said she more sharp than the pricking Bryer with what inequality dost thou torment my wounded heart not linking my dear Lord in the like Affection of Mind O Venus if thou be imperious in thy Deity to whom both Gods and Men obey command my wandring Lord to return again or grant that my Soul may flie into the Clouds that by the Winds it may be blown into his sweet Bosom where now lives my bleeding heart But foolish Fondling that I am he hath rejected me and shuns my Company as the Syrens else had he not refused the Court of Egypt where he was Honoured as a King and wandred the the World to seek another Love No no it cannot be he bears no such unconstant mind and I greatly fear some Treachery hath bereaved me of his sight or else some stony Prison excludes my George from me If it be so sweet Morpheus thou God of Golden Dreams reveal to me my Love 's Abiding that in my sleep his shadow may appear and report the cause of his departure After this Passion breathed from the mansion of her Soul she committed her watchful eyes to the Government of sweet sleep which being no sooner closed but there appeared as she thought the shadow and very shape of her dearly beloved Lord St. George of England not as he was wont to be flourishing in his glittering Burgonet of Steel nor Mounted on a stately Iennet deckt with a crimson Plume of spangled Feathers but in over-worn and simple Attire with pale Looks and lean Body like to a Ghost risen from some hollow Grave breathing as it were these sad and woful Passions Sabra I am Betrayed for Love of thee And lodg'd in hollow Caves and dismal Night From whence I never more shall come to see Thy loving Countenance and Beauty bright Remain thou True and Constant for my sake That of thy Love they may no Conquest make Let Tyrants think if ever I obtain What e're is lost by Treason's cursed guile False Egypt's Scourge I surely will remain And turn to streaming blood Morocco's smile That damned Dog of Barbary shall rue The doleful Sâ—ratagems that will ensue The Persian Towers shall smoak with fire And lofty Babylon be tumbled down The Cross of Christendom shall then aspire To wear the proud Egyptian tripple Crown Ierusalem and Iudah shall behold The fall of Kings by Christian Champians bold Thou Maid of Egypt still continue chast A Tyger seeks thy Virgins Name to spill Whilst George of England is in Prison plac'd Thou shalt be forc'd to Wed against thy will But after this shall happen Mighty things For from thy Womb shall spring three Wondrous Kings This strange and woeful spéech was no sooner ended but she awaked from her Sleep and presently reached forth her white hands thinking to imbrace him but she catched nothing but brittle Air which caused her to renew her former Complaints Oh wherefore died I not in this my troublesome Dream said the sorrowful Lady that my Ghost might have haunted those inhumane Monsters which have thus falsly betrayed the bravest Champion under the Cope of Heaven for his sake will I exclaim against the ingratitude of Egypt and like Ravished Philomel fill every corner of the Land with Ecchoes of his wrong my Woes shall exceed the Sorrows of Dido Queen of Carthage mourning for Eneas With such like Passions wearied she the time away till twelve Months were fully finished At last her Father understanding what fervent Affection she bore to the English Champion began in this manner to relate Daughter said the Egyptian King I charge thee by the bond of Nature and the true obedience thou oughtest to bear my Age to banish and exclude all fond Affections from thy mind and not thus to settle thy Love upon a wandring Knight that is unconstant and without habitation thou seest he hath forsaken thee and returned into his own Country where he hath Wedded a Wife of that Land and Nation therefore I charge thee upon my Displeasure to Affect and Love the Black King of Morocco that rightfully hath deserved thee in Marriage which shall be shortly Honourably holden to the Honour of Egypt and so he departed without any Answer at all By which Sabra knew he would not be crost in his Will and Pleasure therefore she sighed out these lamentable words O unkind Father to cross the Affection of his Child and to force Love where no Liking is Yet shall my mind continue true unto my dear beloved Lord although my Body be forced against Nature to Obey and Almidor have the Honour of my Marriage-Bed English George shall enjoy my true Uirginity if ever he return again into Egypt and thereupon she pulled forth a chain of Gold and wrapped it seven times about her Ivory Neck This said she hath been seven days steept in Tygers Blood and seven nights in Dragons Milk whereby it hath obtained such excellent Uertue that so long as I wear it about my Neck no Man on Earth can enjoy my Uirginity though I be forced to the state of Marriage and lie seven years in Wedlocks Bed yet by the vertue of this Chain I shall continue a true Uirgin Which words were no sooner ended but Almidor entred her sorrowful Chamber and presented her with a Wedding Garment which was of the purest Median Silk imbossed with Pearl and rich refined Gold perfumed with sweet Syrian Powders it was of the colour of the Lilly when Flora hath bedecked the Fields in May with Natures Ornaments Glorious and Costly were her Uestures and so stately were the Nuptial Rites Solemnized that Egypt admired the bounty of her Wedding which for seven days was holden in the Court of Ptolomy and then moved to Tripoly the chief City in Barbary where Almidor's forced Bride was Crowned Queen of Morocco at which Coronation the Conduits ran with Greekish Wines and the Streets of Tripoly were beautified with Pageants and delightful shews The Court resounded such melodious Harmony as though Apollo with his Silver Harp had descended from the Heavens such Tilts and Tournaments were performed betwixt the Egyptian Knights and the Knights of Barbary that they exceeded the Nuptials of Hecuba the beauteous Queen of Troy which honourable proceedings we leave for this time to their own contentments some Masking some Dancing some Revelling some Tilting and some Banqueting Also leaving the Champion of England Saint George mourning in the Dungeon in Persia as you heard before and return to the other Six Champions of Christendom which departed from the Brazen Pillar every one his several way whose Knightly and Noble Adventures if the Muses grant me the Bounty of fair Castalian Springs I will most amply discover the Honour of all Christendom CHAP. IV. How Saint Denis the Champion of France lived Seven years in the shape of an Hart and how proud Eglantine the King's Daughter of Thessaly was transformed into a Mulberry-Tree and how they recovered their former shapes by means of Saint Denis 's Horse CAlling
to which place St. George intended to Travel not to furnish himself with any needful thing but to accomplish some Honourable Adventure whereby his worthy Deeds might be eternized in the Books of Memory So after he had descended from the top of the steepy Mountain and had Travelled into a low Ualley about some two or three Miles he approached an old and almost Ruinated Hermitage over-grown with Moss and other Weeds before the entry of this Hermitage sate an Ancient Father upon a round Stone taking the heat of the warm Sun which cast such a comfortable brightness upon the Hermit's face that his white Beard seemed to glister like Silver and his Head to exceed the whiteness of the Northern Isicles to whom after St. George had given the due Reverence that belonged unto Age he demanded the name of the Countrey and the City he Travelled to and under what King the Countrey was Governed To whom the Courteous Hermit thus replyed Most Noble Knight for so I guess you are by your Furniture and outward appearance you are now in the Confines of Barbary the City opposite before your eyes is called Tripoly remaining under the Government of Almidor the black King of Morocco in which City he now keepeth his Court attended on by as many gallant Knights as any King under the Cope of Heaven At which words the Noble Champion of England suddenly started as though he had intelligence of some baleful news which deeply discontented his Princely mind his heart was presently incensâ—d with a speedy Revenge and his mind so extreamly thirsted after Almidor's Tragedy that he could scarce answer again to the Hermit's words But bridling his Fury the angry Champion spake in this manner Grave Father said he through the Treachery of that Accursed King I endured seven years Imprisonment in Persia where I suffered both hunger cold and extream misery But if I had my good Sword Ascalon and my trusty Palfrey which I lest in the Egyptian Court where remains my betrothed Love the King's Daughter of Egypt I would be Avenged on the Head of Almidor were his Guard more strong than the Army of Xerxes whose multitudes drank Rivers dry Why said the Hermit Sabra the King's Daughter of Egypt is Queen of Barbary and since her Nuptials were solemnly performed in Tripoly are seven Summers fully finished Now by the honour of my Country England replied St. George the place of my Nativity and as I am a true Christian Knight these eyes of mine shall never close this undaunted heart never entertain one thought of Peace nor this unconquered hand receive one minutes rest untill I have obtained a sight of the sweet Princess for whose sake I have endured so long Imprisonment Therefore dear Father be thus â—â—nd to a Travellor as to exchange thy Cloathing for this my Rich Furniture and lusty Stéed which I brought from the Souldan of Persia for in the habit of a Palmer I may enjoy the fruition of her sight without suspicion Otherwise I must néeds be constrained by Uiolence with my trusty Falchion to make way into her Princely Palace where I know she is attended on most carefully by many a Ualiant and Couragious Knight therefore courteously deliver me thy Hermit's Gown and I will give to boot with my Horse and Armour this Box of costly Iewels Which when that grave Hermit beheld he humbly thanked the Noble Champion and so with all the speed they could possible make exchanged Apparel and in this manner departed The Palmer being glad repaired to his Hermitage with St. George's Furniture and St. George in the Palmer's Apparel towards the City of Tripoly who no sooner came to the sumptuous Buildings of the Court but he espied a hundred poor Palmers kneeling at the Gate to whom St. George spake after this manner not with lofty and Heroical speeches beseeming a Princely Champion but with meek and humble words like an aged Palmer My dear Brethren saidâ— the Champion for what intent remain you here or what expert you from this honourable Court We abide here answered the Palmers for an Alms which the Queen once a day hath given this seven years for the sake of an English Knight named St. George whom she affecteth above all the Knights of the World But when will this be given said St. George In the afternoon replied the Palmers until which time upon our bended knees we hoâ—rly pray for the good Fortune of that most noble English Knight Which Speeches so pleased the Ualiant-minded Champion St. George that he thought every minute a whole year till the Golden Sun had passed away the middle part of Heaven for it was but newly risen from Aurora's Bed wheâ—e light as yet with a shamefac'd radiant blush distained the Eastern Skie During which time the most valiant and Magnahimous Champion St. George of England one while remembring the extream misery he endured in Persia for her sake whereat he let fall many Crystal Tears from his Eyes another while thinking upon the Terrible Battel he had with a Burning Dragon in Aegypt where he Redeemed her from the Fatal Iaws of Death at last it was his chance to walk about the Court beholding the sumptuous Buildings and the curious engraven works by the atchievement of Man bestowed upon the glistring Windows where he heard to his exceeding pleasure the heavenly Uoice of his beloved Sabra descending from a Window upon the West-side of the Palace where she warbled forth this sorrowful Ditty upon her Ivory Lute Die all desires of Joy and Courtly Pleasures Die all desires of Princely Royalty Die all desires of Worldly Treasures Die all desires of stately Majesty Sith he is gone that pleased most mine Eye For whom I wish ten thousand times to die O that mine eyes might never cease to weep O that my tongue might evermore complain O that my Soul might in his Bosome sleep For whose sweet sake my Heart doth live in pain In Woe I sing with brinish Tears besprent Out worn with Grief Consum'd with Discontent In time my Sighs will dim the Heaven's fair Light Which hourly flie from my tormented Breast Except Saint George that Noble English Knight With safe return abandon my unrest Then careful cries shall end with deep annoy Exchanging weeping Tears for smiling Joy Before the Face of Heaven this Vow I make Tho unkind Friends have Wed me to their Will And Crown'd me Queen my ardent flames to slake Which in despite of them shall flourish still Bear witness Heavens and Earth what I have said For George's sake I live and die a Maid Which sorrowful Ditty being no sooner ended but she departed the Window quite from the hearing of the English Champion that stood gazing up to the Casements preparing his ears to entertain her sweet tuned Melody the second time but it was in vain whereat he grew in more perplexed passions than Aenea when he had lost his beloved Creâ—sa amongst the Army of the Grecian sometimes wishing the day to
Noble-minded Champion of Wales obtained such favour at the Emperor's hands that he likewise was chief Challenger who entred the Lists upon a Tartarian Palsrey covered with a veil of Black to signifie a black and Tragical day should befall those Grecian Knights that durst approve his invincible Fortitude His Tent was pitcht in the marmer and form of a Castle in the West side of the Lists before the entry whereof hung a Golden Shield whereon was lively pourtrayed a silver Griffin Rampant upon a Golden Helmet which signified the Ancient Arms of Britain His Srmcely Atchievements not only obtained due commendations at the Emperor's hands but of the whole Assembly of the Grecian Ladies wherewith they applauded him to be the most Noble Knight that ever â—hidered Launce and the most fortunate Champion that ever entred into the Grecian Court. Upon the seventh and last day of these Honourable Turnaments and most Noble Sroceedings the Famous and Ualiant Knight at Arms St. George of England as Chief Challenger entred the Lists upon a Sable-coloured Steed betrapt with Bars of burnished Gold his Fore-head beautified with a gorgeous Plume of purple Feathers from whence hung many Pendants of Gold his Armour of the purest Lydian Steel nailed fast together with silver Plates his Helmet ingraven very curiously beset with Indian Pearl and Iasper-stones before his Breast-place hung a silver Table in a Damask Scarf whereon was pinured a Lion Rampant in a bloody Field bearing three golden Crowns upon his head before his Tent stood an Ivory Chariot guarded by twelve cole-black Negroes wherein his beloved Lady and Mistress Sabra sate invested upon a sâ—â—ver Globe to behold the Heroical Encounters of her most Noble and Magnanimous Champion St. George of England His Tent was as white as the Swans Feathers glistring against the Sun supported by four joyntless Elephants framed of the purest Brass about his Helmet he tied a wreath of Uirgin's hair where hung his Lady's Glove which he wore to maintain her excellent Gifts of Nature to exceed all Ladies on the Earth These costly Habiliments ravished the beholders with such unspeakable pleasure that they stood gazing at his Furniture not able to withdraw their Eyes from so Heavenly a sight But when they behold his Uictorious Encounters against the Grecian Knights they supposed him to be the invincible Tamer of that seven-headed Monster that climbed to the Elements offering to pull Jupiter from his Throne His Stéed never gave Encounter with any Knight but he tumbled Horse and Man to the Ground where they lay for a time berest of Sense The Tournaments dured for that day from the Suns rising till the cole-black Evening-Star appeared in which time he Conquered five hundred of the hardiest Knights then living in Asia and shivered a thousand Launces to the wonderful admiration of the Beholders Thus were the seven days brought to an end by the Seven worthy Champions of Christendom in reward of whose Noble Atchievements the Grecian Emperor being a Man that highly favoured Knightly Proceedings gave them a Golden Tree with seven Branches to be divided equally amongst them Which Honourable Prize they conveyed to St. George's Pavillion where in dividing the Branches the Seven Champions discovered themselves each to other and by what good Fortune they arrived in the Grecian Court whose long wished sight so rejoyced their hearts that they all accounted that happy day of meeting the joyfullest day that ever they beheld But now after the Tournaments were fully ended and the Knights rested themselves some few days recovering their wonted agility of Body they fell to a new exercise of pleasure not appearing in glistring Armour before the Tilt nor following the loud sounding Drums and Silver Trumpets but spending away the time in Courtry Dances amongst their â—â— loved Ladies and Mistresses in more Royalty than the Phâ—ygian Knights when they presented the Paragon of Asia with an Enchanted Mask There wanted no inspiring Musick to delight their Ears no pleasant Sonnets to ravish their Senses nor no curious Dances to please their Eyes Sabra she was the Mistress of the Revels who graced the whole Court with her excellent Beauty which seemed to exceed the rest of the Ladies in fairness as far as the Moon surpasseth her attending Stars in a froâ—ty Night and when she danced she seemed like Thetis tripping on the silver Sands with whom the Sun did fall in Love And if she chanced to smile the cloudy Elements would weep and drop down heavenly dew as though they mourned for Love There likewise remained in the Court the six Thracian Uirgins that in former time lived in the shape of Swans which were as Beautiful Ladies as ever eye beheld also many other Ladies attended the Empress in whose Companies the Seven Champions daily delighted Sometimes discoursing of Amorous conceits other times delighting themselves with sweet sounding Musick Then spending the day in Banqueting Revelling Dancing and such like pastimes not once injuring their true betrothed Ladies But their Courtly pleasures continued not long for they were suddenly dashed with a certain News of open Wars Proclaimed against all Christendem which fell out contrary to the expectation of the Christian Knights There arrived in the Grecian Emperor's Palace an hundred Heralds of an hundred several Provinces which Proclaimed utter Defiance to all Christian Kingdoms by these words We the High and Mighty Emperors of Asia and Africa great Commanders both of Land and Seas Proclaim by general Consent of all the Eastern Potentates utter Ruine and Destruction to the Kingdoms of Christendom and to all those Nations where any Christian Knights are harboured First the Souldan of Persia in Revenge of a Bloody Slaughter done in his Palace by an English Champion Ptolomy the Egyptian King in Revenge of his Daughter violently taken away by the same Knight Almidor the black King of Morocco in Revenge of his Queen likewise taken away by the said English Champion The great Governor of Thessaly in Revenge of his Daughter taken away by a French Knight The King of Ierusalem in Revenge of his Daughter taken away by a Spanish Knight The Tartarian Emperor in Revenge of his Son Count Palatine slain by the unhappy hand of the Champion of Wales the Thracian Monarch in Revenge of his vain Travel after his seven Daughters now in keeping of certain Christian Knights In Revenge of which Injuries all Kingdoms from the further parts of Prester-Iohn's Dominions to the Borders of the Red-Sea have sent down their Hands and Seals to be Aiders in this bloody War This Proclamation was no sooner ended but the Grecian Emperor likewise consented to their bloody determination and thereupon gave speedy Commandment to Muster up the greatest Strength that Grecia could afford to joyn with the Pagans to the utter Ruine and Confusion of Christendom which bloody Edict or rather inhumane Iudgment pronounced by the accursed Infidels compelled the Christian Champions to a speedy departure and every one to hasten to his own Country there
