obdurate then Dunces Tygers or the Panthers whelps whose healths are morning draughts in blood couldst thou be so unkind to her who loved thee so dearly and must thy revenge extend to blood O savage â—igour more cruel then a Turk or Troglodite In this manner complained the woful Milesia shedding forth abundance of tears which yet were but barren shadows to express the substance of her grief At last the extremity of her passion being over she sent me word of what had happened which into what a distracted grief it put me into let them be judge who are the Parents of an only Child My greatest comfort in this distressed condition was to study revenge against Euphemius but how to accomplish it there was the difficulty as knowing my self too weak to oppose him by open force whereupon I sent a Letter to the chiefest of the Nobles declaring how unworthily he had done by my Daughter and imploring their aid to revenge his disloyalty who greatly pitying my misfortunes and remembring how he had been the death of their good Queen Artemia they by a joynt consent banished him their Kingdom who by this means being implacably incensed against me accompanied with a crew of â—eilows of as desperate fortunes as himself he warred against me and quickly outed me of my Barrony I in vain imploring help from his Nobles who upon his extirpation were warring one against another for superiority Wherefore being destitute of Friends and hopeless of ever attaining my prâ—â—cine glory I betook my self to a Shepherds life the better to be shâ—euded in obscurity yet being assured by the wise Mededa that there should one day come a Knight out of a far Country who should restore me again to my Barony Sir Guy having heard the Shepherds discourse it wrought in him great ruth and compassion and turning himself to Captain Bolus he thus said now by the honour of my Knighthood and by the love I bear to my Country England I will not enter into my Ship until I have reseaâ—ed him again in his Barony and to make good his promise he took with him a hundred of his choicest Soldiers and being guided by the Shepherd Selindus they marched to Mompelior where they heard how Euphemius was lodged in a strong Castle and guarded with five hundred Souldiers having also in pay a certain Morisco of a wonderful stature and strength armed in a Coat of Mail and using a Bar of Iron of forty pound weight for his Club. Having approached within half a mile of the Castle Sir Guy sent a Messenger to Euphemius demanding him to restore the Castle with all that belonged to it to Selindus or else to expect the worst that should happen upon such refusal but Euphemius was so far from granting his request that he did the Messenger to charge his Master forthwith to depart his Territories or else his life would pay for his presumption in seeking to meddle with what he had nothing to do withal Hereupon both sides prepared themselves for fighting Euphemius himself with the Gyant Morisco accompanied with three hundred of his choicest Souldiers setting upon Sir Guy with such sury that had he not been of undaunted Courage and always watchful against such desperate onsets he had undoubtedly overthrown him but Sir Guy having with great Ualour stood the shock of their fury fell upon Euphemius and his men with such undaunted resolution that notwithstanding he made a notable resistance yet his Souldiers began to give back which the Morisco perceiving he singly set upon Sir Guy and with manly Conrage dealt about such blowes that who so should have beheld him would have thought the great Alcides had descended again upon the Earth to teach Mortals the way of Mankinds destruction but Sir Guy so nimbly avoided his blowes and with such dexterious skill set upon the Gyant with his never failing Sword that he made many wounds in his flesh whereby Death to enter in at which Euphemius perceiving he made up to Sir Guy to succour the Morisco but before he could get up to him he was set upon by Captain Bolus with so great Courage that he found he had enough to do to defend himself At last Sir Guy enforcing himself with all his might gave such a blow on the Gyants Helmet as piercing the same it came forth all embrued with his Brains who without speaking any word fell down dead to the ground Euphemius seeing his Friend the Morisco fall would have fled away but he was so inviron'd by Souldiers that all means was taken from him to escape whereupon he was forced to yield himself a Prisoner and was both by Sir Guy and Captain Bolus entertained with great Civility In the mean time Sir Guys Souldiers had persued their Enemies with such vigour that those who were in the Castle opening their Gaâ—es to entertain their flying Friends before they could shut them again Sir Guys Souldiers also entered with them And now within the Castle began a most desperate conflict neither Defendants nor Assailants expecting any mercy if overcome wherefore each one were busie in plying Deaths fatal task their Swords making such sad work that every place was over filled with slaughter and their mingled blood made a Purple flood that overflowed in each place they fought Whilest thus death was Inning his plenteous Harvest and the Souldiers so thronged as they could scarcely wield their killing hands Sir Guy and Captain Bolus coming amongst them soon turned the Scales on the Assailants side so that the Defendants being more overcome by valour then number yielded themselves and the Castle to the mercy of the Conquerours the possession whereof Sir Guy freely surrenderd into the hands of Selindus together with the disposal of all the Prisoners But Euphemius remembring how discourteously he had dealt by Selindus falling on his Knées desired of Sir Guy that he might remain still with him promising him faithfully to be his true Prisoner but his crimes were so notorious that Sir Guy would in no wise consent thereunto whereupon Captain Bolus begged him of him which was granted he having before presented the Captain with a Iewel of an inestimable price And now did the Friends of Selindus come flocking unto him whereby he was in a capacity to maintain his Barony against all Opposers Whereupon Sir Guy took his leave of him and returned to his Ship his Souldiers according to their merits having been before richly rewarded by Selindus CHAP. XIII How Sir Guy arrived in Sicily where he overcame the Rebels which after the King of Sicilies death had Rebelled against the Queen Urania How he was Married to her and afterwards Crowned King of Sicily SIK Guy having restored Selindus to his Barony as you heard in the last Chapter he took Ship together with Captain Bolus and his Prisoner Euphemius and having a prosperous wind they in a few days arrived on the Coasts of fruitful Sicily to the great joy of Sir Guy it being the happy Port whereto
to arms Next morning no sooner had Phoebus with his refulgent beams enlightned the Hemisphear but St George arose from his drowzy bed and relating his vision to the other Champions they agréed with all speed to hasten to the Christian Army and having acquainted the King of Thessaly with their determination they prepared to be gone being accompanied to the Sea-side with the chiefest of the Thessalians At their entering into the Ship the King presented each of the Champions with a rich Diamond King and to St. George he gave over and above a rich Colleâ— of Esses having hanging thereon a Medal of Gold beset with precious Stonesâ— and in it the picture of an Elephant for his Elephant and Gyâ—nt like valour shewed in his defence The Princess Mariana at the same time sent unto Sir Alexander a Signet made of polisht Iasper wherein was engraven a heart wounded with a sword and crowned with a wreath with this word Amarete So taking their solemn leaves of each other the wind standing fair they set sail Where we will leave them for a while to speak of what beâ—el the Christian Army in the mean time Whom you may remember we leâ—t upon the Coasts of Asia who hearing the Pagan Army were so near provided themselves both to assail and withstand their enemy and so by leisurely marches drew nearer to them And now did Sir Guy send out twenty of his nimblest Horsemen to discover what they could of the enemy who returning back brought with them six Persians whom they had taken Prisoners by whom they understood that the whole Army was encamped on a spacious Plain not far off dreadless of an approaching Foe whereupon it was determined that that very night somewhat before the break of day they should fall upon them which accordingly they did in this manner First in the Uaiâ—â—e marched the valiant Knight Sir Alexander with the choicest of the English Horsemen On his Right hand the famous French Knight Sir Turpin with the flower of the French Cavalry On the Left-hand Sir Pedro commanded a gallant party of Spaniards mounted on such speedy paced Gennets as for their swiftness were said to be engendred by the wind And that their Army might spread the further least they should be surrounded with the numerous Forces of their enemies they had for out wings oâ— the one side the five thousand Swedes conducted by Sir Lando the VVarlike and six thousand Germans on the other side lead by a valiant Knight named Count Primaleon The main Battle was conducted by the matchless Knight Sir Guy with thirty thousand foot of Bows and Pâ—kemen whose warlike resolutions carried victory in their very looks On his Right-hand marched the warlike Danes commanded by Sir Pandrasus having in his company the Gyant VVonder On his Left-hand was placed the valiant Scottish men conducted by their Heroick Leader Sir Ewin The Reaâ— was brought up by Sir David with the rest of the English having on his Right-hand the stout Sir Phelim with his nimble Irishmen and on his Left Sir Owen with the hardy VVelch Being thus marshalled they set forward but ere they came to the 〈◊〉 the Enemies had notice of their approach who thereupon instantly armed themselves and put themselves in as good a posture as on the sudden they could The first that encountred each other was the valiant Knight Sir Pedro with his resolute Spaniards against the Bassa of Aleppo betwixt whom was fought such a terrible battle that the Earth resounded with the noise of their blows Next did the magnanimous Knight Sir Alexander encounter with the Soldan of Babylon sending him such a flight of Arrows as would have darkened the Sky in a clear day The Babylonians on the other side laid on load with great courage seeking with their Horse to trample them under foot but that the Pikemen kept them off with such courage as cast many Riders to the ground and put their Troops in great disorder On the other side Sir Turpin with his French gave a lusty charge on the King of Egypt insomuch that he was in great danger of a total rout had he not been timely succor'd by the King of Morocco who stoutly interposing drove the French back in much confusion whereupon Sir Lando the Warlike set upon them with an undaunted courage which gave a check to their procéedings which with his warlike Swedes he so stoutly followed that coming up to the King of Morocco after a fierce encounter betwixt them two in which Mars himself might have been a looker on at length the King of Morocco being deadly wounded surrendred up his Life and Body to the Uictors disposal And now the main Battle came forwards by which time the Sun with his Beams had guilded the Hemisphear so that they could see to fight with more eagerness than they did before The valiant Sir Guy charged strongly upon the Persians who with great courage and skill defended themselves Count Primaleon with his Germans encountered the Arabians and now generally both Armies were fully engaged so that death began to appear in its greatest horrour Then was cutting hacking and flashing on every side The Renowned Christian Captains dealing such blows with their swords and giving so many Mahumetans their deaths as if they intended to overcharge Charons boat in ferrying them over the Stygian River The Infidels on the other side held out with great obstinacy not shrinking for any danger although they were ready to be carried away in streams of their own blood Thus with great obstinacy continued they fighting until the fable night parted their fury when each side retired to their Camp Next Morning no sooner had Aurora usher'd in the day but both armies met again in the Field and as if their stock of Ualour were afresh renewed fell to it with more eagerness and earnestness than before unto their work of Mankinds destruction the thundring Drums beat alarums of Death and the shrill Trumpets sounded forth many thousands that day their knell horrour death and destruction surrounded the Pagans on every side yet still their fresh number made more work for the Christians valour In the heat of this Fight it was Sir Guys chance to meet with the Horse-faced Tartar whom we told you of in the first Chapter of this Third Part whom he resolved to encounter but the sight of him so frighted the other Horses that not one of them would endure to come near him whereupon Sir Guy alighted from his Stood and with his Cuttle axe approached the Monster whose very looks would have affrighted any but such a one whose heart was fraught with true Magnanimity The Monster was readier to assail then be assailed so that betwixt them two began a most fierce and terrible Combat The Monster was so nimble and laid on load so strangely that Sir Guy was never so put to it all the days of his Life at last spying his advantage he gave the Monster such a Wound on his Thigh that sending
Pedro would néeds head whilst the rest refreshed themselves in the City These fresh men by intelligence of the Country people had soon notice whether the Gyant with the greatest part of his men were gone whereupon Sir Pedro taking along with him a choice party of the swiftest Horsemen pursued him so fast that in a short space they had a view of him but the envious Destinies had so ordered it that near thereunto there was a strong Castle into which he was entered before he could be overtaken wherefore they resolved for to besiege it and either force him by Famine to submit himself or to gain his fréedom by hazard of battle Whilst they were thus busied in besieging the Gyant and the Army refreshing themselves in the City it happened that the Captain of the Guard with a party of such as fled with him being joyned to some others whose despicable fortunes made them desperate having intelligence that the French and Spanish Ships were but weakly guarded he with incredible celerity siezed on them forcing those Seamen that were in them to weigh Anchor and hoise Sail into the Sea intending to go unto the Island Zeylon near thereunto adjoyning to raise Forces to withstand the Enemy or if that failed to séek a habitation in some other remote Country Whilst they werâ— thus hovering at Sea it chanced that Sir Owen of the Mountains with Bond his of valiant Welshmen came sailing that way being severed from Sir Phelim with his Irish by a storm at Sea Sir Owen sâ—eing these Ships imagined them to be his faithful Friends the French and Spaniards and therefore made up to them but the mistake being soon perceived they instantly fell to fighting pell mell and now Death shewed himself with much horrour and blood filled the wrinkles of the Seas visage which the water would not wash away that it might witness it was not always his fault when we condemn his cruelty Sir Owen with great valour defended himself notwithstanding he were oppressed with the multitude of his enemies which were so many in number above his men that he had béen in some danger of being worsted had not in the very nick of opportunity Sir Phelim with his Irish come timely to his rescue but now being strengthened with this recruit they so resolutely charged on the Cypriots that first they began to retreat and afterwards sought to shift away the best they could by flight But these Soldiers were so unskilful in Sea-affairs and the Seamen whom they had forced to go along with them being joyful to be relieved by the Welsh and Irish they so ordered the business that the Ships were all taken and the Soldiers in them carried back to the Port from whence they had béen forced away Sir Turpin and Sir Pedro hearing of this gallant enterprize of the VVelsh and Irish in all hast went unto them But now to recount the great joy at their so happy a meeting it is beyond my Art to express But after congratulations passed betwixt them they took order for the better safeguard of their Ships and then with their Prisoners marched to the City where they were entertained with excéeding great joy being most magnificently feasted by the Citizens and complemented with showes and representations performed with great cost and Art Whilst they were thus revelling in delights there came to them a Messenger from the Gyant Guylon with a Letter directed to the Officers of the Christians Army which had Invaded the Island of Cyprus This Letter or Challenge being opened contained these words Think not proud Christians although by stealth and fraud you have Invaded our Country that you shall ever subdue our Hearts although you may hap to â—ubjâ—gate our Bodies Now if your Arms be answerable to your Artifices and that you will maintain with your Sword what you have compassed by Craft I Challenge the best of you all to fight with me upon this condition that if you overcome me we will submit our selves and Country to your disposal but if you be overcome by me then to pass away quietly out of our Land and restore what unjustly you have taken from us This you cannot refuse if you have any spark of Valour in you Guylon This bold Challenge being Read before the four Heroick Captains they each of them desired to have the Combat and that with such earnestness as it almost bred a quarrel amongst them but to avoid all Controversies it was agréed to cast Lots amongst them to whose Honour it should befal which being done accordingly the Lot fell on the Renowned Knight Sir Owen of the Mountains who returned the Gyant this answer to his Challenge Proud Gyant whose Valour consisteth most in boasting and who Triumphest before Conquest Know that thy Challenge shall be answered in justification of what we have done prepare therefore thy self against to morrow when I will not fail to meet thee till then Farewel Owen of the Mountains Accordingly the next day being richly mounted on a Gray Barbary Steed armed in a Coat of Mail with a Sword by his side and a strong keen Fauchion in his hand he rode towards the Castle accompanied with the French Spanish and Iâ—ish Captains and a Band of lusty Soldiers least there should be any treachery shown by the other side Soon after came the Gyant forth of the Castle attended only by a Dwarf he was on foot for he was too heavy for any Horse to bear him He was likewise armed in a Coat of Mail and came with his great Bar of Iron in his hands which he flourished over his head with great pride and ostentation drawing near unto Sir Owen with a haughty voice stuffed with arrogancy he thus spake unto him Proud Knight now shall thy Life pay for thy presumption and thy ruin be the effects of thy over-daring who thinkest to encounter with me in single Combat from whose presence whole Troops have run as dreading to come within the compass of my invincible Arm therefore before thou urgest me too far let me advise thee to dismount and humble thy self at my feet which may be a means to obtain the more favour at my hands Sir Owen smiling at the words of the Gyant returned the Braggadoâ—io this answer following Gyant leave thy proud boasting for know it will behove thee more to use thy hands then thy Tongue VVhen thou hast me in thy power use me as thou wilt and since thou wer 't so courteous as to advise me I shall also be so kind as to warn thee to have a care of thy self least with my Sword I so belabour thy Jacket as shall make thee to promise less except thou couldst perform more And now Sir Owen seeing the Gyant on foot alighted from his Horse that it should not be said advantage added any thing to his Uictory then drawing their swords they laid on load with great courage dealing such blows that to the beholders sight the least of them would leave death behind
glorious Attempts not only for hope of gain but for the desire of honour at which his illustrious and undaunted mind aimed to eternize his Deeds in the memorable Records of Fame and to shine as a Crystal Mirror to all ensuing Times So closing down his Bever and locking on his Furniture he scoured over the Plains before the Hunters of Jerusalem in pace more swift then the winged Winds till he approached an old unfrequented Forrest wherein he espied a huge and mighty Wild Boar lying before his Mossy Den gnawing upon the mangled joynts of some Passenger which he had murthered as he travelled through the Forrest This Bore was of wonderful length and bigness and so terrible to behold that at the first fight he almost daunted the Courage of the Spanish Knight for his Monstrous head séemed ugly and deformed his Eyes sparkled like a fiery Furnace his Tusks more sharp than pikes of Steel and from his Nostrils fumed such a violent breath that it seemed like a tempestuous Whirlwind his Bristles were more hard than seven times melted Brass and his Tail more loathsome than a wreath of Snakes near whom when St. James approached and beheld how he drank the blood of humane Creatures and devoured their flesh he blew his Silver Horn which as then hung at the Pummel of his Saddle in a Scarf of gréen Silk whereat the furious Monster turned himself and most fiercely assailed the Noble Champion which most nimbly leaped from his Horse and with his Spear struck such a violent blow upon the breast of the Boar that it shivered into twenty pieces Then drawing his good Fauchion from his side he gave him a second encounter but all in vain for he struck as it were upon a Rock of Stone or a Pillar of Iron nothing hurtful to the Boar but at last with staring Eyes which sparkled like burning Steel and with open Iaws the greedy Monster assailed the Champion intending to swallow him alive but the nimble Knight as then trusted more upon policy than to fortitude and so for advantage skipped from place to place till on a sudden he thrust his keen-edged Cuttle-ax down his intestine throat and so most valiantly split his heart in sunder The which being accomplished to his own desire he cut off the Boar's head and so presented the honour of the Combat to the King of Jerusalem who was then with his mighty Train of Knights but now entred the Forrest who having graciously received the gift and bountifully fulfilled his promises demanded the Champion's Country his Religion and place of his Nativity who no sooner had intelligence that he was a Christian Knight and born in the Territories of Spain but presently his patience exchanged into a great fury and by these words expressed his cankered stomach toward the Christian Champion Knowest thou not bold Knight said the King of Jerusalem that it is the Law of Iudah to harbour no uncircumcised Man but either to banish him the Land or end his days by some untimely Death Thou art a Christian and therefore shalt die not all thy Country Treasures the Wealthy Spanish Mines not if all the Alps which divide the Countries of Italy and Spain were torn'd to Hills of burnisht Gold and made my Lawful Heritage they should not redeem thy Life Yet for the honour thou haâ—â— done in Iuda I grant thee this favour by the Law of Arms to choose thy Death else hadst thou suffered a vigorous Torment Which severe Iudgment so amazed the Champion that desperately he would have killed himself upon his own Sword but that he thought it a more Honour to his Country to dye in the Defence of Christendom So like a true ennoâ—led Knight fearing neither the Threats of the Iews nor the impartial stroke of the fatal Sisters he gave this Sentence of his own Death First he requested to be bound to a Pine-tree with his Breast laid open naked against the Sun then to have an hours respite to make his supplication to his Creator and afterwards to be shot to death by a true Uirgin Which words were no sooner pronounced but they disarmed him of his Furniture bound him to a Pine-tree and laid his Breast open ready to entertain the bloody stroke of some unrelenting Maiden but such pity meekness mercy and kind lenity lodged in the heart of every maiden that none would take in hand or be the bloody Executioner of so bravea Knight At last the Tyrannous Nabuzaradan gave strict Commandment upon pain of Death that Lots should be east betwixt the Maids of Juda that were there present and so whom the Lot fell she should be the fatal Executioner of the Condemned Christian. But by chanee the Lot fell to Celestine the King 's own Daughter being the Paragon of Beauty and the fairest Maid then living in Jerusalem in whose heart no such deed of cruelty could be harboured nor in whose hand no bloody Weapon could be entertained Instead of Death's fatal Instrument she shot towards his Breast a deep strained sigh the true messenger of Love and afterwards to Heaven she thus made her humble supplication Thou great Commander of Coelestial moving Powers convert the cruel motions of my Father's mind into a spring of pitiful tears that they may wash away the Blood of this innocent Knight from the habitation of his stained purple Soul O Iudah and Ierusalem within whose Bosoms live a Wilderness of Tygers degenerate from Nature's kind more cruel than the hungry Cannibals and more obdurate than untamed Lions what merciless Tygers can unrip that Breast where lives the Image of true Nobility the very Pattern of Kinghthood and the Map of a noble Mind No no before my hand shall be stained with Christians Blood I will like Scilla against all Nature sell my Country's safety or like Medea wander with the Golden Fleece to unknown Nations Thus and in such manner complained the beauteous Celestine the King's Daughter of Jerusalem till her sighs stopped the passage of her Speech and her Tears stained the natural Beauty of her Rosie Cheeks her Hair which glistred like to Golden Wires she besmeared in dust and disrobed her self of her costly Garments and then with a Train of her Amazonian Ladies went to the King her Father where after a long suit she not only obtained his Life but Liberty yet therewithall his perpetual Banishment from Jerusalem and from all the Borders of Judah the want of whose sight more grieved her heart than the loss of her own life So this Noble and Praise-worthy Celestine returns to the Christian Champion that expected every minute to entertain the Sentence of Death but this expectation fell out contrary for the good Lady after she had sealed two or three Kisses upon his pale Lips being changed through the fear of Death cut the bands that bound his Body to the Tree into many pieces and then with a flood of salt Tears the motives of true Love she thus revealed her mind Most Noble Knight and
