commendable of it selfe to be a commender of vertue and neuer too much may I commend it The charge is that with mine owne handes I shoulde distribute these prises according as mine owne fancie leadeth mée to déeme of euerie mans trauaile and valiauncie The deliuerye of these Iewelles were nothing harde nor doubtfull but the disposing more then harde because it pertayneth to iudgement in déedes armes wherevnto my sexe is not sufficiently abled Neuerthelesse sir knight as your paines haue bene greatest thereto witnesseth this whole multitude so your prowesse in my iudgement so much assureth on your parte that without dooing wrong to anie of these Princes and knightes I maye with good reason conferre them vpon you For this if I know to doe right vnto whome I ought it is méete that you doe awaye your Helmet and sith your déedes discouer who you are it is no reason that you couer your selfe anie longer When the Princesse had thus sayde Rosicleer not hauing power to excuse himselfe vnlaced his Helmet which béeing put off his face séemed so beautifull by the heate and trauaile of the armour which raysed a fresh redde in his chéekes that it stroke them all in amaze and none of those which sawe him considering his fairenesse with his age but rather iudged him an Angell of heauen then a mortall knight When the Princesse Oliuia sawe him so fayre as already loue had made a wracke in the most secret parte of her heart by the viewe of his Knighthoode so nowe the same breach being made wider by the second assault in his beautifull lookes loue entered with banner displayed and finding no resistance tooke possession wholy of her heart and swore all that he found to be his true prisoners Thus lost she her libertie and yet with the best courage that a woman might she framed out a countenaunce of great fréedome in this manner You needed not by your fauour sir knight to haue ben ashamed shamed of your face and yet such as it is it is farre inferiour to your manhood but this is beyond the compasse of my commission nowe come you néere and receiue at my hands the glory of your worthinesse which your good fortune yéeldeth you Rosicleer approching very néere knéeled downe the Princesse put the choler about his necke and the crowne vpon his head When the Princesse had so done with a little stay betwéene Rosicleer tooke the crowne from his owne head and as he was on his knées sayde vnto the Princesse Most excellent Princesse for the souereigne grace you haue shewed me I will remaine yours hence foorth to serue you loyallye as a poore recompence for so rich a benefite And as I deo receiue this chollar as the price of Knighthood in your opinion so I beséech you to take of me this crowne as a testimonie of your surpassing beautie in my eye With this he set the rich crowne vppon the golden haires of the Princesse Oliuia she béeing glad of this gift although somwhat blushing at the words he spake The two Princes Bargandel and Liâ—iamandro standing by and knowing him to be Rosicleer whom they had lost in the maine sea when the ceremonies were finished went to him imbracing him as goodly as if he hadde bene their owne brother yet curteously challenging him for his vnkindnes in not making himself knowen vnto them The King Oliuerio abashed at so great bountie in a Knight of so young yeres began to thinke more aduisedly of that which the wise Artemidoro had sayde from that time he estéemed more highly of the newe Knight as you shall heare after this But now the noise was so great which the vyals made and other instruments that one might not heare an other speake at which time the faire Princesse Oliuia with the rich crowne vpon hir head and in hir company the Knight Rosicleer with the two Princes descended from the scaffold in great pompe went to the Kings Pallaice the Princesse leauing them ther to take hir owne lodging and they all entering the chamber of presence where the King stayed for them and after a generall welcome by name taking Rosicleer aside he said vnto him Sir Knight hether you are verie welcome for I haue had great desire to knowe you and I would to God by your stay I might as well be acquainted with you for by you the honour of my Courte hath bene well vpholden Mightie King answered Rosicleer I am rather to be borne withall if I desire to bée your seruant sith for the same cause and for to sée your court I am come hether The king kissed the knight vpon the chéeke as tenderly as if he had bene his owne sonne saieng Rosicleer I account more of these words then of the worth of my best Citie and aduise thée well of these speaches for I am to demaund them of thée if thou wilt not other-wise performe thy promise So Rosicleer was retayned for the Kings Knight and all the olde courtiers both Princes and Knights of great name ranne to imbrace Rosicleer with great plesure vnto them to haue his company except onely Don Siluerio Prince of Lusitania whom a ielous thought vexed as towards Rosicleer for that he had vnhorsed him in the presence of his Lady But after this order Rosicleer remained in the English Court where he rested himself till this sodaine aduenture called him foorth as shall be tolde you ¶ A Gentlewoman came to the Court from the Princesse Briana which made him followe Brandagedeon Cap. 35. THe storie recounteth that Rosicleer abode many daies in King Oliuerios Court well liked and loued of both King and nobles In which time Rosicleer gaue the King the rich Tent which the wise Artemidoro had wrought for him wherin the King tooke great delight For although he had many other both curious for making and costly for matter yet had he not seene in his life any either so rich or of so cunning work-manship so that the Kings good will towards Rosicleer encreased by Rosicleers presence and in that also for his company manie other great Princes and straunge Knights remained with the King so long time after that these iusts wer ended which beginning of friendshâ—p betw xt Rosicleer and some of these Knightes grewe in the ende to such perfection by his gracious and familiar behauiour that neither fauour of friendes nor dread of daunger might with their willes sunder them from this amitie And if Rosicleer had such power ouer Knightes straungers what had he ouer the Princesse Oliuia béeing surprised with his loue and hauing engrauen his Image so déepely in hir imagination that he neuer departed from hir thought but euermore there renewed in hir rememberaunce his Knightly déedes and great valour whereby she made an euident demonstration of his linage as if naught els had bene enemie to hir purpose But this faire Princesse now so languished with the torment of this amorous thought and pleasant liking of hir loue Rosicleer that now the conuersation of
they entred into the boat which being driuen frō shore so soone as it tooke the shore sailed amaine neither missed they ought which was then thought necessarie Quickly they hasted ouer the sea Euxinus where we wil leaue them vntil another time to write of other things which chaunced before this time ¶ The three Princes which went in the quest of Rosicleer were transported into the Empire of Trabisond where chaunced to them a faire aduenture Cap. 45. AS the valiaunt déedes of Rosicleer while he was there caused great ioy in the court of king Oliuerio so no lesse was the griefe there for his sodeine departure amongst his friendes yet all these sorrowes ioyned in one might not bée equall to that which the faire Oliuia felt for she séeing shée had bene the cause thereof tooke thereat such inwarde griefe that she became both weake and pale and her father with the whole court greatly lamented for her In this generall sorrowe for the losse of Rosicleer you must thinke that the Princesses Rodasilua and Siluerina were not frée for the losse of Rosicleer procured the absence of their loues So as the historie recounteth that they two together with the valiant Prince Zoylo tooke vpon them the search of him and therfore let vs leaue the court of king Oliuero to tell you of them Thus it is that after they were all embarked in the Hauen which was néerest to London they sailed forwards a monthes sayling not desiring to bend either this waye or that way At the end of the month rather vpon chaunce then their purpose they were driuen vpon the coast of Trabisond where yet glad they were when the Countrie was descried to sée it to abide there Comming to land armed with their