they came to the Orchard Gate which they presently burst open wherein no sooner entring but they found their Murdered Master lying by a Bed of Uiolets covered with Moss likewise searching to find out the Murderer at last they espied Sabra in her bare Petticoat her hands and face besprinkled with blood and her Countenance as pale as ashes by which â—ighs 〈◊〉 suspected her to be the bloody bereaver of their Lord and Master's Life therefore because she descended from a Noble Lineage they brought her the same night before the King which did then keep his Court in the City of Coventry who immediately upon the confession of the Murder gave this severe judgment against her First to be conveyed to Prison there to remain for the term of twelve months and at the end thereof to be burned like a most wicked Offender Yet because she was the Daughter to a King and a Loyal Lady to so Noble a Knight His Majesty in Mercy granted her this favour that if she could get any Knight at Arms before the time were expired that would be her Champion and by Combat redeem her from the Fire she should live otherwise if her Champion were Uanquished then to Suffer the former Punishment Thus have you heard the discourse of all things which happened till my departure from England where I left her in Prison and since that time five Months are fully expired therefore most Renowned Champion as you love the Life of your Lady and with her Delivery make no tarriance but with all speed post into England for I greatly fear before you arrive on the blessed Shore the time will be finished and Sabra suffer death for want of a Champion to defend her Cause This doleful discourse drove St. George with the other Knights and Champions to such an extasie of mind that every one departed to their Lodging Chambers with dumb signs of Sorrow being not able to speak one word where for that night they lamâ—â—ted the mishap of so vertuous a Lady The Egyptian King her Father he abandoned the sight of all companies and repaired to the top of a high Tower built of Marble Stone wherein he barred himself so fast with Iron Bolts that none could come within the hearing of his Lamentation then raged he up and down like frantick Oâ—dipus tearing his eyes from their Natural Cells accusing Heaven of injustice condemning the Earth of iniquity and accursing Man for such an execrable Crime one while wishing that his Daughter's Birth-day had been her Burial-day another while that some unlucky Planet would descend the Firmament and fall upon his miserable head Being in this extream Passion he never hoped to see his Daughter's Countenance again and so about midnight being a time when desperate Men practise their own Destruction he cast himself headlong from the top of the Tower and broke his Neck and all besprinkled the â—linty Pavements with his Blood and Brains No sooner was the night vanished and bright Phoebus entered the Zodiack of Heaven but his bruised body liveless and sensless was found by his Servants lying in the Palace-yard all beaten in pieces against the ground The woful News of this self-willed Murder they told to certain Egyptian Knights who took his scattered Limbs and carried them to St. George's Chamber whom they found arming himself for his departure towards England but at this woful spectacle he took a second conceited grief in such extream manner that it had almost cost him his Life but that the Egyptian Knights gave him many comfortable speeches and by the consent of many Dukes Earls Lords and Barons with many other of the late King's Privy-Council they Eleâ—ted him the true succeeding King of Egypt by the Marriage of Ptolomy's Daughter which Royal proffer St. George refused not but took upon him the Regiment of the whole Countrey so that for a short time his Iourney towards England was stayed and upon the third day following his Coronation was appointed which they solemnly performed to the high honour of all the Christian Champions for the Egyptian Peers caused St. George to be Apparelled in Royal Uestures like a King he had on a Suit of flaming Green like an Emerald and a Mantle of Scarlet very richly Furâ—'d and wrought curiously with Gold then the other six Champions led him up to the King's Throne and set him in a Chair of Ebony which had pummels of Silver which stood upon an Alabaster Elephant then came three of the greatest Lords in Egypt and set a Crown of Gold upon his Head then followed the Knights with a Scepter and a naked Sword to signifie that he was chief Governor of the Realm and Lord of all that appertained to the Crown of Egypt This being performed in most sumptuous and stately manner the Trumpets with other Instruments began to sound whereat the general Company with joyful Uoices cryed altogether Long live St. George true Champion for England and King of Egypt Then was he conducted to the Royal Palace where for ten days he remained among his Lords and Knights spending the time in great joy and pleasure the which being finished his Lady's distress constrained him to a sudden departure therefore he left the Guiding of his Land to twelve Egyptian Lords binding them all by Oath to deliver it at his return likewise charging them to interr the Body of Ptolomy in a sumptuous Tomb be fitting the Body of so Royal a Potentate Also appointed the six Champions to raise their Tents and muster up anew their Soldiers and with all speed march into Persia and there by dint of Bloody War Revenge his former Injuries upon the accursed Souldan This Charge being given the next morning by break of day he buckled on his Armour mounted on his swift-footed Steed and bad his Friends in Aegypt for a season adieu and so in company of the Knight that brought him that unlucky News he took his Iourney with all speed toward England in which Travel we will leave him for a time Also passing over the speedy provision made by the Christian Champions in Egypt for the Invasion of Persia and return to sorrowful Sabra being in Prison awaiting each Minute to receive the final stroke of impartial Death for now had the rowling Planets brought their years Iourney to an end yet Sabra had no Intelligence of any Champion that would defend her Cause therefore she prepared her delicate Body to receive her latest breath of Life The time being come she was brought to the place of Execution whither she went as willingly and with as much joy as ever she went before time unto her Marriage she had made humble submission to the World and unfeignedly committed her Soul to God She being at the Stake where the King was present with many thousands as well of woful Personages as of common People to behold this woful Tragedy the Deaths-man stripping off her Garment which was of black Sarsenet and in her snow-Snow-white Smock bound her with an Iron
Chain unto the Stake then placed they round about her tender body both Pitch Turpentine and Gunpowder with other merciless things thereby to make her death the more easie and her pain the shorter which being done the King caused the Herauld to summon in the Challenger who at the sound of the Trumpet came tracing in upon a Roan coloured Steed without any kind of mark and Trapped with Rich Trappings of Gold and precious stones of great price there came out at the Horse's mouth two Tusks like unto an Elephants his Nostrils were very large and big his head little his breast somewhat broad well pitcht and so hard that no Sword were it never so sharp was able to enter in thereat The Champion was called the Baron of Chester a bolder and hardier Knight they thought lived not then upon the face of the whole Earth he so advanced himself up and down as though he had béen able to encounter with an hundred Knights Then the King caused the Herauld to summon in the Defendant if there were any to defend her Cause both Drums and Trumpets sounded three several times up and down the Fields betwixt every rest was a full quarter of an hour but yet no Defendant did appear therefore the King commanded the Executioner to set the Stake on fire At which words Sabra began to grow pale as Ashes and her Ioynts to tremble like to Aspen Leaves her Tongue that before continued silent began to record a Swan-like dying Tale and in this manner uttered the passion of her heart Be witness Heaven and all your bright Coelestial Angels be witness Sun and Moon all true beholders of my Fact be witness thou clear Firmament and all the World be witness of my Innocency the blood Iâ—shed was for the safeguard of my Honour and unspotted Chastity great God of Heaven if the Prayers of my unstained heart may move thy mighty Majesty or my true Innocency prevail with thy immortal Power command that either my Lord may come to be my Champion or sad beholder of my Death But if my hands were stained with the blood about some wicked Enterprize then Heaven shew present Vengeance upon me else by some Noble Champion save my body alive At which instant she heard the sound of a shrill Trumpet the which S. George caused to be winded for as then he was near which caused the Execution a while to be deferred At last they beheld afar off a stately Banner waving in the Air the which a Squire carried before S. George then they espied near unto the Banner a most Ualiant Armed Knight mounted upon a coal-coal-black Palfrey with a Warlike Launce standing in his Rest by which sudden approach they knew him to be the same Champion that would defend the distressed Lady's Life Then the King commanded the Drums and Trumpets to sound whereat the People gave a general shout and the poor Lady half dead with fear began to revive and her blushing Cheeks to be as Beautiful as red Roses dipt in Milk or as blood mingled with Snow But when St. George approached the sight of his constant Lady whom he found Chamed to a Sâ—ake incompassed with many Instruments of Death his heart so relented with Grief that he almost fell buside his Horse yet remembring wherefore he came he recalled his Courage and intended to try his Fortune in the Combate before he would discover himself unto his Lady And when the Trumpets sounded Death's Alarm the two Knights set Spurs to their Horses and made them run so fiercely that at the first encounter they shivered both their Launces to their hands then rushed they together so rigorously with their Bodies and Helmets that they fell down both to the Earth but St. George who was the more Lusty Knight nimbly leap'd upon his feet without any hurt but the Baron of Chester lay still with his head downward casting from his mouth abundance of blood for he was mightily bruised with the fall but when he revived from his Trance he took his Shield drawing out a mighty Faulchion and with wrathful countenance ran at St. George Now proud Knight quoth he I swear by all the Saints of Heaven to Revenge my Blood which thou hast shed and therewithal he struck so violently upon St. George's Shield that it cleaved quite asunder Then began he to wax angry and took his Sword in great wrath and gave the Baron of Chester such a stroke that he cut away Arm and Shoulder and all the flesh of his side to the bare Kibs and likewise cut his Leg almost quite in sunder in the thickest place of his Thigh and yet for all that the Sword entred half a foot into the earth then fell the Baron of Chester to the Ground and breathed forth this lamentable cry Now frown you fatal Stars eternally that did predominate at my Birth for he is Slain and Vanquished that never stoopt to any Knight before this day And thereupon the Blood stopped the passage of his Speech and his Soul went flying to Elysium whereat the whole Company admired and applauded Saint George for the most fortunate Knight in the World Then the King delivered Sabra with his own hands to St. George who most courteously received her and like a counteous Knight cast a Scarlet Mantle over her Body the which a Lady standing by bestowed upon him yet he minding nâ—â— to discover himself but set her upon his portly Steed that â—â—â—â—ently grew proud in carrying so rich a burden and with his own hands led him by the Bridle Reins So great was the Ioâ— throughout the City that the Bells rung without ceasing that whole day together the Citizens through every place St. George should pass did hang forth at their Windows and on their walls Cloath of Gold and Silk with Rich Carpets Cushion-coverings of green Uelvet lay abroad in every Window the Clergy in Copes of Gold and Silk met them with solemn Procession The Ladies and Beautiful Damsels strewed every street whereas he passed with Roses and most pleasant Flowers and Crowned him with a Wreath of green Gays in sign of his Triumphant Uictory and Conquest In this manner went he to the King's Palace not known by any what he should be but that he was a Knight of a strange Countrey Yet Sabra many times as they passed along desired to see his Face and know his Name for that he had adventured so far for her sake and that for her Delivery he had vanquished the bravest Knight in England Yet for all her perswasions he kept himself undiscovered till a Troop of Ladies in company of Sabra got him into a Chamber richly hung with Arras cloath and there unlaced his Bever whose Countenance when she beheld and saw that it was her Lord and Husband which had redeemed her from Death she sell into a dead swoon for very Ioy but St. George sprinkled a little cold water on her face and revived her presently After this he gave her many a kind
manner and likewise how he found a Knight lying upon a Tomb that stood over a flaming Fire with other things of note that hapned upon the same MOst sweet were the sleeps that these Princely minded Champions took in the Castle all the first part of the night without molestation either by disquiet dreams or disturbing motions of their minds till such time as the Queen of Night had run half her weary journey and had spent the better part of the night for betwixt twelve and one being the chiefest time of fear and terrour in the night such a strange alteration did work in Saint George's thought that he could not enjoy the benefit of sweet sleep but was forced to Iye broad awake like one disquieted by some sudden fear but as he lay with wakeful eyes thinking upon his passed Fortunes and numbring the minutes of the night with his cogitations he heard as it were a cry of Night-Ravens which flew beating their fatal Wings against the Windows of his Lodging by which he imagined that some direful accident was near at hand yet being not frighted with this fearful noise nor daunted with the croking of these Ravens he lay still silently not revealing it to any of the other Champions that lay in the six several Beds in the same chamber but at last being between sleeping and waking he heard as it were the voice of a sorrowful Knight that constrained these bitter passions from his tormented soul they contained these words following O thou invincible Knight of England thou that art not frighted with this sorrowful dwelling wherein thou canst see nothing but Torments rise up I say from thy sluggish bed and with thy undaunted courage and strong Arm break the charm of my Enchantment And therewithal he seemed to give a most terrible groan and so ceased This unexpected noise caused Saint George without the knowledge of any of the other Champions to arise from his Bed and to buckle on his Armour and to search about the Castle to see if he might find the place that harboured the Knight that made such sorrowful lamentations So going up and down by-corners in the Castle all the latter part of the night without finding the adventure of this strange voice or disturbance by any other means but that he was hindred from his natural and quiet sleep by the break of day when the dark night began to withdraw her sable Curtains and to give Aurora liberty to display her purple brightness he entered into a four square Parlor hung round about with black cloth and other mournful habiliments where on the one side of the same he saw a Tomb all covered likewise with black and upon it there lay a Man with a pale colour who at certain times gave most marvellous and grievous Sighs caused by burning flames that procéeded from under the Tomb being such that it seemed that his Body therewith should be converted into Coals the flame thereof was so stinking that it made Saint George somewhat to retire himself from the place where he did sée that most horible and fearful spectacle He which lay upon the Tomb casting his eyes aside espyed Saint George and knowing him to be a humane creature with an afflicted voice he said Who art thou Sir Knight that art come into this place of Sorrow where nothing is heard but clamours of Fear and Terrour Nay tell me said Saint George who thou art that with so much Grief dost demand of me that which I stand in doubt to reveal to thee