arrowes with poysonned heads the number of theyr men was fortie thousand By these meanes it seemed that God being angrie and displeased with his people would now thorowly scourge them suffering in so short time such a mightie power of enemies to be assembled whereof heere I purpose to speake no more but in the following Chapter you shall heare what happened CHAP. 15. How the Pagans reioysing for the succour that thus came daylye to them from all partes the prisoner Angrafolt had minde of nothing but the looue of the fayre Princesse Polydamie In meane while the olde Grandowin assembled his councell of sixteene puissant kings who concluded on an vniust resolution whereof king Floridamant made no account but minded to defend himselfe and withstand the furious assaultes of his enemies And howe hee heard tidings of helpe from Spaine and Fraunce ALl the Pagan Armâ—e being in this ioy and metriment for the newe supplyes that came to them as before yee haue heard some hoping to loade themselues with rich bootles and pillage others in the destruction of the Englishe Citties and townes which gréedie desire made them to vndertake this warre and this they would obtaine or die in pursuite thereof as at this day too many are found of like disposition others incited and enflamed with desire of honor but they were very fewe in number to the former sorte wishing for spéedie fight with king Floridamants hardie and valiant knights the conquest of whom would bring them immortall reputation and this desire especially made them be seene in this warre because many of their friends and kindred were slaine in the assault before the Cittie and for their deaths they had reason to séeke reuenge but aboue the rest the olde king Grandowin chéefe of this Armie the most ancient and malicious enemie in the troope appeasing his conceiued greefe for the imprisonment and captiuitie of Angrafolt his eldest sonne quicklye sent him woord of these good newes and how daye by day there came to him from many places fresh supplyes whereof if I should héere make report it would require a very large discourse neuerthelesse in running thorow the progresse of these affayres and state of this warre he may gather some breefe perticularitie heereafter And to admit comparison not Alexander Darius Xerxes no not the Romaines nor the Greekes before Troye assembled so many fighting men together at one instant as now was before the Cittie of London so that according to generall oppinion especially of the besteged it was held for certainty that all the kingdom of great Brittaine was ruined and lost Of all these things was Angrafolt aduertised and exhorted to worke some meanâ— of secret commotion within the Cittie if he could deuise any way whereby to compasse it but this two-folde taken prisoner made full reckoning of all these newes and aduertisements his thoughts onely at some secret cogitation howe or which way hee might most commodiouslie steale away the young princesse Polydamie or otherwise gaine some amourous iouissance the onely medicine for his languishing passions which continually maistred his wunted humours making sometime a courteous and affable knight contrary to his nature and sometime againe so drowned in melancholly as the sight of any one but his fayre mistresse offended him A thing questionlesse very strange that he who was such a sauage and cruell enemie to all humanitie not to bee conquered by anye kinde meanes whose former desires aymed at nothing but to sée himselfe in the middest of a battayle holding his bloodie Launce or Courtlaâ—e in his hand burning with enflamed affection of fighting without measure should now bee so subiected to the lookes of a soft and delicate maiden carying him dayly as it were bound after her without thinking eyther on battayle armour swoord shield horse or 〈◊〉 his minde was howe to conferre familiarly with Polydamie or counting it a cheefe felicitie to bee in sight of her for all things else were death to his amourous desires Grandowin in meane while being ignorant of this vnexspected accident one day called an assembly of his kings and such as were the chéefe of his armie to the Pauillion where councell was accustomed to be holden to the end they might deligently deliberate on their present affaires and by what meanes they were likeliest to gaine home againe their prisoned friends At this councell there met about fiftéene or sixteene puissant kings all wearing Crownes and were placed according to their auncient honor and degrées The first was king Brandissant next the puissant Tryphon king of Scythia king Tauladas king Guittard of Baccaleos king Marton of Cantabres king Phoas of Alger Orontes king of Marocco king Grimoaldo king Pagotroff king Salazard king Kambarell the strong king Zorlet Borant king of Carybe Maurus king of Bohemia with the proud and arrogant king Phorban of Moeotides a braue Pagan and a worthie knight All these being assembled to set downe some resolution touching their busines after they had long debated on diuersitie of opinions such as were seuerally deliuered in councell they concluded in the end to write to