the relentlesse sound of angry Drummes which thunders threats from a Massaker yet could hee like an Dratour as well discourse a Louers History therefore requesting the Red-rose Knight and the other English Gentlemen to sit downe and listen to the Tale that followeth The pleasant History which Sir Lancelot du Lake told to the Red-rose Knight being a Ship-boord AT that time of the yeare when the Birds had nipt away the tawny leaues and Flora with her pleasant Flowers had enricht the earth and encloathed with Trees Hearbs and Flowers with Natures Tapistrie when the golden Sunne with his glistering Beames did glad mens hearts and euery Leafe as it were did beare the forme of Loue by Nature painted vpon it This blessed time did cause the Grecian Emperour to proclaime a solemne Turnament to bee holden in his Couet which as then was replenished with many worthy and valiant Knights but his desire chiefely was to beholde his Princely Sonne Valentine to try his Ualour in the Turnament Many were the Ladies that repayred thither to beholde the worthy Triumphes of this young Prince amongst which number came the beautifull Dulcippa a Mayden which as then wayted vpon the Empresse being Daughter to a Countrey Gentleman This Dulcippa like Apollos Flower being the fayrest Uirgin in that company had so firmely setled her loue vpon the Emperours sonne that it was impossible to expell it from her heart Likewise his affection was no lesse in feruencie then hers so that there was a iust equality in their Loues and liking though a difference in their Birthes and Callings This Princely Valentine for so was the Emperours Sonne called entred the Listes in costly Armour most richly wrought with Orient Pearles his Crest encompassed with Saphire Stones and in his hand a sturdie Launce Thus mounted vron a milke-white Stéede hee vaunted foorth himselfe to try his warlike force and in prauncing by and downe hée many times thorow his Beuer stole a view of his sayre Dulciopas face at which time there kindled in his Breast two sundry Lampes the one was to winne the honour of the day the other to obtaine the loue of his Mistresse On the other side Dulcippa did nothing but report the valiant arts of his prowesse and chiualrie in such sort that there was no other talke amongst the Ladies but of Valentines honourable attempts No sooner was the Turnaments ended and this loue begun but Dulcippa departed to her lodging where sighes did serue as bellowes to kindle Leues fire Valentine in like manner being wounded to death still rometh vp and downe to finde a salue for his stanchlesse thirst so séekes Dulcippa to restore her former liberty for she being both beloued and in loue knew not the meane to comfort her selfe Sometime she did exclaime against her wandring eyes wished they had bin blind when first they gazed vpon the beauty of Princely Valentine Some times in visious the beheld his face chéerefull smiling vpon her countenance and presently againe shée thought she saw his martiall hands bathed all in purple blood scorning her loue and former courtesies With that shee started from her dreaming passion wringing her tender hands till flouds of siluer dropping teares trickled downe her face Her golden haire that had wont to be bound vp in thréeds of gold hung dangling now about her Iuory necke the which in most outragious sort she rent and tore till that her haire which before lookt like burnisht Gold were died now in purple and Uermillion bloud In this strange passion remained this distressed Lady till the Golden Sunne had thrée times lodged him in the Westerne Seas and the siluer Moone her shining face in the Pallace of the Christall Cloudes At this time a heauy slumber possessed all her senses for she whose eyes before in three dayes and as many nights had not shut vp their Closets was now lockt vp in silent sléepe lest her heart euer burthened with griefe by some vntimely manner should destroy it selfe But now returne wee to the worthy Valentine who sought not to pine in passion but to court it with the best considering with himselfe that a faint heart neuer gain'd faire Lady therfore hée purposed boldly to discouer his loue to the faire Dulcippa building vpon a fortunate successe considering that she was but Daughter to a Gentleman and he a Prince borne so attiring himselfe in costly Silkes wearing in his Hatte an In dian Pearle cut cut of Ruby red On eyther side a golden Arrow thrust through a bleeding Heart to declare his earnest affection In this manner went he to his belooued Lady whom he found in company of other Ladies waighting upon the Empresse who taking her by the hand he led her aside into a Galery néere adioyning where he began in this manner to expresse the passion of his loue Sacred Dulcippa quoth hee in beauty brighter then glittering Cinthia when with her beames shee beautifies the vales of Heauen Thou art that Cinthia that with thy brightnesse dost sight my clowoy thoughtes which haue many dayes been ouer cast with stormy showers of Loue Shine with thy beames of mercie on my minde and let thy light conduct me from the darke and obscure Laberinthe of Loue. If feares could speake then should my tongue kéepe silence Therefore let my sighes bee messengers of true Icue And though in words I am not able to deliuer the true meaning of my desires yet let my cause beg pitty at your hands Other wise your deniall drownes my soule in a bottomlesse Sea of sorrow one of these two most beautious Lady doe I desire either to giue life with a chéerefull smile or death with a fatall frowne Valentine hauing no sooner ended his loues oration but she with a scarlet countenance returned him this ioyfull answere Most Noble Prince thy words within my heart hath knit a gordion knot which no earthly Wight may vntie for it is knitte with faithfull Loue and Teares distilling from a constant minde My heart which neuer yet was subiect to any one doe I fréely yeeld vp into thy bosome where it for cuermore shall rest till the Fatall sisters cut our liues asunder And in speaking these words they kissed each other as the first earnest of their loues With that the Empresse came thorow the Gallerie who espying their secret conference presently nursed in her secret hate which shée intended to practise against the guiltlesse Lady thinking it a scandall to her Sonnes birth to match in mariage with one of so base a parentage Therefore purposing to crosse their loues with dismall stratagems and dryerie Tragedies shee departed to her Chamber where she cloked her treacheries vp in silence pondred in her heart how she might end their loues and finish Dulcippas life In this tragicall imagination remained she all that night hammering in her head a thousand seueral practises But no sooner was the deawy earth comforted with the hote beames of Apollos fire but this thirsting Empresse arose from her carefull bed
renowned Prester Iohn sitting vpon his Princely Throne vnder propt with pillers of Iasper stone who after he had giuen them an honorable welcome he took the Red-rose Knight by the hand and led him vp into a large and sumptious Hall the richest that euer he had séene in all his life But in going vp certaine stayres hée looked in at a window and espied fayre Anglitora the Kings daughter sporting amongst other Ladyes which was the fayrest mayde that euer mortall eye behelde and I thinke that Nature her selfe could not frame her like but being entred the Hall they fouÌ„d the Tables couered with costly fare ready for supper when as the English Knights were set at the Kings Table in company of Prester Iohn and Anglitora with other Ladyes attending hauing good stomaches they fedd lustily but Anglitora which was placed right ouer against the Red-rose Knight fedde only vpon his beauty and princely behauiour not being able to withdraw her eyes from his diuine excellencie but the renowned Prester Iohn for his part spent away the supper time with many pleasant conferences touching the countrey of England and King Arthurs princely Court the report of which fame had so often sounded in his eares But amongst all other deuises he told the English Knights of a Trée of gold which now grew in his Realme and yéerely brought foorth goldeÌ„ fruit but he could not enioy the benefit thereof by reason of a cruell Dragon that continually kept it for the conquest of which golden tree hée had many times solemnly proclaimed through that part of the World that if any Knight durst attempt to conquer it and by good fortune bring the aduenture to an end he should haue in reward thereof his Daughter the faire Anglitora in marriage to which many Knights reserted as well of fortaine Countreys as his owne Nation but none proued so fortunate to accomplish the wished conquest but lost their liues in the same aduenture therefore I fully beléeue if all the Knights in the world were assembled together yet were they all vnsufficient to ouercome that terrible Dragon With that the Red-rose Knight with a bold courage stood vp and protested by the loue he bore vnto his countryes King he would performe the enterprise or lose his life in the attempt so in this resolution hée remained all supper time which being ended the English Knights were brought into diuers chambers but amongst the rest the Red-rose Knight and Sir Launcelot were lodged néere to the fayre Anglitora for there was nothing betwixt their Chambers but a little Gallery into which being come and no sooner layd in their beds but the Red-rose Knight began to conferre with Sir Launcelot in this manner What thinke you quoth he of the enterprize I haue taken in hand Is it not a deed of honour and renowne Surely replyed Sir Launcelat in my iudgement it is an enterprize of death for euery man in this countrey adiudgeeth you ouercome and destroyed if you but once approach the sight of the Dragon therefore bee aduised and goe not to this perrilous aduenture for you can obtaine nothing thereby but reproach and death and doubtlesse they are counted wise that can shun the misuentures and kéepe themselues from danger But then quoth the Red-rose Knight shall I falsifie my promise and the promise of a noble minde ought still to bée kept therefore ere I will infringe the Uow I haue made I will be deuoured by the terrible Dragon And in speaking these words they fell asleepe During which time of their conference fayre Anglitora stood at their chamber doore and heard all that had passed betwixt them and was so surprized with the loue of this gentle Red-rose Knight that by no meanes shée could restraine her affections and returning to her chamber casting her selfe vpon her Bedde thinking to haue slept but could not shée began to say secretly to her selfe this sorrowfull lamentation Alas mine Eyes what torment is this you haue put my heart vnto for I am not the woman that I was wont to be for my heart is fiered with a flame of amorous desires and is subiect to the Loue of this gallant English Knight the beautie of the world and the glory of Christendome But fond feele that I am wherefore doe I desire the thing which may not be gotten for I greatly feare that hee is already betrâ—thed to a Lady in his owne Countrey And furthermore his minde is garnished with Princely cogitations that I may not enioy his Loue and he thinketh no more of me then on her that he neuer saw But graunt that hee did set his affection vpon mée yet were it to small purpose for he is resolued to aduenture his life in the conquest of the Golden trée where hee will soone bee deuowred by the terrible Dragon Ah what a griefe sorrow will it be to my heart when I shall heare of his vntimely death for hee is the choise of all Nature the Prince of Nobilitie and the flowre of worship for I haue heard him say that hee had rather die honourably in accomplishing his Uow then to returne with reproach into England Which happy country if these eyes of mine might but once behold then were my soule possessed with terrestriall ioyes Anglitora with these words fell asléepe and so passed the night away till the day came who â—o sooner with his bright beames glistered against the Pallace walles but the Red-rose Knight arose from his bed and armed himselfe in great courage ready for the aduenture where after hée had taken leaue of the King and all the rest of his English friends hée departed foorth of the Citie towards the Golden trée which stood in a low vally some two miles from the Kings Pallace This morning was fayr and cleare and not a cloud was séene the elements and the Sun cast his respleâ—dant beames vpon the earth at which time the Ladyes and Damosels mouÌ„ted vpon the highest Towers in the Pallace and the common people came vp to the battlements and walles of Churches to behold the aduenture of this valiant Knight who as then wet most ioyfully on his iourney till he came to the vaile of the Golden trée wherein being no sooner entred but he behelde a most cruell and terrible Dragon come springing out of his hellow Caue This Dragon was farre more bigger then a horse in length full thirtie foote the which incontinently as soone as hee was out of his Caue began to raise his necke set by his eares and to stretch himselfe opened his throate and casting foorth thereat most monstrous burning flames of fire Then the Red-rose Knight drew cut his good Sword and went towards him whereat the Monster opened his terrible throat whereout sprang three tongues â—asting foorth flaming fire in such sort that it had almost burnt him The first blowe that the Knight strooke hit the Dragon betwixt the two eyes so furiously that hée staggered but being recouered and féeling himselfe most grieuously hurt
