for it hath not a litle greued me this tumult shold haue befallen on this day which I hoped for my gretest content vnder your royall woord I will doe it replied Claridiano trusting that if I haue any excuse it shall auaile me Feare not that sir knight said Venus Vncle for on my perill here shal you not receaue any more wrong To him comaunded the King he and Pollidolpho should deliuer their swords who through his wounds was not able to stirre Of him had the Kings brother in law charge to the Princes extreame sorrow thinking his sundring from the Greeke would be his vntimely death Hee was deceaued for the Ladie had as much care of him as if he were in her chamber shewing her Vncle manifest tokens that shée loued the Croatian which nothing displeased him thinking he was a knight of great accompt excéedingly reioyced when afterwards he knew how great a Prince hee was The Greeke they committed to a strong tower not farre from the Ladies lodging whose custodie a Couzen of the Kings had that like a good knight caused him to be well cured though he was so weake of his lost blood that he could not arize from his bed yet his anger and rage more tormented him then his wounds arryuing a thowsand times at the point of death only for that he could not come to be reuenged on the trecherous Lindauro Who for all he was wounded thought it well imployed imagining they could not from thence escape without death or euerlasting infamie For which intent he one day secretly sent for the King of the Cremonian Isle the mightiest Pagan that was knowen on the earth for with one sonne whome a little before he had knighted he had vanquished twoo great Hoasts He was in peace and had contracted league with them and aduertising them the necessitie he had of their helpes with foure Knights of their kindred they came thether in poast and sending Lindauro word of their arryuall they did what the ensuing Chapter doth relate CHAP. XXIIII How the Princes were by some strange Knights challenged to the battaile and what about it happened SVch is the power sole wonders of heauens beauties and onely admirations of earthly miracles of an amorous passion rooted in the tender soule of a blind louer that it forceth him respecting no respect of proper honour to attempt those things manifestly against it for once fully possest of the louer it tramples with disdaine on the gouernment of reason guiding the affection with the loose raignes of a selfe-will the which hauing obtayned an vncontrolled regiment doth commaund as absolute Empresse of the minde this is that which only guides Lindauro who because hee was a louer in presence of hys Lady to sée himselfe wounded his thrée Brothers slayne yet vnreuenged conceaued so great a passionate desire of vēgeance that not regarding the laws of Knight-hood he procured against thē his Royal reputation an vniust reuenge vpon the Gréeke louer a thing that redounded to his euerlasting shame and dishonour eternall He conferred it with the King who being determined to obserue and by Iustice and right to determine that controuersie inclyned to his indiscréete sonne in lawes perswasions animated thereto by the arryuall of the two Gyants on whose valour the prince so firmely builded because he thought none wold dare to enter combate with them Being thus determined one daye dissembling his knowledge they entred the great hall clad in resplending rich abilliments of warre There was none but only with their sight did tremble for though they were not of deformed proportion yet were they of so stronge composed ioynts and bigge timbered sinewes that plainely they demonstrated the strength of their armes The Father raysing his visor with a hollowe voyce thus sayd Mighty Potentate of Esclauonia in our Land of Syconia we heard of some brawles thou hast had with certaine strange Knights and this daye was it toulde vs their insolence committed in thy presence killing some of thy Nobilitie and wounding our Prince Lindauro and moreouer howe thou hast promised to deale with them by lawe agaynst offendors to Princes states no such respecte is due but to execute the power of consuming wrath vppon them And so vppon the one and the other wee defie two Knights whatsoeuer that will vndertake the battaile by the same will I defende they worthely deserue a cruell death Hee made them sit downe knowing who they were saying I would not braue Gyants for any thinge haue it sayd that in my Court Iustice is lesse obserued then in anye other of the vniuerse and therfore did I referre this cause vnto my Counsell but séeing you haue challenged them there is no more but to admitte your challenge aduertising them thereof Well did Alanio the Princesse Vncle vnderstoode the drift and by whome that complotte was ordayned gréeuing that so great iniustice shoulde bee permitted The beauteous Venus did nothing but wéepe purposing wyth her owne handes rather to sacrifice her life then to wedde so false a Knight At length came the twoo Princes so weake and faint that they were not able to stande verye fewe there were in the Hall but greatly did pittie them Straight was it toulde them the cause why they were sent for and what those Knights demaunded Somewhat was the Prince mooued with their sight but that being past as long it lasted not hee sayde with his accustomed animositie that it pleased him straight without any further delaye to enter the battaile affying onelye on his Iustice That maye not bee aunswered the Kinges counsell who all were agréed against him for there is an inuiolate law in this Kingdome since Xantho the first King thereof was challenged that none challenged maye combate his propper cause but present his Champion within the limitted time prefixt to finde him that he for him may right him or else fayling in eyther or in both to remayne subiect to the Lawes inflicting punishment But we being strangers of such remoted Countries sayde the inraged Gréeke and the finding a friend to hazard for vs his life being so difficult great is the wronge herein you doe vs and on both I will enter the battaile Afore him stept the furious King of Cremania with these wordes Well doest thou knowe Knight howe impossible it is for thy sake to vyolate the lawes for the common good established and so because thou shalt not bee permitted to it makes thée so vehemently insist in thy request That mooues mee not to it replyed the angry Gréeke but onely to sée the insolēt pride that hither hath brought thée not like a Knight but a barking rauening Curre of Assyria that liue by howling against the splendor of the bright Moone So furious was the Pagan that hee would haue flung at him which had not gréeued the Prince for hee so spake purposelye to vexe him Betwene thē stept the King commanding them to be conuayed to prison first lymiting them a Moneth to séeke their
coulde defend himselfe with a furious thrust he pierced his left arme This wounde greatly grieued Trebarios Nephewe and so with the paine he would enter vppon his enemie who being skilfull set his rapyer against him that if he had not spied it hee had runne himselfe vppon it notwithstanding it wounded him sorely vpon the brest With his left hand he beate awaye his aduersaries rapier and with the vtmost of his strength he thrust at him on the side of his head and bearing his rapier downewards halfe of his head he threw at his féete ending one of the difficultest aduentures that then the world contained He sat him down staying the coÌ„ming of his friend Oristoldo who with his Squire stanched the blood â—f his woundes binding his arme which caused him extreame paine he was againe armed and so great was his desire to end that aduenture that without any wordes they entred into the great yard whose admirable workemanship greatly amazed them for the pillers about it seemed of rich pretious stones all inameld with gould and blew which ioyed euery sight One the floore of the same yard beneath were ingrauen many Histories with all the famous Knights most liuely figured They sawe the battle which the Tartarian Zoylo had made with the hawty Mauritanian Brufaldoro and his dolefull departure from his deare Tigliaffa who supposing he was dead was by Lupersios order with drawne within that pallace Greatly did the true Louer pittie her seeing how intyrely she had loued the Tartare and how ill her faith had bene repaid In the middle of the yard they saw a great alter like to a Piramides made for the death of some great Potentate and round about the galleryes of the same were burning many tapers and two seruants clad down to the heele in mourning that did nothing but loke to them and the lampes of siluer and finest gould As they were about to goe to them and inquire where the Prince was they heard within one of the galleryes a dore opeÌ„ from whence came forth two and two to the number of 12 Ladies all in blacke veluet with their faces masked Through away hung all of the same liuery they past vnto the Tombe where they began a most lamentable musick whose time the Ladyes wold breake with many sudden sighes whose eccho was recorded with in the sepulcher with some doleful sounds of funerall instruments which in the Princes caused some woefull fear when they had done a dame that seemed Lady of the others wherby the Princesse iudged her to be the Princesse Tigliaffa somewhat high that they might heare thus said How long deare Lord will my cruell fortune suffer her to liue that with thy want accoumpts it but a mortall torment what life maie I liue that only liued by seing thee ay me poore Tartare how haue they offended heaueÌ„s propagated my happlesse life for my greater paine that while thou art wanting the glasse wherein I did behold my selfe I might bewaile the good that from mee they bereft haue done thou cruell death by one to rid mee of so many as I suffer seing deare Lord that my lucklesse fates haue appointed me a new kinde of torment that when all the course of thy life being towards me without loue vnto the cost of my content thou shouldst shew such greatnes of vnexpected affection in that short momentarie space that I enioyed thée twixt mine armes Oh if I knew my life would doe thee good now thou art gone whom should I make the executioner but her that more loued then she did her selfe As she was performing certaine ceremonies she did espy the Princes that with their Beuers vp gazed on her beauty which they reputed to be the greatest they had seen wheÌ„ she knew they were none of her newe keepers shee ended her lamentations in great hast entring froÌ„ whence she came with mighty noyse shutting the gates after her No loÌ„ger stayed the louer but like an Eagle mounted the staires comming to the dores he found them so fast as hee thought it impossible to open them he compassed all the cloyster to see if he could finde any other entrance but hee sawe it all built of impenetrable marble he returned to break them open with his sword but found them to be made as he thought all of brasse on the one side he reade these letters He that by the strength of his arme and weapons helper hath arriued vanquishing the keepers of my Castle let him leaue his armor for only to be to haue byn a faithfull louer must end this aduenture Straight did the couragious youth put them all off setting his sword vpon them and so went to the gates at such time as Oristoldo came Assone as he arriued they opened seing no body sauing that within he heard some noise which the Ladies made without any feare hee entred within the hall which he hardly had done when two stronge Knights set vpon him they toke him so suddenly that they raysed him from the ground and had verie nere ouerthrowne him But the youth whose forces admitted no compare recouered himselfe winning his lost aduantage and setled himselfe farre better for he got an entrance for his armes All helpes did he neede for the two were there set onely to wrastle which at this time was admirable for they hadde somewhat wearied the Greeke They came tumbling at length to the gates which occasion vnwilling to let passe with great strength he droue the one from him in spight of his valour threwe him out of the inchanted hall hee had scarce done it when the Heauens were darkened with blacke fogges and mistie clowdes with horrible thuÌ„dering and lightning which fearefull tempest continued for a little space with whose end all the Castle vanished leauing no memorie thereof more then the dead beasts which in the beginning the Princes had slaine hee found himselfe vnarmed with his friend page in the open field hee quickly armed him for they heard new cries which was that the distressed Lady wept ouer her louer not to see him dead but because he was wounded Straight she remembred how she and he had been inchanted being liberated by a Knight that had slayne the kéepers which the wise man had toulde her did guard the Castle Then arriued the Prince presenly she knewe to whome shee was so much bounde and rising leauing the wounded Tartare with her damsells she went to the Prince that with his Beuer vp was going towardes her and imbracing him sayde Most valiant Knight the best that euer guerded sword I cannot suffitiently thanke nor enough memorize your deserued prayses for the good worke you haue done me and the Tartare my Lord both which I leaue and only say that in doing what you did you did perform the duty which your selfe did owe vnto your selfe by succouring the most distressedst Ladye on the earth Neuerthelesse if in part of satisfaction for so great a debt my life may be any imployed in your
so fiercely hee entred to the wrastle but making of one foote two he stoode so strongly that the Pagan thought he hadde incompassed a Rocke So longe they stryued that they fell on the hatches not daring to loosen fearing to loose thereby By this meanes did the Achayan loose so much blood that it was maruell how he could hold out for all the barke was stayned with the hewe tumbling vppe and downe the boate the Gréeke went so nighe the boorde thereof that taking houlde thereat with more strength then maye bee imagined in despight of the Moore with a swinge hee flung him to the farther syde with admirable lightnes he set himselfe on foot Slow was not the Pagan in doing the like though in this seconde battle was plainely séene what aduantage the yellow Knight had ouer his aduersarie and the Combate continuing to the end the More could not but be ouercome The Ladie would not suffer it for only to that intent had she her perfect iudgement by meanes of the peruerse Lupercio so shee spake heere me sir Knights Hearing the Ladies voice neither stirred their swoords for the gallantnesse wherewith both were adorned bound them to it shee procéeded May this testimonie braue Knights suffice which you haue giuen to the déepe seas that for my sake making no longer battle yée leaue it in this estate They could not do otherwise then the Ladie intreated it benefited the Moore therein and so replied So long hath my will obayed the supreame cōmaund of yours most Excellent Ladie that I cannot do more then what is your content and seing herein you doe receaue it I am content so pleaseth this Knight She said he will for it is the Gallants sole honor to accomplish a Ladies behest much more her kinde request She did not so dislike the Greeke that he should not obay her and therefore made answere In faith most Soueraigne Ladie I am glad occasion is offered that I may be obedient to your seruice and since herein it is shewen I am content and so remit this knights battaile beseeching you to giue me leaue to depart for I haue much to doe in another place To doe so you haue it sir Knight answered the Ladie He tooke his farewell of her and the Pagan leauing with him ynough to talke of his valour many yeares after He leapt into his boat which began to saile with such velocitie that the Ladies straight lost the sight thereof so did Bembo that stood amazed at his Goddesse view not knowing whether he was in heauen or on earth With greater courage then at any time he said If the Faith swete Ladie which I owe you may be any meanes somewhat to assure mee the entrance I intreate your soueraigne beawtie to shewe me which way I maye thether ascend and take her frō so inhumane a Gaole that hath perpetually imprisoned my heart The Ladie answered neuer a word for she neyther knewe her selfe nor any other only might she disturbe any battaile when any of Lupercios faction sustained the worst She returned away with her Ladies leauing the Prince in obscure darknesse Hee lost all the mouing powers of his body and stoode gazing at the place where he had séene his glorie In that vision wold he haue dyed thinking he departed in quiet but hauing ouer-past that amorous care with a sigh he burst into these spéeches Oh cruell Lady scourge of the Achayan house may it be such inhumane crueltie should bee inclosed within so faire a Lady what law permits thou shouldst knowe I dye I ioye therein that t is my life to suffer many deathes for thy sake and that thou hast neuer been pleased to say I am pleased to admit it This is a tirannie that admits no comparatiue for if my death wil auaile thée or that thou wilt not loue let me knowe it and my selfe will bee the cruell executioner of a most cruell death if therein consistes thy contēt But vnfortunate mishhap t is enough it comes from me that Bembo doth desire it to be denyed by Lyriana If any should be cherished in life for well louing is there any on the earth that better then my selfe hath done it Is there anye that with more puritie doth Idolatrize thy affaires then I Is there any that omitting his owne pleasure will procure thine but I If then fairest of all Fayres beauteous Liriana thou art of this assured why doest thou thus prolong my remedie why becomest thou deaffe to my exclaymes Thine I am and thine will I die let fortune still be opposite euen to my hopes and may the heauens euermore conspire against Bembo my heart hath patience to endure all First began I to pyne ere I knewe whome I loued since from all aspects I am disswaded and shoulde belieue it will I onely in thoughts end my dayes So much blood lost he that the Maister pittying him sayd Sir Knight bee not such an enemy to your selfe for it may cost you your life the differring of your cure My happe will not bée so good replyed the Prince as to meete with death for it doth my paine expect and desire anchorage of the griefe it sustaines Neuerthelesse sayd the Maister t is a kinde of dispaire to suffer a death by the heauens vnappointed for t is a blemish to any ones honour Such perswasions he vsed that he put of his armor and layde him on a bed within the Maysters cabbin They drest him with greate care yet greater was his of his Lady They would not suffer him to rise in foure daies which he continued the thinking to sée his Goddesse seing t was but in vaine he commanded to direct to Achaya intending to demaund of his friend Lupercio what armour weapons the entrance to that Tower required The Marriners to please him would haue done it but there arose a sodaine tempest that t was vnpossible to arryue there so were they carryed backwards vp downe the Grecian Ocean vntill the eyght day they arriued in a most aboundant land full of many trées and woods It gladded the Prince for the Sea had tyred him So he commanded his furious Courser to be landed and armed in all his armor he leapt on shore commaunding the rest to staye for him eyght dayes while hee learned what countrey that was He tooke the most vsedst path he could sée till the after-noone that the Sunnes mydday heate was somewhat coole he alighted to rest close to a Fountaine eating such prouisiō as his pages had brought from the ship So eating was the Pagan there but his pylgrim thoughts wandred on Lyriana when to the same fountaine where he was arryued a damozell no lesse beauteous then well attired who not for all the Prince was there alighted with rare gallantnes to refresh her faire face in the pearled spring where she reassured her selfe shee was beautifull hauing dried her face with a semely wantonnesse she stept to the Prince with these words Sir Knight the heate and the