rich armour and theyr Esquires accompanieng them they tooke theyr horse and riding through a beaten path at the side of a pleasaunt wóode they hearde a noyse whereat beeing moued they turned backe to sée what it be might be Out of the thickest of the woode they sawe a wilde Boare driuing so fast as possiblie it might and in the pursuite thereof a young Gentlewoman vppon a mightie courser and a Boare Speare in her right hande her hunters wéede was all of gréene Veluet her tresses hanging downe in coulour like the golde of Arabie in her left hand a wande of golde and two rich Pearles hanging at her eares Shée came spurring her horse in such wise and with such courage to ouertake the Boare that shée much delighted them and at such time as the Boare crossed the waie betwéene them and her she strake the Boare on the flanke that her Speare appeared at the other side of the Boare The game was got and the Ladie not taking héede of the other knightes perhappes shaddowed by the trées retourned with softe paces to her companie but the knights ouertooke her and as I maie saye abashed at that which they had séene at her graces and beautie they onelye gased one vppon the other not once making offer to salute her whereat the Ladie more bolde then the men as it were to awake them out of their dreames tooke and winded a fayre horne which hung at hir necke so lowde and shrill that all the forrest and valleyes rang thereof and when she had thus done she came to the thrée Princes in her séeming the proprest knightes that euer she set eye on whom shée friendly welcommed on this wise God saue you gentle knightes and send you the comfort of your loues for by your sad and demure lookes it séemes you are either strangers or others thrall The Knightes tourning towardes her made their curteous obeysaunce and for them the valyaunt Tartarian spake in this manner Madame we haue stoode astonished neither for straungenesse nor for ill successe in loue which some of vs haue not yet tryed but onely for the thought of your beautie béeing a Ladie huntresse as if you were Diana which in lyke attyre was wont to hunt the Forrestes but as you saye wée are straungers indéede and because wée woulde carrye somewhat worth the telling wée craue your name and the fashions of the Countrie The Ladie delighted in the good behauiour of the thrée knightes and tickeled with the wordes of the Tartarian in greate maiestie aunswered him Assuredly sir knight I knowe no cause you haue to meruayle at me but rather I at you For if I séeme to you lyke to Diana the Goddesse of the Gentiles you lykewise séeme to me the thrée sonnes of Priamus Hector Paris and Troylus not farre inferiour in renowne to the Gods themselues whereas you desire mée to make you knowe who I am I will doe it gladly but yet conditionally that afterwardes you tell mée your name and Countrie This shall bée one for one and by iust exchaunge wée shall héereafter finde peace Wit you now that I am called Claridiana the daughter to Theodoro Lorde of this Empire and to the Empresse Diana Quéene of the Amazons which two hauing béene mortall enimies as by long warres appeareth continued hotlye in euerie parte they were after greate frindes méeting in a pitched field either being then young and vnmarryed I am their onely childe which since my young yeares haue bene brought vp in hunting and I am promised to be made knight for my mother béeing but young atchieued such enterprises that in her time there was no knight more famous and I am desirous to bée somewhat like vnto her especially in that point And now sir knights tell me who you are for I would well accompanie such lustie knights The Tartarian who had first taken in hand to speake aunswered Noble Princesse we were sure inough that there wanted not in you the diuinitie we spake off but yet we fayled in the name for so many graces which accompanie you could not be in a Ladie of lesse estate as my Religion béeing Pagansine woulde rather haue induced mée to take you for the Daughter of Iupiter then of the Emperour Theodoro And nowe sith your excellencie hath shewed vs such vndeserued fauour as to tell vs who you are it is reason that wée obeye in telling who wée are and where wée were borne This Knight pointing to Bargandel sayth hée is the Prince Bargandel the Kinges sonne of Bohemia thi◠by Liriamandro sayth hée is the Prince of Hungarie called Liriamandro and I am called Zoylo sonne to the king of Tartarie wée haue ioyned for aduenture beginning in the great Britaine to finde a new Knight a friende of outs taken from vs wée wot not howe Him wée are determined to looke in the worlde and we haue alreadie sailed a moneth since we left England so this morning we landed héere verie gladde to haue founde your highnesse God be praised sayde the Princesse for the names of so high Princesse ought not to bée concealed especially héere where the Emperour my Father would bee glad of such knightes for the honour which his court should receiue thereby and I for my part would thinke
touching whom the history saith that after these two Princes were in Persia some dayes hauing great desire to find out the Knight of the Sunne seeke strange aduentures one day as they were with Armineo vnckle to Clauerindo they determined betwéene themselues for to depart closely from them to goe by sea whether soeuer fortune would transport them whereto although Clauerindo and Armineo would haue made the king Florion priuie yet the Prince Brandizel would in no case consent beléeuing that if his parents knew of it they would not giue him leaue to goe from them so to pleasure him they kepte that counsel as priuie as they could And when all things were in readinesse one night secretly they conuaied themselues out of the citie and so straight to the sea side where they entered into a ship prouided for that purpose and hoising vp sailes they were carried they neither knew nor cared whether for the courages of these two Princes resolued to the search of worthie aduentures wold not let them be quiet so that any thing might better content their ease at home But as soone as they were gone the wise Lirgandeo knew of it and waieng the great commoditie which might ensue thereof to themselues and others he woulde not hinder it not yet make as if he knew it yet had hée great care to guide their ship wherein they sailed and they reached thether in fiftéene dayes which to other is an ordinarie moneths sailing that the marriners were abashed to sée the swiftnesse of the shippe beeing more then vsuall which when they had discouered to their Lords the Princes knew presently by whose meanes it so happened wherfore yet they were the better apayed for nowe they were sure thether to be carried which fitted best for their purpose Well shortly after these Princes departure and before it was eyther so noised or suspected Lyrgandeo declard the truth to the king Floron and the quéene Balisea willing them withall not to afflict them for that they thereby should gaine much honour and should retourne safely with the knight of the Sunne in their companie With this the king and quéene were indifferently appeased Nowe all matters quieted in Persia for the Princesse absence we may the fréelier beare the knightes companie which are yet sailing on the Sea so that the. 15. daie after they were departed from Persia they landed in a hauen of Polonia where their shippe stood still and taking land to learne some newes and know the countrie ere they had long trauailed they sawe before them a little towne to their iudgement pleasant and round about great flockes of men and women scattered and making great cries as if some great mischaunce had happened to them Armineo demaunded of them the cause of their sorrowe wherevnto an auncient man amongest them aunswered that a fierce Giant with more then fiftie knights had come in this morning vpon thē to steale awaie the Princesse Clarinea daughter to the king of Polonia theyr liege Lord that he had killed the greater number and spoiled the residue And as he thought was ere this time on his waie with the Princesse in his carriage from whome if it so be not all the world may recouer her why so sayde Armineo and where is the king or where are his knights that they doe not defend their Ladie The olde man aunswered they are in a towne foure mile off not mindfull of anie such matter and it hath not bene past eight dayes since the Princesse came to this