no sooner appeared the Mornings Sunne vppon the Mountaine tops and the cleare countenaunce of the Elements made motion of some insuing pastime but S. George commaunded a solempne Hunting for the welcome of his Sonnes Then began his knights to arme themselues in troops and to mount vpon their nimble Iennets and some with well armd Boare-speares in their handes prepared for the game on foote but S. George with his Sonnes clad in gréen vestments like Adonis with siluer hornes hanging at their backes in scarffes of coloured silke were stil the formost in this Exercise Likewise Sabra intending to sée her Sonnes valours displaied in the field whether they were in courage like their Father or no caused a gentle Palfray to be prouided whereon she mounted her Princely Person to be a witnes of these Siluane sportes she was armd with a curious brest-plate wrought like to the scales of a Dolphin and in her hand she bare a siluer bow of the Turkish fashion like an Amazonian Queen or Diana hunting in the groues of Arcadie Thus in this gallant manner rode forth these Hunters to their Princely pastimes where after they had ridden some sixe miles from the Cittie of London fell from Sa. Georges nose thrée drops of purple blood whereat hée sodainly started and there withall he heard the croaking of a Flight of night Rauens that houered by the Forrest side all which he iudged to be dismall signes of some insuing stratagem but hauing a princely mind he nothing discouraged thereat nor little mistrusted the wofull accident that after happened but with a noble resolution entered the Forrest accounting such foretelling tokens for olde wiues ceremonies Wherein they had not passed the compasse of halfe a mile but they started a wilde swift Stag at whom they vncoupled their Hounds and gaue bridle to their horses and followed the game more swifter than Pirates that pursue the Merchants vppon the seas But now behold how frowning Fortune chaunged their pleasant pastimes to a sad and bloodie tragedie for Sabra proffering to kéepe pace with them delighting to behold the valiant incounters of her yong sonnes and being careles of her selfe thorough the ouer swiftnes of her Stéede shee slipped beside her saddle and so fell directly vpon a thornie brake of brambles the prickes whereof more sharpe than spikes of stéele entered to euerie part of her delicate bodie some pierced the louely closets of her starre bright eyes whereby in stead of christall pearled teares there issued drops of purest blood her face before that blushed like the mornings radiant countenance was now exchanged into a crimson red her milk white hands that lately strained the yuorie Lute did séeme to weare a bloodie scarlet gloue and her tender paps that had so often fed her Sonnes with the milke of nature were all berent and torne with these accursed brambles from whose déep wounds there issued such a streame of purple gore that it conuerted the grasse from a liuely gréen to crimson hicu and the abundance of blood that trickled from her breast began to inforce her soule to giue the world a wofull farewell Yet notwithstanding when her beloued Lord her sorrowfull Sonnes and all the rest of the wofull Champions had washed her wounded bodie with a Spring of feares and when she perceiued that she must of force commit her life to the furie of imperious death shee breathed foorth this dying Exhortation Deare Lord said she in this vnhappie Hunting must you loose the truest Wife that euer lay by Princes side yet mourne you not nor gréeue you my Sonnes nor you braue Christian Knights but let your warlike drummes conuay me royally vnto my Toombe that all the world maye write in brazen Bookes how I haue followed my Lord the Pride of Christendome thorough many a bloodie field and for his sake haue left my Parents Frends and Countrey and haue trauelled with him through manie a daungerous Kingdome but now the cruell Fates haue wrought their latest spites and finished my life because I am not able to performe what loue he hath deserued of me And now to you my Sonnes this blessing do I leaue behinde euen by the paines that fortie wéekes I once indured for your sakes when as you lay enclosed in my wombe and by my trauels in the wildernes whereas my grones vpon your birth day did in my thinking cause both trées and stones to drop downe teares when as the mercilesse Tygers tamelesse Lyons did stand like gentle Lambes and mournd to heare my lamentations and by a Mothers loue that euer since I haue borne you imitate follow your Father in all his honorable attempts harme not the silly Infant nor the helplesse Widdow defend the honour of distressed Ladies and giue fréely vnto wounded Souldiers séeke not to stain the vnspotted virgins with your lusts and aduenture euermore to redéeme true Knights from captiuitie liue euer professed enemies to paganisme and spend your liues in the quarrel and defence of Christ that Babes as yet vnborne in time to come may speake of you and record you in the Bookes of fame to be true christian Champions This is my blessing and this is the Testament I leaue behinde for now I féele the chilnesse of pale death closing the closets of my eyes Farewell vaine world déere Lord farewell swéet Sonnes you famous fellowes of my George and all true Christian Knights adieu These words were no sooner ended but with a heauie sigh she yéelded vp the ghost whereat Saint George being impatient in his sorrowes fell vpon her liuelesse bodie rending his haire and tearing his Hunters attyre from his backe into a thousand péeces and at last when his griefes somewhat diminished he fell into these bitter lamentations Gone is the Starre said he that lightned all y e Northerne world withered is the Rose that beautefied our Christian fields dead is the Dame that for her beautie stained all Christian women for whom I le fill the aire with euerlasting moanes This day hencefoorth be fatall to all times and counted for a dismall day of death Let neuer the Sunne shew foorth his beames thereon againe but clowdes as blacke as pitch couer the earth with fearfull darknes Let euerie Trée in this accursed Forrest hencefoorth be blasted with vnkindly windes let brambles hearbs and flowers consume and wyther let grasse and blooming buds perish and decay and all things néere the place where shee was slaine bee turned to a dismall blacke and sable colour that the Earth it selfe in mourning garments may lament her losse Let neuer Birde sing cherefully in top of trées but like the mournfull musicke of the Nightingale fil all the aire with fatall tunes let bubling riuers murmure for her losse siluer Swans that swim thereon sing dolefull melodie let all the dales belonging to these fatal woods be couered with gréene bellyed serpents croaking toades hissing snakes and sightkilling cockatrices in blasted trées let fearfull Rauens shrike let howlets crye and crickets sing