by the Thespian land onely mentioned through her bordering on the Helliconian Mount the habitation of those sacred tryple Trinity of Sisters the diuine Muses Ioues-brayne-bred daughters Mothers of all learned Arts. To be short with incredible spéede delight he compassed the most part of the orbed earth for being acquited of Loues tributarie dueties his quiet mind had the more scope to subiugate his thoughts to admiration of these things So that now wearie of ease he wished an end vnto his trauaile that he might agayne exercise his often tryed forces to augment the perpetuitie of his glories which he thought were ecclipsed in the obscure cabbin of his honor-smothering bark yet he stil perswaded himselfe some great aduenture could not but awayt the end of this Nauigable toyle At length passing the Ilands Sygares in auncient times called Sydromades whose coastes to vnskilfull passengers is pitilesse death some fiue dayes after he sayled through the Mediterranean Sea where vpon a morne when glittering Phaebus mounted his fierie Carre the boate ran ashoare to the Princes great contentment who was almost tyred with this long nauigation Wherefore arming himselfe in his rich armour he leaped on land and mounting on his swift Tyrio accompanied onely with his good squier Fabio he tooke a narrow beaten path through which he went with great desire to know in what ayre he breathed So with an easie pace they trauailed not long that way but it brought them into a great wood whose vnknowen passage somewhat amazed the Dacian Lord. Yet was it no part to expell the great delight he did conceaue with the soft whistling murmure of the pleasant windes that seemed to daunce vpon the mouing of the shaken leaues on whome the whistling byrdes warbled their ditties in such accordant manner that agreeing in one consort of an inartificiall harmonie it arrested the amazed conceipt of the wandring Prince that continued his iourney along a Christal Riueret whose bending turnings brought him at last vnto his springing head whose purling brooke from a rockie quarie traced his continuall currant through a pibble paued channell that gathering in one a many runnings that from the naturall rocke did issue seemed so many spouts proceeding from an artificiall fount making the streame more great whose sweete noyse could not but remoue the Mellancholiest heart though neuer so much tormented with loue-oppressing passions euen from his deepest dispairing thoughts This pleasant spring was all incompassed with high cressend trees proud Cedars and loftie Pynes whose height seemed to controll the firmament aloft and scorne the lower plants beneath whose humble growth was accompanied with greene Palmes fresh Oliues and odoriferous Orange trees that euer flourisheth with springing habits Through these vpon the dyaperd ground with flowered tapestrie ranne the sportful wanton yong Deare that in aboundance increased the pleasure of this wooddie fount for some scudded along to out-strip the others in running others nibled the tender growing sapplings and others togither butted in wrangling pastime their horned foreheads The Dacian wrapt in a suddein admiratiō with the vnhoped sight of such miracles rested confounded in pleasant imaginations that perswaded him in a land so wonderfull of Natures wonders he should not but expect some vnlooked vnconceaued and unmerited happinesse Here to ease himselfe awhile he alighted and washed his sweatie face hands in those coole refreshing waters and then sitting on the grasse satisfied his hungrie stomack with such prouision as Fabio his page had brought with him from his ship The collation ended they discoursed of many matters to beguyle the time withall especially touching the Romane Ladies whose affection towards him shewen by the Princesse Roselia was not of meane respect wherevpon Fabio tooke occasion thus to beginne I cannot deare Lord sufficiently conceaue the hidden reasons of your strange proceedings in Loue. For when I remēber your extreame passions for the first robber of your heart Florisdama your second doting on Lidea your last affection towards Roselia with the maner of your sudden departure from her without a farewell in recompence of her many fauors which her accepting you for hers condemnes you in the highest degree of ingratitude in Loue besides her many other merites which I list not now memorate deserued no such sleight esteeme The consideration of which things drownes my witts in vncertaine thoughts Do you thinke when shee shall record her courtesies and your discourtesies she will not call you a dissembling Dacian a flattering friend a wauering changing Louer Wil she not complaine of her ill aboading starres exclame on fortune and banne your remembrance Nay how can shee otherwise hauing so great cause thereto For shame my Lord awake your slumbring sences and rayze vp againe the broken ruynes of your decaying credit let not the honor of your byrth be tainted nor the royall blood of Dacia stayned with an infamous blott of thanklesse ingratitude Let not Roomes quarrell begunne in the fathers continue in the children and be ended God knowes in what posteritie But pardon me my Lord for thus passing the limits of duety and the duetie of a seruant which only loue and zeale to your reputation hath moued me vnto In deede Fabio replied the Prince first thanking thee for thy care I must confesse in some respect I stand guiltie in Roselias sight for departing without her consent But yet God knowes it was not either by negligent forgetting or vnthankfully reiecting her deserued merits or the sleight regarde of her kindnesse for which and for her infinite fauors I euer shall rest debtor But leauing this I am perswaded the heauens in their iust doome haue not allotted her to me although her perfection a greater Monarche do deserue then me which I do the more beleeue because my trusty friend Nabato did assure me it touched me as neare as my life not to speake to her at my departure which I with some vnwillingnesse agreed vnto hoping the Princesse knowing my power to be yoked vnder her commaund would not take any serious conceipt at so sleight a trespas Yea but quoth Fabio women are so grieued by euery small occasion that little offences wayghed in their feminine scales are found to be excuses of inconstancie and selfe wauering affection and therefore are taken in the worste part For commonly women conceiue whatsoeuer is done for them must for so reason requireth proceede of duetie chiefely if moued by any amorous inclination hers was not little if I may beleeue her exterior motions when you were fiercest in your combate For by no better meanes doth a louer expresse his loue towardes the thing loued then when it is seene in any perill how small soeuer which things adde such credit to my doubt that I certainly beleeue shee hath vttered a thousand complaints against you moued with that inward and entyre affection shee beares you And to conclude her rare beawtie deserueth more then I can or am able to expresse This conference was here abruptly broke
off with the pleasant crie that stopped the Dacian lords reply of a kenell of wel-mouthed hounds whose noise ecchoing through the wood gaue him warning of some hunting sport whose game should already be on foote As he was thus harkening he sawe comming towards him with impetous fury a mighty white Hart with the whole troope of his pursuing enemies at his heeles who wearie and faint with chase came to refresh him in that brooke This course highly pleasing the Prince hauing bene in his youth brought vp with such exersise snatched his launce and as the Hart passed by threwe it at him and pierced his bodie side through side and yet not brake his speare and as a cunning huntsman he harted the hounds vpon their praie expecting for the hunters comming But from these dumps he was quickly put with the sudden viewe of a most beauteous Ladie that mounted on a gallant courser galloped after the Hart her habit was of greene cut vpon white imbrodered with so many Pearles stones that it dazled the beholders eyes when the bright beames of Apollos face reuerberated thereon her amber haire in golden tramels hung about her shoulders and on her head she wore a corronet of Roses that defended her against the offending heat of Phaebus rayes And as she came in hast her dangling tresses wauered in the ayre that he assured him selfe that this was Cupids warre seing his ensigne of her haire borne by such beautie and defended with a Boar-speare which she carried in her hand who in this manner approched our Dacian Knight that with this first and sole sight became the little blind triumphing gods sighes-tributary subiect and by immagination lost the pleasure of his former libertie by gazing on so gallant a Ladie that he acknowledged himselfe Loues captiue thrall vowing in his hart such firmenesse that his thoughts drouned in conceipts strucke him with such a fearefull hope that he almost lost his breathing senses whereby the vnextinguishing flames of true loues fire so penetrated his free hart that none but death could be the Phisicke to cure so deepe a wound The engyne of his speach so ceast his motiō that in steed therof he wisht all his moouing powers were then transformed to so many piercing instruments of sight throughly to viewe her rarities and yet did he thinke them insufficient to note all her perfections because something would still remaine vnseen Gladly would he haue changed his present state for hundred eied Argos fortunes though he should pay as dearly for his watching if hee mought at his contented leysure suruay all the excellencies that glorious Nature in her prodigalitie had bestowed on her For in his pensiue cogitations he iudged this was shee the iust heauens had ordained to predominate his heart his life soule and will to whom he should acknowledge all soueraignetie ouer his due obeysance alreadie esteeming his nauigable toiles well imployed since they brought him to so rich a land to anchorage his wearie minde within the harbour of so braue a Road. To be short the haughtie inuincible courage of his free thoughts were so amazed with this admirable gallantnesse that it could by no meanes resist so strong incounter but without farther combate for Fortitude is too weake to withstand the dartes of beautie presently yeelded her his soule as a trophie of her victorie and yet rested sorrowfull he had no richer pryzes to glorifie her triumphs because her merits deserued a greater conquest So much amazed rested this valiant Dacian as if altogither he were conuerted to the Ladie on whome his gazing eyes were fixed so greatly that being nigh her he could neither moue the organs of his voice nor ought else but by signes signifie his awfull dutie at her commaund being all in all hers With no lesse admiration did the valiant Ladie with her eyes coate his wonders because her troubled thoughts told her that from her infancie shee had neuer seene a more brauer Knight And as Ladies comonly in such accidēts of amorous traunces haue a freer power of their speech so shee perceiuing the suddeine alteration of his colour-changing countenance faining some displeasure that in like cases followeth all Ladies of her beautie and valour shee awaked him with these words I know not Knight what moued you so rashly to kill this Hart bereauing me of the pleasure that awayted my comming and he expected by receiuing his death at my hands whereof your presumption by doing it hath dispossest vs both of Don Eleno drawing strength from his vanquisht soule replyed My poore hart most excellent Lady doth alreadie suffer his deserued penaunce for so sinning against your content Yet do I hope this offence confessing the fault shal be absolued of your displeasure hauing been through a wel-meaning ignorance committed For supposing none would except against mee or take displeasure at it incitated me thereto But good hath bene his exchange for in steede of the death he receiued being ordained therto with no lesse a wound haue your deuine excellēcies pierced my soule bycause the impartiall fates I feare will sooner cut my thréed of life then you will daygne the cure to salue the wound wounded by your selfe Farre more haue you now aggrauated my discontent answered the Lady receauing greater displeasure at your bolde wordes then did the poore Hart with death by your Launce Answere would the amorous Dacian but that he saw a Knight well armed and mounted on a mighty horse issue from among the trees who hauing ouer heard part of Don Elenos speech cryed out vnto him Knight more bold then valiant take vp thy weapons for so great a presumption may not passe vnpunished The valiant Dacian was so captiuated with the beautie of that Ladie that his deepe affection seeing that Knight in so gallant armour and so brauely Horst made him thinke he was his Loues competitor Whereat a sudden thought of Ielousie rapt at his breast that without any word taking vp his shield he laced on his healme and with more speede then the Hart came thether he drew his Launce out of his dead body leaping therewith into his Tyrios saddle in his hand brandishing the speare he turned to his aduersary with these words Discourteous Knight coragious in nothing but in words nowe shalt thou see how I vse to thanke those that with like pride entertaine others as you haue me Sorrowfull became the beauteous Lady to see them so eager against each other greatly fearing the successe of the fight because she thought the stranger would haue the better but seeing them so fierce withdrew her selfe praying for both their victories For if she affects the one as her brother the other she loues as her liues cōmander And as she was a nouice new admitted in Cupids Schoole with such willingnesse shee yeilded to his deceipts that with one and the like feare he forst her to be Iudge of that combate Couragious was the Knight of the forrest but hee hath before him the Dacian
Prince with such haughtie thoughts that Mars himselfe would haue feared him With furie at length they mette in middle of their course with most strong incounters But the Dacians Horse being the best in the world meeting with his aduersaries tumbled him on the ground and with a mighty fall made his Maister measure his length on the earth himselfe stumbling at a speares struchon Whereat the Prince fearing some mischance seeing him so stagger leapte from him with such nimblenesse that his gallantnesse as much delighted the Lady as it grieued her to see her brothers disgrace who fearing a sudden death with his sword drawne and his shield wel buckled about his arme made towards our Knight that in like manner expected him desirous to prooue the cutting of his Romaine blade wherewith he laide vpon the toppe of his enemies shield entring it with such might that al that quarter with a pece of his helme he threwe to the ground He seconded another not so dangerous yet more fearfull because lighting on his breast it gaue him a wide wound Trembling stood the Lady at her brothers chance though he like a valiant warriour setting his right foote forward so struck him on the leggs that had his sword been like the Dacians he hadd greatly hazarded his victorie Forward he stept with his other foote to make a stronger blowe and so thrusting at him with his point it chanced between the buckles of his skirts that had he not turn'd aside he had there been slaine out-right notwithstanding it made him a little wounde whereout issued some blood The Dacian thinking it to be greater like a furious Lyon before he was able to withdraw him vpon the little left him of his shield gaue him such a blow that parting it from one end to the other and the point slycing all the armour of his arme he threw his shield on the ground leauing all that side without defence With the feare of death rested the Knight amazed but incouraging himselfe with his sword in both hands he made against his aduersarie discharging on his shield so braue a blow that falling on his head he forst him to retire backe with staggering stepps which séeing he followed the aduantage with a point had almost ouerthrowne him But our new Louer firmely staied himselfe raysing aloft his Romain murthering sword at such time as the Ladie getting to her Horse cried out Knights withdraw your selues for this is no combate any farther to proceede But she came too late for ere shee mounted her brother groaned his last falling on the earth with his head parted in two which sudden death grieued euen the very soule of the vanguisht victorious Dacian But what the sorowfull Lady did admits no comparisō for casting her selfe from her Horse all the moouing motions of her breathing senses left her so disposest of Life as they hadde the Prince with this vnlook'd for accident He vnlaced his helme and sitting on the blood-dewd grasse he tooke the amazed Ladies head betweene his hands which he durst doe bycause the weapons of her excellencies through a pale ashie trance had left her beautie without defensiue armes and began to vse those meanes for her recouerie that his braue heart did neuer study and with bitter exclaimes he saide Oh cruell fortune may it be thou shouldest so soon temper with so sower a chance the first time thou wouldest a little fauor me Oh wise Nabato my professed friend why didst thou tell me thy care should alwaies be to cure my woes if all things now conspire against me to ouerthrowe my content In his owne helme hee caused some water to bee brought him and sprinckled it vpon the Ladies faire face till with a sighe proceeding from her oppressed soule she return'd vnto her selfe yet for all this did she remember the pitifull lamentes that the Knight hadde vttered and that the force of Loue did onely force him to But séeing the brother that she most affected lye before her besmeared with his owne blood so cruelly slaine she stepte from the Prince saying Let mee goe rude and discourteous Knight for the wronges you haue gainst me committed cannot be satisfied with lesse then the heart blood of your dearest life And casting her selfe on the dead carcase with such pitifull compassion that it would haue drawne teares from a Tygers eies she wailed her brothers losse and drowning his head and face with a pearled shower of water distilling from her two clowdie founts she thus began her plaintes May it be deare brother that the angrye Heauens should so oppose their happie reuolutions against our youth suffering the cruell fates to persecute thee and me with so lamentable a chaunce kept in store by that constant Lady of inconstācie giuing the world so great a losse thorow thy vntimely death who shall dare carye the vnlucky newes of thy vnhappie end vnto our Parents Oh Princes of Callidonia now must you take new weapons and put on armour of reuenge and build an alter to Rhamnusia offering thereon the cruell sacrifizes of Nemesis bloodie rites that she maye further your reuenging thoughts to take so iust a vengance For you haue this day lost a Prince of the best the brauest Ah tender youth so suddenly bereaft and ill enioyed Oh pittilesse inhumane death with what extreames dost thou performe thy cruelties hauing without mercie or respect of innocencie with such barbarous sauagenesse snacht from hence my poore Larsyno on whome the enuious worlde had placed all her hopes And if impartiall destinies inexorable Sisters you had determined this partiall doome within the consistorie of your counsell house why suffred you not sterne goddesses my brothers mortall wound also to fall on me and end in my hart and not leaue mee thus with life to feele so many deathes Thus did that beauteous Ladie poure forth her sorowes for her deare Larsyno But the inraged passiōs that did possesse Don Eleno when he vnderstood that he had slaine her brother whom he loued more then his owne soule had almost forced him with his owne dagger to drawe his owne harts blood to pacifie her rage if he had not feared eternall damnacion for so great a sinne yet esteemed he that a profitable death where nothing was hoped but what should be more cruell For all this he animated his drooping heart and turning to the weepyng Lady sayde Seing my more then vnhappie fortune deuine Lady hath permitted he should displease you and in this sort that was only borne to adore you soly desiring life to please you bethinke what satisfaction you will haue though it be with the dearest blood chambred in my soule and at your command these hands shall sluce it forth bycause with such a death my life will end with ioy if something it may extenuate part of your discontent conceaued Any reuenge most cruell Knight replied the sorowfull Lady will be but little in recompence of the highe wronge I haue receiued by those murthering handes guiltie of
