Swan as white as snowe who rested her selfe hard by this celestiall fire and with the sweete blast of Zephyrus began her deadly song which shee is accustomed by nature to sing vpon the banks of the crooked riuer of Mcander when shee is reposed vpon the wet grasse and perceiueth her death at hand and in singing distilled from her eyes aboundance of teares which fell vpon the Starrie fire and quenched it by little and little the swanne likewise afféebling both in voyce and life according as the fire deminished in such sort that at the last teare which the swanne shed she died and the fire vanished flaming vp into heauen from whence it was descended By this vision the Archier incontinently vnderstood that the latter end of Franc-Gal was nere at hand and that hee should shortly dye through some dolorous or ioyfull cause Wherefore in the morning before his entrie into the Temple hee went to visit him but hee found him not in his chamber whereon looking out at the windowe he perceiued him walking in the garden very pensiue whereinto he went and saluted him Franc-Gal saluted him againe in a voyce very low and hidden Then the Archier asked him wherefore he was risen before day and had not taken his rest at his ease My rest quoth Franc-Gal is very nere so far as I vnderstand by many presages but chiefely this night through the phantasie of mine vnquietnes which haue not suffered me to repose to the end they might prepare a durable sléepe for mee without waking vntill the reuolution of the world And therefore let vs goe to the Temple to pray and giue thanks to him who hath permitted our being till this present so went these two good wise men right to the temple to accomplish the sacrifice such as hath alreadie been reested Which being done the greatest part of the people assembled thēselues at the great Basilique Dicaste where Diocles bore rule as Potentate of Orbe with all the Benchers Magistrates Lords and notable Citizens Before whome was brought this young Squire Alector who by the Gratians had béen accused of so many crimes whereby the death of their fayre sister Noëmia was happened the which Alector but thrée daies before had béene adiudged by sentence of the diuine Iustice to proue his innocencie by fighting with the great serpent of the Sands This young Squire comming before the face of the magistrates of the whole iustice and of the Potentate shewed himselfe so assured and braue as they séemed to bee seuere and graue demanding at that instant Iustice against the murthering Archer of his fayre and welbeloued Noëmia whome he bewailed without ceassing for the rest neither hauing nor showing any thought or care either of his proper person life or death sauing onelie that hée might reuenge his fayre Noëmia Then Diocles the Potentate showed to all the benchers of the counsaile the little bill which the day before he had found betwéene the hands of the statues of Alablaster of the thrée Graces wherein these verses were written The Arrowe being in the hand Of vanquisher reuenger of His Ladies death the vengeance shall From Heauen aboue descend vpon The murtherer of Noëmia fayre And shortly after that shall end The Pilgrims life and voyage long Through fearefull fright and sudaine ioy This bill being first declared from whence it came and in whose hands it was found was taken for a diuine token and allowed of all with common sentence that the arrowe wherewith Noëmia was staine should bee put into the hands of Alector to see what would happen Who being called into the Iudgement place was demanded of Diocles if hee remembred not the condemnation of combat with the serpent whereto he had béen adiudged and whether he disposed not of himselfe to obay the sentence Yes quoth he most hardlie and assuredly and I thank you too for the honor which you doo mee neither wish I any better but that the traiterous murtherer of Noëmia were also ioyned with the serpent that of them both I might make a sacrifice of reuenge vnto the Spirite of my deceased Noëmia May it therefore please the heads of Iustice to garnish me with mine armes which are my good sword with the lyberian scabbard shining and my shield with the hardie Cock which I brought from the Trophie of Gallehault Showing thereby that all beasts by nature are muniated with their owne proper armes aswel for defence as offence The Lyons quoth hee haue their griping pawes the Elephants their trunkes the Harts and Bulls their hornes and foreféete the horses haue their biting before and yerking behind the Bores their tusks the Tortoyes and shell fishes their hardnes the Bées their sling the Scorpions their tailes the Serpents their venym tongue and deadly teeth onely man is borne without armes as a creature of peace vnles with their owne handie worke and labor they obtaine or conquer them as I haue gotten this sworde of my Fathers gift and therefore proper to me and my shield by mine owne conquest which armes onelie for others appertaine not to mée being but a simple Squire I require to be restored and put into my hands that I may not be found a naked man and vnarmed of all weapons