Arms upon my Breast for indeed thereon he bore a Silver Cross set in blue Silk and therefore in the honour of Christendom I Challenge forth the proudest Knight at Arms against whom I will maintain that our God is the true God and the rest fantastical and vain Ceremonies Which sudden and unexpected Challenge so daunted the Thracian Champions that they stood amazed for a time gazing upon one another like Men dropt from the Clouds but at fast consulting together how the Challenge of the strange Knight was to the dishonour of their Country and utter scandal of all Knightly Dignity they with a general consent craved leave of the King that the Challenge might be taken who as willingly condescended as they demanded So both time and place was appointed which was the next morning following by the King's Commandment upon a large and plain Meadow close by the River-side whereon the six Swans were swimming whereupon after the Christian Champion had cast down his steely Gauntlet and the Thracian Knight accepted thereof every one departed for that night the Challenger to the East-side of the Castle to his Lodging and the Defendants to the West where they slept quietly till the next morning who by the break of day were wakened by a Herald of Arms but all the passed night our Scottish Champion never entertained one motion of rest but busied himself in trimming his Horse buckling on his Armour lacing on his Burgonet and making prayers to the Divine Majesty of God for the Conquest and Uictory till the Morning's beauty chased away the darkness of the Night and no sooner were the Windows of the day full opened but the Ualiant and Noble-minded Champion of Christendom entred the List where the King in company of the Thracian Lords was present to behold the Combat and so after St. Andrew had twice or thrice traced his Horse up and down the Lists bravely flourishing his Launce at the top whereof hung a Pendant of Gold whose Poesie was thus written in Silver Letters This day a Martyr or a Conqueror Then entred a Knight in exceeding bright Armour mounted upon a Courser as white as the Northern Snow whose Caparison was of the colour of the Elements betwixt whom was a fierce Encounter but the Thracian had the Foil and with disgrace departed the List. Then secondly entred another Knight in Armour varnished with green Uarnish his Steed of the colour of an Iron-grey who likewise had the repulse by the worthy Christian. Thirdly Entred a Knight in a black Corslet mounted upon a big-boned Paltry covered with a vail of sable Silk in his hand he bore a Launce nailed round about with plates of Steel which Knight amongst the Thracians was accounted the strongest in the World except it were those Gyants that descended from a monstrous Lineage but no sooner encountred these hardy Champions but their Launces shivered in sunder and flew so violently into the Air that it much amazed the beholders then they alighted from their Steeds and so valiantly bestirred them with their keeâ— Faulchions that the fiery sparkles flew so fierce from these Noble Champions steely Helmets as from an Iron Anvil But the Combat endured not very long before the most hardy Scottish Knight espied an advantage wherein he might shew his matchless Fortitude whereupon he struck such a mighty Blow upon the Thracian's Burgonet that it cleaved his head just down to his shoulders whereat the King suddenly started from his Seat and with a wrathful coimtenance threatned the Champions Death in this manner Proud Christian said the King thou shalt repent his death and curse the time that ever thou camest to Thracia his blood we will revenge upon thy head and quit thy committed cruelty with a sudden death and so in company of a hundred Armed Knights he encompassed the Scottish Champion intending by multitudes to murder him But when the valiant Knight St. Andrew saw how he was suppressed by Treachery and environed with mighty Troops he called to Heaven for succour and animated himself by these words of encouragement Now for the honour of Christendom This day a Martyr or a Conqueror and therewithal he so Ualiantly behaved himself with his Cuttle-Axe that he made Lanes of murdered Men and felled them down by multitudes like as the Harvest men do mow down Ears of ripened Corn whereby they fell before his face like leaves from trees when the Summer's Pride declines her Glory So at the last after much bloodshed the Thracian King was compelled to yield to the Scottish Champion's Mercy who swore him for the safety of his Life to forsake his prophane Religion and become a Christian whose living true God the Thracian King vowed for evermore to Worship and thereupon he kissed the Champion's Sword This Conversion of the Pagan King so pleased the Majesty of God that he presently gave end to his Daughters punishments and turned the Ladies to their former shapes But when the King beheld their smooth Feathers which were as white as Lillies exchanged to natural fairness and that their black Bills and slender Necks were converted to their first created Beauty where for external fairness the Queen of Love might build her Paradise he bad adieu to his grief and long continued sorrows protesting ever after to continue a true Christian for the Scottish Champion's sake by whom and by whose Divine Orisons his Daughters obtained their former Features so taking the Christian Knight in company of the six Ladies to an excellent Rich Chamber prepared with all things according to their wishes where first the Christian Knight was unarmed then his wounds washed with Whitewine new Milk and Rose-water and so after some dainty Repast conveyed to his nights Repose The Ladies being the joyfullest Creatures under Heaven never entertained one thought of sleep but passed the night in their Father's company whose mind was ravished with unspeakable pleasures till the morning's messengers bad them good morrow Thus all things being prepared in a readiness they departed the Castle not like Mourners to a heavy Funeral but in triumphing manner marching back to the Thracian Palace with streaming Banners in the Wind Drums and Trumpets sounding joyful Melody and with sweet inspiring Musick caused the Air to resound with Harmony But no sooner were they entred the Palace which was in distance from the Gyant 's Castle some ten miles but their Triumphs turned to exceeding Sorrow for Rosalinde with the Champion of Italy as you have heard before was departed the Court which unexpected news so daunted the whole company but especially the King that the Triumphs for that time were deferred and Messengers were dispatched in pursuit of the Adventurous Italian and lovely Rosalinde Likewise when St. Andrew of Scotland had intelligence how it was one of those Knights which was Imprisoned with him under the wicked Enchantress Kalyb as you heard in the first beginning of the History his heart thirsted for his most honourable company and his eyes seldom closed quietly nor
be the vain imagination of men and believe in our True and Everliving God under whose Banner we Christians have taken in hand this long War Secondly Thou shalt give Commandment that all thy Barbarous Nations be Christened in the Faith of Christ. Thirdly and lastly That thy three Kingdoms of Barbary Morocco and India swear true Allegiance to all Christian Kings and never to bear Arms but in the true Quarrel of Christ and his anointed Nations These things duly observed the Life shall be preserved and thy Liberty obtained otherwise look for no mercy but a speedy and most terrible death These words more displeased the unchristian King of Morocco than the Sentence of his Condemnation whereupon in these brief Speeches he set down his Resolution Great Potentate of Europe reply'd Almidor by whose Mightiness Fortune sits fettered in the Chains of Power my Golden Diadem and Regal Scepter by constraint I must deliver up But before I will forsake my Country-gods I will endure a hundred Deaths and before my Conscience be reformed to a new Faith the Earth shall be no Earth the Sea no Sea the Heaven no Heaven Thinkest thou now proud Christian by thy threatned Torments to make me forget my Creator and believe in thy God the supposed King of the Jews and basely born under an Ox's Stall No no accursed Christians you Off-spring of Cain you Generation of Ismael you Seed of Vipers and accursed through the World look for a speedy shower of Vengeance to Rain from Heaven upon you wicked Nations Your bloody practices have pierced the Battlements of Iove and your Tyrannies beaten open the Gate of Mighty Mahomet who had provided Whips of burning wyre to scourge you for your Cruelties proffered to and against his blessed Worshippers Now with this deadly Curse I bid you all farewell The Plagues of Egypt â—ight upon your Kingdom The Curse of Cain upon your Children the Famine of Ierusalem upon your Friends and the misery of Dedipus upon your selves This wicked resolution and baleful Curse was no sooner ended by the desperate minded Almidor but the impatience of St. George was so highly moved that he gave present commandment to the appointed Executioners to cast him into the bolling Cauldron which incontinently they performed to the terror of all the Beholders To see this woful Spectacle the Battlements of the Temple were so thronged with People the Houses covered with Women and Children and the Streets filled with Armed Soldiers that it was a wonder to behold amongst which multitudes there were some particular Persons that at the sight of Almidor's death fell down and brake their Necks but the general number as well of Pagans as Christians cryed with chearful voices Honour and Victory follow St. George of England for he hath Redeemed Barbary from a miserble Servitude Which joyful hearing so delighted the Seven Champions of Christendom that they caused their Conduits to run with Wines the Streets to be beautified with Bonefires and a sumptuous Banquet to be proclaimed through the City which after continued for the space of seven days in more magnificent Royalty than the Banquet of Babylon when the Macedonian Monarch returned from the World's Conquest The Champions Liberty procured such faithful Love in the hearts of the Morocco Peers that with a general Consent they chose S. George for their Lawful King where after they had invested him in the Princely Seat of the Morocco Pottentate they set the Crown upon his Head and after presented him with an Imperial Pall which the Kings of Barbary usually wore upon their Coronation-day protesting to forsake their Profane Religion and be Christened in the Faith of Christ. This promised Conversion of the Infidels more highly delighted the English Champion than to have the whole World's Honour at Command for it was the chiefest point of his Knightly Oath to advance the Faith of Christ and to enlarge the Bounds of Christindom After his Coronation was so solemnly performed the other six Champions conducted him to a Princely Palace where he took true Allegiance of the Morocco Lords by â—â—ighted Oath to be true to his Crown After this he established the Christian Laws to the benefit of the whole Country then he commanded all the Ceremonious Rites of Mahomet to be trodden under Foot and the true Gospel of Christ to be Preached likewise he caused all that did remain in Barbary to be Christened in the new Faith but these Observations continued but for a time as hereafter shall be discovered at large For Fame not intending to let the worthy Champion long to remain in the idle Bowers of Peace summoned them to pâ—rieveâ—e in the Noble Atchievements and to Muster up anew their Soldiers whose Armour Caukered Case had almost stained with Rust Therefore St. George committed the Government of the Country to four of the principal Peers of Morocco and Marched towards the Country of Egypt where lived Treacherous Ptolomy the Father of his beloved Lady Sabra whom he had left in the Kingdom of England In which Journey and happy arrival in Egypt we will leave the Seven Champions for a time and speak of the Faithless Infidels in Barbary after the departure of the Christians whose former Honours they slightly regarded For no sooner had St. George with his Martial Troops bidden their Country adieu but the Faithless Moors reconciled themselves to their formed Gods and purposed a speedy Revenge for the Death of Almidory against all Christians that remained within the Limits of that Hâ—aâ—hen Nation For there were many Soldiers wounded in the 〈…〉 likewise a number oppressed with sicknesâ— which the Christian Champions had left behind for their better recoveries upon whom the Barbarous Moors committed their first Tyranny for they caused the distressed Soldiers to be drawn upon Sleds to the uttermost parts of the City and there put them into a large and old Monastery which they presently set on fire and most inhumanely burned the Christian Soldiers and after converted the place into a filthy Lestall Many Women and succourless Children they dragged up and down the Streets till their Brains were dashed against the stones and the blood had covered the Earth with a purple hue Many other Cruelties were committed by the wicked Infidels against the distressed Christians which I purpose to pass over and wholly discourse of the woful and bloody murder of an English Merchant and his Wife in the same City of Tripoly The report whereof may force even merciless Tygers to relent and those eyes to shed springs of Tears that never wept before The bloody-minded Negro's violating both Oaths and Promises before plighted to St. George by violence set upon the Merchant's House where first they made a Massacre of his Servants and before his face cast their dead Bodies to hunger-starv'd Dogs Then coming to the Merchant they bound him fast with hempen Cords to the strongest post in his House and after took his Children being seven of the goodliest Boys that ever Nature framed
the Fields of 〈◊〉 shall henceforth for evermore be stained with Rust and themselves sâ—rnameâ— for Martial Discipline the Wondrous Champions of the World shall surfeit with delightful Loves and sleep upon the laps of the airy Spirits that descend the Elements in Virgins shapes Terror and Despair shall mightily oppress their merciless Souldiers that they shall yield the honourable Conquest to your Excellency such strange and wonderful Accidents by Art shall be accomplished that Heaven shall â—rown at my Enchantments and the Earth tremble to hear my Conjurations therefore most mighty Persian number up thy scattered Bands and to morrow in the morning set open thy Gates and march thitherward with thy armed Souldiers leave not a Man within the City but let every one that is able to bear Arms fight in the honour of Persia and before the closing of the night I 'll make thee Conquerour and yield up the braging Christians as Prisoner to thy Mightiness If this prove true renowned Osmond as thou hast promised said the Souldan Earth shall not harbour that too dear for thee for thou shalt have myself my Kingdoms Crowns and Scepters at command the wealthy River Ganges shall pay thee yearly Tribute with her Treasure the place where Midas wash'd her golden Wish away All things that Nature framed precious shall thou be Lord and sole Commander of if thou prevent the Invasion of my Country And thereupon he departed the Chamber and left the Necromancer in his Study and as he gave Commandment his Captains made in reaviness his Souldiers and furnished their warlike Horses and by the Sun 's up-rising marched into the Fields of Belgor where upon the North side of the Enemy they pitch'd their Camp On the other side when the warlike Christians had intelligence by their Courts of Guard how the Persians were entred the Fields ready to give them Battle sudâ—en alarums sounded in their Ears tumous of Conquest encouraged iâ— the Souldies that presently they were in readiness to entertain the Persians in a bloody Banquet both Armies were in fight with blood red Colours wavâ—ring in the Aâ—r the Christian Champions richly mounted on their warlike Coursers placed themselves in the fore-front of the Battle like couragâ—ous Captains fearing neither Death nor unconstant chance of Fortune But the Souldan with his petty Princes like Cowards were invironed and rompast with a ring of armed Kts where instead of nimble Steeds then sat in iron Chariots bibers heroical and many princely Encouragements past between the two Armies before they entred Battle but when the Drums began to sound alarm and the silver Tâ—umpets gave dreadful echoes of death when the Cross of Christendom began to nourish and the Arms of Mahomet to be advanced even then began so terrible and bloudy a Battle that the like was never found in any Age for before the Sun had mounted to the top of Heaven the Pagans received so great a Massacâ—ee and fell before the Christian Champions that they â—ere forc'd to wade up to the knees in bloud and their Souldiers to fight upon heaps of slaugtered Men the Fields were altered from a green colour to a purple hue the Dales were steept in crimson Gâ—re and the Hills and Mountains covered with dead Mens ratling bones And let us not forget the wicked Necromancer Osmond that during the time of that dangerous Enconter kneeled in a low Ualley near unto the Camps with his black Hair hanging down unto his shoulders like a wreath of Snakes and with his silver Wand circling the Earth where when he heard the sound of Drums in the Air and the brazen Trumpets giving dreadful sounds of War he entred into these fatal and damned Spéeches Now is the Battle quoth he furiously begun for methinks I hear the Souldan cry for help now is the time my charming Spells must work for Persia's Victory and Europe's fatal Overthrow which being said thrice did he kiss the Earth thrice beheld the Elements and thrice besprinkled the Circle with his own Blood the which with a silver Razor he let from his left Arm and after began again to speak in this manner Stand still you wandring Lamps of Heaven move not sweet Stars but linger on till Osmond's Charms be brought to full effect O thou great Demond Prince of damned Ghosts thou chief Commander of those fearful Shapes that nightly glide by misbelieving Travellers even thou that holdest the snaky Scepter in thy hand sitting upon a Throne of burning Steel even thou that bindest the Furies up in Chains even thou that tossest burning Fire-brands abroad even thou whose Eyes are like to unlucky Comets even thee I charge to let my Furies loose open thy brazen Gates and leave thy boyling Cauldron empty send up such Legions of Infernal Fiends that may in number countervail the Blades of Grass that beautifie those bloody Fields of Belgor These fatal Speeches were no sooner finished but there appeared such a similitude of Spirits both from the Earth Water Air and Fire that it is almost incredible to report the which he caused to run into the Christian Army whose burning Fauchions not only annoyed the Souldiers with fear and terror but also fired the Horses Mains burned the Trappings consumed their Banners scorcâ—â—â— Tree◠〈◊〉 Herbs and dimmed the Elements with such an extream Darkness as tho' the Earth had been covered with eternal Night he caused the Spirits likewise to raise such a Tempest that it tore up mighty Oaks by the roots removed Hills and Mountains and blow up Men into the Air Horse and all yet neither his Magick Arts nor all the Furies and wicked Spirits could any whit daunt the most noble and magnanimous Minds of the six Champions of Christendom but like unconquer'd Lyons they purchase Honour where they went colouring their Swords in Pagans Blood making the Earth true Witnesses of their vigorious and heroical Proceedings whom they had attired in a blood-red Livery and though St. George the chiefest Champion of Christendom for Martial Discipline and princely Atchievements were absent in that terrible Battle yet merited they as much Honour and Renâ—wn as tho' he had been there present for the accursed Pagans fell before their waâ— like Weapons as Leaves do from the Trees when the blustring storms of Winter enter on the Earth But when the wicked Nicromancer Osmond perceived that his Magick Spells took none effect and how in despite of his Enchantment the Christians got the better of the day he accursed his Art and banned the hour and time wherein he attempted so wicked an Enterprise thinking them to be preserved by Angels or else by some celestial Means but yet not purposing to leave off at first repulse he attempted another way by Necromancy to overthrow the Christians First he erected up by Magick Art a stately Tent outwardly in show like to the compass of Earth but furnished inwardly with all the delightsome Pleasures that either Art or Reason could invent only framed to Enchant the Christian
Champions with entiring delight whom he purposed to keep as Prisoners therein then fell he again to his Conjuration and bound a hundred Spirits by due obedience to transform themselves into the likeness of beautiful Uirgins which in a moment they accomplished and they were framed in form and beauty like to the Darlings of Venus in comliness comparable with Thetis dancing on the silver Sands and in all proportion like Daphne whose Beauty caused Apollo to descend the Heavens their Lâ—mbs were like the lofty Cedars their Chéeks to Roses dipt in Milk and their Eyes more brighter then the Stars of Heaven also then seemed to carry in their hands silver Bows and on their baâ—ks 〈…〉 of goâ—den Arrows likewise upon their breasts tâ—ey had 〈◊〉 the God of Love danâ—â—â—g upon Mars his knee Thus in the â—hape of beauteous Damâ—selâ— caused he these Spâ—â—â—ts to enter the Câ—râ—stianâ— Army and with the golden Bait of their entiring Smiles â—o tangle the Champions in the snares of Love and with their sinning Beauties led them from their Souldiers and to bring them Prisoners into his enchanted Tâ—nt Which Commandment being no sooner given but these Uiâ—gins or rather internal Furies â—â—ore swift then the Winds glideâ— into the Christians Army where their gâ—istering Beauties so dazled the Eyes of the six Christian Champions and their sâ—ber Countenances so entraâ—ped their Hearts with desire that their princely Ualours were aâ—â—ted and they stood gazing as their excellent proportions as though Medusa's shadow had been pictured upon their faces to whom the inticing Ladies spake in this manner Come princely Gallants come away with Arms forget the sounds of bloody War and hang your angry weapons on the power of Peace Uenus you see hath sent her Messengers from Paphos to lead you to the paradise of Love there Heaven will rain down Nectar and Ambrosia sweet for you to feed upon and there the melody of Angels will make you Musick there shall you fight upon beds of Silk and encounter with inticing Kisses These golden promises so ravished the Champions that they were enchanted with their Loves and vowed to take their last farewel of Knighthood and magnanimous Chivalty Thus were they led from their warlike Companies to the Necromancer's enchanted Tent leaving their Souldiers without Guiders in danger of confusion But the Queen of Chance so smiled upon the Christians that the same time St. George arrived in Persia with a fresh supply of Knights of whose noble Atchievements I purpose 〈◊〉 to speak For no sooner had he entred the Battel and placed his Squadrons but he had intelligence of the Champions misadventures and how they say Enchanted in a Magick Tent sleeping in pleasure upon the laps of internal Furies the which Osmond had transformed by his Charms into the likeness of beautiful Damosels which unexpected news conâ—â—rained St. George to breathe from his sorrowful heart this woful Lamentation Unconstant Fortune quoth he why dost thou entertain me with such bitter news Are my Fellow-champions come from Christendom to win immortal Honour with their Swords and lie they now bewitcht with Beauty Come they from Europe to fight in coats of Steel and will they lye distraught in Tents of Love Came they to Asia to purchase Kingdoms and by bloody War to ruinate Countries and will they yield their Victories to so foul Disgrace O shame and great dishonour to Christendom O spot to Knighthood and true Chivalry this news is far more bitter to my Soul than was the poysoned Dregs that Antipater gave to Alexander in his Drunkenness and a deadsier pain unto my Heart than was that Juice that Hannibal suckt from his fatal King Come Souldiers come you Followers of those cowardly Champions unsheath your warlike Weapons and follow him whose Soul hath vowed either to redeem them from the Necromancer's Charms or die with honour in that Enterprize If ever mortal Creatures warred with damned Furies and made a passage to enchanted Dales where Devils dance and warlike Shadows in the Night Then Souldiers let us march unto that Pavilion and chain the cursed Charmer to some blasted Oak that hath so highly dishonoured Christendom These resolute speeches were no sooner finished but the whole Army before daunted with fear grew so couragious that they protested to follow him through more dangers than did the Grecian Knights with noble Jason in the Ifle of Colcos Now began the Battle again to renew and the Drums to sound fatal Knells for the Pagan Souldiers whose Souls the Christians Swords by numbers sent to burning Acheron but St. George that in valour exceeded the rest as much as the golden Sun Turpasseth the smallest Stars in brightness with his Sword made lanes if slaughtered Men and with his angry Arm made passage through the thickest of their Troops as though that Death had been Commander of the Battel he caused Crowns and Scepters to swim in Blood and headless Stéeds with joyntless Men to fall as fast before his Sword as drops of Rain before Thunder and ever in great danger he encouraged his Souldiers in this manner Now for the Fame of Christendom fight Captains be now Triumphant Conquerors or Christian Martyrs These words so encouraged the Souldiers hearts with invincible Ualour that they neither feared the Necromancer's Charms nor all the flaming Dragons nor-flerce Drakes that filled the Air with burning Lights nor daunted at the strange encounters of â—estish Legions that like to armed Men with burning Fauchious haunted them so fortunate were their Proceedings that they followed the invincible Champion to the enchanted Tent whereas the other Champions lay surfeting in â—â—â—ve whilst thousands of their Friends fought in Coats of Steel and merited Renown by their noble Atchievements for no sooner arrived St. George with his warlike Followers before the Pavilion but he heard as it were the melody of the Muses likewise his ears were almost ravished with the sugered Songs of the enchanted Uirgins which like the Musick of Orpheus's Harp caused the Stones and Trees to dance and made the Elemeâ—ts to shew more brighter than the morning Beauty with drops of Honey trickling down their crystal Cheeks the Doves did kiss when they began to sing the running Waters danced and every senceless thing did seem to breath out Sighs for Love so pleasant and heavenly were the sights in the Tent and so delightful in his Eyes that he had been enchanted with their Charms if he had not continually born the honour of Knighthood in his Thoughts and that the dishonour would â—edound to Christendom's Reproach therefore with his Sword he let drive at the Tent and cut it in a thousand pieces the which being done he apparently beheld where the Necromancer sat upon a block of Steel feeding his Spirits with drops of blood whom when the Champion beheld he caused his Souldiers to lay hold upon him and after chained him fast to the root of an old blassed Oak from whence neither Art nor help of all his Charms nor all the
