ye Sir Billy hearing his Knighthood so vilified and degraded was in a great rage and drawing his Sword he bid the Constable defend himself for he should dearly abide the Blasphemy he had uttered against so Honourable an Order and thereupon began to fall upon him with all his might Ricardo and old Gerion seeing the madness of Sir Billy stepped to him to have staid his hands but the more they strived to hinder him the more he laid on The messenger that should have gone to the Lady Dulcina seeing them thus to bestir themselves betook himself unto his heels which the Taylor perceiving cryed out to follow him whereupon they left off fighting and ran after him all but Sir Billy who now was an absolute Conqueror at least in conceit The Smith who had all this while lain in a swound his Soul now seemed to re-enter his Body and he freed from this Counterfeit of death rose up and stood upright on his Feet and seeing Sir Billy with a wrathful countenance and a Sword in his hand he fell on his knees and humbly implored his Mercy I grant you Life said Sir Billy but upon Condition that as your fellow before you has engaged you also present your self on your knees to my Lady Dulcina as conquered by my Victorious Arm. By this time was the Constable returned bringing the fellow along with him with his hands tyed behind him and to prevent further mischief no sooner was he in the Barn but closing with Sir Billy struck up his heels and disarmed him of his Sword whilst the others seized on the Smith The Constastable would also have tyed Sir Billy's hands had not Ricardo and old Gerion interceded for him However Sir Billy rav'd like a mad Man for the Loss of his Sword threatning the Constable whom he branded with the Name of Magician Sorcerer Negromancer and a hundred such other names as he had read in Books of Knight Errantry The Constable taking him for one whose brains were crazed gave little regaad unto his words but told him he should have his Sword Only in the mean time he must go before one of his profession a righter of wrongs a reliever of the oppressed and who by vertue of a piece of Paper can send a Man to an Inchanted Castle kept by furious Gyants so strong and unpregnable that none can deliver him out of it but he that is armed with the Sword of Justice Shew me one of those Inchanted Castles said Sir Billy and if I do not take it by my Valour and the strength of my unconquered Arm Then let my Name be for ever razed out of the Honourable Bead-role of Knights Errant and I esteemed for a Carpet Knight a meer Toast and Butter afraid of my own Sword and affrighted with the clashing of my own Armor The Constable hearing Sir Billy's resolution could not chuse but smile telling him he would help him to the fight of this Inchanted Castle and now all parties being ready laying the two dead Bodies upon Sir Billy's and Ricardo's Horses and the two Prisoners pinioned and guarded by the Constables attendants they set forwards towards a Justice of the Peace his House where how they sped you shall hear in the Chapter following CHAP. 14. Sir Billy's entertainment at the Justices House his Oration in praise of the Golden Age with his challenging the Coroner to fight in defence of Knight-Errantry THIS Justice that they were going to was a very merry conceited Gentleman which made the Constable the more willing to have Sir Billy to him and by the way to sooth him up in his Fancies he told him that the Lord of the Castle whether they were going was descended in a direct Line by the Fathers side from the Famous Montelion Knight of the Oracle and by the Mothers side from the Renowned Amadis de Gaul That all the brave Heroes mentioned in the Mirror of Knighthood were near of Kin to his Ancestors as also that Don Belianis of Greece Parismus and Pheander the Maiden Knight were his great Grandfathers first Couzens Ricardo heard all their discourse with great attention and hearing him nominate only foreign kindred he asked the Constable how it came to pass that his Ancestors marched into such remote parts and not rather into their own Country and if they did what Kin this Lord of the Castle was to Guy Earl of Warwick or Bevis of Southampton I have heard said the Constable by Tradition and they say it is recorded in the Chronicles of Miconicon that Earl Terry who was sisters Son to Guy was Nephew to Euphrosina this Lord of the Castle 's great Grandfathers Aunt and that Sabere Sir Bevis his Uncle was Nephew in two descents to Earl Terry Thou speakest said Sir Billy as one well versed in the study of Knight Errantry and indeed it hath been often in my own thoughts that I am descended from Valentine or Orson Don Flores of Greece Palmerin of England or some of those renowned Champions whose Names flourish in the Book of Fame because I feel in my self those sparks of Fire kindled in my breast which do stir up noble minds to valiant performances By this time they were come to the Justices House where before they were examined the Constable acquainted him