doth remaine who since that time hath so much honoured the giants body that shée hath buried his bones within the Cedar chest that you madam said she to Leonorine if you do remember gaue vnto her touching these lines which containe these words That life shal be restored by him that suffered death that is likewise to be vnderstood of him for that loosing this transitorie life he hath obtained the eternall in Abrahams bosome so great grace hath he receiued at the hands of God by the merit of his sonnes passion in whome he did beléeue as I said before so my lord said she you haue heard what I can say as touching this strange prophecie I but said the Emperour what meanes the rest My lord said she I can tell you no more of it than can my lady your daughter or quéene Minoresse but so much can I assure you that in short time you shall sée it come to passe and if in any point it concerneth you the best is it will all fall out to greater good of your soule than to any power or worldly glory wherwith for this present I pray you content your selfe I truly said the Emperor so will I alwaies do for so my soule be well I estéeme not the misery of torments of my bodie And with that he left Vrganda with the Empresse went into the hall where great number of knights gentlemen staied for him with whome hée passed the rest of the day in all pleasant delightes meane time fortune by little and little began to play her part and to spread the nets wherewith she meant to inclose that troupe thereby to worke the enuie and great tribulations that afterward fell vpon them the beginning whereof was such as you shall here About a mile without the citie the Emperor had built a sumptuous pallace called Vaelbeniatnof as like to that of Apollidon in the firme Isle as well could be deuised which place was compassed with a parke furnished with all things requisite for mans delight whither hée meant to lead the ladies with Esplandian and his companie as also king Armato to feast them in the same and for that purpose within thrée daies after their arriuall they departed from the citie of Constantinople and went to Vaelbeniatnof going into the parke wherein they found the hunters and at their first entrance a great Hart was singled out which in the end after long chace was killed almost before the ladies going further they espied a bore so fiercely hunted by dogs that they made him turn with his tuskes stroke the dogs that none durst set vpon him but at the last one of the hunters strake him in the throat so he died so long this sport endured the supper time drew on wherfore the lords ladies entring into the palace found the tables couered sitting downe were serued in most sumptuous maner hauing supped they began to daunce which continued till midnight minding the next day to begin their sport againe but fortune minding to beare a part did so trouble the feast that she gaue them well to vnderstand how she can worke in all things at her pleasure for the next day about euening the knights and ladies being in the Parke some talking with those to whom they bare affection and cōtenting their mind with such deuises as loue to passe the time in pleasure put into their heads others running about and taking pleasure to gather floures and doe as most delighted them Melie from whō till then they could not heare one word went vnto Vrganda before them all spake vnto her and said Madame I maruell if it be so that your learning and skill be such as is reported why you make no sport vnto this company Melie said Vrganda where you are present I wil not vndertake to doe it before you but you should rather doe it being well assured that the Emperour would bee thankfull for the same If it pleased him said she I am content vpon condition that after me you do the like or better if you can Truly said the Emperour it is but reason and I pray you both to doe it My lord said Melie then command Vrganda to lend mée a booke that I was wont to haue whereon the picture of Medea her name written ouer it dooth stand then shall you beholde some of mine art and if Vrganda neuer knew it before she may learne it now of me In good faith said Vrganda that wil I not deny you with that she called one of her Gentlewomen willing her to fetch the booke meane time Melie tooke king Armato by the hande and making as though she would speake a word with him they walked a while together then they sat them downe hard by the place where the empresse and the ladies were talking with ech other and staying til the thing Melie had requested were brought thether which not long after Vrgandas Gentlewoman brought vnto her she hauing it in her hand opened the booke and then began to read making certaine signes with her eies lifted vp to heauen and calling Vrganda praied her to come thether saying she shold sée that shee neuer had séene before Vrganda not doubting any treason by Melie prepared went and sat downe by her and next her king Armato so that she sat betwéene Melie and him where Melie began to turne the booke shewing them certaine prophesies and other strange deuises which continued not long but the aire began to be couered with a round blacke cloud and there with it séemed so darke that they could not sée each other at the last the cloud opened and they beheld two horrible dragons comming downe out of the cloud that drewe a waggon and staied right before Vrganda who by Armato and Melie was so straitly embraced that whether shee would or not they thurst her in and they after her