raging seas arriued in the vnhappy dominions of Iuda vnhappy by reason of the long and troublesome misery hee indured for the loue of a fayre Iew For comming to the rich and beautifull Citty of Ierusalem being in that age the woonder of the world for braue buildings Princely Pallaces gorgeous Monuments and time woondering Temples hee so admired the glorious scituation thereof being the richest place that euer his eyes behâ—ld that he stoode before the walles of Ierusalem one while gazing vppon her golden gates glistering against the Suns bright countenance another while beholding her stately Pâ—nnacles whose lofty péering tops seemde to touch the Clouds another while woondring at her towers of Iasper Iett and Ebony her strong and fortefied walles thrée times doubled about the Citty the glistering Spires of the Temples of Sion built in the fashion and similitude of two Piramides the auncient monument of Greece whose battlements were couered with stéele the walles burnished with siluer and the ground paued with tinne Thus as this inobled and famoused knight at Aâ—mâ—s stood beholding the scituation of Ierusalem there sodainely thundred such a peale of Ordinance within the Citty that it séemed in his rauished conceit to shake the vales of heauen and to mooue the déepe foundations of the fastned earth whereat his horse gaue such a sodaine start that he leâ—t forty foote from the place whereon he stood After this he heard the chearefull sound of Drums and the ecchoes of brazen Trumpets by which the good Champion exspected some honorable pastime or some great tâ—rnament to be at hand which indeede so fell out for no sooner did he cast his vigilant eyes toward the East side of the City but he beheld a troope of well appointed horse come marching through the Gates after them twelue Armed Knights mounted on Warlike Coursees bearing in their handes twelue blood red streamers wheron was wrought in silke the picture of Adonis wounded with a Bore after them the King drawne in a Charriot by Spanish Genets which be a certaine kind of Steeds ingendred by the winde The Kings Guard were a hundred nâ—ked Moores with Turkish Bowes and Darts feathered with Rauens quilles after them marched Celestine the â—ing of Ierusalems faire Daughter mounted on a tâ—me Unicorne in her hand a Iauelin of siluer Armed with a breast plate of gold artificially wrought like the skales of a Porcupine her Guard were a hundred Amazonian Dames â—lad in greene 〈◊〉 after them follâ—wed a â—umber of â—â—quiers Gentlemen some vpon Barbarian Stéeds some vpon Arabian Palfrayâ—s and some on foote in pace more nimbler than the tripping Dâ—are â— more swifter than the tameles Harts vâ—on the mountaines of Thessalie Thus Nâ—buzaradan great King of Ierusalem for so was he called solemnely â—unted in the Wildernes of Iuda bâ—eing a countrie verie much anoyed with wilde beasts as the Lyon the Leopard the Bore and such like In which exercise the King apointed as it was proclâ—imed by his chiefe Harrold at Armes the which he heard repeated by a shéepheard in the fieldes that whosoeuer sâ—ewe the first wilde beast in the Forrest shuld haue in reward a Corsâ—et of stéele so richlie ingraued that it shuld be worth a thousand sickles of siluer Of which Honorable enterprise when the Champion had vnderstanding with what liberall bountie thâ— aduentâ—rus Knights should bee rewarded his heart was â—â—angâ—ted with inuincible courage thirsting after glorious attempts not onely for hope of gaine but for the desire of Honour At which hys illustrious and vndaunted 〈◊〉 aymed at to internize his déedes in the memorable records of Fame and to shine as a Christall mirrour to all insuing times So closing downe his Beuer and locking on his furniture scoured ouer the plaines before the Hunters of Ierusalem in paâ—e more swifter than the winged windes till he aproched an olde solitarie and vnfrequented Forrest wherein he espied a huge and mighty wilde Bore lying before his mossie den gnawing vpon the mangled ioynts of some passenger which hee had murthered as hee trauailed through the Forrest This Bore was of a wonderfull length and bignes so tyrrable to behold that at the first sight hee almost daunted the courage of this Spanish Knight for his monstrous head séemed vgly and deformed hys eyes sparkeled like a â—irie furnace hys tuskes more sharper than picks of steâ—le and from hys nostrels fumed such a violent breath that it séemed like a tempestious whirle winde his brissels were more harder than seauen times milted brasse and his tayle more loathsome than a wreath of Snakes Nâ—re whomâ— when Saint Iames approched and beheld how he drank the blood of humane creatures and deuoured their fleshe hée blew hys siluer horne which as then hung at the pummell of hys saddle in a scarfe of gréene silke whereat the furious monster roused himselfe and most fiercely assailed the Noble Champion which most nimbly leaped from his horse with his speare stroke such a violent blow against the brest of the Borâ— that it shiuered into twentie péeces Then drawing hys good Fauchion from hys side gaue him a second incounter but all in vaine for hee stroke as it were on a Rocke of stone or a piller of Iron nothing hurtfull to the Bore but at last with staring eies which sparkled like burning stéele and with open Iawes the gréedy monster assailed the Champion intending to swallow him aliue but the nimble Knight as then trusted more vpon pollicie than to fortitude and so for aduantage skipped from place to place till on a sodaine he thrust his kéene edged 〈◊〉 aâ—e downe his intestine throate and so most valiantly split his hart in sunder The which beeing accomplished to his own desâ—ers he cut off the Bores head and so presented the Honour of his Combat to the king of Ierusalem who as then with his mightie traine of Knights were but now enâ—â—red the Forrest but haâ—ing gratiously accepted the giâ—t and bountifullie fulfilled his promises demaunding the Champions Countrie his Religion place of Natiuitie who no sooner had intelligence how he was a Christian Knight and borne in the territories of Spaine but presently his patience exchaunged into extreame furie and by these wordes heâ— expressed his cankered stomacke towardes the Christian Champion Knowst thou not bold Knight said the King of Ierusalem that it is the law of Iuda to harbour no vncircumsiced man but eyther bannish him the land or end his dayes by some vntimelâ— death Thou art a Christian and therefore shalt thou die not all thy countries treasure the wealthie Spanish mines nor if all the Alphes which deuide the countries of Italie and Spaine were turned to hilles of burnisht gold and made my lawfull heritage they shuld not redéeme thy life Yet for the Honour thou haste done in Iuda I grant thée this loue by the law of Armes to choose thy death els hadst thou suffered a timmerous torment which seuere Iudgment amazed the Champion that desperately he would haue gorgde
him selfe vppon his owne sworde but that he thought it an honour to hys countrie to die in the defence of Christendome So like a true innobled Knight fearing neyther the threates of the Iewes nor the impartiall stroake of the faâ—all sisters gaue this sentence of his own death First he requested to bee bounde to a pine tree with his breast laid open naked against the Sun then to hâ—ue an â—owers respite to make his suplication to his Creator and afterwardes to be shot to death by a pure Uirgin Which wordes were no sooner pronounced but they disarmed him of hys furniture bound him to a Pine trée and laide his breast open readie to entertaine the bloody strâ—ke of some vnrelenting maiden but such pittie mâ—â—ke mercy and kinde lenâ—ty lodged in the heart of â—â—rie maiden that none would take in hand to be the bloody Executioner of so braue a Knight At last the tyrranous Nabuzaradan gaue strickt commandement vpon paine of death that lotâ— shuld be cast amongst the maidens of Iuda that were there present and to whome the lot did fall should be the fatall executioner of the condemned Champion But by fortune the chaunce fell to Celestine the Kinges own Daughter beeing the Parragon of beautie and the fairest Maide then liuing in Ierusalem in whose heart no such deede of crueltie coulde be harboured nor in whose hand no bloodâ— weapon could be entertained In stéede of deathes fatall Instrument sheâ— shot towards his breast a déepe strained sigh the true messenger of loue and afterward to heauen she thus made her humble supplication Thou great commaunder of celestiall moouing powers conuert the cruell motions of my Fathers minde into a spring of pittifull