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
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
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
enimie These things bred such griefe vnto the Emperour as that he hoped for nothing but to die And so turning and ouerturning in his thought a thousand sort of remedies without finding any which might satisfie him he conuaied himselfe into his most secret Tent and there remained three dates not suffering any of his people to haue accesse vnto him or speach with him except some squiers seruitors from whome likewise he would willinglye haue exempted himselfe but that he would not die so desperately Those of the Camp which saw the sodain change and alteration in the Emperour as they knew not the cause of it so wer they much abashed and careful to know what it might be Some imagined that the delaye of the warre and the comming of Prince Edward were the occasions of his trouble and so hoping that he shoulde well ouercome that griefe shortly they left him to his rest vntill he had resolued vpon the pursute of this which foloweth in the next chapter ¶ Prince Edward entereth into Belgrado The Emperour bethinketh himselfe of his remedie Cap. 4. FOure daies after that the Emperor Trebatio was thus wounded with the loue of the Princesse Briana Prince Edward with xx M. entred into the citie of Belgrado wher he was welcomed by the King who had great desire to sée him for be thought not onely to depart with the Citie but also to adde thervnto a great part of the Empire of Greece So soone as this newes were spred in the enimies campe the Emperour was cast into greater melancholy as by the shortnesse of time not being able to find an issue for his late deuise onely this he thought that for to assure this vncertein hope if there might be any he had none other way then to cut off prince Edwards enterprise so by shortning his life better more easie to compasse the obteining of the Princes Vpon this resolution he made to call into his tent 12. knights the most valiant worthiest of all his hoast among whom one was Alceo father of Rodomarte prince of Sardinia of whom there is made great account in this history the second was Alpineo L. of the Iland Lemnos the third was called Alfonte L. of the Iland Sicile the 4. was called Alcino king of Thrace the fift Liberio L. of Nicroponte the sixt Boristhines whose sonne was Rodopheo Prince of Rhodes the. 7. was Dardante Prince of Dalmatia the. 8. Melides L. of Ithaca where Vlysses reigned king the. 9. Argante L. of Pathmos ye. 10. Arimont L. of the Ilands Cyclades ye. 11. Artedoro prince of Candia the. 12. last Nicoleonte L. warden of the streights wher Corinth stood All knights of great account young very strong for to vndertake any enterprise all subiects vnto the Emperour and all welbeloued of him because he was priuie vnto their great vertues Now when the Emperour saw al those knights in presence with some shame fastnesse which the weight of the matter caused he reueled to them wholy his griefe giuing them to vnderstand withall that vnlesse he had some helpe his lyfe were spilt Among al the best which he had found he reckned specially vpon one which was that secretly they shuld auoide the campe follow him The knights hauing great desire to serue him esteeming themselues happie that he would communicate with them part of his mind they freely offered vnto him their persons for the accomplishing of that which he should command them they all agréed to depart with him in such order as he had deuised Then the Emperour made to call before him the king of Boheme which was his vnckle a very wise expert man in armes to whom he declared that he had vrgent occasion to be absent a while from his armie the circūstances wherof saith he you shall further know at our returne in the meane time I commend vnto you the charge of my war for your greater credit with the people I deliuer vnto your hands the Imperiall Scepter The king meruailing at this that the Emperor did without more demanding of him whether or wherabout he would go accepted the charge promised therein to employ his trauaile Wel the night approching with the houre agreed vpon the Emperour with 12. knights armed at all pointes with rich costly armour with Hungarian bases secretly left the campe without being heard or knowen of their enimies wherein they trauailed all night vntill the day appeared then they alighted to rest their horses fed vpon such victuals as they had brought with them after taking againe their horses they posted on their iourney till they were in the mid way betwéene Buda Belgrado which way prince Edward of force must haue passed when he would go to the monastery of the riuer There in a thicke wood somewhat aside out of the way they put themselues hauing prouision furniture of all things necessarie where they remained verie close vntill that Fortune friendly to the Emperour and enimie to the prince gaue the prince into the Emperours hands which shall be shewed in the chap. following Prince Edward riding toward the monasterie of the riuer was by the Emperor Trebatio encountred slaine cap. 5. WHen prince Edward bad once set footing in Belgrado he had great desire to sée the princes so that the third day after his comming he would néeds depart towards the monasterie of the riuer The king Tiberio vnderstanding his desire albeit he himselfe might nat accōpanie him yet he set him on his way thether ward onely to haue his aide assistance in the battaile with 4. aged knights in his companie being best knowen by the queene the princes These should bée in the princes retinue other 12. knights mo which be had brought out of his country by these the king sent letters to the Q. the princes Briana the contents whereof wer that the prince might spéedely be bethrothed vnto her but more cōpanie would he not send therby to haue the match kept secret till the war which he held with the Emperour were finisht For this matter was husht no man almost being priuie vnto it yet the prisoner which bewraied it vnto the Emperour had vnderstanding of it by means of the kings seruice In this time the Quéene and her daughter hauing intelligence of the princes cōming attended his comming in the monastery with preparation for his enterteinment Prince Edward departing from the king one night the most couertly that he might went out of the citie with his owne 12 knights 4. of the kings with these he tooke his way a whole night a day with all the hast he might to end the great desire he had to sée the beautifull princes This way albeit short yet it seemed long vnto him as being ignorant of the sower sauce wofull wedding which was in prouiding O marriage that slender weake foundation of worldly things how is it not onely regarded by men but highly
