himselfe and his traine hée thus imparted at large his minde Madame to the ende you should not bee ignorant of the chiefest cause of my comming into this Country knowe yée that I being prouoked with an incredible desire to doo you seruice am departed the Kingdome of Bohemia the proper place of my natiuity where the King my father happily swayeth the Scepter at this present day and this vpon confidence that you shall know the sincere affection which I haue to obey you in all things you will not refuse to accept me fréely for your sonne in Law And albeit that I doo not repute my selfe at this present very rich in earthly riches hauing as yet my father liuing yet may I well vaunt to bee in bart and good will to serue and defende you from your enemies a man more forward than any other Prince of Europe For this occasion I pray you graunt mee in marriage your Daughter Gridonia whome I shall bée able to vpholde in her honours better than any other Knight that at this day liueth Faire Knight replyed then the Duchesse to giue you my Daughter to wife could I well be content if by any meanes it might bée knowing very well the illustrious bloude from whence you descende Notwithstanding shée hath sworne neuer to marry with any but with him who for the Iewels of her marriage shall first present her with the head of Primaleon of Greece sonne to the Constantino Politane Emperour This is no small demaund quoth the Knight againe albeit when I shoulde haue some iust and reasonable occasion I would embolden my selfe so farre as to dare to goe to deâ—â—â— him at his owne home to effect the same I will tell you occasion good ynough said the Lady then you shoulde knowe that in a Tourney which he caused to be published at the Nuptials of his sister Philocrista hee gaue safe conduct to all commers when for all that he slew felloniously as if it had béene in a mortall Combate fought at all destance Perrequin of Duas sonne to the King of Polland my Brother who entred the Lists onely to the ende to assay himselfe against him So that by good reason you may vppon this death accuse him of fellony and disloyalty Madame answered hée that is not sufficient to vrge this euill act vpon him because the Knight who entereth into a Tourney is as the man that playeth at Dice who before hée sit himselfe downe to play must make account that hée may sometimes loose and sometimes winne Euen so the true Knight should appeare within the Lists in hazard to leaue his life there behinde him as soone as to bring it away with him againe Notwithstanding séeing that I haue no better occasion I will combat him alleadging that hée slew him in anger and mallice which prouoked him thereunto Whereuppon I doo assure thy selfe that hee trusting in Prowesse and reputation will answere me arrogantly and prouoke mee with some iniurious wordes which will giue mee more apparent reason to combat him And to the ende that you shoulde knowe I speake nothing with my mouth which my heart forethinketh not I promise to depart incontinently hence and to take my voyage to Constantinople where if I dye in the battell it shall be for me a perpetuall honour and praise to dye for so perfect a Lady as Gridonia is and if I chaunce to vanquish mine enemy I shal purchase the most exquisite and rare treasure that Nature might present me on this earth True it is Madame that I would greatly desire that it would please you of curtesie to let me sée the Princesse your Daughter before my departure for that hauing once imprinted her liuely beauty within my hart shée shall double augment my force and courage That will I not refuse you said the Duchesse but I accorde it vnto you with all my hart yet not without aduertising you before hand that you shal put your selfe in great perrill of your life by reason of a Lyon which gardeth her continuallie the which wareth fierce and cruell so soone as hee perâ—â—aneth anie Knights come neare my Daughter For all that will not I let to go see answered then Valido hoping I shall well enough defend my selfe if the beast come to assaile me Hauing then taken this resolution the Duchesse sent with him one of the Gentlemen of her house with expresse commandement not to suffer any other to enter within the Castell but this Knight onely where when hee came afterwards and that Gridonia knew that it was the King of Bohemiaes Sonne who would go to combat Primaleon for her Loue she commaunded to bring him vp into her chamber Which the Prince vnderstanding hee tooke brauely his buckler in one hand his naked sword in the other then entred â—â— without any feare like a hartie and valiant Champion But the Lyon séeing him approch in this equipage beganâ—◠〈◊〉 and narre lifting vp his head furiously out of the Damosels lappe where he was wont for the most part to repose it Neuerthelesse she held him backe by great force by a lease made of gold-twist which held by a rich coller buckled to his necke for that Gridonia was not strong inough to stay him Valido came full vppon him with his brandished sword to strike hym but she cried vnto