king Floridamant that within three dayes following he should come vnto them and bring with him the two prisoners Angrafolt and Mycrophon commaunding him to bee guide to the prisoners himselfe accompanyed with the best knights that then were in the Cittie six in number Likewise to bring two hundred of the fayrest maidens all Uirgins and of mariageable yeeres not excéeding fifteene or sixteenâ— at the most that they might vse theyr pleasure with them In meane while to sende all the riches and treasure which both himselfe and his Cittizens had in their most secret coÌ„fers or cabinets for search whereof they would send fiue hundred of theyr Souldiers into the Cittie and euer after it should continue as a yeerely tribute to the chéefe of theyr Armie twenty Uirgins of noble familie and exquisit beautie beside two Millions of Golde Moreouer he and his knights should come bare headed and without any armour to aske parden of great king Grandowin for the death of his sonnes in reuenge whereof this warre was commenced withall that hee and his knights should voluntarily submit themselues to his mercie that hee might dispose of their liues and goods as seemed best to him when peraduenture he would take pittie on them not putting them to death so cruelly nor race the Cittie nor murther all the rest of his people as otherwise he intended to doo if he denied theyr demaund with such ruine and desolation as neuer was mention made of the like To carrie these newes of this fayre resolution was immediatly dispatched a messenger towarde king Floridamant to whome the gate of the Cittie was presently opened to vnderstand the cause of his comming and hauing performed what hee imagined concerning his deuoyre deliuering the before named Letters to the king wherevpon his maiestie grewe presently into excéeding great anger and rage yet cunninglye shaddowing his conceiued displeasure hee made no other answere to
thinking the Quéene had tolde the trueth indéed as within short while after he minded to goe on pilgrimage to pray at the holy Sepulcher of Iesus Christ and returning thence to visit Saint Iames in Galicia at each place to thanke God for this fortunate euent Beeing thus resolued one day hee secretly departed in disguised garments feigning some other excuse to accomplish his intended voyage in which time beeing the space almost of a whole yeare it chaunced that the fayre Olympia was deliuered of me to the great content and pleasure of Quéene Pollyda who nine moneths together feigned her selfe with childe though but meere dissimulation and vsing the Damosels deliuerance as her owne gaue generally to be knowne by some of her fauourites and moste familiar Ladies that this long expectâ—d fruite had issued from her owne bodie And to the end this mysterie might not be discouered the wise Ozyris tooke to her inuisible Fairie house or Pallace the faire Olympia my mother where euer after she continued of selfe same nature as her other nimphes and faires among whom at this present she is most beloued as I certainly knowe by such reuelations that her selfe hath showne me Now the king my father being ignorant of all these things was so glad when he returned from his voyage to sée me growne to a prittie porte or stature and that the Quéene was not sicklie or felt such paynes as other do after their deliuerie as all his care now was for my education and instruction not onely in curious weauing and sowing but also of good letters especiallie poesie and musique perceiuing my voyce apt and proper for singing Héerein likewise did the Quéenes care agrée with his and so dearely did shee looue me as if I had beene indéed a braunche of her owne bodie for neuer wente shee to any place but still I must accompany her through which continuall association it happened one day among the rest that she would needes ride on hunting a pastime wherein she tooke excéeding pleasure I being with her the hounds egerly pursuing the graue and she chasing that things fadged not according to her minde roade so fast that wee had soone lost one another The space of a whole day almost remained I thus alone in this meruaylous great forrest wearyed and spent with séeking to finde my company againe till at length by good happe I came to a fayre and cléere fountaine from whence streamed foorth a swift gliding riuer that made his course quite thorow the forrest where alighting from my horsse to rest and refresh my selfe on the soft tender hearbes that grewe about the banckes of the fountaine I had not long sitten there in this sorte but the fayre Olympia my mother appeared in sight vnto mee in the habit of a Nimphe at whose sudden sight I was greatly amazed But with her swéet and gratious language she deliuered my heart from feare and dismaying recounting to me as in a dainty compiled historie the whole discourse of my birth in manner and forme as you haue heard albeit somewhat more at large Moreouer she told me how the mightie and skilfull Fayrie Ozyris her Mistrâ—sse had disclosed to her that by the craft and meanes of an old abhominable Necromancian named Charonyfer should bee nourished a cruell