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
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
and these Knights woulde vouchsafe your acquaintaunce and companie for I haue more desire to trauaile in these partes then in that Countrey from whence I came because there is no continuall affoorde of Knights and fresh accidents as I finde in this kingdome and I shoulde more highlye estéeme of the friendship and societie of such noble and worthy knights then of anye riches in the worlde And nowe for that I haue declared who I am I shall thinke my selfe farther in your debte if you make your selues farther knowen vnto me Rosicleer and his companions gladlye hearde of his birth and lignage but much gladder of the friendship wherto he requested them so they gaue him manie thankes and tolde him who they were Diuers speaches of great courtesie passing betweene them whereby their amitie was so sure confirmed that it remained vnto the death euerie one labouring to be founde most friendlye And this done they appoynted that Prince Zoylo shoulde goe to the Court onely to haue a sight of the King and that Rosicleer with his companions shoulde abide him thereabout then they foure to trauaile together whether Fortune would carrie them This being concluded the Prince of Tartarie tooke his way toward the court of king Oliuerio thinking long to finde the time for his returne They tooke the way towards a forrest where the historie leaueth them to intreate of the Gentlewomen in the meane time which brought the bodie of the great Brandagedeon vnto the court of king Oliuerio ¶ The Gentlewomen brought the bodie of Brandagedeon to the Court and the Princesses receiued the Letters of their knightes Cap. 38. GReat was the griefe which the Princesse Oliuia felt by the absence of Rosicleer that neyther her high estate nor the courtly disports sufficed to make her forget her care or helpe her to couer her lyking but in her lodging she would be without â—â—mpanie in the daie and in the night without sleepe euer wishing to sée him againe whom she loued more then her selfe for her minde prophesied to her that she should not sée him verie quickly and as it is naturall for the patient to communicate his griefe with the Phisition iudging this some ease where the principall remedie wanteth So the faire Princesse as vnacquainted and to begin in such passions not being able at the first to counsaile her selfe otherwise thought it best to discouer her griefe to one of her gentlewomen named Fidelia the faithfullest and most secret of her householde the which many times had importuned her to knowe the cause of her sorrow and one night as she was alone with her the Princesse sayd to her Thou knowest my Fidelia how among all the Ladies Gentlewomen which I haue I haue chosen thée onely for the faithfull treasorer of my secrets I haue not done nor thought the thing which I haue not imparted with thée which hath come to passe onely by the loiall good seruice wherein I haue alwayes found thée plyant and diligent with the lyke confidence vnto that which I alwayes haue reposed in thée I will vnfolde vnto thée a secrete which none in the world my selfe except and thy selfe shall learne at my hande in the concealing whereof vnto this daye I haue a thousand times indured little lesse then death And the matter is such that it is vnfitting for anie one to be a dealer therein but my selfe and thy selfe whome I account as my selfe At a worde my Fidelia that tyraunt loue which spareth neither high nor lowe hath taken possession of me by the great prowesse and beautie of the new Knight and I am sure that but my death nothing canne set me frée although I haue studyed all possible meanes of my lybertie and thereto haue set the defence of my honestie and greate estate to withstande this conceit yet for all that I canne doe as long as this Knightes race is vnknowen I cannot ease my selfe my former remedies seruing me onely against the temptation of the flesh and not to driue out the rembraunce of his personage whence my desire springeth And truely I cannot perswade my selfe other then that this knightes of-spring is ryght noble he being of so courtlyke behaviour and knightly prowesse the truth héereof being somewhat more incredible then the lieng fables of our auncient Poets Nowe if hée bée a Prince borne the onely hope to haue him for husband my father and be being therewith pleased may yéelde one some comfort in the meane time while opportanitie serueth for the finall accomplishment Wherefore mine owne Fidelia seeing that I haue fully laide open the bottome of my heart that which remaineth on thy part is to frauile with his Squire or some other to wit of what parentage Rosicleer is Fidelia had listned verie attentiuely to that which her Ladie had sayd and as she was verie wise so perceiuing by the drift of the speech that neither her mistresses maladie could be remoued by counsaile nor that she would accept of it if it were bestowed besides that that her desire was lawfull to match with Rosicleer if there were no disparage