aswel offensiue as defensiue against this terrestiall enemy of man armed with malice subtiltie force nimble lightnes piercing téeth dāgerous tail mortal poyson besides that with hard shayles on his lubrick skin whereas I being naked and vngarnished of all defence against such and so well armed an enemie if I be ouercome it shall be mine owne euill and damage in particular but in generall it shall be the shame reproach and coniusion of those men who heereafter shall bee staine and deuoured by the most wicked of all beasts whom Soueraigne God which you call Ioua hath condemned to be troden vnder the féete of man vnto whom power is giuen to tread vpon the Aspic and Basilisque and to foyle with his feete the Lyon and Dragon which you shall see come to passe GOD giuing mee the force if you restore mee mine armes which haue bin vniustly taken from me and the which I here demand before your Iustice The Potentate and all the Magistrates were amerueiled not onely at the braue hardines of Alector which naturally might come of the fire of his age but much more of his liberall eloquence and reasonable wisdome before age albeit he were farre yonger than they tooke him to bee Wherefore presently they caused his armes to be brought forth deliuering to him his good sword with the scabberd of the shining serpents skinne and his greene shield with the Cock of Golde which he recetued with so great ioy as they bad béene taken from him with great sorro we and lamentation And besides that the Potentate Diocles following the aduertisement of the Archier and the Oracle written by the Charites put into his hand an arrow being bloudy halfe way to the feathers which he tooke and after he had beheld
him vntill the head corps entrailes flesh bones and sinewes were cleane consumed into stinking ashes together with the murthering arrow Such was the diuine vengeance that fell vpon the traitor and enuious paricide Coracton wherewithall the people were astonished in feare and terror of the great vertue and more than humaine puissance supernaturally giuen to this young Esquire who forthwith was taken by the Potentate Diocles accompanied with all the Assessours Magistrats and Lords of the towne and led into the chiefest place of the Theatre wher with Croniel the pontifical Archier was Franc-Gal so rauished with ioy for the health victorie of his sonne Alector that he was beyond himself not knowing whether hee were man or spirit quick or dead sensible or vnsensible And neuertheles his son Alector came before al the multitude saluted him with humble reuerence childly cherefulnes saying vnto him My most honorable Lord father thanks be vnto the soueraigne that beyond al my hope in spight of the rauishing trāsport of the wicked spirits we are againe assembled vnited together and so shal continue if God please who hath vouchsafed to grant me a sight of you after so long a depart you to finde me after so long vncertain a search which I verily beleeue you haue made Franc-Gal vnderstāding his sonn answered him thus Alector my most dere child the soueraigae God Ioua increase thee with vertue hardines honor Then beholding his shield and eleuating his eyes to heauen began againe his speach saying Thanks be vnto the Soueraigne and to thée most high sonne for that before my departure out of this mortall life which shal be very soone wherein I haue liued nine ages more I sée before me my most déere Sonne Alector borne of my Lady Priscaraxe Quéene of Tartary and haue seen his first prowesse promises of farre greater in tune to come with his first honors done vnto him in a strange countrey yea that amongst his enemies such as had vowed his mortall destruction my child I pray the soueraign Ioue that the order of knighthood may bee giuen thee by some valiant and magnificall man for of me thou hast fayled the receining therof when as thou shalthaue receiued it perseuer to honour Soueraigne Ioue and to giue him praises euerie houre both day and night Lift vp thy spirit and eyes towards heauen from whence thou hast taken original and thy courage to high enterprises hardines prowesse honour alwaies accompanie thee vertue freedom and liberalitie neuer abandon thee be freend to the good an enemie reuenger to the wicked My Sonne the hand of the most puissant most great and most good God blesse thee and my fatherly blessing take thou in a good houre Saying this he put his hand vpon the head of his sonne and then adressing his speach to the Croniell Archier hee said thus I likewise thanke thee most vertuous Archier for thy faithfull conduct honest company and of thy good and veritable foretellings which haue consolated me and giuen me to vnderstand that the end of my perigrination is at hand and that shortly the vaticination of Proteus shall bee accomplished I haue liued and perfected the course which nature hath giuen me To be briefe my great Image shall goe vnder the earth and the flame of my Cierge remount vp to Heauen from whence it came cause my departure to be signified to my faith full companions who are at the next port with my Hippopotame but aboue al send word