Wherwith the dragons séeing their waggon charged flewe vp into the aire and carried them away Vrganda crying for helpe but all in vaine for in lesse than the twinckling of an eye she was out of sight wherwith there was such noise among the company that Esplandian Talanque Ambor Manely and the rest of the knights that came thither with her sware neuer to rest aboue one night in a place before they found her out so that the same day taking their leaues both of the Emperor and others that by them were left in sorrow they entred againe into the great serpent but before Esplandian went he spake vnto the princes Leonorine beséeching her not to take in euill part his enterprise taken in hand for the loue of her to whome he found him selfe so much beholding promising her that presently hauing found Vrganda hée would returne againe My good friend said shée me thinkes you should doe this at better leysour and not in so great hast as now you doe yet am I well content to doe as pleaseth you but forget not I pray you
the Porter that was behind staying him saied vnto him Villaine leaue thy armour here and I will bring thée where the lords of the castle shall reward thée according to thy desertes It were better saied the knight without so much trouble to bring mee thether in as I am and I will follow thée But I will not saied he least I lose too much by thée for then my companion will haue thy armour which by right is mine and with that he lifted vp his hatchet thinking to cleaue his head whereat the blacke knight stept backe and with his sword gaue him such a blow that hee ouerthrew him on the ground and stepping vpon him thrust him into the body and as hee had done there entered at the gate that went out of the vaut a villaine all armed who thinking to speak to the Porter with a rude and churlish voice said Argantes why stayest thou so long to bring vp that accursed wretch that euen now entred at the gate Be content a while said the black knight I will bée there soone inough both for thée and those that sent thée if the gates be open With that he villaine perceiued himselfe to be deceiued for he espied Argantes dead vpon the ground wherefore without longer staying he turned his backe and pulling the dore after him left the knight shut â—nto the vaut whereat he was abashed fearing to be famished for want of meat but it fell out otherwise for not long after he saw the gate opened whereat there entred a Giant armed all in gréene who perceiuing the partie dead and the knight that had slaien him standing by him was in such a rage that he saied vnto him Thou accursed wretch I am much abashed how thou hast thus intangled thy selfe within this place from whence while thou liuest thou shalt neuer bée able to escape but when thou hast indured along and most hard imprisonment shalt bee constrained to end thy miserable daies with a thousand cruell torments that are prepared for thée Art thou at that point saied the knight I hope rather before wee depart to make thée beare this villaine company that at my entring spared not to threaten me as thou doest now What saied the Giant I assure thée I loued this dead knight as well as I loue my selfe and now I find him in this manner slaine before mine eies yet art thou not afraid to boast thereof By my head said hee thou shalt déerely buy it Behold I pray thée answerd the knight how thy vnhappy fortune followeth thée at once here before thy face thou séest thy friend dead and by the same meanes thou shalt likewise loose the soule out of thy body which the deuill hath waited for since thou first beganst to lead an euill life That shall soone bee séene said the Giant and with that they encountered and at their méeting laid vpon each other so fiercely that with the noise they made it séemed tenne knights fighting together and so long they continued the combate that in the end the Giant waxed faint which hee perceiuing hauing lost the greatest part of his shield and in a maner all his blood hée began to flie and the black knight after him so fast that before hee could get out of the vaut with one blow that claue his head to the téeth hée slew him in the place And as the knight stepped forth hee met two Squires that came to sée the combat who perceiuing the knight with his sword bloody in his hand asked him what was become of their guard I haue dealt with them said hee as it hath pleased God to dispose And how is that saied they to send them both saied the knight an vnhappy end of their wretched liues that their soules might bee tormented in the euerlasting paines of hell With that they looked in and perceiued Argantes on the one side and the Giant on the other as yet shaking their legs with the panges of death whereat they had so great feare that in great hast they presently retired crying with a lowd voice Come foorth my lords come forth for your vncle and the Porter are both slaine wherewith at the gate of the dungeon there appeared another Giant vnarmed very yoong and of a huge stature named Frerion who perceiuing the blacke knight marching so boldly towards him held the dore half shut and with a loud voice spake vnto him and said By my fathers soule thou must surely be some deuill disguised in humane shape otherwise it had beene vnpossible for thée to haue slaien two of the best knights in the world and in despight of theÌ„ to enter thus farre within the castle but of one thing am I well assured that what paine or torment soeuer I shall cause thée to indure I cannot bee reuenged