euer was inuented in the worlde and most shamefully imputed vnto that innocent Princesse and by the thirde you shall get to your selues greate honour which is the thing that all good and valyaunt knightes doeth procure and desire in this worlde The Knight of the Sunne aunswered Wée knowe well that these thrée are to bée estéemed therefore fayre Damsell for my selfe and for my companion I thus much say that we dooe offer our persons with the conditions aforesayd In the meane time y t he spake these words the damsell did behold him very much and it séemed vnto her y t he was of a great valour and séeing him of so good a proportion and so well armed she imagined in her minde that he should be the knight of the Sun by all likelyhoods according as she had heard talke and declared oâ—â—en times in the Court of the French king and was perswaded that it was none other as appeared by all tokens that she before had heard comforting her selfe with these new and ioyfull thoughts she desired them to alight from theyr horses and that if it pleased them to sit downe vnder a faire greene arbour which was there at hand she woulde declare vnto them the greatest treason that euer was inuented in the world to the which these knightes did condescend with a verie good will and béeing set downe amongst those gréene hearbes the Damsell with a verie dolorous complaint began and sayd Noble knights and Lords you shall vnderstand that you are in the kingdome of France vnto the king wherof it pleased God to giue a daughter of so great beautie fairenesse that it caused greate admiration vnto all them that behelde her the which fame was spread abroade which caused verie manie great and valerous knightes and Lordes of this and other kingdomes to repaire vnto the Court amongest them all there came one who was sonne vnto the Prince of Scotland and named Dalior a man of a verie good grace gentle disposition one indued with al feats of good knighthood Likewise there was another who was sonne vnto the duke of Guyan one of the greatest noble men that was in all Fraunce a strong and stout man and of great pride and by lignage of the most valyaunt and strongest knightes in the worldâ— called Lidiarte These two Princes had discord betwéene themselues did contend in the seruice of this faire lady Artalanda The great contentmeÌ„t the which they receiued and the great brauery they vsed in apparell in this their seruice I cannot héere expresse But this faire ladie did so gouerne her selfe with discreation who was indued with it as much as with hir beautie y t she made as though she vnderstood nothing of their desire although alwaies she had a better affection to the good will of the Prince of Scotland then to the loue of Lidiarte and for that loue doth not permit y t anie thing which appertaineth therevnto should bée kept secret this vnbeloued knight did apparantly perceiue it by which occasion the great griefe which he receiued abated his coâ—â—our and he waxed verie leane and his face became yelow and wan and did determine to chaunge his apparaile oâ— ioye and gladnesse and all pleasures and to apparell himselfe in such sort that she might well vnderstande his great sorowe and heauinesse And to the contrary Dalior did shew himselfe in his apparell the great contentment that he receiued for that he did perceiue that his Lady did showe him some fauour the which was vnto the young Earle the cause of great sorrow and griefe Then Loue who neuer resteth from finishing his effects but alwayes doth with great efficacie make perfect his workes did wound with firme and faithfull loue towards Lidiarte a damsell whose name was Tarfina being in the seruice of this beautifull Princesse before named who loued him so firmelye that this miserable Damosell could finde in her selfe no kinde of quietnes nor rest and most of all she now tormented her selfe for that she â—awe so sodaine a change in her louer This cruell paine did so much constraine hir y t she of necessitie was driuen to seeke all meanes pollicies to procure how she might at her ease talke with him and giue him to vnderstand with her own mouth all the paine and griefe that she did suffer and the onely cause thereof And putting this her determination in vre it chaunced on a daye as she might saye bitter and vnfortunate after dinner when the Table was taken vp she founde time conuenient to declare vnto him all that her heart desired for finding her louer leaning against a cupboord all alone shee came vnto him and saluted him with greate curtesie the Earle did receiue her with no lesse gentlenesse beléeuing for that she was a Damsell of his ladie the princesse that she had come from her of some message she seeing so good opportunitie spake vnto him in this manner Many times noble Lidiarte I haue bene mooued to demand of â—oâ— what thing it shuld be that hath so much strength and force which onely doth not cauâ—e you to chaunge your gorgeous braue apparell but also doth take away y e colour from your gentle face and in this manner weâ—ken all your members Where is now all your brauerie and contentment that you were wont to hauâ— discouer vnto me all your paine and griefe and the occasion of all this your sorrowe Noble Lord let me heere vnderstand of all and being knowen of this thy seruaunt I will procure the best and most assured remedies that may be for thy redresse conuenient Tell me Lidiarte if it be corporall griefe or whether it be a wound hurte by the cruell force of Cupides dart My louing Lord I doo desire you to declare vnto me the cause of all your sorrowe griefe and heere I doo protest and giue my faith to procure with all my power and strength by pollicie other meanes to finde remedie for this your tribulation These and other such reasons with hir words well placed spake this Damosell vnto the Earle with hope that he would declare vnto her the cause of all his sorrow and from whence it did procéede These swéete perswasions and louing reasons tooke such effect in the Earle Lidiarte that he discouered all that was in his heart and the whole occasion as héeretofore you haue heard This damosell when she vnderstood the whole effect thereof it grieued her to the very heart although shée did dissemble it and kept it secret to hir selfe and would not suffer him therein to know her minde and straight wayâ— for her remedy the diuell put into her head a meruaylous wicked inuention And for to giue contentment vnto the Earle she tolde him that she would declare vnto the Princesse all the whole estate of this his sorrowfull paines and passionate griefe willing him withall to remember that the next daye at that houre he should méete her againe at y e same place for
with thy aunswere I woulde put in order that which I haue to doo concerning this my miserable life I doo well know my Lord and Emperour that this my bolde discouering of my selfe hath bene too much and beyond all reason but if at any time thou hast loued and doost know the great griefe that loue doth cause thou wilt not blame me nor put me in any fault I would y t I could show thée my woūded hart y t in séeing it so sore afflicted thou mightst take some compassion of me that which doth most torment me is that I haue yéelded my selfe vnto one y t hath so little pitie on me Who hath euer heard y t women shuld wooe require of men to loue them But I most vnfortunate Quéene haue broken that lawe and custome O immortal Gods what haue you conceiued against me Is not y e apparant which you vsed against my sister now wil you vse it also w t me I shuld be requested of Emperours Kings and now I come to request one that maketh no account of me neither dooth my present destruction mooue him to any pittie Go too Emperour make an ende and aunswere me that therewith I may receiue either life or death Héere may you which haue knowen what loue is iudge what the Emperour Trebatio might conceiue in himselfe in this cruell case One way he did consider the great loyaltie that he ought vnto the Empres his wife and this constrained him to deny her Another way the great desire that hée had to see himselfe at libertie and the great loue that he did know Garrofilea bare him caused his hart somewhat to yéeld Notwithstanding he did procure with faire and swéete wordes to sée if he could cause her to chaunge her thought and purpose saying Lady I doo sée very well that the force of loue is so cruell that whosoeuer he doth wound he leueth them in a manner without remedye except it come from them on whō they haue fixed their heart I doo not deny but that your amorous desire is such as he hath ordained it who spareth no creature But considering your highnesse and great estate the honour that all such as you are shoulde haue by your royall marriages I doo more reioyce that you suffer payne then you should take your ease with that vnto which sensuall loue doth constraine you Most souereigne Quéene héere I doo desire you to bridle your affection and restrayne your appetite that you fall not into that infamie which will bée the onely blemish of your estate séeing it appertaineth so much vnto your honour The quéene séeing y t his reasons did not incline vnto that which she desired shortened his talk said Emperour all that which thou hast sayde and all besides that thou canst tell me I doo already vnderstand and there is nothing that may be spoken héerein but I haue before this time considered of it Notwithstanding loue hath more force then any regard or consideration I should haue vnto my honour Therefore I am héere come fully determined to make a second sacrifice vnto my gods which afterwards shall be lamented by thée And in saying those words she tooke out the sworde which she brought in secret vnder her roabes and with great hast she set the pommell thereof vnto the ground and would haue throwen her self vpon the poynt thereof The worthy Trebatio seeing her in this desperate minde leapt quickly out of his bed and with a mightie courage caught holde of her and tooke the sword out of her hand saying Oh blinde quéene what diuelish determination is this The Lady answered Unlouing Lord◠〈◊〉 other thing but to ease my selfe by death for that I 〈◊〉 not longer liue as one dying And saying these words she fell in a sound in the armes of the Emperour Heere coulde not the stoutnesse of the Greeke heart make such resistance but that with great loue he tooke her and cast her vppon the bed shedding many teares with much compassion and considering the firmnesse of the loue that the Queene hadde showed him he was confoūded in his owne thought and inforced to haue done that which hee neuer thought to haue done and so purposed to giue her all her whole contentment and so ioyning his mouth to hers he remained kissing her till such time as this sorrowfull Lady came againe to her selfe But when she perceiued she was of him so louinglye imbraced being the thing she onely desired she straight-way recouered all the strength that she had lost and cast her armes about his necke with excéeding loue which grieued not the Emperour any thing at all in such sort they vsed themselues that the Queene was made Lady with great cōtentment vnto them both So with like sport they passed the rest of the night in great ioye and pleasure The Quéene Garrofilea when she saw that it was day returned vnto her chamber very pleasant merrie vntill such time as it was her accustomed houre of 〈◊〉 which was somewhat early y t day for that the two 〈◊〉 made very great hast that they might enter into the Citie the which was straight waye done And the Quéene brought with her the Emperour and made him to sweare to be her true prisoner and not to depart from thence without her will and leaue So the quéene tooke the Emperour by the hand in this order they went out of the Pallaice The Earle of Modique when he sawe this could not choose but receiue great griefe but he did dissemble it for that he considered that in such extremitie so valiant a Knight was néedfull and so altogether they entered into the Citie The Quéene was very gallant and pleasaunt whereat all her subiects receiued great delight and in the chiefe stréete of the Citie there was erected the Images of two Knights made all of stone of a maruelous good proportion and they had ouer them a couer like a Tabernacle very rich and well wrought because the water shoulde not fall vpon thē nor any other thing to hurt them As soone as the Emperour saw those figures he knew that the one was the Image of his sonne without reading of the supercription but when he came nigh vnto it he read the same which sayd This is the great Prince of Grecia called the Knight of the Sunne restorer of the auncient kingdome of Tinacria the abater and breaker of the strength of the most strongest Giants in all the world And going a little farther he sawe vpon the other Knight this title Prince Eleno of Dacia cousin vnto the most valiant sonnes of Trebatio the well-spring of all our quietnesse Upon this he looked with great affection and earnest desire to sée his perfect personage The Quéene did well vnderstand the great ioye that the Emperour receiued in beholding the figure of his sonne and of his brothers sonne for which cause she commanded that to be told publikely which was spoken in secret then entred into
of my armes I hope to cut off this wretched head from thy accursed shoulders And it was very true which was spoken for when she went away from the company of the Ladies she went to arme her selfe with purpose to demaund battaile of the Empresse Claridiana but when she came forth she founde them as you haue alreadye heard The Pagan could be no more angry and wrathfull then he was and without speaking any word he turned stroke very strongly at the Quéene who with no lesse fury defended her selfe and returned his blowes with both her hands that it made a meruailous noyse At this present time approched the two lights of all knighthood the Emperour of Grecia and his sonne and with them the Giaunt and the rest of the Princes that came with them You shall vnderstande that these were the two knights that in the high waye they founde in cruell battaile and meruailing verye much at the power that was in the two warriours they stayed to behold them not knowing who they were The Knight of the Sunne who had his eyes more fixed on them then the rest did knowe the Pagan as one which had first proued his furious force turning vnto y e Emperor his father he told him all that which had hapned vnto him in the fierce battaile which he hadde fought before with him in Fraunce Then they estéemed much the knight with the Lilies to sée how well and how valiauntly he did behaue himselfe not onely in this subtill defence which against his aduersarie he made but also his pollicie he made in offending his enimie So the knight of the Sunne with the greate desire that hée had to reuenge himselfe on the Pagan mooued his horse towardes him At which time there came forth of the village a Knight with white armour all full of Garlands of golde made by subtill art Likewise his shéelde was white and there was painted on it an Emperiall head which shewed as though it had béene cut off with a cruell knife the throat all so bée rayed with bloud verie artificially wrought and when hée sawe the battaile hée put himselfe to behold them at such time as the valyaunt Gréeke approched vnto the two knightes that were in battaile for to speake vnto them and hée sayd Worthie knight with the Lyllyes for curtesies sake if this battayle be of small importaunce that thou wouldest let me alone with this Pagan for that I haue a iust quarrell against him This excellent Ladie looking vppon the knight of the Sunne as one which had neuer séene him meruailing much at his fayre disposition and replyed saying I woulde be verie gladde sir Knight for your great curtesie and gentle demeanour to leaue to you the battaile if the occasion were not of so greate waight Therefore I dooe desire you that you would stand aside for if my successe fall out vnfortunatly there will time inough remaine for to execute your anger The Moore did well vnderstand the demaunde of the Knight of the Sunne and knewe him verye well to bée the same that gaue him the order of Knighthood and when hée sawe him hée roared lyke a furious Lyon saying Oh vile and base Knight to whome Mahomet hath giuen more power and strength then hée hath himselfe come come and bring with thée in companie all these that bée there with thée for of all you together I dooe estéeme nothing at all and in saying these wordes hée pressed vnto the Knight of the Sunne verie fiercely and with greate courage the knight of the Sunne met him in the waye and put himselfe before the Quéene but this excellent Ladie with great lightnesse returned and did recouer her standing and said vnto him Knight bée not so farre out of measure to giue ease and helpe vnto them that giue thée no thankes for it But the Prince who was then burning with wrath retourâ—ed againe by the lefte side to put himselfe before her and gaue the Pagan so terrible a blowe that he made all his bodye to shake The knight with the Lillyes did put himselfe againe before and sayde In an euill houre doest thou vse this greate vncurtesie with one that thou doest not knowe The fearce Pagan in all this time was not idle but at such time as the Quéene did crosse the waye for to take her roome the Pagan stroke her so stronglye that it lacked but a little that shée fell not from her horse to the ground The knight with the Emperiall head when he sawe that set his spurres to his horse and sayd O men of small estimation come hether to mée one of you and dooe not occupie your selues in such controuersies And with saying these and such lyke wordes hée stroke the Quéene such a blowe that he made her téeth to chatter in her head in such sorte that shée had almost lost her féeling but hée had no cause to boast himselfe verie much of that blowe for that quickly she retourned his salutation with so great strength that shée gaue him well to vnderstand her cauragious force Nowe there beganne a rigorous battayle and the Knight of the Sun remained alone with the Pagan Oh wise and warrelyke Eliza giue mée to drinke of that water which the nine sisters did discouer that by the helpe of that swéet liquor I may make sharpe my rude tongue so that mixing the spéech of Mercurie with the prowesse of Mars I maye vnfolde this furious battayle which these foure knightes made who with excéeding and wonderfull blowes stroke one another without anie casing that they made them whether they woulde or no to incline their bodyes to theyr horse head without anie féeling In this sorte continued these valyaunt and warlyke knightes a good space till such time as the Empresse Claridiana came in great hast running with her light horse and making a great noise without anie consideration but onely to bée reâ—enged on the Pagan and sayd Giue roome giue roome for this battaile dooth belong vnto mée to make an ende thereof And without anie more speaking shée put her selfe before the knight of the Sunne and beganne to laye on the Pagan with her furious blowes The Pagan was nothing abashed at that but as one which had strength and courage inough he receiued them Then the knight of the Sunne with greate anger sayde Tell mée knight what is the cause which hath mooued thée to offer such lyke villanie This womanly warriour retourned vnto him and straight waye shée did knowe him to bée the Knight of the Sunne Héere all you true louers may iudge the greate ioye that shée receiued when shée beheld before her him who with so great loue she loued and the greate desire she had to heare of him So shée replyed with verie amorous wordes and sayde My déere and welbeloued Lord séeing that fortune hath brought you hether at this instaunt procure ioyntly with your reuengement to work mine against this Pagan Then the knight of the Sunne did knowe that it was his
fast of his helme that head and all came to the ground Then he which remained séeing the fiercenesse of his aduersary would haue runne away But the Dacian perceiuing it before that hée could put in execution his desire he stroke him such a blow vpon his helme that being parted in péeces with the head he made him to beare company with his dead companions So when he had concluded this battaile he went vnto the dead Lady and hauing great sorrow to sée her he pulled the bloudie sword out of her body and commaunded Fabio that in the best manner he could to make a graue and to bury her The Dacian did helpe him all that he could and béeing done vnto their contentment he put an Epitaph ouer her which was in this wife Lucklesse Felina heere interd doth lie whom traitor false within this forrest wide Defloured first of hir virginitie She loathing after long a liue to bide Vpon his blade her tender breast did cast A bloudie offring to Diana chast So when he had written this Epitaph ioyning this great sorrowe vnto that which he had before he leapt vppon his horse and put himselfe amongst a companie of troublesome trées among the which he had not trauailed long when hée heard one playing on a shephardes Rebucke which made a very swéete sounde and tourning his horse that waye from whence the sound came hée chaunced to come whereas hée founde certaine Shepheardes who by theyr countenaunces appeared to bée verye sadde and they sate vnder a Walnut trée where they passed awaye the great heate of the daye These Shepheards when they saw the Prince arose vp and with great ioye they did salute him The Prince retourned vnto them their salutations and did alyghte from his horse which he gaue vnto Fabio his Page that he might put him into some voyde Pasture together with his Palfraie whereas they might féede on the gréene grasse in the shadow from the heate of the Sunne The Prince sate downe vnder the Walnut trée and asked of them if they had anie thing to eate the which was giuen him with a verye good will being such as they had prouided themselues and he eate of it for that he had a verie good stomacke so héere to take some ease I doe referre the rest till the next Chapter ¶ How the Dacian Prince did meete with Brenio to whom he gaue the Letter of Lidia and what Brenio did aunswere therevnto Chap. 4. IN the meane time that the Prince and his Page did eate of y t which y e shepheardes had giuen them they neuer withdrew their eyes from the Prince but did verie much behold him and reioyced to sée him so well proportioned and so fayre but yet they meruailed to sée him so sadde and pensiue musing what should bée the occasion of his great heauinesse and one of the shepheardes did aske him and sayd Knight what great heauinesse is this which you séeme to haue for according vnto the outwarde shew it séemeth to procéede of loue Ah my friend aunswered Eleno is it possible that thou doest know anie parte of those euills for that me thinketh loue ought not to be remembred of them that doe dwell so farre from anie townes or companie as you which in these sharpe and cragged mountaines doe make your habitation How do we know answered the shepheard he is of such strength and subtiltie that he doth not onely shew his force vpon vs but also he is the occasion that we doo occupie our imaginations in his delights which is so greate a torment that we cannot receiue a greater he maketh that our cattell that doe not deserue anye such harme lacke their good féeding which wée shoulde procure the which our small regarde doeth appeare in theyr weake and leane bodyes lowing more time for hunger thē for too much féeding or good pasture Ah Knight what shoulde I tell you of that which he hath caused all vs that be héere to suffer and when we doo talke of it there is not one of vs but doth muse at the other how he hath the force strength to beare it The Dacian knight sayd I know well that he doth pardon none neither is ther any that doth escape from his power such is his pride and ambition therefore it is not much to be meruailed at séeing that he doth as well walke the fieldes as the dwelling townes But sith it hath pleased Fortune the more for my paine and griefe to méete with them that are wounded with loue I doo desire you that I may take some pleasure in your musicke and in hearing some songs that you haue made to publish your true and perfect loue withall This we will do with a very good will aunswered the shephearde and for that you doo séeme vnto vs for to be of high estate we will playe on our instruments to giue you some comfort and we will publish our paines and griefes with our own mouths and taking the Rebeck in his hand which was meruailously well wrought he beganne to playe vppon the same very swéetely and likewise did associate the musicke with these pastorall verses YOu Louers all assist my song and helpe me to declare The slights of craftie Cupide strong the worker of my care Whose shafts and shifts be of such might they make one heart to guide Two bodies and by outward sight two soules in one doo bide O vnion sweete by loue so knit O life adorde to be If this were all the harme of it it could not hurtfull be But Cupide vseth such delaies such spites for to oppresse The heart that one may pine alwaies and neuer finde redresse Yet if the parties firmly loue his spite cannot preuaile My minde therefore shall neuer moue vntill my life doo faile With great paine and with a gracious countenaunce in his musicke this shepheard did sing his song and when he had made an ende he said Ah knight if you did knowe the cause of this my song you would take as much griefe sorrow at it as of my paine you shall vnderstande that I did loue a Pastora very much and doo beléeue she repayed me againe with the same loue and no longer agoe but yesterdaye she was taken out of these fieldes and carried vnto Tinacria vnto the Quéene Garrofilea The shepheard vttered this with so great abundance of teares that he could not speak a worde more so one of the other shepheardes tooke the Rebecke and began to sing as followeth THe troubled minde afflicted is when changed thoughts appeare Of paine and glory bale and blisse which still disturbe mans cheere And if that griefe the goale doth win the heart doth then remaine By this debate inclosed in with thought of passed paine Euen so my hart afflicted is I no defence can make My wonted mirth I so doo misse I no delight can take My heauie minde is clogd with care my glory ouerthrowen And sorrowe lotted for my shar◠my griefe so great is growen Yeeld
Pallaice and the Emperour Trebatio carryed the Pastora vnto her graundmother committing her vnto her custodie for to make much of her And hée tooke the king of Trapobana by the hande and rendered vnto him verie much courtesie and therewith entered into a fayre hall whereas they found the Tables couered and sate downe to supper whereas they were with great ioy and pleasure such as neuer was séene the like in the Court The Emperour the two Kings were set together then the Emperour Alphebo and the Empresses and by them Claridiano and the Pastora who was beheld of all them that were there present much meruailing at her great beautie Coridon did serue them at y e table very much delighted with that he had séene The Supper indured so long that Diana did extende her beames at this time they tooke vp the tables and Galtenor with a loude voyce sayd One of the high glories of my Esclarisido sonne Claridiano shall appeare in this great Citie before the day doo come He had no sooner made an ende of these words when that the heauens beganne to waxe darke with a very thicke clowde and it came with great thunderings and lightenings with so terrible a noyse as though the earth would haue sunke and the longer it indured the more was the fury thereof in such sorte that they all fell vpon their knées and with great humilitie they desired god to deliuer them from the fury of that great tempest So with this sodaine chaunce they passed away the night till y e morning and although the tempest in some part ceased yet the heauens remained all cloudie When the morning was come there appeared before the pallaice nigh vnto y e inchantment of Lindabrides a very strange aduenture which made them all to meruaile and straight way they gaue the Emperour to vnderstand thereof who went out of the Pallayce with all his Knightes with great desire to knowe what it was so likewise went foorth his sonnes and nephewes And when they came into the Courte they sawe that there was fiâ—ed foure pillers euery one of a very fine Rubie vppon the which was placed a Sepulchar of Christall and within the sepulchâ—r there séemed to be a verye faire Ladye her breast pearced thorough with a sword and vpon the Sâ—pulcher there â—aye a man all a long with his face looking vp to the heauens and apparailed with robes of estate with a Crowne of golde vpon his head And vnder the Sepulcher was there spread abroad a great Carpet a cloth of gold and vpon it two pillowes of the same and vpon them lay a knight armed with verie rich armour and his sword laie at his féete his eyes were shut and out of them distilled verie great teares at euerie piller there was a Gentlewoman which séemed to be without anie remembraunce although they wept verie bitterly and nigh vnto the Sepulcher there â—aie a terrible great beast of the verie same making of that which Claridiano slew for to set at libertye the king of Arabia Lapetra This was the spectacle y t Claridiano sawe comming in the aire The Sepulcher was coÌ„passed round about with a strong wall with foure gates for to enter in thereat the gates were after the manner and coulour of fine Diamonds néere vnto the gate which was ouer against the Pallaice was there a Marble piller at the which hung a Bugle horne and an Epitaph written with red Letters the which the Prince Rodolpho did reade with a high voice that all that were there might heare him and it said as followeth At such time as the crueltie of the king of Arabia Lepetra shall be at liberiie and the valour of that worthye Claridiano knowen then they which hath not ben wounded w t loue shall know both the reason the rage of loue for the which cause I doe aduise him that doth not know what loue is not to proue this aduenture if he will not fall into greate misfortune for that cause he must passe by pure force all the force that Claridiano made plaine And this shall indure till such time as the bastard Lyon sonne vnto the Emperiall lion be borne of the rauening Ounce Then he who hath loue in his brest and passed through that vnhappie Ladie daughter vnto the king of Arabia shall sée the great rage without reason of loue The Emperour when he heard that it were things which touched his nephew sayd Oh excellent aduenture of my Claridiano this daie is shewed vnto vs his great valour Galtenor told vnto those knights all that had passed in y e aduenture vntil that day which caused in them great admiration and more at the making of that strange beast who they did behold very atentiuely with this they passed away all that day the Pastora did chaunge her accustomed apparell into robes of silke cloth of gold shewing y e great estate beautie in all points which was in her All the whole court receiued great pleasure sauing onely the Princesse Oliuia who for the absence of her Rosicleer all things did séeme coÌ„trarie vnto her farre different from the iudgementeâ— of all other So the time drew on for to go to rest Then Galtenor tooke Claridiano by the hand and lead him a part on the one side of the hall and sayd vnto him I will carrie thée with me into a place whereas thy heart a new shall be wounded and shall forget the loue which before thou hast had and therwith he commaunded him to arme himselfe in great secret y e successe of the same shall be tolde you héereafter The next daie in the morning when they were all readie to go to heare seruice with the Emperour there entered into the hall a knight of a great stature and proportion of his members and was armed with verie rich armour his face and his handes were vnarmed and shewed by his demeanour a great maiestie and seuere countenance he was of his face somewhat browne of coulour but the proportion thereof was verie well fauoured his beard began to bud he brought after him thrée squires and Pages the one of them brought his Speare which was bigge and short and the other brought his healme the third brought his shéeld with an Emperiall deuice straight waie it was knowen wherefore his comming was and although conformable to reason we haue not spoken anie thing of the faire matrone the quéene of Lyra who with prosperous weather and great pleasure did nauigate by the sea holpen by the furie of Borias which with a fresh winde did continually fill those stiffe sailes and cutting the seas with that sharp steme leauing behinde them the token of their great swift way by the froth of the water and in short time discouering land they tooke port vpon the shore of Almaine wheras this faire Ladie went a land and with her two Nymphes tooke theyr iourney towardes the Court of Almaine So she trauailed two daies and nothing chaunced worth
