and shall ioye in their vertues that the ioy which thou shalt haue héereafter shall surmount the paine wherein thou remainest at this present Assure thy selfe therefore that as all shall come to passe which I haue foretolde thée so were it good to kéepe it in memorie thereby to strengthen thy courage the better to resist the mallice of thy aduersarie Fortune whose whéele as it is round in continuall motion so perswade thy selfe when it is at the lowest must néedes tourne againe vpwardes and restore thée thy damages Farewell and hope no more to speake with me till all be accomplished which I haue said In this sort preparing the Princesse to the conflict with hir aduersitie the faire Nimph vanished away diuing downe into the depth of the well and the Princesse deuising vpon this saieng was as it were besides hir selfe not fully knowing whether she had heard those words or dreamed them For as she vnderstoode of the one parte that Prince Edward was dead and of the other that she should once againe sée hir husbande she was so confused in hir thought that she knewe not what to iudge and sayd to hir selfe that peraduenture she had mistaken the Nymph In the ende resting vppon the hope which she had made promise off she was somewhat comforted not doubting the accomplishment Yet she remained in the Monestarie not willing to goe out of hir lodging and clothed alwaies in blacke mourning apparell and delighting in nothing so much as in little Rosicleer Rosicleer as he increased in yeares so he excéeded also in beautie goodlynesse of bodie excellent qualities that a man might well prognosticate thereby of his valiauncie But because the historie shall more specially talke of him I leaue him for this time to his nurse there to be instructed till he shall be called foorth to greater matters Now it is time to goe to the succour of Donzel del Febo his brother who is all this time vpon the riuer ¶ The pedegree of the valiant Prince Florion and other matters as touching him Cap. 16. BY the most auncient and true recordes of the Assirians it appeareth that in that time when Theodoro predecessour of the great Emperour Trebatio ruled in the Empyre of Greece there gouerned among the Persians the mightie Orixerges king of Persia Souldan of Babylon for his greate power among the Pagans much renowned and feared This man after he had liued in great prosperitie dyed leauing behinde him thrée sonnes the eldest king of Persia the second Souldan of Babylon the third Lorde of the Crimson Iland which is in the red Sea whence also it taketh the name because all the land is dyed with the coulour This third brother from his youth was verie studious and giuen aboue all to Astrologie and other vnknowen sciences In these hée became so exquisite that scarce in his time might anie hée compared vnto him The greatest part of his life time hée dwelt in that Ilande choosing that place as most conuenient for his studie The eldest of the thrée brethren béeing king of Persia dyed about 40. yeares after this distribution of their inheritance hauing for heire a sonne of his 40. yeares olde called Florion a valiaunt and strong knight bigge made and of a goodly statute This Florion béeing a young man but of a great courage putting in his roome a vizeroy for his kingdome wandered as a knight arrant through the world to séeke aduentures where he did great and noble déedes of armes At the ende of thrée yeares after this his absence from his Countrie he stroke ouer towardes the Court of the Souldan of Babylon his vnckle Where he remained sometime verye well welcomed and beloued of the Souldan for hée was a good Knight The Souldan had a little sonne and a meruailous faire daughter whose name was called Belisea of her Florion became enamoured and requiring her to wife of her father she was graunted him and the marriage celebrated betwéene them with great solempnitie of feasts and triumphs While hée was thus within doores sporting there was worse newes abroad For a mightie Pagan called Africano the brauest and boldest knight that euer was in all the coasts of Affricke had transported ouer into Asia and by his great force in few dayes subdued the whole Countrie of Media and two other kingdomes adiacent belonging to two great Pagan Princes These thus vanquished after became tributaries as subiects and vassalls The fame wherof was bruted farre and néere that there were fewe kings in those partes which requested not his amitie for all accounted him the lustiest warriour in the world and sooth it is that in all Asia was neuer borne so proude and fierce a Pagan But hée was gainesayde by him vnto whose courtefie not onely our liues and liuings but wée our selues stande thrall and subiect otherwise he had in fewe dayes made himselfe Lorde of the greatest part of all Asia This Pagan was a huge and mightie man large lymmed of the bignesse of a Gyant and so strong and weightie with all that the strongest horse which was he coulde make to bow betwéene his legges any péece of armour how fine so euer it were he would bend and wreath in his