for Gods sake spare my life and at this instaunt extende I beséeche you that exceedyng mercie and clemencie wherewith I haue hearde you alwaies renoumed since that by my death you shall not purchase so greate honour hauyng now no meanes to defende my selfe The king the mirrour of courtesie pitie shewed himself towards this cruell Tyraunt so mercifull that hee did hym no other harme saue onely made hym his Prisoner wherewith the Pagan was partly comforted The chief conductor of the Pagans hauyng rendered hymselfe vanquished was by Kyng Floridamant brought vnarmed to the place where the Christians and Heathen people fiercely fought so that they issue to what side the victorie was more likely to encline seemed vncertaine and doubtfull when as kyng Floridamant who made more accompt of the life of his men then of the death of a thousand of his foes on the one side and Angrafolt his Prisoner on the other side caused theym to surceasse The force of the Heathenishe rested principally in Brizard and Rogemont the Giauntes who made greate spoyle and hauocke among the Christians and had taken vp and caried awaie vnder their Armes as though they had beene Chikens or Capons fower of the couragious Knightes of great Britaine to witte Don Acciall of Surrey Ramelin of the I le of Wight by Brisard Melchior of Irelande and the Earle of Durford by the fell Rogement who notwithstandyng were rendered and the Pagans chieftaines compelled to retyre with those fewe that remained on liue for of fiftie thousande Pagans that by scalyng the walles had entered scarse twentie thousande were left one liue and of Christians aboute fifteene thousande were founde dead as well of Women and Children as of men of base condition that with Weapons Stones and suche like ranne vppon their enemies Howbeit no knight of name was slaine sauing the valiant Heroald who was found among the presse almost smothered and the young Don Siluan of Flaunders who had all that daie fought against the cruell Giaunt Rogemont and by a wounde whiche he receiued in his Arme lost so muche bloud that if he had not been helped in tyme he had beene in daunger to be lost but as it fortuned hee suffered no other hurte saue the paine of his wound which shortly after was cured as we finde in the auncient Commentaries of Gallarx the Historiographer who for that he surceaseth to entreate any further touchyng these affaires betweene the Pagans and Britaines we also will leaue of for a certain tyme and tourne our talke to the most delighteful and straunge aduentures of the Youth of the Fairies shewyng you onely by the way that the Pagans hauing retired themselues for certaine daies king Floridamant gaue his Prisoners Angrafolt and Mycophron very sumptuous entertainement accordyng as he afore had dreamed Howe the Youthe of the Fairies set hymselfe on Sea to pursue the vnknowen Knight where after he had a long season sustained the violence of a terrible Tempest he discouered a man swimmyng vpō the Plācke of a shippe and in daunger of drownyng who by hym beyng saued as they were there discoursing of their aduentures thei were assailed by Rouers on the Sea whom they slew all sauyng one The. xxi Chapter THe continuall vnrest and perplexitie enwrappyng their heartes whom the blinde Archer hath atteinted with his enuenomed shaftes not only depriueth them of the sēsible tast release of most daintie Viandes tournyng their sweetenesse into bitternesse that it is impossible for theim to receiue sufficient for the nourishmente of their bodies and conseruation of their health seeyng themselues for the most parte led with fonde conceiptes vayne imaginations of the beauty of such as in their mindes thei make their Idolls but also occupiyng their heades in contemplation of those phantasies seldome can they take any reste as by the example of the Youthe of the Fairies euidentlie appeareth Who duryng the tyme that the affaires of greate Britayne continued in the state afore mentioned in Gréece spated no payne nor trauaile to the intente hee mought attaine to the estimation and renoume of a worthy valiaunt knight the better to purchase the good grace fauour of his new Dame whose excellencie in all respectes had so rauished his sences that in the Inne where we lefte hym last he could neither take repast nor repose Wherfore assone as the obscuritie of the night beganne to dyminishe seeyng neither his minde nor body by concourse of his passionate pangues and amourous cogitations no disposed to quietnes he leapeth out of bed notwithstādyng the morning was very cloudie darke when as his Esquier who steapte not knowyng with what conceipt his maister was tickeled likewise left his bed and makyng hymselfe readie fayled not forthwith to haste vnto the stable there to saddle and bridle his Horse and to prepare all other thinges requisite for his Maister when he should take Horse dispatchyng the same with suche diligence that nothyng lacked when his Maister beyng armed came Who accompanied with his Hoste departed with all speede to ouertake the person whiche he sought for trauailyng so fast that before the dawnyng of the daie they arriued at Byzaunce Where takyng leaue of his Hoast whom he satisfied to his contentation he embarked hym selfe in a Shippe well furnished whom he founde prest to make voyage towardes Fraunce for that hee hauyng enquired of the vnknowen knight the Maister of the shippe had tolde hym that the Euenyng before the same knight had taken Shippe in a Barcke of a Companion of his that sailed thetherwarde whereof hee was not a little ioyfull commaundyng the Sea man with all expedition to hoise vp the Sailes and away so that thei passed along the meane Seas the space of twoo daies and a night at the expiration whereof the Sailer in the morning perceiuing the sunne to appeare redde of coulour and the windes to blowe blusteryngly alteryng the calmenes of the weather and stilnes of the waues into a troublesome and tempestuous rage would haue declined out of the determined course and bente his shippe towardes a little Ilande lying far distaunt from the ready way into Fraunce The Youth of the Fairies suspectyng no lesse gaue hym in charge both earnestly halfe displeasauntly that he should saile directly on For quoth he fall backe fall edge no hap so hard no nor feare of death during the safety of this Vessell shall inforce mee to chaunge my purpose The discrete Sailer knowyng the will of the Knight to bee constantlie settled to abyde the vttermoste that the wrathfull Skies mought threaten or frowarde fortune procure as one contented to suffer pacientlie whatsoeuer distresse it woulde please the almightie to throwe hym in would not gainesay hym for the small experience whiche so short time could afford him of his worthines boūty comely qualities wherwith the Youth was adorned had perswaded hym so to dedicate his mynde to please and serue hym that he woulde in no wise withstande his commaundement howbeit because he
come to the accomplishmet of their Loues better then men ther archiue more and obtaine sooner the fulfilling of their desire then men beeyng lesse carefull of their Chastitie whiche aboue all thinges they ought to garde and regarde whereof when and at what tyme loue forceth to vse liberalitie so prodigallie to allay their amorous Passions they are sooner succoured then men who like as I haue done hauing hoysed the saile of their liues into a place too haughtie and rebellious for feare of being too shrewdely shent and checked not daryng to manifeste their mallady are constrained to consume them selues in the Smoke of flowe and languishyng fire Whereas these men beyng farre more pitifull and courteous in this case then they at the least shew or twinklyng of the eye receiue redresse of their dolour Sir knight replied againe the Ladie if I would here againe alledge the force of shame whiche is or at leastwise ought rather to bee in women then in menne to haue more efficacie in lettyng her from obtainyng that whiche she defireth then the crueltie of Ladies whiche in vaine you haue brought in question to make for your self in this disputation I assure you that of me you shall not gette the vpper hande But seeyng perchaunce you haue desire to goe take your reste and that disputyng hereon would bee to tedious I will confounde you and make you confesse my maladie to bee vncurable and therefore equall or farre worse then yours By an occasion whiche I haue more apertenaunte and briefe the whiche is euen so as I will recite to you whereby you maie more clearely vnderstande my sore distresse Wherefore knowe you that I was daughter to the Duke of Chalcyde who in his second Nuptialles hauyng maried a Damozell of noble house called Marcella he retired vnto the Emperours court where a yere agoe he was slaine by the cursed Giaunte Ferclaste leauyng me here for the gouernesse of this Castle whiche presently is in my possession through his deceasse and to the ende I might haue no occasion of sadnesse he lefte me for garde and compaine suche Knightes as he had greateste confidence in one of whom is hee who opened you euen now the gate who is a good a loyall Knight But as no bodie is without a shadowe so fewe menne are founde without Print or presse of some imperfection whiche accustomablie is naturall in theÌ„ For he hath this vice in hym that if he sée any thyng which liketh hym or is agreable to his phansie he will woorke so by some sleight if otherwise he can not that he will haue it The other whom I déemed of lesse disceipte and treason was farre more malicious For incontinentlie after the departure of my said Father he shewed himself to be amorous of me and by his filed speache and messages with all other meanes possible feigned hymself so distressed that he could not at any tyme reste without disturbyng me to haue of me the accomplishemente of his desires whiche caused mee that seeyng his distoyaltie I tooke it so sore against harte that after hauyng checked and chastized hym I kepte hym so shorte that in despite of this my refusall he chaunged his late loue into dire desire of vengeaunce that so vehemently that there was no treason so greate whiche he lefte vnattempted to bryng me to his purpose and filthie practise But not findyng the successe of accomplishement in his enterprise beholde a sodaine chaunce which to mine ill lucke herein happened and on a sodaine to hym was fauourable For one daie as he walked in the Forrest hereby busied in his deceiueable inuentions he by chaunce encountred a Pilgrime whoÌ„ without thinkyng thereof as I haue since vnderstoode he asked wheÌ„ce he was who tolde him that he was of the Realme of Persia But for that in his tyme he had been a greate Magicien and by his Nicromancie had committed many execrable deedes and woorkes for which to dooe penaunce he had been to seé the holie Sepulchre of of pur Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christe the Knight asked hym further what aduenture had forced hym to trauaile so farre into these quarters Whereto againe he answered that he durste not goe into his owne Countrie of Persia to dwell for that the greate Sophie of Persia called Mutinell would worke his death because he once vauÌ„ted to haue made by his arte a Cuppe of suche vertue that who so euer dranke therein of what drinke so euer thei should be so taken with the loue of hym or her whiche gaue it theim that maugre theim selues thei should bee constrained to loue paste all measure whiche cuppe he neuer would giue to the Sophie therewith to make hym beloued of the Princesse Porphyrie daughter to the Emperour of ConstaÌ„tinople of whom he was so amorous that hauyng now fower or fiue tymes demaunded her for wife the Emperour was constrained to accorde so that shee would loue him and consent to chose him for housebande and that he would Baptize hym self and holde the Christians Lawe whiche for his parte he hath doen. But he was so foule and so ill fauoured that although hee was esteemed one of the beste knightes of the worlde yet she hated hym mortallie wherefore he would haue vsed my Cuppe saied the Pilgrime but I choose rather to abandon the Countrie and to passe the reste of myne aged daies in some vncothe coaste then to bée occasion of so greate wickednesse as this my cuppe might woorke to all Christendome as well I haue foreseen by my Arte. My Knight hauyng vnderstanded so muche of the Pilgrime was well apayed of so good an encounter And after askyng hym whether he yet had the Cuppe the Pilgrime shewyng it he slewe hym and takyng his Cuppe came towardes me shewing me faire semblaunce serued me with the same by meanes of a Squire who atteÌ„ded on the Table beyng ful of wine made pestiferous by vertue of the vessell whiche hath brought to passe that euer since I haue been enuenomed by this cruell and murderous drinke Hauing so saied concluded she sheadyng a nuÌ„ber of brinishe teares I looke ê™ she for none other deliuery but Death the finall ende of my daies which me thinkes too long slacketh and staieth his paces from releasyng me of this great seruitude And now see sir knight how not without cause I chaunted that song whiche you ouerheard and ordinarelie doe vse it at the same hower For that in tellyng and complainyng my self so shrilly of mine aduerse Fortune I feele greate ease and solace And hauyng heard your name it séemed me good to vsurpe the same whiche newlie I haue attributed to my self But what saied the Youthe is there not meanes to appaise your maladie by the enioying of hym on whom you are so amorous Alas no saied the Ladie for the wretche to take the more reuenge of me slewe the Pilgrime to withstande my purpose and so sledde since when I neuer could heare woorde of hym that I might haue punished
which came to giue the onset on the Painims with whom thei ioyned Battle in suche sort that many there died ¶ The xix Chapter FOrasmuche noble Lordes and Ladies as I am sure you are not ignoraunte that as there is no meate what sweete or delicate taste so euer it haue were it Ambrosia it self the foode of the Gods as Poetes faine which with too long vsage semeth not to vs yrkesom and vnsauerie In like maner beeleue I that there is no discourse or Historie bee it neuer so sweete or delectable but beeyng too longe continued without intermission or successe of some chaunge or other nouell chaunce which as it were a newe kind of meate may be agreable to the hearers eares or delite of the readers may be dulsome or pleasaunt vnto you For this cause knowyng that whiche I will recite vnto you in these Chapters followyng shall be no lesse delectable vnto you nor smell worse to your coÌ„tentations then the valiauncies of the Youth of the Fairies from whence we wander a little to bringe hym in hereafter with more pleasure delectation and astonishment of haughtie feates of Armes then you haue heretofore heard if you haue the pacieÌ„ce I deme you to haue hopyng that the generositie and singuler bountie of your sprites will not refuse to holde on to reade this myne Historie set forth and put in light both for greate pleasure and profite that you may haue therein I will as now therefore recompt vnto you albeit brieflie and succinctly as is possible that whiche chaunced and happened to the valiaunte and inuincible Kyng Floridamant of greate Brittaine and chieflie in the selfe same time that his Sonne the Youth of the Fairies was in Gréece in pursuit of the vnmatcheable and valiant vnknowen Knight accordyng to the veritie of the CoÌ„mentaries of our auncient Galarx whiche in the same maner also maketh therof mentioÌ„ You ought therefore to knowe that after the deliueraunce of this illustrious Lorde from the Traitor Minofols Enchaunted Prysons as in the Chapters precedente I haue moste brieflie declared vnto you after hee was ariued into his countrie as is aforesaied he went into the gréene I le with a greate Hoast of armed men and so dispeopled it and destroyed al the Townes and braue buildynges that there were not left aliue any of the race or house of the traitrous Enchaunter who beeyng apprehended was also putte to the point of the Sworde amongest whom also was slaine twoo Children of the Kynges of Cornewaile Vncle to the Traitour Minofoll the one of whom if ye marke it well was slaine by the Kyng Floridamant at the same time that the Damozell whiche afterwarde was hanged on a Tree led hym traiterously into the Prison of the red Castell as you haue heretofore heard and then when his Horse failed hym in the Forrest when hee had heard the crie of the Damozell complainyng he encountred hym by chaunce as he was goyng to London to woorke some Traison and this same was called Mawgard The other was then slain in the greene Ile where he was Lorde and Maister through the death of his Cosine by the Prince Hubart of Scotlande againste whom hee would haue defended hymselfe and this had to name Vaspazell the prowde whereat the Kinge of Cornewaile beyng vexed without measure hauyng heard so dolefull Newes and angrie at kinge Floridamant more then afore although he long had borne hym mortall hate determined resolued now to reuenge the death of his two Sonnes with the destruction of those of his kinne And to doe this as one that was riche both in substaunce and frendes of alliaunce to greate Lordes and Princes and who also was stout of person valiaunt as was possible he sent Ambassadours to his Frendes on all sides and chiefly to two Sonnes which he had yet lefte one of the which was king of Corse named Angrofolt the Cruel who failed not to come to reuenge the death of his Brethren and Parentes with a Nauie of a hundred and fower score Shippes and sixtie Galleis well furnished wherein he brought aboute thirty thousande footemen and tenne thousande horsemen braue and in good order and moreouer hee brought with these Syxe Giauntes the greatest and biggest that euer were seene since the memorye of man who onelie serued hym for men of Armes to garde his person yea with them was hee better guarded then any other Kynge although he had sixe hundred horsemen in his companie And for this cause was he of his Neighbours and borderers so renowmed feared that none were he neuer so puissaunte durst once offer to do hym the least iniury in the world although for his greate cruelty and tyrannie to his neighbours many had iust cause so to doe And besides this he was so valiaunt of his person that fewe there were at that tyme in the worlde which in corporall force dexteritie and skill in Armes might or could surpasse hym for through his valiauncie and prowesse he had with a small power brought vnder his obeisaunce the I le of Corse and hauing expelled kynge Pollinestor who had married Kinge Belligent his Sister of Gawle who was true possessor and owner of the said Iland he maried perforce a daughter of his so to couer his tyranny to insinuate hymself the better into the peoples grace and fauour of the most parte wherof as one fauoured and loued hee was Kinge peaceably as a Riche and Mightie lord Yet neuerthelesse not like his other youÌ„ger brother who by his graund force and extreeme prowesse was beecome King of the Iles Fortunate whiche are beyond the furthest partes of Mauritayne Westwarde and are at this daie called Canaries because they abound in Dogges of all sortes This same king called Brandissant who in valour and prowesse exceeded far all other knightes hauyng hard the pittifull tydinges whiche king Grandowyne his Father had sent hym of the death of his Brethren Mawgard and Vaspazel whiche were slaine by kyng Floridamant incited with an extreeme pricke of reuengement staied but a while after his brother but went with an Army of an hundred thousand footemen and fower twentie thousande horsemen to inuade great Britaine whith such a fury that in euery place where hee passed or came there was no Toune Castle nor House were it neuer so greate whiche was not by hym destroyed yea to the first foundation neither men women nor little Infauntes were there whatsoeuer that could escape the pearcing blades of his Gensdarmes and Souldiers who all the waie as they wente made both Earthe and Water tremble at there presence such hauocke made they deming all their owne alreadie For the saied Brandâ—ssant kinge of Canaries had with hym fower puyssaunte kynges Paynims his Vassalles which all were Brethren and the moste strong and monstrous that euer Nature bred For firste of all the youngest of theim whiche was kyng of Ombrione named Sallazart was so strong and puissaunte that in closse Campe he once slewe fower Huige Giauntes and
