Gerileon doe aduaunce W. M. THE FIRST BOOKE of the Hystorie of Gerileon After the death of the most puissaunt and vertuous king Brandismell King of greate Britaine there succeeded hym in the gouernement of the said Realme a Sonne of his called Floridamant The whiche beyng in hys Pallace at London feastyng his Lordes and Barons and making preparatiō one afternoone to go course an Harte in the company of the Princes Huberte of Scotlande and Dorian Sonne to the Kyng of Spaigne which Harte he had seen in a wood neere to the Castle of Mirandoll There entered into the Hall a Damsell who hauyng recounted to hym a certaine aduenture had hym away with her The first Chapter THOSE whiche haue been curious in readyng of auncient Histories are nothing ignoraunte howe amongest those Realmes whiche for their fertilitie and worthinesse haue in tymes paste merited any Commendations Brittaine the Greate hath not only matched but also farre surpassed them all As well because of naturall beauty goodnes therof as in that it is the country vnder heauen which of all Antiquity hath bene more populous better stoared of strong and valiaunt Knightes then any other whatsoeuer thether drawen and allured partlie by the excellent and deuine beautie of the Ladies there inhabityng partly by the merueilous and straunge aduentures there accustomably found In so much that for this occasion it hath béen often called the Lande aduenturous Neither might any one of forraine Coastes or Countries name hym selfe a true and valiaunt knight if in it hee had not made proofe of his worthines there atchiuyng some straunge aduentures But especially in the tyme of the moste Puissaunt and vertuous king Brandismel whiche hauyng by his prowesse and valiauncy conquered many Realmes and Prouinces as Norwaie Swethlande and Denmarke instituted also the order of the twelue couragious knightes of greate Britaine beyng suche and endued with so greate force and valiauncie that fewe their likes were as then to bee founde in the whole worlde Amonge whom for moste valiaunt was the kinge Ferrande of Norwaie Dom Grandilaor and Dom Murcibel king of Denmarke The rest also because of their bounty dexteritie and bouldnesse in matters of Armes were greate praise worthy For this occasion was king Brandismel much feared and redoubted of his neighboures and borderers yet no lesse beloued of them for his courtesie liberalitie lenitie and humanitie with other vertues infinite whiche were resplendisaunt in hym And in suche forte that there was not hee whiche doyng hym the most toylesome and agreable seruice hee coulde did not yet estéeme himself most happy to be insinuated into his good grace and fauour so to gaine his gratious amitie But the fatall Sisters most impious and enuious of the good successe and felicitie of humaine kinde and of those especially whiche retaine a singular contentment and pleasure to bee in the fellowship and acquaintaunce of a Prince so vertuous and debonaire bereft them the shinyng gleames of noblenesse and myrour of Chiualry out of this worlde shreading a sonder the last thréede of this so vertuous a king the yere of grace after the death of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 418. the 66. yere of his age and 32. of his raigne Whervppon I can not rightly expresse the dolour sorrow that the couragious knightes his Subiectes receiued with his most priuate and best frendes In so muche that as recounteth vs the Historie there were suche of them as remained twoo or three Monethes without power to refraine themselues from weeping and lamenting most bitterlie when as it came to them in minde of the Bountie and Vertue of that noble Prince And chieflye the worthy olde Candior Duke of Normandy a Prince surelie amongest the Sage and hardy muche commendable Neuerthelesse as there is noe griefe so greate whiche in course of tyme a quite consumer of all thinges is not put foorthe of remembraunce So for iuste cause this good Lorde of Normandy together with the reste whiche were moste dolefull for the losse of a King so debonaire and vertuous at laste made ende of their plaintes and lamentations And for iuste cause saye I in that he lefte them for successour a Sonne of his begotten by his deere and loyall Spouse and Wife Florixe whiche not many yeres before had departed this life whiche saide sonne after the death of his Father was Heire not onely of his terreine Dominions and Possessions but also of his most rare and singuler vertues For besides that he was a good knight prudent and hardy past measure beeyng of a large stature his members well made formed and proportioned in equality the one with the others of sixe or seauen and twentie yeres of age ▪ or there aboutes he was also had in reputation for the most sage modest courteous Prince of his tyme In so much that to make briefe no man could require or wish any thing proper or conuenient