in his stocke She could not gainesaie her mistresse in ftat-tearmes but made auns were that sith her grace had layde that charge vppon her shée was confent to receiue as also readie to offer her sermce in anie other thing for this matter which she now moued she sayde that sith her graces purpose was so good she should not néede to remember her farther in it for that so soone as Rosicleer should returne she woulde bée in hande with his Squire to boult out the truth of euerie thing and yet saith shee I cannot beleeue by reason of his magnanimitie but that bée is descended from some noble progenie which if it so bée I lyke verie well that your grace is so affectioned towardes him otherwise I dare not aduise you but yet I will tell you my fancie it were better for you to abide some payne then to make your head of your vnderling The beautifull Princesse was well apayde at this counsayle so iumping with her former determination and it greatly asswaged the mallice of her passion in that shée had bewrayed it to her trustie seruaunt The next day the Gentle women entered into the pallaice driuing a horse before them loved with the Gyants bodie At their enterance the hurly burly in the court was so great euery man running to sée the wonder that the king with all those which were with him and the Princesse Oliuia with her Gentlewomen ranne to their windowes to sée what the matter was and when they sawe the Gyaunt they knewe him and as newly abashed at Rosicleers vertues they began to commend of him as of the best knight in the world The Gentlewomen presently were brought before the king which receiued them curteously and they in order declared vnto him and the rest that which had chanced to Rosicleer since his departure from the citie The king lyked verie well of all saue that when they
stripe redound vppon mine owne head for who shall receiue greater smart by his absence then I shal What a wicked world is this wherein men of force must neglect other mens vertues and magnifie their own Nobilitie without desert were it not more reson to raise this man to the top of honour that in him his posteritie maye glorie then for lacke of auncestours famous for like qualities to suppresse his vertue and kéepe vnder the magnanimitie of his courage When beganne my Fathers and Grand-fathers to be Nobles but when with the winges of vertue they soared aboue the vulgar sort and if by their meanes onely I am aduaunced to be a Princesse what thanke is there to me of my highnesse And thou Rosicleer if by those rare and souereigne vertues which flowe and flourish in thée thou dost mount in credite not onelye aboue the baser sort from whom thou wast taken but also aboue Princes and Lords where-vnto thou arte to make thy assent Art not thou worthie of greater renown then we and others which climbing by vertue in like sort neuer yet came to the possibilitie of lyke worthinesse Is not this a forgerie of the world and a plaine iuglyng with Nobilitie when we must make more account of one which perhappes by disorder of lyfe defaceth the honour of his race then of one which reacheth vp the ignobilitie of his stocke wherein consisteth nobilitie in the opinion of men or in vertue in déede and doo men inherite vertue as the childe entereth vpon the fathers land béeing lawfull heyre No héere we receiue naught but what our selues sowe and he that reapeth not may be a loute for all his Lordshippe as in time appeareth which iudgeth fréely and without affection And for me if the eyes of my vnderstanding were not dimmed I shoulde soone confesse lesse merite in me to deserue Rosicleer then wanteth in him to be worthie of me I am a Princesse by my Father and my glory resteth in the reckoning vp of a bead-role of Princes some of them dead a thousande yeare agone which nothing pertaineth to this present age But he maye be a Prince by his owne vertue and his Nobilitie ariseth not by kéeping a Tally of names but by making iust proofe of manhoode in his defence of iustice euerie daye in such sort likewise that not any of mine Auncestoures vertues whereby they became noble dare approch to be tryed with his in an euen Ballaunce And is there not manie Gentlewomen in the worlde of as high a calling as I am And is there anye Prince or Knight of so high renowne for vertue knighthoode as Rosicleer is Haue not the best Knightes of both Christendome and Pagansie ioyned with him either at Tilte or Tourney and doth he not obscure them all as when the Sunne appeareth no Starres dare come in presence And I silly woman hauing not so much as the refuse in me of my predecessours vertue am notwithstanding by the iniurie of the times bonde to so great follie as that I must not thinke him worthie to equall mée which is much my better But sith of force I must yéeld to the time and rather dye then acknowledge the contrarye sith my Fortune is such that I must liue by the immagination of other men and sith my estate maye not bee yoaked with his basenesse haue at it I will for euer shut him from my presence for the sauegarde of mine honour But withall séeing without his presence I cannot find ease for this torment I will make him amends by giuing ouer my lyfe vnto the enduring of euerlasting sorrowe And if it be best so to doo tell me my Fidelia thy minde for I perhappes am beguyled by my passion neither in deede haue I either iudgement or séelyng of ought but of griefe and sorrowe Fidelia heard the woordes of the Princesse and taking part with the Princesse made vp this wofull lamenting with hir sorrowfull speach in this sort Alas Madame howe much better had it bene that neuer the Knightly déedes of Rosicleer had bene manifested in Britaine for then without the sight of him you had neuer receiued this wounde which nowe festering in you for lacke of looking too will be verie harde to be cured But the wisest saye that in such matters as are hard and difficult a man must especiallye employe his