of her beautie but there appeared a hande as pointing to her and vnder it was written this motto Proude beautie Thus rode the Knight on his minde still hammering on loue and desire of glory and then he espied Dorina comming toward who before had stoode inuisible by and shee causing him to goe on board againe set sayle immediatlie for Constantinople CHAP. XX. How the young Princes arriued at Constantinople where they receiued their order of Knight-hoode and how preparation was made for a Tournament THe Shyp that was embowelled with the gallant young Princes casting Anchor in the Port at Constantinople they were by the Emperour Empresse verie louingly entertained and vnderstanding by Aliarts Letters the cause of their comming it was appointed that they should be Knighted the Sunday folowing and each one hauing watched in his Armor the night before accoring to the custome in such cases prouided there appeared certaine signes vnto them which gaue notice of important matters to diuers of them Leonato the sonne of Palmerin beeing deuoutly at prayer he beheld an aged Emperour enter the Chappell who laying his hand vpon his breast said Behold I take all feare from thee that may be iniurious or hurt thee in any perrillous enterprise make thee Knight of the Sword which deuise he bare while he liued atchiuing manifold honours thereby and it was imagined that this old man was the shadow of the Emperour Palmerin d' Oliua These spéeches were plainly heard by diuers of the rest and others entring the Chappell founde him both armed and girt with a Sword which made them suppose that hee should neede no doubt of arming by the Emperour To Arguto who was at his deuotions in another place by himselfe appeared a King with a Shielde which had figured in it a goodly Sunne and taking him by the hand said I know that thy fortune will heereafter cause thee to offende one whoÌ„ thou rather oughtest to honour but because thou shalt not be the meanest in those seruices which thou art to vndertake I giue thée my shield of the Sunne which shal be impenetrable part therefore from hence after thou hast thy title of Knighthoode No other hearde what this King had sayde to Arguto but sawe howe hee armed him as a Knight To Tarnaes the sonne of Platir came an old man in verie short garments who wanted one eye and in breefe termes he spake thus to him I giue thee this Armor which once belonged to King Phillip of Macedon which shall make thee famous in all thine enterprises and arming him therewith presently departed Many that saw him at his departure iudged him to be Lycurgus the Law-maker of Lacedemonia In the morning the Emperour not a little wondering at these strange accidents gaue the other Knights theyr degrees whereat Oliuanto the second sonne of Florendos was much discontented because the Emperour had not in like manner knighted him though indeed his young yéeres was his onely hinderance The feasting was very pompous and the Emperour shewed himselfe exceeding ioyfull as beholding his Court now begin to flourish againe which had béene before very sad and solitarie in regard of the mighty losses sustained and the case of Prince Florian caused some discontentment albeit a little glimmering of good hap appeared in that so many Knights was departed in quest of him and doubtlesse would defend him from any perrill of life The new created Knights to giue some presage of their hopefull valour concluded a Tournament among themselues at the Launce onely and it was free for all commers what soeuer onely it was in this manner ordained because if any Pagan Princes should chaunce to be there no treason or villainie could then be offered The fame of this Iousting flew through diuers parts of the world yea euen into Turkie where the Christian Knights were in great ioy and feasting for the happy deliuerance of the Prince Florian. And Targiana omitted no gracious kindnesse what soeuer that might auaile for his delight or contentment so that the Turkes thought shee had made him her husband whereat they grewe sad and much displeased expecting euery howre when they should be forced to deny their fayth and be subiected to a Christian Prince the thought wherof to them was worse then death Very gladlie would these Christian Lordes be present at Constantinople as well to see the behauior of their Sonnes as to make proofe of them by their owne experience for at these yeres men ought endeuour to make themselues glorious and in imitation of their Fathers contend who should be most famous But they could not as yet get away from that Country because Ristorano hauing mustered together many Persian Knights collected from diuers parts of the Prouinces that came not in time for the ayde of Sucusano were reputed to be a very great Armie and they were making speedilie to Tubante hauing foure crowned Kings in their companie who were to be knowne by these descriptions Carino King of Illium was y e first who had with him two huge Giants and thirty thousand armed Souldiours Drago King of Memphis the second who had a Monster in humane shape the very strangest that euer was séene before