for so great a personage as his whereof his valiauncie and inuincible prowesse was not beautified and adorned This same was called Floridamant the which did neuer finde man of what force or puissaūce soeuer he were who daring to Iust with hym hadde not geuen plainly to feele and vnderstande that he was peerelesse and not matcheable For this cause there was no knight in all Brittaigne the Greate whiche at his newe arriuall to the Crowne did not deliberate and determine to conuerte and tourne the lamentations and weepinges of his Fathers death into ioyes and gladnesse for hauing after the losse of a good Lorde and Master recouered and receaued a better kyng To whom there lacked so litle that he should degenerate from the bountie and goodnes of his predecessour that by his vertue whiche rather more then lesse did hym illustrate he did in suche sort striue and endeuour in equalitie of valiauncie and good behauiour to imitate and counteruale hym that his Knightes Princes and Barons with other of his Vassailes and Seruauntes thought in no wise to haue chaunged their Maister who vnwillyng to omit anye iote of his greate magnificence a while after his Coronemente made and gaue so many faire and Godly Giftes and Presentes not onely to the couragious knightes his Subiectes but also to such straungers as were come to visite him and to make offer to hym of their seruice beeyng nothyng ignoraunt that liberalitie rendreth men subiect and bounde towardes those whiche vse it that there was not he whiche pricked and prouoked with a desire to doe him agreable seruice so muche his lenity and liberality had charmed and enchaunted their affections would not willinglie haue put his life in hazarde for the maintenaunce conseruation of his honour And for that that a little afore the decease of the good king Brandismel his Father he had espoused the daughter of king Barrachen of Scotlande named Bellizenne a Princesse as sage and vertuous as faire and gracious for fewe there were who then for beauty good grace durste compare with her There were come to visite
a malicious harte full of furie and rage There is no meane waie nor thing in humaine puissaūce nether as I beléeue in the enimie of Nature that he whiche hath conceaued thys foresayde hate against another doeth not inuente or dare not attempte to satisfie his will and wishe as maye let vs vnsterstande the example of the Necromancian whom I doe meane to mentionate in this Chapter Therefore it is to be vnderstanded that in greate Britaigne there was an Itande adioyning to the saied Realme which men called the gréene I le Whereof a knight named Mynofol was Lorde and ruler who from his infancie had so bestowed his tyme in the arte of Necromancie and supernaturall Magicque that by the same he atchiued many marueilous Matters and impossible to many others who dealed there with to be lesse expert then he in his arte In maner that by his enchauntmentes and diabolicall charmes hee had builded in his Ile a Castell the most sumptuous and magnificent that with mans eyes was euer seen For the Sonne thereon gleamyng his bright Rayes and Beames from morning till euening one would verily iudge so great was the force of his enchauntmentes that in stead of Stones there were placed greate Rubies the moste faire and beautifull of the worlde And with reuerberatiō of the same the Aire Trées of the I le appeared as red as Fire for a Miles compasse aboute And it was to bee marueiled greatly how the knight Mynofol could build any so sumptuous and stately an Edifice as the red Castell so did the vulgar sorte cōmonly name it seyng that it was not in puissaunce of the greatest Monarque of the whole earth to reare and constructe another whiche in perfection and sumptuositie of matter exquisite miraculous or artificiall was thereto comparable And for what occasion he made the same full many also were ignoraunt but it is to bee presupposed that it was not without cause why For it behoueth you to vnderstande that the predecessour of Minofoll whiche was somewhat akinne and of alliaunce to the vertuous and mightie kyng Brandismel pretendyng some right to the Realme of greate Britaine out of the whiche by his auncetours he had been repudiate and reiected for takyng to wife the sister of Grandowine kyng of Cornewalle and Irelande whiche then as yet helde the Pagan lawes and beleued on Mahounde had wrought and before had tended many meanes and treasons againste the Father of valiaunt King Floridamant whiche neuer laye in his power to execute as he pretended without daunger of the totall ruine both of hym and his whiche was the cause that his Sonne Minofol beyng as then yong and of tender age he caused him to learne with greate heede and diligence the Artes of Necromancy by studiyng the bookes of Medea Circe Morgue and other suche To the intente to reuenge hymselfe of king Brandismel by suche