her selfe thus lamented Incomprehensible wisdome let mee not liue to endure these trauailes seeing thou hast taken these two from me whom I loued as my life But when the Damosell of Denmarke saw her selfe thus alone betweene two extreames shee was maruailously abashed yet as one wise and well gouerned shee spake in this manner to the Princesse Mabila Why Madame when were you wont to abuse your honourable vertues is it now time to forget your selfe will you thus consent to the death of my Lady you rather ought to aide and comfort her then thus to forsake her and procure her further danger if shee reuiue againe Come I pray yee succour her for now is the time of greatest neede and let these lamentations be referred till another time Mabila perceiuing the Damosell saide true wherefore she came to Oriana and feeling by her warmenesse some hope of life to bee expected they lifted her vpon the bed when soon after her spirites returned to their office and to qualifie this agonie they could deuise no better means then to busie her eares with some or other speeches Why Madame quoth one will ye leaue vs at least yet speake to vs. Madame saide the other your Amadis is yet aliue and well At the name of Amadis shee opened her eyes turning her head here and there as if she looked for him which good humour Mabila desirous to continue proceeded thus Amadis commeth Madame and shortly you shall see him Oriana giuing a great sigh started vp saying Alas sweete friend where is he We vnderstand quoth shee that he is in very good health and how the Knight who brought these bad tidings is wont to vaunt of himselfe without cause feeding himselfe with false praise of deceiuing Knights Why saide Oriana haue I not heard that hee brought his horse and armour A matter of nothing answered Mabila they may as wel be borrowed or stolne or he happily sent with that false allarme to try out constancy then finding vs thus weakely disposed hee should haue had the thing he desired I would not haue you thinke so simply Madam that Amadis could be ouercome by one and no better a knight then he nor were it reason to credit a commender of himselfe bringing his owne glory for testimony and no other approbation I am assured that Amadis will come ere long and if he finde you not onely dead in a manner but thus giuen ouer to griefe it will cost his life so shall you deliuer vnhappy proofe what wicked feigning by malice can do and thus you both shall die one for another When Oriana remembred how by this meane she might be the death of her friend if by good hap he yet enioyed life and imagined likewise that Mabila spake the truth she tooke courage casting her eye on the windowe where many times Amadis and she had amorously conferred when first he ariued at her fathers Court and intercepting a number of forced sighes thus spake Ah window the witnesse of my abādoned pleasures how piercing is the doubt of him whom thou causest me remember and by whose gracious words both thou and I were made happy Of this I am certaine that neuer canst thou indure so long as two so loyall louers might by thee enioy such delight as he and I haue done which fayling mee now giueth me strange and insupportable torments to bee my companions and hence-forth shall my sad spirit remaine in bitter sadnes vntill the comming of him or my death Mabila perceiuing the cheefest danger was past laboured to confirme her opinion more strongly then shee had done in this manner Why Madam thinke you if I held these babling newes for truth I could haue the power to comfort you in this sort the loue I beare to my Cozin is not so little but rather I should incite all the world to weepe then want consolation for you who stand in such neede thereof But I see so slender appearance of beleefe as I will not before time require repute you vnfortunate because discomforting our selues without asurance The euill hereby may be amended and the good made much more worse especially it will be the meane of discouering what hath so long time beene shaddowed in secret Alas quoth Oriana if he bee dead I care not though our loue were openly knowne for all our mishaps in respect of it are nothing Thus debating and deuising together the two Ladies all that day kept their chamber not suffering any other to come in for when the Damosell of Denmarke who passed often in and out was demanded for Oriana she answered that she accompanied Mabila whom she would not suffer to part from her by reason of her griefe for her Cosin Amadis Thus was the princesses secret sadnesse couered all night she being vnable to take any rest such were her assaults between doubt and despaire not forgetting any thing that past betweene her and Amadis since their younger yeeres But on the morrow about dinner time Brandoynas entred the palace leading Grindaloya in his hand which gaue great ioy to such as knew them for of long time they could not imagine what was become of them they falling on their knees before the king were quickly called to remembrance his maiesty thus speaking Sir Brandoyuas how chaunce you haue tarryed so long from vs Alas my Lord quoth he imprisonment hath bin the cause whereout had not the good Knight Amadis of Gaule giuen liberty to me this Lady and many more by such deedes of Armes as are vnspeakable we could neuer haue been deliuered Yet was he once in danger of tarying there himselfe by the villainous coniurations and sorceries of Arcalaus but he was succoured by two Damosels who deliuered him from all the exorcismes When the King heard him name Amadis whom hee verily thought to be dead What my friend quoth he by the faith thou owest to God and me is Amadis liuing Yea my good Lord answered Brandoyuas it is not ten dayes since I left him in good disposition but may it like you to tell me why you demanded such a questiō Because sayd the King Arcalaus yesterday tolde vs he had slaine him heere-with he declared his speeches and the manner how What a traiterous villaine is that replied Brandoyuas but worse is befalne him then he weeneth as yet hereto he added what passed betweene Amadis Arcalaus as already you haue heard whereby each one forsooke the sorrow of the former false newes the King presently commanding that Grindaloya should be conducted to the Queene that shee might vnderstand these happy tidings Into the Queenes chamber is she brought and the Damosell of Denmarke hearing her reporte ran with all speede to the Princesse Oriana who hearing by her the truth of all the passage of her speech was stopt for a long time seeming as one confounded with enchantment thinking in these newes shee gaue her the bag or that she dreamed them but when she recouered the vse of her tongue she thus answered the
friend Presently came out of a valley a knight brauely prauncing well armed who said to Florestan What moues you sir to touch my Lady I cannot think she is yours answered Florestan seeing shee entreateth mee to cary her hence away Albeit shee would quoth the knight yet I thinke it not at this time so conuenient because I haue defended her from better then you are I know not how well you haue defended replied Florestan but she shall goe with me if I can helpe it By God sir answered the other you must first talk with the knights of this valley and feele how safely they can keepe such as they loue So placing their Lances in their rests they ran couragiously against each other the knight breaking his staffe but Florestan smot his shield so strongly against his helmet as the lace brake and his head was bare but worst of all he fel so heauily vpon his sword that with his weight brake in two pieces Florestan finished his carrire hauing his Launce whole and sound when turning againe to the knight hee saw that he moued neither hand or foote wherefore punching him with his Lance vpon the stomack said Pillard thou art dead if thou yeeld not The knight being recouered froÌ„ his traunce beholding the present danger of his life desired mercy which Florestan granted so he would freely resigne the Damosell She is at your pleasure replied the knight but cursed bee the houre when first I saw her For by her folleys she hath oftentimes endangered my life Florestan leauing him came to the Damosell saying Faire Lady now you are mine You haue so nobly won me quoth she as I remaine at your disposition As they were departing thence one of the other Damosels thus spake Alas sir will you seperate so good company it is a yeere and more since wee haue liued together and we would be loth now to depart in this manner If you please to accompany her answered Florestan I can be content to conduct you together and more I hope you will not request because I meane not to leaue my conquest I thinke not my selfe so foule replithe other damosel but some good knight may enterprise as great an aduenture for me mary it is to be doubted whether such hardinesse remaine in you or no. Why Lady quoth Florestan thinke you that feare can make me leaue ye I promise you on my faith but that I would not forcibly cary you away you should presently goe with me but if your will be so good let my squire helpe you vp on your hackney Which she did the dwarfe cryed againe as he did for the first whereupon another knight came immediatly foorth and alter him a squire bearing two Launces the knight vsing these words to Florestan You haue sir already won one Lady and not cÌ„ontent with her you seeke for another but now in one instant you must loose them both and your head I doubt to keepe them company because you beeing of no better race are vnworthy a Lady of so high calling Thou vauntest very much answered Florestan yet haue I two knights of my linage whom thou nor three such as thou art may bee thought worthy to serue Thy coÌ„mendations extend very far sayde the knight yet am I to meddle with none but thee who hast got a Lady from him that could not defend her but she must be mine if I conquer thee else by vanquishing me thou shalt be maister of them both together Now thou speakest reason quoth Florestan defend thy Lady well or without doubt shee will fall to my share So giuing the spurres to their horses they committed this controuersie to be tryed by the Lance when though the Prince failed in the race and the other brake his staffe very manfully yet being angry at his mis-hap at the second course he seÌ„t the knight so violently to the ground as hee thought euery bone of him was broken in pieces Thus was he safely possessed of the second Damosell and very loth hee was to leaue the third there alone but shee beholding their host that conducted them thither spake to him in this manner My friend I would aduise ye to bee gone because you know these two knights cannot resist him will presently come then if you be taken you are sure to dy the death Beleeue mee Lady quoth hee I meane now to see the end of all for my horse is quick of pace and my tower strong enough to defend me from him Well looke to your selues said the Damosell you bee but three and one of you vnarmed but if he were it might not auaile him When Florestan heard how shee praised him that was to come he was more desirous to cary her away then before onely because hee would haue a fight of him and therefore bad his Squire to set her on horse-backe as he did the other when the Dwarffe in the oliue tree deliuered these wordes Beleeue me Sir knight in an euill houre came this boldnesse on you for presently commeth one who will reuenge his companions Foorth of the valley came a knight in gilt armour mounted on a lusty bay courser the man resembling a Giant in proportion and reputed to be of incredible strength After him followed two Squires armed each of them carying a hatchet in his hand and so soone as he came neere Florestan he thus spake Stay knight fly not for by flight thou art not able to saue thy life better is it for thee to dye like a good knight then a coward especially when by cowardise thou caâ—st not escape Florestan hearing such menaces of death contemning likewise a man of no value incenced with anger hee returned this answere Monster Beast Diuell or whatsoeuer thou art reason I see thou wantest so little do I esteeme thy prodigall words that I thinke thou hast no better weapons to fight withall I greeue saide the Knight that I cannot haue my fill in reuenge on thee but I would foure of the best of thy linage were here with thee for mee to slice off their heads as I wil do thine Look to thine owne thou wert best answered Florestan for I hope I am sufficient to excuse them and bee their Lieutenant in this matter on thee Thus sundring themselues in rage and fury they met together that the beating of their horses hoous made the earth to groan and the breach of their Launces made a terrible noise but the great knight lost his stirrops and had fallen to the ground if by catching hold about his horse necke hee had not escaped As Florestan helde on his course hee caught a hatchet from one of the squires wherewith he smote him quite beside his horse and by time he returned the Knight had recouered his seate againe and the hatchet which the other Squire held Now begins a dreadfull combat betweene them such cruell strokes being giuen at each other with their hatchets as though their helmets were of right trusty steele yet they
doe your best to reforme the Monestary which I haue caused to be builded in the Firme-Island as heere tofore I haue tolde you the which the holy man promised to accomplish and with the teares in his eyes blessed the Faire Forlorne who without longer stay went aboord with the Damosell of Denmarke The sailes were no sooner horsed and the ship lanched out into the main but they had so stiffe a gale in their poupe that within a fewe daies after they arriued in a port of great Brittaine he not being as yet knowne by any other but the Damosell Then came they on shoare and tooke their ready way towardes Mirefleur where Oriana stayed their comming being well aduised to amend the fault that she had made And the Damosell in riding together with the Faire Forâ—â—rne sayd What ioy will my Ladie receiue when she shall beholde you belecue mee that neuer woman was in a more desperate case then she when she â—…stood by 〈◊〉 the â—…t at you had in 〈◊〉 her Lettâ—r 〈◊〉 assure you that shee was 〈◊〉 haue 〈◊〉 I doe greatly wonder how â—â—ee hath beene abâ—… vntill this time to suppâ—… the 〈◊〉 which â—he yet possesseth And you neede not to doubt but that Mabila and I were greatly troubled for none of vs did know that my hrother was sent vnto you and my Lady had expresly charged him that in no sort hee should tell vs thereof which had like vâ—to haue beene the cause of 〈◊〉 â—â—ischiefe then is yet happened Beleeue me said the Faire Forâ—â—â—ne I was neuer in greater danger 〈◊〉 death and I doe maruell whereâ—… 〈◊〉 framed this imagination that shee hath conceiued against me seeing that I neuer thought to doe any thing which might displease her and although I should haue so faâ—…e forgotten my selfe yet did I not deserue such a cruell Letter as shee did write vnto mee For although I make not those bragges hipocrisies that a number can doe yet doe not I forget to measure the fauours and graces which I haue receiued at her â—â—nd and were not this thought 〈◊〉 in bad ground I am sure she would not be suspicious of the fruit thereof seeing that both the one and the other are wholly dedicated to serue and obey her Alas when Corisanda arriued in our Hermitage I did then verily think that my ende was come the good Lady bewailed her passion which she indured in louing my brother Plo restan too vehemently and I died with displeasure to bee so wrongfully banished by Oriana Hâ—â— many paâ—â—es what 〈◊〉 what intollerable torments haue I suffered in the poore Rocke without receiuing consolation from any liuing creature but the good Hermit who perswaded mee to patiâ—… Alas what hâ—…d pâ—…â—â—ne I indured for her whâ—…m I neuer offended beleeue me Damo 〈◊〉 I was so exceeâ—… troubled that euery houre I dâ—…red death and as often did I feare to lose my life But I pray you imagine the despaire wheren I remayned when I shewed vnto the Gentlewomen of Corisanda the song that I made in my greatest tribulation And as hee would haue proceeded in discoursing his dolours the Damosell of Denmarke sayd vnto him in good faith so farre as I perceiue you haue both indured much sorrow one for another and therefore you must forget what is past and amend what is to come With these and such like discourses thy arriued neere vnto a Nunnery which was in the midst of the forrest foure dayes iourney from London Doe 〈◊〉 know sayd the Damosell what I have thought vpon I thinke it for the best you doe tarry heere to rest your selfe and I will go vnto my Lady to tell her of your arriuall which done I will send Durin backe againe to let you know what you are to do Not withstanding I thinke it best that Enil should not yet know who you are no more then he now doth that hee should tarry heere with you to serue you but Durin already vnderstandeth somewhat of the affaires betwixt Oriana you wherefore you neede not feare to disclose your selfe vnto him Here-upon they called him and the Damosell of Denmarke sayd vnto him Brother you were partly cause of the losse of Amadis by the Letter which you carried to him and yet so farre as I perceiue you haue not hither to knowne him but doe you thinke it possible that this Hermite may be my Lord Amadis and neuerthelesse it is he without doubt but take heede vpon your life that he be not disclosed by you neither to Enil nor any other when Durin knew that his sister sayde true neuer was man more amazed then hee in the meane while they entered into the Nunnery where the Damosell called Enil and sayd vnto him Enil I pray thee tarry with this knight vntill hee haue a little recouered his strength and in the meane season my brother and I will depart about certaine busines that wee haue to doe By Saint Mary answered Enil I will obey whatsoeuer you shall commaund mee Then they departed and the Faire Forlorne remayned in the Nunnerie for the occasion aboue rehearsed CHAP. XI How Galaor Florestan and Agraies departed from the Firme-Island to goe seeke Amadis of whome they could heare no tydings at all where-upon they all returned vnto the Court of King Lisuart IT hath beene heretofore tolde you that Golaor Florestan and Agraies departed froÌ„ the Firme-Iland to begin the search of Amadis who was secretly departed from them You must now vnderstand that after they had trauayled thorough many strange countries wherein they performed many worthy deedes of armes and perillous aduentures without hearing any newes of Amadis seeing that their time approached wherein they promised one another to meete in the Court of King Lisuart they determined to returne thither and they all did meete euen vpon Saint Iohns day earely in the morning at an Hermitage hard by London according as they had appointed And the first that came thither was Galaor Agraies next and shortly after Florestan accompanied with Gandalin Glad were they all to see each other in health but so sorrowfull for the little good that they had done in this enterprise as the teares fell from their eyes Where-upon Gandalin shewing the dutie of a good and faithfull seruant said vnto them Beleeue me Lords all your teares cannot bring him whoÌ„ you desire to finde except it be by another diligent search which you may a fresh vndertake And allthough that you haue already done your best endeauour yet ought you not to thinke much of your labour but seeke him better then euer you did seeing that you are assured thoroughly what hee would haue done for euery one of you particularly if fortune had offered any occasion Now then if behooueth you to doe the like for him for if you doe lose him in this sort it shall not onely bee the losse of the most gentle knight in the world but of the neerest kinsman that you haue and ouer and besides it will be vnto you
such braue viuacity of spirit as his enemy found he had a hard taske in hand At this instant an other knight chanced to passe by who seeing the combattants so â—ierce against each other determined to expect who should depart with victorie and placing himselfe by the Damosell demanded if shee knew them or the cause of their quarrel I must needes know them answered the Damosell because I set them together as you see and this good hap is not a little pleasing to mee for it is impossible but one of them must die nor doe I greatly care which of them it be but if both end together my ioyes would bee the greater Now trust me said the Knight full well doe you manifest a wicked disposition practising for your pleasure the death of two such braue men whose health and safety you rather ought to desire then imagine such a disloyall thought toward them but tell me I pray ye what reason you haue to hate them so That can I sufficiently quoth she He whose shielde is most defaced is the onely man of the world to whom mine Vncle Arcalaus wisheth most harme he being named Amadis And the other that combats with him is Galaor who not long since slew the chiefest man I loued It so fel out that Galaor hereâ—ofore made me promise of any thing I would request and because this day I was most affectionate to his death I haue brought him to deale with fuch a one as will hardly permit him to escape with life For I knew the other to bee one of the best Knights in the World on whom this Dwarffe which you see attendeth I therefore desired Galaor to giue the little villaines head being perswaded Amadis would rather die then suffer it Thus the one to deliuer me my request and the other for his Dwarffes defence are fallen into the extreamitie of their liues which doth me good at the heart to behold By my conscience Damosell replyed the Knight I neuer thought such malice had remained in a woman of your sort and I beleeue assuredly being yet so yong if longer you liue you will accustome your self to such vilainie as this you begin withall whereby you shall infect the ayre and the other elements to the disaduantage of the honest and vertuous Ladies liuing at this day But to shielde them from such danger and these two good Knights whom treacherously thou wouldest should kill each other I will make a Sacrifice of thee according to thy deserts then lifting vp his Sword he smote her head quite from her shoulders that it fell on the ground at her horse feete saying Take the reward of thy merits for the loue I beare to thine Vnckle Arcalaus who kept me his prisoner till the vertuous Knight Amadis deliuered me then running to the combatants he cryed out aloud Holde Lord Amadis hold your hand for the man you fight against is your brother Galaor When Amadis heard these words he threw down his Sword and Shield to the earth and embracing Galaor said Alas my friend my brother rightly may I be tearmed the most vnhappy Knight in the world offering you such outrage as I haue done Galaor amazed at this aduenture knew not what to say but seeing how Amadis humbled himselfe on his knee he fell downe likewise desiring pardon reputing himselfe wonderfull vnfortunate in wronging thus his Lord and brother then Amadis weeping with inward conceite of ioy thus answered Noble brother and my friend I esteeme the passed perill well imployed because it beareth witnes of what we are able to doe So taking off their helmets to refresh themselues they heartily thanked the Knight that rhus caused their acquaintance whereupon he told them all what the Damosell said the execution hee committed on her Now trust me quoth Galaor neuer was false strumpet more rightly serued and now am I dischargd of the promise I made her All the better for mee said the Dwarffe and thereby haue I saued my head yet I meruaile why shee should hate me so much in respect I neuer saw her till now to my knowledge Then did Galaor at large discourse what happened betweene him the Damosell and her friend as you haue heard already rehearsed but the Knight that seperated them seeing their Armour all couered with blood thus spake to them My Lords your Armours deliuer testimony enough how discourteously your Swords haue intreated your bodies wherefore me thinks long tarrying in this place will but endanger your wounds let me request ye then to mount on horseback and accompany me to the Castle whether you shall not onely be welcome but finde helpe for your hurts by one skilfull therein Wee will not refuse your gentle offer said Amadis Let vs set forward then answered the Knight and happy shall I thinke my selfe in doing any seruice that may be liking to you for you Lord Amadis deliuered mee from the cruell imprisonmeÌ„t as neuer poor knight endured the like Where was it I pray replied Amadis At the castle quoth he of Arcalaus the enchanter wheÌ„ you restored so many to liberty How are you named said Amadâ—…lays answered the Knight and because my Castle is cleped Carsanta I am often tearmed Balays of Carsanta therefore my Lords vse mee and mine as your owne Brother said Galaor seeing the Knight reputeth himselfe so much bounden to you let vs goe with him In short time they arriued at the Castle of Balays where they found Gentlemen and Ladeies that courteously entertained them by reason Balays had sent them word before how he brought with him the two best Knights in the world Amadis who deliuered him from the strong prison of Arcalaus and his noble brother Galaor For this cause were they welcommed much more honourably and brought into a goodly chamber to bee vnarmed where likewise stood two costly beds and a table furnished with soueraigne medicins for their wounds the cure whereof two Ladies being Neeces to Balays vndertooke for they were very learnedly skilled in Chirurgery Now did they imploy their vttermost cunning to recoÌ„pence Amadis for his worthy pains in restoring their Vnckle from the slauerie of Arcalaus so that within few daies they felt themselues indifferently amended and almost able to beare their Armour as they did before Here-upon Amadis comming with his brother Galaor declared how to seeke him he departed from the Court of King Lisuart promising not to returne without his company wherefore he intreated him to yeelde no denâ—all in respect no Princes Court was better frequented with Chiualrie nor could he finde more honour in any other place My Lord quoth Galaor I intend to accomplish what you please to command me albeit I desire not as yet to be knowne among men of account first would I haue my deedes giue some witnesse how desirous I am to imitate your proceedings or else to die in this religious affection Certes brother answered Amadis for this matter you neede not abandon the place seeing your renown is already greater
Truely you may spare this labour replyed Amadis for at this time I haue no neede of your helpe When the other heard this answer hee imagined that Amadis mocked him which made him come and lay holde on the bridle of his horse saying By God Sir you shall answere my demand otherwise I meane to breake your pate I know not what thou canst doe quoth Amadis but I will dispatch my selfe of thee by combate and that way resolue thee in thy request for rash mindes must haue rough medicines and such as seeke to knowe more then they neede often feele more then they would So fetching their carrire the Knight shiuering his Launce in pieces but Amadis sent both horse and man to the ground and with such violence as the Knights legge was broken in the fall and Amadis had leasure to follow his iourney this was the man you heard of before that made Galaors Squire goe looke his maisters horse But now to proceede with Amadis who tarryed not to helpe the Knight vp againe such speed made he after his intent as at length hee ouer-tooke him that led away the Damosell comming neere him thus spake Forbeare Sir I pray ye and wrong the Ladie no more What wrong haue I done her answered the Knight The most shamefullest saide Amadis could be deuised What quoth the Knight you would then chastise me No Sir answered Amadis but aduise ye by reason for your owne benefit I heare yee well enough said the Knight but you may returne as wise as you came Is it true quoth Amadis then stepping to the Squire that led the Damosels Palfray he stearnely sayd Villaine let the woman alone or thou dyest the death The Squire being affraid fled away which the knight seeing and being very angry thereat hee came to Amadis with these words Beleeue me Sir you command very audatiously but if I know not how to charme such brauers let armour neuer come on my backe againe So placing their Launces in their rests they brake their staues in the encounter but the knight was cast headlong out of his faddle and before he could recouer him selfe againe Amadis stood ready with his sword to take his life which he perceiuing and that he must bee forced to beg his pardon thus spake Gentle Sir take pittie on mee and looke what offence I haue committed by any hard dealing shall be amended by better vsage Sweare then sayd Amadis neuer to wrong Lady or Damosell against her will With all my heart replied the Knight and as Amadis was comming to receiue his oath the villaine thrust his sword into his horse belly which made him presently fall downe dead and Amadis vnderneath in very great danger so that before he could get vp againe the knight deliuered him many cruell strokes saying By God Sir now shall I deerely teach ye how you enterprise another time to correct your better At length Amadis recouered footing and gaue his enemy such a blow through the sight of his helmet as cut the one side of his face cleane away wherewith he was so astonnied that he fell to the ground when Amadis setting his foote on him quickly seperated his heade from his shoulders The night induring all this while yet comfortably lightned by faire Cynthia whereby the Damosell sawe the death of her aduersary which made her fall at the princes feete with these wordes Alas worthy knight the God of heauen not I must require this honourable kindnesse for without your helpe much better had death beene to mee then life yet let mee request this further curtesie no more but your company to a Castle not far hence where I shall be in safety to my owne desire and to trauell alone thither will be dangerous for mee Nor shall you faire Damosell sayd Amadis be in such feare for I will not leaue yee till you be where you would so hee willed Gandalin to bring him the knights horse and to helpe the Damosell on her palfray afterward they rode as shee conducted them Of many matters they conferred by the way shee acquainting him with the whole history of the dead knight whole death you haue heard how Galaor reuenged And comming into a meddowe by a riuers side they alighted from their horses betaking themselues to sleepe a little because it was night shee lying on a mantle that Gandalin spread for her and Amadis leaning on his helmet as his best pillowe But as they all thus slept it chanced a knight came riding by who sawe them and without making any noyse with the great end of his Launce hee iogged the Damosell till she awaked When shee behelde him on horse-backe thinging it was Amadis that conducted her shee started vp as one halfe asleepe demanding if it pleased him to departe Yea marry quoth the knight and taking her by the hand mounted her vp behinde him Why doe ye so said the Damosell your Squire might helpe mee to mine owne horse without troubling you in this māner It were needlesse answered the knight for seeing a booty is so well offered I meane to haue the carriage of it my selfe These wordes made the Damosell suspect her selfe deceiued and looking backe shee behelde where Amadis lay fast asleepe wherefore she cryed out so loud as she could Ah helpe me Sir quoth shee for heere is one I knowe not will forcibly carry mee away When the knight heard what a noyse shee made hee gaue the spurres to his horse riding away in a maine gallop but Amadis awaking and not seeing the Damosell was greatly displeased hashly calling Gandalin to bring him his horse afterward hee posted the same way the knight had taken At length hee got a sight of them marking their entrance into a thicket of trees where he mistooke his way in such sort as hee knew not which side of the woode to take when though hee was one of the most patient men in the world he conceiued this griefe marueilous vnkindly saying to himselfe Now may the Damosel well report that I haue done her as much shame as succour for if I defended her from one forcer by my sloathfulnesse I haue left her in the power of one worse then he Thus riding in and out among the brambles offering much iniutie to his horse at length he heard the winding of a horne which made him follow the sound there-of imagining the knight did it for his pleasure Soone after hee espied a strong Castle on the top of a mountayne and approaching neere perceiued it was begirt with a high wall whereon were many great Towers and the gate made sure with mighty barres As hee was seeking some place of enterance the watch discrying him said What man at so late an houre commeth armed so neere I am a strange knight answered Amadis What would you haue sayde the watch I seeke for one quoth Amadis who not long since tooke a Damosell from mee Wee sawe none such answered the watch Hereupon Amadis passed further and discerned a little doore