Gerileon doe aduaunce W. M. THE FIRST BOOKE of the Hystorie of Gerileon After the death of the most puissaunt and vertuous king Brandismell King of greate Britaine there succeeded hym in the gouernement of the said Realme a Sonne of his called Floridamant The whiche beyng in hys Pallace at London feastyng his Lordes and Barons and making preparatiō one afternoone to go course an Harte in the company of the Princes Huberte of Scotlande and Dorian Sonne to the Kyng of Spaigne which Harte he had seen in a wood neere to the Castle of Mirandoll There entered into the Hall a Damsell who hauyng recounted to hym a certaine aduenture had hym away with her The first Chapter THOSE whiche haue been curious in readyng of auncient Histories are nothing ignoraunte howe amongest those Realmes whiche for their fertilitie and worthinesse haue in tymes paste merited any Commendations Brittaine the Greate hath not only matched but also farre surpassed them all As well because of naturall beauty goodnes therof as in that it is the country vnder heauen which of all Antiquity hath bene more populous better stoared of strong and valiaunt Knightes then any other whatsoeuer thether drawen and allured partlie by the excellent and deuine beautie of the Ladies there inhabityng partly by the merueilous and straunge aduentures there accustomably found In so much that for this occasion it hath béen often called the Lande aduenturous Neither might any one of forraine Coastes or Countries name hym selfe a true and valiaunt knight if in it hee had not made proofe of his worthines there atchiuyng some straunge aduentures But especially in the tyme of the moste Puissaunt and vertuous king Brandismel whiche hauyng by his prowesse and valiauncy conquered many Realmes and Prouinces as Norwaie Swethlande and Denmarke instituted also the order of the twelue couragious knightes of greate Britaine beyng suche and endued with so greate force and valiauncie that fewe their likes were as then to bee founde in the whole worlde Amonge whom for moste valiaunt was the kinge Ferrande of Norwaie Dom Grandilaor and Dom Murcibel king of Denmarke The rest also because of their bounty dexteritie and bouldnesse in matters of Armes were greate praise worthy For this occasion was king Brandismel much feared and redoubted of his neighboures and borderers yet no lesse beloued of them for his courtesie liberalitie lenitie and humanitie with other vertues infinite whiche were resplendisaunt in hym And in suche forte that there was not hee whiche doyng hym the most toylesome and agreable seruice hee coulde did not yet estéeme himself most happy to be insinuated into his good grace and fauour so to gaine his gratious amitie But the fatall Sisters most impious and enuious of the good successe and felicitie of humaine kinde and of those especially whiche retaine a singular contentment and pleasure to bee in the fellowship and acquaintaunce of a Prince so vertuous and debonaire bereft them the shinyng gleames of noblenesse and myrour of Chiualry out of this worlde shreading a sonder the last thréede of this so vertuous a king the yere of grace after the death of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 418. the 66. yere of his age and 32. of his raigne Whervppon I can not rightly expresse the dolour sorrow that the couragious knightes his Subiectes receiued with his most priuate and best frendes In so muche that as recounteth vs the Historie there were suche of them as remained twoo or three Monethes without power to refraine themselues from weeping and lamenting most bitterlie when as it came to them in minde of the Bountie and Vertue of that noble Prince And chieflye the worthy olde Candior Duke of Normandy a Prince surelie amongest the Sage and hardy muche commendable Neuerthelesse as there is noe griefe so greate whiche in course of tyme a quite consumer of all thinges is not put foorthe of remembraunce So for iuste cause this good Lorde of Normandy together with the reste whiche were moste dolefull for the losse of a King so debonaire and vertuous at laste made ende of their plaintes and lamentations And for iuste cause saye I in that he lefte them for successour a Sonne of his begotten by his deere and loyall Spouse and Wife Florixe whiche not many yeres before had departed this life whiche saide sonne after the death of his Father was Heire not onely of his terreine Dominions and Possessions but also of his most rare and singuler vertues For besides that he was a good knight prudent and hardy past measure beeyng of a large stature his members well made formed and proportioned in equality the one with the others of sixe or seauen and twentie yeres of age ▪ or there aboutes he was also had in reputation for the most sage modest courteous Prince of his tyme In so much that to make briefe no man could require or wish any thing proper or conuenient for so great a personage as his whereof his valiauncie and inuincible prowesse was not beautified and adorned This same was called Floridamant the which did neuer finde man of what force or puissaūce soeuer he were who daring to Iust with hym hadde not geuen plainly to feele and vnderstande that he was peerelesse and not matcheable For this cause there was no knight in all Brittaigne the Greate whiche at his newe arriuall to the Crowne did not deliberate and determine to conuerte and tourne the lamentations and weepinges of his Fathers death into ioyes and gladnesse for hauing after the losse of a good Lorde and Master recouered and receaued a better kyng To whom there lacked so litle that he should degenerate from the bountie and goodnes of his predecessour that by his vertue whiche rather more then lesse did hym illustrate he did in suche sort striue and endeuour in equalitie of valiauncie and good behauiour to imitate and counteruale hym that his Knightes Princes and Barons with other of his Vassailes and Seruauntes thought in no wise to haue chaunged their Maister who vnwillyng to omit anye iote of his greate magnificence a while after his Coronemente made and gaue so many faire and Godly Giftes and Presentes not onely to the couragious knightes his Subiectes but also to such straungers as were come to visite him and to make offer to hym of their seruice beeyng nothyng ignoraunt that liberalitie rendreth men subiect and bounde towardes those whiche vse it that there was not he whiche pricked and prouoked with a desire to doe him agreable seruice so muche his lenity and liberality had charmed and enchaunted their affections would not willinglie haue put his life in hazarde for the maintenaunce conseruation of his honour And for that that a little afore the decease of the good king Brandismel his Father he had espoused the daughter of king Barrachen of Scotlande named Bellizenne a Princesse as sage and vertuous as faire and gracious for fewe there were who then for beauty good grace durste compare with her There were come to visite
seen for you prepared to whiche you could in nowise haue resisted without my succour To the greate damage and totall ruine bothe of you and also of your noble house whiche thyng had been lamentable Wherefore I will and praie you for your owne profite that to morowe Mornyng you departe for to goe to Constantinople towardes the good Emperoure to whom you shall make supplication for the order of knighthoode and beleue that as I am certaine he will not refuse to doe your demaunde afterwarde to make prooffe of this greate valiauncie whiche is in you Assuryng you furthermore that my succour shall shielde you still and my aide assist you euer to eschewe the mortall and perilous encombraunces whiche I shall espie to be to you hurtfull When she had ended her speche in this order the youth who attentiuely listened to her tale yea and not without greate maruaile of suche matters aunswered her thus Madame I am muche agreued in this that you haue taken so muche paines in vsyng so many wordes toward me to doe that whereunto your bare commaundemente might haue brought me to obay without resistaunce in any wise wherein if you had not proued me I was purposed to praie you consideryng the greate honours that diuerse haue acquired by haughtie and illustrious feates of valiauncie whereof I read in this booke whiche I helde in my hande at your entrie but seeyng that of your good grace it hath pleased you to open me the waie and heate the pathe of a voyage to me moste agreable seeyng I saie that it pleased you I assure my self so well of the bountie and amitie whiche you beare me that you would not sende me in suche affaires without Harnesse Horse Pages and other necessaries Whiche when I haue I will not faile to departe when it shall please you to commaunde me And I maruaile muche of that whiche you haue saied that desirous of my welfare ye haue rauished me out of the hādes of mine owne frendes to make me so escape the destenie perilous as you saie for me prepared For which seyng that it is so I cānot rēder you thākes as you deserue besechyng you to explane vnto me those speaches or els I shall neuer set my minde at quiet Seyng that I suppose my self none others childe but yours It is true in deede that of any Father that I had ye neuer as yet tolde me and I knowe not what a one he was Softe my freende saied the Faierie deemed you me so doultishe or vndiscréete that I would sende you towarde so greate and noble a Lorde as the Emperour of Constantinople is to receiue the order of knighthoode without furniture both of Horse and Harnesse according to your callyng I promise you to be as well thereof prouided as any Knight in the world shall be better neither shall there be any that either in goodnesse of Horse or Harnesse shall surpasse you to the ende to make you redoubted and feared aboue the rest to demonstrate the degrée whence and wherof you are Wherefore I will tell you nothing vntill suche tyme that through your vertues and valiauncie whereof your deedes shall yelde cleare testimonie you haue merited to bee called and esteemed the Sonne of hym who hath begotten you if not as well you thinke you bee not my naturall Sonne but issued from a stocke royall whereof I praie you speake no more for at Gods appointment you shal wel knowe it the regarde whereof in all your déedes and enterprises I praie you to haue aboue all thinges before your eyes and the Honour of Ladies and Damozelles in due recommendation together also with the loyaltie and fidelitie of her whiche in shorte space shall rauishe you of the beste thing you haue in you The youth without any replie made to her either further of his Race or any other matter although verie curious noted and well marked all that whiche the Fairie had saied to hym chiefly her laste woordes purposyng with hym self that none should rauishe hym of ought that he had but he was more out of his accompte then he thought And hauyng been silente a certaine space he saied to her Madame then I praie you shewe me if it so please you what furniture you will bestowe on me to the ende that to morrowe Mornyng I maie finde it all readie when it behoueth me to departe and also what Squire you will that I haue Then the Fairie tooke the Lion whiche the youth had founde in the Foreste whiche as then laie stepyng vnder the Table like a Dogge and recityng certain woordes of Enchauntemente and annointyng hym with a kinde of licour whiche she had shee caused hym to receiue the forme of a youthfull manne of twentie yeres of age or there about And you must vnderstand that this was Geliaste the Ioylie Squire to the Queene Bellizenne who in searchyng the youth Gerileon at firste when he loste hymself in the Woodde of Cipres was by the Faierie chaunged from his firste forme into the likenesse of an hideous Lion and had without waxyng olde in anye wise remained so till that time followyng vsually the youth into euery place like as the Dogges also to the chase Wherein he killed multitudes of wilde beastes He also had the same apparell whiche the other had when he was first Metamorphosed or rather if it be not lawful to empaire the Greke language to saie better when as he chaunged his firste shape At this thyng bothe the Youthe and also the poore Squire muche maruailed For the Squire remembred of nothing paste no more then as if he had been but euen then borne notwithstandyng that hee was the same and had like Sense as hee had before But the Fairie addressyng her speache to the Youth said to hym My freende see here is now the Squire whiche I meant to giue to you for seruaūt when you brought him to me at the first you Geliaste said she to the Squire sée here your Lorde and Maister whō I will that you serue and accōpanie in all that wherein he shall haue néede and through all places where he shall passe Now moreouer she saied you want nothyng more but Horse Harnesse And takyng hym by the hande she ledde hym ouer the steppes whiche stoode against a base Court wherein when thei were come doune the Youth sawe the moste gallant braue greate and beste made Horse that euer man sawe since the death of Bucephall kyng Alexanders Horse the Greate of whose kinde and bréede the Faierie had so wrought that she had recouered this of a straunger Thessalion called Philonicus who of twoo faire Horses whiche he had solde the one to kyng Alexander for thirtene Talentes that is Bucephall and this whereof wee speake to the Faierie Oziris for eightene whiche was called Lycocephall for that that he had on his forehedde the forme of a Wolfes hedde was farre fairer greater then the other For the Fairie had alwaies after her buiyng of him
the other so muche that the Vermilion red whiche retired from the middle of their visages gaue coniecture to some of the Damozelles who were more skilled and conuersaunt in the case then others of that whiche was happened For there wanted not much but that the Youth transported with a beautie vnmatchable and neuer hauing felt suche impressions of loue in his phantasie afore had almost fallen doune in a slumber but takyng harte to him he dissembled his dolour the best he could But the ladie were it that she was charged with more matter of this Marrowe then he or that she was lesse couragious and able to beare out these bruntes bestowed by the little God on thē whom he inwrappeth in his nettes was through phansie forced to fall in a soūde sodainly in the place where she stoode Wherof wée neede not doubte if the Empresse her Damozels who sawe her fall were afraied and marueiled for thei thinkyng that she was deade with an infinite number of cries and lamentations moste pitifull ran speedely on this side and on that to lifte and raise her vp stil tremblyng astonished for feare which thei had leaste she were deade But after thei had felte her poulces findyng her yet a liue thei appeised and moderated the vehemencie of their dolours to recomforte the Empresse who hauyng her harte cloied with distresse could not speake a woorde saiyng one to an other that some defaulte of harte had surprised her or els that not hauyng eaten any meate that Mornyng her senses and stomacke failed her some other saied that possiblie it was her goune beeyng to straight for her And thus these women Philosophatyng vpon her sodaine sounynges thei tooke and caried her charelie into her chamber where beyng laied vpon her bedde thei caste certaine droppes of colde water in her visage and then she beganne to reuerte and come again to her self and openyng her eyes she was altogether amazed to se so many people busied about her and chieflie to heare her cousine Harderine wéepyng so bitterly that kissyng her she watred her cheekes with teares to call her with a loude voyce Wherefore with a feeble and lowe voyce the Ladie badde her that she should shutte all the windowes of the chamber and then cause all the rest of the Damozelles to depart because she had great desire to slepe Then the ladie Harderine asked her saiyng Will you not that I tary here with you Madame that if in case any necessitie perturbe you I maie preuent it to my power That is as it shall please you cousin saied she and incontinently all the Damozelles wēt out and made reporte to the Empresse how her daughter was somwhat better amended then afore and that this sounyng proceeded not of any other cause then of the quaisinesse of her stomacke whiche had surprised her in that she had not rested the Nighte before because of the Alarmes whiche the Giaunte Ferclaste and his twoo brethren made nightly to the Citie wherewith the Empresse was somewhat satisfied and ceassed her teares The Ladie Harderine who remainyng solie in the Lady Porphyria her Chamber willyng to knowe the cause of her dolour beganne to fetche her in with these woordes I am greately astonished and abashed Madame whence or how you should haue this greate default of harte that so sodain lie you should fall doune soundyng before the Empresse doe you feele your self euill Is there any interiour maladie or secrete sorrowe within your corps whiche through his violence hath caused this auoydance of senses I praie you not to conceale it but rather to communicate it fréelie to me so that it maie be amēded For if you secretly shroude and shadowe it I assure you your self shall bee the speedie procurer and seker of your owne decaie whiche if it should once chaunce I should not long after liue Wherefore I praie you once again my swete Mistres saied she in kissing her vouchsafe to make me knowe your maladie Ah cosine saied she to her thinke you me so sottishe vndiscrete and suche an enemie to my self that if I felte any euill to anoye me whereto the Phisicions might apply the order of amendement that I would conceale it from you hauyng heretofore manifested to you all the motions of my mynde and secret thoughtes that I euer suffred The Ladie Harderine hearyng her so speake had at the firste greate feare least she had felte some corporall maladie within her self daungerous and incurable but hauyng pondered somewhat apart vpon her speaches she doubted sodainly that perchaunce she was pricked with the perillous darte of Loue whiche onely is vncurable either with Hearbes or Siropes Wherefore to lighten her doubte she thought good to trie the watche further saiyng on this sorte And how then Madame doeth the cause of your doloure and sounyng procede from any maladie whiche the Phisicions by no meanes can cure I can not rightly deeme what desease paineth you seyng there is no sicknesse so sore that Sir Sagibell your father the Emperours Phisicion who is the moste skilfull and tried man in his Arte can not by his medicines giue some recure and helpe vnto Cosin replied the faire Ladie you knowe well that I neuer concealed from you any of my secretes though verie priuate were thei neuer of so greate importaunce And therefore I will not now hide from you my langour seeyng you are so destrous to knowe it and that whiche I aunswere proceedeth not from ought els but of the greate desire I haue to slepe Wherfore since ye knowe it presently I praie you no more to disquiet me but do so muche as depart the chamber that then I maie slepe the more at my ease And an hower hence you maie returne to awake me at what tyme you shall perceiue my maladie muche amended I se wel said Harderine doubtyng more now then asore of an eele vnder the stone that the case standeth not so that you maye hide it well enough For the Fire was neuer yet in a place so secrete neither hid in a denne so déepe but that some smoke thereof appeared and was seen at whiche woordes she went for the of the chāber shuttyng the doore after her and feining to goe along the Gallerie correspondente to the issue of the same she went not farre but retourned softely againe to harken at the doore if in any pointe she could heare the distressed Ladie complain who as sone as she sawe her departed had begonne her plotte to this purpose drawyng moste sorowfull sighes from the bottome of her harte Woe is me what passiō of mynde might this be that I fele O miserable and desolate that I am what straunge dolour what vnknowen alteration dde I feele to martire and crucifie my hart with suche outrage that I attende nought els but the arriuall of that cruell and inhumain death to ende my doleful daies and to deliuer me from the passions and anguishes wherewith like friyng fire I now still feele my bowels to burne Beholde
