in exorable as this Monster of Mankind whose Adamantine hearts will not hearken to my request Come Gentle Death O come come for it is thou alone who canst ease my misery When they had opened the door he seeing the Keys in Sir Owens hand thinking they were come to forment him a fresh with a wrathful Countenance thus spake unto them Monsters of Nature whose wanton cruelty knows no end and who please your selves in making others to feel the effects of your Tyranny now satiate your selves in cruelty for you shall not be readier to inflict then I to suffer what the utmost of your malice can lay upon me Whilst thus he was proceeding in his exclamation the young man who was taken Prisoner with him came towards him as fast as his trembling Legs would carry him and falling on his knees he said Most Gracious Soveraign blame not these matchless Heroes whose invincible Manhood hath gained our freedom and whose peerless Prowess hath overcome our insulting Enemy making his Carcase become food for hungry Ravens who used to feast his Eyes in beholding our miseries VVhat Thanks can we render to those Persons equal to the benefits they have bestowed upon us The King seeing young Clodius for so was the Gentleman named was in a strange kind of amaze not thinking any Humane Power possibly able to overcome the Gyant but being by them assured that he was slain to confirm their words they carried him to a Window out of which he might behold his dead Carcase and at that time it was when as Sir Pandrasus came unto them Great was the joy amongst these valiant Knights for their so happily meeting together but being informed by the King that there were many more Prisoners behind they resolved not to take any repast until they had set them all at liberty and so entering into several Rooms and setting free divers Prisoners they came at last to a Room alone by it self wherein was enclosed a beautiful Uirgin whom grief had almost made distracted who at their entrance into the Room took no notice of them but like to an intranced soul stood as one with ghosts affrighted The miseries said the King that this Uirgin hath endured might move a heart of stone to pity and cause the most obdurate soul to lament She is the only Daughter of a Wealthy Knight endued as you see with Natures chiefest Ornaments so that before gaief had made a transmigration of her the Quéen of Love might have served as a foyl unto her It was her chance a fatal chance to fall in Love with a young Gentleman that waited on her Father one answerable to her in all respects had his Estate been equal with his parts and he answering her love with like reciprocal affection but as it is incident to Lovers to meet with crosses so did these at the very beginning thereof for her Father coming to have knowledge of it this young Gentleman whose name was Matheo was soon turned away and forbid ever after front coming near unto the House and she confined to a Chamber without any other liberty but as Love will creep where it cannot go so did he find means to persue his suits in Love unto her and as he thought in a safe way and that in this manner There was growing just by the Chamber window where she lay a stately Tree upon which in the dead of the night he used to ascend and there had parly with his Love This they continued for some time to their great content and satisfaction but it so chanced upon a night he was espyed by one of the Servants who immediately informed his Master thereof which when he heard he was so transported with rage as if all his humours had turned choller and kindled up in agonies as hot as flames of burning Sulpher like to the chased Boat whom eager Bounds have at a Bay and being thus transported with rage he takes a Cross-bow and aided with a glimmering light by Madam Cynthia the pale faced Lady of the night he sent a Bullet into his Belly which wrought such effect that tumbling from off the Tree he only said my dearest I dye for love of thee and presently expired But when the Lady saw what had happened she fared like unto mad Orestes or like unto Progne when she knew of her Sisters rape impatience louring in her Face so that had she not been prevented by a Maid that came into the Chamber at that present she had by a knife given her self a period to the race of her loathed Life but being hindered of her design she fell into such a swound as if her Soul had made a total separation from hea Body Lying in this trance the Maid who came to her ran and cryed out for more help but not withstanding all the means they could use it was long before her sullen Soul would reenter her Body or that any hopes of Life was perceived yet could not all this mitigaâ—e the rage of her incensed Father but commanded she should be confined still to her Chamber and not any one suffered to remain with her wherefore in the night she uncorded the Bed and tying the Line to a Piller of the Window by the help thereof the slid down to the ground and wandring she cared not whither so she were out of the reach of her Fathers cruelty she chanced to come near to this Castle whom the Gyant spying caught her flying from his loathed sight and brought her into the Castle where ever since she hath remained in this deplorable condition which you see CHAP. XVIII How Sir Phelim and Sir Owen with Sir Pandrasus fought with the Gyant Curlo who came to be revenged for the death of his Brother Briomart How they flew him and all the rest that came with him with other things which happened THE King having ended his Discourse it wrought great compassion in all them that heard it especially Sir Pandrasus who muth pityed her sad condition and therefore to comfort her he having brought a bottle of the healing Wine from that precious Fountain whereof Sir Wonder was now Governour he gave her some part thereof to drink which she no sooner had received but her Spirits revived and her colour came to her as if fresh Roses budded in her Cheeks so that she seemed of so divine a feature that Envies self could not but dote upon her and now as it were revived out of a Trance she breathed forth these words Am I awake or is this only some santastical vision Can Fortune afford one smile unto me or may I hope to see one serene day in my Life Oye Immortal Powers that Govern the affairs here below give me one spoonful of sweets to those many Gallons of bitterness which I have swallowed But they telling her that now all danger was past that the Gyant was killed and she at freedom joy began by little and little to enter in at the crannies of her heart And now
they came to the Orchard Gate which they presently burst open wherein no sooner entring but they found their Murdered Master lying by a Bed of Uiolets covered with Moss likewise searching to find out the Murderer at last they espied Sabra in her bare Petticoat her hands and face besprinkled with blood and her Countenance as pale as ashes by which â—ighs 〈◊〉 suspected her to be the bloody bereaver of their Lord and Master's Life therefore because she descended from a Noble Lineage they brought her the same night before the King which did then keep his Court in the City of Coventry who immediately upon the confession of the Murder gave this severe judgment against her First to be conveyed to Prison there to remain for the term of twelve months and at the end thereof to be burned like a most wicked Offender Yet because she was the Daughter to a King and a Loyal Lady to so Noble a Knight His Majesty in Mercy granted her this favour that if she could get any Knight at Arms before the time were expired that would be her Champion and by Combat redeem her from the Fire she should live otherwise if her Champion were Uanquished then to Suffer the former Punishment Thus have you heard the discourse of all things which happened till my departure from England where I left her in Prison and since that time five Months are fully expired therefore most Renowned Champion as you love the Life of your Lady and with her Delivery make no tarriance but with all speed post into England for I greatly fear before you arrive on the blessed Shore the time will be finished and Sabra suffer death for want of a Champion to defend her Cause This doleful discourse drove St. George with the other Knights and Champions to such an extasie of mind that every one departed to their Lodging Chambers with dumb signs of Sorrow being not able to speak one word where for that night they lamâ—â—ted the mishap of so vertuous a Lady The Egyptian King her Father he abandoned the sight of all companies and repaired to the top of a high Tower built of Marble Stone wherein he barred himself so fast with Iron Bolts that none could come within the hearing of his Lamentation then raged he up and down like frantick Oâ—dipus tearing his eyes from their Natural Cells accusing Heaven of injustice condemning the Earth of iniquity and accursing Man for such an execrable Crime one while wishing that his Daughter's Birth-day had been her Burial-day another while that some unlucky Planet would descend the Firmament and fall upon his miserable head Being in this extream Passion he never hoped to see his Daughter's Countenance again and so about midnight being a time when desperate Men practise their own Destruction he cast himself headlong from the top of the Tower and broke his Neck and all besprinkled the â—linty Pavements with his Blood and Brains No sooner was the night vanished and bright Phoebus entered the Zodiack of Heaven but his bruised body liveless and sensless was found by his Servants lying in the Palace-yard all beaten in pieces against the ground The woful News of this self-willed Murder they told to certain Egyptian Knights who took his scattered Limbs and carried them to St. George's Chamber whom they found arming himself for his departure towards England but at this woful spectacle he took a second conceited grief in such extream manner that it had almost cost him his Life but that the Egyptian Knights gave him many comfortable speeches and by the consent of many Dukes Earls Lords and Barons with many other of the late King's Privy-Council they Eleâ—ted him the true succeeding King of Egypt by the Marriage of Ptolomy's Daughter which Royal proffer St. George refused not but took upon him the Regiment of the whole Countrey so that for a short time his Iourney towards England was stayed and upon the third day following his Coronation was appointed which they solemnly performed to the high honour of all the Christian Champions for the Egyptian Peers caused St. George to be Apparelled in Royal Uestures like a King he had on a Suit of flaming Green like an Emerald and a Mantle of Scarlet very richly Furâ—'d and wrought curiously with Gold then the other six Champions led him up to the King's Throne and set him in a Chair of Ebony which had pummels of Silver which stood upon an Alabaster Elephant then came three of the greatest Lords in Egypt and set a Crown of Gold upon his Head then followed the Knights with a Scepter and a naked Sword to signifie that he was chief Governor of the Realm and Lord of all that appertained to the Crown of Egypt This being performed in most sumptuous and stately manner the Trumpets with other Instruments began to sound whereat the general Company with joyful Uoices cryed altogether Long live St. George true Champion for England and King of Egypt Then was he conducted to the Royal Palace where for ten days he remained among his Lords and Knights spending the time in great joy and pleasure the which being finished his Lady's distress constrained him to a sudden departure therefore he left the Guiding of his Land to twelve Egyptian Lords binding them all by Oath to deliver it at his return likewise charging them to interr the Body of Ptolomy in a sumptuous Tomb be fitting the Body of so Royal a Potentate Also appointed the six Champions to raise their Tents and muster up anew their Soldiers and with all speed march into Persia and there by dint of Bloody War Revenge his former Injuries upon the accursed Souldan This Charge being given the next morning by break of day he buckled on his Armour mounted on his swift-footed Steed and bad his Friends in Aegypt for a season adieu and so in company of the Knight that brought him that unlucky News he took his Iourney with all speed toward England in which Travel we will leave him for a time Also passing over the speedy provision made by the Christian Champions in Egypt for the Invasion of Persia and return to sorrowful Sabra being in Prison awaiting each Minute to receive the final stroke of impartial Death for now had the rowling Planets brought their years Iourney to an end yet Sabra had no Intelligence of any Champion that would defend her Cause therefore she prepared her delicate Body to receive her latest breath of Life The time being come she was brought to the place of Execution whither she went as willingly and with as much joy as ever she went before time unto her Marriage she had made humble submission to the World and unfeignedly committed her Soul to God She being at the Stake where the King was present with many thousands as well of woful Personages as of common People to behold this woful Tragedy the Deaths-man stripping off her Garment which was of black Sarsenet and in her Snow-white Smock bound her with an Iron