consideration I doubt not but shall bring vnto thee much pleasure and delight being for the quantitie thereof nothing inferiour to the best that hath beene written of the like Subiect I meane of Knights aduentures and Ladyes beloued I therefore dedicate this to thy reason knowing that this old Prouerbe may confirme my expectation which is That good Wine needs no Bush nor a pleasing Historie craues no shelter Farewell R. I. The second part of the famous History of Tom a Lincolne the Red-rose Knight c. CHAP. I. How Tom a Lincolne knew not his Mother till forty yeares of his age nor whose Sonne he was Of King Arthurs death and his dying speeches and of what hapned thereupon WHen Arthur that renowned King of England being one of the nine Worthies of the World had by twelue seuerall set Battailes conquered the third part of the Earth and being wearied with the exploytes of Marti all aduentures in his olde dayes betooke himselfe to a quiet course of life turning his Warlkie habiliaments to diuine Bookes of celestiall meditations that as the one had made him famous in this World so might the other make him blessed in the World to come Seauen yeares continued quiet thoughts in his breast seauen yeares neuer heard he the sound of delightfull Drums nor in seuen yeares beheld hee his thrice worthy Knights of the Round Table flourishing in his Court by which meanes his Pallace grew disfurnished of those Martiall troupes that drew commendations from all forraigne Kingdomes In this time most of those renowned Champions had yéelded their liues to the conquering Tiranny of pale Death and in the bowels of the Earth lay sléeping their eternall sléepes the royall King himselfe laden with the honour of many yeeres and hauing now according to nature the burthen of death lying heauie vpon his shoulders and the stroke lifted vp to diuide his body from his soule he called before him all the chiefen of his Court but especially his own Quéene the Red-rose Knight and his Lady Anglitora with the faire Angellica the Nunne of Lincolne whom hee had so many yéeres secretly loued and being at the poynt to bid a wafull farewell to the world with Countenance as Maiestical as King Priam of Troy he spake as followeth First to thée my loued Queene must I vtter the secrets of my very soule and what wanton escapes I haue made from any nuptiall Bedde otherwise cannot this my labouring life depart from my fading body in quiet Long haue I liued in the delightfull sinne of Adulterie and polluted our mariage Bed with that vile pleasure pardon I beseech thee and with that forgiuenesse which I hope will proceed from thy gentle heart wash away this long bred euill the Celestaill powers haue grauated me remâ—ssion Then turning to Angellica the Nunne of Lincolne hee said Oh thou my youths delight thou whose loue hath bereaued my Quéene of much mariage pleasure thou and but onely thou haue I offended withall therefore diuine Angellica forgiue me I like a rauisher spotted thy Uirginitie I â—râ—pt thy sweet budde of Chastitie I with flattery won thy heart and ledde thee from thy Fathers house that good Earle of London to feede my wanton desires by thee had I a Sonne of whom both then and I take glory of for in his worthynesse remaine the true Image of a Martialist and this renowned Knight of the Red-rose is he He liues the fruit of our wanton pleasures borne at Lincolne and there by a Shepherd brought vp few knowing till now his true Parente Maâ—â—aile not deere Sonne thinke not amisse sweete Queene for thou my louely Angellica Be not dismayde you honourable States heere attending my dying houre for as I hope presently to enter into Elizium Paradise and weare the Crowne of disertfull Glory I haue reuealed the long secrets of my heart and truely brought to light those things that the darknesse of obliuion hath couered Now the Mother knowes her Sonne the Sonne the Mother Now may this valiant Knight boast of his Pedegrée and a quiet content satisfie all your doubts Thus haue I spoke my minde thus quieted my soule bids the world farwell Adue faire Quéene adue déere son farwell louely Angellica Lords and Ladyes adue vnto you all you haue seene my life so now behold my death as Kings doe liue so Kings must die These were the last of Kings Arthurs words And being dead his death not halfe so amazed the standers by as the strange spéeches at his liues farwell The Quéene in a raging ielousie fretted at her Marriage wrongs protesting in heart to be reuenged vpon the Nunne of Lincolne The Nunne of Lincolne séeing her wantonnesse discouered tooke more griefe thereat then ioy in the finding of her long lost Son supposing now that the King being gone she should be made a scandall to the world The Red-rose Knight knowing himselfe to be begot in wantonnesse and borne a Bastard tooke small ioy in the knowledge of his Mother Anglitora Tom a Lincolnes Wife excéeded all the rest in sorrow bitterly sobbing to her selfe and in heart making great lamentation in that she had forsaken Father Mother Friends Acquaintance and Countrey all for the loue of a Bastard bred in the wombe of a shamelesse Strumpet therefore she purposed to giue him the slip and with her owne Sonne a young gallant Knight named the Blacke Knight in courage like his Father to trauaile towards the Kingdome of Prester Iohn where she first breathed life and her Father reigned In this melancholy humour spent they many dayes troubling their braines with diuers imaginations The Court which before rung with Delights and flourished in gallant sort now thundred with Complaints euery one disliking his owne estate Discontent as a proud Commaunder gouerned ouer them and their Attendants were idle Fancies and disquiet Thoughts and to speake troth such a confused Court was seldome séene in the Land for no sooner was Kings Arthurs Funerall solemnized but the whole troupes of Lords Knights and Gentlemen Ladyes and others were like to a splitted Shippe torne by the Tempest of the Sea seuered euery one departed whither his Fancie best pleased The Red-rose Knight conducted his Mother Angellica to a Cloyster in Lincolne which place she had so often polluted with her shame there to spend the remnant of her life in repentance and with her true Lamentations to wash away her blacke spottes of sinne that so grieuously stayneth her Soule and from a pure Uirgine made her selfe a desolute Strumpet Likewise King Arthurs widdowed Quéene like to irefull Hecuba or the tealous Iuno kept her Chamber for many dayes pondering in her minde what reuenge shee might take vpon Angellica her Husbands late fauorite On the other side Anglitora Lady and Wife to the Red-rose Knight with her Sonne the Blacke Knight made prouision for their departure towards the Land of Prester Iohn where shée was borne so vpon a night when neither Moone nor Star-light appeared they secretly departed the Court
thy bounds and with the spoyles of forraigne Countries made thee the onely Prince of Kingdomes yet thou repayest me with disgrace and load'st mée with more contempt then my neuer conquered Heart can inture so kissing the ground with his warme lippes that had so long fostered him and with many a bitter teare and deepe sobbe like a Pilgrime as I said before hée tooke leaue of his natiue Countrey and so went to the Sea side where hee heard of his Wife and his Sonnes departure after whom as soone as the Wind conueniently serued hée tooke shipbord Where wée will now likewise leaue him to his fortune vpon the Sea and speake of the professed malice the Quéene prosecuted against Angellica the mother of the Red-rose Knight CHAP. 3 Of the wofull death of Angellica Mother to the Red-rose Knight and of the death of the iealous Queene and others THe beautious Angellica béeing left by her Sonne the Red-rose Knight at his departure in a Monestarie at Lincolne there to bewaile her former offences and for her youths pleasure in age to taste the bitter food of sorrow the day time shée spent in grieued passion 〈…〉 night shée wasted with sâ—ghs and heart-breaking sobbes shée fed on carefull thoughts her drinke was streames of salt teares her companions thoughts of her passed wanton pleasures her bed no better then the cold earth her sléepes were few but her comforts lesse her continuall exercise was with a Néedle to worke in silke vpon the Hangings of her Chamber how shée was first woed then won to King Arthurs pleasures in what manner their meetings were their wanton daliances his imbraces her smiles his Princely gifts her courteous acceptance and lastly the birth of her thrice worthy Sonne his bringing vp his honours in the Court and his strange discouerie all which shee had wrought as an Arras worke with silke of diuers collours in a peece of the purest Holland cloath In doing this twise had the golden Sunne runne his circumference about the world twise had the pleasant Spring beautified the Earth with her changable mantles twise had nipping Winter made the Fields barren and the Woods leafelesse and twise had the yeere shewed himselfe to all mankind in which time of twise twelue moneths euery day made shée a sorrowfull complaint for the wracke of Honour and her Uirginities losse which so willingly she surrendred in this time so greatly had sorrow and griefe changed her that her eyes which had wont like twinckling Diamonds to giue light to all affections were now sunke into their Cels and séemed like a hollow Sepulcher new opened her Face wherein Beautie her selfe dwelt and her Chéekes the true die of the Lillie and the Rose intermixt now appeared old and writhen like to the countenance of Hecuba when her husband King Priamus and all her Princely Children were slaine at Troyes destruction and her tresses of Gold-like Hayre which like to Indian Wyers hung ouer her shoulders were now growne more white then Thistle downe the Isickles of frozen Ice or the white mountaine Snow all these griefes of Nature had not age changed but the inward griefe of her carefull heart But now marke the wofull chance that hapned euen vpon the day which by computation she had in former times yéelded vp her Maydens pride and lost that Iewell that Kingdomes cannot recouer vpon that haplesse day came there a Messenger from the Quéene to bid her make preparation for death for â—â— that day should bee her liues end and her fortunes period which she most willingly accepted of and tooke more ioy thereat then to be inuited to a Princely Banquet Be not dismayde said the Messenger for you shall haue as honourable a death as euer had Lady seauen seuerall Instruments of death shall be presented to you for a choyse and your owne tongue shall giue sentence which of them you will die by whereupon this Messenger set this sorrowsull Lady at a round Table directly in the middle of a very large roome whereinto he had led her hung all about with blacke where being placed as to a Banquet or some solemne Dinner of State there entred seauen Seruitours in disguised shapes like vnto Murtherers with seauen seuerall deadly seruices in Dishes of siluer Plate The first brought in Fire burning in a Dish if shée would to consume her body to ashes The second brought in a Dish a twisted Ceard to strangle her to death The third a Dish full of deadly Poyson to burst her body withall The fourth a sharpe edgd Rayzor or Knife to cut her throat The fifth an Iron wracke to teare her body into small péeces The sixth a Dish full of liue Snakes to sting her to death And the seuenth an impoysoned Garment being worne that will consume both flesh and blood These seauen deathfull Seruitours hauing set downe their Dishes the least whereof brings present death shée was commanded by the Messenger which of them she should choose to die withall and to make spéedy choyce for he was sworne to the Quéene on whom he attended to sée it that day accomplished At these his words shée fell presently vpon her knées and with a courage readier to yéeld to deaths furie then to the mercie of the liuing Quéene said as follloweth Oh thou guider of this earthly Globe thou that gauest my weake nature ouer to a wanton life and from a Uirgin chast hast made me an infamous Strumpet thou that sufferedst only a King in Maiestie to preuaile against mée and with the power of greatnesse worme mée to lewdnesse for which I am now doomed to a present death and forced by violence to bidde this tempted world aâ—ue Inspire mee with that happy choyce of death as my Soule may haue an easie passage from my body First to dye by Fire to an earthly imagination séemes terrible and farre different from nature secondly to die with strangling cord were base and more sitting for robbers théeues and malefactors thirdly to die by deadly poyson were a death for Beasts and wormes that féeds vpon the bosome of the Earth fourthly to die by cutting kniues and slicing razors were a death for cattle fowles and fishes that dies for the vse of man fitly by an iron wracke to end my life were a barbarous death and against mans nature but seuenthly to die a lingring death which is a life consuming by wearing of impoysoned garments where repentance may still bée in company will I choose therefore swéet Messenger of my death doe thy office attyre me in these robes and the manner of my death I beséech thée make knowne vnto the Quéene tell her I pray thée I forgiue her and may my death bée a quiet vnto her soule for my life is to her eares as the fatall sound of night Rauens or the Mermaides tunes Uaine world now must I leaue thy flattering intisements and in stead of thy pompe and glory must shortly treade the dolefull march of pale death and this body that hath béene so pleasing