towne and now this which you haue heard hath happened to her when the thrée knights heard this of the olde mans relation without staieng longer they gallopped with their horses so fast as they might comming néere to the towne they sawe issuing out of the gates a great troupe of knights the one parte driuing the other before it For so it was that the Gyaunt hauing the Princesse in his power was carrieng her awaye and the townsmen fought with him but their power little preuayled the Gyant was strong his knightes many and so they murthered all that came in such sort that all the Towne dwellers flod then came the other knightes which slewe many of them Twentie of the Gyants knights at once fell upon them laieng at them with all theyr forces the meane while that the Gyaunt helde in his armes the Princesse Clarinea and thinking that his knightes would make riddaunce of these thrée he tooke no more kéepe but rode away softly with the Princesse The Princesse cried out so loud that it was great pitie to heare hir and those which heard hir of hir owne knights came pitifully crieng to the knights straungers that for the honour of God they shuld goe helpe hir When this was spoken Brandizel besought his companions to stay there in the battaile to giue him leaue to follow the Giant which when they granted him he putting the spurres to his horse followed the trace the whiles the knights of Fraunce throughly galled their enimies For the one of them matchable I dare auouch with the auncient Franconio the Troyans sonne of whome hée descended for he putting himselfe in prease among them to some he claue their heads to other some their sheeldes murdering many and felling manye that at length there was none so hardie which durst stand him a blow but euerie of them did his best to saue one His vnkle Armineo in the broyle helped not a litle for he was a valiant knight and much estéemed of in Fraunce But let vs leaue them speak of the Prince Brandizel who pursued the Gyant He rode so fast that ere the Giant came within a flight shot of the sea he ouertooke in a large plaine and crieng alowde bad him redeliuer the Princesse false traitour as he was The Giant looked backe to sée what it was and séeing but one though riding in hast he cared not for him saue that not to be found vnprouided he loosed the Princesse from betwéens his armes and set hir on ground the Prince comming to him spake neuer a word but drawing his sword hit him so great a blowe vpon the helmet that he made him boow his head to his breast wherewith the Giant increased in cholar and gaue him the like this began the skirmish betweene them wherein the noyse was so great that the Princesse Clarinea before in a sound retourned to hir selfe and séeing the battaile with so little hope as that one onely knight should aduenture hir deliuerance fell into a sound again wherein she had died for sorrow had not God 〈…〉 When they had thus fought an houre it was a wonder to sée their brused armour with their backed shields but euer the stéele coate defended the biting of their swords especially Brandizels which made by Art Pagicke had this vertue that no mettall might pearce it The Gyaunt was hurt in manye places whereat as at the force of his adnersarie he was greatly estonished blasphemed his Gods in desperate
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
great paines For this cause I say although the Knightes rode so fast as they might yet they could not come within the sight of him nor find which way he was gone yet with sorrow griefe especiallye through the feare which they conceiued by his meddeling with the Giants they parted companies euery man taking a seuerall way to séeke the Emperour they agréed at the moneths end to méete at one place The month came when as yet none of them heard any newes of him although they sought him in diuers parts They all meruailed but not knowing what to say in the ende they determined at some other time to méete to enter into this quest againe For this time they altogether tooke towards the campe which they left before the citie of Belgrado where they abode not long but remembring thēselues of their promise they met at the place appointed deuided themselues accordingly The foure Hungarian knights fearing to be descryed by those which went to séeke Prince Edward the couertlyest which they might they went toward the campe of the Emperour and there remained some time after they followed into Greece where they tarried till the returne of the Emperour according as shall be mentioned héereafter Now by this time with no lesse care and diligence Prince Edward was sought by manie Knights in all the kingdome for that the King had giuen him no longer time to remayne in the Monestary of the riuer then thrée daies There was already told xx daies when he came not First then he sent many of his knights to knowe the cause of his tarrieng these returned vnto the king with an aunswere that they neither found him in the Minster nor could beare tidings of him by the waye Then the King dispatched other messengers to enquire after him his knights in all the land but they brought the like answere yet againe he sent more then 1000. well prepared for warre with authoritie of search through all his kingdome that they might bring newes of life or death but all was one Last of all fearing least peraduenture he had bene taken prisoner by his enimies he wrote vnto the Emperours campe to knowe the truth to the end he might raunsome him if so it were but not hearing anie newes he then bewailed the losse of the prince became very sorrowfull like as contrary wise the Emperials bemoned their Emperour These things happened so in the necke one of another that Tiberios iudgment failed to decide the truth and he pittied him with no lesse griefe then if he had bene his owne sonne partly for his daughters sake who must néeds be partner of hir husbands misaduenture partly for the Princes parents who could not without some sorow conceiue of his missing albeit all this happened more by the misgiuing of his owne minde then by anie certaintie he found You haue heard particularly the care of the king Tiberio now you must consider of the diligence of the king of Boheme by the semblable Another month had end and the knights botaries sped them homewards to the campe of the Emperour without anye newes of their Lord which no doubt much molested the whole hoast but in especiall it afflicted the king of Boheme to sée them come without him As they made declaration of the whole months trauaile it little pleased the king only for the loue he bare to the Emperour and the want of his presence in a time so daungerous he wept as sore for him as if he had séene his little childe giue vp the ghost The losse of the Emperour thus published through the armie there was no one which sorrowed not inwardlye for he had the loue of all his subiects Albeit this was bootlesse yet his loue beguiled him for the king yet charged more then 2000. knights with the search of the Emperor in all places as well by sea as by land but it naught auailed for the Ilande of Lindaraza helde him so sure that hée could not be found and if he had bene found yet he was so well garded that the whole hoast had not ben able to haue deliuered him from the inchanted castle While these things were in dooing the king of Boheme himselfe set the remainder on work to assault the Citie with full purpose not to leaue the siege till either he knewe where the Emperour was or had lien a halfe yeare longer at the end whereof he wold raise the siege so depart into Greece againe In this time the Hungarians issued out of their Citie against the Grecians there was betwéen them many cruell bloudie skirmishes the Greeks did nobly as you may read in their seuerall histories At this time because they are not of the substance of my matter I wil not name them only I wil recount vnto you the perticular truth of that which followeth ¶ The Princesse Briana taketh great sorrowe at the losse of Prince Edward Cap. 11. GReat was the diligence which the King of Hungarie commaunded his Knightes to make in séeking the Prince Edward and as great was his griefe in not finding him by the consideration of the towardnesse of the noble Knight and the dole of his Parents béeing their deere and onely sonne But greater must néedes be and inexpressible the mortall dalour which the Princesse Briana conceiued when she once heard of