full of great ioy he fell vppon Rosicleer his necke and sayd Oh my sonne I did well vnderstand that in the time of my greatest necessitie that thou wouldest neuer deceiue me with greate reason I may call thée my fortunate sonne not for that thou wert borne in a good daie but also that loue did cause so greate affection to thy mother of whome hath procéeded such finite as thou and thy brother Nowe of this worthie Prince what shall I saye that with verie ioye he was almost beside himselfe when he heard his Father the Emperour speake for by the sounde of his voyce he did know him So straight waye the Emperour pulled of his helme wherewith this valiaunt Rosicleer was fully resolued and without all doubt When he sawe the maiestie of his regall countenaunce and his bearde adorned with some royall white haires his face somewhat high coloured by reson of the great trauaile he receiued in his late battailes in the which he showed his great power and the prowesse of the progenie from whence he did procéede his sonne bowed downe his knées to the earth and lifted vp the visour of his healme and kissed the Emperours hands bathing them with the teares that fell from his eyes which was forced by his heart for the great ioye which he receiued The Emperour tooke him by the hand raysed him from the ground with great loue If I should héere declare the rest of the extremities that passed in this their ioyfull méeting it should be very tedious vnto the hearers therfore I doo remit it vnto such a father whose lot it is to haue good children therwith their like helpe in necessitie So without making any more delay the Emperour would haue deliuered out of prison the Knight of this faire Lidia the which being vnderstoode by them of the Castle they straight waye brought him before the Emperour with many other moe which were pertakers with him in the succour of the Lady These Knightes altogether gaue great thankes vnto the Emperour for y e friendship he had shewed them in helping them out of this theyr terrible imprisonment And thus they remained in great ioy and pleasure as well the Emperour for the sight of his son as also all those which were prisoners for the good successe that they had but especially and aboue all the rest was the ioye of Lidia which with the contentment that she receiued to sée hir Brenio in hir companie so that she was almost rauished of hir wits but in the countenaunce of the Knight it appeared by his outward showe that he receiued no pleasure the which being vnderstoode by this faire Lidia not knowing the cause whereof it should procéede to mooue him therevnto all hir great ioye and delight was tourned into despaire Then the Emperour commaunded those of the Castle that they should giue him somewhat to eate and likewise to all the rest which were taken out of prison vnto him for the great trauaile which he had passed in this battaile and vnto the rest for that they had great néed thereof So it was straight way made ready and that in very good order and they all sate downe together at the Emperours table So when they had almost dined and that they were well refreshed the Emperour tolde vnto Rosicleer who that King was which he had séene in the waggon the occasion thereof for the which he desired him that no other aduenture should be the occasion to let him but to goe straight vnto Constantinople and to take in companie with him Brandimardo and procure that the Lady might be restored againe vnto her kingdome vsing all your diligence to giue hir him to wife for that the noble Prince is worthye of no small honour And héere my sonne I doo professe vnto thée that a more beautifull Ladie in all my life I haue not séene but onely the Empresse Claridiana Also if that fortune doo so serue that thy brother the Knight of the Sunne come to those parts thou shalt will him that he doo not mooue nor depart from those parts for any kinde of aduenture that shall succéede till such time as I doo retourne for that nowe at this present I cannot retourne for that I haue sworne and giuen my word So there he tolde vnto them all the historie of that infortunate Herea at the which all they present receiued great sorrowe sauing onely Brenio which séemed that he receiued neither pleasure nor ioy So when the boord was voyded Rosicleer tooke his leaue of the Emperour his father and leaped vp on his horse and tooke the way which led him whereas he left his boate He was no sooner entred into it but it began to make way and sailed with so great swiftnesse that the third day he arriued at Constantinople whereas at this present we will leaue him ¶ How the Ladie Lidia talked with her Knight Brenio who was verie sad demaunding of him the cause of his discōtentment of other accidents Cap. 14. HEere you haue heard of the great discontentment that Brenio did showe at such time as he came out of the prison and in how short time the ioye that Lidia receyued was tourned into sorrowe and sadnes and that she could not demaund to knowe the occasion by reason of the company that was there so she was driuen to passe all that daye with bitter sorrowes and anguish of minde and without all comfort till such time as the night approched thinking y t when she was alone with him whom she loued more then her selfe to aske of him the occasion of all his paine Thus hir desire being brought to passe this false Brenio did vncloath himselfe and the time that he was making vnreadie he neuer lefte wéeping till such time as he was layd in his bed This faire Ladie leaning with hir brest vpon the bolster ioyned her hands with his and said My swéete Brenio what thing hath caused thée thus against the firme loue that I haue towards thée to shewe thy selfe so sad as it doth appeare by thy heauie chéere turne my loue and showe a ioyfull face and giue me some comfort with thy smiling countenaunce let my troubled hart receiue some ease of that vnmeasurable sorrowe which I haue sustained during the time that these vnknowen and traiterous people haue kept thée in prison and absent from my sorowfull sight What is this my swéete Brenio hast thou seene in me any occasion to dissolue this faithfull loue which I beare thee Let the great trauaile sighs sorrowes mooue the which I receiued to finde out the Emperour and bring him to set thee at libertie and if this be not sufficient consider with what great loue I haue passed many sorrowfull wayes and terrible stormes for to attaine thy presence as now I doo And héere I doo sweare vnto thée by the true faithfull loue which caused me so sorowfully to wéepe being on the déepe sea that if I the infortunate Lidia be not
Emperour in all the world but more light then this hée would not giue him neither the place wheras his sister was lost and therwith he tooke out from vnder the hatches of the barke a fardle which was bound vp the which he did delyuer vnto the Marriners that they should laye it vp safe and imbrace him againe with great loue and put vpon the finger of the heart on his left hand a King which had in it a precious Diamond that was of so great cléernesse that in a darke night it gaue as great a light wher it was as though a torch were lighted This did he straightly charge him to kéepe for that it was of so great vertue that so long time as he had it about him there was no inchauntment that should hurt him This excellent young Knight woulde haue surrendered greate thankes for his precious giftes but at such time as he wold haue giuen it Galtenor was departed vpon a sodaine a greate space from them who made so much hast that in a verie small time he lost the sight of him This young knight remayned with greate contentment in knowing that hée did descende from so high a generation and lykewise for the succour he receiued in the armour hée had brought him the which he commaunded to bée very well kept till such time as occasion shoulde serue that he had néede of them in this sort he passed away all the nighte thinking vpon the wordes of Galtenor So the next morning this young knight sitting on the poope of the Foyst with this faire Lady he requested her to tell him the whole occasion of her comming to séeke for him The which this Lady with great lamentation began to tell him saying Gentle Knight you shall vnderstand that I am daughter vnto the King of Mesapotamia which is a prouince scituated betwéen the two great riuers Euphrates and Tigris Of long time was I of him welbeloued and made very much on till such time as my fathers Court was in great heauinesse for y t they could not heare any newes of a brother of mine who was prince of that kingdome whose absence at this time is verye grieuous vnto me There came from the other side of the riuer Euphrates a prince whose dominion was ouer the Prouince Palestina He was the proudest and arrogantest Knight that euer hath bene séene in such sort that by reason of his fiercenesse he was not onely feared of them who of dutie did owe it him but also of all the Prouinces that ioyned with his kingdome which extended from that riuer vnto the mayne sea of Phoenicia the mount Libano Gamogenia and the high and mightie cragged rockes and mountaines Nabateos To conclude almost all Asia did trēble at his furie This knight at the great fame which was vttered of my beautie came vnto the famous and large Prouince of Mesapotamia vnto the great citie of Mesos whereas I was of him meruailously intreated and requested of loue but yet all that euer hée did or could doo did little profit him for that by any meanes I coulde not admit him into my seruice and the occasion was because of his great and vnmeasurable pride So like wise came thether the Prince of Chaldaea a Knight of great price and adorned with many vertues vnto whom I alwayes showed a better countenaunce and made acceptation of his seruice Then Brandemoran the Prince of Palestina who was so called when he vnderstood thereof was in a great confusion and receiued greate griefe in such sort that he determined no other thing but with his mischieuous heart to persecute mée it so fell out that the Prince of Chaldea whose name was Gelerosio béeing ouercome and forced by loue hauing opportunitie and place conuenient with dolorous reasons he did discouer vnto me all his whole heart but whether it was his ill hap or my froward fortune I knowe not but at such time as he vttered vnto me his minde it chaunced that Brandemoran had his eares attentiue vnto all that was spoken betwixt vs and when he heard that my answere was such that it caused great ioye and comfort vnto Gelerosio vnto him great paine and torment with a mischieuous heart he went vnto my Father the king and before him he did accuse mée of whooredome When the king my father heard it the great ire and wrath which he receiued was so farre out of reason that without taking anie farther counsell he caused mée to be apprehended and lykewise the Prince Gelerosia and both of vs to be put in prison but after a while when his cholar and anger waxed colder he commaunded to call together all the nobles of his counsell and men of honour who did perswade with my father that by reason of the greate pride and mischieuous stomacke of the Prince Brandemoran he might doo it of presumption or else by the greate ill will which he bare vnto his contrarie Gelerosio he had raised vp this slaunder that they thought it good to be put into the triall of armes with condition that in the space of thirtie dayes I shoulde bring a knight that would defend my honour and by reason the valour of my cruell enimie is so mightie there is not one in all the kingdome that dares take in hande to defend my cause and I seeing that the time passed awaie with a loude voice I began to complaine against fortune and reuiled Brandemoran calling him coward and wretch y t against a Damsell he hath raised so great treason and falsehoode who hearing me to reuile him he answered and sayd Princesse for that thou shalt sée how little I do estéeme all the knights of the worlde I will giue thée one whole yeares space that thou thy selfe in thine owne person goe and séeke him who hath the best fame in armes that may be found and bring him hether to defend this accusation which I haue laide against thée and so lykewise I desire the king thy Father to consent and graunt vnto the same of whome it was graunted and consented and lykewise of all the knights that were counselers of my cause beléeuing that it might be the occasion of some remedie And therewith I tooke leaue and 〈◊〉 and departed from Mesos with onely these two Squires committing my selfe into the great riuer Euphrates in this Foist and so long we sayled that we entered into the Mediterraneo sea wheras was giuen vnto vs knowledge of your great valour and mightie force which was the cause y t made vs take our waie towards the place of your abode somtimes with great torments and sometimes with faire weather in such sort that in the ende we ariued whereas you were in so good time and order as mine owne desire coulde not haue wished better Héere you may sée and vnderstand worthie knight the extremitie of my euil and the cause of my séeking for you At the which relation of this sorrowfull Ladie the Prince remained verie pensiue and had great pittie on
vertue which doth remaine in thée to frustrate al iniuries past This I do desire you to consent vnto in that you are bounde vnto it by your high estate and not for anie desert dew vnto such a poore knight as I am Poore sayde Antemisca héere I doe sweare vnto you by that which I owe vnto all vertue due vnto mine owne person that I doe determine in seruing of you to doe as much as in the seruice of Iupiter for y t I take thée to be one of the Gods as it hath appeared by the greate valour which I haue seene shâ—wed by thée And whatsoeuer your pleasure is to commaund to be dâ—oâ— vnto this dead bodie although he doth not deserue it it shall be wholy accomplished and straight waie it was put in vre This valyaunt knight remained there certaine dayes whereas he was serued with great maiestie in which time the two louers weâ—e married wheras was made meruailous great 〈◊〉 and triumphs the which for auoiding tediousnesse I doe on it aâ—d will make no mention thereof for that this valiant knight was prisoner to the Pastora he neither receiued contentment nor ioy in his heart in so long â—arrying which was the occasion y t Claridiano tooke his leaue for to depart of y â— Princesse of Chaldea which was cleane contrarie â—â—to the good-will of Antemisca for that she loued him merâ—ailousâ—y for his great vertue and with many teares she tooke her leauâ— of him giuing him certaine presents and gifts necessarie for his trauaile so he departed taking his iourney onely with Fidelio his squire towardes the plaines of Ierosolima and pâ—sâ—ed by Armenia the great whereas happened vnto him many straunge aduentures ¶ How that Claridiano trauailed by Armenia and of the straunge aduentures which hapned him in that countrie Cap. 20. THE valiaunt Gréeke Claridiano trauailed through Armenia the greate with no companie but his Squire although his thought was not solitarie but alwayes represented in his heart the cause of all his griefe and sorrow So in this sort he trauailed a while till it chanced one morning at such time as the Sun began his accustomed iourney that he must passe a great mightie riuer ouer a bridge and at the end thereof there was a fortresse wrought after the fashion of a Bulwarke for that below at the beginning it was verie bigge hauing in the midst of it a great tower with a louer hole and vpon the same was put a standard which with the winde was mooued from the one side to the other The Prince following his iourney ouer the bridge without anie impediment would haue passed forwards on his waie but by anie meanes he could not by reason of a great broade and déepe ditch which was made on the other side beginning from the Riuer and making a compasse lyke a whoope which inuironed all the whole fortresse and came againe and ioyned vnto the sayde Riuer on the one side so that the fortresse remayned in the middiest and there was no other waye to take but that they must néedes passe through the fortresse So when the Prince came vnto a verie strong gate of yron hée tooke the King in his hande and gaue three greate blowes at the noise wherof there was a windowe opened whereat there appeared a Gentlewoman of a middle age who séemed to haue her eyes swollen with wéepings who said Knight what is it that thou doest séeke héere in this infernall Castell if thou wilt haue passage séeke it by some other waye and it shall bée better for thée for in procuring to passe this waie thou shalt get no other thing but death but and if thou wilt not turne backe by reason of the good opinion which thou hast in thy great valour and strength take and â—ound that horne which hangeth ther vpon that piller on the right hand which béeing heard the entrie shall bée fréely giuen vnto thée but the going out is vnpossible And in saying those words she shut the windowe in greate hast and went in The Prince cast about his horse towards the right hand whereas he sawe a piller of the height of a man therat hanged a rich horne and by it a péech of parchment rowled vp and laying hand vpon the horne he could not moue it although he did striue mightely to doe it and vnderstanding y e first he must vndoe the Parchment and read that which was written in it he tooke it and vnrowled it and saw that it constained that which followeth At this present raigneth a King in Arabia and although he bee a Pagan yet hée is adorned with noble and vertuous customes and had onely one daughter that was verie fayre humble and chast and was beloued of the Duke of Fedra vassall vnto the same king the Dukes name was Velegrato a young man with a seuere and graue countenaunce who deserued better the gouernment then anie other Pagan hée was verie well estéemed in all the Kingdome almost equally with the king for the which there ingendered in the kings heart a secreat rancour and hatred This Duke did loue the Princesse who was called Damelis and it was the Gods will that shée should repaie him with the same loue â—o that both theyr heartes beeing wounded with loue the one to the other the fire kindled dayly more and more in such sort that neither the one nor the other had anie imagination but onely to loue and not knowing how to manifest theyr griefes they indured sundrie greate passions Then loue which continually seeketh occasions did on a time set before this duke a Gentlewoman which thing seemed to be wrought by the order of y e Goddesse Venus Oh what great feare this knight had for to discouer vnto her all his heart but in the end by the great industrie of this Gentlewoman there was order giuen that these two louers should meete together Heere I will not detaine them that shall read this in telling of the great delight which both of them receiued to sée themselues together but such it was that she was made a Ladye This faire Damelis for that she coulde not at her ease enioye her Velegrato she did determine to leaue her own natural countrey father and with this intention one night being with her louer she cast her armes about his necke and sayde Oh my sweete and welbeloued friend séeing that the soueraigne Gods haue bene to me so grateful that I doo deserue to haue a louer let me not finde in thée ingratitude for that I cannot passe my time except continually I enioye thy fight and doo not muse my Lord at this that I doo say for that the ouermuch loue that I haue to you doth constrayne me to make it manifest and this beléeue of a certaintie that if thy sight be absent from me if will be the occasion that my hart shal lacke his vitall recreation And you doo well know how that the King my father doth beare you no good
