much on the knowledge of hidden sinne be not sinne But be thou aduised by me referre all to the Lorde detest all meanes that may seduce thy mind arme thee with the shield of faith pray that thy beliefe may be increased let all things seeme vile to thee in respect of true repentance and thou shalt finde the working of God beyond conceit enter not into his iudgements but cleaue vnto his mercies if thou beest tempted pray vehemently what though for a while thy Soule be dull and heauie it is my Sonne for no other cause but to make thy ioy more fuller What can be a more certayne proofe of mercie than grace to detest sinne or how can man better ouercome sinne than by imploring mercie But tell me what thou art and thy course of life that I may further counsell thee Robert hearing this heauenly Hermit in how deuine sort he sollaced him began to gather hart and could him the order of his birth the manner of his life with other matters too tedious in this place to discourse of And when the ould man was fully satisfied he tould him the waight of sinne the reward of sinne exemplifying to him the fruites of repentance and in such manner schooled him that of a lewd young man he reconciled him to a stayed and holie course of life enioyning him for pennance to goe baresoote to Rome on Pilgrimage wearing at his back a cloth of haire Robert after his stay about seuen dayes with the Hermit was in some sort recouered and intending his soules health besought the company of the Hermit to his Castell where finding those his dissolute mates who were left aliue he first by earnest perswasions sought to reconcile them and finding them no wayes tractable he put them all to death as being vipers in his fathers common weale and locking vp the doores he led the Hermit into his Treasury where shewing him the riches which he had taken from others he humblie prayed him to resort vnto his Father and Mother to present his submission and report his contrition beseeching them to make restitution to euery one whome he had wronged and with bitter compassion hee so washed the poore Hermits head in teares that the good olde man reioycing in spirit cryed out Benedictus dominus in omnibus operibus suis and taking their leaue the one of the other the Hermit trauailed to the Court at Roan and Robert walked on his iourney towards Rome How Aubert heard of his Sonnes ouerthrow and did reward the messengers and how the Hermit arriued at the Court whose ioyfull tidings was great comfort to the Duke and Duches VVHilst Aubert in deepe melancholie dispended his dayes loathing the detested reports of his Sonnes practises and consulting with his Nobles in what sort he might cut off such an improfitable off-spring the messengers of the Duke of Constances presented themselues before him who after their most humble reuerence signifyed to the Duke the whole sequel of their message first the death of their yong Lord lastly the discomfiture of his lewde Sonne which tidings so wounded him to the hart as for a long time he continued as it were in an extasie not knowing to what hopes he might aspire seeing his succession so desperate but calling to his remembrance that a Princes word was a sufficient warrant and the losse which as he supposed he had sustained was rather the occasion to cut off a continuall griefe he cleered his distressed lookes wherein care had planted many furrowes and turning vnto them with milde countenance gaue them this friendly aunswere My friends if my brother of Constances hath reuenged his sonnes death as you certified me he hath performed the part of a friend and exemplified my iustice for which cause in that he hath rid our common weale of a Rebell and his Father of a wicked sonne we entertaine you as messengers from our friend and deseruers in our estate and for this cause we thinke good that out of our Treasury he receiue such reward as we appointed and you for your paine taking shall enioy this small reward of two hundreth marks in this sort causing his bountie and the prefixed recompence to be deliuered vnto them he discharged them falling into deepe consultation with his Counsell about the affayres of succession there was no hart so indurate that considered on the desperate estate of Prince Robert but lamented some one admyring his valiancie some after his supposed losse arguing Duke Constances of crueltie who otherwise hated the yong Prince most deadly But the consultation of the Princes was broken off by the sodaine repayre of the Duches who hearing of the desperate estate of her Sonne and vncertaine of his safetie and life filled the whole Pallace with feminine