the famous Princes of the worlde but seeing himselfe so cruelly by loue persecuted did often make him loose part of his high valour From him departed the two friendes returning where they had left their horses expecting the mornings approch which scarce appeared saluting the brightnesse of the Sunnes vprising when mounted on their coursers they had not galloped farre but the glittering of Nyqueas gates reflected on their armours Not long after did the valiant competitor do the like vpon a great mightie Bay Courser without any spot and of the best broode that euer was seene for as such a one it was giuen him by his louing friend the wise Nycandro So soone as he sawe the two Knightes before him with a little more then ordinarie speede he ouertooke them being nigh them he demauÌ„ded in the Arabian tongue the better to dissemble what countrey that was It is so little sir Knight since we ariued here answered Rosabell that we are altogether ignorant of your demaund hauing not met any of whome wee might knowe what you desire The ariuing of another Knight of as braue apparances as any of them interrupted his replie This was Don Clarisell that guyded by Lupercio Gellasios maister was come in the Souldans behalfe though he ariued too late for he had already sent to that purpose for a subiect of his the fiercest of many Gyants that he knewe being come to them with great courtesie he requested what Bembo had done before But as euerye one dissembled their knowledge they stayde till they might meete with some of whome they might learne their doubt Long stayed they not but they saw a Page in great hast come weeping from the Cittie and méeting with the foure Princes sayde Ah me braue Knights if in you there be what your gallantnes doth manifest now you may approue it by succouring of three Kinges that vniustly are accused of the rape made of the Princesse and her couzen by the deformedst giant in the vniuerse I am sure they are in no fault Leade the way good Page sayd the couragious Rosabell for I wil for them hazard my person in any danger and I will mine if it be néedfull sayd Oristoldo The Assirian that was somewhat bould would no longer forbeare but sayde I woulde not haue on my part Knights so resolute Then be you of the other sayd Oristoldo and you shall see that our resolution is grounded on our armes and not on our tongues without more stay they rayned about their Horses and with their swiftest pace they straight went to the Cittie The lyke did the other two remayning with great desire to combate with such confident Knights specially he in the black whome Rosabells behauiour highly pleased hee had reason for on horse-backe fewe were like him At length the first two arriued at the pallaice after the Souldan had Dyned being accompanyed with his chiefe Nobilitie because he would haue the Kinge of Garamantes cause tryed before them for he would not beléeue but he had consented to the rape And that he might be more sure of his reuenge he had called the proude Grantelâ—rio Lorde of the Altana Isles and subiect vnto him though like a friend he vsed him because of hys power There were no 20 Knights so hardy as one houre to withstand him in the fielde This Gyant was also in the great hall for the Souldan to honour him more had inuited him And straight he commanded the three Kings to be brought with suffitient garde to whome the Souldan sayd Knights you see what all my subiects doe obiect against you that you were confederates in my deare Daughters rape but I because I woulde in some respect beléeue the contrarie haue put it to the tryall of a battell and so within foure days may you present your Champion to combate against him that my counsell hath assigned who is the King of the Altana Isles that is here The King of Garamantes thus replyed Greatly are we wronged mighty Lord to haue this battle taken from our armes knowing none in thy Kingdome on whom we might repose so waightie a charge I haue already vrged that sayd the Gyant and intreated the Souldan that you three might be admitted thereunto but seeing hee sayth there is a law inuiolate that forbids it take no care for that for I giue leaue and will admit Ten Knights in your behalfe against all whom together I alone will maintaine you were confederates in the rape of the gracious Liriana Princesse of Niquea As the fearefull King was about to answere the couragious Greekes stopped foorth backe with his friend Oristoldo who doing his humble obeysance vnto the Souldan sayd vnto him in the Assirian tongue the which he knewe he could well speake In the entring of thy great Cittie great Monarch of this faire Empire comming to séek for the King of Garamantes my Lord and soueraigne I vnderstoode what on thy behalfe was against his honour obiected And my selfe being assured of his vertues relying thereon I am resolued to vndertake the battle for him and