changed their pleasant Pastime to a sad and bloody Tragedy for Sabra proffering to keep pace with them delighted to behold the valiant Encounters of her young Sons and being careless of herself through the over swiftness of her Steed she slipped beside her Saddle and so fell directly vpon a thomey brake of Brambles the pricks whereof more sharp than Spikes of Iron entred to every part of her delicate Body some pierce the lovely closets of her star-bright Eyes whereby instead of cristal pearled Tears there issued drops of purest Blood her Face before that blushed like the Morning 's radiant Countenance was now changed into a Crimson-red her milk white hands that lately strained the ivory Lute did seem to wear a bloody scarlet Glove and her tender Paps that had often sed her Sons with the Milk of Nature were all becent and â—orâ— with those accuâ—sed Brambles from whose deep Wounds there issued such a stream of purple Gore that it converted the Grass from a lively green to a crimson-hue and the abundance of Blood that trickled from her Breast began to enforce her Soul to give the World a woful Farewel Yet notwithstanding when her beloved Lord her sorrowful Sons and all the rest of the waful Champions had washed her wounded Body with a spring of Tears and when she perceived that she must of force commit herself to the fury of imperious Death she breathed forth this dying Exhortation Dear Lord said she in this unhappy Hunting must you lose the truest Wife that ever â—ay by any Prince's side yet mourn not you nor grieve you my Sons nor you brave Christian Knights but let your warlike Drums convey mâ— royally to my Tomb that all the World may write in brazen Books how I have followed my Lord the Pride of Christendom through many a bloody Field and for his sake have left my Parents Friends and Country and have travelled through many a dangerous Kingdom but now the cruel Fates have wrought their last spight and finished my Life because I am not able to perform what Love he hath deserved of me And now to you my Sons this Blessing do I leave behind even by the Pains that forty Weeks I once endured for your sakes when as you lay enclosed in my Womb and by my Travels in the Wilderness whereas my Groans upon your Birth-day did in my thinking cause both Trees and Stones to drop down Tears when as the merciless Tygers and tameless Lyons did stand like gentle Lambs and mourned to hear my Lamentations and by a Mother's Love that ever since I have born you imitate and follow your Father in all his honourable Attempts harm not the silly Infant nor the helpless Widow defend the Honour of distressed Ladies and give freely unto wounded Souldiers seek not to stain the unspotted Virgins with your Lust and adventure evermore to redeem true Knights from Captivity live evermore professed Enemies to Paganism and spend your Lives in the Quarrel and Defence of Christ that Babes as yet unborn in time to come may speak of you and record you in the Books of Fame to be true Christian Champions This is my Blessing and this is the Testament I leave behind for now I feel the chilness of pale Death closing the Closets of mine Eyes Farewel vain World dear Lord farewel sweet Sons you 'r famous Followers of my George and all true Christian Knights adieu These words were no sooner ended but with a heavy sigh she yielded up the Ghost whereat St. George being impatient in his sorrows fell upon her liveless Body tearing his Hair and rending his Hunter's Attire from his back into many pieces and at last when his Griefs were some what diminished he burst out into these bitter Lamentations Gone is the Star quoth he that lighted all the Nothern World whithered is the Rose that beautified our Christian Fields dead is the Dame that for her beauty stained all Christian Women for whom I 'll fill the Air with everlasting Mones Let this day henceforth be fatal to all times and counted for a dismal day of Death let never the Sun shew forth his Beams thereon again but Clouds as black as pitch cover the Earth with fearful Darkness let every Tree in this accursed Forrest henceforth be blasted with unkindly Winds let Brambles Herbs and Flowers consume and wither let Grass and blooming Buds perish and decay and all things near the place where she was slain be turned to dismal black and ghastly colour that the Earth itself in mourning Garments may lament her loss let never Bird sing chearfully on tops of Trees but like the mournful Musick of the Nightingale fill all the Air with fatal Tunes let bubling Rivers murmure for her loss and silver Swans that swim thereon sing doleful Melody let all the Dales belonging to these fatal Woods be covered with green bellied Serpents croaking Toads hissing Snakes and sigh-killing Cockatrices in blasted Trees let fearful Ravens shrick let Howlets cry and Crickets sing that after this it may be called a place of dead Mens wandring Ghosts But fond Wretch why do I thus Lament in vain and bath her bleeding Body with my Tears when Grief by no means will recal her Life yet this shall satisfie her Soul for I will go a Pilgrimage unto Ierusalem and offer up my Tears to Jesus Christ upon his blessed Sepulchre by which my stained Soul may be washt from this bloody Guilt which was the cause of this sorrowful day's mishap These sorrowful words were no sooner ended but he took her bleeding Limbs between his fainting Arms and gave a hundred kisses upon her dying coloured Lips retaining yet the colour of Alabaster new wash'd in Purple-blood and in this â—â—taâ—â—e a while lying gave way to others to unfold their Woes But his Sons whose Sorrows were as great as his protested never to neglect one day but daily to weep some Tears upon their Mother's Grave till from the Earth did spring some mournful flower to beav remembrance of her Death as did the Uiolet that spâ—â—ng from chast Adonis's Blood where Venus wept to see him slain Likewise the other six Champions that all the time of their Lamentations stood like Men drowned in the depth of Sorrow began now a little to recover themselves and after protested by the honour of true Knight hood and by the Spuâ— and golden Garter of St. George's Leg to accompany him unto the Holy Land bare footed without either Horse or Sâ—ooe only clâ—â—â— in russet Gaberdines like the usual Pilgrims of the World and never to return till they had paid their Uows at that blessed Sepulchre Thus in this sorrowful manner wearied they the time away filling the Woods with echoes of their Lamentations and recording their Dolours to the whistling Winds but at last when black Night began to approach and with her cable Mantle to overspread the crystal Firmament they retired with her dead Body back to the City of London where the report of
revenged upon his Daughter for her Disobedience And as he travelled there was no Cave Den Wood or Wilderness but he furiously entred and diligently searched for his Angelica At last by strauge Fortune he hapned into Armenia near unto the place whereas his Daughter had her residence where after he had intelligence by the Commons of the Country that she remained in an old ruinated Building on the top of a Rock near at hand without any more delay he travelled unto that place at such a time as the Magician her Husband was gone about his accustomed Hunting where coming to the Gate and finding it lockt he knockt thereat so furiously that he made the noise resound all the House over with the redoubling Eccho When Angelica heard one knock she came unto the Gate and with all speed she did open it where when she thought to imbrace him thinking iâ—to be her Lover she saw that it was her Father and with a sudden alteration she gave a great shriek and ran with all the speed she could back into the House Her Father being angry like a furious Lyon followed her saying It doth little avail thee Angelica to run away for that thou shalt dâ—â— by this revengeful hand paying me with thy Death the Dishonour that my Crown hath received by thy Flight So he followed her till he came to the Chamber where her waiting-Maid Fidelia was who likewise presently knew the King upon whose wrathful countenance appeared the Image of pale Death and fearing the harm that might happen unto her Lady she put her self over her Ladies Body and gave most terrible loud and lamentable shrieks The King as one kindled in Wrath and forgetting the natural love of a Father towards his Child he laid hands upon his Sword and said It doth not profit thee Angelica to flie from thy death for thy desert is such that thou canst not escape from it for here mine own arm shall be the killer of my own flesh and I unnaturally hate that which nature it self commandeth me especially to love Then Angelica with a Countenance more red than Scarlet answered and said Ah my Lord and Father will you be now as cruel unto me as you had wont to be kind and pitiful Appease your Wrath and withdraw your unmerciful Sword and hearken unto this which I say in discharging my self of that you charge me withal You shall understand my Lord and Father that I was overcome and constrained by love for to love forgetting all fatherly Love and Duty towards your Majesty yet for all that having power to accomplish the same it was not to your dishonour in that I live honourably with my Husband then the King with a visage fraught with terrible â—re more like a Dragon in the Woods of Hircania than a Man by nature answered and said Thou virerous Brat degenerate from Natures kind thou wicked Traytor to thy generation what reason hast thou to make this false excuse when as thou hast committed a Crime that deserves more punishment than humane nature can inflict And in saying these Words he lift up his Sword inâ—ending to strike her into the heart and to bath his Weapon in his own Daughters blood Whereat Fidelia being present gave a terrible shriek and threw her self upon the Body of unhappy Angelica offering her tender Breast to the fury of his sharp cutting Sword only set at liberty her â—ear Lady and Mistress But when the furious King saw her in this sort make her defence he pulled her off by the hair of her Head offering to trample her delicate Body under his feet thereby to make a way that he might execute his determined purpose without resistance of any Fidelia when she saw the King determined to kill his Daughter like unto a Lioness she hung about his neck and said Thou Monstrous Murtherer more cruel than the mad Doggs in Aegypt why dost thou determine to slaughter the most chast and loyallest Lady in the World even the within whose lap untamed Lions will come and sleep Thou art thy self I say the occasion of all this evil and thine only is the fault for that thy self wert so malicious and so full of mischief that she dâ—rst not let thee understand of her Love These Words and Tears of Fidelia did little profit to molifie the Kings heart who rather like a wild Boar in the Wilderness being compassed about with a company of Dogs most irefully shook his Limbs and threw Fidelia from him in such sort that he had almost dasht her Brains against the Chamber Walls and with double Wrath he did proceed to execute his fury Yet for all this Fidelia with terrible shrieks sought to hinder him till such time as with his cruel hand he thrust his Sword into her Ladies Breast so that it appeared forth at her back whereby her Soul was forced to leave her terrestrial habitation and flie into the wide Air after those which dyed for true loves sake Thus this unhappy Angelica when she was most at quiet and content with her mean kind of Life then Fortune turned her unconstant Wheel and cast her from a glorious delight to sudden death The ireful King when he beheld his Daughters blood sprinkled about the Chamber and that by his own Hands it was committed he repented himself of the Deed and cursed the Hour wherein the first motion of such a Trime entred into his mind wishing the hand that did it ever after might be same and the heart that did contrive it to be plagued with more extremities than was miserable Oedipus or to be terrified with her Ghostly Spirit as was the Macedonian Alexander with Clitus Shadow whom he caustelly murthered In this manner the unfortunate King repented his Daughters bloody Tragedy with this determination not to stay till the Magician returned from his Hunting Exercise but to â—â—clude himself from the company of all Men and to spend the remnant of his loathsom life among untamed Beasts in some wild Wilderness Upon this resolution he departed the Chamber and withal said Farewel thou liveless Body of my Angelica and may thy blood which I have spilt crave vengeance of the Fates against my guilty Soul for my Earthly Body shall indure a miserable punishment Likewise at his departure he writ upon the Chamber Walls these Uerses following with his Daughters Blood Now unto Hills to Dales to Rocks to Caves I go To spend my Days in Shame in Sorrow Grief and Woe Fidelia after the departure of the King used such violent fury against her self both by rending the golden Tranunels of her Hair and â—earing her Rosie-coloured Face with her furious Nails that she rather seemed an infernal Fury subject to Wrath than any Earthly Creature furnished with Clemency she sate over Angelica's Body wiping her bleeding Bosom with a Damask Scarf which she pulled from her Wast and hathing her dead Body in luke-warm Tears which forcibly ran down from her Eyes like an overslowing Fountain In thâ—t woful