teares that they may wash away the blood of this innocent Knight from the habitation of his stained purple soule O Iuda and Ierusalem within whose bâ—somes liues a Wildernes of Tygers degenerate from natures kinde more cruell than the hungrie Canibals and more obdurate than vntamed Lyons what merciles Tyger can vnrip that breast where liues the Image of true Nobilitie the verie patterne of Knighthood and the map of a Noble minde No no before my handes shall be stained with Christians blood I will like Scilla against all nature sell my countries safetie or like Maedea wander with the golden Fléece to vnknowne Nations Thus and in such manner complained the beautious Celestine the Kings Daughter of Ierusalem till her sighes stopped the passage of her spéech and her teares stained the naturall beautie of her Rosie Cheekes her haires which glistered like to golden wiers she bâ—smâ—â—de in dust and disâ—obed her selfe from her costly garments and then with a traine of her Amazonian Ladies went to the King her Father where after a long 〈◊〉 she not onely obtainde his life but libertie yet therwithall hys perpetuall banishment from Ierusalem and from all the borderâ— of Iuda the want of whose sight more grieued her hart than the losse of her owne life So this Noble praise worthie Celestâ—ne returned to the Christian Champion that expected euerie minnute to entertaine the sentence of death but his expectation fell out contrarie for the good Ladie after shee had sealed two or three kisses vpon his pale lips beeing exchaunged through the feare of death cut the â—andes that bound hys body to the trée in a hundred péeces 〈◊〉 with a â—â—oud of fault teares the motions of true loue she thus reuealed her minde Most Noble Knight and true Champion of Christendome thy life and libertie I haue gainde but therewithall thy banishment from Iuda which is a hell of horror to my soule for in thy bosome haue I built my happines and in thy hart I account the Paradice of my true loue thy first â—â—ght and louely countenance did so rauish mee when these eyes behâ—ld thée mounted on thy Princely Paâ—fray that euer since my hart hath burnde in affection therefore deare Knight in reward of my loue be thou my Champion and for my sake weare this ring with this posâ—e ingrauen in 〈◊〉 Ardio affectione and so giuing him a ring from her finger and there withall a kisse from her mouth shee departed with a sorrowfull sigh in companiâ— of her Father and the rest of hys Honourable traine backe to the Citty of Ierusalem béeing as then néere the setting of the Sunne But now Saint Iames the Champion of Spaine hauing passed the danger of death and at full libeâ—â—â—e to depart from that vnhappie Nation hee fell into a hundred cogitations one while thinking vpâ—n the tâ—ue loue of Celestine whose name as yet he was ignorant of another while vpon the cruelâ—ie of her father then â—ntending to depart into hâ—s his owne countrie but lâ—â—king 〈◊〉 to the Towers of Ierusalem his minde sodainely altâ—red for thither hee purposed to goe hoping to haue a sight of hyâ— Ladiâ— and Mistresse and to liue in some disguised â—ortâ—â— her presence and bee her loues true Champion against all 〈◊〉 So gathering certaine blackberies from the trées he coloured his body all ouer like a Blaâ—kamoore But yet considering that hys spéech would discouer him intended likewise to continue dumbe all the time of his residence in Ierusalem So all thinges ordered according to his desire he tooke his iournie to the Cittie where with signes and other motions of dumbnes he declared his intent which was to bée entertained in the Court and to spend his time in the seruice of the King But when the King beholdâ— his countenance which seemed of the naturall colour of the Moore little mistrusted him to be the Christian Champion whome before he greatly enuied but accounted him one 〈◊〉 the brauest Iudean Knights that euer his eye behelde therefore hee instauld him with the honouâ— of Knighthood 〈◊〉 â—ppointed him to bee one of his Guard and likewise his Daughters onlie Championâ— But whâ—â— Saint Iames of Spaine sawâ— himselfe inâ—ested in that honoured place his soule was raâ—ished with such excéeding ioy that he thought no pleasure comparable to hys no place of Elisium but the Court of Ierusalem and no Goddesse 〈◊〉 hys beloued Celestine Lâ—ng continued he 〈◊〉 casting foorth manie a louing sigh in the presence of his Ladie and Mistresse not knowing how to reueale the secrets of his minde So vppon a time there ariued in the Court of Nabuzaradan the King of Arabia with the Admirall of Babilon both presuming vpon the loue of Celestine and crauing her in the way of marriage but shée exempted all motions of loue from her chaste minde onlie building her thoughtes vpon the Spanish Knight which shée supposed to bee in hys owne Countriâ— At whose melancholie passions her importunate sutors the King of Arabia and the Admâ—â—all of Babilon 〈◊〉 and therefore intended vppâ—â—â—n Euening to prâ—sent her with some rare deuised Maske â—o choosing out fiâ— consorts for their Courtly pastimes Of which number the King of Arabia was chiefe and first leader of 〈◊〉 traine the great Admirall of Babilon was the second and
earth and to rattle against the walles of the Castell like mighty thunder claps and had not the polliticke Knight continually skipped from the furie of his blow hee had béene brused as small as flesh vnto the potte for euerie stroke that the Giant gaue the roote of hys Oake entered at the least two or thrée foote déepe into the groundâ— But such was the wisedome and pollicie of the worthie Champion not to withstand the force of his weapon till the Giant grew breathles and not able through his long labour to lift the Oake aboue his head and likewise the heate of the Sunne was so intollerable by reason of the extreame haight of the Mountaine and the mightie waight oâ— hys Iron coate that the sweat of the Gyants browes ran into hys eyes and by the reason that hee was so extreame fat hee grewe blinde that hee coulde not see to indure Combat with him any longer and as farre as hee coulde perceiue woulde haue retired or runne backe againe into hys Castell but that the Italian Champion with a bold courage assailed the Giant so fiercely that he was forced to let his Oake fall and stand gasping for breath which when the noble Knight beheld with a fresh supplie hee redoubled his blowes so couragiously that they battered on the Giants Armour like a storme of winters haâ—le whereby at last Blanderon was compelled to aske the Champion mercie and to craâ—e at his hands some respite of breathing but his demaunde was in vaine for the valiant Knight supposed now or neuer to obtaine the honour of the day therefore neuer resting his wearie arme but redoubling blow after blow till the Gyant for want of breath and through the anguish of his deepe gashed wounds was forced to giue the world a farewell and to yéelde the riches of his Castell to the most renowned Conquerour S. Anthonie the Champion of Italie But by that time the long and dangerous encounter was finished and the Giant Blanderons head disseuered from his bodie the Sunne sate mounted on the highest part of the Elements which caused the day to be extreame hote and sulthie whereby the Champions Armour so extreamely scalded him that hee was constrained to vnbrace his Corslet and to lay aside his Burgonet and to cast his body on the cold earth onely to mittigaâ—e his ouerburthened heate But such was the vnnaturall coolenâ—s of the earth and so vnkindely to his ouerlabored hart that the melted grease of his inward parts was ouercooled sodainely wherby his bodie receiued such vnnaturall distemperature that the vapors of the cold earth stroke presently to hys heart by which hys vitall aire of life was excluded and hys body without sence or moouing wherein the mercie of pale death he lay bereaued of féeling for the space of an houre During which time faire Rossalinde one of the Daughters of the Thracian Kinges beeing as then Prisoner in the Castell by chaunce looked ouer the walles and espied the bodie of the Giant headles vnder whose subiection shée had continued in great seruitude for the time of seauen monthes likewise by him a Knight vnarmed as she thought panting for breath the which the Ladie Iudged to bee the Knight that had slaine the Giant Blanderon the man by whome her deliuerie should be recouered she presently descended the walles of the Castell and ran with all speed to the aduenterous Champion whome she found dead But yet béeing nothing discouraged of his recouerie féeling as yet a warme blood in euerie member retired