your disease The pithie perswasions of this angelicall Ladie were so swéet and comfortable that they caused such bashfulnesse in my heart that it mooued mée to chaunge coulour and through modest shame I could not no nor I durst not open my lippes for to vntwist vnto her the bottome of my griefe but craued pardon promising her that at our next méeting I woulde bewraie who she was that galled mée so greatly shée béeing satisfied héerewith and my words carrieng some credite with her shée departed from me but the terrible night that I suffred what with visions dreadfulnesse of dreames mistrust of good Fortune I referre the tast of those pills to your sauâ—ury and mature iudgement noble Prince For sometimes I thought good to disclose and discouer the whole state of my paine And immediatly I would charme those thoughts preferring a cruell death before a perpetuall torment but yet in the ende I concluded with my selfe and thought it good to vnfolde the plaites of my sorrow to so good a Phisition whose skill I knew could helpe mée if disdaine did not let it I thought it good to entertaine hir courtesie as one that could enfraunchise my bondage but wanting abilitie to perfourme my desires by meanes of inwarde paynes which hourely griped mée I thought it not impertinent to vse a pollicie by Metaphora And hauing decréed with my selfe how to handle this practise I rose verie earlye in the morning and shoouing off all feare I apparelled my selfe more braue then I was accustomed and went out of my Chamber to present my selfe to her who had more authoritie ouer mée then my selfe And loe I found my mistresse attending for mee desirous to heare the exposition of that riddle which so darklye I had propounded vnto her The time was excéeding fauourable and the place most conuenient so that I had verye good opportunitie and leasure to disclose the secretes of my heart And surely shée hadde no sooner discouered a glimmering of me but shée came to encounter me immediatly whose Angelicall and braue beautie surpassed the twinkling Starres and heâ— greate desire remayning to knowe the cause of my sorrowe with a gratious and smiling countenaunce she approched to me and saide on this manner Louing Cousin the place is now so conuenient as y â— you néede not to make it strange to me wherein you are so grieued I beseech you blush not to rehearse your pangs which I knowe doo sting you and in so dooing I promise you I will aduenture my selfe in anie daunger howe greate so euer it bée to remooue those pinching passions which so greatly afflict you Then I séeing the houre so fit to make my market I tooke out of my bosome a faire bright Christall glasse and with a panting heart I sayd Faire Laie and the onely nourisher of my lyfe receiue this Glasse therein shall you see the Image of her who is the procurer of my martirdonie and encreaser of my woes marke well her countenaunce and then tell me I praie you whether it lyes in your power to vse anie authoritie ouer her I am perswaded she is so neere a friend of yours as you onely may dispose which being true I earnestly require you to fulfill that which you haue promised me euen for affinities sake and for promise made I am bolde to craue you to keepe the couenaunts which you haue made with me After I had thus spoken with greate hast and quicknesse she tooke the glasse out of my hande And drawing off the couer she looked therein wherevppon she coniectured straight that she was the bréeder of my woes which sodaine and straunge thought altering her coulour she remayned greatly gréeued staring on me with a stearne and wrathfull countenaunce beleeue me the memorie thereof as yet redoubles my sorrowe for considering then with my selfe how bitterly shée harped vppon this string and what a passionate minde did feede her melancholyke humour I woulde more willinglye haue spared my lyfe then to haue her wast her selfe in sorrowe through the greene imagination of that 〈◊〉 which not béeing applyed I hadde no comfort lefte me but death and yet with this straunge demeanour she was not contented but starte vp and rowling the beames of hir christalline eyes towardes me as though they were sparkes of fire kindled with malice she sayd Cousin hardly coulde I euer haue bene perswaded to haue found you so presumptuous as to haue giuen the onset to any thing which might preiudice mine honour or offend my minde partly for that you are bound to please all Ladies but principally for that you should not harme your friendes among whom albeit I haue bene least able yet haue I not bene most vnwilling to stande you in stéed sith therefore these considerations haue not preuayled to quench the firebrande of your foolish loue I enioyne you vppon the penaltie of my displeasure not to make me staine my credit by imbruing mine owne handes in mine owne bloud for in so dooing your villanie shall be published to the world and the losse of my life shall make your traiterous heart accessarie to my murther After she had ministred this corosiue vnto me she retourned into hir closet leauing me so benummed of my senses and so surfetted with this bankeâ— that not being able to disgest it I sonke presentlye to the grounde lying as it were in a traunce where I was founde by the maydens of honour which attended vppon the person of the Quéene my mother who séeing me in this pitifull plight bethought them immediatelye of those drugges which might awake my dulled senses and as it is séene commonlye that women are timerous in such tragedies they yelled and shriked in such sort that the Quéene my mother ouer-hearde them who wondring at the cause of this clamour and lesse thinking of my distressed estate repaired vnto the place whereas I laye thus martired and séeing mée lulde and rockte vppe and downe in the Ladies lappes so bathed in teares and so hopelesse of life she wringed hir handes and what with their chaâ—ing of me and pittiful noise they made I felte my selfe somewhat reuiued againe and when I opened mine eyes and sawe my selfe inclosed with so manye Ladyes and Damosells and she absent whose vnkindnesse hadde dragged mée to this miserie and torment I sodainlye fell againe into a traunce and after long trauayle and no lesse sorrowe they summoned together my vitall spirites When I was the second time brought from death to lyfe I founde they hadde stripte mée and layde mée in my naked bedde the same companie continued with mée which came first to visite me Likewise there came to comforte me certaine Knightes and Gentlemen who demaunded of me where I felt my greatest griefe and what was the cause of it I then considering with my selfe howe despaire did rule the stearne of my boate and howe frozen I founde my Mistresse hir fauour though vndeseruedly I was dispised I didde request them to bée quiet and to depart from me
full of great ioy he fell vppon Rosicleer his necke and sayd Oh my sonne I did well vnderstand that in the time of my greatest necessitie that thou wouldest neuer deceiue me with greate reason I may call thée my fortunate sonne not for that thou wert borne in a good daie but also that loue did cause so greate affection to thy mother of whome hath procéeded such finite as thou and thy brother Nowe of this worthie Prince what shall I saye that with verie ioye he was almost beside himselfe when he heard his Father the Emperour speake for by the sounde of his voyce he did know him So straight waye the Emperour pulled of his helme wherewith this valiaunt Rosicleer was fully resolued and without all doubt When he sawe the maiestie of his regall countenaunce and his bearde adorned with some royall white haires his face somewhat high coloured by reson of the great trauaile he receiued in his late battailes in the which he showed his great power and the prowesse of the progenie from whence he did procéede his sonne bowed downe his knées to the earth and lifted vp the visour of his healme and kissed the Emperours hands bathing them with the teares that fell from his eyes which was forced by his heart for the great ioye which he receiued The Emperour tooke him by the hand raysed him from the ground with great loue If I should héere declare the rest of the extremities that passed in this their ioyfull méeting it should be very tedious vnto the hearers therfore I doo remit it vnto such a father whose lot it is to haue good children therwith their like helpe in necessitie So without making any more delay the Emperour would haue deliuered out of prison the Knight of this faire Lidia the which being vnderstoode by them of the Castle they straight waye brought him before the Emperour with many other moe which were pertakers with him in the succour of the Lady These Knightes altogether gaue great thankes vnto the Emperour for y e friendship he had shewed them in helping them out of this theyr terrible imprisonment And thus they remained in great ioy and pleasure as well the Emperour for the sight of his son as also all those which were prisoners for the good successe that they had but especially and aboue all the rest was the ioye of Lidia which with the contentment that she receiued to sée hir Brenio in hir companie so that she was almost rauished of hir wits but in the countenaunce of the Knight it appeared by his outward showe that he receiued no pleasure the which being vnderstoode by this faire Lidia not knowing the cause whereof it should procéede to mooue him therevnto all hir great ioye and delight was tourned into despaire Then the Emperour commaunded those of the Castle that they should giue him somewhat to eate and likewise to all the rest which were taken out of prison vnto him for the great trauaile which he had passed in this battaile and vnto the rest for that they had great néed thereof So it was straight way made ready and that in very good order and they all sate downe together at the Emperours table So when they had almost dined and that they were well refreshed the Emperour tolde vnto Rosicleer who that King was which he had séene in the waggon the occasion thereof for the which he desired him that no other aduenture should be the occasion to let him but to goe straight vnto Constantinople and to take in companie with him Brandimardo and procure that the Lady might be restored againe vnto her kingdome vsing all your diligence to giue hir him to wife for that the noble Prince is worthye of no small honour And héere my sonne I doo professe vnto thée that a more beautifull Ladie in all my life I haue not séene but onely the Empresse Claridiana Also if that fortune doo so serue that thy brother the Knight of the Sunne come to those parts thou shalt will him that he doo not mooue nor depart from those parts for any kinde of aduenture that shall succéede till such time as I doo retourne for that nowe at this present I cannot retourne for that I haue sworne and giuen my word So there he tolde vnto them all the historie of that infortunate Herea at the which all they present receiued great sorrowe sauing onely Brenio which séemed that he receiued neither pleasure nor ioy So when the boord was voyded Rosicleer tooke his leaue of the Emperour his father and leaped vp on his horse and tooke the way which led him whereas he left his boate He was no sooner entred into it but it began to make way and sailed with so great swiftnesse that the third day he arriued at Constantinople whereas at this present we will leaue him ¶ How the Ladie Lidia talked with her Knight Brenio who was verie sad demaunding of him the cause of his discōtentment of other accidents Cap. 14. HEere you haue heard of the great discontentment that Brenio did showe at such time as he came out of the prison and in how short time the ioye that Lidia receyued was tourned into sorrowe and sadnes and that she could not demaund to knowe the occasion by reason of the company that was there so she was driuen to passe all that daye with bitter sorrowes and anguish of minde and without all comfort till such time as the night approched thinking y t when she was alone with him whom she loued more then her selfe to aske of him the occasion of all his paine Thus hir desire being brought to passe this false Brenio did vncloath himselfe and the time that he was making vnreadie he neuer lefte wéeping till such time as he was layd in his bed This faire Ladie leaning with hir brest vpon the bolster ioyned her hands with his and said My swéete Brenio what thing hath caused thée thus against the firme loue that I haue towards thée to shewe thy selfe so sad as it doth appeare by thy heauie chéere turne my loue and showe a ioyfull face and giue me some comfort with thy smiling countenaunce let my troubled hart receiue some ease of that vnmeasurable sorrowe which I haue sustained during the time that these vnknowen and traiterous people haue kept thée in prison and absent from my sorowfull sight What is this my swéete Brenio hast thou seene in me any occasion to dissolue this faithfull loue which I beare thee Let the great trauaile sighs sorrowes mooue the which I receiued to finde out the Emperour and bring him to set thee at libertie and if this be not sufficient consider with what great loue I haue passed many sorrowfull wayes and terrible stormes for to attaine thy presence as now I doo And héere I doo sweare vnto thée by the true faithfull loue which caused me so sorowfully to wéepe being on the déepe sea that if I the infortunate Lidia be not
Fathers name was Cosdros he was one of them that was slaine by the handes of Bramarandus whom afterwardes the Emperour Trebatio slew in battaile So I remained all alone very much made off well beloued of the widdowe my mother and we kepte our selues in a very faire castle of ours not far from this place whereas we did passe our solitary liues So I was required of loue of a Gentleman more richer in goodes and landes than in linage or vertue and I vnderstanding his litle estimation did alwayes esteeme him as little and neuer made any reckoning of his messages the which was the occasion that his desire was the more stronger in such sorte that he séeing himselfe by me not estéemed but put off with the great griefe that he receiued for my loue he dyed and at the houre of his death he neuer left naming of Felina the cause of all my harme At such time as he dyed there was a brother of his present and hearing him to declare the causer of his death there kindeled in him so much anger and wrath that he bare vnto me a perpetuall hatred and did procure to haue amends for the death of his brother So it hapned on a time that I went out of the Castle without any mistrust in the company of other two damsells at which time I was stole away by him and other foure Knightes who broughte me vnto this place which is to my great sorrow and gréefe whereas they bound me in that sort as thou hast found me gentle Knight and not content héerewith but for my more paine and sorrow they left me naked with greater desire to die then to liue This Ladye coulde not let but to associaâ—â— her tale with great lamentations wherein this Dacian did beare her company and sayd Of truth sorowfull Lady fortune hath vsed with me great liberalitie to bring me hether in this time for to set you at libertie from this great captiuitie and to make reuengement of thy honour and héere I doo offer my selfe and doo giue vnto thée my fayth of knighthood to perfourme it or to loose my lyfe This faire Ladye was somewhat comforted with the offer of the Knight and gaue him great thanks for the fauor which he did offer her In this sort they passed the rest of the night that remained till such time as the Sunne of Tona did shew his glistering face spreading all abroad his golden beames accompanyed with y e swéet and rosalyke Aurora at which time they were all readie a foote for to goe onwards on their waie straight wayes they heard amongest the thickest of those trées a still sound The Prince being verie desirous to knowe what it was and comming thether he saw that it was his horse the which was brought thether by the order of the wise Lyrgandeo from the place whereas he lefte him at such time as hée did imbarke himselfe The Prince receiued great delight at the sight of him and taking him by the bridle he leaped on his back and went to séeke the Ladyes Palfraie which was let loose amongst those thicke trées and they found him feeding in a faire and gréene medowe adorned with many fresh and swéete flowers So his page leapt on his backe tooke the Ladie behinde him and trauailed through a narow and well beaten path which brought them into a broad waie that carried them into a verie great and large plaine at 〈◊〉 the ende thereof there was a verie faire Castell and in the middest of the plaine they sawe foure knightes which came towards them and when they were nigh together the one of them sayd Tell me knight who made thée so bolde as for to vnloose this Ladie from thée place whereas she was made fast What is this that thou askest sayd Eleno is it possible that thou art hée that forgetting all the honour that thou doest owe vnto the order of knighthood madest fast this Ladie The knight anâ—wered sayd I am he that did it hée that will take awaie thy life from thée in recompence of thy great boldnesse to vnloose her So without anie more tarrying the Prince Eleno turned about his horse towards him When this sorrowful Ladie â—awe him y t was the occasion of all her euill she leapt downe from her Palfray began with a new sorow her gréeuous lamentation Those foure knights came all against y e prince some with their speares he y t had none came w t his swoord in his hand with great furie one of the foure who thought himselfe to be more valiant theÌ„ all y e rest came formost with his sword in his hand all a high stroke him a mightie blow vpon his helme with all his strength but this Dacian Prince made little account thereof and passing by he stroke him a blow vpon his shield and for that his blow could extend no farther he remained with his life otherwise it had cost him the price thereof for it parted his shield in two péeces The Knight returned and gaue him another blow that it made the sparks of fire to fly out of his healme Then the Dacian full of yre let goe his shield and clasped fast his sword in both his hands and stroke him so terrible a blow vpon his helme that he cut helme and heade in two péeces and he fell down dead to the earth The other seeing their companion dead all thrée together set vpon him but this valiant Dacian who in such like aduentures neuer had any feare did receiue them with his accustomed furye striking on them both on the right and lefte hand with mortall blowes In the meane time this afflicted Lady when she sawe the Knight dead which caused her dishonour lyke a furious Lionesse she went towards him and sayd Oh howe the gods haue giuen thée thy paiment for the dishonor which thou hast done me yet she said O heauie Felina what doth this reuengement profite thy honour being lost it were very great riches vnto me that by the death of him which hath robbed me of it it might be restored me again Oh my gods I am in no falt in the loosing of my chastitie for that it was violently taken from me in the thicke forrest There shall be none able to disturbe but that I will execute my fury vppon my selfe although I doo not deserue the same and in saying these words she tooke the sword of that dead knight and put the poynt to her breast and threw her selfe thereon in such sort that Fabio could not succour her although with great hast he would haue done it The Dacian Knight casting his head on the one side and saw the harme done he pressed forwards with great furie and yrefull wrath and lifte vp his sword and stroke such a blow at one of them vppon his right arme that arme and sworde together fell to the ground and strayght tourned vnto another and with an ouerthwart blowe he stroke him on the making
delyuer them from the rauening Wolues And by reason that shée doth knowe that her beautie is so great shée is so proude that shee doth make them all equall in her estimation although not all equall in suffering I doo promise thée of a truth gallant shephearde that this Riuer dooth seeme to be no other thing but the habitation of Venus and Cupide Coridon did cut off the words of Galismena and sayd Ah sister Galismena the little accompt that thou doest make of loue doth cause thée to speake of that which thy sorrowfull brother doth féele What doost thou thinke Galismena that of this my contentious passion I shall reape anye other benefitte but that I haue put my loue vppon the most excellentest Pastora that euer Nature did forme Tell me I praye thée Pastora what shephearde haue you belonging vnto this Riuer of Euphrates vnto whome shée dooth extend her thought more then vnto me Hold thy peace Coridon sayd Galismena doo not exalt Cayserlinga so much for in her respecte thou doost not onelye put from thée all other Pastoras but thou dost likewise disable all shepheards alongst this Riuer Truth it is although that Cayserlinga doth deserue much yet for that she is a woman she doth not deserue so much as the worst Shephearde in all this our habitation for that this onelye is sufficient that he is a man Then said Coridon with great anger I would it were not thy selfe but some other that should speake such words for y t I promise thée with y e force of my arme I wold make him to know that his words were not true but very false Then Claridiano did interrupt their communication and sayd Gentle shepheards let these your contentions cease for that there commeth nothing of them but anger and falling out but I doo desire you that you would shew vnto me this Pastora for that her fame doeth giue me a desire to sée her Héere by the riuer of Euphrates sayd Coridon in an arbour which is made of very faire and gréene sallowes gallantlye wrought there euerye morning she doth combe her yeolow golden hayre thether maist thou goe very earlye in the morning whereas thou maist recreate thy selfe of that new sight And in the meane tune before that thou dost depart we doo desire thée to tell vs thy name and what countriman thou art This new shepheard aunswered and said My name is Filipensio and am naturally of Siria and of the plaines of Caniphia a kingdome of Chaldea and the great desire of these greene fieldes and fresh feeding which is héere growing about this cleere riuer hath brought me hether for to feede a little Cattle the which the Gods hath made mée Lord and gouernour of Ah shepheard sayd Coridon with a dolorous sigh doest thou come to féede thy shéepe in fresh gréene medowes and dost not know that in séeing that Pastora thou shalt féede loue within thy delicate and tender breast So with this and other such like pleasaunt communication they passed all that night till the next morning and when it was time for to departe they tooke their waye to the accustomed abiding of the beautifull Pastora and they met in the waye manye shepheardes who complained very much against the fury of loue So vnder a greate Sallowe Trée they sawe two shepheards the one did complaine of loue very grieuously and laye all alongst vppon the ground and the other was playing vppon a Rebecke and sung verye swéetelye wherewith Filipensio did staye and heard that he sung as followeth STraunge is my griefe yet count I it a gaine and great my smart but small I it esteeme In that for her I suffer all this paine whose beautie rare celestiall I doo deeme The pangs I feele oppresse my fainting hart the hope I haue reuiues the same againe Tormenting loue afflicts me still with smart yet for her sake I force not to be slaine My cause is good whereby my care is great both cause and care I vnto thee replye And though with rigor still thou me intreat yet will I ioye that I for thee must dye And giuing a dolorous sigh he ended his song The shepheard Filipensio and his company went forwards on their waye and passed the time in amorous and swéete communications not staying in any place till they came wheras this Pastora had her abiding and there they put themselues amongst a companie of thicke trées vnder one of the which they saw where was a shepheard of a meruailous disposition so that Filipensio did very much behold him and thought in his imagination by the demeanour of that shepheard that he should not séeme to be of the lignage of shepheards and turning vnto Coridon he asked him what he was They all safe themselues downe vnder a high mightie sallow trée nigh vnto the place whereas the other shepheard was at his rest and Coridon aunswering vnto that which was asked him sayd This is a shepheard of Babylonia who for to féede his cattell in the companie of other well proportioned shepheards came â—ether and with the sight of that Pastora he felt himselfe full of passions and griefes by the sight of her beutie The companion of this who is called Tarsides was hée which did most followe and importunate the Pastora but she who is the honestest in all the worlde not onelye with sharpe and bitter words did put him from it but also with publike disdaine and hatred for the which aâ— one hated not set by he did determine to leaue this valley reporting that his departure would shorten his dayes Alphesiueo for so is this shepheard called as one that was more stronglyer wounded with loue determined to remaine and to perseuer in his sute At this time Alphesiueo did awake and tooke an instrument in his hand which he had and began to play on it very swéetely singing these verses following THe drops of raine in time the Marble pierce Submission makes the Lyons hart relent But Loue thy cruell torments are so fierce That mischiefes new thou daily dost inuent For she whose sight my heart in sunder rent Regardeth neither of my faith nor griefe Nor yet yeelds death which is my sole reliefe This song he sung so dolefully that it gaue plainely to vnderstand his grieuous paine and by his words that he was not of the lignage of shepheards At this time the sonne of Tona did begin to appeare out of his golden Horizon to shew himselfe vpon the face of the earth glistering with his beames vppon the cléere waters of Euphrates likewise Fauonius and Zephyrus did very swéetely and softlye blowe vpon the grâ—en leaues and made a delicate harmonie at such time as the most fairest Cayserlinga accompanied with high thoughts and with her shéepe that she had in charge for her recreation came foorth and a great companye of shepheardes following her who were as full of sorrowes and thoughtes for her loue as she cleane voyd and without regard of them and when she
who by the strength of the arme of this knight was slaine and the Gyaunt which he slewe by the riuer of Euphrates was the king of Cilicia himselfe the occasion of his comming and who all the rest were shall more at large appeare in the processe of the historie When the Gyaunt knewe him with a diuellish countenaunce he sayde Tell me knight by fortune art thou that famous warriour who in the iustes of Nabatea as hath béene tolde me carried awaye all the honour and praise and ouerthrewe the king of Cilicia to whome the Gods did shew themselues enimies and the same which likewise slew his brother if there be anie curtesie in thée I desire thée to tell me This valiant Prince aunswered and said I do not know to what end thou doest aske it of me but let it be for what it shall be thou shalt vnderstand that I am the same that thou didst speake off And for that thou shalt be the better certefied of this thou shalt vnderstand that I am he who in shepheards apparaile onely with my shepheardes crooke at one blow brought that traitor the Prince of Polismago to the ground without remembraunce and likewise with another blow with the sword of the said Prince I slew the King of Cilicia and am the same who will doo the like with thée if thou dost not deliuer vnto me that faire Pastora who was brought hether by force by that naughtie Prince of Polismago The Giant was very sorrowfull for that which hée heard and showed by his countenaunce to be very wrathful At that time there descended downe the staires another Giant who with a furious voyce sayd vnto the first Gyaunt Brother put thy selfe apart on the one side and let mée take reuengement of this vile Knight that is before thée without speaking any more words he lift vp his great and heauie fawchon and stroke a mightie blow at the Knight but this pollitike Knight stepped with great lightnesse on y e one side which was the occasion that his blow fell downe vppon y e pauement in vain this terrible blow was no sooner down when the Knight closed with him and stroke him with his sword so mightie a blow vpon the right arme that he cut it cleane a sunder and it fell downe to the ground sword and al. The Giant when he saw himselfe so wounded gaue a terrible shrike and threw his shield from him and would haue taken the sword in his other hand but the Prince woulde not suffer it but stroke him another blow on the same arme and euen as he did by the other he cut it a sunder by the elbow so that he was lame of both his armes Yet for all this the giant did not loose his furie but roaring like a Lion he opened the stumpes of his armes which did remain thinking with them to imbrace the Knight and by his greate force to ouerthrowe him As he he laboured to enter in the Knight put the poynt of his sword before him in such sorte that what with the strength and furie of the Giant and the force that he put therevnto the sword passed through his body that he fell downe dead to the ground At this time there descended downe the staires in great hast a Knight of a mightie proportion whom Claridiano knew to be the Prince of Polismago This Gréek Knight receiued great delyght at the sight of him Then the Prince of Polismago said Thou peruerse dogge come and take reuengeme for the griefe and wrong which thou doost publish héere to haue receiued for I am the Prince whom thou dost seeke for and in saying these words he did assault him with terrible blowes Then Claridiano did returne vnto him y e like but not in so terrible a sort as he might for the great compassion that he had of him considering that the pangs of loue cause a man to doe that sometimes which afterward he doeth repent himselfe off So héere betwixt them began a mightie and well foughten battaile the one striking the other on all parts great and terrible blowes In this sort they indured a while without knowing any aduauauntage betwixte them the occasion was for that the Gréeke woulde not vse the rigor of all his strength And béeing in this controuersie the Gréeke lifte vp his eyes and sawe at a windowe the faire Pastora who was beholding them in their battaile at which sight he receiued so great plesure and delyght that the strength of his armes did faile him and he had no more power to lifte them vp When the Pagan saw that he did assault him with more courage the Gréeke had no power but onely to beare off the blowes and recoyled till such time as he came right vnder the window which made the Pagan to thinke that he was ouercome and that he had got the victorie At that time the other Giant was very well armed went vnto the Pastora and tooke her by the haire of y e head and pulled her from the window and sayd Apart thy selfe from that place thou which art the cause of all this euill for that thou shalt not content thy selfe in séeing him who doeth procure thy libertie although it be impossible and I do sweare vnto thée by my Gods that the great damage which thy nicenesse hath caused thy head shall paye for Oh howe wrathfull this Gréeke was when he saw the Giant intreat her so euill for a giuing a terrible shrike he lift vp his right arme with his sworde and stroke at the Pagan so mightie a blowe vpon his healme so that if it had not bene inchaunted he had cut it in two péeces and put the head in great perill but yet he escaped not but he sell downe to the grounde without anie remembraunce and there ranne out of his mouth great abundance of bloud When Claridiano sawe him in this plight he made no more reckoning of him but with a furyous hast he went to goe vp the stayres at such time as y e Gyant came downe with great violence but when the sonne of Gran Alfebo sawe him he returned and did abide his comming in the court and sayd Make an end thou great beast and descend downe that I may giue thée thy paiment for thy boldnesse which thou hast vsed against the goddesse of Pastoras The Gyant with the great furie which he had vnderstood not what the knight had sayde and therefore he made him no aunswere and if that he woulde haue done it yet his great wrath woulde not consent vnto it but with his Fauchon all aloft he went towards the Gréeke assalting him with mortall battaile The like did this strong knight making betwixt them a terrible battaile and striking the one the other where they thought to do most hurt Who had then seene the great lightnesse of the Gréeke in besturring himselfe would haue well iudged that the worst part should not be his for that he so handled his enimie in breaking of his harnesse