enter into his heart although he had alwayes entertained noble thoughts under a vulgar habit yet this so sudden a message made him to doubt whether he were awake or that he had not seen some vision or apparition at last a little recollecting himself he spake in this manner Think it not strange Gentlemen if your words so on the sudden do surprize me nor blame me not if I am slow to believe wonders for such your speeches do import 'T is true indeed I have heard of several persons who have left their Commands and Riches to enjoy the quiet of a retired Lise but for the Servant of a Shepherd to be the Son of a King and he ignorant of it appears no less than a Miracle to me But the Messengers seconding the old Shepherds spéeches and with many asseverations confirming the truth of their words at last belief entered into the craâ—les of his heart and committing his Sheep to the guidance of another he returned with them to the Shepherds Cottage to refresh himself before his Iourney But when the old Shepherds Wife understood that their Servant was a Prince she was her self in conceit no less then a Queen saying Ornus for so as I told you they called the Prince when thou conâ—est to thy Kingdom I hope thou wilt bestow on me a new Gown the Gentlemen laughed heartily at her request promising in the Princes name she should have a good one This so overjoy'd the old Womans heart that she brought forth unto them the choicest Cakes she had in the House whereon they fed very heartily and so taking leave of the Shepherd and his Wife who could scarce speak for weeping they prepared for their Iourney the Princely Shepherd comforting the aged couple with great promises of Love and Friendship which he should bear unto them for the care they had of him in his Childhood so taking Horse in a short time they came to the City where they were very joyfully received by the four Christian Captains But when the Citizens understood how their rightful Prince was returned to rule over them it is not to be imagined the joy they received which they expressed by ringing of Bells making of Bonfires and other demonstrations of great shoutings and laughter Then by the general consent of the States the Prince Amadeus was Crowned King and the Usurper Isakius committed to Prison which being done the four Christian Captains having virtualled their Ships and having a prosperous Wind put forth to Sea where we will leave theis to show what befel to the other Christian Champions during the mean time CHAP. IX The Famous Adventures of the two Renowned Captains Sir Orlando of Italy and Sir Ewin of Scotland how they Redeemed the Duke of Candys Daughter from her Inchantment with other things that happened NOW shall our Pen attend the valiant exploits of those two famous Captains Sir Orlando who conducted the bold Italians and Sir Ewin the Captain of the Warlike Scottish who having taken their leave of the seven Champions as also of St. Georges three Warlike Sons they marched from thence with the remainder of their Army the greatest part of them being consumed by the Pestilence and for want of Uictuals Having in their march passed the confines of Asia and gone through the fruitful Countries of Greece they at last took shipping in a Haven Town of Peloponesus when after thrée days sailing they saw before them a goodly Island from whence they heard most terrible shrieks as it were of tortured persons and people in great distress whereupon Sir Orlando and Sir Ewin commanded the Marriners to make up to it which they endeavoured to do but coming near to it it moved so from them that notwithstanding all their endeavours they could not reach it Whilst thus they stood amazed at this strange adventure there appeared unto them from out the Sea a certain Tryton or Sea God in the likeness of those which they call Mear-men who shaking his shaggy locks spake to them in the ship in this manner I know you much wonder at the strange moving of this Island and at the cryes and shrieks which you hear from thence to satisfie you then know that this Island belongeth to the famous Negromancer Bandito and whose great skill in the Art Magick hath made his name known through most Countries of Africa and Asia Thus Bandito before such time as he practised the Black Art fell in Love with the Dukes Daughter of Candia and by reason of his extraordinary Riches and high Parentage was well entertained of the Duke her Father but her affections were wholly setled on a young Gentleman named Dyon one whose Uertues were above his Wealth and his comely Personage before his Patrimony To him her Love was so firmly linked that she resolved nothing but death should part their affections and therefore to prevent her Fathers importunity who each hour lay at her to match with Bandito she agreed with her Lover Dyon to forsake her Fathers House and accompany him to any other Country where they might freely enjoy each others affections accordingly the next night Dame Cynthia favouring their designs she packed up the choicest of her Iewels and attended only with one servant whom she could trust stole out of her Fathers House and meeting with her beloved Dyon at a place whereas they had appointed having a Bark in readiness they entered therein and the next morning before she was mist were gotten beyond the pursuit of her Father who having Intelligence thereof fared like unto a mad man exclaiming against the Heavens in a prodigious manner and threatning severe punishments on his Daughter But when it came to the Ears of Bandito he in great fury to be so disappointed vowed revenge on all her Relations but wanting means to effect his desires because the Duke was very strong and potent he betook himself to the assistance of the Devil and entering into a solitary Wilderness having with him store of Magical Books he fell unto hâ—â— Conâ—â—rations and in short space raised up the Devil with whom he Indented that having by his means revenged himself upon his Enemies and to live the remainder of his Life in all dâ—light and pleasure at the extirpation thereof his Body and Soul to be at the Devils disposing Having thus agreed in this Devilish Contract his desire of revenge was so urgent that he resâ—ed not until by his Magical Arts he learned where these two unfortunate Lovers were landed of which he presently informed the Duke who hasted thither with all speed for to surprize these deplorable innocents but this Bandito having them now together wrought so by his Devilish Inchantments that the Island wherein they were removed from the place of his proper station and wasted upon the face of the Ocean whether he pleased for to direct it And having thus done he raised up four Infernal Hags who with burning Whips do continually torment these three persons which by the Fates is
began to roar such an infernal and harsh melody that the inchanted Rock burst in twain and then Kalyb's Charms lost their effect Her Magick no longer endured than the term of an hundred years the which as then was fully finished and brought to an end then the Obligation which she subscribed with her dearest blood and sealed with her own hands brought up a Witness against her by which she knew and fully perswaded her self that her Life was fully finished therefore in this most fearful manner she began to make her last Will and Testament First welcome said she my sad Executors welcome my Grave and everlasting Tomb for you have digged it in the fiery Lakes of Phlegeton my winding sheet wherein to shrowd both my Body and contemned Soul is a Cauldron of boiling Lead and Brimstone and the Worms that should consume my Carkass are fiery Forks which toss burning Fire-brands from place to place from Furnace to Furnace and from Cauldron to Cauldron therefore attend to Kalyb's woful Testament and engrave the Legacy she gives in Brass Rolls upon the burning Banks of Acheron First These eyes that now too late weep hapless tears I give unto the Watry Spirits for they have wrackt the treasures hidden in the deepest Seas to satisfie their most unsatiable looks Next I bequeath these hands which did subscribe the bloody Obligation of my perpetual banishment from Joy unto those Spirits that hover in the Air my Tongue that did conspire against the Majesty of Heaven I give to those Spirits which have their being in the fire my earthly heart I bequeath to those gross Demons that dwell in the Dungeon of the Earth and the rest of my Condemned Body to the Torments due to my deservings Which strange and fearful Testament beeing no sooner ended but all the Spirits generally at one instant seized upon the Enchantress and dismembred her Body in a thousand pieces and divided her Limbs to the four Elements one Member to the Air another to the Water another to the Fire and another to the Earth which were carried away in a moment by the Spirits that departed with such a horror that all things within the hearing thereof suddenly died both Beasts Birds and all creeping Worms which remained within the compass of those inchanted Woods the trees which before were wont to flourish with green leaves withered away and died the blâ—des of graâ—s perished for want of natural moisture which the watry Clouds deâ—ied to nourish in so wicked a place Thus by Iudgment of the Heavens sensless things perished for the wickedness of Kalyb whom we leave to her endless Torments and return to the Seven worthy Champions of Christendom whose laudable Adventures Fame hath inâ—olled in the Books of Memory CHAP. III. How St. George slew the burning Dragon in Egypt and Redeemed Sabra the King's Daughter from Death How he was betray'd by Elmido the black King of Morocco and sent to the Soldan of Persia where he slew two Lions and remained seven years in Prison AFter the Seven Champions departed from the Enchanted Cave of Kalyb they made their abode in the City of Coventry for the space of nine Months in which time they erected a costly Monument over the Herse of S. George's Mother and â—o in that time of the Year when the Spring had overspread the Earth with the Mantles of Flota they Armed themselves like wandring Knights and took their Iourney to seek for Foreign Adventures accounting no Dishonour so great as to spend their days in Idleness Atchieving no Memorable Accident So travelling for the space of thirty days without any Adventure worthy the noting at length they came to a broad Plain whereon stood a Brazen Pillar where seven several ways met which caused the seven Knighis to forsake each others Company and to take every one a contrary way where we leave six of the Champions to their contented Travels and wholly discourse upon the Fortunate Success of our Worthy English Knight who after some few Months Travel happily arrived within the Territories of Aegypt which Country as then was then was greatly annoyed with a dangerous Dragon but before he had Iournied fully within the distance of a Mile the silent Night approached and solitary stillness took possession of all living things at last he espied an old poor Hermitage wherein he purposed to rest his Horse and to take some repast after his weary Iourney till the Sun had renewed his Morning Light that he might fall to his Travel again but entring the Cottage he found an Ancient