the misse of Prince Edward And as I read at the thrée moneths ende when nothing was reported for very anguish of heart besides hir often sowndings after when the recouered out of that traunce she seemed to them néerer the death then the Prince hir husband was as they thought for beléeuing that he was dead she woulde neither eate drinke nor sléepe but became weake and feeble and wasted hir dayes with sorrowe She layd a part all hir Princely roabes and precious Iewells and tired hir selfe in course mourning wéedes of a widdowe She kept hir selfe in a secret chamber onely with the comfort of hir Gentlewomen and comming not foorth one steppe demeaned rather the life of an Anchresse or religious woman then of a Princesse The Queene mother then abiding at Buda came oftentimes to visite hir and in hir companye other great Ladyes but they coulde not remooue the dulnesse of hir melancholy Ere the Princesse had long led this solitary life she felt hir selfe quicke with childe whence she tooke some ioy but yet fearing the disclosing of it vnto hir friends whom she wold not haue pertakers of it for all Hungarie before the solempnization of the mariage was openly performed and being notwithstanding desirous in time to séeke remedye therevnto she concionated hir secrete onely with one of hir Gentlewomen named Clandestria whom she best loued and with whome she was best acquainted for the good counsayle she often gaue hir She which was wise and discreete kissed hir Ladyes handes for the honour she did vnto hir in reuealing such a secrette onely a lyttle withstanding hir intent of concealement at the first and
I was matched with the daughter of the Souldan being mine vnckle Thether came Ambassadors from my subiects certifieng me that the king of Media the stoutest Pagan in all the heathen countrey with maine force had intruded vpon my kingdome I for to remedy it gathered a great hoast in the Souldans land and transporting into Persia at the first battell that I had with the king of Media the greater part of my people béeing slaine my selfe was ouerthrowen with great griefe by secret by-wayes recouered Babylon where I could willingly haue dyed for paine and anguish◠But one min◠vnckle a verie wise and learned man in Art Magicke recomforted me saieng that the time shuld come in which I should be restored to my kingdome with great honour that for this it behooued me to awaite on the sea til I met with two little boyes of excellent beautie with whome I should returne to Babylon for that they should be the principal cause of my redresse so giuing credit to his word I thus put my selfe in aray for this aduenture wher thanks be to the Gods all hath succéeded as the wise man fore-spoke it for within this thrée dayes I lighted vpon one being alone in a little boate hauing in him according to my fancie the very pride of all beautie the other must néeds bée this young Gentleman Clauerindo the fairest beside him that euer I knew so as I haue good hope héerby to reenter into my kingdome For this cause I haue in charge to bring these two to Babilon now sir knight I beseech you to take it in good part for he shall be as wel entertained in the court of the Souldan as in the court of the king his father when my good fortune will that my seat shal be established he you shall returne into Fraunce with my ships my people my self also if it be so conuenient When the prince had there staied Armineo was well contented with his talke taking him for a knight of great prowesse although the long stay that the prince Clauerindo shuld make in this country grieued him yet with hope to return in the end séeing it was not in his power to do otherwise he subiected his will to the princes commaund with courteous words rendred him thanks for the storie of his aduentures for the offer he had made them the pith of his aunswere being in few words this Be it as you haue sayd sir for I denie not but the Gentleman Clauerindo shall gain verie much by his bringing vp in yours and your vnckles so noble a court With these profers too fro Florion tooke Clauerindo in his armes entred in his own ship Armineo following him When Armineo had behelde within Florions shippe the young Donzel del Febo you must not meruaile though he blessed himselfe for there was none which had had but a blush of him within his tender yeares but tooke him rather to be a celestiall Seraphin shen an humane creature and beléeued that this might not bée done without some great misterie as if the young Gentleman shewing in his infancie the comelinesse of stature other excellent qualities wherwith he was endued besides the straunge finding him alone in the rage of the tempest did well foreshew his nobilitie in time to come But when they sawe him naked and the portraiture of the Sunne with the brightnesse that it gaue to the beholders it was so straunge that they called to minde Phaetons fall out of heauen comparing this young Gentleman with Phaeton as if he had bene Phoebus sonne like as Phaeton was although somewhat diuers againe in this for that Phaeton taking his fathers chariot for his presumption was drenched in the Sea this young Gentleman was preserued in the Sea as betokening some greater secrecie in Nature Armineo was best apayed to haue the companie of so excellent a Gentle man for the Prince Claueryndo Now by the way this may you learne that although they could not tell Donzels name yet by the tokens he had vppon him they named him the Gentleman of the Sunne somewhat in other tearmes in the Persian tongue but in signification all one with the name that his mothers Gentlewoman gaue him in Hungarie being worth the marking that both Persians and Hungarians should so iumpe in naming him But to make hast homewards they tooke the waye to Phrigia and with a good winde ere fitéene dayes they landed there and comming a shore they sent harbengers afore hande as well to aduertise the Souldan and Lyrgandeo of the Princes comming as to puruaye by the waye of lodging for the estates The two young Gentlemen being not a litle welcome vnto Florions two vnckles as you maye read in the next chapter ¶ Prince Florion with the two young Gentlemen entered into Babylon and were there honourably receiued by the Souldan Cap. 18. THe Prince Florion néeded not to haue giuen intellygence to the Souldan of his comming for the wise Lyrgandeo opened all which had chaunced as well as if he had bene a partie in the dooing of it So when the prince was in lesse then an halfe dayes iourney from the Citie the Souldan and his wise brother Lyrgandeo issued out with a great traine to receiue him and comming néere the wise Lyrgandeo espieng Florion with the Gentleman of the Sunne on his horse before him in great ioye rode a pace taking him in his armes spake these words O ye soueraigne Gods immortall thankes be giuen vnto you for the high fauour you haue shewed vnto vs in bringing into our power this rare Gentleman with whom you haue imparted of your most secret graces O that mine armes coulde once merite such an heauenly burthen O how well maye Babylon reioyce sith he is thether brought whose glorye shall no lesse glister through the earth then the bright Sun shineth in the world Who deserueth to haue his biding among the Demigods for his valour and mightinesse O how he shall race out the memorie of Ninus and Xerxes all the pride of the Assyrian Monarches From hencefoorth Assiria for béeing onely the cradell of this Gentlemans nourserie shall be famous throughout the whole world from hence-foorth men shall haue so much to doo to put in writing the worthinesse of this Gentleman that all the monuments of our auncestors shall quite dye and this man onely shall be our table-talke The wise man thus as it were rauisht and vttering his conceiptes in great gladnesse by inter-breathings the beautie of the childe sometimes amazing him and his diuinitie astonishing the hearers he kissed the young Gentleman held him in his handes till the Souldan drew néere as the Souldan approched he deliuered Donzel del Febo vnto him and tourned himselfe towards Clauerindo embracing him goodly but in more modestie of speach or lesse delight he said vnto him You are welcome noble and souereigne Prince I knowing how well knowen your name should be in the world
