greatly contented and ordayned for thē very faire rich chambers to ease thēselues with all seruice néedfull likewise for y e faire Lidia for he lodged her in the Queenes chamber caused many Ladyes and Damsells to come and beare her companie and to serue her in all that was necessarie for that he perceiued how the Prince Eleno did receiue great pleasure therein In the end of twentie dayes that these Knights had soiourned with the King there came one and aduertised the King how that ther was arriued in the port of the Citie a faire ship and how y t ther descended out of her a Knight and a well proportioned Gyaunt and by reason that they would not hearken vnto the accustomed oath which they that didde arriue there shoulde sweare that there was begun a meruailous and stout battaile with them that did keepe the Port wherein the knight did meruailous worthy feates and likewise y e Giant The which being heard by those knights y t wer with y e king they called for their armor wer w t a trice armed there were brought vnto them very faire and strong horses which the King had commaunded to giue them and mounting on their backs in great hast they went out of the Citie to the hauen side to the same place whereas they fought theyr owne battaile whereas they founde these two knights with no lesse rigor furie then they themselues were before So straight way three of those Knights did knowe who that Knight Gyant was which were in battaile sayd that it was Clauerindo and the King of Sardenia whom I told you departed out of Greece in the quest of the Emperour and by fortune they were driuen into those parts for that the King might haue more ayde for to execute his tyranny Then the valyant Zoylo pulled off his helme and sayd What is the matter valyaunt Prince that you show your selfe so furious against him which in all poynts is redy to be at your commaundement At which words the Prince lift vp his eyes and when he behelde those thrée Princes and knewe them he very much meruailed to see them and lefte off his battel and so likewise did Bramidoro and all thrée w t their armes abroad came to imbrace him And Clauerindo saide It had not gone very well with vs in this conflict if these knights had not knowen vs and in saying these wordes he threwe his armes about their neckes with great ioye that he receyued to sée them and with no lesse ioye and pleasure all the rest did showe themselues sayd We are those which haue most gotten in the knowing of you for that we haue put apart the great battaile that was prepared for vs. So with the like courtesie they receiued the Prince of Dacia who if that the other had not tolde him what he was he wold haue beleeued that it had bene Rosicleer So with these and such like reasons at the request of the other Princes they went with them vnto the Citie at such time as the King came foorth accompanied with a faire companie of Knightes and verye well armed who receyued them with great courtesie caused y e prince of Fraunce to ride w t him side by side So they altogether returned vnto the Citie and then to the Pallaice whereas they were meruailously well intertained and there the King tolde vnto them all his contrarie and chaunged treason wherefore these two knights did swear◠and promise vnto the King the same which the others had done The prince Clauerindo had so great affection vnto the Prince Eleno that he would not at any time departe from him neither would the Prince Eleno doo otherwise vnto Clauerindo declaring vnto him all his euills and strange aduentures At which communication was present the king of Sardenia and when he heard him tell of his aduenture in Tinacria and of the battaile that he had made with Tefereo and how that he was ouercome he with more affection behelde him and requested him to heare the whole estate thereof So the Prince did declare all and how that hée departed and how that afterward he found the princesse Lidia that Lady which carried the Emperour out of Constantinople the which being all knowen vnto them they would straight way goe and visite her and she receiued them with her accustomed sadnesse Now for that I haue long time forgot that noble Emperour I will retourne and tell you what happened vnto him at the fountaine of Tinacria where I lefte him How that the Emperour went vnto Tinacria and of all that passed in the battaile which he had with the Earle of Modique Cap. 20. IN great trouble and affliction we lefte the valiaunt Emperour Trebatio in the Iland of Tinacria harde by the fountaine of marble at such time as the Earle of Modique with his speare in his reast was prepared for to hurt him The Emperour seeing him come he had greate care of himselfe and being in a place that neither to the one parte nor to the other he coulde slip backe to saue himselfe from that blowe he did determine to stoope with both his knées and shorten in his bodie for that he was sure he coulde not ouerrunne him with his horse by reason of the fountaine that was at his backe The Emperour defended himselfe in such sort that the speare without dooing him anie hurt went ouer his head The blowe was not so soone past when that the Emperour rose bolt vpright and cast such a thrust at the horse breast that his sword entered in vp to the hiltes The horse when he felt himselfe hurt gaue a leape into the aire with so great swiftnes as though it had bene a whirlewinde and in the ende he fell downe to the earth with great force in his fall he caught y e Earles leg vnder him in such sort that he could not by any meanes arise Heere might the Emperour haue slaine or hurte him but hee would not for y ◠he séemed vnto him to be a knight of great estimation Then all the people that were there both them a foote those on horsebacke with great showts and shrikes they would haue set vpon him but they could not come nigh him at their wil for that the dead horse was betwéene them againe the Earle was a shield for his defence who was prisoner vnder his horse right before him So at this instant came foorth of that faire pallaice a great number of knights and Ladyes and amongst them y e faire Quéene Garrosilea And when all the people sawe her they put themselues out of the way towards the one side by the which the Emperour vnderstood that she was Lady of all that Countrey She came formost of all that company beeing so faire and so well proportioned that she seemed vnto the Emperour to be as beautifull as euer he behelde any in all the worlde she was of the age of fourtéene yeares but yet her
he shoulde haue vnto such as she was but blasphemed against heauen and tearing her clothes all to péeces he stripped her starke naked and with the raines of the bridle of his palfraie hée all to be whipped and scourged her white and tender backe that it was full of viewe spottes with such horrible crueltie that it was a verie greeuous and sorrowfull â—ight to beholde And yet thâ—â— did proâ—it him nothing at all hee séeing that this damosell did still perseuer and continue in her defence hée straight wayes lyke a bloudie monster heaped crueltie vppon crueltie and tooke and bounde her well proportioned and christalline armes and legges with cordes and made them fast verie strongly vnto a trée saying O cruell and more cruell then euer anie woman in all the worlde hath béene wherefore hast thou béene the occasion to bring thy selfe to bée thus so euill and mischieuously intreated and onely for not giuing consent vnto him which alwayes woulde haue procured thy ease What dooest thou thinke is it better to suffer to be thus martyred then to liue a most louing sweeâ—e and contented lyfe Then this euill intreated Ladie with a hoarse voyce aunswered and sayde vnto him Oh wicked traytour more harde hearted then euer knight hath béene wherefore dooest thou make anie delaye tell mée thou enimie to the Gods why dooest thou not finish thy crueltie and take the soule from this my miserable and wofull bodie Doest thou not doo it because it shall not goe and complaine whereas thou shalt receiue the rewarde of this thy mercilesse inhumanitie O you Gods denie mée not my right iustice against this false and traiterous king Let not to be true executioners of iustice in reuenging so dampnable a deede And thus beeing wearâ—ed with the cruell and terrible torments shée held her peace and sayde no more But for all this the king did not let to prosecute his crueltie and with great anger he looked on her hauing his accursed eyes fixed in such sorte that he coulde not withdrawe them backe Then this tormented Ladie séeing him and béeing verie desirous of the death with a furious voyce she sayde What dooest thou thinke thou traitour the greatest traitour that euer was in the world wherein dost thou contemplate thy selfe thou fleshly Butcher thou vnmercifull Tyger thou lecherous hogge and dishonourer of the royall crowne make an ende of these thy tormentes for it is nowe too late to repent thée giue mée the death and sende mée into the bosome of Diana This vnpittifull king seeing the stedfastnesse that shee hadde in the defence of her honour with a cruell and infernall heart hée tooke a towell which this Damosell had girded at her wast and with a brutall anger doubled it about hir neck and pinched it so straight that the soule departed from the bodie O thou knight that by thy prowesse doest come to read this Harchment consider the greate constancie and chastitye of this vnfortunate Damosell and let the griefe thereof moue thee to take vengeaunce of this greate crueltie shewed without anie desert So when this infernall king sawe that shée was dead hee tooke his horse and returned from whence hee came and in a short time he ouertooke his companie and looked with so furious and irefull a countenaunce that there was not one that wae so hardie to aske him where my daughter was but one of the knightes of my Court which I sent to beare companie with my daughter hauing a suspition by the great alteration that appeared in the king and béeing verie desirous to knowe what was become of the Princesse for that he came alone without bringing her with him neither coulde he haue anie sight of her hee then presentlye withdrewe himselfe backe and following the footings of the horse he ceased not vntill he came vnto the place whereas this crueltie was wrought whereas hée found this miserable Ladie lie dead in the same sorte as I haue declared at the viewe whereof he remained almost beside himselfe in such sorte that he had almost fallen to the grounde This Knight remained a good while before he could speake so when he was come againe to himselfe hée beganne with a dolorous complaint crying out against the Gods and fortune because they had suffered so greate crueltie to bée committed vnto this damosell and making this sorrowfull complaint hée vnloosed her from the trée and layde her vppon parte of her apparell and couered her with the rest and sayde on this wise O cruell handes what an infernall heart was that which did beare thée companie to doe this vncharitable sacrifice Was it not sufficient that this surmounted beautie should haue mooued thée to more pittie So with these and other lyke sorrowfull wordes that this knight spake vnto the dead corps he cut downe braunches from the trées for to couer the bodie and left it lying so that it séemed to be a mountaine of gréene trées then determined with himselfe in the best manner that he coulde to dissemble the knowledge of this fact done hée tooke his horse and went the waie towardes the Citie which lead to the kings Court in which he rode so fast that he ouertooke the king and his companie at the entering into the Citie whereas the king alighted and without speaking to anie person he entered into his closeâ— by reason whereof this my knight had time to declare vnto the Quéene all that he had seene and the dolorous ende of the Damosell Herea her sister The sodayne and vnlooked for sorrowe mixed with great anger and wrath was such in this quéene that she commaunded the knight not to depart the court vntill such time as more occasion did serue and she her selfe remained making meruailous and great lamentations to her selfe all in secret for that she woulde not be perceiued yet with a soft voice she sayd O vnfortunate queene and borne in a sorrowfull houre oh vnhappie destinie which madest me to be subiect vnto the most cruellest king amongst all kings I suppose y â— fortune cannot be so much against me but y t she will procure to take reuengement of thee Oh immortall Gods reueÌ„gâ—◠〈◊〉 this so great and horrible an homicide and if not I 〈◊〉 â—eare vnto you that I will with my owne hands put in practise such an enterprise that you looking downe from the heauens shall tremble for the feare thereof What doo ye you deafe Gods altogether without iustice will you not hearken vnto this my gréeuous complaint wel séeing you regard me not I wil sée if y t you haue power to withdrawe me from executing of mine own will This saying she â—ooke in her hand a dagger of the kings and in her armes her youngest sonne saying I do not wish so much euill vnto the world y t I will leaue the sonne of so wicked a father to soiourne in it in this order she entered into the chamber wheras the king was and there she founde him tumbling vppon his bedde from the