thousande suche as thou arte Oh woe is mee that the subiect thereof is no greater And if I knewe that thou werte in seruice with that wicked Emperour of Constantinople and that he had sent thee hither to doe this that thou haste done I should thereat be somewhat more comforted in that I could extende the reuengement of the death of my Brother vpon hym by to morowe for as soone as I haue slaine thee with this my Club I will assemble sixe hundred men to goe kill hym yea euen in his Pallace and all his folkes also which shal be easie for me to do whiles they apply them selues to feastyng and drunkennesse as their custome is Wherefore tell mee if thou bee one of his to the ende that then I may dispatche thee the sooner otherwise I will make thee die the cruellest death that euer was spoken of Verely I am of the Emperours traine saide the Raight but thou arte not yet preste and readie to doe as thou preachest for I will quickly God willing seale thée a Quittance for any such matter The Giant hearyng hym so saie came angerlie with his Clubbe to discharge so greate a stroake vpon his Helmet and so to haue killed hym that the same quite vnbuckled and vnlaced and fell to the grounde together with the Giantes Clubbe whiche also fell out of his fistes whiche so were wrinched that he felt them not Then the other Giaunte Ergoferant seyng his heade bare came of purpose to haue cutte it in twaine but the blowe light vpoÌ„ the shield whiche was so violent that he fell backeward on the grounde his Cimetere fallyng out of his fistes as the Clubbe did from his brother whiche whiles he sought for the Knight beeyng actiue and nimble starte vp lightlie and went disarmed as his heade was towardes Ferclaste who had gotten his Clubbe into his handes wherewith he had brained hym if by his agilitie he had not sleightlie stepped a side to shunne the stroke whiche was so vehemente and horrible that the Giaunte could not recouer againe his Club beyng entred more then twoo foote into the ground Which caused that whiles he striued to pull it out to strike the Knight againe withall he came and gaue hym suche a blowe ouer the armes that he fell doune flatte vppon the stumpes his armes beeyng cutte of by the elbowes This doen the other Giant seeyng his brother so maymed came towardes the Knight with his Clubbe in his hand whiche he had gotten out of the grounde and all enraged leaueled suche a blowe at his head that if it had not light partly vppon his shield he had been dispatched Notwithstandyng the blow was so greate that it dashed the shield full against his bare heade in suche sorte that it made a deepe wounde prouided still that the Clubbe fell out of the Giantes handes againe whiche when he wente to recouer the Knight féelyng his blood whiche he neuer before had seen to runne a long his tender face was so enraged that he had rather haue been deade then not to bee reuenged of that outrage And therevpon he ranne sodainlie vnto Farclaste to whom as he was holdyng his Clubbe in his lefte hande to haue wounded hym he raught suche a rappe that he cutte of the other arme Clubbe and all Whereat the Giaunte beeyng madde and enraged ranne vppon hym and gaue hym suche a blowe with his foote that he smote hym to the grounde neuerthelesse he sone rose vp againe and eftsones encounteryng the other Giaunte whiche came afreshe towardes hym he lente hym suche a blowe on the croune leapyng â—â—stelie into the ayre for otherwise he could not haue doen it dashed it so sore that with the greate paine he felte thereby he fell doune and souned in the fielde Then seeyng hym self as he thought dispatched of this fellowe he came towardes the other who with greate blowes of his feete still assailed hym but hee whiche well knewe howe muche they weighed startyng somewhat aside cutte of one of his legges iuste in the gartering place whereat the Giaunt fell to the grounde wherevpon the Knight approchyng vnto hym cutte of the other also Then he seeyng hymselfe in so piteous estate beganne to howle and crie like a Wolfe reyling and blaspemyng all his Gods in this sort bathing himself in his owne bloud hee ended his miserable life The Knight seeyng hym selfe in so short space to haue atchiued so great a victorie in vanquishyng thrée so monstruous Giantes and bringing their whole Crewe to suche extremitie that they durst not once open their mouthes to speake one worde for that their gouernours were thus slaine after most deuou thankes geuen to God without whose grace he wel knewe that he neuer could haue quelled those Monsters Hee tooke vp his Helmet whiche lay on the grounde and went towardes the rest of the Giantes Crewe and folkes that were yet aliue with full purpose to destroye them all because of the greeuous wound whiche hee had receiued in his head But they seing hym come fiercely and furiously towardes them kneled all doune and humbly besought hym of Pardon pretending for them selues that sith it is a Seruauntes duetie to obeye his Maister they being seruauntes to the Giantes at whose charges and costes thei were kept and nourished could do no lesse but accomplish to their powers their Hestes and Commaundementes and that it would please him to pardoÌ„ them as persons beyng without fault for that sauyng onely for their Maisters willes they would neuer haue endamaged him Noe noe said the knight al enraged one must not obaye their Maister to doe euill and muche lesse to take hyre of any to suche ende but you your selues beyng as ill as they tooke pleasure to be in their company therby to enriche your selues with the spoyle of poore passengers wherefore as Ministers of their wickednesse I will cause you all to die at whiche word he slewe one which was hiest because of a stuborne minde he would not knele downe But seeyng all the others so humble that they neither fledde nor made other defence consideryng that it was noe lesse vertue for a man to vanquish and moderate his affections and anger in shewyng hym selfe piteous and mercifull towardes the vanquished then to shewe himselfe hardie and couragious to ouercome theim as hee whiche was both courteous and kinde of nature And knowyng that it were no praise worthy to destroye those which resisted not allaying as they saye his wine with water hee pardoned tooke them to mercie louinglie vpon condition that thei should after that tyme still be at his coÌ„maundement which thing with common accord they promised him to fulfill This doen he sent to seeke his Horse and mountyng vppon hym he went to wardes the Rocke aswell to deliuer the Prisoners therein as to applie some Plaister or medicine to the wound in his head For the doing whereof he asked if there were any amongest them that was skilled in Chirurgerie whereto it was aunswered that
there was one amongest theim in that Arte most excellent whiche accustomably did heale all those knightes whom the Giantes hauing wounded would not kill but famishe to death in Prison whiche person had one kinde of Oyntmente of suche vertue that there was neuer so greate a wound but therewith in three daies it would be well healed throughly cured as though it had neuer been And how is he called saide the Knighte he hath to name maister Rabalon aunswered they againe Then saide the Knight needes muste I haue hym for my seruaunt seeing he is so skilful is in case he will like thereof For against his will I meane not to constraine hym to doe any thing I thinke well said one of the companie that he would rather bee with you then with the Giantes for they tooke hym perforce from the Emperour beecause of his greate cunning and haue dealt with hym verie vncourteously And in so saiyng they arriued in the Rocke whiche was finely cut carued within like vnto a Pallace whereat the Youth was greatly astonied For there were Halles ChaÌ„bers Wardropes both hie lowe made by great skill and industrie whiche the Giantes had founded not longe afore when with their huyge force they had hollowed the Rocke which was meruellous hard to kéepe them in more safetie and therein none entred but by one onely Gate although within were more then sixtie as well of Chambers as prisons which all were shut vp with mighty keies The whiche the knight tooke as soone as he was entered hauyng found them vppon a Table tyed all together with an huyge Chaine of yron which the Porter had left there fearing that the knight asking for him and being informed of his wickednesse and crueltie towardes the Prisoners woulde rewarde hym according to his desertes like as his Maisters were and therefore hid he himself in a Vaste and darkesome caue vnder a Tunne where he was smothered and so hee ended his wicked life But hee soone founde the good Chirurgian Maister Rabalon who at the entrie of the doore crooched doune humbly on his knée to desire him of Pardon The Youth taking him by the hande made him stande vp saiyng I will not pardon thee for why thou neuer offendedst mee and therefore thou hast no neede to aske mercie but for this that I heare saie that thou hast appertained to the good Emperour of Constantinople towardes whom it is expedient that thou goe to impertrate that whiche thou requirest of mee for the offence that thou hast wrought in beeyng so long absent from his companie to serue suche mischiuous Tyrauntes as thou hast doen here and I will that from mee thou do present shew these dead Giauntes and knightes beyng layde vppon some Chariot to his Maiestie For I wotte well that knowing of their destruction he will be muche ioyous consideryng the manifolde annoyes whiche they haue still wrought hym in thy companie shall goe all the Prisoners whiche are within to thanke for their deliuerie the faire Princesse Porphyrie his Daughter after humble salutations to her done on my behalfe for she alone is the cause hereof And if she do enquire who hath done it tell thou her that it was the Youthe of the Fairies the leaste of her Seruitours if for one she will accepte hym though farre vnworthy of suche preferment Then gaue he him the keyes to go deliuer the prisoners but seeing hym to be somewhat wounded firste hee gaue him some of his Oyntmentes to his sore whiche had suche speedy operation because the wound was not greate that the next mornyng it was whole and sounde But whyles he was thus appliyng his Medicine hee sawe the Giantes whom he had pardoned and who stoode without enter fearefully tremblyng and quaking to hyde them selues here and there with greate diligence Whereat the Youth lacing his Helmet and taking his Shield and Swerde set forwarde out of the Gate to see what was happened and he apperceiued the Giaunte Ergoferant to come that waie for he had not quite killed hym as the others were but onelie amazed hym with a blow vppon his head who beyng come againe to hym selfe hauing cast awaie his Battell Axe and left of his Helmet Shield Iacke seeyng his brethren dead came and prostrated hymselfe at the Knightes feete whom he founde with Swerde and Target in hande readie crauing hym humbly of Pardon The Youth who was right mercifull seeyng hym contrary to those of his kind so meeke fréely pardoned hym conditionally notwithstandyng that he should goe with the rest of the Prisoners the morow followyng to aske Pardon of the Emperour for the harmes which he had done him and to thanke the Princesse Porphyria for his life so saued to presente to her his seruice doyng still what she should appoint hym wherto he gladly condiscended and thereupon hee commaunded hym to set free the Prisoners and to aske theim forgeuenes for the damage whiche hee had long done vnto theim whiche thing he did Immediatly he tooke the keyes whiche Maister Rabalon had in his hande and went to deliuer the Prisoners who seing him thought what he had come for some other purpose But much were they amerueiled when they saw hym kneele doune before them askyng theim forgiuenes praiyng that for the loue of hym which was cause of their deliueraunce and who had pardoned hym it would please them also to vse the like courtesie towardes hym whereto they willingly agreed for that this same Giant as it were quite contrarie in nature and disposition to his brethren had afore tyme bene cause that they were well vsed and entreated for he was full courteous and pitifull wherefore he ledde them towardes the Youthe whom they humbly thanked for suche a good tourne offering hym their seruice perpetually from that daie forwarde especially the Knight Pharisor who greatly requested hym that he would vouchesafe to take him into his company proteâ—ting that he would bee to hym a true and loyall frende and that nought but death should haue force to ende their amitie All whiche the Youth was well pleased of And for that night with the Giant Ergoferant who shewed him selfe full humble and diligent to doe hym honour and seruice and the Prisoners likewise he rested in the Rocke till the next morowe The Giant Ergoferant beyng departed from Rocke Alpine to accomplishe his promise towardes the Emperour of Constantinople mette by the waie the villaine whom the Youthe of the Faieries had caste into the Ditche whom he left there because he heard certaine Outlawes in the Forrest who would misuse the Damozell whom the Knight of the Fairies had deliuered out of the Sacke and cruelly did beate the Squire Geliaste both whoÌ„ he deliuered after he had slaine the Thieues And finally how after his arriual in Constantinople hee spake to the Emperour who courteously pardoned him of the faultes he had done to hym and made him promise to marry the Maiden Dinamia Sister to Pharisor and of the