clamours an euery side was sorrow seated neyther was there eye so partiall in the whole assembly that shead not some tears till sodainly in midst of this garboyle the olde Hermit entered the presence whose sodaine â—xcesse brought them all into expectation so that the olde Duke comforting his faire Editha attentiuely gaue eare expecting some noueltie when after most humble reuerence the reuerent Father began his discourse after this manner These strange alterations in your lookes you Princes perswades me of your ouergreat forwardnesse in passions who are castly ouercome with euery light ioy and sodainely crossed with the lightest trouble which fruite of intemperance with reuerence you Nobles may I be bould to tell you ariseth through want of equabilitie in minde and assured remembrance that you are mortall If according to your worldly store your estates were constant you should be so farre from knowing God as you would quite forget him At the entraunce of thy Pallace Aubert I see men weeping because the report runneth thou art wretched thus are all affections ruled by the affaires of the mightie and honour is so sauourie a thing in those mens mindes who would be great that it sootheth and is soothed by all sorts of them In Traians time all men loued iustice because he was iust in Octauians before him all hunted after peace in that he was peaceable in Heliogabalus dayes all were wanton in that he was wanton and now since thy minde is vexed with doubtfull griefe thy subiects likewise are attaynted with doubtfull griefe But dry vp your teares good Princes and reioyce Prince Robert supposed dead is surely liuing yet dead to his olde wickednesse following better wayes for after he escaped from his enemyes he arriued in my Hermitage where after I had cured his woundes and counselled him from his wickednesse hee vndertooke his voyage and Pilgrimage to Rome but before resorted to Thuringue labouring to disswade the remnant of his followers from their lewd life which when he could not effect he in my presence slewe them vnder pretence as he sayd to rid his countrey of caterpillers And in that dread Prince and my liege Lord Aubert he hath mightely offended you he humbly by me beséecheth his pardon
my attempt I will prosecute it if you followe me and dye with me you shewe your obedience you shewe your courage you shewe you loue you shewe your loyaltie you shall be déere to your Lord who will dye for your safeties let the resolute therefore sweare reuenge on their swords wee haue Auberts warrant for our safetie wee haue rewardes prefixed for our warfare followe me therefore and let vs finde out the miscreant who hath spoyled vs and either dye or rid the worlde of this murtherer After hee had discoursed in this manner the whole assemblie swore to followe him to the death so that each one of least expectation inforced himselfe to bee most forward The Duke caused the bodie of his sonne to bee borne out of sight and entombed with a rich and sumptuous funerall and priuilie marching by night he layd his meÌ„ in ambush in the Wood neere adioyning the Castle of Turingue waighting the approach of the morning at which time he assuredly hoped to asswage his displeasurâ— The bloodie and cruell battaile fought betweene the Duke of Constances and Robert the Diuell and his traine and what thereupon insued As soone as the watchfull morning had opened her purple gates in the East and discouered her pallaces full of Roses and the Sunne adorned with a wreath of Chrisolites began to shake his deawie lockes lately washed in the baine of Eurotas Robin surnamed the Diuell called vp his companie of rakehels and commanded them to armes where after they had glutted themselues with their mornings refectionâ— they marched on with mightie showtings astonishing the Woods with their cryes which when the Espials of the Duke apperceaued they gaue their Lord a secret intelligence and each one prepared himselfe to the fight By this time had Robert with all his traine entered within the compasse of the Ambush where sodainly the Duke of Constance commanded the allarum to bee sounded and couching his speare ranne into the thickest of the enemie seeking on euery side for the murtherer of his Sonne if happelie hée might espie him Prince Robert apperceauing the pretended treason arranged his men entering y â— thickest throngs that each one wondered at his prowesse he was a man of tall stature bigge boned of a stearne and maiesticall countenance of much forwardnesse and courage and had his brutish nature béen answerable to his force and valour assuredly he had béen a man of high accompt