this Tragical Accident drowned their Friends in a Sea of Sorrow for the news of her untimely Death was no sooner bruited abroad but the same caused both Did and Young to lament the loss of so sweet a Lady The silver-headed Age that had wont in scarlet Gowns to meet in Counsel sat now in discontented Griefs the gallant Youth and comely Uirgins that had wont to beautifie the Streets with costly Garments went drooping up and down in mournful Uestures and those remorseless Hearts that seldom were oppressed with Sorrow now constrained their eyes like Fonutains to destil floods of brinish and pearly Tears This general Grief of the Citizens continued for the space of thirty Days at the end whereof St. George with his Sons and the other Champions interred her Body very honourably and erected over the same a rich and costly Monument in sumptuons State like the Tomb of Mausolus which was called one of the Wonders of the World or like to the Pyramids of Greece which was a stain to all Architects for thereon was portrayed the Queen of Chastity with her Maidens bathing themselves in a crystal Fountain as a witness of her wonderous Chastity against the lustful Assailments of all lastivious Attempts Thereon was also most lively pictured a Turtle dove sitting upon a Tree of Gold in sign of the true Love that she bore to her betrothed Husband Also a silver coloured Swan swimming upon a crystal River as a token of her Beauty for as the Swan excelleth all other Fowls in Whiteness so she excelled all the Ladies in the World for Beauty I leave to speak of the curious Workmanship of the Pinacles that were framed all of the purest Ieat enamelled with Silver and Iasper-stanes and I omit the Pendants of Gold the Escutcheous of Princes and the Arms of Countries that beautified her Tomb the Discourse whereof requires an Oratour's Gloquence or a Pen of Gold dipt in the Dew of Helicon flowing from Parnassus's Hill where all the Muses do inhabit Her Statue or Picture was carved cunningly in Alabaster and laid as it were upon a Pillow of green Silk like to Pigmalion's Iuory Image and directly over the same hung a silver Tablet whereon in Letters of Gold was this Epitalph written Here lies the Wonder of this Worldly Age For Beauty Wit and princely Majesty Whom spiteful Death in his imperious Rage Procur'd to Fall through ruthless Cruelty For as she sported in a fragrant Wood Upon a thorny Brake she spilt her Blood Let Ladies fair and Princes of great might With silver-pearled Tears bedew this Tomb Accuse the fatal Sisters of despight For blasting thus the Pride of Nature's Bloom For here she sleeps within this earthly Grave Whose Worth deserves a golden Tomb to have Seven Years she kept her pure Virginity In absence of her true betrothed Knight When many did pursue her Chastity Whilst he remained in Prison day and night But yet we see that things of purest Prize Forsake the Earth to dwell above the Skies Ladies come Mourn with doleful Melody And make this Monument your setled Bower Here shed your brackâ—â—h Tears eternally Lament both Year Month Week Day Hour For here she rests whose Like can ne'r be found Here Beauty's Pride lies buried in the Ground Her wounded Heart that yet doth freshly bleed Hath caus'd seven Knights a Journey for to take To fair Ierusalem in Pilgrims Weeds The fury of her angry Ghost to slake Because their Silvane Sport was chiefest guilt And only cause her Blood was timeless spilt Thus after the Tomb was erected and the Epitalph engraven on a silver Table and all things performed according to Saint George's direction he left â—is Sons in the City of London under the Government of the English King and in company of the other six Champions he took his Iourney towards Jerusalem They were attired after the manner of Pilgrims in russet Gaberdines down to their feet in their hands they bore Staves of Ebon wood tipt at the ends with silver the pikes whereof were of the strongest Lydian Steel of such a sharpness that they were able to pierce a Target of Tortoys-shell upon their Breasts hung Crosses of crimson Silk to signifie they were Christian Pilgrims travelling to the Sepulchre of Christ. In this manner set they forward from England in the spring-time of the year when Flora had beautified the Earth with Nature's Tapestry and made their Passages as pleasant as the Gardens of Hesperides adorned with all kind of odoriferous Flowers When as they crossed the Seas the silver Waves seemed to lie as smooth as crystal Ice and the Dolphins to dance above the Waters as a sign of a prosperous Iourney In travelling by Land the ways seemed so short and easie and the chirping melody of Birds made them such Musick as they passed that in a short season they arrived beyond the Borders of Christendom and had entered the Confines of Affrica There were they forced instead of Downy-beds nightly to rest their weary Limbs upon heaps of sun-burnt Moss and instead of silken Curtains and curious Canopies their had the Clouds of Heaven to cover them Now their naked legs and bare Féet that had wont to stride the stately Steeds and to trample in Fields of Pagans Blood were forced to climb the craggy Mountains and to endure the torments of pricking Bryers as they travelled through the desart Places and comfortless solitary Wildernesses Many were the Dangers that happened to them in their Iourny before they arrived in Judea Princely their Atchievements and most Honourable their Adventures which for this time I pass over leaving the Champions for a time in their travel towards the Sepulchre of Christ and speak what happened to St. George's three Sons in visiting their Mother's Tomb in tâ—â— City of London CHAP. II. Of the strange Gifts that St. George 's Sons offered at their Mother's Tomb and what happ'ned thereupon how her Ghost appeared to them and counselled them to the pursuit of their Father also how the King of England Installed them with the Honour of Knighthood and furnished them with Habiliments of War THe swift footed Steeds of Titan's fiery Car had almost finished a Year since Sabra's Funeral was solemnized in which time St. George's three Sons had visited their Mother's Tomb oftner than were Days in the Year and had shed more sorrowful Tears thereon in remembrance of her Love than are Stars in the glistering Horizon but at last these thrée young Princes fell at a civil Discord and mortal Strife which of them should bear the truest Love to their Mother's dead Body and which of them should be held in greatest Esteem for before many Days were expired they concluded to offer up their several Devotions at her Tomb and he that devised a Gift of the rarest Price and of the straugest Quality should be held worthy of the greatest Honour and accounted the Noblest of them all This Determination was spéedily performed and in so short a time accomplished
that it was wonderful to Discourse The first thinking to exceed his Brothers in the strangeness of his Gift made repair unto a cunning Enchantress which had a biding in a secret Cave adjoyning to the City whom he procured through many rich Gifts and large Promises by Art to devise a means to get the Honour from his Brethren and to give a Gift of that strange nature that all the World might wonder at the report thereof The Enchantress being won with his Promises by Art and Magick Spells devised a Garland containing aâ—l the diversity of Flowers that ever grew in earthly Gardens and though it were then in the dead time of the Winter when as the silver Iâ—cleâ— had diâ—â—obâ—d both Herbs and Flowers of their Beauties and the Snow lay freezing on the Mountain tops yet was this Garland contrived after the fashion of a rich Imperial Crown with as many several Flowers as ever Flora plated upon the Towns of rich Arcadia in diversity of colours like the glistering Rainbow when it shineth in greatest Pride and casting such an odoriferous Scant and Sanour as tho the Heavens had rained down showers of Champhire Biss or sweet smelling Ambergâ—eece This rare and exceeding Garland was no sooner framed by Enchantment and delivered in his hands but he left the Enchantress sitting in her Ebon-Chair upon a block of Steel practising her fatal Arts with her Hair hanging about her Shoulders like wâ—eaths of Snakes or invenomed Serpents and so returned to his Mother's Tomb where he hung it upon a Piller of Silver that was placed in the middle of the Monument The second Brother also repaired to his Mother's Tomb and brought in his hand an Ivory Lute whereon he plaid such inspiring melody that it seemed like the harmony of Angels or the celestial Musick of Apollo when he descended Heaven for the Love of Daphne whom he turned into a Bay-Tree the Musick being finished he tyed his Lute in a Damask-Scarf and with great humility he hung it at the West-end of the Tomb upon a knob of a Iasper-stone Lastly The third Brother likewise repaired with no outward Devotion or worldly Gift but clad in a Uesture of white Silk bearing in his hand an Instrument of Death like an innocent Lamb going to Sacrifice or one ready to be offered up for the love of his Mother's Soul This strange manner of repair caused his other Brothers to stand attentively and with diligent Eyes to be hold his purpose First After he had submissively and with great humility let fall a showre of silver Tears from the â—isters of his Eyes in remembrance of his Mother's timeless Tragedy he prick'd his naked Breast with a silver Bodkin the which he brought in his hand from whence there trickled down some thirty drops of Bloud which he after offered to his Mother's Tomb in a silver Bason as an evident sign that there could be nothing more dear nor of more preâ—ious price than to offer up his own Bloud for her Love This ceremonious Gift caused his two other Brothers to swell in hatred like to chased Lyons and run with fury upon him intending to catch him by the hair of the Head and drag him roâ—nd 〈◊〉 their Mother's Tomb till his Brains were dashed against a Marble Pavement and his Bloud sprinkled upon her Grave but this wicked Enterprize moved the Majesty of Heaven that e'er they could accomplish their Intents or stain their hands with his Bloud they heard as it were the noise of dead Mens Bones ratling in the ground whereupon looking fearfully about them the Tomb seemed of itself to open and thereupon to appear a most terrible gastly Shape pale like unto ashes in Countenance resembling their Mother with her Breast besmeared in Bloud and her Body wounded with a number of Scars and so with a dismal and ruful look she spake unto her desperate Sons in this manner Oh you Degenerate from Nature's kind why do you seek to make a Murther of yourselves can you indure to see my Body rent in twain my Heart split in sunder and my Womb dismembred Abate this fury stain not your Hands with your own Blouds nor make my Tomb a Spectacle of more Death Unite yourselves in Concord that my discontented Soul may sleep in Peace and never more be troubled with your unbridled Humours Make hast I say arm yourselves in steel Corslets and follow your valiant Father to Ierusalem he is there in danger and distress of Life away I say or else my angry Ghost shall never leave this World but hunt you up and down with gastly Visions This being said she vanished from their sight into the brittle Air whereat for a time they stood amazed and almost distraught of Wits through the terrours of her Words but at last recovering their former Senses they all vowed a continual Unity and never to proffet the like Iniury again but to live in brotherly Concord till the dissolution of their earthly Bodies So in haste they went unto the King and certified him of all things that had hapned and falling upon their Knées before his Majesty â—eâ—uelled at his hands the honour of Knight hood with leave to depart in pursuit of their Father and the other Champions that were fallen into great â—isteess The King purposing to aâ—complish their Desires and to fulfil their Requests presently condescended and not only gave them the honour of Knight-hood but furnished them with â—iâ—h Habiliments of War answerable to their magnanimous Minds First be frankly bestowed upon them three stately Palsâ—yes bred upon the bright Mountains of Sardinia in colour of an Iron-gray beautified with silver Hairs and in â—ate switer than Spanish Iennets which are a kind of Horse ingendred by the Winds upon the Alpes certain cragged Mountains that divided the Kingdoms of Italy and Germany for boldness and courage like to Bucephalus the Horse of Alexander the Macedonian or Caesar's Steed that never danted in the Field and they were trapped with rich Crapyings of Gold After the Morocco Fashion with Saddles framed like unto Iron-chairs with backs of Steel and their Fore-heads were beautified with spangled Plumes of purple Feathers whereon hung many golden Pendants the King likewise bestowed upon them three costly Swords wrought of purest Lybian Steel with Lances bound about with Plates of Brass at the tops where of hung silken Streamers beautified with the English Cross being the crimson Badge of Knighthood and Honour of Adventurous Champions Thus in this royal manner rode these three young Knights from the City of London in company of the King with a train of Knights and gallant Gentlemen who conducted them to the Sea-side where they left the young Knights to their future Fortunes and returned back to the English Court. Now are St. George's Sons floating upon the Seas making their first Adventures in the World that after Ages might applaud these Atchietements and enroul their Fames in the Records of Honour Fate prosper them successfully and gentle Fortune
baser seemed to over spread the freezing North The third which was the Brazen Age beautified the western Parts The fourth and last of all being of Iroâ— the very â—eâ—â—st of them all secured to be fixed toward â—â—e Southern Climate 〈◊〉 in this Chamber tested these wearâ— Champions a long 〈◊〉 where their Food was not delicious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—lesome and their Services not curious but comely the â—ourâ—eous Iew their friendly Host whom Nature had honoured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conâ—â—hr Sons daily kept them company and not only 〈◊〉 them the Curiasities of his Habitation but also dâ—secited the pleasant Situation of his Countâ—y how the Towns and Cities were adorned with all manner of Delights whereby they sâ—uâ—ed like the impeâ—ial Princes of Jove where they heard most delightful Harmonies and the pleasant Fields and flourishing Mâ—aâ—ows so beautified with Nature's gladsome Ornaments that they seemed so Pleasure to excéed the Palace of the great Turk or â—ny other Pâ—rentate whatsoever in the World Some days were spent away in this manner to the exceeding great pleasure of the Christian Knights and evermore when the dark Night approached and the wanted time of Sleep summoned them to their silent and quiet Rests the Iewâ—s Children being sâ—ven as brave and comely Boys as ever Tame Nature framed siâ—â—ed the seven Champions Ears with such sweet and delicate Melodies gently strained from their Ivory Lutes that not Arion when all the Art of sweet Musick consented with his Tune Uoice and Hand when he won favour of the Dolphin being forsaken of Men was comparable thereto whereby the Christians were inchanted with such Delights that their Sleeps séemed to be as pleasant as was the sweet Ioys of Elesium but upon a time after the courteous Iew had Intelligence how they were Christian Knights and such admired Martial Champions whom Fame had canonized to be the Wonders of the World for Martial Discipline and Knightly Adventures and finding a fit opportunity as he walked in their Companies upon an evening under an Arbour of Uine-branches he revealed to them the Secrets of his Soul and the cause of his so sad and solitary dwelling So standing bare-headed in the middle of the Champions with his white Hair hanging down to his shoulders in colour like the silver Swan and softer than the Down of Thisties or Median Silk untwisted he began with a sâ—ber Countenance and gallant Demeanour to speak as followeth I am sure quoth he you invincible Knights that you marvel at my solitary course of Living and that you greatly muse wherefore I exempt myself from the company of Worldlings except my seven Sons whose Sights are my chief Comfort and the only Prolongers of my Life therefore prepare your Ears to encertain the strangest Discourse that ever Tongue pronounced or wearied old Man in the height of his extremity delivered I was in my former Years whilst Fortune smiled upon my Happines the principal Commander and chief Owner of a certain Fountain of such wonderful and precious Vertue that it was valued to be worth the Kingdom of India the Water thereof was so strange in the Operation that in four and twenty Hours it would convert any Mettal as Brass Copper Iron Lead or Tin into rich refined Gold the stony Flint into pure Silver any kind of Earth into excellent Mettal By the Vertue thereof I have made the Leaves of Trees a flourishing Forest of Riches and the Blades of Grass valuable to the Jewels that be found in the Country of America The Vertue thereof was no sooner bruited through the World but it caused many Foreign Knights to try the Adventure and by force of Arms to bereave me of the Hononour of this Fountain But at that time Nature graced me with one and twenty Sons whereof seven be yet living and the only Comfort of my Age but the other fourteen whom frowning Fortune hath bereaved me of many a day by their valiant Prowess and matchless Fortitudes defended the Fountain from many great and furious Assailers for there was no Knight in all the World that was found so hardy or of such invincible Courage that if they but once attempted to Incounter with any of my valiant Sons they were either taken Prisoners or slain in the Combate The Fame of their Valours and the Riches of the Fountain run through many strange Countries and lastly came to the Ears of a furious Giant dwelling upon the Borders of Arabia who at the report thereof came armed with his steely Coat with a mighty Bat of Iron on his neck like to furious Hercules that burst the brazen Gates of Cerberus and bore the mighty Mountain Atlas upon his Shoulders he was the Conqueror of my Sons and the first Causer of my sudden Downfalâ— But when I thus had intelligence of the Overthrow of fourteen of my Soils and that he had made Conquest of my wealthy Fountain I with the rest of my Children thinking all hope of Recovery to be past betook ourselves to this solitary course of Life where ever since in this Mansion or Hermitage we have made our abode and residence spending our Wealth to the relief of traveling Knights and wandering Pilgrims hoping once again that smiling Fortune would advancâ— us to some beâ—â—eâ— Hap and to be plain râ—â—ht worthy Champions since then my hope was never at the hight of full perfection till this 〈◊〉 time wherein your excellent Presence almost assure me that the 〈…〉 conquered my Fountain restored and â—hy Sonâ— Deaths for dead sure they are revenged The Champions with great Admiratâ—on gave ear to the strange Discourse of this reverend Iew and intended in requital of his extraordinary Kindness to undertake this Adventure and the more to encourage the other St. George began in this manner to utter his Mind speaking both to the Iew their Host and his valiant Fellow champions I have not without great wonder most reverend and courteous old Man heard the strange Discourse of thy admirable Fountain and do not a little lament that one of so kind and liberal a Disposition should be dispossessed of such exceeding Riches neither am I less sorry that so inhumane a Monster and known Enemy to all Courtesie and kindness should have the Fruition of so exceeding great Treasure for to the Wicked Wealth is the cause of their more Wickedness But that which most grieveth me is That having had so many valiant Knights to his Sons they all were so unfortunate to fall into the hands of that relentless Monster but be comforted kind old Man for I hope by the Power of my Maker we were directed hither to Punish that hateful Giant Revenge the Injuries offered to thine Age satisfie with his Death the Death of thy Children if they be Dead and restore to thy bounteous Possession that admirable rich Fountain again And now to you my valiant Champions I speak that with me through many Dangers have adventured let us couragiously attempt this rare Adventure wherein such Honour to our Names such Happiness
bore a Cross of purple Silk and on his Burgonet a goodly Plume of Feathers but yet Fortune so frowned upon his Enterprize that he nothing prevailed but committed his Life to the mercy of the Grant who likewise imprisoned him with the other Knights The fifth Lot fell to St. Patrick of Ireland as brave a Knight as ever Nature created and as adventurous in his Atchievements If ever Hector upon his Phrygian Steed pranced up and down the Streets of Troy and made that Age admire his Fortitude this Irish Knight might countervail his Ualour For no sooner had the Moon forsook the azure Firmament and had committed her Charge to the golden burnish'd Sun but St. Patrick approached the sight of the Giant mounted upon his Irish Hobby clad in a Corsser of Proof beautified with silver Nails his Plume of feathers of the colour of Uirgin's Hair his Horse covered with a Uail of Orangetawny-silk and his saddle bound about with Plates of Steel like an Iron Chair The sight of this valiant Champion so dounted the Courage of the Giant that he thought him to be the Knight that the Uision had revealed and by whom the Adventure should be accomplished therefore with no cowardly Fortitued he assassed the Irish Knight who with as princely Ualour indured the encounter but the unkind Destinies not intending to give him the honour of the Uictory compelled the Champion to yield to the Giant 's force and like a Captive to accompany the other imprisoned Champions The next Lot fell to St. David of Wales who nothing discouraged at the other Christian Knights but at the morning Sun's uprise into the azure Firmament glistered in his silver Armour before the Fountain with a golden Griffon shining on his Breast where he endured a long and dangerous Combat with the Giant making the Skies refound with ecchoes of their Stroaks but at last when the Giant perceived that St. David began to grow almost breathless in defending the huge and mighty Blows of his stéeled Bat and chiefly through his long Encounter the Giant renuâ—d his Strength and redoubled his Stroaks that St. David was constrained like to the other Christian Champions to yield to the Giant 's Mercy But now the invincible and heroical Champion of England St. George he that was Fame's true Knight that Man of Honour and the World's Wonder remaining in the Iew 's Pavion and pondring in his mind the bad success of the other six Champions and that it was â—is turn to try his Fortune the next morning in the Adventure he fell into great Contemplation Quoth he I that have fought for Christian Knights in Fields of purple Bloud and made my Enemies to swim in Streams of crimson Gore shall I not now confound this bloody and inhumane Monster that hath discomfitted six of the bravest Knights that ever Nature framed I slew the burning Dragon in Egypt I conquered the terrible Glant that kept the enchanted Castle amongst the Amazonians then Fortune let me accomplish this dangerous Adventure that all Christians and Christian Knights may applaud my Name In this manner spent he away the Night hoping for the happy Success of the next Day 's Enterprize whereon he vowed by the honour of his golden Garter either to return a worthy Conqueror or to die with honour valiently And when the day began to beautifie the Eastern Elements with a fair purple colour he repaired to the Iew 's Armory and clad himself in a black Corslet mâ—unting himself upon a pitchie coloured Steed adorned with a blood red Camparison in sign of a bloudy and trâ—gical Adventure his Plume of Feathers was like a flame of Fire quencht in Blood as a taken of speedy Revenge he armed himself not with a sturdy Launce bound about with Plates of Brass but took a Iavelin made of Steel the one end sharpned like the point of a Needâ—e at the other end a Ball of Iron in fashion of a Mace or Club. Being thus armed according to his wished desires he took leave of the Iew and his seven Sons all attired in black and mournful Ornaments praying for his happy and fortunate Success and so departed speedily to the Golden Fountain where he found the Giant sleeping carelesly upon his block of Steel dreading no ensuing Danger But when the valiant Champion St. George was alighted from his Horse and sufficiently beheld the deformed proportion of the Giant how the Hair of his Head stood staring upright like the bristles of a wild wore his Eyes gazing open like two blazing Comets his Teeth long and sharp like to Spikes of Steel the Nails of his Hands like the Tallants of an Eagle over which was drawn a paâ—â— of Iron glaves and every other Limb huge and strongly proportioned like to the body of some mighty Oak the worthy Champion awakened him in this order Arise said he unreasonable deformed Monster and either make delivery of the captive Knights whom thou wrongfully detainest or prepare thy ugly self to abide the uttermost force of my warlike Arm and death prepared Weapon At which words the furious Giant started up as one suddenly amazed or affrighted from his sleep and without making any reply at all took his Iron Mace fast in both his hands and with great terrour let drive at the must worthy English Champion who with exceeding cunning and nimbleness defended himself from the Danger by speedy avoiding the violent Blows and withal returned on his Adversary a mighty Thrust with the pointed or sharp end of the Iavelin which rebounded from the Giant 's Body as if it had been â—un against an Adamantine Pillar The which the invincible Knight St. George perceiving turned his heavy round-ball-end of his Massie Iavelin and so mightily assailed the Giant râ—doubling his heavy Blows with such couragious Fortitude that at last he beat his Brains out of his deformed Head whereby the Giant was constrained to yield up the Ghost and to giue such a hiâ—eous Roar as tho' the whole Frame of the Earth had been shaken with the violence of some clap of Chunder This being done St. George rast his loathsome Carâ—ass as a Prey to the Fowls and ravenous Beasts to seize upon and after diligently searched up and down till he found the Rock wherein all the Knights and Champions were imprisoned the which with his steely Iavelin he burst in sundev and delivered them presently from their Servitudes and after returned most triumphantly back to the Iew 's Pavilion in as great Majesty and Royalty as Vespasian with his Roman Nobles and Peers veturned into the Consines of flourishing Italy from the admired and glorious Conquest of Jerusalem and Judea But warn the reverend Iew saw the English Champion returnâ— with Uictory together with his other six Fellow champions and likewise beheld his fourteen Sons sately delivered his Ioy so mightily exceeding the bounds of Reason that he suddenly Bwounded and lay â—oâ—â— time in a dead Trance with the great exceeding Pleasure he conceived But having a little
betwixt two running Rivers where in the mid'st of the way they found an Image of fine Crystal the picture and lively form of a beautiful Uirgin which séemed to be wrought by the hands of some most excellent Workman all to bespotted wich Blood And it appeared bâ— the Wounds that were cunningly formed in the same Picture that it was the Image of some Lady that had suffered Tormants as well with terrible cutting of Irons as cruel Whippings the Lady's legs and arms did seem as tho' they had beén martyred and wrâ—ng with cords and about the neck as though she had been forcibly strangled with a Napkin or Towel The Crystal Picture lay upon a rich adorned Bed of black Cloaths under an Arbour of purple Roses by the curious fair formed Image sat a goodly aged Man in a Chair of Cypress-wood his Attire was after the manner of the Arcadian Sheepheards not curious but comely yet of a black and sable colour as a sute sign of some deadly Discontent his Hair hung down below his Shoulders like untwisted Silk in whiteness like Down of Thistes his Beard over-grownâ— dangling down as it were frozen Isikles upon a Hawthorn tree his Face wrinkled and over worn with Age and his Eyes almost blind bewailing the griefs and sorrows of his Heart Which strange and woful spectacle when the Christian Champions earnestly beheld they could not by any manner of means refrain from the shedding some few soâ—rowful Tents in seeing before them the Picture of a Woman of such excellent Beauty which had been oppressed with Cruelty but the piâ—iful English Knight had the greatest Compassion when he beheld the counterfeit of this tormented Creature who taking Truce with his sorrowful Heart he courteously desired the old Father sitting by this woful Spectacle to tell the cause of his Sorrow and the discourse of that Lady 's passed Fortunes for whose sake he seemed to spend his days in that solitary order to whom the old Man with a number of Sighs thus kindly reply'd Brave Knights for so you seem by your Courtesies and Behaviours to tell the Story of my bitter Woes and the Causes of my endless Sorrows will constrain a spring of Tears to trickle from the conduits of my aged Eyes and make the mansion of my Heart rive in twain in remembering of my undeserved Miseries as many drops of Bloud hath fallen from my Heart as there be silver Hairs upon my Head and as many Sighs have I strained from my Breast as there be Minutes in a Year for thrice seven hundred times the Winters Frosts hath nipt the Mountain-tops since first I made those ruful Lamentations during all which time I have sat before this Crystal Image hourly praying that some courteous Knight would be so kind as to aid me in my vowed Revenge and now Fortune I see hath smil'd upon me in sending you hither to work just Revenge for the inhumane Murther of my Daughter whose perfect Image lieth here carved in fine Crystal as the continual Object of my Grief and because you shall understand the true Discourse of her timeless Tragedy I have written it down in a Paper-book with mine own Bloud the which my sorrowful Tongue is not able to reveal And thereupon he pulled from his bosom a golden covered Book with silver Clasps and requested St. George to read it to the rest of the Knights to which he willingly condescended so sitting down amongst the other Champions upon the green Grass he opened the bloudy Written-book and read over the Contents which contained these sorrowful Words following CHAP. VI. What happened to the Champions after they had found an Image of fine Crystal in the form of a murthered Maiden where St. George had a golden Book given him wherein was written in Blood the true Tragedies of two Sisters and likewise how the Champions intended a speedy Revenge upon the Knight of the Black Castle for the Deaths of the two Ladies IN former times whilest Fortune smiled upon me I was a wealthy Shepherd dwelling in this unhappy Country not only held in great Estimation for my Wealth but also for two fair Daughters which Nature had made most excellent in Beauty in whom I took such exceeding Ioy and Delight that I atcounted them my chiefest Happiness but yet in the end that which I thought should most Content me was the occasion of these my endless Sorrows My two Daughters as I say before were endued with wonderful Beauty and accompanied with no less Honesty the Fame of whose Uertues was much blazed in many parts of the World by reason whereof there repaired to my Shepherd's Cottage divers strange and worthy Knights with great desire to Mâ—â—ry with my Daughters but above them all there was one named Leoger a Knight of a black Castle wherein he now remaineth being in distance from this place two hundred Leagues in an Island encompassed with the Sea This Leoger I say was so intangled with the Beauty of my Daughters that he desired me to give him one of them in Marriage when I little mistrusting the Treason and Cruelty that after followed but rather considering the great Honour that might redound thereof for that he was a worthy Knight as I thought and of much fortitude I quickly fulfilled his Desire and granted to him my eldest Daughter in Marriage where after Hymen's holy Rites were solemnized in great Pomp and State she was conducted in company of her new wedded Lord to the black Castle more like a Princess in State than a Shepherd's Daughter of such low Degree But still I retained in my Company the youngest being of far more Beauty than her eldest Sister of which this trayterous and unnatural Knight was informed and her surpassing Beauty so excelled that in a small time he forgot his new married Wife and sweet Companion and wholly gave himself over to my other Daughter's Love without consideration that he had married her Sister so this inordinate and lustful Love kindled and increased in him every day more and more and he was so troubled with this new Desire that he daily divised with himself by what means he might obtain her and keep her in despight of all the World in the end he used this policy and deceit to get her home into his Castle When the time grew on that my eldest Daughter his Wife should be delivered he came in great Pomp with a stately Train of Followers to my Cottage and certified me that his Wife was delivered of a goodly Boy and thereupon requested me with very fair and loving Words that I would let my Daughter go unto her Sister to give her that contentment which the desired for that she did love her more dearly than her own Soul thus his crafty and subtil Perswasions so much prevailed that I would not frame an Excuse to the contrary but must needs consent to his Demands so streightway when he had in his Power that which his Soul so much desired he presently departed