for the rest to the extremest hazard of my life because I am certaine of his right Greatly reioyced the imprisoned Princes seeing him come in such opportunitie for they straight knewe him by his azure deuise to whome the Souldan replyed The tryall sir Knight is already remitted to bee arbitrated by combate and so there remaines no more then that these Kinges doe graunt it and then may you straight performe it Braue couzen sayd the King of Garamantes to Rosabell I for my part giue you all my power thereto resting not a little assured of the good successe hauing so great iustice on my side and so braue a knight to defend it We graunt the like sayd the other Kinges Seing this is done sayde the Gréeke humbling himselfe for the imposed charg command mightie Souldan turned to him the apparance of the chalenger and I beseech you that the prisoners may bee set in place that the battle ended they may without impediment depart Like a deuillish furie did the furious Pagan steppe foorth saying Why how now Knight so sure art thou of the end that before thou séest me thou darest demaunde the prize of the battle But now consider knowing what thou hast to doe against whom whether thou wilt yet affirme thy spéeches Not only doe I it sayd the hawghty youth but sayd it waxeth late till it be done Then I aduise thee Knight replyed the Gyant that if thou wilt thou mayest chose to ayd thée besides thy companion eight knights more for to that nuÌ„ber haue I chalenged Gyant replyed the couragious Gréeke all your broode thinks that with soly the outward shew you may end any aduenture therefore presume you to vtter such blasphemies not vnderstaÌ„ding that he which estéemes himselfe a knight wil admit nothing with aduaÌ„tage And so maist thou go arme thy selfe for onely with these armor weapoÌ„s that I haue the iustice of my cause I
by the Thespian land onely mentioned through her bordering on the Helliconian Mount the habitation of those sacred tryple Trinity of Sisters the diuine Muses Ioues-brayne-bred daughters Mothers of all learned Arts. To be short with incredible spéede delight he compassed the most part of the orbed earth for being acquited of Loues tributarie dueties his quiet mind had the more scope to subiugate his thoughts to admiration of these things So that now wearie of ease he wished an end vnto his trauaile that he might agayne exercise his often tryed forces to augment the perpetuitie of his glories which he thought were ecclipsed in the obscure cabbin of his honor-smothering bark yet he stil perswaded himselfe some great aduenture could not but awayt the end of this Nauigable toyle At length passing the Ilands Sygares in auncient times called Sydromades whose coastes to vnskilfull passengers is pitilesse death some fiue dayes after he sayled through the Mediterranean Sea where vpon a morne when glittering Phaebus mounted his fierie Carre the boate ran ashoare to the Princes great contentment who was almost tyred with this long nauigation Wherefore arming himselfe in his rich armour he leaped on land and mounting on his swift Tyrio accompanied onely with his good squier Fabio he tooke a narrow beaten path through which he went with great desire to know in what ayre he breathed So with an easie pace they trauailed not long that way but it brought them into a great wood whose vnknowen passage somewhat amazed the Dacian Lord. Yet was it no part to expell the great delight he did conceaue with the soft whistling murmure of the pleasant windes that seemed to daunce vpon the mouing of the shaken leaues on whome the whistling byrdes warbled their ditties in such accordant manner that agreeing in one consort of an inartificiall harmonie it arrested the amazed conceipt of the wandring Prince that continued his iourney along a Christal Riueret whose bending turnings brought him at last vnto his springing head whose purling brooke from a rockie quarie traced his continuall currant through a pibble paued channell that gathering in one a many runnings that from the naturall rocke did issue seemed so many spouts proceeding from an artificiall fount making the streame more great whose sweete noyse could not but remoue the Mellancholiest heart though neuer so much tormented with loue-oppressing passions euen from his deepest dispairing thoughts This pleasant spring was all incompassed with high cressend trees proud Cedars and loftie Pynes whose height seemed to controll the firmament aloft and scorne the lower plants beneath whose humble growth was accompanied with greene Palmes fresh Oliues and odoriferous Orange trees that euer flourisheth with springing habits Through these vpon the dyaperd ground with flowered tapestrie ranne the sportful wanton yong Deare that in aboundance increased the pleasure of this wooddie fount for some scudded along to out-strip the others in running others nibled the tender