dead with great showts and shrikes they pressed altogether vpon those foure knightes but they found theÌ„ neither dastards nor cowards but they gaue them well to vnderstand y t they were of great valâ—ur Then they ioyned themselues together backe to backe and stroke such straunge blowes vpon their enimies and with so great force and furie that he which had receiued one blowe would not turne to them againe with great feare they were so scarred Prince Eleno being incensed with anger at the fall that he receiued by the blow of the Gyant it caused him to claspe his sword fast in his hand and with double furie he pressed amongest his enimies that vnhappie he might thinke himselfe that came to the receit of the first stroke for that with an ouerthwart blowe he cutte his head cleane from his shoulders and returned vnto another and stroke him vppon the wast so that it had neere hand parted him in two péeces so with such like blowes and feates of knighthood they made them to retire And at the same time they sawe comming forth of y e citie a great number of knights gentlemen which they iudged to be about sixe thousand in an armie and all on hors backe It could not be chosen but y e this valiant Prince Eleno should haue some feare séeing so many Knights notwithstanding with a loude voyce and with great courage he layd Excellent valyant knights now is y e time most noble stout warriors that we show the great strength courage of our heartes by a plaine testimoniall in leauing our bodies as sacrificed vnto their wills and our bloud to be sprinckeled abroad receiuing more ioye and honour in our deaths fighting in our owne defence then to giue consent vnto our enimies in ouercomming vs. Notwithstanding this young warriour did not forget himselfe but rather with more furious blowes he pressed on his enemies and working such terrible feates that it is very wonderfull to be heard and so without all hope of their liues committing themselues vnto God they did procure by all meanes to cut off and make lesse their enemies killing them in such sort as it séemed to mans capacitie impossible The quantitie was so great that by reason of the bolud that ran from them the water on the sea side was made red and lost his naturall colour and being in this conflict there approached all that great companie that came foorth of the Citie And before them all there came a Knight armed with very faire and rich armour all gylded and something of a good stature and bignesse of body he had on his head a royall crowne who when he came vnto the place whereas this bloudy battaile was he commaâ—nded all the people to stand aside and with a seuere voyce showing great humilitie he sayd Ualiaunt and worthy Knights whom Iupiter defend and kéepe I fâ—â—le my selfe very sore troubled in séeing Knightes of so great valour and worthinesse as you are to be indued with so much crueltie against your selues and onely for not swering an oath considering you haue chaunced vpon this aduenture whereby you should make defence against so great treason againe me practised of traitours which onely by tyraunnie pretende to take away my kingdome from me To the which words the valiaunt Prince Eleno made answer and sayd If thou hast iustice on thy side as thou saist thou hast wherefore doo you consent to suffer so vyle a custome in this your Countrey constraining all straunge Knights by force to sweare vnto your defence the which by 〈◊〉 and order of Knighthood they must doo it of their owne free wil if you giue them to vnderstand the truth therof To whom the King answered and sayd Genâ—le Knight all this which hath bene done was neuer by my commaundement but by this my Captaine whom thou hast heere slaine And for that I did vnderstand the great harme which he did that without all reason I am come hether to remedy it for which cause I doo desire and pray you to let the 〈◊〉 of your stroÌ„g armes to cease and to pacifie your sâ—ouâ— courages and to take in good part to come and rest your selues with me the which you may doo with all securitie And heere I do promise you to holde and kéepe my faith and word the which I doe giue vnto you and then wil I declare vnto you all my trouble whereat you will not onelye take greate contentment to sweare that which I shall request you but also I beléeue that you will of your worthinesse take the demaunde to bée your owne according vnto the great right and Iustice that I haue on my part So these foure Knights were satisfied of all that this Morish King had promised vnto theÌ„ by his words were ouercome and yeelded vnto that which hée had demaunded of them and were determined to go with him at y e which y e King receiued no small ioy for to haue so valiant Knights w t him in his companie Then y e King alighted and caused them to put vp their swords into their sheathes and did them as great honour as though they hadde ben in their owne Countries Then the Prince Eleno seeing how that all things were finished he determined to goe for his faire Lidia but when the King knew who she was himselfe did beare him companie and tooke her out of the galley and brought her a shore All that did beholde her did meruayle at her great beautie beeing mixed with so much sadnesse So the King tooke her by the hand and bare her company till he came vnto the Citie and carried her vnto his pallaice which was very rich and great for this king was one of the mightiest Princes in all Africa So straight way it was coÌ„maunded to make ready dinner for that it was very néedfull the which was accomplished very sumpâ—uously When they sate downe to dinner they pulled off their helmes which before that time they had not done and when the Prince Eleno had pulled off his healme all the rest did thinke verelye that it had bene the valiaunt Knight Rosicleer for that as I haue tolde you he was very much like him complaining for that he had kept himself so close without shewing what he was in so long time The Prince with a smiling countenaâ—ce did put them out of al doubt in showing them who he was of the which they remained very much amazed for all that if he had had a little more beard they would not haue beléeued him The King was very well content and pleased that he had such Knights in his company told vnto theÌ„ a great circumstance of treason cleane contrarie to that it was applying all the iniurie to be offred vnto himself mingling his tale with counterfet teares which caused these Knightes to giue credit vnto his words in such sort that they did sweare vnto the King all that he would demaund of the which this traiterous King remained
to goe foorth with the rest So in this order as I haue told you they went foorth of the Citie all sixe together and he which gaue the first onset was that valiant and amorous Eleno of Dacia brothers son vnto the Emperour who with a gentle behauiour when hée came nigh the Emperour sayd in the Saracen tongue It is not the part of good Knights to speake any villany especially against Kings whom they are bound to haue in reuerence honour To whom the Emperour aunswered in the same language Art thou Noraldino King of Numidia Don Eleno replyed No but I am a Knight and a very stranger in this countrey but yet by firme oath I determine to dye in the defence of his right The Emperor aunswered He hath neither iustice nor right on his side but it is most apparant wrong which he doth maintaine and there is no reason that such a traytor as he is shoulde be by anye other defended neither is it séemely that anie Knight of price should charge himselfe in his behalfe for that he is a traytor And likewise he that doth defend him and take his part in this that hee will sustaine and maintaine so great vniustice is pertaker of his treason and meriteth a traytors name And for that thou art his defender héere I giue thée to vnderstand that I care not for thée and lesse I doo estéeme thée for that hée which doth take vpon him to defend a traytor may well be accounted a traytor This valiaunt Eleno when hée sawe himselfe to be so ill intreated aunswered Thou lyest in so saying for that I was neuer traytor neither doo I procéede of the lynage where traytors euer were notwithstanding thou shalt pay me with thy head the great vncurtesie which thou hast vsed vnto me Therefore it doth stande thée in hand to looke vnto thy selfe and take that part of the fielde which thou thinkest best for thy purpose and leaue off these blazing words to ioyne with me in battaile that I maye sée if thou canst as well defend thy quarrell as thou canst handle thy tongue At which words there drew nigh them the Prince Clauerindo and as the Emperour woulde haue departed to put himselfe in battel he did behold him straight waye knew him And casting his eyes on the one side likewise knew the other thrée but he could not knowe who the Prince Eleno should be and for the great desire which hée had to know what he was he sayd Knight I doo desire thée for courtesies sake to tell me what thou art if thou wilt not grant me this then I pray thée to lift vp y ◠visor of thy helme y ◠I may sée thy face for héere I giue thée to vnderstād thy foure companions I dooe knowe which is the occasion that I haue no desire to enter into battaile with thée Then Don Eleno aunswered and sayd Pagan of the two things which thou doest aske of mée although there is no compulsion yet will I pleasure thée in fulfilling one of them and in saying these wordes he lift vp the visour of his healme and when the Emperour sawe him he beléeued that it had béene his sonne Rosicleer and with a loud voice he said Oh mightie God how can this be true that vnto knights of my lignage should chaunce so vile a spot who hetherto in all their dooings haue got great honour and praise and now are come to defend such apparaunt wickednesse and treason Thou shalt vnderstand knight that I am the Emperour Trebatio and would not willingly now be called thy Father for that thou art come to defend so apparaunt and knowen an euill for I knowing the vnreasonable naughtinesse that this king hath committed am come to take this conquest in hande for in all my life time I neuer tooke a more iuster cause in hand neither was there euer in all the worlde a thing more worthier of punishment then this and séeing that my fortune hath béen such that my first enimie that shuld come against me séemeth my sonne put thy selfe héere now before thy high progenitour from whence thou doest descend and for Gods loue doe not blot thy stock in defending traitours treason therwith in few words he told vnto them all the whole history as before I haue tolde you Then this excellent Dacian answered High mightie Emperour although by my name thou hast not knowen me yet in calling me sonne thou diddest happen on the truth For thou shalt vnderstand that I am called Eleno of Dacia sonne vnto the king of Dacia thy brother and in that which thou hast sayde that we doe maintaine treasons we are to the contrarie informed neuertheles I beséech your highnesse to tarrie héere a while and therewith he and the Prince in a great confusion returned to the place whereas the rest of his companions were and turning his talke vnto the king he sayd King of Numidia thou shalt vnderstand that yonder knight is the Emperour of Grecia my vnckle who in that small time which we haue ben with him hath told vnto vs all the effect of this thy matter cleane contrary vnto that which thou hast declared vnto vs. Therfore King there is no reason that Knights of so high bloud and name as we are should be set to defend lyes and treasons but if it be to the contrary of that which he hath told vnto me haue no doubt but tell vs the truth For héere I sweare by the loue that I beare vnto that vnlouing Lidia that I will trauayle so with my vnckle that greatly with thy honour thou shalt goe thorough with this conquest Then this false King aunswered O Knights which doo confesse your selues to be Christians and by the God whome you doo worship haue made a solemne oath to helpe and defend me by the strength of your armes how happeneth it now y ◠without any care of your oth which you haue sworn you will leaue me desolate and goe from your words béeing doubtfull of the very truth The couragious French man aunswered Doo thou not thinke King that our oathes and words shall be abrogated rather first we will léese our liues both I the prince all our companions but consider king that God will not that we shall imagine amisse of Trebatio who is a prince of great veritie and truth and agayne our verie nigh kinsman Therefore this and that which hée hath tolde vs hath moued vs to come and tell thée and doe saye that none of vs will goe from his word and oath if thy cause be iust Then the valyaunt Eleno did cut off his reasons and tourning vnto the King he sayd King of Numidia héere I do most humblye desire thée that with false illusions thou putte not vs vnto so great trauaile for that then it can not be but either wée must dye in the hands of him whome we doe desire to serue or els though farre vnlikely to kill him Is it possible king
for that we haue not seene one another by reason of the great and terrible darknesse that is heere Wel sayd the Prince come forth if heereafter you can defend and kéepe your selues from other prisons so it is for of this from this day forwards you are cleere and in saying these words he ascended vp the staires and after him the man which opened the doore Then the prisoners in great hast came vp the staires and comming foorth whereas the Knight was they all fell downe on their knées giuing thankes vnto God for that he had giuen them libertie and afterward they kissed the Knights hands desiring God to increase his powers and honour who with a very good grace gaue them such answer that they were all very well content Amongst them there was one prisoner of a very goodly disposition and faire face and of a double stature more then the others who with a seuere countenaunce and well placed wordes did surrender vnto the Knight great thankes for that good tourne which he receiued at his hands he spake to him in the Tuscane tongue It séemed vnto the Prince that he should be a person of estimation and asked of him his name and what countriman he was To whom the prisoner sayde My name sir knight is Florisarte sonne vnto the Duke of Bauiera brother vnto the good Emperour Ladislao of Almania who was taken prisoner villainously by these euill Giants The Tinacrian receiued great contentment for y t he had done so great seruice vnto so mightie a Knight and Lord and with a merry countenance he tooke him by the hand went vp a paire of staires after him went all those that were deliuered out of prison which were to the number of fortie knights of squires pages other seruants to the number of an hundred So when they were aboue in a great hall the knight commaunded that there shuld be brought them somwhat to eate for that they had great need thereof This new knight was walking vp and downe with Florisarte of Bauiera in y t hal and went vnto a window which opened towards that place whereas he lefte his company and blewe his horne with so great strength that they heard it and knew the sound and being thereof very glad and ioyfull they arose vp and wente vnto the Castle In the way whereas they went they saw the Knights that were slaine and the Gyants and were verie much amazed at so great slaughter and went forwardes till they came vnto the Castle whereas they found y e prince who was very glad and reioyced much of that which was done and commaunded straight way that the Lady shuld be very well looked vnto and healed of her harme receiued ¶ How Poliphebo did prosecute his iourney for to goe into Grecia how in the way he met by aduenture with certaine Clownes forcing of a Ladie and would haue slaine her and of all that happened of that Ladie Cap. 25. THe space of thrée daies was Poliphebo in the Castle of the giant in which time he did procure all kinde of remedies y t was possible to bring the Quéene againe vnto her health to be healed of her euill So with the great care be had and the good diligence which was vsed she recouered her health receiuing y e castle for his owne he put good order therin for their gouernment The fourth day he determined to depart to prosecute his iourney to carrie in his company y e quéene Espinela the gentle knight Florisarte His pretence was to passe through all Almania Hungaria till