sort being vnwilling to make choise of any but by your appointment but in the ende his sutes grewe to that importunacie that hee would haue no deuiall but comming into her chamber chusing his fittest opportunitie when my Mistresse was in her bedde and surprising her vnawares offered her excéeding shame and villanie but beeing by her striuing and out-crie disappoynted of his full intent hée presentlie fledde away The King hearing Flauias spéeches was excéedingly iuraged with furie commaunding his knights to poste euery way to learne where he made his abode This newes being spred at last came to a knight of Natolia who by occasion was then in the Lybian Court who presently came to the king and tolde him that hee needed not â—o make inquyrie for the knight of Fame for that hee was â—t the Golden Tower The King hearing that newes was exceeâ—ingly gladde thereof commanding his knightes to staye their iourney writing a letter to Maximus to this effâ—ct MOst mightie King I salute you requesting you to worke reuenge in my behalf vpon a traitor who now remaineth with you who hath dishonoured my Daughter hee is called the Knight of Fame assuming that name to colour his wicked practises who no doubt will soone deuise some mischiefe against your person let him not escape your hands but rather send him to mee that I may â—euenge that monstrous iniurie hee hath done mee by his life which onely shall satisfie mee Thus remembring my loue to you and desirng your secrecie I cease Your brother of Lybia Hauing written this letter and sealed it with his signet hée presently sent the same by certaine of his knightes to the Golden Tower who as effectually dispatched theyr iourney as hee hadde giuen them straight charge and arriuing at the Golden Tower deliuered the letter to Maximus who hauing redde the same and well considered the circumstance which augmented his hatred and suspiâ—ion alreadie begunne against the knight of Fame presently comming to the place where hee was in talke with Marcellus hee caused him to be apprehended and without any other iudgement caused him presently to be cast into a denne of Lyons to be deuoured The knight of Fame was no sooner put into the denne but the Lyons made an excéeding roaring that those without assuredlie iudged him deuoured and himselfe expected nothing but that terrible and â—eaâ—full death but the Lyons who by nature will not harme those of Royall blood spared his life and not so much as offered to touch him but were rather terrified with his presence Hee being glad of this happy escape beganne to assure himselfe that hee was sprung of Kingly race which greatly comforted his heart and added a perswasiue hope to comfort himselfe withall that by that occasion hee should attaine to Angelicas loue if hée could worke meanes for his releasement out of that place most of all hee woondred why Maximus had offered him that outrage In these and such like cogitations he spent the rest of the day Marcellus seeing the Knight whome hee most dearely loued destroyed without iudgement equity or cause was so inwardly inraged that he was in minde oftentimes to worke himselfe iniuâ—ie and séeke meanes of reuenge if he knew who had bene the causer thereof and not knowing what to doo nor in whose companie to spende his time hée presently thought to goe to Angelica whom hee thought bare some good will to the knight of Fame with her to bemoane his vntimelie death but comming to the place where shée was hée would haue entred therein but Collimus according to Maximus commaund denyed him and that the more obstinately for that hée knew none fauoured the knight of Fame so much as hée whom he mortally hated Marcellus being before sufficiently inraged was now so much more vexed that hee drewe his dagger and with a violent blow stabbed the same to Collimus heart and withall going to Angelica hee found her very sad little thinking of these mischances who séeing him in that rage which shée soone perceiued by his behauiour shée came vnto him hauing seated himselfe downe in a chayre and desired to know the cause of his wrath O Sister quoth hée this place is the harbour of crueltie tiranny and dishonour which in times past hath bene famous and a receipt of honour but shortly will be hated and shâ—nned as odious omniminious and all procured by the foolish Diuining of a wicked Harlot that hath filled my Fathers head with such fancies that hée forgetteth himselfe his honour and Kingly behauiour and geueth credit to none but flat terers and parasites imprisoning his children murthering his friends and séeking the subuersion of honour and honourable knights Oh Angelica what should I say or to whome should I complaine hee hath slaine vertue he hath destroyed honour hée hath murthered my deare friend that kinde and courteous knight hée hath cast the vnknowne most honorable though vnknowne Knight of Fame into the Lyons den without