off with the pleasant crie that stopped the Dacian lords reply of a kenell of wel-mouthed hounds whose noise ecchoing through the wood gaue him warning of some hunting sport whose game should already be on foote As he was thus harkening he sawe comming towards him with impetous fury a mighty white Hart with the whole troope of his pursuing enemies at his heeles who wearie and faint with chase came to refresh him in that brooke This course highly pleasing the Prince hauing bene in his youth brought vp with such exersise snatched his launce and as the Hart passed by threwe it at him and pierced his bodie side through side and yet not brake his speare and as a cunning huntsman he harted the hounds vpon their praie expecting for the hunters comming But from these dumps he was quickly put with the sudden viewe of a most beauteous Ladie that mounted on a gallant courser galloped after the Hart her habit was of greene cut vpon white imbrodered with so many Pearles stones that it dazled the beholders eyes when the bright beames of Apollos face reuerberated thereon her amber haire in golden tramels hung about her shoulders and on her head she wore a corronet of Roses that defended her against the offending heat of Phaebus rayes And as she came in hast her dangling tresses wauered in the ayre that he assured him selfe that this was Cupids warre seing his ensigne of her haire borne by such beautie and defended with a Boar-speare which she carried in her hand who in this manner approched our Dacian Knight that with this first and sole sight became the little blind triumphing gods sighes-tributary subiect and by immagination lost the pleasure of his former libertie by gazing on so gallant a Ladie that he acknowledged himselfe Loues captiue thrall vowing in his hart such firmenesse that his thoughts drouned in conceipts strucke him with such a fearefull hope that he almost lost his breathing senses whereby the vnextinguishing flames of true loues fire so penetrated his free hart that none but death could be the Phisicke to cure so deepe a wound The engyne of his speach so ceast his motiō that in steed therof he wisht all his moouing powers were then transformed to so many piercing instruments of sight throughly to viewe her rarities and yet did he thinke them insufficient to note all her perfections because something would still remaine vnseen Gladly would he haue changed his present state for hundred eied Argos fortunes though he should pay as dearly for his watching if hee mought at his contented leysure suruay all the excellencies that glorious Nature in her prodigalitie had bestowed on her For in his pensiue cogitations he iudged this was shee the iust heauens had ordained to predominate his heart his life soule and will to whom he should acknowledge all soueraignetie ouer his due obeysance alreadie esteeming his nauigable toiles well imployed since they brought him to so rich a land to anchorage his wearie minde within the harbour of so braue a Road. To be short the haughtie inuincible courage of his free thoughts were so amazed with this admirable gallantnesse that it could by no meanes resist so strong incounter but without farther combate for Fortitude is too weake to withstand the dartes of beautie presently yeelded her his soule as a trophie of her victorie and yet rested sorrowfull he had no richer pryzes to glorifie her triumphs because her merits deserued a greater conquest So much amazed rested this valiant Dacian as if altogither he were conuerted to the Ladie on whome his gazing eyes were fixed so greatly that being nigh her he could neither moue the organs of his voice nor ought else but by signes signifie his awfull dutie at her commaund being all in all hers With no lesse admiration did the valiant Ladie with her eyes coate his wonders because her troubled thoughts told her that from her infancie shee had neuer seene a more brauer Knight And as Ladies comonly in such accidēts of amorous traunces haue a freer power of their speech so shee perceiuing the suddeine alteration of his colour-changing countenance faining some displeasure that in like cases followeth all Ladies of her beautie and valour shee awaked him with these words I know not Knight what moued you so rashly to kill this Hart bereauing me of the pleasure that awayted my comming and he expected by receiuing his death at my hands whereof your presumption by doing it hath dispossest vs both of Don Eleno drawing strength from his vanquisht soule replyed My poore hart most excellent Lady doth alreadie suffer his deserued penaunce for so sinning against your content Yet do I hope this offence confessing the fault shal be absolued of your displeasure hauing been through a wel-meaning ignorance committed For supposing none would except against mee or take displeasure at it incitated me thereto But good hath bene his exchange for in steede of the death he receiued being ordained therto with no lesse a wound haue your deuine excellēcies pierced my soule bycause the impartiall fates I feare will sooner cut my thréed of life then you will daygne the cure to salue the wound wounded by your selfe Farre more haue you now aggrauated my discontent answered the Lady receauing greater displeasure at your bolde wordes then did the poore Hart with death by your Launce Answere would the amorous Dacian but that he saw a Knight well armed and mounted on a mighty horse issue from among the trees who hauing ouer heard part of Don Elenos speech cryed out vnto him Knight more bold then valiant take vp thy weapons for so great a presumption may not passe vnpunished The valiant Dacian was so captiuated with the beautie of that Ladie that his deepe affection seeing that Knight in so gallant armour and so brauely Horst made him thinke he was his Loues competitor Whereat a sudden thought of Ielousie rapt at his breast that without any word taking vp his shield he laced on his healme and with more speede then the Hart came thether he drew his Launce out of his dead body leaping therewith into his Tyrios saddle in his hand brandishing the speare he turned to his aduersary with these words Discourteous Knight coragious in nothing but in words nowe shalt thou see how I vse to thanke those that with like pride entertaine others as you haue me Sorrowfull became the beauteous Lady to see them so eager against each other greatly fearing the successe of the fight because she thought the stranger would haue the better but seeing them so fierce withdrew her selfe praying for both their victories For if she affects the one as her brother the other she loues as her liues cōmander And as she was a nouice new admitted in Cupids Schoole with such willingnesse shee yeilded to his deceipts that with one and the like feare he forst her to be Iudge of that combate Couragious was the Knight of the forrest but hee hath before him the Dacian
coulde defend himselfe with a furious thrust he pierced his left arme This wounde greatly grieued Trebarios Nephewe and so with the paine he would enter vppon his enemie who being skilfull set his rapyer against him that if he had not spied it hee had runne himselfe vppon it notwithstanding it wounded him sorely vpon the brest With his left hand he beate awaye his aduersaries rapier and with the vtmost of his strength he thrust at him on the side of his head and bearing his rapier downewards halfe of his head he threw at his féete ending one of the difficultest aduentures that then the world contained He sat him down staying the coÌ„ming of his friend Oristoldo who with his Squire stanched the blood â—f his woundes binding his arme which caused him extreame paine he was againe armed and so great was his desire to end that aduenture that without any wordes they entred into the great yard whose admirable workemanship greatly amazed them for the pillers about it seemed of rich pretious stones all inameld with gould and blew which ioyed euery sight One the floore of the same yard beneath were ingrauen many Histories with all the famous Knights most liuely figured They sawe the battle which the Tartarian Zoylo had made with the hawty Mauritanian Brufaldoro and his dolefull departure from his deare Tigliaffa who supposing he was dead was by Lupersios order with drawne within that pallace Greatly did the true Louer pittie her seeing how intyrely she had loued the Tartare and how ill her faith had bene repaid In the middle of the yard they saw a great alter like to a Piramides made for the death of some great Potentate and round about the galleryes of the same were burning many tapers and two seruants clad down to the heele in mourning that did nothing but loke to them and the lampes of siluer and finest gould As they were about to goe to them and inquire where the Prince was they heard within one of the galleryes a dore opeÌ„ from whence came forth two and two to the number of 12 Ladies all in blacke veluet with their faces masked Through away hung all of the same liuery they past vnto the Tombe where they began a most lamentable musick whose time the Ladyes wold breake with many sudden sighes whose eccho was recorded with in the sepulcher with some doleful sounds of funerall instruments which in the Princes caused some woefull fear when they had done a dame that seemed Lady of the others wherby the