into Tartary to the Queene Priscaraxe to let her vnderstand of my departure to the end she stay no longer for mee Croniell promised him to accomplish his request if the mortal thing should chance to happen which seemed to him neither to bee ready nor nere at hand considering at that present hee was both in perfect health and bigor In the meane while the Magistrates lords multitude with great silence beheld these two persons strangers the father and the sonne in great admiratiō of their heroycal comelines and equall and like beautie according to the difference of their ages together with their excellent magnanimities valiant facts and aduenturous déedes and of their fortunate encountrie and mutuall knowledge the one of the other in that place of the Theatre in such sort that either without speach or mouing vniuersally they held their immutable eyes vpon Franc-Gal and Alector Then Croniel the Archier sayd Yee men of Orbe who vpon these 2. strange men doo cast your view in great admiration know yee that our Soueraigne God Ioua hath sent them into these regions frō far Septentrional countries for the publique health of our citie and destruction of our domestical and internall enemie whom you your selues and in your presence haue séene slaine and discomfited by the sonne of this wise man who likewise before hath deliuered the woods and fields round about vs from the danger of the terrible Centaure whom he slew and deliuered the fayre Noëmia from his hands which afterwards was the occasion of the scandale that now hath turned to our great common good for therewith we are bound to him and owe the greatest and chiefest honor and praise next vnto God To whome first of all let vs goe and render thanks in his temple where we wil deuise further with what prise of honor wee shall acknowledge the merit of this young man Al the people general answered hereto So be it Of the thanks giuing in the Temple the publique praise the prize of honour assigned with the ciuill crowne giuen to Alector Of the death of Franc-Gal the lamentation for him his elenation and translation of the losse of Hippopotame and of the bird sent away as a messenger CAP. Vlt. AT these words the Archier betwéene the Father and the Sonne went right to the temple whereto hée was followed of the Potentate Magistrats Lords and the greater part of the people And being come thether there were set on the highest degree before the altar thrée chayres In the middlemost the Archier tooke his place in the two others Franc-Gal and Alector were placed and the Potentate with the other Lords counsellors and other Magistrates betooke them to their accustomed seats This done all of them following the example of their Bishop bowed their knées and enclined their heads in silent prayer and thanks giuing and afterwards rising vp at the suite and imitation of their Priest Croniell and his ministers with the founds of all forts of instruments according with the voyce in harmenious Musick they sung this song following Thanks be to Ioue our great and Soueraigne Lord Who hath vs brought out of these mortall dangers Honor and praise we people him afford That hath vs saued by the hands of strangers O blessed spirits and sacred Angels bright Vouchsafe now to present before his throne Our gratefull psalme and song of sweet delight Acknowledging that through his grace alone The worthie child and Sonne of vertuous syre
the stone and hardlie on either side by reason of he two angles which came out of the Hemicicle which defēded him in so much he had not to defēd himself against his Enemies but onelie before which hee did so brauelie and with so youthfull corage and with so hot and boyling a bloud that hee neither thought of nor feared the perill being emboulded with the vertue of the shield which he carried rauished from the Trophe against the spirite of hardines See the whole processe of this in the 19. Cap. Withall which forces being garnished he enstalled himselfe in the midds of his crying enemies farre more fearing than approching nere him like a wilde Bore grounded and set in the wood against an infinite companie of doggs earnestlie but farre off baying yalping houling and crying amongst whome if any one begle ouer yong and foeble presumeth to assaile him in his furie and heate incontinent with his crooked and furious tusks hee setteth his gutts into the winde and his life into the ayre giuing example and feare to all the rest whose nature is that the one being hurt the others runne awaie Euen so were they in great multitudes about Alector crying threatning and dispiting him but not ouer passing the bodies of them who lay slaine before them Neuerthelesse the number still increasing he founde himselfe so charged with stones bullets and bars of wood with shafts arrowes and darts that if the Goddesse of health her selfe would haue salued him shee could not And therewithall issewed out of the pallace a yong maide of singuler beautie and of more soueraigne grace and this was the faire Noëmia Gratian sister germaine to the three brothers Gratians the one slaine and the other two fighting for