Oh miserable Quéene oh fond and vnhappy Lady thy spéeches be too too foolish for although thy desperate hand should pull out thy dispised harte from thy bléeding brest yet can it not make satisfaction for thy dishonour Oh Heauens why do you not cast some fiery thunderbolt downe vpon my head or why doth not the earth gape and swallowe my infamous bodye Oh false and deceiuing Lord I would thy louing and amourous words had neuer béene spoken nor thy quicke sighted eyes neuer gazde vpon my beautie then had I florisht still with glory and renowne and liu'd a happy Uirgin of chaste Dianaes traine With these and other like lamentations this grieued Quéene passed away the time till at laste she felte her wombe to growe big with childe at the which she receiued dubble paine for that it was impossible to couer or hide it and séeing her selfe in this case like a woman hated and abhorred she determined to discouer her selfe publikely vnto her subiectes and deliuer her body vnto them to be sacrificed vnto their Gods and with this determination one day she caused certaine of her Nobles to be sent for who straightway fulfilled her commaundement but when she perceiued her Lords Knights and Gentlemen of honour came altogether before her she couered her selfe with a rich robe and sate vpon her bed in her priuate chamber being so pale and leane that all them that sawe her had greate compassion vppon her sorrowe beeing all set round about her bed and kéeping silence she reuealed to them the cause of her griefe in this manner My Lords quoth she I shame to intytle my selfe your Quéene and Sâ—ueraigne in that I haue defamed the honor of my Countrie and little regarded the welfare of our Common wealth my glistering crowne me thinkes is shadded with a cloude of black disgrace and my Princely attire conuerted into vnchaste habiliments in which I haue both lost the libertie of my heart and withall my wonted ioy and am now constrained to indure perpetual paine and an euer pining death For I haue lost my honour and recouered shame and infamie To conclude I haue forgone the liberty of a Quéene and solde my self to a slauish sinne onely mine own is the fault and mine owne shall be the punishment Therfore without making any excuse I héere surrender vp my body into your powers for that you may as an euill quéen sacrifize me vnto our Gods also that within my accursed wombe for now my Lords you shall vnderstand that I am dishonored by the knight of the black Castle he hath planted a Uine within my fruitful garden and sowen a séede that hath made Armenia infamouse heit is that hath coÌ„mitted so many euils in the world he it is that delights in virgins spoiles and hee it is that hath bereau'd mee of my honor but with my good will I must néedes confesse and left me for a testimonie of this my euill déed big with child by which my virgins glory is conuerted to a monstrous scandall and with this she made an end of her lamentable speach And being gréeuously oppressed with the paine of her burthenous wombe she sate her downe vpon her rich bedde and attended their wils but when these Earles Lords and honorable personages that were present had vnderstood all that the Quéene had saide vnto them like men greatly amazed they changed their cullors from red to white and from white to red in signe of anger and looking one vpon an other without speaking any worde but printing in their hearts the fault done by their Quéen to the great disgrace of their countrie and so without any further consideratiâ—n they depriued her from all princely dignitie both of her Crowne and regiment and pronounced her perpetuall banishment from Armenia like subiectes not to bee gouerned by such a defamed Prince that hath grafted the fruit of of such a wicked trée within her wombe So at the time appointed like a woman forlorne and hated of all companies shée stored her selfe sufficient with treâ—sure and betooke her selfe to her appointed banishment after whose departure the Armenians elected them seluâ—s an other Prince and left their lawfull Queene wâ—ndring in vnknown Ilands big with child deuoide of succour and reliefe where insteed of her Princely bed couered with Canopies of silk shée tooke her nightly reposes vpon the gréen grasse shadded with the sable curtaines of heauen and the nurses that were prouided against her deliuerie were Nimphes and Faieries dauncing in the night by Proserpines commaundement thus in greate griefe continued she many daies contenting her selfe with her appointed banishment making her lamentations to the whispring winds which séemed in her conceipt to reansweare her complaints at length the glistering moone had ten times borrowed light of the golden Phoebus and the nights cleare candle were now almost extinguished by which time approached the houre of her laborsome trauell wherein onely by the assistance of heauen shee was deliuered of me her vnhappy daughter where euer since I haue béene nourished by the deuine powers of heauen for many times when I came to yéeree of discretion my wofull mother would discourse vnto me this lamentable story of both our mizeries the which I haue moste truely delared vnto you Likwise shée told me that many times in my infancie when she wanted milke in her brestes to nourish me there would come a Lionesse and sometimes a shée Beare and gently giue me sucke and contrarie to the nature of wilde beastes they would many times sporte with where by she coniectured that the immortall powers had preserued me for some strange fortune likewise at my birth nature had pictur'd vpon my brest directly betwixt my tender Paps ' the liuely forme of a purple Rose which as yet doth beautifie my bosome with a vermillion collour and this was the cause that my mother named me Rosana answerable to natures marke After this we liu'd many a yéere in great distresse penurie and want soliciting heauen to redresse our woes more oftner then we had liued houres the aboundance of our teares might suffize to make a watry sea and our sighes in number to countervaile the starres of heauen but at last the fatal sisters listed to my mothers mones to my great sorrow depriued her of her life where now I am left a comfortles Orphant to the world attending the time vntill that heauen send some curteous Knight that may conduct me to that blacke Castle where my disloyall father hath his residence that I might there perform my mothers dying will these wordes being finished Rosana stood silent for that her extreame griefe hindred the passage of her tongue and her eyes rained such a shewer of pearled teares vpon the liueles body of her mother that it constrained Saint Georges Sonnes to expresse the like sorrow but after they had let fall a few salt teares down from their sad eyes and had taken truce for a time with â—riefe they tooke Rosana by the hand which before
and fearing the harme that should happen vnto her Ladie she put her selfe ouer her bodie and gaue most terrible lowd and lamentable shrikes The King as one kindled in wrath and forgetting the naturall loue of a Father towards his Childe hee laid hand vppon his sword and said It dooth not profite thee Angelica to flie from thy death for thy desert is such that thou canst not escape from it for heere mine owne arme shall be the killer of mine owne flesh and I vnnaturally hate that which Nature it selfe commaundeth me especily to loue Then Angelica with a countenaunce more red than scarlet answered and said Ah my Lord and Father wil you be now as cruell vnto me as you had wont to be kind and pittifull appease your wrath and withdraw your vnmercifull sword and hearken vnto this which I saye in discharging my selfe in that you charge mee wthall you shall vnderstand my Lord and father that I was ouercome and constrained by loue for to loue forgetting all fatherly loue and my dutie towardes your Maiestie yet for all that hauing power to accomplish the same it was not to your dishonour in that I liue honorablie with my husband then the King with a visage fraught with terrible ire more liker a dragon in the woods of Hercania then a man of méeke nature answered and said Thou viperous brat degenerate from natures kinde thou wicked Traitor to thy generation what reason hast thou to make this false excuse when as thou hast committed a crime that deserues more punishment then humaine nature can inflicte and in saying these wordes he lift vp his sword intending to strike her vnto the harte and to bathe his weapon in his owne daughters blood whereat Fidela being present gaue a terrible shrike and threw her selfâ— vpon the body of vnhappy Angeâ—lica offring her tender brest to the furie of his sharpe cutting sword onely to set at libertie her déere Lady and Mistresse But when the furious King sawe her in this sorte make her defence he pulled her off â—y the haire of the hed offring to trample her delicate body vnder his féete thereby to make a way that he might execute his denermined purpose without resistance of any Fidela when she sawe the King determined to kill his daughter like vnto a Lyonesse she hung about his necke and said thou monstrous murtherer more crueller then mad dogs in Egipt why dost thou determine to slaughter the moste chaste and loyallest Ladye in the worlde euen she within whose lappe vntamed Lyons will come and sléepe Thou arte thy seâ—fe I say the occasion of all this euill and thyne onely is the