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
nor to make suche lamentations whâ—n necessitie dothe commaunde vs to remember howe to succour and to helpe my Lorde Amadis Let vs leaue such maner of doings to womâ—n and let vs deuise togither to prouide for this great inconuenience And as for me I am of this mynde that we without any longer dâ—lay take our horsses and do our diligence to fâ—ade him then shall we know whether there be any meanâ— to finde remedie for him for the time doing as we do nowe passeth awaye his heauinesse and paynes more and he himselfe goeth further from vs The Lord Ysanie as he saith condâ—cted and led him a little on his way he may shewe vs what way he tooke and if we tarie any longer we shall lose him without hope to see him any more Therefore my Lordes let vs giue our diligence to folow him The Hermite speaking to Amadis doth comfort him in his aduersitie The second booke the .6 Chap. O Knight I beléeue that you haue some great affliction in your soule yet if your heauinesse do proceede of repentance for some certaine sinne that you haue committed truly my sonne you are happie And if it be for some temporall losse as I estéem considering your age the estate wherin you haue liued hitherto you should not thus trouble yourself but require and aske pardon of God who would pardon and forgiue you and receiue you for his The Hermit doth yet speaking to Amadis exhort him to take heart of grace and courage and not to abuse himselfe for women I Promise you my friend that ye do not well being a yong knight and well made to enter into such dispaire and mistrust considering that women cannot kâ—epe their loue no not euen in the presence of them that loue them for natuaturally they readily forget and yet beléeue more sooner specially those things that men which fondly giue themselues vnto them do report of them the whiche euen when they thinke to haue ioy and contentation do find themselues in al despite and tâ—ibulation as ye doe experiment and proue it by your selfe Therefore I pray you from henceforth to be more vertuous and coÌ„â—â—ant and for asmuch as it hath pleased God to call you to the title of a kings son to gouerne his people returne to the world for it should be a losse thus to loose you nor I cannot presume nor imagin who she is that hath brought you to such anxietie considering that if one woman aloâ—e had in hir all the perfections that all women haue together yet we should not for hir sake léese suche a man as yeare The heauines of Oriane for Amadis after that she was aduertised by men of his departure In the second booke the .7 Chapter AH vnfortunate person that I am seing that I with so great wrong haue caused him to die whome I most théeâ—ly loued in this world And séeing it is out of my power to reuoke the euill that I caused I beséech you my friende to accept my repentance in satisfaction of the euilâ— that I haue purchased you with the sacrifice that I shal make of my proper life to folow you vnto death and thus the ingratitude that I haue committed against your fidelitie shall be manifest you being reuenged and I punished Guillans oration to the Queene for Amadis his shield or scutchion that he had founde In the second Booke the .8 Chapter MAdame a few dayes ago and past I founde all Amadis harneys with his stutchion layd nigh vnto a fountain the which men call the fountaine of the plaine field wherewith I was displeased the which I the selfe same houre and time bound vnto a trée leauing it in the custodie of two Damsels which were in my company vntill I had bene through out the countrey to séeke and to enquire what was become of him But I was not so fortunate to find him nor yet to haue newes of him Therefore I knowing the merite of so good a knight whiche neuer had other desire but to prepare himself to do you seruice I purposed seing I could not bring him to bring vnto you for a testimonie witnesse of the bond that I owe to you and to him his armure the which ye shall commaund if it so please you to be set in some euident and open place where euery man may sée them as well to haue and to heare some newes of him by the straungers that ordinarily come vnto this Court as to augment the vertue of all those that commoÌ„ly follow the warres taking an example by him whome they folow the which by his high knighthod hath obtained the first place among al those that euer on their backes ware harneys The lamentation of Oriane vnderstanding by Guillan the losse of Amadis In the second Booke and .8 Chapter AH vnfortunate that I am I may now well say that all the felicitie that euer I had is a very fantasie and my torment a pure veritie considering that if I haue any contentation it is only by the dreames that solicit me by night for being awake all austeritie doth afâ—lict and trouble my poore spirit and in such sort that as much as the day is vnto me a gréeuous martirdome the obscuritie and darknesse is to me only pleasure and solace bycause that sléeping I sée my self before my louer but watch that depriueth me of so great ease causeth me very muche to féele your absence Ah my eyes no more eyes but streames of teares and wéepings ye are well abused for as much as being close ye see him alone that contenteth you and being open al the noysomnesse and troubles of the world come to obfuscate and to darken you At the furdest the death that I fâ—ele nigh and at hand shall deliuer me of this anxietie and you my friend shall be auenged of the most vnthankfull that euer was borne The exhortation of Mabile vnto Oriane that would haue cast hirselfe downe headlong by the meane of Amadis aduersitie In the second Booke the .8 Chapter HOw is it Madame where is the constancie of a kings daughter is this the wisedome whereof ye are so greatly renoumed haue ye already forgotten the euill that ye thought would haue chaunced through the false newes that Arcalaus brought the last yeare to the Court And nowe that Guillan hath found my cousins harneys was the saide bicause that he is dead beléeue me that ye shal sée him shortly again and that he will assoone as he shall sée your letters come vnto you Amadis doth comfort himselfe by the newes that he receiued of Oriane his friende and louer In the second Booke the 10. Chapter O Fearefull hart so long time troubled who coulde haue resisted such a tempest notwithstanding the abundance of teares that thou so coÌ„tinually distilledst and shedst to comâ— to the point of death Receiue at this present this medicine the whiche onely is for thy health and come foorth of these obscure darknesses the whiche haue so long obfuscated
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
