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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46926	The famous history of the seven champions of Christendom St. George of England, St. Denis of France, St. James of Spain, St. Anthony of Italy, St. Andrew of Scotland, St. Patrick of Ireland, and St. David of Wales. Shewing their honourable battels by sea and land: their tilts, justs, turnaments, for ladies: their combats with gyants, monsters and dragons: their adventures in foreign nations: their enchantments in the Holy Land: their knighthoods, prowess, and chivalry, in Europe, Africa, and Asia; with their victories against the enemies of Christ. Also the true manner and places of their deaths, being seven tragedies: and how they came to be called, the seven saints of Christendom. The first part.; Most famous history of the seven champions of Christendome. Part 1	Johnson, Richard, 1573-1659?	1696 (1696)	Wing J800; ESTC R202613	400,947	510

forsake their proper Nature At which words the Champion gave her the Courtesies of his Country and sealed her Promises with a loving Kiss After which Beautiful E●lantine being ashamed of her Nakedness Weaved her self a Garment of green Rushes intermixed with such variety of sundry Flowers that it surpassed for workmanship the Indian Maidens curious Webs her crisped Locks of Hair continued still of the colour of the Mulberry-tree whereby she seemed like Flora in her greatest Royalty when the Fields were decked with Natures Tapestry After which she washed her Lilly-hands and Rose-coloured Face in the dew of Heaven which she gathered from a Bed of Uiolets-Thus in green Uestments she intends in company of her true Love the Ualiant Knight of France to take her Iourney to her Father's Court being as then the King of that Countrey where after some few days Travel they arrived safe in the Court of Thessaly whose Welcomes were according to their wishes and their Entertainments most Honourable for no sooner did the King behold his Daughters safe approach of whose strange Transformation he was ever ignorant but he fell in such a deadly swoon through the exceeding joy of her presence that for a time his Senses were without vital moving and his heart imbraced so kindly her dainty body and proffered such Courtesie to the strange Knight that St. Denis accounted him the mirror of all Courtesie and the pattern of true Nobility After the Champion was unarmed his stiff and wearied Limbs were bathed in new Milk and White-wine he was conveyed to sweet smelling Fire made of Iuniper and the fair Eglantine conducted by the Maidens of Honour to a private Chamber where she was Disrobed of her Silvan Attire and apparelled in a pall of purple Silk in which Court of Thessaly we will leave this our Champion of France with his Lady and go forward in the Discourse of the other Champions discovering what Adventures hapned to them during the seven years But first how St. James the Champion of Spain fell in Love with a fair Jew and how for her sake he continued seven years dumb and after if Apollo grant my Muse the gift of Scholarism and dip my Pen in the Ink of Art I will not rest my weary hand till I have explained the honourable Proceedings of the Knights of England France Spain Italy Scotland Wales and Ireland to the honour of Christendom and the dishonour of all the professed Enemies of Christ. CHAP. V. How St. Iames the Champion of Spain continued seven years dumb for the love of a fair Jew and how he should have been shot to death by the Maidens of Ierusalem with other things which chanced in his Travels NOw must my Muse speak of the strange Adventures of St. James of Spain the Third Champion and Renowned Knight of Christendom and what hapned unto him in his seven years Trauels through many a strange Country by Sea and Land where his Honourable Acts were so Dangerous and full of Wonder that I want skill to express and art to describe also I am forced for brevities sake to pass over his dangerous Battel with the burning Drake upon the flaming Mount in Sicily which terrible Combat continued for the space of seven days and seven nights Likewise I omit his Travel in Cap●a●ocia through a Wilderness of Monsters with his passage over the Red Sea●● where his Ship was devoured with Worms his Mariners drowned and Himself his Horse and Furniture safely brought to Land by the Sea-Nymphs and Mairmaids where after his long Travels passed Perils and dangerous Tempests amongst the boister●us Billows of the raging Seas he arrived in the unhappy Dominions of Judah unhappy by reason of the long and troublesome misery he endured for the Love of a fair Jew For coming to the beautiful City Jerusalem being in that Age the Wonder of the World for brave Buildings Princely Palaces Gorgeous Mountains and time-wondring Temples he so admired the glorious situation thereof being the richest place that ever his eyes 〈◊〉 that he stood before the Walls of Jerusalem one while gazing upon her Golden Gates glistering against the Sun's bright count●nance another while beholding her stately Pinacles whose lofty peeping tops seemed to touch the Clouds another while wondring at her Towers of Iasper Iet and Ebony her strong and fortified Walls three times double about the City the glistering Spires of the Temple of Sion built in the fashion and similitude of the Pyramids the ancient Monument of Greece whose Battlements were covered with steel the Walls burnished with Silver the Ground paved with Tin Thus as this ennobled and famous ●ntat Arms stood beholding the situation of Jerusalem there suddenly thundred such a peal of Ordnance within the City that it seemed in his Ravished Conceit to shake the Uail of Heaven and to move the deep Foundations of the fastned Earth whereat his Horse gave such a sudden start that he leaped ten foot from the place whereon he stood After this he heard the sound of Drums and the chearful Ecchoes of brazen Trumpets by which the Ualiant Champion expected some honourable Pastime or some great Tournament to be at hand which indeed