his companion hath ingendered in me a sonne and a daughter so fayre and of so goodly forme and proportion that their forme and shape doth shewe vndoubtedly the fruite to be engendered of a God the whiche thing causeth me to say that their vertue magnanimitiâ— and valiantnesse shall be such that they shall be taken among men for halfe Gods. Of the whiche pleasure and honour thus receyued by me I thought it reasonable to make you partakers to the ende ye should be merrie and ioyfull as they doe merit ye shoulde béeing the infantes and children of such a God the whiche is the mightie Mars whose anger doing the contrarie may greatly trouble and hurt you whereof I Zahara your friende shoulde bée maruellously displeasant the which thing hath caused me to pray you once againe in the name of my Lorde and friende to haue the natiuitie of these my two children in singular honour and recommendation and from henceforth to haue and to holde the mother of them in the place that she deserueth seing that the Deitie and Godhead is ioyned in hir so that the worlde by me doth take part of the diuine séede And besides this noble Emperoure of Trebisonde we haue elected and chosen you presently to giue the order of chiualrie to my sonne Anaxartes as soone as hée shall come to the age for to receyue it and the sworde by the hande of my great friend Abra and Amadis of Grece I require you in like case to giue it to my daughter Alaxtraxerâ—e and that Niquea whome ye loue so greatly doe hir confirmable office to Abras sonne not knowing any other more worthie than ye are to approch to the diuinitie béeing such as all men do estéeme you and for such I shall hereafter take you giuing peace to your Monarchies and estate royall when these my children folowing the nature of their father shall bring all the rounde worlde to obey them and to reduce it to the obedience of the lawe of oure Gods the whiche yée haue forsaken to followe him that hathe no power and then yée shall knowe the power and merite of Zahara the whiche dothe salute you all Your cousin and perfite louer the diuine Zahara The answere of the Empresse Abra to the foresayde letter dispraysing the false Gods of Zahara and exalting the onely liuing God in Trinitie In the .9 booke the 6. Chapter RIght highe and excellent Quéene of Caucase the friend and companion of the Gods immortall The Emperour my Lordâ— and spouse with the companie of Kings and Princes Ladies and damsels haue séen by the letter that ye haue sent hyther the fauour and great goodnesse that is chaunced vnto you the gods hauing you as ye doe say in so great estimation that Mars hath engendred of you a sonne and a daughter worthie for their perfection to be the childreÌ„ of such a father whereof certainly we are very ioyfull as my foresaid Lorde and husband this high and noble company hath commaunded to certifie you to giue you knowledge But yet I maruell how ye vnderstande this that in time to come ye shall haue some knowledge of your amitie to leaue the countrey and Empires of my Lord in peace and suertie I knowe not whether your children may conquer all the world after your deuise but I am sure that we kéepe the true law and honor one God in Trinitie by whose aide we haue no occasion to feare neither your Mars nor Iupiter nor any other the whiche haue closed vp the eyes of your spirit that ye should not know him at whose foote all creatures whether they be in heauen in the earth or in Hell ought to fall downe and make obeisance The goodnesse of whom hath so visited me that he hath prouided me of like linage as ye haue that is of a sonne and a daughter And Amadis of Greece also of a little Prince so excellent that at the least he may aduaÌ„ce him not to owe your Anaxartes any thing whereof I was well willing to aduertise you trusting that ye would be no lesse ioyfull of our good houre and fortune than all this great and noble companye hath bene of yours recommending vs all to you Your cousin and good friende Abra. The letters of Anaxartes and Alastraxarce to the inhabiters of the vale of Rochers intreating of the excellencie and soueraigne goodnesâ—e of the Gods. In the nynth booke and .10 Chapter ANaxartes and Alastraxarce sonne and daughter of the God of battelles and of the moste mightie Quéene Zahara of Caucase to the thrée estates of the vale of Roches loue and fauour Uery deare good friends as it hath pleased the great immortall gods that no inexpugnable fortresse of the Castell of Lac nor the incredible force of the horrible Giants Bradaran and Brandauell wiâ—hall their mighte craftinesse and subtiltie coulde not let that the diuine Iustice should not be executed vpon them by vs the Children of Mars sente into this worlde to put in effect the Iustice and vnmouable iudgement of their supreme mighte and power willing thereby to shewe that al resistance is vaine and vnprofitable against the power of heauen and will of those that gouerne and rule all this that is contayned vnder his roundnesse we had a good will to aduertise you of the deadly ruine of the foure Giantes the tyrantes of this countrey that chaunced vnto them by the sharpenesse of our swordes to the ende that you and all other mighte knowe that the gods haue the authoritie and power they alone to do all things by the same might and power that they haue made them of nothing specially resisting those that are greatly bounde to know them and yet doe not their duetie the which thing might be alleaged against the reasonable creature that leadeth a life like vnto beasts not obseruing the law ordained by the infallible creator to conduct him by reason aboue his will considering also that all other creatures by the prouidence and goodnesse of the soueraine gods are set vnder the hand and subiection of men euery one of them doing their diligence to maintaine it selfe in his order and to kéepe that wherevnto the gods haue stablished it as we sée the maruellous order of the heauens of their planets and cléerenesse of tame and wilde beasts of the birdes in the ayre the fishes in riuers and déepe seas of the plantes and swéete herbes wherof men sée that the earth doth length and is garnished with diuers works in time and season very gracious euery one of these things féele and perceiue his owne nature not goyng nor passing ouer it one pointe Seing then that al things haue béene set in the hand yea vnder the féete of man what reason shall excuse him not to obserue the ordinance of the creator and if he doe it not how ought he to be the more punished and chastened by the diuine lawes Truely my deare and good friendes he deserueth no lesse punishement than that that is chaunced
thée taking againe the force to serue hir the whiche of hir grace and goodnesse hath reuiued thée Orianes letter to Amadis by the which she excuseth hir selfe vnto him of certaine faultes of loue the which were in hir In the second booke and .10 Chapter IF the greate faultes committed through enmitie afterwards reknowledged to humilâ—at hirselfe be worthy of parâ—on what ought it to be of those that are caused through too great abundance of loue yet my faithfull louer I do not denie you that I deserue not much paine For I should haue considered that when things be most prosperous and ioyful that fortune the which doth spye and considereth them doth come then to bring them heauinesse and miserie Also I should haue remembred your vertue and honestie the which was neuer found in fault and aboue all I should not no not to dye for I haue separated from my vnderstanding the remembrance of the great subiection of my heauy hart the whiche procéeded nor came not but of that wherein youre owne was inclosed being certaine that if any flames haue bene cooled so haue myne also as it is perceyued and in suche sorte that the enuy that he had to find rest vnto hys mortall desires hath bene the cause to augment tâ—em But bicause I haue fayled as they doe that being in the hyghest of their good houre and fortune and very certaine of theyr loue of whome they be loued nor cannot comprehende in them so much goodnesse become iealous and suspitious more by their imagination than by reason dusking this cleare felicitie with the cloude of impacience beléeuing sooner the report of certaine persons it may be that speake euil not very true and vicious than that of their owne conscience and certaine experience Therefore my faithfull friende I pray you effectually to receiue this my damsell as from hir that recogniseth in all humilitie the great fault that she hathe commiited as concerning you the which shall cause you to vnderstande better than my letter the extremitie of my life oâ— whome ye should haue pitie not for any merite but for your reputation the which is not estéemed and iudged cruell nor séeking veÌ„geance there where ye find repentance and subiection when that no penance can come from you more rigorous than that that I my selfe haue appointed and ordeined for my selfe the which I beare and paciently do suffer trusting that ye will remit it and restore vnto me your grace and fauour and lykewise my life that dependeth thereof The lamentation of fayre Tenebreuâ— whiche returned from Mireflâ—ur declaring vnto the Damsell of Denmarke that without cause he had suffered many things touching hir that she was not a faithfull louer In the second Booke the .10 Chapter BY my conscience sayde the fayre Tenebreuâ— I was neuer in more daunger of death and I maruell where she hath forged this fantasie that she had against me seing that I neuer thought to do the thing that shuld displease hir And notwithstaÌ„ding I had forgotten to think on it yet I deserued not so cruel a letter as this is that she wrote vnto me And although I make not the outward shewes and hypocrisies that many caÌ„ do and make yet I leaue not of to measure the goodnesse and graces that I haue receiued of hir nor this thought was not sowen in so euill ground that she shuld not regard the fruite as long as the spirit shal haue meanes to cause the heart to liue seing that the one and the other are wholy dedicate to serue and to obey hir Ah ah my God I remember that when Corissande came into our poore hermitage I beléeued then that it was done for me The good Lady lamented hir selfe of the passion that the suffered for louing my brother Florestan too much and I should die for very displeasure to be so wrongfully chased away by Oriane How great paines what trauels what vnmeasurable torment haue I thus long suffered in the poore Rocke hauing consolation of no creature liuing but of the good Hermit the which solicited me and spake to me of pacience Alas what hard penaÌ„ce for a thing not offended beléeue me my welbeloued Damsel that I was so greatly troubled that from one houre to another I desired deathâ— and oftentimes also I feared to lose my life but thinke vpon the desperation wherein I was then when I shewed the Damsels of Corisâ—ande the song that I made in my great tribulation The Oration of Gandalin vnto fayre Tenebreus brethren to encourage them to searche and to succoure him In the .2 booke the .12 Chapter BY God my Lords all your wéepings cannot cause him to be found whome ye desire if it be not by some other good diligence that ye may newly take vpon you And notwithstanding that ye haue already done what ye can so ye should not he anoyed to séeke him better than euer he waâ— yet sought for seing that ye know welynough what he particularly would haue done for you if fortune had aduanced the occasion Nowe therefore it is youre partes to doe the lyke â—or if ye léese hym thus it shall not be onely the losse of the most gentlest knyghte of all the worlde but of the best pacient that ye haue and furthermore all ye paraduenture may be blamed Therefore my Lordes I praye you for the loue of God to do vnto him the duety of a brother of a friende and of a companion beginning agayne to séeke him without sparing of your bodies or the prolonging of tyme. Defyance made by a straunge knyghte vnto king Lisuard prouoking hym to warre if he wyll not accord to the mariage of Oriane with the prince of Basiganâ— In the .2 booke the .12 Chapter I Defye thée king Lisuard and all thy aliens in the name of the puissant and mightie princes Famongomad Giant of the burning lake Cartadaque his neuew Giant of the defended mountayne Madafabull hys brother in lawe Giant of the redde tower Lord Quedragant brother to Abies that was king of Irelande and of Arcalaus the inchanter the whyche doe sende thée worde by me that they haue sworne the death of thée and thyne And to do thys they wyll ayde king Cildadan to be in the number of the hundreth knightes the whiche shall surely destroy thée Yet neuerthelesse if thou wilt giue Oriane thy inheriter to fayre Madasime the daughter of the most douty Famongomad to serue hir as hir Damsell they will suffer thée to liue in peace and be thy friendes â—or they will marrie hir to thâ— Prince Basiganâ— the which doth well deserue to be Lorde of thy countreys and of thy daughter also Therefore king Lisuard chose of these two coÌ„ditions the best peace as I haue deuised or the most cruel warre that may chance vnto thée hauing to do with so mighty and so doutye princes The answer to the strange knight by king Lisuard shewing the greatnesse of his courage In the .2 booke the .12 Chapter BY God knight they