him that he should not doe it except he wold die and that he should depart onely out of the Chamber and they would finde meanes to speake together The Bohemian did doe so much willinglie and much â— doo had the Insant to kéepe her Lyon foom running after him yet by stroaking and making much of him shée shut him â—â— within a great Chamber wherein séeing himselfe thus imprisoned he began to roare in so strange manner that hee made all those who heard him fore afraid Whereat Gridonia was so vered that going out of her Chamber to speake with the Knight shée spake but thus much Fayre Knight my mishap and disaster will not permit mee at this present to haue any long talke with you therefore I beséech the Almightie so to strengthen your Arme against Primaleon that you may make him pay dearely for his treason wherein I remayning satisfied shall repute my selfe a most Fortunate woman to bee reuenged by meanes of the best knight who euer put foote in stirrop So much astonished and ranished with her great beautie was Valido that hardly could be answere one only word neuer fearing to be accounted lumpish and of small discretion he hazarâ—â—d to breake silence in this manner Madame sore shuld the heauens punish mee and Fortune should shew hir selfe too too mutinous against mee if séeing so rare and perfect a Paragon as is your personage I should not employ my body and soule to their vtter mostâ— to reuenge you of the wrongs which are offered you for that hee should be very blinde and deuoide of naturall reason who hauing once séene your selfe if he shuld not iudge you vnworthie of aduersitie and for
hands of any Knight who were issued out of that so noble and generous race of Palmerin de Oliua Notwithstanding séeing without doubt it is an inâ—uitable extremity I must patiently yéeld my selfe his humble captiue beséeching God I may finde so much curtesse in him as once did my mother in the like accident receaue of the so redoubted Prince Palmerin de Oliua Prince Edward afterwardes hauing vnderstoode by the More the interpretation which the Infant had accompanied with so heauy a sigh he would take the charge of her himselfe saying to the Master of the shippe that of all the booty they had taken he demanded nothing els for his share but this Damsell So Prince Edward lead away into his Chamber the Princesse Zerphira with fower of her principall Damsels onely who carryed with them theyr rings and iewels giuing the rest of the pillage to the Merchant and his companions then procéeding in theyr voyage the Knight called to minde how there were diuers Christians within his shippe who did him seruice with great reuerence whereupon mistrusting lest they should know him he tooke aside a little the Master of the Shippe saying thus vnto him my friend I perceaue you know who I am whereby men may thinke great simplicity in me to conceale my selfe hereafter Understand therefore that I departed out of the King my fathers Court with an vnspeakable desire to come to sée as well the good Knights which are in the Court of King Frisol as also in that of the Emperour of Constantinople therefore I must request you not to manifest mee to any one considering that what I doo now is but for some good respect And â—o the ende wee may auoyde the inconuenience which might ensue by the enquiry made of mée you shall doo mee hereafter the least honour you can reputing me but for a simple and poore wandring Knight whom you shall call the Knight of the Dogge and say I am of some farre Nation to you vnknowne who wandring thorough the world to séeke strange aduentures and arriuing at the King of Englands Court soiourned there a while with Prince Edward his sonne with whome I was so well acquainted that he would haue kept me there a long time with him whereby it procéedeth that I can better speake that language than any other yea than mine owne naturall tongue And if yee doo so and God giue mee grace to liue the age of a man I will reward you so that you shall thinke it a blessed hower wherein you first met me Syr replyed the Merchant you haue already done me more grace than I shall euer bee able hereafter to deserue at your hands which may well assure you I shall neuer dare disclose you seeing the great care and dilligence you your selfe vse not to bee descried of any whatsoeuer and whereas there is others beside in this vessell who knowe you as well as I doo I will make them all come before you to the ende they may promise not to make knowne your name but when and to whom you shall please So it fell out when they arriued afterward with great gladnesse at Arriace which was the place of the birth and dwelling of the chiefe Merchant who was owner of the ship Being a Cittie verie strong and of good defence situate in the Kingdome of Hungarie on the one side confining with the Countries of the Soloan of Nicea There came they into a Hauen and for the Merchant was rich and had a faire lodging hee tooke the Knight with him into his house who would néedes bring along Zerphira with him leading hir by the arme where