of the least wrong and iniury I haue receiued at thy handes Thou brufish vnreasonable beast said the knight thou art surely worse theÌ„ he of whom thou speakest for that he being already iudged of God hath neither mean to repent his wickednes nor hope of saluation but thou to whom it hath pleased God to giue sence and reason to knowe both good and euill doest still perseuere in thy wickednesse making of vice a vertue in such manner that by good right I may better tearme thée a deuill then those that are wearied and waxe melancholy to haue so long attended for thy accursed soule which I will shortly send them if thou come forth into this court or let mee enter in Then stay said Frerion and thou shalt sée how I will teach thée to preach in other sort and with that hee shut the dore and went in to arme him meane time the blacke knight sate downe vpon a marble stone and he had not rested long but the Gyant came againe who bringing a great cimitere vpon his shoulder would haue issued at the gate when the knight spake vnto him saying Stay a little I pray thée before thou commest foorth and graunt me one request which in right thou canst not well deny mee for although neither courtesie nor any part thereof did euer lodge within thy breast that habite of knighthood wherewith thou art inuested ought more to mooue thée to humanity then thy nature of it selfe affordeth Aske what thou wilt saied the Giant and it may be thou shalt be refused both thou and I said the knight are now on foote I pray thée then let vs fight in the other court that those of thy castle may behold the pastime which hee saied to the end that if he ouercame his enemie as he doubted not therof they should not shut him out By my head said the Giant at the first I thought thou wouldest haue asked mercy at my handes which would not much auaile thée but séeing thy request is no other I am content to graunt it although a meanes to flie away were much more aduantage vnto thée which these high wals will not permit thée if thou be once inclosed
within them Thou speakest said the blacke knight as thy nature yéeldeth and I as vertue bindeth me for the rest let God worke his will Come in then said Frerion and defend thy selfe from mee if thou canst With that the black knight entred into a faire court paâ—â—d with white marble all galleried about and supported with pillers of Purphire in the middest whereof stoode the portall that entered into the house where an old lady accompanied of diuers yong gentlewomen stoode looking forth to whom the Giant went and knéeling on his knée said vnto her Madame I most humbly beséech you that neither for good nor euill which may happen vnto me in fighting with this knight not one of your house bée so bold to help or fauour me in any sort for I my selfe wil put him to death with this my trenchant blade and rising vp againe holding his shield before him with his cimiterre in his hand he marched towards his enemy who hauing God on his side to whom he recommended himselfe stood ready to receiue him Then there began such a combate betwéen them that their blowes séemed two smiths forging vpon their anuiles séeming like fire that the wind kindleth in the aire and surely the blacke knight had sped but hardly at that time had it not béene for the armour Vrganda gaue him that could not bée cut by any weapon for the good sword hee conquered in the rocke of the Enchantresse whâ—â—ewith hee strooke not one blow but he drew blood on the Giant â—rerion who neuerthelesse did meruellously both defend himselfe and assaile his enemy but by euil fortune as he thought to strike the knight on the right arme hee started backe and stepping forwards againe gaue the Giant such a blow vpon the helmet that hee cut away a great péece thereof together with the buckle that made it fast but although the blow was maruellous great and in a manner incredible yet was not the Giant any thing therewith abashed but still shewed himselfe as fresh as if hee had not fought all the day long Neuerthelesse the blood in such aboundance issued out of his body that the white pauement of the court was chaunged into red and therewith he grew so weake that it might easily be iudged he had the worst whereby he stil began to reuile séeking only to defend himselfe from his enemies blowes whereat the old lady that beheld them considering her sonnes extremity cried out and said alas my child is it possible I should sée thée murthered before my face and therewith in great hast shee ran thether thinking to part them but it was too late for as she began to goe towards them the Giant felde aâ— on the ground with two blows that the black knight gaue him one vpon the head where he was vnarmed the other right in the middle of his leg where with hee cut it from his body whereat the old lady was so gréeued that she swouned in the place being by her Gentle women carried from thence into hir chamber where they laied her on a bed cursing him that was the cause thereof neuerthelesse hee followed them to the chamber dore where the old woman being reuiued perceiuing him to enter began againe to lament and mourne and shedding great abundance of teares she said vnto him Alas thou cruel knight the only bereauer of all my ioy and felicitie art thou not satisfied yet But wilt thou like wise haue my life and my sonnes both Then I pray thée with spéed either execute thy wil or else depart from hence and take what thou thinkest good permitting mee to liue the rest of my miseraale daies