those passions which the day before he had passed Also those conceites did call to account more sorrowes made him to be gréeued for his long absence from his best beloued Oliuia whose beautye hée intertained so déeply in his minde as neither time place nor any fortune whatsoeuer could seperate hir from his good opinion Nourishing his minde with this swéete passion he continually tossed too and fro and in the ende séeing the bright shining Moone fixing his eyes vpon it hée began to contemplate the diuine power of almightie God not wondering also a little how that y e heauens were beautified with golden stars and how the greate Architector of the world had setled euerie one in his due and conâ—enient place which ingendered a greate confusion in his minde These cogitations summoned him to sléepe wherein hée had not taken long rest but y t he heard on his leâ—â—â— hand a harmonious sound of some musical instrument therwith all so pleasant and Angelicall a voyce answerable to the same y t he supposed it to descend froÌ„ y e heauens The prince start vp and softly went through the darke thicketâ—es to the end he might approch the more néerer therby to be pertaker of that celestiall musicke but he was hindered of his iourney for that Dianas brightnesse was eclipsed with a Clowde wherefore then lifting vp his eyes hée might discrie vnder a broade Pine apple trée a certaine Lady sitting vppon a quishion of blacke veluet embrodered with diuerse pretie knots of golde whom he supposed to be that Ladie with which her diuine harmonie delighted his troubled spirits her faire yeolow haire vntied and hanging downe beneath her eares did rest vpon her comely shoulders in such séemly sort and so long that some part therof touched the black veluet cloath which did séeme with their golden colour to represent some golden embleme wouen in the same cloth She had before hir Christalline breast a goodly Lute whereon she played as you haue hearde this swéete musicke There waited vppon her person nine faire damosells arraied all alike with gownes of blacke veluet on her one side ther lay prostrate a lustie strong knight well proportioned in bodie and tall harnessed in a blacke Diamond armour without anye other deuice who was verie attentiue to the musicke which the faire Ladie did sing the tenor of the which is comprised in these vearses following STraine forth a voice conformed to my hart and let my fingers heauie stops applie Whilest that my tongue in words bewray such smart as who them heares maie knowe in life I die Foules beasts and wormes that neighbor neere this place All in your kindes assist my wofull case Yea euen the fish that in this riuer dwell whose cleere sweet streames my teares haue bitter made Will stay to heare the processe which I tell the Nymphs also that haunt this grouie shade And Ecko eke full glad of such a mate Will in my words bemone hir passed state I loue aye mee whereby my ioyes I lost and am not lou'd wherein fresh griefe I finde Prowd Tyrant thou with shame thy conquest bost thy faith my fame staind by thy cruell minde Who gotst with guile the guard of my good name And leau'st me now to ransacke of defame Cannot my face where nature prints her praies thy liking draw her A.b.c. there to know My haires excell bright Phoebus golden raies my eyes more cleare then starres in frost that show My cheekes likewise for perfect white and red resemble bloud that in the snowe is shed The rest vnnamde doth match all these likewise but lo my faith my forme too farre doth passe Yea forme and faith he shunnes and doth despise whom ceaslesse I pursue from place to place Whereby though ofte my tender lims I tire My will yet fresh through hope and sweete desire She made an ende of hir song with a pitifull sigh and letting hir lute fall out of hir hand with a trembling voice shée saide O Prince Zoylus if thou diddest or wouldest knowe the greate trauaile that this carefull Damoisell susteyneth for thy onely cause I doo verily thinke that albeit thou hadst tasted of the water of the inchanted well of Merlin yet could it neuer worke such effect in thée as to make thée carelesse of my torments sith they are so sharpe and I haue sustained them so long These words were no sooner vttered by this sorrowfull lady but presently the knight start vp who was laid downe close by the Lady and could not be quiet vntill he had answered hir thus What breath hath loue made in your breast most delicate damosell how hath he subdued you with his blinde force vnlesse the great disdaine and discontentment that the Tartarian Prince shâ—wed you doo oppresse you I know not why you should complaine why shuld not you quite his discurtesie with like disgrace why should you not make him tast of y e sower which séemes so bitter to you You sent for me you know to come into Greece onely to be reuenged of his crueltie and how often haue you wished his head as a Sacrifice in respect of his contempt And how comes it now to passe y t in your songs he is remembred with such affection thought vppon with such plainâ—s and called vpon as a diuine creature Beléeue mée and doubt not of it good madame if Fortune be so fauourable to assist mée in my purpose I will in such wise contriue these matters that you shall neuer haue anie occasion to lament his lyfe neyther yet to suspect that he doeth bestowe his good will and liking vpon some other Ladie The afflicted Dame notwithstanding all these his comfortable speaches could not strip her selfe of any part of these excéeding sorrowes which so déeply did sting her wherevppon shée aunswered him in this order saying Prince of Mesopotamia I sayle euen nowe betwéene two doubtes whereby I doo not onely doubt but am also perswaded my shipwracke is harde at hande For if I become so frowarde as to enuie him whome I wish to bée my friende or that I haue so cankered a minde as to séeke to destroie him whome I loue so well what might be sayd of me otherwise then of a fained louer and cruell homicide againe if on the other side I pardon his death whose life and disdaine bréeds me this sorrow might argue too much pitie without desart Alasse what lucke had I that loue should intrude himselfe so forcibly into my poore hart and gouerne there as chiefe Lorde and could he not haue battered the breast of Zoylo whose deâ—ence in resisting had bene more strong then mine but the weakest must to the wall and the least able must beare the heauiest burthen How gladsome would that daye be vnto me wherein I might sée my Knight abandon his straungenesse and extend more fauour vpon me or els alas how willing wold I be that my afflicted heart were drawen out of his place by his bloudie hande The poore
him to ride in his boate as alreadie hath bene recited vnto you ¶ The great sorrow that the knight of the Sunne receiued in thinking of his owne disloyaltie and that which happened vnto him Cap. 4. THE Knight of the Sunne with great furie and hast wandred through the Forrests of Greece as it hath ben alreadie declared vnto you kindling the aire with fire with that burning cholar wherin he was wrapped vnhappie had he bene which at that time durst haue vndertaken to haue resisted his purpose for while hée was in this moode there had bene no roeke so harde but hée would haue torne in péeces nor no hill so stéepe but he would haue pulled downe In this sort he went all the daie not finding anie print of that he sought for The darke night did ouertake him in the thickest of the Forrest whereby he was enforced to a light and ease his horse who fed vpon y e gréene grasse and he leaned himselfe vnder a high Pine trée the place being so solitarie it was a meane to drawe him in minde of many things which had alreadie happened vnto him and specially it renewed the fresh assaultes of that loue which passed betweene him and the Princesse Lyndabrides musing with himselfe what should mooue him so vnkindly to forget her and in comparing the beautie of the Princesse Lyndabrides with his beloued wife he found the Empresse did farre exceede her and heerevpon the knightes good will beganne to kindle and was inwardlye gladde of his owne choice but this affection was soone extinguished so firmely setteled was that good will bée bare vnto the Barbarian Ladie The impression whereof was so déepe that hée altogether forgot the auncient loue that he had borne vnto his beloued Empresse wherevppon with sorrowing sighes he sounded foorth his griefe and with brinish teares hée saide Is there in the world anie knight so little attainted with loue as I am or can there be anie one so vngratfull as I sith that I bestow no care vpon one so furnished with beautie and indued with so many excellent vertues Alasse Lyndabrydes right worthie doo I acknowledge my selfe to be chastised with loue sith that without reason I haue transgressed his boundes As there is nothing in me to merit your diuine beautie so am I altogether vnworthie béeing a disloyall Knight anie so vnderserued curtesie but I will promise you to execute vpon my selfe a more sharp reuenge then laie in you to giue me sith that I haue forfaited that bond wherein I was bound vnto you Oh miserable knight what sayst thou in thine owne defence how canst thou excuse thy folly hast thou blotted out of thy mind y t souereigne curtesie of thy Ladie or hast thou suspended the swéet memorie of her diuine beutie being so rare an Empres Oh traiterous hart why hast thou yéelded to this folly why dost thou not now repent this passed falt sith that loue which first enthralled thy minde doth now without ceasing tormeÌ„t thy heart Oh wretch that I am what condigne punishment may I bestow vpon my selfe O sacred Emperico thou gauest me frée possessioÌ„ of all without reseruing any thing thou didst surrender to me thine Empire thou didst yéeld to me thy libertie and I carelesse of my faith neglecting thy courtesie could not intertaine a good opinion of thee alone in my heart according to thy desert but haue ben preuented by the Tartarian ladie who hath made a breach in my affection Forgiue me I beséech thée Oh sorrow oh intollerable griefe no lesse sharp then death to sée my hart diuided in twaine Is it possible y t I can liue sustaine these nipping passions which assalt me with this the miserable knight seÌ„t forth a scalding sigh by his countenance appeared to be plunged in great sorrow insomuch y t the ecko of his bitter passions moued y e shiuering leaues to quietnes the percing aire to a certain calme stay only to heare y e plaints of this oppressed knight In this heauie plight woful cogitation y e afflicted Grecian spent y e wearie night vntil the glistring Sun w t his radiant beames did shine vpon the gréene grasse and swéete budding trées and moued the chirping birds with their golden layes to warble forth their sugered tunes At that present houre the knight of the Sunne brideled his horse and without setting his foot in the stirop he mounted vppon him leauing the raines on his necke to the end he might goe where best liked him hée had not long iourneied but he was come neere vnto a riuer which ranne through the Forrest his horse being verie drie entered into it altogether carelesse of the exceeding anguish wherin his Master was whose minde was so perplexed in considering his straunge mishap that he forgot where he was vntill the bubbeling of the Christal water awaked his benummed sences and then séeing himselfe in this golden streame and gasing on euerie side he espyed the armour of the valiant Moore which was chained for a monument vnto a Pine apple tree The Prince staied long in viewing them greatlye admiring at such an aduenture and approching more néere he might well discerne by the head péece that the armour belonged vnto the Moore whome he had sought with great labour and paine which sight did greatly trouble his minde And turning his horse to sée the straungnesse of this misfortune he sawe the bloudie alter where the Moore had committed this sacrifice néere vnto it was annexed a goodly graue closely couched by a loftie Pine wherin was engrauen certaine vearses which when he perused he might perceiue that they were compounded by his brother and when he â—ad by reading of them gathered the sorrowfull end that the valiant Moore made he could not so well gouerne his affection but y t his eyes distilled gushing streames of water greatly deploring with himselfe the froward fortune of so valiant a man where by imbruing his hands in his owne bloud had thereby eclipsed his former honour Then greatly exclaiming against the wretchednesse of this worlde and the loosenesse of the people he did note the solempne vowe his brother made and therewithall did remember the fruites of his vertue and therevpon desirous to ioyne with him in trauaile he did ingraue with his dagger somewhat vnder the other Epitaph these vearses that followe Whose trauaile strange shall leade him to this place to view this shield and strong Tartarians graue That man I warne that he doo not deface the same deuisde by Rosicle'er the braue Whose brothers bloud the quarrell shall maintaine Against such knights that would this armour gaine When he had written this he walked vp and downe by the graue by chance saw y e dagger wherewith y e Moore had killed himselfe and taking it in his hand he sayd Truly thou hast great cause to lament sith that thou hast bene the instrument to murther the best knight that euer ware armour and in memorie héereof thou shalt
eie witnes of my wretchednesse or to saie the truth of my cruell death Understand you then that I am Don Eleno Prince of Dacia sonne to Cadislao brother to the high and mightie Emperour Trebatio your Father and to the beautifull Florisena Daughter to the king of Cypres and Nygroponte vnder whose winges I was nourished till I was eight yéeres of age and was trayned vp in y e regall sort as was incident to my parents estate Béeing of this age spightfull Fortune who is slipperie to all men and leuells commonly at the contented minde spun mée so course a thrid as I feare me in the weauing it will proue my vtter destruction This blinde Fortune I saie conuayed to the king my Father his court the beautifull Princesse Florisdama daughter to the king of Nygroponte brother to my Father she was equall to me in age and so indued with beutie that she séemed Angelicall While I was thus young the burning flames began to scorch me which now doo singe me and we were so allied that without anie suspition we walked where we would and most commonly we spent our time in a banquetting house which was halfe a mile from the Citie which was right faire compassed about with christalline streames and gréene meddowes furnished with swéete flowers we lead so pleasant princely a life y t wée bestowed all our care in catching chirping Birdes and young â—eauerets Our mutuall good wills was so greate as seldome did we forbeare each others companie mine procéeding of an inward desire to haue hir to my wiâ—e hers in regard of the affinitie which was betwéene vs. This â—ugured life continued vntill we were fouretéene yeares of age the which time we bestowed in hunting to the great comfort of my heart though in the ende not to the harts ease of my mind my Florisdama hauing a crossebowe in hir hand and a bugle horne about hir necke little mindfull of that sorrowe which galled me so much While she continued this vaine in hunting it begate a singular good will in me to sée hyr shoote hauing hir golden lockes somewhat layde forth and vpon hir head was knit a garlaÌ„d of all swéet smelling flowers she had a gowne of white Satten all laid ouer with gold lace which made her séeme so celestiall that she had bene able to haue quailed the heart of Cupid Beléeue me and doubt not of it valiant Prince that Venus in hir most brauerie did neuer excell hir Neither coulde the inchaunted Circâ—s with all her cunning frame so much beautie in her face to beguilde those whome she thought to entice My desire still increased to beholde so much beautie and the beautifull Ladie setled all her care in chasing the little Fawne which when she had gotten at anie aduauntage shée would surely shoot and spéed wherevpon I would speake softly vnto my selfe and say Alasse that arrowe weâ—e better bestowed in my heart for being once dead I should auoide an hourely death which pearceth me euerie daie Therfore be assured of this Knight that I sustained not so much ioy by her companie in the â—aie time but I endured as great torment in the night by her absence Béeing thus wasted in woe Florisdama hadde a narrow scantling at the cause of my passions and yet was she not fully resolued that it was for her sake and therefore with making shewes of loue she demaunded what wringed me in such sort either whether it was an imperfection in my selfe or a want of boldnesse to discouer it hauing as I haue alreadie declared attained to the age of fouretéene yeares I was dubbed Knight by my father God knowes how gréeuous it was to me to be separated from the thing wherin I ioyed so much The imagination whereof I referre to your discréete iudgement most worthie Grecian Prince sith that alreadie you haue tasted the same sauce of cruell loue and alas howe gréeuous were those thoughtes vnto me which brought vnto my minde the enter-course of spéech the kinde familiaritie the pleasant walks and the comely graces of my diuine Florisdama your passed miserie maye easily haue an ame at y e same my present estate may best discouer it what shall I say more right worthie knight but my passions were so bitter and my helpe so slender that I lost my coulour forbare my meate and grewe to be so weake that an inkling therof came vnto my ladyes eares who perceiuing in what poore and lowe estate I remained entreated mée most earnestly to disclose vnto her the cause which pinched mée so greatly promising mée that if my sorrowes might bée reléeued through the fauour of anie Gentlewoman shée woulde straine her selfe to release them if it were possible and would hazarde her selfe to procure her fauour which had so much enthralled me wherat with watrie eyes I thus answered her Alasse Florisdama loue hath layde such a corsiue to my heart such a flame vnto my lightes and such a sting vnto my breast as it hath reduced mée to this state wherein you sée mée Oh souereigne Ladie how much better had it bene for me that rather in my gréene yeares and in the middest of my hunting Atrapos had shredde in sunder the twist of my lyfe then nowe to continue in sorrowe without anye hope of release or delart of releefe The Angelicall Ladie seeing me wéep so heauily could not but distill some few teares from her christallin eies albeit she did not throughly féele the bottomâ— of my inwarde griefe and therevppon she sayde thus Ah my louing brother let me obtaine that fauour as to manifest vnto me the cause why you faile in sorrowe and as it séemes remodilesse graunting my request I promise you to procure with all diligence that there may be some salue that may cure that festering wound which seemes to cancur your hart impaire your ioyes for if you giue me credit I am perswaded there is no Ladie so vngratefull as to denie you her loue béeing so valiant a Knight as you séeme to bée and againe knowing the worthinesse of your progenie the disposition of your minde and those incomperable vertues which shine in you Alasse why shoulde not the courage of your minde suffice to kindle the affection of all the Ladyes in the worlde And for that it hath béene your course Fortune to yéeld and surrender the interest of your good will to the subiection of one Ladie relinquishing all other ioyes and pastimes I meane not as now to shrinke from you but with all my endeauour to reléeue and succour thine estate vntill such time as my care and practise maye haue light of her that hath brought so worthie a Knight into such a Laborinth and hath cleane bereaued him of his libertie and dispossest him of his former ioyes spare not therefore to imparte vnto mée what it is that wringes you thereby then shall you perceiue the willingnesse I haue to doe you good And the great care that I will execute to stay the ranckâ—ur of
came to a little Temple that was very curiously wrought erected to the vse of the greatest crueltie that euer was heard off Néere vnto that Temple he sawe foure dead bodies whose heads were cut of and as it appeared by theyr apparell two of them were Knights and the other two Damosells then casting his eyes a side towards a faire gréene field which was harde by he behelde a great number of heades which were the heades of those that had ben slaine amongst which were the foure heads of the newe slaine bodies that hée before found dead for the fresh bloud did as yet runne out vppon the ground This lamentable spectacle this noble Greek beheld with such surpassing sorrow as almost no heart can comprehend but béeing rauished as it were with desire to be resolued of the effect of this so monstrous inhumanitie he procéeded farther till at length he approched the Temple where he discouered a posterne dore to be open and incontinent alighting from his horse with a heroycall courage being incensed with anger he rushed in hoping there to haue found the homicide which was the chiefe auctor of this tragicall crueltie Béeing entred the first thing that appeared to his view was a verie faire Altar curiously wrought and vpon it the dead figure of a verie faire Ladie through whose bodie was thrust a terrible two edged sworde likewise at the foote of the same Altar was another figure of a huge and mightie Giant being ten cubiâ—es in height all meruailous curiously wrought in Alabaster with straunge and subtil deuises who knéeled with both his knées on the earth This noble Knight was very much amazed at y e sight of so straÌ„ge a matter and yet not satisfied he went into a little Courtâ— there adioyning found that it was all hanged with blacke cloathes which represented great sadnesse and sorrowe and in those clothes was figured diuers dead men and women Hard at the foote of the foresaid Altar was made fast in the earth euen to the brimme thereof a sesterne of leade into which the bloud of those that were slaine and their heades cut off in sacrifice was poured and out of the same â—esterne it was conuayed vnder the earth by a gutter very secretely the which went vnto the Riuer whereof we spake before this was the same bloud which the valyant Prince did see in the channell of the riuer euen the bloud of the four headlesse bodies that he found newly slaine On the other side of the Altar he sawe an olde man with a faire white bearde sitting in a chaire who leaned his aged head vppon his lefte hand and his elbowe vppon the chaire side whose eyes wer shut and his countenaunce so sad that it appeared ther was in him no comfort but onely great sorow and mournings This valiant Greeke who greatlye desired to vnderstande the ende of this sorrowfull antecedent approched vnto the sléeping old man pulling him by his apparell for to awake him this carefull old man presently lifte vp his eyes with out any delay or farther demaund he said O gentle noble â—night what crooked fortune hath brought thée into this peruerse accursed place wherein is exercised so much sorrowfull impietie and wheras thou maist expect no other thing but death by the hands of the most cruell Giaunt that euer thou hast heard of take therefore my counsell returne the way thou camest that spéedely before thou be espied for otherwise it will be hard for thée to escape from death Then the worthie knight of the Sunne answered and said I giue thée great thankes for thy counsell good Father neuerthelesse I request thée to declare vnto me the cause for that as yet being ignoraÌ„t of farther peril thou séemest to perswade me to so great a feare To whom the olde man replied for y â— thou séemest vnto mee to be of an incomperable perfection exceeding force I will not let to declare vnto thée with as great breuitie as I may this tragicall matter whereby thou maist well perceiue the singular profit that thou shalt receiue in following this my counsell which I haue giuen thée and so with a sadde â—nd heauie countenaunce mixed with many salte and bitter teares distilling downe from his aged eyes he began in this wise and sayd This countrey wherein thou now art is that auncient and famous kingdome of Tinacria which not long since was gouerned by one of the most puissaunt Kings that euer raigned therein or in any Prouince héereabout but death by his accustomed furie depriued him of his life and all his loyall subiects of a vertuous and louing Lord leauing the guiding of the Kingdome in the power of two very fayre and Angelicall damosels his daughters who represented the former vertues of their noble late deceased father The eldest of theÌ„ was named Arcalanda the youngest Garasilea Not long after the death of the king their Father this fayre Arcalanda was requested of loue by the king of Sardenna whose name is Bramidoro a gyant of huge and mightie bignesse as by the stature which thou doest héere sée thou maist easily suppose but this vertuous quéene not onely denied her consent in marriage but also to heare the message of the embassadours and would in no wise sée them so that they returned without any answere Then this Giant séeing y e great disdaine and small account that the Quéene made of him and how little she estéemed of his loue béeing more inflamed with furie then any other reason and trusting in his incomperable strength with fiue hundred knightes he transported to Tinacria and landing in the Port of Saragosa he there beganne to make knowen his vnmercifull crueltie hoping that he shoulde obtaine that by force which by faire meanes he could not winne The Knights of Tinacria like true and faithfull subiectes obeied the commaundement of their noble Quéene and made diuerse and sundrie valiaunt skirmishes with the Knightes of the Gyant but by reason of his great force and surpassing strength they were alwaies constrained to retire to the Citie not without much losse for that this Gyant had in his companie to aide him a brothers sonne of his who in valiance force of armes equalled well néere his vnkle And in such sort they mainteined the wars y t in small time they put the citie in great perill to be lost and likewise the whole kingdome The knights subiects of this noble quéene Arcalanda not able long to resist y e Gyants forces seeling themselues meruailously oppressed in great distresse began to perswade with their quéene y t she should accept his demaund and graunt to marrie the aforesaid gyant Then this vnfortunate Ladie vnderstanding the feeblenesse of her subiects forces and the effect of that which they had declared vnto her and féeling in her selfe such impossibilitie to accomplish the demaund of the gyant that the accepting of it would be more gréeuous vnto her then to receiue y
proportion of his members And placing his words with great discreation he answered and sayd I come to demand battaile of thée O King not for that thou hast at anie time gréeued mée or giuen mee cause but onelye to take awaye and frustrate if it bée possible this euill and diâ—ellish custome which thou maintainest or else to loose my lyfe in the quarrall therefore if thou doest thinke good to procéede in this thy hellish pretence take thy armour and arme thy selfe and come foorth and heere in this fielde I will abide thy comming where I hope by the fauour of almightie God that with thy death thou shalt paye héere the tribute of all this tyrannie which thou hast vsed The Gyaunt remained still at the windowe beholding this worthie Grecian Knight for that hée séemed vnto him to bée a Knight of greate valour and prowesse by his comelie proportion and by the deuises that hée had in his armour hee séemed to bée a straunger with a familiar countenance he sayd I would somewhat replie vnto these thy wordes but because thou shalt not saie I speake lyke a Thrush in a cage I will referre it till such time as I am with thée in the fielde if thou darest to abide my comming And so without anie more speaking he withdrewe himselfe from the windowe and with a terrible voice hée called for his armour in the meane time this noble Greeke did peruse his harnesse in all partes that it was well for it was néedfull as héereafter you shall heare ¶ Of the terrible battaile that this Grecian Prince had with the Gyant and of all the aduentures that chanced in the said battaile Chap. 6. THis worthie Grecian knight lifting vp his heart and eies vnto heauen craued fauour and helpe of almightie God requesting his aide against so great and terrible an aduersarie and being thus in his praier he sodeinly heard a great noise well consorted sound of Trumpets the which made melodious and swéet harmonie and not long after this the gate of the castle was opened where out issued the Gyant at all pointes armed with verie rich armour of fine stéele and vppon his right shoulder a great clubbe barred with yron of a huge weight and at his girdell a verie bigge and broade swoord and about his necke there hanged a rich and strong Shielde whereon was portratured the same deuise which he sawe on the Altar in the Chappell In his demeanour he showed himselfe to bée valiant and with a gentle countenaunce he came towardes the place whereas the Knight abode All this the noble and courteous Greeke did stedfastly beholde and prayed God that of his mercie he would abolish this euill custome that he did maintaine and that he would giue him grace to acknowledge his error wherein he had transgressed and that he might be conuerted vnto the knowledge of y e true faith for that it was great pitie to sée so much crueltie remaine in so noble worthie a personage as he was or in so well proportioned a bodie as he séemed to haue and thus this noble prince remained in beholding his personage till such time as the Gyaunt drew nigh vnto him who without shewing anie defiaunce or countenaunce of pride saide I beleeue gentle Knight that this my presence hath put thée in some feare of my force therfore for that thou séemest to be a knight well disposed of great valor I yeelde vnto thée the battaile And if so be thou mistrust thy power I giue thee lisence to return from whence thou camest or else if thou so please to remaine with me in my companie But this valyant Greeke as one nothing daunted without moouing of his countenaunce aunswered and sayd Doe not thou thinke O king that the bignesse of thy bodie although it shew thee to be of great strength maketh me in anie part either to meruaile or feare for that my swoord hath bene accustomed to abate the courage of diuerse such as thou art but that which maketh me most to muse is y â— god hath suffred thee so long time to exercise this crueltie And againe that thou being adorned with so gentle disposition and courage vnto my seeming conformable wouldest maintaine so cruell a custome without either feare of God or regard of his lawes Neuerthelesse considering thou hast no knowledge of the true God but of other fained Gods I doo not so greatly muse that thou hast followed thine owne appetite so much but take my counsaile and bestow not this thy great strength and force in the seruice of those euill Gods but turne vnto my God and in his defence and faith which is the right faith exercise these thy good giftes with the which he hath endowed thée and if thou wilt thus doo I will take thée for my friend and kéepe thy companie for that thou â—éemest vnto me to be of so good a disposition one y â— doth well deserue to be had in reputatioÌ„ For verely it is conuenient worthy King that thou leaue this crueltie which thou dost héere vse béeing so farre different from natures rule and to forget this seruice which thou doost vnto the Diuell which is the onelye willer of this damnable worke and so reforming thy life I would wish thée to become a christian For I promise thée it doth not a little gréeue me that so worthie a knight as thou art should through vnbeléefe perish and be dampned and if alreadie thou haue anie remorse in conscience or perseuerance of this my spéech accept my counsell I request thée which if thou doo I promise thée to be alwaies thine and by firme frindship to vnite my selfe vnto thy fellowshippe Contrariwise if thou persist in this thy pretended tyrannie prepare thy selfe and that spéedely vnto battaile whereby thou shalt perceiue how smally I feare thy force as thou doest fondly suppose The Gyaunt which was verie attentiue vnto all that the Prince had vttered replied in this wise Before we beginne our battaile sir Knight let me request this little sute of thée which is that thou vnfolde to me thy name forasmuch as by thy comly proportion thou séemest to descend from some noble progenie and by thy behauiour to be of no lesse prowesse then authoritie the one arguing in thée no small valour in fight the other no little eloquence to subuert thy foe The heroycall Prince discréetly marking with what sober aduisement he deliuered these speaches with no lesse mildensse returned vnto him this answere saying Forasmuch as I will not in anie respect be accounted either quarellous by concealing an answere or disdainful by denying thy request vnderstand then O King of Sardenna y t I am a Grecian borne named the Knight of the Sunne sonne vnto the renowmed Emperour Trebatio and brother vnto the inuincible Rosicleer whose courage as yet was neuer quailed in fight neyther hethertoo hath my heart bene vanquished by any force for although as yet I haue detracted time by meanes of this my