the staine of my desires for I sweare by the christall Towers of Heauen either to accomplish my intent or put thée vnto the cruelâ—est death that euer was deuised for anye damsell or maide at which wordes the most sorrowfull and disstressed Uirgin with a shewer of Pearled teares trickling downe her seemely blushing cheekes replyed in this order Thinke not false Traytor quoth she that feare of death shall cause me to yéeld to thy filthy desires no no I will accompt that stroak ten times happy and more welcome to my soule then the ioyes of wedlocke then might I walke in the Elizian fields amongst those dames that dyed true virgins and liue to behold the budde of my maydens glory withered with the nypping frostes of thy vnnaturall desires These wordes being well vnderstoode by the lustfull knight who with a countenance more furious then the sauage Lyons in the Deserts of Libia tooke her by the slender waste and rigorously dasht her body against the ground and therewithall spake these words Understand sâ—id he and be well perswaded thou vnrelenting damsell that either liuing or dead I will performe my will and pretended purpose for in my hart there burnes a fire that all the water in the Seas can neuer quench nor all the driâ—â—ing clouds of heauen if they should drop eternal shewers of raine but it is the water of thy swéet Uirginity that must quench my furious burning loue and thereupon in a madnes he cut off a great part of the traine of her gowne and bound it very fast to the hayre of her head which glistered like to golden wyers and dragâ—d her vp and downe the groue till the gréene grasse turned to a purple color with the bloud that issued from her body by which crueltie he thought to inforce her to hys pleasure but she respecting not his wicked crueltie and the more he procured to torment her the more earnestly she defended her honor When this cruell and inhumaine monster saw that neither his flattering spéeches nor his cruell threates were of sufficiencie to preuaile hee beganne to forget all faith and loyaltie he ought vnto the honor of Knighthood and the respect he should beare vnto women kinde but blâ—sphemed against heauen and tearing her cloathes al to peeces hee stripped her starke naked and with the haynes of the bridle of his horse he cruelly whipped and scurged her white and tender bacâ—e that it was full of blewe spoâ—tes and horrible circles of blacke and settled bloud with such extreame crueltie that it was a very gréeuous and sorrowfull sight to behold And yet this did profite him nothing at all for she continued in her former râ—solution He seeing that she still perseuerd in the defence of her honor he straight waies like a bloudy monster heaped crueltie vpon câ—uâ—ltie then he tooke and bound her wel prâ—portioned legs and christeline armes gréeuously vnto a withered trée saying Oh cruel and more cruell then any woman in all the world hath euer béene why dost then suffer thy selfe to bee thus tormented and not gâ—ue consâ—nt to procure my ease Dost thou thinke it better to indure this marterdome then to liue a moste louing swéete and contented life and therewithall his anger so increased that he stood staring on her face with his accuâ—sed eyes fixed in such sort that he could not withdraw them backe The which being perceiued by this distressed Uirgin as one farre more desirous of death then of life with a furious voyce she said Oh thou traitor thou wicked monster thou vtter enemy to all humanitie thou shamelesse creature more cruell then the Lyons in the desertes of Hercania thou staine of Knighthood and the blondiest wretch that euer nature framed in the worlde wherein dost thou contemplate thus thy self thou fleshly butcher thou vâ—mercifull Tyger thou letcherous hogge and dishonorer of thy progenâ—e make an end I say of these my torments for it is now too late to repent thee gore my vnspotted brest with thy bloudy weapon and send my soule into the bossome of Diâ—na whome I behold sitting in the celestiall pallace of heauen accompanied with numberles troops of vestal Uirgins ready to entertaine my bleeding goast into her glorious Mansion This vnpitifull knight séeing the stedfastnesse that she had in the defence of her honor with a cruell and infernall heart he tooke a silken scarfe which the Damsell had girded at her waste and with a brutall anger doubled it about her necke and pinched it so straight that her soule departed from her teresticall body O you valiant Knights that by your Prowes comes to the reading of this dismal Tragidy and comes to the hearing of these bloudy lines contained in this golden booke consider the great constancie and chastitie of this vnfortunate maiden and let the griefe thereof mooue you to take vengeance of this crueltie shewed without any desert So when this infernall minded Knight sawe that shée was dead he tooke his horse and rode after his company and in a short time he ouer tooke them and looked with so furious and Irefull a countenance that there was none durst be so hardy to aske him where my daughter was but one of his Squiers that bore me great affection for the kindnes and curtesie I ostended to him at his Ladyes and my daughters nuptials hauing a suspition by the great alteration that appeared in his Master and being very desirous to know what was become of the damsell for that he came alone without bringing the Damsell with him neyther could he haue any sight of her he then presently withdraw himselfe backe and followed the footings of the horse hee ceased not vntill hee came to the place where this crueltie was wrought whereas he found the maiden dead at the vewe whereof he remained almost beside himselfe in such sorte that hee had almost fallen to the ground The sorrowfull Squire remained a good while before he could speake but at last when he came againe to himselfe he began with a dolorous complaint crying out against the gods and fortune because they had suffered so great a crueltie to be committed vpon this damsell And making this sorrowfull lamentation he vnloosed her from the trée and layd her naked body vppon part of her apparell the which hee found lying by all besmear'd in blood and afterwarde complained in this pitifull sort O cruell Knight quoth he what an infernall hart remained in thy brest or what hellish furie did beare thee company that thy hands hath committed this inhumane sacrifice was it not sufficient that this her surmounted beauty might haue moued thée to pitty when it is of power to moue the bloody Camibal to remorse and constraine the sauage monsters to relent so with these and other like sorrowfull words that the wofull Squire spake vnto the dead corpes he cut downe branches from the trées and gathered grasse from the ground for to couer the body and left it lying so that it séemed to be a mountaine