Princesse iudged her to be the Princesse Tigliaffa somewhat high that they might heare thus said How long deare Lord will my cruell fortune suffer her to liue that with thy want accoumpts it but a mortall torment what life maie I liue that only liued by seing thee ay me poore Tartare how haue they offended heaueÌ„s propagated my happlesse life for my greater paine that while thou art wanting the glasse wherein I did behold my selfe I might bewaile the good that from mee they bereft haue done thou cruell death by one to rid mee of so many as I suffer seing deare Lord that my lucklesse fates haue appointed me a new kinde of torment that when all the course of thy life being towards me without loue vnto the cost of my content thou shouldst shew such greatnes of vnexpected affection in that short momentarie space that I enioyed thée twixt mine armes Oh if I knew my life would doe thee good now thou art gone whom should I make the executioner but her that more loued then she did her selfe As she was performing certaine ceremonies she did espy the Princes that with their Beuers vp gazed on her beauty which they reputed to be the greatest they had seen wheÌ„ she knew they were none of her newe keepers shee ended her lamentations in great hast entring froÌ„ whence she came with mighty noyse shutting the gates after her No loÌ„ger stayed the louer but like an Eagle mounted the staires comming to the dores he found them so fast as hee thought it impossible to open them he compassed all the cloyster to see if he could finde any other entrance but hee sawe it all built of impenetrable marble he returned to break them open with his sword but found them to be made as he thought all of brasse on the one side he reade these letters He that by the strength of his arme and weapons helper hath arriued vanquishing the keepers of my Castle let him leaue his armor for only to be to haue byn a faithfull louer must end this aduenture Straight did the couragious youth put them all off setting his sword vpon them and so went to the gates at such time as Oristoldo came Assone as he arriued they opened seing no body sauing that within he heard some noise which the Ladies made without any feare hee entred within the hall which he hardly had done when two stronge Knights set vpon him they toke him so suddenly that they raysed him from the ground and had verie nere ouerthrowne him But the youth whose forces admitted no compare recouered himselfe winning his lost aduantage and setled himselfe farre better for he got an entrance for his armes All helpes did he neede for the two were there set onely to wrastle which at this time was admirable for they hadde somewhat wearied the Greeke They came tumbling at length to the gates which occasion vnwilling to let passe with great strength he droue the one from him in spight of his valour threwe him out of the inchanted hall hee had scarce done it when the Heauens were darkened with blacke fogges and mistie clowdes with horrible thuÌ„dering and lightning which fearefull tempest continued for a little space with whose end all the Castle vanished leauing no memorie thereof more then the dead beasts which in the beginning the Princes had slaine hee found himselfe vnarmed with his friend page in the open field hee quickly armed him for they heard new cries which was that the distressed Lady wept ouer her louer not to see him dead but because he was wounded Straight she remembred how she and he had been inchanted being liberated by a Knight that had slayne the kéepers which the wise man had toulde her did guard the Castle Then arriued the Prince presenly she knewe to whome shee was so much bounde and rising leauing the wounded Tartare with her damsells she went to the Prince that with his Beuer vp was going towardes her and imbracing him sayde Most valiant Knight the best that euer guerded sword I cannot suffitiently thanke nor enough memorize your deserued prayses for the good worke you haue done me and the Tartare my Lord both which I leaue and only say that in doing what you did you did perform the duty which your selfe did owe vnto your selfe by succouring the most distressedst Ladye on the earth Neuerthelesse if in part of satisfaction for so great a debt my life may be any imployed in your
scarce possible to expresse the alteration that surprised the Prince of Croatia imagining the letter came from Venus that seing the haughty déedes which he had done and also his faire constitutioÌ„ she was enamored of him certifying him therof by that meanes The Gréeke put him froÌ„ those dumpes calling him saying In the end hee was wounded with anothers hand Le ts see braue Prince what this Lady requireth that should haue no small néede of our succour strengthning her necessity with our weake helpes binding vs thereby to loose our liue in her defence T will bee an act procéeding of your magnanimitie haughty dispayring knight to procure that none suffer any iniurie replyed Pollidolpho and from this time doe I offer my person The like did the Gréeke and opening the Letter were amazed to sée the name neuerthelesse he read it thus The Princesse Venus Letter to Claridiano IMagining valiant dispairing Knight to whom that name deuise is iniustly permitted thou art come to knowe the power of loue rooted in a true hart and how it onely repaires vnto the harme acknowledging the causer vnable to doe otherwise I write yet assured that my Letter will denote me of some immodest wantonnesse for the lawes of Loue frees euery one of paine excepting that which from it doth proceede By this shalt thou knowe the wronge my Father intendes to doe mee marrying me against my will to a husband of his choise But oh what death is it to see that Fortune should bring me to the estate that I must rather loose my life then obay his coÌ„mande though a daughters obedience binds me thereto but doing it it is an offence and capitall crime which I do coÌ„mit against my immaculate faith and also to whome I haue sacrificed it I am sure since thou hast receaued the order of armes to protect and defend the vnblemisht honor of distressed Ladies thou wilt leÌ„d me thy ayd as she that hath most neede thereof And so shall I draw strength out of my Faeminine feare to execute what ere thou shalt ordaine It is suffitiently knowne of all who it is that procures me of al things I expresse a Resolution by thy answer which will be the incourager of my brest The Gods haue thee in their keeping and giue thee more ioy then eyther I haue or thy deuise doth betoken The Princesse Venus Wonderfull greatly did the Princes hauing read the Letter estéeme the confidence reposed in them of so waightie a matter whose yssue they could not auoyd without great aduenture and danger of their liues well had the Gréeke vnvnderstoode the Princes affection and thinking he that way might binde him sayde Excéedingly doth Fortune fauour you great Prince hauing by such meanes ordred the putting in your hands so faire a Lady And I vowe neuer to put on armor more yf I performe it not although more perrils depend thereon he made answere Most excelleÌ„t knight I doe confes the Gods had appointed mee to méete you that seing my great necessitie you should take pittie of the same I will not againe rebinde my selfe for these magnanimous offers but onely set my life and state in your handes to gouerne dispose of them to your pleasure for that will bee mine in nothing derogating from your direction Why theÌ„ sayd the Gréeke I find no better remedie theÌ„ to remoue froÌ„ betwene you the knight that hath shewen himselfe your coÌ„petitor in loue and that it may be effected it will be good we aduertise the Ladye to yéelde to her Fathers request and I with vnknowne armes will challenge him procuring his or taking my death to quiet your life Afterwards it will be easie to take the Ladye from the Pallaice but for this it will bee requisite you haue some number of men for it is impossible but wee shall haue some conflict with the kings people whereto he replyed That is already prouyded for my couzen I being with onely my twoe Gyants departed from my Kingdome came to séeke mee with twelue Thousand men well armed and couragious for anye dangerous exployte T is ynough answered the Gréeke to set her on the Seas where wee will defende her maugre all their strength With this agréement they concluded their dyscourse wherewith Pollidolpho remayned the gladdest in the worlde séeing howe well his affaires were ordered towards the procurement of his ioyes The war-like Gréeke writ his answere deliuering it to the Damozell that mist not to come for it carrying it straight to her Lady that with many pittifull lameÌ„tations beséeched the Gods they would not permit so vniust a marriage but rather to end her sorrowfull dayes which should bee her greatest good that liued exempt of all content Though she receaued it excéeding with the Gréeke Princes letter whose seales hauing rent open it contayned this effect Claridianos Letter to the Princesse Venus SO great is the wrong most excellent Princesse done vnto thy beauty so much the duty I acknowledge vnto Ladies that hauing not written but only giuing me the least notice of thy care both things had put me in the greatest that I euer conceaued to procure venturing therein the hazard of my life that in nothing thou