conference it hath not bene for any conceiued feare but the onely griefe of my conscience which is not a little afflicted with sorrowe to sée so worthy a personage as thou art so impiously to lead thy life admonishing thée friendlye to forsake thy former wickednesse and to reuoke the abhominable sentence of thy frowarde will séeing I haue both answered thy demaund thou vnderstandest my desire I would faine be certified whether thou wilt accepte mée for thy friend or defie me as thy foe that either by thy subuersion we may fauourably conclude or by thy persisting procéede to the combat for although for thy sake I chiefly wish for peace yet for mine owne part I am indifferent Great is the ioye aunswered the Giant that I conceiue at the sight of thée whose worthinesse is so much wondred at throughout the world and to the ende I may both trye thy famous strength and thou feele my renowmed force I accept y e battaile with this condition that if by thée I be now vanquished I will not onely in my armour blaze forth the honour of my conquerour but for euer héerafter I wil submit my selfe willingly to thy commaundement and if my Fortune be so friendly that I subdue thée thou shalt in satisfactioÌ„ leaue vnto me the thing thou most likest which is my life aunswered this noble Prince as a due rewarde for my weakenesse That were much more then I would willingly request replyed the Giant but if which indéede is doubtfull thou escape my handes thy horse shall suffice me if likewise hée féele not my furie in that as I suppose he is of so singular properties If thou obtaine the victorie aunswered the Prince I promise thée my horse which I will héere in safeâ—ye leaue both for that if thou winne him thou shalt be sure to inioy him and also for that I neuer vse in anye battell to fight with aduantage Wherewith with no lesse agilitie then courage he lefte the saddle and drawing out his sword couragiously he sayd Giant prepare for thy defence for beholde me readie to beginne the fight and therewithall hée gaue him so furious an ouerthwart blowe vppon the waste that the sparkes of fire fell burning to the grounde and the strength of the stroke constrained the Giant to stagger side-warde thrée or foure steppes deceiuing him for that time of the daungerous blowe which with his peysaunt clubbe he had prouided to indaunger the Prince But when he felte this course intertainment his cholar double increasing hée lyghtlye recouered and lifting his clubbe aboue his head he determined to repaye the Prince with such vnresonable interest that at that one blowe hée woulde ende the battayle which in déede if in the descending it hadde lighted on the Gréeke it hadde not a little indaungered him But the noble Prnce béeing of no lesse prowesse then experience and nothing vnacquainted with such skirmishes hauing an eye to the maine by the nimblenesse of his bodie made waye for the blowe which without harming him fell to the grounde with such terrible furye that it caused a resounding Eccho in the woodes and mountaynes there adioyning The valyaunt Knight of the Sunne greatlye misliking so monstrous a weapon as that â—lubbe was determined with as much spéede as possiblye he might to delyuer himselfe from the daunger thereof and before the Gyaunt coulde recouer another blowe with the same he strake againe at his handes with so great force and incredible furie that he cut his heauie clubbe a sunder and moreouer if he had followed his blowe both clubbe and handes had â—allen to the ground Then when the Giant remained with no more then a yeard of his club in his hand much meruailing thereat he threw the rest at him with such rage that it whisteled in the ayre but the knight perceiuing the tronchoâ— to approch stepped aside and let it passe by and closing with him with the strength of his Herculine arme he stroke him such a blowe vpon the thigh that the harnesse brake all to péeces although they were excéeding strong and wounded him vppon the thigh which wounde although it were not much yet the aboundaunce of bloud that ranne from it did greatly trouble him The Giant séeing himselfe so ill intreated with a wonderfull and outragious furie gaue terrible fearfull shrikes and out of his helmet issued foorth a thicke smoake and therewith he drew out his huge broadâ— swoord and shrouded himselfe vnder his strong shéelde and began with great furie to redouble his strokes vppon the knight the which the noble Prince with greate nimblenesse defended him from Now héere began y e brauest best fought battaile that euer was séene betwéene two knightes there might you beholde the whole strength and valiantnesse of giants there might you perceiue all the prowesse of knighthood with euery policy vsed in armes ther might you sée how these two knights pressed one vpon another and procured one to hurt another and also to warde the cruell blowes y t the one bestowed on the other there might you view the sparks of fire like lightening flash from their terrible strokes and the péeces of harnesse flying in the aire hauing no compassion the one of the others paines but each one séeking to haue the vauntage of his enimie trauesing grounde from one place to another that it was right wonderfull to beholde and howe lyke two ramping Lyons they endured for the space of two houres without receiuing anie rest neither could it be perceiued that anie of them both did faint but rather the longer they fought the more their furie kindled and their strength augmented of the which the Gyant much meruailed and féeling the great force of his aduersarie which was before him was not a little amazed but that which most gréeued him was that he could not fasten one blowe to his contentment vpon his enimie for which cause hée beganne to exclaime agaynst his Gods but especiallye agaynst Mars for thaâ— hée was perswaded that hée was descended from Heauen to make that combat with him whereby to worke his destruction And therewith his furie double increasing with an infernall anger he multiplied his blowes with so great hast and strength that he caused the Gréeke to bestur himselfe from one place to another to make his defence but he as one which was not idle but by these means the more inflamed letting slip the bridle of all patience his valiant heroycall courage double increased and his strength lightnesse did surmount in such sort that vnder his harnesse in more then ten places he hurt the Giaunt and although the wounds were not great yet the bloud that issued out was very much Then the Giant séeing himselfe in such a pickle threw his shielde from him to the ground and with both his handes tooke his great cutting sword heauing it aloft he let it fall with such wonderfull furie that it was verye straunge to beholde But this politike Prince séeing on
that I might enioye thy friendship Then the valiant Knight of the Sunne did cut off their talke to the ende he might declare vnto them all that happened with the other Giaunt Which when Tefereo heard he was sore abashed and with great sobrietie he saide Well séeing it is so that the flower of all Knighthood and the glorie of armes is possessed by you and your kinred I vowe that from this daye forwards I will not remain any longer my owne but nominate my selfe as onely yours and in deliuering these spéeches in the best manner be might he arose vp from the ground and with great loue imbraced them both And after salutations ended they entered altogether into the Pallaice whereas they remained all y â— night for to repose themselues considering the greate trauaile and paine which they had passed The next day in the morning although they hadde more néede to haue taken greater rest yet there altogether they mounted on their horse backs and tooke the way that lead them to Saragosa pretending to enter within the Citie and there with all humilite to craue pardon for all the iniurie that was past but their trauayle was all in vaine for that before time they of the towne hauing had sufficient triall of Tefereos crueltie would not by any meanes open the gates alwayes beleeuing the lamentable spectacle before their eyes and therefore fearing that they would deceiue them So that when these noble knights perceiued it was labour lost to stand long in contention these people though then causelesse being so incredible they returned backe againe towards the Castle and all the way they went being almost by the sea side these two Cousins sawe their ship comming towardes them in great hast and staieng their horses they saw that she was fast at y e waters side The knight of the Sunne perceiuing well that hir comming thether was for no other cause but to inuite them to come aboord hir which Eleno and Tefereo condescending vnto they presently did and sent word by a page of Tefereos to commaund all those of Sardenna that they should set at libertie all the Countrie and without farther delaye retourne vnto their owne houses These worthie Knights were no sooner entred into their Shippe but she beganne presentlye to spread her Sayles and shoouing from shoare in great hast shée launched in to the maine Sea wherein with prosperous windes they sailed two dayes but the thirde daye verie earlye in the morning they discouered a Galley gouerned with sixe Oares on a side which came rowing towardes them and béeing ioyned together they behelde that ther was in the same a verie faire Ladie whose haire of hir head was dispersed abroad and hir selfe very ill intreated by an vncourteous Knight This sad and distressed Lady with a sorrowfull voyce and pitifull lamentation cryed out for succour vnto the heauens at whose complaintes and vncourteous handling these Princes receiued great anger The valiant Dacian Don Eleno being in all poyntes prepared to fight layd fast holde on his sword and with great lightnesse leaped into the galley into the which he was not so soone entered but that these two vessells were loose and voyded the one from the other so that not one of his other friends had time to followe him the swiftnesse was such in the departure that in a small time either of them lost the sight of the other By reason of many accidents which are to be accounted in this historie it is conuenient I imitate the good musition who to content all those which attend to heare his melodie chaungeth into many tunes therefore now we will leaue these thrée knights and retourne vnto the Emperour to declare such things as chaunced in his Court. ¶ By what aduenture Floramonte was deliuered from the perill he was in and how the Princesse Claridiana was deliuered of childe and howe shee was comforted in all hir trouble by the wise Artemidoro Chapter 8. WIth great ioye and contentment departed the Pagans that carryed away the Inâ—ant Floramonte vnderstanding that Fortune hadde greatly fauoured them to bestowe on them so good a price Wherefore with great hast they got themselues to the Sea Wherein they had not trauayled long but that vppon a sodaine they discouered a shippe which was comming towards them all blacke and out of it procéeded verie fearefull and wonderfull lightenings accompanied lykewise with terrible Thunder seeming by the force thereof that the heauen opened and when the shippe drew nigh vnto the Gallie of the Pagans it was presently couered with the thicke and terrible lightenings in such sort that it depriued all them that were therein of their sight and with the great feare that they receiued they fell flat downe vppon the floore in the Gallie And when they came againe to themselues they looked about to sée if they coulde perceiue what it should be And then they coulde not finde the infant Floramonte for whose losse they lamented greatly You shall vnderstand that the wise Lyrgandeo by his learning had deliuered the infant from them to kéepe him close and in secret for that he vnderstood by his art of y e great warres that was pretended and made redie for in Grecia in the which warres shoulde be slaine the flower of all knighthoode and that it should be in greate daunger to be lost and vtterly destroied Also he did comprehend by his learning to knowe how this infant and one other that was then begotten but not yet borne should be the greatest help chiefe of this victorie comming by chaunce to the end of the conquest likewise he did knowe that if this childe should at anie time before this aduenture vse armour that he should be put in great perill of death This was the onely occasion that hée set him at libertie as you haue heard and did inchaunt him in such sorte that none other could cléere him of it but onely he which should be his companion and aide in the greate necessitie of these warres which was the sonne of the heroicall knight of the Sunne and of the Empresse Claridiana of whome thou shalt heare héereafter Thus this wise Lyrgandeo hauing deliuered this childe that none in all the Court knewe of it retourned thether againe and from that daye forwardes kept it secrete to himselfe not suffering anie to vnderstande thereof nor of anie other thing that hée foreknew in his heart by learning All those of the Court were verye sadde for that the Emperour was so sorrowfull forasmuch as hée coulde heare no newes of his sonnes as I haue before tolde you determined after hée hadde ended the hunting to retourne backe againe to the Citie And in the way as they shuld go they discouered comming towardes them a Wagon which did represent much dolor and this was that which Rosicleer did finde and there they remained to sée what it shoulde bée and when the Wagon drewe néere where the Emperour was they lyfted vp a cloth wherewith the wagon was
fortifie themselues in such sort that all agréement notwithstanding we should neuer retourne to Lyra againe And so vnderstanding their imbassage I determined to come to this Court whereas I doo vnderstand is all the prowesse and flower of Knighthoode in the world So héere I present my selfe noble Emperour before you and all your Knights in asking fauour and requesting helpe to reuenge vs of so great wrong as we haue receiued and thus she finished hir talke and with great wéeping she held her peace This noble Emperor receiued very great sorow griefe to heare this lamentable tale that the Ladie tolde and to see that faire young Damzel so dispossessed of her right by such extreame tyrannie and with a milde countenaunce he aunswered Noble Dutchesse since that thy good fortune though the efficient cause thereof be to too badde hath brought thée there where with all good will ye shall receiue succour and comfort I request you to take your rest and be quyet and leaue of this your mourning And although ther be knights in this my court that are able to comprehend such enterprises by their great prowesse and strength yet I do looke euery day for them to whom I may commend greater affayres to be done then these wherfore rest you a while till two doo come of whom I haue more dominion ouer to them will I commit this charge There were many knightes present that would very faine haue offered themselues to this enterprise but hearing the pretence of the Emperour they durst not in anie wise attempt it but kept silence Then this dutchesse began to tell them of all the successe that happened vnto her knightes by the knight of Cupide Unto whome the Emperour sayde that knight is one of them to whome I will commit the charge of your combat and I am right gladde that the seruice he shall doe you in this enterprise shall bée the occasion that you shall forget this anger that you haue against him So with these and like reasons they drew néere the Citie whereas straight waie they began to prepare all things in a readinesse for the departing of the Emperour Alicandro and in a short time all things béeing prouided this Emperour béeing also readie with a verie good will entered the ship and carrying with him the Prince Meridiano and his welbeloued spouse and the Troyan Oristedes he taking leaue of the Emperour with a better countenaunce then his heart would consent vnto committed the sailes vnto the winde and with a prosperous voyage they went a land at Tenedon whereas we will leaue them for to tell you what chaunced vnto the Empresse Claridiana who was verie sadde for the absence of her spouse and likewise to sée her selfe so great with childe although in the great hall she continually shewed a merrie countenaunce So it happened one daie being in conuersation with the Empresse and the quéene Lira there entered into the great hall the worthie Prince Clauerindo all armed with his accustomed harnesse and leading by the hande a verie faire Damosell all apparelled in blacke veluet and after her there came other nine faire Damosells all apparelled after the same manner This Damosell if you doo remember is shée whose kéeper Rosicleer did kill which was the Prince of Mesopotamia y e knight which came to her at her complaint sorrow was Clauerindo who in greate secret followed the knight of the Sunne and because of the great confidence that he had in the friendship of Zoylo he promised her fauour succour for the which this faire Ladie who was daughter vnto the king of Tiglia came in this order as you shall heare In the meane time that all this happened there chaunced a thing of verie greate admiration which was that the Tartarian béeing at that time in the hall as the Damzell entered hée made a great noise without anie more tarrieng neither was there anie that could stay him were he neuer so strong but running forwardes as a man distraught hée went out of the Pallaice The sorrowfull Ladie séeing this fell downe to the grounde as though shée had béene dead And Clauerindo beholding the ingratitude of this Tartarian woulde haue followed him but the wise Lyrgandeo stayed him and woulde not suffer him to goe saying They should let him alone for that all they shoulde procure to followe him should bée in vaine And so retourning vnto the Ladie he practised such remedyes that verie quickly shee retourned to her selfe againe and then promised her such remedies as shoulde in the ende restore her to rest And when the Barbarian Ladie did knowe who he was she did meruailouslie reioyce So this Tartarian went to the sea side and with great diligence imbarked himselfe in a shippe that was there readie fraughted for Spaine which he did in such great hast and diligence that before Bargandel and Lyriamandro could tourne themselues the shippe had hoised saile and yéelded her selfe vnto the winde the which was the occasion that these two did the like in taking another ship who sailed after the first with determined purpose with all their powers to procure that this Tartarian should returne againe whome we will leaue now sayling on their voyage for it is necessarie for our historie to relate other matters in this Chapter Let vs returne therefore to the Emperours court The Empresse Claridiana séeing her time at hand to be deliuered with childe was verie sadde and knew not what to doe but in the ende of many thoughts she determined to decypher all her secret vnto a maide she had who was called Arcana to whō she did disclose all the secrets of her heart This Arcana séeing the great friendship and curtesie that the princesse shewed her in opening her secrets more to her then to anie other and had a more trust in her then in the rest kissed her roiall hands and promised her to be no lesse secret then dilligent in all her affaires So they determined betwéene themselues and did prouide as it was best for their purpose to bée continuallye alone and without anie companie but that which did most trouble and gaue greatest care vnto the Empresse Claridiana was for that shée did not knowe to whome to giue the charge of nursing that which shoulde be borne of her yet the maiden who was verie wise subtil and discréet had ordained all things in good order for she had in great secret disclosed it vnto a verie honest matrone of the citie saieng that she was the partie that should be deliuered and gaue vnto her verye largely of gifts and iewells with promises of a farther benefite for to keepe her counsell therein It was not long after when that with great paine and griefe this noble Princesse was deliuered of a verie faire sonne daughter béeing of so great beautie that it was wonderfull to bée séene The sonne had vnder his left side a meruailous verie strange marke which was a speare of such a firie prospect that it made
vnderstood that there he should goe aland wherefore he descended out of the barke and after him came his good horse and to the ende he would trauell in more safetie he mounted on his backe and looked round about him if hée coulde discouer any waye or path But not farre from the place whereas he was he beheld very faire and sumptuous buildings wherewith he tooke the way that led him thether and being nigh thervnto he saw y t it was old ancient building And as he went round about it a while for to beholde the same he saw y t ouer the principall gate was this superscription written This is the famous and auncient Temple of the goddes Venus from whence the noble Paris of Troy stole the faire Queene Helena this is the Iland of the mother of that cruell Cupide the greatest sower of discord in all the world This valiant Knight did very much content himselfe in beholding that olde and sumptuous Temple the name whereof was spred through all the world and lefte not any thing neither without nor within but behelde it fully to his contentment After that he had spent a little time in perusing this he put himselfe in a straight waye which was not farre from a foote path thereby whereas he sawe a man that was cutting of woode of whome he asked what countrie it was and who was Lord of it This man perceiuing that hée demaunded somwhat of him was not able to answere him but made signes vnto him that he was dumbe moreouer y t he should returne backe againe giuing him to vnderstande that if he did procéede forwards he should finde great peril This noble Rosicleer sayd then to himselfe I doo not know what shall chaunce or happen me notwithstanding if a thousand that had their tongues should tell me yet would I not doo it nor leaue off to follow this my pretended purpose much more thou whom I cannot vnderstand And so without any more tarrying he retourned vnto his new begun iourney and at the going vp of a hill he beheld a Castle of a mightie and straunge bignesse which was edified vpon another hills side He was a good myle from it when he discouered it and so iournying thetherward he hadde not trauailed farre when he found himselfe in a faire broad smooth way whereinto when he entred he sawe certaine footings of horses which appeared not to be made long before but that lately they had passed that way the which footings he followed although he found other fayre wayes and as much occupied as that wherein he was yet for all that because he would sée what footings they wer he would follow that way and none other so not very farre from that place where he was he heard although it was somwhat distaunt from him to his séeming a great rushing of harnesse and the more he trauailed forwards the more plainer his eares wer occupied with this martiall musicke Till in y e end drawing néerer he perceiued it was a notable well fought battaile for which cause he pricked his horse onwardes the faster in such sort y t at y t going down from a mountain into a faire broad plaine he behelde at the foot of the castle very much people and amongst them Giaunts all which were in battaile against one onely Knight of a maruailous great wel proportioned stature all armed in russet harnes without any other deuise thereon who with his swoord in both his hands made a meruailous and cruell slaughter for that at his féete there lay many of the knightes dead and also of the Gyants notwithstanding they did trouble him verie much so that hee was brought to a verie ill passe for he had hewing and striking on him more then â—ortie knights and two great gyants it was a thing of great admiration to sée how the knight did besturre himselfe beholding himselfe so beset yet for all that there was nothing looked for of him but death Somewhat on the one side a little distaunt from the battell he sawe a Damzell of a meruailous excellent beautie who with great sorrowe complained her selfe This valiaunt warriour seeing what this knight did for his defence and by his mightye prowesse appâ—ared to bee of high estate he descended and lefte hâ—s horse with a quick pace he proceeded forwards wiâ—h his swoord in his hand pretending to aide and helpe that one knight seeing he had such néede thereof Before I procéede anie farther in this battaile I will although it be somewhat troublesome to the reader declare the rest of the terrible battaile that was betwéene the two gyants in the great hall of the Court of the Emperour You haue heard how we lefte these two Gyaunts Bustrafo and Bramidoro in great coÌ„tention of the battell each one of them indeuouring themselues to winne the victory although of each parte they denyed to either other the same He that séemed to be most troubled in this battaile was the Sardenian King and with the thicke breath that proceeded from his vnpacient heart his face was inflamed with the heate thereof The which his aduersarie perceiued and like a terrible and outragious Tiger he lifte vp his mightie sword letting it fall w t such furie as though fire hadde fallen from heauen The King séeing that by no meanes he could escape it lifte vp likewise his sworde to ward that terrible blow but by reason that that of the Giaunt Bustrafos was of better stéele and of more strength hée cut the sword of the Kings in two péeces and the blowe descended vpon his shoulder and did a little hurt him When this King sawe that his sword was in two péeces hée was somewhat amazed yet for all that he lost not his knightlye courage but with a valiant heart pressed to his enimie and with that â—â—tle that remained of his sword he stroke Bustrafo vpon his helme such a blowe that if it had bene with the whole sword he had cleared himselfe at that time of this daunger yet it was not of so small force but it cut off one of his eares and carried away a péece of the iawe bone This Gyant Bustrafo féeling himselfe so sore hurt with this terrible blowe pretended to repaye him with double interest the which if it had chaunced to take effect it had made an ende of his dayes but this newe conuerted Knight ranne in vnder the blowe of Bustrafo saieng O Iesus kéepe and defend this thy newe conuerted seruaunt And so ioyning together they imbraced one another whereas began a maruailous strong wrastling wherein they continued a good while prouing their strengths and procuring the victorie the one ouer the other till at the last both being not a little wearie they fell downe to the ground tumbling héere and there from one place to another without loosing their holde in this striâ—e Bustrafo his helme fell from his head by reason that she laces wherewith it was made fast were cut in péeces
the Emperour straight weie entered into a Foyst that was there readie with sixe oares on a side and hoysing sayles they made such waie that in a small time they had lost the sight of the Citie This faire Damosell was verie gladde and did exercise her selfe in no other thing but in seruing the Emperour In this sort they sayled all that daie and all the night till the next morning this noble Emperour saie in the poope of the Galley and by him sate this faire Ladie on the one side of whome hee asked the cause why shée brought him out of Constantinople Unto whome with manie teares distilling from her christaline eyes and with greate sighes that proceeded from her dolorous heart she said I haue tolde you noble Emperour that the force of loue hath brought mée to this extremitie wherein you nowe sée me Also I tolde you that I am Lidia daughter vnto the king of Lidia and was meruailously and daintely brought vp and much set by of my parents and now all alone with no other companie then you doo sée I goe subiect vnto this miserie The great fame of this my surmounted beautie was so spred abroade that it was the occasion that manye knightes of straunge Countryes resorted vnto the Court of the King my Father and amongest them all there was one that came from a farre whose name was called Brenio of the Countrie of Lusitania beeing of a meruailous beautie and no lesse valiauncie which did so surmount that in all the Countrie hath neuer bene séene the like and cruell Cupide I knowe not whether it was to vse his accustomed pollicies or whether he was enuious of his beautie hée stroke mée with his poisoned arrowe in such sort that I was constrained by that force to loue this vnhappie knight and therwith constrained to forget the roiall estate from whence I descended I did exercise my selfe in no other thing but thinking on his loue and determined to giue him vnderstanding thereof in as secrete wise as I could so long it lasted that I waxed blinde in loue feared that he would not vnderstand y t I loued him wherefore I did plainly declare it to him which gréeued him nothing at all but rather vnto my seeming he was verie well pleased therewith so by all meanes possible I did procure to speake with him and imagining which shoulde be the best waie I thought it good to ordaine a hunting thinking there to haue opportunitie to be alone in the thickest of the Forrest and there to ease and lighten my selfe somewhat of that heauie loue which by sorrow I receiued in giuing him to vnderstand the whole effect of my determined minde so this hunting I put in vre and tooke the mountaines and woodes and the hunts men prouided the â—ame béeing a great Hart which Hart was as in the end it proued accursed in my sight yea more worse then the shéeld of Pallas in the eyes of Medusa which made all people to desire to followe her so the hunts men followed their game with such hast that there I was left alone remaining only in my companie this knight who was halfe perswaded of my determination so I had scant well framed my eyes to content mée in beholding of his christalline countenaunce when that vppon a sodeine we were beset and betrayed of a great and furious gyaunt and with him eight knightes more in such sorte that my Brenio had not time to defend vs nor I to call for helpe and succour so that we were theyr prisoners and they carried vs and put vs into their théeuish Galley whereas straight waye they hoised saile and carryed vs to sea wée béeing without all hope of succour and there was I with greate trauaile deliuered from the hands of a vile théefe that would haue dishonoured mée And so hauing the winde prosperous to their desire wée ariued verie shortly after at an Ilande called Otono which is adioyning vnto one parte of your Kingdome whereas wée went a lande Noble Prince I did not féele so much force by my imprisonment neyther did I receiue so much griefe for mine own sorrow as I did for my best beloued Brenio who was so laden w t yrons chaines that my heart coulde not by anie meanes suffer it but I beganne to call them traitours and that they were no Knightes but théeues and robbers saying that ouer one â—lone an vnarmed Knight they haue strength to work such violence but not able to make anie resistaunce against armed Knightes And the Gyaunt aunswered Oh how simple doest thou shewe thy selfe in thinking that there is anie who is able to resist our strength and for that thou shalt vnderstande and see howe little wée doe estéeme the strength of men yea the strength of the Gods wée make no reckoning of take this Gallie and all thinges that shall bee necessarie for thy voyage and take with thée one of these my Pages and goe and séeke the Emperour Trebatio or eyther of his two sonnes whose fames are spread throughout the worlde and bring them hether and sée whether theyr strength is sufficient for to deliuer this thy knight out of prison So I put this iourny straight in practise departed and in the voyage I escaped with greate daunger to be robbed at sea by rouers and théeues so in the ende I came and presented my selfe before your highnesse The Emperour who was verie attentiue to all this which the sorrowfull Ladie had tolde him and vnderstanding the cause of all her trouble he answered Oh happie venterous knight to whoÌ„ loue hath shewed so much fauour to cause so nâ—ble as Damsell as thou art with thy trauaile to procure his libertie how much is he bound vnto thée faire Ladie seeing that thou doest deserue the praise of all other women that hath béene wounded with loue these thy déeds to be registred for a perpetuall memorie for an example to all other ladies Noble Lidia of truth I tell thee y t my departure from Constantinople was with some sorrow to leaue my Empire and subiects but now I am voide thereof am glad y t I am come to procure thy remedie the death shal be vnto me a happie death receiuing it for a ladie that is so loiall These such like reason of a perfect louer y â— Emperour expressed when vpon a sodaine they were constrained to leaue the waye they tooke by force of y â— wind which came with such gales that they were faine to take another waie which carried them vnto a desolate Iland wher by force of wether they entered into a port y t was knowen by the marriners there let fall their ankor The Emperour who was mooued with much compassion of the great trauaile of this Ladie and somewhat to refresh hir in the aire he caused hir to goe a lande and taking hir by the hande he did helpe hir out of the Gallie and they rested themselues vpon a little mountaine from which