conducted by what chaunce the Heauens has allotted him not one steppe hée knew aright nor what course to take to finde the direct way but it hapned that aâ—igniâ— fatuus as hee thought or a goeing Fire led him the right way out of the Forrest directly to the Castle where his dishonest Mother made her abode But comming néere vnto the Gates hée found all close and neere vnto the Castle the Black-moore set halfe way quicke into the earth hauing for want of foode eaten most part of the flesh from his armes whom the Blacke Knight soone digged vp and kept aliue to be a furtherance to his intended reuenge The poore Indian being thus happily preserued from dâ—ath reuealed all that had happned in the said Castle how his Mother liued in adultery how his Father was murthered why himselfe was set quicke in the earth and lastly for the loue of his dead Master hée protested to conduct him through a secret Uault into the Castle that in the dead of the night they might the easier accomplish their desired reuenge Thus lingring secretly about the Castle till the middle of night a time as they imagined to bée the fittest for thée tragicall businesse at last the midnight houre came and through a secret Cell they entred vnder the Castle into the Lodging where his Father was murthred This is the place quoth the Negar where my sad eyes beheld thy Father both aliue and dead so goeing from thence into the Chamber which by chaunce and as ill lucke had appointed was through negligence left open hée shewed him the Bedde where these Adulterers lay secretly sléeping in each others Armes Oh dolefull sight This lust hath made mée fatherlesse and ere long this Weapon shall make me motherlesse â—o kneeling downe vpon his knées in a whispering manner hee said vnto himselfe Yée lowring Destinies now weaue vp the Webbe of their two liues that haue liued too long You infernall Furies draw néere Assist me thou reuengefull God Nemesis for on this Sword sits now such a glorious Reuenge as being taken the world will applande mee for a louing Sonne Hauing spoken these words hee sheathed his Sword vp to the hiltes in the boosome of the Knight of the Castle who lying in the armes of Anglitora gaue so deadly a groane that shée immediatly awaked first looking to the Knight that was slaine in her Armes thou percciuing her Sonne standing with his weapon drawne yet wreaking in the blood of the dead Knight meanacing likewise her death with â— wofull shrike she breathed out these words Oh what hast thou done my cruell Sonne Thou hast â—laine the miracle of humanitie and one whom I haue chosen â—o be my hearts Parramour and thy second Father Oh Lady quoth the Blacke Knight for Mother is too proud a title for thée what Furie driueth thee to lament â—he deserued death of that lewde blood shedder and not rather choose with heart-renting sighes to bewaile the death of my Father thy renowned Husband whose guiltlesse body euen dead thou didst dispise by buring him whâ—â—anly vpon a â—ounghill but Heauen hath graunted and Earth hath agréed â—etesting both thy misdéedes and hath sent mée to sacrifice thy blood vnto the Soule of my murthered Father Whilst hée was speaking these words Anglitora arose from her bed and in her smocke which was of pure Cambrâ—â—ke shée knéeled to her sonne vpon her bare knées saying Oh thou my deare Sonne whom once I nourisht in my painefull wombe and fedde thée with mine owne blood whom oft I choycely dandled in my armes when with lullababyes and swéet kisses I rocked asléepe Oh fatre bée it from thée my louing Sonne to harme that breast from whom thou first receiuest life Of thée my Sonne thy Mother begging life Oh spare the life that once gaue thée life with bléeding teares I doe confesse my wanton offences I doe confesse through mee thy Father dyed Then if confession of faults may merit mercie pardon my life Obscure not thy renowne with cruelty making thy selfe unkind and monstrous in murthering of thy Mother I charge thée by thy dutie that thou owest mee by all the bondes of loue betwixt a Mother and a Sonne by all the kindnesse shewed to thée in thy infancy let thy mother liue that begs life vpon her bare knées Doe not thou glory in my miseries let not my teares whet on thy cruellnesse let not thy minde bée bent to death and murther bee no â—â—â—age Monster bee not vnnaturall rude and brutish let my intreates preuaile to saue my life wound not the wombe that fostred thée which now I tearmed wicked by onely fostring thee what childe can glut his eyes with gazing on his Parents wounds and will not faint in beholding them Hereupon the Blacke Knight not able to indure to suffer his Mothers further intreaties least pittie and remorse might mollifie his heart and so graunt her life which to Heauen to take away hée had déepely sworne hée cut her off with these deadly words Lady I am not made of Flint nor Adamant in kinde regard of calamitie I am almost strucke with remorce but dutie must quite vndoe all dutie Kinde must worke against kinde all the powers of my body bée at mortall strife and séeke to confound each other Loue turnes to Hatred Nature turnes to wrath and Dutie to Reuenge for mée thinkes my Fathers Blood with agroning voice cryes to Heauen for Reuenge therefore to appease my Fathers angry spirit here shalt thou yéeld vp thy déerest blood Here was hee ready to strike and with his sword to finish vp the tragedie but that his grieued soule in kinde nature plucked backe his hand whereupon with a great sigh he sayd Oh Heauens how am I grieued in minde Father forgiue mee I cannot kill my Mother And now againe mée thinks I sée the pale shaddow of my fathers Ghost glyding before mine eyes mée thinkes hée shewes me the manner of his murther mée thinkes his angry lookes threatens mée and tels how that my heart is possest with cowardice childish feare Thou doest preuaile O Father euen now receiue this sacrifice of blood and death this pleasing sacrifice which to appease thy troubled soule I heare doe offer And thus in speaking these words with his Sword hée split the deare heart of his mother from whence the blood as from a gushing Spring issued Which when hee beheld such a sodaine conceit of griefe entred his minde considering that hée had slaine his owne Mother whom in duty hee ought to honour aboue all liuing women that hee rather fell into a frenzie theÌ„ a melancholy and so with a pale countenance and gastly lookes with spartling like to a burning Furnace began to talke idlely What haue I done Whome hath my bloody hand murthered Now woe vnto my soule for I am worse then the Uiperous brood that eates out their Dammes wombe to get life vnto themselues they doe but according to nature I against all Nature for I haue digged vp the boosome that
their Loues practises Thus liued the most fayre Angelica many dayes in great griefe wishing his returne and desiring Heauen that the Destinies might be so fauourable that once againe before the fatall Sisters had finished her life she might behold her Infants face for whose presence her very soule thirsted for Here will we leaue the solitary Lady comfortlesse and without company except it were the King that sometimes visited herby stealth and report what happened to Tom a Lincolne in the Shepheards house CHAP. II. Of the manner of Tom a Lincolnes bringing vp and how he first came to be called the Red-rose Knight with other things that hapned to him GReat was the wealth that old Antonio gathered together by meanes of the Treasure hee found about the Infants attire whereby hee became the richest in all that Country and purchast such Lands and Liuings that his supposed Sonne for wealth was déemed a fit match for a Knights Daughter Yet for all this his bringing vp was but meane and in a homely sort for after he had passed ten yeares of his age hee was set to kéepe Antonioes Shéepe and to follow Husbandry whereby he grew strong and hardy and continually gaue himselfe to painefull endeauours imagining and deuising haughty and great enterprises yet notwithstanding was of honest and vertueus conditions well featured valiant actiue quick and nimble sharpe witted and of a ripe iudgement hée was of a valiant and inuincible courage so that from his Cradle and infancie it séemed he was vowed to Mars and martiall exploits And in his life and manners is decâ—phered the Image of true Nobilitie for though hee obâ—curely liued in a Countrey Cottage yet had he a superious mind aiming at state and maiestie bearing in his breast the princely thoughts of his Father For on a time keeping Cattell in the Field amongst other yong men of his age and condition he was chosen in sport by them for their Lord or Knight and they to attend on him like dutifull Seruants and although this their election was but in play yet he whose spirits were rauished with great and high matters first procuted them to sweare to him loyalty in all things and to obey him as a King where or when it should please him in any matter to command them to which they all most willingly condescended Thus after they had solemnly taken their oathes he perswaded them to leaue that base and seruile kinde of life séeking to serue in Warre and to follow him being the Generall the which through perswasion they did and so leauing their Cattell to their Fathers and Masters they assembled all together to the full number of a hundred at the least vnto whom he seuerally gaue certaine Red Roses to be worne for colours in their Hattes and commanded them that euer after hee should be called the Red-rose Knight So in this manner departed he with his followers vnto Barnsedale Heath where they pitched vp Tents and liued long time vpon the robberies and spoyles of passengers in so much that the whole Country were greatly molested by them This disordered life so highly displeased the Parents of these vnruly Outlawes that many of them died with griefe but especially of all other old Antonio tooke it in ill part considering how dearely hee louâ—d him and how tenderly hee had brought him vp from his infancy therefore he purposed to practise a meane to call him from that vnciuill kinde of life if it might possible be brought to passe so in his old dayes vndertaking this tasking hee trauelled towards Barnsedale Heath into which being no sooner entred but some of the ruder sort of these Outlawes ceased vpon the old man and without any further violence brought him before their Lord and Captain who at the first sight knew him to be his Father as he thought and therefore vsed him most kindly giuing him the best entertainement that hee could deuise where after they had some small time conferred together the good old man brake out into these spéeches Oh thou degenerate quoth he from natures kind Is this thy duty to thy fathers age thus disobediently to liue â—â—cunding thy naturall Countrey with vnlawfull spoyles Is this the comfort of mine age is this thy loue vnto thy Parents whoâ—e tender care hath béen euer to aduance thy estate Canst thou behold these milke-white Hayres of mine all to rent and torne which I haue violently martyred in thy absence Canst thou indure to see my dim Eyes almost sightlesse through age to droy downe Teares at thy disobedient féete Oh wherefore hast thou infringed the Lawes of Nature thus cruelly to kill thy fathers heart with griefe and to end his dayes by thy vitiâ—uâ— life Returne returne deare Child banish from thy breast these base actions that I may lay I haue a vertuous Sonne and be not like the viperous brood that workes the vntimely death of their Parents And speaking these words griefe so excéeded the bounds of Reason that hee stood silent and beginning againe to speake teares trickled from his eyes in such abundance that they stayed the passage of his spéech the which being perceiued by the Red-rose Knight he humbly sell vpon his knées and in this sort spake vnto good Antonio Most deare and reuerent Lather if my offence doe séeme odious in your eyes that I deserue no forgiuenesse then here behold now your poore inglorious Sonne laying his breast open ready prepared to receiue Deaths remorselesse stroke from your aged hands as a due punishment for this my disobedient crime but to be reclaimed from this honorable kind of life I count it honourable because it taketh of manhood first shall the Sun bring day from out the Westerne Heauens the siluer Moone lodge her brightnesse in the Easterne waues and all things else against both kind and nature turne their wonted â—â—urse Well then quoth Antonio if thy resolution bee such that neither my bitter teares nor my faire intâ—â—aties may preuaile to withdraw thy vaine folly then know then most vngratious impe that thou art no Sonne of mine but sprung from the bowels of some vntanted Tyger or wild Liâ—nesse elâ—e wouldst thou humbly submit thy selfe to my reuerent perswasions from whence thou camest I know not but sure thy breast harbours the tyranny of some monstrous Tyrant from whose â—oynes thou art naturally descended Thou art no fruite of my body for I found thee in thy infancy lying in the Fields cast out as a prey for rauening Fowles ready to bee deuowred by hunger-starued Dogges but such was my pitty towards thée that I tooke thee vp and euer since haue fostered thee as mine owne Child but now such is thy vnbridled folly that my kind curtesie is requited with extreame ingratitude which sinne aboue all others the immortall powers of Heauen doe condemne and the very Diuels themselues doe hate therefore like a Serpent henceforth will I spit at thee and neuer cease to make incessant prayers to the iustfull Heauens to reuenge
