the strongest in the world except it were those Giants that discended from a monstrous linnage But no sooner encountred these hardy Champions but their Launces shiuered in sunder and flew so violently into the Aire that it much amazed the beholders Then they alighted from their Steedes and so valiantly besturd them with their kéene edged Fauchions that the fierie sparkles flew as fiercâ—ly from these Noble Champions steelie Helmets as from an Iron Anuill But the Combat indured not verie long before the most hardie Scottish Knight espied an aduantage wherein he might shew hys matchles fortitude then he stroke such a violent blâ—w vpon the Thracians Burgonet that it cleaued hys head iustly downe to the shoulders whereat the King sodainely started from hys seate and with a wrathfull countenance threatned the Champions death in this manner Proude Christian said the King thou shalt repent hys death and curse the time that euer thou camst to Thracia hys blood we will reuenge vpon thy head and quit thy committed crueltie with a sodaine death and so in company of a hundred Armed Knights he incompassed the Scottish Champion intending by multitudes to murder him But when the valiant Knight Saint Andrew saw how hee was supprest by trecherie and inuironed with mightie Troups he called to heauen for succour and annimated him selfe by these wordes of incouragement Now for the Honour of Christendome this day a Martyr or a Conquerour and therewithall he so valiantly behaued himselfe with his trustie Curtleaxe that he made Lanes of murthered men and feld them downe by multitudes like as the haruest man doth moâ—â—e downe eares of ripened corne whereby they fell before his face like leaues from trées when the Sommers pride declines her glorie So at the last after much blood shed the Thracian King was compelled to yeeld to the Scottish Champions mercie who swore him for the sauegarde of hys life to forsake his prophaned religion and become a ChristiaÌ„ whose liuing true God the Thracian king vowde for euermore to worship and thereupon hee kist the Champions sword This conuersion of the Pagan King so pleased the Maiestie of God that he presently gaue end to his Daughters punishments turned the Ladies to their former shapes But when the King behelde their smooth feathers which were whiter than the Lilly exchanged to a naturall fairenes that their blacke bils and slender necks were conuerted to their first created beauties where for excellent faireles the Quéene of loue might builde her Parradice bee bad adue to hys griefe and long continued sorrowes protesting euer hereafter to continue a true Christian for the Scottish Champions sake by whome and by whose diuine Orrizons hys Daughters obtained their former features So taking the Christian Knight in company of the sixe Ladies to an excellent rich Chamber prepared with al thinges according to their wishes where first the Christian Knight was vnarmed then his woundes washed with white Wine new Milke and Rose-water and so after some daintie repast conuayed to hys nights repose The Ladies beeing the ioyfullest creatures vnder heauen neuer entertainde one thought of sleepe but passed the night in their Fathers companie whose minde was rauished with vnspeakeable pleasure till the mornings messengers bad them good morrow Thus all thinges being prepared in a readines they departed the Castell not like mourners to a heauie Funerall but in triumphing manner marching backe to the Thracian Pallace with streaming Banners in the winde Drums and Trumpets sounding ioyfull melodie and with sweet inspiring musicke causing the aire to resound with harmony But no sooner were they entred the Pallace which was in distance from the Giants Castell some ten miles but their triumphes turned to exceeding sorrow for Rossalinde with the Champion of Italie as you heard before was departed the Court which vnexpected newes so daunted the whole companie but especially the King that the triumphes for that time were deferred and messengers dispatcht in pursute of the aduenturous Italian and the â—oâ—ely Rossalinde But when Saint Andrew of Scotland had intelligence how it was one of the Knights that was imprisoned with him vnder the subiection of the wicked 〈…〉 Kalyb as you heard first of all in the beginning of the Historie his heart thirsted for hys most Honourable companie and hys eyes neuer closed quietly nor tooke any rest at all vntill hee was likewise departed in the pursute of hys sworne friend which was the next night following without making any acquainted with his intent likewise when the six Ladies vnderstood the secret departure of the Scottish Champion whome they affected dearer than any Knight in all the world stored themselues with sufficient treasure and by stealth tooke their iournie from their Fathers Pallace intending eyther to finde out the victorious and approued Knight of Scotland or to end their liues in some forraine Region The rumor of whose departure no sooner came to the Kinges eares but he purposed the like trauaile eyther to obtaine the sight of his Daughters againe or to make his toombe in a countrie beyond the cercuite of the Sunne So attyring himselfe in a homely russet like a Pilgrime with an â—bon staffe in his hand tipt with siluer tooke his iournie all vnknowne from hys Pallace whose sâ—dâ—ine and secret departure stroke such an extreame intollerable heauines in the Court that the Pallace gates were sealed vp with sorrow and the walles be-hung with sable mourning cloth The Thracian Lordes exempted all pleasure and like a flocke of shéep strayed vp and downe without a shepheard the Ladies and Courtly gentles sate sighing in their priuate chambers where we leaue them for this time speake of the successe of the other Champions and howe Fortune smiled on their aduenterous procéedinges CHAP. VIII How Saint Pattricke the Champion of Ireland redeemed the six Thracian Ladies out of the handes of thirtie bloodie minded Satiers and of their purposed trauaile in the pursute after the Champion of Scotland BUT now of the valiant hardie Knight at Armes Saint Pattrick the Champion of Ireland must I speake whose aduenterous accidents were so Noblie performed that if my pen were made of stéele yet should I weare it to the stumpes sufficiently to declare hys prowesse and worthie aduentures When he departed from the brazen Pâ—ller from the other Champions the heauens smiled with a kinde aspect and sent him such a happie starre to bée hys guide that it lead him to no Courtly pleasures nor to vaine delights of Ladies beauties but to the throne of fame where honour sate instauld vpon a seat of gold Thether trauailed the warlike Champion of Ireland whose illustrious battailes the northen Iles hath Chronicled in leaues of brasse therefore Ireland be proude for from thy bowels did spring a Champion whose prowesse made the enemies of Christ to tremble and watered the earth with streames of Pagans blood witnes whereof the Ile of Rhodes the key strength of Christendome was recouered from the Turkes by hys Martiall
an Inorie Charriot guarded by twelue coleblacke Negars wherein hys beloued Lady and Mistrsse Sabra sate inuested vppon a siluer Globe to beholde the Heroicall Encounters of her most Noble and Magnanimious â—hampion saint George of England his Tent was as white as the Swannes feathers glistring against the Sun supported by foure â—eyntles Elephants framed of the purest brasse about his Helmet he tied a wreath of Uirgins haire where hung his Ladies gloue which he worâ—â—â— maintaine her excellent gifts of nature to excéede al 〈◊〉 on the earth These costlie habilliments rauished the beholders with such vnspeakeable pleasure that they stood gazing at hys furniture not able to withdrawe their eyes from so heauenlie a sighâ— But when they beheld his victorious Encounters against the Graecian Knightes they supposed him to be the 〈◊〉 tamer of that seauen heaâ—ed monster that clambred 〈◊〉 the elements offring to pull Iupiter from hys throne His â—â—éede neuer gaue Encounter with any Knight but hee tumbled horse and man to the ground where they lay for a time bereaft of sence The Turnament endured for that day from the Suns rising till the cole blacke Euenings Star appeared in which time he conquered fiue hundred of the hardiest Knights then liuing in Asia and shiuered a thousand Launces to the woonderfull admiration of the beholders Thus were the seauen dayes brought to ende by the seauen worthy Champions of Christendome in rewarde of whose Noble atchieuements the Graecian Emperour being a man that highly fauoured knightly procéedinges gaue them a golden trée with seauen branches to be deuided equally amongst them Which Honourable Prize they conuayed to saint Georges Pauilion where in deuiding the braunches the seauen Champions discouered themselues each to other and by what good fortune they ariued in the Graecian Court whose long wished sights so reioyced theyr harts whereby they accounted that happy day of méeting the ioyfullest day that euer they behâ—ld But now after the Turnaments were fully ended the Knights resâ—ed themselues some few dayes recouering their wonted agillitie of body they fell to a new exercise of pleasure not appearing in glistring Armour before the Tilt nor following the loud sounding Drums siluer Trumpets but spending away the time in Courtly daunces amongst their beloued Ladies and Mistressâ—s in more Royaltie than the Phrigian knights whâ—n they presented the Paragon of Asia with an Inchanted â—aske There wanted no inspiring Musicke to delight their eares no heauenly Sonets to rauish their sences nor no curious daunces to please their eyes Sabra she was the Mistresse of the Reuels who graâ—â—e the whole Court with her excellent beautie which séemed to excéede the rest of the Ladies as farre as the Mâ—â—ne surpasseth her attending Stars in a frostie night when shee daunst shee séemde like Thetis tripping on the siluer sandes with whom the Sun did fall in loue and if shee chaunst to smile the cloudy elements would cleare drop downe heauenly dew as though they mournde for loue There likewise remayned in the Court the six Scythian Uirgins that in former times liued in the shape of Swans which were as beautifull Ladies as euer eye beheld also many other Laidies attended the Empresse in whose companies the seauen Champions daylie delighted sometimes discoursing of amorous conceits other times delighting themselues with swéete tuned Musicke then spending the day in banqueting reuelling dancing such like pastimes not once iniuring their true betrothed Ladies But their Courtly pleasures continued not long for they were sodainely dashed with a present newes of open Warres proclaymed against Christendome which fell out contrarie to the expectations of the Christian Knights There ariued in the Graecian Emperours Pallace a hundred Harrolds of a hundred seuerall Prouinces which proclaimed vtter defiance to all ChristiaÌ„ kingdomes by these words Wee the high and mighty Emperours of Asia and Affrica great commaunders both of land seas proclaime by generall consent of all the Easterne Potentates vtter ruine and destruction to the Kingdomes of Christendome to all those Nations where any Christian Knights are harboured First the Soldan of Persia in reuenge of a bloody slaughter done in hys Pallace by an English Champion Ptolomie the Egiptian King in reuenge of his daughter violently taken away by the sayd knight Almidor the blacke King of Moroco in reuenge of his Quéene likewise taken away by the sayde English Champion The great Gouernour of Thessaly in reuenge of his daughter taken away by a French Knight The King of Ierusalem in reuenge of his daughter taken away by a Spanish Knight The Tartarian Emperour in reuenge of his Sonne the Countie Palatine slaine by the vnhappy hand of the Champion of Wales The Sicillian Monarke in reuenge of hys vaine trauaile after his seauen daughters now in the kéeping of certaine Christian Knights in reuenge of which iniuries all the Kingdomes from the furthest part of Prester Iohns Dominions to the borders of the red Seas hath set downe their handes and seales to bee ayders in this bloodie Warre This Prolamation béeing no sooner ended but the Graecian Emperour likewise consented to their bloody determination and thereupon gaue spéedy commandement to muster vp the greatest strength that Graecia could afforde to ioyne with the Pagans to the vtter ruine and confusion of Christendome which bloody edict or rather inhumane Iudgement pronounced by the accursed Infidels compelled the Christian Champions to a spéedy departure and euerie one to haste into his owne countrie there to prouide for the Pagans entertainment So after due considerations the seauen Champions departed from Graecia in companie of their betrothed Ladies who chose rather to liue in the bosoms of their husbands than in the armes of their misbeléeuing Parents where after some few dayes they ariued in the spacious bay of Portingale in which Hauen they vowed by the Honour of true Knighthood to méete againe within sixe monthes insuing there to conioyne all their Christian Armies into one Legion vpon which plighted resolution the worthie Champions departed one from another Saint George into England Saint Dennis into Fraunce Saint Iames into Spaine Saint Anthonie into Italie Saint Andrew into Scotland Saint Pattrick into Ireland Saint Dauid into Wales whose pleasant bankes they had not beheld in many a yeare before where their entertainments were as Honorable as their harts desired But to speake of the mustring vp of Souldiers in euerie Christian Kingdome and what strength ariued at the appointed time in the bay of Portingale shall be discoursed in the sequell of this Historie and how troublesome warres ouerspread the whole earth where the Heroicall déedes of these Noble Champions shall at large be discribed Also of the â—uerthrow of many Kings and Kingdomes ruines of Townes and Citties and the decay of many flourishing Common weales Likewise of the bloody Tragedies of many vnchristian Princes whereat the heauens will mourne to sée the effusion of blood trickle from the breasts of murthered Infants the heapes of slaughtered Damsels
hys Court in the Cittie of Couentrie who immediatly vpon the Confession of the murther gaue this seuere iudgment against her First to be conueied to Prison there to remaine for the tearme of twelue moneths and at the end whereof to be burned like a most wicked offender yet because she was the Daughter of a King and loyall Lady to so Noble a Knight his Maiesty in mercie graunted her this fauour that if she could get any Knight at Armes before the time were expired that would be her Champion and by Combat redéeme her from the fire she should liue otherwise if her Champion were vanquished then to suffer the former Iudgement Thus haue you heard the true discourse of all things which hapned till my departure from England where I left her in Prison and since that time fiue monthes are fullie exspired Therefore most renowned Champion as you loue the life of your Ladie and wish her deliuerie make no tarriance but with all spéed post into England for I greatly feare before you ariue vppon that blessed shore the time will be finished and Sabra suffer death for want of a Champion to defend her cause This doleful discourse draue saint George with the other Knights and Champions to such an eâ—tasie of minde that euery one departed to their lodging Chambers with dumbe signes of sorrow being not able to speake one word where for that night they lamented the mishap of so vertuous a Lady The Egyptian King her father he abandoned the sight of all companies and repayred to the toppe of an high Tower built of Marble stone wherein hee barred himselfe fast with yron bolts so that none could come within the hearing of his lamentations then raged hee vp and downe like franticke Oedipus tearing his eyes from their naturall Celles accusing heauen of iniustice condemning earth of iniquity and accursing man for such an execrable crime one while wishing his daughters byrth hower had béene her buriall day another while that some vnlucky Plannet would descend the firmament and fall vppon his miserable head being in this extreame passion hee neuer hoped to sée his daughters countenance againe and so about midnight being a time when desperate men practise their owne destructions he cast himselfe headlong from the toppe of the Tower and broake his necke and all besprinckled the flinty pauements with his blood and braines No sooner was the night vanished and bright Phoebus entred the Zodiacke of heauen but his bruised body liueles and senseles was found by his seruants lying in the Pallace yard all to be beaten in péeces against the grounde The wofull newes of this selfe-wild murtherer they presently told to certaine Egyptian Knights who tooke his scattered limbs and carryed them to saint Georges Chamber where they found him arming himselfe for his departure towardes England But at this wofull spectackle he tooke a seconde conceited griefe in such extreame manner that it had almost cost him his life but that the Egyptian Knights gaue him many comfortable spéeches and by theÌ„ consent of many Dukes Earles Lords and Barrons with many other of the late Kings priuy Councell they elâ—cted him the true succéeding King of Egipt by the marriage of Ptolomies daughter which Royall proffer saint George refused not but took vpon him the Regiment of the whole Country so that for that day his iourney toward England was stayed and vppon the third day following his Coronation was appoynted which they solemnely perfourmed to the high honour of all the Christian Champions For the Egyptian Pieres caused saint George to be apparralled in Royall Uâ—stures like a King he had on a sute of flaming greene like an Emerauld and a Mantle of scarlet very richly furd and wrought curiously with gold then the other sixe Champions lead him vp to the Kings Throane and set him in a Chayre of Ebony with pummells of siluer which stood vpon an Allablaster Elephant then came thrée of the greatest Lords in Egypt and set a Crowne of gold vpon his head then followed two Knights with a Scepter and a naked Sâ—â—â—rde to signefie that he was chiefe Champion of all the Râ—alme and Lord of all that appertained to the Crowne of Egypt This being performed in most sumptuous and stately manner the Trumpets with other Instruments began to sound wherat the generall company with ioyfull voyces cryed all together Long liue saint George true Champion for England and King of Egypt Then was he conducted to the Royall Pallace where for ten dayes he remayned amongst his Lords and Knights spending the time in great ioy and pleasure the which béeing finished hys Ladyes distresse constrayned him to a sodaine departure therefore he left the guiding of his Lande to twelue Egyptian Lordes binding them all by oath to redeliuer it at his returne likewise charging them to interre the body of Ptolomie in a sumptuous Tombe befitting the body of so Royall a Potentate Also appoynting the sixt Champions to rayse their Tents and muster vp anewe their souldiers and with all spéede march into Persia and there by dynt of bloody warre reuenge his former iniuries vpon the cursed Soldan This change being giuen the next morning by breake of day 〈◊〉 buckled on his Armour mounted on his swift footed Stéed and had hys friends in Egipt for a season adue and so in companie of the Knight that brought him that vnluckie newes hee tooke his iournie with all spéed toward England In which trauaile we leaue him for a time Also passing ouer the spéedy prouision made by the Christian Champions in Egypt for the inuasion of Persia and returne to sorrowfull Sabra béeing in priosn awayting each minute to receaue the finall stroke of impartiall death for now had the rowling Plannets brought their yeares trauailes to an end yet Sabra had no intelligence of any ChaÌ„pion that would defend her cause therefore shee prepared her dilicate bodie to receaue her latest breath of life the time beeing come shee was brought to the place of execution whether she went as willinglie and with as much ioy as euer shée went before time vnto her marriage for she had made her humble submission to the world and vnfainedly committed her soule to God She béeing at the stake where the king was present with many thousands as wel of Noble personages as of Common people to behold this wofull Tragedie the deaths-man stripped off her Garment which was of blacke sarceâ—et in her snow-snow-white smocke bound her with an Iron chaine vnto the stake then placed they round about her tender body both Pitch Turpentine and Gunpowder with other merciles things therby to make her death the more easier and her paine the shorter Which béeing â—one the King caused the Harrold to summon in the Challenger who at the sound of the TruÌ„pet came trasing in vpon a Rone coloured Stéede without any kinde of marke and trapped with rich trappinges of gold precious stones of great price there came foorth at the Horse mouth two tuskes