euen at that time Fatall and bloodie was the fight on both sides the one kindled by the iniurie they had receiued the other combatting according to the prouerbe Pro aris focis hope they had none of life but in their valiant resist and that which encouraged them the more was the valour and holdnesse of their Generall which the Duke of Constance apperceauing he gathered together thirtie of his most brauest Caualiers with them all at one time assaâ—led Prince Robert It was now about euen tide and the Princes souldiers were either al of theÌ„ sore wasted or wounded when the Duke by maine strength dismounted Robert and gaue him a great and deepe gash in the thigh the Catines that followed him seeing theâ— master distressed desperatly sought his rescue and were euery one of them put to the sword onely Robert of himselfe recouered a horse and so valiantly continued in his defence till the darke night parted the Combattants and he found conuenient meanes to auoyd the danger the Duke of Constances seeing the Enemie was hotly ouercome and that it was impossible to followe the Prince being most expert in the secret waies of the Wood sounded the retreate causing the dead bodies of his Souldiers to be buried and sending Aubert worde of the bloodie victorie attained against his sonne Thus in triumph leaue we him reioycing mightilie in his reuenge and resorting with sollace vnto his Castle and returne to Robert who sore trauailed with his wounds and hauing his horse tired posted with all speede he could possible now this way now that way searching for some place of securitie where he might hide himselfe from the enemie but euill fortune pursuing him euery way his horse at last tired vnder him so that he was constrained to forsake his armes and trusting onely to his sword to walke through the Forrest on foot many were his sighes and bitter curses many his exclamations and complaints whilest desolate Eccho the faithfull companion of such as be sorrowfull vouchsafed some pitifull replie in his pensiuenes but the great expence of blood the long and wearie course of trauell the cruell and daungerous pursute of his foes did not sufficiently amaze him but to the more increase of his griefe a hidden affliction of the minde began with such horror to attaine him that he euery way grewe desperate Oftentimes did he prepare himselfe to complaine but knewe scarcely how to complaine he felt himselfe mortall and that he was a man he examined the changes of fortune and bethought him on the causes of his fall neither knowing how to amend then they were so infinite nor reconcile himselfe he had béen so dissolute and lifting vp his eyes to heauen he beheld the Moone performing her course the Starres ministring their dueties and by their celestiall beautie began with himselfe to imagine the beautie of their maker then called he to remembrance the olde rudiments of his master as touching the essence and power of God the wonderfull workmanship of the heauens the beautifull order of the spheares the strange creation of man the influence of the celestiall bodies in these inferiour parts and considered that all thinges were made by a determinate and inuiolable lawe limitted by prescript of Nature and that if in the earthly compact of man the imperfection and griefe of one member afflicted the whole compact much more a contrarietie in the powers both of soule and bodie threatned a confusion Then called he to mind that since there was a Moouer which disposed ordered al things so in due ordinance of gouernment it was requisite too as hée prescribed rewards for good deserts so he should also ordaine punishments for vice Hereupon began he to meditate on the nature of sinne the causes of sinne and the effects of sinne and him thought that a voyce sounded in his eare the reward of sinne is death Oh how great was the horror and confusion of his soule at this time his burthen heauier than Aetna his affliction more fiercer than may bee imagined and sodainly a shower of teares burst from his eyes his heart was inflamed his thoughts troubled and the eye of reason long time obscured at last began to break foorth with inestimable brightnesse so that falling downe on his knees and thumping his wounded breast he at last in bitter termes entered into this extasie I wonder thou maker of heauen at thy workmanship thy worthines is knowne by thy workes I see that thou art iust in dealings and I desperate through my delayes I haue had a portion with