unto his Castle and to arrest all such Travellers as by Adventure landed upon that Island not suffering them to pass untill such time as they had promised by Dath to aiâ— and assist him even unto Death against all his Enemies In the mean time the aforenamed Squite which had seen and heard all the tragical Dealings that have been here declared in the best wise he could returned again unto my Cottage and told me all that you have heard which was unto me very sorrowful and heavy News iudge here then gentle Knights and ye beholders of this woful Tragedy what Sorrow I unfortunate Wretch sustained and what Anguish I received for at the hearing thereof I fell into a senseless Swound and being come again to my self I all to besmeared my milk white Hairs in Dust that before were as Clean as tryed Silver and with my Tears being the true signs of sorrow I bathed the bosome of my Mother-earth and my sighs passed with such abundance from my tormented Heart that they stayed the passage of my Speech and my Tongue could not reveal the Grief that my woful Thoughts conceived In this dumb silence and sorrow of Mind I remained three Days and three Nights numbring my silent Passions with the Minutes of the Day and my nightly Griefs with the Stars when frostly bearded Winter had clad the Elements with sparkling Diamonds but at last when my amazed Griefs were something abated my Eyes almost blind with weeping requiring some sleep thereby to mitigate the sorrows of my Heart I made my repair into a certain Meadow adioyning near unto my Cottage where amongst the green springing Downs I purposed to take some Rest and to look up the Closets of of my fearful Eyes with gâ—lden Slumbers thinking it to be the greatest content my sobbing Heart required but before I could settle my Senses to a quiet Sleep I was constrained to breath this woful Lamentation from my oppressed Soul Oh unhappy Chance quoth I oh cruel and most spightful Fortune why diddest thou not make me lose this bitter and sorrowful Life in my Child-hood or why didst thou not permit and suffer me to be strangled in my Mother's Womb or to have perished in my Cradle or at my Nurse's Pap then had my Heart never felt this Sorrow my Ears heard the Murther of my Children nor mine Eyes had never wept so many helpless Tears Oh you Mountains you untamed Beasts oh you deep Seas and you infernal powers of revengful Hell come I say and willingly assist me in this mortal Tragedy that these my aged Hands which never yet practised any hamous Crime may now be stained in his accursed blood that hath bereaved me of the prop and stay of declined Age my Daughters I mean whose bleeding Ghosts will never be appeased nor never sleep in quiet upon the joyful Banks of the Elâ—zian Fields but wander up and down in the World filling each corner of the Earth with fearful and doleful clamouâ— of Murther and Revenge nor ever shall the furies of angry Souls be pacified until mine Eyes behold a stream of purple gore run trickling from the detestable Breast of that accursed Ravisher and that the Blood may issue from his guilty Heart like a Fountain with a number of Springs where the Pavements of this Castle may be sprinkled with the same and the Walls of his Tâ—rrets coloured with a crimson hue like to the Streets of Troy when as her Channels ran with Blood at the end of this sorrowful Lamentation what for Grief and what for want of natural Rest my Eyes closed together and my Senses fell into a heavy Sleep But as I lay slumbring in the green Meadows I dreamed that there â—s a great and fierce Wild-man which stood before me with a sharp Fauchion in his hand making as though he would kill me whereat me thought I was so frighted that I gave in my troublesome Dream many terrible shrieks calling for succour to the empty Air. Then me thoughts there appeared before my Face a company of courteous Knights which said unto me Fear not old Man for we be come from thy Daughter to aid and succour thee but yet for all this the Wild-man vanished not away but struck with his Fauchion upon my Breast whereas it seemed to open and then the wild Centaure put his hand into the gaping Wound and pulled out my bleeding Heart where at the same instant methought that one of the Knights likewise laid hold upon my Heart and they strove together with much Contention who should pull it from the others hands but in the end each of them remained with a piece in his Hand and my Heart parted in two Then the piece which remained in the Wild-man's keeping turned into a hard Stone and the piece which remained in the power of the Knight converted into red Blood and so they vanished away Then straight after this there appeared before mine eyes the Image of my murthered Daughter in the self same manner and form as you behold her portrayed who with a naked Body all besmared in Blood reported unto me the true Discourse of her unhappy Fortunes and told me what place and where her Body lay in the Woods dishonoured for want of Burial also desiring me not of myself to Attempt the Revengement for it was unpossible but to intomb her Corpse by her Mother and cause the picture of her Body to be most lively portrayed and wrought of fine Crystal in the same manner that I found it in the Woods and after erect it near unto a common Passage where Adventurous Knights do usually Travel And assuring me that thither would come some certain Christian Champions that should revenge this Injury and inhumain Murther Which words being finished me thought she vanished away with a grievous and heavy Groan leaving behind her certain drops of Blood sprinkled upon the Grass Whereat with great perplexity and Sorrow I awaked out of my Dream bearing it in my grieved Mind not telling it to one not so much as to the vast Air but with all expedition performed her bleeding Souls request Where ever since most courteous and noble Knights I have here lamented her untimely Death and my unhappy Fortune spending the time in writing her doleful Tragedy in Blood-red Lines the which I see with great grief you have read in this Book of Gold Therefore most curious Knights if ever Honour encouraged you to fight in noble Adventures I now most earnestly intreat you with your Magnanimous Fortitudes to assist me to take Revengement for that great cruelty that hath been used against my unfortunate Daughter At the â—rading of this sorrowful History St. George with the other Champions shed many Tears wherewith there did encrease in them a further desire of Revengment and being moved with great Compassion theâ— protested on their Promises made to the honour of Knight-hood to persevere speedily on their vowed Revenge and determined Purpose so sealing up a Promise to their pâ—ighâ—ed Oaths
that thy glistering Beauty may have such force and power whereby the shining beams thereof may take revengement of the dishononr of thy Mother give ear dear Child I say unto thy dying Mother thou that art born in the Dishonour of thy Generation by the loss of my Virginity here do I charge thee upon my Blessing even at my hour of Death and swear thee by the band of Nature never to suffer thy Beauty to be enjoyed by any one until thy disloyal Father's Head be offered up in Sacrifice unto my Grave thereby somewhat to appease the fury of my discontented Soul and recover part of my former Honour These and such like words spake the as afflictes Queen to the wonderful amazement of the thrée young Knights which as yet intended not to discover themselves but still to mark the event for they conjectured that her woful Complaints were the indualon of some strange Accident Thus as they stood obscurely behind the Trees they saw the young and beautiful Damsel give unto her dying Mother Payer Pen and Ink the which she pulled from her fair Bâ—som with which the grieved Queen subscribed certain sorrowful Lines unto him that wâ—â— the causer of her Bamâ—tment and making an end of her Writing then heard her with a dying Breath speak unto her Daughter these sorrowful Words following Come Daughter quoth she behold thy Mother at her latest Gasp and imprint my dying Request in thy Heart as in a Table of Brals that it never may be forgotten time will not give longer respite that with Words I may shew unto thee my deep Affections for I feel my Death approaching and the fatal Sisters ready to cut my thread of Life asunder between the edges of their Shears insomuch that I most miserable Creature do feel my Soul trembling in my Flesh and my Heart quivering at this my last and fatal Hour but one thing my sweet and tender Child do I desire of thee before I die which is That thou wouldest procure that this Letter may be given to that cruel Knight thy disloyal Father giving him to understand of this my troublesome Death the occasion whereof was his unreasonable Cruelty and making an end of laying this the miserable Queen fell down not having any more strength to sit up but let the Letter fall out of her hand the which her sorrowful Daughter presently took up and falling upon her Mother's Breast she replied in this sorrowful manner O my sweet Mother tell me not that you will die for it adds a Torment more grievous unto my Soul than the Punishment which Danaus his Daughters feel in Hell I had rather be torn in pieces by the fury of some merciless Monster or to have my Heart parted in twain by the hands of him that is my greatest Enemy than to remain without your company Sweet Mother let these my youthful Years and this green budding Beauty encourage you still to revive and not to leave me comfortless like an Exile in the World but if the gloomy Fates do triumph in your Death and abridge your breathing trunk of Life and your Soul must needs go wander in the Elizian Shades with Trula's Shadow and with Dido's Ghost here I protest by the great and tender Love I bear you and by the due Obedience that I own unto your Age either to deliver this your Letter into the hand of my unkind Father or with these my ruful Fingers to rend my Heart in sunder and before I will forget my Yow the silver streamed Tygris shall forsake her Course the Sea her Tydes and the glistering Queen of Night her usual Changes neither shall any Forgetfulnesâ— be an occasion to withdraw my Mind from performing your dying Requests Then this weak Queen whose Power and Strength was wholly decayed and her hour of Deaâ—h grew near aâ— hand with a feeble Uoice she said O you sacred and immortal Gods and all you bright celestial Powers of Happiness into your divine Bosomes now do I commend my dying Soul asking no other Revengement against the causer of my Death but that he may die lâ—ke me for want of Love After this the dâ—ing Queen nâ—vâ—r spake word more for at that instant the cruel â—estinâ—es gave an end unto her Life but when Rosana peâ—ceived her to be Dead and she left to the World devoid of Comfort shâ— began to tear the golden Trammels from her Head and most â—uâ—iouâ—ly to beat her where 〈◊〉 Breast filling the empty Air with â—lamours of her Mâ—aâ—s making tâ—e Skâ—eâ— like an Eccho to resound her Lamentations and at last taking her Mâ—ther's Letter into her hands washing it with floods of Tears and puâ—tâ—ng it next unto her naked Breast she said Here lie thou near adjoyning to my bleeding Heart never be removed until I have performed my dying Mother's Testament Oh Works and the last Work of those her dying Hands here do I swear by the Honour of true Virgins not to part it from my grieved Bosome until such time as Love has rent the disloyal Heart of my unkind Father and speaking this she kissed it a tâ—ousand times breatâ—ing forth millions of Sighs and so with a bluâ—â—ing Countenance as red as Aurora's glistering Beams she â—ose and said to herselâ— What is this Rosana dost thou think to recal thy Mother's Life with ceremonious Complaints and not perform that which by her was commanded thee Arise arise I say gather unto thyself Strength and Courage and wander up and down the World till thou hast found thy disloyal Father as thy true heart hath promised to do Theâ—e words were no sooner finished but St. George's Sons like Men whose Hearts were almost overcome with Gâ—ief came fâ—oâ— the Pine-trées and discovered themselves to the Damsel and courteously requested her to discourse the Story of all her pâ—ssed Mâ—series and as they were true Christian Kâ—ights they promised her if it lay in their Power to releaâ—e her Sorrows and to give end unto her Miseries Rosana when she beheld these courteous anâ— well dâ—meanoâ—'d Knâ—ghts which in her conceit carried relenting Minds and considering how kindâ—y they dâ—sired to be paâ—tners in her Greifs she stood not â—â—en curious Terms nor upon Exceptions but most wiâ—â—ingly condescended to their Requests so when they had prepared their Ears to entertain her sad and sorrowful Discourse with a sober Countenance she began in this manner Lately I was quoth he whilst Fortune smiled on me the only Child and Daughter of this liveless Queen that you behold here lying Dead and she before my Birth whilst Fortune granted her Prosperity was the Maiden Queen of a Country called Armenia adjoyning near unto this unhappy Island whom in her young Years when her Beauty began to flourish and her high Renown to mount upon the wings of Fame she was so intrapped with the golden Bait of blind Câ—pid and â—o intangled with the Love of a disloyal Knight called the Knight of the Black Castle who after he had flourisht in the
spoil of her Virginity and had left his fruitful Seed springing in her Womb grew weary of her Love and most discourteously left her as a Shame unto her Countrey and a Stain unto her Kindred and after gave himself to such Lustful and Lascivious manner of Life that he unlawfully Married a Shepherd's Daughter in a Forreign Land and likewise ravished her own Sister and after committed her to a most inhumain Slaughter in a desart Wood this being done he fortified himself in his Black Castle and only consorted with a cunning Necromancer whose skill in Magick is now grown so excellent that all the Knights in the World can never conquer the Castle where ever since he hath remained in despight of the whole Earth But now speak I of the tragical Story of my unhappy Mother when as I her unfortunate Babe began first to struggle in her Womb wherein I wish I had been strangled she heard news of her Knight's ill demeanour and how he had given himself to the spoyl of Virginity and had for ever left her Love never intending to return again the Grief whereof so troubled her Mind that she could not in any wise dissemble it and so upon a time being amongst her Ladies calling to remembrance her spotted Virginity and the Seed of Dishonour placed in her Womb she fell into a wonderful and strange Trance as though she had been oppressed with sudden Death which when her Ladies and Damsels beheld they presently determined to unbrace her rich Ornaments and to carry her unto her Bed but she made Signs with her hands that they should depart and leave her alone whose Commandment was straightways obeyed not without great Sorrow of them all for their Loves were dear unto her this afflicted Queen when she saw that she was alone began to exclaim against her Fortune reviling the Fates with bitter Exclamations Oh unconstant Queen of Chance said she thou that hast wraped such strange Webs in my Kingdom thou that gaved my Honour to that Tyrant's Lust which without all Remorse hath left me Comfortless it is thou that didst constrain me to set my Life to sale and to sell my Honour as it were with the Cryer compelling me to do that which hath spotted my princely Estate and stained my bright Honour with black Infamy woe is me for Virginity that which my Parents gave me charge to have Respect unto but I have carelesly kept it and smallâ— regarded it I will therefore chastise my Body for thus forgetting of myself and be so revenged for the little regard that I have made of my Honour that it shall be an Example to all noble Ladies and Princes of high Estate in the whole World Oh miserable Queen oh fond and unhappy Lady thy Speeches be too foolish for although thy desperate Hand should pull out thy despised Heart from thy bleeding Breast yet can it not make satisfaction for thy Dishonour O you Clouds why do you not cast some fiery Thunder-bolt down upon my Head or why doth not the Earth gape and swallow my infamous Body oh false and deceived Lord I would thy loving and amorous Words had never been spoken nor thy quick-sighted Eyes ever gazed upon my Beauty then had I flourisht still with Glory and Renown and lived a happy Virgin of chaste Diana 's Train With these and other like Lamentations this grieved Queen passed away the time from Day to Day till at last she felt her Womb to grow Big with Child at the which she received double Pain for that it was impossible to cover or hide it and seeing her self in this case like a Woman hated and abhorted she determined to discover herself Publickly unto her Subjects and deliver her Body unto them to be Sacrificed unto their Gods and with this Determination one day she caused certain of her Nobles to be sent for who straight-way came according to her Commandment but when she perceived her Lords Knights and Gentlemen of Honour were come thither before her she covered herself with a rich Robe and sat upon her Bed in her private Chamber being so pale and lean that all they that saw her had great compassion upon her Sorrow being all set round about her Bed and keeping silence she revealed to them the cause of her grief in this manner My Lords quoth she I shame to entitle myself your Queen and Soveraign in that I have desamed the honour of my Country and little regarded the Welfare of my Common-wealth my glistering Crown me thinks is shaded with a Cloud of black Disgrace and my princely Attire converted into unchaste Habiliments in which I have both lost the liberty of my Heart and withal my wonted Joy and now am constrained to indure perpetual Pain and an ever-pining Death for I have lost my Honour and reaped nothing but Shame and Infamy To conclude I have foregone the liberty of a Queen and sold myself to a slavish Sin only mine own is the Fault and my own shall be the Punishment Therefore without making any Excuse I here surrender up my Body into your Powers that you may as an evil Queen sacrifice me unto our Gods for now my Lords you shall understand that I am dishonoured by the Knight of the Black Castle he hath planted a Vine within my fruitful Garden and also sown a Seed within my accursed Womb that hath made Armenia Infamous he it is that hath committed hourly Evils in the World he it is that delights in Virgins Spoyls and he it is that hath bereaved me of my Honour but with my Consent I must needs confess and left me for a Testimony of this my evil Deed big with Child by which my Virgin 's Glory is converted to a monstrous Scandal and with this she made an end of her lamentable Speech and being grievously oppressed with the pain of her burthenous Womb she fat her down upon her rich Bed and attended their Wills But when those Earls Lords and honourable Parsouages that were present had understood all that the Queen had said unto them like Men greatly amazed they changed their colours from red to white and from white to red in sign of Anger looking one upon another without speaking any Words but printing in their Hearts the Fault doue by their Queen to the great disgrace of their Country they without any further consideration deprived her from all Princely Dignity both of Crown and Regiment and pronounced her perpetual banishment from Armenia like Subjects not to be governed by such a defamed Princess that hath graâ—ted the Fruit of such a Tree within her Womb. So at the time appointed like a Woman forlorn and hated of all Companies she stored herself with sufficient Treasure and betook herself to her appointed Banishment After whose departure the Armenians elected themselves another Prince and lest their lustful Queen wandring in unknown Islands big with Childs dâ—void of Succour and relief where inflead of her princely Bed covered with Eanopies of Silk the took
manner spent the sorrowful Fidelia that unhappy day till bright Phoebus went into the Western Parts at which time the Magician returned from his accustomed Hunting and finding the Door open he entered into Angelica's Chamber where when he found her Body westring in congealed Blood and beheld how Fidelia sate weeping over her bleeding Wounds he cursed himself for that he accounted his negligence the occasion of her Death in that he had not left her in more safety But when Fidelia had certified him how that by the hands of her own Father she was slaughtered he began like a Frantick Tyrant to rage against black Destiny and to fill the Air with terrible Exclamations Oh cruel Murtherer said he crept from the Womb of some untamed Tyger I will be so revenged upon thee O unnatural King that all Ages shall wonder at thy misery And likewise thou unhappy Virgin shalt endure like punishment in that thy accursed Tongue hath bruited this fatal Deed unto my Ears the one for committing the Crime and the other for reporting it For I will cast such deserved vengeance upon your Heads and place your Bodies in such continual Torments that you shall lament my Ladies Death leaving alive the Fame of her with your Lamentations And in saying these Words he drew a Book out of his Bosom and in reading certain Charms and Enchantments that were therein contained he made a great and very black Cloud appear in the skies which was brought by terrible and hasty winds in the which he took them up both and brought them into the Enchanted Castle where ever since they have remained in this Tomb cruelly tormented with unquenchable Fire and must for ever continue in the same extremity except some courteous Knight will vouchsafe to give but three blows upon the Tomb and break the Enchantment Thus have you heard you magnanimous Knight the true discourse of my unhappy Fortunes And the Uirgin which for the true love she bore unto her Lady was committed to this torment as my self and this pale Body lying upon the Tomb is the unhappy Babylonian King which unnaturally murthered his own Daughter and the Magician which committed all these villanies is that accursed wretch which by his Charms and Devillish Enchantments hath so strongly withstood your Encounters These Words were no sooner finished but Saint George drew out his sharp cutting Sword and gave three blows upon the Enchanted Tomb whereat presently appeared the Babylonian King standing before him attyred in rich Robes with an Imperial Diadem upon his Head and that Lady standing by him with a countenance more beautiful than the Damask Rose When Saint George beheld them he was not able to speak for joy nor to utter his mind so exceeding was the pleasure that he took in their sights so without any long circumstance he took them betwixt both his hands and led them into the Chamber whereas he found the other Knights newly risen from their Beds To whom he revealed the true discourse of the passed Adventure and by what means he redeemed the King and Lady from their Enchantments which to them was as great joy as before it was to Saint George So after they had for some six days refreshed themselves in the Castle they generally intended to accompany the Babylonian King into his Country and to place him again in his Regiment In which Travel we will leave the Christian Knights to the conduct of Fortune and return again to Rosana who as you heard before departed from the Castle in the pursuit of her disloyal Father of whose strange Accidents shall be spoken in this following Chapter CHAP. XII How the Knight of the Black Castle after Conquest of the same by the Christian Champions wandred up and down the World in great terror of Conscience â—nd after how he was found in a Wood by his own Daughter in whose presence he desperately slew himself with other accidents that after hapned YOu do well remember when that the Christian Champions had slain the seven Giants in the Enchanted Castle and had made conquest thereof disloyal Leoger being Lord of the same secretly fled not for anger of the loss but for the preservation of his life So in grief and terrour of Conscience he wandred like a fugitive up and down the World sometimes remembring of his passed prosperity other times thinking upon the Rapes he had committed how disloyally in former times he had left the Queen of Armenia big with Child bearing in her Womb the stain of honour and the confusian of her reputation Sometimes his guilty Mind imagined that the bleeding Ghosts of the two Sisters whom he both ravished and murthered followed him up and down haunting his ghost with fearful Exclamations and filling each corner of the earth with clamours of Revengement Such fear and terror raged in his Soul that he thought all places where he travelled were filled with multitudes of Knights and that the strength of Countries pursued him to heap vengeance upon his guilty head for those wronged Ladies Whereby he cursed the hour of his Birth and blamed the cause of his creation wishing the Fates to consume his Body with a Fire or that the Earth would gape and swallow him In this manner he travelled up and down filling all places with Ecchoes of his Sorrow and Grief which brought him into such a perplexity that many times he would have slain himself and have â—id his wretched Soul from a world of Miseries But it hapned that one morning very early by the first light of Titans golden Torch he entred into a narrow and straight Path which conducted him into a very thick and solitary a Forrest wherein with much sorrow he travelled till such time as glistring Phoebus had passed the half part of his journey And being weary with the long way and the great weight of his Armour he was forced to take some rest and case under certain fresh a green Myrtle Trees whese large leaves did shadow a very fair and clear Fountain whose stream made a bubling murmur on the Pibbles Being set he began anew to have in remembrance his former committed Cruelty and complaining of Fortune he thus published his great grief and although he was weary of complaining yet seeing himself without all remedy he resolved like unto the Swan to sing a while before his death and so thinking to give some ease unto his tormented Heart he warbled forth these Uerses following MOurnful Melpomeneapproach with speed And shew thy sacred Face with tears besprent Let all thy Sisters Hearts with sorrow bleed To hear my Plaints and rufull discontent And with your mones sweet Muses all assist My mournfull Song that doth of woe consist That so I may at large paint out my pain Within these Desart Groves and Wilderness And after I have ended to complain They may record my woes and deep distress Except these Myrtle Trees relentless be They will with sobs assist the sighs of me Time wears out life it is reported