my proper blood But for this time I will no other reuenge but your departure from my company leauing me sufficiently assured of your cruelty to my cost and I will liue for my misfortune will haue it so with the only desire of a more full reuenge Wherefore from hencefoorth I straight doe banish you my sight for I will haue it so If I shall depart in your disgrace most beauteous Lady I will not haue my life with your disfauour to torment me replied the Prince but since you desire to be reuenged on him that only would liue to admire you take it with this sword cawser of your woes and my misfortune and therewith strike of my sacrifized head to appease your wrath for I willingly offer it on your pities altar with all I else possesse already subiect to your will and only this doe praie that after you haue done it you would rent forth my harte for none shall witnesse your crueltie but your selfe and there shall you see your selfe engrauen though not so naturally yet with rarer perfections reasons suffcient to force me to elect you sole patronesse thereof The which remaining in your handes being loues thrall may moue clemencie towardes his Lord to sturre your anger to pitie your captiue euen with his owne reliques Wherewith prostrated on his knees before her with his eies closed with water holding the sword by the point againe thus said If only in my death great Ladie there rests any small comforte for mee it will bee the greatest that I may imagine receiuing it with this blade by your hands for Guerdon of my rashe attempts although if I had knowne what this dead increaser of your griefes did concerne you my selfe had only been the procurer of his life with farr greater care then for my owne which wil be hatefull to mee if still you will insist in your conceaued wrath Knight said she more barbarous then the Sauages of Hircania and the cruellest that ere my eies beheld thus I will not execute my reuenge for it will not be so cal'd performed with the offenders liking and bycause you said it is life and the sweetest to bereaue you thereof with my handes neither will I therin so much content you but expect and sollicite the heauens to order my reuenge after some other sorte The afflicted Prince hearing so sower and bitter answere conceaued such extreame griefe which with sobbes and sighes so besieged his harte that it berest him of his senses falling at his Ladies feete which was another new kind of torment to afflict her for abandoning all crueltie she tooke him in her armes and sitting on the ground she laid his head on her lappe which had the grieued Dacian felt he would not so soone recouer himselfe and bewailed this lamentable spectacle with new laments that moued the tender Ladye to breake into these exclaymes Oh blind despightfull Fortune enemy to my rest how well hast thou manifested thy mutabilities hauing so well pleaded for the greatest enemie I had that I am forst to cōmiserate his woes and pitie his distresse Oh Goddesse who might certenly knowe if with my death she would end her rigorous changing courses execute at once against my tendernesse the whole power of thy despight for the wrongs past hauing been the greatest that might befall mee or thou do mee will I with ioy accept bycause I know they come from thee for she that was borne to no good can receaue no harme to hurt her and with this deceipt may she passe her life that in the beginning hath felt the vtmost of thy cruell power Oh cruell Goddesse vnworthie of a better name because in all thy actions thou performest the deedes of an Hircanian Tyger And being vnable to doe otherwise she cōmanded Fabio to bring her some water wherewith the distressed youth obtained his loste senses and with a sighe that seemed to burst his weake harte he saide Vnhappy stars that gouern'd my natiuitie and more vnhappie I to liue to see my woes to conquer death that dares not approche where he is onely wished with his crueltie to end a life oppressed with cares Oh vnfortunate hap who would haue thought so long and tedious a nauigation should anchor in so vnluckie a Port Oh valiant friends now must I for euer in absence with ayrie words take my latest leaue for my fates saye he shall neuer see you more that onely liued with your deare sights Oh valiant Princes of Grecia what balefull newes will it be when you shall heare of my death whose life alwaies and content soly delighted yee And seeing himselfe in the Ladies lappe a little lifting vp his eyes with so many sighes and throbbing sobbs that might haue mooued a Lions fiercenes to relent but to the extreamest point was this Ladies furie come that it would admit no Impression of any mercy vnlesse it should altogether yeeld to pittie which she thought was yet too soone to doe he sayd Since no pietie noe pittie nor no mercie that are the vertues which glorifies all your sexe maye sturr a litle compassion in your obdurate breast then at once cruell Lady end the tormenting of my poore soule with so long prolonging a despised life and take what reuenge you will on this weeping hart subiect to your Imanitie Knight answered the Lady ill would it beseeme me if by yeelding to your request and in that maner to worke your content I should become cruell against my selfe I wil not take any reuenge that may rather redowne to my dishonour then honour But for this time only I will haue you grant me two things Being all in all yours replied he there is no cause why by promise you should séeke to winne my will which so truely doth acknowiedge your souerainetie Why then said she my first demaund is you giue mee the order of Chiualry and as for my other request you shall after know it I doe sayd he esteeme my happinesse farre greater now then a little afore I esteemed my selfe vnhappie in that deare Soueraign of my soule you haue deygned to imploye me and in affayres more difficult farre would I haue had you hazarded my life but séeing this is your will I am content to obaie and bycause I perceaue you want armour I do beseech you to accept these which were giuen me for good and I shall be more glad thereof bycause they shall obtaine a worthier owner I thanke you for your offer replied she But these of Semyramis nothing inferiour to those I had not long since on yonder vallie giuen me and that with them I should end the greatest aduenture of the world And so casting off her hunting garments she discouered the rarest armes that the whole earth could afford for they were all of Pearles and Dyamonds with such arte vnited that it made them farre strōger then if they were of fine tempered steele on one side they bare a painted harte but made of inestimable orient Rubies whose glister alyenated the
my former successes through your meanes the happie sight of your first approch so alienated my selfe frō my selfe that I was faine to submit my soule to hope some redresse for so great a change and yet thereby loosing the same hope of remedie through the vnhappie death of your deare brother though now I haue not altogether lost if of his life because that learned man that sent vs this shield hath vndertaken the care of his safetie But because I am and will be yours vntill the fatall Sisters of life and death shall abridge my soule of her breathing sacrifices I beseech you by the firmenesse of our sincere loue you will assure my hopes confirme my desires and set an end to my painfull longings With the end of which wordes with more boldnesse thē his feare required he kist her on the chéeke which done he dyed his own with such a bashfull tincture that it altogether stopt the passage of his spéech Well did the Lady perceaue his alteration who with some showe of anger replyed I would not Prince of Dacia that the committing of my honours puritie and my Maydens fame into your hands should be occasion of your little regard vnto the great respect due to the confidence I haue in you reposed wherein yf you neglect the dutie you owe thereto I will rather cast my selfe into these deuouring waters then the glorie of my chast thoughts shall endure any stayne And the receauing you for my Knight hath not been so smal a fauor but might sufficiently so content you that my kéeping you company thus alone to trust you with my immaculate vnstayned imaginations should be no cause to mooue you to this discourtesie And offering to goe frō the hatches the Prince with Millions of sighes proceeding from his soule stayed her by the arme with these wordes That I haue displeased you Imperious Princesse so torments me that I know not how to satisfie your discontent conceaued vnlesse you now will take a full reuenge for my many trangressions though it bee with effusion of my dearest dearest lyfe and yet what I did was forced by the motion of a pure sincere loue and not of any lasciuious thoughts So assured was the beauteous Rosamond therof that she thus made answere Since my happie starrs braue Prince haue put me in your hands they haue dryuen me to that necessitie that I must forget and forgiue any offence whatsoeuer but if you shall passe these lymits my selfe will execute on my owne life the cruellest death ere heard of With incredidle ioy the amorous Prince kist her hands for the fauor being warned by the palenesse of Cinthias shine that it was time to withdrawe themselues they returned to their seuerall cabbins comparable to any Monarches chamber where they past the night with such conformable thoughts that hadd they durst either to visite the other at that seasō it is doubtfull whether they would haue differred the glory attending on such attempts A little before the Messenger of morne began to lace the Heauens with her goulden hayre the Princely youth séeing himselfe so true a seruitor vnto the God of loue so derely to be loued raysed himselfe on the bed and leauing on his pillowe tooke his Lute in hand and making it sound the repetition of his ioyes he sung the felicitie that the heauens gaue him in the possession of so rare a Lady in these verses Let th'happiest dye with enuie of my state And as vnhappie haue a speedy fall If soule and thoughts tormented were of late T was to obtayne the soueraygnest good of all In whome deuyne Apelles with his art For beauties sake drewe forth her better part Dye fayre Adonis and Apollo perish Pyramus and Leander breath no more Endimion eake that did with fauors florish Well knowes the world my loue the heauens adore And as their estimation passed myne So in content let them so much declyne He ended with a sigh saying Oh loue with how greate reason art thou honored and like a God adored seing thou canst cherish him that hath not felt thy churlishnesse and on whom thou hast not extended the intollerable waight of thy rygorous power Well did the Princesse heare him ouer-ioyed to be loued by so braue a Prince imagening she could not hope for more hauing so great a good there present Notwithstanding she determined yet to dissemble her affection vntill the time did counsell her what she should doe and because the Sunne had begun his rysing in the East she made her ready putting on her white most rich armour went directly to the Princes cabbyn who with his new care had it not to clothe himself yet seing his Lady come he woulde rise but she staying him sayd I would haue had you done it afore Sir Knight for he that liues so carelesse should not belike doubt of his Mistres fauors and with my soule I would be glad to know her that I might aske her if she ioyes in so carelesse a louer Deuinest Princesse replyed the ioyfull Prince with nothing doe I more expresse my poore soules pensiuenesse then with such carelesnes which being well noted it will be iudged a carefull confidence for it cannot be more séene nor better deserued in any then in whome true loue hath rooted his conceipts for without care of anye thing else he doth onely busie himselfe in the swéete imaginations of his owne alienation Notwithstanding answered the Lady I doe condemne so great confidence almost grounded vpon an extremitie and in most respcts little respecting the Lady loued for the ouerielous louer did neuer but die confounded in his owne expects A care magnanimous and honorable is to be alowed excused and worthy of estimation but vtterly to bee ouer-whelmed in pensiue suspence and make you séeme nothing but a louer befits you not nor yet becoms it one boūd to accomplish so many things as you I doe ioy so much deare Mistres of my hart to loue and wholy to employ my selfe therein that I would shewe no signe that I can any thing otherwise and although I should doe so I do not requite the worth of my imployment for if I had a Thousand soules al were to few cōpared to the content of my imaginatiōs where al the good is decyphered the otherwise I might expect and I finde that being not this waye yf would be more then troublesome Sir Knight replyed she you doe so highly accompt the thing loued that I doe wish I were she to obtaine that glorie that neuer Venus did enioy though in beautie a Goddesse and it should be for no longer then I might knowe whether it be true all that you publish Thereof excellent Princesse replied he craue no better testimonfe thē the paine that I conceaued with your sight Then answered shee you cannot denie mee that to loue is more to feare then any other thing seeing you say that the first sight left you so wounded whereby I inferre your paine proceeded
horse and hurting none of vs through a sudden trance that surprized vs he had time to carrie away all the Ladies two by two and amōg them the Princesse except me and two other that are gone to beare these heauie newes vnto the citie Consider Sir Knights my distresse whether I haue not reason to bewaile it You haue it faire Lady aunswered Rosamond and so great that it had moued mee to such cōpassion that setting aside the duetie that al Knights are bound to in procuring her libertie I do here offer my person to raunsome her from bondage promising to be foremost therein Shee vttred it so quickly that the Prince could not showe his willingnesse in that case Yet did he hope that his Lady would commaund it him Within short time they arriued at the Temple which in their sights seemed no lesse gorgious then any they euer sawe For the stones so shined that they seemed of burnisht golde and so many Pyramides it had that the view thereof rauished the senses with pleasure So soone as the damzell saw it with teares she said That Sir Knights is the place that harbors him that stole the Princesse my Mistresse and her Ladies In a tryce dismounted the two gallant louers and leauing their horses to Fabio with their naked swords they went to the Temple which was with brazen barred gates fast shut on whome they read this inscription The entrance ef the auncient Temple of Hercules is granted but to one First swearing that he loueth and with a faith inuyolate for a house so amorous as this may not be allowed to any but such a one Forwards stept the Lady with whome nothing preuailed the Princes intreaties to make her leaue that dangerous enterprise but swearing what the entrance required and that so loud that the Prince might heare it so reioyced him that his senses with pleasure were bereft him For before shee knockt she said If my being in loue may any thing auaile then will I not loose what my constancie assures For I vow by my high thoughts that I liue by onely being so enuying none therein because I beleue I am the best bestowed of any that euer loued since it was knowen what loue did meane And so with a seld seene gallantnesse able to intrap the God of Loue shee rapt at the gates which were opened with no lesse noise then whē Theseus was entertained in hell bent to the rape of faire Proserpine She could perceiue nothing about the gates but flames of fire to defend them whose timerous sight was sufficient to affright the stoutest hart But shee that was borne to liue without it vnlesse it proceeded from a true loue entred wiihout feare of the fire Where not a little did she trye the vertue of het Babylonian armes whose inestimable stones did mittigate that heat Neuerthelesse that which entred through her Beuer was so extreame that it almost smoothered her Yet valiantly suffering it with much toyle shee passed forward till shee came before an Altar whereon they vsed to sacrifice to Hercules and leauing that shee went into a large yard free of the flames though not of the discontent shee conceiued when there shee sawe vpon the tarras of the same many Ladies lamentably bewailing ouer a Knight that shee supposed to be her deare Dacian who by foure was carried on a Hearse pearsed with many woundes saying O poore Prince how quickly haue the Fates conspired the ouerthrowe of thy content with so cruell death and turning to the Lady that in the yarde stoode dead with griefe they saide What auaileth thée Princesse of Callidonia to haue protested thou thou didst loue if so soone thou shouldest loose thy louer They gaue her no time to demaund the cause and manner of that sight For from a corner of the yarde there issued a most fierce Centaure bigger then the greatest horse who knowing her swifter