bold as Ardan is I ensure you that if I had not enterprised to fyght with you I would be content to do it and onely to let the mariage of you and Madasime And for this cause the hostages of whome ye vaunt your selfe should not differ and delay to do their diligence and dutie for I trust to reuenge the good and the valiant king Arban and Angriot of the great iniurie and wroÌ„g that they receyued being prisoners Ardans replication to Amadis I Haue caused them saithe Ardan to come with me knowing that ye would demaund and aske for them although that I haue good hope to set them againe in the power of Madasime and also to giue hir therewith the halfe of your bonet in witnesse that it pertaineth not to suche a Lord as ye are to haue and to hold any such braue and vantageous purposes with me and to giue hir so doing great pleasure It shall please our king that she be set in some euident and high place to the inteÌ„t she may euidently sée and behold the vengeance that I shall take vpoÌ„ you and the vnfortunate ends whereof ye shall dye The Oration of Gandadel before king Lisuard against Amadis and his aliance to put and to bring theÌ„ out of the kings fauoure In the .2 booke the .20 Chapter SYr I haue all the time of my life desired to kéepe the faith that I owe vnto you as to my king and naturall Lorde and shall do if God be pleased For beside the oth of fidelitie that I haue and owe vnto you for ye of your gracious goodnesse haue done me so greate good and pleasures that if I should not counsell you in that I shall sée to touch your royal maiestie I should greatly fault against God and man By the meanes whereof Syr after I had very long bethought me vpon this thing that I shall declare vnto you repented me oftentimes that I had deferred it so long not for any enuie that I beare to any man God be my witnesse but onely for the inconuenience that I sée ready if ye promptly and wisely do not remedie it Ye know that at all times there hath bene betwene the realme of France and the realme of England great coutrouersie bicause the kings your predecessors haue continually pretended a right of soueraintie and although that for a certaine time this quarell is swaged so it is very like that the French men remembring the warres and damages that they haue endured and suffered by your subiects shall secretly in their hearts and courage take couÌ„sell to reuenge themselues And Amadis the which is the head and principall of them all is not come after my opinion into this countrey but to do it to practise and to winne men with the which ioined to the might that he may cause to come shal procure so much busines that so it may chance it shall not be easy for you to resist him and lo there is already apparance thereof Sir he of whome I speake vnto you and they also of his aliance haue done me so greate honor and pleasure that I and my children are greatly bound vnto them And if it were not that ye are my liege Lord I woulde not for any thing speake against Amadis I am so much hys friend and seruant but in things that respect your person God send me to die sooner than I should spare any liuing man no not my owne childe Ye haue receiued Amadis with so great a number of his parents and other strangers into your Court as ye are a good prince a liberâ—ll and of a noble courage that at length their company and folowers shal be found greater than yours Therefore sir it should be good and well done to prouide before hand or euer the fyre be through kindled The Kings answer to the forsayd Oration BY my troth my friende I beléeue that ye do aduertise me as a good and faithfull subiect Neuerthelesse considering the seruice that they of whome ye do speake haue done me I caÌ„not comprehend nor perceiue in my mind that they will do me any cowardly or euill turne Gandandels replication to the king vpon the selfe same purpose and in the same Chapter SYr he answered this is it that doth abuse you for if in times past they had offended you ye would take heede of them as of your enimies but they haue knowne and wisely do know how to disguise their treason vnder an humble manner of communication accompanied with some seruice the which they haue already employed and done wayting for an opportune and a good houre Amadis request vnto king Lisuard to giue Galuâ—nes the Iland Mongase In the selfseme Chapter SYr although that I haue not done you hitherto so muche seruice as I desire yet I haue taken courage trusting in your great liberalitie to aske you a gift the which cannot turne but to your honor and moreouer binding them to whome ye shall graunt it Furthermore sir said Amadis the gift that I and my companions being present do pray you to graunt vs is that it wold please you to giue to my Lorde Galuanes the Ile of Mongase for the which he shal faithfully he sworne vnto you and do you homage marrie Madasime this doing Syr ye shall enrich a poore Prince vsing and shewing mercy to one of the most fairest gentle women of all the world Amadis Oration to king Lisuard with the whiche he leaueth and forsaketh his company In the selfsame Chapter SYr I haue hitherto thought that there was no king nor Prince in all the worlde that had better knowledge in thinge of vertue and honor than you but yet now we perceiue the contrary by the experience that ye haue giuen vs so that we seing ye haue charged and taken new counsell will go and séeke a new fashion and maner of liuing Amadis Oration to Oriane by the which he declareth vnto hir that he is constrayned to go out of the kings seruice In the selfsame Chapter MAdame saith Amadis we must néedes do that he hathe commanded vs otherwise we shuld offend your honor abiding against his will in his seruice seing that he mighte presume and thinke that we in no nother place coulde not méete any that would receiue vs therfore I pray you not â—s take it euill if for a time obeying him I be constreyned to depart froÌ„ you You know the power that ye haue vpoÌ„ me and that I am so much yours as you may wish and desire and also I know well that if I shoulde be euill reputed ye are she that woulde receyue and take thereof most displeasure so greatly ye loue me and so well ye do estéeme me the which thing causeth me agayne to pray you to take my absence in good part and to giue me leaue to depart vsing still your accustomed constancie and vertue Orians answer to Amadis excusing hir selfe to him In the same Chapter MY frieÌ„d answereth the Princesse ye are greatly to blame thus
that I may accoÌ„pany you if not to giue me leaue for I haue pointed to depart tomorrow early in the morning Amadis answer to Bruneo excusing himselfe that he was constrayned to leaue him In the .3 booke the .5 Chapter BY my fayth my great friend I haue all my life time desired such company as yours is being well assured that there could not chaunce to me but all honour and good fortune But the kings purpose and communication that he of late hath had wâ—th me not as yet to depart from his countrey doth constraine me to leaue and forsake your company whereof I am sore displeased Therefore I pray you to haue me excused praying God that he will conducte yoâ—â— King Arauignes Oration to his Souldiers inciting and prouoking them to behaue themselues strongly in the battell In the .3 booke the .5 Chapter WHat néede is it my Lords greatly to exhort you to fight well and strongly seeing that you are here to doe the same and your selues the authors of this war in the whiche you haue chosen me to be your head and principall coÌ„ductor the which thing is the principall cause and reason why that I shall shewe you what me thinketh and what my mynde is to the intent that after you haue perceiued me you maye haue before your eyes the cause why you are in so great nuÌ„ber of people gathered togither Certainly it is not to defend yâ—ur countrie your libertie your wiues your children or your goods But it is to conquer and to bring vnder the yoke a people the moste proudest and fiercest that is this daye liuing and the which estéeme vs being farre from them as nothing yet that notwithstanding I beléeue that they neare at hande dare not tarie for vs althoughe that you sée them march forwardes furiously but that notwitstanding if you beholde well their countenance it seemeth that it shoulde haue more efficacie to moue you and to giue an heart to fight well than all the wordes of any man lyuing yea although you were in a maner vnprouided and yll appointed But contrariwise we are here the floure and the strength of the most part of al the Ocean Isles and in such a great number that in a maner it were sinne to dout of our certain victoriâ— And more certenly to assure vs therof remembring that we are in a strange land and very farre from our owne not among our good friends but in the midst of al those that desire our death a thing that we can not auoide if we be once broken for they haue many horsemen by the whiche we shall be pursued hauing no maner of meane to retire to our ships And therfore we must be resolued either to winne or to die for the necessitie wherein we be is much more to be feared than their force and might therfore let euery man do his dutie and I hope or and before the night dothe deuide vs we shall be masters and Lordes of all this countrie and afterwardes redoubted and feared in all coastes of the world King Lisuards Oration vnto his Knightes aduertising them of his iust quarrell and that they for this cause should manfully sustaine his part In the selfesame booke the .5 Chap. MY friendes the right being on our side God the which is iust and in whose handes are the victories will if it please him helpe vs And if they would saye that they make warre vpon me to reuenge those only that last inuaded this Realme with King Cildadan be you assured that they maye well finde themselues deceiuedâ— for knowing and beléeuing to reuenge their iniurie vpon trust of some power their shame oftentimes groweth and increaseth and do ende and â—inishe their dayes as I hope they shall vnfortunately for there are none of you so yong and vnskilful to be in any such conflictes that is not experimented and reputed by themselues a wise and a hardie Knight They grounde their victories onely vpon the great number of people that they haue in their campe people I may saye gathered togither and of all nations the most part without order and without obedience the which séeing vs to drawe nigh shall be astonyed or euer we haue abased our lauÌ„ces and if we may once set them out of order and arrayeâ— we shall haue euen what we will. Let vs then boldly go on and make them knowe that they be not better men than their companions of whose burials and sepulchers our lande hath bene fatted and dunged and the Wolues three or foure times with their carren carcases repasted when they were by youre vertue and magnanimitie destroyed in battell The exhortation of King Perion of Fraunce to Amadis and Florestan his sonnes giuing them courage to be strong against their misfortune In the .3 booke and .6 Chap. HOwe nowe be you astonyed so sonâ— of the déedes of fortune are you yet to learne hir moueablenesse by my â—aith I thought you more strong and consâ—ant of one thing I praye you not to giue me more anoyance and heauinesse than I haue for your heauinesse doth cause such passions in my soule as only are sufficient to cause me to dye Therefore quiet your selues and let vs hope in God the which is almightie to drawe vs out of this place We muste commende our selues vnto him and haue our trust in him only but who would euer haue thought that we should haue falne into such an accident or chaunce by the onely persuasion of a simple Damsell vnder the colour of fayning hirself dumbe after that we had escaped the dangers of so cruell a battell Thus my children seing that we can set no order let vs contemning all naturall pitie that yâ—e may haue of me and I of you take our fortune in good worth Amadis answere to Archalaus the which demaunded what he was In the selfesame Chapter BY my fayth Lorde Archalaus when you shall knowe what we be I am sure that you will better intreat vs than we haue bene as yet for you being a Knight as we be and that hath often suffered the mischaunces and turnes of fortune as we doe shall not finde it euill that we haue holpen our friendes as we would doe for you in like case and if there be in vs any noble actes the same should be a meane to cause you the better to recognise and knowe whither you doe vs wrong or no. The Oration of Arquisill a Knight of Rome to his companions not to defer and delay the Combate and fight accorded and appointed In the .3 booke the .7 Chap. HOwe now my Lordes shall you forget and thus lese the reputation of our Empire Shall it be published that eleuen Knights of Rome haue bene through feare of death so slouthful as not to be so hardy to fight with twelue grosse Almaines vnexpert in armes by God if I alone had enterprised and taken them to taske I would not to die a thousand deathes togither defer it And if you feare and doubt of
him that hath destroyed Garadan suffer me to fight with him and prepare your selues towardes the other for I ensure you if our hearts be good we shall ouercome them and recouer the thing that they thinke to haue receiued alreadie by the mischaunce that hapned to our companion let vs therefore fight with them and let vs all die rather than to delaye it considering that for vs it is much better to chuse suche an honorable death than hereafter to liue in perpetuall shame and in so vnfortunate a life as ours shall be Therefore I pray you my Lordes and friendes â—o remember that we goe fight not only to obtaine lande for the Emperor or to entertaine and kéepe the promise that Garadan hath made but for the honor of all the Empire of Rome Finally I haue saide and prayed you to suffer me to fight with him that had yesterday the victorie of our companionâ— I sâ—e him go first and also he shall be the first that as I hope shall be ouerthrown The Oration of the Knight of the greene sworde to King Tasinor taking his leaue of him In the .3 booke the .7 Chap. SYr you are nowe thankes be to God in peace and rid of your businesses therefore if it shall please you to giue me leaue I am purposed to depart to morowe in the morning and to followe my fortune whither it shall séeme and please hir to conducte and to guide me assuring you syr that whersoeuer I bâ— I shall remaine and be your humble seruant as the goodnesse and honor that you haue done and shewed me â—oth â—ynde me Amadis sorowes seeing himselfe absent and so farre from his louer Oriane In the .3 booke the .7 Chap. ALas my louer when shall I sée the time that I may yet haue the good fortune to holde you in my armes Ah ah loue you haue lifted me vp to the greatest honor and fortune wherein any faithfull louer at any time may be But what In as muche as this my glorie had none like it in fauour so much the more it is turned concerning me into tribulation and anoyance feeling my selfe to be so farre from hir that I most desire to sée and to hold And the thing that doth most torment me is the feare least that my absence be the cause that she forgette me or that she besides me haue a newe loue After this he sodainly reprehended himselfe and sayd Alas whereof should this foolish opinion come Ah ah my louer I finde you too stedfast and constant and also I know wel that I haue faulted and sinned against you for my pain and great fidelitie haue so oftentimes giuen me good hope and assurance that I am to blame to haue any doubt of you Furthermore as I know wel I neuer thought but to obey you and shall do all my life long thus you shal haue no occasion to will me euil nor to desire any vengeance vpon me if you thinke not to be offended that I loue you more feruently and constantly than any other could doe Yet I can not tell whether loue will punishe me or no bycause I haue disdayned all other and giuen my selfe so much to you and haue euill intreated many and rigorously refused them But I know well that my thoughtes be so familiar in your heart and your great beautie so caracted and printed in my soule that I must hold and beléeue for a troth that with the time my paynes shall be quenched either by my ende or by your accustomed