congratulate the happie mariage betwéene him and the faire Princesse Eglantine as their Countries and kingdomes did afford Some presented him with stately coursers and Iennets of seruice some with ships of huge and mightie burthen some with Pearles and Iuels of inestimable valure And to be short euery one though at first his foe and vtter enemie yet in fine veiwing his maiesticall and princely corage became his true and faithful fréends estéeming him worthy of greater honor then either their personages presents or the obtaining of the beautifull Quéene of Tormaday could afford And on the next morning the beautifull Quéene was royally led to and from the Church where she was espoused to Blanchardine by two Kings Sadony and the king of Frize and the same day crowned King and Quéene of Tormaday to the excéeding comfort of all their subiectes and friendes After their returne from the Church to the Court they were feasted withall possible chéere that could bee deuised and after dinner the Trumpets sounded to the Iustes and tiltings vntill supper And after supper maskes playes and Princely deuises spent the time till they went to bed On the morrow the feast began a fresh and continued for the space of twentie daies After all which arroyalties were finyshed by the commandement of Blanchardine was Subyon and all his accomplices brought to execution now the newes being caried with the swift wings of fame into Frizeland the Lords of Frize repaired to Tormaday to accompany home their aged King and to congratulate this happy marriage of Blanchardine and his new Quéene After the aged King of Frize Father to Blanchardine had séene the espousalls of this beautifull Quéene and his noble Sonne being decrepit stiffe with age hauing liued to fourscore and vpward vnto whome although his late enlargement from captiuitie and this new come ioy of his déere sonne Blanchardine being now married to the beautifull Quéene of Tormaday bred delight Yet through debillitie of nature which was sore inféebled by his hard imprisonment he was surprised with an vncoth malladie and extreame contagion of dangerous sicknes in the which he had not long remained but in the view of all life began to vade and death approche And more to hasten on deathes spéedy pace to this sencles olde man the nobles of Frizeland hauing receiued sure and certaine inteligence from Tormaday of the life and fréedome of their King at that time there and the princely mariage which now was fully concluded betwéene his successiue heire their naturall leige Blanchardine with the renouned Lady and Quéene of Tormaday they came thither at whose approche this fainting olde man hoping to receiue glad tidings from his aged wife the Quéene of Frize began with chéerefull countenance to lift himselfe vp in his bed as though no kinde of deadly malladie or aged griefe had attainted his withered limbes But wheÌ„ he had a while listened to the swéet harmonie of their sugred speach which presaged no kind of disaster but all pleasure and sollace that might be at the length he demaunded of the welfare of the aged Queene his wife vnto whome reply being made that long time since vpon the vnfortunate report and tragicall tidings of his captiuitie by Darius sonne to the Pagan king Alimodes shee fell sicke and died hee listening to this impittious tale fell as one distraught into a sound But comming to himselfe powred forth these spéeches the true testimonies of his faithfull loue and is she gon the comfort 〈◊〉 â—…y youth the staffe of my age the day of my night the sonâ—… of my blisse the sollace of my soule and the life of my death Ah to â—…o well I suspected though alas I knew not the certentie that my captiuitie would bring her callamity and my imprisonment her death But since all humane flesh is mortall and nothing vnder the Sunne permanent what auailes my sorrowful groâ—…es and passions to weake alas to recall her againe or any way to remedie my misfortune with these or the like exclaimes thâ—…s silly aged King panting betweene life and death lay still a while till finding his heart ouer charged with an other passion he prosecuted his first complaint O sacred Ioue searcher of al secret thoughts whose eternall dietie raigneth within the highest heauens who from my cradle hast destined me to perpetuall miserie now shew thy selfe a righteous iudge and reuenge my wrongs vppon the accursed broode of infidels who so irreligiously prophane thy blessed name suffer them not to escape thy reuenging powre but at thy pleasure consume and confound the workers of this my woe and now dissolue my daies and weary life leade me through th' unknowne passages to my deere and sweetest wife that though our daies on earth did finde small coÌ„fort yet our soules in heauen may finde consolation And with this orizon he yeilded himself to God and died WheÌ„ the brute of this heauie tidinges came to the eares of Blanchardine and his faire