then the Winde made towardes the Ladie with these wordes Stay captiue wretch and straight thou shalt knowe the gaines of thy presumption hauing vndertaken this enterprise accompting it an honorable act that Ioues-borne Hercules my greatest foe durst neuer imagine In his course he was an Eagle and so incountred her so mightily with his hayrie brest that with a grieuous fall he ouerthrew her on her backe Returne vpon her he desired but the furie that conducted him so farre did lead him that whē he turned the Lady was alreadie on her feete But here was she in the hands of death For the sauage monster brought with him foure mightie trees which he threwe in steede of darts whose force were able topsiturnie to ouerthrowe a well built edificie The Ladie was driuen to open her visar the better to see how to defend herselfe from the vnequall fight wherein shee did nothing amisse For the furious Centaure taking one with such puisance like to a small darte he hurled it Her nimblenesse saued her frō it which lighting on a stone of the wall in the yard it ranne vp to the middle ouerthrowing a great peece thereof So speedie was he in throwing that though shee freed her selfe of the second yet the thirde tooke her on the syde of her shield that it turned her three or foure times about that she was like to fall and so in this amaze he struck her on the Helme with the last that he laide her on the earth voiding much blood through her mouth and nostrels And herein is shee not to be blamed for the whole strength of all the Grecian Princes vnyted hadd not withstoode this furie In midst was his last tree broken so was he constrained to vse the strength of his armes and nayles that were longer then a spanne wherewith he embraced the tender Lady And because he could not penetrate her sure armor for that saued her life hee tumbled her vp and downe with such force that shee recouered her selfe in no small wonder to see her selfe in her enemies clawes She would not striue with him till shee tooke him at aduantage and so staying till hee turned her on her right side shee strained her selfe with such strength that shee scapte his nayles And not omitting that occasion before shee stept from him she wounded him on the brest so mightily with her so famous sword that the blood like spoutes burst from his vaines wherewith he stained the white paued yarde Hereat the Centaure beganne to rore so fiercely that the noise was heard of the Prince that was left without which so tormented him with feare of his Ladies daunger that without longer stay he cast himselfe through those fierie flames following the Eccho of the noise that stil increased for the the Heroyeke Lady had so wounded him on the legg that almost shee had cut it cleane asunder Admiration would the sight of this battaile breede for the nimblenesse and dexteritie that awayted on Rosamond cannot be imagined which had so tyred the Centaure as it had her selfe which he not able to suffer seeing his
vs goe froÌ„ heÌ„ce lest the company of this hellish beast annoy vs. It hath not so much hurt me as you thinke sayd she and what it hath done I forgiue because it was the occasion that I saw your high valour And so they began to viewe the deformitie of the monster whose like was neuer thitherto séen Lyrgandeo sayth he was begotteÌ„ bred in Thessalie where more Centaures did inhabit theÌ„ in any other place his name was Monicho was general ouer those in the cruel war against the Lapithes on the foot of the mountain Othrys the greatest in al Thesalie whom the great Magician Nuranto Hercules speciall friend had their brought to guarde his Temple where hee performed many cruelties and one of them was the imprisonment of the Princesse and her Ladies who then appeared in sight comming from a chamber where the Centaure had put them the which being before the Knights it were to tedious to dylate the courteous ceremonies betwen them the one in receauing them and they in thanking them for the timely ayde Then ariued the King being aduertised what did happen who with incredible ioye embraced the Knights and his deare Daughter that one of the worlds chiefe beauties was humbly requesting the knights to repose theÌ„ a while in his Court where they should be intertained as their merits had deserued They would not accept it kindly excusing themselues how they could not doe it because it greatly did auaile them to take to Sea through the extreame necessitie of an aduenture that expected their persons in another place The Dacian told the King who he was which greatly gladded him which occasioÌ„ kindled in him a perfect fire of true friendship which one day he made it knowne vnto him And in his Daughter the vnconsuming flames of a true loue for the Princesse Rosamond supposing her a man in whose absence shee suffered the most grieued life with tormenting passions that euer louer did abyde vntill she past to Grecia where the truth extinguisht the effect of her deceipte and in recompence therof she receaued at Rosomonds hands a husbaÌ„d meriting her beautie with whome she acknowledged her selfe suffitiently satisfied for the paines she for her indured Hereupon the King his trayne departed to the Citie leauing the Princes in the Temple gazing on the pictures of the Chappell whose admiration did astonish them They saw al his labours that he suffered most liuely portrayed and the warres against the warlike Amazones and in the end thereof they saw the cruell sacrifice made of himselfe on Oeta mount in Thessalie with the blod poysned shirt which Nessâ—s with his venomde gore imbrued and by Deianyra his wife sent him It greatly delighted the Ladye to behould the haughty déedes of so braue a man because shee deryued her pedegrée from him And at length leauing the Temple they entred their barke taking their course to Greece in which voyage the wise man remaineth doubtful whether the happie louer did seale the assurance of his hopes only the heauens were witnesse to it vnyting together their happie influences with especial care in the forming one of the worthyest infants that his age did know With this newe and most sweete content on the eyght daye of their nauigation they anchored on the Gretian shores not farre from Constantinople to the Princes great Ioy. Hauing taken foorth their horses they began to trauell through an intricate groue of trees whose end began the entrance into a hunting parke But scarce had they set their feete on the sand when their Barke vanyshed whereby they vnderstood they shoulde not so soone leaue Grecia Their vysors they closed for feare of being knowen and with their launces in their handes they set forward on their waie Many steppes they had not gone but they hard a noise like to the clange of armour and in their entrance into the plaine they might see a little before them three Knights spurre away amaine with like celeritie but as his Tirios was the greatest of any Horse knowen and he thirsting with desire to know the matter he gallopt so fast that he left his beauteous Rosamond behind who like a furious Bazeliske spurred her Horse to ouertake her louer What befell them worthely deserueth a new Chapter CHAP. IIII. The aduenture that in Gretia befel Don Eleno with the Greeke Princes that in mortall battaile were combating with other strange Knights which is that controuersie begun in the last Chapter of the second Booke of the second part being the fift of this Historie WIth a more swifter course then doth Latonus sonne pace to the Antipodes did the warlike Dacian post through the Greekish Forrestes vntill the second houre after midday that hee sawe the fiercest and the most brauest battaile that euer he either heard or sawe of fower knights alone Some of them he knew by the deuises of thir armour and through the fame that with them they had atchiued and who best seemed was he in the purple armour that combated against a Knight that on the toppe of his healme ware a branch of siluer Of both he had heard wounders The third knight that fought with another of strong timberd members and in stature almost hygh as a gyant had on Ruset armour with stripes of blacke amell and grauen with gould on his sheeld his deuise was a branch halfe gould and halfe siluer This knight he hard saie to equall the valiantest in the vniâ—erus Of no lesse disposition did he Iudge his aduersarie that in his sight did greatly vexe him While he thus gazed on them arriued the three knights and the best disposed of them approched where they were in combate as if he wuld haue it with the great knight But first know these 3 knights were the valiant warriors Rosicler Meridian and Oristides that from the kingdom of Lacedemonia departed with great greefe for the losse of Rosabel and no lesse greeued was the ofspring of Priams destroied race for the gallant Sarmatia for whose loue he felt mortal paines especially for his sworde that he had giuen as a pledge therof So soon as Rosicler arriued narrowlie viewing the great knight he perceaued him to haue on the rich armour of that famous Bramarante that with his owne handes sacrificed his lifes bloud because he would giue none the glorie of his death And seeing his armes that Brufaldoro had taken to poore Zoylos cost as in the second part is mentioned with the greatest furie of the world he went against him stepping betwixt him and the Knight of the Branche that was his brother Poliphebo of Tinacria as in the last Chapter of the fift part of this Historie was related and defyed him to mortall battaile Thus farre haue I past treading without feare on the sharpe pykes of a bold presumption but no further dare I proceede without the implored ayde of some immortall helpe of your deuinest beauties perfect perfections of Natures pure rarieties whose honour shal with reading this simple
towring Caedar he saw a Knight in azure armour all ouer crosse barred with Gold He was tall of personage and of well knit sinnewes betokning excesse of strength who was without helme with a hat vppon his head and laye pitiously lamenting to knowe the cause he stoode still Straight did the other giue it him which beeing the disease of loue none can hide it for with Millions of broken sighs that his soule sent foorth he began to sing as followeth Faire spreading Caedars that doe growe so high That you doe seeme to touch the vaultie skie Mount ye aloft and looke if you espie Prince Lindoriano in his owne teares lye Whose teares that trickle downe his louely face Your rootes will moysten and will doe them grace When heauens weat dewe Appollos heate shall drie Vppon your bowes I 'le graue my miserie And on your barkes in Carracters I 'le write My soules great griefe procurer of my spight My dangers cause my constancie procures With which I loue and will while life indures Though that it doe her crueltie increase Pyne may my hart till she my hart release For publishing my loue and her rare beautie To whome all knees may bow to doe her duetie I well doe knowe by'xperience to my cost The waightie griefe wherewith my soule is tost Which makes me thinke the nights for to seeme day And daies seeme night thus care with care I pay But yet in midst of my great griefe and paine This for my comfort onely doth remaine When as I thinke how sweet this warre will be Where yeelding I sustaine no infamie Happie Tynacria t is thou that doest containe Lindorianos blisse and chiefest gaine The Sunne of Heauen the comfort of this earth In whome I ioye for whome I drawe my breath Oh suffer not this Goddesse Natures ioye To be disgrast by being ouer coye To his complaintes that liuing her adore Constant and firme by fayth what would you more Loue her I will vntill I truely knowe From whence the cause of her disdaine doth growe Which loue after my death let her requite Not with like loue for that I neuer might But with her knowing that I haplesse die Refus'd of comfort from me that did flie The extremitie of passions were such and so many which surprized the louer that not onely hindered his songe but stopt his breath accompanied with a suddaine fainting that in a traunce leaft him spéechlesse leauing against the Caedar but being past he returned with a sighe that I knowe not whose hart it would not mollefie but hers oh pardon me that is the swéete insulting enemie of my life and sayd Oh loue how doest thou spare none from burning with thy vnconsuming fier Oh you mightie Princes by fortune exalted on the highest top of honor I nothing enuie your estates if once it be touched with loue Oh Gods how farre happier by enioyning a contented life where I yf I had the office of a laboring Countreyman and not the tytle of so great a Prince that my starres haue giuen mee But oh cruell passions more intollerable griefe what Oh yes thither would you follow me hauing as great a power in a poore cottage as in a Princes Court And therefore seeing I must loue and must liue thereby I will admit no comfort but what shall come from Rosaluyra for the swéetest otherwise is but hatefull sower and abortiue Oh despightfull chāce Oh hap vnhappie vnheard of that I should loue and not manifest it to the Empresse of beautie and of my Idolatrie the sole Goddesse and that I thus must languish without her knowledge Well it must be so she will haue her will deseruedly accomplisht and I will remaine adoring her more then euer was Lady loued But in recompence to demaund a thinge so small as Trebatios head is a diminishing of the high deserts of her incomparable merits By this way oh Gods to procure my content I am resolued to doe because hers consisteth therein But yet yf by my louing and wéeping experience she would be assured of my faith my death in this enterprize were eternall felicitie But oh slowe louer and more bashfull wooer why doest thou linger knowing there is no other meanes for thy happinesse Intollerable and more then may be imagined is the wrōg agaynst thy Lady thou cōmittest in this delay wherupon with a sudden hast that in such cases happens hee laced on his helme had tooke vp his weapons calling to his Squire for his horse But ere it was brought him Rosabell issued out of his ambush For knowing the Knight to bee sonne vnto the Souldan of Niquea and brother to his deare Ladie it grieued him because he had vndertaken such an enterprise against his Grandfather The occasion and the cause thereof hee had tould Oristoldo as hath been largly discoursed in the first of the second part And approching to the Knight with a gallant audacitie he sayd By that I haue heard sir Knight I haue vnderstood you are Lindoriano Prince of Niquea the Knight that I as my soule doe loue and euen to the same it grieues mee you haue vndertaken a demaunde so perrilous as that against the Emperour Trebatio for you must consider how that Lady and her Mother rather procéede through hate then with reason that bindes them to dissemble it And if Garrofilea complaines of the Emperour her selfe was the cause thereof procuring to her honours cost the accomplishing of her content And seing the Emperor did doe it hee might no farther passe because the sacred law of marriage did forbid yt whereof she was aduertized when she had him in prison so she might content he selfe with the children shee hath of so mightie a Prince and not topsey turuie turne and offend the world with her vanitie méere follie as to hope for hys head for hir reuenge and well doe wee knowe that a womans reuenge is but the aboundāce of feruent desire of things and things None more then she I am sure would grieue with his death because with reason the losse of such a person might iustly be lamented by his Daughter Rosaluira so she should cast her fame and honour on the dice being causer of so many deathes as haue already happened for the world doth wel know there is none therin that against his will is able to make that Prince leaue the listes A greater honour were it for her to dissemble her angrie loue as dooth her sonne Polliphebo who is reputed the flower Chiualrie glorying in nothing more then of such a Father not promise her selfe his head at whose countenance the very heauens tremble And so sir Knight the great loue I beare you hath forced me to this discourse because with more immortall honour by louing by your haughtie déeds shall you sooner obtaine your Ladies loue then by so doubtfull and vncertaine a meanes that can nothing yeild then a blot to your reputation Attentiuely did the Prince of Niquea heare him thinking he should
