his head This Mauritanian was so inflamed with wrath that he had no minde to shew anie agilitie with his Speare but rather with a wrathfull voice hée sayde I doo beleeue that with the flourishing of thy Speare brauenesse of thy horse thou thinkest to scarre me hauing spoken words that could not be vttered but by some foolish man or by some knight of little estimation or by some one that is enimie vnto Mahomet The Emperour answered so much thou maist saie that thou maist happen vppon the truth and héere I giue thée to vnderstand that I am a Christian and seruaunt vnto my Lorde Iesu Christ and enimie vnto Mahomet and much more vnto thée therfore make thy selfe readie to the battaile and take that part of the field which pleaseth thée I will make thée to knowe what my Speare can dooe The furie of the Pagan was such that he was almost without all féeling yet he comforted himselfe in thinking to make reuengement of the wordes which he had sayde and had a greate desire to knowe who that knight was which with so greate hardinesse and courage did speake vnto him and hée asked it of him saying Knight héere I doo giue thée lisence to speake all that thou wilt for that thou art now in place where none can deliuer thee from my hands but onely Mahomet neuerthelesse I doo desire thée by that God in whoÌ„ thou sayst thou dooest beleeue and that so truely vehemently thou dooest serue that thou tell me who thou art whereby I may know what he was that hath ben so arrogant against me Thou hast so coniured me aunswered the Emperour that I cannot let but tell thée Thou shalt therefore vnderstand y t I am the Emperour Trebatio of Greece father vnto those clére lights of al knighthood the knight of y e Sun that valiant Rosicleer which by another name is called y e knight of Cupide if at anie time thou hast heard anie talke of them When the Pagan heard that it was he whose fame was so much spoken of in all the world and no lesse feared without anie more tarrying he defied him to mortall battayle and without anie more wordes they tourned theyr horses and not staâ—eng for the sound of trumpets they pricked them with their spurs and with great violence in the midst of their course they brake their speares so easelye as though they had bene made of Canes and neither of them receiued any harme nor once mooued out of the saddles and turning their horses about they layd hand on their swords The Emperour of Greece did first strike the Pagan king so terrible a blowe that he threw downe to the gound a very rich mirrour which was vpon the crest of his helme hauing in it the Image of Mahomet and it was with such strength that it made his téeth chatter in his head At this blowe the pagan did not meruaile but rather gratified his courtesie in the lyke sort but the Emperour did beare it off with his shéelde and it cut off one corner thereof and descended vpon his helme with such force that it made him boow his head At the which this auncient warriour tooke so great anger and wrath that throwing his shield to the ground he tooke his sword in both his hands and stroke such a blowe at his aduersarie that if it had not bene that he did defend it verye well with his shield with that one blow he had finished the the battaile but yet his shield was cut in two péeces and the blowe glaunced from his shoulder downwards lighted vpon the Pagans knée whereas it made a wound for that the bloud gaue testimonie thereof This fierce Moore when he saw his owne bloud with great furie he threw froÌ„ him the rest of the shield that did remaine in his hand and stroke such a cruell blow at this heroycall Emperour vpon his helme that it gaue a great and meruailous sound thorough all the plaines and fields The â—urmounted furie wher with this terrible blowe was discharged was the occasion that he without any féeling fell downe vppon the horse necke with all his body When the pagan sawe him in this case he procured to giue him another blowe but by reason of the Emperours stooping he pricked his horse with his spurs and with a little remembraunce he helde himselfe fast for not falling His horse with great lightnesse lept on the one side whereby this valiant Trebatio was cleare of that blowe And when he saw himselfe so euill intreated by that Pagan he recouered again his sword and clasping it fast in his fist he discharged vpon the Moore so strong and terrible a blowe that he made him without all remembraunce to fall backwards vpon the horse crupper and ther issued out of his helme very much bloud which proceeded out of his mouth and nose and séeing him in this traunce he sayd I sweare by God King that thou hast small remembraunce but tarrye a little and I will make thée remember thy selfe better and giuing a turne vnto his horse thinking to cut off the pagans head his tourning was with such great hast that his horse doubled in such sort that he fell to the ground with the Emperour on his backe neuerthelesse with great lightnes with out putting his foote into the stirrop he lept into the saddle again But yet it could not be so quickly done but that this strong Mauritanian was come to himselfe and séeing that he was all be bathed in bloud he knew y t he had bene in great perill Then with wonderfull courage he recouered his sword and settled himselfe in his saddle and with furious blowes he began to strike so that at euery blowe it séemed his strength did still increase which indéede was true for the more his wrath and yre kindeled the more his fiercenes and strength increased in such sort that euery blowe which he stroke was almost sufficient to ouerthrowe a great Tower All these feates the Quéene did beholde from a tower which was in the Pallaice greatly fearing the successe of this terrible battaile and praying with all her heart vnto her Gods for the Emperours victorie This furious Pagan was halfe ashamed for 〈◊〉 he could not bring the Emperour into subiection although his terrible blowes didde double increase and séeing he could not he begun to exclaim against his Gods and sayd Oh Mahomet where is nowe all thy power and strength how is it that thou dost consent that one onely Christian should make so great defence indure so long The Emperour which heard all that y e Moore had sayd with a wrathfull and angry voyce aunswered O thou wretched infidell how greatly art thou deceiued in thinking that he which hath no power to help himselfe can helpe thée and deliuer thée out of my hands I beleeue with the assistaunce of my God before that night doo come to heaw thée all in péeces by the strength of my armes and héerwith he
to goe foorth with the rest So in this order as I haue told you they went foorth of the Citie all sixe together and he which gaue the first onset was that valiant and amorous Eleno of Dacia brothers son vnto the Emperour who with a gentle behauiour when hée came nigh the Emperour sayd in the Saracen tongue It is not the part of good Knights to speake any villany especially against Kings whom they are bound to haue in reuerence honour To whom the Emperour aunswered in the same language Art thou Noraldino King of Numidia Don Eleno replyed No but I am a Knight and a very stranger in this countrey but yet by firme oath I determine to dye in the defence of his right The Emperor aunswered He hath neither iustice nor right on his side but it is most apparant wrong which he doth maintaine and there is no reason that such a traytor as he is shoulde be by anye other defended neither is it séemely that anie Knight of price should charge himselfe in his behalfe for that he is a traytor And likewise he that doth defend him and take his part in this that hee will sustaine and maintaine so great vniustice is pertaker of his treason and meriteth a traytors name And for that thou art his defender héere I giue thée to vnderstand that I care not for thée and lesse I doo estéeme thée for that hée which doth take vpon him to defend a traytor may well be accounted a traytor This valiaunt Eleno when hée sawe himselfe to be so ill intreated aunswered Thou lyest in so saying for that I was neuer traytor neither doo I procéede of the lynage where traytors euer were notwithstanding thou shalt pay me with thy head the great vncurtesie which thou hast vsed vnto me Therefore it doth stande thée in hand to looke vnto thy selfe and take that part of the fielde which thou thinkest best for thy purpose and leaue off these blazing words to ioyne with me in battaile that I maye sée if thou canst as well defend thy quarrell as thou canst handle thy tongue At which words there drew nigh them the Prince Clauerindo and as the Emperour woulde haue departed to put himselfe in battel he did behold him straight waye knew him And casting his eyes on the one side likewise knew the other thrée but he could not knowe who the Prince Eleno should be and for the great desire which hée had to know what he was he sayd Knight I doo desire thée for courtesies sake to tell me what thou art if thou wilt not grant me this then I pray thée to lift vp y ◠visor of thy helme y ◠I may sée thy face for héere I giue thée to vnderstād thy foure companions I dooe knowe which is the occasion that I haue no desire to enter into battaile with thée Then Don Eleno aunswered and sayd Pagan of the two things which thou doest aske of mée although there is no compulsion yet will I pleasure thée in fulfilling one of them and in saying these wordes he lift vp the visour of his healme and when the Emperour sawe him he beléeued that it had béene his sonne Rosicleer and with a loud voice he said Oh mightie God how can this be true that vnto knights of my lignage should chaunce so vile a spot who hetherto in all their dooings haue got great honour and praise and now are come to defend such apparaunt wickednesse and treason Thou shalt vnderstand knight that I am the Emperour Trebatio and would not willingly now be called thy Father for that thou art come to defend so apparaunt and knowen an euill for I knowing the vnreasonable naughtinesse that this king hath committed am come to take this conquest in hande for in all my life time I neuer tooke a more iuster cause in hand neither was there euer in all the worlde a thing more worthier of punishment then this and séeing that my fortune hath béen such that my first enimie that shuld come against me séemeth my sonne put thy selfe héere now before thy high progenitour from whence thou doest descend and for Gods loue doe not blot thy stock in defending traitours treason therwith in few words he told vnto them all the whole history as before I haue tolde you Then this excellent Dacian answered High mightie Emperour although by my name thou hast not knowen me yet in calling me sonne thou diddest happen on the truth For thou shalt vnderstand that I am called Eleno of Dacia sonne vnto the king of Dacia thy brother and in that which thou hast sayde that we doe maintaine treasons we are to the contrarie informed neuertheles I beséech your highnesse to tarrie héere a while and therewith he and the Prince in a great confusion returned to the place whereas the rest of his companions were and turning his talke vnto the king he sayd King of Numidia thou shalt vnderstand that yonder knight is the Emperour of Grecia my vnckle who in that small time which we haue ben with him hath told vnto vs all the effect of this thy matter cleane contrary vnto that which thou hast declared vnto vs. Therfore King there is no reason that Knights of so high bloud and name as we are should be set to defend lyes and treasons but if it be to the contrary of that which he hath told vnto me haue no doubt but tell vs the truth For héere I sweare by the loue that I beare vnto that vnlouing Lidia that I will trauayle so with my vnckle that greatly with thy honour thou shalt goe thorough with this conquest Then this false King aunswered O Knights which doo confesse your selues to be Christians and by the God whome you doo worship haue made a solemne oath to helpe and defend me by the strength of your armes how happeneth it now y ◠without any care of your oth which you haue sworn you will leaue me desolate and goe from your words béeing doubtfull of the very truth The couragious French man aunswered Doo thou not thinke King that our oathes and words shall be abrogated rather first we will léese our liues both I the prince all our companions but consider king that God will not that we shall imagine amisse of Trebatio who is a prince of great veritie and truth and agayne our verie nigh kinsman Therefore this and that which hée hath tolde vs hath moued vs to come and tell thée and doe saye that none of vs will goe from his word and oath if thy cause be iust Then the valyaunt Eleno did cut off his reasons and tourning vnto the King he sayd King of Numidia héere I do most humblye desire thée that with false illusions thou putte not vs vnto so great trauaile for that then it can not be but either wée must dye in the hands of him whome we doe desire to serue or els though farre vnlikely to kill him Is it possible king
