expostulate him in this manner Noble prince as the salue commeth to late where the sore is irrecuperable as phisicke is naught worth where the pacient is passing and as fire giuen to the ordinance tis to late to recall the shot So mightie King booteles are these teares which are shed for the dead the honor of your father hath eternizâ—…d his name for euer though his body be here interred if fame be the marke whereat all noble mindes do shoote then may you boast that he cannot die whose fame is so farre spred throughout the world Leaue therefore braue King to bewaile him whome you haue cause to ioy for and comfort our pensiue Queene and your faire spouse whose torments cannot cease séeing you so sad As one newly risen from a traunce or out of a heauy slumber so Blanchardine hauing listened to this short and swéete discourse of his nobles began to recall his sences home which before were wandring after the Ghost of his father through the Elizian féeldes and perceiuing sorrow to be both needlesse and bootlesse so well as the time and this hard occasion would permit he began to be more chéerefull and so pacing toward the Quéene with a simpering smile neither presaging mirth nor mourning he began to recomfort her How now faire loue what are your melancholies such as nothing can make you merrie swéete hart be pacified and snake of these vntimelye passions and learne by me to disgest the hard and harsh pilles of vnhappie fortune The cause is mine and if sorrow be expected in any it is I that must be sorrowfull but I haue found it both hurtfull to my body and not auaileable to the dead and therefore haue shaken it of as a thing of no regarde Let vs not therefore sweete wife be the cause of a mournfull courte but the authors of merry company since it hath pleased God to sorte our haps to our harts contentments in our happy wedding The Queene whose sadnes grew by reason of her husbands heauinesse seeing him to haue so quickly dismissed his heauy passions became presentlye iecond merry so betweene them coÌ„maunded great preparation to be forthwith made to performe the obsequeis of the deceased King of Freeze his Father which shortly with all solemnitie fitting his estate was accomplished to the great admiration of all the beholders for the sumptuous magnificencie and surpassing pompe wherwith he was interred all costly odors and sweet senting spices were bountifully bestowed vpon him great almes and charity were dealt and distributed and innumerable sollemne processions praiers were made for him in honor of his person dead and loue of his Sonne liuing Now Sadonie who was not only a beholder but a principall actor in all this heauy tragedie after these obsequies were solemnized and that the estate of his sworne freend Blanchardine and his faire Quéene rested in perfect quiet voyde and frée both offortaine and domesticall enimies bethinking himselfe of his beautifull Beautrix his trusty Regent of Cassidony hee I say whome loue had stonge to the quicke by his late marriage comming to Blanchardine began thus Since Noble fréend and true copartner of all mishaps that fortune hath spit her deadly spight and that now there remaineth no more seruice for me to doe in defence of your royall person your Realme and Quéene and that my princely Quéene languisheth at home by reason of my long absence whose princely person is the true Idea of my thought let me craue fauor to depart vntill occasion or your fréendly letters call me hether againe where and when I will not faile so long as life shall rest within me to do you all possible fauor and kindnes Blanchardine imagining by himselfe that the sting of loue was a sufficient pricke to call Sadony home and that he should greatly iniury him his faire Beautrix in withholding them a sunder not onely gaue his consent for his departure but with all honor accompanied him to his ships with his Princely Eglantine where not without millions of teares and many kind imbracements they parted companie Thus with pleasant gale and quiet tide Neptune guiding the healme sayled Sadony and his warlike companie towardes the Realme of Cassidony where his princely Quéene the beautifull Beautrix held her Royall court but heauy and mournfull for the absence of her Lorde and husband Sadony for wrathfull Nemisis enuying of her good hap and willing to heape greater â—…oes vpon the Quéene then before shee suspected altered her hoped blisse into a beadly bane For when the calme silence of the night procured quiet to all liuing creatures and that Hesperus the harbenger of Cinthia had giuen charge to call the inferior stars with twinkling light to illumine the earth Eolus on the sodaine began to roare and with outragious stormes and cruell blastes to bannish againe the starrs from the firmament in their places to spred his dusky clouds so that instéed of light there was obscuritie with huge and horible crakes of thunder By force whereof the wandring Prince Sadony and his amazed company were from a sodaine hope of happie arriuall driuen into a dismall feare of drowning then began the pittifull clamor of the people seeing euery want ready to swallow vp the ship wherein