growing sapplings and others togither butted in wrangling pastime their horned foreheads The Dacian wrapt in a suddein admiratiō with the vnhoped sight of such miracles rested confounded in pleasant imaginations that perswaded him in a land so wonderfull of Natures wonders he should not but expect some vnlooked vnconceaued and unmerited happinesse Here to ease himselfe awhile he alighted and washed his sweatie face hands in those coole refreshing waters and then sitting on the grasse satisfied his hungrie stomack with such prouision as Fabio his page had brought with him from his ship The collation ended they discoursed of many matters to beguyle the time withall especially touching the Romane Ladies whose affection towards him shewen by the Princesse Roselia was not of meane respect wherevpon Fabio tooke occasion thus to beginne I cannot deare Lord sufficiently conceaue the hidden reasons of your strange proceedings in Loue. For when I remēber your extreame passions for the first robber of your heart Florisdama your second doting on Lidea your last affection towards Roselia with the maner of your sudden departure from her without a farewell in recompence of her many fauors which her accepting you for hers condemnes you in the highest degree of ingratitude in Loue besides her many other merites which I list not now memorate deserued no such sleight esteeme The consideration of which things drownes my witts in vncertaine thoughts Do you thinke when shee shall record her courtesies and your discourtesies she will not call you a dissembling Dacian a flattering friend a wauering changing Louer Wil she not complaine of her ill aboading starres exclame on fortune and banne your remembrance Nay how can shee otherwise hauing so great cause thereto For shame my Lord awake your slumbring sences and rayze vp againe the broken ruynes of your decaying credit let not the honor of your byrth be tainted nor the royall blood of Dacia stayned with an infamous blott of thanklesse ingratitude Let not Roomes quarrell begunne in the fathers continue in the children and be ended God knowes in what posteritie But pardon me my Lord for thus passing the limits of duety and the duetie of a seruant which only loue and zeale to your reputation hath moued me vnto In deede Fabio replied the Prince first thanking thee for thy care I must confesse in some respect I stand guiltie in Roselias sight for departing without her consent But yet God knowes it was not either by negligent forgetting or vnthankfully reiecting her deserued merits or the sleight regarde of her kindnesse for which and for her infinite fauors I euer shall rest debtor But leauing this I am perswaded the heauens in their iust doome haue not allotted her to me although her perfection a greater Monarche do deserue then me which I do the more beleeue because my trusty friend Nabato did assure me it touched me as neare as my life not to speake to her at my departure which I with some vnwillingnesse agreed vnto hoping the Princesse knowing my power to be yoked vnder her commaund would not take any serious conceipt at so sleight a trespas Yea but quoth Fabio women are so grieued by euery small occasion that little offences wayghed in their feminine scales are found to be excuses of inconstancie and selfe wauering affection and therefore are taken in the worste part For commonly women conceiue whatsoeuer is done for them must for so reason requireth proceede of duetie chiefely if moued by any amorous inclination hers was not little if I may beleeue her exterior motions when you were fiercest in your combate For by no better meanes doth a louer expresse his loue towardes the thing loued then when it is seene in any perill how small soeuer which things adde such credit to my doubt that I certainly beleeue shee hath vttered a thousand complaints against you moued with that inward and entyre affection shee beares you And to conclude her rare beawtie deserueth more then I can or am able to expresse This conference was here abruptly broke
content the same shal be my chiefest felicitie Soueraigne Princesse replyed the Prince so greatly were you wronged by being here detained that what I did ought not to be esteemed any thing for your constancie deserued far more I want abilitie most excellent Knight aunswered she to expresse my thankfulnes more then to remaine perpetually at your commaunde onely nowe I must intreate you that since you haue restored vnto my handes the thinge that I most hoped for in this world that you woulde helpe me to cure his woundes for though we haue been inchanted yet they séeme now as fresh as when they were made by that most barbarous Knight In hast they went al vnto him and taking of his armour with the ayre that breathed in his face he returned from the trance he fell in betwéen his Ladies armes when she thought it was his lastly gaspe