THE SECOND part of the Myrror of Knighthood CONTAINING TWO SEVErall Bookes wherein is intreated the valiant deedes of Armes of sundrie worthie Knightes verie delightfull to be read and nothing hurtfull to bee regarded ¶ NOW NEWLY TRANSLAted out of Spanish into our vulgar tongue by R.P. IMPRINTED AT London by Thomas Este. 1583. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull and my verie good friend Master Edward Cordele Esquire ARISTOTLE right Worshipfull being demaunded what benefite he had obtained by Philosophie answered This is my gaine that vncommaunded I can doo that I ought and auoide dooing that I should not For saith he the ignorant for feare of punishment abstaine from euill but the sapient can shunne the same of their own accord noting that studious exercise bringeth experience and maketh as well ciuill pollicie as martiall prowesse apparant For which cause there haue bene sundry in times past and some in this our present age that haue not onely penned with great labour the laudable workes of Antiquitie but also with as much trauaile haue imitated certaine olde writers by inuenting of histories no lesse profitable to repulse other hurtfull pastimes then pleasaunt to passe away the tediousnes of time Amongst the number of which late workes there chanced about a three yeares since to come into my handes the first part of a Spanish translation intituled The Mirrour of Knighthood which beeing published was so accepted that I was importuned by sundry Gentlemen my very friendes to procure the translation of the seconde part whereto partly to accomplish their desires and partly for the vulgar delight of all I condiscended And finding this Spaniard adorned with all good exercises which pertained to the exalting of vertue and the extinguishing of vice I laboured as much as in mee laye to finde an English Patrone of conformable qualitie whose countenaunce might as well preferre him with the curteous 〈◊〉 protect him among the enuious But I had not long bethought me when the consideration of your worships courtesie with the good reporte of your vertue expelled that doubt and incouraged me to present you with this worke Beseeching you to accept in good part this poore present at the handes of him which wisheth to you long life with the continuall increase of vertue prosperitie and health and after this life endlesse felicitie Your Worships most assured T. E. To the Reader GEntle Reader I haue héere published the second part of the Myrrour of Knighthoode to the end that I might both satisfie thy desire and yeelde vnto thée the delight that by reading thereof thou mayst receiue About the veritie of the historie I will not contend neither would I wish thée to bée more curious to inquire then thou wouldest be desirous to â—ift the truth of each transmutation in the Metamorphosis of Ouid or â—uerie tale in the works of Aesope but to consider that as the one by the transformation of reasonable creatures into sundrie brutishe shapes shadowed the deformitie of their wicked liues and the other by the manner of his beastes figured the behâ—uiour of all the estates of men wishing a reformation of the â—uill and a confirmation of the good So our Author hath pleasantly compiled this present worke as well to animate these that are by nature forward vnto the exercise of armes for to exalt their fame as also to prouoke them that haue hetherto slept in the bedde of securitie to shunne their wonted sloth with desire rather honourablie to loose their liues in the defence of equitie then shamefully to liue with perpetuall infamie And whereas there are some so stoycall to contemne the reading of historyes alleadging that their vaine delight withdrawe manie from other vertuous studies I answere that in anie matter where vice is reprehended vertue is no waie hindered and although I must néedes confesse that the learned workes of the liberall sciences are principallye to be preferred so it cannot be denyed but that the pleasaunt stile of a well penned historie is as it were a wheâ—stone to the minde being almost dulled with continuall studie and albeit there shall peraduenture want the like grace of eloquence in the translation as is requisite yet I doubt not but the varietie of the matter shall make a sufficient recompence Moreouer curteous Reader I request thée to note that whereas the beginning of this part followeth not consequently vpon the same booke which was published in the name of the first part it is not to be imputed to any errour committed in the translation of this second part for that it is verely the selfe same that beareth the title of the second part in the Spanish tongue but the booke that lacketh is the seconde booke of the first part which with as much spéede as may be shall be ioyned therevnto In the meane time accept this in good parte which I now present wherein thou shalt finde the strange and wonderfull prowesse of the worthy Trebatio and his sonnes nephewes kinsmen and sundry other couragious knights mixed with many lamentable and sorrowfull histories together with the redresse of the wronged innocents And so I ende committing this my labour to thy curteous consideration and thy selfe to the Almighties tuition Thine T.E. ¶ THE FIRST BOOKE of the second part of the Mirrour of Knighthood wherein is intreated the valiant deedes of armes of many worthie Knights ¶ THE CRVELL BATtaile which past betweene the Knight of the Sunne and the fierce Gyant Bramaraunt in which bickering the Gyant perceiuing he must needs haue the worst murthered himselfe CAP. I. WHEN THE GLITTERING armour of Aeneas of Troie was at the request of his Mother Venus forged in Vulcan his shoppe the well sâ—eeled hammeâ—s did not temper and beate it with greaâ—er 〈◊〉 â—hen the heroicall sonne of Trebatio 〈◊〉 the stouâ— Pagan Bramarant through the middest of the Grecian woods did with his 〈…〉 blowes vpon his armour mangling by little and 〈◊〉 his strong and lustie bodie so much the more their choler increased as the combat did indure betwéene them There were present at this bickering the renoumed Emperour Trebatio Alicandro the king of Hungarie and his Grandfather with manie other puissaunt Princes and greate Lordes who with no small admiration did beholde â—he exceeding fiercenesse with which they let driue their blowes the one at the other which did resound an Eckoe in the aire and yéelded a terrible noise in the woodes This battaile did continue betwéene theÌ„ y e space of two long houres and albeit it was fierce and sharpe the valour of the incensed knight of the Sunne preuailed not to abate or exstinguish the rage of the Pagan much lesse could the force of the Tartarian quaile in anie sort the courage of the princely Grecian The skirmish being hot and the redoubted son of Trebatio perceiuing that it indured very long without certaintie who had the better héerevpon béeing greatly inflamed with furie lifted vp his peisant club aboue his head did discharge it vpon the pagan his left
one onelye Knight to kéepe him at the staffes ende so long replenished with an infernall furye he beganne a fresh to double and redouble his mightie and peysaunt blowes vpon the Pagan whereat he had good cause to wonder and perceiuing that his strength did more and more increase with his courage he beganne to blaspheme against his Gods yet notwithstanding lyke a firce Lyon hee thought to teare in péeces the worthie Grecian wherewithall he let slippe so diuellish a blowe vppon his head that with the losse of his vnderstanding hée did almost fall from his horse The worthy Rosicleer quickelye againe recouered and séeing himselfe to bee in such a plight hée tourned his horse so nimblye that he scarce lefte his treading in the grounde and nowe when hee sawe himselfe iumpe with his enimye gathering together his forces and standing vpright in his stiroppes hee weelded his sharpe Swoorde betwéene his strong and mightie armes and thundered so deadlye a blowe vppon the Moore his head-péece who indéede was not prouided for anie defence the force whereof made a diuision from the scull euen to the verie shoulders the wretched Pagan falling down dead to y e ground y e most parte of his bloud came gushing out of his bodie Unneth had hée fallen from his horse when the trembling and troubled Ladie did also fall from her Palfraie as one that shoulde giue vp the Ghost whome when her Gentlewomen did espie lighted all of their Palfrayes and with streames of salt teares began to lament her wofull case to accurse her froward fortune euerie one striuing about her to trie if they coulde by anie meanes restore her againe to her memorie The Prince séeing her in this extremitie did also forsake his horse and come towardes the place where this miserable Ladie laie like a stake and causing one of her Gentlewomen to fetch a little water from the riuer which was hard by he besprinckeled her beautified visage with it and therevpon shee came to her selfe againe and opened the dimmed windowes of hir darke bodye and when she beheld the Prince so nigh hir with a profounde sigh and pitifull voyce she sayde O cruell homicide of my faithfull and valiant champion thou thirstie bloudsucker of the royall bloud of Mesapotamia dispatch nowe dispatch I saie to execute thy furie with thy imbrued Swoorde vpon my sorrowfull heart and speaking these words she fell againe into an extasie as before which Rosicleer marking and gessing at her inward paine by her extearne countenance he turned himselfe to one of her Damoysells which as hée thought among the rest of hir traine séemed the chiefest in knowing most hir Ladies secrets and sayd vnto hir Gentlewoman I sée God knoweth not without great sorrowe be it spoken y e griefe y t your Lady indureth in viewing my face therefore I praye you tell hir from me that I intreate her to goe to the Emperours court of Greece and there present her personage to his maiestie and certifie him of all these accidents and there to stay my comming for I meane shortly to returne thether and then I promise her that there I will vse such meanes y t she shall inioye to her great contentment that thing the want wherof doth so greatly grieue her and because my wordes may carrie more credite with her you shall tell hir that one of the Emperour Trebatio his sonnes the greatest friend that the Tartarian Prince hath did informe you this much And héerevpon not tarieng for anye replye he mounted vpon his horse coursing through the forrest When he was gone the Gentlewomen helped their ladie by certaine drugges which they brought forth for preuenting such mishaps and so recontinued hir health againe and afterward exprest to hir all that which the knights imparted vnto them which report comforted hir not a little The griefe which the Ladie and hir Gentlewomen did sustaine in séeing a straunge Knight glaunce by them armed and to remaine in the woode alone without succour or comfort of any I would heere set downe before your eyes but I am inforced to return to the famous Rosicleer and at this present I will not make recitall to you what Knight that was who parting from Rosicleer did appeare againe vnto him at his going out of the forrest ¶ Prince Rosicleer trauailing on his way hauing alredie taken leaue of the Princesses Ladies did chance vpon a certaine aduenture and of the successe hee had therein Cap. 3. THE valiant Rosicleer being departed from the sorrowfull princesse went as he thought the néerest way through the forrest to finde his brother with set purpose to make him acquainted with that which you haue alreadie heard and afterwards to returne backe to Constantinople So it happened that fortune guyded him into a broad and large way which was his direct pathe to Constantinople and turning him to the foote waye where he saw a great gate in hope to learne some newes of the knight of the Sunne He had not trauailed long but he descryed a farre off a ranke of men all armed and they drawing more néere vnto him he perceiued that they were xx Knightes armed with black armour and their head-péeces and beueres of the same colour and in their companie came a Chariot all couered with blacke Searge so close that it was impossible to see what was within it y e light came in through two windowes which were placed at the side of the Chariotte Foure horses did drawe it all clad in blacke cloth and there did ride two faire dwarfes as guyders of the same all apparailed in blacke Behinde the same there came likewise tenne Knights cloathed in lyke sort by their countenaunce they weare all right sorrowfull so that the troupe of the Knights that came with the Chariot were thirtie in number With this heauie countenaunce and great straungenes they passed by Rosicleer without speaking any word vnto him wherevpon the Prince came to those that wayted behinde and demaunded of them in courteous wise what they were which were inclosed in that â—orrowfull Waggâ—n but the Knights were so heauie and sad that they made him no aunswere but passed on forward which bred a more earnest desire in Rosicleer to know who was within sith that with such milde speach he had demaunded and could not be resolued to any purpose And héerevpon without taking anye further aduise in the matter hée rushed among them that enuyroned the Chariot onely to see what was within it but ere he might come néere it he was letteâ— by two of the Knights which saide vnto him Staie thée Knight staye thée for if thou longest to knowe who is heere thou shalte be hindered from it by vs which stande heere to no other purpose It is my desire sayd Rosicleer and willingly wold I be satisfied of my request without entering into the combat and if ye would affoord me so much courtesie as to tell me the cause of so great sorrow I should bée heartelye glad Thou maist
that thou hast brought vs vnto this estate that crueltie should gouern our wills without hauing power to doe any other thing The King when he saw that the Knights were very earnest began to sweare with great oaths that his cause was iust and that he had tolde vnto them the truth of the matter and if so be that the Emperour had tolde them any other thing it was onely to deceiue them and to tourne them that they should not make his defence and charged them againe with their oath which they had made and how that they had giuen their words to be his vpholder and defender This worthy Dacian tourning vnto his companions sayd Knightes what doo you thinke in this matter what is it best that we doo héerein For well you doo sée that we are so bewrapte bound one against another and cousin against cousin yet for all that we cannot by any meanes excuse the battaile So they did all determine to retourne vnto the Emperour and to desire him for to accept it in good part and to leaue off that battaile to make theÌ„ beléeue that he was falsly informed when they came vnto him they said Worthy Emperour and our onely Lord looke well vnto this false information wherewith they haue informed you and hauing well considered thereof we doo all request you for the loue which vnto your sonnes and cousins and vnto all your friendes you doo owe that it may moue you to take no occasion to put vs into this extremitie for that by anie meanes we cannot goe from our oath and word Unto the which the Emperour answered and sayd My louing friends if that you haue giuen your word and oath to procure to make defence of so false a King doo you likewise indeuour to performe the same for the like will I doe to accomplish that which I haue promised for that there is no more reason for the one then for the other But this one thing I doe tell you that it is very apparant that you will maintaine the treason of this false King as it appereth plainly by many reasons which I haue told vnto you and the principall cause wherin you maye sée plainely his treason and falshoode is the little hast that hée doeth make himselfe vnto the battaile and if he knew that he dooâ—h maintaine the truth let him come forth and make his owne defence At the which reasons they all helde theyr peace considering the great reason which the Emperour had declared and determined that the next daie they woulde conclude what were best to bée done so these sixe knights returned vnto the Citie and the Emperour vnto the campe Of all this that happened he that receiued the most contentment was the Prince Eleno for he desired verye much to retourne vnto the Citie for that at his departure he left his Lady very sicke so that he thought not to finde her aliue and comming to the Citie hée was no sooner alighted from his horse but hée went straight vnto her Chamber whereas hée found her with a mightie burning ague and séeing her in that case he was as one that was beside himselfe and the more that her ague increased the more