escape the death Wherefore shee was content to conceale them in respect of the offence she should commit by causing the death of two so good knights beside shee repented her vnhonorable iourney which now she could no way remedie but only by keping their names vnknown They being thus prisoners to the Lady she entred into these speeches Knights you may see in what estate I hold ye and there is no meane but one for deliuerance which I will acquaint ye withall mary if you doe not fulfill it in steed of giuing you liberty I will cause you to be inclosed in such a dolorous prison as shall be worse to you then death it selfe Lady answered Amadis the matter may be such that we shall easily consent thereto and in some sort againe we will rather die then obey you I know not quoth the Lady how you may conceiue thereof but I can assure ye that if you promise mee not to forsake the seruice of King Lisuart and to go tell him at your departure hence how you do it by commandement of Madasima Lady of Gantasi who enuies his welfare because he keepeth one in his court that slew the most renowned Knight Dardan you neuer shale escape this mereilesse captiuity Madame said Galaor if you do this thinking thereby to offend king Lisuart you much abuse your selfe for we are two poore knights who haue no other riches then our Armour and Horse and hee hath such store of redoubted Seruants as he will little care whether you imprison vs or no yet shall it bee such a shame to vs as you can neuer imagine the like because wee are vnable to do it What quoth she loue you better to spend your life time in a most miserable prison then to forsake the seruice of the most disloyall king liuing Now trust me Madame answered Galaor but ill beseems you these bad speeches for he is one of the best Princes in the World and against any knight I will maintaine that neuer was disloyalty found in him In lucklesse time for thee said Madasima hast thou vttered thy loue wherewith shee commanded their hands to be bound That shall I do replied a knight and cut off their heads if you please Hereupon he laid hold on Amadis who was so offended thereat as he lifted his fist to giue him a blow on the eare but the knight escaping Amadis caught him about the middle throwing him so violently against the ground that he thought his heart was broken for he lay still and moued not Now grew the Lady and her knights into such anger with Amadis as presently they would haue slaine him and he had not escaped but that an ancient knight stepped before him with his Sword drawne vsing such threatnings and other behauiour as he caused them all to goe forth of the Pauillion yet could he not defend him so well but Amadis was wounded on the right shoulder Then stepped the auncient knight to Madasima with these wordes By God Madame you deale like a very vnreasonable Woman causing your people in your presence to murder two knights after they haue yeelded themselues your prisoners Why Sir quoth she did you not see their presumptuous boldnesse especially this varlet who before my face hath so vsed this Man as he is not able to rise againe Madame replied Galaor we rather chuse to die then any other but your selfe shall binde vs for you by nature are gentle and courteous and we as prisoners wil shew obeysance to you Seeing you say so answered Madasima I will binde you my selfe hereupon she bound their hands with strong cords and presently taking downe the Tents they departed thence Amadis and Galaor being set on horses without Saddles and led along by two Sâ—rgeants as for Gandalin and Galaors Squire they followed on foot hauing their hands bound behinde them in manner as if they had gone to hanging and thus were they constrained to trauaile al night through the Forrest But Amadis was weary of his life not so much for his hard vsage in respect he could gouerne himselfe with wonderfull patience but for the matter Madasima would enforce them to the refusall whereof gaue hope of no better vsage at her hand but for euer to be depriued of his faire Oriana And contrarywise if he consented he should in like manner be banished from her presence being compelled to serue king Lisuart no longer these two extremitys troubled his thoughts which the ancient knight well perceiued that saued their liues yet he imagined the cause to proceede from his hurt and was moued to pitty him for the Damosell had told him that he was one of the best knights in the world Here you must obserue how the Damosell was the ancient knights Daughter and repented her treason in deceiuing them seeing how discourteously they were intreated which made her earnestly to perswade her father to practise some meane for their safety for quoth she if they be put to death perpetuall shame will attend on my life Haue pitty then good Father on them and me in respect the one is famous Amadis of Gaule and the other his brother Gaiâ—or who slew the Giant at the Rock of Galteres Full wel knew the knight the cause why his Daughter brought them and therefore pittied their vsage the more deuising how he might compasse the meanes to shielde them from death which was neere at hand so comming to Amadis he thus spake Be of good cheere Sir Knight for I hope by the helpe of God ere long to deliuer you from this cruell Lady and if your wound offend ye I will perswade her to let you haue some cure When Amadis heard him speake so friendly knowing likewise it was the Man who deliuered him from them that would haue slaine him hee thus answered Father I haue no Wound which greatly annoyeth me but I haue more cause to complaine of the Damosell she hath brought vs hither by the falsest treacherie in the World I know very well saide the Knight you haue beene deceiued and can tell what you are better then you weene which makes mee the more carefull in seeking your good Therefore I shall giue you profitable counsell if you will accept it But did the Lady know you you should die without any remedy because nothing might serue else to expiaâ—e her wrath beleeue then what I say and put it in practise You are fayre young and of gallant stature beside Madasima hath beene told how you are one of the best Knights in the World whereby shee conceiueth good opinion of you now must you cunningly close with her requesting shee would accept you as her husband or perpetuall friend for she is a woman not to refuse you if you can neuer so little dissemble with her But what you doe do quickly because at that place whither we are now going she intends to send one of her seruants to King Lisuarts Court whose errand 〈◊〉 onely to enquire your names for she that conducted you â—ither
to rest him and vnarmed himselfe herewithall he beheld a very aged man clothed with a religious habit who tooke him by the hand as if he had pittied his trauaile spake to him certain words in a strange language which he did not vnderstand being in this trouble he awaked Vpon this dreame Amadis mused a great while thinking that oftentimes they foreshow some thing that followeth because he did see part of that which hee had dreamed to fall out Thus hee came to the gate where Gandalin and Isania stayed his with furniture there armed himselfe afterwards he mounted vpon his horse keeping neither way nor path vntill he came neere vnt an Hermitage then he demanded of Isania what place that was My Lord answered hee this Chappel is dedicated to the Vrgin Marie wherein oftentimes are diuerse strange miracles wrought For which cause Amadis allighted from his horse entred into the Church and kneeling downe with great deuotion hee made his prayers to God The which being ended hee rose vp called Gandalin to him whom he held a long time embraced in his armes not being able to speake one word yet in the end he thus said vnto him My deere Gandalin thou and I haue beene fostered vp with one milke and alwaies brought vp together and I neuer felt any paine or sorrow wherein thou hast not had thy part Thy father tok me vp in the sea whē I was yet but a small thing beeing but newly borne the very night before afterward he caused thy mother to cherish mee as tenderly as if I had their deeriest childe Now haue I oftentimes tried thy loyalty knowing very wel what seruice thou hast done for me the which I did hope in time with the fauour of God to haue recompensed but this great mis-fortune is fallen vpon me the which I feele more sharpe and cruell then death it selfe especially seeing I am constrained to forsake thee hauing no other thing to bestow vpon thee but the Isle which I haue newly conquered which I do giue thee commanding Isania with my other subiects vpon that faith and homage which they haue sworne vnto me to receiue thee as their Lord so soone as they shall be assured of my death Yet is it my wil that thy father and mother shal enioy the same during their liues and afterwards it shall remaine vnto thee which is in recompence of the good I haue receiued of thē whom I thought to haue better rewarded according to their deserts and my desire And as for you Lord Isania I pray you that of the fruits and reuenues of this Isle which of long time you haue had in your keeping you should build here in this place a Monestarie in the honor of the virgin Mary and to endow it with so much liuing as thirtie religious men may hence-forth liue vpon the same Ah my Lord said Gandalin I neuer forsooke you for any trauaile or perill which hitherto you haue suffered neither yet will I leaue you if God be pleased and if you dye I will not liue after you neither for all the world will I lose you Therefore you may if it please you bestowe this gift vpon my Lords your brethren seeing I will not haue it neither do I desire it in any sort Holde thy peace said Amadis let me heare these words no more vnlesse thou desirest to displease me but do as I would haue thee for my bretheren may prouide far greater liuings for thē and their friends then this small thing which I doe giue vnto thee But touching you my deere friend Isania it very greatly grieueth me that I haue not the means to gratulate you according to your deserts notwithstanding I leaue you amongst so many of my good friends as they shall supply that which I cannot I pray you my Lord answered hee suffer mee onely to accompany you that I may be partaker of any wealth or woe that shall happen to you Wherein you shall fully shew mee your loue and I rest satisfied to my liking My deere friend saide Amadis I doubt not but that you would follow with a good will notwithstanding my miseric is so excessiue as besides my maker none can ease it whome onely I humbly beseech to bee my conductour for I will haue no other companion And therefore Gandalin if thou desirest Knight-hood holde take it presently with my armour which I doe giue thee for since thou hast heeretofore so well kept them it is reason they should now serue thee considering how little I shall hereafter need them if not thou maiest receiue this honour of my brother Galaor vnto whom my Lord Isania here shall in my behalfe make request to the same ende and I entreate thee to serue him euen as faithfully as thou hast serued mee For my loue vnto him is so great as amongst all my most afflictions I shall bewaile his absence because I haue euermore foūd him an hūble obedient a louing brother You shall further request him to take into his seruice Ardan my Dwarffe whom I recommend vnto him to the Dwarffe say that I will him to serue my brother dilligently This sayd both hee and those to whom he spake burst forth into aboundance of teares comming vnto them he embraced them saying Now my friends seeing I neuer hope to see you any more I entreate you to pray to God for mee and vpon your liues I charge you that none of you doe follow mee Then hee got vpon his horse set spurres to his sides and galloped from them remembring not at his departure to take either Launce shield or helmet with him Thus he entred into a desert place at the foot of a mountaine taking no other way but whither his horse would carry him and so long hee rode vntill the most parte of the night was now spent when the horse entred into a little brook enuironed with many trees where he would haue drunken But as hee passed on further Amadis was strucken on the face with certaine branches of trees so rudely as it wakened him out of his study and therewithall looking vp hee perceiued that hee was in a couert and solitary place beset with store of thick bushes which greatly reioyced him because hee thought hee should very hardly bee found out in this thicket There he alighted tyed his horse and sate him downe vpon the grasse the better to meditate vpon his melancholy but hee had wept so long and his braines were so light that at the last hee fell asleepe CHAP. IIII. How Gandalin and Durin followed the same way that Amadis had taken brought the rest of his armour which he had left behinde then found him sleeping how he fought against a Knight whom he did ouercome AMadis beeing departed Gandalin who remayned in the Hermitage with Isania Durin as you haue heard began to make the greatest lamentation in the world and said Although he hath forbidden mee to follow him yet will I not stay
for any thing behinde him at least I will carry him his armour I will gladly beare you companie for this night sayd Durin I would to God we might finde him in better case then hee was at his departure Then they tooke their leaue of Isania and getting to horse-backe they followed the same way that Amadis had tooke coasting heere and there about the wood so long till fortune brought them where hee lay When his horse sented their horses hee began to neigh whereby Gandalin knew his Master was not farre off wherefore the more secretly to behold his countenance hee allighted comming so neere vnto him as he might easily behold where he slept hard by the riuer side whereupon he stood close watching when he should awake he had not staied long before his slumber left him Then he suddenly started vp as if hee had been frighted At that instant was the Moon withdrawne by the daies approach yet sate hee still on the grasse beginning his moane in a most strange and pittifull manner and bitterly weeping he burst out into these words Alas fortune too inconstant sickle why hast thou first aduanced mee and afterwards ouerthrowne me Now I well perceiue thou canst doe more hurt in one houre then thou wilt do good in a thousand yeares for if heretofore thou haste giuen me any pleasure or ioy thou hast now in a moment cruelly robbed me of all leauing me in bitter tormeÌ„ts far worse then death and seeing thou wast minded so to serue mee why hast thou not at the least made the one equal with the other because thou knowest that if heeretofore thou didst bestow vpon me any contentment yet was it euermore mingled with great sorrowe In like sort shouldst thou reserue for me some sparke of hope with this cruelty wherewith thou now tormentest me executing vpon me an incomprehensible thing in the thought of those whom thou fauourest who because they feele not this mischiefe doe thinke those riches glories and honours which vnto them thou lendest to bee euerlasting But they forget that besides the troublesom trauels which their bodies doe suffer for the keeping thereof how their soules are in danger to perish therefore For by thy flatteries wanton intisemeÌ„ts thou vtterly ouerthrowest them in the end compellest them to enter into the labyrinth of all desolation from whence they are neuer able to depart And quite contrary are thy aduersities for so much as if a man doe resist theÌ„ patiently flying greedy couetousnes disordinate ambition he is lifted out of this vilde place into perpetuall glory Notwithstanding I beeing most vnfortunate could not chuse this good seeing that if all the world were mine and should bee taken from me by thee yet hauing only the good grace of my Mistris it should be sufficient to make me as mighty as the greatest monark the which I also lacking how is it possible for me in any sort to liue Therefore in fauour and recompence of my loyalty I beseech thee not to giue mee a languishing death but if thou art appointed to ende my dayes doe it without delay taking compassion of him whose longer life thou art ignorant how irkesome it is This sayd hee fell downe backward vpon the grasse and was as silent as if he had beene in a swound Then within a while after hee cryed Ah louely Oriana you haue wounded me deadly in banishing me discurteously for I will neuer transgresse your coÌ„mandements what danger soeuer may happen mee seeing that if therein I failed my life also were thereby finished notwithstanding for as much as I wrongfully receiue my death the more extream is my dolor But seeing that with my end you shall rest satisfied I neuer esteemed my life at so high a price but I wold if it were possible change it into a thousand deaths to afford you neuer so little pleasure In like sort since it liketh you to execute your anger against me I am very well content if for my affliction you may hence-forth liue at your ease for whether soeuer my Soule flyeth it shall receiue most quiet when it shal know that you remaine contented And vntill mine innocencie shall bee known vnto you I will endeauor to finish the rest of my sorrowfull daies in all bitternesse and displeasure and being dead my spirit shal lament the griefe which wil happen vnto you for the wrong which you haue done to me specialy wanting power to succour you O king Perion my Lord and father how little occasion shall you haue to bewaile my death when you shall neither know the same nor the cause thereof But because that knowing the same it would bee to you a griefe intollerable and yet it could be no mittigation of my torment I pray that my misfortune may to you neuer be manifest least the same should abridge the remainder of your dayes which yet are not determined Then after a small pause he cryed O my second father Galuanes truely I do greatly grieue that my aduerse Fortune doth not permit me to discharge that great bond in which to you I am bound for if my father gaue me life you preserued the same in deliuering me from the danger of the Sea being launched forth into his mercilesse waues euen when I had but newly left my mothers womb and afterwardes I was by you as carefully cherished as if I had beene your deerest childe I am assured good King Arban that you will greatly bewaile my sorrowfull â—nd yet valiant Angriotta d'Estauaux Guillan and a number of my other friends shall assist you to bemone his death who euer loued and held you deere Ah good cosin Mabila what haue I deserued of you or of the Damosel of Denmark that by you I am abandoned when I haue most neede of your ayde Haue you so many times preserued my life doe you now without desert make me pay tribute for my receiued pleasure in consenting to my miserable death Beleeue mee if need were deare friends for your sakes would I bee sacrificed and yet you make no conscience to forsake mee which maketh mee verily to beleeue that you haue denied mee your coÌ„fort heauen and earth haue desired my confusion which shall the lesse grieue me in that I see no remedy Gandalin and Durin hearing these lamentations of Amadis the were so much agrieued therewith that they wept as bitterly as hee yet durst they not shew themselues because hee had so straitly charged them not to follow him But Amadis ceased not his mone vntill hee heard a knight who passed hard by him singing this song LOue sacred Loue 〈…〉 I remaine To thee for 〈◊〉 exceeding bounteous grace On earth what Gentleman may 〈◊〉 like game Beloued thou makest me in euery place Happy such â—aâ— when loue â—…pect me Nâ—…d I Ladâ—… me To witnesse 〈…〉 Sweet Sard 〈…〉 Whom 〈…〉 Anâ— sort 〈…〉 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 〈…〉 retire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daugâ—ter of a 〈…〉 Whom 〈…〉 My 〈◊〉 is great 〈…〉 But to enioy 〈…〉 Hauing
Durin I see my misfortune so strange and my sorrow so intollerable as of force I must die which God grant it may be without delay for death onely will giue rest and ease to this torture which vexeth mee Salute from me the Princesse Mabila and thy good sister the Damosell of Denmarke vnto whom thou mayst declare my cruel death which I suffer with as great wrōg as euer any knight suffered Before the which I would to God I had the meanes to doe them any seruice in recompence of the duty I doe owe them for all the good they haue done and the fauours they haue purchased for mee Then hee beganne his moane weeping so bitterly as Durin therewith had his heart so stopped with woe that hee was not able to answer one word Wherfore Amadis embraced him and committed him to God At that instant began the day to appeare when Amadis perceiuing that Gandalin followed him hee sayd vnto him if thou determinest to come with me take heede vpon thy life that thou turne me not from any thing which I shall say or doe otherwise I pray thee forthwith to turne another way that I may see thee no more Beleeue me Sir sayd Gandalin I wil do whatsoeuer shal please you Then Amadis deliuered him his armor to bear cōmanding him to pul the sword forth of his shield to cary it to the amorous knight CHAP. V. Who was the Knight vanquished by Amadis and what happened vnto him before he fought with him SEeing that it falleth out so fit I will declare vnto you before I passe any further the estate of the amorous Knight of whom wee spake euen now You must knowe that hee was called Patin brother to Don Sidon the Emperor of Rome and hee was the best knight that was to be found in all Romania By meanes whereof he was feared and famous through all the Empire chiefly because hee was to succeed in his brothers dignitie for there was none more neare the same then hee and the Emperour was already so olde that hee neuer hoped to haue any heire Now this Patin was one day talking with the Queene of Sardinia named Sardamira one of the fairest Ladies in the world whom hee loued extreamely And as hee gaue her to vnderstand what feruency and torment hee endured in ouer-louing her she answered him My Lord I assuredly beleeue that which you tell mee and the better to witnesse the same I let you know that there is no prince liuing for whō I would do more then for you nor whom I would more willingly take for husband because I know your good parts and the high knight-hood where withall you are so famoused These speeches bred so great presumption in the heart of Patin as besides that hee was by nature one of the proudest Gentlemen in the world hee entred into such glory that he answered her Madame I haue heard that King Lisuart hath a daughter esteemed the fairest Princesse in the worlde but for the loue of you I will goe into Great Brittaine there to mainteine against all men that her beauty is not cōparable to yours the which I alone will prooue in combate against two of the best knights that dare say the contrary whom if I cannot ouercome I will that King Lisuart doe cause my head to bee cut off In good faith my Lord answered the Queene I am of a contrary opinion for if the Princesse haue any beauty in her it nothing impaireth that which God hath bestowed vpon mee if any beauty there bee and me thinks that you haue other means more fit to make known your prowesse in all places Hap what may hap answered hee I will doe it for your loue to the end that euery one may knowe that as you are the fairest Lady in the world so you are beloued of the valiantest Knight aliue Hereupon continuing in this minde within a while after hee tooke leaue of the Queene and passed into Great Brittaine accompanied onely with two Esquires Then hee enquired where he might find King Lisuart vnto whose Court he shortly after came and because hee was more richly armed then wandering knights were accustomed to bee the King thought him to be some great personage For this cause hee receiued him most honourably appointing him into a chamber to shift himselfe When he was vnarmed hee returned to the King who stayed for him marching with such grauity as those that beheld seeing his comely stature iudged him to bee of great courage But the King tooke him by the hand and conferring together hee sayde vnto him gentle friend I pray you thinke it not strange if I desire to know who you are because I may the more honor you in my Court It may please your Maiesty answered Patin I am not come into this countrey to hide mee but rather to make my selfe knowne as well vnto your Highnesse as vnto all others I am that Patin brother to the Emperour which humbly beseecheth you to enquire no further of my affaire vntill I haue seen my Lady Oriana your daughter When the King heard that he embraced him and in excusing his ignorance he sayd to him My good Cosen I am maruailous glad of the honour that you haue done me In cōming thus to visit me in my owne countrey assuring you that since you are desirous to see my daughter she shall not onely be shewed vnto you but likewise the Queene and all her trayne And so long they continued their talke vntill they had couered for supper Then the King caused him to sit next vnto him where hee found himselfe compassed with so great a number of knights as hee much marualled thereat and began to despise the Court of the Emperour his brother as also of all other Princes in respect of this which hee saw After the tables were taken vp it being time to goe to rest the King cōmanded Don Grumedan to bring Patin to his lodging and to shew him all the honor and good entertainment hee could So for that night they departed vntill the next morning that hee came and found the King hearing diuine seruice after the which hee was conducted to the Ladies who receiued him curteously for at his comming the Queen took him by the hand praying him to sit betweene her her daughter Oriana whom at that instant he beheld with such an eye as the loue which before he did beare vnto the Queene Sardamira was wholly changed vnto her beeing captiuated with her excellent beauty and goodly grace You may iudge then how he would haue esteemed her if he had seene her in the time of her perfect health which was now much decaied by reason of this new iealousie which she had conceiued against Amadis which made her looke leane pale and wan but these defaults could nothing quench the heate of the fire already kindled in the heart of Patin who was so far beside him-selfe that hee determined to beseech the king to bestow her vpon him in
the habit and estate whereunto I am called such speeches as these become me not at all neuerthelesse knowing that it is for your good I am sure that I doe not amisse in this counselling a person so comfortlesse as you are Here-with all the Faire Forlorne fell vpon the ground to kisse his feete reioysing that he had happened into the company of a person so holy that knew how to comfort him so well in his aduersity desiring very heartily that whatsoeuer the holy man had told him might so come to passe and he said vnto the Hermit my Father seeing it hath pleased you to do me so much good as to expound this dreame I pray you likewise to tell me the meaning of one other which I dreamed the night before I came from the firm-Island Then did hee recite it word by word vnto him Whereupon the aged man answered him My son by this you may plainely see that which already is happened vnto you for I assure you that the place ouer shaddowed with trees where you thought that you were the great nūber of people which at the first made such great ioy about you signifieth the firm Island which you haue conquered to the great pleasure of al the inhabitants thereof But the man which came vnto you with a boxe full of bitternes is the messenger of the Lady that gaue you the letter and your selfe doth know better then any other whether he brought you bitternesse or no by the discourse which he had with you The sorrow which afterwards you did behold in the persons which before were so ioyfull are they of the Isle who at this present are very heauy for your absence The apparell which you threw off are the teares which you haue shed The stony place wherin you entred inuironed with water this rock witnesseth to you what it is The religious mā that did speake vnto you in an vnknown lāguage is my selfe who do instruct you in holy writ which you neither vnderstand nor can comprehend Father answered the Fair-Forlorn I know verily that you say the truth which giueth me great hope of that which you haue declared of the other but the continuall griefe and melancholie wherein I liue hath already ouer-mastered mee that I beleeue if the good which you promise vnto me do not the sooner case my care death will first seize vpon my sorrowfull corps Notwithstanding the Hermit knew how to perswade him so wel that from thenceforth he shewed a little merrier countenance then before he had done and began to turne his sorrow to some solace vsing to angle for fish with two Nephwes of the olde man that kept him company Neuerthelesse the most part of the time he with-drew himselfe into a secret place hard by the sea side which was ouer-shadowed with diuerse sorts of trees and there oftentimes he cast his sight vnto the Firme-Island which put him in remembrance of those fauours whereunto fortune had called him the wrong that Oriana did vnto him hee hauing neuer offended Alas saide he haue I deserued this entertainment to be banished without hauing offended so much as in thought Truely deere friend if my death were agrieable vnto you you haue meane enough to giue it me more speedily without making mee thus to liue in languishing The onely deniall of your good grace the very first day that you accepted me for your knight had beene sufficient at that time to haue made me die a thousand deathes Many other lamentations did the Faire Forlorne euery day make in this solitary place wherein he tooke so great pleasure that oftentimes hee there passed away both the day and the night so as one time finding himselfe more frollick in his minde then of a long time he had beene hee made this song following Sith that the victory of right deserued 〈◊〉 they do withhold for which I serued Now 〈◊〉 my glory thus hath had a fall 〈◊〉 it is to end my life withall By 〈…〉 is my death likewise my woes release My 〈…〉 loue doth cease But euer 〈…〉 my during paine For 〈…〉 my glory and my gaine My selfe haue 〈◊〉 and my glory slaine Thus the Faire Forlorne passed away the time waiting vntill fate or better fortune should bring him forth of this miserie But it happened that one night lying vnder the trees as hee was accustomed about the breake of day hee heard very nigh him the sound of a most sweete instrument wherein he tooke so great pleasure that he gaue attentiue eare thereunto a good while amazed notwithstanding from whence it might proceede Knowing the place to bee solitary that no other there remained but the hermit his two Nephewes and himselfe wherefore he rose vp without making any noyse at all and approched more neere to see what it might be Then he beheld two young Gentlewomen sitting by a fountaine who tuning their voyses to the sound of a lute did sing a most pleasant song neuerthelesse fearing to trouble their mirth hee stood still a great while without being by them perceiued Afterwards he came forth and disclosed himselfe saying vnto them Truely Gentlewomen your musicke hath made me this day to loose Matins for the which I am very sorry When these women heard him speake hauing not seen him at all vntill that time they were much afraide Norwithstanding one of them more bold then her fellow answered him My friend we did not thinke to offend you with this our mirth but seeing we haue so luckily found you tell vs if it please you who you are and how this desert place is called In truth faire Gentlewomen saide the Faire Forlorne this place is called the poore Rock wherein there liueth an Hermit vpon the top thereof in his little hermitage As for me I am a poore man that keep him company doing great and hard penance for the sin and wickednesse which I haue committed Gentle friend answered they may we finde in this place for two or three dayes onely any house wherein we may place at ease a Lady both rich mighty so tormented with loue that she is euen at deaths dore therewith Trust me said he there is no other lodging in this Rock but the little cabinet wherein the Hermit doth lie and one other that I do sleepe in some-time but if the Hermit will lend you mine I am content to do you a pleasure to lie in the meane time abroad in the fields as I commonly vse to do The Gentlewoman gaue him hearty thankes and bidding him good morrow they departed towards a Pauilion within the which the Faire Forlorne beheld a most beautifull Lady vpon a bed Wherupon he knew that the same was shee of whom they told him But looking farder off he did see foure armed men walking by the Sea side who scouted abroad whilest fiue others did take their rest and he also perceiued a shippe at Anchor well appointed The Sun was already vp when he heard the Hermitage bell to ring which
promised not to forsake him During this coÌ„ference Mabila sent to seeke Gandalin for shee would speake with him before shee went to Mirefleur who came vnto her and as soone as hee did see her he could not possibly refraine from weeping nor she likewise Afterwards hauing some-what eased their hearts with their exceeding teares Gandalin spake first saying vnto Mabila Alas Madame what wrong hath Oriana offered not onely to you hut vnto all your lignage together causing you to lose the best Knight in the world Ah how ingratefull hath she shewed her selfe vnto you for the seruice which you haue done vnto her and that which is yet worst of all she hath wronged him that neuer offended her either in word or thought wherefore I may well say that God hath very ill bestowed vpon her that great beauty and other excellent gifts where-with he hath endued her seeing they are gouerned and ouer-ruled with so great treason and yet I am well assured that none hath lost more then she Gandalin my friend answered Mabila I pray thee put that thought forth of thy minde for thou art ouer-much deceiued seeing that all which my Lady Oriana hath done hath beene for the griefe and displeasure that she coÌ„ceiued for one word which was ouer-lightly reported vnto her through which she hath conceiued some occasion of iélousie imagining that thy maister had forgotten her and that the affection which he did beare vnto her was turned and bestowed vpon another Notwithstanding she did neuer imagine that her letter written in choller should haue beene of such consequence nor that so much hurt should haue proceeded thereof but shee committed this fault as one that was caryed away with too extreame loue which fault is the more pardonable in her for the repentance which she hath endured euer since Ayâ—… saide Gandalin how was the discreete vnderstanding of my Lady and you abused at that time iâ—â—gining that my maister could only but thinke to commit so hainous 〈◊〉 fault against her whom before hee should haue offended hee would haue suffered himselfe to be buried quick vnder the ground and I pâ—… you Madam tel me if it please you the roote of this mischiefe and what was that vnhappy worde which so troubled the vertue spirit of you both to caâ—…e the death of the most perfect Knight that euer was borne Ardan the Dwarffe answered Mabila thinking to speake for the aduantage of Amadis was the occasion of all this mischiefe Then she recited vnto him at large the whole discourse of the three peeces of the sword as you haue heard in the first booke And assure thee Gandalin said she that neither the Damosell of Denmarke nor I were euer able to driue it from the fantasie of Oriana but that she was forsaken by him so as shee still perceiuing that shee was coÌ„traried by the Damosell of Denmarke and me did hide her selfe from vs and vnawares to vs both she wrot vnto him that vnhappy letter which Durin did bring him by the which is sprung the whole sourse of this mischiefe Whereof shee hath since that time often enough repented her for from the first houre that she did heare of Amadis his losse shee hath receiued so great sorrow and griefe that it is impossible to receiue any more and neuerthelesse we haue been in a manner very glad of her punishment seeing that she hath not yet feared to procure his displeasure that of her hath so well deserued All this discourse did Oriana heare who was in her wardrobe and perceiuing that they had changed then talke shee came forth as if she had heard nothing at all And as shee would haue spoken vnto Gandalin the teares distilled from her eyes and she began to tremble so extreamely that she fell downe all along vpon the floore crying Gentle Gandalin if thou art the same that thou shouldest be vnto thy maister reuenge vpoÌ„ me forth-with the greate miserie which vniustly he endureth Madam answered hee what would you haue mee to do I pray thee said she kill me and since I haue most iniuriously caused his death thou oughtest not in reason to defer the reuenge thereof for I am sure he wold haue done more for thee Saying so her speech failed and shee swouned as though she had bin departed But Mabila accustomed to such qualms did releeue her with a present and fit remedy that when she came to her selfe againe she cried wringing her hands Ah Gandalin thou doest mee great wrong thus long to defer my end I would to God that thy father were in thy place I am sure that hee would bestir himselfe better theÌ„ thou doest Madame answered Gandalin God defend me from such disloyalty I should truely play the part of the notablest villaine in the world if I should but onely thinke such a thought much more if I should commit two so great treasons one against you and the other against my Lord who cannot liue one only houre after you And I would neuer haue thought that so wicked couÌ„sell should haue had any place within your spirit for the incertainty that you haue of my maister his death who could haue hardly endured this wrong which you now in these words haue offered him without endangering his life for death commeth not but at the will and pleasure of God who hath not bestowed these fauours vpon him euer since his natiuitie that for any iniurie that you haue done vnto him he will permit that he should yet die Many other reasons and perswasions did Gandalin vse to Oriana which gaue great ease to her matirdom by means where-of she said vnto him Gandalin my friend I am determined to morrow morning to depart vnto Mirefleur to expect either life or death according to the newes which the Damosell of Denmarke shall bring vnto me And because I shall remaine there some long time I pray thee vnder the colour of seeing Mabila to come and visit vs often-times for me thinkes my sorrow decreaseth when I doe see thee Madame answered Gandalin I am ready to obey you in whatsoeuer it shall please you to command mee This said he tooke his leaue of her and as he departed from thence he passed by where the Queene was who caused him to be called and then shee saide vnto him Gandalin my friend wherfore didst thou forsake thy maister Madame answered he it was sore against my will and to my great griefe Then hee rehersed the manner how hee departed from the hermitage and the complaints and lamentations that he made especially he declared what his manner and behauiour was when he found him in the bottom of the valley which moued the Queene vnto such pittie that shee shed luke warme teares thereat Whereunto Gandalin taking good heed said vnto her Madam your highnesse hath reason to lament the losse of my Lord for hee was your graces most humble seruant Nay rather my good friend and protector answered she and I would it were the Lords