reuenge children of the wiseman Euander Gratian and of the noble Ladie Agathagine the chiefe and auncient house of the Orbitains This yong maide who in truth was the Mistresse of Alector seeing her most dere friend in the middest of his mortall enemies brought to that stall of bucherie and so many staues and arrowes flying vpon him that hardly shee could see him vnder his shielde more replenished with arrowes then the back of a hedgehog with bristells could no longer stay her selfe but moued by a furious rage of loue setting a side all virginicall shame al maidenly feare and al honor of her noble blood exceeding the pastianimitie of her feminine kinde with more than a manlike heart ran through the mortall weapons of her brothers and parents assaylants vnto her friend the defendor of his owne life and the honour of them both She being vncorfed with her haires hanging downe faire like Phoebus beames with her visage sad and bedewed with teares neuertheles replenished with hardnes graue constancie her faire bodie being more white then the statues of the Graces of Alablaster which were there set vp and illuminated amids the white with a natural viue incarnat couered only with her petticote vnlaced and cast ouer with a light cloake of white damaske put her selfe betweene the two parties turning towards her friends and their adherents with a hardie and boldened voice shee began her speach as followeth My dere brethren and you my Parents and friends I beséech you cease your shooting stay your strokes and listen a while to me The assault which you make here vpon this faire young valiant and vertuous Gentleman whom you knowe not is either for the loue of mee your Sister and kinswoman or els for hate and reuenge of him your offendor as you suppose It is either for the one or the other or els for both by reasō of a certen sinister suspition which ought rather to be taken vp and concealed than notoriously discouered If it bee for the loue of me I beseech you for my sake to pardon Alector his life honour and libertie to whome as you your selues can tell I owe both life libertie and honour whereby he being once dead it is impossible for me to liue besides this in dooing him wrong with the vile vice of ingratitude contrarie to your nature and the surname of your house you shall violate the holie right of hospitalitie killing your guest in your owne house whom heartelie and worthilie you haue thereinto receiued and entertained And if the violence which you do him is to reuenge any fore-fault or offence of youth either of his or mine you ought rather to conceale than reueale it If you require vengeance for it take it of mee which am cause of the euill if any euill bee and vpon my bodie and heart for his vertue vowed vnto him to whom I shall be a pauoys and bulwark of defence that willingly spared not himselfe for me yea and am as readie and willing to receiue for him your shot and mortall blowes as new I goe to couer and imbrace him This spoken the faier and gratious Noëmia with bodie and armes cast herselfe vpon the worthie Squire Alector imbracing him straightlie kissing him tenderlie and hanging about his neck most louinglie their faces and breasts ioyned together which both of them had naked and couering al her body against the force of his assailants Which thing her brethren and parents perceiuing and hauing vnderstoode both her praier and protestation together naturall pittie and parentage mouing them began alreadie to retire and lay aside their armes when a wretch and cursed springall who long time had pursewed the loue of Noëmia and could neuer come to one onely smiling looke turning his sweete into sower and his loue and desire into disdaine and dispite with the great cherishing which he sawe her showe to Alector purposed to slay them both at once wherefore seeing his oportunitie he let fly an arrowe fethered with light inconstancie and hedded with a hed of cruell anger tempored with the venym of ielousie thinking to dispatch them both at one instant but the cursed arrowe lighting in the right side of Noëmia passed through her bodie whereby of a soddaine her beautifull flesh smock and cloke of white damaske changed their snowie hewe into a vermillion collour and the Damosell feeling her inwarde deadly wound pirtifullie cried out Alas I am wounded to the death for you my friende Alector briefe hath been the pleasure of our loues and sad the departure The flower of my beautie and youth is as soone vaded againe as the morning rose plucked vp and withered at night But the death is somuch lesse grieuous vnto mee in that I am slaine by sauing you from that mortall stroke and in that I die betweene your armes my deere friend leauing to you therefore the reuenge At these words her speach failed her and her eyes closing she inclined her mouth vpon the face of Alector who thinking to ease her pulled out the wicked arrowe but with drawing it out her life with her bloud departed and this not long before so faire and gratious a creature fell downe dead at the feete of her friend Alector so sad and so inraged with