Hermit overworn with years and almost consumed with Grief with whom in this manner he began to confer Father said he for so you seem by your Gravity may a Traveller for this Night crave Entertainment within your Cottage not only for himself but his Horse or is there some City near at hand where unto I may take my Journey without danger The old Man starting at the sudden approach of St. George replyed unto him in this order Sir Knight quoth he of thy Country I need not demand for I know it by thy Burgonet for indeed thereon was graven the Arms of England but I sorrow for thy hard Fortune that it is thy Destiny to arrive in this our Country of Egypt wherein is not left sufficient alive to bury the Dead such is the Distress of this Land through a Dangerous and Terrible Dragon now ranging up and down the Country which if he be not every day appeased with the Body of a true Virgin which he devoureth down his Venomous Bowels that day so neglected will he breathe such a stink from his Nostrils whereof grows a most grievous Plague and Mortality of all things which use hath been observed four and twenty years and now there is not left one true Virgin but the King's Daughter throughout Egypt which Damsel to morrow must be offered up in Sacrifice to the Dragon therefore the King hath made Proclamation that if any Knight dare prove so adventurous as to Combat with the Dragon and preserve his Daughter's Life he shall in Reward have her to his Wife and the Crown of Egypt after his Decease This large proffer so encouraged the English Knight that he vowed either to Redeem the King's Daughter or else to lose his Life in that honourable Enterprize So taking his repose and nightly rest in the old Man's Hermitage till the chearful Cock being the true Messenger of Day gave him warning of the Sun's uprise which caused him to buckle on his Armour and to furnish his Steed with strong Habiliments of War the which being done he took his Journey guided only by the old Hermit to the Valley where the King's Daughter should be offered up in Sacrifice But when he approached the sight of the Valley he espied afar off a most fair and beautiful Damsel attired in pure Arabian Silk going to Sacrifice guarded to the place of Death only by â—age and modest Matrons Which woful sight encouraged the
and therefore no Uiolence should be proffered me Lastly the Laws of Asia grant me safe Conduct back to Egypt therefore what I have done Ptolomy must answer And thereupon he delivered the Letter Sealed with the Great Seal of Egypt the which was no sooner broken up and Read but the Souldan's Eyes sparkled like Fire and upon his Countenance appeared the Image of Wrath and Discontent Thou art by the Report of Ptolomy said the Souldan a great contemner of our Gods and despiser of our Laws therefore his Pleasure is that I should end thy days by some inhumane death the which I swear by Mahomet and all my Country Gods to accomplish and thereupon he gave him in keeping to an hundred of the Ianisaries till the day of Execution which was appointed within thirty days following Hereupon they disroved him of his Apparel and attired him in simple and vase Array his Arms that late were employed to weild the mighty Target and tâ—ss the weighty Battle-Ax they strongly fettered up in Iron Bolts and those Haâ—ds which were wont to be garnished with Steely Gauntlets they bound up in Hempen Bands that the purple blood trickled down from his Finger's ends and so being despoiled of all Knightly Dignity they conveyed him to a deep dark and desolate Dungeon wherein the Golden Sun did never shew his splenoent Beams nor never could the comfortable light of Heaven be sâ—â—n betwixt the day and night no difference could he make the Summer's parching heat and the Winters freezing cold were both alike his chiefest comforts were to number the Persians he had sâ—ain in the conflict one white pâ—ndring in his restless thoughts the ingratitude of Ptolomy the Egypâ—â—â—n King another while remembring his Love and Uow and deep Affection that he bare to the Egyptian's Daughter and how unkindly she took his departure carving her Picture with the Nails of his Fingers upon the Walls of the Dungeon to which sensless substance he would many times thus complain O cruel Destinies why is this grievous punishment assotted to my Pennance Have I conspired against the Majesty of Heaven that they have thrown this Uengeance on my head shall I never recover my former Liberty that I may be Revenged upon the causers of my Imprisonment Frown Angry Heavens upon these bloody-minded Pagans these daring Misereants and professed Enemies of Christ and may the Plagues of Pâ—araoh light upon their Countreys and the miseries of Oelipus upon their Princes that they may be witnesses of their Daughters Ravishment and behold their Cities flaming like the burning Battlements of Troy Thus lamented he the loss of his Liberty Accursing his Birth-day and hour of his Creation wishing that it â—â—ver might be numbred in the year but be counted Ominous to all ensuing Ages His Sighs exceeded the number of the Ocean-sands and his Tears the Water-bubbles in a Rainy day as one diminished another presently appeared Thus Sorrow was his Company and Despair his chief Solicitor till Hyperion with his Golden Coach had thirty times rested in Thetis's purple Palace and Cynthia thirty times danc'dupon the Crystal Waves which was the very time when as his moans should end according to the severe and cruel Iudgment of the Souldan of Persia. But by what extraordinary means he knew not So expecting every minute to entertain the wished Messenger of Death heard afar off the terrible Roaring of two hunger-starved Lions which for the space of four days had been restrained from their Food and natural sustenance only to devour and staunch their hunger-starved bowels with the body of this thrice Renowned Champion which cry of the Lions so terrified his mind that the Hair of his Head grew stiff and his Brows sweat water thro' anguish of his Soul so extreamly he feared the remorsless stroke of Death that by Uiolence he burst the Chains in sunder wherewith he was bound and rent the curled Tresses from his Head that were of the colour of Amber the which he wrapped about his Arms against the assault of the Lyons for he greatly suspected them to be the Messengers of his woful Tragedy which indeed was so appointed for at the same instant they descended the Dungeon brought thither by the Ianisaries only to make a full period of the Champion's Life but such was the Invincible Fortitude of St. George and so politick was his Defence that when the starved Lions came running on him with open Iaws he valiantly thrust his sinewed arms into their throats being wrapped about with the hair of his head whereby they presently choaked and so he pulled out their hearts Which spectacle the Souldan's Ianisaries beholding were so amazed with fear that they ran in all haste to the Palace and certified the Souldan what had hapned who commanded every part of the Court to be strongly Guarded with Armed Soldiers supposing the English Knight rather to be some Monster ascended from the deep than any Creature of Humane Substance or else one possessed with some Divine Inspiration that by the force of Arms had accomplished â—o many adventurous Stratagems such a Terrour assailed the Souldan's heart seeing he had slain two Lions and slaughtered two thousand Persians with his own hands and likewise had intelligence how he slew a burning Dragon in Egypt that he caused the Dungeon to be closed up with Bars of Iron lest he should by Policy or Fortitude recover his Liberty and so â—ndanger the whole Country of Persia where he remained in Want Penury and great Necessity for the term of Seven Winters living only upon Rats and Mice with other creeping Worms which he caught in the Dungeon During which time he never tasied the Bread of Corn but of Bran and Channel-water which daily was served him through Iron Gates where now we leave St. George languishing in great misery and return again into Egypt where we lest Sabra the Champion's betrothed Lady lamenting the want of his Company whom she loved dearer than any Knight in the World Sabra that was the fairest Maid that ever mortal eye beheld in whom both Art and Nature seemed to excell in curious Workmanship her Body being straiter than the stately Cedar her Beauty purer than the Paphian Queens the one with over-burthened Grief was quite altered and the other stained with floods of brackish Tears that daily trickled down from her fair Cheeks whereupon sate the very Image of Discontent the Map of Woe and the only mirror of Sorrow she accounted all company loathsome to her sight and excluded the fellowship of all Ladies only betaking her self to a solitary Cabinet where she sate sowing many a woâ—ul Story upon a crimson coloured Sampler whereon sometimes she bathed wounded hearts with luke-warm tears that fell from the conduits of her eyes then presently with her crisped Locks of Hair which dangled down her Ivory Neck she dried up the moisture of her sorrowful tears then thinking upon the plighted Promises of her dearly beloved Knight fell into these Passions and pitiful Complaints O Love
's unkind and Tyrant-like doth deal You Fairy Nymphs of Lovers much ador'd And gracious Damsels which in evenings fair Your Closets leave with heavenly beauty stor'd And on your shoulders spread your golden hair Record with me that Sabra is unkind Within whose Breast remains a double mind Ye Savage Bears in Caves and Dens that lie Remain in Peace if you may sorrows hear And be not moved at my misery Tho' too extream my passions do appear England farewel and Coventry adieu But Sabra Heaven above still prosper you These Uerses being no sooner finished and engraven about the â—ark of a Walnut-tree but with a grisly look and wrathful countenance he lift up his hand intending to strike the poiniard up to the Hilt in his Breast but at the same instant he beheld Sabra entring the Orchard to take her wonted Walks of pleasure whose sight hindred his purpose and caused other bloody cogitations to enter into his mind The Furies did incense him to a wicked Deed the which my trembling tongue faints to report For after she had walked to the farthest side of the melancholy Orchard he rigorously ran unto her with his Dagger drawn and catching her about the slender wast thus frightfully threatned her Now stubborn Dame quoth he will I obtain my long desired purpose and Revenge by Violence thy former proud Denials first I will wrap this Dagger in thy Locks of Hair and nail it fast into the ground then will I Ravish thee by Force and Violence and triumph in the Conquest of thy Chastity which being done I will cut thy tongue out of thy mouth because thou shalt not reveal nor desery thy bloody Ravisher Likewise with this Poiniard will I chop off both thy hands whereby thou shalt never write with Pen thy stain of Honour nor in Sampler sow this proffered Disgrace Therefore except thou wilt yield to quench my desired Love with the pleasures of thy Marriage Bed I will by force and violence inflict those vowed punishments upon thy delicate Body be not too resolute in denials for if thou bee'st the gorgeous Sun shall not glide the compass of an hour before I obtain my long desired purpose And thereupon he stepped to the Orchard-door and with all expedition locked it and put the Key in his Pocket Then returned he like an hunger-starved Wolf to seize upon the silly Lamb Or like the chased Boar when he is wounded with the Hunter's Launce came running to the helpless Lady intending her present Rape and foul Dishonour But she thinking all hope of aid and succour to be void fell into a dead Swoon being not able to move for the space of a quarter of an hour But yet at last having recovered her dead senses to their former vital moving she began in this pitiful manner to defend her assailed Chastity from the wicked Earl that stood over her with his bloody Dagger threatning most cruelly her final Confusion My Lord of Coventry said she with weeping Tears and kneeling upon the Ground is Vertue banished from your breast have you a mind more tyrannous than the Tygers in Hycoania that nothing may suffice to satisfie Your Lustful desires but the stain of mine Honour and the Conquest of my Chastity If it be my Beauty that hath inticed you I am content to have it converted to a loathsome Leprosie whereby to make me odious in your Eyes If it be my rich and costly Garments that make me Beautiful and so intangle you henceforth I will attire my Body in poor and simple array and for evermore dwell in Countrey Caves and Cottages so that I