handes as easily as if it had béene framed of Waxe This man well knowing his owne forces and estate and not contented with that he had gotten in few dayes determined to inuade the kingdome of Persia to bring that also to his subiection Into it he entered and in a little time he conquered many Cities plaining Townes and Castles all this while the Prince Florion béeing in Babylon The Péeres of his kingdome sent messengers vnto him declaring the whole state of the Countrie howe vnable it was to make resistaunce without the leauieng of a new armie some forreine succours Then the Prince assembled the royallest army that he might in the land of the Souldan and shipped into Persia there to giue battayle vnto Africano and to punish by armes his enimies intrusion But he reckoned without his host For he had not rode tenne miles in his owne kingdome when the mightie Africano came and pitched néere with his whole armie and in the first fielde discomfited Florion the most part of his people béeing slaine The Prince Florion hasted into Babylon for euer dispayring to be reuested in his segniories and Africanos power was so great that he wel knew all the Souldans power to bée of little force to withstand him The Souldan receiued him gladde of his escape but yet sorrie againe for his people and disheriting of his nephewe of so noble a Kingdome As they were thus sorrowfull within a fewe dayes after came into the Court the third brother Lyrgandeo which as the storie saith inhabited the Crimson Ilande at his comming they were much quieted he bad them be at rest and not take care for the kingdome of Persia for that there was among the Christians a childe borne in the happyest and most fortunate houre that euer
delay time and that the seruants should mistrust naught by hearing a bustling in the chamber first she put off hir vpper gowne then to hir peticoate and so she staid a while Argion calling on hir to dispatch quickly as if the greatest part of his delight had bene to come Rosicleer thinking it now time to discouer him-selfe and that the houre was alreadye come wherein God almightie woulde the wicked Argion to be chastised cast off his long garment and tourned him-selfe into his dublet and hose and hauing his sword drawen he came to Argions bed side saying Come out of thy place where thou art thou foule letcher and come to reioyce thée of Lyuerbas loue for very bitter shall this nights rest be vnto thée Argion which behelde him rose vp lightly and taking a sworde which hung at his beddes head went towards Rosicleer to haue catched him in his armes but Rosicleer with his naked sworde watched him so that he smote the necke from the shoulders the head beating against the wall and the bodie fallyng headlesse to the ground This done Rosicleer quietly sate downe in the same place and thus remained till the greater part of the night was spent Balides now in this time had not forgotten his charge and hauing talked with more then twentye of his friends as concerning their intent he easely perswaded them to this enterprise so hauing them in his companie with his sonnes he lodged néere to Argions Castle onely looking for a signe which Rosicleer should make them out at a windowe which when Rosicleer had for a time neglected they suspected the vnlikelihoode of the fact and hadde retourned-closely to their homes if that Rosicleer had not then taking the light in his hand opened the dores of the hall and shewed the torch out of a windowe Then they knew what had happened and went ioyfully toward the Castle Rosicleer comming downe opened the gates so that they all entered and lighting many Torches which they brought with them they cast themselues into seuerall companies to search euerye corner and ranging without feare throughout the Castle when they knew that Argion was slaine killing so manie as they found that in deede though there were moe then an hundred Knightes and other seruaunts within the Castle yet all were slaine before they could puruay of armour or thinke of remedie in such sort that in the Castle there was not one left to take Argions part At Argion may the stout Lords and vntamed tyrants take example of their endes and make it a benefit of his fall for although God sometime forbeare the wicked giuing them space of amendement and repentance yet when they can in no wise be reclaimed his iustice must of necessitie correct them in the maner that both their bodies repay in this life their trespasses with cruell death and perpetuall dishonour and their soules in the other worlde receiue double disgrace and horrour of conscience for their misdeedes How many great Lords and tyrants haue we read of to haue bene in the worlde and how fewe or none haue we heard of vnpunished which can be no other thing but that the diuine prouidence hath so ordained it some to be chastised for the misgouernment of themselues and other some to amend by the terrour of others destruction Well the tyrant Argion thus being slaine with all his people Balides those which came with him for his great prowesse in killing