meanes as Medea tooke vengeaunce of the iniurie doen to her by her vnfaithfull and periured freende Iason But God whiche by his bountifulnesse doth still regarde those whiche followe the right waies and Pathes whiche he hath appointed for them with a piteous and mercifull eye to take awaie all meanes and waies from the traitour Lorde of the greene I le of annoiyng the kyng of great Britaine suffered that death should sende hynt doune to helle there to serue in the boatman Charons Barge afore he euer sawe his sonne Minofol well experimented in his arte to bryng to an ende his peruerse pretence and wicked wil. This same Minofol notwithstandyng beeyng once acertained by his Mother for what occasion his father had caused hym frō his tender yeres so curiously to be endoctrined taught in this diuelishe Arte in the whiche since hee was arriued to good age hee was so skilfull and experte that fewe like to hym were as then to be founde As one that was of his Fathers nature and disposition that is to wit a Traitour wicked and reuengeatiue hee imagined in his fantasie too put in execution the purposed pretence of his predecessour And for to bring to passe the same he still had taried till after the death of the good kyng Brandismel seyng no meanes duryng his life to finishe his conspiracie and vengeable falshodde that hauyng builte the redde Castle whereof I haue afore spoken he addressed the Damosell towarde the Kyng Floridamant to require hym of that you haue harde aboue recited knowyng hym prompt and hardie to giue succour and aide to Dames and Ladies wronged and offended And for that he knewe he had often tymes searched for Nabot to combate with hym to the ende to entrappe and withdrawe hym more easely to hym he appointed hym the message whiche you haue fully seen in the Chapiter precedent For that the Damzell doughter to the knight Minoberis whiche Nabot had in prison had sone perceiued hym to put in practise to deliuer her Father whiche thyng he denied her And so makyng his profite of her request instructed the Damosell his cousin of the Plot before specified who plaied so well her part that she brought the Kyng alone after her which pursued her so as is afore saied as faste as his horse could galoppe without euer atteinyng to her For she had a palfrey possessed with a Deuill whiche the Magician there had by his enchauntmentes put for that he went so swifte that of all that daie nought did he but trot without ceassyng or restyng and the Damosell rapped hym excessiuely feinyng to haue greate haste vntill suche tyme as the nocturnall darcknesse had chased farre into the Weste the shinyng chariot of Phaeton then she ariued in a Foreste thicke and darcke beyng obscured by the manifolde braunches of mightie Dakes which there were innumerable in so much that one could see there no more I thinke then within the moste darcksome denne of the profounde and infernall hell Wherein beeyng entered farre afore the Kyng who still pursuyng her as nere as possiblie he could at laste lost sight of her and not knowyng where she was become he staied somewhat his horse to harken if he could any whit vnderstand the tramplyng of her Palfreis féete therby to follow her trace but that was in vaine For he heard nothyng els but an infinite noyse and yellyng of sauage beastes as Beares wilde Bores Lyons and suche like whiche made so greate a yelling that there scarce one could haue heard the bounsing clapps of soundyng Thunder Whereof I leaue you to thinke if the kynge had occasion or no to bee astonished and greatly abashed In that I déeme none so sure and stable whiche would not haue been afraied at that tyme to approache and enter a place so daungerous Notwitstandyng he was of so magnanimious and haughtie a courage that that seemed to hymself lesse then nothing sauing that he could no more finde out his guide and conductresse But endeuouring hymselfe to searche for her it was vnpossible to make his horse either to go forward or backward what blowes or spurres soeuer he
nature framed or brought forthe into the worlde Thou makest me to abandon the one and depriuest mee of both the other by thy false treacherie and Treason the more to tosse and torment mee in the middest of these Mundane Motions and terreine enticementes wherein thou sufferest nothyng to be durable and permanent No no I assure thee that thou shalt no more abuse mée by thy subtile and deceitfull alterations in this worlde For I goe in despite of thee to receiue in celestiall thinges more ioye and gladnesse then in terreine and mundane influences thou hast made mée tast of forrowe and sadnesse deliueryng mee by this meanes from the Snares whiche thou layest from daye to daye to make mee languishe hoping that there I maie yet somewhat reioyce in the felicitie of seeing my deere Mate Floridamant and my litle Infaunt Gerileon who vpon his Fathers losse yet gaue me