stay not I say deare Lorde to sée the Infant now sprawling in my wombe to be deliuered from the bed of his creation forsake my presence for a time and let mée like the Noble Quéene of Fraunce obtaine the fauour of some Fayrie to be my Midwife that my Babe may be as happily borne in this Wildernes as was her valiant Sons Vallentine and Orson the one of them was cherrisht by a King and the other by a Beare yet both of them grew famous in their déedes My paine is great deare Lord therefore depart my Cabbinet and before bright Phoebus lodgeth in the Wâ—st I shall eyther be a happie mother or a liueles body thou a ioyfull Father or a sorrowfull Widdower At which wordes Saint George sealed agreement with a kisse and silently departed without any reply but with a thousand sighes he had her adue and so tooke his way to the top of a MouÌ„taine being in distance froÌ„ hys Ladies abyding a quarter of a mile there kneeled hee during the time of her trauailes with hys bare knées vpon the bowels of the earth neuer ceasing prayer but continually soliciting the Mâ—â—estie of God to graunt his Lady a speedy deliuerie at whose diuine orizons the heauens seemed to relent and all the time of her paine coâ—ered the worlde with a vale of darkenes whole flights of birdes with Troupes of vntamed beasts â—ame flocking round about the Mountain where he knéeled and in their kindes assisted his celestiall contemplations where I will leaue him for a time and speake what hapned to Sabra in the middle of her paynes and extreamitie of her trauailes for after saint Georges departure the furie of her griefe so raged in her wombe that it exceeded the boundes of reason whereby hys hart was constrained to breath so many scortching sighes that they séemed to blast the leaues of trées and to wither the flowers which beautefied her Cabbinet her burthened tormentes caused her star-bright eyes like fountaines to distill downe siluer drops and all the rest of her bodie to tremble like a Castle in a tyrrible earthquake so grieuous was her paynes and rufull was her cryes that shee caused the mercilesse Tygers to relent and vntamed Lyons with other wilde Beastes like sillie Lambes to sit and bleate her grieuous cryes and bitter moanes caused the Heauens as it were to bleede their vapours downe and the earth to wéepe a spring of teares both hearbes and trées did sâ—eme to droope hard stonie Rockes to sweate when shee complayned At last her pittifull cries pearced downe too the lowest vaults of direfull Diâ— where Proserpâ—â—e â—is Crowned amongst her Fayries and so preuailed that in all haste she ascended from her regiment to worlde this Ladies 〈◊〉 deliuerie and â—o make her mother of 〈…〉 who 〈…〉 the dutie of 〈…〉 her wombe and safelie brought her 〈◊〉 into the worâ—d At whose first sight the heauens began to smile and the earth to reioyce as a signe and token that in time to come they would proue thrée of the Noblest Knights in the world This â—urteous déede of Proserpine béeing no sooner performed but she laide the three boyes in three most rich and sumptuous Cradles the which she caused her Fayries to fetch inuicible from thrée of the richest kinges in the world and therewithall mantles of silke with other things thervnto belonging Likewise she caused a winged Sâ—â—â—er to fetch from the furthiest borders of India a couering of dammaske Taâ—â—â—tie imbrodered with gold the most richest ornament that euen mortall eye behelde for thereon was wrought and 〈◊〉 portraied by the curious skill of Indian 〈◊〉 how God created heauen and earth the wâ—ndring courses both of Sunne and Moone and likewise howe the golden Plannets daylie doe prodominate Also there is no Storie in anye age remembred since the beginning of the world but it was thereon most pâ—â—fectly wrought So excellent it was that Art herselfe could neuer deuise a cuninger With this rich and sumptuous ornament shee couered the Ladies Childe-bed whereby it seemed to surpasse in brauerie the gorgeous bed of Iuno Queene of heauen wheÌ„ first she entertained imperious Ioue After this Proserpine laid vnder euerie childes pillow a siluer Tablet wheron was written in letters of gold their good and happy fortunes Under the first were these verses caractered who at that time lay frowning in hys Cradle like the God of Warre A souldiâ—â—â—old a man of wondrous might A King likewise this royall babe shal diâ— Three golden Dâ—â—de 〈◊〉 bloody fight By this braue Prince shalâ— conquered be The Towers of fayâ—r 〈◊〉 and Roome Shall yeeld to him in happ◠〈◊〉 to come Under the pillow of the second Babe was caractered these verses following who lay in his cradle smilâ—â—g like Cupid vpon the laâ—â—e of Dido whome Vâ—nus 〈…〉 to the liknes of Asâ—â—nius This childe shall likewise liue to be a King Times wonder for deuice and Courtly sporâ— His Tilâ—es and Turniments a broad shall ring To euery coast where Knightes resort Queenes shall atend and humble at his feete Thus loue and bewtie shall together meete Lastly vnder the pillow of the third were these verses likewise caractred who blushed in his cradle like Pallas when her stroue for the golden aple with Venus and the Quéene of heauen The Muses darling for true sapience In Princes Court this Babe shall spend his dayes Kinges shall admire his learned eloquence And write in brazen bookes his endles praise By Pallas gift he shall atchiue a Crowne Aduance his fame and lift him to renowne Thus when the Fayrie Quéene had ended her Prophesie vpon the Children and had left their golden Fortunes lying in their Cradles she vanished away leauing the Lady reioycing at her safe deliuerie and woondred at the gifts of Proserpine which she coniectured to bée but shadowes to dazell her eyes and thinges of a vaâ—ing substance but when shée had laide her bâ—ndes vppon the riche couering of Dammaske Taffatie which couered her mossie bed and felt that it was the selfe same forme that it séemed shée cast her eyes with a chearefull looke vp to the Maiestie of heauen and not onely gaue thankes to immortall Ioue for her rich receaued benefits but for his mercifull kindnes in makeing her the happie Mother of three such goodly children but we will now returne againe to the noble Champion Saint George whome we left praying vppon the mountaine top and as you heard before the skies were ouerspred with Sable Cloudes as though they had béene mourning witnesses of hys Ladies torments but before the golden Sunne had diu'de into watry Theâ—is lap the â—lemen began to cleare to withdraw her former mourning Mantles by which he supposed that heauen had piâ—â—ied his Ladies paines granted her a safe deliuerie therefore in all hast he retired back to the Siluaine Cabbinet the which he found most strangely deckt with sumptuous habilllments hys Lady lying in her Child-bed as glorious as if shee had béene the greatest Empresse in the
THE MOST famous History of the Seauen Champions of Christendome Saint George of England Saint Dennis of Fraunce Saint Iames of Spaine Saint Anthonie of Italie Saint Andrew of Scotland Saint Pattricke of Ireland and Saint Dauid of Wales Shewing their Honorable battailes by Sea and Land their Tilts Iousts and Turnaments for Ladies their Combats vvith Giants Monsters and Dragons their aduentures in forraine Nations their Inchauntments in the holie Land their Knighthoods Prowesse and Chiualrie in Europe Affrica and Asia with their victories against the enemies of Christ. AT LONDON Printed for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at his shop at the Royall Exchange 1596. To the Right Honorable Lord Thomas Howard c. R. I. vvisheth health honor and happinesse HAuing heard Right Honourable by a general report of the laudable vertuous qualities vvherevvith your Honours minde is beautefied and your fauourable acceptance of good vvill from the meanest I haue attempted though fearing to fall like Phaiton to present into your Lordships handes this homely gift vvhich is a Historie of the seauen Champions of Christendome vvhole names to this day is held in great estimation through Europe vvhere in steede of musicke I bring you mislike for a learned booke an ildle discourse thereby to beguile your ingenious Iudgements exercised in the best rudiments Yet presuming vpon this that as the Noblest mindes are euer the most curteous so your Honour vvill vouchsafe to cast a smiling glaunce at this simple toy if not for the vvorkemanship yet for the good vvill of the giuer vvherevvith if I be fauoured as I hope vvell my labour hath his revvard and my desire his content in vvhich assured hope resting I commit your Honour to the Almightie Your Honours in all humilitie most affectionate R. I. To all curteous Readers Richard Iohnson vvisheth increase of vertuous knovvledge GEntle Readers in kindnes accept of my labours and be not like the chattering Cranes nor Momus mates that carps at euerything vvhat the simple say I care not vvhat the spightfull speake I passe not only the censure of the conceited I stand vnto that is the marke I aime at vvhose good likeinges if I obtaine I haue vvonne my race if not I faint in the first attempt and so loose the quiet of my happie goale Yours in kindnes to command R. I. The Authors Muse vpon the Historie THe famous factes O Mars deriu'd from thee By wearie pen and paynefull Authors toyle Enroulde we finde such feates of Chiualrie As hath beene seldome seene in any soyle Thy ensignes here we finde in field displaide The Trophies of thy victories erected Such deedes of Armes as none could haue assaide But Knights whose courage feare hath not detected Such Ladies sau'd such monsters made to fall Such Gyants slaine such hellish Furies queld That Humane forces few or none at all In such exploits their liues could safely shield But vertue stirring vp their Noble mindes By valiant Conquests to inlarge their Fames Hath causde them seeke aduentures forth to finde Which registreth their neuer dying names Then Fortune Time and Fame agree in this That Honours gaine the greatest glorie is Gentle Reader beare with the faults ouerpast in correction and they shall be amended God willing in the next Impression The Honorable Historie of the Seauen Champions of Christendome CHAP. I. Of the wonderfull and straunge birth of Saint George of England how he was cut out of his Mothers wombe and after stole from his Nurses by Kalyb the Lady of the woods Her loue to him and her giftes and how hee inclosed her in a rocke of stone and redeemed sixe Christian Knights out of prison AFter the angrâ—e Gréekes has 〈◊〉 the chiefest Cittie in Phrigiâ— and turnâ— King Priams glorious buildinges to a 〈◊〉 and desolate wildernes Duke Aenzas exempted from his natiue habitation with manie of his distressed countrimen 〈◊〉 Pilgrims wandered the world to 〈◊〉 some happie râ—gion where they might erect the Image of their late subueâ—ted Troy but before that labour could 〈◊〉 accomplished Aenaeas ended his dayes in the conâ—iâ—â—s of Italie and left his sonne Askanius to gouerne in his 〈◊〉 Askanius dying 〈◊〉 Siluius to rule Siluius deceasing leâ—t â—he noble and â—â—â—entâ—rous Brutus which Brute being the and hollow trées wherein they were entertained with such a dismall croking of night Rauens hissing of Serpents bâ—llowing of Bulles and roaring of monsters that it rather seemed a wildernesse of furies than any worldly habitation by which they knew it to be the inchâ—â—ted vale of Kalyb the Lady of the woodes So pacing 〈◊〉 the middle of the thicket they came to a Caâ—e whose gate and entrey was of Iron whereon hung a mightie brasen borne for them to winde that would speake with the Sorceresse first offering their Lambe with great humlitie before the postâ—rne of the Caue then exempting all feare they winded the brasen horne the sounde whereof séemed to shake the foundation of the earth after which they heard a loude and hollow voice that vttered these wordes following Sir Knight from whence thou camst retorne Thou hast a Sonne most strangely borne A Dragon fell shall split in twaine Thy Ladies wombe with extreame paine A Champion bold from thence shall spring And practise many a wondrous thing Returne therefore make no delay For it is true what I doo say THis daâ—ke Riâ—â—le or rather misticall Oracle being thrice repeated in this order so much amazed them that they stood in doubt whether it were bâ—st to returne or to winde the brâ—â—en borne the second time but being perswaded by the other Knight not to moâ—ue the impatience of Kalyb hee rested satisfied with that answere Thus leâ—â— he the iâ—chaunted Caue to the gouernement of Kalyb and with all spâ—â—de dispatched his iourney to his 〈◊〉 habâ—tation but in the meanâ— time his Lady bâ—ing ouerchâ—rged with extrâ—â—me paine and bitter anguish of her laborsome wombe 〈◊〉 forced either to the spoyle of her Infant or decay of her owne life But regarding more the benefit of her countrie than â—er own safetie and for the preseruation of her childe â—hee most willingly committed her tender wombe to be opened that her Infant might bée taken forth aliue Thus with the consent of many learned Chirurgions this most Noble and Magnanimious Ladie was cast into a dead slâ—epe her wombe cut vp with sharpe razers and the Infant taken from the bed of his creation Upon his brest nature had picturde the liuely forme of a Dragon vpon his right hand a bloody Crosse and on his left leg a golden garter they named him George and prouided him thrée nurses one to giue him sucke another to kéepe him a sleep and the third to prouide him foode not manie dayes after his natiuitie the fell Inchantresse Kalyb béeing the vtter enemy to true Nobilitie by charmes and witchcrafts stâ—le the Infant from his carâ—les Nurses At which time though all too late her Noble Lord and Husband returned in gâ—â—d hope to heâ—re a
soule and returne to the seauen worthâ— Champions of Christendome whose laudable aduentures fame hath inâ—old in the bookes of memorie CHAP. III. How Saint George slewe the burning Dragon in Egipt and redeemed Sabra the Kinges Daughter from death How hee was betraied by Almidor the blacke King of Moroco and sent to the Soldan of Persia where hee slew two Lyons and remained seauen yeares in prison AFter the seauen Champions departed froÌ„ the Inchaunted Caue of Kalib they made their abode in the Câ—â—tie of Couentrie for the space of nine monthes in which time they erected vp a sumptuous costly monument ouer the herse of Saint Georges Mother and so in that time of the yeare when the spring had ouerspred the earth with the mantles of Flora they Armed themselues like wandring Knights and tooke their iournie to seeke for forraine aduentures accounting no dishonour so great as to spend their dayes in idlenes atchiuing no memorable accident So trauailing for the space of thirtie dayes without any aduenture worthie the noting at length came to a large broad Plaine wheron stood a brasen piller whereat seauen seuerall waies deuided which caused the seauen Knights to forsake each others companie and to take euery one a contrary way where we leaue sixe of the Champions to their contented trauailes and wholly discourse vpon the fortunate successe of our worthy English knight who after some few months trauaile happily ariued within the â—eretories of Egipt which countrie as then was greatly annoyed with a dangerous Dâ—â—gon but before hee had iournied fullie the distance of a 〈◊〉 the silent night approched and solitary stilâ—es tooke possâ—ssion of all liuing thinges at last he espied 〈…〉 wherein he purposed to rest his hoâ—se and to take soâ—e repast after his wearie iournie til the 〈◊〉 had renewed his mornings light that he might fâ—â—l to 〈◊〉 â—rauaile agâ—ine but entring the Cottage hee found 〈◊〉 Hermit ouerworne with yeares and almost consumed with griefe to whome hee begâ—n in this manner to conferre Father said hee for so you seeme by your grauety may a trauailer for this night craue entertainment within your Cottage not onely for himselfe but his horse or is there some Cittie neare at hande whetherto I may take my iournie without daunger The oldman starting at the sodaine approch of Saint George replyed vnto him in this order Sir Knight quoth hee of thy countrie I néede not demaund for I know it by thy Burgonet for indeed thereon was grauen the Armes of England but I sorrow for thy â—ard fortune that it is thy destenie to ariue in this our countrie of Egipt Wherein is not left sufficient aliue to burie the dead such is the distresse of this land through a dangerous and tirrible Dragon now ranging vp and downe the countrie which if hee bee not euery day appeased with a pure and true virgin which he deuoureth downe his venemous bowels but that day so neglected will he breath such a stench from his nostrels whereof will grow a most grieuous plague and mortallity of all thinges which vse hath beene obserued for these foure and twentie yeares but now there is not left one true virgin but the Kings only daughter throughout Egipt which Dâ—msell to morrow must bée offered vp in Sacrifice to the Dragon Therefore the King hath mâ—de Proclamâ—tion that if any Knight dare proue so aduenterous as to combat with the Dragon and preserue his daughters life shall in reward haue her to his wife and the Crowne of Egipt after his disâ—â—ase This large proffer so incouraged the English Knight that hée vowde eyther to redeeme the Kinges Daughter or els to loose his life in that honourable enterprise So taking his repose and nightly rest in the olde mans Hermitage till the chearefull Cocke béeing the true messenger of day gaue him warning of the Sunnes vp-rise which causd him to buâ—kle on his Armour and to furnish his Stéed with strong habilliments of war the which being done he tooke his iournie guided onely by the olde Hermit to the valley where the kinges Daughter should bee offered vp in Sacrifice But when he approched the sight of the valley he espied a far off a most fair and beautifull Damsell â—ttired in pure Arabian silke going to sacrifice guarded to the place of death onlie by sâ—ge modest Matrons which wofull sight so encouraged the English Knight to such a forwardnesse that he thoght euery 〈◊〉 a day til he had redéemed the Damsell from the Dragons tyrranâ—e So approching thâ— Lady gaue her comfort of deliuerie and returnde her back to her Fathers Pallace againe After this the Noble Knight like a bold aduenterous Champion entred the valley where the Dragon had his residence who no sooner had a fight of him but hee gaue such a tirâ—able yâ—ll as though it had thundered in the â—llements the bignes of the Dragon was fearefâ—â—â— to behold for betwixt his shoulders and his tayle were fiftie foote in distance his scales glistered brighter than siluer but farre more harder than brasse his belly of the coloure of gold but more bigger than a Tun. Tâ—us weltred he from his hideoâ—s denne and fiâ—rcely assailed the stuâ—die Champion with his burning winges that at the first encounter hée had almâ—st fellâ—d him to the ground but the Knight nimbly recouering him selfe gaue the Dragon such a thrust with his 〈◊〉 tâ—at it shiuerd in a thousand péeces whereat the furious Dragon so â—iercely smote him with his venemous tayle that downe fell man and horse in which fall two of Saint Georges ribs were sore brused but yet stepping backward it was his chaunce to leape vnder an Orringe trée which trée had such pretious vertue that no venemous worme durst come within the compasse of the braunches nor within seauen foote thereof where this valiant Knight rested himselfe vntill he had recouered his former strength who no sooner féeling his spirits reuiued but with an eger courage smote the burning Dragon vnder his yellow burnisht bellie with his trustie sworde Askalon whereout came such abundance of venome that it sprinkled vpon the Champions Armour whereby immediatly through the impoysoned strength of the venome his Armour burst in twaine and the good Knight fell into a gréeuous and dead sound that for a time he lay breathles but yet hauing that good memorie remayning that he tumbled vnder the branches of the Orringe trée in which place the Dragon could proffer him no further violence The fruit of the trée was of such an excellent vertue that whosoeuer tasted thereof should presently bee cured of all manner of diseases and infirmities whatsoeuer So it was the Noble Champions good and happie fortune a little to recouer through the vertue of the trée and to espie an Orringe which a little before had dropped downe wherwith he so refreshed himselfe that hee was in short time as sound as when hee first began the incounter Then knéeled hee downe and made his diuine supplication to heauen that God