they were Honourably entertained by the Merchants wife who at their arriuall vnderstood secretly by meanes of her husband the discourse of this Nauigation But all those of this ship hauing purchased by the helpe of the Knight of the Dogge great riches from the Instdels the brute thereof came quickly to the eares of this Ladie who found her selfe at that instant in a wofull case because King Frisoll went about by his Soueraignâ—ty to take from her this Cittie to fortesie it as beeing the next frontier to the Mores Country And also because her deceased husband had rebelled in his tune against Netrides his Father when after the conquest of this Kingdome hee sought to inuest himselfe with the principall Citties wherein no man gaintsaide him but he onely who died in this reuolte Under this pretexte then sent King Frisoll for this Lady to come vnto him so dispossesse her of the Cittie promising neuerthelesse to recompence her in good sort But shee who had but one only Sonne as yet a tender pupill vnder age would not exchange it for any other Cittie of his Kingdome as well by reason that hers was well seated for all kinde of commodities as also for that she saw all her subiects and inhabitance growne very rich and wealthy So that this Lady had no more but eight dayes of tearme remayning when she was to appeare before the King when also Prince Edward arriued at Arriace and hauing not as yet found out any that durst appeare to answere for her so that she wared very sad beeing in perplexety knowing not howe to resolue what was best to be 〈◊〉 in this cale when she vnderstoode of the prowesse and magnanimitie of the Knight of the Dogge bruted abroad in her Cittie Whereuppon it fortuned that shee sent incontinent for the principall Merchant to come to her Castell who arriued there soone after with two handmaides of Zerphira which fell to his share whereof he made a present vnto her and declared vnto her as much as yon haue read before wherewith thee had her minde so troubled that she lost almost both her sence and reason and therefore she prayed him to moue the Knight to haue some compassion of her woefull distresse Whereuppon he protesting vnto her of a troth the great curtesie and generousnes of Prince Edward shee made no farther enquirie but beeing accompanied with the Marchant with some one of her Damsels she went presently to him and falling downe prostrate before him thus she began Braue Knight if the affliction of any poore desolate widdow hath euer found place of pittie in your noble minde I beseech you most humbly you will now vouchsafe to regard mée in the necessitie wherein I am And after shee had vnfolded the whole matter vnto him the Prince made her this aunswere Madame I am verie sorie and sore displeased at your sadnesse and cause of melancholie on the other side I am verie glad that so good an occasion doth offer it selfe now to make you knowe the desire I haue had euer since mine Infancie to helpe and succour to my small power all Ladies who would employ mee and especially those who feele themselues oppressed and destitute of aids and counsell And for this cause will I willingly present my selfe before your King making him to vnderstand that corrupting the inuiolable lawes of Iustice he
doth you wrong and great iniustice to take your Cittie away from you by force and authoritie And if there be anie Knight in his Court will maintaine the contrarie I hope by the helpe of God to make him confesse it by force of Armes Thus much hee said for that he knew before howe Belcar one of King Frisols Sonnes was lately married with Alderine the Duke of Pontus Daughter and brought away his wife into Hungarie whereupon that occasion they held great feastes and Tournies so that growing vppon this quarrell in this contention with him or with the Prince Dutreus and killing him in single combat he hoped to do acceptable seruice to his Ladie Gridonia being this house néere allied to that of Constantinople The Ladie thanking him for this honest and curteous offer tolde him that if it pleased him to bare her companie shee feared nothing and that leauing her Sonne vnder good sure garde shee purposed to depart verie soone with some number of Knights for her safer conduct Whereunto the Knight answered that he was readie at any time when so euer she pleased And therefore shee caused good order to bee taken for all thinges which might be needfull in this voyage desiring before her departure to get into her possession for the Knightes sake the Damsels of Zerphira which remayned still in the Marchants hands paying for euery one of them a reasonable ransome according to their estate All that night was Prince Edward very sad for hee could not resolue with himselfe whether he should first goe to Gridonia to present vnto her the Infant Zerphira or whether he should passe vnto Constantinople to end the Combat with Primaleon In fine after many resolutions he concluded that with himself which he put in execution very early on the morrow morning for hee came to request the Marchant his Hoast that