faulte for that thy selfe wert so malicious and so full of mischiefe that shee durst not let thée vnderstand of her sodaine loue These wordes and teares of Fidela did little profite to mollifie the Kings heart but rather like a wylde Boare in the Wildernes beeing compassed about with a companie of Dogges doth shake his members euen so did thys King shake himselfe and threw Fidela from him in such sort that he had almost dasht her braines against the chaÌ„ber walls and with double wrath hee did procure to execute his furie Yet for all this Fidela with terrible shrikes sought to hinder him till such time as with his cruel hand he thrust the poynt of his sword in at her breast so that it appeared foorth at her backe whereby her soule was forced to leaue her terrestriall habitation and flye into Paradice to those blessed soules which dyed for true loues sake Thus this vnhappie Angelica when shee was most at quiet and content with her prosperous life then Fortune turned her vnconstant Whéele and cast her from a glorious delight to a sodaine death The yrefull King when he beheld his daughters blood sprinkled about the chamber and that by his own hands it was committed he repented himselfe of the déede and accursed the hower wherein y e first motion of such a crime entered into his minde wishing the hand that did it euer after might be lame and the heart that did contriue it to be plagued with more extremities than was miserable Oedipus or to be terrified with her ghastly spirit as was the Macedonian Alexander with Clitus shadow whom he causeles murthered In this manner the vnfortunate King repented hys Daughters bloodie Tragedie with this determination not to stay till the Magitian returned from his Hunters exercise but to exclude himselfe from the companie of all men to spend the remnant of his loathsome life among vntamed beasts in some wilde wildernes Upon this resolution he departed the chamber and withall said Farwell thou liuelesse bodie of my Angelica and may thy blood which I haue spilt craue vengeance of the Gods against my guiltie soule for my earthly bodie shall indure a miserable punishment Likewise at his departure he writ vppon y e chamber wals these verses following in his daughters blood For now to hills to dales to rockes to caues I goe To spend my dayes in shameful sorrow griefe woe Fidela after the departure of the King vsed such violent fury against her selfe both by rending the golden tramelles of her hayre and tearing her Rosie coloured face with her furious nayles that shee rather seemed an infernall Furie subiect to wrath than an earthly creature furnished with clemencie She sat ouer Angelicaes bodie wiping her bléeding bosome with a damaske scarffe which shee pulled from her waste and bathing her dead bodie in luke-warme tears which forcibly ranne downe from her eyes like an ouerflowing Fountaine In this wofull manner spent y e sorrowfull Fidela that vnhappie day till bright Phoebus went into the westerne seas at which time the Magitian retourned from his accustomed hunting and finding the doore open he entered into Angelicaes chamber where when he found her bodie weltring in congealed blood and beheld how Fidela sate wéeping ouer her bléeding wounds he cursed himselfe for that he accompted his negligence y e occasion of her death in that he had not left her in more safetie But when Fidela had certefied him how that by the hands of her owne Father she was slaughtered he began like a franticke tyrant to rage against heauen and earth and to fill the ayre with terrible exclamations Oh cruell murtherer said he crept from the womb of some vntamed Tyger I wil be so reuenged vpon thée O vnnaturall king that all ages shal wonder at thy misery And likewise thou vnhappie Uirgin shalt indure like punishment in that thy accursed tung hath bruted this fatall déed vnto my eares the one for committing the crime and the other for reporting it For I will cast such deserued vengeance vpon your heads and place your bodies in such continuall torments that you shall lament my Ladies death leauing aliue the fame of her with your lamentations And in saying these words he drew a Booke out of his bosome and in reading certaine charmes and inchauntments that was therein contained he made
no sooner appeared the Mornings Sunne vppon the Mountaine tops and the cleare countenaunce of the Elements made motion of some insuing pastime but S. George commaunded a solempne Hunting for the welcome of his Sonnes Then began his knights to arme themselues in troops and to mount vpon their nimble Iennets and some with well armd Boare-speares in their handes prepared for the game on foote but S. George with his Sonnes clad in gréen vestments like Adonis with siluer hornes hanging at their backes in scarffes of coloured silke were stil the formost in this Exercise Likewise Sabra intending to sée her Sonnes valours displaied in the field whether they were in courage like their Father or no caused a gentle Palfray to be prouided whereon she mounted her Princely Person to be a witnes of these Siluane sportes she was armd with a curious brest-plate wrought like to the scales of a Dolphin and in her hand she bare a siluer bow of the Turkish fashion like an Amazonian Queen or Diana hunting in the groues of Arcadie Thus in this gallant manner rode forth these Hunters to their Princely pastimes where after they had ridden some sixe miles from the Cittie of London fell from Sa. Georges nose thrée drops of purple blood whereat hée sodainly started and there withall he heard the croaking of a Flight of night Rauens that houered by the Forrest side all which he iudged to be dismall signes of some insuing stratagem but hauing a princely mind he nothing discouraged thereat nor little mistrusted the wofull accident that after happened but with a noble resolution entered the Forrest accounting such foretelling tokens for olde wiues ceremonies Wherein they had not passed the compasse of halfe a mile but they started a wilde swift Stag at whom they vncoupled their Hounds and gaue bridle to their horses and followed the game more swifter than Pirates that pursue the Merchants vppon the seas But now behold how frowning Fortune chaunged their pleasant pastimes to a sad and bloodie tragedie for Sabra proffering to kéepe pace with them delighting to behold the valiant incounters of her yong sonnes and being careles of her selfe thorough the ouer swiftnes of her Stéede shee slipped beside her saddle and so fell directly vpon a thornie brake of brambles the prickes whereof more sharpe than spikes of stéele entered to euerie part of her delicate bodie some pierced the louely closets of her starre bright eyes whereby in stead of christall pearled teares there issued drops of purest blood her face before that blushed like the mornings radiant countenance was now exchanged into a crimson red her milk white hands that lately strained the yuorie Lute did séeme to weare a bloodie scarlet gloue and her tender paps that had so often fed her Sonnes with the milke of nature were all berent and torne with these accursed brambles from whose déep wounds there issued such a streame of purple gore that it conuerted the grasse from a liuely gréen to crimson hicu and the abundance of blood that trickled from her breast began to inforce her soule to giue the world a wofull farewell Yet notwithstanding when her beloued Lord her sorrowfull Sonnes and all the rest of the wofull Champions had washed her wounded bodie with a Spring of feares and when she perceiued that she must of force commit her life to the furie of imperious death shee breathed foorth this dying Exhortation Deare Lord said she in this vnhappie Hunting must you loose the truest Wife that euer lay by Princes side yet mourne you not nor gréeue you my Sonnes nor you braue Christian Knights but let your warlike drummes conuay me royally vnto my Toombe that all the world maye write in brazen Bookes how I haue followed my Lord the Pride of Christendome thorough many a bloodie field and for his sake haue left my Parents Frends and Countrey and haue trauelled with him through manie a daungerous Kingdome but now the cruell Fates haue wrought their latest spites and finished my life because I am not able to performe what loue he hath deserued of me And now to you my Sonnes this blessing do I leaue behinde euen by the paines that fortie wéekes I once indured for your sakes when as you lay enclosed in my wombe and by my trauels in the wildernes whereas my grones vpon your birth day did in my thinking cause both trées and stones to drop downe teares when as the mercilesse Tygers tamelesse Lyons did stand like gentle Lambes and mournd to heare my lamentations and by a Mothers loue that euer since I haue borne you imitate follow your Father in all his honorable attempts harme not the silly Infant nor the helplesse Widdow defend the honour of distressed Ladies and giue fréely vnto wounded Souldiers séeke not to stain the vnspotted virgins with your lusts and aduenture euermore to redéeme true Knights from captiuitie liue euer professed enemies to paganisme and spend your liues in the quarrel and defence of Christ that Babes as yet vnborne in time to come may speake of you and record you in the Bookes of fame to be true christian Champions This is my blessing and this is the Testament I leaue behinde for now I féele the chilnesse