iudgement iustice right offence or tryall Angelica hearing his words was ready to sound with gréefe but that feare to discouer her loue withheld her but being not able to refraine from teares she withdrew her selfe aside to conceale the same which Marcellus espying caught her in his armes and said Nay deare Sister do not conceale your gréefe for his death from mée that loue you so much the better and if you euer conceiued any good liking of him I shall honour you for the same for hée was worthy to be beloued of the best Lady in the world for in him shined all partes and poynts of true Knighthood and honour I cannot quoth Angelica denie but that I liked and loued him too neither shall I euer do otherwise whilest I liue though hee knewe not so much for whose death my heart shall neuer harbour quiet nor neuer shall thought of other loue siâ—ke into my breast for him had I vowed to loue and that vowe will I kéepe inuiolable whilest life doth last Oh Angelica quoth Marcellus had I knowne you had loued him so well I would haue dyed with him but I would haue saued his life which was so suddainly acted and so vnexpected that before I could recouer my sences from amazâ—ment he was past my reach What cause had my Father thinke you to séeke his destruction but because hée saw him in spéeche with you Aye me quoth Angelica was I the cause of his death I will then go to him with that such gréefe opprest her heart that shée fell downe in his armes Marcellus called to her Maides who presentlie came thronging about her maruelling at her suddaine sicknesse and especially Anna who was priuie to her thoughts hearing Marceilus speeches made great lamentation This newes was soone come to the Queenes hearing who presently came running vnto the place and hauing by her labour recouered her enâ—red into these speeches Why how now Angelica what meanâ—st thou to doo thy selfe this wrong What mâ—â—chance or suddaine passion hath caused this disquiet
departed dowing to search all places to finde her that all the whole country was filled with report of her losse Parismus Tellamor Barzillus presently rode to the wood to Pollipus whom they found in suche heauie plight as it made their manlike hearts to melt with griefe But Pollipus espying them would haue fled from their â—â—ght that loued him most dearely vntill Parismus ouertooke him and said Most deare friend how can you bée so vnkinde as to shun my companie whose care is no lesse then yours and who tendeth your welfare as much as mine owne haue you forgotten manhood knighthood and curtesie where is that vertue now become that was wont to rule your affections good Pollipus for my sake for all the friendship by all the curtesâ—es promises and good will that euer past betwixt vs leaue off this desperate follie and listen to my counsaile â—â— not for all this yet for Violettaes sake pittie your selfe and recal your former sences and let vs determine how to recouer her that is but straied out of the way many hundred knights are already posted into most places of this countrey and will coast all Germanie throughout but they will finde her then do not you increasâ— our further care by this desperate sorrow but according to your wonted wisedome wherewith you haue counsailed me in my afflictions let vs study how to recouer this miserie Oh my Lord quoth Pollipus my Violetta is dead at which word extreame hearts sorrowe and inward griefe stopt the passage of his spéech and was restrained with heart-swelling sighes which being a little asswaged he againe said If I were sure shée were not dead then would I willingly immitate your direction or were I but sure death had seized vpon her tender heart then would I neuer part from this place though millions of diuels should séeke to driue me hence Why quoth Parismus how can you thinke shée is dead when there is no likehood signe nor mention to bée seene thereof neither her apparell nor any part of her body torne or any other circumstance to perswade vs to any such conceit then why will you suffer any such perswasions to possesse your fancie Quoth Pollipus how then came the scarffe so torne it may be the wilde beasts haue some secret dens whereinto they haue drawne her body and many other mischaunces befallen her that shee was subiect vnto and yet still bee hidden from our knowledge neither let that trouble you quoth Parismus but rest contented and your care that way shall soone bée cased but â—epart with mée to the Court to comfort your selfe with some foode and I will presently giue order to haue this woodde so throughly searcht that you shall plainely finde shée hath not miscaried Pollipus with his perswasions though vnwillingly went backe with them mounting on Tellamors horse for that he was sore trauailed and wearie of that disquiet nights trouble Thus for a time wée wil leaue Pollipus returned to the Court with Parismus Violetta very sicke and