the Amazonian Lady took forth the Letter from her naked Breast where so long time she had kept it and she delivered it into his hands and said Is it that thou art that forgetul and disloyal Knight which left the unfortunate Queen of Armenia with so great pain and sorrow big with child among those unmeriful Tyrants her Country Men which banished her out of her Country in revenge of thy committed Crime where ever since she hath been companion with Wild Beasts that in their natures have lamented her Banishment Leoger when he heard her say these Words began to behold her and although his eyes were all to be blubbred and weary of waeping yet he most earnestly gazed in her face and answered her in this manner I will not deny to thee gentle Amazonian said he that which the very clouds do blush at and the low earth doth mourn for Thou shalt understand that I am the same Knight whom thou hast demanded after tell me therefore what is thy Will My Will is said she thou most ungrateful Knight that thou read here this Letter the last Work of the white hand of the unhappy Armenian Queen At which Words the Knight was so troubled in thought and grieved in mind that it was almost the occasion to dissolve his Soul from his Body and therewithal putting forth his hand somewhat trembling he took the Letter and set himself down very sorrowful upon the green grass without any power to the contrary his grief so abounded the bounds of reason No sooner had he opened the Letter but he presently knew it to be written by the hands of his wronged Lady the Armenian Queen and with great alteration both of heart and mind he read the sorrowful Lines which contained these Words following The Queen of Armenia her Letter TO thee thou disloyal Knight of the Black Castle the unfortunate Queen of Armenia can neither send nor wish salutations for having no health my self I cannot send it unto him whose cruel mind hath quite forgotten my true love I cannot but lament continually yea and complain unto my Fates incessantly considering that my fortune is converted from a Crowned Queen to a miserable and banished Caitiff whereas savage Beasts are my chief Companions and the mournful Birds my best Solicitors Oh Leoger Leoger why didst thou leave me comfortless without all cause as did Eneas his unfortunate Dido what second love hath bereaved me of thy sight and made thee forget her that ever shall remember thee O Leoger remember the day when first I saw thy face which day be fatal evermore and counted for a dismal day in time to come both heavy black and full of foul mischances for it was unhappy unto me for in giving thee joy I bereaved my self of all and lost the Possession of my liberty and honour although thou hast not esteemed nor took care of my sorrowful Fortunes yet thou shouldest not have mockt my perfect love and disdained the servent affection that I have born thee in that I have yielded to thee that precious Jewel the which hath been denyed to many a Noble King O love cruel and spiteful love that so quickly didst make me blind and deprived me of the knowledge that belonged to my Royal Highness Oh uncourteous Knight being blinded with thy Love the Queen of Armenia stained her honesty which she ought to have kept and preserved it from the biting canker of disloyal Love Hadst thou pretended to meck me thou shouldst not have suffered me to have lost so much as I did forgo for thy sake Tell me why didst thou not suffer me to execute my Will that I might have opened my white Breast with a piercing Sword and sent my Soul to shady Banks of sweet Elizium Then had it been better for me to have dyed than to live still and daily die Remember thy self Leoger and behold the harm that will come hereof have a care to the Pawn which thou hast sealed in my Womb and let it be an occasion that thou mayst after all thy violent Wrongs return to see me sleeping on my Tomb that my Child may not remain Fatherless in the Power of Wild Beasts whose hearts be fraughted with nothing but cruelty Do not consent that the perfect love which I bear thee should be counted vain but rather perform the Promise which thou hast made to me Oh unkind Leoger O cruel and hard heart is falshood the firm love that so unfeignedly thou didst profess to me What is he that hath been more unmerciful than thou hast been There is no furious Beast nor lurking Lyon in the Desarts of Lybia whose merciless paws are all besmeared in blood that is so cruelly hearted as thy self else wouldesâ— thou not leave me comfortless spending my days in solitary Woods whereas Tygers mourn at my distresses and the chirping Birds in their kinds grieve at my lamentations the unreasonable torments and sorrows of my soul are so many that if my Pen were made of Libian Steel and my Ink the purple Ocean yet could I not write the number of my Woes But now I determine to advertise thee of my desired Death for in writing this my last Testament the Fates are cutting asunder my thread of life and I can give thee knowledge of no more but yet I desire thee by the true love which I bear thee that thou wilt read with sorrow these few lines and now I desire the Destinies that thou mayst die the death that for thee I now do and so â—end By her which did yield unto thee her Life Love Honour Fame and Liberty WHen this sad and heavy Knight had made an end of reading this dolorous Letter he could not restrain his Eyes from distilling salt tears so great was the grief that his heart sustained Rosana did likewise bear him company to solemnize his heaviness with as many tears trickling from the conduits of her Eyes The great sorrow and lamentation was such and so much in both their hearts that for a great space the one could not speak unto the other but afterwards their griefs being somewhat extenuated Leoger began to say Oh Messenger from her with the remembrance of whose wrong my heart is wounded being undeservedly of me evil rewarded tell me even by the nature of true love if thou dost know where she is shew unto me her abiding place that I may go thither and give a discharge of this my great fault by yielding unto Death Oh cruel and without love answered Rosana What discharge canst thou give unto her that already through thy Cruelty is dead and buryed only by the occasion of such a forsworn Knight This penitent and grieved Knight when he understood the certainty of her Death with a sudden and hasty fury he struck himself on the Breast with his fist and lifting his Eyes unto the Clouds in manner of Exclamation against the Fates giving deep and sorrowful sighs he threw himself to the ground tumbling and wallowing from one
that I am where was my mind when I saw that fatal Dagger pierce thy tender Breast Whereon was my Thoughts Wherefore did I stand still and did not with courage make resistance against that terrible and fatal Blow If my strength would not have served me yet at the least I should then have born thee company You furious Beasts that are hid in your Dens and deep Caves where are you now Why do you not come and take pity upon my Grief in taking away my life doing so you shew your selves pittiful for that I do abhor this dolorous Life Yet all this while she did not forget the promise that she made him which was to give his Body burial in her Mothers Tomb Which was the occasion that she did somewhat cease her lamentation and taking unto her self more courage than her sorrowful grief would consent unto she put the dead Body under a broad branched Pine-apple Tree and covered it with leaves and green grass and withal hung his Armour upon the boughs in hope that the sight thereof would cause some adventurous Knight to approach her presence that in kindness would assist her to in tomb him This done here we will leave Rosana weeping over her Fathers Body and speak of the Necromancer after his flight from the Black Castle CHAP. XIII How the Magician found Leogers Armour hanging upon a Pine Tree kept by Rosana the Queens Daughter of Armenia betwixt whom hapned a terrible Battel also of the desperate-Death of the Lady and after how the Magician framed by Magick Art an Enchanted Sepulchre wherein he inclosed himself from the sight of all humane Creatures I Am sure you do well remember when the Christian Knights had conquered the Black Castle which was kept by Enchantment how the furious Necromancer to preserve his life fled from the same carried by his Art through the Air in an Iron Chariot drawn by two flying Dragons in which charmed Chariot he crossed over many parts and plains of the Eastern Climates At last being weary of his Iourney he put himself into the thickest of a Forrest wherein travelling with his whirling Dragons he never rested till he came unto a mighty and broad River the which seemed to be an arm of the Marble-coloured Ocean there he alighted from his Chariot for to refresh himself and took Water with his hands and drunk thereof and washed his face and as he found himself all alone there came into his mind many thoughts of his torepaised site and how he was vanquished by the Christian Knights for which with great anger he gave terrible sighs and began to curse not only the hour of his Birth but the whole World and all the generations of Mankind Likewise he remembred the great sorrow and travel that he ever since had induced and what toâ—l travelling Knights do endure In these variable cogitations spent he the time away till golden Phoebus began to withdraw himself into his accustomed Lodging to hide his light in the Occidental parts and therewith drew on the dark and tenehrous Night which was the occasion that his pain did the more encrease all that Night he passed away with such sorrowful lamentations for his late disgraces that all the Woods and Mountains did resound his woful Erclamations till that Sol with his glistering Beams began again to recover the Earth The which being seen by the Magician with a trice he arose up and intending to prosecute his Journey but lifting up his eyes towards the Elements he discovered hanging upon a high and mighty Pine-apple Tree the Armour of Leoger This Armour was hung there by Rosana in the remembrance of his death as you heard in the last Chapter And although it had almost lost the wonted colour and began to rust through the abundance of rain that had fallen thereon yet for all that it seemed of a great value and of a wonderful richness so without any further circumspection or regard he took down the Knights Armour and armed himself therewith and when he had lacked no more to put on but the Helmet he heard a voice that said Be not so hardy thou Knight as to undo this Trophie except thou prepare thy self to win it by the Sword The Magician at this unexpected Nosse cast his Head on the one side and espyed Rosana newly awaked from a heavy sleep most richly Armed with a strong Enchanted Armour after the manner of the Amazonians but for all that he did not let to make an end of arming himself and having laced on his Burgoner he went towards the Demanvet with his Sword ready drawn in his hand inviting her to a mortal Bartel Rosana who saw his determination did provide to defend her self and offend her Enemy O my Muse that I had but learned Eloquence for to set out and declare the noble Encounters of these two Gallant Warriours Rosana though she was but a Feminine by nature yet was she as bold in Heroical Adventures as any Knight in the World except the invincible Christian Champions But now return we to our History The valiant Amazonian when her Enemy came unto her she struck him so terrible a blow upon the visour of his Helmet that with the fury thereof she made sparkles of fire to issue out with great abundanee and forced him to bow his head unto his Breast The Magician did return unto her his salutation and struck her such a blow upon her Helmet that with the great noise thereof it made a sound in all the Mountains And so began between them a marvellous and fearful Battel Fortune not willing to use her utmost extremity enclined the foyl to neither party nor as yet gave the Conquest to any all the time of the Conflict the furious Magician and the valiant Amazonian thought on no other thing but either of them endeavoured to bring the other to an overthrow striking each at other such terrible blows and with so great fury that many times it made either of them senseless and both seeing the great force one of another were marvellously incenst with anger Then the valiant Lady threw her Shield at her back that with more force she might strike and hurt her Enemy and therewithal gave him so strong a blow upon the Burgonet that he fell quite astonished to the Earth without any feeling But when the Magician came again to himself he returned Rosana such a terrible blow that if it had chanced to hit right upon her it would have cloven her head in pieces but with great â—iâ—â—retion she cleared her Head in such sort that it was strucken in vain and with great lightness she retired and struck the Magician so furiously that she made him once again to fall to the ground all astonished and there appeared at the visour of his Helmet great abundance of Blood that issued out of his mouth but presently he revived and got up in a trice with so great anger that the smoak which came from his mouth seemed like a
to place the King again in his Kingdom CHAP. XIV How the seven Champions of Christendom restored the Babylonian King unto the Kingdom and after how honourably they were received at Rome where Saint George fell in love with the Emperors Daughter being a professed Nun of the mischief that ensued thereby and of the desperate end of young Lucius Prince of Rome THE valiant Christian Champions having as you heard in the Chapter going before performed the Adventure of the Enchanted Monument accompanied the Babylonian King to his Kingdom of Assyria as they had all solemnly promised him But when they approached the Confines of Babylon and made no â—ucstion of peaceful and Princely entertainment there was neither sign of peace nor likelihood of joyful and friendly Welcome for all the Country raged with intestine War four several Competitors unjustly striving for what unto the King properly and of right belonged The unnatural Causers and stirrers up to this Blood-devouring Controversie were four Noble men unto whom the King unadvisedly committed the Government of his Realm when he went in the Tragical pursuit of his fair Daughter after his dreamed illusion that caused him so cruelly to seek her Death And the breaking our into this hurliburly grew first to head in this manner following Two years after the Kings departure these Deputies governed the publick State in great peace and with prudent Policy till after no tydings of the King could be heard notwithstanding so many Messengers as were into every quarter of the World sent to enquire of him then did Ambition kindle in all their hearts each striving to wrest into his hand the sole possession of the Babylonian Kingdom To this end they all made several Friends for this had they contended in many fights and now lastly they intended to set all their hopes upon this main chance of War intending to fight till three fell and one remained Uictor over the rest whose Head should be beautified with a Crown But to Traytors and Treason the end is sudden and shameful for no sooner had S. George placing himself between the Battels in a brief Oration shewed the Adventures of the King and he himself to the People discovered his reverend Face but they all shouted for joy and hauling the Usurpers presently to Death they re-installed him in his antient Dignity their true lawful and long-lookt for King The King being thus restored married Fidelia for her faithfulness and after the Nuptial Feasts the Champions at the earnest request of S. Anthony departed towards Italy where in Rome the Emperor spared no cost honourably and mòst sumptuously to entertain those never-daunted Knights the famous Wonders of Christendom At that time of the year when the Summers Queen had beautified the Earth with interchangable Ornaments S. George in company of the Emperor with the rest of the Champions chanced to walk along by the side of the River Tybur to delight themselves with the pleasant Meads and beautiful prospect of the Country Before they had walked half a mile from the City they approached unto an ancient Nunnery which was very fair and of a stately Building and likewise encompassed about with Chrystal streams and many green Meabows furnished with all manner of beautiful Trées and fragrant Flowers This Nunnery was consecrated to Diana the Queen of Chastity and none were suffered to live therein but sâ—â—h chast Ladies and Uirgins as had â—owed themselves to a single Life â—aild so keep their Uirginities for ever unsported In this place the Emperors only Daughter lived as a proâ—â—ssed Nun and exempted her self from all company except it were the fellowship of chast and religious Uirgins This vertuous Lucina for so was she called having intelligence before by the Dverséers of the Nunnery how that the Emperor her Father with many other knights were coming to visit their Religious Havitation against their approach she attyred her self in a Gown of white Satin all laid over with gold Lace having also her golden locks of Hair somewhat laid forth And upon her head was knit a Garland of sweet smelling Flowers which made her seem like some Celestial or Divine Creature Her beauty was so excellent that it might have quailed the heart of Cupid and her bravery excéeded the Paphiâ—n Quéens Never could nature with all her cunning stream more beauty in any one Creature than was upon her Face nor never could the flattering Syrens more beguile the Traveller than did her bright countenance enchant the English Champion for at his first entrance into the Nunnery he was so ravished with her sight that he was not able to withdraw his eyes from her beauty but stood gazing upon her rosie coloured Cheeks like one bewitched with Medusi's shadows And to be short her beauty seemed so Angelical and the burning flames of love so fired his heart that he must either enjoy her company or give end to his life by some untimely means Saint George being wounded thus with the Dart of Love dissembled his grief and revealed â—t not to any one but departed with the Emperor back again to the City leaving his heart behind him closed in the 〈◊〉 Moâ—astert with his lovely Lucina All that ensuing night he could not enjoy the benefit of sléep but did contemplate upon the Divine Beauty of his Lady and slaughted his mind with a thousand several cogitations how he might attain to the love being a chast Uirgin and a professed Nun. In this manner spent he away the night and no scouer appeared the mornings brightness in at the Chamber Window but he arose from his restless Bed and attyred himself in Watchet Uelver to signifie his true Love and wandred all alone unto the Monastery where he revealed his deep affection unto the Lady who was as far from granting to his Request as the Skies from the Earth or the deepest Seas the highest Elements for she protested while life remained within her Body never to yield her Love in the way of Marriage to any one but to remain a pure Uirgin and of Diana's Train No other resolution could Saint George get of the chaste Nun which caused him to part in great discontent intending to seek by some other means to obtain her love so coming to the rest of the Christian Champions he revealed to them the truth of all things that had hapned who in this manner counselled him that he should provide a multitude of Armed Knights every one bearing in their hands a Sword ready drawn and to enter the Monastery at such time as she little mistrusted and first with Promises and fair and kind Speeches to seek her love but if she yielded not to fill her ears with cruel threatnings protesting that if she will not grant to requite his love with like Affections he would not leave one Stone of that Monastery standing upon another and likewise make her a bloody offering up to Diana This Policy liked well Saint George though he intended not to prosecute such Cruelty so the
next morning by break of day he went unto the Nunnery in company of no other but the Christian Champions armed in bright Armour with their glistering Swords ready drawn which they carryed under their side Cloaks to prevent suspition But when they came to the Monastery and had entered into the Chamber of Lucina whom they found kneeling upon the bare ground at her Ceremonious Orisons Saint George first proffered her kindness by fair Promises but finding that thereby he nothing prevailed he then made known his pretended unmerciful Purpose and thereupon all of them shaking their bright Swords against her vertuous Breast they protested though contrary to their intents that except she would yield to Saint George her unconquered Love they would bathe their Weapons in her dearest Blood At which Words the distressed Uirgin being overcharged with fear sunk down presently to the ground and lay for a time in a dead Agony but in the end recovering her self she lifted up her Angelical Face shrouded under a cloud of pale sorrow and in this manner declared her mind Most Renowned and well approved Knight said she it is as difficult to me to climb up to the highest top of Heaven as to persuade my mind to yield to the fulfilling of your requests The pure and chast Goddess Diana that sits now crowned amongst the goâ—ven Stars will revenge my perjured promise if I yield â—o your dâ—â—ires for I have long since deeply vowed to spend my days in this Religious House in honour of her Deity and not to yield the flower of my Uirginity to any one which Uow I will not infringe for all the Wealth of Rome you know brave champions that in time the watery drops will mollifie the hardest Diamond and time may root this resolution out of my heart Therefore I request you by honour of true Knighthood and by the loves you bear to your Native Countries to grant me the liberty of seven days that I may at full consider with my heart before I give an answer to your demands and to the intent that I may make some publick Sacrifices as well to appeafe the Wrath which the chast Goddess Diana may conceive against me as to satisfie my own Soul for not fulfilling my Uow These Words were no sooner ended but the Champions incontinently without any more delay joyfully consented and moreover proffered themselves to be all present at the same sacrifice and so departed from the Monastery with exceeding great comfort The Champions being gone Lucina called together all the rest of the Nuns and declared to them the whole discourse of her assailment whereafter amongst this Religious company with the help of some other of their approved Friends they devised a most strange Sacrifice which hath since been the occasion that so many inhumane and bloody Sacrifices have been committed The next morning after six days were finished no sooner did bright Phoebus shew his golden Beams abroad but the Nuns began to prepare all things in readiness for the Sacrifice for directly before the door of the Monastery they hired cunning Work-men to erect a Scaffold all very richly covered with Cloth of Gold and upon the Scaffold about the middle thereof was placed a fair Table covered also with a Carpet of Cloth of Gold and upon it a Chasing-dish of Coals burning all this being set in good order the Emperor with the Christian Champions and many other Roman Knights being present to behold the Ceremonious Sacrifice little mistrusted the doleful Tragedy that after hapned The Assembly being alent there was straight-ways heard a sweet and harmonious sound of Clarions and Trumpets and sundry other kinds of Instruments these entered first upon the Scaffold and next unto them were brought seven Rams all adoâ—ned with fine white Wool more soft in feeling than Arâ—bâ—â— Silk with huge and mighty charged Horns bound about with Garlands of Flowers â—â—â—er them followed a certain member of Nuns aâ—â—yled in black Uestmâ—â—â— singing their accustomed Songs in the honour of Diana after them followed an ancient Marton drawn in a Chariot by four comely Uirgins bringing in their hands the Image of 〈◊〉 and on either side of her two ancient Nuns of great estimation each of them bearing in their hands rich Uessels of gold full of most precious and sweet Wines then after all this came the beautiful Lucina apparelled with a rich Robe of Estate being of a great and inâ—â—â—â—able Uaâ—â—e Thus ceremoniously she ascended the Scaffold where the Matron placed the Image of Diana behind the Chasing dish of Coals that was there burning and the rest of the Nuns commned still singing their Songs and drinking of the precious Wines that were brought in the golden Uessels This being done they all at once brought low the necks of the Râ—ms by â—â—â—tting their Throarâ— whose blood they sprinkled round about the Scaffold â— opened their bowels and burned the inward parts in the Chasing diâ—â— of Coals Thus with the slaughter they made Sacrifice to the Queen of Chastity at the sight whereof was present the surfeiting Lover S. George with the other six Christian Knights aâ—med all in bright Armour were all very attentive to this that I have here told you This Sacrifice ended this Lucina commanded silence to be made and when all the company were still she raised her self upon her â—â—eâ— and with a heavy Uoice distilling many salt Tears the said O mâ—â—t excellent and chast Diana in whose blessed bâ—â—om we undetiled Virgins do recreate our selves unto thy most Divine excellency do I now 〈◊〉 this my last Sacrifice calling to record all the Gods that I have done my best to continue a spâ—tless Maiden of thy most 〈◊〉 Train O heavens shall I consent to deliver my Uirginity willingly to him whose Soul desires to have the use of it Or shall I my self consent my utter ruine and sorrowful destruction which proceedeth only by the means of my flourishing beauty I would it had been as the night Ravens or like to the tawny tanned Moors in the farthest Mountains of India O Sacred Diana thou blessed Queen of Chastity is it possible that thou â—ost consent that a Uirgin descended from so Royal a Race as I am should suffer the worthiness of her Predecessours to be sported by yielding her Uirgin honour to the conquest of Love without respecting the chast Uow I made unto thy Deity Well seeing it is so that I must neeâ—s viâ—â—me my self against all humane nature â— beseech thee to receive the soâ—eâ—nity of this my death which I offer up in Sacrifice to thy Diâ—ine Excellency for I am here conâ—trained with mine own trembling hâ—nd to cut off the flourishing Branches of these 〈…〉 For this I swear before the 〈◊〉 of Diana that I 〈…〉 the society and sâ—cced Bosom of that great Goddeâ—s than â—o 〈◊〉 the Caâ—â—â—e of my Chaâ—â—â—â—y to the Conquest of any â—nigâ—â— in â—â—e Woâ—ld And now to thee I speak thou valiant knight of 〈◊〉 beâ—oâ—d here I â—ield unto