with Princely pallaces very sumptuous to behold likewise they discouered from the Hill a fayre fountaine wrought all of marble like vnto a Pillâ—r out of which did proceede foure spoutes running with water which fell into a great Cesterne and comming to it they washed their handes and refâ—eshed their faces and so departed After they looked round about them on euery side and toward their right handes they espied amongst a company of gréene trées a small Tent of blacke cloth towards which these yong Princes directed their courses with an easie pace but when they had entred the Tent and sawe no bodie therin they remained silent a while harkning if they could heare any sturing but they could neither see nor heare any thing but onely they found the print of certain little féete vpon the same which caused them more earnestly to desire to know whose foote steps they were for that they séemed to be of some Ladies or Damsels so finding the trace they followed theÌ„ and the more the knights followed the more the Ladies séemed to hast so long they persued after the trace that at the end they approached a little mountain wheras they found scattered about certaine lockes of yellow haire which séemed to be thrids of golde and stooping to gather them vp they perceiued that some of them were wet with spots of blood whereby they wel vnderstood that in great anger they were pulled from some Ladies head lik wise they saw in diuers places how the earth was spotted with droppes of crimson blood then with a more desire then they had before they went vp to the top of that litle mountaine and hauing lost the footesteps they recouered it againe by gathering vp the hayre where they had not traueled far vp the mountaine but towards the waters side they heard a gréeuous complaint which séemed to be the voice of a woman in great distresse and the woordes which the knights did vnderstand were these O loue now shalt thou no more reioyce nor haue any longer dominion ouer me for death I sée is ready to cut my thrid of life and finish these my sorowful lamentations how often haue I askt reuengement at the powers of heauen against that wicked wretch that hath bene the causer of my banishment but yet they will not hear my request how ofte haue I made my sad complaints to hell yet hath the fatall furies stopt their eares against my woful cryes And with this she held her peace giuing a sorowful sighe which being done the thrée christian knights turned their eyes to the place from whence they heard this complaint and discouered amongst certaine gréene trées a Lady who was endued with singuler beautie being so excellent that it almost depriued them of their harts captiuated their sences in the snares of loue which libertie as yet they neuer lost she had her haire about her eares which hung defusedly downe her comely sholders through the violence she vsed against her selfe and leaning her chéeke vpon her delicate white hand that was all to be spotted with blood which was constraind by the scratching of her nailes vpon her Rosie colored face by her stood another damsel which they coniectured to be her daughter for she was clad in virgin colored silk mor whiter then the Lillyes of the fields and as pleasante to beholde as the glistring Moone in a cleare winters fréezing night yet for all this delectable sight the thrée princly knights wold not discouer theÌ„selues but stood closely behinde the thrée pine trées which grew néere vnto the mountaine to heare the euent of this accident but as they stoode cloaked in silence they heard her thus to confer with her beautiful daughter Oh my Rosana quoth she the vnhappie figure of him that without pitty hath wounded my heart and left me comfortles with the greatest cruelty that euer knight or gentleman left Lady how hath it béen possible that I haue had the force to bring vp the child of such a father which hath bereaud me of my libertie O you soueraigne gods of heauen grant y t I may establish in my minde the remembrance of the loue of thy adulterous father oh girle borne to a further griefe héere doe I desire the guider of thy fortunes that thy glistring beautie may haue such force and power whereby the shining beames thereof may take reuengement of the dishonor of thy mother giue eare deare childe I say vnto thy dying mother thou that art born in the dishonor of thy generation by the losse of my virginity héere doe I charge thée vpon my blessing euen at my houre of death swear thée by the omnipotent God of heauen neuer to suffer thy beauty to be enioyd by any one vntill thy disloyal fathers head bee offered vp in a sacrifice vnto my graue thereby somewhat to appease the furie of my discontented soule and recouer part of my former glorie These and such like words spake this afflicted quéene to the wonderfull amazement of the thrée yong Knightes which as yet intended not to discouer themselues but to marke the euent for they coniectured that her woful complaintes were the induction of some strange accedent Thus as they stoode obscurely behinde the trées they sawe the young and beautifull Damsell giue vnto her dying mother paper penne and Inke the which shée pulled from her Iuorie bosome wherewith the gréeued quéene subscribed certain sorrowful lines vnto him y t was the causer of her banishment and making an end of her writing they heard her with a dying breath speake vnto her daughter these sorrowfull words following Come daughter quoth shee beholde thy Mother at her latest gaspe and imprint my dying request in thy heart as a table of brasse that it neuer may be forgotten time will not giue me longer respit that with wordes I might shewe vnto thée my déepe affâ—ctions for that I féele my death approaching and the fatall sisters ready to cut my thrid of life a sunder betwéene the edges of their shieres insomuch that I moste miserable creature do féele my soule trembling in my flesh and my heart quiuering at this my last and fatal houre but one thing my swéet and tender child doe I desire of thée before I dye which is that thou wouldest procure that this letter may bee giuen to that cruell knight thy disloyall father giuing him to vnderstand of this my troublesome death the occasion whereof was his vnreasonable crueltie and making an end of saying this the miserable Quéene fell downe not hauing any more strength to sit vp but let the letter fall out of her hand the which her sorrowfull daughter presently tooke vp and falling vpon her mothers brest she replyed in this sorrowfull manner O my swéete mother tell me not that you will dye for it ads a torment more gréeuous vnto my soule then the punishments which Danaus daughters féele in hell I would rather be torne in péeces by the fury of some merciles monster or to
