ry her garments at her fire, and while the lady was sitting there
the witch's son, a lazy worthless fellow, suddenly entered. To see
Florimell was to love her, so the uncouth rustic immediately began to
court her with fruits and flowers which he sought in the forest.
Fearing lest he should molest her finally, Florimell escaped from the
hut on her palfrey, which she found in the witch's stable.

On awakening on the morrow to find their fair visitor gone, the witch
and her son were in such despair that they let loose a wild beast,
which they owned, bidding him track the missing girl. Before long,
therefore, poor Florimell heard this monster crashing through the
forest. Terrified at the thought of falling into its power, she urged
her steed toward the sea-shore, in hopes of finding a boat and getting
away. On reaching the water, she sprang off her steed, and, seeing a
little skiff near by, stepped into it and pushed off, without securing
the permission of the fisherman, who was sleeping at the bottom of the
boat while his nets were drying on the sand.

Barely were they out of reach when the beast rushed down to the
shore, pounced upon Florimell's horse and devoured it. The monster was
still occupied thus when Sir Satyrane came riding along. He rashly
concluded the beast had devoured the rider too, a fear confirmed by
the sight of Florimell's girdle on the sand. Attacking the monster,
Sir Satyrane overcame and bound him fast with the girdle, but he
hadn't gone far, leading this reluctant captive, when he spied a
giantess bearing off an armed squire. In his haste to overtake her and
rescue a fellow-man, Sir Satyrane spurred forward so hastily that the
girdle slipped off the neck of the beast, which, finding itself free,
plunged back into the forest. To attack the giantess, free her
captive, and restore him to his senses proved short work for Sir
Satyrane, who learned that the youth he had delivered was known as the
Squire of Dames, because he constantly rode through the forest freeing
damsels in distress.

Together with this companion, Sir Satyrane journeyed on until they
encountered Sir Paridell, who told them he was in quest of Florimell,
who was wandering alone in the forest. Thereupon Sir Satyrane informed
Sir Paridell that the maiden must be dead, exhibiting as proof her
girdle and relating under what circumstances it had been found. Then
all present took a solemn oath not to rest until they had avenged the
lady's de