faythfulnesse The little Oration of Amadis being sore wounded by Andriague the which doth turne him to God to haue pitie vpon him In the .3 booke the .10 Chap. AH ah Lorde God that to redéeme me tokest humaine flesh in the Uirgins wombe and afterwarde iuduredst so grieuous so abhominable a Passion I beseech thée to haue pitie on my soule for I know wel that my body is but earth Amadis giuing thankes to Master Elisabet dothe thanke him for his good intreating In the same Chapter AH my great friende sayde the Knight I may well saye that next vnto God you are he to whom I am most bouÌ„d deliuering me from the great daunger that I was in Also I do assure you that as long as I haue a soule in my body you shal haue a Knight of me readie to do for you without reseruing of any perill or danger considering that you haue done so much for me not knowing me but for a simple Knight nor hauing in all his goods but an yll broken and an vnnailed harneys that there shall not be a day of all my life that I shall not assay to recognise it Master Elisabets answere to Amadis excusing himselfe to â—â—m of his thankfulnesse In the selfesame booke the â—10 Chap. MY Lord sayde Elisabet you shall say what pleaseth you but so much there is that I estéeme my selfe more happy than other like vnto me in as much as I haue saued the life next vnto God of the most gentle Knight that euer did bestride noble horse the which thing I dare saye openly for I haue seene you take in hande and make an end of things vnto all men incredible Likewise I am well assured that froÌ„ henceforth many vnto whome iniurie and wrong hath bene done shall be sustained by you the which shoulde otherwise remaine without any hope And thus being the cause of such goodnesse I shall hold and think me better recompensed than if I had all the treasure of the world together Amadis answere to the Emperor the which would haue retayned him in his Court giuing him thanks for the fauor that he bare him In the .3 booke the .11 Chapter SYr sayde the Knight you haue already done me so great honor that I beléeue as long as I shal liue not to be in my power to do you seruice that may merit the least of the goodnesses I haue receiued of you yet I am so far from my libertie being submitted into the bondage of one alone that I caÌ„ not nor wil not disobey him to please you withal being sure that doing the contrarie death shall not suffer me to be yours long and shall depriue me for euer to be his no more Amadis Oration to the Emperor taking his leaue of him In the same Chapter SYr you haue done me so much honor and goodnesse that euery where I shall be your seruant and readie at all times and as ofte as it shall please you to vse me to obey you And for asmuch as I am appointed folowing the thing that I haue promised to be shortly in the Marches of Rome I beséech you most humblie to giue me leaue to depart Thâ— answere of the foresayde Emperor to Amadis graciously giuing him the leaue that he demauÌ„ded In the same Chap. MY great friende quoth he if it were possible that you might soiourne here any longer you should do me great pleasure But séeing that your wordes haue so bounde you God forbid that I
good will. In the .4 booke the .4 Chap. MAdame I am maruellously displeasant that I had no better oportunitie to do you in this place the honor and the seruice that you merite and deserue but the time so euil to that purpose doth take away the occasion therefore I excusing my selfe do pray you not to take or impute a fault of a good will. For in times past you haue bounde me vnto you that there shall be no daye of all my life but I shall féele me your debter what seruice soeuer I may doe for you And bycause it is nowe long agoe since you did departe from your countrie it may be that the long abyding here in this countrie hath wrought you some displeasure I would therefore very greatly desire to knowe your deliberation and mynde that I might if it were possible haue some meane to obey you in the thing that should please you to commaunde me The answere of Grasinda to Amadis thanking him for his good will and affection that he beareth hir and that she will gather men to succour him in his affaires In the .4 boke the 4. Chapter MY Lord Amadis quoth she I shoulde be of a poore and of a verie slender iudgement if I knewe not certainly the companie and fauor that you did shewe me and that greater honour than coulde haue chaunced vnto me And the good intreating that you had as you say in my countrie if any such was shewed you is nowe but recompensed but to put you out of paine I will shewe you what I thinke I sée many good Knightes assembled for to helpe this Princesse the which altogither for the amitie and good estimation that they beare you haue put their hope and conduct vpon you â—o that it shall be impossible for you to put them from you without your great blame And seing that suche a charge is wholly set and layde vpon you ye must trauell to send on euery side to recouer people to help you so that the honour of so greate an enterprise may remayne with you and by the meanes and help of your friends be yours of the which I esteeme my selfe the firste And for this cause I intende to morow to send maister Elizabet into the parts of Rome to gather as many men as he can as well of my owne subiects as other and as shortly as he may to shippe them and to coÌ„uey them hither And in the meane time I shal kepe companie if it so please you with these other Ladyes if they wyll do me the honoure to receiue me trusting not to forsake theÌ„ vntill this warre begon haue taken another end Amadis letter to the Emperour of CoÌ„stantinople praying him to help him in his warres In the .4 booke the .4 Chapter RYght high and excellent Prince the knight of the gréene sword whose proper name is Amadis of Fraunce doth most humbly salute you And therefore sir I trauelling the countries after the destruction of Endriagne it pleased you to receiue me into youre Citie of Constantinople where after the honoure ye did me and had gently receiued me ye of your liberalitie offered to ayde me in fauoure of the seruices that I had done for you and to giue me succoure when néede shoulde require it through the reduction of the countrie the which ye named afterwards the I le of Sainct Mary Now the occasion is come whereby if it so please you ye may accomplish and fulfill your promise with the most iust quarell that is possible to be had or taken as master Elizabet shall shewe you whome I pray you sir wholly to beléeue for hys sake that doth kisse the hands of your maiestie Amadis Letters to Queene Briolania praying hir to giue good heede to the thing that he writeth and to helpe him folâ—owing hir good will. In the .4 booke the .4 Chap. I Beléeue Madame that after you haue perceiued by Tantilles your Steward the cause that hath moued me to send so diligently that you should fauour the thing that he shall tell you from me being well assured that vsing your gentle nurture you will not fayle me no more than ye beléeue that I woulde be readie to put my foote in the styrrop for you where necessitie shoulde offer it And bicause he hath bene present at the things which after my returne into this countrie haue chaunced me and that I haue giuen him charge to cause you to vnderstand them at length I will not trouble you to put you to the paine to reade any longer letter but I shall pray youâ— after you haue beléeued him to haue me continually in your grace and fauor of the whiche the same Amadis as long as he shall liue as yours desireth to haue a good part Amadis oration to Gâ—ndalin aduertising him of the good confidence that he hath in him and for this cause to goe to king Perin to aduertise him of his affaires to the ende and intent to helpe him In the .4 booke the .4 Chap. GAndalin thou art he that hath euermore had the kéeping of my most secrete and priuie affaires for the great amitie that we from our first yeres haue had togither as if nature of hir own selfe had called vs into one fraternitie Thou knowest that my honor is thyne and that thine doth touche me as myne owne Thou séest the affaires that I am in and of what consequence they be vnto me also the conclusion that by all these Knightes hath bene taken too busie and to call vpon our friendes and alies to haue mightie succour to sustain the force of king Lisuard if he assay and attempt to assayle vs By the meanes whereof I haue alreadie prepared letters to many Princes of whom I trust to recouer a good and a great company of men And notwithstanding thy absence is gréeuous vnto me yet I trusting more in thy diligence than in any others haue thought to send the to King Perion my father the which hath knowen thée long whom thou shalt cause to vnderstand better than any other of what importance this warre is if King Lisuard take it vpon him for as thou maist say vnto him it partly toucheth him in as much as this vnkinde King hath done shewed so great diâ—fame to all those of our linage as to driue them oute of his court after he had receiued of them an infinite of great seruices Thou shalt reciâ—e vnto him by smal pieces that thou knoweâ— and hast sone and the necessitie wherein thou didst leaue vs and that notwithstanding thou shalt yet assure him that I feare no power hauing so good right with me and so many knightes and that I had not made so greate an enterprise 〈◊〉 it had not bene that since God would call me to the order of cheualrie I haue thought nor minded no other thing but to kepe the estate of a knight defeÌ„ding to my power the wrong that men did to many and specially to ladies and Damsels the which ought
more by force than by his will. And as touching this that he purchaseth my enmitie assure him that he shall haue it so that he shall forget the thing that I and mine haue done in his defence And yet say vnto him that although I alone haue conquered the I le of Mongase that I will neuer set my foote to cause him to léese it nor in place where I maye anoy and trouble the Quéene for the honor of hir Amadis taking leaue of his companions doth exhort them to be vertuous and strong in battell excusing himselfe of hys departing and praying them â—o be continually vnited togither In the .1 Chapter of the .3 booke I Beséech you my fellowes and companions to succoure and to helpe one another and to thinke that the glorie for asmuch as ye go against a mightie king that ye shall get and obtayne if ye ouercome him shall be the greater I know wel that there is not he of you all that is not bound to the wise man and hardie knight the which giueth me good hope that with the helpe of God and the good right of him that dothe conduct you ye shall remit and set a poore damsell disherited in hir first goodes and estate againe I was neuer in my lyfe so enuyedâ— to leaue so good a company as I am at this present but there is not he that ought not to haue and to holde me excused and yet it hath pleased God that the occasioÌ„ hath prepared another meane not to separate vs Of one thing I would pray you that is not to haue any discord among you buâ— to liue togyther as felowes and friendes otherwise yâ— may be sure that the ruine and destruction shall fall on your side A letter of the infant Celinde to king Lisuard commending hir sonne vnto him that proceeded of the loue of king Lisuard and of hir In the .3 Chapter MOst mightie and excellent Prince reading this letter ye may peraduenture remember that when ye traue led as a wandring knight farre and strange countries bringing many perilous and daungerous aduentures to an ends fortune did send and did leade you to my fathers kingdome the which was lately departed and ye found me withdraweÌ„ into one of my castels named the great Rosiâ—r where the braue Antifon besieged me bycause I disdained not being equall to me in nobilitie and lesse a friend of vertue to marrie him And well he could shew it for he had euen then vsurped by force and tirannie vpon me a poore Damsell Orpheline the most part of my countrey when that ye at your comming presented to fyght with him and to sustaine the right that I had the whiche thing he accepted more for the confidence that he had in the strength of his armes than for any other iust quarell vnto whome our Lord shewed hys iust iudgement for you lesse than he of body but in magnamitie of courage greatly exceeding him vaÌ„quished him By the meanes whereof I awhyle after was restored to all my goodes the whiche I will holde of you euen as they were yours and my selfe also for euer to whome at that time and houre ye did so great honor as to come and refresh you in this my great Rosier where afterwards you and I deuising together among my pleasant orchaâ—ds ye gathered roses euen as we sported vs togyther and the floure of my virginitie of the which the place was and is yet very rich and plenteous Therefore I cannot say whether loue woulde it should be so or whether my beautie was the cause but I know well that ye had so great power vpon me and that in me was so little resistance that before ye departed from thence ye left me great with this yong gentleman whome I send vnto you so faire and of so good grace that nature as me thinketh hath taken all hyr pleasure to make him perfect in all excellencie to deface both our sinnes if any sinne was committed Therefore Sir receiue him as yours being of the séede royall of you and mâ— the which thing causeth me to esteeme thâ—t he shall be a prudent man and retaining in him selfe part of the noble actes that are in you and part of the great loue in the which he was engendred on that day when ye gaue me this ring the which I send vnto you agayne in witnesse of the promise that ye made to your huÌ„ble seruant Celinde king Hegides daughter the which kisseth the handes of your royall maiestie The coÌ„plaint of Oriane for the soden departing of hir sonne foreseeing the euill entreating that should happen vnto him The .3 Chapter ALas little creature God giue thée grace to be so vertuous and so good a knight as thy father and to do thée if it please hym so muche good as to sende thée euen at the beginning a more fortunate prosperitie than his was Alas I am constrained to sende thée away and to shew my selfe to thée more cruell than the Tiger or the Leopard to their little ones And bycause I knowe not whether thou goest nor when I shall méete wyth thée agayne it causeth in my soule such heauinesse that fortune caÌ„not prepare such danger that doth not present it selfe before my eyes yet if I at least wayes knew the Nurse that should giue hym sucke I woulde pray hir to take care for him but it may so chaunce that she will take little care for thee and that she before thou haue the power and be able to keepe thy selfe shall leaue thée oftentimes alone being occupied about hir small businesses and deuising with hir neighbours of small matters vnprofitable fables and lyes in the daunger of beasts For I esteeme and iudge that she and other likewise shall repente and thinke thée to be the childe of some simple damsell and to do for thée the best she can shall be to nourish thée in the féelds amoÌ„g the shepherds the which oftentimes cannot so diligently giue héede to their shéepe but that the Wolfe the Lyon against their willes do passe ouerthwart rauishing the thing that they thynke good The complaynt of the damsel of Denmarke after that she had lost Orianes little sonne the which she esteemed shoulde suffer muche euill In the .3 Chapter O Lord God howe hath it pleased you to suffer that thys little creature should perish the whiche neuer offended you Ah ah certesse I am wel worthy to be gretly punished of my owne will his misfortune might fall vpon my owne person for my life is to me very noysome Alas little infant your father being as little as ye are began to proue the dangers of this worlde and yet our Lord of his great goodnesse preserued him but your misfortune euill honoure is farre straunger than his was for notwithstanding they cast hym into the waues and surges of the Sea yet Gandales met him in a good houre and afterwards as euery man doth knowe he tooke him vp but thou little poore one art fallen