furnish these Knights with more strength and prowesse then any other in all the world else coulde they not haue choosd but haue béene ouercome by this remorceles monster which séemed to be of force to destroy kingdomes therewithall she alighted in good state from her Palfray and sate her downe vnder the shadow of a Pine-trée where the thrée knights likewise sate downe laid theyr wearie heads vpon her soft lap to sléepe vpon whose faces she fanned a coole breathing ayre and wiped their sweaty browes with her handkercher vsing all the meanes shee could to moue them contentment Long had they not reposed themselues vpon Rosanaes lappe refreshing their wearie bodies with a golden sléepe but they awaked and mounted vpon their stéedes and the next morning by breake of day they approached the sight of the blacke Castle before whose walles they found seauen portly stéedes féeding within a gréene pasture and by them an ancient father bearing in his face the true picture of sorrowe and caruing in the barke of trées the subiect of all his passed griefes this man was the olde sheapheard which the seauen Champions of christendome before their inchaunted sléepes in the Castle lefte without the Gates to ouersée their horsses as you heard before in the last Chapter But Saint Georges sonnes after they had a while beheld the manner of the sheapheards silent lamentations demaunded the causes of his griefe and wherefore he remayned so néere the danger of the Castle to whose demaundes the curteous olde man answered in this manner Braue Knightes saide hee for you séeme to be no lesse by your Princely demeanures within this Castle remaineth a bloody tirant and a wicked homicide called Leoger whose tyrannie and lust hath not onely rauished but murthered two of my daughters with whome I was honored in my yong yeares in whose reuenge there came with me seauen christian knights of seauen seueral countries that entred this accursed Castle about seauen daies since appointing me to stay without the gates to haue a vigilent care of their horses till I heard either newes of the Tyrants confusion or their ouerthrowes but neuer since by anie meanes could I learne whether good or bad were betided them These words strooke such a terror to their hearts that for a time they stooâ— spéechlesse imagining that those seauen Knightss were the seauen Champions of Christendome in whose pursutes they had traueled so many countreyes But at last when Saint Georges Sonnes had recouered their former spéeches one of them though not intending to reueale what they imagined sayd vnto y e olde Shepheard that likewise they came to bee reuenged vpon that accursed Knight for the spoyle of a beauteous and worthie Uirgine Quéene done by the said lust inflamed Tyrant Then the Ladie and the thrée Knightes alighted from their horses and likewise committed them to the kéeping of the olde Shepheard who courteously receiued them earnestly prayed for their prosperous procéedings So the thrée Knightes buckled close their armours laced on their helmets and put their shields vpon their armes and in companie of Rosana they went to the Castle gate the which glistered against the Sunne like burnisht golde whereat hung a mightie Copper King wherewith they beate so vehemently against the Gate that it séemed to rattle like a violent tempestuous storme of thunder in the Element Then presently there appeared looking out at a marble pillorâ—d window the Magitian newly risen from his bed in a wrought shirt of blacke silke and couered wyth a night gown of damaske veluet and séeing the Knights with the Ladie standing before the gate he thus discurteously gréeted them You Knights of strange Countreys said he for so doth it appeare by your strange demeanours if you desire to haue the gates opened and your bones buried in the valts of our Castle turne backe vnto the Iasper piller behinde you and sound the siluer Trumpet that hangs vpon it so shall your entrie be easie but your comming foorth miraculous And thereupon the Magitian left the window Then one of the Knights went vnto the Iasper piller and with a vehement breath sounded the inchanted trumpet as S. George did before whereat the gates flew open in like manner wherein without anie disturbance they entred comming into the same Court where y e champions had fought with the Giants they spied the inchanted Lampes which hung burning before the entrie of y e caue where the Champions lay vpon the inchanted bed Under the Lampes hung a siluer tablet in an yron chaine in it was written these words following These fatal lamps with their inchanted lights In deaths sad sleep hath shut 7. christeÌ„ knights Within this caue they ly with sloth coÌ„fouÌ„ded Whose fame but late in eury place resouÌ„ded Except these flaming lampes extinguisht bee Their golden thoughts shall sleepe eternally A Fountaine framde by furies raisd from hell About whose spring doth fear terror dwel No earthly vvater may suffise but this To quench the lamp vvhere art coÌ„mander is No vvightaliue this vvater may procure But she that is a Virgin chast and pure For Nature at her birth did so dispose Vpon her breast to print a purple Rose These verses being perused by the thrée Knights finding them as it were contriued in the manner of a mysticall Oracle they could not imagine what they should signifie but Rosana being singularly well conceated and of a quicke vnderstanding presently knewe that by her the Aduenture should be finished and therefore shee incouraged them to a forwardnes and to séeke out the inchaunted Fountaine that by the water thereof the lamps might be quenched and the seauen Champions deliuered out of captiuitie This importunate desire of Rosana caused the thrée yong Knights not to loose anie time but to search in euery corner of the Castle till they had found the place wherin the Fountaine was for as they went towards the North side of the Court they espied another little doore standing in the wall and when they came to it they sawe that it was made all of verie strong yron with a portal of stéele and in the key hole thereof there was a brazen key with tâ—e which they did open it whereat presâ—ntly vnto theyr wonderfull amazements they heard a verie sad and sorrowfuâ—l voyce breath foorth these words following Let no man bee so foolish hardy as to enter here for it is a place of terror and confusion Yet for all this they entered in thereat and would not be daunted with anie ceremonious fear but like knights of an heroycall estimation they went forward wherein they were no sooner entred but they saw that it was wonderfully darke and it séemed vnto them that it should be a verie large Hall and therein they heard verie fearefull howlings as though there had bin a legion of helhounds or that Plutoes Dogge had béen vice gerent of that place Yet for all this these valiant Knights did not loose anye of their accustomed courage nor wold
