ΑΛΕΚΤΟΡ The Cock Containing the first part of the most excellent and My-theologicall Historie of the valorous Squire Alector Sonne to the Renowned Prince Macrobius Franc-Gal and to the Peerelesse Princesse Priscaraxe Queene of high Tartary Though long at length A TRIBVLATIONE Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin and are to bee solde by Edward White dwelling by the little North-doore of S. Paules at the signe of the Gun 1590. Amici cuiusdam Carmina in laudem operis ADfuit antiquis facundia maxima linguae Hic decus eloquij carminis alter habet Tullius Jtaliam summa dulcedine mulsit O Rhetor dulci suauiter ore fluens Mantua Virgilium iactat qui carmine dulci Pascua descripsit Phrigis arma viri Hammondum iactet celebrâtque Britania nostrum Cni lepor in multa non minor arte latens Jnsequitur casùsque virum seuósque dolores Permare per terras deliciásque diuum Dúmque sit eloquij priscorum Laurea prima Fas erit Hammondo proxima quaeque dare Nec satis hoc Hammonde tibi laus suÌ„ma secundis Proximus á primo quisquis secundus erit Non tu falsa quidem metuas conuitia vulgi Doctis nec satis est posse placere viris Mome maligne vale vigeat relegatur ametur Jngenuijque decus saecula nulla tegent A. S. Ia Smith in praise of Alector FIerce Hercules resigne thy wonted fame Braue Hector here yeeld vp thy high renowne Achillis stay and throw thine Armour downe For preux Alector now must beare the name Of valour courage prowës when all is done 'T is he alone that hath the garland wonne Stoope Pyrrhus then and Caesar strike thy sayle Base Tamburlane retire and sound retrait Not all thy bold attempts and conquests great May with Alectors valour countervaile For courage prowës and deedes of cheualree None may the garland were but onely hee A Dizain in praise of the Booke OF great exploits of mightie feates of armes Of Heauens of hell of doome and dismall fates Of bold attempts of murthers hurts and harmes Of monsters rare of machiuillian mates Of wretched spight of ouer mortall hates Of diuelish drugs of Philtres and of charmes Of countries strange and of their brutish states In briefe who list to read of loues alarmes Let him draw nere this booke at large imparts Their seuerall kinds their ends and their desarts Ia Thornburghe Gent. The first part of the most excellent and My-theologicall Historie of the valorous Knight Alector Sonne of Macrobius Franç-Gal and of the Queene Priscaraxe c. Of the taking of Alector in the chamber of the faire Damosell Noëmia Gratian his inuasion and merucilous defence of her slaughter in his armes with her taking accusation and imprisonment and of her sepulcher Epitaph CAP. I. The occasion of this slaughter appeareth more plainly in the 3. Cap. THE Pauement of white Marble in the lower court of the Pallace of the Gratian Lords and Citizens of Orbe had changed the snowie hewe into sanguilent red by the effusion of humaine blood and was couered in many places with dead bodies lying round about the valerous Alector as the grasse abated by the Mower some being slaine out right and others yet drawing breath and yéelding vp the Ghost On the other side the court was all replenished with harnessed men inforcing themselues either to take a liue or els to slay the gentle Squire who being taken one morning by the ouer late waking out of a swéete and golden sléepe in the chamber of the faier Noëmia Gratian and perceiuing the doore to bee broken vppon him more for sauegard of the honor of his Mistresse than for feare was lept downe out of a windowe into the lower court clothed onely for haste in his shirt with a coate of armes of Saie with a Iassarin of cloth of Golde and silke purple with a chaine of gold and a red hat on his head the residue being bare and naked sauing with a great and large brasen shield bearing vpoÌ„ gréene sinople a Cock of gold eleuant armed and spurred with gueles and with a faire rich and most excellent sworde whose refulgent splendour died in boyling bloud was so terrible to his assaillants by the example of the most hardie alreadie â—laine that they durst not come nere him For his sworde was of so fine and harde mettall cutting and peircing like fire and in an arme so mightie that there was no so good armor which séemed not of siluered paper or brittle glasse or that was able to defende their bodies from being cut in peeces if they came within his right stroke Wherefore they seeing that by the approach and touch of this redoubtable sworde the certein and present death to bee at hand no man durst come nere him but standing farre off with fearefull cryings they cast at him stones and bullets of leade darted Iauelings shot arrowes and thrust at him with long pikes especially the two brothers Gratians germaines to the faire Noëmia who taking impatientlie and vnworthie the defame and dishonour which they imagined to be done to their Sister and that by a stranger whome they had so honourablie receaued and so graciouslie entertained into their house and familie and desiring to reuenge the domesticall outrage and death of their third yong brother whome they sawe lying slaine vppon the pauement by his ouermuch hardines assailed vigorouslie aboue the rest this yong Squire with great pushes of shaking pikes and boisterous launces so right and rudelie that they molested Alector more than any of th 'others as in deed it touched them most nere But he with his good sworde and by the nimblenes and agilitie of his bodie turned awaie their blowes so readilie and abated them so desperatlie that in little space hee had cut a sunder sixe pikes as though they had béen kixes and disweaponed the two brethren three times From other blowes comming farre off as stones darts and arrowes they weare not so surelie sent but by the legeritie of the Squire at whome they could haue no iust ayme they still failed and those which came right he receiued them vpon his impenetrable shield which was of such assurance that it made him hardie and without feare that carried it Notwistanding in such perill a great aduantage happened to him For in the middest of the Court there was a great piller of marble seauen foote high made in triangle wise and the sides railed in with hemiticles making three halfe rounded meetings Vpon this treangled stone in honor of the surname of the Gratian familie was erected the statues of the three Graces called the Charites in shape of three naked virgins holding one another by the hand in dansing wise with their visages turned the one forthright the other sideling and the third right behinde Betweene two angles of this stone in one of the rondles was Alector backed and retired in such sort that he could not bee taken neither strooken behinde by reason of the largenesse and thicknes of
or well right deepe where in the middest of the darknesse by a little glittering of a sulphurian light I perceiued the depth of this round Tower abased euen from the superficialitie of the earth vnto the point centrique or centure of the same and below a Barathre or eternall prison where by the infernall obscuritie I could see nothing but darknesse dispearsed vpon the face of the depths but well might I heare horrible cries fearefull hurlings mingled with plaints groanes like to men tormented and furious enraged beasts fighting amongst themselues throwing and biting one another in extreame rage Whereuppon through great feare I leaped out afright so rudely that I mounted out into the cleare light where the forenamed white bird which in truth was my Calodaimon came and tooke me demaunding me saying Franc-Gal hast thou seene that which thou desirest Yea yea quoth I and heard fearfull cries which caused me to retire but I knewe not what it should be vnlesse it be the eternal prison of the wicked Giants Triphon and Briaro with their complices and followers who were not afraide to set themselues against the Soueraigne vpon whome being cast downe and desolated the mountaines great rockes which are the foundations of the auncient Tower which thou didst behold haue been throwen the which oftentimes they shake cause to tremble by the impatience of intollerable paines in shaking sometimes the foundations by the aboundaunce of water cast and throwen out by their conduct and other whiles by the impetuositie of the windes comming from their despitefull sighings sometime by the violence of the fire coÌ„ming out of their throat and by the inflamed vapor of forceable ire and outragious wrath Neuerthelesse for all their forces they shall neuer bring it to ruine nor cast it downe neither shall they be discharged or come out of this tenebrous prison vnlesse the infinite bountie of the vanquisher surmount the obstinate mallice of the vanquished who neither hope nor desire it but obstinately please themselues with their paines as the cursed serpents feede themselues with their owne venime and therefore let vs leaue them in their eternall miseries In saying thus he carried me vp so high that hauing the elements and planets vnder my feete I found my selfe aboue the Towre wherein I beheld in great sublimitie vpon the pomell of the top thereof this olde Ladie which my Calodaimon tolde mee was Anange mother of the three Sisters and hauing intentiuely considered her estate and puissance in a moment I descended into my bodie béeing come to my selfe I remembred well the meruailous things that I had séene and such as I haue accompted to thée in truth That which thou hast accompted quoth the Archier is wonderfull yet neuerthelesse séeming true and credible in mine opinion for me verie same or the like not long since hath béen heard of in this Region by a meruailous and supernaturall aduenture What is that I pray thée quoth Franc-Gall that I I passe no 〈◊〉 in my narration before I haue vnderstood of thée the example seruing for the coÌ„firmation of my speach which will cause thée more easilie to giue credit to the rest Therefore I beseech thée to tell it me and I will giue thée good audience I am â—…ght well content quoth the Archier so that the whiles thou remember the point where thou leauest of the olde Ladie Anange sitting vpon the pomell of the Tower and therefore now take thy rest a while and I by maner of interlecutorie respiration will reckon to thee a thing conuenient to the narration of thy ectasticall vision and rauishment of thy spirite to the depth and top of the Tower Of the loue of Mammon towards the saire Ladie Thanais of her ensircement poysoning and death CAP. 8. IN the prime of my youth about 470. yeres passed I being of the age of knowledge as it were 49. yeres there came into these parts an vnknowen man ill shaped and blacke like to an Aethiopian neuerthelesse verie rich in siluer golde precious stones and other mettalls for the rest of a great and subtill spirite and excéeding well learned in euerie science farre aboue all other that he met This man hauing taken his dwelling in the Citie of Orbe whereto we are now going and there by reason of the store of money that he possessed and for that the Towne by meanes of the Sea néere adiacent and of the riuers ports and passages thereto adioyning is very commodious for a place of merchandize he helde and hore the state of a merchant Banquer Of what merchandize quoth Franc-Gall made he his traffique He was said the Archier a temporall merchant for he sold for time by compt and measure So this temporall Merchant called Mammon holding a famous Banque in Orbe became amorous of a right faire and most renowned Maiden of one of the richest and noblest houses in the Citie which Maiden was called Thanais This faire Mammon beeing thus taken with the loue of Thanais began to court her euill fauouredlie enough and more imperiously than graciously by vanting of himselfe ostentation of his great riches and cunning and with dispraysing and blaming of all others chiefly of the vertuous besides that he sought to allure her by rich gifts presents of golde of gemmes rings and iewels although by nature he was verie couetous but aboue all with most faire and ample promises But the Maiden to whome these proud brauados were intollerable and who had perhaps lodged her heart in some higher place reiected all his presents refused his offers shunned his encountrie would giue no eare to his proud words as one whom she hated as much as he desired her both for his improbous and vngracious behauiour for his displeasant gesture Wherevpon beeing aduertised by one of her Morian slaues that she was accustomed euerie morning so soone as she rose to goe halfe vncloathed with her haire hanging down to take the aire in the garden to refresh and wash her selfe and visage in the siluered streames of the fountaine which ranue through the same he for a certaine péere of money promise of redemption out of bondage and setting at libertie of this her Morian slaue was by her let in to the garden where he hid himselfe in a thicke Arbour till the morning that his desired Thanais should come who according to her accustomed manner failed not Then he from his embushment seeing this faire yong creature comming couered with a single peticote of light sattin and abating the deawe with her bare féete whiter than Alabaster her fayre armes naked and beautefied with liuely whitenes being discouered her breasts borne out with two apples of yuorie or pappes of the same coulour lying open her head lightly trussed vp with a faire white kerchiefe of fine linnen behind the which one might behold her golden haires whereof one part vntrussed hong downe ouer her necke shoulders and another part frisseled and curled descended wauing