they were caried the foggy mist to thicken with cloudy vapors that vnneth could the saylors sée to doe their labours Sadony whose corage no fortune was able to daunt hauing his assured hope in the God whome Blanchardine made him to know seeing his company to faint and in dispaire began to exhort and comfort them in this sort Trustie companion and copartners of mishap since it hath pleased the maiestie of the eternall God to terâ—…fie w t his thunderclaps our â—…eble hearts and that all hope of safetie is vtterly denied let vs with one consent humble our selues before his mercy seat and no doubt as in many other our câ—…mities so in this our desperate distres hee will with the eyes of pitty looke downe vpon our penitencie and by his omnipotency appease the rage of these troubled seas which threateneth imminent death and destruction Frollike déere friends and the God of Blanchardine desend vs. The company séeing Sadonie so coragious and full of haughtie valor inciting them to call vpon the God of Blanchardine euery one casting away his dastard feare eleuating their hearts and hands to heauen made their orizons thus Imortall Iehoua guider of this glorious roume although our diâ—…sightedeies haue béen long couered w e the obscure vaile of ignorance haue abandoned our hearts from thy sacred law yet since it hath pleased thee to make thy name and glorie knowne among vs suffer vs not to miscarie vntill wee haue yéelded thee all conding and heauenly honor so that from our lips thy praese may slow and in our hearts thy diety take roote No sooner was this short zealous praier finished but horned Luna begaÌ„ to shew her head the cloudes to vanish the windes to cease
came against him to gratulate his welcome Then the Prouost began to deliuer his message in these tearmes Renowned Lady and my most gracious Princesse know that I haue according to your Princely commaund performed my ambassage to the generall of the Royall Nauy that floteth héereby on the Sea before the City of the which the chiefe conductors and rulers be the Noble King of Frize Blanchardine his Sonne and the braue Sadonye Sonne to the king of Spruse besides a braue company of warlike soldiers whose couragious vallors presage victorie to your Maiestie And more the noble King of Frize hath sworne the vtter ouerthrow of Alimodes and all his cursedra bble of miscreants for the extreame and deadly wrong which haue béene done to him by Darius his Sonne And therefore Madam this is their request that since the day is almost spent so that they may not Land conueniently they will vs with all our strength early on the next morning to be ready at their arriuall where and when without further delay they meane presently to set vppon your enimies their corages being augmented by the equitie of your and their quarel So that now most mighty Princes there is no cause left vs of longer dispaire but that all possible and spéedy prouision be made for the ioyning of our forces together against the appointed time Then pulling foorth the ring which gaue sufficient testimony to the Quéene of Blanchardines presence he most humbly recommended it to her maiesties handes as his charge was from Blanchardine The Quéene most thankfully receiued this heauenly present from Blanchardine humbly thanking God that in her greatest extreames hee had sent not only succour but also the man whome vnder heauen she estéemed most then giuing especiall charge to the Prouost and all her nobles to sée all things in a readines against the next morning at the houre appointed shée calling her Nurse went into her bed chamber where they two discoursed at large of the truth vallor and kingly prowes of Blanchardine and all other accidents and succour that God had sent them but the chiefe note they sung vpon was Blanchardine whose swéete accent vpheld the diapasan of their musicke After this she gaue in charge that the streetes should be hanged with costly clothes and that the swéetest musicke shoulde continually play to welcome her loue Blanchardine which was presently effected so that the City séemed rather an earthly paradice then a garison towne of soldiers by reason of the melodious soundes of all sortes of instruments the sweet voices of men and women the musicall hermonies of Clarions Simballs Lutes Hoboyes Cornets and trumpets that then were heard The Bels began to ring throughout the Citie the Preistes to sing procession the boyes to make bonefires and the maides to chaunt their Roundelayes that al mourning laid aside there was no cause of discomsiture to be seene Now the King Alimodes being at supper within his Pauilion as though the foure Elements had encountred together The dust began to rise so thicke that it almost dimd the brightnes of the Sunne by reason whereof they within the City perceiued not their freindes from their enemies Then went the Noble Quéene and all the matrons of Tormaday barefooted to the Churches from one to an other exorating the powers of heauen to strengthen the paizaunce of Blanchadine and all his associates and to confound the misbeléeuing infidels Almodes and his companies After these orizons finished the Quéene calling