which part this terrible blowe would fall determined not to receiue it but with a light leape did cléere himselfe from the fall thereof the which fell to the grounde with so greate and terrible hast that the halfe of it entred into the earth and by reason that the stroke was giuen more of anger then of cunning by the great strength that he put to it he could not keepe himselfe but was forced with the stroke to fall with his breast vpon the pommell of his sword He was no sooner downe but the Sonne of Trebatio gaue him another vpon his helme that it sounded as though he had stroke vpon a bell wherewith the Giant fell flat to the ground greatly astonished and almost beside himselfe This valiant Greeke when he sawe him in this traunce laide fast holde vpon his helme and with the excéeding strength that he set to it hée pulled it from his head The Giant which was then somewhat recouered caught holde vpon the skirt of his harnesse and pulled the Knight towards him with such strength that he was not able to make resistaunce but néedes he must go whether his strong arme carried him Then gladly woulde this noble Greeke haue defended himselfe from this perill but he in no wise could for stumbling vppon the Gyaunt he lighted on his breast in such tumbling sorte that he fell on the other side of him séeing himselfe so ouerthrowen w tout any power in himselfe to prouide for help he gaue a loude cry said O Iesu Christ the sonne of God deliuer mée from this daunger so incontinently as soone as he was at the grounde with a light and valiaunt courage hée rose vp againe pretending not to shew anie pittie or fauour in this fight and returned to the Gyaâ—t whom he found on foote and readie to defend himselfe and approching nigh him because he would shewe the greatnesse and valiaunt stomacke that hée had hée sayde Ualyaunt King take to thée thy holme for that I will not that for lacke thereof thou doest loose the surmounted valour of thy heart The Gyaunt which had prooued by experience the great prowesse of his surmounted strength and againe séeing his noble curtesie in offering him his helme with an humble and méeke voyce hée sayde Ualiant Prince I praie thée tell me if it be true that thou art he which at the beginning thou saydest thou wert or whether thou art the God Mars which is come downe from heauen to destroye mée and to make my strength of no estimation This worthie knight then placing the point of his swoorde vppon the grounde and leaning his arme vppon the crosse of the hilte not making anie outward apperaunce of wearinesse that he had in this battaile with an amiable countenaunce he sayd O king if thou wouldest acknowledge this greate crueltie which thou committest and the small reason which thou hast to execute it and howe greatly thou doest erre and art ouerséene in thinking that thou seruest thy Gods in maintaining and defending such extreame tyrannie thou shouldest do much better so returne vnto the knowledge of my God who is the true creator of heauen earth and all that therin is Then the Gyant replied vnto him sayd Of truth gentle Knight thou knowest well how to extoll thy God in whome thou dooest beléeue but howe shall I knowe that this thy God is of more goodnesse and vertue then my Gods Unto whom the Prince answered and sayde Oh king that is verie easie and apparant to be séene and perceiued Tell me I praie thée that if at anie time thy Gods haue in their owne causes had anie power or defence no surely for if they had then would not they haue suffered themselues to bée so ill intreated of them who should worship and serue them for if at anie time your Gods doe not graunt vnto your requests and performe that which you would haue them doo then you beginne to curse and to banne them and speake the worst that may be spoken of them and some of them you throwe into the fire and burne and other some you pull out of their Tabernacles and tread them vnder your féete and polute them and presently you leaue them and chaunge them for other new Gods and vnto them you doe your worshippe till such time as they likewise fulfill not what you aske of them and yet these poore and infortunate Gods are in no fault for that at anie time they cannot helpe themselues but doeth burne in the pit of hell So that it commeth of a great simplicitie y t thou wilt beléeue in the diuell who is the authour of all euill and forget the creator of all thinges who hath giuen thée this thy strength and prowesse and will deliuer thée in all thy necessities Oh king thou shouldest not néede any other proofe but onely that which thou thy selfe diddest vnto the image of Diana For in thy anger thou diddest throw it downe and cut it with thy swoord and diddest vnto it all the euill that thou couldest so that if they had had anie power thinkest thou then they woulde haue suffered that thou shouldest haue offered this outrage vnto them no I tell thée thou mightst not haue bene once so hardie as to haue moued against them The Gyant who then was somwhat touched with the truth sayd Worthie Prince I henceforth promise thée that I wil serue this thy God wil desire thy frieÌ„dship remaine thy friend for y t thou hast opened my eies giuen me the light of y e true life And for y t I may the better bring to passe and accomplish this my determined purpose I wil without tarrieng take my iourney to Constantinople to y e end to be instructed in y e doctrine of y e faith vnderstand perfectly y e power of thy god not doubting but to haue the aide and helpe of the valiant Emperour thy Father and by his meanes to be the better informed And noble Prince I do desire thée to declare vnto Tefereo my cousin and brothers sonne all this my pretended purpose and perswade him to leaue of this euil custome and not continue in it anie longer And moreouer to giue order vnto all his knights and Gentlemen that they followe no more this wicked race but commaund them to returne vnto theyr owne Countries and to remaine there in the good gouerning thereof with his brother Tramarando And the like words he spake vnto his owne knights that were there present at that time and when the valiant knight of the Sunne heard these words which procéeded from the Gyauntes heart without anye dissimulation he receiued so great pleasure therein that incontinent he threw his swoord to the ground and pulled off his helme from his head and ranne and caught the Gyant in his armes and with great loue imbraced him giuing him to vnderstand the great contentment that he receiued to heare that he would forsake his false Gods turne to the true and
and with a sweete and pleasaunt voice he sung these vearses following HArd is his hap that still of helpe hath neede crooked his chaunce that neuer â—ase can finde And great his care that fresh is forst to bleede By Cupides shaftes that tyrant most vnkinde who ceaslesse plagues the poore afflicted minde And hauing once possest at will the heart The same adornes with wailing woe and smart Amongst the crew of those that feele this care euen I my selfe may most of all complaine Which now haue twice bene caught in Cupides snare wherein I felt dolor distresse and paine with which oppression yet I doo remaine And so shall still for ought I can descrie Till friendly fates accord that I may die For why the Dame whom I in heart adore disdaines me not I will it not denie But doth with teares her owne mishap deplore in that a knight she loude from her did flie iudge then ye heauens what simple hope haue I. She followes him that left her comfortlesse And kills my heart that yeelded her redresse When he had made and end of this song with the great griefe that he sustained he fell into a sound so that his Lute fell out of his hands but within a small time he came againe to himselfe and crossed his fingers and wrong his handes and distilled from his eyes many â—alâ—e and sorrowfull teares and lifting vp his eyes vnto heauen he remained in this case a greate while without anie remembraunce This sorrowfull Ladie did well heare and vnderstand this swéete and cheerefull song but by reason that all her minde was vpon her cruell Brenio his delicate musicke had no strength to remoue â—ne â—ot of her loue In this sorte as you haue heard they passed all the night till the morning so â—he daie bâ—â—ing come this fayre and afflicted Ladie arose vp