trauayle and that the succesie is not so vnlykelye but that labour maye reach vnto it as for this griefe which nowe distempereth you is not so great but that you maye bee soone whole your selfe béeing there-vnto willyng For in this neither Nature worketh neither Fortune nor the Starres nor the celestiall Signes nor anye supernaturall Influence as you suppose but onely the fancie and lyking of man the selfe same effect with that which in the sicke is to desire to be whole and in the thirstie to drinke And whosoeuer with the consent of his owne will attempteth the breaking of these snares which his fancie layeth to intrappe him in maye scape scot-frée and helpe others in like necessitie Otherwise if this loue wer naturall to all men as all men then shoulde loue by Nature so shoulde they not forbeare it either for shame or friendes displeasure and if it procéeded from Forture or by grace inspired whereof the cause is not knowen but the euent is euident then were our lybertie héerein irrecuparable and in that the principall sute was without vs it might excuse the infirmitie of the patient wheras as both experience prooueth that loue hath bene remooued by reason and we dayly chide their impotencie which are not able to resist the dartes of Cupide It is therefore requisite madame that your selfe put too your hand and frame your will to the obaying of that which may bring remedie not onely for the loue which you presently féele but for that which you feare will héerafter happen by your ill brooking of his absence And truly I am perswaded that séeing you haue with your selfe resolued to exclude him from your companie that the best is to put it in practise faithfully and effectually least by forbearing of this correction he take more courage to disturbe your rest and yet am I not against that which you haue confirmed with good reson that we ought to reuerence vertue rather than riches and in my iudgement that Gentlewoman which shal match with Rosicleer may thinke hir selfe happie for his rare and maruelous deedes of armes make him to glister more gloriously then all other Princes and Knights whosoeuer And in times past when all things went not so ouerthwart as they now doo he was the best of lignage whose prowesse was best knowen and he best esteemed which wanne his estimation by his manhood And to this purpose behold the buylder of Rome by name Romulus taken from his foster-father a shepheard and in a manner edified for that erection although ther were manie buylders in the world both before after but the difference of the buyldings lieth in the
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
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
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
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
brimme therof to sée what would happen till that the other shippe came néere and that he which was the Captaine commaunded to grapple and espyeng Rosicleer with a proude voice badde him saye both who himselfe was and what people he had in his ship and not faile in any point Whereto Rosicleer by and by aunswered I am a stranger in these parts and farther it is not reason that you knowe who they are that are with mée for we kéepe our way without molesting thée or thine The Captaine angrye for his short spéech said vnto him I will strike thy head into the water vnlesse thou aunswere me directly to my question and so saieng he halde and puld Rosicleer to haue forced him Rosicleer thus rudely intreated rose vp and with his gauntlet gaue the Captaine such a blow vpon the helmet that his braines flew abone his head and presently he fell into the water where the weight of his armour kept him downe Straight waies more then twentie knights well armed and well angered for the death of their captaine altogether with their swords in their hands smote at him Rosicleer drawing out quéene Iulias blade stroke againe with such courage that at thrée blowes thrée knightes were slaine and those which presently knewe his great prowesse drew backe making no great hast to come néere him Rosicleer knowing his enimies feare leaped into their shippe and there laide so about him that in short space he killed halfe of them The Princesse Arguirosa and the auncient knight nowe beganne to shew themselues aboue boord and they greatly wondered at his manhoode So shortly after Rosicleer was ralone in his enimyes shippe without resistaunce either all beeing slayne or all slaine or wounded or slaine wounded or by flight escaped for Rosicleers owne shippe was lost in the garboyle Now retourned hée to Arguirosas shippe wherein she with the olde man receiued him Rosicleers salutation to the Princesse after this exploit was in this wise Madame what hath ben done your selfe hath séene but for a recompence thereof I shall thinke my selfe throughly satissied if you will venture that into my hands which you dare hazard into the handes of the new Knight For I promise you I will as willingly ieopard my person as hée shall Now when Rosicleer had so sayde the Princesse the olde man stayed a good while without speaking word for the consideration of theyr owne daunger with recouerie if this man fayled made thein the more warie and so betweene the examination of Rolandos valour and Roscleers hardinesse In the ende Arguirosa her selfe rather vppon loue towardes him then of assured confidence would put her matter to no other tryall then Rosicleers so she commended her quarrell to him on this sort The curtesie valiant knightes which you haue offered me though vnworthie hath bene so great that I want the holdnesse to accept more yet because you carst defended mée from death by the vanquishing of Rolandos knights and now againe you will needes take vppon you a further matter rather not to refuse you then willing to trouble you againe I will returne with you to my Countrey and commit wholy to your handes the whole ordering both