furious she did shew her selfe and farther out of quiet So this gréeuous and sicke Ladie did aske paper and inke for to write a few lines vnto him which was the causer of all this her harme and making an ende of her writing without power to doo any other thing with the great féeblenesse shée felt she fell downe vpon her pillowe speaking vnto Eleno she sayd Ualiant knight behold héere thy Lidia at her last ende for that there doth not remaine in me strength for to giue thée thankes for so great benefits as I haue receiued at thy handes yet I carrie one great comfort with me which is y â— although I dye yet thy great loyaltie doeth not dye neyther my firme faith and although I was vnloued of an vnfaythfull Knight yet am I beloued of the most couragious knight in the worlde This sorrowfull and troubled Prince woulde not suffer her to goe forwards with her talke but with shedding of manie teares from his eyes he sayd Oh my swéete Mistresse doe not giue me to vnderstande that thou wilt dye if that thou meane I shall remaine aliue Oh my loue I would rather that my heart shoulde be parted in twaine by the greatest enimie that I haue then to remaine without thée Oh my louing Mistres let this thy youthfull yeres and great beautie which thou hast incourage thée die not in this order this feeble Lidia for to shew with more feruentnesse the good will which she did owe vnto the Pâ—â—â—ce for his great curtesie forced her selfe to holde vp her head and he lifted it vp with such quicknesse as though her weake members had felt no griefe as though the furie of that burning ague was not able to resist her but with the force of loue she sate vp in her beâ— and with her face of a fiery colour she sayd My Lord time doth not giue me anye place that with words I might gratifie the great courtesie that of thée I haue receiued for that I doo feele that the hower is come and that the three fatall sisters haue the thred of my life betwéene the edges of their shéeres so that it lacketh nothing but to put them together insomuch that I miserable creature doo féele my soule tremble in my flesh at this my last hower But one thing oh my swéete and true louer I will desire thée before that I doo dye which is that thou wouldest procure that this letter maye bée giuen vnto that cruell Knight who hath brought me vnto this estate giuing him to vnderstande of this my troublesome death the occasion whereof was his vnreasonable crueltie And making an end of saying this this miserable Lady fell downe without hauing any more strength to sit vp but let the letter fall out of her hande before her true louer who tooke it vp and sayd Oh all my ioye what a cruell knife is this to my heart to heare thy complayntes in giuing me to vnderstande the great crueltie that loue hath vsed against thée without anye desert or reason and verely I doo beléeue that these thy great thoughts and griefes but most of all thy absence wil be the occasion of my death And if y â— my enimies are not of power to giue it me héere I doo sweare vnto thee by the great and true loue which I beare vnto thée that I my selfe with my owne hands will procure to pull this heart out of his place for that it knew not how to giue thée contentment paying therwith y e dutie y t I ow vnto thée O happy Brenio that didst obtaine so much grace fauour at Venus handes for to be beloued of the flower of all beautie The Clime in the which thou wert borne was not so happie as to the contrarie my
of my armes I hope to cut off this wretched head from thy accursed shoulders And it was very true which was spoken for when she went away from the company of the Ladies she went to arme her selfe with purpose to demaund battaile of the Empresse Claridiana but when she came forth she founde them as you haue alreadye heard The Pagan could be no more angry and wrathfull then he was and without speaking any word he turned stroke very strongly at the Quéene who with no lesse fury defended her selfe and returned his blowes with both her hands that it made a meruailous noyse At this present time approched the two lights of all knighthood the Emperour of Grecia and his sonne and with them the Giaunt and the rest of the Princes that came with them You shall vnderstande that these were the two knights that in the high waye they founde in cruell battaile and meruailing verye much at the power that was in the two warriours they stayed to behold them not knowing who they were The Knight of the Sunne who had his eyes more fixed on them then the rest did knowe the Pagan as one which had first proued his furious force turning vnto y e Emperor his father he told him all that which had hapned vnto him in the fierce battaile which he hadde fought before with him in Fraunce Then they estéemed much the knight with the Lilies to sée how well and how valiauntly he did behaue himselfe not onely in this subtill defence which against his aduersarie he made but also his pollicie he made in offending his enimie So the knight of the Sunne with the greate desire that hée had to reuenge himselfe on the Pagan mooued his horse towardes him At which time there came forth of the village a Knight with white armour all full of Garlands of golde made by subtill art Likewise his shéelde was white and there was painted on it an Emperiall head which shewed as though it had béene cut off with a cruell knife the throat all so bée rayed with bloud verie artificially wrought and when hée sawe the battaile hée put himselfe to behold them at such time as the valyaunt Gréeke approched vnto the two knightes that were in battaile for to speake vnto them and hée sayd Worthie knight with the Lyllyes for curtesies sake if this battayle be of small importaunce that thou wouldest let me alone with this Pagan for that I haue a iust quarrell against him This excellent Ladie looking vppon the knight of the Sunne as one which had neuer séene him meruailing much at his fayre disposition and replyed saying I woulde be verie gladde sir Knight for your great curtesie and gentle demeanour to leaue to you the battaile if the occasion were not of so greate waight Therefore I dooe desire you that you would stand aside for if my successe fall out vnfortunatly there will time inough remaine for to execute your anger The Moore did well vnderstand the demaunde of the Knight of the Sunne and knewe him verye well to bée the same that gaue him the order of Knighthood and when hée sawe him hée roared lyke a furious Lyon saying Oh vile and base Knight to whome Mahomet hath giuen more power and strength then hée hath himselfe come come and bring with thée in companie all these that bée there with thée for of all you together I dooe estéeme nothing at all and in saying these wordes hée pressed vnto the Knight of the Sunne verie fiercely and with greate courage the knight of the Sunne met him in the waye and put himselfe before the Quéene but this excellent Ladie with great lightnesse returned and did recouer her standing and said vnto him Knight bée not so farre out of measure to giue ease and helpe vnto them that giue thée no thankes for it But the Prince who was then burning with wrath retourâ—ed againe by the lefte side to put himselfe before her and gaue the Pagan so terrible a blowe that he made all his bodye to shake The knight with the Lillyes did put himselfe againe before and sayde In an euill houre doest thou vse this greate vncurtesie with one that thou doest not knowe The fearce Pagan in all this time was not idle but at such time as the Quéene did crosse the waye for to take her roome the Pagan stroke her so stronglye that it lacked but a little that shée fell not from her horse to the ground The knight with the Emperiall head when he sawe that set his spurres to his horse and sayd O men of small estimation come hether to mée one of you and dooe not occupie your selues in such controuersies And with saying these and such lyke wordes hée stroke the Quéene such a blowe that he made her téeth to chatter in her head in such sorte that shée had almost lost her féeling but hée had no cause to boast himselfe verie much of that blowe for that quickly she retourned his salutation with so great strength that shée gaue him well to vnderstand her cauragious force Nowe there beganne a rigorous battayle and the Knight of the Sun remained alone with the Pagan Oh wise and warrelyke Eliza giue mée to drinke of that water which the nine sisters did discouer that by the helpe of that swéet liquor I may make sharpe my rude tongue so that mixing the spéech of Mercurie with the prowesse of Mars I maye vnfolde this furious battayle which these foure knightes made who with excéeding and wonderfull blowes stroke one another without anie casing that they made them whether they woulde or no to incline their bodyes to theyr horse head without anie féeling In this sorte continued these valyaunt and warlyke knightes a good space till such time as the Empresse Claridiana came in great hast running with her light horse and making a great noise without anie consideration but onely to bée reâ—enged on the Pagan and sayd Giue roome giue roome for this battaile dooth belong vnto mée to make an ende thereof And without anie more speaking shée put her selfe before the knight of the Sunne and beganne to laye on the Pagan with her furious blowes The Pagan was nothing abashed at that but as one which had strength and courage inough he receiued them Then the knight of the Sunne with greate anger sayde Tell mée knight what is the cause which hath mooued thée to offer such lyke villanie This womanly warriour retourned vnto him and straight waye shée did knowe him to bée the Knight of the Sunne Héere all you true louers may iudge the greate ioye that shée receiued when shée beheld before her him who with so great loue she loued and the greate desire she had to heare of him So shée replyed with verie amorous wordes and sayde My déere and welbeloued Lord séeing that fortune hath brought you hether at this instaunt procure ioyntly with your reuengement to work mine against this Pagan Then the knight of the Sunne did knowe that it was his
Pallaice and the Emperour Trebatio carryed the Pastora vnto her graundmother committing her vnto her custodie for to make much of her And hée tooke the king of Trapobana by the hande and rendered vnto him verie much courtesie and therewith entered into a fayre hall whereas they found the Tables couered and sate downe to supper whereas they were with great ioy and pleasure such as neuer was séene the like in the Court The Emperour the two Kings were set together then the Emperour Alphebo and the Empresses and by them Claridiano and the Pastora who was beheld of all them that were there present much meruailing at her great beautie Coridon did serue them at y e table very much delighted with that he had séene The Supper indured so long that Diana did extende her beames at this time they tooke vp the tables and Galtenor with a loude voyce sayd One of the high glories of my Esclarisido sonne Claridiano shall appeare in this great Citie before the day doo come He had no sooner made an ende of these words when that the heauens beganne to waxe darke with a very thicke clowde and it came with great thunderings and lightenings with so terrible a noyse as though the earth would haue sunke and the longer it indured the more was the fury thereof in such sorte that they all fell vpon their knées and with great humilitie they desired god to deliuer them from the fury of that great tempest So with this sodaine chaunce they passed away the night till y e morning and although the tempest in some part ceased yet the heauens remained all cloudie When the morning was come there appeared before the pallaice nigh vnto y e inchantment of Lindabrides a very strange aduenture which made them all to meruaile and straight way they gaue the Emperour to vnderstand thereof who went out of the Pallayce with all his Knightes with great desire to knowe what it was so likewise went foorth his sonnes and nephewes And when they came into the Courte they sawe that there was fiâ—ed foure pillers euery one of a very fine Rubie vppon the which was placed a Sepulchar of Christall and within the sepulchâ—r there séemed to be a verye faire Ladye her breast pearced thorough with a sword and vpon the Sâ—pulcher there â—aye a man all a long with his face looking vp to the heauens and apparailed with robes of estate with a Crowne of golde vpon his head And vnder the Sepulcher was there spread abroad a great Carpet a cloth of gold and vpon it two pillowes of the same and vpon them lay a knight armed with verie rich armour and his sword laie at his féete his eyes were shut and out of them distilled verie great teares at euerie piller there was a Gentlewoman which séemed to be without anie remembraunce although they wept verie bitterly and nigh vnto the Sepulcher there â—aie a terrible great beast of the verie same making of that which Claridiano slew for to set at libertye the king of Arabia Lapetra This was the spectacle y t Claridiano sawe comming in the aire The Sepulcher was coÌ„passed round about with a strong wall with foure gates for to enter in thereat the gates were after the manner and coulour of fine Diamonds néere vnto the gate which was ouer against the Pallaice was there a Marble piller at the which hung a Bugle horne and an Epitaph written with red Letters the which the Prince Rodolpho did reade with a high voice that all that were there might heare him and it said as followeth At such time as the crueltie of the king of Arabia Lepetra shall be at liberiie and the valour of that worthye Claridiano knowen then they which hath not ben wounded w t loue shall know both the reason the rage of loue for the which cause I doe aduise him that doth not know what loue is not to proue this aduenture if he will not fall into greate misfortune for that cause he must passe by pure force all the force that Claridiano made plaine And this shall indure till such time as the bastard Lyon sonne vnto the Emperiall lion be borne of the rauening Ounce Then he who hath loue in his brest and passed through that vnhappie Ladie daughter vnto the king of Arabia shall sée the great rage without reason of loue The Emperour when he heard that it were things which touched his nephew sayd Oh excellent aduenture of my Claridiano this daie is shewed vnto vs his great valour Galtenor told vnto those knights all that had passed in y e aduenture vntil that day which caused in them great admiration and more at the making of that strange beast who they did behold very atentiuely with this they passed away all that day the Pastora did chaunge her accustomed apparell into robes of silke cloth of gold shewing y e great estate beautie in all points which was in her All the whole court receiued great pleasure sauing onely the Princesse Oliuia who for the absence of her Rosicleer all things did séeme coÌ„trarie vnto her farre different from the iudgementeâ— of all other So the time drew on for to go to rest Then Galtenor tooke Claridiano by the hand and lead him a part on the one side of the hall and sayd vnto him I will carrie thée with me into a place whereas thy heart a new shall be wounded and shall forget the loue which before thou hast had and therwith he commaunded him to arme himselfe in great secret y e successe of the same shall be tolde you héereafter The next daie in the morning when they were all readie to go to heare seruice with the Emperour there entered into the hall a knight of a great stature and proportion of his members and was armed with verie rich armour his face and his handes were vnarmed and shewed by his demeanour a great maiestie and seuere countenance he was of his face somewhat browne of coulour but the proportion thereof was verie well fauoured his beard began to bud he brought after him thrée squires and Pages the one of them brought his Speare which was bigge and short and the other brought his healme the third brought his shéeld with an Emperiall deuice straight waie it was knowen wherefore his comming was and although conformable to reason we haue not spoken anie thing of the faire matrone the quéene of Lyra who with prosperous weather and great pleasure did nauigate by the sea holpen by the furie of Borias which with a fresh winde did continually fill those stiffe sailes and cutting the seas with that sharp steme leauing behinde them the token of their great swift way by the froth of the water and in short time discouering land they tooke port vpon the shore of Almaine wheras this faire Ladie went a land and with her two Nymphes tooke theyr iourney towardes the Court of Almaine So she trauailed two daies and nothing chaunced worth