he came into Grecia for to sée his father make himselfe knowen vnto him did procure to doo such déeds y t with great honor he might name himselfe to be sonne vnto so noble a father The occasion why he did carry y â— quéene Espinela with him was for y t he vnderstoode that y e king of Mauritania wold come to séeke her to perform his promise not to deliuer her without mortall battell he wold not loose her company And so leauing y e castle in the kéeping of a knight of Almaine in y e name of y e Emperor Ladislao he tooke his iourny towards Espira wheras at that time y e Emperor kept his parliament commanded y e marriners to returne vnto their barke he in company w t the Quéene Florisarte his Page Macedonio tooke their iourney as aforesaid When y e quéene saw the knights determination vnderstood his pretence with sorrowfull teares she called for her king but all her sorrowes griefe did little auaile for y t the knight wold not by any meanes chaunge his pretence by reson of y e great sorrow griefe heauie chéere of the quéene it was y e occasion y t all trauailing venterous knights which sawe her did procure battell with the newe knight for to set her at libertie So they trauailed viii daies wherin they passed y e Alpes went through all y e dukedome of Bauiera by Minique Aspruch being ouertaken by the night they wer constrained to take their rest by a very faire cléere fountain wheras they did alight refresh theÌ„selues likewise they did eate of such meate as they had And when they had satisfied themselues euery one prepared himselfe to take his rest being wery of their iourny they fel al a sléep sauing only Poliphebo who was awake hauing in remembraÌ„ce such things as ministred him most care being in this thought he heard a certaine lamentation which séemed to be a far off the better to heare what it was he arose vp on his féete being very attentiue he plainly heard perceiued that it was a womaÌ„ as a knight y t alwaies did procure to help succor those which could do litle he laced on his helm threw his shield at his necke with a reasonable pace he went towards y e place wheras he heard y e lamentation the more he went the plainer he heard the lamentatioÌ„ he had not gone far when y t he saw two clownes had bound a Ladie all naked vnto a trée one of them had a sharp knife in his hand redie to murder her The prince séeing them w t a loud voice said Oh vile villaines holde your hands for if you doo not it shall cost you your liues And with these words he layâ—â— hande on his sword and with great lightnes he ran where those villaines were these miserable clownes with two forches which they had in their hands did abide his comming stroke with them vpon his hard shéeld each of them a blowe but this knight with other two blowes did ouerthrow them dead to the ground and went vnto the Gentlewoman cut the cords wherewith she was bound did help to couer her with her owne clothes This heauie Gentlewoman though she did see her selfe frée from the villaines at libertie yet did
came to a little Temple that was very curiously wrought erected to the vse of the greatest crueltie that euer was heard off Néere vnto that Temple he sawe foure dead bodies whose heads were cut of and as it appeared by theyr apparell two of them were Knights and the other two Damosells then casting his eyes a side towards a faire gréene field which was harde by he behelde a great number of heades which were the heades of those that had ben slaine amongst which were the foure heads of the newe slaine bodies that hée before found dead for the fresh bloud did as yet runne out vppon the ground This lamentable spectacle this noble Greek beheld with such surpassing sorrow as almost no heart can comprehend but béeing rauished as it were with desire to be resolued of the effect of this so monstrous inhumanitie he procéeded farther till at length he approched the Temple where he discouered a posterne dore to be open and incontinent alighting from his horse with a heroycall courage being incensed with anger he rushed in hoping there to haue found the homicide which was the chiefe auctor of this tragicall crueltie Béeing entred the first thing that appeared to his view was a verie faire Altar curiously wrought and vpon it the dead figure of a verie faire Ladie through whose bodie was thrust a terrible two edged sworde likewise at the foote of the same Altar was another figure of a huge and mightie Giant being ten cubiâ—es in height all meruailous curiously wrought in Alabaster with straunge and subtil deuises who knéeled with both his knées on the earth This noble Knight was very much amazed at y e sight of so straÌ„ge a matter and yet not satisfied he went into a little Courtâ— there adioyning found that it was all hanged with blacke cloathes which represented great sadnesse and sorrowe and in those clothes was figured diuers dead men and women Hard at the foote of the foresaid Altar was made fast in the earth euen to the brimme thereof a sesterne of leade into which the bloud of those that were slaine and their heades cut off in sacrifice was poured and out of the same â—esterne it was conuayed vnder the earth by a gutter very secretely the which went vnto the Riuer whereof we spake before this was the same bloud which the valyant Prince did see in the channell of the riuer euen the bloud of the four headlesse bodies that he found newly slaine On the other side of the Altar he sawe an olde man with a faire white bearde sitting in a chaire who leaned his aged head vppon his lefte hand and his elbowe vppon the chaire side whose eyes wer shut and his countenaunce so sad that it appeared ther was in him no comfort but onely great sorow and mournings This valiant Greeke who greatlye desired to vnderstande the ende of this sorrowfull antecedent approched vnto the sléeping old man pulling him by his apparell for to awake him this carefull old man presently lifte vp his eyes with out any delay or farther demaund he said O gentle noble â—night what crooked fortune hath brought thée into this peruerse accursed place wherein is exercised so much sorrowfull impietie and wheras thou maist expect no other thing but death by the hands of the most cruell Giaunt that euer thou hast heard of take therefore my counsell returne the way thou camest that spéedely before thou be espied for otherwise it will be hard for thée to escape from death Then the worthie knight of the Sunne answered and said I giue thée great thankes for thy counsell good Father neuerthelesse I request thée to declare vnto me the cause for that as yet being ignoraÌ„t of farther peril thou séemest to perswade me to so great a feare To whom the olde man replied for y â— thou séemest vnto mee to be of an incomperable perfection exceeding force I will not let to declare vnto thée with as great breuitie as I may this tragicall matter whereby thou maist well perceiue the singular profit that thou shalt receiue in following this my counsell which I haue giuen thée and so with a sadde â—nd heauie countenaunce mixed with many salte and bitter teares distilling downe from his aged eyes he began in this wise and sayd This countrey wherein thou now art is that auncient and famous kingdome of Tinacria which not long since was gouerned by one of the most puissaunt Kings that euer raigned therein or in any Prouince héereabout but death by his accustomed furie depriued him of his life and all his loyall subiects of a vertuous and louing Lord leauing the guiding of the Kingdome in the power of two very fayre and Angelicall damosels his daughters who represented the former vertues of their noble late deceased father The eldest of theÌ„ was named Arcalanda the youngest Garasilea Not long after the death of the king their Father this fayre Arcalanda was requested of loue by the king of Sardenna whose name is Bramidoro a gyant of huge and mightie bignesse as by the stature which thou doest héere sée thou maist easily suppose but this vertuous quéene not onely denied her consent in marriage but also to heare the message of the embassadours and would in no wise sée them so that they returned without any answere Then this Giant séeing y e great disdaine and small account that the Quéene made of him and how little she estéemed of his loue béeing more inflamed with furie then any other reason and trusting in his incomperable strength with fiue hundred knightes he transported to Tinacria and landing in the Port of Saragosa he there beganne to make knowen his vnmercifull crueltie hoping that he shoulde obtaine that by force which by faire meanes he could not winne The Knights of Tinacria like true and faithfull subiectes obeied the commaundement of their noble Quéene and made diuerse and sundrie valiaunt skirmishes with the Knightes of the Gyant but by reason of his great force and surpassing strength they were alwaies constrained to retire to the Citie not without much losse for that this Gyant had in his companie to aide him a brothers sonne of his who in valiance force of armes equalled well néere his vnkle And in such sort they mainteined the wars y t in small time they put the citie in great perill to be lost and likewise the whole kingdome The knights subiects of this noble quéene Arcalanda not able long to resist y e Gyants forces seeling themselues meruailously oppressed in great distresse began to perswade with their quéene y t she should accept his demaund and graunt to marrie the aforesaid gyant Then this vnfortunate Ladie vnderstanding the feeblenesse of her subiects forces and the effect of that which they had declared vnto her and féeling in her selfe such impossibilitie to accomplish the demaund of the gyant that the accepting of it would be more gréeuous vnto her then to receiue y
â— death she remained for a time in so déepe a studie being confounded as it were by her owne conceits that she could neither giue aunswere vnto them nor yet declare anie thing of her minde But in the end lifting vp her angelicall face with a chéerefull and merrie countenaunce she sayde after this sort My renowmed and well approued knightes it is a verie greate thing to perswade naye rather to force my owne will to the fulfilling of your requestes The pure and chast Goddesse Diana doth wel know the great wrong that I shal commit against her in not performing y â— vow which I haue promised vnto her long since neuerthelesse the consideration of your loiall fidelities hath taken â—uch déepe root impression in my heart that I am more carefull of your safeties then of the vowe which I haue made vnto the chast Goddesse Diana wherefore I am determined with all spéede to accepte his offer Therefore out of hande let messengers be dispatched vnto the king of Sardenna to aske and demaunde of him truce for the next daie following â—o the intent that I maie make some publyke sacrifice as well to appease the wrath which the chast goddesse Diana may conceiue against me as to satisfie my owne heart for not fulfilling my vow so incontinently without anie more delaie the Knightes dispatched a messenger vnto the king giuing him to vnderstand of all that hadde passed and the determination of theyr Quéene The exceeding great comfort that this king did receiue thereat the time will not permit to declare vnto thée but with right good acceptation of the truce he graunted to all that was demaunded and moreouer proffered himselfe to be present at the same sacrifice The next morning when that Phoebus with his golden beames did scarcelye appeare they beganne to prepare all thinges in readinesse for the sacrifice which hath since beene the occasion of so manie inhumane sacrifices and in the midde waye betwixt the Citie and the Campe of the Sardenians they erected a scaffolde all couered with cloth of golde verie rich and vpon the Scaffolde about the middle thereof was placed a faire table couered also with a carpet of cloth of golde and vpon it a chafindish of coales burning This being done there was straight wayes hearde a swéete and harmonious sounde of clarions and Trumpettes and sundrie other kinde of instrumentes these went before the people and next vnto them werâ— brought fiftéene rammes all adorned with fine white wooll and after them followed fiue Bulls with huge and mightyâ— hornes beeing all black of haire and after them there followed fiue kine and with them a certaine number of the Priests of Diana singing theyr accustomed songes in the honour of Diana then followed a greate companie of knights all armed with strong armour bright without any other deuice and after them came the Marques of Modique bringing in his hands the image of Diana and on either side of him two Knights of great estimation each of them bearing in theyr handes greate vessells of golde full of most precious and swéete Wine Then after all this came the beautifull Quéene Arcalanda apparelled with a roabe of state béeing of great and inestimable value And with this ceremonie they went vppon the Scaffolde where the Marques placed the image of Diana behinde the Chafingdish of coales that was there burning and the Priestes continued still singing theyr songs which customablie they vsed in the lyke sacrifices drinking of the precious Wine that the two Knightes did bring in the golden vessells and all at once they brought lowe the stout and vntamed neckes of the Bulles and the rest of the other beastes by cutting theyr throates whose bloud they sprinkled all about the Sacrifice and opening theyr bowells they tooke out the inwarde partes with the call on the liuer and put them vppon the Chafindish of burning coales and with this slaughter they did make sacrifice vnto the chaste Goddesse Diana and the Priestes fell downe flat vppon theyr breasts on the earth and so ended theyr sacrifice At the sight of this ceremonie was present the king of Sardâ—nna and his cousin his brothers sonne both armed with all their armour and verie attentiue to this that I haue tolde you The Sacrifice ended this vnfortunate Quéene commaunded silence to bée made and all the companie béeing stilled shée raised vp her selfe vppon her feete and with a heauie voice distilling manie salte teares shee sayd O most excellent and chast Diana in whose blessed bosome the chast and vndefiled virginnes doe recreate themselues Unto thy diuine excellencie I doe commende these my last Sacrifices crauing recorde of all the Gods that I haue procured and done my best yet still doo for euer to bée thine for whose sake O mightie Iupiter I know not how thou doest consent that I by force shoulde loose that which thou by thy omnipotencie and almightie Deitie oughtest to kéepe and defende and not to suffer that I thus should bée compelled to deliuer my body into the power of him which with all tyrannie woulde séeke to haue the vse of the same And neuerthelesse if to this I doo not consent and agree beholde the vtter ruine and sorrowfull destruction both of my selfe and also of all my true and faythfull â—ubiects approcheth the which procéedeth onely by meanes of my beautie Oh sacred Diana is it possible that thou dost consent that so worthie a Damosell descended from so noble a race and nourished in this my Countrie shoulde procure to spot the worthinesse of hir predecessours without respecting my beautie or regarding the chast vowe that vnto thée I made but that I must needes violate my selfe against all humane nature Well seeing it is so I am content and beséech thée to receiue the solempnitie of this my death which I offer in sacrifice vnto thy Deitie for me thinke there is no reason that one infortunate Ladie as I am should bée the occasion that such a noble Kingdome as this is shoulde be brought to ruine and decaye Oh my louing subiects by you I am constrayned to surrender my selfe vnto him who cannot chuse but intreate you ill and indamage my Countrey which thing is contrarie to all our expectations in consideration whereof I am héere constrained with my own trembling hande to cut off the florishing braunches of these my dayes for this I sweare vnto you my deare and faithful subiects that I had rather offer my soule into the societie sacred bosome of Diana than to yéelde my selfe vnto this deformed figure And thou King of Sardenna y e greatest tyrant amongst tyraunts beholde héere I yeeld vnto thée my body to vse according to thy will and pleasure requesting onely this one thing of thée if ther be any pitie or mercie in thée considering that thou inioyest that which thy heart desired that thou sufferest these my louing subiects to liue in peace wherefore come now I say and receiue that which is thine And thou O