beene ouerwearied and shortly after they rose vp but when the Damosell of Denmarke perceiued that shee was laied in such sort naked in the middest of the chamber there was neuer woman more amased then she the which when Oriana perceiued shee demanded smiling to her selfe if shee were come thither to seeke fresh aire By my faith Madame answered she I know neither who brought me hither nor can I remember how I came hither Whereat they all began to laugh and after they were ready they went vnto the Kings lodging whome they fouÌ„d together with the Queen in the church and so soone as seruice was ended the King came vnto Vrganda and bid her good morrow and shee after her duty done vnto his Maiestie saide that if it were his pleasure to cause the Knights and Ladies in his Court to assemble together that before her departure which should bee very shortly shee would declare something before them that shold happen vnto him heereupon the King appointed a large hall to bee made ready in the which the next morning a great number of Lords and Ladies were come Then Vrganda beeing in the midst of them all addressing her speech vnto the King shee saide vnto him Seeing that your Maiestie hath kept the letters which I did write vnto you and Galaor presently after the Fair Forlorne had obtained the burning sword and the Damosell the kercheife with flowres it may please you now to cause them to be read that euery one may plainely know that I am not ignorant of things before they happen Heereupon hee sent for them and they were read before al the assistance whereby it plainely appeared that shee had wholly foretold the manner of the battaile euen as it happened out and they all greatly wondred thereat especially at the stout hears of the King that would be in a battaile so dangerous when hee was before hand threatned so rigorously by his better In like sort was it certainly known that the Faire Forlorne had been the cause of the victory by the three blowes that hee gaue The first when he cast King Cildadan at Galaors feet the second in killing Sarmadan the Leonnois and the third when hee succoured the king whom the stout Mandafabul of the virmillion tower did carry vnto his ships whose arme hee cut off close by the elbow which was the cause of his present death And in like sort that which she had said of Galaor was come to passe for his head was certainly at the mercy of the Faire Forlorne at that time when the Damosels demanded to carry him away But now said Vrganda I will tell you in order that which must happen great contention shall arise between the mighty serpent the strong Lion which shall be aided by many cruell beasts they shall come with such fury that a great numder of them shall suffer most cruel death The subtill Roman foxe shall bee wounded with the clawes of the strong Lyon and his skin shall be cruelly torne wherewith the mighty serpent shall bee brought into wonderfull perplexitie In this time the meâ—ke sheepe couered with blacke wooll shall come into the midst of them who by his great humilitie and pittifull bleatings shal pacific the pride and fiercenesse of their courages causing them to depart one from the other but presently the starued wolues shall discend from the steepe mountaines against the mighty serpent who being by them put to fight with a great part of his traine shall bee closed vp in one of his dens The tender licorne putting his mouth to the eare of the fierce Lion shall awake him out of his sound sleepe with his loud crye making him afterwards to take part of his beasts with the which hee shall speedily goe to the succour of the mighty serpent whom they shall finde so bitten and wounded by these starued wolues that his blood shall bee aboundantly shed vpon the earth at the same time shall he be deliuered from the teeth of the wolues and they be cut in pieces Then the life of the mighty serpent being restored leauing within his den all the poyson of his entrails he shall bee contented to put him-selfe betweene the clawes of the strong Lyon and the white hind who in the dreadfull Forrest did lift vp her greeues to Heauen shall bee taken from thence and called home againe Wherefore noble King may it please your Maiestie to cause this to bee written which before all this company I haue vttered for there is no doubt but all this shall come to passe I will so doe answered hee seeing it pleaseth you but I beleeue there is not any of vs that at the present vnderstands this prophesie Assure you saide shee that a time will come when it shall be manifested vnto all of you So saying she cast her eies vpon Amadis whom she perceiued to be maruailous pensiue and said vnto him My Lord Amadis you muse vpon that which cannot auaile you wherefore expel this fancy from your minde and harken vnto a match that you shall make wherein you shall get little gaine At such time as you shal be wounded to death in the defence of anothers life the smart being yours and the profit his the recompence that you shall reape thereby shall be a wonderfull discontent and a banishment from that whereunto you shall most desire to approach Then shall your good rich and sharpe Sword so bruise your bones and in so many places wound your flesh that with the losse of your blood you shall become very feeble and moreouer you shall bee so sharpely pursued that if halfe the world were yours you would giue it that your sword were cast into the bottom of some deepe lake from whence it could neuer be taken forth againe therefore bethinke you of your destiny which shall be such as I haue foretold you Amadis seeing that euery one had their eyes fixed vpon him looked vp with a smiling countenance and answered Vrganda Madame by the things that are already come to passe wherof you foretold vs we may wel credit and beleeue that which now you tell vs and knowing that I am mortal I am very sure that my life shall not be prolonged one minute longer then it pleaseth God and therfore whilst I may I will endeauour to gaine some reputation rather then seeke to conserue my life Notwithstanding if any perill were to be doubted I should haue more occasion to feare those that doe hourely happen vnto mee then such as are hidden yet to come I know well said Vrganda that it is more easie to draw the Sea drie then afright your vndaunted and magnanimious courage with any further dread of danger And because if it please your Maiesty said shee to the king that I must presently take my leaue of you remember I beseech you what I haue aduertised you of before this great and honourable company as shee that desireth the honour and profit of your Maiesty and stop your eares henceforth
is the Prince by whom this night you shall receiue such pleasure You say true answered Elisena but what thinke you not that fortune is as fauourable to me as to him for if I be faire is not he one of the most perfect men that hath beene heard of either in personage good grace or hardines assure thy selfe Darioletta my friend that I imagine myselfe so happy as I thinke it is impossible for me to be more therfore let vs make hast I praye thee These words she vttered with such affection that she trembled like the little leafe on the high tree and as she ended those speeches they arriued at the Chamber doore where King Perion was lodged who for the strangnes of this new amorous flame as also the hope he had in Darioletta had not as yet taken any rest Neuerthelesse beeing as then wearye with trauaile ouercome with sleepe began euen as they opened the doore to slumber and dreamed that one entred his chamber at a false dore without knowledge who it should be but he thought that he thrust his hands into his sides and rent forth his hart afterward he saw him throw it into the Riuer when the king saide Wherfore commit ye such cruelty This is nothing at all answered hee that did this outrage for with you shall remaine another hart which I must take from ye against my wil. In great feare he suddenly awaked making the signe of the Crosse commended himselfe to God Now had the Ladyes opened the dore entred the Chamber wherfore he hering the noyse suspected some treason especially by reason of his feareful dreame lifting vp his head beheld thorow the curtans the dore open wherof he knew nothing and afterward by the light of the Moone he saw the shadowe of the Ladyes that were entred For this cause in feare he started out of bed tooke his Sword and went to the place where he had seene them but when Darioletta saw him so affrighted she spake to him in this manner What shal be done here Do you draw armes against vs that come to you with so slender defence the king who quickly knew them especially Elisena whom hee so much desired threw his Sword to the ground and casting a mantle about him which lay neere at hand in great affection hee came to her whom he loued better then him-selfe kissing embracing shewing the best countenance could be deuised which Darioletta seeing as one iealous and enuious of such fauour said to Elisena Now are you somewhat better contented for in my iudgement although till this time you defended your selfe from many And he likewise hath withstood sundry assaultes notwithstanding at this present neither the one or orher of you hath force or meane which way any longer to warrant or defend your selues As thus she spake she looked where the king had throwen his Sword which she took vp as a witnesse of the oath and promise he made her concerning the future mariage of Elisena and himselfe then shutting the dore after her she went into the Garden and so the king remained alone with his faire freind whom after many amourous embracings infinite kissings and execution of delights he behelde verily perswading himselfe that all the beauty of the world was in her reputing himselfe much more then happy that the heauens had allowed him so good an aduenture See now how it chaunced to this Princesse that for so long time in the cheefest flower of her youth beeing requested by so many mighty Princes and great Lordes she had withstood all to remaine in the liberty of a Maiden now won in lesse space then one day and at such time as her fancie in her one thinking was farthest off from such matters Thus Loue breaking the strong bandes of her holye and chast life caused a sudden alteration of her purpose making her soone after of a faire virgen a faire woman seruing for example to many other who assaying to withdraw their thoughtes from worldly things despising the great beauty wherwith nature hath endowed them tender youth which maketh them ignorant of the plesures delights in their Fathers Courts whereof sometime they might haue tasted yeelde themselues for saluation of their soules in poore and religious houses thereto in offering their free will vowing themselues to the subiectiō of others hoping to passe their time without any renowne or glory of this world Certes such Ladyes ought with great sollicitude to stop their eares close their eyes and giue themselues to continuall deuoute contemplatiōs prayers accepting them as their true and singular pastimes as to such they are and aboue all they should exempt themselues from sight of Parents neighbours and freinds because oftentimes the talk and frequenting of such procureth achange of their holy chast will and not without cause haue I made this little discourse for it is to the end that it happen not to them as it did vnto the faire Princesse Elisena who so long labored in thought to preserue her selfe yet notwithstanding in one only moment seeing the beauty and good grace of King Perion changed her will in such sorte as without the aduise discretiō of Darioletta who would couer the honor of hir Mistresse vnder the mantle of mariage you may see she was at the poynt to fal into the very lowest parte of all dishonor As it hath happened to many other of whom hath commonly beene heard speech who not keeping them selues from what I haue saide before haue beene taken bad enough and taken will be if they admit no better foresight Now then are these two louers in their solace Elisena demanding of the king if his departure should be shortly or no. Wherfore Madame do you aske said king Perion Because quoth she this happy fortune that with so great delight hath giuen ease to our affectionate desires doth threaten me already with extreame anguish sorrow which by your absence I shall receiue and feare it will rather cause my sudden death then long life Haue no doubt thereof saide the king for although my body is seperated from your presence my hart for euer shal remain with ye which shall giue strength to vs both to you to suffer and to me by my speedye returne These two contented louers are thus deuising when she that had bin the cause of their meeting seeing it was time to call her mistresse who by this pleasure forgot her selfe in her louers armes entred the Chamber speaking somewhat loude saide Madme I know that heretofore you thought my company more agreeable then you doe at this present but it is needfull that you arise and let vs goe for the time calleth vs. When the King heard her knowing that perforce it must be so he played Darioletta to walke into the Garden and to bring him word in what corner the winde sat in meane while he tooke his amourous conge with such reciprocall pleasure as you that loue may easily iudge
then sweetly kissing her he saide I assure you Madame that for your sake I will stay longer in this Country then you imagine therefore I pray ye be not vnmindfull of this place So arose Elisena and went to her Chamber with Darioletta leauing the king alone not a little contented with his new acquaintance but dreading his dreame as you haue heard and willing to know what it might signifie he became desirous to returne to his owne Country where as then were good store of Philosophers that were well seene in those Sciences himselfe likewise in former times tooke great pleasure therein and vnderstood sundry rules thereof Neuerthelesse he soiourned ten dayes with king Garinter after his sporting with Elisena who neuer a night failed to visit her louely haunt The ten dayes being spent king Perion forcing his will and notwithstanding the teares and intreaties of Elisena which were excessiue resolued to depart and therefore tooke his leaue of the Court but as he wold haue mounted on horsebacke he perceiued that he wanted his good Sword whereat he became somewhat offended because it was one of the best and fairest in the world yet durst he not demand it fearing least the loue of him and Elisena should thereby be discouered or King Garinter angry with them that visited his Chamber In these thoughts accompanied with infinite regrets without longer stay he tooke his way toward Gaule albeit before his departure Darioletta came intreated him to be mindfull of the great griefe wherein he left his Elisena and of the solemne promise he had made her Alas my deere friend saide the King I pray ye to assure her on my parte that she shall haue no cause of offence and that right soone I meane to see her in meane while I commend her to you as mine owne proper hart Then taking from his finger a Ring semblable to an other that he had he sent it to the desolate louer intreating her earnestly for his sake to giue it her This present did no whit lessen her great greefe but encrease it so that if she had not beene comforted by Darioletta without doubt she had then finished her dayes but so well she perswaded her to take good hope that by the alligations she laid before her of dangerous occurrences she came somewhat better to her selfe and learned thence forward more smoothly to dissemble her sorrowe till she felte her selfe great with Childe by meanes whereof she not onely lost the taste of her food but also the pleasure of rest and the faire cullour of her countenance Now on the highest step of mis-hap was her sorrow set and not without cause for in that time was there an inuiolable lawe that any woman or maiden of what quality or estate soeuer offending in such sorte could no way excuse her selfe from death This sharpe and cruell custome endured til the comming of the vertuous King Arthur the best Prince that euer raigned in that Country which he reuoked at the time as be killed Floian in battaile before the Gates of Paris But many other Kinges were betweene him and Garinter who maintained that lawe and for this cause the sorrowfull Lady could not be absolued by ignoraunce thereof albeit that by the oathes and promises of King Perion on his Sword God would remit the offence yet knew she not how to excuse her faulte to the worlde because it was done so secretly as you haue heard See here the distresse wherein King Perion left his Elisena which gladly she wold giue him to vnderstand if possible she could but it might not be for she knew the prompritude of this yong Knng that tooke no rest in any place where he came nor was his hart satisfied except in this with following armes as also seeking strange and hazardous aduentures and therefore he was the harder to be found Thus dispairing of this succour she thought there was no remedy for her life for which she made not so much mone as the losse of the sight of her true friend and onely Lord. But at that instant the great and puissant maker of all thinges by whose permssion this act was appointed to his seruice inspired Darioletta with such councell as she onely should remedie these occurrances in such sort as you shall presently vnderstand In the pallace of King Garinter there was a Chamber-vault seperated from the rest neere to which was a riuer whereto one might easily discend by a little Iron dore this Chamber by the aduice of Darioletta did Elisena request of her father as well for her ease as to coÌ„tinue her accustomed solitary life and would haue none other companion then Darioletta who as you haue heard knew the occasion of her dollorous greefes This request she lightly obtained the King thinking his daughters intent to be as she feigned and heereupon was the keye of the Iron dore giuen to Darioletta to open when it pleased Elisena to recreate her selfe on the water By this meane had she a place proper to her affaires and so was in better rest assurance then before for well was she aduised that in this place more commodiously then any other might she prouide to escape without danger Wherefore beeing there one day alone with her Damosell they fell in conference she requited councell what should be done with the fruit that she trauailed withall What answered Darioletta Mary it must suffer to redeeme you Oh poore maidenly mother saide Elisena how can I coÌ„sent to the death of the creature begoten by the only man of the worlde whome most I loue offend not your selfe quoth Darioletta for if you should dye hardly would it be permitted after you to liue In sooth saide Elisena although I dye beeing culpable it were no reason the little innocent should suffer Leaue we this talke answered Darioletta seeing it were great folly to hazard the safety of that which hereafter may be the onely cause of your losse and your friend likewise for well you knowe that if you be discouered you shall dye and the infant shall not liue you dying no longer can he liue that so dâ—erâ—ly loueth you So shall you alone cause the death of all three where contrarywise if you escape the perill the time will come when you may haue together children enow which will make you forget the affection you bare to this first And as this Damosell was thus inspired so would she before hand seeke to preuent the inconuenience in this manner She got foure little boards of such largenes as was necessary to make a Chest wherein to put the infant with the clothes the Sword which she kept then did she giue them together in such sorte as the water should haue no place to enter This beeing done made fit she put it vnder the bed without declaring any thing there-of to Elisena vntil the time of child-birth approched and then Darioletta saide What thinke ye Madame this little Cofer is made for In good faith I know
you haue vnderstood of her and me for I am King Perion Truely Sir answered the wise man herein shall I greatly fault and iustly might she repute me an heretique if I should manifest what she hath told me vnder confession suffise your selfe with that I haue declared namely the true and sincere loue she beareth you But seeing I haue met ye in a place so conuenient I will that ye know what a Damosell in mine opinion very wise said to me at the time you came first into this country yet spake she to me so darkely as I neuer knew well how to comprehend her words for she said That from little Brittaine should come two great Dragons that should hold their gouernment in Gaule and their hearts in great Brittaine and from thence they should go to deuoure the beastes of other Countryes but against some they should be braue and cruell and against other some humble and gracious as though they had neither nayles or hart At these words I became very pensiue nor could I euer since learne the signification hereof Nor did the King at this instant vnderstand them but was in no lesse meruaile then the Hermite notwithstanding no long time after he found this prophesie to be true Now the king hauing commended the holy man to God returned to his tents where he saluted his Queene yet would he not tell her as then any thing of that wherewith his mind was troubled but dissembled the same till they were in bed and after their accustomed embracings the king by an apt meane recoūted to her what his Astrologers had said on his dreame earnestly desiring her to tel him whether she had any Child by him or no. When the good Lady heard this she was surprised with shame in such sorte as willingly she could haue wished her selfe dead and therefore altogether denied the truth so that at this time the king might not know what he desired On the morrow they departed thence and arriued in Gaule where this noble Queen was generally receiued with great ioy And because that as it hath bene heretofore rehearsed the king bare her singuler affection he did for her sake stay more in his Realme then he was wont to doe so that not long after the Queene brought him a Sonne who was named Galaor and next a daughter called Melicia But the little Galaor being two yeeres and a halfe olde it chaunced that one day the king his father soiourning not farre from the sea side in one of his Cities named Orangill standing at a window toward the Garden where was then the Queene with her son Ladies sporting there entred at a postern dore such a horrible Giant as no man that euer saw him but was exceedingly affraide bearing on his neck a huge mighty Mace When the company of women espied him some fled among the trees and other not to see him fell on the ground but the Giant made no reckoning of them only he came to little Galaor whom he tooke in his armes and in a laughter said By my faith the Damosell said true So without any thing else taking away the Child returned the same way he came and entring a Brigandine that there stayed for him departed vnder saile In meane while the sorrowfull Queene who saw her son caryed away Forgetting through motherly loue the feare of the Giant followed him very neere hoping to recouer her little Galaor but when she saw him enter the Brigandine God knowes in what anguish she was for her Sonne in crying said Ah helpe me mother Alas she could not and more strange then death she tooke it to see him caried away whom she loued as her owne life and in this extreame dollour she remembred her other Sonne throwne into the sea wherefore the wofull mother fell downe in a swoune King Perion her husband who saw all this in the place where he stood from whence he could not quickly come to aide the Queene or her Son at last came to the Queene finding her in that case and did so much as he recouered her againe Then began she to make the most grieuous mone in the world regreeting this new losse by whom the before hoped to vnderstand of the first and dispayring euer to heare any newes of comfort moued great compassion in all that beheld her All this while the king laboured to perswade her whereby at last she reobtained the reason that before was absent whereupon the king said Madame we must thank God for all and cheefely in this case for now I euidently see hath happened the effect of my dreame whereof sometime I tolde ye thus is little Galaor the last hart that must be taken from vs against our will Henceforth therefore feare not to declare what is become of the first for considering the estate you then were in you ought not in reason to be blamed At these words the mournefull mother forgetting none of the fault committed told him the mis-fortune of her first borne Sonne entreating him to pardon her seeing she did it throw feare of death according as was the law of the Country In good faith Madame answered the king well may ye assure your selfe that while I liue I will not be offended with ye on your behalfe therefore I pray ye take their desteny so secretly as you may for I trust in God that seeing it hath pleased him at our beginning to afforde vs so little ioy and comforte by our children in time to come he will recompence vs with better successe and it may be yet one day that we shall heare good tidings of them Now leauing this ye must note that the Giant who bare away the yong Prince was of the Country of Leonois Lord of an Isle named Gandalan wherein he had two strong places He was not a bloudy man as many other were but of a gentle and peaceable conuersation except when he was offended for in his fury he would doe great cruelties At one instant was the little barque so caried by the wind as he arriued in his country which he had caused to be peopled with Christians there he kepta Hermite of most holy life to whom he went saying Father take this child and nourish him for me teaching him all that is conuenient in a knight for I assure ye he is the son of a king and a Queene Ah said the Hermet why haue you doone such a cruell deede I will tell ye answered the Giant Being minded to go combate with the Giant Albadan who most vnhappily killed my father as you know and at this present forcibly holds from me the Rocke of Galteres which by right appertaineth to me being thus embarqued to execute mine intent there came a Damosell to me who said Thou abusest thy selfe for what thou goest about must be done by the son to king Perion of Gaul who is much more strong and hardy then thou art I demanded by her faith whether she told me true or no. That shalt
thou see quoth she At what time the two braâ—ches of one tree shall be ioyned which at this instant are seuered then did she tell me where I should find him of whome she spake and this is he I giue you in guard euen as you loue me By these meanes remained little Calaor in the holy mans charge and there he staied so long till he was of yeeres to receiue the order of Knight-hood as hereafter shal be recited to you At this time reigned in great Brittaine a king named Falangris who dying without children left one of his bretheren his heire no lesse prudent in all affaires then prompt at armes and Knightly chiualry being called Lisuart who maried not long before with Brisana daughter to the king of Denmarke the fairest Lady that then was to be found in all the North parts And albeit she had bene requested in mariage by great Princes of the country notwithstanding for feare of some the father durst not consent to the other for which he would prouide by choosing one himselfe and so maried her to the yong Prince Lisuart who for loue serued him nor was he ignorant of the vertues harbouring in hiâ— geâ—tâ—e hart Now after the death of Falangris the Princes of great Brittaine knowing the right of Lisuart sent for him to succeed in the Realme for he being in a strange country whereby his hauty deeds and chiualry he was maried in so good a place therefore they pispatched their Ambasladours to him intreating him to accept the Realme and subiects of great Brittaine and to come to inuest himselfe therein CHAP. V. How King Lisuart sayling by sea landed in Scotland where he was greatly honoured and well entertained PRince Lisuart vnderstanding his Subiects desire for his short returne prouided his equipage by Sea being aided and assisted by the king of Denmarke his father in law and afterward set saile toward great Brittaine And because he coasted along Scotland he tooke landing there whereof Languines being aduertised came and receiued him very royally Now was this new king of great Brittaine accompanied with the Queene his wife and a faire Princesse their daughter aged as is thought about ten yeeres named Oriana one of the fairest creatures that euer was seene and therefore during the time of her aboad in Denmarke she was commonly called The only because her paragon was not to be found in beauty This yong Lady Oriana being not vsed to trauaile on the sea found her selfe somewhat weary and her father fearing a worse mis-hap intreated the king of Scotland she might stay with him till he sent for her Right gladly did king Languines and his Queene accept this charge wherefore king Lisuart without longer stay in Scotland went to sea where weighing Anckers and hoising sailes in short time landed in his owne Country where being arriued before he could abide in quiet as in such occasions it often falleth out certaine rebels were found whom in time he ouer-maistred which was the cause he could not so speedily send for his daughter that he left in Scotland In this place the author leaueth the new King peaceably ruling in great Brittaine and returneth to the Gentleman of the sea who by this time hath attained the age of twelue yeeres albeit in stature he seemed past fifteene and for his good grace both of the Queene and the other Ladies was loued and esteemed more then any other Now according as hath beene already declared the yong Princesse Oriana daughter to King Lisuart was left with the Queene of Scots to refresh her selfe till the King her father should send for her and to her did the Queene vse all the gracious curtesies could be deuised saying to her withall Faire Madame henceforth so please you shall the Gentleman of the sea serue you and be yours Which the Princesse Oriana willingly accepted wherefore the yong Prince made such an impression of this kindnsse in his spirite as during life he ment to serue nor loue any other and therefore for euer bequeathed to her his heart but so well it came to passe that this loue was mutuall and equall betweene them both Notwithstanding the Prince for a while hauing no knowledge thereof thought him-selfe vnworthy so great good reputing it a very bold enterprise to thinke thereon which was the cause he durst not speake but shew his good will in outward semblance The yong Princesse who was of the fame minde and also in like paine forbare to talke more with him then any other thereby to auoyde all suspition but the eyes of the two louers doing their deuoire and office entercoursed the thing which most they esteemed and thus couertly they liued without acquainting each other with this amorous affectioÌ„ Soone after this yong vnknowne Prince seeing that to attaine the good grace of the Lady he loued it was necessary he should take Armes receiue the order of Knighthood he said to himselfe If once I were a Knight I would do such exployts as should deserue the fauour of my Lady or die in the attempt And in this destre one day finding king Languines at leysure for his request and comming to him in the garden where he walked he fell on his knee vsing these speeches My Lord might it stand with your pleasure I gladly would receiue my Knight-hood When the King heard him seeing his yong yeeres he was greatly abashed and thus answered How now Gentleman of the sea Do you thinke your selfe already strong enough for such a weightie charge In sooth it is an easie thing to receine honor but to maintaine it as behooueth 〈◊〉 may be is more hard then you esteeme so that oftentimes a right good hart is troubled therewith For if through feare or cowardise he forsake what he ought to doe more better is death to him then a shamefull life therefore by mine aduise I would haâ—e you yet a while to forbeare The Prince not contented with this answere replied I will not forgoe honor my Lord through any such feare as it pleaseth you to alleadge for if I had not the desire to doe all that appertaineth to Chiualrie I would not haue beene so bold to make this request but seeing by your gracious fauour I haue beene hitherto nourished most humbly I beseech ye to grant me this petition that I may receiue no occasion of loosing your seruice to seeke else where for obtaining my suite The king highly esteemed the courage of the youth and doubting least he would depart indeed answered Assure your selfe Gentle-man that I wil do it wheÌ„ I see it necessary for ye in meane while prouide your Armes and what else belongeth Yet tell me faire Sir to whome if I resused would you go for your order To King Perion said the Prince who is reputed a good and hardie Knight for he hath maried the Sister to your Queene who maketh me beleeue that he will not denie me when I shall let him vnderstand how shee hath nourished me and that I