of her parents went to the Greene-head accompained with Calestan and mee of her hastard brother called Floridas and this her waighting maide Arcana and there we tarried three weekes with ioyfull cheere vntill the retourne of my Lorde Spathas who brought no other answere from the wise wan but this obscure probleme afterwards by him found but ouer veritable The cruellrauisher is neither Man no Beast Who of the snowie Hind shall shortly make conquest By killing of the Leopard that sought her to defend And chasing of two Harts who durst him not attend But there shall come a twise borne child whose worthieforce Shall her redeeme and stay this monster sanz remorce And for his fact receiue that flower as a prize Whereof shall shortly'nsewe abundant plaints and cries My Lord Spathas for that time vnderstood not this obscure answere neuerthelesse he could get none other wherevpon he returned as euill aduised as he went albeit hee kept this aenigme still in minde Who interpreting the worst and fearing least the euill should fall vpon his house or vpon those who were there in specially on his faire Cousin Noëmia which he coniectured to be the snowie Hind on the next morning in an euill houre sent vs towards Orbe For in passing by the wood of Hazards as wee rode cheerefullie one morning vnder the shaddow of the great leaued trees giuing eare to the melodious tunes of the chirping birds we heard a great brute like the trampling of a droue of beastes approching vs. And suddainely wee perceiued a most horrible monster of greatnesse grosenes enormious hideur who vnto the lower part of his belly had an humaine shape rather Giantous than natural with a great hoarie head brusking vp like the brussels of a wild Bore with a visage fierce and lookes feare full his mouth opened discouering his great teeth his bodie and armes full of veynes couered with cleere haire not much vnlike the silke made of a fleese And the rest of his bodie in the forme of a great red horse exceeding the common bignes of other horses running flinging and leaping vpon foure horse legs strong and light right towards vs carying a great massy Club hanging at his girdle made of a greene and croked branch of hasell with his leaues and a number of arrowes at his side and a bowe in his hand wherewithall hee let flie an arrowe and stew the horse of Floridas who feeling his horse to fall vnder him readily set foote on ground and hand to his weapon to defend his faire sister Noëmia whom he loued most decrely against this horrible monstrous Centaure running foorth right to rauish her Wherefore Floridas postposing his life to the health of his sister came onely to him with his sword But the Centaure gnaying with dispitefull laughter drew out his grosse mare and gaue him such a heauie stroke vpon the reines that hee broosed all his bones and then trode him with his horsely feete till hee brake his hart Seeing this wée fled abandoning my Ladie Noëmia whome farre of turning our selues wee sawe rauished by the Centaure who hauing mounted her vp behinde him was entred into the thick wood And after her her Damosell Arcana running on foote with her haire about her eyes for the Mule whereon she was mounted being afraide of the Centaure as a Mule is a phantasticall and vmbragious beast had throwne downe his charge and by maine running returned to the Castle of Greene-head from whence wée were departed Whereupon after wee had lost the sight of my Ladie Noëmia we came flying towards Orbe to declare vnto her friends this sorrowfull newes And as for other things I knowe none but that the next daie after at night we sawe her arriue safe and sound whom wée supposed to haue béen vtterly lost in the companie and conduct of a right faire Squire whome you may behold here present Who euer since hath remained in the house of the Lordes Gratians behauing himselfe most graciously towards all and most louingly with my Ladie Noëmia like a young Gentleman with a faire Gentlewoman If there bee any other thing I knowe let Arcana be asked who ought to know more for as touching my attestation Calestan can beare me witnes Then arose Calestan affirming the déed to be so adioyning therewithall that in flying the Prophecie of the wise man came to his memorie to bee verified For this monstrous Hippocentaure was neither man nor beast but of doubble stature rauishing and murthering as for the snowie Hinde conquered it was Noëmia the Leopard who is a beast bastard to the Lyon and the Pardatide was Floridas the bastard staine the two Harts did flie being them two seruants Tharsides and Calestan who through feare had abandoned their dame by flight But of the rest of the probleme he protested to vnderstand nothing as one not knowing the consequent effects whereof Arcana may bee asked Arcana then at the commandement of the Iudge arose and protesting by her faith to report the trueth vpon paine of her life began as followeth All that which Tharsides and Calestan haue related is according to trueth and veritie my Lord Diocles after whose flight and my Mules I being on foote knewe not what better to doo than by extreame dolor which brought my desperation of life to runne after my Lady Noëmia whome my soule could not abandane in following the trace of the Centaure by an vnknowne way which I sawe him hold in crying and lamenting so high that all the wood rang the only Eccho filled mine eares who with mee seemed to bewaile the misfortune of my Ladie Noëmia At my hautie cries clamors in the wood I met with a right fayre yong and braue Esquire which was Alector whom you see present before you mounted vpon a goodly Courser who seeing mee so to run halfe out of my witts demaunded the cause of my dolor which when he had vnderstoode he required me to conduct him to the place where I had seene this monster saying that he would deliuer my Lady or else there die the death I comforted with this promise in so much that I seemed to be as light as a hinde ran before towards the thick of the wood whereinto I sawe this monstrous Centaure enter and the Squire followed mee a gallop vntill at length wee perceiued the Centaure hauing discharged his pray and training her by force into the hollowe of a high Rock enuironed with xv great Okes right thick and leauie Alector seeing him cried from farre leaue that Maiden thou byformed monster and addresse thy selfe to me who will chasten thee for thine outrage The Hippocentaure hearing and seeing him come with bridle losed and the sworde in his hand let flie at him an arrowe wherewithall hee had peirced him through if he had not been couered with his impenetrable shield Wherefore fearing least his horse should be slaine set foote on ground and adressed himselfe to the monster with merueilous hardines whereat the Centaure being
people whom he had all deceiued and desrauded one by another These by conference had together knew and discouered the hidden lies falsenesse and wickednesse whereby they had béen by him abused deceiued and defrauded some accused him and others brought witnes against him with the aide of olde Cron who reuealed the greatest part of his most secrete hidden and shamefull villanies which he least hoped should euer haue come to light Whereof being attaint and conuinced albeit no torture nor torments could make him confesse or acknowledge it he was notwithstanding declared a publique enemie and condemned to loose his head and that all his goods should be confiscate to the Prince of Orbe His Master Pseudomanthanon féeling the winde thereof sodainly vanished gained with his héeles taking his flight from thence and hiding himselfe in diuers secrete places whereas yet hee maketh profession of his clandestinall lectures As for his father Mammon he was banished and sent backe into Turquy and passing through Italy and Venice and remaining there a while left behind him some of his séed whereof afterwards sprong vp manie children of his generation as Vliespiegle the inuenter of subtilties the gentle knight Imbauld of Solier and such like exquisite workmen After that the capitall sentence was pronounced vpon Desalethes he was deliuered into the hands of the executioner who led him to the place of Iustice showing by the way so small repentance of his wickednes that he said with loud voyce he had not mericed a common death but rather a publique enterteinment of him and his in the pallaice of the Citie and a statue of gold vpon a Marble pillar in the common place for his great vertues and good deedes doubting not but that after his death they would deifie him and put him in the catalogue of worthy and heroycall men in the heauen of Mercurie with the Duke Vlysses and Autolie and that there should bee composed a new Odyssee of his high and worthie praises But on the contrarie all the world yea those of his owne faction reclaymed against him in execration crying with aloud voyce Take him away take him away kill kill the wicked man Neuerthelesse he marched brauelie to Must-dy for so was the scarfoll of red blacke Marble in the market place called where the offenders doo play their last prize walking with a loftie gate a visage so constant and ioyfull as though oue had led him to a wedding or some ioyfull feast and that because hee helde himselfe certaine of his sort and destinie and that hée had as yet neuer failed to lye whereby he assured himselfe not to die and therefore the feare of death made him neyther tremble nor looke pale With this assurance he marched and mounted vp into the place of punishment and when he was vpon the scarfoll Must-dy the executioner would haue bound and blinded him No no quoth hee in lying according to his naturall disposition I will neuer runne away haue thou no feare for I haue enough for vs both In saying thus he knéeled downe before the Marble stone and whiles the Executioner prepared his sharpe cutting sword he turned his viewe openlie to all the people to whom that hee might make his last lye hee sayd with a lowd voyce Farewell yee people of Orbe I goe now to die This sayd hee enclined his bodie and the hangman who had alreadie prepared his sword in auayling it with a rude stroke cut off his head Of the flying head and abymed bodie with their returne and reuelations of the things by them seene of their death and buriall and of the reclosed depth CAP. 11. HIs sort then deceiued him quoth Franc-Gall when his head was stroke of for thereby faileth all miracles No no quoth the Archier but contrariwise thereby came great wonders for after the stroke giuen no bloud issued either out of bodie or head but presently no sooner thā the sword was withdrawen the bodie without head rose vppon his féete and leaped downe on the ground amongst all the assistants and beholders sore abashed to sée a headlesse body to runne the which impetuously passing through the prease who gaue way retyred themselues at the strange spectacle of so monstrous a hideur vntill it came to an obscure dungeon and profound goulph which a little before happened by reason of a terrible earthquake and had swallowed vp the great tower of the clock and watch of the citie into such a profound depth that no cord with the sound of a plummet could finde the bottome thereof whereinto this headlesse bodie cast it selfe And at the same instaunt the head striken off abone the necke sprong vp from the scarfold thrée or foure times alwaies mounting higher higher and in this order mounting the carthalages and gristles of the eares sprong out with sharpe pinnes in such sort that they became wings without feathers like a fimdermouse flying and carrying vp the head into the aier so high that right soone the sight thereof was lost the whole multitude of people remaining so much astonished as the meruaile thereof merited some looking into the déepe pitt where they could see nothing and others lifting vp their eyes into the aire to see when the head should fall from the heauens But after they had long mused on the one and the other they might heare a sound like a winde vehemently comming from farre and the voyce of a spirite therewithall saying You men of Orbe tarrie not for the quick departed from hence to viewe the height of heauen and depth of earth but retire your selues and returne againe hether three dayes hence about this hower so il all you see the end of that you looke for This said sodainly a great thunderclap brake out of an obscure cloud and after that a mightie shower which caused euerie one to retire to his house attending the third day after according to the premonition of the vnknowen voyce At which day and hower a farre greater number of people assembled thether than before of all kindes of ages attending some miraculous sigue which failed not to happen For as they wer beholding some vp into the aire and others into the bottomlesse gulph behold out of the same they might perceiue the headlesse bodie comming out and mounting vpon the foresaid scarfold there kneeled downe before the stone and the vaines where the head was cut off opened and began to shed foorth bloud whereof the bodie tooke part in his hand and with his finger writ vpon the stone certaine verses which afterward were read And at the same instant they might perceiue from the height of the aier the flying head to discend with membrane and serpentine wings diminishing by little and little vntill they came againe into their naturall forme of mans eares and rested on the pillar vpon an yron pike where the heads of the executed were accustomed to be set Thus as euerie one was attentiuelie beholding these mysteries with great silence the head with a