Emperour During the which the Emperour askyng hym whence he came yea how and wherefore he had so chaunged Horse and Harnesse in obtainyng such faire ones as he had he recompted to hym from point to pointe his whole aduenture and how as he was in the blacke Forreste he encountered with those sauage Knightes whom the daie before at the Iustes after an harde and sharpe Combatte hee had there lefte deadde And takyng that Horse and Harnesse from the one of them he was therewith retourned to see the end and issue of the Iustes thankyng hym neuerthelesse for the honour and greate entertainemente whiche without deserte it had pleased his Maiestie to doe hym protestyng therefore to performe any seruice that it would please hym to coÌ„maunde hym Whereto the Emperour throughlie moued with yre and sorrowe as by his face countenaunce and rowling eyes wel might appeare aunswered in this sorte Knight saied he you neede not to thanke me of the honour doen to you at your entraunce into this Citee for so muche as to you warde it was not meante neither was your persone the Sainct to whom my magnificent Sacrifice was vowed In no wise was it for your entrie whiche hath been too damageable and hurtful for vs yea that euer you came hether that the pompe and magnificencie wherin you haue been brought thus farre hath been prepared but rather for one of them whom you vaunte to haue slain whereof if I were assured I promise you you should neuer passe my Palliace but that your cruell carkasse should bee cutte and chopte in peeces to serue therewith the Crowes and Rauens But doubtlesse the beginning of his deedes feates of Armes soner acertaine me that if you haue slaine hym as you saie or rather robbed hym of his Harnesse and Horse as well it maie bee it was surely when he was a slepe For otherwise your valiauncie was vile and courage vncomparable to his as well appeared detwixte you in the Tournemente whose vertue shined as a faire Face dooeth in a fiue and Cristaline glasse And whereas you offer me your seruice saied the Emperour redoublyng his Chollere and knockyng his fiste against the Table I haue no neede of it and lesse of you Neither knowe I of whence you are but this I saie that who soeuer ye hee it is not in your power neither in your freiâ—des powers were it that you were Kyng Floridamantes Sonne of Greate Britain although you and thei emploied all their forces to gratifie me so as you haue displeased me in killyng them of whom the one beeyng my neere nephue to witte the Kyng of Austria his Sonne my deare brother was one of the best and valiauntest knighte of all myne Empire And the other was he who in prowesse valiancie was second to none as well hath appeared by the valiaunce whiche he shewed in conqueryng the Giauntes and their Garde at Rocke Alpine For whiche deede I beyng muche beholdyng to hym it will be vnpossible I not knowyng otherwise froÌ„ whence he was to acquitte my self of so greate an obligation as he had gotten of me by this greate good tourne whiche will cause that euer henceforthe I shall bee attainted and blotted with th foule vice of Ingratitude whiche about all others I abhorre and detest And get you from my presence as sone as you can that I finde you no more in my Courte els will I make you And for the great grief whiche he had of the two Knightes deathes hee could speake no further but al angred and chaffed with despite he arose from the Table in great agonie which thing his Meyny seeing who were partely pricked with the like passions they would haue ouerrunne the Knight who hearing the Emperour so greeuously displeased was lightly lopen ouer the Table and fearyng outrage had already seised vpon the best parte of his harnesse as Helmet Shield and Swerd whiche he helde naked in his hande and had slaine twoo of the firste who wente to offende hym Whiche thing the Emperour seeyng caused the other to cease who as then busely beganne to assaile hym mortally on all sides blaming and reprehending them sharply for being so rash in outraging a knight vnknowen in his presence and vncommaunded who acknowledgyng their fault retired and ceased the conflict leauing the yong vncoth Knight so boyling in yre and despite that it passed Suche was his stomacke enflamed with griefe and anger that if he had had them before him in the fielde they had not escaped with the losse of so fewe as they did neither could he but speake these outragious wordes to the Emperour Knowe saied he thou Emperour of Constantinople that thou haste misused in thy Courte the Sonne of one of the moste puissaunt and valiauntest Kinges of the Earthe albeit that with his person he hath done thee so much fauour thou not any waie deseruyng it as to come honour and beautifie thy Court who is of power with the ayde of his frendes not onely to take vengeaunce of thee and thy folkes for this outragious facte in destroying thine Empyre but also to bring in subiection vnto him at his pleasure the whole Dominions of all Asia and Africa Wherefore deeme well that if thy future chaunces bee not guided and blest by the bountie of some good destenie which maie take pittie and compassion on thee that to thy greate preiudice this pranke shall not remaine vnpunished And hauyng so saied hee went to finde the good Horse Lycocephall whiche his Squire had made ready in the Stable wherfore he armed himself with the rest of the enchaunted harnesse which he had gotten being on horsebacke he went with all hast toward the Hauen where after he had made bargaine with a Ship which was prest to passe into the parties of Gaule he entered aboord and sailed quietly on the maine Sea towarde the most small but moste fertile place that is in the worlde But if as then the puissaunt and toylesome Giaunt Ergoferant who was gone to set order for the gouernemeÌ„t of the Castle of Rocke Alpine the possessioÌ„ wherof aswel by the Emperour as by the Youth of the Fairies as far as he knew was left to hym vacaÌ„t paisible had bene there present he had not gone so thence without Battaile especially if he had heard his last wordes of presumptioÌ„ to the Emperour whereby he manaced hym most ignominiously wherat he was so galled and greened and the other knightes so troubled that they knewe not what to doe But after that the bloud of the Emperour whiche through chafed Choler vrged him to this anger was cooled and that he had giuen some release to his griefe he much repented hym so to haue vsed the vnknowen knight aswell for the greate vertue and prowesse which he esteemed to be in hym as that he vnderstoode he was a Christen kinges Sonne and reputed himselfe for so foule a fact committed in his Court indigne and not worthy any more to weare Imperiall Crowne vppon his head
or to beare Scepter Neuerthelesse ponderyng vppon the vehemente Passion and iuste occasion whiche had moued him thereunto he chaunged opinion and then again blamed his Meynie for being so bold in this attempt On thus wise assailed with these two cōtrarieties which in greate furie made hym walke vp and doune fretting and fuming none daryng to presume presently to comforte or counsell hym there entered into the Hall a Page who certified hym that a greate Lorde of Persia was ariued who greatly desired to speake with hym and had brought hym Letters on the behalfe of the greate Sophy whereupon the Emperour chaungyng and dying his countenaunce with a certaine feined coulour of gladnesse and ioye caused hym to be brought in to heare his Message and so to aunswere hym where wee leaue them for a certaine tyme ere we tell you any further The pitifull and dolorous complaintes whiche the Lady Porphyria made when she heard of the death of her louer the Youth of the Fairies and the Maidens Dynamia and Amidree also heard that Pharisor was slayne whiche thing beeyng knowen by the Giaunt Ergoferant hee put hym selfe in queste of the vnknowen Knight to reuenge their deathes ¶ The. xvi Chapiter WHiles the Emperour was much enraged towardes the vnknowen knight as you haue heard in the Chapter precedent the Empresse with other great Dames and Damozelles were at Dinner in her Chamber and the Lady Porphyria with her Cosin Harderine were in theirs to prate and parlee of the Personage prowesse of the Youth of the Fairies whom they deemed to haue bene at Dinner with her father the Emperour the Lady Porphyria was purposed to haue spoken to hym after Dinner and giue hym some certaine secret signe and testimonie of the amorous alterations whiche with an infinite number of griefes and dolours still distressed her poore hearte But the Empresse hearing into her Chamber the prefull woordes of the Emperour who cried and spake lowde and also the sound of Swerdes and Harnesse in the Hall when as the Emperours folkes would haue slaine the knight vnknowen desirous to vnderstande the cause of this tumult she had sent one of her Damozelles doune expressely to knowe the newes and to bryng her word therof who hauyng learned the matter came againe all amased and sorrowfull to tell her of the pitifull death of her Neuew Pharisor whom she so much loued and of the valiaunt Youth of the Fairies whō she no lesse estemed for the great good tournes which he had doone them in deliueryng them from the continuall care that clogged them all whiles the Giauntes Ferclaste and Androfort were aliue and vnslaine of hym The Empresse and her Damozelles hearyng so piteous a styrre and disorder cast foorth a most lamentable crie accompanied with a floud of Teares distilling from their radiant eies along their most amiable faces and so quite dispossessed with newe distresses ceassed not to weepe and lament some for the loue of Pharisor who to many of theim was frende and Parent other some per compagnio to see their fellowcs weepe so extremely tooke thereat so greate compassion that as women are alwaies most enclinable to the chaunge of affections as I saied to beare their frendes companie more then for grief they had they made such accordaunt moane and dose that neuer hearte was so harde whom it would not haue moued to pittie and compassion especially if he had heard the cōplaintes lamentations of the Damozell Dinamya sister to Pharisor and Amidree who though he were in no wise amourous of her yet burning in loue towardes hym she made suche lamentations that as it were halfe mad shee ranne awaie shritching and criyng into her Chamber whiche was adioyning to that where faire Lady Porphyria was not knowing ought of all this with her Cosin Harderine who hearyng the lamentable moanes of Amidree went presently into her Chamber where thei found her dead sounded in the place Whom after they had with cold water and other suche like thinges recouered to her former sences they asked and praied her deepely to declare vnto theim the cause of her dolour and greate lamentations whiche she not able to keepe it couered any longer confessed and with a lowe and troubled order of voyce saied thus Alas and wellawaie Ladies myne Ah my deere frende Pharisor is dead what saied the Ladie Porphyria may that be and is he dead in deede O my deere Cosin But tell mée Amidree in veritie who hath reported these newes For I can not persuade my self that it is so seing he had in his cōpaigny a Knight by whose safconduite as well of his valiauncie hath experience béen shewed he was sufficiente to discomfite a whole armie but I beleue it is some one who to make a kinde of proofe of your loue toward hym hath dashte you out of countenaunce with this craftie cloaked tale Ah Madame saied Amidree would GOD you now saied true but there is nothing more certaine as well his murderer is lately come to vaunte hym self thereof within armed with the Armes and mounted on the same Horse whiche was once that gentle Knightes that ouercame the Giauntes whom he hath also slaine and spoiled thereof And hereat the Emperour is so enraged that he hath ignominiouslie chaced hym out of his Court although the Caitiffe was he a thyng whiche makes me rather to beleue it whiche lastlie bare hym self so valiaunt in the Iustes that none could resiste the poise of his puissaunce but to death he went were he neuer so well Armed At these last wordes was the Ladie Porphyria so surprised with a sodaine shiueryng of dolesome feare that she could not speake a word more her hart mouth beyng as it were closed vp rounde with a sodaine passion of those pitifull newes in so muche that she fell doune flatte in the place rather as one deade then in a sounde as she was and became so pale and wanne that it was wounderfull not moouyng nor stirryng more then a corps quighte destitute of vitall breath Where of the Maidens Harderine and Amidree had so greate feare that tremblyng for sorrowe thei ranne redoublyng still their complaintes with speede to recompte to the other mournyng Maidens whom thei founde although quite drouned in teares yet enforcyng them selues the beste thei could to cōfort the desolate Dinamya this second mischief and mournefull hap of the death of the yong Princesse Wherat they all leauyng Dynamya ran sodainly to see her and firste of all the Empresse who firste enteryng into Amidrees Chamber where she was she sawe the corps of her miserable childe liyng flatte in the place for dead and running to imbrace it it is impossible to expresse and muche lesse to write the dolorous complaintes bitter cries which she cast foorthe bedewyng her I beleue with greater aboundaunce of teares tricklyng from her tender eyes then the gaie spryng tyme is wonte to shewe of Flowers and Plantes in quantitie and quality bothe to decke and illustrate the greene fertile
Fieldes enuironed with the Riuer Nilus or rather with more number and shew thā there is Sandes vpon the banckes of eche running Riuer that make their courses with furious force vomit their fomie floods into the wyde Ocean Sea and if I should saie more then the number of Starres in the heauen when in a cleare frostie night they seme most to appeare I should not lye So was the number infinite wherewith this infortunate Dame bathed as though she had been plunged in a depe runnyng Riuer the corps of this vncomparable faire desolate Princesse Who in fine felyng her so bewette and hearyng the scrichyng and lamentable cries tedious to tell as wel of the Empresse as of her coufine Harderine Marcella and all the other Damozelles shee beganne to reuiue and by little and little recoueryng in castyng for the a pittifull and profounde sighe she opened her eyes a little then seeyng and vnderstanding their cries lamentations whiche were aboute her enforcyng them selues to lifte her vp and carie her into her Chamber to repose her self vpon her bedde she fell doune againe worse then afore this puttyng her a newe in remembraunce of her vehemente and late dolour Then should ye haue heard a fearfull redou blyng of Teares and lamentable cries on all partes who then thinkyng verely that she was paste recouerie seeyng that neither with colde water with rubbyng her pulses ne ought els they could not woorke but that she was a whole longe hower in this extasie without either stirryng hande or foote They wailed piteouslie and made a stirre yea greater then the Troians Cassandra and Hecuba seeyng their Infantes Brothers and Nephues slaine and murdered by the reuengyng blades of the Greekes and their noble Citee putte to sacke by Fire and Sworde whiche sone consumed it Neuerthelesse not knowyng what remedie to vse thei conuaighed her straight into her Chamber and laied her vpon her bedde departyng all sauyng Harderine and Marcella who vpon the corps ceased not to waile and speake thereto as if it had vnderstode theim the others goyng towardes the Empresse Who on the other side was sounded in Amidrees Chambers thinking at the seconde crie of the Damozelles that verilie her daughter had beene dead who after a while beeyng somewhat reuiued was then layed in her bedde by the Damozelles Harderine and Marcella who to their power did striue to comfort her but all in vaine For she not able to giue neuer so little release to her dolour consideryng her selfe quite destitute of meane whereby she might euer recure her ragyng loue which still flamyng and encreasing in her caused and made that her griefe was farre greater then death it self chaffed in her mind a great while against loue for wounding her so sodenly yea so sharply and surely with his venomous Shaftes then againe excusing hym for so muche fauouring and blessing her as to bende and set her beste likyng in a place so digne and worthy of her who vnder heauen found none her matche but hym onely then breathed she forth her yre anger against death for taking from her a gift so rare and precious whom Venns Infant of mere bounty had bestowed vpō her Beséechyng her that in middest of so many miseries sorowes she would in like wise strike her with the same Darte wherewith her deere frend was so wounded and murdred to the ende that where hee was either in the Celestiall or Infernall Mansion shee might goe and accompaignie hym so to open vnto hym the summe of her dolorous distresses Then considering that Death hauing no puissance on her as it which is nothing els but the dissolution and separation of the Soule from the bodie through the defaute of some of the fower Elementes whereof the diuine prouidence hath created man she made her humble and hartie Praier vnto the soueraine Creatour of all thinges most inslauntlie requiring him to cut asunder the Thride of her life if it were his pleasure therby to rid her from the vnsupportable dolours distresses which most impaciently she endured But GOD who had not ordeined to ende and finish her daies in suche hastie forte not lettyng her to wit that as he can tourne the moste cleare and bright daies into obscure and darkesome nightes and the same againe into daies more shining and radiant then the resplendaunt beames of Phoebus euen so also hath he power shewyng her the seuere Visage of a Fortune more propitious and fauourable then it could then seeme or appeare imploying her back to the burden of an infinite number of anguishes and dollours couered with a cloudy Veile of cares distresses to take her at her owne desire out of the middest of the Labyrinth of so manie mischieues which oppressed her on all sides would not heare her Praier albeit hee well permitted that through mere griefe she nerehand had approached the Porte Acheronticall by the excesse and vehemence of a greeuous Maladie which caused in her a continuall Feuer which surpryzyng her handled her in suche sorte that through the tremblyng fittes commonlie accompanying suche like payned pacientes she made the bed to daunce wheron shee laie whiche neuerthelesse ceasing a slumbering Sleepe surpryzed her whiche coueryng her cogitations with a dreamyng obliniousnes suffered her to take some rest For vnlesse the naturall order of all thinges bee peruerted as one seeth not alwaies the hoat skaldyng Planet to drie vp the floatyng streames of flouddes and Riuers nor the colde Northe in Winter to make destitute the pleasaunt Forestes of their greene couloured garmētes which the sprouting Springtyme hath bestowed vppon them So is it also vnpossible that without release a cōtinuall grief should haue place in a humaine corps not adnichillating totally ruinating the same No lesse neither can an extreeme ioye remaine without some intermission of his contrarie And therefore Nature beyng then so fauourable to this anguishe and miserable Princesse that to encounter her aduerse Fortune shee permitted her the hauyng of some little reste her Damozelles drawyng the Courteines of her Bed and shutting in the chamber windowes departed towardes the Empresse To whom not long afore reuiued from sound thei recompted to consolate her withall that her Daughter slepte soundly at her ease which thyng she could not beleue afore she sawe it but when she had tried it true she enforced her selfe to giue truce to her pitiful plaintes and teares But if she liued thē in dollour for the loue of her daughter and her daughter likewise for the death of her late frend the Youth of the Fayries the young and faire Maiden Dynamia who by the Emperours consente was louer and beloued also of the good valiaunt Giant Ergoferant was oppressed with noe lesse griefe then they for the death of her good and louyng brother Pharisor not able without incessant wéeping and lamentyng to supporte and endure the remembrance of so luckles a chaunce through the vehemencie of fraternall amitie which in all honest and naturall loues hath