in sorrow and care with these poor women but all her intent was to make him enter into the chamber which was so inchaunted that no man could passe the threshold of the dore but presently hee lost all his sences and fell downe vâ—on the ground as if hee were dead but little did the inchauntment â—â—aile her against the blacke knight because the shining sword had such a propertie in it that no enchantment whatsoeuer could hurt the bearer thereof Therefore the knight hearing the sorrow the old lady made hee went into the chamber speaking courteously vnto her said Madame me thinkes you should take the offence I haue committed on your behalfe in much better part considering such hazards are common vnto knights desiring to win honour and therefore I pray you appease your sorrow and shew mee the knight you brought hether out of great Brittaine When the old lady perceiued him so farre within the chamber without let and that he desired to sée the king she being as it were out of her wits cried as lowd as she could and saied alas vnhappy wretch that I am what haue I done for thinking to reuenge another mans death I haue procured the destruction of mine owne children and therewith shee sighed in such manner as if her heart would burst within her body and lamenting that absence of her other son said Alas Matroco where art thou now What vnhappy fortune hath thus seperated thée from thy brother and mee Surely when thou hearest of his death and at thy returne shalt find another lord of this castle I am in doubt thou wilt not haue the patience to put vp so great an iniury but thinking to reuenge thy selfe I feare this deuill will handle thée in the like sort he hath done the rest for sure he is no mortall man for if hee were hee had found more resistance in this place then he hath done Then speaking vnto the knight she asked him if he knew the man she held in prison I truly saied he it is king Lisuart whereof I am right sorry being well assured that kings elected of God as hee is for the gouernement of his people ought not to be vsed in that manner Wherefore I would haue you shew me where he is otherwise I will doe worse then I haue hetherto done I know not said she who thou art nor by what meanes thou hast so great power but I am well assured and I would neuer haue thought that twenty such knights as once this day I did estéeme thée could euer haue attained to the achieuing of so great an enterprice and much lesse to haue withstood my art as thou hast done so that considering thereof I suppose that this thy power procéedeth from him in whoÌ„ in my yong yeares I did once beléeue and since that haue forsaken him to follow the workes of the common enemie of all mankinde who according to his naturall instinction hath iustly rewarded me to my desert therefore it were but folly to denie thée any thing that art so surely defended by him to whome all thinges are obedient Follow me then said she and I will shew thée the king but as I thinke it is not he thou séekest And with that shee rose vp went into a darke chamber the knight following her then she opened an yron gate and said vnto
that my soule sustained I haue to the contrary aduanced mine owne shame and vtter ruine iustly receiuing the reward that belongeth vnto such as refusing the better part thinke to remedy one mischiefe by procuring a worse vpon themselues Madame said the Giant if at this present you haue receiued great losse by the death of some of your friends neuerthelesse you ought not to take it so offensiuely séeing they haue ended their daies in honourable combate as behooueth all worthy knights such as they were And as for me think you that for feare of death I will refuse to doe that whereunto by knighthood I am bound No no likewise what reason or what excuse should moue me being as I am both fresh and wel disposed to refuse the combat alone against one simple knight I deny not madame but confesse that affection causeth you to vse these words and shew the nature of a woman but you must conceiue think with your selfe that I answere you as it becommeth me preferring mine honour before your teares wherefore I beséech you suffer mee to take the small vengeance I can vpon the villaine that hath so much offended mee Matroco saied the knight thou reckonest before thine host I would not for all the gold in the world lose such an occasion offered as I now haue both for mine honour and aduantage Beléeue mee that neither thy mothers teares nor the duty thou owest vnto her as being her child can by any meanes prolong the end of thée or me if without dissimulation thou doest not by oath promise and assure mée to liue in as good sort from this time fâ—rwards as in times past thou hast liued wickedly Wherefore it were better for thée to make mee know by effect the Prowesse thou vauntest thy selfe to haue and for me to let thée sée the curtesie which it may bee thou shalt find at my hands if I ouercome thée When the lady perceiued that her prayers could take no place she left them and the two knights began to runne one vpon the other so brauely and with such fury that king Luisart beholding them thought he neuer saw so cruel a battell the which abashed him more was that hee could not presume how or in what manner the blacke Knight had found him in so strange a place and yet he knew him not sometime hee thought him to be Amadis but when he remembred the loue he bare vnto the lady Oriana that hee had newly married hee was otherwise persuaded and likewise hee