where my men attended me vnknowing but that I was yet in bed because in the morning at my departure I had firmed my chamber doore and was issued without the knowledge of any one for euery man slept soundly Being thus returned to the Pallace after I had declared to my men who and what Alector was all of them receiued him with great ioy with admiration of his beautie and good grace dooing to him most great honor and reuerence yea more than to my selfe as many doo rather worship the Sunne rising than going down for the which I was neither sorie nor enuions for his great beautie vertue and honestie did well merit it hereupon the tables were couered and wee went to dinner most gorgiously And amongst other communications which were held at the table Alector declared to me the great grief that Priscaraxe had of my long tarrying and of the earnest desire which shee had of my returne for the accomplishing whereof she most affectuously required me by him which he also on his part most earnestly desired saying that hee had promised and sworne to the Quéene his Mother neuer to returne againe to her vnles he brought me with him beséeching me with humble reuerence to doo him the fauor to satisfie his promises Wherefore I who was no lesse affectionated towards the Mother and Sonne than they towards me deliberated and made him promise assuredly to depart the next day and for that cause I commanded my men to trusse vp harnesse and baggage to appoint and make readie my good horse Durat which they did with great and good diligence The whiles I and Alector went to take leaue of the King of Tangut rendering him thanks for his hospitalitie who on the contrarie thanked vs of the good succor which I and my people had done him with our great Hippopotame against a horrible monster of the Sea called Trolual so great as a little Isle in the Sea or a great mountaine on the earth who at euerie ful moone would cast himself into the hauens ports and créekes deuouring and destroying all that he met and swallowing vp men women and children aliue yea horses kine and other beasts This monster Trolual séeing our great Hippopotame going vpon the Sea and we mounted vppon him thrusting and breaking the waues before him lanched himself with terrible impetuositie against vs and our great horse where he thought to haue had aboundant pray but he found mauchat maurat or maurat mauchat A Prouerbe in France when one meeteth with his match for our Hippopotame who is the most hurtfull creature and greatest dooer of harme in all the world when he is puised thereto with violence as the Trolual opened his mouth so large as the arch of a gate to haue swallowed him vp and vs therewith hee caught him with his two great teeth before by the lip in raysing him out of the water so high as we were wherby presently I thrust my launce into his throate with the poynt sticking fastning in his roofe and the great end planted in his iawe belowe so as the monster found himselfe fast in the téeth of mine Hippopotame gagged with the launce and not able to shut his mouth for the paine of the yron piercing his sensible parts the which one of my men called Cetophon apperceiuing with a merueilous hardines and readines with his naked sword in his hand leaped into the deapth of the monsters throate so far that he found out his verie entrailes and heart which he hurt and wounded with so many blowes of his sword that he might féele the monster weakened wherefore sodainely he retired himselfe out of this monsterous body and rendred himselfe to vs againe The horse Durat in the meane while flinging with his féete and training with his téeth this monster vnto the shore who through anguish of death beating the water with his tayle had like a tempest moued and disquieted all the Sea boyling and dyed with the aboundance of bloud which hee shed so as three stades round about it séemed to bee the red sea betweene Arabia and Aethiopia when we were arriued at the shore Durat let goe the monster Trolual vppon the sands whome by reason of his waight hee could no longer draw because his life was fayled and through dead to the great Ioy of all the people dwelling about the Sea coasts And this was the cause why the King of Tangut and all his people rendred vs so many thankes with most rich and houourable presents This selfe same euening Alector stirred vp with a most ardent desire and impatience of longer tarrying with most earnest expostulation humbly prayed me for the first request of the Son to his Father that if I loued him at the selfe same houre I should make him Knight which I as one that could not refuse to do any thing for him easily yelded to his request for the accomplishment whereof going about to speake the solemne words and to lift vp mine arme to giue him the accolade all humaiue puissance failed me as though I had had the paisie of tongue arme and all the parts of my bodie and when Aleft off my puissance and force came againe to mee and as I would haue proued to reiterate the same twise or thrise so often this paisey came vpon me whereby I coniectured that either the time serued not thereunto or ets that I was not he ordained of the heauens that should giue Alector the order of Knighthood And therefore for that time I left off to make any more proofe deferring it till another time and place to my great shame and no lesse sorrowe of Alector in this fearefull confusion all of vs went to rest and the next day wée mounted vppon the great horse Hippopotame betaking our selues to the high Teptentrionall Seas where Durat stretched out his large stoating feete and reared his wings carrying vs away so lightly that he rather seemed to flye that goe Whereof Alector who neuer had ridden ouer the fishes was so much 〈◊〉 and glad as cóuld bee wherefore through great desire of discouering the furthest part of the immensall space of the Seas like a young greedy and nimble youth as he was he mounted now goe I 〈◊〉 my mortall griefes hee mounted alas hee mounted to the top of one of the wings of my horse Duraâ— armed alwaies with his sword and shield which hee would neuer abandone And as hee was perched in the highest beholding on the one side the mountaines of the region of Bator and the hils Anubies which seemed to flye from vs and on the other side the great Seas without bottome or shore and I feaâ—ing least he should fall called on him to descend But behold alas beholde a strong winde arose from the Hyperborian parts or rather a strong Steay and wicked trouble some spirit who taking him by the shield eleuated into the ayre my deer Soune Alector crying from the ayrie Region so loude as he could helpe 〈◊〉 my
it a long time as one which he had somewhat knowne to haue pulled out of the body of Noëmia demanded what arrowe it was And what hee should doo with it To whome it was answered that it was the same arrowe wherewith Noëmia was staine and that he should doo with it as the fencer dooth in the Sands Then cried he with a loude voyce to all the assistance if there were any that would challenge it against him But no man answered word Wherefore hee fastned it vnder his girdle and sayd Now my Lords let vs go when it pleaseth you séeing I haue mine armes I am ready to fight against this dragon and publique enemie and to reuenge the priuat iniurie of murther if the traytor may be found Then the Potentate sent foure trumpets through all the streats of the towne to crie and publish to the people that at noone a hardie and valiant champion should fight with the Dragon of the sands in hazard and perill of his lift for the publique wealth and expition of certaine manslaughter by him perpetrated and by his cause happened and for that cause who soeuer would should come and sée it At this crie all the Citizens prepared themselues to go sée this dilectable and profitable spectacle where were founde a greater number of people than euer were at the sands for out assemblie To which place Alector was conducted by 400. Souldiers deputed to guarde and esose the steld at this tumult Franc-Gal and the Archier who after dinner sat at the windowes of the great hall looking into the streat were moued to demand what it was and hauing vnderstood the cause determined to goe thether albeit the Archier was not after times found at such sports neuerthelesse he was enuites to goe in hope to see the reuelation come to passe which was showed to him of the publique health As for Franc-Gal he was come thether for none other cause but onely to finde his Sonne at the Sands of the Theatre according as the black Auguring bird had foretold him So went these two wisemen together to this new spectacle A description of the Citie of Orbe of the Basilique Hyppodrome Prytan Theatre Sands and other places CAP. XXIIII THe Citie of Orbe was so called for the round forme and fashion of the same scituated vpon a little high mountaine yet neuertheles verie large in halfe roundnes like to a demie Globe in such sort as the mids was the highest most prospectiue castilie descouering round abouts and descending not headlong but by little litttle pleasantly going downeward in such sort as neither mounting nor descending one could scarce apperceiue the eleuation of the mids nor vneuenes of the sids so easily descended it vnto the outwardmost walls wherewith it was enclosed in perfect circularitie founded and builded of the hard stones of the Rock of the hight of 30. fadomes and of the thicknes of thrée ramped with 19. grosse bulwarks with their knights and false loope holes and garnished with towers and places of sentinells and enuironed in stead of ditches with a great riner called Cloterre carrying great vessells charged and laden with all sorts of merchandise comming from al the parts of the world For they entred and went out of the Citie of Orbe by foure principall ports the one orientall called Port Physe another occidentall called Port Thane the third meridionall called Port Valentine and the last Septentrionall called Port Passante and looke how many gates it had so many bridges it had that is to say the little bridge the bridge without guarde the bruting bridge and the trembling bridge through and ouer which ports and bridge they entred and issued into the citie or stelds there abouts for they had no suburbs the territory of which fields conteined a great countrey in compasse deuided into foure regions according to the particion and ports of the Citie but of far different qualitie temperature For in the territorie appertaining to Port Physe the ayre was swéet by reason of Zephyrus comming from the west and tendring his last breath in this east wardly region the hearbs plants and trées were alwaies in flower gréennes the people were gracious and louing contented with a little not dooing much other thing but dance leap gamball run sing pipe and play vpon instruments court contract marriages or to aduance them or borrowe for the time to come to compose ballads songs sonnets rounds to search nouelties to chase beasts and sowles to fish and to cloth