I am the King of Babylon answered he which without all consideration with my cruel hand did pierce thorow the white and delicate Brest of my beloved Daughter Woe be to me and woe unto my Soul therefore for she at once did pay her offence by Death but I a most miserable wretch with many Torments do die living When this worthy Champion Saint George was about to answer him he saw come forth from under the Tomb a Damsel who had her hair of a yellow and wan colour hanging down about her shoulders and by her face she seemed that she should be very strangely afflicted with Torments and with a sorrowful Uoice she said O unfortunate Knight what dost thou séek in this infernal lodging where cannot be given thee anyother pleasure but mortal torment and there is but one thing that can clear thee from it and this cannot be told thâ—e by any other but by me â—et I will not express it except thou will grant me one thing which I will ask of thee The English Champion that with a sad countenance stood behalding of the sorrowful Damsel and being greatly amazed at the lâ—ght which he had seen answered and said The Powers which were Governours of my liberty will do their pleasures but touching the grant of thy request I never denyed any lawful thing to either Lady or Gentlewoman but with all my power and strength I was made to fulfill the same therefore demand what thy pleasure â—s And with that the Damiel threw her self into the Sepulchre and with a grievous voice she said now most courteous Knight perâ—orm thy promisâ— strike but three stroaks upon this fatal Tomb and thou shalt deliver us from a world of Miseries and likewise make an and of our continual torments Then the invincible Knight replyed in this order whether you be humane creatures said he placed in this Sepulchre by Enchantment or furies raised from fiery Acheron to work my confusion or no I know not and there is so little truth in this infernal Castle that I stand in doubt whether I may believe thy words or not but yet discourse unto me the truth of all your passed fortunes and by what means you were brought into this place and as I am a crue Knight and one that fights in the quarrel of Christendom I vow to accomplish whatsoever lyeth in my power Then the Damsel began with a grievous and sorrowful lamentation to declare as strange a Tragedy as ever was told And lying in the fatal Sepulchre unseen of Saint George that stood leaning his back against the Wall to hear her discourse a lamentable sâ—ory with a hollow voice like a murthered Lady whose bleeding Soul as yet did feel the terrible stroak of her Death she repeated this pittiful Tale following CHAP. XI Of a Tragical Discourse pronounced by a Lady in a Tomb and how her Enchantment was finished by Saint George with other strange accidents that hapned to the other Six Champions of Christendom IN famous Babylon sometimes reigned a King although a Heather yet adorned with noble and vertuous customs and had only one Daughter that was very fair whose name was Angelica humble wise and chast Who was beloved of a mighty Duke and a man wonderful cunning in the black â—rt this Magician had a sage and grave countenance and one that for wisdom better deserved the Government than any other in the Kingdom and was very well esteemed throughout all Babylon
Nations and Kingdoms the Kings of those Countries assembled together all the Forces they could make and with the greatest expedition they could use marched into the Plains of Babylon The first that came thither mas the King of Arabia attended with an Army of Twenty Thousand Men whereof Eight Thousand were mountted on Arabian Coursers being armed with Spears and Targets so swift and dexterous in their undertakings that they seldom mist of atchieving any business they went about His Pavilion was of a Uiolet colour fringed with yellow to distinguish of what Country he was of The next was the Soldan of Persia himself with an Army of Ten Thousand Horsemen and Thirty Thousand Foot of which Nine Thousand were Pioneers to level the way for the Arâ—ies matching and to dig Trenches for the assaulting of any Castle or City His Pavilion was red fringed with Orange-fawny being mounted on a Hill to be the more conspicuous to the Beholders Next was the King of Egypt with Twenty-five Thousand men of which three hundred were Magicians or 〈◊〉 to charm and bewâ—tch the Christian Army that they might not fight His Pavilion was Blue fringed with black and was placed on the Right-hand of the King of Arabia Soon after came the great Cham of Tartary with an Army of thirty thousand men all in quilted Jackets so thick wrought that no Arrow could pierce them They were all armed with Steel Gantlets and had Swords of a hands breadth and withal so sharp that they would cut off a man at the â—â—â—ble with a blow His Pavilion was of a Primrose colour with a White fringe which was placed on the Left-hand of the Soldan of Persia. Next came the King of Morocco with two thousand Horsemen mounted all on Barbary Steeds armed with Skins of Stags so thick and tough that no sword could cut through them he had also ten thousand Footmen with Iron Marâ—s having round balls at the end of them of four or five pound weight therewith to dash out the Christians brains His Pavilion and the Fringe thereof was all black to signifie black and dismal days to ensue He was placed next to the King of Egypt The next that arrived in the fruitful Fields of Babylon was the King of Parthia with an Army consisting of fifteen thousand men He had also an hundred Elephants carrying Towers on their backs in each of which ten men might stand and fight This King was in stature four foot higher than most men having each Limb answerable thereto so that he wore a sword of two yards in length the pummel whereof weighed twenty pound His Pavilion was of sky-colour fringed with sea-green and was placed next to the King of Morocco Next was the Emperour or Grand Signior of the Turks accompanied with ten thousand Janisaries armed with sharp Scimiters so keen they would cut a Bolt of Iron asunder He was armed in a Coat of Mail of burnisht Silver having on his head a white Turbant and a Pendant on it wherein was depictured a half Moon with this Motto still encreasing His Pavilion was green with silver and gold fringe and was placed on the Right-hand of the Soldan of Persia. After him came the Prince of Tripoly accompanied with â—ouâ— Gyants of a marvellous size and bigness whose names were Garion Carus Phidon and Rhapsarus those bore on their necks great knotty Oaks with which they could strike two yards déep into the ground and were most dreadful to behold He had also with him a deformed Creature called a Sagitary being half a Man and half a Horse who could run as swift as a Ship can sail having wind and weather His offensive weapon was a Bow with which he shot poysoned Arrows and was so expert therein that he could shoot to a hairs breadth This Prince of Tripoly was encamped next to the King of Parthia and had a Pavilion of a Pease blossom colour â—ringed with Murrey After him came the Count Palatine of Trebizond with fifteen hundred Cross-bow-men all armed in Stéel Corslets He had also thrée thousand men that used slings with which they would eractly hit whatever they aimed at and that at a great distance from them On his shield was painted a Griffin grasping of a Christian with this Motto siezed of his Prey His Pavilion was of an azure colour fringed with red and was placed next to the Emperour or Grand Signior of the Turks The next that appeared on the Babylonian Plains for the destruction of of the Christians was the Bassa of Aleppo who brought with him a hundred wains loaden with balls of wild-fire sulpher and certain Engines called Calthorps being little things made with four pricks of Iron of such a fashion that which way soever they be thrown one point will always strick up like a nail and these were to be thrown into the Christians Army to spoil the feet of their Horses His Pavilion was of an Iron-gray colour and was placed next to the Count Palatine of Trebizond Next was the Mamaluck of Damascus attended with six thousand Horse and six thousand Footmen He had also in his Army a deformed Monster from the shoulders downwards shaped like a man but his head and face like to that of a horse being a present sent him from the Cham of Tartary and from whom descended the horse-faced Tartar kill'd by Count Sereni This Mamalucks Pavilion was of yellow intermixed with black and fringed with red being placed next to the â—assa of Allepo Many other Kings Princes and Emperors were engaged in this enterprize whose names would be too tedious here to recite insomuch that there was assembled such an Army as made the earth to shake under the weight thereof being more in number then that of Xerxes which drank up ' whole Rivers dry as ' they went or then that of the Macedonian Alexander with which he conquered the greatest part of the World Being thus in this manner assembled together the Soldan of Persia as one of the chiefect of the Association gathered the greatest Princes and Captains to his Pavilion where he entertained them with a costly Banquet and then made unto them this following Dration Most Mighty Kings Princes and Captains of this invincible Army It is not unknown unto you what injuries and mischiefs we have received from the Christian Armies under the conduct of those persons whom they called the seven Champions of Christendom to enumerate them all in particular would make my Oration too tedious unto you I shall therefore only give you some few instances What injury did St. George the Champion of England unto Ptolomy King of Egypt by stealing away his daughter as also from Almidor King of Morocco his dearest Lady and Mistress did not the Kings Daughter of Thesialy run away from her Country by the sly insinuations of St. Denis of France as also the King of Ierusalems Daughter by the like perswasion of St. Iames of Spain what intollerable injury was it to the King of Thracia to
began to roar such an infernal and harsh melody that the inchanted Rock burst in twain and then Kalyb's Charms lost their effect Her Magick no longer endured than the term of an hundred years the which as then was fully finished and brought to an end then the Obligation which she subscribed with her dearest blood and sealed with her own hands brought up a Witness against her by which she knew and fully perswaded her self that her Life was fully finished therefore in this most fearful manner she began to make her last Will and Testament First welcome said she my sad Executors welcome my Grave and everlasting Tomb for you have digged it in the fiery Lakes of Phlegeton my winding sheet wherein to shrowd both my Body and contemned Soul is a Cauldron of boiling Lead and Brimstone and the Worms that should consume my Carkass are fiery Forks which toss burning Fire-brands from place to place from Furnace to Furnace and from Cauldron to Cauldron therefore attend to Kalyb's woful Testament and engrave the Legacy she gives in Brass Rolls upon the burning Banks of Acheron First These eyes that now too late weep hapless tears I give unto the Watry Spirits for they have wrackt the treasures hidden in the deepest Seas to satisfie their most unsatiable looks Next I bequeath these hands which did subscribe the bloody Obligation of my perpetual banishment from Joy unto those Spirits that hover in the Air my Tongue that did conspire against the Majesty of Heaven I give to those Spirits which have their being in the fire my earthly heart I bequeath to those gross Demons that dwell in the Dungeon of the Earth and the rest of my Condemned Body to the Torments due to my deservings Which strange and fearful Testament beeing no sooner ended but all the Spirits generally at one instant seized upon the Enchantress and dismembred her Body in a thousand pieces and divided her Limbs to the four Elements one Member to the Air another to the Water another to the Fire and another to the Earth which were carried away in a moment by the Spirits that departed with such a horror that all things within the hearing thereof suddenly died both Beasts Birds and all creeping Worms which remained within the compass of those inchanted Woods the trees which before were wont to flourish with green leaves withered away and died the blâ—des of graâ—s perished for want of natural moisture which the watry Clouds deâ—ied to nourish in so wicked a place Thus by Iudgment of the Heavens sensless things perished for the wickedness of Kalyb whom we leave to her endless Torments and return to the Seven worthy Champions of Christendom whose laudable Adventures Fame hath inâ—olled in the Books of Memory CHAP. III. How St. George slew the burning Dragon in Egypt and Redeemed Sabra the King's Daughter from Death How he was betray'd by Elmido the black King of Morocco and sent to the Soldan of Persia where he slew two Lions and remained seven years in Prison AFter the Seven Champions departed from the Enchanted Cave of Kalyb they made their abode in the City of Coventry for the space of nine Months in which time they erected a costly Monument over the Herse of S. George's Mother and â—o in that time of the Year when the Spring had overspread the Earth with the Mantles of Flota they Armed themselves like wandring Knights and took their Iourney to seek for Foreign Adventures accounting no Dishonour so great as to spend their days in Idleness Atchieving no Memorable Accident So travelling for the space of thirty days without any Adventure worthy the noting at length they came to a broad Plain whereon stood a Brazen Pillar where seven several ways met which caused the seven Knighis to forsake each others Company and to take every one a contrary way where we leave six of the Champions to their contented Travels and wholly discourse upon the Fortunate Success of our Worthy English Knight who after some few Months Travel happily arrived within the Territories of Aegypt which Country as then was then was greatly annoyed with a dangerous Dragon but before he had Iournied fully within the distance of a Mile the silent Night approached and solitary stillness took possession of all living things at last he espied an old poor Hermitage wherein he purposed to rest his Horse and to take some repast after his weary Iourney till the Sun had renewed his Morning Light that he might fall to his Travel again but entring the Cottage he found an Ancient Hermit overworn with years and almost consumed with Grief with whom in this manner he began to confer Father said he for so you seem by your Gravity may a Traveller for this Night crave Entertainment within your Cottage not only for himself but his Horse or is there some City near at hand where unto I may take my Journey without danger The old Man starting at the sudden approach of St. George replyed unto him in this order Sir Knight quoth he of thy Country I need not demand for I know it by thy Burgonet for indeed thereon was graven the Arms of England but I sorrow for thy hard Fortune that it is thy Destiny to arrive in this our Country of Egypt wherein is not left sufficient alive to bury the Dead such is the Distress of this Land through a Dangerous and Terrible Dragon now ranging up and down the Country which if he be not every day appeased with the Body of a true Virgin which he devoureth down his Venomous Bowels that day so neglected will he breathe such a stink from his Nostrils whereof grows a most grievous Plague and Mortality of all things which use hath been observed four and twenty years and now there is not left one true Virgin but the King's Daughter throughout Egypt which Damsel to morrow must be offered up in Sacrifice to the Dragon therefore the King hath made Proclamation that if any Knight dare prove so adventurous as to Combat with the Dragon and preserve his Daughter's Life he shall in Reward have her to his Wife and the Crown of Egypt after his Decease This large proffer so encouraged the English Knight that he vowed either to Redeem the King's Daughter or else to lose his Life in that honourable Enterprize So taking his repose and nightly rest in the old Man's Hermitage till the chearful Cock being the true Messenger of Day gave him warning of the Sun's uprise which caused him to buckle on his Armour and to furnish his Steed with strong Habiliments of War the which being done he took his Journey guided only by the old Hermit to the Valley where the King's Daughter should be offered up in Sacrifice But when he approached the sight of the Valley he espied afar off a most fair and beautiful Damsel attired in pure Arabian Silk going to Sacrifice guarded to the place of Death only by â—age and modest Matrons Which woful sight encouraged the