being in my charge In speaking these words he came to the chiefest of the sixe from whom right-soone he caught his hatchet and gaue him such a stroke therewith as he fell to the ground All the other together presently set vpon him but one of thē he sliced to the very teeth and sooner after another bare him company with the losse of his arme When the three that were left saw their companions so handled they tooke themselues to flight and the Prince followed them so neere as one of them left his legge behinde him the other twaine he let go returning where he left the Damosel to whom he said Now boldly go on and like euill fortune may they haue that encourage any villany to lay forsible hand on Lady or Damosell She being assured by these words went on with the Prince and his Squires but ere they had gone any thing far they heard a great noyse tumult within the Castell Me thinkes Sir said the Damosel I heare a meruailous murmuring within this Fortresse therefore I would aduise ye to take the rest of your armour Goe on quoth the Prince and feare not for where Ladies are euill entreated who ought euery where to goe in safety there hardly abideth any man of valew In sooth said she if you doe not what I haue desired I will not passe any further and so much shee perswaded him that at length he laced on his Helmet afterward he went into the Castell at the entrance whereof he met a squire weeping who said Ah God why will they murder without cause the best knight in the world alas they wold inforce him to promise what is impossible for him to accomplish These words of the Squire could not stay the Prince for he saw King Perion who had so lately Knighted him very hardly vsed by two Knights who with the helpe of ten armed Halberders had round beset him saying sweare if not thou diest Greatly did it grieue the Prince to see such out-rage offered to King Perion wherefore he thus called to them Traiterous villaines what moues you to misuse the best Knight in the world by heauen you shall all die for him At these words one of the Knights left the King and taking fiue Halberders with him came to the Prince saying It likewise behoueth you to sweare if not you can escape no better then an other What quoth he shal I then sweare against my will by Gods leaue it shall not be so Then they of the Castell cryed to the Porter that he should shut the gate wherefore the Prince now saw he must stand vpon his defence whereupon hee ran fiercely against the Knight charging him in such sorte as he fell downe dead ouer the crupper of his Horse for in the fall he brake his necke Which the Prince beholding not tarring any longer with the Halberders came to the other knight that combated with K. Perton piercing his Launce quite through his body so that he accompanied the first in fortune King Perion seeing himselfe thus succoured so cheered vp his hart as he did much better then before against his enemies causing them by sharpe strokes of his Sword to retire in meane while the Gentle-man of the sea being on Horse-backe ranne among them and scattered them tumbling one downe heere and another there so that at length by the aid of the king they were all slaine except certaine that fled away on the top of the walles But the Prince alighted and followed them whereat they were so affrighted as they cast themselues downe headlong frō the wals only two got them into a Chamber where they thought to remaine in safetie notwithstanding he pursued them so neer as he buckled pel mel with them But within the Chamber on a bed lay an ancient knight whose vnweldy age had taken from him the vse of his legges to them that came in he vsed these speeches Cowardly villaines frō whom run ye so shamefully From a knight answered one of them who hath plaide the Diuell in your Castell for he hath slaine your two Nephewes and all our companions As thus he spake the Prince caught him by the head saying Tell me villaine where is the Lord of this place o◠esse thou diest The poore man seeing himselfe in such perill shewed him the old knight lying on the bed but when the Prince saw him so old and decrepite he blamed him in this manner Thou wretched olde man hath death already seazed on thy bones and yet doost thou cause such a wicked custome to be maintained heere Well dooth thine age excuse thee from bearing Armes yet shall I giue thee thy desert belonging to such a villaine With these words he made offer to smite off his head Wherefore the affrighted olde man cried Alas my Lord for Gods sake mercy None at all quoth the Prince thou art dead if thou swearest not to me that while thou liuest such like treason shall be no more maintained in this place whereto the olde knight right gladly tooke his oath Now tell mee saide the Prince wherefore hast thou heeretofore kept this custome heere For the loue of King Abies of Ireland answered the Knight who is mine Nephew and because I cannot aid him with my person in his warre I was desirous to succour him with such Knights errand as passed this way False villaine answered the Prince what haue Knights errand to do with thy desire so spurning the bed with his foote threw it downe and the olde Knight vnderit where commending him to all the Diuels he left him and comming downe into the Court tooke a Horse which was one of the slaine Knights and bringing it to the King said Mount your selfe my Lord for it little likes me to stay any longer here where such bad people haue their habitation The king presently went to Horse-bake and so they rode together out of the Castell but the Prince fearing least the king should know him would by no meanes take off his Helmet notwithstanding as they rode along the king thus spake to him I pray ye Sir knight tell me of whence you are that haue succoured me when I was so neere my death warranting me also hereafter frō the enimies of this place shewing your selfe a good friend to Ladies and knights errand As for me I am the same man against whom they kept this straight passage importing the cruell oath for which you combated My Lord answered the Prince I am a knight desirous to do you any seruice Beleeue me quoth the king that haue I already well perceiued for hardly should I haue found so good a friend to helpe me yet will I not giue ouer till I know ye Alas my Lord said he that will little profit ye Notwithstanding quoth the King I pray ye take off your Helmet which he would not do but put downe his Beuer a little Whē the king saw that his intreatie would not preuaile he desired the Damosell to obtaine so much for him
passe I pray thee let assurance be giuen to my Souldiours that without iniury they may carry me into my Country and dying like a Christian I may pay my debt both to God men Faine would I haue councel for my ouer burdened Soule then afterward shall I render to King Perion what I vsurped from him And as for thee who hast vanquished me I despise not to dye by the valiance of so gentle a Knight as thou art but withall my hart pardon thee my death wishing thou mayest continue honorable and yet hereafter to remember me When the Prince saw him in such debilitie he was exceeding sorowfull for his death although he knew assuredly that if he had woon the glory of the combate he would haue dealt much worse with him During these speeches the Knights appointed on each side came to them wherefore King Abies commanded his Captaines to render King Perion what he had conquered in Gaule which was accomplished and by these meanes the Irish-men had assurance to carry home their King who dyed soone after order was gifor their affaires These matters thus ended King Perion Agraies and all the Lords of Gaule came to the Prince accompanying him with great ioy from the fielde into the Citie euen with such triumphant glory as to Conquerours is accustomed who by their prowesse not onely ouercome their enemies but restore the Country that is well neere ruinated Now must ye vnderstand that a little before the beginning of the Combate the Damosell of Denmarke who came from faire Oriana to the Prince was arriued at king Perions Courte and before shee would make her selfe knowne she desired to behold the issue of the fight Afterward seeing him returne with so honorable a victory she shewed her selfe and taking him aside said Knight may it please you to heare a word in secret of such matter as doth verie neere concerne ye Euen what you will answered the Prince with which words he tooke her by the hand and keeping her from the throng she thus spake The Princesse Oriana who is onely yours hath sent me to you and this Letter withall wherein you shall finde your name written When he heard her named by the remembrance of whom only he liued he was so perplexed that without vnderstanding what else the Damosel said hauing taken the Letter he let it fall being readie himselfe to beare it companie which the Damosell seeing shee tooke vp the Letter and came to him againe Euery one that beheld him in these passions meruayled what newes she brought to procure this alteration but she puld him by the arme so roughly as made him forget his former Traunce thus speaking What now my Lord Take you the Message in so ill part that comes from the onely Lady in the world and who aboue all other loueth you for whose sake likewise I haue taken so great paine to find you Ah Ladie quoth he on my faith I knew not what you sayd to me for euen as you began to speak I felt the paine to renewe in mee which heretofore you haue seene me endure It is true said the Damosell but now it is needlesse for ye to conceale your selfe any longer from me for I know more of your affayres and my Ladies then you imagine because her selfe hath bewrayed them to me And if you beare her affection you neede not be ashamed thereof in that she loueth you beyond all other in respect whereof she telleth you by me that she must goe to the King her father requesting after your departure from this warre you would come see her in great Brittaine appointing all things in such order as at your arriual you may remaine there in the Court vntill more amply you vnderstand her mind Beside she gaue me charge to tell ye how she certainly knowes you are Sonne to a King wherewith she is no lesse pleased then shee thinkes you will be and seeing being ignorant of your Linage you haue proued so good a Knight now vnderstanding your Nobilitie you should labour to increase your Fame if you can And then againe shee gaue him the Letter saying Take here the Letter wherein your Name is written and which you had hanging about your necke at such time as you were found in the Sea The Prince tooke the Letter and when he looked on it remembring to what good purpose his Lady had taken it from him fetching a vehement sigh somewhat softly he thus spake Ah happy Letter most diuinely wast thou found in respect thou hast beene kept by her who hath my heart in her custodie and for whom I haue so often assayed to die yet cannot For thinking on her perfection I seeke to augment it by strength and commendation but of so slender value is my puissance found that striuing thereby to gaine her fauor the least paine I feele surpasseth a thousand deaths which neuerthelesse are now recompenced by this present benefite O highest God when shall I see the time wherein I may giue her to vnderstand how great my deuotion is to obey her by some agreeable seruice Hauing finished these words he opened the Letter and saw his Name written therein which was Amadis then thus spake the Damosell againe to him I was charged Sir when I had done my Message to returne with all speed to her that sent me to you therefore be thinke your selfe if you will command me any thing You shall not depart so please you in such haste answered the Prince but stay with mee two or three dayes during which time for what occasion so euer it be you shall not forsake me and then will I conduct you whither you please In obeying-you sayd the Damosell I trust I doe seruice to my Ladie Oriana Their talke thus breaking off he returued to the King and Agraies who stayed for him him at the entrance of the Citie where the people were wonderfully assembled in the streetes Then came the Queene with her Ladyes Gentle-women to vnarme him and the Chirurgions to visite his wounds which when they had regarded albeit they were many and yrkesom to behold yet were they to bee healed without any great daunger of his person For this night the king desired that he and Agraies would supp with him but the Prince making his excuse by his wounds went to his Chamber willing to haue no other company then the Damosel to whom he did all the honour that could be deuised hoping through her to finde remedie for part of his griefes This Damosell soiourned with him certaine time and in respect of the good Newes shee brought him no wound could hinder him from visiting the great Hall there walking and conferring with euety one but most with her whom he caused to stay attending his dispositiō till he might beare Armes And betweene them happened a strange occasion which was cause of his longer abode in Gaule then hee expected so that the Damosell returned to Oriana without him as you hereafter shall vnderstand CHAP. XI How the
that he may be well receiued of you all and obey him as your true and naturall Lord for wel am I assured that he wil in â—…eat you with loue gentlenes These requests were presently answered by one for theÌ„ all who said Hither shall he be most hartely welcome because we hope that he to whom we shall be vassailes and Subjects will cherish and fauour vs in stoâ—â— whereof the other vsed vs as villaines and slaues and you being the conquerour we hold for our only deliuerer All things thus debated and accorded Galaor departed thence with his company returning to the Hermitage where the Hermit attended for happy newes but he was not alittle glad to see Galaor come with such successe wherefore he thus spake My son daily are you bound to praise the diuine bounty whose loue hath giuen you grace to execute this notable vengeance On the morrow after he had receiued the good mans benediction he set forward on hias way one of the Damosels intreted him that he would suffer her to trauaile in his company whereto right willingly he gaue consent And I quoth the other must take another way in that I had not come thus farre but onely to behold the issue of the combat which I haue seene with such content as I must needs make coÌ„mendable reporte thereof to other so shall I not faile to do in the Court of King Lisuart whether now I go to finde a brother of mine gone thether before me Faire Damosell answered Galaor if you meete a yong Knight who beareth in his Shield a couple of Lions I pray ye say to him that the Gentleman to whom not long since he gaue the order of Knight-hood doth humly salute him adding this withall how he endeuoureth to honor the order and when they both shall meate he will acquainte him with such matter betweene them as yet perhaps he knoweth not So tooke the Damosell her leaue of Galaor who afterward thus began to commune with the other You know Lady that I haue finished the combate with the Giant and you saide to me before I began it how the Knight himselfe should know what she is that sent you thether Very true answered the Damosell but if you would be resolued therein follow me and within fiue daies I will shew you her That shall not let me said Galaor thus rode they on together so long till at length they came to a forked way and Galaor who rid muzing before thought she had followed him but she arrested behind a little and when she hoped to ouer-take him againe it was her hap to take the wrong way This chanced at the entrance of the Forrest of Braganda which seuereth the Countries of Claire and Gresca where long he had not erred but he heard a voice thus calling to him Ah good Knight help me Galaor turning his head to see what was the cause I thinke quoth one of his Squires it should be the Damosell that departed from vs. What said Galaor hath she left vs Yea truely answered the Squire she tooke the way leading on the left hand Beleeue me quoth he I had very little care of her hastly without taking his Helmet hauing only his Shield and Lance he galopped so fast as he could to the place where he heard the voice and hard at hand he espied fiue men on foote armed with Croslets and Halberds and a Dwarffe on horse-back who cruelly laied on the Damosell with a staffe When Galaor approched neere them hee came to the Dwarffe saiyng Thou villainous and deformed creature soone shall I send thy soule to the Diuell and running fiercely against him with his Launce threw him against the ground maruailously amazed Then came the other eagerly vppon him compassing him on euery side but to the first he gaue such a grieting with his Launce as he lay sprangling on the earth Another of them buckled close to him laying load on his Shield with his Halberd but at length he pierced his Lance quite through his body When the other three saw this massacre they ranne away so fast as they could ouer-thwart the Forrest and Galaor not able to ouertake them returned backe againe to the Dwarffe who being gotten on horse-back fled away after the other crying Accoursed Knight in haplesse houre hast thou misused my men for thou shalt dy an euill death Galaor seeing the Dwarffe laboured so hard as he could to saue himselfe would follow him no further but went to see if his Launce were vnbroken which he had left in the body of the dead man and finding it sound as it was before gaue it to his Squire saying to the Damosell Ride now before me and I will guard you better then I haue done So tooke they the way againe they had left that brought them to a Riuer named Braz which could not be passed at the foord now rode the Damosell somewhat farre before Galaor finding the passage so ready as she went ouer before he came In meane while he staied the returne of the boate he espied the Dwarffe come after him crying Villainous traitour thou art dead if thou deliuer not the Damosell thou tookest from me Little account did Galaor make of his words but looking backe he saw three Knights come after the Dwarffe well mounted one of the three thus speaking to the rest It were great dishonor for vs to set all three together vpon one man and as for my selfe I thinke scorne to be assisted by any Hauing so said with a full course he ran against the Prince who likewise was ready to entertaine him and they encountred in such sorte as the Knight pierced Galaors Armour making him feele the naked pointe of his Launce but Galaor bad him so brauely welcome casting him from his saddle with such might as he lay on the ground not able to stirre whereat the other twaine were so abashed that they ranne against the Prince the one failing and the other breaking his Lance which Galaor determining to reuenge stroke his Launce into the sight of the last Knights Helmet as he made it fall from his head and he hauing lost his stirrops ready to lye along Meane while the second who had not broken returned against Galaor sped in meeting Now albeit the encounter was with great vigour yet escaped the armour on either side Hauing thus galantly shiuered their staues they drew forth their swords beginning a fierce and cruell combat and while the fight endured the Dwarffe without ceasing cryed to his men Looke well that he escape not but kill him least he get away Then Galaor comming neere him who had lost his Helmet reached him such a stroke on the head as he tumbled downe dead before him And when the third saw his companion slaine being affraid of him-selfe he turned his back and away but Galaor pursued him so neere that he gaue him a blow betweene the neck and the shoulders which brought off a great many plats of his Armour
so perplexed as he could not answere wherefore Gandalin tooke him by the arme saying My Lord see you not what a great traine maketh toward vs At these words he came to himselfe beginning to sigh and lifting his eyes to heauen said Gandalin if in this loue I were maister of my strength as I am in diuers other actions neither shouldest thou haue neede to aduertise me nor my selfe be without councell so much as I am But I feele my selfe so oppressed as all the enemies in the world cannot bring me to such extremity as this ouer ruling passion doth therefore I pray thee talke to me of the felicity a man shall enioy in death for other may I not taste and practise no meanes of my life seeing the contrary doth surmount it What my Lord answered Gandalin esteeme you the victory ouer your selfe so difficult after so many conquests of stout and bold strangers Why do you not think that peraduenture she loueth you well for whom you endure such assaults and happily by as great reason as you loue her your persoage prowesse beauty and nobility of linage can they deserue lesse then the good grace of the most rare and exellent Lady in the world let these humours my Lord repell your desperations Further hee would haue proceeded but Amadis brake him off in anget saying Wretch darest thou blaspheme so much as to say that he who hath merited no conditiō in the world may be equalled with so perfect a thing as is my Lady enter no more into such tearmes if thou wilt not haue me thine enemy and so loose my conuersation Well well said Gandalin I pray ye wipe your eyes least those that come hitherward perceiue you haue wept What answered Amadis comes their any body Yea mary quoth Gandalin and now they be at hand here-with he shewed him the Knights the Ladyes who were hard by them by time Amadis was mounted Then as though hee had stayed for their companie hee saluted them and riding among the traine hee beheld a Ladie very comely and beautifull who wept very grieuously where-upon hee left the rest and rode with her saying Madame God comfort yee and giue you ioy In sooth answered the Lady and thereof haue I need in that as now it is very farre from mee which except Heauen fauour me with better grace I am vtterly out of hope euer to see againe And so high a Maiestie said Amadis can prouide therefore when he pleaseth Not-withstanding if you were so contented I gladly would know the cause of your sadnesse Beleeue mee my friend quoth she all that euer I enioy in this world consisteth in the tryall of a Combate By these wordes hee knew this to be the Lady of whom the Damosels had tolde him before wherefore hee enquired further if as yet shee had found a knight on her behalfe No truely sayd the Lady and which greiueth mee most of all to morrow must my delay bee exterminate What will ye then doe answered Amadis What would you that I should doe quoth shee but lament and loose all vnlesse by hap I finde one in the Kings Court who mooued thereto by charitable compassion will courteously defend the right of a desolate widow Such fortune sayd Amadis shall I pray may befall yee for I should not be a little glad thereof as well for your owne sake as also because I neuer thought well of your aduersarie I thanke ye gentle Sir quoth she to God I commit the reuenge of my wrong So passed on the Ladie and Amadis turning bridle rode backe to the Pauillion where he found the Damosels who were already returned from the towne and presently they told him how Dardan was come into the field with full resolution to doe his deuoire And trust me sayd Amadis it was my happe to meet the distressed Lady euen the same whom the case concerneth heere-with hee declared all the talke they had together But now is the houre of quiet come and each one went to rest till the point of day when the Damosels being risen came to tell Amadis how they would goe before to the Towne and send him worde when Dardan was readie Not so quoth Amadis I will not bee farre behinde yee but let one ride before to aduertise me when Dardan shews himselfe in the field After he was armed they went all to horse-backe and being come to the issue of the Forrest he sayd to the Damosels Now may you goe if you please for I will not depart this place till I heare some newes from you Away they went when Amedis alighting tooke off his Helmet to refresh himselfe No sooner did the Sunne appeare in the East but the King came to the place appointed for the Combate which was without the Towne hard by the Walles where Dardan not long after shewed himselfe in such manner and equipage as an ambitious man vseth to gaine goods honour also like an amourous Champion to maintaine the quarrell of his beloued who to countenāce him with the greater fauor was queintly led by the reines of his Palfray thē presenting himselfe before the king on his knees he sayd My Lord according to the ordinance by you appointed this Ladie and I humbly beseech ye that the goods may be deliuered her as is no more then reason for if any Knight oppose him selfe against her heere am I readie for the Combate The king then called for the Ladyes defendant but she poore soule appeared alone Why Lady quoth the King are you vnprouided of a Champion that you come without any to defend your right So helpe me God answered she weeping I am my Lord forsake of all except you grant me mercie Great compassion had the King on her for he knew her to be very vertuous but he could not together order reason and the Law In the meane while Dardan who thought no resistāce would come sate downe in the middest of the field attending the third houre which was the time according to the custome when the King would pronounce sentence to the Conquerour but one of the Damosels seeing nowe the needefull time made haste to let Amadis vnderstand what want of his presence was in the field For this cause he immediately mounted on horse-backe and being armed as appertained commanded the Damosell and his Squire to goe some other way for he would not be seene by any from whence he came assuring them that if he were Victor hee would returne againe to the Tent. So departed Amadis alone riding on a braue white Courser as he promised the Damosell of Denmarke in Gaule and arriued at the place where Dardan held the world in wonder of him The king and his Nobles seeing him come from the Forrest stood somewhat in doubt of him for hee carryed such a gallant and Knightly counteuance as promised a-farre off that his enemie should finde him of hautie disposition which made the King aboue all other desirous to know him and thinking she for whose
but the Damosell of Denmarke noting this change spake out aloud In an vnhappy houre did the Knight behold any Lady in this company whereby he hath lost what he wun of Dardan it is no time now for his heart to faint These words confounded Amadis with shame that gladly could he haue giuen entertainement to death fearing least his Lady would suspect cowardize in him For this cause lifting vp his Sword he gaue Dardan such a stroke on the Helmet as made him set both his hands to the ground then falling vpon him he rent the Helmet from off his head trampled in such sort on him with his feet as he fell downe like one depriued of his sences Afterward taking him by the locks of his haire he beate him on the face with the pummell of his Sword saying Thou dyest Dardan if thou confesse not the Lady free When Dardan saw himselfe in such estate he replied Ah gentle Knight for Gods sake mercy kill me not I will acquit her Now approached the King and the other Lords to heare what hee said and while they stood conferring with him Amadis as yet ashamed of his fault committed drew backe through the throng and seeing hee had gotten behinde them all so couertly as he could he ran toward the Forrest leaning them al musing at Dardan who filled the empty arie with his complaints In meane while his beautifull friend came to him who insted of giuing comfort for the foile he sustained through her began to detest and despise him saying Dardan hereafter seeke thee some other friend then me for while I liue will I neither loue thee or any other then the good Knight who valiantly ouercame thee How now Lady quoth he is this the reward of my honor life aduentured for you you then are not the friend to Dardan but to fortune who is no sooner contrary to me but presently you are mine enemy Haue I then escaped death by the mercy of my foe to endure worsse then death by the cruelty of my friend Heauen suffereth me to liue and yet you repine at my infortunate life now shal I make knowne to all women by your example that ingratitude is no lesse hurtfull to such as exercise it then to any one offended there with Hereupon he tooke his sword and before it could bee imagined what he meant to do he smote her head quite from her shoulders then as a man transported with madnes staring euery where round about him declared by his angry countenance that high and not vulgare was the enterprise he imbraced in such an extreamity The King sent his archers to conuay him thence but ere they came to him he stroke himselfe so violently to the heart as the bloud spouted in the archeis faces and then he cryed out saying Now friend art thou reuenged by my vengeance and thine enemy satisfied with the despised life thou lestst me So falling downe he deliuered the last figne of his death where at each one was confounded with maruaile as well for the nouelty of the case as pitting the very last words he breathed but whethey remembred his passed life wholly addicted to ouer-weening folly they reputed this vnfortunate end happened to him not so much by accident as the deuine ordenance which made them sorrow no more but couerted their thoughts to commend the conquerour CHAP. XV. How King Lisuart caused a Sepulchre to be made for Dardan and his friends with an Epitaph in rememberance of their death and the honor he did 〈◊〉 Amadis after he was found and kcowne AFter the vnfortunate end of these ill aduised Louers the King in memory of this strange accident coÌ„manded that in the fielde where they lay dead should be erected a sumptious Sepulchre of blacke Marble stone fashioned like a Romaine Obelisque and thereon was engrauen in the Brittaine language an Epitaph declaring the whole matter as it happened And when he had knowledge of the conquerour as hereafter the manner how is declared his name was placed thereon and foure great Lyons at the foure corners of the sepulchre importing the de uise which Amadis bare in his Shield But now the rumour being appeased and they teturned to the Pallace he called for the stranger that won the honor of the day but after long enquiry no one could certainly tell what was become of him albeit certaine comming froÌ„ the wood reported how they saw a Knight returne from the field thither-ward being alone and making great hast He that is worthy saide the King to beare him company may imagine himselfe happy enough for seeing he hath shewed himselfe so braue a combatant it is impossible but he should be a wise and vertuous Knight And for no lesse each one reputed him who vnderstood the iâ—uries of Dardan vsed to him and saw how he requited them with gentlenes and courtesie albeit I make no doubt but he knew right well that if Dardan had got the better he would not haue pardoned him Such as you haue heard were the words of king Lisuart but Oriana who day by day expected the arriuall of Amadis seeing the incomparible valour of him that fought against Dardan began to suspect that it was he for quoth she to the Damosell of Denmarke I am sure hee would not send me a fabulous message and this is the iust time he assured you of his coÌ„ming In good sooth Madame answered the Damosell you say very true which maks me conceiue the better hope is that he promised me to ride on a white courser with the like armes he had when he combated against King Abies and I remember how the knight who ouercame Dardan had the like horse But did you quoth Oriana take no regard of his Armes Yea mary did I replied the Damosell albeit the cruell strokes receiued thereon made me hardly perceiue what deuise was there figured yet me thought the ground was a golden field and the like I told ye he bare in Gaule with two azured Lions rampant portrayed therein which being battered all in pieces he presently made him such another assuring me to weare no other when hee came into this country and therefore I will doubt no further but it is he Sweete friend said Oriana if it be he either he will shortly come or send into the Towne therefore you must be watchfull diligent to heare thereof Madame quoth the Damosell referre these matters to my charge This conference caused Oriana to remainâ— very pensiue and breathing forth many bitter sighs she saide Ah gratious heauens what fauour haue you done me if this be Amadis now shall I compasse the meanes better then euer I could to speake with him So attended the Princesse for tidings from her friend who returned as he promised to the Damosels Tent yet was it somewhat late ere he came thither finding them ready to sit downe to supper After he had vnarmed himselfe they told him the misfortune of Dardan and his friend as also the whole
Amadis mounted againe perceiuing Angriote already on horse-backe ready to reuenge his brothers iniurie and a Squire came to the Prince bringing him a Launce which he presented him withall from Angriote Soone after they encoūtered so galantly as their Launces flew in pieces without any further harme and ending their carrire Amadis quickly drew his sword turning to Angriote who thus spake Make not such hast Knight to combate with the sword because thou shalt haue time enough for that anon this he sayd in respect he reputed him-selfe the best at the sword that might be found But I pray thee quoth he let vs iust till our Launces faile or one of vs be sent to the earth Knight answered Amadis I haue weighty busines else-where and may not trifle time with tarrying heere What said Angriote thinkest thou to escape me so light ly I promise thee it is the least part of my thought yet I pray thee let vs try one course more Amadis was content and taking such Launces as each of them liked finished the Iust with such violence as Angriote was cast downe and his horse vpon him Amadis leaping from his saddle saw that a small trunchion of a Launce had a little entred his body yet scorning any shame should be deserned on his side fighting for the honor and beauty of his Goddesse Oriana snatching forth the trunchion and marched with his sword drawne against Angriote who seeing him come sayd I see Sir Knight thou art very young and me thinkes before it be worse with thee thou wert better to confesse my Lady fairrer then thine Then should I lye very fowlly answered Amadis and by my will I shall not dissent so farre from the truth These speeches enkindled collor on either side which made them charge ech other with such vigour as not onely they that beheld them but euen themselues were driuen into doubts thinking it impossible to endure so extreamely And to say sooth the cause was hard for Amadis vndertooke the honor of his Lady for which hee could rather chuse a thousand deathes then she should loose one iot of her excellence and this opinion still whetted on his courage that Angriote was compelled to diuers simple shifts to auoyde the fierce assaults of his valiant enemy who had wounded him in twenty seuerall places and he perceiuing his death at hand stepped aside thus speaking to Amadis Beleeue mee Sir Knight there is more valour in thee then I imagined Yeelde thy selfe sayd Amadis so shalt thou do wisely seeing thou art already brought into such danger for with the finishing of our combate thy life will likewise end which can be no pleasure at all to me in that I esteeme of thee better then thou weenest These words he vsed as well for the braue Chiualrie he noted in Angriote as also the great honestie he shewed to the Lady in his possession whereupon Angriote returned this answer It is reason I should yeeld my selfe to the best Knight in the world and the like all other to doe that beare armes Beleeue me then gentle Knight I not so much sorrow for my foyle as the wrackfull chance threatned to me by loosing this day the onely thing in the world I most loue That shall you not quoth Amadis if I can helpe it beside the Lady should shew her selfe very ingratefull if she acknowledge not your honorable paines in her defence and it cannot be but she will requite ye with the good you haue deserued As for me I promise ye to imploy my vttermost hability in causing her consent thereto so soone as I shall returne from a search I haue now in hand My Lord sayd Angriote in what place may I hereafter finde you In the Court of King Lisuart answered Amadis where hy Gods helpe I meane shortly to be So tooke he leaue of Angriote who gladly would haue had him in his Castle but he might not be hindered of his iourney Thus doth Amadis followe the Dwarfe who guided him fiue daies without any aduenture shewing him at length a meruailous strong and pleasant Castle saying Sir within yonder hold you must performe the promise you made me And I will doe it for thee answered Amadis if it confist in my power I am in good hope thereof quoth the Dwarffe in respect I haue seene some proofe of your fortune but know ye Sir how the place is named No verily sayd Amadis for till now I was neuer in this Country It is called Valderin replied the Dwarffe and thus deuising they came neere the Castle when the Dwarffe willed him to take his Armes Why saide Amadis shall we haue any such neede Yea mary quoth the Dwarffe for they suffer none to come forth that enter so lightly Amadis buckled on his helmet riding in before the Dwarffe and Gandalin following after then looking on euery side they could see no creature This place sayd Amadis is not inhabited where is the request thou saidst I should do for thee Credit me Sir sayd the Dwarffe I haue some-time seene heere a most braue Knight and the strongest in Chiualrie that euer I saw who in that porch killed two Knights one of them being my maister him hee put to death very cruelly without regard of fauour or mercy In reuenge whereof I would desire that traytors head which I haue long failed in obtaining because all such as I brought hither haue lost their liues or remaine here in captiuity Thou doest the part of a loyall seruant answered Amadis yet oughtest thou to bring no Knight hither before thou tell him against whom he shall fight My Lord quoth the Dwarffe the man is knowne well enough and reputed for one of the best Knights in the world therefore when I haue named him I could not meet with any so hardy as to reuenge my cause Belike then thou knowest his name said Amadis Yea my Lord replied the Dwarffe he calleth himselfe Arcalaus the enchanter Amadis hereupon went further in looking round about if hee might see any body but all was in vaine wherefore to rest his horse he staied there till euening saying to the Dwarffe What wilt thou I shall doe now it is so late Alas my Lord quoth he the night being so neere at hand me thinkes it were good wee departed hence Nay trust me answered Amadis I wil not budge hence till the knight come or some other that can tell me tidings of him But I dare not tarry sayd the Dwarffe least Arcalaus chance to know me and imagine I practise the meanes of his death Yet shalt thou beare me cōpany replied Amadis as I will not excuse my selfe from the promise I haue made thee As thus they cōmuned Amadis espied a Court somewhat more backward where-into he entred and found no body but he saw a darke place vnderneath and certaine steps leading into the earth Gandalin got holde on the Dwarffe who would haue run away and Amadis tooke great pleasure to beholde his trembling speaking thus merily to him Feare