themselues in colours and to mainetaine theÌ„selues without care or thought for they were all of them either infants boyes or yong folke of the one and the other seye â—…nd when they had passed their youth they made their transmigration into the territory of Port Valentine which was meridionall of a hot ayre inspired with the southerne or Etesian winds And in the region of this gate grew aboundance of fruites of the trée as also grasse pasturing with wheate and other corne of all sorts In such sort that on that side the port one could sée nothing but mowers hay-makers reapers haruest folk fruicterers merchants trauellers trafficquers men of armes running at tilt Philosophers disputing and vsurers lending vpon reuenew of the fruites to come there might one behold store of cattell in the stelds aboundance of bées butter flyes and emmits and albeit the region was very hot and drie yet the people so much the more refreshed themselues with the fayre flaggons cooled in the cléere and niueall fountaines From thence they passed to the Septentrionall Port Passant where the ayre was diuers vnconstant cloudie cold moyst and troubled with contrarie winds for the rest a good countrey verie cultine yelding peaches grapes nuts filberds where one could sée nothing but gathering of grapes pressing of wines tunning them laying theÌ„ into the cartes neuerthelesse the people of this countrey were almost al grey The other region of Port Thane subiect to the cutting westerne winds was very sterile and barraine sauing that there was great store of fat cattaile wildfoule and venison this was the territorie where the greatest there was kept neuerthelesse commonly in close houses where they kept their banquets marriages and mummeries There killed they continually store of hogs and shotes making therof sauciges chitterlings and puddings whereof as also of other things they sent presents newyeares gifts one to another for their entertainement in mutuall loue and friendship and in this soils ordinarily dwelt the old men who after they had serued God in the morning passed the rest of the day in drinking warming talking playing at cards at glit primero and flux or els with the tables at checker dames lourch and tictat Such were the foure ports and foure finages of the Citie of Orbe where the inhabitants by the ordinance of the Magistrates of the towne passed all the yeare and made their transmigration from one port and region to another for if they were wearie of
fuerie of so villanous a shot that forgetting himselfe and the present perill wherein he was by ardant desire of reuenge and to recounter the murthering shooter and slayer of his Noëmia came out of his fort throwing himselfe like a wounded Lyon through the midst of the multitude breaking the preace beating downe all before him and with his strong shield repulsing all that he met furiously cried out Traiterous Archer murtherer o' Maidens where arte thou Why presentest thou not thy selfe before me Thou leaud coward and traitor to the end I may accompanie the most vnworthie of death that euer liued or that I may fill my selfe of reuenge with the cleerest of thy bloud Cruell Tiger lurking Serpent coward and wicked Crocadile that without offence hast giuen death to the liueliest vertue and after fliest away like a waspe leauing her venemous sting behinde her darest thou present thy selfe vnto mee So went Alector crying and furiously threatning striking and abating downe of men that no man how hardie soeuer he were durst stand against him vnlesse he ment to be slaine But whiles through desperate rage he layed so about him at randon striking vpon those whome were before him and taking no regarde to those who followed him soddainely hee founde himselfe assailed with sixe puissant men who by maine force toke from him his shield and so consequently one parte of his hardines and albeit hee made much resistance to the great hurt of his enemies yet neuerthelesse the multitude so oppressed and ouer charged him that his sworde fell out of his hand the which one of the brothers Gratians tooke vp with the shield So was Alector taken and led by force of people to the Potentate gouernour of the towne and chiefe Iustice called Diocles who seeing this faire young man of such a liberall countenance to bee accused by so many voyces speaking against him the one accusing him of Rape another of Treason another of fornication and others of many murthers To all which accusations he answered nothing neither demanded any thing but the death to accompanie his most deere and wofull Noëmia would not giue iudgemēt headlong but dooing the duetie of a Potentate like a most wise man knowing all these people to be passionated the one partie with furie and appetite of reuenge and the other with desperation griefe sorrowe enuie and contempt of life aduised himselfe to let both parties coole vntill the next morning when by their cold blood they might retourne to reason and their right sense whereupon adressing his speeche vnto the tumultuous people and chiefely to the two brothers complainants hee spake in this manner Lordes Gratians to morrow the parties being heard I will shew you right Meane while returne your selues in peace and I will keepe the offendor in sure custodie This saide they all retired themselues euill content enough Alector was then committed to the keeping and custodie of the Capitaine Palatine and the others departed to goe burie their dead amongst whome the foresaide faire Noëmia was founde slaine and buried with great lamentation of her brothers according to the vse of the countrie euen in the same place where she was slaine hard vnder the foresaid piller of the graces for the excellent giftes of spirite and bodie that in her life time beyond fortune they had ennobled her withall and in the stone was ingrauen this Epitaph Lo here Noëmia faire that constant Maide doth lie before these Graces who bewaile her want of breath That for Alectors sake her stedfast faith to trie hath felt the stroke of loue and dint of cruell death Of the accusation and processe against Alector and of his defence CAP. 2. THE next daie the Lorde Diocles Potentate and chiefe Iustice of Orbe sitting vpon the Tribunall seate in the great Basilicq caused to appeare and come before him the Gratian Lords complaināts and the Squire Alector defendant to vnderstand iudge of the commotion and slaughter happened by their cause in the assistance of all the Maiestrates Orders and Estates of the Citie of Orbe and of the greater part of the people there assembled and gathered together by reason of the case so new strange and of so terrible example The two brothers Gratians clothed in long garments of mourning cullour with visages sad and withered either for verie sorrowe or els by artificial cunning of some sulphurian smoke For oftentimes an Hegers mournefull cheere Through fained shewe dooth proue a laughter meere with shauen beardes haires rent and torne implored Iustice against Alector being there present a stranger a spie a foyler of maidenly beds a violator of hospitalitie a raptor of virginitie a theefe and breaker vp of noble houses a troubler of publique peace and a bloodie murtherer Declaring that at the perswasion of their late deceassed sister Noëmia Gratian a gracious maiden more peraduenture than was expedient for him vpon the recite of certaine valiant feates of Armes vnknowing whether they were truely or falsely giuen out they had receiued him into their house alwaies held noble of all antiquitie and estéemed a house of honour This fained and masqued Gentleman who vnder colour of a certaine courtlike ciuilitie wherein he seemed to haue been trained vp and by the allurement of a certaine beautiful youth in him by the giftes of nature shining had corrupted the good nurture manners of their sister being a simple and yong maiden and the best estéemed of this age and had tempted her honestie euen vnto the entring into her priute chamber at vnlawfull houres in the night abiding there the whole night alone with her wherby may be iudged the rest where after that by reuelation of some domestical and faithful seruants hee was discouered by breaking vp the dores he by fraction of the hospital lodging villainously violated polluted was leapt downe through a windowe into the lower court where againe hee hath committed many murthers aswell vpon the domestical seruants friends and familiers come to their succour as of their proper parents and alies yea and that hee had wickedly and cursedly slaine the yongest of the brothers Gratians and for that cause their so amiable sister by rage of furious loue had so lost her senses that she was come miserablie to be slaine in his armes neither was it knowne by whome vnlesse by himselfe who by holding her imbraced had slaine her as it is very likely And thereupon demaunded iustice to be giuen them aswel for the priuate interest of the persons of their brother sister parents friends and domesticall seruants as also for publique example of other such like disturbers of their publique peace stirers of ciuill discorde and corupters of good manners Concluding him to be worthie of the most ignominious death that could be adiudged The most wise and iust Potentate Diocles hauing in great and attentiue silence heard and vnderstood the action and complaint of the brothers Gratians only with his left eare and hauing alwaies held his right eare stopped with the palme