of my selfe and my cause her vnckle gaue his consent thereto and Rosicleer thanked them much So they sailed to Thessalia where by the waye Rosicleer casting in his thought how to redresse the Princesse wrong to the least displeasure of her and her vnckle which were loth to be knowen determined as a straunger to enter the land to demaunds iustice as it were against a person not knowen To which deuice after he had made them priuie and promised that they should not bée disclosed till it so serued for their auaile they were better comforted and sailed with so good winde that they tooke landing in a hauen néere the place where the king was taking lande he made the Princesse to put on a muster and the olde knight to couer his head besides bidding both to counterfaite for the time some straunge behauiour either in holding downe their heads or in bisguising their attire To either of them he gaue his horse and himselfe mounted vpon a courser the best of all Candramartes stable In the coole of the euening they fooke their way to the néerest Citie where then were many knights and Ladies comming out of the citie to disport them in the shadow Rosicleer being of a comely personage and so lustelye mounted foorth to bée seene and was well lyked off and praised amongest them all And they followed on theyr iourney towarde the gates of the Citie the king at that time came accompanied with his nobilitie to solace himselfe in the fielde as at other times before he was accustomed The king rode vpon a mightie horse with trappings and harnesse most of beaten golde his horse being so braue and himselfe so fierce and sterne to looke too that it woulde haue daunted a right good knight to haue but spoke to him So soone as the Princesse and her vnckle sawe him they counterfaited the best that they could and for feare theyr blond sonke downe into their bellies The valiant Gréeke knowing that this was Rolando whom he sought for as nothing afraide of his terrible lookes but rather glad to haue met with him so conuenienly and in the companie of so many knights willed the Princesse and the knight to follow him So came they all thrée before the king Rosicleer speaking to him and saieng Mightie king in iustice stay thy horse to heare a poore Ladies complaint and to right the greatest wrong that euer was offered to a Gentlewoman Why she complaineth to shée is for that thou art the king and shouldst aboue all men repuise the wrong doer so further discouering of the kings duetie Now the while Rosicleer spake thus Rolando behelde him verie well lyking both his courage personage and albeit of his owne nature hée neither feared God nor kept iustice in things which perteyned to himselfe yet hearing in Rosicleers discourse himselfe to bée made on now and then as of a right Iudge and that hée would not consent that other then iustice should be executed in his kingdome hée was tickeled therewith and bad Rosicleer tell on for he woulde heare his matter willingly Rosicleer strayning his voite that what hée saide might bée hearde and noysed busoade spake as followeth Knowe you mightie king that the father of this Gentlewoman was Lorde of great possessions which marryeng with an honourable woman begat on her this Ladie Few yeares after his wife deceasing this Lord married also another woman by whome he had no childe after that the Lorde himselfe dyed also the stepdame remayning aliue and shortly marryeng with another man whome in her husbandes dayes shée had a liking too This man sir king matching with the mother in lawe hath dispossed the true heire of her lawefull inheritaunce insemuch too as béeing so disseysed shée hath in no wise béene considered off as such a mans
the Gentlewomen and to the knight of the Sunne who he was not Prince Edward as they thought but in his name Brianas bridegrome and so forth of that matter which you may conceiue by that you heard before Whereat the Gentlewomen were not a little amazed but nothing sorrie And with the knight of the Sunne the Emperour entered into farther counsaile in what order he might make the king Tiberio priuie to his fact and carrie the Princesse Briana into Greece Whereto the knight of the Sunne counsailed thus My Lorde you knowe the faith of a Prince a bond verie straight for kings and great Lords as touching the preseruation of their honour in promise for which many times many haue preferred the trust laide vpon them before the safetie of their neere kindred This I say for that peraduenture Tiberio will be right glad to haue matched his daughter with you yet for the Prince Edwards sake comming vnder his safe conduct hée may not take it in good part or if he did had not king Oliuerio iust cause to be angrie being so abused as vnder his word to haue lost his sonne and subiects withall my counsaile is therefore for the better dispatch of your businesse and auoiding of béeing shent if you venture rashly vppon an enimie not reconciled that you go secretly to the monasterie and carrie awaie the Princesse from thence scarce letting her selfe know whether she shall goe saue that behinde you you may leaue a letter which shall signifie the whole effect of that which is passed By this meanes if the king of England bewaile the death of his sonne the king Tiberio may complaine of the losse of his daughter and in time when these fores are skinned there maye friendshippe be made on either part The Emperour liked well this counsaile and giuing him many thankes tolde him that he would put it in effect So two daies they kept companie in the meane time happening nothing worth the telling The third daie comming to a crosse ware well trode they sawe a pauilion pitched and not farre off twelue Gentlewomen clothed in blacke and hauing verye sadde countenaunces at the tent doore they sawe thrée knightes which were theyr kéepers When the Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne approched the Gentlewomen cryed out whereat