little preuaile him but that he must néedes be ouercome and slaine The sad and sorrowfull Ladie Lidia when she sawe the Emperour in such great perplexitie with crossing and wringing her hands and with bitter wéepings she sayd O most vnhappie and vnfortunate wretch that I am it had bene much better that I alone had suffered these my paines and passions then that this noble Emperour should loose his life in my quarrell which will be the occasion of verie much sorrowe and great tribulation vnto the most high and noblest ladie in the world O famous knight of the Sun oh renowmed Rosicleer what may you saie when you shall heare that for my cause your father that worthie Emperour should be slaine it had ben better for me miserable as I am to haue bene transported into a plant as Daphne was not to haue caused that for my comfort so much harme should be done vnlesse it had pleased y e Goddesse Iuno to make an euerlasting memory of this my true and perfect loue as she did by Celos in so many Nymphs of whom vnto this daie their memorie doth surmount the high Throne of their celestiall seates Oh noble Emperour who by thy surpassing excellencie hast brought thy selfe to die amongst barbarous people whereas without all hope of anie helpe or anie respect of thy mightie estate thou must receiue the death Héere I do make a vowe that before death doth depriue thée of this great valour and strength to destroye my selfe in recompence of the great wrong that I haue committed against thée The valiaunt Rosicleer which at that time God and good fortune had brought into y e place did cause hir to cease this hir sorrowful lamentation If you do remember this is the battell I tolde you of whereas I lefte Rosicleer beholding the great wrong and outrage that so many did against one onely knight And likewise he did consider the surmounted prowesse which that one knight vsed and because he was armed with contrarie armour he could not know who it was and much meruailing at that he sawe without anie more tarrying he lighted from his horse and laide hand on his swoord with great furie and anger he pressed in amongst these false knights and the first that he did encounter with was y e disordinate Gyant to whom he lent such a blow vpon the legge that he cut it a sunder and with the force thereof he hurt the other legge by the knée in such sort that he must néedes fall to the ground not being able by any strength to sustaine or helpe himselfe The Gyant séeing to his paine féeling so furious a blow cryed with a loude voice saying Upon them valiant warriours for they are of no force nor abilitie to resist at which noyse the Emperour tourned his head aside and sawe whereas the Gyaunt laye all along on the earth by force of that most terrible and cruell blowe Also hée sawe howe this noble knight besturred himselfe amongest the rest of the Gyauntes knightes which was a valyaunt sight to bée séene wherfore he remained a good while in beholding and viewing him till at the last he knewe him to bée his worthie sonne euen that renowmed and inuincible Rosicleer I néede not héere to declare the excéeding great ioye and comfort which this worthie Emperour receiued in seeing him and especially at such a time beeing in great neede and necessitie for of long time before that hée had not seene him neither had he thought euer to haue séene him after that time anie more if at that instant hee had not come vnlooked for in y t he coulde not choose but to haue bene slaine by those barbarous and vnciuile people Then gathering vnto himselfe newe strength and courage he pressed in amongst those false and wicked knightes in such sorte that they beganne to runne awaie as well because they sawe their Lordes and Captaines slaine as also for that they coulde not in anie wise abide the terrible blowes of the Prince So these two valiaunt warriours besturred themselues that they were constrained in hope to saue theyr liues to tourne their backes and tooke the waie vp the hill towardes the Castell but this valiaunt Rosicleer followed them with so greate lightnesse that before they came halfe waie vp the hill hée had slaine the greater parte of them Then the rest which sawe themselues so euill intreated tourned altogether and pressed on him in such sorte that by theyr force they hadde almost constrained him to tumble backwarde downe the hill at which hée was meruailously wroth and therewith like a couragious Knight hée pressed amongest them with so much furie that with cutting off armes and heads hée made them lesse then they were by the one halfe The Emperour by reason of his great wearinesse and trauaile which he sustained remained at the foote of the hill whereas the first incounter was but when he heard the moouing and rushing of the people hée tooke the waye vp the hill with so great lightnesse as though the battaile had but then begun and after him followed the fayre and beautifull Lidia but when the Emperour came in sight he beheld how the Prince with great courage followed after those wretched people euē to the gate of the Castle for they thought to saue themselues if they might by anie meanes get in at the gates pretending to make it fast vnto them but this valiant Greeke pursued them with so great swiftnesse that they had no time to fulfill that which they hadde determined for at such time as they would haue shut the gates he approched them and disturbed their desire with cutting and hewing them in such sort that he entered into the Castell in spite of their heartes and those that were within would haue made resistaunce at such time as he was in the great Court but this valiaunt Prince did threaten them saying O you wicked contentious villains yéeld your selues prisoners for be certainly perswaded you shall finde more in me by humilitie thē by making resistaunce There was one knight which remained and hauing more ciuilitie then the rest aunswered and sayd Ualyaunt Knight if we hadde thought euer to haue found in thée so much mercifull clemencie as wée haue found mightie courage verily long since we wold haue yéelded our selues now therefore we doe desire thée if there bée in thée anie iot of pittie to manifest thy clemencie vnto vs for considering wée were seruauntes vnto those Gyauntes we were by duetie bound to defend them and on the contrarie to our powers offend you Then this noble prince promised them their liues conditionally that they should yéeld and surrender themselues In this time the Emperour letted not to inlarge his pace for to come to the aide and defence of the Prince but when he came thether he found that he was in quiet that all those that were left in the Castle requested peace and when the Emperour sawe that it was then time to discouer himselfe
at her comming thether she found neither him nor any other person neither the galley which brought them thether Then she looked to sea wards to sée if she could disouer any thing but she could see nothing but water which was the occasion that she made great lamentation And being verye hoarce with the terrible shrike which she gaue shée went vp vpon a little rock which was nigh the waters side from whence she did discouer the galley in the which was her vnlouing Brenio whereby she perceiued plainly how she was deceiued how she bestowed her affection whereas was nothing but falshoode although before time she could not perswade w t her selfe that so great treason remained in his heart The great sorrowes and lamentations which this forsaken Lady made was sufficient to mooue the stones vnto compassion Thus being wearie with lamenting she sate her downe vpon the little rocke and leaning her chéeke vpon her white hande she fell in a great sound in such sorte that in a longe space shée moued neither hande nor foote but when she came againe vnto her selfe she bagan a new to make great lamentation and did publish her paine with terrible shrikes saying Why was I not drowned in the Sea that the fishes thereof might haue torne my bodie in péeces or else to haue bene deliuered into the handes of tyrauntes to haue vsed their tyrannie against me that my heart might not haue felte this sorrowe neither my eies haue séene this crueltie O vnhappie chaunce oh cruell fortune why diddest thou not make mée to passe this bitter and sorrowfull life in my childhoode in such sorte that it hadde consumed me Wherefore did the Gods permit and suffer mée to liue so long it had béene farre better that I had dyed in my Cradell and not to liue to sée my selfe in this greate affliction without all helpe O you mountaines O you wilde beastes O you déepe sea there is not in you anie sence to hinder me but that I maye publish heere the greate disloyaltie of that traytor who is the cause of all this my harme O cruell and ingratefull fortune I sée that héere plainly without all pittie thou doost driue me to the death and although y e fault be others yet thou doost apply the paine to be mine And in this sort with great griefe the sorrowfull and vnfortunate Lady did torment hir selfe So likewise by reason of the great tempest and torment of the sea whereof we before spake there arriued nigh the same place a Knight with no lesse daunger then the others that landed there before The Pilot séeing that Aeolus had shut vp his windes and made fast the gates in such sorte that the sayle beate against the maste of the galley that they were constrained by the force of oares to retourne againe to sea For that they did sée by all sea-faring tokens that the weather would be troublesome they did perceiue it also by the Cornesa also by séeing the Dolphins leaping and plunging in the sea more then they were accustomed to doo These and such like tokens the wise Pilot did consider off who desired to take part where as hee might defend himselfe from that terrible weather looked for So with this great desire they stroke the water with their Oares with great furie they tormented their armes to get to the lande but the fatall Quéene Atrapos would not consent therevnto for that at the houre when the troubled Moone did extend hir beames vppon the face of the earth and vppon the large and déepe Sea then the winde Boreas began to blowe his blast so that it constrained them of the galley to bring their saile to a bowe line and to strike it very lowe which made the vessell to tumble and roll from the one parte to the other in such sort that euerie time of hir tourning all they that were in hir thought to be drowned Then the marriners thought good to strike and amaine their sayle the which they did in great hast and laboured to profite themselues with their oares and by the strength of their armes But in the ende when they sawe that neither sayle nor oares would profite them they committed themselues vnto God and lefte the Galley and all their goods vnto his gracious will and the furie of water which beganne presently to intreate them in such sort that it gaue them plainly to vnderstand of their destruction This was the Galley in which the Emperour departed in at such time as the Ladie Lidia did take her leaue wherein he tooke but small rest alwayes labouring to aide and helpe whereas most necessitie required in throwing out water which troubled them verie much being driuen by those mightie waues into the Galley Thus were they tossed and tumbled all the night looking euerie houre for death at length the Sun appeared and shewed his golden face whereby he did declare the cruell stormes tempests which was past and likewise gaue shew of that which was to come by reason that it was darkned vpon a sodaine and shewed a heauie chéere so the windes began to arise blew more and more and the waues increased and rose of a great and huge height beating vpon the galley with such violent force that being taken betwéene two billowes the galley brake a sunder in the middest These sorrowfull marryners which vntill that time had trauailed and fought with the wind and sea to defend their galley to saue their liues were now constrained to striue with death and indeauour with all their strengths by swimming for to come to the shoare but all would not serue for theyr defence for waxing wearie by the great force of the waters béeing able no longer to indure they yéelded themselues into the handes of God and their bodies to the furie of the sea wherein they finished theyr liues the Emperour Trebatio being holpen by y e mightie hand of God vppon whom he alwaies called in his heart desiring to deliuer him from so terrible a death praieng him for the merits of that mightie mediator Iesus Christ that he would succour and defend him who of his wonted mercie heard him would not permit that he should perish for y t he laid hold of a boord which was broken from the galley and made himselfe fast therto though it were with some labour neuertheles this distressed Emperour thought y t the ende of his daies were at hand for y t the mightie waues kept him a great while vnder the water when hee discouered himselfe aloft there came another great waue which stroke him with such violence y t it threw him vpon the shore almost without any remembraunce whereas I will leaue him amongest the shingles which were at the sea side and of all that happened I will tell you héereafter ¶ How the Emperour when he was recouered of the wearinesse which he receiued by the great trouble of the sea he trauailed in the same Iland and how he met with certaine
dead with great showts and shrikes they pressed altogether vpon those foure knightes but they found theÌ„ neither dastards nor cowards but they gaue them well to vnderstand y t they were of great valâ—ur Then they ioyned themselues together backe to backe and stroke such straunge blowes vpon their enimies and with so great force and furie that he which had receiued one blowe would not turne to them againe with great feare they were so scarred Prince Eleno being incensed with anger at the fall that he receiued by the blow of the Gyant it caused him to claspe his sword fast in his hand and with double furie he pressed amongest his enimies that vnhappie he might thinke himselfe that came to the receit of the first stroke for that with an ouerthwart blowe he cutte his head cleane from his shoulders and returned vnto another and stroke him vppon the wast so that it had neere hand parted him in two péeces so with such like blowes and feates of knighthood they made them to retire And at the same time they sawe comming forth of y e citie a great number of knights gentlemen which they iudged to be about sixe thousand in an armie and all on hors backe It could not be chosen but y e this valiant Prince Eleno should haue some feare séeing so many Knights notwithstanding with a loude voyce and with great courage he layd Excellent valyant knights now is y e time most noble stout warriors that we show the great strength courage of our heartes by a plaine testimoniall in leauing our bodies as sacrificed vnto their wills and our bloud to be sprinckeled abroad receiuing more ioye and honour in our deaths fighting in our owne defence then to giue consent vnto our enimies in ouercomming vs. Notwithstanding this young warriour did not forget himselfe but rather with more furious blowes he pressed on his enemies and working such terrible feates that it is very wonderfull to be heard and so without all hope of their liues committing themselues vnto God they did procure by all meanes to cut off and make lesse their enemies killing them in such sort as it séemed to mans capacitie impossible The quantitie was so great that by reason of the bolud that ran from them the water on the sea side was made red and lost his naturall colour and being in this conflict there approached all that great companie that came foorth of the Citie And before them all there came a Knight armed with very faire and rich armour all gylded and something of a good stature and bignesse of body he had on his head a royall crowne who when he came vnto the place whereas this bloudy battaile was he commaâ—nded all the people to stand aside and with a seuere voyce showing great humilitie he sayd Ualiaunt and worthy Knights whom Iupiter defend and kéepe I fâ—â—le my selfe very sore troubled in séeing Knightes of so great valour and worthinesse as you are to be indued with so much crueltie against your selues and onely for not swering an oath considering you haue chaunced vpon this aduenture whereby you should make defence against so great treason againe me practised of traitours which onely by tyraunnie pretende to take away my kingdome from me To the which words the valiaunt Prince Eleno made answer and sayd If thou hast iustice on thy side as thou saist thou hast wherefore doo you consent to suffer so vyle a custome in this your Countrey constraining all straunge Knights by force to sweare vnto your defence the which by 〈◊〉 and order of Knighthood they must doo it of their owne free wil if you giue them to vnderstand the truth therof To whom the King answered and sayd Genâ—le Knight all this which hath bene done was neuer by my commaundement but by this my Captaine whom thou hast heere slaine And for that I did vnderstand the great harme which he did that without all reason I am come hether to remedy it for which cause I doo desire and pray you to let the 〈◊〉 of your stroÌ„g armes to cease and to pacifie your sâ—ouâ— courages and to take in good part to come and rest your selues with me the which you may doo with all securitie And heere I do promise you to holde and kéepe my faith and word the which I doe giue vnto you and then wil I declare vnto you all my trouble whereat you will not onelye take greate contentment to sweare that which I shall request you but also I beléeue that you will of your worthinesse take the demaunde to bée your owne according vnto the great right and Iustice that I haue on my part So these foure Knights were satisfied of all that this Morish King had promised vnto theÌ„ by his words were ouercome and yeelded vnto that which hée had demaunded of them and were determined to go with him at y e which y e King receiued no small ioy for to haue so valiant Knights w t him in his companie Then y e King alighted and caused them to put vp their swords into their sheathes and did them as great honour as though they hadde ben in their owne Countries Then the Prince Eleno seeing how that all things were finished he determined to goe for his faire Lidia but when the King knew who she was himselfe did beare him companie and tooke her out of the galley and brought her a shore All that did beholde her did meruayle at her great beautie beeing mixed with so much sadnesse So the King tooke her by the hand and bare her company till he came vnto the Citie and carried her vnto his pallaice which was very rich and great for this king was one of the mightiest Princes in all Africa So straight way it was coÌ„maunded to make ready dinner for that it was very néedfull the which was accomplished very sumpâ—uously When they sate downe to dinner they pulled off their helmes which before that time they had not done and when the Prince Eleno had pulled off his healme all the rest did thinke verelye that it had bene the valiaunt Knight Rosicleer for that as I haue tolde you he was very much like him complaining for that he had kept himself so close without shewing what he was in so long time The Prince with a smiling countenaâ—ce did put them out of al doubt in showing them who he was of the which they remained very much amazed for all that if he had had a little more beard they would not haue beléeued him The King was very well content and pleased that he had such Knights in his company told vnto theÌ„ a great circumstance of treason cleane contrarie to that it was applying all the iniurie to be offred vnto himself mingling his tale with counterfet teares which caused these Knightes to giue credit vnto his words in such sort that they did sweare vnto the King all that he would demaund of the which this traiterous King remained
I doo not retourne againe into her Citie for I was so ill receiued the first time that I haue no will to retourne the second And more I desire her of my part that she doo intreate better and giue better intertainment vnto such Knights as I am then she gaue vnto me least she get vnto her selfe the name of a wrathfull Quéene and be accounted as one subiect vnto hir own opinion of all other things if any thing doo chaunce let her thanke none but her selfe for that she hath bene the onely cause therof And moreouer I doo desire her not to trouble her selfe in sending to séeke me for that I say not her power alone but all the power in Africa is not sufficient to retourne me againe into so great straights as once she had me in And so without any more speaking he spurred his horse and rode a reasonable pace towards the sea side which was not farre from that place and when he came thether he sought to sée if he could finde by chance any barke or galley to carry him whether he wold with his good will or els by force He had not gone farre when that he sawe a very faire and great barke at the sea side hard aboord the shoare The Emperour entered into it to sée if there were anye marriners his horse which was hard by him without being constrained by the Emperour very lightly leapt into the Barke He was not so soone with in when that the Barke began to make waye in such sorte that in a small time they were very farre at sea At y â— which the Emperour was greatly amazed but there was a voice which did satisfie him that sayd Mightie Trebatio Lyrgandeo doth gouerne thee at the which the Emperour was very ioyfull So he put his horse in a place by himselfe in the bark wheras he found sufficient of all things néedefull Likewise hée found all that was conuenient for his owne person which was ready vpon a table in very good order all kinde of dressed meates and béeing set downe to eate he was serued so bountifully and with so great diligence and care as though he had bene in Greece In this sort the emperour went sailing eight dayes in y e end of which he discouered land which had belonging vnto it a faire hauen or port and nigh vnto it a very faire and great Citie The Barke went straight into the hauen and brought her selfe to the shore Héere we will leaue y e Emperour in his barke in y e hauen and will tell you of the great lamentation y t the faire Garrofilea made for that the Emperour departed in such sort ¶ How the faire Queene Garrofilea made great lamentation for the departure of the Emperour and how at their last being together she remained with childe by the Emperour Trebatio Cap. 23. AFter that all the Knights of Tinacria haâ— ioyned themselues together and had made an ende of their battaile and trauaile they repaired vnto the citie with great ioy and gladnesse for their good successe Rubio of Yscla went to declare vnto the Quéene his message y t the Emperor had commanded him at y â— which the Quéene was so troubled that she could not in any wise dissemble it but in a great sound strayght way she fell downe as though she had bene dead This couragious knight when he saw her in this trance tooke her vp in his armes caryed her vnto her Strado or seate straight waies when the Ladies heard the noyse they all came forth to sée what the matter was when they saw their Quéene in that traunce they began to vse all meanes and remedies till such time as she came again vnto her remembrance And although it was with great trouble the quéene lifted vp her â—yes séeing that she was coâ—â—â—assed about with Ladies and others shee shut her eyes againe and gaue a great sigh which came from the bottome of her heart and in this sort she remained a greate while and her Ladies and Damosells seeing that she was so troubled determined to vncloath her and to carrie her to her bed Then she made signes with her hands that they should depart and leaue her all alone whose commandement they straight wayes obeyed not without great sorrow of all them that did beholde her for that the quéene was meruailouslye well beloued of her subiects There was not one that could vnderstand the cause of this sodaine euill but onely the earle of Modique who discréetly did imagine what it might bée who kept it close to himselfe at time vntil such time as time the matter it selfe shuld declare whether his imagination or thought should fall out true or no. This afflicted quéene when she saw that she was alone began to exclaime against her fortune putting forth these sorrowfull reasons When wilt thou be content thou peruerse enimie and without all reason Thou which hast warped such strange webbes in this Kingdome Thou gauest me into my power the Gréeke Emperour very poore and without all comfort of thée and absent from all his Empire This thou didst for that with his sight I should be wounded with the cruell dart of loue that without all remedie of anie comfort I most vnfortunate damosell shoulde be constrained to set my life to sale and to sell my honour as it were with the common cryar compelling me to doo vnto my selfe that which I onely did being made blinde by him which would y t all others were as blind as he himselfe is And although me life were set at libertie by him which without anie weapon bereaued me thereof yet am I not at so much libertie nor so frâ—e but that wheresoeuer he goeth my heart doth followe him Woe is me for my virginitie which my parents gaue me such great charge to haue a respect vnto that it hath bene so euill kept and so lightly regarded me I will so chastise my selfe for thus forgetting of my selfe and be so reuenged for the little regard that I haue had of my honour that it shall be an example to all others which be of high estate Oh miserable Quéene Oh vnhappie Lady thy spéech is too too foolish for although this thy desperate hand should pull out the despised heart of this miserable and afflicted bodie yet shouldest not thou make satisfaction of the dishonour which thou hast committed against thy selfe Oh cruell death why doest thou not with thy sodaine furie set at libertie me most vnfortunate from these gréeuous paines Oh Emperour of Greece those louing and amorous wordes which thou spakest vnto me I would they had neuer ben spoken O false and deceiuing Lorde thou shouldest haue suffered me to haue tasted death when with so great good will mine owne hand would haue ministred it to me and not now to cause me to indure a thousand deaths only by thy departure With these other like lamentations this afflicted Ladie passed awaie the time till at last she found
goe and séeke thée to giue thée to vnderstand that my furie is more then thy power And when he had concluded with this he went foorth of the chamber and with a terrible noise he called for his armour the which was straight waie brought vnto him and without tarrying to bée made knight he commaunded to arme him with armour that was all white made by art Magick thē he commanded a ship to be made readie furnished entred into it with intent to go to Grecia and there to aske the order of knighthoode of the Emperour when he had receiued it to defie him to mortall battaile but it chaunced not vnto him as he thought it would for y e the sea with some of his accustomed torments carried him vnto the coast of France by reason of his small patience once béeing a land he would not retourne to imbarke himselfe in his ship but remained with onely two lackeyes and commaunded the vessell to returne backe againe and so went traueling whether his fortune would carrie him two dayes The third day very early in the morning he heard a great rushing of armour amongst a company of trées going towards the same noise he saw a Knight of a very good proportion agaynst a great◠number of other Knights in a very fierce and vnreasonable battaile And for to tell you who it was it is requisite that we begin another chapter in the which I will declare the whole matter vnto you ¶ How that the Knight of the Sunne would haue tarried for Tefereo in the place whereas he appointed him and how he lost himselfe in a thick mountaine and of all that happened vnto him after that Cap. 24. THe knight of the Sunne who was purposed to tarrie for Tefereo whereas he appointed him put himselfe into the wildernes of Ardenia with a reasonable quicke pace but because of the great thicknesse of trées bushes being amongst them and againe troubled with thoughts wherewith his minde was occupied hée lost his way and in such sorte that although he tourned his horse euery way from one place to another yet could he not finde any way but rather did so intangle himself that when the night came he found himselfe so far from the place wher as he thought to haue remained that he was in doubt to recouer his waye and his company he knewe not when for the which he receiued great griefe which was the occasion that he died very euill words against himselfe So beeing in this cholar the night drew on which constrayned him to alight from his horse and sate him downe vnder a greene tree hauing set his horse to feede in the gréene grasse of the which there was abundaunce at hande and so in the best wise he could he laid him downe vpon the ground to take some rest for a while and towards his right hand he hard a great noyse of the running of water and being very drye he was constrayned to arise againe And so he went féeling following that pittering sound of water vntill such time as he found a little fountaine of very faire and cléere water and by reason of the great drought that he had without any more tarrying he knéeled downe to drinke thereof till such time as he had mitigated his great thirst and remayned there a while to refresh himselfe for that the place was very pleasaunt so after a while he returned vnto the place whereas he was before and layd himselfe downe to rest He had not remained there long but he felt the water to begin to worke in him For you shall vnderstand that this was one of the fountaines of Marlin which he made in that wildernesse and brought the water from the high mountayne of Olympo But this fountaine whereof the Knight of the Sunne did drinke was that of Disamore or without loue In such sort it did worke in him that he did not onely loose and forget the loue which he had to Lindabrides but also if it had not bene for the great force of matrimonye and for the pawne that he receiued of Claridiana he hadde likewise forgot her and had brought her as far out of remembrance as he did the Lady of Tartaria And this water did not onely cause forgetfulnesse but also it forced him to reprehende himselfe saieng Oh foole without any vnderstanding that so long hast had thy heart subiected vnto a Ladye that is a straunger vnto thy Religion intreating thée not as a man that dooth procéede from a high and noble generation but lyke the most basest and vilest wretch in al the world Tel me thou lost man who hath bene affectioned vnto a Moore without faith but onely thy selfe Who would haue left his naturall wife for to loue a stranger Barbarian but thou Who would giue so many sighes in vaine but I most miserable giuing occasion of euerlasting death and damnation vnto my soule Oh base and grose vnderstanding in what didst thou set thy loue What beautie didst thou see in her that thou wouldst follow her as one lost for her loue What blindnesse hath constrained thée considering the great valour of the royall Empresse and with what liberalitie she hath surrendred all her Kingdomes and her owne person into thy hands These and other like complaints he made against himselfe without taking any sleepe or rest but was sore troubled with this thought till such time as the morning came and that Phoebus with his golden beames couered all the earth then hée tooke his horse with a more lighter heart and cléerer of all thoughts then at the time he came thether for that he had as cleane forgot Lindabrides as though he had neuer séene her So all that daye he trauelled in that wildernesse not knowing which way to take and had eaten nothing neither had he any thing to eate the which did trouble him very much So when night drewe on he discouered a heard of cattell which were there féeding in the wildernesse and determined to goe towards that place whereas the heard men were who receiued him very well This Knight did aske of them if they had any thing to giue him to eate for that hée was very hungrie the heard men bad him that he should alight and that they would giue him of such as they had for themselues So he alighted did eate with a very good will and so good a stomacke as one which had not his heart nor minde occupied with the cares of loue and there with those heard men he passed all that night till it was morning So when it was daye one of the heard men did bring him into a very great occupied way to whom he gaue great thanks Then the Knight tooke that waye forwards which led him towards Prouince intending to sée if he could méet with his friend and did determine to trauaile thereabouts to sée if Fortune would bring him that waye he had not trauailed farre when that he discouered