shouldest sustayne iniurie and thereof liue secure that whylst this thy afflâ—cted Knight dooth liue so vnequall a Marriage shall not be effected And the better to perfourme it it is needefull you giue your graunt vnto your Father doe it without anye feare For eyther I will loose my lyfe or Lindauro shall not one daye enioye the name hee dooth not deserue it to bee thyne The Gods haue thee alwayes in their keeping and with good successe end these affaires The despayring Knight The teares of ioy ran down the Ladies eyes in gret abundaÌ„ce with her soule thanking the knight for what he vndertoke on her he halfe calling that Lady vnworthy of any good that ioyed in the sorrow of so valiant a Knight with whose loue any might accompt her selfe happie and had she not known he had on another bestowed himselfe hee had been the first whome the second Venus had made Patrone other hart with more loyalty then Cupids mother did yeild her selfe vnto her louer Almost with the letter in her hand did her Father take her for the Syconian Prince woulde not let him rest wyth his imrortunities he required her to obay his behest regarding how well it became her to marrie him one of the greatest Princes of the world being his neere neighbor which might moue her to doe it more willingly shee answered Deare Father nothing can be told me of the Syconian Prince more then I knowe and haue considered it exceeded my deserts to receaue him for my Lorde husband but so tender is my age and my yeres so few in their vnripenes that I thought I shoulde nippe the springing hopes of the same by vnder-going the heauie yoake of Matrimonie Neueerthelesse seeing both you he so much desire it your will be done for now nor neuer will
giue you your swoord for it was not lawfull it shoulde come to another Maister hauing been the Gréeke Princes because it were so to wronge him Greater is that it now receaues deuine Ladye answered hee that hauing béen in your beauteous handes it shoulde come to the most vnfortunatest in the worlds wide continent Name no more that fearefull Epetithe sayde she for you make me thinke you are ill conditioned to loue one of the worst parts incident in any gallant for he that the power of disfauour forceth to deny the acknowledgmēt of his fortune in his good imployment is the apparent witnessing hee not so much estéemes his Ladye as hee ought for if she liues beloued a disfauour at their handes must bee accompted a greate fauour Your excellent beautye replyed the Prince hath greate reason and I confesse my fault for all it procéeded from an amorus passion Whatsoeuer how great soeuer said the Ladie procéeding frō Loue is worthie of pardon for none that truly loues is subiect to any on the earth but to the thing loued which is esteamed for life reputed for a lawe honoured as a King and obayed as a Lord and since in loue nothing is required but a perpetuall acknowledgement thereof héere let vs no longer staye but instruct Fausta in what she hath to doe Palisandro shall doe that replied the Prince who must stay with her suffering none to come in with any light and when the challenge is knowen then publish my extremitie to be most Héereuppon descended the twoo chiefe Beauties of the world into the garden where O Archysilora who shoulde haue tould thée so with what gréefe wouldest thou haue heard it is it possible thou shouldest be so carelesse as not to respect the loyaltie of the Gréeke Prince who being alone with her that challenged equalitie of thée remembred nothing but the battaile armor and horse chéefly She gaue him a stéeled temper one of the best that the earth possest saying This braue Prince was his that raysed the buildings of this Cittie of which a wise man tould me that it should come to the handes of the famousest Knight and greatest Louer of the world and with it he should terminate many haughtie aduentures and I thinke in all thinges hee did lye except in this for comming to your handes the earthes glorie doth ingraten them It is a guift most soueraigne Ladie said he to end any enterprise hauing béen obtayned by the woonderfullest hap euer recorded The Ladie had in that nothing missaide for that next to the Creator in a thousand places it did saue his life the first being in the battaile against the fearefull Ballurdano for so was the diuilish Gyant called The Prince did put it on hauing neuer as he thought séene a better in all his life and shee closed the buckles with more grace then strength Hee made an end of arming and his armour being of a rose colour grauē with gréene ameld flowers he rested the best accomplisht knight that might be séene The beauteous Venus could not but imbrace him saying In this doe I now wrong Archisilora but so I may with truth say I had the flower of Knighthood twixt mine armes I am bould to doe it vowing héereafter to amend it with my vtmost power With whatsoeuer gracious Princesse your Highnes shal vnto me doe replied he I am the man that onely thereby gaines though I wish my friend were in my place For among such there must be nothing but ought to be participated twixt both Now am I sorrowfull that I did it for said she it is the greatest wrong my fauors could receaue seing you tell me that not louing your friend I am the looser being before I am intreated vsed with such disdaine and till another time I will deferre my reuenge for this iniurie When it shall please you gallant Ladie replied hee will I receaue the paine of your inflicted punishment though séeing it must procéede from these hands I wrong it with that name here ending she led him to a wicket that to the fieldes did open made with barres of strongest stéele and opening it with a kisse she sayde I would to God renowned Prince I were a Knight in this Iourney to accompanye you the better to ioy your haughtye Cheualries It suffizeth for my glorie and the happye successe of them Heauenly Venus answered hee that in your name I vnder-goe them Yet yf that were so replyed the Ladye more ioyfuller should I remayne So here departing she gaue him a Thousande imbracemenets suffitient to Metamorphize the weakest Lambe into the strongest Lyon Hee tooke his leaue of her entring through a wood where what did happen vnto him the insuing Chapter shall memorize CHAP. XXV What happened to the Prince Claridiano with a Knight with whom he went to the Citie to combate against the Gyants BOund in his soule till death swéet Ladies did the mightie Nephew of Trebatio leaue the famous Citie of Xantho séeing with what carefull kindnes the beauteous Venus had procured his libertie so he fully resolued either to loose his life were it ten times ten thousand times more pretious or else to take her thence espowsing her vnto his friend if so she would and that she ment it he had receaued some hopes therof from her in the tower the first night The imagination of his vndertaken enterprise though of such consequence could not diuert him finding himselfe alone amongest those big branching oakes from remembring the tirānie wherewith he was vsed forgetting his promise of Patience that the same night hee past vnto the Princesse but there can be none being in his estate He sate him downe at the foote of a spreading Béech making the Eccho of his voice reiterate the repetition of his woes and tempering them with the fauours the Princesse Venus had done him he warbled foorth this Dittie What auailes it me to ioy Or for to renew my loue Since my Queene is nice and coy And my fauoures doth reprooue She is angrie full of yre Though her fauour I desire What resteth then since ioy and hope is spent In these extreames but to be patient Who is it that liues content And doth lead an absent life Who doth loue that is exempt From endlesse paine and bitter strife As her presence bringeth Ioy So her absence breedes annoy He ended saying what doth it auaile Sacred Venus so haue set me at libertie by those diuine hands of thine with hope that I might be the meanes to frée him frō prison that is wronged to be kept therein if thou shouldest leaue me in a perpetuall Gaole where it is impossible either for my selfe to frée my selfe or any else to aide me in distresse I will imbrace my death and my Lady doth procure it why therfore comes there to mee so great a good going to craue a licence to end my ill ioyed life vnles she doe replie me with a no Turbulent stormes are these which only a hart with passions