and hideous monster called the Polyppe whose crueltie and puissance should be doubted and feared ouer the whole earth This beast to iniurie both her and me should one day steale me from my parents and friends to keepe me in extreame miserie and thraldome vntill the best knight in the world nourished and brought vp by this Fayrie as her owne childe albeit extracted originallie from the best puissant and most vertuous king aliue should trauaile to the place of my imprisonment and there by his prowesse and valiancie killing the monster deliuer me out of captituitie Beside this shee tolde mee that during the last seauen yeares of my detayning and miserie a young noble man brother to Quéene Pollyda to hinder the monster from killing me should follow me to the place where I was imprisonned and there each day for six yeares space changing into as many sundrie formes as the monster should combate with him for my libertie yet all his endeuours would prooue in vaine because the monster was onely to be slaine by the knight of the Fayrie Ozyris And to let me know when the last yeere of my miserie should ensue she said that from the beginning thereof the noble man who loued mee with perfect loue should be changed into a Foule or Bird of straunge sort in which shape dayly would hee come to visit and sée me euen vntill the Polyppe were slaine when hee should receiue his manly shape againe and the day of the Polyppes death should bee the finall extermination of my miserie After she had imparted to me all these things she threw foorth such a perfume of Poppie vppon me as from the end of her discourse I slept so soundly by the Fountaines side that I neyther sawe or heard when shee departed and as some while I continued in this sléepe Queene Pollyda not a little displeased for my losse hauing with her traine sought thorow the forrest came at last and found me where I slept when gently awaking me wee thence departed againe into the Cittie Within a while after it chanced that by the aduise of the king my father and his Queene Pollyda I was sent to king Dorino my imagined Grand-father who desired to haue me néere him because he verely thought me to be his daughters childe by reason whereof he wunderouslie loued me Hauing continued certaine yeares in his Court this young Prince heere present named Phinander youngest sonne to king Dorino and brother to king Dorian that at this day gouernes ouer the Spaniards beeing equall in yeares with me taking me for so néere in kindered to him spent the time of his infancie with me and I in like sorte with him Among these pastimes and sportes of children it happened that we became amourous of ech other and that in such manner as we could not endure long without each others sight which loue each one imagined to growe by naturall affection that so neere kinne doe customablie beare one to another and the young Prince verily perswaded himselfe that the iouissance of our loue might not bee compassed because of the prohibition of Christian laws concerning mariage betweene so neere kindred as we séemed to be Héerevpon séeing him one day very sad and pensiue being alone in the Garden I faithfully discouered to him the manner of my birth according as my swéete mother Olympia before had tolde me which highly comforted him causing both in him and me farre greater affecton to each other if more might be then was commenced before Our passions were still worne out with honest sollace and pleasure expecting that the long delay of time should minister more intire delight of our loues according to the honest desire abiding in eyther of vs
but both our hope and desire were suddenly squandered by a new and strange accident that immediatly followed Knowe then gentle Sir that the daye when the Prince Dorian eldest sonne to the king of Spaine brâ—ught to his fathers court the fayrâ— princesse Amarylla daughter to the King of Gaule whome hee had newly espoused there was speech of nothing else but ioye and sollace in middest of which pleasure this wicked monster which you haue slaine entered the great hall of the Pallace with a most horrible noyse and crie which made the Ladyes in such affright as each one â—led for safetie of themselues yea though there were present many braue and hardie knights yet beeing vnarmed and thereby not fit to vse resistance some ranne with spéed to get on theyr armour and others to saue themselues from death By this meanes the Polyppe had leisure to make choyse of mee among all the other Ladyes of the courte and after he had caught me fast in his armes without any stay he ran ouer the land and sea what of his owne nature and by the enchauntments of that curssed Magitian who gaue wings to his course that in short time astonnied and néere hand dead with feare he brought me to this place where euer since I haue remained in greefe and torments liuing the most part of this dolefull season with raw flesh and other viands sometime good sometime bad such as the monster did eat himselfe but to speake truth since his first â—aking me he neuer made semblance of any wrong to mee but from day to day I sâ—w how his rigour