some allegeaunce But alas what is it that I will doe and if peraduenture my deere Spowse deliuered from the pernitious prisons wherin the accursed and traiterous enchaunter Mynofol hath caused him liue so miserably retorne and my Sonne be found by some one who nourishing garding him more charely thē I haue done come in processe of tyme as possible it is that he may what will they say if I miscary descāting my incōueniences Do I doubt but that besides that they shall be outraged in greeuous dolor and distresse thei wil not haue mee in reputation of a foole franticke and voyde of wit But wretche that I am saide she next scriching and groning bitterlie and taking in her right hand the Glaine whiche she kept couertly vnder her kirtell why delay I so long from keeping of them companie slackyng the aduauncement of my trespasse by certaine friuolous fantasies and trifling thoughtes bee they in the vtter profounditie of Hell or in a Mansion more hie eleuate of the Elisian Fieldes Seeing that if they were aliue they would not protract so muche tyme to come see mee Wherefore that whiche euen now I thought not beeyng possible to be true receiue O God pitifull mercifull receiue with hartie praier I beseech thee after that I shal haue pearced my breast with this Blade dying my delicate and tender handes in mine owne warme blood my spirite into thy power And as she raught her arme backe to giue the deadlie dinte she felte one who forced her to staie the same and looking backe she beheld a knight all armed who taking from her cruell handes the knife couragiously embraced her betweene his armes saiyng O my good Ladie what is this that you will doe both to your owne great damage and my great discōtentmēt Ah knight said she of al loues if thou bee desirous of lucke and felicitie of Ladies and Damoselles afflicted distourbe me not frō myne enterprise But for all that the Knight holdyng and embracyng still her necke with his tender armes staied not from kissyng her whiche caused her castyng her sight on hym to knowe that he was her deare and loial spouse Floridamant whom she embraced incontinently by the middle of the body kissyng and rekissing him aboue an hundreth times and to be so danted with the chaunce and rauished with ioye that she semed to sounde for gladsomnesse And not well knowyng whether she dreamed or whether it were true that she held betwene her handes the thyng whiche aboue all other she had so long desired attended for she could not bring for the one word insomuch that the kyng much marueiled at so straunge aduenture demaunding of her the cause of her doloure distresse which she could not conceale from him but made him partaker of all her fortune frō pointe to pointe with the losse of her little Infante wherof he was marueilously displeased and sorie Neuerthelesse as one to whom the valiaunce and magnanimitie of courage neuer failed he framed hymselfe to cōforte her in the best fashion he could saiyng And well my derlyng seyng that it hath pleased God to take the Infant whom he hath lent to you thereby as it seemed to reserue pour life till my retourne it standes you vpon with paciēce to thanke his highnesse humblie seyng wee haue nought in this worlde whiche is not all to hym appertainyng and whiche hee maie not distribute at his diuine pleasure and will And also that you shoulde thinke that thankes bee to hym wee haue the tooles and instrumentes whiche neither are worne nor wasted to woorke an other withall whē it shall please hym to imparte that grace vpon vs At these laste woordes the Quene was readie to laugh and smilyngly takyng hym by the hande lead hym towarde the Castell whiche was not farre distaunte from thence where we will leaue hym for a while to tel you what hapened to the young Gerileon whom wee haue lefte a sleepe vnder a Tree in the Foreste Oziris a Ladie of the Fayries who hauyng taken the forme of a Phaisante had ledde astraie the little Gerileon in the Forreste sente twoo faire Nymphes Naiades to seeke hym who kepte their residence in a goodly Fountain which was in the wooddes of Cypres the whiche Nymphes brought hym within a gorgeous palaice where she remained and laied him to rest vpon a bed from the whiche after that he was arisen the Faierie sent hym by her Damozelles into a gaie garden wherein was the fountaine of the Naiades who seyng hym so faire made hym greate entertainment and with this pleasure and contentmente she nourished hym long ¶ The vj. Chapiter WHo so shall chaunce to reade the contentes of the Chapiter aforegoyng perchaunce maie be much amazed in that the yong Gerileon remained so long a sleape within the Foreste where we lefte hym whereof thei might haue iuste occasion if so it had stoode that he had been there resident vntill the next daie when as the Quéene Bellizenne would haue slaine her self But the historie saieth that after he had remained there