than hir selfe Thus his craftie and subtill perswasions so much preuayled by reason of the humilitie and loue he shewed in his wordes that I coulde not frame any excuse to the contrary he was so importunate but must néeds consent vnto his demaund O immortall Gods that in so secret wise ye made the heart of man that you onely can comprehende the good and euill that is hid in it Who would haue thought much lesse haue beleeued that this traiterous King by his swéete wordes and subtill speaches would haue robbed me of my onely daughter So straight waye when he had in his power y t which his soule so much desired he would not make any delay of his departure giuing me to vnderstande that he would not let any time but carrie hir vnto his wife for whose sight so much she had desired and at whose comming she would receiue great ioy contentment But what sorrow did I then féele nothing thinking of that which shoulde happen for that my heart was ignoraunt of the knowledge thereof but to see hir depart from me for whose absence my heart remained in so great sorrowe and heauinesse giuing to vnderstand by the outward showes by the teares that procéeded from my eyes the great paine and passion that the lacke thereof wold shortly procure in this sorrowfull sort I was forced almost without any remembraunce to retourne vnto y e pallaice And they were not so soone entred into his ships but as one very gelous to keepe close his treason he commaunded straight to hoyse vp sayles and commit them vnto the winde and hauing too good and prosperous a weather in a very short time he arriued in his owne Countrie whereas two leagues from the Citie he was receiued of his subiects with great maiestie who brought with them both horse and Palfrayes néedfull for the companie So beeing all in a readinesse he commaunded that they should beginne to martch forward towards the Citie This false King still persisting in his euill determined purpose commaunded as I sayde that all the company should procéed forwards and he with my sorrowfull daughter Herea remained a good waye behinde And when he sawe his company so farre before and they two alone together he stepped on the one side and ledde the waye into a little groue which was hard at hande fast by a Riuers side He without any more tarrieng carried hir into the thickest part therof and as it appeared he was well acquainted in the same and where he thought it most conuenient he alighted off from his horse and willed my most welbeloued daughter that she shoulde likewise alyght Shée in whose heart raigned no kinde of suspition alyghted and saâ—e hir downe by the Riuers side and washed hir fayre white handes and refreshed hir mouth with the same water Then this dissembling traytor could not refrayne but by some outward showes and darke sentences gaue hyr to vnderstande the kindeled fire of loue with the which he was tormented and in the ende he did wholy declare his diuelish pretence and determined purpose towards hir So my louing daughter Herea being â—ore troubled with his importunate and continuall requests with great anger yet not without aduisement she began to reprehende him giuing him to vnderstand all that was needfull against so diuelish a pretence This vncleane King when he heard that so earnestly and contrary to his expectation she aunswered and would haue rose vp from the place whereas she sate helde hir fast by hir apparayle and would not suffer hir to arise but began with softe and milde wordes to perswade hir to be quiet and sayde O my best beloued Ladie wherefore wilt thou consent that for thy cause I shoulde dye mayst now very well without being discouered of any giue mee remedie for the same Be not then obstinate to denye mée that which with so great loue I doo desire of thee Who is heere that can beare witnesse of this my priuie desire and bolde enterprise neither discouer thy gentle liberalitie shewed me not one surely but onely the immortall Gods Understande this for a certaintie my swéete Ladye that the God Iupiter doth receiue more griefe in this my sorrowe then in the paine which thou dost suffer This deceiued damosell when she sawe that he held hir so fast with his trecherous hande that she could not deliuer hir selfe with furious anger she sayde Traytor doo not thou thinke that these thy lecherous words haue power to moue my hearte to graunt and fulfill these thy filthie diuelish and lasciuious thoughts for héere I doo sweare vnto thee by the high and soueraigne Gods that first I will permit suffer my body to bée torne in péeces then to open my eares vnto the hearing of so great treason Therefore false King let me alone and consider with thy selfe that I am sister vnto thy wife whome I sée well thou hast forgotten by reason of this thy insatiable dronkennesse and greedye desire of fitâ—hye lust Therefore if it please thée determine to let mee alone and defile me not or else to the contrarie bee fully perswaded of this that I will rather dye the death in my defence Then this cursed king séeing that this shalt Ladye did defend her selfe he tooke fast holde by her necke and said Doe not thou thinke O cruell Herea that thou canst delyuer thy selfe out of my handes except first thou graunt vnto this my desired will and if not I doo promise thée in payment of this great pride which thou doest vse vnto me to put thee vnto the most cruell â—eath that euer was deuised for anie Damosell or maiâ—e This distressed Ladie was nothing dismaide to heare that shée shoulde die but without all feare she aunswered Thinke not false traitour that the feare of death shall cause mee to yéeld to thy filthie desire The which béeing well vnderstoode by the king he sayde Understande then and bée well perswaded that either liuing or dead I will performe my will and pretended purpose which so without measure and with vnquenchable fire doth burne in my heart Thus with great strength she did defend her selfe and with a manly courage she kepte her honour but this cruell and lasciuious king séeing that he coulde not fulfill his euill desire in a greate madnesse he cut off a greate parte of the traine of her gowne and bound it verie fast to the haire of her head in such sort that with the great strength he put thereto and the tendernesse of the same together with his euill intreating all the greene grasse was sprinkeled with the bloud that issued out whereat he beléeued that she would haue ben quiet and haue consented vnto him but she respected not the euill intreating but the more he procured to torment her the more angrie she shewed her selfe against him with continuall deniall When this cruell traitour sawe that all woulde not serue he beganne to forget all faith and loyaltie he ought â—nto knighthoode and the respect
one side to the other without taking anie rest and with sorrowfull wéeping and a terrible voyce she called him traytor and like a fierce Tygresse with the dagger which she carried she cut the throate of that innocent infant and threwe it to him on the bedde and sayde take there thou cruell traytour the fruite which thou madest within my body and then she threwe the dagger after him to kill the King but Fortune would not that it shuld take effect This wretched King when he sawe all this which the Quéene hadde done he was therewith maruelous sore troubled and in his furie he layde hold vpon hir and did intreate hir very euil But when the Quéene sawe that the blowe tooke no effect that she could not bring to passe that which she had determined she returned vpon hir selfe hir outragious furie taking that bloudie dagger thrust it to hir hart in such sort that she parted it in two péeces and so she fell downe dead into the armes of him which was the occasion of all this euill and crueltie The great sorrowe that this false and and vnhappie King receiued was straunge in such sort that he knewe not what counsell to take but thinking vpon the great punishment that might succéede these cruell actes hée straight waies procured y t the bodie of the quéene shoulde be buried in great 〈◊〉 At that time there was a soothsayer a wise-man in 〈…〉 who aduertised him y t for this cruell fact which 〈…〉 his kingdome shuld be destroyed and that it shoulde fall into the handes of him which he most hated who was his brothers sonne his cousin The King béeing aduertised of all that which should happen hée determined to vse a cruell pollicie which was hée woulde set watch and warde throughout all his Kingdome for to take and arest all such trauellers as by aduenture landed vppon his Ilande not suffering them to passe till such time as they hadde promised him by oath to ayde and assist him euen vnto the death against certaine his enimies which wold dispossesse him of his Kingdome maâ—â—ng them beléeue that vniustlye and without occasion they intended to take it from him Then this my aforenamed Knight which had séene and hearde all the tragicall dealing that is héere declared in the best wise he coulde retourned againe to my Court and tolde me all that you haue heard which was vnto me verie sorrowfull and heauie newes Iudge heere then gentle Knight what sorrowe I poore and vnfortunate king receiued and what bitter anguish I sustained So heerewith entered in the great soothsayer and wise man called Artemidoro who came to comfort me and certefied me that all this crueltie should be reuenged by a mightie and strong arme although before that should come to passe there shoulde bée fought manie fierce battailes and perswaded me to beléeue it for that he tolde me the truth So because that this wise man was so well knowen I did beléeue him and gaue credite vnto his words and requested him for his part to procure all that in him did lye to preferre this my reuengment So straight way he put it in practise and caused a Chariot to be brought and bad me enter into it and in a trice he caried me whereas my daughter was and commaunded me to put hir into the Chariot and brought hir vnto this Ilande assuring me that he which should ouercome y e kéepers which he would héere set should be the Knight that should reuenge my iniurie And seeing that thou hast ouercome the kéepers that had the charge of the body of this my murdred daughter perfourme now the oath which thou hast made lyke a valyaunt Knight and for the better performaunce thou must goe vnto Cimarra whereas thou shalt finde me the vnfortunate King thereof awaiting thy comming At the reading of this sorrowfull historie the Emperour and she that was with him did shed many salt teares wherwith there did increase in him a farther desire of reuengement And so they departed to the Sea side whereas they did refresh themselues and returned vnto their voyage late begun ¶ How the Emperour Trebatio did lande himselfe at the Ilande Citarea and of all things that happened there Cap. 13. HEere you haue heard tolde howe that after the Emperour had read the scrowle of parchment that was written and laide vnder the pillowe at the head of the dead bodie of the Ladie Herea how he returned to prosecute his iourney which he had taken in hand for the defence of the faire Lidia and howe that they did imbarke themselues in their Galley and the sea béeing pacified of that boistrous tempest which they receiued in their last voyage the Gallie satled forwards with a verie good and prosperous winde the space of thrée dayes without meeting with anie aduenture In the ende whereof they landed at the Iland of Otonio which by another name is called Citarea which straight waie was knowen by that faire Ladie to bée the Iland where her beloued Brenio was and she sayd vnto the Emperour Lorde this is the Ilande that keepeth hid from me the whole comfort of my heart So straight waye the Emperour went a lande and tooke with him the fayre Lidia and commaunded that his horse and his Speare and the Ladyes palfraâ—e shoulde likewise be â—aken out of the Galleye and when the Emperour hadde well perused his armour he armed himselfe and tooke the waie which lead him towards the Castell leauing on the right hande the famous Temple which from farre did shew the greate sumptuousnesse thereof in the gate whereof they did discouer and sée an armed Knight who contemplated himselfe in beholding the greatnesse of that Knight But the Emperour had no care to knowe who it was but with greate hast they went forwards on their waie and when they drew nigh vnto the Castell it séemed vnto them to bee the fairest that euer they had seene and as the Emperour proceeded to goe vp the hill towarde the Castell hée hearde one which with a greate voice sayde O thou Knight of the Diuell or of death goe no farther vp but tarrie a little for by her which thou doest bring with thée I doo vnderstande thy demaunde staie a while and I will be straight waie with thée for I thinke that thou hast alreadie repented thy comming hether The Emperour who heard these wordes would verie faine haue seene him who spake them and lifted vp his eyes towardes the Castell but he coulde beholde no bodie But hée tarried not long when that out of a narrowe waie comming downe the hill he sawe a great Gyaunt shaking in his hande a heauie Speare and when he came to the place whereas the Emperour abode he sayde Knight tell me art thou the Emperour of Grecia or any of his sonnes The Emperour aunswered and sayde I am he who by the helpe of God may frustrate thy force which thou hast done vnto this Damosell Then the Gyant sayd O miserable wretch how