another way which did crosse ouerthwart the same way in which he was And studying with himselfe which waye to take it was tolde him that it was the waye which led strayght vnto Paris of y â— which he was very ioyfull and remained a while thinking which way he might take for to finde Tefereo And beeing in this muse he heard towards his right side a great rushing of armour and armed Knights and casting his head on the one side he saw that there was about a ten knights which came running towards him with their speares very low calling him traytor as soone as the Knight of the Sunne saw them he put downe the visor of his helme and layd hand on his sword and at the same time he beheld on the other side as many moe Knights armed which made towards him as the other did In the ende he was compassed rounde about on euery side with fortie Knights which all cried out saying kill the traytor let the traytor dye of the which the Prince did greatly meruayle So altogether they set vpon him and ranne at him with their speares and stroke him all at once yet for all that he mooued no more in his saddle then if they had made their incounter against a strong Tower but at the passing by he stroke one of them vpon the visour of his helme that he cut halfe his head a sunder and he fell dead to the ground All the rest retourned with their horses against the Prince some with their swords in their hands and other some whose speares remayned whole ranne at him againe what on the one side and what on the other they made a very fierce and strong incounter as of those which were the whole choyce of them that were in the Citie onelye to kill him When the Prince sawe himselfe so inclosed on euerye side his wrath and anger began to kindle in him insomuch that he tooke his sword fast in his hand stroke such blowes that whosoeuer he chaunced to hitte was either slayne or maymed At this present time arriued in those partes at the Sea side as I haue tolde you Brufaldoro and this was the battayle wherein he sawe so many Knightes against one onely Knight This Moore did stande and beholde them and was verye much amazed to see the power of one Knight who brought so many as they were into such great distres which made them to repent and were verie sorrie that euer they began that enterprise but by reason that they were all chosen knightes they would not but assault him verie fiercely which was the occasion of their farther harme destruction for that the Princes ire did so much increase that it caused him to double his blowes in such sorte that some he killed out right and some he wounded that in a small time he left not one vpon his horse but all brought vnto the state that they could make no resistaunce and when the Prince â—awe himselfe at more libertie he demaunded what was the occasion of this so sodaine conflict so one of those knightes which was verie sore hurt tolde him how that they were knights belonging to the Earle of Prouince which laye in waite for him to be reuenged of the death of his sonne for y t the whole circumstance of the battaile came vnto his knowledge So the Prince left them and woulde not speake anye word more vnto them but his intent was to get him out of the Countrie for that he well vnderstood that neither he nor Tefereo should haue anie good intertainment at their hands and when he would haue departed there came vnto him Brufaldoro and did salute him verie curteously the Prince did returne him his salutation and had a great pleasure to beholde his good grace and gentilitie So the Mauritanian began first to speake and sayd Gentle and valiant knight the first boone or gift that euer I did demaund since the time that I was borne is this that I will aske of thée and the occasion which doeth driue me to aske it is constrained by the great valour and prowesse which I haue seene in thée sure it is an easie thing on thy part to be fulfilled and therefore I doo desire thée to graunt me my request The heroycall Grecian which had his eyes fixed vpon him with great pleasure that he receiued at his gentle disposition answered As yet I neuer denyed anie thing that was demaunded of mée being iustly demaunded and in a iust cause neither had I anie respect whether it be easie to be done or difficult therfore geÌ„tle knight aske whatsoeuer pleseth thée for if it stand with iustice and reason that I may graunt it thée I doe promise thée to accoÌ„plish it in very ample manner not onely oâ—e boon but so many as thou wilt aske of me That which I wil aske thée said y e pagan is not to put thy person in any periâ— no nor y t thou shalt mooue thy horse one foot out of the place where he standeth but that thou wilt with thy valiant hand giue me y e order of Knighthood arme me knight the which thou maist doo without any doubt or sâ—rupulositie For heere I doo sweare vnto thée by my mightie thoughts that I am a crowned King This noble Greeke did accept his demand and asked of him if that he had watched his armour The Moore aunswered I suppose I haue watched them inough for that it is now eighteene dayes since I haue hadde them continually on my backe And for me there needeth no ceremonyes for that I am no Christian neither Pagan nor Moore nor Iewe nor Gentile neither doo I worship nor beléeue in God For that the God of the Christians I take him for my enimie and as for Mahomet I knowe he is little worth and can doo lesse and the Gentiles haue for their Gods stockes and stones and as for the Iewes I hate theÌ„ as base and vile people Therefore I doo neither worshippe the one nor beléeue in the other but onely follow my own proper appetite The Knight of the sunne could not refrain from laughter at his words in séeing him to be a man of so much libertie and aunswered him saying By God King I doo sweare vnto thée that I haue séene fewe or none of thy Religion but whatsoeuer thou art I will héere accomplish thy desire and request Then the Prince asked him Wilt thou be a Knight The King aunswered This I doo desire and séeke no other thing and putting on his right spurre he kissed him on the chéeke in token of honour and taking a rich sword which a page of his carried with him hée stroke him a blowe with it vpon his shoulder and putting of it vp againe into his sheath he hung it about his necke sayd Now King thy desire is fulfilled for y t thou art a Knight With great good reason may it be sayd that in the fields of Prouince was giuen the order of Knighthood vnto the most
valiantest Moore in all the worlde and by the hands of the best Knight that euer was The King was very glad to sée himselfe a Knight and gaue great thankes vnto the Prince for the same requesting him very earnestly that hee woulde tell him his name for that he might know at whose hands he receiued the order of Knighthood the which the Prince with a good will declared And when he knew that he was sonne vnto the Emperor Trebatio whom he accounted for his mortall enemie altering his voyce he sayd Oh Mahomet thou vile God and full of all treasons thou hast not lefâ— to persecute me euen vnto this present time for thou hast brought me to receiue the order of Knighthoode which was the thing that I most desired at the hands of him which is sonne vnto my mortall enimie Héere I doo say vnto thée valyant prince that I would it had cost me my kingdome that I had not receiued knighthood at thy hand for that thou art sonne vnto the Emperour Trebatio the falâ—est traytor that euer hath bene séene The prince somewhat angry aunswered him saying King it is not séemely in such as thou art to speak words which be so false It is very true that the Emperour is my father and the mightiest Prince in the vniuersall worlde And not as thou doest account him a traytour For the which cause I doo tell thée that thou doost falsly lye like the most vilest Pagan in all thy kingdome and in the defence thereof I will driue thée out of the field and depriue thée of this order which I haue giuen thée that thou shalte not excercise it by taking from thée thy life This miserable Pagan who straight way was subiect vnto his furye with great alteration sayd Oh wretched and vnfortunate knight doost thou thinke that I am one of those Knights that will be tamed by the strength of thy arme I wish thée not to beléeue it For if thou doost proue my strength thou shalt bée sure to finde another manner of rigor and force then thou hast found in those with whom thou hast got thy honour the prince whose patience could not suffer such great pride but as wrathfull as a Lyon replyed Thou proud Pagan arme thy head and prepare thée to the battaile for by God I doo sweare that I will doo my best to cut of such an enimie from the Emperour my father The Pagan without any more replying caused his helme to be â—ased on and layd hande on his sworde And the Prince likewise was readie to discharge his blowe who raysing himselfe vp in his stirrops stroke so strong a blowe vpon the pagans helme that the sound was heard a great way in the fieldes and it inforced him whether he would or not to make reuerence to holde downe his head béeing so astonyed that it séemed a great tower had fallen vpon him and as he woulde haue setteled himselfe againe in his saddle he stroke him such another vpon his shield that he droue it vnto his head which made him to tourne vp the white of his eyes with the great griefe which he receiued and to kéepe himselfe vp from falling both he and his horse staggered on the one side which made the Prince to loose many a blow notwithstanding he pressed on him so fast that he had no time to tourne him to strike againe This Moore was verye much amazed at his great force and strength and strake at the prince so furious and strong a blow that he made him to loose his vnderstanding and almost to stoope with all his body vpon his horse necke The prince came straight way to himselfe and returned vnto y e Moore with so much furie striking such a blow vpon his shield which although it séemed to be as hard as a Diamond yet for all that he cut it in two péeces and the blow descended vpon his sholder with such a great waight that the mountaines eckoed with the noyse which made the pagan for feare of falling to hold himselfe fast by the Horse mane very much marueling y t in one Knight there shuld be so much strength Then he threw from him the rest of his shield which was left and tooke his broad sword in both his hands and droue such a blowe at the Prince that lighting vpon his visor it depriued him of his sight forced him to fall vpon his horse necke without any remembrance This stout Pagan would haue retourned to strike him again but he could not for that his horse béeing skarred with y e blow lept on y e one side which saued him froÌ„ it Yet y e pagan folowed to accomplish his will which he could not doo so spéedely but that the Prince did settle himselfe in his saddle and recouered againe his sword and committing himselfe to God as he alwayes was accustomed to doo he sayd Oh holy Iesu for thy names sake ayde and helpe me And therwith he spurred his Cornerino with great furie that he made him runne like the winde and in his course he sayd Tarry tarry thou man without faith and doo not thinke that thy blowes hath done any other thing on me but onely caused my yre anger to increase the more for to procure to bring thée to thy ende and to sende that excommunicated soule of thine to the diuell and in the running of his horse when he drew nigh him he threatened him with his sword shaking of it in such sort that he gaue him to vnderstand that at the next blowe he would make an ende of the battaile and therewith he stroke him such a blow on his helme that the bloud ranne out at the visor thereof and he fell downe backwards vpon his horse crouper almost dead The great force that the Prince gaue to strike him was the cause that he brake the lether of his right stirrop and therewith he fell to y e ground from his horse But strayght way with great lightnesse he arose vp againe and in the best manner he could he made it fast and leaping into the saddle he retourned towardes his enemie who was with great trouble setling himselfe in his saddle and looking vp to the heauen he showed a pittifull countenaunce as though he had bene very sore hurte as in truth he was And when he sawe himselfe so ill intreated and all his head bathed in bloud he beganne to crye out agaynst Mahomet saying Oh Mahomet thou art the falsest God amongst all the Gods cursed be all they that doo trust in thée and beléeue in thée And of this be thou sure that I doo not beléeue now in thée neither will I so long as I liue and this I doo promise thée that wheresoeuer I finde anye Temple or Image of thine to breake them downe with the strength of mine owne hande and furious arme And with this anger he lifte vp his sword alofte going towards the Prince who was tarrying for him in the same manner and with like furie
it was hée which had passed the terrible kéepers of his murthered Daughter For you shall vnderstand that as soone as the Emperour was departed from the Ilande the wise Lyrgandeo commaunded that the bodie of the Ladie shoulde bée carried vnto Cimarra aduertising her Father that the long looked for reuengement was not farre of And lykewise how and in what manner the knight which did it shoulde come into his lande and also who that Knight shoulde bée Wherefore as soone as the king was giuen to vnderstande of his ariuall without anie more tarrying béeing accompanyed with all his noble men and leading in his hande a very fayre and young childe about twelue yeares olde the most best proportoined that euer nature coulde frame of whome you shall heare no more in this booke for that in the seconde booke it shall bée declared at large of him The king went forth till he came to the chiefe place of the Citie there to méet with the Emperour whereas likewise he met with this old and auncient King who boowing his knées to the earth and shedding of many teares with ioye receiued him saying O high and mightie Emperour giue me héere your hands that I may discharge the dutie that all humane creatures do owe vnto your highnesse how much more I that am bounde therevnto for that with so much firmenesse thou wouldest confirme thy oath and take the charge in thine owne person to worke my reuengement The Emperour was in a great confusion to heare himselfe named and neuer gaue anye in all that lande to vnderstand thereof but strayght waye hée suspected that Lirgandeo should aduise him of his comming And héerewith vsing of his accustomed bountie hée tooke him by the hand and lifted him from the grounde saying Good King the debt which thou sayst is due vnto me thou hast repayed in showing the noblenesse of thy heart and courage and otherwise I am constrained by y e order of knighthood and iustice to make reuengement of that cursed facte which was without all pitie committed vpon thy daughter And seeing that there can be no other remedy but onely reuengement héere of my part I doo offer thée to doo all that in my power is possible to be done desiring thée that thou restraine these teares and giue order that with great spéede there may be ioyned together all thy power to the end that we maye goe and conclude that which in me lyeth The King with a sad voyce aunswered High and mightie Emperour this hath bene prouided for before for all my people and shires are at an houres warning to goe to the ayding of so iust a cause and we tarryed for nothing but onely your royall person who must be the sword of my reuengement Thus with these and such like communications they went vnto the Kings pallaice which was hanged all with blacke clothes for others he would not consent to haue hanged since the death of his daughter Herea There was the Emperour vnarmed and serued with as great highnesse and honour as though he had bene in Grecia Notwithstanding the Emperour would not soiourne nor rest there much for the next daye in the morning he commaunded that all th◠people should march forwards vnto a hauen which was at the vttermost parts of all the Kingdome wheras they found ships and barkes of all sortes verye well furnished of all things that was néedfull There was thrée hundred ships one with another in the which there was imbarked fiftie thousand Moores meruailously well appointed and committing their sayles vnto the winde all this Nauie tooke theyr voyage towards Numidia So they nauigated and founds the winde fauourable which brought them vnto a porte or hauen which was but two leagues from the Kings house There with great ioy and pleasure they went a shore with out any resistaunce or gainsaying So when they were all out of the shippes a lande they displayed their ancients and in very good order they marched forwards And at such time as Apollo had made an ende of his iourney and that the darke night came on they came in sight of the Citie and without taking any rest towards the lande side they pitched their tents and fortified themselues in the best wise they could in such sort as their good Captaine which did gouerne them had commaunded without dooing any thing to the contrary So when all things was put in good order as they would haue it he commaunded that all the armie should go vnto the gate of the Citie that was most néerest the which was straight waye done and in thrée dayes after they did no other thing but ease and rest themselues for that the people were somewhat out of quiet with their great trauayle The fourth daye the Emperour séeing that there was no sturring in the Citie the which was done by pollicie tarying to sée what the enimies would doo the Emperour called for his armour and being armed there was brought a verye fayre and mightie horse vnto him and with his accustomed courage he issued out from amongst his companye and rode towards the wall of the Citie and put himselfe into a faire gréene playne nigh vnto the walls and lifting vp the visour of his healme he set his horne vnto his mouth and did sound it very strongly which was to warne them that were in the Citie to come to the walls and harken what he would saye and when he sawe that there was much people attending to heare him he began to saye O King Noraldino of Numidia how carelesse thou art in this thy strong countrey thinking that the strength thereof will defende thée that thou payest not the price of thy naughtie treason which thou didst vse with that vnfortunate Herea Take vnto thée thy armour and for that thou hadst a heart to commit this euill déede haue now likewise a courage to make thy defence come foorth of these thy walls thou traitour and destroyer of the royall bloud All they which were on the walls did heare the threatenings and straight waye went and tolde it vnto the king of Numidia who was at that time in communication of warres and of armyes and of all things that belonged therevnto and when he hearde these newes giuing a great sigh he sayd Oh ye Gods are not you content to sée me in this perplexitie and so much wronged but likewise with sound of trumpet suffer me to be outraged in calling me traytor These fayned griefes and sorrowfull words had so much force that it moued the harts of the Princes that were with him for to goe out into the field for his defence and in great hast they commaunded that their harnesse shuld be brought vnto them with determination to dye or to defend his cause And there was none that had any feare but onely the Gyant for that he would not giue any credit vnto the Kings words although he dissembled neuer so muuch but by reason that he had sworne therevnto hée was constrayned by his oath
to goe foorth with the rest So in this order as I haue told you they went foorth of the Citie all sixe together and he which gaue the first onset was that valiant and amorous Eleno of Dacia brothers son vnto the Emperour who with a gentle behauiour when hée came nigh the Emperour sayd in the Saracen tongue It is not the part of good Knights to speake any villany especially against Kings whom they are bound to haue in reuerence honour To whom the Emperour aunswered in the same language Art thou Noraldino King of Numidia Don Eleno replyed No but I am a Knight and a very stranger in this countrey but yet by firme oath I determine to dye in the defence of his right The Emperor aunswered He hath neither iustice nor right on his side but it is most apparant wrong which he doth maintaine and there is no reason that such a traytor as he is shoulde be by anye other defended neither is it séemely that anie Knight of price should charge himselfe in his behalfe for that he is a traytor And likewise he that doth defend him and take his part in this that hee will sustaine and maintaine so great vniustice is pertaker of his treason and meriteth a traytors name And for that thou art his defender héere I giue thée to vnderstand that I care not for thée and lesse I doo estéeme thée for that hée which doth take vpon him to defend a traytor may well be accounted a traytor This valiaunt Eleno when hée sawe himselfe to be so ill intreated aunswered Thou lyest in so saying for that I was neuer traytor neither doo I procéede of the lynage where traytors euer were notwithstanding thou shalt pay me with thy head the great vncurtesie which thou hast vsed vnto me Therefore it doth stande thée in hand to looke vnto thy selfe and take that part of the fielde which thou thinkest best for thy purpose and leaue off these blazing words to ioyne with me in battaile that I maye sée if thou canst as well defend thy quarrell as thou canst handle thy tongue At which words there drew nigh them the Prince Clauerindo and as the Emperour woulde haue departed to put himselfe in battel he did behold him straight waye knew him And casting his eyes on the one side likewise knew the other thrée but he could not knowe who the Prince Eleno should be and for the great desire which hée had to know what he was he sayd Knight I doo desire thée for courtesies sake to tell me what thou art if thou wilt not grant me this then I pray thée to lift vp y ◠visor of thy helme y ◠I may sée thy face for héere I giue thée to vnderstād thy foure companions I dooe knowe which is the occasion that I haue no desire to enter into battaile with thée Then Don Eleno aunswered and sayd Pagan of the two things which thou doest aske of mée although there is no compulsion yet will I pleasure thée in fulfilling one of them and in saying these wordes he lift vp the visour of his healme and when the Emperour sawe him he beléeued that it had béene his sonne Rosicleer and with a loud voice he said Oh mightie God how can this be true that vnto knights of my lignage should chaunce so vile a spot who hetherto in all their dooings haue got great honour and praise and now are come to defend such apparaunt wickednesse and treason Thou shalt vnderstand knight that I am the Emperour Trebatio and would not willingly now be called thy Father for that thou art come to defend so apparaunt and knowen an euill for I knowing the vnreasonable naughtinesse that this king hath committed am come to take this conquest in hande for in all my life time I neuer tooke a more iuster cause in hand neither was there euer in all the worlde a thing more worthier of punishment then this and séeing that my fortune hath béen such that my first enimie that shuld come against me séemeth my sonne put thy selfe héere now before thy high progenitour from whence thou doest descend and for Gods loue doe not blot thy stock in defending traitours treason therwith in few words he told vnto them all the whole history as before I haue tolde you Then this excellent Dacian answered High mightie Emperour although by my name thou hast not knowen me yet in calling me sonne thou diddest happen on the truth For thou shalt vnderstand that I am called Eleno of Dacia sonne vnto the king of Dacia thy brother and in that which thou hast sayde that we doe maintaine treasons we are to the contrarie informed neuertheles I beséech your highnesse to tarrie héere a while and therewith he and the Prince in a great confusion returned to the place whereas the rest of his companions were and turning his talke vnto the king he sayd King of Numidia thou shalt vnderstand that yonder knight is the Emperour of Grecia my vnckle who in that small time which we haue ben with him hath told vnto vs all the effect of this thy matter cleane contrary vnto that which thou hast declared vnto vs. Therfore King there is no reason that Knights of so high bloud and name as we are should be set to defend lyes and treasons but if it be to the contrary of that which he hath told vnto me haue no doubt but tell vs the truth For héere I sweare by the loue that I beare vnto that vnlouing Lidia that I will trauayle so with my vnckle that greatly with thy honour thou shalt goe thorough with this conquest Then this false King aunswered O Knights which doo confesse your selues to be Christians and by the God whome you doo worship haue made a solemne oath to helpe and defend me by the strength of your armes how happeneth it now y ◠without any care of your oth which you haue sworn you will leaue me desolate and goe from your words béeing doubtfull of the very truth The couragious French man aunswered Doo thou not thinke King that our oathes and words shall be abrogated rather first we will léese our liues both I the prince all our companions but consider king that God will not that we shall imagine amisse of Trebatio who is a prince of great veritie and truth and agayne our verie nigh kinsman Therefore this and that which hée hath tolde vs hath moued vs to come and tell thée and doe saye that none of vs will goe from his word and oath if thy cause be iust Then the valyaunt Eleno did cut off his reasons and tourning vnto the King he sayd King of Numidia héere I do most humblye desire thée that with false illusions thou putte not vs vnto so great trauaile for that then it can not be but either wée must dye in the hands of him whome we doe desire to serue or els though farre vnlikely to kill him Is it possible king
that thou hast brought vs vnto this estate that crueltie should gouern our wills without hauing power to doe any other thing The King when he saw that the Knights were very earnest began to sweare with great oaths that his cause was iust and that he had tolde vnto them the truth of the matter and if so be that the Emperour had tolde them any other thing it was onely to deceiue them and to tourne them that they should not make his defence and charged them againe with their oath which they had made and how that they had giuen their words to be his vpholder and defender This worthy Dacian tourning vnto his companions sayd Knightes what doo you thinke in this matter what is it best that we doo héerein For well you doo sée that we are so bewrapte bound one against another and cousin against cousin yet for all that we cannot by any meanes excuse the battaile So they did all determine to retourne vnto the Emperour and to desire him for to accept it in good part and to leaue off that battaile to make theÌ„ beléeue that he was falsly informed when they came vnto him they said Worthy Emperour and our onely Lord looke well vnto this false information wherewith they haue informed you and hauing well considered thereof we doo all request you for the loue which vnto your sonnes and cousins and vnto all your friendes you doo owe that it may moue you to take no occasion to put vs into this extremitie for that by anie meanes we cannot goe from our oath and word Unto the which the Emperour answered and sayd My louing friends if that you haue giuen your word and oath to procure to make defence of so false a King doo you likewise indeuour to performe the same for the like will I doe to accomplish that which I haue promised for that there is no more reason for the one then for the other But this one thing I doe tell you that it is very apparant that you will maintaine the treason of this false King as it appereth plainly by many reasons which I haue told vnto you and the principall cause wherin you maye sée plainely his treason and falshoode is the little hast that hée doeth make himselfe vnto the battaile and if he knew that he dooâ—h maintaine the truth let him come forth and make his owne defence At the which reasons they all helde theyr peace considering the great reason which the Emperour had declared and determined that the next daie they woulde conclude what were best to bée done so these sixe knights returned vnto the Citie and the Emperour vnto the campe Of all this that happened he that receiued the most contentment was the Prince Eleno for he desired verye much to retourne vnto the Citie for that at his departure he left his Lady very sicke so that he thought not to finde her aliue and comming to the Citie hée was no sooner alighted from his horse but hée went straight vnto her Chamber whereas hée found her with a mightie burning ague and séeing her in that case he was as one that was beside himselfe and the more that her ague increased the more furious she did shew her selfe and farther out of quiet So this gréeuous and sicke Ladie did aske paper and inke for to write a few lines vnto him which was the causer of all this her harme and making an ende of her writing without power to doo any other thing with the great féeblenesse shée felt she fell downe vpon her pillowe speaking vnto Eleno she sayd Ualiant knight behold héere thy Lidia at her last ende for that there doth not remaine in me strength for to giue thée thankes for so great benefits as I haue receiued at thy handes yet I carrie one great comfort with me which is y â— although I dye yet thy great loyaltie doeth not dye neyther my firme faith and although I was vnloued of an vnfaythfull Knight yet am I beloued of the most couragious knight in the worlde This sorrowfull and troubled Prince woulde not suffer her to goe forwards with her talke but with shedding of manie teares from his eyes he sayd Oh my swéete Mistresse doe not giue me to vnderstande that thou wilt dye if that thou meane I shall remaine aliue Oh my loue I would rather that my heart shoulde be parted in twaine by the greatest enimie that I haue then to remaine without thée Oh my louing Mistres let this thy youthfull yeres and great beautie which thou hast incourage thée die not in this order this feeble Lidia for to shew with more feruentnesse the good will which she did owe vnto the Pâ—â—â—ce for his great curtesie forced her selfe to holde vp her head and he lifted it vp with such quicknesse as though her weake members had felt no griefe as though the furie of that burning ague was not able to resist her but with the force of loue she sate vp in her beâ— and with her face of a fiery colour she sayd My Lord time doth not giue me anye place that with words I might gratifie the great courtesie that of thée I haue receiued for that I doo feele that the hower is come and that the three fatall sisters haue the thred of my life betwéene the edges of their shéeres so that it lacketh nothing but to put them together insomuch that I miserable creature doo féele my soule tremble in my flesh at this my last hower But one thing oh my swéete and true louer I will desire thée before that I doo dye which is that thou wouldest procure that this letter maye bée giuen vnto that cruell Knight who hath brought me vnto this estate giuing him to vnderstande of this my troublesome death the occasion whereof was his vnreasonable crueltie And making an end of saying this this miserable Lady fell downe without hauing any more strength to sit vp but let the letter fall out of her hande before her true louer who tooke it vp and sayd Oh all my ioye what a cruell knife is this to my heart to heare thy complayntes in giuing me to vnderstande the great crueltie that loue hath vsed against thée without anye desert or reason and verely I doo beléeue that these thy great thoughts and griefes but most of all thy absence wil be the occasion of my death And if y â— my enimies are not of power to giue it me héere I doo sweare vnto thee by the great and true loue which I beare vnto thée that I my selfe with my owne hands will procure to pull this heart out of his place for that it knew not how to giue thée contentment paying therwith y e dutie y t I ow vnto thée O happy Brenio that didst obtaine so much grace fauour at Venus handes for to be beloued of the flower of all beautie The Clime in the which thou wert borne was not so happie as to the contrarie my