intreated of a proude Giant aunswering him he sayde In truth I haue defyed thy brother who semeth to haue more discresion then thou hast And in y e same demaund I doe defie thée to mortall battaile In the which I think to make thée know the vylenesse of thy reasons the basenesse vsed in thy wordes And take from that huge membred body thy head with the force of this my stronge arme At which wordes the Gyant who first apeared and was putting on his armour sayde vnto his brother This knight of his owne vertue and bountie doth come to be slayne or els procure lybertie to the Princes and he semeth to haue souerayne hardinesse and strength and there is no reason to shew thy valour in speaking so proudly vnsemely words but with the fury of thy vntamed arme And if the Gods doe graunt vnto him to haue the victory ouer me there shal remayne time for thée to showe thy valoure And there with he made him to withdrawe himselfe from the windowe leauing Rosicleer verie well satisfied with his courtesie So within a lyttle while after he heard them opening the gates of the Castle letting downe the draw bridge Then the couragious Gréeke tooke the bridge and put himself within the castel into a very faire large court all adorned round about with rich windowes and on the one side a verie faire Orchard accompanied with verie sweete odoriferous flowers all manner of sweete hearbs in the which were many that were drossing those trées and hearbes putting them in order some were occupyed in making of fine hedges and arbours others in husbanding the trees and cutting of them others in digging of the ground others in setting of hearbes who when they sawe Rosicleer they all stayed from their worke imputed that knight to be verie vnwise to giue that enterprise and amongst them was the Gyant who last of all spake vnto Rosicleer at the window with a mightie great club in his hand and for the defence of his bodie a simple harnesse who sayde vnto Rosicleer Come in come in thou hardie foole for that thou shalt receiue the paiment of thy vndiscréet foolish boldnesse The Prince without making anie aunswere went on forwards entering in at the other gate he came into a very faire and paued Court the which was compassed about with three faire galleries one aboue another the Prince receiued great delight to sée the excellent worke of them So not long after there descended downe a paire of staires the first giant armed with strong armour his shéelde on his arme and a great broad cutting sword in his hand who without speaking anie word assaulted him with mortall battaile The worthie Gréeke was in a readinesse for to make his defence with his sword in his hand The Gyant stroke at him a terrible blow right down but the Gréeke with a light leap made him to misse his blow and his swoord fell downe vpon the pauement in such sort that it made a great number of sparkes of fire to flie out as soone as the blowe was passed the Greeke stroke him vpon the arme which blow was not verie great for that he could not verie well reach him vnto his contentment yet for all that it did not let to cut his armour flesh and all vnto the hard bone and although the Gyant did feele the wound somewhat greeuous yet did he procure to dissemble the feeling of the paine and griefe and with the great anger he had to feele himselfe hurt he threwe his sheelde from him to the ground and tooke his greate sworde fast in both his handes and returned thinking to haue stroke the Gréeke with double force more thē before but he did procure to cléere himselfe as he did at the first striking a blow at the Gyant thinking to haue stroke him againe on his armes but hee could not reach him but it lighted vpon the Gyants sword and the blowe was such that the force of the steelie blade was not sufficient to make resistaunce but that the swoorde of the Gréeke did enter in and made a great gappe but the Gyauntes third blowe was such that without resistaunce it chaunced vppon the Greekes shéelde and all that euer it hit it carryed to the grounde and parte of it lyghted on his healme in such sort that Rosicleer was constrained to stoope with his knées to the grounde but with greate lyghtnesse he arose vp againe and béeing verie wrathfull that he had receyued such a blowe hée let loose his shéelde and stepped to the Gyaunt with his sworde in both his handes and stroke him vpon his left shoulder and the blowe glaunced but if it had chaunced to haue stroke him full at that blowe hee had made an ende of the battaile but for all that hée remayned verie sore hurt and his swoorde fell to the grounde and raised manye sparkes of fire The Gyaunt was verye much amazed at the power and strength of his enimie but not in such sorte that it shoulde cause in him anie weaknesse but rather with a newe courage hée retourned vnto his begunne battaile with so greate courage as though he had receiued no hurt at all at that time both of them stroke the one at the other with great strength power although the Gyaunt was verie much disturbed by reason of his wounds but yet for all that he shewed greate prowesse This battayle and contencion betwéene them continued more then two long houres in which time there went from his wounds great aboundance of bloud so in the ende whether with werinesse of the long contempt or with the losse of so much bloud the Gyaunt could not kéepe himself on foote but fell downe vnto the ground as one y t were dead The prince who had thought he had bene dead did not receue much delight for that he was a reasonable Gyant and of much vertue and courtesie But yet in great hast he went to pul of his helme and then he hard that out of the Castel they began to crye out and sayde holde thy hande euill knight and doe not make an ende to kill our naturall Lord for in doing it thou shalt dye the death And loking about him to sée who it was that spake vnto him those threatning wordes he saw desending downe at a broade payre of stayres to the number of fiftene knights who with a great rushing and noyse being all very well armed and semed to be very good knights for that they were of a good disposition And as he saw them cōming with a furious courage he encountred them and sayde The name which you haue giuen me I will make that hereafter you shall vse it no more or els I will lose my lyfe And therwith he put himselfe amongst them with so great furye as the cruell and hongery Wolfe doeth amongst a company of simple sheepe and stroke the first with so great strength that with the fury of his arme he
one side to the other without taking anie rest and with sorrowfull wéeping and a terrible voyce she called him traytor and like a fierce Tygresse with the dagger which she carried she cut the throate of that innocent infant and threwe it to him on the bedde and sayde take there thou cruell traytour the fruite which thou madest within my body and then she threwe the dagger after him to kill the King but Fortune would not that it shuld take effect This wretched King when he sawe all this which the Quéene hadde done he was therewith maruelous sore troubled and in his furie he layde hold vpon hir and did intreate hir very euil But when the Quéene sawe that the blowe tooke no effect that she could not bring to passe that which she had determined she returned vpon hir selfe hir outragious furie taking that bloudie dagger thrust it to hir hart in such sort that she parted it in two péeces and so she fell downe dead into the armes of him which was the occasion of all this euill and crueltie The great sorrowe that this false and and vnhappie King receiued was straunge in such sort that he knewe not what counsell to take but thinking vpon the great punishment that might succéede these cruell actes hée straight waies procured y t the bodie of the quéene shoulde be buried in great 〈◊〉 At that time there was a soothsayer a wise-man in 〈…〉 who aduertised him y t for this cruell fact which 〈…〉 his kingdome shuld be destroyed and that it shoulde fall into the handes of him which he most hated who was his brothers sonne his cousin The King béeing aduertised of all that which should happen hée determined to vse a cruell pollicie which was hée woulde set watch and warde throughout all his Kingdome for to take and arest all such trauellers as by aduenture landed vppon his Ilande not suffering them to passe till such time as they hadde promised him by oath to ayde and assist him euen vnto the death against certaine his enimies which wold dispossesse him of his Kingdome maâ—â—ng them beléeue that vniustlye and without occasion they intended to take it from him Then this my aforenamed Knight which had séene and hearde all the tragicall dealing that is héere declared in the best wise he coulde retourned againe to my Court and tolde me all that you haue heard which was vnto me verie sorrowfull and heauie newes Iudge heere then gentle Knight what sorrowe I poore and vnfortunate king receiued and what bitter anguish I sustained So heerewith entered in the great soothsayer and wise man called Artemidoro who came to comfort me and certefied me that all this crueltie should be reuenged by a mightie and strong arme although before that should come to passe there shoulde bée fought manie fierce battailes and perswaded me to beléeue it for that he tolde me the truth So because that this wise man was so well knowen I did beléeue him and gaue credite vnto his words and requested him for his part to procure all that in him did lye to preferre this my reuengment So straight way he put it in practise and caused a Chariot to be brought and bad me enter into it and in a trice he caried me whereas my daughter was and commaunded me to put hir into the Chariot and brought hir vnto this Ilande assuring me that he which should ouercome y e kéepers which he would héere set should be the Knight that should reuenge my iniurie And seeing that thou hast ouercome the kéepers that had the charge of the body of this my murdred daughter perfourme now the oath which thou hast made lyke a valyaunt Knight and for the better performaunce thou must goe vnto Cimarra whereas thou shalt finde me the vnfortunate King thereof awaiting thy comming At the reading of this sorrowfull historie the Emperour and she that was with him did shed many salt teares wherwith there did increase in him a farther desire of reuengement And so they departed to the Sea side whereas they did refresh themselues and returned vnto their voyage late begun ¶ How the Emperour Trebatio did lande himselfe at the Ilande Citarea and of all things that happened there Cap. 13. HEere you haue heard tolde howe that after the Emperour had read the scrowle of parchment that was written and laide vnder the pillowe at the head of the dead bodie of the Ladie Herea how he returned to prosecute his iourney which he had taken in hand for the defence of the faire Lidia and howe that they did imbarke themselues in their Galley and the sea béeing pacified of that boistrous tempest which they receiued in their last voyage the Gallie satled forwards with a verie good and prosperous winde the space of thrée dayes without meeting with anie aduenture In the ende whereof they landed at the Iland of Otonio which by another name is called Citarea which straight waie was knowen by that faire Ladie to bée the Iland where her beloued Brenio was and she sayd vnto the Emperour Lorde this is the Ilande that keepeth hid from me the whole comfort of my heart So straight waye the Emperour went a lande and tooke with him the fayre Lidia and commaunded that his horse and his Speare and the Ladyes palfraâ—e shoulde likewise be â—aken out of the Galleye and when the Emperour hadde well perused his armour he armed himselfe and tooke the waie which lead him towards the Castell leauing on the right hande the famous Temple which from farre did shew the greate sumptuousnesse thereof in the gate whereof they did discouer and sée an armed Knight who contemplated himselfe in beholding the greatnesse of that Knight But the Emperour had no care to knowe who it was but with greate hast they went forwards on their waie and when they drew nigh vnto the Castell it séemed vnto them to bee the fairest that euer they had seene and as the Emperour proceeded to goe vp the hill towarde the Castell hée hearde one which with a greate voice sayde O thou Knight of the Diuell or of death goe no farther vp but tarrie a little for by her which thou doest bring with thée I doo vnderstande thy demaunde staie a while and I will be straight waie with thée for I thinke that thou hast alreadie repented thy comming hether The Emperour who heard these wordes would verie faine haue seene him who spake them and lifted vp his eyes towardes the Castell but he coulde beholde no bodie But hée tarried not long when that out of a narrowe waie comming downe the hill he sawe a great Gyaunt shaking in his hande a heauie Speare and when he came to the place whereas the Emperour abode he sayde Knight tell me art thou the Emperour of Grecia or any of his sonnes The Emperour aunswered and sayde I am he who by the helpe of God may frustrate thy force which thou hast done vnto this Damosell Then the Gyant sayd O miserable wretch how