may preserve my Chastity unspotted If none of these may suffice to abase your Tyrannous Intent but that your Lust will make me Time's wonder and pointing stock and scorn of vertuous Ladies then will the Heavens revenge my wrongs to whom I will uncessantly make my petitions The Birds in the Air after their kind will evermore exclaim against your wickedness the Silvane Beasts that abide in Woods and Desarts will breathe forth clamours of your wickedness the creeping worms that live within the crevices of the Earth will give dumb signs and tokens of your wickedness The running Rivers will murmur at your wickedness The Woods and Trees Herbs and Flowers with every sensless thing will sound some motions of your wickedness Return return my Noble Lord unto your former Vertues banish such fond desires out of your mind stain not the Honour of your House with such black Scandals and Disgrace bear this in mind before you do attempt so vile a sin What became of Hellen's Ravishment but the Destruction of Renowned Troy What of Roman Lucretia 's Rape but the Banishment of Tarquin And what of Progne 's foul Deflourment by her Sister's Husband the Lustful King of Thrace but the bloody Banquet of his young Son Itis whose tender body they served to his Table baked in a Pye At which speeches the â—â—eful Earl wrapped his hands within her Locks of Hair which was covered with a costly Caul of Gold and in this manner presently replied unto her What tellest thou me of Poets Tales said he of Progne's Rape and Terius 's bloody Banquet thy Ravishment shall be an Induction to thy Tragedy which if thou yield not willingly I will obtain by Force and Violence therefore prepare thy self either to entertain the Sentence pronounced or yield thy Body to my pleasure This unrecanting and vowed Resolution of the Earl added grief upon grief and heaped Mountains of Sorrow upon her Soul Twice did the hapless Lady cast her eyes to Heaven in hopes the Gods would pity her Distress and twice unto the Earth wishing the Ground might open and devour her and so deliver her from the sury of the wicked Homicide but at last when she saw that neither Tears Prayers nor Wishes could prevail she gave an outward sign of consenting upon some Conditions under colour to devise a present means to preserve her Chastity and deliver her self from his Lustful Assailments There is no condition said the Earl but I would yield unto so thou wilt grant my desire and make me chief commander of thy Love First my Lord quoth she shall you suffer me to sit some certain hours upon this bed of Violets and bewail the loss of my good name which shortly shall be yielded up to your pleasure then shall you lie and dally in my Lap thereby to make my Affections yet freezing cold to flame with burning brands of Love that being done you shall receive your wished desires Those words caused the Earl to convert his furious wrath to smiling joy and casting down his Dagger he gave her a courteous kiss which she in his conceit graciously accepted whereby his mind was brought into such a vain opinion that he thought no Heaven but in her presence no comfort but in her sight and no pleasure but in her then caused he Sabra to sit down upon a bed of Uiolets beset about with divers sorts
called Argenia for it seemed to be of Argenâ— that is as much as to say of Silver During the time of the Champion's pleasurable walk which continued from the break of day to the closing of the Evening happened a woful Tragedy near unto the Queens Pavilion committed by the Monstrous Gyant whom St. George brought from the Enchanted Tower For that same Morning when the Sun had mounted some few Degrées unto the Firmament seven of the Quéens Uirgins in Sabra's Company walked into a pleasant Thicket of Trees adjoyning to her Pavilion not only to take the pleasure of the Morning Air but to hear the chirping melody of Birds in which Thicket or Grove under a Pine-tree this Gyant Lodged the passed Night but no sooner came these Beautiful Ladies under the Branches of the Trees but the Gyant cast his Eyes upon them whose rare Perfections so fired the heart of the Lustful Gyant that he must either quench his desires with the spoils of their Chastities or end his days in some Monstrous manner therefore he started up from the place where he lay and with a wrathful Countenance ran amongst the Ladies and catching them all eight at once betwixt his Arms he bore them to the further side of the Grove where he Ravished seven of the Queens Maidens and afterwards devoured them alive into his loathsome Bowels Sabra being the eighth of that woful number which in her sight she beheld Butchered by that bloody Wolf but continuing the time of their Ravishment she made her supplication to the Gods that they would in mercy defend her Chastity from the Lustful Rape of so wicked a Monster and immediately upon these words the saw an ugly Toad come crawling before her through which by Policy she saved her life and preserved her Honour For she took the Toad betwixt her hands and crushed the Uenom from her impoisoned Bowels wherewith she all besprinkled her Face so that presently her fair Beauty was changed into loathsome Blisters for she seemed more like a Creature deâ—ormed with Leprosie than a Lady of excellent Feature At length she being the last of all her time came that she should be Deâ—loured and the Lustful Gyant came to fetch her but when he beheld her Uisage so envenomed he loathed her sight seeking neither to Ravish her nor proffering to Devour her but discontentedly wandring away greatly grieved at the committed Crime and sorely repenting himself of so wicked a Deed not only for the spoil of the seven Uirgins but for the wrong proffered to so Noble a Knight who not only granted him liberty of Life but received him into his Service therefore he raged up and down the Grove making the Earth to tremble at his Exclamations one while cursing his Fortune and hour of Creation another while banning his Sire and Devillish Dam but when he remembred the Noble Champion St. George whose angry Frown he would not see for all the World then to prevent the same he ran his Head most furiously against a knobbed Oak and brained himself where we will leave him now weltring in his Blood and speak what became of Sabra after this bloody Accident for after she had wandred up and down the Thicket many a weary step incensing Heaven against the Gyant 's Cruelty the Sun began to set and the dark Night grew on which caused her thus to complain Oh you Immortal Powers of Heaven and you Coelestial Planets being the true Guiders of the Firmament open your bright Coelestial Gates and send some fatal Planet or some burning Thunder-bolt to rid me from the Vale of Misery for I will nevermore return to my Lord since I am thus deformed and made an ugly Creature my loathsome face will prove a Corrosive to his heart and my Body a torment to his Soul my sight will be unpleasant my Company hated my Presence loathed and every one will shun my sight as from a Crocodile therefore I will remain within this Grove till Heaven either bring me to my former Beauty or end my Languishing Misery yet witness Heaven of my Loyalty unto my Lord and in what extremity I have maintained my Chastity in remembrance of my true Love here will I leave this Chain of Gold for my beloved Lord to find that he may know for his sake I have endured a World of Woe At which Speeches she took her Chain which was doubled twenty times about her Neck and left it lying all besmeared in the blood of those Uirgins whom the Gyant had Ravished and slain and so betook her self to a sad solitary Life intending never to come in the sight of Men but to spend her days wandring in the Woods where we will likewise leave her for a time and speak of St. George who by this was returned to the Queen's Pavilion where he missed his Lady and had intelligence how that she in company of seven other Ladies walked in the Morning into a pleasant Grove to hear the Melody of Birds and since that time no News hath been heard of them for as then it grew toward night which caused St. George greatly to mistrust that some Mischance had befallen his Lady Then he demanded what was become of the Gyant but answer was made that he was never seen nor heard of since Morning which caused him greatly to suspect the Gyant 's Treachery and how by his means the Ladies were prevented of their purposed pleasures Therefore in all haste like a frantick man he ran into the Thicket filling every corner with Clamors and resounding Ecchoes of her name and calling for Sabra through every Bramble Bush but there he could neither hear the voice of Sabra nor the answer of any other Lady but the woful Ecchoes of his Exclamations which ratled through the leaves of the Trees Then began he to wax somewhat Melancholy and Passionate passing the time away till bright Cynthia mounted on the Hemisphere by whose glistring Beams he saw the ground besprinkled with purple gore and found the Chain that Sabra was wont to wear about her Neck all besmeared in Blood he bitterly complained against his own Fortune and his Ladies hapless Destiny for he supposed then that the Gyant had Murdered her O discontented sight said he here lies the blood of my beloved Lady the truest Woman that ever Knight enjoyed that Body which for Excellency deserved a Monument of Gold more rich than the Tomb of Angelica I fear lies buried in the Bowels of that Monstrous Gyant whose Life unhappily I granted Here is the chain besmeared in blood which at our first Acquaintance I gave her in a Courtly Mask this Golden Chain I say stained with the blood of my dear Lady shall for evermore be kept within my Bosome near unto my bleeding heart that I may still remember her true Love Faith and Constancy But fond fool that I am why do I talk in vain it will not recompence her murthered Soul the which methinks I hear how it calls for Revenge in every
sumptuous Habiliments his Lady lying in her Child-bed as glorious as if she had been the greatest Empress in the World and thrée Princely Boys swéetly sleeping in their several Cradles at whose first fight his heart was so Ravished with joy that for a time it with-held the passage of his Tongue but at last when he found the Silver Tablets lying under the Pillows and read the happy Fortunes of his Children he ran unto his Lady embracing her lovingly and kindly demanded the true discourse of this Accident and by whose means the Bower was beautified so gorgeously and the propounder of his Childrens Prophesie who with a countenance blushing like purple morning replied in this manner My most dear and well beloved Lord the pains I have endured to make you the happy Father of three lovely Boys hath not been more painful than the stroke of Death but yet my Delivery more joyful than the pleasures of this World the Winds carried my groans to every corner of this Wilderness whereby both Trees and Herbs assisted my complaints Beasts Birds and feathered Fowls with every seâ—sless thing that Nature framed on this Earth seem'd to pity my moans but in the midst of my Torments when my Soul was ready to forsake this worldly habitation there appeared to me a Queen Crowned with a Golden Diadem in State and Gesture like Imperious Iuno and in Beauty to Divine Diana her Garments for Bravery seemed to stain the Rain-Bow in her brightest hue and for diversity of Colours to surpass the Flowers of the Field on her attended many beautiful Nymphs some clad in Garments in colour of the Crystal Ocean some in Attire as gallant as the pleasant Rose and some more glorious than the Azured Firmaments her Wisdom might compare with Apollo's her Judgment with Pallas and her skill with Lucina's for no sooner entred she my presence but my Travels ceased and my Womb delivered up my grievous Burden my Babes being brought to light by the virtue of her skill she prepared these rich and sumpthou Cradles the which were brought invisibly to my Cabine likewise these Mantles and this Imbroidered Coverlet she frankly bestowed upon me and so immediately vanished away At which words St. George gave her so many kind imbraces and kissed her so lovingly as though it had been the first day of their Nuptials At last her hunger increased and her desire thirsted so much after food that except she received some comfortable sustenance her life were in danger This extream desire of Sabra caused St. George to buckle on his Armour and to unsheath his trusty sword ready to goar the Intrails of some Deer who swore by the honour of true Knighthood never to rest in peace till he had purchased her hearts content My Love said he I will adventure for thy sake more dangers then