assault for I neuer had doubt of them as full well I haue giuen them since to vuderstand but onely by descending without ladder or fraction with my hand set vppon the window easelie going downe to giue way and place to their furious insolence and threatning cries and for shunning of committing any act of hostilitie in a house of hospitalitie and also because I would not giue any dishonorable suspition to their sister whose honor if I had not had in more recommendation than they who haue brought it in question without leauing the place I had well defended their entrie and haue sent them with their parents like insensible fooles But hauing these two respects I thought better to stake my force and hardines and to giue place to their furie than to fight with mine hostes and giue scandall to their sister And if I had found no impeachment in the court no drop of bloud had béen shed by me in their house But you know O iust Diocles that it is permitted yea and necessarie by the righteous lawe of nature to repulse force by force and violence by violence Wherefore perceiuing my selfe ercluded from all way of flying combat and finding my selfe inuironed with a mightie companie of armed men who had sworue either my death or captiuitie who am free and sonne of free and liberall condition and assailing mee on euerie side without mercie or grace I retired my selfe towards the azile and sacred statues of the Charites and Graces thinking there to finde grace franchise and safetie Wherefore if in defending my bodie some ouer rash persons haue faine vnder my trenching sworde I say that it is not I that haue staine them for I neuer had will thereto and the iust lawe dooth not iudge but voluntarie deedes as for these they themselues like furious wilde Bores haue rashlie come to bee staine and therefore of their owne voluntarie death I pleade my selfe innocent To conclude whereas they charge mee with violence and Rape committed on the person of their sister I answere it is so farre from trueth as contrariwise their sister Noëmia being by the terrible and sauage Centaure rauished and without hope of recouerie from being euer lost I by valiance against violence haue brought her home safe and sounde and so restored her to her brothers Whereby if it were so that I had subtracted her to mee and appropriated her person to my will yet haue I no taken but that which ought to bee mine by good conquest and right of warre for that they lost her with ill keeping and I got here againe from the monsterous Centaure and therefore she should be mine by vniuersall right of people And thus concluding for mine absolution I craue full deliuerance and restitution of mine armes Or otherwise if I be found guiltie of death which shall lesse greeue mee after the death of my most deere Noëmia most instantly I beseech you O Lorde Diocles and all you the assistants that you will cause that murthcring archer to bee sought and found out that so traiterously hath staine the innocent Noëmia and after that you haue condemned him to cruell death as reason and Iustice require to put him into my hands that I may execute and take vengeance vppon him to the ende my soule after her departure out of this bodie may carrie agreeable newes to the spirite of Noëmia in witnes of the constant loue that in her life and after her death I haue borne her And for faithfull proofe of my wordes spoken and alledged in my defence let the domesticall seruants euen vnto the torture bee examined and asked who kept her companie when she was rauished by the Centaure and by mee deliuered out of his handes Likewise let Arcana her familiar chamber maide be examined who to all her deedes and secrets was most priuie The defense of Alector heard and vnderstood which seemed not vnreasonable the thoughts of the whole assistance by close fauor accorded to his absolution and deliuerance But the iust Iudge Diocles who beleeued not easely in simple words by the aduise of the Counsel caused Tharsides and Calestan domesticall seruants in the house of the Gratians to be sent for who had been in the companie and conduct of Noëmia present at her rauishment likewise Arcana her secret damosell was sent for who appearing before the Potentate Diocles were adiured in the name and by the faith which they ought to Soueraigne Ioue to tell trueth of all that they knewe and had seene betwéene Alector and Noëmia with threaten of death if they dissimuled any thing or if they concealed or disguised the truth of the matter as it was These poore seruile persons so adiured began to looke one vpon another without speaking word either of them fearing in himselfe to vtter or conceale the thing whereof they might be coargued by the other vntill Tharsides first tooke and addressed his speach to the Potentate in this manner A Narration of the Rauishment of Noëmia carried away by the sauage Centaure of her recouerie by Alector the beginning of their secret loue in the den and the continnuance thereof till her death CAP. 3. MY Lord Diocles and most iust Potentate in whose presence the most assured tremble for reuerence of thy seuere iudgement