returned from the Warre that they should the first night of their comming bee slaine sléeping in their Beds and that neuer after they should suffer man to enter into their Countrey After this conclusion they crowned Caelia the Kings Daughter for their Quéene And so afterward when the King and his Armie returned from his Warres this bloudy murther was practised and not a man left aliue but onely the King reserued whom Caelia would in no wise against nature murther but yet notwithstanding shee deliuered him into the hands of her chiefest Ladies which put him into a Boat alone and so sent him to the Sea to seeke his fortune Therefore most noble Knights this is the cause why you may not enter into our Countrey which if you doe and not presently withdraw your selues vnto the Sea the Ladies will suddenly giue you a meruailous Battell Now by the Euer-liuing 〈…〉 which English-men adore said the Noble Red-rose Knight such extremitie haue wee suffered at Sea that wée are like to perish and dye with hunger vnlesse wée finde some succeur at your hands and before we will end our liues with famine we will enter Battell with those Ladies and so dye with Honour in the Field yet this kindnesse doe we humbly desire at your hands to returne vnto your Quéene and certifie her of our poore estate and necessity and that we altogether instantly desire her that if there be any sparke of Uertue or Nobility harboured in her breast that shée will haue pitie vpon vs and suffer vs not to end our liues by such an unhappy kind of death With this request the two Damsels returned to the Quéen and recounted from word to word the humble suit of the Red-rose Knight and what extremitie they were in Which when the Quéene vnderstood and that they were Knights of England the fame of which countrey shée had so often heard reportes shée demaunded what manner of people they were and of what condition Surely Madam answered one of the two Damsels I neuer in all my life saw more goodly men nor better spoâ—en and it is to bée supposed they bée the choyce of all humane people and with their courteous demeanors are able to draive the mercilesse and sauage Nation to affect them The Quéene hearing the Damsels so highly to commend the English Knights thinking also vpon their request began in minde to haue pitie of their misaduentures and so instantly sent for them and gaue them frée libertie to make their abode in her Countrey which incontinently when the English Knights heard how they should receiue a kinde welcome and a friendly entertainement grew so exceeding ioyfull as though Heauen had sent them present comfort so comming before the Quéene and her Ladyes they saluted each other most courteously and with great reuerence But when the vertuous Quéene behelde this noble company before her in all humilitie shée deliuered to a hundred of her Ladies the hundred English Knights and reserued the Princely Red-rose Knight vnto her selfe and so were they brought to the Quéenes Pallace where euery Lady feasted her Knight in most gallant sort and to their hearts content But now when the Quéene had the Red-rose Knight in her Chamber and had beheld the exceeding beautie of the noble Prince shée tooke him by the hand and led him into one of her Chambers where the shewed him her Riches and Treasure and after sayd vnto him in this manner Most noble and valiant Englishman these Riches bée all onely at thy Commandement and also my body which here I offer vp as a gift and Present to thy diuine excellencie and furthermore there is nothing of value which I am Mistris of but shall be at thy disposing to the intent that my loue may be acceptable to thy gracious eyes But when the Red-rose Knight perceiued to what intent she spake these words in this manner answered her saying Most deare Princesse and faire Quéene of this Maiden countrey I giue you right humble thankes for these your courtesies and by no meanes possible may I deserue this high honour you haue grac'd me with Oh great Knight replyed then the Quéene the smallest thought of your honourable minde is sufficienâ—â—o recompence the vttermost of my deserts yet let me request this one thing at your noble hands that neuer asked the like fauour of any one before for she that neuer knew the least motion of loue is now pricked with a hundred torments and vnlesse you quench the ardent affection wherwith my heart is fired with the pleasant hopes of your comfortable smiles I am like to die desperat and then the world will accuse you of cruelty in murdering a consiant Lady but if it shall please you to grant me loue and so espouse me according to Himens holy Kites héere shall you rule sole King and be the Lord of all this Countrey My right deare Lady answered then the Red-rose Knight you haue done such pleasure to mée and to my distressed followers in preseruing vs from famine as I shal neuer requite it though I should spend all the rest of my life in your Seruice And know most excellent Princesse that there is no aduenture so dangerous yet at your commandement would I practise to accomplish yet for to tye my selfe in Wedlockes bonds there is no woman in the world shall procure mee for till I haue finished an Aduenture which in my heart I haue vowed I will not linke my affection to any Lady in the world But thinke not Madam that I refuse your loue through disdaine for I sweare by the dignity King Arthur gracâ—d mée with I should think my selfe most fortunate if I had so faire and noble a Lady as your diuine selfe Most worthy Knight then answered the Quéene I imagine that the Gods haue sent you into this Countrey for two causes principally The first is that you and your followers should be preserued from death by my meanes The second is that you should inhabit in this Countrey least it should in short time be left as a desert wildernesse for it is inhabited onely by Women without a King and haue no other Gouernour but me which am their chiefe Princesse And for so much as I haue succoured you so succour you this desolate Citie that it may be repeopled with your séed and in so doing you shall accomplish a vertuous déed and winne to your names an eternall memory to all ensuing ages I confesse quoth the Red-rose Knight that you and your Ladies haue succoured mée and my followers in our great necessitie and in recompense whereof wee will imploy all our indeauours to the repeopling againe of this Countrey But in regard of the secret vow my heart hath made I will not yéeld my selfe to your desires for if I should infringe my oath mine Honour were greatly impaired And before I would commit that dishonourable fact I would suffer the greatest torment that mans heart can imagine Incontinently when the loue-sicke Quéene heard this answere of
to a Princes eye must bee surrendred vp for wormes to féed vpon Many other words would she haue spoken but that the commaunding Messenger being tyed to an houre caused her to put on the impoysoned Roabes which no sooner came to the warmth of her body but the good Lady after a few bitter sighes and dreadfull gaspes yéelded vp the ghost being through the extremitie of the infectious Garment made like vnto an Anatomie which they wrapped in Seare cloth the next day gaue her buriall according to her estate and so returned to the inraged Quéene kéeping then her Court at Pendragon castle in Wales into whose presence was no sooner the Messenger come but the angry Quéene beyond all measure being desirous to heare of Lady Angellicas death in a rage ran and clasped him about the middle saying Speake Messenger speake is the vile strumpet dead Is the shame of womankind tortured Is my hearts griefe by her death banished my boosome speake for I am ouermaistred with doubts Most gracious Quéene quoth the Messenger resolue your selfe of her death for the cold earth hath inclosed vp her body but so patiently tooke shee her death that well might it haue mooued a Tygers heart to remorse for in troth my heart relented at the manner of her death Neuer went Lambe more gently to the slaughter nor neuer Turtledoue was more méeke then this wofull Lady was at the message of her death for the Elements did séeme to mourne closing their bright beauties vp to blacke and sable Curtaines and the very flintie walles as it were sweate at the agonie of her death so gentle méeke and humbly tooke shee her death commending her selfe vnto your maiestie wishing that her death might be your soules contentment And could shée bee so patient quoth the Quéene that euen in death would wish happinesse to the causers thereof farewell thou miracle of womankind I haue béen to thée a sauage Lionnesse I was blinded at the report of thy wantonnesse else hadst thou béen now aliue all my cruelnesse against thée I now déeply repent and for thy deare hearts blood by me so rashly spilt shall bee satisfied with the liues of many soules Hereupon shee in a furie commanded the Messengers head to bee stricken off and seuen Seruitours to bee hanged all at the Court Gate and afterward caused their limbes to be set vpon high Pooles by the Common high wayes side as an example of her indignation Neuer after this houre such is the remorse of a guiltie conscience could shée sleepe in quiet but strange visions of this Lady as shee thought seemed to appeare to her the least noise that she heard whispering in the silence of the night did she imagine to bee some Furte to dragge her to Hell for the death of this good Lady the Windes as shee imagined murmured foorth Reuenge the running Riuers hummed foorth Reuenge the flying Fowles of the Ayre whistled out Reuenge yea euery thing that made noyse in her conceit gaue remorse for Reuenge and till that her owne life had giuen satisfact on by death for the rume of so swéet a Ladyes life no food could doe her good no sléepe quiet her braine no pleasure content her minde but Despaire with a terrible countenance did euermore attend her willing her sometime to throwe her selfe head-long from the top of a Tower sometime by poyson to end her dayes sometime by drowning sometime by hanging sometime by one thing sometime by another but at last in the middle of the night hauing her heart déepely ouermaistred by dispaire shee tooke a Girdle of pure Arabian Silke which Girdle shee first word on her Princely Nuptiall day when King Arthur marryed her this fatall Girdle shee made a riding knot of and therewithall vpon her Bed post shee hanged her sefle Thus blood you sée being guiltlesse shed is quitted againe with blood The Quéene being dead was not so much pittied of the people as the good Lady Angellica little lamentation was made for her death for euery one expected the like vntimely ende but according to the aleadgeance of Subiects her Noblemen gaue her a Princely Funerall and set ouer her an Iron Tombe in signification that shee had an Iron heart and Flintie conditions Heere will wée leaue the dead to their quiet restes and returne to the Blacke Knight and his Mother Anglitora with the Indian slaue that attends them sor strange bee the accidents that happen to them in forraigne Countryes and after wée will speake what hapned to the Red-rose Knight on the Sea CHAP. 4 By what meanes Anglitora became a Curtizan and how her Sonne the Blacke Knight lost himselfe in a wildernesie THE Blacke Knight his Mother Anglitora and the Blacke 〈◊〉 slaue hauing happily crâ—st the Seas and ariued in a Countrey very â—ertill to see to replenished with all kinde of Trees and Fruit yet were there no Inhabitants to finde but onely an old Castle built of Fluiâ— stones the Turrets whereof were made like the Grecian Piramedes square and very high At this Castle gate they knocked so boldly each one carelesse of all accidents that might vappen as it rung into the Chamber were the Knight of the Castle lay who immediatly sent a very low statur d Dwarffe to sée who knocked and if they were strangers to direct them vp into his Chamber to take such kinde courtesies as the Castle afforded for indeed hee was a Knight of a bountifull condition full of liberalitie The Dwarffe no sooner comming to the Gate and espying people in such strange disguised attyres neuer hauing séene the like before without speaking one word ran amazedly vp to his Master certifiing him that a kinde of people of an vnknowne nation was arriued and that they séemed rather Angels in shape then any earthly creatures The Knight of the Castle hearing this came downe and met them in a large square Court paued with marble stone where hee kindly gaue them entertainement promising them both lodging and other needfull things they were destitute of The thrée Trauellers accepted of his courtesies and being long before weather-beaten on the Seas thought themselues from a déepe dungeon of calamities lifted to the toppe of all pleasures and prosperitie thus from this paued Court the Knight led them vp to his owne Chamber wherein was a fire made of Iuniper wood Frankinsence which smelled very sweete the walles were hung about with rich Tapestrie whereon was writ the story of Troyes destruction the Creation of mankind and the fearefull description of the latter day of Doome likewise hung vpon the said wales Instruments of all sorts of musicke with such varietie of other pleasures as they had neuer seene the like Now while these weary Trauellers tooke pleasure in beholding these things the good Knight caused his Dwarffe which was all the seruants that hee kept to couer the Table made of Cypresse wood with a fine Damaske table-cloth and thereon set such dellicates as his castle afforded which was a piece
