the messenger to tell hys woful tale Faire Englands Champion said he in stéede of Armes get Swallowes winges and flye to England if euer thou 〈◊〉 sée thy beloued Lady for she is iudged to bee burned at a â—take for murthering the Earle of Couentrie whose lustfull desires would 〈◊〉 stayned her honour with infamie and made her the 〈◊〉 of vertuous women Yet this â—ercie is graunted by thâ—â—ing of England that if within â—oure and twenty monâ—◠〈◊〉 Champion may be found that for her sake will ventuâ—◠〈◊〉 life and if it be his happie fortune to ouercome the chaâ—â—â—nger of her death she shall liue But if it bâ— his fatall destenie to bee conquered then must she suffeâ— the heauie iudgement before pronounced therefore as 〈◊〉 loue the life of your chaste and beloued Ladie haiâ—e into â—ngland delay no time for delay is dangerous her lifâ— in hazard to be loâ—â— This wofull disourse stroke such a terror to S. Georges hart likewise to the Egyptian King her father that for a 〈◊〉 they stoode gazingâ—â—◠〈…〉 face as though they had bâ—n â—â—raught of their witâ— nâ—t able to speak one word but at last saint George recouered his former sences and breathed forth this sorrowfull lamentation O England vnkinde England haue I aduentured my life in thy defende anâ— foâ— thy safety haue laynâ— in the fields 〈◊〉 Maâ—◠〈…〉 in many a partching 〈◊〉 day and maâ—â— a fréezing winters night when you haue taken your quiet sléepes in beds of Downe and will you repay me with this discurtesie or rather vndeserued wrong to adiudge her spotles body to consuming 〈◊〉 whosâ— blâ—â—d if it 〈…〉 before I coâ—e I vowe neuer to draw my trusty sword in Englands quarrell more nor neuer account my selfe her Champion but I will rend my warliâ—e colours into a thousand péeces the which I weare vpon 〈◊〉 Burgonet I meane the crimson Crosse of England and wander vnknowne Countries obscurely from the sighâ— of any Christians eye Is it possible that England is so ingratefull to her friend Can that renowned Country harbour such a lustfull monster to seeke to dishonour her within whose hart the fountaine of vertue springes Or can that Noble Citty the Nurse and Mother of my life entertayne so vile an Homeside that will offer violence to her whose chastety and true honour hatâ— caused tamelesse Lyons to sléepe in her lap In this sorrowfull mamâ—â— wearied saint George the time away vntill the Egypâ—ian King whose sorrowes being as great as his put 〈◊〉 from his complaintâ—s and requested the English Knight to tell the true discourse of Sabraes proffered violence and how she muâ—tâ—â—red the lustfull Earle of Couentry to whom after a bitter sigh or two the wofull messenger replyed in this manner Most Noble Princes and Potentates of â—he earâ—h prepare your eares to entertaine the wofulst â—ale that euer English Knight 〈◊〉 and your eyes to wéepe a sea of brackish teares I would I had no tongue to tell it nor hart to remember it But seeing I am compelled through the loue and duty I owe to the Noble Champions of Christendome to expresse it then thus it was It was the fortune nay I may say vnhappie destenie of your beloued Lady vppon an Euening when the Sâ—â—ne had almost lodged in the West to walke without the wals of Couentrie to take the pleasures of the sweet fields and flowring meadowes which Flora had beautefied in a Sommers liuerie but as she walked vp and downe sometimes taking pleasure to heare the mellodie of chirping Birdes how they strained their siluer notes other times taking delight to sée howe nature had couered both hilles and dales with sundrie sortes of Flowers then walking to sée the Christal running Riuers the murmuring Musicke of whose streames excéeded the rest for pleasure But she kinde Ladie delighting her selfe by the Riuers side a sodaine and strange alteration troubled her minde for the Chaâ—ne of gold that shée did weare about her necke presently chaunged colour from a yellow burnisht brightnes to a dimme palenes her Kinges flew from her fingers and from her nose fell three droâ—s of blood whereat her hart began to throb her eares to glow and euerie ioynt to tremble with feare This strange accident caused her spéedilie to haste homeward but by the way she met the noble Earle of Couentrie walking at that time to take the pleasure of the Eueninges Ayre with such a traine of worthie Gentlemen as though he had béene the greatest Piere in all England whose sight when shee behelde a farre off her heart begâ—nne to misgiue thinking that Fortâ—ne had alotted thâ—se Gentlemen to proâ—â—ar her some iniurie◠〈…〉 vppon her cheekes feare had set a vermillion 〈◊〉 whereby â—er beautie grew admirable which when the Earle beheld hee was rauished therewith and déemed her the excellents creature that euer nature had framed their méeting was â—â—lent shee shewed the hâ—militie of a 〈◊〉 Lady 〈…〉 â—he curtesie of a kinde Gentleman shee departed homewardâ—â— and 〈◊〉 into the 〈…〉 thinking all danger past but hâ—â—â—actised in his mind her vtter 〈◊〉 downefall for the dart of loue had shot from her beauteous chéekes into his heart not true loue but lust so that nothing might quench his desirâ— but the conquest of her chastetie such extâ—eame passion bewitched his minde that hee caused hys sâ—â—uants euâ—ry one to depart and then like a discontented man he wandred vp and downe the â—â—eldes beating in hys minde a thousand sundrie waies how to obtaine hys desire for without he inioyed her loue he was likelie to liue in endles languishment but â—t last heâ—â—ighed out this passion of loue O you immortall powers why haue you transported her from an earthly Lady to a heauenly Angell Sabra is no worldly creature but a diuine substance her beautie is a staine vnto the Queene of loue and her countenance of more maâ—eâ—â—ie than Iunos grace her twinckling eyes that glisteâ— like to flaming starres and her beautâ—ous chéekes more pleasant than Roses dipt in milke hath pâ—erst my hart with the prickes of loue and her loue I will enioy or loose my life O but there is a barre which thwartes kinde affections and hinders my desires Saint George I meane her true and lawfull husband the honour of whose bed she will not violate for all the Kingdomes in the world Tush faint harted foole that I am Sabra is bâ—autefull and therefore to be tempted shée is wise and therefore easie to bee woone Her husband he is sporting in the fields of Mars then why may not shée take pleasure in the Chamber of Venus I 〈…〉 many flattering gloseâ— many kind spéeches many 〈…〉 but I will croppe that budde which but to taste I would giue my whole 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 I will tell her saint George is a wandereâ— and one that neuer will returne where as I am a mighty Piere in England and 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 accâ—mplish whatso â—uer shée desiers 〈…〉 this lustfâ—ll 〈◊〉 vsed to flatter himselfe
raging seas arriued in the vnhappy dominions of Iuda vnhappy by reason of the long and troublesome misery hee indured for the loue of a fayre Iew For comming to the rich and beautifull Citty of Ierusalem being in that age the woonder of the world for braue buildings Princely Pallaces gorgeous Monuments and time woondering Temples hee so admired the glorious scituation thereof being the richest place that euer his eyes behâ—ld that he stoode before the walles of Ierusalem one while gazing vppon her golden gates glistering against the Suns bright countenance another while beholding her stately Pâ—nnacles whose lofty péering tops seemde to touch the Clouds another while woondring at her towers of Iasper Iett and Ebony her strong and fortefied walles thrée times doubled about the Citty the glistering Spires of the Temples of Sion built in the fashion and similitude of two Piramides the auncient monument of Greece whose battlements were couered with stéele the walles burnished with siluer and the ground paued with tinne Thus as this inobled and famoused knight at Aâ—mâ—s stood beholding the scituation of Ierusalem there sodainely thundred such a peale of Ordinance within the Citty that it séemed in his rauished conceit to shake the vales of heauen and to mooue the déepe foundations of the fastned earth whereat his horse gaue such a sodaine start that he leâ—t forty foote from the place whereon he stood After this he heard the chearefull sound of Drums and the ecchoes of brazen Trumpets by which the good Champion exspected some honorable pastime or some great tâ—rnament to be at hand which indeede so fell out for no sooner did he cast his vigilant eyes toward the East side of the City but he beheld a troope of well appointed horse come marching through the Gates after them twelue Armed Knights mounted on Warlike Coursees bearing in their handes twelue blood red streamers wheron was wrought in silke the picture of Adonis wounded with a Bore after them the King drawne in a Charriot by Spanish Genets which be a certaine kind of Steeds ingendred by the winde The Kings Guard were a hundred nâ—ked Moores with Turkish Bowes and Darts feathered with Rauens quilles after them marched Celestine the â—ing of Ierusalems faire Daughter mounted on a tâ—me Unicorne in her hand a Iauelin of siluer Armed with a breast plate of gold artificially wrought like the skales of a Porcupine her Guard were a hundred Amazonian Dames â—lad in greene 〈◊〉 after them follâ—wed a â—umber of â—â—quiers Gentlemen some vpon Barbarian Stéeds some vpon Arabian Palfrayâ—s and some on foote in pace more nimbler than the tripping Dâ—are â— more swifter than the tameles Harts vâ—on the mountaines of Thessalie Thus Nâ—buzaradan great King of Ierusalem for so was he called solemnely â—unted in the Wildernes of Iuda bâ—eing a countrie verie much anoyed with wilde beasts as the Lyon the Leopard the Bore and such like In which exercise the King apointed as it was proclâ—imed by his chiefe Harrold at Armes the which he heard repeated by a shéepheard in the fieldes that whosoeuer sâ—ewe the first wilde beast in the Forrest shuld haue in reward a Corsâ—et of stéele so richlie ingraued that it shuld be worth a thousand sickles of siluer Of which Honorable enterprise when the Champion had vnderstanding with what liberall bountie thâ— aduentâ—rus Knights should bee rewarded his heart was â—â—angâ—ted with inuincible courage thirsting after glorious attempts not onely for hope of gaine but for the desire of Honour At which hys illustrious and vndaunted 〈◊〉 aymed at to internize his déedes in the memorable records of Fame and to shine as a Christall mirrour to all insuing times So closing downe his Beuer and locking on his furniture scoured ouer the plaines before the Hunters of Ierusalem in paâ—e more swifter than the winged windes till he aproched an olde solitarie and vnfrequented Forrest wherein he espied a huge and mighty wilde Bore lying before his mossie den gnawing vpon the mangled ioynts of some passenger which hee had murthered as hee trauailed through the Forrest This Bore was of a wonderfull length and bignes so tyrrable to behold that at the first sight hee almost daunted the courage of this Spanish Knight for his monstrous head séemed vgly and deformed hys eyes sparkeled like a â—irie furnace hys tuskes more sharper than picks of steâ—le and from hys nostrels fumed such a violent breath that it séemed like a tempestious whirle winde his brissels were more harder