so fell out for no sooner did he cast his vigilant Eyes toward the East-side of the City but he beheld a Troop of well appointed Horse come marching through the Gates after them twelve Armed Knights mounted on twelve Warlike Coursers bearing in their hands twelve blood-red Streamers whereon was wrought in Silk the Picture of Adonis wounded with a Boar after them the King drawn in a Chariot by Spanish Iennets which being a certain kind of Steeds ingendred by the Wind The King's Guard were a 100 naked Moors with Turkish Bows and Darts feathered with Ravens wings after them marched Celestine the King of Jerusalem's fair Daughter mounted on a tame Unicorn In her hand a Iavelin of Silver and Armed with a Breast-plate of Gold artificially wrought like the Scales of a Porcupine her Guard were an hundred Amazonian Dames clad in green Silk after them followed a number of Esquires and Gentlemen some upon Barbarian Steeds some upon Arabian Palfries and some on foot in pace more nimble than the tripping Deer and more swift than the tamest Hart upon the Mountains of Thessaly Thus Nebuzaradan great King of Jerusalem for so was he called solemnly hunted in the Wilderness of Judah being a Country very much annoyed with Wild Beasts as the Lyon the Leopard the Boar and such like in which exercise the King appointed as it was Proclaimed by his chief Herauld at Arms the which he heard repeated by the Shepherd in the Fields that whosoever slew the first Wild-beast in the Forrest should have in reward a Corsset of Steel so richly engraven that it should be worth a thousand sheckles of Silver Of which honourable enterprize when the Champion had understanding and with what liberal bounty the adventurous Knight would be rewarded his heart was fraught with invincible courage thirsting after

smile upon their Travels for three braver Knights did never cross the Seas nor make their Adventures into strange Countries CHAP. III. How St. George 's Sons after they were Knighted by the English King travelled towards Barbary and how they redeemed the Duke's Daughter of Normandy from Ravishment that was assailed in a Wood by three Tawny-moores and also of the tragical Tale of the Virgin 's strange Miseries with other Accidents MAny days had not these three magnanimous Knights endured the danger of the swelling Waves but with a prosperous and successful Wind they arrived upon y e Tirritories of France where being no sooner safely set on shore but they bountifully rewarded their Marriners and betook themselves fully to their intended Travels Now began their costly trapped Steeds to pace it like the scudding Winds and with their wa●like Hoofs to thunder on the beaten passages now began true Honour to flourish in their princely Breasts and the Renown of their Father's Atchievements to encourage their Desires Although tender Youth sat but budbing on their Cheeks yet portly Man-hood triumpht in their Hearts and although their childish Arms as yet never tryed the painful adventures of Knight-hood yet bore they high and princely Cegitations in as great esteem as when the● Father slew the burning Dragon in Aegypt for preservation of their Mother's life Thus travelled they to the farther part of the Kingdom of France guided only by the Direction of Fortune without any Adventure worth the no●ing till at last riding thorow a mighty Fortess standing on the Borders of L●sitania they hea●d as at off as it were the ruful cries of a distressed Woman which in this manner filled the Air with ●●hees of her Moans O Heavens said she be kind and pitiful unto a Maiden in Distress and send some happy Passengers that may deliver me from these inhumane Monsters This woful and unexpected noise caused the Knights to alight from their Horses and to see the event of this Accident So after they had tyed their Steeds to the body of a Pine-tree by the R●ins of their B●●ole● they walked on foot into the thickest of the Forrest with their Weapons drawn ready to withstand any assaysment whatsoever and as they drew near to the distressed Uirgin they heard her breathe forth this pi●iful moving Lamentation the second time Come come some courteous Knight or else I must forgo that precious Jewel which all the World can never again recover These words caused them to make the more speed and to run the nearest way for the Maiden's Succour Where approaching her presence they found her tyed by the locks of her own hair to the trunk of an Orange-tree and three cruel and inhumane Negroes standing ready to dispoil her of her pure and undefiled Chastity and with their Lusts to blast the blooming Bud of her dear and unspotted Uirginity But when St. George's Sons be held her lovely Countenance besmeared in Dust that before seemed to be as beautiful as Roses in Milk and her crystal Eyes the perfect patterns of B●shfulness imbrewed in floods of Tears at one instant they ran upon the Negroes and sheathed their angry Weapons in their loathsome Bowels the Leacher● being slain their Blonds sprinkled about the Forrest and their Bodies cast out as a Prey for ravenous Beasts to feed on they unbound the Maiden and like courteous Knights demanded the cause of her Captivity and by what means she came into that solitary Forrest Most noble Knights quoth she and true renowned Men at Arms to tell the cause of my passed Misery were a prick onto my Soul for the Discourse thereof will burst my Heart with Grief but consider your Nobilities the which I do perceive by your princely Behaviour and kind Courtesies extended towards me being a Virgin in Distress under the hands of these lustful Negroes whom you have justly murthered shall so much imbolden me though unto my Heart 's great Grief to Discourse the first cause of my miserable Fortune My Father quoth she whilst gentle Fortune smiled upon him was Duke and sole Commander of the State of Normandy a Country now situated in the Kindom of France whose Lands and Revenues in his prosperity was so great that he continually kept as stately a Train both of Knights and Gentlemen as any Prince in Europe