with the humor of Sir Billy and what discourse he had had with him which pleased his Fancy extraordinarily but having a great respect to Justice he first sifted out the Business concerning the two dead Corps which were brought before him and upon examination sent the Smith and his partner to Prison retaining Sir Billy still with him and using such respect to him as he thought was most correspondent to a Knight Errant Sir Billy whilst the Justice was examining the Prisoners busied himself with viewing some old Helmets Corslets and Launces which were hanged up in the Hall being to 〈…〉 â—â—angingâ— than the best Tapistry that could adorn it And now the Company being gone Sir Billy was invited to a Banquet of several dishes suitable to the season but e'er he would sit down to participate of it he began a long Oration in praise of Frugality to usher in the great need of Knight Errantry which with an audible voice he delivered in these words Thrice happy was that time which men do call the Golden Age not because Gold was then plenty but for the Innocent and harmless lives of those that lived in it being contented with those things which Nature produced of it self Their Meat was the Roots of the Earth Nuts and Acorns dainty Fare and for Liquors they had recourse to the Christal Spring the Earth brought forth Roses and flowers of it self without the Midwifry of Gardeners and the common wealth of Bees instead of stings carried Honey in their Tails Those contentious words of Meum and Tuum were not known in the World Men contented themselves with Cloaths made of the Fleece as it came from the Sheep which they wore only for Warmth for Pride
Song of that Arch Pyrate Sir Andrew Barton and that Heroick Poem of Chevy-Chase of which last the worthy Sir Philip Sidney used to say That the hearing thereof though Sung no better than by a Country Crowd stirred up his Heart more than a Trumpet well therefore might it be a great Motive to Billy to undertake such high Adventures as afterwards God willing we shall declare unto you And now Billy will be no longer under the Tuition of a Dame as knowing by natural Instinct that a Womans Domination is most Imperious wherefore his Father provides him a School-master one Snip a Taylor who for his Dexterity in Singing was advanced to the Dignity of Church-Clerk of the Parish which Office and keeping of a School found him with Powder'd-Beef and the Vales of his Trade furnished him with Cabbage Two Years went Billy to School with this Master in which space of time he had learn'd to read so well as gave his Father extraordinary content so that now he buys Billy a choice Library of Books viz. The History of Tom Thumb Robin Good-fellow The Fryer and the Boy The Three Merry Wives of Green-Goose-Fair The Sackfull of News A Hundred Merry Tales c. And now he thinks his Son sufficiently provided for Learning as concerning the Reading part his next care is to learn him to Write and cast Account and then he fears not but he may live in any place in England yea and if that the Stars should be propitious to him he might in time be advanced to a Justice of the Peace his Clerk Therefore seeing that Snip could not write he intreated the Vicar of the Parish to take some pains with his Son and if he made Billy as cunning at his Pen as he himself was at his Plough he promised him to Fallow his Glebe Land for him for nothing Upon these Considerations the Vicar took Billy under his Tuition but advised Thomasio that whilst his Son learned to write that he might not in the mean time forget his Reading to buy him some pretty Books to read in which might draw him thereto with some delight Thomasio replied He had been at great Charges that way already but for his Sons good he would not stick out for a small matter So the next Fair taking his Son along with him for the choice of his Volumes at a Pedlars Stall he bought him these Books following The Garland of Good Will The Garland of Princely Delights Pasquill 's Jeasts Scoggin Long Meg of Westminster Doctor Faustus Fryer Bacon The Seven Wise Masters The Gentle-Craft Jack of Newberry Reynard the Fox Diogenes History of Fortunatus George a Green Bevis of Southampton Guy of Warwick Palmerin of England Huon of Bourdeaux Valentine and Orson Don Beliavis of Greece Parismus and Parismenes The Seven Champions of Christendom Destruction of Troy History of King Arthur Amadis de Gaule Tom a Lincoln the Red Rose Knight Pheander the Maiden Knight The Knight of the Sun The Mirror of Knighthood Hero and Leander Children in the Wood. Tom Stitch the Tayler Knight of the Burning Sword Argalus and Parthenia King and the Cobler Nine penniworth of Wit for a Penny The Man of Kent Billy was not a little brag of his Books for he imagined he had now as good a Library as the best Scholar in Christendom but nothing tickled his Fancy so much in the reading of them as those Romantick Stories of killing Gyants and Dragons which many times did so far transport him that he thought himself to be really