he opened his eyes and seing himselfe in hir hands he once did hate and nowe excessiuely did loue with great faintnesse sayde May it be deare Ladie that the power of a constant loue hath so rooted it selfe within your brest that not respecting my sauagenesse my more then barbarous sauadgnesse cōmitted against your loyaltie you should still loue mee you should now pittie me you should feele my déepe wounds in your soule hauing made them so great in yours with my life Ingratitude hath been myne worthy of your disgrace deseruing to haue left comfortlesse the most rebellious body that ere the earth did foster leaue we this answered the amorous Ladie my most dearest Lorde for seeing I was borne onely to loue by doing so I discharged my dutie together with what my loue-afflicted soule instructed mee to It neuer grieued me to be vnloued but it onely tormented mee as in reason it should that the first time so famous a Prince should shrinke from his worde it should bee from me This and nothing but this hath made mee wander through the world as it best can witnes so greatlye to my fames cost and honours blemish but since it hath pleased the heauens to pittie my paines mollifying your flint obdurate heart in recompence to see my selfe beloued of my deare Zoylo I accompt my discontent my greatest content yf I any did passe And now le ts giue order for your woūds cure for yet you are more bound then you are aware of depart they would vnto the next village when through the Forrest they spyed a damsell comming towards them more swifter then the raging winde and arriuing sayde Away braue sirs for the Tartars life hath been reserued by the Author thereof onely for my comming And so going to hym she drewe forth a glasse with a most Odoriferous licour whose fragrant smell comforted all the circumstants the which she set vnto his mouth Oh deuine thing for scarce she had set it and hee tasted what it contained when hee remained whole of his wounds though weake through the much blod he had lost his due thanks would hee render for that great good déede but she was vanished vn-seene of any To this famous Knight sayde Tigliaffa must you giue them for t is he that his mightie arme hath fréede both you and me from whence the world else had not béen able to do deliuering vs from the cruell torment wee both iniustly suffered for these wounds for all they séemed so freshly to bléede you receaued them aboue 6. yeares agoe in presence of the vnhappie Tigliaffa that seing it receaued them no lesse Thereupon did the beloued Prince remember that about the armes of of Bramarante a Knight had giuen him them He turned to the gallant Rosabell that excéedinly ioyed to sée him well casting his armes about his necke seing him so young said Oh most mighty Knight is it possible that from your hands hath proceeded such a benefit there is no recompence can equall my receaued fauor I will not binde my selfe for it though eternally I will acknowledge my debt because I feare that being of such waight my short life will not suffer me in part to shew my gratitude but oh God what greater comfort maye I now enioy then to beholde betwene my armes him that so much resembles Rosicler the Prince of Grecia my greatest friend and if in any thing he touches you sir Knight I intreate you by the thing you must loue hope to enioy in this world you would not denie it me for if you are Sonne vnto my Lady the Princesse Oliuia much did the king Sacridoro in her rape yet cost it mee no lesse woundes and had I lost my life it had been pleasing so hee obtayned her his desired pryze to his valour onely due Excellent Prince replyed Rosabell your valour was suffitient without your merits on the Gréeke Princes behalfe deserued to binde all the worlde to your seruice In the rest touching himselfe I knowe no more then that to this Prince of Antioch sonne vnto that King you named and to mee there hath happened so manye thinges since my Fortune caused vs to meete in me to knitte a league of inuiolable friendship besides what before befell mee euen afore that Greeke Lord that we dare presume to saye I am sonne to those so much behoulding vnto you and with like deceipte was prince Rosicler by a strange aduenture parted from me in Lacedemon More then this I assure you I knowe not This is ynough most excellent Princes aunswered the Tartare and for me the greatest comfort that nowe Fortune could giue mee to set mee with the Sonne of those in whose amitie I esteeme my greatest felicitie Anewe they imbraced each other for greater friendes the earth neuer knewe Exceeding glad was the gallant Ladie to see her selfe in companie of such hawghtie knights but more to be beloued of him that once liued by hating her So well did the two friendes handle this matter that they altogether assured the Iealous Lady of her hopes procuring the Tartare to espowse her seing her fayth