Argion sued vnto Rosicleer to acknowledge them for his subiects as they all woulde willingly obey him for their Lord. But he seuerally making semblance of great loue to euerie partie made them to rise aduising them on this sort That for their deliuerance they ought to attribute it vnto God with heartie thankes for it which by his goodnesse had prouided that the euill lust of wicked Argion should last no longer But for that they called him their Lord he sayd he would be their friend neuerthelesse sith they requested him there-vnto that hée would not refuse their profer not for himselfe but indéed to giue order to that which should succeede for the quiet gouernment of the segniorie This done Balides sent for his wife and his daughter Liuerba with his house-hold They comming before Rosicleer gaue him thankes for this great good turne in procuring their safetie he receiued them with great pleasure and they made merrie all that night The next daye they deuised for the publication of Argions death which Balides to be made knowen to the most principall in the Valley They all verie desirous of such newes came to the Castle where knowing the manner of Argions ende much praising the strength and boldnesse of Rosicleer with all séeing him so well fauored and of so young yeares they ceased not to giue him thankes for the good which he had done so that Rosicleer somewhat blushing at it forbad them to speake more of it but to attende their owne affaires for the Valley béeing so replenished with dwellers all of them were not sound but for feare or fauour were Argions claw-backes These they had to doo with all and in the end subdued them After wanting a Gouernour they besought Rosicleer to abide with them and to take oathes or theyr alleagiaunce towardes him for sith that by him they haue bene restored to their auncient Liberties they thought him to be an able mainteiner of their Franschises But Rosicleer made them aunswere that at the suite of Lyuerba Argion was slaine and that hée mooued with pittie vpon hir had enterprised if for hir sake if therefore he had deserued ought he wished them in respect thereof to make Lyuerba mistresse of it and for the establishment of hir possession to match hir with the most chiefest inheritour of land and fée amongst them This if they did for his sake he shoulde account it not onely a satisfaction on their partes for the pleasure he had done them but also a bond for a further good tourne if it so lye in his power They debating vpon this matter were all contented with it and promised all their abilities to doo his commaunde So among them there was a Knight called Brandidonio the chiefest of all the Valley a proper and honest Gentleman Lord of thrée great Castles and beloued of all the Countrey for his bountie and courtesie him they chose to marrie with Liuerba their Lady Rosicleer very wel pleased with this Gentlemans noble disposition concluded vppon the marriage so that in foure dayes the Lorde Brandidonio and the faire Liuerba were created Lord and Lady of the valley and in token of obedience tooke the oath and assuraunce of their subiectes where they lyued long time in quietnesse their subiects as well at ease to haue such Gouernours ¶ Rosicleer departed from the valley of the mountaines meeteth with two Princes christened and by aduenture is carried from them againe ROsicleer remained foure daies in the vally of the mountaines for so it was called to solempnize the
marriage betweene Brandidonio and Lyuerba whereat the tenaunts of the valley being present and séeing his personage so tall and goodly and ioyned with so good grace and gentle behauiour iudged him a person rather celestiall then mortall beléeued that God had sent him for their deliuerance from the miserable subiection wherin Arglon had holden them so they reuerenced and honoured him as if they had seene in him some vndoubted image of immortalitie But Rosicleer this marriage being finished hauing no more to doo made to assemble the greatest of the Country vnto whom he said that he had vowed a voyage which might not bée lefte off and therefore now at his departure hée prayed them to accept well of his so short tarrieng and in his absence to doo the honour diligently to Brandidonio and Lyuerba which was due vnto their liege Lorde and louing Ladie They ouer-charged with griefe for the lacke of him whome they loued as their nigh kins-man layed to stay by gifts and other offens but when it booted not they swore faith and obeysaunce towards their Lord and for a remembraunce of their loue they forced vpon Rosicleer an horse which was Argions a verie tall and strong Horse which he refused not as being verge commodious to trauaile with and then after this tooke his laue of Lyuerba hir Father and Mother and Brandidonio hir Husband Béeing ready to mount on horse-hacke a younger brother of Lyuerbas called Telyo throwing him-selfe on his knées before Rosicleer besought him to grant him his sute which Rosicleer willingly promised bidding him saye on Telyo then sayd Sir fith you are to trouâ—â—le