the Earth and with great roaring he began to rage and stare like a Beast and to blaspheme against the Fates for this his sudden mishap The other two Brethren seeing this presently cut off his two heads whereby he was forced to yielded the mercy of imperious Death There was another Knight that came with this Monster who when he saw all that had passed with great fear returned the way from whence he came These Uictorious Conquerours when they saw that with so great ease they were delivered from the Tyrants Cruelty with joyful hearts they departed with Conquest to the Prince of Constantinople where they left him comforting his distressed Lady So when they were altogether they commanded the Marriners to provide them somewhat to eat for that they had great need thereof who presently prepared it for that continually they bore their Provision about them of this banquet the Knights were very glad and rejoiced much at that which they had archieved and commanded that the Lady should be very well looked to and healed of her harm received So at the end of three days when the princely Lady had recovered Health they left the Country of Armenia and departed back to the Seas whereas they had left their Ships lying at road that tarried there until their coming Whereinto they had no sooner entred but the Marriners hoised sail and took their way towards Constantinople as the Knights commanded The Winds served them to prosperously that within a small time they arrived in Greece and Landed within two days Iourney of the Court which lay then at Pâ—ru about a mile from Constantinople Being a Land the Prince Pollemus consulted with St. George's three Sons what course were best to be taken for their proceeding in the Court. For saith he unless I may with the Emperour my Fathers consent enjoy my dearest Dulcippa I will live unknown in her company rather than delight in the Heritage of ten such Empires At last they concluded that the Lady should be covered in a black vail for being known and Pollemus in black Arms and the other Knights all suitable should ride together which accordingly they did and about ten in the morning entred the Pallace where they sound the Emperour the seven Champions with many other Princes in the great Hall to whom one of Saint George's Sons thus spake Great Emperour and Noble Knights this Knight that leadeth the Lady hath long loved her in their Births there is great difference so that their Parents croft their affections for him she hath indured much sorrow and for her he will and hath suffered many hazards His coming thus to your Court is to this end to approve her the only desertful Lady in the world himself the faithfullest Knight against all Knights whatsoever which with your Imperial leave he my self and these two my Associates will maintain desiring your Majesty to give judgment as we shall deserve The Emperour condescended and on the Green before the Pallace those four overthrew more than four hundred Knights so that Saint George and three other of the Champions entred the Lists and ran three violent Courses against the Black Knights without moving them who never suffered the points of their Spears to touch the Armour of the Champions which the Emperour perceiving guessed them to be of acquaintance wherefore giving judgment that the Knight should possess his Lady at his request they discovered themselves To describe the delightful comfort that the English Champion took in the presence of his Children and the joy that the Emperour received at the return of his lost Son requires more Art and Eloquence than my tyred senses can afford I am therefore here forced to leave the Flower of Chivalry in the City of Constantinople Of whose following Adventures I will at large Discourse hereafter and how all these Famous Champions came to their Deaths and for what cause they were called the seven Saints of Christendom CHAP. XVII Of the renowned and praise worthy Death of Saint Patrick how he buried his own self and for what cause the Irish-men to this day do wear their red Cross upon Saint Patrick's Day HEre must you suppose gentle Readers that time had ran a long Race before these aforesaid thrice honoured Champions had purchased so many Right Worthy Uictories and being now wearied with Age Death with his gloomy countenance began to challenge an end of all their worldly Atchievements and to draw there Noble Names to a full perfection therefore preparing a black Stage for honour to act his last Scene out thus it followed The Ualiant Champion S. Patrick feeling himself weakned with Time and Age not able any longer to endure the bruises of Princely Atchievements became an Hermite and wandring up and down the World in poor Habiliments he came at last to the Country of his Birth which is now called Ireland but in former times Hibernia where instead of Martial Atchievements he offered up in the name of his Redeemer devout Orisons daily making petitions to the Deity of Glory in behalf of his desired peace a life more delightful to his aged Heart than all his former accomplishments And now willing to bid farewel to the World he desired a reclosure to be made and to be pent up in a stony Wall from the sight of all Earthly Oâ—jects To which request of this Holy Father now no Souldier but a man of Peace the Inhabitants wholly condescended and builded him a four-square House of Stone without either Window or Door only a little hole to receive his Food in wherein they closed him up never to be seen more alive by the eyes of mortal Men. Also appointing divers of the Country to bring him at convenient times Food to maintain Nature which they delivered in at the aforesaid hole which they thought to be a deed of more than common charity and he the receiver to be an honour to their Country by the severe and strict course of life he put himself to Thus lived he the servant of his God day and night kneeling on the bare ground till thrice the Winters cold had taken departure and as oft the Summers warmth had cheared up the cold Earth making his knees hard with kneeling and his eyes dim with Lamentations for his former offences In which time the Hairs of his Head were all over-grown and deformed and the Nails of his Fingers as it were seemed like the Talons and Claws of an old Raven with the which by little and little he digged his own Grave prepared against the hour of his death to be buried in the which by process of time came thus to effect as followeth When he had wasted as I said before thrice twelve months in Divine Contemplations by Inspiration as it seemed he laid him down in the Grave that his own Nails had digged and feeling his body weak and feeble ready to deliver up the ayre of Life he began to speak as followeth World quoth he thou hast been long my
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
bestow upon thee Farewel Knighthood farewel honourable Adventures and Princely Atchievments Never may this dauntless arm brandish Weapon more in honour of the Christian Cross For death awaiteth at my back to cut off all such noble hopes and I by Tyranny am betrayed thereto These Speeches being uttered he was forced to stand silent and in the presence of the King with many hundreds more was constrained to yield his Body to the fatal stroak where his Head being laid upon the Block was by a base Eâ—ecutioner quickly dissevered from the rest of his manly Members Which being no sooner done and the Champion lifeless but the Elements beset with cloudy exhalations sent down such a terrible Thunder-clap that struck presently dead the Knight of Saint Michael that accused him the Executioner with others that were at his Attachment at which strange and fearful spectacle the King himself grew so amazed that he deemed him to be a blessed Creature and that he had suffered wrongfully and how his cause for which he so willingly rendred up his life was the true cause which all must have a desire to die in Wherefore incontinent from a Pagan the King turned Christian and caused the same to be proclaimed through all his Provinces ordaining Churches to be built in remembrance of this great Man And likewise in the place where he suffered he caused with all speed to be built an Hermitage of relief for poor Pilgrims to find succour in and such as travelled in the honour of that God in whose Name this good Champion dyed Thus received France the true Faith in which we leave it flourishing and speak of Saint James the Spanish Champion and how he dyed CHAP. XX. Of the Tyrannous Death that the Spanish Champion was put unto and how God revenged the same in a strange manner and of other things that hapned HEre gentle Reader with a sad eye prepare to give Entertainment to the dolorous manner of the Spanish Champions Death who by Tyranny and cruel Dealing of the Intidels was likewise made away For Age and Time as upon the former grew upon him and so enfeebled his strength that he was no longer able to manage the Adventures of Chivalry nor sight the Battels of his Saviour Wherefore resolving to spend the remnant of his days in peace he desired leave likewise to commit his Fortunes to the Queen of Chance which as the other did he quickly obtained and so leaving Constantinople he put himself to travel towards the Country of his first Being not decked in his shining Armour nor mounted on his Spanish Gennet but poor and bare in outward habit though inwardly furnished with Gold and Jewels of an inestimable value which he had sowed up in the patches of a russet Gaberdine the better to travel with where instead of a bright shining Curtle-Axe his Pilgrims Staff served him to walk with and for his Burgonet of glistring Steel he covered his head now as white Thistle-down with Age with a Hat of gray colour broached with a broad Scallop-shell his Princely Lodgings were changed to green Pastures and his Canopies to the Skies azured covering where the Nightingale and Lark told the times passage These were now his best contents and comforts that time and age bestowed upon him In which manner travelling many days and nights giving still as he went the poor and needy such small pieces of Silver as he well could spare he arrived at last upon the Consines of Spain Where in honour of that God for whom he had fought so many Battels he builded up at his own charge a most sumptuous Chappel to this day bearing the Name of Saint Jacque's Chappel and for the maintenance thereof purchased divers Lands adjoining with Quiristers to sing a Day and Night therein Allelujah to his Redeemer This Celestial gift and glorious customs so prepared begot such love of the meaner sort of People that they esteemed him more than a Man with a reverence of such regard bestowed upon him that the very Name of this Noble Champion won greater admirations than the high Tilts of their Countries King who being then a cruel Tyrant and proud King maintaining Atheism by his Government grew so envious thereat that he caused good Saint Jacques with the whole Quire of his Celestial Singers to be closed up together in the Chappel which the Champion had erected so starved them to death Oh bloody butchery and inhumane cruelty a death of more terrour than ever was heard of Nero in ripping up his Mothers Womb to see the Bed of his Creation was not half so cruel But to be short hunger prevailed and they dead their Bodies purrified and in time consumed away to dust and mould whereupon the Lord to shew how they died in his favour and the love of Heaven inflicted such a light in the Chappel that it shined Day and Night with such a glorious brightness as if it had been the glorious Palace of the Sun and likewise continually was heard therein though no Creature remaining such a Quire of melodious Harmony as if it had been the sound of Celestial Musick Which strange pleasures both to the eyes and ear bred so great an amazement to the whole Countrey that all with the common consent accused their King for the tyrannous putting to death of these good men so cruelly murthered but especially the noble S. Jacques that they purposed to hold him for their Countrys Saint and Champion till the Worlds dissolution The proud King perceiving now his own rashness and his common hate against him for this deed doing took an inward conceit of grief that without taking any food ever after he languished away and died Thus have you heard the Tragedy of the Spanish Champion whom we likewise commit to the sweet sleeps of Eternity and pass on further to more dreadful Accidents CHAP. XXI Of the Honourable and Worthy Death of the Italian Champion how in the height of pleasure in his own Countrey death by a Prophecy seized upon him AFter all these aforesaid Proceedings Nature the common Nurse of us all so wrought in the heart of Saint Anthony the Champion for Italy that he undertook the next Tragical Enterprize and leaving Saint George with Saint Andrew resting their crazed Bones in the Emperours Court of Constantinople where they lately atchieved so many Praises of Knighthood he took his Journey towarns Italy and knowing by the course of Nature that his Days were not many he purposed there to set up his lives rest and in Death to finish up all Earthly Troubles So coming after a long Journey to the City of Rome where the Emperour Domitian kept his Court and the City being then in her chiefest Pomp and Glory won great desire in the Champions Mind to see the Monuments of the same So upon the Morning going from his Lodging he walked up and down the streets with admiration and fed his eyes with many delightful Objects First with great wonder he stood gazing upon
Until three Brothers shall the same attain Whose power shall be this Castles overthrow VVho ere thou art sorbear to draw too near Thy Life 's at stake than which there 's nought more dear Near unto this Brazen Pillar stood a Rock of Alabaster in which were enclosed three swords richly enchased and beset with Precious Stones in the Pummels on the handle of the first Sword were these Lines written Hard closed in this Rock I sirmly stand Until drawn out by the first Brothers hand On the Pummel of the second Sword were these Lines inscribed The second Brother shall by Fates decree Draw from the Rock this sword and none but he On the Pummel of the third Sword which was more artificially wrought then any of the other two having a rich Saphire set therein which cast forth a most radiant Lustre on the handle thereof were these words Engraved VVhen the third Brother he shall draw me forth Then is our Negromantick skill nought worth All Magick charms and spells shall be in vain And then shall the end Gyant Predos Reign The Messenger notwithstanding he had read the writing on the Brazen Pillar yet adventured for to go forwards but coming into the Inchanted ground before he could come at the Castle Gate he fell into such a sound sleep that had twenty pieces of Ordnance béen shot off at his Ears they would not have awaked him The Negromancer who by his skill in the Black Art knew what had happened fetched his Body into the Castle laying it by the Thessalian King who also as soon as he came into the Inchanted ground had fallen into a dead sléep And now being there laid together we will leave them taking their rests and come to speak of the proceedings of the Sicilian Army at the City of Larissa The Princess Mariana hearing no news of her Messenger and doubting the worst which might befal her Father consulting with the three Brothers it was agreed amongst them to march with their Army into Thracia although at that time Love had taken so deep an impression in her heart that it was almost Death unto her to part with Sir Alexander On the other side Sir Alexander upon the first sight of the Princess was so stricken with her admirable perfections her beauty being such an attractive Loadstone as captivated his heart in the allurements of Love so that now as the Poet hath it The treasure of his heart did lie In the fair Casket of his Mistress eye Cupid having thus stricken him with his youthful dart so that he became a stranger to rest he resolved yet to declare his amours before he betook himself again to armes and to that purpose finding one day the Princess all alone he accosted her in this manner Most Gracious Princess I think the Stars could have alotted me no greater good then to behold the surpassing work of Nature in you Your Excellencies having so captivated my heart that to live without your good liking will be but a lingring death unto me I must confess my presumption great in aiming so high but who can look on such perfections without liking and who can like without loving And though the small tryal you have of the real affection wherewith I honour your Vertues may discourage you to credit my words yet I hope that in the trying of me how willing I shall be to merit your favour you will find my deserts not altogether unworthy of your regard since the utmost of my abilities is and shall be devoted to your service To which the Princess returned this answer Most Courteous Knight to whom I stand so much obliged for former courtesies that all which I can do will not stand in competition of your deserts yet the natural affection which I bear to my Aged Father compels me at this time humbly to implore your further assistance which as I doubt not the Gods being just in rightfull causes you will perform so assure your self your extraordinary kindness afforded to me in such a time of necessity shall never be razed out of my heart and therefore of this you may be ascertained that no one whatsoever hath so large a Possession therein as your self so that should you as the Gods forbid miscarry therein when I am dead as Death must assuredly ensue thereon they will find the name of Alexander written in my heart Their Minds thus made known to each other gave great contentment to them both especially to Sir Alexander who humbly kissing the hands of the Princess replyed thus unto her Madam There is no danger in the World so great which I shall not adventure on for your sake were it to perform the twelve labours of Hercules or with Aeneas to encounter with the Gyant Turnus Be pleased therefore to accept me as your Knight and Servant and I hope to behave my self so hereafter as you shall have no cause to repent you thereof To whom the Princess smiling said Sir I do accept you for my Knight and hope the Gods will be so propitious to you for my sake that you shall not have an enemy able to withstand you With which words taking a rich Diamond Ring from off her Finger and giving it him she said wear this for my sake that whensoever hereafter you look on it it may add fresh courage into your breast by the remembrance of me Much other Discourse they had but the Army being now upon their march summoned Sir Alexander to march along with them Wherefore taking a gentle farewel of the Princess having vowed constancy on both sides he joyned himself unto the Army whose Knightly adventures with those of his two Brothers we shall prosecute in the next Chapter CHAP. IV. The great Battle betwixt the three English Knights and the Sicilians on the one side and the three Gyants and Count Brandamil on the other side the finishing the adventure of the Inchanted Castle with the story of the wicked Sir Vylon THE Negromancer Soto who lived with the Gyant Predo in the Inchanted Castle knowing by his Magick spells that the Sicilian Army had given their King a total overthrow and taken him Prisoner as also how they were marching towards the Country of Thrace he acquainted the Gyant with his knowledge who thereupon bestired himself in all haste to their resistance sending for his two Brothers Brandamore the stout and Pandaphilo the cruel to come with all speed unto his assistance who no sooner had notice thereof but that with their Forces belonging unto them they hastned away In like manner he sent unto Count Brandamil whom the King of Thrace had left his Deputy at such time as he made his expedition in Thessaly to raise what power he could against the Sicilians And now nothing was heard but the loud sound of the thundering Drum and the shrill noise of the sounding Trumpet horrour and amazement siczed on the stoutest heart and the fore-boding Ravens foretold the fall of flaughtered Carcasses Whilst these things
been done by a just hand that did it But see how divine vengeance persues wicked actions Sir Vylon now revelling in all excess without controul was stricken with a sudden Phrensie his Limbs also being taken from him so that he lay raving and cursing in a most fearful manner in one of which fitts he discovered all the circumstances I have related unto you and soon after in a desperate horrour of Conscience yielded up the Ghost This mournful Story moved all the company to great compassion whereupon it was determined that the Knight who had related this story and who had been taken Prisoner by the Sicilians should have his freedom and accompany the Lady to her habitation who in mournful manner took her leave of the Thessalian King and the thrée English Knights and returned homewards In which Iourney we will leave her for the present to relate the further atchievements of those Renowned Sons of Mars Sir Guy Sir Alexander and Sir David CHAP. V. How Sir Guy conducted the Army of the Sicilians into their own Country and Sir Alexander that of the Thessalians how hearing of the great preparation of the Infidels they returned into Christendom to raise Forces to withstand them SOon after the departuer of Sir Vylons Widow and that the Army were sufficiently refreshed being highly satisfied for all the pains they had taken with the rich booties which they had gained The Thessalian King and the three English Brothers thinking themselves revenged with advantage on the Thracians they determined to march home into their own Countries and having setled their affairs in Thrace Sir Guy with his Brother David marched with the Army of the Sicilians back into that fruitful Country to which Sir Guy longed to come to enjoy the company of his beloved Urania in which journey we will leave them for a time to accompany Sir Alexander home which the Thessalian Armâ— Who had as great a desire to sée his beloved Mariana and therefore having secured the chief Forts of the Kingdom they took their march carrying with them the two Gyants Predo and Pandaphilo Prisoners who for their huge stature and vast proportion were gazed on by the people with admiration wheresoever they came multitudes from all places flocking to see them Before they came to the City of Larissa where the Princess Mariana resided they were met by the Chief Magistrates of the City in their Scarlet Gowns Gold Chains and their Horses trapped with foot-cloaths of black Uelvet besides multitudes of the common people who all with one voice â—cchoed forth Long live the King of Thessalia and the Renowned Knight Sir Alexander of England The Bells rung the Bonfires blazed the Conduits ran pure Gréekish Wine the streets were hung with rich suits of Tapistry and all the windows along as they passed filled with abundance of Spectators to behold the return of their King and to have a sight of the Noble Champion Sir Alexander whom they stiled the deliverer of their Country the flower of Chivalry the darling of Mankind with all the Epithets which might conduce to his Praise and Magnanimity At the Pallace Gate they were met by the Princess Mariana who in all dutyful manner welcomed home her Royal Father and with many expressions of love and affection entertained her noble Champion Sir Alexander Here did they spend several days in feasting â—â—nqueting and all the delights that art and coâ—â— could invent but in the midst of all this jollity there came news to the Court of the great preparations which were made by the Infidels against the Christians as you heard in the first Chapter of this most excellent History This news struck a sudden damp unto their mirth for the love of his Native Country was so dear unto Sir Alexander that notwithstanding the intire affection he bare to the Princess Mariana he resolved to give what succour he could unto the place wherein his Father received his first breath and from whence his own Honour was derived So making his mind known to the Thessalian King and taking his solemn leave of his beloved Mariana with great asseverations of his fidelity to her and promise of return when those Wars were finished he prepared for his Iourney to Sicilia to aâ—quaint his two Brothers with his resolution being accompanied therein by divers of the prime Thessalian Nobility who resolâ—ed to spend their lives in the company and under the conduct of so noble a Champion In which Journey we will leave them for a time and return to speak of Sir Guy and Sir David Who having conducted their Army back to Sicily were entertained with all demonstrations of joy imaginable especially of the Pâ—â—rless Princess Urania in whose heart the love of Sir Guy was so deeply engraven that nothing but death was able to bâ—ot â—â—ouâ— But here likewise as well as to Thessaly soon câ—me news of the Infidels great preparation for the Invasion of Christendom which when Sir Guy heard he resolved â—o send to his Brother Alexander to prepare to march homewards but ere the messenger was fully dispatcht Sir Alexander with the Thessalian Lords were arrived at the Sicilian Court to the great joy of Sir Guy Sir David and other Martial Spirits only the Princess Urania was deeply melancholly that now she should part with her dear Knight whose company she prized far above all the 〈◊〉 of the Mines of America wherefore retiring her self to her Chamber taking her Lute in her hand she warbled forth this mournful ditty My mourning Mind doth crave some sweet delight And fancy sain would lend me some I see But Fortune frowns and sends me foul despight And care doth keep all comfort quite from me Such Passions strange do still perplex my mind As I despair of any ease to find But let me see I must not yet despair Dame Fortunes wheel may hap to turn again When storms are past the weather may be â—air And pleasure comes unlookt for after pain Things at the worst the Proverb saith will mend VVhy should not then my sorrows have an end But old said-saws are not yet Scripture all For things at worst are past all mending quite To pining hearts all pleasure seemeth small VVhat mirth can do the pining heart delight VVhen Fates do frown and Fortune is our foe Nought can be thought to rid the mind of woe Scarcely had she ended her Song when Sir Guy came to take his leave of her finding her sitting in such a given over manner one would have thought silence solitariness and melancholly were come under the ensign of mishap to conquer delight and drive him from his natural seat of Beauty But now to describe the grief of these two Lovers at their parting I must implore the help of Melpomene the mournfullest of the nine Muses to guide my Pen the sorrow of Orpheus for his beloved Euridice Andromache for Hector Aegens for his supposed dead Theseus Antigone leading her blind Father Oedipus or that of weeping Niobe for the loss
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 joyâ— 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 â—â— a little space meâ— together in the Land of Naples To reâ—ite the gâ—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 â—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 â—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 â—atling of Armour trampling of Horses sâ—â—iâ—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 â—iâ— 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 â—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 â—hâ— 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 oâ— 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 Saâ—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