dyd meryt more then that The gracious Zoylo dyd not refuse it but rather expressed it was the greatest good hee might receaue There the braunches towring trees would bend to make them arbours to spende the nights in pleasure till they arriued at Constantinople Many times would the two louers willingly loose themselues among the thickets where they might inioy what the cursed Selagio pretended with his artes to auoyde and it was no small benefite vnto them for the Lady remained with child of a Sonne that in armes was called Mars a daughter that in beautie excelled all those of her age for whose loue one of the Gréeke Princes doted till the death as the fourth part recordeth where a while wee must leaue them returning to Constantinople for alreadye were the Triumphes begun with farre greater solemnitie CHAP. XIIII How the Tryumphes were againe begun and what admirable battailes happened in them WIth such verie gret affectiō hath the wise Lirgandeo faire Ladies shewed him in the discription of the Tartarian
but the Queenes graue perfections bewitched euery vnderstanding Thitherto had not Rosabell put of his helme though excéeding glad to sée that great Emperour whome he accompted his Grande-father By that was Rosicler come yet somewhat weake who thinking him to bee his deare Sonne thus sayd Now is the time sir Knight you must performe the promise you made me to speake to vs ere you departed I am answered he and will be alwaies most ready to obay you most excellent Prince but yonder stands the Knight pointing to the Tartare ouer-ioyed to se his friends to whome I gaue my word not to vnlace my helme vnlesse it be in presence of all the Court for he will haue it so to doe the like Be it so replyed the Father of the supposed Sonne for here will we all onely procure your content Straight went they to the Royall pallace that stoode not farre from thence first agréeing that the prizes of the Iustes shoulde remaine at the two Ladies disposing They for Rosilueras sake bestowed them on the Ladies that in the beginning were fauorers of the Tryumphes they were Claridiana Oliuia Rosiluera and Artemisa This decrée was with admiration applauded and with the noyse of all sortes of Musicke they were all coÌ„uayde out of the place Being arryued in the great Hall their receauinges beganne anewe whose prolixitie doth not Lirgandeo set downe nor what past among the Ladies with their newe come guest most of whome remayned enuious of her beautie So when they were all quyet the three newe and faythfull friendes Rosabell the Tartare and Oristoldo with the beauteous Tigliaffa went towardes the Emperour and their dueties done Lirianas couragious louer thus began Comming some fewe dayes since most mighty Monarch vnto thy Court through fame of her greatnesse From far Countries my Fortune brought mee vnto an inchaunment where the Ladye and Knight meaning the Tartare were bereaued of their naturall powers I indeauored with the vtmost of my power though in the venture I shoulde loose my selfe to procure his libertie In the ende it pleased the Gods that I yet with some labour should enfranchize them hauing done I intreated theÌ„ to tell me who they were They answered that yf they should I being of such remoted parts could not know them neuerthelesse they promised to doe it here in thy presence In recompence whereof I offered them my companie and seing we are arryued to this passe may it please thy mightinesse I may by thy commaunde knowe them for I must without delay depart Here the gallant youth ended together with his awefull duetie expecting the Emperours answere who contented with the Knightes behauiour replyed Hee that hath receaued so great good worke at your handes sir Knight will not so ill satisfie you as deny you who he is No in faith answered the Tartare for he that so greatly is indebted as my selfe with hazarding my life I doe desire to acknowledge the beginning of my gratitude Alreadie was the Ladie vnmasked and the three valiant warriours without helmes Besides himselfe was the Emperour séeing the Tartare louing him as any of his sonns he imbraced him shedding some teares of ioy and said Braue Prince the Traytor that kept you so long from vs did nothing loue you as I doe The Emperour was not suffered to speake any more for all the rest rose to welcome the Tartare Oh who might expresse without some note of tediousnesse what Oliuia did with Rosabell T was long since she saw him euen since she was deliuered of him but scarce he had doft his helme when she knewe him rising swifter then an Eagle to imbrace him and spake without respect of her grauetie Oh deare deare Sonne the procéeder of my most deare hearts bloode may it bee that on this daye such happinesse was allotted mee Euerye one thereat were amazed till Rosicler declared it to them Agayne began their kindnes which were no lesse with Oristoldo The