which receiueth neither fauor flatery nor lying I protest puerly and entierly to vtter that which I know without conceale or dissimulation There are two moneths alreadie past or there abouts that my Ladie Noëmia deceased whose Soule rest in peace was sent for by my Lady Callirhoa her cousen to her castel of the Greene-head to accompanie passe the time with her certaine daies whiles my Lord Spathas her husband was gone twelue iournies from thence toward an Augur beeing an ancient Hermit of a most straite life and a Diuine man resident about the horned rock to inquire and knowe of this holy man of certaine ordinarie and almost daily praies and slaughters which were done in his lands and woods of persons and beastes either staine rauished or incurably lost without knowing by whome or whether it were a Diuell a sauage beast or a man that committed these outrages For the bodies of those who were found staine were stroken and pierced with arrowes headed with the venemous teeth of Dragons or else marked and striken with round blowes without wound which gaue suspition that they were shot or stroken downe by the hand of a man But when any man followed them who were rauished there could none other trace be founde but the footing of a horse so soone vanished into the thicknesse of the wood that those who pursewed them oftentimes found themselues lost And for that cause my Lord Spathas was gone towards this diuine Augur to vnderstand and heare some certaine aduice of him In the meane while my Ladie Noëmia sent for by her Cousen Callirhoa with the leaue of her Parents and three brethren who had the charge and soueraigne recommendation of her after the death
or well right deepe where in the middest of the darknesse by a little glittering of a sulphurian light I perceiued the depth of this round Tower abased euen from the superficialitie of the earth vnto the point centrique or centure of the same and below a Barathre or eternall prison where by the infernall obscuritie I could see nothing but darknesse dispearsed vpon the face of the depths but well might I heare horrible cries fearefull hurlings mingled with plaints groanes like to men tormented and furious enraged beasts fighting amongst themselues throwing and biting one another in extreame rage Whereuppon through great feare I leaped out afright so rudely that I mounted out into the cleare light where the forenamed white bird which in truth was my Calodaimon came and tooke me demaunding me saying Franc-Gal hast thou seene that which thou desirest Yea yea quoth I and heard fearfull cries which caused me to retire but I knewe not what it should be vnlesse it be the eternal prison of the wicked Giants Triphon and Briaro with their complices and followers who were not afraide to set themselues against the Soueraigne vpon whome being cast downe and desolated the mountaines great rockes which are the foundations of the auncient Tower which thou didst behold haue been throwen the which oftentimes they shake cause to tremble by the impatience of intollerable paines in shaking sometimes the foundations by the aboundaunce of water cast and throwen out by their conduct and other whiles by the impetuositie of the windes comming from their despitefull sighings sometime by the violence of the fire coÌ„ming out of their throat and by the inflamed vapor of forceable ire and outragious wrath Neuerthelesse for all their forces they shall neuer bring it to ruine nor cast it downe neither shall they be discharged or come out of this tenebrous prison vnlesse the infinite bountie of the vanquisher surmount the obstinate mallice of the vanquished who neither hope nor desire it but obstinately please themselues with their paines as the cursed serpents feede themselues with their owne venime and therefore let vs leaue them in their eternall miseries In saying thus he carried me vp so high that hauing the elements and planets vnder my feete I found my selfe aboue the Towre wherein I beheld in great sublimitie vpon the pomell of the top thereof this olde Ladie which my Calodaimon tolde mee was Anange mother of the three Sisters and hauing intentiuely considered her estate and puissance in a moment I descended into my bodie béeing come to my selfe I remembred well the meruailous things that I had séene and such as I haue accompted to thée in truth That which thou hast accompted quoth the Archier is wonderfull yet neuerthelesse séeming true and credible in mine opinion for me verie same or the like not long since hath béen heard of in this Region by a meruailous and supernaturall aduenture What is that I pray thée quoth Franc-Gall that I I passe no 〈◊〉 in my narration before I haue vnderstood of thée the example seruing for the coÌ„firmation of my speach which will cause thée more easilie to giue credit to the rest Therefore I beseech thée to tell it me and I will giue thée good audience I am â—…ght well content quoth the Archier so that the whiles thou remember the point where thou leauest of the olde Ladie Anange sitting vpon the pomell of the Tower and therefore now take thy rest a while and I