The Emperour was verie sore troubled when he perceiued y t he was knowen the which this faire Ladie marking went forwardes in her talke and sayd Doe not vexe your selfe neither bée anye whit troubled most mightie Prince for that you are knowen considering that of such a one as thou art it is reason we doo estéeme according to thy desert neither can my captiue heart consent vnto anie other thing but the exalting of thy honour Alasse what shall I saie who hath receiued most wrong for their imprisonment it hath bene onely my christal breast and captiued heart they haue wronged thy bodie but for a time but me loue hath bereaued of my former libertie in wounding my hart so that it is almost vncurable In this my good Lord you may vnderstand that I a lone am shée which hath the greatest wrong Thou valiaunt Emperour hast taken awaie from the Earle of Modique his sonne but thou hast robbed me most infortunate of my heart Oh how much better had it bene for me to haue bene pertaker with him of death then now to liue not knowing what cruel loue will doo Oh immortall Gods how is it that you haue permitted that the tender hart of a poore damsell béeing alwaies willing to offer vnto you sacrifices and exercising of my self daily in your seruice and now in payment of all this you haue permitted it to be sacrificed vnto the cruell will of Cupide who hath forcibly pearced my feeble heart with his furious darts I beseech thée O Emperour doe not denie mée this my vnreasonable demaund although thou séest it so far to exceed the meane Oh virginitie thou maist well be compared vnto a rose which so long as the leaues are reserued w tin the bud it kéepeth the naturall coulour but when it once begins to blow then doth it quickly change euen so the flourishing beautie of virgins doth no sooner bloome but Cupide blotteth it with his despiteful blemish O foolish quéene what caused thée to depart out of the Pallaice whereas thou werâ— at libertie and without griefe didst thou it for to do honour vnto the Emperour yet not knowing him Well for what cause so euer it were see now what is become of it for that fréely thou hast yéelded thy selfe vnto him without reseruing anie thing in thy owne power All this the quéene deliuered with such sorrow and lamentation that it would haue caused a stonie heart to haue relented But the emperour who with a single heart did loue the Empresse Briana and moreouer béeing a verie good christian was not moued with one of these lamentable words neither made he anie shew of loue vnto the quéene but wishing rather to haue had battaile with one of the hardiest knightes in all the world then to haue found himselfe so sodainly assailed by this amorous woman wherfore when this faire Ladie had plainly declared all the whole secret of her heart the Emperour vsing his accustomed discreation did shew himselfe to be verie heauie and â—ad for that which the quéene had heard and taking her by the hand they sate downe together vpon the corner of the bed and beganne to answere vnto her amorous reasons although not so much vnto her purpose as she desired saying 〈…〉 Ladie and quéene I am fully certified that from so 〈…〉 and beautie there can procéed nothing without 〈◊〉 and therefore I did now loose the confidence of your â—â—uour when I was vnknowen much more nowe that you 〈◊〉 know me to be the Emperour of Greece the truth wherof I doo héere confesse And although I finde my selfe in the land where all the people be my mortall enimyes yet for all that I will not denie who I am because my heart wheresoeuer it becomes cannot but vse manifestly his noble courage Heere this Quéene did cut off his answere saying Oh Emperour I doo not aske of thée anie recompence neither doe I demaund of thée whether thou be our enimie or our friend but the thing which I alone desire of thée is this to giue a remedie vnto this my paine a plaister for my sore for that the viewe of thée hath béene the onely occasion therof Oh Emperour what trifling is this to talk of that which is not aunswerable vnto that which I demaunde Oh worthie Emperour haue compassion on me for that thou alone maist remedie this my euill for thou séest apparauntlye the néede I haue of thy helpe Oh that it had pleased the Gods that my remedie were as sure as thy libertie restore vnto me I beséech thée that wherof thou hast bereaued me by beholding thée yéeld vnto me O swéet Emperor séeing that I am alreadie yéelded vnto thée insomuch that there is no doubt but to put into thy handes the spoyle of my royall marryage The Emperour did leane his chéeke vpon his hande verie pensiue all the time that this Ladie was declaring her complaintes not for that he was without pittie but for that he was mooued with greate compassion and yet not with determination to satisfie her disordinate appetite but with faire words to put her in good hope of remedie And verye faine she woulde haue aunswered but that shée was cut off by a Damosell which called her The Quéene dissembling her heauinesse in the best wise she coulde went out of the chamber to sée what they would haue vnto whom the Damsell saide Ladie there is a messenger come from the king of Mauritania which dooth tarrie for you belowe in the pallaice wherat this faire quéene did féele her selfe troubled the occasion was for that this king was in loue with her who was verie valiaunt and of great force and began to gouerne his kingdome verie young with another brother of his who at that time was not knighted neuerthelesse to heare him named in all Africa it made the people to tremble with feare therefore manie times by reason of his greate pride his fame was much abated This king did determine with himselfe to marrie with the Quéene eyther by fayre meanes or else by force and for to put this his pretence in practise hée sent vnto her his messengers and for a more maiestie hée made his owne brother Lord Embassodour And séeing this historie will most intreate of this young man who was called Brufaldoro y e wise author wold discouer his customes and manners he saith y t he was in the stature of his bodie well néere a leauen foote high and all his members conformable vnto his height béeing indued with incredible strength he had his countenaunce verie graue and of great beautie without anie anger verie tractable and a gentleman of great curtesie hée detested to doo anie thing that was vnseemely he was verie readie to correct where it was néedfull and farre from anie vnhumane crueltie all which vertues were extinguished when he was angered for that then in all Africa and Asia there was no wild beast so fierce and cruell And many times it hath ben séene when his anger had ben
this vnhappie land the ofspring of that vnmercifull Trebatio graunt that I may establish in my heart so much anger that it may cause me to put from me the loue of that adulterous father Oh children born for a farther griefe héere I doo desire the mightie Gods that your beautie may haue so much force power that with the beames thereof you may take reuengement of the dishonour of your mother thou my daughter borne in the dishonor of thy generation by the losse of my virginitie â—éere I doo swere vnto y e celestial Iupiter y t thy beautie shal not be inioyed by any but by him y t shal giue thée in dowry the head of thy disloyal father y â— by it I may recouer part of my former glorie These other like wordes spake this afflicted quéene euen as she had sworne she put in practise publishing it through al her kingdome giuing information of the effect of her preteÌ„ded purpose sent messeÌ„gers into Africa Asia coÌ„cerning y â— same all which she did contrarie to the will of her subiects And because that they saw her so feruent in her anger wherto she was more prone by desire of reueâ—gement then vnto anie reason they did all determine to content themselues and shâ—e for to giue a better courage vnto them which knew her and vnto all such as woulde prosecute this enterprise shée gaue diuerse deuises so that they which did presume heerein were not fewe in number but verie many and right valiaunt knightes as héereafter I will declare vnto you So some there were which did offer themselues for the fairenesse of the mother before that her daughters beautie shoulde come to anie perfectnesse and other some for the loue of the daughter of which there were verie manie that lost theyr honours in Grecia and sundrie lost theyr liues and he which first did offer himselfe in this enterprise was the king of the Garamantes who by hearing reporte of her greate beautie was in loue with her And when he heard the message which was brought from the quéene by her Embassadours straight waie without giuing the quéene to vnderstand thereof hée went into Grecia trusting onely in his greate strength of whom when time serueth wée will speake And so it â—ell out that neither time nor anie other thing was sufficient to remooue from the Quéene this greate desire shée had to seeke reuengement but euerie daie her anger did more increase neither was the beautie of his children of so much force as to mollifie the furie of her stomacke although when they were at sixe yeares of age they were of so excellent beautie that the Tinacrians beléeued that they were the children of some of the Gods and not of anie humane creature their bodies and their beauties were so conformable for all they which did sée the young Prince would haue iudged him to haue double the yeares that he had and in his body and face he did so much resemble his brother the knight of the Son that it was a thing to be meruailed at Of the young princesse Lyrgandeo would not make anie description for that he said that whatsoeuer thing shoulde be spoken of her his pen were not sufficient to vtter the worthinesse of her beautie so this quéene was euer firme in this her thought for to giue them better to vnderstand she commaunded to renue the signes tokens and more that they should carrie her picture into all parts the which was the occasion that the court of y e quéene of Tinacria was meruailously increased in honour with so many Princes and knights which repaired thether to sée this Damsell When the queene sawe that her kingdome was so honourably nobled more then at other times she commaunded that vpon the gates of her royall pallace should be placed a title which was conteined in these words following Attempt not anie either Prince or king Within Tinacria Court his loue to shew Except that he doo first in dowrie bring Trebatios head our most detested foe The faithlesse father of this Damsell braue That restlesse griefe to me her mother gaue And when all this was finished she straight way dispatched a messenger to Grecia with a letter vnto the Emperour the which she sent by a damsel that was verie trustie one y t she loued well whereas now I will leaue them till time doo serue for to tell you of the knight of the Sun But first for y t it is necessarie to this our historie we will declare what Brufaldoro said when he knew of the death of Bramarando his brother king of Mauritania who béeing certified by them y â— escaped aliue out of the hands of the Tinacrians and wer verie sorrowful for the losse of their Lord and king and landing in their owne countrie they went and carried the newes vnto Brufaldoro the which when he heard he felt in himselfe so great paine sorrow that in a sound he leaned himself vnto a chaire because he would not fall he was so farre beside himselfe in which trance he did not long indure but came againe to his remembraunce and wish a terrible and fearefull voice he sayde Is it of truth that my brother is dead and the messengers aunswered and sayde that it was too true Oh traitours aunswered this fierce young man how durst you come before me except first you had taken reuengement of his death Then they aunswered and sayd He y â— did kill him is not a man so soone to take reuengement of for that after that we were cléere of his diuellish furie it was tolde vs that he was a christian and the Emperour of Grecia called Trebatio Oh vile people aunswered the Pagan yet will you replie against my words get you out of my sight if it were not but that I am letted for lacke of the order of knighthood I would with my owne handes teare you all to péeces Oh false Mahomet thou lyar periured without all faith is this the honour that my brother should haue out of Tinacria to be abated and slaine by one alone christian and in saying these wordes he entered into a chamber where he had the Image of Mahomet all of golde with twelue Angells on both sides this youth tooke a heauie club and with both his handes he stroke this poore God such a blowe vpon the head that he made him to fal to the ground and not resting with this he tourned against them that bare him companie stroke on them so many blowes that in a thousand péeces he made them fall to the ground and sayde O thou false traitour heere wil I giue thée thy paiment and reward for that which thou hast done vnto my beloued brother Héere I doo forsake and denie thée and all them that do beléeue in thée for that I wil neither beléeue in thée nor serue thee but if I did knowe the waie vnto the place where as the diuell hath thée I woulde