thereof My Lord quoth she that tooke him by the hand when hee was enchanted mine Aunt Vrganda sent me to the Castle of Arcalaus by whose meanes we came thither and you were recouered Heauen shielde from euill that good Lady answered Amadis who hath so many waies bound me her obedient seruant and you faire Damosels the messengers of this fauour haue you any thing else wherein to cōmand me No my Lord said they take you the way you left and wee wil returne from whence we came Fare well sweet Virgins replied Amadis remember my humble duty to the health of your Mistresse telling her she knowes right well I am her Knight In this manner rode the Damozels one way and Amadis another wherefore wee must now tell what happened to Arcalaus since his departure from the Castle of Valderin CHAP. XXI How Arcalaus brought newes to the Court of King Lisuart that Amadis was dead which caused his friends to make manifold lamentations and regreets especially the Princesse Oriana SVch speede made Arcalaus after his departure from Valderin where he left Amadis enchanted hee being as I haue saide clad in his armor and mounted on his horse that the tenth day following hee arriued neer the court of king Lisuart who was riding abroade in the fields to take the aire accōpanied with his Lords along the forrest side They seeing Arcalaus come a far off hauing on the armor of Amadis imagining it was hee indeede diuers rode before to welcome him but when they came more neere they found thēselues deceiued by reasō Arcalaus had his head and hands vnarmed wherefore without saluting the Gentlemen he stepped to the King with these words Sir I come to acquite a promise wherein I stand bound namely to let you vnderstand how I haue slaine a Knight in battaile that some-time bare these armes And albeit I must be content to declare mine owne prayse which were more honorable for me being reported by another in mine absence yet am I constrained to do no lesse seeing the couenant was betweene me him whom I haue slaine viz. that the conquerour should dispoyle the vanquished of his head and present it before you as this day Full loth was I to be so cruell because hee tolde mee hee was your Queenes Knight commonly called Amadis of Gaule and so hee named himselfe whom I vanquished As for me Sir I tolde him in truth that I was Arcalaus whom fortune hath graced with such singuler fauour for I haue slaine the man some-time owner of this armour and horse which as a testimony of my victory I brought with mee Ah God sayde the King is then the most vertuous and accomplished Knight in the world dead you lowring heauens why began ye so braue to course in him and now on such a sudden to cut it off These sorrowfull newes prouoked sighes and teares both in the King and his royall company which Arcalaus perceiuing not speaking any thing else returned the same way he came feigning himselfe likewise very sad and grieued but you must thinke he went not without great store of curses euery one instantly desiring God to send him an euill and speedy death which with their Swordes they could gladly haue bestowed on him themselues but that they heard howe Amadis was slaine by an accorded battaile The King being ouercome with pensiuenesse and sorrow returned to the Towne where these newes were so opened to euery one that at length the Queene and her Ladyes heard thereof which presently conuerted their former pleasures in to mourning At this time was the Princesse Oriana in her chamber with the Damosell of Denmarke where hearing the sudden clamour and noyse she commanded her to goe vnderstand the cause thereof Alas good Lady too soone was it brought to her for no sooner was she acquainted with the death of Amadis but her immoderate passions expressed the anguish of her heart and more to afflict this gentle Princesse the other Ladyes came weeping into her chamber saying Ah Madame what tongue can deliuer this wonderfull mishap yet durst she not good Lady bee too forward in enquiring the manner thereof least the cinders of her affection might be discouered and as if she had beheld Amadis dead before her she sayde Alas he is dead it can not be otherwise It is true madame answered the Damosell but what remedy you must not likewise dy for company These words made Oriana fall into a swoune which the Damosell of Denmarke beholding thought shee had too indiscreetly brought her these bad tidings whereupon she called the Princesse Mabila saying Helpe Madame my mistresse dyeth She being come saw that shee neither moued or breathed doubted least life had taken leaue indeed wherefore she commanded the Damosell to shut the dore to the end her loue all this while so well concealed might not breake foorth into open suspition Then vnlacing her garments to giue her more libertie as also bathing her temples and pulses with vineger cold water she recouered againe when deliring a faint figh with a feeble voise she thus spake Ah sweete friends hinder me not in the way of death if you desire my rest and would haue God find him another world who knew not how to liue one day without me Ah flower and mirrour of chiualrie thy death is insupportable not to me alone but to the whole world who is replete with griefe for thee because they haue lost him who in bounty prudence hardines and all other vertues did honor them aboue the compasse of all desire And were yet any feeling in thee I am certaine thou wouldst not sorrow for thy lost life but for my loue enduring by thy misse maruailous afflictions for thou hast left such honor in the world behinde thee conquering so incomparable reputation in this short time of thy life that rekoning thy merites thou diedst possessed with many yeeres Thus liuest thou in place immortall I remaining heere alone after thee can giue but wounding and vnthankfull speeches Ah cruell death sufficed it not that mighty loue murdered him with his feathered steele but thou must kill him out-right with thy curelesse stroke well in respect it is so offend not thy selfe my loue for thou shalt soone see reason proceede frō her that did thee wrong who beeing the cause will beare thee company in death And I may iustly challenge him of wrong seeing equall loue had vnited our willes to seperate our persons in this sorte where hauing affoorded our ending together wee likewise might haue inioyed one sepulchre After these words she swounded againe in Mabilaes armes and in such manner altered her countenance as they reputed her verily dead her faire and golden lockes being discheueled her armes and legges depriued of vitall motion euen as when the soule hath taken his flight from the body Mabila desparing of any life left in her was so surprised with griefe that shee was constrained to leaue the Damosell alone with the Princesse walking some-what aside by
kill him or put him to some notorious shame For this cause he taryed in a Pauilion erected by him on the plaine and no sooner came she to Galaor but thus she spake Gentlemā to the end I might not faile in my promise I forsooke your cōpany a while only to see if the man you looke for were in the place I left him or no there haue I found him little thinking on your coming and in yonder Pauilion may you speake with him at pleasure As thus they deuised together they came to the Tent wherefore Galaor alighted to enter but the Knight meeting him at the doore said Sir knight what moueth thee to come in here without licence trust me it is but little for thy profit because thou must here leaue the rest of thine Armour or die presently Thou mayst be therein deceiued answered Galaor and the wordes of such a wretch as thou art cannot feare me This reply very angerly incensed the Knight lifting vp his sword to smite the Prince on the head but Galaor cunningly escaped the blowe giuing his enemy such a stroake on the top of his helmet as made him sit one knee to the ground then quickly laying hold on him got the helmet beside his head spurning him so strongly with his feete that therewith hee fell on his face to the earth When the Knight beheld himselfe in such danger he called with a loud voice to the Damofell for succor where-upon she stepped to Galaor saying that hee should holde his hand for this was the boone he promised to giue her But he being in extream choller gaue no eare to her speeches bringing the Knight into such estate as hee left no vitall motion in him whereat the Damosell being ready to despaire breathed forth many grieuous lamentations saying Alas wretch that I am too long haue I trifled time for in seeking to beguile another my selfe am worthiely requited with deceite And thou traytor quoth shee to Galaor who hast thus cruelly put him to death heauen send thee a more worse and haplesse end for by thee haue I lost my only felicity in this world for which bee well assured it shall cost thee thy life because thou hast broken promise with mee and in such a place will I demand reuenge on thee as nothing but thy death shal expiate my anger wert thou a Knight of greater hardinesse then thou art if then thou make refusall there I shall haue more then iust occasion to publish in all places the pusillanimity of thy faint hearted courage Faire Damosell answered Galaor if I had thought his death would haue beene so grieuons to you I could haue spared part of my displeasure though iustly hee deserned no lesse but you spake when it was too late The worse for thee replyed the Damosell because thy death shall recompence his Galaor seeing shee continued her threatning speeches without any further answere left her lacing on his helmet mounting on the horse the dead Knight tooke from him and hauing ridden a pretty while hee looked backe to see if the Damosell followed him when perceiuing her hard at his horse heeles demanded of her whither shee trauailed With thee answered the Damosell and neuer will I leaue thee till I haue found opportunity to request the boone thou didst promise me which shal be the losse of thy head by some euill death Me thinkes it were better sayde Galaor for you to take some other satisfaction of me and happily might bee more pleasing to you Not any thing else quoth shee thy soule shall accompany his whom thou hast slaine else neuer shalt thou accomplish what thou hast promised mee Well well answered Galaor I must stand to the hazard of that as I may thus quarreling they rode on three dayes together and entered the Forrest of Angaduze an aduenture there happening to them whereof the Author hereafter maketh mention But now he returneth againe to Amadis who taking his leaue of Vrgandaes Damosels as you haue heard before recited rode on till about noone time when issuing forth of the Forrest hee saw on a plaine a very faire Castell whereout came a goodly Chariot so brauely equiped as euer he beheld any it being drawen by two braue red steedes which were couered with imbroydered crimson sattin as it made a very dainty and seemely shew The Chariot was guarded by eight armed Knights yet Amadis being desirous to see who was in it drew somewhat neere to lift vp the rich couering but one of the Knights came to him with these rough wordes Keepe backe Sir Knight and bee not so bold to come thus neere What I doe answered Amadis is for no harme Whatsoeuer it bee replyed the other trouble your selfe no further in respect you are not worthy to see what is here couered for if you enterprise the like againe it will value your life because thou must deale with all in this troupe and some such one is amongst vs as is able alone to get the maistrie of thee more easily then may wee altogther vse thee as we list I know not sayd Amadis the Knights valour you speake of but hap good or bad I will see what is in the Chariot Herewith hee tooke his Armes which the two Knights seeing that rode formost they ran both against him the one breaking his Launce and the other missing but Amadis sped otherwise for the first very easily hee cast from his saddle the other he threw both horse and man to the ground Then Amadis went towarde the Chariot yet was he stayed by two other Knights one of them being likewise dismounted and with his sword hee gaue the other such a welcome on the pate as hee was glad to keep himselfe from falling by catching fast holde about his horse necke when the other foure sawe their companions so vsed by one Knight they maruailed not a little and being willing to reuenge their iniury altogether fiercely charged Amadis With this last assault hee found himselfe sore combred for one of them tainted him in the shield and another in his armour as hee escaped hardly from beeing ouerthrowne notwithstanding hee held out valiantly deliuering such stroakes to the first he met as hee fell beside his horse in a swoune The three that remayned turned their faces seeking which way they might soonest hurt him but hee snatched a Launce from one of them which yet remayned whole and met one with such a full carriere that piercing quite thorough his throate hee fell to the ground and gaue vp the Ghost After his death he came to another of them and with his sword smote the helmet from his head when seeing hee was a very ancient knight hauing his head and beard so white as snowe mooued with pittie he friendly thus spake Father henceforth it were good you left the vse of armes to younger then your selfe seeing you haue liued so long without gayning honour or commendation marry your age doth now excuse yee In good faith answered the Knight your
his Sister Mabila was the cause and that he was desirous to talke with her wherefore she thus spake to him My Lord Agraies will ye not see your sister whom you loue so deerly Yes Madam quoth he â—o it please you to giue me lâ—… with he arose and came 〈…〉 who stepping forward to meet him you must think Oliuia was not one iote behinde her but welcoÌ„med him both with semblable reuerence But Oliuia louing him as you haue heard ouermastring her will with reason as a most wise well aduised Princesse gaue little in outward shew till after sundry amiable speeches passing betweene them three they had some leysure to stand a while asunder from all the rest Yet did Agrates keep neere his Mistresse taking her by the hand and playing with her fingers often sent her a sweete kisse in imagination so that by intire regarding her he was transported with such singuler delight as he neither heard or made any answere to his sister She being ignorant as yet of his disease knew not well what to thinke for notwithstanding all her courteous speeches his minde was otherwise busied then on her yet in the end she discouered the cause of this suddaine mutation perceiuing that Oliuia and her brother were surprized with each others loue Whereupon she thought it best to fauor them with more libery feigning a desire to speake with her Vnckle Galuanes which she prettily coloured in this manner Brother quoth she I pray ye intreate the Queene that my Vnckle may come hither because it is long time since I saw him and I haue some that to acquaint him with all secretly I hope to obtaine so much of her answered Agrates whereupon he went to the Queene thus spake Madam if you could spare mine vnckle a little you might doe his Neece a very great pleasure for she is desirous to talke with him And reason good said the Queene at which words Galuanes went with him which Mabila seeing she humbly met him making great reuerence when Galuanes vsing the like to her began in this manner Fayre Neece I am glad to see you in such good disposition but tell me I pray ye do you like Scotland or this Countrey better We shall confer quoth she more conueniently at the window because I haue many things to tell ye which were needelesse for my brother to vnderstand nor shall he they being of such importance as they are These words shee vttered smiling and with a marueilous good grace cheefely because her brother might court his friend alone And well said Neece answered Galuanes our secrets are so great as they must needes bee kept from him So taking her by the hand they went aside to one of the windowes by meanes whereof Agraies and Oliuia were left alone When the Prince perceiuing hee had liberty to speake trembling in aboundance of affection he began thus Madam to accomplish your commandement when you parted from mee as also to satisfie my heart which neuer enioyeth rest but in the gratious contentment conueyed thereto through mine eyes by your presence I am come hither to serue and obey you assuring you on my Faith that being neere your person my spirits feele themselues viuified in such sort as they suffer with great strength the anguishes of continuall affection which makes them dead in time of your absence Therefore I desire ye if it bee your pleasure to limit mee some better hap hereafter in place where I may often see and doe you seruice And as hee would haue proceeded further Oliuia interrupted him in this manner Alas my Lord I am so assured of the loue you beare me and also of the griefe you endure we being absent one from another as no other proofe is required then what mine owne heart doth plainely testifie smothering a displeasure worse then death it selfe whereto oftentimes I could very gladly submit my selfe did not a cheerefull hope rebacke this despaire how one day our loue shall meet together with happy contentation And perswade your selfe that I daily trauaile in remeÌ„brance of our mutuall loue meane while sweete friend remporize and dismay not Mistresse sayde Agrates you haue already so bouÌ„d me to you as I must in duty temporize till time you please but I desire yee to consider how I haue no forces but such as you must fortifie mee withall so that if you continue your graces to me as you haue begun I shall haue strength to serue according to your deserts While I liue my Lord quoth she neuer will I faile yee be you then so well aduised as euery one may loue and esteeme yee whereby I may striue to loue you more then any other can in respect you are none of theirs or your owne but mine onely And if it happen some to speake of you you must thinke I receiue incomprehensible ioy therein for it cannot bee without recital of your haughty courage chiualry yet my heart dreading the dangerous occurrences which may ensue by ouer bold venturing accompanieth the former pleasure with as great a paine Agraies abashed to heare himselfe so praised vayled his lookes and shee loath to offend him altred her speech demanding what hee was determined to doe On my faith Madam quoth he I wil do nothing but what you please to coÌ„mand me I will then sayd Oliuia that hence-forth you keep company with your Cosen Amadis for I knowe hee loueth you intirely and if he counsell you to bee one of this Court deny it not Beleeue me Madam answered Agrayes both you and such good counselling will I obey for setting your diuine selfe aside there is no man liuing whom I wil more credite with mine affaires then my honourable Cosen Amadis At these words the Queene called him and Galuanes likewise hauing hnowledge of him in her fathers kingdome of Denmark where hee performed many braue deedes of armes and likewise in Norway so that fame reported him a right good Knight They being with her the Queene remembred Galuanes of her auncient acquaintance at which instant the Princesse Oriana came to them wherefore Agraies arose to salute her leauing Galuanes with the Queene and setled himselfe to conferre with Oriana who entertayned him maruailous kindely as well for Amadis sake whom hee loued as also the curtesie hee shewed her in Scotland when king Lisuart left her there at his returne from Denmarke as you haue heard before declared the Princesse thus speaking to Agraies Cosen we haue daily desired your presence heere especially your sister who not many dayes since was in great grief by false newes that came hither of Amadis death your kinseman as truly you would haue wondered therat Good reason had she Madam quoth Agraies to be sorrowful and not she alone but all the rest of his linage were bound to no lesse knowing when our Cosen dyeth the chiefe and most excellent of vs all dyeth yea the best Knight that euer bare Armour on his body and you must thinke his death would haue
be Lady you can tell me who hath caryed away the dead knight that lay vnder the tree not farre hence If you wil promise me quoth she to reuenge his death which is an exceeding great griefe to many I will resolue you therein I will not stick for that answered Galaor for it seemeth by your words it is an act of iustice to do it Very true said the Damosell mount vp before me on my Palfary and I shall direct ye to your desire WheÌ„ they had ridden about two miles shee shewed him a maruailous faire castle and alighting at the gate she bad him enter But remember quoth she what you haue promised And because I haue solicited you heereto I pray yee let me vnderstand your name I am called Galaor quoth hee and thinke you shall heereafter finde mee in king Lisuarts Court then any where else I am satisfied said the Damosell to God I commend yee then thee turned bridle and rode away but Galaor entred tâ—…stle where he found the dead laid in the middest of the Court by him stood many making great lamentation Neuerthelesse Galaor approching neere and stepping to an anciant knight demanded of him what the dead knight was Sir answered the olde man while hee liued hee was such a one as all the world may bemone his mis-fortune Do you know his name saide Galaor He is called Anthebon replied the other one of the most vertuous Gentlemen that euer liued in Gaul When Galaor heard he was a subiect to king Perion his father his heart began to storme and as hee pittied him the more so his desire encreased to reuenge his death whereupon hee entreated the knight to acquaint him with the truth of this tragicall accident Sir quoth he this infortunate Gentleman which you see was in respect of his bounty and vertue maryed to a wife who now lamenteth for him she being the Lady of this Castle In time they had a very faire daughter and she growing in yeeres was beloued by a knight our too neere neighbour but the young Damosell euer hated him and aboue all other could not abide him Where-of he getting intelligence determined by some meane or other to steale her hence and being so resolued forgetting God as also his owne honour watched when this goodknight as customely he vsed should goe to the cornered street there to sucour such as often were distressed because it is the most dangerous place in this countrey Knowing him thus to bee from home the disloyall wretch entred this Castle and finding the maiden in comâ—…y of her mother with diuerse Gentlewomen heere disporting mauger them all forcibly hee tooke her away before wee could fall the bridge to succâ—r her Hereupon as wee afterward vnderstood shee did nothing day and dight but grieuously mourne despising all the inticing blandishments the knight vsed to her which in the end displeased him so much as hee began in this sort to reprooue her Lady you know that I loue yee with all my heart desiring onely to haue the like of you meaning no otherwise then honorably to make you my wife but you scornefully disdaine me albeit I am discended of a more noble house then your father is which maketh mee maruell very much what should moue you thus to bee mine enemy In good faith I will tell yee quoth shee I heretofore made promise to my mother and such is still my deliberation that I would neuer match with any husband if hee were not so good a knight and comparable with my father in chiualry for which shee made choyce of him among all otâ—er knights to which wordes he thus answered By heauen I see you loue me now for â—re it bee long I will make sufficient proofe that I am a better man at armes then he Within a while after hee left his Castle beeing well mounted and armed placing himselfe vnder the tree where you sawe this knight dead to what intent I cannot tell but vnhappily the Lord of this Castle came that way hauing left his horse and Armour because hee onely intended to take the ayre The cowardly wretch seeing what aduantage hee had of him and remembring the promise hee made his Lady thought it place commodious to get him reputation and no witnesses by to report the contrary so without giuing him warning or speaking one word to him stealing behinde him smote his Launce thorough his necke as you heere beholde Thus vnprouided of defence likewise suddenly and most villainously was this good knight slain and yet the blody traytour not satisfied alighting from his horse gaue him many needlesse cruell woundes with his sworde and so despitefully left him there In good faith answered Galaor the deede is monstrous vnable to passe without common reprehension but seeing you haue vouchsafed mee this fauour I pray ye tell me why was he afterwarde laide on such a costly bed vnder the tree Because it being a continuall passage for knights errant said the olde man to try if any would be so honourably prouoked as to reuenge an act of such sâ—ame and contempt after wee had acquainted them with this sad discouse I found him alone at the tree replyed Galaor what was the cause then you left him so Your demaund is not amisse â—quoth the olde man for foure Squires were euer wont to guarde him but because the knight who did the murther came and threatened to kill them we were coÌ„strained to bring away the body hither I maruell sayde Galaor that I heard not the noyse it may well bee sayd I slept soundly Are you he replyed the old man whom we found leaning asleep on your helmet The very same man answered Galaor Why did you rest so homely there quoth the old man To reuenge his death sayd Galaor if by reason I might doe so much Ah worthy Sir answered the old man heauen grant the finishing thereof to your honour then taking him by the hand he brought him to the bed whereon the dead man lay thus speaking to the sorrowfull Lady Madame this knight saith to his power he will reuenge the death of your Lord. Alas gentle knight quoth she the God of heauen keepe you in that good minde for I can finde no kinred or friend in this countrey who will doe so much for me because my Lord was a stranger yet whlie he liuid euery one shewed great friendship in lookes but now their kindnes is cold enough Lady answered Galaor in respect both he and I were borne in one countrie my desire is the greater to reuenge his death Are you said the Lady the sonne to King Perion of Gaule whom my deceased Lord often told me was in king Lisuarts Court Neuer came I there Madame replyed Galaor in all my life but tell me what he is that did this treason and in what place I may find him Gentle Lord quoth she you shall be conducted thither if you please neuerthelesse I stand in doubt considering the perill you will mislike the enterprise as
a proffer to smite off his heade which Grouenesa seeing cryed Ah gentle Knight haue pittie on him and mee together With aboundance of teares trickling downe her cheekes shee came and fell at the feete of Amadis shewing the affection of her request and her inwarde griefe to beholde her Vncles death all which Amadis well noting feigned himselfe more willing to kill him then before saying If your suite were reasonable I would consent thereto but hee hath so wronged mee and without occasion as I cannot bee satisfied but with the losse of his head Alas my Lord quoth shee for Gods sake demand some other satisfaction for I will doe whatsoeuer you please to redeeme his life Lady answered Amadis there be but two things which may saue his life first the deliuerance of the Damosell againe to mee secondly that you sweare to me as a loyall Lady to meet me at the first open Court held by king Lisuart and there to graunt a boone I shall desire of you Gasinan beholding the danger of his life saide to her Faire Niece suffer me not thorough your default to die but take compassion on mee and promise the knight faithfully what he shall demand which shee presently did wherefore Amadis permitted him to arise said to the Lady I assure yee Madame the suite I must obtayne of you gaine-saith nothing of my promise coÌ„cerning Amadis for I will accomplish it to my vttermost see then no default bee made on your behalfe In sooth my Lord quoth shee I will performe my duty effectually knowing well such men ought to bee honoured for vertue in whom so singular prowesse is apparant much lesse then neede any doubt be made of any thing preiudiciall tomy vnstayned report Be bolde thereof sayd Amadis then was the Damosell sent for and shee being come Amadis demanded if shee would accompany him any further Worthy Sir answered the Damosell I will doe what you please to command mee in respect I haue beene so painefull to you as while I liue I am yours in all obedience But were it your liking considering the affection Gasinan beares mee as hee would rather hazard the combate then deliuer mee albeit by treachery hee carried mee away I gladly could afford to stay with him By heauen faire Damosell replyed Gasinan most true and sincere is my affection towarde you and as I request yee not to forsake mee so doe I desire your good opinion You haue chosen Damosell one of the best knights in the worlde sayd Amadis and seeing you like each other so well with all my heart I leaue yee together They both thanked him very humbly intreating hee would rest himselfe there certaine dayes but hee would returne to his brother Galaor whom hee left vnder the tree by the dead knight by meanes whereof he excused his departure and mounting on horse-backe commanded Gandalin to carry the broken peeces of his sword with him By hap Gasinan ouer-heard him wherefore hee presented him with his sworde which hee accepted and a Launce that Grâ—â—enesa gaue him then leauing the Castle hee tooke the way againe toward the tree where hee hoped to finde Galaor and Balays CHAP. XXIX How Balays behaued himselfe in his enterprise pursuing the Knight that made Galaor lose his horse BAlays of Carsaâ—ta offended as you haue heard with the Knightes iniurious pranckes to Galaors horse followed him so fast as possibly hee could but the other had gotten so farre before as Balays heard no tydings of him neuerthelesse hee rode on till about mid-night when hee heard a voyce a long by a Riuers side And shaping his course thither hee found there fiue theeues well armed with Croslets and Hatchets who villainously would force a Damosell one of them dradging her by the hayre of the head in a straite way on the mountaine and the other beating her forwarde with great staues Balays seeing them vilely abuse her entred among them saying Trayterous murderers dare you so boldly lay holde on a Damosell let her alone else shall you die according to your deserts Then running fiercely at one of them his Launce passed quite thorow his body so that he fell downe dead without any mouing Wherupon the other foure would reuenge their companions death altogether inuironed Balays with such sharp assaults as one of them smote downe his horse vnder him yet Balays dismayed nothing thereat but beeing couragiously resolued quickely recouered footing and drawing his sworde layde so fiercely about him that another of them fell downe headlesse at his feet In briefe two more of them accompanied their fellowes in like fortune when the last seeing hee could not preuent like doome fell on his knees before Balays saying Good my Lord haue compassion on me for if I die in this wicked life I haue so long vsed vndoubtedly both body and soule will perish together Since thou doest answered Balays so willingly acknowledge thy fault thy life I giue thee to the ende thy repentance hereafter may make amends for al faithfully hee kept promise with Balays for soone after he became a religious Hermit spending the rest of his dayes in great deuotion But now returneth Balays to the Damosell who being not a little glad she was so happily deliuered gaue him thankes for the succour shee found in such necessity and hee requesting to know how shee happened into this daunger shee thus begun Hauing occasion Sir to trauell in these parts in the narrow way on the mountaine they staied mee it beeing the common place for their theeuish assaults and after they had slaine my seruants they brought mee into this place all of them swearing to force me one after another but God and you haue graciously deliuered me Her modest behauiour in speech and comely beauty made Balays to waxe somewhat enamoured which made him thus to interrupt her In sooth faire Damosell I perceiue they haue dealt with ye vngently for they were very loath to parte with yee but seeing fortune hath allowed such a conuenient meeting euen where wee may lay a foundation of loue let me request this fauourable kindnesse that wee may not lose so good an oportunitie I know not Sir quoth shee how you are minded but had they compelled mee to their lasciuious desires both God and the worlde might holde mee excused contrariwife if I should willingly grant you such an vnhonourable request what excuse might then serue either you or me Hitherto you haue shewed your selfe a well disposed knight let mee intreate yee to accompany chiualrie with continence and vertue as by duty you are bound When Balays heard her answere so soberly hee repented that hee had offered her such vndecent wordes saying With reason faire virgin you haue fully satisfied mee yet pardon me for attempting so bad a suite in respect it is no lesse seemely for knights to moue Ladies with loue then for them modestly to deny as you haue done And albeit at the first we imagine it a great conquest to obtayne of them what