backe with all spéede to the Castell and fetcht a box of pretious Balme the which the Giant was wont to poure into hys woundes after his encounter with any knight with which Balme this curteous Ladie chafed euerie part of the breathles Champions bodie one while washing his stiffe limbes with her salt teares the which like pearles fell from her eyes another while drying them with the tresses of her golden haire which hung dangling in the winde then chafing hys liâ—eles bodie againe with a Balme of a contrarie nature but yet no signe of life could she espie in the dead Knight which caused her to growe desperate of all hope of his recouerie Therefore like a louing méeke and kinde Lady considering he had lost his life for her sake shee intended to beare him companie in death and with her owne handes to finâ—â— vp her dayes and to die vpon his breast as This be died vpon the breast of her true Pyrramus therfore as the Swanne singes a while before her death so this sorrowfull Ladie warblâ—d foorth this Swan-like song ouer the bodie of the Noble Champion Muses come mourne with dolefull mellodie Kinde Siluane Nimphes that sit in Rosie bowersâ— With brackish teares commix your harmonie To waile with me both minutes monthes and houres A heauie sad and Swan-like song sing I To ease my hart a while before I die Dead is the Knight for whome I liue and die Dead is the Knight which for my sake is slaine Dead is the Knight for whome my carefull crie With wounded soules for euer shall complaiâ—â—â— A heauie sad and Swan-like song sing I To ease my hart a while before I die Ile set my breast vpon a siluer streame And swim vnto Elisium lillie fields There in Ambrosian trees Ile write a Theame Of all the wofull sighes my sorrow yeelds A heauie sad and Swan-like song sing I To ease my hart a while before I die Farewell faire woods where singes the Nightingales Farewell faire fields where feeds the light foote Does Farewell you groues you hilles and flourish dales But fare thou ill the cause of all my woes A heauie sad and Swanlike song sing I To ease my hart a while before I die Ring out my ruth you hollow Caues of stone Both birds and beasts with all things on the ground You sencsles trees be all assistant to my mone That vp to heauen my sorrowes may resound A heauie sad and swanlike song sing I To ease my hart a while before I die Let all the Townes of Thrace ring out my knell And write in leaues of brasse what I haue said That after ages may remember well How Rosalinde both liude and dide a Maid A heauie sad and Swanlike song sing I To ease my hart a while before I die This wofull Dittie béeing no sooner ended but the desperate Ladie vnsheathed the Champions sword which as yet was all besprinkled with the Gyants blood and béeing at the verie point to execute her intended Tragedie and the bloody weapon directly placed against her Iuorie breast but shee heard the distressed Knight giue a grieuous tâ—rrible grone whereat she stopped her remorcâ—les â—and with more discreation tendered her owne safetie for by this time the Balme wherewith she anoyntâ—d hys bodie by wonderfull operation recâ—uered the dead Champion insomuch that after some few gaspes and earnest sighes hee raised vp hys stiffe limbes from the cold earth where like one cast into a trance for
blâ—w which fatall spectakle incouraged her to a spéedy performance and by the light of the two lamps shée vnbraced her vestures and stripped her selfe into her milke-white smock hauing not so much vpon her head as a Caule to hold vp her golden haire After this she tooke her siluer bodkin that before shee had secretly hidden in her haire and with a wrathfull countenance vpon whose browes sate the image of pale death shee came to her nâ—we married sister béeing then ouercome with a heauie slumber and with her Bodkin perced her tender breast who immediatly at the â—â—oke thereof started from her sléepe and gaue such a pittifull â—â—rike that it would haue wâ—kened the whole Court but that the Chamber 〈◊〉 farre from the hearing of all company except her bloody minded sister whose hand was ready to redouble her furie with a second stroke But when Marcilla beheld the shéetes and ornaments of her bed bestained with pâ—â—ple gaze and from her breast ran streames of Crimson blood which like to a fountains trickled from her Iuorie bosome shee breathed foorth thys earnest exclamation against the crueltie of Castria O sister said she hath nature harboured in thy breast a bloody minde What Furie hath incenst thée thus to commit my Tragedy In what haue I 〈◊〉 or wherein hath my tongue 〈…〉 What cause hath béene occasion that thy remorceles hand against true natiâ—â—â—y hath conuerted my ioyfull Nuptials to a wofull Funerall This is the cause replyed Castria and therewithall shewed her wombe growne big through the burden of her Childe that I haue bathed my handes in thy detested blood Sée see Marcilla said shée the vnhappie bed wherin thy accursed husband oath sâ—wen his séed by which my virgins honour 〈◊〉 foâ— euer stainde this is the spot which thy heart blood must wash away and this is the shame that nothing but death shall 〈◊〉 Therefore a swéete reuenge and a present murther will I likewise commit vppon my selfe whereby my loathed soule incompany of my vnborne babe shall wander with thy Ghost along the Stygiâ—n lakes Which wordes béeing no sooner finished but she violently pierced her owne breast whereby the two sisters 〈◊〉 were equally mingled together but now Marcilla beeing the first wounded and the nearer drawing towards death she wofully complained this dying Lamentatioâ— Draw nere said shée you blazing starres you earthlie Angels and imbrothered Girles you louely Ladies flourishing Dames of Scythia behold hir wofull end whose glorâ—â—â— mounted higher than the elements behold my marriage bed which is beautified with Tapestrie now conuerted to deaths bloody habitation my braue attire to earthly mould and my Princely Pallaces to Elizium 〈◊〉 being a place appointed for those Dames that liude and dide true virgins for now I feele the paines of death closing my liues windowes and my heart readie to entertaine the stroke of desteniâ— Come Floridon come in steed of armes get Eagles wings that in thy bosome I may breath my murthered Ghost world fare thou well I was too proud of thy inticing pleasures thy Princely pompe and all thy glistering ornaments I must for euer bid adue Father farewell with all thy masking Traine of Courtly Ladies Knights Gentlewomen my death I know will make thy Pallace â—â—aths gloomie regiment and last of all farewell thy Noble Floridon for thy swéete sake Marcilla nowe is murthered At the end of which words the dying Ladie béeing faint with the abundance of blood that issued from her wounded breast gaue vp the Ghost No sooner had pale death ceazed vpon her â—â—eles body but Castria likewise through 〈…〉 of her wound was readie to entertaine the stroke of the fatall sisters who likewise complained in this manner Harken you louing Girles saide shee to you I speake that knowes what endles griefe disloyall and false loue brâ—â—des inconstant mindes the thought whereof is so intollerable to my soule that it excéeds the torments of Danaus daughters that continually filles water into the bottomles tubs in hell Oh that my eares had neuer listned to â—â—â—fugered spéeches or neuer knowne what Courtly pleasures meant where beautie is a baite for euery lustfull eye but rather to haue liude a Countrie Lasse where swéete content is harboured and beauty shrowded vnder true humility then had not Floridon bereaued me of my swéet virginity nor had not this accuâ—sed hand committed this cruell murder but oh I féele my soule passing to Eliziâ—â— shades where Crusas shadow and Didos Ghost hath their abiding thither doth my spirit flye to bee entertained amongst those vnhappy Ladies that vnconstant loue hath murdered thus Castria not béeing able to speake any longer gaue a verie grieuous sigh and so bad adue to the world But when the morninges sun had chast away the darksome night FloridoÌ„ who little mistrusted the tragedy of the two sisters repayred to the chamber dore with a Consort of skillfull Musitians where their conspiring hâ—rmonye sounded to the walls and Floridons morninges salutations were spente in vayne for death so stopt the two Princes eares that no resound of thankes at all reanswered his wordes which caused Floridon to departe thinking them to be a sléepe and to returne with in an hower 〈◊〉 who with out any company came to the chamber dore where be a gain found all silent at which suspecting some further euent burst open the dore