him but with great fury they met together with their speares yet not one of thē was moued in their saddles but remained as though they hadde bene two towers and straight way with no lesse force they began to lay hold on their swordes and for that the knight of the Sunne had a respect vnto him he did rather procure to make his defence then in anie thing to offend him but Don Eleno stroke such a blowe at his cousin that he made him to stoope with all his bodie to the horse necke The knight of the Sun would haue taken reuengement of the same blowe but hée considered that he was his cousin and that he was ignorant of the cause that should moue him to commit this folly for the which consideration he did suffer him and would make no reuengement Tefereo who sawe all that had passed remained in his first place without remouing til time did serue him to accomplish that which he had determined in his mind to doo and when he sawe occasion for the same he threw his shéeld vpon his arme and put his speare in his rest made a shew y t he would be doing with y e gyant y t which he perceiued he put himself in a readinesse but more to giue him to vnderstand what he was then to hurt him This furious Sardenian stroke his horse with the spurs y t he made him run like the commet which falleth from the side of Trion whē he came in the middest of his course he turned his horse toward the place whereas the king of Numidia was who had put himselfe a part from the rest with so great swiftnesse y t by no meanes he could kéepe or defend himselfe from y t incounter but by reason of the strength wherwith it was giuē he threw them to the ground very euill intreated He was no sooner fallen when that this couragious Sardenian leapt from his horse verie lightly and found that the king of Numidia was on foote readie for to defend himselfe and crying out Knightes succour succour or else I am but dead At the which noise all the other fiue knights looked about and when they sawe the king in the power of that valiant knight they would haue rescued him but the light of all knighthoode which was the father and the sonne did disturbe them and put themselues before them and would not suffer them to giue anie such aide but did there great wonders striking on euerie side in such sort that now one and then the other they made them to recoile backe The strong and furious Eleno did but little harme with his swoorde neither made he anie great resistaunce the Gyant with as little hast as might bée went to helpe the Numidian king with a reasonable pace he went towards the place whereas the king was but for that reason would not consent that such as he is should bée holpen with the hast that he made his horse stumbled in such sort that horse and master fell to the ground of the which he was verie sore hurt and brused as it appeared by his slow rising vp againe The valiant Sardenian with great pollicie procured to bring to an end his desire before that anie did come to disturbe him and béeing lighted of his horse he made hast to the King and sayde Thou traytour it shal little profit or plesure thée to call for help for y t in my hands thou shalt leaue this thy traiterous soule who doeth deserue to suffer all the euills that may bée and therwith hée stroke him such a blowe vppon his healme and with so greate furie that he made him in spite of his heart to knéele with both his knées vppon the earth So when the Sardenian perceiued him to bée in this case with greate valyauntnesse he straight wayes layde holde of his healme with his lefte hande and pulled it cleane from his head and with his right hande he smote him such a blowe vppon the head that hée parted it in two péeces and immediatly hée fell downe dead to the ground and looking about to sée whether his horse wer gone or no he found that he was nigh at hande Then hée tooke the dead king and made him fast vnto the stiroppes of the Saddle and with a trice hée leapt vpon his horse and so without anie helpe of his stiroppes hee made his horse to runne and so drew the king after him throughout all the fielde The Gyaunt would haue succoured him but all was in vaine In this sorte went Tefereo drawing the king after him before all the knightes that were there present and sayde Knightes what doe you meane to bée so still Why doe you not vpholde and defend this trayterous king in whose strength was all his confidence Beholde now where he hath receiued the payment that such euill workes as his deserued and therewith he rode round about the fielde as hée did before The Emperour when hée sawe that this fact was ended would that his cousin Don Eleno and the Prince his sonne shoulde leaue theyr battaile which was betweene them begunne a newe and they were giuing one another terrible blowes but not with such great furie for that they did knowe the one the other otherwise it woulde haue gone ill on both parts The Emperour put himself betwéene them and said Oh Knights cease your battaile and hearken vnto my wordes Eleno which was still kindled in wrath hadde no respect vnto those wordes neyther woulde hée part but lyke a man distraught from himselfe hée doubled such a blowe vpon the visour of the Emperour that hée made him loose the sight of his eyes The Emperour who was verie angry and not a lyttle grieued at the small regarde that he had of his wordes woulde presently haue reuenged the blowe but that hée was disturbed by the Gyaunt who pulling off his healme went towards the place whereas these thrée worthie warriours were and with a heauie and troubled voyce he sayde Heare mée O noble Emperour and you worthie knights cease this your controuersie and staye your vnweakened armes till such time as I haue vttered that which I will saye Then the Emperour with his accustomed méekenesse sayd Noble King what is it that thou canst demaund of me that I would not willingly accomplish To whome he aunswered Well séeing it is so my Lord I doo desire you to returne vnto your Tent and take your ease and to leaue off this and such like controuersies for that the cause therof my cousin and brothers sonne hath taken away from betwéene you And when he had sayd these such like words he retourned vnto his companions and perswaded them altogether to retourne vnto the Citie to the which they all consented although it was cleane contrary vnto the will of Don Eleno So when they were entered into the Citie they found that all the people and burgesses thereof were in great lamentation for the losse of their king and Lord
the colde earth With no lesse complaint this excellent Queene did celebrate that of the Emperour And if at that present she had seene that which afterwarde she did see as shall be tolde you in the third booke of this historie much more she woulde haue complained Then she went vnto the other side of the hall to knowe the occasion of that grieuous complaint she saw likewise y t they mourned ouer other two knights plainely she did know one of them to be Rosicleer but the other she did not know for that it was the king Sacridoro whom she had neuer seene for at such time as the queene came to Grecia he was gone to his owne kingdome to take his ease and the chiefe of those which did lament mourne ouer Rosicleer she knew to be his mother the Empresse of Grecia who with deadly griefe and anguish sayd Oh my sonne the cause of all this my bitter torment thou my sonne art in continuall rest and hast left thy sorrowfull mother in continuall lamentation Oh wounded heart what sorrowfull and bitter dayes shalt thou passe without anie contentment ah my Rosicleer wherefore wâ—rt thou so cruel that thou wouldest not call me thy sorrowfull mother that in this tâ—aunce she might haue borne thee companie The valiaunt Queene felt no lesse sorrowe and griefe to see this second companie then at the sight of the first but the lamentable and sorrowful words which the Empresse vttered did moue her to beare her companie if that at that time shée had not séene come forth at a doore which was in the hall a Ladie séeming to bée of great authoritie accompanyed with two faire Nymphs all apparelled in russet Satten pinked cut and lined with gréene Satten which coulours were verie pleasant and greatly delighted the sight And when shée came nigh vnto the quéene she sayd Knight whosoeuer thou art and doest shew thy selfe to be so furious why doest thou hearken and giue eare vnto this lamentation tell mée out of hande without anie farther delaie who thou art wherefore thou commest hether for that thou shalt vnderstand that this place is prohibited to all knightes except he first bring with him some signe or token of the braunch of y e trée wheras he who was murtherer to his owne daughter is inchanted so y t if it hath ben thy fortune to atchieue y e cutting either of the braunch of gold or siluer shew it me forthwith if not vnderstand that thou shalt die a terrible death This worthie Quéene who with a sober countenaunce gaue eare vnto the sayings of the Ladie and beholding much her great sobrietie likewise the beautie of those which bare her companie held vp the braunch of siluer in her hande and with a high voyce she sayd Ladie I woulde not haue ben so bolde to haue approched hether except I had brought with me the token which you speake off therefore I ought not to incurre the paine prouided beholde is this it which you sée and therwith shée shewed her braunch The Ladie when she knew that to be the braunch of the trée that she spake of did abate her anger that she before had and shewed a merrie countenaunce and taking her right hand from the shoulder of the Nymph she laide holde on the armed hand of the quéene and holding it verie fast she sayd Excellent Ladie many dayes past I was giuen to vnderstand of thy great worthinesse and that thou shouldest giue some contentment vnto y e afflicted hearts wherefore come with me and I will shew thée my habitation for that vnto thée the sight hath bene graunted and not vnto anie other come on Ladie and reioyce the selfe in the sight of that which héereafter shall come to passe without all doubt And in saying these wordes she carried her in at the same doore whereas shée came forth in great hast for that shée did knowe the tendernesse of her heart which was mooued by the lamentation shée heard and there shewed vnto her greate riches and verie faire buildinges but especiallye shée carryed her into a verie faire and foure square Court which had at euerie corner foure pillers and vpon the toppe of eyther of them an Image meruailously wrought and euerie one of them had his title written what it did signifie and shée tolde her that those which shée had shewed her were kings and Princes and famous Lordes that were there inchaunted And how that all that should be made frustrate by one of the best knightes in all the world who shall bring for his deuice blased on his shéelde a braunch of golde signifieng the same which she sawe in the first Court in the which was inchaunted the Emperour of Aegypt Likewise he shall deliuer the daughter of the sayd Emperour whome hée supposeth he hath murthered and shée was the fayrest Damosell in the whole world And for that in the end of the third booke of this historie shall be declared the rest where you shall receiue more contentment in the reading Lyrgandeo will now goe no farther héerein And telling vnto her these and many other thinges they went farther and passed through verie manie and fayre halls the which were adorned with the stories of the notable actes of worthie knights but in one hall in the middest of a Cloth shée sawe the Picture of a knight of a greate stature who was nine foote in height and armed with Purple armour and his shéelde of the same coulour without hauing anie deuice and his face was verie fayre The Quéene coulde not by any meanes but by sight thereof staie a while and beholde his greate beautie and felt within her heart a new and strange wrastling of loue which tourned afterwarde into an amorous fire This Ladie did well perceiue her newe imaginations and with a gracious smiling shée tooke her by the hande and carried her out of that Chamber although shée coulde not bring her out of her newe conceit shée went out so troubled that all which the Ladie shewed her afterwardes shée little respected and when she thought least shée found her selfe out of the Pallaice betweene the déepe Moate and the fayre and rich walles euen as one that had béene newe awaked out of his sléepe and tourning her selfe vnto the Ladie dissembling her newe paine she sayde Ladie I dooe not desire héere to haue gotten more honour then in that I haue obtayned the knowledge and secreate of so notable a thing as this which you haue discouered vnto mée and more to haue atchieued the desert of this braunch so that by you it be graunted that I maye carrye it with mée So the Ladie tooke the siluer braunch in her hande and made it verie small to the bignesse of a sâ—anne in length and put it vppon her healme and made it so fast and firme as though it had bene wrought in by force of workmanshippe and made it to extend the siluer leaues on the one side and on the other with great subtiltâ—e that it
into the great gate of the Pallaice he saw the Serpent and the heads of the Gyants and when the King perceiued that he did beholde them he sayd This remembraunce good knight I commaunded to be put here in thy name for to be a perpetuall memorie of thy high and mightie Chiualrie The Prince there at would not aunswere making as though he did not esteme it much for that he had with himselfe no pryde And therewith they assendid vp into the great hall where as they were maruailously wel receiued of the Ladies and damsells And leauing Antemisca and Belia with the Bryde and with the Quéene hir mother in lawe he retourned and went with the King wheras they dyd intreate him with great maiestie So he remained eight dayes in company with the King in his courte for to take his ease in which tyme the most part of the kings princes and knightes were departed and the King of Silicia with the dead bodie of his brother These eight dayes past this Gréeke prince dyd take his leaue of the King for that y e time to make defence in the quarrell of the Princesse drawe on the which he had great care thereof It grieued the king very much for his departure but seing that he was constrained therevnto he would not hinder him but offered him verye great and rich giftes but the prince would not receiue any Lykewise he toke his leaue of the Quéene and of the Dutches and hir daughter who with great sorow dyd solemnise his departure The King brought him vnto the foote of the stayre whereas Fidelio was tarying for him with a mightie and rich Horse one of the furious that was to be founde in all the countrie He was a Rone coulored without any kinde of marke and trapped with very rich trapping of Golde and precious stones of great price There came foorth of the â—orse mouth two tuskes lyke vnto an Elophant his nosethrills were very large and great his head very little his breast very broade well pitched and so hard that no sword were it neuer so sharp was able to enter in thereat So whan he came vnto the foote of the stayres without letting foote in his stirrup he leaped vpon the best Horse that euer was The horse was called Zefiro for his great lightnesse When he had taken his leaue of all they departed determining â—ot to staye in any place till they came vnto Ierosolima so straight way to Mesopotamia for y t it was all one way Then they folowed on theyr iourney till they had passed all the kingedome of Nabatea without any aduenture worth the telling Likewise they passed all the mount Libano where as they founde many great and fayre Cities Also they passed ouer the riuer Iordan leauing behinde them part of Siria trauailing a longst by part of the edge of Pallestina which bordereth vpon Arabia And passed through Fenicia without any question or demaund asked of them So they came vnto y e populus riuer of Eufrates and trauailed a longst y e riuers syde till such time as they were constrained to go vpon a high mightie mountayne from whence they