the Emperour that loued him deerely examined who had harmed him great noyse was there about the Pallace of this iniurie and no man would be knowne of it only one Knight knéeling before the Emperour certified his grace that the knight who had deserued so much in his seruice that day was wounded in the same place that he suspected it was he Robert fearing least he should be discouered began much more to play y â— Idiot putting his Cockscomb vpon the Knights head laughing which caused all y e Princes to take great delight but Emine still poynted at him if the libertie of her tongue had graunted her meanes to discouer the secrecie of her thought Robert assuredly had at that time been knowne The Emperour notwithstanding began to gather on these allegations and desirous to knowe the certaine trueth priuatly appoynted certaine Knights against the next day to the number of thirtie to attend the sayd Champion and by some meanes to cause his discouerie In this manner passed they the euening in delight till it was bed time when as the Emperour and Emperesse after order was giuen for the safetie of the Citie betooke them to their rest and the other seuerall Lords and Princes to their lodging at which time Robert and his hound entered their homely cabbin wherein meditating without closing his eyes the salt teares streamed downe his cheekes in remembrance of his sinnes in thought of his father in consideration of his countrie and now came there to his minde how for sixe yeares and mare hée had liued an abiect life vnworthie his estate the thought whereof so much abashed him that it is vnpossible to reckon vp his perplexities then called hee to minde the kinde effections of Emine and his soule bemoned that so perfect a person should haue so palpable an vnperfection now applied hée the cause thereof to the Emperours sinne accompting the virgin happie that by her want of speach escaped from many occasions of offence then recorded hee the effusion of Christian bloud and of méere compassion in middest of that thought hee wept most bitterly when the poore kinde beast licked vp his teares In this sort spent he the night in consideration of many thinges and in conclusion of the aduenture of his life for the sâ—fetie of Christendome whilest the approach of the morning called each one from his â—ouch and the warning Trompet called out to the fight their went euery one to arme him and after they had heard the diuine seruice taken some refection prepared themselues vnto the fight In the Souldans Camp all were farre otherwise for y â— losse they receaued y â— day before enâ—enomed their harts and made them more vigorous vnto reuenge each one resolued with this Camarado to subdue or dye to conquer or be confounded In their lookes were shadowed their tyrannies and in their hast their hardinesse Scarcely were the allarms sounded on both sides but the enemy gaue the charge and the Souldan inflamed with loue and inraged with furie sought by all meanes possible to confound his aduersaries On euery side were heard the gronings of wounded men some hauing lost their armes some their legs the sonne oftentimes was trampled vnder the horsse féete of his father and in these common miseries nature her selfe stoode amazed to behold the Massacres The Souldan which way soeuer he trauailed ouerthrew his resistants the Emperour was by him vnhorssed and wounded and had not Pepin and Charles of Burgundie rescued him at that time actum esset de imperio Certaine men that were lightly wounded brought no lesse astonishment into the Citie than was in the battaile for they aggrauated the discomfiture farre more than it was reporting that the Emperour was vnrecouerably distressed Robert hearting of these rumors hasted to the Recluse his soule groaned within him and zeale ouercame him so that after some deuout prayers accompanyed with remorsefull teares he mounted on horsseback and hauing taken his armes he so valiantly and furiously entered the fight that those who beheld him thought that some tempest had bin stirred vp and some whirlewind issued from the Citie in his furie he tooke no regard of person murthering whomesoeuer he incountered scarce could his horsse stirre himselfe for the multitude of dead men that fell before him such of the Christians as fled out of the battaile before his entrance returned vehemently so that the conflict was renewed with such vigor as the heauens in vehement showers seemed to be weepe the murther The Emperour beyond all expectation shewed himselfe valiant and approching the place where the Norman Prince fought he cryed out for extreame ioy Oh hope of Christendome thou flowre of chiualrie thou anchor of mine Empire the heauens requite thee see how old in yeares my person shall accompany thee how