ring that gaue so much light that he might plainely sée all that was in the hall the which was verie great and wide and vpon the walls were painted the figures of many fiends and diuells and on the one side of the hall he sawe a tombe all couered with blacke and vppon it there laie a man with a pale colour who at certaine times gaue a meruailous and gréeuous sigh caused by the burning flames that procéeded from vnder the tombe beeing such that it seemed his bodie should be conuerted therewith into burning coales the flame was so stinking that it made y e Prince somewhat to retire himselfe from the place where he sawe that horrible spectacle He which laie vpon the tombe casting his eyes a side sawe the Prince and knowing him to bée an humane creature with an afflicted voice he sayde Who art thou sir knight that art come vnto so sorrowfull a dwelling for that thou canst sée nothing in it but great torments Then the knight sayde but tell me who art thou that with so mâ—ch griefe doest demaund of me that which I stande in doubt to tel thée I am a king of Arabia answered he which without all consideration with my cruell hande did pearce through the white breast of my welbeloued daughter wo be to me for that she at once did paie her offence by death but I a miserable wretch w t many torments doe liue dying When this worthie knight was about to answere him he saw come forth from vnder the tombe a damsell who had a verie yeolow and wanne colour and by her face it séemed y t she should be verie sore afflicted and with a sorrowfull voice she sayd O Claridiano vnfortunate what dost thou séeke in this infernal lodging wheras cannot be giuen thée anie other pleasure but mortall torments for y t thou wert so bold as to kil my kéeper of y e doore there is but one thing that can cléere thée froÌ„ it this cannot be tolde thée by anie other but by me and yet I will not tell thée except thou doest graunt me one thing that I will aske of thée The Prince who was greatly amazed of all that he had séene and verie much beholding the countenaunce of the damsell that was verie leane and féeble aunswered and said The Gods who are gouernours of my libertie will doe their pleasures but in that touching the graunt of thy request I neuer to Ladie nor Gentlewoman denyed anie thing that they would demaund of me being a thing that I could put remedie in but with all my power and strength I was readie to fulfill the same therefore demaund what thy pleasure is for that I am readie in all things that toucheth thy remedie Then she sayde Claridiano looke well and haue a respect vnto y t which thou dost promise and sée y t thou dost performe thy promise for thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that thou fulfilling the same doest giue libertie vnto thy selfe and vnto me Gentlewoman aske what thy pleasure is said y â— knight that which I demaund sayd the damsell is y t thou giuest mée the ring which thou hast vpon thy finger for thou shalt vnderstand that in it is my remedie In demaunding of that said the Prince thou doest rather procure my harme therfore it doth not behoue me to giue it thée To whom she said O euill and false knight that doest not performe that which thou hast promised sée that thou doest accomplish the same or else to the contrarie thou shalt liue dying Oh false Magitian cursed witch sayde Claridiano doest thou thinke by thy deceitfull threatnings to deceiue me It is not thy inchantments neither thy fained words y t shall get the ring froÌ„ my finger TheÌ„ she said thou shalt sée how little thy great streÌ„gth shal profit auaile thée against me if thou wilt tarry a while and therewith vpon a sodaine she laide holde vpon his hande with so great strength that it lacked but little of pulling the ring from his finger but this politike Gréeke helped his left hand with his right with so great strength that he put away that Magitian y t she could not pull it off This false inchanter did still stand in this contention to get the ring from him and contended in such sort that he forgot the respect that hee should haue vnto Ladyes and Gentlewomen and stroke her with his right hand that was armed such a buffet vpon the chéeke that her fantasticall bodie gaue a great fall vnto the ground shée was not so soone fallen when that with a timerous noise she threw her selfe into that dolefull Sepulcher making a terrible and wonderfull howling within and this vnhappie king bare her companie with his gréeuous lamentations of the which the Prince had great compassion and it séemed vnto him that he heard a voice which came forth of the tombe which did offer to talke vnto him that he might vnderstand his reasons he drew nigh vnto the tombe heard that he sayd these words Oh knight borne in Grecia nursed and brought vp in Trapobana if thou wilt go out of this place and make an end of my continual torments procure to giue thrée blowes vpon this my Sepulchar with the which thou shalt deliuer thy selfe and me likewise and all those that are héere put in this infernal lodging This inuincible young man sayd There is so little truth in this house that I stand in doubt whether I may beléeue thy words or not notwithstanding tell me who thou art then shall I know whether I may giue credit vnto thy wordes Then he sayd I am that vnhappie Merlin borne in Gallia and deceiued by her who would haue deceiued thée therfore thou â—â—ist beléeue me for that I doe tell thée the truth and if thou doest as I doe tell thée ther will come vnto both vs great profite Tell me Merlin sayd the Prince how doest thou know that I was borne in Grecia and brought vp in Trapobana if thou dost know I pray thée tell me who was my father and of what Empire or kingdome he is Lord. To whom Merlin said Trebatio is thy grandfather and thy father is the great Alfebo the excellent Claridiano is thy mother from whome Galtenor did steale thée in companie with thy sister the most fairest creature in all the world And in saying these words he helde his peace and with dolorous grones he began to curse himselfe and it was so gréeuous that the Prince withdrewe himselfe because he would not heare it without anie more tarrying he embraced his shéeld and laide hand vpon his good sword and with great violence he went vnto the Sepulcher and as he would haue stroke therat there appeared before him a giant the which the Prince tooke to be y e gyant that he slew in the mountaine Nabateos who stroke the Prince vpon y e brest with both his hands y t he made him to recoile backe a great way whether he
for that time giuing them to vnderstande that I was disposed to sleepe which courtesie they presentlye graunted me Nowe Cousin and worthie Prince of Greece you maye gesse what discontented thoughts what bitter imaginations what sodayne alterations of minde and what sundrie sorrowes I masked in beeing hemmed in betwéene dispaire and death I know not I assure you what humane or earthly bodie were able to sustaine so manye tortures or so often rakings as my oppressed minde did hauing not anie helping carde in my hande nor anie hope that my Fortune woulde prooue better In this perplexitie at midnight I arose vp and apparelled my selfe putting on my armour the which I thinke you haue séene Amongest these thicke bushes I caused a Lackie to make readie my horse with as much secrecie as might bée and taking my horse I departed out of the pallace without â—arrieng or resting in anie place a moment but with continuall sighs and sorrows in the end of eight daies I attained vnto this place where you finde me and perceiuing it to be so proper and conuenient to shed my complaints in I vnbrideled my horse in this wilde fieldes and determined with my selfe héere to ende my dayes wher I haue remained this two yeares demeaning this sorrowfull life wherein you sée me now nourishing my selfe with such fruites as this wildernesse doth â—éelde And somtimes the shepheards that come hether to shrowd themselues from the Sunnes parching heate doo fauourably bestow some pittance on me and kéepe me companie according to their leasure Thus haue I vnfolded vnto you most excellent prince the beginning not the ending of all my sorowes sée I beséech you if you can call to minde any remedie that may stay the rankling of my disease which hath continued so long and wasted me to the very heart Unneth had he rehearsed these wordes but his senses began to faile he was so ouercome with sorrow in rehearsing the tale ¶ How the Grecian Knight perswaded his vnckle the Prince of Dacia to accompanie him leaue that sorrowfull and desolate life and of that which after happened to him Chapter 5. THE ioye that the Princely Knight of the Sunne receiued in finding his Cousin in the pinch where some comforte woulde doo him good can hardly be héere expressed especially for that he knewe him to bée the sonne of the King of Dacia his Unckle of whome till nowe no mention is made in the booke before because of the long sicknesse that the King sustained and therefore was his name concealed and his valour clowded by meanes of his misfortune albeit in truth the heroycall déedes of his sonne did almost equall his auncestours in euerie degrée as shall be said héerafter And as I said before The Prince of Dacia remained in a traunce imbraced betweene the armes of the knight of the Sunne by reason of the wordes that he spake yet in the ende he wrought such meanes that he reuiued againe promising him that if anye thing did lye within the compasse of his power which might bannish his sorrowes he shoulde finde him readie to performe it and he would rather die then see him linger his life without anie sparke of comfort This great kindnesse was friendly receiued by the Dacian Prince and after many cogitations he thought it most conuenient to returne to his Countrie and also it seemed him best for his most safetie to cut the seas for beeing vnprouided of a horse he might fall into some daunger beeing strongly encountered Wherevppon without more tarriaunce the Prince armed himselfe with his guilt armour and girded his swoord close vnto him and mounted behinde the Prince and so going where Fortune would guide them and where the horse made choice of the waie in the end after a little space they came to the shoare of the sea where they found a straight and narrowe path hard by the same which seemed to them the direct passage to finde some hauen where they might trauailing imbarke themselues and in this manner as I haue told you they saw comming towards them in the sea a faire barke well rigged and trimmed wherin they saw no pilot to gouerne it but it made directly toward