the space of an hower surpassed with a profounde and forgetfull sleape there were twoo faire Nymphes of those commonly called Naiades which dwelled and had their habitations within a faire Fountaine which was in the middest of a little woodde of Ciprus at the side of the Foreste wherein none durste enter whatsoeuer For that that those whiche therein entred were transformed into saluage beastes by the enchauntmente of a Faierie named Oziris who was Dame and Mistresse aswell of the woodde of Ciprus and of the Fountaine as also of the Nymphes whereof wee spake whiche by her commaundemente came quickly to take the little youth in place where he slept and without awakyng brought hym into the fairest Castell that euer one could name wherein the Fairie Ozaris had her residence and when thei had brought hym on this sorte they put hym in a chamber the moste faire that might bee imagined and couched hym vppon the fairest and costliest bedde of the worlde if wee maie saie so For the Faierie had with her owne handes wrought and
Necke most finely wrought and wrapped in a Scarffe with riche Chaines of Golde there rowsed a fierce Lion which at the noyse of the horne issued out of a Thicket whom he hauing seen endeuoured to strike hym with a mightie Dart which he helde in his hande but the Lyon whiche is the most noble and gentle of all other beastes began in signe of humilitie to encline his head doune to the earth pacyng softly towardes hym came to kisse hym with greate fauour to licke his feete and to fawne vppon hym as though hee had been euer accquainted with hym The Youth without anye astonishment seeing hym so meeke and humble without doyng hym any harme tooke hym by the eare and led hym towarde the Castle to the place where the Faierie was to whom hee saide Madame see I praie you what a kinde of Dogge I haue founde in the Forrest O my Sonne saide the Faierie that is neither Dogge neither Lion whereof he hath the forme but certes it is the Squire whiche I meane shal serue you when you shall be a knight And how can that be saide he seeyng he hath neither feete nor handes would you haue hym serue mee with these gripes and perilous Pawes I will soone make hym finde replied he Fairie both feete and handes when tyme shall serue to vse them Then the youth without saiyng to her any more retourned into the Forrest where hee had left his Houndes whom he founde deuouring a greate Harte which they had taken and had welnéere eaten vp but the Lyon whiche followed him then and euer after terrifiyng and making them flee from about the praie deuoured the reste in lesse then an hower Such was the life which the yoūg youth Gerileon led in his Infancie in the compagnie of the Fairie Oziris and her Nimphes Naiades with all the honest entertainement and exercise méete and decent to a young Infant wel borne issued from so noble a stocke as he was whom we will let passe there in such sort certeine yeres of his Adolescencie to recompt vnto you that which happened to king Floridamant his father after that he was deliuered from Prison and by what meanes he escaped thence By what meanes the Kinge Floridamant was deliuered from prison in the red Castell for cause of whose deliuerance and ariuall were apointed Iusting Tourneis wherein the King himselfe bare awaie the price whervpon the Image of the Fairy Oziris which was before the Portall of the Pallace gaue him the Oliue braunche whiche she helde in her hande than vanished away incōtinently And how the king made a sumptuous feast during the whiche the Prince Grandilaor moued many amorous matters to the Maiden Antiziliane whiche thinges beeyng in doyng there entred into the Hall a Page whiche brought a Letter to Dorian Prince of Spayne who sttaight waies after departed the Courte ¶ The seuenth Chapter YOV haue heretofore hearde howe the Queene Bellizenne vppon the intollerable paine she suffered as well for the absence of the king Floridamant as for the losse of her litle Sonne Gerileon was at pointe to kill her self where she was disturbed and letted of her enterprise by the ariuall of king Floridamant Who seyng her come comfortlesse and sad for sorrow through the Forrest helde hym self hid behinde a bushe to marke what she would saie and to sée what she pretended to perpetrate And not to giue cause of abashment to the Reader in this aduenture but to giue hym to vnderstande how she should come then thether with suche oportunitie seyng that as we haue afore said he was in the prison of the traitor Minofoll how it came to passe we will shewe It is to be vnderstanded that the redde Castle wherein he was emprisoned was builded as you haue afore hearde by the Enchauntmentes and diabolicall coniurations of the Necromantian Minofol wholie to woorke this feate the whiche Enchauntmentes could neuer take ende but by the onely beath of the Enchaunter hymself Wherevpon the valiant Prince