It went both on two feete and likewise on foure the heade like a Goate with foure long bending hornes two turning toward the face and two forward with the first hée wounded when hee stoode on his two féete and with the other when he went vpon his foure His armes were hairie bristled and more long then they that bore his bodie hauing nayles or talents so sharpe piercing as they woulde enter through any Shielde in all the rest hee resembled a man except his feete and in stature greatly he excéeded any Giant whatsoeuer Vlderino King of Tanais was the third a man very valiant of himselfe hauing twentie thousand followers and two Sonnes of a Giantlike stature The fourth was Stupendo the most cruell King of Scithia with fiftéene thousand of his armed people according as theyr custome is to goe onely with Launce and bow mounted on horsebacke but without any bridle All these ioyned their forces with Ristorano who likewise had an hundred thousand men what with his Persians and those of Turkie who marching disordredly cumbred much ground and were greatly feared all the way they went for now no other newes ranne any where abroade but that their Princesse Targiana was married to Florian King of Thrace and thereby they doubted subiection to the Grecian Empire which was very yrkesome to them but to heare When the Christian Knights heard what a power was comming against them and that so many Kings had ioyned their strength with Ristorano fearing least theyr supporting this present occasion in Turkie might abridge them from euer beholding their owne Countries they dispatched thence certaine Turkes to perswade the Kings that the Christians had no other busines there but onely to seate Targiana their naturall borne Lady in her Kingdome And thâ—s perswasion had past
saw that he had men sufficient there to kill vs all for I was the tallest in stature in all our Country beeing a cubit and a halfe in height and euery one feared me in regard of my greatnes he laboured to haue mee home to his owne kingdome whether God knowes I went with no little willingnes little suspecting any trecherie towarde me and this he hastened with the more spéede because hée had gotten intelligence that my Father by these armed troupes growne suspitious of his sonne in law had helde conference with a neighbour Nation confining vppon vs requesting assistance if occasion should vrge it Our departure was celebrated with all possible ioy and triumphs and béeing come to his kingdome I was receiued with exceeding honour and all maiesticall dignities beséeming a Quéene But eyght daies were not fully past till I beheld my husbands countenaunce strangely changed which pierced my hart with such inward affliction that in his lookes I might reade the presage of my ruine Within some fewe dayes following I sitting alone with him in his Chamber and doubtfull of some imminent ill fortune he suddainly caught mee by the haire of the head and pulling me from my seate after he had shaken tugde me as himselfe pleased he threw me against the grounde giuing me so many spurnes with his féete as the breath was readie to flie out of my body When hee sawe mee in such an affrighted distracted estate as hee iudged I durst not denie what soeuer he demaunded with wordes full of furie and bitter despight he spake to me in manner following Isota for so am I called looke what I enioyne thee performe vpon thy life as thou will auoyde worse torture then I haue yet inflicted on thée Write to thy Father after thine accustomed course of enditing and tell him thou lyest sickly at the very poynt of death in regarde whereof this is thy desire that accompanied with thy eyght Brethren and foure Sisters he would come and sée thée before thy death And because thine owne attending Dwarffe who in respect of his credite with the King thy father shal carry the Letter may the better assure him by worde of mouth likewise that he saw thée very sick when thou hast written and sealed the Letter thou shalt betake thee to thy bed feigning and dissembling extreame sicknesse indéed I perceiuing at what marke Saboco made his leuell though I was shrewdly shaken and very sore with stripes tolde him that the vnnaturall dealing he had vsed toward mee might well enough suffise his vnkind inclination without making mee the meanes to betray mine owne kinred and Father Then like a mad man he flew into a more violent fury excéeding the former crueltie extended to me and haled me by the hayre along the ground so outragiously treading on me and beating me so vnreasonably as hee brake diuers vaines in my body and armes and bringing mee in his armes to a great bay window proffered to cast mee headlong out thereat saying Thus diest thou if thou yéeld not to what I haue enioyned thee So much preuailed with me the feare of death y t I cryed out to him saying Deere Lord saue my life and I will performe what soeuer you would haue me Héereuppon setting me on my feete againe he shewed himselfe to be highly contented and with a countenaunce pleasing and words most perswasiue he brought mee pen and incke then on such a leafe as the Indians