he sawe a huge Gyaunt in white armour vpon a great Courser with a hoarce and disdainfull voyce commaunding the people to make him roome and not farre from this Giant a gentlewoman vpon a palfray in straunge attire much different from ours hir face was all bedewed with teares as if the Giant had vsed violence towards hir The Gyant approching to the place where the King stoode made no reuerence but the Gentlewoman knéeled downe saieng Know most excellent Prince that the renowne of this Court hath brought me from far Countries hether chiefly for one cause which the wickednesse of this Gyaunt hath now made two the originall of them both you shall heare nowe vnder one In the farther parte of the East néere vnto the great Cataya there gouerneth a Princesse named Iulia as yet but young of peares but not young for handsomnesse héeing nowe as it were in the pride of all her beautie Hir Father was a right cunning Magitian instructing hir so perfectlye in his skill as now therein there are fewe comparable For since his death she hir selfe diuined by hir knowledge that she shoulde be prisoner to two Giauntes and should be inlarged by one Knight which should fight with them both For the case should stand thus that if hir Knight were vanquished she should as perpetually captiuate be at theyr commaunde otherwise to be at lybertie if they were yelden Hir selfe foreséeing this and not finding who hée might be hath prouided by hir knowledge not to bée beguyled for by hir Arte she made this sworde which no Knighte maye euer vnsheath but onely he which must fight with the two Gyants for hir lyhertie and besides the sworde is such as without it it were an harde aduenture but with it the Knight maye boldelye venture on his foes The sworde shée made and kept close till time these two Giannts by night assailing hir got the Lordship of hir person after which time by a trustie seruaunt she caused this sword to be conuayed vnto me with this commaund to trauaile for hir sake in all Princes Courtes and to séeke out the Knight which could shuld maintain hir quarrell Three yeares are passed since I vnder tooke this enterprise and within this thrée moneths landing in an Iland towardes the West after a long iourney to no purpose it was my fortune to méete this Giant Candramarte there making him pertaker of my sute he requested to prooue the aduenture which I graunted but when he coulde not drawe it out beeing couetous of the sworde he denied it me againe saieng For so much as you go to the King of Englands Court there to séeke some Knight which will doo his deuoure in your mistresse behalfe No man shall attempt the aduenture of the sworde but he shall first trie his forces vpon me and if by him I be vanquisht or slaine let him take the sword other wise I will with holde it from all men with this he promised to beare me companie and I of two-euills determined to choose the lesse Albeit at this instaunt I am in greater extremitie by reason of this Gyaunts wrong done to me and my mistresse thraldome This is the necessitie which draue me hether and I am humbly to beséech your Maiestie discréetly to weight my cause and to giue remedie by your subiects as you best may Candramarte all this time standing by in the ende auerred hir tale to be true and farther intimated to the Knights and Princes that seeing he coulde not drawe out the sword there should no man be master of it but by the mastrie of him but saith he I will defend it against any Knight which shall demaund it All the Knightes behelde the sword with the rich hangers as the fairest which they had séene but the King somewhat angrie at the Gyauntes rudenesse towards the Gentlewoman said to him in this manner Candramarte thou hast done ill to take this sworde from the Gentlewoman for as it séemes Iulia made it not for thée and thy pride is ouer great to suppose that none in the world will demaund it of thée The Gyaunt angerlye looking vpon the King as though his eyes would haue flien out of his visage said to the King Demaund it then thy selfe sir King or set anie of thy knights to aske it and I will then make aunswere vnto thée howe rashlie thou hast taken vpon thée to correct me These speaches were delyuered with so high a voyce by the Giant that all the knights which were in the compasse heard it but no man spake a word so that the Kings choller encreased both against the Giant and his own subiects And I must beare with them for the Giant was great and tall and as hardie as a Lyon and no man liuing verye néere matchable for so good Fortune but yet there way within the lystes both a hardier and more fortunate Knight euen the good Rosicleer which ouer-hearing his vndiscréete talke vnto the King comming neere vnto the Giaunt tooke him vp in this sort Candramarte content thy selfe and learne to know vnto whome thou speakest for I tell thée that King Oliuerio hath such Knights in his Court as can make thée amende thy rusticitie though thou wert more vntaught then thou art and for that thou shalt not mistrust me beholde I am the last and the least of them yet as one which desires to serue him with the most In his name and in behalfe of the Gentlewoman I charge thée surrender the sworde vnto the Gentlewoman or if thou wilt not that do thou take that part of the field which shall best lyke thée for in this quarrell I will either kill or be killed With a terrible countenaunce Candramarte stared vpon Rosicleer as who shuld say darest thou speake so boldly and perceiuing him to be but a young Knight which he noted by his white armor in great scorn he aunswered thus I sée well foolish Knight thou hast not bene long acquainted with the burthen of armour for if thou wert in thy kinde and hadde well wayed the successe of Combatons thou wouldest shake euerie ioynt of thée to beholde mée But thy ignoraunce makes thée leape beyonde thy lash and thrusteth thée forwarde to thine owne decaye But séeing thou hast made choyce thy selfe of thy deaths-man let vs goe to the battaile for I would not but that thou shouldest repent thée of thy foolishnesse So Candramarte broched his horse with the spurres and Rosicleer did the like which appeased the Kings displeasure that he knewe not howe to recompence his for wardnesse in dooing him plesure albeit it may be if he loued Rosicleer that he somewhat mistrusted the euent because the Gyaunt was bigge and Rosicleer vnexercised in armes and that which was chiefest without a sword but for remedie thereto he caused a sworde of his owne to be fetched wherewith he charged a Knight to deliuer it to Rosicleer with this commaundement That séeing in his name he hath so well fitted Candramarte for his auns
best knights of all those whom the Gyant had left giuing them liuerie and season in that lande and making others to sweare obedience Short time after hée would néeds depart with full purpose to kéepe in the Sea and not to depart till that he should haue sailed so farre that no words might be heard of him in those quarters Therefore he tooke his armour wherein was drawen the God of lous in such sort as our auncestours were wont to paint him with his eyes out his bowe and arrowes in his hand The picture béeing so liuely drawen that Rosicleer kuewe it was done by the wise Artemidoro and therevppon he sooke his name of that deuice from which time hée neuer called himselfe other then the Knight of Cupide vnder which name he atchieued many enterprises and Rosicleers name came neuer more to the eares of Oliuia Hauing put on his armour he tooke his leaue of Candriana for so was called the Daughter of Candramarte and for remembraunce onely the shippe wherein hée first sayled when hée lest great Britaine with two marriners to conduct it whome he charged not to call by other name then the Knight of Cupide and to guide the shippe Eastwarde When hée had so sailed fistéene daies without chancing to him anie thing worthie of recitall It was so that one morning by Sunne rising he sawe a little boate passe by him out of which he heard many cries as if it had bene the labour of some woman and thinking that there might be néede of some helpe he was desiraus to know what was in the shippe and therevpon he commaunded to ioyne with them Presently there ftept vppon the hatches a sadde auncient man with a white beard all armed saue the head which demaunded what hée woulde Rosicleer sayde I woulde knowe who is in your Shippe for me thinkes I haue heard some woman complaine and if it bée so I will venture my person to doe her good The auncient Knight behelde Rosicleer taking him to be some knight of great bountis especially in that he had offered himselfe so fréely When hée had throughly behelde he opened the matter on this sorte Assuredly good Knight I thanke you for your great good will and as it is not mis beséeming your outward beautie to haue some inwarde vertue lyke thereto But know you that in this shippe there abideth a Gentlewoman making towards the great Britaine there to complaine her to the King Oliuerio and his knightes of the outrage which is done vnto her Nowe because our staie is daungerous I may not tell you farther of this matter our enimies followe vs and so rest you with GOD. When the olde man had saide this Rosicleer hauing desire to know more staied him and besought him to discourse more at large for himselfe was a Knight of that Court and could tell him what remedie was to bée hoped for there The olde man was loth to staie longer yet hearing him say that he was of the same Court hée tolde him in fewe wordes that this Gentlewoman was the Princesse Arguirosa one of the fairest Ladies in the worlde and a Princesse of Thessalie onely heire to that kingdome That her mother béeing dead the King Arguidoro her father fell in loue with a Gentlewoman of Thessalie not so honest nor of so high estate as wanton and of base birth and louing her affectionately after marryed her to the dispossessing of his owne childe Then in the time of her Fathers life there was in the court a knight called Rolando besides his great liuing one of the strongest knightes in all those partes but proude and little respecting the whole worlde That this Knight during the lyfe of the King was lyked of Ipesca and so soone as the King Arguidoro dyed of a sodeyne disease was promoted to the Kinges bedde by matching with the Quéene and béeing of great reuenewes that he nowe inioyed the kingdome by force and excluding the right heyre none of the kingdome daring to gaine-saie him for the most able are his night kinsmen the other learne patience perforce But that which worst of all was that to vndoe her rightfull claime hée mindeth to marrie her with a kinsman of his and to giue onely some little Towne to dwell in reseruing the title of the Kingdome after his owne dayes to a sonne the which hée hath begotten on his Quéene Ipesca I am kinsman sayth he to the Princesse béeing her mothers brother and therefore I haue aduentured to rescewe my néece but not knowing any remedie at home because my power is not equall with Rolandos I haue brought her out from thence and I determine to goe to the great Britaine where as I haue heard there are many valyaunt knightes especially a new Knight of whom I haue heard especially since the great feasts there holden If this Knight helpe me not I know not who may with-stand Rolando Thrée nightes and dayes haue we bene vppon the Sea onely I the Lady two Gentlewomen and our Marriners and I beléeue that there come after vs Rolandos knightes Nowe haue I tolde you the whole of your desire and I beséech you tell vs what newes you knowe of that good knight Rosicleer nowe hauing heard the whole state of the Princesse Arguirosas matter was much treubled and desirous to helpe her hée aunswered the auncient man that for his staie he thanked him and as touching your demaund saith he of the new knight Truth it is that in Britaine none can tell you newes of him wherfore your labour should be lost if you sought him there But the Princesses affliction so much moueth me that albeit I was purposed other where yet would I gladly fight with Rolando in the Princesse behalfe The auncient knight was verie sad to heare that the newe Knight was not in Britaine but well eyeng this knight which had so tolde him and made profer of helpe he stoode in doubt whether to take or refuse by and by he discouered two shippes vnder sayle and by theyr toppes to be of Thessalie whereat striking himselfe on the breast hée cryed out O most vnhappie that wée are héere commeth Rolandos Knightes which will take vs and béeing brought againe to Thessalie we shal there receiue most cruel death and he wept cursing the houre of his departure the Princesse Arguirosa hearing the complaintes which her vnckle made his greate sorrowe which he susteyned the extreame daunger they were in and the cause why hée did it tooke it as heauie and wofully bewailed their miserie When Rosicleer sawe them in this plight hée much pittyed them especially Arguirosa which the Princesse Oliuia not remembred might haue well contented him Therefore he willed them to get vnder the hatches againe and to let him shifte for theyr safetie the olde man thinking that Rosicleer woulde defend them by saieng that they were his people did so not ceasing yet to feare the worst and to pray earnestly for their escape Rosicleer leapt into the Princesse shippe and sate vpon the
there to aunswere for the Dutchesse if she be so content The gentle women willingly accepted of the knight and not staying longer but to thanke him they pulled downe their tent and to horse backe they go By the way he had much talke with Elisea for so was the Dutchesse sister named he comforting her and she requesting him to make spéede for we lacke not many daies of our appointed time when if wée faile we shall loose a good cause for lacke of pittie in knights aduenterous But let vs leaue this and turne we to the Emperour in the companie of Brianas Gentlewomen ¶ The Emperour Trebatio came to the monestarie of the riuer there was made knowen to his wife the Princesse Cap. 51. THE Emperour hauing good hope to méete with the Princesse whom he loued no lesse then before he had when hée hazarded his person for her sake vppon Prince Edward made great bast and he trauayled with the Gentlewomen thrée dayes and thrée nightes Nowe wée haue tolde you often that the Princesse lodging was in one quarter of the monestarie separate from the other whereto she had a posterne gate towards the wood by which Clandestria had carried Donzel del Febo and Rosicleer to nursing by this gats no man either entered or went out but by Clandestrias leaue thée was groome porter and kept the keie her selfe And for to recouer this matter which the Emperour would in no wise haue knowen it was very fit that Clandestria was there in company For when they approched the monestarie saith Clandestria my Lord if you wil not be knowne to the Gentlewomen héere belonging to our Ladie best it were that I should first enter sée what they do that I should cause the Princesse to take her most secret chamber where as I shall finde her so will I declare of your comming otherwise it may hée that your so sedeine approch might worke some alteration in her body to the daunger of her health shée béeing so sore weakened by continuall mourning but this night shall passe the morrowe you shall come vnto her The Emperour liked well of Clandestrias spéech and so he stayed in a place which she prouided for him the whilest that the Gentlewomen went to the Princesse Some will thinke that the Emperour should be much chaunged this béeing the 20. yéere of his absence but it was not so for when he first entered the Castle of Lyndaraza he was but. 35. yeares in age and no more was he when he came from the inchantment neither his age increasing nor his beautie decreasing When the Emperour left the Princesse Briana she was but 14. yeares olde and counting the time that she had liued afterward she was iust one yeare vnder him wherin her beautie best appered and the great sorrow which she before had taken did not so abate her coulour but that the ioy of his returne fetched it againe more fresh and liuely then it was before But the storie saith that the Gentlewomen found their mistresse alone praieng deuoutly vpon her knées and more merrie then she was before whether by inspiration or by immagination conceiuing hope in the dreame I tolde you off but her Gentlewomen were verie glad to be witnesses of her mirth The Princesse louingly welcommed the Gentlewomen especially Clandestria which was her sure friend demannding of them how they had spead in theyr iourney Clandestria aunswered Madame wée were once in daunger to loose both our honours and our liues after that wée had done as you commaunded vs. Ah blessed virginne sayde the Princesse and is it possible that euer you shoulde bée in so greate daunger for my cause Yea it is most certaine madame aunswered Clandestria but as after a fowle euening comes a sayre morning so after this trouble wée had some quietnesse by the means of our flight for we met with a good knight which not onely saued vs from greate shame by killing these wicked knights which would haue spoiled vs but after tolde vs such newes as you haue cause to bée the gladdest woman in the world He sayd that not many daies before hée departed from your husbande which was in good health and of the same age as he was when you first knew him for since he was with you he hath bene inchaunted being now set at libertie comming to you O my good Lorde and is it possible sayde the Princesse that thou art so fauourable vnto mée as to sende mée my husbande aliue or is this some dreame the farther to increase my dolour Tell mée Clandestria in good fayth is it true which thou saist for I canne hardly beléeue thée Yea assuredly said Clandestria for the Knight which reported it is so credible that he will not tell other then trouth Ah Clandestria sayde the Princesse thou hast bene alwayes diligent discréete and lyberall in those thinges which hath touched my seruice hetherto but in this nowe concerning my lyfe especially thou hast bene neglygent or hast wanted discreation For why didst thou not bring him before me that my selfe might haue heard it of his owne mouth would it not then haue bene pleasaunt vnto mée to haue séene that knight which so lately sawe my louing husband and to haue knowen of him in what manner hée met with him and for what cause he commeth not so soone as the other Madame bée not agréeued with this sayde Clandestria for the knight which tolde it me is not so farre hence but that within a quarter of an houre you may sée him if you haue desire thereto Desire sayde the Princesse I desire nothing so much in the worlde therefore goe and fetch him before mée that I may knowe whether that be true which my heart thinketh so incredible I will goe my wayes sayde Clandestria and so she went out of the Princesse lodging and strayght to the Emperour to whome she tolde all that talke which she had had with hir Ladie whereat the Emperour was so gladde that vp the stayers full faine he goeth and by such priuie wayes as none but Clandestria knewe he is brought before Briana Clandestria first entering then the Emperour cloathed in rich armour and his visour pulled downe The Princesse was somewhat afrayde to sée so bigge a man all armed but the Emperour pulling off his helmet quickly shewed his louely face the which she had imprinted in hir remembraunce and with hastie paces he made towards the princesse whome he kissed on the mouth so sweetely that their tongues this while were slent not to interrupt the ioye of theyr first méeting Anone after the Princesse which indeede hadde the chiefest wrong spake to the Emperour thus My Lord and onely life what cruell Fortune hath detained you from this land and bannished you so long from my presence In what straunge and hidden countries haue you bene that we could neuer beare word of you Madanie aunswered the Emperour you may call that Fortune cruell for it hath offered you a great wrong by forcing
