Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/109

Rh the umpires to Sir Satyrane, who eagerly accepted the maiden, and called himself most happy to be her liege and protector.

Then was the girdle brought out, and each lady essayed to try on the precious ornament. The base Duessa, the witty Candace, the fairy Cambina, charming Lucida, and many others, attempted to put on the magic cestus. But alas, what shame and confusion ensued, when it was found that from every waist it slipped away, and refused to clasp itself! At length came Amoret’s turn, and she binding the golden zone about her slender waist it fitted as if she had been its rightful mistress. Unclasping it, she handed it, last of all, to the false Florimel, whom each believed its real owner. How amazed were all the lookers-on to behold that as fast as Florimel could clasp it on, it coiled away and slid from her grasp, so that no force could fix it on her person.

At last, red with rage and shame, the false maiden dashed it under her feet, and declared the girdle had lost its charm, and was no longer true. Then so eager were many knights to believe that none but holy thoughts could dwell in so fair a temple, that they began to doubt the virtue of the divine cestus, and disbelieved in the charm which it was said to possess.

As the knights made ready to depart, a contest arose among some of the baser sort about the