to be fleaed drest and perfumed by two of my men who could both doo it verie well ensigne others Of these faire skins I caused braue apparell to be made for my Ladie Priscaraxe who before was clothed onely in linnen of so proper a fashion that they set foorth the fairest of her humanitie outwardly as the necke the breast and wrists The first inuention of trained gownes causes why but beneath her girdle they couered al the rest of her lower parts with an ample stole hanging downe to the ground before and with a long trayne trayling on the ground behinde and couering her serpenticall tayle in such sort that those rude and simple people apperceiued nothing being giuen to vnderstand that this long trayne behinde the garment was a marke and token of feminine noblenesse which was measured according to the length of the tayle which opinion remained yet vnto this day These braue garments thus made of so faire and variable skins and ioyned and laced together with rich buttons costly chaines claspes of golde and precious stones gaue to Prriscaraxe an admirable ornament of beautie with increase of authoritie and opinion of nobilitie couering her lower serpenticall parts so honestly whereon shee bâ—re and turned her self so cunningly and so easely that she séemed to treade little inferiour to a young and want on wench and thereon would encline her selfe at pleasure in low reuerence and humilitie to whom and where it appertained and likewise to raise her selfe right of stature more high than the common sort as it did become her which got her great maiestie and dignitie yea opinion of diuinitie Hauing thus adorned her with habits honour I assembled al the people in a large medow round about me who degan alreadie to be somewhat ciuill and at the sound of certaine musicall instruments which my men had manie others descended from the mountaines as yet halfe wilde â—nd ioyned themselues to the troupe and there beeing â—ounted vpon a platforme made of boords and beeing set â—pon a bench with the faire and well orned Priscaraxe afâ—er I had with my hand and mouth giuen them signe of â—ilence with a high and cléere voice I began this short Oâ—ation You haue known by experience my friends how much your former sauage life is amended and bettred in al goods and commodities by the societie and humane agréement amongst your selues in amitie peace and iustice assuring you that by how much the more you doo vse and exercise it by so much shall you be from day to day encreased with goods and felicitie and shall be are rule ouer sauage beasts and cruell monsters which heeretofore haue infested you surmounting you in hardines force and legeritie and were to you verie redoubtable On the contrarie side if you plucke vp contrarie and outrage one another you shall be made a proy to them and your bodies their pasture and meate for the blacke and rauening birds of the Heauens For by accord little things become great and through discord the great doo lessen perish and fall to nought Wherefore aboue all things I admonish you to ciuill societie concord faith truly holden mutual amitie euiting of outrage punishing of the offenders by equitable iustice the conseruatrix of your common wealth Which cannot be better administred nor distributed than by one sole head Prinâ—e to be obeyed and authorised of all And therefore it is expedient to choose amongst you one of your Nation a man of good vnderstanding and naturall iudgement well orned with corporall sense and members good sage iust temperate knowing all and knowen of all to whom you shall owe all honour reuerence soueraigne right and puissance by homage and faith to him giuen And therefore choose amongst you him whom you like best and after he be informed of the office and dutie of his principalitie I wil crowâ— him for your King At this word al began to crie with one voyce Franc-Gal soit nostre Roy aultre Roy ne voulons con Franc-Gal Let Franc-Gal be our King we will haue nâ— other King but Franc-Gall The crie with the beckening of my hand appeased I answered them thus That cannot be my friends for Franc-Gal is not of your Nation but a stranger come hether by aduenture and knowe yee that strange Kings haue seldom béen good to the people of whâ— they tooke not their originall besides Franc-Gal can not resist the immutable ordinances of the auncient Ladie Anange of the vniuersall Tower who hath destined him to visite other people and nations of the world for he can be with you no longer than the day hower present Choose therefore among you the best wisest and the most vpright which you think to be in the multitude and present him to me mounted whom after I haue informed of his office I will with your consent establish and crowne him King At this answere the poore Tartarians remained sad and sorrowfull neuertheles they assembled themselues in 24. bands and out of euerie band after consultation was sent one man to speake for al so were there found 24. excellent men aboue all others in person speach and spirite who méeting together to communicate the will of the people they were found all a great maruell and signe of accord of one aduice that is to say to referre to me the election of their King whom they would hold firme stable and inuiolable affirming and swearing thereto by the winde by their Acinac which after their vsage is as much to say as By life and death Hauing thus heard the relation delation of these 24. I thanked them and the whole multitude for the good opinion they had of my iudgement Then rising on my féete with the fair Priscaraxe whom I held by the right hand to the sight of all the people with a lowde voyce I began as followeth Ye men of Scythia séeing you referre to me the honour of this election and haue so instantly desired me beeing a straunger for your King for both which I thanke you knowe that I will giue you a King in séed extract from my bloud whom as yet neuer mortal man hath séene together with a Quéene of your countrey and generation that is this present yong Ladie Priscaraxe of such forme beautie as you sée At these words Priscaraxe enclined her selfe lowe bending her tayle in signe of humble thankes with right agréeable modestie then with a sodain turne of her taile she raised vp her selfe in most high forme surmounting euen the Giantlie height of Franc-Gal himself which gaue her great apparance of royall maiestie And to the end quoth I you esteeme not her originall nobilitie small knowe that she is extract and borne of your land and countrie which is not small vnlesse you esteeme your natiue soyle small and she is engendred of Phoebus whom you so much honour and worship she hath likewise an illustrat spirit of vnderstanding and she is illuminated with a most cleere prudence and
fuerie of so villanous a shot that forgetting himselfe and the present perill wherein he was by ardant desire of reuenge and to recounter the murthering shooter and slayer of his Noëmia came out of his fort throwing himselfe like a wounded Lyon through the midst of the multitude breaking the preace beating downe all before him and with his strong shield repulsing all that he met furiously cried out Traiterous Archer murtherer o' Maidens where arte thou Why presentest thou not thy selfe before me Thou leaud coward and traitor to the end I may accompanie the most vnworthie of death that euer liued or that I may fill my selfe of reuenge with the cleerest of thy bloud Cruell Tiger lurking Serpent coward and wicked Crocadile that without offence hast giuen death to the liueliest vertue and after fliest away like a waspe leauing her venemous sting behinde her darest thou present thy selfe vnto mee So went Alector crying and furiously threatning striking and abating downe of men that no man how hardie soeuer he were durst stand against him vnlesse he ment to be slaine But whiles through desperate rage he layed so about him at randon striking vpon those whome were before him and taking no regarde to those who followed him soddainely hee founde himselfe assailed with sixe puissant men who by maine force toke from him his shield and so consequently one parte of his hardines and albeit hee made much resistance to the great hurt of his enemies yet neuerthelesse the multitude so oppressed and ouer charged him that his sworde fell out of his hand the which one of the brothers Gratians tooke vp with the shield So was Alector taken and led by force of people to the Potentate gouernour of the towne and chiefe Iustice called Diocles who seeing this faire young man of such a liberall countenance to bee accused by so many voyces speaking against him the one accusing him of Rape another of Treason another of fornication and others of many murthers To all which accusations he answered nothing neither demanded any thing but the death to accompanie his most deere and wofull Noëmia would not giue iudgemēt headlong but dooing the duetie of a Potentate like a most wise man knowing all these people to be passionated the one partie with furie and appetite of reuenge and the other with desperation griefe sorrowe enuie and contempt of life aduised himselfe to let both parties coole vntill the next morning when by their cold blood they might retourne to reason and their right sense whereupon adressing his speeche vnto the tumultuous people and chiefely to the two brothers complainants hee spake in this manner Lordes Gratians to morrow the parties being heard I will shew you right Meane while returne your selues in peace and I will keepe the offendor in sure custodie This saide they all retired themselues euill content enough Alector was then committed to the keeping and custodie of the Capitaine Palatine and the others departed to goe burie their dead amongst whome the foresaide faire Noëmia was founde slaine and buried with great lamentation of her brothers according to the vse of the countrie euen in the same place where she was slaine hard vnder the foresaid piller of the graces for the excellent giftes of spirite and bodie that in her life time beyond fortune they had ennobled her withall and in the stone was ingrauen this Epitaph Lo here Noëmia faire that constant Maide doth lie before these Graces who bewaile her want of breath That for Alectors sake her stedfast faith to trie hath felt the stroke of loue and dint of cruell death Of the accusation and processe against Alector and of his defence CAP. 2. THE next daie the Lorde Diocles Potentate and chiefe Iustice of Orbe sitting vpon the Tribunall seate in the great Basilicq caused to appeare and come before him the Gratian Lords complaināts and the Squire Alector defendant to vnderstand iudge of the commotion and slaughter happened by their cause in the assistance of all the Maiestrates Orders and Estates of the Citie of Orbe and of the greater part of the people there assembled and gathered together by reason of the case so new strange and of so terrible example The two brothers Gratians clothed in long garments of mourning cullour with visages