encreased and if he had fayled of his pray or could not get it so conueniently as he would I iudged that my selfe at last should haue serued to slake his hunger But at the beginning my deere mother Olympia so assisted me and from time to time gaue me so good councell as by many slight subtilties and inuentions I appeased his anger toward me euen vntill this prince arriued heere for yee must note withall that from the first day of my surprising as I haue beene assured by my mother and since by him that hee ceased not to followe the monster and to enquire the place of his adode when after long and painfull trauaile he found it and one day when the monster was abroad hee aduentured to come sée and speake with me when I aduised him as I did you to beegon least hee should chance to be taken or slaine by the Polyppe He giuing credit to my words went to the king of this country who is the king of Assiria a meruailons mightie courteous and debonnarie knight to whome making himselfe knowne and my misfortune the good king that diuers times had layd ambushes for this monster because hee had ruined and wasted all this countrey yet by no meanes could be slaine or taken caused an assembly of most part of the best knights of his Courte intending to assayle this deuill and deliuer me from my miserie but such slender successe tooke this attempt as in one day by force and illusion of his manifold shapes he slew more then thrée hundred of them and if the king had longer continued his pâ—rsuite himselfe had likewise perished Wherefore with this lâ—sse hee left off and would no more enterprise my deliuerance whereat this prince conceiued such vnkindnes as in teares and greefe he went to a forrest which is six or seauen leagues distant from this place where weeping and lamenting day and night continually he called for death to end his affliction Then appeared to him the powerful and wise Oâ—yris who comforted him with future hope of my release alâ—â—it it would be long before euen seauen whole yeres duâ—â—ng which time y â— he might liue safe els had he no hope of continuance she changed him into the forme of a wylde and sauage beast giuing him power likewise to alter himselfe into so many shapes as the Polyppe changed sauing at his last fight he should receiue the nature of a Byrd and could no more attaine the forme of a foure footed beast but might varie into sundrie shapes of Birdes The Prince being thus transformed came euery day six yeeres together to combate with the Polyppe without vanquishing or beeing vanquished though all the day they would not rest from theyr trauaile but fought most furiouslie euen to the beginning of the seauenth yeere when he changed into the likenesse of Foule as you beheld him for this is the Bird that flutterd on the Trée at your arriuall who since the Polyppe was slaine by your vertue hath now recouered his former humaine shape and for him sung I the song you heard at your first comming which in that maner I composed in mine owne language Thus haue you heard sir knight the whole estate of my aduenture what yet remaineth yee may be satisfied in by mee so tooke the Ladyes tale an end and therewith will I likewise ende this Chapter CHAP. 12. How the Ladie Orphisa hauing ended the discourse of her aduenture there came into the place before Gerileon and the Prince Phinander a knight cruelly wounded trayled on the ground by his horse who intreated Gerileon to assist him in reuenge of the wrong the puissant Adylas had doone him And now after hee had heard of the ciuill warre in Persia since the departure of the great Sophie hee tooke leaue to depart from the Prince Phinander and the faire Orphisa and howe Gerileon healed the knights wounds THe Historie saith that after the Lady had thus ended her discourse the fayrie Knight who made no little maruayle of the aduenture thus answered Ladie right glad am I that I haue slaine the monster which offred ye so much wrong and iniurie for some other occasion that made me so earnest in desire to combate with him to wit desire of acquiring honor and renowme for which knights valiant doe often put theyr liues in ieopardie beside because in performance heere of I haue doone something pleasing to the noble dame Ozyris towards whom I am and by whom onely I hold my life if then for the loue of her and fayre Olympia your mother well knowne to me and who in these combates hath greatly succoured mee likewise for the looue of this prince heere present and vertue abiding in your selfe if I can do any other seruice profitable and pleasing to yee I would make spare of no trauaile whatsoeuer so I might accomplish any thing to your contentment And were I not bound by a solemne vow neuer to take rest till I haue found a knight whom I séeke which constraines me God knowes how farre in his search to reuenge the death of my friend slaine by him I assure yee that gladly would I accompany yee to the Courte of your father the king of Lusitania where neuerthelesse one day by Gods helpe I hope to sée ye with more ease and ioy then I haue at this instant but thither shall this worthie Lord kéepe ye good and