the Ladie leaue their companies for anie danger but they entred in further tooke off their gauntlets from their left hands whereon they wore meruailous great and fine Diamonds which were set in rings that gaue so much light that they might plainly sée all things that were in the Hal the which was verie great and wide and vppon the walls were painted the figures of manie furious fiends and diuells wyth other straunge Uisions framed by Magicke arte onely to terrefie the beholders But looking verie circumspectlye about them on euerie side they espied the inchanted fountaine standing directly in the middle of the Hall towards which they went with their shieldes braced on theyr left armes and their good swords charged in their hands readie to withstand anie daungerous accident whatsoeuer should happen But comming to the Fountaine and offering to fill their helmets with water there appeared before them a strange and terrible Griphon which séemed to bee all of flaming fire who stroke all the thrée Knights one after another in such sort that they were forced to recoyle backe a great way yet notwithstanding with great discretion they kept themselues vpright with a wonderfull lightnesse accompanied with no lesse anger they threw theyr shields at their backes and taking their swordes in both their handes they began most fiercely to assaile the Griphon with mortall and strong blowes Then presentlye there appeared before them a whole legion of diuels with flesh-hookes in their hands spitting forth flames of fire breathing from their nosthrills smoking sulphure brimstone In this terrible sort tormented they these thrée valiant Knights whose yeres although they were but yong yet with great wrath and redoubled force aduentred they themselues amongst this hellish crue striking such terrible blowes that in spite of them they came vnto y e Fountaine and proffâ—red to take of the water but all in vain for they were not onely put from it by this diuelish companie but the water it selfe glided from their hands Oh in what great trauel and perplexitie these Knights remained amongst this wicked and diuellish generation for to defend themselues that they might attaine to the finishing of this Aduenture according to their knightlye promise But during the time of all these daungerous encounters Rosana stood like one berest of sense thorough y e terror of the same but at last remembring her selfe of y e prophecie written in the siluer tablet the which the knights perused by the inchaunted Lampes the signification of which was that the quenching of the lights should be accomplished by a pure Uirgin that had the liuely forme of a Rose naturally pictured vpon her breast all the which Rosana knew most certainly to bee comprehended in her selfe Therefore whilst they continued in their fight she tooke vp a helmet that was pulled from one of the Knightes heads by the furious force of the Griphon and ranne vnto the Fountaine and filled it with water wherewith shee quenched the inchaunted Lampes with as much ease as though one had dipped a waxen torch in a mightie riuer of water This was no sooner done and finished to Rosanaes chéefest contentment when that the heauens began to waxe darke and the cléere skies to be ouerspred with a blacke thicke clowd and it came with great thundrings lightnings and with such a terrible noyse as though the earth would haue sunke and the longer it indured the more was the furie thereof in such sort that the Griphon wyth all that deluding generation of spirits vanished away and the Knights forsooke their incounters and fell vpon theyr knées and with great humilitie they desired of God to be deliuered from the furie of that excéeding and terrible tempest By this sodaine alteration of the heauens the knight of the Castle knew that the Lampes were extinguished the Champions redéemed from their inchaunted sléepes the Castle yéelded to the pleasure of the thrée knights and his owne life to the furies of their swords except hée preserued it by a sodaine flight so presently hee departed the Castle and secretly fled out of the Iland vnsuspected by anie one of whose after fortunes miseries and death you shall heare more hereafter in the course of the historie following The Nigromancer by his Arte likewise knew that the Castle was yéelded vnto his Enemies power that his charmes and magicke spells nothing preuailed therfore he caused two ayrie spirits in the likenes of two Dragons to carrie him swiftly through the ayre in an Ebonie Chariot Héere we leaue him in his wicked diuelish attempts and diuelish enterprises which shall bee discoursed héereafter more at large because it appertaineth to our Historie now to speake of the seauen Champions of Christendome that by the quenching of the Lampes were awakened from their inchauntments wherein they had laine in obscuritie for the space of seauen dayes For when they were risen from their sléepes and had rowsed vp theyr drowsie spirits like men newly recouered from a trance being ashamed of that dishonorable enterprice they long time gazed in each others faces being not able to expresse their mindes but by blushing lookes beeing the silent speakers of their extreame sorrowes But at last Saint George began to expresse the extremitie of his griefe in this manner What is become of you braue Europes Champions said he where is now your wonted valors that hath bin so much renowmed through the world what is become of your surmounting strengths that hath bruzed inchaunted helmets and quaild the power of mightie multitudes what is become of your terrible blowes that hath subdued mountaines hewen in sunder diamond armours and brought whole kindomes vnder your subiections now I sée that all is forgotten nothing worth for that we haue buried all our honors dignities and fames in slouthfull slumbers vpon a silken bed And thereupon hee fell vpon his knées and said thou holy God thou rector of the riding racks of heauen to thée I inuocate and call and desire thée to help vs and doe not permit vs to haue our fames taken away for this dishonor but let vs meritte dignitie by our victories and that our bright renownes may ride vpon the glorious winges of fame whereby that babes as yet vnborne may speake of vs and in time to come fill whole vâ—lumes with our princely atchiuements These and such like reasons pronounced this disconted Champion till such time as the elementes cleared and that golden faced Phoebus glistred with splendant brightnes into the caue through a secret hole which séemed in their conceits to daunce about the vale of heauen and to reioyce at their happie deliueries In this ioyfull manner returned they vp into the court of the Castle with their armors buckled fast vnto their bodies which had not béene vnbraced in seuen dayes before where they met with the thrée Knightes comming to salute them and to giue them the curtesies of Knighthood But when Saint George saw his Sonnes whome he had not séene