wherefore the King of France greatly envied and by bloody Wars deposed my Father from his Princely Dignity who for safeguard of his life in company of me his only Heir and Daughter betook us to these solitary Woods where ever since we have secretly remained in a poor Cell or Hermitage the which by our industrious Pains hath been Builded with plants of Vines and Oaken boughs and covered over-head with clods of Earth and turfs of ●ra●s seven Years we have continued in great Extremities sustaining our Hunger with the Fruits of Trees and quenching of our Thirst with the Dew of Heaven falling nightly upon fragrant Flowers and here instead of princely Attire imbroidered Garments and damask Vestures we have been constrained to cloath our selves with Flowers the which we have painfully woven up together here instead of Musick that wont each morning to delight our Ears we have the whilstling Winds resounding in the Woods our Clocks to tell the Minutes of the wandring Nights are Snake and Toads that sleep in roots of rotten Trees our Canopies to cover us are not wrought of Median Silk the which Indian Virgins Weave upon their silver Looms but the fable Clouds of Heaven when as the chearful day hath closed her crystal Windows up Thus in this manner continued we in this solitary Wilderness making both Birds and Beasts our chief Companions these merciless Tawny-moores whose hateful Breasts you have made to water the parched Earth with streams of Blood who as you see came into our Cell thinking to have found some store of Treasure but casting their gazing Eyes upon my Beauty they were presentl● 〈…〉 with lustfull Desires only to crop the sweet B●d of my Virginity then with furious and dismal Countenance more black than the 〈◊〉 Garments of sad Me●ponis●it when she mourn●ully writes of bloudy Frage●hes and with Hearts more cruel than was Nero 's the tyranous Roman Emperour when he beheld the Entrails of his natural Mother la●d open by his inhumane and merciless Commandment or when he stood upon the highest top of a mighty Mountain to see that famous and imperial City of Rome set on fire by the remorseless hands of his unrelen●ing Ministers that added unhallowed Flames to his unholy Furies In this kind I say these merciless and wicked minded Negroes with violent hands took my aged Father and most cruelly bound him to the blasted Body of a withered Oak standing before the entry of his Cell where neither the rever and honour of his silver Hairs glistering like the frozen Isikles upon the Northern Mountains nor the strained Sighs of his Breast wherein the Pledge of Wisdom was inthronized nor all my Tears

the good of Christendom they should again awake and holy to overcome the Pagan Army And that by opening their Tombs and laying the Herb Bazil to the Roots of their Tongues they should revive again in good strength and vigour This Dream he declared unto an Abbot of an Abby near adjoying and he to the Governour of that Province who altogether went to the English Court and declared the same unto the King whereupon it was determined that the experiment should soon be tryed and accordingly Messengers were dispatched into France Spain Italy Scotland Ireland and VVales which Message was no sooner delivered in those several Countries but that they soon applyed the same and found the effect answerable to what the Hermit had dreamed for immediately thereupon the Champions arose as out of a sweet sleep and having a while discoursed of those matters we have in the former Chapters declared unto you the Messengers were returned back again with this agreement that with all expedition they should meet together in the Country of Naples aforesaid that with the better celerity they might overtake and joy● themselves with the Christians Army This determination being 〈◊〉 made known to each other they with all speed 〈◊〉 themselves of Armour and other necessaries for their journey and taking the Holy Hermit Sylvanus along with them they ●● a little space me● together in the Land of Naples To re●ite the g●eat joy at this there so unexpected a méeting is beyond the skill of my Pen to express but having congratulated one another they agreed to hasten after the Christian Army with all the expedition they could make so being furnished with a ●tately 〈◊〉 they put forth to Sea but long they had not sailed when a 〈◊〉 Tempest overtook them so that they expected every minute to be devoured and to make their Graves in that merciless Element at last the weather clearing they found themselves on the Coast of fruitful Thessaly where being landed they gave thanks to the ●owers above for their safe deliverance Next they provided for the refreshing of their Bodies having in two days before taken no sustenance for so long had the Tempest endured Now whilst they were at their Collation they thought they heard the ●atling of Armour trampling of Horses s●●i●ks of wounded Souldiers with divers other Symptoms of an Army fighting not far off from that place wherefore to be resolved they called to a Thessalian who by his running posture 〈◊〉 to fly from some danger near at hand from whom they understood that about some half a mile from that place the King of Thrace and King of Thessaly were engaged in a bloody fight For so it happened that soon after the departure of St. Georges thrée Sons the King of Thessaly either through a generous disposition not willing that Kings should be too close confined or through the negligence of them that should have looked after him the King of Thrace made an escape out of Prison and having a Band of his Souldiers ●i● a readiness they surprized the place wherein the two Gyanto Predo and Pandaphilo were likewise kept in hold and set them at liberty and being thus at freedom went into Thracia where he soon raised an Army and being accompanied with the two Gyants aforesaid they entered Thessaly harazing the same with fire and sword to eppose whom the King of Thessaly had raised an Army and were at that time engaged in a fierce and bloody Battle The Christian Champions having