Gréeke Emperour that sawe such a Nephewe cloyde with ioye tooke him about the necke and kist him on the right chéeke hee was not more glad when he knew Claridiano Their content was greatly increased by the hawghtie Lysarte and his Sonnes discouering of themselues to the three Princes that wonderfully ioyed to see them without were the two disguised Ladies And Roselia seing Don Eleno in coÌ„pany of so braue a Dame presently dispayred of her hope and would returne vnto her Fathers Court But a better meanes then this did Nabato ordaine as shal be sayd By reason of these newe guestes the wofull Prince Claridiano had occasion thus to speake to his Mistres Nothing amisse did your soueraigne beautie most excellent Queene seeing the cowardise of the Knightes to maintayne your owne beautie but being so sure of the aduantage you had no neede to take your weapons She replyed I would not Prince of Greece haue you take that for an excuse to couer the remissenes of the gallantes of this Court that haue shewen it so great and since they haue done it t is well for the Ladies may liue without care to redresse their woes suffering them to languish seing they are content to bee so negligent and forgetfull especially in busines that so greatly concerned them They cannot choose deuine Princesse but by their carelessenes incurâ—e some fault and thereby merit some disfauour answered the fearefull Prince Neuerthelesse had any of them béen commanded to it no doubt but some would haue ioyed to spill their dearest lyfe vnder that behest That sayde shee had not been meritorious For the Ladye requiring it shee shoulde buy it at too high a rate The haughtie Archisilora saw him amazed so she went to chat with Rosamond whome shee greatly affected leauing the Prince in an obscure darknes whose maladie séemed dayly more and more to increase by the fading of his hopes In his pensiues leaue wee him a while to giue some ease vnto an easelesse spirit that wyth fresh courage it may set downe in the next Chapter what farther happened CHAP. XVII What happened in Court amonge the Princes and how Don Eleno departed with other successes WIth some content it may bee your perfections swéete beauties Mirrors haue with patience borne the bloody Iustes of Grecia And the cause of them being a iealous passion there is none that knowing howe good it is to bee estranged from himselfe should rest discontented For that affection fixed in a constant brest cannot bee called Loue vnlesse dispising all other fayrenesse it onely accompteth of his imployment imagining that if there bee any happinesse on earth t is that he soly doth adore This conceipte hadde bereft the Greeke Prince of his best sences seeing the coynesse and with what disdaine Archisilora vsed him intertayning all other gallantes in the Courte wyth farre greater signes of affection then him This was occasion to put him in no other state theÌ„ that he was in for as his thoughts were his only comforters they imployed in such high contemplations he
was before his deare Quéene of Lyra he replyed Much am I behoulding to my griefe most excellent Princesse since it is the cause that causeth me to acknowledge an eternall duety to your high seruice for this kinde remembrance the which being immerited by a Knight so vnfortunate as my selfe stopps me from binding my selfe any more then that I heretofore do owe nor can I beléeue there shold be strength to aduance mee in any thinge more then I haue promised Neuerthelesse of my life maye your beauteous selfe dispose which to lose wil be a happines perpetual procuring yours thereby to your content the which to mee would be excéeding to knowe what waye you found hither to bring you No other hath it béen replyed she but the desire I was to sée you at libertie ioyned with the griefe I cōceaued imagining howe greatly yours would be with my Fathers offerred wronges For this daye walking to take the ayre into my Garden with this my Damosell amonge certaine bushes wee founde a Caue that hitherto arriues I lost all feare with the will I had to haue you from hence that I past the same till wee mette with this dore deferring our comming against this time and we heard you so bitterly complaine that I knowe not what to saye of the Quéene of Lyra whether she be in fault or the Prince of Grecia It ioyes mee to sée you so well bestowed though to ill repayd Stormes are they to the Laberithian Seas of Louers incident still pretending a more happy calme If therefore in the meane time that your content is absent you will receaue it by hearing to whom these wrongs are done we will tell it Greatly disconted rested the Prince hearing that the Ladye knewe him but hee dissembled it replying Well doe you expresse the greatnes of your Nobilitie moste gracious Princesse hauing procured lyfe to him that incertaine hadde it your owne affaires haue you therein done for