weake in Archas Castle and many of the Bohemian and Thessalian Knights in her search to turne my sences to write of an other Subiect long time buried in forgetfulnesse the chiefest subiect of whereon this Historie dependeth CHAP. III. How Parismenos was brought vp in the Iland of Rockes in Tartaria How his nurse was slaine by a Lyon How he liued many yeares like a wilde man and afterwards arriued at Andramarts Castle AT such time as Laurana was imprisoned in the Iland of Rocks vnder the gouernment of Adamasia Andramarts sister as is declared in the first part of this Historie the nurse vnto whose custody the young child Parismenos was committed fearing his vntimely death which Adamasia threaned because his mother would not consent to Andramarts lust secretly to saue the child from her crueltie fled by fight into a desolate wood where she carefully educated him according to the condition of the place which was with such wild fruite as she gathered making many a hard shift to stanch her hunger and defend the swéete babe from famine vntill at length hearing of Andramarts death she determined to returne to the Castle and there present him to his mother and to that intent forsaking her poore habitation she went as she thought thitherwards but most vnfortunately wandred into a desolate and vnfrequented Wildernesse where she had not long stayed but met a fierce and cruell Lyon who slew her which when Parismenos beheld notwithstanding his infancie hée laboured with his weake resistance to preserue her but the Lyon refusing to hurt him withdrew himselfe to his denne whither Parismenos boldly pursued him and being entred therein the Lyon began to wag his taile and fawne vpon him gently which made him maruaile why he had slaine his nurse and would not hurt him and made him the more bolde that béeing wearie with trauell he laide himselfe downe to sléepe and when he awooke being very hungrie he gathered wilde fruite whereof there was plentie which was his foode and the cleare water his drinke This was his habitation a long time taking great pleasure to hunt and chase the wilde beasts from whose furie he was still preserued by the Lyon Afterwards when he was growen to riper age in his sléepe he drempt that his nurse appeared vnto him willing him to forsake that vnfrequented place and to seeke out Andramarts Castle where he should finde people in whose companie he should bée brought vp When he awaked he could not tel what to thinke of his dreame nor what she ment by Andramarts Castle nor which way to goe thither being therewith drawne into a deepe studie but suddainly hée espied a young Beare whose sight made him quite forget his dreame and taking excéeding delight to chase such beastes he caught vp his stafie and followed her and pursued her so fiercely that at length hee slewe her wherewith he was wandred so farre that getting to the top of a mountaine and looking round about him he espied the Castle thinking that was the place his nurse had tolde him of in his dreame that hee went thitherwardes It chanced one of the knights that Parismus had left to kéepe the Castle espied him and béeing of a sadde disposition séeing Parismenos begin to withdraw himselfr ranne to him and offered to lay hands on him But Parismenos being afraid of his behauior strook at him with his staffe so fiercely that had he not quickly auoyded his blowe he had beaten out his braines The Tartarian beeing angrie drewe his sword and therewith wounded Parismenos in the thigh the smart whereof so inraged him that notwithstanding all his resistance he left him for dead Afterwards entring the Castle his winde was drawne into an excéeding delight to behold the goodly buildings and beautie thereof The Tartarians beholding one in such straunge disguise for he was clad in the skinnes of such beasts as he had slaine and his hayre growne to a great length much maruelled how hee came into that countriâ— withall noting
mercifull that with a gentle and calme tide he was driuen to shore where getting to a sunnie bancke he sate him downe to refresh his wearied limmes and ponder his happie escape from drowning drying his gaping wounds with such linnen as hée had aboue him who with the salt water smarted excéedingly CHAP. IIII. How Parismenos being cast on shore in Trace was taken vp by Duke Amasenus who named him the knight of Fame of two compats hee fought with Corus and Argalus AS Parismenos was sitting vpon the banke after his shipwrack in heauie estate for the losse of his deare friend Tyresus it happened an ancient Duke of Thrace named Amasenus that day was come into a forrest adioyning to the sea to hunt accompanied by a gallant troupe of Knighte who â—hâ—ltring himselfe from the storme vnder the craggie 〈◊〉 behold the miserable shipwracke and sawe Parismenos swim to shore and so straungely prescrued from drowning vnto whom he came as hee was sitting vppon a