they would be found by reason of the triumphes cōmaunded their ship to be guided to Arrissa a hauen some thing remote from the Citie where the eight day they arriued and taking land they entred through the grene Forestes taking the next waye to Constantinople but first determined to linger thereaboutes the time that wanted for the feastes which might be some vii or viii dayes So their Fortune led them to passe away the night hard by the place where the iealous Sarmatia bewailed her woes For after she had parted from Brandafidell she cast her selfe from her horse lamenting her misfortuns supposing that her beloued Oristides had forsaken her to Loue Floralinda wife to the Prince Meridean And they arriued at such time that forced by a Ielous spleene she said Oh rauning experience that before I can begin to Loue I must with Ielousie be tormented Oh Cupid if this be one of thy blowes established in all harts how is it possible thou shouldest be honored or to thee appeale why shold any as to the Soueraine Prince and Iudge of the earth how wilt thou haue that Ladies shall worshippe and adore thee if with such extreames thou plaguest their tender harts Apparent signes did I see in that valiant Prince to loue me but more certainer haue I met in Greece that he abhorrs me Oh happie Land only to me vnappie I blame not thee but curse my starres that doe oppose their influences to ruinate my glory who would haue tould me thou shouldest be a sepulcher to her that to thee came to seeke her life O Gods how farre better had I done to split my hart in Lacedemon with my deare friends swoord then to come to so great miserie in Greece mightie will be the wrong I doe to Ladies when my death shall be published to haue been because I was not beloued But wretch that I am why impute I in him the sin of disloyaltie hauing to his owne cost assured mée by militarie déedes his soule to be soly thine then rather procuring thy victorie then the conquest for himselfe And séeing it is yet doubtfull I will cherish my selfe till I know it and finding it so not that I loued him without hope of like but for the dishonor I did thereby commit against my puritie I will vpon my life execute the cruellest death that ere the world was guiltie of in recompence of my rash foolishnes and affection so ill repaied So somewhat quieted she could not so continue long remembring what the Lady had tould her whereuppon a little to prorogue her griefes shee tuned her voice with this Dittie to her Lute with a more melodious harmonie than Mercury did sound whē Iupiter did send him to bewitch with musick the hundred eies of watching Argos charge Perswaded still maye be My sowle and pensiue hart That If I liue in smart It is by louing thee His life was neuer sweete That euer learnt to loue Vnlesse his minde did meete With what his Loue did moue There doth he striue to liue Both with his soule and hart That If he die with smart His death his loue might giue The acte that most is praised And worthie of most renowne Is I Loues heauenly crowne That makes dispaire amazed Which when it shall assure The soule and amorous harte Then is a life no smart To Loue if it indure With so short a winded hay me ended the warrelicke Dame that the Princesse which ouer hard it could not but greatly pittie her hauing begun to tread thē inextricable maze of Loue not a little wondring to see how general that passion was where with they cheefely liued So afflicted remained the beautious Sarmacia that she could passe no farther giuing occasion to the Brother and Sister their beuers closed because they would not be knowne to go to her and the Ladie being naturally more tender to the other said What haue you felt Sir Knight to expresse parte of your hearts aboundance to the aire and part to these harde and sencelesse Oakes which is but to increase your smart the which if in any thing we may diminish we will effectually accomplish it At the noise did the Ladye start for being drowned in imagination shee did not remember her selfe and hauing her thoughts dispearsed abroad had giuen no eare to the Princesse wordes and so seeing those Knightes in that place shee said Greatly may you fauour me Sir Knight to leaue me to my solitude for that onely hath the power to ease my paine and strengthen my mynde to suffer it add greater if greater may be imagined And this I intreat vnlesse any necessitie requires my person which I will vse most willingly in either of your behalfes Braue Knight replyed Floraliza the sight of your present state so penetrated our harts that it caused this Knight and my selfe to come and demaund the reason of it offering our persons at your neede I doe highly esteeme your offer renowmed Knight aunswered Sarmacia which could not proceede but from you But my infirmitie is of such condition that the remedie on your partes will augment it and for mee to relate it were a griefe past griefe and a newe kinde of torment For I haue no leaue to publish it to any much more to you because it will but serue to refresh the memorie of passed griefes and present euils And therefore I praye you either to goe from mee or giue me leaue that I may doe it For the verie sight of companie is to mee troublesome I neuer sawe a Knight saide Floraliza so deepely possest with Loue but would delight to communicate his paynes and ioyes For the one he mittigates by communication and the other he encreaseth by relation And so I thinke you are a Nouice in Loue seeing you knowe not there is no griefe how great so euer but will by company be asswaged Rather replyed the Lacedemon Ladye this proues you a fresh Scholler in Cupids schoole seeing you ignorant what wrong is offered to the Ladye loued publishing her secretes For to immagine them is secrete treason committed against her And nowe I saye I woulde not keepe companie with a Knight that so quickely desyres to blabbe the thoughtes cloased in an amourous soule being soly to be imagined and not made common to euery voyce Oh how braue a louer woulde you make gyuing place in your hart for euery loue tale Oh that I knew your Mistres be assured she should not longer liue deceaued in her hopes although I thinke she doth not yf this be not to her vnknowen you speake more then befits you said the hastie Floraliza and with more bouldnesse then you should which belike our simple well meaning spéeches did cause that rather is answered Sarmacia the truest testimony that any can haue of his Fortitude and not the vaunting beasts that many vse and commonly bragge of And seing this way you haue brought it about restore me the honour I did you esteeming you in the degrée of a good Knight
aduantage knowne which made the spectators begyn a new ioy for the Pagans demaund had angred them all The acknowledgment of his aduantage was not so great but that the other might recouer it to the louers deare cost wearying him with assaulting auoyding warding and offending The people in the place celebrated euery blowe with promises aboue the skies But the impatient Moore blaspheming against his gods as thinking that his disgrace from them proceeded went to his enemie and with both hands let flye at him such a blowe that lighting on the side of his Helme he cut away all the buckles of the right side which had he spyed no doubt but he had made an end of him by againe recharging there But he with-held so long that the gallant Louer recouered himselfe and with both armes aloft marched against his enemie who in like sorte met him and with more horror then the furious waues beate vpon the flintie rockes they discharged their blowes vpon their Helmes with such puissance that both sencelesse fell on the ground the Nyquean without his Helme but the Pagan with his head scull and braynes broken scattered within his owne The people would haue gone to them had not the guard stayed them till they sawe what became of the Knights traunce But straight was the victorie proclaimed for the valiant Lindoriano returned and seeing him selfe in that manner flung to his weapons to assault his foe but seeing him so lye went to him and vnlaced his Helme saw his head broken in three or foure pieces it grieued him for he was but yong scarce hauing any beard But seeing he could not doe withall demaunded the Iudges if he had accomplished to his honour And in such manner replyed they most valiant Knight that for euer shall your memorie here indure Alreadie came the Emperour and all the Kings that were with him to receiue the Knight who knowing which he was prostrated himselfe vpon his knees requiring his royall handes to kisse them he would not do it saying He that hath them so good Sir Knight with more reason ought his to be demaunded then ours giuen and raysing him from the ground verie kindly imbraced him demaunding who he was he replyed excusing himselfe the best that he coulde saying that for that time he was called Venus Knight The Emperour would not suffer him to staye in the Tent but that he should be cured in court Where the Empres Bryana in company of all the Ladies in recompence of what for the Emperor he had done visited him which from death reuiued him to giue it him more sweeter with their hāds The Ioustes ceased by the Emperors commandement for eyght daies while the Knight was in cure where he was so much made of as if they knew him in estate to be one of the greatest Princes of the world So many things happened in these few daies that some of them maye not be omitted what they were the next Chapter memorateth CHAP. XI What happened to Don Eleno of Dacia after he departed from the Emperor in search of his deare Lady Rosamond of Callidonia I Cannot sweete Ladies but intermingle some pleasing matter amonge the turbulent hurleburlies of bloody Mars shewing thereby in part the thankfulnesse of my minde due for your willing patience hitherto showen for which your beauties admiration shall while these lynes endure eternally remain the which if the world as a strange new rarytie adoreth my self by louing though vnregarded cannot but esteeme it And while the reward proceedes from some danger harken faire Ladies what befell vnto the warrelike Louer Who departing frō the Emperor and the other Princes with the swiftnesse of his Tyrio returned the waye that he came thinking to meete with his Ladie it otherwise happened for loosing himselfe within the woodie thickets of that forrest wandering many daies hearing no newes of his sowle So great were the torments he indured and his exclaimes vnto the skyes that his voice was hoarce with plaints With his dagger on euery tree he mett he engraued this When Don Eleno shall forget thee Maye fortune then reiect mee And vnder it to explaine more the efficacie of his greefe how that waye he sought Rosamond he thus added Since Rosamond is Life And soule of him that seekes her T' obtaine it without strife Why should I cease to seeke her In this maner did the Datian Lord acquaint the buzing winds with the secrets of his pensiue hart regestring it on the hard okes as if they were able to redresse his woes but t is alouers cōfort to cōmunicat his greefs vnto the aire Angry with this fortune he past 4 daies in the end wherof hard by the sea side finding himself alone and seing his misfortune he thus began to sing thinking that none did heare him Deuinest Nimphes that in your shadie bowers Doe lead your Liues contentedly in Loue And you that free doe daily spend your howers Recording those that yours will neuer moue Harken to his that his poore heart deuowrse And pines in woes and doth in torments liue Bereft of Ioyes of glorie and of fame By loosing her in beauty cheefest dame See how on me Loues tyrannie is shewne By which the Heauens and cruell fates torment me My loue refus'd my constancie for sworne Through which my Ioyes in loue I once did see To shew some pittie now were some renoune When life when hope when Ioyes reiected bee This maye you doe by telling her I seeke That I would meete her ere the sunne doe peepe For pitties sake this fauour dain to do me For whilst I greeue she greeues except you tell her Because our soules in woes coparteners be And absence is a scourge and faithes abayter The which you know and well I woot doth she That lost our Ioyes by absence loues afflicter Once I did loue and was againe beloued Now I must weepe seing my loue remoued Of both I am a scholler to experience Insample to of aforgotten louer And though I liue proclaimed was the sentence That me condemnd to sorrowe hartes tormenter Yet all I sufferd but this plage of absence I cannot being my Ioyes remouer I pine she weepes and we would faine now meet Except you helpe we neuer shall regreet None of all the forrest Goddesses and Nymphes that in their shadie Celles were ending of their taskes but gaue it ouer and in such sort pittied the complaints of the wofull Louer that the gentle Datian sawe himselfe incompassed with a more then celestiall cōpanie all of them offering him their helps assuring him the happinesse that his constancie had obtained and that he which can so well suffer the hard crosses of absence should not loose the hope of his future good They all promised him to aduertise his Lady of the intollerable passions that for her sake he sustained They brought him to the next straight way and departing returned with matter ynough to talke off concerning the amorous Prince that with vnaccustomed pace
daunger hauing such strong enemies The gallant of Argentaria returned her his aunswere with such strength that he made her see more starres then in the heauens were But who bewayled the blowes in their soules with sighes and pearled teares were the two wofull Ladies seeing their louers in such daunger For Artimio alreadie bewailed Florisartes death alreadie calles the Heauens vniust alreadie complaines on Loue calling him a tyrant that liued by honouring Cupid a pittifull God If this way there is such excesse of griefe what shall the beautifull Princesse of Rome do seeing her Don Eleno with Lisarte For though he had the better her loue disliked it making her beleue what easily she credited But her sorrow helped not nor her louing with such intiernes auailed to asswage her passions They could not deuise no meanes to make the battle cease for as they were flesht in it they thought it impossible that any thing lesse then the death of some should part them for at this time it semed that with more fiercenes it increased The Tharsians dexteritie was it that defended him agaynst the angry Dacian yet was it not so much but being reached euery time he set both hands and knees on the earth he passed not much better for his aduersarie neuer gaue him blow but brused and tormented his body so that if he gaue he receaued In no lesse danger was Rosamond for onely her armour was it that in this battle saued her life Euen whē the Sunne would set widdowing the earth of his light there arriued the valiant Mauritanian Brufaldoro that following the search of the Tynacrian and not finding he came thither iudging that for feare he had hiddē himselfe And seing the crueltie of that fight hee could not but say Oh Iupiter what Knightly valour is this The fierce Pagan was gentle and affable of condition and so pittied the faire Pages that wéeping stood speaking thus Can you tell me pretie Pages the cause of this battaile which should not be little considering the fiercenesse thereof It is so small sir Knight replyed Artimio that it is gret pitie it should be continued to the end for so slight a thing the cause being only that this Knight pointing to Florisarte weareth asword which he in the Russet challengeth for his saying he would not part without it vnlesse it cost him his life No longer stayed the mightie youth but drawing foorth his sword put himselfe betwene them that were on foote saying Heare me sir Knights that seing ye haue no other reason then what these Squiers haue told me it were to be reasōlesse to leaue the world Orphant for so small a cause of your valour and for a sword The vndertaken battailes all discréet Knights should be grounde vpon some suffitiēt reason for that is it which assureth the victorye making hym more famous that prosecutes it with Iustice and not with passion to procure to maintain their fame vntill death well did the Dacian know him iudging him of great vallor seing he sustained himselfe to his honour against his Cosen Pollephebo and so replied It is not so small Sir Knight as you thinke it for that knights sword is mine and I requested it with much courtesie which was enough for him to giue it me he not only denyed it but allso threatned me till death if I more demaunded it which you see is sufficient for a-thousand battles and I knew that in no cause you would haue left it That were answered the beautious Arbolinda with many teares had not you giuen it willingly vnconstrained and with it leaue to be giuen to any hauing no action to require it and if like a Knight you gaue it you should no more haue rememberd it The Dacian thought he should know that voice to be of the Princesse of Scotland and so with some a maze answered how know you good page that I did giue this sword I was brougt vp in Rome replied the disguised Artimio sure enough to be vnknowen where I saw that in recompence of an inprisonmēt by the gentlest Gaoler in the world you gaue it All this while the most beautious Roselea did nothing but weepe currents of sault teares vnable to speake on word yet thus replied Don Eleno So many requires a peace valiant Sir that he should not deserue to inioy any that would deny it and so for this time I remit the battle so pleaseth these Knightes They will saie the woefull distressed Roman were it but to be more pittifull then you that forgetfull of your owne honour and what you are bound to do wander vp and downe challanging battles of whom you know not and without any reason More a mazed then at first with these things remained the Datian for by their voices he thought he knew them both and thinking long till he spake with them said to Rosamond in her language that it behooueth him to leaue that battle She that was borne to loue him woulde not therein discontent him And so stepping apart left the battle leauing the Princes so brused that they could scarce stand The king of Mauritania seeing the matter ended demaunded for the Knight of the Branch of whome Don Eleno gaue him the newes he knew not knowing he was shipt to Sea after he departed from him No longer stayed the Moore but in all hast possible with his wife tooke the way that the Dacian directed him and no sooner was he departed but Rosamonds louer mounting on his Tirio went to the Pages saying your spéeches gentle pages haue so confounded one that I wold giue ouer a Thousand battles so I might intreat you to tell me whether you know me or if my name in Rome bee knowen Wherto Artimio answered you haue no reason prince of Dacia to conceale your name and yet wee wish wee had not knowne you were it but because wee would not haue had a Prince so great an as you renowned haue erred against such excellent Ladies as the Princesses Roselia and Arbolinda for the former is with reason wronged with the discourtesie and ingratitude or rather crueltie wherwith you departed from Court she hauing shewed you so manye fauors which were suffitient for one that had a clearer iudgment then you to make him leade all his life with content but I feare you were onely borne to mocke poore Ladyes Then consider the blot of your fame and reputatiōs staine and the greatnesse that in Rome you are loued and moreouer the toyle and labourous trauayle that I and my companyon haue suffered in our tedious voyage to séeke you all which well pondered may bee some cause that leauing the present state of all thinges you returne where by minutes you are expected by them that fill the ayre with sighes And that you maye see it signed receaue this her better whose tenor I knowe not whose obdurate harte it woulde not mollefie but Don Elenos Prince of Dacia who tooke it not to be moued to Loue for therein he had not where
