doubt I cast for to compare, Whether in beauties glorie did exceede; A Rosy girlond was the victors meede: Both seemde to win, and both seemde won to bee, 330 So hard the discord was to be agreede. Fraelissa was as faire, as faire mote bee, And ever false Duessa seemde as faire as shee.