which part this terrible blowe would fall determined not to receiue it but with a light leape did cléere himselfe from the fall thereof the which fell to the grounde with so greate and terrible hast that the halfe of it entred into the earth and by reason that the stroke was giuen more of anger then of cunning by the great strength that he put to it he could not keepe himselfe but was forced with the stroke to fall with his breast vpon the pommell of his sword He was no sooner downe but the Sonne of Trebatio gaue him another vpon his helme that it sounded as though he had stroke vpon a bell wherewith the Giant fell flat to the ground greatly astonished and almost beside himselfe This valiant Greeke when he sawe him in this traunce laide fast holde vpon his helme and with the excéeding strength that he set to it hée pulled it from his head The Giant which was then somewhat recouered caught holde vpon the skirt of his harnesse and pulled the Knight towards him with such strength that he was not able to make resistaunce but néedes he must go whether his strong arme carried him Then gladly woulde this noble Greeke haue defended himselfe from this perill but he in no wise could for stumbling vppon the Gyaunt he lighted on his breast in such tumbling sorte that he fell on the other side of him séeing himselfe so ouerthrowen w tout any power in himselfe to prouide for help he gaue a loude cry said O Iesu Christ the sonne of God deliuer mée from this daunger so incontinently as soone as he was at the grounde with a light and valiaunt courage hée rose vp againe pretending not to shew anie pittie or fauour in this fight and returned to the Gyaâ—t whom he found on foote and readie to defend himselfe and approching nigh him because he would shewe the greatnesse and valiaunt stomacke that hée had hée sayde Ualyaunt King take to thée thy holme for that I will not that for lacke thereof thou doest loose the surmounted valour of thy heart The Gyaunt which had prooued by experience the great prowesse of his surmounted strength and againe séeing his noble curtesie in offering him his helme with an humble and méeke voyce hée sayde Ualiant Prince I praie thée tell me if it be true that thou art he which at the beginning thou saydest thou wert or whether thou art the God Mars which is come downe from heauen to destroye mée and to make my strength of no estimation This worthie knight then placing the point of his swoorde vppon the grounde and leaning his arme vppon the crosse of the hilte not making anie outward apperaunce of wearinesse that he had in this battaile with an amiable countenaunce he sayd O king if thou wouldest acknowledge this greate crueltie which thou committest and the small reason which thou hast to execute it and howe greatly thou doest erre and art ouerséene in thinking that thou seruest thy Gods in maintaining and defending such extreame tyrannie thou shouldest do much better so returne vnto the knowledge of my God who is the true creator of heauen earth and all that therin is Then the Gyant replied vnto him sayd Of truth gentle Knight thou knowest well how to extoll thy God in whome thou dooest beléeue but howe shall I knowe that this thy God is of more goodnesse and vertue then my Gods Unto whom the Prince answered and sayde Oh king that is verie easie and apparant to be séene and perceiued Tell me I praie thée that if at anie time thy Gods haue in their owne causes had anie power or defence no surely for if they had then would not they haue suffered themselues to bée so ill intreated of them who should worship and serue them for if at anie time your Gods doe not graunt vnto your requests and performe that which you would haue them doo then you beginne to curse and to banne them and speake the worst that may be spoken of them and some of them you throwe into the fire and burne and other some you pull out of their Tabernacles and tread them vnder your féete and polute them and presently you leaue them and chaunge them for other new Gods and vnto them you doe your worshippe till such time as they likewise fulfill not what you aske of them and yet these poore and infortunate Gods are in no fault for that at anie time they cannot helpe themselues but doeth burne in the pit of hell So that it commeth of a great simplicitie y t thou wilt beléeue in the diuell who is the authour of all euill and forget the creator of all thinges who hath giuen thée this thy strength and prowesse and will deliuer thée in all thy necessities Oh king thou shouldest not néede any other proofe but onely that which thou thy selfe diddest vnto the image of Diana For in thy anger thou diddest throw it downe and cut it with thy swoord and diddest vnto it all the euill that thou couldest so that if they had had anie power thinkest thou then they woulde haue suffered that thou shouldest haue offered this outrage vnto them no I tell thée thou mightst not haue bene once so hardie as to haue moued against them The Gyant who then was somwhat touched with the truth sayd Worthie Prince I henceforth promise thée that I wil serue this thy God wil desire thy frieÌ„dship remaine thy friend for y t thou hast opened my eies giuen me the light of y e true life And for y t I may the better bring to passe and accomplish this my determined purpose I wil without tarrieng take my iourney to Constantinople to y e end to be instructed in y e doctrine of y e faith vnderstand perfectly y e power of thy god not doubting but to haue the aide and helpe of the valiant Emperour thy Father and by his meanes to be the better informed And noble Prince I do desire thée to declare vnto Tefereo my cousin and brothers sonne all this my pretended purpose and perswade him to leaue of this euil custome and not continue in it anie longer And moreouer to giue order vnto all his knights and Gentlemen that they followe no more this wicked race but commaund them to returne vnto theyr owne Countries and to remaine there in the good gouerning thereof with his brother Tramarando And the like words he spake vnto his owne knights that were there present at that time and when the valiant knight of the Sunne heard these words which procéeded from the Gyauntes heart without anye dissimulation he receiued so great pleasure therein that incontinent he threw his swoord to the ground and pulled off his helme from his head and ranne and caught the Gyant in his armes and with great loue imbraced him giuing him to vnderstand the great contentment that he receiued to heare that he would forsake his false Gods turne to the true and
than hir selfe Thus his craftie and subtill perswasions so much preuayled by reason of the humilitie and loue he shewed in his wordes that I coulde not frame any excuse to the contrary he was so importunate but must néeds consent vnto his demaund O immortall Gods that in so secret wise ye made the heart of man that you onely can comprehende the good and euill that is hid in it Who would haue thought much lesse haue beleeued that this traiterous King by his swéete wordes and subtill speaches would haue robbed me of my onely daughter So straight waye when he had in his power y t which his soule so much desired he would not make any delay of his departure giuing me to vnderstande that he would not let any time but carrie hir vnto his wife for whose sight so much she had desired and at whose comming she would receiue great ioy contentment But what sorrow did I then féele nothing thinking of that which shoulde happen for that my heart was ignoraunt of the knowledge thereof but to see hir depart from me for whose absence my heart remained in so great sorrowe and heauinesse giuing to vnderstand by the outward showes by the teares that procéeded from my eyes the great paine and passion that the lacke thereof wold shortly procure in this sorrowfull sort I was forced almost without any remembraunce to retourne vnto y e pallaice And they were not so soone entred into his ships but as one very gelous to keepe close his treason he commaunded straight to hoyse vp sayles and commit them vnto the winde and hauing too good and prosperous a weather in a very short time he arriued in his owne Countrie whereas two leagues from the Citie he was receiued of his subiects with great maiestie who brought with them both horse and Palfrayes néedfull for the companie So beeing all in a readinesse he commaunded that they should beginne to martch forward towards the Citie This false King still persisting in his euill determined purpose commaunded as I sayde that all the company should procéed forwards and he with my sorrowfull daughter Herea remained a good waye behinde And when he sawe his company so farre before and they two alone together he stepped on the one side and ledde the waye into a little groue which was hard at hande fast by a Riuers side He without any more tarrieng carried hir into the thickest part therof and as it appeared he was well acquainted in the same and where he thought it most conuenient he alighted off from his horse and willed my most welbeloued daughter that she shoulde likewise alyght Shée in whose heart raigned no kinde of suspition alyghted and saâ—e hir downe by the Riuers side and washed hir fayre white handes and refreshed hir mouth with the same water Then this dissembling traytor could not refrayne but by some outward showes and darke sentences gaue hyr to vnderstande the kindeled fire of loue with the which he was tormented and in the ende he did wholy declare his diuelish pretence and determined purpose towards hir So my louing daughter Herea being â—ore troubled with his importunate and continuall requests with great anger yet not without aduisement she began to reprehende him giuing him to vnderstand all that was needfull against so diuelish a pretence This vncleane King when he heard that so earnestly and contrary to his expectation she aunswered and would haue rose vp from the place whereas she sate helde hir fast by hir apparayle and would not suffer hir to arise but began with softe and milde wordes to perswade hir to be quiet and sayde O my best beloued Ladie wherefore wilt thou consent that for thy cause I shoulde dye mayst now very well without being discouered of any giue mee remedie for the same Be not then obstinate to denye mée that which with so great loue I doo desire of thee Who is heere that can beare witnesse of this my priuie desire and bolde enterprise neither discouer thy gentle liberalitie shewed me not one surely but onely the immortall Gods Understande this for a certaintie my swéete Ladye that the God Iupiter doth receiue more griefe in this my sorrowe then in the paine which thou dost suffer This deceiued damosell when she sawe that he held hir so fast with his trecherous hande that she could not deliuer hir selfe with furious anger she sayde Traytor doo not thou thinke that these thy lecherous words haue power to moue my hearte to graunt and fulfill these thy filthie diuelish and lasciuious thoughts for héere I doo sweare vnto thee by the high and soueraigne Gods that first I will permit suffer my body to bée torne in péeces then to open my eares vnto the hearing of so great treason Therefore false King let me alone and consider with thy selfe that I am sister vnto thy wife whome I sée well thou hast forgotten by reason of this thy insatiable dronkennesse and greedye desire of fitâ—hye lust Therefore if it please thée determine to let mee alone and defile me not or else to the contrarie bee fully perswaded of this that I will rather dye the death in my defence Then this cursed king séeing that this shalt Ladye did defend her selfe he tooke fast holde by her necke and said Doe not thou thinke O cruell Herea that thou canst delyuer thy selfe out of my handes except first thou graunt vnto this my desired will and if not I doo promise thée in payment of this great pride which thou doest vse vnto me to put thee vnto the most cruell â—eath that euer was deuised for anie Damosell or maiâ—e This distressed Ladie was nothing dismaide to heare that shée shoulde die but without all feare she aunswered Thinke not false traitour that the feare of death shall cause mee to yéeld to thy filthie desire The which béeing well vnderstoode by the king he sayde Understande then and bée well perswaded that either liuing or dead I will performe my will and pretended purpose which so without measure and with vnquenchable fire doth burne in my heart Thus with great strength she did defend her selfe and with a manly courage she kepte her honour but this cruell and lasciuious king séeing that he coulde not fulfill his euill desire in a greate madnesse he cut off a greate parte of the traine of her gowne and bound it verie fast to the haire of her head in such sort that with the great strength he put thereto and the tendernesse of the same together with his euill intreating all the greene grasse was sprinkeled with the bloud that issued out whereat he beléeued that she would haue ben quiet and haue consented vnto him but she respected not the euill intreating but the more he procured to torment her the more angrie she shewed her selfe against him with continuall deniall When this cruell traitour sawe that all woulde not serue he beganne to forget all faith and loyaltie he ought â—nto knighthoode and the respect
euer was inuented in the worlde and most shamefully imputed vnto that innocent Princesse and by the thirde you shall get to your selues greate honour which is the thing that all good and valyaunt knightes doeth procure and desire in this worlde The Knight of the Sunne aunswered Wée knowe well that these thrée are to bée estéemed therefore fayre Damsell for my selfe and for my companion I thus much say that we dooe offer our persons with the conditions aforesayd In the meane time y t he spake these words the damsell did behold him very much and it séemed vnto her y t he was of a great valour and séeing him of so good a proportion and so well armed she imagined in her minde that he should be the knight of the Sun by all likelyhoods according as she had heard talke and declared oâ—â—en times in the Court of the French king and was perswaded that it was none other as appeared by all tokens that she before had heard comforting her selfe with these new and ioyfull thoughts she desired them to alight from theyr horses and that if it pleased them to sit downe vnder a faire greene arbour which was there at hand she woulde declare vnto them the greatest treason that euer was inuented in the world to the which these knightes did condescend with a verie good will and béeing set downe amongst those gréene hearbes the Damsell with a verie dolorous complaint began and sayd Noble knights and Lords you shall vnderstand that you are in the kingdome of France vnto the king wherof it pleased God to giue a daughter of so great beautie fairenesse that it caused greate admiration vnto all them that behelde her the which fame was spread abroade which caused verie manie great and valerous knightes and Lordes of this and other kingdomes to repaire vnto the Court amongest them all there came one who was sonne vnto the Prince of Scotland and named Dalior a man of a verie good grace gentle disposition one indued with al feats of good knighthood Likewise there was another who was sonne vnto the duke of Guyan one of the greatest noble men that was in all Fraunce a strong and stout man and of great pride and by lignage of the most valyaunt and strongest knightes in the worldâ— called Lidiarte These two Princes had discord betwéene themselues did contend in the seruice of this faire lady Artalanda The great contentmeÌ„t the which they receiued and the great brauery they vsed in apparell in this their seruice I cannot héere expresse But this faire ladie did so gouerne her selfe with discreation who was indued with it as much as with hir beautie y t she made as though she vnderstood nothing of their desire although alwaies she had a better affection to the good will of the Prince of Scotland then to the loue of Lidiarte and for that loue doth not permit y t anie thing which appertaineth therevnto should bée kept secret this vnbeloued knight did apparantly perceiue it by which occasion the great griefe which he receiued abated his coâ—â—our and he waxed verie leane and his face became yelow and wan and did determine to chaunge his apparaile oâ— ioye and gladnesse and all pleasures and to apparell himselfe in such sort that she might well vnderstande his great sorowe and heauinesse And to the contrary Dalior did shew himselfe in his apparell the great contentment that he receiued for that he did perceiue that his Lady did showe him some fauour the which was vnto the young Earle the cause of great sorrow and griefe Then Loue who neuer resteth from finishing his effects but alwayes doth with great efficacie make perfect his workes did wound with firme and faithfull loue towards Lidiarte a damsell whose name was Tarfina being in the seruice of this beautifull Princesse before named who loued him so firmelye that this miserable Damosell could finde in her selfe no kinde of quietnes nor rest and most of all she now tormented her selfe for that she â—awe so sodaine a change in her louer This cruell paine did so much constraine hir y t she of necessitie was driuen to seeke all meanes pollicies to procure how she might at her ease talke with him and giue him to vnderstand with her own mouth all the paine and griefe that she did suffer and the onely cause thereof And putting this her determination in vre it chaunced on a daye as she might saye bitter and vnfortunate after dinner when the Table was taken vp she founde time conuenient to declare vnto him all that her heart desired for finding her louer leaning against a cupboord all alone shee came vnto him and saluted him with greate curtesie the Earle did receiue her with no lesse gentlenesse beléeuing for that she was a Damsell of his ladie the princesse that she had come from her of some message she seeing so good opportunitie spake vnto him in this manner Many times noble Lidiarte I haue bene mooued to demand of â—oâ— what thing it shuld be that hath so much strength and force which onely doth not cauâ—e you to chaunge your gorgeous braue apparell but also doth take away y e colour from your gentle face and in this manner weâ—ken all your members Where is now all your brauerie and contentment that you were wont to hauâ— discouer vnto me all your paine and griefe and the occasion of all this your sorrowe Noble Lord let me heere vnderstand of all and being knowen of this thy seruaunt I will procure the best and most assured remedies that may be for thy redresse conuenient Tell me Lidiarte if it be corporall griefe or whether it be a wound hurte by the cruell force of Cupides dart My louing Lord I doo desire you to declare vnto me the cause of all your sorrowe griefe and heere I doo protest and giue my faith to procure with all my power and strength by pollicie other meanes to finde remedie for this your tribulation These and other such reasons with hir words well placed spake this Damosell vnto the Earle with hope that he would declare vnto her the cause of all his sorrow and from whence it did procéede These swéete perswasions and louing reasons tooke such effect in the Earle Lidiarte that he discouered all that was in his heart and the whole occasion as héeretofore you haue heard This damosell when she vnderstood the whole effect thereof it grieued her to the very heart although shée did dissemble it and kept it secret to hir selfe and would not suffer him therein to know her minde and straight wayâ— for her remedy the diuell put into her head a meruaylous wicked inuention And for to giue contentment vnto the Earle she tolde him that she would declare vnto the Princesse all the whole estate of this his sorrowfull paines and passionate griefe willing him withall to remember that the next daye at that houre he should méete her againe at y e same place for