the place which when the two Princes sawe it came so néere the lande they alighted and drawing more néere there lanched forth a Gentlewoman all alone in a mild kinde of spéech she spake and sayde vnto them Noble Princes the wise Lyrgandeo which at this present is resident in Constantinople commendeth himselfe vnto you both and by me hath sent you this faire barke which with his art shall bring you where he hath extreame néede of your valour and farther he praieth you not to stand in suspition of that which I saie vnto you for y e truth is he hath great occasion to put in proofe your soueraign knighthood The knight of the Sun his heart throbbed with ioye to heare the newes which the Gentlewoman tolde him and especially for that it shoulde be his good Fortune to doo him pleasure which loued him so tenderly and had done so much for him in his childhood and héerewithall the Dacian Prince leapt into the bark and after him his noble cousin leading Cornerino by the bridle and tourning vnto the Gentlewoman he saide vnto her on this wise I am assured that mine olde and approued friende the wise Lyrgandeo doth fauour me so greatlye that he will not sée me staide for lacke of a shippe either to pleasure my selfe or to doe him a good turne The Gentlewoman hauing done great reuerence tourned her spéech to Don Eleno and sayd to him Ualiaunt and amorous Knight Lyrgandeo kisseth your royall hands and willed me to tell you that your captiued heart somewhat lately amended shall in the end bée throughly helped to your no lesse comfort then great ioy and because your present estate is sorrowful and fraughted with griefe he sendeth you this armour which is aunswerable to your mourning minde wrought with a Metaphore which declareth your passions alreadie passed and saying this shée tooke the trunke wherein the armour was laide albeit the Prince made hast to giue the Gentlewoman thankes shée was so nimble in vanishing awaie that his thankes came too short whereat he was more abashed then before The Knight of the Sunne tying his horse in one part of the vessell sawe standing by him another more beautifull the which he knew presently the Gentlewoman had brought for his cousin and making toward him to sée what armour the wise man had sent him béeing laide abroad sawe them wrought all with one worke LL and the shéeld was of strong and fine stéele the field blacke and therin was set a groue so liuely as there appeared to be nothing but trées and lykewise there was wrought in it many fine inuentions which did testifie to be the artificiall worke of the wise Lyrgandeo And in the middest amongest those trées there was a fayre Lady shaddowed apparelled in a straunge attire in her countenaunce
vpon the ship boorde and in great hast he doubled another with so great strength that he was almost astonyed and it made him to recoile backwards two paces that he had almost fallen downe The Knight of the Sunne came straight waye to himselfe and lifting vp his mightie arme he chaunced such a blowe vppon the helme of his enimie which was as harde and strong as a Dimond that it gaue such sound that all the sea was occupied with the noyse thereof And made him to boowe with both his knées to the grounde The gréene Knight meruayled very much of that great blowe which he had receiued but for that he was strong and of great courage he arose straight vp againe on foot◠and lent vnto the Prince such another blowe and with so greate anger that as it hit him on the wast it made him to fall sidewards to the fore ship The Prince didde not meruayle much thereat but was straight way with him againe and stroke him so mightie a blowe vpon the helme that it made the bloud start out at his eyes and at his nose and he was so troubled therewith that he thought a great tower had fallen downe vpon him The Prince seeing him in this traunce did procure to leape into his barke but the gréene Knight by reason he was not fully astonished with both his hands thrust at the Knight of the Sunne vpon his breast for to hinder him from his entring so that spite of his heart he made him to recoyle and that in such sort that he lacked but a little to fall downe backwards which was the occasion that his anger did the more increase And either of them firming themselues on their feete there began a new the battaile with so great anger and furie that the marriners thought y t at euery blowe the battaile would haue bene ended Neuerthelesse the more they did fight the more their anger did increase so y t theyr fierce blowes wer incōperable Oh how much y e knight of y e sun foūd himselfe troubled to sée y e great strength of his aduersarie for y e except it were in the Knight of Cupide only he neuer in any other had found the like courage strēgth as he did in this Knight with the gréene armour who lykewise did no lesse meruaile at the power of the Knight of the Sunne and with this in either of them increased greate courage with like desire to ouercome their enimies procuring to strike the one the other with great furie and multiplyed so their blowes that neither of them was without his payment The Prince was meruailously amazed to sée that the courage of his enimie did so long indure which caused his anger in very straunge manner to increase in such sort that he strake at him such strong and incomperable blowes that they were not to be suffered and almost no resistance to be made So long they indured the battaile that the Sunne had made an ende of his ordinary course the heauie and mourning night began to throwe his mantle euer all the earth in such sort that they could scarce see but they were so kindled in their anger so furious in their battaile that the darknes was not sufficient to seperate them but they called with a great noyse for lights that they might make an end of their battaile but Tefereo séeing their determination conceiued great griefe that such a valiaunt knight as hée with the greene armour should runne in any danger of peril he did perswade with y e Marriners made signes that they should vngrapple their barkes and béeing moued with great compassion they procured to doe it so priuely y t the knights might not perceiue it the which was easily accomplished for that they were so blinded in fiercenesse of this their battell that they could not intend to marke it The grapples wer no sooner taken off when y t the barke of the knight of the Sun with great force did seperate himselfe from the other which when the prince did sée and that he could not finish his desire he was purposed to throw himselfe into the sea for to come vnto his aduersarie but considering that it woulde little profit him he beganne to exclaime against Lyrgandeo to be his enimie and a robber of his honour and saying that he was a vile man and of base bloud and lignage with this and such like reproch and other irefull thoughtes the Prince went onwarde his iourney and vppon a sodaine his Galley stroke a lande and in a trice hée leapt out of her and after him went out Tefereo and caused theyr horses to bée taken out and put them into a faire medowe full of verie faire and gréene grasse where as they did féede The knight of the Sunne béeing verie full of thoughtes and pensiue hée woulde not consent that anie shoulde speake with him but got him amongest a companie of fresh and gréene trées where as hée remained till the morning So verie earlye in the morning at the breake of the daie hee called for his horse and when all that were with him were in a readinesse hée beganne to iourney and tooke his waie through a verye straight and narowe path which brought them vnto a verie broad common beaten waie so they had not trauailed long in it when they sawe comming a Damsell with a verie sad and sorrowfull countenaunce as appeared by the greate quantitie of teares which procéeded from her eyes and shée came in greate hast riding on her Palfraie and when shée came nigh whereas the Prince was hée and all that were with him did salute her the Damsell did returne vnto them the thanks and with the great sorrow y t she had in her heart she spake vnto them in the French tongue and sayde Oh souereigne Gods that I might finde in these knights so much strength as the outward shew and appearaunce of their wel proportioned persons doth promise then they woulde soone giue remedie to this my troubled sorrowe Tefereo who was not so troubled in his minde as the Prince was aunswered and sayde Of truth Ladie your petition béeing iustly demaunded and the cause conformable wée will not onely aduenture our persons for your remedie but also our liues for that wée are thereto bound by the order of knighthoode in the fauour and defence of Ladyes and Damosells The Damosell aunswered and said I haue so much iustice on my side that I doe meruaile howe the heauens do consent vnto it or why the humane force or strength of men will maintaine such falsehoode notwithstanding gentle Knight if you promise mée to dooe your best to remedie mée heerein I will declare it vnto you and in the perfourming thereof you shall redresse thrée thinges In the one you shall deliuer mée of this greate sorrowe and paine in the which I nowe am in the other you shall set at libertie the faire Ladie Artalanda who is accused by the greatest and falsest treason that
that thou hast brought vs vnto this estate that crueltie should gouern our wills without hauing power to doe any other thing The King when he saw that the Knights were very earnest began to sweare with great oaths that his cause was iust and that he had tolde vnto them the truth of the matter and if so be that the Emperour had tolde them any other thing it was onely to deceiue them and to tourne them that they should not make his defence and charged them againe with their oath which they had made and how that they had giuen their words to be his vpholder and defender This worthy Dacian tourning vnto his companions sayd Knightes what doo you thinke in this matter what is it best that we doo héerein For well you doo sée that we are so bewrapte bound one against another and cousin against cousin yet for all that we cannot by any meanes excuse the battaile So they did all determine to retourne vnto the Emperour and to desire him for to accept it in good part and to leaue off that battaile to make theÌ„ beléeue that he was falsly informed when they came vnto him they said Worthy Emperour and our onely Lord looke well vnto this false information wherewith they haue informed you and hauing well considered thereof we doo all request you for the loue which vnto your sonnes and cousins and vnto all your friendes you doo owe that it may moue you to take no occasion to put vs into this extremitie for that by anie meanes we cannot goe from our oath and word Unto the which the Emperour answered and sayd My louing friends if that you haue giuen your word and oath to procure to make defence of so false a King doo you likewise indeuour to performe the same for the like will I doe to accomplish that which I haue promised for that there is no more reason for the one then for the other But this one thing I doe tell you that it is very apparant that you will maintaine the treason of this false King as it appereth plainly by many reasons which I haue told vnto you and the principall cause wherin you maye sée plainely his treason and falshoode is the little hast that hée doeth make himselfe vnto the battaile and if he knew that he dooâ—h maintaine the truth let him come forth and make his owne defence At the which reasons they all helde theyr peace considering the great reason which the Emperour had declared and determined that the next daie they woulde conclude what were best to bée done so these sixe knights returned vnto the Citie and the Emperour vnto the campe Of all this that happened he that receiued the most contentment was the Prince Eleno for he desired verye much to retourne vnto the Citie for that at his departure he left his Lady very sicke so that he thought not to finde her aliue and comming to the Citie hée was no sooner alighted from his horse but hée went straight vnto her Chamber whereas hée found her with a mightie burning ague and séeing her in that case he was as one that was beside himselfe and the more that her ague increased the more furious she did shew