vse to write I set downe the purpose of what soeuer he willed mée and the Letter beeing closed vp I was conuaied to my bedde where I needed not to counterfet or dissemble sicknes his rough vsage had brought mee into extreame sufficiencie both in bodies debilitie affliction of minde Then bringing the Dwarffe to me in whom I reposed no meane confidence I gaue him the Letter with speeches sutable to my present estate and his appointment desiring him beside to be very earnest with my Father to delay no time least I dyed before his comming The King my Father beléeuing the Letter and the messengers testimonie that brought the same within ten dayes space was come vnto mee and finding mee in that weake estate expressed a kinde Fathers true sorrowe for his childe Saboco dissemblingly entertained him with great honour till so many dayes were out-worne as his furie could allow in which time diuers Lords that came in company with my Father by his direction were returned to theyr owne houses because my Father would attende my death or recouery and the Lordes fayled not to report theyr royall vsage by Saboco which made euery one free from mistrusting his trecherous intention When hee sawe time fitting with his long expectation he caused my Father with sixe of my brothers to be layde hold on and likewise my foure sisters but these two forewarned by me at that instant to respect themselues and labouring to aduertise the other but coulde not compasse it whereupon they fledde with all possible spéede not a little gréeued to leaue theyr Father brethren in a tyrants curtesie Saboco bringing my Father and Bretheren to my beds side with menaces torments did enforce them that my Father should write to the chiefest in his kingdome to deliuer the Castels of defence treasuries and what soeuer else him pleased to such as Saboco should send to demaund them Now because the Indians neuer vsed to contradict anie thing theyr King commaunded all that the Letter imported was forthwith performed and those Princes who before were our confederates by this meanes remained desperate of theyr owne iurisdictions Newes being brought to Saboco that euery thing sorted to his owne direction hée brought my Father and his sixe sonnes into my Chamber where before my face he first murdered the aged King and afterward his sonnes without any compassion then causing my Sisters to be seuerally brought thether likewise he deflowred them one after another in my fight and my selfe which had deliuered such a wealthy Kingdome into his hands he deliuered ouer to y e rascalitie of his Court to dishonour me first with abhorred luxurie and afterward with wilde beasts to be torne in peeces But heauen beholding my intollerable iniuries exceeding the abilitie of any liuing creature to endure raised me vp one friende among so many monstrous inhumaine villaines a Gentleman of his Chamber who séeing mée left to violent prostitution pittying a Kings daughter shoulde be so brutishly disgraced considering my beautie pleaded for farre better respect deuised this shift in hope to doo mée good that to auoyde contention who shoulde enioy mee fortune should be descided by lotterie and lots beeing cast his was the honour first to possesse me which hee crauing that the eye of day might not looke on an act so detestable purposed to performe me as he said the night ensuing but indeede he promised me to conuay me thence and sette me safe with some tryed friende in my Fathers kingdome But Fortune yet not satis-fied with my
dead by the bodie of her husband Bellagris BEeing all of them greatlie gréeued for the death of so many woorthy Lords Pandricias sorrowes grew to extreamity for she béeing hidde among the Sepulchers with resolued minde to pursue her intent and weeping to die ouer her husbands dead bodie when shee perceiued that by the time of night they were all asléepe she came to the bodie of Bellagris and ouer it made the most wofulst lamentation that euer did woman for her husbands death Recounting the tedious time of misery wherein not long they had liued which béeing ouer-blowne with a little better comfort had now so small continuance Then remembring Blandidon her sonne whose life she likewise feared because his great expence of blood still made him keepe his bed this double corsiue of gréefe so laboured her thoughts that ouer-come there-with closing hand in hand shee fell downe dead ouer her husbands body CHAP. VIII How the other Princes were buried the day following YEt was not Blandidon so greatly weakened but that he remembred his mother who was wont to stand very pensiue by his bedde side but séeing all had betaken themselues to rest loth was hee to trouble so honourable a companie and therefore passed ouer this night suspecting what he found too true in the end The morning following they rose not ouer-earlie by reason of the Princes weake disposition and the greefe they endured the day past in burying the dead Aliart who stoode pondering with himselfe where the Princes of greatest merrite should be interred because hee sawe no Sepulchers as yet there appointed for them earlie that