that ye know that after I haue found him I may haue of him that I hope for and desire aboue all things Melies letter to the Emperour of Trebisonde auanting hir selfe to ouerrunne and wynne the Christians and to constraine them to beleeue the Pagans lawe In the .6 booke the .7 Chapter MElie lady aboue all Magicians enimie to the lawe of the Christians and curious to augment day by day the lawe of our gods Thou shalt know Emperour of Trebisonde that Constantinople shall be shortly besieged by thrâ—e score and seuen Princes of the Pagan faith Where I personally will be to take my pleasure to sée it burne and the euill men that doe possesse it and him likewise of whome all Christentiâ— shoulde hope to haue fauour as of his refuge and principall aide But it shall happen farre otherwise for she vnto whoÌ„ thy daughter is deliuered hath put hir in my power and in so sure kéeping that neither Amadis hir grandfather nor yet hir father Esplandian although they were vnbewitched shoulde haue no meane nor wayes to succour and to helpe hir And yet that is but little in respecte of the thing that I intend to doe for by little and little I shall haue the rest of you to dispose you after my owne will and pleasure constraining the ouerplus of the vulgar people be it by loue or by force to turne to our faith and haue you no doubt of this for all this shall chaunce and that easely Frandalo making reuerence to Perion doth offer him his seruice In the .6 booke the .12 Chapter SYr Cheualier I am wholly yours so that ye maye commaunde me as him that desireth to obey you for the honour of King Amadis Esplandian your brother whose friend and well affectioned seruant I am A cursed letter of the infant Melia to the Emperour of Constantinople foretelling him that he shall receiue much misfortune and destruction In the .6 booke the .12 Chapter MElia Infant the most cruellest enimie of Christianitie to the Emperour of Constantinople ruine and intyre malediction Know thou that shortly thou shalt feele misfortune the which by myne occasion is prepared for thée and such as neuer the like was spoken off for with thy owne eyes thou shalt see the death of thy people the destructioÌ„ of thy cuntrey a strange martyrdome of him whom thou louest best in this worlde and finally the end of thy life in miserie In witnesse whereof this sworde shal hang in the ayre ouer thy great Câ—â—tie vntill that a prophecie of Apolidon that remayneth to be fulfilled haue his effect Then it shall vanyshe awaye and shal be séene no more The Oration of Alquise to the Princesse Gricelleriaâ— from his Knight Lisuard from whom he presenteth hir a Prince and the children of the King of Hierusalem and doth praye hiâ— for his loue to intreate them well In the .6 booke the .14 Chapter MAdam your knight the which far passeth al other in valiantnesse and in greate goodnesse of armes doth salute you as hir whom he desireth to serue all his lyfe in witnesse whereof he doth sende you by me the thing that he hath conquered and gotten since the daye and time that he departed from you to his very great displeasure and heauinesse That is this gentleman a verie doutie Prince amoÌ„g the Pagans and of good right for he beyng at libertie maye commaundâ— in the countrey and land of Liquie no more nor lesse than the Emperour your father doth in his And these other are the King of Palestines children brother sister the which he doth praye you to receiue and dispose as your owne And also he charged me to assure you that intreating them graciously and as he estéemeth of your goodnesse he shall be singularly well pleased for and bycause of the place they are issued out of and the conquest that he hath done and had of them at his beginning The letter of Perion called the Knight of the Esphere to the Princesse Gricelleria certifying hir of the great loue that he beareth hir and also that he feeleth him selfe very fortunate that he was sent to a lady of so high a price vnto whom he is readie to obey In the .6 booke the .14 Chapter MAdam I knowe not how I may satisfye the great goodnessâ— that ye graunted mee vpon the day that ye accepted me for yours seyng that the best knight of the world should not thinke him sufficient to serue so great a ladye and Princesse And I then poore dum man that hath done as yet no acte of Chiualrie beyng come to suche honour is it any maruell then if my hearte hath desired to take things in hande wherof wyth reason it hathe esperance and hope to continue in thys hyghe place putting farre from hym all feare and perill of deathe by the continuall remembraunce that he hath of your good grace the whiche hath so captiuated my libertie that my eyes haue béene incheined with the bandes of your fortunable presence euen since the daye that they sawe the brightnesse of your diuine face But this prison is hidden in suche libertie that it causeth me to liue for the enuie that I haue to obey and serue you for euer assured that otherwyse my soule troubled bycause of your absence shoulde not remaine one houre in this body passioned and troubled for the great loue that he beareth you Thus Madam I beséeche you commaunde the thing that pleaseth you I should doe and hauing pitie vpon your poore slaue sende him by this Damsell which is faithful your will beleeuing hir as touching the ouerplus of the thing that she shall tell you From him that doth kisse the hands of your highnesse in all humilitie The answere of the Princesse Gricelleria to Perion called the the knight of the Esphere wherein she declareth that she is glad that she hath receiued his letters reuealing vnto him hir amorous passions and recommendeth vnto him the Damsell Lisuart praying him to bring hir out of danger In the â— booke the .21 Chapter THe great pleasure that I haue receiued with your letteâ—â— and the presents the which ye haue sent me by this damsell haue renued in my heauie heart the annoyance troubles the which my soule suffered through your long absence And beléeue me my friende that were it not for the continuall presence of your person the whiche I haue in the eyes of my vnderstanding it were impossible for me dayly to resist so many assaults the which loue deliuered vnto me euen the selfe same day that ye came mute and dumbe into this court not speaking one worde to me nor to no other but the hope that I haue that ye will shortly returne as this messanger hath assured me doth giue me a certaine force and strength to suffer this that I endure without any releasement Buâ— for a conclusion and to the entent that with more occasion ye may come to see me as I trust I pray you to keepe your selfe nigh vnto
purpose to mainteine and vphold against all men that my Lady Oriane the Lady of all beautie princesse of Apolonia doth excéede in perfection all the most excellent of the world as I hope to proue by armes vnder such condition that he the which will assay it shall be constrayned if he loue the daughter of any Emperoure or king to beare hir in picture as I do this the which ye sée that I if I remaine victor may set his tablet in that range of other whom I haue conquered and wonne And also where I should haue the worsse I should frâ—m hencefoorth be inforced to leaue off my enterprise without making any mo quarels for the beautie of my louer to the preiudice of those that haue any enterprise Therfore sir now that ye haue vnderstanded my will and mind if there be any that will furnish and fulfill the coÌ„ditions recited before your excellence he shall find me to morow without this palace ready to receiue him The Oration of Zair Soudan of Babilon to the Emperoure of Trebisond in the which he hauing vaunted his fortunable conquests doth protest that by and by he will be baptised trusting that afterwards the Emperoure will not denie him his request In the .8 booke the .11 Chapter RIght mightie Emperoure I estéeme that it is not of late that ye haue knowledge of the kingdomes and great prouinces that I haue subdued and brought to my crowne since the time that the Gods called me to rule the best parte of Asia And leading and in my owne person conducting my inuincible armies these long iorneis during I neuer shewed my selfe to be tardious nor slouthfull but hauing no respect in the perill of heate cold nor of long time nor of any other danger that presented it selfe I haue fréely and at will suffered them all as the least of my souldiers and in such sorte that I fortune fauoring haue made fiftéene great kings my tributaries of the which the most part haue folowed and accompanied me into your court where they be as yet Yea I haue bene taken all my life for the most fortunatest prince that euer bare Scepter but all the prosperitie that I haue receyued in times past is little or nothing in respect of one that ye shall vnderstand and whereof I thinke that both you and all this nobilitie shall maruell It hath pleased God the creator to haue kept me in this your great citie and therewith to giue me the knoweledge of the true faythe that you Christians do obserue and in the which I do intende to liue and die hauing no greater displeasure in my heart but that I haue differred so long to do it And to the intent ye may sée by the effect thereof that I speake not in vayne by and by and in the presence of this assemblie and company I my sisâ—er and all these princes my subiects wil receiue baptisme be baptised trusting that within a while after vsing your accustomed liberalitie ye will not denie me the gifte that I shall pray you to graunt me The complaint of Zair Soudan of Babilon for the Infant Onoloria the which had left him to aquaint hir with Lisuard And he complayneth sore of hir vnfaythfulnesse and faulte committed by hir In the .8 booke the .11 Chapter AH ah heauy thought sayd he that doth fréese and burneâ— my heart and aduaunceth the heauinesse which without ceasing doth fyle and knaw my soule and my spirit Alas what shoulde I do bâ—ing come so late and to so euill a purpose that another hath gathered the fruite and I only haue the sight of the trée another hathe gottâ—n the spoyle and entier richesse and I am yet to enioy the least goodnesse and â— fauor that man may or can estéeme Wherefore then being depriued as I am both of the floure of the fruite togither do I thus trouble my selfe and for hir that after the ensample of a she wolfe doth leaue me and choose Lisuard for disdayning me a seruaÌ„t to make hir selfe a seruant and a slaue and to giue hir to him léesing by this meanes the best thyng that was in hir For why a mayde to say well a virgin and chast is like a Rose being ioyned to the fayre Rosier receyuing no hâ—art neither of beast nor of the iniurie of the time the dauning and albe of the day full of deaw inclining to hir fauor And by this occasion and desire they do ayd and comâ—ort amorous yong ladies that do make garlands nosegays and coronets to adorne their heads withall and to apparell their little tetes or round small aples planted and set vpon their teÌ„der sâ—omackes do gather and possesse But she is not so soone taken from hirâ— gréene braunch and maternall nurishment but that by little and little she léeseth hir grace and bewtie that caused hir to be desired both of God and man In like manner the Lady or Damsell leauing the floure of hir virginitie to be rauished of other the which she should kéepe more déerely than hir goodes or hir owne proper life dothe vtterly alter the pricel that caused it to be estéemed and the good will of those that beare hir good affectioÌ„ and seruice But what It is very like that she taketh little thought or none seing that she dothe continue and is beloued of him vnto whome she hath bin so liberall of hir body Ah cruell fortune fortune ingrate and blind Lisuard alone doth triumph in abundance and I die of necessitie Is it then possible that she at any time will be agreable vnto me Should I thus suffer my body to perish and consume and furthermore to require so ingrat a person No no my dayes shall sooner die than my affection shal at any time returne to hir agayne nor it were no reason And yet that euill man which hath procured me this iniurie and torment shall pay the shot causing him to léese if I may his life and his honor togither A very chast answer of the Infant Gradafilea to Lisuart to whome she sheweth his lightnesse and protesteth howe she would that hir conuersation should be chast with him In the 8. booke the .15 Chapter IN good fayth my friend quoth she ye are as farfoorth as I can sée greatly deceyued and therwith ye do me wrong to estéeme and thinke to diminish my payne with a certayne shame too vnfortunate for my honour I pray you faire sir neuer to haue your Grandafilea in such opinion to thinke by hir that the forces and strength of loue be sufficient to corrupt hir chastitie not hir chast will vertues these things being only reserued to mariage and not for the sensual appetites worthy to be blamed Also that I now do wéepe is not to sée my selfe frustrate of my intention but only for the consideration that I haue that ye shall not as long as ye lyue come to the thing that ye haue vnder the shadow to mitigate and swéetely to ease the euill that tormenteth