to shewe thee to morrowe him whom thou demandest Then Franc-Gall reuiuing out of his deep thought cast out a great sigh saying And shall I then finde Alector carried away by the winds which can not be folowed Yea but I shall neuer see him againe for which I must die and ende my peregrination rendring the fire the light and vigor of my life to him of whom I haue receiued it by a termination of life which is called death most terrible and fearefull of all things the which is neere and imminent to me as I see and perceiue in my selfe For to euerie man is giuen diuinelie to foresee that which is to come thieflie when he approacheth to the ende of his life when the spirit is more nigh himselfe and lesse wrapped in terrestriall things whereby hee seeth and vnderstandeth more cleetelie and purelie for such is the wil of the diuine prouidence to the ende man be not taken vnprouided and die beastlie Art thou then God quoth the Archier to knowe the things which are to come God I am not quoth hee but man to whom God hath giuen long life experience science of the starres interpretation of auguries and knowledge of my nigh ende as the diuine Fates haue ordemed my spirite prognosticated the oracles foreshowen me and the Prophecies foretolde me What other thing did the dreame of my heart carried away by the flying Basitisque presage me the oracle of the marinall man Proteus foretelling my departure without returne the vision of the wicked crowe at Tangut of the stockdoue of the crane and of the vultur the rauen resting vppon my head the mortall threatning of the spirite of Gallehault the song of this lost blacke bird Now see I wel then my fatal hower to be instane and that I must away let vs therefore O Archier my friend be going and conduct me according to thy promise to the Sands of Orbe where I shall finde my life my death or both And so they put themselues vpon the way the page of Franc-Gall following them And in going the Archier who by signes and coniectures but chieflie by the nightly reuelation and diuiue commanundement to come and finde this stranger preseruer of his life knewe well the next day to showe him the faire Squire combattor of the Serpent to present him for his sonne that he might knowe more cokens of the matter thus began his speach The deuise of the two olde men Croniel and Franc-Gall held vpon the waie going towards the Citie of Orbe CAP. 6. O Stranger my friend quoth the Archier thou speakest so obscurelie and thy talke so entermingled with destomachall sobbes deepe sighes and sodaine mutations with confusion and mingling together of Prophecies Fates Oracles and Miracles that I cannot well vnderstand the discourse of thy farre and vagrant peregrination searching thy sonne whom thou callest Alector carried away if it be credible by the windes vnlesse thou bring foorth the beginning first causes of this aduenture when and in what place how thou hast lost thy Sonne what he is and what thou art of what Nation and qualitie for to my iudgement thou séemest not to bee a man of seruile or base condition but rather a franke and liberall Gentleman as full well thou hast giuen mee to vnderstand at our first méeting wherefore I beséech thee of curtesie disdaine not to reckon vnto me thy fortune and thy déere Sonne Alectors from the beginning to the ende cleerly and patiently without confusion or interruption of coÌ„plaints That quoth Franc-Gall can I not well doo my friend Archier for as from the aier moued by tempest troublesome windes doo blowe great showers of raine fall and thunder claps issue euen so from a tormented heart can nought procéed but sobbes nought distill but teares nought descend but weepings and waylings Moreouer the time letteth me yea and the desire also which I haue of going to the place whereof the bird sang will not permit me to doo it vppon whose tune neuerthelesse I knowe not what to coitiecture it is so ambiguous and séemeth so conerarie in it selfe And for this cause quoth the Archicr oughtest thou lesse to â—efer the narration to me of thy facts affaires and aduentures whereof I hope to giue thee some good counsell and comfort after I shall well vnderstand them And for that the way to the Sands whereto thou pretendest to goe is not so short as peraduenture it seemeth to be but long enough from hence as I may tell thée for vs speciallie who are alreadie olde and heauie by age or rather destitute of the liuelie firâ— which heretofore hath susteined vs quicke and nimble who now goe grauely and heauely the length of the time and way will suffice thée to reckon and me to giue care to thy former fortunes whereof as God loue me I haue dolour and compassion with thee for beeing a man I estéeme no humane thing but that it may touch me I heartely thanke thée of thine humanitie quoth Franc-Gall but by how much thy compassion shuld be consolatorie vnto me by so much should the commemoration thereof be â—oiefull and therefore it is better for mée with science to kéepe my profound dolour in my transpierced heart than by vttering my misaduentures to renue my former griefes No no quoth the Archier thou must not doo so but to the concrarie solace thy beauie heart by reuealing thy griefe to him who without feeling it will lighten thée of the one haife yea peraduenture of the whole And therefore discharge thy bodie of thy harnesse and mantle by giuing it to thy page and thy hart of thy passions by communicating of them to me being a stranger yet notwithstanding a man and so shalt thou doo thy selfe pleasure and accomplish my desire and thou eke by accompting it and I by the hearing thereof shal abbridge and shorten the length of our waye and forget our wearinesse for as the common prouerbe goeth In trauell talke without reproach Is better than a tottering coach Ha old companion quoth Franc-Gal I feele that alreadie to be true in me which thou hast said for thy humaine speaches do inuite me to ease my heart in vomiting the remembraunce of my diuers aduentures as well good as euill with my present deliberations the sweete conceipts of my hope to come which among other things doo promise comfort and counsell of thee And therefore now will I take as great solace and pleasure to discouer to thee my fortunes as thou hast had curious desire to enquire them of me hearken therefore as wee goe leasurely and thou shalt heare meruailes Begin then peaceablie quoth the Archier and I will willingly giue attentiue heede therevnto Then Franc-Gal put off his purple mantle whose cape was of cloath of golde enriched with a great and celestiall Saphir and tooke off from his necke his shield carrying vpon Azure a Sonne of golde his helmet from his head whereof onely before he had but lifted
or well right deepe where in the middest of the darknesse by a little glittering of a sulphurian light I perceiued the depth of this round Tower abased euen from the superficialitie of the earth vnto the point centrique or centure of the same and below a Barathre or eternall prison where by the infernall obscuritie I could see nothing but darknesse dispearsed vpon the face of the depths but well might I heare horrible cries fearefull hurlings mingled with plaints groanes like to men tormented and furious enraged beasts fighting amongst themselues throwing and biting one another in extreame rage Whereuppon through great feare I leaped out afright so rudely that I mounted out into the cleare light where the forenamed white bird which in truth was my Calodaimon came and tooke me demaunding me saying Franc-Gal hast thou seene that which thou desirest Yea yea quoth I and heard fearfull cries which caused me to retire but I knewe not what it should be vnlesse it be the eternal prison of the wicked Giants Triphon and Briaro with their complices and followers who were not afraide to set themselues against the Soueraigne vpon whome being cast downe and desolated the mountaines great rockes which are the foundations of the auncient Tower which thou didst behold haue been throwen the which oftentimes they shake cause to tremble by the impatience of intollerable paines in shaking sometimes the foundations by the aboundaunce of water cast and throwen out by their conduct and other whiles by the impetuositie of the windes comming from their despitefull sighings sometime by the violence of the fire coÌ„ming out of their throat and by the inflamed vapor of forceable ire and outragious wrath Neuerthelesse for all their forces they shall neuer bring it to ruine nor cast it downe neither shall they be discharged or come out of this tenebrous prison vnlesse the infinite bountie of the vanquisher surmount the obstinate mallice of the vanquished who neither hope nor desire it but obstinately please themselues with their paines as the cursed serpents feede themselues with their owne venime and therefore let vs leaue them in their eternall miseries In saying thus he carried me vp so high that hauing the elements and planets vnder my feete I found my selfe aboue the Towre wherein I beheld in great sublimitie vpon the pomell of the top thereof this olde Ladie which my Calodaimon tolde mee was Anange mother of the three Sisters and hauing intentiuely considered her estate and puissance in a moment I descended into my bodie béeing come to my selfe I remembred well the meruailous things that I had séene and such as I haue accompted to thée in truth That which thou hast accompted quoth the Archier is wonderfull yet neuerthelesse séeming true and credible in mine opinion for me verie same or the like not long since hath béen heard of in this Region by a meruailous and supernaturall aduenture What is that I pray thée quoth Franc-Gall that I I passe no 〈◊〉 in my narration before I haue vnderstood of thée the example seruing for the coÌ„firmation of my speach which will cause thée more easilie to giue credit to the rest Therefore I beseech thée to tell it me and I will giue thée good audience I am â—…ght well content quoth the Archier so that the whiles thou remember the point where thou leauest of the olde Ladie Anange sitting vpon the pomell of the Tower and therefore now take thy rest a while and I by maner of interlecutorie respiration will reckon to thee a thing conuenient to the narration of thy ectasticall vision and rauishment of thy spirite to the depth and top of the Tower Of the loue of Mammon towards the saire Ladie Thanais of her ensircement poysoning and death CAP. 8. IN the prime of my youth about 470. yeres passed I being of the age of knowledge as it were 49. yeres there came into these parts an vnknowen man ill shaped and blacke like to an Aethiopian neuerthelesse verie rich in siluer golde precious stones and other mettalls for the rest of a great and subtill spirite and excéeding well learned in euerie science farre aboue all other that he met This man hauing taken his dwelling in the Citie of Orbe whereto we are now going and there by reason of the store of money that he possessed and for that the Towne by meanes of the Sea néere adiacent and of the riuers ports and passages thereto adioyning is very commodious for a place of merchandize he helde and hore the state of a merchant Banquer Of what merchandize quoth Franc-Gall made he his traffique He was said the Archier a temporall merchant for he sold for time by compt and measure So this temporall Merchant called Mammon holding a famous Banque in Orbe became amorous of a right faire and most renowned Maiden of one of the richest and noblest houses in the Citie which Maiden was called Thanais This faire Mammon beeing thus taken with the loue of Thanais began to court her euill fauouredlie enough and more imperiously than graciously by vanting of himselfe ostentation of his great riches and cunning and with dispraysing and blaming of all others chiefly of the vertuous besides that he sought to allure her by rich gifts presents of golde of gemmes rings and iewels although by nature he was verie couetous but aboue all with most faire and ample promises But the Maiden to whome these proud brauados were intollerable and who had perhaps lodged her heart in some higher place reiected all his presents refused his offers shunned his encountrie would giue no eare to his proud words as one whom she hated as much as he desired her both for his improbous and vngracious behauiour for his displeasant gesture Wherevpon beeing aduertised by one of her Morian slaues that she was accustomed euerie morning so soone as she rose to goe halfe vncloathed with her haire hanging down to take the aire in the garden to refresh and wash her selfe and visage in the siluered streames of the fountaine which ranue through the same he for a certaine péere of money promise of redemption out of bondage and setting at libertie of this her Morian slaue was by her let in to the garden where he hid himselfe in a thicke Arbour till the morning that his desired Thanais should come who according to her accustomed manner failed not Then he from his embushment seeing this faire yong creature comming couered with a single peticote of light sattin and abating the deawe with her bare féete whiter than Alabaster her fayre armes naked and beautefied with liuely whitenes being discouered her breasts borne out with two apples of yuorie or pappes of the same coulour lying open her head lightly trussed vp with a faire white kerchiefe of fine linnen behind the which one might behold her golden haires whereof one part vntrussed hong downe ouer her necke shoulders and another part frisseled and curled descended wauing