morning went where the other had béene buried and beheld all the chamber was changed into the forme of halfe a Theater with degrées and pillers of Alablaster so beautifull as at midnight cléere day might there be discerned and the Tombes which had béene vsed the day before aunswered in order to the persons enclosed in them Now in the midst of a place more high and spacious and vnder the féete of Polinardas figure was a Sepulcher wrought into the wall held vp by pillers of Porphirie and arched ouer the head most richlie where on the couerture stood in pure golde the statue of the Emperour Palmerin holding Fortune by the locks and out-brauing her power as seeming to threaten her if she parted from him On the side before was engrauen in Letters of golde these verses following By valour and good hap I ouercame All mine attempts To kindred of my name Leaue I perpetuall memory and fame On the right hand was another Tombe little lesse differing in beautie béeing placed vnder the féete of Agriola and in the midst thereof was two Epitaphs the first was thus The state I ioyde made mee not feare to die Because I knewe that shame and infamie Followeth a life not led heroycallie The other which was some-what lower and written in lesser Letters was thus T is endlesse death to liue without content Die then like me who will the same preuent This second Epitaph made knowne that Polynard was buried with the Emperour Vernar his Brother whereat they all meruailed Now on the left hand of the Emperour Palmerin was another Sepulcher richlie adorned hauing this Epitaph thereon Yeeres did not let me from desire to die Wanting the life my father got thereby The description thus engrauen on this Tombe made it apparant to euerie one that therein lay enclosed Polendos King of Thessaly Then vnder that of Palmerin there was another of redde Marble but the Epitaph thereon was written in Gréeke and is thus interpreted It was ill hap for me to end my daies Not spending of my blood as others haue To guarde the walls and gates got me no prayse They did me wrong that sent me so to graue Euery one gathered that this was King Tarnaes who in regard of his graue yéeres was left to guarde the Citty of Constantinople Nowe stande all the Princes and Lords dumbe as it were at so many meruailes and nothing else coulde bee heard but earnest and profound sighes sent from the melting harts of the widdowed Ladies And Aliart to knowe certainlie whether the bodies which were not buried the day before remained as they had beene left went to the chamber and finding that of Bellagris as also Pandricia lying dead by it he stoode as one agast thereat the Princesses likewise when they beheld her in that case deliuered forth such lamentations as might easily be heard thorowe the whole Castle which raised such admiration in them that lay wounded as made them forsake their lodgings to the great perill of their liues especially Blandidon whose mind misgaue him of some ensuing ill not hauing all that night seene his wofull mother Aliart by his words could not pacifie their complaints but worse was like to haue ensued thereon if the olde womans figure had not made a suddaine noyse with her rod where-with they all turned about to vnderstand the cause thereof and beeing in a generall meruaile immediatly they behelde a goodly Sepulcher woorthily wrought hauing two Epitaphs engrauen thereon the first in this maner I liu'd a Pagan but for truth I know That following time will blisse on me bestow The other which was fastened to this former with many braunches as it were was thus Life full of griefe with little ioy or none Welcome sweet death that knits two harts in one For with Bellagris is my hope alone In this Sepulcher were they both layd together without any one putting hand thereto it was taken vp and placed vnder that of King Tarnaes for Pandricia albeit she was nominated amongst the fairest in the world yet was she not pictured in this chamber the reason was she led such a sorrowfull kinde of life as hindred the perfection of her beauty from sight These Princes buried thus with such glory as the wise Vrganda in her prouidence thought méete preseruing by her in readines so many Toombs as might serue such great Princes to take their latest rest in Aliart hauing brought thither from the Profound I le diuers Priests and religious persons caused their obsequies to be celebrated as in a Countrey so farre from Christendome could be performed Which being done he brought them all back to the Pallace hauing first séene the old womans Image take her leaue who with her wand made certaine signes to them which séemed by Aliarts signifying the same that that Theater of Toombs should there continue while any of Palmerins blood should suruiue whose race and fortune for euer should be most famous and to the very last not vtterly abolished Blandidon in whom could not be hid the sad hap of his Mother vsed such passions of griefe as séemed to menace him with death but that Aliart got some mittigation thereto by his Art causing him in sleepe to see his father Bellagris who spake to him that he should abandon all other thoughts studying onely to recouer his health that so he might goe gouerne the state