giuing intelligence before vnto the King Tiberio of his comming The King knowing the succours which came vnto him appointed a daye when all his Hoast should méete together and finding himselfe of so great power in the meane while vntil the prince came he resolued to make a roade into Greece sacking all the little townes he might before that the Emperour Trebatio should perceiue it Afterwardes if the Emperour Trebatio should come to succour his subiects then to ioyne battayle with him at such time as the Prince shuld approch which thing he put in practise diligentlye For with that power which he had he entered into Greece forraging the countrey taking little townes of no great force burning wasting so much as he might to the intent that the people of other fenced Cities stroken with feare might abandon thēselues to flight enféeble their forces Howbeit King Tiberio had not passed in Greece xxx miles when the Emperour Trebatio hauing knowledge of it came agaynst him with an hoast of knights so valiant that at the first alarme the Hungarian reculed by the chase of his enimies was forced to retire home into the citie of Belgrado which is in Hungary Ther he fortified himselfe manned the towne vnwilling as yet to goe into the field vntill the Prince of great Britaine should arriue by whose comming their powers being ioyned he thought he might giue the battayle vnto the Emperour Trebatio Albeit he caried about him a mayme incurable in his bodie not by anie stroke lent him by his enimie but by the onely conceipt of the Emperours vertue For he had séene the Emperour demeane himselfe more worthely then any of those that came with him namely in a kinsman of his a very strong Knight whom the Emperour at one blowe as it were deuided in two péeces This as it might be made him kéepe his chamber because he himselfe confessed the valor of the Emperor to be aboue the report of men notwithstanding he had heard sufficiently of the Emperours prowesse But because these things are not mentioned but to giue beginning to this historie we run them briefly ouer not rehearsing the great déeds of armes that the Emperor and his people did in besieging the Citie because we haue other matters more noble in hand in comparison whereof these things wer néedlesse The storie héereof begins in the chapter following ¶ The Emperour Trebatio by the hearesay of hir beautie was surprised with the loue of the Princesse Briana ca. 3. CErtaine daies the Emperour Trebatio lay at the siege of Belgrado hoping that the King Tiberio would come out to giue them battaile for that he had great desire to be aduenged of the great harmes which he hadde receyued in Greece but the King would in no wise leaue the towne still abiding the comming of Prince Edward his armie out of England The Emperor meruailing much at it commanded a prisoner to be brought before him whom he had taken in the former battaile of him he demaunded the cause why the King Tiberio held himselfe so close with so many good knights mewed vp in the citie why he came not out to giue the battaile with promise of life libertie if he told troth otherwise the certaintie of most cruell death The prisoner thus placed before the Emperor what with feare of death and hope of libertie durst not declare other then the truth and therefore thus made aunswere vnto him Prisoners oration Know you mightie Emperour that when the King of Hungary my master first tooke vppon him the entrie into Greece he wold not haue done it although he hath so mightie an hoast as is séene but in hope that before he shuld be espied met withall there should come to his help Prince Edward sonne to the king of great Britaine with 20000. knights This number was promised vpon condition that the Prince should haue the Kings daughter the Princesse Briana to wife which Princesse I beléeue is the fairest maid in all the world by such fame the prince is become enamored of hir so as we heare that he is already departed from great Britaine with the number appointed and shall take landing very soone in this country the King Tiberio abideth his comming and is determined to giue the onset as soone as their forces shall be vnited This sayd the prisoner but the Emperour minding to knowe more of the matter demaunded of him where the Princesse Briana remained and of what age she might be The prisoner aunswered him My Lord she is with the Quéene Augusta hir mother in the Monestarie of the Riuer which is néere Buda a pleasaunt and delectable house wherin none are lodged but Nunnes the Quéenes Gentlewomen The Princesse is of the age of 14. yeares be assured that so many as shall sée hir will iudge hir rather a goddes then a woman so much hir beautie doth excel all the gentlewomen of the world Now so soone as the Prince shall land he will straight waies take his iourny towards the Monestarie of the riuer because it is so appoynted by the King hir father The King himselfe will not be there because he will not be absent in such a busie time from the Citie When the prisoner had thus sayd the Emperour Trebatio commaunded him to be set frée without speaking other thing to his people but with a sorrowfull troubled countenaunce he withdrew himselfe into a secret chamber of his Imperiall tent Where tossing in his conceit diuers sundrie fancies he endured a wilfull imprisonment with out any baile or maynprise Thus that force which neither by till turney nor barriers neither by speare nor sworde neither by mallice of the enimie nor pride of the mightie might at anie time be subdued was now vanquished by the onely heare-say of a Gentlewomans commendation Nay the valiant heart which he held forcible inough against all the world failed in his owne defence against a delicate damzell whom he had neuer séene What force is it that may repulse this euill sith that with such flattering closes it ouerthroweth so many noble hearts and strong bodies But to returne the Emperour Trebatio so much burned in loue with the Princes Briana that alreadie he hath forgotten the damage receiued in his Countrey his trauaile out of his Countrey with a huge armie the consuming of his treasure for to wreake his anger on the King Tiberio onely he deuised vpon this how to giue remedie vnto to his amorous passion For as the fire was great which enflamed him so was the remedie by all semblaunce farre from him Because that on the one part he was hindred by the enmitie betwéene him and hir father so that he durst not require hir for wife and on the other side she was alredy promised to the Prince of great Britaine who had put himselfe on his iourney for the attaining of hir person so that likewise the King could not take hir from him to giue vnto his
the other kissing him vpon his chéekes and in déede rather obaieng the loue she bare vnto hir sonnes then regarding the feare she was wont to haue for béeing discouered albeit to say the troth the Princesse was of the better hande for all the good will she shewed hir Gentlewomen imagined to procéede of their beautie And yet to take all suspect away she could verie wisely moderate hir passions Clandestrias sister the supposed mother of those children and hir husband by name Armaran kissed the Princesses hands where she in token of good liking intertayned them as hir seruaunts from thence-foorth to remain with hir as their sister Clandestria did On this wise the Princes were nourished in their mothers presence without that any knew the right parentage whereof they came and they so enticed the Gentlewomen to the lyking of them that there passed not one houre without playing and dallyaunce with them This ioye on the Princesse part was vnspeakable I dare not say able to countermaund hir foreconceiued griefe but the worst was it was not durable For fortune euer mutable chaunged hir copie and became so contrary that the date of hir ease being out there succéeded disease mishap so that hir death should not haue bene halfe so yerksome as hir life was dolorous This shall you heare of in the next chapter ¶ Donzel del Eebo was lost by misaduenture Cap. 15. NOw the creator of all things minded to manifest the worthy déeds of the valiant Donzel del Febo which as yet lay hidden in the armes of the delicate Gentlewoman his foster mother and therefore in such sort he ordered the celestial influences and powers of the planets that scarcely had the young Gentleman fully reached vnto thrée yeares of his age when he was carried from the princely Graces of his vnknowen mother leauing hir pensiue and sad into a large and maine sea whence being tossed with waues and almost weather beaten at length he escaped Such an argument God lefte vs of his prowesse to come sith in so tender age he enabled him to subdue the most raging element that is And you which read this history may be brought by good reason to giue credit to this my report sith you your selues are witnesses of the euident presence of the Almightie in so certaine a daunger And as the learned well know Achilles hath his Pallas in Homere and Aeneas his Venus in Virgil Goddesses assistant vnto men in their daungerous conflictes Homere Virgil meaning no other thing then the care of God towards his why may not we beléeue that if it pleased God that this infant had the secret direction of Gods mightie hand in all his enterprises But mine Author willing to entreate somewhat of him setteth it downe thus That in the ende of a yeare these two beautifull boyes bâ—ing brought vp in the Monestarie of the Riuer with great pleasure of the Princesse and hir Gentlewomen one day in the month of May the comfort of the Sunne ther enforcing them to come abroad and séeke theyr solace vnder gréene boughes The Princesse and hir Gentlewomen leauing their lodging went into a large and faire orchard excéedingly well cast in one part of the Monestarie there they tooke vp their seates at a wells mouth ouer-shaddowed with trees that the heate of the Sunne could not annoye them and sporting with the little Rosicleer who was somwhat more giuen to play then his brother Donzel del Febo they so much delyghted in Rosicleer that they tooke no héede of Donzel del Febo sitting not farre off The little one being very young yet greatly discontent to sée the small account they made of him in a fume rose from the place where he was sette and by softe paces got from them without being espied by the Gentlewomen sauing of his mother so called which loued him no lesse then hir owne selfe She rising from the place where she was set followed him and looke him by the hand laughing a good to sée the choler wherein he was and walking among the trées so long with him that she came to a large and déepe water running thorough a parte of the great orcharde where hard by were great store of trées and whether the Princesse because the place was very pleasant often resorted with hir Gentlewomen to reioyce hir selfe When they were there the little boye seeing the water was desirous to playe with it The nourse though otherwise willing to haue contented him yet fearing the daunger of the water went farther to finde some sure place whereby to come vnto the water and taking a little boate at the banke which the gardeiner vsed in comming into the Orcharde put hir selfe in it and the childe with hir The boye leaning his breaste vppon the brimme of the Boate troubled the water with his handes and tooke vp some to wash his face a while after the water béeing calme and plaine he looked in it againe and séeing his shaddowe there he began to playe with it and stroke it with his hands now because it would not giue place but did that which he did waxing angrie he prayed his mother to giue him a rod which laye vpon the land to beate the babe withall It was a good pastime for hir to sée the displeasure which he had conceiued against his owne shadow and leauing him thus shée lept vpon the lande to reach him the sticke that he required Being thus on lande either with the force she put to the side of the boate in aduauncing hir selfe out of the boat or els because it was the will of God that the lyttle boye should then be prest to trye the hazarde of his constellation So it was that the boate being vntied it shoued from the shore the nourse not perceiuing it before she turned againe then was it more then two yeards from the land and not hauing whereby to take holde it bare so swiftlye downe the streame in a little time and so farre off that she lost the sight of it When she sawe the daunger wherein the little childe was not hauing power to succour it shée rent hir garments and tore hir haire and fel to the ground making such mone that the Princesse and hir Gentlewomen sitting about the Well heard it and much abashed rose from the place to know what the noyse meant When they sawe the pittifull dealings of the nourse vppon the ground quickening their pace they gate néere hir and demaunding the cause of hir great lamentation they founde hir so sorrowfull that she coulde not speake to them but rather the more she was comforted by them the more she outraged in crieng as that they iudged hir to be distraught So long lasted these hir cryes that the Princesse disquieted went towards hir leauing Rosicleer with one of hir Gentlewomen As the Princesse came towardes hir the nourse knewe hir and not hauing the boldnesse to shew how it fell out in respect of the griefe the Princesse would take for the losse of