Dorian sonne to the Kyng of Spaine encountered the saied Minofoll in a mightie Battaile whiche you haue seen so sufficientely written in the fifte Chapiter and so transperced his body with his spere that he then and there fin shed both his life and enchauntmentes Wherupon the king felyng hymself deliuered from so miserable a Prison after hauyng secretly seised vpon some Harnesse whiche he founde in the chamber of the Magicien without staie made suche a spoile and staughter of those which he could encoūter that it was terrible to be tolde Then taking his waies toward Greate Britain wherin he found aduēture worthy recitall he had deliberated before his goyng to the Citie of London to soiourne certaine daies at Mirandoll but as he approached neere thervnto he encountred the Quéene Bellizenne in th' estate as you haue afore heard with whō after his abode there about the space of fiftene or sixtene daies not without great Ioy of all his Barons Knightes and other Subiectes and chiefly also of the Princes Hubert of Scotlande and Dorian of Spaine who were at London when he ariued he went to the Citie into the whiche he entred moste roially and magnificētly where were in signe of ioye adressed Iustinges Tourneis for the loue of ladies wherin it is not to be doubted if the Scottish Spanishe Pruices gaue not cleare testimonie to the Worthies of Greate Britain of their haughtie chiualrie in that there was none whom thei pitched not out of their Sadelles to take their measure on the grounde and that was the kyng Ferrand of Norwaie whom the valiant Prince Hubert dishorsed after the breache of vj. Speares and at the vij threwe him to the ground howheit not without streinyng hymself to forsake the Stiropes And the younge Grandilaor also after hauyng hardelie assaied to abbate and beate doune the Prince of Spaine was forced to kisse the grounde hym self in his owne proper persone to the no small griefe of the Damozell Antiziliane who was thereof noe lesse abashed then the Queene Bellizenne was glad and ioyous when as she sawe the kyng Floridamant Who beholdyng all the knightes so beaten doune by twoo straūgers came in Habite and harnes vnknowen to assaie them bothe the one after the other neuerthelesse not without greate difficultie and breaking of many speares Which knightes not knowyng him whiche had them so hardly handled desired to come to combate at the sharpe excusing them selues by the feeble wearines of their Horses But the king of whose passing prowes thei were nothyng ignoraunte beyng discouered and knowen thei ceassed and moderated their maruaile and greate Melancholy And the Iustinges beyng thus ended thei ledde hym to reste and refreshed hym self in his Pallace But so as hee marched before all the reste hauyng the Princes Hubart and Dorian the one on his right side the other on his lefte he was altogether astonished when entryng by the greate porte of the Pallace he aperceiued the triumphant Pillers of Marble whiche
which came to giue the onset on the Painims with whom thei ioyned Battle in suche sort that many there died ¶ The xix Chapter FOrasmuche noble Lordes and Ladies as I am sure you are not ignoraunte that as there is no meate what sweete or delicate taste so euer it haue were it Ambrosia it self the foode of the Gods as Poetes faine which with too long vsage semeth not to vs yrkesom and vnsauerie In like maner beeleue I that there is no discourse or Historie bee it neuer so sweete or delectable but beeyng too longe continued without intermission or successe of some chaunge or other nouell chaunce which as it were a newe kind of meate may be agreable to the hearers eares or delite of the readers may be dulsome or pleasaunt vnto you For this cause knowyng that whiche I will recite vnto you in these Chapters followyng shall be no lesse delectable vnto you nor smell worse to your coÌ„tentations then the valiauncies of the Youth of the Fairies from whence we wander a little to bringe hym in hereafter with more pleasure delectation and astonishment of haughtie feates of Armes then you haue heretofore heard if you haue the pacieÌ„ce I deme you to haue hopyng that the generositie and singuler bountie of your sprites will not refuse to holde on to reade this myne Historie set forth and put in light both for greate pleasure and profite that you may haue therein I will as now therefore recompt vnto you albeit brieflie and succinctly as is possible that whiche chaunced and happened to the valiaunte and inuincible Kyng Floridamant of greate Brittaine and chieflie in the selfe same time that his Sonne the Youth of the Fairies was in Gréece in pursuit of the vnmatcheable and valiant vnknowen Knight accordyng to the veritie of the CoÌ„mentaries of our auncient Galarx whiche in the same maner also maketh therof mentioÌ„ You ought therefore to knowe that after the deliueraunce of this illustrious Lorde from