and holdeth the head roume and place so that shee was in her Chāber lamenting and complaining in sorte as followeth Alas Dynamia the moste lucklesse and desolate that is at this daie liuyng vnder Heauens yea no lesse then thou wast happie and fortunate to bee sister to the moste valiaunt and beste knight in perfections of all Greece what happe what blessednesse what reste what consolation or what supporte hopeste thou to haue from henceforwarde in this worlde wherein nought can bee durable or parmanente that in one daie is not founde vnstable Somewhiles when one is depriued of ioye by the successe of some lucklesse encomberaunce or chaunce somewhiles whē any grief most tormenteth vs ouerwhelmeth our stomackes by the hap of some good hower which neuerthelesse is lesse durable chiefly to me then the saied mischief and moste haplesse happe since that it is so that thou seest thy self depriued of a brother the most actiue and valiaunte that euer was seen in these coastes who beyng causer of all the felicitie and contentmente thou haddest in this life it can not bee that henceforwarde thou shouldest liue to see ought els to followe or enuiron thée but al sortes of ill hap and discomforte laboursome trauaile and discontentation if Death shewe not her selfe so courteous and extende not her clemencie so muche towardes thee as to vse vpon this thy miserable corps the same rigour that shee hath shewed to thy beloued Brother O murderer cruell inhumaine and detestable whiche haste slaine hym accursed bee the hower and iourney that euer thou madest to come into this Countrie to leaue vs so pittifull a patterne of thy wickednesse And accursed bee the Chymaera or cruell Lionesse whose pappes erst gaue thee sucke and that it had pleased God that thou hadst been vntymely borne or smouldered in her wombe O art not thou of more peruerse and naughty nature then a Tigre Beare or wilde Boare more fell and cruell then euer Afrique bredde or nourished So traiterouslie and villanouslie to haue murdered hym whiche neuer gaue occasion no not in the least of his thoughtes wrongfullie or without cause to damage or offende the least creature that euer GOD made on yearth at leastewise hungrie Wolffe glutted with humaine blood why was it that thou satisfied not thyne vnreasonable appetite vppon this poore and miserable Damozel Why hast thou not with the same murdryng glaue whiche so ended his daies and made me destitute of the thyng I helde moste deare in this worlde bemangled and killed the corps of her who how long so euer she liueth can not be but infortunate and distressed Ah noble King of Austria my Father I feare mee that the insupportable dolour which you shall receiue in hearyng these heauy dolorous nouelles of the death of hym which was the onely staie and vpholder of your old age shal not giue much aduauncemēt to the course of your long yeres who alredy haue whitened both your hoary head and beard And that ensewing shortly after the message whiche shall acertaine you of your daughter Dynamias Death who for loue of hym is resolued to dispatche her self with her owne proper handes I haue great feare and the feare I haue thereof maketh me vse this language to premeditate that mischief that with a headlong and swift hastenyng course you will bende your steppes towardes that parte where the Feriman Charon vseth all his trade But what seeing that the destenies haue of long time spunne vs this ill happe Is there any that can withstande it No no none be he neuer so strong or mightie can resist it It restes it restes that to make an ende of my miseries I goe to kéepe compaignie and visite hym on whom depended all my ioye and comforte Whiles she thus spake complainyng and tormentyng her self moste bitterly and dolorously the good Giaunt Ergoferant whiche hastened to arriue from Rocke Alpine beholdyng all those whiche were in the Emperours Hall assembled with intent to dispatche aunswere the Letters of the great Sophy of Persia to haue their faces chaunged with a certein greate kinde of sorrow and sadnes which much vexed them To know the occasion therof he tooke his way into the Chamber of his Lady and Mistresse Dinamya whō he sorowfully found in estate as is aforesaied wherevppon after he had employed some paines to pacifie her and shee consolatyng her selfe somewhat by his commyng he asked her from whence proceded these plaintes and lamentations which incited her to torment her selfe so to whom not able to cōceale her sorow she recompted although much fearefull to loose hym therby as in deede she did afterwarde the occasion of her great griefe Whereat it needes not to tell if the most noble and vertuous Giaunt that euer was were angrie aswell for the losse of his Ladies deere and louyng brother as for the loue of hym who onely saued his life and for that cause he was no lesse bounden then for her For in giuyng comforte consolation to this young and noble Princesse he armed hym selfe with his Harnesse and Club and mountyng vppon a good and mightie Horse whiche he had hee departed in the secretest wise hee could from the Courte in deliberation neuer to taste sound sleepe till hee had reencountred the knight murderer of those who in this world he esteemed most to be reuēged of their deathes els to go visite them where euer they were Where we let hym go and leaue the Ladies muche sadde and sorowfull to recompte vnto you how the knight whiche was slaine in the Forest by the knight vnknowne had stollen the Youthe of the Fairies his Horse and Harnesse whō me left in the Castel de la Plaine with the amourous Damozel louelesse and slaue to loue for euer daughter to the Duke of Chalcide and of that that chaunced him after he went thence chiefly also to speake of Pharisor and where he happened to be reuiued from his Traunce The Youth of the Fairies beeing lodged at the Castle de la Playne his Horse and Harnesse were stollen from him and going to seeke the Thiefe he encountred in a wood a marueilous Crocodile whiche after a long cōbate he slewe Then goyng somewhat forward he found the dead corps of the knight which had stollē his Harnesse and horse which he could not finde but those of the vnknowen Knightes he sawe whiche he tooke and armed him selfe and after encountred the Squire Geliaste whiche slept in the Forrest who led hym into the place where the Combate had beene betweene Pharisor and the vnknowen Knighte ¶ The xvij Chapter AFter the hard sharpe Combate which was bet wéene the good Knight Pharisor and the valiaunt vnknowen knight we haue afore declared that hee pricked with greate disdaine and dolour to bee so caste to grounde by the Youthe of the Fairies extended further the desire of his reuenge whiche blinded him in suche sorte that forgettyng all honest courtesie whiche naturally accompanieth the heartes that are
repleate with gentilitie and noblenes such as his and without any regarde thereto when he was reuiued from the Traunce sooner then Pharisor hee purposed in hym selfe to annoy and hurte the Squire Geliacte who to shun the daunger of death which he saw imminent tooke hymselfe to sodaine flight and his enemie the knight following him was staied by one who armed with the Harnesse mounted on the good horse of the Youth of the Fairies was by him slain as at large you may see in the sixtēth Chapter Wherevppon thinkyng he had put to death hym who had foyled him afore in the Iustes and his fellow whō he had left so faint and feeble for losse of his bloud through an innumer able forte of woundes whiche he had susteined he had vaunted hymself thereof in the Emperours Court thinking it a valiaunt Act as if it had beene true and thervppon caused that sorrow and sadnes to trouble the Court withall as afore you haue hearde in the Chapters precedent But to the ende the happe thereof may bee notified to euery one it is to be vnderstanded that the faire and gentle Youth of the Fairies beyng entered into the Castle de la Playne where he receiued the best entertainement that the amourous Damozell frendlesse perforce could deuise to make hym The knight which came to open hym the Gate seyng hym armed and horsed so well being desirous to be purueied of such like Horse Harnesse as his was premeditated with hym self by what meanes he might haue them And as one which was not the bouldest man of the world seeyng and knowing that if he presumed to haue them perforce the euent of Battell beeyng doubtfull and vncertaine fearyng lest the losse should light on his side consideryng the greate prowesse and valiauncie wherwith by his face and faire disposition he seemed to be adorned with whō hee in this case should haue to deale thought it better to his greate dishonour to obtaine them by disceite and trayson as he did For the Youth being brought abedde hauing afore spent a great parte of the night aswell in perpending the talke which he had had with the Damozel all Supper-while as in imagination of her beautie who deemyng her dead was nearer thereto hym selfe hee fell on sleape about midnight wherof the couetous knight being aduised which was in watche in a Chamber next to his adioyning which he had forgot to shut at his goyng to bedde entered easelie and secretlie into the same and findyng his Swerde and Harnesse tooke theim and went into the Stable where he mounted vppon his Horse and departed with full intent to do merueiles or els of so faire a gifte to make presentation to the Emperour of Constantinople so to winne his good grace and fauour But he was not farre past but they were taken from hym with losse of his life also by the vnknowen knight as you haue afore heard God who is the iuste reuenger and punisher of outragious Faultes and Traisons not suffering not onely w that a Robber and disceiuer should bee suffered to haue long or profitable enioynig of this so euelly gotten did punishe the offence both sore and shortly This notwithstandyng could not mittigate nor appease the bitternes of sorrowe whiche the Youthe of the Fairies had when as he in the morning arising found neither his Swerd nor Harnesse in the Chamber where ouer night hee had laide them neither his Horse in the Stable For of all his furniture the Thief had lest hym nought but the onely chaunted Launce whiche hee had wonne the daie before in the Iustes of the vnknowen Knight Whiche he taking and after hauing knowē certeinly that without the Damozelles consente of the Castle which of his misfortune was muche displeased the Knight who in the euenyng had opened hym the Gate had committed this disloyaltie and traison he tooke leaue of her who gaue him a horse the best she had whervpon vnarmed as he was he leapt and departed streight toward the Forrest to take and apprehend the disloyall Knight which had so disceiued him thinkyng that soonest that waies he would take his Iourney But whē he was farre entered into the same the Sunne then drawyng hie and castyng ardent heate he also going towardes the most thicke and rough places aswell in that he had some opinion that the Thiefe was hid there as to shun the parchyng heate of Sunne hee heard a verie lamentable and plaintieffe voyce whiche so moued hym to compassion that thinking it had béen some poore desolate person fallen into the handes of some Robbers and Villaines or rather some vnfortunate Damozell rauished by some Roysters he wente thetherwarde to succour her although with much difficultie for what blowes with spurres so euer he gaue to his horse he could not in any wise make hym goe forwarde yet pricked he hym so sore that Mawgre hymselfe he was constrained to go to the place where the voyce plaintiffe was néere whiche he scarse had come by sixe or seauē paces but that he espied the greatest dismeasured Crocodile that euer was séene commyng towardes hym with open throate and gapyng Iawes to deuour hym and with his twoo forepawes rampyng seased vppon the Horse by the Necke with such force and vigour wreathyng his Tayle of tenne or twelue foote long all aboute his Feete afore that he was forced to falle forward to the ground his Maister also who being light nimble as he was without semblaunce of any feare at al recouered himselfe straightwaies for afore his Horse fell he had prepared hym selfe for the Beastes commyng and was readie to alight and gryping the Launce whiche hee had in his right hand and his Mantell wrapped about his lefte Arme hee came towardes this furious and terrible Beast which did her best to take and deuour hym as beyng muche an hungred and not hauing eaten ought of long tofore he gaue her suche a forcible blowe vpon the belly with all his might that hee pearced quite through the same Then the Beast seeyng her selfe wounded to death approachyng hym before hee had leasure to redouble his stroake with one of her Pawes gaue hym suche a graspe that if he had not with great lightnes stept backe and cast his Mantell afore hym without doubt therewith hee had ended his daies For this horrible beast had the Nailes of his pawes more then a foote and a halfe long pearcyng and sharpe past measure wherewith in greate rage and despite perceiuing his death to be neere he tare and puld the Mantell aforesaide in peeces whiche was of Skarlet the fearest that could be seen edged and embrodered with Gold and greate Buttons of Pearle to wit those whiche the Fayrie Ozyris had giuen hym Thus whiles hee whiche had more care to spoyle and put her to death then to saue and take his Mantell from her smoate her on the backe and breast with such merueilous blowes albeit suche beastes haue commonlie Skales on their corps more hard then
a Monster whiche was engendred by one of those Giauntes called Astigard The Effigie of whom hee bare Pictured in his shield all murthered by his handes in a field of Synople hauing the rest of his furniture and harnesse wrought and pollished the gallantest that might be seene and mounted vpon a braue Courser of Araby whiche ran like Swallowe swifte in flight This felowe seemed beyng thus armed the brauest knight in the worlde Although in deede he was the moste deformed and foulest that could bee For firste he was so greate that he by halfe excéeded the vulgare and common proportion of other menne his hayres of his heade as blacke as a coale neither was his Face any whitte fairer wherein were twoo eyes that shinyng as well by night as by daie would haue made the stoutest afraied hauyng his browes a foote of good measure broade The Nose a spanne long or more the Mouthe stretchyng to his Eares whiche with length laie on his Shoulders like a Bloodhounde And moreouer he had twoo long Tuskes or Teeth sharpe as a Pike whiche raught fully halfe a Foote out of his Mouthe his Chinne was like the reste whereon appeared no more haire then on a Cowe taile for like a stinkyng Goate he had it hangyng to his girdle stead As for the reste he was the finest Youth of the worlde but that he was great Bealied and bigge Shouldred cariyng a Mountaine as it were vpon his backe Notwithstandyng this he was so valiaunt that there were fewe no not one but Kyng Brandissant whiche in ought that appertained to corporall force or warlike affaires were like vnto hym as you shall more vnderstande hereafter Consequentlie his brother Zorlot Kyng of the I le Niuaria which was no lesse faire then Salazard was mightie and strong that with one blowe of his Launce in a certaine Battaile he slewe thirtie Cantabrians And no worse to make shorte were the kynges of the Iles Innoues their brethren Cambarel and Phagotrof whiche had in their Bande aboute thirtie thousande menne bothe for foote and Horse And so this Thunderyng warriour Brandissant beeyng thus appointed in a marueilous braue araie and equipage passed into Greate Britaine there wastyng and destroiyng all till thei came to the Countree of Cornewaile where he founde his father Grandowine whiche for his parte did his deuour to gather menne from all partes of his Dominions to reuenge the death of his twoo sonnes In whose companie was Agrafolt Kyng of Cantabria Marton and Barant Kyng of the I le of Caribe who a while afore was ariued with greate puissaunce of men to helpe Kyng Grandowyne whose ioyes I can not well tell you when he saw his sonne Brandissant come to succour hym with suche a multitude of valiaunte Soldiours and Gensdarmes and chieflie when he tolde hym of the greate waste whiche he had made commyng through Greate Britaigne Assuryng you sir saied he that had it not been for the desire I had to see you and my brother Agrafolt with all these good Lordes and some others who by me requested promised sance faile to come shortely to succour you this wretched Kynge of greate Britaigne had not hadde by this tyme either Castell or Toune to defende hymselfe in I truste good Sonne saied Kyng Grandowyne that we shall bee there tyme enough by the helpe of the Goddes to disherite and ruinate hym both with the'ffusion of his owne bloud and also of all those who shall be so hardye as to make to vs anye resistaunce And I sweare by all our gods that if he be as I hope he shal once taken by vs I will make hym die a worser death then euer that cruell Tyrant of the Agrigentines Phalaris did or could imagine to vexe and torment his people neither shall that glutton Dorian of Spaigne escape with lesse rewarde who at all assaies is his aider and fellow For it behoueth vs to put all his Realme to Fyre and Sworde if wee were once dispatched of this Floridamant heere which shall be shortly as I hope And that Ferrand also king of Norwaie who is his Vassalle neither hym of Denmarke nor that other of Swethlande whiche will succour hym shall also escape our sharpe and trenchant Blades Truely my Leige then saied Agrofolt the cruell if once we might exterminate all these it is expedient for vs also to destroye that ould Tyraunt of Gaule for he maintaineth that glutton Palistenor my Godfather who hoping of his aide manaceth to expell mee out of my Realme saiyng that by right it is his Giue mee leaue on my behalfe saied wicked Marton Kynge of Cantabria for as for my part I hould my self assured that that presumptuous Kyng of Spaine whiche so often sendeth Pyrates Robbers into my Domimous who do me more annoyes then one would thinke shall not haue long continuaunce neither shall he against vs worke any great resistaunce For one night will I giue hym suche Alarme pursuyng hym vpon the Spurres so neere that neither he nor none of his shall haue any leisure to flee saue them selues Assuredly that shal do very wel Sir Marton said the fierce King Barant of Caribe for then may you Crowne your self King of all Spaigne and Sir Grandowyne kyng of greate Britayne Also good Prince Agrofolt shal haue the Realme of Gaule for his parte and you saied Brandissant which are a moste puissaunte Lorde with kyng Salazard Zortor and Phagotroffe shall haue the Realmes of Scotlande Norway Swethlande and Denmarke But the Prince Cambarell and I will then goe to Constantinople where wee will make our selues Lordes Thus these Prodigious Monsters of Nature spake and talked amongest theim selues beeyng assembled in kyng Grandowynes Pallace of Cornewayle hauyng more confidence in the force and puissaunce of their bodies whiche in no wise lacked then in the Diuine prouidence without whiche noe humaine enterprise can euer come to good issue And I can assure you that if the soueraigne creatour and gouernour of all thinges had not by his infinite bountie and goodnes preserued and sustained the parte of the noble and valiaunt Christian Princes they had then beene in daunger to haue loste their liues and to haue their Realmes and poore Subiectes destroied vndoubtedly For these cursed Paynims were the most puissaunt and valiauntest personages that euer Historie made mention of and had with theim more then twoo hundred thousand footemen a hundred thousand braue knightes besides the Giauntes whiche I tolde you of whose onely force was able for a whole Army and there were the strōg Brunissant Angrofolt Salazard and his brethren which had either their Bodies or Harnesse in suche wise enchaunted that neither Yron nor Steele could pearce or hurte theim and ther with endewed with suche force that nothyng was able to abyde it And to encrease their number also came there a while after to their helpe kyng Tawladas the worthy knight of the I le of Canada and fierce Guydard of Baccaleos with either of theim an Armie of more then thirtie