heard the one tooke great pleasure in it and the other with an honest emulation of the fact wishing it to himselfe according to the diuersitie of the good will they bare vnto the Gentleman of the Sunne Then they came altogether to theyr tentes where they made but a hunters breakfast for ere dinner was halfe done the Souldan commaunded the horse to retourne to Babylon and so they all on horsebacke the Princesse and her Gentlewomen on their palfraies and the lusty knights on their sturdie Rounceualls tooke the way towardes the citie laieng the mightie Gyant vpon a horse his head and féete trailing on the ground When they were within the gates of the Citie all that which had happened beeing published all the Citizens and other of the court were in contrarie arguments about the hugenesse of the Gyant and the courage of the Gentleman of the Sunne thinking it an vnpossible matter to be brought about by one of so fewe yeares But from that time forth although before likewise they loued him yet now they made much more of him and the Souldan with the Princesse and all the Courtiers held him in great account alwaye Notwithstanding the report of men and the high extolling of his actes to his owne face the Gentleman of the Sunne kept the same tenour of life not bearing himselfe anie thing vpon his good fortune but rather as the windes increased which promised him safetie and honour and as his fame was more blazed so he stroke his sayles and became more lowlyer This his humilitie made him much more to be loued as the sprinkelyng of water augmenteth the flame in a Smithes forge Claueryndo at this time egged on by Donzels good happe and béeing of riper yeares sued to be made Knight But the wise Lyrgandeo fore-séeing some-what and to haue him keepe company with Donzel del Febo and Brandizel with-stoode his purpose for that time Claueryndo was but about fourtéene or fifteene yeares of age but he was so comelye and nimble in all feates of armes that there was not a knight in all the court which out-passed him In this maner were these two Gentlemen brought vp in the Souldans Court with great magnificeÌ„ce as if they had ben in their fathers courts aboue all they wer so throughly instructed in lerning that ther wer none able to come in controuersie with them all this equall to both notwithstanding the difference of beléefes which shall be a lyke ere it be long Claueryndo which was guyded by Armineo his vnckle was a Christian and the Gentleman of the Sunne beléeued in the lawe of the Gentiles as the wise Lyrgandeo hadde taught him Lyrgandeo himselfe being bred and brought vp in the same errour by his father for all his great cunning was not able to finde out the vanitie of his false Gods O the prouidence of God how much be we bounde to thée and how ill doo we acknowledge thy great goodnesse in suffering vs to be become Christians when thousandes wise men and mightie Monarchs dye in the lawe of the Gentiles not all their power auailable to saue their soules their learning not worth a rush for the displaieng of the falshood of that lawe wherein their fathers haue nouseled them And shall we Christians think that our knowledge can pull vs out of hell if not the wisest of the earth I meane the learned Gentiles could once reproue their owne law and knowe the onely and true God As for example this Lyrgandeo was so wise and well learned that not Artimedoro nor Rogel nor Turke nor Sarasin nor Iew nor Christian came euer néere him and yet because he had lerned that lawe from his cradle and wanted the gifte of God for the true vnderstanding of his will he wallowed still in his errour as the Sowe doth in the myre till God hauing a regard of the Gentleman of the Sunne and minding to make him a true Christian did by his meanes conuert the wise Lyrgandeo to the knowledge of his will and poure out his grace abundantly vpon the whole kingdome of Persia according as more largely shall be recited But to returne the two young Gentlemen albeit contrary in professions yet in friendship and good will were conformable as shall be declared in this storie ¶ An aduenture in the Court of the Souldan which befell to the young Gentleman of the Sunne Cap. 20. THe Souldan the Prince Florion with all the knights of his court greatly praied their Gods that the Gentleman of the Sunne might come to his full age to be made knight for that onely they stayed their voyage into the kingdome of Persia for his cause as willing to haue him with â—hem for the great prowesse which rested in him and 〈◊〉 â—hought their staye not ouer-long séeing it was 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—ely that which the wise Lyrgandeo prophecied of him that he should be a valiant knight and that without him their entraunce into Persia were to small effect For this cause they employed their care in the aduauncing forâ—â—â—â— of the Gentleman of the Sunne This gentleman 〈◊〉 being of the age of sixtéene yeares was so high wel 〈◊〉 â—â—oued that he wanted little in stature of any man One 〈◊〉 â—â—ince Florion with manye other knights being aâ—â—â—â— at the riuer to flye at a fowle the young Gentleman staieng in the Pallaice The Souldan with many of his knights and Gentlewomen tooke their pastime in one part of his great Pallaice where entred in at the gates six ancient knights with white beards hanging downe to the girdle-stéedes and all armed saue the head-péeces compassing on each side a Gentlewoman faire and young clothed all in mourning apparell and hauing a crowne of gold vppon hir head This Lady was led by a knight great of body well and strongly proportioned armed at all points with a rich and strong armour This knight lifting vp the visor of his helmet shewed himselfe to the Souldan where they perceiued his face to be very foule and fearfull of colour more tawnie and Sun-burnt then cole-blacke his eyes flaming in his head his nostrells wide and large broad lipped and his sharp fangs issuing out of his mouth like Boares tuskes and reaching to his chin so that there was no man liuing but might haue bene afrayed of his fierce semblance But besides this he was so high that there was not any in that place whom this knight exceeded not two spanfulls at the least and in making of his bodye hée was so large and well quartered more then the compasse of two knights Hauing thus entered and set himselfe to view those which wer present had inough to occupie their eyes either on the vglinesse of the Gyant or the beautie of the Gentlewoman But the Gentlewoman knéeled before the Souldan to haue kissed his handes But the Souldan taking hir by the hand raised hir vppe dooing hir the honour hée thought it conuenient in that she appeared to be a Lady of great birth Shée with teares distilling
Raiartes is one of the strongest and worthiest knights that is among the Pagans and his pride is so great that he alone would not refuse to ioyne with an C. knights and would well thinke to haue the masterie of them all before he would be taken Thus the bench was not idle and the Princesse Radamira very busely attended vpon hir knight and watched euery turne more then halfe ioyfully speaking thus vnto the Princesse Balisea standing by I beléeue for a certaintie Princes Balisea that our high Gods now at length cloyed with my mishaps haue prouided this knight for me for in respect of his beautie great bountie he séemeth rather heauenly then terrestriall Yea so I thinke then aunswered the Princesse Balisea and that not onely for your succour but to ayde me and my cause the Gods haue sent him hether for by him I looke to bée quéene of Persia Do you so madame sayd Radamira now I pray our Gods that he well escape this battaile to fulfill your heartes desire and truely if he become victour not only I shall be auenged on him for my fathers death but I will make account that I am now risen from death to life for sooner had I purposed to kill my selfe then to lie in Raiartes armes But all this while the good knightes plied the combat fighting couragiously till they were fore wearied euerie one misconstruing the euent For Raiartes seeing that the longer the battaile lasted the farther he was from the victory with all the force he might he stroke the knight of the Sunne such a blow on the helmet that his sences wer bereft him had he not taken hold of the saddle bow he had kissed the ground So the fray was renued but the knight of the Sunne gaue Raiartes another blow as strong which bewitched his vnderstanding for his horse carried him about the field tossing him on the pomell of his saddle as if he had bene dead The knight of the Sunne thinking it no glory to smite a man halfe dead pursued him not but Raiartes reuiuing his face all bloudy with both his hands hit the knight of the Sunne vppon the head péece that if the helme had not bene the surer it had riuen him to the belly but the stroke amased him and the goare bloud ran out of his month and nostrells and his horse féeling part of the great blow carried his master from thence the good knight lieng vpon the crouper of his horse in an extasie as if hée had bene quite dead Raiartes hasted to haue giuen him another blow those which saw it were verie sad but none were euer so wofully begon as was the Princesse Radamira who with great griefe tourning hir selfe from that sight and fell on wéeping bitterly But Raiartes had not followed him foure paces with his horse when the good knight start vp and féeling his face wet with bloud in great fury spurred his horse and met Raiartes with such a blow that the fine helmet could not denie him passage but that he cloue Raiartes head in sunder Heere the shoote of the people and the Princesse Baliseas calling hir awaked the Princesse Radamira as it had bene out of a sound fléep and little looking for so good newes and the good Knight Raiartes béeing dead put vp his sword into the sheath demaunded of the Iudges if there were ought els to doo to make the Princesse frée The Princesse heard this gladly and the Iudges aunswered him no for that had sufficed which he had done Then with the noyse of instruments and much honour the Iudges led the knight of the Sunne from that place to the Pallaice where with great ioy and pleasure of the Souldan and Florion he was well receiued they shewing as much good will to him as if they had neuer inough in making of him The Gentleman Claueryndo and Brandizel glad of their friends conquest holp to vnarme him Then the Princesse Balisea came the Princesse Radamira dooing hir dutie to the knight of the Sun and as not able els to requite the courtesie he had showen hir she offered to him both hir lands and hir person the better to serue him Thus they tooke their rest many dayes the good knight was much honoured of them all And ther was a great feast made and diuers Iustes and Turnayes there proclaimed for the dubbing of Clauerindo and other Gentlemen Knights At this feast the Prince Claueryndo behaued him best so that all men iudged him to be a valiant knight And after this the Princesse Radamira minding to returne desired a safe-conduct of the Souldan who sent with hir an hundred knights and other men of war which sawe hir safely landed in hir countrey and in full possession of the crowne For after they knew that Raiartes was dead willingly they gaue hir place and the Princesse remained Ladie of it although not verye frée o◠hir thought from the knight of the Sunne whom she loued so well that in long time she forgate him not and it fell out so that in the ende she pleasured him wherefore he gaue vnto hir a mightie Prince for husband as shall be declared héereafter ¶ Africano king of Media and Persia inferred warre vpon the Souldan of Babylon Cap. 22. THe historie hath told you before that the strong mightie Africano transporting frō Africk into Asia by his force and valiante made himselfe Lord king of Media and after entered into the kingdome of Persia conquered it and ouerthrew Florion comming to succour his owne people after which time the Prince Florion recoiling backe to Babylon there remained very sorrowfull without hope to recouer his kingdome Now the storie retourneth to the same Africano and sayth that when he had appeased the people and brought these two kingdomes in quiet subiection as this is an imbecilitie of mans nature euer coueting to amplifie and inlarge our possessions so this stout and proud Pagan not content with that which he had alreadie got by disorder and rapine he aduentured yet farther to winne Babylon with all the kingdomes of the Assirians bordering in those parts reckoning himselfe alreadie in possession of them for the power of the Souldan was insufficient to repulse his forces hoping moreouer to adde to his dominions all those countries lieng in the coast of the middle earth-Sea For this cause he assembled his power as well Medians as other his subiects Hauing this greate armie in a readinesse yet trusting more in his owne person then in all his people he tooke the waye toward Babylon minding not to staie till hée came néere to Babylon This was some daies after the combat which the Knight had with Raiartes And as it fell out it was at the same time as the Souldan and the Prince Florion were deuising of the order which they should take for to recouer the kingdome of Persia that the newes came how the puissaunt Africano was on his way with a huge armie toward Babylon for which cause
pleasure and highlye magnifieng the noble Knight of the Sunne so as this discourse as an argument of greate good will canuased betwéene these knights and Princes brought them ere they were well aware before the Pallaice gate where the Princesse Balisea welcommed them with torch light the first whom she embraced was the Knight of the Sunne to whome shee said on this wise Sir knight we 〈◊〉 great cause to giue thanks to our Gods for your hether ariuall First you deliuered my Lord the Souldan and me from death now you haue set all vs frée from sorrowfull captiuitie But madame answered the knight of the Sunne to my Lord the Prince Florion and to these other knightes you ought to attribute this for they are those which haue destroyed Africanos hoast Then the Princesse tourned vnto Clauerindo and thanked him likewise for his paines in the defence of her fathers Citie and so to the rest in that order which best liked her After this they supped in the greate hall continuing there their sports till bed time as likewise the citizens well shewed their good liking of the victory by bonfires and other reuelling sport The next day they ordeined that which followeth ¶ The knight of the Sunne the two Princes Florion and Clauerindo with a great hoast enter into Persia and there put Florion in possession of the Crowne Cap. 25. THE next day after dinner the Souldan himselfe entered into the counsaile chamber and other affaires being laid a part the wise Lyrgandeo made this Oration It is apparantly knowne vnto vs all how bountifully our high Gods haue dealt with vs as well touching my Lord the Souldan as the Prince Florion and the whole nation of the Assyrians in bringing to this Court the knight of the Sunne and the Prince Clauerindo who by theyr notable vertues not onely haue kept this citie from sacking but also as we make account haue left the realme of Persia naked for resistaunce not one speare remaining to bée tossed against vs. For the attayning of either of these things we are not ignoraunt how weake and vnable we were that were it not for these two young Gentlemen not onely our home bred power but also thrice as many of forreine succours coulde not haue hindered Africano from his purpose Wherefore I thinke it conuenient that sith the Gods haue graunted vs this victorie and that we haue the winde at our backes that we followe our good Fortune while we haue her least by ouerslipping the opportunitie we to late repent our too much daintinesse My meaning is that with such spéed as may be the Prince Florion and these Lordes depart the realme into Persia there to make claime of his right by armes whilest euery man is occupied in complaining on his owne harmes For although as yet there dare no man stand against vs yet for a certeintie there is a king of Media Africanos sonne which ere it be long will bée our heauie neighbour he is not yet made Knight but his destinie foresheweth vs that if hée once come to boorde in Persia we shall bée no lesse disquieted with his companie then we were with Africano his Father The wise Lyrgandeo made an end of his Oration knitting vp his matter with this clause that it were not out of the way to aduise themselues notwithstanding for good resons this was his iudgement They which would neuer contrarie him in any point tooke no further respite but consenting to the effect of Lyrgandeos Oration concerning the conquest of Persia tooke this order The Prince Florion the Knight of the Sunne Clauerindo and Armineo his vnckle with fiftéene thousand Knightes and fiftie thousand footemen within ten dayes shoulde prepare themselues for this aduenture the Princesse Balisea abiding with the Souldan her Father till the kingdome were well setteled from tumult and the Prince in peaceable fruition of the crowne This they dealt in effectually for within the compasse of the dayes limitted they left Babylon the Souldan and the Princesse onely comforted with the hope which Lyrgandeo made promise of The fiftéene thousand Knightes with the foote men by long iourneyes entering into Persia and comming néere vnto one of the chiefest Cities of the Kingdome there in the plaine vnloaded their carriage to erect theyr tentes there But the Citizens hauing vnderstanding of Africanos death by the fugitiues in the last discomfiture of Africanos hoast and thinking it not safetie for themselues to rebell against their liege naturall Lord Florion especially he hauing the aide of the whole floure of Babylon set their gates wide open for his armie and sent of theyr worthiest knightes to Florions tent to inuite him to his owne Citie and to craue pardon for their former reâ—â—ulting in that time when they were lefte destitute of mans succour not béeing able of themselues to withstande the force of Africano And also excusing themselues that they had neuer a guide to conduct them into the fielde against so strong an enimie hauing in his power the greatest part of all Asia The Prince lightly excusing their fault easily condescended vnto theyr requests and béeing gladde of so good enterteinement of the first the next daye rode into the Citie with the ioyfull acclamations of the whole multitude There he resumed the Crowne and Scepter and béeing in quiet seyzure the subiectes of the Realme by the fame of his thether arriuall came from all partes to doe him homage so that in halfe a yeares space all the principall Cities of the kingdome submitted themselues and there was lefte no more memorie of the vsurpers name The King Florion seyzed of his lande in such a friendly manner nowe tooke counsayle how to haue the Quéene his wife conuayed thether and for that it was requisite that the king himselfe should tarrie behinde for the appeasing of all tumults if anie should arise in so rawe a possession hée gaue the charge of fetching the Quéene with all reasonable pompe vnto the knight of the Sunne and the Prince Clauerindo they to take with them 200. knightes for their safetie They tooke it gladly and frayted their shippes with necessarie prouision and other furniture for warre determining to trauaile by sea the sooner to come vnto their iourneies end When euerie thing was in a readinesse the knights tooke theyr leaue of the king Florion and the wise Lyrgandeo But the wise man not refraining from teares and louingly embracing the Knight of the Sunne burst out into these speaches in such sorte as the Sibilles in ancient time were wont to read mens destinies Noble and worthie Knight you are determined to see Babylon but you are vncerteyne whether euer to see it or to retourne to Persia and as little knowe I what shall befall For truth it is that all the heauenly sphéeres warrant more vnto you then to to any knight what that is it is kept from me I cannot finde the entrie therevnto wherefore I am in doubt of your hether retourne But if the fates or