with all being possest by Rosamond notwithstanding he replyed In faith good squiers it greatly greeues me for the sorrow the Princesse doth sustain and of your trouble in seeking me Although all might haue been remedyed considering with what vyolence I was drawen away to leaue Rome so much against my wil seeing therein I offended those Ladies yet I could do no otherwise and so haue I not herein any cause to satisfie them in any thing In the rest that my Lady the Princesse hath done me fauors there is no satisfaction may come neere nor so much as be thought a little parcell vpon accoumpt in parte for so many and manifould benefits which she of her meere bounty magnanimity extēded on me inriching with them a poore forlorne Knight exiled from all content And so since at this time there is no leasure to write and we all intending to visit Constātinople there wil I giue you my answere And meane while if in any thing I may pleasure you commaund me for I will do it Valiant Prince replied Artimio what at this time will most content vs is your answer for thereon dependes Roseleas life and we will abide in Constantinople while the Tryumphes last Hereupon they tooke their leaues not without many teares of both the Ladies and he finding the Knights with Rosamond leauing them retorned to their intended Iourny till very nere the cittie the night ouertooke them and being in the summer they resolued to passe it in that wood among the trees and Odoriferous flowers vpon which they tooke their way Hauing supt the Lady demaunded him how he knew the pages and so much she importuned him that he tould her she nothing suspecting his faith being assured she was of him dearly Loued and therefore said So that Don Eleno you haue been in prison and in such a place where no doubt but you paid for so sweete a gaole he supposed she spake in earnest it is vsuall in louers wherfore he replied It is true dere lady the there I receaued fauors binding me to spend my life for those Ladies a generall debt due to al Dames but as my happie starres hadde predestinated mee to bee yours appointing the particularity of my soule for your seruice I could not staye there seeking onely your Heauen where my glory is inclosed And that you may no longer doubt what I once would haue assured with my lifes dearest blood le ts reade this letter which the Romaine Ladies haue sent me so Rosamond read it thus TO the forgetfull and excellent vnmindfull Prince of Dacia the forgotten Roselia health So much hath the anger of thy carelesse regarde vnkind and more vngratefull Prince preuailed with mee that the note wherewith the worlde may marke me for hauing fixt mine eyes with some affection on thy person could no way let me from doing this Notwithstanding I resolued to breake with my fame so I might let thee knowe the vnkindnesse and vnkind dealing thou shewdst me which the meanest Ladye in the worlde without reuenge woulde not haue indured I expect no remedie nor thy comming for hee that so soone departed and ioyeth therein his returne shoulde seem to be impossible although the law of Knight-hood binds thee to bee a prisoner My griefe not the continnance of my teares giues leaue to bee no longer being confounded with a Thousand contrarieties among which thou being the cause I rest wishing thou mayest yet acknowledge it The beauteous Rosamōd could not otherwise do but shew some féeling with the amorous letter but as the others discōtent might not be remedied but to her cost that quickly was ouerblowen remayning nothing penitent for it None enioying a good would euer loose it to please another and so she sayd In faith no reason hath this Lady to complaine of Don Eleno since hee is not bound to loue but her that first challenged him T is so most beauteous Princesse replyed he for many dayes after I had ynough to wéepe remembring I looked on her with any affection seeing the happines the Heauens had in store kept for mee In like discourse did these louers driue away the night where wee must leaue them preparing for the Iusts to record the matter in the next Chapter remembred CHAP. XIII The aduenture that the warlike Rosabell and his friende Oristoldo Prince of Antioche founde in the woodes of Grecia and how they disinchanted the gallant Tartarian Zoylo HOw greatly the Magician Selagio procured a dyre reuenge vpon the Princes of Gréece the course of this large History amply mētioneth for the desolation they had made of his whole progenie beginning with the mightie Mandroco whom Rosicler called the Knight of Cupid slue in the Empire of Gréece as was expreste in the second of the first part which desire hee still prosecuting he busied himselfe dayly in no other thinge thē the instant procurement of the vilde execution of his damned intent and being so great a Nygromant he founde by his art there should be in Gréece a most cruell warre wherwith it should be at the point of an vtter ouerthrowe Also he founde that the Souldan of Nyquea should be an ayder to the Gréekes the which to preuent hee stole away Rosabell so soone as he was borne from Oliuias armes and carrying him away he set him in Nyquea in the Souldans pallaice to be brought vp with two little children of his a Sonne a Daughter foreseing that louing and stealing her thēce might be the cause to mooue him with all his power to procure his reuenge for so gread a wronge This plot was not in vaine as hath and shal be shewed for by this meanes he disappointed Greece of this help So not pawsing here he made his coniurations and exorcismes wherewith hee tooke those fiue Princes which he educated in his Castle as the president part recordes hauing long before prohibited that the valiant Tartare might not enioy his beloued Tigliaffa because he knewe that by that Coniunction at the time that Lirgandeo succored him should be ingendred the mightest Knight in the world and he that should most be-friend the Grecians A great hinderance did he Iudge this for his pretence and therefore ordered that hauing drunke the amorous water which Lirgandeo in the Forrest gaue him as in the first booke of the second part is expressed hee shoulde meete with the mightie Brufaldoro making with him that cruell battle wherein he wished not his death but only that hee should not ioyne with his Ladie that came to seeke him finding him in maner already recited till she supposing hee had been dead he built him that admirable monumēt where he set the Ladie vnderstanding she should many yeres there remaine And though Lirgandeo hadd placed there for the Dame that keeper which the Emperour Alphebo slue trauelling that waye in companie of the valiant King of Cerdenna within there was others so stronge that the inchanter Selagio rested sure that none woulde haue the power to disinchant him hauing
atchiue I counsell thée to returne backe making no battle with mee for of it thou shalt get nothing but a cruell death I am beholding to thee answered the Greeke for thy courteous admonition but in no case wil I leaue this battle for it wil be my euerlasting infamie why then sayd the keeper take this launce and horse for so thou must make thy battle This pleaseth me best replyed the Prince and so toke the launce Already was his enemie prepared very neere to doe what the Greeke imagined not for hee had scarce got into the saddle wheÌ„ the other spurring his horse which had bin taught to that so brauely he incountred the Prince that hee ouerthrew him with a great fal the not hauing gotten his stirrops saued the Greeke from being conquered and so though brused he rose with the launce in his hands which he had not lost But he was not well set on foot when behind him came another Knight with an Iron mace and backwards gaue him such a blowe vpon his helme that it fild it within with blood casting him forwards againe vpon the ground The Prince that set himselfe so assaulted feareful of deth set himselfe on foote auoyding a blow of him with the mace but he could not scape from hlm on horse-backe with Ioues strength raysing himselfe on his stirrops flung his launce at the Prince which lighted on his shield and resounding like a bell it bounded backe as if it had struck vpon a flint making the Greeke stagger twoo steps backwards A hungry Tygre of Hyrcania rauening for his pray was not more fierce then Rosabell nowe became for brandishing his cruell launce hee darted it to the knight lighting in the middle of his shield It fetcht him from his saddle cleane ouer his horse backe tumbling him to the earth More soner vpon her game is not a swift wingd Fawlcon then now was the Prince for ere the Knight could rise to make himselfe redy or he with the mace come he gaue him on the helme so cruell a blow that al the brym he cut with a peece of his front The blood blinded him so neither did he see nor could helpe his companion that with his mace came after the Greeke and before he parted from the wounded one he thrust at him with a point which shrewdly wounded him the other came so much side-long vpon him that he could not but cast his armes vpon him he gayned litle for the Britanicke louer being of geater forces then he breathlesse did cast him to the ground He striued so long with him till hee drewe his dagger with which hee ended his life striking it to his hart It had like to had cost him no lesse then his life for the other though sore wounded was come vpon him and with his dagger would backwardes haue stabde it in his brest wearing Hectors armor none but Venus woundes coulde make any impression neuerthelesse he felt excessiue paine euery time he strucke him he was ashamed of himselfe that one Knight should alone so long so handle him well firming himselfe in spight of him he rose vp finding him within his reach with one kinde of death hee equald them This battle had most tyred him for the fall blowe had sorely brused all his body with ioy he receaued his deare frend Oristoldo that with admiration of his deeds did wipe away the blood Greatly should that be esteemed said Rosabell that with such keepers is defended That is not so much most valiant Prince replyed Oristoldo as the feare wherewith they were sett suspecting that you would come and fetch it forth he would not answer him but with double corrage he sett towards the last arch which was not farre from him To meete him there came a well proportioned Knight in hose and doublet saying Sir Knight within this habitation are thoâ—e arms of Hector so feared that I am commanded in this maner to end this battell and if you be pleased there with you haue no more to doe then to put of your armor It is a thing vnaccustomed among Knights replied the Prince neuerthelesse I wil do it TheÌ„ he straight put of al his armor resting with only his sword and dagger Those too must you laie aside said he of the Castle for with these weapons that I shall giue you and with no other must our battle bee So many condicions doe you propound answered the Prince that I dare almost saye it proceedes from cowardise Now shall you see that said the keeper and so gaue him two rapiers keeping two for him selfe A gallant spectacle was this for he of the Castle was all in yellow and blacke which so well became him that the Prince much commended him and he him selfe was all in redd his age acknowledg not a more accomplisht youth It is doubtfull if Venus would dote agayn in Loue she would with more affection choose the Prince then wheÌ„ she did elect the happelesse Adonis Hauing taken the rapiers they marched eyther against the other with such warynesse as the necessitie of so dangerous a fight required for there the strength of the Knights preuaile not They ioyned those I meane that were borne for the fight with more grace then Mars did when on the behalfe of Iuno he challenged her Father Saturne to a single combate in presence of all the Gods goddesses with somwhat more good hap entred the Gréeke with his left rapier for he aimed it inwardes and striking downe his enemies right one he thrust a handfull of it vnder his arme pit as hee drewe forth the blody rapier with it he beat down the aduerse point and with the other hee wounded him a little aboue the knee from both there yssued much blood and fearing to bléede awaye respecting no dexteritie he entred within the Prince who doubted some mischance seing him come so carelesly hee commended himselfe to the God of his Father promising to renownce the vanetie af his Gods and so stayed for the kéeper of the Castle that without aduise with one arme thrust at him twise outwards houlding his other point stiffe with both he wouÌ„ded him though but little He stoode with such desire to execute the other that the Prince with his left arme thrust at him so fiercely that he cut all the bone that the other letting fall his rapie froÌ„ his hand would haue stooped for it but it had cost him his life for the Prince thrust at him on the head that he mortally wounded him with the paine hee felt he forgot to take vp his rapier and so with the one he defended himselfe fearing another wounde The Heroyck Gréeke would not vanquish him with any aduantage for seeing him sore wounded and but with one rapier he cast away one of his farre off And acte was this to haue made his enemie yeild had he not been forst eyther to kill or die and so not respecting the courtesie he entred so quickly that ere he
content the same shal be my chiefest felicitie Soueraigne Princesse replyed the Prince so greatly were you wronged by being here detained that what I did ought not to be esteemed any thing for your constancie deserued far more I want abilitie most excellent Knight aunswered she to expresse my thankfulnes more then to remaine perpetually at your commaunde onely nowe I must intreate you that since you haue restored vnto my handes the thinge that I most hoped for in this world that you woulde helpe me to cure his woundes for though we haue been inchanted yet they séeme now as fresh as when they were made by that most barbarous Knight In hast they went al vnto him and taking of his armour with the ayre that breathed in his face he returned from the trance he fell in betwéen his Ladies armes when she thought it was his lastly gaspe he opened his eyes and seing himselfe in hir hands he once did hate and nowe excessiuely did loue with great faintnesse sayde May it be deare Ladie that the power of a constant loue hath so rooted it selfe within your brest that not respecting my sauagenesse my more then barbarous sauadgnesse cōmitted against your loyaltie you should still loue mee you should now pittie me you should feele my déepe wounds in your soule hauing made them so great in yours with my life Ingratitude hath been myne worthy of your disgrace deseruing to haue left comfortlesse the most rebellious body that ere the earth did foster leaue we this answered the amorous Ladie my most dearest Lorde for seeing I was borne onely to loue by doing so I discharged my dutie together with what my loue-afflicted soule instructed mee to It neuer grieued me to be vnloued but it onely tormented mee as in reason it should that the first time so famous a Prince should shrinke from his worde it should bee from me This and nothing but this hath made mee wander through the world as it best can witnes so greatlye to my fames cost and honours blemish but since it hath pleased the heauens to pittie my paines mollifying your flint obdurate heart in recompence to see my selfe beloued of my deare Zoylo I accompt my discontent my greatest content yf I any did passe And now le ts giue order for your woūds cure for yet you are more bound then you are aware of depart they would vnto the next village when through the Forrest they spyed a damsell comming towards them more swifter then the raging winde and arriuing sayde Away braue sirs for the Tartars life hath been reserued by the Author thereof onely for my comming And so going to hym she drewe forth a glasse with a most Odoriferous licour whose fragrant smell comforted all the circumstants the which she set vnto his mouth Oh deuine thing for scarce she had set it and hee tasted what it contained when hee remained whole of his wounds though weake through the much blod he had lost his due thanks would hee render for that great good déede but she was vanished vn-seene of any To this famous Knight sayde Tigliaffa must you giue them for t is he that his mightie arme hath fréede both you and me from whence the world else had not béen able to do deliuering vs from the cruell torment wee both iniustly suffered for these wounds for all they séemed so freshly to bléede you receaued them aboue 6. yeares agoe in presence of the vnhappie Tigliaffa that seing it receaued them no lesse Thereupon did the beloued Prince remember that about the armes of of Bramarante a Knight had giuen him them He turned to the gallant Rosabell that excéedinly ioyed to sée him well casting his armes about his necke seing him so young said Oh most mighty Knight is it possible that from your hands hath proceeded such a benefit there is no recompence can equall my receaued fauor I will not binde my selfe for it though eternally I will acknowledge my debt because I feare that being of such waight my short life will not suffer me in part to shew my gratitude but oh God what greater comfort maye I now enioy then to beholde betwene my armes him that so much resembles Rosicler the Prince of Grecia my greatest friend and if in any thing he touches you sir Knight I intreate you by the thing you must loue hope to enioy in this world you would not denie it me for if you are Sonne vnto my Lady the Princesse Oliuia much did the king Sacridoro in her rape yet cost it mee no lesse woundes and had I lost my life it had been pleasing so hee obtayned her his desired pryze to his valour onely due Excellent Prince replyed Rosabell your valour was suffitient without your merits on the Gréeke Princes behalfe deserued to binde all the worlde to your seruice In the rest touching himselfe I knowe no more then that to this Prince of Antioch sonne vnto that King you named and to mee there hath happened so manye thinges since my Fortune caused vs to meete in me to knitte a league of inuiolable friendship besides what before befell mee euen afore that Greeke Lord that we dare presume to saye I am sonne to those so much behoulding vnto you and with like deceipte was prince Rosicler by a strange aduenture parted from me in Lacedemon More then this I assure you I knowe not This is ynough most excellent Princes aunswered the Tartare and for me the greatest comfort that nowe Fortune could giue mee to set mee with the Sonne of those in whose amitie I esteeme my greatest felicitie Anewe they imbraced each other for greater friendes the earth neuer knewe Exceeding glad was the gallant Ladie to see her selfe in companie of such hawghtie knights but more to be beloued of him that once liued by hating her So well did the two friendes handle this matter that they altogether assured the Iealous Lady of her hopes procuring the Tartare to espowse her seing her fayth dyd meryt more then that The gracious Zoylo dyd not refuse it but rather expressed it was the greatest good hee might receaue There the braunches towring trees would bend to make them arbours to spende the nights in pleasure till they arriued at Constantinople Many times would the two louers willingly loose themselues among the thickets where they might inioy what the cursed Selagio pretended with his artes to auoyde and it was no small benefite vnto them for the Lady remained with child of a Sonne that in armes was called Mars a daughter that in beautie excelled all those of her age for whose loue one of the Gréeke Princes doted till the death as the fourth part recordeth where a while wee must leaue them returning to Constantinople for alreadye were the Triumphes begun with farre greater solemnitie CHAP. XIIII How the Tryumphes were againe begun and what admirable battailes happened in them WIth such verie gret affectiō hath the wise Lirgandeo faire Ladies shewed him in the discription of the Tartarian