first gaue mee life Oh wicked wretch where shall I nowe hide my head for I haue slaine my selfe in killing her I haue staynde this Chamber héere with humane blood The Heauens abhorre me for this déed The World condemnes mée for this murther and Hell Furies will follow mee with shame and terrour The Gods are grieued Men me thinks â—â—ie my company dead Ghosts arise in my distresses I see my Mother comes with a brest bléeding threatning confusion to my fortunes Oh thou vgly Spirit cease to follow mée torment me not aliue for the wrath of Heauen is fallen vpon my head Dispaire where art thou I must finde thée out I will goe seeke thee through the world and if in the world I finde thee not I le saddle winged Pegasus and scale he mantion place of loue I will ransake all the corners of the â—kie I will throwe downe the Sunne the Moone and Starres then leauing heauen I will goe seeks for Despaire in the loathsome poole of Hell there in Plutoes Court will I binde blacke Cerberus vp in Chaines the triple-headed Helhound that Porter of Hell gates because hee let Despaire passe from thence In this frantike sort ranne he vp and downe the Chamber and at last with the nayles of his fingers hée fell to graue vpon the Stone walles the picture of his Mother imitating Pigmalion hoping to haue life breathed into the same Meane while the poore Indian with fleshlesse armes heaued vp towards Heauen and on his bare knées made his supplication to the Gods for the Blacke Knights recouery of his wittes Oh you angry Heauens quoth hee reuoke your heauy doomes forget this crime forgiue this vnnaturall murther pittie the state of this distressed Knight and send some meanes to recouer his senses Thou bright Lampe of Heauen thou eternall light although in iustice we haue deserued thy wrath yet let my prayers my neuer ceasing Prayers my heartes renting Sighs my déepe inforced Teares worke some remorce from thy incensed ire that either this Knight may recouer his lost senses or set him frée from death Thus in a zealous manner prayed the poore Negar desiâ—ing God to lay the Knights fault vpon his head and reclaime his vnbridled rage which Prayer was soone regarded by Heauen for the Blacke Knight had immediatly his madnesse turned into a sad melancholly and in a more gentle manner made his sad lamentations as you shall heate in the next Chapter But now the Negar that all the time of Anglitoras murther stood in a traunce beganne now a little considering the fright hee tooke at the Blacke Knights madnesse to summon againe together his naturall senses and perceiuing the vnchast Lady dead cold pale wanne lying weltering in her goare and the blood of her false heart shed by her owne child all besprinckled about the Chamber sayd as followeth Now quoth the Negar betwixt life and death haue you showne your selfe a dutifull Sonne and nobly reuenged the death of your Father These were the last words of the poore Indian which as then sâ—nke downe and neuer after breathed Thereupon came fâ—orth the Dwarffe of the Castle with great store of treasure proffering the same to the Blacke Knight who nothing thirsting after couetousnesse refused it and withall tooke the Dwarffe in satisfaction for the Negars death and crammed the treasure downe his throate and after buryed the two Seruants together in one Graue This being done he digged vp his Fathers body from the Dunghill and brought it to the Chamber where his mother lay and after in an Abby yard belonging to the Castle he buryed them both likwise in one Graue This being done hee knéeled thereupon and made his complaint in this manner CHAP. 7 Of the Black Knights melancholy lamentations ouer the graue of his Parents and of other things that hapned OH thricâ— happy for euer-more bee this ground that containes the bodyes of my vnfortunate Parents for this Earth hath receiued the swéete Darling of Nature and the onely delight of the whole World the Sunshine of Christendome and the glory of Mankinde Oh thrice happy be the grasse that from hencefoorth shall grow vpon this Graue let neuer Sithe touch it nor crafty â—urking Serpent with venemous breath or deadly poyson hurt it Let no Lyons pawes nor Beares foot tread vpon it Let no Beasres Horne in any manner abuse it Let no Birds with pecking nor créeping filthy Uermine no winters nipping Frost no nightly falling Dewes no rage of the parâ—hing Sunnes heate nor Starres haue power from Heauen nor fearefull Tempest nor horrible Lightning in any manner annoy it Let no Plough-man driue hither his weary Oren nor Shepheards bring hither their Shéepe least by the Bulls rage it bee harmed or by the harmelesse Shéepe it be eaten but let it for euer grow that the displaying thereof may reach to Heauen and may from hencefoorth this Graue be euer accounted sacred and may the Grasse bee euer sprinkled with swéet Waters Some good man vpon this Graue set a burning Taper that then for euery anguish of my heart I may beate my Breasts till my Fistes haue strucken the winde from my body and that my Soule may beare them company into Elizium Come you wanton fleshly Satyres Come you friendly Fawnes Come you Fayries and Dryades and sing swéet Epitaphes lift vp your voyces to Heauen and let your prayses bée in the honour of my Parents my selfe like a wan pale and dead man will beare you company I will wearie the World with my complaints I will make huge Streames with my Teares such Streames as no Banke shall barre such Streames as no Drought shall drye But alasse what doe I meane to repeate these seuerall lamentations since my deare Parents bée dead since from the world they are parted since they are buried without solemnitie since my delights are all inclosed in the Grounde yet will I still here make my complaints though no good ease comes thereby adding teares to teares and sorrowes to sorrowes Oh frowning Fortune Oh vnlucky Starres Oh cursed day that euer I did this déed for now no sence nor knowledge takes their vnsensible bodyes of my griefes in this Graue there is no féeling in Death there is no pittie taken Oh thou Siluannus thou commander of these Mountaines helpe mee poore helpelesse soule to shed teares for my religion for my deuotion and Countries sake helpe mee either let me haue some comfort in my sorrowes or let me in Death beare my Parents company Thou séest what Torments I suffer how my heart trembles how my eyes flow with teares how my head is with teares possest how my Soule is full of horrible anguish all this thou séest and yet it little grieues thée to sée it Oh thou churlish ground from hencefoorth cease any more to beare Fruit cease to be deck't with Flowers cease to be mantled in Gréene for the purest Flowers are withered Thy Garlands are decayed my deare Parents are too vntimely bereft of life their sweete bodyes thou
Knight gyrt his Sword round about him and stood on Thornes till hee was set forward to seeke Martiall aduentures Hereupon these two Knights departed toward England and performed many noble deeds of Chiualrie by the way But amongst all others being in the Turkish Court this is worthy to bée noted for with one Boxe of the eare the Blacke Knight killed the Turkes Sonne starke dead for which cause by treason were their liues conspired and the following night had their Lodging entred by twelue of the Turkes Guard with an intent to murther them but by reason of the inchaunted Ring in the which they put both their little fingers the Guard of a sodaine fell all fast in a traunce hereupon the two Knights departed the Turkish Court But no sooner were they out of the Citie but a troupe of armed Knights pursued them and followed them so néerely that they were forced to enter a Castle that stood by the Sea side wherein no creature had abyding comming to the Gate the Fayerie Knight with his Sword strucke thereat an it presently opened wherein being no sooner entred but the armed Knights of the Turkish nation closed them fast in and caused the Gates to bée walled vp with Free Stone and so departed Now were these two Knights in more danger of death then euer they had beene in all their liues and sure they had starued had not good pollicie preserued their liues for the Castle walles were so high that none durst venture downe without great danger As in greatest extreamity mans wit is the quickest for inuention so the two Knights cut off all the Hayre from their heads which were very long and therewithall made along â—ooâ—sted Line or Cord with the which they slid from the top of the Wall to the Ground But this mischaunce hapned as the Fayerie Knight glyded downe the Coard broke and his body tooke such a violent blow against the stonie Ground that it strucke the breath quite out of his body no life by the Blacke Knight could bee perceiued but that his soule was for euer diuided This of all misfortunes was held the extreamest therefore in great griefe hee breathed foorth this lamentation Oh you partiall Fates quoth hee Oh you vniust Destinies Why haue you reft two liues by wounding one Now let the Sunne forbeare his wonted light Let Heate and Coulde let Drought and Moysture let Earth and Ayre let Fire and Water be all mingled and confounded together let that old confused Chaos returne againe and heere let the World end And now you Heauens this is my request that my Soule may presently forsake this flesh I haue no soule of mine owne for it is the soule of the Fayerie Knight for but one Soule is common to vs both then how can I liue hauing my Soule departed which spightfull death hath now separated Oh thou my Knightly brother though the Fates deny to giue thée life yet in spight of them I le follow thée You Heauens receiue this halfe soule of my true Friend and let not life and death part vs with Eagles wings will I flye after him and in Ioues celeâ—â—iall Throane ioyne with him in friendship We two in life were but one one will one heart one minde one Soule made vs one one life kept vs both aliue one being dead drawes the other vnto death therefore as wee liued in loue so will we dye in loue and with one Graue wee may interre both our bodyes How glorious and happy were my death to dye with my beloued friend Now doe I loath this life in liuing alone without my deare Brother whereupon drawing his Sword from his side hée sayd Oh thou wofull Weapon euen thou shalt be the meane to ridde my soule from this prison of body Oh faith vnfaigned Oh hand of sacred friendship I am resolued both with the force of Heart Hand and Armes to giue my Heart deaths deadly wound for now my noble Fayerie Knight this blood I offer vp vnto thy Soule But being ready with his Sword to pierce his owne heart hée saw a liuely blood spread in his friends face and those eyes that were so dolefully closed vp began now to looke abroad and the countenance that was so pale and wan receiued a fresh complexion whereupon the Blacke Knight stayed from his desperate resolution and from a bloody tragedian became the recouerer of his brothers life who after a while began to be perfect sencible so binding his bruzed bones together they went a Shipboard on a Shippe that lay at anchor at the next Port making for England so the next morning the wind serued well the Pilots hoysted sayle merily floting on the waters Ten wéekes had not passed toward the finishing of a yéere before they ariued on the Chaulkie cliftes of England vpon which they had no sooner set footing but with their warme lippes they gently kissed the cold earth This is the Land of promised glory said the Fayerie Knight to finde this Land I haue indured many miseries to find this Land I haue passed many Countries and in this Land must I seale vp the last quittance of my life here shal my bones rest for I am lawfully descended from the loynes of an English Knight peace bee in my ende for all my dayes haue béene spent in much trouble In such like discourses left they the shore side trauayling further into the Land they met with one of King Arthurs Knights named Sir Launcelat Dulake so old and lame that through his bruises in chiualry hée séemed rather an impotent creature then a Knight at Armes yet at the sight of these two aduenturous Knights his blood séemed to grow young and hée that before could not march a mile on foote for a Kingdome now went as tiuely as any of the two other Knights did First came they to London where for their fathers sake they were by the Gouernours most gallantly entertained the stréets were hung round with Arras hangings and Tape strie workes Pagiants were builded vp in euery stréet the Condâ—nts ran with Wine and a solemne Holy-day was then proclaimed to be kept yearely vpon that day To speake of Banquets prepared for them the Tilts and Turnaments and such honourable graces I thinke néedlesse In London in great content stayed they some twenty dayes in which time came noble messengers from the Court to conduct them to the King that then raigned for since the Blacke Knight and his mother departed the Land hapned thrée changes euery one maintaining the ancient honour of King Arthurs Knights of the Round Table whereof these two in presence of all the Nobilitie were in Knightly sort created After this the King ordained a solemne Iusting to be kept in his Court held in great honour for fortie dayes to which Knightly sports resorted the chiefest flowers of Chiualrie from all Countries as Kings Princes Dukes Marquesses â—arles Lords and Knights and for chiefe Challenger and Champion for the Countrey was the Fayerie Knight who for his matchlesse man-hood therein showne had this title giuen him by a generall consent to bee called The Worlds Wonder After this being desirous to sée the Citie of Lincolne where the Red-rose Knight was borne hee in company of his Brother true friend the Blacke Knight and old sit Lancelat Dulake rod thither at whose comming into the Citie the great Bell called Tom a Lincolne was rung an houre which as then was seldome showne to any excepting Kings and renowned warriours returning victoriously from bloody â—attles Here builded they a most sumptuous Minster which to this day remaines in great magnificence and glory Likewise here builded they a most stately Tombe in remembrance of their Parents the like as then no place of England afforded Thus hauing left the noble feats of Chiualry they liued a life zealous and most pleasing to God erecting many Alms-houses for poore people giuing thereto great Wealth and Treasure And when nature ended their dayes they were buried in the same Minster both in one Tombe which likewise was so richly set vp with Pillars of Gold that aboue all otâ—er Cities it grew the most famous whereupon since that time hath this old Prouerbe of thrée Cities grâ—wn common which is vsed in these words Lincolne was London is and Yorke shall be FINIS R. I.