nomber wherewithall hee cleaued the flouds and swomme like a Dolphin as for his tayle it was great long and full of scales like a great fish flat in his hinder latitude wherwith he beat the waters turned himselfe most readely to what side he would by the mouing thereof his head he had eleuated great and puissant carrying in his throate foure great crooked and cutting teeth This horse Hippopotame such as I haue described to thee and which thou maist yet behold at the next Port where I haue left him with my men for hee is so great and mightie that he is able to carie easily many persons and other liuing creatures albeit he be a most wicked and dangerous beast specially when hee hath dronke too much Neuertheles I handle and tame him so well that I make him rideable thorough all waters yea and mayne seas after that I haue armed him with cōuenient harnesse on all sides Besides this by a certaine art wherof I haue the knowledge and experience I open his sides and plant in him great wings by the aid whereof wheu he hath spred them in the winde he goeth faster vppon the waters than the fowle in the aier This great horse Hippopotame being thus prepared to serue me when néed should require one day eleuating my light I perceiued alreadie the cataracts of heauen open the water pot of Aquarius turned vp side downe the sign of Pisces in exaltation Orion with his sword cutting the clowds and the most stinking hogs and the goose behinde me to noyce the open depths vnbounded seas At this great brute lifting vp my head I beheld a great and meruailous brook of waters impetuously comming to fal vpon the Region and way wherein I walked and to ouerwhelme with waues all the pilgrimes passengers in the way in putting out their cierges and liues wherfore the soonest that it was possible for me I tooke prouision of victualls sufficient for certaine dayes for me and mine who were most able to mount with mee vppon my Hippopotame by the foreknowledge that I gaue them of this brooke which I saw comming whereby some beléeued me and fled to the mountaines others would not and so were enclosed with the flouds I was no sooner mounted but my Hippopotame was eleuated vppon the waters which couered all the face of the earth and stiffled all the creatures therein Then began my marinall horse to swim with his flat séete and to spread his wings which hauing once taken the aire and winde transported vs into diuers Countries and Regions at the pleasure of the windes waues and horse to the great maruell of the people who hauing gamed the vppermost top of the barraine mountaines sawe vs ride vpon the waues a thing of them neuer before soene wherefore through great maruell which they tooke thereat they cried to vs of all sides with lowde voyces Gal Gal Gal which in their Armenian language signifieth Surmounting the waters by admiration thereof that they saw me great and puissantly mounted on horsbacke vpon the profound waters as it were on firme land whom I went and visited because I found that the greater part of them were vnprouided of victualls and hunger starued vpon the barraine tops of those high mountaines and distributed vnto them part of those things whereof I had made prouisiō especially of wine wherof I had great plentie I succoured those which wanted to comfort their heart for there is nothing that so soone slaketh extreame hunger as the liquour of wine And because that I gaue them it liberally be it spoken without vaunt or reproach they gaue me the title of Frank which in the Celtique language signifieth liberall and hardie so that afterwards the name of Franc-Gal remained to mee Haddest thou then quoth the Archier anie other name before than Franc-Gal Yea quoth he my proper name was Dysir but afterwards I was alwaies called Franc-Gal which name displeaseth me not at all Now tell mee Franc-Gal quoth the Archier howe could thine Hippopotame carrie thée so manie dayes with out being wearie or plunging himselfe in the waters and drowning of thée and thine Because quoth Franc-Gal his nature is such that so long as he hath aier and winde according to his wings and his féete in the water he mainteineth himselfe in his vigour and getteth more and more force and new legeritie fearing nothing but fire stones and is neuer perillous or dangerous but when hee drinketh ouer-much Wherefore my soueraigne care hath alwayes béen to kéepe him from his contrarie element fire stones and ouermuch drinking for the rest he is of the nature of the Camelion liuing of the aire and of his watrie element and so quiet that when we haue landed and hée retired his féete and abased his wings hee remaineth still without either kicking or biting and of as peaceable rest as he is of terrible legeritie and dangerous passage when his féete are in the water and his wings in the aire and his crooked téeth out of his throate Behold what my horse Hippopotame called Durat is vpon whom I surmounted the waters whereby the name of Gal was imposed vpon me After that the inundation of this great Riuer was come downe and the Cataclysine had taken end being wearie of riding amongst the fishes I came one day and landed in the Region of Scythia called East Tartaria where hauing recreated my spirites with the sinell of the new earth lately discouered and hauing refreshed my bodie with meate and wine féeling my selfe wearie of trauell beaten with continuall showers I laid me downe vpon the ground on sixe Lions skins sowed together which for that time serued me against the stormes and there I fell in a profound sléepe During the which this vision came to me It séemed to me that before me grew a faire plant of a flower called double Solsie otherwise named the friend of the Sunne which altogether séemed to encline towards me till that it had couered my legs Wherefore séeing this faire double flower bending towards me desire forced me to gather it both branch and roote and therfore with my dagger I digged it vp but vnder the roote thereof I found a serpents egge which being broken there issued out the thickin of a Basilisque otherwise called a Cockatrice which incoutinentlie becomming feathered and waxing great flewe away carrying my heart with him which he had taken out of my bodie wherewithall afright I waked and founde my selfe imbraced and clasped bodie and legs by some bodie casting it selfe vpon me which all at once I perceiued to be a yong maiden all naked of a great height whose shape of bodie surmounted the common sort and of an excellent beautifull face with bright golden haires glimmering like Phoebus beames her face white and coloured with red like to Aurora hereies grey and comely suruaulted with little browne eye lids hernecke streight and well proportioned her breast large highly eleuated with two round and incarnate dugs
to sing aloud cléere in the Scythicq language Cokolostis which is to say Victorious And thereupon the Fisherman led him to his cottage and washed his wounds in warme wine and Miske with sage applying thereto leaues of the hearb Peoesne with the skin cut from the Wolfes foote which hee flead off whiles it was hot wherewith hee couered his arme so iust as though it had been a sleeue made expressy for it In the meane while an olde wife which hee had put some fish into the pot to boyle and other some vppon the gridion to roast then spread shee on the ground a large Hearts skin cut round and set thereon Barlie Bread reasonable white baked vppon a tyle with dried Raysins and Apples with Wine made of Hony and water enuiting simplie their Guest to eate and drinke whereto hee accorded most willingly as one that had neede thereof Whereupon they sat downe with their leggs a crosse about this fayre table cloth without seame where the olde wift serued them with boyled and rosted fish and with store of fruite So they eate and dranke at their ease deuising of the adueuture and how the impetuous flood had carried him vnknowing in what country hee was The Fisherman tolde him that he was at the foote of the mountaines of Armenia Then Alector demanded of him if hee knewe no newes of mee giuing him tokens of my swimming and flying horse The Fisherman tolde him that aboue two yeares passed hee had seene mounting against the riuer such a great and huge horse carrying diuers persons and other things but amongst the rest a strong great and fayre personage armed with the skins of Lyons vpon a white harnesse carrying a great shield with a Sunne of gold in a fleld of Azure and afterwards that he had vnderstood how this great man had discomfetted and ouerthrowne a great companie of theeues which robbed and spoyled the whole Region for which cause the countrey had done him great honor As touching the fact hee spake troth for in my voyage by Sea coasting the riuages all the mouthes of the Riuers which I founde I was accustomed to enter them to sée and knowe the Townes and Countries lying there about in the continent whereby it happened that passing the Persian gulph alongest Arabia and viewing the mouthes of this fayre Riuer Tygre falling into the Sea I entred into the same and so mounted against the streames And by fortune apperceiuing a Carauanne of Arabian theeues and robbers who vnder the conduct of a puissant and valtant but a wicked Knight enfested the whole Countrey In so much that hauing vnderstood the popular complaints I landed with my men whereto those théeues had likewise fainedly enuited vs to rob and spoyle vs and so set vpon this Cauaille euill harnessed company with such hardines and exployt that of a great nomber of them there remayned but fiue who saued themselues by flight and wee pursued them to Mount Caucasus where wee ouerthrew them all together with the great Knight who bearing a shield with a Cock of gold defended himselfe so long as hee could and yet neuertheles would neuer render himselfe Wherefore with a great stroak of my sword I cloue his head in twaine and then hong I vp their armes the shield aboue them all vpon an old trée which was in that place in the forme of a Trophie caused the valiant Knight to be buried at the foote therof who through obstination to my great grief had caused himself to he slaine And so for that time we purged the countrie This done one night I returned into the Persian sea by the other mouth of Tygre for it emptied it self into the sea by two mouthes the one notwithstanding not far distant from the other tooke my way towards Madagascar Zanzibar and the Isles of the Grifons Alector hearing this news of me was wonderful glad wherefore rising frō the table he thanked his host hostis for their gentlenes And for that he had found the sléeues which was made of the skin of the Wolfes leg to be very fayre and wel beséeming him for hee had his armes naked for so much as the sléeues of his coate did not couer him but were open and hanging by like a coate of armes he required the fisherman to flea the other leg for his right arme and to flea and