sunnie bancke and demaunded of whence he was Parismenos beholding his reuerend age and the troupe of Knights that attended him â—ose from the ground and with great humilitie bowed his bodie making this aunswere I am a miserable man by cruelâ—ie of the seas cast on this shors hauing lost my faithfull friend drenched in the spacious gulfes beeing my selfe reserued to further miseries my name is hidden from my selfe neither know I certainly in what countrie I was borne nor where my Parents remaine and now am cast into an vnknowne place and miserably left to the wide world to indure such hard fortune as my vnluckie starres haue allotted me Amasenus hearing his answere and withall noting his fall and comely proportion and beautifull countenance thought by his spéech that his sences were altered with feare of theÌ„ tempest and care for she losse of his friends that he thus replyed I perceiue feare of drowning hath made you forget both yourselfe your name and countrie which feare now shâ—ke off siâ—ce all the perill is past and leaue to greeue for their lost that are irrecouerable and go with me to my Castle and to such entertainment as the same yeeldeth you shal be welcome I most humbly thanke you quoth he for this kindnesse but whereas you thinke that feare hath made me forget my selfe you altogither ayme amisse for I haue reported of my selfe nothing but trueth Then stept foorth Corus asuspitious and â—nuâ—ous Knight my Lord quoth hee it is some Pirate that liveth by spoyle of passengers and hath heeretofore don you some mischief which maketh him thus cunningly dissemble Parismenos hearing his spéeches could not containe himselfe but made this answere Most discourteous Knight neither thy selfe nor any in this countrie whatsoeuer shal make me distâ—ble or once falsifie my word and were it not that the strangers of this place and the reuerence I beare to this curteous Lord withholdest we I would euen presently make thée eate that word turne it backe into thy dishonorable throat Corus beeing a Knight of a proude courage was so vexed with that reply that he intreated Amasenus to giue him leaue to reuenge those iniurious wordes Say quoth Amasenus and leaue off this discourteous behauiour to strangers héere is neither place nor time for you sée hée is wearied with shipwracke and faint with effusion of blood thy pride and discourteous behauiour will one day be thy death had he done me wrong yet he hath not offended thée Then he said to Parismenos Sir Knight I pray cease this discontent and goe to my Castle for so well do I estéeme of you and so farre am I from the least suppose of any such thought as my selfe will vndertake his accusation is false So they departed togither Parismenos by the way so well as he could declared his birth which made Amasenus make greater estimation of him for by all tokens he thought he should be sprung of kingly race that Amasenus entertained him most honourably and kindely and welcommed him in the best sort hée could deuise which made him disdained amongst many of the knights that attended the Duke and séeing him so highly esteemed beganne to suspect by that meanes that they were but slightly accounted of by Amasenus that euer after that they beganne to enuie him and to consult which way to do them a mischiefe thinking Corus quarrell already begun a fit occasion to further their intent they vrged him to prosecute the same who being ready of himselfe and the rather by their instigation sent him this challenge Knight for so I must call thee thou remembrest what past betwixt vs at our first meeting which thou thinkest I haue forgot but so farre is it from my thouâ—ht ' as courage is from thee to performe that which thou threatnedst thy feare of drowning is now and thy deepe woundes I am sure well cured therefore if thou darest maintaine the wordes thou hast spoken in my disgrace send me word where I shall meete thee and there we will ende the controuersie So farewell As thou wilt Corus Parismenos hauing read this braue challenge smiling thereat sent this reply Corus by the name of the vnknowne Knight I will aunswers thee and maintaine my wordes wishing thee to bee perswaded that I so littlle feare tby vaunts as that euen now I will come to thee or when thou wilt if not now But if thou intendest to auouch this challenge thou shalt finde mee readie for thee at the South side of my Lord Amasenus parke And so adue The King of Fame Corus hauing receiued this reply presently went and armed himselfe and came to the appointed place where hée found the Knight of Fame gallantly mounted staying for him whom he little â—steemed as that he assured himselfe the conquest before the begunne for Parismenos was young and of tender yeares and nothing comparable to him in growth nor skill netwithstanding of such vndaunted resolue that he would not haue refused to cope with him had he béen another Hercules Corus