his owne affection And so thou shalt haue in remembrance as well to hide my thought as I haue had paine first to open it vnto thée The answere of the dwarffe Busaneo to Niquea assuring hir so to be hirs that he woulde not to die for it doe the thing that should offend hir In the .8 booke the .18 Chapter PArdon me Madam for ye doe me wrong beyng in doubte that I am any other than obedient to youre will. Also I would sooner chose to die than for any thing to transgresse it beséeching you moste humbly to beléeue that your Busando hath no more power vpon himselfe than it pleaseth you â—o giue him So then commaund him hardly all that shal please you and with so much faithe that he shall kéepe it so close as though ye had shewed it to no other but to your owne soule estéeming me to be so greatly beloued of vertue that she as touching me shall ouercome all things that I may thinke to be contrarie vnto it The Oration of the knight of the burning sworde to Lucelle the Princesse of Siceli declaring â—nto hir that he is vehemently wounded with hir loue â—umbly beseeching hir to feele in hir selfe this great amitie and to haue pitie of hys payne and dolour In the .8 booke the .21 Chapter WOuld God Madame that loue had as well employed his forces and strength vpon you to my aduantage as he hath willed to do towardes me making me wholly yours and so greatly affectioned to honour you and to serue you that if all things went by reason the flames that burne my heauie hearte shoulde be the meane to giue me suche quiet and rest that you your selfe féeling the thing that causeth me to suffer would blame your selfe to esteeme and thinke your selfe so cruell But séeing that my euill houre dothe consent that I alone should suffer I estéeme the trauel fortunate and luckie if it content you trusting that I knowyng my selfe such as touching you wil haue pitie vpon me if not shortly at least waye in time trusting so in your goodnesse honestie that ye knowing that ye are the cause of my martyrdome will not be so cruell as to suffer suche a knight as I am and onely borne in this worlde to obey you and to â—â—eâ—se you in all that yée shall thinke good to commaunde hym to dye so miserably and wretchedly The answere of Lucelle to the knight of the burning sworde causyng hym to vnderstande that she beareth him as good affection as she maye in true and faythfull amitie and to marrie together if she maye doe it In the .8 boke the .21 Chapter AH ah my friende quod the Princesse howe say you that to me thinke ye that I holde you so farre from reason to thinke in your minde that I would knowledge the seruices that ye haue done for me to be things vnmete for my honor Beléeue me that ye shall not liue béeing deceiued in the loue that ye beare me for I loue estéeme you so muche that if all the Monarchie of the world were set on the one part and you alone on the other and that the one and the other wer at my commaundement I would accept and choose you for my onely lorde and husbande rather than to remayne ladie and empresse of the rest And this is it that causeth me to be very sure that your heart doth not desire nor would not thinke vpon any thing wherof my reputation might haue any â—lur or the least blame that any man might presume Likewyse I will sweare vnto you that no other but you shall at anye time possesse my heart for it is and shall be yours as long as I haue life in my body to will you well The knight of the burning swords letter surnamed Amadis of Grece ansvvering to Niqueas letter aduertising hir that he is redy to come to see hir seing she hath graunted him hir good grace the which shal cause him liue content In the .8 boke the .22 chapter MAdame I haue receyued the letter whiche it hath pleased you to write to me by this bearer and reading it I by by felt my heart inclined to doe you all the seruice that shall please you to haue of it desiring no greater goodnesse than to sée and to enioy your presence being well assured that my eyes receiuing this fortune that your two swéet and pitifull eyes shall haue compassion of the euill that I suffer for the thing that I neuer offended So that I ye giuing me a certaine parte in your good grace shall lyue contente and you obeyed and honoured by him vpon whom you haue entier commaundement the which desireth you to doe so much for him as to suffer and to set an order that he may sée you and kisse your diuine handes recognisyng the grace and fauour that ye haue shewed him sending him worde of youre will by Busande the whiche he shal take payn to accomplish euen as I haue prayed him to shewe you by mouth whome ye may beléeue if it so please you as from your most humble and obedient seruant the knight of the burning sworde The complaint of Onoloria for the absence of Lisuard and and therfore she prayeth him to haue pitie of hir extreame dolour and to come vnto hir In the .8 boke the .36 Chapter ALas my deare friende wherevppon thinke ye nowe to leaue hir thus alone and not fauoured whose esperance and hope is more than halfe dead For as the shadowe doth augmente at the departing and going downe of the Sunne and rendereth terrour obscuritie and darkenesse to fearfull and not well assured heartes in lyke manner feare you beyng absente and out of my syght dothe holde me so assieged that it forâ—aketh me not one houre but dothe what it can or may to cause me to léese you and my lyfe together Therefore nowe O my swéete lyght and my onely sun aduance you come to giue cléerenesse to my spirite whiche is now so obscured and dusked with mortall noysomnesse that the first newes that ye shall heare of me poore woman shal be as I thinke the desperate ende of your Onolorie the whiche doth no lesse serue you and call you to hir helpe and succour than she is easye and ioyfull of your libertie and deliuerance The Oration of a Trumpeter to Queene Liberna from the people of Abernis praying hir to excuse them and to pardon theyr faulte that they haue committed against hir Maiestie In the .8 booke the 31. Chapter MAdam your humble subiects constrained by the violence of Abernis to take armes and to warre against you doe praye you in all humilitie to receiue them from henceforthe vnto your good grace and to forget the faulte that they haue committed against your maiestie vnder this charge and condition that in time to come they shall be faithfull and obedient so much or more vnto you as other subiectes or vassalles the which are in other prouinces and countreys The Queenes
answere to hir people declaring that wyth good hearte shee dothe pardon them of theyr offence vpon the hope of theyr amendment In the .8 booke the .31 Chapter MY friendes séeing ye haue taken this iourney ye shall finde me a gracious Princesse and as affable as Albernis was vnto you greuous and vneasie I know wel ynough that many of you were seduced and forced to make warre that manye a one also forgat themselues more than they shoulde haue done Yet that notwithstanding vpon the promise that ye haue made me and in the hope that I haue of your amendment I am readie to make you a generall pardon and to intreate you from henceforth as a good and a vertuous Quéene and Princesse ought to intreate and gouerne hir good and faithfull subiectes The Oration of Queene Liberna to the knight without rest causing him to vnderstande that she is so taken with hys loue that he hath all power vpon hir In the .8 booke the 31. Chapter I Promis you knight without rest that coÌ„sidering the great valiantnesse that is in you and the goodes that I haue recouered by your meanes and occasion only I am purposed to cause you to léese the name that ye beare and to giue you such might and power vpon me as a Lord and spouse may take vpon his wife and louer For I confesse that there was neuer princesse nor no other so taken with loue as I am towards you although that in a manner ye are vnknowen vnto me Abra the princesse of Babilons letter to Lisuard reproching hys great cowardnesse that he killed hir brother Zair whereby he hath shewed that he hath cleane forgotten the loue that she did beare him and that she therefore will sacrifice hir selfe to death for to celebrate the remembrance of hir foresaid brother In the .8 booke the .34 Chapter ABra princesse of Babilon seruant of the souerayne Goddes and enimie to those that are against them to thée ConstaÌ„tine and Prince Lisuart murtherer and rauisher of the spouse of the diuine lande of Babilon leauing and forsaking it by the death of the most noble Zair Orpheline of his royall cheualrie and made bare and spoyled of hir hope to recouer any more such another lord Tell me ingrate is this the reciproke loue wherewith thou wast bound to me giuing thée knowledge of the goodnesse that I desired and wished thée Is this the recognising of the election and choise that I made of thy person to be my Lord spouse Is this the fruite of my esperance and hope that thou didst then put me in wheÌ„ that in the presence of so many princes I required thée to voutsafe to take me to thy wife and perpetuall louer hauing thée so well printed in my heart that thou shouldst not depart from thence as loÌ„g as life shuld rest but shouldst be resident there to norish my desire the better that I haue to reueÌ„ge the death of my wel beloued brother But alas who would euer haue thought that the fearefull sea shuld haue bin consecrate with his body and sepulture Certesse I beléeue that the sea is ignoraÌ„t that she hath him drowned in the depnesse of hir waters For if she had knowen it it is very like that the waters would already haue triumphed yea in communication with the soueraigne heauens holding themselues honored to enioy his bloud and diuine body And if the sea be not yet aduised nor the earth as yet hath not perceiued it it woulde not haue delayed hir complaintes and dolours so long from the soueraigne Gods to haue and to recouer hir spouse and hir iust possessor agayne that hath bin vsurped from hir domination and put into so contrary an element whereof peraduenture may chance in time to come continuall warre betwene hir roundnesse the depenesse of the abismes each of them pretending the reioycing and gard of his prince and magnificent dominator and ruler But if these two do complayne the fire and his element will not holde their peace but shall complayne them for euer through the regard and consideratioÌ„ of the sacrifices that the gods hoped for if he had dyed and deceased vpon the earth The ayre then is alone that doth enioy the thing that thâ—u dost possesse that is the assurance of the death of Zair Also he was present and occupied in the conflict betwene the infernall furies the whiche during the battell vomited out brimston and filthy stinches by the mouth of an infinite sort of canons and other artillerie But alas alas what vengeance shall be done for him for whome the ayre the â—arth and the fire shal at somtimes féele his absence and the déepe waters glory for the possession of his body yea and other truly than it at thy death at the end I say of my life seing me thus depriued of my Lord brother At the end I say of my life bycause that cruell loue will not suffer the vengeance vpon thée but that I must sacrifice my selfe to adorne thy death that shall make myne very happy and fortunate So shall thy funeralles be entirely celebrated by the death of Zair and of me to the end that fortune make them egall at the victorie the which she would haue graunted thée not only in thy life against knights and beasts most cruell but in the death that she shall procure thée that as long as she shall liue defieth thée the which shall be no longer than thou shalte be resident in the worlde that by such and so straunge crueltie the desire of my vengeaunce may be executed A letter of Zahara Queene of the mount Caucasus to Lisuard contayning that she is come to Babilon to marrie Zair but finding that Lisuard had slayne him she defyeth him In the .8 booke the .35 Chapter ZAhara Quéene of the mount Caucasus Lady of all Hiberia victor else of great prouinces of the Saâ—â—ates Corces Hircanie and Massagetes to thée Lisuard the Infant of two soueraine Empyres of Greece and Trebisond gréeting Know thou that the renoume of the stoute Soudan Zair hath caused me to come from my countrey that is farre hence into this greate Citie of Babilon trusting to haue giuen him the possession of my selfe and of my kingdomes togither my immortall glory continuing vpon his name But after that I knew that fortune whiche sometimes was his friend had suffered hys bloud to be shed leauing me by this meanes and for euer without a husbande that there shoulde remayne no other that myghte come vnto the merite of my highnesse béeing suche a princesse as I am and indued with the beautie that the Goddes haue gyuen me by whose aduise the mariage of vs twayne had bene consummated if misfortune as it hathe done hadde not sayde agaynste vs but whatsoeuer impediment or let that vnkind fortune hath done to my destinie yet it cannot hide nor quench the glory of Zair his death being reuenged by thine And to come thervnto I defye thée as touching thy person