and went out of the Tent whereas shee â—ound the Prince walking vp and downe and with a sorrowfull and softe voyce she requested him once againe to take her out of that vncharitable Iland The Prince without anie tarrieng tooke her by the hande and lead her into his Galley wherin they were scant both well imbarked when that the Gally beganne to shoue from shoare and to saile with such swiftnesse that in a smal time they were in the deapth of the great Sea as though he which did gouerne it had bene the wise Artemidoro who for the deliuerie of this sorrowfull Damosell had ordeined all this that you haue heard This Ladie was verie much amazed to see her selfe carried awaie in that manner and durst not aske the prince anie manner of question for that he was verie sadde and pensiue Likewise the Prince Eleno considering the great sorrow and trouble that Lidia receiued dâ—rst not saie anie thing vnto her so in this sorte they trauailed all that daie and all the night till the next daie that they discouered lande without speaking one worde the one to the other and in a small time the Barke came so nigh the lande that they might discouer a verie faire and well â—owred â—â—tie the which was adorned with a verie faire hauen full of meruailous greate and strong shippes So this Galley sailed in amongest the thickest of them all till it came to the shoare side where at theyr ariuall they discouered a land a verie well foughâ—en and bloudie battaile beeing harde by the hauen which was made by verie manie knights which fought onely against thrée knightes who balyauntlye did defende themselues the one of them was Bargandel the other two Lyriamandro and Zoylo the Tartarian that if you dooe remember when that the vaylaunt Rosicleer in mortall battayle slewe the king of Tiro who was a verie mightie and strong Gyaunt and howe that they sawe a good waie from them two Foistes in battaile together the one with the other and determining to goe vnto them to see what it should bee the valiant Rosicleer leapt into his Galley which was carried another way with so great furie that Zoilo was driuen to remaine he departed in great hast So this Tartarian Zoilo remaining alone in his shippe directed it towards them that were in battaile and came vnto them at such time as they had great néâ—e of his succour for that they were oppressed by the same ship of the rouers that met with him and they were in a meruailous great fight but with the aide of the Tartarian they assailed them in such sort y t if they had not yéelded themselues to mercie they had sonke them all in the sea taking all their oths they made them to sweare that they shuld leaue that euill and naughtie life Then they all entered into the ship wherin the Tartarian was with determined purpose to proceede forwards whether their fortune would carrie them for to get them fame and to increase their honour So the weather constrained them to ariue in the port of Numidia whereas you haue heard tolde in that countrie they did constraine all knights that there did ariue to sweare vnto them to aide and helpe that traitour their Lord. These Princes would not be sworne except first they wold declare the cause wherefore and héerevpon they multiplied wordes which was the occasion of this cruell battaile which y e prince Eleno did see being in his Galley So it séemed vnto him to be a verie vnseemely thing and vnequall so manye against thrée knightes onely who according vnto the great and worthie feates which they did they gaue the lookers on to vnderstande that they were of noble estate and for to succour them hee woulde willingly haue leaped a shoare but first hee desired the faire Lidia to remaine in quietnesse vnder the hatches of the Galley for that he was determined to go forth to aide and helpe those thrée knightes And without anie more carrieng with great speed he leapt to the shoare carrieng his swoord in his hand and his sheeld on his arme he pressed in amongst them all saying O vile knightes cowardes and of small estimiation wherefore are you not ashamed so great a number of you to fight onely against thrée knightes and therewith stroke such a terrible blowe on him that he did first meet that he made him in two péeces to fall to the ground so that in a short time by his furious entering was knowen the greate power of his arme in such sort that whersoeuer he went he made a broad waie and with small trouble he ioyned with y e thrée knightes who when they knew of the helpe that was come vnto them each of them recouered new strength and did procure to doe straunge feates because the other should haue no aduauntage of them And they verie much meruailed who that knight should be of so great prowesse for y â— the blowes which he stroke might well be knowen from all the rest for if it had not bene by the armour that he wore they woulde haue thought him to be one of the sonnes of Trebatio
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
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
him but with great fury they met together with their speares yet not one of thē was moued in their saddles but remained as though they hadde bene two towers and straight way with no lesse force they began to lay hold on their swordes and for that the knight of the Sunne had a respect vnto him he did rather procure to make his defence then in anie thing to offend him but Don Eleno stroke such a blowe at his cousin that he made him to stoope with all his bodie to the horse necke The knight of the Sun would haue taken reuengement of the same blowe but hée considered that he was his cousin and that he was ignorant of the cause that should moue him to commit this folly for the which consideration he did suffer him and would make no reuengement Tefereo who sawe all that had passed remained in his first place without remouing til time did serue him to accomplish that which he had determined in his mind to doo and when he sawe occasion for the same he threw his shéeld vpon his arme and put his speare in his rest made a shew y t he would be doing with y e gyant y t which he perceiued he put himself in a readinesse but more to giue him to vnderstand what he was then to hurt him This furious Sardenian stroke his horse with the spurs y t he made him run like the commet which falleth from the side of Trion whē he came in the middest of his course he turned his horse toward the place whereas the king of Numidia was who had put himselfe a part from the rest with so great swiftnesse y t by no meanes he could kéepe or defend himselfe from y t incounter but by reason of the strength wherwith it was giuē he threw them to the ground very euill intreated He was no sooner fallen when that this couragious Sardenian leapt from his horse verie lightly and found that the king of Numidia was on foote readie for to defend himselfe and crying out Knightes succour succour or else I am but dead At the which noise all the other fiue knights looked about and when they sawe the king in the power of that valiant knight they would haue rescued him but the light of all knighthoode which was the father and the sonne did disturbe them and put themselues before them and would not suffer them to giue anie such aide but did there great wonders striking on euerie side in such sort that now one and then the other they made them to recoile backe The strong and furious Eleno did but little harme with his swoorde neither made he anie great resistaunce the Gyant with as little hast as might bée went to helpe the Numidian king with a reasonable pace he went towards the place whereas the king was but for that reason would not consent that such as he is should bée holpen with the hast that he made his horse stumbled in such sort that horse and master fell to the ground of the which he was verie sore hurt and brused as it appeared by his slow rising vp againe The valiant Sardenian with great pollicie procured to bring to an end his desire before that anie did come to disturbe him and béeing lighted of his horse he made hast to the King and sayde Thou traytour it shal little profit or plesure thée to call for help for y t in my hands thou shalt leaue this thy traiterous soule who doeth deserue to suffer all the euills that may bée and therwith hée stroke him such a blowe vppon his healme and with so greate furie