I doo not retourne againe into her Citie for I was so ill receiued the first time that I haue no will to retourne the second And more I desire her of my part that she doo intreate better and giue better intertainment vnto such Knights as I am then she gaue vnto me least she get vnto her selfe the name of a wrathfull Quéene and be accounted as one subiect vnto hir own opinion of all other things if any thing doo chaunce let her thanke none but her selfe for that she hath bene the onely cause therof And moreouer I doo desire her not to trouble her selfe in sending to séeke me for that I say not her power alone but all the power in Africa is not sufficient to retourne me againe into so great straights as once she had me in And so without any more speaking he spurred his horse and rode a reasonable pace towards the sea side which was not farre from that place and when he came thether he sought to sée if he could finde by chance any barke or galley to carry him whether he wold with his good will or els by force He had not gone farre when that he sawe a very faire and great barke at the sea side hard aboord the shoare The Emperour entered into it to sée if there were anye marriners his horse which was hard by him without being constrained by the Emperour very lightly leapt into the Barke He was not so soone with in when that the Barke began to make waye in such sorte that in a small time they were very farre at sea At y â— which the Emperour was greatly amazed but there was a voice which did satisfie him that sayd Mightie Trebatio Lyrgandeo doth gouerne thee at the which the Emperour was very ioyfull So he put his horse in a place by himselfe in the bark wheras he found sufficient of all things néedefull Likewise hée found all that was conuenient for his owne person which was ready vpon a table in very good order all kinde of dressed meates and béeing set downe to eate he was serued so bountifully and with so great diligence and care as though he had bene in Greece In this sort the emperour went sailing eight dayes in y e end of which he discouered land which had belonging vnto it a faire hauen or port and nigh vnto it a very faire and great Citie The Barke went straight into the hauen and brought her selfe to the shore Héere we will leaue y e Emperour in his barke in y e hauen and will tell you of the great lamentation y t the faire Garrofilea made for that the Emperour departed in such sort ¶ How the faire Queene Garrofilea made great lamentation for the departure of the Emperour and how at their last being together she remained with childe by the Emperour Trebatio Cap. 23. AFter that all the Knights of Tinacria haâ— ioyned themselues together and had made an ende of their battaile and trauaile they repaired vnto the citie with great ioy and gladnesse for their good successe Rubio of Yscla went to declare vnto the Quéene his message y t the Emperor had commanded him at y â— which the Quéene was so troubled that she could not in any wise dissemble it but in a great sound strayght way she fell downe as though she had bene dead This couragious knight when he saw her in this trance tooke her vp in his armes caryed her vnto her Strado or seate straight waies when the Ladies heard the noyse they all came forth to sée what the matter was when they saw their Quéene in that traunce they began to vse all meanes and remedies till such time as she came again vnto her remembrance And although it was with great trouble the quéene lifted vp her â—yes séeing that she was coâ—â—â—assed about with Ladies and others shee shut her eyes againe and gaue a great sigh which came from the bottome of her heart and in this sort she remained a greate while and her Ladies and Damosells seeing that she was so troubled determined to vncloath her and to carrie her to her bed Then she made signes with her hands that they should depart and leaue her all alone whose commandement they straight wayes obeyed not without great sorrow of all them that did beholde her for that the quéene was meruailouslye well beloued of her subiects There was not one that could vnderstand the cause of this sodaine euill but onely the earle of Modique who discréetly did imagine what it might bée who kept it close to himselfe at time vntil such time as time the matter it selfe shuld declare whether his imagination or thought should fall out true or no. This afflicted quéene when she saw that she was alone began to exclaime against her fortune putting forth these sorrowfull reasons When wilt thou be content thou peruerse enimie and without all reason Thou which hast warped such strange webbes in this Kingdome Thou gauest me into my power the Gréeke Emperour very poore and without all comfort of thée and absent from all his Empire This thou didst for that with his sight I should be wounded with the cruell dart of loue that without all remedie of anie comfort I most vnfortunate damosell shoulde be constrained to set my life to sale and to sell my honour as it were with the common cryar compelling me to doo vnto my selfe that which I onely did being made blinde by him which would y t all others were as blind as he himselfe is And although me life were set at libertie by him which without anie weapon bereaued me thereof yet am I not at so much libertie nor so frâ—e but that wheresoeuer he goeth my heart doth followe him Woe is me for my virginitie which my parents gaue me such great charge to haue a respect vnto that it hath bene so euill kept and so lightly regarded me I will so chastise my selfe for thus forgetting of my selfe and be so reuenged for the little regard that I haue had of my honour that it shall be an example to all others which be of high estate Oh miserable Quéene Oh vnhappie Lady thy spéech is too too foolish for although this thy desperate hand should pull out the despised heart of this miserable and afflicted bodie yet shouldest not thou make satisfaction of the dishonour which thou hast committed against thy selfe Oh cruell death why doest thou not with thy sodaine furie set at libertie me most vnfortunate from these gréeuous paines Oh Emperour of Greece those louing and amorous wordes which thou spakest vnto me I would they had neuer ben spoken O false and deceiuing Lorde thou shouldest haue suffered me to haue tasted death when with so great good will mine owne hand would haue ministred it to me and not now to cause me to indure a thousand deaths only by thy departure With these other like lamentations this afflicted Ladie passed awaie the time till at last she found
him but with great fury they met together with their speares yet not one of thē was moued in their saddles but remained as though they hadde bene two towers and straight way with no lesse force they began to lay hold on their swordes and for that the knight of the Sunne had a respect vnto him he did rather procure to make his defence then in anie thing to offend him but Don Eleno stroke such a blowe at his cousin that he made him to stoope with all his bodie to the horse necke The knight of the Sun would haue taken reuengement of the same blowe but hée considered that he was his cousin and that he was ignorant of the cause that should moue him to commit this folly for the which consideration he did suffer him and would make no reuengement Tefereo who sawe all that had passed remained in his first place without remouing til time did serue him to accomplish that which he had determined in his mind to doo and when he sawe occasion for the same he threw his shéeld vpon his arme and put his speare in his rest made a shew y t he would be doing with y e gyant y t which he perceiued he put himself in a readinesse but more to giue him to vnderstand what he was then to hurt him This furious Sardenian stroke his horse with the spurs y t he made him run like the commet which falleth from the side of Trion whē he came in the middest of his course he turned his horse toward the place whereas the king of Numidia was who had put himselfe a part from the rest with so great swiftnesse y t by no meanes he could kéepe or defend himselfe from y t incounter but by reason of the strength wherwith it was giuē he threw them to the ground very euill intreated He was no sooner fallen when that this couragious Sardenian leapt from his horse verie lightly and found that the king of Numidia was on foote readie for to defend himselfe and crying out Knightes succour succour or else I am but dead At the which noise all the other fiue knights looked about and when they sawe the king in the power of that valiant knight they would haue rescued him but the light of all knighthoode which was the father and the sonne did disturbe them and put themselues before them and would not suffer them to giue anie such aide but did there great wonders striking on euerie side in such sort that now one and then the other they made them to recoile backe The strong and furious Eleno did but little harme with his swoorde neither made he anie great resistaunce the Gyant with as little hast as might bée went to helpe the Numidian king with a reasonable pace he went towards the place whereas the king was but for that reason would not consent that such as he is should bée holpen with the hast that he made his horse stumbled in such sort that horse and master fell to the ground of the which he was verie sore hurt and brused as it appeared by his slow rising vp againe The valiant Sardenian with great pollicie procured to bring to an end his desire before that anie did come to disturbe him and béeing lighted of his horse he made hast to the King and sayde Thou traytour it shal little profit or plesure thée to call for help for y t in my hands thou shalt leaue this thy traiterous soule who doeth deserue to suffer all the euills that may bée and therwith hée stroke him such a blowe vppon his healme and with so greate furie that he made him in spite of his heart to knéele with both his knées vppon the earth So when the Sardenian perceiued him to bée in this case with greate valyauntnesse he straight wayes layde holde of his healme with his lefte hande and pulled it cleane from his head and with his right hande he smote him such a blowe vppon the head that hée parted it in two péeces and immediatly hée fell downe dead to the ground and looking about to sée whether his horse wer gone or no he found that he was nigh at hande Then hée tooke the dead king and made him fast vnto the stiroppes of the Saddle and with a trice hée leapt vpon his horse and so without anie helpe of his stiroppes hee made his horse to runne and so drew the king after him throughout all the fielde The Gyaunt would haue succoured him but all was in vaine In this sorte went Tefereo drawing the king after him before all the knightes that were there present and sayde Knightes what doe you meane to bée so still Why doe you not vpholde and defend this trayterous king in whose strength was all his confidence Beholde now where he hath receiued the payment that such euill workes as his deserued and therewith he rode round about the fielde as hée did before The Emperour when hée sawe that this fact was ended would that his cousin Don Eleno and the Prince his sonne shoulde leaue theyr battaile which was betweene them begunne a newe and they were giuing one another terrible blowes but not with such great furie for that they did knowe the one the other otherwise it woulde haue gone ill on both parts The Emperour put himself betwéene them and said Oh Knights cease your battaile and hearken vnto my wordes Eleno which was still kindled in wrath hadde no respect vnto those wordes neyther woulde hée part but lyke a man distraught from himselfe hée doubled such a blowe vpon the visour of the Emperour that hée made him loose the sight of his eyes The Emperour who was verie angry and not a lyttle grieued at the small regarde that he had of his wordes woulde presently haue reuenged the blowe but that hée was disturbed by the Gyaunt who pulling off his healme went towards the place whereas these thrée worthie warriours were and with a heauie and troubled voyce he sayde Heare mée O noble Emperour and you worthie knights cease this your controuersie and staye your vnweakened armes till such time as I haue vttered that which I will saye Then the Emperour with his accustomed méekenesse sayd Noble King what is it that thou canst demaund of me that I would not willingly accomplish To whome he aunswered Well séeing it is so my Lord I doo desire you to returne vnto your Tent and take your ease and to leaue off this and such like controuersies for that the cause therof my cousin and brothers sonne hath taken away from betwéene you And when he had sayd these such like words he retourned vnto his companions and perswaded them altogether to retourne vnto the Citie to the which they all consented although it was cleane contrary vnto the will of Don Eleno So when they were entered into the Citie they found that all the people and burgesses thereof were in great lamentation for the losse of their king and Lord
Fathers name was Cosdros he was one of them that was slaine by the handes of Bramarandus whom afterwardes the Emperour Trebatio slew in battaile So I remained all alone very much made off well beloued of the widdowe my mother and we kepte our selues in a very faire castle of ours not far from this place whereas we did passe our solitary liues So I was required of loue of a Gentleman more richer in goodes and landes than in linage or vertue and I vnderstanding his litle estimation did alwayes esteeme him as little and neuer made any reckoning of his messages the which was the occasion that his desire was the more stronger in such sorte that he séeing himselfe by me not estéemed but put off with the great griefe that he receiued for my loue he dyed and at the houre of his death he neuer left naming of Felina the cause of all my harme At such time as he dyed there was a brother of his present and hearing him to declare the causer of his death there kindeled in him so much anger and wrath that he bare vnto me a perpetuall hatred and did procure to haue amends for the death of his brother So it hapned on a time that I went out of the Castle without any mistrust in the company of other two damsells at which time I was stole away by him and other foure Knightes who broughte me vnto this place which is to my great sorrow and gréefe whereas they bound me in that sort as thou hast found me gentle Knight and not content héerewith but for my more paine and sorrow they left me naked with greater desire to die then to liue This Ladye coulde not let but to associaâ—â— her tale with great lamentations wherein this Dacian did beare her company and sayd Of truth sorowfull Lady fortune hath vsed with me great liberalitie to bring me hether in this time for to set you at libertie from this great captiuitie and to make reuengement of thy honour and héere I doo offer my selfe and doo giue vnto thée my fayth of knighthood to perfourme it or to loose my lyfe This faire Ladye was somewhat comforted with the offer of the Knight and gaue him great thanks for the fauor which he did offer her In this sort they passed the rest of the night that remained till such time as the Sunne of Tona did shew his glistering face spreading all abroad his golden beames accompanyed with y e swéet and rosalyke Aurora at which time they were all readie a foote for to goe onwards on their waie straight wayes they heard amongest the thickest of those trées a still sound The Prince being verie desirous to knowe what it was and comming thether he saw that it was his horse the which was brought thether by the order of the wise Lyrgandeo from the place whereas he lefte him at such time as hée did imbarke himselfe The Prince receiued great delight at the sight of him and taking him by the bridle he leaped on his back and went to séeke the Ladyes Palfraie which was let loose amongst those thicke trées and they found him feeding in a faire and gréene medowe adorned with many fresh and swéete flowers So his page leapt on his backe tooke the Ladie behinde him and trauailed through a narow and well beaten path which brought them into a broad waie that carried them into a verie great and large plaine at 〈◊〉 the ende thereof there was a verie faire Castell and in the middest of the plaine they sawe foure knightes which came towards them and when they were nigh together the one of them sayd Tell me knight who made thée so bolde as for to vnloose this Ladie from thée place whereas she was made fast What is this that thou askest sayd Eleno is it possible that thou art hée that forgetting all the honour that thou doest owe vnto the order of knighthood madest fast this Ladie The knight anâ—wered sayd I am he that did it hée that will take awaie thy life from thée in recompence of thy great boldnesse to vnloose her So without anie more tarrying the Prince Eleno turned about his horse towards him When this sorrowful Ladie â—awe him y t was the occasion of all her euill she leapt downe from her Palfray began with a new sorow her gréeuous lamentation Those foure knights came all against y e prince some with their speares he y t had none came w t his swoord in his hand with great furie one of the foure who thought himselfe to be more valiant theÌ„ all y e rest came formost with his sword in his hand all a high stroke him a mightie blow vpon his helme with all his strength but this Dacian Prince made little account thereof and passing by he stroke him a blow vpon his shield and for that his blow could extend no farther he remained with his life otherwise it had cost him the price thereof for it parted his shield in two péeces The Knight returned and gaue him another blow that it made the sparks of fire to fly out of his healme Then the Dacian full of yre let goe his shield and clasped fast his sword in both his hands and stroke him so terrible a blow vpon his helme that he cut helme and heade in two péeces and he fell down dead to the earth The other seeing their companion dead all thrée together set vpon him but this valiant Dacian who in such like aduentures neuer had any feare did receiue them with his accustomed furye striking on them both on the right and lefte hand with mortall blowes In the meane time this afflicted Lady when she sawe the Knight dead which caused her dishonour lyke a furious Lionesse she went towards him and sayd Oh howe the gods haue giuen thée thy paiment for the dishonor which thou hast done me yet she said O heauie Felina what doth this reuengement profite thy honour being lost it were very great riches vnto me that by the death of him which hath robbed me of it it might be restored me again Oh my gods I am in no falt in the loosing of my chastitie for that it was violently taken from me in the thicke forrest There shall be none able to disturbe but that I will execute my fury vppon my selfe although I doo not deserue the same and in saying these words she tooke the sword of that dead knight and put the poynt to her breast and threw her selfe thereon in such sort that Fabio could not succour her although with great hast he would haue done it The Dacian Knight casting his head on the one side and saw the harme done he pressed forwards with great furie and yrefull wrath and lifte vp his sword and stroke such a blow at one of them vppon his right arme that arme and sworde together fell to the ground and strayght tourned vnto another and with an ouerthwart blowe he stroke him on the making