than seauen times milted brasse and his tayle more loathsome than a wreath of Snakes Nâ—re whomâ— when Saint Iames approched and beheld how he drank the blood of humane creatures and deuoured their fleshe hée blew hys siluer horne which as then hung at the pummell of hys saddle in a scarfe of gréene silke whereat the furious monster roused himselfe and most fiercely assailed the Noble Champion which most nimbly leaped from his horse with his speare stroke such a violent blow against the brest of the Borâ— that it shiuered into twentie péeces Then drawing hys good Fauchion from hys side gaue him a second incounter but all in vaine for hee stroke as it were on a Rocke of stone or a piller of Iron nothing hurtfull to the Bore but at last with staring eies which sparkled like burning stéele and with open Iawes the gréedy monster assailed the Champion intending to swallow him aliue but the nimble Knight as then trusted more vpon pollicie than to fortitude and so for aduantage skipped from place to place till on a sodaine he thrust his kéene edged 〈◊〉 aâ—e downe his intestine throate and so most valiantly split his hart in sunder The which beeing accomplished to his own desâ—ers he cut off the Bores head and so presented the Honour of his Combat to the king of Ierusalem who as then with his mightie traine of Knights were but now enâ—â—red the Forrest but haâ—ing gratiously accepted the giâ—t and bountifullie fulfilled his promises demaunding the Champions Countrie his Religion place of Natiuitie who no sooner had intelligence how he was a Christian Knight and borne in the territories of Spaine but presently his patience exchaunged into extreame furie and by these wordes heâ— expressed his cankered stomacke towardes the Christian Champion Knowst thou not bold Knight said the King of Ierusalem that it is the law of Iuda to harbour no vncircumsiced man but eyther bannish him the land or end his dayes by some vntimelâ— death Thou art a Christian and therefore shalt thou die not all thy countries treasure the wealthie Spanish mines nor if all the Alphes which deuide the countries of Italie and Spaine were turned to hilles of burnisht gold and made my lawfull heritage they shuld not redéeme thy life Yet for the Honour thou haste done in Iuda I grant thée this loue by the law of Armes to choose thy death els hadst thou suffered a timmerous torment which seuere Iudgment amazed the Champion that desperately he would haue gorgde
him selfe vppon his owne sworde but that he thought it an honour to hys countrie to die in the defence of Christendome So like a true innobled Knight fearing neyther the threates of the Iewes nor the impartiall stroake of the faâ—all sisters gaue this sentence of his own death First he requested to bee bounde to a pine tree with his breast laid open naked against the Sun then to hâ—ue an â—owers respite to make his suplication to his Creator and afterwardes to be shot to death by a pure Uirgin Which wordes were no sooner pronounced but they disarmed him of hys furniture bound him to a Pine trée and laide his breast open readie to entertaine the bloody strâ—ke of some vnrelenting maiden but such pittie mâ—â—ke mercy and kinde lenâ—ty lodged in the heart of â—â—rie maiden that none would take in hand to be the bloody Executioner of so braue a Knight At last the tyrranous Nabuzaradan gaue strickt commandement vpon paine of death that lotâ— shuld be cast amongst the maidens of Iuda that were there present and to whome the lot did fall should be the fatall executioner of the condemned Champion But by fortune the chaunce fell to Celestine the Kinges own Daughter beeing the Parragon of beautie and the fairest Maide then liuing in Ierusalem in whose heart no such deede of crueltie coulde be harboured nor in whose hand no bloodâ— weapon could be entertained In stéede of deathes fatall Instrument sheâ— shot towards his breast a déepe strained sigh the true messenger of loue and afterward to heauen she thus made her humble supplication Thou great commaunder of celestiall moouing powers conuert the cruell motions of my Fathers minde into a spring of pittifull teares that they may wash away the blood of this innocent Knight from the habitation of his stained purple soule O Iuda and Ierusalem within whose bâ—somes liues a Wildernes of Tygers degenerate from natures kinde more cruell than the hungrie Canibals and more obdurate than vntamed Lyons what merciles Tyger can vnrip that breast where liues the Image of true Nobilitie the verie patterne of Knighthood and the map of a Noble minde No no before my handes shall be stained with Christians blood I will like Scilla against all nature sell my countries safetie or like Maedea wander with the golden Fléece to vnknowne Nations Thus and in such manner complained the beautious Celestine the Kings Daughter of Ierusalem till her sighes stopped the passage of her spéech and her teares stained the naturall beautie of her Rosie Cheekes her haires which glistered like to golden wiers she bâ—smâ—â—de in dust and disâ—obed her selfe from her costly garments and then with a traine of her Amazonian Ladies went to the King her Father where after a long 〈◊〉 she not onely obtainde his life but libertie yet therwithall hys perpetuall banishment from Ierusalem and from all the borderâ— of Iuda the want of whose sight more grieued her hart than the losse of her owne life So this Noble praise worthie Celestâ—ne returned to the Christian Champion that expected euerie minnute to entertaine the sentence of death but his expectation fell out contrarie for the good Ladie after shee had sealed two or three kisses vpon his pale lips beeing exchaunged through the feare of death cut the â—andes that bound hys body to the trée in a hundred péeces 〈◊〉 with a â—â—oud of fault teares the motions of true loue she thus reuealed her minde Most Noble Knight and true Champion of Christendome thy life and libertie I haue gainde but therewithall thy banishment from Iuda which is a hell of horror to my soule for in thy bosome haue I built my happines and in thy hart I account the Paradice of my true loue thy first â—â—ght and louely countenance did so rauish mee when these eyes behâ—ld thée mounted on thy Princely Paâ—fray that euer since my hart hath burnde in affection therefore deare Knight in reward of my loue be thou my Champion and for my sake weare this ring with this posâ—e ingrauen in 〈◊〉 Ardio affectione and so giuing him a ring from her finger and there withall a kisse from her mouth shee departed with a sorrowfull sigh in companiâ— of her Father and the rest of hys Honourable traine backe to the Citty of Ierusalem béeing as then néere the setting of the Sunne But now Saint Iames the Champion of Spaine hauing passed the danger of death and at full libeâ—â—â—e to depart from that vnhappie Nation hee fell into a hundred cogitations one while thinking vpâ—n the tâ—ue loue of Celestine whose name as yet he was ignorant of another while vpon the cruelâ—ie of her father then â—ntending to depart into hâ—s his owne countrie but lâ—â—king 〈◊〉 to the Towers of Ierusalem his minde sodainely altâ—red for thither hee purposed to goe hoping to haue a sight of hyâ— Ladiâ— and Mistresse and to liue in some disguised â—ortâ—â— her presence and bee her loues true Champion against all 〈◊〉 So gathering certaine blackberies from the trées he coloured his body all ouer like a Blaâ—kamoore But yet considering that hys spéech would discouer him intended likewise to continue dumbe all the time of his residence in Ierusalem So all thinges ordered according to his desire he tooke his iournie to the Cittie where with signes and other motions of dumbnes he declared his intent which was to bée entertained in the Court and to spend his time in the seruice of the King But when the King beholdâ— his countenance which seemed of the naturall colour of the Moore little mistrusted him to be the Christian Champion whome before he greatly enuied but accounted him one 〈◊〉 the brauest Iudean Knights that euer his eye behelde therefore hee instauld him with the honouâ— of Knighthood 〈◊〉 â—ppointed him to bee one of his Guard and likewise his Daughters onlie Championâ— But whâ—â— Saint Iames of Spaine sawâ— himselfe inâ—ested in that honoured place his soule was raâ—ished with such excéeding ioy that he thought no pleasure comparable to hys no place of Elisium but the Court of Ierusalem and no Goddesse 〈◊〉 hys beloued Celestine Lâ—ng continued he 〈◊〉 casting foorth manie a louing sigh in the presence of his Ladie and Mistresse not knowing how to reueale the secrets of his minde So vppon a time there ariued in the Court of Nabuzaradan the King of Arabia with the Admirall of Babilon both presuming vpon the loue of Celestine and crauing her in the way of marriage but shée exempted all motions of loue from her chaste minde onlie building her thoughtes vpon the Spanish Knight which shée supposed to bee in hys owne Countriâ— At whose melancholie passions her importunate sutors the King of Arabia and the Admâ—â—all of Babilon 〈◊〉 and therefore intended vppâ—â—â—n Euening to prâ—sent her with some rare deuised Maske â—o choosing out fiâ— consorts for their Courtly pastimes Of which number the King of Arabia was chiefe and first leader of 〈◊〉 traine the great Admirall of Babilon was the second and
corner of the dungeon a certaine Iron Engin which time had almost coÌ„sumed with rust wherwith by long labor he digged himselfe a passage vnder the ground till he ascended iust in the middle of the Soldans Court which was at that time of the night when all thinges were silent the heauens hée then beheld beautified with stats bright Cinthia whose glistering beames he had not séene in many a huÌ„dred nights before séemed to smile at hys safe deliuerie and to stay her wandring course till the noble English Champion foundâ— meanes to get without the compasse of the Persian Cours where danger might no longer attend him nor the strongâ— Gates of the Cittie hinder hys flight which in this manner was performed For the Noble Knight bâ—â—ing as fearefull as the Birde newlie escaped from the Fowlers nets gazed round about and listned where he might heare the voice of people At last he heard the Groomes of the Soldans stable furnishing forth Horses against the next morning for some Noble atchiuement then the valiant Champion S. George taking the Iron Engin wherewith hee redéemed himself out of prison burst opeÌ„ the dores where he slew all the Groomes in the Soldans stable which béeing done hée tooke the strongest Palfray and the richest furniture with other necessaries appertayning to a Knight at Armes so rode in great maiestie to one of the Citty Gates where hee saluted the Porter in this manner Porter open thy Gates for S. George of England is escaped hath murdered his warders in whose pursute the Citty is in Armes which wordes the simple Persian beléeued for a truth and so with all spéede opened the Gates whereat the Champion of England departed and left the Soldan in hys dead sâ—éepe little mistrusting hys sodaine escape But by that time the purple spotted morning had parted with her gray and the Suns bright countenaunce appeared on the mountaine toppes Saint George had ridden twentie leagues from the Persian Court and before hys departure was bruâ—ed in the Soldans Pallace the English Champion had recouered