that he made him in spite of his heart to knéele with both his knées vppon the earth So when the Sardenian perceiued him to bée in this case with greate valyauntnesse he straight wayes layde holde of his healme with his lefte hande and pulled it cleane from his head and with his right hande he smote him such a blowe vppon the head that hée parted it in two péeces and immediatly hée fell downe dead to the ground and looking about to sée whether his horse wer gone or no he found that he was nigh at hande Then hée tooke the dead king and made him fast vnto the stiroppes of the Saddle and with a trice hée leapt vpon his horse and so without anie helpe of his stiroppes hee made his horse to runne and so drew the king after him throughout all the fielde The Gyaunt would haue succoured him but all was in vaine In this sorte went Tefereo drawing the king after him before all the knightes that were there present and sayde Knightes what doe you meane to bée so still Why doe you not vpholde and defend this trayterous king in whose strength was all his confidence Beholde now where he hath receiued the payment that such euill workes as his deserued and therewith he rode round about the fielde as hée did before The Emperour when hée sawe that this fact was ended would that his cousin Don Eleno and the Prince his sonne shoulde leaue theyr battaile which was betweene them begunne a newe and they were giuing one another terrible blowes but not with such great furie for that they did knowe the one the other otherwise it woulde haue gone ill on both parts The Emperour put himself betwéene them and said Oh Knights cease your battaile and hearken vnto my wordes Eleno which was still kindled in wrath hadde no respect vnto those wordes neyther woulde hée part but lyke a man distraught from himselfe hée doubled such a blowe vpon the visour of the Emperour that hée made him loose the sight of his eyes The Emperour who was verie angry and not a lyttle grieued at the small regarde that he had of his wordes woulde presently haue reuenged the blowe but that hée was disturbed by the Gyaunt who pulling off his healme went towards the place whereas these thrée worthie warriours were and with a heauie and troubled voyce he sayde Heare mée O noble Emperour and you worthie knights cease this your controuersie and staye your vnweakened armes till such time as I haue vttered that which I will saye Then the Emperour with his accustomed méekenesse sayd Noble King what is it that thou canst demaund of me that I would not willingly accomplish To whome he aunswered Well séeing it is so my Lord I doo desire you to returne vnto your Tent and take your ease and to leaue off this and such like controuersies for that the cause therof my cousin and brothers sonne hath taken away from betwéene you And when he had sayd these such like words he retourned vnto his companions and perswaded them altogether to retourne vnto the Citie to the which they all consented although it was cleane contrary vnto the will of Don Eleno So when they were entered into the Citie they found that all the people and burgesses thereof were in great lamentation for the losse of their king and Lord
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
huge and long haire which he had vpon his bodie he coulde not hurt his flesh which made y e Gréeke verie much to meruaile at it but séeing that the Gyant was discharging at him another blow it made him to step aside and although the club was cut and broken yet there remained a greate tronchon thereof in his handes Héere you might sée begin so terrible and furious battaile that it séemed that all the warryours of Mars were there assembled together in fight This valiant and couragious Knight had heere great neâ—de of all his force and lightnesse to make his defence against his enimie â—â—re might you sée the valiantnesse of Gyaunts and their infernal force and furie likewise the incomperable force of the Gréekish bloud of chieualrie héere might you sée the great hast that the one made vnto the other in doubling of their blows and procuring the one to hurt the other trauaising grounde and moouing from place and place séeking whereas most aduauntage might be found In this sorte they trauailed for â—he space of two houres not knowing betwéene them anye aduauntage But who should haue séene there the great lightnesse and prowesse of this young knight would haue iudged him to be one of the best knightes of all the worlde for that in all the time of the battaile and all the terrible blowes which the giant did strike at him yet he neuer brake maile nor hurt anie part of his armour and yet he hurt his contrarie in more then tenne places although they were not verye greate yet did they trouble him and it was by reason of the greate hast he made in the striking of his blowes but when the Gyaunt sawe himselfe to be so euill intreated he beganne to puffe bluster and blowe much lyke vnto a bayted Bull and doubled his blowes with so greate hast that the Prince coulde not haue anie time of aduauntage to hurt him but had inough to doe for to cléere and defend himselfe from his furie And béeing in this greate extremitie he hearde those two Damosells which he had brought with him crie out making a greate noyse aduertising him to tâ—ke heede and looke vnto himselfe and beeing verie desirous to knowe the occasion thereof he sawe that it was that fierce and vglye woman which he hadde lefte before in the caue without anie remembraunce and for dead who came with her Bowe bent in her hande shot at him with her sharpe and vnmercifull arrows the which he was constrained to beare off with his armour for with his shield he could litle profit himselfe and by reason y t his armor was made by art of inchauntment it did profit him much for so soone as the arrow did strike on it it recoyled backe againe a great waie at this present time did the knight finde himselfe in greate perill and daunger for that he must make his defence against that infernall monster and likewise against that diuellysh and furious woman who continually assaulted him with her arrowes and then he could not profit himselfe of his force and strength but onely of his great lightnesse shunning the furie of his mighthie blowes so by little and little he drew nigh vnto the place whereas the Gyauntesse was who hauing spent all her arrowes she tooke in her hande a mightie clubbe and came towards her furious husband to helpe him This valyaunt Gréeke founde himselfe in greate extremitie and with the greate anger which he had it changed his eyes into sanguine coulour and was determined to cléere himselfe of that infernall woman and with that purpose he tourned towardes her and letting her blowe to passe by he stepped in to her on the left side and thrust so terrible a foine at her brest that his swoord entered in vp to the hard hiltes and she fell downe dead to the ground The Gyaunt who at that instaunt was not idle stroke the Gréeke such a monstrous blowe vppon his backe that hée ouerthrewe him to the grounde as dear without anie remembraunce or token of moouing the Gyant seeing him in this case threw from him his clubbe and tooke the knight in his furious nayles and with the greate rage and wrath which hée had he woulde haue eaten him vp at y e instaunt but it fell not out with him as he thought it would for that hée found the armour which hée had on was verye harde and when the Gyaunt sawe that his sharpe téeth did lyttle profite him hee beganne to tumble and toosse him vp and downe from one place to another and by reason that he was not expert in the lacinges and buckeling of armour hée did nothing but tumble and tosse him héere and there to sée if hée coulde finde a place where hée might beginne to teare him in péeces Whosoeuer should at that instaunt haue seene the greate affliction of those two Damosells might verye well haue iudged in himselfe the anguish and sorrowe which they receiued iudging themselues to be wholly lost destroyed But the Princesse Antemisca lifted vp her eyes vnto heauen and sayd I doo sée O Iupiter that thou art very well pleased that I doo suffer this grieuous pain and sorow Ah Fortune it is now great reason to leaue me and not to persecute me any farther and if it be so that as yet thou hast not accomplished thy whole desire Oh Iupiter