The most pleasant History of TOM ALINCOLNE That renowned Souldier the RED-ROSE Knight who for his Valour and Chivalry was surnamed The Boast of England Shewing his Honourable Victories in Forraigne Countries with his strange Fortunes in the Fayrie Land and how he married the faire Anglitora Daughter to Prester Iohn that renowned Monarke of the World Together with the Lives and Deathes of his two famous Sonnes the Blacke Knight and the Fayrie Knight with divers other memorable accidents full of delight The sixth Impression LONDON Printed Aug Mathewes and are to bee sold by Robert Byrde and Francis Coules 1631. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIMON WORTEDG of Okenberrie in the County of Huntington Esquire health happines and prosperitie THE generall report and consideration right Worshipfull of your exceeding courtesie and the great friendship which my parents haue heretofore found at the hands of your renowned Father doe imbolden me to present vnto your Worship these my vnpolisht Labours which if you shall vouchsafe to cast a fauourable glaunce vpon and therin find any part or parcell pleasing to your vertuous minde I shall esteeme my trauell most highly honoured The History I present you shall finde delightfull the matter not offensiue to any only my skil in penning it very simply and my presumption great in presenting so rude a peece of worke to so wise a Patron which I hope your Worship will the more beare with and accompt the rather to be pardonable in that the fault proceedeth from a good meaning Your worships deuoted and poore Country-man R. I. The Pleasant Historie of TOM A LINCOLNE the RED-ROSE Knight for his valour and Chiualrie surnamed the Boast of England CHAPTER 1. How King Arthur loued faire Angellica the Earle of Londons Daughter and likewise of the birth of Tom a Lincolne WHEN as King ARTHVR wore the Emperiall Diadem of England and by his chiualrie had purchased many famous Uictories to the great renowne of this mayden Land hee ordeined the order of the round Table and selected many worthy Knights to attend his Maiestie of whose glistering renowne many ancient Histories doe record and witnesse to all insuing ages This worthy Prince vpon a time intending to visit the city of London with some few number of his Knights came and feasted with Androgius being at that time Earle of London whose house as then was not only replenished with most delicate fare but gratâ—st with a number of beautifull Ladyes who gaue such a pleasing entertainement to King Arthur and his Knights that they were rauished with pleasure and quite forgot the sound of martiall Drummes that had wont to summon them foorth to the fields of Honour Amongst these glorious troupes of London Ladyes Angellica the Earles daughter had the chiefest prayse for beauty and courtly behauiour for euen as the siluer-shining Moone in a Winters frâ—sty night surpasseth the brightest of the twinckling Stars â—o farre Angellicaes sweete feature excéeded the rest of the Ladyes whereby King Arthur was so intangled in the snares of loue that by no meanes he could withdraw his affections from her diuine excellence He that before delighted to tread a weary mâ—rch after Bellonas Drummes was now constrayned to trace Cupids Measures in Ladyes Chambers and could as well straine the strings of a Louers Lute as sound a Souldiers alarme in the field her beauty like the Adamant drew his stéeled heart to lodge in the closure of her breast and no company delighted so much the loue-sicke King as the presence of faire Angellica So vpon a time as hee stood looking out of his Chamber window hee espied the Mistris of his soule sitting in a Garden vnder a Bower of Uines prettily picking the ripest Grapes with her delicate hands and tooke such pleasant pains in that maydenlike exercise that the well coloured blood in her face began to ware warme and her chéekes to obtaine such an excellent beauty that they séemed like two purple Roses intermixt with Hawthorne-buds whereby King Arthur grew inamored vpon her and stood for a time sencelesse through the extreame passion he tooke in beholding her beâ—uty But at last recouering his senses he spake to himselfe in this manner Oh most diuine Angellica Natures sole wonder thou excellent ornament of Beauty thy louely Face painted with a crimson die thy rosicall Chéekes surpassing Snow in whitenesse thy decent Necke like purest Iuory hath like a Fowlers net intangled my yéelding heart whereby it is for euermore imprisoned in thy breast Oh that the golden Dresses of thy dainty Haire which shine like the Rubyes glittering in the Sunne had neuer twinckled before my rauisht eyes then had my heart inioyed his wonted liberty and my Fancie béen frée from Louers vaine imaginations Thus and in like manner complayned the King vnto himselfe séeking by all meanes possible to exclude Loues fire from his breast But the more hee stroue to abandoâ— it the more it increased and féeling no pollicie might preuaile but that this burning torment must of force bee quenched with her celestiall loue hee descended from his Chamber and went bouldly into the Garden where taking Angellica by the hand as shée sate vpon a bed of Uiolets which as then grew vnder the Arbour in this manner began to court her Faire of all faires sayd the King deuine and beautious Paragon faire Flower of London know that since my aboad in thy Fathers house thy beauty hath so conquered my affections and so bereaued me of my liberty that vnlesse thou vouchsafe to coole my ardent desires with a willing graunt of thy loue I am like to dye a lanâ—uishing death and this Countrey England of force must lâ—ose him that hath filde her boundes with many triumphant Uictories therefore swéet Angellica if thy hard heart be so obdurate that the teares of my true loue may nothing molliffe yet take pitty on thy Countrey that through thy cruelty she loose not her wanton glory and be made vnhappy by the losse of her Soueraigne thou séest my diuine Angellica how I that haue made Princes stoope and Kings to humble when I haue frownde doe now submissiuely yéeld my high honour to thy feete either to be made happy by thy loue or vnhappy in thy hate that in time to come Children may either blesse or cuâ—se thee Of these two consider which thou wilt performe either with cruelty to kill mee or with clemencie to preâ—eiue mee This vnexpected request of the King so amazed Angellica that her Cheeks were â—tayned with blushing shame and like a bashfull Maiden for a time stood silent not knowing in what manner to answere him considering hee was King of England and she but Daughter to an Earle But at last when feare and shame had a while stroue together in her heart shee replyed in this sort Most mighty King said shee if your entertainement in my Fathers house hath beene honourable séeke not the foule dishonour of his Daughter nor proffer to blemish the bud of her virginitie with the least
this thy monstrous disobedience These words being ended hee gaue such an extreame sigh that his very heart brake with griefe and hee immediatly dyed in the presence of the Red-rose Knight For whose death hee made more sorrowfull lamentation then Niobe did for her seuen Sonnes But in recompence of old Antonioes kind loue that preserued his infancie from the fury of rauenous Fowles he intombed him most stately in the Citie of Lincolne whose body he sent thither by certaine Passengers whom hee had taken and withall a thousand pound in treasures to be bestowed vpon a great Bell to bee rung at his Funerall which Bell hee caused to bee called Tom a Lincolne after his owne name where to this day it remaineth in the same Citie These Passengers being as then rich Merchants of London hauing receiued the dead body of old Antonio and withall the treasure went with all speed vnto Lincolne and performed euery thing as the Red-rose Knight had appointed The death of this good old man not onely caused a generall sorrow through the whole Citie but stroke such an extreame griefe to old Antonioes wife that shee within few dayes yeelded her life to the remorcelesse stroke of the frowning destinies and was buried in the same graue where her Husband was intombed Whose deaths we will now leaue to be mourned by their dearest friends and likewise for breuities sake passe ouer many stratagems which were accomplished by the Red-rose Knight his followers vpon Barnsedale Heath and returne to King Arthur his Knights flourishing in the English Court. CHAP. III. Of the first Conquest of Portingale by the Red-rose Knight and how hee was the first that euer triumphed in the Citie of London THe report of Tom a Lincolnes practises grew so generall amongst the vulgar sort of people that at last it came to King Arthurs eares who imagined in his Princely minde that he was sprung of his bloud and that hee carried lofty thoughts of honour planted in his brest though shrowded vnder a Countrey life therefore through kinde nature hee purposed to haue him resident in Court with him that hee might daily sée his liuely sparkes of honour shew their resplendant brightnesse yet in such obscurity that hee should not know the smallest motion of his Parentage therefore hee called together thrée of his apprâ—ued Knights namely Lancelot du Lake Sir Tristram and Sir â—â—â—amore and gaue them in charge if it were possible to fetch the Red-rose Knight vnto his Court of whose aduenturous exployts hée hath heard so many times reported and withall he gaue them generall Pardon sealed with his priuie Seale for him and all his lawlesse followers This Commission beeing receiued by the three worthie Knights they with all spéede armed themselues in rich Corselets and strong habiliments of Warre and so rode towards Bransedale Hâ—aâ—h where being no sooner come and deliuered their message from the King but the Red-rose Knight gaue them an honourable welcome and for thrée dayes most royally feasted them vnder large Canuasse Tents wherein they slept as securely as they had béene in King Arthurs Court or in a strong Castle of warre After this Tom a Lincolne selected out a hundred of his resolute Followers such as he best liked of and came with Sir Lancelot and the rest to the English Court where King Arthur not onely gaue him a friendly entertainment but also installed him one of his Knights of the Round-table and withall preclaimed a solemne Turniament that should be hâ—lden in the honour of this new made Knight to which Turniament assemble from other Countries many Princes Barons Knights of high honour which behaued themselues most nobly and woon great commendations of euery beholder but especially the Red-rose Knight who for that day stood as chiefe Champion against all commers In that Turniament or first dayes deede of his Knighthood where onely by his valour and prowesse hee ouerthrew thrée Kings and thirty other Knights all famouzed for Chiualry whereby he obtained such grace in the English Court that he had by the King a paire of golden Spurres put vpon his féet and generally of the whole assembly he was accounted one of the brauest Knights that then liued in the world But now marke how frowning Fortune ended their Triumphes with vnlucky Newes for the same day before the Knights had vnbuckled their Armours there arriued a Messenger who certified King Arthur how his Ambassadour was vniustly done to death in the Portingale Court which was an Act contrary both to the Faith of Princes and the Law of Armes For whose death King Arthur grew so enraged that he sware by the Honour of his bright Renowne and by the golden Spurre of true Knighthood the Portingales should repent that inhumane violence with the death of many thousand guiltlesse soules and that Babes vnborne should haue iust cause to curse the first contriuer of that vniust murther therefore with all spéede hée mustered vp a mighty Armie of Souldiers and because hee was continually molested with home-bred Mutinies and treacherous rebellions the which himselfe in person of force must pacifie appointed the Red-rose Knight as chiefe Generall ouer the Armie mustered for Portingale In which Seruice hée accomplished so many famous Exployts that hee was for euer after surnamed The Boast of England For no sooner had hée the whole Campe in charge and aboard their Shippes but hee prooued the perfect Patterne of an exquisiâ—e Souldier such a one as all martiall Captaines may learne to imitate for hée so circumspectly ordered his Captaines that in his Campe was neuer knowne any brawle or muâ—â—nie â—e was very courteous and liberall doing honour to all men according to their deserts He so painfully and with such care instructed his Souldiers that at an instant alwayes if it were needfull euery man by the sound of a Drumme or a Trumpet was found in his Charge and Quarter And to be briefe his Campe resembled one of the greatest Cities in the world for all kind of officers were there found in order and also a great number of Merchants to furnish it with all manner of necessaryes Hee 〈◊〉 case permitted any robberies priuy fighting force or violence but with seuerity punished those that were therein found guiltie His desire was that his Souldiers should glory in nothing so much as in Martiall prowesse Uertue and Wisedome He euermore gaue them their pay without fraud or deceit He honoured he praysed he imbrac'd and kist them and withall kept them in awe and subiection by which meanes his fame and honour grew so renowned that his Army dayly encreased more and more For when he first arriued vpon the Confines of Portingale his Campe grew to bee as great as euer was Caesars when he conquered the Western World and in matchlesse proâ—â—esse nothing inferiour vnto his So fortunate were his proceedings that he made a great part of the Prouinces of Portingale desolate not being intercepted by any but poyling euery Towne and Citie as hee