by maner of interlecutorie respiration will reckon to thee a thing conuenient to the narration of thy ectasticall vision and rauishment of thy spirite to the depth and top of the Tower Of the loue of Mammon towards the saire Ladie Thanais of her ensircement poysoning and death CAP. 8. IN the prime of my youth about 470. yeres passed I being of the age of knowledge as it were 49. yeres there came into these parts an vnknowen man ill shaped and blacke like to an Aethiopian neuerthelesse verie rich in siluer golde precious stones and other mettalls for the rest of a great and subtill spirite and excéeding well learned in euerie science farre aboue all other that he met This man hauing taken his dwelling in the Citie of Orbe whereto we are now going and there by reason of the store of money that he possessed and for that the Towne by meanes of the Sea néere adiacent and of the riuers ports and passages thereto adioyning is very commodious for a place of merchandize he helde and hore the state of a merchant Banquer Of what merchandize quoth Franc-Gall made he his traffique He was said the Archier a temporall merchant for he sold for time by compt and measure So this temporall Merchant called Mammon holding a famous Banque in Orbe became amorous of a right faire and most renowned Maiden of one of the richest and noblest houses in the Citie which Maiden was called Thanais This faire Mammon beeing thus taken with the loue of Thanais began to court her euill fauouredlie enough and more imperiously than graciously by vanting of himselfe ostentation of his great riches and cunning and with dispraysing and blaming of all others chiefly of the vertuous besides that he sought to allure her by rich gifts presents of golde of gemmes rings and iewels although by nature he was verie couetous but aboue all with most faire and ample promises But the Maiden to whome these proud brauados were intollerable and who had perhaps lodged her heart in some higher place reiected all his presents refused his offers shunned his encountrie would giue no eare to his proud words as one whom she hated as much as he desired her both for his improbous and vngracious behauiour for his displeasant gesture Wherevpon beeing aduertised by one of her Morian slaues that she was accustomed euerie morning so soone as she rose to goe halfe vncloathed with her haire hanging down to take the aire in the garden to refresh and wash her selfe and visage in the siluered streames of the fountaine which ranue through the same he for a certaine péere of money promise of redemption out of bondage and setting at libertie of this her Morian slaue was by her let in to the garden where he hid himselfe in a thicke Arbour till the morning that his desired Thanais should come who according to her accustomed manner failed not Then he from his embushment seeing this faire yong creature comming couered with a single peticote of light sattin and abating the deawe with her bare féete whiter than Alabaster her fayre armes naked and beautefied with liuely whitenes being discouered her breasts borne out with two apples of yuorie or pappes of the same coulour lying open her head lightly trussed vp with a faire white kerchiefe of fine linnen behind the which one might behold her golden haires whereof one part vntrussed hong downe ouer her necke shoulders and another part frisseled and curled descended wauing
Hath slaine our foe that did our death conspire After this psalme sung with great ioy and iubilation the Bishop Croniell spake vnto all the assistance in this manner This day haue you soene my Lords friends that thing accomplished which not long since I haue showed vnto you by diuine reuelation which is vnfaylable that is the publique health with our deliuerance from the common terror and vniuersell danger by the ouerthrow of the serpent which this young and valiant Esquire Alector sonne of the sage Franc-Gal hath slaine to the extreame hazard and perrill of his life So as by this most vertuous act he hath restored your whole citie to the wonted securitie for the which all in generall owe him thanks and honour and not onely to him with vouchsased to accomplish the meritorious act of so great a praise but also to his father who for vs and the common wealth of this citie hath brought into the World a Sonne of such vertue Now haue wee an ancient order and a most laudable custome not to bee ingratefull to the well meritors of our common wealth but ouer and aboue our verball regratiation to reward honour them with some notable publique déede and some guift of honorable prize wherefore prepare your selues to yeeld this fauorable grace towards these two strangers who to my thinking haue well desetued the same At these words all the multitude cried with one voyce we yéeld thanks to Alector our perseuer who hath exposed his life for vs against our internall mortall enemie and that hath deliuered vs from his dangers moreouer we giue thanks vnto his bertuous father Franc-Gal who hath sent vs such a worthie Sonne and we likewise declare both of them worthie of the rights of our citie of Orbe