make sharpe thy cutting sword and therewith take awaye my life Oh Mars behold that now thy strength doth faile if thou dost permit that this Knight doo perish O what woman amongst all women hath bene so infortunate as I Oh Gods I doo not know wherefore you doo thus persecute me for y t I haue bene alwayes obedient vnto you and now séeing that you had giuen me a Knight for to be my defence against y t vniust cause which was laid against me you shoulde likewise haue suffered me to giue testimonie of my truth and theyr false accusation Oh thou chast Goddesse be fauourable vnto me séeing that Iupiter hath forgotten me turne and take my cause vpon thée and be fauourable for that I neuer offended thée These and such like complaintes vttered this afflicted Princesse and hauing concluded the Prince was come again to himselfe and recouered his memorie and séeing himselfe in that perplexitie he did procure by all meanes and pollicie to cléere himselfe out of the Gyants clawes and béeing cléere hée put himselfe on foote and recouered againe his swoord blaspheming against the smal power of his Gods and was meruailously kindled with wrath and anger the Gyant likewise recouered his mightie club and stroke at the Prince a mightie blow who séeing it comming did procure to cléere himselfe from the furie thereof and letting it passe he stepped in to the Gyant and stroke at him so terrible a blowe on the wast that it little did profit anie defence that he had but that his mightie sword must needs cut him a sunder in the middest of his body and he fell a
finished these speeches he began to slumber and immediatly with a sorrowing sigh he began to saie Alasse Fortune how manie things are there framed by thy hands swéete in all mens taste and sowre in my disgestion pleasant to many and bitter to me Afâ—er this he tooke againe his instrument with an harmonious stroke pittifull voice he sang these vearses O Heart more hard then Hircan Tiger fell and are more deafe then sencelesse troubled seas O causelesse foe whose rigor doth excell to thee I yeeld thy anger to appease Take tyrant wrathfull wreake of me thy fill That ending now my griefe remaine not still My heauie cheere and euill that is past my fainting voice my case so comfortlesse Thou moandst not once so mercilesse thou wast nor stirdst thy foote to ease me in distresse But time will come when sorrow hath me slaine That thy repentance will increase thy paine Ah cruell how canst thou the loue forget that each to other we in youth profest Which when I minde full many a sigh I â—et for that was it which first bred my vnrest And for the sweete which then by thee I felt I finde sharpe sowre O most vniustly dealt Tell me wherein I haue offended thee or when I slackt thy seruice anie waie Then how canst thou so much vnmindfull be when oft in secret thou to me wouldst saie That in my absence Lucifer so bright Nor gladsome Phoebus once should giue thee light I gone thou vowest the waters should not yeeld their wonted solace nor the pleasaunt Rose Or any flower of the fragrant feeld such loue thou saidst thou didst on me repose Which was but small as now the ende doth trye That thus distrest thou sufferst me to dye Oh Gods of loue if so there any be and you of loue that earst haue felt the paine Or thou thy selfe that thus afflictest me heare these my words which hidden griefe constraine Ere that my corps be quite bereaud of breath Let me declare the cause of this my death You mountaine Nymphes which in these desarts raigne cease off your chase of sauage beasts a while Prepare to see a heart opprest with paine addresse your eares to heare my dolefull stile No strength remorce no worke can worke my weale Loâ—e in my heart so tyrantlike doth deale O Driades of louers much adorde and gratious damsells which in euenings faire Your closets leaue with heauenly beautie stord and on your shoulders spred your golden haire Attend my plaints and thou that made'st me thrall If thou haue power giue speedie death withall Ye sauage Beares in caues and dennes that lye remaine in peace if you my reasons heare And be not mooued at my miserie though too extreame my passions doo appeare Ye Mounts farewell ye fragrant fields adieu And siluer streames high Ioue still prosper you He finished his song with manie a bitter sigh and hée was so windlesse with sobbing that he laye as it were in an extasie stretched vpon the ground The Knight of the Sun entring into this ruinous lodge finding the Gentleman in this wretched estate he began ne to behold the proportion of his face and with extreame dolour wepte as well in ballauncing his owne passed miserie with this young knights as also for that he verely reputed him to be his brother Rosicleer or els some néere kinsman of his for that in beautie and strongnesse of bodie he resembled him so much y t there was but small difference betwéene them sauing onely the beard While the Grecian Prince was beholding this sorrowfull sight the inthralled knight with a déepe sigh awaking and séeing the Knight of the sunne afore him he wondred what might drawe so comely a Knight vnto so solitarie a woode and therewithall he reared vp his bodie and sitting vpon y e gréene grasse with many a drerie teare hee beheld y e shape of the Knight of the sun inforcing himselfe to speake he said Sir Knight insomuch as fortune hath directed you hather to accompanie me in this desart place sit by me I pray you and pardon my folly in that you haue found me so disordered The Prince without making anye aunswere sate downe as the Knight intreated him beeing very desirous to knowe the ende of that aduenture what cause made him demeane so tragicall a life he being set he tolde the Knight that the desire he had to vnderstande the barke vearses that were in the trées and likewise to heare his swéete songs which so harmoniously he sang mooued him to forsake his waye and to repaire to this ruinous lodging therwithall made render of his seruice to the knight While the Prince deliuered these speaches the comfortlesse Knight was musing with himselfe what he might be who by his comelinesse appeared to be valiaunt and by his curtesie to be honourable and therewithall was verie desirous to knowe what he was and béeing somewhat stinged with the bitter passions which he had alreadie sustained he said Alasse sir Knight howe little is the bodie touched with the dolefull cares of the heauie heart and how slenderly nowe a dayes is the guerdon of a faithfull friend as mine owne experience can best relate it so shall your curtesie mooue me to impart the well spring of all my woe and then I beseech you iudge how vnworthily I am tormented I cannot otherwise thinke but you will pittie my mâ—shaps with some sorrowing sighs especially if at anie time you haue tasted the bitter pils of loue and I promise you I would be heartely gladde that it might stand with your pleasure to make me acquainted with your name to the end I might knowe to whome I might disclose my wretched estate The Prince made him aunswere and sayd I am sonne to the Emperour Trebatio of Greece and am called the Knight of the Sunne brother vnto the renowmed Rosicleer whom you greatly resemble and be thus perswaded that the sparkes of loue hath kindled as many glowing coales in me as in anie other and hath left as deepe impression of sorrowe in my poore heart as in anye other Knight Therefore Knight as I haue satisfied your request so I praie you vnfolde to mée the cause which makes you liue so pensiue In so dooing I will sweare by the almightie God I will hazard my life to purchase your desired quietnesse The Prince of Dacia which had alreadie heard of the prowesse of the Knight of the Sunne héerewithall began to shake off part of his martirdomes and knowing the worthinesse of the knight bowing downe his bodie somwhat low he said Although y t my mishap haue ben great in susteining such coÌ„tinual griefs yet doo I esteeme it sleÌ„der sith y t héerby I haue purchased acquaintance with y e flower of all chiualrie whose valiant hart doth bemone my oppressed estate whose only counsell wil determine my exceeding torments Sith theÌ„ renowmed prince y e loue hath already made a passion in thine hart wherby you may y e better be an
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
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