there might happen some matter well worth the noting went on feeling for his way thorow a darke passage and came at last into a faire Cabbin or Chamber the walls whereof was richly hung round about with cloth of golde all the roofe or vpper part was of Crimosin silke very curiously embroydered with siluer Starres and the Sunne and the Moone therein wrought so artificially as they gaue a shyning splendour to all the Chamber In one part of the roome stoode a goodly bed hung round with purfled curtaines of gold and silke wherto presuming to aduaunce his steppes and drawing one Curtaine somewhat aside with his hand he saw there lie sleeping a Lady of such wonderfull beautie that albeit his loue was deuoted to Victoria yet this faire face séemed so highly pleasing to him as if they both had stoode in person before him hée could hardly determine where he should place his election Standing thus transported in his sences for a long space he grew so desirous to behold her bright eyes open as touching lightly her snowie breasts with one of his hands hée made her to start awaken but then her heauenly lookes did so mightily preuaile with him as hardly could hee abstaine from that which honour forbad him till remembring himselfe that thether he was brought about some aduenture of moment which made him modestly refraine and lending her his hand to helpe her rise thus he spake to her Beautifull Lady I wonder as much at your rare perfections as the strangenesse of my aduenturing hether therefore so pleased you I would gladly know of whence and what you are and why among Lyons you haue made choyse of dwelling thus on the Sea The Lady seeming no way discontented with his demaund replyed in this manner Aduenturous Knight whose vallour hath ledde thée to what others durst neuer attempt but when they haue seene the Lyons bring the boate to the shoare would cowardlie flie away into the Woods I account you the onely man who dreadlesse of any perrill whatsoeuer in the aduenture are desirous to vnderstand the full nature thereof wherefore if Fortune be so gracious a Mistresse vnto you you shall finish the onely aduenture of regard that euer anie Knight alone accomplished Know then faire Knight that I am the daughter to king Frysoll who sometime gouerned the Morning Ilands til age setting heauie foote vppon his backe made him elect a seruaunt of his owne education whom he had made Lord of the Flowrie I le and in whom hee reposed speciall trust and confidence to his care and custodie was I and my brother committed with such allowance of subiects homage and other dignities beside as might well suffise to haue made him very respectful of vs. All matters beeing so established that when death was controuler of the King our Father my brother should remaine vnder his protection till such time as by benefite of yéeres hee coulde lay claime to his kingdome and then hee should haue it honourably resigned to him Garnides for so was y e Knight put in trust called promised much more then our dying father could vrge so giuing him the Ring and Staffe of Protectorship the King our Father closed his eyes and died Nowe was Garnides in full possession of the gouernment hauing at his commaund all the Forts Castels Treasuries and euery thing there wanted nothing but the title royall and thereto ambitiouslie he began to aspire My Brother being the maine sâ—umbling blocke in his way within few dayes hee was bereft of life and then in all the hast he would call himselfe king but séeing things not succéede yet to populare satis-faction but that more eyes and tongues went on his procéedings then he willingly would haue then woulde hee haue mee ouer-young in yeeres as then to be his Wife to sette a more substantiall ground on his tirannous vsurpation yet happily when time serued to rid the world of me to An Earle named Bernuccio in whose Castle I was at that time kept by the vsurpers appointment wheÌ„ he heard that Garnides laboured to make himselfe King and knew himselfe ouer-weake to vse any resistance he béeing a meruailous expert Magitian thought y t the best way to keepe me from the Tyrant wherefore he brought me hether in this Shyppe enchaunting héere likewise the foure Lyons which conducted you aboard limitting his Arte to such proportion that none should be so bold as to come to this ship except his courage serued him to vndertake a great aduenture vntill which be ended I cannot be married and Bernuccio fearing least Garnides for this would put him to death enchaunted himselfe in his Castell in a very strange manner and he must combate with variable shapes that shall be his deliuerance At this instant Sir there remaineth nothing else for you to doo but to fight with those two Lyons on the prowe of the Shyp nor is there any necessity of their death but onely to binde them fast which perhaps will appeare so toylesome a taske vnto you as may make you repent the vnderstanding of the enterprise But that once doone the other two Lyons will be obedient vnto you