engaged in these imaginary Fights and so intent were his Thoughts upon them that Death's image sleep could not divert him so that when Morpheus with his leaden Mair had knock'd down others a sleep in their Beds the Thoughts of these strange Adventures did so run in his Head that he would rise in his sleep and getting a Bed-staff in his hand lay about him as if he were mad imagining he had encountred with some Gyant or other strange Monster The Servants that lay in the same Room with him being disturbed thus with his Fegaries complained to their Master who thereupon chid his Son telling him That People which laboured hard must not be disturb'd of their natural Rest for by that means they could not perform their work And therefore he threatned him If he plaid any more such Pranks he would not only put him to Plow but also take all his Books from him for he imagined it was his Books that wrought that Indisposition in him Yet notwithstanding all his Threatnings Billy's mind did so run of his Knightly Atchievements that he still continued in his old course for one night dreaming he was encountring with a terrible Dragon he got up in his sleep and taking the Bed-staff in his hand began to lay about him according to his old manner Now it so chanced that thorough often redoubling his blows he at last struck the Plow-man such a blow on the Pate that the Blood trickled down his Ears The Plow-man being betwixt sleeping and waking feeling the smart of the blow started out of his Bed and taking a Plow whip in his hand which stood up there ready in a corner he began to exercise the same on Billy's body laying it on so foundly that had Billy been in such a sleep as St. David the Champion of Wales was in the inchanted Garden of Ormondine yet must the smart thereof needs have waked him but Billy took all patiently imagining it to be the blows of the Dragon's Tail having read that Knights Errant are subject to such Adventures And now the Plow-man being weary of belabouring him went to Bed Billy also return'd to his Cabbin but the smart of his blows were such as would not suffer him to sleep one wink all that night enough to have spoil'd a young Knight Errant had not his mind been so fully fixed on Knightly Adventures Next Morning Billy was so soar that he could not go to School and being ask'd how he came to be so he told them It was with encountring of a mighty Dragon whilst he uttempted to rescue a King's Daughter that was bound to a Stake And so run on in a wild Discourse what a terrible Duel he had with him according as he had read in the seven Champions of the Combat there betwixt St. George and the Dragon But his Father understanding by his Plow-man's broken Pate what Whimsies still possessed his Son's Noddle repented him that ever he had put him to School and accursed the time that ever he bought him these Books the original cause as he imagined of Billy's Distemper and so in a Rage getting all his Books tegether the Knights and the Gyants had been all burnt in one Bon-fire had not Billy with Tears and his Wife Lucy with Intreaties rescu'd them out his hands And now Billy instead of going to School is put to keep Sheep which he liked far better than going to Plow because he had read of some Kings and
follow my first resolution in pursuance of Knight Errantry that after ages may read with admiration the deeds performed by my invincible Arm and Babes unborn speak of the Matchless atchievements done by my Valour CHAP. 13. The Woful story of a Taylor and his Sweet-Heart how they were Hanged in a Barn and how the Murtherers were taken by he means of Sir Billy and a Constable RIcardo was not so attentive to his Master's discourse as he was solicitous for his future safety 〈…〉 assuredly that the Constable having gotten more aid would return again afresh in pursuit of them and then began to mistrust that Knight-Errantry would not protect them from the Constables Whip so imparting his mind to old Gerion the Beggar what he should do therein was by him told of a more secret place as free from search as it was from beholding the Sun-beams to which it was never visible since first it was made a Naskin for the Canting-Crew But Sir Billy by no means would be perswaded to remove resolved he said to see the utmost of his Famous Adventure which put Ricardo into a great consternation not knowing what to do for to tell him of danger was but to cast Oyl into Fire and made him more furious to stay he therefore resolved to sooth him up in his folly and to catch this Buzard in the Woodcocks springe wherefore slipping on his Invisible-Ring and clapping him on the shoulder he uttered forth these Words Sir Knight whose Fame about is Hurl'd Throughout the Vniversal World Whose praises to the skies do Mount And Babes unborn shall it Recount The wise Urganda doth by me Command that thou from hence do Flee Therefore make hast use no delay But with Ricardo pack away Sir Billy hearing a voice and seeing no body was verily perswaded this was some Messenger