Prince with such haughtie thoughts that Mars himselfe would haue feared him With furie at length they mette in middle of their course with most strong incounters But the Dacians Horse being the best in the world meeting with his aduersaries tumbled him on the ground and with a mighty fall made his Maister measure his length on the earth himselfe stumbling at a speares struchon Whereat the Prince fearing some mischance seeing him so stagger leapte from him with such nimblenesse that his gallantnesse as much delighted the Lady as it grieued her to see her brothers disgrace who fearing a sudden death with his sword drawne and his shield wel buckled about his arme made towards our Knight that in like manner expected him desirous to prooue the cutting of his Romaine blade wherewith he laide vpon the toppe of his enemies shield entring it with such might that al that quarter with a pece of his helme he threwe to the ground He seconded another not so dangerous yet more fearfull because lighting on his breast it gaue him a wide wound Trembling stood the Lady at her brothers chance though he like a valiant warriour setting his right foote forward so struck him on the leggs that had his sword been like the Dacians he hadd greatly hazarded his victorie Forward he stept with his other foote to make a stronger blowe and so thrusting at him with his point it chanced between the buckles of his skirts that had he not turn'd aside he had there been slaine out-right notwithstanding it made him a little wounde whereout issued some blood The Dacian thinking it to be greater like a furious Lyon before he was able to withdraw him vpon the little left him of his shield gaue him such a blow that parting it from one end to the other and the point slycing all the armour of his arme he threw his shield on the ground leauing all that side without defence With the feare of death rested the Knight amazed but incouraging himselfe with his sword in both hands he made against his aduersarie discharging on his shield so braue a blow that falling on his head he forst him to retire backe with staggering stepps which séeing he followed the aduantage with a point had almost ouerthrowne him But our new Louer firmely staied himselfe raysing aloft his Romain murthering sword at such time as the Ladie getting to her Horse cried out Knights withdraw your selues for this is no combate any farther to proceede But she came too late for ere shee mounted her brother groaned his last falling on the earth with his head parted in two which sudden death grieued euen the very soule of the vanguisht victorious Dacian But what the sorowfull Lady did admits no comparisō for casting her selfe from her Horse all the moouing motions of her breathing senses left her so disposest of Life as they hadde the Prince with this vnlook'd for accident He vnlaced his helme and sitting on the blood-dewd grasse he tooke the amazed Ladies head betweene his hands which he durst doe bycause the weapons of her excellencies through a pale ashie trance had left her beautie without defensiue armes and began to vse those meanes for her recouerie that his braue heart did neuer study and with bitter exclaimes he saide Oh cruell fortune may it be thou shouldest so soon temper with so sower a chance the first time thou wouldest a little fauor me Oh wise Nabato my professed friend why didst thou tell me thy care should alwaies be to cure my woes if all things now conspire against me to ouerthrowe my content In his owne helme hee caused some water to bee brought him and sprinckled it vpon the Ladies faire face till with a sighe proceeding from her oppressed soule she return'd vnto her selfe yet for all this did she remember the pitifull lamentes that the Knight hadde vttered and that the force of Loue did onely force him to But séeing the brother that she most affected lye before her besmeared with his owne blood so cruelly slaine she stepte from the Prince saying Let mee goe rude and discourteous Knight for the wronges you haue gainst me committed cannot be satisfied with lesse then the heart blood of your dearest life And casting her selfe on the dead carcase with such pitifull compassion that it would haue drawne teares from a Tygers eies she wailed her brothers losse and drowning his head and face with a pearled shower of water distilling from her two clowdie founts she thus began her plaintes May it be deare brother that the angrye Heauens should so oppose their happie reuolutions against our youth suffering the cruell fates to persecute thee and me with so lamentable a chaunce kept in store by that constant Lady of inconstācie giuing the world so great a losse thorow thy vntimely death who shall dare carye the vnlucky newes of thy vnhappie end vnto our Parents Oh Princes of Callidonia now must you take new weapons and put on armour of reuenge and build an alter to Rhamnusia offering thereon the cruell sacrifizes of Nemesis bloodie rites that she maye further your reuenging thoughts to take so iust a vengance For you haue this day lost a Prince of the best the brauest Ah tender youth so suddenly bereaft and ill enioyed Oh pittilesse inhumane death with what extreames dost thou performe thy cruelties hauing without mercie or respect of innocencie with such barbarous sauagenesse snacht from hence my poore Larsyno on whome the enuious worlde had placed all her hopes And if impartiall destinies inexorable Sisters you had determined this partiall doome within the consistorie of your counsell house why suffred you not sterne goddesses my brothers mortall wound also to fall on me and end in my hart and not leaue mee thus with life to feele so many deathes Thus did that beauteous Ladie poure forth her sorowes for her deare Larsyno But the inraged passiōs that did possesse Don Eleno when he vnderstood that he had slaine her brother whom he loued more then his owne soule had almost forced him with his owne dagger to drawe his owne harts blood to pacifie her rage if he had not feared eternall damnacion for so great a sinne yet esteemed he that a profitable death where nothing was hoped but what should be more cruell For all this he animated his drooping heart and turning to the weepyng Lady sayde Seing my more then vnhappie fortune deuine Lady hath permitted he should displease you and in this sort that was only borne to adore you soly desiring life to please you bethinke what satisfaction you will haue though it be with the dearest blood chambred in my soule and at your command these hands shall sluce it forth bycause with such a death my life will end with ioy if something it may extenuate part of your discontent conceaued Any reuenge most cruell Knight replied the sorowfull Lady will be but little in recompence of the highe wronge I haue receiued by those murthering handes guiltie of
my proper blood But for this time I will no other reuenge but your departure from my company leauing me sufficiently assured of your cruelty to my cost and I will liue for my misfortune will haue it so with the only desire of a more full reuenge Wherefore from hencefoorth I straight doe banish you my sight for I will haue it so If I shall depart in your disgrace most beauteous Lady I will not haue my life with your disfauour to torment me replied the Prince but since you desire to be reuenged on him that only would liue to admire you take it with this sword cawser of your woes and my misfortune and therewith strike of my sacrifized head to appease your wrath for I willingly offer it on your pities altar with all I else possesse already subiect to your will and only this doe praie that after you haue done it you would rent forth my harte for none shall witnesse your crueltie but your selfe and there shall you see your selfe engrauen though not so naturally yet with rarer perfections reasons suffcient to force me to elect you sole patronesse thereof The which remaining in your handes being loues thrall may moue clemencie towardes his Lord to sturre your anger to pitie your captiue euen with his owne reliques Wherewith prostrated on his knees before her with his eies closed with water holding the sword by the point againe thus said If only in my death great Ladie there rests any small comforte for mee it will bee the greatest that I may imagine receiuing it with this blade by your hands for Guerdon of my rashe attempts although if I had knowne what this dead increaser of your griefes did concerne you my selfe had only been the procurer of his life with farr greater care then for my owne which wil be hatefull to mee if still you will insist in your conceaued wrath Knight said she more barbarous then the Sauages of Hircania and the cruellest that ere my eies beheld thus I will not execute my reuenge for it will not be so cal'd performed with the offenders liking and bycause you said it is life and the sweetest to bereaue you thereof with my handes neither will I therin so much content you but expect and sollicite the heauens to order my reuenge after some other sorte The afflicted Prince hearing so sower and bitter answere conceaued such extreame griefe which with sobbes and sighes so besieged his harte that it berest him of his senses falling at his Ladies feete which was another new kind of torment to afflict her for abandoning all crueltie she tooke him in her armes and sitting on the ground she laid his head on her lappe which had the grieued Dacian felt he would not so soone recouer himselfe and bewailed this lamentable spectacle with new laments that moued the tender Ladye to breake into these exclaymes Oh blind despightfull Fortune enemy to my rest how well hast thou manifested thy mutabilities hauing so well pleaded for the greatest enemie I had that I am forst to cōmiserate his woes and pitie his distresse Oh Goddesse who might certenly knowe if with my death she would end her rigorous changing courses execute at once against my tendernesse the whole power of thy despight for the wrongs past hauing been the greatest that might befall mee or thou do mee will I with ioy accept bycause I know they come from thee for she that was borne to no good can receaue no harme to hurt her and with this deceipt may she passe her life that in the beginning hath felt the vtmost