Iason did for Medea 's Love I will search the thickest Groves and chase the nimble Doe to Death the flying Fowl I 'll follow up and down from Tree to Tree till over-wearied they do fall down and die for love of thee and these my tender Babes whom I esteem more dear than the Conquest of rich Babylon I will adventure more dangers than did Hercules for the Love of Dejanira and more extreams than Turnus did in his bloody Battels And thereupon with his Fauchion ready charged he traced the Woods leaving no Thorny Brake nor Mossie Cave unsearched till he had found a Herd of Fallow Deer from which number he singled out the fattest to make his Lady a bountiful Banquet but in the time of his absence there hapned to Sabra a strange and wonderful Accident for there came weltring into the Cabine three most Wild and Monstrous Beasts a Lioness a Tygress and a she Wolf which took the Babes out of their Cradles and bore them to their secret Dens At which sight Sabra like one berest of Sense started from her Bed and to her weak power offered to follow the Beasts but all in vain for before she could get without her Cabine they were past fight and the Childrens cry without her hearing then like a Discontented Woman she turned back beating her Breast rending her Hair and Raging up and down her Cabine using all the Rigour she could devise against her self and had not St. George return'd the sooner she had most violently committed her own slaughter but at his return when he beheld her face stained with tears her head disrobed of Ornaments and her Ivory Breast all to be-rent he cast down his Uenison in all hast and asked the cause of her Sorrow Oh said she this is the wofullest day that ever hapned to me for in the time of your unhappy Hunting a Lioness a Tygress and a Wolf came into the Cabin and took my Children from their Cradles what is become of them I know not but greatly I fear by this time they are intombed within their hungry Bowels Oh simple Monuments quoth he for such sweet Babes Well Sabra if the Monsters have bereaved me of my Children this bloody Sword that dived into the Entralls of the fallow Deer shall rive my woful heart in twain Accursed be this fatal day the Planets that predominate and Sun that shines thereon Heaven blot it from the year and let it never more be numbred but accounted for a dismal day throughout the World let all the Trees be blasted in those accursed Woods let Herbs and Grass consume away and die and all things perish in this Wilderness But why breathe I out these Curses in vain when as methinks I hear my Children in untamed Lions Dens crying for help and succour I come sweet Babes I come either to redeem you from Tygers wrathful Jaws or make my Grave within their hungry Bowels Then took he up his Sword besmeared all in blood and like a man bereaved of Wit and Sense ranged up and down the Wilderness searching every corner for his Children but his Lady remained still in her Cabine lamenting for their loss â—â—ashing their Cradles with her pearled Tears that run down her stained Cheeks like silver drops Many ways wandred St. George sometimes in Ualleys where Wolves and Tygers lurk sometimes in Mountain tops where Lyons whelps do sport and play and many times in dismal Thickets where Snakes and Serpents live Thus wandred St. George up and down the Wilderness for the space of two days hearing no news of his unchristened Children At last he approached the sight of a pleasant River which smoothly glided down betwixt two Mountains into whose streams he purposed to cast himself and so by a desperate death give end to his Sorrows but as he was committing his body to the mercy of the Waters and his Soul to the pleasure of the Heavens he heard afar off the rusul shriek as he thought of a comfortless Babe which sudden noise caused him to refrain from his desperate purpose and with more discretion to tender his own safety then casting his eyes aside it was his happy
the Misery and Death of the Conjurer and how the Souldan Brained himself against a Marble Pillar NOw must we return to the Christian Champions and speak of their Battels in Persia and what happened to them in St. George's absence for if you remember before being in Aegypt when he had news of his Lady's condemnation in England for the Murther of the Earl of Coventry he caused them to march into Persia and incouraged them to revenge his wrongful Imprisonment upon the Souldan's Provinces in which Country after they had marched some fifty Miles burning and spoiling his Territories they were intercepted by the Souldan's Power which was about the number of three hundred thousand fighting Men but the Muster-rolls of the Christians weâ—e likewise numbred and they amounted not to above one hundred thousand able Men at which time betwixt the Christians and Pagans happened a long and dangerous Battle the like many Age was seldom fought for it continued without ceasing for the space of five days to the great effusion of bloud on both Parties but at last the Pagans had the worst for when they beheld their fields bestrowed with mangled Bodies and that the Rivers for twenty Miles comâ—ass did flow with crimson Blood their hearts began to fail and incontiâ—ently fled like Sâ—eep before the Wolf Then the vaâ—â—ant Christians thirsting after revenge speedily pursued them sâ—aâ—â—ng neither young nor old till the ways were strowed with liveless bodies like heaps of scattered sand in which Pursuit and honourable Conquest they burned two hundred Forts and Towns battering their Towers of Stone as level with the ground as Harvest-Reapers do Fields of â—â—pened Corn but the Souldan himself with many of his approved Souldiers escaped alive and fortified the City of Grand Belgor being the strongest Town of War in all the Kingdom of Persia before whose Walls we will leave the Christian Champions planting their puissant Forces and speak of the damnable practises of Osmond within the Town where he accomplisht many admirable Accidents by Magick Art for when the Christians Army had long time given assaults to the Walls sending their fiery Bullets to their lofty Battlements like Storms of Winters Hail whereby the Persian Souldiers were not able any longer to resist they began to yield and commit their lives to the mercy of the Christian Champions but when the Souldan perceived the Souldiers cowardise and how they would willingly resign his happy Government to forreign Rule he encouraged them still to resist the Christians desperate encounters and within thirty days if they had not the honour of the War then willingly to condescend to their Country's Conquest which princely resolution encouraged the Souldiers to resist intending not to yield up their City till Death had made triumph on their Bodies Then departed he unto a sacred Tower where he found Osmond sitting in a Chair studying by Magick how long Persia should remain unconquered who at his entrance drove him from his Charms with these Speeches Thou wondrous Man of Art said the Souldan whom for Necromancy the World hath made famous Now is the time to express the Love and Loyalty thou bearest thy Soveraign Now is the time thy charming Spells must work for Persia 's good thou seest my Fortunes are deprest my Souldiers dead my Captains slaughtered my Cities burned my Fields of Corn consumed and my Country almost conquered I that was wont to cover the Seas with Fleets of Ships now stand amazed to hear the Christians Drums that sound forth doleful Funerals for my Souldiers I that was wont with armed Legions to drink up Rivers as we marched and made the Earth to groan with bearing of our Multitudes I that was wont to make whole Kingdoms tremble at my Frowns and force imperious Potentates to humble at my Feet I that have made the Streets of many a City to run with Bloud and stood rejoycing when I saw their Buildings burnt I that have made the Mothers Wombs the Infants Tombs and caused Cradles for to swim in streams of Bloud may now behold my Country's ruine my Kingdom 's fall and mine own fatal overthrow Awake great Osmond from thy dreaming Trance awake I say and raise a Troop of black infernal Fiends to sight against the damned Christians that like swarms of Bees do flock about our Walls prevent I say my Land's Invasion and as I am great Monarch of Asia I 'll make thee King over twenty Provinces and sole Commander of the Ocean raise up I say thy charmed Spirits leave burning Acheron empty for a time to aid us in this bloudy Battel These words were no sooner ended but there ratled such a peal of Cannons against the City Walls that they made the very Earth shake whereat the Necromancer started from his Chair and in this manner encouraged the Souldan It is not Europe quoth he nor all the petty Bands of armed Knights nor all the Princes in the World that shall abate your Princely Dignity Am not I the great Magician of this Age that can both loose and bind the Fiends and call the black-faced Furies from low Cocitus Am not I that skilful Artist which framed the charmed Tower amongst the Amazonian Dames which all the Witches in the World could never spoil Therefore let Learning Art and all the Secrets of the Deeps assist me in this Enterprise and then let frowning Europe do her worst my Charms shall cause the Heavens to rain such ratling showers of Stones upon their Heads whereby the Earth shall be over-laden with their dead Bodies and Hell over-filled with their hateful Souls senceless Trees shall rise in humane shapes and fight for Persia. If wise Medea were ever famous for Arts that did the like for safeguard of her Father's State then Why should not Osmond practice Wonders for his Soveraign's Happiness I 'll raise a Troop of Spirits from the lowest Earth more black then dismal Night the which in ugly Shapes shall haunt them up and down and when they sleep within their rich Pavilions legions of fiery Spirits will I up-raise from Hell that like to Dragons spitting flames of Fire shall blast and burn the damned Christians in their Tents of War the Fields of Grand Belgor shall be over-spread with venemous Snakes Adders Serpents and impoysoned Toads the which unseen shall lurk in mossie Ground and sting the Colonels of warlike Horses down from the crystal Firmament I will conjure Troops of airy Spirits to descend that like to Virgins clad in princely Ornaments shall link those Christian Champions in the Charms of Love their Eyes shall be like the twinkling Lamps of Heaven and dazle so their warlike Thoughts and their lively Countenance more bright then Fairies shall lead them captive to a Tent of Love the which shall be articially erected up by Magick Spells their warlike Weapons that were wont to smoak in Pagans Bloud shall in my charmed Tent bâ— hung upon the bowers of Peace their glistâ—ing Armour that were wont to shine within