séeing him in that readinesse came to him vttering these spéeches Knight I like well thy forwardnesse and commend thy resolution but by that time thou departest hence thou wilt repent thy folly Parismenos thus answered if I repent mée the woorst will bée mine but if I ayme not amisse thy folly wil be the greatest for know that I so lightly esteemed thy speeches that I account them ridiculous and this time spent in prate too tedious With that Coras went backe and Parismenos retired himselfe to take their careir which was performed so gallantly as that they shiuered their lances passing by without any other harme presently drawing their keene swords beginning fight with gallant brauerie sometimes offending and sometimes defending which continued so long vntill their armour beganne to yeeld to their fierce blowes and the blood to issue out at many places In which cruell rage they continued for an houres space without any disaduantage on either partie sometimes taking breath and then againe redoubling their
the sight and company of her deare friend Remulus that she was drawn into such a sadde conceit that her heart séemed to meâ—â—â—hereat Trudamor séeing Guido so foyled with great brauerie entred the listes and encountred the knight of Fame who likewise charged him with many braue courses that in the ende the conquest remained in great doubt betwixt them still continuing their encounters with exceeding courage that Trudamor with all his strength could not any whit disaduantage the Knight of Fame nor he by his force get any addes of Trudamor that in the ende Trudamor thirsting for the honour of the title and longing to enioy Phylena for his Bride tracing softly to his races ende went towards the knight of Fame who with the like behauiour met him â— whom Trudamor said as followeth Knight I sée we haue no aduantage against each other by this â—â—ercise let vs then finish the doubtfulnesse of this strife with our swords which is the readiest meane to make one of vs conquerour With all my heart answered he againe your proffer so well agreeth with my fancie as I neither can nor wil deny the same wherewith they drew their swords and charged each other with furious blows whose courage each beholder greatly commended The King of Thrace beholding the noble valour of the Knight of Fame was excéedingly well affected towards him in so much that he desired none might enioy his daughter but he betwéene whom Trudamor continued a most braue combat till in the ende the knight of Fame had so gréeuously wounded him and in so many places that all the beholders accounted Trudamor as halfe vanquished and what with effusioÌ„ of blood and ouermastred by the knight of Fames strength his armour giuing way to euery blowe was readie to fall from his horse which the knight of Fame perceiuing stayed vttering these words Most noble knight quoth he I see the danger you are in therfore I wish you to yeeld your selfe for it is not your death that I séeke and rather then I wil be guiltie thereof I wil yéeld vp the praie I shal winne by your conquest Trudamor hearing his spéeches excéedingly admired his courtesie and being readie to speake his sences by weaknesse beganne to fayle and he was taken from his horse to haue his gaping wounds stenched The whole multitude of beholders noting the singular valour of the knight of Fame and how courteously he had abstained from killing Trudamor whose life was in his power were so wel affected towards him that they shouted and reioyced exceedingly at his victorie The king séeing the day growne to an end came from the scaffolde and with great intreaties got the knight of Fame to go with him to the Court where hée was most honoâ—uably entertained and had his wounds carefully searcht by the Phisitians who sound none of them daungerous Amasenus séeing the knight of Fame had won the chiefest honour of the triumph for that day came to the king and reported to him how long he had bene with him and the manner of his first arriuall in that countrie séeking to increase the kings affection towardes him by entring into many excéeding commendations of his valor vertue and courtesie that the king did him all the honour that might bee for that night intending after the triumph ended to expresse his loue toward him by all meanes he could deuise Early the next morning being the last day of the triumph the king was sommoned to the fielde by the shrill sound of the knight of Fames trumpet who was gallantly mounted attended by an infinit number of people that came to glut their eyes with beholding him there was now no talke but of the knight of Fame his same had fedde the eares of all in so much that such a number of people thronged to sée the last daies triumph that the place could not containe their multitude The knights of Thrace maruelled what hée should be and for that he was vnknowne â—he straunge knights somewhat reioyced