of Phynander and Orphisa who were verye pensiue for Gerileons departure both mounted on the horsse of Taffinor for so was the Persian knights name hauing betweene them but one Launce which Gerileon bare that sate in the saddle in this sort they rode away and not farre had they trauayled but they met an other horse readie sadled the bridle lying vppon his neck softly pacing in the field they rode thorow Taffinor immediatly knew the horsse and that one of his companions had beene mounted thereon who beeing slaine by Adylas his Souldiours ran now ranging from place to place Taffinor lightly leaping from behinde Gerileon made such shift that he tooke the horsse and getting quicklye vp into the seate they both spurred away with all possible speede In shorte time they came to the place where Ariodant and his companions had beene discomfited and Adylas this day intended to dislodge with his pauillions that hee might meet Mauspasian at Tauris there to deliuer such prisoners to him as he had gotten from Ariodant Beeing come into this place they were soone espyed by one of the knights of the king of Thunis this knight was named Argontes one of the most faithfull friends to the king and as valiant as any in all the troope hee beeing by chaunce first mounted in this preparation of departure sitting with a huge strong Launce auaunced vpon his thigh This was the first man that néedes would knowe what these two knights were who durst with such boldnes come so néere their hoste For this purpose and without speaking woord to any one he galloped with a swift carrire towards them and when he was so neere that hee might easily discerne them to be straungers he slacked his pace when the first hee must needes speakâ— to was the Fayriâ— knight to whom arrogantly he thus began Be stirre ye fellows and come after me to king Adylas my Lord to tell him of whence ye are and what ye seeke in this place for I take yee to be spyes sent hither to worke some treason by these Christians that are mustered vp in the Cittie of Tauris otherwise I would presently slice yee in such small gobbets as a Rauen might easily beare in his beake the biggest piece of your bodyes Freend quoth Gerileon I thinke yee meane not so ill as yee speake for no such matter appeares in your countenance But setting a parte these tearmes of brauerie I pray ye goe tell king Adylas your maister that heere is a knight errant accompanyed with one of those Christian knights whom lately both causelesse and verye shamefully he monstrously abused Say I bid him if he be a man of woorth or any valour that immediatly he come foorth in equipage conuenable for the combate and accompanyed with such an other to make this knight amends and to repayre the wrong doone to Ariodant in charging his troope with too much aduantage and thereby entermedled with affayres neither touching or concerning him If he will not doo it I say he is a villaine and a traytour for were he not so he would not offer offence to any one without habilitiâ— of meanes to make requitall By my faith answered Argontes thou art a very foole in comming hether to be kild with credit and to let thee know how much better it had beene for thée to haue kept thée quiet then trauaile to this place with such mallepart kinde of language I will not suffer that the king my Lorde nor any of his people but my selfe onely shall teach thée against another time better wisdome as also to speake more aduisedly and therefore stand vppon thy guarde In vsing these words he drew back that his horsse might haue his course and hee vayle his Launce against Gerileon who made so little account therof that he reserued his labour to better effect then the Pagan did and therefore shrunke aside to scape the attaint Héereat Taffinor was gretly abashed thinking he did it by cowardise or feare to meddle with the Pagan which made him imagine euill of him and nothing at all to regard him as Argontes did likewise who finishing his race to no purpose prepared toward Taffinor calling him to the Ioust which hee refused because hee had no Launce But laying hand to his sword for the combate hee brauely made against the Pagan who likewise let go his Launce and drew out his swoord to entertaine him which Gerileon perceiuing and doubting the length of theyr fight would growe too tedious whilâ— the Pagans beeing so neere them might charge them in greater number then they should bee able to deale withall or withstand séeing himselfe likewise vnprouided of a swoord for ye haue heard how his was broken in combate with the Sauage Polyppe he foorthwith determined to kill the Pagan because he would be possessed of his weapon which he imagined no hard matter to compasse as in verye déed it was not for running against him with meruaylous violence he gaue him such a peazant knocke with the butte end of his launce as ouerthrew both his horsse and him to the ground and strugling vnder the horsse that trampled very heauily vpon him there both his pride arrogancie and life ended all together This done Gerileon alighted and tooke his sword saying to Taffinor that therewith he would send more of his