that it was wonderful to Discourse The first thinking to exceed his Brothers in the strangeness of his Gift made repair unto a cunning Enchantress which had a biding in a secret Cave adjoyning to the City whom he procured through many rich Gifts and large Promises by Art to devise a means to get the Honour from his Brethren and to give a Gift of that strange nature that all the World might wonder at the report thereof The Enchantress being won with his Promises by Art and Magick Spells devised a Garland containing aâ—l the diversity of Flowers that ever grew in earthly Gardens and though it were then in the dead time of the Winter when as the silver Iâ—cleâ— had diâ—â—obâ—d both Herbs and Flowers of their Beauties and the Snow lay freezing on the Mountain tops yet was this Garland contrived after the fashion of a rich Imperial Crown with as many several Flowers as ever Flora plated upon the Towns of rich Arcadia in diversity of colours like the glistering Rainbow when it shineth in greatest Pride and casting such an odoriferous Scant and Sanour as tho the Heavens had rained down showers of Champhire Biss or sweet smelling Ambergâ—eece This rare and exceeding Garland was no sooner framed by Enchantment and delivered in his hands but he left the Enchantress sitting in her Ebon-Chair upon a block of Steel practising her fatal Arts with her Hair hanging about her Shoulders like wâ—eaths of Snakes or invenomed Serpents and so returned to his Mother's Tomb where he hung it upon a Piller of Silver that was placed in the middle of the Monument The second Brother also repaired to his Mother's Tomb and brought in his hand an Ivory Lute whereon he plaid such inspiring melody that it seemed like the harmony of Angels or the celestial Musick of Apollo when he descended Heaven for the Love of Daphne whom he turned into a Bay-Tree the Musick being finished he tyed his Lute in a Damask-Scarf and with great humility he hung it at the West-end of the Tomb upon a knob of a Iasper-stone Lastly The third Brother likewise repaired with no outward Devotion or worldly Gift but clad in a Uesture of white Silk bearing in his hand an Instrument of Death like an innocent Lamb going to Sacrifice or one ready to be offered up for the love of his Mother's Soul This strange manner of repair caused his other Brothers to stand attentively and with diligent Eyes to be hold his purpose First After he had submissively and with great humility let fall a showre of silver Tears from the â—isters of his Eyes in remembrance of his Mother's timeless Tragedy he prick'd his naked Breast with a silver Bodkin the which he brought in his hand from whence there trickled down some thirty drops of Bloud which he after offered to his Mother's Tomb in a silver Bason as an evident sign that there could be nothing more dear nor of more preâ—ious price than to offer up his own Bloud for her Love This ceremonious Gift caused his two other Brothers to swell in hatred like to chased Lyons and run with fury upon him intending to catch him by the hair of the Head and drag him roâ—nd 〈◊〉 their Mother's Tomb till his Brains were dashed against a Marble Pavement and his Bloud sprinkled upon her Grave but this wicked Enterprize moved the Majesty of Heaven that e'er they could accomplish their Intents or stain their hands with his Bloud they heard as it were the noise of dead Mens Bones ratling in the ground whereupon looking fearfully about them the Tomb seemed of itself to open and thereupon to appear a most terrible gastly Shape pale like unto ashes in Countenance resembling their Mother with her Breast besmeared in Bloud and her Body wounded with a number of Scars and so with a dismal and ruful look she spake unto her desperate Sons in this manner Oh you Degenerate from Nature's kind why do you seek to make a Murther of yourselves can you indure to see my Body rent in twain my Heart split in sunder and my Womb dismembred Abate this fury stain not your Hands with your own Blouds nor make my Tomb a Spectacle of more Death Unite yourselves in Concord that my discontented Soul may sleep in Peace and never more be troubled with your unbridled Humours Make hast I say arm yourselves in steel Corslets and follow your valiant Father to Ierusalem he is there in danger and distress of Life away I say or else my angry Ghost shall never leave this World but hunt you up and down with gastly Visions This being said she vanished from their sight into the brittle Air whereat for a time they stood amazed and almost distraught of Wits through the terrours of her Words but at last recovering their former Senses they all vowed a continual Unity and never to proffet the like Iniury again but to live in brotherly Concord till the dissolution of their earthly Bodies So in haste they went unto the King and certified him of all things that had hapned and falling upon their Knées before his Majesty â—eâ—uelled at his hands the honour of Knight hood with leave to depart in pursuit of their Father and the other Champions that were fallen into great â—isteess The King purposing to aâ—complish their Desires and to fulfil their Requests presently condescended and not only gave them the honour of Knight-hood but furnished them with â—iâ—h Habiliments of War answerable to their magnanimous Minds First be frankly bestowed upon them three stately Palsâ—yes bred upon the bright Mountains of Sardinia in colour of an Iron-gray beautified with silver Hairs and in â—ate switer than Spanish Iennets which are a kind of Horse ingendred by the Winds upon the Alpes certain cragged Mountains that divided the Kingdoms of Italy and Germany for boldness and courage like to Bucephalus the Horse of Alexander the Macedonian or Caesar's Steed that never danted in the Field and they were trapped with rich Crapyings of Gold After the Morocco Fashion with Saddles framed like unto Iron-chairs with backs of Steel and their Fore-heads were beautified with spangled Plumes of purple Feathers whereon hung many golden Pendants the King likewise bestowed upon them three costly Swords wrought of purest Lybian Steel with Lances bound about with Plates of Brass at the tops where of hung silken Streamers beautified with the English Cross being the crimson Badge of Knighthood and Honour of Adventurous Champions Thus in this royal manner rode these three young Knights from the City of London in company of the King with a train of Knights and gallant Gentlemen who conducted them to the Sea-side where they left the young Knights to their future Fortunes and returned back to the English Court. Now are St. George's Sons floating upon the Seas making their first Adventures in the World that after Ages might applaud these Atchietements and enroul their Fames in the Records of Honour Fate prosper them successfully and gentle Fortune
manner spent the sorrowful Fidelia that unhappy day till bright Phoebus went into the Western Parts at which time the Magician returned from his accustomed Hunting and finding the Door open he entered into Angelica's Chamber where when he found her Body westring in congealed Blood and beheld how Fidelia sate weeping over her bleeding Wounds he cursed himself for that he accounted his negligence the occasion of her Death in that he had not left her in more safety But when Fidelia had certified him how that by the hands of her own Father she was slaughtered he began like a Frantick Tyrant to rage against black Destiny and to fill the Air with terrible Exclamations Oh cruel Murtherer said he crept from the Womb of some untamed Tyger I will be so revenged upon thee O unnatural King that all Ages shall wonder at thy misery And likewise thou unhappy Virgin shalt endure like punishment in that thy accursed Tongue hath bruited this fatal Deed unto my Ears the one for committing the Crime and the other for reporting it For I will cast such deserved vengeance upon your Heads and place your Bodies in such continual Torments that you shall lament my Ladies Death leaving alive the Fame of her with your Lamentations And in saying these Words he drew a Book out of his Bosom and in reading certain Charms and Enchantments that were therein contained he made a great and very black Cloud appear in the skies which was brought by terrible and hasty winds in the which he took them up both and brought them into the Enchanted Castle where ever since they have remained in this Tomb cruelly tormented with unquenchable Fire and must for ever continue in the same extremity except some courteous Knight will vouchsafe to give but three blows upon the Tomb and break the Enchantment Thus have you heard you magnanimous Knight the true discourse of my unhappy Fortunes And the Uirgin which for the true love she bore unto her Lady was committed to this torment as my self and this pale Body lying upon the Tomb is the unhappy Babylonian King which unnaturally murthered his own Daughter and the Magician which committed all these villanies is that accursed wretch which by his Charms and Devillish Enchantments hath so strongly withstood your Encounters These Words were no sooner finished but Saint George drew out his sharp cutting Sword and gave three blows upon the Enchanted Tomb whereat presently appeared the Babylonian King standing before him attyred in rich Robes with an Imperial Diadem upon his Head and that Lady standing by him with a countenance more beautiful than the Damask Rose When Saint George beheld them he was not able to speak for joy nor to utter his mind so exceeding was the pleasure that he took in their sights so without any long circumstance he took them betwixt both his hands and led them into the Chamber whereas he found the other Knights newly risen from their Beds To whom he revealed the true discourse of the passed Adventure and by what means he redeemed the King and Lady from their Enchantments which to them was as great joy as before it was to Saint George So after they had for some six days refreshed themselves in the Castle they generally intended to accompany the Babylonian King into his Country and to place him again in his Regiment In which Travel we will leave the Christian Knights to the conduct of Fortune and return again to Rosana who as you heard before departed from the Castle in the pursuit of her disloyal Father of whose strange Accidents shall be spoken in this following Chapter CHAP. XII How the Knight of the Black Castle after Conquest of the same by the Christian Champions wandred up and down the World in great terror of Conscience â—nd after how he was found in a Wood by his own Daughter in whose presence he desperately slew himself with other accidents that after hapned YOu do well remember when that the Christian Champions had slain the seven Giants in the Enchanted Castle and had made conquest thereof disloyal Leoger being Lord of the same secretly fled not for anger of the loss but for the preservation of his life So in grief and terrour of Conscience he wandred like a fugitive up and down the World sometimes remembring of his passed prosperity other times thinking upon the Rapes he had committed how disloyally in former times he had left the Queen of Armenia big with Child bearing in her Womb the stain of honour and the confusian of her reputation Sometimes his guilty Mind imagined that the bleeding Ghosts of the two Sisters whom he both ravished and murthered followed him up and down haunting his ghost with fearful Exclamations and filling each corner of the earth with clamours of Revengement Such fear and terror raged in his Soul that he thought all places where he travelled were filled with multitudes of Knights and that the strength of Countries pursued him to heap vengeance upon his guilty head for those wronged Ladies Whereby he cursed the hour of his Birth and blamed the cause of his creation wishing the Fates to consume his Body with a Fire or that the Earth would gape and swallow him In this manner he travelled up and down filling all places with Ecchoes of his Sorrow and Grief which brought him into such a perplexity that many times he would have slain himself and have â—id his wretched Soul from a world of Miseries But it hapned that one morning very early by the first light of Titans golden Torch he entred into a narrow and straight Path which conducted him into a very thick and solitary a Forrest wherein with much sorrow he travelled till such time as glistring Phoebus had passed the half part of his journey And being weary with the long way and the great weight of his Armour he was forced to take some rest and case under certain fresh a green Myrtle Trees whese large leaves did shadow a very fair and clear Fountain whose stream made a bubling murmur on the Pibbles Being set he began anew to have in remembrance his former committed Cruelty and complaining of Fortune he thus published his great grief and although he was weary of complaining yet seeing himself without all remedy he resolved like unto the Swan to sing a while before his death and so thinking to give some ease unto his tormented Heart he warbled forth these Uerses following MOurnful Melpomeneapproach with speed And shew thy sacred Face with tears besprent Let all thy Sisters Hearts with sorrow bleed To hear my Plaints and rufull discontent And with your mones sweet Muses all assist My mournfull Song that doth of woe consist That so I may at large paint out my pain Within these Desart Groves and Wilderness And after I have ended to complain They may record my woes and deep distress Except these Myrtle Trees relentless be They will with sobs assist the sighs of me Time wears out life it is reported