thousande fightyng men mounted on mightie Horses and Elephantes whiche caried euery one fiue or sixe men well furnished with shot in the little Castles of wood which that had vppon their backes whiche two in force and prowesse were nothyng lesse then Brunissant Sallazard whose allyaunce and confederauncie to haue they came to this match and also to trie the force and valiauncie of kyng Floridamant and his Brytishe knightes whether they were correspondent to the fame that went vpon them or naye And on this wise this puissaunt armie beeyng assembled in Corne waile and the Countrie thereaboutes they made not long delaie but embarked theym selues to passe into greate Brittaine and in what magnificent order you shall vnderstande First there wente before eightie greate Galleis wandryng on the mayne Sea with Sealecloathes spread and aboundaunce of Dares marchyng like a Tempeste neither met they any vessel on the Seas whatsoeuer but thei drowned it and they went ten and ten in a Rancke Quadrangle wise and not one swifter any whit then another Also there were fiftene great Carrickes which went before the Gallies about a mile or lesse and at euery side of the Quadrangle Galley fleete was also ten wherein were the Cantabrians who at this daie are called Biskaynes a People neere to Spaine who were conducted thether by their Kynge Marton whiche in Sea matters was moste skilfull and was ordained Admirall generall of all the Army by the other kynges apoyntmentes from whom he was separated and came in a Galley which marched alone amongest the foresaied fleete and a greate Troupe of Foystes Boates and Brigandines whiche in number amounted to moe then sixe score whiche followed after whiche Galley exceeded all the rest in bignes in beauty in braue araie for the men of the same were all araide in Cassockes and Bonnets of Ueluet half greene halfe blewe rowyng the Dares to euerie one of whiche beeyng fifty on a side painted all red there were ten set all tyed by the Legges with great Chaynes of siluer And moreouer the couerture of the place where was Martons Chamber was also all of Siluer wrought with spangles and leaues of Golde and Azure most rich sumptuous on the top wherof appeered a mightie shakyng Enseigne wherin was painted a great Sea Monster muche resemblyng a Crocodile all mailed with Scales of greene and the Ensigne was blewe about the which was written in Golden Letters this same Verse or saiyng Vpon the Seas I all destroye for none I meete may mee annoye And a little lower was written Marton the Terrour of the Waues neither was there place in all this Galley aswell vppon the Hatches as Roapes and Cordes whiche held the Mast but that there was suche a like Ensigne either little or greate tyed to euery one of which was fastened an infinite number of Cimbales and Siluer Belles whiche shaken with the Winde yelded a merueilous sweete harmony After this magnificent Galley that went without either rule or certaine order dispersed here and there aboute the winges of the Sea fleete these foresaied sixe and twentie Foistes Galliottes Gallions and Brigantines In the greatest of the whiche Foistes were the kynges Tauladas of Canada and Guytard of Baccaleos with their Horsemen and the Elephauntes whiche thei had brought beeyng in thirtie greate Shippes whiche followed after marueilouslie well ordered with saile displaied top and top gallant braue to beholde wherin was a great noyce of Drummes Fites Trumpettes and other instrumentes of Warre solemne hideous to behold Finally after all these foresaied vesselles came a Fléete of twoo hundred Shippes or more and some Barkes which marched all in order triangled in forefronte of the whiche ther 's was one Ship farre greater and fairer then the reste whiche cutte the Seas with suche celeritie and swiftenesse as was possible to beholde and therein were kyng Grandowine Angraforte Brunissant Barant Salazard Zorlot and their brethren Cambarel and Phagatroffe which hastened to aduertise kyng Marton to take order how to draw a little sideward to assaile a certain Fleete of shippes which they had discried in the maine sea goyng streight to greate Britaigne there to take Hauen and so to make them captiues if thei would not yelde to bée on his parte But as thei were thus busied to giue order hereunto and to set their thynges in a readinesse beholde they were all astonished on the sodaine by the Carrickes Galleis which went still before of whō they were met the folkes therein assaulted many putte to death by an other ther Fleete whiche came a bywaie with a marueilous celeritie whose number was aboute fiftie fiue or sixtie braue Shippes of Warre whiche fiercelie enteryng here and there aundde the greate troupe of Galleis whereof thei ouerthrewe and burned many with Fires artificiall and other Instrumentes of Warre thei made at the firste a marueilous Martyrdome of the accursed Painims therein For they were not a whit afraied of this encounter which thyng the Admirall Marton seeyng caused incontinentlie his great Galley to prepare her self with diligēce to come and aide at this pinch also a number of the Foistes Brigandines whiche came after all which with spede hastened to assault the little fleete When the Capitaine of the same foreseyng what daunger he was in would faine haue retired and fled but that the other fleete who as I saide before was firste discouered of Paynims ioyned powers thereto and so recuilyng and musteryng somewhat together they behaued themselues so well that more then twentie of the Paynims Foystes and Galleis were sounke and burned For in the Shippe whiche was Admiralle there were two braue Knightes whiche commaunded all the Armie who set in araie with their Swordes in their handes and brasen shieldes prest for their better defence raged in their enterprise and with furie couloured the bellye of the Goddesse Thetis with the bloud of those accursed Painims Nay they caught none but they sente hym to seeke hym selfe in the bottom of the waues where he might drinke his laste or els to tast of death on the Hatches whiche thing the valliaunt Kyng Marton seeyng who raged to see so manie of his men slaine by two knightes addressed his Galley that waie ioynyng with one of the Knightes who bare in his shielde a Dragon of Azure in a fielde of Sables for cognizaunce was there the most daungerous Skirmishe betwene them that euer was heard of For Kyng Marton who was exceedyng strong thinkyng with his fierce lookes to haue fraied and made flee those twoo doughtie Captaynes was muche astonished when he founde hymselfe so matched with the one that in all his life he neuer had bene so troubled in so muche that he thought there to haue lost his life presently suche were the blowes whiche he receiued at the knightes handes of the Dragon that had it not bene for the enchaunted Helmet whiche he beare it had beene doubtfull whether he should haue retorned sound as he did But
because hee was armed with Harnesse wholy so enchaunted that neither sword nor other weapon whatsoeuer could pearce or cut hee resisted well more then an hower against his aduersarie who also defended hymself valiauntlie as God knowes he had neede for both of them were strong valiaunte and skilfull in Armes True it is that if Kyng Marton exceeded hym somewhat in force hee againe counterueiled it in agillitie and nimblenes of bodie and in craft of Skirmishyng as wel appeared by him in this mutual combat But the other to counterueile all that gaue hym now and then such grene atteintes that the red bloud began alreadie in some places to runne doune his body but for al that neuer made he any semblaunce of griefe to condemne hym self of Cowardyse But as the Beare and the wilde Boare beyng enuenomed one against another stryue still with rage to pull eche other in peeces so these twoo valiaunt Champions did all their powers to depriue eche other of life although the one had small aduauntage of the other whiche made them maruell much of their owne prowesses still paiyng eche other as the Smith with an heauy Hammer doth his Anuild often and as the one his Harnesse so did the others nimblenes kéepe them both aliue long And thus endured the Combate a greate while duryng whiche the Knight of the Dragon his fellowe rushed in amongst the Paynims of whom he made a merueilous buttherie and slaughter and with his Meyny behaued himself so well that many were slaine and a multitude drowned neither coaped he with any but hee loste either Leg Arme shoulder Necke or some parte of his body alwaies hauyng a soueraine care to saue his owne Ships notwithstāding whereunto after a while all his men reentered by his commaundement For séeing the rest of the aduersaries Vessels at hande whiche Kyng Grandowyne and his twoo Sonnes led whom if they had taried they had bene all discomfited they hoyst vp sailes and moued Dares to departe with all speede contenting them selues with the honour which they had gotten in resisting so many with so smal a power to the great damage and ruine of their Enemies and yet loosing a very few of their owne party neither any vessell but that wherein was the knight of the Dragon who whiles hys men prepared them selues to gayne the North kepte Marton plaie still to whom seeyng then readie to departe hee gaue suche ablowe with his Sworde on the head that hee made hym fall on his knees so astonished that he knew not where he was and then taking a little Boate whiche was swiftlie furnished with Sailes and Mariners hee retyred with the rest of his Armie awaie from his aduersaries leauyng them agreeued at this encountrie who not knowyng how to be reuenged set fire on that great shippe whom hee had lefte them For as it was better they thought it good rather to retyre with that gottē victory then with daunger to attend the comyng of the rest of the Army to their great ouerthrowe and confusion a thyng rather to be reputed rashenes of them then hardines Although the Paynims thought verely to haue gotten the honour through their flight Who taking their voyage towarde greate Brittayne tooke Porte a while after at the Cittie of London where as then laye the good Kynge Floridamant who with a greate Troupe of his Barons and Lordes wente to welcome those twoo valiaunt Knightes which so had vsed the Paynims whom he a farre of knewe by the ensignes hanged on the Mastes of their shippes to be the valiaunte Kynge Ferrande of Norwaie and worthy Grandilaor his Neuewe whom not long afore Floridamant had made crowned King of Swethelande at the discease of Antizilianas Father whom hee had married who were come from their kingdomes sente for by Kynge Floridamant in order as is afore saied to giue hym succour For you must note that the Noble kyng of greate Brittaine beyng certified of the waste and iniurie whiche kyng Brandissant had made in goyng through his Realme perceiued well that hee went toward his Father the kyng of Cornewayle who prepared against hym a mightie Hoaste to reuenge the death of his two other Children whom hee had put to death And beyng aduertized of the greate force and puissaunce wherewith he came against hym And doubting hym selfe not able to resiste so greate an Armie had sente Ambassadours on all sides to the kinges his Neighbours to desire their ayde and chiefly to these two his Subiectes who failed not herein to come And by the waye knowyng that the Paynims were not farre from them they had parted their Armie in twoo to embushe and assaile theym as you haue afore heard to their great ruine and decaie Who a while after theim came to take Lande before the Cittie of London from whence after a long and a sharpe Combate they were expulsed and driuen backe and so cōstrained to caste Ancour elsewhere aboute a Myle from the Cittie where Maugre the Christians they descended as I meane to shewe you in the firste Chapter of my nexte booke God willing with the rest of their Battels and discomfitures But as now you must accorde to graunt mee some reste to the ende that with more grace and excellencie I maye recompte it vnto you then I haue done anie thing heretofor For my Head now is amazed my Penne worne and my Hande so benomnie That if I haue not now some rest I neuer can at chiue the rest The Pagans hauing laide seege to the Citie of London determined with one consent to roote out all Christians vniuersally and for the winnyng of the Citie they elected the Kynges Guitarde of Baccaleos and Angrofolt who tooke with hym the twoo mightie Giauntes Brizard and Rogemont and with mayne force entred into the Citie where Guytard bearded by Kyng Floridamant was forced to retire backe in more haste then hee had entred not without the slaughter of all his people wherevpon Angrofolt beyng encontered by Kynge Floridamant after Combate enduryng a long season was taken Prisoner with the stout Saracen Micophron The. xx Chapter NOw my noble Lordes and fauourable Dames since that my spirites haue reposed them selues and the instrumentes of my speach are recreated euen as of your fauors ye haue deigned I entende in prosecutyng my purpose to recounte vnto you the residue as yet vnrehearsed wherevnto I craue your attentiue eares For so muche as I am assured that in the rehearsall thereof your mindes shall receiue singular contentation euen as my studies are bent to guide you into the possession of suche passyng delightes as ensue Mention was partly made afore howe after that the Pagans who at their firste landyng would haue entered and harboured their Nauie directly against the City of London by the valour of the Kynges Floridamant Ferrand of Norway and Grandilaor the hardie and by the courage of the valiaunte Knightes resiant and soiournyng there no lesse manfullie then bloudily beaten backe bloudily I saye for that with greate slaughter and
conquered the Romaine Empire as well for that he longed to vnderstand what he was as also what fortune had brought hym into that distresse Whereof hauyng demaunded the other that was so enféebled and weried by turmoyling in the water that hee could not easely fetche breathe requested hym instauntly that he would vouchsafe hym some restyng place out of hand and that after he were reposed a while he would recount vnto him his whole case Then the Youthe knowyng that hee needed the same and that hee vttered his woordes with muche difficultie commaunded his Esquier that he should leade him to his chamber and laye him in his owne Bed whervnto he obeyed incontinently but he was scarse entered when as the knight seeyng the Armes of the Youthe and likewise the Speare that laye by his bed side staied for a certain season without speaking one worde he was surprised with suche astonishment afterward touruyng hym towardes the Esquier regarded hym heedefully and remembred that hee had seene him not long afore forthwith called to mind who he was howheit without makyng semblaunte of any suche thyng be began tovnaraie hymselfe and his apparaile whiles he prepared hymselfe to Bed the Esquier bare into the open ayre to drie who failed not to rehearse vnto his Maister touchyng the countenance and behauour of the man when as be behelde his Armour Who beyng therefore more desirous then he was afore to knowe what he was hyed hym into the Chamber to common with the Straunger whyles that the shippe without anie Sterneman did runne at randon but at the first entrance ▪ finding hym fast a sléepe he would not awake him as then vntill midnight came when he had rested hymselfe a long season the Youth who in the euening was layde doune by hm noti disposed to cloase his eyes all that parte of the night by reason of the vnquietnes of his thoughtes heard hym speake in his sleepe thus Ah Madame saied he and what will you saye when ye vnderstande of the death of your Knight After wallowyng from one side to another and wauyng his Feete and Handes as though he would haue swimmed he muttred in his dreame sundry like speeches and complaintes whereby the Youth who gaue good eare perceiued that he was dedicate to the Hestes of the Patronesse of Paphos therfore both for that bee supposed the man to be troubled in mynde through the fearefull obiectes whiche were presented to his inwarde sences as hee dreamed and bicause his longyng to knowe what person hee was did still augmente iogging the man harde with his Elbowe till bee was awaked saied Ho ho Companion what ayles you you are further from the water then you were yesterday God bee thanked The man in his awakyng geuyng a leape as it were one halfe agast was recomforted when he founde hymself in so safe a place for in his sleepe hee imagined that hee was yet in the Sea. Wherefore reuokyng to memorie the daungerous hazard from which by the Youthes aide then lying by hym he was recouered hee shewed not hymselfe displeased for his late thrustyng of hym but shrouding hymselfe againe vnder the couerte of the Bedclothes began to speake to hym on this sorte Syr Knight saied hee if it seemed not offensiue to you I would instauntly request you to vouchsafe mee one benefite assuryng you that I will in any matter concernyng you auoyde the crime of ingratitude as well in respect thereof as also in that you haue bene the onely refuge and rescue of my liefe out of those apparant perilles wherin hopelesse I was enuironed whiche causeth mee to accompte my selfe so muche bounde and beholdyng to your gentlenes for your vnspeakeable and exceedyng merites that vnfainedly I doe acknowledge my owne power farre vnable to recompence the slenderest parte of those youre so high desertes yea though I doe aduenture my life in the hazarde of innumerable daungers for the defence and conseruation of youres vowyng furthermore that you shall require nothyng at my handes whiche gladly I will not occomplishe for your sake not onely bicause you haue recouered mee from presente death but also for that youre liniamentes and countenaunce alone doe seeme worthy that so great a Prince as I am should employe hymselfe for you Wherfore as you estéeme my wordes true my promise to proceede from a faithfull constaunt heart I praye you to graunt vnto my first request which I neuer seemed to deny to any creature liuyng Verily Syr said the Youth of the Fairies you séeme vnto mee so courteous and well spoken that albeit you were but a meane Knight and not descenden from any royall house as you haue vttered here yet would I not once offer to conceale any thing whereof ye should demaunde mee alwaies foreseene that it resteth in my power to doe reposing suche confidence in youre good nature and courtesie that you will not forbeare ne disdaine to shewe the like at myne instaunce after that I haue so satiffied your desire whiche I request you not to differre geuyng you my woorde in faith of a knight that you shall require no thing of mee which mine honour reserued I wil not attempte with my whole might I beseech you then quoth the other that it would please you to discouer vnto mee who you are and what Fortune hath forced you beyng of so young yeres to wander thus alone amids the Seas and likewise where you conquered the Harnesse and faire Speare whiche yesterdaie at my entrie into this Chamber I did beholde wherewith as I be leue you arme your selfe when occasion offereth or necessitie constraineth so to doe and the reason which moueth me to be desirous to vnderstand the first of these three thinges is to the ende that I may know the person certainely vnto whom I stande so deepely endebted that if I may possibly haue a thousande liues to ieoperde in his defence when neede shall require they may in noe wise be spared wherefore I am againe to desire you to disclose the same to mee I promise you saied the Youth that since it is so that you haue preuented mee by demaundyng that whiche els I had enquired of you I will not gainesaie your demaunde hauyng a sure truste that you will vse the like courtesie to mee It remaines therefore that you knowe that I was borne in greate Britaine and beyng very young was nursed and trained vp in the Fairie of the Nimphe Ozyris it may be that you haue hearde reporte of her who not long sithence sente me to Constantinople to bee dubbed Knight by the Emperour there who of his gracious inclination refused not to doe it but misfortune who lay in waite euerywhere to surprise mee wolde alas syr Knight I praie you to holde mee excused If I vtter no further of my mishappe saied hee sighyng déepely that in performance of the promise whiche I haue made vnto you this shorte declaration may suffice for if you vnderstande any further of my calamities I doe beleue