the face of the Princesse When this sorrowfull Ladie sawe that the soule had got the victorie and departed from the bodie she kissed the mouth of the dead bodie and giuing déepe and dolorous sighes she beganne a meruailous and heauie lamentation calling her selfe vnhappie and vnfortunate and laide her selfe vppon the dead bodie cursing her selfe so that it was lamentable to â—eare All her Damosells who did beare her companie in that great sorrowe when they sawe theyr Ladie in a sound they tooke the healme of the dead knight brought water in it from the Riuer side and in throwing of it in her face and all to be bathed her therewith they brought her againe vnto her remembraunce who beganne a newe to make greate lamentation and to bewaile her ill fortune vttering wordes of greate dolor and griefe which procéeded from the bottome of her heart and sayde Ah my good friend what small benefite haue I receyued for all my trauaile and paine the which I haue suffered in séeking of thée and nowe in finding of thée it is the more for my griefe for that I came to sée thée die Ah most vnhappie that I am where was I when I sawe descend vpon thée that mortall sworde Whereon was my thought Wherefore did I stand still and did not with great lightnesse make resistaunce against that terrible blowe And if my strength woulde not haue serued me yet at the least I shoulde haue borne thée companie Ah you furious beastes that now are hidde in your dennes and déepe caues where are you nowe Why doe you not come and take pittie of my griefe and put remedie therein in taking awaie my life for in so doing you shall shewe your selues pittifull for that I doe abhorre this dolorous lyfe Yet she did not forget the promise the which she made vnto her welbeloued Zoylo which was the occasion that she did somewhat cease her lamentation And taking vnto her selfe more courage then her dolorous griefe did consent vnto With the helpe of her Damselles she put the dead bodie vnder that greate and mightie Pine apple trée where the armour did hang commanding some of those that were with her that they should goe vnto those villages that wer nigh at hand to cause some people to come thether â—hat they might with as greate spéede as was possible make a verie sumptuous péece of worke in the which they shoulde burie the dead bodie of Zoylo the which was the occasion that in Constantinople they did knowe of the death of this vnhappie knight and when the Emperour and all those that were in the court did knowe of it they were meruaylous sorrowful for the same for that hée was welbeloued of them all That same daie came likewise newes to the Court of the restoring againe of the kingdome of Lyra which cost the lyfe of the Prince Brandimardo which was the occasion that they made no triumph nor reioycing of that greate victorie but rather a double lamentation for the death of the Prince The Dutchesse did then prouide for her departure as it was determined leauing the Court in great heauines The death of the Prince Zoylo was published all about and the occasion thereof insomuch that it came vnto the knowledge of the Emperour Alphebo of Trapisond which was the occasion of great griefe in the Emperour but he did dissemble it in the best wise he could with intent to reuenge the same Whereas we will leaue them vntill time shall serue and I will also omit at this time the great worke which y e princes Tigliafa caused to be made for that héere I will tell you what the Pagan Brufaldoro did ¶ How the fierce Brufaldoro hauing spoken euill of women and of them that are louers was taken in the snares of loue with a Ladye that hee met after that he finished the battaile with Zoylo Cap. 7. ALl the day after that Brufaldoro had finished the battaile with Zoylo he trauailed through the thickest of the forrest being very wearye of the troublesome iourney till such time as the darke night drew on and what with werines and with the great desire he had to eate which did trouble him very much he was constrained to alight from his horse by the riuers side whereas he remayned till such time as the morning came and rising on foote for to begin to take his iourney being halfe amazed in beholding the great calme and quietnesse which was in the riuer and the little noyse which it made by reson of y e great depth thereof in that part vpon a sodaine in the midst of the riuer he saw that the waues did increase arise vp like as though it had bene taken with a whirlwinde or tempest which caused the water to make a great noyse and being verye desirous to sée what was the occasion of that great and sodaine change in the water he beheld that it was a Nymph which appeared in his sight from vnder the water who did showe her selfe to the breasts in discouring them vnto him and her face was so faire that in his life he had not séene the like and the whitenesse of her flesh was such that the snowe in comparison to her was obscure and darke The Pagan receiued no alteration at this sodaine sight but the Nymph with a meruailous swéete and delicate voyce began to sing these few verses following WHo thinks himselfe at freedome most of all and least esteemes of Lady Venus fire Let him not boast for he may soonest fall and quickly feele the furie of her ire Her blinded sonne such sodaine shafts lets fly That freest hearts are first inthrald thereby There is not one which may himselfe defend by strength nor wit from mightie Cupides dart For that vnseene he doth his arrowes send and vperceiude with paine doth pearce the hart Bereauing wholly all delight and ioye Leauing behinde distresse and great annoye The wonted weale He into woe doth turne of him that once despised hath his power His cold affection He doth cause to burne and turnes his sweete to most detested sower Triumphing most with terror to torment The man that earst against his will was bent When she had made an ende of her song without anye more tarrying with a furious force she threw her selfe into the water againe from whence she came leauing the Pagan much amazed but by reason that the force of his stomacke was such he determined to let it passe to thinke no more thereof beléeuing that it was some inchauntment and hauing his heart at libertie with a light courage without putting his foote in the stirrop he leapt vpon his light horse and laying the bridle vpon his necke he let him goe at his owne libertie whether he would without gouerning him So his horse brought him into a great plaine where a farre off he discouered an armed Tent pitched which séemed to be faire and rich and by it vpon the gréene grasse ther lay foure great Gyants who had in
thée that thou shalt not depart without thy reward and punishment neyther I without taking vengeaunce of thée The valiant Moore who verie well heard and vnderstoode his wordes made little account of his proude spéech but sayd Make an end thou furious diuell and come vnto the battaile delaie not I saye that thou mayst beare these thy companions companie Then the Gyant lifted vp his arme aboue his head hauing fast in his hande that greate and mightie Speare which was all full of knots with the barke remaining still thereon and threw it at him with so great strength that it made a meruailous sound in the aire but this valyant Mauritanian was not without great care of the comming thereof but with a counter pace he put himselfe on the one side with so greate pollicie that the blowe passed on the one side and the Speare stuck fast in the ground and by reason of the greate force wherewith it was throwen it made it to shake as though it would haue flowen in a thousand péeces and turning round like a Snake when she doth make hast to goe awaie from him that woulde kill her Then the strong and stout Mauritanian being very irefull to sée so great villanie he ranne vnto the speare and with great strength he pulled it out of the ground and in throwing it againe at the gyant he said O thou furious beast take vnto thée thy dart It did wel appeare that it was not throwen by a sluggish arme for that by reason of the great strength striking on his shéeld it pearced it through yet it did not ther remaine but likewise pearced his armour and shirt of maile and neuer stayed till such time as it shewed it selfe at his backe all to be bathed with bloud wherewith the Gyant fell downe dead to the ground whose fall was so terrible that it made the earth tremble and all the trées that were there about to shake as though they woulde haue fallen downe When Brufaldoro saw that the foure gyants were dead who wer the kéepers of that faire ladie he went towards her who was alreadie on foote abiding his comming The valyaunt Moore did pull of his healme and did discouer his face which did represent a great maiestie seueritie such as his state did require and although he was of a great stature bignesse of bodie yet his faire face did giue greate delight vnto all them that did beholde it and when he came nigh vnto the faire ladie he knéeled downe on the ground and said Faire Ladie I know not whether you are discontented or haue receiued a small benefit or seruice in this which I haue done but of this be you assured that my determined thought was to doe you seruice beléeuing that so faire a Ladie shoulde not with her good will keepe companie with so monstrous people she with with great curtesie did aunswere him sayd Gentle knight I cannot denie but that I was constrained by force to kéepe companie with these proude and ill conditioned Gyants and much lesse can I kéepe in secret the great ioy which I haue to finde my selfe at libertie and cléere from them but one thing there is which I doe greatly feare that is that nowe I falling into thy hands and power I dread to come into a new prison therefore I beséech you to giue me frée libertie with the seguritie which belongeth vnto my honour The Pagan who was verie attentiue vnto the words of the Ladie would haue made her answere but this faire lady did disturbe him desiring him first to sit downe by her for that she was perswaded that with the great trauaile which he had taken in the battaile with the Gyants it could not be but that he was wearie and therewith taking him fast by both the hands she made him to sit downe to whom Brufaldoro sayd Ah fayre Ladie if I did knowe that my heart were as frée and cléere of your loue as you are sure of me for offering you anie violence then with great reason I might account my selfe happie as well in the doing of your seruice as in giuing you libertie but I am he Ladie that must aske libertie of your beautie desiring you not to haue anie doubt of me So with déepe sorrowful sighs this Moore did giue her to vnderstand how his troubled heart was tormented with excessiue loue The Ladie when she vnderstoode and knewe that she had of him so sure a pawne was nothing discontent with all for that he séemed vnto her to be a knight of a verie good disposition and of great value more then anie other and for that he shuld receiue some contentment she answered and sayd Sir I am verie well satisfied that a knight in whom is comprehended so great beautie cannot be without the curtesie requisite in so worthie a warriour for the which cause I doe deliberate and put all my honour into your handes and beléeue me that time shall not lacke to put remedie in this your new griefe and paine without incurring vnto my selfe anie rebuke but to maintaine and kéepe my honour as belongeth vnto the royall bloud from whence I do descend in y e meane time gentle knight I would craue one boone at your hands which in telling you I would not haue it denied me Oh how great was the ioye that this valyant Pagan receiued when he vnderstoode so good hope which she pronounced vnto him and therewith he turned vnto the Ladie and whether shée would or not he kissed her hands with great thanks for the grace and fauour which she shewed him and therewith reremembring the wordes which passed by the Nymph at the riuer he sayd vnto himselfe How is it that not long since I made a mocke and a iest of the aduice the which was giuan me and now I doo sée that I made a mocke a iest of the aduice which is turned into good earnest And in saying these words he returned vnto the Ladie and sayde What is that faire Ladie that I should binde my selfe vnto you to do nay what is it that lying in my power to accomplish I woulde not do being wholy yours for y e my heart is your prisoner my libertie subiect to your wil so y t there is no occasion y t you shuld desire the graunt of me but commaund me to fulfil all your will and request but yet fayre Ladie before that you doe procéede to your request I doe desire you that I maye know the occasion of your kéeping companie and trauailing with these foure furious Gyants in this Countrie of Grecia This wil I declare vnto you with a verie good will answered this fayre Ladie You shall vnderstand that I am daughter vnto the king of the Ilandes of Spaine my parents had no more daughters but I alone the which was the occasion that I was the more made off and estéemed of them And by reason of my beutie they put me into a strong tower which was nigh the
Emperour in all the world but more light then this hée would not giue him neither the place wheras his sister was lost and therwith he tooke out from vnder the hatches of the barke a fardle which was bound vp the which he did delyuer vnto the Marriners that they should laye it vp safe and imbrace him againe with great loue and put vpon the finger of the heart on his left hand a King which had in it a precious Diamond that was of so great cléernesse that in a darke night it gaue as great a light wher it was as though a torch were lighted This did he straightly charge him to kéepe for that it was of so great vertue that so long time as he had it about him there was no inchauntment that should hurt him This excellent young Knight woulde haue surrendered greate thankes for his precious giftes but at such time as he wold haue giuen it Galtenor was departed vpon a sodaine a greate space from them who made so much hast that in a verie small time he lost the sight of him This young knight remayned with greate contentment in knowing that hée did descende from so high a generation and lykewise for the succour he receiued in the armour hée had brought him the which he commaunded to bée very well kept till such time as occasion shoulde serue that he had néede of them in this sort he passed away all the nighte thinking vpon the wordes of Galtenor So the next morning this young knight sitting on the poope of the Foyst with this faire Lady he requested her to tell him the whole occasion of her comming to séeke for him The which this Lady with great lamentation began to tell him saying Gentle Knight you shall vnderstand that I am daughter vnto the King of Mesapotamia which is a prouince scituated betwéen the two great riuers Euphrates and Tigris Of long time was I of him welbeloued and made very much on till such time as my fathers Court was in great heauinesse for y t they could not heare any newes of a brother of mine who was prince of that kingdome whose absence at this time is verye grieuous vnto me There came from the other side of the riuer Euphrates a prince whose dominion was ouer the Prouince Palestina He was the proudest and arrogantest Knight that euer hath bene séene in such sort that by reason of his fiercenesse he was not onely feared of them who of dutie did owe it him but also of all the Prouinces that ioyned with his kingdome which extended from that riuer vnto the mayne sea of Phoenicia the mount Libano Gamogenia and the high and mightie cragged rockes and mountaines Nabateos To conclude almost all Asia did trēble at his furie This knight at the great fame which was vttered of my beautie came vnto the famous and large Prouince of Mesapotamia vnto the great citie of Mesos whereas I was of him meruailously intreated and requested of loue but yet all that euer hée did or could doo did little profit him for that by any meanes I coulde not admit him into my seruice and the occasion was because of his great and vnmeasurable pride So like wise came thether the Prince of Chaldaea a Knight of great price and adorned with many vertues vnto whom I alwayes showed a better countenaunce and made acceptation of his seruice Then Brandemoran the Prince of Palestina who was so called when he vnderstood thereof was in a great confusion and receiued greate griefe in such sort that he determined no other thing but with his mischieuous heart to persecute mée it so fell out that the Prince of Chaldea whose name was Gelerosio béeing ouercome and forced by loue hauing opportunitie and place conuenient with dolorous reasons he did discouer vnto me all his whole heart but whether it was his ill hap or my froward fortune I knowe not but at such time as he vttered vnto me his minde it chaunced that Brandemoran had his eares attentiue vnto all that was spoken betwixt vs and when he heard that my answere was such that it caused great ioye and comfort vnto Gelerosio vnto him great paine and torment with a mischieuous heart he went vnto my Father the king and before him he did accuse mée of whooredome When the king my father heard it the great ire and wrath which he receiued was so farre out of reason that without taking anie farther counsell he caused mée to be apprehended and lykewise the Prince Gelerosia and both of vs to be put in prison but after a while when his cholar and anger waxed colder he commaunded to call together all the nobles of his counsell and men of honour who did perswade with my father that by reason of the greate pride and mischieuous stomacke of the Prince Brandemoran he might doo it of presumption or else by the greate ill will which he bare vnto his contrarie Gelerosio he had raised vp this slaunder that they thought it good to be put into the triall of armes with condition that in the space of thirtie dayes I shoulde bring a knight that would defend my honour and by reason the valour of my cruell enimie is so mightie there is not one in all the kingdome that dares take in hande to defend my cause and I seeing that the time passed awaie with a loude voice I began to complaine against fortune and reuiled Brandemoran calling him coward and wretch y t against a Damsell he hath raised so great treason and falsehoode who hearing me to reuile him he answered and sayd Princesse for that thou shalt sée how little I do estéeme all the knights of the worlde I will giue thée one whole yeares space that thou thy selfe in thine owne person goe and séeke him who hath the best fame in armes that may be found and bring him hether to defend this accusation which I haue laide against thée and so lykewise I desire the king thy Father to consent and graunt vnto the same of whome it was graunted and consented and lykewise of all the knights that were counselers of my cause beléeuing that it might be the occasion of some remedie And therewith I tooke leaue and 〈◊〉 and departed from Mesos with onely these two Squires committing my selfe into the great riuer Euphrates in this Foist and so long we sayled that we entered into the Mediterraneo sea wheras was giuen vnto vs knowledge of your great valour and mightie force which was the cause y t made vs take our waie towards the place of your abode somtimes with great torments and sometimes with faire weather in such sort that in the ende we ariued whereas you were in so good time and order as mine owne desire coulde not haue wished better Héere you may sée and vnderstand worthie knight the extremitie of my euil and the cause of my séeking for you At the which relation of this sorrowfull Ladie the Prince remained verie pensiue and had great pittie on
her companie but the Ladies that were with Claridiano made great laughter for that they were certified of the valour of their knight what he was but Fidelio when he heard the excuses of his master thought verilie that he did it for feare and for this cause hée was verie heauie and sadde and the Ladies perceiuing had thereat greate pleasure and sport So trauailing forwards they came vnto a bridge which was ouer the riuer Tygris on the other side there was a Tent armed which was verie rich wherein was a knight armed which did defend that passage and there were set vp against a trée a greate number of Speares and when the dutchesse with all her knights companie entered the bridge there appeared vnto them a knight of a gentle disposition who with great lightnesse leapt vpon his horse and sent a Squire vnto them to tell them that they could not passe that waie but first they should confesse themselues to be ouercome by the best knight of all the world but if they will stand vnto the iust he that receiueth the foyle to loose both his horse and armour so in a trice they put themselues in order at which time the Prince Claridiano came vnto that place and when he sawe that they did make readie and addresse themselues vnto the iust hee stayed on the one side whereas he might verie well at his pleasure see them It so fell out that in twentie iusts all these twentie knights were ouerthrowen and fayled at which the Dutchesse receiued great sorrow and griefe and sent the same damsel which the other had sent before vnto the Prince and when she came vnto him she sayd Knight enimie vnto iusts and trauaile my Ladie the dutchesse of the valley doth desire thée for that it was not thy pleasure for her knights to shew thy bounty that now at her request thou wouldest make frée this passage do that which her knights could not Friend sayd Claridiano goe and tell vnto thy Ladie the Dutchesse that I will procure to make the way sure for me and my companie and will her highnesse likewise to bring knights that can defende her as well as they can with theyr scoffes knowe how to make a iest at one they know not The damsell said Cursed be the reasons excuses of so euill a knight that neither for Ladie of estimation nor knight of prowesse will bée moued to vertue and héerewith she returned to giue her Lady the aunswere So straight way came forth many men for to pull off the armour of those ouercome Knights the which when Claridiano saw he spurred forwardes his horse with his speare in his hand ready at all assayes to the iust and went towards the Dutchesse saying Lady now will I shew vnto you whether I can better kéepe my whole armor then your Knights their broken and therewith he called vnto that Knight which kept the passage that he should make himselfe ready come to him and being both set in their places they mooued their horses the one against the other with great fury and in the middest of theyr course they met together and neither of them did misse his blow but met with so greate force that the speare of the Knight of the Passage was shiuered all to péeces and made the Prince to encline his body vpon the saddle but y e Knight of y e Passage receiued y e blow in such sort y t neither his shield nor his armour could make any resistance but y t the head of y e speare showed it selfe at his back wherewith he fell from his horse dead to y e grouÌ„d The Dutchesse when she saw it receiued great ioy although the folly of her Knights was a griefe vnto her in such sorte y t she sayd Oh what doo they deserue y t without knowing y e valour of a person wil haue him in derision for we may wel consider that the Gods can bestow their giftes on persons of small valour at the least on them y t haue small capacitie for to vse it for héere you may see this knight y t those knights which did beare me companie déemed y t he did refuse y e iust with theÌ„ of verie cowardnesse yet he is y e partie y t deliuereth them that they might not altogether be shamed Oh disordinate pride enimie to all vertue such is it that doth remaine in our estates that altogether it doth make vs to forget all goodnes yet in our subiects meaner persons we may learne that which is requisite for our commoditie and honour and yet we doe thinke that all which the Gods doth giue vs we doe deserue and yet we finde not our selues satisfied At which reasons of the Dutchesse Claridiano was verie attentiue thought wel of her repentance for that which her knightes had done against him and was verie well content had her in reputation to be verie honourable drawing nigh vnto her he said Faire Ladie héere you doe sée y t with great reason the horse armour of these your knights is mine doth pertaine vnto me for y t their experience was such to be lanched out of their saddles as also to mock and iest at trauailing and venterous knights therefore your pleasure may be to commaund them to be deliuered vnto me for y t they knew not how to defend them The Dutchesse was cut off from her answere by reason of the comming of a knight with great pride that sayde The horse and armour is none of thine first I do giue thee to vnderstand y t we will defend them with the losse of thy life And in saying these words he drew out his sword before that the Prince could make anie resistance he cut off one of his horse legs and the Prince perceiuing it before his horse did fall with great lightnesse he cléered himselfe from y e saddle and like vnto the winde he went against that vncourteous Knight with his sword in his hande he stroke him such a blow vpon the head that he cut it in two parts and he fel dead to the earth The rest of the Knights which saw this came vnto him with their swords in their hands and for all the crying out of the Dutchesse her daughter to withdraw them they did compasse him about altogether striking him with terrible blowes on euery side but yet they found him not so weake and without courage as they thought but rather with a valiant hart he made his defence did intreate them in such sort that afterward it grieued theÌ„ to haue begâ—n that enterprise for the Prince so behaued himself that at thrée blowes he brought three of them dead to the ground and for that they were all chosen knightes for the losse of those that were slaine they would not leaue to perseuer against y e mightie warriour The Prince when he perceiued that they dyd still procure to intreate him euill with great ire and wrath he beganne a
new to plague them with his strong and furyous arme in such sort that in a small time he made that the halfe of them had lost their strength for to strike at him the rest which remained when they sawe that there they should looke for no other but death except they made theyr defence better or else procure to kill him y t which straight way they did put in vre Then the Prince when he perceiued that stil with great furie they did persecute him he let slip his shéelde and threw it on his backe and tooke fast holde of his sword in both his handes and stroke so terrible a blowe at him which came first to hand that hitting him on the shoulder he cut him downe vnto the wast and he fell dead to the ground then casting his sword about with an ouerthwart blowe he stroke another on the throate that he made his head to flye from his shoulders in that furie he brought other two dead to the ground the other sixe which remained séeing his diuellish furie began to withdrawe themselues Then the daughter of the Dutchesse séeing the other knights to retire came vnto the Prince and with great grace and curtesie she said Valiant knight of the Ladies I doe desire thée for curtesies sake to cease thy furie let not the force of thy strong arme procéede farther but let this my desire and request moue thée to that which twentie knightes of valour could not obtaine This noble warriour although he was blind and ouercome with anger and wrath yet could he not but pacifie himselfe seeing with what humilitie this faire Gentlewoman did desire him and without anie more replying he did withdrawe himselfe and leapt vpon the horse of the knight of the passage for that Fidelio did take and brought after that y e horse of his master was slaine and therewith he passed ouer the bridge and began to take his iourney forwards leauing all them which saw the battaile very much amazed at his great prowesse So they trauailed with great haste because they would come vnto their lodging before night making hast they came vnto a mans house who did lodge them being in great feare the occasion shall be told you in the next chapter following ¶ How that Claridiano was assaulted with two furious Gyants and with xv Knightes that came with them and of the battaile that he had with them all Cap. 12. AT such time as the bright Apollo woulde spread abroad his beames vpon the cold and moyst earth was that valiaunt knight Claridiano on horseback with all his company for to prosecute his iourney and vppon a sodaine he heard with a great noyse rushing that they shut the gates of the house Then the Prince asked what was the occasion of that great noyse and it was told him by his hoast how that it was for to kéepe out two great Gyants which of late dayes did vse all those wayes fields dooing all the harme possible in taking and killing all that euer they might and they doo carrye with them fifteene Knights for to help them to doo all this euill for which cause all this Countrey standeth in great feare and dare not trauaile by the wayes and vnderstanding that many doe come this way to goe sée the triumphs and feasts at Nabatea they doo vse héere great pride and arrogancie carrying away with them many prisoners as well men as women So when the Prince heard this as one that did procure no other thing but to augment his honour and increase his fame he sayd Commaund that the gates may be open for that I will neuer accompt my selfe in the number of Knights but that I will cause them to leaue off dooing such harme and also set them at libertie whom they doo carry captiues and ease thée of this great feare in the which thou art O for the loue thou dost beare vnto the Gods gentle Knight sayd the Hoste of the house doo not put these thy tender yeares in perill to bee slaine or carried away prisoner by those furious beasts To whom Claridiano aunswered It will be rather a shamefull reproch vnto my fame if there shuld lack in me that which I am bound by the order of Knighthood to performe Therefore my good Host let this suffice that neither your request nor any others peticions shall perswade me to the contrarie but that I will goe forth and procure to abate so greate pride and harme for that in making an ende of my dayes in defence against these cruell people then haue I performed that I am bound to haue promised to doo therfore I pray thée comnaund that the gates may be opened When the Host saw his determined purpose and will he commaunded the gates to be opened The two Ladyes receiued great sorrowe and griefe for that which the Knight did but much more was the griefe of Fidelio although he was throughlie certified of y e valour of his Lord yet he letted not but greatly to feare his returne for y t the enterprise was very daungerous and doubtfull and would very faine haue gone with his Lord but he wold in no case consent thervnto but wold alone goe forth vpon this enterprise So this noble warrior rode forth with the visor of his helme vp and his shield on his arme and a mightie cutting sword in his hand and put himselfe in the middest of the high waye and in a smal time after he saw a chariot which was drawen with sixe â—orses in the which they brought the Dutchesse of the Ualley and all the company y t remained with her who by reason y t they wer euill intreted in y e battaile before â—hey â—ad not strength to make resistaunce but y t they were taken prisoners by the Giants and bound very fast and put into that Chariot The Prince at y t time did greatly reioice for y t he had so good opportunitie for to make satisfaction vnto the Dutchesse and her knights of the great harme the which by him they had receiued and being ready to the battaile he put himselfe in the high waye tarrying their comming When the Giants saw his great hardines one of them which by reason of his deformed members trauailed on a mightie great horse came foorth before all the rest whereas this Gréeke was and when he came nigh him he sayde in the Chaldean tongue Thou Knight what diuell hath caused thée to commit so great folly for to abide my fury arte thou so certefied of thy great valor y t thou wilt sée the proofe therof Then the valiant sonne of the great Alphebo answered Neither my folly nor yet the trust which thou saist I haue hath moued me but onely this thy crueltie euill customes which thou dost vse for that the immortall Gods are verye angry that they haue indued you with so mightie members and strength and you thus imploye them exercising nothing but vilenesse and crueltie and therefore they doo