where being no sooner entred but he found the two Ladies wâ—ltring in purple â—ore which wofull spectackle presently so bereaued him of his wits that like a franticke man he raged vp and downe and in this maner bitterly complained Oh you immortal powers open the wrathfull gates of heauen in your Iustice punish me for my vnconstant loue hath murthered two of the brauest Ladies that euer nature framed reuiue swéetâ— Dames of Scythia heare mâ—e speake that 〈◊〉 the wofullest wretch that euer spake with tongue If Ghost may here be giuen for Ghost deare Ladies take my soule and liue or if my hart might dwell within your breasts this hand shal equally deuide it What are wordes vaine although my proffer cannot purchase life nor recouer your breathing spirits againe yet vengeaunce shall 〈◊〉 haue 〈◊〉 shall 〈◊〉 my fatall 〈◊〉 and here 〈…〉 bloody brest of soule â—hereby my vnhappie Ghost shall followe you throug◠〈◊〉 Tartar gulfes through burning lakes through the low 〈◊〉 shades of dreadfull Coffitus gape gape 〈◊〉 earth 〈◊〉 wombe make all our toombes together 〈◊〉 wofull lamentation being no sooner brâ—athed 〈◊〉 hys sorrowfull brest 〈◊〉 finished his dayes by the sâ—â—â—ke of that same accursed â—â—â—kin that was the bloody instrument of the two sisters deathes the which he found shall remayning in the remorceles hand of Castria Thus haue you heard most worthie Knight the true Tragedy of thrée of the goodliest personages that euer nature framed but now with dilligent eares listen to the vnfortunate discourse of mine owne miserie which in this vnhappy manner fell out For no sooner came the â—lâ—ing â—â—â—sicke of
world and three Princely boyes swéetlie sléeping in their seuerall Cradles At whose first sight hys hart was so rauished with ioy that for a time it with-held the passage of his tongue but at last when hee found the siluer Tablets lying vnder the pillows and had read the happie fortunes of his Children he ran vnto his Ladie imbraced her most louinglie and kindely demaunded the true discourse of that strange accident and by whose meanes the bower was beautefied so gorgeouslie and the propâ—under of his Childrens Prophesie who with a countenance blushing like the purple Morning replied in this manner My most deare and welbeloued Lord the paynes I haue indured to make you the happie Father of thrée louelie boyes hath béene more tyrrible than the strâ—ake of death but yet my deliuerie more ioyfull than the pleasures of Elizian the windes carried my groanes to euerie corner of this Wildernes whereby both trées and hearbes assisted my complaints beasts birdes and feathered foules with euerie sensses thinge that nature framed on this earth seemed to agrauate my mones but in the middle of my torments when my soule was readie to forsake this worldlie habitation there appeared to me a Quéene Crowned with a golden Diadem in state and gesture like imperious Iuno and in beautie to diuine Diana her garments for brauerie seemed to staine the Raine-bow in her brightest hue and for diuersitie in colours to surpasse the Flowers in the fieldes On her attended many beautifull Nimphes some clad in garments in colour like the marble Ocean some in attire as gallant as the purple Rose and some more glorious than the azurde firmaments her wisedome might compare with Apolloes her iudgement with Pallas and her skill with Lucinaes for no sooner entred she my presence but my trauailes ceased and my wombe deliuered vp her grieuous burthen my Babâ—s béeing brought to light by the vertue of her skill she prepared these rich and sumptuous Cradles the which were brought inuisible to my Cabbinet Likewise these Mantled this imbrothered Couerled she franckly bestowed vpon me and so immediatlie vanished away At which wordes saint George gaue her so many kinde imbraces and kissed her so louingly as though it had bin the first day of their Nuptials At last her hunger increased and her desires thirsted so much after foode that except shée receaued some comfortable sustenance her life were in danger This extreame desire of Sabra caused S. George to burkle on his Armour to vnsheath his trustie sword ready to gorge the intrails of some Deare who swore by the honor of true Knighthood neuer to rest in peace till he had purchased his hearts content My Loue quoth he I will aduenture for thy sake more daungers than Iason â—id for Medeas loue Ile search the thickest Groues and chase the nimble Doe to death the flying Foule Ile follow vp downe from tree to trée till ouer wearied they doe fall and die For loue of thee and these my tender Babes whome I estéeme more dearer than the Conquest of rich Babilon I will aduenture more daungers than diâ— Hercules for the loue of Dianaria and more extreames than Turnus did in hys blody battels thereupon with hys Fanchion readie charged he traced the woods leauing no thornie brake nor mossie Caue vnsearcht till he had sound a heard of fallow Deare from which number hee singled out the fattest to make hys Lady a bountifull banquet but in the time of his absence there hayned to Sabra a straunge and wonderfull accident for there came weltring into her Cabbinet thrée most wilde and monstrous beastes a Lyon a Tyger and a shée Wolfe which tooke the Babes out of their cradles and bore them to their secret Canes At which sight Sabra like one distraught of sence started from her bed and to her weake power offered to follow the Beastes but all in vaine for before shee coulde get without her Cabbinet they were past sight and the Childrens cryes without her hearing then like a discontented woman she turned backe beating her breasts reâ—ding her haire and raging vp and downe her Cabbinet vsing all the rigour she could deuise against her selfe and had not Saint George returned the sooner she had most violently committed her owne slaughter but at his returne when he beheld her face stayned with teares her head disrobde of ornaments and her Iuorie breastes all to bee rent and torne he cast downe his venison and in all haste asked the cause of her sorrow O said she this is the wofullest day that euer hapt to â—e for in the time of your vnhappie hunting a Lyones a Tygresse and a Wolfe came into my Cabbinet and tooke my Children from their Cradles what is become of them I know not but greatly I feare by this time they are intoombed within their hungry bowels O simple Monuments quoth he for such swéet Babes Well Sabra if the monsters haue bereaâ—ed mee of my children this bloody sword that diuâ—de into the intrailes of fallow Deare shall riue my wofull heart in twaine Accursed be this fatall day the Planets that predominate Sunne that shines thereon Heauen blot it from the yere and let it neuer more be numbred but accounted for a dismall day through all the world let all the trees bee blasted in these accursed woods let hearbes and grasse consume a way and die and all thinges perish in this Wildernes but why breath I out these curses in vaine when as me thinks I heare my Children in vntamed Lyons dens crying for help and succour I come swéet Babes I come eyther to redéeme you from the Tygers wrathfull Iawes or make my graue within their bowels then tooke hee vp â—â—s sword besméered all with blood and like a man bereauâ—e of wit and sence raged vp and downe the Wildernes searching euerie corner for hys Children but hys Lady remayned still in her Cabbinet lamenting for their losse washing their Cradles with her Pearled teares that trickled downe her stayned chéekes like siluer drops Many waies wandred saint George sometimes in vallies where Wâ—lfes and Tygers lurke sometimes on mountaine toppes where Lyons whelpes doe sporte and play and many times in dismall thickets where Snakes and Serpents liue Thus wandred S. George vp downe the Wildernes for the space of two dayes hearing no newes of hys vnchristened Children At last he approached the sight of a pleasant Riuer which smoothlie glided downe betwixt two Mountaines into whose streames be purposed to cast himselfe and so by a desperate death giue end to hys sorrowes But as hee was committing his bodie to the mercie of the waters and his soule to the pleasure of the heauens hee heard a farre off the rufull sâ—rike as he thought of a comfortles Babe which sodaine noyse caused him to refraine hys desperate purpose and with more discreation tender his owne safetie Then casting his eye aside it was his happie destenie to spie the thrée inhumane beastes lying at the foote of the hill