but by renowne of his famous Chiualry Beside ech one reioyced to see Amadis who by the false report of Arcalaus was thought to be dead and graciously did the King entertain them all conducting them to a chamber where they were vnarmed blaming the vilanous inuention of Arcalaus and the Damosell that caused their Combat together practising the death of two so noble Princes who were but euen now in the prime and flower of their youth Right soone did the King aduertise the Queene of their arriuall when accompanied with Agraies Galuanes and King Arban he went with them among the Ladies but Amadis casting his eye on Oriana and she on him I leaue their ioyfull passions to your iudgment remembring that when long absent louers meete lookes sighs and teares are familiarly entercoursed being the only meanes to content ech others heart Yet Amadis thought it not best to stand still thus musing left euerie eye should grow cunning in coniecturing the cause which to auoide he fell on his knee before the Queen saying Madam according to your charge at my departure from the Court I haue brought this Knight whom I present as onelie yours I thanke ye Sir Amadis quoth the Queene both he and you are welcome to our presence In good faith Maddam said the King you doe me wrong if you take them both Amadis alreadie is yours me thinks you should be content with him and leaue Lord Galaor for mee You aske no small matter answered the Queene but if he be so pleased I am not against it albeit such a present was neuer giuen in great Brittaine Notwithstanding seeing you are the best King that euer raigned here so good a Knight is well bestowed on you But what say you Lord Galaor the King is desirous to haue you will ve then be his Madame quoth Galaor me thinks that any thing so great a prince demandeth should be granted if it were possible here am I to obey you in euery respect so please my Lord and brother to like thereof because he hath greatest authority ouer me It contents me very well said the Queene that you should doe as your brother commandeth for through him shall I haue title in you by reason he is mine I am yours indeede Madame answered Amadis and brother you must be my fellow seruant to the Queene With all my heart replyed Galaor I am content and seeing you haue giuen mee to her seruice for euer I shall remaine at her disposition I thanke you sir quoth the Queene now may I boldly giue you to the King for I see he would be glad of so good a friend then stepping to the King she said My Lord you are desirous of this knight I giue him you on this condition that you loue and intreate him according to his deserts which may not be valued at any meane rate Beleeue me Madam answered the King I take this gift most kindely at your hand assuring you he shall soone perceiue how I loue and esteeme him nor can I be so affectionate to him as he hath noble vertues whereby to induce me which none can value or compare withall But if Amadis durst haue spoken he gladlie would haue maintained the contrary for he perswaded him-selfe that he loued his Oriana beyond his brothers desert or any other whatsoeuer So remained Galaor in the Kings seruice from which he could not be separated for any quarrell concerning Amadis as wee shall haue occasion to declare hereafter All this while Oriana Mabila Oliuia had withdrawne themselues from the other Ladies likewise Agraies and Amadis were talking together when Galaor was thus gratiously entertained by the King and Queene wherefore Mabila called her brother saying I pray ye cause the knight to come hither that standeth with you conferring because we are desirous to see him Agraies returned where he left Amadis who dissembled as if hee thought not on the Ladies till the Prince thus spake My Lord these Gentlewomen would faine speake with you and desire you to come a little more neere them which he presentlie did But Mabila being wise and discreete no ◅gnorant what medicines should be applied to passionate mindes after they all three had saluted them Mabila took Amadis by the hand desiring him to sit between Oriana and her leauing Agraies to court his Oliuia they being set she merily thus began Although I am now among those foure friends whom I haue most cause to loue and regard yet haue I such present businesse else-where as I must of necessity leaue you a while Thus deuised she bring the louers together and by a pretty wile gaue them oportunitie to content their thoughts with secret communication Now beginneth Amadis to confer with his Ladie and thinking to declare the great affection which vnder good hope gaue him life and essence extreme loue took him frō the facultie of speech yet his eyes not vnmindfull of their office supplied the defect of the tongue deliuering testimony to their diuine obiect how farre the sad and languishing heart was transported by ease and pleasure Which Oriana perceiuing she secretly tooke his hand vnder her mantle and wringing him by the fingers sighing thus spake My lord and friend what dolour and griefe did the traytor procure in me who brought hither tidings of your death neuer was poore maiden in greater perill and not without cause for neuer did woman sustain such a losse as I should haue done in loosing you And as I am better loued then any other so hath my fortune graciously fauoured mee that it should be by him who is of higher desert then any other Here-with Amadis cast downe his lookes as bashfull to heare himself so praised by her to whom all commendation was due and feeling his spirits altered stroue to make answere but the words died in his mouth which caused Oriana thus to proceede How can it be otherwise my Lord but I must needes loue you aboue all other when they that neuer saw you do highly loue honor and esteeme you and I being shee whom you affect most deerely haue I not great reason to loue you better then my selfe On my faith Madam answered Amadis your sweete and gentle words are sufficient to make mee die a thousand deaths as many times to reuiue me againe but how I pray you at this time onely to excuse my extremity with pitty enduring worse then death by louing you too vehemently for if I had died as Arcalaus reported euen then had begun my rest and quiet if I had not known you before And albeit the houre of your acquaintance is my intire felicity yet am I assaulted with such violent passions as my heart would altogether consume in griefe without the pleasure it receiueth in doing you seruice and the good it sustaineth by your remembrance of me But necessity constraineth me to craue the mercy as yet vndeserued by such intreatance as no desert may value onely to increase my hability in seruing you which if
if you please I will iâ—treate the Queene to doe me so much grace as to appoint me twaine after her owne minde Doe so said the King if you thinke good then came the Damosell and falling at the Queenes feete proceeded thus Madame you are sayde to bee one of the wisest and most vertuous dames in the world you vnderstand the cause of my mourning and the gracious offer the King hath made me most humbly I beseech ye theÌ„ for the honor of God to take coÌ„passion on a poore Gentlewoman and counsell me which two knights I shall chuse that are best able to support my want Beleeue me Damosell answered the Queen you demand a matter of great importance yet in such sort doe I pittie your cause as I am the more willing to giue you aduise albeit I would be loth to forgoe them twaine whome I could name in this company TheÌ„ shee shewed her Amadis saying This is my knight And pointing to Galaor sayde This other is the Kings yet be they both bretheren and the best Knights as I haue heard this day liuing I desire your Maiestie quoth the Damosell to tell me their names The one sayd the Queene is called Amadis and the other Galaor But by your fauour replied the Damosell is this Amadis the knight so much renowmed I am very certaine Madame so soone as hee and his brother shall arriue where I can bring them my cause will be sufficiently executed therefore I desire you to obtaine mee their company Hereupon the Queen called them saying I beseech yee both to succour this woman who standeth in neede of your assistance Amadis was somewhat slow in answering for he cast his eye on the Princesse Oriana to note if she would like of his departure and she who likewise pittied the womans cause let fall her gloues which was an appointed signall betweene them and thereby he was certified of her consent wherefore hee thus spake to the Queene I am at your disposition Madame to do whatsoeuer you shall command me Go then in Gods name quoth she and returne again with all possible speed without tarying for any thing that may happen Hereto they willingly condescended and taking leaue of her Amadis fained hee would speake to Mabila when comming neere her and Oriana hee sayde to his Goddesse Madame well may I say that the fairest Lady in the world sends mee to succour the most wofull woman I euer did beholde Sweete friend quoth Oriana I repeÌ„t that I gaue you so much libertie because my minde telleth me this attempt will proue some-what dangerous to you which I hope the heauens will powerfully defend I am perswaded Madame answered Amadis that as the wonderfull worke-man of the world hath enriched you with beauty beyond all other women he will not suffer you to feele displeasure by any mis-fortune happening to mee for being yours as I am I imagine my selfe so happy as I thinke no euill can chance to mee if I continue in your gracious fauour If it lay in my power replied Oriana I would reuoke your licence of departure but seeing it may not bee I will remaine in prayer for your prosperous successe So taking leaue of her hee and Galaor went to arme them-selue then doing their humble duty to the king they rode away in company of the Damosell As thus they trauailed about mid-day they entred the fortrest which commonly was called the vnfortunate Forrest because neuer any knight errant entred into it that could escape without some michiefe and so these two bretheren deerely experimented for such mishap befell them as they verily thought to lose their liues Still rode they on without any aduenture till the Mo one begaÌ„ to grace the euening yet would not the Damosell shew any signe of stay which made Amadis aske this question Gentlewoman shall we rest out selues here awhile Yea mary quoth shee here before wee shall finde tents ready prouided and people in them who expect your comming make then a little hast I pray you because I will goe before to aduertise them They were very well content therewith and so the Damo sell left them till soone after they espied the tents where they saw her among other Ladyes and knights who bad theÌ„ welcome at their arriuall and being alighted from their horses they were conducted into a Pauillion hauing seruants standing ready to take their armour which they had no sooner put off but was caryed by them into another roome where-upon Amadis demanded why they did so Because replied the Damosell you must lodge where they haue caryed your armour He imagining shee sayde true made no further enquirie but sate downe with his brother on stooles that stood ready for them attending the houre of supper Not long had they sitten there but fiue knights well armed entred furiously vpon them saying Yeelde your selues else you are slaine When Amadis heard and saw their bad behauiour he knew right well they were betraied and starting vp saide to Galaor By God brother wee are treacherously deceiued Theâ— finding no remedy but present death after they had strugled with the knights who eâ—â—ily might haue taken their liues Aâ—…dis thus spake Ah villaines you haue vs now at too much aduantage deliuer vs our armes and this quarrell shal be otherwise decided These wordes will little profit yee answered the Knights yeeld your selues our prisoners or we will kill ye So may you doe sayd Galaor like traitours as you are and I will maintaine my wordes against two or three of you if you dare deliuer me mine armes We need no such proofe replied the knights but if you contend in further speeches you shall deerely buy them with the losse of your liues Now trust me quoth Amades wee rather will dye then be prisoners to such villaines as you are Herewith one of the knights went foorth and comming to a Lady he said Madame they will not yeelde shall wee kill them Stay awhile quoth she and if they graunt not my will deale as you please with theÌ„ Then came the Lady who was mauaileous beautifull into the tent and shewing the countenance of a very angry woman thus spake to Amadis and Galaor Knights yeeld your selues my prisoners otherwise you must die Brother answerâ—d Galaor it may bee shee will pittie vs let vs yeelde our selues to her And Madame quoth hee wee beseech yee deliuer our horses and armour when if all your seruants can conquer vs wee will bee content to submit our selues but if you dâ—nie vs this reasonable request wee must esteeme the lesse of you and they that deale with vs so discourteously I willgiue no credence to you at this time replyed the Lady but would counsell ye to yeeld your selues to mee Whereto at length they accorded seeing they could no way else saue their liues yet knew she not their names for the Damosell that conducted them thither would not tell her because if her Mistresse vnderstood what they were she knew they might not
perceiuing you should assuredly die if her mistresse knew the names of you both disguised the matter so wiâ—h her as she said she forgot to aske your names onely thus perswading her that you were two of the very best Knights in the World The daunger thorowly considered I sweare to you by the faith of a Christian that I can deuise no better meane for your deliuerance then this I haue told ye and shall I say more If you do it not worse will come to you then you suspect But Amadis loued the Princesse Oriana so doâ—â—ely as he rather desired death then to hazard himselfe in such a composition whereupon he thus replyed I thanke you Sir hartily for your great kindnesse but I haue no such authoritie ouer my selfe as will permit me to proceede so far though your Lady her selfe intreated neuer so deepely yet liberty nor life can perswade me Alas Sir answered the Knight I wonder you will not consider how neere your death is It is all one to me quoth Amadis but if you will deale herein with my brother he is a knight more braue and beautifull then I am happely hee wil consent to follow your deuise Presently he left Amadis and comming to Galaor deliuered the whole discourse he did to his brother Which he liking very well made this reply Good Father if you could bring it to passe that the Lady would accept me as her friend my companion and I were for euer at your command Referre the matter to me quoth the Knight immediatly will I goe to her and hope to strike it dead on her behalfe So departing from Galaor hee went to Madasima who rode formost and thus began to breake with her Madame you carry two prisoners with you but you doe not know what they are Why aske you me such a question answered Madasima Because the one of them quoth the knight is esteemed the best knight that euer bare Armes and the most accomplished in all other good gifts Is he not then named Amadis said she whose death I haue so long desired No Madame answered the Knight I speake of him which rideth next vs whose youth and beauty had you well regarded your selfe would say you haue been too outragious in iniurie What though he be your prisoner it is not for any offence committed against you but onely through the hatred you beare to another all which you may yet redresse in much better sort then you began considering if he conceiued liking of you you may thereby easily induce him to loue and vnder that ceremony draw him to do what your selfe shall desire In sooth plyed Madasima I will assay to know if he be such a one as you report him to be Do Madame quoth he and you shall finde him one of the fairest Knights that euer you beheld Here you must note that the Knight no sooner left Galaor when he went to the Ladie but he tooke occasion thus to talke with his brother You see my Lord the estate wherein we are which requireth some notable dissimulation at our hands I beseech ye therefore moderate their anger because alreadie it endangereth our liues and for a while follow my direction By Heauen brother answered Amadis death had beene very welcome to mee but since you wish me to be gouerned by you I am content desiring the conseruation of our honours which being lost we are vnworthie to line Further they could not proceede because Madasima came and interrupted them when calling him aside and faire day was displayed on the earth his beautie and good grace so especially contented her as she became surprized with his loue which she shaddowed vnder demanding how he fared Madame said Galaor I fare worse then you should were you in my power as I am in yours for I would do you what seruice and pleasure possible I could and you vse the contrarie to me I hauing giuen no occasion of offence reason willeth I should rather be your knight to loue and honour you then your prisoner thus vnkindelie bound as I am And surelie I cannot but meruaile hereat considering the simple conquest you haue thereby vse then such rigor to vs as women so diuinelie adorned are wont to do Madasima hearing his gentle language was more and more enflamed with his loue yet striuing to dissemble it she merrilie said Tell me faire Sir if I chuse you as my friend and deliuer you from prison will you for my sake leaue the seruice of King Lisuart and afterward tell him how you did it by my meanes With all my heart Lady answered Galaor and to performe it you shall haue what oath you please both of mee and my companion for he will doe no more then I request him Credit me quoth Madasima if before this company you wil promise to obey me presentlie you shall enioy your libertie Behold me ready replied Galaor Yet is not this enough answered Madasima for you shall sweare it in the presence of a Ladie where I am intended to lodge this night In meane while you must assure me not to depart my company We will not on my faith Madame quoth Galaor and calling Amadis caused him to affirme as much whereupon they were vnbound and set at libertie their â—quires likewise as friendlie vsed and mounting on their owne horses rode at their ease as they did before But Madasima and Galaor still continued their amorous discourses till they arriued at a Castle named Albies the Lady where-of receiued them very honourably in respect of great friendshippe betweene Madasima and her Needelesse were it to tell you of their good cheere it could not but be answerable to the time and company but after supper Madasima demanded of Galaor if he meant to keepe his promise he made her by the way What else Madame quoth he prouided you be so good as your worde to me Make no doubt thereof replyed Madasima then framing her speeches to the Lady of the Castle and also to two knights that were her Sonnes she proceeded in this manner My good friends I pray you heare a couenant betweene me and these two Gentlemen because hereafter you may be my witnesses They are my prisoners and vnder these conditions I haue released them that one of them shall continue my friend and both of them forsake the seruice of King Lisuart telling him how for my sake and in despight of him they haue done it Hereupon I intreate this fauour at your hands as to meete me at the Court of that wretched King on the day they must declare this message to see how contentedly he will take it But if they fullfill not their promise hence-forth you shall publish in all places the heynous offence by them committed and ten dayes I giue them to execute this charge I am well pleased said the Lady of the Castle to doe a greater matter for you then this if they as willingly consent thereto We pray you quoth Galaor not to faile herein for we haue promised
owne blood then the bruite Beasts are to their contraries Notwithstanding all their brutish qualities yet be they neuer so vnnatural to shew any violence to their young ones May it then be thought reasonable vnder shaddow of an accorded promise without knowledg there-of to commit so great wrong not onely against your selfe impitious father or mee a woefull and vnfortunate mother but likewise against the whole common weale of this Realme Alas Sir let my incessant teares perswade you to bethinke some other meane for your discharge and also to content the knight Madame quoth the King my word is past I pray you talke no more thereof to me Thus speaking the teares streamed downe his cheekes whereat the Lords were not a little agrieued and that which most troubled him was the acclamations of the Ladies wherefore the King commanded them to their chambers The Queene seeing the might not preuaile fell in a swoune but by her Ladies she was conueighed thence the King giuing charge on paine of death that no one should seeke to alter his promise My daughter quoth hee I commit to the pleasure of God but my promise shall not be broken if I can help it By this time the newes came to O◅a how her Father had consented to her departure whereat shee fell downe in such a traunce as they neuer expected life in her againe when Mabila and the Ladies reputing her dead indeede thought best to acquaint the King therewith yet by forced remedies shee reuiued againe breathing forth many dolorous sighes Now the most of the women seueted themselues some neare and some further from her because shee should not heare their complaining and such compassion tooke they on her as would haue conuerted a stony heart into teares especially when the Princesse recouered the power of speech and faintly vttered these regreets Full wel quoth shee doe I well beholde mine owne ruine Ah sweete friend wert thou heere easily wouldst thou deliuer me from this paine but thus much my heart foretolde mee euen at the very houre of thy departure Ah cursed bee that houre because I consented to it When thou shalt heare of these rydings I feare being vnable to endure them thou wilt die immediately yet this is the best hope we shall not be long one after another Ah death the onely refuge to the vnfortunate seest thou not me foremost in this ranke why stayest thou Fortune will triumph ouer thee in dealing so extreamely as shee can with me albeit I knowe thou art able to reuenge thy selfe make haste therefore and let her not get such preeminence on mee in despight as it were of thy authority Adiew then sweete friend for neuer shall wee see each other more in this life at these wordes shee fell in a swoune againe When the King saw shee tarryed so long hee sent to cōmand her make more speed but the messenger found her in the deadly agony and staying till she was recouered againe as shee began to renew her moanes he thus spake to her Madame the King is offended because you come not to him When shee heard this message shee arose hauing her heart so sealed vp with griefe as it seemed to enable her vitall forces and being followed by none of her women but the Damosell of Denmarke shee came before the King and casting her selfe at his feete sayde My Lord and Father what is your pleasure with mee Faire Daughter quoth hee I must accomplish my promise These speeches prouoked her former paines when the King grieuing to behold the sight therof turned his head aside saying to the knight See my friend here is the gift you demand and the onely thing in the world I most loue but intend you to carry her hence alone My Lord sayd the knight she shall be accompanied with two Gentlemen and their Squires which were in my company when you made mee this promise at Windsore more may I not allowe vntill hee haue her vnto whom I am constrained to deliuer her Yet let her haue the company of this Damosell saide the King for it were vnseemely she should bee alone among so many men Well quoth the knight for one woman it matters not So taking the Princesse in his armes shee being scant reuiued from her swoune he set her vp on horse-backe caused a Squire to sit behind her on the horse who might hold her fast lest she should fall and a very sad countenance shewed the knight saying there was none in the Court more sorrowfull then himselfe After the Damosell of Denmarke was mounted the King intreated her not to leaue his daughter whatsoeuer happened And while they were thus preparing the Princesse looking woefully about her a tall knight well armed came among them who not taking off his helmet or saluting the company tooke Orianaes horse by the bridle This was Arcalaus the enchanter and came in this sort lest he should bee knowen soone after he commanded the Squire to ride away with her which the Princesse perceiuing and seeing there was no other remedy deliuering a sigh as if her heart would haue split shee sayde Ah my deere friend in a happlesse houre for you was the boone granted because it will bee both your death and mine Herein shee meant Amadis whom shee gaue leaue to depart with the Damosell yet the standers by vnderstood it of her father and her selfe Thus departed Oriana with them that conducted her who rode apace till they were entred the Forrest neere at hand and the King himselfe was mounted on horse-backe to conduct his daughter somewhat on the way as also to forbid any rescue from following according to his former promise But the Princesse Mabila standing at a windowe to see this sad and pensiue separation could come no nearer to Oriana her heart was so surprised with griefe yet by hap shee espyed Dardan the Dwarffe that serued Amadis making speed after the Princesse on horse-backe when calling him to her she saide Dardan if thou loue thy Master stay not any where till thou acquaint him with this mishappe if now thou faile him it may returne to thine owne daunger for this is the time of greatest necessity By God Madame answered the Dwarffe I will with all diligence performe my duty So giuing the spurres to his horse hee galloped the same way his Master rode with the Damosell But leaue wee him posting and tell what now happened to King Lisuart who accompanied his Daughter to the entrance of the Forrest causing all such to returne as followed him Euen in the houre of his trouble a Damosell came to him mounted on a swift Palfray with a sworde hanging about her neck and a Launce richly painted hauing the point gilded ouer after shee had saluted him she thus spake My Lord God increase your ioy and make you willing to performe what you haue promised me at Windsore in the presence of all your worthy knights At these wordes the King knew her remembring it was she that sayde
hee to deuise how by faire speech and falshood he might take the king crauing a parle with him whereto king Arban willingly agreed and silence being made on both sides Barsinan began in this manner I euer thought til now my Lord that you were one of the best aduised knights in the world but by proofe I perceiue a man may finde the contrary yet this I think withall that what you doe is for the safetie of your honor Herein you appeare of simple iudgement considering in the end it will bee but the losse of you and your men in respect king Lisuart your late Lord is dead for proofe whereof euen he that slew him will ere long send me his head Sith fortune then hath dealt so hardly with him and I at this instant am the greatest Lord in this countrey dare you denie to make me king Alas you abuse your selfe the best will be for you to yeelde your selfe louingly and I shall entreate you so well as any Prince in my Realm suffering you still to enioy the countrey of Norwales and particularly beside will so honor you as you shall haue great reason to be content Auaunt villaine answered king Arban full wel doost thou manifest thy horrible treason for beside thy treacherie in compacting the death of my Lord thou wouldest haue mee become a traitour to his friends as thou thy selfe hast prooued Thou art deceiued doe the worst thou canst thy villainie onely will take vengeance on thee according to desert with such good helpe as we will put thereto What said Barsinan think'st thou to hinder me frō sitting as king in London Neuer shall traitour replied Arban bee king of London by Gods leaue while the most honourable king of the world liueth I called for thee quoth Barsinan in respect of thine owne good because I fauoured thee more then any other imagining thou wert of sound discretion but as I haue said I finde my selfe deceiued wherefore reason requireth that thy ouer-weening should fall and in despite of thee I will reigne king in great Brittain Assure thy selfe answered Arban I will keepe thee frō such climbing as if the king my maister were here personally present Then began the assault afresh king Arban with-drawing himselfe to harden his men being maruailously offended at Barsinans words Now though he were very sharpely assailed yet stood hee brauely on his defence many being slaine and sore wounded neuerthelesse he was euer-more formost in the fight and last in the retreits which was caused by the night ensuing Nor neede wee doubt considering the puissance of Barsinan and they fewe on the contrary side but king Arban would take his aduantage in resistance by compelling them to narrow streets where foure on a side could hardly deal together which turned to the great disaduantage of Barsinan because Arban well fortified euery place in good order and with resh supply still encouraged his men The retreit being founded and either side with-drawne King Arban seeing his souldiers sore wearied by the hotte skirmishes they had endured as is the office of a good Captaine indeede hee came and comforted them in this manner My louing companions and friends this day haue you worthily fought as none of you but deserueth estimation among the most forward men in the world and hauing begun so well I hope you will proceede better and better Remember the cause of your fight not onely to maintaine your good king but your owne liberty against a tirant traitour and what worse who would buy his vsurping in this Kingdome with the blood of you your wiues and children Saw y ou not how he vsed them hee tooke in the Tower Beholde you not the end of his purpose which is to ruinate this noble Realme that hath by diuine prouidence beene so long time preserued and euer-more continued in reputation flourishing with loyal subiects to their Prince Heard you not the flattering perswasions which the Rebell vsed before the assault thinking to cōquervs by his golden tongue In vaine is his labour I am right well assured that no one of you but will die a thousand deathes before he shall conceiue any other minde in you I see by your resolued countenances if I should thinke or say otherwise I were a monstrous offender for if he haue more men then wee wee haue more hearts of courage then he which forbiddeth all accasions of dismaying setting before your eyes the famous account you shal liue in hereafter By their looks you might diserne at their retire how vnwillingly they wil be to trie you againe and respect not the traiterous words of Barsinan our king liueth and will right speedily come to succout vs. In meane while I intreat as my friendly companions let nothing dismay your hope but continue as you haue begun with famous resolutiō that is more honourable to die for liberty then to enioy a life by thraldome and slauerie vnder a wicked iniurous and traiterous Prince When the king had ended his oration there was no one in the company how sore hurt soeuer he was but would couragiously encounter Barsinans power and bid him brauely good-morrow next day in the Tower wherewith the king not a little contented returned to the Queenes lodging his face couered with sweate and his armour all bloody by reason of fiue woundes he receiued in fight The Ladyes seeing him in such pittious plight were maruailously abashed especially the Queene who well neere dead with griefe and fear together then as a woman in middest of despaire she said Alas deer Nephew what shall wee doe wee are all but dead Madame answered king Arban all will go well if God be pleased in vaine doe you thus discomfort your selfe for I hope to heare good tydings of the King and his traytours that seeke to vsurpe the kingdome by your good and loyall subiects shall receiue deserued punishment God grant it quoth she but you are so wounded as I thinke it impossible for you to bee at the battell if Barsinan come to morrow againe nor can our men doe anything without you Be not you troubled therewith Madame replyed king Arban for while my soule sucks her spirit from the ayre I will not forsake my charge So bidding her good night hee went to haue his wounds dressed and afterward turned to his souldiers merrily passing the night among them Barsinan on the other side got into the Tower of London which he had wonne and numbring his men found that his power was greatly weakened yet would hee make no shew thereof for dismaying the rest but shewing a dissembling countenance thus spake to them My friends it sufficeth that I haue shewen mine enemies what you are and they if I think good to stand at my mercy wherfore I am determined without any further losse of you to rest our selues fiue or sixe dayes till Arcalaus send me the head of king Lisuart and then the sight therof wil make thē not dare to resist mee any longer but in hope of
was come to seek Amadis but shee tolde him that now two whole dayes were passed since hee and his fellowes were departed towards Great Brittaine since which time she heard that they had taken their way vnto the Firme-Island Whereupon Durin without any longer stay tooke leaue of her and rode so long that he arriued in the Island the same houre that Amadis entred vnder the arch of Loyall louers where hee beheld how the Image had done more for him then for any other knight that euer entered the same before as it was tolde him Now as Amadis together with Agraies returned to the succour of his brethren Durin thought to haue spoken with him but Gandalin entreated him to stay vntill he had tred the perill of the forbiden chamber beeing assured that he brought Letters to him froÌ„ Oriana the which perchance might haue been a meane as he thought to cause him either to forslow or to faile in the achieuing of so great an enterprise for Amadis was so subiect to the Princesse as hee would not only haue left off the conquest of the Firme-Island but also of the whole world beside if she had coÌ„manded Wherefore after hee had finished al the strange aduentures and the inhabitants of the Isle had receiued him for their Lord Durin came before him Then Amadis demanded of him what newes was in the Court of King Lisuart My Lord answered Durin I left it euen in the same estate that it was in at your departure And as he would haue proceeded in his speech Amadis tooke him by the hand and went with him alone into a very pleasant Orchard where they walked together then he demanded how he came to the Firme-Island My Lord said he my Lady Oriana sent me vnto you for such affaires as in this letter you shal vnderstaÌ„d the which he gaue vnto him Amadis tooke it and without changing his cheere he turned his face from Durin because hee should not beholde his colour alter for his heart began to leap with great ioy so as he knew not wel how to set his coutenance But this sudden mutation was as soone changed into a great despare because that reading these rigorous lines which pronounced his banishment it stroke so great sorrow to his heart as hee was no longer able to dissemble his griefe but burst out into such vehement weeping that hee was all drowned in teares Then Durin repented that euer hee was the bringer of such heauie letters for although the conteÌ„ts thereof were vnknown vnto him yet because he knew not how to remedy it hee durst not come neere Amadis who was so confounded as hee fell prostrate on the ground and in falling the letters which hee helde did fall foorth of his hand Notwithstanding he presently tooke them vp and began to reade them againe for the beginning had sogreatly troubled him that he had not yet seene the end But casting his eye vpon the superscritioÌ„ which contained these words She who forreth not to die but onely because then art her murtherer Hee then fetched so deepe a sigh as if his soule had parted from his body and therewithall fell downe back-ward Where-with Durin was greatly amazed ran speedily to helpe him but hee found him to moue no more then a dead man Wherefore fearing some greate inconuenience hee thought to haue called Galaor or some other yet fearing that thereby he might be blamed he staed comming vnto Amadis lifted him vp who cryed Oh heauens why do you thus suffer mee to die and haue not deserued it Alas Loyaltie what recompence doost thou offer those that neuer offended thee now I see my selfe forsaken of her for whose sake I would rather suffer a thousand deathes then one of her commandements by mee should be disobeied Then pittifully looking vpon the letter which he had in his hand he sayde Ah happy letter because thou wert written by the excellentest personage this day liuing and yet most vnhappy in that thou procurest the cruell death of the truest louer that euer serued Lady which death that it may bee the sooner I will neuer forsake thee but will place thee in the neerest deerest place that I haue So hee put it in his bosome and asked Durin if hee had ought else to say No answered he Well then saide Amadis thou shalt presently returne with my answere In good sooth my Lord answered Durin shee hath expresly forbidden me to receiue any And what did not Mabila nor thy sister wil thee to say any thing to me No my Lord answered he for they knew not of my departure because my Lady strictly charged mee to acquaint no body therewith Ah God sayd Amadis I see well now that my misery is voyd of remedy Then he rose vp and went to a riuer which passed along by the garden where hee washed his eyes which done he willed Durin to call Gandalin and that hee should come back againe with him alone which hee did but at their returne they found him in a swound againe yet recouering incontinent and seeing Gandalin he said Friend I am vndone therefore go seeke out Isania the Gouernour of this Isle bring him hither alone Then Gandalin ran for him and staied not long vn till they returned together who being come Amadis said vnto him Isania you know the oath you haue sworne vnto me the duty wherein you are vnto mee bound notwithstanding I pray you yet to promise me as you are true knight to keep secret whatsoeuer you shal see me doe vntill to morrow morning after my brethren haue heard diuine seruice and then secretly goe thou and cause the gate of this Castle to be opened which being done let GaÌ„dalin bring thither my horse armour but take heed that none perceiue it and I will follow straight after thee they were no sooner departed from him but he began to remeÌ„ber a dream which he had the night before wherein he thought that being armed and set vpon his horse hee was on the highest part of a peece of land enuironed with diuerse sorts of trees and that round about him were many persons maâ—ing the greatest ioy in the world then one of them presented him with a box saying Sir taste of that which is herein which he did and hee thought hee did eate of a most bitter meat And as hee cast it from him the raines of his horse did breake whereupon the horse ran vp and downe so that he was not in any sort able for to stay him When he saw he was so farre from this merry company he looked backe and hee thought that hee beheld their great mirth changed into such exceeding mone as it greatly pitttied him willingly would he haue returned backe to assawage their sorrow if hee could haue mastered his horse who at that instant entred into a tuft of trees where hee found a rocke enuironed with water against the which the horse stayed Then hee alighted for the great desire he had