of thy cruell power Oh cruell Goddesse vnworthie of a better name because in all thy actions thou performest the deedes of an Hircanian Tyger And being vnable to doe otherwise she cōmanded Fabio to bring her some water wherewith the distressed youth obtained his loste senses and with a sighe that seemed to burst his weake harte he saide Vnhappy stars that gouern'd my natiuitie and more vnhappie I to liue to see my woes to conquer death that dares not approche where he is onely wished with his crueltie to end a life oppressed with cares Oh vnfortunate hap who would haue thought so long and tedious a nauigation should anchor in so vnluckie a Port Oh valiant friends now must I for euer in absence with ayrie words take my latest leaue for my fates saye he shall neuer see you more that onely liued with your deare sights Oh valiant Princes of Grecia what balefull newes will it be when you shall heare of my death whose life alwaies and content soly delighted yee And seeing himselfe in the Ladies lappe a little lifting vp his eyes with so many sighes and throbbing sobbs that might haue mooued a Lions fiercenes to relent but to the extreamest point was this Ladies furie come that it would admit no Impression of any mercy vnlesse it should altogether yeeld to pittie which she thought was yet too soone to doe he sayd Since no pietie noe pittie nor no mercie that are the vertues which glorifies all your sexe maye sturr a litle compassion in your obdurate breast then at once cruell Lady end the tormenting of my poore soule with so long prolonging a despised life and take what reuenge you will on this weeping hart subiect to your Imanitie Knight answered the Lady ill would it beseeme me if by yeelding to your request and in that maner to worke your content I should become cruell against my selfe I wil not take any reuenge that may rather redowne to my dishonour then honour But for this time only I will haue you grant me two things Being all in all yours replied he there is no cause why by promise you should séeke to winne my will which so truely doth acknowiedge your souerainetie Why then said she my first demaund is you giue mee the order of Chiualry and as for my other request you shall after know it I doe sayd he esteeme my happinesse farre greater now then a little afore I esteemed my selfe vnhappie in that deare Soueraign of my soule you haue deygned to imploye me and in affayres more difficult farre would I haue had you hazarded my life but séeing this is your will I am content to obaie and bycause I perceaue you want armour I do beseech you to accept these which were giuen me for good and I shall be more glad thereof bycause they shall obtaine a worthier owner I thanke you for your offer replied she But these of Semyramis nothing inferiour to those I had not long since on yonder vallie giuen me and that with them I should end the greatest aduenture of the world And so casting off her hunting garments she discouered the rarest armes that the whole earth could afford for they were all of Pearles and Dyamonds with such arte vnited that it made them farre strōger then if they were of fine tempered steele on one side they bare a painted harte but made of inestimable orient Rubies whose glister alyenated the
from my bouldnes It is reason sir Knight sayd she that Ladies should be rather loued and wooed then gallants by thē sued too for so they should disparage their fame though not with desire they shew oftentimes some disfauour but for that cause must the louer be discréete which is what in him is first required that he may note the one and take the other in good part attributing it to her feare and not to her desire and this consideration swéetenesse what is most sower Thus spunne they the webbe of their amorous liues whē the Damsell here cut off their discourse saying with some anger You Knight of the branch seeme to haue forgotten your promise and seing the night approcheth there is no more to doe but straight with me you enter in your Barke without any companie it behooues vs to goe Vnderstanding swéete damsell sayde Polliphebo that wee shoulde so manye dayes together Nauigate by Sea thought you woulde let mee enioy some on land but seeing it must bee so let ts away though great is the wronge you doo mee Greater is that which is suffered by whom néedeth and sent me for your person hauing power to request others that with more willingnesse would haue done it for though our stay here hath been but little not so small is the stayne that thereby your fame receaueth and my necessitie increaseth with a sorrowfull looke the Prince turned to the Ladie saying You see deare Lady my vnhappie chance expelling mee from inioying your swéete conuersation for which all my life I shall lead in griefe hauing not some assurance of hope to resee you againe for till thē the anguish I shall suffer wil be so great as to debarre me from alpleasure for I onely haue and shall haue in being yours Valiant Knight replyed she no lesse doe I féele it seing you thus to depart from me and my brother which is yonder Knight and as for the rest you may liue assured I tender you as my owne soule And if this picture may be any cause of your cōtēt take it for I will haue your coūterfeite for the same The gladdest on the earth he tooke it and falling on his knées a Thousand times kissing her handes hee intreated her to take him for her Knight The Ladye denied it not for loue had made her liberall and none did it euer touch but made him become an Alexander vpō paine of not knowing how to loue seing that one of the chiefest condition that yf requires is Magnanimetie And so seing with how great the Ladie had fauoured him he againe kist her handes and taking his leaue of them knowing who they were they entred the Barke which swifter then a towring Eagle ingulffed it selfe in the swelling Ocean Straight did they loose his sight leauing Floraliza greatly discontented the which her brother nothing demaunded the cause and relating it she ended with a sigh saying I greatly feare deare brother that this Knight will put me in mortall dangers for I iudge his libertie to be great and being Sonne and Brother to our deadly foes it will be difficult for him to consider if any pyne for him Let not the grieue you good Sister replyed Don Cellindo for if he loues he will easily doe it how much the more in my iudgement he departed captiue enough So thought I answered she but here is my vnhappinesse that trauelling through strāge countries he may see some one fayrer and being toucht with this infirmitie he will be apt to decline and so must be faine to wander in his search Let the feasts first passe sayd Don Cellindo and so I hope will this humor chang into cōtent Thus determined they stayed till the next mornings Suns vprising who knowing that Rosamond the Dacian should méete hastened his shining presence to see what happened in the next related CHAP. XII How the Prince Don Eleno of Dacia met with his deare Rosamond and what more befell them in their way towards the Cittie WIth as many teares as hast departed the Dacian louer from his beloued cozen of Tynacria entring within the Forrest where ouertaken with the night he past it with extreame anguish of his soule seeing the ympossibilitie of his content hauing it onely with the presence of his Ladie His foode was soly the fruit of those wilde trées and some of what Fabio had prouided but his conuersation was it which most pleased this woefull louer For memorating the troubles he had vndergone and the passions and violent sorrowes he had resisted animated him to tollerate this present accident Most part of the night spent they in this intermingling it with diuersity of matter to make him diuert from his pensiuenesse till yf was time to rest which made either part aside to sleepe yet small was the while that the Prince reposed Neuer yeilded this infirmitie any quiet till throughly possest Well may many speake it by experience though with a newe estate they be remoued from it with a Thousand sighes began the Dacian Lord to sing for onely in that he thought he founde pleasure And I my selfe neuer founde him otherwise while alone he trauelled with this passion If a remedie for loue be dayly to liue instrife come death and end my lyfe by my sweete ioyes remoue My payne and hard mischance makes fearelesse any death so I might loose my breath vntreading my woes daunce Whilst a remedie for loue is dayly to liue in strife come death and end my life from this my ioyes remoue The soule with paine opprest canne nere obtaine renowne come loue and treade it downe while t is in woes vnrest I tell thee t is no loue which dayly liues in strife come death and end his life that sees his ioyes remoue With some small comfort ended the Prince caused with his song and being day broade mounting vpon the earths best horse hee began to leaue that thicket delighting hys eares with Philomelas complaints making him a witnes of Tereus rape crueltie against her committed no lesse ioyed he with the others conceipts for though the Musitions were naturall yet kept they a wonderfull harmonie of an vnnaturall consort In this maner wondered he till about Nine a clocke of the Morning at the end of the groue hee sawe a Knight come toward him brauely mounted hee coulde not see his armour for ouer thē he wore a blewe coate ouer his shield a case of the same coulor Presently the disguised knight knew Don Eleno and hauing purposed what he ment to do vnbuckled but tooke not of his helme with extreme ioye to see him for no lesse had he suffered in his looking him arriuing sayd Sir knight my Lady hath tane my oath the méeting in Grecia with anye Knight that shoulde denie her beautie to be the greatest in the vniuerse I should defie him to the battle but this prouided that you bee in loue though your deuise sheweth the contrarie and therefore to mortall fight I challenge you for with