Brandizels boat not being perfect in the hauen would not venture to take landing there but coasting a long they passed by the ships to finde some more safe place to land in The Prince was ascried by his men in his shippes and therefore they made signes vnto the Gouernour to stere towards them so the Gouernour vnderstanding the fokens guyded thether The Prince Claueryndo and his vnckle Armineo standing on the hatches readie to welcome the Prince Brandizel betwéene whom there-was shewed tokens of great good wil and each made much of other as two faithfull friendes But questioning about the Knight of the Sunne the Princes Brandizel declared the manner of their parting and the daunger wherein he had lefte him This caused great sorrowe in them for they loued him as dearely as any father his children or any wife hir husbande And to asswage their griefe Armineo remembered vnto them the wordes which the wise Lyrgandeo had spoken to the Knight of the Sunne at his departure Where-by they were perswaded that his departure by such a chance was but for the achieuement of things more worthy of him alone and for whom onely they were reserued Now hauing stayed in this Hauen two dayes to repayre theyr shippes when they were in a readinesse they sayled towardes Babylon where they were goodly receiued of the Souldan of the Queene both verie ioyfull of the newes as touching Persia and the King Florions peaceable possession and againe as sorrowfull for the losse of the Knight of the Sunne and the perill of death wherein Brandizel saw him last But in short time after there were letters receiued from Lyrgandeo containing the certaintie of his safetie the manner of his escape and the affaires wherein he was employed Which last poynt bred a great desire in Claueryndo and Brandizel to stray through the world and to exercise the feates of armes And a while after they had rested themselues in Babylon they brought the Quéene to Persia by lande for they woulde no more aduenture the Seas especially hauing the Quéene as part of their burthen and the historie bringeth them on their way as farre as Persia whence it retourneth towards Hungarie to matters of lyke importaunce wherein the younger sonne of Trebatio had to deale whose prowesse is no lesse worthy my paines then his brothers valour is worthye of your rememebraunce for he surpassed all other Knights in loyaltie and might beeing equall to Donzel del Febo in all poynts as héere-after you shall héere ¶ The Princesse Briana discouered to Rosicleer secretly that he was hir sonne Cap. 27. THE storie lefte the Princesse Briana straungely afflicted tormented with the double losse both of Prince Edward hir husband Donzel del Febo hir sonne which griefe no doubt had quickly killed hir had not a Nymph giuen hir comfort at the well in the orchard as it hath ben shewed But yet it some-what eased hir melancholy that she had the fayre and courteous Rosicleer in whose onelye companie she was wont to beguile hir mishaps and by his meanes to forget hir miseries For he was so gracious as that he was beloued not onely of his mother but of the other Gentlewomen also which might not one minute spare his companie as if he had bene childe to euerie one This Rosicleer when he attained to the age of twelue yeares remooued out of the Monestarie to a house hard by where his nourse Leonardo kept whom he thought to bée his father Héere he was diligently instructed in all good literature and in the exercise of armes both to be able to be a good counsailour in peace and as good a warriour in battaile ouer and besides the knowledge of the tongues wherein Leonardo was very curious as hauing trauailed for his knowledge through the most parts of Europe and Asia being there-vnto both wise and well learned Rosicleer was of such pregnaunt wit and so ripe of capacitie that he little néeded the helpe of a teacher to that which his nourse read he added by his owne industrie somewhat that he became so profound in these studies as if hée had bene studied in them all his life time at Athens But remaining thus vnder the gouernaunce of his supposed Father till he was fourtéene yeares of age he then was so high and big made that few in that countrie were so tall and being at this age he was able for strength to doo that which thrée Knightes together were vnable to doo The Princesse knowing of his strength forbad him hir fathers Court and would not suffer him to forgoe the Monestary for she feared least the King hearing of his towardnesse should enquire after him and so retaine him in his seruice For this cause Rosicleer thus kept in at this age and thus strong became very sad for his so straight enclosure as if he had professed alreadie a vowe in some cloyster and his minde euer ranne vpon his desire to be made Knight to the ende he might experiment the aduentures of the world and learne by proofe that which he had often heard by â—chearfull Heere-vnto hauing no hope nor helpe by his restraint it abated his chéere and increased his sadnes Leonardo his nourse marking in what plight he was often demaunded the occasion of his heauinesse but coulde by no meanes wring it out of him and so one daye talking with the Princesse he tolde hir that vnlesse she found a remedie for hir sonne his thought would anoy him The Princesse very pensiue at that which Leonardo had tolde commaunded Rosicleer to be brought before hir presence Rosicleer comming into the presence of the Princesse knéeled downe and humbly asked what was hir Graces pleasure The Princesse bidding him stande vp spake thus Rosicleer thy father Leonardo telleth me thou arte neuer merrie nowe therefore open to me the cause of this thy heauinesse and if thou wantest ought which thy father can-â—ot supply vtter it fréely and I will prouide thée of the remedie to haue thée contented Rosicleer hearing the words of the Princesse knéeled downe again and sayde Madame I kisse your hande for the soueraigne grace you shewe me in hauing such compassion on my griefe and I am well assured that if it were for anye thing whereof I haue néede your Ladiship would furnish me of iâ— as hetherto you haue done but if I be sadde or solitarâ— for anye thing which grieueth me it is not for néede of any necessary prouision for I thanke your goodnesâ—e I haue had it hethertoo abundauntly considered by your Highnesse without my speaking But it is for that in respect of my age the lyfe which I now lead is more lyke a Gentlewoman then a young man which made me deiâ—te to be dubbed Knight and to wander abroad for to seeke aduentures Nowe for that I knowe your Ladiships pleasure to be the contrarie as neither willyng to depart without your license nor daring to vtter my desire vnto you I cannot doo lesse but be sorrowfull for I want the
and his fortune was so good that he made Brandagedeon to loose one of his stirops and the raines of his bridle but Brandagedeon quitted this with more then a tollerable vsurie for he carried him beyond the crouper almost a speares length which disgrace before his Ladie Oliuia made him woode angrie and willingly would hée haue challenged the combat if both leasure and place had bene conuenient Not long after the Prince Bargandel gathering his forces at the beholding of the Princesse Syluerina went to encounter the Gyaunt either of them being well heated but diuersly as arising of diuerse causes but theyr strengthes encreased by their heartes made their shockes so terrible as neither parte had great aduantage The Gyant fell vpon the crouper of his horse and rode the length of a carrier ere he might arise againe Bargandel fel to the ground with his horse vnder him This made him hang his head and stirred vp his friende Liriamandro for his succours which caused Brandagedeon to embrace the saddle howe himselfe béeing cleane lifte out of the Saddle by Brandagedeon the Gyaunt and Liriamandro laye on the ground to complaine him of his mishappe before his mistres Rodasylua After these there was none left so hardie as to dare encounter Brandagedeon which caused the king and other Princes to looke rufully and the Gyant to beare himselfe as insolently for when there was none lefte hée lyfte vp his voyce in these tearmes Come foorth come foorth ye knightes of the greate Britaine and either knowe what the force of Brandagedeon is or if you dare not appeare sende mée the prises presently for to none of the worlde they doe so rightly apperteine as to mée and this sayeng he gallopped vp and downe in the place expecting either some Knight or the prises The King séeing none come to aunswere his challenge was verie angrye and woulde haue giuen his best towne to haue had a Knight which coulde haue quayled the Gyauntes courage and for verie griefe he tourned himselfe from the windowe till the sodeine shout of the people caused him to looke out againe Then he espyed the people flocking together towards one corner of the lyst and in the middest of them an aged man with a long white beard riding softely on a Mule and bearing the countenaunce of a verie wise man After him he sawe a Knight well harnessed in white armour richly beset with precious stones so that no man in the place had the lyke his Helmet had a fine plume and his horse the lyke the pomell of his Saddle of Golde-smithes caruing and the seate all imbroudered with golde and siluer Euery thing belonging to the knight so braue and lustie that none nowe but gazed on the straunger After him a good distaunce there rode a Gentlewoman an easie pace vppon a palfraye driuing before her a sumptuous horse The Gentlewoman comming néere vnto the Pallaice alyghted and vnlacing her male spread a fayre Tent in the plaine made all of cloth of golde with such straunge deuises as neither king nor Keisar in the world but might haue vouchsafed it for himselfe But that which was most commendable was the most excellent and braue conceites with néedle worke which coulde neuer haue béene wrought but by an exquisite Semster as indéede the wise Artemidoro was the workeman Now to make short work when the pauilion was pight Artemidoro leading Rosicleer with him vnto the king spake on this wise God increase thy royall estate king of the great Britaine and aduaunce the credit of thy whole Court Wit you most puissaunt Prince that from mine Ilande I am hether come with this young Gentleman that he may be knighted by your owne hands And albeit that so greate a curtesie neither hée nor I haue merited of your maiestie yet vnderstand worthie king that for his lignage hée is such a one as not without reason he may craue to be dubbed knight of so mightie a Prince as you are And I dare warraunt moreouer that it shall not bée ill bestowed on him as your selfe shall testifie in short time although you shall not throughly enter into the consideration of his valour till that his death bée published by reporte of his drowning and that much bloud shall bée spilte to the greater prayse of his prowesse to the contentation of your person and to the profite of your royall estate and bée it my tale séeme incredible yet I beséech you to remember it well for I will auouch the euent as I haue tolde you Retayne him therefore sir King in your Court and beléeue that the time shall come wherein you would loose the best parte of your kingdome to haue him néere you But to the ende this Storie nowe auerred by mée maye carrie more authoritie with your worthie person Knowe that this reporter is Artemidoro of whose knowledge you haue heard before For with my skill I haue done seruice to such great Lordes as you are Artemidoro héere making a reasonable pause began againe on this wise Sir king with your maiesties leaue we haue héere pitched a tent in the name of the Gentleman as a challenge agaynst all commers after you haue made him Knight the first which shall vnhorse him shall inioye his tent the value whereof shall content him for his iourney and héere staieng he sayd Sir King I haue done King Oliuerio all this while not lending his eares idlely as to a fable in a winters night but wayeng euery point looked vppon Rosicleer and well thought that his personage might agrée with Artimedoros commendation but yet as halfe in a doubt as touching himselfe he made the wise man this aunswere Assuredly Artemidoro with this demaund or anie other which you shall require I am verie glad that you take occasion of comming to my Court for by the brute of your fame I haue long time wished to sée you but to send for you indéed I was neuer minded because as I heare against your will no man may speake with you And to make you answere I am in purpose to satisfie you as well for your owne sake as for this Gentlemans whose behauiour séemeth to be such as without your report he commeth sufficiently commended vnto me I promise you héere to make him knight with mine owne hands and I beséech God he proue no worse then you foreshew me Rosicleer and the wise man both bowed humbly on their horse backes The king badde Rosicleer to alyght which dismounting from his horse ascended by a payre of Stayres to a little scaffolde before the Kings windowe where knéeling downe in the sight of the whole multitude hée receiued the order of knighthood at the kings hands The king demanded where the young Knight should receiue the swoorde and the wise man aunswered that he should staie for that till he could conquere it Then after his duetie done to the king Rosicleer retourned to horse backe and with a liuely grace so demeaned himselfe vppon his horse as that it well pleased the
beholders Now for that which followeth you must intend that the wise man vttered his speaches to the king in the audience of the whole multitude many knightes and other compassing him about to heare his arraunt so that few or none but were partakers of it Amongest them was Brandagedeon bearing himselfe within the lists as proudly as the Cocke of the game doth in the Cocke pit when the crauen is chased Then hearing that the tent was put for a rewarde to him which could vnhorse the young knight when he sawe time he cried aloud to Rosicleer saieng In good sooth new knight thou bewraiest thy folly and lacke of experience when thou sawest me stand in this place with my speare in my hand to make that challenge which shall not be in thy power to maintaine so surely but that I will be the master of thy pauillion yet Gods blessing on thy heart for bringing so faire a Iewell béeing indéede fitter for me then for thée Rosicleer whose courage neuer tainted aunswered as shortly It shal bée thine Gyant if thou winnest it and there shall no man forbidde thée the possession of it if thou ouerthrowe mée And without more words he tooke a great Speare from the ratter and tourning his horse head he rode softly to the place where the iustes were kept In his way thether Rosicleer lyfting vp his eyes to the Scaffold of the Gentlewomen he saws the beautifull Oliuia standing directlye against his face excéeding no lesse the other Gentlewomen in brightnesse then the Moone excelleth the starres in a frostie night O poore Rosicleer what a looke was that which locked thée from thy rest for with her beautie thou wast wounded at the heart that albeit in time the skinne ouergrew it and the flesh healed yet the skarre remained and neuer knight in the worlde loued more loyally then thou diddest For though the sight was short and the blowe quicke yet the wounde was déepe and the smart curelesse O full many a bolde enterprise diddest thou achieue ere thou gainedst a reasonable guerdon for thy greate good will And thou faire Princesse being within the hearing of the wise mans speach diddest not spare to lend thine eares to another mans tale and shine eyes to another mannes brauerie that thy succours béeing farre from thée thy heart had not the power to repulse thy aduersarie loue béeing the onely occasion of thy vnrest But Lord what alteration both of you felt by the enterchaunge of your lookes which serued likewise for messengers to tell your tales betwixt you And yet I cannot déeme but that this loue so enraged his courage against Brandagedeon as otherwise I maye thinke hée had not done so well But comming into the place hée addressed himselfe towardes Brandagedeon both of them now béeing in a readinesse The King at this time verie sorrowfull to see the newe Knight in his first batâ—aile to endaunger himselfe vpon a Gyaunt and woulde haue talked with Artemidoro about this matter but the wise man gaue no answere and to the end not to discouer more then was behouefull he conueyed himselfe out of the kings sight So the king held still his opinion of the young knights weaknesse till the issue disproued his thought For in the carryer when the two knightes met in the middest of the Tilt-yarde the Gyants Speare burst vpon Rosicleers head peace no more moouing him with the blowe then if hée had stroke agaynst a wall But Rosicleer hurling at the breast of Brandagedeon ouerthrewe him and his horse to the grounde the horse in the fall brusing the Gyauntes