triple Crowne Ierusalem and Iuda shall behold The fall of Kinges by Christian Champions bold Thou maide of Egipt still continue chaste A Tyger seekes thy virgins name to spill Whilst George of England is in prison plast Thou shalt be forst to wed against thy â—ill But after this shall happen wondrous thinges For from thy womb shal spring three mighty kings This strange and tragicall discourse bâ—â—ng no sooner endeâ— but she awaked from her sléepe and presently â—eachâ—â— forth her séemely handes 〈◊〉 kâ—ng to 〈◊〉 him but shee catched nothing but the briâ—â—le 〈◊〉 which causâ—d 〈◊〉 to renew her former câ—mplaints O wherefore 〈…〉 in this my troublâ—some dreame 〈…〉 that my Ghost might haâ—e hauntâ—d th◠〈◊〉 mâ—nsters which falsely betrâ—yed the brauest Champion vnder the cope of heauen â—et for his sake will I 〈◊〉 agâ—inst the ingratitude of Egypt and like tâ—e 〈◊〉 Philom◠〈◊〉 fill euery corner of the land with ecchoes of his 〈◊〉 any woes shall excéede the sorroâ—s of Dido quâ—â—ne of Câ—â—thaâ—â— mourning for the ingratitude of Aeneas with 〈◊〉 like passions wearied she the time away â—till twelue montâ—s were fully finished at last her father vnderstanding what feruent affection she bore to the English Champion began â—n this manner to dilate Daughter saide the Egiptian King I charge shée by the hands of nature and the true obedience thou oughtest to beare my age to banish and exâ—lude all fond affections from thy minde not to settle thy loue vpon a wandrâ—ng Knight that is vnconstant and without habitation thou séest hée hath forsaken thee and returnde into hys owne Countrie where hee hath wedded a wife of that Land and Nation Therefore I charge thée vpon my displeasure to affect and loue the blacke King of Moroco that rightfully hath dâ—sâ—rued thy loue which shall bee Honourably holden to the Honour of Egipt and so departed without any answere at all By which Sabra knew hee would not bee croâ—t in hys will and pleasure therefore shee sighed out these lamentable wordes O vnkinde Father to crosse the affection of hys childe and to force loue where no liking is Yet shall my minde continue true vnto my deare betrothed Lord although my body be forst against nature to obay and Almidor haue the honour of my marriage bed Yet English George shall enioy my true Uirginity if euer he returne againe to Egipt and therewithall she pulled forth a chaine of gold and wrapt it seauen times about her Iuorie necke This said shee hath seauen dayes beene stéept in Tygers blood and seauen nights in Dragons milke whereby it hath obtainde such excellent vertue that so long as I weare it about my necke no man on earth can enioy my virginitie though I bee forced to the state of marriage and lie seauen yeares in wedlocks bed yet by the vertue of this chaine I shall continue a true virgin Which wordes being no sooner ended but Almidor entered her sorrowfull Cabbinet and presented her with a wedding garment which was of the pure vnspotted silke imbost with Pearle and rich refined gold perfumed with swéet Siâ—rian powders it was of the colour of the Lillie when Flora had be deckt the field in May with natures orniments so glorious and costly her vestures séemed and so stately were hir Nuptiall rights solemnized that Egipt admired the bountie of her wedding which 〈…〉 dayes was 〈◊〉 in the Court of King 〈…〉 remooued 〈◊〉 Tâ—ipoliâ— the 〈…〉 Almidors forced Bride was Crowned Queene of Moroco at which Coronation the Conduits raâ—ne with Greekish Wines and the streets of Tripolie were beautiâ—â—ed with Pageants and delightfull showes The Court resounded such melodious Harmonie as though Apollo with his silâ—er Harâ—e had deâ—cended from the heauenâ— such Tilts and Turniments were performed betwixt the Egiptia knights and the Knights of Barbarie that they exceeded the Nuptials of Hecâ—uba the beautious Queene of Troâ— which Honourable procéedings wee leaue for this time to their owne contentments some 〈◊〉 some dancing some reuelling some Tilting and some banqueting 〈◊〉 the Champion of England Saint George 〈◊〉 in the Dungeon in Persia as you heard 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 to the other six Champions of Câ—ristendome which â—eparted from the brazen pilleâ— euery one hâ—s sâ—ueral way whose Knightly and Noble aduentures if the Muses graunt mee the bountie of â—aier 〈◊〉 springes I will most 〈◊〉 discouer to the honour of Christendome CHAP. IIII. How Saint Dennis the Champion of France liued seauen yeares in the shape of a Hart and howe proud Eglantine the Kings Daughter of Thessalie was transformed into a Mâ—lberie Tree and how they both recouered their former shapes by the meanes of Saint Dennis his horse CAlling now to memorie the long weary trauailes S. Dennis the Champion of Fraunce indured after his departure froÌ„ the other sixe Champions at the brazen piller as you heard in the beginning of the former Chapter from which he waÌ„dred through many a desolate groue and wildernes without any aduenture worthy the noting till he arriued vppon the borders of Thessalie béeing a Land as then inhabited with wilde beasts wherein he indured such a pennurie scarcitie of victualles that hee was forced for the space of seauen yeares to feede vpon the hearbes of the fields the fruits of trées till the haires of his head were like to Egles feathers and the nayles of his fingers to birds clawes his drink the dew of heaueâ— the which he licked from the flowers in the meadows the attire he cloathed his bodie withall bay leaues and broad dockes that grew in the woodes his shooes the barke of trées whereon hee trauailde through many a thornie brake But at last it was his fortune and cruell destinie béeing â—â—â—rpressed with the extreamitie 〈◊〉 hunger to taste féede vpon the berries of a Mulberie tree whereby he lost the liuely forme and Image of hys humane substance and was transformed into the shape and likeâ—es of a wâ—lde Hart Which strange sodâ—ine transformation this Noble Champion little mistrusted till he espied his mishapen forme in a cleare fountaine wâ—iâ—h â—ature 〈…〉 in a toole and 〈◊〉 villeyâ— but when he behelde the shadow of his deformed substaunce and howe hys heade late Honoured with a Burgonet of steéle noâ— diâ—â—onoured with a paire of 〈◊〉 hornes his face whereon the countenance of true Nobilitie lâ—te carâ—â—red now couered with a beastlike similitude and 〈◊〉 body late 〈◊〉 true Image of magnanimity now ouerspread with a heaâ—â—e hide in colour like to the fallow fieldes which strange alteration not a little perpleâ—ed the minde of S. Dennis that it â—amâ—d him with all speed hauing the natuâ—all reason of man still remaining to repaire backe to the Mulberie tree againe supposing the bâ—rries he had eaten to be the cauâ—e of hâ—s transformation vnder which tree the distressed â—night laid 〈◊〉 formed limbs â—pon the bare ground and thus wofully began to complaine What Magicke charmes said hee or rather bewitching spels remaynes within this accursed trée whose wicked
the former beauty and brightnes againe Thus both his sword his horse his Martiall furniture other habilliments of warre beeâ—ng brought to their first and proper quallities the Noble Champion intended to perseuer and goe forwarde in the aduenture in cutting downe the vnhappie Mulberie trée So taking his sworde which was of the purest Spanish stéele gaue such a stroake at the roote therof that at one blow he cut it quite in sunder wherout presently flashed such a mighâ—ie flame of fire that the mane from his horse necke was burned and likewise the haire of his owne head had beene fiered if hys Helmet had not preserued him for no sooner was the flame extinguished but there ascended from the hollow trée a naked Uirgin in shape like Daphnie which Apollo turnde to Bay fairer then Pigmalions Iuorie Image or the Northen driuen snow her eyes more clearer than the Iâ—â—e mountaines her cheekes like Roses dipt in milke her lips more louelier than the Turkish 〈◊〉 her Alablaster teeth like Indian Pearles her séemely necke an Iuorie Tower her daintie breasts a Palladice where milke white Doues may fit and â—â—ng the rest of natures liniaments a staine to Iuno Queene of heauen at whose most excellent beautie this valiant vndaunted Champion more admired then at her woonderfull transformation For his eyes were so rauished with such excéeding pleasure that his tongue could indure no longer silent but was forced to vnfold the secrets of his heart and in these tearmes began to vtter hir minde Thou most diuine and singuler ornament of nature said hee fairer than the feathers of the siluer Swannes that swim vpon Maeanders Christall streame â— farre more beautifull than Auroraes morning countenance to thee the fairest of all fâ—â—ers most humblie therefore to thy beautie doe I onelie submit my affections Also I sweare by the Honour of my Knighthood and â—y the loue of my Countrie Fraunce which vow I will not violate for all the Treasures of rich Ameria nor the golden Mines of higher India Whether thou béest an Angell descended from the Heauens or a Furie ascended from the dominions of Proserpine whether thou béest some Fayrie or siluaine Nimph which inhabits in these fatall woodes or els an earthly creature for thy sin transformed into this Mulberie trée I may not iudge Therefore swéete Saint in whome my heart must pay his deuotion vnfold to me thy Birth Parentage and â—amâ— that I may the bolder prâ—sume vppon thy curtesies At which demaunde this newe borne Uirgin with a shamefaste looke modest gesture sober grace and blushing countenance â—â—gan thus to reply Sir Knight by whome my life my loue and fortunes are to be commâ—nded and by whome my humane shape naturall forme is recouered First know thou Magnanimious Champion that I am by birth the King of Thessalies Daughter and my name was called for my beauty proude Eglantine For which contemptuous pride I was transformed into this Mulberie tree in which greene substance I haue continued fâ—urtéene yeares as for my loue thou haste deserued it before all other Knights in the world and to thée doo I plight that true promise before the Omnipotent Iudgeâ— of all thinges before that secret promise shall be infringed the Sâ—n shal cease to shine by day the Mâ—â—ne by night all the Plâ—nets forsake their proper natares At which wordes the Champion gaue her the courtesie of his countrie and sealed her promises with a louing kisse After which the beautifull Eglantine beeing ashamed of her nakednes weaued her such a garment of 〈◊〉 rushes interâ—iâ—ed with such varietâ— of sundrâ— flowers that it surpassed for workmanship the Indian maidens curious webs her crisped lockes of haire continued still of the colour of the Mulberie tree whereby shée séemde like Flora in her greatest royaltie when the fâ—elds were be deckt with natures tapestrie After which she washed her Lillie handes and Rosy coloured face in the dewes of heauen which she gathered froÌ„ a bed of violets Thus in her gréene vestments shee intendes in companie of her true Louer the valiant Knight of Fraunce to take her iournie to her Fathers Court beeing as then the King of that countrie where after some fewe dayeâ— trauaile they arriued safely in the Court of Thessalie whose welcomes were to their owne wishes their entertainements most Honourable for no sooner did the King behold his Daughters safe approch of whose strange transformation he was euer ignorant fell into such a dead sound through the excéeding ioy of her presence that for a time his sences were without vitall moouing and his hart imbraced so kindly her dainty body and proffered such curtesie to the straunge Knight that Saint Dennis accounted him the mirrour of all câ—rtesie and the patterne of true Nobilitie After the Champion was vnarmed his stifle and weary limbes were bathed in new milke and white wines he was conuaied to a swéet smelling fire made of Ginniper and the faire Eglantine conducted by the Maidens of Honour to a priuate chamber where she was disrobed of her Siluaine attire apparriled in a Pall purple silke In which Court of Thessalie we will leaue this our Champion of Fraunce with his Ladie and goe forward in the discourses of the other Champions discouering what aduentures hapned to them during the time oâ— sâ—auen yeares But first howâ— Saint Iames the Champion of Spaine fell in loue with a faire Iew and how for her sake he continued seauen yeares dumb and after if Apollo graunt my Muse the gift of Scolorisme and dip my pen in the inke of Arte I will not rest my wearie hand till I haue explainde the Honourable procéedings of the Knights of England Fraunce Spaine Italie Scotland Wales and Ierland to the Honour of Christendome and the dishonour of all the professed enemies of Christ. CHAP. V. How Saint 〈◊〉 the Champion of Spaine continued seauen yeares dumb for the loue of a faire Iew and howe he should haue beene shot to death by the Maidens of Ierusalem with other thinges which chaunced in his trauailes NOw must my Muse speake of the strange aduentures of Saint Iames of Spaine the third Champion and renowâ—ed Knight of Christendome and what hapned vnto him in his seauen yeares trauailes through manie a straunge countrie both by Sea and land where hys Honourable actes were so dangerous and full of wonder that I want memorie to expresse and Arte to subscribe also I am forced for breuities sake to passe ouer his feaâ—efull and dangerous battaile with the burning Drake vpon the flaming mount in Sicill which terrible Combat continued for the space of seauen dayes and seauen nights Likewise omitting his trauell in Capadocia thorough a wildernes of Monsters with his passage ouer the red seas where his ship was deuoured with wormes his Marriners drowned and himselfe his horse and furniture safely brought to land by seanymphs and Meremaids where afâ—er his long trauels passed perrils and dangerous tempests amongst the boysterous billowes of the
raging seas arriued in the vnhappy dominions of Iuda vnhappy by reason of the long and troublesome misery hee indured for the loue of a fayre Iew For comming to the rich and beautifull Citty of Ierusalem being in that age the woonder of the world for braue buildings Princely Pallaces gorgeous Monuments and time woondering Temples hee so admired the glorious scituation thereof being the richest place that euer his eyes behâ—ld that he stoode before the walles of Ierusalem one while gazing vppon her golden gates glistering against the Suns bright countenance another while beholding her stately Pâ—nnacles whose lofty péering tops seemde to touch the Clouds another while woondring at her towers of Iasper Iett and Ebony her strong and fortefied walles thrée times doubled about the Citty the glistering Spires of the Temples of Sion built in the fashion and similitude of two Piramides the auncient monument of Greece whose battlements were couered with stéele the walles burnished with siluer and the ground paued with tinne Thus as this inobled and famoused knight at Aâ—mâ—s stood beholding the scituation of Ierusalem there sodainely thundred such a peale of Ordinance within the Citty that it séemed in his rauished conceit to shake the vales of heauen and to mooue the déepe foundations of the fastned earth whereat his horse gaue such a sodaine start that he leâ—t forty foote from the place whereon he stood After this he heard the chearefull sound of Drums and the ecchoes of brazen Trumpets by which the good Champion exspected some honorable pastime or some great tâ—rnament to be at hand which indeede so fell out for no sooner did he cast his vigilant eyes toward the East side of the City but he beheld a troope of well appointed horse come marching through the Gates after them twelue Armed Knights mounted on Warlike Coursees bearing in their handes twelue blood red streamers wheron was wrought in silke the picture of Adonis wounded with a Bore after them the King drawne in a Charriot by Spanish Genets which be a certaine kind of Steeds ingendred by the winde The Kings Guard were a hundred nâ—ked Moores with Turkish Bowes and Darts feathered with Rauens quilles after them marched Celestine the â—ing of Ierusalems faire Daughter mounted on a tâ—me Unicorne in her hand a Iauelin of siluer Armed with a breast plate of gold artificially wrought like the skales of a Porcupine her Guard were a hundred Amazonian Dames â—lad in greene 〈◊〉 after them follâ—wed a â—umber of â—â—quiers Gentlemen some vpon Barbarian Stéeds some vpon Arabian Palfrayâ—s and some on foote in pace more nimbler than the tripping Dâ—are â— more swifter than the tameles Harts vâ—on the mountaines of Thessalie Thus Nâ—buzaradan great King of Ierusalem for so was he called solemnely â—unted in the Wildernes of Iuda bâ—eing a countrie verie much anoyed with wilde beasts as the Lyon the Leopard the Bore and such like In which exercise the King apointed as it was proclâ—imed by his chiefe Harrold at Armes the which he heard repeated by a shéepheard in the fieldes that whosoeuer sâ—ewe the first wilde beast in the Forrest shuld haue in reward a Corsâ—et of stéele so richlie ingraued that it shuld be worth a thousand sickles of siluer Of which Honorable enterprise when the Champion had vnderstanding with what liberall bountie thâ— aduentâ—rus Knights should bee rewarded his heart was â—â—angâ—ted with inuincible courage thirsting after glorious attempts not onely for hope of gaine but for the desire of Honour At which hys illustrious and vndaunted 〈◊〉 aymed at to internize his déedes in the memorable records of Fame and to shine as a Christall mirrour to all insuing times So closing downe his Beuer and locking on his furniture scoured ouer the plaines before the Hunters of Ierusalem in paâ—e more swifter than the winged windes till he aproched an olde solitarie and vnfrequented Forrest wherein he espied a huge and mighty wilde Bore lying before his mossie den gnawing vpon the mangled ioynts of some passenger which hee had murthered as hee trauailed through the Forrest This Bore was of a wonderfull length and bignes so tyrrable to behold that at the first sight hee almost daunted the courage of this Spanish Knight for his monstrous head séemed vgly and deformed hys eyes sparkeled like a â—irie furnace hys tuskes more sharper than picks of steâ—le and from hys nostrels fumed such a violent breath that it séemed like a tempestious whirle winde his brissels were more harder than seauen times milted brasse and his tayle more loathsome than a wreath of Snakes Nâ—re whomâ— when Saint Iames approched and beheld how he drank the blood of humane creatures and deuoured their fleshe hée blew hys siluer horne which as then hung at the pummell of hys saddle in a scarfe of gréene silke whereat the furious monster roused himselfe and most fiercely assailed the Noble Champion which most nimbly leaped from his horse with his speare stroke such a violent blow against the brest of the Borâ— that it shiuered into twentie péeces Then drawing hys good Fauchion from hys side gaue him a second incounter but all in vaine for hee stroke as it were on a Rocke of stone or a piller of Iron nothing hurtfull to the Bore but at last with staring eies which sparkled like burning stéele and with open Iawes the gréedy monster assailed the Champion intending to swallow him aliue but the nimble Knight as then trusted more vpon pollicie than to fortitude and so for aduantage skipped from place to place till on a sodaine he thrust his kéene edged 〈◊〉 aâ—e downe his intestine throate and so most valiantly split his hart in sunder The which beeing accomplished to his own desâ—ers he cut off the Bores head and so presented the Honour of his Combat to the king of Ierusalem who as then with his mightie traine of Knights were but now enâ—â—red the Forrest but haâ—ing gratiously accepted the giâ—t and bountifullie fulfilled his promises demaunding the Champions Countrie his Religion place of Natiuitie who no sooner had intelligence how he was a Christian Knight and borne in the territories of Spaine but presently his patience exchaunged into extreame furie and by these wordes heâ— expressed his cankered stomacke towardes the Christian Champion Knowst thou not bold Knight said the King of Ierusalem that it is the law of Iuda to harbour no vncircumsiced man but eyther bannish him the land or end his dayes by some vntimelâ— death Thou art a Christian and therefore shalt thou die not all thy countries treasure the wealthie Spanish mines nor if all the Alphes which deuide the countries of Italie and Spaine were turned to hilles of burnisht gold and made my lawfull heritage they shuld not redéeme thy life Yet for the Honour thou haste done in Iuda I grant thée this loue by the law of Armes to choose thy death els hadst thou suffered a timmerous torment which seuere Iudgment amazed the Champion that desperately he would haue gorgde