forward I will fight and inforce thy selfe the more to preuent the desolation of yond Citie Robert quickned with his words departed as if he vnderstood him not and meeting with the Souldan gaue him such a stroke on the helmet that his horsse fell vnto the ground and he himselfe was wonderfully amazed The whole band of the Mamelucks seeking to withstand him were either dissipated or destroyed and be that thought to gaine y e chiefest triumph enacted the choicest tragedie in briefe as the tender blossoms new apparraâ—led by nature issuing from their stalks as new borne creatures vpon the violent breath of a Northren wind are depriued of their beawtie and decayed in their blossome so the Pagans beholding the forwardnes of the assaylant and the feeblenesse of their assembly fled away both carelesse of their weale and recurelesse in their wrack Robert seeing the euening approching on the Christians prowd with victorie the pursuite hote the flight hastie sodainely withdrewe himselfe for the gentle Westerne winde a kind louemate of the euentide began with curteous breathings to asswage his ouergrowne wearinesse the sunne in the East set in his scarlet rednesse pretending the beawtie of the succeeding day or the windynes of the following night for which cause dreading to be be â—cried and desirous to escape ascribing all glory to heauens and not vnto his hand he sodainly departed leauing the Christians to pursue that with swiftnesse which he had compassed by his sword but whilst he seeketh to auoyd the furie of his enemie he is readie to perish through the meanes of amitie for the thirtie chosen Knightes appointed by the Emperour to descrie him at such time as he forsooke the battaile followed him hastelie and couching their Launces all at once on sodayne assayled him he seeing so many attempting him at once turned his horsse resoluing to endure the hazard but finding their armes to be Christian he spurred his horsse detesting vtterly to come in knowledge the pursuite was hote the flight seruent the followers in despayre the flyer determined how often smiled Robert to himselfe knowing that he fled before he feared how often feared they to touch him that fled from them
in briefe some one better horssed than the other seeing that the hazard of their credits depended on their knowledge hauing the swiftest Horsse pursued the Norman Prince and so egerly indeuored that he gaue him a deepe wound in the thygh and sodaynely returned to his companyons knowing that the bitternesse of the same and the eagernesse of his griefe would soonest disclose the obscuritie of the sufferer And now began the night to giue freedome to the afflicted and Robert meanes of escape who arriuing at the Hospitall of the Recluse set vp his Horsse bâ—und vp hys woundes and in his Idiotlie habbit entered the Court. Emine that had seene the battaile could hardlie contayne her selfe entertayning the supposed Ideot with many solemnities beeing onely priuie with the holie man to his ordinarie rescouses Often did she offer in signes to shewe he was wounded but Robert so cunningly concealed his agonyes as the world could not discerne his greeuaunce In conclusion the day closing vp the daungers were manyfest the Christians had the vpper hande the Pagans were discomfited and the Emperour returning in tryumph vnto his Court was solemnelye receyued with Procession and euery valiant Prince entertayned also with publique applaudings In the Pallace was prepared a most sumptuous Banquet aud such Bonefiers and beneuolence was bestowed in the Citie as if the Emperour had been but newly established After such as were wounded were with comfortable Oyles and Medicines reuiued they set them downe to Supper yeelding to almightye GOD most hartye thanks for their so forâ—unate victorye passing away the night in such mirth and iollicie as if they had at that tyme solemnised some Festiuall The Emperours Treasurie was opened and benefites were employed on euery side with great bountie the Io Peaâ—s of triumph resounded in all places and amongst the rest a braue Poet yet deuout after the solemne harmony of Musick presented this Hymne Eurilochus Hymne WHen wastfull warres fruites of afflicting time Haue left our soyle deuoyde of all suspence When barraine hope the flowre of earthly Prime Perceiues that grace exceedeth mans offence What may we worke or what may man pretend Whereof to God he not ascribes the end Our dull and fruitlesse fruites of fleeting earth Are sinfull like our selues that them suppose Sinnes haruest neuer failes but grace hath dearth Oh how contrarious mortall men are those That ground