remembred very well the combates hee had séene Amadis de Gaule make at Windsore against Dardan le Superbe and after that with Ardan Canile wherein hee vsed all his forces yet were they not comparable to those of the blacke knights who as then found himselfe as fresh and wel disposed to fight as if hee had not fought all the day before Againe when he thought it to be his nephew Esplandian for that Vrganda had foreshewed many wonderfull things of him he was soone dissuaded from that opinion by reason hée left him with the quéen his mother not once séeking to receiue the order of knighthood and although that since his departure out of Brittaine he might haue obtained that honour yet did hee estéeme it impossible for Esplandian to doe so valiantly at the first Further Vrganda had alwaies prophesied of him that the first valiant acts he should atchieue should be renowned and spoken of by his strange fearefull nauigation in the great serpent wherein he should be imbarked and for the blacke knight he knew he arriued there in a little barke vnfurnished whereby he estéemed it vnlikely to be his nephew Esplandian But hée thought hee neuer had séene so valiant and hardy a knight for the longer he fought the more he wearied and laboured Matroco Neuerthelesse hee continued fighting for the space of two hours together before it could be iudged who should haue the victory but in the end the Giant féeling himselfe wounded in so many places his armour altogether broken and his shield halfe clouen in two began to mistrust his owne force Wherefore stepping backe he staied his hand and saied Knight I pray thée let vs breath our selues a while and hear what I wil offer thée which cannot bee other then to thy honour and aduantage With that the knight stood still and Matroco began to speake saying I wonder sir knight what mooued thée to venture in this manner vpon this rocke wherein neuer any but thy selfe durst enterprise to come during my fathers life neither yet sithence that by his death I haue ben lord therof and besides this thy enterprise wherein thou hast done the thing that all others feared to doe before thée thoâ—â—â—st also slaine thrée of my friends whereof two of them as I thinke were the best knights in their time liuing on the earth whereby I haue iust cause to hate thee more then any man liuing But when I call to minde that thou hast done therein like a valiant and hardy knight I haue some reason to pardon thée and to estéem thee for one of the valiantest champions that euer I saw in all my life although I haue both prooued and vanquished many others longer practised in armes stronger then thy selfe Wherfore if the onely cause of thy arriuall in this place was to deliuer the king that looketh on vs I am content thou take and lead him hence in safety and for the same cause likewise I quite thée of the combate vpon condition that without long soiourning here thou shalt presentlie depart out of this castle that belongeth vnto mee When the blacke knight had heard him hée answered him and saied Giant as farre as I perceiue thou estéemest it a great enterprise that I haue done to come hether and find thée here within thy castle where by mee those that thou so much lamentest haue ben slaine but if thou knewest the maister that I serue to whom as duty bindeth mée I am obedient thou shouldest presently perceiue and plainely sée this enterprise by thée estéemed much to bee nothing in comparison of that hee is able to doe and bring to passe for that from him onely and none other procéedeth all whatsoeuer I haue done whereby of good right the glory belongeth vnto him and to the contrary you that are idolaters serue those that are accustomed to rocke and lul you asléepe in all kind of vices cruelties outrages thefts murthers and infinite other wickednesse which for a time doe prosper with you whereby you liue in honour riches and all worldly pleasures and so are nulled in all filthinesse but surely such manner of life may well bee compared to buildings erected vpon the sands that cannot â—ontinue long but are most sure to haue an euil end euen then â—hen they are estéemed to bee at the top of all their worldly felicity Like as it happened vnto Lucifer and his fellswes whereof it may be thou hast heard spoken Neuerthelesse if thou wilt
women to return to sea kéeping apart from all the Pagans without once stirring from thence for any thing whatsoeuer should fall till shée receiued further newes from her which was partly the cause of the enemies ouerthrow for they doubting some treason being separated in that sort from that time forward were in some feare and in greater suspition than before and not without cause for that if Lyote had aided king Armato both by sea and land as shée might haue done if her sister had not forbidden her it is likely her esquadron of women being twentie thousand strong and somewhat more had done great mischiefe to the Christians but God of his goodnes prouided better for them CHAP. LIIII How after the Pagans were driuen out of Thrace the Emperour of Constantinople renouncing his Empire inuested Esplandian therwith marrying him to his doughter the princesse Leonorine THe obsequies and funerals of the Kinges Princes Lords and others that died in the battell being finished the wounded cured and all things set at rest the Emperour of Constantinople knowing that Amadis and those that were come with him from the Westerne parts would retourne againe into their countries desired them to assemble