him selfe vppon his owne sworde but that he thought it an honour to hys countrie to die in the defence of Christendome So like a true innobled Knight fearing neyther the threates of the Iewes nor the impartiall stroake of the faâ—all sisters gaue this sentence of his own death First he requested to bee bounde to a pine tree with his breast laid open naked against the Sun then to hâ—ue an â—owers respite to make his suplication to his Creator and afterwardes to be shot to death by a pure Uirgin Which wordes were no sooner pronounced but they disarmed him of hys furniture bound him to a Pine trée and laide his breast open readie to entertaine the bloody strâ—ke of some vnrelenting maiden but such pittie mâ—â—ke mercy and kinde lenâ—ty lodged in the heart of â—â—rie maiden that none would take in hand to be the bloody Executioner of so braue a Knight At last the tyrranous Nabuzaradan gaue strickt commandement vpon paine of death that lotâ— shuld be cast amongst the maidens of Iuda that were there present and to whome the lot did fall should be the fatall executioner of the condemned Champion But by fortune the chaunce fell to Celestine the Kinges own Daughter beeing the Parragon of beautie and the fairest Maide then liuing in Ierusalem in whose heart no such deede of crueltie coulde be harboured nor in whose hand no bloodâ— weapon could be entertained In stéede of deathes fatall Instrument sheâ— shot towards his breast a déepe strained sigh the true messenger of loue and afterward to heauen she thus made her humble supplication Thou great commaunder of celestiall moouing powers conuert the cruell motions of my Fathers minde into a spring of pittifull teares that they may wash away the blood of this innocent Knight from the habitation of his stained purple soule O Iuda and Ierusalem within whose bâ—somes liues a Wildernes of Tygers degenerate from natures kinde more cruell than the hungrie Canibals and more obdurate than vntamed Lyons what merciles Tyger can vnrip that breast where liues the Image of true Nobilitie the verie patterne of Knighthood and the map of a Noble minde No no before my handes shall be stained with Christians blood I will like Scilla against all nature sell my countries safetie or like Maedea wander with the golden Fléece to vnknowne Nations Thus and in such manner complained the beautious Celestine the Kings Daughter of Ierusalem till her sighes stopped the passage of her spéech and her teares stained the naturall beautie of her Rosie Cheekes her haires which glistered like to golden wiers she bâ—smâ—â—de in dust and disâ—obed her selfe from her costly garments and then with a traine of her Amazonian Ladies went to the King her Father where after a long 〈◊〉 she not onely obtainde his life but libertie yet therwithall hys perpetuall banishment from Ierusalem and from all the borderâ— of Iuda the want of whose sight more grieued her hart than the losse of her owne life So this Noble praise worthie Celestâ—ne returned to the Christian Champion that expected euerie minnute to entertaine the sentence of death but his expectation fell out contrarie for the good Ladie after shee had sealed two or three kisses vpon his pale lips beeing exchaunged through the feare of death cut the â—andes that bound hys body to the trée in a hundred péeces 〈◊〉 with a â—â—oud of fault teares the motions of true loue she thus reuealed her minde Most Noble Knight and true Champion of Christendome thy life and libertie I haue gainde but therewithall thy banishment from Iuda which is a hell of horror to my soule for in thy bosome haue I built my happines and in thy hart I account the Paradice of my true loue thy first â—â—ght and louely countenance did so rauish mee when these eyes behâ—ld thée mounted on thy Princely Paâ—fray that euer since my hart hath burnde in affection therefore deare Knight in reward of my loue be thou my Champion and for my sake weare this ring with this posâ—e ingrauen in 〈◊〉 Ardio affectione and so giuing him a ring from her finger and there withall a kisse from her mouth shee departed with a sorrowfull sigh in companiâ— of her Father and the rest of hys Honourable traine backe to the Citty of Ierusalem béeing as then néere the setting of the Sunne But now Saint Iames the Champion of Spaine hauing passed the danger of death and at full libeâ—â—â—e to depart from that vnhappie Nation hee fell into a hundred cogitations one while thinking vpâ—n the tâ—ue loue of Celestine whose name as yet he was ignorant of another while vpon the cruelâ—ie of her father then â—ntending to depart into hâ—s his owne countrie but lâ—â—king 〈◊〉 to the Towers of Ierusalem his minde sodainely altâ—red for thither hee purposed to goe hoping to haue a sight of hyâ— Ladiâ— and Mistresse and to liue in some disguised â—ortâ—â— her presence and bee her loues true Champion against all 〈◊〉 So gathering certaine blackberies from the trées he coloured his body all ouer like a Blaâ—kamoore But yet considering that hys spéech would discouer him intended likewise to continue dumbe all the time of his residence in Ierusalem So all thinges ordered according to his desire he tooke his iournie to the Cittie where with signes and other motions of dumbnes he declared his intent which was to bée entertained in the Court and to spend his time in the seruice of the King But when the King beholdâ— his countenance which seemed of the naturall colour of the Moore little mistrusted him to be the Christian Champion whome before he greatly enuied but accounted him one 〈◊〉 the brauest Iudean Knights that euer his eye behelde therefore hee instauld him with the honouâ— of Knighthood 〈◊〉 â—ppointed him to bee one of his Guard and likewise his Daughters onlie Championâ— But whâ—â— Saint Iames of Spaine sawâ— himselfe inâ—ested in that honoured place his soule was raâ—ished with such excéeding ioy that he thought no pleasure comparable to hys no place of Elisium but the Court of Ierusalem and no Goddesse 〈◊〉 hys beloued Celestine Lâ—ng continued he 〈◊〉 casting foorth manie a louing sigh in the presence of his Ladie and Mistresse not knowing how to reueale the secrets of his minde So vppon a time there ariued in the Court of Nabuzaradan the King of Arabia with the Admirall of Babilon both presuming vpon the loue of Celestine and crauing her in the way of marriage but shée exempted all motions of loue from her chaste minde onlie building her thoughtes vpon the Spanish Knight which shée supposed to bee in hys owne Countriâ— At whose melancholie passions her importunate sutors the King of Arabia and the Admâ—â—all of Babilon 〈◊〉 and therefore intended vppâ—â—â—n Euening to prâ—sent her with some rare deuised Maske â—o choosing out fiâ— consorts for their Courtly pastimes Of which number the King of Arabia was chiefe and first leader of 〈◊〉 traine the great Admirall of Babilon was the second and
her ownâ— Champion Saint Iames the third who was called in the Couâ—t by the name of the dumb Knight and in this manner the Maske was performed First entered a most excellent Consort of Mâ—sicke after them the aforesaid Maskers in cloth of gold most curiously imbrothered and danced a course about the hall at the endâ— whereof the King of Arabia presented Celestine with a costly sword at the hilt whereof hung a siluer Globe and vpon the point was erected a golden Crowne then the Musicke sounded another course of which the Admirall of Babilon was leader who presented her with a vesture of purple silke of the colour of the rainebow brought in by Diana Venus and Iuno which being done the Musicke â—â—unded the third time in which course Saint Iames though vnknowne was the leader of the daunce who at the ende whereof likewise presented Celestine with a garland of Flowers which was brought in by the thrée Graces and put vpon her head Afterwarde the Christian Champion intending to discouer himselfe to his Ladie and Mistressâ— tooke her by the séemely hand and led her a stately Morisco daunte which béeing no sooner finished but hee â—ffered her the Diamond ring which she gaue him at his departure in the woodes the which shee presently knew by the posâ—e and shortly after had intelligence of his long â—ontinued dumbnesse his counterfeâ— colour his chaunging of nature and the great daunger that hee put himselfe in for her sake which caused her with all the spéede shee coulde possiblie make to breakâ— off câ—mâ—anie and to retire into a Cabbinet which shee hâ—d hâ—rd by wherâ— the same Euening she had a long confâ—rence â—ith â—er true and faithfull louer and aduenterous Champion and to conclude they made 〈◊〉 agâ—â—â—ment beâ—wixt them that the sâ—me night vnknowne to anie in the Court she bad Ierusalem a due by the light of Cinthias glistering beames stole from her Fathers Pallace where in companie of none but S. Iames shee tâ—â—ke her iournie toward the countrie of Spaine But this noble Knight by pollicie preuented all insuing daungers for he shodde his horse backewarâ—s whereby when they were missed in the Court that they might be followed the contrarie waie By this meanes escaped the two Louers from the furie of the Iewes and ariued safely in Spaine in the Cittie of Ciuill wherin the gâ—â—d Champion Saint Iames was boâ—ne where as now we leaue them for a time to their owne contented mindes Also passing ouer the hurly burly in Ierusalem for the losse of Celestine the vaine pursutes of aduenterous Knights in stopping the Ports and Hauens the preparing of fresh horses to follow them and the mustering of souldiers to pursue them the franticke passions of the King for hys daughter the melanchollie monâ—â— of the Admirall of Babilon for his Mistris and the wofull lamentations of the Arabian King for his Ladie and Loue and returne to the aduentures of the other Christian Champions CHAP. VI. The tyrâ—ible battaile betwixt S. Anthonie the Champion of Iâ—alie and the Giant Blanderon and afterward of his strange entertainment in the Giants Castell by a Thrasian Ladie and what hapned to him in the same Castell IT was at that time of the yeare when the earth was newly deckt with a summers liuerie when the Noble and Heroicall minded Champion Saint Anthonie of Italie ariued in Thrasia where heâ— spent his seauen yeares trauailes to the honor of hys countrie the glory of God and to hys owne lasting memorie For after he had wandred through many a wearâ—â—some waie both by Sea and Land through woods and wildernesses by hilles and dales by caues and dens and other vnknowne passages he ariued at last vpon the top of a high and steepâ—e mountaine wheron stood a woonderfull huge and strong Castell which was kept by the most mightiest Giant vnder the cope of heauen whose puissant force all Thrasia could not ouercome nor once attempt to withstand but with the danger of their whole countrie The Giants name was Blanderon hys Castell of the purest Marble stone his gates of yellowe Brasse and ouer the principall gate was graued in Letters of gold these verses following Within this Castell liues the scourge of Kinges A furious Giant whose vnconquered power The Thracian Monarke to subiection bringes And keepes his Daughters prisoners in his Tower Seauen Damsels faire the monstrous Giant keepes That singes him Musicke while he rightly sleepes His bats of steele a thousand Knights hath felt Which for these virgins sakes haue lost their liues For all the Champions bold that with him dealt This most intestiue Giant still suruiues Let simple passengers take heede in time When vp this steepie mountaine they do clime But Knights of worth and men of Noble minde If any chaunce to trauaile by this Tower That for these Maidens sakes will be so kinde To trie their strengthes against the Giants power Shall haue a virgins praier both day and night To prosper them with good successefull fight After he had read what was written ouer the gate desire of Fame so incouraged him and the thirst of honour so imboldned his valiant minde that he eyther vowed to redeeme the Ladies from their seruitude or die with honour by the furie of the Giant So going to the Castell gate he stroke so vehemently thereon with the pummell of hys sword that it sounded like a mightie thunder clap Wherat Blanderon sodainely started vp béeing fast a sléepe close by a Fountaines side and came pacing foorth at the Gate with a mightie Oake vppon his necke which at the fight of the Italian Champion so lightly flourished it about hys head as though it had béene but a light Dimmilaunce and with these wordes gaue the Noble Champion entertainement What Furie hath incenst thy ouer boldned minde proude Princockes thus to aduenture thy féeble force against the violence of my strong arme I tell thée haddest thou the strength of Hercules who bore the mountaine Atlas on his shoulders or the pollicie of Vlisses by which the Cittie of Troy was ruinated or the might of Xerxes whose multitudes drunke huge riuers as they passed yet all too feeble weake and impudent to encounter with the mightie Giant Blanderon thy force I estéeme like a blast of winde and thy strokes as light as a few drops of water Therefore betake thée to thy weapon which I compare vnto a bulrush for on this ground will I measure out thy graue and after cast thy féeble Palfray in one of my handes headlong downe this strepâ—e mountaine Thus boasted the vaine glorious Gyant vpon his owne strength During which time the valerous and hardie Champion had alighted from his horse where after hee had made hys humble supplication to the heauens for hys good spâ—ede and committed his Fortune to the impartiall Quéene of destenie hee approached within the compasse of the Giants reach who with his great Oake so nimbly besturde him with such vehement blowes that they séemed to shake the
a time gazed vp and downe the Mountaine but at the last hauing recouered hys lost senses espied the Thracian Damsell standing by not able to speake one word her ioy so abounded But after some continuance of time hee reuealed to her the manner of hys dangerous Encounter and successefull victorie and she the cause of his recouerie her intended Tragedie Where after manie kinde salutations she curteously tooke him by the hand led him into the Castell where for that night he lodged hys wery limbs in an easie bed stuffed with Turtles feathers softest thistle downe the chamber had as manie windowes where he lay as there were dayes in the yeare and as many dores as there were minutes in a day and to discribe the curious architecture and the â—rificiall workmanship of the place wore too tedious and a worke without end But to be short the Noble minded Knight slept soundlie after his dangerous battaile without mistrust of Treason or such Rebellious cogitations till golden Phoebus â—ad him good morrow then rising from his slouthfull bed bee attired himselfe not in his wonted habilliments of warre but in purple garments according to the time of peace and so intended to ouerview the Nobilities of the Castell But the Ladie Rossalinde all the night was busied in looking to hys Horse preparing dilicates for hys repast and in making a fire against his vprising where after he had refreshed hys wearie spirites with a a daintie banket caroused downe two or thrée bowles of Greekish Wines hee after by the counsell of Rossalinde stripped the Giant from hys Iron furniture and lest his naked bodie vpon a craggie Rocke to bée deuoured of hungrie Rauens which béeing done the Thracian Uirgin discouered all the secrets of the Castell to the aduenterous Champion First shee led him to a leaden Tower where hung a hundred well approoued Corslets with other Martiall furniture which were the spoyles of such Knights as he had violently slaine after that shee brought him to a stable wherein stoode a hundred pampered Iades which daylie fed vpon nothing but humane flesh Against it was directly placed the Gyants owne lodging his bed was of Iron corded with mightie bars of stéele the testerne and couering of carued brasse the curtaines were of leaues of gold and the rest of a straunge and wonderfull substance of the colour of the Elements after this shee led him to a broad pond of water more clearer than quicksiluer the streames wherof lay continually as smooth as Christall Ice whereon swam six mike white Swans with Crownes of gold about their neckes O here saide the Thracian Lady begins the hell of al my griefe At which wordes a pearled shower of teares ran from the Conduits of her eyes that for a time they staide the passage of her tongue but hauing discharged her heart from a few sorrowfull sighes she began in this manner to tell her passed fortunes These sixe milke-white Swans most honoured Knight you behold swimming in this riuer quoth the Ladie Rossalinde be my naturall sisters both by birth and blood and all Daughters to the King of Thrace béeing now Gouernour of this vnhappie Countrie and the beginning of our imprisonment befell in this vnfortunate manner The King my Father ordayned a solemne hunting to be holden through the land in which Honourable pastime my selfe in companie of my sixe sisters were present â—o in the middle of our sportes when the Lords and Barrons of Thracia were in chace after a mightie shée Lyon the heauens sodainely began to lower the firmaments