alone and haue none to serue you by the waye maye it please you to shew me the fauour as to retaine me for your Squire Rosicleer well pleased with the good affection which Telyo bare towards him imbraced Tielio with much loue and thus made aunswere Telyo thou art before hande with me for I haue giuen thée thy request so that I maye not excuse my selfe of my former promise although I would aduise thée rather to tarrie at home in the delyghts of thine owne nation then to put thy selfe in daunger in a forâ—eine and vnknowen count râ—y Telyo gladder of this then of a good purchase prepared all things ready for their iourney and tooke his leaue of his Father Mother and kins-folke who were nothing miscontent of his choyce for that the companie was such as euerie one could haue wished his roome Rosicleer and Telyo tooke on their waye neither speaking to other for the thought of their so louing parting from their frieudes which as yet stacke fresh and gréene in their rememberaunce And sooth it is that within a while after Rosicleers departure to the ende the straungenesse of their deliuerie might be renued by their posteritie and no age shuld leaue to speak thereof they founded an House of Roligion with a faire Temple wherein at the one side of the high Alter they erected a piller of Marble verie faire and curious bearing the true counterfaite of Rosicleer with the Historie of Argion the fréeing of Lyuerba and all that consequently followeth in that storie so that long time after this monument of restoring the inhabitaunts was founde by our age in the pursuite of aduentures in that countrey Brandidonio and Lyuerba héere ruled long time in peace and tranquilitie and from them descended all the Lordes which since haue had the gouernaunce of that Valley But from thence to followe Rosicleer on his waye the Historie saieth that with his Squire Telyo he trauailed so long through Almaine that he came to an Hauen of the Sea in a manner direct against great Britaine in Picardie where there were two great and faire shippes tarieng for the winde to coast ouer into England Rosicleer hearing of this in his Inne went out of his hostrie to the hauens mouth there to speake with the master of the shippe for to become a passenger and comming thether he sawe manie Knights and seruaunts by lykelihoode of some worship passe too and fro which made him thinke it was no Merchaunts vessell but yet he entered the ship and there espieng two Knights young men richlye apparailed and placed in two seuerall feates to whome the either Knights in the shippe made their obeysaunce courned his face to haue gone out againe But the young Knights séeing Rosicleer and greatlye delyghted in his beautie and comelinesse of personage called to him Rosicleer courning towardes them mande is we reuerence as vnto so great estates The Knights receiuing him with as great courtesie demaunding of him gently what countrieman he was and what he sought there Rosicleer lookeing vpon them verie sadly and soberly aunswered I am come my Lordes from the Valley of the mountaines and I am desirous to sée great Britaine for my affaires which lye in that Countrey whether as I haue learned by others your shippes are prepared I am therefore to beséech you to doo me the pleasure as to graunt me passage in your companie They well contented with-all for that he was a young Gentleman excelling in beautie all those which they had séene tolde him they were willing therevnto and that if he needed ought vnto this iournes they would minister vnto his wants Rosicleer gaue them many thanks for this their courtesie but they demanded farther how he was called and of what linage he came To the first Rosicleer aunswered that his name was Rosicleer and minding to cut off the rest he desired them to spare him for the other at that time and to content themselues with this that he now came from the valley of the mountaines wherefore they beléeued that he was naturallye borne there By this meanes Rosicleer was enter tained with these Lordes and grewe farther in acquaintaunce with them that he knewe the one to be Bargandel the Bohemian cousin germane to the Emperour Trebatio and eldest sonne to the King of Bohemia the other to be the Prince Liriamandro brother to the Princesse Briana both of them of his night kinne The Fortune which linked and conioyned these Princes in this amitie was this The King of the great Britaine called Oliuerio considering that the losse of the Prince Edward his sonne noysed through his Empire for fiftéene yeares space had so appalled the courages of his Knights that neither feasts were made nor turneyes proclaimed nor anie disportes vsed with Gentlewomen in his Countrey where-by to fire the hearts of young men to the déedes of armes But that either all of them ouer-come with griefe and mourning still for his sonne forsooke to weare armour or els such as their owne good natures pricked forwards to trie aduentures departed out of his Realme in other Regions to become famous so that the Kingdome of England was verie naked of able Knightes to defend it whereas before it was best knowen in all the world for knighthoode and chiualrie The King I saye wisely casting of these things did not now so much lament the lacke