them afraid to touch it The Empresse tooke theÌ„ both in her armes and with many bitter teares she blessed them and returned them againe vnto Arcana willing her that she should dresse them and put all things in order to send them to the nurse the which she did with great diligence wrapping and swaddeling them vp in very faire and rich clothes according to the best guise that she could although she wer but little acquainted in such like matters She had not scantly made an end of swaddeling them when that vppon a sodaine with a greate rumour as it séemed vnto the Empresse and Arcana one of the walles of the chamber where they were did open whereat did enter a Serpent verie horrible and fearefull to beholde from whome there procéeded greate flames and sparkes of fire who stayed not but went straight vnto the place whereas the two little Infantes were and at two mouthfulles hée swallowed them cleane vp and so without dooing anie more harme or making anie longer tarrying retourned out of the Chamber the selfe same waye that it came in leauing the Empresse in so greate feare as in such cases is required And being in this great traunce she looked towards y â— place where the Serpent went out and she sawe enter in thereat an olde man which came with a staffe in his hande whom straight waie she knew very well to be the wise Artemidoro who with great courtesie saluted the Empresse saieng Madame take you neither care paine nor griefe of y t which is done neither trouble your selfe for your children for that there coulde be no more done then that which is done for all is conuenient and necessarie for the establishing both of yours and their good fortune And more I doo certefie you that the time should come wherein you shall receiue more ioye and comfort then nowe it dooth cause anguish and sorrowe And thus without anie more reasoning he returned and went out againe at the place whereat he entered and he was not so soone out but that the wall closed againe as euen as it was before and no signe of opening could be séene After that he was departed the empresse her mayde remained reasoning and meruailing at this sodaine and strange case after they had considered of many things they determined betwéene themselues to kéepe all verye secret till that by opportunitie were offered them what they should doo The Prince Brandimardo of whom I told you of was so inflamed with the fire of Cupide whch kindled in him thorough y e loue of the young quéene of Lyra whose name was Ardisilora y t he could finde in himselfe neither rest nor ioy his passions were not so secret but that this young quéene did perceiue them spared not to repaye him againe with a kind of honest and single loue Of whom we meane to declare more in the processe of this historie and of their wonderfull acts which they did for you shall vnderstande that this young Quéene being a horsebacke and armed in hir armour proued another Claridiana as shal be rehearsed in that furious battaile betwéene the Greekes Africans And you shall moreouer marke that all that you haue hearde in the processe of this chapter was ordained by the wise men which I onely note for that those which shall reade the same maye the better vnderstand the historie ¶ How that when the King of Hungarie was taking his leaue to depart there came a Giant hauing a cruell and furious countenaunce who defied the Emperour and his sonnes and of all that chanced therin Cap. 9. THE king of Hungarie séeing y t it was time for him to returne to his owne Countrie it happened one daie being in companie with the Emperour his sonne in lawe he said vnto him My louing sonne I woulde verie faine before my departure if it were possible that my sonne were come to the ende I might haue him with mée séeing that my Nephewes doe not come but sith their tarrying is so long I must be content to take patience and 〈◊〉 theyr companies retourne home into my owne Countrie least peraduenture this my long absence be cause of some insurrection or commotion The Emperour woulde verie faine haue aunswered him but vpon a sodeine and vnlooked for there was raysed a great rumour amongest them that at that present were in the Pallaice and demaunding what was the occasion of such sodeine alteration they sawe entering in at the gate a verie great and mightie Gyaunt of more then sixtéene cubites high of strong bodie and double the bignesse of anie other ordinarie man he was armed with verie strong and rich armour and he carried vpon his shoulder a great and heauie Mase and at his girdle a verie fayre broad sword and without doing reuerence or shewing anie kinde of curtesie but with a proude and arrogant voice hée asked Which amongest you is that false and trecherous Rosicleer sonne vnto the traiterous Emperour Trebatio All that were there present were not a little amazed as well in beholding the huge greatnesse and straunge forme of the giaunt as also of his great pride and boldnesse in his wordes aunswered him not a worde Then the Emperour as one vnto whom it most belonged to make aunswere with great sobrietie and wisedome as in such like matters he was accustomed to vse replyed Graunt Rosicleer at this present is not in the Court for the which I am verie sorrie and conceiue great griefe for I am sure if he were héere present he would soone tame and bring downe this thy great pride and mittiâ—ate thy mallice and soone abate this thy vnreasonable bold enterprise which thou hast attempted And in that thou dooest saie that I am a traitour I answere that thou dost falsely lye like a naughtie and ill taught knight for I neuer vsed treson towards anie man neither would I at anie time consent therevnto but I haue procured to the vttermost of my power to punish it When the Gyant heard this aunswere béeing more kindeled with rage hée saide Emperour thy wordes bée spoken verie fondly and without feare as the Cocke vpon his owne dunghill héere thou séest me mightie and strong insomuch that béeing in thy Countrie I doo make thée quake and more I would doe 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 aâ—roade Thou great beast and deformed creature replyed the Emperour for that thou shalt vnderstand how little héere in Grecia we esteeme such monsters as thou art tarie a while for in place of my sonnes because they are not present for to giue thee thy payment according vnto thy deserte in me beeing their father thou shalt finde such resistaunce that I hope by the fauour and helpe of almightie God to take that diuellish and infernall head from thy accursed shoulders So the Emperour in great hast with a knightly courage called for his armour This Gyant séeing the disposition and prowesse of the Emperour to be so valiaunt with a great crie he sayde O yee feminine
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
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
These foure knightes kept so good order in their fight against their enimies that they gaue ouer to fight with them and began to showte and crie against them so that they were constrayned to goe and séeke their enimies the which they founde to be no good remedie for that they did intreate them euilly at their backes and béeing verie angrie héerewith they determined to put themselues amongest the thickest of them which did not fall out well with them for that there was of them together more then ten thousand the which this valiant Eleno séeing he threw his shéeld at his backe fullye incensed with anger and with his swoorde in his hande all alofte hée pressed vnto that parte whereas most people were and the first he met withall hée parted him in the middest and the second hée cut off his head and so went forwardes cutting and wounding nowe one and then another with so greate furie that there was none that durst abide his blowes Is there anie doubt that whilest this Prince was thus troubling and molesting his enimies that the other thrée knights which were with him did stande by and looke on no not so but for to sociate his worthie actes they wrought such wonders in armes as the reporte woulde séeme almost increadible vnto the hearers in striking such terrible blowes that they séemed to be no humane creatures They did fight with so much courage that their enimies wer constrained to withdrawe theÌ„selues back it was a great trouble