shoulder that his Knightes were faine to carrie him out of the preale whereat all the standers by with great admiration behelde Rosicleer euerye man being a Prophet as his heart gaue him that Rosicleer would proue the best knight in the world séeing that at his first encounter in tilt hauing neuer had to doe with anie knight before be had ouerthrowen so mightie a Gyant The King nowe thought that Rosicleer had well amended the greate corsie which hée had taken at his Knightes disgrace and the other Knightes were gladde to haue that huge monster ridde away bolder and willinger valyauntly to aduenture themselues agaynst Rosicleer then against a Gyaunt and their courage was the more for the richnesse of the tent which had inuegled theyr conetous mindes to venture the purchase But as the knightes entered to iust with him he ouerthrew them all béeing more then an 100. knightes without that anie man was able to sit the second iourney Then the kings knightes entered by name Brandaristes Brandidarte Allamedes the Princes Argiles and Orgiles Don Brunio Prince of Numidia other all which he threw downe so lightly as that they might not turne one course more that daie Some held more tacke with him as you shall heare héereafter but by the way the king turning to his Lords spake on this wise Truely my Lordes if I had not my selfe séene the valourous déedes of this Knight I should hardly haue credited another so incredible the truth is that one shoulde worke such masteries I would the iusts were ended that I might sée this knight vnarmed to knowe him and honour him as is reason True it is aunswered his nobles and for his valour there is not so puissaunt a Prince in the world but that he shall haue cause to be gladde of his seruice This was a breathing time for Rosicleer but yet I am perswaded that it was no plaieng time although no enimie appeared for he had a greater conflict within his bones then he professed outwardly and therefore his heart neither fully assured nor yet in daunger gased vpon the beautie of Oliuia Whereby the fire entering closely by the vaynes wasted and consumed his flesh sooner then hée felt the flame or coulde thinke of remedie but better considering that hée was within the compasse of loues segniorie and that his matter was to bee tryed at the great assise in loues dominion he tooke better aduisement to alter it to an action vpon the case of couenaunt against his mistresse the matter arising vppon exchaunge of lookes as you haue heard And for this cause he enterteyned Sergaunt hope to bée his Lawyer and féeyd diuers others to assist him but master Despaire an old stager had wonne the day of him had not the whole Bench and especially the chiefe Iustice Desert staied vppon a demurre which reléeued much Rosicleers courage and made him looke more freshly vpon hope to finde out better euidence for recouery of his sute But as Rosicleer thus plyed his cause at the Barre so gentle Cupide attended vpon his Mistresse faithfully seruing him and beating into hir head the remembraunce of his actes and the beautie of his personage that the windowes of hir desire being set wide open she viewed hir fill wishing yet to sée his face thereby to comfort hir selfe if his visage were aunswerable to his vertue Now Don Siluerio with an enuious eye minding to interrupte
his deathes wound then that letter Ere he opened it his coulour chaunged and all his bodie shooke for feare but after hée had read the superscription his eyes were filled with teares and neuer man was so woe begonne as he yet he read it out and as I remember with the last wordes he gaue a great groane and sanke to the earth Whether hée euer recouered or no I wot not for I durst not staye with him therein to fulfill your graces charge which was not to receiue aunswere from him This vnderstanding the Princesse and that Fidelia had obeyed euerie iot of her will so well although shée would that her seruaunt had fayled in some small point of diligence in this matter yet thinking to learne more at her hands shée demaunded what thing hée did when she parted from him and what words shée spake moreouer what she thought the euent would bée To all which questions Fidelia aunswered at once that shée lefte him for dead vpon the ground and to deuine was not in her skill With this the Princesse waxed angrie and blamed her verye sore in not abiding the time of his recouerie whervnto Fidelia excused her selfe by her commandement but yet because the Princesse would haue it so néeds must Fidelia be thought in a great fault or crime for not dooing so Now may you gesse that Fidelias trustinesse was lyke a cuppe of colde wate to her burning ague the more to enrage it or lyke drinke to a Dropsie man whereby his maladie the rather increaseth For in lyke manner as Rosicleers heauinesse came by reading the letter so hers grew by Fidelias report of his heauinesse And albeit that we heare seldome time of man or woman dead for loue yet is it naturall for ouermuch griefe to abbridge mans dayes as now it was not loue which so much afflicted the Princesse but the iniurie which she had offered Rosicleer and the griefe which she conceiued by the dispaire of euer séeing him and his griefe had almost wrought hir vtter bane ¶ Rosicleers departure is published in the Court of King Oliuerio Oliuia after knowledge whose sonne he was reuerseth iudgement passed by a countermaunde in another Letter whereof Fidelia lykewise is the bearer Cap. 41. THe Princes Bargandel and Liriamandro in the quest of Rosicleer rode far and néere could not vnderstand anie thing as touching him till that hauing trauailed ouer a great part of that Countrie they met with people strangers which certified that themselues had séene a Knight in that sure of armour imbarking himselfe with a Gentlewoman and after that a Squire sore wéeping entering into a ship to followe them for the which newes Bargandel and Liriamandro were verie sorrowfull and for nowe they were sure that he had forsaken the kingdome wherevpon they agréed to returne vnto the Court and one day as the King Oliuerio with the Prince Zoylo and other worthie Princes and knights were gone out of the Citie to solace themselues in the fields these two Princes came toward the place where the king abode which had behelde them before verie héedfully for they séemed vnto him to be two comely and noble knights and therefore he desired to haue a more perfect view But valyaunt Zoylo knew them by their deuices vppon theyr armour and sayde to the king and to the other then in presence that he greatly meruailed why Rosicleer came not with them for saith he when I parted from them they were all thrée together when the king knewe them to be the two Princes hée caused his traine to stay till the two Princes came against him those hée embraced with great loue and thankes for their returne demanding withal for Rosicleer They which I dare not say knew the ryght cause but coniectured some likely cause by the straungenesse it wrought in him with great griefe made a narration of each perticular as farre as they knew both what befell him within the Realme and in what manner he auoided the Realme as they had heard of others onely in the companie of a Gentlewoman and they added moreouer perhappes of their owne heads perhappes as I sayde before vppon some farther knowledge that it could not otherwise bée but that he had some great wrong offered vnto him by some person within the Realme The King excusing himselfe to the Princes for his owne dealing towardes Rosicleer became verye sad and heauie for him as also those which were néere with him not béeing able to gesse of his returne and indéede if they had béene certeine of his long absence it would much more haue béene gréeuous vnto them so rare was the loue they all bare to him But with some little hope of Rosicleers spéedie retourne the King with those Princes his friends tarried some dayes in the Pallaice till that because he was from them so long the thrée Princes Bargandel Liriamandro and the Lartarian Zoylo together tooke vpon them to séeke him in which time they aduentured many strange exploits as shall be specified héereafter in this Historie But in the ende as the greatest parte of these nobles and Princes stayed in England for the loue of Rosicleer so his presence wanting in that court diminished so fast that in short time there was not behinde remaining in the Court anie Knight of great account but the Prince Don Syluerio vnto whom the losse absence of Rosicleer bread no small contentation as it wrought in the king Oliuerio to the contrarie no lesser displeasure and disquiet as if the losse of Prince Edward had agayne renued For there was no one in his kingdome which could and would aduaunce his priuate credit and the honour of his Countrie by worthy prowesse and by valiant déeds of armes But when all the kingdome beganne to bewayle the losse of Rosicleer what did that fayre Oliuia which had abandoned him the Countrie and loued him more then anye one in the worlde might shée forget him one instant No but when she wayed well that for the accomplishing of her charge he had forsaken the lande her good will increased towardes him and in stéede of the daylye viewe of his personage in his absence shée gazed at will vppon the counterfayte and portraiture which she had imprinted in her fancie This did she the oftener because shée founde not in her solitarie contemplation anie other thing to present it selfe For amorous thoughtes are euer enimies to companie and béeing alone as commonly shée was by reason of sicknesse what was there to remooue this solitarie thought and conuersaunt companion from her This companion she still enterteined which by vse and continuance of time grew to a setteled sentence and her loue waxed greater then it was before and then increased the flame which burnt more earnestly then euer before it had bene But as it chaunced tossing of these things in her remembraunce withall shée remembred that Arinda had tolde her how that Rosicleer had written vnto the Princesse Briana and as the amorous are accustomed to builde
themselues Castles of Hope albeit sometime without foundation or sure grounde whereon they may surely stand so her loue waxed ielous ouer him and shee beganne to cast with her selfe why Rosicleer should write to the Princesse Briana being to her no kiffe nor kinne to her and so meane borne out of which in the ende she picked out this hope that out of doubt his birth was as good as his bringing vp In this matter therefore she laboured Fidelia secretly to steale that Letter from the Gentlewoman Arinda her bedfellowe and talking about this matter one certayne time with Fidelia among other thinges shée sayde Oh my Fidelia as I had the power to banish Rosicleer the lande so woulde I that I coulde banish him from my memory how profitable had thy counsaile bene then vnto mée but what shall I doe for that remedie is no more auayleable since his absence woundes me more then his presence I graunt thée the fight of the beloued to some increaseth loue still offering it selfe to be seene and yet to other some againe the thing dayly séene bringeth little delight but rather lothsomenesse as contrarywise sometimes loue is mooued by discontinuance and sometimes mens desire increaseth the flame albeit the beloued appeare not in presence But this thou takest to bée impossible for thou art not touched with the like passions and none knowes the bitternesse thereof but the experienced as appeareth by thée which hast ministred a medicine not of force against my disease But make me amends and once againe venture for my sake I remember that Arinda hath a Letter of Rosicleers to the Princesse Briana to what purpose I knowe not but I would gladly sée it this steale from her and bring it mée that I maye read it I cannot say what good newes my minde foretells me by it but sure I long to reade it as if there were some great secrete conteyned therein and quiet shall I not be till I haue had it Héereto Fidelia replied briefly that this matter shoulde bée lefte vnto her to watch her epportunitie and indéede when Fidelia and Arinda slept together one night Fidelia espieng Arinda fast on sléepe rose as softlye as shée might and taking one of the keyes which Arinda had tyed to her girdle therewith shée opened the cal ket and pulled out Rosicleers Letter which she brought to her mistresse lodging whom she found waiting for some gladde newes The Princesse her selfe would not open the Letter but gaue it to Fidelia which vnsealed it and read as followeth ¶ To his good Mother the high and mightie Princesse Briana IF my departure from your presence procureth your iust displeasure beléeue mée madame and my good mother your sonne Rosicleer cannot bée well pleased therwith fore-séeing the great solytarinesse wherein you remained and yet because this my iourney hath so prospered with mée I am the better contented and I beséech your grace to quyet your selfe vppon Gods ordinaunce from whom I am perswaded this motion in mée procéeded Besides the Storie of mine owne good Fortime which Arinda may safelye reporte I haue hearde newes as touching your selfe the redeliuerie of my Father and the safetie of my Brother For since my departure I haue gotte acquaintaunce with Artemidoro a great wise of man of Greece perhappes he is not vnknowen vnto you of whome I haue learned that your husband my Father shall ere long retourne vnto you That the Gentleman of the Sunne my brother is aliue and alreadie Knighted and for prowesse so greatlye approued as not the Knightes of elder time are thought matchable that hée and I shall knowe our Father to be the most valiaunt and worthyest Prince on the earth that wée shall haue a pleasaunt ende of our sorrowfull beginninges which God graunt As touching mine owne estate I haue béene brought by this Artemidoro to the Court of king Oliuerio where by his owne handes I haue béene dubbed Knight and haue receiued such honour as if I had béene his knowen Nephew and had it not béene that your grace had commaunded the contrarie not suffering our progenie to be knowen I should for this fauour haue bewrayed the truth at least to haue giuen him some comfort for the supposed losse of Prince Edward but I will obey your commaund And these newes I thought to make you priuie vnto as not béeing ignoraunt of your heauinesse which I praye God lessen to your comfort Farther as touching these matters Arinda maye tell you of the specialties The Almightie sende you speedely your desired husband I take my leaue kissing your royall handes ¶ Your obedient sonne Rosicleer When Fidelia had ended the letter and the Princesse had well vnderstood the secretes thereof what tongue may expresse the great ioye that entered into hir sorrowfull minde as if shée had but nowe recouered hir lost hope and hadde she not nowe counterpaized hir auncient sorrowe with this late sprong ioye hir life had bene in daunger for in no other thing excessiue ioy may doo so much harme as in the heartes of true louers Amongst whome I can compare these two Princes Rosicleer and the beautifull Oliuia as the chiefest This Princesse nowe ridde of some parte of hir feare and as it were brought into a newe world thought to make amends by punishing hir selfe for hir cruell letter thus saith she Oh how well am I worthy of the paynes which I now sustaine in the repentaunce of my former fact not onely for that which against Rosicleer I haue committed but also for the little credite I haue had of his valourous personage Where were mine eyes and iudgment when I did not prooue his nobilitie by his vertue howe great was my pride in that I woulde in such sorte despise so worthye a Knight and bannish him not onelye my presence but this Kingdome also O inconstant and fraile woman-kinde for iust cause lyghtly regarded among wise men sith we are lyght in beléefe lyght in iudgement and ouer-hastye in shewing the effect of our conceite What occasion had Rosicleer giuen me that I shoulde make exchaunge for the great good will which I bare vnto him with so cruell a sentence as to dispatch him from my presence What had he in his letter any dishonest word any vnlawfull demaunde or did he mooue me to the thing preiudiciall to my great Estate This he desired that I shoulde knowe he loued me why shoulde I be ashamed that my inferiours loue me and that he shoulde lyke of me was the thing I desired Tell me Fidelia what is thy counsaile for to amende this faulte me thinkes we are in worse case then before Rosicleer is alreadie departed the Countrey and if I sende to call him backe he will not regarde mée or will it not be thought lyghtnesse after that I had in such earnestnesse refused him as it were yesterday this day sodainelye to alter my purpose Besides that when hée retourneth into this Court his glorye maye encrease to my dis worshippe and againe if to