sad and withered either for verie sorrowe or els by artificial cunning of some sulphurian smoke For oftentimes an Hegers mournefull cheere Through fained shewe dooth proue a laughter meere with shauen beardes haires rent and torne implored Iustice against Alector being there present a stranger a spie a foyler of maidenly beds a violator of hospitalitie a raptor of virginitie a theefe and breaker vp of noble houses a troubler of publique peace and a bloodie murtherer Declaring that at the perswasion of their late deceassed sister Noëmia Gratian a gracious maiden more peraduenture than was expedient for him vpon the recite of certaine valiant feates of Armes vnknowing whether they were truely or falsely giuen out they had receiued him into their house alwaies held noble of all antiquitie and estéemed a house of honour This fained and masqued Gentleman who vnder colour of a certaine courtlike ciuilitie wherein he seemed to haue been trained vp and by the allurement of a certaine beautiful youth in him by the giftes of nature shining had corrupted the good nurture manners of their sister being a simple and yong maiden and the best estéemed of this age and had tempted her honestie euen vnto the entring into her priute chamber at vnlawfull houres in the night abiding there the whole night alone with her wherby may be iudged the rest where after that by reuelation of some domestical and faithful seruants hee was discouered by breaking vp the dores he by fraction of the hospital lodging villainously violated polluted was leapt downe through a windowe into the lower court where againe hee hath committed many murthers aswell vpon the domestical seruants friends and familiers come to their succour as of their proper parents and alies yea and that hee had wickedly and cursedly slaine the yongest of the brothers Gratians and for that cause their so amiable sister by rage of furious loue had so lost her senses that she was come miserablie to be slaine in his armes neither was it knowne by whome vnlesse by himselfe who by holding her imbraced had slaine her as it is very likely And thereupon demaunded iustice to be giuen them aswel for the priuate interest of the persons of their brother sister parents friends and domesticall seruants as also for publique example of other such like disturbers of their publique peace stirers of ciuill discorde and corupters of good manners Concluding him to be worthie of the most ignominious death that could be adiudged The most wise and iust Potentate Diocles hauing in great and attentiue silence heard and vnderstood the action and complaint of the brothers Gratians only with his left eare and hauing alwaies held his right eare stopped with the palme
Pilgrimes which would ascend vp to the souereigne Temple whereunto the waye was verie difficile by reason of the obscure pathes verie hard to be kept without conduct and light going before For which cause these thrée fatall Sisters were there constituted in that office to furnish the Pilgrimes trauellers with cierges aswell to lighten them in the waye wherein they are to walke as also to offer their oblations to God in the souereigne Temple And they gaue and distributed them not after one fashion but after diuers sorts euen as by fortune or rather by secret ordinance they came to their hands some being great and long some lesse and others verie small The first fatall Sister resident in the inferior Stage gaue to euerie one his cierge the second lightened them and the third finally put them out either before or after they were offered vp Now these fatall cierges were like the Brand of Meleager and in them consisted the life and death of those who receiued them and they carried them with such determination that so long as they burned and gaue light the person carrying them liued and incontinentlie so soone as by the office of Termaine they were put out at the same instant ended the corporall life of those who carried them For by the ordinance of Anange it was necessarie that once they should bee extinguished either by default or violence to the end that in offering them their sauour might ascend to God who was worshipped in the ancient Temple to be receiued or reiected good or euill according to the matter whereof they were made and according as they had béen vsed and handled honestly and purely or foiled broken or polluted filthelie and villainouslie And none or verie few were offered at the sacrifice during their liuely light but necessarily they must be by the three fatall Sisters extinguished either in default of matter or violent accident And yet neuertheles after they wer once lightened they remained in the arbitriall conduct enterteinment gouernment of those who had them in their keping with expresse defence of putting them out but constantly and clearly to carrie them vntill such time as Termaine had put her hand thereto Notwithstanding some either by enuious disdaine desperation or other euill affection would put them out before the time and spitefully cast them to the ground together with their bodies dying others would cut breake them in péeces of despite Some thinking to make them burne more clearely than their substance and wyke would permit did trouble snofe reuerse trauerse and blowe them in such sort that in a while they cōsumed them so as they endured but a short space Some others going about to stuffe annoynt grease them with olde oyles and other fat liquours thinking to make them last longer and adioyne to their first making being a thing impossible haue clean contrarie to their opinion euflamed more aboundantly and consumed more hastely rendring moreouer a smoke of most filthie sauor but contrariwise others there were who held and carried their faire cierges in a constant rightnes highly eleuated whereby they rendred light more apparant longer shining aswell to themselues as to those who went before and folowed them Others also adioyned thereunto Balme Myrrhe incense other aromaticall gummes seruing not onely to their shining but also causing them to leaue a most good and gracious smell after their putting out and sacred offering in the Temple where by the Sacrist Termaine they were extinguished and gathered together Howbeit all of them came not to the terme of receiuing in the end of their peregrination and offring of their cierges by the third fatall Sister Termaine but the greatest part failed by the way either by reason that the matter of the light was of so small durance as being of pitch rosell or terpentine or for being too little or ouer small of substance or by reason their wyke ouer grose in respect of the waxe or for that oftentimes they were violently put out by casualties hapning by the way specially by the blustering of windes by hurts and embushments of euill encountrie by raynes waters tempests other like accidents which put out the lights and so consequently kill those who carrie them because they were fatalized as hath béen showed before whereby it commeth to passe that the greatest part of the Pilgrimes perish by the way and neuer arriue at the third station of the fatall Sister Termaine noryet to the Temple to offer and present the sanour of their cierges Thus were these thrée sisters resident in thrée lodgings within this great Tower furnishing to the Pilgrimes the cierges of their conduct way and life which the first and highest presented them the second and lower lightened and the third and last put out and offered in the Temple But as the Poet diuinely singeth By fatall sort all things doo fall to ruine and decay From ill to worse and at the last consume weare away Euen so commonly it falleth out that the first munistcences are larger and more liberall than those which followe as all naturall things are best at the first So commeth it to passe that the cierges which haue béen first presented haue béen fairer longer and greater better fashioned and of better waxe and so consequently of longer indurance cléerer light Likewise the first men who receiued them were found more greater stronger like Giants as they were to carrie and eleuate them yea and more wise and apt to conduct and mainetaine them as those who knewe well that their life and death depended thereupon which they would neither dispraise despite nor haue in sorrowe but estéemed honoured and kept them right dearlie as the gift and grant of the great King of all kings in whose honour they would render it againe to him in his Temple in offer of their last voyage and to the termination of the last fatall Sister Termaine to whom all in a manner happely arriued without anie mal-encounter trouble or hurt Of the Macrobians their vertue and great age of the long lift of Franc-Gal and causes thereof CAP. 13. BUt amongst all those great light bearers the most prudent most aduised of spirite and the most strong and durable of bodie haue shewed themselues to be the blood of the Macrobians who were children of a good sage rich and noble laborer called Kamat and of a vertuous and excellent Lady and singular good Huswife called Madame Sophroisne who accompanied not themselues with rascals but on the contrarie estéemed it great honour and noblesse to employ bodie members and spirite to all honest and fruitefull labor and excerior exercise of the bodie and interior and temperate moderation of the minde And thereby haue sprung of their bloods most mightie Kings Princes and valiant Knights Cyrus the most renowmed King of Persia from them descended and tooke therein great glorie Agathocles King of Sicilia thereof vaunted The good Romaine Consull Marcus Curius thereby held himselfe honoured