of pale death closing the closets of my eyes Farewell vaine world déere Lord farewell swéet Sonnes you famous fellowes of my George and all true Christian Knights adieu These words were no sooner ended but with a heauie sigh she yéelded vp the ghost whereat Saint George being impatient in his sorrowes fell vpon her liuelesse bodie rending his haire and tearing his Hunters attyre from his backe into a thousand péeces and at last when his griefes somewhat diminished he fell into these bitter lamentations Gone is the Starre said he that lightned all y e Northerne world withered is the Rose that beautefied our Christian fields dead is the Dame that for her beautie stained all Christian women for whom I le fill the aire with euerlasting moanes This day hencefoorth be fatall to all times and counted for a dismall day of death Let neuer the Sunne shew foorth his beames thereon againe but clowdes as blacke as pitch couer the earth with fearfull darknes Let euerie Trée in this accursed Forrest hencefoorth be blasted with vnkindly windes let brambles hearbs and flowers consume and wyther let grasse and blooming buds perish and decay and all things néere the place where shee was slaine bee turned to a dismall blacke and sable colour that the Earth it selfe in mourning garments may lament her losse Let neuer Birde sing cherefully in top of trées but like the mournfull musicke of the Nightingale fil all the aire with fatall tunes let bubling riuers murmure for her losse siluer Swans that swim thereon sing dolefull melodie let all the dales belonging to these fatal woods be couered with gréene bellyed serpents croaking toades hissing snakes and sightkilling cockatrices in blasted trées let fearfull Rauens shrike let howlets crye and crickets sing
that after this it may be called a place of dead mens wandring ghosts But fond wretch why doo I thus lament in vaine and bathe her bléeding bodie with my teares when gréefe by no meanes will recall her life Yet this shall satisfie her soule for I will goe a Pilgrimage vnto Ierusalem offer vp my teares to Iesus Christ vpon his blessed Sepulcher by which my stained soule may be washt from this bloody guilt which was the causer of this sorrowfull dayes mishappe These sorrowfull words were no sooner ended but hée tooke her bléeding limmes betwéene his fainting armes and gaue a hundred kisses vpon her dying coloured lips retayning yet y e colour of Alablaster new washt in purple blood and in this extasie a while lying gaue waye to others to vnfold their woes But his Sonnes whose sorrowes wer as great as his protested neuer to neglect one day but duly wéepe a sea of teares vpon their Mothers graue till from the Earth did spring some mournfull flower to beare remembrance of her death as did the Uiolet that sprung from chast Adonis blood when Venus wept to sée him slaine Likewise the other sixe Champions that all the time of their lamentations stood like men drownd in the depth of sorrow began now a little to recouer themselues and after protested by the honour of true Knighthood and by the Spur and golden Garter of S. Georges leg to accompanie him vnto the holy Land bare footed without either hose or shoo onely clad in russet gaberdines like the vsuall Pilgrimes of the world and neuer to returne till they haue payd their vowes vpon that blessed Sepulcher Thus in this sorrowful manner wearied they the time away filling the woods with Echoes of their lamentations and recording their dolors to the whistling windes but at last when blacke Night began to approach and with her sable mantles to ouer-spred the christall firmament they retyred with her dead bodie backe to the Citie of London where the report of this tragicall accident drowned their friends in a sea of sorrow for the newes of her timelesse death was no sooner bruted abroad but the same caused both olde and young to lament the losse of so swéete a Ladie The siluer headed age that had wont in scarlet gownes to méete in Councell sat now at home in discontented griefes the gallant youths and comely virgins that had wont to beautefie the stréetes with costlye garments went drouping vp and downe in blacke and mournfull vestures and those remorcelesse hearts that sildome were opprest with sorrow now constrained their eyes like fountaines to distill a floud of brinish and pearly teares This generall griefe of the Citizens continued for the space of thirtie dayes at the ende whereof Saint George with his Sonnes and the other Champions interred her bodie verie honourably and erected ouer the same a â—ith and costly Monument in sumptuous state like the toomb of Mausolus which was called one of the Wonders of the World or like to the Pyramides of Greece which is a staine to all Architectures for thereon was portrayed the Quéene of Chastitie with her Maydens bathing themselues in a christall Fountaine as a witnesse of her wondrous Chastitie against the lustfull assailements of manie a Knight Thereon was also most liuely pictured a Turtle-doue sitting vpon a trée of gold in signe of the true loue that she bore to her betrothed husband Also a siluer coloured Swan swimming vpon a Christall riuer as a token of her beautie for as the Swan excelleth al other fowles in whitenes so she for beautie excelled all Ladies in the world I leaue to speake of the curious workmanship of the pinacles that were framed all of the purest â—eat the pummels of siluer and Iasper stones Also I omit the Pendants of gold the Scutchions of Princes the Armes of Countreyes that beautefied her Toombe the discourse whereof requires an Oratours eloquence or a penne of golde dipt in the dew of Hellicon or Pernassus Hill whereas the Muses doo inhabit Her Statue or Picture was carued cunningly in alablaster and layd as it were vppon a pillow of gréene silke like vnto Pigmalâ—ons yuorie Image and directly ouer the same hung a siluer Tablet whereon in letters of golde was this Epitaph written Here lies the vvonder of this vvorldly age For beautie vvit and princely maiestie Whom spitefull death in his imperious rage Procurde to fall through ruthlesse crueltie In leauie sports within a fragrant wood Vpon a thornie brake she spilt her blood Let Virgins pure and Princes of great might With siluer perled teares imbalme this tomb Accuse the fatall sisters of despight For blasting thus the pride of natures bloom For here she sleeps within this earthly graue whose worth deserues a golden tomb to haue Seauen yeares she kept her sweet Virginitie In absence of her true betrothed Knight When thousands did perceiue her chastitie Whilst he remaind in prison daye and night But yet we see that things of purest prize Forsakes the earth to dwell aboue the skies Maidens come mourne with dolefull melody And make this monument your setled bower Here shed your brackish teares eternally Lament both yere month week day hower For here she rests whose like can nere be fouÌ„d Her beauties pride lyes buried in the ground Her wouÌ„ded hart that yet doth freshly bleed Hath causd seuen knights a iourny for to take To faire Ierusalem in Pilgrimes weed The furie of her angrie ghost to slake Because their siluane sports was chiefest guilt And onely cause her blood was timeles spilt Thus after the Toomb was erected and the Epitaph ingrauen in a siluer Tablet and al things performed according to Saint Georges direction he left his Sonnes in the Cittie of London vnder the gouernment of the English King and in companie of the other sixe Champions he tooke his iourney towards Ierusalem They were attired after the manner of Pilgrimes in russet gaberdines downe to their foote in their hands they bore staues of Ebon wood tipt at the endes with siluer the pikes whereof were of the strongest Lydian stéele of such a sharpnes that they were able to pierce a target of Tortoys shell vppon their breasts hung Crosses of crimson silke to signifie that they were Christian Pilgrimes trauelling to the Sepulcher of Christ. In this manner set they forward from England in the Spring time of the yeare when Flora had beautefied the earth with Natures tapestrie and made their passages as pleasant as the Gardens of Hesperides adorned with all kinde of odoriferous flowers When as they crossed the seas the siluer waues séemed to lye as smoothe as christal yce and the Dolphins to daunce aboue the waters as a signe of a prosperous iourney In trauelling by land the wayes séemed so short and easie and the chirping melody of birdes made them such musique as they passed that in a short season they arriued beyond the borders of Christendome and had entred the confines of Africa There were they forced