had great desire to sée you albeit it shal be some griefe vnto your parents not to enioy your presence the time shall come when you shall giue them greater comfort and pleasure In the meane time you shall not loose anie thing in being brought vp in the companye of this Gentleman whom you shall loue so excéedingly that his loue shall often extinguish the remembraunce of your parents Armineo which was not farre off gaue him great thanks in the behalfe of the Prince Then they two rode together deuising of many things and many curteous words of good enterteinment passing betwéene them vntill the Souldan fell in talke with the young Clauerindo Armineo to whome he shewed a friendly countenaunce in token of great good loue These things thus done they all held on their waye to the Citie and passing through towardes the Pallaice there they were receiued by Balisea Princesse and wife to Florion making semblaunce of great liking to Donzel del Febo whose excellent beautie and comelinsse she well noted and already concluded in hir thought for a companion to hir sonne now of thrée yeares olde verie large and beautiful called Brandizel Which in déed after proued a knight so good as few better béeing strong made somwhat higher than his father and of more puissance These thrée Gentlemen by the Princesse Baliseas deuise were brought vp altogether in like sutes and like exercises and so from theyr youth their friendship encreased with their yeares that in the ende as they themselues were at their full growth so their friendship waxed so firme that neither the diuersitie of their professions nor the distaunce of their countries might in any wise infringe it These young Gentlemen thus brought vp in Babylon Armineo which in all things was verie wise well learned taught Clauerindo the liberall arts and instructed him in the true and perfect law of God in such maner that although his education was among the Pagans yet the prince was alwaies a good Christian The wise Lyrgandeo like wise carefull of the Gentleman of the Sunne of Brandizel read vnto them diligently what was conuenient saue that as he was a Pagan so he acquainted them only with Pagansie in their religion which error notwithstanding afterward they both renounced This was the training vp of the young Princes in the court of the Souldan as heedfully looked vnto as if it had bene in their parents Courts But as their yeares multiplied so they excéeded all others inferiour in iudgment wit discretion goodlines of stature actiuitie and all that which was requisite to such princes but especially and aboue all his equalls Donzel del Febo surpassed For attaining to the age of ten yeares he séemed to be more then fiftéene both for wit and strength courage and pollicie and by the bignesse of his body being withall well featured men gathered vndoubtedly of his might They made their argument thus If he be so strongly set in his youth at ten yeares what will he be at twentie And truely although his father the Emperour Trebatio was big of bodye as the historie hath alreadie specified being eight foote in height yet Donzel del Febo ouereached him somewhat and with all this maintained the prerogatiue of his proportion So that I thinke our painters as well Grecians as Assyrians had neuer the perfect knowledge to drawe and finish the true proportion of man before they had the view of this knight His picture was sent into sundry parts as the noblest Painture that ere was wrought Besides this ther appeared in his face a maiestie so graue and Prince like that it stroke a feare of him into mightie Princes For all this he was yet of behauiour affable and some-what familiar that hée which knewe him well albeit his mortall enimie could not but highlye commend of it What shall I say As the Adamant stone draweth to it the harde and sharpe yron by his hidden vertue so likewise this knight procured the loue as well of foes as of friendes and of as manie as knewe him and were conuersaunt with him And so this young Gentlemen Claueryndo and Brandizel and other young Gentlemen which were his play-fellowes were so glad of him that they could at no time be without him Now because we haue more perticularly to descend into this story héerafter and to describe the manifold graces of this knight for these matters we will let them passe at this time and remember you of his age of twelue yeares at which time there happened that which shall appeare in the chapter folowing ¶ The deliuerie of the Souldan by the Gentleman of the Sunne Cap. 19. MAny times the Souldan and the Prince Florion with some other Knights for their recreations rode on hunting into a thicke wood standing in a faire forrest seated somewhat naere the Sea and plentiful of all kinde of game especially of wilde Boares and such lyke beastes Nowe when the young Gentlemen could sit their horses and were able to endure some trauaile they tooke them with them and furnishing them with boare speares in their hands they appointed them to the chase Some game there was killed before them wherein they tooke great plesure but especially the Gentleman of the Sun which by himselfe wearied a wilde Beare two Bores so fierce as might haue frayed a right good Knight His practise was aâ—wayes to hunt alone to haue no mans helpe to the encounter with anie wilde beast And it was so that one day the Souldan would go to the same forrest to delight himselfe there for certaine daies taking with him the Princesse Balisea his daughter and the traine of many Ladyes and Gentlewomen and the most principall Lordes of his Court because the place was gallaunt and delectable and replenished with varietie of game béeing as I sayde hard vpon the cliffes of the Sea For this cause there were reared vp many pauilions there and there was puruayed of other prouision necessarie for the householde Hée made his owne tent to be pitched in a flourishing meddow next to a goodly fountaine There rested he one day solacing himselfe among his knightes for the first daye they went not out to séeke their game The next daye early in the morning the Prince Florion the young Gentlemen and the most part of all the knightes tooke theyr way through the forrest climbing vp a steepe hill and parted themselues into diuerse companyes some to raise the game and others to be at the receipt The Souldan and the Princesse with her Ladyes and onely 15. knights remaining in their tents as vnmindefull of any danger if anie should happen The Sun being almost at the highest and his beames more direct the Souldan with the Princesse his daughter and her Gentlewomen left their tent came to the fountaine the water being cléere and the place wel shadowed with trées there in the quiet shade to abide the comming of the Prince Florion and the young Gentlemen to dinner In the meane time the
so well as I haue knowne no knight in his perfection matchable And truely this is the accomplishment of your first aduenture as my brother foreséeing it told me that you should rescew mée my daughters from death or imprisonment and I hope as well in the immortall Gods that the second shall be likewise finished that is the kingdome of Persia se long withheld by a false vsurper may by you be redeliuered to the Prince Florion My Lord aunswered Donzel del Febo I haue not as yet done the thing in your seruice neither in my life may hope to compassie which may counterpaise with my good will in this behalfe and truely the dutie which I owe to your good grace my Lord to the Prince Florion to my Lady the Princesse your daughter daily so augmenteth as more then that duetie I cannot owe vnto my father to the discharge wherof notwithstanding I stand bounden to your goodnesse not onely of curtesie but in conscience so humbled himselfe before the Souldan but the Souldan againe embraced him they two helped the Ladies out of the chariot The Ladies were desirous to knowe who the gyant was and what shuld be the cause why he so assailed them Therfore the Souldan the Gentleman of the Sun made toward the knight of the Gyants which was falne to the grounde and as they tooke of his helmet to giue him ayre they fetcht him out of his sounde and setting him on his féete they demaunded of him who the Gyaunt was and why he came to take them prisoners The knight séeing it behoued him to say the troth made answere shortly thus You shall vnderstand my Lordes that this Gyant was called Brandafileo Lorde of the towred Ilande which is in the great Ocean at the mouth of the redde Sea This Ilande is so strong and inuinsible that béeing within hée néede not feare all the worlde if they had