companions after him which Taffinor beeing not a little ioyfull to heare returned this answere Now haue I good hope Sir that by your meanes I shall bee auenged of the outragious wrongs doone me by the Pagans and were our â—appe so fortunate that Ariodant would returne to succour vs as thereof I am assured if hee bee not dead for hee is a prince impacient of iniurie wee might easilye ouercome and vanquish the hoste of Adylas For amongst them all himselfe is most redoubted being so good and able a knight of person as there are few in Persia that can equall him in soundnes of chiualrie nor could wee haue beene conquered by his souldiours had not he put to his helping hand In middest of this talke whilst Gerileon armed himselfe with the swoord of dead Argontes and Taffinor with his Launce Adylas caused the Trumpets to be sounded declaring his departure from the place where he had beene encamped and soiourned so many dayes together at which instant he called for Argontes his faithfull freend but he could not be found in all the hoste then commaunding to vnderstand what was become of him ten or twelue knights of the troupe tooke the same waye they saw him gallop before At last they beheld the two Christian knights riding with vnconquerable countenance towards the Tents of Adylas and a little further off they sawe Argontes dead his horsse likewise lying beating with his hooues vppon him not able to rise whereat they were enflamed with such rage for Argontes was well and deerely beloued of all Adylas hoste as they could no longer containe their furie but forciblie made against the Christian knights Against Gerileon foure of them brake
are knights of marke and great reputation the one is king of Niuarie a riche and opulant kingdome that with one Launce brought to death thirtie Cantabres when king Brandissant my brother made warre vpon them wherefore at this day he beares them all depainted in his shéeld as yee might behold if the gréene shaddow were away wherewith it is couered As for the other two they are the valiant Cambarell and Pagâ—traff Kings of the Iunonian Isles in riches and valour they are not equall to their two former brethren but in age onely and nothing else and further of in midst of the troupe where ye sée yond multitude of goodly pauillions are their people tarrying but when they shall bee ranged in order for the assault toward king Grandowin are they now martching to vnderstand his aduise and councell in what place they should assemble while the rest of their companie beeing merrily disposed fall to such pastimes as martiall men are wunte to exercise And fronting that troope yee may behold my six Giants which shew so high aboue the other as stéeples in a cittie ouerpéere the lowest buildings and they are prepared as they were when I maistred them to resist a verye puissant armie But what is he quoth the princes on the right hand that rides on the roane Courser managing a strong launce vppon his thigh clad in blacke Armour grauen all ouer with golde glittering so brauely as hee rides to an other troope some what further off You meane he Madame said Angrafolt that beares thrée golden Sunnes in his sheeld deciphered in a greene field and bordered round about with purest golde He I meane answered the Princesse that talkes with another knight of like apparaunce hard by the multitude mounted on a sorrell Courser with a very strong Launce in his hand and in his shéeld thrée Leopards heads in a Sable field It is replyed the Corsean prince the worthie king Tauladas of Canada a man woonderfull aâ—â—able and debonaire albeit no lesse hardie with swoord or Launce then anye other in all the Campe euen so is he with whome you see him talking the redoubted Barant king of Carybe they both being come to associate this warre rather for proofe of man to man in combate against king Floridamant your father the fame of whose renowmed vertues called them hither then any desire to doo him hurt or damage but true it is that to fortifie our Campe they haue brought with them from theyr countries and kingdomes great store of armed men and well appointed I am much deceiued sayd the princesse if he whom I see standing with his face toward vs bee nâ—t some Pagan king of great name he I meane that now marcheth 〈…〉 all bearing Ensignes or Guydons of diuers coullers in their hands and he riding somewhat aloofâ— before them on a horsse more whyte then any Swanne harnessed with â—â—mosin veluit the â—â—uddes and buckles of perfect golde and if mine eyes fayl me not he 〈◊〉 three 〈…〉 sheeld and those I take to be his armes Madame answered the Pagan I did not well note his countenance beacuse he suddenly turned back toward his 〈…〉 but if hee beare such arms as you speake of it 〈…〉 Marton king of Biscay or 〈…〉 among other things to conduct men of warre on the Seas where in our â—omming hithâ—r hee was cheefe leader of all our Armie hauing the whole gouernment and charge thereof by reason of the great valour abiding in him and long experience in manie affayres they that follow him are all knights of esteeme whose charge is to manage the Ensignes and Standards