soule and returne to the seauen worthâ— Champions of Christendome whose laudable aduentures fame hath inâ—old in the bookes of memorie CHAP. III. How Saint George slewe the burning Dragon in Egipt and redeemed Sabra the Kinges Daughter from death How hee was betraied by Almidor the blacke King of Moroco and sent to the Soldan of Persia where hee slew two Lyons and remained seauen yeares in prison AFter the seauen Champions departed froÌ„ the Inchaunted Caue of Kalib they made their abode in the Câ—â—tie of Couentrie for the space of nine monthes in which time they erected vp a sumptuous costly monument ouer the herse of Saint Georges Mother and so in that time of the yeare when the spring had ouerspred the earth with the mantles of Flora they Armed themselues like wandring Knights and tooke their iournie to seeke for forraine aduentures accounting no dishonour so great as to spend their dayes in idlenes atchiuing no memorable accident So trauailing for the space of thirtie dayes without any aduenture worthie the noting at length came to a large broad Plaine wheron stood a brasen piller whereat seauen seuerall waies deuided which caused the seauen Knights to forsake each others companie and to take euery one a contrary way where we leaue sixe of the Champions to their contented trauailes and wholly discourse vpon the fortunate successe of our worthy English knight who after some few months trauaile happily ariued within the â—eretories of Egipt which countrie as then was greatly annoyed with a dangerous Dâ—â—gon but before hee had iournied fullie the distance of a 〈◊〉 the silent night approched and solitary stilâ—es tooke possâ—ssion of all liuing thinges at last he espied 〈…〉 wherein he purposed to rest his hoâ—se and to take soâ—e repast after his wearie iournie til the 〈◊〉 had renewed his mornings light that he might fâ—â—l to 〈◊〉 â—rauaile agâ—ine but entring the Cottage hee found 〈◊〉 Hermit ouerworne with yeares and almost consumed with griefe to whome hee begâ—n in this manner to conferre Father said hee for so you seeme by your grauety may a trauailer for this night craue entertainment within your Cottage not onely for himselfe but his horse or is there some Cittie neare at hande whetherto I may take my iournie without daunger The oldman starting at the sodaine approch of Saint George replyed vnto him in this order Sir Knight quoth hee of thy countrie I néede not demaund for I know it by thy Burgonet for indeed thereon was grauen the Armes of England but I sorrow for thy â—ard fortune that it is thy destenie to ariue in this our countrie of Egipt Wherein is not left sufficient aliue to burie the dead such is the distresse of this land through a dangerous and tirrible Dragon now ranging vp and downe the countrie which if hee bee not euery day appeased with a pure and true virgin which he deuoureth downe his venemous bowels but that day so neglected will he breath such a stench from his nostrels whereof will grow a most grieuous plague and mortallity of all thinges which vse hath beene obserued for these foure and twentie yeares but now there is not left one true virgin but the Kings only daughter throughout Egipt which Dâ—msell to morrow must bée offered vp in Sacrifice to the Dragon Therefore the King hath mâ—de Proclamâ—tion that if any Knight dare proue so aduenterous as to combat with the Dragon and preserue his daughters life shall in reward haue her to his wife and the Crowne of Egipt after his disâ—â—ase This large proffer so incouraged the English Knight that hée vowde eyther to redeeme the Kinges Daughter or els to loose his life in that honourable enterprise So taking his repose and nightly rest in the olde mans Hermitage till the chearefull Cocke béeing the true messenger of day gaue him warning of the Sunnes vp-rise which causd him to buâ—kle on his Armour and to furnish his Stéed with strong habilliments of war the which being done he tooke his iournie guided onely by the olde Hermit to the valley where the kinges Daughter should bee offered vp in Sacrifice But when he approched the sight of the valley he espied a far off a most fair and beautifull Damsell â—ttired in pure Arabian silke going to sacrifice guarded to the place of death onlie by sâ—ge modest Matrons which wofull sight so encouraged the English Knight to such a forwardnesse that he thoght euery 〈◊〉 a day til he had redéemed the Damsell from the Dragons tyrranâ—e So approching thâ— Lady gaue her comfort of deliuerie and returnde her back to her Fathers Pallace againe After this the Noble Knight like a bold aduenterous Champion entred the valley where the Dragon had his residence who no sooner had a fight of him but hee gaue such a tirâ—able yâ—ll as though it had thundered in the â—llements the bignes of the Dragon was fearefâ—â—â— to behold for betwixt his shoulders and his tayle were fiftie foote in distance his scales glistered brighter than siluer but farre more harder than brasse his belly of the coloure of gold but more bigger than a Tun. Tâ—us weltred he from his hideoâ—s denne and fiâ—rcely assailed the stuâ—die Champion with his burning winges that at the first encounter hée had almâ—st fellâ—d him to the ground but the Knight nimbly recouering him selfe gaue the Dragon such a thrust with his 〈◊〉 tâ—at it shiuerd in a thousand péeces whereat the furious Dragon so â—iercely smote him with his venemous tayle that downe fell man and horse in which fall two of Saint Georges ribs were sore brused but yet stepping backward it was his chaunce to leape vnder an Orringe trée which trée had such pretious vertue that no venemous worme durst come within the compasse of the braunches nor within seauen foote thereof where this valiant Knight rested himselfe vntill he had recouered his former strength who no sooner féeling his spirits reuiued but with an eger courage smote the burning Dragon vnder his yellow burnisht bellie with his trustie sworde Askalon whereout came such abundance of venome that it sprinkled vpon the Champions Armour whereby immediatly through the impoysoned strength of the venome his Armour burst in twaine and the good Knight fell into a gréeuous and dead sound that for a time he lay breathles but yet hauing that good memorie remayning that he tumbled vnder the branches of the Orringe trée in which place the Dragon could proffer him no further violence The fruit of the trée was of such an excellent vertue that whosoeuer tasted thereof should presently bee cured of all manner of diseases and infirmities whatsoeuer So it was the Noble Champions good and happie fortune a little to recouer through the vertue of the trée and to espie an Orringe which a little before had dropped downe wherwith he so refreshed himselfe that hee was in short time as sound as when hee first began the incounter Then knéeled hee downe and made his diuine supplication to heauen that God
in the foreâ—runt of the battell so aduenturously behaued them selues that they slew more Negars than a hundred of the brauest Knights in the Christian Armies At last Fortune intending to make saint Georges prowesse to shinâ— brighter than the rest singled out the Moroco King betwixt whom and the English Champion was a long dangerous fight But saint George so couragiouslye behaued him with his trustie sword that Almidor was constrained to yeeld 〈◊〉 his mercie The Armie of the Moores séeing their King taken prisoner presently would haue fled but that the Christians béeing the lighter of foote ouertooke them and made the greatest slaughter that euer hapned in Barberie Thus after the battell ended and the ioyfull sound of victorie rung through the Christian Armie the souldiers furnished themselues with the enemies spoyles and martched by saint Georges direction to the Cittie of Tripolie being then almost vnpeopled through the late slaughter In which Cittie after they had râ—sted some few dayes and refreshed themselues with holsome food the English Champion in reuenge of his former proffered iniuries by the Moroco King gaue hys seuere sentence of death First hee commaunded a brazen cauldron to bee filled with boyling Lead and Brimstone then Almidor to be brought to the place of death by twelue of the Noblest Pieres in Barberie therein to be consumed flesh blood and bone which was duelie performed within seauen dayes following the brazen cauldron was erected by the appointment of saint George directlie in the middle of the chiefest Market place vnder which a mightie hot fire continually burned for the space of of eight and fortie houres whereby the boyling Lead and Bâ—imstone seemed to sparckle like the fierie furnaces in hell and the heate to eâ—ceede the burning Ouen at Babilon Thus all thinges béeing no sooner prepared in a readines the Christian Champions present to behold the wofull spectakle but the