that you will scarsely refraine youre eyes from Teares and your hearte from bewailyng of my lamētable case The man who was more desirous to know where he had recouered those Armes whiche hee had seene the euenyng before in the Chamber then to heare of anie thyng els ceassed not verie importunatelie to charge hym with his promise alledgyng many vehement persuasions to encourage hym thereto saiyng as though he had coniectured somewhat of the passions of the Youthe by his gesture and maner of pronouncyog that if the original of his mishap and grief procéeded of loue in discouering it to him as without inconuenience he mought assuredly doe as to his especiall frende hee should receiue suche comforte as should yelde hym singuler solace and if it did aryse of any offence namely against him he promised with al his power to assist hym in the execution of the reuengemente thereof Wherupon the Youth the passages of whose voyce by the sourse of his sorowes were burste open reuiued at the remembrrunce of his Dames beautie rather heauenly then humaine discoursed to hym a large processe of the aduentures befallyng hym mentioned afore not concealing any Iote vntolde and he had not as yet attained to the ende of his rehearsall when the dawnyng of the daie bade them to forsake their beds so that leasure sailed the Youth ere hee could declare where he had recouered the Armour But settyng themselues vppon the Puppe of their ship as obiectes to the glitteryng beames of Dan Phoebus as hée was addressyng his tongue to finishe his rehearsall by fortune they kenned a Vessell that skmimed the Seas with wonderfull swiftnes wherin as the same approached neere thei mought espie two knightes armed at al pointes who flourishing with their naked swerdes in their handes and their shieldes vppon their Armes manaced them more and more Whereof the Youthe who was vnarmed at the first blushe abashed and mistrustyng that they came to enterprise vppon them at suche aduauntage descended in all hast to his Chamber where hauyng taken of his Armour the Shield and Sworde onely leauyng to his companion whom he had found in the Sea the rest to witte the Corselet the headpeece and the Speare mounted vp vppon the Hatches where they met with the twoo Archepyrates who already had to their owne mischief borded their Ship. For the former of them both beyng confronted by the Youth of the Fairies receiued vppon his Headpeece suche a stroke that his Head and Bodie was cleaued doune to the Breast notwithstaddyng the defence he made with his Shield his Helmet and other his Harnesse whiche preuented not that fatall blowe not muche vnlike was the mischaunce of his Copesmate who by his Speare pearced the bodie so violently that doune fell he into the water starke dead at sight whereof the two Knightes stoode a certaine space as men amazed eache one at the prowesse of the other but especially he who had beene preserued from death beholdyng the Youth of the Fairies with exceading admiration to reach that miserable Rouer whom he had slaine with wonderfull force the mightiest stroke that euer hee did sée with his eyes whose Companions but smallie dismaied at the slaughter of their Companions runnyng out of their Forte in heapes assailed these two worthy Knightes furtously who receiuyng their charge with greate assuraunce made suche hauocke that of thirty of them in halfe a quarter of an hower there remained not past twentie the halfe of whom beeyng greeuously wounded they were by fine force compelled to geue ground parte of whom leapte into the water to saue themselues the reste that either thought the water ouer colde or peraduenture vnable to swimme fledde to their Ship addressyng their Sailes to retourne thether from whence thei came but omittyng the expedition requisite in so vrgent necessitie they were all hewen in peeces one except beeyng reserued to vtter what people they were For these two excellent Knightes whom I may truely terme the most valiaunt redoubted wightes vnder the Coape of Heauen as their deedes hereafter namely in the seconde and third parte of this Historie doe clearely witnesse after that they were become Maisters of the shippe wherein the Pirates had assailed theym entered therein meanyng to take Lande with all possible speede for that the same was furnished with all necessarie thinges for a Voyage whereas on the contrarie parte their other was not by reason of the violente tempest and outrage before declared whiche they did accordingly where they lighted vppon marueilous aduentures whiche hereafter you may vnderstande How the Pyrate whose lyfe was saued by the Youth of the Fayries recounted vnto hym the Pedegrewe of the Giaunte Squamell and of the mightie Nabot together with the loue betweene the same Squamell and the Lady Lucinde daughter to the King of high Mysia of whom the Giaunt findyng hymselfe to be despised did happen vpon a Knight who bare an enchaunted Cuppe within whiche who so dranke whatsoeuer the drinke were should become extremely amorous of the person that offered the same likewise in this last chapter are many notable aduentures comprised ¶ The. xxij Chapiter AS the varietie of matters heretofore handled haue yelded occasion to you my Lordes and Dames of no slender solace recreatiō so I doubt not but that the residue of this woorke which hereafter shall be set to open vewe cōcerning this Historie wil suspend your intētiue mindes with the expectation of rarer delightes delightfuller discourses and by performance of that which is pretended satisfie youre conceites with surplusage of pleasaunte inuentions And now to prosecute our purpose vnderstande ye that assone as the Youth of the Fairies had left his ship which wandred upon the Sea without any gouernement and was entred into that whiche bee had conguered of the Pirates who had attempted to assaile him to their damage and vtter confusion with the aide of the man whose life he had deliuered from the daunger of death obiectyng hymselfe to perilous hazardes for the others safegarde for the selfe same person was he whom he sought for to the ende that hee might reuenge the supposed death of his faithfull frende Pharisor whom he thought to haue beene slaine by hym beyng I saie sailyng vpon the Sea in his verie company and makyng great speede to ouertake hym who was no other where but in that Sippe both to knowe if the Rouer whom he had taken could tell any tidinges of hym and also to vnderstande who were those Sea Robbers whom he had slaine hee did the meane while commaunde that the same Pirate should bee brought vnto his presence and hauyng questioned with hym concernyng those newes and shewed the cognisaunces which the knight whom he pursued bare in his armes in the hearyng of the same knight wherat he stoode muche amazed and astonished perceiuing that he enquired for hym the Pirate spake and aunswered in this wise My Lorde saide he as touchyng the Knight of whom you spake I am to certifie you
hym the twoo valiaunt Princes Hubert of Scotlande Brother to the Queene Bellizenne and Dorian Sonne to the kinge of Spaine whiche had aforetymes beene Compagnions of Armes and atchiued many Exploites and haughtie enterprises with hym He determined to addresse and make readie all sortes of recreations and pastimes the more honourablie to feaste and entertaine them as to appoint Iusâ—â—â—ges and Tourneis for the loue of Noble Dames and Ladies and to conducte them to the Chace of wilde Boares Hartes Roebuckes and other suche like beastes But as he enforced hymselfe to showe them suche and all other like pleasaunt recreations and pastimes whereof he coulde bee aduised Fortune which by her mobility inconstancie neuer suffreth thinges in one esse nor abiding but like to the immutatioÌ„ of the Sunne which sometymes lendeth vs his Raies and Beames moste resplendent cleare and brighte and his pleasaunt smilyng visage sometymes againe couered and ouerwhelmed with an infinite number of thicke and darke Cloudes or Mistes to vs appearyng obscure and darke causeth to fall vpon vs a multitude of waterishe and rainy showers straight waies is to vs frendly and fauourable lettyng vs sauour and smell the sweete taste of an infinite number of delightes and pleasures by and by contrariwise tournyng vpsidedoune the order of humaine affaires by a chaunge and alteration of dolours and sorrowes which she mingleth produceth amongest her voluptuos entisementes bringeth vs most often of anguishes and dolours a multitude innumerable making vs feele as muche bitternesse in the ende as she hath in the beginnyng brought pleasure ne permitteth loÌ„g these Princes which as then had none other care but to make good cheare and too entertaine eache one of the Queenes Dames and Damozelles which were full faire and gratious whom he bare most affection vnto to enioye these delightes pastimes without depriuyng them thereof shortly and that by the moste straunge aduenture whereof euer was made mention For so it chaunced that the newe king Floridamant beyng in his Pallaice at London in estate and forme aboue recouÌ„ted accoÌ„pagnied with the Princes Hubart of Scotlande and Dorian of Spaine purposing at after dinner to goe to course an Harte whiche hee had seene that mornyng in a Wood neere to Miranaol which was a Castell of one miles distaunce from the Towne geuen by the king to his newe espoused wife at certaine seasons there to recreate and refreshe her selfe when she should thinke good The whiche besides the Architecture and magnificent buildinges with diuersities of woorkes whereof it was framed and wrought the moste pleasaunt and riche of all others as then to be séen was in like maner so delectable and pleasaunt because of the said wood wherwith it was enuironed more then a myles compasse aboute that it was vnpossible to ioyne ought thereunto to geue enlargement to the perfection thereof in all that which one could desire or wishe to a place of like pleasaunce there entered into the Hal a Damosell of meane beauty whose countenauÌ„ce to sée to séemed so bedewed with teares dolefulnes that one would haue thought that of long tyme she had done nothyng but weapt and lamented in that as yet appeared along her face the trickling Teares distilling by grosse and greate droppes This same Damsell apperceiuyng the king whom she seemed well to knowe came to prostrate and fall doune on her knees before hym and sighyng bitterly eache one hauyng pursued her to vnderstande that whiche she would saye she spake on this sorte Most puissaunt king in whom al bountie and worthines of Chiualry and vertue aboundes more then in any other vnder Heaven the same of your prowesse humanitie courtesie and value which so often hath flowed from the one till the other side of the worlde hath caused mee to come from farre euen to these Coastes to requeste and beseech youre Royall highnesse the whiche I truste is not dispuruaied of mercy ne pittie that taking compassion of the most vnfortunate and miserable Damsell that liueth it may please you in respecte of the order of knighthoode whiche you haue taken not to denie me your succour and ayde against the most presumptuous wicked wight that liueth on the Earthe For saide she drawyng a sorrowfull sigh from the bottome of her hearte I am of opinion that none my Lord but you hath power to succour mee in this case so fierce and puissaunt is the disloyall wight whiche hath wrought mee this wrong But I hauyng so greate confidence and affiaunce in your bounty and prowesse suppose that you onely may matche hym and geue hym the ouerthrowe whiche hath bene cause that reiectyng all feare and shame through the necessitie which oppressed mée thus ouerboldly and vnreuerently I haue dared to beseech your Royall highnesse to bee so fauourable to mee in this my so vrgent affaire assuryng my self that not forgettyng in any pointe the duetie of a wise and valiaunt knight suche a one as you are accompted which is to succour Ladies Damselles afflicted as I am you will not gainesaie ne denie mee of the request whiche I pretende to make to you for that no man euer heard say that for cowardise or slacknesse vices whiche lodge not in you you euer disdained or discourteously denied any other who as I now do requested you to geue them aide and succour After that she had made an ende of her tale the king which had seen her in speaking weepe so bitterlye and three or fower tymes to breake of with suche continuall and hartie sighes and sobs that there was no harte so harde cruell and vnpitifull whiche she would not haue moued to coÌ„passion tooke such pity of her that hauyng caused her to stande vp where afore she kneeled he made her this aunswere Damsell tell mee hardly in what affaires my succour may serue and be fauourable vnto you promisyng you that nothyng forgetting my duetie I will hazard my life to sustaine your right or at the leastwise I will knowe what therin you haue Then the Damsell greatly appeased satisfied with so good and gracious an aunswere thankyng hym for the same with a lowe reuerence coloured her visage with somewhat more ioye then she brought therein painted a while afore and ceassyng her teares saide vnto hym Than I desire you Sir to geue mée audience while I make you a recitall of my ill lucke and misfortune and attentiuely to vnderstande the forme of myne aduenture more vnhappie then anye other whereof euer mention was made since the memorie of man Wherin it is meete you knowe that I am by birthe of the Lande of Thrace and Daughter of a Noble and vertuous Kynge named Minoberis who in hys tyme hath beene as strongt and valiaunte in Armes as anye other whatsoeuer but so smallye fauoured of Fortune that nowe she suffereth hym to consume the reste of his age so miserably as is possible to imagine for that he liueth in a Prison made cruell and tirannous with a torment tenne hundreth
tymes more sharpe then the horrour of death it selfe And thus it chaunced that one daie as hee was in the queste and pursuite of straunge adueÌ„tures to make proofe of his force and valure also to get praise and honour the only Guerdon of Illustrious and gentle hartes as all wanderyng knightes accustomably doe passing by chaunce through a certaine Forrest he encountred a wilde Boare whiche beyng striken and wounded through the bodie with a Darte came and fell doune not farre from hym starke dead which he apperceiuyng tooke and charged vppon his horse to cary it away but as hee beganne to departe there came towardes hym another knight of so small stature that hee exceeded not the height of two or three cubites but therwith so strong and puissaunt that no knight nor Giaunte whatsoeuer might endure his force and for this cause so fearce and presumptuous that if he sawe any thing to hym not agreable were it wrong or right he would haue it This fellowe seeing the praie whiche my Lorde and Father caried said to him very stoutly that he either should deliuer geue to hym the wild Boare out right or otherwise he would let hym vnderstande that it was not for suche a one as hym to gainsaie any thyng to hym agreable My father which had his Hearte so fixed and settled and who was of so greate courage that he could in no wise suffer so presumptuous a bragge to hym answered that he shoulde not haue it without conquest made by the pointe of the Swerde Whereon the litle knight whiche had to name Nabot was so chaffed and enraged that putting without more wordes his hande vpon his Swerde he stroake my miserable father so rudely vppon the head that at the firste blowe hee brought hym doune all astonished from his Horse to the grounde whereon after he had laied the wilde Boare he tooke my Father betwixt his armes and caried hym into the moste straunge and Butcherous Prison that euer was hearde spoken of For besides that he hath clogged his feete with greate and weightie Giues of Yâ—on hee ne geueth hym all the day to eate ought elles but a Morsell of most salt Bacon without drinking more then once in twoo daies of the moste odious and corrupte Water that is to be founde and when as hee purposeth to take his iourney anye where on Horsebacke he causeth hym to bee brought foorth to crouche to the grounde that he setting his foote vpon his backe may make hym serue for a Stirrope to mounte on Horsebacke then sendyng him backe to his Prison againe causeth hym to bee scourged and tormented moste cruelly I knowyng this my Lorde haue been often before hym to entreate hym to haue my Father raunsomed at what he woulde require But hee therein hath alwaies gainsaide mee manafyng mee with like crueltie if in fixe Monethes I coulde not prepare and present a knight whiche should bee able in iustyng to bryng hym from of his Horse Whiche thyng I endeuouryng to doe haue brought hym already full many parte whereof he hath slaine and parte whereof he hath put in a prison farre more miserable then that of my poore Father In so muche that now ignoraunte of what woodde to frame myne Arrowes I haue enterprised to make this rashe request whiche you haue harde So muche hopyng in that bountie and prowes whiche aboue all others maketh you esteemed through eache coast of the vniuersall worlde that it shall bée you onely who shall haue power by puttyng to death the cruell and disloyall Nabot to deliuer me from the mortall and languishyng dolour whiche for long space hath made in me residence geuyng to hym libertie whiche hath begotten me The kyng hauing well heard the purpose of the Damofell and supposing her to haue said true deliberated to succour her aswell for the necessitie