her nurse mounted vp into her gallerie from whence she might well perceiue the assaults on both sides where shee long beheld diuers Knights and soldiers flaine others dismounted from their horses sore mangled and wounded wallowing in their owne gore their horses running vp and downe without their guides and riders But in this hotte skirmish Blanchardine singled foorth a Duke a man of great account and prowes whome at the first méeting with his Launce he sent dead to the ground And before his Launce brake he confounded fiue or six And folowing his happie entrance he so behaued himselfe that his sword was too well knowne among the Pagans for he had altered the Azure cullor thereof into a crimson red with the blood of the foe so that happie was he that might rid himselfe from Blanchardine sury And if Alimodes had not supplied the defectiue troopes of his slaughtered soldiers with a band often thousand fresh the day had on his side bene turnd to night vpon which began the clamor oft he soldiers to eccoe in the sky when giuing each other the fresh onset the battell seemed more feirce then at the first But Blanchardine instigated with honor and loue still hazarded himselfe among the thickest of his enimies whome they knew too well for their profits And being enclosed within a ring of pagans they freshly assayled him on euery side eyther to slay him or make him their captiue which cruelties he hauing before too well experimented rather determined to die then to bee taken prisoner And in this resolution hee so coragiously behaued himselfe that none durst enter within the reach of his weapon And although his horse was sore wounded and him selfe most daungerously hurt in many places not séeing any way to encounter such a multitude without great danger yet with maine force he retired himselfe back among his companie Now Sadony who all this while stood not idle singled out a mightie Giaunt named Corhorant second brother to the King Alimodes whome vpon the shock at their encounter hee sent both horse and man to the ground and accepting the benefit of fortune and time alighted from his horse and disseuered hys head from his body The good king of Frize whose corage was strong although by reason of age his body was weake what by his encoragement of the soldiers and great experience in feates ofarmes did great damage to Alimodes and his soldiers In the meane the valiant Blanchardine féeling his horse by reason of his woundes to faint vnder him alighted and betooke himselfe to his sword with the which he so manfully behaued himselfe as euer did any knight till at the last the enemy perceiuing him dismounted pressed so fast by heapes vpon him that they tooke him prisoner At which suddaine applause the whole troope of miscreants gaue a mightie shoote but Sadony perceiuing the distressed case of his trusty friend Blanchardine hasted so fall vppon the enimy with his company that heaset at libertie him that before they thought to be most sure prisoner When Blanchardine saw himselfe free he presently mounted a fresh horse tooke a mighty Launce And perceiuing Alimodes somewhat distant from his companie gaue the spurres to his horse and by his agillitie and mightie prowes bare him out of his saddell to the earth And at that instant had seuered his head from his body had not spéedy succour come This foile bred such a desire of reuenge in Alimodes that so soone as he was mounted againe he wasted Blanchardine to
congratulate the happie mariage betwéene him and the faire Princesse Eglantine as their Countries and kingdomes did afford Some presented him with stately coursers and Iennets of seruice some with ships of huge and mightie burthen some with Pearles and Iuels of inestimable valure And to be short euery one though at first his foe and vtter enemie yet in fine veiwing his maiesticall and princely corage became his true and faithful fréends estéeming him worthy of greater honor then either their personages presents or the obtaining of the beautifull Quéene of Tormaday could afford And on the next morning the beautifull Quéene was royally led to and from the Church where she was espoused to Blanchardine by two Kings Sadony and the king of Frize and the same day crowned King and Quéene of Tormaday to the excéeding comfort of all their subiectes and friendes After their returne from the Church to the Court they were feasted withall possible chéere that could bee deuised and after dinner the Trumpets sounded to the Iustes and tiltings vntill supper And after supper maskes playes and Princely deuises spent the time till they went to bed On the morrow the feast began a fresh and continued for the space of twentie daies After all which arroyalties were finyshed by the commandement of Blanchardine was Subyon and all his accomplices brought to execution now the newes being caried with the swift wings of fame into Frizeland the Lords of Frize repaired to Tormaday to accompany home their aged King and to congratulate this happy marriage of Blanchardine and his new Quéene After the aged King of Frize Father to Blanchardine had séene the espousalls of this beautifull Quéene and his noble Sonne