shewing them that his meaning was to let them know what hée determined to doe before they went from thence The next day in the morning they all met in the emperors great hall and he standing in the middest spake vnto them and said My brethren lords and good friends the bond wherein I stand bounden vnto you is so great that although it hath pleased God to make me Emperour of all Grecia yet am I well assured it is far beyond my poore hability to satisfie you for the same estéeming the honour and riches that I now haue next vnder God be it little or much to procéed from you I am now thréescore yeares of age wholly aged decrepit by reason of the paines that in my youthfull yeares I haue continually taken in following armes so it is I haue but one child which is a daughter the onely staffe hope of my old yeares whome I haue determined if you thinke good to giue in marriage vnto the valiant knight Esplandian and with her likewise to inuest him with the Empire and gouernement of all my countries And the better to liue solitarily and to seperate my selfe from worldly company I haue determined to goe with the Empresse my wife into the monastery that I caused to bee made there to liue religiously calling vpon God and doing pennance for the euils I haue committed heretofore Wherefore my good lords and friendes I pray you if this my determination like you well let euery man giue consent and you first saied hee vnto king Amadis to whom the matter toucheth néerer then to any of the rest as being father and sonne My lord said he my sonne shal doe as you command him I will tell you said the Emperour I remember that among other Prophesies which ought to happen in this our time there is one that maketh me as I think agrée with you in one consent Esplandian hath vpon his body as I haue vnderstood certaine carracters which shew his name and others that in no wise can be read but only by the woman that is ordained to be his wife let vs now sée if it be my daughter or not with that he sent for the Princesse Leonorine who being brought thether by the Empresse and diuers other ladies the Emperour desired Esplandian to open his doublet and shew them the letters hée had borne vpon his body from his mothers wombe which hée refused not but before them all shewed them openly where euerye man might easily perceiue the white carracters containing this word Esplandian but they could not know the red wherefore the Emperour caused his daughter to come néere asking her what she could doe therein My lord said she not long before Melie betraied Vrganda she and I being alone in my chamber she sent to fetch one of the bookes that had ben taken from her couered with gold whereon the Enchauntresse was ingrauen and I remember that I saw therein the like carracters that Esplandian beareth on his body and ouer them their signification which is nothing else but his name and mine Daughter said the Emperor if you haue the booke still cause it to be brought hether wherevnto shée obaied The booke being brought shee shewed him the place that Melie had read vnto her containing that which followeth The happy knight that shall conquer the sword the great treasure inchaunted by me shall from his mothers wombe bear his name in white carracters and the name of her that shall be his wife in red carracters vpon his body which red carracters shal be so difficult to vnderstand that no man liuing in that time how wife or learned soeuer he be shall expresse the same without he sée this booke which wil teach him what the seuen carracters do signifie representing the seuen words that follow Leonorine daughter of the Emperour of Greece In good faith saied the Emperour here is a strange case and sheweth well that the Enchantresse lady had more knowledge in art Magicke then any that liued in her time and séeing my daughter hath so wel deuined I am determined that you said he vnto the archbishop of Thrace do grant vnto Esplandian that which nature before his birth had promised vnto him which is my daughter Leonorine By which meanes the marriage was solemnised and finished the same day with no great ceremonies the Court being as yet troubled for the death of so many Princes and great lords that were slaine in the battaile but let it suffice to knowe that those two louers enioyed the thing which they so long desired Esplandian the same day being proclaimed Emperor of Gréece according to the commandement of his father in lawe who within two months after with the Empresse his wife went vnto a monastery place of deuotion And because quéene Calafre had alwaies pretended to marry with Esplandian perceauing her intent frustrated she could not refrain to speak in presence of theÌ„ all said vnto them My lords I beséech you giue me leaue to declare my mind It is certain said she that those which know me are not ignorant that I am one of the greatest most puissant princesse in all the cast parts by reason of the great quantity of golde and precious stones that are within my countries As touching my linage I am daughter of a quéene of ancient race and as noble as any that euer was in the world so it is that fortune brought me into these marches promising me shortly to returne laden with great number of flaâ—es abundance of treasure but to the contrary I that pretended sought the captiuity of others and my selfe takeÌ„ better holden prisoner theÌ„ they ytâ—â— in their mortal enemies hands This imprisonmeÌ„t wherof I speak is not that whervnto I am bouÌ„d by the faith I haue