vnto these knights that they were a foote for if they had bene on horsebacke all foure together without doubt verie quickly they had made an end of the conquest so being in this conflict they â—awe come foorth of the citie a great number of knights and before them came a well proportioned Gyaunt armed with verie fayre and rich armour who with great hast came vnto the place whereas the knights were and when he sawe the great harme which was there done with a terrible and fearfull voice he sayd Oh immortall Gods is it possible that foure knights hath done all this harme that a thousand of very good knights are not able to doe and is their strength and pollicie such that not one of theÌ„ haue receiued anie hurt O wretched knights what had you rather to die in my power then to sweare vnto so iust a demaund as they haue asked of you in y e behalfe of the king Noraldino Then Lyriamandro who hearde the wordes which the Gyant had sayd aunswered There is not one of vs that for the feare death will sweare vnto anie thing but first we wil knowe if the cause be iust because we will not fall vnto anie crime of that which shall be contrarie vnto the order of knighthood So then I doo perceiue said the Gyaunt that you do not purpose to sweare in any thing except it be first declared vnto you what it is and the occasion thereof To the which aunswered Zoylo no. Well héere I sweare vnto you by the high Gods sayd the Gyaunt that I my selfe alone will bring you all to that staye that you woulde willingly sweare but then you shall haue no time And therewith he drewe out a broade and glistering swoord and flourishing therewith he pressed forwardes then the Prince Eleno stepped foorth and requested the other that they would let him alone with y e gyant the which although it were against their wills yet they consented to it and the other putting themselues all on the one side they beganne againe theyr mortall battaile The Gyaunt with the greate furie hée had did discharge his blowe but it was in vaine for that the Prince did let it slippe by in such sorte that hee coulde not strike him and in putting the blowe aside hée cut the sayde Gyaunt vppon one of his legges and made a wounde which although it were not greate yet there ranne out of it verie much bloud When the Gyaunt did féele himselfe hurt and that he sawe his bloud runne downe hee did so kindle in ire that he let his shéelde fall to the grounde and laying holde on his greate and broade swoorde with both his handes he lift it vp and stroke at the Dacian thinking with that one blowe to haue finished the battaile but the Prince for that he was nimble and light did procure straight waies to cleere himselfe from the force thereof the which he did in such sort that the swoorde fell downe to the ground and by reason of the great force and furie wherewith it was discharged the Gyant was constrained following his blowe to fall likewise downe vpon the earth Héere the Dacian was not idle but with both his hands stroke him vpon his strong helme with great courage and although he could not cut it at that time by reason of the hardnesse yet it astonished him brought him out of his remembraunce The Gyant which sawe himselfe in this perplexitie with great furie in the best manner he could tumbled himselfe on the one side and procured to arise vpon his feeâ—e but it was not possible for him for that he was tormented with greate and heauie blowes and forced to fall downe againe vpon the sande but yet as soone as he coulde he tourned once againe and forced himselfe to arise but he could not doo it with such spéed but first he must proue againe the sharpe edge of the Dacians swoord who stroke him such another terrible blow vpon the helme that it yéelded and he cut his flesh The Gyant did fâ—ele himselfe verie ill with that blowe and with the great furie and anger which he had he stroke at the knight a terrible blowe which was in such sorte that by anie meanes hee coulde not shift himselfe from it but must needes receiue it vppon his helme the which was with such force that it made him to fall down to the ground but this knight w t great lightnes tuÌ„bled himselfe awaie vppon the sands and in a trice he was on his feete againe and went towards the place whereas the Gyant was with full pretence to strike him such a blowe that hée should not be able to make anie more resistance The Gyant when he sawe him comming woulde haue stroken him for to disturbe him of his blow but he could not for that this Dacian stroke him such an ouerthwart blowe that lighting on his foote he cut it cleane off and the Gyant chaunced a blow on his helme that it made the knight to tumble on the sand the gyant seeing him downe would haue turned to haue striken him againe but he could not for the lacke of his foote for when he thought to firme his foote on the grounde to prease forwards he could not make a step but gaue a terrible fall to the ground and béeing sore troubled with the wound of his head and other wounds he yéelded vp the Ghost and sent his soule to whom it did appertaine The Pagan people when they sawe their stout Captaine
The Emperour was verie sore troubled when he perceiued y t he was knowen the which this faire Ladie marking went forwardes in her talke and sayd Doe not vexe your selfe neither bée anye whit troubled most mightie Prince for that you are knowen considering that of such a one as thou art it is reason we doo estéeme according to thy desert neither can my captiue heart consent vnto anie other thing but the exalting of thy honour Alasse what shall I saie who hath receiued most wrong for their imprisonment it hath bene onely my christal breast and captiued heart they haue wronged thy bodie but for a time but me loue hath bereaued of my former libertie in wounding my hart so that it is almost vncurable In this my good Lord you may vnderstand that I a lone am shée which hath the greatest wrong Thou valiaunt Emperour hast taken awaie from the Earle of Modique his sonne but thou hast robbed me most infortunate of my heart Oh how much better had it bene for me to haue bene pertaker with him of death then now to liue not knowing what cruel loue will doo Oh immortall Gods how is it that you haue permitted that the tender hart of a poore damsell béeing alwaies willing to offer vnto you sacrifices and exercising of my self daily in your seruice and now in payment of all this you haue permitted it to be sacrificed vnto the cruell will of Cupide who hath forcibly pearced my feeble heart with his furious darts I beseech thée O Emperour doe not denie mée this my vnreasonable demaund although thou séest it so far to exceed the meane Oh virginitie thou maist well be compared vnto a rose which so long as the leaues are reserued w tin the bud it kéepeth the naturall coulour but when it once begins to blow then doth it quickly change euen so the flourishing beautie of virgins doth no sooner bloome but Cupide blotteth it with his despiteful blemish O foolish quéene what caused thée to depart out of the Pallaice whereas thou werâ— at libertie and without griefe didst thou it for to do honour vnto the Emperour yet not knowing him Well for what cause so euer it were see now what is become of it for that fréely thou hast yéelded thy selfe vnto him without reseruing anie thing in thy owne power All this the quéene deliuered with such sorrow and lamentation that it would haue caused a stonie heart to haue relented But the emperour who with a single heart did loue the Empresse Briana and moreouer béeing a verie good christian was not moued with one of these lamentable words neither made he anie shew of loue vnto the quéene but wishing rather to haue had battaile with one of the hardiest knightes in all the world then to haue found himselfe so sodainly assailed by this amorous woman wherfore when this faire Ladie had plainly declared all the whole secret of her heart the Emperour vsing his accustomed discreation did shew himselfe to be verie heauie and â—ad for that which the quéene had heard and taking her by the hand they sate downe together vpon the corner of the bed and beganne to answere vnto her amorous reasons although not so much vnto her purpose as she desired saying 〈…〉 Ladie and quéene I am fully certified that from so 〈…〉 and beautie there can procéed nothing without 