the sight of Grecia past all danger of the Persian Knights that followed him with a swift pursute By which time the extreamity of hunger so sharpely tormented him that he could trauaile no further but was constrained to suffise himselfe with certayne wilde Chesnuts in stead of bread and sewer oringes in stead of drinke such fainte food that grew by the wayes as he trauelled where the necessity and want of victualles compelled the Noble Knight Saint George to breath forth this pittifull complaint O hunger hunger said the Champion thou art more sharper than the stroake of death and the extreamest punishment that euer man indured if I were now King of Armenia cheife Potentate of Asia yet would I giue my Diadem my Scepter with al my prâ—uinces for one shiuer of browne breade oh that the earth would be so kind as to rippe hir bowells and to cast vp some food to sustaine my want or that the ayre might bée choakt with mistes whereby the fethered foules for want of breath might fall and yeald me some succour in this my â—â—nishment and exstreame penurye or that the Oceans would outspread their braunched armes and couer those sunburnd â—â—llyes with their treasures that I might suffice my hunger but now I sée both heauen and earth the hilles and daâ—es the skyes and seas the fish and foules the birdes and Siluanâ— beastes all things vnder the cope of heauen conspires my vtter ouerthrow better had it béene it I had â—â—ded my dayes in Persia than to bee famishâ—â— in the broaâ—◠〈…〉 whâ—â—e all things by natures appointment is ordained for mans vse now in stéed of Courtly dillicates I am forced to eat the fruit of trées and in stéed of Gréekish wines I am compelled to quench my thirst with the moâ—nings dew that nightly falles 〈◊〉 the blades of grasse Thus complained Saint George vntill glistering Phoebus had mounted the top of heauen and drawen the mistie vapors from the ground where hee might behold the prospects of Grecia and which way to trauaile for most safetie he espied directly before his face a Tower standing vpon a chalkie clift in distance from him some thrée miles whether the Champion intended to goe not to séeke for any aduenture but to rest himselfe after hys long iournie to get such victuals as therein hee could finde to suffice his want So setting forward with an easie pace the heauens séemed to smile and the birds to ring such a cherping peale of mellodie as though they did prognosticate a fortunate euent The way he found so plaine and the iournie so easie that within halfe an houre hee approached before the saide Tower where vpon the wall stâ—â—de a most beautifull woman her attire after the manner of a distressed Ladie and her lookes as heauie as the Quéenes of Troy when she beheld her Pallace set on fire The valiant Knight S George after he had alighted from his horse he gaue her this curteous salutaâ—ion Lady said the Knight for so you séeme by your outward appearance if euer you pittied a trauailer 〈◊〉 graunted succour to a Chrstian Knight giue to mee one meâ— leâ— meate nâ—w almost famished To whome the Lady after a â—urst frowne or two answered him in this order Sir Knâ—ght quoth shée I aduise thée with all spéede to depart for here thou gets a cold dinner my Lord is a mightie Giant and beleeueth in Mahomet â— Terinagâ—unt and if he oncâ— vnderstand how thou art a Christian Knight â—t is not all the gold of higher India nor the riches of wealthy Babilon that can preserue thy life Now by the honour of my Knighthood replied Saint George and by the God that Christendome adores were thy Lord more stronger than was mightie Hercules that bore a mountaine on hys backe here will I either obtaine my 〈◊〉 or die by hys accursed hands These wordes so abashed the Lady that shee went with all speed from the Tower and told the Gyant how a Christian Knight remayned at hys Gate that had sworne to suffice hys hunger in dispite of hys will whereat the furious Gyant sodainely started vp béeing as then in a sound sléepe for it was at the middle of the day who tooke a bat of Iron in hys hand and came downe to the Tower Gate his stature was in haight fiue yeardes hys heade brisled like a Bores a foote there was betwixt each brow his eies hollow hys mouth wide hys lippes were like two flaps of steele in all proportion more like a diuell than a man Which deformed monster so daunted the courage of Saint George that he prepared himselfe to death not through feare of the monstrous Gyant but for hunger and féeblenes of body but God so prouided for him and so restored the Champions decayed strength that hee indured battaile till the closing vp of the Euening by which time the Gyant was almost blinde through the sweate that ran
the murthered Princes to my eares but I 〈◊〉 into such a discontented passion that I abandoned my selfe from company of people and fate for seauen monthes 〈◊〉 a solitarie passion lamenting the losse of my Children 〈◊〉 wéepâ—ng Niobe which was the sorrowfullâ—st Lady 〈◊〉 nor liued During which time the report of Floridons vnhappie Tragedy was bruted to hys fathers eares beeing the sole King of Armenia whose griefes so excéeded the bounds of reason that with all conuenient spéede the greatest strength Armenia could make and in reuenge of his sonnes vnhappy murther entered our Territories and with hys wel approued warrious subdued our Prouinces slaughtered our Souldiers conquered our Captaines slew our Commons burnt our Citties and left our Country villages desolate whereby when I beheld my Countrey ouerspread with famine fire and sworde thrée intestiâ—e plagues wherewith heauen scourgeth the sinnes of the wicked I was forced for safegard of my life to forsake my natiue habitation and Kingly gouernement onely committing my fortune like a 〈◊〉 Exile to 〈◊〉 vnknown passages where care was 〈◊〉 companion and discontent my onely soliciter At last it was my desteny to ariue in this vnhappy place which I supposed to be the walks of dispayre where I had not remayned many dayes in my melancholly passions but 〈◊〉 thought the warie â—awes of déepe Auerna opâ—ned from whence ascended a most fearefull diuell that inticed mee to bequeath my fortune to hys disposing and he would defend me from the furie of the whole world to which I presently condescended vpon some assurance Then presently hee placed before my face this Inchaunted sword so surely closed in stone that should neuer be pulled out but by the hands of a Christian Knight and till that taske were performed I should liue exempt from all danger although all the Kingdomes of the earth assailed me which taske most aduenterous Champion thou now haste performed whereby I knowe the houre of my death approacheth and my time of confusion to be at hand This discourse pronounced by the Nigromancer Ormondine was no sooner finished but the worthie Champion Saint George heard such a tyrrible ratling in the skyes such 〈◊〉 in the earth that be exspected some strange euent to followâ— then casting his eies aside he saw the Inchaunted Garden to vanish and the Champion of Wales to awake from hys dead sléepe wherein hee had remayned 〈…〉 who like one newly risen from a sounds for a 〈◊〉 stood spéechles not able to vtter one word till he beheld the Noble Champion of England that stedfastly gazed vpon the Nigromancer who at the vanishing of the Inchauntment presently gaue a most tyrrible grone died The 〈◊〉 Champions after many curteous imbrasinges and kinde gréetings reuealed each to other the straunge aduentures they had passed and how Saint Dauid was bound by the oath of hys Knighthood to performe the aduenture of Ormondine to which Saint George presently condescended who deliuered the Inchaunted sword with the Nigromancers head into the handes of Saint Dauid the which he presently disceuered from hys dead body Here must my wearie Muse leaue Saint Dauid trauailing with Ormondines â—ead to the Tartarian Emperour and speake of the following aduentures that hapned to Saint George after his departure from the Inchaunted Garden CHAP. XI How Saint George 〈◊〉 at Tripolie in Barbarâ—â— where he stole away Sabra the Kinges Daughter of Egipâ— from the Blackamore King and how shee was knowne to beâ— a pure virgin by the moâ—neâ— of a Lyon and what hapned to him in the same aduenture SAint George after the recouerie of Saint Dauid as you heard in the former Chapter dispatched his iourny towards Christendâ—â—â— whose pleasant bankes he long desired to behold and thought euerie day a yeare till hys eyes enioyed a swéete sight of hys Natiue Countrie England vpon whose Chalkey cliffes he had not treade in many a wearie Sommers day therefore committing his iournie to a fortunate successe trauailde through many a dangerous countrie where the people were not only of a bloody disposition giuen to all manner of wickednes but the sâ—yle greatlâ— anoyed with wilde Beasts through which he could not well trauaile without danger therefore hee carried continually in one of hys handes a weapon readyâ— charged to 〈◊〉 with the Heathen people if occasion should serue and in the other hande a bright burning blaze of fire to defend him from the furâ—e of the wilde Beasts 〈◊〉 by violence they assayled hâ—m Thus in extreame daunger trauailed the Noble and aduenterous Champion Saint George till â—ee ariâ—ed in the Territories of oâ— Barbarie in which Countrie he purposed for a time to remaine and to séeke for some noble atchiuement whereby hys 〈◊〉 â—ight be 〈◊〉 and hys honored 〈◊〉 through all the King 〈◊〉 of the world and bâ—â—ing incouraged with this Princely â—â—gitation the Noble Champion of England climbed to the top of a huge mountaine where he vnlocked hys Beuer which before had not beene lifted vp in many a day and beheld the wide and spacious Countrie how it was beautified with loftie Pines aâ—â—rnde with many goodly Pallaces But amongst the number of the Townes Cities which the English Champion beheld there was one which séemed to excéede the rest both in sâ—ituation and braue buildinges which he supposed to be the chiefest Cittie in all the Countrie and the place where the King vsually kept hys Court to which place S. George intended to trauaile not to furnish himselfe with any needfull thinge but to accomplish some Honorable aduenture whereby hys worthy deedes might bee enternized in the Bookes of memorie So after he had descended from the top of the stéepy mountaine and had trauailed in a low valley about some two or thrée miles he approched an olde and almost ruinated Hermitage ouer growne with mosse other witherâ—d wéedes before the entrie of which Hermitage sate an auncient Father vpon a rounde stone taking the heate of the warme Sun which cast such a comfortable brightnes vpon the Hermits face that hys white â—eard séemed to glister like siluer and hys head to excéed the whitelies of the Northen 〈◊〉 Of whom after Saint George had giuen the due reuerence that belonged vnto age demaunded the name of the Countrie and the Cittie hee trauailed to vnder what King the Countrie was gouerned to whom the curteous Hermit thus replyed Most Noble knight for so I gâ—sse you are by your 〈◊〉 and outward appearance laid the Hermit you are now in the confines of Barbarie the Cittie opposâ—â—e bâ—fore your eyes is called Tripolie 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of Almidor the blacke King of Moroco in which Cittie he now kéepeth hys Court attended on by as many valiant Knights as any King vnder the â—ope of heauen At which wordes the Noble Champion of England sodainely started as though hee had intelligence of some â—alâ—full newes which dâ—epely discontented hys Princely mind hys heart was presently incenst with a spéedy reuenge and his minde so extreamely thirsted