giue him both the skins of the Wolfes which the good man most willingly performed and Alector more willingly arcepted them and thereof made fayre bardes for his horse saying that he had well merited to haue part of the spoyle for that he had béen participate of the danger and done his dutie in the fight Wherein this yong youth well declared that he was come of a franke and noble nature and birth hauing thus harnessed and barded his horse with these fayre skins of the rauening Wolfe hee mounted vpon him and tooke leaue of his hoste hauing vnderstood that I had gained the heigth he determined to follow me and to mount vp against the impetuous riuer of Tygre not by the rauishing way which had so carried him away but by the surest way of the land And rode so long by many iournies that one day at Sonne going downe he found himselfe at the foote of one side of the mount Caucasus in a plaine deuided into thrée high waies where was a place of reasonable space ample enough and in the mids a Trophie erected vpon the body and branches of a great olde and dead tree charged with all sorts of harneys Launces swords and shields In contemplation whereof Alector who had a singular pleasure in armes alighted letting his horse feede on the fayre grasse which was about the trée and with great contemplation began to behold these sorts of armes hanging vppon the Trophie of the tree But aboue all the rest his eyes following his affection were most fixed vpon one fayre and great shield made in forme of an egge and couered with a plate of brasse whereon was eleuated a Cock of gold armed and spurred with Gules in a damasked field of greene synople the Cock being raised on his tiptoes beating his wings and looking vp a loft This shield so pleased this young Alector as youth is delighted with such pleasant pictures that he concluded to take it off and carrie it away for the couerture and ornament of his body as also he would haue done the other armes but that hee fame them ouer great for the corpulence of his age as also for that he had béen aduertised that to put on harnesse before he was knighted appertained not vnto him Wherefore considering that he was but an Esquire to whome it is lawfull to carrie a shield as armes of defence and not of offence and ignorant that the Trophies are inuiolable like to Sepulchres through simple affection and desire mounted vpright on his horse and reaching as high as he could with the poynt of his sworde tooke downe the shield which
the oath of a noble Esquire and committed fellony towards the order of Knighthood I haue not done it neither would doo it Truth it is I sought with my sword a foolish laugher and scoffer who as it séemed to me mocked at the fault which my horse made me which laugher I wel heard but I could neuer see nor finde him sauing that in a bush where me thought I heard him laugh with a strokeof my sword cast at aduenture I killed a fat Hare which there was set I knew not whether that Hares laugh in this countrey or no but this I am sure of that I was laughed and mocked at that I haue eaten her with a good appetite As for thy companions which thou saist I haue slaine and eaten I knowe not who they be for I neuer saw them vnlesse they bee Hares and that thou thy selfe art some Diuell of a Hare for thou séemest to me not much more hardy and the common saying is that Diuels doo wittingly transform theÌ„selues by the fields into hares Wherfore shew me thine eares and tel me what thou art whether thou be a Hare or a knight which are verie contrarie For a knight rideth on horsback and is armed hardy and valiant or at leastwise ought to be and the Hare goeth on foote is very searefull by nature vnarmed of al defence both of hornes teeth clawes poyson hardnes and all sauing of a certaine feareful legerity which is the cause that hee is the most fearefullest beast amongst all other creatures and a pray to the Eagles of the aire and dogs of the earth and Chamarins of the water yet should he not find it especially in the dog daies eleuatioÌ„ of the Eagle wherefore telme if thou be a knight or a Hare or a diuel or the laugher and mocker of whom I would willingly reuenge my self if I could méste with him I am no Hare ê™ the great black knight but the hare which thou hast slaine and eaten was my companion for he kept company with me in my sepulcher I am not fearefull for no man can doo mee more harme neither was I euer but haue béen in my time a worthie knight hardy enterprising great things of nature franck liberal extract out of the noble linage of the Macrobians called Gallehault as witnesseth my shield which thou bearest wherein is a Cock regarding high towards heauen whereby I would signifie my high enterprises and hardines and of such vertue is the shield that whosoeuer carrieth it shal neuer haue feare or doubt it is that which maketh thée now so assured against me Now it happened mee thus that for my great frankenesse and excessiue liberalitie which is called prodigalitie I became very poore and yet neuertheles I would alwaies maintaine my greatnes and magnificence for the atchiuing wherof I was constrained for want of mine own to take of other mens Wherefore hauing assembled to me a great company carrauanne of Arabinas wicked people apt to do euil I destroyedal this countrie with robberies assaults rauishments spoylings thefts kéeping with my men al the waies corners and passasses with the ports of riuers and seas taking away the armes horses rings iuels stuf apparrel gold siluer merchandize of such as we took selling their bodies for slaues or abusing theÌ„ luxuriously if they pleased vs. Neuertheles this life whereto proud pouertie had brought me pleased me not but I had it in abomination and for that cause I determined that after I should be gotten vp againe insubstance to haue killed all my companion théeues to the end they should doo no more euill and to retire my selfe and returne to my former honorable liberall and lesse prodigall life But of this paine one of my great vncles of the Macrobians called Franc-Gal which is thy Father deliuered mee whom I knowe thou goest to seeke and whom I will cause thee to sée to morrow in recompence of the pleasure which he did in deliuering mee from the wicked life which I led For being mounted vppon an Hypoppotame which is a great flying and swimming horse in the Riuer of Tygre with some companie of valiant men for so much as wee were many mo in nomber wherein wee trusted wee inuited them by fayned courtesie to take land and come and rest with vs which they did being aduertised before what people we were and for that cause they searched vs. Whereupon incontinently as they were descended well armed and weaponed they flong vppon vs with such fury and valour that notwithstanding the great resistance which I made all my Arabians were slaine and discomfetted by the great prowesse of Franc-Gal being halfe a Giant who stroke not a blowe without laying two or three on the ground So were the takers taken and the spoylers spoyled except foure who through their legeritie fled and I after them But that saued vs not for Franc-Gal who by soueraigne force and naturall agilitie ran faster than any horse or hart followed vs not running but flying as it séemed vnto the place where not able in hast to gaine the mountaine and seeing him alone wee returned fiue against him and I my selfe more than any other resisted him as for my companions hee had sone cut them in peeces but I hild him tack reasonable long and hardy enough in the vertue and couerture of my shield desending my selfe with great courage whereupon he seeing my hardines and noble heart he sommoned me often times to render but I being enuious of my wicked life answered him that as then I had neuer bowed and that it was deerer for me to dye than either to require mercie or receiue it Wherefore he perceiuing my obstination ah quoth he there is none lost but such as are obstinate and in saying so hee gaue me such a stroake with his sword that he cloue my head in twaine At these words the great black Knight plucked off his helmet and showed to Alector his clouen head in such sort that one might perceiue the braines consumed with wormes then puting on his helmet againe hee continued his tale saying with this great stroake I fell downe dead and Franc-Gal vnarmed me and my fellowes also whose carcases he left as food for the beasts of the earth and fowles of the ayre but my body hee caused to be buried at the foote of the great withered tree in the meddowes her about and laid a stone vpon a graue Then hung hee vp our armes in the Trophie of the great tree and my shield aboue all which thou hast taken off therefore restore it mee Alector then answered him Gallehalt sith that my Lord and Father as thou thy selfe hast confessed hath conquered by force of armes the shield of thee thou hast no more title in it but by right of heyre it appertaineth to me who am his sonne and for that cause willingly I will not for goe it vnlesse it be by greater force than mine but will keepe it so long
Shall be condemned to the Diuell Vpon the bird Phoenix One onely of himselfe hath beene Whom neuer man as yet hath seene Vpon the Dolphin carrying Arion on the Seas The friend of man is God whose grace Doth him defend in euerie place Vpon the figure of the Nightingale Each spirit in earth and heauen aboue Singeth to Ioue praises of loue Vpon the Palme tree The lower fortune dooth thee abace The higher to heauen lift vp thy face Vpon the flower de Lis. Whom vertue hath endued With honour is renued Vpon the Rose A pure soule as I suppose To God is like a fragrant Rose Vpon the Marygold Towards the Sonne diuine Turne thou both spirit and eyne Thus with such images statues and simulachres of men birds beasts serpents fishes trées plants and other things naturally and liuely portrayed grauen erected cut diuersely figured with painting colouring guilding siluering and gemining the interior part of the temple was so illustrately decorated and enriched and séemed so light some fayre delectable and honorable to behold and so instructiue in the inscriptions with the contemplation of these fayre things outwardly showing and declaring the glory of God and by the windowes of the eyes entring into the vnderstanding to illuminate the same that they rauished the interior spirites with an ineffable admiration of the bountie greatnes and puissance of God yelding the temple so deuout religious reuerent adorable and Emperiall that those who entred therein found themselues transumed and diuinely rauished as it had beene in a trance Such was the interior ornament of the Temple in the middest whereof was the place of Sacristee eleuated vpon thirtéene stayres of Marble and porphirie of all coulors and aboue that was the Altar erected builded and wrought after the rusticall fashion with all kinde of rude stones in the propertie and naturall fashion without cut worke or pollishing of mans hand And vpon that was laid euen and leuell a fayre great and large table of artificiall emerauld in forme foure square hauing thirtéene foot in euerie square and set iust right vnder the clere window or lauterne of the temple whereon neuertheles miraculously neuer raine fell neuer wind perceiued nor neuer any tempest touched About the altar were set nine chaires guilded conered and garnished with silke veluet which were the seats of the Ministers seruing at the altar and on the East side right opposit to the great doore which was Westward there was thrée pillers of Iasper nine foote high set triangle wise in such sort that one was before towards the altar and two behind vpon which pillers was set a tabernacle of sweete wood wrought carued and guilded with fine beaten Golde and open behinde and within the same a very fayre chaire of Iuorie This tabernacle was the pulpet whereas the propheticall word was showne vnto the people by the Archier such was the Dome and Temple of Ioue in the Citie of Orbe which hereafter we wil describe After then that the Archier being chiefe Priest his nine Ministers together with Franc-Gal and the people were entred into the Temple they prostrated themselues on their faces and from time to time held vp their eyes and hands to heauen so continued their adorations and mental prayers about one houre in great silence the Archier and chiefe Priest arose and after hee had turned to the people and vniuersally saluted and blessed them he was by thrée of his ministers mounted into the pulpit vpon the foresaide thrée Iasper pillers where after hee had a while lifted vp his eyes to Heauen in high conception of thought he addressed himselfe to the people with a cleere and intelligible voyce