might discouer Ierosolima All these couÌ„tries aforesaid they passed trauailed in little more then two monethes and at that tyme ther lacked little more then two monethes vnto y e time appointed for Antemisca to make hir defence In all this iourney there chaunsed some aduentures but for that they were not of any great importance I let them passe make no mencion of them Although y e fame of his heroycall déedes was hard into Grecia And for y t my author will not seme to be tedious he doth let passe many although they are worthy to be hard and to giue good example vnto all those that doe weare armour to make them hardy couragious in their déedes ¶ How the heroycall Greke was taken prisoner by the dart of Cupide in beholding the beautie of a very fayre Pastora and of the greate anguish and griefe that he sustained Cap. 15. THat adultresse Venus the key of all libertie not hauing forgotten hir olde mischife and ill will which she toke vpon the mountaine Citareo came to take counsaile of hir sonne Cupide to determine what order she might vse for to subiect bring vnder hir amorous yoke the stiffe neck of that stoute vntamed Greke And the better for to forge to bring to passe to hir content y e worke which she had ordained she showed hir self very friendly louingly vnto y e glistering Apollo for y t at hir request he should with more clerenesse spred abrode his bright beams ouer the grene feldes nigh vnto the riuer Eufrates Who being moued by the disceitfull words of Venus did disperse abrode his burning beames showing forth maruelous enamelled coulours vpon y e flowred harbes being filled with y e clere dew such as seldome hath bene sene in the féelde And the mightie riuer w t milde quiet running did passe his accustomed iourney making a fine noise w t y e delicate breaking of his stremes Then this false crafty Cupide seing oportunitie by y e good disposition of y e place being aduertised by his disceitful mother toke his way with his accustomed lightnesse vnto the riuer wher as y e mightie Claridiano was refreshing himself vnder a company of very faire grene Mertil trées with the rest of his company tarying the comming of the night wher as w t out all feare they reioysed sported themselues y e faire peasable quiet day And for to be more at his ease he pulled of his strong helme slacked y e buckles of his armour And for that the damseâ—ls might y e better recreate themselues he put him selfe out of y e way somewhat apart from them for y t he was very curteous honest And aparting himselfe he came into a place wher as he heard the noise of a Flute which did sound very swetly for that it was very pleasant and gaue him great contentment in y e hearing y e better to delight himselfe he drew néere wher as it was in such sorte y t he might delight himself of the song musicke without being spyde of any He approched so nigh y t he might wel discern who it was that made that Flute so swéetly to sound And he saw that it was a sheperd which lay a longst vnder a grene willow trée who being wery in playing on the Flute layde it downe by him toke a Rebick began to play on it with very swete harmonie accoÌ„panying it with delicate amorous songs At the which the Prince receued great conteÌ„tment being attentiue he heard him sing as followeth SInce by thy sight O Pastora so sweete My former freedome and my lyfe doth fayle Repay me loue for that it is most meete And let not rigor in thy heart preuaile Behold myne eyes with flouds of teares that flow Forst by the griefe that from my
all to be bathed his face that he came againe to himselfe The Ladies musing betwen theÌ„selues from wheÌ„ce should procede this his griefe Straight way they suspected y t he had sene that faire Pastora which a little before they saw passe amoÌ„gst those grene trées Antemisca who had more care of the princes griefe then the other when she saw him somewhat come to himself she said What is this worthy knight is it now time to leaue me afflicted the time being so nigh at hand to make my defence almost at y e gates of the citie pul vp your hart let not your valiant courage at this time faint The knight when he perceued y t the ladies wer ther he procured to raise vp his body to sit down for y t before he was layde all a long And dissembling in y e best wise he could he said I do not know what should be y e occasioÌ„ of a maruailous great grief which stroke me to the hart y t without any power to make resistance it ouerthrew me to y e ground in such sort as you fouÌ„d me I do wel beleue said Antemisca y t the occasion of this grief is in y e hart y e eies are in most fault For if thou hadst not sene the faire Pastora thy hart should not haue felt y e passed paine To this Claridiano answered nothing at all seing y t they vnderstode y e occasion of his griefe But he made hast to make all things in a redines to go onwards on their iourney being all on horsback they hasted towardes Ierosolima where they were receiued w t great triumph méet for such worthy Princes The olde king Quéene gaue great thanks vnto their gods for y e retorne of their lost daughter Claridiano remained ther in y e citie of Ierosolima sixe daies greatly against his wil. For that the new wound would not suffer him to take any rest which caused him to take his leaue of the king and his daughter and departed and toke the way towards Mesopotamia with great desyre to be there So trauailing they left behinde them the Citie of Damasco passed by the one syde of Armenia the great and so entred into the great playne of Mesopotamia and from thence without taking any rest they came within ten myles of the citie of Mesos From which place they sent the olde Squyre which was with them to giue the king to vnderstand of the comming of the Princes who with great care trauailed in such sort that he entred into the pallas at such tyme as the king was accoÌ„panied with all his knights not with lyttle sorow for the absence of his daughter for that the tyme appointed for hir defence drewe on On his one syde was the prince of Palestina who was as merry and glad as the King heauy and sorowfull But whan Libernio entred into the great hall the king knew him to be a man of great estimation in his kingedome And hauing no power to discemble his great ioye in seing him he forgot his royall authoritie and rose vp against him sayd Ah my friende where hast thou left my daughter Antemisca tell me quickly as thou wouldest that the Goddes should fauour thée Then Libernio with a cherefull countenaunce sayde mightie King and Lorde thy daughter the Princes is very well although very wery of 〈◊〉 long and troublesome iourney and misfortunes which hath happened but yet now with great delight for that she doth bring with hir a knight for to defend hir honour And if it be so that your highnesse doth accept thereof and giue them lisence he will come hether and defend hir right The prince of Palestina when he hard that which was spoken with great laughter although not very well content sayde And who is he that is so simple foole-hardie to come and gaine-saye my fury the truth being on my syde Libernio sayde it is he that will make thee to acknowledge thy falsehod and will make thée forget thy fury mightie strength by vsing of his valiant prowes Whereat Brandemoran was so full of wrath and his eyes sparkling lyke fyer he sayde If it were not for that I am before the royall presence of the King I would giue thee to vnderstand y t thy gray haires had not spake with y e discretion which thou oughtest to haue Then the King sayd prince pacifie your courage be quiet and thou Libernio retourne tell them that they may come when their pleasure is And for the right of my daughter if she haue any he shall haue safe conduct to come and make hir defence And if it be so that they haue néede of any thing speake that they may haue all furnished that is requisite Go thy wayes and tary not for that I haue great desire to sée either my shame or honour For I am in such a stay to se my selfe so dishonoured that I think it better that I were dead Ah what a goodly thing is it for a man to dye when he is in so great troubles So Libernio put in order his departure out of hand leauing the king somewhat content almost without suspection of any euill seing that his daughter was returned to defend hir right Libernio when he had got mourning apparell for the Princes departed to the place whereas he left them declaring vnto hir all that hir father had sayde and what passed in his presence So therewith they procured and made hast to finishe their iourney And they made so much hast that before it was night they came within two myles of the citie wher as they rested all that night with great desire that the morning wer come So verye earely in the morning at the breake of the day they put them selues on horseback and went forwards on theyr iourney So that one houre after the Sunne had stretched forth his golden beames vpon the moyst earth and fragrant flowers this Gréeke knight and the Princes entred into the citie of Mesos not resting in any place til they came vnto the kinges pallaice wheras they alighted and went vp into the great hall Claridiano led Antemisca by the hande his Helme fast vpon his head and his purple Shylde on his shoulder but the visor of his Helme was vp so that all people might sée his fayre great visage and all that saw him dyd iudge him to be of a high lynage Then the King was aduertised of theyr comming and dyd abyde theyr comming in the chaÌ„ber of presence accompanied with all his nobles knights of prowes And when he saw his daughter to enter all couered with mourning apparel his royal highnesse could not show the great loue he had vnto his daughter but made showes of great sorow shedding many teares from his eyes which ran down vpon his chéekes al to be washed his gray haires This faultlesse lady dyd prostrate hir selfe at hir fathers fâ—â—te but Claridiano remained a fote with so great
When Rosicleer saw her he receiued great pleasure and delyght and for that the Princesse shoulde knowe him he pulled off his healme and straight waye she knewe him and with great alteration she arose vp against him and sayde Oh Gréeke Prince the flower of all Knighthoode in the worlde hath Fortune so much fauoured me that all my griefes and sorrowes be finished and likewise those of the prince my spouse to whom y e Prince aunswered with great reioycing and sayd Most mightie Princesse God of his bouÌ„tifull mercie hath deliuered thée from so great care and trouble wherefore know that you are cléere of all thraldome for this present The sister of the Gyant when she heard that the Knight was one of the Gréeke Princes whose valour was blazed throughout all the world her paine griefe was so much the more hauing before her so worthy an aduersarie greatly fearing the comming of her father lest ther shuld happen vnto him some inconuenience So Rosicleer and the Princesses went out of that chamber the faire Giantesse folowed them the Princesse had great desire to sée Meridian but it was not long after that in the case as before was told you he came I cannot héere declare â—he great delight which the two receiued when they saw themselues together Wherfore I doo leaue the consideration thereof vnto them that firmly and truly doo loue and hath bene absent with like succession of troubles and sorrow The Gréeke was not forgetfull to command that the Prince Meridian should be put into a faire bed and when he had ordayned that which was necessarie for all things he asked for somewhat to eate the which straight way was done and the Tables layde in the chamber where Meridian laye and all them of the Castle were very much amazed at the lybertie of Meridian farre much more then of all that which happened before in the Castle The Gréeke Prince with amorous words and swéete perswasions caused the Quéene and her Daughter to sit downe at the Table to eate béeing somewhat comforted for that they knewe howe that Brandafidel was without daunger of death for that of them and of all the rest that were in the Castle he was verye well beloued for his great vertue ¶ How the King Fangomadan came without knowing of any thing that had happened in the Castle and how he found the entrie closed of the battaile that was betweene him Rosicleer Cap. 18. EXcéeding was the sorrow care the Quéene and her daughter passed that night alwaies looking for the comming of the king Fangomadan the Princesse likewise was not with out some feare mistrusting some other inconuenience The Gréeke alone was he that tooke no care of those matters The next day following wheÌ„ they wer at dinner there came vnto them one of y e seruants that were in the Castle and sayd vnto the Prince Famous Knight the King Fangomadan is at the Castle gate showe vnto vs thy pleasure what we doe There was not one that were there present but lost their colours at those words sauing onely the Gréeke and the Troyan who rising vp from the table they commaunded that the draw bridge should be let downe and Argolio to bring them their armour which with a trice was brought vnto them and they armed them selues The Gréeke Prince looked out at one of the windowes which was ouer the gate of the Castle to see howe 〈◊〉 people he brought with him and he sawe that he had with him but twentie Knights and certaine foote men And the King was mounted vpon a mightie Elephant who seeing that the bridge was not let downe neither the gates open he began to tell out aloud making a meruailous noise and commaunded his people to knocke verye harde at the ring of the gate The Gréeke Prince although his monstrous greatnesse did seeme to him terrible yet he estéemed no more his furie then as though he had bene very humble and milde neither forced 〈◊〉 anye thing of his greate pride but with a high voyce he sayde What a knocking makest thou there thou monstrous Gyaunt What haste hast thou to reuenge thy anger vpon the ring of the gate thou must vnderstand that thou canst not enter in heere but thou must make thy conquest of the entrie with the force of thy strong arme The Gyant being greatly amazed of that he heard caâ—t vp his eies to see who he was that was so bolde and without curtesie spake vnto him those words and he saw that he was a well set knight of him vnknowen and sayde vnto him What is this that thou sayest am not I king of this Iland and ouer all this land Thou wert sayd Rosicleer but now for thy great pride and foolish hardinesse thou hast lost it and it is now in my power Where be my sonnes that kept it sayd the Gyant what is become of them The Grake sayd one of them is slaine by the strength of my arme the other yeelded fulfilling that which he doth owe vnto the order of knighthoode as it becommeth a good knight Oh immortall Gods sayd the king is it possible to be true that I doe beare that so vile a wretch as thou art should be the occasion of so much harme O thou traitor and false knight command the gates to be opened for that thy great strength shall little auaile thee if they be opened vnto mee And if thou doest not command them to be open I will so vse the matter that neither the deapth of the meate nor towers of the castell shal be able to make anie resistance against me for thy defence And with the great madnesse which he had he drew out his great and broad cutting sword and with both his hands be stroke at the gate as though he woulde cut it in peeces but all his labour was in vaine for that the gates were verie strong and therewith the Prince Rosicleer determined to descende downe into the Court and commaunded the Troyan that in the meane time that the battaile endured that he should haue great care of the keeping of the gate and tooke his healme of Argolio and laced it on and also a strong and well steeled sheeld and when he came vnto the gate he saw that the king was a foote beating at the gate with all his strength to whom the Prince sayd Tarrie a while and I will open the gate vnto thée make not so much hast And in saying these words he opened a wicket the Gyaunt when he sawe it with an earnest furye hée thrust himselfe in thereat The worthy Prince séeing him so hastie with both his hands he thrust at him and made him to recoyle backe a good way and sayd Kéepe thée backe thou furious beast for heere thou hast no entring without my lycense To whom the Gyant sayd What dost thou thinke or pretend to doo To make battaile with thée sayd y e prince therfore if thou wilt enter into the battaile thou must come in