the knight of the Sunne stayde and spake vnto them Gentlewomen as well by your countenaunces as by your outeries we perceiue you are distressed Shew vs now the cause thereof and if the thing be such as that we may remedie it we will doe our best to doe it One of the chiefest of them aunswered Sir your curteous words makes vs the bolder to vtter our griefe Therefore knowe you that I haue a sister called Elisandra Dutchesse of Pannoma and marryed to a Knight the most wicked man that was euer borne for hée hath staundered her with such a misreport as the lyke hath not bene heard off So it is that my sister and he haue béene marryed eyght yeares and haue had no children wherefore he fearing that after his decease the Dukedome shoulde retourne to her kinne as by right it should béeing her onely inheritaunce and minding to establish the state in his owne name hath subborned a desperate person to challenge her of adulterie By which meanes she being executed as false to her husband all her lands and goods are forfayted to the husband as it were to make him amendes of his wiues wrong Nowe this slaunder is apparaunt to all men but because the Duke offereth that the combat shall bée graunted to him which shal gaine-saie the slaunder the matter is made the lykelyer and is borne out though not by strong hand yet by pollicie and yet no man dare oppose himselfe to the challenger For there is a knight in the land called Aridon Lord of the blacke woode by reporte the strongest Knight which euer was in these partes albeit verie like vnto the Duke in his ill liuing him hath the Duke made his friend and accuser of the Princesse For a plot of ground adiacent to his segniories his accusation lyeth thus that with himselfe shée committed adulterie whereas though he was a long soiourner in his Court yet he neither perswaded her to it or woulde euer moue her in it for hée knewe his aunswere But the matter was thus canuased the while the Duke kept at the Court of the King Tiberio thether word is brought of the false packing of the Dutchesse and Aridon The Duke presently complayneth to the king and both parties are sent for in all hast Aridon being first asked confesseth it and is acquited by his confession As by the waie our lawe in this case acquiteth the man once confessing it though otherwise neuer so greate an offender and onely stretcheth to the woman in respect of her faith giuen at marriage Nowe what coulde the Princesse doe standing before the King and accuses not of beare saie but by himselfe with whome shée is fayde to haue lyen yet denyeth shée it Well the Duke charging her with it and shée purging her selfe shée was faine to require respite for prouiding a sufficient Knight to maintaine her innocencie Yet was shée commaunded to prison vnder sure kéeping and there is a daye set for the tryall Arydon beeing the accuser agaynst whome I doe not thinke that anie man in her defence though the cause bée righteous dare shewe himselfe for we haue tarried héere these 20. dayes and haue not founde anie Now because héere are crosse wayes in which it is likely that many knightes should passe we determine to abide the rest of the prefixed time And this is the cause sir knight why we mourne and so she ended wéeping bitterly The Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne pittyed them much meruailing so vngodly dealing coulde haue anie place to rust in Hungarie but God is wise saye they yea and séeth his time So the Knight of the Sunne talking a part with the Emperour sayde to him My Lorde you sée good cause binding me to pittie the Dutchesse in her extreame néede if you bée pleased therewith I will goe aunswere for her in the Court of king Tiberio In the meane time it will be best for you to goe to the monasterie of the riuer the most secretly that you maye and I will not fayle to certifie you from the Court if I heare ought which might auaile you being knowen This béeing done I will with Gods helpe come to Greece where I looke to finde you verie merry The Emperour was loth but séeing the vrgent necessitie he was content and answered that he wold not be against his pleasure although it would grieue him to be so long without his companie but at Constantinople shall we méete Therevppon the Knight of the Sunne tourned to the Gentlewomen saieng Gentlewomen your mourning hath so much gréeued this Knight and mée that although his affaires lie other where and that he cannot be present yet for his sake will I goe with you to the Court
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
wring his wiues inheritaunce to himselfe in such manner as you haue heard in Eliseas reporte The Iudges straight wayes declared it to the king who detesting their fact caused the Duke to be apprehended and both to be executed in that place For albeit many of his nobles intreated for their pardon yet the king so abhorred the villanie that naught auailed and at this time was the lawe first enacted in Hungarie that the lawe of punishment for whoordome shoulde stretch as wel to the man as to the woman and that equal penaltie shoulde bee assigned to lyke offendours whereas before the men escaped the women only were in daunger Now after this execution the Dutchesse Elisandra was set at large and the Quéene Augusta receiued her with great honour into her companie The Knight of the Sun was verie desirous to leaue the Citie but the king desired much to knowe him and to haue him abide for some time in his Court. In the time of his abode the Knight of the Sunne grew in more familiar acquaintaunce with the king and was much lyked of him because he séemed to resemble the Princesse Briana but one daie the king importuning the young Knight to knowe his kindred vsed such lyke wordes Sir Knight we thanke you heartely for the paines that you haue taken in the Dutchesse of Pannonias behalfe and for the maintaining of her honour wherby if she haue receiued commoditie of liuing