agast babled against him certaine barbarous and sauage speeches of â—urious threatning and gaue him such a waightie blowe with his Club that made Alector who receiued it vppon his shield to bowe his knee but hastily getting vp againe hee restored it him so fiercely with a blowe of his sword so rudely set vpon his humaine haâ—…h which was his horsely shoulder that hee discouered his sinewes with great dolor and effusion of bloud wherewith the monster cast foorth a crie so hidious that all the wood rang of it and the wilde beasts for feare ran to hide themselues and after that lift vp his massie Club and let driue a lurdie blow sufficient to fell an Elephant But Alector both light and nimble easilie shunned his great stroake which fell in vaine and so rudely that the Centaure therewithall had his arme and hand astonned so as with great paine could hee lift vp his massie Club any more The which Alector perceiuing with his good sworde cut off one of his hands hard by the ioynt which fell to the ground with his massie Club which cauled the Centaure to cast foorth a more horrible crie than before and seeing himselfe disarmed and dismembred with the feare which hee had of the shining sworde of Alector turned his hinder horsely parts yerking out such strokes that the aire seemed to sparkle with fire But the valiant Esquire prompt and quick to turne himselfe shunning alwaies the blowes or else bearing off with his shield the furious yerkes of his heeles stroke him ouerthwart in his yerkings with such a cutting blowe that notwithstanding the hardnes of his skin and bruskled haires he cut a sunder the sinewes of his leggs euen to the discouerie of his bones which as yet were whole Which the Centaure dolefullie feeling turned againe his face and with great ire lept vpon Alector thinking to haue beaten him downe with his forefeete But the gentle Squire seeing so faire a marke forgat not himselfe but with a thrust into his horsely breast pierced vnto his humaine heart And so this byformed monster beeing stroken to death fell downe to the earth with all his foure feete tumbling in his black bloud and giuing vp his last crie not altogether in humaine voice nor altogether in horsly gneyng but mixed with both like a man gnaying or like a horse brutally speaking vntill such time as hee was cleane dead and at that instant the Heauens began so to powre with Lightning Thunder and great Raines which as I thinke were the Diuels carying awaie the soule of this monster that necessitie constrained my Ladie Noëmia and mee at the perswasion and assurance of Alector to retire our selues into the hollow of the Rock which was the habitation of the Centaure where we entred in not without great feare agast at the merueilous combat and of the hardines and prowesse of the valiant Squire who comforted and assured vs right humainely And there within we found much Venison and diuers fruites of the wood which wee vsed that night for the present necessitie And whiles they were eating my Ladie Noëmia in whose heart loue had alreadie taken place by regarde and admiration of the beautic hardines prowesse and graciousnes of this yong Esquire whome shee beheld with great admiration by the light of a most meruailous scabberd of his sworde which hee caried so cleere in the night and in an obscure place that it gaue so much light as a flaming brand demaunded him what good aduenture had brought him so happelie for hir deliuerance My faire Ladie saide Alector who on his part was no lesse attaint with the grace and beautie of Noëmia than shee of his I knowe not well by what way I am come hether more to my happines than your owne but this I am certaine that either by some Hyperborian winde or spirite I haue been since one moneth past rauished vpon the Septentrionall Seas from the top of the wings of Durat Hippopotame the great swimming and flying horse of my Father Franck-Gall and carried by him ouer Lands and Seas by many iournies to the great discomfort and sorrowe of my said Father whome I knowe searcheth mee throughout the Worlde vntill at length this windie spirite reposed mee in a faire Garden of a Castle not farre from hence where a young Damosell like you but not so faire and somewhat more aged found me and vnderstanding my name mounted mee on horseback vppon that condition that I should followe you virto this wood and giue you aide if you needed the same For an olde Witch the same morning had told her that if you were not recouered by Alector you would be vtterly lost And that the first man which shee found called bv my name shee should without delay send after you Now thus it is that I was no sooner reposed in the Garden but the Spirite who had carried mee about so farre at his departure seemed to say to mee after a whispering manner in my left eare entring into my braines these words following Alector rise and goe to saue the snowie Hinde From monsters hands then trudge Franck-Gall thy sire to find Who doth thee seck on lofty seas ytost with many a wind And thereupon entered into the Garden a right godly Ladie faire yong and of great grace but notwithstanding sorrowfull and lamenting her owne Cousen Noëmia lately departed from the Castle of Greene-head for so was the place named froÌ„ whence I came for the words which the old witch had told her This yong dame thinking her selfe to be alone and vnproudied finding me in the garden which was closed on euerie side with high walles beyond the compasse of a ladder was not a little abashed but after assuring her selfe demanded of me who had let me in What I was And what I would haue And I answered I could not tell Alector a horse She hearing this name of Alector without demanding me other thing led me into the Esquurie gaue me leaue to choose the horse which pleased me best vpon the foresaid conditions The which most agreeably accepted I chose this faire apple grey which you see now had he because of the tempest put his horse vnder couert amongst the trées which Noëmia and I incontinently knewe to bee the horse of my Lord Spathas And wee vnderstoode that shee who sent him after vs was my Lady Callirhoa of the castle of Greene-head Continuing than his purpose I chose quoth hee this faire apple grey who presently was sadled and bridled for mee and whiles that hee was making readie the Ladie of the Castle aduertised mee of a certaine monster Thus being mounted with leaue taken of the Ladie I promised to accomplish her commaundement And vpon this horse euer since from that place for my former iournies I could neiter marke norknow no more than the waie which the bird maketh in the aire the serpent on the ground or the ship on the sea yea on this horse haue I been brought hether without finding any man
to shewe thee to morrowe him whom thou demandest Then Franc-Gall reuiuing out of his deep thought cast out a great sigh saying And shall I then finde Alector carried away by the winds which can not be folowed Yea but I shall neuer see him againe for which I must die and ende my peregrination rendring the fire the light and vigor of my life to him of whom I haue receiued it by a termination of life which is called death most terrible and fearefull of all things the which is neere and imminent to me as I see and perceiue in my selfe For to euerie man is giuen diuinelie to foresee that which is to come thieflie when he approacheth to the ende of his life when the spirit is more nigh himselfe and lesse wrapped in terrestriall things whereby hee seeth and vnderstandeth more cleetelie and purelie for such is the wil of the diuine prouidence to the ende man be not taken vnprouided and die beastlie Art thou then God quoth the Archier to knowe the things which are to come God I am not quoth hee but man to whom God hath giuen long life experience science of the starres interpretation of auguries and knowledge of my nigh ende as the diuine Fates haue ordemed my spirite prognosticated the oracles foreshowen me and the Prophecies foretolde me What other thing did the dreame of my heart carried away by the flying Basitisque presage me the oracle of the marinall man Proteus foretelling my departure without returne the vision of the wicked crowe at Tangut of the stockdoue of the crane and of the vultur the rauen resting vppon my head the mortall threatning of the spirite of Gallehault the song of this lost blacke bird Now see I wel then my fatal hower to be instane and that I must away let vs therefore O Archier my friend be going and conduct me according to thy promise to the Sands of Orbe where I shall finde my life my death or both And so they put themselues vpon the way the page of Franc-Gall following them And in going the Archier who by signes and coniectures but chieflie by the nightly reuelation and diuiue commanundement to come and finde this stranger preseruer of his life knewe well the next day to showe him the faire Squire combattor of the Serpent to present him for his sonne that he might knowe more cokens of the matter thus began his speach The deuise of the two olde men Croniel and Franc-Gall held vpon the waie going towards the Citie of Orbe CAP. 6. O Stranger my friend quoth the Archier thou speakest so obscurelie and thy talke so entermingled with destomachall sobbes deepe sighes and sodaine mutations with confusion and mingling together of Prophecies Fates Oracles and Miracles that I cannot well vnderstand the discourse of thy farre and vagrant peregrination searching thy sonne whom thou callest Alector carried away if it be credible by the windes vnlesse thou bring foorth the beginning first causes of this aduenture when and in what place how thou hast lost thy Sonne what he is and what thou art of what Nation and qualitie for to my iudgement thou séemest not to bee a man of seruile or base condition but rather a franke and liberall Gentleman as full well thou hast giuen mee to vnderstand at our first méeting wherefore I beséech thee of curtesie disdaine not to reckon vnto me thy fortune and thy déere Sonne Alectors from the beginning to the ende cleerly and patiently without confusion or interruption of coÌ„plaints That quoth Franc-Gall can I not well doo my friend Archier for as from the aier moued by tempest troublesome windes doo blowe great showers of raine fall and thunder claps issue euen so from a tormented heart can nought procéed but sobbes nought distill but teares nought descend but weepings and waylings Moreouer the time letteth me yea and the desire also which I haue of going to the place whereof the bird sang will not permit me to doo it vppon whose tune neuerthelesse I knowe not what to coitiecture it is so ambiguous and séemeth so conerarie in it selfe And for this cause quoth the Archicr oughtest thou lesse to â—efer the narration to me of thy facts affaires and aduentures whereof I hope to giue thee some good counsell and comfort after I shall well vnderstand them And for that the way to the Sands whereto thou pretendest to goe is not so short as peraduenture it seemeth to be but long enough from hence as I may tell thée for vs speciallie who are alreadie olde and heauie by age or rather destitute of the liuelie firâ— which heretofore hath susteined vs quicke and nimble who now goe grauely and heauely the length of the time and way will suffice thée to reckon and me to giue care to thy former fortunes whereof as God loue me I haue dolour and compassion with thee for beeing a man I estéeme no humane thing but that it may touch me I heartely thanke thée of thine humanitie quoth Franc-Gall but by how much thy compassion shuld be consolatorie vnto me by so much should the commemoration thereof be â—oiefull and therefore it is better for mée with science to kéepe my profound dolour in my transpierced heart than by vttering my misaduentures to renue my former griefes No no quoth the Archier thou must not doo so but to the concrarie solace thy beauie heart by reuealing thy griefe to him who without feeling it will lighten thée of the one haife yea peraduenture of the whole And therefore discharge thy bodie of thy harnesse and mantle by giuing it to thy page and thy hart of thy passions by communicating of them to me being a stranger yet notwithstanding a man and so shalt thou doo thy selfe pleasure and accomplish my desire and thou eke by accompting it and I by the hearing thereof shal abbridge and shorten the length of our waye and forget our wearinesse for as the common prouerbe goeth In trauell talke without reproach Is better than a tottering coach Ha old companion quoth Franc-Gal I feele that alreadie to be true in me which thou hast said for thy humaine speaches do inuite me to ease my heart in vomiting the remembraunce of my diuers aduentures as well good as euill with my present deliberations the sweete conceipts of my hope to come which among other things doo promise comfort and counsell of thee And therefore now will I take as great solace and pleasure to discouer to thee my fortunes as thou hast had curious desire to enquire them of me hearken therefore as wee goe leasurely and thou shalt heare meruailes Begin then peaceablie quoth the Archier and I will willingly giue attentiue heede therevnto Then Franc-Gal put off his purple mantle whose cape was of cloath of golde enriched with a great and celestiall Saphir and tooke off from his necke his shield carrying vpon Azure a Sonne of golde his helmet from his head whereof onely before he had but lifted