ouer cast and a generall darkenesse ouerspread the face of the whole earth then presently rose such a storme of lightning and thunder as though heauen and earth had met together-by which our mightie troupes of Knights and Barrons were seperated one from another and we poore Ladies forced by misfortune to séeke for shelter vnder the bottome of this high and steepie mountaine where when this cruell Gyant Blanderon espied vs as hee walked vpon his Battailements sodainely descended the mountaine and fetcht vs all vnder hys Arme vp into his Castell where euer since we haue liued in great seruitude and for the woonderfull transformation of my sixe sisters thus it came to passe as followeth Upon a time the Gyant béeing ouercharged with wine grew innamored vpon our beauties and desired much to enioy the pleasures of our virginities our excellent gifts of nature so inflamed hys minde with iust â—hat he would haue forced vs euerie one to satisfie hys sinfull desires but as he tooke my sisters one by one into hys lodging thinking to deflowre them their earnest praies so preuailed in the sight of God that he preserued their chasteties by a most straunge and woonderfull miracle and turned their comely bodies into the shape of milke-white Swannes euen in the same forme as heere you see them swimming So when this monstrous Gyant sawe that hys intent was crost and howe there was none left behinde to supplie hys want but my vnfortunate selfe hee restrained hys filthie lust not violating my Honour with any staine of infamie but kept mee euer since a most pure Uirgin onlie vvith svvéet inspiring muâ—sike to bring him to his sléepe Thus haue you heard most Noble Knight the true discourse of my most vnhappy fortunes and the wonderfull transformation of my sixe sisters whose losse to this day is greatly lamented throughout all Thrace and with that word she made an end of her Tragicall discourse not able to vtter the rest for weeping whereat the Knight being oppressed then with like sorrow imbraced her about the slender waste and thus kiâ—dely began to comfort her My most deare and kinde Ladie within whose countenance I see how vertue is inthronized and in whose minde liues true Magnanimitie let these few wordes suffice to comfort thy sorrowfull cogitations First thinke that the Heauens are most beneficiall vnto thée in preseruing thy chastity from the Giants insatiate desires then for thy deliuerie by my meanes from thy slauish seruitude Thirdly and lastly that thou remaining in thy naturall shape likenes mayest liue to bee the meanes of thy sisters transformations Therefore drie vp those Cristall pearled teares and bâ—d thy long continued sorrowes adue for griefe is companion with dispaire and dispaire a procurer of an infamous death Thus the wofull Thracian Ladie was comforted by the Noble Christian Champion where after a fewe kinde gréetings they intended to trauaile to her Fathers Court there to relate what had hapned to her sisters in the Castel likewise the Gyants confusion and her owne safe deliuery by the illustrious prowesse of the Christian Knight So taking the keyes of the Castell which was of a wonderful waight they locked vp the gates and paced hand in hand downe the stéeâ—ie mountaine till they aproached the Thraciâ—n Court which was distant from the Castell some tenne miles but by that time they had a sight of the Pallace the Sunne was wandred to the vnder world and
the light of heauen sate â—â—â—â—fled vp in cloudes of pitch the which not a little discontented the wearie trauailers but at last comming to her Fathers Gates they heard a solemne sound of belles ringing the funerall knell of some Noble estate the cause of which solemne ringing they demaunded of the Porter who in this manner expressed the truth of the matter vnto them Faire Ladie and most renowned Knight said the Porter for so you séeme both by your speeches and Honourable demaundes the cause of this ringing is for the losse of the Kinges seauen daughters the number of which Belles be seauen called after the name of the seauen Princes which neuer yet hath ceased their dolefull melodie since the departure of the vnhappie Ladies nor neuer must vntill ioyfull newes be heard of their safe returne Then now their taskes be ended said the Noble mindded Rossalinde for we bring happie newes of the seauen Princes abidings At which wordes the Porter beeing rauished with ioy in all hast ranne to the steeple and caused the Belles to cease whereat the King of Thrace beeing at hys Royall supper and hearing the Belles to cease their wonted melodie sodainely started vp from hys Princelie seate and like a man amazed ran to the â—allace gate where as he founde hys Daughter Rossalinde in companie of a strange Knight which when he beheld hys ioy so excéeded that hee sounded in his daughters besome but beeing recouered to his former sence he brought them both vp into his Princely Hall where their entertainements were so honorable and so gratious in the eyes of the whole Court that it were too tedious and ouerlong to describe but their ioy continued but a short season for it was presently dasht with Rosalindes tragicall discourse for the good old King when he heard of his daughters transformations and how they liude in the shapes of milke-white Swans hee rent his lockes of siluer haire which time had died with the pledge of wisdome his rich and imbrothered garments he tore into a thousand pâ—eces and clad hys aged limbes in a dismall blacke and sable mantle more discontented than the wofâ—â— King of Troy when he beheld hys owne Sonnes by the haire of the heads dragged vp and downe the stréetes also he commaunded that his Knights and aduenterous Champions in stéede of glistring Armour should weare the wéeds of death more blacke in hâ—w than winters darkest nights and all the Courtly Ladies and gallant Thracian maydens in stéede of silken vestments he commaunded to weare both heauy sad and melancholly ornaments and euen as vnto a solemne funerall so to attend him to the Giants Castell there obsequiously to offer vp vnto the angry Destenies many a bitter sigh and teare in remembrance of his transformed daughters Which decrée of the sorrowfull Thracian King was performed with all conuenient spéede for the next morning no sooner had Phoebus cast his beauty vnto the Kinges bed-chamber but hee apparrelled himselfe in mourning garments and in company of his melancholly trayne set forward to his wofull Pilgrimage But now we must not forget the Princely minded Champion of Italie nor the Noble Lady Rossalinde who at the Kinges departure towardes the Castell crauâ—â— leaue to slay behinde and not so sodainely to beginne a newe trauell whereunto the King quickly condiscended considering their late iourney the euening before so taking the Castell keyes from the Champion he bid his Pallace adew and committed his fortune to his sorrowfull iourâ—â—â— where wee leaâ—â— him in a world of discontented passions and a while discourse what hapned to the Christian Champion and his beloued Lady for by that time the Sunne had thrice measured the world with his restles stéedes and thrice his sister Luna wandred to the west the Noble Italian Knight grewe weary of his long continued rest and thought it a great dishonour a scandall to his valiant minde to remayne where naught but Chamber sportes were resident desired rather to abide in a Court that entertaynde the dolefull murmuring of tragedyes where the ioyfull sound of Drums and Trumpets shoulde bee heard therefore taking Rossalinde by the hand being then in a dumpe for the want of her father to whome the good Knight in this manner expressed his secrete intent My most deuoted Lady and Mistris sayd the Champion a second Dido for thy loue a staine to Venus for â—y beautie Penelopes compare for constancie and for câ—astetie the wonder of all maides the faithfull loue that hitherto I haue found since my arriuall for euer shall be â—â—â—ined in my hart and before all Ladies vnder the cope of hâ—uen thou shalt liue and die my soules true gouernesse anâ— for thy sake â—e stand as Champion against all Knights iâ— the worlde But to impaire the honour of my Knighthooâ— and to liue like a carpet dancer in the laps of Ladies I will not though I can tune a Luts in a Princes Chamber I can sounde as well a fierce alarum in the field honour caâ—lâ—s mee foorth deare Rossalinde and fame intendes to burkle on my Armour which now lies rusting in the idle Court of Thrace Therefore I am constrained though most vnwilling to leaue the comfortable sight of thy beautie and commit my fortune to a longer trauaile but I protest wheresoeuer I become or in what Region soeuer I â—e harboured there will I mainetaine to the losse of my life that both thy loue constancie beautie and Chastetie surpasseth all Dames aliue and with this promise my most diuine Rossalinde I bid thée farewell But before the honorable minded Champion could finish what he had purposed to vtter the Ladie béeing wounded inwardly with exstreame griefe not able to indure to kéepe silent any longer but with teares falling from her eyes brake off his speeches in this manner Sir Knight said shée by whome my libertie hath bin obtained Therefore the name of Ladie Mistresse wherwith you intitle me is to high and proude a name but rather call me handmaid or â—eruile slaue for on thy Noble person will I euermore attend It is not Thrace can harbour me when thou art absent and before I doo forsake thy companie and kinde fellowship the heauen shall be no heauen the sea no sea nor the earth no earth but if thou proâ—est vnconstant as Ninus did to Scilla who for hys sake stole her Fathers purple haire whereon depended the safetie of his countrie or like wandring Aenaeas flie from the Quéene of Carthage yet shall these tender handes of 〈◊〉 which neuâ—r shal vnclaspe but hang vpon thy horse bridle till my bode like Thesius sonnes be dasht in sunder against hard flintie stones Therefore forsake me not deare knight of Christendome If euer Camma was true to her Sinatus or euer Alsione to her Ceâ—x so Rossalinde will bee to thée with tâ—is plighted promise shée caught him fast about the necke from whence shee would not vnclose her handes till he had vosâ—de by the Honor of true Chiualrie to make her
of Syluanes colour like to the waues of the sea they offered vp their wofull teares to the Moone beeing the gâ—tâ—er and mistresse of that day vpon Teâ—sdayes like Souldiers trayling their Banners on the dust and Drums sounding sad and dolefull melody in signe of discontent they committed their proceedings to the pleasure of Mars beeing ruler and guider of that day vppon Wensday like schollers vnto Mercurie vppon Thursday like Potentates to Ioue vpon Fridayes like louers with sweet sounding Musicke to Venus and vpon Saterdaies like Manuall professors to the angry and discontented Saturne Thus the wofull Thracian King with his sorowful subiects consumed seauen months away one while accusing fortune of dispite another while the heauens of iniustice the one for Childrens transformations the other for their long limited punishments But at last when the Scottish Champion heard what bitter mone the Thracians made about the riuer he demaunded the cause and to what purpose they obserued such vaine ceremonies contemning the Maiestie of high Iehoua and only worshipping but outward vaine Gods to whome the King after a few sadde teares strained from the Conduits of his aged eies replied in this manner Most noble Knight for so you seeme both by your gesture and other outward appearance quoth the King if you desire to know the cause of our continuall griefe prepare your eares to heare a tragicke and wofull tale whereat I sée the elements begin to mourne and couer their azurde countenance with sable cloudes These milk-white Swannes you sée whose neckes be beautified with golden Crownes are my sixe naturall Daughters transformed into thys Swan-like substance by the appointment of the Gods for of late this Castell was kept by a cruell Giant named Bâ—aÌ„deron who by violence would haue rauished them But the heauens to preserue their chasteties preuented his lustfull desires and transformed their beautifull features to those milk-white Swannes And nowe seauen times the chearefull spring hath renewed the earth with a Sâ—mmers liuerie and seauen times the nipping Winters â—â—ostes hath bereaued the trées of leafe and bud since first my Daughters lost their Uirgins shapes Seauen sommers haue they swamme vpon this Christall streame where in stéede of ricâ— attire and imbrothered Uestments the smooth siluer coloured feathers adornes their comelie bodies Princelie Pallaces wherein they were wont like vnto tripping Sea-nimphes daunce their measures vp and downe are now exchanged into cold streames of water wherein their chiefest mâ—lodiâ— is the murmuring of the liquid bubbles and their ioyfullest pleasure to heare the harmonie of humming Bees which the Poets caâ—â— the Muses birds Thus haue you heard most worthie Knight the rufull Tragedies of my Daughters for whose sakes I will spend the remnant of my dayes chearefully complaining of their long appointed punishments about the Bankes of tâ—ys vnhappie riuer Which sad discourse béeing no sooner ended but the Scottish Knight hauing a minde furnished with all Princely thoughts a tongue washt in the Fountaine of Eloquence thus replied to the comfort and great reioycing of all the companie Most noble King quoth the Champion your heauie and dolorous discourse hath constrained my â—eart to a woÌ„derfull passion and compelled my very soule â—o â—ue your Daughters miseries But yet a greater gâ—ief◠〈◊〉 a déeper sorrow then that hath taken possession in my 〈◊〉 wherof my eâ—es hath bin witnes and my eares vnhappy â—earers of your misbeliefe I meane your vnchristian faith For I haue séene since my first ariuall into thâ—s same Castell your prophane vaine worshipping of 〈◊〉 and falsâ— Gods as to Phoebus Luna Mars Mercurie and such like Poeticall names which the Maiestie of high Iehoua vtterly contemnes but magnificent gouernour of Thracia if you séeke to recouer your Daughters happinesse by humble praiers and to obtaine your soules content by true teares you must abandon all such vaine Ceremonies and with true humillity beléeue in the Christians God which is the God of wonders and chiefe commaunder of the rouling Elements in whose quarrell this vndaunted arme and this vnconquered hart of mine shall fight and now be it known to thée great King of Thrace that I am a Christian Champion and by byrth a Knight of Scotland bearing my countries Armes vpon my breast for indéede thereon he bore a siluer Crosse set in blue silke and therefore in the honour of Christendome I challenge forth thy prowdest Knight at Armes against whom I will mayntaine that our God is the true God and the rest fantasticall and vayne ceremâ—nies Which sodaine and vnexspected challenge so daunted the Thracian Champions that they stoode amazed for a time gazing one vpon another like men dropt from the cloudes but at last consulting together howe the challenge of the strange Knight was to the dishonour of their Countrie vtter scandall of all Knightly dignitie therefore with a generall consent they craued leaue of the King that the challenge might bee taken who as willingly condiscended as they demaunded â—o the time and place was appoynted which was the next morning following by the Kings commandement vpon a large and playne meadowe close by the riuer side whereon the sixe Swans were swimming and so after the Christian Champion had cast downe his stéely Gaunâ—let and the Thracian Knights accepted thereof euery one departed for that night the Challenger to the Eâ—st side of the Castell to his lodging and the Defendants to the west where they slept quietly till the next morning who by the breake of day were wakened by a Harrold at armes but all the passed night our Scottish Champion neuer â—ntertaynde one motion of rest but busied himselfe in trimming his horse buckling on his Armour lacing on his Burgonet and making his prayers to the Diuine Maiesty of God for the conquest and victory till the mornings beauty chaced away the darkenes of the night but no sooner was the windowes of the day fully opened but the valiant and Noble minded Champion of Christendome entred the Liâ—t where the King in company of the Thracian Lordes were present to beholde the Combat and so after saint Andrew had twice or thrice traced his horse vp downe the Listes brauely florishing his Launce at the toppe whereof hung a pendant of golde whose Posie was thus written in siluer letters This day a Martyr or a Conquerour Then entered a Knight in exceeding bright Armor mounted vpon a Courser as white as the northerne snow whose caparison was of the colour of the elements betwixt whom was a fircâ— encounter but the Thracian had the foyle and with disgrace dâ—parted the Listes Then secondly entred another Knight in Armor varnished with greene varnish his Stéede of the colour of an Iron gray who likewise had the repulse by the worthie Christian Thirdly entred a knight in a blacke corâ—let mounted vpon a biâ— bonde Palfray couered with a vale of sable silk in his hand he bore a Lance nâ—â—led round about with plates of stéele which Knight amongst the Thracians was accounted