his vnderstanding at the words which the wise man spake being yet plaine and easie and he able to make English of euerie worde but the cause was for that he was vnable to finde out the true sence which this diuinitie carried béeing repugnaunt to his former beléefe So hacking and gesting about it to make lykelihoodes of impossibilities and examining euerie poynt by it selfe yet could he neuer be setteled nor make good construction of it For his Mother tolde him that Prince Edwarde was his Father the wise man deliuered the contrarie And if his Mother knewe his Father then howe coulde his father be dead ere he was begotten and howe coulde his Mother recouer hir lawefull Husbande béeing dead and howe coulde his Father become such a Monarch after his decease and so forth Now if he gaue credit to the wise man yet no man better knoweth the childes Father then the mother So that for reuerence of the wise man and to reconcile his mothers wordes with the wise mannes réede he framed to himselfe for that time a newe article of beléefe that one thing might bée and not bée Yet time founde out a better solution of this Sophisme For this time séeing it was no reason to importunate the wise man vppon this matter it contented him to knowe for a trueth that Donzel del Febo his brother was yet aliue and hée gaue him heartie thankes for the courtesie hée had shewed him héerein But for his voyage into Englande hée lefte that to his direction sith hée perceiued his meaning therein The wise man sayde it shoulde bee so prouided for as best beséemed his honour The third day after when all things were in a readinesse Artemidoro brought out of his armorie a rich armour and gaue it to Rosicleer The armour was framed so cunningly as for workmanship cost and secret vertue it excelled all that I haue séene It was closely wrought curiouslye engrauen enchased with precious stones and aboue all this efficacie that it resisted the edge of all mettal this effect procéeding either from the stones or the examination of the ascendents in the forging thereof The coulour of the armour was all white well fitting for a new Knight Artemidoro gaue at the same time to Rosicleer a bay Courser strong and wyght of lymme which he had bought for that purpose in the Countrey of Spaine where the best bréede of such horses were And after all things set in order thus for their iourney taking men with them for their necessarie vses they shipped themselues in a faire Barke sailing with great swiftnesse as the wise Artemidoro had by his skill directed it in which iourney the historie leaueth them till their sodaine approach vnto the Listes within great Britaine ¶ The great Feastes began in Oliuerios Court. Cap. 32. IN the fresh and pleasaunt moneth of May when the gréene boughes and swéete smelling flowers renewe ioye and gladnesse in the heartes of young folke the great Citie of London and wide fieldes there-about séemed not lesse couered with armed Knights then if the mightie hoasts of Darius and Alexander had thether assembled for the great Feasts and Iustes were so diligently publyshed in euerie Region and Countrey and the prises which the King had set were of such valour that there came thether from diuers farre and straunge landes so manye Knights and Ladies as that the number of them was infinit Now that that especially drew young princes men of great name thether was this The king Oliuerio had a daughter named Oliuia the onely inheretrix of his Kingdome of the age of fourtéene yeares a beautifull and delycate damzell as not hir like might be found in all that quarters For the fame of hir singular beautie thether came manie noble Princes and worthye Knights to win hir liking each of them wearing so rich and quaint deuises that their brauerie in short time exiled the long mourning which had continued in great Britaine The myrthe which they made much delighted the King Oliuerio and it ioyed him much to sée his Court and Countrey so well stored of Knights and Princes to whom he gaue honourable entertainment and countenaunce of good wil as well of his owne subiects as straungers and all were wel content with it highly commending of his Court for magnificense and courtefie The King at this time was a widdower therefore he sought much the honor of the Princesse his daughter But to come to our matter amongst the Knights straungers the two Princes Bargandel and Lyriamandro bare the greatest stroke next Don Siluerio Prince of Lusitania a young Knight valiant in armes alredy enamored vpon the faire princes Oliuia for whom he had ben a long time suter in the Kings Pallaice presuming vpon his birth and liuelihood that she should be graunted vnto him and as it fell out the Princesse vnderstoode some part of his desire but she was of an hautie heart and high minde making no more account of Don Siluerio in respect of that demaund then of another ordinarie