condemned Blackâ—more King came to the place of Execution in a shirt of the finest Indian silk his hands pinniond together with a chaine of gold his face couered with a Damske Scarfe his attendants chiefe conducters twelue Moroco Pieres clad in Sablâ— gownes of Taffetie carring before him the whéele of fortune with the picture of a Usurper climbing vp with this Motto on his breast I will be king in spite of Fortune vpon the top of the whéele the picture of a Monarke vaunting with this Motto on his breast I am a King in spite of Fortune Lastly on the other side of the Wheele the picture or perfect image of a deposed Potentate falling with hys head downewards with this Motto on hys breast I haue beene a King so pleaseth Fortune which plainelie signified the chaunce of warre and the constancie of destenie hys guard was a thousand Christian souldiers holding fortune in disdaine after them attended a hundred of Moroco virgins in blacke ornaments their haire bounds vp with siluer wiers and couered with vales of black silke signifiing the sorrow of their countrie for the losse of their Soueraigne In this mournefull manner came the vnfortunate Almidor to the boyling Câ—ulderne which wheÌ„ he beheld hys heart waxed cold and his tongue dâ—ueide of vtterance for a time yet at last he brake foorth into thesâ— earnest protestations proffering more for his life than the whole Kingdome of Barberie can performe Most mightie inuincible Champion of Christendome quoth he let my life be ransomed and thou shâ—lâ— yearely receaue ten tunnes of â—ried gold a hundred inchs of wouen silke the which our Indian maides shall sit and spinne â—ith siluer whéeles a hundred Arguses of spices and â—efined suger shal be yearely paid thee by our Barberie 〈◊〉 a hundred waggons likewise richly laden wit◠〈◊〉 aâ—d Iasper stones which by our cunning Lapidisies â—hall 〈◊〉 yearelie chosen foorth and brought â—hee home to England â—o make that blessed countrie the richest land within the Dominions of Europe Likewise I will â—eliuer vp my Diadem with all my Princely dignities and in companie of these Moroco Lordes like bridled Horses drawe thée daylie in a siluer Charriot vp and downe the serâ—led earth til death giues end to our liues Pilgrimage Therefore most admired Knight at Armes let these salt teares that trickle from the Conduits of my eyes obtaine one graunt of comfort at thy handes for on my bended knées I beg for life that neuer before this time did kneele to any mortallman Thou speakst in vaine replyed saint George it is not the treasures hidden in the déepest seas nor all the golden mines of rich America that can redéeme thy life thou knowest accursed Homicide thy wicked practises in the Egyptian Court where thou profferedst wrongfully to bereaue me of my life Likewise through thy treachery I endâ—red a long imprisonment in Persia where for seauen yeares I dranke the Channell water and suffizde my hunger with the breads of branne meale My foode the loathsome flesh of Rats and Mice and my resting place a dismall dungeon where neither sunne nor the chearefull light of heauen lent me comfort during my long continued misery For which inhumane dealing and proffered iniuries the hâ—auens inforceth mee to a spéedy reuenge which in this manner shall be accomplished Thou seest the Engine prepared for thy death this brazen Caldron fild with boyling lead and brimstone wherein thy cursed body shall be spéedily cast and boyled till thy detested limbs bee consumed to a watry sâ—bstance by this sparckling lickour therefore prepare thy selfe to entertaine the violent stroake of death and willingly byd all thy kingly dignities farewell But yet I let thée vnderstand that mercy harboreth in a Christians hart and where mercy dwels there faults are forgiuen vppon some humble penetence though thy trespasse deserues 〈◊〉 pitty but seuere punishment yet vpon these considerations I will graunt thée liberty of life First that thou wilt forsake thy false Gods Termagaunt Mahomet and Apollo which he but the vayne imaginations of man and beléeue in our true and euer liuing God vnder whose banner we Christians haue taken in hande this long warre Secondly thou shalt giue commandement that all thy barbarous Nations be christened in the faith of Christ Thirdly and lastly that thy thrée Kingdomes of Barbary Moroco India sweare true alleagance to all Christian Kings and neuer to beare Armes but in the true quarrell of Christ and his annoynted Nations These things duly obserued thy life shall be preserued and thy liberty obtayned otherwise looke for no mercy but a spéedy and most â—yrâ—ible death These wordes more displeased the vnchristian King of Morco than the sentence of his condemnation and in these briefe spéeches set downe his resolution Great Potentate of Europe replied Almidor by whose mightines fortune sits fettered in the chaines of power my golden Diadem and regall Scepter by constraint I must deliuer vp but before I forsake my countrie Gods I will indure a hundred deathes and before my conscience be reformed to a new faith the earth
offence to God and a continuall corrasiue to my husbands heart if we liue together Therefore accursed monsters prosecute your tyrranie It is not all your threates and bloodie dealinges shall conuert my chaste minde nor once inforce my thoughtes to giue any consent thereunto These wordes béeing no sooner ended but the luâ—â—full Moore tooke an other of her children and stabed before hâ—r husbands face thincking therby to fore the Marchant to intreate his wife to consent to the wicked Nâ—gars determinations but he beeing as resolute as his vertuous wife spake in this manner O you cursed blacke Dogges of Barberie more worse in quallitie than the bloody Tygers and more merciles than the wicked Cannibals thinke you that the murther of our children shall inforce our hearts to yéelde to your lustful desiers Nâ— no perseuer in your tyrranies if I had a hundred children twice the number of King Priams yet would I loose them all before I will indure to see my wiues dishonor children may be gotten agayne but hir honor neuer recouered These words pricked the Negars to the gall and caused them to commit the wickedst déede that euer was practised vnder the celestiall Globe of heauen First they sheathed there Poniards in the breastes of all the Marchantes children whose guiltles blood stayâ—d all the chamber with a crimson colour then with there Fauchions did they cuâ— there bodies all in sunder and caused seauen Pâ—es to be made of there flesh and after serued in a banquet to there wofull Parents whome the merciles Moores set at a square table the Marchant placed directly opposite against his wife wher they were constrained either to féede vpon there owne children or starue for want of other sustenance This wofull spectakle stroke such a griefe into the English Marchants heart that hee could scarce indure to speake for wéeping hys wife when shee behold the heades of her louelie sonnes lying vpon the table as it were looking to heauen for reuenge breathed fortâ— this woful dying lamentation O sillie Babes I would you had béene strangled in my wombe at your first conception then should not these accursed Infidels haue triumpht thus in your â—nhappie Tragedies Nor your vnfortunate Parentes behâ—ld this luckles day whereon I pray that neuer Sâ—nne may shine againe but bee accounted an ominous day throughout the whole earth for heauen I hope poore Babes will raigne a showre of vengeance on their heades that hath caused this your vntimelie death and with this praier I bit the worldâ— faâ—â—well At which wordes her griefe so excéeded the boundes of reason that it stayed the passage of her spéech whereby she was forced to yéeld her soule to the Paradice of peace Shée béeing no sooner dead but the sorrowfull Marchant likewise biterly exclaimed against the iniustice of Fortune and the tyrranie of the barbarous Moores accounting his destenie more haâ—les than the Thracian Kinges that buried his children in hys owne Bowels and the cruelties of the Infidels to excéed the tyrranie of Nero that caused hys Mothers wombe to be opened that hee might beholde the place of hys creation but when the Marchant had sufficiently bewailed the murther of hys children the death of his wife and hys owne miserie he yéelded hys soule likewise to the furious stroke of death The end of whose long languishments when the wicked Moores had intelligence they caused their dead bodies to be carried to the top of a hiâ—h mountaine and there left for the pray of hungrie Rauens But God most miraculously preserued them both from the furie of Foules and