English Knight to such a forwardness that he thought overy minute a day till he had Redeemed the Damsel from the Dragon's Tyranny so approaching the Lady he gave her comsort of Delivery and returned her back to her Father's Palace again After this the Noble Knight like a bold adventurous Champion entred the Valley where the Dragon had his Residence who no sooner had a sight of him but he gave such a terribleâ—peal as though it had thundered in the Elements the bigness of the Dragon was fearful to behold for betwixt his Shoulders and his Dail were fifty soot in distance his Scales glittering as bright as Silver but far more hard than Brass his Belly of the colour of Gold but bigger than a Tun. Thus weltred he from his hideous Den and so fiercely Assailed the sturdy Champion with his burnings Wings that at the first Encounter he had almost felled him to the ground but the Knight nimbly recovering himself gave the Dragon such a thrust with his Spear that it shivered in a thousand pieces whereat the furious Dragon so fiercely â—mâ—te him with his venomous Tail that down fall Man and Horse in which fall two of St. George's Ribs were sore bruised but yet stepping backward it was his chance to leap under an Drange-Tree which Tree had such precious Uertue that no Uenomous Worm durst come within the compass of the Branches nor within seven foot thereof where this Ualiant Knight rested himself untill he had recovered his former strength who no sooner feeling his Spirits revived but with an eager Courage smote the burning Dragon under his yellow burnished Belly with his trusty Sword Ascalon whereout came abundance of ugly Uenome that it sprinkled upon the Champions Armour whereby immediately through the impoisoned strength of the Uenome his Armour burst in twain and the good Knight fell into so grievous a dead swoon that for a time he lay breathless but yet having that good Memory remaining that he tumbled under the Branches of the Drange-Tree in which place the Dragon could proffer him no farther Uiolence The fruit of the Tree being of such an excellent Uertue that whosoever tasted thereof should presently be cured of all manner of Diseases and Infirmities whatsoever So it was the Noble Champions good and happy Fortune a little to recover through the vertue of the Tree and to espy an Drange which a little before had dropped down wherewith he so refreshed himself that he was in short time as sound as when he began the Encounter Then kneeled he down and made his Diuine Supplication to Heaven That God would send him for his dear Sons sake such strength and agility of Body as to stay the Furious and Terrible Monster which being done with a Bold Couragious Heart he smoâ—e the Dragon under the Wing where it was tender without Scale whereby his good Sword Ascalon with an easie passage went to the very Hilt through both the Dragons Heart Liver Bone and Blood whereout issued such abundance of purple gore that it turned the Grass which grew in the Ualley into crimson colour and the Ground which was before parched through the burning stench of the Dragon was now drenched with overmuch moisture proceeding from his Uenomous Bowels where at last through want oâ— blood and long continuance in Fight the Dragon yeelded his vital Spirits to the force of the Conquering Champion The which being happily performed the Noble Knight S. George for England first yielding due honour to Almighty God for the Uictory then with his good Sword Ascalon cut off the Dragon's Head and pitched it upon the Trunchion of a Spear which at the beginning of the Battel shivered against the Dragon's scaly back During this long and dangerous Combat his trusty Steed lay altogether in a Swoon without any moving which caused the English Champion with all speed to crush the juice of an Orange into his mouth the Uertue whereof presently expelled the Uenomous Poyson and recovered his former strength again There was then remaining in the Aegyptian Court one Almidor the Black King of Morocco who long had prosecuted in the way of Marriage the Love of Sabra the King's Daughter but neither by Policy Means nor Manhood could he accomplish what his heart desired and now finding opportunity to express his Treacherous mind intended to Rob and spoyl St. George of his Uictory whereby he thought to attain the gracious favour and singular good liking of his Lady and Mistriss who loathed his company like the detested Crocodiles even as the Wolf though all in vain barks at the Moon so this Fantastical and Cowardly Almidor through many Gifts and fair Promises hired twelve Aegyptian Knights to beset the Ualley where St. George flew the burning Dragon and by Force bereave him of his Conquest and so when this Magnanimous Champion of England came riding in Triumph from the Ualley expecting to have been entertained like a Conqueror with Drums and Trumpets or to have heard the Bells of Egypt â—ing a joyful sound of Uictory or to have seen the Streets beautified with Bonefires contrary to his expectation he was met with Troops of Armed Knights not to conduct him peacefully to the Egyptian Court but by Falshood and Treachery to despoâ—l him of his Life and Honour for no sooner had he ridden past the entry of the Ualley but he espied how the Egyptian Knights brandished their Weapons and divided themselves to intercept him in his Iourney to the Court by which he knew them to be no trusty Friends but vowed Enemies So tying his Horse to a Hawthorn-Tree he intended to try his Fortune on foot for fear of disadvantage they being twelve to one in this Skirmish S. George so valiantly behaved himself with his trusty Sword Ascalon that at one stroke he flew three of the Egyptian Knights and before the Golden Diamond of Heaven had wandred the Zodiack the compass of an hour some he dismembred of their â—eads some had their Lambs opt off some their Bodies cut in twain and some their installs trailing down so that not one was left â—â—ive to carry News to Almidor the Black King which stood during all the time of the Skirmish afar off upon a Bountain top to behold the success of his hired Champions But when he saw the Egyptians bloody Tragedies and how the happy Fortune of the English Knight had won the Honour of the Day he accursed his Destiny and accused the Queen of Chance with Cruelty for disappointing his pretended Enterprize but having a heart still fraught with all wicked motions secretly Uowed in his Soul to pradise by some other Treachery S. George's utter Confusion so running before to the Court of King Ptolomy not revealing what had hapned to the twelve Egyptian Knights but crying Victoria Victoria the Enemy of Egypt is slain Then Ptolomy immediately commanded every Street of the City to be hung with Rich Arras and Embroidered Tapestry and likewise provided a sumptuous Chariot of Gold the wheels
and other timber-work of the purest Ebony the covering thereof of pure Silk cross-barr'd with pure staves of Gold likewise an hundred of the Noblest Peers of Egypt Attired in Crimson Uelvet Mounted on Milk-white Coursers with Rich Caparisons attended the coming of St. George Thus were all appointed for his Honourable Entertainment which they performed in such Solemn Order that I lack Eloquence to describe it for when he first entred the Gates of the City he heard such a melodious Harmony of Heavenly sounding Mulick that it seemed in his conceit to surpass the sweetness of all that ever he had heard before Then they most Royally Presented him with a sumptuous and costly Ball of Gold and after invested him in that Ebony Chariot wherein he was Conducted to the Palace of King Ptolomy where this Noble and Princely-minded Champion surrendred up his Conquest and Uictory to the hands of the Beauteous Sabra where she with like Courtesie and more Humility requited his Bounty For at the first sight of the English Knight she was so Ravished with his Princely Countenance that for a time she was not able to speak Yet at last taking him by the hand she led him to a Rich Pavillion where she Unarmed him and with most Precious Salves imbalmed his Wounds and with her Tears washed away the Blood which being done she furnished a Table with all manner of Delicates for his repast where her Father was present who enquired of his Country Parentage and Name After the Banquet was ended he enstalled him with the Honour of Knighthood and put upon his feet a pair of Golden Spurs But Sabra who fed upon the Banquet of his Love conducted him to his Nights Repose where she sate upon his Bed and warbled forth most Heavenly Melody upon her Lute till his Senses were overcome with a swéet and sileÌ„nt sleep where she left him for that Night after his late dangerous Battel No sooner did Aurora's Radiant Blush display the Beauty of the East and the Sun shew his Morning Countenance but Sabra repaired to the English Champion's Lodging and at his first uprising presented him with a Diamond of most rare and excellent Uertue the which he wore upon his finger The next that entred his Lodging was the Treacherous Almidor the Black King of Morocco having in his Hand a Bowl of Graekish Wine which he offered to the Noble Champion St. George of England but at the receit thereof the Diamond the Lady gave him which he wore upon his finger waxed pale and from his Nose fell three drops of Blood whereat he started which sudden Accident caused the King's Daughter to suspect some secret Poison compounded in the Wine and thereupon so vehemently shrieked that a sudden Uproar presently overspread the whole Court whereby it came to the King's Intelligence of the proffered Treachery of Almidor against the English Champion but so dear was the Love of the Egyptian King to the Black King of Morocco that no belief of Treachery could enter into his mind Thus Almidor the second time was prevented of his practice whereat in Mind he grew more enraged than a chased Bore yet thinking the third should pay for all he expected a time wherein to work his wicked purpose which he brought to pass in this manner Many a day remained St. George in the Egyptian Court sometimes Revelling among the Gentlemen Dancing and Sporting with Ladies other times in Tilts and Tournaments with other Honourable Exercises Likewise long and extream was the Love that Beauteous Sabra bore to the English Champion of the which this Treacherous Almidor had Intelligence by many secret practises and many times his Ears were witnesses of their Discourses So upon an Evening when the Gorgeous Sun lay level with the Ground it was his Fortune to wander under a Garden Wall to take the coolness of the Evenings Air where unseen of the two Lovers he heard their Amorous Discourses as they sate dallying under a Bower of Roses Courting one another in this manner My Soul's delight my Heart 's chief comfort sweet George of England said the Love-sick Sabra Why art thou more obdurate than the Flint whom the Tears of my true Heart can never mollifie how many thousand sighs have I breathed for thy sweet sake which I have sent to thee as true Messengers of my Love yet never wouldst thou requite me with a smiling Countenance Refuse not her dear Lord of England that for thy Love will forsake Parents Country and Inheritance which is the Crown of Egypt and like a Pilgrim follow thee throughout the wide World On therefore knit that Gordian knot of Wedlock that none but Death can afterwards untie that I may then say The Sun shall lose his brightness the Moon her splendant beams the Sea her tydes and all things under the Cope of Heaven grow centrary to Kind before Sabra the Heir of Egypt prove Unconstant to sweet George of England These words so fired the Champion's heart that he was almost intangled in the snares of Love which before-time only affected Martial Discipline he yet to try her Patience a little more made her this Answer Lady of Egypt Can'st thou not be content that I have ventured my Life to free thee from Death but I should link my future Fortunes in a Woman's Lap and so bury all my Honours in Oblivion No no Sabra George of England is a Knight born in a Country where true Chivalry is nourisht and hath sworn to search the World so far as ever the Lamp of Heaven doth lend his Light before he tie himself in the troublesome State of Marriage therefore attempt me no more that am a Stranger and a Wanderer from place to place but seek to aim at higher states as the King of Morocco who will attempt to climb to Heaven to gain thy Love and good Liking At which speeches she suddenly replied in this manner The King of Morocco is as bloody minded as a Serpent but thou more gentle then a Lamb his Tongue as ominous as the screeching Night Owl but thine more sweet than the Morning Lark his kind embracings like the stinging Snakes but thine more pleasant than the creeping Vine What if thou beest a Knight of a strange Country thy Body is more precious to mine Eves than Kingdoms to mine Heart There stay Reply'd the English Champion I am a Christian thou a Pagan I Honour God in Heaven thou Earthly Shadows here below therefore if thou â—â—ilt obtain my Love and Liking thou must forsake thy Mahomet and be Christned in our Christian Faith With all my Soul answered the Egyptian Lady I will forsake my Countrey Gods and for thy Love become a Christian and therewithal she burst a Ring in twain the one half she gave to him in pledge of Love and kept the other half for her self and so for that time departed the Garden During all the time of their Discourse the Treacherous minded Almidor stood listning to their speeches and fretted inwardly to
Battlements he suddenly descended the Mountain and fetcht us all under his Arm up into the Castle where ever since we have lived in great servitude and for the wonderful transformation of my six Sisters thus it came to pass as followeth Upon a time the Gyant being overcharged with Wine grew enamoured upon our Beauties and desired much to enjoy the pleasure of our Uirginities our excellent gifts of Nature so inflamed his Mind with Lust that he would have forced us every one to satisfie his sinful desires he took my six Sisters one by one into his Lodging thinking to deflour them but their earnest Prayers so prevailed in the sight of God that he preserved their Chastities by a most strange and wonderful Miracle and turned their comely Bodies into the shape of milk-white Swans even in the same Form as here you see them swimming So when this Monstrous Gyant saw that his intent was crost and how there was none left behind to supply his want but my unfortunate self he restrained his filthy Lust not violating my Honour with any stain of Infamy but kept me ever since a most pure Uirgin only with sweet inspiring Muslck to bring him to his sleep Thus have you heard most Noble Knight the true discourse of my most unhappy Fortunes and the wonderful Transformation of my six Sisters whose loss to this day is greatly lamented throughout all Thracia and with that word she made an end of her Tragical Discourse not able to utter the rest for weeping Whereat the Knight being oppressed then with like sorrow embraced her about the slender Wast and thus kindly began to comfort her Most dear and kind Lady within whose countenance I see how Uertue is enthroned and in whose mind lives true Magnanimity let these few words suffice to comfort thy sorrowful cogitations First think that the Heavens are most beneficial unto thee in preserving thy Chastity from the Gyant 's insatiate desires then for thy Delivery by my means from thy slavish servitude thirdly and lastly that thou remaining in thy Natural Shape and Likeness may live to be the means of thy Sisters Transformation therefore dry up these Crystal pearled Tears and bid thy long continued Sorrows adieu for Grief is companion with Despair and Despair a procurer of Infamous Death Thus the woful Thracian Lady was comforted by the Noble Christian Champion where after a few kind greetings they intendto to Travel to her Father's Court there to relate what hapned to her Sisters in the Castle likewise the Gyant 's confusion and her own safe Delivery by the Illustrious prowess of the Christian Knight So taking the Keys of the Castle which were of a wonderful weight they locked up the Gates and paced hand in hand down the steepy Mountain till they approached the Thracian Court which was distant from the Castle some ten miles but by that time they had a sight of the Palace the Sun was wandred to the under World and the light of Heaven safe musâ—led up in Clouds of Pitch the which not a little discontented the weary Travellors but at last coming to her Fathers Gates they heard a solemn sound of Bells ringing the Funeral Knell of some Noble State the cause of which solemn Ringing they demanded of the Porter who in this manner expressed the truth of the matter to them Fair Lady and most Renowned Knight said the Porter for so you seem both by your speeches and honourable demands the cause of this Ringing is for the loss of the King 's seven Daughters the number of which Bells be seven called after the Names of the seven Princesses which never yet have ceased their doleful melody since the departure of the unhappy Ladies nor never must until joyful News be heard of their safe return Then now their tasks be ended said the noble-minded Rosalinde for we bring happy News of the seven Princesses abidings At which words the Porter being ravished with joy in all haste ran to the Steeple and caused the Bells to cease whereat the King of Thracia being at his Royal Supper and hearing the Bells to cease their wonted melody suddenly started up from his Princely seat and like a Man amazed ran to the Palace Gate whereat he found his Daughter Rosalinde in company of a strange Knight which when he beheld his joy so exceeded that he sounded in his Daughter's bosome but being recovered to his former sence he brought them up into his Princely Hall where their Entertainments were so honourable and so gracious in the eyes of the whole Court that it were too tedious and over-long to describe but their joy continued but a short season for it was presently dashed with Rosalinde's Tragical Discourse for the good old King when he heard of his Daughters Transformations and how they lived in the shape of milk-white Swans he rent his Locks of Silver Hair which time had dyed with the pledge of Wisdom his rich embroidered Garments he tore in many pieces and clad his 〈◊〉 Limbs in a dismal black and sable Mantle as Discontented thâ—â— as the woful King of Troy when he beheld his own Son dragged by the Hair of the Head up and down the stréets also he commanded that his Knights and adventurous Champions instead of glistering Armour should wear the Weeds of Death more black in hue than Winter's darkest nights and all the Courtly Ladies and gallant Thracian Maidens instéad of Silken Uestments he commanded to wear both heavy sad and melancholy Ornaments and even as unto a solemn Funeral to attend him to the Gyant 's Castle and there obsequiously to offer up unto the angry Destinies many a bitter sigh and tear in remembrance of his transformed Daughters which Decrée of the sorrowful Thracian King was performed with all convenient speed for the next morning no sooner had Phoebus cast his Beauty into the King's Bed-chamber but he apparelled himself in Mourning Garments and in company of his Melancholy Train set forward to his woful Pilgrimage But here we must not forget the Princely-minded Champion of Italy nor the noble-minded Rosalinde who at the King's departure towards the Castle craved leave to stay behind and not so suddenly to begin new Travels whereunto quickly the King condescended considering their late Iourney the Evening before So taking the Castle Keys from the Champion he had his Palace adieu and committed his Fortune to his sorrowful Iourney where we leave him in world of discontented Passions and a while discourse of what hapned to the Christian Champion and his beloved Lady for by that time the Sun had thrice measured the World with his restless Steeds and thrice his Sister Luna wandred to the West the Noble Italian Knight grew weary of his long continued Rest and thought it a great Dishonour and a Scandal to his Ualiant Mind to remain where â—nought but Champion-sports were Resident and desired rather to abide in a Court that entertained the doleful murmuring of Tragedies or where the joyful sound of