Knight or the refuse of other For amongst all which were alredy come she thought none merited to be a péere and matche for hir beautie being as my Authour saieth such in hir owne conceipte as if no Prince were worthie of it But the truth is that the blinde Boye shooting at randon had ouer-reached his marke as appeared in the seconde shotte at the comming in of Rosicleer In the thirde place there came into this Triumph the Prince of Irelande called Argiles and Don Orgiles Prince of Scotlande and Allamades king of Cornewaile all thrée vassalls and subiectes to the King Oliuerio The fourth roome was assigned to Don Brynco Prince of Numidia in Affricke bringing from his Countrey manie valiant Knights richlie armed and with them Albalaxes King of Mauritania a Pagen young and lustie There came thether also two Gyaunts of an admirable height and fiercenesse being such a terrour to the poore Communaltie inhabiting the villages néere to London that the poore mans feare made them the more insolent to commit diuers ryots and other trespasses before the Feasts began This was the seuerall countenaunces of the Knights of most account but to make short ther came besides many other knights both Christians and Pagans vnder the Kings writ of safe-conduct which himselfe gaue out that neuer England more flourished of Knightes nor neuer Nation was like to England But now the first day of the Iustes before they should ride to the Tilte the King Oliuerio inuited all the Kings and Princes to dinner in his Pallaics where they were feasted royally with great melodie After the Tables taken vp the Knights went to arme themselues and the King conducted by the auncient Lords and Barons of his Court tooke vp his seate in a windowe ouer the Tilt-yard and vpon a scaffolde before him reared for that purpose he commaunded the prises to be put which were diuers for vnto the Crowne before spoken of he added a cholar of like
I my selfe in the meane while stealing by the shore side recouered this little boate wherein I was scarcelye entered when I saw a farre off my Parents and my husbande ledde away prisoners I thinke they cannot iustlye gesse whether I am gone But after that I was in the boate I met with manye which came from the instes at London They séeing my heauie chéere demaunded the cause and when they vnderstood it they directed me to enquire after a newe Knight in the lande for he alone saye they is able to vndoo this iniurie You heare sir both the cause of my care and the occasion of comming into this Country to you sir now sir knight if my ruth may work any compassion or that you thinke I haue cause to complayne doo your best to amend my harme you shall doo double iustice in restoring the wronged and in punishing the wicked dooer Rosicleer féeling a yerning in his minde against so vnlawfull a practise if hir tale were true badde hir take hir boate againe for be would hazarde his person in hir quarrell The Gentlewoman desiring presently no other thing gaue him manie thankes so they entered the boate and the water béeing calme they passed without any daunger But still Rosicleer haunted with his auncient thoughtes nowe séeing himselfe farre distaunt from the Princesse and without hope to retourne beganne a fresh to consider of his exile which thought so ouercame him that hee wished his soule to departe from his bodye But the Historie leaueth him on the Sea to recount in the meane time of his Esquire who finding a shippe in the Hauen retourned to his Paster but not méeting him hée was sore abashed and in great sorrowe coasted ouer the Countrey to finde him out After long trauayle by lande to no purpose hée put himselfe to the Sea in a shippe prepared towardes Almaine where after continuall wearinesse and not hearing anye newes of his Master hée tourned towardes his owne Countrey in the Walley of the Mountaynes where he was well welcommed by his bretheren There let vs leaue him till time carrie him from his Fathers home to méete with his Master Now telleth the History of Zoylo Prince of Tartary which had trauayled towards the Court of King Oliuerio as hath bene recited When he came to the Court he found in the Pallaice hall the Princesse Oliuia with the King hir Father and diuers noble Princes deuising and sporting of diuers matters and especially of Rosicleers worthinesse which not a little tickled the princesse Oliuia for all that cruel sentence which she had giuen of him The Tartarian Zoylo entering the Hall in goodly maner to the great amaze of the Knights and Nobles which behelde him after he had made his humble obeysaunce to the King he spake as followeth It maye be noble and worthy King that the greatnesse of my estate forbiddeth me to be so humble but the great vertue which I haue found in the Knightes of your Maiesties Court hath enforced me aboue my wont to doo you that honour which I woulde denie els to anye King or Emperour in the worlde now I beséech your Maiestie to accept of my seruice and to receiue me into the number of your Knightes for I haue great desire to belong vnto your Court if