ouer her cleare eyes like two peéces of siluer newlie forged which being somewhat aggrauated with ouermuch sleepe and séeming as yet neuer stroken with loue made them haue the greater grace Mammon out of his embushment perceiuing such diuine humanitie with paine should he desist or defer his ioyes from running to imbrace her notwithstanding loue which in his first mouements is neuer without feare defended him and withheld him till such time as Thanais without espying him was arriued at the fountaine where as shee was beholding in the reuerberant clearenesse of the Water the flower of her fayre youth making her selfe readie to wash her eyes hands and vermilion lips sodainly behold Mammon comming out of his den threwe himselfe vnawares vpon her with opened armes speaking to her as amorously as he could and presented vnto her with humble sutes and affectuous requests both his goods and person adioyning to his prayers threatnings and outrages in such sort that séeing her obstinate refusall her turning away of her visage and her repulsing of him away with her armes with a furious heate which inflamed him he assaied to force her and to rauish her of that by violence which otherwise he could not obtaine by loue hope of promises nor feare of threate nings The silly Marden trembling with feare seeing her bodie and honour in danger by the assault of this furious man cast foorth a loud crie calling to her aide two brothers which she had yong and braue men inhabiting next to the garden who vnderstanding the fearful voyce of their welbeloued Sister sodainly went foorth in armes with a cōpanie of seruants well prouided Whom Mammon seeing comming towards him with terrible furie knew right well that it was not verie sure for him to remaine there Whereuppon mortall feare so adioyned lvinges to his light heeles that by a liuely course he leaped ouer the wal and saued himselfe by swiftnesse and escaped the hands of her brethren seekers of reuenge who hauing lost the rauisher tooke their wofull Sister and consolating her with assurance led her into the chamber to reuiue her afrighted spirites Mammon thus escaped from their hands found himselfe merueilously confounded and troubled with the obstinate refusall and proud disdaine as he thought of his welbeloued Thanais whereby neuerthelesse his ardant loue was nothing at all cooled or diminished but contrariwise more enflamed and augmented For euen as a Cannon shot striking against a rocke or hard wall by reason of so sharpe encountrie receiueth newe strength of impetuous retire euen so the furious courage of Mammon hauing encountred so sharpe refusall of faire Thanais so sore a chase of her brothers chafed himselfe more aboundantlie with despiteful anger and the furie of his loue or rather of rage receiued more vehement force by the offence of so rude a ripulfe Wherupon there remaining no more mean or hope of obtaining his desire he tooke him to his wicked artes whereof he was a souereigne Master and purposed to make her loue him by force and against nature by the vertue of a Philtre or louing poyson which he composed in an apple of Venus commonly called a loue apple or an apple of follie made with the bloud of a wagtayle and other drugs fit for that purpose odorated with manie hote spices sweetened in sugar thrée times baked and enchanted with thrée wordes which he knewe to be proper to the making of the same in such sort that he made an apple of confiture right sweete to the smell and right good to the taste but most dangerous to the bodie and heart as the issue shewed This being done he practised with the Moriau slaue for money promising her affranchment and deliuerance out of boudage if she would and could finde the meanes to make her Ladie Thanais in some collation to eate this apple hauing such vertue that whosoeuer presented it should be in fauor and grace of the receiuer thereof and yeeld to the giuer great aduantage The Morian slaue being couetous and giuing ouer much beliefe to his faire words and flattering promises and presuming alredie of her libertie franchise which aboue all other things she most estéemed and desired withall of the good will of her mistresse right willingly tooke both the money and the apple which was put in a vessell of Christall promising him that she would minister it to her Mistresse with the first opportunitie which thing she delayed not to bring to passe For the selfe same day that Thanais was so ouertaken and put to such distresse by Mammon as it hath bin said she remained so mooued and altred that in the Eueuing at her going to bed her heart began to faile her for the aide whereof her Slaue presented her with this confected apple which she found verie delicious to the taste insomuch that her spirites reuiued againe and after shee had dronke a little wine sodainly shee fell into a profound sléepe yet neuerthelesse being troubled with dreames and terrible santasies which she witnessed by the turnings of her face disorderly mouing of hir limmes and profound sighes intermingled from time to time with cries in such sort that when she awaked she was found to haue lost her senses transported of her spirites and become altogether foolish Finally after long torment of bodie and mind by reason of the inflamation of that villanous apple the poore and miserable Thanais died her bodie remaining after her death so horrible and hideous to behold that they made no greater hast than to goe burie her and to carrie her to a sepulcher in the ende of a field apperteining to their fathers house adioyning to the high way where we now are and verie neare to this place for as I thinke behold the sepulcher which alreadie beginneth to appeare vnto vs wherein Thanais with her Morian slaue were buried Who in remorce of conscience of this her wicked ministerie went and hanged her selfe hauing beheld the heauie aduenture of her traiterous seruice and well knowing she could not escape the handes of the two brethren who would reuenge the death of their sister vpon her Behold what she got by the promise of Mammon shewing in effect that the reward of sinne is death Thus were chese two bodies buried in this sepulcher which thou séest before vs which we may goe to sée and there repose our selues a while and take breath In saying whereof these two olde men approached to a sepulcher of Maible which was at the ende of a field on the left hand of the high way For the custome at that time was to build their sepulchers euerie man in his proper ground along by the high way side to the end that trauellers in arresting and reposing themselues vpon the stone might bée occupied in reading their Epitaphs which these two olde men did turning towards the Tombe And the good Archier laid downe his bowe and quiuer vpon the stone with a bottle full of wine whereof he dranke first out of a siluer goblet which
trembling hollow and deadlie voyce neuertheles incelligible pronounced these verses following The Pallaices and Sisters three aloft in haughtie towre I late haue seen beldameke that ther hath built her bowr Aboue the which consists a place wheras those blessed wights Remain who haue in faith troth taken their chief delights But I as one deseruing not so high for to aspire Because deceit and lying both haue been my whole desire Am iudged to the depth For why as yet I neuer told The truth till now yet gainst my will it is you may be bold For I must dy desprate death you know I may waile Must needes descend beneath the tower Lo thus my speach doth faile This said the head in hideous tourning shutting the téeth and closing the eyes sodainly waxed pale and died and the bodie by and by stretching foorth it selfe with pulling in the veynes fell downe flat dead vpon the plaine of the red and black Marble Then was accomplished which was presaged by the two fatall Sisters Calendre Clarence at the birth of this childe Desalethes These verses pronounced were heard and vnderstood of al the assistance set downe in writing or retained by heart of manie specially of me who kéepe them yet in memorie in such sort as I haue recited them Hereupon was the publique Clerke commaunded to mount vp to the scarfold of Must-dy and looke on the Marble stone what markes signes or letters the dead bodie had made with his finger and bloud The Clearke going vp found vpon the white Marble a bloudie writing of ten verses saying thus as hee pronounced them with a loud voyce I haue both tast and toucht by tombling ouer deepe The pangs of endlesse paines which being thick steepe Belowe the Tower round haue their foundation fast Whereas those wicked wights in prison strong arecast Who nein word ne deed haue taken ought delight But haue the sacred truth repugnd with all their might And for so much as I haue vsed all my life To sowe the seede of lies of discord wrath and strife By iudgement t is decreed and vnto you be it knowen That corpes head foorthwith into that gulph be throwen This writing thus pronounced and vnderstood all the Assistants were of the aduice that this sentence should bee put in effect albeit that they remayned verie hashfull of these nouels neuer before vnderstood of them either of the round Tower of the thrée Sisters of the olde Dame or of the obscure and déepe prison whereof we vnderstand not as yet the substance Notwithstanding the executioner being sent for and commanded by the Magistrate tooke the dead and hideous head and drewe the bodie with an yron hooke vnto the déepe pit whereof before we haue spoken and threwe them both therein from the depth whereof was presently heard a fearfull and lamentable crie as it were of innumerable persons gréenously wayling and desperately howling And therupon this depth closed in such firmnesse that there remained no apparance either of Tower trembling or opening of earth onely there appeared all plaine aboue the earth and no brute was anie more heard but euerie one by reason of the