after this manner You people of Orbe who are here gathered together to heare of mee who am but a voyce crying in the temple the great magnificences of God that you may vnderstand them and comprehend them in your soules that you may praise them heare them and thanke him for them his infused grace for the accomplishing hereof forthwith be giuen you with his benediction The Soueraigne God Ioua which Was Is and Shal be a name which is aboue all names and which appertaineth to none other but him first hath made you of nothing which is an especiall gift of his marueilous puissance that you aboue all other things know that of him you hold your being and first essence And after that he hath created you not ignoble bodies as stones and mettals not insensible plants as hearbes or trees not brutal deformed cruel or monsterous beasts as if it had pleased him he might haue formed you but Asses ill shapen pottage pots villanous Todes cruell rauishing wolues or monsterous imaginations but he hath created you men fayre right loking vp to heauen whereby you hold the roote of reason which he hath giuen you by whō you are made like to himself by him formed to his own image Besides this he hath made al other creatures the elements yea the celestiall bodies themselues and heauens for you and for your vse and seruice the earth to sustaine nourish you quick and receiue you when you be dead the ayre to keepe your soule in life the waters for your vsage cleansing and nauigation the fire to reuiue your heate and for your light the Starres for tokens and influences and the heauens to receiue your soules which hee hath giuen you immortall through spirituall priueledge aboue all other creatures who being once dead nothing remaine more of them All beasts he hath condemned with their heads enclining towards the earth in signe that they be subiect and seruiceable to you who are directly eleuated some for your help as horses oxen asses and cammels yea the great and strong Elephant dooth serue and obay you the others for meate and nourishment who by their deathes conserue your liues See you not the good fishes both of riuer and Sea swimming in your porrages brothes sauces and iuce Doo you not see the flesh fat and entrailes of beasts aswell sauage as tame to enter into your kitchins and the foules of the ayre to fall into your dishes and all trées hearbs plants cornes séeds fruites and rootes to bee giuen you for nourishment and medicine And all this of the grace of God and to his glory as the workemanship figures and statues of this temple doo show you for visible examples whose architecture building is made to the paterne and imitation of the vniuersall world which is the true temple of soueraigne Ioue whose bounty and glory all these things doo witnes and set forth Consider then ye Orbitans and acknowledge how many and how large benefits the most great and most good blessing of God hath enlarged you with to whome you can restore nothing for what thing can you offer him that is none of his whose throane is heauen and earth his footestoole what then would this most great and good Lord aske you which is your owne and in your power to giue him for such
the heats of Port Valentine they went and refreshed themselues in the Ice of Port Thane and passe the time there in sedentarie playes And if they were cloyed with the mists and cold of Port Passaul they would go dance amongst the flowers of Port Physe for such power had the Citizens of the towne wherein notwithstanding it was continually temperat by reason of the concordant discord of the winds temperatures and qualities of euerie port and of his adiacent territorie the which made an equall concurrence at the closing of the towne which as hath béen beforesaide was in perfect roundnes mounting by little and little vnto the nauel or mids where was edificated the temple of Ioue before discribed in the great place where the foure great streats of the towne met being builded verie ample and large with singular fayre and magnificat edifices and trauersed with a hundred smal streats turning round and alwaies descending in leuell with the foure great streats the buildings were of such straight leuell that from the temple one might view plainely to the foure ports of the Citie and from the foure ports to the Temple Before the which was a most fayre and great fountaine of liuely siluered clere and wholsome water the spring thereof neuer defailing but yéelding foorth aboundance of water through 12. figures in manner and fashion to the 12. signes of the Zodiac which made a brooke alwaies encreasing and turning about the lanes and streats of the whole towne aswell for the watring and common vse of men and beasts as also for the purging and clensing of the streats and houses which spring and winding brooke being come downe vnto the latter and lowest circular streat alongst the inwardmost wall by how many springing heads it increased by so many pipes it emptied it selfe into the great riuer of Cloterre wherein was made bounds sluces to open and shut as occasion should serue which sluces being shut all the streats would stand full of water wherewithall they being washed by opening againe of the sluces all the filthines and scauage of the town was sent through the foresaid sluces into Cloterre and by that meanes the Citie on all sides was kept cleanly and fayre At the foure corners of the great and large market place were foure stately and publique edifices that is to say the great Basilique Dicast the Pallace Prytan the Hippodrome and the Theatre the Basilique Dicaste was the iudiciall Pallace or hall of iustice wherein were decided all causes and controuersies aswel ciuill as criminall In the same was a long large and ample hall whose mounting was of marble stayres and whose entrance was by two gates on either side This great hall was lofted and paued with sutable artifice all of white and black marble the loft being duble was sustained by 40. pillers of grey stone viz. 12. on either side 12. in the mids parting the two lofts and two in the vpper end of the hall and two below At euerie piller was fastned and set a rich and braue statue of a Legislator of some noble Iustice passed with the inscription of his name and title of honour and vpon the middle pillers were fastned twaine on either side one Betwéene the pillers on either curtaine of the wall on the highest towards the arch of the loft were fayre glasse windowes decorated painted illustrated with ancient Histories memorable examples excellent and singular sentences and executions of Iustice and beneath were fixed great brasen tables wherein with grosse letters legible a far off were engraued all their lawes according to which being once receaued in the common wealth of Orbe the Citizens gouerned themselues And for this reason were these lawes engraued in tables of brasse that none might pretend ignorance of the lawes at one ende of the foresaide hall was a Parquet or place of audience closed with yron barres wrought and siluered with two rowes of seats with their desks and footestooles the one on high wherein were placed the Orators and aduocats and the other belowe wherein the pledors sat the complainants on the one side and the defendants on the other Aboue and ouer against the end of this Parquet was eleuated a high Tribunall all made of Ebonie wrought and réeled verie artificially on both sides of which Tribunal were 24. seats somewhat lower that is to say 12. on the right hand and 12. on the left whereon the 24. Assesors and principall counsellors sat in cloth of veluet and in the Tribunall sat the Potentate and chiefe Iustice which Tribunall in stead of crimson veluet or cloth of gold was hong and couered with the hideous skin of a dead man which was sometime a Potentate and wicked Iudge and who for his tranuersing of iustice and abusing of his Soueraigne office had béene flean quick and his skinne in stead of tapisterie put vpon the Iustice seate to giue example to those who afterwards should sit therein not to doo any iniustice worthie of so sharpe a punishment On the two sides of the foresaide Tribunall was placed reasonable high two statues the one of golde which was the image of Iustice cut and sigured with a virginicall visage neuerthelesse of a vehement and redoubtable regarde the light of her eyes sharpe and pricking neither humble nor fierce but representing a certame dignitie of reuerend sadnes this statue was of Golde to signifie that as the Gold is incorruptible so Iustice ought to bee and as it is soft and plyable so ought Iustice to be more soft and mercifull than rigorous and more bending to equitie The statue was figured a Virgin because that Iustice ought to be entier inviolated and vncorrupted she was of face seuere sad and constant in signe that Iustice ought not to giue care to swéete words prayers flatteries nor praises her regarde was fierce and vehement to giue terror to the euill and confidence and assurance to the iust and good On the other side was a statue of fine Cristall clere and white portracted all naked which was the statue of Veritie in signe that Iustice is or ought to bee accompanied with Veritie who of her selfeis clere and cuident pure and without spot and for that cause she was portraicted of white and most glistering Christall and in forme of an naked body for Veritie will haue no couering of fraude or dissimulation but sheweth her selfe as she is Thus you may perceiue what their great hall of this Basilicq Dicaste with the Parquit and iudicial seate were adioyning to the vpper ende whereof on the right and left hand were two bodies of a house membred with many chambers and amongst the rest in either house was a right fayre chamber in fashion of a foure squared hall garnished round about with settles belowe and with rich capistrie aboue For the rest cleane emptie of other things sauing with tables and chayres about them and both these chambers had entrance into the Parquit of the great Balican hall the chamber on the
magnificence was these foure noble buildings at the foure corners of the market place where the foure great streates met in the highest of the Citie and where the most Emperiall Temple of Ioue was placed the exuberant fountaine and the fayre and holy lodging of the Archier and his Ministers together with the house called Vaniah which is as much to say as the nourishment of our Lord for therein were nourished the poore olde sick lame impotent and fraile pedple together with the poore Widowes and Orphanes with the goods offered to God in his temple Besides all this there was diuerse other publique places as porches and walking places aswell in raynie weather as in fayre the foure markets viz. the wheate market the wine market the flesh market and the fish market and the fift market of fruites eggs and white meats Moreouer there was yet another great and large porch full of seats and desks entermingled with walking places and galleries and a high pulpet of whole stone cut and carued which was the place of reading and disputation of all sorts of artes and sciences and all at the publique charge of the Citie Furthermore at the foure gates were foure fayre keys vpon the riuer side of Cloterre which went round about the Towne at which keys ordinarilie ariued great boats charged with all forts of Merchandize comming from all parts and not onelie by riuer but by land with Waggons Mules Cammells and other horses For the receite and bestowing of the which were appointed round about the keys great ware houses and at euerie keye a great porch wherein the Merchants of all Countreys and Nations assembled together and kept generall exchange of Golde Siluer and Money with writings letters answeres bills of exchange and recariage and all sorts of negotiation Thus you see and behold the discription of the renowmed Citie of Orbe which hath beene set downe here by way of digression after which extrauagance we must returne againe to our matter which was of the combat betweene Alector and the serpent of the Sands Of the Combat and Victorie of Alector against the Serpent Of the arrowe throwne vp into the ayre with imprecation of the fall thereof in flaming wise vpon Coracton and of his horrible death CAP. XXV THe people of Orbe the same day assembled themselues in greater numbers than euer had béen séene before not onelie for the meruaile of the Combat but also to expect the hope of the publique weale according to the reuelation with the Archier had showne them in the moruing whereby there was so great a multitude of people aswell Citizens as strangers that all the degrees were full all the windowes arches and galleries yea all the pinacles and tops of the