cloue his head a sunder in the middest but yet he could not let but receue great hurt of his person for that he was assalted by them who desired to reuenge the death of theyr Lorde The other Gyant cryed out against them reuiling them with maruailous foule words for that one alone knight should so long endure aliue in their handes But this miserable people did not know with whom they made this contension for if they had knowne vnderstode who was before them they would not haue hilde this battaile for they did not know how they had to do with the sonne of y e Emperor Trebatio against whome the Diamant Rockes doe seme weake as it apeared by the great strength he had in wounding of them For some he slew out right and some were very sore hurt but notwithstāding of those which did remaine he was assalted very desperately but this Greke séeing still their contention his courage the more increased and tooke his sword in both his hands stroke one of them so terrible a blow vpon the shoulder that his sworde passed downe vnto his wast so there remained but fiue of them who altogether did strike at him such fiue blowes y t it made him to stoope with both his knées to the ground the which the Prince did feele verye much neuerthelesse with greate strength he arose vp againe in spite of all them that stroke him and it was vnto their harme for that he was not so soone vp when he stroke him that was next hand so terrible a blow vpon his helme that he cut him downe vnto the stomacke in two péeces and casting about his sword ouer his head he stroke another on the necke that he made his heade flye from his shoulders to the ground the other thrée which remained séeing the great slaughter that was made on their companions and likewise themselues to be hurt and werye they procured to runne away vp the staires and they thinking to flye from their death fell into the like daunger and rather worse for that at the head of the staires they met with the other Giant who was descending downe giuing terrible shrikes and meeting them with his mightie cutting sworde he cut them all to péeces saying Take the payment y t such cowardes doo deserue So leauing them dead he descended downe the staires and found this strong Rosicleer leaning with his breast vpon the pomell of his sword easing himselfe somwhat of the great trauaile passed but it indured with him but a small time for that the Gyant lift vp his broade and mightie sword and went toward him to strike him but the Prince stoode still tarrying his comming and was determined to make y e battaile more by pollicie then by strength fearing that the wearinesse which he had receiued should bée the occasion that his force should faile him and his courage abate if that peraduenture he should haue to doe with more then he had at that present before him So when the Gyant came whereas the Prince was he discharged his mightie stroke for to wound the Gréeke but he with a light leap cléered himselfe from the furie of that blowe and closing with him in great hast he stroke him vpon one of his legs that his harnesse deceiued him and he wounded him vnto the bone but for all that the giant did not leaue to lay vpon him very thicke blowes as one that was very expert in that exercise It was great delight to sée how the Gréeke did cléere himself with great lightnesse from his blowes without féeling anie wearinesse The Gyaunt with the greate furie that he had made great hast in striking at the Prince which was the occasion that he waxed wearie and was verie sore vexed and troubled and when the Gréeke perceiued his faint and troubled stomacke he entred in out with him with great lightnesse procuring for to hurt the Gyant and did it with greate ease although the Gyant did not let likewise with great has◠to strike mightie and terrible blowes at him This Prince procured still to sée if he could finde time that alonely with one blow he might make an end of the battaile without any perill to himselfe notwithstanding he did not let to wounde him where he might in many places the Gyant was all imbrued with bloud which issued out of the woundes hée had and although they were not greate yet they were troublesome This battaile indured a long time for which cause and the greate losse of bloud this Gyaunt beganne to waxe feeble and weake When the Gréeke perceiued this and séeing that he did not make his assault with so great hast as before and although he was wearie with striking so manye blowes which brought him almost to an ende yet nowe againe with great hast he stroke the Gyant many and terryble blowes then the Gyant séeing himselfe so ill intreated and knowing his end to be at hand he cryed out making a great noise which range through the aire blaspheming against his Gods and called all his Pages and household seruaunts and sayd O you lost creatures why doe you not come and helpe me At whose noise and calling there came together aboue thirtie seruaunts some with clubbes and staues and some with stones and compassed him rounde about throwing stones at him so thicke that hée coulde not approch vnto them for they durst not come nigh vnto him the stones rayned more thicker vpon the Gréeke then y e froson haile stones doth in the moneth of March throwne downe by force out of obscure and tempestuous clouds and although his armour were verie strong yet for all that he did not let to receiue greate trouble by reason of those thicke blowes The Greeke went towards them for to hurt them but they ran in at the doores to saue themselues as commonly they who doth baite a Bull with dartes in a trenched place after they haue gored him they hide themselues in corners to saue them from the furie of his hornes and tourning himselfe they straight waye torment him behinde in this sorte did his seruaunts intreate this Gréeke till such time that hée was constrained by his ire to goe agaynst them shaking off his sworde then as before they ranne awaie So the Gréeke returned whereas the Gyaunt was who was so wearie that hée could not remoue out of the place where hée had lefte him who cléering himselfe from one terrible blowe which the furyous Gyant stroke at him presently retourned the lyke blowe which lighted vpon his left shoulder that hée opened the hard harnesse and the flesh vnto the bone This blowe was not so soone giuen him when that with great hast he stroke him with both his handes on his breast and by reason that hée was weake and wearie hée néeded not much strength to ouerthrowe him to the ground who receiued on his backe a terrible fall The Gréeke lykewise with the great strength that hée put to ouerthrowe him fell to the grounde
but it fell out better with him then hée thought for that falling he rowled a good waye from the place whereas the Gyant fell and straight waie with a trice hée arose vp againe and found himselfe all to be compassed againe with the seruants who battered at him with staues and stones as many times a wall is battered with Artillerie Some of them woulde haue runne and embrased themselues with him thinking that he had not beene so nimble as he was but when they sawe him on foote they retyred backe againe with greate feare At this time the Gyaunt beganne to arise although it was with great trouble but the Gréeke who was verie angrie to see himselfe so intreated with boies and seruants with a trice he was with the Gyant and before that he could put himselfe on foote he stroke him so terrible a blow with both his hands vpon the head that he cut it in two péeces and he fell dead to the ground These seruantes when they sawe that their Lord was slaine they all ranne awaie making a great noise This worthie Greeke when he saw that the fierce giant was dead and that he was cleere from that conflict hee went towards that place whereas he left the first Gyant when he came vnto him he pulled off his healme at which time he heard one which from 〈◊〉 windowes made a greate noise and sayd O cruell knight let this suffice thee cease thy furie with the great harme which thou hast done and do not shew thy wrath vpon that Gyant who hath no power for to make his defence and if that his valour is not sufficient for to abate thy ire let this sorrowfull infant moue thee to compassion whom thou hast caused to suffer great paine griefe The Prince looked vp and procured to sée who it was that spake vnto him and he perceiued that it was a maide of a meruailous great disposition of bodie and verie faire of face and wéeping vnto whom he sayd Faire Gentlewoman the cause of my crueltie hath bene for to disturbe the great crueltie which you haue vsed with the sonnes of the Emperour Alicandro within this Castell and touching this knight you may beléeue me that his death will be as much griefe vnto me as vnto you for the great curtesie which I haue seene in him At that time the Gyant was somewhat come to himselfe for by reason that the aire had catched him he had some remembraunce of the which the Prince was verie gladde and turning vnto the Ladie he sayd Faire Gentlewoman if there be anie seruants in this castell commaund them to put this knight into some place that he maye be cured of his woundes and therewith he heard great knocking at y e gate and for to see who it was he left the Gyaunt and went thether and asking who was there that with such hast did call he did vnderstand by his wordes that it was Orislides the Troyan who could not come thether anie sooner for that â—ée went a foote To whome the Gréeke did open the gate with great reioycing and shutting the gatâ— againe they 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the Couâ—t When the Troyan sawâ—â—o greate â—â—aughter which was done there he straight waie vnâ—erstoode that the knight was not come thether for nothing This Gentlewoman was with her brother and did greatly wéepe bewaâ—le his vnhappie misfortune who althoâ—gh he was somâ—what come to his remembraunce 〈…〉 to arise vpon his 〈◊〉 The Prince commaunded that with great discretion â—e sâ—old â—e taken vp by 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and so carryed vnto his chamber whereas without causing him for to recâ—iue grief he sâ—uld be vnarmed y t which was done with great diligence and he was cured by the hands of his sister who made great lamentatiâ—n 〈◊〉 him whom Brandâ—fidel for so was the Gyaunt called did comfort with â—â—â—ye swéete and amorous words the which caused the Prince to haue a great affection towards him and it was with greate reason for that the gyant was adorned with very much vertue Oristides séeing all things in so good order left y e Prince who was seeking of the Princesse and tooke a horse of the Giants and a palfray and returned to fetch Meridian So after that Brandafidel was â—â—red the Prince demaunded in great hast for the Princesse and the Giants sister was constrained to go with him to bring him whereas she was So they entred into a faire large hal which led them into a parler whereas was an old giantesse of a maruailous good proportion who made great lamentation for that it was tolde her of all that had passed in the Castle who had in her company more then thirtie Ladyes and Gentlewomen which did comfort her to whom the sister of the Giant sayd Lady this Knight to whom the Gods hath giuen so much power doth demaund the Princesse of the Scitas our prisoner for whose cause all this harme and euill happened vnto vs. This Lady with a grieuous sigh beholding the Prince said O cruell murderer of my welbeloued sonnes and faithfull seruaunts make an ende to execute thy crueltie showing the same and like vpon this vnfortunate Quéene whose power hath profited her very little This good Gréeke béeing tender harted when he heard so great lamentation he sayde Quéene doe not meruaile for those which doo offend God doo hope of no other thing but punishment for their sinnes so those that liue with pride cannot let but to be payed with the like I doo desire thée to commaund the Princesse to bée giuen vnto me whom thou hast in prison for that she doth not deserue to be intreated amongest you as a prisoner but as a Lady The Quéene without giuing him any aunswer threw vnto him two keyes which she had tied at her girdle and afterward sayd vnto him Under these thou shalt finde that which thou seekest and enioye the glory which thou hast got by this occasion til such time as he doth come who with his mightie arme will reuenge the great wrong which thy good fortune hath brought to passe The Gréek tooke y e keies and being led by that Gentlewoman who wold neuer leaue him they went out of that parler and went vp a payre of staires which brought them vnto another hall of no lesse bignesse then the first and with the keye she opened a doore and sayd Enter O Knight which hast as much crueltie as prowesse and strength and there thou shalt finde her whome thou séekest Faire Gentlewoman sayd Rosicleer I doo not determine to enter but that your highnesse shall goe before This Princesse giuing a grieuous sigh entered in first and brought him into a faire chamber and then opened another doore wherin they entred into another hall very well garnished with many and faire windowes which was towardes the Sea at one of the which there sate the Princesse who was combing of her faire haire and with her there was a Damsell the which helde the glasse in her hands before her
vertue which doth remaine in thée to frustrate al iniuries past This I do desire you to consent vnto in that you are bounde vnto it by your high estate and not for anie desert dew vnto such a poore knight as I am Poore sayde Antemisca héere I doe sweare vnto you by that which I owe vnto all vertue due vnto mine owne person that I doe determine in seruing of you to doe as much as in the seruice of Iupiter for y t I take thée to be one of the Gods as it hath appeared by the greate valour which I haue seene shâ—wed by thée And whatsoeuer your pleasure is to commaund to be dâ—oâ— vnto this dead bodie although he doth not deserue it it shall be wholy accomplished and straight waie it was put in vre This valyaunt knight remained there certaine dayes whereas he was serued with great maiestie in which time the two louers weâ—e married wheras was made meruailous great 〈◊〉 and triumphs the which for auoiding tediousnesse I doe on it aâ—d will make no mention thereof for that this valiant knight was prisoner to the Pastora he neither receiued contentment nor ioy in his heart in so long â—arrying which was the occasion y t Claridiano tooke his leaue for to depart of y â— Princesse of Chaldea which was cleane contrarie â—â—to the good-will of Antemisca for that she loued him merâ—ailousâ—y for his great vertue and with many teares she tooke her leauâ— of him giuing him certaine presents and gifts necessarie for his trauaile so he departed taking his iourney onely with Fidelio his squire towardes the plaines of Ierosolima and pâ—sâ—ed by Armenia the great whereas happened vnto him many straunge aduentures ¶ How that Claridiano trauailed by Armenia and of the straunge aduentures which hapned him in that countrie Cap. 20. THE valiaunt Gréeke Claridiano trauailed through Armenia the greate with no companie but his Squire although his thought was not solitarie but alwayes represented in his heart the cause of all his griefe and sorrow So in this sort he trauailed a while till it chanced one morning at such time as the Sun began his accustomed iourney that he must passe a great mightie riuer ouer a bridge and at the end thereof there was a fortresse wrought after the fashion of a Bulwarke for that below at the beginning it was verie bigge hauing in the midst of it a great tower with a louer hole and vpon the same was put a standard which with the winde was mooued from the one side to the other The Prince following his iourney ouer the bridge without anie impediment would haue passed forwards on his waie but by anie meanes he could not by reason of a great broade and déepe ditch which was made on the other side beginning from the Riuer and making a compasse lyke a whoope which inuironed all the whole fortresse and came againe and ioyned vnto the sayde Riuer on the one side so that the fortresse remayned in the middiest and there was no other waye to take but that they must néedes passe through the fortresse So when the Prince came vnto a verie strong gate of yron hée tooke the King in his hande and gaue three greate blowes at the noise wherof there was a windowe opened whereat there appeared a Gentlewoman of a middle age who séemed to haue her eyes swollen with wéepings who said Knight what is it that thou doest séeke héere in this infernall Castell if thou wilt haue passage séeke it by some other waye and it shall bée better for thée for in procuring to passe this waie thou shalt get no other thing but death but and if thou wilt not turne backe by reason of the good opinion which thou hast in thy great valour and strength take and â—ound that horne which hangeth ther vpon that piller on the right hand which béeing heard the entrie shall bée fréely giuen vnto thée but the going out is vnpossible And in saying those words she shut the windowe in greate hast and went in The Prince cast about his horse towards the right hand whereas he sawe a piller of the height of a man therat hanged a rich horne and by it a péech of parchment rowled vp and laying hand vpon the horne he could not moue it although he did striue mightely to doe it and vnderstanding y e first he must vndoe the Parchment and read that which was written in it he tooke it and vnrowled it and saw that it constained that which followeth At this present raigneth a King in Arabia and although he bee a Pagan yet hée is adorned with noble and vertuous customes and had onely one daughter that was verie fayre humble and chast and was beloued of the Duke of Fedra vassall vnto the same king the Dukes name was Velegrato a young man with a seuere and graue countenaunce who deserued better the gouernment then anie other Pagan hée was verie well estéemed in all the Kingdome almost equally with the king for the which there ingendered in the kings heart a secreat rancour and hatred This Duke did loue the Princesse who was called Damelis and it was the Gods will that shée should repaie him with the same loue â—o that both theyr heartes beeing wounded with loue the one to the other the fire kindled dayly more and more in such sort that neither the one nor the other had anie imagination but onely to loue and not knowing how to manifest theyr griefes they indured sundrie greate passions Then loue which continually seeketh occasions did on a time set before this duke a Gentlewoman which thing seemed to be wrought by the order of y e Goddesse Venus Oh what great feare this knight had for to discouer vnto her all his heart but in the end by the great industrie of this Gentlewoman there was order giuen that these two louers should meete together Heere I will not detaine them that shall read this in telling of the great delight which both of them receiued to sée themselues together but such it was that she was made a Ladye This faire Damelis for that she coulde not at her ease enioye her Velegrato she did determine to leaue her own natural countrey father and with this intention one night being with her louer she cast her armes about his necke and sayde Oh my sweete and welbeloued friend séeing that the soueraigne Gods haue bene to me so grateful that I doo deserue to haue a louer let me not finde in thée ingratitude for that I cannot passe my time except continually I enioye thy fight and doo not muse my Lord at this that I doo say for that the ouermuch loue that I haue to you doth constrayne me to make it manifest and this beléeue of a certaintie that if thy sight be absent from me if will be the occasion that my hart shal lacke his vitall recreation And you doo well know how that the King my father doth beare you no good
At this time the battaile began a new to be very terrible increasing double their fury and likewise augmenting their blowes in such sort that with the least blow that was stroken it séemed to haue cut the other all to péeces which made all them that did behold the battaile very much to meruaile At this time there appeared to come foorth out of the Forrest a Knight all armed in white armor edged and wrought about with an excellent worke of fine golde his healme on his head and his shield at his necke and gyrte with a veryâ— ritch sword and of so gentle a disposition that ther was none equall vnto him and séeing the battaile betwixte the two Knights he did stand and behold them and straight waies he knew the Emperour but he could not iudge who y e other should be but greatly meruailed at their strength and with the great desire he had to know who it was he demaunded of an old Knight that stood by him the occasion of their controuersie and who the Knights were The olde Knight for that he seemed to be a Knighte of high estate sayde The name of one of them I can tell thée the which is the knight with the straunge and rich armour who is the excellent and mightie Emperour Alphebo of Trapisond but the Knight with the Sunne héere is not one that doth know him This Knight began the controuersie first with certaine knights of Grecia who killing of some of them and other some verye sore wounded and following other two which ranne away the Emperour put himself before him for to know the occasion of his great furye and that Knight did aunswere him with great pride and arrogancie which was the occasion of this their controuersie and it is more then sixe houres since they haue bene martring one anothers flesh without all pitie and this is all which I can tell you of that which you haue demaunded of me The Knight with the white armor was very much amazed when he knew that the controuersie indured so long and could not iudge who it should be of so great power and strength that was able to resist the fury of the mightie Alphebo In all this time these two valiant warriours were not idle but still their battaile went forwards in such sort that either of them did doubt of the victorye finding their aduersarie so mightie and strong So in this extremitie they indured more then sixe houres not resting one moment but still plagning the due the other making of their bodies euen Anfields which continually are beaten on with hammers and as the trauaile was great and could not be chosen but that they must 〈…〉 be weary and show some kinde of faintnesse vpon a sodaine both at one time did withdrawe themselues to take some rest either of them very much meruailing at the great power and strength of his aduersarie This inuincible Emperour could not by any meanes iudge who the Knight should be that had brought him into that extremitie for vntill that daye was there neuer knight that euer before that time did the like and being full of yre wrath he sayd What is now become of thée Alphebo Where is now thy great valour that hath bene so much spoken of in all the worlâ— What is become of thy surmounted strength wherewith thou didsâ— quaile the power of Lindaraza and that with which thou didst breake those inchaunted helmes What is become of thy terrible yre wherewith thou diddest subdue mountaines newe in sunder Diamond armour and brought all thing vnder thy subiection nowe I sée that all is forgotten and nothing worth for that one alone knight and a Pagan hath brought thée inâ—o this extremitie O holy God to thée I inuocate and desire thée to helpe me doe not permit that my fame be robbed and taken away by a Pagan and an enemie vnto our Christian lawe These and such like reasons pronounced this â—holarick Mars and neither more nor lesse the mightie and strong Prince casting vp his eyes and looking vnto the heuens and reprehending his Gods he said Why are you so contrary vnto me for that as yet I neuer had victorie but it hath bene by the strength of mine owne armes What recompence haue I receiued for all y t I haue done as yet I neuer had any fauour at your hands for my owne power hethertoo hath bene valuable vnto me and not yours for that I do beléeue is nothing as it doth appeare very plainly in the little fauour that you shew me against this furious Christian. What are you angrie that I am come into this Countrey and are anie of you come downe to take reuengement of me therefore Well séeing it is so let it be Iupiter or Mars or whosoeuer it be of you be it a God or a Diuell first before I receiue the death I will make you to call for aide of all the rest of the Gods and if it be a diuel to call likewie for aide of the rest of the diuells And without any more tarrying he retourned againe vnto the battailâ— the like did the Emperour made their assault with so great furie that they onelyâ—punc which did behold them were not a little amazed but also the heauen and earth did meruaile at their force the Eccho was weary in answering of their terrible blowes so that there was almost no hope of remedy in their controuersie for that each one feared his aduersarie there was not anie aduauntage of either part This conflict continued so long betwéene them that they were almost out of breath at y e time bath together they lyfted vp theyr HerculiaÌ„ armes hauing them aloft they ioyned together w t such fury that their horses met and stroke their heads the one against the other in such sort that although they were both good yet they fell downe to the ground with their Knights but they were not so soone fallen as they wer straight on foote again without receiuing any harme and there began betwixt them a new contention There was shewed the greate lyghtnesse of the Prince and likewise that of the Emperour was apparant in that either of them did so valiauntly defend himselfe from his contrarie although at that time their strong armes were more gouerned with ire and wrath then with pollicie or experience which was the occasion that the battaile was the more perillous terrible This mightie Alphebo thought much that in the presence of the Emperour his Father the battaile shuld so long indure and that with one alone knight and not béeing his brother The like did the Prince consider of that by reason that the great reuerence and respect that the people had he knew that there shuld be present the Emperour of Grecia who tooke him for his graundfather as the furie of Merlin had tolde him All these considerations dyd cause betwixt the two warriours the more wrath yet for all that they which did beholde them could iudge no
horsemen as it appeared by the treading and noyse of their horses Wherefore to vnderstand what they were they staid their talk the prince issued out of y e chappell where he found sixe knights armed w t verie good strong armor who were alighting from their horses to enter into y e chappel but when these knightes espyed the Prince so well proportioned and of so good disposition with his armour of strange deuice contrarie vnto theirs then one of those sixe knightes which séemed to haue more authoritie then the rest sayd Oh Knight what infernall furie hath hardned thée to aduenture hether knowing the custome which is vsed héere But it séemeth vnto me that rather ignorance is the occasion héereof more then anie other thing wherefore I am content to let thée depart againe vpon condition that thou leauest with me thy armour and thy horse if it be thine to giue for that they doo greatly delight me This valiant Prince dissembling his anger with a very merrie and smiling countenance made answere You haue sayd true y e ignorance hath brought me hether for y t I am a straunger in this countrie and neuer vnderstood that anie such crueltie hath ben vsed héere till now that this good olde man hath tolde mée But to giue thée my armour I am not determined at this time for that I am not accustomed to trauaile without it And as for my horse I doo insure thée that he will let none take his backe but my selfe therefore it were best thou aske some other thing for that in this I pretend not to accomplish thy request They vnderstanding the wordes which the Prince aunswered vnto them one of the sixe knights pretending more hardinesse then all the rest replyed I will sée how thou canst defend thy horse and with that he went to laie hande on the horse bridle which he had not so soone proffered when the fierce horse opened his mouth and with great furie he caught him by the shoulder and lift him vp from the ground and in his fall he all to trampled troade him in péeces and so slew him At the which this noble Prince could not refraine from laughing and merrilye sayd In this sorte doth my horse rewarde them that bée so bolde and hardie of enterprise Then the Knight which did first speake vnto the Prince sayde vnto him with excéeding great anger I doo promise thée for certaintie that this great disorder and outrage which thy horse against my companion hath done shall cost thée thy lyfe And on a sodaine another of the fiue knightes which remained drew out his swoorde thinking to haue cut off the horse legs but this expert horse with great lightnesse shunned the blowe and on a sodaynâ— rose on his hinder féete and with his fore féete he played so with his helme that he broke it all to péeces and threwe the knight dead to the grounde the which fact did greatlye amase these knights of Sardenna TheÌ„ the noble Prince with a pleasant semblaunce said I am afraide that if in this sort you battayle with my horse he will in y e end deliuer me froÌ„ all danger of the losse of my armour Then this other knight hearing these wordes which he tooke to be a greate reproch vnto him béeing almost ouercom with anger in a great furie and rage he drew out his sword and flourishing it about his head he saide The greate outrage which thy horse hath héere done as I before said thou shalt spéedely repay with the losse of thy lyfe and vttering these words he smote the Prince vppon the helme so vehemently and with such courage that the very sparkes of fire sprong out fell burning to y e ground This noble prince féeling y â— blowe not looked for determined that that miserable knight should not go vnpaied for his good deede least he should praise himselfe for dooing it but with greatâ— anger and furie he stroke the knight such a blowe a little aboue the wast that it almost parted him in two péeces so that he fell downe dead to the ground Then the other thrée Knights séeing this terrible and vnmercifull blowe made no tarrâ—eng but all at once fell vpon y e prince doubling their blowes to bring him to his ende that it was wonderfull to sée but this worthie Knight who lyttle estéemed of such daungers stroke one of them so harde vppon the head that he cut him downe to the breast he fell downe dead vpon his other companion And tourning to another at one blowe he parted his shéeld in péeces cut off his arme froÌ„ his shulder Then the other knight which remained aliue séeing his coÌ„panions to be so ill intreated by one only knight thought it best to saue his life by trusting to his legs rather then to repose any confidence in his prowesse for that hée thought it would little preuaile him and betaking him to his feete he fledde awaie Of whome this noble Prince made small account but let him go the olde priest of whom we before spoke was present and beheld all that had happened and meruailed verie much at the great prowesse of the vnknowen Knight And this noble Prince seeing himselfe cléere of them that would haue done him wrong retourned vnto the Priest and asked him if he hadde anie thing that he might eate and requested him to let him haue it for that he hungered and had great néede thereof Then this Priest gaue him such meate as he hadde for himselfe still perswading the Prince for to returne againe the same way hee came and not to put himselfe into that so daungerous and terrible an aduenture but this heroycal prince made little reckoning of his requests but giuing him great thanks for the good entertainment he gaue him he tooke his leaue of him went the same which lead way towards the castle where the giaunt dwelt trauailing by little little with an easie foote pace he anone had a sight thereof and perceiued that it was verie fayre to behold and walled about verie strongly which he beheld not long but that he harde a Trumpet sound with meruailous sweete melodie and at the sound thereof there looked out of a window a gyant being a yong man of great large bignes comely in all parts accordingly his face was verie ireâ—ull to looke on but not ill fauoured but rather séemed to be adorned with a senere kinde of grauitie This Gyant looking that way where this noble Gréeke was he asked him with a high and mightie huge voice Knight what doest thou héere so securely séeke and what wouldest thou haue not respecting this my vnfortunate and vnhappie custome but without anie feare thereof thou approchest hether presenting thy selfe of thy own free will to be sacrificed But this worthie Gréeke in the meane time that the Gyant spoke these wordes did contemplate himselfe in beholding the huge making and the greate strength that did appeare hée hadde by the