her selfe and farther out of quiet So this gréeuous and sicke Ladie did aske paper and inke for to write a few lines vnto him which was the causer of all this her harme and making an ende of her writing without power to doo any other thing with the great féeblenesse shée felt she fell downe vpon her pillowe speaking vnto Eleno she sayd Ualiant knight behold héere thy Lidia at her last ende for that there doth not remaine in me strength for to giue thée thankes for so great benefits as I haue receiued at thy handes yet I carrie one great comfort with me which is y â— although I dye yet thy great loyaltie doeth not dye neyther my firme faith and although I was vnloued of an vnfaythfull Knight yet am I beloued of the most couragious knight in the worlde This sorrowfull and troubled Prince woulde not suffer her to goe forwards with her talke but with shedding of manie teares from his eyes he sayd Oh my swéete Mistresse doe not giue me to vnderstande that thou wilt dye if that thou meane I shall remaine aliue Oh my loue I would rather that my heart shoulde be parted in twaine by the greatest enimie that I haue then to remaine without thée Oh my louing Mistres let this thy youthfull yeres and great beautie which thou hast incourage thée die not in this order this feeble Lidia for to shew with more feruentnesse the good will which she did owe vnto the Pâ—â—â—ce for his great curtesie forced her selfe to holde vp her head and he lifted it vp with such quicknesse as though her weake members had felt no griefe as though the furie of that burning ague was not able to resist her but with the force of loue she sate vp in her beâ— and with her face of a fiery colour she sayd My Lord time doth not giue me anye place that with words I might gratifie the great courtesie that of thée I haue receiued for that I doo feele that the hower is come and that the three fatall sisters haue the thred of my life betwéene the edges of their shéeres so that it lacketh nothing but to put them together insomuch that I miserable creature doo féele my soule tremble in my flesh at this my last hower But one thing oh my swéete and true louer I will desire thée before that I doo dye which is that thou wouldest procure that this letter maye bée giuen vnto that cruell Knight who hath brought me vnto this estate giuing him to vnderstande of this my troublesome death the occasion whereof was his vnreasonable crueltie And making an end of saying this this miserable Lady fell downe without hauing any more strength to sit vp but let the letter fall out of her hande before her true louer who tooke it vp and sayd Oh all my ioye what a cruell knife is this to my heart to heare thy complayntes in giuing me to vnderstande the great crueltie that loue hath vsed against thée without anye desert or reason and verely I doo beléeue that these thy great thoughts and griefes but most of all thy absence wil be the occasion of my death And if y â— my enimies are not of power to giue it me héere I doo sweare vnto thee by the great and true loue which I beare vnto thée that I my selfe with my owne hands will procure to pull this heart out of his place for that it knew not how to giue thée contentment paying therwith y e dutie y t I ow vnto thée O happy Brenio that didst obtaine so much grace fauour at Venus handes for to be beloued of the flower of all beautie The Clime in the which thou wert borne was not so happie as to the contrarie my
till the morning with great sorrow and paine lamenting much his vnhappy lot in a place whereas he could not be discouerd or heard not for any feare that was in him but onely to haue time to lament weepe bewaile his vnhappy fortune Then at such time as the bright Apollo did spred abroade his golden beames ouer all the fields and cragged mountaines he did perceiue that those which did lodge themselues nigh vnto the place wheras he was did procure to depart he let them goe without any desire to know who they were but rather being still did let them passe forwards on their way procuring to put in execution his former intent But first of all he caused to vnarme Brenio of his armour the which was according vnto his passion in colour and all things and as strong as a Diamond made by Arte Magicke with great lamentation he armed himselfe with them and tooke also his shield which was all of a russet field and in the midst therof was put Cupide with two faces the one was very faire and bound with a cloath about his eyes and the other was made meruailous fierce and furious He continued and was so long in arming himselfe that he heard a great number of Knights which passed along by the sides of the forrest and amongst them there was a dolorous lamentation which séemed to be of Ladyes and Damsels and it séemed that they were forced and constrained against their wills which moued the courage of this Dacian to desire to know what it was And leaping vpon his horse his Page tooke the horse of Brenio which was very good with as little noyse as was possible they went out of the forrest into the high waye whereas they might sée all that which in the chapter following shall be told you ¶ How that Eleno went out of the forrest to see the aduenture of those Knightes which passed by the forrest and how he incountered with them and of the battaile that happened therevppon Cap. 5. AT such time as the cléere Apollo had passed one part of his iourney y e Dacian prince issued out of the forrest to sée what it shuld be that made all that noyse vnder the forrest side And there he discouered thirtie Knights which rode before a chariot that was drawen with foure horses and therein a companye of Ladies and damsels apparailed with meruailous rich robes making great lamentation and sorrowe and in the midst amongst them ther was a very faire Lady who had before her two childre◠and before the Chariot rode a Giant of a fierce and furious countenaunce mounted on a wonderful beast and after the same went another giant not altogether so furious as the first that was mounted on a mightie horse these made great hast to trauaile forwards When this valiant Dacian saw this aduenture he was in a great confusion for that he found himselfe so leane and weake yet for all that the great valour of his person and courage of his hart would not suffer anye sluggishnesse but determined to set them at libertie and to punish so great outrage or els to die in the demaunde And with this determination he said Let life suffer the paine and let not the honour be blotted with cowardnesse and perusing well his armour he committed himselfe vnto God and issued out of the forrest with a swift pace at such time as the Chariot with the great hast that it made had passed by a good space and setting spurres vnto his horse he made him to flye lyke the winde and with a high voyce he bad them tarrie At which calling the Giant that was hindermost looked backe and when he sawe that it was a Knight that called him and that he came running towards him with great swiftnesse he said vnto those that gouerned the Chariot Goe and kéepe on your waye and let me alone to sée what that vnhappie creature would haue and he turned about his horse at such time as that warlike Dacian was come nigh vnto him the Gyant sayd vnto him Knight what hast is this that thou makest The Dacian answered It is to amend if I maye this outrage which I suppose thou dost vnto those Ladyes which thou dost carrie away with thée in the waggon The Giant smiling and as it wer séeming to haue him in derision disdainfully sayd I doo tell thée of a truth knight that if I did not beléeue that folly doth make thée to speake that which thou hast vttered thou mightest well take me to be the vilest person in the world to haue so small courage to put my selfe before one alone Knight in this demand The Dacian did well perceiue that these words proceeded of great pride presumption and without giuing him any aunswere he drew out his sharpe sworde and then without anye more tarrying he stroke him vpon his helme so great a blowe that it sounded like a bell and made him to decline his head downe to his breast But straight way he had his payment for the same for that the Gyant layd hold on his great and cutting sword with straunge swiftnesse he stroke him vppon the fine and harde helme that he almost made him to loose his féeling By which blow this couragious Eleno perceiued that it stoode him in hand not to be idle and hauing great feare that in y e meane time while they made their battaile the rest would go away with their pray and then all his labour and trauayle should be in vaine he let his shield hang at his backe and clasped his sword fast with both his hands stroke him so furious a blow vpon his helme that the strength therof did litle profit him for that it was not able to make any defence but it was cut in péeces with the head and the Giant fell dead to the ground without any more tarying he followed after the waggon and did procure to disturbe them that they should not goe forwards on their way So all those y t went with the waggon were alighted from their horses ready to imbarke themselues into a small barke which they tarried for to carry them vnto a great and faire shippe which was there a litle farther from the shore This Dacian called with a loud voice said Tarrie tarrie do not thinke so much at your ease to carry away your praye for that I hope first to take away your liues or els to be slaine in their defence And when they saw and knew that it was the Knight that remained with the Giaunt and séeing him come in such order they were all meruailously astonied The other Giaunt which was yet still vpon his beast and was not alighted returned against him more furious than a Tiger and vttering a thousand varieties he asked where he remained that made battaile with him Don Eleno sayd Put at libertye these Ladyes which thou dost carry away by force and aske not for him for he wanting life hath finished
entred into a faire large court were by the Lord of y e Castle receiued w t great loue wheÌ„ he saw y t Claridiano was of so goodly proportioÌ„ he greatly meruailed To whom Libernio sayd Lord friend from this daie forwards thou shalt not need to haue anie feare of this thy enâ—mie for that he will no more returne to trouble you for this knight whom thou seest before thée hath slain him made an end of his daies not this giant alone but also those furious gyants Tartaros Oh souereigne Gods sayd the olde knight of the Castell is this possible to be true which I doe heare and that my fortune is so good to receiue into my house the Knight that hath done so valyaunt actes We shall quickly sée whether it be true or not for y e euerie night this diuell commeth giuing terrible shrikes for that he should quickly depart I doo command to throw him prouision out at y e highest window of this Castle and yet he is not content therewith by reason of his great pride but he is so euill inclined that if he méet anie of our people he pardoneth none but killeth them You may from hence forth cease your feare sayd Claridiano for I promise you that he will neuer more trouble nor gréeâ—e you So with such reasonings they went vp into y e castle where they wer meruailously well receiued by a Gentlewoman wife vnto the knight of the Castle whose name was Marmariton likewise of two sons which he had proper young men So straight way the â—able was commaunded to be couered and that they should sitte downe to supper whereas they were serued very abundantly for the Knight of the Castle was a very rich man none richer in all the kingdome of Nabatea who could not satisfie himselfe in beholding the great grauitie and seuere countenaunce of the Prince and his faire and well proportioned body So when they had made an end of their supper for to passe away the time till they should goe to take theyr rest The Prince sayd vnto the Ladie which he released out of prison It shall be good faire Ladie now that you are at liberty and out of all daunger that you doe tell vs the occasion of your imprisonment and how it hath bene if so be that the declaring doth not trouble you The Damsell aunswered Of truth my Lord this will I doe with a verie good will and if it were but onely for to giue you contentment and it is great reason and iustice