that the prize should be carried â—â—om Thrace Amongst the rest Remulus noting his excéeding courâ—esie and pâ—â—ing more narrowly then any of the rest into his behauiour â—eioyced in his mind that so honourable valiant and courteous a knight should possesse his deare Phylena and aboue all the knights of the Court he was most readie to entertaine the knight of Fame with all courtesie and wiâ—â—t that none but he might beare away the câ—iefest honour of the triumph The king hauing againe in most sumptuous and royal sort seated his daughter vpon the scaffold attended the first encounter that should be giuen to the knight of Fame which was performed by Parrus a knight of Cicill with great brauerie but the second course hée measured his length on the earth as others had done before him Next him came a knight of Libia who had like fortune to Parrus Guido being not satisfied with desire of victorie but in putting the cause of his lost ouerthrow to his horse not himselfe changed his armour and came into the listes againe intending to reuenge his foyle but before he came Drio of Cicill had broken two staues with the knight of Fame and before he could take the third course Guido instigated by rage ranne against the knight of Fame and intercepted him Drio disdaining thereat strooke Guido such a forcible blowe on the head with the trunchion of a staffe that he made him stagger Wherewith Guido drewe his sword and assayled Drio with great furie betwéene whom began a most braue combat vntill the knight of Fame stept betwixt them and parted them vttering these speeches Knights quoth he what meaneth this outrage why contend you betwixt your selues and leaue me with whom you should principally deale vnassayed thinke you I am not of sufficiencie to deale with you both but that you must thus dishonourably seeke with priuate quarrels to disturbe our triall But notwithstanding his speeches they began to assayle each other againe which so inraged him that drawing his sword he first strooke at Guido and then at Drio offering to combat with them both that the issue of this combat séemed to be most intricate Sometimes the knight of Fame assayled Guido and he resisting when Drio lent his blowes to both and the knight of Fame intending to reuenge him on Drio was againe assayled by Guido The King perceiuing what danger this tripartite fight might bréed commanded the Champions to be parted which being done the Iudges gaue order that the knight of Fame should continue his course with Drio This conclusion being made the knight of Fame sheathing his sword went to the races end so fully incenst with rage that his eyes smarted with vexation Drio likewise was so fully puft with fury that he vowed at that course to ende the triall of the combat that both of them taking scope ynough to méete with the greater swiftnesse set spurs to their stéeds sides and with excéeding violence and shiuering their Lances into a thousand spelles
sâ—gh and sad teare thinking that with each others sight each others life had parted Tellamor according to his promise arriued in Libia euen at the time of Parismus departure whome we will leaue onwardes of his iourney towardes Bohemia The Knight of Fame hauing slept his fill and longer a great deale then he determined awaked within two daies after Parismus departure little thinking the Prince had béene gone but beginning to arme himselfe Flauia comming to him said as followeth Worthie Knight quoth she I am glad to sée that you are well which vntill now I doubted The knight of Fame wondring at her speeches saide Gentlewoman as yet I haue not bene sicke then why do you make any question of my health Indeed sir quoth she I sée now you haue not béene sicke but you haue slept very long for I haue bene your kéeper heere this two dayes euer since the Prince of Bohemia departed who thought to haue had your company some part of the way but séeing your sleepe from which you could not be wakened hée imparted his minde to the Ladie Venola who hath giuen me especiall charge to attend you diligently Hée hearing her spéeches was amazed in his thoughts to thinke of them entring into many cogitations what should be the cause of his sléepinesse which hée perceiued was the potion which hée had tasted that he was excéedingly inraged with himself that he thereby was disappoynted of Parismus company whom hée estéemed aboue all the knights that euer he had met withall and making a vertue of necessitid blaming himselfe for his sléepinesse he went downe into the company of other knights making the best excuse he could thereof Flauia in the meane time went to Venola and tolde her all that had happened and what she had told him of Parismus departure wishing her to deuise what she thought best to satisfie his minde The Knight of Fame being desirous to know what message Parismus had left with Venola méeting with Flauia desired her to certifie