from the wise Vrganda to have him depart and therefore calling hastily to Ricardo he said unto him My trusty Squire I shall now condescend to thy request in going away from this same-place having received a Command from the wise Urganda therefore whose Words to me I esteem as Oracles and whose Commands as Laws unviolably to be observed Ricardo therefore making no delay mounted his Master on Bellerophon and taking old Gerion up behind him on his own Horse away they marched directed by the old Beggar until such time as they were clear out of danger from all pursuers It was then at such time of the day when as the high pitch'd Sun invades the Earth with his hottest Beams bearing an equal distance betwixt foregoing and ensuing light The scorching Rayes of Heavens Charioteer beating so hotly upon them made them desirous to take shade under the Coverture of some leavy Canopyâ— when looking about for the fittest place they spyed an old Barn encompassed about so with Trees as scarce discernable through their leavy branches Hither being come they entred the same which they had no sooner done but there ran out thereof a lusty young Man with such swiftness as if each step strived to overgo the other so that he was soon vanisht from their eyes which attended him so long as he was discernable wondring what should be the cause of this hast when casting their eyes they saw a Maid stanged onâ— beam whose Soul had taken a final farewel of her body and over her a young Man newly hang'd whose soul was ready â—o dislodge and to sink into the House of Death but Ricardo and old Gerion perceiving some motion in his Body gathere'd by thence that he was not as yet quite rake'd up in deaths cold embers and therefore cutting the rope they by chasing him and some other means which they used brought him to Life and at last to such a degree of Life as to digest his thoughts in words which the first he used were to desire their help to take down that Maid and see if any means might recover her which yet he doubted was impossible whereupon they cut her down but all their endeavours about her were fruitless for cold-faced Death Natures bold pursivant had closed up her eyes in an everlasting sleep which when the young Man perceived fetching a deep sigh he breathed forth this sorrowful lamentation And what can fortune add more to the compleating of my miseries who cannot look beyond the prospect of my consuming grief being one whom the fates have marked out for a feeler of the extreams of miseries miserable below the reach of pitty whose heart is nothing but a Stage of Tragedies all the happinâ—â—â— I have being this that Fortune cannot throw me in a degree of being more miserable Sir 〈◊〉 took great notice of all which â—â—ssed imagining thereby some Famous adventure would fall out 〈◊〉 â—â—erformed by him and therefore spake thus unto the young Man Distressed Knight said he for soâ—â—â—â— see mest by thy sorrowful lamentation do out inform me what humane Wretch hath thus wrong 〈◊〉 â—ee and thy vertuous Lady and let him be Gyant Monster or Devil he shall be chastized by my 〈…〉 Arm for to this end have I taken upon me the profession of Knight Errantry to right 〈…〉 Knights and Ladies and to rid the World of such Monsters of Nature whose delight is 〈…〉 mischief and whose Trades are continued Acts of cruelty The 〈…〉 an who was but as it were newly revived out of a Trance hearing Sir Billy's discourse replyed 〈…〉 either Knight Squire nor yet good Gentleman but a Taylor by Trade living in a village hard by 〈◊〉 this Maiden who is here dead the Daughter of a wealthy Farmer in the same Parish both of 〈…〉 misfortune and sorrow In our very infancy we contracted an indissolvible bond of 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 and as our years further increased so our affections grew more and more and arriviâ—â—â— to those years wherein the God of Love maketh the hearts of his subjects to dote more upon a Mistress â—an an olâ— man on his heaps of Gold I then began to râ—â—eal my affections unto her which found such a Friendly reception that by mutual vows and promises we contracted our selves each to other 〈◊〉 the foul paâ—e Hog envy that banquets her self in others miseries repining at our happiness had caused 〈◊〉 heart of a certain Smith of our Town to be Captivated by the charming looks of my Rosaro foâ—â—â— wâ—â— my Love caâ—â—â— who with much earnestness declared his affection unto her using many vowâ—◠〈◊〉 protestations of the reality of his Love â—our her heart was so deeply linked to me that whatsoâ—â—â—â— she was was only mine she â—â—ve him so sharp a denial that his Love converting to hatred he 〈◊〉 with revengful fury against her and from thenceforth waited only for an opportunity to put his 〈◊〉 in execution which at last he brought to pass as â—ou see for confederating himself with a coupâ—â—â—â— Fellows the Devils Factors for all wickedness and such whom an honest Man can neither see nor speak 〈◊〉 withoâ—◠〈◊〉 These having intelligence