astonishment remained in pleasant silence and the Sunne began most brightfully to display his beames and thereafter ensued a right faire cleare and beautifull day which before had been darkened with thicke mystes blacke clowds and rainie weather Beholde the Historie wherein I haue made thée a verie long and peraduencure enuious digression quoth the Archier to Franc-Gal which hath onely béen to confirme thy saying verie likely to be true and by the vearses aforesaid agreeing with thy rehearsall to confirme the talke which thou hast begun of the immensall Tower of the three Stages of the three fatall Sisters of their auncient mother Anange resident in the highest thereof and of the low and blacke Prisons vnder the foundation of the same Which talke as thou hast begun I pray thee goe on forwards and make an ende thereof if it please thee For I haue great desire to heare thy discourse to the ende to see if thereby I might vnderstand the substaunce of the vearses which I haue recited to thee which me seemeth to bee verie much agreeing with thy forerehearsed narration I am content quoth Franc-Gall but let vs rise and â—olowe on our way and in going I will make an ende of the residue therof to render thee part of the pleasure which I haue receiued of thine which hath seemed neither long nor wearisome but rather most delectable for the meruailes which thou hast recited therein which are verie conformable vnto my discourse whereby I hope they shall be more lightened and expounded wherefore let vs rise and be going So these two wise men arose and forgetting not their armes baggage bowe quiuer bottle cup and napkin after they had once againe regarded the miraculous statues vpon the Tombe and wished rest to the spirites of the bodies there lying left the sepulcher and betooke them to their former way and first talke Franc-Gall thus continuing the same Of the auncient Ladie Anange of her great authoritie and puissance of the offices of the three fatall Sisters Cleronome Zodore and Termaine and of the cierges which they administer to the Pilgrimes comming to the Soueraigne Temple CAP. 12. IN the top of which great round towre was a comble in the fashion of a round lanterne so cléere as the bright day with windowes on euerie side in such sort that it had prospect euerie way there within was resident a great Ladie right ancient and of most redoubted authoritie hauing soueraigne puissance vpon all that is below her and casting her viewe ouer all whereby only accordingly as she stretched foorth or retired raised or abased her aspect of vniuersal conduct she aduanced or arrested drew vp or put downe both men and all humane affaires submitted to her without hindrance of anie who can by no meanes resist her neither she contrariwise doo otherwise than she dooth and for that cause she is called Anange because of necessitie al things must be as she hath ordeined and not otherwise not that she dooth anie thing with force violence or extortion either to nature or reason but because all things are gouerned by her onely regard and reduced to the final and right point of her eternall ordinance from which she suffereth nothing to diuert but incontinently causeth it ineuitably to returne So great is the authoritie and puisance of this auncient Ladie Anange and so did I sée her in the highest of the Tower when the white bird as I told you before drewe my spirite from me with a kisse and eleuated the same vnto the height thereof This ancient Ladie hath thrée fatal daughters named as it hath béen shewed Cleronome Zodore and Termaine resident below their mother in thrée inferiour stages of the Tower neuerthelesse both néere and passable the one to the other there it was their dutie to receiue the
as I can for thy sake who art my kinsman and hast not any more neede thereof as also for the honor of my Father who hath valiantly conquered it and for the beautie and vertue which I see and feele to be in it and therefore goe rest thy selfe in thy sepulcher and let me sléepe in peace The Gallehault in a terrible and feareful voyce saide vnto him horribly Restore me my shield And in so saying the great black knight which was a spright in the forme of Gallehault tooke the shield with both his hands which Alector had surely fastned and buckled about his shoulders and which the more he hild and embraced Wherefore this vmbragious black Knight lifted vp the shield in the ayre by a certaine force and spirituall puissance and carried vp Alector also who was fastned to the shield and at an instant caused him to loose ground and raised him vp so high in the ayre that his horse which hee might perceiue by the light of the cléere mome and whom he bewailed to loose séemed to him but a little Hare lying vpon the grasse by reason of the farre distance and height that the phantastical Knight had eleuated him carrying him through the lesser region of the ayre by the field whereat this Esquire was fastned hanging for it was not lawful for the knight to touch his person causing him to trauerse the ayre and winds striuing the one against the other so rudely that with great paine could hee fetch his winde for that the sodaine mouing tooke away the facultie of taking breath in so much that in three or foure howres hée had carried him more then twelue hundred miles from the place where hee had found him and a little before day he abased himselfe the height of a launce from the ground ouer a fayre green and soft meddow where the black Knight shooke the shield to shake off Alector but hee had so well buckled it and held it so fast imbraced as though it had beene borne and vuited with his bodie and armes And yet neuerthelesse for all the shaking Alector was not a whit astonished but remained assured as though hee had beene on firme ground through vertue of the shielde which he would not leaue saying thus Or ere I shall it leaue I will be slaine Els with or on thy back returne againe Hee had not so soone spoken the word but hee felt the shield loosed by the black Knight and hee fell downe vppon the grasse all astonished aswell for the change of the ayre as for the fall which was reasonable high Wherewithall this Spirite of the black Knight who had brought him thether for his good and who tooke pleasure to chafe the hot bloud of his hardie youth began to laugh far greater and louder then euer he did in the same voyce which hee had heard him laugh the day before Wherewithall Alector beeing irrited arose on his feete in great anger saying Hay my Lord Diuell the laugher it is then thou gentle Gallhea that mockest and laughest at mee when by misaduenture I fell to the earth like a lubber but if I could catch thee Is this euill done to laugh without dooing other harme quoth the spright thou threatnest mee vainelie and with iniurie for hauing done thée a good turne for if I would it is not yet one houre passed but that I might haue let thee falne from aboue the clouds vppon the hard rocks where contrariwise I haue let thee fall downe easily vppon the grasse and soft ground for not hurting thee And if I haue a little plaide the Frog with thee to laugh at the fire of thy pleasant youth it hath not béene for thine euill but for thy good For I am thy Kinsman and I loue thee and take delight to helpe thee as hereafter thou shalt vnderstand at such time as thou shalt haue neede of mee And knowe that it was I which chased thy horse to the fountaine to make him steale from vnder thee and to make thee fall with the shielde For which the poore innocent beast is now well punished for the sauage beasts of mount Caucas are descended in great nomber at the sent of his fresh flesh and haue deuoured and eaten him as likewise they would haue done thee being not able to saue thy selfe with all thy force and hardines if I had not transported thee from that place where I haue dwelt two yeares and more conuersing about the tree and Trophie alwaies in watch to hearken and attend thy comming and to saue thee my shielde which belonged to none but thee And all those that haue assayed to take it before thy comming I haue cast them downe headlong and ruinated them after diuers waies and after another order then thou art falne in somuch that they returned no more to take it downe For I kept it for thee and I giue it thee carrie it with thee and keepe it well so it shall stand thée in great stead many times Now is my wrath and guard atchiued I wil returne to my repose where I shal alwaies be readie to ayde thée in thy extreame necessities Salute in my behalfe thy father Franc-Gal whom through my meanes thou shalt fee this day for if I had not this night brought thee more then 1200. miles thou hadst neuer seen him reccon vnto him the things which thou hast seene and showe him this shield Tell him that Gallehault Macrobe whom he knoweth sendeth him word that very shortly hee will visit him to reuenge the mortall wound which he receiued of him to God I commend thee And thus as Alector would haue thanked him and demanded an interpretation of his sayings he sawe him soddainely changed into a long and cleere flame of fire like a tayled commet flying through the ayre more swifter than the shot of a Crosse bowe mounting still towards the higher Region through the which hee had béene brought and followed him still with the eye vntill he had lost the sight thereof Wherevpon knowing not what other thing to doo hee laid him downe with his shield vpon the grasse and remembring in himself the calke which he had had with Gallehault the great black Knight with the clouen head hee fell a sleepe in the fresh of the morning a little before the breake of the day at such time as all liuing creatures take sleepe by reason of the moystnes of the night falling The sad Augure that happened to Franc-Gal his encounterie with his Sonne sleeping the mutuall knowledge and talke held betweene them The killing of Troluat the Sea monster Their departure from Tangut and the losse of Alector carried away by the wind and the lamentacion of his Father and thereupon the arriuall of the two old men at Orbe CAP. XXI THis night I had not well slept by reason of an euill Augure which was happened to me the day before for as I was at a windowe in the pallace of Tangut where I was lodged there came flying towards me a