her ownâ— Champion Saint Iames the third who was called in the Couâ—t by the name of the dumb Knight and in this manner the Maske was performed First entered a most excellent Consort of Mâ—sicke after them the aforesaid Maskers in cloth of gold most curiously imbrothered and danced a course about the hall at the endâ— whereof the King of Arabia presented Celestine with a costly sword at the hilt whereof hung a siluer Globe and vpon the point was erected a golden Crowne then the Musicke sounded another course of which the Admirall of Babilon was leader who presented her with a vesture of purple silke of the colour of the rainebow brought in by Diana Venus and Iuno which being done the Musicke â—â—unded the third time in which course Saint Iames though vnknowne was the leader of the daunce who at the ende whereof likewise presented Celestine with a garland of Flowers which was brought in by the thrée Graces and put vpon her head Afterwarde the Christian Champion intending to discouer himselfe to his Ladie and Mistressâ— tooke her by the séemely hand and led her a stately Morisco daunte which béeing no sooner finished but hee â—ffered her the Diamond ring which she gaue him at his departure in the woodes the which shee presently knew by the posâ—e and shortly after had intelligence of his long â—ontinued dumbnesse his counterfeâ— colour his chaunging of nature and the great daunger that hee put himselfe in for her sake which caused her with all the spéede shee coulde possiblie make to breakâ— off câ—mâ—anie and to retire into a Cabbinet which shee hâ—d hâ—rd by wherâ— the same Euening she had a long confâ—rence â—ith â—er true and faithfull louer and aduenterous Champion and to conclude they made 〈◊〉 agâ—â—â—ment beâ—wixt them that the sâ—me night vnknowne to anie in the Court she bad Ierusalem a due by the light of Cinthias glistering beames stole from her Fathers Pallace where in companie of none but S. Iames shee tâ—â—ke her iournie toward the countrie of Spaine But this noble Knight by pollicie preuented all insuing daungers for he shodde his horse backewarâ—s whereby when they were missed in the Court that they might be followed the contrarie waie By this meanes escaped the two Louers from the furie of the Iewes and ariued safely in Spaine in the Cittie of Ciuill wherin the gâ—â—d Champion Saint Iames was boâ—ne where as now we leaue them for a time to their owne contented mindes Also passing ouer the hurly burly in Ierusalem for the losse of Celestine the vaine pursutes of aduenterous Knights in stopping the Ports and Hauens the preparing of fresh horses to follow them and the mustering of souldiers to pursue them the franticke passions of the King for hys daughter the melanchollie monâ—â— of the Admirall of Babilon for his Mistris and the wofull lamentations of the Arabian King for his Ladie and Loue and returne to the aduentures of the other Christian Champions CHAP. VI. The tyrâ—ible battaile betwixt S. Anthonie the Champion of Iâ—alie and the Giant Blanderon and afterward of his strange entertainment in the Giants Castell by a Thrasian Ladie and what hapned to him in the same Castell IT was at that time of the yeare when the earth was newly deckt with a summers liuerie when the Noble and Heroicall minded Champion Saint Anthonie of Italie ariued in Thrasia where heâ— spent his seauen yeares trauailes to the honor of hys countrie the glory of God and to hys owne lasting memorie For after he had wandred through many a wearâ—â—some waie both by Sea and Land through woods and wildernesses by hilles and dales by caues and dens and other vnknowne passages he ariued at last vpon the top of a high and steepâ—e mountaine wheron stood a woonderfull huge and strong Castell which was kept by the most mightiest Giant vnder the cope of heauen whose puissant force all Thrasia could not ouercome nor once attempt to withstand but with the danger of their whole countrie The Giants name was Blanderon hys Castell of the purest Marble stone his gates of yellowe Brasse and ouer the principall gate was graued in Letters of gold these verses following Within this Castell liues the scourge of Kinges A furious Giant whose vnconquered power The Thracian Monarke to subiection bringes And keepes his Daughters prisoners in his Tower Seauen Damsels faire the monstrous Giant keepes That singes him Musicke while he rightly sleepes His bats of steele a thousand Knights hath felt Which for these virgins sakes haue lost their liues For all the Champions bold that with him dealt This most intestiue Giant still suruiues Let simple passengers take heede in time When vp this steepie mountaine they do clime But Knights of worth and men of Noble minde If any chaunce to trauaile by this Tower That for these Maidens sakes will be so kinde To trie their strengthes against the Giants power Shall haue a virgins praier both day and night To prosper them with good successefull fight After he had read what was written ouer the gate desire of Fame so incouraged him and the thirst of honour so imboldned his valiant minde that he eyther vowed to redeeme the Ladies from their seruitude or die with honour by the furie of the Giant So going to the Castell gate he stroke so vehemently thereon with the pummell of hys sword that it sounded like a mightie thunder clap Wherat Blanderon sodainely started vp béeing fast a sléepe close by a Fountaines side and came pacing foorth at the Gate with a mightie Oake vppon his necke which at the fight of the Italian Champion so lightly flourished it about hys head as though it had béene but a light Dimmilaunce and with these wordes gaue the Noble Champion entertainement What Furie hath incenst thy ouer boldned minde proude Princockes thus to aduenture thy féeble force against the violence of my strong arme I tell thée haddest thou the strength of Hercules who bore the mountaine Atlas on his shoulders or the pollicie of Vlisses by which the Cittie of Troy was ruinated or the might of Xerxes whose multitudes drunke huge riuers as they passed yet all too feeble weake and impudent to encounter with the mightie Giant Blanderon thy force I estéeme like a blast of winde and thy strokes as light as a few drops of water Therefore betake thée to thy weapon which I compare vnto a bulrush for on this ground will I measure out thy graue and after cast thy féeble Palfray in one of my handes headlong downe this strepâ—e mountaine Thus boasted the vaine glorious Gyant vpon his owne strength During which time the valerous and hardie Champion had alighted from his horse where after hee had made hys humble supplication to the heauens for hys good spâ—ede and committed his Fortune to the impartiall Quéene of destenie hee approached within the compasse of the Giants reach who with his great Oake so nimbly besturde him with such vehement blowes that they séemed to shake the
in the foreâ—runt of the battell so aduenturously behaued them selues that they slew more Negars than a hundred of the brauest Knights in the Christian Armies At last Fortune intending to make saint Georges prowesse to shinâ— brighter than the rest singled out the Moroco King betwixt whom and the English Champion was a long dangerous fight But saint George so couragiouslye behaued him with his trustie sword that Almidor was constrained to yeeld 〈◊〉 his mercie The Armie of the Moores séeing their King taken prisoner presently would haue fled but that the Christians béeing the lighter of foote ouertooke them and made the greatest slaughter that euer hapned in Barberie Thus after the battell ended and the ioyfull sound of victorie rung through the Christian Armie the souldiers furnished themselues with the enemies spoyles and martched by saint Georges direction to the Cittie of Tripolie being then almost vnpeopled through the late slaughter In which Cittie after they had râ—sted some few dayes and refreshed themselues with holsome food the English Champion in reuenge of his former proffered iniuries by the Moroco King gaue hys seuere sentence of death First hee commaunded a brazen cauldron to bee filled with boyling Lead and Brimstone then Almidor to be brought to the place of death by twelue of the Noblest Pieres in Barberie therein to be consumed flesh blood and bone which was duelie performed within seauen dayes following the brazen cauldron was erected by the appointment of saint George directlie in the middle of the chiefest Market place vnder which a mightie hot fire continually burned for the space of of eight and fortie houres whereby the boyling Lead and Bâ—imstone seemed to sparckle like the fierie furnaces in hell and the heate to eâ—ceede the burning Ouen at Babilon Thus all thinges béeing no sooner prepared in a readines the Christian Champions present to behold the wofull spectakle but the condemned Blackâ—more King came to the place of Execution in a shirt of the finest Indian silk his hands pinniond together with a chaine of gold his face couered with a Damske Scarfe his attendants chiefe conducters twelue Moroco Pieres clad in Sablâ— gownes of Taffetie carring before him the whéele of fortune with the picture of a Usurper climbing vp with this Motto on his breast I will be king in spite of Fortune vpon the top of the whéele the picture of a Monarke vaunting with this Motto on his breast I am a King in spite of Fortune Lastly on the other side of the Wheele the picture or perfect image of a deposed Potentate falling with hys head downewards with this Motto on hys breast I haue beene a King so pleaseth Fortune which plainelie signified the chaunce of warre and the constancie of destenie hys guard was a thousand Christian souldiers holding fortune in disdaine after them attended a hundred of Moroco virgins in blacke ornaments their haire bounds vp with siluer wiers and couered with vales of black silke signifiing the sorrow of their countrie for the losse of their Soueraigne In this mournefull manner came the vnfortunate Almidor to the boyling Câ—ulderne which wheÌ„ he beheld hys heart waxed cold and his tongue dâ—ueide of vtterance for a time yet at last he brake foorth into thesâ— earnest protestations proffering more for his life than the whole Kingdome of Barberie can performe Most mightie inuincible Champion of Christendome quoth he let my life be ransomed and thou shâ—lâ— yearely receaue ten tunnes of â—ried gold a hundred inchs of wouen silke the which our Indian maides shall sit and spinne â—ith siluer whéeles a hundred Arguses of spices and â—efined suger shal be yearely paid thee by our Barberie 〈◊〉 a hundred waggons likewise richly laden wit◠〈◊〉 aâ—d Iasper stones which by our cunning Lapidisies â—hall 〈◊〉 yearelie chosen foorth and brought â—hee home to England â—o make that blessed countrie the richest land within the Dominions of Europe Likewise I will â—eliuer vp my Diadem with all my Princely dignities and in companie of these Moroco Lordes like bridled Horses drawe thée daylie in a siluer Charriot vp and downe the serâ—led earth til death giues end to our liues Pilgrimage Therefore most admired