Quéene although they swinne before in the hauen of happines and floted on the floodes of al felicitie as they thought yet in that very instant and moment of time a cloudie mist began to obscure their brightest sonshine and a frost of cares to ouer runne their summers blisse Now began Blanchardine to accuse and condemne himselfe of vnnaturall ingratitude and disobedience to his parentes to whome both nature and dutie bound him to bee submissiue and kind now he begâ—…n to maligne the time the place and the cause of his departure and priuie escape from his fathers Court. But all in vaine for as teares praiers nor vowes can recall the dead so had I wist and time abused and mispent is in vaine to be desâ—…red And yet quoth he how vnnaturall was I to forsake them whome nature charged me to loue and obey now I may iustlie accuse my self of the murther of these my louing parents alas I cannot excuse my selfe neither can I plead ignoraunce that I knew not that my departure would be the finishing of my parentes ioyes and cause of their death which now to my open shame I finde most true And should I nay could I suffer my selfe to be led and carried away with such vaine fantasies as leaue them comfortles to whome I was the greatest comfort Die Blanchardine die and the rather die that art the cause of thy parents death alas to kill a man is hainous murder but to murder my parentes a sinne against Sanctitie all creatures haue â—…are to foster those that gaue them life and I careles in killing my father The Storke when he séeth his sire olde ready to die with famine taketh him vpon his shoulders and féedeth him by his trauaile But I instéede of féeding haue famisht and in place of trauelling haue traiterously ouerthrowne my parents The Lordes of Tormaday seeing this soddaine and vnexpected chaunce of the death of the aged King the heauie plight of Blanchardine and his beautifull Quéene humbly on their â—…nées began to
mine But fréendly pacing Home ward the Prouost desirous to know the sequell of Blanchardines cause and the confereuce in secret he had with the Quéene coniured him of all loues to vnfold the circumstance promising vpon his life both secrecie and coustancie for my mind quoth he cannot be satisfied vntill I knowe whether you shall be King of Tormayday or no being more then halfe perswaded therunto already Blanchardine reposing an assured trust in the Prouost by reason of many fauours which he had receiued from him from point to point related y e whole procéedings betwixt the Quéene and him selfe requiring his secrecy as in such a case is needfull No soner were they entred the Prouost house but the Quéene imâ—…diatly sent vnto Banchardine a rich white courser sumptuously trapped with crimson veluet and gold and withall a sleeue of her gowne richly imbrodered with pearle which she mioyned him by her messenger to weare vpon his 〈◊〉 when he should encounter with her enemies that thereby she might the better perceiue him from the other Lords Blanchardine in all humility receiued this princely present and royally thanking her maiestie for so high a fauour gaue in reward vnto the bringer an ouch of golde vpon which was set a rich ruby incompassed w t diamonds who thanking Blanchardine most humbly departed and being returned to the Queene recounted the thankfull acceptance of the present by Blanchardine and the bountifull reward he receiued from him for his paines which the Lady reioycing to heare commending the honorable minde of Blanchardine imagining that such liberality could not issue from a base courage But presently a great clamor was in the streates which put the Prouost into a sodain admiration of the cause anon it was related vnto them that the king of the giants called Rubion was before the walles of the towne demaunding iustes for his Ladyes sake daughter to king Alimodes who had hâ—… sleeue in his helmet of violet satten which he wore as her fauour in dispight of any Ladyes beautie within the Citty and by reason of the hugenes of his body which was recounted to be xv foot in length no man durst presume to enter combate against him This vnexpected newes much delighted Blanchardine who requested nothing more then to vndertake this combate in honor of his Lady whose fleeue he bare and least the Giant should be gon before he could be ready for the fight he sent present word that the Giant should not loose his labour and that his request should be fulfilled These newes séemed to reuiue the heart and courage of Rubior because he longed to shew his valure for the loue of Alimodes daughter his Lady and mistresse Long stayed not Blanchardine till he mounted his horse armed and on his Helmet he waâ—…e the sleeue which the Quéens had sent him thinking it a sufficient couering or burgonet against all chaunces whatsoeuer and pacing towardes the gates the Ladyes Lords and Cittizens wondered at the haughty courage of Blanchardine much commending