and that he should assure himselfe to be destroyed and that he woulde combat and fighte with him In the .5 booke the .48 Chapter ROdrigue the great Soudan of Liquie a friende of the gods mortall enimie of their enimies defender of Pagane lawe to thée that dost call thy selfe knight of the great Serpent greâ—ing Know thou that the occasion which hath caused vs to passe ouer so great a sea to come to these marches hath beene vpoÌ„ hope to reuenge the outrages that my vncle Armaâ—o King of Turkie hath receiued of thée and of thy companions neuer doyng thée displeasure And for asmuch as we holde our selues sure of the ruine of that euill Emperour that doth fauor thée in so many euill and damnable enterprises as a fewe dayes since he and his did passe by the edge of our swordes so should I be sorie that this misfortune should first chaunce â—o thee vntill I made a profe of thy person and mine bycause of the renoume that is of thée through all the world Thus aduise thée if thou wilte accepte the combat or fight of vs two alone of tenne against tenne or a hundred against a hundred or in a more great number if thou think it good Swearing vnto thée by all the gods that they whom thou shalte bring with thée for these affaires shall haue no more displeasure than my proper person if it be not of those that shall be ordeyned to fighte with them folowing the couenauntes that wée shall make Therefore make me an answere worthie and meete for thee and so that thy honor be not defiled Norandel and other his companions letter for an answere to Rodrigue accepting the combat and fighte that he offered wyth the assurance of the fielde In the fifth booke the .48 Chapter THe knightes and seruauntes of Iesu Christ being nowâ— present with the Emperour of Constantinople for the defence and augmentation of the Christian name to thée Rodrigue Soudan of Liquie condigne gréeting Thou hast sent to the Knight of the great Serpent a Damsell who is called Tienna the which hath deliuered vs certaine letters whiche were sent to him the summe wherof conteineth two things in the first thou doste complaine of the enterprises that hée hath made vpon Kingâ— Armato thy vncle The other the desire that thou hast to proue thy person against his or a great number agaynst a greater if he thoughte it good But in as muche as the Knight which thou demaundest is not present héere nor in place to make thée answere we haue aduised to satisfie thée for him and to accept the offers that thou hast made hym assuryng thée that there is such a personage in this companye a Kings sonne and nyne other with him that shall fighte wyth thee and wyth the lyke number of thine if thou wilte appoynte and giue them the suretie of the fielde nor we will not faile to be in the place established and appoynted Letters from Rodrigue Soudan of Liquie and Calasia Queene of Californie to Amadis of Fraunce and his sonne Esplandian to accepte the combat and fyghte to knowe the vertue and sâ—rength of the best combattant In the fifth Booke the 52. Chapter ROdrigue Souden of Liquie the mortall enimie of the enimyes of our gods and Calasia Quéene of Californie a region ritch of golde and precious stones more than any other we declare vnto you Amadis of Fraunce and King of England to your sonne the knight Serpentine that our defence and comming into this countrey hath bene caused and standeth vpon two pointes The one is the hope of the ruine and destruction of Christentie and the other to assay and to cause you to léese the renoume that men giue you to be two the best knights of all the world for we thinke our selues such that if ye will take this combat in your owne persons to ours we shall cause it to be euidently knowen that our valiantnesse is no lesse than is yours And to the ende that the glorie of those that wyn maye be manifest they that be ouerthrowen shall remayne in their power to dispose them as they shall thynke best aduise you therefore to make vs an answere by this our messenger whom we haue charged to declare vnto you if ye refuse this that from henceforth we shall haue a iust cause â—o attribute vnto vs the superioritie of all the prayses and fauours that fortune hitherto hath borne you and hereafter to estéeme you lesse than in times past ye haue béen estéemed The Emperour of Constantinoples Oration to Amedis and other his friendes to aduise and to take counsell vpon the mariage of his daughter with the yong Esplandian vnto whom so doyng he dothe promise the rule of the Empyre In the .5 booke the .54 Chapter MY brethren Lords and goodfriends the obligation wherin I am bounde vnto you is so greate that althdughe it hath pleased the Lorde to make me Emperour of all Gréece yet I knowe well that it is not in my poure to satisfye you not holding all the honour and goods that I haue nexte vnto God be it in particular or general but of you I am now thrée score al horie and very caduke and féeble throughe the paines that I toke in my youth following the feates of armes I haue but one daughter the which is the staffe and hope of my olde age whom as I haue deliberated with my selfe I do purpose if ye thinke it good to marrie to the valiant knight Esplandian and by the same meanes to remit the Empyre and the rule of all my countrey vnto himâ— And to liue the more solitarie and to separate my selfe from the worlde I haue also concluded with my selfe to retire with the Empresse my wife to the Monasterie that I caused to be builded and there religiously to recognise God and to do penance for the faultes that in times paste I haue committed Therefore my good Lordâ— and friendes I pray you if ye all agrée to this to declare it vnto me and you first of all my Lord and brother Amadis whom the matter toucheth as from the father to the childe The Oration of Lisuard to the Emperour of Trebisonde praying hym to shewe him the knight which he armed of lateâ— to receiue at his hande the feates oâ— knighthood In the .6 booke the .6 Chapter SYr the high renoume and your great goodnesse knowen through all the world haue moued my companions and me to come to your court not onely to doe you reuerence as the greatnesse of your maiestie doth merite but haue esperance and hope to heare newes of a yong gentleman the whiche ye haue as it is told vs made knight not long ago at the request of a Damsell that brought him vnto you And for asmuch sir as I neuer had intentioÌ„ to receiue chiualrie of any other hand than of his and that my age dothe séeme to haue done more than it hath done yet I most humbly doe pray you to tell vs
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
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