her Mistresse that he attended her pleasure to know what the Prince of Bohemia had tolde her as concerning him Flauia hearing his spéeches brought him into a gallerie where shée desired him to stay and she would go bring him answere presently so comming to Venola she tolde her thereof Venola then hauing ridde her chamber of all company willed her to bring him in whom shee welcommed with vnwoonted kindnesse and taking him by the hand desired him to sit downe by her vppon the beddes side to whom shée said as followeth Most courteous knight the Prince of Bohemia willed me to certifie you that he would within foure daies returne to this place to desire your company in executing a secret of importance desiring me that I would intreate you to stay here some fewe daies and at his returne hée will requite that kindnesse therefore I pray quoth shée bée my guest for so long time for I haue receiued such benefits by your courtesie as I would willingly if it lay in my power requite the same I thanke your excellencie quoth hée for proffering mee such kindnesse acknowledging my self both vnwoorthie thereof and vnable to requitâ— the same being so much the more willing to stay Parismus returne thereby to shewâ— my dutie to your request and séeing you vouchsafe mée to bée your Guest hauing yet deserued no suche kindnesse pleaseth you to commaunde or imploy mée any way and I will most willingly vndertake any trauell to procure your content which wordes hee spake little knowing what passions had possest her heart whome shee vsed so kindely and entertained with such louing glaunces that hee beganne greatlie to commende her courtesse and maruailed why shee vsed him with such kindenesse that would haue pearced the heart of any other Knight but onelie himselfe whose affections were setteled on his inward deuoted Ladie that Venolaes loue was but bestowed in vaine and shee spent her sighes and her good will in a barraine soile where she s wept in hope of recompence which draue her to such extreamitie of griefe that shee was often in minde hauing him so fittely in her companie and fearing to loose so swéete opportunitie to reueale her loue to him of her selfe but that purpose was suddainely altered by contrary thoughts that shee satte rackt with so manie and so extreame cogitations that the gréefe on the one side that hee could not conceyue of her good liking by so manie euident tokens as shee hadde shewen thereof and her owne passions ouerwhelmed her heart with such care that shee suddainly burst into aboundance of teares and so rose from the bedde and went to a window The Knight of Fame maruailing what should bee the cause of her saddenesse thinking that his companie could but disquiet her departed her chamber which shee perceiuing was ouercome with such passion that shee fell downe dead wherewith Flauia gaue such shriekes that the knight of Fame hearing her outcrie suddainely returned and finding Venola in that estate did the best hee could with the Nurse to recouer her sences which at last beganne to turne to their woonted vses Venola lifting vp her eyes and espying the knight of Fame holding her in his armes wisht that shee might for euer haue continued in that trance who carrying her to the bedde there laid her downe and Flauia and other Damzelles by that time tooke her into their custodie which caused him to depart againe after whome Venola cast such a gréedie looke accompanied with such scalding sighes that Flauia feared shée would haue fallen into the like trance againe After that shée was well recouered and all her attendants departed Flania saide as followeth Why deare Mistresse quoth shée how immoderately doo you gouern your selfe to fall into these extreames I beshrew my heart if I doe not repent that euer I vndertooke to bée an acter héerein What haue you no more wisedome but so fondly to dâ—aâ—e on a stragling knight that cannot or at the least will not vnderstand your meaning taking a delight to sée your torment for it is impossible but that hee should perceiue your loue towards him then be not so affectionate towards such a one as neither regardeth loue nor knoweth what belongeth to courtly ciuiltie Peace peace quoth Venola either fill my eares with the sound of better words or else hold thy tongue for I tell thee it is more odious vnto me then death to heare thée so much disgrace the Prince of courtesie for in him remaine all honourable parts whose presence is more pleasant vnto me then al the proffered seruices of the knights in the world and if thou canst comfort me no better then by these spéeches kéepe secret what thou knowest and hereafter thou shalt know no more of my minde For I imparted the same to thée thinking to haue comfort by thy counsell but thou contrarily addest care â—o my griefe Sweet Mistresse quoth shée I beséech you do not conceiue so hardly of my meaning for I speake nothing but with intent