his generosity braue carriage on horsebacke And all praiers were made for his safe returne Thus marched he out of the gates and came to the place where the Giant stayed his comming whome when the Giant beheld he sternly demaunded of whence he was and what vnaduised chaunce had brought him thither Blanchardine answered I will not for any dread of thée accursed miscriant conceile my name nor parentage know I am sonne to the King of Frize my name is Blanchardine sent to combate with thée by my gratious and most faire Princesse Eglantine Quéene of Tormaday surnamed the proude Lady in loue And quoth the Giant I euen now was commaunded from my péereles Lady and mistresse the daughter to the king Alimodes who gaue me this her right sléeue for my fauour that this enfigne of her fauor couering my head I may accomplish some exploite beséenring the beauty of my loue Then quoth Blanchardine Panim do thy worst I am heare to answere thée so much as thou shalt demaund So fetching their carreirs they encountered the one the other with such haughtie courage that both their launces shiuered to their handes Then betaking themselues to their swordes their strokes were so terrible that the fire flue out of their helmets and for a while the fierce fight remained doubtfull Nowe was the Quéene of Tormayday ascended her gallery window whence the might behold the combatants and fearing much by reason of the hugenes of y e Giant y e Blanchardine would not returne againe safe she becamepensiue and very sorrowfull On the other side sate king Alimodes daughter to behold her champion but casting her eyes vpon Blanchardine wishing in her heart that he might be conquerer she might haue him for her paramour But this doubtfull fight was at length finished by Blanchadine who casting his eyes to the window where his louely Quéene lay his courage augmenting by the vertue he drew from her vppon the sudden hee lent the Giant such a cuff that hee tumbled downe from his horse in a sound which when Blanchardine perceiued he thought to allight to finish the râ—…mbate by cutting off his head when out of an ambosh issued thrée score Pagans for his rescue The Quéene of Tormaday séeing this treachery charged her men presently to post out of the towne to ayde Blanchardine But before they could come Blanchardine was encompassed with twenty men of the which none came within his reach but wished he had not attempted so néere him The Quéenes soldiers coÌ„ming to the rescue were encountred by fresh supplies of the Pagans so that that day was much bloodshed and had béen the last day of Alimodes seidge had not Darias his sonne suâ—…cored his fainting Knights with new supplyes Darias being come sounded a retreat to his men for a while then ioyning together his companies againe inuaded the thickest of the Cittizens and no doubt had done great slaughter that day had not Blanchardine singled himforth who in the counterbuff gaue him such a bastinado that made him sincke to the ground out of his saddle and had not present succour come he had seuered his head from his shoulders Darias being thus rescued was conueied home to his pauillion where by reason of the stroke he was constreined to kéep his bed thrée dayes In this time Rubion the Giant hauing recouered both his sences and his horse againe did great exploites and had almost slaine the Prouost had not Blanchardine made spéedy hast calling vppon the Giant Ah thou false Panim quoth he this shalbe thy last day thou which most traiterously wouldest haue slain me by that meanes hast once escaped my hands Now will I take such veÌ„geance on thee thou shall neuer see thy Lady again And here withall aduauncing himselfe gaue him such a sound buffet on the helmet that he fell downe starke dead to the earth The death of the Giant Rubion King of the Sarizens once bruted all his soldiers being discomforted made hast to
bee disioyned and we accounted of one an other as of our selues in so much that at his departure from our company he gaue me this ring of gold which héere I weare and for his sake will reserue during my life The good old King remembring the perfect forme of the ring which his sonne Blanchardine had shewen him knew presently that it was the ring which his granfather vsed to weare and at his death vequethed the same to Blanchardine And being by this sight the more encoraged he in most humble maner requested to vnderstand the cause of his sonnes departure froÌ„ their honorable companies and the place whether they did imagine he had bent his course hoping at length if euer he obtained fréedome to visit his sonne Blanchardine But when he heard him not reply to his humble demannd the olde King suspecting that his departure was rather a seperation by death then a voluntary absence from their society after sundry and gréeuous sighes was ready to sound But Blanchardine who now perceiued by his pittiful complaints that vnles he should make himselfe