nimous, so very a dastard, whom love would not incense, make of a
divine temper, and an heroical spirit. As he said in like case, [5492]
_Tota ruat caeli moles, non terreor_, &c. Nothing can terrify, nothing can
dismay them. But as Sir Blandimor and Paridel, those two brave fairy
knights, fought for the love of fair Florimel in presence--

[5493] "And drawing both their swords with rage anew,
Like two mad mastives each other slew,
And shields did share, and males did rash, and helms did hew;
So furiously each other did assail,
As if their souls at once they would have rent,
Out of their breasts, that streams of blood did trail
Adown as if their springs of life were spent,
That all the ground with purple blood was sprent,
And all their armour stain'd with bloody gore,
Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent.
So mortal was their malice and so sore,
That both resolved (than yield) to die before."

Every base swain in love will dare to do as much for his dear mistress'
sake. He will fight and fetch, [5494]Argivum Clypeum, that famous buckler
of Argos, to do her service, adventure at all, undertake any enterprise.
And as Serranus the Spaniard, then Governor of Sluys, made answer to
Marquess Spinola, if the enemy brought 50,000 devils against him he would
keep it. The nine worthies, Oliver and Rowland, and forty dozen of peers
are all in him, he is all mettle, armour of proof, more than a man, and in
this case improved beyond himself. For as [5495]Agatho contends, a true
lover is wise, just, temperate, and valiant. [5496]"I doubt not, therefore,
but if a man had such an army of lovers" (as Castilio supposeth) "he might
soon conquer all the world, except by chance he met with such another army
of inamoratos to oppose it." [5497]For so perhaps they might fight as that
fatal dog and fatal hare in the heavens, course one another round, and
never make an end. Castilio thinks Ferdinand King of Spain would never have
conquered Granada, had not Queen Isabel and her ladies been present at the
siege: [5498]"It cannot be expressed what courage the Spanish knights took,
when the ladies were present, a few Spaniards overcame a multitude of
Moors." They will undergo any danger whatsoever, as Sir Walter Manny in
Edward the Third's time, stuck full of ladies' favours, fought like a
dragon. For _soli amantes_, as [5499]Plato holds, _pro amicis mori