in sted of downie beds nightly to rest their wearie limmes vpon heapes of sun burnt messe and in sted of silken curtens and curious canopies they had the clowdes of heauen to couer them Now their naked legs and bare feet that had wont to stride the stately stéedes and to trample in fields of Pagans blood were forced to clyme the craggie mountaines and to endure the torments of pricking briers as they trauayled thorough the desert places and comfortlesse solitarie wildernesses Manie were the dangers that hapned to them in theyr Iourney before they arriued in Iudea and most princely their atchieuements and honourable their aduentures which for this time I passe ouer leauing the Champions for a time in their trauell towards the holy Sepulcher of Christ and speake what happened to Sa. Georges thrée Sonnes in visiting their Mothers Tombe in the Cittie of London CHAP. II. Of the strange giftes that S. Georges sonnes offered at their Mothers Toombe and vvhat hapned thereupon hovv her Ghost appeared to them and counselled them to the pursute of their Father also hovv the Ki. of England installed them with the honor of knighthood and furnished them vvith abiliments of vvarre THe swift foote stéedes of Titans fierie Carre had almost finished a yere since Sabraes Funerall was solemnized in which time Saint Georges thrée Sonnes had visited their Mothers Tomb oftner than there were dayes in the yeare and had shed as manie teares thereon in remembraunce of her loue as there were starres in the glistering veyle of Heauen but at last these thrée yong Princes fell at a ciuill discord and deadly strife which of them should beare the truest loue vnto their Mothers dead bodie and which of them should be held in greatest estéeme For before manie dayes were expired they concluded to offer vp thrée seuerall deuotions at her Tombe and he that deuised a gift of the rarest prize and of the straungest qualitie should bee held in the greatest honour and accompted the noblest of them all This determination was spéedily perfourmed and in so short a time accomplished that it is wonderfull to discourse The first thinking to excéed his brothers in the strangenes of his Gift made repaire vnto a cunning Inchauntresse which had her abiding in a secret caue adioyning to the Cittie whom he procured through manie rich giftes and large promises by arte to deuise a meane to get the honor from his Bretheren to haue a gift of that strange nature that all the world might wonder at the report thereof The Inchauntresse being won with his promises by her artes and magicke spells deuised a Garland contayning all the diuersitie of flowers that euer grew in earthly Gardens and though it were in the dead time of winter when as the siluer ysicles had disroabd both hearb and flower of their beauties and the Northerne snow lay fréezing on the mountaine tops yet was this Garland contriued after the fashion of a rich Imperial Crowne with as manie seuerall Flowers as euer Flora placed vppon the downes of rich Arcadia in diuersitie of colours lyke the glistering Raine-bow when as it shineth in her greatest pride and casting such an odoriferous sent and swéete sauour as though the Heauens had rained downe showers of Campheere Bisse or Amber-gréece This rare and excéeding Garland was no sooner framed by Inchauntment and deliuered into his hands but he left the Inchauntresse sitting in her Ebon chaire vpon a blocke of stéele practising her fatall artes with her hair hanging about her sholders like wreaths of snakes or inuenomed serpents and so retourned to his Mothers tombe where he hung it vppon a pillar of siluer that was placed in the middle of the Monument The second Brother likewise repaired to the Tombe and brought in his hand an yuorie Lute wheron he plaid such inspiring melodie that it séemed like the harmony of Angels or the celestiall musique of Apollo when hee descended heauen for the loue of Daphne whom hee turned into a Bay trée The musicke being finished he tied ys Lute in a damaske scarffe and with great humilitie hee hung it at the west ende of the Tombe vppon a knobbe of Iasper stone Lastly the third Brother likewise repaired with no outward deuotion or worldly gift but clad in a vesture of white silke bearing in his hand an instrument of death like an innocent Lambe going to sacrifice or one readie to be offered for the loue of his mothers soule This strange manner of repaire caused his other brothers to stand attentiuely and with vigilant eyes to behold the conclusion First after he had submissiuely and with great humilitie let fall a shower of siluer teares from the cesternes of his eyes in remembrance of his Mothers timeles tragedie he prickt his naked breast with a siluer bodkin the which he brought in his hand from which there trickeled downe some thirtie drops of blood which he after offered vp to his Mothers Tombe in a siluer bason as an euident signe that there can be nothing more dearer nor of more precious price than to offer vp his owne blood for her loue This ceremonious gift caused his two other Brothers to swell in hatred like two chased Lions and with furie to run vpon him intending to catch him by the haire of the head and to drag him round about their Mothers Tomb till his braines were dasht against the marble pauement and his blood sprinkled vppon her graue but this wicked enterprize so mooued the Maiestie of heauen that ere they could accomplish their intents or staine their hands in his blood they heard as it were y e noyse of dead mens bones ratling in the ground And thereupon looking fearfully about the Toombe seemed of it selfe to open and thereout to appeare a most terrible and ghastly shapâ— pale like vnto ashes in countenance resembling theyr Mother with her breast besmeard in blood and her bodie wounded with a hundred scarres and so with a dismall rufull looke she spake vnto her desperate Sonnes in thys manner Oh you degenerate from Natures kinde why doo you séeke to make a murther of your selâ—es can you indure to sée my bodie rent in twaine my heart split in sunder and my wombe dismembred Abate this furie staine not your hands with your owne bloods nor make my Tombe a spectacle of more death Unite your selues in concord that my discontented soule may sléepe in peace and neuer more be troubled with your vnbridled humours Make hast I say and arme your selues in stéeled corslets and follow your valiant Father to Ierusalem for he is there in danger and distresse of life Away I say or els my angry ghost shall neuer leaue this world but haunt you vp and downe with gastly visions This being said she vanished from their sight lyke to the brictlâ— ayre whereat for a time they stood amazed and almost distraught of their wits thorough the terrour of her words but at last recouering their former senses they all vowed by the
that time neuer touched the body of any man and protested neuer to depart from her company til they had safely deliuered her into the blacke Castle After this when the Christian Knightes had pitifully bewailed the mizerie and vntimely death of her mother they tooke their daggers and digged a déep graue vnder a Bay trée and buried her body that hungry rauens might neuer seaze vpon it or furious beasts teare it in péeces nor rauenous Harpies deuour it and after with the point of their daggers they in graued this Epitaph in the rinde of the Bay trée which words were these that follow The Epitaph ouer the graue of the vnfortunate Queene of Armenia Heere lies the body of a haples Queene Whose great goodwill to her smal loue did bring Her faithfull minde requited was with teene Though she deserud for loue a regall King And as her corpes inclosed heere doth lye Her lucklesse fate and fame shal neuer dye So when they had made this Epitaph and couered her graue with gréene turues they departed forward on their iorney towards the blacke Castle where wee will leaue them in their trauels and returne to the disloyal Leager and howe hee fortified his Castle by magick arte according to the learned skill of a cunning Nigromancer and of the aduentures that hapned to Saint George with the other Christian Champions in the same Castle therefore graunt you immortall powers of heauen that my penne may be dipt in the waters of that learned fountain where the nine sisters doe inhabite that by the helpe of that swéet liquor my muse may haue a delightfull vaine so that mixing the speach of Mercury with the prowesse of Mars I may discourse of the strangest accident that euer hapned to wandring Knights CHAP. VIII Of the preparation that the Knight of the blacke Castle made by magick arte to withstand his enemies and how the seuen Champions entred the same Castle where they were inchaunted into a dead sleep so long as seuen Lamps burned which coulde not bee quenched but by the vvater of an inchaunted Fountaine THe wicked Leoger as you haue read of before being the knight of the blacke Castle and one that for wealth and treasure surpassed the mightiest potentate of those countries when he grew detested and abhorred in euerie companie as well by noble Knights as gallant Ladies for the spoile and murther of those thrée comely Damsels whose pittifull stories you heard in the two passed Chapters and fearing a sodaine vengeance to fall vpon his head hee fortified himselfe strongly in his Castle and with his treasure hyred many furious Giants to defend it likewise it they fayled shold chance to be ouercome he consorted with a wicked Nigromancer that with charmes and spels should worke wonders in his Castle which magicall accomplishments we will passe ouer till a more conuenient time because I purpose to explaine the historie in good order to the readers first speake we of Saint George with the other christian knights that came in reuenge of the Shepheard and his vnfortunate daughter who with good successe ariued vpon the shoare of the Iland where this wicked Leoger and the Magician had fortified their blacke Castle In which countrie the Christian Champions like the inuinsible followers of Mars fearing no danger nor the frowns of vnconstant fortune but betooke themselues the readiest way towards