noises tormented the Air and the Artillery of Heaven began to roar the amazed Firmament seemed to rend in twain and the affrighted Kafters of the Sky to shake black pitchy Clouds obscured the Sky and all the light which was to be seen was only the dreadful flashes of Lightening This dreadful Tempest continued near the space of an hour when all on a sudden it began to calm and the winds to retire and sink into their seat Phoebus sent forth his lightsome Rayes which dispelled the darkness of the pitchy Clouds when the Christians looking upon them saw the rufullest spectacle that ever mortal eye beheld the Field was strewed with pieces of mangled Carcases and those as black as Pitch stinking of Sulphur and Brimstone for the term of years being expired wherein they had Covenanted with the Devil he now sent his Spirits to fetch their Souls who had mangled their Bodies in that dispiteous manner we told you of a just reward for all such as devote themselves to the service of the Devil The Christians having obtained this signal Uictory gave thanks to God throughout all the Army and now victuals growing scarce by reason of the great number of the Soldiers they resolved for to break up Camp and those that would to depart home to their own Countries Sicknesses and Diseases also encreased daily amongst them by reason of the horness of those Climates whereupon Sir Turpin with his Frenchmen took their solemn leaves and departed homewards soon after Sir Pedro with his Army of Spaniards and quickly after most of the rest so that at last was none left but only the English with Sir Pandrasus and his Warlike Danes The seven Champions of Christendom who for their former acts had been Eternized all the World over were resolved to depart away in a Ship by themselves and now being thus scattered we shall sweet Clio the Sacred Sister of the nâ—â—â— Muses assisting us relate the several Adventures which happenes to each of them in their several perambulations CHAP. VIII How Sir Turpin of France Sir Pedro of Spain Sir Phelim of Ireland and Sir Owen of the Mountains arrived in Cyprus how they put down the Tyrant Isakius and restored the Rightful Prince Amadeus to the Throne AND now first shall our Pen attend the actions of Sir Turpin and his Warlike French who having marched by land for many miles together they then took Shipping and after a tedious passage at Sea arrived on the Island of Cyprus to whose King they sent a Friendly Message desiring Provision for their present necessity and wherewithal to victual their ships promising to pay him for the same to the uttermost farthing But this King named Isakius being a Tyrant and having wrongfully attained the Crown not only denyed their reasonable request but also prepared to make War against them and by force to drive them out of his Country which he was the more confident to do having then in his Court a mighty Gyant named Guylon whom with great rewards he had hired to side with him in all his cruel Tyranny This Guylon was a Gyant of a wonderful stature having been bred up in the Desarts of Hyrcania he would eat up a fat Shéep at a meal and afterwards drink up four gallous of Wine which made him of such a â—aâ—t proportion that he was most terrible to behold His usual Weapon wherewith he fought was a square Bar of Iron having a kâ—â—â— aâ— the 〈◊〉 â—t of thirty pound wright and on his Body he 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 of Marl of a wonderful strength This proud 〈…〉 â—eited of his own strength that he thought himself able to encounter singly with an Host of men and therefore taking with him only the Guard which belonged to the King he marched against the French promising to bring them all bound unto Iskius but promises without performance signifie nothing In this high resolution with great â—ury he fell upon the French dealing as many wounds as blows and as many deaths almost as wounds and now his Iron Bat was all embrewed with blood and heaps of slaughtered Carcasies lay on each side of him the 〈◊〉 soldiers ran from his reach with as much fear as the Parâ—â—dge from the persuing Hawk Sir Turpin seeing such havock made amongst his Souldiers thought it high time to show his valouâ— and to put a stop to such proceedings wherefore with much force guided by prudence he set upon him but the Gyants Armour was of such proof that nothing prevailed for nothwithstanding Sir Turpin was as gallant a Knight as ever buckled on Armour and that he used his utmost endeavour for the honour of his Country and glory of his Nation to overcome him as well as for their own safeguard yet maugre all his force and valour it nothing a vailed but he was rather forced to give way to the fury of the Gyant Sir Turpin seeing himself thus overmatched by strength thought to use policy and therefore counterfeiting a slight retreated to a place where advantaged by the ground and his chiefest Captains he might the better deal with him but Providence had ordained a better remedy for at that very instant it so happened that Sir Pedro with his Army of Spaniards having been sorely weather-beaten at Sea were by stress of weather forced to that Island for succour where no seener landed but they had information of this Battle and therefore after a short refreshing they made up to them and now slaughter and destruction fell heavy on both sides the devouring sword making many windows in their bodies for death to enter in at much courage was shown on both parts each striving to gain honour by the others ruine And now notwithstanding the Gyants â—rags of bringing the Frenchmen bound to King he was forced to go without his â—rrand and for safeguard of his men make a retreat towards the City but there he found but cold entertainment for the Citizens hearing how the Frenchmen were landed and that the Gyant with the Kings Guard were gone to fight with them they took the opportunity of the time and making a general Insurrection siezed upon the King secured the Gates of the City and stood upon their own defence and immediately dispatched a Messenger to the French and Spaniards to inform them what they had done who upon the hearing of the News sent forth such a shout that the Earth rang with the noise thereof The Gyant with his company hearing the loud shout of the French and Spaniards were in a wonderful amaze and seeing themselves surrounded with danger before and behind they saw there was no other way but to secure themselves by flight which proved the more advantagious to them by reason the French were so enfeebled through lack of sustenance and long fighting that they were not able to pursue them wherefore leaving the Chace they marched directly to the City being of the Citizens entertained with much joy who presently sent forth fresh men after the Gyant whom Sir
England said St. George never let me buckle on Armour if I make not one in this enterprize so likewise said the other six Champions each striving who should have the honour so accompany St. George in so noble an enterprize wherefore that emulation might not cause any strife they agreed to cast Lots amongst the sir which of the three should accompany him so accordingly they did and the Lots tell upon the three famous Champions St. Anthony of Italy St. James of Spain and St. Patrick of Ireland who glad of their good Fortunes propared themselves against the next day to try the adventure and on the Morning no sooner did Aurora â—sher in the day and from the glowing East display her purple doors but the four Champions mounted on their Warlike Stoods who glad of such a burthen pranced under them in as great state as did the famous Bucephalus when he was bestâ—id by the Warlike Alexander And taking a Guide with them from the Palmer they traced to the Golden Cave where they alighted and gave the Guide their Horses to lead resolving to try the adventure on foot where approaching the Gate they were met by a Dwarf who spake to them in these words Proud Knights presume not to come within the compass of these Gates least you repent your folly and with the loss of your lives pay for your presumption To whom St. George answered Dwarf go tell your Masters we come to try our skills with them to prove which of our Sword cuts sharpest That shall you soon see said the Dwarf and returning to the Cave told the Gyants what St. George said who presently came marching out to them with each an Oak upon his Shoulder which when they came near unto the Champions they brandisht over their heads as if they had béen Hazel twigs â—udacious Uillains said the Gyants do you desire to try the strength of our Arms you shall soon féel to your cost what we can do and therewithal struck at the Champions with such fury us the Earth shook with the force of their blows who would have seen the Picture of Alecto or with what manner of Countenance Medea killed her own Children needed but take their faces for the full satisfaction of their knowledge in that point The Champions nimbly avoided their blows and getting within the Compass of their Oaks made up to the Gyants whose sides they so thwacked and were so liberal of their blows that the Gyants feeling the weight of them betook them to their heels and left their knotty Clubs behind them to be viewed by the Champions with wonder and admiration at the strength of those that could wield such massy Weapons but minding to prosecute the adventure they followed the Gyants who were gotten out of sight and the Champions found themselves at a loss in following them the multiplicity of paths leading each way making them doubtful which to chuse at last they resolved each of them to take a several path and if they met not together at the Cave then to return each to the same place again Now it so chanced that as they were going in those paths each of them to meet with an opposer and first St. George met with one of the Centaurs being of a terrible shape and incredible strength betwixt whom began a most fierce combat with great Courage and Magnanimity insomuch as St. George was never so put to it in all the battles he had ever fought before for the Centaur was both nimble and strong and fought with great skill and courage but St. George having with a side blow given him a deep wound on the Ribs he sent forth such a hideous yell as was like the loud rattle of the drumming wind or Canons when they disgorge their fiery vomits and nimbly turning him about fled amain towards the Cave The Renowned Champion St. Anthony of Italy had not gone far in his path but he met with one of the Gyants who came now armed in a Coat of Mail with a great Bar of Iron on his shoulders with whom St. Anthony encountered with great courage Nor was the Gyant backwards of his endeavours in obtaining the Conquest dealing such blows each to other that who so should have beheld them would have thought each blow had death attendant on it This Gyant was of twelve foot height so that St. Anthony with the point of his Sword could hardly reach his Crown which advantage he supplyed with nimbleness so that the Gyant spent his blows in vain and being now wearied with the weight of his Armour the Sun also shining in his greatest glory he sweat so exceedingly that it entering into his Eyes he was almost blinded therewith and endeavouring to wipe it off with his hand St Anthony taking the advantage with a sudden blow cut his hand off by the wrist whereupon the Gyant yielded himself and craved mercy In like manner St. James the Noble Spanish Champion as he walked along in his path met with the other Gyant betwixt whom was fought a most terrible Battle striking so thick and fast at each other as if every blow would strive to be forâ—most The Noble Champion behaving himself so gaâ—lantly with his Bilbo Blade made of the purest Spanish Steel that he cut deep furrows in the Gyants flesh from whence issued such abundance of Blood as changed the Grass from a verdanâ— green to a crimson-red so that the Gyant through the loss of such abundance of Blood began to faint which St. James perceiving inforced himself with all his strength gave him such a â—low as brought him headlong to the Ground when smiting off his Head he left his dismembred Carâ—ass and proceeded further in his path towards the Golden Cave Lastly the Renowned Champion St. Patrick of Ireland whose breast still thirsted after honourable adventures he also proceeding forwards in his path met with the other Centaur betwixt whom began so fierce a combat that to describe the same to the Life would wear my Pen to the stumps although it were made of refined Brass or the purest Lydian Steel Here on each side was strength matched with skill fury with fortitude and true valour with matchless magnaâ—â—â—â—ty The Centaur was nimble and armed with a Pole-axe struck at St. Patrick with great fury which he awarded with the greatest skill he could and with his keen Fauchion returned the Centaur his blows with interest The fight as it was sharp so it endured long when being both willing to take Breath they paused from fighting for some time when St. Patrick spake to the Centaur in these words Monster of Nature let me advise thee to yield thy self and not to oppose â—â—any farther in the Conquest of the Golden Cave since it is refâ—dred by the Destinies that I and my follows should be the persons that by finishing the Adventure should restore the People to their Humane Shapes The Centaur feeling himself déeply wounded was ready to yield whom St. Patrick commanded to
Lord of the fruitful Land of Campania which when St. Anthony understood this Duke Ursini having formerly béen his loving Friend he declared unto them who he was and what were his Companions and also how they were bound for Italy whereupon there was great rejoycing on both fides and the Gentleman and Captain and Master of the Italian ship were invited into the other where after some Complements past on both sides and a short Collation the Sea being calm and like a standing Pool no Waves nor Billows to arise they intreated the Gentleman now that their ships lay thus at Hull to declare unto them the manner of Duke Ursini's death and how he came to dye in so remote a Country To which the Gentleman willingly condescended and spake as followeth It is not now fully two years since that the Renowned Prince Oswy Duke of Ferrara at the Celebration of his Marriage with the famous Lady Lucinda of Mantua kept solemn Iusts and Turnaments with Royal Entertainment for all comers which invited thither not only the prime Nobility and Gallants of the Italians but also the news being spread abroad into Forreign Countries several persons of great Quality resorted thither amongst others was â—iâ—ian the Daughter of Lampasco Prince of Scandia a Lady of such glorious eye surprizing Rays that in her Faâ—e Love seemed to sit enthroned in full Majesty nor wanted 〈◊〉 theâ—â— with the helps of Art to set forth her natural perfâ—â—â—ens so that she seemed rather a Divine Goddess then a humane creature These her admirable Endowments was looked on by Duke Urâ—â—ni through a multiplying glass which rendered her to him the moll admirable of all Creatures captivating his heart such a shâ—alâ— to her Beauty that he vowed himself a servant to her vertues and to endear himself the more in her Respects by some Atchievments of Honour he entered the Lists as chief Challenger against all comets being mounted on a milk white Barbary Courser trapped with Capparisons of Silver and on his Burgonet a plume of goodly Feathers His Armour was blew resembling the Azure Firmament spangled with stars of Gold with this word for his device Vertue like the clear Heaven is without Clouds He encountered with sundry Knights of great worth against atl which he had much the better which gained him both great applause and envy Nor was he less skilful in the intrigues of Love than in the management of Arms and to court a Lady as well as encounted with an Enemy which he with much artificial Eloquence demonstrated in an address to the Lady Jilian who seemed much affected with his person and so far the matter went that there seemed nothing wanting to the consummation of their Marriage but only the consent oâ— her Parents which to obtain he sailed with her unto Scandia where he was most nobly entertained and his suit very well liked on Now it was so that a young Baron of that Country named Lamptido had formerly born a great affection unto the Princess Jilian and had so far prevailed with her that he was in great hopes of obtaining her Love but his means not being answerable to her high Dignity it was kept very close from Prince Lampascoes Ear yet hoped he in time that either by the death of Lampasco or some secret stratagem he should compass his eâ—â—s but now seeing Prince Ursini in so great â—avour he began utterly to despair in his suit unless by some means he could find a way to deprive him of his Life It happened not long after that Prince Lampasco proclaimed a general hunting of the wild Bore to which Princely exercise resorted all the flower of the Nobility and every one whose 〈…〉 â—ired with desire of glory and renown amongst others none was more forward to this Royal sport then Prince Ursini who at the appointed time came into the field armed with his Bore-â—pear and mounted on a Spanish Gennet who for their swiâ—â—ness are said to be ingendred of the Wind. Being come within view of the place where they were to hunt each man was ordered according to his â—and when a Brace of lusty Beagles were let loose to rouse the Bore In the mean time every man prepared himself for the â—antling of his Weapons and with a nimble Eye to catch all advantages that might be taken It was not long before the Beagles haâ—â—ouzed the Bore out of his 〈◊〉 who seeming to regard no danger nimbly turning round aboâ—â—â— with a kind of a wallowing running pace ran where he could see any company The first that struck at him was an Italian Knight who accompanied Prince Ursini in his Uoyage to Scandia who brake his Spear but wounded him not for his Skin was scarcely penetrable being as hard as a Bulls hide when it is tanned Leaving this Italian he ran against a valorous Knight named â—â—iastâ—r who encountered with him very couragiously yet could not his courage strength nor skill aâ— which he was in a full ineasâ—â—â— Master of prevail any thing yet was his performance so much that giving him a small wound on the Leg feeling the smart he ran towards Baron Lamprido who used his utmost strength and skill to withstand him but the smart of his wound in his Leg so exasperated him that he ran with such fury against Lamprido as turned him Horse and Man to the ground and undoubtedly had slain him had not Duke Ursini come to his rescue who with undaunted courage set upon the Bore and with great strength guided by skill so followed his blowes that he made the Bore begin to stagger who yet with open mouth came towards him which advantage Duke Ursini spying thrust his Bore Spear down his Throat and therewith rest his Heart in sunder yielding unto him the absolute Uictory By this time divers Knights were come in to him amongst others Lamprido having recovered his fall came in with the thickest but when he saw that the Bore was killed and by the hands of Ursini his blood boiled within him for anger out of envy that he had done it which he knew would more endear him in the affections of the Lady Jilian as also that his own overthrow would much lessen her opinion of him Hereupon a desire of revenge entering into his heart his study was how to effect it with privacy not only for danger of the Law but dread of Duke Ursini's valour whom he knew he could not match in single combat he therefore concluded to do it by treachery which not long after he brought to pass in this manner Amongst other exercises which Duke Ursini much delighted in one was the Art of Angâ—ing in which he would oftentimes spend many hours and that with as much privacy as he could because multitude of persons was a hinderance to the sport It to chanced one day that he accompanied only with one servant and having no other Armour but his Sword went in a Boat unto a spacious River a fishing which being known unto Lampridi he
thought it now a convenient time for him to accomplish his purposed ends and having engaged seven or eight other stout persons to his side they armed themselves and in two Boats to prevent suspicion betook themselves also to the water taking two different ways the better to surround him in the middle Duke Ursini was all this while so busie at his exercise that he took no notice of their intentions yea at last not perceiving they had any Armour being hid under linnen Frocks he permitted them to come so near his Boat that one or two of them leaping in began to lay hold of him when snatching up his Sword he defended himself so gallantly that he had well near sent their souls to attend at Charons Ferry the biting steel being pursued by such streams of blood that his Boat was all bestained with a crimson dye In the mean time the other villains leaped in and surrounded him so on every side that he had no room to wield his Weapon however as if he had been a man made all of fire having a courage that knew not how to fear he resisted them all and in a while though over-matcht had sent four of their souls to the Stygian Bay whereof Lamprido was the third Thus for a short space did the Goddess Victoria seem favourable to him and now his man who all this while had done his utmost in defence of his Master having grasped one of the Uillains they chanced both to fall over-board into the water when Duke Ursini endeavouring to help his man the other Uillain gave him a mortal Wound on the Head yet before he fell he tumbled that Uillain also into the water to accompany his fellow which was no sooner done but through the loss of so much blood which issued from his Wounds he fell down in a swound when at the very instant there came thither a Boat with some Citizens in it intending also to have fished there but seeing the latter part of this skirmish they made up to them where they found in Duke Ursini Deaths pale flags advanced in his Cheeks and he ready to take his Oath to be Deaths true Liege-man The Citizens did what they could in staying his Soulâ— which was now making a separation from his Body but all their endeavours were in vain for Death Natures bold Pursivant had taken an absolute possession of him Whilst they were thus busied in so king to recal 〈…〉 again they heard one of the two paâ—tâ—â—s with which 〈…〉 countered withal at first to give a great groan whereupon 〈◊〉 their helping hands for to revivâ— him they at last brought buâ— to his Speech of whom they asked who were the persons and what was their difference which he declared unto them in manner as we have before described and having made an end of his Relation he presently therewith expired Hereupon the Citizens taking along with them the Boat wherein were the dead Bodies 〈◊〉 the City and declaring the news there was great sorrow and lamentation for Duke Ursini especially by the Lady Jilian who from her drowned Eyes shed many vain offerings to the dead Nor can you think most noble Champions but that the grief which then siezed upon us who accompanied him in this his â—oâ—age was aâ—y thing less than what possessed the hearts of the chiefest for hearing the News we sat in suchâ—â—â— given over posture as who had behold us would have thought silence solitariness and melancholly were come under the dâ—siâ—â— of mishap to conqueâ— delight and plunge us into the deep abyss of misery After some little time being raised as it were out of this trance of sorrow we craved leave to depart houâ—â— with the Corps of â—ue â—ead Master which the Prince Lampasco freely granted and furnished us with all things fitting as here you see At which words grief stopped the passage of his speech that he could proceed noâ— further The Seven Champions heartily condoled this mishap that so worthy a Knight should fall so treacheronsly and now with all the spéed they could they sailed to Italy where being arrived Duke Ursini was interred with all the Funeral Pomp that could be devised where the other six Champions leaving St. Anthony behind them they each one posted to theâ—â— own Country where they had not long remained but that they dyed and were interred in their former Sepulchres CHAP. XII What happened to St. Georges Eldest Son Sir Guy after he was parted from his two Brothers the woful Story of Selindus how he was deprived of his Barony by Euphemius and restored again by the valour of Sir Guy and Captain Bolus NOW shall our Pen endeavour to describe the valiant Acts of St. Georges eldest Son Sir Guy whose honourable atchievments were so many and great that to declare them in full I nâ—ight as well attempt to empty the Sea with a spoon or to scale Olympus with a Ladder of Sand. This valiant Knight being with his Ship separated from his two Brothers as you heard in the former Chapter they sailed through many and dangerous straits and passages and as they sailed thus along they came to a broad Sea in the middle of which they thought they saw a small Island to which they made up and landed some of their men who made a Fire thereon to dress some meat Now when the Fire grew hot and that the meat was nigh sodden the Island began to move which made them all sore afraid that they ran with all the spéed they could again to their Ship Now this which they thought to be an Island was only a great Fish named Lupus which laboureth day and night to put his Tayl in his Mouth but by reason of his greatness could not which when they understood they fetched their kettle and meat from off the Fiâ—â—es back and so sailed forwards till they came to a very fair Island named Miconicom in which lived the famous Enchantress the wise Medea who gave out Prophesies concerning future Events which being understood by Sir Guy he with his chief Captain named Bolus went to her habitation being in a dark Ualley beset all with Mirtle-Trées the building was fair and sumptuous having a Brazen Gate for entrance thereunto on which was depensilled these Uerses You who would with the wise Mededa speak Blow with the Trumpet which doth hang hereby And ere you can aquestion to her break She will your doubts resolve assuredly Such power the Fates did unto her bestow For benefit of those which live below Whereupon Sir Guy set the Trumpet to his mouth and with a strong breath blew such a blast as ecchoed in the Air like a peal of Ordinance when immediately the Gate of its own accord flew ope where stood a Dwarf ready to entertain them who conducted them into a spacious Hall which was adorned with many Statues of antick work and wherein in a huge Frame hung the Picture of Medea how she by letting out Aesons old blood and by infusing
refreshed their almost famisht Bodies Then searching up further into the Country they found divers Trees leaden with Fruit very delightful to the Eye and seemed as delicious to the tasâ— but no sooner had they eaten of it but they presently fell down into a dead swound or trance bereaved both of sense and motion which put Sir David and the rest who had not tasted of it into great grief and consternation of mind thinking themselves only reserved from Famine to dye by this strange and unknown operation of poysonous fruit As they were thus deploring their miserable condition there presented himself to them an Aged Hermit clothed in a long Gown of Gray his Head covered with an hoary fleece and his Silver Hairs speaking experience In his hand he lead two pretty Children a Boy and a Girl whose tender looks pleaâ—ed innocence The old Gentleman without any fear came boldly up to them demanding what chance had brought them thither whither not any mankind had come before in threescore years save only that Boy he led in his hand together with the Girl who were brought thither by the working of the Sea in a little Boat and by him miraculously preserved Sir David with tears standing in his Eyes thus answered the Hermit Most Reverend Father we may well be said to come from the Land of Sorrow our excess of grief scarce giving way to the relief of words such has been our so pinching want of Victuals at Sea and Death here on land as has deprived me of most of my followers for coming for succour unto this Island the greatest part of my men by eating of some deadly fruit unknown unto them were soon arrested by Natures bold Pursivant grim gastly death under whose dominion they lye if no other remedy can be procured then what we have knowledge of Most Courteous Knight replyed the Hermit both cause and cure are well known unto me and which I shall experience to you presently So desiring some part of them for to accompany him he went unto a little Grove hard by where grew great store of an Herb whose leaves were much like our English Sassafras this Herb did he stamp betwixt two stones and straining the juice of it into their mouths who thus lay for dead they presently revived to the great joy and admirable wonder of Sir David and the rest of his followers Those who were thus seemingly dead reported after their reviving what extraordinary things they had séen in their Trances for the Nature of that Fruit belike was such as they imagined to themselves that they were transformed to the shapes of sundry Beasts as Bulls Dogs Wolves and the like and that they encountered strongly against each other After congratulations for their happy revival the Aged Hermit conducted them to his Cell which was pleasantly seated by a Rivers side that ran upon so fine and delicate ground as one could not easily judge whether the River did more wash the Gravel or the Gravel purifie the River the Banks on eiher side were fringed with most beautiful Trees that resisted the Suns darts from over-much piercing the natural coldness of the River which ran not forth right but continually winding as if it had a delight to play with it self Here did the old Hermit fetch out what victuals he had but that nothing suffiring they killed some Sheep Goats and other Beasts which they dressed in the old mans Cell After they had sufficiently refreshed themselves Sir David requested the old man to enform them where they were and of the condition of the place to which he readily condescended and began after this manner Know worthy Gentlemen that this Island wherein you now are is called Fortunia nor large for circuit but plentiful for sustenance supplying with her abundance the Country of Ancona not far distant from this Island and of which once I was the unhappy Governour being blessed with a beautiful Wife and more beautiful Daughter named Estrilda Living for a long time together in great love and abundance of all Earthly Blessings until the Fates envying our happyness sent thither a famous Negromancer named Orpino who rode in a burning Chariot drawn by flying Dragons and who was so expert in his Devilish Art that all the Infernal Furies were at his command and the subterranean Spirits obeyed his charms and spells This wicked Magician tempted by the evil spirit Almodeus burned in lust towards my Wife and the better to accomplish his desires having ingratâ—ated himself in great favour at my Court for such then it was he thought nothing impossible to hinder his designs But my Wife being as vertuous as she was beautiful not only resisted his temptations but also acquainted me with his lustful intentions whereupon I was resolved to sieze on him and by severe Iustice to bring him to condign punishment but knowing the great power he had in the black Art I was fearful in what manner to accomplish my desing At last I resolved to invite him to a Banquet and after he had been fully inâ—briated with the juice of Bacchus to have an armed Guard to set upon him but in vain were all the attempts which I devised against him â—oâ— no sooner did they lay hands on him but he was rescuâ—d by spirits which presently appeared in a full Army over-spreading the places thereabouts and sending forth such horrour and amazement amongst all my people as happy were they could get farthest off from their sight In these hellish shapes did they pursue my men all the Island over not leaving till such time as there was not one man left but only my wretched self whom they detained Prisoner Then did these Infernal Spirits convey all the Male Children away but all the Females guarded by divine protection they had not the least power to hurt or touch Next did he by his Magical Arts upon a Rock adjoyning to the Island erect a Cittedel or small Castle which is kept by a Dragon that each morning out of his mouth sendeth forth such a poysonous breath as killeth all the Males which are upon the Island but over the Females his breath hath no power Iust over against this Castle standeth a Pillar whereon are inscribed these Uerses VVhat Man so ere sets foot within this Isle He by our Charms immediately shall dye VVhich shall remain in force until the while A Knight shall overcome the Enemy For then great Orpins Charms and Spells shall cease And then the Land shall peopled be in peace Having proceeded thus far in his Devilish Arts he next by his Spirits brought me into this Island where I have now remained the space of ten years not having the Company of any either Man Woman or Child save only of these two which were sent to me in a most miraculous manner For walking by the Sea-side one morning at such time when the Heavenly Team begins his Golden Progress from the East and guilds the Horizon with his radiance as I cast my Eye