walls were charged with people Amongst the rest came also the two wise men Franc-Gal and the Archier Croniel for whome by reason of his Bishoplike dignitie was reserued the most honorable seate in the Orches tree from whence he might best beholde and most openly discouer all the sauds and Theatre He who knew his place went to sit downe leading and ioyning with him Macrobius Franc-Gal vpon whom vniuersally al the Theatre cast their eyes and all those before whom he passed arose and enclined their heads in signe of reuerence to him brought singular admiration of the reuerend dignitie of his face full of probable maiestie which they saw him in his visage and in the more than royall comlines forme fashion streightnes height greatnes and giantly ioynture of this so fayre and soheroical an olde man that their worshipfull Arch Priest Croniel with so great honor led with him specially so armed for hee carried his armour with him and clothed with so rich a cloake of purple and with his precious and illustrate shield of azure with the Sonne of Gold To be briefe the whole assistance of the Theatre through great admiracion of him had their ententife regard vpon Franc-Gal Hereupon the trmupets sounded and Alector was set into the Sands clothed only with his purple hat on his head and his iagged Gallican coate of armes with his Iasseran fringed with Gold and armed with his good sword with the Lyberian scabbard and with his gréen shield with the Cocke of Golde together with the slaughterous arrowe for the rest so fayre that he séemed to be made and formed to be beholden of all young vigorous membrous well set great tall and of a hardy and assured countenance in such sort as there was none specially of the young Ladies and Maidens but pittifully beholding him lamented that so fayre a young gentleman should bée set into so mortall a danger whereout as they thought it was impossible that hee should escape neuerthelesse hee walked brauely attending his enemie Now was it the day and houre that the dragon was accustomed to receiue his ordinarie foode whereupon smelling presently he fresh humaine flesh be issued out of his Cloaque behinde the Sepulchre of Caliste lifting vp his dragonlie head with flaming and piercing eyes with his great and open throate full of venemus téeth set in triple order and casting out a horrible hissing with thrée viberant tongues which gaue a mortall feare vnto all the assistants of the Theatre sauing vnto the hardie Alector against whome the serpent with great turnings and windings came to deuoure thinking verilie at the first mouch full to haue swallowed him vp which all the beholders thought likewise Amongst whome Franc-Gal beholding this fayre yong youth so cloathed armed and put into so mortall a perill incontinently knew that it was his sonne and therewithall through hideous feare hee became so white and pale as an image of plaister stiffe like a statue of stone cold like vnto a piller of brasse for the which he had presently Aqua Vitae cast into his visage into his mouth whereby recouering againe his spirits hee cast forth a most high dolorous cry saying ah fayre Son Alector Alector my déere child Who is hée that hath vniustly condemned thée being an innocent child vnto so horrible péereles a combat Is this the fore sage of the funestriall bird which showed mée that at the Sands I should finde thée Alas In déede I haue found thée but by and by I shall sée the lost whereby I shall finde the foresaying ouertrue and cursed which tolde me that I should finde thée but neuer after sée thée as in trueth I shal for the Oraconicall belly shall be thy Sepulcher yea so shall it be mine for with thée will I dye or else saue thée from so strange a death This saying he cast off his Cloake drew out his great and large sword embraced his fayre Celestiall shield with the Sunne of Gold and would with al his force haue descended into the Sands to succor his sonne but the 400. men of armes who enclosed the field with slood him through whom neuerthelesse he had by his vallour passed had not the Archier béen who with instant praiers and tokens hild him
declaring vnto him that by no meanes hee ought to striue against the iudgement of the Potentate of Orbe which also by any humame force hee could not praying him to haue patience and good hope in the bountie and reuelation of the Soueraigne God Ioua by faith in whome hee assured him that Alector shoud depart conquerer who in the meane while fought valiently with his monstrous enemie and hauing vnderstoode the crie of Franc-Gal and apperceiuing the shield with the sunne knew that his father was there present who with all his force would haue helpt him whereby his courage encreased and his forces redoubled by the presence of his genitor to whome hee cried My Lorde my Father trouble not your selfe neither haue doubt of me but assure your selfe that within a while I will come to salute and imbrace you being once victorious of this wicked beast in the meane while your onely presence and sight shall be my sufficient ayde This hardie and confident speach hild Franc-Gal aboue other things neuerthelesse trembling like a leafe at euery assault the serpent made who was aboue thréescore foot in length and a yard in greatnes about with a profound throate and gaping Who séeing himselfe frustrate of his purpose and that his inuasions were imployed in vaine by reason of the legeritie and swift turning of the vigorous Alector was chafed in his colde nature and so prouoked that his throate was all swolne with horrible venyin which hee had gathered together through spightful anger that he found resistance in one onelie man Wherefore hée wound himselfe into a great roule and soddainely by plunging out himselfe hee would assayle Alector who readily leaping aside lent him great blowes ouerthwart the bodie and giuing him many wounds but not déepe enough by reason of the hardnes of his seales wherewithall hée raised the Sand. Neuerthelesse once hée rouled vp his long tayle so impetuously wherewithall hée whipped Alector who tooke not good heede of it with a blow so violent that hée stroke him to the ground and soddainely turned his head and great throat to haue deuoured him Then Franc-Gal was out of countenance his spirit was troubled and his knées fayled him likewise all the people became sad estéeming Alector for ouercome and lost but the couragious Champion séeing the deadly throat of his enemie open ouer him with his right hand gaue him such a prick that hee made a déepe wound in his throat whereout did spring black bloud and thick red venym in great aboundance and with his left hand couered himselfe with his shield The furious serpent perceiuing in the shield the figure of a goloē Cock highly eleuated which naturally he feareth smelling withall the sauor of the scabberd which was made of the skin of a kinde of Serpent what with suddaine feare and with the paine he felt of the wound in his throate he quickly retired himself in such sort that the gentle champion had leasure to rise pursue his enemy who fearing the shield the Liberian scabbard the poynt of the sword which he had felt to the quick would not cast himselfe vnaduisedly vpon Alector but began to play againe with his tayle to strike him to the ground But Alector who once had bin stung therewith before tooke better héed euery time that the serpēt stroke at him with his taile hee would nimbly spring vp into the ayre in such sort that his strokes were imployed in vaine vpon the sands which caused this dragonlike monster to chafe in his fury and with great ire turned his head toward Alector who still put before him the shield which he knew to be a feare vnto him and for that hee sawe that the blowes of his sworde would but little preuaile vpō his hard skin he thrust the steely poynt of his good sword so firmely into his scales that it ran so déep in pierced so rudely as Alector could not pluck it out againe the serpent being a beast of merueilous force in turning himselfe with a strong pluck snatched it out of his hand Then new feare assailed Franc-Gal al the beholders losing the short ioy which they had receiued of the two wounds made in the throate back of the serpent where at bloud venym issued most aboundantly for that they knew not whether they were deadly or not they remained doubtful betwixt feare and hope In the meane while the serpēt being impatiēt of his dolorous griefe which he felt turned his head towards his back and biting with his toeth the hilts of the sworde whose point sticking fast gréeued him so much plucked at it and with force of anger so wrong it alwaies widening tearing the wound that at the length he pluckt it out and cast it on the sands not without great losse of the most part of his téeth And then perceiuing his enemy vnarmed he cast himself furiously vpō him Alector not hauing any thing wherewith to defend him presented him his shield remembring the arrow which hee had stuck at his girdle pulled it out readily and placed it so betwéen the iawes of this wicked beast that he could not shut his téeth to gripe the arme of Alector for the more he stroue with it the faster it stuck moreouer he found himself grieuously offended with the body of the arrow which made of Asse being an Alexit herian wood and naturally contrary to the serpents kinde Wherupon this monstrous dragon retired in wreathing himselfe horribly through the great dolor anguish which he felt not only of the wounds arrow but also of the wood therof being wholy against his nature kind for the plucking out whereof he had neither féet nor hands wherefore he thrust into his mouth the end of his taile which auailed him nothing being ouer féeble and hauing lost his force by reason the seale of his back was broken Whereupon this monster finding himselfe thus wounded ouercharged with the wood and head of the shaft contrary to his kinde affeabled of his force and his aduersary nere at hand carrying the Cocke and scabbard where were so fearefull vnto him and who againe had recoueted his sword would no more assaile him but retyring himself by turning and wreathing as fast as it was possible for him sought to enter againe into his Cloaque which hee could not spéedily doo because the breaking of his back hindred his former legeritie whereby he thought to haue entred his hoale the which Alector séeing and knowing his great aduantage by the crye and brute of the beholders ioyfully clapping their hands got before and cut off the way to this flying monster by turnning his head with great stroakes of his sword vpō his iawes and on his taile when he began to resist him with it so strongly and so often that by little and little the Serpent began to ware so feeble and his fiercenes so to diminish that not able longer to hurt he sought wholly to slye In such sort that