bent their force against him and béeing proude vpon the safetie of this Ilande he did much wrong to the nations rounde about him spoiling and robbing all Arabians Aethiopians Aegyptians and the Garamantes of Inde and finally so many as he might come by in the great West seas and so the Ilande of Traprobane and by long continaunce in this trade of rouing hée is become so rich of captiues and treasure that no Iland is comperable with his Nowe the cause wherefore he came into this your land was for that in the time that the mightie Orixerges your father reigned in Persia the father of the Gyant called Briontes then béeing Lorde of the towred Ilande by occasion of Briontes euill lyfe your Father and he fell at variaunce wherefore the king your Father sent out his whole nauie to subdue this Iland but being not able to conquere it he gaue them notwithstanding in charge to lye in the out créekes awaiting when he came forth from the Iland so to set vpon them One time the Gyant making a road out for a lyke cheuisance a farre off from his owne Iland the king your Father dogged him with his shippes and as he returned met him in the halfe turne and for all the hauocke he and his made of your fathers souldiers in the ende killed him This Brandafileo his sonne then being a childe of tender age yet so soone as he was of yeares to be made knight he greatly longed after the reuenge of his fathers death because he could not worke his mischiefe on the king Orixerges béeing then dead at the least it would ease his stomacke if he might wreake himselfe on you his sonne and for this cause many times hée hath sent spyes into your land to be aduised by them when he might haue opportunitie of vengeance learning of your comming to this forrest for your disport he hath now laine more then a month in secret expectation of so good lucke as to take your person This time he had founde to his contentation had not this Gentleman ben who now hath made sufficient paye to Brandafileo for his months hire This is all my Lorde which I can tell you as to your demaund and it is truth which I haue tolde you as I certeinly beléeue that if euer he had cleane carried you from hence you should not haue escaped from death or bondage for so hée had determined The Souldan mused at that which the knight had told him waieng the great danger wherein he was like to haue falne he ceased not to giue thanks to his Gods to the gentleman of the Sun for his safety At this time Prince Floriō came with more then 30. knights running theyr horses so fast as they might because alreadie they had hearde the newes comming wher the Gyant lay dead viewing well the wide mortall wound they highly commended of it and ceuld not iudge by whom he had receiued it but very ioyfull to sée the Souldan his Princesse out of daunger leaping from their horses they came towards them Then Florion excusing his long absence by the ignoraunce of the fact desired to know who he was which had so gently bailed them from the Gyaunt The Souldan aunswered on this sort Ah Florion Florion now we knowe your vnckle Lyrgandeos diuinations as touching this Gentleman of the Sunne to be sooth and stedfast for we haue well approued his valour and knowe that he alone béeing the onely man which came to succour vs brought to ground the giant Brandafileo by one onely blow with his bore speare riuetting as you see his coat armour and ridding vs from so daungerous a foe making his enteraunce to knighthoode the straungest that euer was heard Florion giuing backe either as wondering or not crediting his vnckles speach was still vrged by the Souldan who tolde on forward as Brandafileos knight had confessed Florion yet as it were halfe in a mammering which part to take betwéene the Gentlemans youth and his courage disputed rather the impossibilitie by meanes of the hugenesse of the Gyant his strong armour and the number of his knights in the end he ouercame himselfe by remembrance of Lyrgandeos reporte and thanked the Gentleman on this wise O my right noble and beloued sonne I graunt that that not my force but the mightie windes and swelling waues by the ordinaunce of my Gods haue giuen mée power ouer you for that by your souereigne bountye the wrong which is done to me by the tyraunt shall be reuenged and I shall recouer mine owne kingdome O how happie was the daye and the houre fortunate in which I found you sith my Gods haue reserued you for so great benefiter towardes me and the release of mine vnckle with these and many other words Florion wept for great pleasure to thinke of Donzels magnanimitie And in this time the other young Gentlemen his companions came riding from hunting and sawe the fierce Gyaunt lye dead by the waye they enquired after the manner of his death and hearing it to be as you haue
heard the one tooke great pleasure in it and the other with an honest emulation of the fact wishing it to himselfe according to the diuersitie of the good will they bare vnto the Gentleman of the Sunne Then they came altogether to theyr tentes where they made but a hunters breakfast for ere dinner was halfe done the Souldan commaunded the horse to retourne to Babylon and so they all on horsebacke the Princesse and her Gentlewomen on their palfraies and the lusty knights on their sturdie Rounceualls tooke the way towardes the citie laieng the mightie Gyant vpon a horse his head and féete trailing on the ground When they were within the gates of the Citie all that which had happened beeing published all the Citizens and other of the court were in contrarie arguments about the hugenesse of the Gyant and the courage of the Gentleman of the Sunne thinking it an vnpossible matter to be brought about by one of so fewe yeares But from that time forth although before likewise they loued him yet now they made much more of him and the Souldan with the Princesse and all the Courtiers held him in great account alwaye Notwithstanding the report of men and the high extolling of his actes to his owne face the Gentleman of the Sunne kept the same tenour of life not bearing himselfe anie thing vpon his good fortune but rather as the windes increased which promised him safetie and honour and as his fame was more blazed so he stroke his sayles and became more lowlyer This his humilitie made him much more to be loued as the sprinkelyng of water augmenteth the flame in a Smithes forge Claueryndo at this time egged on by Donzels good happe and béeing of riper yeares sued to be made Knight But the wise Lyrgandeo fore-séeing some-what and to haue him keepe company with Donzel del Febo and Brandizel with-stoode his purpose for that time Claueryndo was but about fourtéene or fifteene yeares of age but he was so comelye and nimble in all feates of armes that there was not a knight in all the court which out-passed him In this maner were these two Gentlemen brought vp in the Souldans Court with great magnificeÌ„ce as if they had ben in their fathers courts aboue all they wer so throughly instructed in lerning that ther wer none able to come in controuersie with them all this equall to both notwithstanding the difference of beléefes which shall be a lyke ere it be long Claueryndo which was guyded by Armineo his vnckle was a Christian and the Gentleman of the Sunne beléeued in the lawe of the Gentiles as the wise Lyrgandeo hadde taught him Lyrgandeo himselfe being bred and brought vp in the same errour by his father for all his great cunning was not able to finde out the vanitie of his false Gods O the prouidence of God how much be we bounde to thée and how ill doo we acknowledge thy great goodnesse in suffering vs to be become Christians when thousandes wise men and mightie Monarchs dye in the lawe of the Gentiles not all their power auailable to saue their soules their learning not worth a rush for the displaieng of the falshood of that lawe wherein their fathers haue nouseled them And shall we Christians think that our knowledge can pull vs out of hell if not the wisest of the earth I meane the learned Gentiles could once reproue their owne law and knowe the onely and true God As for example this Lyrgandeo was so wise and well learned that not Artimedoro nor Rogel nor Turke nor Sarasin nor Iew nor Christian came euer néere him and yet because he had lerned that lawe from his cradle and wanted the gifte of God for the true vnderstanding of his will he wallowed still in his errour as the Sowe doth in the