〈◊〉 and therefore I did now loose the confidence of your â—â—uour when I was vnknowen much more nowe that you 〈◊〉 know me to be the Emperour of Greece the truth wherof I doo héere confesse And although I finde my selfe in the land where all the people be my mortall enimyes yet for all that I will not denie who I am because my heart wheresoeuer it becomes cannot but vse manifestly his noble courage Heere this Quéene did cut off his answere saying Oh Emperour I doo not aske of thée anie recompence neither doe I demaund of thée whether thou be our enimie or our friend but the thing which I alone desire of thée is this to giue a remedie vnto this my paine a plaister for my sore for that the viewe of thée hath béene the onely occasion therof Oh Emperour what trifling is this to talk of that which is not aunswerable vnto that which I demaunde Oh worthie Emperour haue compassion on me for that thou alone maist remedie this my euill for thou séest apparauntlye the néede I haue of thy helpe Oh that it had pleased the Gods that my remedie were as sure as thy libertie restore vnto me I beséech thée that wherof thou hast bereaued me by beholding thée yéeld vnto me O swéet Emperor séeing that I am alreadie yéelded vnto thée insomuch that there is no doubt but to put into thy handes the spoyle of my royall marryage The Emperour did leane his chéeke vpon his hande verie pensiue all the time that this Ladie was declaring her complaintes not for that he was without pittie but for that he was mooued with greate compassion and yet not with determination to satisfie her disordinate appetite but with faire words to put her in good hope of remedie And verye faine she woulde haue aunswered but that shée was cut off by a Damosell which called her The Quéene dissembling her heauinesse in the best wise she coulde went out of the chamber to sée what they would haue vnto whom the Damsell saide Ladie there is a messenger come from the king of Mauritania which dooth tarrie for you belowe in the pallaice wherat this faire quéene did féele her selfe troubled the occasion was for that this king was in loue with her who was verie valiaunt and of great force and began to gouerne his kingdome verie young with another brother of his who at that time was not knighted neuerthelesse to heare him named in all Africa it made the people to tremble with feare therefore manie times by reason of his greate pride his fame was much abated This king did determine with himselfe to marrie with the Quéene eyther by fayre meanes or else by force and for to put this his pretence in practise hée sent vnto her his messengers and for a more maiestie hée made his owne brother Lord Embassodour And séeing this historie will most intreate of this young man who was called Brufaldoro y e wise author wold discouer his customes and manners he saith y t he was in the stature of his bodie well néere a leauen foote high and all his members conformable vnto his height béeing indued with incredible strength he had his countenaunce verie graue and of great beautie without anie anger verie tractable and a gentleman of great curtesie hée detested to doo anie thing that was vnseemely he was verie readie to correct where it was néedfull and farre from anie vnhumane crueltie all which vertues were extinguished when he was angered for that then in all Africa and Asia there was no wild beast so fierce and cruell And many times it hath ben séene when his anger had ben
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
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
with so greate strength and waight that against his will it made him to stoope with his knées to the ground and to staye himselfe with one of his hands because he should not fall downe all together This diuelish giant when he saw him in that case would haue stroke him another blowe but at such time as he would haue discharged it this inuincible Knight arose vp with so great wrath y t a thicke smoke came out of his visor and without any more tarrying he threw the péece of the shield that remained from him and with a light leape he ioined with his enemie and stroke him so horrible and furious a blow vpon his helme that it did little profite him the strength of the stéele but he cut it in two péeces head all and he fell downe to y e ground Oh what great disturbance and feare this vnmeasurable blowe caused vnto all the people as well to those of the Citie as to those of the contrary part But aboue all this Geredeon was much amazed And with the great anger and wrath which he had to see the two Giants slaine before him he thrust himselfe amongst all the people w t so great rumour as when a strong rocke by force of an earthquake when the fierce and furious winde dooth take it and teare and rent it out of the place and scituation whereas it was wont to stand and with the terrible great noise and sound thereof not onely all the shepheardes and heard men of the field be scarred and afraide but also the great blow doth remaine in the aire with a great and rumbling ecko euen with the like furie this Arginarian king rushed amongst and through his people Claridiano without shewing anie kinde of trouble did abide his comming with so strong and couragious a heart as doth the crooked cragged rocke abide to make defence against the force and vnbrâ—â—eled â—urie of y e restlesse Neptune So with great hast went the Gyant against the new knight and as he came before him he coulde not coniecture who or what vntamed young man that should be for that he neuer at anie time heard anie speaking of him and with the lyke confusion he sayd Knight I know not what to saye vnto so hainous a matter that by thée is committed against me for séeing thy great boldnesse which thou hast had to disquiet and anger me it doth cause me to procure to haue reuengement of thée And to the contrarie I sée thou art one alone knight and therefore I dooe take it for a dishonour and rebuke to lift vp my furious arme agaynst thée Therfore that which I desire thée is this that thou doest returne vnto the citie and cause to be gathered together one hundreth of the best knights chosen out from amongest the rest and sée that you come straight againe for that of you all together I wil take this my desired reuengement And yet for all this I doe tell thée I shall not be satisfied for the great anger wrath the which I haue against thée Whosoeuer had bene present to haue heard him speake these wordes woulde haue trembled with feare but hee in whome feare could neuer take place and one which tooke no care nor did not esteeme his words sayde I doe not knowe wherevppon thou doest staye if thou doest meane to take reuengement of him who hath so much offended thée especiallye hauing him before thée but thou shalt vnderstande thou diuellish Gyant that thy furious looke nor thy beastlye body neither thy monstrous members can put me in feare for y t being as thou art furnished w t a cruell heart so great a friend vnto tyranie héere I tell thée y t the aduauntage which thou biddest me to take I doe not desire it neither I will not take it but rather I will thée that thou make thy selfe readie for thy defence and procure if thou canst to driue me out of the field and when thou hast ouercome me and got the victorie then maist thou make thy combat with y e other ninetie and nine And with this he did put himselfe a parte shaking his sword with a meruailous good grace When the Gyant sawe this in manner of mocking he sayd Go get thée hence thou vile thing and take vnto thée the fauour and aide which I doe will thee and doe not thinke that thou shalt obtaine of me so honourable and end to be slaine of me in equall battaile Héere this new knight by anie meanes coulde not suffer his outragious arrogancie but sayd vnto him Thou cruell tyrant subiect to all pride defend thy selfe and leaue off these reuilinges and boastes And in saying these wordes the Prince pressed to the Gyant and stroke at him so strong a blow vpon one of his thighs that his strong armour did falcifie and he made a little wound out of the which issued very much bloud When this infernall monster felt himselfe thus hurt and séeing that he made little account of him but rather despised his wordes without anie more tarrying he lift vp a verie heauie mase of yron which was greate and