right good part in your good grace the which is and shall remayne for euer your auncient and perpetuall friende neighbour and seruant Lisuard Axianes letter to the Empresse Abra sending hir word of the warre with the destruction and entier ruine of hir person In the .8 booke the .78 Chapter WE disherited Empresse of the Babyloniās Axiana princesse of Argenes the most humble seruāt of one only God almightie to you Abra the vsurper of our Empire and paternall goodes we cause you to wit and vnderstand that the diuine iustice willing to put in execution the sentence and arrest pronounced by the soueraigne iudge against you and in the fauor of our repell and banishment hath caused vs to come vnto this countrey where you and yours shall receyue the hyre of their merites yet there is that somwhat displeaseth vs that ye are ariued euen at the very pointe where the fall and ruine of your vnrighteousnesse dothe threaten you For as muche as we be so nigh of kinne the whyche kinred and amitie ought to be so much our familiar as hatred is our domestike and neighbour but seing that our soueraigne iudge would not suffer our possession to be taken but by the price and sheading of manye mens bloud we doe signifye and denounce vnto you the battell within these four days and in the campe féeld where we be And for our iudges he alone whome we Christians do adore in trinitie of persons God omnipotent the first and the last of all things the which shall giue if it so please him for the suertie of yours and ours the rigorous iustice of his eternitie and for the equall compartment of the sunne the night or the victory As touching our harneis ye haue them in your hand and caused them to be taken of our own vassalles and subiects so vniustly that the men the earth and the waters do crie vengeance alreadie the which God will not denie them as their bloud being shed shall beare witnesse A letter from Abra to Axiane graunting hir the battell by hir required In the .8 booke the .78 Chapter ABra the Empresse of Babilon Quéene of the Parthes to you Axiana Princesse of Argenes such salutatiō as we estéeme you to merite We haue receiued your letter no lesse accompanyed with temerarious and proude words than with vniust quarrels and without any reason the which things we trust we shall cause to be knowen in the selfe same campe that ye haue chosen and we graunt you such battell as ye demande And for soueraine iudges your God and ours Mars Cupido and Venus from the which we cannot go in no wyse but for as much as the victorie doth more consist in the effect than in many words we remit the whole to that that shall chaunce aduising you that we may haue pitie vpon you that vnder the shadow I cannot tel of what presumptiō do take paine to léese so little lande as is left you the which we trust shortly after that we haue ended this enterprise to ioyne to our Empire In the meane space let there be a truce betwéen you and vs for these foure dayes as ye haue required the whyche as touching our parte we promise you in the faythe of a Princesse to obserue withoute breaking them by anye meanes The heauinesse of Abra for the losse of the battell In the .8 booke the .80 Chapter AH ah fortune fortune thou hast pursued me so much that the spoyle of me and of my goods from henceforthe shall serue thée for a triumphe fortune enimie of all vertuous persons O troublous ingrate and accursed fortune the which to deceiue abuse me didst promise not only the Empire Monarchie of all the Orient but the frée or the enforced enioying of my Lisuard Alas he was neuer mine althoughe I haue deserued him more thā any other that euer was borne And yet so muche there lacketh that such merite hath taken place that he hath destroyed me both of goods and of honour but not of the honour that all ladies should prefer aboue life but of the honour and victorie that he hath conquered vpon my heauie vassalls being all dead or slaues Ah ah Lisuard what recompence or degrée of amitie is so stedfast and constant as that I all my life haue borne thée Alas if ye haue béen in doubt in time past I beseche mightie Iupiter that the death which I féele doth approch may giue you sure witnes for I protest that I die not for any heauinesse that I haue of any losse either of men of reputation or of goods but onely that I haue no hope hereafter to haue any thing of you estéeming that this glorious victorie hath so pufte vp your heart that disdaining your Abra ye shall nor will not receiue hir for the least of your slaues The letter of Niquea to the Soudan hir father by the whiche she prayeth him to pardon hir offence that shee hath committed marying hir selfe and departing from his countrey without his leaue In the eyght booke the .84 Chapter MY Lord I beséech you most humbly soner than to blame my absence to take the paine if it please you to read this my letter and reading it to consider in your selfe with what mighte and power loue is accustomed to cause them to obey him that are in his rule and dominion And willing to exercise it in mée he presented long since before the eyes of my spirite not onely the renoume of the valiant and inuincible Amadis of Greece but also his beautie dexteritie and good grace for the whiche he is commended of all men that haue had the chaunce to sée him and to frequent him And for this cause I set my loue and affection so to him wardes that I was readie to die also he was sorie that I coulde lyue without the meane that I founde oute to giue him knowledge not once but more than twice of the payne that I endured for the great desire that I had to him whereof he onely had compassion For loue it selfe was so gentle vnto me that he wounded him with the like shotte that he hurted me making him so muche myne that vnder the fayned habite of Nereide the slaue he came to this your Courte where that afterwards he had the combat with the vsurper of his name and of his figure what the ende thereof was my Lorde ye knowe sufficiently inoughe So much there is that within a while after the houre and time was giuen me to knowe him And we agréed so well and so accorded our intentions togither that finally we were maried the which if it be your pleasure ye shall not take in yll parte his person beyng of suche merite for why his valiantnesse and the noble bloud whereof he is descended séemed onely worthy of my beautie and Trebisonde more méete for the celebration of our mariage than your towne Niquea bicause of so many Emperors Kings Princes and highe Ladies as he and I truste to finde
my truth this name of a shee shepherd is not vnconuenient nor vnâ—eete for you and I beleue that this was a certen foreknowledge that ye should one day conduct and leade this vertuous â—â—ocke that is to say all this people which are so obedient vnto you whose loue ye haue acquired and gotten not by the greatnesse of your linage but by your vertue onely of the which I thinke that there is noman that can beare more certen or truer witnesse thaÌ„ I bicause I haue accompanied you into the places where it was néede to shewe it whereof ye merite and deserue great honour but I will not rest nor tary vpon this for neither my spirite nor my hande are able to exalt nor to giue it the place that it deserueth Therfore leauing this charge to perfect Orators and true Chroniclers I wil at this time make an end nor I shall not sende you at this time other newes of auentures that haue chaunced me since that we were separated by the sea bicause I estéeme that your Darinell whiche went to séeke you assoone as I had deliuered him your letters may shew you them for he hath continually kepte me companie and as I hope I will be there shortly after I be hâ—aled of certain woundes which I tooke in a combat vpon my iourney of Apolonia wherof this your Gentleman the bearer of this may tell you the occasion and against whome In the meane season my Lady my Aunt I recommende me moste humbly to your good grace and to all your noble coÌ„panie specially to my Lady Princesse Alastraxeree whome I greatly desire to sée praying the eternall God to maintayne you in his grace and fauour Written in the kingdome of Apolonia by your moste humble and obedient seruant and Neuew Florisel of Niquea Astibel of Sciences letters to Arlande the Princesse of Thrâ—â—â— by the which shee sheweth hir the maner how to reuenge the death of hir brother and to enioy hir loue In the .9 Booke the .50 Chapter MAdame I haue bene very ioyfull to vnderstand the imprisonment that ye haue caused of the infant Alastraxeree and of the Prince Dom Florisel of Niquea trusting that your excellencie shall receyue by this meanes the â—ontentation of your spirite and minde and the vengeance of the death of my Lord Prince your brother but forasmuch as I haue founde by my arte Magike that king Amadis of France the Emperours of Constantinople and Tâ—ebisonde and other Princes and Princesses their fréedes alies are bewitched in the towre of Vniuerse and ought to be deliuered within this yéere for this cause I was well willing to aduertise you to prouide for all inconueniences that may chaunce and how â—ée might by this one meanes take vengeance of Dom Florisel of Niquea your prisoner of his Father and Mother and generally of all his nexte kinsefolkes that is to sende incontinently the infant Alastraxeree to the towre of Vniuerse to take héede that no person doe enter to sée the auenture and to finishe and make an ende of the inchantement and witchcraft knowing that it shall come well to passe seing the great valiantnesse force and magnanimitie that doth associate hir aboue all other of the earth And if shée kéepe the peace I that during assure you that then for all the rest of their liues shall continue bewitched nor Dom Florisel shall not departe from your prison if it be not your pleasure Thus yée shall not onely reuenge your selfe of those that yée desire but furthermore yee shall haue a meane and a commoditie to come to the possession of twoo Empires by the aliance that ye may make with him whome yée loue the whiche he shall willingly accept to be at libertie and out of your prisons Therefore Madame it shall please you spéedely to aduise you in asmuch as ye loue the repose and quietnesse of your minde the which shal be the way for me to pray him that is to mayntaine you in his fauour and grace recommending me most humbly to yours By your humble Astibel of Sciences Letters of the infant Alastraxeree to the Princesses Helen of Apolonia and Timbrie of Boetia declaring vnto them the cauteles wherewith she and Dom Florisel of Niquea abused Arlande the Princesse of Thrace In the .9 booke the 50. Chapter RIâ—ht excellent Princesses knowing in you the zele of perfect amitie the whiche yée beare to Dom Florisel of Niquea as euery one of you declared to me with hir owne mouth when ye tooke me for him nigh vnto the hermitage of Almond trées I woulde not â—ayle seyng the commoditie to certifie you of these newes Therefore my Ladies yée shall know vnderstand that he is well as coÌ„cerning the dispositioÌ„ of his body but I thinke that his spirit is somwhat troubled bicause he is fallen arested prisoner in the handes of Arlande princesse of Thrace the whiche was purposed to reuenge hir vpon him for the death of hir brother Balarte slaine in the close campe by Amadis of Greece his father and I beléeue that shée would haue put him by and by to death after he was are sâ—eâ— in the Castell of the Glasse of loue if he had not auised him to vsurpe my name say that he was Alastraxeree bicause that he and I are very like as ye know and so lyke that the knightes which toke him and beleuing his saying to be true brought him into the citie of Thrace where the King and the Princesse Arlande receyued him very humaynely for me and he hath playde his personage vnto this day so well in a womans garment wherewith the Princesse presented him that it is impossible to doe it better whereof I greaâ—ly thanke him Now it chaunced that I goyng to the Castell of the Blasse of loues was auertised by a straunge auenture of his good subtiltie whereof my Damselles will certifie you and afterwarde I as fortune would was arested euen as Dom Florisel was whose name I vsurped bicause he should not be discouered and for suche a one I was caried to Arlande into a house of pleasure where shée helde me fast and close dayly solicited me to loue hir vsing to mewards gestures and amorous countenances nother lesse nor more than if she had spoken to Florisell but I can so well entertayne hir and content hir with woordes that as I hope shée beyng more priny with me will set him shortly at libertie and when he shal be so I trust that he wil finde the meanes to set me likewise at libertie Thus my Ladies I shall present my recommendations to your good graces praying the great God to mayntayne you in his protection Your cousin good freende the diuine Alastraxeree the daughter of Mars Letters from Helen of Apolonia and from Timbre of Bâ—etia to the infant Alastraxeree with the whiche they laude and exalte hyr greatly bringyng to this purpose diuers olde examples In the .9 Booke the .53 Chapter MOst excellent Lady we haue perceyued by your
the moderatour of all things continually to maynteyne you in his protection Your humble seruaunt Anaxenes Philosopher and Magitian A letter from the Princesse Arlande to the infant Alastraxereâ— quyting hir of hir promise to the end she should not leese hym that she loueth and hateth more In the nynthâ— booke the .56 Chapter MAdam Alastraxeree the dolour accompanyed with an extreame anger that I haue had to see me abused by you â— Dom Florisell of Niquea hath so much preuailed vpoÌ„ me that to reuenge me of such a wrong I was willingâ— to procure his death and yours together you making request to goe to the Vniuerse Towre to fighte with him thinking that â—â—e medling of you twoâ— woulde make no ende without the deathe of one or of other or of bothe of you together but yet afterwardes I bethoughte and consydered in my selfe that hys deathe shoulde bée the cause of myne For the greate and extreme loue as ye doe knowe that I bare hym then I thought it best to desist from this vengeance and to vse humanitie and swéetenesse towards him the whiche he hath not deserued And therefore madame my will was to send this my damsell vnto you to pray you to ceasse and desist from the promis that ye haue made me of the whiche I do quite you by this present letter wherein ye shall finde my humble recommendations to youre good grace praying the soueraigne God to giue me so much grace and fauor that Dom Florisell may once know the entier loue that I beare him and the great wroÌ„g that he disdayning my aliance hath done me Your Arlanda princesse of Thrace Dom Florisell of Niquea excuseth himselfe in his letters that he hath not kept his promis the which he made to the princesse Helen of Apolonia In the .9 booke the .57 Chapter MAdame since my departing from Apolonia where youre grace did me so much good and so well receiued me I haue bin in diuers and many strange aduentures being so farre from you otherwise than I trusted so that I had not the meane nor way to accomplish the promis that I taking my leaue of you at the Abbay of Rois made you whereof I haue bin and am in such a perplexitie that it is impossible for me to declare it by letters assuring you for all that that no other thing hath constrayued me to absent me so long time from your presence but the honor that all knights are bound vnto Therefore I beseech you most humbly not to put me in any fault and to thinke that assoone as I may haue the ways and meane to come to you there shall be no fault nor let but that I will come the which thing I trust surely to do when I depart from hence where I am constrayned by promisse to remayne for a time as Darinell thys present bearer maye shewe you whome ye knowe to be faythfull and secret the whych shall let me at this time to write any longer letters praying you in the meane while to do me so much pleasure as to write me newes of you for there is nothing in thys world that I desire more to know Thus much madame after that I prayed most humbly the Lord to maintaine and to kéepe you in his grace and fauor recommending me with good heart to yours and to that of my Lady Timbria You re faithfull and very affectionate seruant the knight of the she shepeherde The Princesse Helen of Apolonia making an answer to Dom Florisels letters doth send him word that the amitie that she doth beare him cannot suffer hir to keepe hir faith that she hath promised Dom Lucidor In the .9 booke the .58 Chapter LOrd Dom Florisell I haue receiued the letter that it hath pleased you to write me by Darinell the whiche hath certified me of a