and auoiding shame so haue I receiued some quietnesse in my Realme by the open detecting of such malefactours and their punishment will be occasion of feare in others for this cause I haue willed you to staie héere as thereto I praye you heartely but I praie you let me know your name and where you were borne for I knowe not how to call you The Knight of the Sunne well nurtured in the Souldans Court after his humble thankes for his Maiesties most gratious proffer and the promise of acceptaunce béeing a thing in déede verie conuenient for the certifieng of the Emperour began as followeth For your maiesties fauour I shall most willingly do your highnesse seruice and for the Dutchesse I am gladde that the equitie of her cause furthered my attempt and for my name and Countrie I can better tell you the storie of my life since I came to yeares then declare that Yet am I called the Knight of the Sunne by my deuice and my education hath bene in the Souldans Court at Babylon thether I being brought by the kings sonne in lawe the king of Persia when I was but a child and as it hath bene tolde me found in a little boate vpon the Sea for my life hetherto it hath bene in armes and that doe I meane to pursue The king and those which were with him were greatly amazed that hée had come from so farre a Countrie and had bene found vppon the Sea and that he knew no more of his estate but they thought that he was of some noble birth The king thanked him and in this order the Knight of the Sunne stayed with the king Tiberio for certeine dayes where he gained many friends one onely enimie by name Florinaldes which could not forget the shame receiued before his mistresse although it had done him no scath for in the ende Albamira preferred him before the Earle Orfeo So as I saye yet Florinaldes séeing the honour of the Knight of the Sunne daily to increase to the discredit of the borne Hungarian his stomacke rose against him and one day he set vppon the Knight of the Sunne at vnawares but to his owne losse had not the knight of the Sunne bene more mercifull after they were made friends But let vs breake off this storie to dispatch the Prince of Lusitania out of England ¶ Don Siluerio demaunded the Princesse Oliuia for wife of the King Oliuerio Cap. 55. THe great sorrow which the losse of Rosicleer caused in the court of king Oliuerio hath ere this bene declared to you for all the good knightes his friendes went to séeke him leauing the Court bare and naked for noble men and aboue all the Princesse Oliuia was worst wringed albeit her griefe was not so manifest Nowe is there stayed in the Court the Prince Don Siluerio straungelye surprised with the loue of Oliuia and vsing the helpe of his sister Rodasylua to the perswading of Oliuia One day the last I take it he vnfolded his griefe vnto her telling her that vnlesse she found the meanes hée shoulde héere leaue his life in a farre Countrie The matter is mine olde sute that you wot off my desire is that at least I maye bée assured of her good will Sure I am if I moue the king in it I shall obteine it The Princesse Rodasylua mooued indéed with her brothers affliction promised the vttermost of her paines and within a while after she had some talke with the Princesse about that matter her wordes tending to like effect Madame you knowe right well the great loue which since I came to this Court I haue borne vnto you and how I haue done you seruice in all that I was able that which more is in what manner I haue absented my selfe from my parents onely to be in your companie which if you knowe and confesse to be true you must likewise beléeue that that which I shall saie nowe rather procéedeth of good zeale towardes your honour then of anie purpose to worke mine owne contentment though I cannot denie but that if I obtaine it will content me highly But I doe not besire the thing which standeth not with your honour and for my paines reward séeke I none but that I may be heard If I erre in ought wherein I shall counsaile you then may you blame mee and yet I doubt not but when you shall haue throughly examined the whole you shall rather impute the fault to lacke of skill than to anie lacke of good meaning and as I am certeine that you haue this same opinion of mée without anye farther suspect so will I tell you my minde flatly You knowe that you are the onely inheritrixe of this kingdome that your Father the king my Lorde must néeds marrie you with such a one as may equall your estate both for the naturall care which he hath ouer you in respect that you are his daughter and for the profit which shall thereby redounde to his subiectes which cannot be well gouerned the seate wanting aâ—rightfull heire you are withall at this time marriageable my suite therefore is that héerein you will haue a more regarde of the Prince Don Siluerio my brother a worthie knight of personage and valour of an high birth a kings sonne and heire besides louing you so entirely as he can nothing more long hath he endured this torment and neuer would bewraie it to anie but to me and I haue hetherto suppressed it not to molest you nowe for compassion towardes him whome I must loue and honour mine owne brother I