on this that God hath griefes withstood And yet from God acknowledge not the good All Empires are exchanged and changing thriue Yet only God is cause of euery change Estranged the men that were from men aliue Affections thus still liue by being strange In changes yet since God alone directs He makes a change from grace who so neglects In colours thus we compasse mickle worth All senselesse in suppose thus sense we vse Great Princes grace from secrets wendeth foorth Which proffered some accept and some refuse Let those who tast the fruites commend the tree This I from God and God hath taught it mee And besides all these reuelings Robert notwithstanding his wounds was in apparance maruellous pleasant for neyther the greeuousnesse of his sinne nor the greatnesse of his misfortune could alter his delights in this publike reioyce He made prettie skirmiâ—hes with his hound and after he had attayned the conquest seemed in choller to leade the kinde creature in his leash Now began he in signes to discipher his sollace presenting the Emperour with Palme bowes in stead of victorie and peace and with an Oliue Garland in token of a Conquerour which gaue the Monarck mightie occasion of reioyce but the Monarck after his minde had for a while béen detayned with pleasure in midst of his thought of victorie began to enquire of him who was the occasion of his victorie and conferring with his Princes he resolued himselfe by their counsayles in what manner he might requite his curtesies then calling vnto him the thirtie Knights he questioned with them about him who could no otherwise informe him but that through the swiftnesse of his Horsse he escaped from them and was by one of them wounded in the thigh by which meanes they thought he should onely be knowne and by no other this made the Emperour amazed considering his voluntarie obscuritie and great desert but Emine still poynted at Robert Emine still intimated Robert some suspected this man some that man To be short in that Christendome had béen saued and Rome preserued by his meaâ—es by common consent it was ordered and the next day most solemnly proclaymed that he who had so well deserued of the Common weale if leauing his voluntarie obscuritie he would bring foorth his white horsse and armour and shew the wound that was inflicted him in the last combaâ—e he should inrecompence of his good deserts towards Christendome be made heâ—re apparant to the Empire and receyue in Marriage faire Emine the daughter of the Emperour This being thus concluded Emine seemed to reioyce and imbraced Robert in open assembly mouing hir Father and Mother thereby to 〈◊〉 admiration Each one thorough the Court began to descant vpon this euent and the whole Citie was sodainely stiled with the rumor At last the houre of midnight approched whereby the wâ—erie trauailed Princes were called to rest and Robert agreeued with his wound layd him downe in his Cabban and the â—ound supplying the office of a Surgeon licked vp the clotted bâ—oud of his wound How meruailously the Souldan was discontented after his ouerthrow with the tidings that was brought him as touching the Proclamation BUt where the Emperour sollaced for victorie the Souldan sorrowed in that he was vanquished and entering his royall tent altogether discontent he began to exclaime on the destenies to complaine of his desaster to expostulate with loue to repeate of his losse yea so was his hart â—urthened with incessant griefes his mind broken with remedilesse grudges that from a reasonable man he became inraged Alasse sayd he preposterous and iniurious â—ortune the variable goddesse of human estates and the 〈…〉 of worldly stabilitie thou temperest the indignities of those that trust thee not and ouerturnest the dignities of those that tempt thee not Thou hast made me who whilome might comparâ— for felicitie with Caesar complaine my misfortunes with Sertorius I am bereft of delight banished from loue and is not this misrrie I am robbed of my friends reuiled of my foes and is not this martyrdome Oh that I had béen buried in my Cradle or bereft of thy crueltie or thou hadst béen more câ—nstant or I more 〈◊〉 Worldy misâ—ries haue their medicines discontents are â—elieued by counsailes wants and decayes by works aâ—d diligence reproofes by patience in complections all contrarie humors haue their helps Anticira purgeth Melancholy Rubarbe Chollâ—r Scency Flegme Woundes haue their 〈…〉 philosophy to helpe it but loue the 〈…〉 the determined pestilenâ—e of 〈…〉 poyson of the hart 〈◊〉 vnconquered 〈◊〉 of the soule that hath no Antidotes to preuent nor electâ—aries to comfort nor