be do follow me Truly answered Gandalin me thinks you are farre enough out of the way besides your horse is so wearie as if you let him not rest a little it is impossible for him to beare you any longer I pray thee said he in weeping do what thou shalt thinke best for whether I stay or goe my sorrows are remediles Eate then a little of this bread which I haue brought for your sustenance answered Gandalin but he refused it What will you then do said he shall I tell you whereupon I studied euen now It is all one to me answered Amadis I thinke on nothing so much as my death Then hearken vnto me if it please you said Gandalin I haue long time mused vpon the letter which Oriana sent vnto you as also vpon the words which the knight vttered against whom you did fight and so consequently vpon the lightnesse and inconstancy where-with women are endued for seeing she hath changed her loue and your selfe for a stranger shee witnesseth very well what trust a man should repose in such as she is and on the other side when I consider her vertues I thinke it in a manner impossible that she should so farre forget her selfe But it may be that in your absence some false report of you hath been made vnto her whereby she hath conceiued this displeasure against you the concealing whereof so much the more increased her grief Notwithstanding seeing you are assured that you neuer offended her although she haue beene too credulous yet in the end the truth will be knowne and thereby your innocency the more apparant it seemeth vnto me that you should not thus despaire seeing that shee may repent her folly and acknowledge the wrong which she hath done vnto you in such sort as requiring pardon for her misconceit she may make you amends with more ioy contentment then you euer yet enioyed together therfore inforce your selfe to eate that you may be able hereafter to preserue your life but if you do wilfully suffer the same thus to be lost you shall also loose all the good honor that euer you may or can hope for in this world Hold thy peace said Amadis for thou hast so shamefully and wickedly lied as I know no man which would not be displeased to heare thee thus to accuse her because that so wise a Princesse neuer did amisse at any time and if I die I haue well deserued it seeing that she shall be obeied and satisfied euen vntill my death And be thou assured if I did not thinke that thou speakest this onely with intent thereby to asswage my sorrow I would presently strike thy head from thy shoulders for the offence which thou hast done vnto me and take heed that henceforth you commit not the like fault When he had so said he arose vp in a great rage and walked vp along the riuer so pensiue that he knew not what way he should take Which Gandalin perceiuing fearing his anger and thinking also that he would not goe farre he let him alone and laid him downe to sleepe his eyes beeing very heauie with watching When Amadis was returned vnto him and perceiued him so sound asleepe hee would not wake him but took his owne horse and sadled him then did he hide the bridle and harnesse of Gandalins horse in the bushes to the end when he awaked he might not follow him Then he armed himselfe and mounted on horse-backe coasting ouer the top of the mountaine Thus without any stay at all hee rode till it was within foure houres of the sun setting discending then into a great plaine where there were two high trees and vnder them a faire fountaine commonly called The fountaine of the plaine field to which hee went to water his horse And as he approched neere the fountaine he beheld a religious man clothed poorly in a garment made of gotes haire hauing his beard and head all white who was watering his Asse Amadis saluted him asking him if he were a Priest Truely said the olde man it is more then forty yeeres since I first said Masse The gladder am I thereof said Amadis Then he alighted took his saddle and bridle from his horse who finding himselfe at liberty began to run towards the Forrest Amadis minding not to follow him but threw off all his armour which done he kneeled at the olde mans feete who taking him vp by the hand made him sit downe by him beholding him well he thought him to bee the fairest Gentleman that euer he saw although hee was pale and wan hauing his face all bedewed with teares whereat the Hermit was moued with so great compassion that hee sayde vnto him Knight you seeme to bee full of sorrow and if your griefe proceede from the repentance of any sinne that you haue committed In truth my son you are very happy and if it bee for any temporall losse then I thinke seeing your youth and the estate wherein you haue liued vnto this present you shold not thus vēxe your selfe but pray for forgiuenesse Then hee gaue him his blessing saying Goe too now confesse your sins Here-upon Amadis began to tell the whole discourse of his life without letting any thing passe Truely saide the holy man seeing that you are discended of so high a birth you ought to bee the more vertuous yet you must not dispaire for any tribulation that may happen vnto you cheefely for this that proceedeth from the occasion of a woman who is as easily won as she is lightly lost Wherefore my son I councell you to forget such vanities and henceforth to banish the thought of such a miserable manner of life from you for it will not onely be yrkesome vnto you but also euery vertuous person will condemne you for it Ah father answered Amadis I am now in such extreamitie that it is impossible I should liue any long time wherefore I humbly pray you to receiue mee into your company and to comfort my poore soule for that little time which it hath to remain in this vnhappy body When the good olde man heard him speake with such affection he sayde vnto him I promise you my friend it is ill done of you who are a knight yet young and of a comely stature to fall into such desparie seeing that women cannot continue their loue but by presence of those whome they loue for by nature they are quickly forgetfull and light of beleefe especially where any thing is reported vnto them of such as haue fondly yeelded them-selues to them who when they think to haue nothing but ioy and contentment do finde themselues plunged in all sorrow and tribulation as you now feele by experience Wherefore I pray you henceforth to be more vertuous and constant and seeing you are borne a Kings son and likely to gouerne a Kingdome returne to the world for it should be a great hurt to loose you in this sort and I cannot presume what she might bee
that brought you into this extreamitie seeing that although shee were a woman so requisit as shee could not bee equalled yet for her such a man as you are to be cast away Father answered Amadis I aske not your counsell herein for I now neede it not but for my soules sake I desire you henceforth to receiue mee into your company which if you refuse to do I see no other remedy for me but to die amongst the beasts of this forrest The old man seeing him so resolute had such compassion of him as the teares fell down his long white beard and answered him Alas my son my abiding in a desert place and I liue a life too strickt for you my Hermitage is at the least seuen leagues within the sea vpon the top of a poore Rock vnto the which no liuing creature can come vnlesse it bee at the beginning of the spring time Notwithstanding I haue already remained thirty yeeres there exempted from all worldly pleasure liuing onely vpon such small almes which some people of this Countrey doe bestow vpon me I promise you father saide Amadis it is the life which I desire and I once intreat you that you would giue me leaue to go with you The which the Hermit at the last granted notwithstanding that he had a long time denied him Heere-withall Amadis kissed his feete saying father command whatsoeuer you shall please for to my power I will euer obay you Then the Hermit saide his euening seruice after the which because hee had eaten nothing all day hee tooke out of his wallet a little bread and fish dried in the sun which was giuen vnto him and willed Amadis to eate with him but he refused it although he had beene three daies without tasting any sustenance Wherefore the hermit saide vnto him My sonne you haue promised to obey me doe this then which I command you and eat for if you should die in this obstinacie your soule should be in very great danger For this cause Amadis durst not denie him but did eat a very little for hee sighed continually not being able to forget the great sorrow wherein he remained After he had taken this small refrection the good old man spread his cloake abroad and laid him downe thereon and Amadis at his feete who was a great while before hee could take any rest tumbling and tossing himselfe as a person ill at ease neuerthelesse in the end being heauie with long watching he fell asleepe and hee dreamed that hee was locked in a chamber so darke that he could see no light at all neyther could he finde any way to come out thereof wherewith he greatly lamented moreouer hee thought that his Cozin Mabila and the Damosell of Denmarke came vnto him hauing before them a beame of the Sun which gaue a great light in so darke a place they taking him by the hand said vnto him My Lord come forth from hence if it please you and follow vs into the palace the which he did But at his comming forth he thought that he did see Oriana inuironed with a great flame of fire which made him so afraid that hee cried out helpe helpe my Lady Oriana burneth and there withall he leaped into the fire to saue her Then he tooke her in his armes comming through the flame againe without any hurt at all afterwards hee carried her into a garden the greenest and pleasantest that he had seene At the lowde cry which Amadis did make the good Hermit awaked and taking him by the hand hee asked him what he ailed Father answered he I haue euen now in my sleepe felt such exceeding paine that I meruaile I am not dead Your cry hath witnessed the same said hee but let vs rise for it is time to depart Then he got vpon his Asse and tooke the way toward the Hermitage and Amadis followed him a foote talking together of many things at the last he prayed him to giue him one gift which should not bee hurtfull vnto him the which the old man granted I pray you then said Amadis that so long as we are together you would not tell any man who I am and hence-forth to giue mee another name such as it shall please you then after my death you may tell my brethren of me that they may come fetch my body and carry it into Gaule Your life and death answered the hermit are in the hands of God therefore speake no more thereof for therein you offend him very grieuously and therefore seeing you know him loue him and serue him as you are bound to do he wil succour and helpe you notwithstanding what other name wil you haue Such as it shall please you to giue me said Amadis And as they talked together the olde man had his eye continually vpon him and the more he looked on him the fayrer he thought him to be but he did see him so full of griefe as he determined to giue him a name conformable to his excellency and agreeable to his melancholy Whereupon he said vnto him my Sonne you are yong and of a faire complexion notwithstanding your life is obscure by reason of your sorrow therefore my will is that you bee called the Faire Forlorne Wherewith Amadis was contented liking very well of the Hermet his deuise who not without great occasion had imposed that name vpon him And euen as they were ouertaken with the night they came vnto the Sea side where they found a little boat which the day before was come to seeke the Hermet at his hermitage wherin they imbarked and within a small time after tooke landing at the poore Rock so called because of the barrennesse of the place as the old man had declared to him Who continuing his discourse said Sonne I haue heretofore followed the world as you haue done and my name was Andahod assuring you that during my young yeeres I studied many vaine sciences but in the end being wearie thereof I withdrew my selfe into this poore place where I haue already remained thirty yeeres and more and neuer departed thence vntill yeesterday that I was at the buriall of my sister who died within these few dayes When the Faire Forlorne came into this Solitary place he was exceeding glad hoping that in a very short time his sadnesse and his life would both end at once Thus he remained in the company of the hermit consuming his youth with weeping and continuall lamentations seting at naught all worldly honours especially the glory which he had gotten in fighting with Galpan Abies King of Ireland Dardan the proud and many others whom he had ouercome and he began to despise in himselfe all vanities considering the variablenesse of Fortune who not long before had so highly aduanced him that hee had entred into the forbidden Chamber of Apolidon as in the beginning of the History hath beene mentioned But if he had beene demanded what moued him so to do what would hee thinke you haue answered no other
thing as I guesse but that the displeasure of a weake woman had brought him to this extremity he would haue tried to colour his fault by the examples of the strong and valiant Hercules Sampson the wise Salomon Virgill and an infinit number of other great and vertuous personages which haue all faln into the like misery being no more able to resist the same then he And Amadis would haue thought their misfortunes sufficient to shaddow his miserie and yet it is quite contrary for their example might haue warned him to haue shunned the like folly Was it likely then that Fortune would bring him out of his calamity he being thus ouercome for so small a cause and to bestow vpon him afterwards more fauours and victories then euer she had done before me thinketh that she should not neither yet had she done it if those things by her executed against him had not turned to the profit of the persons whom she would fauour whose liues depended vpon Amadis his safety whom she tormented in such sort as it seemed she had more compassion vpon them then care of him as your selfe may iudge Because that Amadis being as it were brought vnto the period of his life when he least hoped of remedie euen then was he restored vnto his former estate by such meanes as shal be hereafter recited vnto you But to the end that we stray not too farre from the order of our history you must first vnderstand that which happened to Gandalin after he awaked and found neither Amadis nor his horse who rising vp in a fright misdoubted that which was happened and looked in all places thereabout notwithstanding he could see nothing but Trees and Bushes By meanes whereof he began to cry and call yet no body answered him but the Eccho which resounded thorow the valley whereby he knew well that Amadis was departed For this cause he began to make a most sorrowfull lamentations determining to follow him and to doe what he could to find him againe which that he might the better accomplish hee returned where hee had left his horse the which hee found hauing neither saddle nor bridle vpon him which made him almost beside himselfe But as hee fretted and sought from one place to another in the middest of the bushes hee espied the harnesse of his horse which he sought wherefore incontinently he sadled him and mounted vpon him gallopping through the forrest not knowing which way to take and in this frensie he rode fiue daies together without any stay at all but at the side of the villages where he onely taried to enquire after Amadis Notwithstanding he could heare no newes of him till the sixt day that he entred into a meddow wherein was a fountaine hard by the which Amadis had left his armour There he beheld a Pauillion set vp and two Gentlewomen vnto whom hee came asking them if they had seene a knight passe by bearing in his shield two Lions sables in a field Or. Wee haue not seene the knight which you demand after answered they but we did finde his shield and the rest of his armour vpon the brinke of this fountaine When Gandalin heard this hee cryed out mainely and bearing his haire he said weeping Ay me is he dead Alas what mis-fortune is hapned the best knight in the world is he lost heerewithall did hee encrease his laments so strangely as both the Gentlewomen had great compassion vpon his miserie Alas my Lord sayde hee how badly haue I kept you truely I am worthy to bee accounted the most wicked esquire that liueth on the earth hauing so lewdly forsaken you and you who were wont to be the defence and refuge of all distressed persons haue now nor coūcel nor cōfort of any liuing wight no not of me caitife as I am that through my great fault and sluggishnesse haue left you in your greatest neede euen when I ought best to haue serued you No soner had he said these words but that hee fell downe in a swound which when the Gentlewomen behelde they cryed Alas this esquire is dead and therewithall they ran vnto him but hee moued not in any sort Neuerthelesse they bestirred them so well as they brought him againe to himselfe afterwards they sayd vnto him my friend you are to blame thus to despaire for a thing whereof you are yet vncertaine It were more conuenient for you to goe seeke your maister seeing that the vertuous as you ought to bee do encrease their strength euen when aduersitie most assaileth them Gandalin knew that they sayde true and for the same cause he determined following their counsell to trauaile so long from place to place vntill he had newes of Amadis But I pray you Gentlewomen answered hee tell me where you haue found his armour That will wee willingly said they Wee were of late in the company of Don Guillan the pensiue who within these few dayes past deliuered vs from the prison of Gandinas the malicious with more then twentie other Ladies and Gentlewomen behauing him-selfe so valliantly that he hath broken the wicked custome of the Castle and constrained the Lord thereof to sweare neuer more to maintaine the same And because euerie one had liberty to goe whether they would my fellow and I haue followed him vnto this place and wee haue already stayed here this foure daies because that when we came hither first Guillan knew the armour of him whom you enquire after which were left vpon the side of the fountaine And I promise you that neuer knight was more sorrowful then he for as soon as he beheld them hee alighted from his horse saying Beleeue me this place is farre vnworthy to hold the shield of the best Knight in the world Then did hee take it vp from the ground and hanged it vpon this Tree Which done hee mounted againe vpon his horse commanding vs expressely that we should keepe it vntill hee had found the Knight to whom it appertained And to that end we did set vp these Pauilions which you see Notwithstanding after we had kept the same three whole dayes he returned and arriued but yesterday very late hauing no news of him at all and very early this morning he commanded his Esquires to take the rest of his Armour which were here found and he tooke off his owne shield to hang about his necke the other which we did keepe In the doing whereof he wept bitterly and said Truly shield thou makest a bad exchange of thy Master for me afterwards he told vs that he went to the Court of king Lisuart to present those spoyles vnto Queene Brisena being assured that shee would be no lesse sorrowfull then he for the sad mischance and wee likewise do follow after him to thanke the Queene for the good which Guillan hath done for vs for her sake as he hath commanded vs to do Then Gandalin bid them farewell assuring them that hee would finde him vpon whom his death or life
vnto her selfe and casting forth a sigh she saide with a feeble and low voice Ah wicked woman that I am whē with so great wrong I haue depriued him of life whom in this world I most loued And seeing it is out of my power now to reuoke that mischiefe whereof I am the repentant causer I beseech you friend to take my lament in satisfaction of the hurt which I haue purchased vnto you with the sacrifice which I shall make of mine owne life to follow you vnto the death so the ingratitude which I haue committed against your loyaltie shall bee manifested your selfe reuenged and I punished And as shee thought to haue proceeded further her speech failed her againe wherewith Mabila and the Gentle-woman were more abashed then before so that they called Durin to know what heauie newes hee had brought vnto Oriana who wholly declared it vnto them Let me alone the said Mabila for I know wel how to remedy this matter Hereupon they vnlaced her and bestirreth them so well that she brought her to life againe then Mabila demanded of her how she did Gentle friend answered she farre better then I desire So as I rather desire death then life for now I do nought else but languish Wherefore Madame said Mabila do you thinke my Cosin so inconstant that hee will not willingly excuse the iniurie that you haue done vnto him knowing that extreame loue rather then any other thing constrained you thereunto And if he be gone as Durin hath tolde you it is but to passe away part of his melancholy tarrying vntill his innocency bee knowne vnto you But I am certaine if it pleased you to call him back againe that he is as ready to obey you as euer he was And behold what you shall doe intreate him by a Letter that hee take no regard vnto that which you did command him by Durin and that which you did was suddenly after a false report made vnto you of him and therefore will him to come vnto you to Mireflure where you stay for him to amend your fault at his discretion Ah my Cosin answered Oriana do you think that he will euer vouchsafe either to respect me or make one steppe for me But do you thinke saide Mabila that the loue he beareth to you is of so little force that he will not bee farre more glad to recouer your good fauour then he hath beene sorry to be by you forsaken I am verily assured that to die he will not displease you And to accomplish this matter well it behoueth the Damosell of Denmarke to vndertake the charge to finde him out because he knoweth her and putteth his trust in her Well answered Oriana I am content to be aduised by you So shee tooke paper and inke and as they had determined she did write vnto Amadis afterwards the Letter was giuen to the Damosel of Denmark with expresse commandement to passe first into Scotland thinking that he might be there with Gandales rather thē in any other place And the better to colour their enterprise they aduised the Damosell to tell the Queene that Mabila sent her towards the Queene of Scotland her Mother to vnderstand some news from her With the which the Queen was well pleased and gaue her a Letter and tokens to present vnto her Thus was the Gentlewoman dispatched who departed with Durin her brother and Enil the Cosin of Gandales And so long they rode till they came vnto a port towne called Vegill which separateth great Brittaine from the Realme of Scotland There they tooke shipping and they had the winde so faire that the sixt day following they landed in the Citty of Poligez Then tooke they their way toward the Knight Gandales whom they met a hunting but when he beheld the Damosell of Denmarke knowing that she was a stranger he stayed enquiring of her what she did seek in that Countrey Your selfe answered she towards whom two Princesses your friends haue commanded me to come to present from them certain presents which I carry vnto the Queene of Scotland Gentlewomā said he may it please you to tell me their names yea willingly sir said she the one is my Lady Oriana daughter to the mighty king Lisuart the other the Princesse Mabila whom you know well enough Ha said Gandales you are most luckily here arriued and they haue reason to accompt me their most humble seruant for so I am I pray you most heartily to come and alight at my house then tomorrow we will go together to see the Queene in the meane while doe mee this pleasure as to tell me how Amadis doth The Gentle-woman was herewith much astonished seeing that she had missed of her purpose notwithstanding dissembling her sorrow she answered Gandales that he was not returned to the Court since he departed thence to reuenge Briolania and it is thought that he is come into these parts with his cosin Agraies to see the Scottish Queene his Aunt and you also for this cause the Queene and other Ladies of his kindred and deere friends gaue me in charge to deliuer him a Letter which will be very welcome vnto him I am sure And the Gentlewoman said thus much because she knew certainly that although Amadis would hide him frō knowing that she brought him news from Oriana others yet hee would change his minde to speake with her I would said Gandales that he were here for I haue a long time greatly desired to see him Thus talking together at the last they arriued at the Castle of Gandales where hee feasted the Gentlewoman three dayes and the fourth day following hee conducted her vnto the Court where she deliuered to the Scottish Queene the Letters and presents which the Queene Brisena had sent vnto her CHAP. VIII How Don Guillan the Pensiue did bring vnto the Court of King Lisuart the Shield Armour and Sword of Amadis which he had found lying by the Fountaine of the plaine field AFter that Don Guillan the Pensif was departed from the Fountaine where he found Amadis his Armour he rode six daies before he ariued in the Court of King Lisuart And he ordinarily carried the shield of Amadis about his necke and neuer tooke it off except when hee was constrained to fight then he tooke his owne fearing to deface the other And as he rode he met with two knights Cosins to Arcalaus who incontinently knew the shield of Amadis and they thought Guillan to be he Wherefore they who hated him to the death determined to assaile him and said one to another euen now will we carrie the head of this villaine vnto our vncle Arcalaus This they spake so lowd that Guillan heard it where-with being throughly chafed he answered them Palliards you reckon without your host for neuer did traitor affright me no more shall you seeing I know you for kinsemen to Arcalaus and as wicked as himself then pulled he downe the visor of his Helmet couched his launce and ran
him by discharging him from your presence yet will hee not faile to be there knowing that it is a thing of great importance both vnto the King you not that hee will presume to come before you but hee will make himselfe knowne in place where hee may doe you seruice in hope that you will pardon him for the fault that he neuer did noâ— euer thought to doe God grant sayd Oriana that thy words proue true And as they were in these discourses there came a Gentle-woman who told Oriana that the Damosel of Denmarke was ariued and shee hath brought vnto you many faire presents Then feare hope seased vpon the Princesse heart in such sort that without power to answer one worde shee began to tremble the which Maâ—ila perceiuing she answered the Gentlewoman friend will her to come in hither all alone The gentlewoman returned to performe her charge but in the meane time beleeue mee neither Mâ—bila nor Gandalin knew how to behaue theÌ„selues beeing either hopelesse of the good or fearefull of the bad newes that the Damosell of Denmarke might bring Who shortly after entered in with the countenance of a person more pleasant then pensiue and after her duty done vnto Oriana shee presented her with a Letter from Amadis saying vnto her Madame my Lord Amadis recommendeth him must huÌ„bly vnto your good grace whom I haue found as this Letter written with his owne hand will assure you Oriana receiued the Letter and as she thought to haue opened it her spirit was so rauished with exceeding ioy as all the parts of her body remained without any power or ability once to moue or stirre because they would supply no other office but to participate in this most happy newes so that Oriana therewithall fell down in the place where she stood But very suddenly shee was raised vp againe she opened the Letter wherein shee found the ring that she sent vnto Amadis by Gandalin at the same time that hee fought with Dardan at Winsore which she presently knew Wherefore in kissing it shee sayd so loud that she might easily be heard O ring diuinely kept blessed be hee that euer did make thee so fortunate giuing from hand to hand all the pleasure that may bee desired then put she it vpon her finger and beganne to reade the Letter And when she beheld the sweet words that Amadis vsed the the thanks that he did yeeld vnto her for the careful remembrance that she had of him by the which he was raised from death to life there was neuer any woman more ioyfull and casting her eyes vp to heauen shee said O God of heauen and earth creator of all things praised be thy holy name because thou hast vouchsased in mercy to looke vppon mee by the diligence of this Gentlewoman Herewithall shee withdrew her selfe apart and tooke the Damosell of Denmarke by the hand saying vnto her I pray you faire Lady tel me how you did find him how long you haue bin together and the place where you haue left him By my faith Madam answered the Damosell after my departure from you I ariued in Scotland where I remained certaine dayes without hearing any news of him by meanes whereof beeing as it were voide of hope to satisfie your desire I tooke shipping intending to returne vnto you but wee had so sore a tempest vpon the Sea that mauger all our Mariners the ship was driuen vnto the poore Rocke where my Lord Amadis theÌ„ remained Whom at the first sight we did not know for he was changed in name habite and countenance and hee was likely to haue died in our presence when in a manner hee was not succoured by any of vs. Notwithstanding in the end I was ware of a wound that he had vpon the face the which was heretofore giuen vnto him by Arcalaus wherby I still suspected that it should be he and in the end hee manifested himselfe vnto me And continuing her discourse shee recited wholly all that which you haue heard in the beginning of this History Then loue pitty assailed the heart of the Princesse in so strange a manner that she entreated the Gentlewoman to speake no more of the troubles of Amadis but onely to tell her how hee did at that present Madame answered shee I haue left him in the Forrest staying to heare some newes from you And how may wee secretly send vnto him saide Oriana for if you returne vnto him so suddainly there might some matter bee suspected For the same occasion answered the damosel I haue brought with me Durin whome I will send back when it shall please you faining that I haue forgot parte of the presents that I brought vnto Mabila It is very well aduised said the Princesse Afterwards shee declared vnto her how Corisanda gaue vnto them the first hope that Amadis was not dead and that hee it was that named himselfe the Faire Forlorne It is true answered the Damosell and hee is yet so called neither is hee determined to change his name vntill hee haue first seene you except you command him the contrary That shall then be very shortly saide Oriana for his cosin and I haue taken such order that hee may come hither when it shal please him and not be perceiued by any body We haue the key of this gardeÌ„ by the which the way shal be easie and secret for him the which wee will send vnto him by Durin therefore call him vnto vs to tell him what Amadis must doe at his hither arriuall Hereupon Durin came vnto them Oriana shewing him the garden said vnto him Durin doest thou see this orchard Amadis must enter into it ouer the corner of this wall when hee is once in heere are the keyes of the dore thorow which he must come vnto vs the which thou shalt carry vnto him and shall further aduertise him whatsoeuer thy sister shall tell thee in my behalfe Which said she departed leauing them together and as soone as she was entred into a great Hall shee forthwith sent vnto the Damosell willing her to bring those presents which the Scottish Queene had sent vnto her Mabila the which she did But as shee vnfolded the cloâ— wherein they were wrapped as if shee had suddainly bethought her selfe she cried Alas Madam I haue left the tokens that were sent vnto Mabila there as we did lie the last night and if Durin do not speedily returne they may be in dangar to be lost now Durin knew the matter well enough and therefore hee made as though hee were vnwilling and on the other side Mabila faining to be very angry said vnto him Durin my good friend will you do me this pleasure to returne and fetch that which your sister hath forgotten Madam answered he I will do whatsoeuer you shall please but by my faith I could bee very well content that it would please you to appoint some other to doe it because of the toyle that we