for that you did put your person in greate daunger for my deliueraunce You shall vnderstand gentle knight that along the huge and mightie riuer of Euphrates towards the Orientall partes there is a mightie Citie called Ierosolima the which is not far from the head of the said riuer on the other side of the riuer towards the Sunne setting is there another Citie called Sabiosa of these and of other cities and townes there about my Father is king and Lorde euer The Gods who were so pleased for to inrich mée not onely of goods but also of beautie fairenesse more then anie other in all the kingdome or in a great part there abouts the fame of my great beautie was published in all places which was the occasion that there repaired vnto my fathers Court many Lords knights of great estimation amongst whome there came one young knight and a straunger who was naturall of the kingdome of Tigliafa and Lord of the Citye of Zina and he béeing in loue with me and I lykewise of him and before that eyther of vs could manifest our loue the one vnto the other ther passed a long time but onely by our outwards showes we did declare each to other the abundance of our hearts and signes of loue the which indured many daies So it happened vpon a daie going to recreate my selfe in a Forrest there by amongest the swéete hearbes and odoriferous flowers harde by the riuer side of Euphrates which caused in my minde all kinde of amorous thoughts and I carrieng my yeolow golde haire all dispearsed behinde my cares couering my backe vpon a sodaine amongest the thicke trées I sawe a verie faire Pastora which was combing of her haire sitting vnder a faire and gréene Myrtlâ— trée And héere my Lord I doe certifie you of a truth that in all the worlde hath not bene séene the lyke she hadde féeding by hâ—r a fewe shéepe by her lay her shepheards hooke and her bagge hung vpon the Myrtle trée I know not what to saye but that the trées and hearbes did reioyce to sée her beautie I coulde not but staie and reioyce my selfe in beholding so goodly a creature with her yeolow golden haire dispearsed all abroade which did reach vnto her féet for that she was set down her golden haire did couer all the swéet hearbs there about her by reason of the great heat of the Sun she had her neckenger turned downe vpon her shoulders whereout did appeare her verie white and christalline necke my Ladyes and damsells were no lesse amazed to sée her great beautie beléeuing that she should be daughter vnto the Gods no earthly creature but fortune who is so mutable would not suffer me to inioy long so beautifull and ioyfull a sight but being without feare in this sort as I haue tolde you vppon a sodaine there came behinde me y e Prince of Nicea before y t I could make any meanes for to disturbe him in great hast he tooke me fast by the arme and with a trice he lift me vp and set me before him on the saddle bowe of his horse and in great hast he put himselfe into the thickest of the Forrest my Gentlewomen and maidens remained giuing great shrikes but it little profited for that the prince of Nicea made such diligent hast that in a verie short time he entered with me into a barke in the riuer of Euphrates who carried vs so far as we came wheras he ioyned vnto the riuer Tygris wheras we went a land and crossed ouer the mountaines of Libanos wheras we wer taken of that furious Gyant which was first slaine at one terrible blow he slew the Prince and me he carried vnto y e prison whereas you gentle knight did finde me heerewith she helde her peace giuing a great sigh in remembring her euill fortune and all the rest remained wich great sorrow griefe to heare this lamentable discourse but Claridiano was more attentiue vnto the report of the fairenesse beautie of the Pastora then vnto all the rest At this time was y e houre of the gyants comming past which made the Lord of the castle beléeue the death of his cruell enimie to be true receiuing great contentment thereat he declared vnto them of meruailous and great feasts triumphes y t were preparing to be made in the citie of Nabatea at the marriage of y e prince of Nabatea with
this seruice of me not for any courtesie that I found in your Knights but for the great bountie and vertue which is in the Dutches and her daughter The Earle of the déepe lake aunswered and sayde Of truth gentle Knight it had bene better that you had accepted our demaund which we asked in the seruice of the Ladies for that being subdued by your great valour we had not come into so great miserie and trouble in the which we haue séene our selues Sir Earle aunswered the prince Claridiano my heart is so cleane voyd of the subiection of loue putting apart my bounden dutie towards theÌ„ that by the oath that I haue sworne to the order of Knighthood that it is not to be meruailed if I did denie your demaund putting for intercessour that which my heart was neuer subiect vnto Then the Dutchesse with a goodly grace sayd Yet I do certefie you gentle Knight that at this time you shall not remaine so much at your owne libertie but that by me you shal be constrained to be my guide to the Citie of Nabatea With condition sayd the Prince that the day of the iusting you doo not manifest my person vnto any creature I doo accept to be your kéeper and defender The condition aunswered the Dutchesse daughter is graunted and accepted but yet I must néedes charge you with another request which I will aske of you and it is that in my name and as my Knight you wiâ—l carrye with you a Iewell of mine and enter into the iusting at Nabatea with the Earle in your company I cannot deny anything y t you doo aske of me said Claridiano for that you haue power to commaund me and therefore I doo accept and graunt vnto all things that your highnesse shall demaund And being in this communication the Princesses thet remained at their Hostes came whereas they were and in their companye the Knight of the house who was almost in an extasie with the great ioye and pleasure he had to sée the two Giants and his company dead and requested them instantly that they would goe vnto his Castle to take their rest to the which they did graunt for the necessitie which did mooue them Galtenor did declare vnto vs what shuld be done vnto these Giants and said that they were Lords of the faire Ilands enemies vnto the King of the Nabateos and as they had vnderstanding of the greate triumphs and feasts which was proclaimed in Nabatea thrée of those Giaunts which were all bretheren went forth to doo all the harme they might in company with their mother who was a great inchaunter The one of the Giants who was more furious and of a mightier strength then the other two wold goe alone and these two came together of whom wer haue tolde you The Knights of the Dutchesse wer meruailously ill intreated in the battaile which they had with Claridiano and it was requisite that they should remaine a few daies in the castle for to ease comfort themselues but the Prince his hart could not in any wise suffer to tarry so long to ease himselfe but tooke his leaue of y e Dutchesse for to depart who did graunt it vnto him with a very good wil for that she would remaine in y e Castle till such time as her knights wer better coÌ„forted amended So y e Prince his company tooke y e way which they thought best wheras they trauailed eight daies in which time he did woÌ„ders in arms punishing rapes and extremities offered in such sort and so many that his fame was exalted vnto the cloudes some called him the Knight of the Ladies and other some the Knight with the Purple armour And when they vnderstoode that the time of the Triumphes drew néere they tooke the waye which led them straight vnto the Citie of Nabatea and for to goe thether they must néedes passe thorough a woode of eight miles long in the which they trauailed til it was noone time and therein they discouered a very faire castle and féeling themselues somewhat weary they went thether for to refresh themselues the which chanced vnto them otherwise as in the chapter following you shall vnderstand ¶ How the Knight of the Ladies went vnto the Castle and of the great treason which was there ordained by Arte Magicke and of the successe thereof Cap. 13. THe Gréeke Prince for to take some refreshing tooke his way towards the Castle that he saw in the wood with all his companye but yet it fel not out with them as they hoped for that when they came thether they found the gaâ—es fast shut for all that they gaue mightie blowes thereat and called yet there was no body that made them any aunswere and séeing this they determined to goe round about the Castle to see if there were any other part wheras they might call that they might be heard but in all parts they found it a like for the which the Prince was very sorrowfull and pretended to departe some other waye and turning about with his horse he sawe a pillar which was made of stone on the which was written in the Chaldean tongue these wordes Let none be so hardie as to enter into this Castle except he will for his boldenesse die the death The Prince when he had read this title laughed thereat and sayd I knowe none that is so hardie to enter into the Castle séeing before his eyes the inconueniences and harme that will thereof procéede and againe hauing the gates shut in suth sorte that vnto no bodie they will open them neuerthelesse although the perill be great yet if they would open the gates I know not whether I should feare the entrie or not if it were but onely to know what he is y t is of so great power nigh vnto the sayd piller was there another of the same making at the which there hung a Bugle horne and thereby was written these words which said He which is of so great hardines hath confidence in his power and strength and will enter into the height of this castell let him blow this horne and the entrie therein shal be in safetie but the comming forth shall be doubtfull If I wer once within said the knight I wold procure y t my comming forth should be without trouble and therewith he tooke the horne in his hand and before that he beganne to sound it he sayd vnto the damsells Faire Ladies I am determined to procure the entrie of this fortresse to see what there is within and likewise him that doth proclaime so great feare in y e meane time I desire you to tarrie for me amongest these gréene trées for that the castell is small and will quickly bée looked ouer so that in short time we shall know who what there is within and making an end of desiring them to tarrie he blew the horne and made it to sound verie strongly in such sort that it might be heard verie far There