the gentle Squire came before him and without feare thrust his arme with the sword so far into his throate that it pierced his heart The serpent féeling thereby his deadly wound began through extreame paine and anguish to turne winde in cruel wise Alector then being ioyfull and séeing his white belly vncouered which was without seales thrust in his sword a foote belowe his throat and so cut it down to his nauell in such sort that with the bloud venym fat intestines there issued out of the belly of this deuouring serpent the body of a man all consumed whome he had but two dayes before swallowed downe the bones onely remayning like an Anotomy wrapt in some paeces of bloudie and filthie clouts And the serpent a little before being the terror to a whole towne who had made so many trooked turnes and windings and giuen so many blowes with his venymous taile and that had eaten so many people being then vanquished slaine ripped and constramed to voyde that which he had deuoured and all by a young man did that being dead which neuer in his life time he would doo that is he stretched himselfe out right like a falue piller and occupying in his so lying a great part of the Sands Alector beholding him in this wise began to say O wicked beast when thou canst no longer harme thou doost that which is right good If thou in thy life time haddest mainteyned thy selfe so right as thou hast conformed thy self at thy death so many people had not by thée béen deuoured nor thou slaine And in saying so he mounted vpon him with his feete and trode vpon the head of the dead serpent in singing for ioy with a high and clere voyce and face lifted vp to Heauen an Epinic song of victorie which hee had learned in the Polonian language passing through that countrey when as the spirit of Gallehault carried him away to the great consolation of the people incredible ioy of Franc-Gal his good father This done he put vp his sword and then pulled the arrow out of the serpents throate the which he holding in his hand and viewing it red with the fresh bloud of the serpent and as yet stayned with the old bloud of his Lady Noëmia slaine could not but cast out with a profound sigh three great teares without wéeping these words O murthering Archer that with this arrowe hast traiterously slaine the innocent Noëmia Gratian the fourth of the Graces before their worthie statues and betwéene mine armes and who through an euill conscience of thy wicked deed darest not manifest thy self thinking by occult dissimulation to escape the iust vengeance I beseech the Soueraigne God Ioua who in this temple before vs is worshipped that the bloud of the innocent which I see yet on this arrow may fall with cruel vengeance vpon thee that thine iniquitie may descend vpon thy head to the terrible example of al enuious traitors and spoylers of the innocent This spoken he darted vp the arrowe into the ayre with such impetuositie accompanied as it is credible with the vertue of some superior power that it mounted with an vnspeakeable legeritie so high that all the assistants who had their view still towards heauen lost the sight thereof attending when it should fall longer than an houre with great merueiling And seeing it not to fal they descended into the Arenes to behold the horrible body of the serpent lying vppon the sands so enormious hideous and fearefull albeit hee was dead that the greater part of the multitude durst not approach him but behild him a far of sauing onely the vanquisher Alector which contemplated him in his length greatnes and terrible forme armed with impenttrable hardnes with the deadly venym of sharp teeth with catching without letting goe with a deuouring throat consuming belly and with the miserable remainders of his deuorations And hereupon considered the grace of force and hardines which the Soueraigne had bestowed vpon him to ouercome such a monster who hild so notable a towne in so miserable a subiection neuerthelesse hauing some doubt of his death and whiles hee sought very curiously on all sides behold a voyce issuing out of the carren corps of this monster sounding so high great that it was heard through the whole Theatre in these words Sonne of Franc-Gal which now hast ouerthrowne The reuenger of Calistus lately slaine To thee full heauie newes by me is showne That thou shalt be transformde for this thy paine These spéeches being cried high and déepe like the thick sound of a thunder bolt was heard of all who ran to sée what it was but nothing appeared for the serpent was stark dead and this voyce proceeded not from the beast but from some spirite to giue aduertisement or terror to Alector of that which was to come whereto he tooke then no great heede for admiration of this monster and great ioy of his victory And thus as the whole multitude were about him and the Serpent in contemplation astonished at the enormitie of the one and vertue of the other behold the arrow an houre before darted by him towards Heauen with a great bruit fell downe from thence againe in a flaming fire cutting the high region with a sharpe sounde and lightning with such impetuositie amids the fearefull multitude that it fell vpon the head of a young man named Coracton borne in Orbe of better house than name who being stroken therewith and attaint with this Celestiall fire vnquenchable fell downe to the ground where through the intollerable paines and heate wherewith hee felt himselfe burned he lay tumbling and groueling in the sands horriblie crying Mercie mercie Noëmia Mercie Franck Alector for I am the cursed Coracton that through malicious enuie and enraged iealosie haue traiterously slaine the fayre Noëmia with the proper arrow that now pierceth and burneth my braynes and entrailes Mercie O Soule of Noëmia content thy selfe with more lighter reuenge what canst thou doo more to me if the death be too little for me O Alector for the loue of Noëmia which was so deere vnto thee I require of thee this last gift that with thy sword the reuenger of euil thou wilt vouchsafe to abridge my life and rid mée out of the torment wherein I burne Now truely quoth Alector who would haue bin sory that the death of his Noëmia should haue bin reuenged with any other hand than his owne this graciousnes shall not be denied thee but it shall not be with my good sword because it is vnworthie to be stayned with so wicked a bloud and therewithall he tooke a halberd out of the hand of one of the 400. men which kept the field and therewith gaue him such a blow vpon the head that hee cloue it in twaine the braines all sprinckling about the sands burnt and smokie Neuerthelesse for all this the Celestiall fire and the arrowe which had entred into his body ceased not to follow and burne
him vntill the head corps entrailes flesh bones and sinewes were cleane consumed into stinking ashes together with the murthering arrow Such was the diuine vengeance that fell vpon the traitor and enuious paricide Coracton wherewithall the people were astonished in feare and terror of the great vertue and more than humaine puissance supernaturally giuen to this young Esquire who forthwith was taken by the Potentate Diocles accompanied with all the Assessours Magistrats and Lords of the towne and led into the chiefest place of the Theatre wher with Croniel the pontifical Archier was Franc-Gal so rauished with ioy for the health victorie of his sonne Alector that he was beyond himself not knowing whether hee were man or spirit quick or dead sensible or vnsensible And neuertheles his son Alector came before al the multitude saluted him with humble reuerence childly cherefulnes saying vnto him My most honorable Lord father thanks be vnto the soueraigne that beyond al my hope in spight of the rauishing trāsport of the wicked spirits we are againe assembled vnited together and so shal continue if God please who hath vouchsafed to grant me a sight of you after so long a depart you to finde me after so long vncertain a search which I verily beleeue you haue made Franc-Gal vnderstāding his sonn answered him thus Alector my most dere child the soueraigae God Ioua increase thee with vertue hardines honor Then beholding his shield and eleuating his eyes to heauen began againe his speach saying Thanks be vnto the Soueraigne and to thée most high sonne for that before my departure out of this mortall life which shal be very soone wherein I haue liued nine ages more I sée before me my most déere Sonne Alector borne of my Lady Priscaraxe Quéene of Tartary and haue seen his first prowesse promises of farre greater in tune to come with his first honors done vnto him in a strange countrey yea that amongst his enemies such as had vowed his mortall destruction my child I pray the soueraign Ioue that the order of knighthood may bee giuen thee by some valiant and magnificall man for of me thou hast fayled the receining therof when as thou shalthaue receiued it perseuer to honour Soueraigne Ioue and to giue him praises euerie houre both day and night Lift vp thy spirit and eyes towards heauen from whence thou hast taken original and thy courage to high enterprises hardines prowesse honour alwaies accompanie thee vertue freedom and liberalitie neuer abandon thee be freend to the good an enemie reuenger to the wicked My Sonne the hand of the most puissant most great and most good God blesse thee and my fatherly blessing take thou in a good houre Saying this he put his hand vpon the head of his sonne and then adressing his speach to the Croniell Archier hee said thus I likewise thanke thee most vertuous Archier for thy faithfull conduct honest company and of thy good and veritable foretellings which haue consolated me and giuen me to vnderstand that the end of my perigrination is at hand and that shortly the vaticination of Proteus shall bee accomplished I haue liued and perfected the course which nature hath giuen me To be briefe my great Image shall goe vnder the earth and the flame of my Cierge remount vp to Heauen from whence it came cause my departure to be signified to my faith full companions who are at the next port with my Hippopotame but aboue al send word into Tartary to the Queene Priscaraxe to let her vnderstand of my departure to the end she stay no longer for mee Croniell promised him to accomplish his request if the mortal thing should chance to happen which seemed to him neither to bee ready nor nere at hand considering at that present hee was both in perfect health and bigor In the meane while the Magistrates lords multitude with great silence beheld these two persons strangers the father and the sonne in great admiratiō of their heroycal comelines and equall and like beautie according to the difference of their ages together with their excellent magnanimities valiant facts and aduenturous déedes and of their fortunate encountrie and mutuall knowledge the one of the other in that place of the Theatre in such sort that either without speach or mouing vniuersally they held their immutable eyes vpon Franc-Gal and Alector Then Croniel the Archier sayd Yee men of Orbe who vpon these 2. strange men doo cast your view in great admiration know yee that our Soueraigne God Ioua hath sent them into these regions frō far Septentrional countries for the publique health of our citie and destruction of our domestical and internall enemie whom you your selues and in your presence haue séene slaine and discomfited by the sonne of this wise man who likewise before hath deliuered the woods and fields round about vs from the danger of the terrible Centaure whom he slew and deliuered the fayre Noëmia from his hands which afterwards was the occasion of the scandale that now hath turned to our great common good for therewith we are bound to him and owe the greatest and chiefest honor and praise next vnto God To whome first of all let vs goe and render thanks in his temple where we wil deuise further with what prise of honor wee shall acknowledge the merit of this young man Al the people general answered hereto So be it Of the thanks giuing in the Temple the publique praise the prize of honour assigned with the ciuill crowne giuen to Alector Of the death of Franc-Gal the lamentation for him his elenation and translation of the losse of Hippopotame and of the bird sent away as a messenger CAP. Vlt. AT these words the Archier betwéene the Father and the Sonne went right to the temple whereto hée was followed of the Potentate Magistrats Lords and the greater part of the people And being come thether there were set on the highest degree before the altar thrée chayres In the middlemost the Archier tooke his place in the two others Franc-Gal and Alector were placed and the Potentate with the other Lords counsellors and other Magistrates betooke them to their accustomed seats This done all of them following the example of their Bishop bowed their knées and enclined their heads in silent prayer and thanks giuing and afterwards rising vp at the suite and imitation of their Priest Croniell and his ministers with the founds of all forts of instruments according with the voyce in harmenious Musick they sung this song following Thanks be to Ioue our great and Soueraigne Lord Who hath vs brought out of these mortall dangers Honor and praise we people him afford That hath vs saued by the hands of strangers O blessed spirits and sacred Angels bright Vouchsafe now to present before his throne Our gratefull psalme and song of sweet delight Acknowledging that through his grace alone The worthie child and Sonne of vertuous syre