and keepe yée company thorow a Wood which we are to passe and they will stand vs in very great sted kéeping vs from being deuoured of strange wilde beasts whereof you shall see there such aboundance as els it were impossible to escape with life The Knight of Fortune stoode with great pleasure to heare this strange aduenture and was on fire till he came to try his vallour in it wherefore séeing the Lady in that sort to pause he said Procure swéete Lady that we may be set an shoare againe if I binde the Lyons for I know not how my strength shall preuaile beeing thus on the water Doe aunswered the Lady that which appertaineth to you and leaue the rest to my direction Hée hearing this reply went vpon the decke and ere he was halfe mounted the Lyons on the prow beganne to assaile him one of them catching holde with his teeth on his armes the other grasping his Helmet with his clawes but Primaleon got one of them fast by the legge and puld him in such sort as he made him tumble ouer backward and to the other he gaue such a blow with his left hand as one of his eyes fell out of his head Yet for all this when hee would haue stept vppon the decke where hee was to binde the Lyons one of them caught him fast by the thigh and griped him so hard as the Armour which he wore on that part for his defence was rent in péeces and the paine of the gripe entred to the very bone but to auoyde further oppression by these beasts he caught one of them by the shag-hairde maine and the other by the taile wherein appeared his admirable strength for lifting them both thus from the ground he stept vp with them vppon the hatches and there would haue throwne them into the Sea till remembring himselfe
defended his face with one of the weapons with a maine stroke he cut one of the Rapiers through the midst and so it fell out of his hand to the ground so y e the Satyre beeing now very fearefull of his face and not daring to fight any longer with one weapon turned his back and fled Soone after he returned in a contrary shape séeming a very strange deformed Giant with a huge broade hande which serued him as a Sworde and a mightie Club in the other both seeming incorporate as growing naturally out of his body Hee was all naked which Primaleon shamed very much to behold and thought it small manhood in him if he should fight with him vpon this aduantage and therfore made offer of disarming himselfe to the end hee might not be disparaged by any inequalitie but the Lady standing in a window aboue to behold the fights successe aduised him to the contrary The Giant seemed thereat to be very wroth and angry albeit he seemed naked yet was his flesh so hard and impenetrable as the Knights Sword rebounded still backe againe as if it had falne on Armour or stéele but Primaleon héedfull of the Giants defence still noted that hee best garded the right side of his face For more then halfe an howre the fight endured and the Knight had so well awarded the strokes of his enemie as hee felt very little endamagement by them wherefore giuing a suddaine thrust very néere his right eye the Giant séemed so amazed thereat that Primaleon aduantageously running vppon him forcibly wrested the Club quite from him then had he nothing but his broade hand left to make resistance withall which hee likewise striking at with the Club thought he had smit it quite off when finding himselfe deceaued hee gaue a snatch at it with his Gauntlet and pulling it strongly frō the body founde that he had it fast in his hand Now the Giant hauing nothing to defend himselfe withall turnd and fled againe stayed not so long as one would goe twentie paces but he heard a doore suddainly rush open and sawe a Collomne therein with an Idoll vppon it holding a labell with this inscription Except thou cast mee downe thou art but dead Presently came foorth a huge beast like an Elephant but farre more agill and nimble in shew with ten swords by his sides which were helde directly out by certaine hands turning and winding euery way with meruailous facilitie as if they had naturall vse and motion and the beasts body had certaine bones resembling scales fashioned after the manner of an Armour This beast went diuers times about the Piller appearing to be the Gardian thereof handled the swords euery way with such admirable dexteritie as Primaleon could not deuise where best to offend him but remembring his right eye was the place of certaintie as hee made his ayme thereat hee foorth-with sawe two swords suddainly shoote out of his fore-head and two other out of his temples on each side hauing like agilitie and motion as the other swords had Notwithstanding all this commending himselfe to God couragiously he went and assailed the Monster and it was his good hap that at the very first stroke hee smote off two swords of those which were vpon y e beasts side which gaue him some hope of victory in the end But yet it stoode him on to be very heedfull otherwise by those swordes his death was threatned for should he haue stept betwéene the Collomne and the beast both those starting vp and the other making directly at him it