the Castle in which iorney they were almost rauished with the pleasures of the Iland for entring into a broad and straight lane garnished on both sides with trées of diuers sortes wherein they heard howe the Sommer birds recorded their pleasant melodies and made their swéet and accustomed songes without feare of any man to molest them in which rowe of pleasant trées that delighted them on both sides there wanted not the gréen lawrel so much extéemed of learned scholers nor the swéet mertel trée loued by Ladies nor the high Cipresse so much regarded of Louers nor the stately pine which for his flourishing height is called the prince of trées wherby they iudged it to be a habitation for the Gods then any terestrial country for that the golden Sun with his glistering beames did passe through those gréene and pleasant trées without any hindrance of black cloudes for the heauens were as cleare as tried siluer likwise the westerne winds did softly shake the shiuering leaues whereby it made as swéet a hermonie as the celestiall Cherubins of heauen a thousand little streamed brookes ran vpon the inamelled grounde making sundry fine workes by their crooked turnings and ioyning one water with another with a very gentle méeting making such siluer musicke that the Champions with the pleasure thereof were almost rauished and smally regarded whither their horses went right or no and trauelling in this sorte they rode forward till they came into a meruailous great and wide meddow beeing of so greate fairenes that I am not able with any pen to painte out the excellencie there of where as were féeding both wilde and tame Hartes adorned with great and cragged hornes likwise the furious wild Bore the fierce Lyon and the simple Lambes were altogâ—thâ—â— féeding with so great friendship as to the contrary by nature they were enemies Wherat the noble Champions were almost ouercome in their owne conceites and amazed in their imaginations to sée so strange loue cleane contrarye vnto nature and that there was no difference betwixt the loue of wilde beastes and tame in this manner they trauelled till vppon a sodaine they arriued before the buildinges of the blacke Castle and casting their eyes towards the same they beheld néere vnto the principall Gate right ouer the Castle twelue Marble Pinicles of such an excéedinge height that the Piramides of Egipt were very lowe in comparison of them in such sorte that whosoeuer would looke vpon them was scant able with his sight to comprehend the height thereof and they were all painted moste gorgiouslye with seuerall cullours Downe belowe vnder the Castle there was an Arche with a Gate which séemed to be of Diamondes and all was compasseâ— about with a great meate or ditch being of so great a depth that they thought it to reaâ—h to the midst of the earth and it was almost two hundreth paces broad and euery Gate had his Draw-bridge all made of redde boordes which séemed as though they had béene bathed all in blood Then the Champions râ—d to the other side of this goodly Castle wondring at the curious and sumpteous workmanship where they espyed a Piller of beautifull â—â—sper stone all wroughtfull of precious stones of strange work the which Piller was of great value and was garnished with chaines of golde that were made fast vnto it by Magicks arte at which Piller likewise hung a very costlye siluer Trumpet with certaine letters carued about the same the which contayned these wordes following If any dare attempt this place to see By sounding this the Gate shall opened be A Trumpet heere inchaind by magick arte
dissolue his soule from his bodie and therewithal putting forth his hand somewhat trembling he tooke the Letter set him verie sorrowfully downe vpon the gréene grasse without anie power to the contrarie his gréefe so abounded the bounds of reason No sooner did he open the letter but he presently knew it to be written by the hands of his wronged Ladie y e Armenian Quéene who with great alteration both of hart minde he read the sorrowfull lines the which contayned these words following The Queene of Armenia her Letter TO thée thou disloyall Knight of the Blacke Castle the vnfortunate Quéene of Armenia can neither send nor wish salutations for hauing no health my selfe I cannot send it vnto him whose cruel mind hath quite forgotten my true loue I cannot but lament continuallye and complain vnto the Gods incessantly considering that my fortune is conuerted from a crowned Quéene to a miserable and banished caytiue where the sauage beasts are my chiefe companions the mournfull biâ—ds my best solliciters Oh Leoger Leoger why didst thou leaue me comfortlesse without all cause as did Aeneas his vnfortunate Dido what second loue hath bereaued me of thy sight and made thée forget her that euer shall remember thée Oh Leoger remember the day when first I saw thy face which day bee fatall euermore and counted for a dismal day in time to come both heauy blacke and full of foule mischances for it was vnhappie vnto me for in giuing thée ioy I bereaued my selfe of all and lost the possession of my libertie and honour althogh thou hast not estéemed nor tooke care of my sorrowfull fortunes yet thou shouldst not haue mockt my perfect loue and disdained the feruent affâ—ction that I haue borne thée in that I haue yéelded to thée that precious iewell y e which hath béen denied to manie a noble King Oh Loue cruel and spitefull Loue that so quickly didst make mee blinde and depriuedst mee of the knowledge that belonged vnto my royall Highnesse Oh vncurteous Knight beeing blinded with thy loue the Quéene of Armenia denied her honestie which shee ought to haue kept and preserued it from the biting canker of disloyall lâ—ue Hadst thou pretended to mocke me thou shouldst not haue suffred me to haue lost so much as is forgone for thy sake Tell me why didst not thou suffer mee to execute my will that I might haue opened my white brest with a pearcing swoord and sent my soule to the shady banke of swéete Elizium Then had it béene better for me to haue died than to liue still and dayly die Remember thy selfe Leoger and behold the harm that will come héereof haue thou a care vnto the pawn which thou leftst sealed in my wombe and let it bee an occasion that thou doost after all thy violent wronges retourne to sée me sléeping in my tombe that my childe may not remaine fatherlesse in the power of wilde beastes whose hearts be fraughted with nothing but with crueltie Doe not consent that this perfecte loue which I beare thée should be counted vaine but rather performe the promise the which thou hast denied me O vnkinde Leoger O cruell and heard heart is alshoode the firme loue that so faindedly thou didst professe to me what is he that hath béene more vnmercifull then thou hast béene There is no furious beast nor lurking Lion in the deserts of Libia whose vnmercifull pawes are all besmearde in bloud that is so cruell harted as thy self els wouldst thou not leaue me comfortles spending my dayes in solitarie woods where as the Tigers mourne at my distresses and chirping birdes in their kindes grieue at my lamentations the vnreasonable torments and sorrowes of my soule are so many that if my penne were made of Lidian stéele and my Inke the purple Ocean yet could not I write the number of woes But nowe I determine to aduertise thée of my desired death for in writing this my latest testament the fates are cutting a sunder my thrid of life and I can giue thée knowledge of no more but yet I desire thée by the true loue which I beare thée that thou wilt read with some sorrow these fewe lines and héere of the powers of heauen I do desire that thou maist dye the like death that for thée I now dye And so I ende By her vvhich did yeeld vnto thee her life Loue Honor Fame and Liberty WHen this sad and heauie knight had made an end of reading this dolorous letter hee could not restraine his eyes from distilling salte teares so great was the griefe that his hart sustaned Rosana did likewise beare him company to solemnize his heauines with as manye teares trickling from the Conduite of her eyes The greate sorrowe and lamentation was such and so much in both their hartes that in a great space the one coulde not speake vnto the other but afterwardes their griefes being somewhat appeased Leoger began to say Oh Messenger from her with the remembrance of whose wronge my soule is wounded being vndeseruedly of me euill rewarded tell me euen by the nature of true loue if thou dost knowe where she is showe vnto me her abiding place that I may goe thither and giue a discharge of this my great fault by yeilding vnto death Oh cruell and without loue answered Rosana what discharge canst thou giue vnto her that alreadye thorow thy crueltie is dead and buryed onely by the occasion of such a forsworne knight This penitent and payned knight when he vnderstood the certaintie of her death with a sodaine and hastie fury he strooke him selfe on the 〈◊〉 with his fist and lifting his eyes vnto the heauens in manner of exclamation against the Gods giuing déepe and sorrowfull sighes he threwe him selfe to the ground tumbling and wallowing from the one part vnto the other without taking any ease or hauing anye power or strength to declare his inward griefe which at that time he felt but with lamentations which did torment his hart he called continually on the Armenian Quéen and in that deuilish furye wherein he was dreâ— out his dagger and lifting vp the skirt of his shirt of 〈◊〉 he thrust it into his body and giuing himself this vnhappy death with calling vpon his wroÌ„ged Lady he finished his life and fell to the ground This sad and heauie Ladie when she beheld him so desperately to gorge his martiall breast and to fall liuelesse to the earth she greatly repented her selfe that she had not discouered her name and reuealed to him how that shee was his vnfortunate Daughâ—er whose face before that time he neuer had beheld and as a Lion though all too late who seeing before her eyes her yong Lionâ—sse euil intreated of the Huâ—ter euen so she ran vnto her welâ—eloued Father and with great spéed pulled off his helme froÌ„ his wounded head and vnbraced his armour the which was in colour according to his passion but as strong as anie Diamond made by Magicke arte Also she tooke away his