heard in what danger the King of Thessaly stood resolved to succour him and so buckling on their Armour being guided by the Thessalian who had fled from the fight they came to the Army just as they were in a running posture but soon by their valour they made it known what difference there is between multitude and manhood for laying about them with their keen edged Fauchions they soon made Lanes of slaughtered Carcasses so that the Thracians fled from before their blows as flocks of Sheep from before the Wolf or Chirkens at the sight of the Kite The two Gyants seeing the Thessalians thus make head again whom just before they accounted vanquished they made up to the head of their Army whom when the Champions had beheld St. George singled out the Gyant Predo and St. Denis encountered with Pandaphilo and now such blows were dealt amongst them that Mars himself might have been a spectator of the fight Here strength and courage seemed to strive for superiority fury and valour encountred each other giving and receiving such mighty stroaks as none but themselves were able to sustain At length St. George with his Cuttle-are gave the Gyant Predo such a blow as dasht into his Brains and made way for death to take possession of his Body Pandaphilo seeing his Brothers fall upon his Knees desired mercy which the Noble Champion St. Denis granted him In the mean time the ether Champions had made such dreadful ●adock among the Thracians that all the fields lay strewed with their slaughtered Carcases The King himself being deadly wounded was taken Prisoner The King of Thessaly in the mean time was in great admiration what these strangers should be who had brought Uictory to his side which was taking her wings to fly to his adversaries and therefore now the field being cleared of all enemies he went unto them desiring to know to whose valour he was so much indebted as the rescue of his Life and Kingdom But when he understood they were ●h● Renowned Champions of Christendom whose fame was spread all the World over and who were supposed to be dead And how that St. George was the Father o● those three Princely Brothers who had before so valiantly fought for him he was transported with an extaste of joy as was that Father whose three Sons returned home victors from the Olympick Games And having congratulated each other they took order for the Prisoners which were in a manner the remainder of the whole Army Then marched they in good array to the City of Larissa being met by the Princess Mariana attended with a train of five hundred Uirgins attired all in suits of white Sa●cenet who having done her obeisance to her Father she most courteously welcomed the Christian Champions especially St. George for the entire affection which she bare to Sir Alexander Here did they spend some few days in much mirth and jollity when one night at such time as the bright Charioter of Heaven had set his fiery brass-hoof'd Coursers to their meat and that the jetty sable night had overspread his golden glistering locks when Morpheus the god of sleep had lockt up the eyes of mortals and cast them into deep slumbers As St George lay sleeping on his Bed there appeared to him the likeness of a beautiful Angel which breathed forth these words Brave English Champion make no delay But to the Christians Army post away Fame calls aloud and Mars doth beat alarms Then leave off Court delights and fall

now to mind the long and weary Travels of Saint Denis the Champion of France endured after his departure from the other Six Champions at the Brazen Pillar as you heard in the beginning of the former Chapter from which he wandred through many a Desolate Grove and Wilderness without any Adventure worthy the noting till he arrived upon the Borders of Thessaly being a Land as then inhabited only with Wild Beasts wherein he endured such a penury and scarcity of Uictuals that he was forced the space of seven years to feed upon the Herbs of the field and the Fruits of Trees till the hairs of his ●e●d were like Eagles Feathers and the Nails of his Fingers to Birds Claws his drink the dew of Heaven the which he licked from the Flowers of Meadows the Attire he cloathed his Body withal Bay-leaves and broad Docks that grew in the Wood his Shoes the barks of Trees whereon he Travelled through many a Thorny Brake but at last as it was his Fortune or cruel Destiny being over-prest with the extremity of hunger to taste and feed upon the Berries of an inchanted Mulberry Tree whereby he lost the lively Form and Image of his Humane substance and was Transformed into the shape and likeness of a Wild Hart which strange and sudden transformation this Noble Champion little mistrusted till he espied his mishapen form in a clear Fountain which Nature had erected in a cool and shady Ualley but when he beheld the shadow of his deformed substance and how his Head late honoured with a Burgonet of Stéel now dishonoured with a pair of Silvan Horns his face whereon the countenance of true Nobility was lately charactered now covered with a Beast-like similitude and his Body late the true Image of Magnanimity now over-spread with a hairy hide in colour like to the follow Fields which strange alteration not a little perplexed the mind of Saint Denis that it caused him with all speed having the natural reason of a Man still remaining to ●epair back to the Mulberry tree again supposing the Berries he had eaten to be the cause of his Transformation under which Tree the distressed Knight laid his deformed Limbs upon the bare ground and thus wofully began to complain What Magick Charms said he or other bewitching Spells remain within this cursed Tree whose wicked Fruit hath confounded my future Fortunes and converted me to a miserable estate O thou Coelestial Director of the World and all you pitiful Powers of Heaven look down with a kind Countenance upon my hapless Transformation and bend your browsto hear my woful Lamentation I was of late a Man but now a horned Beast I was a Soldier and my Countrey 's Champion but now a loathsome