Pilgrimes which would ascend vp to the souereigne Temple whereunto the waye was verie difficile by reason of the obscure pathes verie hard to be kept without conduct and light going before For which cause these thrée fatall Sisters were there constituted in that office to furnish the Pilgrimes trauellers with cierges aswell to lighten them in the waye wherein they are to walke as also to offer their oblations to God in the souereigne Temple And they gaue and distributed them not after one fashion but after diuers sorts euen as by fortune or rather by secret ordinance they came to their hands some being great and long some lesse and others verie small The first fatall Sister resident in the inferior Stage gaue to euerie one his cierge the second lightened them and the third finally put them out either before or after they were offered vp Now these fatall cierges were like the Brand of Meleager and in them consisted the life and death of those who receiued them and they carried them with such determination that so long as they burned and gaue light the person carrying them liued and incontinentlie so soone as by the office of Termaine they were put out at the same instant ended the corporall life of those who carried them For by the ordinance of Anange it was necessarie that once they should bee extinguished either by default or violence to the end that in offering them their sauour might ascend to God who was worshipped in the ancient Temple to be receiued or reiected good or euill according to the matter whereof they were made and according as they had béen vsed and handled honestly and purely or foiled broken or polluted filthelie and villainouslie And none or verie few were offered at the sacrifice during their liuely light but necessarily they must be by the three fatall Sisters extinguished either in default of matter or violent accident And yet neuertheles after they wer once lightened they remained in the arbitriall conduct enterteinment gouernment of those who had them in their keping with expresse defence of putting them out but constantly and clearly to carrie them vntill such time as Termaine had put her hand thereto Notwithstanding some either by enuious disdaine desperation or other euill affection would put them out before the time and spitefully cast them to the ground together with their bodies dying others would cut breake them in péeces of despite Some thinking to make them burne more clearely than their substance and wyke would permit did trouble snofe reuerse trauerse and blowe them in such sort that in a while they cōsumed them so as they endured but a short space Some others going about to stuffe annoynt grease them with olde oyles and other fat liquours thinking to make them last longer and adioyne to their first making being a thing impossible haue clean contrarie to their opinion euflamed more aboundantly and consumed more hastely rendring moreouer a smoke of most filthie sauor but contrariwise others there were who held and carried their faire cierges in a constant rightnes highly eleuated whereby they rendred light more apparant longer shining aswell to themselues as to those who went before and folowed them Others also adioyned thereunto Balme Myrrhe incense other aromaticall gummes seruing not onely to their shining but also causing them to leaue a most good and gracious smell after their putting out and sacred offering in the Temple where by the Sacrist Termaine they were extinguished and gathered together Howbeit all of them came not to the terme of receiuing in the end of their peregrination and offring of their cierges by the third fatall Sister Termaine but the greatest part failed by the way either by reason that the matter of the light was of so small durance as being of pitch rosell or terpentine or for being too little or ouer small of substance or by reason their wyke ouer grose in respect of the waxe or for that oftentimes they were violently put out by casualties hapning by the way specially by the blustering of windes by hurts and embushments of euill encountrie by raynes waters tempests other like accidents which put out the lights and so consequently kill those who carrie them because they were fatalized as hath béen showed before whereby it commeth to passe that the greatest part of the Pilgrimes perish by the way and neuer arriue at the third station of the fatall Sister Termaine noryet to the Temple to offer and present the sanour of their cierges Thus were these thrée sisters resident in thrée lodgings within this great Tower furnishing to the Pilgrimes the cierges of their conduct way and life which the first and highest presented them the second and lower lightened and the third and last put out and offered in the Temple But as the Poet diuinely singeth By fatall sort all things doo fall to ruine and decay From ill to worse and at the last consume weare away Euen so commonly it falleth out that the first munistcences are larger and more liberall than those which followe as all naturall things are best at the first So commeth it to passe that the cierges which haue béen first presented haue béen fairer longer and greater better fashioned and of better waxe and so consequently of longer indurance cléerer light Likewise the first men who receiued them were found more greater stronger like Giants as they were to carrie and eleuate them yea and more wise and apt to conduct and mainetaine them as those who knewe well that their life and death depended thereupon which they would neither dispraise despite nor haue in sorrowe but estéemed honoured and kept them right dearlie as the gift and grant of the great King of all kings in whose honour they would render it againe to him in his Temple in offer of their last voyage and to the termination of the last fatall Sister Termaine to whom all in a manner happely arriued without anie mal-encounter trouble or hurt Of the Macrobians their vertue and great age of the long lift of Franc-Gal and causes thereof CAP. 13. BUt amongst all those great light bearers the most prudent most aduised of spirite and the most strong and durable of bodie haue shewed themselues to be the blood of the Macrobians who were children of a good sage rich and noble laborer called Kamat and of a vertuous and excellent Lady and singular good Huswife called Madame Sophroisne who accompanied not themselues with rascals but on the contrarie estéemed it great honour and noblesse to employ bodie members and spirite to all honest and fruitefull labor and excerior exercise of the bodie and interior and temperate moderation of the minde And thereby haue sprung of their bloods most mightie Kings Princes and valiant Knights Cyrus the most renowmed King of Persia from them descended and tooke therein great glorie Agathocles King of Sicilia thereof vaunted The good Romaine Consull Marcus Curius thereby held himselfe honoured
they rage diuelishly lightē wherby they are called of nauigators the hils of diuels These wicked spirits retired into their Acroceranicall castles the Sea in the space of two houres being setled became so tranquil calme quiet and equall that it séemed nothing but a field of glasse sauing that on the top thereof floated the neasts of some Sea birds builded cloased and enterlaced with vigne twigs and eares of corne by such naturall architecture that with paine could a man break them with the blowes of a hatchet of such faire and artificiall building that no basketmaker or topiarie workman could fashion the like And this was in the time of the Brume about the 14. of December and wintrie Solstice when the Sunne entreth the Tropick of Capricorne wherby I knew that the birds swimming in those faire nests were called Halcyones who in this time doo build couer and hatch their yong to which birds nature hath granted thus much grace and priuiledge that for the space of 14. dayes the waters and winds séeme to obay them and in this time which is the sorest part of winter to appease their rigor and to moderate themselues in such peaceable tranquilitie that the ayre and Seas are in rest and perigrinations sure which I think to be done by a secret fauour of nature to this little bird whereat I was much ameruailed could not finde the cause for what vtilitie either of the world or of this creature the most wise Lady dame Nature was so fauorable to these little birds as in this peruerse time to giue them the tranquilitie which she refuseth to affoord vnto mē which to my thinking is vnworthily done Wherefore eleuating my cierge higher to consider the cause more metaphysicallie I supposed the cause of this tranquilitie to be the returne of the Sonne who is the most illustrate Lord and ruler of the inferiour things into the Tropick of Capricorne But as I was resoluing on this poynt behold a voyce which séemed to issue out of the mouth of my horse saying T is not as thou dost think Franc-Gal this calme quiet space Of wind and seas ordayned is in figure signe and grace Of one I mean the child of peace the high Soueraignes sonne Who in the time of quiet rest into this world must come To bring to them th' eternall peace that will receiue the same With ioy or els refuse it to their owne confused shame Ne yet is this tranquilitie in fauour or respect Of this small bird who by foresight this calme doth not neglect To close hatch her tender yong when stormy winds do cease To show that wealth doth most abound in time of rest peace Inquire therefore no higher cause ne make no more a doo But keepe thy course and take the time while time dooth serue theretoo And hereupon the voyce ceased which séemed to procéed out of the throte of my horse whereat I was sore abashed and astonished and for that cause I demanded and saide how commeth it to passe Durat and when and where hast thou learned to speake and prophecie But he answering me not one word turned his head toward the West and tooke his direct course with enlarged féet and wings hoysted vp so that within a while I arriued at the ports of Dalmace and Sclauonia in Illyrica and so passing