wounded hart in sunder torne fith thou no gaine canst get Cease off thy sute thou art forlorne by thee she naught doth set Let Death dissolue thy bitter griefe and glory in the same For therein thou shalt finde reliefe and blaze thy Faith by Fame This louing shepheard when he had made an ende of his song giuing a great and sorrowfull sigh let the Rebeck fall out of his hande The third shephearde with a dissembling laughter arose vpon his féete and sayd Oh soueraigne gods that this Loue might be séene whom all you doo account to be a God Lord that you might at your ease reioyce in his simplenes know him that hath brought you out of all vnderstanding remeÌ„brance as it doth appeare by your variable resons ill placed words which without anye order be vttered so y t I promise you if we shuld turne make rehersall at night of all y t which you do talk on in y t day you shal not finde y t ther is any agréement therein as by their songs gentle Knight you may know with what Philosphie they wold giue vs to vnderstand y t two bodies haue but one hart And héere I sweare vnto you by y t might power of Alfebo y e restorer of our Countryes by the great valor of the Dacian Prince y t in what sort soeuer you will tumble and tosse these variable reasons ther is no vnderstanding of man can cause me to beléeue y e two bodies are gouerned by one heart alone at least wayes I would not be he that should be without a heart Likewise heare the reasons of my other companion who tumbleth together and maketh a mixture of glorie and paine and paine and glorie as though we should mixe honnie and gall together and if I should let them contend much they woulde goe about to make me beléeue that which neuer chanced but remaine you with these your amorous thoughtes or as I might better saie with your foolish conceits and let me haue continually my cattell well fed and gouerned and in as good plight as now they are béeing so fat as the skinne may holde and not to be as you are that hath lost all your owne reason and vnderstanding and therewith forget and loose the care that you should haue of yours who for lacke of looking vnto be so leane And making an end in saying these words he sate himselfe downe and séemed to bée verie angrie to sée his coÌ„panions so without reason vnderstanding and blinded with loue The which words was the occasion that the Prince Eleno was constrained to doe that which since his departure out of Dacia he did not which was that he laughed to heare the simplicitie of this shepheard and taking in hand to aunswere him he sayd Friend I doe tell thée that thy resistaunce is great likewise thy vnderstanding is verie much that being conuersant dayly and hearing the great complaints and communication of so amorous sheapheards thou art not intangled with the same And héere I do desire thée that thou hold thy selfe firme in the same and kéep thy selfe still as thou art least peraduenture that which thou doest now call follie héereafter thou wilt call discreation and wisedome Thou mayst now well account thy selfe happie for that without all care and sorrow thou mayst reuile them who doth complaine of so manie miseries With a greate laughter this shepheard aunswered and sayd Nowe gentle Knight I doe tell thée that I will as little contend with thée as with thy companions for that it séemeth vnto mée that thou art also a vassall vnto that foolish loue and I doe more estéeme my libertie thus simple as thou doest sée mée then all the wisedome which thou dost presume to haue it is much better for the shepheard to haue care and kéepe of his cattell to guide them in good féeding and not euerie small time to call for his crowde and singing two thousand songes the which the Diuell cannot vnderstand and although they sing them yet I thinke they vnderstand them not themselues So one of his companions cut off his reasons and sayde Tarido doest thou not know how at mine owne libertie in times past I did gouerne my selfe and mocking and iesting at them who did publish the lyke complaintes Héere I dooe desire the Gods to maintaine thée in this estate and to kéepe thee y â— loue doo not extend his furie vpon thée for if hée do he will make thée repent a thousand times these wordes which thou hast sayde And héere gentle Knight without giuing anye attension vnto this Rusticall shephearde â—éere I dooe desire you for that I sée you bring that which is necessarye that you would plaie and sing for that the manifesting of thy sorrowe in some vearse may be an occasion to mitigate somewhat of our paine The Prince to shew pleasure vnto the shepheards and vsing his accustomed magnificence tooke his Lute in his hande and played and song these vearses following CAliope from Pernasse hill proceede and shew thy sacred face with teares bedewd Let Gods and Nymphes prepare themselues with speed to heare my plaints that are by loue renewd And with thy moanes O mournfull Muse assist My wailing song which doth on woe consist And then may I at large paint out my paine amongst these pastors which desire the same And after I haue ended to complaine gainst him whom iustly I haue cause to blame Except these shepheards too vnciuill be They will with sobs assist the sighs of me Time weares out loue it is reported so and so it may I will it not denie Yet I haue tride long time and this I know Time giues no ease vnto my miserie But rather Fortune Time and Loue agree With cruell paines ceaslesse to punish me O rare report yet too too common found that Loue should murther man with such despight Thou blinded boie which dost so aimelesse wound and in the griefe of louers hast delight Cease off to shoote and though thy eyes be blinde Let mercie now at last possesse thy minde I neuer heard of anie yet so praisde for constantnesse that might thy force gainsaie I cannot shew the mischiefe thou hast raisde nor bring one proofe my passions to allay For by thy furie kingdomes are subdude And trenchant blades in peoples blouds imbrude Wherefore all you that heare my mournfull song and tasted haue the griefe that I sustaine Complaine with me gainst cruell Cupids wrong whose slights almost my louing heart hath slaine Shunne his deceipts so subtill false and slie His poisoned baits for euer seeke to flie With the great paine and sorrow that Eleno felt he was not able to goe forwardes with his song for that there came to his remembraunce the sodaine departure of Lidia which constrained him to leaue it of and one of the shepheards that was there sayd Oh gentle knight how the queene our Lady would reioyce to heare you for that she is likewise afflicted
by loue for which cause and for that she would at some time take ease of her sorrowe and paine she doth commaund vs to sing our louing and amorous songs who doth solempnise our swéet and loiung vearses with teares distilling from her sorrowfull eies Then Eleno asked of them who was the occasion that the quéene without hauing anie power to remedie her selfe should suffer such like torment The shepheard did declare vnto him all that hath bene tolde you in the storie past of the Emperour Trebatio and of all that passed with the Quéene Tarido who of all this had no care but onely to the féeding of his cattell did breake off this conuersation in rising vp to put abroad his Cattel into the gréene medowes the other shepheardes that were in companie with Tarido desired that the night wer come for to returne and to reioyce themselues in hearing the swéet and well consorted musicke of the Prince so they made agréement to returne to y e same place but it fell not out as they had determined for that vppon a sodaine and vnawares Eleno heard a verie dolorous sigh towards his left hand which was so terrible heauy and bitter that it made him giue attentiue eare to sée if he coulde vnderstand what it should be and with the quiet eare that he gaue he might discerne that the occasion of all that euill was loue which caused him to say Oh almightie God I suppose that this is the place wher in olde time they reported to bée planted the dwelling of the Goddesse Venus for that since my comming hether to take my rest I haue hearde no other thing but lamentations and so with making the least noise possible he arose vp and began to goe towards the place whereas he might sée what it was and there hée behelde a knight verie well armed which thou didde alight from his horse vnder a fayre and gréene Myrtle trée his armour was all russet and full of barres of blacke stéele which shewed to be a verie sadde sorrowfull and heauie enamelling hée was somewhat of a bigge stature of bodie and well proportioned and there séemed by his disposition to bée in him greate vertue and with sorrowfull sighes hée laide himselfe downe on the gréene grasse and with sadde and heauy words he sayd Ah heauie and peruerse fortune why doost thou consent that so naughtie and euill a man as I am doe liue so long Oh my Lidia with how much reason maist thou complaine of the cruell outrage that thou receiuedst at the handes of Brenio béeing nothing of him considered O Brenio Brenio whereon was thy thought vnderstanding which did induce thée to commit so great euill in leauing all alone and without comfort the thing of whome thou wert most beloued in the world giuing and leauing her vnto the will of the wilde and furious beasts It is possible indéede that they will haue more compassion on thee my Lidia then he who had more reason to comfort and loue thée Oh cruell and without all faith thou wert born into this world for thy own torment when with thy selfe thou didst consent to commit so greate treason Where was thy vnderstanding that thou couldest not remember thy selfe take pitie on her that did forsake her affinitie and Countrey for thée and thy loue O Lidia who made me to forget all the great paines and trauaile which thou tookest in wandring by lande alone lamenting and sometimes by sea sorrowing and all for to set at libertie him who lefte thée prisoner amongst the wilde beastes Oh happy beast is he that chaunceth to bury thée in his belly and woe be vnto me traitor without any knowledge of vertue or pittie What doth it now profite me to fill y e aire with my lamentations séeing that the harme and euill is alreadie past and without all remedy or hope of comfort héerewith he gaue a terrible and grieuous sigh so held his peace Don Eleno by those heauie and sorrowfull wéepings together with his reasons which he heard knewe him to bée that Brenio whom so long time he had laboured to séeke and find out with so great trauaile and knew him to be the causer of the death of his Lady and Mistresse the paine and sorowe was so extreame the which he felt that he was constrained without anie féeling to fall down to the ground but yet the furie of his couragious heart woulde not giue place that he should so remaine long but straight wayes with the great anguish that he had he arose vp againe on foote with great desire to fight with Brenio but calling to remēbrance all that which was commanded him he would first performe the same in giuing him the letter and then when hée hadde made an ende of reading the same to demaunde of him battaile So with this thought and determination he went vnto the place whereas Brenio was who when he heard the noyse straight wayes on his féete then Eleno did salute him with a voyce somewhat heauie And Brenio did return vnto him his salutation with no lesse showe of griefe Then this amorous Eleno tooke forth the letter out of the place whereas so long time he had kept it and taking it into his hand he sayd Is it possible that thou art y e forgetful and disloyall Brenio the which left Lidia with so great paine and sorrow all alone in the power of the wilde beasts Brenio when he heard him to saye these words he began to behold him although his eyes were all to be blubbered and wearie with wéepings he aunswered him and sayd I will not deny thée gentle Knight that which the high heauens doth cōplaine of Thou shalt vnderstand that I am the same Brenio whom thou hast demaunded for Tell me what is your will and what it is that you would haue Eleno aunswered him Oh ingratefull Knight without all knowledge and vnderstanding what diuel was that which put in thy thought to commit so great villanie take héere vnto thée and reade this letter the last worke of the faire and white hand of Lidia The prince was so troubled in his thought and so much grieued that it was almost the occasion to dissolue the soule from his body This penitent and sorrowfull Lusitanian put foorth his hand somewhat trembling in such sort that béeing constrained by force to take the letter the same force by weary meanes did constraine him to sit downe on the ground without any farther power to the contrarie whē he opened the letter he knew it to be written by his Lidia who with great alteration of heart and minde did read it the which was as héereafter follolloweth The Letter THe infortunate Lidia and thy mortall enimie Brenio doeth send thée health although of her part there is no power to giue it thée neither able to moue her selfe for that in thy respect she hath it not neither hath she any hope thereof Oh Brenio wherefore didst thou consent that so
thée that thou shalt not depart without thy reward and punishment neyther I without taking vengeaunce of thée The valiant Moore who verie well heard and vnderstoode his wordes made little account of his proude spéech but sayd Make an end thou furious diuell and come vnto the battaile delaie not I saye that thou mayst beare these thy companions companie Then the Gyant lifted vp his arme aboue his head hauing fast in his hande that greate and mightie Speare which was all full of knots with the barke remaining still thereon and threw it at him with so great strength that it made a meruailous sound in the aire but this valyant Mauritanian was not without great care of the comming thereof but with a counter pace he put himselfe on the one side with so greate pollicie that the blowe passed on the one side and the Speare stuck fast in the ground and by reason of the greate force wherewith it was throwen it made it to shake as though it would haue flowen in a thousand péeces and turning round like a Snake when she doth make hast to goe awaie from him that woulde kill her Then the strong and stout Mauritanian being very irefull to sée so great villanie he ranne vnto the speare and with great strength he pulled it out of the ground and in throwing it againe at the gyant he said O thou furious beast take vnto thée thy dart It did wel appeare that it was not throwen by a sluggish arme for that by reason of the great strength striking on his shéeld it pearced it through yet it did not ther remaine but likewise pearced his armour and shirt of maile and neuer stayed till such time as it shewed it selfe at his backe all to be bathed with bloud wherewith the Gyant fell downe dead to the ground whose fall was so terrible that it made the earth tremble and all the trées that were there about to shake as though they woulde haue fallen downe When Brufaldoro saw that the foure gyants were dead who wer the kéepers of that faire ladie he went towards her who was alreadie on foote abiding his comming The valyaunt Moore did pull of his healme and did discouer his face which did represent a great maiestie seueritie such as his state did require and although he was of a great stature bignesse of bodie yet his faire face did giue greate delight vnto all them that did beholde it and when he came nigh vnto the faire ladie he knéeled downe on the ground and said Faire Ladie I know not whether you are discontented or haue receiued a small benefit or seruice in this which I haue done but of this be you assured that my determined thought was to doe you seruice beléeuing that so faire a Ladie shoulde not with her good will keepe companie with so monstrous people she with with great curtesie did aunswere him sayd Gentle knight I cannot denie but that I was constrained by force to kéepe companie with these proude and ill conditioned Gyants and much lesse can I kéepe in secret the great ioy which I haue to finde my selfe at libertie and cléere from them but one thing there is which I doe greatly feare that is that nowe I falling into thy hands and power I dread to come into a new prison therefore I beséech you to giue me frée libertie with the seguritie which belongeth vnto my honour The Pagan who was verie attentiue vnto the words of the Ladie would haue made her answere but this faire lady did disturbe him desiring him first to sit downe by her for that she was perswaded that with the great trauaile which he had taken in the battaile with the Gyants it could not be but that he was wearie and therewith taking him fast by both the hands she made him to sit downe to whom Brufaldoro sayd Ah fayre Ladie if