Creature and a prey for Dogs my glistering Armour is exchanged into a Hide of Hair and my brave Array more baser than the low Earth henceforth instead of Princely Palaces these shady Woods must serve to shrowd me in wherein my Bed of Down must be a heap of Sun-burn'd Moss my sweet recording Musick the blustering Winds that with Tempestuous Gusts do make the Wilderness to tremble the Company I daily keep must be the Silvan Satyrs Driades and Airy Nymphs which never appear to worldly eyes but in twilights or at the prime of the Moon the Stars that beautifie the Crystal Veil of Heaven shall henceforth serve as Torches to light me to my woful Bed the scowling Clouds shall be my Canopy my Clock to count how Time runs stealing on the sound of hissing Snakes or else the croaking of Toads Thus described he his own Misery till the watry Tears of Calamity gushed out in such abundance from the Conduits of his Eyes and his scorching Sighs so violently forced from his bleeding Breast that they seemed as it were to constrain the untamed Bears and merciless Tygers to relent his moan and like harmless Lambs sit bleating in the Woods to hear his woful exclamations Long and many days continued this Champion of France in the shape of an Hart in more distressed misery than the unfortunate English Champion in Persia not knowing how to recover his former likeness and humane substance So upon a time as he lamented the loss of Nature's Ornaments under the branches of that Enchanted Mulberry-Tree which was the cause of his Transformation he heard a grievous and terrible groan which he supposed to be the induction of some admirable Accident that would ensue so taking Truce for a time with sorrows he heard a hollow voice breath from the Trunk of that Mulberry-Trée these words following The Voice in the Mulberry-Tree Cease now to Lament thou Famous man of France With gentle Ears come listen to my moan In former Times it was my fatal Chance To be the proudest Maid that e'er was known By Birth I was the Daughter of a King Though now a breathless Tree and sensless Thing My Pride was such that Heaven confounded me A Goddess in my own conceit I was What Nature lent too base I thought to be But deem'd my self all earthly things to pass And therefore Nectar and Ambrosia sweet The Food of Heaven for me I countedmeet My Pride contemned still the Bread of Wheat But purer food I daily sought tofind Refined Gold was boiled in my Meat Such self-conceit my Fancies fond did blind For which the Gods above transformed me From humane substance to this senseless Tree Seven years in shape of Hart thou must remain And then the purest Rose by Heaven's Decree Shall bring thee to thy former Shape again And end at last thy wofull misery When this is done be sure you cut in twain This fatal Tree wherein I do remain After the Uoice had breathed these speeches from the Mulberry Tree he stood so much amazed at the strangeness of the words that for a time his sorrows bereaved him of his speech and his long appointed Punishment constrained his thoughts to lose their natural understanding But yet at last recovering his Senses though not his humane likeness he bitterly complained of his hard Misfortunes O unhappy Creature said the woful Champion more miserable than Progne in her Transformation and more distressed than Acteon was whose perfect Picture I am made His misery continued but a short time for his own Dogs the same day tore him in a thousand pieces and buried his transformed Carcass in their hungry Bowels mine is appointed by the Angry Destinies till seven times the Summers Sun hath yearly replenished his radiant Brightness and seven times the Winters Rain hath washed me with the Showers of Heaven Such were the Complaints of the Transformed Knight of France sometimes remembring his former Fortunes how he had spent his days in the honour of his Country sometimes thinking upon the place of his Nativity Renowned France the Nurse and Mother of his Life sometimes treading with his foot as for hands he had none in sandy ground the print of the words the which the Mulberry-Tree had repeated and many times

end our Names in obscurity let not chill fear the Cowards companion pull us back from the golden Throne where the adventurous Souldier sits in glory deservedly we are to trample in a Field of death and dead mens Bones and to buckle with an Enemy of great strength a Pagans power that seeks to over-run all Christian Kingdoms and to wash our Cambrian Fields with innocent Blood To Arms I say brave followers I will be the first to give death the onset and for my Colours or Ensign do I wear upon my Burgonet you see a green Leek beset with Gold which shall if we win the Victory hereafter be an honour unto Wales and on this day being the first of March be for ever worn by the Welsh-men in remembrance hereof Which Words were no sooner spoken by the Champion but all the Royal Army of every degree and calling got themselves the like Recognizance which was each of them a green Leek upon their Hats or Bravers which they wore all the time of the Battel and by that means the Champions followers were known from the others This was not long a doing before S. David and his Companie beheld descending from the Mountains an Army of Pagans as it seemed numberless people of such mighty Statures whole sight might even have daunted their noble Resolutions had not the brave Champion still animated them forward with Princely incouragements Time stayed not long e're the Battels joyned and the Pagans with their Iron Clubs and Bats of Steel so laid about them that had not our Christian Army been preserved by miracle such a slaughter had been made of the Champion and the Knights that well might have caused the whole World to wonder at But the Queen of Chance so favoured St. David and his Followers that what with their nimble Lances keen Darts and Arrows shot from their quick Bows and Welsh Hooks in great abundance the Sun also lying in the Pagans Faces to their great disadvantage that in short time the Noble Champion won a