began battle but assuredly thought the Iustice on his side Being Conquerour hee would more plainely shewe the generositie of his minde attracting the wills of the conquered with singuler clemencie saying that so rare a vertue ought not to be extinguished by the honour of a bloody victory and so would take the conquest on hymselfe as the conquered Finally Lirgandeo sayth that exceping his Competitors the world had not a better Prince his loues distracted him of his best sences for imagining that another loued his Lady and was of her beloued he lost the raignes of patience with sighes publishing what his soule indured vrged thereto by the aboundance of his swelling hart as nowe hee did with in the shippe he went For the fourth day of his Nauigation seeing himselfe more ouerwhelmed in his imaginarie thoughts then in the waters whose furious billowes his barke plowed hee rose about midnight sitting on the hatches to ease his moanes hee sighed forth these loose rymes Hart without ioy and woes with woes opprest The power of loue is with more force adrest To make me slaue to vylde captiuitie Loosing all hope of hoped libertie There is no sweete vnlesse from her it comes That Lillies white and Roses red still shames What ioy without Liriana can be pleasant In absence of her beauty nothing's decent But if she send the ioy it is past ioye A buckler gainst all paines and dyre annoy It yeeldes in torment pleasure and content And when t is worst t is voyde of discontent I must nor not I dare not hope for any Since loue my woes procures by waies so many Bereauing me by stealing her of rest Changing my ioy to paine my peace t'vnrest Oh thou vast sea through which was no man dryuen Oh watrie waues clere skie and brightest heauen If any pittie you on earth bestowe Shew it on me that am by loue trodde lowe Maistred with woes inchain'd without all pittie Made poore in hope but rich in miserie Acknowledging content in discontent Calling that ioye where no ioy ere was ment She 's faire but coy excuse me in dispaire For all my ioy is in desire made bare There wanted no louing sighes wherewith the valyant youth bemoaned his paines and the glorie that from them he conceaued calling the Sea Gods and Goddesses to witnes his passions who hearing what the gentle Louer published could not but pittie him So past he the night till about the bright lacing of the high heauens he sawe a barke more swifter then the winde passe by his along thereon lay a Knight all armed no lesse lamenting his griefes then he and yet with more reason he went saying Oh loue may it bee thou shouldst by all meanes seeke to ruinate my onely hopes being so long since assured that if I liue t is but to loue yeilding to thée the awefull tribute of my tributarie selfe as liedge man to thy deitie and that for all these spoyles hauing my hart as hostage of my faith thou shouldst delight to permit the enemie of my death to vse mee thus giuing me life to liue in such distresse No more could the amorous Pagan heare by reason of the celeritie it carryed though by it he vnderstoode the wrong he suffered and seing howe generall it was sayde Oh woefull Prince what little remedie is there left thée seeing t is denyed to euery one there is no hoping for it by liuing Oh pestiferous plague how much art thou wrapt within the poyson of thy torments and yet how wished is it to the dire cost of louers poore soules that with such bitter lamēts doe celebrate their swéete woes By this did he sée that the bark was stayed not farre from the foot of a stately edefice builded vppon the sea The Achayan Lord rested amazed with the sight and to knowe what it was commanded his to bee dirrected thither he entred by the side of the inscriptions in sight of the Knight that was already ryzen resembling Mars himselfe by his magnificence with the first scrowle that Bembo mett with was this The entrance of the marueilous Tower is granted to none not bringing the armor of the ingratest Louer of the earth Naturally bould was the furious youth and not respecting the contents of the scrowle hee flunge at one of the pillers thinking that way was the ascending to the Tower But he had scarce taken it with his handes when sodainely there arose so much fier that the Knight seemed all of a kindled coale and certainely he had incurred mightie daunger of his life had he not had on the armes of Saturne whose nature resisted that element Notwithstanding he parted frō it almost stifled with the heate that entred through his visor Well did the other Knight sée it that not farre from thence gazed on those that looked towardes the occident seeing the fier that had risen though more ready he seemed for his graue then to smile yet he laughed so high that the fierce Pagan heard it that not a little was abashed thereat and not able to dissemble it sayd I would gladly knowe sir Knight the cause of your content since with such exterior signes you haue shewen it None other replyed hee in the yellowe of this colour was his armour but to haue séene sir Knight with what vehemencie that flame would haue imbrast you within your armour It cannot bee exprest what rage entred within the Pagan by the aunswere he turned to the dispayrer saying It had been farre better since you haue séene armour to haue tryed the sauor of the fier of the pillers in that the scorching flames of Loue you haue already published along the sea in your Nauigation and now I dare affirme you are with reason thus suffred to liue considering how much you flie from labour Wise and aduised is the Ladye that from so cowarde a Knight detaines her fauors But since you haue séene with what audacitie I embrace yonder fier prepare your selfe for to your cost will I make you know how I can defend the inclosed in my hart There was no need to aduise him therof for with Mars would he haue fought touching what Bembo there had vrged Neuer vpon the doubtfull seas nor on the certaine Lande was there euer séene of a single fight a more fiercer cōbate For the warriors are the flower of Christendome and Paganisme and the dispayrer was no lesse then the Greeke Prince Claridiano who out of hope in loue as Lirgandeo hath related departed from Grecia None of the waterie Gods woulde loose such a battle for neyther Faune nor Nymphe but came to behold it And not so much but the amorous Trytones lifted vp their heads to looke on the twoo sole rare in the world In sight did the angry swelling waues neuer séeme more milde then nowe Peace did Eolus and Neptune make together with all their seuerall attending traynes raynging along the gréene azured waters till they came to the place where the battle was to be fought The gentle
so fiercely hee entred to the wrastle but making of one foote two he stoode so strongly that the Pagan thought he hadde incompassed a Rocke So longe they stryued that they fell on the hatches not daring to loosen fearing to loose thereby By this meanes did the Achayan loose so much blood that it was maruell how he could hold out for all the barke was stayned with the hewe tumbling vppe and downe the boate the Gréeke went so nighe the boorde thereof that taking houlde thereat with more strength then maye bee imagined in despight of the Moore with a swinge hee flung him to the farther syde with admirable lightnes he set himselfe on foot Slow was not the Pagan in doing the like though in this seconde battle was plainely séene what aduantage the yellow Knight had ouer his aduersarie and the Combate continuing to the end the More could not but be ouercome The Ladie would not suffer it for only to that intent had she her perfect iudgement by meanes of the peruerse Lupercio so shee spake heere me sir Knights Hearing the Ladies voice neither stirred their swoords for the gallantnesse wherewith both were adorned bound them to it shee procéeded May this testimonie braue Knights suffice which you haue giuen to the déepe seas that for my sake making no longer battle yée leaue it in this estate They could not do otherwise then the Ladie intreated it benefited the Moore therein and so replied So long hath my will obayed the supreame cōmaund of yours most Excellent Ladie that I cannot do more then what is your content and seing herein you doe receaue it I am content so pleaseth this Knight She said he will for it is the Gallants sole honor to accomplish a Ladies behest much more her kinde request She did not so dislike the Greeke that he should not obay her and therefore made answere In faith most Soueraigne Ladie I am glad occasion is offered that I may be obedient to your seruice and since herein it is shewen I am content and so remit this knights battaile beseeching you to giue me leaue to depart for I haue much to doe in another place To doe