had béene impossible for him to haue escaped with life therefore euer as he came neere the Piller he felt himselfe thrust backe hee knewe not by whom and when he made at the beast then all the swords were opposed against him so that at one instant hée was brought to such distresse that he thought the huge Monster would haue falne vpon him and so haue nailde him to the earth with the swords which to auoyde and loth to be so violently murdred by vertue of his generous and vnconquerable spirit hee threw himselfe at one leape vppon the necke of the beast and was so suddenly prepared withall that with a slicing blow hee cut off the swordes that serued as a defence to his temples and to his right eye Now began cheerefull comfort to seaze vpon his soule which made him send stab after stab directly to y e part but the beast nothing oppressed with his burden turnd the left side of his head with mad furie toward him and there hée saw two other swords newly started foorth which put the Knight to worse perrill then the other before had doone nay more the beast began nowe to take the aduantage of his backe so that Primaleon was enforced to get away frō him least with his fall vppon him hee should be prest to death yet forgot he not still to ayme at his eye which the beast well perceiuing vsed the more circumspection Notwithstanding hauing but thrée swords now left to make resistance withall he got néere to the Piller and setting his head close to it put out his hinderpart to be his defence whereon Primaleon layd innumerable strokes but all to no purpose which when hee plainly perceiued and that he might hold on so God knowes how long yet reape no benefite by all his endeuour he purposed now to hazard life or winne the victorie and taking another leape cast himselfe vpon the right shoulder of the beast as hee made an offer to fall that way on the ground to the end he might so get the Knight vnder him he hapt to turne his head toward him which opportunitie not neglecting as being the especiall occasion he had so long striuen for he stabt him in the right eye and the huge beast staggering forward and backward had falne with the Knight vnder him but that he gaue a sudden leape toward the Piller and ran against it so mainely with recouering of himselfe as hee fell quite ouer backward where lying in some little quandarie for a prettie while had not the beast béene manfully dispatched before his life had perrished at that instant But comming to himselfe againe hee went to the Piller with intent to hewe it downe in peece but the Ladie cryed to him that hee should forbeare because the Piller was to be kept whole and sound onely hee should bring it into the Pallace and set it on a goodly base where a thousand before it had béene set by a King of that Iland who was a meruailous skilfull Nigromancer then would ensue out of the place a furious mad dog whose nailes would pierce his Armour as easily as woode and if ouer him hee could get the victory then the aduenture was fully accomplished The Knight without more adoo went straite to the Piller and taking it vpon his shoulder it séemed as if hee had béene loden with a Mountaine notwithstanding to perfect the glorie of so great an enterprise
should bee shewne vnto you neuerthelesse Fortune reseruing you to more glorious enterprises commaunds me to bridle all displeasure and not to vse you as in iust rage I might withdraw your selfe therefore into that little Cottage and there you shall finde what is conuenient for you Primaleon feeling the last Caniballs blowes most offensiue to him the more gladlie yéelded to this inuiting and being entred the Cottage hee found there a table daintilie furnished and a goodly bed for him to rest in there supt he without any dread of suspition and seeing none to hinder him went afterward to bed and there slept soundly CHAP. XLIX Howe Primaleons Squire arriued at Constantinople with his horse and there witnessed that a Lyon had deuoured his Lord in his presence and of another sad newes there happening also THE Court of Constantinople was full repleate with gréefe for Miragardaes losse and the two fayre young Ladies that were with her the Emperour beside was much malecontent because hee could haue no vse of his Armour onely through the lamenesse of his right arme which thus on meere constraint kept him in Constantinople quite contrary to his knightly resolutions and desires albeit both the wise Aliarte and Dorina had giuen him hope of recouerie and still hee remained in expectation of that promised good fortune nor did any imbecilitie or age abate one iote of his courage but continuing his former youthfull disposition often wished himselfe in the fiercest and bloodiest battailes Now in this idle loytering from the exercise of military imployment a softer temper had beleagerd his affections and carrying them in doating errour toward fayre Candida the Daughter of Belisart prouoked him to diuers priuate visitations of her all which notwithstanding the discréete and fayre natured Empresse Grydonia neuer minding the becks nodds and other ceremonies of an olde enamoured