worthy Uictory The ground lay all covered with mangled Carkasses the Grassie Fields changed from green into red colour with the mingled Blood that ran from Horse and Man thus murthered A Noble Policy was it for all our Christians in that Battel to wear green Leeks in their Burgonets for their Colours by which they were all known and preserved from the slaughter of one anothers Swords only St. David himself excepted who being Uictor in the highest pride of his Glory was at last vanquished O unhappy fate to cut off his honour that was the only darling of Honour Help me Melopemene to bewail his loss that having won all lost his dear life a life that 〈◊〉 whole World might well have miss of Oh fatal Chance for coming from the Battel over-heated in Blood a sudden cold congealed in all his lives Members that without Recovery he was forced to yield unto death to the great grief of all Knights and Followers who for the space of forty days mourned for him in great heaviness and after attended him unto his Grave with much sorrow Which being done in the honour of his Name they ordained a custom that the day of his Uictory should be canonized and called in all after Ages S. David's day being holden still upon the first of March and in remembrance thereof upon the same day should likewise he worn by all well-willers to the same Country certain green Leeks in their Hats or on their Bosoms in true honour of this Noble Martialist which is still a praise worthy Custom in these our Northern Climates which time beloved Souldier we will now leave sleeping in his Tomb in peace and go forward in our other intended Tragical Discourses CHAP. XIX How Saint Dennis was Beheaded in his own Countrey and how by a Miracle shewed at his Death the whole Kingdom of France received the Christian Faith SAint Denis being the third in this our Pilgrimage of Death was likewise desirous of the sight of his own Country which he had not seen in many years and purposing a toilsom Travel to the same took leave of the other Champions who not altogether willing to leave so Noble a Champion yet considering the desire of his mind they quickly condescended wishing him the best well-face of Knight-hood and so parting they to their Princely Pavillions and be to his restless Iourney as well mounted and as richly furnished with habiliments of Knight-hood as any Martialist in all Arabia in which Country he was then but leaving that place to satisfie his desires he travelled day by day toward the Kingdom of France without any Adventure worth reporting till he arrived upon the borders of that fair Country that he had so long wished to behold But now see how Fare frowned the welcome he expected was suddenly converted into a deadly hatred for there was remaining in the French Kings favour a Knight of St. Michaels Drder who in former times hearing of the hourable Adventures of this Noble Champion St. Dennis and thinking this same to be a disparagement to his Knight-hood and the rest of that Drder conspired to betray him and to bring all his former Honours with his life to a final overthrow Whereupon this envious Knight of Saint Michaels goes unto the King being as then a Pagan Prince one that had no true knowledge of the Deity and said There was come into his Kingdom a strange Knight a false Believer one that in time would draw the love of his Subjects from him to the Worship of a strange God and that in despight of him and his Country he would establish a falufyed Opinion and that he wore upon his Breast the Christian Cross With many other things contrary to the Laws of his Kingdom Upon these aforesaid false informations the King grew so enraged that without any more consideration he caused the good Knight Saint Denis to be attached in his Bed-chamber otherwise a score of the best Knights in all France had not been sufficient to bring him Prisoner to the Kings presence before whom being no sooner come but with more than humane sury without cause he adjudged him a speedy Death and by Martial Law without any further Tryal to receive the same The good Champion Saint Denis even in Death having a most noble resolution nothing at all dismayed and knowing his cause to be good and that he should suffer for the Name of his sweet Redeemer he most willingly accepted of the same Iudgment saying Most mighty but yet cruel King think not but yet this exceeding Tyranny will be requited in a strange manner thy censure I take with much joy in that I die for him whose Colours I have worn from mine Infancy and this my Death seals up the obligation of all my Comforts And thou sweet Country where I first took life receive it again a Legacy due unto thee for this my Blood which here I offer up into thy Bosom is the best gift I can

Nations and Kingdoms the Kings of those Countries assembled together all the Forces they could make and with the greatest expedition they could use marched into the Plains of Babylon The first that came thither mas the King of Arabia attended with an Army of Twenty Thousand Men whereof Eight Thousand were mountted on Arabian Coursers being armed with Spears and Targets so swift and dexterous in their undertakings that they seldom mist of atchieving any business they went about His Pavilion was of a Uiolet colour fringed with yellow to distinguish of what Country he was of The next was the Soldan of Persia himself with an Army of Ten Thousand Horsemen and Thirty Thousand Foot of which Nine Thousand were Pioneers to level the way for the Ar●ies matching and to dig Trenches for the assaulting of any Castle or City His Pavilion was red fringed with Orange-fawny being mounted on a Hill to be the more conspicuous to the Beholders Next was the King of Egypt with Twenty-five Thousand men of which three hundred were Magicians or 〈◊〉 to charm and bew●tch the Christian Army that they might not fight His Pavilion was Blue fringed with black and was placed on the Right-hand of the King of Arabia Soon after came the great Cham of Tartary with an Army of thirty thousand men all in quilted Jackets so thick