knowne it myght he greatly preiudiciall to his health and that delay in such a case bred great danger he reuoking his former obstinacy humbling himselfe began to make himselfe knowne to the old man in this sort Most redoubted Lord and déere father beholde Blanchardine your sonne whose offence to your maiestie deserueth no fauour in that his departure from your Court was most secretly concealed from all but especially from your selfe humbly submitting himselfe to your doome craueth your honourable pardon both for his fault in departing and also for the gallant courser and sword which hee priuily conuayed away with him with the which among many other he hath reuenged your wrongs vpon your enemy Darius and his accursed company of miscreants When his aged father the King of Frize heard the dutyfull and debonaire submission of his sonne whome till that very instant he knew not by reason of the obscuritie and darkenes of his prison also his declining age neither can my pen recount nor my tong relate the happie content he receiued and the generall applause to all But especially to Sadony and the faire Beautrix who all this while were attentiue beholders of this rare accident and when they perceiued the ful issue of all which had happened betwéene them they congratulated this happy chance with Blanchardine and his father And presently caused a sumpteous bath and most honorable and rich apparell to bée prepared for the aged king with all the duties belonging to his royall estate and in like sort for all the Knightes and Gentlemen his attendantes Now when Blanchardine somwhat recalled from his immaginations after the conference in publique ended betwéene the king and the rest of the company hauing brought his father into a most sumpteous chamber enbossed with gold and hanged with most rich tapestry conuenient for his estate he demaunded of him the estate and welfare of the Quéene his mother and his country Alas faire sonne quoth the king I haue béene here inclosed in a most obscure prison this yeare and more in which time I neuer had any priuate conference with any sauing a base villaine vnder whose cruell and hard custody I haue long remained comfortles so that I greatly feare me that my captiuitie once bruted to her louing eares whose pensiue thoughtes for thée had almost before my departure consumed her haue now altogether depriued her both of health and life but the case is only known to God and not to me that haue not so much as sent neyther receiued any letter or token from her since my comming into this most accursed country which hath béene hetherto gouerned by the cruellest miscreant that euer hell or nature hatched Chap. 5. How Sadony Blanchardine and the King of Frize enbarqued themselues to Tormaday for the succour of faire Eglantine the proude Lady in loue AFter that al teares were cleane wiped from their eies and that the aged King of Frize and his faint company had somwhat recouered their perfect strength courrages Blanchardine whose wandering thoughts were still occupiedin the contemplation of the rare and deuine beauty of his Mistresse the Quéene of Tormaday and on her succours against the periured infidell and Sarizine Alimodes séeing conuenient time and leysure to serue before Sadony Beautâ—…ix and his aged father began thus to complaine Most honorable fréend and trusty companion Sadony since by the high deuine and most sacred prouidence of God you haue obtained your hearts content and the onely Iuell which long you haue desired I meane this faire and beautifull Princesse Beautrix your wife and that the true sincere and christian religion is surely planted within this your Kingdom whereby God may be truely serued your people preserued and your country at quiet that now you will remember your sacred vow and promise which faithfully you plighted to me in the sight of God and heauen for the spéedy succour of my faire Lady mistres the Quéene of Tormaday against our foe Alimodes and although these wars may be some cause to seperate you from your beautifull Quéene and bride for a while in whome resteth the full of your content and delight yet considering the Christian Religion which you now professe and by which you are coniured and most strickly bound to prosecute these wars vppon an infidell in the defence of a most vertuous Christian Quéene And also remembring your trustie promise made vnâ—…o me before our arriuall héere in Cassidony These causes I say duly considered will I trust be sufficient spurs to pricke you on to this inquest wherein your seruice shall not onely bee acceptable to God but most kindly taken and requited by mée whose fidelity shall rest for euer engrauâ—…n within the intrals of my soule inuiolable And you faire Quéene speaking to Beautrix although I knowe that you can hardly permit this suddaine departure of your Princely husband considering your late mariage the sincere loue you beare him and swéete