it so lyke you The King verye well lyking of the Maiestie which the Knight bare albeit he knew him not whence he was of courtesie embraced him gladlye and raising him from ground aunswered thus Sir Knight you are very welcome for as your personage and good behauiour is aboue the credite of a meane man so haue I great opinion of your high estate and as to your request to be entertayned of my Courte I receyue you willynglye and promise you there-in my royall fauour for I woulde lyue no longer then to make of your lykes and I praye you sir Knight tell mée who you are least peraduenture I shoulde fault in not honouring you according to your callyng Zoylo aunswered Nost puissaunt King the report of your courtesie assured me your good fauour before I demaunded it and now sir vnderstand you that I am called Zoylo sonne to the King of Tartaria in that part which bordereth vpon Christendome and that I haue spent many winters both an sea lande till that Fortune cast mée on the English shore then comming out of Dutchlande After héere in your Countrey minding as my vsage was to trye my selfe vpon Knights errants it chaunced that I met with thrée of your Knightes in a Forrest their names were as I learned of them Rosicleer Bargandel and Lyriamandro with these I iusted and after that I had cast downe the two last at the Tilte I fought with Rosicleer at the swordes poynt but in the ende I was vanquished Rosicleer when I was yéelden hauing some lyking of me desired me to come and be acquainted with your Maiestie and to kisse your royall hand in his name All which I haue done as well for to offer my seruice to so mightie a Prince as for to accomplish the charge of so valyaunt a Knight neither thinke I it any disgrace to be vanquished by him For besides that his bountie and courtefie meriteth to be beloued rather then enuied his valour and Knighthoode promiseth the conquest ouer the whole world He hath receiued me for a perpetuall friende and his acquaintaunce doo I more set by then the whole Kingdome of Tartary my lawfull inheritaunce Therefore because I hope the longer to inioy this new friendshippe in your feruice I haue bene bolde to craue the name of your Court which shall be as well welcome vnto me as the title which you haue vnto your kingdome The king was glad to heare some newes of Rosicleer at that time and much praysed his owne good Fortune to haue lyghted vppon him for that by him his Court had dayly increased in worshippe and so tourning towards the Tartarian he sayde on this manner Pardon me mightie Prince in that I haue not done you that honour which appertaineth to a Kinges sonne but the little acquaintaunce I haue had with you and the ignoraunce of your estate shall excuse me henceforwardes if I amende not let me bée without excuse And with these same wordes the King ledde Zoylo to the Princesse willing hir to welcome the Knight straunger Zoylo comming before the beautifull Princesse Oliuia kneeled downe before hir to kisse hir hande which shée refused but gently kissing him she had him welcome Farther talke had she not for the often naming of Rosicleer brought to hir remembraunce the wrong which shée had done to him and hir heart was so great that she had no power to speake a word but crauing pardon shée departed to hir chamber this séemed straunge to hir father but because hir colour was so pale it was thought to be by reason of sicknesse When she was within hir chamber doores she let hir teares flowe at lybertie which before she restrained for feare of béeing espied And
a swéete fléepe but let vs shake off this drousie humour and let vs open our sléepie eyes Let vs vse our selues so that sometimes wee haue recourse to matters of more importaunce to thinke of heauen to despise the vaine temporall things of this world to seperate our selues from the man of flesh and willingly to heaue him least he leaueth vs against our willer Little shall remaine thereof after scores of yeares and that which remaineth shall be shame and griefe for the life passed beâ—â—des desperate repentance which is a double torment 〈◊〉 much after this same manner was this valiant Emperour for his long delights with Lindaraza now twentye yere was but a Summers daye and yet there left him not shame of his fact to fret his conscience albeit he aduised himselfe the best remedy which I haue read of which is amendment of life the safest hauen for a wether-beaten peâ—â—cent First therefore knowing that this Knight was hée which had as it were awaked him from this dreame hée pulâ—ed of his helmet imbraced him giuing hartie thanks for his deliueraunce Withall professing that he thought himselfe vnable to requit that great curtesie yea euen with the bestowing of his Empire so assuredly be meant not to forget it if peraduenture God would shewe him the occasion of dooing him seruice For saith he you haue not saued my life heere might I haue liued without daunger of sword but you haue saued my soule c. Extolling the greatnes of the benefit and in the end he prayed him of curtefie to tell him his name and