shéeld which was of a russet field and in y e middest thereof was portrayed the God of Loue with two faces the one was verie faire and bound about with a cloth his eyes and the other was made meruailous fierce and furious This being done with a faire linnen cloth shee wyped off the blood from his mortal face And when she was certaine that it was him after whom she had traueled so manie wearie steps and that he was without life with a furious madnes she tore her attyre from her head and all so rent her golden haire tearing it in péeces and then returned again and wyped that infernall face making such sorrowfull lamentation that whosoeuer had séene her would haue been mooued to compassion Then shee tooke his head betwixt her hands procuring to lift it vp and to lay it vpon her lap and seeing for al this that there was no moouing in him she ioyned her face vnto his pale and dead chéeâ—es and with sorrowfull words she said Deare Father open thine eyes and behold me open them swéete Father and looke vppon mee thy sorrowfull Daughter if fortune be so fauourable let me receiue some contentment whilest life remaineth 〈…〉 thy selfe to looke vpon me wherein such delight may come to me that we may either accoÌ„pany other Oh my Lord and onely Father sâ—â—ing that in former times my vnfortunatâ— Mothers tears were not sufficienâ— to reclaime thée make me satisfaction for the great trauell which hath béen taken in séeking thee out Come now in death and ioye in the sight of thy vnhappie Daughter and dye not without séeing her open thine eyes that she may gratefie thée in dying with thée This being said Rosana began again to wipe his face for that iâ— was agâ—â—n all to be bathed in blood and with her white hands she felt his eyes and mouth and all hys face and head till such time as she touched his breast and put her hand on the mortall wound where she held it still and looked vpon him whether he mooued or no. But when she felt him withoâ—â— sense or féeling she began anew to complayne and crying out with most terrible exclamations she said Oh my haplesse Father how manie troubles great trauells hath thy Daughter passed in séeking thée watering the earth with her teares and alwayes in vaine calling for thée Oh how manie times in naming thy name hath she béen answered with an Eccho which was vnto her great dolour and griefe and now that Fortune hath brought her where thou art to reioice her selfe in thy presence the same Fortune hath conuerted her wishes into greefe and doâ—or Oh cruell and vnconstant Quéene of Chaunce hath Rosana deserued this to bee most afflicted when she expected most ioy Oh Leoger if euer thou wilt open thine eyes now open them or let the glasses of my eyes be cloased eternally Herewith she perceiued his dim eyes to open and hys senses now a little gathered together aâ—d when hee saw himselfe in her armes and vnderstood by her words that she was his Daughter whom hee had by the vnfortunate Quéene of Armenia he sodainly stroue against weaknes and at last recouering some strength he cast hys yéelding armes about the milke white necke of the faire Rosana and they ioyned their faces the one with the other distilling betwixt them many salte and bitter teares in such sort that it would haue moued the wilde beasts vnto compassion and with a féeble and weake voice the wounded knight said Ah my daughter vnfortunate by my disloyaltie let me recreate and comforte my selfe in enioying this thy mouth the time that I shall remaine aliue and before my sillie soule doth departe the company of my dying bodie I do confesse that I haue béene pittilesse vnto thy mother and vnkinde to thée in making thée to trauell with great sorrow in séeking me and now thou hast found me I must leaue thée alone in this sorrowfull place with my dead body pale and wanne yet before my death swéet girle giue me a thousand kisses this onely delighte I craue for the little time I haue to tarrie and afterward I desire thée to intombe my body in thy mothers graue though it be far in distance from this vnluckie Country O my déere Lord answered she dost thou request of me to giue thy body a Sepulcher well I sée that it is requisit to séeke some to giue it vnto vs both for I knowe my life can not continue longe if the angry fates depriue me of your liuing companye and without strength to procéed any further in speaches she kissed his face with great sobbing and sighes making within her selfe a terrible conflicte tarying for the answere of her dying Father who with no lesse paine and anguish of death said Oh my Childe how happy should I be that thus imbracing one in the others armes we might depart togeather then should I be ioyfull in thy company and account my selfe happy in my death and here vppon I leaue thée vnto the worlde daughter farwell the Gods preserue thée and take me to their mercies And when he had said these wordes hee enclyned his necke vppon the face of Rosana and dyed When this sorrowfull Ladye sawe that the soule had got the victorie and departed from the body she kissed his pale lippes and giuing â—éepe and doloâ—ous sighes shee beganne a merualous and heauy lamentation calling her selfe vnhappie and vnfortunate and layde her selfe vpon the dead body cursing her destinies so that it was lamentable to heare O my déere father sayd she what small benefite haue I receiued for all my trauell and paine the which I haue suffered in séeking of thée and nowe in the finding of thée the more is my griefe for that I came to sée thée dye Oh most vnhappie that I am where was my minde when I saw that fatall dagger pearce thy tender brest whereon was my thought wherefore did I stand still and did not with great lightnes make resistance against that terrible blow If my strength would not haue serued me yet at the least I shoulde haue borne thée companie you furious beastes that are hid in your dens and déepe caues where are you now why doe you not come and take pittie vpon my griefe in taking away my life in doing so you shewe your selues pittifull for that I doe abhorre this dolorous life yet she did not forget the promise that shee made him which was to giue his body burial in her mothers tombe This was the occasion that she did somewhat cease her lamentation and taking vnto her selfe more courage then her sorrowfull griefe would consent vnto she put the dead bodie vnder a mightie pine Apple trée and couered it with leaues of gréene grasse and like wise hung his armor vpon the bowes in hope that the sight thereof would cause some aduenturous knight to approach her presence that in kindenes would asist her to intombe him heere we will leaue Rosana wéeping ouer her fathers body
presently by his Arte he prepared his yron Chariot with his flying dragons in a readines wherein they layd the murthered bodye of Leoger vppon a pillowe of mystle-toe and likewise placed themselues therein wher in they were no sooner entred with necessaries belonging to their trauelles but they flewe thorowe the ayre more swifter then a whirl-wind or a shippe sayling on the seas in a stormye tempest The wonders that he performed by the way be so many and miraculous that I want an Orators eloquence to discribe them and a Poets skil to expresse them But to bee shorte when Rosana was desirous to eate and that her hunger increased by his charmes he would procure birdes of their owne accordes to fall out of the skyes and yeild themselues vnto their pleasures with all things necessary to suffice their wantes Thus was Rosana with her fathers dead body caryed through the ayre b◠Magicke arte ouer hilles and dales mountaines and valleys wooddes and forrestes townes and Citties and through many both wonderfull and strange places and countries And at the last they arriued néere vnto the confines of Armenia beeing the place of their long desired rest But when they approached néere vnto the Queene of Armenias groue they descended from their inchaunted Chariot and bore Leogers body to his burying place the which they found since Rosanaes departure ouergrowne with mosse and wythered brambles yet for all that they opened the Sepulcher and layd his bodie yet freshly bléeding vpon his Ladies consuming carcasse which beeing done the Magitian couered againe the graue with earth and laid thereon gréene turues which made it séeme as though it neuer had béen opened All the time that the Magitian was perfourming the ceremonious Funerall Rosana watered the earth wyth her teares neuer