wrong cōmitted it is well she may haue such a defender The haughtie dame hereby suspected somewhat and so gloryfiing her beautie with a heauenly tincture she replyed Little can a Ladies graunted fauour auaile for the valour of the Prince of the Greece most excellent Lady and rather there are some so happilesse in cōmanding that they put in doubt what the gallants with their fortitude haue assured Among these I accompt my selfe and in so much that I know not when I could call my selfe happie And this is the cause I dare not require any to goe forth in my name but beeing dryuen to that necessitye beeing able to doe it my selfe I neede not intreate it of any And because shee would not be more importuned shee turned to him in the blacke that more furious then a hungry Beare ran vpp and downe It was no small vertue in the Prince to indure with patience this bitter answere a Thousand cries would hee haue giuen publishing the iniustice done to hys faith vsing it with such cruelty he departed from thence for his sighes gaue him not leaue not so much as to take leaue of the sweete enemie of his tormented soule Who with attētion gazed on the amorous Knight that at this time with his owne hand had chosen a strong launce for at a corner of the place there entred two Knights no lesse to be wondred at then the former at the same instant entred two other no lesse gallant then the first These last were armed in Murrey armour with barrs of azure and gold on their shieldes he that seemed bigger of body had a Sunne in middle of a cleare heauen with these wordes Not any though neuer fauored And in his proofes hauing done But ioyeth in the Sunne His companion that a better disposition shewed had another Sunne ecclipsed with this Motto about it It changeth effect in me For gazing on his fier It augments griefe and desire These two Knights posies greatly delighted euerye one for if yee bee remembred they bee none other but Lysarte the mighty King of Tarsis and his sonne Florisarte Prince of Argentaria that came accōpanied with the two disguised Princesses they past the place with more grace then Achilles had done The like did the twoo first for both were armed in most rich armour hee on the right hand that was Don Argante of Fenicia had a siluer armor full of Lillies on his shield a Pyne tree and hee himselfe leauing against it with this posie In sollitude delights He that on loue doth dote But most he that 's remote That Knight is not like to want battailes that to ympeach the Ladies worthes shewes himselfe so free for as euery one liueth by being alienated they will presently put it to triall Now am I very glad sayd the beauteous Lindaraza that so free a Knight maye meete with him in the blacke that is so constant in his alienation No lesse dyd his companion shew himselfe vn-yoaked being the gallant Torisiano who was all in Carnation armour quartered with golde and azure a brauer temper was not seene in the place In the middle of his shield was set a knight languishing in loue accompanied with all his troubles with these words How sweet is that same sight That gazeth on his woes It doth his hart delight Though it with griefe vndoes Hauing approched they entred the Listes None of the behoulders durst take their eyes from them thinking in the meane time they should loose them so furiously they past forward The first that in Greece met with ill fortune was he of Phenicia that quicker then an Eagle spurerd against him in black he got little for the sorrowfull louer incountred him with the vtmost of his strength which only merited comparison with the Greeke Princes lightly fetching him frō his saddle threw him to the ground he receaued no small encounter for Don Argante was one of the strongest in the world he made him loose his raynes and forwardes passe more slowly then he would Great was the noyse that rose in the place as also among the Ladies that celebrated the fall with accustomed disdaine which well maye bee called death And that 's but little considering howe t is taken I almost speake by experience I maruell not at the Knights disgraces deare Ladies sayd the old King of Bohemia entring with your disfauour Your highnes speaketh with great reason answered the Princesse Oliuia to supplye which want I intreated the Quéene of Lyra that to shewe howe she loues me she would haue bestowed one fauor vpō a gallant that from it he might haue drawen valour to assure our busines that so goeth to wracke hee replyed There is no reason any thing should be denyed to so iust a demaund the which if my age did not disturbe I would haue béen he that should haue craued it A Thousand should your highnes haue obtayned replyed Archisilora But there wants not them that without any may returne the Grecian honor to their owners Their that was broken off by the peoples rumor for the mourning Knight with more strength thē Hector had did ouerthrow the braue Torisiano which displeased the Ladies Many suppositions past there who the blacke knight shoulde bee for some Ladies were affected to him And so with some pittie the Empresse Claridiana sayde to them that were with her Greatly doe I commisserate this Knight to sée with what crueltie his loue his repayd And if his fauors were equall to his strength none might more bragge of valour then hee Those that on a sudden begyn to loue answered the beauteous Rosiluera that in the secret of her soule had portrayed the knight with such coulors that none but death could wipe away any little occasion ministers vnto thē cause of Loue but le ts sée what shall become of the Knights of the Sunnes that séeme of a valiant disposition his Carrier had the braue King Lisarte taken incountring with the blacke knight so fiercely that he thought he had béen broken in pieces either past by the other without any moouing Of the valiantest was the Tarsian but he there met with Bembo then whom the Pagan nation neuer knewe more hawghtier and couragious knight who taking another launce incountred hym so mightily that hee brought him to the ground himselfe had almost accompanied him for loosing brydle and stirrops was fayne to stay himselfe by his horse neck Like to a fiery Dragon his amorous sonne ran with him thrée launces vnable to mooue eyther of them from the saddle to both theyr extreme griefes that like to bloodie Lyons they with their owne handes choosed their launces with the excessiuenesse of their forces incountred so puissantly that the beleued Argentariā came to the ground with his horse slaine betweene his leggs he leapt from him for feare of some disgrace The Achayan with the strong shocke staggering backwards lost his saddle falling on his féete but with so small féeling that though the couragious youth stept to him
mee with what I neuer imagined I am more soryer for that replyed she then for any other thinge you should haue cōmitted For there nothing is more offensiue to their Fames that hath it like you then forgetfulnes of that which so much concernes them because I thinke I speake with the Troyan Oristides see here his sword which was giuē me there that I might come to séek him here make you know it had been better you had shewed your selfe careful in returning thither then to wander through these wods in search of other Knights Shee spake it so high that hee presently knewe it was she his hart had choosen for his soueraigne He leapt from his horse with more Maiesty then Mars could and sayd So euill entreated did I remaine of that battle sir Knight that I haue no strength to ende it now so is it my surest way to render the glorie of the victorie to your all-conquering hand Then he put off his helme shewing his faire face and holding the sword by the poynte he knéeled before the Lady Shee could not suffer it for she loued him as her life Shee also put of hers resting more faire then Apollo and with that loue as louers receaue the loued obiect shee imbraced him saying Seeing your forgetfulnesse braue Oristides t was not much that I ventured my life to seeke you He answered Deeds are these most Soueraigne Princesse nothing differing from your magnanimitie and I intreate you if anye offence your beauty hath receaued on my behalfe which cannot be little you wil with your owne hand take your reuenge then replyed the Ladie There is no such offence gallant Lord but thinking I remayned indebted for your comming to Lacedemon onely to combate with me I thought to require it by coming to Grecia not with warre but to craue peace of the Knight that vanquisht me I am and euer will be yours vanquished said the Troyan moste beauteous Ladie as one that onlye winnes therein Leaue this replied the amorous Ladie speake to the Prince of Achaya that is this Knight which comes with me who is not a little affected to you whereto the Troian spake All the worlde deare Ladie knowing how dearely I loue you is bound to doe me fauour Thereupon they receaued one another as befitted their Royalties In their that he vnderstood he was Cousin to his Ladie for with no smalle alteration was he till then supposing he loued her well did the haughtie Moore perceaue the affection that his Cousin bare to that Knight this passion can neuer be inclosed where t is well rooted It came to be so manifest that Bembo would winne the gallant Oristides by merrits assuring his glorie betrothing them there in his presence to all their high contents The two warriors contracted perpetuall ametie which in particuler they solemnly obserued for in generall in the Greeke warres Oristides could not forsake the great Trebatio hauing receaued so ma-many fauours at his handes The newe betrothed louers intreated the Prince of Achaya to goe and bee acquainted with the Gréeke Emperour but as hee liued in continuall woes he could not condiscend to their intreaties answering there would not want occasion to doe it another time hee tooke his leaue of them to all their griefes And mounting on his fierie Courser hee spurd through the thickest of the Forrest till he came to the Sea coast where hee shipt himselfe not directing his iourney to any certaine place more thē where fortune and the waues would conduct him The two louers desirous to see themselues alone past all the day in the Forrest which they thought but a minute where if the Troyan were couragious hee would not defer the end of their amorous desires It was not knowen for the trées kept silence but her time being expyred the Lady was deliuered of a Daughter whose beauty was imcomparable They named her Polixena at the Troyans request desirous to leaue some memorie of his antient stocke Lesse discords then the first did not this cause as the Fourth part doth recorde for a Gréeke did loue her to the death They returned to Constantinople where the Emperour receaued them with great ioy estéeming the Troyan as one of his children and knowing they were betrothed hee gaue them the Tytle and Crowned him Kinge of Thessalie an Acte that through the world was applauded with high prayses All the Lordes and Ladies celebrated his Coronation Festiualles with stately shewes and reuealings And the time of her deliuerie being come she and Rosamond were deliuered both in one day Sarmacias being publique but the beauteous Rosamond was deliuered in the handes of Archisilora to whome she disclosed this secret of a Boy the fairest that his age did knowe Both Ladies gaue his name according to his beautie he was borne with a most bright Starre in the middle of his brest they called him Roselindo A little they enioyed him for through the wall there entred a graue wise man that toulde them that the life of the Child consisted to be deliuered in his handes the Mother would by no meanes doe it But the Quéene would and so perswaded her to it They charged the wise man to instruct him in all thinges belonging to a good Christian This traytor Lupercio promised but did not accomplish it and rather conuayed him to the Kingdomes of Prusia farr remoted from Gréece where hee was brought vp with the Kinges Daughter shee from that time louing him as her life It shall be hereafter declared for Lyrgandeo is nothing briefe in describing the actes of this haughtie Prince equall in valour to all his kindered and a horse-backe he exceld them for a better Gennet neuer did the world containe where we must leaue these on the land returning to Bembo on the Seas CHAP. XX. What befell to Warlike Bembo Prince of Achaya with a Knight vpon the Sea at the Tower where Lyriana was inchaunted WIth some consolation did the Heroyck Bembo Prince of Achaya depart from his deare cozen Sarmacia Princesse of Lacedemon thinking he wronged his hawghty corage not to shew the magnanimitie of his mind against the rigorous causes of blinde Fortune with this desire he entred the first barke he found on the Sea shore desirous a while to Nauigate by sea seeyng how he languished on land The Maister and all the Marriners receaued him with great content iudging him of high accompt and deseruer of farre more courtesie He put of his helme discouering his faire and sturdy visage which more astonisht them binding thē more vnto more kindnesse His haires were of a darke yellow color verie thick curled a manifest token of his approoued strength His colour was white and his face full flesht well proportioned his eies séemed cherefull but being inraged they amazed the looker on with trembling feare he was double brested insomuch that no armour except purposely made woulde fit him hee was an enemie to effeminate men Neuer did fighting weary him nor neuer
wrath kindled in his furious brest By little and little he felt the paine diminish Aswell as he might he defended himselfe not without mighty blowes of the thrée that to make an end drew strength from their fainting for he had wounded thē dangerously At length féeling himselfe frée of the dāger faining neuerthelesse the cōtrary he suffered the secōd brother to enter for he was most eager When he was so neare he could not scape him hee raysed aloft his reuenging arme with more strength then wyth whéeles the mightiest burthens are crayned vpp with as much rage as courage hee discharged it on his helme the which downe to the shoulders with his head was clouen Great was the noise that sodenly aroze in the place with the knights death thinking the like would happen to the rest The like presumed the king so did Lindauro that bloody teares did shed for the losse of the brothers Redoubled was their gréefe for Archisiloras louer imagining he too lōg deferred the end flung at the Kings Couzen wounding him with such a blow that sencelesse he cast him forwards on his horse neck he ran against him with his Coursers brest tumbling him his horse on the stony pauement more dead thē aliue The third brother would defend himselfe but the Prince thinking it vnméet to assault him did close casting his strong armes about him wherewith he pluct him from his saddle spurring his horse went to the bridge side offering to cast him into the riuer ouer the railes whereat the King cried out to him he should not doe it for he gaue him the victorie of the fight accompting him the best knight vpō the earth To do your Maiestie some seruice which is my sole desire answered the Prince I am content to do it although his rude inciuilitie deserues a farre greater punishment Thankes for the same did the king giue receauing him with better coūtenance then will for he would haue giuen any great prize so he had miscarried in the battaile To him went the couragious Prince Pollidolpho saying Ioue Guerdon you for me sir Knight what this day you haue on my behalfe performed which is so much that I know not how I may séeme gratefull for the least of the same but yf in any thing my life and my companions bee néedefull in your seruice dispose of them for we will offer ymploye them with as great willingnes as you this daye haue done yours for vs hauing not deseured it at your handes The Gréeke replyed knowing him to be whom the Knight hadde sayd This far much more then I haue done is due to your gentlenes bounty great Prince for there is none knowing what it is but remaineth ingaged thereto and therefore may you accompt me as one of your true sure and vnfayned frends The Prince acknowledged the kindnes resting so affectionate vnto him that in all things he shewed it They accompanied the King who though hee bare them no good will more then what hee ought would not but honour them inuiting them vnto his Court where there befell thē what the next Chapter mentioneth CHAP. XXIII What befell vnto the Greeke Prince being with the King in his great Hall ALthough the cankered Rancor of ill-will within the brest of the Esclauonian Kinge pleaded against the merits of the Gréeke Prince by reason of his challenge in preiudice of his decrée yet so louing worthy of respect is the very sole opinion of vertue good parts by how much the more thē the triall knowledg of the same bright saints of idolatrized beauty that he almost forgot it inclining so much vnto him through the sight of his valour shewen and honour obtayned agaynst his foure enemies that he regarded and in the common Iudgmentes did affect him On the other side extreame was the griefe Lindauro didde conceaue wanting the thrée brothers himselfe disgrast attributing thereto the beauteous Venus disdain towards him whose beauty the gréeke admired esteaming it equall to his Ladies the Queene of Lyra. No lesse admiration caused his in Court that there was no Dame but enuied his fairenes iudging he yet was fairer then Venus hee was there a Noueltie As hee so reputed they the Croatian Pollidolpho whose truelye affectionate the Princesse was become desiring nothing more then to speake with him that hee might knowe her will and the place his hart had obtained within her brest glad in her soule of the amity he had cōtracted with the desparing knight so called they the Gréeke imagining she might securely put her selfe in his hands then suffer any wrong by her Father on Lindauros behafe which would be no lesse then her death For she neuer had thought well of the pride werewith he had did procure to winne her goodwill A thousand times was she about to write it to the Greeke that as a Louer euery one accompted him so seing his cruell deuise he might seeke meanes to auoyd so great an euill as she expected by the mariage But she was as modest as beautifull for in this she exceld the first of her name So durst she not write belieuing it would blemish her honor staine the reputatiō they of her kinde are bound to maintaine in all their actiōs rather induring a thousand deaths then by their doinges to giue the popularitie occasion to misiudge of their liues when they ought to be the presidents for others to modell out the course of theirs This withheld her suffering euery day many importunities till that her Father seing her obstinacie commaunded her plainely to arme herselfe with patience for he would force her against her will to that whereto all his coūsell intreated him This so put her to her shifts that she had none other but to write vnto the Knight in yellow trusting the matter to a Ladie whome she thought would kéepe it secret She vowed it acknowledging great dutie for the reposing on her a thing of such consequence All the Knights lodged within the Pallaice excepting Pollidolphos two Gyants that disguised kept aloofe of carefully watching what would befall their Prince in those affaires For they knew how intirely he loued the faire Venus Wherefore the Damozell had opprtunitie so soone as it was darke that she might leaue her lodging to go vnto the Knights that kept together and demanding who and where the knight in yellow was Palizandro beeing there conducted her vnto them to whome with a pleasant countenance after salutations she said Sir Knights assured of your valours that you will not denye it vnto distressed Ladies that haue néede thereof I am boulde to come on the behalfe of one whose name this Letter doth contayne directed to the despairing Knight glad that being able he will not permit her in indure any outrage So with great courtesie she deliuered the letter vnto the Gréeke saying she would the next morrowe returne for an answere And staying no longer kindly tooke her leaue and departed T is