dissolue his soule from his bodie and therewithal putting forth his hand somewhat trembling he tooke the Letter set him verie sorrowfully downe vpon the gréene grasse without anie power to the contrarie his gréefe so abounded the bounds of reason No sooner did he open the letter but he presently knew it to be written by the hands of his wronged Ladie y e Armenian Quéene who with great alteration both of hart minde he read the sorrowfull lines the which contayned these words following The Queene of Armenia her Letter TO thée thou disloyall Knight of the Blacke Castle the vnfortunate Quéene of Armenia can neither send nor wish salutations for hauing no health my selfe I cannot send it vnto him whose cruel mind hath quite forgotten my true loue I cannot but lament continuallye and complain vnto the Gods incessantly considering that my fortune is conuerted from a crowned Quéene to a miserable and banished caytiue where the sauage beasts are my chiefe companions the mournfull biâ—ds my best solliciters Oh Leoger Leoger why didst thou leaue me comfortlesse without all cause as did Aeneas his vnfortunate Dido what second loue hath bereaued me of thy sight and made thée forget her that euer shall remember thée Oh Leoger remember the day when first I saw thy face which day bee fatall euermore and counted for a dismal day in time to come both heauy blacke and full of foule mischances for it was vnhappie vnto me for in giuing thée ioy I bereaued my selfe of all and lost the possession of my libertie and honour althogh thou hast not estéemed nor tooke care of my sorrowfull fortunes yet thou shouldst not haue mockt my perfect loue and disdained the feruent affâ—ction that I haue borne thée in that I haue yéelded to thée that precious iewell y e which hath béen denied to manie a noble King Oh Loue cruel and spitefull Loue that so quickly didst make mee blinde and depriuedst mee of the knowledge that belonged vnto my royall Highnesse Oh vncurteous Knight beeing blinded with thy loue the Quéene of Armenia denied her honestie which shee ought to haue kept and preserued it from the biting canker of disloyall lâ—ue Hadst thou pretended to mocke me thou shouldst not haue suffred me to haue lost so much as is forgone for thy sake Tell me why didst not thou suffer mee to execute my will that I might haue opened my white brest with a pearcing swoord and sent my soule to the shady banke of swéete Elizium Then had it béene better for me to haue died than to liue still and dayly die Remember thy selfe Leoger and behold the harm that will come héereof haue thou a care vnto the pawn which thou leftst sealed in my wombe and let it bee an occasion that thou doost after all thy violent wronges retourne to sée me sléeping in my tombe that my childe may not remaine fatherlesse in the power of wilde beastes whose hearts be fraughted with nothing but with crueltie Doe not consent that this perfecte loue which I beare thée should be counted vaine but rather performe the promise the which thou hast denied me O vnkinde Leoger O cruell and heard heart is alshoode the firme loue that so faindedly thou didst professe to me what is he that hath béene more vnmercifull then thou hast béene There is no furious beast nor lurking Lion in the deserts of Libia whose vnmercifull pawes are all besmearde in bloud that is so cruell harted as thy self els wouldst thou not leaue me comfortles spending my dayes in solitarie woods where as the Tigers mourne at my distresses and chirping birdes in their kindes grieue at my lamentations the vnreasonable torments and sorrowes of my soule are so many that if my penne were made of Lidian stéele and my Inke the purple Ocean yet could not I write the number of woes But nowe I determine to aduertise thée of my desired death for in writing this my latest testament the fates are cutting a sunder my thrid of life and I can giue thée knowledge of no more but yet I desire thée by the true loue which I beare thée that thou wilt read with some sorrow these fewe lines and héere of the powers of heauen I do desire that thou maist dye the like death that for thée I now dye And so I ende By her vvhich did yeeld vnto thee her life Loue Honor Fame and Liberty WHen this sad and heauie knight had made an end of reading this dolorous letter hee could not restraine his eyes from distilling salte teares so great was the griefe that his hart sustaned Rosana did likewise beare him company to solemnize his heauines with as manye teares trickling from the Conduite of her eyes The greate sorrowe and lamentation was such and so much in both their hartes that in a great space the one coulde not speake vnto the other but afterwardes their griefes being somewhat appeased Leoger began to say Oh Messenger from her with the remembrance of whose wronge my soule is wounded being vndeseruedly of me euill rewarded tell me euen by the nature of true loue if thou dost knowe where she is showe vnto me her abiding place that I may goe thither and giue a discharge of this my great fault by yeilding vnto death Oh cruell and without loue answered Rosana what discharge canst thou giue vnto her that alreadye thorow thy crueltie is dead and buryed onely by the occasion of such a forsworne knight This penitent and payned knight when he vnderstood the certaintie of her death with a sodaine and hastie fury he strooke him selfe on the 〈◊〉 with his fist and lifting his eyes vnto the heauens in manner of exclamation against the Gods giuing déepe and sorrowfull sighes he threwe him selfe to the ground tumbling and wallowing from the one part vnto the other without taking any ease or hauing anye power or strength to declare his inward griefe which at that time he felt but with lamentations which did torment his hart he called continually on the Armenian Quéen and in that deuilish furye wherein he was dreâ— out his dagger and lifting vp the skirt of his shirt of 〈◊〉 he thrust it into his body and giuing himself this vnhappy death with calling vpon his wroÌ„ged Lady he finished his life and fell to the ground This sad and heauie Ladie when she beheld him so desperately to gorge his martiall breast and to fall liuelesse to the earth she greatly repented her selfe that she had not discouered her name and reuealed to him how that shee was his vnfortunate Daughâ—er whose face before that time he neuer had beheld and as a Lion though all too late who seeing before her eyes her yong Lionâ—sse euil intreated of the Huâ—ter euen so she ran vnto her welâ—eloued Father and with great spéed pulled off his helme froÌ„ his wounded head and vnbraced his armour the which was in colour according to his passion but as strong as anie Diamond made by Magicke arte Also she tooke away his