the Traitor Minofols Enchaunted Prysons as in the Chapters precedente I haue moste brieflie declared vnto you after hee was ariued into his countrie as is aforesaied he went into the gréene I le with a greate Hoast of armed men and so dispeopled it and destroyed al the Townes and braue buildynges that there were not left aliue any of the race or house of the traitrous Enchaunter who beeyng apprehended was also putte to the point of the Sworde amongest whom also was slaine twoo Children of the Kynges of Cornewaile Vncle to the Traitour Minofoll the one of whom if ye marke it well was slaine by the Kyng Floridamant at the same time that the Damozell whiche afterwarde was hanged on a Tree led hym traiterously into the Prison of the red Castell as you haue heretofore heard and then when his Horse failed hym in the Forrest when hee had heard the crie of the Damozell complainyng he encountred hym by chaunce as he was goyng to London to woorke some Traison and this same was called Mawgard The other was then slain in the greene Ile where he was Lorde and Maister through the death of his Cosine by the Prince Hubart of Scotlande againste whom hee would haue defended hymselfe and this had to name Vaspazell the prowde whereat the Kinge of Cornewaile beyng vexed without measure hauyng heard so dolefull Newes and angrie at kinge Floridamant more then afore although he long had borne hym mortall hate determined resolued now to reuenge the death of his two Sonnes with the destruction of those of his kinne And to doe this as one that was riche both in substaunce and frendes of alliaunce to greate Lordes and Princes and who also was stout of person valiaunt as was possible he sent Ambassadours to his Frendes on all sides and chiefly to two Sonnes which he had yet lefte one of the which was king of Corse named Angrofolt the Cruel who failed not to come to reuenge the death of his Brethren and Parentes with a Nauie of a hundred and fower score Shippes and sixtie Galleis well furnished wherein he brought aboute thirty thousande footemen and tenne thousande horsemen braue and in good order and moreouer hee brought with these Syxe Giauntes the greatest and biggest that euer were seene since the memorye of man who onelie serued hym for men of Armes to garde his person yea with them was hee better guarded then any other Kynge although he had sixe hundred horsemen in his companie And for this cause was he of his Neighbours and borderers so renowmed feared that none were he neuer so puissaunte durst once offer to do hym the least iniury in the world although for his greate cruelty and tyrannie to his neighbours many had iust cause so to doe And besides this he was so valiaunt of his person that fewe there were at that tyme in the worlde which in corporall force dexteritie and skill in Armes might or could surpasse hym for through his valiauncie and prowesse he had with a small power brought vnder his obeisaunce the I le of Corse and hauing expelled kynge Pollinestor who had married Kinge Belligent his Sister of Gawle who was true possessor and owner of the said Iland he maried perforce a daughter of his so to couer his tyranny to insinuate hymself the better into the peoples grace and fauour of the most parte wherof as one fauoured and loued hee was Kinge peaceably as a Riche and Mightie lord Yet neuerthelesse not like his other youÌ„ger brother who by his graund force and extreeme prowesse was beecome King of the Iles Fortunate whiche are beyond the furthest partes of Mauritayne Westwarde and are at this daie called Canaries because they abound in Dogges of all sortes This same king called Brandissant who in valour and prowesse exceeded far all other knightes hauyng hard the pittifull tydinges whiche king Grandowyne his Father had sent hym of the death of his Brethren Mawgard and Vaspazel whiche were slaine by kyng Floridamant incited with an extreeme pricke of reuengement staied but a while after his brother but went with an Army of an hundred thousand footemen and fower twentie thousande horsemen to inuade great Britaine whith such a fury that in euery place where hee passed or came there was no Toune Castle nor House were it neuer so greate whiche was not by hym destroyed yea to the first foundation neither men women nor little Infauntes were there whatsoeuer that could escape the pearcing blades of his Gensdarmes and Souldiers who all the waie as they wente made both Earthe and Water tremble at there presence such hauocke made they deming all their owne alreadie For the saied Brandâ—ssant kinge of Canaries had with hym fower puyssaunte kynges Paynims his Vassalles which all were Brethren and the moste strong and monstrous that euer Nature bred For firste of all the youngest of theim whiche was kyng of Ombrione named Sallazart was so strong and puissaunte that in closse Campe he once slewe fower Huige Giauntes and