withdrawing her eyes from looking vppon the Graue and when it was finished shee fell into this most sorrowfull and distresfull lamentation following Oh cruell Destinies said she sith your rigours haue bereaued me of both my Parents left me to the world a comfortlesse Orphane receaue the sacrifice of my chastitie in payment of your vengeaunce and let my blood here shed vpon this Graue shewe the singlenesse of my heart And with the like solemnitie may all their hearts be broken in péeces that séeke the downfall and dishonor of Ladies As she was vttering these and such like sorrowes shee tooke foorth a naked sword which she had readie for the same effect and put the pummell to the ground and cast her breast vpon the poynt The which shee did with such furious violence and such excéeding hast that the Magitian although he was there present could not succour her nor preuent her from committing on her selfe so bloodie a fact This sodaine mischaunce so amazed him and so gréeued his soule that his heart for a time would not consent that his tung should speake one word to expresse hys passion But at last hauing taken a truce with sorrowe and recouering his former speach he tooke vp the dead bodye of Rosana bathed all in blood and likewise buried her in her Parents Graue and ouer the same he hung vp an Epitaph that did declare the occasion of all their deathes This being done to expresse the sorrowes of his heart for the desperat death of such a Magnaminious Lady and the rather to exempt himselfe from the company of all humaine creatures he erected ouer the graue by magicke arte a very stately Tombe the which was in this order framed First there was fixed foure pillors euery one of a very fine Rubie vpon the which was placed a Sepulcher of Cristall within the sepulcher there seemed to be two faire Ladyes the one hauing her breste peirced thorowe with a sword and the other with a Crowne of golde vpon her head and so leane of body that she séemed to pine away and vpon the sepulcher there lay a knight all along with his face looking vp to the heauens and armed with a coarselet of fine stéele of a russet enamelling vnder the sepulcher there was spread abroad a great carpet of gold and vpon it two pillors of the same and vpon them lay an olde sheapheard with his shéep hooke lying at his feete his eyes were shut and out of them distilled manye pearled teares at euery pillor there was a gentlewomā without any remembrance the one of them séemed to be murthered and the other rauished And néere vnto the sepulcher there lay a terrible great beast headed like a Lyon his brest and body like a wolfe and his tayle like a scorpion which séemed to spitte continually flames of fire the sepulcher was compassed about with a wall of yron with foure gates for to enter in therat the gates were after the manner and cullour of fine Diamonds and directly ouer the top of the chiefest gate stood a marble pillor whereon hung a table written with red letters the contentes whereof were as followeth So long shall breath vpon this brittle earth The framer of this stately Monument Till that three children of a wondrous birth Out of the Northerne climate shall be sent They shall obscure his name as fates agree And by his fall the fiendes shall tamed bee This Monument being no sooner framed by the assistance of Plutos legions and maintained by their deuillish powers but the Nigromancer enclosed himselfe in the walles where he consorted chiefly with furyes and walking spirits that continually fed vpon his blood and left their damnable seales sticking vnto his left side as a sure token and witnes that he had giuen both his soule and body to their gouerments after the date of his mortall life was finished In which inchaunted sepulcher we will leaue him for a time conferring with his damnable mates and returne to the christian knightes where we left them trauelling towardes Babylon to place the King againe in his Kingdome CHAP. XIII How the seauen Champions of Christendome restored the Babylonian King vnto the Kingdome and after how honourably they were receiued at Rome vvhere Saint George fell in loue with the Emperours Daughter being a professed Nunne Of the mischiefe that insued thereby and of the desperate ende of yong Lucius Prince of Rome THe valiant Christian Champions hauing as you heard in the Chapter going before perfourmed the Aduenture of the inchaunted monument accompanied the Babylonian King home to his kingdom of Assiria as they had all verie solemnly and faithfully promised to him But when they approached the Confines of Babylon and made no question of peacefull and princely entertainment there was neither signe of peace nor likelihood of ioyfull or frendly welcome for all the Countrey raged with intestine warre foure seuerall Competitors vniustly striuing for what to the King properly and of right belonged The vnnaturall causers and stirrers vp to thys blood-deuouring controuersie were the foure Noblemen vnto whom the King vnaduisedly committed the gouernment of his Realme when hee went in the tragicall pursute of his faire daughter after his dreaming
Thou furious and proude beast thou scorne of nature and enemy of true knighthood thinkest thou for to entrap me trecherously and to gore me at vnawarâ—s like to a sauage boare Now as I am a christian knight if my knotty speare haue good successe I will reuenge me of thy cruelty And in saying this hee stroke him so furiously on the brest that his speare passed through the giants body and appeared foorth at his backe whereby hee fell presently downe dead to the ground and yéelded his life to the conquest of the fatall sisters All that were present were very much amazed thereat and wondred greatly at the strength and force of saint George accompting him the fortunatest knight that euer wéelded launce and the very patterne of true nobility At this time the golden sun had finished his course hauing nothing aboue the orizon but his glistering beames whereby the Iudgâ—s of the turniments commanded with sound of trumpets that the Iustes should cease and make an end of the day So the Emperour descended from his imperial throne into the tilting place with all his knightes and Gentlemen at armes for to receaue the noble champion of England and desired him that he would go with them into his pallace there to receaue al honors due vnto a knight of such desart to the which he could not make any denial but most vnwillingly consented after this the Emperors daughter in company of many courtly virgins likewise descended their places wher Alcida bestowed vpon saint George hir gloue the which he wore for her fauour many a day after in his burgonet The six other christian champions although they merited no honour by this turniment because they did not try their aduentures therein yet obtained they such good liking among the Grecian Ladies that euery one had his mistresse and in their presence they long time fixed their chiefe delightes nowe must we leaue the champions in the Emperours courte for a time surfeiting in pleasures and returne to Saint Georges sons traueiling the world to seeke out aduentures CHAP. XV. How a Knight with two heads tormented a beautifull Maiden that had betroathed her selfe to the Emperors Sonne of Constantinople and how she was rescued by Saint Georges Sonnes and after how they were brought by a strange Aduenture into the companie of the Christian Champions with other things that hapned in the same trauells THis renowmed Emperour within whose Court y e Christian champions made their aboades of late yeares had a Sonne named Pollemus in all vertues and knightlye demeanours equall with anie liuing This young prince in the spring time of his youth through the pearcing dartes of blinde Cu pide fell in loue with a Maiden of a meane parentage-but in beautie and other precious gifts of Nature most excellent This Dulcippa for so was she called being but daughter to a Countrey Gentleman was restrained from the Emperours Court and denied the sight of her beloued Pollemus and he forbidden to set his affection so lâ—w vpon the displeasure of the Emperour his Father for he being the Sonne of so mightie a Potentate and she the daughter of so meane a Gentleman was thought to be a match vnfit and disagréeable to the lawes of the Countrey and therefore they could not be suffered to manifest their loues as they would but were constrained by stealth to enioye each others most beloued and heartely desired companies So vpon a time these two Louers concluded to méete together in a vally betwixt two hills in distance from the Emperours Court some thrée miles wheras they might in sâ—cret deuoyd of all suspition vnite and tye both theyr hearts in one knot of true loue and to preuent the determination of their Parentes that so vnkindlye sought to crosse them But when the appoynted day drew on Dulcippa arose from her restlesse bed and attired her self in rich and costly apparell as though she had béen going to performe her nuptiall ceremonies In this manner entred she the Ualley at such time as the Sunne began to appeare out of his golden Horizon to shewe himselfe vppon the face of the Earth glistering with his bright beames vppon the siluer floating Riuers Likewise the calmie westerne windes did verie swéetely blow vpon the gréene leaues and made a delicate harmonie at such time as the fairest Dulcippa accompanyed