content you receiue in hys presence yet since your kingdome doth remaine safe and voyde of daunger being garded with so many and valiant knights as we meane to leaue héere for your defence and for that the time will not belong before he make his safe swéet returne graunt frée leaue most faire Quéene to Sadony to performe this honorable enterprize although against your father yet being the seruice of God and therefore of greatest force ought by all possible meanes to be vndertaken When the fayre Princesse had heard Blanchardine to the full of his demaund although two extreame euills were at once to be determined by her consent first the departure of her new and most louing husband Sadony secondly the warres they intended were againsther owne father Alimodes yet being allured both by the pittifull teares that distiled doune from his eyes and the swéet speaches that procéeded from his mouth shee srankly gaue her consent Nowe Sadony although loath
recouer their pauilions and tentes But being pursued with all celerity that might be were cut off by the way before they coulde reach thi ther. Blanchardine followed so hard that he came euen to the entry of Alimodes pauilion before the which he found the kings daughter sitting to beholde the battell whom when Blanchardine espyed he bowing himselfe downe tooke vp the Damosell and set her before him on his courser and posted as fast as hee could to Tormaday Alimodes hearing of this hard aduenture as a man desperate and halfe frantick posted after with foure thousand souldiers to recouer his daughter againe and one making more spéed then auailed him comming some what néerer Blanchardine was presently slaine by him but in this staye the enemy rushed so fast vpon him that Blanchardines horse was slaine vnder him but he trusting in God so behaued himselfe with his shielde and sworde that not the prowdest Sarasin durst approch him When the King Alimodes perceiued the great prowes that remained in Blanchardine that among so many none durst encounter him he cryed out amaine vnto his Knights Fye on you all vntrue and faintharted Pagans that one Knight is able to affright so many with these vpbraidings the vnruely rabble of rascall Sarizens ranne all at once desperately vpon Blanchardine and so surprised him by maine force but in his taking hee slew among many others a Knight that was Nephew to Alimodes a man of great accompt and prowes In good time Beautrix the daughter of King Alimodes hauing wisely perused the excellent beauty of Blanchardine seeing the likelyhoode of his present death prostrated her selfe vpon her knees vnto the king her father humbly requesting him to pardon the life of the yong Knight The King beholding the pittifull demaund of his daughter whome aboue all creatures in the world he loued answered her in this wise My déere and welbeloued daughter I wishe it had not béene your chaunce at this time to haue béene present or I would you had not entreated for him who hath done vs all this domage but since it is your demaund and that I cannot deny what you request he shall not dye héere but I will presentlye send him away vnto the Realme of Salmandry vnto the King of Giants brother to Rubion whome he hath ssaine and whome I tendered as my owne person who if he had liued had béene your espouse and husband But the Quéene of Tormadar vnderstanding of the great distresse wherein Blanchardine was commaunded the Prouost presently to post and ransome him how soeuer But the King made the more expedition and hast to send him away to Salmandry that there with all cruelty he might be massacred swearing by his Mahomet that no ransome should set him free but death The Prouost hearing this absolute and resolute answere of Alimodes reported to Blanchardine the desperate estate he now was in whereof Blanchardine was not a little sorry but finding no remedy willed him most humbly to commend him to the good grace of the Quéene When the Prouost was returned home and now was entred the court he found the Quéene out of measure sorrowful sor the losse and absence of Blanchardine vnto whome he made a true report according to the answere of Alimodes which vncomfortable message did so daunt the heart of the Quéene that euery one expected her present death But leauing her in her pasions returne we to Alimodes Chap. 17. Darius carrieth away with him Blanchardine to be conueyed into Salmandry and how the ship wherein Blanchardine was perished by a tempest and all were drowned except Blanchardine who approching to the Court of the King of Spruse gained the place of generall in his wars AFter the departure of the Prouost Alimodes commaunded his sonne Darius to returne to Cassidony where hee was king and to carry with him his sister Beautrix And in his absence gouerne the land and people in quiet whilst his seidge lay against Tormaday And like wise deliuerred vnto his custody Blanchardine whome be charged to send into