Monks during all their lives sung Dirges for his Childrens Souls After this the Empero made Proclamations through all his Dominions that if any Knight were so hardy as to travel in pursuit after the English Champion and by force of Arms to being him back or deliver his head unâ—o the Empero he should not only be held in great estimation through the Land but receive the Government of the Empire after his deceâ—se Which rich proffer so encouraged the minds of many adventurous knights that they went from fundry Provinces in the pursuit of S. George but their attempts were all vain CHAP. XV. Of the Triumphs Tilts and Turnaments that were solemnly held in Constantinople by the Grecian Emperor and of the honourable Adventures that were there atchieved by the Christian Champions with other strange accidents that hapâ—ed IN the Easâ—ern parts of the World the fame and valiant déeds of the Champions of Christendom was noised with their Heroical Acts and feats of Arms naming them the Mirrour of Nobility and the Types of bright honour all Kings and Princes to whose ears the report of their Ualours were bruited desired much to behold their noble Personages And when the Emperor of Grecia keeping then his Court in the City of Constantinople heard of their mighty and valiant deeds he thirsted after their sights and his mind could never be satisfied with content until such time as he had devised a means to Train them unto his Court not only in y e he might enjoy the benefit of their Companies but to have his Court honoured with the presence of such renowited Knights and therefore in this manner it was accomplished The Emperor dispatched Messengers into divers parts of the World gave them in châ—â—ge to publish throughout every Country and Province as the went of an honourable Turnament that should be 〈…〉 in the City of Constantinople within six months following therein to accomplish his 〈◊〉 and to bring the Christian Championâ— whose company he so much desâ—â—ed unto his Court. This charge of the Grecian Emperour as he commanded was speedily performed with such diligence that in a short time it came to the ears of the Christian Knights as they travelled betwixt the Provinces of Asia and Africa who at the time appointed came in great Pomp and Majesty to Constantinople to furnish forth the honourable Triumphs At the Fame whereof likewise resorted thither a great number of Knights of great valour and strength among whom was the Prince of Argier with a goodly company of Noble Persons and the Prince of Fez with many well proportioned Knights likewise came thither the King of Arabia in great state and with no less Maiesty came the King of Sicilia and a Brother of his who were both Giaâ—ts Many other brave and valiant Knights whose Names I here 〈◊〉 came thither to honour the Grecian Emperour for that he was very well esteemed of by them all And as they came to honour the Triumphs so likewise they came to prove their Foritudes and to get Fame and Name and the praise that belongeth to adventurous Knights It was supposed of all the company that the King of Sicilia would gain by his Prowess the Dignity from the rest for that he was a Giant of very big Limbs although his Brother was taken to be the more furious Knight who determined not to just for that his Brother should get the honour and praise from all the Knights that came but it fell out otherwise as hereafter you shall understand For when the day of Turnament was come all the Ladies and Damsels put themselves in places to behold the justing and attired themselves in the greatest bravery that they could devise and the great Court swarmed with People that came thither to behold the triumphant Turnament What shall I say here of the Emperours Daughter the fair Alcida who was of so great beauty that she seemed more like a Divine substance than an earthly Creature and sate glistering in rich Drnaments amongst the other Ladies like unto Phoebus in the Crystal Firmament and was noted of all beholders to be the fairest Princess that ever mortal eye beheld so when the Emperour was seated upon his Imperial Throne under a Tent of green Uelver The Knights began to enter into the Lists and he that first entred was the Knight of Arabia mounted upon a very fair and well adorned Courser he was armed with black Armour all to bespotted with silver knobs and he brought with him fifty Knights all apparelled with the same Livery and thus with great Majesty he rode round about the Palace making great obedience unto all the honourable Ladies and Damsels After him entred the Pagan Knight who was Lord of Syria and armed with Armour of Lions Colour accompanied with an hundred Knights all apparâ—lled in Uelver of the same Colour and passed round about the Pallace shewing unto the Ladies great friendship and courtesie as the other did Which being done he beheld the King of Arabia tarrying to receive him at the Iust and the Trumpets began to sound giving them to understand that they must prepare themselves ready to the encounter whereto these two Knights were nothing unwilling but spurred their Couriers with great fury and closed together with couregious Ualour The King of Arabia most strongly made his Encounter and strook the Pagan without missing upon his breast but the Pagan at the next Race being heated with fury strook him so surely with his Lance that he heaved him out of his Saddle and he sell presently to the ground after which the Pagan Knight rode up and down with great pride and gladness The Arabian King being thus overthrown there entred into the Lists the King of Argier armed with no other Furniture but with silver Mail and a Breast-plate of might steel before his Breast his pomp and pride exceeded all the Knights that were then present but yet to small purpose his pride and arrogancy served for at the first Encounter he was overthrown â—o the ground in like sort did that Pagan use fifteen other Knights of fifteen several Provinces to the great wonder and amazement of the Emperour and all the Assembly During all these valiant Encounters S. George with the other Christian Champions stood afar off upon a high Gallery beholding them intending not as yet to be seen in tho Tilt. But now this valiant Pagan after he had rode some siâ— Courses up and down the place and seeing none entred the Tilt-yard he thought to bear all the fame and honour away for that day But at the same instant there entred the noble minded Prince of Fez being for courage the only pride of his Country he was a marvellous well-proportioned Knight and was armed all in white Armour wrought with excellent knots of Gold and he brought in his company a hundred Knights all attyred in white Satâ—en and riding about the place he shewed his obedience unto the Emperour and to all the Ladies and thereupon the
thy hands 〈…〉 Boâ—y to use 〈…〉 to thy will and pleasure requesting only this thing at thy hand that as thou loveâ— me â—iâ—ing thou wil◠〈…〉 and like a merciful Champion suffer me to receive a Pâ—incely Funeral At last of all to thee Divine Diana do I speak â—câ—ept of this my bâ—eeâ—ing Soul that with so much Blood is offered unto thee So in finishing this sorrowful Speech she drew out a fair and bright shining Sword which she had â—â—â—oden secretly under her â—own and setting the Hâ—â—â— against the Scaffâ—â—d 〈◊〉 looked for of her Father and those that were present she suddenly threw her self upon the point of that Sword in such fuâ—iouâ— manner that it parted her bâ—oody heart in sunder so rendeâ—ed her Son to the tâ—ition of her unto whom she offered her moâ—â— bloody 〈◊〉 sacrifice What shall I here declare the lamentable sorrows and pitiful lamentation that was there made by her Father and other Roman Knights that were present at this unhappy mâ—â—chance to great it was that the Wall of the Monastery Ecchoed and their piâ—tiful shrieks ascended to the Clouds But none was more grieved in mind than the afflicted English Champion who like a man distraught of sense in great fury rushed amongst the â—eoâ—le throâ—ing them down on every side till he ascended upon the Scaâ—â—old and approaching the dead Body of Lucina he took her up in his arms and with a sorrowful and passionate voice â—e said O my belovâ—d 〈…〉 hearts delight is this the Sacrifice wherein through thy despâ—rateness thou hast deceived me who loved thee more thâ—n my life 〈…〉 respite that thou requirest for seven days wherein thâ—â— haâ—t conclude 〈…〉 and my utter Confusion O Noble Lucina and my 〈…〉 were thy intention why didst thou not first Sacrifice me thy Servant 〈◊〉 â—ove wholly subjected unto thy Divine Beauty Woe be unto â—e 〈…〉 unto my unhappy enterprize for by it is she lost who was mâ—de Soverâ—gâ— Lady of my heart O Diana accursed be this Chance because thou hast consented to so bloody a Tragedy for I do here protest that never more shalt thou be worshipped but in thy stead every Land and Country where the English Champion cometh shall Lucina be adored For from henceforth will I seek to diminish thy Name and blot it from the Godral of the Firmament yea and utterly extinguish it for ever so that there shall never more memory remain of thee for this thy bloody Tyranny in suffering so lamentable a Sacrifice No sooner had he delivered these Speeches but incensed with fury he drew his Sword and parted the Image of Diana into two pieces protesting to ruinate the Monastery within whose Wall 's the device of this bloody Sacrifice was concluded The Sorrow and extream Grief of the Roman Emperour so exceeded for the murther of his Daughter that he fell to the Earth in a senseless swound and was carried by certain of his Knights half dead with grief home to his Palace where he remained speechless by the space of thirty days The Emperour had a Son as valiant in arms as any born Italian except S. Anthony This young Prince whose Name was Lucius seeing his sisters timeless death and by what means it was committed he presently intended with a Train of an hundred armed Knights which continually attended upon his Person to assail the discontented Champions and by force of arms to revenge his Sisters death This resolution so encouraged the Roman Knights but especially the Emperors Son that betwixt these two companies began as terrible a Battel as ever was fought by any Knights the fierceness of their blows so exceeded the one side against the other that they did resound Ecchoes which yielded a terrible Noise in the Neighbouring Woods This Battel did continue betwixt them both sharp and sierce for the space of two hours by which time the valour of the incensed Champions so prevailed that most of the Roman Knights were discomfited and slain some had their Heads parted from their shoulders some had their Arms and Legs lopped off and some lay breathless weltring in their own blood in which encounter many a Roman Lady lost her Husband many a Widow was bereaved of her Son and many a Child left Fatherless to the great sorrow of the whole Country But when the valiant Poung Prince of Rome saw his Knights discomfited and he left alone to withstand so many Noble Champions he presently set spurs to his Horse and fled from them like a heap of dust forced by a Whirle-wind After whom the Champions would not pursut accounting it no glory to their Names to triumph in the overthrow of a single Knight but remained still by the Scaffold where they buryed the sacrificed Uirgin under a Marble stone close by the Monastery Wall The which being done to their contentments S. George engraved this Epitaph upon the same Stone with the point of his Dagger which was in this wise following Under this Marble Stone interr'd doth lye Luckless Lucina yet of Beauty bright Who to maintain her spotless Chastity Against the assailment of an English Knight Upon a Blade her tender Breast she cast A bloody Offering to Diana chaste So when he had written this Epitaph the Christian Champions mounted upon their swift-footed Steeds and bad adue to the unhappy confines of Italy hoping to find better Fortunes in other Countries In which Travel we will leave them for a time and speak of the Prince of Rome who after the discomfiture of the Roman Knights fled in such haste from the furies of the Warlike Champions After which he like a raging Lyon traversed along by the River of Tybris filling all places with his melancholy passions untill such time as he entred into a thick Grove wherein he purposed to rest his weary Limbs and lament his misfortunes After he had in this solitary place unlaced his Helmet and hurled it scornfully against the ground the infernal Furies began to visit him and to sting his Breast with motions of fiery revenge In the end he cast up his wretched Eyes unto the Skies and said O you fatal Torches of the Elements why are you not clad in mournful Habiliments to cloak my wandring steps in eternal darkness Or shall I be made a scorn in Rome for my Cowardize Or shall I return and accompany my Roman Friends in death whose Blood methinks I see sprinkled about the Fields of Italy Methinks I hear their bleeding Souls fill each corner of the Earth with my base flight therefore will I not live to be termed a fearful Coward but die couragiously by mine own hands whereby those accursed Champions shall not obtain the Conquest of my Death nor triumph in my Fall This being said he drew out his Dagger and clave his heart in sunder The News of whose desperate Death after it was bruited to his Fathers ears he interred his Body with his sister Lucina's and erected over them a stately Chappel wherein the Nuns and ceremonious