through the vnsatiable throtes of Scilla and Charibdis alongst the coast of Messina and Rliegium I discouered the Isles of Sicilia Sardinia Corsica all the coast of Apulia Calabria Naples Italy and entred into the arme of furious Adriatieum where at that time the rich towne without land was vnfounded Venice and so passed by the coast of Lygorne and ouertooke the ports de la Luna passed by the happie Gaule Narbonnoys and from them coasted the occidēt sea Hispaignia vnto the pillers of the high mountaine Calipe and Abyle where the great Oeean Sea maketh way to passe into the Mediterrane Sea and seperateth it selfe into the great Asia the rich Aphricque and the populous Europa And in all the places where my Hyppopotame tooke land there let I him repose certaine daies and in the meane while vpon other terrestiall horses or on foote as thou séest me now if the way were not long I trauersed the countries and Mediterrane Regions visited the townes people to learne know their languages lawes manners and fashions of liuing commending them if they had wealth and helping them if they had lesse according to the wisdome which the soueraigne had giuē vnto me In recōpence wherof I returned from them loaden with honours graces riches presents substance and victuals wherewith I charged my good horse Durat for the prouision of my voyage Now as I was reposing my selfe one day arriued a messenger come towards me on the behalfe of the Quéene Priscaraxe who had followed and sought me by sea and land continually and all places demanding Franc-Gal the great old knight vpon the flying and swimming horse of whom he had heard newes in al places by euidēt tokens yet neuertheles he had erred wandred by sea two whole yéeres before he could méet me vatil such time as I arresting at Cales he had means to finde me where he presented me letters of credit sent by the Quéene Priscaraxe conteining partly that which before I haue reckoned to thée without forgeting the faire child Alector who was twise borne the maner how his suddaine grouth but aboue all things shee sent mee word how that ordinarily beholding euery day and houre the ring which I had left with her wherein was set the changeable Carbuncle oftentimes she had found it somewhat changed one while being pale another while darke another while clere shining but that in the 4. yeare of my departure the 14. of the Moneth of December which was the day wherein I was tormented in the gulfe of the Diabolicall mountaines in beholding my ring she perceiued it very pale ashy almost extinct of all the light And thereupon she had dispatched this messenger to go séeke me through all seas lands to enquire of my health well doing fortunes and to reckon to me hers such as had hapned to her since my departure requiring me right affectuously to returne shortly And for that she willed me to giue faith and credit to the words of the bearer very curiously I asked him of such things as had hapned since my departure wherto he answered me very assuredly beginning at the apparitiō of Protëus the old man of the sea of his prophecie written in the barke of a trée which he deliuered mee and is that which thou hast séene O Archier vnderstood and read Then rehearsed he me the exercises of the knights the honors duties and presents done to the Quéene her childbirth the doubble natiuitie of Alector his coronatiō nurture maners exercises and his soddaine aduancement growing Whereof I had such ioy at the heart that I could conceiue no
to sing aloud cléere in the Scythicq language Cokolostis which is to say Victorious And thereupon the Fisherman led him to his cottage and washed his wounds in warme wine and Miske with sage applying thereto leaues of the hearb Peoesne with the skin cut from the Wolfes foote which hee flead off whiles it was hot wherewith hee couered his arme so iust as though it had been a sleeue made expressy for it In the meane while an olde wife which hee had put some fish into the pot to boyle and other some vppon the gridion to roast then spread shee on the ground a large Hearts skin cut round and set thereon Barlie Bread reasonable white baked vppon a tyle with dried Raysins and Apples with Wine made of Hony and water enuiting simplie their Guest to eate and drinke whereto hee accorded most willingly as one that had neede thereof Whereupon they sat downe with their leggs a crosse about this fayre table cloth without seame where the olde wift serued them with boyled and rosted fish and with store of fruite So they eate and dranke at their ease deuising of the adueuture and how the impetuous flood had carried him vnknowing in what country hee was The Fisherman tolde him that he was at the foote of the mountaines of Armenia Then Alector demanded of him if hee knewe no newes of mee giuing him tokens of my swimming and flying horse The Fisherman tolde him that aboue two yeares passed hee had seene mounting against the riuer such a great and huge horse carrying diuers persons and other things but amongst the rest a strong great and fayre personage armed with the skins of Lyons vpon a white harnesse carrying a great shield with a Sunne of gold in a fleld of Azure and afterwards that he had vnderstood how this great man had discomfetted and ouerthrowne a great companie of theeues which robbed and spoyled the whole Region for which cause the countrey had done him great honor As touching the fact hee spake troth for in my voyage by Sea coasting the riuages all the mouthes of the Riuers which I founde I was accustomed to enter them to sée and knowe the Townes and Countries lying there about in the continent whereby it happened that passing the Persian gulph alongest Arabia and viewing the mouthes of this fayre Riuer Tygre falling into the Sea I entred into the same and so mounted against the streames And by fortune apperceiuing a Carauanne of Arabian theeues and robbers who vnder the conduct of a puissant and valtant but a wicked Knight enfested the whole Countrey In so much that hauing vnderstood the popular complaints I landed with my men whereto those théeues had likewise fainedly enuited vs to rob and spoyle vs and so set vpon this Cauaille euill harnessed company with such hardines and exployt that of a great nomber of them there remayned but fiue who saued themselues by flight and wee pursued them to Mount Caucasus where wee ouerthrew them all together with the great Knight who bearing a shield with a Cock of gold defended himselfe so long as hee could and yet neuertheles would neuer render himselfe Wherefore with a great stroak of my sword I cloue his head in twaine and then hong I vp their armes the shield aboue them all vpon an old trée which was in that place in the forme of a Trophie caused the valiant Knight to be buried at the foote therof who through obstination to my great grief had caused himself to he slaine And so for that time we purged the countrie This done one night I returned into the Persian sea by the other mouth of Tygre for it emptied it self into the sea by two mouthes the one notwithstanding not far distant from the other tooke my way towards Madagascar Zanzibar and the Isles of the Grifons Alector hearing this news of me was wonderful glad wherefore rising frō the table he thanked his host hostis for their gentlenes And for that he had found the sléeues which was made of the skin of the Wolfes leg to be very fayre and wel beséeming him for hee had his armes naked for so much as the sléeues of his coate did not couer him but were open and hanging by like a coate of armes he required the fisherman to flea the other leg for his right arme and to flea and giue him both the skins of the Wolfes which the good man most willingly performed and Alector more willingly arcepted them and thereof made fayre bardes for his horse saying that he had well merited to haue part of the spoyle for that he had béen participate of the danger and done his dutie in the fight Wherein this yong youth well declared that he was come of a franke and noble nature and birth hauing thus harnessed and barded his horse with these fayre skins of the rauening Wolfe hee mounted vpon him and tooke leaue of his hoste hauing vnderstood that I had gained the heigth he determined to follow me and to mount vp against the impetuous riuer of Tygre not by the rauishing way which had so carried him away but by the surest way of the land And rode so long by many iournies that one day at Sonne going downe he found himselfe at the foote of one side of the mount Caucasus in a plaine deuided into thrée high waies where was a place of reasonable space ample enough and in the mids a Trophie erected vpon the body and branches of a great olde and dead tree charged with all sorts of harneys Launces swords and shields In contemplation whereof Alector who had a singular pleasure in armes alighted letting his horse feede on the fayre grasse which was about the trée and with great contemplation began to behold these sorts of armes hanging vppon the Trophie of the tree But aboue all the rest his eyes following his affection were most fixed vpon one fayre and great shield made in forme of an egge and couered with a plate of brasse whereon was eleuated a Cock of gold armed and spurred with Gules in a damasked field of greene synople the Cock being raised on his tiptoes beating his wings and looking vp a loft This shield so pleased this young Alector as youth is delighted with such pleasant pictures that he concluded to take it off and carrie it away for the couerture and ornament of his body as also he would haue done the other armes but that hee fame them ouer great for the corpulence of his age as also for that he had béen aduertised that to put on harnesse before he was knighted appertained not vnto him Wherefore considering that he was but an Esquire to whome it is lawfull to carrie a shield as armes of defence and not of offence and ignorant that the Trophies are inuiolable like to Sepulchres through simple affection and desire mounted vpright on his horse and reaching as high as he could with the poynt of his sworde tooke downe the shield which