Arms upon my Breast for indeed thereon he bore a Silver Cross set in blue Silk and therefore in the honour of Christendom I Challenge forth the proudest Knight at Arms against whom I will maintain that our God is the true God and the rest fantastical and vain Ceremonies Which sudden and unexpected Challenge so daunted the Thracian Champions that they stood amazed for a time gazing upon one another like Men dropt from the Clouds but at fast consulting together how the Challenge of the strange Knight was to the dishonour of their Country and utter scandal of all Knightly Dignity they with a general consent craved leave of the King that the Challenge might be taken who as willingly condescended as they demanded So both time and place was appointed which was the next morning following by the King's Commandment upon a large and plain Meadow close by the River-side whereon the six Swans were swimming whereupon after the Christian Champion had cast down his steely Gauntlet and the Thracian Knight accepted thereof every one departed for that night the Challenger to the East-side of the Castle to his Lodging and the Defendants to the West where they slept quietly till the next morning who by the break of day were wakened by a Herald of Arms but all the passed night our Scottish Champion never entertained one motion of rest but busied himself in trimming his Horse buckling on his Armour lacing on his Burgonet and making prayers to the Divine Majesty of God for the Conquest and Uictory till the Morning's beauty chased away the darkness of the Night and no sooner were the Windows of the day full opened but the Ualiant and Noble-minded Champion of Christendom entred the List where the King in company of the Thracian Lords was present to behold the Combat and so after St. Andrew had twice or thrice traced his Horse up and down the Lists bravely flourishing his Launce at the top whereof hung a Pendant of Gold whose Poesie was thus written in Silver Letters This day a Martyr or a Conqueror Then entred a Knight in exceeding bright Armour mounted upon a Courser as white as the Northern Snow whose Caparison was of the colour of the Elements betwixt whom was a fierce Encounter but the Thracian had the Foil and with disgrace departed the List. Then secondly entred another Knight in Armour varnished with green Uarnish his Steed of the colour of an Iron-grey who likewise had the repulse by the worthy Christian. Thirdly Entred a Knight in a black Corslet mounted upon a big-boned Paltry covered with a vail of sable Silk in his hand he bore a Launce nailed round about with plates of Steel which Knight amongst the Thracians was accounted the strongest in the World except it were those Gyants that descended from a monstrous Lineage but no sooner encountred these hardy Champions but their Launces shivered in sunder and flew so violently into the Air that it much amazed the beholders then they alighted from their Steeds and so valiantly bestirred them with their keeâ— Faulchions that the fiery sparkles flew so fierce from these Noble Champions steely Helmets as from an Iron Anvil But the Combat endured not very long before the most hardy Scottish Knight espied an advantage wherein he might shew his matchless Fortitude whereupon he struck such a mighty Blow upon the Thracian's Burgonet that it cleaved his head just down to his shoulders whereat the King suddenly started from his Seat and with a wrathful coimtenance threatned the Champions Death in this manner Proud Christian said the King thou shalt repent his death and curse the time that ever thou camest to Thracia his blood we will revenge upon thy head and quit thy committed cruelty with a sudden death and so in company of a hundred Armed Knights he encompassed the Scottish Champion intending by multitudes to murder him But when the valiant Knight St. Andrew saw how he was suppressed by Treachery and environed with mighty Troops he called to Heaven for succour and animated himself by these words of encouragement Now for the honour of Christendom This day a Martyr or a Conqueror and therewithal he so Ualiantly behaved himself with his Cuttle-Axe that he made Lanes of murdered Men and felled them down by multitudes like as the Harvest men do mow down Ears of ripened Corn whereby they fell before his face like leaves from trees when the Summer's Pride declines her Glory So at the last after much bloodshed the Thracian King was compelled to yield to the Scottish Champion's Mercy who swore him for the safety of his Life to forsake his prophane Religion and become a Christian whose living true God the Thracian King vowed for evermore to Worship and thereupon he kissed the Champion's Sword This Conversion of the Pagan King so pleased the Majesty of God that he presently gave end to his Daughters punishments and turned the Ladies to their former shapes But when the King beheld their smooth Feathers which were as white as Lillies exchanged to natural fairness and that their black Bills and slender Necks were converted to their first created Beauty where for external fairness the Queen of Love might build her Paradise he bad adieu to his grief and long continued sorrows protesting ever after to continue a true Christian for the Scottish Champion's sake by whom and by whose Divine Orisons his Daughters obtained their former Features so taking the Christian Knight in company of the six Ladies to an excellent Rich Chamber prepared with all things according to their wishes where first the Christian Knight was unarmed then his wounds washed with Whitewine new Milk and Rose-water and so after some dainty Repast conveyed to his nights Repose The Ladies being the joyfullest Creatures under Heaven never entertained one thought of sleep but passed the night in their Father's company whose mind was ravished with unspeakable pleasures till the morning's messengers bad them good morrow Thus all things being prepared in a readiness they departed the Castle not like Mourners to a heavy Funeral but in triumphing manner marching back to the Thracian Palace with streaming Banners in the Wind Drums and Trumpets sounding joyful Melody and with sweet inspiring Musick caused the Air to resound with Harmony But no sooner were they entred the Palace which was in distance from the Gyant 's Castle some ten miles but their Triumphs turned to exceeding Sorrow for Rosalinde with the Champion of Italy as you have heard before was departed the Court which unexpected news so daunted the whole company but especially the King that the Triumphs for that time were deferred and Messengers were dispatched in pursuit of the Adventurous Italian and lovely Rosalinde Likewise when St. Andrew of Scotland had intelligence how it was one of those Knights which was Imprisoned with him under the wicked Enchantress Kalyb as you heard in the first beginning of the History his heart thirsted for his most honourable company and his eyes seldom closed quietly nor
with such a forwardness of mind that they gave speedy Commandment to remove their Tents and to March with easie Iourneys towards Tripâ—ly in Barbary where Almidor the black King of Morocco had Residence in which Travel we must leave for a while the Christian Army and speak of the innumerable Troops of Pagan Knights that arrived at one instant in the Kingdom of Hungary and how they fell at variance in the Election of a General which civil Mutiny caused much effusion of blood to the great hurt both of Africa and Asia as here followeth CHAP. XIV Of the Dissention and Discord that hapned amongst the Army of the Pagans in Hungary the Battel betwixt the Christians and the Moors in Barbary and how Almidor the Black King of Morocco was sodden to Death in a Cauldron of boiling Lead and Brimstone THE iresul Pagans after they had Levied their Martial Forces both by Sea and Land repaired to their general place of méeting there to conclude of the utter Ruine of Christendom For no sooner could Winter withdraw his chill Frost from the Earth and Flora took possession of his place but the Kingdom of Hungary suffered excessive penury through the humberless Armies of accursed Infidels being their appointed place of meeting for though Hungary of all other Countreys both in Africa and Asia then was the richest and plentifullest of Uictuals to maintain a Camp of Men yet was it mightily overprest and greatly burthened with Multitudes not only with want of necessaries to relieve Soldiers but with extream cruelty of those bloody-minded Miscreants that through a Civil Discord which hapned amongst them about the Election of a General they converted their Union into a most inhumane slaughter and their Triumphant Uictory to a dismal bloody Tragedy For no sooner arrived their Legions upon the Plains of Algernos being in length and breadth one and twenty Leagues but the King of Hungary caused their Muster-Rolls to be publickly read and justly numbred in the hearing of the Pagan Knights which in this manner was Proclaimed through the Camp First Be it known unto all Nations that fight in the Quarrel of Africa and Asia under the Conduct of our three great Gods Mahomet Tarmagant and Apollo what invincible Forces be now arrived in this Renowned Kingdom of Hungary a Land honoured through the World not only for Arms but curious Buildings and plentified with all manner of Riches First We have from the Emperor of Constantinople two hundred thousand From the Emperor of Grecia two hundred and fifty thousand From the Emperor of Tartary an hundred threescore and three thousand From the Souldan of Persia two hundred thousand From the King of Ierusalem four hundred thousand Of Moors one hundred and twenty thousand Of Cole-black Negro's one hundred and forty thousand Of Arabians one hundred and sixty thousand Of Babylonians one hundred and thirty thousand and odd Of Armenians one hundred and fifty thousand Of Macedonians two hundred and ten thousand Of Siracusians fifteen thousand six hundred Of Hungarians three hundred and six thousand Of Sicilians seven thousand three hundred Of Scythians one hundred and five thousand Of Parthians ten thousand three hundred Of Phrygians seven thousand three hundred Of Ethiopians sixty thousand Of Thracians fourscore thousand Likewise from the Provinces of Prester John three hundred thousand of unconquered Knights with many other petty Dominions and Dukedoms whose number I omit for this time lest I should seem over-tedious to the Reader But to conclude such a Camp of Armed Soldiers arrived in Hungary that might in one Month have destroyed Christendom had not God defended them from those Barbarous Nations and by his invincible power confounded the Pagans in their own practices for no sooner had the Heralds Proclaimed through the Camp what a number of Nations joyned in Arms together but the Soldiers fell at dissention one with another about the Election of a General Some vowed to follow none but the King of Jerusalem some Ptolomy the Aegyptian King and some the Souldan of Persia either to persevere in their own wills or to lose their lives in the same Quarrel Thus in this manner Parts were taken on all sides not only by the meaner sort but by Leaders and Commanders of Bands whereby the Kings and Potentates were forced to commit their wills to their Soldiers pleasure This civil broil so discouraged the whole Army that many withdrew their Forces and presently Marched homewards as the King of Morocco with his Tawny Moors and Cole-black Negroes likewise the Souldan of Persia Ptolomy the Egyptian King the Kings of Arabia and Jerusalem every one departed to their own Countreys cursing the time they attempted first so vain an Enterprize The rest not minding to pocket up abuses fell from brawling Boasts to downright Blows whereby grew such sharp and bloody Wars that it cost more Soldiers Lives than the Civil Mutiny at the Destruction of Jerusalem Which Battel by the â—reful Pagans continued without ceasing for the space of three days in which Encounters the Murdered Infidels like scattered Corn over spread the Fields of Hungary The fruitful Ualleys lay drowned in purple gore the Fields of Corn consumed with flames of Fire their Towns and Cities Ruinated with wasting War wherein the Fathers were sad witnesses of their Childrens slaughters and the Sons beheld their Parents Reverend haâ—rs more white than tried silver besineared with clotted blood there might the Mothers see their harmless Babes born up and down the streets upon Soldiers Launces there might they see their silken Ornaments and rich Attire in pools of blood lye swimming up and down there might they see the brains of honest Dames and pure Uirgins â—â—sh'd against hard â—â—inty Stones there might they see their Courts and Palaces by Soldiers burned to the Ground there might they see how Counsellors in their Scarlet Gowns lay burning in the fire there might they â—â—â— how Kings and Queens were Arm in Arm consumed to Ashes there might they behold and see melted Gold in choaked Sinks lye every where there might they see the bloodiest Tragedies that ever eye beheld and the wofullest news that ever Christians ears heard told In this long and bloody War one sucking Child was not left alive to report the story to succeeding ages no not so much as a Soldier to carry Arms throughout the Kingdom of Hungary so justly was the Uengeance of God thrown upon the heads of these misbelieving Miscreants that durst attempt to lift their hands against his true anointed Nations for no doubt but the invincible Army of Pagans had Ruinated the Borders of Europe had not the mighty Hand of God with his unspeakable mercy been Christendom's Defence and conâ—ounded the Infidels in their own civil Wars which bloody and strange Overthrow of those unchristian People let us for ever bury in the Lake of Oblivion and persevere in the fortunate proceedings of the Seven Champions of Christendom who had entred the Borders of Barbary before Almidor the black King of
whom they likewise tyed round about him then one of the Moors being crueller than the rest proffened to desloue the Merchant's Wife before his face but she in Chastity like Camma choosing rather an honourable death than an infamous life spit in the Negro's â—ace and most bitterly reviled him yielding neither to his force nor his bloody threats but snatching a Knife from his Girdle vowed to sheath it in her Bosom before the would lose her precious Gem of Honour that once being gone could not be recovered for all the Worlds Treasure This Resolution of the English Merchant's Wife caused the stern Negro to exceed in Cruelty but the Principal of that wicked company being a bloody and merciless Tyrant stabbed one of the silly Children before the Mother's face Now stubborn Dame quoth he wilt thou yield to my desires and preserve the lives of the other six Children Otherwise shalt thou behold them Butchered in the same manner To sell my Honour for the lives of my Children replyed she will be an Offence to God and a continual corrosive to my Husband's heart if we live together Therefore accursed Monster prosecute your Tyranny it is not all your threats and bloody dealings shall convert my chaste mind nor once enforce my thoughts to give any consent thereunto These words being no sooner ended but the lustful Moor took another of her Children and stabbed before her Husband's face thinking thereby to force the Merchant to intreat his Wife to consent to the wicked Negro's determinations but he being as resolute as his vertuous Wife spake in this manner O you cursed black Dogs of Barbary more worse in quality than bloody Tygers and more merciless than wicked Canibals think you that the Murder of our Children shall enforce our hearts to yield to your Lustful desires No no persevere in your Tyrannies Iâ— I had an hundred Children twice the number of King Priam's yet would I lose them all before I would endure to see my Wife's Dishonour Children may be begotten again but her honour never recovered These words pricked the Negro's to the gall and caused them to commit the wickedest Deed that ever was practised under the Celestial Globe of Heaven First they sheathed their Poniards in the Breasts of all the Merchant's Children whose guiltless blood stained all the Chamber with a crimson colour then with their Faulchions did they cut their Bodies in sunder and caused seven Pies to be made of their flesh and after served in a Banquet to their woful Parents whom the merciless Moors set at a square Table the Merchant placed directly opposite against his Wife where they were constrained either to feed upon their own Children or starve for want of other Sustenance This woful spenacle struck such a Grief into the English Merchant's heart that he could scarce endure to speak for weeping his Wife when she beheld the heads of her lovely Sons lying upon the Table as it were looking to Heaven for Revenge breathed forth this dying Lamentation O silly Babes would you had been strangled in my Womb at your first conception then should not these accursed Infidels have triumph'd thus in your unhappy Tragedies nor your unfortunate Parents beheld this luckless day whereon I pray that never Sun may shine again but be accounted an ominous day throughout the whole World for Heaven I hope poor Babes will Rain a showre of Uengeance on their heads that have caused this our untimely death and with this Prayer I bid the Word farewel At which words her Grief so exceeded the bounds of Reason that it stayed the passage of her breath whereby she was forced to yield her Soul to the Paradice of Peace She being no sooner dead but the sorrowful Merchant likewise bitterly exclaimed against the Injustice of Fortune and the Tyranny of the Barbarous Moors accounting his Destiny more hapless than the Thracian Kings that buried his Children in his own Bowels and the cruelty of these Infidels to exceed the Tyranny of Nero that caused his Mother's Womb to be opened that he might behold the place of his conception But when the Merchant had sufficiently bewail'd the murder of his Children the Death of his Wife and his own Misery he yielded his Soul to the furious stroke of Death The end of whose long languishments when the wicked Moors had intelligence of they caused their dead Bodies to be carried to the top of a high Mountain and there left for the prey of hungry Ravens But the Sun consumed them like the morning dew And by the wonderful Workmanship of Heaven in the same place sprung a Bower of Roses to signifie the unspotted honour of the Merchant and his Uertuous Wife which Miracle we leave to the wonder of the Moors and speak of the Christian Champions Proceeding that by this time were arrived in the Kingdom of Aegypt CHAP. XV. How the Christians arrived in Egypt and what hapned to them there The Tragedy of the Lustful Earl of Coventry How Sabra was bound to a Stake to be burnt And how St. George Redeemed her Lastly How the Egyptian King cast himself from the top of a Tower and broke his Neck DUring the time of the bloody Murder wrought by the Barbarous Moors upon the English Merchant and his Wife with his seven Children as you heard in the former Chapter the Champions of Christendom arrived upon the Territories of Egypt where they supposed to have adventured their lives upon the chance of War but all things fell out contrary to their expectations they found the Gates of every City set open and every Uillage and Town unpeopled for the Commons at the report of the Christians arrival secretly hid their Treasure in the Caves of the Earth in deep Wells and such like obscute places and a general fear and extream terror assailed the Egyptians as well the Peers of the Land as the simple Country People Many fled into Woods and Wildernesses and closely hid themselves in hollow Trees many digged Caves in the Ground where they thought best to remain in safety and many fled to high Mountains where they long time lived in great extremity fooding upon the Grass of the Ground so greatly the Egyptâ—ans feared the Army of the Christians that they expected nothing but the Auine of their Countrey with the loss of their own lives and the murder of their Wives and Children But to speak of the Christian Champions who finding the Countrey desolate of People suspected some deep policy of the Egyptian thinking them to have Mustred their Warlike Forces to bid them Battel Therefore St. George gave commandment through the whole Camp that not a Man upon pain of Death should break his Rank but March Advisedly with their Weapons ready prest to encounter Battel as though the Enemies had directly placed themselves opposite against them Which special charge the Christian Soldiors duly observed looking neither after the Wealth of Cities nor the Spoil of Uillages but circumspectly Marched according to their