in the ships I haue not yet séene sayd the Princesse Polydamie two more braue and comely knights then these two that ryde hitherward ech on a black Stéed marked alike with white in their foreheads their backs and legges richly harnessed with greene veluet one of them beares two Collomes in his sheeld figured in an Azure field the other a flourishing braunche of Roses carrying theyr liuely Roses in a golden field and each hath in his hand a Iaueling pointed with golde and garnished with siluer studdes theyr horsses trot alike both of one 〈◊〉 and height I am 〈◊〉 they are none of the mâ—anest in your companie I pray ye sir tell me what they are These two Madame are arriued heere since I was taken but as I haue heard by messages from my noble father they are the two princes Orentes and Phoas the one king of Marocco the other of Alger two neighbouring kingdomes on the coast of Barbarie abounding in riches and treasure so likewise of their persons they are as hardie and valiant as any in the world and as heauie enemies to the Christians and their religion the expresse cause of theyr comming hither to hurt and destroy them so much as possiblie they may As the Corsean king held on this speech to the princesse the kings Maurus and Phorbon and betweene them the monstrous Tryphon king of Scithia Gotia Sarmata and Geta came foorth of their pauillions to dorayne theyr people and as the young Ladie noted theyr gestures and countenance intending to enquirs what they were câ—â—â—ing her eyes vppon the Scythian Mouâ—â—er mâ—unted and â—quipped in such forme and manner as before I haue tolde yee shee was so surprized with feare at the verye sight of him her heart beeing tender daintie and delicate as giuing a loud shrike she fell in a swoune or traunce which the Pagan king perceiuing and dreading some wurs inconuenience would ensue he tooke her vp in his armes and caryed her thence verye gentlye and modestlie into the Queenes Chamber where he declared the occasion of her feare and continued to them the discourse of those thrée before named kings which the Ladyes heard very attentiuely and while the Pagan bethinkes himselfe where to breake off his discourse heere thinke I good to conclude this Chapter CHAP. 17. How king Floridamant hauing assembled his Councell to receiue aduise from the cheefe of his friends and well wellers concerning what was best to be done in this necessitie After he had heard the diuersitie of their oppinions in the end hee set downe his rest on the councell of the wise and aged duke Candior of Normandie KIng Floridamant was all this while in Councell to be aduised as I tolde ye in the former chapter how hee might best delay the assault and by likelye meane deâ—erre it till the expected ayde from Gaule and Spaine were arriued In which councell there were many of different and contrarye oppinions for some thought good to temporise a while without fighting vntill they should bee somewhat stronger to endure so sharpe and cruell an assault as the Pagans intended against them because in very déede they were ouer-weake to withstand so fierce a charge as was like to be offered for if theyr mishap should be such as the issue of fightes and battaâ—les is most certainlye vncertaine to be vanquished and the Cittie taken in the assault the hoped for
themselues to the assault and how the besieged Christians endeuoured to the contrarie in such sorte as they withstood it valiantly How many braue bickerings passed betweene them compelling the Infidels after a great slaughter and on needfull occasion to withdrawe themselues toward their Campe and Pauillions WHen the Christian Princes departed from Councell it was almost night and hauing a lighted Torche before him as is the manner in the Realme of England the chéefe and most noble Lordes went to the Pallace royall to take theyr repast in companie of their king who feasted and entertayned them very magnificently the better to encourage them in their deuâ—ire After supper was ended the guarde and watch was orderly placed each one of the inhabitants thus resoluing rather to die the death then turne their backes on their enemies or forsake the walles which they manned and fortified very strongly expressing iuuincible and neuer quayling courage The princes were there in person and hauing in the night made sundrie roundes about the Cittie to see if any thing wanted in any place they found all well and in good disposition through the carefull dilligence of the Captains by them appointed and according as the king had commaunded for conduct of the footmen This doone they departed for a while to the pallace againe that they might take a little rest because they had beene so ouertrauailed the dayes before Not three houres or thereabout had they slumbringly slept but they heard a great rumour and noyse thorow all the Cittie the cause whereof was in respect the enemies had sounded their drums and trumpets giuing an allarme to the inhabitants wherevpon king Floridamant arose immediatly and all the Christian kings and Princes that bare him companye who betooke themselues as the king had appointed to the