I more disobay it The Father imbrast her with extreame ioy seing the thing effected which he thought impossible Presently was it published through the Cittie where many tryumphes were ordained by the Citizens The next day the King woulde haue it solemnized and inuited the chiefest of the Citie reioycing in his hart to haue as he thought the marriage sure and also to haue the despairing Knight in his Court to glad it wyth his haughty deeds He did it but with death and bitter lamentations of many The King would needs haue them all Dine in his great hall that ouer-looked the riuer but the Ladies apart At once together in that pallace was there neuer séen more nobility for besides the King there was Eleauen Princes some disguised some woūded with loue were come to sée the beauteous Venus imagining in their Countries that she which had such a name could not but in beauty be Venus her selfe This Lady bride came forth al in white of which coulor was the Prince also attired with all his pages with so costly rich ornaments that it was well séene loue was his instructer After dinner hauing sat to it something long yet ere their reuealing began they Cōmenst discourse of seuerall matters Very nere Lindauro sat the Gréeke prince only with his sword dagger cloathed in yellow black a deuise which wonderfully became him About that quarter being all youths in the May of their yeres Ladies seruitors that chose their argument euery one to prayse the beauty he had séen or most affected The Prince Pallidolpho knowing who the Gréeke was assured that the Gréekish beauty admitted no comparatiue with the world beside set a foote praysing the Ladies of Grecia the gretest tumult that euer there was séen for Lindauro with his accustomed pride thinking hee might there safest speake answered That may b◠to them that knowes not the good of Esclauonia nor cānot conceaue it but to them that liue without partiall affection there is nothing faire on the earth nor absolute but here The amorous Gréeke with the onely sight of Venus was so transported in the contemplation of his Lady that he had scarce vnderstoode what had bin discoursed but rather gaue occasion of a farther mischiefe by a sigh that burst from his hart which made euery one note the griefe that possest him Well did Lindauro perceaue it hauing the death of the brothers sticking in midst of his hart thought that with so many as there was to take his part hee coulde by no meanes scape his hands sayd to him What haue you felt despairing Knight for in such a place as this more lyke a Knight thē otherwise must the faith sacrificed to the Lady be approued The Prince had already vnderstood what had been ventilated and hearing himselfe so plainely taunted with cowardise was mightily incensed with wrath he refraynd it yet not so but he was forced to this reply My thoughts ending the imaginarie consideratiō of my Ladies perfections seing the wrong the world commits against her not yeilding to her the supremacie of all excellencies I acknowledged it with a sigh But least you shoulde thinke I haue no hands or dare not mainetaine my words I here defie thée to mortall battaile where thou shalt see that if I now here shew my selfe milde through the gallantnes of the loued obiect in field I am fiercer then an angred Lyon being toucht with her beautie Néere him was the Brother who with like confidence of being there spake thus In these parts and chiefly in this Kingdome any challenge is prohibited in time of peace and he is worthie of seuere punishment that led by an inordinate passion of selfe pride doth disturbe it The most in the hall agréed with him therein being also approued by the kings Nephew a king that but the night before was come thither The King himselfe did ratefie it whose Guard expected no more to lay violent hands on the twoo Princes to imprison them but it was to their euill for the Greeke like an Hyrcanean Tigre leapt from his place drawing foorth his swoord wounded Lindauro the Bridegroome most dangerously on the head he would haue made an end of him but that the Brother stept betwéen wounding the Prince a little on the arme but he thrust at his shoulder so furiously that sencelesse hee threw him at his féete At this time was not the Croatian idle hauing on the ground before him twoo of those Princes although himselfe were wounded well did the Greeke perceaue it banning his fortune to be without armour for in spight of them all he had scapte them he had no other remedie but taking his friend behind him betooke himselfe to the doore that went vnto the Ladies chamber They all succoured them especially the beauteous Venus that with teares of blood celebrated the wonders which the Prince perfourmed at the dore backt by her gallant Louer So great was the increased multitude which incompassed the Prince that his lyfe was in extreme dāger though at his féet there lay 10 dead All were not suffitient to defend Trebatios Nephews lyfe had not an Vncle of the Ladies her Mothers brother who greatly grieued at the marryage although he dissembled it by reason of the King that being affectionated to the Gréeke seeing his gallantnesse and valour thinking that with him though he were worth but one horse armor his cozen might with greater honour match then with the proude Lindauro He arose and went straight to the Kinge that in all hast cryed for more ayd In all thinges did the Kinge credit this his brother who thus spake Thy fame for Iustice most mighty King is spread ouer all the earth and therefore haue the Gods magnified thée making thée happy with such a Daughter as thou hast and Emperour of so large a Monarchy Let not then the conceite of rash wrath which by other meanes may be reuenged be at this time the occasion of the wracke of thy supreme honour till now euer increased for which thou art bound by Iustice to giue euerye one his due and therefore suffer not yonder Knight to be slaine with such vnequall aduantage hauing giuen no cause for it and thou oughtest to maintaine his right These wordes tooke such impression in the King that without more adoe he cast his warder in the hall that euery one might withdrawe and taking his brother in law by the hand went towards the Gréeke that was wounded in many places whose paine he felt not so gret was his conconceaued rage but seing the King comming he with-held his sword saying I had not thought mighty Prince in thy Pallace he should be suffered to indure any wrong that wished nothing more then to serue thée soly expecting this daye to doe it It behooued him to saye so séeing his manifest dāger being in place where he could not vse his own valor Come with me knight sayd the King I will doe you right
Lyra said the Prince of Gretia how maiest thou nowe liue contented séeing thy crueltie hath absented me from my countrey and thy deuine presence which was the thinge whose power might nourish an abhorred life that nowe doth kéepe me inclosed within a stonie limmit wounded sicke and weake and where none with helpe can preuaile to liberate him from a cruell and shamefull death that only wishes a tormented life to adore thy beautie O deare Father Galtenor this is the time wherein thou shouldest shewe thy loue towardes thy Sonne on whome thou sometime diddest put thy glorie and the recouerie of thy whole Kingdome Regard with what will I hazarded my life for thy content I onlie require thée to set me at libertie that I maye bee reuenged on these villanous Traitors which if I might obtaine I would not then gréeue at any thing that I haue sustayned so I might make them know and also teach them howe they should entertaine valiant Knights O Emperour Trebatio my Lord and Grandsire knewe you my anguish and gréefe I know you would reuenge it O Claridiana my soueraigne Lady Mother who would tell you that your beloued Son hath but xxiiij daies of life limmited by a mortall man with lyke affection would you put on your armor to rescue me as when you went to séeke the great Alphebo my louing Father The Prince supposed that none did heare him which in déede might verie well bee for that Tower was hygher then any of the rest Great ioye conceaued the Ladyes with the fynding out of so braue an aduenture and séeing how that waye they myght frée him that hee might so doe by the Prince Pollidolpho yet most woundered that vnderstanding hee was so highe a Prince Nephewe and Sonne to those that with their haughtie déedes hadde illustrated the spacious world Of him being so young they had not heard but what they had séene was suffitient reason for to mooue them to esteame him for the best and moste worthiest Knight that euer guirded swoord Returne we nowe my Fausta sayd the gallant Venus for so happie an aduenture as this could not but be kept for so great a necessitie as ours and we will giue order that vnknowen to the Prince the doore may be opened vs by his squyre for he is wittie and will do it being intreated but goe wée softly least wée be heard Then let vs be gone said shee and I knowe not what it is that Knights can séeke since your beauteous selfe hath discouered an aduenture so hard difficult of such perill There is none now said the Lady giuing the despairer armor for when I sée him with thē gainst all the world I liue assured though it would iniurie me Come let vs away replyed the Damozell for that confidence hath in Loue most force And if so we might liberate the despayring knight we néede not harbour the least feare A good successe I doe not doubt for fortune hath reserued for this busines answered Venus since it pleased her with so good a beginning to discouer vnto vs the way vnto so sure a hope They came away that no Lady walking that way might finde the Caue they couered it againe with those bushes briers the best that they could No body had mist thē because they thought they walked according to their custome about those greene arbors That afternoone procured the Damozell to speake with Palisandro which happened as shee desired for she spied him crosse by the tower where his Maister lay Shée made him signes to come to her which he did and because shee would not prolong their conuersation least they might be espied she said Good squire it hath so gréeued vs the Princesse my Lady my selfe to sée the imprisonment of thy Lord that we cannot expresse it and therfore we haue procured a meanes to frée him from it so our good hap was to shew vs to day a Caue that from my Ladies garden reacheth to thy Lords chamber which we could not open though we heard him complaine of many things and we alredy know how great a Prince he is and that he may performe what to my Lady Mistres he promised she will set him at liberty that he may procure it for the other Knight Of neither aduertise him but onely open the dore which in the same wall you shall sée of stone that we may on the sodian enter for it will so greatly please my Lady Venus And because this matter requires a secret breuitie no more but that this night after the Chirurgions be gone stay you with a light to doe what I tell for we will not fayle you The discréete Palisandro toke his leaue pondering that matter in his minde as the waighte thereof required In the end he resolued to doe yt vnable to imagine that in so great a Princesse there shoulde bee anye thinge ment contrary to what shee sayde After the Prince was dressed Palizandro shut the dores verye fast to execute his appointment and hee found their tale to bee true which not a little gladded him seeing that his Maister might that way goe foorth hee opened the wall and set a taper by his Maisters bed side that the Ladies might sée him was about himselfe to goe méete them but he feared to displease them They stayed not long for the houshold being withdrawne with Summer garmēts they descended to the garden making fast the dore after them The Princesse Venus woare a Damaske mantle imbroydered with gold cast ouer a peticoate of russet Satten layd about with golden lace vpon her haire she had a Lawne of curled Cypers which so reuerberated the beames of her owne beauty vpon her selfe that no Knight not louing Archisilora could haue the hart to forget her In beauty onely thrée contayned the world to equall her yet they knew not any aduantage ouer her the first the rezited Lady Rosamond Liriana They went more nymbler by reason of their light garments which made thē easier mount to the staire head whence through the tapestry that hung before the dore they spyed the light With a thousād imaginations were the Prince Palisandro expecting what might fall out At the entring they started as it were wyth feare in such sort that they made not so little noise but the Prince might heare it he feared some treasō and though he had no armor at the time that he would leape out of his bed entred with her damozell that excellent Ladye who with a ioyfull countenance able to reuiue a dying man sayd Did you thinke sir Knight to passe so sorrowfull a life and we not come to receaue part of your griefe the which if it might be deuided there should not want one so you might be ryd thereof to take the greatest part Ryse would the Prince admired not onely of her beautie but of the meanes she had to come thither The Lady would not suffer him nor giue him her handes which the Gréeke instantly required supposing he
giue you your swoord for it was not lawfull it shoulde come to another Maister hauing been the Gréeke Princes because it were so to wronge him Greater is that it now receaues deuine Ladye answered hee that hauing béen in your beauteous handes it shoulde come to the most vnfortunatest in the worlds wide continent Name no more that fearefull Epetithe sayde she for you make me thinke you are ill conditioned to loue one of the worst parts incident in any gallant for he that the power of disfauour forceth to deny the acknowledgmēt of his fortune in his good imployment is the apparent witnessing hee not so much estéemes his Ladye as hee ought for if she liues beloued a disfauour at their handes must bee accompted a greate fauour Your excellent beautye replyed the Prince hath greate reason and I confesse my fault for all it procéeded from an amorus passion Whatsoeuer how great soeuer said the Ladie procéeding frō Loue is worthie of pardon for none that truly loues is subiect to any on the earth but to the thing loued which is esteamed for life reputed for a lawe honoured as a King and obayed as a Lord and since in loue nothing is required but a perpetuall acknowledgement thereof héere let vs no longer staye but instruct Fausta in what she hath to doe Palisandro shall doe that replied the Prince who must stay with her suffering none to come in with any light and when the challenge is knowen then publish my extremitie to be most Héereuppon descended the twoo chiefe Beauties of the world into the garden where O Archysilora who shoulde haue tould thée so with what gréefe wouldest thou haue heard it is it possible thou shouldest be so carelesse as not to respect the loyaltie of the Gréeke Prince who being alone with her that challenged equalitie of thée remembred nothing but the battaile armor and horse chéefly She gaue him a stéeled temper one of the best that the earth possest saying This braue Prince was his that raysed the buildings of this Cittie of which a wise man tould me that it should come to the handes of the famousest Knight and greatest Louer of the world and with it he should terminate many haughtie aduentures and I thinke in all thinges hee did lye except in this for comming to your handes the earthes glorie doth ingraten them It is a guift most soueraigne Ladie said he to end any enterprise hauing béen obtayned by the woonderfullest hap euer recorded The Ladie had in that nothing missaide for that next to the Creator in a thousand places it did saue his life the first being in the battaile against the fearefull Ballurdano for so was the diuilish Gyant called The Prince did put it on hauing neuer as he thought séene a better in all his life and shee closed the buckles with more grace then strength Hee made an end of arming and his armour being of a rose colour grauē with gréene ameld flowers he rested the best accomplisht knight that might be séene The beauteous Venus could not but imbrace him saying In this doe I now wrong Archisilora but so I may with truth say I had the flower of Knighthood twixt mine armes I am bould to doe it vowing héereafter to amend it with my vtmost power With whatsoeuer gracious Princesse your Highnes shal vnto me doe replied he I am the man that onely thereby gaines though I wish my friend were in my place For among such there must be nothing but ought to be participated twixt both Now am I sorrowfull that I did it for said she it is the greatest wrong my fauors could receaue seing you tell me that not louing your friend I am the looser being before I am intreated vsed with such disdaine and till another time I will deferre my reuenge for this iniurie When it shall please you gallant Ladie replied hee will I receaue the paine of your inflicted punishment though séeing it must procéede from these hands I wrong it with that name here ending she led him to a wicket that to the fieldes did open made with barres of strongest stéele and opening it with a kisse she sayde I would to God renowned Prince I were a Knight in this Iourney to accompanye you the better to ioy your haughtye Cheualries It suffizeth for my glorie and the happye successe of them Heauenly Venus answered hee that in your name I vnder-goe them Yet yf that were so replyed the Ladye more ioyfuller should I remayne So here departing she gaue him a Thousande imbracemenets suffitient to Metamorphize the weakest Lambe into the strongest Lyon Hee tooke his leaue of her entring through a wood where what did happen vnto him the insuing Chapter shall memorize CHAP. XXV What happened to the Prince Claridiano with a Knight with whom he went to the Citie to combate against the Gyants BOund in his soule till death swéet Ladies did the mightie Nephew of Trebatio leaue the famous Citie of Xantho séeing with what carefull kindnes the beauteous Venus had procured his libertie so he fully resolued either to loose his life were it ten times ten thousand times more pretious or else to take her thence espowsing her vnto his friend if so she would and that she ment it he had receaued some hopes therof from her in the tower the first night The imagination of his vndertaken enterprise though of such consequence could not diuert him finding himselfe alone amongest those big branching oakes from remembring the tirānie wherewith he was vsed forgetting his promise of Patience that the same night hee past vnto the Princesse but there can be none being in his estate He sate him downe at the foote of a spreading Béech making the Eccho of his voice reiterate the repetition of his woes and tempering them with the fauours the Princesse Venus had done him he warbled foorth this Dittie What auailes it me to ioy Or for to renew my loue Since my Queene is nice and coy And my fauoures doth reprooue She is angrie full of yre Though her fauour I desire What resteth then since ioy and hope is spent In these extreames but to be patient Who is it that liues content And doth lead an absent life Who doth loue that is exempt From endlesse paine and bitter strife As her presence bringeth Ioy So her absence breedes annoy He ended saying what doth it auaile Sacred Venus so haue set me at libertie by those diuine hands of thine with hope that I might be the meanes to frée him frō prison that is wronged to be kept therein if thou shouldest leaue me in a perpetuall Gaole where it is impossible either for my selfe to frée my selfe or any else to aide me in distresse I will imbrace my death and my Lady doth procure it why therfore comes there to mee so great a good going to craue a licence to end my ill ioyed life vnles she doe replie me with a no Turbulent stormes are these which only a hart with passions