Knight at Armes let these salt teares that trickle from the Conduits of my eyes obtaine one graunt of comfort at thy handes for on my bended knées I beg for life that neuer before this time did kneele to any mortallman Thou speakst in vaine replyed saint George it is not the treasures hidden in the déepest seas nor all the golden mines of rich America that can redéeme thy life thou knowest accursed Homicide thy wicked practises in the Egyptian Court where thou profferedst wrongfully to bereaue me of my life Likewise through thy treachery I endâ—red a long imprisonment in Persia where for seauen yeares I dranke the Channell water and suffizde my hunger with the breads of branne meale My foode the loathsome flesh of Rats and Mice and my resting place a dismall dungeon where neither sunne nor the chearefull light of heauen lent me comfort during my long continued misery For which inhumane dealing and proffered iniuries the hâ—auens inforceth mee to a spéedy reuenge which in this manner shall be accomplished Thou seest the Engine prepared for thy death this brazen Caldron fild with boyling lead and brimstone wherein thy cursed body shall be spéedily cast and boyled till thy detested limbs bee consumed to a watry sâ—bstance by this sparckling lickour therefore prepare thy selfe to entertaine the violent stroake of death and willingly byd all thy kingly dignities farewell But yet I let thée vnderstand that mercy harboreth in a Christians hart and where mercy dwels there faults are forgiuen vppon some humble penetence though thy trespasse deserues 〈◊〉 pitty but seuere punishment yet vpon these considerations I will graunt thée liberty of life First that thou wilt forsake thy false Gods Termagaunt Mahomet and Apollo which he but the vayne imaginations of man and beléeue in our true and euer liuing God vnder whose banner we Christians haue taken in hande this long warre Secondly thou shalt giue commandement that all thy barbarous Nations be christened in the faith of Christ Thirdly and lastly that thy thrée Kingdomes of Barbary Moroco India sweare true alleagance to all Christian Kings and neuer to beare Armes but in the true quarrell of Christ and his annoynted Nations These things duly obserued thy life shall be preserued and thy liberty obtayned otherwise looke for no mercy but a spéedy and most â—yrâ—ible death These wordes more displeased the vnchristian King of Morco than the sentence of his condemnation and in these briefe spéeches set downe his resolution Great Potentate of Europe replied Almidor by whose mightines fortune sits fettered in the chaines of power my golden Diadem and regall Scepter by constraint I must deliuer vp but before I forsake my countrie Gods I will indure a hundred deathes and before my conscience be reformed to a new faith the earth
offence to God and a continuall corrasiue to my husbands heart if we liue together Therefore accursed monsters prosecute your tyrranie It is not all your threates and bloodie dealinges shall conuert my chaste minde nor once inforce my thoughtes to giue any consent thereunto These wordes béeing no sooner ended but the luâ—â—full Moore tooke an other of her children and stabed before hâ—r husbands face thincking therby to fore the Marchant to intreate his wife to consent to the wicked Nâ—gars determinations but he beeing as resolute as his vertuous wife spake in this manner O you cursed blacke Dogges of Barberie more worse in quallitie than the bloody Tygers and more merciles than the wicked Cannibals thinke you that the murther of our children shall inforce our hearts to yéelde to your lustful desiers Nâ— no perseuer in your tyrranies if I had a hundred children twice the number of King Priams yet would I loose them all before I will indure to see my wiues dishonor children may be gotten agayne but hir honor neuer recouered These words pricked the Negars to the gall and caused them to commit the wickedst déede that euer was practised vnder the celestiall Globe of heauen First they sheathed there Poniards in the breastes of all the Marchantes children whose guiltles blood stayâ—d all the chamber with a crimson colour then with there Fauchions did they cuâ— there bodies all in sunder and caused seauen Pâ—es to be made of there flesh and after serued in a banquet to there wofull Parents whome the merciles Moores set at a square table the Marchant placed directly opposite against his wife wher they were constrained either to féede vpon there owne children or starue for want of other sustenance This wofull spectakle stroke such a griefe into the English Marchants heart that hee could scarce indure to speake for wéeping hys wife when shee behold the heades of her louelie sonnes lying vpon the table as it were looking to heauen for reuenge breathed fortâ— this woful dying lamentation O sillie Babes I would you had béene strangled in my wombe at your first conception then should not these accursed Infidels haue triumpht thus in your â—nhappie Tragedies Nor your vnfortunate Parentes behâ—ld this luckles day whereon I pray that neuer Sâ—nne may shine againe but bee accounted an ominous day throughout the whole earth for heauen I hope poore Babes will raigne a showre of vengeance on their heades that hath caused this your vntimelie death and with this praier I bit the worldâ— faâ—â—well At which wordes her griefe so excéeded the boundes of reason that it stayed the passage of her spéech whereby she was forced to yéeld her soule to the Paradice of peace Shée béeing no sooner dead but the sorrowfull Marchant likewise biterly exclaimed against the iniustice of Fortune and the tyrranie of the barbarous Moores accounting his destenie more haâ—les than the Thracian Kinges that buried his children in hys owne Bowels and the cruelties of the Infidels to excéed the tyrranie of Nero that caused hys Mothers wombe to be opened that hee might beholde the place of hys creation but when the Marchant had sufficiently bewailed the murther of hys children the death of his wife and hys owne miserie he yéelded hys soule likewise to the furious stroke of death The end of whose long languishments when the wicked Moores had intelligence they caused their dead bodies to be carried to the top of a hiâ—h mountaine and there left for the pray of hungrie Rauens But God most miraculously preserued them both from the furie of Foules and the violence of rauenous beasts for the suâ— consumed their bodies like the morninges dew and by the wâ—nderfull workemanship of heauen in the sâ—me place sprung a bower of Roses to signifie the vnspotted honour of the Marchant and his vertuous wife which miracle wee leauâ— to the woonder of the Moores and speake of the Christian Champions procéedinges that by this time were ariued in the Kingdome of Egipt CHAP. XV. How the Christians ariued in Egipt and what hapned to them there the Tragedie of the lustfull Earle of Couentrie how Sabra was bound to a stake to be burned how Saint George redeemed her lastly how the Egiptian king cast himselfe from the toppe of a Tower and broake hys necke DUring the time of the bloodie murther wrought by the barbarous Moores vpon the English Marchant and hys Wife with his seauen Children as you hearde in the former Chapter the Champions of Christendome ariued vppon the Territories of Egipt where they supposed to haue met with Legions of Armed Souldiers and to haue aduentured their liues vpon the chaunce of Warre but all things fell out contrarie to their expectations for they founde the Gates of euerie Cittie set open and euerie Uillage and Towne vnpeopled for the Commos at the report of the Christians ariuall secretly hid their treasure in the Caues of the earth in déepe Welles and such like obscure places and a generall feare and extreame terrour assailed the Egiptians as well the Pieres of the Land as the simple countrie people Many fled into woods and wildernesses closelie hid themselues in hollow trées Many digged caues in the ground where they thought best to remaine in safetie and many fled to high mountaines where they long timâ— liued in great extreamity féeding vppon the grasse of the ground So greatly the Egiptians feared the Armie of Christians that they expected nothing but the ruine of their owne countrie with the losse of their owne liues and the murther of their wiues and Children But to speake of the Christian Champions who finding the countrie desolate of people suspected some déepe pollicie of the Egiptians thinking them to haue mustered their generall forces to bid them battaile therefore Saint George gaue commaundement through the whole Campe that not a man vpon paine of death shuld breake his ranke but martch aduisedlie with thrée weapons ready prest to enter battaile as though the enemie had directly plast themselues opposite against them which speciall charge the Christian Souldiers dulie obserued looking neyther after the wealth of Citties nor the spoyle of Uillages but circumspectly martched according to their leaders directions along the Countrie of Egipt till they approached the sight of King Ptolomies Court which when the noble Champion of England beheld in this manner incouraged hee hys followers Behold saide hée you inuincible Captaines of Christendome yonder cursed Towers where wicked Ptolomie kéepes hys Court those Battlements I say were they as richlie built as great Piramides of Greece yet shoulde they be subuerted and laid as leuell with the ground as the Cittie of Carthage there hath that accursed Ptolomie hyâ— residence that for preseruing his Daughter from the burning Dragon trecherouslie sent me into Persia where for seauen yeares I liued in great extreamie in a dismall dungeon where the Sunne did neuer lend me light nor the companie of people comfort In reuenge wherof my hart shall neuer rest in