would or not notwithstanding with great discreation he kept himselfe vpright with wonderful lightnesse accompanied with no lesse anger he threw his shéeld at his back tooke his sword in both his haÌ„ds went to strike the gyant a mortall blow at which time there appered before him a whole legioÌ„ of diuells with flesh hooks in their hands with the which they did torment him The valiant Gréeke with great wrath and double force put himselfe amongest them striking on euery side such terrible blowes that in spite of them he came vnto the tombe and with great lightnesse he stroke on it two blowes but he had no time to strike the third for that this diuellish companie did put him from it w e their terrible assaults and striking of him Oh in what great trauaile and perplexitie this knight found himselfe amongst this wicked and diuellish generation for to defend himselfe that they might not driue him from the Tombe and tooke great courage and stretching forth his mightie and strong arme hée so flourâ—â—hed about him and kept such a sturre amongest them that hée might strike the third blowe vppon the Tombe which was with so great noise and rumbling that he was constrained to fall to the grounde without anie remembraunce he laie not long in this traunce but comming againe to his remembraunce he founde himselfe by the riuers side and nigh vnto him was his horse and his Squire with him without séeing anie fortresse or ditch nor anie signe thereof but the most they sawe was two greate lumpes verie darke which flewe in the ayre giuing verye gréeuous shrikes and beholding well what it shoulde bée they sawe that one was the vnhappie Merlin and with him a legion of Diuells that went tormenting him and the other was a Chariot carried by two Dragons and before it was that furious beast which hee slewe and hée sawe that there was in the Chariot certaine Knights Ladies and Gentlewomen depriued of their vnderstanding Likewise he saw a man with a whip in his hand who did gouern the Dragons and that furious monster who with a loud voyce said Nephew vnto Trebatio doo not thou thinke that thy strength is sufficient for to set at libertie and to cleere out of paine this vnnaturall and cruell King and in saying these words he whipped forwards those terrible Dragons and with a trice they vanished out of the Princes sight leauing him somewhat troubled and not without great reason ¶ How Claridiano being ouercome with the loue of the Pastora did put himselfe in shepheards apparaile the better to comfort himselfe with her delycate presence and of all that happened therein Chap. 22. THe Prince remained meruailously amazed of all that had past and with some griefe for that he saw that all his labour and trauaile was to little effect His squire did not looke for his retourne so quickly but layde him downe vpon the grasse and fel a sleepe The Prince with his foote awaked him who so soone as he had opened his eyes he looked as one that had bene scarred The warlike Gréeke demaunded his horse and mounting on him he tooke his way towards Ierosolima and continuallye had in his imagination the names of his grandfather father and mother with intent to go towards Greece with all hast possible So hée trauailed in a great confusion whether it should be true or not whith they tolde him that y e two Emperours should be his grandfather and father Likewise hée had griefe to sée himselfe subiect vnto Cupide So with these and such like thoughts he came vnto Ierosolima whereas he was meruailously well receiued of the King and Quéene likewise of the Princesse the Kings daughter who did him great honour The Princesse straight way vnderstood wherfore he came thether and who was the occasion thereof and when she knew that he was in his chamber in quiet in the company of two of her Gentlewomen she went to visite him The Gréek receiued great contentment at her coÌ„ming and the Princesse with amorous and swéete words procured to knowe of him if that were true which she had in her thought in such sort that Claridiano did discouer vnto her all his whole heart and pretence saying that he was determined in shepheards apparaile to goe and sée that Pastora the causer of all his griefe The Princesse when she sawe that all was true she had conceiued she had not so much discretion as to declare vnto him the griefe of her hart but with a dissembling sigh she sayd Oh loue what great falshood is in thée and without saying any more she remained verye pensiue with her eyes looking downwards to the ground dissembling her griefe she did offer vnto him all fauour and diligence such as her royall estate was able to giue which was not a little for that she was Lady of all that riuer and landes thereabouts the Gréeke did giue her greate thankes for her gentle offer and with this determination the Princesse retourned vnto her chamber whereas with many troublesome and grieuous thoughts she passed away the night So when the morning was come she was not vnmindfull of that which she had promised but commanded to be made shepheards apparaile very rich and commaunded to call vnto her the head gouernour of all the cattle of her father the King whom she commaunded that the shepheard which shée would giue vnto him should be well looked vnto and serued in such sorte as though it were her Fathers owne royall person The shepheardes apparaile was quicklye made and the Princesse one night turning into the chamber of the Gréek asked of him if he had determined anye other thing then that which he had tolde her to whom he sayde that he was still in that determination Then the Princesse sayd that all which he had commaunded was in a readinesse and in that order as his pleasure was The Gréeke gaue her great thankes with such amorous words as her loue did deserue and the Gréeke did straight waye apparaile himselfe in that shepheards apparaile The Princesse when she saw him in that order with a sorrowfull countenaunce she sayd Knight I cannot iudge what will come of this but yet I am sure that thou goest captiue onely to one and thou dost leaue captiue more than a thousand who are in no fault of all this thy gréefe Oh happie Pastora whose beautie hath so much force to subiect and bring downe him whom the Tartarian Giaunts coulde not conquere Oh Gods why doo not I leaue to be a Princesse for to be a Pastora by the Riuer of Euphrates seeing that my highnesse hath not so much power to atchieue that which the basenesse of this Pastora hath brought into subiection The great desire which this newe shepheard had to see his Pastora was the occasion that he would not make any aunswere vnto the Princesse but rather dissembled and made as though he had heard nothing And straight way he put in vre his departure and taking a
whereas he shal end this his new begun battaile Therfore I doo request thée gentle Reader that if in these two books thou hast receiued any contentment to desire thée Muses to aide helpe and succour me and not to leaue me that I may bring vnto lyght â—he deedes and glorious end of these Princes and Knightes with the loue of Claridiano and Rosaluira O Calliope with thy aide and helpe I will not staye my hande till such time as I haue declared all the whole déeds and pollicie vsed in these their feates of armes for that by all reason I am bound to conclude the same FINIS THe cruell battaile that past between the Knight of the sunne and y e fierce Giant Bramarant in which bickering the Giant perceiuing that he must needes haue the worst murthered himselfe Cap 1. fol. 1. a. The worthy knight Rosicleer finding Bramarant giuing vp the ghost after he was dead did intombe his corpes neere vnto a Pine apple tree wherein he did ingraue an Epitaph Cap. 2. fol. 4. b. Prince Rosicleer trauailing on his way hauing alreadie taken leaue of the Princesses Ladies did chaunce vpon a certain aduenture and of the successe he had therein Cap. 3. fol. 1â— a The great sorrow that the knight of the Sunne receiued in thinking of his owne disloyaltie that which happened vnto him Cap. 4. fol. 23. b How the Grecian knight perswaded his vnckle the Prince of Dacia to accompanie him and leaue that sorrowful and desolate life and of that which after happened to him Cap. 5. fol. 26. b. Of the terrible battaile y t this Grecian Prince had with the Giant and of all the aduentures that chaunced in the said battaile Cap. 6. fol. 32. a. How the knight Eleno had battayle with Tefereo the giants cousin and the successe that was therein and howe the Prince Eleno by a straunge aduenture was separated from his cousin and Tefereo Chap. 7. fol. 37. a. By what aduenture â—loramont was deliuered from the perill hee was in and how the Princesse Claridiana was deliuered of child and how she was comforted in all her trouble by the wise Artemidoro Chap â— fol. 44. a How that when the king of Hungarie was taking his leaue to departe there came a Gyant hauing a cruell and furious countenance who defied the Emperour and his sonnes of al that chanced therein Chap. 9. fol. 49. a How the king of Tyre gaue an asâ—alt to rob the ship where Rosicleer was how the same king was come Ca. 10. fo 53. b How the king of Sardenia was baptised and how a Ladie demaunded a promise of the Emperour which he graunted for the which all the court was very sad Chap. 11. fol. 58. b. How y e Emperour vndid a scrowle of parchment therein read the cause why a certaine dead Ladie was slaine with cruell tyrannie and of the great sorrowe he receiued for the same Cap. 12. fo 65. b How y e Emperour Trebatio did land at the Iland Citarea of all that happened there Chap. 13. fo 71. a. How the Ladie Lidia talked with her knight Brenio demaunding the cause of his discontinent and of other accidents Chap. 14. fol. 74. a. How the Emperour when he was recouered of the werinesse which he receiued at the sea trauailed in the same Iland where he was cast a lande and how he met with certaine knights with whoÌ„ he had battaile Chap 1â— fol. 81. b. How the two children of the great Alphebo were stolne awaie by the Gyaunt Galtenor and what succeeded of y e same Chap 16. fo 87. a. Of the great paine that the Prince sustained for the absence of his cousin and how he had battaile w t a certaine knight that was afflicted with loue and of all that chaunced therein Chap. 17. fo 90. b. How the Prince met in Paris with the knight of the Images and of the battel he had with him how they ouercame the three knightes that did accuse the Princesse and of all that happened besides Chap. 18. fol. 99. a. Of all that happened vnto the farre Lidia and to the Prince Eleno after they departed the mountaine where as they met Chap. 19. fol. 105. 〈◊〉 and of that which passed in y e battaile which he had with y e Earle of Modique Chap. 20. fol. 111. a. How the queene being in loue with the Emperour and seeing that he wold giue her no remedie woulde haue slaine her selfe and how the Emperour was constrained to consent vnto her will Cap. 21 fol. 123. b. How the Emperour went into y e field against the Pagan Bramarandus and of all that happned in the battell betweene them Chap. 22. fol 125. a. How the faire Queene Garrofilea made great lamentation for the departure of y e Emperour and how at their last beeing together she remained w t childe by him Chap. 23. fol. 130. a How the knight of the Sunne would haue taryed for Tefereo in y e place wher as he appointed him and how he lost his way in a thick mountaine and of all that happened after that Chap. 24. fo 132. b. How the Greeke Emperour did disimbarke himselfe at the Citie of Cimarra and what happened vnto him there Chap. 25. fo 139. a. How Eleno before he would go into the field would see the Sepulcher of Lidia and what chanced in the battaile appointed with the Emperour his kinsemen friends Chap. 26. fol. 146. a. How the two Empresses went to recreate themselues vnto a house of pleasure and howe the king of Mauritania found them in their pastimes and knowing who they were would haue laid hold vpon the Empresse Briana Chap. 27. fol 151. How the worthie Queene Archisilora went to pursue the Pagan what happened to her in the way cap. 28. fo 158. b How the famous Rosicleer and Brandimardo went to the kingdome of Lyra and of all which passed in the battayle fol 164. b. The end of the Table of the first booke The Table of the second booke OF the Prince Claridiano and how the king of Arginaria sent to y e king of Trapobana and of all that happened to the messenger Chap. 1. fol. 169. How Claridiano went vnto the campe of the king of Arginaria and demaunded of him battaile and of all that succeeded in the same Chap. 2. fol. 174. b. Howe a Damsell messenger from the queene of Tinacria and came brought a Letter vnto the Emperour of Grecia and of all that passed about the same Chap. 3. fol. â—81 a. Howe the Dacian Prince did meete with Brenio to whome he gaue the Letter of Lidia and of Brenios death Chap. 4. fo 186. b How Eleno went out of the forrest to see the aduenture of those knightes which passed by of the battaile he had with them Chap. 5. fol 193 a. How when the valiant Mauritanian had slaine the Tartarian Zoylo he put on the armour of Bramarant for that hee woulde not bee knowen and of all