and coming to the Castle having read the Writing aforesaid they resolved to encounter with the Gyant where after a long and tedious fight valiantly performed on both sides he was at last overcome and slain by them This Gyant was of Nature as cruel as those Tygers who are nourisht in the Hircanian Wood to whose Heart Nature had set a lock to shut out all pity delighting to bathe and paddle in the blood of Men so that the dread of him ran all the Country round about for whomsoever he took he so tormented that Death was to them the least punishment He kept only one old Woman for his Domestick Servant as cruel as deformed and so deformed that I want Art to describe the same you could hardly perceive she had any Eyes but by the holes only which were crept further into her Face then her Nose was out of it her quarrelling Teeth of such a colour that they themselves scared one another her Breath able to infect the Air and cause a Pestilence and all the rest of her Body like to the Chaos of an unlickt Bears Whelp This deformed Trot whose Face was enough to proclaim her a Witch all the time the fight was botwixt the Gyant and Sir Owen and Sir Phelim was mumbling the Devils Pater-noster for the good success of her Master but when she saw that he was slain she exclaimed against Heaven and cursed all the Internal Powers wishing the Ground might open and swallow them up although she her self were invelloped in their destruction nay her desperation was so much that she would have cast her self from the Walls and given her Soul a loathed Sacrifice to the Devil had she not been prevented by Sir Phelim who as soon as he saw the Gyant fall ran in at the Gates for fear they should have been shut against them and ascending the Castle sound this old Witch ready to have execused vengeance upon her self but he siezing upon her found in her custody a great bunch of Keys such as the Poets feign that Cerberus is possess of the Porter of Hell And now Sir Owen séeing the Gyans quite read was also come up to the Castle where partly by threats and partly by force they-come pelled her to show them the several Rooms that they might release such as were Prisoners therein but to see what 〈◊〉 of tortures this Cyprant inflicted on those poor Creatures it would make a man to bless himself to behold it In the first Room she opened there lay four Knights bound neck and heels together these were four Wrothers Sons to a certain Baron named Cleander who coming to revenge themselves upon the Gyant who had ravished their Sister were by him taken Prisoners we having â—â—bound them and told them how the Gyant was killed they were transported with an extasie of joy yet could haâ—â—ly be perswaded of the truth thereof thinking it too high a Blessing for them to obtain In the next Room they entered there lay a young man leaden with Irons of so vast a weight that he was not able to stand upright and level'd thus low with disgrac'd Calamity he seemed to be only a living Corse with much add they knocked the Irons off his Legs who whilst they were doing it he oftentimes 〈◊〉 away but being revived by some Cordial Spirits of rare Waters which they had brought with them they at last brought him to himself and demanding what he was and what misfortune brought him thither after a two or three deep fetcht sighs he thus said I am said he one whom the Fates have markt out to be a â—éeler of the extreams of misery all whose torments should Men but know you would say they had no mercy that could wiâ—h for me a dayes breath more Born a Native of this Country my Father a Count thereof who in a quarrei having killed a Peer of the Realm sought to fly into another Land but in his passage thither was drowned at Sea which my Mother hearing of fell distracted and to add to our miseries the King siezed upon his whole Estate but this was not all for as if Fate were resolved to use her utmost spight against me my only Sister who was then upon her Marriage being thereby disappointed of her Portion desperately stabbed her self so that now all the Happyness which remained to me was a security that I was so miserable as Fortune could not make me worse Yet the King coâ—miserating my condition took me to be aâ—â—e of the Gentlemen of his Bed-Chamber and withal allowed me a competent 〈◊〉 for my maintenance so that my sorrows seemed in some part to be mittigated but as if my heart were nought but a â—age for Tragedies this serene Sky did not last long for I attending the King a Hunting a pastime in which he took great delight he was on a sudden surprized by this Gyant none but I standing to him although followed by a great Company the ugliness of his proportion so affrighting them that they recommended the protection of their Life to their Féet and fled as swift as trembling Doves before the swooping Eagle And now the King and I thus left to his mercy nothing would redeem our Lives but the delivering up this Castle to him which then was the Royal Mansion of his Majesty and though this was done according to his desire yet this perâ—idious lâ—mp of flesh retained us both Prisoners which how he used the King is to me unknown but for my self my miseries under him were so great that Natures rude Serjant Death should have béen very welcome to have arrested my Body and laid me in the cold Prison of the Grave This sorrowful Relation wrought great compassion in the hearts of Sir Owen and Sir Phelim who with wrathful Countenances commanded the old Hag to show them presently where the King was but she denying there was any such one there they threatned her with words and that not prevailing they cut off one of her Fingers telling her they would cut her in pieces Joynt by Joynt if she did not perform it whereupon she promised them that she would and leading them up to the top of the Castle as if he had béen imprisoned in one of the Garrots she cast her self from the top of the Battlements to the Ground dashing her Brains out against the pavement and so made an end of her damnable Life Sir Phelim and Sir Owen taking the Keys from this wretched Coarse opened many doors and in every Room they went to beheld sad spectacles of the Gyants Cruelty at last they came to the place where the King lay whom they found making his mone in this manner O ye immortal powers what have I deserved to have this punishment inâ—licted on me How is it that Death siezes on those who would willingly live and flyes from him who would court his embraces O that Atropos would cut in twain the thread of my Life to put a period to my miseries but they are as
in exorable as this Monster of Mankind whose Adamantine hearts will not hearken to my request Come Gentle Death O come come for it is thou alone who canst ease my misery When they had opened the door he seeing the Keys in Sir Owens hand thinking they were come to forment him a fresh with a wrathful Countenance thus spake unto them Monsters of Nature whose wanton cruelty knows no end and who please your selves in making others to feel the effects of your Tyranny now satiate your selves in cruelty for you shall not be readier to inflict then I to suffer what the utmost of your malice can lay upon me Whilst thus he was proceeding in his exclamation the young man who was taken Prisoner with him came towards him as fast as his trembling Legs would carry him and falling on his knees he said Most Gracious Soveraign blame not these matchless Heroes whose invincible Manhood hath gained our freedom and whose peerless Prowess hath overcome our insulting Enemy making his Carcase become food for hungry Ravens who used to feast his Eyes in beholding our miseries VVhat Thanks can we render to those Persons equal to the benefits they have bestowed upon us The King seeing young Clodius for so was the Gentleman named was in a strange kind of amaze not thinking any Humane Power possibly able to overcome the Gyant but being by them assured that he was slain to confirm their words they carried him to a Window out of which he might behold his dead Carcase and at that time it was when as Sir Pandrasus came unto them Great was the joy amongst these valiant Knights for their so happily meeting together but being informed by the King that there were many more Prisoners behind they resolved not to take any repast until they had set them all at liberty and so entering into several Rooms and setting free divers Prisoners they came at last to a Room alone by it self wherein was enclosed a beautiful Uirgin whom grief had almost made distracted who at their entrance into the Room took no notice of them but like to an intranced soul stood as one with ghosts affrighted The miseries said the King that this Uirgin hath endured might move a heart of stone to pity and cause the most obdurate soul to lament She is the only Daughter of a Wealthy Knight endued as you see with Natures chiefest Ornaments so that before gaief had made a transmigration of her the Quéen of Love might have served as a foyl unto her It was her chance a fatal chance to fall in Love with a young Gentleman that waited on her Father one answerable to her in all respects had his Estate been equal with his parts and he answering her love with like reciprocal affection but as it is incident to Lovers to meet with crosses so did these at the very beginning thereof for her Father coming to have knowledge of it this young Gentleman whose name was Matheo was soon turned away and forbid ever after front coming near unto the House and she confined to a Chamber without any other liberty but as Love will creep where it cannot go so did he find means to persue his suits in Love unto her and as he thought in a safe way and that in this manner There was growing just by the Chamber window where she lay a stately Tree upon which in the dead of the night he used to ascend and there had parly with his Love This they continued for some time to their great content and satisfaction but it so chanced upon a night he was espyed by one of the Servants who immediately informed his Master thereof which when he heard he was so transported with rage as if all his humours had turned choller and kindled up in agonies as hot as flames of burning Sulpher like to the chased Boat whom eager Bounds have at a Bay and being thus transported with rage he takes a Cross-bow and aided with a glimmering light by Madam Cynthia the pale faced Lady of the night he sent a Bullet into his Belly which wrought such effect that tumbling from off the Tree he only said my dearest I dye for love of thee and presently expired But when the Lady saw what had happened she fared like unto mad Orestes or like unto Progne when she knew of her Sisters rape impatience louring in her Face so that had she not been prevented by a Maid that came into the Chamber at that present she had by a knife given her self a period to the race of her loathed Life but being hindered of her design she fell into such a swound as if her Soul had made a total separation from hea Body Lying in this trance the Maid who came to her ran and cryed out for more help but not withstanding all the means they could use it was long before her sullen Soul would reenter her Body or that any hopes of Life was perceived yet could not all this mitigaâ—e the rage of her incensed Father but commanded she should be confined still to her Chamber and not any one suffered to remain with her wherefore in the night she uncorded the Bed and tying the Line to a Piller of the Window by the help thereof the slid down to the ground and wandring she cared not whither so she were out of the reach of her Fathers cruelty she chanced to come near to this Castle whom the Gyant spying caught her flying from his loathed sight and brought her into the Castle where ever since she hath remained in this deplorable condition which you see CHAP. XVIII How Sir Phelim and Sir Owen with Sir Pandrasus fought with the Gyant Curlo who came to be revenged for the death of his Brother Briomart How they flew him and all the rest that came with him with other things which happened THE King having ended his Discourse it wrought great compassion in all them that heard it especially Sir Pandrasus who muth pityed her sad condition and therefore to comfort her he having brought a bottle of the healing Wine from that precious Fountain whereof Sir Wonder was now Governour he gave her some part thereof to drink which she no sooner had received but her Spirits revived and her colour came to her as if fresh Roses budded in her Cheeks so that she seemed of so divine a feature that Envies self could not but dote upon her and now as it were revived out of a Trance she breathed forth these words Am I awake or is this only some santastical vision Can Fortune afford one smile unto me or may I hope to see one serene day in my Life Oye Immortal Powers that Govern the affairs here below give me one spoonful of sweets to those many Gallons of bitterness which I have swallowed But they telling her that now all danger was past that the Gyant was killed and she at freedom joy began by little and little to enter in at the crannies of her heart And now
all parties being surrounded with joy Messengers were sent to all parts of the Kingdom to declare to them the joyful news of their Kings delivery whereupon soon after a wonderful number of Lords Knights and Gentlemen came to congratulate their Princes freedom and to express their joy for the death of the Gyant whose dead Body they beheld with great wonder and admiration But in a few dayes it began to stink so abominably that they were forced to bury it however the King to perpetuate the memory of so great a deliverance caused his proportion to be made out in Wood and placed in the front of his Castle instead of the other Writing and at the feet whereof were these Uerses Behold the Gyant wondrous greatness who VVith Cruelty o're people tyrannized Making them so much miseries undergâ— As greatest Tyrant's ere could have devised By lingring Torments putting them to pain That happy were they who outright were slain Long time thus 〈◊〉 use his Cruelty And longer we hiâ—â—â—rce must have endured Had not two Knights of valour stout and high Our liberty and freedom both procured By killing of that Moâ—ster sierce and fell And sending of his loathed Soul to Hell Those famous Worthies who this act did do Sir Phelim of Renowned Irelands Isle And valiant Owen of the Mountains who Did kill this murdering cruel Tyrant vile VVhose Fame shall last whilst Time shall cease to be For this their great and glorious Victory But should I go about to express the great joy of the Commons for this wonderful Uictory had I as many Tongues as Argus had Eyes or were all Helicon infused into my Breast yet were I not able to express the same the Heavens were struck with the sound of the trembling Bells Mirth digged her pits in every Cheek grief and sorrow were buried care was cashiered and â—very Soul was cheared with gladness Amongst other news that came to the Castle one was that the Knight Father to the distressed Lady was newly dead whereby she became Heiress to his whole Estate who having notice thereof notwithstanding his great unkindness to her yet did she make great lamentation for him showing therein the right Nature of a â—dutyful Child After some few dayes passed through the earnest sollicitatious of the King Sir Phelim Sir Owen of the Mountains and Sir Pandrasus she was perswaded to cast her affections upon the young Count that was her fellow Prisoner in consideration whereof the King restored him to all his Fathers Estate and made him an Earl The Marriage was solemnized with great splendour when on a sudden was a great uprâ—ar and cry of the people who came runing towards the Castle as swiâ—tly whirling as the whisking Wind and with as much speed as Daphne fled when as she was persued by Phoebus for this Gyant Briomart had a Brother named Curlo who lived in an Island hard by where he used as much Cruelty as his Brother did in this He hearing of the slaughter of Briomart raised what force he could and landing in the Island killed all that he could catch sparing neither Men Women nor Children This being made known to these valiant Knights they armed themselves with all the speed they might and mustered what Forces they could raise at present and being thus prepared they stayed near unto the Castle expecting the coming of the Enemy who with great pride and confidence came marching towards the Castle the Gyant Curlo in the head of them Sir Phelim seeing the Gyant marching in this manner with a strong Pole-Are came up to him betwixt whom began a most sierce encounter In the mean time the two Battles joyned together with as much rage and fury as was possible each striving to exceed the other who should â—loy Deaths jaws the soonest so that the Field was strowed with dead Carcases and mounts of slain Bodies surrounded with Moats of Blood Sir Owen and Sir Pandrasus making Lanes for them to pass wheresoever they went as if they altogether miuded Mankinds destruction None was taken to mercy but every one sacrificed to the mercy of the Sword Whilst they were thus in the heat of the fight the King with the new Bridgroom Earl came with those whom desire of Liberty and Allegiance to their Soveraign had brought to â—rke up Arms with him and giving a furious onset to the adverse party they were forced a little to retire But the Gyant Curlo had so far prevailed against Sir Phelim that he was forced to recoyl whereupon our new Earl to add to his Honour and in retribution of those great Courtesies he had received joyned in acombat with the Gyant but alas his strength was not answerable to his heart having been so much enfeebled by his long Imprisonment so that not withstanding Sir Phelim did all he could in his resâ—â—e yet was he slain by him which Sir Owen of the Mountains perceiving with great rage guided by courage and governed by discretion joyned with a Manly resolution opposed himself against the Gyant and so lustily laid about him that in the end he brought him down headlong who in his fall made such a horrid loud noise as wounded the Air with terrour like the roar of a whole Herd of Lyons enough almost to make an Earthquake but Sir Owen knowing the success of the Battle depended upon the Gyants Life nimbly leaping on him with his keen Fauchion cut off his Head which when the rest of his Soldiers perceived they thought to save themselves by flight but these valiant Knights were so exasperated by the death of this new Earl that banishing all pity from their Breasts like enraged Lyons they fell upon them and without all remorse never ceased till they left not one of them alive And now having obtained such an absolute Uictory they returned back again in Triumph carrying the dead Body of the Corse she was like to one quite straid from Reasons Center as Athamas and Ino when the Snakes crawled in their Bosemes or like to a Bull stung by Hornets or as raged Dido when Aeneas left her And am I said she capable of more sorrow can all the compass of the light show a more happy Creature than I Did I no sooner receive a glimpse of comfort but on a sudden to be thrown down again into a dungeon of misery Ah my dear Lord since I could not live with thee I will not live without thee and with that she would have struck a knife to her heart had she not been prevented by those that stood by her And will you also said she become my enemies VVhat injury have I done ye that you deprive me of the only benefit I desire to enjoy and now again she would have killed her self but was the second time prevented But the King Sir Phelim Sir Owen and Sir Pandrasus with much entreaty so perswaded her that she engaged to them not to lay violent hands upon her self and the better to divert her from any such thoughts and
was great store of Beefs Muttons Hares Conies and other sort of Beasts so gentle that when they had any mind to take them they would come to them at their first call never making any resistance but submiting to any thing you would do to them and of every thing such plenty as was sufficient to maintain a multitude of people Being thus extraordinarily well satisfied in beholding the curiâ—sities of this incomparable Island they drew down to the Sea side where they sat beholding how the Oceans frie were playing on the briny face of Neptune and casting their Eyes a little further they might behold a Boat come rowing towards them wherein sat an old man whose hairs did wear the sober hue of gray and whose wrinkled Countenance did seem to cast the account of many cares They came rowing directly towards them and being landed the old Gentleman desired to speak with the chiefest of their Company and being brought unto Sir David he spake to him in this manner Most worthy Knight whose Fame resounds as far as Phoebus darts his Golden Rayes and whose valiant Acts are memorized all the world over let melting pity creep into your heart to give some comfort to my Calamity Know then most worthy Chieftain that in my Native Country being an Island hard by there liveth a cruel Tyrant one whose will is his Law and who seldom sleeps soundly unless he hath Blood for his Bolster thinking no thing unlawful that makes for his advantage and to that intent keeping a constant kennel of Blood-Hounds to accuse whom he pleaseth and who are so desperately wicked for his purpose that they will dispose whatsoever he would have them by these men was I accused to have conspired against his Life and though there were neither plain Evidence nor and circumstance conducible thereunto yet being Judge in his one Cause I was condemned and presently had my Estate siezed on which indeed was the main cause of my Accusation I was then blest with a Beautiful Daughter named Tremelia of whom this Tyrant burned in Lust who took her from me pretending to keep her as a pledge of my fidelity but having her in his keeping sought to deflower her but she resisting his unchaste desires and giving him some opprobrious words he in a great rage stuck her to the heart with his Dagger I having notice of what was passed thought it high time to provide for my self and daring trust no body I lay hid for two or three dayes and nights amongst Bushes Thorns and Brakes when disguising my self I went to a village hard by where I heard of your notable Atchievments in conquering this Island the Garden of Ceres and Orchard of Pomona hoping according to your former favours to others in distress that you will afford me some succour in redressing my wrongs Sir David hearing this sad Relation of the ancient Gentleman was moved to great pity towards him so that he vowed by the Honour of Knighthood to which all that bear Arms are sworn unto either to revenge him of the Tyrant or to lose his Life in the attempt and so giving the ancient Gentleman some of the water of the Fountain to drink and some of the Apples to eat which to that purpose they alwayes carried about them he was so refreshed as he seemed to forget his former sorrows and to have new life and vigour inspired into him as had old Eson when the sage Medea infused young Blood into his aged Ueins Next they began to consult which wayes to accomplish this enterprize for should they take too great a strength along with them they might endanger the losing of the Island for well they wist that when the fellows of those who were slain came to hear of it they would endeavour not only to revenge their Friends blood but also if possible to recover again so fruitful an Island they therefore agréed to send for more succour to Sir Davids Country intending to stay there until their return but in the mean time this ambitious Tyrant whose name was Almantor having heard how this Island was conquered by a few persons and of the rare qualities belonging thereunto he thought in an instant to surprize it and to that purpose manned out what force he could make and with great bravery and ostentation sailed towards this fruitful Island having conquered it in conceit before he came thither Sir David séeing this Fleet of Ships which upon a smooth Sea danced Levalto's on the briny Main not tossed by any rage of Eolus he therefore having laid an ambush to surprize them upon their first landing séemed to sly until he had brought them into the Net prepared for them when turning head he gave them such a brisk charge as gave them a total rout not sparing any in the chase but by several wayes of deaths made passages for their Souls into the other World so that all the way as they were chased the spectacle was ugly and griefly to behold here lay Bodies torn in pieces mangled Limbs cut and hackt in divers manners so that a man beholding such a sight might say that War is an eâ—ercise not of Manhood but of Inhumanity Almantor himself fought most valiantly doing what in him lay to have obtained the Uictory and as if he had had a spirit that durst War against the Fates seemed to dread no danger but with an undaunted Courage to meet pale Death with triumph in a Tomb but all his Ualour would not bear him out against the unresistable force of Sir David who coming up to him with handy blows after a smart fight took him Prisoner few was saved alive besides for the Soldiers were so enraged against them that all compassion was for the present banished their Breasts The Uictory being thus clearly obtained and the Soldiers swords glutted in blood they led Almantor towards the Fountain where first they refreshed themselves with some of those healing Fruits and afterwards sat in Iudgment upon him where was laid to his charge all the Tyrannâ—ea Cruelties Murthers and Rapines which he had committed all which he could not excuse nor very well deny and therefore he was adjudged for his crimes to be put to death And now did the horrour of a guilty Conscience plainly appear in Almantor repenting not so much for his crimes as exclaiming against the punishment of them and yet in that punishment might he behold what cruelty he used to others although the greatest smart to him was to think that he justly deserved it whereas they suffered innocently And now to save his Life what did he not promise what Protestations use what Nows what Oaths what Asseverations that he would hereafter use Iustice mixed with Clemency not doing nor suffering any wrong to be done by others that he would deliver up to the ancient Gentleman his former Cstate and repossess him in all his Inheritance with many other flattering speeches to move their hearts to be inclinable to pity but his crimes were of too