myre till God hauing a regard of the Gentleman of the Sunne and minding to make him a true Christian did by his meanes conuert the wise Lyrgandeo to the knowledge of his will and poure out his grace abundantly vpon the whole kingdome of Persia according as more largely shall be recited But to returne the two young Gentlemen albeit contrary in professions yet in friendship and good will were conformable as shall be declared in this storie ¶ An aduenture in the Court of the Souldan which befell to the young Gentleman of the Sunne Cap. 20. THe Souldan the Prince Florion with all the knights of his court greatly praied their Gods that the Gentleman of the Sunne might come to his full age to be made knight for that onely they stayed their voyage into the kingdome of Persia for his cause as willing to haue him with â—hem for the great prowesse which rested in him and 〈◊〉 â—hought their staye not ouer-long séeing it was 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—ely that which the wise Lyrgandeo prophecied of him that he should be a valiant knight and that without him their entraunce into Persia were to small effect For this cause they employed their care in the aduauncing forâ—â—â—â— of the Gentleman of the Sunne This gentleman 〈◊〉 being of the age of sixtéene yeares was so high wel 〈◊〉 â—â—oued that he wanted little in stature of any man One 〈◊〉 â—â—ince Florion with manye other knights being aâ—â—â—â— at the riuer to flye at a fowle the young Gentleman staieng in the Pallaice The Souldan with many of his knights and Gentlewomen tooke their pastime in one part of his great Pallaice where entred in at the gates six ancient knights with white beards hanging downe to the girdle-stéedes and all armed saue the head-péeces compassing on each side a Gentlewoman faire and young clothed all in mourning apparell and hauing a crowne of gold vppon hir head This Lady was led by a knight great of body well and strongly proportioned armed at all points with a rich and strong armour This knight lifting vp the visor of his helmet shewed himselfe to the Souldan where they perceiued his face to be very foule and fearfull of colour more tawnie and Sun-burnt then cole-blacke his eyes flaming in his head his nostrells wide and large broad lipped and his sharp fangs issuing out of his mouth like Boares tuskes and reaching to his chin so that there was no man liuing but might haue bene afrayed of his fierce semblance But besides this he was so high that there was not any in that place whom this knight exceeded not two spanfulls at the least and in making of his bodye hée was so large and well quartered more then the compasse of two knights Hauing thus entered and set himselfe to view those which wer present had inough to occupie their eyes either on the vglinesse of the Gyant or the beautie of the Gentlewoman But the Gentlewoman knéeled before the Souldan to haue kissed his handes But the Souldan taking hir by the hand raised hir vppe dooing hir the honour hée thought it conuenient in that she appeared to be a Lady of great birth Shée with teares distilling
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
were and for that cause was to take the battaile vppon him nowe hée prayed him to weare this sworde lykewise for his sake which he woulde warrant to bee good The Knight did his message accordingly but Rosicleer making his excuse gentlye retourned the sworde with this auns were I humbly thanke the Kinges Maiestie for so high a present the not receiuing whereoff commeth not of any refusal but by a promise which I haue made as his Maiestie can testifie neuer to weare sword but if I winne it and therefore I craue pardon at his maiesties handes for this discourtesie otherwise I were greatly to blame if I thought not my selfe honoured by béeing girte in a Kings weapon The messenger delyuered Rosicleers auns were in the same wordes as Rosicleer hadde giuen it out so the King some-what lamenting the Knightes wilfulnesse as he thought weaponlesse to wage battaile with so abled a warriour mused vppon this and for the rest commended him to God All the standers by were sory to sée the new knight so couragious as to fight with a Gyaunt without a weapon and especially the beautifull Princesse Oliuia could not but be an angred at the new knights ieoperdous aduenture as if she had had no small title or claime to his person ¶ A daungerous battaile betweene Candramarte and Rosicleer Cap. 34. As they prepared themselues to the carrier the people gathered together to sée this daungerous fight betwéene the new knight and the Gyant Candramarte and they as glad to sée the issue vpon theyr light coursers with their Speares in their restes so violently hurled agaynst the other that the grounde yéelded vnder theyr féete the force of their strong armes ioyned with the furie of their horse in such wise that the Gyaunt made small shieuers of his great Speare and constrained Rosicleer to take his pillowe on his horse backe but the newe Knight gaue the Gyaunt so mightie a blowe that he made his stiroppes fall from him and quickly closing with the Gyaunt he drew him by force from the Saddle and threwe him to the grounde so that hée somewhat brused the Gyants shoulder bone and presently woulde haue tourned agayne vppon Candramarte to haue made a dispatch of all but that the Gyaunt being of greate courage and enforcing himselfe to indure the remnaunt got on his legges and addressing his shéeld before him with his Fawlchon in his hande awayted Rosicleer for so soone as Candramarte was downe Rosicleer then alyghted and sent his horse to his Tent Rosicleer now béeing on foote made towardes Candramarte Candramarte first assayled Rosicleer with these wordes What knight thinkest thou to fight with mée without a Swoord What if thou haddest a better then this which I weare of the Quéene Iulias making were all the Gods able therby to warrant thee out of my hands No and thou shalt déerelye repaye mée the paine which thou hast put me to in this fall Rosicleer comming néerer aunswered Candramarte spare not to do thy vttermost but cease thy reuilings for God which gaue me might to ouerthrow thée will also giue me power and strength without other weapon to subdue thée and although I bring no swoord with me yet I hope in the liuing God that thine shall profit me and serue my turne Then the Gyant was in such a rage that the furie of his choler with the blustering of his breath issued through the sights of his equimas in like sort as the smoake issueth out of a furnace And his second assault was with his Fawlchon with both his handes fetched compasse-wise against Rosicleer which séeing the blow comming with such force forward lift vp his shéeld therein to receiue the stroke but the blow was so mightie that it hewed the shéeld asunder and descending vpon the head péece made Rosicleer abate his lookes bowe his knées for sauegard to his fall The Gyant doubled vpon him but Rosicleer neuer yet daunted and recouering his courage almost against the hare stept aside that the Gyants blow was all in vaine being somewhat out of charitie with the first he determined no more to receiue anie such counterbuffes so that an halfe houre after the combat had lasted the Gyant might neuer hit him one blowe for all that he could doe For Rosicleer was so deliuer and quicke that he lightly auoyded them Candramarte séeing that Rosicleer would not abide by it chased him vp and downe and Rosicleer lead the Gyant a course likewise but so that the king and all the lookers on iudged that if the battaile should endure long that the new knight might neuer escape the death Rosicleer assaied many times to couple with the Gyaunt and to pull the Fawlchon out of his hands but Candramarte was so wily and so well aduised of the wordes which Rosicleer spake in the beginning of theyr battayle that he eyther kept himselfe aloofe off or in his pursute bare the point of his Fawichon before him but by this meanes the battayle continued to the no little discontentment of Rosicleer For although his armour was such that no weapon might wounde him on his bodie yet was he sore brused with trauaile and his bones were in a manner softened with the wearinesse he had felt for the length of the battaile As the one gaue lightly so the other pursued eagerly but as I say neuer fastening a right downe blowe but as he might ouerthwart and end-long slipping his blows and in his pride boasting