Countrey with the cause of his comming to that Iland The knight of the Sunne aunswered him geatly Valiant Emperor the thing which I haue done in your seruice is not lyke to that which I wish for as your valour forceth my will so my will sueth a deserte on your part more vnto you then to all the Knightes of the worlde But wit you I am called the Knight of the Sunne my country I know not but my bringing vp hath bene in Babylon where I was told that I was found vppon the sea being a very childe my comming to this castle was by chaunce my boate being driuen by tempest vpon the shore where seeing it so fresh and faire I had desire to know the owners and fortune being fauourable I passed through all killing the kéepers till I came within this court where I sawe engrauen your whole historie from the time that you were married with the Princesse Briana till time 〈…〉 There knew I the manner of your bewitching and albeit your selfe were vnknowen to me yet I thought I wold set you frée if that I might from whence this hath procéeded which you haue séene When he had ended the Emperour imbraced him many times with great pleasure as well wondring at his great prowesse for he could not bée ignorant of Lindarazas power as also at his boldnesse for a matter not touching him in anie respect by all appearaunce For he neither knew countrey nor parents But as the remembraunce of his wife and Empire caused in the Emperour much griefe so he besought the Knight of the Sunne that they might depart from thence to goe into Greece where he might better thank him then he had earst done The Knight of the Sunne with a good affection to beare him companie condescended easily rather yet vppon desire to knowe the Countrey wherein he had heard to be right valiaunt Knights then of any hope of rewarde So when they came neere the outward Court they found that Knight whome the Knight of the Sunne had lefte in a traunce nowe retourned to himselfe and vpon his féete safe and sound The Knight when he saw the Emperour and the Knight of the Sun comming downe giuing great sighes and wéeping bitterly began to say Oh what a dismall daye is this for me nowe my sister Lindaraza is dead and I haue lost a swéete companion I would rather that I had bene killed by this straunger which hath destroyed all our good then that I should lyue and sustaine such anguish Little haue the monstrous kéepers preuailed whom we put in our Castle to defende hir lyfe and to defend the death which so sodainly hath taken hir away The Emperour hearing him and knowing him ran to imbrace him saieng My deare friend Flamides how chanceth this heauines in your countenaunce Why doo you fetche such déepe sighes and spill so manye teares with so great sobbes If it be for my departure and for the lybertie which I haue receiued by this Knight you know how long time I haue heere remained out of my remembraunce and forgetfull of my Empire and kingdome and shall I not goe to comfort hir which long time by my absence hath bene comfortles My Lord sayd Flamides I can not denie but your reason is good and that the iniurye hath bene great in detayning you so long from thence but as your excellencie knoweth there is no loue more naturall then betwéene brother and sister O the death of my sister Lindaraza pearceth mée to the heart and I had rather then my lyfe haue accompanied hir in death then thus to bewaile hir lacke after death For so soone as you came out of the inchaunted roome my sister dyed presently so was it appointed by the destenies that no longer then she should enioye your presence shée should liue Blessed man said the Emperour and is Lindaraza dead yea assuredly quoth he Nowe on my honour said the Emperour hir death grieueth me and during my lyfe shall I be sadde as ofte as I shall call hir to remembraunce and although my case is such as in more néede of comfort then likely to comfort others yet me thinkes I maye tell you that you ought not to bewaile hir death so much for belike a long time haue you knowen that hir life should not last after my departure Nowe wherefore doo you lament hir so sore as if it were but now thought on not before foreséene Againe your ouer-much carefulnesse in fortifieng your Castle was but néedelesse for it is giuen to man to haue the mastrie ouer beasts which either by Arte or Nature become tractable And be it your Castle hadde bene inexpugnable for all men in the world yet what fence had you to shut out death A man in no place can warrant himselfe such safetie as that at euery step he draweth himself néerer vnto death Whether we be frée or bond on foot or horsebacke sléeping or waking whole or sicke we daylye draw néere vnto our ende or if you wil speake more truly to our perfection for then man beginneth to liue indéede when he goeth out of this miserable world Lindaraza is dead and wéeping may not recall hir if you beare vnto hir any loue you may shewe it nowe after hir death in receiuing to her place her daughter Lindaraza for her prouide that she may depart from hence I will carry her to my kingdome where she shall