it shall not lesse be employed then in your seruice though to deserue so great an aduenture as you this day haue discouered a higher person should haue béen knowen to celebrate with her due honour that it merits Touching the rest highlye shall I rest satisfied in reuealing my name and estate to none the which I haue tould onelye to my friende the Prince Pollidolpho of Croatia which is hee that is in prison and yet that were pleasant hadde hee but promise of some remedy not of libertie but of comfort patiently to beare the bondes wherein your perfections haue inthrald him More liuelyer colours then the blushing Rose possest in her chiefe pride be-paynted the deuine heauen of the beauteous Lady hearing what the Prince had sayde shee would not displease him through want of hope and therefore thus replyed I would not haue had you despayring Knight that with such despaire and to my cost tell me the ametie twixt you and that Prince But because you shall not saye that in Esclauonia there raigneth crueltie equall to that in Greece let vs order your libertie for after it shall not want for your friende for I will neither nowe nor at anye time gaine-saie what you shall appoint mee because a Knight of your valour and qualitie will not procure but what may most glorifie my honour The ioyfullest in the worlde would the Prince kisse her hands accompting Pollidolpho the happyest in the vniuerse hauing with so fewe soules tormentes and heart oppressing passions of a despayring Melancholie loue obtayned the most rarest Iewell on the earth the purest fayrest and most immaculte You sée valyant Prince fayde the Ladies what the Kinge my Father hath ordayned and the danger that your lyfe incurres yf for all the weakenes and debilitie you now are in you will vndertake the battle to morrow at this time I will prouide you with the best armour that my Fathers whole Kingdome doth containe neuer of any séene and the rest I refer to your discretion and that you may not be mist I had imagined that Fausta my damozell should remayne in bed in your stéede for in more then this doth shee desire to pleasure you and we will giue forth that you lye at the point of death because the King my Father may not send for you neyther for the challenge nor to sée the battaile Now consider whether this counsell likes you if not we will seeke some other better There is none deare Princesse answered the Prince farr more estéeming her for her wit discretion why then sayd she take rest and courage for to morrowe we will be with you and commaunde your Squire to publish what I said of your infirmitie for I haue vnderstood that by your valour you haue obtayned manye friendes in Court that will helpe you with the vtmost of their powers and I will procure that your friend shall commit his title right of the battaile to your good fortune And thereupon she imbrast him which Ioue had thought a happier lyfe had it béene done to him then to bee God of Gods and returned with her belooued Fausta to her Chamber where they past the night with repetition of Knights qualities and courtesies The next daye Palizandro published with manye teares though fayned the great infirmitie of hys Maister the despairing Knight and how he would not be spoken to by any by reason he was on the exteamest moment of his life Some there were that greatly bewailed his supposed end Others blinded with a fawning flattery at euery slight occasion to shew it séemed then to insinuate with the Kinge by ioyning with his vniust acte cause of the others ruine But the Heroyke Prince reserued to accomplish more difficult attēps reioyced at their follies when hee knewe what credit was giuē to his counterfeiting squire neuer suffitiently praysing the excellent perfections of the Princesse Venus iudging the Fate to none other but to her selfe due Who with the greatest care possible past the day imagining in what imminent perrill she had put the Prince though the confidence she reposed in his valour made her more assured then the cause required When they sawe tyme the twoo Ladyes by little and little conuayed the armour into the Garden that the Prince might there arme him and also his swoord which she had demaunded of her Vncle onely that she desired to behould the brightnesse that being drawen it yéelded he gaue it her not thinking on the good hee did for had it béene with any other he could not but hardly escape in the battaile They ascended to the toppe of the tower where the lustie youth expected them in his apparell and so strong that in all his life he knew not when better he felt himselfe so great was his desire he had to be reuenged on those Traitors The Ladie embraced him with these words Sir Knight I so feared yeaster-days combate because I was armour-lesse that I durst not come vnto the second wtout them though in your presence mine will but little preuaile Wherefore I will