beare out my former facte I let the matter passe as it hath done what shall then become of mée I knowe not howe to lyue hée being bannished from my presence whome I loue better than my selfe But Fidelia as thy parte was in the first counsayle to bannish Rosicleer so nowe put too thy helpe that Rosicleer maye retourne againe without the blemmish of mine honour Verye ioyfull was Fidelia to heare the Letter and béeing well content that hyr Mistresse hadâ—â— kepte hyr former conclusion in this matter as touching the marriadge of Rosicleer if his Parentage were not so farre inferiour soberly aunswered Madame leaue off your complayntes and be more gladde then euer you were sith God hath bene so fauourable vnto you as to make Rosicleer of so high estate that he may merite you For in good sooth I stoode in doubt whether of your paynes were the greater and I knew no meanes howe to slake them But fith now this secrete is disclosed the remedie is in our handes and not so difficult as you make it For bée it that you shall send vnto Rosicleer to demaunde pardon of him for the offence which you haue committed against him shall you thinke you doe your selfe anie wrong therein in respect of your princely estate No for assuredly he loueth you loyally and because he is of nigh parentage with you you may therein beguile suspitious eyes and after his retourne you maye boult it out of him whether he loue you yea or no if hée doe without peraduenture you maye acquite him and loue of all thinges woulde bée rewarded I dare warraunt that your loue shall detayne him with vs and to this purpose madame your hande and my head which ioyntly committed the former fact shall nowe together make the recantation and crye Pecaui The effect maye bee onely to will him to resourne to your presence and my selfe will bée the messenger and I promise neuer to refourne into this Countrey till such time as I finde him and haue deliuered your Letter to his handes Withall sayth shée this ought prsently to bée put in practise for by the griefe Rosicleer tooke at the sight of your Letter I gesse that hée is eyther departed this lyfe or auoided the Countrie The Princesse was verye well content with her hast as the thing which she most desired and so embraced she Fidelia gladly and spake vnto her Fidelia nowe I knowe the good will which thou hast to serue mée and I confesse that I haue not made thee priuie to my heauinesse without greate hope of comfort at thy handes therefore I beséech GOD once to rewarde thée as I wish but bring mée penne Inke and paper for I will straight way followe thy counsayle héerein Fidelia brought vnto her penne inke and paper wherewith the Princesse wrought hir reclayme with as manye sugered woordes as the other letter had sharpe and sower This letter the sequele will shewe vnto you when we come to the meeting of Fidelia and Rosicleer but before that time the letter written after this manner was delyuered vnto Fidelia and it was agréed vppon betwéene themselues that vppon the nexte daye shée shoulde goe to séeke him This night they tooke theyr rest the one for the better enduring of hir long trauaile which she shoulde sustayne the other to make satisfaction for hir broken sléepes Ere broade morning Fidelia was vp and hauing conuayed Rosicleers letter where she founde it shée went vnto the Princesse to take hir leaue of hir When as they were departing Oh my good Fidelia sayde the Princesse doo as much as thou mayst to retourne agayne spéedely for if thou stayest long I shall lyue but a small while there is nothing that may so soone shorten and cutte off my dayes as to hope without successe and to dreade the worst I tell thee that till thy comming agayne my nightes will be tourned to watchinges and I shall recken the clocke hourelye awayting thy presence O God Fidelia when the daye commeth I will looke for the night then when as the night is ouer-passed I will make account of the daye to come and I will neuer leaue casting of perilles till that I shall heare thée bring some tidings of that good Knight Fidelia was verye sorie to thinke of the cares which hyr Ladye was lyke to receiue and principally for that shée shoulde teaue hir alone wanting with whome to communicate hir payne Where-with béeing somewhat troubled and also fore-seeing the long time of hyr absence so shée departed wéeping in this manner Madame it is néedelesse for you to charge mée farther in the affayres the paines wherein I leaue you are sufficient to hasten my iourney I woulde to God my Fortune were aunswerable to the desire which I haue to serue you in this matter But be of good courage and hope for the comming of your Knight or els looke not for me With these they broke off and Fidelia went to hyr fellowes vnto whome she tolde that she woulde soiourne with hir parents in the Countrey for a season after going to the Sea side she entered into a shippe prepared towardes Almayne wherein the History leaueth hyr saylyng to recount of other things which chaunced in the meane time ¶ Rosicleer was betrayed into the Ilande of Candramarte that Gyaunt whose handes hadde bene cut off before by Rosicleer Cap. 43. YOu haue hearde howe Rosicleer departed from the great Britaine in the companie of the straunge Gentlewoman neuer hoping to returne agayne into that land onely for the accomplishing of the exile where-vnto hée was bound by his Ladyes appoyntment Nowe the Historie saith that the Gentlewoman with whome he was in the boate was sent by Candramarte whose handes Rosicleer had cut off before the King Oliuerio for Quéene Iulias rich sworde and that she was sent vnder coulour of a distressed Gentlewoman to bring him to hyr Fathers Ilande there to be aduenged of the hurt and shame which hyr Father had receyued This deuice was thought fittest both for that Rosicleer as a noble Knight pittyed such oppressed Gentlewomen and that for other cause then to shewe himselfe Rosicleer coulde not be brought out of Englande In this Ilande Candramarte had two young Gyauntes to his sonnes whome for that purpose he hadde knighted béeing in making no lesse than himselfe Besides these Candramarte hadde fortye chosen Knightes all which hée armed to assaulte Rosicleer least bée shoulde escape them By this guyle the Ladye Gyauntesse Daughter vnto Candramarte carryed him to hyr Fathers Ilande wherein without anye farther aduice hée aduentured himselfe for verye griefe of hearts which hée conceyued to sée himselfe abandoned his Ladyes presence But nowe sire dayes haue they bene on the Sea at the ende whereof the winde was so fauourable that they came within kenning of the Ilande to his iudgement verye strong and to the shewe verye pleasurable This béeing discouered by the Gouernour the Gentlewoman sayde that that was the place wherein hyr Parents and Husbande were taken crieng
aduenture which brought mée hether hath béene by occasion of a storme which draue me on this shoare and this is the first lande whereon I set foote since this tempest tooke my shippe and courtesie commaunded mée to lend mine aide when I sawe you ouermatched with number And thus much for aunswere to your demaund but now agayne that I haue tolde you that which you required so I praie you tell me your name and for what cause this cruell battaile hath béene fought betwéene these Gyaunts and you While the Knight of the Sunne spake thus Rosicleer beheld him verie sadly and hearing him say that he was the Knight of the Sunne and that he knew no more of his estate hée thought that peraduenture this same might bée his brother of whome Artemidoro had tolde him such meruailes but leauing this suspition till he might question of it more at large he satisfied the knight of the Sunne as to his question in short speach after this manner Your friendshippe was great and so I make reckoning of it otherwise I should not haue happened on so good a time to tell you my name in which because you would learne of mée you shall vnderstand that my name is Rosicleer and that I was of good report in the Court of king Oliuerio the king of great Britaine although my mishappe causing it I doubt me so much that my name is once mentioned amongest them but that matter I will leaue off as not pertinent this which you require about our fight sprong vpon this occasion and so he shewed the whole order both of the receiuing of his Auant Cheualier at the kings hands the first dayes iusting the seconds dayes combat with Candramarte the honour of the iusts the enuie of Candramarte point by point the whole storie as you heard before Which tale Rosicleer had searcely finished when the Gentlewoman which all this while remained in the ship cryed out whereat they turning their heads sawe in what manner shée outraged saieng O spightfull Fortune doe what thou canst for the succour which I haue wanted on lande I hope to finde in the bottome of the Seas and the God Neptune which hath power ouer the swelling waues shall kéepe me from farther vengeaunce wherewith she leaped into the Sea but being clad in large garmentes shée could not drowne presently The knight of the Sunne and Rosicleer séeing her in that estate pittyed her greatly but she was too farre off for them to wade néere so the knight of the Sunne tooke his boat hastely to helpe the Gentlwoman where otherwise then he looked for the boate was carried by violence another way and albeit hée stroue to bring it towardes her yet preuailed he nothing for it sayled in the Sea as swiftlye as sometimes the cloudes racke in the aire béeing driuen by the windes presently Rosicleer with greate griefe lost the sight of the boate werefore fetching a déepe sigh as for that his former hope was cleane dashed to haue found his brother he said as followeth Fortune the thing which I most detest therein thou shewest thy selfe most fauourable vnto me This is my life which now twice thou hast restored me without my wish but that which my heart most desired and with which my lyfe should finde most ease therein thou shewest thy selfe an aduersarie to me so that whatsoeuer good happeneth vnto me thou makest me thinke that it happeneth for the worst for the longer I liue the more are my paines increased Now by that time that he had lamented a while for this sodeine losse of the straunge knight he sawe the gentlewoman cast vppon the sandes not yet dead whome he caused those Knightes which were escaped in the battayle to carrye vnto the Castle and there to finde some remedie for her Thus the knights did with whom he went to one of the Castles where for this time we will leaue him to follow the knight of the Sunne on his iourney by Sea ¶ The Knight of the Sunne was carryed to the Ilande of Lindaraza where hee atchieued manie straunge and fearefull aduentures Cap. 44. WIth great swiftnesse and incredible hast the Boate whereas the Knight sayled was carryed passing in short time the déepe Atlantike and West Occean néere the vttermost Cape of the Ponent till from thence it droue vppon the Pillours of Hercules where his mightie arme and stéeled forke made place for the Occean to enter and water the earth This Sea is called Mediterraneum Sea and into this Sea the Knight of the Sunne shooued his Boat where he found well peopled Townes and greater delight then appeared in the winde and West Occean and he beganne to receiue some ioye of his hether arriuall as if not without cause he were carried in such hast and that some great thing was thereby hoped for but as sorie for his sodaine acquaintaunce with Rosicleer he beséeched his Gods with all his heart that they might once méete againe and at more leasure recount each to other of theyr aduentures Well on all griefes whether for his fréendes Brandyzel and Claueryndo or this vnacquaynted Rosicleer or the vnskilfulnesse of his waye were extinguished by that his learned Gouernour guyded theyr Barke whether it was conuenient So still hoping for the Porte and Hauen wherein his little boate shoulde ride he sayled as I sayde in the middle earth Sea where on the lefte hande he sawe Spaine Portugall and those Countreyes where he coulde gladly haue bestowed himselfe but that he was not to commaund the stéeres-man but in good time came he thether as shall be recited in the Historie heereafter Although by shoare on the right hande he lefte Affricke Carthage and Tures and forwarde as he sayled he discouered the Ilandes Baleares and Sardinia with the warlyke Italy and the fertill Sicily where the flames of Aetna hill a while stayed him There might hée sée the ruinous Relyques of olde Syracusia and many perilious Mermaydes haunting those shoares much feared by all the Marriners Then sawe he the fresh water of the riuer Nylus which entereth the Sea by seauen mouthes From thence on the other hande might hée sée Greece where-with hée woulde more willynglye haue fed his eyes if he had then knowen the right which he hadde theretoo But from thence he lawnched into the broade Euxino where the wide Sea conuayed all thinges out of sight that nought appeared but clowdes aboue and waues beneath Long thus he sayled meruayling when his Nauigation shoulde take ende After this as it were a faire calme following a stormy tempest there appeared aboue the water a faire Iland vnto the which his boote draue whereat he was merry and pleasaunt thinking that there abode him some aduenture wherein he might trye his manly prowesse and full fayne he was to leaue the Sea héere I saye at this Ilande his Barke stayed whereby he knewe that his iourney was thetherward Then the Knight leaped to lande vppon the enterie whereof there was a banke cast of harde stone
be in that estate as is due to the daughter of such parents when the Emperour had thus said Flamides forced himself so much as he might for to speake thus answered him Your reason satisfieth my vnderstanding I confesse it true that we ought not to wéepe when death assaileth vs neither ought we to make straunge of it for in the end we must leaue this world and then is there nothing more certeine but my conceit builded vpon outward sence béeing contrarie to reason troubleth againe that part where affections are and maketh it rebellious and howsoeuer men be prouided for death by continuall thought that they must dye ordinarily notwithstanding wee thinke our selues immortall till death attacheth vs. And what olde man onely for age is so feeble that he hopeth not for a daie to liue But as to Lindaraza my sister I beléeue that although you had staied here many dayes the secret of this aduenture hadde neuer bene disclosed vnto you neither doe you knowe the cause why you were brought and put heere But I will tell you plainely My sister Lyndaraza and I had both one Father named Palisteo being the second sonne to the king of Phrigia my Father not beeing borne to the kingdome fell rather to seeke his owne delight without enuie then to trouble himselfe with the care of gouerning Aboue all he studied the Arte Magicke where by his paines at length came to the most absolute perfection of all in Asia he was matched with a Ladie of high parentage by whom he had two children my sister Lindaraza and mee we were of young yeares when our mother died in labour of the thirde child so there remained none else but our Father aliue and louing to be solitarie came and dwelled in this Ilande bringing with him my sister and those waiting women which you haue séene by his great skill he buylded this Castle héere he lyued vntill my sister and I were of some discretion to guide our selues Héere he drew manie histories of things passed in the worlde and among other the pictures of many valiant Knights which were then on lyue with the rest you were so liuely drawen that it happening my sister to enter one daye where the Imagerye was by the sight of your picture she was surprised with your loue Our father Palisteo knowing hir disease deuised you should be brought by following your owne wife carried from you For this cause was this inchauntment made in that quarter of the Castle wherein you abode without making your selfe priuie to your owne estate that if your Knights came to séeke you they might not perswade you hence neither could euer perswasion haue serued only force which this man hath vsed When the wise man our father had done all this he declared vnto vs the secretes of these things and farther told vs by his Art that the timâ—â—hould come when you shuld be deliuered from the inchauntment although he knew not when nor in what manner He told vs that at such time as you should be at large my sister Lindaraza should die either for the griefe that she shoulde conceiue or for that the fates had so appoynted Moreouer that you should haue a daughter by hir which might not hence depart till there should come a Knight which shoulde winne the entries once againe and after marrie hir Of this Knight he said that ther shuld spring the race whence issueth the two noble families much spoken off throughout the world the one house to be called Mongrana the other Claramonte Me he charged not to leaue the Castle till my néece Lindaraza should be acquitted After this our father Palisteo béeing sore sicke died since his death hetherto euerie thing hath fallen out accordinglye And thus you haue heard the whole processe of my tale and the cause why your daughter Lindaraza cannot goe from hence at this time The Emperour and the knight of the Sunne had verie attentiuely lystened to all that which Flamides had spoken and albeit the Emperour was desirous to carrie his daughter Lyndaraza with him he could not yet refuse to leaue her when he coulde not otherwise choose and hée besought Flamides that at such time as they came both out that they should take the waie to Greece there to reioyce with him After they had thus argued a little Flamides brought them through the parte of the Castle which was not inchaunted shewing them many thinges as well of halls of cloysters as of pictures and painterie whereat the Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne were greatly amased And for that that daye the knight of the Sunne had not eaten Flamides made them sit in a faire parlour where they had plentie of delicate viandes when they had eaten the Emperour béeing desirous to depart desired Flamides to conueye him through the gates So by the â—â—aie this péece of the storie as I haue hearde was afterwarde penned and portrayed in the Court hall of the Emperours Pallaice at Constantinople But they went through all the gates of the Castle and of the bridge till they came where the pillours stoode There Flamides tooke his leaue of the Emperour and of the Knight of the Sunne When Flamides had departed from them and they had passed through the bridges presently the gates of the Towers clapt together with greate noise béeing as surely shut as euer they were The Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne were amased at the straunge thinges which had happened in that Castle and tooke the way towardes the Sea by the same path in which they had come reioysing at the swéete harmonie which the Birdes made in those pleasaunt trées so that although they went a foote yet it séemed no paine vnto them And the loue that they bare to each other was so great that it coulde not haue had bene more if they had knowen each other especially the Emperour whom so often as he sawe his face thought vppon the Princesse Briana whome hée much resembled In this manner the father and the sonne trauailed running ouer in their discourse straunge thinges of the inchaunted Castle till that they approched the maine sea whereas yet the little boat stoode in which the knight of the Sunne had come thether Now for that along the shoare there were no more boats the Emperour was somewhat sorrowfull séeming to him that he was ill furnished to goe whether he purposed and telling it to the knight of the Sunne The knight of the Sunne aunswered My Lord I pray you be not agréeued with this for the boate is guided by a wise man a friend of mine one as I beléeue so carefull to carry me hence as he hath friendly sent me to worke your deliuerance Besides this boat will holde vs both and if it bée so you will vouchsafe my ship you shall neuer saile more safe neither better prouided for victualls The Emperour was greatly amazed at it that all thinges were so plentifull with the knight of the Sunne But both verie merrie