it would please him to commaund a sonne of his called Diazan to goe doo an errand for him as farre as the Clouen-Rocke wherein he was more willingly obayed than hee coulde commaund then went he strait to the Infants chamber whome he told that he would send her to an excellent Lady who wold honour her and vse her with all humanity and hee besought her to bee willing to goe hoping to come to visit her there ere long and to bring her such newes which should giue her no occasion to repent her going thither The yong Princesse albeit this offer went néere her heart answered him neuerthelesse in this manner In good faith it is great reason sir that as your prisoner and captiue I should obay your requestes without any contradiction especially knowing they deriue from the sincere and honest amity which it pleaseth you to beare me albeit I am sure I shall neuer be able to merite it on my behalfe neuerthelesse I beseech you to cause my Damsels to be called hether vnto whome if it please you I will speake some few words before my departure most willingly will I cause it to bee done replyed the Knight So hee caused them to come into her Chamber forthwith where these young Damsels séeing their Mistres in strange manner to hate her owne life in deploring and bewayling her infortunate disaster they began altogether to make such a strange and pittifull complaint that the Knight was constrayned to separate them and soone after to send away Diazan with the Infant Zerphira towards the Castell of the Clouen-Rocke to present her to the Princesse Gridonia from a Knight vnknowne with a letter whose tenour followed in these words Prince Edwards Letter to the Princesse Gridonia TO the rarest Paragon of Princesses the Lady Gridonia the onely Phoenix of her time future Quéene of Polonia and lawfull heyre of the Duchy of Ormeda a Knight who desireth to serue her perpetually sendeth gréeting kissing with all curtesie the hand of her Excellency The perfect Idea of your neuer perishing beauty accompanied with so many other singuler gifts of grace which the celestiall prouidence doth distribute equally to diuers persons hath so dimâ—ned the cléere-séeing eyes of her burning and vnquencheable beames that the Artizan in pourtraying of his liueliest péeces helpeth himselfe with your diuine lineatures as it were beauty it selfe descended into these lower Regions to bee séene amongst vs Such an example séene with mine eyes besides the testemony of another strange accident haue as it were a fatall arrow so liuely pierced my breast that I can take no rest but in trauelling to aspire vnto that which shoulde giue mee the swéete fruition of so precious a rarenes of fortune which is onely to reuenge the death of Perrequin of Duas your Cosen vppon the false traytor and fellonious bomâ—â—â—de Primaleon of Greece Continuing which tranquâ—â—lity of spirit by traueile of my body I saylâ—d merrily towards Constantinople and for the same effect when by great fortune I met a Brigandine of Mores tossed by tempest of weather into the North sea which would haue taken me prisoner But the Soueraigne of all Gods constrayning these mine enemies to passe the edge of my sworde hath safegarded and reserued me to the end to be your comforter and the reuenger of your iust quarrell For assurance whereof in attending that happy season I send you in Hostage a Damsell issued of great parentage whom I found within the vessell of those nuscreant Mores whom so I pray you to vse and entertaine as you shall know her vertue and Princely deâ—â—anor doth deserue as well in regard of the anguish which she shall suffer perceiuing her selfe thus captiue as also in respect of the sincere and perfect amity which she will shew vnto you all her life time He who hath not his match in good will to doo your Ladiship all dutifull seruice So then departed Diazan with Zerphira and all her sewels accompanied with many Merchants who conuayed them very willingly and holding on their iourney they arriued at the Castle of the Clouen-Rocke where after they had giuen Gridonia to vnderstand that there was a Damsell which they had brought her in the behalfe of a Knight Incontinent the Draw-bridges were all let downe and the great gates set wide open Then Diazan tooke the Infant by the hand to lead her strait into the Chamber of the Princesse who séeing her so richly attyred and so curteous to doo her honour and reuerence supposed she must néeds be extracted from some high and illustrious Linage wherefore shee came to welcome and to entertaynâ— her honourably and perceiuing that the Lyon which neuer styrd from her began to fawne vpon her she said alowd Sister I cannot beléeue but that this Lyon knoweth you considering the gentle semblant and ioyfull entertainement bée sheweth you which as yet I haue neuer séene him doo to any since he was with me Zerphira vnderstood nothing shee spake but stedfastly beholding her excellent perfect beauty reputing her selfe most happy to become into the power and custody of so gentle and rare a Princesse Neuerthelesse Diazan