Knights that were present at this vnhappie mischance so great it was that the walles of the Monasterie ecchoed and their pittifull shrikes ascended to the heauens But none was more gréened in mind than the afflicted English Champion who like a man distraught of sense in great furie rushed amongst the people throwing them downe on euerie side till he ascended vpon the scaffold approaching the dead bodie of Lucina hee tooke her vp in his armes and with a sorrowfull and passionate voyce he said O my beloued ioy and late my only hearts delight is this the Sacrifice wherein through thy desperatenes thou hast deceiued me who loued thée more than my selfe is this the respite that thou requiredst for seauen dayes wherein thou hast concluded thy own death and my vtter confusion Oh noble Lucina and my beloued Ladie if this were thy intent why didst not thou first sacrifice mee thy Seruant and Loue wholly subiected vnto thy deuine beautie Woe be vnto mee and woe bee vnto my vnhappie enterprise for by it is she lost who was made souereigne Ladie of my heart Oh Diana accursed by this chaunce because thou hast consented to so bloodie a tragedie by the eternall powers of heauen that neuer more thou shalt be worshipped but in euerie Countrey where the English Champion commeth Lucina in thy stead shall be adored For euermore will he séek to diminish thy name and blot it from the golroll of heauen yea and vtterly extinguish it in eternitie so that there shall neuer more memorie remaine of thée for this thy bloodie Tyrannie in suffering so lamentable a Sacrifice No sooner had he deliuered these speaches but incensed with furie he drew out his sword and parted the image of Diana in two péeces protesting to ruinate the Monasterie within whose walls the deuice of this bloodie Sacrifice was concluded The sorrow and extreame gréefe of the Romane Emperour so excéeded for the murther of his Daughter that he fell to the câ—rth in a senselesse swâ—und and was carried halfe dead with gréefe by some of his knights home to his Pallace where he remained spéechles by the space of thirtie dayes The Emperour had a Sonne as valiant in armes as anie borne Italian except Saint Anthonie This young Prince whose name was Lucius seeing his sisters timeles death and by what meanes it was committed he presently intended with a traine of a hundred armed Knightes which continually attended vpon his person to assaile the discontented Champions and by force of armes to reuenge his sisters death This resolution so incouraged the Romaine Knyghtes but especially the Emperors sonne that betwixt these two companies began as terrible a battle as euer was fought by any knights the fearcenes of their blowes so excéeded the one side against the other that they did resounde ecchoes and they yeelded a terrible noyse in the great woods This battell did continue betwixt them both sharp and fierce for the space of two houres by which time the valor of the encensed Champions so preuailed that most of the Romaine knights were discomfited and slaine some had their handes pared from their shoulders some had their armes and legs lopped off and some lay breathles wâ—ltring in their owne blouds in which incounter many a Romaine Ladie lost her husband many a widowe was bereaud of her Sonne and many a childe was left fatherles to the great sorrow of the whole country But when the valiant young Prince of Roome sawe his knightes discomfited and hee lefte alone to withstand so many noble Champions he presently set spurs to his horse and fled from them like to a heape of oust forced by a whirlewinde After whom the Champions would not persue accountting it no glory to their names to triumph in the ouerthrow of a single knigâ—â— but remained still by the scaffolde where they buried the sacrificed Uirgin vnder a marble stone close by the monasterie wall The which being done to their contentments Saint George ingraued this Epitaph vppon the same stone with the point of his dagger which was in this wise following Vnder this marble stone interd doth lye Luckles Lucina of beautie bright Who to maintaine her spotles chastitie Against the assailment of an English Knight Vpon a blade her tender breast she cast A bloodie offering to Diana chast SO when hee had written this Epitaph the Christian Champions mounted vpon their swift foote stéedes bad adieu to the vnhappie Confines of Italy hoping to finde better fortune in other Countries In which trauell wee will leaue them for a time and speake of the Prince of Rome who after the discomfiture of the Romane knights fled in such hast from the furies of the warlike Champions After which hee like a starued Lion trauersed along by the Riuer of Tybris filling all places with his melancholy passions vntill such time as hee entred into a thicke groue wherein he purposed to rest hys wearie limbes and lament his misfortunes After he had in this solitarie place vnlaced his Helmet and huried it scornfully against the ground the infernal Furies began to visite him and to sting his breast with motions of fierie reuenge In the end he cast vp his wretched eyes vnto heauen and said Oh you fatall torches of the elements why are you not clad in mournâ—full abiliments to cloake my wandring steps in eternall darknes shall I be made a scorne in Rome for my cowardise or shall I return and accompanie my Romane frends in death whose bloodes me thinkes I sée sprinkled about the fields of Italy Mee thinks I heare their bléeding soules fill each corner of the earth with my base flight therefore will I not liue to bée tearmed a fearfull coward but dye couragiously by mine owne hands wherby those accursed Champions shall not obtaine the conquest of my death nor triumph in my fall This being said he drew out his dagger and ryued hys heart in sunder The newes of whose desperate death after it was bruted to his Fathers eares hée interred hys bodie with his Sister Lucinaes and erected ouer them a stately Chappell wherein the Nunnes and ceremonious Monkes during all their liues sung Dirges for his Childrens soules After this the Emperour made proclamation through all his Dominions that if anie Knight were so hardie as trauell in pursute after the English Champion by force of armes bring him backe and deliuer his head vnto the Emperour he should not onely be held in great estimation through the Land but receaue the gouernment of the Empire after his decease Which rich proffer so encouraged the mindes of diuers aduenterous Knightes that they went from sundry Prouinces in the pursute of Saint George but their attempts were all in vaine CHAP. XIIII Of the triumphs tilts and turnaments that were solemnly held in Constantinople by the Grecian Emperour and of the honorable aduentures that wer there atchiued by the christian champions with other strange accidents that happened IN the Easterne Parts of the world the fame