require this that at least you shew him some good countenaunce whereby he may bée encouraged to demaund you of the King your Father which suite shall not bee impossible if onely your liking may bée wonne The Princesse angrie at the heart with this spéech for it was the thing most contrarie to her wish replied shortly Madame Rodasilua if I had thought that the zeale and loue which hou haue professed and I doe confesse had tended to this issue I should lesse haue lyked your companie and I cannot thinke well of it that either you shoulde breake with me of such matters or shoulde haue communication thereaboutes with your brother who as you saie lacketh boldnesse to discouer his affection which cannot bée doth he loue so earnestly when he vouchsafeth not to speak vnto me but by a messenger I suspect your wordes perhappes if I had heard the man speake I might haue iudged in his countenaunce whether hée had lyed yea or no. But for truth you knowe I am of young yeares at this instant neither haue I will to marriage I pray you therefore name it no more vnto me and yet when I am of yeares I may not choose my husband and I am at the Kings commaundement whom I must obey The Princesse Rodasylua so sharply rebuked by the Princesse Oliuia and thereby gathering the lystle good will she bare vnto hir brother demaunded pardon of hir speach and returned to hir lodging whether she sent for the Prince Don Siluerio and to him she tolde the whole talke with the Princesse aunswere willing him notwithstanding not to giue ouer but to make a better shewe as if hir aunswere misliked him not and couertly to labour to the King for his consent This can he not denie you and after you may winne the Princesse for as yet hir excuse is but of yeares The Prince liking hir counsayle departed from the Princesse his sister and the nexte daye finding the King at leasure he required his Maiestie of a secret matter The King commaunded those in presence to auoyde and tooke him to a windowe where the Prince after his duetye done beganne on this sort With your graces fauour I trust I haue this long time ben a welwiller to your daughter the Princesse Oliuia and to haue hir to wife whereto if it might please your highnesse to condiscende I knowe my parents would well agrée thereto for the great loue which they beare to your Maiestie to me their sonne thereby should I take my selfe to be the best rewarded for my long tarrieng that euer Prince was I humbly beséech your highnesse to let me knowe your minde héerein The demaund of the Prince was nothing straunge to the king Oliuerio for he suspected this matter long before therfore his answere was short that he was content to accept him for sonne in lawe as well for his owne worthinesse as for his birth and for the friendship betwixt their parents yet saith he you shall giue me leaue to thinke thereon you shal haue a more resolute answere the prince hoping that his desire woulde take effect Nowe the King to knowe the Princesse minde therein went himselfe to the princesse lodging where finding hir alone he counsayled hir in this sorte It hath pleased God that the Prince Edwarde thy brother shuld be lost in the realme of Hungarie I hauing none other childe but thee thinke it conuenient both for mine owne liking and the common profitte of my subiectes to haue thée maried with some Prince of lyke estate This haue I thought on a long time and now vpon mature deliberation had with some speciall of my counsaile I haue founde one a Prince which both for his power may and for his courage will and for his nobilitie is worthie to beare swaye in so great an estate as this is him am I content to take for sonne in lawe and to commend my title vnto you This Prince is Don Siluerio Prince of Lusitania whom you know right well a comly knight of personage valiant in armes of a couragious spirite aboue all vertuous and in his dealings circumspect courteous of speach and of high estate as I knowe fewe lyke There are besides to commend this march the entercourse of trafficke betwéene our subiects and the friendship betwéene his parents and me Heerein therefore saye your fancie for so farre as reason will I am content to heare you Thus said the King But the Princesse whom these woords more galled then either sworde or speare not knowing how to shifte off the King hir father and not to answere his demaund stood in a maze for feare The King seeing hir so silent asked the cause why she aunswered nothing yet a while In the ende forced to saye somewhat she rather excused hir silence then resolued the doubt My Lorde and father saith she I haue not aunswered you hethâ—râ—â—â— because I knowe not howe to doo neither may you nowe looke for a full aunswere The matter is so strange vnto â—ée as that I neuer thought of it before and your Highnesse knoweth that I am of young yeares and as yet I haue no desire to marrie the time groweth on when I shall be of more age end then perhaps shall I haue more desire which when souer it falles out shall be of your choyce more then of mine owne The king thinking that she had spoke as she ment and that hir young age hadde bene hir onely staye tooke in good parte this excuse willyng hir notwithstanding to remember what he had sayd So the King departed and the Princesse remayned somewhat better apayed by the Kings liking of hir aunswere but hir hope was that Rosicleer would come and that he being present the Kings minde might be altered as touching Don Siluerio and for this cause she made many a secret vowe for his spéedie retourne but aboue all she looked for Fidelia The King at his retourne caused Don Siluerio to be called to whome he declared his talke with his daughter and hir aunswere adding moreouer that héereafter he thought the matter possible inough for hir good liking besides his whereof he might be assured Don Siluerio was the gladdest man aliue and thanking the King for so high fauor for that time he departed from the King but the Princesse grew to be more melancholick then before for she espyed what courage he had taken by the comfort which the king had giuen him After Don Siluerio thinking the matter sure inough departed the realme with his sister Rodasilua where let vs leaue him and tourne to the Emperour Trebatio ¶ The Emperour Trebatio carried awaye the Princesse Briana from the Monestarie of the Riuer Cap. 56. IN great pleasure and contentation did the Emperour Trebatio remayne with the Princesse Briana at the monestarie of the Riuer where by their continuaunce together their loues increased so towardes each other that either of them delyghted in the other and eyther of them thought themselues happie when they were in