being decrepit stiffe with age hauing liued to fourscore and vpward vnto whome although his late enlargement from captiuitie and this new come ioy of his déere sonne Blanchardine being now married to the beautifull Quéene of Tormaday bred delight Yet through debillitie of nature which was sore inféebled by his hard imprisonment he was surprised with an vncoth malladie and extreame contagion of dangerous sicknes in the which he had not long remained but in the view of all life began to vade and death approche And more to hasten on deathes spéedy pace to this sencles olde man the nobles of Frizeland hauing receiued sure and certaine inteligence from Tormaday of the life and fréedome of their King at that time there and the princely mariage which now was fully concluded betwéene his successiue heire their naturall leige Blanchardine with the renouned Lady and Quéene of Tormaday they came thither at whose approche this fainting olde man hoping to receiue glad tidings from his aged wife the Quéene of Frize began with chéerefull countenance to lift himselfe vp in his bed as though no kinde of deadly malladie or aged griefe had attainted his withered limbes But wheÌ„ he had a while listened to the swéet harmonie of their sugred speach which presaged no kind of disaster but all pleasure and sollace that might be at the length he demaunded of the welfare of the aged Queene his wife vnto whome reply being made that long time since vpon the vnfortunate report and tragicall tidings of his captiuitie by Darius sonne to the Pagan king Alimodes shee fell sicke and died hee listening to this impittious tale fell as one distraught into a sound But comming to himselfe powred forth these spéeches the true testimonies of his faithfull loue and is she gon the comfort 〈◊〉 â—…y youth the staffe of my age the day of my night the sonâ—… of my blisse the sollace of my soule and the life of my death Ah to â—…o well I suspected though alas I knew not the certentie that my captiuitie would bring her callamity and my imprisonment her death But since all humane flesh is mortall and nothing vnder the Sunne permanent what auailes my sorrowful groâ—…es and passions to weake alas to recall her againe or any way to remedie my misfortune with these or the like exclaimes thâ—…s silly aged King panting betweene life and death lay still a while till finding his heart ouer charged with an other passion he prosecuted his first complaint O sacred Ioue searcher of al secret thoughts whose eternall dietie raigneth within the highest heauens who from my cradle hast destined me to perpetuall miserie now shew thy selfe a righteous iudge and reuenge my wrongs vppon the accursed broode of infidels who so irreligiously prophane thy blessed name suffer them not to escape thy reuenging powre but at thy pleasure consume and confound the workers of this my woe and now dissolue my daies and weary life leade me through th' unknowne passages to my deere and sweetest wife that though our daies on earth did finde small coÌ„fort yet our soules in heauen may finde consolation And with this orizon he yeilded himself to God and died WheÌ„ the brute of this heauie tidinges came to the eares of Blanchardine and his faire Quéene although they swinne before in the hauen of happines and floted on the floodes of al felicitie as they thought yet in that very instant and moment of time a cloudie mist began to obscure their brightest sonshine and a frost of cares to ouer runne their summers blisse Now began Blanchardine to accuse and condemne himselfe of vnnaturall ingratitude and disobedience to his parentes to whome both nature and dutie bound him to bee submissiue and kind now he begâ—…n to maligne the time the place and the cause of his departure and priuie escape from his fathers Court. But all in vaine for as teares praiers nor vowes can recall the dead so had I wist and time abused and mispent is in vaine to be desâ—…red And yet quoth he how vnnaturall was I to forsake them whome nature charged me to loue and obey now I may iustlie accuse my self of the murther of these my louing parents alas I cannot excuse my selfe neither can I plead ignoraunce that I knew not that my departure would be the finishing of my parentes ioyes and cause of their death which now to my open shame I finde most true And should I nay could I suffer my selfe to be led and carried away with such vaine fantasies as leaue them comfortles to whome I was the greatest comfort Die Blanchardine die and the rather die that art the cause of thy parents death alas to kill a man is hainous murder but to murder my parentes a sinne against Sanctitie all creatures haue â—…are to foster those that gaue them life and I careles in killing my father The Storke when he séeth his sire olde ready to die with famine taketh him vpon his shoulders and féedeth him by his trauaile But I instéede of féeding haue famisht and in place of trauelling haue traiterously ouerthrowne my parents The Lordes of Tormaday seeing this soddaine and vnexpected chaunce of the death of the aged King the heauie plight of Blanchardine and his beautifull Quéene humbly on their â—…nées began to