and inuincible prowesse where hys dangerous battailes fierce encounters bloodie skirmishes and long assaults woulde serue to fill a mightie volume all which I passe ouer wholly discoursâ— of things appertaining to this History for 〈…〉 warres at Rhodes were fully ended which continued some two yeares the worthy Champion saint Pattricke accounting idle ease the nurse of cowardise bad Rhodes farewell being then strongly fortefied with Christian Souldiers and tooke his iourney thorough many an vnknowne Countrey where at last it pleased so the Quéene of chance to direct his steppes into a solitary wildernesse inhabited onely by wilde Satyrs and a people of inhumane quallities giuing theyr wicked mindes onely to murther lust and rape wherein the noble Champion trauelled vp and downe many a weary steppe not knowing how to sustaine his hunger but by his owne industry in killing of wild venison and pressing out the blood betwixt two mighty stones dayly râ—sted it by the heate of the Sunne his lodging was in the hollow truncke of a blasted trée which nightly preserude him from the dropping showres of heauen his chiefe companion was the swéete resounding eccho which commonly reanswered the Champions wordes In this manner liued saint Pattrick the Irish Knight in the woods not knowing how to set him selfe at liberty but wandring vp and downe as it were 〈◊〉 a maze wrought by the curious workemanship of some excellent Gardner it was his chaunce at last to come into a dismall shady thicket beset about with balâ—full misselto a place of horror wherein he heard the cryes of some distressed Ladies whose bitter lamentations seemd to pierce the clowds and to craue succour at the hands of God which vnexspected cryes not a little daunted the Irish Knight so that it causde him to prepare his weapon in readines against some sodain incounter So couching himselfe close vnder the roote of an olde withered Oake which had not flourished with gréene leaues in many a yeare hee espied a farre off a crew of bloody minded Satyrs hauling by the hayre the sixe vnhappy Ladies thorough many a thorny brake and bryer whereby the beauty of theyr crimson chéekes was all to besprent with purple gore and theyr eyes within whose cleare glasses one might behold the God of loue dancing all to be rent torne by the fury of the bryers whereby they could not sée the light of heauen nor the place of theyr vnfortunate abyding which wofull spectacle forced such a terror in the heart of the Irish Knight that he presently made out for the rescue of the Ladies against the bloody fury of the mercilesse Satyrs which were in number about some thirty euery one hauing a mighty clubbe vpon his necke which they had made with roots of yong Oakes and Pine trées yet this aduenterous Champion being nothing discouraged but with a bold and resolute minde he let driue at the sturdiest Satyr whose Armour of defence was made of a Buls hide which was dryed so hard against the Sunne that the Champions Curtle-axe little preuayled after which the fell Satyrs incompassed the Christian Knight round about and so mightely opprest him with downe right blowes that had he not by good fortune leapt vnder the boughes of a mighty trée his life had béene forst to giue the world a spéedy farewell But such was his nimblenes and actiue pollicy that â—re long he sheathed his sharpe pointed Fauchion in one of the Satyrs breasts which wofull sight caused all the rest to fly from his presence and left the sixe Ladyes to the pleasure disposition of the most Noble and couragious Christian Champion Who after he had sufficiently breathed and cooled himself in the chill Ayre being almost windles through the long incounter and bloody Skyrmish he demaunded the cause of the Ladyes trauels and by what meanes they hapned into the handes of those mâ—â—cilessâ— Satyrs who most cruelly and tyrannically attemâ—â—ed the vtter ruine and endlesse spoyle of their vnspotted â—â—â—ginity To which curteous demand one of the Ladies aâ—â—er a déepe fetcht sigh or two being constrained from the bâ—â—tome of her most sorrowfull hart in the behalfe of her selfe and the other distressed Ladies replied in this order redéemed vs distressed Ladies from a double death the one in preseruing our chasteties from the lustfull desires of the Satiers the other in sauing our liues from the threatning furies of the monsters Know braue minded Knight that wee are the vnfortunate Daughters of the King of Thrace whose liues hath béene vnhappie euer since our creations For first wee did indure a long imprisonment vnder the handes of a cruell Giant and after the heauens to preserue our Chasteties from the wicked desires of the said Gyant transformed vs into the shape of Swans in which likenes we remayned seauen yeares but at last recouered by a worthy Christian Knight named S. Andrew the Champion of Scotland after whom we haue trauailed many a wery step neuer crost by any violence vntill it was our angry fates to ariue in this vnhappy Wildernes where your eyes haue béene true witnesses of our wofull misfortunes Which sad discourse béeing no sooner finished but the worthy Champion began thus to comfort the distressed Ladyes The Christian Champion after whom you take in hand this wearie trauaile said the Irish Champion is my approoued friend for whose companie and wished sight I wil goe more weary miles than there be trées in this accursed Wildernes and number my steppes with the multitude of sands hidden in the seas therefore most excellent Ladies true ornaments of beautie bee sad companions in my trauailes for I will neuer cease til I haue found our honorable friend the Champion of Scotland or some of those braue Knightes whome I haue not séene these seauen Sommers These wordes so contented the sorrowfull Ladies that without any exception they agréed and with as much willingnes consented as the Champion demaunded So after they had recouered their sights eased their wearines and cured their woundes which was by the secret vertues of certaine hearbes growing in the same woodes tooke their iournies anew vnder the conduct of this worthie Champion Saint Pattrick where after some dayes trauaile obtained the fight of a broade beaten way where committing their fortunes to the fatall sisters and setting their faces toward the east merrilie iournied together In whose fortunate trauailes we leaue and speake of the seauenth Christian Champion whose aduenterous exployts and Knightly Honours deserues a golden pen dipt in the inke of true Fame to discourse at large CHAP. IX How Saint Dauid the Champion of Wales slewe the Countie Palatine in the Tartarian Court and after howe hee was sent to the Inchaunted Garden of Ormondine wherein by Magicke Art he slept seauen yeares SAint Dauid the most Noble Champion of Wales after his departure from the brazen piller where as the other Champions of Christendome deuided themselues seuerally to séeke for forraine aduentures he atchiued many memorable thinges as well in Christendome as in
corner of the dungeon a certaine Iron Engin which time had almost coÌ„sumed with rust wherwith by long labor he digged himselfe a passage vnder the ground till he ascended iust in the middle of the Soldans Court which was at that time of the night when all thinges were silent the heauens hée then beheld beautified with stats bright Cinthia whose glistering beames he had not séene in many a huÌ„dred nights before séemed to smile at hys safe deliuerie and to stay her wandring course till the noble English Champion foundâ— meanes to get without the compasse of the Persian Cours where danger might no longer attend him nor the strongâ— Gates of the Cittie hinder hys flight which in this manner was performed For the Noble Knight bâ—â—ing as fearefull as the Birde newlie escaped from the Fowlers nets gazed round about and listned where he might heare the voice of people At last he heard the Groomes of the Soldans stable furnishing forth Horses against the next morning for some Noble atchiuement then the valiant Champion S. George taking the Iron Engin wherewith hee redéemed himself out of prison burst opeÌ„ the dores where he slew all the Groomes in the Soldans stable which béeing done hée tooke the strongest Palfray and the richest furniture with other necessaries appertayning to a Knight at Armes so rode in great maiestie to one of the Citty Gates where hee saluted the Porter in this manner Porter open thy Gates for S. George of England is escaped hath murdered his warders in whose pursute the Citty is in Armes which wordes the simple Persian beléeued for a truth and so with all spéede opened the Gates whereat the Champion of England departed and left the Soldan in hys dead sâ—éepe little mistrusting hys sodaine escape But by that time the purple spotted morning had parted with her gray and the Suns bright countenaunce appeared on the mountaine toppes Saint George had ridden twentie leagues from the Persian Court and before hys departure was bruâ—ed in the Soldans Pallace the English Champion had recouered the sight of Grecia past all danger of the Persian Knights that followed him with a swift pursute By which time the extreamity of hunger so sharpely tormented him that he could trauaile no further but was constrained to suffise himselfe with certayne wilde Chesnuts in stead of bread and sewer oringes in stead of drinke such fainte food that grew by the wayes as he trauelled where the necessity and want of victualles compelled the Noble Knight Saint George to breath forth this pittifull complaint O hunger hunger said the Champion thou art more sharper than the stroake of death and the extreamest punishment that euer man indured if I were now King of Armenia cheife Potentate of Asia yet would I giue my Diadem my Scepter with al my prâ—uinces for one shiuer of browne breade oh that the earth would be so kind as to rippe hir bowells and to cast vp some food to sustaine my want or that the ayre might bée choakt with mistes whereby the fethered foules for want of breath might fall and yeald me some succour in this my â—â—nishment and exstreame penurye or that the Oceans would outspread their braunched armes and couer those sunburnd â—â—llyes with their treasures that I might suffice my hunger but now I sée both heauen and earth the hilles and daâ—es the skyes and seas the fish and foules the birdes and Siluanâ— beastes all things vnder the cope of heauen conspires my vtter ouerthrow better had it béene it I had â—â—ded my dayes in Persia than to bee famishâ—â— in the broaâ—◠〈…〉 whâ—â—e all things by natures appointment is ordained for mans vse now in stéed of Courtly dillicates I am forced to eat the fruit of trées and in stéed of Gréekish wines I am compelled to quench my thirst with the moâ—nings dew that nightly falles 〈◊〉 the blades of grasse Thus complained Saint George vntill glistering Phoebus had mounted the top of heauen and drawen the mistie vapors from the ground where hee might behold the prospects of Grecia and which way to trauaile for most safetie he espied directly before his face a Tower standing vpon a chalkie clift in distance from him some thrée miles whether the Champion intended to goe not to séeke for any aduenture but to rest himselfe after hys long iournie to get such victuals as therein hee could finde to suffice his want So setting forward with an easie pace the heauens séemed to smile and the birds to ring such a cherping peale of mellodie as though they did prognosticate a fortunate euent The way he found so plaine and the iournie so easie that within halfe an houre hee approached before the saide Tower where vpon the wall stâ—â—de a most beautifull woman her attire after the manner of a distressed Ladie and her lookes as heauie as the Quéenes of Troy when she beheld her Pallace set on fire The valiant Knight S George after he had alighted from his horse he gaue her this curteous salutaâ—ion Lady said the Knight for so you séeme by your outward appearance if euer you pittied a trauailer 〈◊〉 graunted succour to a Chrstian Knight giue to mee one meâ— leâ— meate nâ—w almost famished To whome the Lady after a â—urst frowne or two answered him in this order Sir Knâ—ght quoth shée I aduise thée with all spéede to depart for here thou gets a cold dinner my Lord is a mightie Giant and beleeueth in Mahomet â— Terinagâ—unt and if he oncâ— vnderstand how thou art a Christian Knight â—t is not all the gold of higher India nor the riches of wealthy Babilon that can preserue thy life Now by the honour of my Knighthood replied Saint George and by the God that Christendome adores were thy Lord more stronger than was mightie Hercules that bore a mountaine on hys backe here will I either obtaine my 〈◊〉 or die by hys accursed hands These wordes so abashed the Lady that shee went with all speed from the Tower and told the Gyant how a Christian Knight remayned at hys Gate that had sworne to suffice hys hunger in dispite of hys will whereat the furious Gyant sodainely started vp béeing as then in a sound sléepe for it was at the middle of the day who tooke a bat of Iron in hys hand and came downe to the Tower Gate his stature was in haight fiue yeardes hys heade brisled like a Bores a foote there was betwixt each brow his eies hollow hys mouth wide hys lippes were like two flaps of steele in all proportion more like a diuell than a man Which deformed monster so daunted the courage of Saint George that he prepared himselfe to death not through feare of the monstrous Gyant but for hunger and féeblenes of body but God so prouided for him and so restored the Champions decayed strength that hee indured battaile till the closing vp of the Euening by which time the Gyant was almost blinde through the sweate that ran
downâ— from hys monstrous browes whereby Saint George had the aduantage and wounded the Giant so cruelly vnder the short ribs that hee was compelled to fall to the ground and to giue end to hys life After which happie euent of the Gyants slaughter the inuincible Champion Saint George first gaue the honour of hys victorie to God in whose power all hys fortune consisted Then entering the Tower whereas the Lady presented him with all manner oâ— dillicates and pure wines but the English Knight inspecting some trecherie to be hidden in her proffered curtesie caused the Ladie first to taste of euerie daintie dish Likewise of his wine lest some violent poyson shoulde bee therein commixt So â—â—nding all thinges pure and halsome as nature required hee suffized hys hunger rested hys wearie body and refreshed his horse And so leauing the Tower in kéeping of the Ladie he committed hys fortune to a new trauaile where hys reuiâ—ed spirits neuer entertained longer rest but to the refreshing of himselfe and hys horse So trauailed he through the parts of Grecia the confines of Phrigia and so into the borders of Tartarie within whose Territories he had not long iournied but he approached the sight of the Inchaunted Garden of Ormondine where S. Dauid the Champion of Wales had so long slept by Magicke Art No sooner did he behold the woonderfull scituation thereof but hee espied Ormondines sword inclosed in the Inchaunted Rocke where after he had read the superscription written about the pummell he assaied to pull it out by strength where he no sooner put hys hand into the hilt but he drew it forth with much ease as though it had béene hung but by a thred of vntwisted silke but when hee beheld the glistring brightnesse of the blade and the wonderfull richnes of the pummell hee accounted y e prize more worth than the Armour of Achilles which caused Aiax to runne mad and more richer than Medeas golden Fléece But by that time Saint George had circumspectly lookt into euerie secret of the sword he heard a straunge and dismall voice thunder in the skyes a tyrrible mighty lumbring in the earth whereat both hils mountaines shooke Rockes remooued and huge Oakes rent into péeces After this the Gates of the Inchaunted Garden flew open whereat incontinently came foorth Ormondine the Magitian with hys haire staring on hys head hys eyes sparckling hys chéekes blushing hys hands quiuering hys legs trembling and all the rest of hys body distempered as though legions of spirits had incompast him about he came directly to the worthy English knight that remayned still by the Inchaunted Rockâ— from whence hee had pulled the Magitians sword where after the Nigromancer had sufficiently beheld hys Princely countenance whereon true honour sate inthronized and viewed hys portly personage the Image of true Knighthood the which séemed in the Magitians eyes to be the rarest work that euer nature framed First taking the most valiant and magnanimious Champion Saint George of England by the steélie Gauntlet and with great humilitie kissed it then proffering him the curtesies due vnto strangers which was perfourmed verie graciously hee after conducted him into the Inchaunted Garden to the Caue where the Champion of Wales was kept sléeping by the foure virgins delightfull songes and after setting him in a chaire of Ebonie Ormondine thus began to relate of wonderfull things Renowned Knight at Armes saide the Nigromancer Fames worthiest Champion whose straunge aduentures all Christendome in time to come shall applaude therfore be silent till I haue told my Tragicke tale for neuer after this my tongue shall speake againe The Knight which thou seest here wrapped in this sheete of gold is a Christian Champion as thou art sprung from the auncient feede of Troian warriours who likewise attempted to drawe this Inchaunted sword but my Magicke spels so preuailed that he was intercepted in the enterprise and forced euer since to remaine sléeping in this Caue but now the houre is almost come of hys recouery which by thée must be accomplished thou art that aduenterous Champion whose inuincible hand must finish vp my detested life and send my fléeting soule to draw the fatall Charriot vppon the banckes of burning Acharon for my time was limited to remaine no longer in this Inchaunted Garden but vntill that from the North should come a Knight that should pull this sword from the Inchaunted Rocke which thou happilie hast now perfourmed therefore I know my time is short my houre of destenie is at hand what I report write it vp in brazen lines for the time will come when thys discourse shall highly benefit thee Take héed thou obserue thrée thinges first that thou take to wise a pure maide next that thou erect a Monument ouer thy Fathers graue and lastly that thou continue a professed foe to the enemies of Christe Iesus hearing Armes in the Honour and praise of thy Countrie These thinges beeing truely and iustly obserued thou shalt attaine to such honour that all the Kingdomes of Christendome shall admire thy dignitie What I speake is vppon no vaine imagination sprung from a franticke braine but pronounced by the misticall and déepe Art of Nigromancie These words being no sooner ended but the most honoured and fortunate Champion of England requested the Magitian to describe his passed fortunes by what meanes he came first to be gouernour of that inchaunted garden To tell the discourse of mine owne life replied Ormandine will bréede a newe sorrowe in my heart the remembrance whereof will â—end my very soule but yet most Noble Knight to fulfill thy request I will force my tongue to declare what my hart denies to vtter therefore prepare thy eares to entertayne the woâ—â—lst tale that euer any tongue deliuered and so after saint George had a while sate silent expecting hir discourse the Magitian spake as followeth The wofull and tragicall discourse pronounced by the Nigromancer Ormondine of the misery of his children I Was informer times so long as fortune smiled vpon me the King and onely commaunder of Scythia my name Ormondine gracte in my youth with two fayre daughters whome nature had not onely made beautifull but replenisht them with all the gifts that Art could deuise the elder whose name was Castria the fayrest mayde that euer Scythia brought forth her eyes like flaming torches to dazeled the gazers that like attractiue Adamants they coniured all eyes to admire her beauty amongst a number of knights that were insnared with her loue there was one Floridon sonne to the King of Armenia equall to her in all excellent ornaments of nature a louelier couple neuer trod on earth nor gracte any Princesse Court in the whole world This Floridon so feruently burned in affection with the admired Castria that he lusted after virginitie and practised both by pollicie and faire promises to enioy that precious pleasure which after â—ell to his owne destinction For vppon a time when the mantles of darke night had closed in