with mine owne blood the which my faintfull tongue is not able to reueale and thereupon hee pulled from his bossome a golden couered booke with siluer claspes and requested Saint George to read it to the rest of the kinghts to which he willingly condescended so sitting downe amongst the other Champions vpon the gréene springing grasse hee opened the bloudy written booke and read ouer the contents which contained these sorrowful wordes following CHAP. VI. What hapned to the Champions after they haâ— found an Image of fine Cristaâ—l in the forme of a murthered Mayden where Saint Gâ—orge had a golden Booke giuen him wherein was written in blood the true Tragedâ—es of two Sisters and likewise how the Champions intended a speedy reuenge vpon the Knight of the blacke Castle for the deaths of the two Ladies IN former times whilste Fortune smilde vpon me I was a welthye Shéepheard dwelling in this vnhappye Countrye not onely held in great estimation for my welth but also for two faire Daughters which nature had mad most excellent in beautie in whome I tooke such excéeding ioy delight that I accounted them my chiefest happinesse but yet in the end that which I thought should most content me was the occasion of this my endles sorrowes My two Daughters as I said before were endued with wonderfull beauty and accompanyed with no lesse honestie the fame of whose virtues was so blazed into many partes of the worlde by reason whereof there repayred to my Shéepheards Cottage diuers strange and worthye Knights with greate desire to marrie with my Daughters But aboue them all there was one named Leoger the knight of the blacke Castle wherein he now remayneth beeing in distance from this place some two hundreth leagues in an Island incompassed with the sea This Leoger I say being so entrapped with the beautye of my Daughters that he desired me to giue him one of them in mariage but â— little mistrusting his treason and crueltie that after followed but rather considering the greate honor that might râ—dounde thereof for that he was a woorthy knight and of much fortitude I quickly fulfilled his desire and graunted to him my eldest Daughter in mariage where after that Hâ—meus holy rites were solemnized in great pomp and state she was conducted in company of her new wedded Lord to the blacke Castle more liâ—â—r a Princâ—sse in estate then a shéepheards daughter of such degrée But yet still I retained in my company the youngest beeing of farre more beautie then her elder Sister of which this trayterous and vnnaturall knight was informed and her surpassing beauty so extolled that in a small time he forgot his new maried wife and swéet companion and wholly surrendred himselfe to her loue without consideration that he had maried her other sister So this disordinate and lustful loue kindled and increased in him euery day more and more and hee was so troubled with this new desire that he dayly deuised with himselfe by what meanes he might obtaine her and kéepe her in dispite of all the World in the end he vsed this policie and deceipt to get her home into his Castle for when the time grewe on that my eldest daughter his wife should bee deliuered hee came in great pompe with a stately traine of followers to my cottage and certified me that his wife was deliuered of a goodly â—oy and thereupon requestest me with very faire and louing wordes that I woulde let my daughter goe vnto her sister to giue her that contentment which she desired for shee did loue her more déer 〈◊〉 then her owne soule Thus his craftie and subtil perswations so much preuailed that I coulde not frame any excuse to the contrarie but muste néedes consent to his demaund so straight way when hee had in his power that which his soule so much desired hee presently departed giuing me to vnderstand that hee would carry her to hys wife for whose sight she had so much desired and at whose comming she would receiue great ioy and contentment her sodaine departure bred such sorrow in my heart â—eing the onely comfort and stay of my declyned age that the fountaines of my eyes rained downe a shewer of Salt teares vpon my aged brest so deare is the loue of a father vnto his child but to be short when this lustfull minded catiffe with his pompious traine came in sight of his Castle he commaunded his companie to ride forwards that with my daughter hee might secretly conferre of serious matters and so staide lingring behinde till hee sawe his company almost out of sight and they two alone together he found oportunitie to accomplish his lustful desires and so rode into a little groue which was hard at hande close by a riuers side where without any more tarying he caried her into the thickest part thereof where he thought it most conuenient to performe so wicked a déede When he behelde the branches of the thicke trées to withholde the light of heauen from them and that it séemed a place ouerspred with the sable mantles of night he alighted from his horse and willed my welbeloued daughter that shee should likewise alight shee in whose heart raigned no kinde of suspition presently alighted and sate her downe by the riuers side and washed her faire white handes in the streames and refreshed her mouth with the christall waters Then this dessembling Traitor coulde no longer refraine but with a countenance like the lustfull King of Thrace when hee intended the rauishment of Progne or like Tarquinius of Roame when he defloured Lucrecia he let her vnderstand by some outward shewes and darke sentences the kindled fire of loue that burned in his hart and in the end he did wholy declare his deuilish pretence and determined purpose So my louing daughter being troubled in minde with his lustfull assaylements beganne in manner to reprehend him will you said she defile my sisters bedde and staine the honor of your house with lust will you bereaue me of that precious Iewell the which I holde more déerer then my life and blot my true Uirginitie with your false desires brought you me from the comfortable sight of my Father to bee a ioy vnto my Sister and will you florish in the spoile of my true chastitie looke looke imoderate Knight I will not call thée brother looke I say how the heauens doe blush at thy attempts and see how chaste Diana sits vpon the winged firmaments and threatens vengeance for her Uirgins sake washe from thy heart these lustfull thoughts with shewers of thy repentant teares and séeke not thus to wrong thy mariage bed the which thou oughst not to violate for all the kingdomes in the World Then this accursed Knight séeing the chaste and vertuous maiden to stand so boldely in the defence of her Uirginitie with his rigorus hand hee tooke fast holde by her necke and with a wrathfull countenance hee deliuered these words do not think stubbern damsel to preserue thy honor from