rampiers and contremures seuerally prouided to withstand this first and sudden assault of the Pagans And as each one was come to his place of charge they found the enemies alreadie verye busie against foure places of the Cittie at once with their Trepans Rammes Bricolles Scorpions Crowes with other such like engines and instruments for warre wherewith in those times they vsed to breake and beat downe the walles of Citties they saw withall that they had erected theyr high terrasses and platformes that commaunded ouer the Cittie and on the principall of these Fortes they had builded certaine bastils or houses of wood wherein were placed great store of Archers and crossebows who standing with assurance against the enemie might greatly iniurie such as attempted to impeache the escalade appointed in these places and for this purpose For this cause likewise they commanded their Elephants to be brought neere the wals to the number of two or three hundred carrying little castles of wood vpon theyr backs wherein also were a number of Pagan Archers hid Beside many were appointed with Torches and burning firebrands against the gates of the cittie where they layde store of pitch barrels to make the fire the sooner do his office when the gates being burnt downe they entered in great number the citty while the christians was busied to defend the breach or scaling of the wals when king Floridamant his hardie knights had notice â—éereof with all spéed they hasteâ—ed thither where séeing how they laboured against the high bulwarks of earth with their pioners they made new fortifications vpon them casting such déepe trenches round about as should hold them rougher worke then the wal had done for the trenche was made with speciall good soldiours the number of thrée or foure thousand being armed wyth pikes and stéeled cuirasses so worthily stood vpon theyr defence as the Pagans who verily thought they had won the daie alreadie were quickly repulsed from that bridge for king Grandilaor Andregon and Lampridion who were appointed to kéep that quarter with their companies droue them so furiously ouer the false rouered déepe trenches as at this first onset fell therein wounded slaine and spoyled fouretéene or fiftéene hundred Pagans together that were striuing who should be formost before his fellow Whereat the fâ—erce proud Brandissant chafed out of measure when being followed by the foure Pagan kings his vassalls all armed in most goodly glittering armour each hauing in his hand a mightie mase garnished with sharpe stéele pointes round about they laid vpon the Christians so outragiously as the port of the bulwarke where into the greater part ran for safetie of their liues being too straight to let them in so fast as they came there were presently slaine out-right in this brunt more then fiue hundred men Brandissant pressing still on by chance met with the Citizen Hoaster who had charge of a braue armed troup in the citie and such was his vnconquerable courage as hee woulde resist this bloud-thirstie pagan but he receiued such a stroke on the creast of his morion where stood a faire plume of snowie white feathers as pearcing quite through the harnes into the brains there this worthie citizen yéelded vp his soule to God which when his sonne behold the sole heire of a meruailous wealthie patrimonie which his father had heaped together for him beeing a valiaunt young man and of towardly hope he was ouercome with such extreame rage and despight as in the heate of his â—urie not dreading the force of this stout pagan he ranne vpon him to reuenge the death of his father and hauing his sword drawen in his hand he deliuered such a stroke at the pagan as but for the goodnes of his shielde had deeply wounded him for the swords point brake of with out anie further harme to his enemie but the Pagan making no account of the blow thought in scorne to passe by him and meddle no more with him whereat the yong man called Dondye was so vexed as running againe at Brandissant he challenged him the combat when the Pagan entering into his wonted choler made him die the same death his father had done before and holding on his waie in this furie made such hauocke of the Christians as before hee wold take a breathing he slew fiue twentie or thirtie men of marke as braue and hardie as any in that companie Agaros a man of authoritie who before time had lead men in the warres of the deâ—eased king Brandismel was slayne as he fought verie couragiously for after hee had killed foure pagan souldiers hand to hand himselfe fell downe deade by the hand of this cruell and bloudie Brandissant So likewyse did Taurisque the braue leaper and the good drinker Grinos albeit he tooke not his drinke well inough that morning for which it séemed he was so sorrowfull in dying as he yelded forth his soule at his mouth crying for some friend to bring him his liquor With them bare companie Anglidor King Floridamants player on the Lute and the valiaunt knight Andron who somtime had bene his page with his two brethren Iumeaux Marcis and Mausis goodly young men of the wealthiest familie of the citie of