's unkind and Tyrant-like doth deal You Fairy Nymphs of Lovers much ador'd And gracious Damsels which in evenings fair Your Closets leave with heavenly beauty stor'd And on your shoulders spread your golden hair Record with me that Sabra is unkind Within whose Breast remains a double mind Ye Savage Bears in Caves and Dens that lie Remain in Peace if you may sorrows hear And be not moved at my misery Tho' too extream my passions do appear England farewel and Coventry adieu But Sabra Heaven above still prosper you These Uerses being no sooner finished and engraven about the â—ark of a Walnut-tree but with a grisly look and wrathful countenance he lift up his hand intending to strike the poiniard up to the Hilt in his Breast but at the same instant he beheld Sabra entring the Orchard to take her wonted Walks of pleasure whose sight hindred his purpose and caused other bloody cogitations to enter into his mind The Furies did incense him to a wicked Deed the which my trembling tongue faints to report For after she had walked to the farthest side of the melancholy Orchard he rigorously ran unto her with his Dagger drawn and catching her about the slender wast thus frightfully threatned her Now stubborn Dame quoth he will I obtain my long desired purpose and Revenge by Violence thy former proud Denials first I will wrap this Dagger in thy Locks of Hair and nail it fast into the ground then will I Ravish thee by Force and Violence and triumph in the Conquest of thy Chastity which being done I will cut thy tongue out of thy mouth because thou shalt not reveal nor desery thy bloody Ravisher Likewise with this Poiniard will I chop off both thy hands whereby thou shalt never write with Pen thy stain of Honour nor in Sampler sow this proffered Disgrace Therefore except thou wilt yield to quench my desired Love with the pleasures of thy Marriage Bed I will by force and violence inflict those vowed punishments upon thy delicate Body be not too resolute in denials for if thou bee'st the gorgeous Sun shall not glide the compass of an hour before I obtain my long desired purpose And thereupon he stepped to the Orchard-door and with all expedition locked it and put the Key in his Pocket Then returned he like an hunger-starved Wolf to seize upon the silly Lamb Or like the chased Boar when he is wounded with the Hunter's Launce came running to the helpless Lady intending her present Rape and foul Dishonour But she thinking all hope of aid and succour to be void fell into a dead Swoon being not able to move for the space of a quarter of an hour But yet at last having recovered her dead senses to their former vital moving she began in this pitiful manner to defend her assailed Chastity from the wicked Earl that stood over her with his bloody Dagger threatning most cruelly her final Confusion My Lord of Coventry said she with weeping Tears and kneeling upon the Ground is Vertue banished from your breast have you a mind more tyrannous than the Tygers in Hycoania that nothing may suffice to satisfie Your Lustful desires but the stain of mine Honour and the Conquest of my Chastity If it be my Beauty that hath inticed you I am content to have it converted to a loathsome Leprosie whereby to make me odious in your Eyes If it be my rich and costly Garments that make me Beautiful and so intangle you henceforth I will attire my Body in poor and simple array and for evermore dwell in Countrey Caves and Cottages so that I may preserve my Chastity unspotted If none of these may suffice to abase your Tyrannous Intent but that your Lust will make me Time's wonder and pointing stock and scorn of vertuous Ladies then will the Heavens revenge my wrongs to whom I will uncessantly make my petitions The Birds in the Air after their kind will evermore exclaim against your wickedness the Silvane Beasts that abide in Woods and Desarts will breathe forth clamours of your wickedness the creeping worms that live within the crevices of the Earth will give dumb signs and tokens of your wickedness The running Rivers will murmur at your wickedness The Woods and Trees Herbs and Flowers with every sensless thing will sound some motions of your wickedness Return return my Noble Lord unto your former Vertues banish such fond desires out of your mind stain not the Honour of your House with such black Scandals and Disgrace bear this in mind before you do attempt so vile a sin What became of Hellen's Ravishment but the Destruction of Renowned Troy What of Roman Lucretia 's Rape but the Banishment of Tarquin And what of Progne 's foul Deflourment by her Sister's Husband the Lustful King of Thrace but the bloody Banquet of his young Son Itis whose tender body they served to his Table baked in a Pye At which speeches the â—â—eful Earl wrapped his hands within her Locks of Hair which was covered with a costly Caul of Gold and in this manner presently replied unto her What tellest thou me of Poets Tales said he of Progne's Rape and Terius 's bloody Banquet thy Ravishment shall be an Induction to thy Tragedy which if thou yield not willingly I will obtain by Force and Violence therefore prepare thy self either to entertain the Sentence pronounced or yield thy Body to my pleasure This unrecanting and vowed Resolution of the Earl added grief upon grief and heaped Mountains of Sorrow upon her Soul Twice did the hapless Lady cast her eyes to Heaven in hopes the Gods would pity her Distress and twice unto the Earth wishing the Ground might open and devour her and so deliver her from the sury of the wicked Homicide but at last when she saw that neither Tears Prayers nor Wishes could prevail she gave an outward sign of consenting upon some Conditions under colour to devise a present means to preserve her Chastity and deliver her self from his Lustful Assailments There is no condition said the Earl but I would yield unto so thou wilt grant my desire and make me chief commander of thy Love First my Lord quoth she shall you suffer me to sit some certain hours upon this bed of Violets and bewail the loss of my good name which shortly shall be yielded up to your pleasure then shall you lie and dally in my Lap thereby to make my Affections yet freezing cold to flame with burning brands of Love that being done you shall receive your wished desires Those words caused the Earl to convert his furious wrath to smiling joy and casting down his Dagger he gave her a courteous kiss which she in his conceit graciously accepted whereby his mind was brought into such a vain opinion that he thought no Heaven but in her presence no comfort but in her sight and no pleasure but in her then caused he Sabra to sit down upon a bed of Uiolets beset about with divers sorts
the Misery and Death of the Conjurer and how the Souldan Brained himself against a Marble Pillar NOw must we return to the Christian Champions and speak of their Battels in Persia and what happened to them in St. George's absence for if you remember before being in Aegypt when he had news of his Lady's condemnation in England for the Murther of the Earl of Coventry he caused them to march into Persia and incouraged them to revenge his wrongful Imprisonment upon the Souldan's Provinces in which Country after they had marched some fifty Miles burning and spoiling his Territories they were intercepted by the Souldan's Power which was about the number of three hundred thousand fighting Men but the Muster-rolls of the Christians weâ—e likewise numbred and they amounted not to above one hundred thousand able Men at which time betwixt the Christians and Pagans happened a long and dangerous Battle the like many Age was seldom fought for it continued without ceasing for the space of five days to the great effusion of bloud on both Parties but at last the Pagans had the worst for when they beheld their fields bestrowed with mangled Bodies and that the Rivers for twenty Miles comâ—ass did flow with crimson Blood their hearts began to fail and incontiâ—ently fled like Sâ—eep before the Wolf Then the vaâ—â—ant Christians thirsting after revenge speedily pursued them sâ—aâ—â—ng neither young nor old till the ways were strowed with liveless bodies like heaps of scattered sand in which Pursuit and honourable Conquest they burned two hundred Forts and Towns battering their Towers of Stone as level with the ground as Harvest-Reapers do Fields of â—â—pened Corn but the Souldan himself with many of his approved Souldiers escaped alive and fortified the City of Grand Belgor being the strongest Town of War in all the Kingdom of Persia before whose Walls we will leave the Christian Champions planting their puissant Forces and speak of the damnable practises of Osmond within the Town where he accomplisht many admirable Accidents by Magick Art for when the Christians Army had long time given assaults to the Walls sending their fiery Bullets to their lofty Battlements like Storms of Winters Hail whereby the Persian Souldiers were not able any longer to resist they began to yield and commit their lives to the mercy of the Christian Champions but when the Souldan perceived the Souldiers cowardise and how they would willingly resign his happy Government to forreign Rule he encouraged them still to resist the Christians desperate encounters and within thirty days if they had not the honour of the War then willingly to condescend to their Country's Conquest which princely resolution encouraged the Souldiers to resist intending not to yield up their City till Death had made triumph on their Bodies Then departed he unto a sacred Tower where he found Osmond sitting in a Chair studying by Magick how long Persia should remain unconquered who at his entrance drove him from his Charms with these Speeches Thou wondrous Man of Art said the Souldan whom for Necromancy the World hath made famous Now is the time to express the Love and Loyalty thou bearest thy Soveraign Now is the time thy charming Spells must work for Persia 's good thou seest my Fortunes are deprest my Souldiers dead my Captains slaughtered my Cities burned my Fields of Corn consumed and my Country almost conquered I that was wont to cover the Seas with Fleets of Ships now stand amazed to hear the Christians Drums that sound forth doleful Funerals for my Souldiers I that was wont with armed Legions to drink up Rivers as we marched and made the Earth to groan with bearing of our Multitudes I that was wont to make whole Kingdoms tremble at my Frowns and force imperious Potentates to humble at my Feet I that have made the Streets of many a City to run with Bloud and stood rejoycing when I saw their Buildings burnt I that have made the Mothers Wombs the Infants Tombs and caused Cradles for to swim in streams of Bloud may now behold my Country's ruine my Kingdom 's fall and mine own fatal overthrow Awake great Osmond from thy dreaming Trance awake I say and raise a Troop of black infernal Fiends to sight against the damned Christians that like swarms of Bees do flock about our Walls prevent I say my Land's Invasion and as I am great Monarch of Asia I 'll make thee King over twenty Provinces and sole Commander of the Ocean raise up I say thy charmed Spirits leave burning Acheron empty for a time to aid us in this bloudy Battel These words were no sooner ended but there ratled such a peal of Cannons against the City Walls that they made the very Earth shake whereat the Necromancer started from his Chair and in this manner encouraged the Souldan It is not Europe quoth he nor all the petty Bands of armed Knights nor all the Princes in the World that shall abate your Princely Dignity Am not I the great Magician of this Age that can both loose and bind the Fiends and call the black-faced Furies from low Cocitus Am not I that skilful Artist which framed the charmed Tower amongst the Amazonian Dames which all the Witches in the World could never spoil Therefore let Learning Art and all the Secrets of the Deeps assist me in this Enterprise and then let frowning Europe do her worst my Charms shall cause the Heavens to rain such ratling showers of Stones upon their Heads whereby the Earth shall be over-laden with their dead Bodies and Hell over-filled with their hateful Souls senceless Trees shall rise in humane shapes and fight for Persia. If wise Medea were ever famous for Arts that did the like for safeguard of her Father's State then Why should not Osmond practice Wonders for his Soveraign's Happiness I 'll raise a Troop of Spirits from the lowest Earth more black then dismal Night the which in ugly Shapes shall haunt them up and down and when they sleep within their rich Pavilions legions of fiery Spirits will I up-raise from Hell that like to Dragons spitting flames of Fire shall blast and burn the damned Christians in their Tents of War the Fields of Grand Belgor shall be over-spread with venemous Snakes Adders Serpents and impoysoned Toads the which unseen shall lurk in mossie Ground and sting the Colonels of warlike Horses down from the crystal Firmament I will conjure Troops of airy Spirits to descend that like to Virgins clad in princely Ornaments shall link those Christian Champions in the Charms of Love their Eyes shall be like the twinkling Lamps of Heaven and dazle so their warlike Thoughts and their lively Countenance more bright then Fairies shall lead them captive to a Tent of Love the which shall be articially erected up by Magick Spells their warlike Weapons that were wont to smoak in Pagans Bloud shall in my charmed Tent bâ— hung upon the bowers of Peace their glistâ—ing Armour that were wont to shine within
manner spent the sorrowful Fidelia that unhappy day till bright Phoebus went into the Western Parts at which time the Magician returned from his accustomed Hunting and finding the Door open he entered into Angelica's Chamber where when he found her Body westring in congealed Blood and beheld how Fidelia sate weeping over her bleeding Wounds he cursed himself for that he accounted his negligence the occasion of her Death in that he had not left her in more safety But when Fidelia had certified him how that by the hands of her own Father she was slaughtered he began like a Frantick Tyrant to rage against black Destiny and to fill the Air with terrible Exclamations Oh cruel Murtherer said he crept from the Womb of some untamed Tyger I will be so revenged upon thee O unnatural King that all Ages shall wonder at thy misery And likewise thou unhappy Virgin shalt endure like punishment in that thy accursed Tongue hath bruited this fatal Deed unto my Ears the one for committing the Crime and the other for reporting it For I will cast such deserved vengeance upon your Heads and place your Bodies in such continual Torments that you shall lament my Ladies Death leaving alive the Fame of her with your Lamentations And in saying these Words he drew a Book out of his Bosom and in reading certain Charms and Enchantments that were therein contained he made a great and very black Cloud appear in the skies which was brought by terrible and hasty winds in the which he took them up both and brought them into the Enchanted Castle where ever since they have remained in this Tomb cruelly tormented with unquenchable Fire and must for ever continue in the same extremity except some courteous Knight will vouchsafe to give but three blows upon the Tomb and break the Enchantment Thus have you heard you magnanimous Knight the true discourse of my unhappy Fortunes And the Uirgin which for the true love she bore unto her Lady was committed to this torment as my self and this pale Body lying upon the Tomb is the unhappy Babylonian King which unnaturally murthered his own Daughter and the Magician which committed all these villanies is that accursed wretch which by his Charms and Devillish Enchantments hath so strongly withstood your Encounters These Words were no sooner finished but Saint George drew out his sharp cutting Sword and gave three blows upon the Enchanted Tomb whereat presently appeared the Babylonian King standing before him attyred in rich Robes with an Imperial Diadem upon his Head and that Lady standing by him with a countenance more beautiful than the Damask Rose When Saint George beheld them he was not able to speak for joy nor to utter his mind so exceeding was the pleasure that he took in their sights so without any long circumstance he took them betwixt both his hands and led them into the Chamber whereas he found the other Knights newly risen from their Beds To whom he revealed the true discourse of the passed Adventure and by what means he redeemed the King and Lady from their Enchantments which to them was as great joy as before it was to Saint George So after they had for some six days refreshed themselves in the Castle they generally intended to accompany the Babylonian King into his Country and to place him