maiestie as though he had known whose sonne he was This painefull weried lady did aske hir fathers hands to kisse them but neither the king nor his daughter could speake any word more They remained so a great while til such time as the king constraining his princely courage sayde I know not what wil fal out for that I sée before me y t which of long time I haue desired yet I do not know it to be myne The lady vnderstode y e words of hir father gathered stomack vnto hir selfe said I am Antemisca your welbeloued daughter although at this time I am abhorred I am she who vniustly hath gone wandring paying such debts as I neuer made for that I did neuer let but to be y e lady I ought to be I am she that by y e valour of this mightie worthy warriour do liue and not by the compassion that thou hast had of thyne owne proper daughter And I do thank my Gods that they haue so much fauoured me in giuing me his mightie strong arme for to defend my truth and for to punish that euill the which that traytour Brandemoran hath layde and raysed vpon me The braue Palestina who was present at the words which the Princes sayde was so full of pryde and yre that without any respect vnto the kings highnesse he sayde Oh false adulteresse wherfore wilt thou deny y t the prince of Chaldea had thy virginitie and that with thy consent And what knight is he that is so hardie hath so much courage to saye vnto the contrary The Greke dyd very much beholde the PalestiniaÌ„ perceuing by his wordes that to be he that had procured all this harm against Antemisca And although his proud words dyd moue his pacience yet would he not make any outward show neither aunswere vnto him but rather with great seueritie he tourned vnto the King and sayde High and mightie Lorde in this controuersie there is no neede of disputation neither farther rehearsal But may it please your highnesse to commaund that the Prince of Chaldea may come in presence and to know of him if he be content to referre all his right into my handes The King who was considering and beholding his mightie prowesse in the demonstration of his person straight wayes commaunded to be brought thether y e Chaldean with sufficient kéepers with him which was straight wayes done And when he came in presence the King sayde vnto him prince Gelerosio my daughter hath brought hether this knight for to defend hir and thy right if thou haue any Here would I know of thée if that thou art content to referre all thy right and iustice into his handes The prince Gelerosio somewhat heauy aunswered the king and sayd Unto the soueraigne Goddes and vnto him I doe commit all my right although I had rather with y e strength of myne own armes make my defence and tourning vnto the Gréeke he sayde And for that gentle Knight thou shalt be certified that thou defende the truth Here I doe sweare vnto thée by the high mightie Iupiter that the Prince of Chaldea did neuer commit y t which with great falsehood he is accused Then Brandemoran dyd replye and sayde All that euer thou doest saye I will suffer for that I doe thinke before the Sunne hath made an ende of his accustomed course to haue satisfaction And likewise to punishe the pryde of this foole who by ignoraunce or rather foolish hardienesse commeth to seeke his owne death This valiaunt and couragious Gréeke coulde no longer suffer his proude and slaunderous speaches but sayde vnto him Iupiter hath power to giue the death vnto whome he pleaseth and I doe thinke that which thou doest pretende vnto me will fall vpon thy selfe for to punish thée for this thy false and surmised treason which thou most dispightfully hast raysed against this noble Princes who is guiltlesse of this crime And for that this muste be concluded by armes and not by words se that thou dost make no tarying but arme thy selfe and come forth vnto the battaile then thou shalt see how I will make thee to vnderstand in the field that I am none of them of whome thou hast hetherto gotten honour I will not make thee any aunswere sayde Brandemoran for that I think very quickly to reuenge my selfe of thée and to pluck out y e tongue which hath bene so bolde to speake these words vnto me And therwith he went straight out of the pallace and went vnto his lodging for to arme himself vnto the battaile The Gréeke at his answere was somewhat yrefull but retourning vnto the king he sayde mightie king and Lorde I doe desyre your highnesse that you would commaund that your daughter may be set in a place where as she may well sée the restoring of hir honour The King sayde this shalbe done with a very good wil without any tarying The Greke dyd take his leaue of the King and of the Ladyes that were in the great hall And went downe the stayres where as he left his page and his horse and without the helpe of his stirrup he leapt into the saddle hauing his healme on and his speare in his hand he commaunded his page to tary and not to go with him So he went straight vnto the place appointed for the battaile with so gentle a grace and good disposition that all who dyd behold him receiued great contentment Ther was appointed a scaffold for two Iudges for to Iudge the right of this controuersie and dyd appoint the place conuenient for their battaile They taryed not long when that Bâ—â—ndemoran entered y e place accompanied w t many knights at whicâ— tyme the Iudges put them-selues on their Scaffold And being all readie and the people in quiet ther was commaunded a Trompet to be sownded to giue them to vnderstand that they must prepare themselues to the battaile At which sound they moued their courâ—â—â—s the one againste the other with so great swiftnesse 〈…〉 y t they flew in the Ayre whereas I will leaue 〈…〉 time doe serue for that at the same present the wynde Borias dyd blowe in my eaâ—e consâ—rayning me to speake of the mightie déedes of that valiant Rosicleer You doo well remember that for to succour his Horse he leapt into his barke was not so soone therein but that it sailed and made such waye as the arrow which is forced out of y e bowe And one of the two knights which entred the barke leapt into the Sea for feare and the other remained and yeelded himselfe vnto the mercie of the Knight which afterward did serue him for Squire and very faithfully vsed his office who was called Argolio Rosicleer went trauailing to sea-wards in his Barcke very heauy and sorowfull for that he was departed from his cosin so quickly In this sort they trauailed syxe dayes the seuenth they discouered lande very far of but the swiftnesse of the Barcke was such that
his shoulder and tooke his leaue of the knights tooke a narow way which lead him vp the hill vnto the castle he wold not that his Squire shuld beare him company but commanded him to remaine in the seruice of y e Pagan Prince Not long after the Troyan being moued of compassion his heart could not suffer but néeds he must follow the Prince And being in this determination he laced on his helme and tooke his shéeld and with great trauaile for y t he was a foote he began to follow and tooke the waye which the Gréeke went ¶ How that Rosicleer entered into the castle and of the battaile he had therin for to bring out of prison the princesse spouse vnto the Prince Meridian who was in great tormēt Cap. 17. ROsicleer was a great while going vp that little hil yet at length although with great trauaile one houre before that the Sunne did shew forth her shining beames he got to the toppe of that hill from whence he discerned a great and mightie broad plaine and in it there was a fayre castel wrought with verie many towers whose battlements were of so great fairenesse that with the Sun they shewed a very faire sight on the one side the maine sea did beate on it whose waters striking vpon y e rockes did make a meruailous noise which was caused by that hastie furious wind Borias and on that side whereas the Prince was it was all compassed about with a verie broade déepe ditch or moate and had in it but one entering and that was verie narrow The sight of that Castell did giue great contentment vnto them which beheld it by reason it was so faire and being so early in the morning the windowes were not open The Gréeke being all alone musing to himselfe vppon a sodaine he heard ouer the gate of the Castle a window to be open wherat looked out a Gyant of so great height as he had not séene the lyke he was in this shirt and couered with a night gowne of black veluet and séeing Rosicleer he knew by his deuice that he was none of them of the castle and when he saw and was certified that he was none of his knightes he said Knight what doest thou séeke in this countrie for as it doth appeare by thy straunge demeanour thou shouldest be a stranger To whom the Greeke aunswered and sayd Thou saiest truth Gyant I am a straunger for I neuer dwelt in it but my fortune hath brought mée hether béeing driuen by the great furie and tempests of the sea and béeing a shoare I found in it a verie straunge aduenture which hath giuen me occasion to come and speake with thée if it bée thy pleasure to heare mée eyther within the Castle or without it At such time as this valyaunt Rosicleer was saying these wordes hée had a sight of his face his healme béeing vp whereat might be séene his faire face on whom the Gyant did very much behold and answered If thou doest séeke mée I will heare thée in what sorte thou wilt but if thou dost aske for the King my father thou shalt vnderstand that he is not in the Iland but is a broad about businesse forced of necessitie touching his kingdome I would haue bene very glad sayd Rosicleer to haue founde the king thy Father for that I doe vnderstand that it should be he who dyd assalt and take the Prince of the Scitas the worthy Troyan And I am come to giue him to vnderstand how he should entertaine and intreate such knights as they are and not with so great pryde to put them vnto such sorow and paine kepe the princes in prison vsing them as though they were his vassailes who had done some cruel haynous offence against his owne person or as rebells against theyr naturall Lorde and Prince but he hath bene the bolder for that he doth knowe they are a great waye from their owne countries And I doe much maruaile that such a person as thou art wilt consent to the doing of such crueltie for that it doth apeare thou art sufficiently furnished with stature and strength And thou semest vnto me to be a very good knight which doth bynde thée to acknowledge great modestie not to minister or consent vnto such crueltie But I doe sée that thou art voide of all and that thou hast no knowledge of the goodnesse whereunto thou art bound Therefore if thou doest maintaine that which thy Father doth vpholde and sustaine in this Castell and Iland is not euill I will make thée to say the contrary both of vs being to gether therefore chuse whether thou wilt graunt me frée entry into the Castell or whether thou wilt come forth where as I am The Gyant dyd not show anye kinde of alteration in his countenance neither did he aunswere with any proude wordes but rather mittigating his yre he sayde Doe not beleue knight that I am so blynde and so voyd of knowledge that I doe not know what is good and what is euill Neither will I consent that thou shalt speake euill of that which my father hath done but rather I tell thée y t I will venter my person in his defence therefore I bid thée to abyde thou shalt sée how I am not afrayde of the perill for it shalbe more death vnto me to remayne aliue with my honour blemished then to dye in his quarell and defence And I will commaund that the gates of the Castel shalbe open and I do warrant that so long as our battaile shall indure thou shalt not receue any harme And if it be so that fortune doth runne on thy side then can I not assure the any farther for that I haue a brother who is not so great a friend vnto courtesie as I am Cause the gates to be open sayde Rosicleer and with y e help of God I wil make my part good w t all But yet certes Giant beleue me it doth greatly greue me to see thée maintaine such euill as it doth apeare in these thy wordes And therewith he withdrew him selfe from the window called for his apparaile lykewise for his armour His brother when he heard him speake with so great alterasion he looked out at the same wyndow for to sée who he was that gaue the occasion This Gyant looked out with a diuelish semblaunce an séeing the knight he sayd Art thou he that hast defyed my brother wherefore hast thou accused my Father for a traytour and an euill and naughti◠knight I am he sayde Rosicleer who doe pretend to reuenge the wrong and force done vnto the Prince Meridian O vile coward sayde the Gyant what diuel hath made thée so hardy to make an enterprise that Mars himselfe durst not giue the like attempt Oh ye Gods how doe you consent y e one poore knight should haue so much boldnesse to put himselfe before me with such a demaund It grieued Rosicleer very much to see himself to