like vnto an Elephants hys nostrelles were verie large and bigge his heade little his breast some what broad well pitcht and so â—ard that no sword were it neuer so sharpe was able to enter in thereat The Champion was called the Barron 〈◊〉 Chester a hold and hardier Knight they thought liued not then vpon the face of the whole earth he so aduanced himselfe vp downe as though hee had béene able to Encounter with a hundred Knights then the King caused the Harrold to summon in the Defendant if there were any to defend her cause both Drums and Trumpets sounded thrée seuerall times vp downe the fieldes betwixt euerie rest was full a quarter of an houre but yet no defendant did appeare therefore the King commaunded the Executioner to set the stake on fire presently At which words Sabra began to grow as pale as ashes and hir Ioyntes to tremble like to Aspen-leaues hir toung that before continewed silent began to recorde a swanlike dying tale in this manner vttered she the passion of hir heart Be witnes heauen and all you bright celestiall Angells bee witnes sun and moone the true beholders of my â—act be witnes thou cleare firmament and all the world be witnes of my innocence the blood I shed was for the sauegard of my honor and vnspotted Chastety Great God of heauen if the praiers of my vnstained heart may assaile thy mighty Maiestie or my true innocence preuaile with thy immortall power Commaund that eyther my Lorde may come to be my Champion or sad beholder of my death But if my hands were stained with blood about some wicked enterprise then heauen shew present vengeance vppon me by fire or els let the earth open deuoure my bodie vp aliue At which instance she heard the sound of a shrill and lowd horne the which S. George winded for as then hée was néere which caused the Execution a while to bee deferred At last they beheld a farre off a stately Banner wauering in the Ayre the which the Knight carried before saint George then they espied nere vnto the Banner a most valiant Armed Knight mounted vpon a cole blacke Palfray with a mightie great Launce set charged in his Rest by which sodaine approach they knewe him to bée some Champion that would defende the distressed Ladyes cause Then the King commanded the Drums and Trumpets to sound whereat the people gaue a generall shâ—wâ— and the poore Lady halfe dead with feare began to reuiue and her blushing cheekes to be as beautefull as redde Roses dipt in milke blood mingled with snowe but when saint George approached the sight of his true and constant Lâ—dâ— whom he found chayned to a stake incompassed with many instruments of death his hart so relented with griefe that he almost fell beside his horse yet remembring wherefore hée came he recalled his courage and intended to try his fortune in the Combat before he would discouer himselfe vnto his Lady And so when the Trumpets sounded deaths Alarum the two Knights set spurres to their horses made them run so fiercely that at the first encounter they shiuered both theyr Launces to their hands then rushed they together so rigorously with their bodies and Helmets that they fell downe both to the earth But saint George who was the more lustier Knight nimbly leapt vppon his féete without any hurt but the Barron of Chester lay still with his hâ—ad downewards casting from his mouth abundance of blood he was so mightely bruised with the fall but when he reuiued from his traunce he tooke his shield drawing out a mighty Fawchion and with a wrathfull countenance ran at saint George Now prowde Knight quoth he I sweare by all the Saints in heauen to reuenge the blood which thou hast shed and therewithall he stroke so violently vpon saint Georges shield that it cleaued quite a sunder then began he to waxe angry and tooke his sword in great wrath and gaue the Barron of Chester such a stroke that he cut away arme and shoulder and all the flesh of his side to the bare ribs and likewise cut his legge almost cleaue a sunder in the thichest place of his thigh and yet for all that the sword entred halfe a foote into the earth then fell the Barron of Chester to the ground and breathed forth this lamentable cry Nowe frowne you fatall starres eternally that did predominate at my byrth for he is slaine and vanquished that neuer stâ—â—pt to any Knight before this day and thereuppon the blood stâ—pped the passage of his speech and his soule went flying to Elizium whereat the whole company reioyced and applauded saint George for the most fortunates Knight in the world then the King deliuered Sabra with his owne hands to saint George who most curteously receiued her and like a kinde Knight cast a scarlet Mantle ouer her body the which a Lady standing by bestowed vpon him yet he minding not to discouer himselfe but set her vpon his portly Stéede that presently grew prowde in carrying so rich a burthen and with his owne hands lead him by the brydle raynes so great was the ioy throughout the City that the belles rung without ceasing for thrée dayes together the Citezens thorough euery place that saint George should passe did hang forth at their windowes and on their walles cloth of gold and silke with rich Carpets Cushions and couerings of gréene veluet lay abroad in euery window the Cleargy in Copes of gold and silke met them with solemne Processions The Ladyes and beautefull Damsels strowd euery stréete where as hee past with Roses and most pleasant flowers and Crownd him with a wreath of gréene bayes in signe of his triumphant victory and Conquest In this manner went hee vnto the Kinges Pallace not known by any what he should be but that he was a Knight of a strange Country yet Sabra many times as they walked by the way desired to see his face and knowe his name in that he had aduentured so farre for her sake and that for her deliuery had vanquished the brauest knight in England Yet for all her perswasions hee kept himselfe vndiscouered till a troupe of Ladies in company of Sabra got him into a chamber richly hung with Arras cloth and there vnlaced his Beuer whose countenance when she beheld and sawe that it was her Lord and husband which had redeemed her from death shée fell into a deade sounde for very ioy But saint George sprinckled a little colde water on her face and reuiued her presently After this he gaue heâ— many a kinde and louing kisâ—e calling her the most truest and the most loyallest Lady that euer nature framed that to the very death would not loose one iote of her vnspotted honour Likewise she accounted him the truest Knight and the loyallâ—st husband that euer heauenly Hymen kneâ—â— in banâ—s of marriage with any woman But when the King had notice that it was saint George his Countries Champion which
such abundance of smoake that the darkenes of the countrie doubled so that neyther Torch nor Candle woulde burne in any place yet neuertheles saint George entred and went downewardes vpon stayers where hee could sée nothing but yet felt so many great blowes vpon his Burgonet that he was constrayned to knéele vpon his knées with his shield to defend himselfe or els he had beene brused to peeces At last hee came to the bottome and there hee found a faier great vault where he felt so tyrrible a heate that he sweat excéedingly and as he felt about him hee perceaued that he approached néere the fire and going a little further he espied out the Fountaine whereat hee greatlie reioyced and so he tooke his shield and bore therein as much water as he could and cast it into the fire In conclusion labouring so long till the fire was cleane quenched then began the skyes to receaue their perfect lightnes and the golden Sunne to shine most clearelie about him whereby hee plainely perceaued how there stoode vppon the stayers many great Images of Brasse holding in their handes mightie Maces of stéele the which had done him much trouble at his comming downe but then their power was ended the fire quenched and the Inchauntment finished Thus when saint George through hys inuincible fortitude had performed this dangerous aduenture hee grew wearie of trauaile what with heate and sweating and the mightie blowes he receaued from the Brâ—zen Images that he returned againe to the little wicket whereas the deformed Gyant still remayned who when he beheld the Champion returne both safe and sound hee fell vppon hys knée before him and said Sir Knight you are most welcome and happilie returned for you are the flower of Chiualrie and the brauest Champion in the world Commaund my seruice dutie and obedience for whilst I liue I doe protest by the burning Banckes of Acharon neuer to follow any Knight but you and thereupon I kisse your golden spurre which is the Noble badge of Knighthood This humble submission of the Gyant caused the Champion to reioyce not for his ouerthrow but that he had gotten so mighty a seruant then vnlaced he his Helmet and laie downe after hys wearie Encounter where after hee had sufficiently rested himselfe he tooke his iournie in companie of the Gyant to the Amazonian Quéene where he left hys Lady in companie of her virgins who like a kinde modest and vertuous wife during all the time of her husbands absence continually praied to the immortal powers of heauen for his fortunate successe and happy returne otherwise resoluing her selfe if the lowring destenies should crosse hys intent and vnluckilie end his dayes before the aduenture were accomplished then to spende the remnant of her life amongst thâ—se happie virgins But on the sodaine before the Queene and her virgins were a ware S. George ariued before the Pauillion dutifully attended on by the Giant who bore vpon his shoulder the body of a tal Oake by which the Quéene knewe that his prowesse had redéemed her country from darkenes and deliuered her from sorrow care and trouble so in companie of heâ— maides very gorgeously atired she conducted the Champion to a bower of Roses intermingled with créeping vines the which in his absence they had planted for hys Ladies delight there found he Sabra at her diuine prayers like a solitarie Widdow clad in mourning habilliments but when shee beheld her Lord returne in saftie she banished griefe in al haste ran vnto him in his bosome rauished her selfe with pleasure But to speake how the Amazonian Queene feasted them and in what maner shée and her Maides deuised pastimes for their contents were too tedious to repeate but when night gaue end to their pleasures sléep summoned all things to a quiet silence the Queene brought them to a very sumptuous lodging wherein stood a bed framed with Ebon wood ouerhung with manye pendants of gold the Tikâ— was stuft with Downe of Turtle-Doue the shéetes of Maedian silke thereon lay a rich quilt wrought with cotten couered with dammaske and sticht with threds of gold The Quéene bestowed on saint George at hys going to bed an imbrothered shirt curiouslie wrought with many rare deuises as the labors of Hercules the triumphs of Mars the loues of many Potentates wrought in such curious manner as though Arte her selfe had béene the contriâ—er Sabra at her going to bed was likewise presented by the Quéenes maidens with a light Kirtle of chaungable â—iolet somewhat blushing on a red colour Also they put a white Kerchiefe of silke vpon her head somewhat lose and vntied so that vnder the same her Iuorie throat might be easilie seene and her faire golden haire flying about her necke ouer them was cast a mantle of gréene silke which made the bed seeme more beautifull than Floraes richest ornament By them the Quéene and her virgins fate makeing sweete musicke vpon their siluer tuned Lutes till golden sléepe had closed vp their eyes The which béeing done the Quéene with her Ladies departed likewise to their naturall restes But all this while the Giant neuer entered the Pauilion but slept as soundly vnder the roote of a Pinâ— trée as saint George did in his imbrothered bed for he knew not what pleasures belonged thereunto nor neuer before that time behelde any womans face At last the night withdrew her blacke Curtens and gaue the morning leaue to appeare whose fearefull light caused saint George to forsake hys bed and to walke some few miles to ouerview the Countrie In which iournie hée tooke such excéeding pleasure that hee thought it the goodliest Realme that euer hee saw for he perceiued well how that it was full of worldlie wealth At last hee climbed vp to the toppe of a high Mountaine béeing some two miles from the Queenes Pauilion whereon he stood and beheld many stately Townes and Towers high and mightie Castels many large woods meadowes and manie pleasant Riuers and about the Townes faire Uines goodlie Pastures and fields At last he behelde the Cittie of Argenia shining against the Sun the place where the Quéene in former time was wont to keepe her Court which Cittie was inuironed with déepe Ditches the wals strongly builded more than fiue hundred Towers made of lime and stone also he saw many faire Churches couered with Lead hauing toppes and fyiers of gold shining most gorgeously with weather Cockes of siluer glistring against the Sun also he saw the Burgesses houses stande like Pallaces closed with high and strong walles barred with chaines of Iron from house to house whereat in his hart he praised much the Noblenes and richnes of the Cittie and saide to himselfe that it might well be called Argenia for it séemed to be of Argent that is as much to say of siluer During the time of the Champions pleasurable walke which continued from the breake of day to the closing of the euening behapned a wofull Tragedie nere vnto