the violence of rauenous beasts for the suâ— consumed their bodies like the morninges dew and by the wâ—nderfull workemanship of heauen in the sâ—me place sprung a bower of Roses to signifie the vnspotted honour of the Marchant and his vertuous wife which miracle wee leauâ— to the woonder of the Moores and speake of the Christian Champions procéedinges that by this time were ariued in the Kingdome of Egipt CHAP. XV. How the Christians ariued in Egipt and what hapned to them there the Tragedie of the lustfull Earle of Couentrie how Sabra was bound to a stake to be burned how Saint George redeemed her lastly how the Egiptian king cast himselfe from the toppe of a Tower and broake hys necke DUring the time of the bloodie murther wrought by the barbarous Moores vpon the English Marchant and hys Wife with his seauen Children as you hearde in the former Chapter the Champions of Christendome ariued vppon the Territories of Egipt where they supposed to haue met with Legions of Armed Souldiers and to haue aduentured their liues vpon the chaunce of Warre but all things fell out contrarie to their expectations for they founde the Gates of euerie Cittie set open and euerie Uillage and Towne vnpeopled for the Commos at the report of the Christians ariuall secretly hid their treasure in the Caues of the earth in déepe Welles and such like obscure places and a generall feare and extreame terrour assailed the Egiptians as well the Pieres of the Land as the simple countrie people Many fled into woods and wildernesses closelie hid themselues in hollow trées Many digged caues in the ground where they thought best to remaine in safetie and many fled to high mountaines where they long timâ— liued in great extreamity féeding vppon the grasse of the ground So greatly the Egiptians feared the Armie of Christians that they expected nothing but the ruine of their owne countrie with the losse of their owne liues and the murther of their wiues and Children But to speake of the Christian Champions who finding the countrie desolate of people suspected some déepe pollicie of the Egiptians thinking them to haue mustered their generall forces to bid them battaile therefore Saint George gaue commaundement through the whole Campe that not a man vpon paine of death shuld breake his ranke but martch aduisedlie with thrée weapons ready prest to enter battaile as though the enemie had directly plast themselues opposite against them which speciall charge the Christian Souldiers dulie obserued looking neyther after the wealth of Citties nor the spoyle of Uillages but circumspectly martched according to their leaders directions along the Countrie of Egipt till they approached the sight of King Ptolomies Court which when the noble Champion of England beheld in this manner incouraged hee hys followers Behold saide hée you inuincible Captaines of Christendome yonder cursed Towers where wicked Ptolomie kéepes hys Court those Battlements I say were they as richlie built as great Piramides of Greece yet shoulde they be subuerted and laid as leuell with the ground as the Cittie of Carthage there hath that accursed Ptolomie hyâ— residence that for preseruing his Daughter from the burning Dragon trecherouslie sent me into Persia where for seauen yeares I liued in great extreamie in a dismall dungeon where the Sunne did neuer lend me light nor the companie of people comfort In reuenge wherof my hart shall neuer rest in
therefore the gorgeous sunne shall loose his light by day the siluer Moone by night the skyes shall fall the earth shall sinke and euerie thing shall chaunge from his kinde and nature before I falseâ—â—e my faith or prooue disloyall to my beloued George attempt no more my Noble Lord to batter the fortresse of my good name with the Gunshot of your flatterie nor séeke to staine my honour with your lustfull desires What if my Lord and Husband proue disloyal and choose out other loues in forraine Lands yet will I proue as constant to him as did Penelope to her Vlisses and if it bee hys pleasure neuer to returne but spend hys dayes amongst straunge Ladies then wil I liue in single solitarines like to the Turtle Doue when shee hath lost her mate abandoning all companie or as the mournefull Swan that swimmes vppon Maeanders siluer streames where she recordes her dying tunes to raging bellowes so will I spend away my lingring dayes in griefe and die This resolution of the vertuous Ladie daunted so the Earle that he stoode like a sensles image gazing at the Sun not knowing how to replie but yet when they had daunced the third course he began a new to assault her vnspotted chastetie in these tearmes Why my deare mistresse haue you a heart more harde than Flint that the teares of my true loue can neuer molefie can you behold him plead for grace that hath beene sâ—de vnto by many worthie Dames I am a man that can commaund whole countries yet can I not command thy stubburne heart to yéeld Diuine Sabra if thou wilt graunt me loue and yéelde to my desier Ile haue thee clad in sliken Robes and damaske Uâ—stures imbost with Indian Pearles and rich refined gold perfumed with Camphier Bisse and Syrrian swéet perfumes by day a hundred Uirgins like to Thetis tripping on the siluer sands shall euermore attend thy person by night a hundred Euenukes with their strained Instruments shall bring thy sences in a golden slumber If this suffizeth not thy swéet content I will prepare a sumptuous Charriot made of gold wherein thou shalt be drawne by Sable spotted Stéedes along the fieldes and gallant pastures adioyning to our Cittie walles wheras the Euening ayre shall breath a coolenes far more swéeter than Balme vpon thy cheekes and make thy beautie glister like the purple Pallace of Hiperion when he leaues Aurora blushing in her bed whereby the heauens and all the powers therein shall stand and woonder at thy beautie and quite forget theyr vsuall courses All this my deare diuine and daintie Mistresse is at thy commaund and more so that I may enioy thy loue and fauour which if I haue not I will discontentedly end my life in woodes and desert places Tygers and vntamed beasts shall be my chiefe companions These vaine promises and flattering intiâ—â—â—ents caused Sabra to blush with bashfulnes and to giue him this sharpe answere Thinke you my Lorde with golden 〈◊〉 to obtaine that precious Gem the which I will not loose for Europes treasurie henceeforth be silent in that enterprâ—â—e and neuer after this attempt to practise 〈◊〉 dishonour which if you doe I vowe by heauen to make it knowne to euery one within the Cittie and fill all places with rumors of thy wilfull lust A Troupe of modest maidens I will procure to haunt thée vp and downe the stréetes and woonder at thee like an Owle that neuer comes abroade but in the darkest nights this I am resolued to doe and so farewell Thus departed Sabra with a frowning countenance whereby the rest of the Ladies suspected that the Earle had attempted her dishonour by secret conference but they all assuredly knew that she was as farre from yéelding to hys desires as is the aged man to become young againe or the azurde firmament to be a place for siluaine beastes to inhabit In such like imaginations they spent awaie the day till the darke night caused them to breake off companie The Earle smothering his griefe vnder a smiling countenance till the Ladies were euerie one departed whome hee curteously caused his seruants to conduct homewards with Torch lightes because it began to be verie darke After their departure he accursed his owne Fortune and like a Lyon wanting foode raged vp and downe his Chamber filling euerie corner with bitter exclamations rending hys garments from his backe tearing his haire beating hys breast and vsing all the violence he could deuise against himselfe In this manner spent hee away the night suffering no sléepe to close the windowes of his body such a melancholy and extreame passion discontented his minde that heâ— purposeâ— to giue an end to hys sorrowes by some vntimelie death So when the morning appeared hee made hys repaire to an Orchardâ— where Sabra commonlie once a daie walked to take the Ayre The place was verie melancholy and farre from the noyse of people where after hee had spent some certaine time in exclaiming against the vnkindnes of Sabra he pulled his Poyniard from his backe prepared hys breast to entertaine the stroke of death but before the pretended Tragedie with his dagger hee ingrauâ—d these verses following vpon the barke of a walnut trée O hart more hard than bloody Tyger fell O eares more deafe than senceles troubled seas O cruell foe thy rigor doth