the sleeping Potion shée was presently cast into a traunce which shée poore Lady supposed death The Doctor greatly admiring at her vertuous minde erected her body against an aged Oake where he left her sléeping and with all spéede returned to the hatefull Quéene and told her that he had performed her Maiesties command who gaue him many thanks and promised to requite his secrecie with a large recompence But now speake we againe of Prince Valentine who had intelligence how the onely comfort of his heart had ended her life by Poysons violence for which cause he leaues the Court and conuerted his rich Attire to ruthfull Roabes his costly coloured Garments to a homely russet Coat and so trauailing to the solitary woods he vowed to spend the rest of his dayes in a Shepheards life His royall Scepter was turned into a simple Shéepehooke and all his pleasure was to kéepe his Shéepe from the téeth of the rauenous Wolues Thrée times had glistering Phoebe renewed her horned winges and deckt the elements with her smiling countenance Thrée moneths were past thrée Moones had likewise runne their wonted composse before the Grecian Emperou mist his Princely Sonne whose want was no sooner bruted through the Court but hee ecchoed foorth this horrour to himselfe What cursed Planet thus indirectly rules my haplesse course or what vnâ—outh dryery Fate hath bereaued me of my Princely sonne Ioue send downe thy burning Thunderbâ—lts and strike them dead that be proâ—urers of his want But if swéet Venus he be dead for loue houer his Ghost before mine eyes that hee may discouer the cauâ—e or his inflictions But contrariwise if his life be finished by the fury of some murtherous mind then let my exclamations pierce to the iustfull Maiestie of Heauen that neuer Sunne may shine vpon his hated head which is the cause of my Valentines decay Or that the angry Furies may lend me their burning whips inceâ—santly to scourge their purple soules till my Sonnes wrongs bee sufficiently reuenged Thus or in such a like frantick humour ranne hee vp and downe his Pallace till Reason pacified his outragious thoughts and by perswasion of his Lords he was brought into his quiet bed Meane space Diana the Quéene of Chastitie with a Traine of beautifull Nimpheâ— by chance came through the Wood where Dulcippa was left in her traunce in which place rousing the Thickets in purâ—uit of a wilde Hart the Quéene of Chastity espied the harmlesse Lady standing against a Trée and beheld her swéet breath to passe through her closed lips At whose presence the Quéene a while stood wondring at but at last with her sacred shee awaked her and withall asked the cause of her traunce and by what meanes she came thither Which poore awaked Lady being amazed both at her sodaine Maiestie and the strangenesse of her passed Fortune and distresse with farre fetcht sighes shee related what happened to her in those desart Woods The heauenly Goddesse being moued with pitie with a most smiling voyce cheared her vp and with a Lilly taken from the ground she wiped the teares from off Dulcippa tender chéekes which like to a riuer trickled from her Christall eyes This being done Diana with an Angels voyce spake vnto her as followeth Swéete Uirgine for so it séemeth thou art farre better would it befit thy happy estate happy I terme it hauing past so many dangers to spend the remnant of thy life amongst my Traine of Nimphes whereas springeth nothing but Chastity and purity of life Dulcippa though in her loue both firme and constant yet did she condiscend to dwell with Dianas Nimphs where now instead of parly with courtly Gallants shée singeth Songs Carrols Roundelayes in stead of Penne and Incke wherewith she was wont to write Loue-letters shee exerciseth her Bow Arrows to kill the swift-fat Deare and her downie Beddes are pleasant Groues where pretty Lambes doe graze But now returne wée againe to the raging Emperour who sifted the matter out in such sort that hee found the Empresse giltie of her Sonnes want and the Doctor to bee the instrument of Dulcippas death who being desperat like one that vtterly detested the cruelty of the Empresse would not alleadge that he had but set the Lady in a traunce but openly confessed that he had poysoned her for that fact was willing to offer vp his life to satisfie the Law therefore the angry Emperour sweares that nothing shall satisfie his Sonnes reuengement but death and thereupon straightly commaunded the Empresse to be put in prison and the Doctor likewise to be lockt in a strong Tower but yet because shee was his lawfull Wife and a Princesse borne hee something sought to mittigate the Law that if any on within a tweluemonth and a day would come and offer himselfe to combate in her cause against himselfe which would be the appealant Champion she should haue life if not to bee burnt to ashes in sacrifice of his Sonnes death all which was performed as the Emperour had commanded But now all this while the poore Prince liues alone within the Woods making his complaints to the flockes of Séepe and washing their waell with his diâ—â— ressed teares His bedde whereon his body rested was turned into a Sun-burnd bank his chaire of state couered with grasse his musicke the whiâ—â—ling winds the Rethoricke pittifull complaints and meanes wherewith he bewayled his passed fortunes and the bitter crosses of his vnhappy loue The solitarie place wherein this Prince remained was not farre â—distant from the Groue where Dullcippa led her sacred life who by chaunce in a morning at the Sunnes vprising attyred in gréene vesiments bearing in her hand a Bow bended and a quiuer of arrowes hanging at her backe with her hayre tyed vp in a Willow wreath least the Bushes should catch her golden Tresses to beautifie their branches in this manner comming to hunt a sauage Hart she was surprized by a bloody Satire bent to rape who with a bloody mind pursued her and comming to the same place where Prince Valentine fedde his mourning Lambes hee ouertooke her whereat shee gaue such a terrible shrike in the Wood that shee stird vp the Shepherds princely mind to rescue her but now when the bloody Satyre beheld a face of Maiestie shrowded in a shepherds clothing immediatly hée scudded through the Woods more swifter then euer fearefull Deare did run But now gentle Reader héere stay to reade a while and thinke vpon the happy méeting of these Louers for surely the imagination thereof will lead a golden witte into the Laberinth of heauenly ioyes but being breathlesse in auoyding passed dangers they could not speake a word but with stedfast eyes stood gazing each other in the face but comming againe to their former senses Vailentine brake silence with this wauering speach What heauenly wight art thou quoth hee which with thy beautie hast inspired me I am no Goddesse replyed shée againe but a Uirgin vowed to kéepe Diana companie Dulcippa my name a Lady
Ladyes and Damsels were in her company whilst thus shee lamented her Knights absence who hearing of her desperate intended death made excéeding sorrow Some there were that so mightily grieued that they could not speake one word other some there were that souâ—ht to perswade her from her desperate intent but all in vaine For she presently went from them and with her owne blood writ a Letter and wrapping it in a Sear-cloth and then solved it to the Uestures wherein she was clothed then taking her Crowne shee bound it from her head with a GoldeÌ„ chaine which the Red-rose Knight before time had giuen hâ—r Then when shee had done all this shee came to her little Sunne and many times kissed him and â—o deliuered him to the Ladyes and Damsels to bee nourished so after taking leaue of them all she departed toward the sea whether being â—oâ—te the went to the top of the high rock where she began to looke downe vpon the Sea and after casting her selfe vpon the Earth looking vp towards Heauen she sayd Thou God of my Fortunes Lord of the Windes Seas thou that broughtest into this country the right perfect Knight in beauty manhood and all vertues graunt that when my soule hath made passage out of this world my body may be intombed in his bâ— some which words being sayd shée turned her eyes towards her Pallace and spake with a high voyce Adue my deare Babe adue you glistring Towres my royall Pallace aâ—ue Ladyes and Damsels and lastly adue to all the world And in saying so she cast herselfe into the Sea there desperately drowned her selfe But yet such was her fortune that the waues of the Sea bore her dead body the same day to the English Knights Ship which as then lay in a Road where they had cast Anchor for to rest that night and to be short it so happened at the same houre when her dead Body was cast against the Shipps the Red-rose Knight went vp the Hatches to take the fresh ayre where looking about he espyed the dead Lady richly attyred in cloth of Gold that gorgiously stone in the Water the which he presently caused to be taken vp and brought into the Ship where looking wiâ—hly vpon her he knew her perfectly well and after stooping to kisâ—e her pale Lippes hee found the bloudy Letter which hee had compeled â—râ—pt in Seare-cloth so taking it and reading the contents thereof his Blood began to change and to war redde like the Rose and presently againe as pale as ashes Whereat Sir Launcelat and the other Knights were greatly abashed but especially Anglitora who demaunded the câ—use of his griefe Whereunto the Red-rose Knight was not able to answere a word the sorrow of his heart so excâ—eded yet not withstanding he deliuered the bloody letter to Anglitora the contents whereof are these that follow The bloody Letter of Queene Caelia THou bright Star of Europe thou Chosen of England for prowesse beautie When wilt thou return to fulfill thy promise made vnto her that many a day hath had her eyes planted vpon the Seas after thee shedding more teares in thy absence then the Heauens conteineh Starres Ah my deare Loue makest thou no reckoning nor account of thy promise that thou madest to me at thy departure knowest thou not that euery noble mind is bound to keepe his word vpon paine of reproach and shame but thou hast infringed it and hast broken thy oath of Knighthood which no excuse can recouer For since I last saw thy Shippe floating on the Seas I neuer came within my Pallace till the writing hereof nor neuer lay in Bedde to take my rest nor neuer sate in iudgement on my Countries causes but for the space of fortie dayes I stood vpon a Rocke expecting thy returne till famine constrayned me to depart There haue I stood day and night in raine and in snow in the cold of the morning and in the heate of the Sunne in fasting in prayers in desires in hope and finally languishing in dispaire and death Where when I could heare no newes of thy returne I desperately cast my selfe into the Sea desiring the Gods that they would bring mee either aliue or dead to thy presence to expresse the true affection that I haue euer borne thy noble Person Thus fare thou well From her that liued and dyed with an vnsported minde Thine owne true Louer till we meete in the Elizian fields thy vnhappy Caelia Queene of the Fayerie Land THus when faire Anglitora had read those bloody lines she greatly lamented her vnhappy death withall requested the Red-rose Knight in that she dyed for his sake to beare her Body into England and there most honourably intombe it to which he most willingly consented So causing her body to be inbalmed they hoysted sayle and departed towards England into which Country they within foure moneths safely ariued At whose comming the Inhabitants and dwellers greatly reioyced but chiefely the Red-rose Knight and his company who at their first ariuall knéeled downe vpon the Earth and gaue God thankes for preseruing them from so many dangers and perils to their high renowne and triumphant victoryes After this they intombed the body of Caelia most honourably as befitted a Princesse of her calling This being done they departed towards Pendragon Castle standing in Walles where as then King Arthur kept his royall Court where being ariued they found the King and many other Nobles in a readines to giue them a Princely welcome amongst whom was faire Angelica the Nun of Lincolne mother to the Red-rose Knight yet kept in so secret a manner that neither he nor she had any suspition thereof but spake one to another as méere strangers The discouery of whom discoursed at large in the second part of this Historie as likewise the strange fortune of Caelias little Sonne which the Ladyes in the Fayerie land called by the name of the Fayerie Knight and by what meanes he came to be called the Worlds Tryumph with many other strang accidents c. But now to conclude this first part the Red-rose Knight and the faire Anglitora were solemnely maried together and liued long time in King Arthurs Court in great ioy and tranquilitie and peace FINIS R. I. THE Second Part of the Famous Historie of Toma Lincolne the Red-rose Knight Wherein is declared his vnfortunate Death his Ladyes disloyalty his Childrens Honours and lastly his Death most strangely reuenged Written by the first Author At London Printed by Augustine Matthewes dwelling in the Parsonage House of Saint Brides in Fleete-street 1631. To the Reader PRomise is debt gentle Reader I haue therefore performed what in my first Part I promised which was to shew thee the vnfortunate death of the Red rose Knight his beloued Lady Anglitoras disloyal affections towards him his Childrens Honours Renownes and Dignities and in the period of this small Historie his death both iustly truely and strangely reuenged The reading of which if with good
Womanhood Marriage Loue was forgotten their passed ioyes were as things neuer been not any thought of remorse remayned within her but shee more cruell then the new deliuered Bear or the Tyger starued for meate by the helpe of the Knight of the Castle tooke the Scarffe of Iewells sent her from him the same euening and by violence thrust them downe the Palmers throat by which meanes they bereaued him of life and without any solemnity due to so braue a man they buried him in a Dunghill without the Gate not shedding so much as one teare for his death so great was the 〈…〉 of this his 〈◊〉 full Lady The poore Negar they set vp to the middle in the ground so surely fastned that by any meanes he could not stirre from thence where wée will leaue him wishing for death The Red-rose Knight or rather the vnhappy Palmer in his vnchristian like Graue and the Knight of the Castle with the murtheresse Anglitora to their surfetting Banquets of sinne and returne to the Blacke Knight which had lost himselfe in the Woods CHAP. 6. How the Blacke Knight being lost in a wildernesse became a wild man how his Fathers Ghost appeared vnto him and in what manner hee slew his owne Mother BY this time the Blacke Knight grewe so naturall a Wilde-man as though hée had béene bredde in the Wildernesse for day by day hee sported with Lions Leopards Tygers Elephants Unicornes and such like kinde of Beasts playing as familiarly with them as in King Arthurs Court hée had done with gallant Gentlemen But marke how it hapned one day aboue an other Hee chaunched to walke downe into a Ually where hee set himselfe downe by the Riuers side and in humane complaints bewayled his owne estate how beeing borne and breed of a Princely Race discended royally should thus consume his dayes in sauage sort amongst Wilde beasts and by no meanes could recouer his libertie or frée himselfe from that solitary Wildernesse Being in this distresse of mind a suddaine feare assayld him his heart shiuered his haire stood vpright the Elements seemed to looke dimme a terrible Tempest tore vp huge trees the Wilde Beastes roared and gathered on a heape together Birdes fell liuelesse from the ayre the Ground as it were trembled and a sodaine alteration troubled each thing aboue him in this amaze sate hée a good time maruelling what would ensue at last there appeared as hée imagined the Ghost of his Faâ—heâ— newâ—y murthered with a countenance pale and wan with hollowe eyes or none at all gliding vp and downe before him casting such fearefull frownes as might make the stoutest heart in the world to tremble and at last setting himselfe before the Blacke Knight spake as followeth Fearenot my Sonne I am the Ghost of thy murthered Father returned from Plutoes hollow Region I came from that burning Kingdome where continually flames an euerlasting Furnace from the fearefull Pitte come I to thee for reuenge Oh thou my Sonne if euer gentle Nature were plyant in thy boosome if euer thou tookest pleasure to hearethy Fathers honours spoken of if euer thou desirest to haue thy life meritorious in this world take to thee thy neuer failing Courage and reuenge my death vpon thy adulterous Mother thy Mother now liuing in the filthinesse of shame making the Castle where shee now remaines in a lustfull stewes there was I murthered and there buried in a stincking Dunghill no man gaue mee Funeral teares nor any sorrowed for my death I that haue dared Death in the face and purchast Honour in many Kingdomes was slaine by my owne Wife by my néerest Friend by my second selfe by Anglitora by her whom the whole world admired for vertue Rise deare Sonne rise and hast thée to that Castle polluted with the shame of thy wicked Mother Rise I say and let the Pauements of that Castle be sprinkeled with their detested blood the blood of that Monster that hath not onely dispoyled my marriage bedde of honoured dignities but like a tyrant to her owne flesh hath murthered mee Sée how the angry Heauens as it were doe threaten my Reuenge hearke how Hell-Furies doe howle and roare for Reuenge my Wiues Adulterie at the hand of Heauen deserues Reuenge My bléeding soule Oh my Sonne wandreth in vnquiet paths till thou workest Reuenge my death and murther cries for Reuenge then feare not Sonne to act it for duty loue and nature bindes thée to