shades and craue remission for my committed trespasse for on this Oake I will abridge my life as did the worthie Knight Melmerophon for the loue of his Ladie Sillera which lamentation béeing no sooner ended but he tooke the chaine of gold and fastned one ende to the Arme of a great Oake and the other end to hys own necke intending presentlie to strangle himselfe but heauen preuented his desperate intent after a straunge manner For vnder the samâ— trée the brayned Gyant lay not yet fully dead who in this manner spake to saint George O stay thy hand most Noble and inuincible Knight the worlds chiefe wonder for admired Chiualrie and let my dying soule conuerâ— thee from so wicked a deed Seauen virgins in this Thicket haue I rauished and buried all their bodyes in my accursed bowelles but before I could deflower the eighth in a straunge manner hir bright beauty was conuerted in to a loathsome leprosie whereby I detested hir sight and lost hir chastetye vndefiled but by hir sad complaynts I since haue vnderstood how that she is your Ladie and Loâ—â— and to this hower she hath hir residence with in the câ—â—uite of this thicket and thereuppon with a dolefull grone which seemed to shake the ground he had a due to the world then saint George being glad to heare such tydings reuerted from his desperate intent and searched vp and downe the Groue till he found Sabra where shee sate sorrowing vnder the braunches of a mulberie trée betwixt whome was a sad and heauie greeting and as they walked backe to the Queenes Pauillion shee discoused to him the truth of this bloody stratagem where shee remayned till the Amazonian Quéene had cured her leprosie by the secret vertue of her skill of whome after they had taken leaue giuen her thankes for her kinde curtesies saint George with hys Ladie tooke their iournie towards Persia where the Christian Armies lay incampt At whose ariuall you shall heare strange and woonderfull thinges the like was neuer done in any age CHAP XVII How Saint George and his Ladie lost themselues in a wildernes where she was deluered of three goodlie boies The Fayerie Queenes Prophecie vppon the Childrens fortunes Of Saint Georges returne into Bohemia where he christned his Children and of the finding of his Fathers graue ouer which he built a statelie Toombe SAint George hauing atchiued the aduenture of the Inchaunted Tower and Sabra the Furie of the lustfull Gyant they tooke their iournie towards Persia where the Christian Champions lay incamped before the Seldans great Cittie of Graund Belgor a place most straungely fortefied with spirits and other gastlie illusions by the Inchauntment of Osmond whome you heard before in the last Chapter to bee the rarest Nigrâ—mancer in the world But as the English Champion with his Ladie trauiled thetherward they hapned into a Dâ—sart and mightie Wildernes ouergrowne with loftie Pines Ceder trées and many huge and mightie Oakes the spreading braunches whereof séemed to withold the light of heauen from their vntroden passages and the toppes for exceeding height to reach into the Elements the Inhabitantes were Siluaines Satiers Faieries and other woodie Nimphes which by day sported vp and downe the Forrest and by night tended the pleasure of Proserpine the Fayrie Quéene The musicke of siluer sounding birds so chearefullie resounding through the woodes and the whistling winde made â—uch mâ—lâ—die amongst the leaues of trees that it rauished their â—eces like the harmonie of Angels made them thinke they had entred the shades of gladsome Elizian one while they wondred at the beautie of the Woods which nature had ornefied with a Sommers liuerie another while at the gréene and fragrant grasse drawne out in round circles by the Fayries daunces so long till they had lost themselues amongst the vnknown passages not knowing how nor by what meanes to recouer the perâ—ect path of theâ—e intended iournie but were constrained to wander in the Wildernes like solitarie Pilgrims spending the daie with wearie steps and the night with vaine imaginations euen as a childe when hee hath lost himselfe in a populous Cittâ—e runneth vp and downe not knowing how to returâ—e to his natiue dwelling Euen so it hapned to these two lost and disconsolate trauailers for when they had wandred many dayes one waie and finding no end to their toyles they retired backeward to the place of their first setting foorth where they were wont to heare the noyse of people resound in Countrie Uillages and to méete trauailers posting from place to place but now they heard nothing but blustring of windes ratling in the woods making the brambles to whistle and the trées to groane and now and then to méete a speckled beast like to the rainebow weltring from his Den to séeke his naturall sustenance In their trauaile by night they were wont to heare the crowing Cocke recording glad tydings of the chearefull dayes approach the naying of horses in pasture fields and the barcking of dogs in Farmers houses but now they were affrighted with the roring of Lyons yelling of Caues the crooking of Toades in rootes of rotten trées and the rufull sound of Prognies rauishment recoroded by the Nightingale In this solitarie manner wearied they the rouling time away till thrice thrée times the siluer Moone had renewed her borrowed light by which time the burthen of Sabraes wombe began to grow painefull â—nd the fruite of her bodie to waxe ripe the houre of her deliuerie drew on wherein she required Lucinaes help to make saint George the father of a Princely Sonne time called for Midwiues to aide bring her Babe into the world and to make her a happâ—e mother but before the painefull houre of her deliuerie approacht Saint George had prouided her a bower of 〈◊〉 braunches which he erected betwixt two pleasant Hilles where in steede of a Princely Cabbinet be hung with Arras and rich Tapestrie shee was constrained to suffice her selfe with a simple lodging couered with Roses and other fragrant flowers her bedde hee made of greene mosse and thistle Downe béeset curiously rounde about with Oliue braunches and the sprigges of an Orring trée which made it séeme more beautifull than Floraes Pauillion or Dianaes Mansion but at the last when shée felt the paynes of her wombe grow intollerable and the seed readie to be reaped and how she was in a Wildernes deuoyde of womens company that should be readie to assist her in so secret a matter shée cast her selfe downe vppon her mossie bed and with a blushing countenance she discouered her minde in this order to saint George My most deare and louing Lord quoth shée my true onely companion at all times and seasons except at this houre for it is the painefull houre of my deliuerie therefore depart from out the hearing of my cryes and commit my fortune to the pleasures of the heauens for it is not conuenient for any mans eâ—e to behold the secrets of a woman in such a case
tumbling themselues against the warme Sunne and his thrée prettie babes sucking from their wombes their most vnkindly milke which spectackle so incouraged the Champion that without further aduisement with his single sword he assayled at one time the thrée Monsters but so furiously they pursued him that he little preuailed and being almost breathlesse was forced to leape into an Oringe trée else had hee béene buried in theyr mercilesse bowels but when the thrée wilde beasts perceiued him aboue theyr reaches and that by no meanes they could come néere him with theyr wrathfull iawes they so rent and tore the roote of the trée that if by pollicie hee had not preuented them the trée had béene puld in pieces for at that time it was so full of ripe Oringes and so ouerloden that the branches séemed to bend and the boughes to breake of which frute he cast such abundance downe to the beastes whereby they restrained theyr furies and fedde so fast thereon that in short time they grew drunke and quite ouercome with a dead and heauy sléepe this good and happy fortune caused S. George nimbly to leape from the trée and with his kéene edged sword deliuered theyr monstrous heades from theyr bodies the which being done he went to his children lying comfortlesse vppon a mossy banke who so pleasantly smiled in his face that they made him greatly to reioyce and to receiue as great pleasure in theyr sights as though hee had béene honoured with the Conquests of Caesar or the Royalty of Alexander therefore after he had giuen them his blessing he tooke them vp in his Armes and spake these wordes following Come come my pretty Babes your safe deliueries from these inhumane Monsters will adde long life vnto your mother and hath preserude your father from a desperate death from henceforth let heauen be your guides and send you as happy fortunes as Remus and Romulus the first founders of imperious Rome which in theyr infancies were nurced with the milke of a rauenous Wolfe and as prosperous in your aduentures as was that Persian Potentate which fed vppon the milke of a Bitch At the ende of which spéeches he approached the Cabbinet where he left his Lady mourning for the losse of her children but at his returne he found her almost without sence or moouing being not able to giue him a ioyfull welcome whereat hee fell into this extreame passion of sorrow O fortune fortune quoth hee how many griefes heapest thou vppon my heade wilt thou néedes inioyne me to an endles sorrow Sée Sabra see I haue redéemed our sonnes and freed them from the Tygers bloody iaws whose wrathfull countenance did threaten death Which comfortable speeches caused her presently to reuiue and to take the silly Infants in her Armes laying them sweetly vpon her yuorie bosome at which they seemed to smile as â—â—easantly as Cupid vpon the lappe of Dido when Aeneas sported in the Câ—uâ—t of Carthage the kinde imbraces louing spéeches and ioyfull conference that past betwixt the Champion and his Lady were now too long to be discoursed But to be short they remayned in the wildernesse without fuâ—ther disturbance either of wilde beasts or other accident till Sabra had recouered hir Child-bed sicknes and then beeing conducted bâ— a happie starre they returned backe the readie way to Christendome where after some few dayes trauaile they ariued in the Bohemian Court where the King of that Countrie 〈◊〉 two other bordering Princes most Royally Christned 〈◊〉 Children The eldest they named Guy the second Alexaâ—der and the third Dauid the which being performed and the Triumphes ended which in most sumpteous manner continued for the space of one month then the Bohemian King for the great loue hee bare vnto S. George prouided most honourably for his childrens bringing vp First he appoynted thrée seuerall Embassadours with all things necessary for so Princely a charge to conduct the thrée