again in his Regiment In which Travel we will leave the Christian Knights to the conduct of Fortune and return again to Rosana who as you heard before departed from the Castle in the pursuit of her disloyal Father of whose strange Accidents shall be spoken in this following Chapter CHAP. XII How the Knight of the Black Castle after Conquest of the same by the Christian Champions wandred up and down the World in great terror of Conscience â—nd after how he was found in a Wood by his own Daughter in whose presence he desperately slew himself with other accidents that after hapned YOu do well remember when that the Christian Champions had slain the seven Giants in the Enchanted Castle and had made conquest thereof disloyal Leoger being Lord of the same secretly fled not for anger of the loss but for the preservation of his life So in grief and terrour of Conscience he wandred like a fugitive up and down the World sometimes remembring of his passed prosperity other times thinking upon the Rapes he had committed how disloyally in former times he had left the Queen of Armenia big with Child bearing in her Womb the stain of honour and the confusian of her reputation Sometimes his guilty Mind imagined that the bleeding Ghosts of the two Sisters whom he both ravished and murthered followed him up and down haunting his ghost with fearful Exclamations and filling each corner of the earth with clamours of Revengement Such fear and terror raged in his Soul that he thought all places where he travelled were filled with multitudes of Knights and that the strength of Countries pursued him to heap vengeance upon his guilty head for those wronged Ladies Whereby he cursed the hour of his Birth and blamed the cause of his creation wishing the Fates to consume his Body with a Fire or that the Earth would gape and swallow him In this manner he travelled up and down filling all places with Ecchoes of his Sorrow and Grief which brought him into such a perplexity that many times he would have slain himself and have â—id his wretched Soul from a world of Miseries But it hapned that one morning very early by the first light of Titans golden Torch he entred into a narrow and straight Path which conducted him into a very thick and solitary a Forrest wherein with much sorrow he travelled till such time as glistring Phoebus had passed the half part of his journey And being weary with the long way and the great weight of his Armour he was forced to take some rest and case under certain fresh a green Myrtle Trees whese large leaves did shadow a very fair and clear Fountain whose stream made a bubling murmur on the Pibbles Being set he began anew to have in remembrance his former committed Cruelty and complaining of Fortune he thus published his great grief and although he was weary of complaining yet seeing himself without all remedy he resolved like unto the Swan to sing a while before his death and so thinking to give some ease unto his tormented Heart he warbled forth these Uerses following MOurnful Melpomeneapproach with speed And shew thy sacred Face with tears besprent Let all thy Sisters Hearts with sorrow bleed To hear my Plaints and rufull discontent And with your mones sweet Muses all assist My mournfull Song that doth of woe consist That so I may at large paint out my pain Within these Desart Groves and Wilderness And after I have ended to complain They may record my woes and deep distress Except these Myrtle Trees relentless be They will with sobs assist the sighs of me Time wears out life it is reported
what in them lay as fighting for the Liberty of their Country yet being overpowered and bore down by the strength and valour of the Gyant Predo they received a dismal overthrow the greatest part of their Army slain and most of the rest taken Prisoners amongst whom our woful King was one who encountering Predo who had on him a Coat of Mail and over that an Armour of two hundred pound weight being on foot for no Horse was able to bear him Our King running against him with his Lance it shiver'd in a thousand pieces nor could his Sword ought avail against the Gyants Armour although he laid so on load that the sparkles flew from it as from a piece of hot Iron when a Smith is working it But the Gyant valued his blows so little finding him to be the Thessalian King and now almost spent with long fighting that he made no more adâ— but clasping his Arms about him he carried both Horse and Man together into his Tent which our men séeing fled and dispersed themselves as well as they could for their own safety And now the Thracians being absolute Uictors it was agreed amongst them that the Gyant Predo should carry our King Prisoner with him into his Castle where he lives being a place strongly Sâ—ituated in an Island having one associated with him famous for his skill in the Black Art so that what by the strength of the one and Devilish cunning of the other we despair of ever having our King again As for the King of Thrace he with the remaining of his Army marched up to the City of Larissa wherein our Princess Mariana is enclosed and so straitly besieged that without speedy help the City is in danger to be lost and with it the liberty and welfare of our whole Country which now lies a bléeding in a pittyful manner unless most Noble Prince your goodness will be pleased to lend us any aid and assistance which now both our Nobles and Commons do most humbly implore at your hands This woful Tale being finished moved great pity and compassion in all the hearers thereof especially in the three English Brothers whose Princely minds being endowed with the true séeds of Magnanimity they vowed by the honour of Knighthood and all that was most dear unto them to use their utmost endeavour were it to the spending their most precious blood for the relieving the Princess Mariana and her captivated Father The Thessalian King promising his best assistance to joyn with them they with all speed made what hast they could for the mustering up of an Army and notwithstanding the great strength and terribleness of the Gyant Predo did strike some dread and terrour into the hearts of many yet being accompanied with such invincible Knights as were these three Brothers they dreaded no danger but with a valiant courage resolved to venture their lives with them whose valiant acts and noble atchievements deserving to be recorded in the Books of Fame Calliope assisting shall be recorded in the next Chapter CHAP. III. How Sir Guy took his leave of the Princess Urania the Battle betwixt the Sicilians and Thracians The Message of the Princess Mariana to the Inchanted Castle and how Sir Alexander counted the Princess THE Captains and other Officers made such expedition in Mustering up an Army that in a fortnights time then hâ—â— gotten together twenty thousand men all which the 〈◊〉 compleatly armed out of his Royal Armory being a Magaâ—â—nâ— sufficiently stored with all necessary Habiliments of 〈◊〉 To the three Brothers he gave each of them a Silver Helmet 〈◊〉 with Gold and inlaid with precious Stones as a reward of their victorious conquering the Monster Pongo appointing to their valiant conduct the management of the whole Army Whilst thus this preparation was in hand the Couragious knight Sir Guy although his heart was full fraught with Ualour and bent to the performance of Noble Atchiveements yet had Love taken such déep Impression in his thoughts that it was Death unto him to part with his Urania Whilst thus Hâ—nour on the one hand invited him to buckle on his Armour and Love on the other side pleaded for his stay he resolved not to desist from the performance of Honourable Atchievements since the attainment of Love was by hazardous attempts in actions which were truly honourable Accordingly be bestirred himself in Mustring up of his Men shewing them how to handle their Weapons and â—o use them to the best advantage also how to gain ground in fight and when to retreat with other things belonging to Martial Discipline And now being ready for their march he went to take his solemn leave of the Princess Urania who bestowed on him a very fair Diamond Ring to wear for her sake as also a Meddal of her self very curiously wrought with great Art and exceeding cost which he afterwards constantly wore in his Bosom next his Heart But now seeing he could not have the opportunity of expressing his mind unto her as he would have done he wrote this Letter which by a waiting Gentlewoman that attended on her was delivered unto her about the time of his departing Excellent Princess BLamâ— me not that for a while I am Summoned by the highest tye of Honour to depart from you being in such a cause to help the injured which all true Knights are bound to perform Yet Madam know that no distance of place shall remove the affection I bear to your Vertues and this I swear by all that is Sacred and can make an Oath Let me desire you therefore to cherish a good Opinion of me until Crowned with Victory I return again to evidence my self to be Your Most Loyal Servant Guy This Letter wos very welcome to the Princess Urania who now began to set such a high esteem of Sir Guy as she judged him worthy of the Empire of the World And now he being the sole Monarch of her heart she could not but breathe forth some sighs to think upon his absence but then considering upon what an honourable account he was ingaged she could not but applaud his undertaking yet to give him some more clear demonstration of her affection to him upon his marching away she went in her Chariot to speak to him whom she found in the head of his Troops and kindly hid him farewel in these words Most Courteous Knight may the Heavens prosper your undertakings according to the justness of your Cause and that your return may be both speedy and honourable and for your more prosperous proceeding assure your self you shall have a Virgins Prayers day and night In the mean time let me request you to wear this Scarf for my sake that by looking on the same I may not be altogether out of your remembrance In delivering of which the tears began to flâ—w into her Eyes for grief of his departure which that they might not be espyed by Sir Guy she made the more hast back to her Palace where from one
Until three Brothers shall the same attain Whose power shall be this Castles overthrow VVho ere thou art sorbear to draw too near Thy Life 's at stake than which there 's nought more dear Near unto this Brazen Pillar stood a Rock of Alabaster in which were enclosed three swords richly enchased and beset with Precious Stones in the Pummels on the handle of the first Sword were these Lines written Hard closed in this Rock I sirmly stand Until drawn out by the first Brothers hand On the Pummel of the second Sword were these Lines inscribed The second Brother shall by Fates decree Draw from the Rock this sword and none but he On the Pummel of the third Sword which was more artificially wrought then any of the other two having a rich Saphire set therein which cast forth a most radiant Lustre on the handle thereof were these words Engraved VVhen the third Brother he shall draw me forth Then is our Negromantick skill nought worth All Magick charms and spells shall be in vain And then shall the end Gyant Predos Reign The Messenger notwithstanding he had read the writing on the Brazen Pillar yet adventured for to go forwards but coming into the Inchanted ground before he could come at the Castle Gate he fell into such a sound sleep that had twenty pieces of Ordnance béen shot off at his Ears they would not have awaked him The Negromancer who by his skill in the Black Art knew what had happened fetched his Body into the Castle laying it by the Thessalian King who also as soon as he came into the Inchanted ground had fallen into a dead sléep And now being there laid together we will leave them taking their rests and come to speak of the proceedings of the Sicilian Army at the City of Larissa The Princess Mariana hearing no news of her Messenger and doubting the worst which might befal her Father consulting with the three Brothers it was agreed amongst them to march with their Army into Thracia although at that time Love had taken so deep an impression in her heart that it was almost Death unto her to part with Sir Alexander On the other side Sir Alexander upon the first sight of the Princess was so stricken with her admirable perfections her beauty being such an attractive Loadstone as captivated his heart in the allurements of Love so that now as the Poet hath it The treasure of his heart did lie In the fair Casket of his Mistress eye Cupid having thus stricken him with his youthful dart so that he became a stranger to rest he resolved yet to declare his amours before he betook himself again to armes and to that purpose finding one day the Princess all alone he accosted her in this manner Most Gracious Princess I think the Stars could have alotted me no greater good then to behold the surpassing work of Nature in you Your Excellencies having so captivated my heart that to live without your good liking will be but a lingring death unto me I must confess my presumption great in aiming so high but who can look on such perfections without liking and who can like without loving And though the small tryal you have of the real affection wherewith I honour your Vertues may discourage you to credit my words yet I hope that in the trying of me how willing I shall be to merit your favour you will find my deserts not altogether unworthy of your regard since the utmost of my abilities is and shall be devoted to your service To which the Princess returned this answer Most Courteous Knight to whom I stand so much obliged for former courtesies that all which I can do will not stand in competition of your deserts yet the natural affection which I bear to my Aged Father compels me at this time humbly to implore your further assistance which as I doubt not the Gods being just in rightfull causes you will perform so assure your self your extraordinary kindness afforded to me in such a time of necessity shall never be razed out of my heart and therefore of this you may be ascertained that no one whatsoever hath so large a Possession therein as your self so that should you as the Gods forbid miscarry therein when I am dead as Death must assuredly ensue thereon they will find the name of Alexander written in my heart Their Minds thus made known to each other gave great contentment to them both especially to Sir Alexander who humbly kissing the hands of the Princess replyed thus unto her Madam There is no danger in the World so great which I shall not adventure on for your sake were it to perform the twelve labours of Hercules or with Aeneas to encounter with the Gyant Turnus Be pleased therefore to accept me as your Knight and Servant and I hope to behave my self so hereafter as you shall have no cause to repent you thereof To whom the Princess smiling said Sir I do accept you for my Knight and hope the Gods will be so propitious to you for my sake that you shall not have an enemy able to withstand you With which words taking a rich Diamond Ring from off her Finger and giving it him she said wear this for my sake that whensoever hereafter you look on it it may add fresh courage into your breast by the remembrance of me Much other Discourse they had but the Army being now upon their march summoned Sir Alexander to march along with them Wherefore taking a gentle farewel of the Princess having vowed constancy on both sides he joyned himself unto the Army whose Knightly adventures with those of his two Brothers we shall prosecute in the next Chapter CHAP. IV. The great Battle betwixt the three English Knights and the Sicilians on the one side and the three Gyants and Count Brandamil on the other side the finishing the adventure of the Inchanted Castle with the story of the wicked Sir Vylon THE Negromancer Soto who lived with the Gyant Predo in the Inchanted Castle knowing by his Magick spells that the Sicilian Army had given their King a total overthrow and taken him Prisoner as also how they were marching towards the Country of Thrace he acquainted the Gyant with his knowledge who thereupon bestired himself in all haste to their resistance sending for his two Brothers Brandamore the stout and Pandaphilo the cruel to come with all speed unto his assistance who no sooner had notice thereof but that with their Forces belonging unto them they hastned away In like manner he sent unto Count Brandamil whom the King of Thrace had left his Deputy at such time as he made his expedition in Thessaly to raise what power he could against the Sicilians And now nothing was heard but the loud sound of the thundering Drum and the shrill noise of the sounding Trumpet horrour and amazement siczed on the stoutest heart and the fore-boding Ravens foretold the fall of flaughtered Carcasses Whilst these things