I did knowe that my heart were as frée and cléere of your loue as you are sure of me for offering you anie violence then with great reason I might account my selfe happie as well in the doing of your seruice as in giuing you libertie but I am he Ladie that must aske libertie of your beautie desiring you not to haue anie doubt of me So with déepe sorrowful sighs this Moore did giue her to vnderstand how his troubled heart was tormented with excessiue loue The Ladie when she vnderstoode and knewe that she had of him so sure a pawne was nothing discontent with all for that he séemed vnto her to be a knight of a verie good disposition and of great value more then anie other and for that he shuld receiue some contentment she answered and sayd Sir I am verie well satisfied that a knight in whom is comprehended so great beautie cannot be without the curtesie requisite in so worthie a warriour for the which cause I doe deliberate and put all my honour into your handes and beléeue me that time shall not lacke to put remedie in this your new griefe and paine without incurring vnto my selfe anie rebuke but to maintaine and kéepe my honour as belongeth vnto the royall bloud from whence I do descend in y e meane time gentle knight I would craue one boone at your hands which in telling you I would not haue it denied me Oh how great was the ioye that this valyant Pagan receiued when he vnderstoode so good hope which she pronounced vnto him and therewith he turned vnto the Ladie and whether shée would or not he kissed her hands with great thanks for the grace and fauour which she shewed him and therewith reremembring the wordes which passed by the Nymph at the riuer he sayd vnto himselfe How is it that not long since I made a mocke and a iest of the aduice the which was giuan me and now I doo sée that I made a mocke a iest of the aduice which is turned into good earnest And in saying these words he returned vnto the Ladie and sayde What is that faire Ladie that I should binde my selfe vnto you to do nay what is it that lying in my power to accomplish I woulde not do being wholy yours for y e my heart is your prisoner my libertie subiect to your wil so y t there is no occasion y t you shuld desire the graunt of me but commaund me to fulfil all your will and request but yet fayre Ladie before that you doe procéede to your request I doe desire you that I maye know the occasion of your kéeping companie and trauailing with these foure furious Gyants in this Countrie of Grecia This wil I declare vnto you with a verie good will answered this fayre Ladie You shall vnderstand that I am daughter vnto the king of the Ilandes of Spaine my parents had no more daughters but I alone the which was the occasion that I was the more made off and estéemed of them And by reason of my beutie they put me into a strong tower which was nigh the
delyuer them from the rauening Wolues And by reason that shée doth knowe that her beautie is so great shée is so proude that shee doth make them all equall in her estimation although not all equall in suffering I doo promise thée of a truth gallant shephearde that this Riuer dooth seeme to be no other thing but the habitation of Venus and Cupide Coridon did cut off the words of Galismena and sayd Ah sister Galismena the little accompt that thou doest make of loue doth cause thée to speake of that which thy sorrowfull brother doth féele What doost thou thinke Galismena that of this my contentious passion I shall reape anye other benefitte but that I haue put my loue vppon the most excellentest Pastora that euer Nature did forme Tell me I praye thée Pastora what shephearde haue you belonging vnto this Riuer of Euphrates vnto whome shée dooth extend her thought more then vnto me Hold thy peace Coridon sayd Galismena doo not exalt Cayserlinga so much for in her respecte thou doost not onelye put from thée all other Pastoras but thou dost likewise disable all shepheards alongst this Riuer Truth it is although that Cayserlinga doth deserue much yet for that she is a woman she doth not deserue so much as the worst Shephearde in all this our habitation for that this onelye is sufficient that he is a man Then said Coridon with great anger I would it were not thy selfe but some other that should speake such words for y t I promise thée with y e force of my arme I wold make him to know that his words were not true but very false Then Claridiano did interrupt their communication and sayd Gentle shepheards let these your contentions cease for that there commeth nothing of them but anger and falling out but I doo desire you that you would shew vnto me this Pastora for that her fame doeth giue me a desire to sée her Héere by the riuer of Euphrates sayd Coridon in an arbour which is made of very faire and gréene sallowes gallantlye wrought there euerye morning she doth combe her yeolow golden hayre thether maist thou goe very earlye in the morning whereas thou maist recreate thy selfe of that new sight And in the meane tune before that thou dost depart we doo desire thée to tell vs thy name and what countriman thou art This new shepheard aunswered and said My name is Filipensio and am naturally of Siria and of the plaines of Caniphia a kingdome of Chaldea and the great desire of these greene fieldes and fresh feeding which is héere growing about this cleere riuer hath brought me hether for to feede a little Cattle the which the Gods hath made mée Lord and gouernour of Ah shepheard sayd Coridon with a dolorous sigh doest thou come to féede thy shéepe in fresh gréene medowes and dost not know that in séeing that Pastora thou shalt féede loue within thy delicate and tender breast So with this and other such like pleasaunt communication they passed all that night till the next morning and when it was time for to departe they tooke their waye to the accustomed abiding of the beautifull Pastora and they met in the waye manye shepheardes who complained very much against the fury of loue So vnder a greate Sallowe Trée they sawe two shepheards the one did complaine of loue very grieuously and laye all alongst vppon the ground and the other was playing vppon a Rebecke and sung verye swéetelye wherewith Filipensio did staye and heard that he sung as followeth STraunge is my griefe yet count I it a gaine and great my smart but small I it esteeme In that for her I suffer all this paine whose beautie rare celestiall I doo deeme The pangs I feele oppresse my fainting hart the hope I haue reuiues the same againe Tormenting loue afflicts me still with smart yet for her sake I force not to be slaine My cause is good whereby my care is great both cause and care I vnto thee replye And though with rigor still thou me intreat yet will I ioye that I for thee must dye And giuing a dolorous sigh he ended his song The shepheard Filipensio and his company went forwards on their waye and passed the time in amorous and swéete communications not staying in any place till they came wheras this Pastora had her abiding and there they put themselues amongst a companie of thicke trées vnder one of the which they saw where was a shepheard of a meruailous disposition so that Filipensio did very much behold him and thought in his imagination by the demeanour of that shepheard that he should not séeme to be of the lignage of shepheards and turning vnto Coridon he asked him what he was They all safe themselues downe vnder a high mightie sallow trée nigh vnto the place whereas the other shepheard was at his rest and Coridon aunswering vnto that which was asked him sayd This is a shepheard of Babylonia who for to féede his cattell in the companie of other well proportioned shepheards came â—ether and with the sight of that Pastora he felt himselfe full of passions and griefes by the sight of her beutie The companion of this who is called Tarsides was hée which did most followe and importunate the Pastora but she who is the honestest in all the worlde not onelye with sharpe and bitter words did put him from it but also with publike disdaine and hatred for the which aâ— one hated not set by he did determine to leaue this valley reporting that his departure would shorten his dayes Alphesiueo for so is this shepheard called as one that was more stronglyer wounded with loue determined to remaine and to perseuer in his sute At this time Alphesiueo did awake and tooke an instrument in his hand which he had and began to play on it very swéetely singing these verses following THe drops of raine in time the Marble pierce Submission makes the Lyons hart relent But Loue thy cruell torments are so fierce That mischiefes new thou daily dost inuent For she whose sight my heart in sunder rent Regardeth neither of my faith nor griefe Nor yet yeelds death which is my sole reliefe This song he sung so dolefully that it gaue plainely to vnderstand his grieuous paine and by his words that he was not of the lignage of shepheards At this time the sonne of Tona did begin to appeare out of his golden Horizon to shew himselfe vpon the face of the earth glistering with his beames vppon the cléere waters of Euphrates likewise Fauonius and Zephyrus did very swéetely and softlye blowe vpon the grâ—en leaues and made a delicate harmonie at such time as the most fairest Cayserlinga accompanied with high thoughts and with her shéepe that she had in charge for her recreation came foorth and a great companye of shepheardes following her who were as full of sorrowes and thoughtes for her loue as she cleane voyd and without regard of them and when she
shéelde at his necke and béeing readie hée mounted vpon his horse and tooke his Speare in his hande which stoode hard by leaning against a frée and with a verye reasonable pace hée followed after him and when he was nigh vnto the Prince he sayd Knight with more pride and better adorned with rich armour then with good manners or courtesie you must iuste with me for that making thée to kisse the ground constrained by my terrible incounter thou shalt learne in another place to vse curtesie The heroycall Prince with his accustomed méekenesse aunswered If my salutation gentle knight was not as it becommeth a traueling knight the distaunce of the waye was the occasion thereof and this being true which I haue said then haue you no reason to blame me Thou hast lesse reason sayd the Knight of the fountaine for to excuse thy selfe from the iuste which I doo aske of thée therefore take thy choyce of the field and procure to settle and firme thy selfe well in the saddle The Gréeke seing his pride asked of Coridon his shéeld and a speare which they brought with them and hauing it in his hand he saw that the field was all purple very smooth and a knight made in it armed with purple armour striking another Knight armed likewise in purple armour ouerthwart the eyes and it was all full of starres of golde The Prince was meruailously amazed and troubled at the great cléerenesse thereof so that he was constrained to hide his eyes with his owne hands but the calling out of the Knight of the fountaine did cause him to chaunge his purpose and called for his speare and with a furious course he went foorth vnto the incounter The Knight of the fountaine did breake his speare not making the Prince to mooue any more then he had stroke vpon a hard Rocke but the Princes incounter was such that he ouerthrew him to the ground with the fall he brake his arme in two parts who hauing no power to mooue himself and with the great paine griefe he felt made a pitifull complaint The Gréeke séeing him in that case sayd Knight it had bene better thou hadst remained without any salutation quietlye then nowe quarrelling thervpon thou hast thy arme broken and remainest vnable to helpe thy selfe and without saying any other thing he did departe determining to prosecute his former iourney So within a while after he heard a great noyse of calling and looking about to sée who called him he saw that it was the rest of the Knights which followed with greate spéede There he determined to staye their comming and made himselfe ready vnto the battaile if they would demand it of him These seauen knights came with great yre to sée the other knight in that perplexitie and forgetting the custome of Grecia of long time obserued and kept amongst the Knights they all seauen together with their speares on their rests they made their incounter vpon him and stroke the Gréeke with their firmed blowes some on the sides and some on the breast with great furie yet the Prince remained more firme thē an Anfield of yron They all brake their speares on him but at their passing by he stroke one of them such a blow vpon the healme that he ouerthrew him deade to the ground The rest which remained returned vnto him with their swords in their hand laying vpon him very terribly like knights that were both valiant and couragious but the Prince moued his horse amongst them with so great lightnesse and strength that quicklie his power and force was knowen vnto them he did so torment them with his mightie blowes And the more they did grieue him the worse it was for them for hauing lost all patience he threw his shield at his backe and did assault them with such fury that in a short time he remained with onely two of them in the field who séeing the other of their companions dead procured to saue their liues tourning their backes vnto the Gréeke pricking their horse with the spurs they put themselues into a broad waye This furious Knight followed after them procuring to ouertake them and to make that not one of them shall beare newes of the successe of the battaile but by reason they had some vauntage of the waye and againe their horses were very good for all the hast that he coulde make he could not ouertake them till such time as they came whereas were many tents armed in the field and at that place ther was a knight y e stept before him to defend the other two which ran away who were armed with verie strong and straunge armour Who if you doo remember was the Emperour Alphebo and our Knight was his sonne who with his sword in his hand all bloudie followed the other two knights The Emperour Alphebo seeing them come running from y e one alone Knight called vnto them and sayd Tell me wherefore doe you runne away you cowards and dishonourers of the Gréekish genealogie of whom are you afraide of one alone Knight Soueraigne Lord sayd one of the Knightes he that doeth follow vs is no Knight but a diuell and thy surmounted strength is néedfull to make resistaunce against his So at that time the Prince approched as I haue tolde you and likewise the Emperour Alphebo who did verye much beholde his goodly stature and disposition the Prince did likewise behold the Emperour and the straungenesie of his armour The Emperour was the first that beganne to speake and sayd Tell me knight what hath my Knightes done vnto you to cause you to vse intreat them so straightly Then the Prince who had lost all patience sayde Procure to make their reuengement and doo not aske mée the cause of their cowardnesse For that it is verye apparaunt that they themselues are in fault of their ill intreating This good Emperour as one that made little reckoning of his words very méekely sayd If they are in the fault it lyketh me very well therefore I doo desire to know the occasion if it be thy pleasure to tell me that I may altogether lay the fault vpon them The Prince with a high voyce sayde By the Gods I doo sweare vnto thée that it is true that I haue tolde thée The Emperour when he hearde him name those false Gods without any more tarrying drewe out his sword and sayd Defende thy selfe Pagan for it shall cost thée thy lyfe for laying hands vpon Christians who are more worth then thou art Now doo I not desire to knowe the occasion for that they are Christians and thou arte a Moore And I saye that they are in no faulte So there they assaulted one another with most terrible and mortall battayle Oh Nimphes borne in the Hill of Helicon and whose habitation is in the Mountaine Olympus and ye Ladies of the sacred Cabolino vnto all you I doo inuocate to ground in me wisedome and vnderstanding as you did into him who did make the Gréeke dedicated vpon