the heats of Port Valentine they went and refreshed themselues in the Ice of Port Thane and passe the time there in sedentarie playes And if they were cloyed with the mists and cold of Port Passaul they would go dance amongst the flowers of Port Physe for such power had the Citizens of the towne wherein notwithstanding it was continually temperat by reason of the concordant discord of the winds temperatures and qualities of euerie port and of his adiacent territorie the which made an equall concurrence at the closing of the towne which as hath béen beforesaide was in perfect roundnes mounting by little and little vnto the nauel or mids where was edificated the temple of Ioue before discribed in the great place where the foure great streats of the towne met being builded verie ample and large with singular fayre and magnificat edifices and trauersed with a hundred smal streats turning round and alwaies descending in leuell with the foure great streats the buildings were of such straight leuell that from the temple one might view plainely to the foure ports of the Citie and from the foure ports to the Temple Before the which was a most fayre and great fountaine of liuely siluered clere and wholsome water the spring thereof neuer defailing but yéelding foorth aboundance of water through 12. figures in manner and fashion to the 12. signes of the Zodiac which made a brooke alwaies encreasing and turning about the lanes and streats of the whole towne aswell for the watring and common vse of men and beasts as also for the purging and clensing of the streats and houses which spring and winding brooke being come downe vnto the latter and lowest circular streat alongst the inwardmost wall by how many springing heads it increased by so many pipes it emptied it selfe into the great riuer of Cloterre wherein was made bounds sluces to open and shut as occasion should serue which sluces being shut all the streats would stand full of water wherewithall they being washed by opening againe of the sluces all the filthines and scauage of the town was sent through the foresaid sluces into Cloterre and by that meanes the Citie on all sides was kept cleanly and fayre At the foure corners of the great and large market place were foure stately and publique edifices that is to say the great Basilique Dicast the Pallace Prytan the Hippodrome and the Theatre the Basilique Dicaste was the iudiciall Pallace or hall of iustice wherein were decided all causes and controuersies aswel ciuill as criminall In the same was a long large and ample hall whose mounting was of marble stayres and whose entrance was by two gates on either side This great hall was lofted and paued with sutable artifice all of white and black marble the loft being duble was sustained by 40. pillers of grey stone viz. 12. on either side 12. in the mids parting the two lofts and two in the vpper end of the hall and two below At euerie piller was fastned and set a rich and braue statue of a Legislator of some noble Iustice passed with the inscription of his name and title of honour and vpon the middle pillers were fastned twaine on either side one Betwéene the pillers on either curtaine of the wall on the highest towards the arch of the loft were fayre glasse windowes decorated painted illustrated with ancient Histories memorable examples excellent and singular sentences and executions of Iustice and beneath were fixed great brasen tables wherein with grosse letters legible a far off were engraued all their lawes according to which being once receaued in the common wealth of Orbe the Citizens gouerned themselues And for this reason were these lawes engraued in tables of brasse that none might pretend ignorance of the lawes at one ende of the foresaide hall was a Parquet or place of audience closed with yron barres wrought and siluered with two rowes of seats with their desks and footestooles the one on high wherein were placed the Orators and aduocats and the other belowe wherein the pledors sat the complainants on the one side and the defendants on the other Aboue and ouer against the end of this Parquet was eleuated a high Tribunall all made of Ebonie wrought and réeled verie artificially on both sides of which Tribunal were 24. seats somewhat lower that is to say 12. on the right hand and 12. on the left whereon the 24. Assesors and principall counsellors sat in cloth of veluet and in the Tribunall sat the Potentate and chiefe Iustice which Tribunall in stead of crimson veluet or cloth of gold was hong and couered with the hideous skin of a dead man which was sometime a Potentate and wicked Iudge and who for his tranuersing of iustice and abusing of his Soueraigne office had béene flean quick and his skinne in stead of tapisterie put vpon the Iustice seate to giue example to those who afterwards should sit therein not to doo any iniustice worthie of so sharpe a punishment On the two sides of the foresaide Tribunall was placed reasonable high two statues the one of golde which was the image of Iustice cut and sigured with a virginicall visage neuerthelesse of a vehement and redoubtable regarde the light of her eyes sharpe and pricking neither humble nor fierce but representing a certame dignitie of reuerend sadnes this statue was of Golde to signifie that as the Gold is incorruptible so Iustice ought to bee and as it is soft and plyable so ought Iustice to be more soft and mercifull than rigorous and more bending to equitie The statue was figured a Virgin because that Iustice ought to be entier inviolated and vncorrupted she was of face seuere sad and constant in signe that Iustice ought not to giue care to swéete words prayers flatteries nor praises her regarde was fierce and vehement to giue terror to the euill and confidence and assurance to the iust and good On the other side was a statue of fine Cristall clere and white portracted all naked which was the statue of Veritie in signe that Iustice is or ought to bee accompanied with Veritie who of her selfeis clere and cuident pure and without spot and for that cause she was portraicted of white and most glistering Christall and in forme of an naked body for Veritie will haue no couering of fraude or dissimulation but sheweth her selfe as she is Thus you may perceiue what their great hall of this Basilicq Dicaste with the Parquit and iudicial seate were adioyning to the vpper ende whereof on the right and left hand were two bodies of a house membred with many chambers and amongst the rest in either house was a right fayre chamber in fashion of a foure squared hall garnished round about with settles belowe and with rich capistrie aboue For the rest cleane emptie of other things sauing with tables and chayres about them and both these chambers had entrance into the Parquit of the great Balican hall the chamber on the
right hand being called the counsell chamber because thether the Potentate and Assesors retired themselues when any doubtfull iudgement was remitted to the counsaile In the mids thereof was a large table of marble round and Polygonal For this table held 25. entrangulared spaces euerie one of a foote and a halfe broade and about the same so many chaires made brauely of common wood But one amongst the rest being more large was made of Cedar wrought and guided with fayre figures with a footestoole that hee which set vpon it might sit somewhat higher than the rest and a cloth of estate and a pillowe of veluet whereon on the Potentate and President did sit in the mids of this Marble table was a little piller of Christall and on the same a statue of like matter Diaphane which represented the Image of Prudence in a feminine forme not naked but couered with a long Cristallin stole embrodered with damasquines of Gold and séemed with Golden Starres Neuerthelesse shee had three heads that shee might bee better brayned and more sage the one was olde regarning the things past another of meane age considering things present and the third young foreseeing things to come In her right hand shee hild a Lydian stone which some call a touch stone and with her left hand shee presented a little table of Golde wheren weere written these words in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is as much to say Prudence is alwaies a great Treasure And vpon the table of white marble was engrauen in black this sentence in lattin letters Primum consultò opus est deinde maturè opus est facto That is to say Take counsaile first and then performe it speedily In this chamber was the counsaile held and for that cause called the counsaile chamber the other chamber on the left hand was called the chamber Sphragide because that in it was signed and sealed all acts instruments and exploites of Iustice written by faithfull personages thereunto deputed and by solemne oath sworne this chamber was like the oother sauing that it had two long tables of the length of the hall alongst the wall with glasse windowes aboue and long benches beneath with seats seperated and distinct by little spaces like to the seats of the quire in acanonicall Church and therein were set the Pragmaticall writers in two ranks on the one side and the other of the two walls neuerthelesse but onely on one side of the tables which was in the hench side next to the walls the other side of the tables being empty sauing that they had two mounting steps whereby those who had there to doo might the easier come to the two tables At the head of this hall was another table of black marble and against the wall a settle with seats wherein sat two sealers which had the view and application of the writings and the kéeper of the seales who cancelled or sealed them according as hee iudged them lawfull or not the marke of the seale was a hand open and in the palme thereof an eye regardant In the mids of this chamber there was likewise as in the other a piller made in the fashion of a rock of Lazurine stone and vpon the same a statue of burnished yron in a feminine figure hauing one hand against her brest about her heart and the other stretched foorth presenting it with her open palme and this was the Image of Faith or fidelitie firme and infringeable like yron and constant like a rock holding and performing that which is promised with heart and déede in the rock was engrauen in gréeke letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is to say Beleeue nothing vnles it appeare And in latine letters was written Fides fundamentum Iusticiae Which signifieth that Faith is the foundation of Iustice At the two corners of the other ende of the great Basilican hall were conioyned two grosse towers of hard stone builded after the rusticall fashion strong and thick not windowed but loope holed like the holes made for a cannon straight barred with yron and barbicanes with small light Whereinto was no entrance but through a little wicket with two dores of yron barred and boulted comming out of the great hall and these two towers were with thrée roomes the one in the ground very déep without window or light that was called the Barathre the middle out of the ground receiuing a little shimmering light through the hoales before named and this was called Latumie the third was aboue hauing barred windowe and lettices whereby those who were put therein might both sée and bée séene and for that cause it was called the Cage Within these two towers were locked all malefactors either in the déepest middlemost or highest according to the waight of their offences beneath the great Basilican hall was a vault closed with strong wals on all sides sauing it had a small doore with bares of yron and a windowe grated with yron to giu light within which vault which was called Criptoportique and no lesse wider nor larger than the great hall and for cause builded with many small chambers were put the ciuill prisoners or captiues vnder the charge of a keeper béeing a sufficient honest man as on the