long and had hanging at the ende thereof fiue balles of stéele each of them hanged by a stéele chaine of greate strength The king Delfo was meruailously troubled when he sawe the deformed weapon which was raised in the aire making a greate noise and with greate furie readie to be discharged vpon the head of this warlike knight who when he saw it comming with his accustomed lightnesse did procure to deliuer himselfe from so horrible a blowe and in such sort it came that all those fiue balls fell together on the ground at which fall by reason of the great waight of the mase he was constrained to fall forwards with the blowe The Prince which at that time was not without care but séeing him in that sorte hée stepped quickly vnto him stroke him so mightie and great a blow vpon his strong helme y t with y e great strength wherwith it was giuen did constraine the gyant by pure force to put both his hands on the ground but straight waie he arose againe and lift vp his monstrous weapon and stroke at him another terrible blowe the knight woulde once againe hauâ— cléered himselfe from that blow but he could not do it but y e one of those balls did glaunce vpon the visour of his helme in such sorte that it made him to giâ—e thrée or foure steps backwards he was so amazed wherewith he was readie to fall downe which without all doubt he had if that he had not laboured to staie himselfe by falling forwards with his hands to the ground the which was not so quickly done and he recouered but that the Gyant had his mase in the aire ready to strike him againe but hauing time he cléered himselfe thereof so that he stroke that blow in vaine wherewith the prince fastned so mightie a blow at the Gyant vpon his backe
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
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
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
whereas he shal end this his new begun battaile Therfore I doo request thée gentle Reader that if in these two books thou hast receiued any contentment to desire thée Muses to aide helpe and succour me and not to leaue me that I may bring vnto lyght â—he deedes and glorious end of these Princes and Knightes with the loue of Claridiano and Rosaluira O Calliope with thy aide and helpe I will not staye my hande till such time as I haue declared all the whole déeds and pollicie vsed in these their feates of armes for that by all reason I am bound to conclude the same FINIS THe cruell battaile that past between the Knight of the sunne and y e fierce Giant Bramarant in which bickering the Giant perceiuing that he must needes haue the worst murthered himselfe Cap 1. fol. 1. a. The worthy knight Rosicleer finding Bramarant giuing vp the ghost after he was dead did intombe his corpes neere vnto a Pine apple tree wherein he did ingraue an Epitaph Cap. 2. fol. 4. b. Prince Rosicleer trauailing on his way hauing alreadie taken leaue of the Princesses Ladies did chaunce vpon a certain aduenture and of the successe he had therein Cap. 3. fol. 1â— a The great sorrow that the knight of the Sunne receiued in thinking of his owne disloyaltie that which happened vnto him Cap. 4. fol. 23. b How the Grecian knight perswaded his vnckle the Prince of Dacia to accompanie him and leaue that sorrowful and desolate life and of that which after happened to him Cap. 5. fol. 26. b. Of the terrible battaile y t this Grecian Prince had with the Giant and of all the aduentures that chaunced in the said battaile Cap. 6. fol. 32. a. How the knight Eleno had battayle with Tefereo the giants cousin and the successe that was therein and howe the Prince Eleno by a straunge aduenture was separated from his cousin and Tefereo Chap. 7. fol. 37. a. By what aduenture â—loramont was deliuered from the perill hee was in and how the Princesse Claridiana was deliuered of child and how she was comforted in all her trouble by the wise Artemidoro Chap â— fol. 44. a How that when the king of Hungarie was taking his leaue to departe there came a Gyant hauing a cruell and furious countenance who defied the Emperour and his sonnes of al that chanced therein Chap. 9. fol. 49. a How the king of Tyre gaue an asâ—alt to rob the ship where Rosicleer was how the same king was come Ca. 10. fo 53. b How the king of Sardenia was baptised and how a Ladie demaunded a promise of the Emperour which he graunted for the which all the court was very sad Chap. 11. fol. 58. b. How y e Emperour vndid a scrowle of parchment therein read the cause why a certaine dead Ladie was slaine with cruell tyrannie and of the great sorrowe he receiued for the same Cap. 12. fo 65. b How y e Emperour Trebatio did land at the Iland Citarea of all that happened there Chap. 13. fo 71. a. How the Ladie Lidia talked with her knight Brenio demaunding the cause of his discontinent and of other accidents Chap. 14. fol. 74. a. How the Emperour when he was recouered of the werinesse which he receiued at the sea trauailed in the same Iland where he was cast a lande and how he met with certaine knights with whoÌ„ he had battaile Chap 1â— fol. 81. b. How the two children of the great Alphebo were stolne awaie by the Gyaunt Galtenor and what succeeded of y e same Chap 16. fo 87. a. Of the great paine that the Prince sustained for the absence of his cousin and how he had battaile w t a certaine knight that was afflicted with loue and of all that chaunced therein Chap. 17. fo 90. b. How the Prince met in Paris with the knight of the Images and of the battel he had with him how they ouercame the three knightes that did accuse the Princesse and of all that happened besides Chap. 18. fol. 99. a. Of all that happened vnto the farre Lidia and to the Prince Eleno after they departed the mountaine where as they met Chap. 19. fol. 105. 〈◊〉 and of that which passed in y e battaile which he had with y e Earle of Modique Chap. 20. fol. 111. a. How the queene being in loue with the Emperour and seeing that he wold giue her no remedie woulde haue slaine her selfe and how the Emperour was constrained to consent vnto her will Cap. 21 fol. 123. b. How the Emperour went into y e field against the Pagan Bramarandus and of all that happned in the battell betweene them Chap. 22. fol 125. a. How the faire Queene Garrofilea made great lamentation for the departure of y e Emperour and how at their last beeing together she remained w t childe by him Chap. 23. fol. 130. a How the knight of the Sunne would haue taryed for Tefereo in y e place wher as he appointed him and how he lost his way in a thick mountaine and of all that happened after that Chap. 24. fo 132. b. How the Greeke Emperour did disimbarke himselfe at the Citie of Cimarra and what happened vnto him there Chap. 25. fo 139. a. How Eleno before he would go into the field would see the Sepulcher of Lidia and what chanced in the battaile appointed with the Emperour his kinsemen friends Chap. 26. fol. 146. a. How the two Empresses went to recreate themselues vnto a house of pleasure and howe the king of Mauritania found them in their pastimes and knowing who they were would haue laid hold vpon the Empresse Briana Chap. 27. fol 151. How the worthie Queene Archisilora went to pursue the Pagan what happened to her in the way cap. 28. fo 158. b How the famous Rosicleer and Brandimardo went to the kingdome of Lyra and of all which passed in the battayle fol 164. b. The end of the Table of the first booke The Table of the second booke OF the Prince Claridiano and how the king of Arginaria sent to y e king of Trapobana and of all that happened to the messenger Chap. 1. fol. 169. How Claridiano went vnto the campe of the king of Arginaria and demaunded of him battaile and of all that succeeded in the same Chap. 2. fol. 174. b. Howe a Damsell messenger from the queene of Tinacria and came brought a Letter vnto the Emperour of Grecia and of all that passed about the same Chap. 3. fol. â—81 a. Howe the Dacian Prince did meete with Brenio to whome he gaue the Letter of Lidia and of Brenios death Chap. 4. fo 186. b How Eleno went out of the forrest to see the aduenture of those knightes which passed by of the battaile he had with them Chap. 5. fol 193 a. How when the valiant Mauritanian had slaine the Tartarian Zoylo he put on the armour of Bramarant for that hee woulde not bee knowen and of all