been done by a just hand that did it But see how divine vengeance persues wicked actions Sir Vylon now revelling in all excess without controul was stricken with a sudden Phrensie his Limbs also being taken from him so that he lay raving and cursing in a most fearful manner in one of which fitts he discovered all the circumstances I have related unto you and soon after in a desperate horrour of Conscience yielded up the Ghost This mournful Story moved all the company to great compassion whereupon it was determined that the Knight who had related this story and who had been taken Prisoner by the Sicilians should have his freedom and accompany the Lady to her habitation who in mournful manner took her leave of the Thessalian King and the thrée English Knights and returned homewards In which Iourney we will leave her for the present to relate the further atchievements of those Renowned Sons of Mars Sir Guy Sir Alexander and Sir David CHAP. V. How Sir Guy conducted the Army of the Sicilians into their own Country and Sir Alexander that of the Thessalians how hearing of the great preparation of the Infidels they returned into Christendom to raise Forces to withstand them SOon after the departuer of Sir Vylons Widow and that the Army were sufficiently refreshed being highly satisfied for all the pains they had taken with the rich booties which they had gained The Thessalian King and the three English Brothers thinking themselves revenged with advantage on the Thracians they determined to march home into their own Countries and having setled their affairs in Thrace Sir Guy with his Brother David marched with the Army of the Sicilians back into that fruitful Country to which Sir Guy longed to come to enjoy the company of his beloved Urania in which journey we will leave them for a time to accompany Sir Alexander home which the Thessalian Armâ— Who had as great a desire to sée his beloved Mariana and therefore having secured the chief Forts of the Kingdom they took their march carrying with them the two Gyants Predo and Pandaphilo Prisoners who for their huge stature and vast proportion were gazed on by the people with admiration wheresoever they came multitudes from all places flocking to see them Before they came to the City of Larissa where the Princess Mariana resided they were met by the Chief Magistrates of the City in their Scarlet Gowns Gold Chains and their Horses trapped with foot-cloaths of black Uelvet besides multitudes of the common people who all with one voice â—cchoed forth Long live the King of Thessalia and the Renowned Knight Sir Alexander of England The Bells rung the Bonfires blazed the Conduits ran pure Gréekish Wine the streets were hung with rich suits of Tapistry and all the windows along as they passed filled with abundance of Spectators to behold the return of their King and to have a sight of the Noble Champion Sir Alexander whom they stiled the deliverer of their Country the flower of Chivalry the darling of Mankind with all the Epithets which might conduce to his Praise and Magnanimity At the Pallace Gate they were met by the Princess Mariana who in all dutyful manner welcomed home her Royal Father and with many expressions of love and affection entertained her noble Champion Sir Alexander Here did they spend several days in feasting â—â—nqueting and all the delights that art and coâ—â— could invent but in the midst of all this jollity there came news to the Court of the great preparations which were made by the Infidels against the Christians as you heard in the first Chapter of this most excellent History This news struck a sudden damp unto their mirth for the love of his Native Country was so dear unto Sir Alexander that notwithstanding the intire affection he bare to the Princess Mariana he resolved to give what succour he could unto the place wherein his Father received his first breath and from whence his own Honour was derived So making his mind known to the Thessalian King and taking his solemn leave of his beloved Mariana with great asseverations of his fidelity to her and promise of return when those Wars were finished he prepared for his Iourney to Sicilia to aâ—quaint his two Brothers with his resolution being accompanied therein by divers of the prime Thessalian Nobility who resolâ—ed to spend their lives in the company and under the conduct of so noble a Champion In which Journey we will leave them for a time and return to speak of Sir Guy and Sir David Who having conducted their Army back to Sicily were entertained with all demonstrations of joy imaginable especially of the Pâ—â—rless Princess Urania in whose heart the love of Sir Guy was so deeply engraven that nothing but death was able to bâ—ot â—â—ouâ— But here likewise as well as to Thessaly soon câ—me news of the Infidels great preparation for the Invasion of Christendom which when Sir Guy heard he resolved â—o send to his Brother Alexander to prepare to march homewards but ere the messenger was fully dispatcht Sir Alexander with the Thessalian Lords were arrived at the Sicilian Court to the great joy of Sir Guy Sir David and other Martial Spirits only the Princess Urania was deeply melancholly that now she should part with her dear Knight whose company she prized far above all the 〈◊〉 of the Mines of America wherefore retiring her self to her Chamber taking her Lute in her hand she warbled forth this mournful ditty My mourning Mind doth crave some sweet delight And fancy sain would lend me some I see But Fortune frowns and sends me foul despight And care doth keep all comfort quite from me Such Passions strange do still perplex my mind As I despair of any ease to find But let me see I must not yet despair Dame Fortunes wheel may hap to turn again When storms are past the weather may be â—air And pleasure comes unlookt for after pain Things at the worst the Proverb saith will mend VVhy should not then my sorrows have an end But old said-saws are not yet Scripture all For things at worst are past all mending quite To pining hearts all pleasure seemeth small VVhat mirth can do the pining heart delight VVhen Fates do frown and Fortune is our foe Nought can be thought to rid the mind of woe Scarcely had she ended her Song when Sir Guy came to take his leave of her finding her sitting in such a given over manner one would have thought silence solitariness and melancholly were come under the ensign of mishap to conquer delight and drive him from his natural seat of Beauty But now to describe the grief of these two Lovers at their parting I must implore the help of Melpomene the mournfullest of the nine Muses to guide my Pen the sorrow of Orpheus for his beloved Euridice Andromache for Hector Aegens for his supposed dead Theseus Antigone leading her blind Father Oedipus or that of weeping Niobe for the loss
Powder and that St. George might at pleasure discern the Noble and Magnanimous Champion of Wales who as then rode upon a milk-white Hobby in Silver Armour guarded with a Train of Knights in purple Uestures but he greeted St. David with kind Courtesies and accompanied him to the English Tent. which they had erected close by the Port-side where for that night these two Champions remained spending the time with unspeakable pleasure And so upon the next day after St. David departed to his own Tent which he had caused to be pitched a quarter of a League from the Englsh Army The next that arrived on the fruitful Banks of Portugal was St. Patrick the Noble Champion of Ireland with an Army likewise of Fifty thousand attired after a strange and wonderful manner Their Furnitures were of the skins of Wild-beasts but yet more unpierceable than the strongest Armour of Proof They bore in their hands mighty Darts tipp'd at the end with pricking Steel which the Couragious and Ualiant Irish Soldiers by the agility of their Arms could throw a full flight shot and with forcible strength would strike three or four Inches into an Oak and with such a certain aim they would not miss the breadth of a Foot These adventurous and hardy Soldiers no sooner arrived on the Shore but the English Musqueteers gave them a Princely Entertainment and presently conducted the noble-minded Champion St. Patrick to the English Tent where the three Champions of England Wales and Ireland passed away the time with exceeding great Royalty laying down Plots how to pitch their Camps to the most disadvantage of the misbelieving Enemy and setting perfect directions which way they were best to March and such like Devices for their own safeties and the benefit of Christendom The next that Landed on the Banks of Portugal was St. Andrew the worthy Champion of Scotland with threescore thousand of well-approved Soldiers His Horse-men the old adventurous Gallowaâ—s clad in quilted Iackâ—ts with 〈◊〉 of the Turkish fashion thick and short â—earing upon their Beâ—â—ers the Arms of Scotland which was a corner Cross supported by a 〈◊〉 Uirgin His Pikemen the sâ—iff and hardy Men o◠〈◊〉 which conâ—â—nually lye upon freezing Mountains the Iâ—â— Roâ—k and the Snowy Uallys his shot the light-â—ooted 〈◊〉 that if occasion be can climb the highest Hill and for nimbleness in running over-go the swift-sooted Stag. These bold adventurous Scottish Men in all forwardness deserved as much Honour at the Engâ—iâ—â— Champion's hands as any other Nations before therefore he commanded his shot on their first entry on Land to give them a Noble Entertainment which they performed most Royally and also conducted St. Andrew to the English Tent where after he had given S. George the Courtesie of his Countrey departed to his Tent which was distant from the English Tent a Mile The next that arrived was St Anthony the Champion of Italy with a Band of Fourscore thousand brave Italian Souldiers mounted on warlike Coursers every Horsman attended on by a naked Negro bearing in his hand a Streamer of watchet Silk with the Arms of Italy thereon set in Gold every Footman furnished with approved Furniture in as stately a manner as the English-men who at their Landing received as Royal an Entertainment as the other Nations and likewise St. Anthony was as highly Honoured by the English Champion as any of the other Christian Knights The next that arrived was S. Denis the Uictorious Champion of France with a Band of Fourscore thousand After him Marched Dukes of twelve several Dukedoms then under the Government of the French King every one at his own proper Cost and Charges maintained two thousand Soldiers in these Christian Wars their Entertainments were as Glorious as the rest The last of the Christian Champions that arrived upon the fruitful Banks of Portugal was the Magnanimous Knight St. James of Spain with a Band likewise of Fourscore thousand with him he brought from the Spanish Mines ten Tun of Refined Gold only to maintain Soldiers in the Defence of Christendom who no sooner Landed with his Troops but the Six Champions gave him the honourable welcome of a Soldier and ordained a solemn Banquet for the general Armies whose number justly surmounted Five hundred thousand which Legious they enjoyned into one Camp-Royal and after placed their Wings and Squadrons Battel-wise chiefly by the direction of St. George being then chief General by the consent of the Christian Kings who after he had over-viewed the Christian Armies his Countenance seemed to prognosticate a Crowned Uictory and to foretell a fatal Overthrow to the misbelieving Potentates Therefore to encourage his Princely Followers to persevere in their wonted willingness pronounced this Princely Oration You Men of Europe said he and my Countrey-men whose Conquering Fortunes never yet have feared the Enemies of Christ you see we have forsook our Native Lands and committed our Destinies to the Queen of Chance not to fight in any unjust Quarrel but in the true Cause of Israel's Anointed not against Nature to climb to the Heavens as Nimroâ— and the Giants proffered in former time but to prevent the Invasion of Christendom the Ruine of Europe and the intended overthrow of all Christian Provinces the Bloody-minded Infidels have Mustered up Legions in numbers like blades of Grass that grow upon the flourishing Downs of Italy or the Stars of Heaven in the coldest Winters night protesting to fill our Countries with Seas of Blood to scatter our streets with mangled Limbs and convert our Glorious Cities into Flames of quenchless Fire Therefore dear Country-men live not to see our Christian Uirgins spoiled by Lustfull Rape nor dragged along our Streets like guiltless Lambs to a bloody Slaughter nor to see our harmless Baâ—es with bruised brains dashed against hard Flinty stones nor to see our unlusty Age whose hair resembles silver Mines lye bleeding on the Marble Pavements but like true Christian Soldiers fight in the Quarrel of your Countries What though the Pagans be in number ten to one yet Heaven I know will fight for Christendom and cast them down before our faces like drops of April showers Be not dismayed to see them in ordered Ranks nor fear not when as you behold the streamers hovering in the waving wind when as their steeled Pikes like to a Thorny Forrest will overspread whole Countreys Thousands of them I know will have no heart to fight but flie with cowardly fear like Flocks of Shéep before the greedy Wolf I am the Leader of your noble Minds that never sought in vain nor ever entred Battel but returned with Conquest Then every one with me build upon this Princely Resolution For Christendom we Fight For Christendom we Live and Dâ—e This Soldierlike Oration was no sooner finished but the whole Army with a general voice cried to Arms to Arms with Uictorious George of England Which Noble Resolution of the Soldiers so reioyced the English Champion and likewise encouraged the other Christian Knights
almost equally with the King for which there ingendered in the Kings heart a secret rancour and hatred towards him The Magician cast his love upon the young Princess Angelica and it was ordained by destiny that she should repay him with the same affection so that both their hearts being wounded with love the one to the other they indured sundry great Passions Then Love which continually seeketh occasions did on a time set before this Magician a Waiting Maid of Angelica's named Fidelia the which thing seemed to be wrought by the immortal power of the Goddess Venus Oh in what fear the Magician was to discover unto her all his heart and to bewray the secrets of his love-sick Soul but in the end by the great industry and diligence of the Waiting-maid whose Name was answerable unto her mind there was order given that these two Lovers should meet together This fair Angelica for that she could not at her ease enjoy her true Lover she did determine to leave her own natural Country Father and with this intention being one night with her Love she cast her Arms about his neck and said Oh my sweet and well-beloved Friend seeing that my Destinies have been so kind to me as to have my heart linked in thy Breast let no man find in thee ingratitude for that I cannot live except continually I enjoy thy sight and do not muse my Lord at these my Words for the intire love that I bear to you constreineth me to make it manifest And this believe of a certainty that if thy sight be absent from me it will be an occasion that my heart will lack his vital recreation and my soul forsake her Earthly habitation You know my Lord how that the King my Father doth bear you no good Will but doth hate you from his soul which will be an occasion that we cannot enjoy our hearts contentments for the which I have determined if you think well thereof to leave both my Father and my native Country and to go and live with you in a strange Land And if you deny me this you shall very quickly see your loving Lady without life but I know you will not deny me for thereon consisteth the benefit of my welfare and my chiefest prosperity And therewithal sheding a few tears from her Crystal Eyes she held her peace The Magician as one half ravished with her earnest desires answered and said My Love and sweet Mistress wherefore have you any doubt that I will not fulfill and accomplish your desire in all things therefore out of hand put all things in readiness that your pleasure is to have done for what more benefit or contentment can I receive than to enjoy your sight continually in such sort that neither of us may depart from the others company till the fatal Destinies give end to our lives Or if it so fall out that Fortune frown upon us that we be espied and taken in our enterprize and suffer death together what more glory can there happen unto me than to die with thee and to end my life betwixt thy arms therefore do not trouble your self dear Lady and Mistress but give me leave for â—o depart your presence that I may provide all things in readiness for our departures And so with this conclusion they took leave one of the other and departed away with as great secresie as might possibly be devised After this within a few days the Magitian by his Enchantment caused a Chariot to be made that was drawn by the flying Dragons into the which without being espyed of any one they put themselves together with their trusty Waiting-Maid and in great secresie they departed out of the Kings Pallace and took their journey towards the Country of Armenia into the which Country in a short time they arrived and came without any misfortune unto a place where as deep Rivers did continually strike upon a Rock upon the which stood an old ancient building wherein they intended to inhabit as a most convenient place for their dwelling whereas they might without all fear of being found live peaceably enjoying each others love Not far from that place there was a small Uillage from whence they might have necessary provision for the maintaining of their bodies Great joy and pleasure these two Lovers received when they found themselves in such a place whereas they might take their fill of each others loves The Magician delighted in no other thing but to go a hunting with certain Country Dwellers that inhabited in the next Uillage leaving his sweet Angelica accompanied with her trusty Fidelia in that house so in this order they lived together four years spending their days in great pleasure but in the end time who never â—ested in one degree did take from them their â—est and repayed them with sorrow and extream misery For when the King her Father found her missing the sorrow and grief was so much that he received that he kept his Chamber a long time and would not be comforted of any body Four years he passed away in great heaviness filling the Court with Ecchoes of his beloved Daughter and making the Skies to resound his lamentations sorrow was his food salt tears his drink and grief his chief Companion But at last upon a time as he sate in his Chair lamenting her absence with great heaviness and being over-charged with grief he chanc'd to fall into a troublesome dream for after quiet sleep had closed up the closers of his Eyes he dreamed that he saw his Daughter standing upon a Rock by the Sea-side offering to cast her Body into the Waves before she would return to Babylon and that he beheld her Lover with an Army of Satyrs and Wild-men ready furnished with habiliments of War to pull him from his Throne and to deprive him of his Kingdom Out of this Uision he presently started from his Chair as though it had been one frighted with a Legion of Sâ—irits and caused four of the chief Peers of his Land to be sent for to whom he committed the Government of his Country certifying them that he intended a Uoyage to the Sepulchre at Memphis thereby to qualify the fury of his Daughters Ghost whom he dreamed to be drowned in the Seas and that except he sought by true Submission to appease the angry Fates whom he had offended he should be deposed from his Kingdom None could withdraw him from his Determination though it was to the prejudice of the whole Land therefore within twenty Days he furnished himself with all necessaries as well of Armour and Martial Furniture as of Gold and Treasure and so departed from Babylon privately and alone not suffering any other though many desired it humbly and very earnestly to bear him company But he travelled not as he told his Lords after any Ceremonious Order but like a Blood Hound searching Country after Country Nation by Nation and Kingdom by Kingdom that after a barbarous manner he might be