with high thoughts approched the place of their appointed méeting But when shee found not Prince Pollimus present she determined to spend y e time away till he came in trimming of her golden haire and decking her delicate bodie and such like delightful plesures for her contentment and recreation So sitting downe vpon a gréene banke vnder the shaddow of a myrtle trée she pulled a golden cawle from her head wherein her haire was wrapped letting it fall and dispearse it selfe all abroad her backe and taking out from her christalline breast an yuorie comb she began to kemb her haire her hands and fingers séeming to be of white alablaster her face staining the beautie of roses and lyllies mixed together and the rest of her bodie comparable to Hyrens vpon whose loue and beautie Mahomet did sometime doate But now marke gentle Reader how frowning Fortune crossed her desiros and changed her wished ioyes into vnexpected sorrowes For as she sate in this deuine and angelicall likenes there fortuned to come wandring by an inhumane tyrant surnamed the Knight with 2. heads who was a rauisher of virgins an oppressor of infants an vtter enemie to vertuous Ladies and strange trauelling Knights This tyrant was bodied like vnto a man but couered all ouer with lockes of haire Hee had two heads two mouthes and foure eyes but all as red as blood Which deformed creature presently ranne vnto the Uirgin and caught her vp vnder his arme and carried her away ouer the mountains into another Countrey where hee intended to torment her as you shall heare more at large hereafter But now returne we to Prince Pollemus who at the time appointed likewise repaired to méete his betroathed Louer but comming to the place he found nothing but a silken scarffe the which Dulcippa had let fall through the fearfull frighting she tooke at the sight of the thrée headed Knight No sooner found he the scarffe but he was oppressed extreamly with sorrow fearing Dulcippa was murthered by some inhumane meanes and had left her scarffe as a token that she infringed not her promise but perfourmed ii to the losse of her owne life Therefore taking it vp putting it next his heart he breathd foorth this wofull lamentation Héere rest thou néere vnto my bléeding heart thou precious token and remembraunce of my déerest Ladie neuer to bee hence remooued till such time as my eyes maye either behold her bodie or my eares heare perfect newes of her vntimely death that I may in death consort wyth her Frowne you accursed Lampes of heauen that gaue first light vnto this fatall morning for by your dismall light the pride of
and speake of the Nigromancer after his flight from the black Castle CHAP. XII How the Magitian found Leogers armour hanging vpon a pine tree kept by Rosana the Queenes Daughter of Armenia betwixte whome hapned a terrible battle also of the desperate death of the Lady And 〈◊〉 how the Magitian framed by magick arte an â—â—chaunted Sepulcher wherin he inclosed himselfe from the sight of all humane creatures I Am sure you doe well remember when the Christian Knights had conquered the black Castle which was kept by inchauntment how the furious Nigromancer to preserue his life fled from the same caried by his arte through the ayre in an yron Chariot drawne by two flying Dragons in which charmed Chariot he crossed ouer many parts and plaines of the earsterne climets At last being wearie of his iourney he put himself in the thickest of the forrest wherin traueling w t his whirling Dragons hee nâ—uer rested till hee came vnto a mightie and great riuer the which seemed to â—ee an arme of the purple Ocean there he alighted from his chariot for to refresh himselfe and tooke water with his handes and drunke thereof and washed his face and as he found him selfe all alone there came into his â—inde 〈◊〉 thoughts amongst all his passed life and how hee was vanquished by the Christian Knights for which with great anger he gaue terrible sighes and began to curse not onely the hower of his birth but the whole world and the generation of mankinde Likewisâ— he remembred the great sorrowe and trauell that euer since hee endured and what toyle trauelling knights must indure In these variâ—ble cogitations spent he the time away till golden 〈◊〉 began to withdraw himself into his acâ—ustomed lodging and hâ—ding his â—â—ght in the â—ccidentall 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 drew on the darke and tenebrous night which was the occasion that his paine did the moâ—e increâ—se aâ— that night he passed away with such sorrowfull lamentations for his late disgraces that all the woods and mountaines did resounde his wofull exclamations till that Apollo with his glistering beames began to couer the earth The which being séene by the Magitian with a trice he arose vp and intended to prosecute his iorney but lifting vp his eyes towards the heauens hee did discouer hanging vpon a high and mightie pine apple trée the armour of Leoger Which was hung there in remembrance of his death by Rosana as you heard in the last Chapter the armour had almâ—st lost his bright colour and beganne to rusâ—e through the great aboundance of raine that fell thereon Yet for all that it seemed of great 〈…〉 and of a wonderfull richnesse so without any further circumspection or regarde hee tooke downe the most bright armor and armed himselfe therewith and when he lacked no more to put on but the helmet hee heard a voice that said bee not so hardy thou knight as to vndoe thys Trophie except thou prepare thy selfe to winne it by thy sword The Magitian at this vnexpected noyse cast his head on the one side and espied Rosana newly awaked from a heauy sléep most richly armed with a stronge inchaunted armor after the manner of the Amazonians but for al that he did not let to make an ende of arming himselfe and hauing laced on his Burgonet hee went towardes the demaunder with his sworde ready drawne in his hand inuiting her with mortall battell Rosana who saw his determination did procure to defend her selfe and offend her enemy Oh my muse that I had such learned eloquence for to set out and declare the noble incounters of these two gallant warriors Rosana although shee was but a Feminin nature yet was she as boldâ— in heroycall aduentures as any Knight in the world except the Christian Champions But now to returne we to our historie the valliant Amazonian when her enemy came vnto her she stroke him so terrible a blow vpon the visor of his helmet that with the fury therof she made sparkles of fire to issue out with great aboundance and bowe downe his head vnto hys brest The Magitian did returne vnto her his salutation and stroake her such a blow vpon her helmet that with the great noyse thereof it made a sound in al the mountains Now began betwéene them a maruelous and fearefull battell fortune not willing to vsâ— her most extremitie declined the foyle to neither party nor giuing the conquest as yet to any all the time of the conflicte the furious Magitian and the valiant Amazonian thought on no other thing but either of them procured to bring his aduersarie to his ouerthrow striking at each other such terrible blowes and with so great furie that manie times it made either of them to loose feeling and both séeing the great force of one another were meruailously incensed with anger Then the valiant Lady threw her shéeld at her backe that with more force she might strike and hurt her enemy and therewithall gaue him so strong a blow vpon the burgonet that he fell astonied to the earth without anie féeling But when the Magitian came againe to himselfe he returned Rosana such a terrible blow that if it had chanced to alight vpon her it would haue clouen her head in péeces but with great discretion she cleared her self therof in such sort that it was stroken in vaine and with great lightnes she retyred and stroke the Magitian so furiously that she made him once againe to fall to the ground al astonied and there appeared at the visor of his helme the abundance of blood that issued out of his mouth but presently he reuiued and got vp in a trice with so great anger that the smoke which came from his mouth séemed like a myst before his helme so that almost it could not be séene Then this furious deuill blaspheming against his Gods hauing his mortall sword verie fast in his hand he ran towards his enemie who without anie feare of hys furie went foorth to receaue him and when they met together they discharged their blowes at once but it fortuned that the Amazonians blow did first fasten with so great strength that for all the helmet of the Magitian which was wrought of the strongest stéele it was not sufficient to make defence but with the rigorous force wherwith it was charged it benâ—ed 〈◊〉 such sorte that it brake all to péeces and the Magitians head was so gréeuouslye wounded that streames of blood ran downe his armour and he was forced for want of strength to yéeld to the mercie of the valiaunt Ladye who quickely condesended to his requestes vppon this condition that hee woulde be a meane to conuaye her fathers dead body to an Iland nere adioyning to the borders of Armenia and there to intomb it in her mothers graue as shee promised when that his ayre of life fléeted from his body The Magtion for safe garde of his life presently agréed to performe her desires and protested to accomplish what soeuer she demaunded Then