great part of the aduentures that haue chanced vnto you since ye departed out of this conntrey and therwith of the enterprise that ye haue done in kéeping the toure of Vniuerse for a certaine time the which I desire to be shortly accâ—mplished that ye might shortly come hither to gyue consolation vnto my féeble spirite the which hath bin continually in wrapped since your absence in melancolie heauinesse Alas how oftentimes haue I bene at a point to put my selfe in ieopardy to recouer you Certenly if I coulde haue founde any good meane to haue come thether where ye were be you assured I woulde not haue shewed my selfe slouthfull to haue departed nor the honoure nor reuerence that I owe vnto my father shoulde haue turned me and the fayth much lesse that I haue promised to Dom Lucidor the whiche by my consente shall neuer haue anye part in me for the extreame loue and affection that I beare you cannot suffer it Consider therefore my déere friende the thyng that I doe in your fauor and be not vnthankfull to acknowledge it as I do not mistrust you considering the purpose that ye make me by your letters and the thing that Darinell hath told me praying you in the meane season to kéepe secret the loue that is betwéene vs two and to be a faithfull kéeper of my honor considering that fortune shall shew hir selfe to you and me hereafter more fauorable than she hath done in time past And in this hope I shall pray the creator to giue vs grace to come to our affectionate desire after that I haue presented my most humble recommendations vnto your good remembrance of the whiche my cousin Timbria doth desire to be partaker Your perfect louer Helen of Apolonia The Prince Anaxartes by letters doth shew fayre Oriana the loue that he dothe beare hir and so doing he forgetteth not to prayse hymselfe In the .9 booke the .64 Chapter RIght excellent princesse the diuine Anaxartes the sonne of Mars God of battels doth giue you such salutations as he desireth for himselfe Madame the wound and dolour that I haue receiued by the regard and sighte of your excellente beautie is so great and so vehement that it hath not onely subdued my naturall force and strength that my glorious mother Zahara Quéene of Caucase hath giuen â—e but also they haue so féeblished my diuine vertue whereof I take part of my fathers side that I am coÌ„sâ—rayned to draw vnto you to haue health remedie for my wound for euen as they y be pricked stinged with a Scorpion do vse to take remedie of theÌ„ likewise seing that ye haue bin the cause of the euill that I suffer I search remedie of you the which ye shuld not denie me considering the place of my birth and the power that the mightie Gods haue giuen me of the which the most part of them haue bin smitten with the dartes of loue as I am at this present and so that by no meanes I can resist it And therefore madame do not wonder seeing me to be partaker of the diuinitie that my heart is kindled with youre loue for they which are entierly
you the accomplishemente of your desyres Your cousin and intier good friend Lucidor of Vengeances Alastraxeree dothe answere the letters of Prince Lucidor of Vengeances and dothe shewe him that she hath done hir duetie in helping Dom Florisel and doth praye him to be at one with him In the .9 booke the .72 Chapter EXcellent Prince Lucidor the diuine Alastraxaree the daughter of the mightie Mars the God of battells and of the triumphant Zahara Quéene of the Mount Caucase and of the mountaines of the Orient dothe sende you salutation and amitie Ye shall vnderstande that I haue receiued and read your letter by the whiche ye complaine greatly that I haue holpen Dom Florisel of Niquea by whoÌ„ ye maintaine that ye haue been greatly and sore offended For an answere thereof I pray you to consider how much I am bounde as all other Princes ought to be to fauour and minister iustice to those that haue good right so it is that I am no lesse bounde also to acknowledge a good déede and seruice for I am as muche bound to Dom Florisel as any person may be to any other that for many causes the which to make you vnderstande at this present time I haue no leysure And it séemeth to me that ye should put me in no fault nor be miscontent with the thing that I haue done in his right and if I had or this knowen perceiued your difference yet my highnesse doth binde me to succour him in suche necessitie as I founde him in so that ye ought not to procure your vengeance and iustice by inequalitie of force as I haue séene by experience but to summon him aduertise him to repaire the iniurie that ye maintaine he hath done you and if he refuse to content you and to make you amendes then ye should procéede by good counsell and moderate deliberation Thinke estéeme therfore that I haue not done but my dutie to Dom Florisel nor I will not leaue of to satisfie you and to maintaine your right euen against him the thing being well knowen and examined Yet in the meane space I pray you that ye will enforce your selfe to agrée and accord your differeÌ„ce without sheading of bloud iâ— it he possible and not to folow the impotuositie and hastinesse of your choler that hath caused you to take and to haue the surname of vngeances not coÌ„uenient truly for a Prince for the gods would that we should leaue vnto them all vengeance bicause we cannot kéepe a meane in the executing punishing of those that haue offended vs As touching me I will take paine and praie him for peace betwene you assuring my selfe that he will not denie it me And in this hope I will make an ende at this time wherin you and all my lords of your companie shall finde my recommendations to your good graces beséeching the Gods to maintayne you all in health Wholy yours and readie to doe you pleasure the diuine Alastraxeree A letter from Dom Florisell of Niquea to the Princesse Arland excusing him of this that he cannot beare hir the amitie that he desireth being in loue in another place In the .10 booke the .4 Chapter MAdame the prayses of the warlike victories published in euery place by the cleare trumpet séeme to me of little valure in comparison of him that doth deserue it the which by wisedome is an ouercommer of himselfe For of the first the great part is done to fortune the which is commoÌ„ among vs our Lieutenants and souldiours on the other no man may haue any right but he alone vnto whom all the honour doth perteyne The déed alreadie past betwéene you and me doth summon and inuite you to this conquest of glorie that hath no péere considering the assaultes that your owne will doth both day and night deliuer you the whâ—ch you ought vertuously to susteyne and by your great wisdome to quiet for ye know that on my syde and part I may not obey the law of your true loue hauing lost my entire liberty of the which there remayneth no part that I maye bestowe in your seruice I woulde although I may not I confesse and knowledge the deite but I haue not wherewithall to satisâ—ie bicause of a former obligation and band that doth binde and ingage both the bodie and soule therefore ye must néedes take my good will in payment without complayning vpon me as touching the fault of loue to you wardes in as much as my vnablenesse doth excuse me séeing I had placed it before in another stead nor vnfaythfulnesse considering that my fayth and promise was alreadie set and arested in another place from whence I coulde not retire it Considering therefore that loue no lesse than other naturall things doth continually retaine his propertie the which is to exercise tyrannie agaynst his vassals as he did agaynst Quéene Dido and diuerse great Ladies the which did sacrifice to this cruell God with their pure bloud and at last with theyr lyfe Take an example and looke vpon me to obey his force as ye sée that I could not resist him and ye shall winne aboue me that doth liue in continuall warre this vauntage to remaine in peace and quitnesse of spirite the which I wish you with the encrease of glorie prosperitie with as good an heart as I doe present these most humble recommendations to your good Grace The selfe same which is wholy yours euen as he is his owne Florisell of Niquea Prince of two Empyres The Oration of Prince Lucidor desiring ayde of the King and Princes Apolloniens to reuenge him of the Princes of Grece In the .10 booke the .5 Chapter SIr and you Princes Barons Captaines and Souldiours Apolloniens if our sage auncetours which the worldes that are past did beare had left vs in the succession of so many good documents the certaine knowledge of the traine and gouernment of fortune hir inconstancie shoulde not giue me at this time occasion to blame hir nor hir certaintie a lawe to saye this that I say but forasmuch as she hir selfe hath prescribed the authoritie to execute hir owne minde the Princes of this worlde shall winne much lesse to will to resist hir might than to obey and acquite themselues of the obligation that she often tymes doth lay and intangle them withall Not sir that I will vnder this colour denie in any poynt that I owe vnto your honour nor likewise leaue of to exacte of you in iustice that ye owe vnto mine being disposed to make of two lyke things one or other in the case of the rauishment and rape of your daughter Helen and my spouse In whome no lesse force hath béene done to you than to me the which thing induceth me presently to require that your will conforme it self to mine for our mutuall satisfaction in the enterprise of this iust vengeance Not that I doubt Lorde Birmates or haue any mistrust in this case of your franke and noble courage but feare
onely of the councell that may be giuen you to the contrarie whether it be to turne you wholy or at the least to slacke your diligence that is required in this businesse by the occasion of the auncient amitie that ye haue continually with the Princes of Grece a thing that shoulde turne me to an inestimable losse if it shoulde be prolonged séeing that the aray and the furniture wherevnto ye sée that I am set the which to me should be vnprofitable if it be not strengthned and augmented by yours And therefore sir and ye Princes Barons Capitaynes and souldiours Apolloniens ought not to maruell that I so vrgently doe solicite you to this enterprise and lesse to refuse my request being of such consequence for you that thinking to reiect it as mine ye shall finde it as muche contrarie to your selues Who is he that can say that this outrage hath not béene done as much to you as to me As touching my part I am disposed to vengeance in the which if I do not content my desire in the satisfaction of my honour in as much as Fortune is not content I will turne vpon my selfe the rest of the force and strength not as a subiect to serue hir any more in any newe crueltie For this cause Sir and you other Lordes Apolloniens I pray you moste humblie and verie effectuously that ye will in this behalfe employe and shewe your force and strength and the strength of youre friendes and allyes to be ioyned vnto mine to appoynt and prepare such a power and might agaynst the Princes Constantines that if willingly they will not make amendes for this wrong and iniurie we may be sufficient to execute the thing vpon them and to enforce them to reason Here I make ende of my demaunde not dooing it after my first intention whether it be as concerning the vengeance to giue or to take The Prince Birmates spâ—â—king for â—hem all doth answerâ— bycidor shewing him that warre ought not to haue a 〈…〉 beginning and he counselleth him to sende a letter to Dom Florisell and to dissuade the combate betweene them twoâ— In the .10 booke the .5 Chapter MY Lorde Lucidor séeing that the good pleasure of the king my Lorde and father and the Lordes assisting do charge me with the answere that they intende shall be made you I will briefly shew you the thing and what they thinke in this matter remitting yet my will and resolution to yours In the first place I confesse vnto you that we haue a common interâ—st with you in the issue of this câ—use the which in condition is nothing different or vnlike to that that was begun among the Greekes and the Troians for the rape of their fayre Helen of whome I am extremely diâ—pleâ—sed that my daughter beareth the name and effect of the seconde I will not denie any more the auncient amitie that I haue with the Princes of Gâ—â—â—ce if it be so that the ballance of my iudgement be not of suche waight that the respect of my honor of my daughters doth not fall nor decay the which Iestéeme ought to be bought againe with what pryce so euer it maye bee as well of the goodes as of the person Yet the affayres of such importance requyre their beginning to be diligenâ—ly consulted and debated for feare least the ende shoulde-euill succéede referning such diligent regarde that their Princes and men may be discharged before God and principally their subiectes in case that fortune turne contrarie to their â—stimation She hath somwhat a regarde to things that are agaynst my owne taste for leauing of all passions as men shoulde doe in matters of counsell I estéeme that in this enterprise wée â—ouche and laye the totall and whole summe of our estates and treasures in the hande of Fortune without assurance to come to anye other reparation pretended than of oure owne righte the whiche as subiecte to the inconstancie and variablenesse of the variable and wauering Goddesse hath oftentimes néede of helpe The Princes of Greece had good right against the citie of Troy the whiche that notwithstanding did sustaine their siege and assaulte the space of tenne yéere and had sustayned it peraduenture vnto the ende sauing for the treason so craftily pretensed and so valiantly executed But lette vs leaue a parte the great effusion of bloud that I sée prepared let vs onely consider what issue it shall haue for in very déede the effect of armes is almost vpoÌ„ fortune nor neuer grounde in any suretis therfore we must descende specially to the conseruation of our honour Touching the which notwithstanding that it hath bene offended by the taking away of Helen it may be that greater reason shal be shewed vs for the satisfactioÌ„ of our iniurie than we hope after that the partie shall haue well perceyued and discussed the grounde of our complaint Upon the which men can giue no lawfull iudgement before they heare the deduction of both parties Therefore let vs take héede to procéede by ripe deliberation fearing least we repent vs to much by leasure of our foolish precipitation and hastinesse for this cause we are thus minded my Lord Lucidor that or euer ye procéede any further ye should shew your minde and intention by writing to Prince Florisel summoning him for the reparation of the outrageous iniurie for through his refuse ye shall make our cause a great deale the better TheÌ„ without any difficultie ye may denounce mortall warre with fire and bloud vnto the accomplishment and fulfilling of the vengeaunce and as concerning the combat of your person with his I am not of that opinion for asmuch as the déede of so generall offence should not be charged nor layde vpon the shoulders of any one slone the whiche lesing the rest of the pursute should as touching other remayne without amenyment Not that I will in this reuoke in any doubte the valure of your person â—ut bicause the fauour of Mars is vncertain and common in the which a man should not put his confidence of a thing of suche importaunce without he had his promisse by signe and seale autentike This is it wherunto the Kinges ech one this assistence doth tende to tary the answere that the Prince Florisel shall make vnto the Ambassadours sent by you for to take thereby the fundation of our finall resolution In the meane space not to require nor yet to put our fréendes to payne of whome we shoulde desire succour in these affayres vntill we may shew them more than dutie vnto whome wée shal be sent to search for peace and to auoyde the horrible furie of the warre the whiche thing shall furthermore encourage them to take armour and to fight for vs against a common enimie for right equitie peace and quietnesse of the people bâ—sides that the losse of so litle time cannot be preiudiciall vnto you in the expedition of suche a consequence the order and preparation whereof requireth a longer time least