touching whom the history saith that after these two Princes were in Persia some dayes hauing great desire to find out the Knight of the Sunne seeke strange aduentures one day as they were with Armineo vnckle to Clauerindo they determined betwéene themselues for to depart closely from them to goe by sea whether soeuer fortune would transport them whereto although Clauerindo and Armineo would haue made the king Florion priuie yet the Prince Brandizel would in no case consent beléeuing that if his parents knew of it they would not giue him leaue to goe from them so to pleasure him they kepte that counsel as priuie as they could And when all things were in readinesse one night secretly they conuaied themselues out of the citie and so straight to the sea side where they entered into a ship prouided for that purpose and hoising vp sailes they were carried they neither knew nor cared whether for the courages of these two Princes resolued to the search of worthie aduentures wold not let them be quiet so that any thing might better content their ease at home But as soone as they were gone the wise Lirgandeo knew of it and waieng the great commoditie which might ensue thereof to themselues and others he woulde not hinder it not yet make as if he knew it yet had hée great care to guide their ship wherein they sailed and they reached thether in fiftéene dayes which to other is an ordinarie moneths sailing that the marriners were abashed to sée the swiftnesse of the shippe beeing more then vsuall which when they had discouered to their Lords the Princes knew presently by whose meanes it so happened wherfore yet they were the better apayed for nowe they were sure thether to be carried which fitted best for their purpose Well shortly after these Princes departure and before it was eyther so noised or suspected Lyrgandeo declard the truth to the king Floron and the quéene Balisea willing them withall not to afflict them for that they thereby should gaine much honour and should retourne safely with the knight of the Sunne in their companie With this the king and quéene were indifferently appeased Nowe all matters quieted in Persia for the Princesse absence we may the fréelier beare the knightes companie which are yet sailing on the Sea so that the. 15. daie after they were departed from Persia they landed in a hauen of Polonia where their shippe stood still and taking land to learne some newes and know the countrie ere they had long trauailed they sawe before them a little towne to their iudgement pleasant and round about great flockes of men and women scattered and making great cries as if some great mischaunce had happened to them Armineo demaunded of them the cause of their sorrowe wherevnto an auncient man amongest them aunswered that a fierce Giant with more then fiftie knights had come in this morning vpon thē to steale awaie the Princesse Clarinea daughter to the king of Polonia theyr liege Lord that he had killed the greater number and spoiled the residue And as he thought was ere this time on his waie with the Princesse in his carriage from whome if it so be not all the world may recouer her why so sayde Armineo and where is the king or where are his knights that they doe not defend their Ladie The olde man aunswered they are in a towne foure mile off not mindfull of anie such matter and it hath not bene past eight dayes since the Princesse came to this towne and now this which you haue heard hath happened to her when the thrée knights heard this of the olde mans relation without staieng longer they gallopped with their horses so fast as they might comming néere to the towne they sawe issuing out of the gates a great troupe of knights the one parte driuing the other before it For so it was that the Gyaunt hauing the Princesse in his power was carrieng her awaye and the townsmen fought with him but their power little preuayled the Gyant was strong his knightes many and so they murthered all that came in such sort that all the Towne dwellers flod then came the other knightes which slewe many of them Twentie of the Gyants knights at once fell upon them laieng at them with all theyr forces the meane while that the Gyaunt helde in his armes the Princesse Clarinea and thinking that his knightes would make riddaunce of these thrée he tooke no more kéepe but rode away softly with the Princesse The Princesse cried out so loud that it was great pitie to heare hir and those which heard hir of hir owne knights came pitifully crieng to the knights straungers that for the honour of God they shuld goe helpe hir When this was spoken Brandizel besought his companions to stay there in the battaile to giue him leaue to follow the Giant which when they granted him he putting the spurres to his horse followed the trace the whiles the knights of Fraunce throughly galled their enimies For the one of them matchable I dare auouch with the auncient Franconio the Troyans sonne of whome hée descended for he putting himselfe in prease among them to some he claue their heads to other some their sheeldes murdering many and felling manye that at length there was none so hardie which durst stand him a blow but euerie of them did his best to saue one His vnkle Armineo in the broyle helped not a litle for he was a valiant knight and much estéemed of in Fraunce But let vs leaue them speak of the Prince Brandizel who pursued the Gyant He rode so fast that ere the Giant came within a flight shot of the sea he ouertooke in a large plaine and crieng alowde bad him redeliuer the Princesse false traitour as he was The Giant looked backe to sée what it was and séeing but one though riding in hast he cared not for him saue that not to be found vnprouided he loosed the Princesse from betwéens his armes and set hir on ground the Prince comming to him spake neuer a word but drawing his sword hit him so great a blowe vpon the helmet that he made him boow his head to his breast wherewith the Giant increased in cholar and gaue him the like this began the skirmish betweene them wherein the noyse was so great that the Princesse Clarinea before in a sound retourned to hir selfe and séeing the battaile with so little hope as that one onely knight should aduenture hir deliuerance fell into a sound again wherein she had died for sorrow had not God 〈…〉 When they had thus fought an houre it was a wonder to sée their brused armour with their backed shields but euer the stéele coate defended the biting of their swords especially Brandizels which made by Art Pagicke had this vertue that no mettall might pearce it The Gyaunt was hurt in manye places whereat as at the force of his adnersarie he was greatly estonished blasphemed his Gods in desperate
Aridon of the blacke woode In the iustifieng of which words spoken by the Gentlewoman and the improuing of Aridons false and shamelesse slaunder I am hether come to proue that he belieth the Dutchesse vpon his bodie The king now and all which were present beheld the Knight of the Sunne verie earnestly and were abashed to sée him being so young speake so couragiouslie Aridon verie angrie rose vp and to the knight of the Sunne spake on this wise Sir Knight it appeares thou art both young and a straunger in this Countrie for if thou wert of yeares or knewest Arydon which nowe talketh with thée thou wouldest not bée so hardie as to defie him in presence and were it not for the King my Lorde I woulde in some wise tell thée of thy rudenesse but there néedeth no such hast I hope I shall haue time inough sith thou canst not betract the battayle whereto thy selfe hast first made offer but let vs goe to it presently and ende it in this place Aridons high disdaine sore displeased the Knight of the Sunne as appeared by his looke but hée refrayned for honour to the King and for the rest hée desired the king to authorise the lists The king aunswered him gentlye that daye it might not bee both for that it was néedfull the Dutchesse of Pannonia should appeare openly to put her quarrell into his handes and for that also Iudges must be ordained of the field and the lists erected which could not be prouided in so short warning The knight of the Sunne yéelded to the kings pleasure and after that he had witnessed his forwardnesse to defende the Dutchesse he tooke his leaue of the king and to his host he goeth The king as soone as he was gone by occasion of this young knight calling to minde his sonne Liriamandro whom he had not heard of in long time wept bitterly and sayd aloude that diuerse heard it If my sonne Liriamandro be like to this lustie knight and haue a care to be notable no doubt he will excell all his auncestours Whereat those which were there by declared to the king what themselues had séene of this knight and howe stronglye he had ouerthrowen Florinaldes which report did in a manner discomfit Aridon that he would haue wished his stake out at that dealing with all his heart but indéede a very desperate contempt both of God and the world brought him to his end ¶ The battaile betweene the knight of the Sunne and the strong Aridon Cap. 54. THe next daie the king rose earlier then hée was wont to doe because of the battaile which was to be made betwéene Aridon and the Knight straunger And Aridon likewise made more hast nor the knight of the Sunne falled for his parte When all were in the fielde the king caused the Dutchesse to be brought which came thether in a mourning wéede and with so sorrowfull a countenaunce that no heart so stonie but woulde haue pittyed her for shée had béene verie faire alwayes accounted as wise and honest the king demaunded of her whether shée would referre the tryall of her cause to the successe of her knight whether good or bad whereto she aunswered yea and that she had no other helpe but in God and the innocencie of her cause So was shée lead to a scaffolde prouided for her other Gentlewomen The Iudges next were called for which were named by the king the Duke of Austrich and the Duke of Saxonie two auncient Knights and then restaunt in that Court The Iudges thus placed Aridon and the knight of the Sunne tooke their Speares in their handes forcing themselues against each other Now sounded a Trumpet and a Heralde cried Goe too knights and God defend the right With this they ranne together with all the force they coulde their encountrie was such that Aridon burst his Speare and diseased not his enimie but the knight of the Sunne both hurst his speare and vnhorsed Aridon and with the fall hée gaue him almost burst his backe while he pained himselfe to kéepe the Saddl Aridon thus brused lifte vp his eies to heauen and in despaire of conscience murmured to himselfe some lyke thing Thou O God as I beléeue hast sent this younge man from heauen to reuenge my misreporte otherwise who is hee in this worlde which might haue sate so quiet in his Saddle after so violent a push as I haue giuen him or who might haue annoyed Aridon so and with a desperate rage he drew out his sword to haue sheathed it in the knights horse belly but the knight descended and with his sworde before him went toward Aridon that betwéene them the battaile beginneth The king and the Princesse ther present were verie glad to sée so good a beginning of the Dutchesse deliueraunce And Aridon failed not to doe his best that the knight of the Sunne coulde not but take him for a strong knight the battel endured a great while no man being able to iudge who had the better till that the knight of the Sunnes courage grew as his honour increased for hée was not angered at the first The ende of this battaile for it was not long neither verie equall was in this manner Aridon hit the Knight of the Sunne on the head-peece that he bowed his knees to the grounde Then the knight of the Sunne gaue him another that hée staggered with it the second time Aridon hit the Knight of the Sunne a blowe vppon the head peece where at the last time the knight of the Sunne stretching himselfe and following his blowe with all his might hit Aridon so sure that Aridon fell vppon the ground moouing neither hande nor foote The Knight of the Sunne thinking it to bée but an amaze stoode still while Arydon might recouer againe The whilest all the beholders much praised the Knight of the Sunne for the best Knight liuing as well commending his courage as his actiuitie The Dutchesse Elisandra likewise hauing now some hope by her knight gate her coulour againe and her ioye was as much as her husbands sorrowe But you haue not yet hearde the worst of the wicked Duke for Aridon reuiued whome when the knight of the Sunne sawe raising himselfe vp he came hastely and holding the point of the swoorde against Arydons throate hée spake saieng Thou shalt dye false Arydon vnlesse thou confesse the treason that thou hast deuised against the Dutchesse and if thou doest dye in this obstinate minde of concealing so greate outrage thou hazardest thy soules health Aridon as it were halfe awake and yet not so loth to die as stroken with terrour of his owne conscience aunswered Thy wordes haue abashed me more then the death which thou threatenest the fault which I haue committed hath bread a greater horrour in my flesh but make the Iudges come néere and I wil declare the whole The Knight of the Sunne called the Iudges they comming néere heard these wordes of his owne mouth the substaunce of the Dukes shifting to