it By Heauen and by that great immortall Throane of happinesse By that low Kingdome of eternall paines By the huge watrey Seas I past to follow her By Earth and by the Soules of all the mortall men that euer dyed I commaund â—haâ—ge and constraine thée to perseuere in this Reuenge Hence to that foule defamed Castle defamed by Adulterie defamed by Murther there to my Soule doe thy latest dutie there wound thy cursed Mothers breast there sacrifice her liues blood there appease thy Fathers Ghost insenst with furie so shall my Soule in ioy enter the Fields of faire Elizeum But if thou prouest coward-like and through feare deny to execute my glorious Reuenge from this day hence-forth shall my pale wan leane and withred Ghost with gastly lookes and fearefull steps pursue and follow thee These were the words of his Fathers Ghost and hauing spoken these words with a grieuous groane hee vanished At this his sodaine departure the Blacke Knight cryed with a loud and fearefull voyce saying My noble Father stay Oh stay thy hasty steppes once more let mee heare thee speake Whether flyest thou Oh let me heare thy voyce againe It will not be He is vanished and my Mother liues as a shame to all our generation Oh thou staine of woman-hood Oh thou bloody Lionnesse Oh brutish act Oh beastly desires Where shall I now finde a place to shed teares in for my heart is rent into tenne thousand pieces and the terrour of this déed is too intollerable Rest thou in peace sweete Father thou in thy life wert both wise and valiant thy vertue wisedome and manhood made the very enemies to loue thée Oh then what fortune hadst thou to die by the friendly trust of thy owne Wife my disloyall Mother thy neerest friend proud thy greatest enemie and by a Womans mallice that heart was killed that millions of Foes could neuer daunt Oh sweete Red-rose Knight most happy hadst thou been to haue dyed â—â— the Fields of bloody Warre and seal'd thy liues quittance â—moâ—est renowned Souldiers then had thy death béene more honorable my wicked Mother had not murthered thée nor I béen inforst to take such bloody vengeance as I intend deare Father for thy sake for let mée neuer breath one day longer nor view the next Mornings rising Sunne let mée neuer liue imprisoned in this Wildernesse let nothing prosper that 〈◊〉 I â—ake in hand and here let the worlde end if I cease to prosecute a mortall Reuenge as the soule of my Father hath commaunded Hereupon hée set forward toward the Castle
harborest and in thy wombe deliuereâ—st them as a food vnto Wormes Therefore thou cruell Earth howle andmourne for thou art vnworthy of such blessed bodies And now oh you pittifull Heauens heare my complaints conuey them to the Soules of my deceased Parents for my lamentations by the gentle Windes are blowen from the East vnto the West the dry Land and the Watry Seas are witnesses to them Therefore no day shall rise but it shall heare my complaints no night shall come but it shall giue eare vnto my moâ—nes neither day nor night shall be frée from my heart-breaking cryes If that I groane mée thinkes the Trees are bended as though they pittied my teares The very Ground for griefe I sée alters her complexion All that I heare all that I see all that I feele giues fresh increase to my sorrow I will neuer hencefoorth come in peopled Towne nor inhabited Cittie but wander all alone vp and downe by low Uallyes and sleepy Rockes or I will dwell in darke Dennes frequented onely by Wilde Beastes where no path of man was euer séene or to the Woods I will goe so darke and beset so thicke with shaddow branches that no Sunne may shine there by day nor no Starre by night may be seene whereas is heard no voyce but the outcryes of horrible Goblings the balefull shrikes of Night-owles the vnlukie sounds of Rauens and Crowes there shall mine eyes bee made watry Fountaines there will I make such plaints as Beasts shall mourne to heare them such plaints will I make as shall rend and riue strong trees make wilde Panthers tame and mollifie hard flinty stones And if by chance that sléepe oppresse mee on the bare and cold Ground shall these wofull limbs rest the gréene turffe shall serue as a Pillow for my head boughs and branches of trées shall couer me and then I hope some venemous Serpent wil spéedily giue mee my deaths wound that this my poore soule may be released from flesh and blood by which meanes I may passe to those Fields those faire Elizium Fields whereas my murthered Parents daily resort In this manner complained the Blacke Knight vpon his Parents graue thrée dayes and nights together still knéeling vpon the cold ground and could not by any imagination bee comforted euery thing his eyes beheld renewed fresh sorrow and drew on new lamentations but at last the Powers of Heauen intending to graunt him some ease cast his distressed Senses into a quiet slumber where lying vpon his fathers graue wee will let him for a time rest CHAP 8. How the Fayerie Knight came to be called the Worlds Triumph Of his ariuall in England of the two Knights deaths and of the Proue rbe vsed of three Cities in England YOu haue read in the first part of this Historie how the Fayerie Knight the Sonne of Caelia begot by the Red-rose Knight was committed by his Mother at her death to the keeping of the Ladies of the Land for then was there but few Men liuing being a Countrey onely of Women and now being of lusty age and a Knight of renowned valoure he betooke himselfe to trauell the onely cause to finde his Father or some of his kindred whom he had neuer seene Many were the Countries he passed but more the dangers hee indured all which for this time wee omit onely a little speake of thrée guifts giuen him by an Hermite that had thrée excéeding Uertues For comming to an Iland to séeke aduentures it was his chance to saue a young beautifull Mayden from rauishing by a satyricall Wild-man for he hauing tyed the golden locks of her Hayre to two knoity brambles and being ready to take his venerall pleasure vpon her the Fayerie Knight comming by and séeing that dishonour and violence offered to so young a Uirgin with his Sword at one blow paired away the Wild-mans head and so went with the Mayden home to her Fathers house which was an Hermitage some mile distant off where being no sooner come but the good old man hauing a Head more white then Siluer but a heart more heauier then Lead by reason of the want of his daughter so cruelly taken from him began at her sight to be so cheered that he had not the power for ioy to speake a good space but at last taking the fayerie Knight by the hand he led him to an inward roome where hee banqueted him with such chéere as his Hermitage afforded and after in â—â—ew of his daughters reschew hee gaue him thrée such Gifts and of thrée such Uertues as the like seldome had Knight The first was a King which whosoeuer did weare should neuer dye by treason The second a Sword that on what Gate soeuer it strucke it would presently fly open The third and last a viall of such Drinke that whosoeuer tasted should sodainely forget all passed sorrowes Hauing receiued these thrée Gifts of the good old Hermite he departed and trauelled without any aduenture till he came and found the blacke Knight afléepe vpon his fathers Graue which when the Fayerie Knight had awaked in countenance they were so alike as Nature had made them both one for indéed they were Brothers by the Fathers side the one true borne the other a Bastard yet at the first sight such a secret affection grew betwixt them that they plighted their â—aythes to each other vowing neuer to part friendships But when the Blacke Knight had reuealed his birth parentage his Fathers name and place of birth the Fayerie Knight resolued himselfe that he had found a Brother as well in nature as condition But when hee heard the story of his Fathers life and the manner of his death with the murther of Anglitora his vnchast wife hee could not choose but shed teares whereof plenty descended from his faire eyes whereupon hée tooke occasion to speake as followeth Heauen rest thy swéet soule my vnknowne Father and may the fruite of thee proue as famous in the World as thou hast been but more fortunate in their Mariage choyse As for my Stepmother though her vnchast life baue made her in famous to all Womankinde yet this in charitie I desire that when shee comes to Plutoes Realme that Proserpine may send her to the blessed fields of Elizium in remembrance of whom in this world if euer we ariue in that noble Countrey of England where my Knightly Father was borne wee will there erect her a stately Tombe yet no Epitaph shall show her disloyall life nor the cause of her death onely in Letters of beaten Gold shall remaine ingrauen vpon her Tombe the name of Anglitora Daughter to Prester Iohn and Wife to the worthy Red-rose Knight Hereupon hee gaue his new-found Brother the Blacke Knight his Wall of Drinke which the Hermit had giuen him who no sooner had tasted but all former gréefes were forgotten hee remembred not the death of his Father nor the murther of his Mother nor what sorrow hee had sustayned in the Wildernesse but like a ioconde
plainely expressing the bounty that beautified his princely breast The Musicians being departed hee arose from his rich Bed and went vnto the King whom he found as then walking in a pleasant Garden of whom he requsted his Daughter Anglitora in marriage in recompence of his aduenture The which request so displeased the King that all his former curtesies was exchanged into sodaine sorrow and would by no meanes consent that Anglitora should bee his betrothed Spouse and answered that first hee would loose his Kingdome before shée should bee the wife of a wandring Knight The noble Red-rose Knight when hée vnderstood the vnkind answere of Prester Iohn all abashed went vnto Sir Launcelat and his other friends and certified them of all things that had happened who counselled him that the next morning they should depart After this conclusion they went to the King and thanked him for the high Honour hée had grac'd them with and after that went and visited their Shippe where for that day they passed the time in pleasure and so when the scouling night approached the Red-rose Knight went to the faire Anglitora and certified her of the vnkind answere of her cruell Father whereat thée grew sorrowfull and grieued in minde but at last better considering with her selfe shée yéelded her fortune fully at his pleasure promising that for his loue shee would forsake both Countrey Parents and Friends and follow him to what place soeuer hée pleased to conduct her And it is to be supposed that this night the fayre Anglitora tooke all the richest Iewels which she had and trussed them in a faâ—dle and so when it was a little before day shée came vnto the Red Rose Knight and awaked him who presently made him ready and so departed secretly from his Chamber till they came to their Shippes where they found all the rest of the English Knights ready to depart So when they were all a Board they hoysted Sayle and departed from the Port. To whose happy iourney we will now leaue them for a time and speake of the discontents of Prester-Iohn who all that night was exceeding sorrowfull for the vnkind answere which he had giuen to the Red-Rose Knight and so Melancholly that he could neither sléepe nor rest but at the last hee concluded with himselfe that he would goe conuey the English Knights at their departing vnto their Ships to the end that being in other countreys they might applaud his courtesies vsed to Strangers So in the morning hee arose and went to the Chamber where the Red rose Knight was lodged whom hee found departed contrary to his expectation After that he went into his Daughters Chamber where he found nothing but relentlesse walles which in vaine hee might speake vnto whose absence droue him into such a desperate minde that hée suddenly ran to the Sea coastes where hee found many of his Citizens that shewed him the Shippes wherein the English Knights were which was at that time from the Port or Hauen more then halfe a mile Then the King wéeping tenderly demaunded of them if they had séene his Daughter Anglitora To whom they answered that they had séene her vpon the Shippe hatches in company of the Red-rose Knight At which the King bitterly lamented beating his Brest and tearing his milke-white Hayre from his Head vsing such violence against himselfe that it greatly grieued the beholdâ—â—â— At that time there was many of his Lords present who by gentle perswasions withdrew him from the Sea coasts to his Pallace where he many dayes after lamented the disobedient flight of his Daughter CHAP. 7. How Caelia the Queene of the Fayrie Land was found dead floting vpon the waues of the Sea with other things that happened to the English Knights MAny dayes the windes blew chearfully in such sort that the English Ships were within keâ—ning of the Fayery Land at which Sir Lancelat tooke an occasion to speak vnto the Red-rose Knight and put him in remembrance how hee had promised Caelia to returne into her Countrey vnto which hée answered and said That he would keepe promise if the Destenies did afford him life And thereupon commanded the Master Pilot to make thitherward but the windes net being willing raysed such a Tempest on the Sea that the Shippe was cast a contrary way and the Marriners by no means possible could approach the Fayery land At which time the noble Quéene Caelia stood by the sea side vpon an high Rocke beholding the English Ship as it passed by as her vsual manner was euery day standing expecting her deare Loues returne many times making this bitter lamentation to her selfe Ah gentle Neptune thou God of Seas and Windes where is my desired Loue bring him againe vnto mee that day and night wée peth for his company Thus she complained at the same instant when her Louers Shippe sayled by for surely she knew if by the Banners and Ensignes which were displayed in the winde but when the poore Lady perceiued the Ship to turne from her she was sore abashed and dismayed In stead of ioy she was forced to wéepe teares and instead of singing was constrained to make sorrowfull complaints In this manner she aboad there all that ensuing night and caused Fires and great Lights to be made on the shore thinking thereby to call the Red-rose Knighâ— vnto her This order kept shee every day and night for the space of sixe wéekes wayling the want of him whom she loued more deare then her owne heart but when the sixe weekes were past and that the Fayerie Quéene perceiued that she should haue no tydings of her Loue she went from the Rocke all in dispaire into her Chamber where being entred shee caused her Sonne to be brought vnto her whom shée kissed many times for the loue she bore vnto his Father and after beholding the little Infant crossing her Armes with a sigh comming from the bottome of her heart she sayd Alasse my deare Sonne alasse thou canst not speake to demaund tydings of thy Father which is the brauest Knight the most vertuous and the most valiant in Armes that God euer formed Oh where is Nature swéet Babe that should enioyne thée to wéepe and my selfe more then thée for the lesse of so braue a Prince whose face I neuer more shall sée Oh cruell and vnkind Fortune my heart hath concluded that I goe and cast my selfe headlong into the Sea to the intent that if the Noble Knight bee there buried that I may lye in the same Sepulchre or Tombe with him where contrariwise if hee be not dead that the same Sea that brought him hither aliue bring me to him being dead And to conclude before I commit this desperate murther vpon my selfe with my Blood I will write a Letter which shall bée sewed to my Uestments or Attyre to the intent that if euer my body bee presented to the Red-rose Knight that then this bloody Letter may witnesse the true loue that I bore him to the houre of my death Many