out these and such lyke speaches O knight how costly shall the challenge of Quéene Iulias Swoord be vnto thée if for it thou must exchaunge thy lyfe Haddest thou not bene better neuer to haue beene at this mart But now know what valour Candramarte is oft for not all the worlde are of that credit with mee as to baile thée out of my handes For the fitting of his action wherevnto hée would shake his heauie Fawlchon so gallauntly and roare so terribly that euerie man tooke Candramarte rather for a Tyraunt in a Tragedie then a Iester in a Commedie And Rosicleers friendes with their pittifull lookes bemoned the poore Rosicleer as if hée had alreadie tasted of most cruell and bitter death in his gréene youth Amongest them the fayre and beautifull Princesse Oliuia although as yet altogether vnacquainted with Rosicleer was a spectatour neither carelesse nor curious but as one without hope she onely wished well to Rosicleer whose bruses were as déepe set in her sides as they were imprinted in Rosicleers flesh and euerie wagging of the most huge and monstrous Candramartes weapon stooke a salt teare from her faire eyes so was shée estraunged from her selfe altogether become anothers mans the new knight eyeng his mistresse became so desperate that he fully resolued either to close with Candramarte and wring his weapon from him or to die vpon him And watching the opportunitie when the Fawlchon was ouer the Gyants head bending his body stept within the Gyant that the Gyaunt had no other resistance but to
attended vppon the Princesse Briana his mother in the monestarie of the riuer and that she had to name Arinda was glad to haue the opportunitie offered to serue the Princesses Oliuia and Briana and therefore rising from where hée sate he came before the king to whom he said Sir seeing it is Rosicleer whome this Gentlewoman seeketh that Brandagedeon hath sent for mée I beseech your maiestie to giue me lisence to goe in these affaires for it is out of reason to withslacke such worthie seruice to two so noble Princes The king loth of any occasion at all to be ministred wherby he should forsake the court least his returne would not be ouer hastie for he knew well that he was nothing addict to idlenesse yet seeing his importunitie both to aunswere the challenge and to employe his trauaile in the name of these two Princes would not gainsaie his purpose but wished him not to goe alone for that the Gyant was well manned with aboue 30. knightes for this cause Bargandel Liriamandro other Princes knights offered to go in his companie but they coulde not preuaile for he excused himselfe with this that it should redound to his disworship if he should take more companie then the Gyant looked for And by and by he craued pardon to departe to his chamber there to arme himselfe The Gentlewoman Arinda well knowing him but for that time suppressing it while Rosicleer buckled on his armour went to deliuer her message vnto the Princesse Oliuia vnto whome she tolde that the cofer with iewells was intercepted by a false harratour a Giant named Brandagedeon and that the new knight had taken vpon him to fetch them againe which when the Princesse heard although she was glad to vnderstand ought from the Princesse Briana yet was she sorrowfull when she hearde that Rosicleer would leaue the Citie and would goe alone thether where the Gyaunt abid him for her minde gaue her that she shoulde not see Rosicleer in hast but turning from this she demaunded of the Gentlewoman many things in perticular touching her Ladie so that the Gentlewoman stayed with her till Rosicleer being armed called vpon her Then the Princesse sayth if there be no other remedie you may go with him albeit tell the knight from me that I had rather the iewells were lost then he should put himselfe in so great a ieopardie Arinda sayde thée would doe her commaund and went downe to Rosicleer beeing alreadie on horsebacke with his Esquire Telyo she likewise tooke her palfray and they thrée rode through the Citie of London much gased after by the king and all the knights and Ladies which stoode in the windowes and battlements of the pallaice and with great sorrow pittied him to sée him goe alone perswading themselues that if Brandagedeon were slaine or in daunger that his men would rescew him ¶ A cruell battaile betweene Rosicleer and Brandagedeon with his knights Cap. 36. ROsicleer béeing thus accompanied with Arinda and Telyo his Squire willed the Gentlewoman to guide him on the waie to the place where Brandagedon was Arinda knowing him well inough sayde Noble Rosicleer I dare not so doe The Gyant is fierce and strong and hath with him many knights which if he haue néede shall helpe him and then shall I sée you in perill of your life Better were it Rosicleer that you should leaue this enterprise and take the way towardes Hungarie there to comfort the sorrowfull Princesse Briana which since your departure from the monestarie hath neuer ben merrie Rosicleer perceiuing well that the Gentlewoman knew him casting his armes about her neck sayd vnto her Why how now Arinda how is it that you know me and I haue not knowen my selfe since my comming into this land But tell me gentle sister how the Princesse Briana doth my good Ladie for whose sorrow I am much agréeued albeit to remedy it there were no reason in forsaking this enterprise which I haue taken in hand to doe her seruice therein Besides that I am determined not to returne into Hungarie before I canne heare some newes of the Prince Edward whether hée bée dead or aliue No sayth the Gentlewoman but let this matter alone for it were lesse losse that the two Princesses shoulde want the Cofer of Iewells then that you shoulde hazarde your lyfe in winning of it and more acceptable seruice shall you doe my Ladie in going to visit her then in seeking out the Gyaunt to fight with him The Gentlewoman with all tooke holde of the Bridle raynes to haue lead Rosicleers horse out of the waie whereat Rosicleer laughing a good aunswered her thus Arinda I should get a good reporte in the Court of king Oliuerio if for feare of a battaile with this Gyaunt I should tourne aside from this iourney which for the same cause I haue vndertaken If I were certaine of more then a thousande deaths I would not follow thy aduise héerein Arinda and so spurring his horse he kept on his way The Gentlewoman would not importune him farther but lead him towards the Gyaunt where not farre of they met another Gentlewoman on foot wéeping verie pitteously At her Rosicleer demanded the cause of her griefe which she vttered streight waies in these words O sir knight Fortune Fortune hath frowned on mée so that better welcome should be the death then the daye lyght Rosicleer yet requested her to speake more plainely and to tell wherein Fortune had wrought her such despite I will gladly sayth she and for truth sir knight I am a Gentlewoman belonging to the Quéeene of Lusitania which sent mee with a Brother of mine a verie valyaunt Knight hether to bring certeine Iewells for the Princesse Oliuia daughter to the King Oliuerio and for the Princesse Rodasylua her owne Daughter Now our mishappe was such that entering the shoare wee hit vppon a great and diuelish Gyant who examining vs whether we went and what we carried in our fardle because my brother made no aunswere flew him and putting mée from me palfraie tooke from me my horse and my fardle ouer and besides with this commaund to go vnto the king Oliuerio and to the knights of his court there to record my complaint against him Thus haue I my Lord satisfied your request now God be with you for I will on to craue some remedie With this the Gentlewoman parted from them but Rosicleer calling to her sayde Gentlewoman so it is that my arrant is for the same purpose to fight with the Gyant for the like trespasse by him committed agaynst this Gentlewoman héere with mée If you will returne with vs we shall be verie glad thereof and by Gods helpe I shall well qwell that Gyants insoleucie What sayde the Gentlewoman doe you purpose alone to fight with the Gyaunt I indéede aunswered Rosicleer and haue hope to reuenge this Gentlewoman and your brother God mate well giue you power so to do it it please him said the Gentlewoman but in respect of the
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
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
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