Salmandry to the king of Giants whose brother Blanchardine had lately slaine there to be tortured to death at the discreation of the king Darius presently at the commaund of his father rigged two ships for his passage in the one he and his faire sister Beautrix in the other Blanchardine garded by thrée score men was put When all things were in a readines for their departure the marriners weighing ancor and hoysing sayle floted away So Blanchardine finding no remorse like a lamb to the slaughter was carried towards Cassidony and as he imagined to his death The Quéene of Tormaday looking out of her window might discerne the ship wherein Blanchardine went whome with millions of teares she bewailed But the continuall skirmishes with her people had with the Paâ—…ms bred her sometime ioy sometime sadnes as the fortune of war gaue cause then remembring the swéet kisse which Blanchardine gaue her shée was ready to sound But recomforted by her Ladeis she began to complaine in this manner In fortune thou blind guidresse of this vnconstant world will thy tottering whéele neuer stand still but being at the highest turne topsey turuey Ah most vniust goddes if thou be a Goddes that contrary to all godlines dost peruert al things to the worsâ—… couldst thou not haue suffered me a while to enioy my loue Blanchardine but in the first shew of happines to turne me to dispaire hast thou none other to vomitte vp thy venym but vppon mee ah most vnhappie of all vnhappines Wel in thy dispight ile liue and in thy dispight ile die The Ladies fering least this perplexity might bréed a far greater disease and daunger to her person recomforted her with milde and swéet spéeches still willing her not to distrust but that her Blanchardine would safely return Blanchardine now on the sea sayling towards Cassidony with Darius and Beautrix his sister ancored euen at the hauen of the Citty where Darius and his sister went a shore gaue streight charge and commaundement to the saylers to conduct the ship which Blanchardine was in to Salmandry there to present him vnto the king of Giants And with all to certifie him that he was the man who flew his brother Ruâ—…ri before the walles of Tormaday where his father Alimodes continued yet his seidge They incontinently departed from Cassidony to sayle to Salmandry whereof faire Beautâ—…ix was most displeasant and if she could by any possible meanes haue staied his course he should not haue gon to his slaughter into Salmandry but although her beauty were great yet her power was little Thus being vpon the Seas a day or two after their departure the windes roarde the lightnings flasht and thunder crackt so teribly that the marriners dispairing of all safety suffered the ship to holl with the waues and windes whether fortune and their fates should lead them the tempest still more and more encreasing at the length the maine mast rent in twaine the rudder was
with these or the like spéeches inioyned the herrald presently to returne to Darius to giue him to vnderstand their resolution The Herrald being returned to Darius certified him both their answers some of their demaunds the which séemed so displeasant vnto him that without further delay hee couragiously gaue the onset on the Enemy At whose encounter the earth trembled and the ayre ecchoed with noyes of their weapons the clamor of the people was excéeding great the Sarizins stil with blasphemous outcries calling vpoÌ„ their blockish idolatrous gods whose deafe eares could heare no sound of their foolish petitions but at the length after a long and dangerous conflict the tounsmen fearing through their great losse and bloodshed that they were like to be ouercome recoyled and retyred backe euery one so fast as his spéed would giue leaue But Blanchardine now thinking high time to finish what before he determined set spurres to his horse and by great chance singled out Darius from the company whome Blanchardine so saluted with his Launce that he sent him to carry news to Radamant of the valure which he found in Blanchardines arme Chap. 3. How the beautifull Beautrix perceiuing her people vanquished and brother slaine submitted her to the mercy of Sadony and rendred both her selfe and Citty into his handes IT happened at that instant that the faire Beautrix was mounted vp into a high window within her Palace froÌ„ whence she might well decerne the valure of the Knights and soldiers on both sides But when she saw her brother Darius slaine the standard ouerthrowen and her people to fly she began a most lamentable complaint But seeing that care was booteles in a cureles cause she determined to yeild both her self country and people to the victors handes hoping by her humble submission to obtaine a generall pardon Now by this time Blanchardine and Sadony were met and wintly marched without resistance within the Citty where for a while they surueighed the sumpteous buldings of y e Sarizins