the murthered Princes to my eares but I 〈◊〉 into such a discontented passion that I abandoned my selfe from company of people and fate for seauen monthes 〈◊〉 a solitarie passion lamenting the losse of my Children 〈◊〉 wéepâ—ng Niobe which was the sorrowfullâ—st Lady 〈◊〉 nor liued During which time the report of Floridons vnhappie Tragedy was bruted to hys fathers eares beeing the sole King of Armenia whose griefes so excéeded the bounds of reason that with all conuenient spéede the greatest strength Armenia could make and in reuenge of his sonnes vnhappy murther entered our Territories and with hys wel approued warrious subdued our Prouinces slaughtered our Souldiers conquered our Captaines slew our Commons burnt our Citties and left our Country villages desolate whereby when I beheld my Countrey ouerspread with famine fire and sworde thrée intestiâ—e plagues wherewith heauen scourgeth the sinnes of the wicked I was forced for safegard of my life to forsake my natiue habitation and Kingly gouernement onely committing my fortune like a 〈◊〉 Exile to 〈◊〉 vnknown passages where care was 〈◊〉 companion and discontent my onely soliciter At last it was my desteny to ariue in this vnhappy place which I supposed to be the walks of dispayre where I had not remayned many dayes in my melancholly passions but 〈◊〉 thought the warie â—awes of déepe Auerna opâ—ned from whence ascended a most fearefull diuell that inticed mee to bequeath my fortune to hys disposing and he would defend me from the furie of the whole world to which I presently condescended vpon some assurance Then presently hee placed before my face this Inchaunted sword so surely closed in stone that should neuer be pulled out but by the hands of a Christian Knight and till that taske were performed I should liue exempt from all danger although all the Kingdomes of the earth assailed me which taske most aduenterous Champion thou now haste performed whereby I knowe the houre of my death approacheth and my time of confusion to be at hand This discourse pronounced by the Nigromancer Ormondine was no sooner finished but the worthie Champion Saint George heard such a tyrrible ratling in the skyes such 〈◊〉 in the earth that be exspected some strange euent to followâ— then casting his eies aside he saw the Inchaunted Garden to vanish and the Champion of Wales to awake from hys dead sléepe wherein hee had remayned 〈…〉 who like one newly risen from a sounds for a 〈◊〉 stood spéechles not able to vtter one word till he beheld the Noble Champion of England that stedfastly gazed vpon the Nigromancer who at the vanishing of the Inchauntment presently gaue a most tyrrible grone died The 〈◊〉 Champions after many curteous imbrasinges and kinde gréetings reuealed each to other the straunge aduentures they had passed and how Saint Dauid was bound by the oath of hys Knighthood to performe the aduenture of Ormondine to which Saint George presently condescended who deliuered the Inchaunted sword with the Nigromancers head into the handes of Saint Dauid the which he presently disceuered from hys dead body Here must my wearie Muse leaue Saint Dauid trauailing with Ormondines â—ead to the Tartarian Emperour and speake of the following aduentures that hapned to Saint George after his departure from the Inchaunted Garden CHAP. XI How Saint George 〈◊〉 at Tripolie in Barbarâ—â— where he stole away Sabra the Kinges Daughter of Egipâ— from the Blackamore King and how shee was knowne to beâ— a pure virgin by the moâ—neâ— of a Lyon and what hapned to him in the same aduenture SAint George after the recouerie of Saint Dauid as you heard in the former Chapter dispatched his iourny towards Christendâ—â—â— whose pleasant bankes he long desired to behold and thought euerie day a yeare till hys eyes enioyed a swéete sight of hys Natiue Countrie England vpon whose Chalkey cliffes he had not treade in many a wearie Sommers day therefore committing his iournie to a fortunate successe trauailde through many a dangerous countrie where the people were not only of a bloody disposition giuen to all manner of wickednes but the sâ—yle greatlâ— anoyed with wilde Beasts through which he could not well trauaile without danger therefore hee carried continually in one of hys handes a weapon readyâ— charged to 〈◊〉 with the Heathen people if occasion should serue and in the other hande a bright burning blaze of fire to defend him from the furâ—e of the wilde Beasts 〈◊〉 by violence they assayled hâ—m Thus in extreame daunger trauailed the Noble and aduenterous Champion Saint George till â—ee ariâ—ed in the Territories of oâ— Barbarie in which Countrie he purposed for a time to remaine and to séeke for some noble atchiuement whereby hys 〈◊〉 â—ight be 〈◊〉 and hys honored 〈◊〉 through all the King 〈◊〉 of the world and bâ—â—ing incouraged with this Princely â—â—gitation the Noble Champion of England climbed to the top of a huge mountaine where he vnlocked hys Beuer which before had not beene lifted vp in many a day and beheld the wide and spacious Countrie how it was beautified with loftie Pines aâ—â—rnde with many goodly Pallaces But amongst the number of the Townes Cities which the English Champion beheld there was one which séemed to excéede the rest both in sâ—ituation and braue buildinges which he supposed to be the chiefest Cittie in all the Countrie and the place where the King vsually kept hys Court to which place S. George intended to trauaile not to furnish himselfe with any needfull thinge but to accomplish some Honorable aduenture whereby hys worthy deedes might bee enternized in the Bookes of memorie So after he had descended from the top of the stéepy mountaine and had trauailed in a low valley about some two or thrée miles he approched an olde and almost ruinated Hermitage ouer growne with mosse other witherâ—d wéedes before the entrie of which Hermitage sate an auncient Father vpon a rounde stone taking the heate of the warme Sun which cast such a comfortable brightnes vpon the Hermits face that hys white â—eard séemed to glister like siluer and hys head to excéed the whitelies of the Northen 〈◊〉 Of whom after Saint George had giuen the due reuerence that belonged vnto age demaunded the name of the Countrie and the Cittie hee trauailed to vnder what King the Countrie was gouerned to whom the curteous Hermit thus replyed Most Noble knight for so I gâ—sse you are by your 〈◊〉 and outward appearance laid the Hermit you are now in the confines of Barbarie the Cittie opposâ—â—e bâ—fore your eyes is called Tripolie 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of Almidor the blacke King of Moroco in which Cittie he now kéepeth hys Court attended on by as many valiant Knights as any King vnder the â—ope of heauen At which wordes the Noble Champion of England sodainely started as though hee had intelligence of some â—alâ—full newes which dâ—epely discontented hys Princely mind hys heart was presently incenst with a spéedy reuenge and his minde so extreamely thirsted
yeares his 〈…〉 George his fame I know thou hast heard reported in many â— country to bée the brauest Knight that â—uer buckled steeled Heâ—â—â—t therefore for his sake will I grace thée with the chiefest honour in this Court In stéede of thy 〈…〉 I will cloth thée in purple silâ—e and in stéede at thy â—ban staffâ— thy hande shall wielde the richest sworde that euer Princely eye behelde to whom the Noble Champion saint George replied in this curteous manner I haue heard quoth he the Princely atchieuements and magnanimious aduentures of that honoured English Knight which you so dearely affect bruted through many a Princes Court and how for the loue of a Lady he hath indured along imprisonment from whence he neuer looketh to returne but to speâ—â— the remnant of his dayes in lasting misery â— At which wordes the 〈◊〉 let fall from her eyes such a showre of Pearled teares and sent such a number of strained sighes from her grieued hart that her sorrow séemed to excéede the Quéenes of Carthage when shâ—â— had for euer lâ—st the sight of her beloued Lorde But the braue minded Champion saint George purposed no longeâ—â— to continue secrete but with his discouery to conuert her sorrowfull meanes to smiling â—oy And so â—â—sting off his Palmers weede acknowledged himselfe to the Quéene and therewithall shewed the halfe Ring whereon was ingrauen this Posâ—e ardeo affectione which Ring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as you may reade before they had most equally deuided betwixt them to be kept in remembraunce of their plighted faithes which vnsuspected sight highly pleased the beauteous Sabra and her ioy so excéeded the bounds of reason that she could not speake one word but was constrained through the new conceaued pleasure to breathe a sad sigh or two into the Champions bosome who like a true innobled Knight entertained her with a louing kisse But after these two louers had fullie discoâ—rsed each to other the secrets of their soules Sabra how shee continued for his loue a pure Uirgin through the secret nature of a golden chaine stéept in Tygers blood the which shee wore seauen times doubled about her Iuorie necke tooke him by the portly hanâ— and led him to her husbands stable where stood hys approued Palfray which shée for seauen yeares had â—ed with her owne handes who no sooner espyed the returne of his master but hee grewe more prouder of his presence than Bucephalus of the Macedonian Monarches when he had most ioyfully returned in triumph from any victorious Conquest Now is the time said the excellent Princesse Sabra that thou mayest seale vp the quittance of our former louest therefore with all conuenient spéed take thy approued Palfray with thy trustie sword Askalon which I will presently deliuer into thy handes and with all celeritie conuay mee from this vnhappy countrie for the King my husband with all his aduenterous Champions are nowe rode forth on hunting whose absence wil â—urther â—ur flight But if thou stay till his returne it is not a hundred of the hardiest Knights in the worlde can beare mee from this accursed Pallace At which worde Saint George hauing a minde graâ—â—e with all excellent vertues replyed in this manner Thou knowest my diuine Mistresse that for thy loâ—e I would indure as many dangers as Iason suffered in the Ile of Calcos so I might at last enioy the pleasures of true Uirginitie But howe canst thou remayne a pure mâ—ide when thou haste béene a Crowned Quéene for these 〈◊〉 yeares and euerie night haste entertained a King â—nto thy bed If thou findest me not a true mayde in all that thou canst say or doo â—end me backe againe hither vnto my 〈◊〉 whose bed I account more loathsome thâ—n 〈◊〉 â—f snakes and his fight more â—â—inous than the Crocodiles As for the Moroco Crâ—wne which by force of 〈◊〉 was set vpon my head I wish that it might be turnd into a blaze of quenchles â—â—er so it might not indanger my body and for the name of Quéene I account it a vayne 〈◊〉 for I had rather be thy English Lady than the greatest Empresse in the world At which spéeches saint George willingly condiscended and with all speede purposed to goe into England and therewithall sealed an assurance with as sweete a kisse as Paris gaue to louely Hellena when shée consented to forsake hâ—r natiue countâ—y and to trauell from her husband Menelaus into Troy So loosing no time lest delay might breede danger Sabra furnished her selfe with sufficient treasure and spéedily deliuered to saint George his trusty sworde which she had kept seauen yeares for his sake with all the furniture belonging to his approoued Steede who no sooner receaued her prâ—ffered gifts which hee accounted dearer than the Asian Monarchy but presently sadled his horse and beautified his strong limbes with rich caparison In the meane time Sabra through fayre spéeches and large premises obtained the good will of an Euenuke that was appoynted for her guard in the Kings absence to accompany them in theyr intended trauailes and to serue as a trusty guide if occasion required which with the Lady stoode ready at the Champions commandement who no sooner had furnished himselfe with sufficient habilliments of warre belonging to so dangerous â— iourney but he plaâ—â—â— his beloued Mistris vpon a gentle Palfray which alwaies knéeled downe vntill shée had ascended the saddle And likewise her Euenuke was mounted vpon another Stéede whereon all their rich furniture with costly Iewels and other treasure was borne So these thrâ—e worthy Personages committed their trauels to the guide of fortune who preserued them from the dangers of pursuing enemies which at the Kinges returne from hâ—â—ting followed amayne to euery Port and Haâ—â—n that deuided the kingdome of Barbarie from the Confines of Christendome But kind destenie so guided their steps that they trauailed another way contrarie to their eâ—spectations for when they looked to ariue vpon the Territories of Europe they were cast vppon the fruitfull bankes of Graecia in which Countrie we must tell what hapned to the thrée trauaâ—lers and omit the vaine pursute of the Moroco Knights the wrathfull melancholy of the King and the bruted rumour that was amongst the Commons of the Quéenes departure who caused the Lâ—rum-belles to bée rung out and the Beacons to be set on fire as though the enemie had entred their Countrie But nowe Melpomine thou Tragicke Sister of the Muses report what vnluckie croâ—â—â—s hapned to these three trauailers in the Conâ—â—nes of Graecia and howe theyr smiling Câ—mâ—die was by ill fortune turned into a wéepinâ— Tragedie For when they had iournied some three or fourâ— Leagues ouer many a loftiehâ—ll they approached into a mightie and fearefull Wildernes through which the waies séemed so long and the 〈…〉 excéedingly gloâ—ed that Sabra what for wearines in trauaile and the extreame heate of the day was constrained to resâ— vnder the shelter of a mightie Oake whose braunches had not béene lopt in many a yeare where shee
magnanimious Encounters hath deserued a golden penne to relate for after some few dayes spent in Chamber sports to the great pleasure of the Graecian Princes the Emperour presently proclaimed 〈…〉 â—â—usting to bee holden for the space of seauen 〈◊〉 in the honour of his marriage and appointed for hys names 〈◊〉 Champions the seauen Christian Knights whose 〈…〉 were not knowne by any one except their owne attendants Against the appointed day the Turnaments should begin the Emperour caused a woonderfull large frame of timber worke to bee erected whereon the Empresse her Ladies might stand for the better view of the Tilters and at pleasure behould the Champions Encounters mâ—st Nobly performed in the Honour of their Mistresses likewise in the compasse of the Liâ—â—es were pitcht seuen Tentes of seuen seuerall colours wherein the seuen Champions might remayne till the sound of siluer Trumpets summoned them to appeare Thus euery thing prepared in readines fitting so great a Royaltie the Princes and Ladies placed in theyr seates the Emperour with his new married Empresse inuested on theyr loftie throanes strongly garded with a hundred Armed Knights the Kings Harrolds solemely proclaimed the Turnaments which in this most Royall manner began The first day Saint Dennis of Fraunce was appointed chiefe Champion against all commers who was called by the title of the golden Knight who at the sounde of the Trumpet entered the Lists hys Tent was of the colour of the Marigold vpon the top an artificiall Sunne framed that séemed to beautefie the whole assemblie hys Horse of an Iron Gray graâ—te with a spangled plume of feathers before him rode a Page in purple silke bearing vpon hys crest thrée golden Flâ—re-dâ—-luces which did signifie hys Armes Thus in this Royall maner entered Saint Dennis the Listes where after he had traced twice or thrice vp and downe to the open view of the whole company he prepared himselfe in readines to begin the Tournament against whome ranne many Graecian Knights which were â—oyled by the French Champion to the woonderfull admiration of all the beholders but to be briefe he so worthelie behaued himselfe and with such fortitude that the Emperour applauded him for the brauest Knight in all the world Thus in great Royaltie to the excéeding pleasure of the Emperour was the first day spent till the darke Euening caused the Knights to breake off company and repaire to their nights repose But the next Morning no sooner did Phoebus shewe his splendant brightnesse but the King of Harrolds vnder the Emperour with a noyse of Trumpets awaked the Champions from their silent sléepe who with all spéede prepared for the second dayes exercise The chiefe Champion appointed for that day was the victorious Knight saint Iames of Spaine which after the Emperor with hys Empresse had seated themselues with a statelie traine of beautifull Ladies entred the Listes vpon a Spanish Gennet betrapt with rich Caparison his Tent was pitcht directly ouer against the Emperors Throane which was of the colour of quick-siluer whereon was portrayed many excellent deuices before the Tent attended foure Squiers bearing foure seuerall scutchions in their hands whereon were curiously paynted the foure Elements likewise he had the tytle of the siluer Knight who behaued himselfe no lesse worthy of all Princely commendations than the French Champion the day before The third day saint Anthony of Italy was chiefe challenger in the Turnanament whose Tent was of the colour of the Skyes his Stéede furnished with costly Habilliments his Armour after the Barbarian manner his shield plated round about with stéele whereon was paynted a golden Eagle in a field of blew which signified the auncient Armes of Rome likewise hee had the Tytle of the Azurde Knight whose matchlesse Chiualrie for that day wan the Prize from all the Graecian Knights to the great reoysing of his Lady Rossalinde the King of Sycils Daughter that still remained in Pages aâ—tyre wherein for the deare loue shee bore saint Anthonie disguisedly stole from the Court whose discouerie shall hereafter be expressed The fourth day by the Emperours appointment the valiant and worthie Knight saint Andrew of Scotland obtained that Honour as to be chiefe challenger for the Turnament hys Tent was framed in the manner of a ship swimming vppon the waues of the Sea inuironed about with Dolphins Tritous and many strange contriued Mearemaides vppon the toppe stoode the picture of Neptune the God of the Seas bearing in hys hand a Streamer where on was wrought in crimson silke a corner Crosse which seemed to bee hys countries Armes hee was called the red Knight because his horse was couered with a bloody vale hys worthie atchiuements obtained such fauour in the Emperours eyes that hee threw him his siluer Gauntlet which was prized at a thousand Portegues and with hys owne hands conducted him to a rich Pauilion where after his noble encounters hee enioyed a swéete repose The fift day saint Pattricke of Ireland as chiefe Champion entred the Lists vpon an Irish Hobbie couered with a valâ— of gréene attended on by sixe siluane Knights euery one bearing vpon his shoulder a blooming trée hys Tent resembled a sommers bower at the entrie whereof stoode the picture of Flora beautefied with a wreath of swéet smelling Roses he was named the gréene Knight whose worthie prowesse so daunted the defendants that before the Turnament began they gaue him the honour of the day vppon the sixt day the Heroicall and Noble minded Champion of Wales obtained such fauour at the Emperours handes that hee was likewise chiefe challenger who entred the Lists vpon a Tartarian Palfray couered with a vale of blacke to signifie a blacke and Tragicall day should befall to those Graecian Knights that durst approue his inuincible fortitude hys Tent was pitcht in the manner and forme of a Castell in the west side of the Listes before the entrie whereof hung a golden shield whe◠〈◊〉 was liuelie portraied a siluer Griffon rampant vppon a golden Helmet which signified the auncient Armes 〈◊〉 of Brittaine hys Princelye atchiuements not onely obtained due commendations at â—he Emperours handes but of the whole assemblie of Graecian Ladies whereby they applauded him to bee the most Noblest Knight that euer shiuered Launce and the most fortunates Champion that euer entred into the Graecian Court vppon the seauenth and last day of these Honourable Turnaments and most Noble procéedinges the famous and valiant Knight at Armes saint George of England as chiefe challenger entred the Listes vppon a â—able coloured Stéed betrapt with barres of burnisht gold hys forehead beautefied with a gorgeous plume of purple feathers from whence hung many pendants of gold his Armour of the purest Lidian stéele nayled fast together with siluer plates hys Helmet ingrauen verie curiouslie beset with Indian Pearle and Iasper stones before hys breast plate hung a siluer Table in a dammaske scarfe whereon was pictured a Lyon rampant in a bloody fielde bearing thrée golden Crownes vppon hys head before hys Tent stood