young Doue carrying in her bill a branch of bay leaues which she presented to my hands and rested vpon my sist and as I did contemplate and behold how iollie she was decked with feathers violet changeable and guilded round about her neck like an enameled chaine I saw comming towards me two great birds of pray the one a Rauen croking who rested vpon my head the other a red Vultur who rauished away the Doue with his clawes very far off and high insomuch that I lost the sight thereof and auon after he came flying by mee againe carrying alwaies the Doue with him which me thought was become a storke carrying in her bill a turning and wreathing serpent And therevpon came an Eagle who toke the Doue letting the serpent fall to the earth starke dead and the Vultur flying away in the ayre the Eagle carried away the Doue resembling a stork so long that I sawe him no more But the Rauen who was vppon my head beate mine eyes with her wings and would not depart vntill forceably I chased her away with the blowes of mine armes and hands so that at length shee was forced to arise crying and croking in mortall threatning wise This Augurie which of a trueth was very sinister and of an euil presage to me did so trouble mee and represented vnto mee so many cursed significations that I could not sléepe in all the night wherefore being wearie of my vnquietnes I arose before day hauing deliberated to depart very shortly I went towards the Sea to see how my Hippopotame fared wherevpon it happened that in passing through the meddow being yet somewhat dark I perceiued a far off a certaine long light stretched out nere the ground yelding such a brightnes that one might well sée that there was one laid thereby and still me thought I had séene this light before that time Wherefore approching more nere and Aurora already hauing chased away the darkenes of the night I saw a most fayre yong man sléeping ful swéetly at the first sight of whom mine entrailes moued within me and I might perceiue that he was laid vpon the gréene shield of brasse with the Cock of golde which partely I knewe to bee that which I had before time hanged vpon the Trophie meruailing much how he should come by it For after I had hong it vpon the trée and séeing it so fayre I had great desire my selfe to haue carried it away and did my endeuor to haue plucked it downe againe but it was in vaine for I might aswell haue plucked vp the trée by the roote but a grey Crowe iugging ouer mée cryed Labor no more to gaine the shield For t' is ordained for a twise borne Child Which when I vnderstood I left off estéeming that it should neuer happen to any for as a man dieth but once so is hée borne but once And thereupon I remembred my selfe of the double birth of Alector which the messenger had accounted to mée and therefore I imagined that the fayre Esquire might bee my Sonne Alector considering also the sworde which hee wore which incontinently I knew to bée the same that I had sent him with the shining scabberd which was that which I saw first glister beholding likewise his rich apparrell and the chaine of gold about his neck which were tokens of noblenesse Besides this I saw the streaks of his face resembling the forme and beautie of the Quéene Priscaraxe yea more fayre and more admirable and remembring with my selfe moreouer of the fodaine and great growth that I was informed of his aduanced youth All which things conferred together I assured my selfe for certaine that this young Esquire was my Sonne Alector which made my heart to throb and mine ryes to shed teares through pittie and Fatherly loue And thus as I beheld him through amorous affection hée began to stretch out his armes and to open his eyes so cléere as fine cristall and séeing me before him sodainely hee arose on his féete and after an honest reuerence hee began his speech with the first word of trueth saying to me thus good Father what would you that thus peaceably haue ouertaken me sléeping and thus atteutiuely beholden mee Fayre Sonne quoth I for that me thinks I should knowe thée and yet haue I neuer séene thée before this present houre for the which I render thanks to the Soueraigne And the first word which thou hast vttered in reuerence of mine age as I thinke in calling me by the name of Father is issued out of thy mouth by naturall instinction for I am thy Father and thou my Sonne borne of the Quéene Priscaraxe You are then Franc-Gal quoth Alector the great olde Knight with the swimming and flying horse For other Father will I not acknowledge vnder the Heauens Franc-Gal am I for certaine quoth I and to put thée in more assurance come with me and I will show thee my swimming and flying horse To this hée most willingly agreed so went wée deuifing together vnto the sea side where I showed him my great horse Durat Hippopotame the which he séeing so great so puissant and merueilous that a hundred terrestriall horses were not comparable vnto him hee was astonished desiring greatly to be mounted vpō him in lamenting his own which the sauage beasts had eaten Then knowing for certain that I was his Father Franc-Gal hee prostrated himselfe on his knées in humble reuerence before me acknowledging me and saying my Lord and my Father behold here your humble Sonne Alector which my Lady Mother the Quéene Priscaraxe hath sent your O how truly hath Gallehault the great black knight spoken and kept promise who told me that this day hee would set mee in such a place where I should sée my Lord and Father Franc-Gal without the aide of which good spirit it had béene impossible for mee euer to haue found you through so many long and diuers errors Hereupon I enquired of him who was that Gallehault Knight and that good spirit who had adressed him to me and in our returning and going towards Tangut hee accounted to mée all his adueutures and the conquest of the faire shield in such sort as I haue recited it whereby I vnderstood that it was the great and valiant Knight the théefe which I has ouerthrowne and slaine against my will through his owne obstinate courage and buried at the foote of the Trophie and then I knew that the shield was destinated to Alector but that the black Knight threatned to sée me shortly yea and to reuenge his death that gaue mee a sad signification with the euill auguries which I had the day before But the great ioy I had to see my Sonne Alector so fayre so well borne brought vp and taught and of so happie a beginning made mee forget all ill coniectures and to set a side all doubts and feares of infortunes which hong before mine eyes and which as yet are not ended And so deuising we returned to the palace
the gentle Squire came before him and without feare thrust his arme with the sword so far into his throate that it pierced his heart The serpent féeling thereby his deadly wound began through extreame paine and anguish to turne winde in cruel wise Alector then being ioyfull and séeing his white belly vncouered which was without seales thrust in his sword a foote belowe his throat and so cut it down to his nauell in such sort that with the bloud venym fat intestines there issued out of the belly of this deuouring serpent the body of a man all consumed whome he had but two dayes before swallowed downe the bones onely remayning like an Anotomy wrapt in some paeces of bloudie and filthie clouts And the serpent a little before being the terror to a whole towne who had made so many trooked turnes and windings and giuen so many blowes with his venymous taile and that had eaten so many people being then vanquished slaine ripped and constramed to voyde that which he had deuoured and all by a young man did that being dead which neuer in his life time he would doo that is he stretched himselfe out right like a falue piller and occupying in his so lying a great part of the Sands Alector beholding him in this wise began to say O wicked beast when thou canst no longer harme thou doost that which is right good If thou in thy life time haddest mainteyned thy selfe so right as thou hast conformed thy self at thy death so many people had not by thée béen deuoured nor thou slaine And in saying so he mounted vpon him with his feete and trode vpon the head of the dead serpent in singing for ioy with a high and clere voyce and face lifted vp to Heauen an Epinic song of victorie which hee had learned in the Polonian language passing through that countrey when as the spirit of Gallehault carried him away to the great consolation of the people incredible ioy of Franc-Gal his good father This done he put vp his sword and then pulled the arrow out of the serpents throate the which he holding in his hand and viewing it red with the fresh bloud of the serpent and as yet stayned with the old bloud of his Lady Noëmia slaine could not but cast out with a profound sigh three great teares without wéeping these words O murthering Archer that with this arrowe hast traiterously slaine the innocent Noëmia Gratian the fourth of the Graces before their worthie statues and betwéene mine armes and who through an euill conscience of thy wicked deed darest not manifest thy self thinking by occult dissimulation to escape the iust vengeance I beseech the Soueraigne God Ioua who in this temple before vs is worshipped that the bloud of the innocent which I see yet on this arrow may fall with cruel vengeance vpon thee that thine iniquitie may descend vpon thy head to the terrible example of al enuious traitors and spoylers of the innocent This spoken he darted vp the arrowe into the ayre with such impetuositie accompanied as it is credible with the vertue of some superior power that it mounted with an vnspeakeable legeritie so high that all the assistants who had their view still towards heauen lost the sight thereof attending when it should fall longer than an houre with great merueiling And seeing it not to fal they descended into the Arenes to behold the horrible body of the serpent lying vppon the sands so enormious hideous and fearefull albeit hee was dead that the greater part of the multitude durst not approach him but behild him a far of sauing onely the vanquisher Alector which contemplated him in his length greatnes and terrible forme armed with impenttrable hardnes with the deadly venym of sharp teeth with catching without letting goe with a deuouring throat consuming belly and with the miserable remainders of his deuorations And hereupon considered the grace of force and hardines which the Soueraigne had bestowed vpon him to ouercome such a monster who hild so notable a towne in so miserable a subiection neuerthelesse hauing some doubt of his death and whiles hee sought very curiously on all sides behold a voyce issuing out of the carren corps of this monster sounding so high great that it was heard through the whole Theatre in these words Sonne of Franc-Gal which now hast ouerthrowne The reuenger of Calistus lately slaine To thee full heauie newes by me is showne That thou shalt be transformde for this thy paine These spéeches being cried high and déepe like the thick sound of a thunder bolt was heard of all who ran to sée what it was but nothing appeared for the serpent was stark dead and this voyce proceeded not from the beast but from some spirite to giue aduertisement or terror to Alector of that which was to come whereto he tooke then no great heede for admiration of this monster and great ioy of his victory And thus as the whole multitude were about him and the Serpent in contemplation astonished at the enormitie of the one and vertue of the other behold the arrow an houre before darted by him towards Heauen with a great bruit fell downe from thence againe in a flaming fire cutting the high region with a sharpe sounde and lightning with such impetuositie amids the fearefull multitude that it fell vpon the head of a young man named Coracton borne in Orbe of better house than name who being stroken therewith and attaint with this Celestiall fire vnquenchable fell downe to the ground where through the intollerable paines and heate wherewith hee felt himselfe burned he lay tumbling and groueling in the sands horriblie crying Mercie mercie Noëmia Mercie Franck Alector for I am the cursed Coracton that through malicious enuie and enraged iealosie haue traiterously slaine the fayre Noëmia with the proper arrow that now pierceth and burneth my braynes and entrailes Mercie O Soule of Noëmia content thy selfe with more lighter reuenge what canst thou doo more to me if the death be too little for me O Alector for the loue of Noëmia which was so deere vnto thee I require of thee this last gift that with thy sword the reuenger of euil thou wilt vouchsafe to abridge my life and rid mée out of the torment wherein I burne Now truely quoth Alector who would haue bin sory that the death of his Noëmia should haue bin reuenged with any other hand than his owne this graciousnes shall not be denied thee but it shall not be with my good sword because it is vnworthie to be stayned with so wicked a bloud and therewithall he tooke a halberd out of the hand of one of the 400. men which kept the field and therewith gaue him such a blow vpon the head that hee cloue it in twaine the braines all sprinckling about the sands burnt and smokie Neuerthelesse for all this the Celestiall fire and the arrowe which had entred into his body ceased not to follow and burne