but pacing along the stréetes towards the Kings Palace they were encountred by the Lady Beautrix who humbling her self on her knées made this petition Braue gentlemen and mighty conquerers although fortune by her mutâ—… 〈◊〉 hath resigned this kingdome people and my selfe into your hands yet as in your countenance there is seated both maiestie and mercy let the rigor of your murdering swords cease and we all are ready to yeild vnto the full of your princely demaundes Blanchardine pittying the Ladyes playnts gently lifted her vp from the ground withall gaue her these comfortable speaches fayre Ladye the heauens by their diuine prouidence haue for many causes alotted vs this happie fortune to bee conquerers of this mighty kingdome and blame you not fortune but thanke the fates for our successe for where as all your daies you haue honored and adored Idols and false gods wee will so open your vnderstandings that you shall not only perceiue your monsterous errors but also become the worshippers of the true and immortall God But aboue all the sundry and deadly imuries which of long and yet your father Alimodes offereth vnto my Lady and mistresse the chast Queene of Tormaday haue the rather augmented my fury in prosecuting this conquest with fire and sword thereby to performe a most sacred vow and promise which I made to this noble Gentleman Sadony Sonne to the King of Spruse long since These causes I say makes me most humbly thanke God for this happy arriuall and victory Then taking the Lady by the hand he presented her to Sadony in this sort Honorable freend and deere companion now that the heauenly powers haue enricht vs with this most happy victory and that I may cancell the obligation in part of the great det which I acknowledge my selfe bound vnto you take héere this most beautifull Lady whome long since I promised you at Marienbrough to bee your spouse and wife and vpon our loues I coniure you that you faile me not in th'accomplishment of two things which I shall request at your hands after I haue inuested you with the figniory and kingdome of Cassidony and this faire Queene The one that foorthwith you cause both her and all her subiectes to be baptized in the christian faith and secondly after you are quietlye seated héere you fayle not to ioyne with me in the succoure of the faire Quéene of Tormaday whose disaster breedes discontentment to my soule and daunger to my life This present was so thankfully accepted of Sadony that nothing could bring him more content for when he cast his eye vpon the damsell he thought himselfe eleuated into the third heauen immagining it a thing impossible for any mortall creature to carry so deuine a seature TheÌ„ séeing himselfe also possest with such a mighty and populous kingdome hee séemed rauished in conceit But breaking of these admirations after a million of thankes giuen to God and all kindnesse to Blanchardine he began with the damsell in this sort Faue Ladie whose radiant eyes shine like Vestaes candels or the twinkling starres in the firmament sufficient to dazell humane eyes to reuiue al dying sences whose amber lockes desheuiled on these shoulders make you seeme like Cynthia in her pride if euer happinesse were incident to mortall man now may I boast to haue reached the tipe of all soelicitie in that Iimbrace you whose verie lookes haue so attached me on the sudden that wheras euen now I was a conquerer I am by you faire Lady conquered and must of force make your swéete person the true prison of my heart denie me not then faire Queene whose parrentage is answerable with yours to yeelde me your loue which while I liue I vow to kéepe firme and mine to you inuiolable The beutifull Quéene Beautrix giuing diligent attention to the sugred speaches of Sadony first weighing the miserable state of her countrie secondly the absence of her father with the death of her brother Darius lastly which was most the comely proportion of Sadony as willingly gaue her consent to mariage as he was forward in demaunding thereof Then Sadony right glad of this swéete consent of the faire Beautrix imbracing her withall kindnesse after many kisses and swéet speaches passed betwene them demaunded of her if she would forsake her Paganizme and diabollitall profession and become a christian who by his good perswasions was brought quickly to condiscend Now at the same time there were certaine Christian prisoners which long had endured the tortures of the Pagan Alimodes remaining within the cittie in seuerall prisons to the number of one hundreth which Sadony caused presently to bee enlarged and set at libertie and among this distressed company of Christians there were certaine Preestes whome he commaunded presently to be brought before him caused them to singsollemne processions and giue praise to God for his happie victory after this he commaunded them to sanctitie and halow certaine waters wherein all the Panims should