"Squire Of Dames"
Last Updated on May 10, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 171
Context: In The Faerie Queene, a long allegorical poem made up of a series of knightly adventures, a knight known as "the Squire of Dames," assigned by his ladylove the task of seeking pledges of love from as many ladies as possible in a year's time, has received pledges from three hundred, but, when his lady sends him forth to seek an equal number of examples of chastity, he finds only three ladies in three years willing to reject his advances. The Squire of Dames, who happens upon a giantess carrying off the lady Florimell, allows Florimell to escape but is himself snatched up by the giantess. Sir Satyrane rescues the squire, and together they search for a monster like a hyena that the witch has sent after Florimell. Then Sir Satyrane:
Who having ended with that Squire of Dames
A long discourse of his adventures vaine,
The which himselfe, then Ladies, more defames,
And finding not th' Hyena to be slaine,
With that same Squire, returned backe againe
To his first way.
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