so you haue it sir Knight answered the Ladie He tooke his farewell of her and the Pagan leauing with him ynough to talke of his valour many yeares after He leapt into his boat which began to saile with such velocitie that the Ladies straight lost the sight thereof so did Bembo that stood amazed at his Goddesse view not knowing whether he was in heauen or on earth With greater courage then at any time he said If the Faith swete Ladie which I owe you may be any meanes somewhat to assure mee the entrance I intreate your soueraigne beawtie to shewe me which way I maye thether ascend and take her frō so inhumane a Gaole that hath perpetually imprisoned my heart The Ladie answered neuer a word for she neyther knewe her selfe nor any other only might she disturbe any battaile when any of Lupercios faction sustained the worst She returned away with her Ladies leauing the Prince in obscure darknesse Hee lost all the mouing powers of his body and stoode gazing at the place where he had séene his glorie In that vision wold he haue dyed thinking he departed in quiet but hauing ouer-past that amorous care with a sigh he burst into these spéeches Oh cruell Lady scourge of the Achayan house may it be such inhumane crueltie should bee inclosed within so faire a Lady what law permits thou shouldst knowe I dye I ioye therein that t is my life to suffer many deathes for thy sake and that thou hast neuer been pleased to say I am pleased to admit it This is a tirannie that admits no comparatiue for if my death wil auaile thée or that thou wilt not loue let me knowe it and my selfe will bee the cruell executioner of a most cruell death if therein consistes thy contēt But vnfortunate mishhap t is enough it comes from me that Bembo doth desire it to be denyed by Lyriana If any should be cherished in life for well louing is there any on the earth that better then my selfe hath done it Is there anye that with more puritie doth Idolatrize thy affaires then I Is there any that omitting his owne pleasure will procure thine but I If then fairest of all Fayres beauteous Liriana thou art of this assured why doest thou thus prolong my remedie why becomest thou deaffe to my exclaymes Thine I am and thine will I die let fortune still be opposite euen to my hopes and may the heauens euermore conspire against Bembo my heart hath patience to endure all First began I to pyne ere I knewe whome I loued since from all aspects I am disswaded and shoulde belieue it will I onely in thoughts end my dayes So much blood lost he that the Maister pittying him sayd Sir Knight bee not such an enemy to your selfe for it may cost you your life the differring of your cure My happe will not bée so good replyed the Prince as to meete with death for it doth my paine expect and desire anchorage of the griefe it sustaines Neuerthelesse sayd the Maister t is a kinde of dispaire to suffer a death by the heauens vnappointed for t is a blemish to any ones honour Such perswasions he vsed that he put of his armor and layde him on a bed within the Maysters cabbin They drest him with greate care yet greater was his of his Lady They would not suffer him to rise in foure daies which he continued the thinking to sée his Goddesse seing t was but in vaine he commanded to direct to Achaya intending to demaund of his friend Lupercio what armour weapons the entrance to that Tower required The Marriners to please him would haue done it but there arose a sodaine tempest that t was vnpossible to arryue there so were they carryed backwards vp downe the Grecian Ocean vntill the eyght day they arriued in a most aboundant land full of many trées and woods It gladded the Prince for the Sea had tyred him So he commanded his furious Courser to be landed and armed in all his armor he leapt on shore commaunding the rest to staye for him eyght dayes while hee learned what countrey that was He tooke the most vsedst path he could sée till the after-noone that the Sunnes mydday heate was somewhat coole he alighted to rest close to a Fountaine eating such prouisiō as his pages had brought from the ship So eating was the Pagan there but his pylgrim thoughts wandred on Lyriana when to the same fountaine where he was arryued a damozell no lesse beauteous then well attired who not for all the Prince was there alighted with rare gallantnes to refresh her faire face in the pearled spring where she reassured her selfe shee was beautifull hauing dried her face with a semely wantonnesse she stept to the Prince with these words Sir Knight the heate and the
wrath kindled in his furious brest By little and little he felt the paine diminish Aswell as he might he defended himselfe not without mighty blowes of the thrée that to make an end drew strength from their fainting for he had wounded thē dangerously At length féeling himselfe frée of the dāger faining neuerthelesse the cōtrary he suffered the secōd brother to enter for he was most eager When he was so neare he could not scape him hee raysed aloft his reuenging arme with more strength then wyth whéeles the mightiest burthens are crayned vpp with as much rage as courage hee discharged it on his helme the which downe to the shoulders with his head was clouen Great was the noise that sodenly aroze in the place with the knights death thinking the like would happen to the rest The like presumed the king so did Lindauro that bloody teares did shed for the losse of the brothers Redoubled was their gréefe for Archisiloras louer imagining he too lōg deferred the end flung at the Kings Couzen wounding him with such a blow that sencelesse he cast him forwards on his horse neck he ran against him with his Coursers brest tumbling him his horse on the stony pauement more dead thē aliue The third brother would defend himselfe but the Prince thinking it vnméet to assault him did close casting his strong armes about him wherewith he pluct him from his saddle spurring his horse went to the bridge side offering to cast him into the riuer ouer the railes whereat the King cried out to him he should not doe it for he gaue him the victorie of the fight accompting him the best knight vpō the earth To do your Maiestie some seruice which is my sole desire answered the Prince I am content to do it although his rude inciuilitie deserues a farre greater punishment Thankes for the same did the king giue receauing him with better coūtenance then will for he would haue giuen any great prize so he had miscarried in the battaile To him went the couragious Prince Pollidolpho saying Ioue Guerdon you for me sir Knight what this day you haue on my behalfe performed which is so much that I know not how I may séeme gratefull for the least of the same but yf in any thing my life and my companions bee néedefull in your seruice dispose of them for we will offer ymploye them with as great willingnes as you this daye haue done yours for vs hauing not deseured it at your handes The Gréeke replyed knowing him to be whom the Knight hadde sayd This far much more then I haue done is due to your gentlenes bounty great Prince for there is none knowing what it is but remaineth ingaged thereto and therefore may you accompt me as one of your true sure and vnfayned frends The Prince acknowledged the kindnes resting so affectionate vnto him that in all things he shewed it They accompanied the King who though hee bare them no good will more then what hee ought would not but honour them inuiting them vnto his Court where there befell thē what the next Chapter mentioneth CHAP. XXIII What befell vnto the Greeke Prince being with the King in his great Hall ALthough the cankered Rancor of ill-will within the brest of the Esclauonian Kinge pleaded against the merits of the Gréeke Prince by reason of his challenge in preiudice of his decrée yet so louing worthy of respect is the very sole opinion of vertue good parts by how much the more thē the triall knowledg of the same bright saints of idolatrized beauty that he almost forgot it inclining so much vnto him through the sight of his valour shewen and honour obtayned agaynst his foure enemies that he regarded and in the common Iudgmentes did affect him On the other side extreame was the griefe Lindauro didde conceaue wanting the thrée brothers himselfe disgrast attributing thereto the beauteous Venus disdain towards him whose beauty the gréeke admired esteaming it equall to his Ladies the Queene of Lyra. No lesse admiration caused his in Court that there was no Dame but enuied his fairenes iudging he yet was fairer then Venus hee was there a Noueltie As hee so reputed they the Croatian Pollidolpho whose truelye affectionate the Princesse was become desiring nothing more then to speake with him that hee might knowe her will and the place his hart had obtained within her brest glad in her soule of the amity he had cōtracted with the desparing knight so called they the Gréeke imagining she might securely put her selfe in his hands then suffer any wrong by her Father on Lindauros behafe which would be no lesse then her death For she neuer had thought well of the pride werewith he had did procure to winne her goodwill A thousand times was she about to write it to the Greeke that as a Louer euery one accompted him so seing his cruell deuise he might seeke meanes to auoyd so great an euill as she expected by the