wrought that no Arrow could pierce them They were all armed with Steel Gantlets and had Swords of a hands breadth and withal so sharp that they would cut off a man at the ●●●ble with a blow His Pavilion was of a Primrose colour with a White fringe which was placed on the Left-hand of the Soldan of Persia. Next came the King of Morocco with two thousand Horsemen mounted all on Barbary Steeds armed with Skins of Stags so thick and tough that no sword could cut through them he had also ten thousand Footmen with Iron Mar●s having round balls at the end of them of four or five pound weight therewith to dash out the Christians brains His Pavilion and the Fringe thereof was all black to signifie black and dismal days to ensue He was placed next to the King of Egypt The next that arrived in the fruitful Fields of Babylon was the King of Parthia with an Army consisting of fifteen thousand men He had also an hundred Elephants carrying Towers on their backs in each of which ten men might stand and fight This King was in stature four foot higher than most men having each Limb answerable thereto so that he wore a sword of two yards in length the pummel whereof weighed twenty pound His Pavilion was of sky-colour fringed with sea-green and was placed next to the King of Morocco Next was the Emperour or Grand Signior of the Turks accompanied with ten thousand Janisaries armed with sharp Scimiters so keen they would cut a Bolt of Iron asunder He was armed in a Coat of Mail of burnisht Silver having on his head a white Turbant and a Pendant on it wherein was depictured a half Moon with this Motto still encreasing His Pavilion was green with silver and gold fringe and was placed on the Right-hand of the Soldan of Persia. After him came the Prince of Tripoly accompanied with ●ou● Gyants of a marvellous size and bigness whose names were Garion Carus Phidon and Rhapsarus those bore on their necks great knotty Oaks with which they could strike two yards déep into the ground and were most dreadful to behold He had also with him a deformed Creature called a Sagitary being half a Man and half a Horse who could run as swift as a Ship can sail having wind and weather His offensive weapon was a Bow with which he shot poysoned Arrows and was so expert therein that he could shoot to a hairs breadth This Prince of Tripoly was encamped next to the King of Parthia and had a Pavilion of a Pease blossom colour ●ringed with Murrey After him came the Count Palatine of Trebizond with fifteen hundred Cross-bow-men all armed in Stéel Corslets He had also thrée thousand men that used slings with which they would eractly hit whatever they aimed at and that at a great distance from them On his shield was painted a Griffin grasping of a Christian with this Motto siezed of his Prey His Pavilion was of an azure colour fringed with red and was placed next to the Emperour or Grand Signior of the Turks The next that appeared on the Babylonian Plains for the destruction of of the Christians was the Bassa of Aleppo who brought with him a hundred wains loaden with balls of wild-fire sulpher and certain Engines called Calthorps being little things made with four pricks of Iron of such a fashion that which way soever they be thrown one point will always strick up like a nail and these were to be thrown into the Christians Army to spoil the feet of their Horses His Pavilion was of an Iron-gray colour and was placed next to the Count Palatine of Trebizond Next was the Mamaluck of Damascus attended with six thousand Horse and six thousand Footmen He had also in his Army a deformed Monster from the shoulders downwards shaped like a man but his head and face like to that of a horse being a present sent him from the Cham of Tartary and from whom descended the horse-faced Tartar kill'd by Count Sereni This Mamalucks Pavilion was of yellow intermixed with black and fringed with red being placed next to the ●assa of Allepo Many other Kings Princes and Emperors were engaged in this enterprize whose names would be too tedious here to recite insomuch that there was assembled such an Army as made the earth to shake under the weight thereof being more in number then that of Xerxes which drank up ' whole Rivers dry as ' they went or then that of the Macedonian Alexander with which he conquered the greatest part of the World Being thus in this manner assembled together the Soldan of Persia as one of the chiefect of the Association gathered the greatest Princes and Captains to his Pavilion where he entertained them with a costly Banquet and then made unto them this following Dration Most Mighty Kings Princes and Captains of this invincible Army It is not unknown unto you what injuries and mischiefs we have received from the Christian Armies under the conduct of those persons whom they called the seven Champions of Christendom to enumerate them all in particular would make my Oration too tedious unto you I shall therefore only give you some few instances What injury did St. George the Champion of England unto Ptolomy King of Egypt by stealing away his daughter as also from Almidor King of Morocco his dearest Lady and Mistress did not the Kings Daughter of Thesialy run away from her Country by the sly insinuations of St. Denis of France as also the King of Ierusalems Daughter by the like perswasion of St. Iames of Spain what intollerable injury was it to the King of Thracia to