that we for our sodaine enterprise incurre to late repentance Lucidor the vengeor writyng to Prince Florisel of Niquea dothe pray him to declare the cause of the rauishment of his wife finally he settyng his honour before his eyes dothe counsell him to restore hir agayne of in refusing thereof he denounceth him mortall warre In the .10 booke the .5 Chapter MY Lord Florisel Lucidor the vengeor the naturall prince of France and of Apollonie by aliance dothe pray God so to inspire you that ye may know the faulte that ye haue committed against me and to repaire and amende it as right and reason coÌ„maundeth The thing that hath moued me to write this letter vnto you is that I your errour beyng knowen and the amendes made may remayne with you in such peace and amitie as two Christen Princes of such highnesse as we â—e ought to employ our common forces and strength against the Infidels I desire greatly to know what excuse ye shall sinde for the great wrong that yée haue done me and to your selfe as I may say in violating my Kingly estate and likewise the amitie that ye owe to the father of my spouse praying you that ye will wryte it vnto me by parcell meanes to the ende I may consider that it be sufficient to accomplish the satisfaction on your parte in my behalfe for if I with your good will cannot haue it I must be constrayned to take it with the edge of the sworde by the way of armes betwene you and me onely vnto the vtterance of your life or mine I maruell me much that your vertue so wel knowen here in so glorious actes is so forgetfull through a disorbinate appetite of vnbrideled youth to declare it selfe so great an enimie of reason specially of the peace inuiolable that your Fathers and predecessours haue alwaies entertained with the pareÌ„ts of my spouse assuring you that with great payne ye shall washe you of so great a spotte with all the water of the Sea for your estate was bounde to resist this vile acte nor doing the thing that ye would not that he that is of your qualitie should doe to you of â—he which ye cannot discharge you neither to God nor man By the meanes whereof although I had good right to make warre vpon you as a defiler of my wife and of hir owne proper fayth so it is yet that hauing God before mine eyes and the businesses of the Christian common weale in recommendation I woulde haue inuited you to haue she woe and done me right of your selfe considering that the lawes as touching themselues do kind Princes that by this meanes men might auoyde one so cruel warre as I sée to be prepared and no lesse than your predecessours had before Troy the whiche God thorough his grace turne from vs by the meanes of your iust satisfaction And in case no I protest to make you suche warre that one of vs shall remayne in gage Florisel of Niquea dothe answere Lucidors letter excusing himselfe of the accusations layde agaynst him submitting him to the iudgement of his parents or otherwise he is appoynted to defend him In the .10 booke the .6 Chapter LOrd Lucidor I maruell me of this proude surname that yée occupy causing your selfe to be named the Uengeor knowyng or else ye should know that suche a title dothe not pertayne but to God only And particularly to answere to the articles of your letter the which that Crie of Armignac your ambassafor hath presented vnto me I say that ye your selfe are bounde to satisfie for the presumptuous woordes ye haue vsed against me and Helen my spouse And as touchyng that yée say how that the excuse is not sufficient that loue hath ledde conducted me to that faulte inferring that a person of estate as you and I shoulde not coÌ„mit so filthy déedes I say that the excellent beautie of my Lady Helen ioyning thereunto the parentage and place whereout shée is issued haue bound mée to such noble thoughts dayly drawing me out of my self continually giuing héede to the honest loue that I bare hir vnder the pure lawe of Mariage the which ought to discharge me and to deface the faulte that ye lay vnto me of the whiche I in no wise féele my selfe reprehensible if that faulte were not that I made hir parents leading hir away without their consent a thing that greatly displeaseth me for the loue of them vnto whom in this respect I was bound much To this wher ye say that I depriue my selfe of the thing that good renounâ—e hath alwayes graunted mée I mayntayne that I in nothing haue violated nor yet diminished it but truâ—â— that the thing whiche I haue done in this case shall fall and come forth so the augmentation of my great glorie Also the Princes of Greece are accustomed and wonte to kéepe the poynt of honour and to reuenge the outrages that men enterprise to doe vnto them And nowe the Empyre is ruled by those whiche are more stoute of minde and more warlike than euer it had it is not ready to fall from the degrée of his auncient reputation And as touchyng you if yée will vnderstande reason ye should departe from this quarell seyng that Helen is my wife and that the déede is irreuocable but for the reparation and satisfaction to you wardes my Lordes and parents haue concluded to giue you another lady of great highnesse beautie and richesse such a one as by reason ye shoulde content your selfe withall if not let it suffise you to remit the déede to the discretion of your parentes and mine and of my wiues promising you to condescende to euerie reasonable and honesâ— condition towardes the Prince Birmates and the King of Apolonia Otherwise I protest before God to defend my iust cause as long as my soule shal breath in my body praying you lord Lucidor for amitie sake to haue and to take a regarde to the doubtful and vncertaine ende of battels and to the great number of friendes of Greece besides the number of vassalles not comprehending the murders that this enorme title of Vengeance the which ye vnder the diuine power doe vsurpe shall stirre vp against you Lucidor of Vengeance letters to Zahara Queene of Caucase demaunding of hirayde and succor against Florisel of Niquea In the .10 booke the .6 Chapter MAdame I being come not long since that Florisel of Niquea enterprised vpon the aliance made against me and Princesse Helen of Apolonia he hath indecently and violently rauished hir from me I coulde bethinke me then of no better recourse thaÌ„ of your excellence in that of your noble sonne and daughter to obtaine helpe succor to reuenge the wrong and shame that he hath purchased me the which if ye wil not grauÌ„t me notwithstanding any amitie that may be betwéen you or his I pray you to haue a more regarde to the diuinitie whereof ye are participant that doth binde you to doe iustice in earth to
those that do require it of you Thus much Madame the high gods maintaine you dayly in their communication inspiring you with a will inclined to my iuste quarrell The same which is alwayes readie to serue your royall maiestie Lucidor of Vengeance Luâ—idor de Vengeurs letter to Florisel of Niquea In the .10 booke the .6 Chapter LVcidor the Vengeur the naturall Prince of Fraunce of Secilo Apolonia by aliaÌ„ce to thée Florisel of Niquea misfortune for all salutation I required thée not long since louingly to restore me my wife spouse Helen whom bothe agaynst God and reason thou hast taken from me in hir fathers house the which thing thou haste refused to doe against all diuine and humaine lawe by the meanes whereof I saie that thou hast done an acte of a brigant a ruffin a rauisher and of a wicked adulterer So I defie thée with fire and bloude thy friendes sautors and alies to bring thée with mine to suche reason that shortly thou shalt come to my mercie to receiue punishment after my contentation and pleasure The answere of Florisel to Lucidor the Vengeurs letter In the 10. booke the .6 Chapter LVcidor the Vengeur Florisel of Niquea Prince of two Empirs c. hath receiued thy presumptuous letter of defiaÌ„ce where vpon he doth answere thée that neuer did thing that a gentelman a louer of his honour ought not to do aduertising thée againe that Helen of Apolonia is my wife and spouse the which he shall defend against thée and all ether that for hir will quarrell with him with suche a charge that thou and thine shall curse the houre that euer ye girded sword against the Grecians for the wounde sake that shall bléede vpon all thy posteritie and confederates for by the vniust refuse of the conditions and offers vnto the which I submitted me thou hast made of thy right thy wrong Wherby we haue God on our side the which by his iustice doth continually punishe the proude nor he shall not suffer thée to vsurpe the right of vengeance that is namely reserued to his diuinitie Florisel letter to the Soudan of Niquea demaunding helpe of him against Lucidor In the .10 booke the .6 Chapter MY Lord fortune hath willed and fauoured me so well to ioyne me in mariage with Helen the Princesse of Apolonia and although the forme maner be somewhat light through the force that I was compelled to vse and so bring hir to Constantinople so it is that to purge the foreset that men might pretend I afterwardes made them so many lawfull offers that the right remaineth on my side hauing offered the aliance of our house to Lucidor the Prince of Fraunce with whom there was some seeing of hir mariage in so muche that the thing done alreadie cannot be vndone Yet for all that he hath not ceased too importunately to trouble me vntill he sent to me my parents fautors and alies a letter of defiance of fire and bloud by sea and by lande pretending as he doth write not only to take my wife fro me but also my head wherof I was minded to aduertise your imperiall maiestie trusting that you will not faile me in this matter My Lorde I beséeche the creator to giue your highnesse a good and a long life Anaxartes writing to Princesse Orian doth complaine him of hir rigour doth pray hir to draw him out of the exile where vnto she sent him In the .10 booke .6 Chapter MAdame the selfe same doth present you health from whoÌ„ ye haue taken it desiring the fulnesse of the houres fortunes of this world to hir that hath cast him into the fountaine of all misfortunes the which he esteemeth lesse than the desperation of your good grace wherein ye haue plunged him through your last rigor the which if he felte that there were any offence in him that might give you any occasion to be rude and hard vnto him he would not onely go about to aske you mercie and forgiuenesse but he would reuenge you vpon himself doing more than the Pelicane for hir little ones but if this be his affection to measure this cause by your extreme beautie he hath neuerthelesse restrained it with the bridle of reason against nature And it he in so little accesse and conuersation that he hath had with you did not once twinckle with his eye to the interest and hurt of your highnesse much lesse he hath hazarde his tong to chaunge the face of his wery heart What reason can ye pretend thus to banishe him from the fruition of your sight for léesing that he séemeth to lyue in darknesse but that the continual flame of his heart cleareth him the which had béen burnt long since consumed to ashes if my ordinarie teares had not béen wherewith I mortifyed it May it please you then for all satisfaction that not I but loue hathe merited for mée to call me againe from this exile or at leastwyse to make me vnderstande euen by your owne hand the conception of your spirite and minde that which mine cannot comprehende if ye desire not the shortâ— death of him whose onelye thought of your excellencie doth sustaine him in a sorowfull life The Oration of the Prince Dom Florisel of Niquea to the Kings Princes Captaines and souldiers of his armie setting before their eyes the victories obtained by their predecessors against many nations and that they should vse modestly the victorie if it be giuen them and to consider that they haue to doe with a victorious nation In the .10 booke the 18. Chapter RIght mightie Emperours Kings Princes valiant captaines and souldiers if the time that is past had not lefte vs the memorie of the noble and vertuous actes of our predecessors and also of many that are yet aliue and present in this battel I would haue esteemed it reasonable ynough that I seing it hath pleased you to chose me the head of this armie notwithstanding I am vnworthy in price and comparison of diuers that are among you should haue made you an Oration to excite your hearts to magnanimitie and valiantnesse but youre vertue knowen already among the Troyans Romaines and Carthagiens the whiche haue oftentimes proued the strength of your armes doth excuse me of thys payne turneth my prayer to God beséeching him through his grace to maintaine audacitie and boldnesse in those from whom as yet it neuer departed Our victory if it so plese him is without doubt the which comming I pray you my Lords and friends to stand and persist in your ranges moderating the heat of your execution so that the rape and pray y which afterwardes cannot scape vs set no man out of his aray whereby we may léese that is certain and reuolt and turne fortune Furthermore I aduise you not to disprayse nor to contemne your enimies but to esteeme them as much as ye thinke your selues to be worth for of a troth the French meÌ„ with whome ye shall haue to doe