him vntill the head corps entrailes flesh bones and sinewes were cleane consumed into stinking ashes together with the murthering arrow Such was the diuine vengeance that fell vpon the traitor and enuious paricide Coracton wherewithall the people were astonished in feare and terror of the great vertue and more than humaine puissance supernaturally giuen to this young Esquire who forthwith was taken by the Potentate Diocles accompanied with all the Assessours Magistrats and Lords of the towne and led into the chiefest place of the Theatre wher with Croniel the pontifical Archier was Franc-Gal so rauished with ioy for the health victorie of his sonne Alector that he was beyond himself not knowing whether hee were man or spirit quick or dead sensible or vnsensible And neuertheles his son Alector came before al the multitude saluted him with humble reuerence childly cherefulnes saying vnto him My most honorable Lord father thanks be vnto the soueraigne that beyond al my hope in spight of the rauishing trāsport of the wicked spirits we are againe assembled vnited together and so shal continue if God please who hath vouchsafed to grant me a sight of you after so long a depart you to finde me after so long vncertain a search which I verily beleeue you haue made Franc-Gal vnderstāding his sonn answered him thus Alector my most dere child the soueraigae God Ioua increase thee with vertue hardines honor Then beholding his shield and eleuating his eyes to heauen began againe his speach saying Thanks be vnto the Soueraigne and to thée most high sonne for that before my departure out of this mortall life which shal be very soone wherein I haue liued nine ages more I sée before me my most déere Sonne Alector borne of my Lady Priscaraxe Quéene of Tartary and haue seen his first prowesse promises of farre greater in tune to come with his first honors done vnto him in a strange countrey yea that amongst his enemies such as had vowed his mortall destruction my child I pray the soueraign Ioue that the order of knighthood may bee giuen thee by some valiant and magnificall man for of me thou hast fayled the receining therof when as thou shalthaue receiued it perseuer to honour Soueraigne Ioue and to giue him praises euerie houre both day and night Lift vp thy spirit and eyes towards heauen from whence thou hast taken original and thy courage to high enterprises hardines prowesse honour alwaies accompanie thee vertue freedom and liberalitie neuer abandon thee be freend to the good an enemie reuenger to the wicked My Sonne the hand of the most puissant most great and most good God blesse thee and my fatherly blessing take thou in a good houre Saying this he put his hand vpon the head of his sonne and then adressing his speach to the Croniell Archier hee said thus I likewise thanke thee most vertuous Archier for thy faithfull conduct honest company and of thy good and veritable foretellings which haue consolated me and giuen me to vnderstand that the end of my perigrination is at hand and that shortly the vaticination of Proteus shall bee accomplished I haue liued and perfected the course which nature hath giuen me To be briefe my great Image shall goe vnder the earth and the flame of my Cierge remount vp to Heauen from whence it came cause my departure to be signified to my faith full companions who are at the next port with my Hippopotame but aboue al send word into Tartary to the Queene Priscaraxe to let her vnderstand of my departure to the end she stay no longer for mee Croniell promised him to accomplish his request if the mortal thing should chance to happen which seemed to him neither to bee ready nor nere at hand considering at that present hee was both in perfect health and bigor In the meane while the Magistrates lords multitude with great silence beheld these two persons strangers the father and the sonne in great admiratiō of their heroycal comelines and equall and like beautie according to the difference of their ages together with their excellent magnanimities valiant facts and aduenturous déedes and of their fortunate encountrie and mutuall knowledge the one of the other in that place of the Theatre in such sort that either without speach or mouing vniuersally they held their immutable eyes vpon Franc-Gal and Alector Then Croniel the Archier sayd Yee men of Orbe who vpon these 2. strange men doo cast your view in great admiration know yee that our Soueraigne God Ioua hath sent them into these regions frō far Septentrional countries for the publique health of our citie and destruction of our domestical and internall enemie whom you your selues and in your presence haue séene slaine and discomfited by the sonne of this wise man who likewise before hath deliuered the woods and fields round about vs from the danger of the terrible Centaure whom he slew and deliuered the fayre Noëmia from his hands which afterwards was the occasion of the scandale that now hath turned to our great common good for therewith we are bound to him and owe the greatest and chiefest honor and praise next vnto God To whome first of all let vs goe and render thanks in his temple where we wil deuise further with what prise of honor wee shall acknowledge the merit of this young man Al the people general answered hereto So be it Of the thanks giuing in the Temple the publique praise the prize of honour assigned with the ciuill crowne giuen to Alector Of the death of Franc-Gal the lamentation for him his elenation and translation of the losse of Hippopotame and of the bird sent away as a messenger CAP. Vlt. AT these words the Archier betwéene the Father and the Sonne went right to the temple whereto hée was followed of the Potentate Magistrats Lords and the greater part of the people And being come thether there were set on the highest degree before the altar thrée chayres In the middlemost the Archier tooke his place in the two others Franc-Gal and Alector were placed and the Potentate with the other Lords counsellors and other Magistrates betooke them to their accustomed seats This done all of them following the example of their Bishop bowed their knées and enclined their heads in silent prayer and thanks giuing and afterwards rising vp at the suite and imitation of their Priest Croniell and his ministers with the founds of all forts of instruments according with the voyce in harmenious Musick they sung this song following Thanks be to Ioue our great and Soueraigne Lord Who hath vs brought out of these mortall dangers Honor and praise we people him afford That hath vs saued by the hands of strangers O blessed spirits and sacred Angels bright Vouchsafe now to present before his throne Our gratefull psalme and song of sweet delight Acknowledging that through his grace alone The worthie child and Sonne of vertuous syre
Hath slaine our foe that did our death conspire After this psalme sung with great ioy and iubilation the Bishop Croniell spake vnto all the assistance in this manner This day haue you soene my Lords friends that thing accomplished which not long since I haue showed vnto you by diuine reuelation which is vnfaylable that is the publique health with our deliuerance from the common terror and vniuersell danger by the ouerthrow of the serpent which this young and valiant Esquire Alector sonne of the sage Franc-Gal hath slaine to the extreame hazard and perrill of his life So as by this most vertuous act he hath restored your whole citie to the wonted securitie for the which all in generall owe him thanks and honour and not onely to him with vouchsased to accomplish the meritorious act of so great a praise but also to his father who for vs and the common wealth of this citie hath brought into the World a Sonne of such vertue Now haue wee an ancient order and a most laudable custome not to bee ingratefull to the well meritors of our common wealth but ouer and aboue our verball regratiation to reward honour them with some notable publique déede and some guift of honorable prize wherefore prepare your selues to yeeld this fauorable grace towards these two strangers who to my thinking haue well desetued the same At these words all the multitude cried with one voyce we yéeld thanks to Alector our perseuer who hath exposed his life for vs against our internall mortall enemie and that hath deliuered vs from his dangers moreouer we giue thanks vnto his bertuous father Franc-Gal who hath sent vs such a worthie Sonne and we likewise declare both of them worthie of the rights of our citie of Orbe to be set amongst the estates of the Prytan and particularly the ciuill crowne to be set vppon the head of Alector as a deliuerer of the citie then quoth the Bishop are you all of this minde will and consent Who answered with one voyce yea then the Archier caused to bee brought by his ministers a most fayre crowne of gold fashioned like to the leaues of an Oake enamiled with greene and the bayes of waightie rubies and the acornes of sine emeraulds which when he had taken it in his hand he turned towards Franc-Gal and Alector saying vnto them in this wise My Lord Franc-Gal a man most vertuous and thou Alector Esquire most valerous the citie of Orbe vniuersally thanketh you for their wholesome deliuerance out of the danger and publique euill in acknowledging whereof the Lords Magistrats and all the people do grant vnto