to shewe thee to morrowe him whom thou demandest Then Franc-Gall reuiuing out of his deep thought cast out a great sigh saying And shall I then finde Alector carried away by the winds which can not be folowed Yea but I shall neuer see him againe for which I must die and ende my peregrination rendring the fire the light and vigor of my life to him of whom I haue receiued it by a termination of life which is called death most terrible and fearefull of all things the which is neere and imminent to me as I see and perceiue in my selfe For to euerie man is giuen diuinelie to foresee that which is to come thieflie when he approacheth to the ende of his life when the spirit is more nigh himselfe and lesse wrapped in terrestriall things whereby hee seeth and vnderstandeth more cleetelie and purelie for such is the wil of the diuine prouidence to the ende man be not taken vnprouided and die beastlie Art thou then God quoth the Archier to knowe the things which are to come God I am not quoth hee but man to whom God hath giuen long life experience science of the starres interpretation of auguries and knowledge of my nigh ende as the diuine Fates haue ordemed my spirite prognosticated the oracles foreshowen me and the Prophecies foretolde me What other thing did the dreame of my heart carried away by the flying Basitisque presage me the oracle of the marinall man Proteus foretelling my departure without returne the vision of the wicked crowe at Tangut of the stockdoue of the crane and of the vultur the rauen resting vppon my head the mortall threatning of the spirite of Gallehault the song of this lost blacke bird Now see I wel then my fatal hower to be instane and that I must away let vs therefore O Archier my friend be going and conduct me according to thy promise to the Sands of Orbe where I shall finde my life my death or both And so they put themselues vpon the way the page of Franc-Gall following them And in going the Archier who by signes and coniectures but chieflie by the nightly reuelation and diuiue commanundement to come and finde this stranger preseruer of his life knewe well the next day to showe him the faire Squire combattor of the Serpent to present him for his sonne that he might knowe more cokens of the matter thus began his speach The deuise of the two olde men Croniel and Franc-Gall held vpon the waie going towards the Citie of Orbe CAP. 6. O Stranger my friend quoth the Archier thou speakest so obscurelie and thy talke so entermingled with destomachall sobbes deepe sighes and sodaine mutations with confusion and mingling together of Prophecies Fates Oracles and Miracles that I cannot well vnderstand the discourse of thy farre and vagrant peregrination searching thy sonne whom thou callest Alector carried away if it be credible by the windes vnlesse thou bring foorth the beginning first causes of this aduenture when and in what place how thou hast lost thy Sonne what he is and what thou art of what Nation and qualitie for to my iudgement thou séemest not to bee a man of seruile or base condition but rather a franke and liberall Gentleman as full well thou hast giuen mee to vnderstand at our first méeting wherefore I beséech thee of curtesie disdaine not to reckon vnto me thy fortune and thy déere Sonne Alectors from the beginning to the ende cleerly and patiently without confusion or interruption of coÌ„plaints That quoth Franc-Gall can I not well doo my friend Archier for as from the aier moued by tempest troublesome windes doo blowe great showers of raine fall and thunder claps issue euen so from a tormented heart can nought procéed but sobbes nought distill but teares nought descend but weepings and waylings Moreouer the time letteth me yea and the desire also which I haue of going to the place whereof the bird sang will not permit me to doo it vppon whose tune neuerthelesse I knowe not what to coitiecture it is so ambiguous and séemeth so conerarie in it selfe And for this cause quoth the Archicr oughtest thou lesse to â—efer the narration to me of thy facts affaires and aduentures whereof I hope to giue thee some good counsell and comfort after I shall well vnderstand them And for that the way to the Sands whereto thou pretendest to goe is not so short as peraduenture it seemeth to be but long enough from hence as I may tell thée for vs speciallie who are alreadie olde and heauie by age or rather destitute of the liuelie firâ— which heretofore hath susteined vs quicke and nimble who now goe grauely and heauely the length of the time and way will suffice thée to reckon and me to giue care to thy former fortunes whereof as God loue me I haue dolour and compassion with thee for beeing a man I estéeme no humane thing but that it may touch me I heartely thanke thée of thine humanitie quoth Franc-Gall but by how much thy compassion shuld be consolatorie vnto me by so much should the commemoration thereof be â—oiefull and therefore it is better for mée with science to kéepe my profound dolour in my transpierced heart than by vttering my misaduentures to renue my former griefes No no quoth the Archier thou must not doo so but to the concrarie solace thy beauie heart by reuealing thy griefe to him who without feeling it will lighten thée of the one haife yea peraduenture of the whole And therefore discharge thy bodie of thy harnesse and mantle by giuing it to thy page and thy hart of thy passions by communicating of them to me being a stranger yet notwithstanding a man and so shalt thou doo thy selfe pleasure and accomplish my desire and thou eke by accompting it and I by the hearing thereof shal abbridge and shorten the length of our waye and forget our wearinesse for as the common prouerbe goeth In trauell talke without reproach Is better than a tottering coach Ha old companion quoth Franc-Gal I feele that alreadie to be true in me which thou hast said for thy humaine speaches do inuite me to ease my heart in vomiting the remembraunce of my diuers aduentures as well good as euill with my present deliberations the sweete conceipts of my hope to come which among other things doo promise comfort and counsell of thee And therefore now will I take as great solace and pleasure to discouer to thee my fortunes as thou hast had curious desire to enquire them of me hearken therefore as wee goe leasurely and thou shalt heare meruailes Begin then peaceablie quoth the Archier and I will willingly giue attentiue heede therevnto Then Franc-Gal put off his purple mantle whose cape was of cloath of golde enriched with a great and celestiall Saphir and tooke off from his necke his shield carrying vpon Azure a Sonne of golde his helmet from his head whereof onely before he had but lifted
vp the visor giuing it all to his page who followed him being a yong and lustie man called Oplophor And so remained Franc-Gall onely in his single corslet great and straight his bodie being of a faire and vpright stature exceeding the common forme of men and lifting vp a head alreadie halfe balde what with age and bearing of his helmet his haires white and his heard siluered long wreathed like the streames of a swift brooke his visage faire and being open full of redoubtable serenitie with a gracious dignitie admirable to all the beholders chieflie to the olde Archier who seeing him openly esteemed in his heart neuer among mortall men to haue séene a more faire creapure sauing that the serenctie of his face was somewhat troubled with a cloud of inward griefe yéelding foorth grose teares which distilled downe his white beard which thing the Archier apperceiuing said vnto him after this manner Noble Lord for so thy apparaunce doth declare leaue I beséech thee these lamentations to women and children and to soft and effeminated men reckon constantly to vs thine aduentures for vnto a man of such a personage as I see thou art armour is more séemely than teares Thou saist truth quoth Franc-Gall and speakest like a wise man and of a high affaire and for that cause will I suppresse my passions and in proceeding on our way accompt vnto thée mine actions and therefore giue eare That will I doo quoth the olde Archier sauing vnder thy correction I will now and then make some short and interlocutorious demaunds vpon such points wherein I shall perceiue a more plainer intelligence to be better than a simple narration Right willinglie quoth Franc-Gall for by that meanes I shall haue leasure to breath in my going and speaking and our talke shall be more gracious being altred than continued and the matter better remembred and vnderstood And therefore I pray thée feare not to enteriect incidences and breake my talke where thou shalt sée thy selfe not fully satisfied And now behold I begin my historie A narration of the ancient Tower of the three fatall Sisters and of their olde Mother Lady Anange CAP. 7. THere is in the World a certaine long way 〈◊〉 and little frequented by reason of the sharpe blinde and hard keeping thereof the which way notwithstanding leadeth to the most ancient Temple of the Souereigne And by which the renowned King Perseforest tooke 〈◊〉 of the architecture of that pâ—…relesse Temple dedicated to soueraigne Iehouah which he erected and edificated in the diabolicall forest of Darmant to these and extermine the wicked spirites who at that time kept their habitation in those solitarie forests and to giue addresse to wandring Knights who in those pathlesse woods â—pentsearching straunge aduentures At the â—…ie of which way leading towards the foresaid soueraigne Temple was a most ancient round Tower builded before the memorie of man whose foundations were 〈◊〉 deepely hidden euen vnto the bottomlesse pitts and there under a most horrible Barathre or prison of accursed and wicked creatures But the top thereof was so highly eleuated that it seemed to exceed the heauens and whereunto no earthly eye were it euer so sharp could euer attaine onely three faire ample stages might be perceiued garnished with great and mightie porches engrauen and figured with infinite images and shadowed with diuers and sundrie colours mettalls and precious stones of exceeding splendor and for the rest vnprohibited to all people with open gates cleere windowes Within these three Stages were dwelling three Fates Sisters germaines and daughters to a high puissant and auncient Ladie called Anange resident as it is said and helde for certaine on the highest top of that Tower 〈…〉 her in the first Stage her worâ—… her 〈◊〉 and first fatall Sister called Cleronome was 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Stage another fatal Sister 〈◊〉 Zodore 〈…〉 and in the last and lowest 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fatall Sister who had to her proper name Termame 〈◊〉 Thus were these three fatall Sisters germaines 〈…〉 resident with their traine in the three paâ—…s 〈◊〉 â—…ent Tower so well contriued and neere together that â—…selie they might enter the one into the other but 〈◊〉 all ruled their ancient mother Anange Vppon this point the olde Archier began to replie in this sort It is a common prouerbe quoth he that a good lier must haue a good memorie least by forgetting his first talke he contrarie himselfe in his last Wherefore 〈…〉 take heede that in the beginning of thy processe thâ—… be not found by thy forgetfulnesse a liar which 〈…〉 I can hardly beare withall Remember 〈…〉 thou toldest me that the foundations of the Tower â—…of thou speakest are so lowe as the obscure depths where the eye of mortall man neuer penetrateth and that the top thereof by his immensall height doth 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of our humaine sight how then commeth it to passe that the depth of this Tower and the things there 〈◊〉 are knowen amongst men and how is it euident that on the top thereof the auncient Lady whom thâ—… callest Anange mother to the three sisters inhabiting in the foresaid three palaces is there resident seeing thou hast said the excellâ—…ude of the Tower is not to bee comprehended with the eye of man whereby it feemeth that either thou doost gesse therof by imagination or els that thou knowest it by reuealation Therein thou failest not quoth Franc-Gall for partly I haue knowen it by cleare and true reuealation by a Calodaimon verie familiar with me who assisteth me in al things and oftentimes rauisheth my spirit out of my bodie carrying it into farre and strange places and showing me merueilous things which no man can tel vnles he had been there present whereof being returned againe to my selfe I haue good remembrance and I haue reported that which afterwards hath been found veritable And thereby it happened that one day being at the foote of this Tower contemplating the meruailous workmanship thereof and reasoning with my selfe that according to the exceeding height of it belonged necessarily a foundation of terrible depth whiles I was ouercome with this consideration beholde from a part of Heauen came flying towards me a white feathered Bird with her beake legs so red as faire corall her eyes of the colour of fire flaming in shew like two precious carbuncles who in kissing wise came and put her beake into my mouth wherewith by an occult vertue she drew my spirite vnto her leauing my bodie in the mean time gasping and panting much like to one in a traunce And so hauing eleuated my spirite vnto the lower Region of the aier not by flight vpwards but as it were turning going round about all the climates of the world like those who by often winding clime the rude and high mountaines vntill it was eleuate right towards the North ouer an Island called Ireland where sodainly this Bird left mee and let mee fall shooting like a tempest into this Isle in a great hole