not vnderstande it aunswered one of the Knights at this time therfore depart thou hence in peace vnlesse thou wilt make experience of our forces which doo attende vpon it I knowe not replyed Rosicleer how it shall betide me but truly whether you will or no I am purposed to see what is within it After he had thus spoken hée laid his hand vpon his sword and without tarriaunce for more speaches he hit one of them so strongly that he killed him His companion seeing this let driue at the Prince with all his force but the fierce Grecian suted him a pasport sutable to his companions which thing draue theyr companions into a wonderfull admiration and héerevppon forgetting all courtesie they altogether enuyroned the Prince and strake at him on euerie side but the valyaunt Grecian seeing himselfe in such a prease it was not long but that he did vnharnesse some and maymed other some and others hee strake downe dead and cursed was hée vnto whome hée lent a full blowe In such sort the Prince skirmished with those Knightes that they beganne to recoyle fearing the death considering that it was better to disclose to him that which with such humanitie hée had demaunded of them Heerevppon the knightes with blushing countenaunce made towarde the Knight and béeing so wearie as they were which tourned to their owne harme they strake freshlye at him againe wherevppon the Prince did cut and mangle them at his owne will Hée then perceiuing the small resistaunce that they made he came vnto the Chariot and pulling vp the coueâ—â—ure hée sawe that there was within it a dead body all imbaulmed and on the head of it there was the Crowne of a King which head vnto the breast was diuided in sunder with some blowe and he didde repute him for such a one by his royall garmentes which were all imbrued in bloude There sate in a Chayre couered with blacke Cipers at the foote of this dead king a Gentlewoman of a middle age leaning her chéeke vpon her hande and her eyes shut shée bedewed her face and breastes with innumerable brinish teares and néere vnto her there sate another Gentlewoman who séemed to bée but tenne yeares of age all wrapped in blacke which Gentlewoman was so fayre that she appeared vnto his viewe more diuine then humane The renowmed Grecian Prince with great admiration and no lesse pittie behelde this sorrowfull sight and at length the distressed Gentlewoman opened hir heauie eyes and séeing the Knight knew he was none of hirs Thervppon with an angrie countenaunce she said vnto him Who are you sir Knight which haue bene so bolde as to come and see what is héere without my commaundement where are my Knights and kéepers which haue not depended you the passage nor brideled your excéeding boldnesse The courteous Grecian who greatly bewailed the sight which he sawe and the great dolour wherein the Gentlewoman was hée aunswered hir soberly Madame I am a Knight whose help if it might stand you in stéede though it were with hazard of my life you should finde it readie at your commaundement and as concerning the gard which haue attended vpon you they haue done what lay in their power to preuent me but all could not preuaile The Ladie attentiuely heard the spéeches of the Knight and hearing the tidings he deliuered hir of hir Knights she lifte vp the other side of the couering of her Chariotte she espied some of hir Knights murthered other some hurt other some all to be trampled vnder the horse feete After she had seene the great ouerthrowe of hyr Knights with an angry countenaunce she turned hir to the Knight and sayd The Gods send thée a perpetuall plague sith that in such sort thou hast intreated the best Knights in all my Prouince and sith that our misfortune hath bene so great that thou hast had the power to vanquish my kéepers I beséech the Gods that thy forces héereafter may prooue as weake as my troupe is now poore and slender Follow on thy waye and suffer me to goe mine with that companie which hath scaped thy cruell hand what wouldst thou farther learne then that which thou hast alreadie séene Besides this my griefes cannot affoord me so much time as to recount them neither hath thy courtesie wrought in me such good will as to recite them When she had thus spoken shée opened one of hir casements and made signe to the dwarfes which â—idde that they should whip the horses which when they had done they went like the winde leauing y e Prince more discontented then he was at the beginning And without more tarriance he continued on his iourney greatlye blaming the courtesie of so euill mannered people and hée trauailed a long time without encountering any thing worthie the recitall vntill he came vnto the shore of the Sea wherein he saw a great boat of verye faire workmanship vpon which he had great delight to looke yet he did not forsake his way and he had not continued long in riding but that he heard a womans voyce as he thought call vnto him Knight of the Princesse Oliuia succour this captiue Gentlewoman At the call héereof the Knight tourned his head and gazing on all sides he coulde not sée who called him in such hast and so following his waye hée hearde agayne a newe voyce which sayd vnto him Knight of Cupide thou neuer deniedst to anie thy helpe and wherefore doost thou not succour me The Prince greatly astonished tourned himselfe to sée if he could perceiue who called him which thing when he could not doe it bred a bitter passion in him Going forward in his iourney more carefull then hée was he heard the third time a voice cryeng vnto him O son of Trebatio couragious Rosicleer what is become of that pittie which was wont to dwel within thy valiant heart towards the succouring of the oppressed Ladies why dost thou now begin to faile me When he heard himselfe called by his proper name it did strike him into a greater dumpe then hée was in before héerewith imagining that the voyce came foorth of the ship which he sawe at the shore side hée lighted from his horse and nimblie leapte into the Boate and his horse as if he had vnderstanding followed him They were no sooner in the Boate but it beganne to cut the Seas with such swiftnesse as the winde which hath long time bene imprisoned in his caue and could not get forth at anye chinke it blewe now in such sort as Iuno by long intercession intreated Eolus who vntying the chaynes commaunded the Windes with all their furie to transport the enamored Aeneas and his Troyans armie into the deapth of the seas Rosicleer was greatlye amazed to sée himselfe thus swiftlye conuayed and sawe not anye in the Boate which so often â—ad cryed to him for succours Héere wée will leaue speaking of Rosicleer and will returne to declare vnto you the many worthie déedes that his brother did accomplish suffering
your disease The pithie perswasions of this angelicall Ladie were so swéet and comfortable that they caused such bashfulnesse in my heart that it mooued mée to chaunge coulour and through modest shame I could not no nor I durst not open my lippes for to vntwist vnto her the bottome of my griefe but craued pardon promising her that at our next méeting I woulde bewraie who she was that galled mée so greatly shée béeing satisfied héerewith and my words carrieng some credite with her shée departed from me but the terrible night that I suffred what with visions dreadfulnesse of dreames mistrust of good Fortune I referre the tast of those pills to your sauâ—ury and mature iudgement noble Prince For sometimes I thought good to disclose and discouer the whole state of my paine And immediatly I would charme those thoughts preferring a cruell death before a perpetuall torment but yet in the ende I concluded with my selfe and thought it good to vnfolde the plaites of my sorrow to so good a Phisition whose skill I knew could helpe mée if disdaine did not let it I thought it good to entertaine hir courtesie as one that could enfraunchise my bondage but wanting abilitie to perfourme my desires by meanes of inwarde paynes which hourely griped mée I thought it not impertinent to vse a pollicie by Metaphora And hauing decréed with my selfe how to handle this practise I rose verie earlye in the morning and shoouing off all feare I apparelled my selfe more braue then I was accustomed and went out of my Chamber to present my selfe to her who had more authoritie ouer mée then my selfe And loe I found my mistresse attending for mee desirous to heare the exposition of that riddle which so darklye I had propounded vnto her The time was excéeding fauourable and the place most conuenient so that I had verye good opportunitie and leasure to disclose the secretes of my heart And surely shée hadde no sooner discouered a glimmering of me but shée came to encounter me immediatly whose Angelicall and braue beautie surpassed the twinkling Starres and heâ— greate desire remayning to knowe the cause of my sorrowe with a gratious and smiling countenaunce she approched to me and saide on this manner Louing Cousin the place is now so conuenient as y â— you néede not to make it strange to me wherein you are so grieued I beseech you blush not to rehearse your pangs which I knowe doo sting you and in so dooing I promise you I will aduenture my selfe in anie daunger howe greate so euer it bée to remooue those pinching passions which so greatly afflict you Then I séeing the houre so fit to make my market I tooke out of my bosome a faire bright Christall glasse and with a panting heart I sayd Faire Laie and the onely nourisher of my lyfe receiue this Glasse therein shall you see the Image of her who is the procurer of my martirdonie and encreaser of my woes marke well her countenaunce and then tell me I praie you whether it lyes in your power to vse anie authoritie ouer her I am perswaded she is so neere a friend of yours as you onely may dispose which being true I earnestly require you to fulfill that which you haue promised me euen for affinities sake and for promise made I am bolde to craue you to keepe the couenaunts which you haue made with me After I had thus spoken with greate hast and quicknesse she tooke the glasse out of my hande And drawing off the couer she looked therein wherevppon she coniectured straight that she was the bréeder of my woes which sodaine and straunge thought altering her coulour she remayned greatly gréeued staring on me with a stearne and wrathfull countenaunce beleeue me the memorie thereof as yet redoubles my sorrowe for considering then with my selfe how bitterly shée harped vppon this string and what a passionate minde did feede her melancholyke humour I woulde more willinglye haue spared my lyfe then to haue her wast her selfe in sorrowe through the greene imagination of that 〈◊〉 which not béeing applyed I hadde no comfort lefte me but death and yet with this straunge demeanour she was not contented but starte vp and rowling the beames of hir christalline eyes towardes me as though they were sparkes of fire kindled with malice she sayd Cousin hardly coulde I euer haue bene perswaded to haue found you so presumptuous as to haue giuen the onset to any thing which might preiudice mine honour or offend my minde partly for that you are bound to please all Ladies but principally for that you should not harme your friendes among whom albeit I haue bene least able yet haue I not bene most vnwilling to stande you in stéed sith therefore these considerations haue not preuayled to quench the firebrande of your foolish loue I enioyne you vppon the penaltie of my displeasure not to make me staine my credit by imbruing mine owne handes in mine owne bloud for in so dooing your villanie shall be published to the world and the losse of my life shall make your traiterous heart accessarie to my murther After she had ministred this corosiue vnto me she retourned into hir closet leauing me so benummed of my senses and so surfetted with this bankeâ— that not being able to disgest it I sonke presentlye to the grounde lying as it were in a traunce where I was founde by the maydens of honour which attended vppon the person of the Quéene my mother who séeing me in this pitifull plight bethought them immediatelye of those drugges which might awake my dulled senses and as it is séene commonlye that women are timerous in such tragedies they yelled and shriked in such sort that the Quéene my mother ouer-hearde them who wondring at the cause of this clamour and lesse thinking of my distressed estate repaired vnto the place whereas I laye thus martired and séeing mée lulde and rockte vppe and downe in the Ladies lappes so bathed in teares and so hopelesse of life she wringed hir handes and what with their chaâ—ing of me and pittiful noise they made I felte my selfe somewhat reuiued againe and when I opened mine eyes and sawe my selfe inclosed with so manye Ladyes and Damosells and she absent whose vnkindnesse hadde dragged mée to this miserie and torment I sodainlye fell againe into a traunce and after long trauayle and no lesse sorrowe they summoned together my vitall spirites When I was the second time brought from death to lyfe I founde they hadde stripte mée and layde mée in my naked bedde the same companie continued with mée which came first to visite me Likewise there came to comforte me certaine Knightes and Gentlemen who demaunded of me where I felt my greatest griefe and what was the cause of it I then considering with my selfe howe despaire did rule the stearne of my boate and howe frozen I founde my Mistresse hir fauour though vndeseruedly I was dispised I didde request them to bée quiet and to depart from me
for that time giuing them to vnderstande that I was disposed to sleepe which courtesie they presentlye graunted me Nowe Cousin and worthie Prince of Greece you maye gesse what discontented thoughts what bitter imaginations what sodayne alterations of minde and what sundrie sorrowes I masked in beeing hemmed in betwéene dispaire and death I know not I assure you what humane or earthly bodie were able to sustaine so manye tortures or so often rakings as my oppressed minde did hauing not anie helping carde in my hande nor anie hope that my Fortune woulde prooue better In this perplexitie at midnight I arose vp and apparelled my selfe putting on my armour the which I thinke you haue séene Amongest these thicke bushes I caused a Lackie to make readie my horse with as much secrecie as might bée and taking my horse I departed out of the pallace without â—arrieng or resting in anie place a moment but with continuall sighs and sorrows in the end of eight daies I attained vnto this place where you finde me and perceiuing it to be so proper and conuenient to shed my complaints in I vnbrideled my horse in this wilde fieldes and determined with my selfe héere to ende my dayes wher I haue remained this two yeares demeaning this sorrowfull life wherein you sée me now nourishing my selfe with such fruites as this wildernesse doth â—éelde And somtimes the shepheards that come hether to shrowd themselues from the Sunnes parching heate doo fauourably bestow some pittance on me and kéepe me companie according to their leasure Thus haue I vnfolded vnto you most excellent prince the beginning not the ending of all my sorowes sée I beséech you if you can call to minde any remedie that may stay the rankling of my disease which hath continued so long and wasted me to the very heart Unneth had he rehearsed these wordes but his senses began to faile he was so ouercome with sorrow in rehearsing the tale ¶ How the Grecian Knight perswaded his vnckle the Prince of Dacia to accompanie him leaue that sorrowfull and desolate life and of that which after happened to him Chapter 5. THE ioye that the Princely Knight of the Sunne receiued in finding his Cousin in the pinch where some comforte woulde doo him good can hardly be héere expressed especially for that he knewe him to bée the sonne of the King of Dacia his Unckle of whome till nowe no mention is made in the booke before because of the long sicknesse that the King sustained and therefore was his name concealed and his valour clowded by meanes of his misfortune albeit in truth the heroycall déedes of his sonne did almost equall his auncestours in euerie degrée as shall be said héerafter And as I said before The Prince of Dacia remained in a traunce imbraced betweene the armes of the knight of the Sunne by reason of the wordes that he spake yet in the ende he wrought such meanes that he reuiued againe promising him that if anye thing did lye within the compasse of his power which might bannish his sorrowes he shoulde finde him readie to performe it and he would rather die then see him linger his life without anie sparke of comfort This great kindnesse was friendly receiued by the Dacian Prince and after many cogitations he thought it most conuenient to returne to his Countrie and also it seemed him best for his most safetie to cut the seas for beeing vnprouided of a horse he might fall into some daunger beeing strongly encountered Wherevppon without more tarriaunce the Prince armed himselfe with his guilt armour and girded his swoord close vnto him and mounted behinde the Prince and so going where Fortune would guide them and where the horse made choice of the waie in the end after a little space they came to the shoare of the sea where they found a straight and narrowe path hard by the same which seemed to them the direct passage to finde some hauen where they might trauailing imbarke themselues and in this manner as I haue told you they saw comming towards them in the sea a faire barke well rigged and trimmed wherin they saw no pilot to gouerne it but it made directly toward the place which when the two Princes sawe it came so néere the lande they alighted and drawing more néere there lanched forth a Gentlewoman all alone in a mild kinde of spéech she spake and sayde vnto them Noble Princes the wise Lyrgandeo which at this present is resident in Constantinople commendeth himselfe vnto you both and by me hath sent you this faire barke which with his art shall bring you where he hath extreame néede of your valour and farther he praieth you not to stand in suspition of that which I saie vnto you for y e truth is he hath great occasion to put in proofe your soueraign knighthood The knight of the Sun his heart throbbed with ioye to heare the newes which the Gentlewoman tolde him and especially for that it shoulde be his good Fortune to doo him pleasure which loued him so tenderly and had done so much for him in his childhood and héerewithall the Dacian Prince leapt into the bark and after him his noble cousin leading Cornerino by the bridle and tourning vnto the Gentlewoman he saide vnto her on this wise I am assured that mine olde and approued friende the wise Lyrgandeo doth fauour me so greatlye that he will not sée me staide for lacke of a shippe either to pleasure my selfe or to doe him a good turne The Gentlewoman hauing done great reuerence tourned her spéech to Don Eleno and sayd to him Ualiaunt and amorous Knight Lyrgandeo kisseth your royall hands and willed me to tell you that your captiued heart somewhat lately amended shall in the end bée throughly helped to your no lesse comfort then great ioy and because your present estate is sorrowful and fraughted with griefe he sendeth you this armour which is aunswerable to your mourning minde wrought with a Metaphore which declareth your passions alreadie passed and saying this shée tooke the trunke wherein the armour was laide albeit the Prince made hast to giue the Gentlewoman thankes shée was so nimble in vanishing awaie that his thankes came too short whereat he was more abashed then before The Knight of the Sunne tying his horse in one part of the vessell sawe standing by him another more beautifull the which he knew presently the Gentlewoman had brought for his cousin and making toward him to sée what armour the wise man had sent him béeing laide abroad sawe them wrought all with one worke LL and the shéeld was of strong and fine stéele the field blacke and therin was set a groue so liuely as there appeared to be nothing but trées and lykewise there was wrought in it many fine inuentions which did testifie to be the artificiall worke of the wise Lyrgandeo And in the middest amongest those trées there was a fayre Lady shaddowed apparelled in a straunge attire in her countenaunce