to be set amongst the estates of the Prytan and particularly the ciuill crowne to be set vppon the head of Alector as a deliuerer of the citie then quoth the Bishop are you all of this minde will and consent Who answered with one voyce yea then the Archier caused to bee brought by his ministers a most fayre crowne of gold fashioned like to the leaues of an Oake enamiled with greene and the bayes of waightie rubies and the acornes of sine emeraulds which when he had taken it in his hand he turned towards Franc-Gal and Alector saying vnto them in this wise My Lord Franc-Gal a man most vertuous and thou Alector Esquire most valerous the citie of Orbe vniuersally thanketh you for their wholesome deliuerance out of the danger and publique euill in acknowledging whereof the Lords Magistrats and all the people do grant vnto you being strangers all the rights and priuileges of this citie and from hensforth receine you for cittizens and Patrices of this towne of Orbe in assigning to you the estate of Prytan so great and honorable that it is onely ordeyned for the excellent benefactors who haue wel deserued of the common wealth Ouer and aboue the which for especial honor of thy vertue Alector of thy magnanimity valiant victory ouer the monstrous serpēt of the sands the internall enemy of the citie for thy worthie reuenging of Noëmias death slaughter of the sauage Centaure our external enemy for the excellent prize of honor for these thy valiant acts they presēt thée with this rich crown acknowledging thée for the liberator of their citie In this saying he lifted vp the faire and rich crowne and set it vpon the head of Alector who receiuing it graciously with a shamefast rednes resembled to one of Phoebus morning beames his Father Franc-Gal beholding him so affectionatly and fatherly with an extreame interior ioy at the honour wherein hee saw his Sonne a little before as an offendor condemned tooke such a suddaine ioy after the extreame dolors and deadly feares which hee had not long before conceiued aswell by his dreames oracles visions augures and proper prognostications as also of the perill wherein he had séen his sonne vnhoped for in combat with the serpent that his soule was almost out of himselfe through the violence of the vnspeakeable aduentures diuers encountries suddaine chances vnlooked for and strange mutations from sorrow into hope from hope into trauaile and dolor from trauel into doubt from doubt into feare from feare into vnhoped ioy and from ioy into incredible admiration by which diuers contratie and striuing passions being perturbated he resembled a liuing body in a rauished soule as in trueth he was neuerthelesse such a new ioy shined in his merrie vermilion face full of gracious chéerefulnes that it witnessed the pleasure which he receiued of the happy houre and honour of his crowned sonne as already from his infancie he had an euident signe Alector then séeing him thus repleat with ioy demanded if the crowne were properly appertaining to him and it was answered yea Then he lifting it from his owne head set it vpon the head of his Father Franc-Gal who through sodaine mutation which is perilous and oftentimes deadly from feare into assurance and from sorrowe into vnhoped ioy being alreadie halfe beyond himselfe and féeling this sonnelie pittie to crowne him through excessiue ioy and loue could no longer kéepe his rauished spirit from flying away through vehement exultation and at the same instant was séene a long streight and a most pure and clere flame issuing out of his eyes and mounting towards heauen through the top of the temple which in trueth was the light of his cierge put out the last day of his peregrination in the temple of the Soueraigne God according to the ordinance of the ancient Lady Anange and of her thrée daughters Cleronome Zodore and Termaine who as then ended the cierge of his life sight and way in such sort that he remained stif and departed in the same habitude of ioyfull and pleasant face which he had when with the extremitie of loue and ioy the crowne was set vpon his head by his dere sonne Alector in such sort that none thought he had giuen vp the Ghost but onely the good Croniell who before had reuelation of his departure and who by conferring the visions and oracles together and vnderstanding priuatly his speaches doubted the worst Wherefore hauing signified so much to the people in the presence of them all he lifted vp his head by the chin calling him thrée times by his name but it auailed not for there remained neither life soule nor spirit in him his Sonne Alector more sorrowful of his fathers death than before he had béen ioyfull of his new glorie embraced accolled kissed called and cried to him but hee might easilie perceiue him to be nothing but a statue of flesh seperated from the soule whereupon through great heauines and sorrowe which stroke him at the heart hee swounded in the chayre in such sort as it was thought that both Father and Sonne had béen dead the whole multitude being astonished of so suddaine a mutation from ioy into sorrow and from life into death