husband deliuered apparantly that shee discerned nothing whereat the Emperour was not a little contented albeit he would not for all his Empire y t the world knew his vaine desires as his in very deede Empresse did Time passing on in these and such like occasions the Knight of Fortunes Squire happened to arriue at the Court leading in his hand his Maisters Courser and tydings he brought of certaintie withall that he sawe when a Lyon deuoured his Lorde These heauie newes flewe quickly through the Court and the Empresse with the fayre young Lady Concordia who duly kept within her loâ—ging euer since the losse of Miragarda her Mother ran as bereft of theyr wits about the Pallace finding the Emperour in like manner neerer death then life But the Empresse Grydonia beeing of great spirit womanly discretion weighing in the equall ballance of her thoughts what greefe a man might take for losse of such a Nephew kindly embracing the Emperour spake vnto him in thys manner Right royall and my most esteemed Lord by the vertue of that loue which you truly declared when deliuering mée your sword and laying your head on my lappe you prostrated your selfe to death and bad me reuenge my wrongs for Perequin of Durace let me intreate you to forget these passions and liue with me in honours league as you ought to doe Admit you haue lost a noble Nephew yet comfort your selfe in Oliuanto his brother doubtlesse his Mother will also be well recouered againe for assurance whereof take this as a testimonie that in the heauiest and most disconsolate afflictions of all the Diuine fauour preserued and restored you to your Empire The Emperour beeing come to better patience was so inwardly comforted with these pleasing speeches that folding her in his armes hee declared himselfe to be contentedly satis-fied commaunding all the other Ladies and young Princesses to his presence with whom hee sate discoursing on matters beseeming theyr assembly the better to expell these sad tydings which so much afflicted him yet the death of his déere Nephew often interposing it selfe coÌ„pelled many broken yet well shadowed sighes which neuerthelesse the Empresse with heedfull eye obserued and made her very hardly to refraine from teares But nowe the houre of dinner beeing come a generall feasting together in the hall was commaunded whereto the Emperour was the rather induced because hee helde it as a matter woorth generall respect that a Knight so fauoured of Fortune and so full of fayre hopes should so vntimely be tane away euen in the freshest flouring of his youth This dinner was very sumptuous and honourably performed in which time many iocond humours and fantasies ranne in the Emperours thoughts that he could hardly beleeue his Nephew was dead and dinner beeing ended hee called to him sundry Princes of good yeeres to whom he imparted his priuate oppinion which sauouring as likely in their coniectures as his they fell to this conclusion that the Squire should be deliuered ouer to torments thereby to vnderstand the truth of his Maisters death So without any long delaying hee was taken and tormented in such sort that hee confessed the reason of his saying so was because hee thought him for certaintie to be dead and in excuse of his owne returning thether without him for how could it be otherwise his eyes were witnesses how a Lyon carried him into a deepe vaulte against which beast he could not well defend himselfe his Armour being before taken from him at the Tree of Fortune The Emperour aduertised the Empresse heereof and sending kindly to entreate her company so soone as she came thus he began Madame cherrish your good hopes for questionlesse my Nephew is liuing for I dare affirme according to some Magicall incantations which I haue both seene and heard of that the Lyon is so friendly a beast to the progenie of Palmerin that this carriage away of our Nephew by a Lion will sort in the end to his fame and glory Now began all former sad oppinions to be quite banished and nothing but courtly pleasures onely prosecuted but sée a suddaine vnexpected change againe Franardos Squire whose Lord neuer parted from the I le of Carderia since his surprising there by the Knight awaiting his fréedome by some other man of merrit and perceiuing Almaroll with the other Knights there to be taken likewise and Leonato enchaunted for defence of the place the Squire bereft of all hope that any one nowe could deliuer them returned also to Constantinople and there reported how many Knights were there thus strangely retained in the I le of Carderia This fresh allarum of vnfortunate tydings raised such a new discontent in the Court that nowe they began to credite the former report comparing present successes with passed accidents that Fortune now stroue to weaken the Court of Constantinople and reduce it into the like desperate estate as when Don Edward the Prince of England was imprisoned but this new crosse stoode on farre worse conditions by reason these Knights could not be deliuered without the intended death of Leonato which admitted no hope in so hard an extremitie but rather