Infants to thrée seuerall Countries the first and eldest whose fortune was to be a souldier he sent to the imperiall Citty of Rome being then the wonder of the world for Martiall discipline there by the Emperour to bee trayned vp The seconde whose fortune was to bee a Courtly Prince hee sent to the rich and plentifull Country of England being the pride of Christendome for all delightfull pleasures The third and last whose fortune was to prooue a Scholler he sent into Germany to the Uniuersity of Wittenberge beeing thought at that time to bee the excellenst place of learning that remayned throughout the whole world Thus were saint Georges Children prouided for by the Bohemian King For when the Embassadours were in a readinesse the ships for theyr passage furnished and their attendance appoynted saint George in the company of his Lady the King of Bohemia with his Quéene and a trayne of Lords gentlemen and Ladyes conducted them to shipbord where the winde serued them so prosperously that in short time they bid adew to the shore and sayled chearefully away But as saint George returned backe to the Bohemian Court it was his chaunce to come by an olde ruinated Monastery vnder whose walles in former time his Father was buried the which he knewe by certaine verses that was carued in stone ouer his graue by the Commons of the Country as you may reade before in the beginning of this History Ouer the same he requested of the King that hée might erect a stately Monument that the remembraâ—ce of his name might liue for euer and not be buried in the graue of obscurity To which reasonable demaund the King most willingly consented and in all hast gaue speciall commandement that the cunningest Architectors that remayned within his Dominion should forthwith be sent for and withall gaue a tun of gold forth of his owne treasury towards the performance thereof The sodaine report of this memorable déede being bruted abroade caused workemen to come from euery place of their owne accord with such willingnes that they in short time finished it The foundation of the Toombe was of the purest Marble whereon was ingrauen the frame of the earth and how the watry Ocean was deuided with woods groues hilles and dales so liuely portrayed that it was a wonder to behold the props and Pinacles of Allablaster beset with knobs of Iasper stone the sides and Pillers of the clearest Iette vpon the topp stoode foure golden Lions holding vp as it were an Elemenâ— therein was curiously contriued the golden Sunne and Moone how the heauens haue vsuall courses with many other excellent thinges wrought both in gold and siluer which for this time I omit because I am forced at large to discouer the Princely procéedings of saint George who after the Monument was finished he with his Lady most humbly tooke their leaue of the King thanking him for his loue kindnes and curtesie and so departed towards Egypt and Persia of whose aduentures you shall heare more in this Chapter following CHAP. XVIII How Saint George with his Ladie ariued in Egipt Of their Royall entertainements to the Cittie of Graund Cayer And also how Sabra was Crowned Queene of Egipt MAny straunge accidents and dangerous aduentures saint George with his Lady passed before they ariued within the territories of Egipt that I want memorie to relate them and Aâ—te to discribe them But at last when fortune smiled which before had long time crossed their intents with her inconstant chaunces and had cast them happilie vpon the Egiptian shore being the nurse and mother of Sabraes first creation The twelue Pieres with whome saint George before time had committed the guiding of the Land and kéeping of his Crowne as you heard before discouâ—sed now met him and his Ladie at the Sea side most richly mounted vppon their costlie trapped Stéedes and willingly surrendred vp his Scepter Crowne and Regiment and after in companie of manie Princelie Estates both of Dukes Earles Lordes Knights Royall Gentlemen They attended thâ—m to the rich Cittie of Graund Caier being then vnder the subiection of the Egiptian Monarchie and the greatest Cittie in the world For it was in breadth and compasse full threescore miles and had by iust account within the walles twelue thousande Churches besides Abbies Priories and houses of Religion
quiet till I sée the buildinges of his Pallace set on fire and conuerted into a place of desolation like â—o the glorious Cittie in Phrigia nowe ouerspread withâ— stinâ—king wéedes and loathsome puddles Therefore let aâ— Christian Souldiers that fights vnder the banner of Christendome and all that loues George of England your chosen Generall draw forth their warlike weapons and like the angry Greekes ouerturne these glistring Battlements leaue not one stone vpon another but lay it as leuell with the ground as the haruest reapers â—at the fields of ripened corne let your wrathfull furies fall vppon these Towers like droppes of Aprill showers or like a storme of winters haile that it may be bruted through the world what lustful vengeance did light vpon the pride of Egipt Leaue not I say as â—ou loue your Generall when you haue subuerted the Pallace not one man aliue no not a sucking babe but let them suffer vengeance for the wickednes of their King This is my decrée braue Knights of Christendome therefore martch forward Heauen and Fortune bee your good spéede At which wordes the souldiers gaue a generall shoute in signe of their willing mindes Then began the sâ—â—ken streamers to flourish in the aire the Drums chearefully to sound forward the siluer Trumpets recorded ecchoes of victorie the barbed Stéedes grew proude of this attempt would â—â—and vpon no ground but leapt and daunâ—t with as much courage as did Bucephalus the horse of Macedonian Alexander alwaies before any notable victorie yea euery thingâ— gaue an euident signe of good successe as well sensles things as liuing creatures With this resolution martched the Cstristians purposing the vtter confusion of the Egiptians and the wofull ruine and destruction of Ptolomies sumptuous Pallace but when the Souldiers approached the gates with wrathfull weapons ready to assault there came pacing out thereat the Egiptian King with all the chiefest of his Nobles attired in blacke and mournâ—full ornaments bearing in their hands Oliue branches next them the brauest souldiers in Egipt bearing in their handes broken weapons shiuered Launces and tâ—rne Auncients Likewise followed thousands of women children with Lawrell wreathes about their heads in their handes Oliue braunches crying for mercie to the Christians that they would not vtterlie destroy their declining countrie but shew mercie to vnhappie Egipt This vnexspected sight or rather admirable woonder caused saint George to sound retreate and gaue commandement through the Christian Armie to withhold their former vowed vengeance from the Egiptians till hee vnderstoode what they required which charge being giuen and oâ—ely obserued saint George with the other six Champions came together and admitted the Egiptian king wiâ—h their powers to their presence who in this manner began to speake for hys countrie You vnconquered knights of Christendome whose worthie victories Noble atchiuements the whole worlde admires let him that neuer knéeled to any man tâ—ll nowe and in former times disdained to humble himsâ—lfe to the greatest Potentate on the earth Let him I say the most vnfortunate wretch aliue craue mercie not for my selfe but for my countrie my Commonâ— blood wil be required at my haâ—dâ— our murthered Infants will call to heauen for reuenge and our slaughtered Widdowes cryes sâ—nkâ— downe to hel for reuenge so will the vengeaunce of heauen light vppon my soule and the curse of hel vpon 〈…〉 renowned Champions of England vnder whose cuâ—todie my deare daughâ—er is kept eâ—â—n for the loue of her be mercifull to Egipt The former wronges I proffered thee when I sent thée like a guiltles Lamb into Persia was contrarie to my will For I was incenst by the flatterie of that accursed Blackamonâ—e King whose soule for euermore hee scourged with whips of wier and plagued with the punishâ—â—â—t of Tantalus in hell If my life will serue for a 〈◊〉 reâ—enge here is my naked breast let my hart blood stâ—ine some Christian-sword that you may beare the bloody wiâ—hes of my 〈◊〉 into Christendome or let me be tornâ— into a thousand pâ—eces by 〈◊〉 vntamed Stéeds as was Hippolitus the Son of Theâ—â—â—s in hys charmed Charriot Most mightie controulers of the worlde commaund the dearest thinges in Egipt they be at your pleasures we will forsake our Gods and beléeue in that God which you commonly adore for he is the true and liuing God ours false hatefull in the sight of heauen This penitent lamentation of the Egiptian King caused the Christian Champions to relent but especially Saint George who hauing a hart beautified with the welspring of pittie not onely graunted mercie to the whole Country but vouchsafed Ptolomie libertie of life vppon condition that he would performe what he had promised which was to forsake hys false gods beleeue in our true God Christ Iesus This kindenes of saint George almost rauished Ptolomie with ioy and the whole land both Pieres and Commons more reioyced at the friendshippe of the Christians than if they had béene made Lordes of the westerne world The newes of this happie vnetie was bruted into all the partes of Egipt whereby the commons that before fled for feare into woods and wildernesses dens and caues hils and mountaines returned ioyfully to their own dwellings and caused bonefires to be made in euerie Cittie Towne Uillage the Bels of Egipt rung day and night for the space of three monthes in euerie place was séene banquetting dauncing and masking sorrow was banished warres forgotten and peace proclaimed The King at his owne charges ordained a sumptuous costlie banquet for the Christian Champions wherein for bountie it excéeded that which the Troianes made when Paris returned from Greece with the conquest of Menalaus Quéene The banquetting house was built with Cipresse wood couered with the purest Adamant stone so that neither stéele nor bace Iron could come therein but it was presently drawen to the top of the rooffe as for the varietie of seruices which graced forth the banquet it were too tedious to repeate but to be briefe what both the Land Sea could afford bâ—â—re there present 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 that attendeâ— the Câ—ampions aâ— the banquet wer◠〈◊〉 in daâ—maske vestments wrought with the purest 〈…〉 Indian virgins spin vpon their siluer whéeles at euerie course the seruitâ—rs brought in a Consort of Egiptian Ladies vppon their Iuorie Luâ—es strayned forth such admired Harmonie that it surpassed Arions musicke 〈…〉 when hee was cast into the Seâ— caused the 〈…〉 himsaâ—e on the 〈…〉 swéetnes of Orpheus 〈…〉 which made both 〈◊〉 and trées to daunce or the melâ—odie of Apollos inspiring musicke when he descended from heauen for the loue of Dâ—aphne These pleasures so rauished the Christian Champions that theâ—â— forg of the sound of warlike Drummes that were wont 〈◊〉 call them forth to bloody battailes But these delightes continued but a short time for there ariued a knight from England that brought such vnexspected newes to saint George which chaunged his ioyes into extreame sorrowe for afâ—er this manner began