delyuer them from the rauening Wolues And by reason that shée doth knowe that her beautie is so great shée is so proude that shee doth make them all equall in her estimation although not all equall in suffering I doo promise thée of a truth gallant shephearde that this Riuer dooth seeme to be no other thing but the habitation of Venus and Cupide Coridon did cut off the words of Galismena and sayd Ah sister Galismena the little accompt that thou doest make of loue doth cause thée to speake of that which thy sorrowfull brother doth féele What doost thou thinke Galismena that of this my contentious passion I shall reape anye other benefitte but that I haue put my loue vppon the most excellentest Pastora that euer Nature did forme Tell me I praye thée Pastora what shephearde haue you belonging vnto this Riuer of Euphrates vnto whome shée dooth extend her thought more then vnto me Hold thy peace Coridon sayd Galismena doo not exalt Cayserlinga so much for in her respecte thou doost not onelye put from thée all other Pastoras but thou dost likewise disable all shepheards alongst this Riuer Truth it is although that Cayserlinga doth deserue much yet for that she is a woman she doth not deserue so much as the worst Shephearde in all this our habitation for that this onelye is sufficient that he is a man Then said Coridon with great anger I would it were not thy selfe but some other that should speake such words for y t I promise thée with y e force of my arme I wold make him to know that his words were not true but very false Then Claridiano did interrupt their communication and sayd Gentle shepheards let these your contentions cease for that there commeth nothing of them but anger and falling out but I doo desire you that you would shew vnto me this Pastora for that her fame doeth giue me a desire to sée her Héere by the riuer of Euphrates sayd Coridon in an arbour which is made of very faire and gréene sallowes gallantlye wrought there euerye morning she doth combe her yeolow golden hayre thether maist thou goe very earlye in the morning whereas thou maist recreate thy selfe of that new sight And in the meane tune before that thou dost depart we doo desire thée to tell vs thy name and what countriman thou art This new shepheard aunswered and said My name is Filipensio and am naturally of Siria and of the plaines of Caniphia a kingdome of Chaldea and the great desire of these greene fieldes and fresh feeding which is héere growing about this cleere riuer hath brought me hether for to feede a little Cattle the which the Gods hath made mée Lord and gouernour of Ah shepheard sayd Coridon with a dolorous sigh doest thou come to féede thy shéepe in fresh gréene medowes and dost not know that in séeing that Pastora thou shalt féede loue within thy delicate and tender breast So with this and other such like pleasaunt communication they passed all that night till the next morning and when it was time for to departe they tooke their waye to the accustomed abiding of the beautifull Pastora and they met in the waye manye shepheardes who complained very much against the fury of loue So vnder a greate Sallowe Trée they sawe two shepheards the one did complaine of loue very grieuously and laye all alongst vppon the ground and the other was playing vppon a Rebecke and sung verye swéetelye wherewith Filipensio did staye and heard that he sung as followeth STraunge is my griefe yet count I it a gaine and great my smart but small I it esteeme In that for her I suffer all this paine whose beautie rare celestiall I doo deeme The pangs I feele oppresse my fainting hart the hope I haue reuiues the same againe Tormenting loue afflicts me still with smart yet for her sake I force not to be slaine My cause is good whereby my care is great both cause and care I vnto thee replye And though with rigor still thou me intreat yet will I ioye that I for thee must dye And giuing a dolorous sigh he ended his song The shepheard Filipensio and his company went forwards on their waye and passed the time in amorous and swéete communications not staying in any place till they came wheras this Pastora had her abiding and there they put themselues amongst a companie of thicke trées vnder one of the which they saw where was a shepheard of a meruailous disposition so that Filipensio did very much behold him and thought in his imagination by the demeanour of that shepheard that he should not séeme to be of the lignage of shepheards and turning vnto Coridon he asked him what he was They all safe themselues downe vnder a high mightie sallow trée nigh vnto the place whereas the other shepheard was at his rest and Coridon aunswering vnto that which was asked him sayd This is a shepheard of Babylonia who for to féede his cattell in the companie of other well proportioned shepheards came â—ether and with the sight of that Pastora he felt himselfe full of passions and griefes by the sight of her beutie The companion of this who is called Tarsides was hée which did most followe and importunate the Pastora but she who is the honestest in all the worlde not onelye with sharpe and bitter words did put him from it but also with publike disdaine and hatred for the which aâ— one hated not set by he did determine to leaue this valley reporting that his departure would shorten his dayes Alphesiueo for so is this shepheard called as one that was more stronglyer wounded with loue determined to remaine and to perseuer in his sute At this time Alphesiueo did awake and tooke an instrument in his hand which he had and began to play on it very swéetely singing these verses following THe drops of raine in time the Marble pierce Submission makes the Lyons hart relent But Loue thy cruell torments are so fierce That mischiefes new thou daily dost inuent For she whose sight my heart in sunder rent Regardeth neither of my faith nor griefe Nor yet yeelds death which is my sole reliefe This song he sung so dolefully that it gaue plainely to vnderstand his grieuous paine and by his words that he was not of the lignage of shepheards At this time the sonne of Tona did begin to appeare out of his golden Horizon to shew himselfe vpon the face of the earth glistering with his beames vppon the cléere waters of Euphrates likewise Fauonius and Zephyrus did very swéetely and softlye blowe vpon the grâ—en leaues and made a delicate harmonie at such time as the most fairest Cayserlinga accompanied with high thoughts and with her shéepe that she had in charge for her recreation came foorth and a great companye of shepheardes following her who were as full of sorrowes and thoughtes for her loue as she cleane voyd and without regard of them and when she
faultlesse Ladie séeing her selfe so falsely accused did wéepe verie gréeuously desiring the Emperour to appoint a time that shée might seeke one for to make aunswere in her defence and for to prooue that it was all false that was layde against her So it was agréed that in the space of two moneths shée should bring a knight that shoulde defend her honour and if so be that shée coulde not that then shée shoulde be condempned according vnto the lawe that is to burne her quicke and in the meane time that shée should be put into a tower and there well and strongly kept not forbidding anie whosoeuer hée were naturall or straunger but that hée might lawfully make battaile in her defence So likewise they commaunded that I should be put in another tower that if it were so that I should be found a liar that I shoulde bée punished with her prouided death So I when I vnderstood it was in a great feare and went priuelye vnto the lodging of Firidefonte of whome I was verie well receiued and faining that he would send me into his Countrie he put all thinges in order for my iourney and gaue me these two villaines whom thou hast slain to be my keepers who brought me hether and brought me vnto the point as you found me And as I do beleeue it came determined from thence for that his euill pretence should not be discouered Heere you maye vnderstand sir knight wherefore I sayd that it had ben better to haue let me ben slaine then to liue with so great griefe And now that I haue told you all the matter and the truth heere I doo desire you that if there be in you any bountie as it doth appeare and shewe by your presence that thou wilt take vppon thy owne charge this battaile and defence for that I would séeing that I haue bene the occasion of all this euill and trouble happened vnto this guiltlesse Lady in giuing false euidence be the meanes whereby she might receiue remedie for the same This Tinacrian was very much amazed to heare of such an intangled and false forged matter and for that he was one that did procure to aide and helpe the afflicted he did very fréely offer himselfe to procure to make her defence At this instant the dawning of the day appeared and the Prince tooke the Gentlewoman and went whereas the Knight of Bauier was and did awake him and gaue him to vnderstand of all that the Gentlewoman hadde tolde him who incontinent did offer himself to be the second in the battaile for her defence When the Quéene was all in a readinesse to trauaile on their iourney and all the rest they made great hast and tooke the way which led them vnto Espira and carried the Gentlewoman with her face couered that she might not be knowen So when they came with in a mile of the Citie of Espira they must néedes passe a great and mightie broad riuer whereas they lefte Candisea in a dayrie house giuing great charge that she shuld be well looked vnto and the Quéene and all the rest passed the Riuer in a barke and neuer staid till they entered into the citie and had their helmes on and their shields at their backs This strong and stout Tinacrian rode mounted vppon his temerous beast with so great and goodly a demeanour that all which did behold him greatly meruailed what knight it shuld be of so great and comely stature and when they saw the deuise of the trée and broken braunch on his shielde they straight wayes know that he was the Knight that had slaine the Gyaunts for that they had heard the newes there of in the Court which was the occasion that much people did folow him to behold his face if he did put off his helm to see if they could know him So these two knightes and the Quéene with all the people that followed him came vnto the Emperours pallaice whereas the Prince did alight taking the Quéene in his armes he tooke her from her Palfraie and lead her by the right hand so with a verie gentle comely grace they went vp into a royall hall and Macedonio remained belowe and kept their horses When they entered they found the Emperour accompanied with all his nobilitie the knight was knowen vnto theÌ„ al by the deuice of his shéeld therfore al people did approch to know wherfore his comming was greatly meruailed at his bigge stature gentle disposition and they all kept silence to heare what the knight of the Braunch woulde saie who when he was before the Emperour made a shewe of his high lignage from whence he did descend in making of his dutifull reuerence The Emperour hauing knowledge of his person by y e report which he had heard did returne his salutation in equall maÌ„ner when the Emperour would haue spoken the valiaunt knight of the branch did disturbe him and sayd High mightie Lord the fame which I haue heard of your great vertue hath incouraged me to come into thy kingdome with intent to yéeld my selfe into your seruice if that your highnesse be content therwith which if you wil not permit yet at least to suffer me according to equitie to shewe the strength of my arme vpon certaine thy subiects at the which I do desire thée not to receiue any displeasure for y t thou art accounted to be verie right iust for such is the fame that is reported of thee through the world I vnderstanding y t thâ—u wilt reioyce in all y t which is true also for that the truth might be iustified as it is reason although the one part hath shewed with witnesse words his matter to be of truth yet for all that at all times they ought not to be beléeued but that the contrarie partie must likewise be hearde for that thereby rightly may be shewed and declared the equitie of iustice I doe not speake this for that your highnesse hath determined anie thing without hearing of both partyes but for that it is brought vnto another tryall and referred by your maiestie to the tryall of armes to iustifie the right of eyther part and named a space in the which that faultlesse Gentlewoman daughter vnto the Duke of Tirol should séeke one for to defend her honour and right beeing falsely accused for a murtherer partly for this thing also am I come before thy high presence to make them vnderstand their wicked pretence false accusation which they haue raised on her without desert and if they be héere present let them marke what I saie and if not let your highnesse command that they may be aduertised héereof for that I wil make them to know that it is great falsehoode and treason in that they haue accused Clarentina These two cosins were there present and heard very wel his words and Rodelando without anie respect vnto the emperour taking his cosin Firidefonte by the hand stepped forth with a furious