King Lisuart or not Why so sayd the Faire Forlorne Because sayde he that I am mortall enemy to him and all his and when I shall either knowe or meete with any of thē I will cause them to die an euill death if I may The Faire Forlorne was so greatly enflamed with rage to heare him thus to menace especially the King and all his Knights that hee answered Quedragant You then are one of them that haue defied that good King I am euen the same sayde hee that will doe all the iniuric that possibly may bee done both to him and his And how are you called answered the Faire Forlorne Don Quedragant sayde hee Trust me Don Quedragant answered the Fair Forlorne although you are a valiant Knight and descended of a Royall linnage yet haue you enterprised an exceeding great folly in defying thus the most mighty and best King in the worlde for euery discreete knight ought to attempt no more then hee may well effect seeing that they who doe once passe the bonds of their ability and power are to bee accounted more haire-braind then hardy and more vaine-glorious then valiant the which is no better then folly As for mee I am no subiect but rather a straunger vnto the King against whom your quarrell is yet haue I alwaies had a desire to doe him what seruice I could and therefore you may account mee of the number of those whom you doe defie and combate with mee if you list otherwise followe on your way Beleeue mee sayde Quedragant I thinke the little experience you haue of mee maketh you to vtter these braues notwithstanding I would very willingly know your name I am called answered hee the Faire Forlorne but I thinke for the small renowne that yet is blased abroade of mee you doe now knowe mee as well as you did before And although I am a straunger yet haue I heard that you doe seeke Amadis of Gaule neuerthelesse I beleeue it were most for your profit not to meete with him considering but what I haue heard reported of him What sayd Quedragant dost thou thinke better of him vnto whom I doe wish so much hurt then of mee Trust mee thou shalt repent it therefore defend thee if thy heart will suffer thee Although answered the Faire Forlorne that against another I would haue bin content for this time to haue excused mee from the combate yet will I very gladly vndertake it against you for the threatnings presumptions that you doe offer vnto me This sayd they ran one against the other with so great force that the horse of the Faire Forlorne was likely to haue list the groūd with his nose himselfe was wounded in the right breast with the shiuer of a Launce and Don Quedragant vnhorsed and wounded betweene the ribbes Yet hee rose vp againe lightly and drew his sword running against the Faire Forlorne whom hee tooke vpon a sudden whilest that hee was busie in mending and setting his helmet right and before that hee was aware Quedragant slew his horse vnder him but the Faire Forlorne feeling him to founder alighted downe Then hee being exceedingly vexed for so vilde a part hee sayd vnto Quedragant knight it seemeth that you haue neuer done any valiant deeds of armes in that you haue so villainously slaine my horse it might haue sufficed you to haue wreaked your anger on mee and not vpon a poore beast Neuerthelesse I am in good hope that the wrong which you haue done both to him and mee shall redound vpon your owne head Don Quedragant answered him not one word but couering him with his shield he came and layd at the Faire Forlorne who in a short time made him feele how well hee could repay whatsoeuer was lent vnto him and to heare them fight one would haue iudged that more then tenne knights had been fighting together Then ioyned they so close that they left their weapons and fell to wrastling endeauouring to throw one another downe but that was impossible for them wherefore they let goe their holde and without any breathing they betooke them againe to their blades and layd loade one vpon the other so couragiously that their Esquires beholding that cruell combate did thinke it impossible but that they should both twaine die by the hands of each other And thus they continued from three of the clocke in the afternoone vntill it grewe towardes night without either resting them or speaking together but euen at the same instant Don Quedragant was so wearie and faint that his heart failed him and he fell downe in this place By meanes where-of the Faire Forlorne stepped vnto him as hee pulled off his helme to strike off his head Quedragant taking ayre beganne to breath the which the Faire Forlorne perceiuing although hee was ready to performe with his arme the reuenge that he meant to take of his enemy hee stayed his blow the sworde being ready to lop off any limme vpon the which falling downe it might chaunce to light and hee sayde vnto Quedragant it is hight time for thee to think vpon the health of thy soule for thou art but a dead man Whō Quedragant perceiued that he was in such daunger hee was so astonished that hee answered vnto the Faire Forlorne Alas if I must die yet at the least let mee first be confessed If thou wilt liue any longer said the Faire Forlorne yeelde thy selfe vanquished and promise to performe all that I shall commaund thee I will willingly fulfill what-soeuer shall please you answered Don Quedragant although I am not vanquisned for hee is not ouercome that without shewing one iot of cowardise hath defended his quarrell euen with the losse of his breath and vntill that he did fall at his enemies feet but he onely is ouercome that for want of heart feareth to doe what he may Truely said the Faire Forlorne you speake the very truth and I am very glad that I haue learned so much of you Goe to sweare to me thē to obey my cōmandement The which Quedragant did But the Faire Forlorne called his Esquires to witnesse and then sayd I will that at your departure from hence you goe vnto the Court of king Lisuart from whence you shal not depart vntill the same Amadis that you seeke bee there arriued Then you shall yeelde your selfe vnto his mercy pardoning him for the death of your brother King Abies of Ireland for that as I haue heard they both of their owne free will challenged each other and had Combate together so as this reuenge ought not to bee pursued Moreouer I will that you giue ouer the challenge that you haue made against the King and those that serue him without bearing armes heereafter against any one of them All which conditions Quedragant promised to performe although it was to his great griefe Then he commanded his Esquires to prepare a litter for him to carry him vnto London according to his promise In like sort the Faire Forlorne hauing seazed vpon
with halfe of his face with the which he yeelded vp the ghost During all this combate the Princesse Leonor and all her company were deuoutly praying for the good successe of the Faire Forlorne who seeing that he was dispatched of Basigant turned vnto Famongâ—mad who had behelde the death of his sonne for whome hee made so great mone that he was likely to haue gone mad And although that hee was likewise at the point of death yet notwithstanding hee had throwne his helmet from his head holding both his hands before his wound to keepe in his blood that thereby he might prolong his life the more to blaspheme God and his saints not being sorry for his death as he said but because that he had not in his life time destroyed al the churches wherein he had neuer entred And he cryed as loud as he could Ah thou God of the christians it is thon alone that hast wrought the meanes that both I and my sonne who were mighty inough to ouer-throwe one hundred of the best knights in the world are slaine by the hand of a most wretched and feeble villaine And as hee would haue proceeded in his his blasphemy the Faire Forlorne stroke off his head from his shoulders saying Receiue thy reward for all thy cruelties which thou hast committed against a number of people And spurning him vpon the belly with his foote hee said Now get thee vnto all the Deuils who haue long expected thy comming Then he tooke vp Basigant his Helmet and threw downe his owne which was broken Enil in like sort brought vnto him Famongâ—mad his horse vpon the which he mounted and came both to vnbinde the prisoners and to doe his duty vnto the Princesse Leonor who gaue him great thankes for his good helpe In like sort so did all the rest of the company Now had the Giants tyed all their horses at the tayle of the Cart wherefore the faire Forlorne went to seeke out the Princesse her Palfrey the which he brought and mounted her vpon the same commanding all the rest to take euery one their owne horse and to get them to London and to carrie vnto king Lisuart the bodies of the two Giants and Basigant his horse which will serue him well in the battaile against king Cildadan But the Knights answered him sir who shall wee say hath done this good for vs you shall tell the king said he that it is a strange knight who is called the faire Forlorne and you may both declare vnto him at large the cause of the combat that I had with the Giants as also the great desire that I haue to doe his Maiesty all the seruice I may whether it be against king Cildadan or any other herewithall they layed both the bodies in the Cart but they were so great that their legs trayled along vpon the ground more then six foote and taking leaue of the faire Forlorne they went towardes London praising God and the good knight that preserued them from death But by the way Leonor and the yong Gentlewomen that were with her forgeting their passed perill made them garlands of flours which they set vpon their heads in entring into the Citty theÌ„ the people wondring to see the Giants followed the Cart euen vnto the castle to vnderstand who had done such valiant deedes of armes The king did already know that his daughter was arriued and how shee brought with her two dead Giants wherefore he went downe into the Court with the Queen and many knights Ladies and Gentlewomen with them to see what the matter was the which the Princesse Leonor recited vnto him together with all that you haue already heard whereat euery one wondred And euen as shee had ended her discourse in came Don Quedragans who yeelded him prisoner into the kings hands as being sent thither by the faire Forlorne the which increased in all the assistants farther desire to know him that lately had done so many knightly deeds And the king said in good faith I doe greatly meruaile what he may be but is there none of you that doe know him And it was answered him no saying that Corisanda Lady and friend to Don Florestan had found in the poore Rock as heretofore she had declared vnto many a sick knight that was named the faire Forlorne I would said the king that he were in this company beleeue mee that he should not depart from vs for any thing that hee would demand of me CHAP. XIIII How that after the Faire Forlorne had ended his aduenture hee went vnto the Fountaine of the three Chanels from thence he tooke his way to Mirefleur where he found Oriana with whom hee remained eight daies together and at the same time there arriued in the Court of King Lisuart an ancient Gentleman bringing with him two lewels of singular vertue whereby the faithfull louer from the fayned might be tried the which Amadis and Oriana determined to make proofe of in such secret manner that they would neyther be knowne of the king nor any other AFter that the Princesse Leonor and her trayne had taken their leaue of the Faire Forlorne he returned towards the Gentlewomen whom hee had found hard by the fountaine who hauing seene the victory which hee had atchieued had already forsaken the bushes came to meete him Then he commanded Enil to get him to London vnto Gandalin and that during his abode there he should cause such another armor as that of his owne was to be made for him because they were all to broken and battered with the blowes that he had receiued in the former combats moreouer that he should not faile to returne vnto the fountaine of the three chanels vpon the eight day following Thus Enil departed from him and on the other side the Faire Forlorne hauing taken his leaue of the GentlewomeÌ„ rode through the Forrest and they tooke their right way to Mireflure where being arriued they declared to Oriana and Mabila the dangerous combat and glorious victory that was performed in their presence by a knight called the Faire Forlorne When Oriana knew for truth that he was so neere vnto her castle ioy and extreame pleasure accompanied with a most feruent desire entred into her immagination in such sort that vntil she had him in her armes she neuer lost sight of the high way that led from the Forrest by the which he was to come By this time was the Faire Forlorne alighted from his horse hard by a little Riuer staying vntill it were night for he would not be seene by any at his entring into Mireflure Then hee put off his Helmet and laide him downe vpon the grasse and there-withall hee began to thinke vpon the instabilitie of Fortune and vpon the miserable despaire wherein not long before he remained when with his owne hands he was ready to haue effected his death and also how he was not only now restored to his former felicitie but also aduanced to greater honour glory
and contentment then before knowing that he was so neere that ioy which hee should receiue with his Lady Oriana In this cogitation remained the Faire Forlorne vntill after sun set when hee mounted on horseback and came vnto the place that Durin had assigned him where he fouÌ„d him together with Gandalin who stayed there for him to take his horse TheÌ„ he alighted down demanded of them what the ladies were doing my Lord answered Gandalin they are on the other side in the gardeÌ„ where they haue already staied for you more then foure houres Help me then to get vp The which they did and hee being vpon the wall beholding Oriana and Mibila on the other side hauing not so much patience as to stay for their helpe he leaped from the top of the wall downe to the ground and as hee would haue kneeled to haue done his dutie the Princesse ran to embrace him and in kissing him she was like to haue fallen in a swound betweene his armes But who could imagine the pleasure that they yeelded the one vnto the other Amadis hee trembled like a leafe not being able to speake one Word holding his mouth close vnto Orianaâ—s who as it were in an extasie did behold him with such an eye that it made them both twaine to liue and die together In this sort they remained more then a good quarter of an houre and euen vntill that Mabila smiling said vnto Oriana Madam I pray you at the least before my cosin do die let vs haue a sight of him if it please you Soft and faire answered Oriana let mee a while alone with him and then you shall after-wards haue him at your pleasure Herewithall Amadis saluting Mabila said vnto her My good Cosin this is not the first day that you haue knowne how much I am yours I beleeue you well sir but my Lady would haue you wholly to her selfe Alas said she haue I not reason seeing that I alone was likely by my fault to haue beene the causer of his losse Beleeue me deere friend the griefe which you felt and the teeres that you haue shed by the fault that I committed shall be now both acknowledged and thorowly recompenced Madam said Amadis you haue neuer been at any time but the procurer of all my happinesse and fauor and if I haue felt any tribulation I and not you haue been the causer thereof therefore haue I iustly sustained whatsoeuer sorrow I haue suffered Alas sweete loue answered Oriana when I thinke vpon the estate wherein Corisanda and the Damosell of Denmarke did finde you and the abundance of teares and lamentations that continually distilled from your eyes as they haue told me I assure you that yet my mind is troubled therwith Madam said hee the teares wherof you speake were no teares for long before the comming of Corisanda to the poore Rock the spring whereof was dried vp but it was an humor proceeding from my heart the which did so continually burne in your loue that being constrained by the force of the flame it did draw vp to the eyes that moysture which nature had placed about the heart to preserue it and to giue it life and I beeleue that if the Damosell of Denmarke had stayed from bringing me that reliefe which I receiued of her in steede of teares which distilled from mine eyes the soule it selfe had departed Sweete loue said the Princesse I know well that I committed a great errour in writing that letter which Durin did bring to you but you should then haue remembred how that all women are weake and very light of beleefe especially in things wherein they are affectioned and wherein by too extreame loue they are often times carried away made suspitious euen as I haue beene against you wherefore the greater that mine offence is the greater praise shall you win in pardoning me the which I beseech you to do being ready to receiue such punishment therefore as it shall please you to giue vnto me and to satisfie you at your owne discretion Alas Madam said Amadis it is I that should demand pardon of you for if I should die for your loue most pleasant would that death be vnto me But this much I assure you that I had neuer beene able to haue resisted this great sorrow that I haue suffered had it not beene that my martiredome was eased knowing the pleasure which you would receiue in the same that it tooke such force vnto it as death was not of sufficient power in any sort to bring it to an end Let vs leaue off this talke for this time said Mabila you haue both suffered wrong determine therefore henceforth how it may be recompensed and now to eschue the vapours of the night which may be vnto you somewhat hurtfull let vs retire vnto some couert I like your counsell well answered Oriana Therewithall Amadis was brought into her chamber and presently Mabila and the Damosel of Denmarke knowing that they should do them a pleasure to leaue them alone went forth faining to goe about some other affaires Then the princesse requested Amadis to sit downe in a chayre couered with veluet which stood in a corner of the chamber and she stood leaning vpon him that shee might at more ease kisse him and hang about his necke whereupon he being ouercome with an extream amorous passion left off his wonted modesty thrusting one of his hands into Oriana her prettie breasts and the other towards the place by him most affected where-with Oriana halfe ashamed in stretching her selfe along because she would not looke in his face saide vnto him My deere loue I beleeue that the hermit of the poore Rock taught you not this lesson Madame answered hee I beseech you to pardon my rashnesse takeing pitty of me and seeing that both time and place is so fauourable vnto vs be not you more contrary vnto me then they but suffer mee to continue that fauour wherof by your good grace I haue taken possession when I deliuered you from the handes of Arcalaus My ioy answered Oriana you know that I am so wholly yours that you cannot dispose of your selfe more then of me neuerthelesse how may I possibly at this time satisfie your desire seeing that your Cosin and the Damosel of Denmarke are so neere vnto vs Alas said he they haue hitherto been the cause of my life and now since they haue farther assisted me do you thinke that they will desire my death Assure you Madam that they are already so well acquainted with our affections especially the Damosell of Denmarke that although they haue not seen them effected yet it mny be they haue presumed as much and more therfore I beseech you in acquiting you of your promise to succour me Which said hee gaue such large scope vnto his passions that notwithstanding all the faint resistance that Oriana could make against him hee had that of her which he most desired tasting together of the sweete fruit which
the Faire Forlorne seeing that his blow had so well profited as that therewithall hee had slaine such a Gyant and deliuered the King in like sort hee began to cry aloud Gaule Gaule here is Amadis who is yet aliue So saying hee entred amongst the thickest of his enemies who had in a manner lost their hearts by seeing two of the principallest of their army in that sort to be slaine especially knowing that Amadis whom they long before thought to bee dead was present to their confusion And had not Gandaturiell one of the strongest Gyants in their troupe encouraged them againe they had then surely turned their backs but hee valiantly made head against his enemies which being perceiued by Amadis who was desirous to reuenge his brother Galaor whom hee imagined to bee dead he thrust himselfe amongst his enemies and entred into the thickest of the presse so farre that there he had remained without the ayd which King Lisuart brought vnto him who had recouered his horse and there were in his companie Bruneo Florestan Guillan Laâ—asin Galuanes Olinas and Don Grumedan who carryed his standard which was cut asunder betweene his armes All those seeing Amadis in so great danger although the most part of them were very sorely wounded had such exceeding ioy when they knewe that it was hee that they bestirred them in such sort as notwithstanding all the resistance that these Irishmen could make they gaue ayde vnto Amadis and passing on further they found Agraies Palomir Branfil and Dragonis manfully fighting on foote against those that had throwne them downe Yet they were so neerely driuen that they could not any longer withstand the force of their enemies although they had already slaine more then sixe as well Gyants as Irishmen which would haue ouer-runne them and without doubt they had beene so handled had not these succours come vnto them So that they which would haue forced them had enough to doe to defend themselues because that Amadis in spight of them made them to recoyle backe and that in such sort as with the ayde of his troupe hee was the meane that his Cosen Agraies and his fellowes did remount their horses Then the forces of King Lisuart encreased and the Irish troupes decreased who dispairing of all helpe had recourse vnto their vessels which were afloate hard by the shoare to saue their booty if Fortune had not contradicted them but Amadis pursuing the victory chased them with such fury that the most part of the vanquished desired rather to be buried amidst the waues of the Sea then on the shoare which was so died and watered with their blood The which Gandaturiell perceiuing being esteemed amongst all the Gyants one of the stoutest without any feare at all of his death which hee saw ready prepared for him desiring before the end of his dayes to bee reuenged bearing his head somewhat lowe and holding his sharp sword in his hand he would haue stroken at king Lisuart but Florestan stepped before him who hit him so sound a knock with his sword vpon the Helmet that hee made it flie from his head and the King who was hard at hand seeing him bare diuided his pate into two parts Then was there a great slaughter of the Irishmen for they were all now ouerthrowne by Amadis Florestan and Agraies who persued them euen into the Sea where they were swallowed vp with waues wherewith king Lisuart and his people retyred And because that Amadis had marked the place where hee had seene Galaor stroken downe hee prayed his Cosen Agraies others that they would helpe him to finde him amongst the dead Neuerthelesse they had not found him without the helpe of Florestan who knew him by a greene sleeue which hee did weare wrought full of white flowers but hee was so couered with blood dust that they could scant knowe him And I doe not knowe so hard a heart which had then seene the mone that Amadis did make for him that would not haue burst forth into teares for he beholding him in this estate fell down all along vpon him Whereby his wounds did open against which the congealed blood was already setled and I thinke that Amadis had died vpon him if twelue Damosels had not by chaunce come thither suddenly who were very richly attyred and had caused a rich bed to bee brought by their Esquires these finding Amadis so desperate sayde vnto him My Lord wee are come hither to seeke your brother Galaor and if you will euer see him aliue suffer vs to carry him presently away otherwise there is no Chyrurgion in all Great Brittaine that is able to heale him Herewithall Amadis was greatly ashamed because the Damosels had found him in that order and although that hee knew them not yet hearing them speak of his brothers health hee determined seeing the extreame perill wherein he was not to refuse their request though it was to his extreame griefe And therefore he answered them my faire gentlewomen may in please you to tell vs whither you will carry him Not now said they but if you will desire to haue him liue giue him vnto vs without any longer delay otherwise wee will be gone Alas answered he I pray let mee followe you You may not and yet for your sake wee are coÌ„tent that Ardan the Dwarffe and his Esquire shall accompanie him Then they layd him vpon the bed all armed as hee was they caused him forthwith to be carried into the ship from whence they were come which was yet close to the shoare Afterwards they returned againe vnto king Lisuart to entreate him that hee would giue them king Cildadan who lay among the dead and to induce him thereunto they shewed vnto him that although Fortune had fauoured him in this exployt yet hee should not exteÌ„d his cruelty vpon his enemy The which the King considering permitted them to carry him away dead or aliue wherefore the Damosels took him vp and carried him away with Galaor and so soone as they came into the ship they set sayle hauing the winde so faire that suddenly they were out of all mens sight Thus king Lisuart remayned coÌ„querour ouer his enemies going quite through the field to find out as well such of his owne people as those of his enemies that were not yet thoroughly dead to cause them carefully to bee looked vnto by skilfull Surgeons And as hee went from one place to another hee met with Amadis whose face was all to be blubbered with tears vnto whom he had not as yet spoken since his returne and seeing him so heauy after he had knowne the cause of his mone hee shewed an euident signe of the sorrow that he sustayned for Galaors sake whoÌ„ hee loued as dearely as himselfe not without cause for from the first day that hee receiued him for one of his knights he alwaies serued him faithfully neuer forsaking him for any warre or debate that happened betweene his maiesty Amadis as hereafter
greatly satisfied me neuerthelesse I feare mee thou hast said this eyther in choller or to auoide the shame that otherwise thou mightst incur before so many valiant men and therefore it may please the king to assure me that if thou flie before the fight hee will not ayde thee at any time against the kindred of Famangomad Damosel answered the king I promise you I will not Now let vs goe to dinner said Amadis for considering the iourney which you haue made you must needes haue a good appetite to your meate Truely answered she I will go more contented then I hoped for and seeing it hath pleased the king to grant mee that which I requested I assure you that without faile Madasima and her Gentlewomen with the knights shall yeelde themselues prisoners vnto his Maiesty and the Queene so that also hee will bee pleased to warrant Ardan from all the rest of his Court except Amadis from whom I hope he shall carry away the head When Don Brunco heard this hee answered the Damosell I haue many times seene one make account of another mans head when hee hath lost his owne and the like may happen vnto Ardan whom you so much exalt Gentle friend said Amadis I pray you let this Gentle-woman speake at her pleasure for one like vnto her selfe for she and such as resemble her haue liberty to say what they list and often-times more then they know What are you sir answered the Gentle-woman vnto Bruneo that so well can pleade for Amadis I am said he a knight that would willingly beare a part in this enterprise if Ardan Canila had a companion with him By my faith answered she I beleeue that if you did think to bee receiued you would not speake so proudly but you haue already heard that Ardan and Amadis must bee alone without any more which maketh you to speak so haughtily neuerthelesse if you be such a one as you say I am assured that the combat of them two shall be no sooner ended but that I will bring before you a brother of mine that shall teach you to hold your peace and I assure you that hee is as great an enemy vnto Amadis as you professe to bee his friend He shall be very welcome and better entertained said he and tell him hardly that he forget none of his Armour behinde him at his lodging for be he neuer so valiant le will be all little enough for him Herewithall hee threw downe his gloue See here said he my gage take it vp for your brother if hee will alow you to do it and will accept the combat that you haue vndertaken for him The Damosell tooke vp the gloue and afterward vntying from about her head a carquenet of Gold she said vnto the king If it like your Maiesty I accept the combat for my brother against this knight in his absence in witnesse whereof your grace may keepe if it please you these two pledges the which shee gaue vnto him and the king receiued them although hee would willingly haue remitted this quarrell for hee already doubted the other for that he had heard of the valiant deedes of Ardan Canila who neuer did meete as it was saide with any knight in foure yeeres before that durst combat him When the Damosell perceiued that she had executed her commission according vnto her desire she tooke leaue of the Court and went with Amadis who brought her vnto his lodging but it had been better for him that he had beene at that time a sleepe for the courtesie which hee did shew vnto her turned him to so great displeasure that shortly after he was in great danger to haue lost his life Because that he would the more honour this Damosel he brought her into that Chamber wherein Gandalin did bestow his Armour But shee had no sooner set her foote in the same but shee cast her eyes vpon Amadis his good Sword which shee thought was of so strange a fashion that from that time forth she determined to steale it if shee might finde the meanes and to doe the same more cleanly she walked so long about the chamber that as Amadis and his people had their backs towards her she slily drew the sword forth of the scabbard and held it vp close vnder her cloake Afterwards shee presently went forth of the chamber and taking aside one of the Esquires in whom shee most trusted she gaue it vnto him saying doest thou know what thou shalt do run quickly into my ship and hide me this Sword vnder the ballast in such sort that none doe see it vpon thy life The Esquire was diligent and departed Then Amadis entred into talke with the Damosell demanding of her at what houre Madasima would arriue in the Court I beleeue answered she that you may see her and speake with her before the king haue dined but what moues you faire sit to enquire so much after her Because said Amadis I would go meete her vpon the way to doe her honour and seruice to the end that if shee haue receiued any displeasure by mee I may make her such mends as she shall demand of me I know answered she that if thou run not away Ardan Canila shall be he that shall make thee answere the wrong that thou hast done vnto her with the losse of thy head the which hee shall present vnto her for other satisfaction she desireth not to accept I will keepe them both fasting without that if God please said Amadis neuerthelesse if shee will haue any other thing of mee I sweare vnto thee by my faith Damsel that she shall haue it as shee whose good will and fauour I doe most desire Then were the Tables couered dinner was brought in wherefore Amadis causing her to sit downe desirous to leaue her alone said vnto her that the king had sent for him and that shee in the meane time should make good cheere for hee would returne presently againe The Damosell shewed by her countenance that this departure of his did not a little please her and fearing least her theft should be perceiued she made as short a dinner as she could Which ended she rose from the Table and said vnto those that serued her you may tell Amadis that I giue him no thankes at al for the entertainement that he hath shewed me thinking thereby to do me honor and assure him that I am shee that wil purchase as long as the breath remaineth in my Body his death and vtter destruction So God me helpe answered Enil I beleeue it well and according to that which you haue already manifested in my opinion you are the most iniurious woman that I haue seene in all my life Whatsoeuer I am said she I care not for thee and lesse for him and if thou thinkest mee iniurious yet is it not so much as I would be both towards him and thee and for the paines that thou hast taken in seruing mee this day at dinner I would
in recompence thereof that I had seene you both twaine hanged Saying so she departed and got into her ship very ioyful of the Sword which she had â—…e which so soone as shee was returned back vnto Ardan shee presented vnto him letting him know and Mâ—… also 〈◊〉 Amadis had consented vnto the combat which she had demanded of him Is it true answered Ardan let me neuer bee accounted a knight of any worth if I doe not then bring back againe my Lady to her honour and reputation deliuering henceforth her countrey from the attempts of king Lisuart and if I take not the head of Amadii from off his shoulders in lesse time then the best footeman in the world may haue run halfe a league I am content said he vnto Madasima not to deserue your loue so long as I liue But shee hearing him speake so rashly held her peace and although she greately desired to be reuenged of him for the death of her Father and brother whom Amadis had slaine yet did she so extreamely abhorre Ardan that shee a great deale rather wished his death then his life because hee pretended to marry her For she was exceeding faire and be a deformed villaine and voide of all humanity and this combat was not practised by her meanes but by the perswasion of her Mother who had sent for him for the defence of her Countrie vpon this condition that if he reuenged the death of her husband and sonne she would giue it vnto him and her daughter Madasima in marriage for hee was so feared and had in such reputation that shee thought she could not bestow her daughter better And to let you know his manners and perfections hee was descended from the race of giants borne in a Prouince called Canila the which was in a manner wholly inhabited by such kinde of people notwithstanding hee was somewhat lesse of body then they but not in strength his shoulders were narrow his necke and brest vnreasonable thicke his hands and thighes large his legs long and crooked his eyes holow flat nosed like an Ape his nostrels wide and lothsome his lips great his haire red and thicke bristelled in that sort as very hardly might it be cuâ—led To conclude he was so beset with freckles and blacke spots that his face seemed as though it had been of sundry sorts of flesh hee was of the age of thirty yeeres or thereabout bold and expert in armes furious spitefull and as vncourteous as might bee And yet since hee was twenty and fiue yeeres of age he neuer fought with any Giant or other knight eyther a foote a horseback or at wrestling that was able to resist him whom he did easily not ouercom such was the beauty fashion and gentle behauiour of Ardan Canila When the iniurious Damosell heard Ardan make such large promises vnto Madasima perceiued that shee made no account thereof she tooke vpon her to speake in her behalfe me thinks my Lord that you should thinke the victory very sure on your side seeing that Fortune is so fauourable vnto you and so contrary vnto your enemy as you may well perceiue in that shee hath caused him to lose the best part of his armes And this shee said in respect of the sword which she had stolne By my Gods said Ardan I am more glad of his displeasure for the want thereof then for any good that I hope to receiue thereby for although Amadis had the force of three such as hee is yet were hee not able to withstand the strength of my arme accustomed to tame his betters The next morning very early hee departed accompanied with Madasima and and the rest which should be deliuered vp as hostages according to the promise that the Damosell had made vnto king Lisuart before the Combat was agreed vpon and Canila did assuredly hope that he should easily obtaine the victory By meanes whereof hee departed with great ioy saying vnto those that were with him Amadis is famoused for one of the best knights in the world neuerthelesse I will haue his head if he dare enter into the lists against me and by that meanes my glory shal be the more increased in the ouercomming of him my Lady shall rest well reuenged and I remaine her husband and louer And because he would know before hee entred into the court whether Amadis had repented him or not hee sent the iniurious Damosell before to aduertise the King of their comming and in the meane season hee caused his tents to be set vp somewhat neere the Cittie where King Lisuart did remaine But you must know that incontinently after the Damosell was departed from Amadis his lodging Enil told him thereof therefore because he would prouide all things necessary for his enterprise hee withdrew him vnto his chamber accompanied with some of his most priuat friends and in like sort there came at that instant vnto him Florestan Agraies Galuanes without land and Guillan the pensiue who were altogether ignorant of the enterprise of this new combate But when they were aduertised thereof thinking that it should haue beene performed with a greater number of knights ther was not any of theÌ„ who were not displeased with Amadis in that he had not choseÌ„ theÌ„ to assist him therein especially Guillan who greatly desired to proue his man-hood against ArdaÌ„ Canila for he had heard that he was esteemed for one of the strongest Knights in all the West And as he was about to reprou Amadis in forgetting him FlorestaÌ„ preueÌ„ted him saying vnto his brother So God helpe me my Lord I now doe very wel perceiue the little loue and the small account that you doe make of me in that you would not send for me to be with you in this combate In faith answered Agraies if hee had thought mee any thing worth he would not haue left mee behinde and what of me said Galuanes My Lords answered Amadis I beseech you all to holde mee excused and not to bee displeased with mee assuring you that if it had beene in my choyse to haue elected a companion â—â—ssist mee in this encounter seeing the great prowesse wherewith you are all endued I could not tell which of you to chuse But Ardan desired to fight with mee alone for the hate hee beareth vnto mee and the loue he hath to Madasima and seeing that hee hath so required it I neither could nor ought to refuse it without shewing my selfe to be a recreant and a coward nor I could not make any other answere then that which was agreeable to his demand And when he should haue comprised any more Knights with him where doe you thinke I would haue sought for aâ—d and succour but with you beeing my friends seeing you know how my strength is redoubled when we are together In this sort did Amadis excuse himselfe praying theÌ„ all to beare him company the next day â—o go meete Madasima both to receiue her shew her as much honor as they might