excell For thee I dye thy anger to appease But time will come when thou shalt finde me slaine That thy repentance will increase thy payne I here ingraue my will and testament That my sad griefe thou mayst behold and see How that my wofull heart is torne and rent And gorg'd with blooddy blade for loue of thee Whome thou disdayndst as now the end doth try That thus distrest dost suffer me to dye Oh Gods of loue if so their anie be And you of loue that feeles the deadly payne Or Sabra thou that thus afflictest me Heare these my wordes which from my hart I straine Ere that my corpes be quite bereaud of breath Let me declare the cause of this my death You mountaine Nimphes which in the desarts raigne Cease off your chase from sauage beasts a while Prepare to see a hart opprest with paine Addresse your eares to heare my dolefull stile No strength nor Arte can worke me any weale Sith she vnkinde and Tyrantlike doth deale You Fayrie Nimphes of louers much adorde And gracious Damsels which in Eueninges faire Your Closets leaue with heauenlie beautie storde And on your shoulders spread your golden haire Record with me that Sabra is vnkinde Within whose breast remaines a bloody minde Yee sauage Beares in Caues and Dens that lie Remaine in peace if you my sorrowes heare And be not mooued at my miserie Though too extreame my passions doo appeare England farewell and Couentrie adue But Sabra heauen aboue still prosper you These verses béeing no sooner finished and ingrauen about the Barke of the Walnut trée but with a grisly looke and wrathfull countenance he lift vp hys hand
shall be no earth the sea no sea nor the heauen no heauen Thinkest thou now proud Christian by thy threatned tormentes to make mee forget my creator and beléeue in thy false God which was but the sonne of a Carpenter and bacely borne vnder an Oxe stall No no accursed Christians you ofspringes of Cayne you generations of Iesmaell you séede of Uipers and accursed through the world looke for a spéedie shower of vengeance to raine from heauen vppon your wicked Nations your bloodie practises hath pearst the Battlements of Ioue and your tyrranies beaten open the gaâ—es of mightie Mahomet who hath prouided whips of burning wier to scourge you for your cruelties proffered against his blessed worshippers and now with this deadlie curse I bid you all farewell the plagues of Egipt light vpon your kingdomes the curse of Cayne vpon your children the famine of Ierusalem vpon your friends and the miserie of Oedipus vppon yourselues This wicked resolution and balefull curse béeing no sooner ended by the desperate minded Almidor but the impatience of saint George was so highly mooued that he gaue present commandement to the appointed Executioners to cast him into the boyling cauldron which incontinentlie they performed to the terror of all the beholders to behold this wofulll spectakle the Battlements of Temples weâ—e so thronged with people the houses couered with women children and the stréetes filled with Armed Souldiers that it was a woonder to beholde amongst which multitudes there were some perticular persons that at the sight of Almidors death fell downe and broake their neckes But the generall number as well of Pagans as Christians cryed with chearefull voyces Honour and victory followe saint George of England for he hath redéemed Barbary from a miserable seruitude Which ioyfull hearing so delighted the seauen Champions of Christendome that they caused the Conduits to runne with wine the stréets to be beautefied with bonefiers and a sumptuous banquet to be proclaimed through the Citty which after continued for the space of seauen dayes in more magnificent Royaltie than the banquet at Babilon when the Macedonian Monarke returned from the worlds Conquest The Champions liberality procured such faithfull loâ—e in the harts of the Moroco Pieres that with a generall consent they chose saint George for theyr lawfull King where after they had inuested him in the Princely seate of the Moroco Potentates they set the Crown vpon his head and after presented him with an imperious Pall which the Kings of Barbary vsually wore vppon their Coronation day protesting to forsake theyr prophane Religion and 〈◊〉 christened in the fayth of Christ. This promised conuertion of the Infidels more delighted the English Champion than to haue the whole worlds honour at commaund for it was the chiefeest poynt of his Knightly oath to aduaunce the faith of Christe and to inlarge the boundes of Christendome after his Coronation was solemlie performed the other six Champions conductâ— him to a Princely Pallace where he tooke the true alegance of the Moroco Lordes by plighted oath to bee true to hys Crowne after this he established Christian lawes to the benefit of the whole countrie then he commaunded al the ceremonious rites of Mahomet to be trodden vnder foote the true Gospell of Christ to be preached likewise he caused all that did remaine in Barberie to be Christned in the new faith But these obseruations continued but a time as shall hereafter shall be discoursed at large For fame not intending to let the worthie Champions long to remaine in the idle bowers of peace but summoned them to perseuer in their Noble atchiuements and tâ— muster vp a new their souldiers whose Armour canckered ease had almost staind with rust therefore saint George committed the gouernment of hys countrie to foure of the principall Peares of Moroco and martched towardes the Countrie of Egipt where liued trecherous Ptolomie the Father of hys beloued Lady Sabra whome hee had left in the Kingdome of England In which iournie and happie ariuall in Egipt wâ— will leaue the seauen Champions for a time and speake of the faithles Infidels in Barberie after the departure of the Christians whose former Honours they slightly regarded For no sooner had saint George with hys martiall Troupes bidden their countrie adue but the faithles Moores reconciled themselues to their former Gods and purposed a spéedie reuenge for the death of Almidor against all Christians that remained within the limmets of that Heathen Nation For there were many souldiers wounded in the late battaile Likewise a number oppressed with sicknes had the Christian Champions left behinde for their better recoueries vppon whome the barberous Moores committed their first tyrranie for they caused the distressed souldiers to be drawen vpon â—lids to the outermost part of the Cittie and there put them into a large and old Monestarie which they presently set on fire and most inhumanely burned the Christian souldiers and after conuerted the place into a filthie leastall many women and succourles children they dragged vp and downe the stréetes till their braines were dasht against the stones and the blood had couered the earth with a purple hue Many other cruelties were committed by the wicked Infidels against the distressed Christians which I â—urpose to paâ—â—e ouer and wholie discourse of the wofull and bloody murther of an English Marchant and hys wife in the same Cittie of Tripolie the report whereof may force the merciles Tygers to relent and those eyes to shed a spring of teares that neuer wept before The bloodie minded Negars violating both oath and promise before plighted to saint George by violence set vppon the Marchants house where first they made a massaker of his seruants and before hys face cast their dead bodies to hunger starued Dogges then comming to the Marchant they bound him fast with hempen cordes to the strongest post in his house and after tooke hys children béeing seauen of the goodliest boyes that euer nature â—â—amed and likewise tied round about him Then one of the Moores béeing crueller than the rest proffered to deflowre the Marchants wife before hys face but she in chastetie like Camma chose rather an honourable death than an infamous life spit in the Negars face and most bitterly reuiled him yéelding neyther to hys force nor hys bloodie threates but snatching a knife from hys girdle vowed to sheath it in her bosome before she would loose that precious Gemme of honour that once beeing gone cannot bee recouered for all the worldes treasure This resolution of the English Marchants wife caused the sterne Negars to excéede in crueltie but the principall of that wicked companie béeing a bloody and merciles Tyrant stabbed one of the sillie Children before the mothers face Now stubborne Dame quoth he wilt thou yéeld to my desires and preserue the liues of thy other sixe Children otherwise shalt thou beholde them butchered in the same manner To sell my honour for the liues of my Children replied shee will be an