you being strangers all the rights and priuileges of this citie and from hensforth receine you for cittizens and Patrices of this towne of Orbe in assigning to you the estate of Prytan so great and honorable that it is onely ordeyned for the excellent benefactors who haue wel deserued of the common wealth Ouer and aboue the which for especial honor of thy vertue Alector of thy magnanimity valiant victory ouer the monstrous serpēt of the sands the internall enemy of the citie for thy worthie reuenging of Noëmias death slaughter of the sauage Centaure our external enemy for the excellent prize of honor for these thy valiant acts they presēt thée with this rich crown acknowledging thée for the liberator of their citie In this saying he lifted vp the faire and rich crowne and set it vpon the head of Alector who receiuing it graciously with a shamefast rednes resembled to one of Phoebus morning beames his Father Franc-Gal beholding him so affectionatly and fatherly with an extreame interior ioy at the honour wherein hee saw his Sonne a little before as an offendor condemned tooke such a suddaine ioy after the extreame dolors and deadly feares which hee had not long before conceiued aswell by his dreames oracles visions augures and proper prognostications as also of the perill wherein he had séen his sonne vnhoped for in combat with the serpent that his soule was almost out of himselfe through the violence of the vnspeakeable aduentures diuers encountries suddaine chances vnlooked for and strange mutations from sorrow into hope from hope into trauaile and dolor from trauel into doubt from doubt into feare from feare into vnhoped ioy and from ioy into incredible admiration by which diuers contratie and striuing passions being perturbated he resembled a liuing body in a rauished soule as in trueth he was neuerthelesse such a new ioy shined in his merrie vermilion face full of gracious chéerefulnes that it witnessed the pleasure which he receiued of the happy houre and honour of his crowned sonne as already from his infancie he had an euident signe Alector then séeing him thus repleat with ioy demanded if the crowne were properly appertaining to him and it was answered yea Then he lifting it from his owne head set it vpon the head of his Father Franc-Gal who through sodaine mutation which is perilous and oftentimes deadly from feare into assurance and from sorrowe into vnhoped ioy being alreadie halfe beyond himselfe and féeling this sonnelie pittie to crowne him through excessiue ioy and loue could no longer kéepe his rauished spirit from flying away through vehement exultation and at the same instant was séene a long streight and a most pure and clere flame issuing out of his eyes and mounting towards heauen through the top of the temple which in trueth was the light of his cierge put out the last day of his peregrination in the temple of the Soueraigne God according to the ordinance of the ancient Lady Anange and of her thrée daughters Cleronome Zodore and Termaine who as then ended the cierge of his life sight and way in such sort that he remained stif and departed in the same habitude of ioyfull and pleasant face which he had when with the extremitie of loue and ioy the crowne was set vpon his head by his dere sonne Alector in such sort that none thought he had giuen vp the Ghost but onely the good Croniell who before had reuelation of his departure and who by conferring the visions and oracles together and vnderstanding priuatly his speaches doubted the worst Wherefore hauing signified so much to the people in the presence of them all he lifted vp his head by the chin calling him thrée times by his name but it auailed not for there remained neither life soule nor spirit in him his Sonne Alector more sorrowful of his fathers death than before he had béen ioyfull of his new glorie embraced accolled kissed called and cried to him but hee might easilie perceiue him to be nothing but a statue of flesh seperated from the soule whereupon through great heauines and sorrowe which stroke him at the heart hee swounded in the chayre in such sort as it was thought that both Father and Sonne had béen dead the whole multitude being astonished of so suddaine a mutation from ioy into sorrow and from life into death
followed her alwaies vntil she was flowen verie farre of and reposed her selfe vpon a high trée attending him But the Archier Croniel who was vnder the trée seeing the foule at a faire aduantage bent his bow thinking to let flie an artowe to haue killed her but as hee was taking his marke with eager leuelling behold a Lionesse issued out of an olde ruined caue which was hard by where she nourished her yong and faire and softlie came stealing to assaile the poore Archier who gaue no béen at all sauing to his aforesaid marke and therewithal had strangled and carried him to her yong had not Franc-Gal who was not sarre off presently aduanced himselfe to the succeur of the poore Archier with his sword in his hand and the shield of azure with the Senue of golde in readinesse The Beast hearing the brute of the sounding harnesse for Franc-Gal was armed and the great noyse which he made in crying turned fiercelie against him and cast her mightie pawes vpon his shield with such a force that shee plucked it out of his hand but Franc-Gal so puissant as a Giant gaue her ouerthwart the sides such a stroke with his sword that he cut her bodie in two péeces wherewithall the beast dying gaue out such an horrible crie that two of her whelpes so yong that scarce they could créepe issued out of the ruined caue crying after their Dam. Franc-Gal séeing them said that of an euill beast no yong ought to be left and for that cause flewe them both and in terrour of others after the manner of Aphricke hung them vp by the tailes vpon a tree with the moities of the bodie of their Dam to the great astonishing of the Archier who being releeued out of the sodaine feare which he had by reason of the Beastes clawes greatlie meruailed of this readie sodaine and vnlooked for helpe and succour and of the valiauncie of this faire olde man for the which he thanked him right heartelie knowing for a certaine that it was hee which by the nighthe reuclation was showed him should saue his life And for that cause demaunded him what good fortune had brought him so happely to his rescue from the death and what hee sought in those Countreyes for by his personage armes and habit he knew him to be a stranger and promising him all aide and succour in anie thing wherein be might serue him I am come hether quoth Franc-Gal by following the augurie of a Bird prognosticating to me that shee would conduct me to the Sands at Orbe but thou by seeking to kil her hast caused me to lose her not regarding or taking heed thy selfe of the fierce and sauage beast which was behinde readie to deuoure thee whiles thou soughtest to eutrap and slay my guide which may be an example that oftentimes he which is a murtherer in will is murthered himselfe in déede the taker taken and the ender brought to an ende It is truth quoth the Archier and I acknowledge it and I confesse that without thy succour I had béen dead for the which most heartelie I thanke thée and in recompence of chasing away thy Birde which conducted thée I promise thee by the faith of an honest maÌ„ to lead thee whether thou wouldest goe and to aide thée in what I maye tell mee onelie whether thou meanest to goe I pretende quoth Franc-Gall to goe to the Sands at Orbe there to finde my faire and yong sonne Alector being wel brought vp and a valiant Squire whom the winde rauished and transported from me beeing vppon the Septentrion seas whom I shall neuer sée againe alas as the song of this auguring Bird hath presaged me Notwithstanding without him I neither can nor wil liue anie longer and therewithall Franc-Gall cast out great sighes from the bottom of his heart for with him he hath carried away my soule life as I haue foreseene in my dreame in Scythia vpon the Lyons skinnes O faire childe O meruailous infant fatallie engendered twice borne supernaturallie nourished growen vp before the time wise before age strong aboue nature hardy beyond humanitie adtienturouslie fortuned feared of the wicked beloued of the good yea of spirites who by iealouzie as I thinke haue rauished and carried thee I knowe not whether Must I for so small and briefe a time of enioying the presence of thine amiable person so long suffer the absence of thee that after my long and tedious peregrination heeretofore spent I must nowe againe trauerse the world to seek thee in feare and doubt whether euer to finde thee And at this word the bloudie teares departing from the depth of his heart enterrupted his speach insomuch that he remained a little space in silence and afterwards to begin his dolefull speach againe in this manner turning himselfe to the Archier And therefore my friend Archier I tell thee this that I haue lost a Sonne called Alector engendred of Priscaraxe Queene of Tartarie one of the wisest and fairest Dames vnderthe Heauens of the Moone whom I loue desire to see againe for I haue not seene her in moe than eight yeres neither is it lawfull for me to returne by reason of an othe which I haue taken before her without bringing her sonne made Knight either by my hand or by the hand of some other For the accomplishing whereof I haue alreadie assayed but alwaies failed yea and haue found my selfe impotent and forlorne of my members and tongue in going about it the cause thereof I cannot imagine vnlesse the Fates haue ordeined that his Knighthood shall hee giuen him by some other hand and not by mine the soueraigne graunt it may be of a better God grant it quoth the Archier but what are these Fates and Destinies whereof thou speakest are they anie puissances of Fortune which is nothing as I think No no quoth Franc-Gall I call the infaileable and immutable ordinances of souereigne God that ruleth al with his prouidence Fates It is right well spoken and most worthelie vnderstood quoth the Archier and so thou seest it is not the will ordained by the Souereigne that he shall be made Knight by thy hand it is to be vnderstood that it is reserued for a better without contrarying or being angrie therewith No more doo I quoth Franc-Gall neither am I sorowfull but for that I cannot finde my Sonne Aleâ—… without whom I cannot returne to the Queene Priscaraxe his mother neither can hee without mee by sworne promise which I doubt mee can neuer be accomplished of either of vs as my heart giueth me remembring the presages oracies visions and dreames which haue giuen me such significating And herevpon with greeuous sighing he helde his peace Which caused the Archier to imagine that the faire Esquier which hee vnderstoode was condemned to fight with the Serpent of the Sands might well hee the Sonne which this faire olde man went searchng and sorrowing for and therefore he said vnto him Thou strange man consolate thy spirit for I hope