contrarie for keeping the Towers two rude and barbarous gaolers were appoynted And also the keeping of the two Chambers both Councell and Sphragide was committed to two Consiergs men right auncient and wise both for the custodie of them and apparrelling of the hall and Parquet when necessitie required And at the two gates of the great hall were ordained two porters to open and shut them at sunne rising and going downe according to the Equinoctiall time Such was the Basilican Dicast of the iustice of Orbe wherein Diocles the Potentate sat as president right ouer against the which was the Hippodrome a great egall and vniformed place being in length 187. paces and a halfe and in breadth 62. paces and a halfe in fashion soure squared not equilaterall but farre more longer than large all enuironed with triple galleries erected one aboue another with arches susteyned with little carued pillers and this was the place where men on horseback ran for the best game for the ring and there was the place of Iustice and triall of armes on horseback with lance sword hatchet and club At one of the ends of the Hippodrome was the barrers wherein the horses were enclosed beating the ground with their feete and forcibly staying till the signe of running were giuen by the trumpetors at the commandement of the Iudges at the other end was a scaffold of marble stone flue degrées of height and feats thereon for the sayrest damosels of the towne to sit assigned thereunto by ordinarie exthange to giue and deliuer the prize of honour and valour to the best doers according to the sentence of the Iudges who had their places in a lower porch in the mids of the Hippodrome betwéene the rancks of the galleries and on the
other side right ouer against them were mounted the trumpets who at the commandement of the Iudges sounded to giue signe And so soone as the barriers were open the gallant light horse issued out to the course and the Knights to the lifts to iust euerie one assaying to carrie away the prize and honor being no les pricked forward by the sharp regard of the fayre maydens then their horses were moued with the sound of trumpets and prick of the spurs and thus you may perceiue what the Hippodrome was The third building was the Prytan or publique house of the citie in theforefrunt whereof was a large lower court and from thence one mounted by 10. stayres of ston into a right great and large hall garnished all along the walls with benches and at either end a great chimney aboue the benches the walls were couered with bookes and rastles whereon were hanged al sorts of armes swords lances corselets morraines and other harnis in abundance In this hal the people assembled in the last wéeke of December to change the magistrates of the yere before and to chuse new for the yeares following and to take aduise what was to be done for the vtilitie of the common wealth Ouer and beside this great hall there was a walking place squared and cléere on all sides with many windowes Through this was a way into another lesse hall both close secret with a treble port and three vshers to guard them Where the politick gouernours of the towne who were 12. in number consulted and concluded the waightie affaires concerning the common wealth of Orbe Nere to this part of the building was another great court and in the mids thereof a fountaine with two cesternes whose top being of alablaster cast out water through thrée pipes in great aboundance beyond this court on the back side of this publique house was another great and large part braue sumpruous and magnifical comprehending two great hals the one below eleuated notwithstanding eyght stayres high on the one side and on the other side in the fashion and forme of a ladder the other aboue of like greatnes hauing their kitchins and offices on the one side the other opening with treble windowes into the court which two halls were garnished with tables of Cedar and with stooles and chayres sutable round about them and two gréene beds of repose the residue being hanger with rich and fayre capistries wherein those who dwelt there came to cate drinke walke and deuise one with another that is to say such as by any good work or profitable inuention either by wisdome valour liberalitie or other vertuous act both honorable and profitable to the Citie had well merited of the common wealth For whom in prize of honour and fauor this fayre lodging was appropriated where they were at the common expence nourished and entertained gorgiously with dayly banquets in the foresaid halls serued with officers and seruants at the common expence withall meates and dishes in rich vessel of gold siluer and christal and with prerious lyunen besides this they were accompanied euerie day with the most apparant and noble Lords and Ladies of the towne recounting vnto them often times their meritorious good déeds with praise and thanks Moreouer they receiued euerie morning euery of them a fayre flower according to the season with humble reuerence a swéet kisse of the most fayrest maidens of the citie And to retire themselues priuatly apart was ordeyned a great gallerie transuersing the foresaid halls and parted into 24. chambers all garnished a like with rich beds of imbrodery with tables tressels wrought and furnished with tapistrie delicious linnen euery chamber hauing adioyning vnto it a wardrop cabin with a page proper and ready to serue them the prospect of which chambers was partly easterly and partly southerly into the most ample gardens bowers and medowes where the birds continually delighted them with their swéet melodious songs all which was done at the expence publique of the Citizens Besides this euery yeare was made in the great hall below a Panegyricall oration in the honor and praise of the wel deseruers of the common wealth all which things were done and maintained in the Prytan house to moue and giue courage to al vertuous young men to do such acts whereby they might get such fauour and meritorious praises as that they might be nourished nobly entertained at the expence of the common wealth in reward of their desert good déeds which they estéemed a most great honor procéeding of iust cause as in trueth it was and thus you may perceiue what the Pritan was Now resteth the Theatre and the Sands whose proportion was in fashion like to an egg conteining 2000. paces about the wals wherof being of diuers coulored marble were deuided in thrée rāks of admirable arches below in the middest aboue eleuated of an incredible height euery ranke conteyning 72. arches among those aboue were placed so many fayre statues as there were pillers to vpholde the arches beside ouer and aboue the rankes of arches was another ranke with 72. large and ample windowes giuing light to the halls about the Theatre whereby the people might looke in and out of the same the entrance whereof was through 12. gates into the place where for the ascending vp were eleuated 45. seats of stone the highest whereof had compasse 1098. foote and the twentieth seate after in descending which was the middle degrée had 726. foote in compasse and the lowest and last of all had 300. foote in compasse whereby a man may coniecture what the other 42. seates did conteine in compasse wherein 25000. people might sit at their ease to beholde the pastimes euerie one of them hauing one foote and a halfe for his place without reckoning the largenes of the 12. gates At the foote of these degrees was the Orchestre wherein sat the Lordes and Magistrates and before them a little belowe was the place and platforme where for the solace of the common people and to win their fauor the richest and notablest Citizens oftentimes did vse and exercise all manner of playes and pastimes In the same proportion right before and in the sight of the Theatre was a great long large and ample place emptie and discouered which was called the Arenes because the ground was strawed all ouer with sand to the end that both beastes and men might haue furer footing which came thether to the chace to fight for the best game or for the exercise of their bodie for wrastling running leaping casting the barre or for fighting with cudgells or sharpe swords naked or armed or to chace and fight with all sortes of fierce and cruell beastes At the end of which place was the sepulchre of the ancient Archier Caliste before the mouth of a cloaque or gut where the great Serpent abode against whome Alector the same day should fight Such was the Theatre and Sands of Orbe and of such
might be honorably buried as afterwards they did and the bodie of the Centaure to haue proofe of mysaying as also for pleasure of the sight and vengeance The which byformed body was brought in a chariot with foure whéeles and foure horses so great so monstrous and so to bee wondred at that the beastes of the wood durst not approach and the men of the towne scarce behold The which monster after they had made shewe thereof to all the people wondering thereat they caused it to bee fleed and the skin to bee stuffed with many swéete and drie herbes and set it with the foresaide massie Club vpon one of the gates of the house where it séemeth to be yet aliue and to defend the entrie with lookes so hidious and threatning that as yet may be séene to the great honor praise of the vanquisher that hath destroyed such a Diuell the which is Alector here present to whom the brothers Gratians in acknowledge of benefit done to their sister offered and abandoned their house and all that was therein which Alector accepted most agréeably for the loue of my Lady Noëmia whom he loued right tēderlie and whome oftentimes hee came to visit cherish and make honest loue without villanie dishonor or passing to my knowledge the girdle If there bee any other forfeit either true or by false accusation intended whereby so much euill hath preocéeded I protest to knowe no more than that which I haue alreadie spoken And therewithall she hild her peace Consultation vpon the criminall processe of Alector The commaundement of the Oracle by the Archter The slaughter of the Prophet Calliste which was cause of the deuouring Serpent in the Theatre Capitall sentence prenounced vpon Alector that he should be deliuered to the Serpent CAP. 4. DIocles after he had paused a while vpon all these foresaid things alledged and approued retired himselfe into the Counsell chamber with the principall of the bench where the matter was diuerslie discoursed some cōsenting to the absolution of Alector as one that was not conninced of any other crime than of amorous youth and of worthy act in defence of his bodie others chiefely the old men and such as had daughters mariageable in their houses and to whom asmuch hong in their eye saide that it was an euill example against good manners and a great presumption of domesticall rape deseruing at the least punishment if they did but procéede according to his owne confession And were it but the homicide of so many men staine by contumace rebellion of not obaying to