whiche she seemed to haue of ayde and assistaunce as to proue hymselfe againste that Nabot of whom hee had often hearde speake and for whom he had searched in many Countries to doe the same without euer findyng hym at all And seeyng than when he least thought thereof the occasion too bee ministred so to fit his purpose to make proofe of the force and valiauncie of hys person by encountring with that mightie Nabot he would not lette it slippe so Yea chiefly for so iuste an occasion as that of the Damoselles In suche wise that it was not possible what pithy reasons socuer one alledged to distourne and staye hym from going alone into Thrace there to combate for so iuste a Quarell Whereof the Queene Bellizenne was much grieued and discomforted praiyng moste instauntlie the valiaunt and hardie Prince Hubert of Scotlande her brother to beare hym company whiche thing hee promised her to doe Yet the king in no wise would suffer nor permit it but deepely vowed and sware to trauell solelie with the Damsell to geue accomplishment to his promise whereof she was much inyous who instauntlie putting her selfe in waie spurryng her Palfrey in the flancke with all diligence possible And the kyng whiche was furnished of all Armour necessarie for the Combate and eke well Horsed pursued her as fast as his Horse would runne a grande gallop After whose departure al the Worthies whiche as then were resident in his Court retired home abandoning the same in suche sort that of the xij couragious Péeres of the said Britaine the Greate there remained but the kyng Ferrande of Norwaye onely whiche because of his faithfulnes and bountie was appointed Gouernour of the Realme in the absence of king Floridamant and the prudent prince Candior Duke of Normandie the whiche because of the sodaine absence of their kyng were greatly sorrowfull and astonished Notwithstanding takyng it paciently they made of necessitie a vertue for lettyng ceasse their late dolours they betooke themselues to coÌ„forte in best wise they could the desolate Princes Bellizenne whiche for sorrowe and yrksomnes tare her haires coÌ„mitted many suche foolishe actes of a fraÌ„ticke woman one without sense Which thyng the prudent Prince Ferrande of Norwaye seeyng counsailed her thereby the better to forget her griefe to goe sport her selfe at Myrandol as she did where chaunced to her that which you may perceaue in the Chapters followyng For we there muste now leaue her to make recount of that whiche hapened too the kinge after his departure with the Damosell Who was the Damosell whiche led awaie the Kyng Floridamant and who was the Necromancian Minofoll which had builded by his enchauntments the superbious and sumptuous edifice of the red Castell And also how the king lost the Damsell in a thicke wood replenished with wilde and sauage beastes where his Horse beyng dead vnder hym he hard the lamentable voyce of a certaine Damsell whiche complained most bitterly Towardes whom as he marched to succour her he recountered a Knight whom after a fierce and tedious Combate he slewe ¶ The seconde Chapter WHEN once the desire of vengeaunce hath taken roote in
whole earth as also his worthines meriteth no lesse reputation for encountring his brother Nabot by chaunce vpon a day he fought against hym hande to hand with suche furie that their Combate endured a whole daye vntill the euenyng When as eache of them amazed at the valiaunce of the other hauyng neuer as yet found any wight that long could withstand them entered into questionyng one of the other concernyng the place of their birth and what they were so that hauyng recounted their fortunes as they sometymes had hearde tolde by suche as nourished theym they knewe themselues to bee brethren and dooyng awaye all debate éntertained eache other with an other kinde of greetyng then all the day before they had done Afterwardes iournenyng both together they were seperated I knowe not by what aduenture but in suche sorte that the Graunt the fame of whose prowesse was spread ouer all the Circuite of the world came vnto the kyng of higher Mysia where he was somewhat welcomed by his Ladye who was glad of suche a one for her Knight And feedyng hymselfe with the conceipt of good happe for that the Princesse had caste certain glaunces towardes him he tooke vpon hym at last the boldnes to discouer his loue vnto her who cuttyng of his suite with a short and sharpe aunswere compelled hym as then to desiste frō his enterprise neuerthelesse his kindled and secret fire brussing at length into open and feruēt flames intolerably continually vexyng him made him to hazarde his speache once more to assaie if he could mollifie her indurate brest with the compassion of his miserie but the Dame persistyng obstinatly in her accustomed maner aunswered hym with the like denial as she had done afore howbeit not sauced with such bitter taūtes which brought the Giaunt into conceipte that her vntractable rigour and selfwill beganne somewhat to mittigate Wherefore espiyng fit oportunitie for the renuyng of his suite he findeth meanes to haue accesse vnto her being alone in her Chamber where enteryng into communication hee discourseth vnto her a faire and Courtly Tale whereof he had prouided hymself afore hande concernyng his extreme passions settyng it forth to the vttermost in wordes voyce countenaunce and gesture concludyng euery sentence with suche sighing that the scornefull Dame seemed partly to relent renderyng hym an aunswere tolerable inough For quoth she I can not persuade my self that your affections are so feruent as you though fainedly haue here expressed seyng that you haue not as yet aduentured your selfe in any attempt deseruing my fauour but if for my loue you will not shrinke to enterprize one Combate at my appoyntment I will not sticke to accepte you for my Knight and frende so that you worthely atchiue the same The Giaunt exceeding ioyfull of so wished an aunswere saied that shee should commaunde him nothyng were it neuer so difficulte and vneasie but that in hope of her good grace he would bryng it to passe Mary then saied the Dame you are to goe to morrowe to the castle of Melande where you must fight against all them that you shal finde therin and if you retourne from thence victorious then you shall bee he that may dispose of mee accordyng to your owne will. For I haue vowed that no person shall purchase the graunt of my good will nor enioye the fruites of my loue but onely he that shal accōplishe that act These wordes did cast the Giant into his dumpes especially for that he had charged his owne shoulders with so troublesome and heauie a burden for it behoued hym to Combate with more then a Million of Deuils who were enclosed in an old ruinous castle beyng inhabitable by reason thereof beyng there set by the Inchauntmentes of an old Sorceresse named Melande and to chase thē out it was vnpossible for any sauyng for hym that surpassed all other Knightes in force and prowesse So it was notwithstandyng that the Giaunt purposing with hymselfe that a spéedie and praiseworthy death was to bee preferred before a languishyng and vnhappy life suche as he endured fayled not to put in execution the commaundement of his Dame. And did so muche by his worthines and courage that hee defeated the Charmes of the Enchaunteresse and draue from thence the Deuilles who daiely raised vp an horrible Tempest and vproare in the Castle after departyng from thence a victorious conquerout he hasted to his Dame requiring her to perfourme her promise She vnderstanding thereof and forced to her extremities settled her wittes to the inuention of some mischiuous practize wherby the Giauntes daie might bee abridged Wherefore albeit at the first her outwarde countenaunce descried the inwarde motions of her spitefull hearte yet to the entente shee mought the more certainly entrappe hym vnwares she entertained hym courteously inough and lookyng foorthe at one of the casementes of her chāber windowe that stode ouer againste a Parke wherein the kyng her Father had caused a greate multitude of Lions Beares Boares and sundrie other sauage beastes to be put willed the Giaunt to looke out at an other that thei might talke together whiche hee presently did Deemyng hymselfe happye in receiuyng suche fauour of his Dame. But as hee was in beginnyng to declare the vnfainednes of his affections the Dame who was wilye and guilefull seemyng to giue attentiue eare to his speach did let fal as though it were by misregard one of her Bracelets garnished ouer with fine Diamondes Rubies Emeraldes and other Precious stones curiously wrought which she was accustomed to weare on her Armes whereat she séemyng to be somewhat agrieued did complaine for the losse of her Bracelet Squamel seeyng her grief conceiued for the want of so riche and precious a Jewell and mistrustyng no whit the malice of his Maistris offered rather hastely then willingly to descende into the place if it liked her thinking that she loued him so wel that she would not permit hym to assubiect his person to such euident hazardes among suche a number of wilde Beastes but his expectation was deceiued For the Dame most instauntly required him to doe it and hee without gainesaiyng or delaye furnished with no defensible thing excepte his Sworde only descended deliuerly into the Parke of rampyng Lions and other cruell beastes who had no sooner perceiued hym but like vnto a companie of dogges when they see a Wolfe inuadyng the flocke to catche a Sheepe so ranne they from all partes to assaile hym but so incomparable was his mighty prowesse in that exigent that after hee had killed a greate maynie of them hee escaped aliue out of that deadly daunger houbeit not without sundry Woundes and Bruises whereof reporte beyng made to the kyng he was no lesse astonished at the hardines of the Giant thē aggreued at the losse of his beastes for hee tooke greate delight in the kéeping of them Wherfore in his indignatiō he threatened to put the Giaunt to death without respect of the seruice done by hym Who beyng aduertized of his
displeasure caused sixe or seauen greate shippes to be rigged for his speedy auoydyng out of the Realme of Mysia to the ende he might escape the reache of the kynges power beyng his Lorde against whom he would not for any thing in the world make resistaunce Then committyng hymselfe to the Surges of the Sea bearyng an Ocean of Passions in his mynde beefore his departure he tooke Congee of his Dame who in steede of Adieu vomityng out the venyme which she caried in her cankred stomacke she vpbraided him with a thousande iniuries and péeuishe slaunders whiche might haue apparauntly assured the Giant of the spitefulnes of his disloyall Lady Yet he making small accompt thereof and supposing that she had spoken the same in iest persuaded himselfe that such discourtesie and mischieuousnes findyng no place in the heart of so fayre and louely a Dame it could not be but that he was ardently beloued of her sauing that she would not haue it appeare for feare lest any should thereof certifie the king her father Wanderyng on the Sea and blinded with this false opinion by aduenture he discouered the faire I le whiche with the ayde of many of vs that were his especiall frendes who had accompanied hym in all that Iourny he conquered and established hymself in the seate Royall after that hee had chased hym that was in possession afore from thence although he was a puissaunte Prince and defeated the more parte of them that withstoode his attempte And in consideration of the beauty holsome site and plentifulnes of the same I le he determined to make the same a place of continuall aboade for hym during life Now for because it is a place where many vessels doe vse to lye at Ancre hee determined to spoyle as many as he could possibly catche whiche hee omitted not to doe accordingly so that by the Riches and Furniture whiche he hath purchased through such kynd of pilling he is become one of the most puissaunt and redoubted Princes that is in Gréece except the Emperour of Constantinople as sometymes I haue heard hym reporte vnto the knight slayne by you who had beene not long sithence in his seruice in the company of the Duke of Chalcide That knight fallyng extremely in loue with the Daughter of the same Duke had required sundry tymes her loue in lieu but the proude and disdainefull Damozell despising hym did set light by his suite wherat the knight takyng exceedyng indignation and thinkyng to be reuenged as he walked abroade on a certaine daye he met with a straunger who in his time had been so connyng in the arte of Magique that by his skill he had formed a Goblet of Gold wherin were set many fayre Precious stones of value inestimable endued with such vertue that who so dranke therin whatsoeuer the Potion were should bee enamoured on that person who had poured the drinke into the saied Goblet Which he refte froÌ„ the poore Magician who had bene an exile of Persia for that the greate Souldan of that region would haue had it to the ende he might purchase the loue of the Emperours daughter of Constantinople Thus hauyng recouered this enchaunted Cup he founde meanes that his cruell Dame dranke therein who was and is yet so entangled in the loue of a young Page whiche somtymes serued her that she shrinked not to prostitute her body to be abused by hym in Venus daliaunces and disportes but to the ende he might bereue her of the swete delightes whiche she had with her newe loue the knight slue hym and vpoÌ„ this occasion was forced to forsake his countrie lest he should be apprehended and punished As he was wanderyng on the sea entendyng to haue gone into Persia to sell the same cuppe to the greate Souldan hee was preuented in his Iourney by vs who vnder the conduct of our Maister Squamel seyng that there artued no other ship at our Ile by the spoile whereof wee might encrease our wealth as wee were accustomed wee beganne to roue along the Seas from Coaste to Coast to get some good booty And so this knight being taken as before is saied the Giaunt Squamel commaunded hym to be Closed vp into an euill fauoured and lothesome Prison in the companie of many others whom he had held there in miserable thraldome whoÌ„ at suche tymes as he entered any voyage on the Sea to apprehende some vesselles passyng by he caused them to be bounde very straitly to the maste So that the same knight beyng there placed among the rest and chauncyng to heare the Giant complaine of the crueltie and rigour of faire Lucinde his Dame tolde hym that if he would graunte hym libertie hee would so vse the matter that the Giant should be so muche beloued of her as now he is hated by the vertue of the golden Goblet wherof we baue made mention The Giaunt consented thereto willingly Afterwardes the knight hauyng deliuered it he trauailed into high Mysia where he found meanes to make his Dame secretly a Presente of the Inchaunted Goblet wherein he caused her to drinke saiyng that it retained the property that the Dame or gentlewoman which he should graunt to drinke in the same should become so faire that she should be seconde to none in perfection of beautie But the triall verified his woordes to bée vntrue for in steede of augmenting of her beauty she is contrariwise so withered wanne and disfigured that shee hath loste the principallest parte of her beautifulnes she hath euer since and is still so worne away by force of her amourous passion For our maister hath purposed to suffer her to languishe so long as he remained bouÌ„de vnder the seruile yoke of her loue Wherat he receiued suche contentation that for the recoÌ„pence of the gift offered vnto him by that knight he constituted hym Lieutenante generall and vicegenent in his absence of the kyngdome of the faire I le coÌ„mittyng vnto hym all charge to pill and robbe whatsoeuer he may by any possibilitie attaine vnto whiche he endeuouring to accomplish this misaduenture is happened vnto hym and to the other knight beyng his cosin and taken with hym whom your companion hath slaine whiche you knowe better then my selfe For â—aâ—yng discouered you hee left his Armie that is not farre hence â—o searche for that whiche he was no more able to demaunde then I or al they whose daies you haue cut of And assure your selfe my Lorde that if the reste of my compaignions should vnderstande of his death you shall hardely escape they happenyng to encounter you for they are more then sixe hundreth stoute and lusty Souldiers Behold my Lorde the occasion wherupon he was appointed to be our Capitaine and what he was according to your demaunde After that the Pirate had ended his tale in the order afore declared the Youthe who attentiuely gaue eare called to his remembraunce that this Knight was the persone wherof the Ladie enamoured lackyng her Louer spake euen as you heard reported afore when he was separated froÌ„ his faithfull fréende Pharisor Wherefore he reioyced not alittle for that he had reuenged her quarell in recompence of the intertainmeÌ„t which she had made hym in her Castle And coÌ„sideryng with hym self that the InchauÌ„ted Cup detained by the Giant Squamel should serue his turne passing well in the pursuite of his Loue determined therefore to winue it from the Giante either by faire meanes or force after that he had founde and fought with the vnknowen knight to wreake the death of Pharisor who on the other side aduentured to doe the like wherevpon suche chaunces befell hym as more fitly and pleasauntly I entende to recounte in the seconde Booke For now am I constrained to leaue the Youthe of the Fairies wandryng vpon the maine Seas in the compaignie of hym whom he pursued to whoÌ„ fortuned the moste straunge adueÌ„ture that euer was heard of because that reason requireth me to ende this first part for so muche as the same order is obserued by our auncient Chronicler Gallarx whose stile and maner of writing I doe imitate Wherfore my Lords Dames I humbly request you to holde me excused if any defecte happen to bee founde in this booke assuryng you to supplie all suche wantes in the nexte with more pleasure and contentmente if so bee it shall like you to bestowe your coÌ„uenient leasure in the readyng thereof and that with vsurie recityng vnto youthe dreadfull combate betwene the Youth of the Faieries and the Giant Squamel who withhelde his horse and Armour and of the moste couragious and puissaunte knight Nabot who had the good Sworde Duranzarde whiche he had coÌ„quered from the Giant Scaraferab and did cutte any thyng that it did light vppon likewise the enchaunted Armour whiche I perswade my self shall yelde no lesse delight vnto valiaunt knightes who receiue pleasure in hearyng of the worthy actes of our auncestours then the loue ful of bitter pleasures and swéete bitternes betweene the saide Youthe and the Lady Porphyrie wil be pleasureable to all beautiful and fauourable Dames For I will there describe many other accidentes no lesse delectable then wonderfull contained within the compasse of this Hystorie FINIS