have his fair Daughter Kessalinde tempt'd away from her Country by the Italian Champion but much more from the Champion of Scotland to be deprived of his other six Daughters did not the Welch Champion slay the Count Palatine of Tartary in his Fathers Court besides infiuite other mischiefs losses and disgraces we have received from them all which whilst they lived we were not able to revenge but now since Death hath been so kind to take them out of the World let us pluck up our courages and manfully sight in revenge of our injuries let pity be exiled from our thoughts neither sparing old Age for their hoary head nor the tender infant for his pitiful cry let not the tears of Matrons find regard nor the wailings of Widows any respect but let all be destined to the sword that we may have a general triumph in their utter confusion This Dration was received with a general applause each one protesting their utmost endeavours for the extirpation of Christianity and never to sheath their swords till they had laid the European Cities equal with the dust and their stately Monuments in ruine like to the lofty Pyramids of Troy And now considering by experience the fatal effects of their former dis●ord in electing a General and how necessary it was to have one Commander in chief to avoid all controversie it was d●creed amongst them that si● of the chiefest should be picked forrth and out of them one to be chosen by Lot to be their General These six were the King of Arabia the King of Persia the Soldan of Babylon the King of Egypt the Emperour of the Turks and the King of Morocco The Lots being cast it fell to the share of the Soldan of Babylon to be their General the Emperour of the Turks was appointed Lieutenant General the King of Persia Major General and the King of Arabia by reason of the swiftness of his Coursers Scout-Master General Other Kings and Princes had appointed unto them several other offices according to their quality and capacity they had in the seats of War So that all things considered they seemed to be an Army invincible being for number like the Army of Xerxes which drank whole Rivers dry and for Warlike Provisions so much and plentiful as far exc●ded all numbers of Arithmetick Here will we leave this mighty Army in the Plains of Babylon and come to tell ye of the great preparations the Christians made to resist them but first we shall describe the valiant arts of St. Georges three Sons and how they hearing of this great Army intended for the ruine of Chistendom returned home to fight in defence of their Country CHAP. II. How St. George's Three Sons left England to seek Adventures in Forreign Countries how they Arrived in Sicily and killed a terrible Monster named Pongo How Urania the King of Sicily's Daughter fell in love with Sir Guy with other things which happened YOU may remember in the Second Part of this famous History we left St. Georges three Sons in the English Court where they had not continued long after their Fathers death but growing weary of idleness and being more desirous to follow the Camp of Mars then to dally with Ladies in the Court of Venus they resolved to betake themselves to ●ravel and to seek out adventures in Foreign Countries and having unparted their mind to the King they furnished themselves with all things necessary for such a journey and b●●ding the fruitful ●oyl of England 〈◊〉 they in a few weeks sailing arrived on the Coasts of Sicily where marching up higher into the Country they saw many Houses but no Inhabitants yea whole Towns of empty Houses but neither Man Woman nor Child within them which made them mistrust some grievous Pestilence had lately overspread that Country and made it desolate of Inhabitants wherefore to avoid any infection which might happen unto them they took up their lodging in the open Fields having only the star●y Firmament for their Canopy Thus sweetly reposeing on their Mother Earth they slept as soundly as if they had laid on Beds of Downe and been surrounded with Curtains of the purest Arabian Silk Thus did they sleep securely until such time as Aurora began to guild the Firmament with her bright Rayes and to usher in Phoebus golden light when suddenly they were awaked with a most horrible noise which séemed to be sent from the déep Abyss and to be able to rend the Rocks asunder where upon they suddenly buckled on their Armour and stood upon their Guard and indeed it was but high time for at that instant they saw coming towards them a most deformed Monster of an excessive bigness and terrible shape having Eyes like burning sawcers and Claws sharper than Eagles ●allons He seemed to move like a high Tower or Pyramid and with his weight to make the Earth to tremble the sight of this ugly Monster so s●artled their Horses that they would hardly endure the bit but snorting and stumping the Earth with their feet showed the dread they had of such a sight but these thrée valiant Knights in whom was sown the seeds of true magnanimity stood fearless to abide what danger soever might happen The first whom this fierce Monster made unto was the valiant Knight Sir Guy who nothing daunted at his hideous shape having put his Spear in his Rest ran furiously against him but the Monster being armed with scales far harder than brass his Spear shiver'd in a thousand pieces then drawing out his trusty Fauchion he assailed the Monster with manly stroaks who on his part was not backward in defence but bolting upright on his tail stretched forth one of his paws and with the same grasped so hard on the arm of Sir Guy that he had well near siezed on him had not Sir David at that instant come in ond with his sword cut the Monsters paw quite off leaving the claws so firmly fixt on Sir Guy's Arm that notwithstanding the goodness of his armour it was very hard to be gotten off In the mean time the valiant and renowned Knight Sir Alexander with great force sot upon the monster giving him such a blow upon the head as made him to reel who with his tail striking of Sir Alexander so wrapped the same about his horses legs that not able to stand he came over and over with the Kniht The Monster seeing him on the ground was making towards him whom Sir David met with such a lusty thrust on his breast that though it pierced not the same it laid the Monster flat on his back which was no sooner done but Sir Guy nimblp leaping from off his horse thrust his sword down the Monsters Throat who lay gasping for breath whereby he rived his heart in sunder yet notwithstanding the same the Monsters Teeth were so kéen that he bit the Knights sword intwo leaving the one half in his Throat and withal sent forth such a hideous yell as surpassed the roaring