Iustice hee was culpable of death But other vnwilling to condemne him to death gaue sentence that he should be chastened with some ignominious and corporall paine with banishment And as these diuers opinions were in question and the Iudge Diocles waying the one with the other behold one of the Ministers of the temple Deacon to the Archier that is to say to the chiefe Priest and Prince of the Priests of Ioue his temple the great and foueraigne God of Orbe came from the said Archier named in his proper name Croniel to speake secretly to the Potentate Diocles. Which done he sodainlie departed for it is not permitted to such holy men to assist in capitall iudgement The Deacon being departed Diocles spake to those of the Bench and said My Lords the Archier of the Temple of Ioue the holie man Croniel hath sent me word presently that he by reuelation which is come to him this last night in watching and praying in the Temple for the prosperous estate of our Common wealth was commanded by an Angell of Souereigne Ioue to aduertise and defend vs from giuing capitall sentence vppon this yong straunger other than that which is ordeyned by Ioue himself that is to put him into the Threatre of the Sands onelie with his shield sword and an arrow without a bow to fight with the great Serpent of the Sands so to make proofe of his innocencie if he vanquish or to suffer pain for his offence if he be ouercome This diuine sentence was allowed of all yea of the most rigorous who thought hee should neuer escape the force téeth and venim of the Serpent and so shuld he giue pleasure to the people and spare one of their owne men the most iust hoping neuerthelesse that he who had discomfited the biformed Centaure would deale well enough with the Serpent and so deliuer the Theatre and Towne of a cruell beast and inward enimie Now is it to be vnderstood that certain yeres before the Archier Croniel there was in the Temple another Archier called Calliste a man of great vertue holie and a Prophet who in the festiuall dayes when the people assembled themselues at the spectacles in the Theatre or at the Sands he would come into the mids of the people and openlie and eagerlie reprooue them of their vsuall vices and prophecie vnto them that of the iust bloud shed the earth shuld bring foorth a terrible and cruell reuenger who should deuour their entrailes vntill such time as the twice borne childe comming from towards the Pol-Artick deliuered them thereof Thus did this holie man goe erving through the Theatre and the Sand so as he hindred the plaies comedies spectacles and other publique pastimes insomuch that one day the people prouoked by commotion and populous furie with casting of stones chased him vnder a gutter or sinke of the Theater and therein stoned him leauing his bodie in the filth which notwithstanding the next day after the populous furie passed was drawen out by the Ministers of the Temple and honorably buried in the entrie of the Gutter where he was staine in a sepulcher of blacke marble highlie crected with his Prophecie written therein which stopped vp the mouth of the gutter Neuertheles it hid not so close the murder of this holie man but within one yere and a day after an horrible reuenge of that fact publiquelie appeared for as the people in great multitudes were assembled to behold the dancing of an Elephant behold from betwéene the gutter stones the sepulcher issued out a most horrible serpent who flying vpon the people with his taile throate destroyed a great number the residue with terrible feare running out of the Theatre which thing euerie 3. day hee vsed to execute on the people who by no engine or humane force could finde remedie yea he would spoyle them in their houses vntill at length they were aduised euerie wéeke to giue him 2. capitall offenders whom presently he would carrie into the gutter and hold himselfe therewith content Then vnderstood the people that the Prophecte of the Archier Calliste was pattly fulsilled but not wholly at an end Two dairs after the processe of Alector was the time to giue the Serpent his proye wherefore the great Potentate Diocles comming out of the Counsell the Benchers standing about him and he himselfe set in the iustice seate Alector being presented vnto him thus pronounced sentence
The present appointed cause in the criminall accusation of the Gratians against Alector being obscure and doubtfull aswell on the one part as the other to the iudgement of men is nowe by heauenly Oracle sent to the diuine iudgement who shall condemne his fault by death or showe his innocencie vp victorie at the proofe of combat against the Auenger Serpent of the Theatre in the plaine of the Sands onely with his sword shield and an arrowe without a bowe Whereunto wee will sende him within thrée daies at the furthess This sentence pronounced was right well allowed and receiued of all the assistance who demaunded not the death of this yong Esquire but bore him secret fauor in hope of some merueilous aduenture of the combat as it came after to passe as also of the two parties For the Gratians thought verely that their offendor should incontinently be swallowed vp of the most horrible Serpent who onely with his venemous breath did slaie those who approached him Alector on the other side trusting in his hardines legeritie and promesse demaunded nothing but that the third day were come and enquired after if his sword and shield were safe To whome it was answered that hee should not care but that they should bee deliuered him the day of the Combat Wherewithall he wonderfullie reioyced and thanked the Potentate of his clemencie to the great abashment of all the people who meruelled to see him so assured in such a mortall and present perill And so by commaundement he was caried back to the lodging of the Captaine Palatine to be kept in his guarde where without ceasing he lamented his Ladie Noëmia speaking to her as though she had been present and promising her reuenge And in this his great complaint which euerie night from thrée houres to thrée houres hee awaked hee woulde crie out with a loude veice O Noëmia O Noëmia O Noëmia and reclayming incessantly the Sunne to aduance the day and time of his Combat against the Serpent wherof his care was so small as the thought was great how to finde out the murthering Arther of his Noëmia so remained hee there for that time During the which the soueraigne and most iust Iudge Diocles caúsed diligent and secret enquirie to be made to knowe who it was which in that tumult shot the arrowe wherewith the faire gracious and vertuous Noëmia was so accursedlie slaine wherewith all in generall were sad and sorrowfull For in the death of this noble Maiden was buried the flower of beautie and grace of all the Maidens of the Citie of Orbe for the which cause she was deplored bewailed and lameueet in common dueil all the people with one voyce crying vengeance and penall iustice of the murtherer But for all the diligent enquirie that could be made nothing could be found sauing a light presumption and suspition of a yong springall called Coracton who had sometime greatlie wooed her and of her had gotten nought but a conquest of refusall for the vicious nature which abounded in him but this presumption was not sufficient chieflie because at her burying this gallant mourned aboue all the rest msomuch that with force of teares he washed away all suspition The Iudge perceiuing he could finde no other thing went himselfe in person before shee was permitted to be buried to see the bodie of the faire Noëmia lying before the piller of the 3. Charites with such grace albeit dead that shee séemed swéetelie to sléepe more whiter than her snowie garments purplesied in bloud wherewithall hee himselfe beeing a most seuere man was mooued to teares and commanded the bloudie arrowe to be deliuered him the which after hée had beheld it lift it vp aloft demanding if no man knew it but no answere would be giuen And lifting vp his eyes he beheld the Charites of alabastre and saw that from their slonie eyes distilled aboundance of teares lamenting the death of their fourth sister which he shewed vnto the people who of such a miracle began to wéepe and crie vengeance for the fact And amongst these enterprises Diocles aduised betwéene the hands of two Charites a little scroll rowled vp the which hee secretlie tooke without the knowledge of anie man and after he had read it he closed it in his hand with the arrowe and retired to his lodging giuing leaue to burie the dead bodie which in open mourning was enterred before the statues of the 3. Graces with the enscription of the Epitaph as hath been before declared And the sepulcher was couered with flowers and perfumes strowed by the people in lamentation of the faire Noëmia The reuelation by night to Croniel Archier The arriuall of Franc-Gal The foretelling of the blacke Bird The mortall perrill of the Archier by a Lionnesse slaine by Franc-Gall The reincountrie and assemblie of the Archier and Franc-Gall with their deplorations CAP. 5. THE euening of that selfe same day the Archier Croniel beeing in the Temple at his nosturnall meditations as euerie night before he was accustomed to doo he receiued a certaine inward intelligence that the next daye after noone he should goe towardes the sea side by keeping the way of the sepulcher of Thanais and that hard by hee should finde a man who should saue his life him he should bring lodge in his house and of him should he learne much Croniel the next morning after sacrifice and dinner tooke his bowe and quiuer to passe the time at shooting chasing of beasts and birds in the field for seldome or neuer went he to the plaies at the Theatre by the occasion of his predecessor and taking with him same vinualls and a little wine if so he should noode it and so set forwards on the way toward the sea by the way of Portune to seeke out the beasts and birds of the field Now the same morning was arriued at the next Port the magnanimous Prince Franc-Gal Dysir Macrobe his men vpon a great Hippopotame being a huge merueilous sea horse swimming and Hying vpon the waters and flouds with the féete of Polype and wings called Durar This Franc-Gall through seas and lands went séeking his sonne Alector who on the Septentrion seas was rauished and carried from him by a horrible wind The whole proces hereof is showen in the 21 Cap he knew not whether and by fortune hauing taken land at the next hauen with his onely page held the high way to the great Citie of Orbe where appeared to him a blacke bird like a rauen but somewhat of lesser bodie with beacke and clées red who flying before him from trée to trée séemed to sing in humane voyce these words following Come with me come come come thou shalt goe to the Sands Where thou shalt finde thy Sonne come with me come come come For I a Prophet am whom thou no more shalt see Come with me come come come thou shalt goe to the Sands Franc-Gall hearkening to her and taking her song for an Augurie