they were cast into double doubts séeing that the enimie whom they purposed to finde abroad came to séeke them at theyr owne doores Well with great care and diligence they began to prepare all thinges necessarie for the welcomming of such a gest by gathering his people out of all partes of the kingdome raysing the walies higher and fortifieng the Towers once builded by Semiramis all which woulde lyttle haue helped the great Babylon against the power of Africano if the puissaunt arme of the youâ—â— Gréeke had not defended it But thus the Assyrians were almost at their wits-end not knowing how to repell him for the brute of his fanâ—â— was greatly noysed The Souldan of Babylon well experimented in warfare commaunded all which could beare armour to come to Babylon that his forces béeing vnited he might be of greater power against his enâ—mies Africano stayed not till he came to the very walls of Babilon where he gladly behelde the Citie because of the same it had to be so great and so well peopled he highly commended of the sumptuous edifices and high walls enâ—â—â—ng it which inflamed his desire to be Lord of it Presently 〈◊〉 made to pitch his tents in a large field enuironing yeâ—als as far as he might for it was impossible to compasse them rounde about with two of Xerxes armies He had in his campe 20000 knights and 30000. hors-men two strong Giants beside the one of them called Herbyon and the other Dardario through whose force he thought to haue ouercome the Assyrians So soone as he had trenched round about his campe and prouided for the sauegarde of his armie before he would enterprise any father he sent a messenger with a letter to the Souldan containing this that followeth Africanos letter I the great and mightie Africano king of Media and Persia send gréeting vnto thée Souldan of Babilon sonne of Orixerges Know that the report of thy Citie of Babilon hath procured me to cut the seas to arriue in this countrey rather with desire to haue it as mine owne then for any pleasure to offend thy person or molest thy people for thy father and mine during their liues were great friends which friendship I would willingly shuld endure betwéen vs if thou wilt as willingly satisfie my desire albeit I am content in recompence thereof to giue thée the kingdome of Persia or Media chuse thée whether Now thou knowest my whole meaning faile not to accomplish my desire for vnlesse I haue it with thy good will I wil force thée thervnto maugre thy ill will Fare-well The messenger comming to the gates of the citie was let in being brought into the pallaice he deliuered the letter to the Souldan in the presence of Prince Florion and the other knights of the Court The letter was read and they all said that in great pride the Pagan had so written but because Prince Florion the most part of those which were there knew the strength and power of Africano in the battailes fore-passed they would not make aunswere nor speake a worde vntill they had heard the Souldans minde Being in this order all husht the knight of the Sun rose vp demaunded license of the Souldan to giue aunswere to the messenger The Souldan graunted it him Then the Knight of the Sunne aduauncing his voyce that it might be heard spake to the messenger thus Returne to thy Lorde for it is now too late to answere his letters but in the morning my Lord shall call his counsell shall send thy Lord an answere by one of his knights to whom he must giue credit in this behalfe Thus the messenger dispatched from the Souldan went to his Lorde who little delighted in the fore-flowing of the Souldans answere for he lesse wayed the Souldans power Therefore he determined in few dayes to destroy the great citie burning and wasting all for all that that he wished rather to haue bene owner of it by exchange or couenaunt then by rasing and battering the wals which wer so goodly The messenger auoiding the pallaice the knight of the Sun directed his spech to the Souldan in this wise Sith your excellencie wel vnderstandeth the arrogancie and high disdaine of Africano and hath giuen me in commission to deuise the aunswere I humbly beséech your grace to be content therewith if to morrow in the morning I alone take vpon me this message to satisfie him as shall séeme best vnto me and according as his pride deserueth When the knight had so said the suâ—â— which he made gréeued the Souldan very much although the great exployts which he had already done which were diuined to be done by him some-what abated his griefe yet greatly preferring the valour of Africano aboue that which he had heard of all the Princes Pagans for ther might none be compared to him he put of the knight of the Sunne for that time with this aunswere that hée would not haue him to hazard himselfe in such daunger vntill he had growen to more ripe yeares But if the Souldan was in any perplexitie for loue to the knight much more was prince Florion troubled which had had experience of Africanos puissaunce and had séene Africano in his owne person demeane himselfe so iustely in the battale betwéene them that he thought him to be vnparagonized for mandhood therefore he was more then vnwilling that the knight shuld alone deale in this matter albeit he had well worthely acquited himself against Brandafileo the stroÌ„g Raiartes for it was not a thing conuentent in his iudgment that he being as yet of tender yeres shuld proue his body vpon Africano But were it that the Souldan the Prince Florion wer loth of this as at the first it appered yet they thought it best to dissemble their conceits least the knight should take displesure at their litle account of him therefore in the end after some consultation had with the wise Lyrgandeo with a milde countenaunce the Souldan agréed to the knights request saieng That he would put into his hands both his honor the cause to the end that he should ans were Africano as best should like him The knight of the Sun wold haue kissed the Souldans hand but the Souldan imbraced him there it was solemnly enacted that the next morrow that the knight of the Sunne shuld be the onely messenger Clauerindo the prince Florion lay at him earnestly to beare them in his company but be shifted them off with this that it behoued him to be alone for the aunswere which he should giue to Africano ¶ The Knight of the Sunne maketh aunswere to Africano as to his letter Cap. 23. AT the day péepe before the gray morning the valiant worthy knight of the Sunne got him vp in the meane time while he ought to execute his charge he armed himselfe with that armour which the wise Lyrgandeo had bestowed on him so stayed a great while vntill it was
will separate from you your former conceit And if none of these will suffice there is another remedie behinde which is to bestow your lyking vpon such a one as may be matchable to your estate For as one naile driueth out another so men say that the new loue dispossesseth the old which remedie as I haue read was put in practise by Assyrius the king of Persia And this is my opinion which it may bée your grace would not mislike were it not somewhat troublous but it you haue an eye to your benefit thereby I doubt not but that you will well ouercome the trouble and I praie you spéedely take some way or other but the best I saie still is the former for to alaye the heate The next is to take away the wood and so to forget loue is to remooue from beloued for otherwise that which you quench in a moneth will be kindled in an houre Now the meanes to atchieue your purpose is by writing your selfe to Rosicleer to this effect that hée abandon your presence for euer my selfe will bée the carryer although I haue some compassion on his paine The princesse knowing the wholesome counsaile which her Fidelia as a faithfull friend had giuen her answered louingly but yet with some conscience for her owns smart in these words Those which are whole can easily giue good counsaile to the sicke euery remedy séemes to them easte and possible as in lyke sort thou Fidelia not yet attainted with loue tellest mee of many remedies which not onely séeme conuenient vnto thée but also so easie that thou sayest it lyeth iâ—â— my hands to make my selfe frée from the passion which tormenteth mée I tell thée truely that I know both that I am not worthie of Rosicleer and that besides it behoueth me to banish him from my presence This I know my Fidelia but alas shall this be easie to me Perhappes I may make him auoide the Court and Countrie by the meanes thou hast prescribed but what then I haue a greater aduersitie within my selfe which makes this match not so euen as thou wéenest I knowe that when Rosicleer shall haue departed the land that my lyfe will well néere depart my bodie and I shall not easily forget mine owne choyce but yet as thou willest me I will aduenture to put him from his hope though I beare parte of the smart and I had rather my bodie shoulde paye for it then the honour of the Princesse Oliua shoulde bée blemished nor neuer shall the force of loue be able to disparage her In this heate she called for pen inke and paper which béeing brought she wrote to Rosicleer as you shall heare héereafter I cannot thinke that for all her greate stomacke to mainetaine her honour agaynst Rosicleers basernesse that she could drawe those cruell lines with drye eyes but when she had made and ende and closed vp the Letter as if she had got some memorable conquest sayth shée Now dare I compare with the Romane matrones which for the preseruation of their honestie sacrificed themselues vnto their Gods for what haue I done else but in a manner sacrificed my selfe to God when for my honour sake I haue bounde and lynked my selfe to such a continuall martyrdome and perpetuall imprisonment as the absence of Rosicleer will bréede in mée and neuer more will liue as a Princesse but rather lyke a vowesse But holde Fidelia take it at which worde shée sent out such a sigh and wept so bitterly as if her heart had rent asunder Fidelia promised to doe the message and after she had comforted her Ladie departed spéedely I thinke fearing lest the Princesse should reclaime her opinion ¶ Fidelia beeing on her waie to carrie the Letter to Rosicleer was taken by sixe knights and from them deliuered by Rosicleer Cap. 40. FIdelia hauing alreadie taken leaue of the Princesse to execute the cruell sentence pronounced vppon poore Rosicleer was vppon better aduise called backe by her Ladie and made stay till the morrow The next day comming before her Lady to giue her warning of her departure scarce might she obteine leaue to goe or tarry And when shée vrged the necessitie of her going still the Princesse would staye her with some swéete spéeches Swéete Fidelia tarrie yet yet a little longer swéete Fidelia tarrye till my lyfe leaue this carefull bodye it will not bée long my sorrowe prognosticates of my ende if thou tarrye till I haue ended this my wearie lyfe goe in Gods name then to Rosicleer it will bée to some purpose to let him vnderstande that though my bodie bée dead yet I meant mine honour shoulde remaine sure for him Fidelia payned her selfe to comfort her Ladie and thinking it not best to enter anie long talke as if shée had gone of some other erraunt stale awaye princlye from her mistresse in the companie of other Gentlewomen the lesse to bée suspected and mounting vppon her palfraye shée roade through the Citie of London all disguised to séeke Rosicleer Ere long shée came to the kéepers house where the thrée Princes had lodged at whome shée learned that they were not farre from thence so with great dilligence she hasted after them and as their knightly prowesse lefte behinde them the memorie of their béeing there so wheresoeuer shée came shee still hearde of them and within eight daies after that she had lefte the kéepers lodge shée came within lesse then one dayes iourney of the place where their abode was That day passing alone through the thickest of a Forrest there came out against her sixe knightes which tooke her horse by the bridle sayeng that she should goe with them which when she denied and began to plead for her deliuerie with wordes of curtesie one of them drew out his swoord and sayd he would stay her vnlesse she prepared her selfe to their companie but whether she would or no they made her palfray goe by force with them towarde the Forrest Then Fidelia séeing that they meant héerein some dishonour to her personage leapt from her palfray and one of the knights perceiuing it alighted to fetch her vp againe but she getting from him ranne thence as fast as shée might and by her good Fortune it came to passe that when the Knight had ouertaken her and helde her in his armes to put her vppon her horse that Rosicleer and the two Princes Bargandel and Lyriamandro then passed through the Forrest to séeke the selfe same Knightes and to bée auenged vppon all the euills in which they had wronged that Countrie These thrée bearing the scréeches and outcryes which Fidelia made got néere the sound to know the matter in the ende they sawe that the knights would carrie a Gentlewoman â—lâ—aie against her will At which albeit Fidelia was so wâ—ll muffeled that none of them knewe her they were all displeased and Rosicleer more angrie then the rest sayd Sir knights what is the cause that you force this Gentle woman to go with you against
your will One of them in great scorne said If you will néeds be of counsaile with vs I will prick you the cause vpon my speares point But Fidelia cried Ah my Lord deliuer me from these false théeues which will lead me away prisoner I know not wherefore Rosicleer hearing them both without more to do gaue one of them such a blow vpon the breast with his launce that it pearced him through he fell dead to the ground the two valiant Princes ran against two within short time flew them the thrée which remained set vpon Rosicleer but he cleft one with his swoord made the other two to gallop away The two Princes loth to let any of them escape followed them in such sort that they foure were now entred into the thickest of the woode Rosicleer being alone with the Gentlewoman Fidelia now at libertie and onely the companie of Rosicleer stoode in a doubt whether after so great curtesie shée might in her mistresse name declare so vncurteous a message but remembring her selfe to bée at anothers commaunde vnto whome shée had promised her faith in this matter the time also so fit for the accomplishment of her Ladyes charge she discouered her selte to Rosicleer who presently knewe her and much abashed to sée her in that plyght alighted from his horse to embrace her and as it hath béene recounted his speach was on this manner What misfortune faire Gentlewoman hath brought you from that heauenly court wherein you were once acquainted to séeke harborowe among such vnciuill hostes as these knights are Fidelias aunswere was short in these tearms O noble Rosicleer the anguish which Fidelia féeles is indeed great but yet it onely ariseth through the remembrance of that message which she hath in charge vnto Rosicleer with that she wept bitterly Then somwhat amazed he sayd vnto her Tell on faire Gentlewoman and if your sorrow be for my sake let me beare part with you thanked be God I am not altogether a straunger to mishaps yet wist he not whereabout her message was but he being very earnest to haue the message tolde him she drew out the letter out of a little bore and put it into his hand with so much paine that she could not speake a word withall Rosicleer hauing the letter desirous to knowe what was in it opened it presently wherein he soone espyed the set determination of the Princesse as touching his exile but before he had well weied of the contents espieng onely Oliuias name in the inscription as we saie that mennes mindes misgiues them against a mischiefe so his heart throbbed all his bodie tremble and he had much adoe to force himselfe to indure the vttermost The Letter sayd as followeth ¶ The high and mightie Princesse the Princesse Oliuia Princesse of great Britaine vnto the most arrogant Rosicleer sendeth perpetuall disgrace for thy lewde attempt BEeing no lesse iniured by thy presumption then minding the punishment of thy folly I haue written vnto thée And know thou that thy letter hath come not to me in daye light nor deliuered in thy name least I might iustly haue refused it but in the night time and that closely and by strealth conuayed in my cofer that I might first be beguiled ere I might forethinke mée of the deceit The receiuing wherof albeit so at vnawares hath somewhat blemished my honour and the shame thereof if I thought possible to bée rubde out I would not spare for Tems water being so néere my fathers pallaice But to make amendes for my fault and least thou take some pride in thine impudencie I am driuen nowe to an other inconueniencie that is to aunswere thée whome otherwise I woulde not haue vouchsafed in this respect the courtesie of a good looke In thy letter the first point of thy pride I finde to bée in bending thy lyking towardes mée The second and greater in daring to manifest it vnto mée The third and especiall in forcing mée by coppie of wordes and an olde tale of loues power to giue some reliefe to thy heauinesse Which thy intollerable pride as it séemed rare and straunge vnto me so it made me more narrowly to fist and examining my selfe throughly and in euerie pointe if eyther the lyghtnesse of my lookes or my vnchast demeanour or the lacke of foresight in my speach or the familiaritie of acquaintance might giue occasion to so base a Knight as to attempt a Princesse Wherein if I coulde haue called to minde anie little ouersight whereby thou mightest haue courage of impeaching my honour I woulde first haue punished it in my selfe as I am now purposed to amende it in thée Onely I remember I bestowed vppon thée largely and what then Thou therefore as Lucifer hauing more graces then thy fellowe Angells wilt pull GOD out of his throne Note that the staye of true vertue is humilitye and there is no glorie so cléere but pride may darken it Because I humbled my selfe so much as to thinke of thy meane vertues wouldest thou venture this Did my beutie cause thée to loue me and could not my estate with-hold thy penne but thou must challenge mée for it I was aboue thy reach and why diddest thou not feare thy ouer-strayning if thou meantest to compasse me God neuer punisheth the desire of things allowed by nature but thou shalt finde occasion of smart by thy disordered affection What if loue be so great as thou painest thy selfe to proue vnto me Did not other Princes sée mée from whome yet the honest regard of my greatnesse shéeleded me which thought neuer entered into so abiect an heart as thine is Yet Caesar forsooth and Hannibal and Mars and Iupiter were ouercome with lyke passions What euer good lyking I might haue had to them I tell thée I lyst not to heare poore Rosicleers tale Thou wilt haue mee so to vse clemencie towardes thée as I shall thereby to be cruell to my selfe otherwise thou diddest my losse Then must I haue regarde and for euer cease thou to trouble me in lyke manner Or if because thou louest mée I must deale with thée accordingly I am content but to thy greater griefe For marke the greater loue deserueth the greater chastisement and greater is the fault done vppon presumption then by ignoraunce or infirmitye as much lesse sufferable is the disgrace wrought by a friend then by a foe and the louers vnkindnesse is lesse excusable then the straungers Thou professest thy selfe my friend louer and I protest and proclaime my selfe nowe to bée wronged at thy hand Iudge thy selfe how I can beare it For this iniurie which thus spiteth me I charge thee auoyd this Court forsake the land and if thou meanest good to me get thée thether from whence neuer newes of thy name maye be brought to England This way shalt thou prooue thy loue and els not and so she leaueth thée till doomes daye Thy mortall enimie Oliuia When Rosicleer had read the words of the letter the