and presently conducted the Noble minded Champion saint Pattrick to the English Tent where the three Champions of England Wales and Ireland passed away the time with 〈◊〉 great Royaltie saying downe plots how to pitch their Campes to the most disaduantage of the mâ—â—beléeuing enemie and setting downe perfect directions which way they were best 〈◊〉 martch and such like deuicies for their owne safeties and the benefit of Christendome The next that landed on the banckes of Portingale was saint Andrew the worthie Champion of Scotland with thréescore thousand of well approued Souldiers hys horsemâ—n the â—olde aduentâ—â—us Gallowayes clad all in â—uilted Iackeâ—s with laâ—â—es of the Turkish fashion thicke and short bearing vpon their Bâ—auers thâ— Armes of Scotland which was a corner Câ—â—sse supported by a naked Uirgin his Pikemen the 〈…〉 hardie men of Orâ—â—die which continually vseth to 〈◊〉 vpon the freezing Mountaines the Isâ—e Rockâ— the Snowie Uallyes hys shot the light footed Callidonians that if ocsion serue can climbe the highest hill and â—ee nimblenes in running ouer got the swift footed Staâ— These bold aduenterous Scottishmen in al forwardnes deserued as much honor at the English Champions hands as any of the other Nations before therefore he commanded hys shot at the first entrie on land to giue them a Noble entertainement which they 〈◊〉 most Royall also conducted saint Andrew to the English Tent where after he had giued S. George the curtesie of his 〈◊〉 departed to his Tent which was distant from the English Tent a mile The next that ariued was S. Anthony the Champion of Italie with a hand of foure score thousand braue Italian Souldiers mounted on warlike Coursers euerie Horseman attended on by a naked Neger bearing in hys hand a Streamer of watchet â—ilke with the Armes of Italie thereon set in gold euery footeman furnished with approoued furniture in as stately a manner as the Englishmen who at their landing receaued as Royall an entertainment as the other Nations and likewise saint Anthonie was as highly honoured by the English Champion as any of the other Christian Knights The next that ariued was saint Dennis the victorious Champion of Fraunce with a baâ—d of foure score thousand After him marched twelue Dukes of twelue seuerall Dukedomes béeing then vnder the gouernement of the French King euery one at hys owne proper cost and charges mainetaining two thousand souldiers in these Christian warres their entertainments were as glorious as the rest The last of all the Christian Champions that ariued vppon the fruitfull bankes of Portingale was the Magnanimious Knight saint Iames of Spaine with a bande likewise of foure score thousand with him he brought from the Spanish Mines ten tunne of refined gold onely to mainetaine Souldiers in the defence of Christendome who no sooner landed with his Troups but the other sixe Champions gaue him the Honourable welcome of a Souldier and ordained a solemne banket for the generall Armies whose number iustly surmounted to fiue hundred thousand which Legions they conioyned into one Campe Royall and after placed their winges and squadrons Battaile wise chiefely by the direction of saint George béeing then chiefe Generall by the consent of the Christian Kinges who after hee had ouerviewd the Christian Armies hys coâ—â—tâ—nance séemed to pognosticate a Crowned victorie and to foretell â— fatall ouerthrow to the misbeléeuing Potentates Therefore to incourage hys Princely followers to perseuer in their wonted willingnes pronounâ—ed this Princely Oration You men of Europe said he my country men whose Conquering fortunes neuer yet hath feared the enemies of Christ you sée we haue forsooke our Natiue Lands and committed our destenies to the Quéene of chaunce not to fight in any vniust quarrell but in the true cause of Israels annoynted not against nature to climbe the heauens as Nemrod and the Gyants proffered in former times but to preuent the inuasion of Christendome the ruines of Europe and the intended ouerthrow of all Christian Prouinces the bloody minded Infidels haue mustred vp Legions in numbers like the blades of grasse that growe vppon the flourishing Downes of Italy or the starres of heauen in the coldest winters night protesting to fill our Countryes with seas of blood to scatter our stréets with mangled limbs and conuert our glorious Citties into flames of quenchles fier Therefore deare Countrimen liue not to sée our Christian Uirgins spoyld by lustfull Rape nor dragde along our stréetes like guiltles Lambes to a bloody slaughter Liue not to sée our harmeles Babes with brused braynes dasht against hard flinty stones nor liue to sée our vnlusty age whose hayres resemble siluer Mynes lye bléeding on the Maâ—ble pauements But like true Christian souldiers fight in the quarrell of your Countries What though the Pagans be in number ten to one yet heauen I knowe will fight for Christendome and cast them downe before our faces like drops of Aprill showers Bee not dismaied to see their men in ordered rankes nor feare not when you behold the streamers houering in the wauing winde when as their stéeled Pikes like to a thornie Forrest will ouerspread whole Countries thousands of them I know will haue no hearts to fight but flye with cowardly feare like flockes of shéepe before the gréedie Wolfe I am the leader of your Noble mindes that neuer fought in vaine nor neuer entered battaile but returnde with Conquest Then euery one with me build vpon this Princely resolution for Christendome fight for Christendome we liue and die This Souldierlike Oration being no sooner finished but the whole Armie with a generall voice cried to Armes to Armes with the victorious George of England which Noble resolution of the Souldiers so reioyced the English Champion and likewise incouraged the other Christian Champions with such a forwardnes of minde that they gauâ— speedy commandement to remoue their â—ents and to maâ—tch with easie iournies towards Tripolie in Barberie where Almidor the blacke King of Moroco had hys residence In which trauaile wee must leaue for a while the Christian Armie and speake of the innumerable Troups of Pagan Knights that ariued at one instant in the Kingdome of Hungarie and how they fell at varience in the election of a Generall which ciuell mutenie caused much effucion of blood to the great hurt both of Affrica and Asia as here after followeth CHAP. XIIII Of the dessention and discord that hapned amongst the Armie of the Pagans in Hungarie the battlle betwixe the Christians and the Moores in Barberie and howe Almidor the blacke King of Moroco was sodden to death in a cauâ—ldrone of boyling leade and brimstone THE 〈◊〉 Pagans after they had leuieâ— their Martiall forces both by Sea and Land repaired to their generall place of méeting thereto conclude of the vtter coâ—fusion of Christendome for no sooner coâ—lâ— Winter withdrawe his chilâ— frosts from the earth and Flora tooke possession of hys place but the Kingdome of Hungarie suffered excessiue pennurie through the numberâ—es Armies of the
in the foreâ—runt of the battell so aduenturously behaued them selues that they slew more Negars than a hundred of the brauest Knights in the Christian Armies At last Fortune intending to make saint Georges prowesse to shinâ— brighter than the rest singled out the Moroco King betwixt whom and the English Champion was a long dangerous fight But saint George so couragiouslye behaued him with his trustie sword that Almidor was constrained to yeeld 〈◊〉 his mercie The Armie of the Moores séeing their King taken prisoner presently would haue fled but that the Christians béeing the lighter of foote ouertooke them and made the greatest slaughter that euer hapned in Barberie Thus after the battell ended and the ioyfull sound of victorie rung through the Christian Armie the souldiers furnished themselues with the enemies spoyles and martched by saint Georges direction to the Cittie of Tripolie being then almost vnpeopled through the late slaughter In which Cittie after they had râ—sted some few dayes and refreshed themselues with holsome food the English Champion in reuenge of his former proffered iniuries by the Moroco King gaue hys seuere sentence of death First hee commaunded a brazen cauldron to bee filled with boyling Lead and Brimstone then Almidor to be brought to the place of death by twelue of the Noblest Pieres in Barberie therein to be consumed flesh blood and bone which was duelie performed within seauen dayes following the brazen cauldron was erected by the appointment of saint George directlie in the middle of the chiefest Market place vnder which a mightie hot fire continually burned for the space of of eight and fortie houres whereby the boyling Lead and Bâ—imstone seemed to sparckle like the fierie furnaces in hell and the heate to eâ—ceede the burning Ouen at Babilon Thus all thinges béeing no sooner prepared in a readines the Christian Champions present to behold the wofull spectakle but the condemned Blackâ—more King came to the place of Execution in a shirt of the finest Indian silk his hands pinniond together with a chaine of gold his face couered with a Damske Scarfe his attendants chiefe conducters twelue Moroco Pieres clad in Sablâ— gownes of Taffetie carring before him the whéele of fortune with the picture of a Usurper climbing vp with this Motto on his breast I will be king in spite of Fortune vpon the top of the whéele the picture of a Monarke vaunting with this Motto on his breast I am a King in spite of Fortune Lastly on the other side of the Wheele the picture or perfect image of a deposed Potentate falling with hys head downewards with this Motto on hys breast I haue beene a King so pleaseth Fortune which plainelie signified the chaunce of warre and the constancie of destenie hys guard was a thousand Christian souldiers holding fortune in disdaine after them attended a hundred of Moroco virgins in blacke ornaments their haire bounds vp with siluer wiers and couered with vales of black silke signifiing the sorrow of their countrie for the losse of their Soueraigne In this mournefull manner came the vnfortunate Almidor to the boyling Câ—ulderne which wheÌ„ he beheld hys heart waxed cold and his tongue dâ—ueide of vtterance for a time yet at last he brake foorth into thesâ— earnest protestations proffering more for his life than the whole Kingdome of Barberie can performe Most mightie inuincible Champion of Christendome quoth he let my life be ransomed and thou shâ—lâ— yearely receaue ten tunnes of â—ried gold a hundred inchs of wouen silke the which our Indian maides shall sit and spinne â—ith siluer whéeles a hundred Arguses of spices and â—efined suger shal be yearely paid thee by our Barberie 〈◊〉 a hundred waggons likewise richly laden wit◠〈◊〉 aâ—d Iasper stones which by our cunning Lapidisies â—hall 〈◊〉 yearelie chosen foorth and brought â—hee home to England â—o make that blessed countrie the richest land within the Dominions of Europe Likewise I will â—eliuer vp my Diadem with all my Princely dignities and in companie of these Moroco Lordes like bridled Horses drawe thée daylie in a siluer Charriot vp and downe the serâ—led earth til death giues end to our liues Pilgrimage Therefore most admired Knight at Armes let these salt teares that trickle from the Conduits of my eyes obtaine one graunt of comfort at thy handes for on my bended knées I beg for life that neuer before this time did kneele to any mortallman Thou speakst in vaine replyed saint George it is not the treasures hidden in the déepest seas nor all the golden mines of rich America that can redéeme thy life thou knowest accursed Homicide thy wicked practises in the Egyptian Court where thou profferedst wrongfully to bereaue me of my life Likewise through thy treachery I endâ—red a long imprisonment in Persia where for seauen yeares I dranke the Channell water and suffizde my hunger with the breads of branne meale My foode the loathsome flesh of Rats and Mice and my resting place a dismall dungeon where neither sunne nor the chearefull light of heauen lent me comfort during my long continued misery For which inhumane dealing and proffered iniuries the hâ—auens inforceth mee to a spéedy reuenge which in this manner shall be accomplished Thou seest the Engine prepared for thy death this brazen Caldron fild with boyling lead and brimstone wherein thy cursed body shall be spéedily cast and boyled till thy detested limbs bee consumed to a watry sâ—bstance by this sparckling lickour therefore prepare thy selfe to entertaine the violent stroake of death and willingly byd all thy kingly dignities farewell But yet I let thée vnderstand that mercy harboreth in a Christians hart and where mercy dwels there faults are forgiuen vppon some humble penetence though thy trespasse deserues 〈◊〉 pitty but seuere punishment yet vpon these considerations I will graunt thée liberty of life First that thou wilt forsake thy false Gods Termagaunt Mahomet and Apollo which he but the vayne imaginations of man and beléeue in our true and euer liuing God vnder whose banner we Christians haue taken in hande this long warre Secondly thou shalt giue commandement that all thy barbarous Nations be christened in the faith of Christ Thirdly and lastly that thy thrée Kingdomes of Barbary Moroco India sweare true alleagance to all Christian Kings and neuer to beare Armes but in the true quarrell of Christ and his annoynted Nations These things duly obserued thy life shall be preserued and thy liberty obtayned otherwise looke for no mercy but a spéedy and most â—yrâ—ible death These wordes more displeased the vnchristian King of Morco than the sentence of his condemnation and in these briefe spéeches set downe his resolution Great Potentate of Europe replied Almidor by whose mightines fortune sits fettered in the chaines of power my golden Diadem and regall Scepter by constraint I must deliuer vp but before I forsake my countrie Gods I will indure a hundred deathes and before my conscience be reformed to a new faith the earth
like vnto an Elephants hys nostrelles were verie large and bigge his heade little his breast some what broad well pitcht and so â—ard that no sword were it neuer so sharpe was able to enter in thereat The Champion was called the Barron 〈◊〉 Chester a hold and hardier Knight they thought liued not then vpon the face of the whole earth he so aduanced himselfe vp downe as though hee had béene able to Encounter with a hundred Knights then the King caused the Harrold to summon in the Defendant if there were any to defend her cause both Drums and Trumpets sounded thrée seuerall times vp downe the fieldes betwixt euerie rest was full a quarter of an houre but yet no defendant did appeare therefore the King commaunded the Executioner to set the stake on fire presently At which words Sabra began to grow as pale as ashes and hir Ioyntes to tremble like to Aspen-leaues hir toung that before continewed silent began to recorde a swanlike dying tale in this manner vttered she the passion of hir heart Be witnes heauen and all you bright celestiall Angells bee witnes sun and moone the true beholders of my â—act be witnes thou cleare firmament and all the world be witnes of my innocence the blood I shed was for the sauegard of my honor and vnspotted Chastety Great God of heauen if the praiers of my vnstained heart may assaile thy mighty Maiestie or my true innocence preuaile with thy immortall power Commaund that eyther my Lorde may come to be my Champion or sad beholder of my death But if my hands were stained with blood about some wicked enterprise then heauen shew present vengeance vppon me by fire or els let the earth open deuoure my bodie vp aliue At which instance she heard the sound of a shrill and lowd horne the which S. George winded for as then hée was néere which caused the Execution a while to bee deferred At last they beheld a farre off a stately Banner wauering in the Ayre the which the Knight carried before saint George then they espied nere vnto the Banner a most valiant Armed Knight mounted vpon a cole blacke Palfray with a mightie great Launce set charged in his Rest by which sodaine approach they knewe him to bée some Champion that would defende the distressed Ladyes cause Then the King commanded the Drums and Trumpets to sound whereat the people gaue a generall shâ—wâ— and the poore Lady halfe dead with feare began to reuiue and her blushing cheekes to be as beautefull as redde Roses dipt in milke blood mingled with snowe but when saint George approached the sight of his true and constant Lâ—dâ— whom he found chayned to a stake incompassed with many instruments of death his hart so relented with griefe that he almost fell beside his horse yet remembring wherefore hée came he recalled his courage and intended to try his fortune in the Combat before he would discouer himselfe vnto his Lady And so when the Trumpets sounded deaths Alarum the two Knights set spurres to their horses made them run so fiercely that at the first encounter they shiuered both theyr Launces to their hands then rushed they together so rigorously with their bodies and Helmets that they fell downe both to the earth But saint George who was the more lustier Knight nimbly leapt vppon his féete without any hurt but the Barron of Chester lay still with his hâ—ad downewards casting from his mouth abundance of blood he was so mightely bruised with the fall but when he reuiued from his traunce he tooke his shield drawing out a mighty Fawchion and with a wrathfull countenance ran at saint George Now prowde Knight quoth he I sweare by all the Saints in heauen to reuenge the blood which thou hast shed and therewithall he stroke so violently vpon saint Georges shield that it cleaued quite a sunder then began he to waxe angry and tooke his sword in great wrath and gaue the Barron of Chester such a stroke that he cut away arme and shoulder and all the flesh of his side to the bare ribs and likewise cut his legge almost cleaue a sunder in the thichest place of his thigh and yet for all that the sword entred halfe a foote into the earth then fell the Barron of Chester to the ground and breathed forth this lamentable cry Nowe frowne you fatall starres eternally that did predominate at my byrth for he is slaine and vanquished that neuer stâ—â—pt to any Knight before this day and thereuppon the blood stâ—pped the passage of his speech and his soule went flying to Elizium whereat the whole company reioyced and applauded saint George for the most fortunates Knight in the world then the King deliuered Sabra with his owne hands to saint George who most curteously receiued her and like a kinde Knight cast a scarlet Mantle ouer her body the which a Lady standing by bestowed vpon him yet he minding not to discouer himselfe but set her vpon his portly Stéede that presently grew prowde in carrying so rich a burthen and with his owne hands lead him by the brydle raynes so great was the ioy throughout the City that the belles rung without ceasing for thrée dayes together the Citezens thorough euery place that saint George should passe did hang forth at their windowes and on their walles cloth of gold and silke with rich Carpets Cushions and couerings of gréene veluet lay abroad in euery window the Cleargy in Copes of gold and silke met them with solemne Processions The Ladyes and beautefull Damsels strowd euery stréete where as hee past with Roses and most pleasant flowers and Crownd him with a wreath of gréene bayes in signe of his triumphant victory and Conquest In this manner went hee vnto the Kinges Pallace not known by any what he should be but that he was a Knight of a strange Country yet Sabra many times as they walked by the way desired to see his face and knowe his name in that he had aduentured so farre for her sake and that for her deliuery had vanquished the brauest knight in England Yet for all her perswasions hee kept himselfe vndiscouered till a troupe of Ladies in company of Sabra got him into a chamber richly hung with Arras cloth and there vnlaced his Beuer whose countenance when she beheld and sawe that it was her Lord and husband which had redeemed her from death shée fell into a deade sounde for very ioy But saint George sprinckled a little colde water on her face and reuiued her presently After this he gaue heâ— many a kinde and louing kisâ—e calling her the most truest and the most loyallest Lady that euer nature framed that to the very death would not loose one iote of her vnspotted honour Likewise she accounted him the truest Knight and the loyallâ—st husband that euer heauenly Hymen kneâ—â— in banâ—s of marriage with any woman But when the King had notice that it was saint George his Countries Champion which