mariage But she was as modest as beautifull for in this she exceld the first of her name So durst she not write belieuing it would blemish her honor staine the reputatiō they of her kinde are bound to maintaine in all their actiōs rather induring a thousand deaths then by their doinges to giue the popularitie occasion to misiudge of their liues when they ought to be the presidents for others to modell out the course of theirs This withheld her suffering euery day many importunities till that her Father seing her obstinacie commaunded her plainely to arme herselfe with patience for he would force her against her will to that whereto all his coūsell intreated him This so put her to her shifts that she had none other but to write vnto the Knight in yellow trusting the matter to a Ladie whome she thought would kéepe it secret She vowed it acknowledging great dutie for the reposing on her a thing of such consequence All the Knights lodged within the Pallaice excepting Pollidolphos two Gyants that disguised kept aloofe of carefully watching what would befall their Prince in those affaires For they knew how intirely he loued the faire Venus Wherefore the Damozell had opprtunitie so soone as it was darke that she might leaue her lodging to go vnto the Knights that kept together and demanding who and where the knight in yellow was Palizandro beeing there conducted her vnto them to whome with a pleasant countenance after salutations she said Sir Knights assured of your valours that you will not denye it vnto distressed Ladies that haue néede thereof I am boulde to come on the behalfe of one whose name this Letter doth contayne directed to the despairing Knight glad that being able he will not permit her in indure any outrage So with great courtesie she deliuered the letter vnto the Gréeke saying she would the next morrowe returne for an answere And staying no longer kindly tooke her leaue and departed T is
for it hath not a litle greued me this tumult shold haue befallen on this day which I hoped for my gretest content vnder your royall woord I will doe it replied Claridiano trusting that if I haue any excuse it shall auaile me Feare not that sir knight said Venus Vncle for on my perill here shal you not receaue any more wrong To him comaunded the King he and Pollidolpho should deliuer their swords who through his wounds was not able to stirre Of him had the Kings brother in law charge to the Princes extreame sorrow thinking his sundring from the Greeke would be his vntimely death Hee was deceaued for the Ladie had as much care of him as if he were in her chamber shewing her Vncle manifest tokens that shée loued the Croatian which nothing displeased him thinking he was a knight of great accompt excéedingly reioyced when afterwards he knew how great a Prince hee was The Greeke they committed to a strong tower not farre from the Ladies lodging whose custodie a Couzen of the Kings had that like a good knight caused him to be well cured though he was so weake of his lost blood that he could not arize from his bed yet his anger and rage more tormented him then his wounds arryuing a thowsand times at the point of death only for that he could not come to be reuenged on the trecherous Lindauro Who for all he was wounded thought it well imployed imagining they could not from thence escape without death or euerlasting infamie For which intent he one day secretly sent for the King of the Cremonian Isle the mightiest Pagan that was knowen on the earth for with one sonne whome a little before he had knighted he had vanquished twoo great Hoasts He was in peace and had contracted league with them and aduertising them the necessitie he had of their helpes with foure Knights of their kindred they came thether in poast and sending Lindauro word of their arryuall they did what the ensuing Chapter doth relate CHAP. XXIIII How the Princes were by some strange Knights challenged to the battaile and what about it happened SVch is the power sole wonders of heauens beauties and onely admirations of earthly miracles of an amorous passion rooted in the tender soule of a blind louer that it forceth him respecting no respect of proper honour to attempt those things manifestly against it for once fully possest of the louer it tramples with disdaine on the gouernment of reason guiding the affection with the loose raignes of a selfe-will the which hauing obtayned an vncontrolled regiment doth commaund as absolute Empresse of the minde this is that which only guides Lindauro who because hee was a louer in presence of hys Lady to sée himselfe wounded his thrée Brothers slayne yet vnreuenged conceaued so great a passionate desire of vēgeance that not regarding the laws of Knight-hood he procured against thē his Royal reputation an vniust reuenge vpon the Gréeke louer a thing that redounded to his euerlasting shame and dishonour eternall He conferred it with the King who being determined to obserue and by Iustice and right to determine that controuersie inclyned to his indiscréete sonne in lawes perswasions animated thereto by the arryuall of the two Gyants on whose valour the prince so firmely builded because he thought none wold dare to enter combate with them Being thus determined one daye dissembling his knowledge they entred the great hall clad in resplending rich abilliments of warre There was none but only with their sight did tremble for though they were not of deformed proportion yet were they of so stronge composed ioynts and bigge timbered sinewes that plainely they demonstrated the strength of their armes The Father raysing his visor with a hollowe voyce thus sayd Mighty Potentate of Esclauonia in our Land of Syconia we heard of some brawles thou hast had with certaine strange Knights and this daye was it toulde vs their insolence committed in thy presence killing some of thy Nobilitie and wounding our Prince Lindauro and moreouer howe thou hast promised to deale with them by lawe agaynst offendors to Princes states no such respecte is due but to execute the power of consuming wrath vppon them And so vppon the one and the other wee defie two Knights whatsoeuer that will vndertake the battaile by the same will I defende they worthely deserue a cruell death Hee made them sit downe knowing who they were saying I would not braue Gyants for any thinge haue it sayd that in my Court Iustice is lesse obserued then in anye other of the vniuerse and therfore did I referre this cause vnto my Counsell but séeing you haue challenged them there is no more but to admitte your challenge aduertising them thereof Well did Alanio the Princesse Vncle vnderstoode the drift and by whome that complotte was ordayned gréeuing that so great iniustice shoulde bee permitted The beauteous Venus did nothing but wéepe purposing wyth her owne handes rather to sacrifice her life then to wedde so false a Knight At length came the twoo Princes so weake and faint that they were not able to stande verye fewe there were in the Hall but greatly did pittie them Straight was it toulde them the cause why they were sent for and what those Knights demaunded Somewhat was the Prince mooued with their sight but that being past as long it lasted not hee sayde with his accustomed animositie that it pleased him straight without any further delaye to enter the battaile affying onelye on his Iustice That maye not bee aunswered the Kinges counsell who all were agréed against him for there is an inuiolate law in this Kingdome since Xantho the first King thereof was challenged that none challenged maye combate his propper cause but present his Champion within the limitted time prefixt to finde him that he for him may right him or else fayling in eyther or in both to remayne subiect to the Lawes inflicting punishment But we being strangers of such remoted Countries sayde the inraged Gréeke and the finding a friend to hazard for vs his life being so difficult great is the wronge herein you doe vs and on both I will enter the battaile Afore him stept the furious King of Cremania with these wordes Well doest thou knowe Knight howe impossible it is for thy sake to vyolate the lawes for the common good established and so because thou shalt not bee permitted to it makes thée so vehemently insist in thy request That mooues mee not to it replyed the angry Gréeke but onely to sée the insolēt pride that hither hath brought thée not like a Knight but a barking rauening Curre of Assyria that liue by howling against the splendor of the bright Moone So furious was the Pagan that hee would haue flung at him which had not gréeued the Prince for hee so spake purposelye to vexe him Betwene thē stept the King commanding them to be conuayed to prison first lymiting them a Moneth to séeke their
his proper life satisfying those two that dearest in the world did loue They could not conceaue the meaning of those wordes though the vnderstāding he remained inchaunted somewhat comforted them and seeing it waxed late the Lady said Let vs go Sir Knight for I beleeue I shall one day see what I haue thought impossible for as I thinke my brother remaineth in this inchauntment So they began to take their way toward the Sea coast When the valiant Astorildo the Ladies eldest brother seeing shee was not to be found and finding his brother inchaunted caused all his Knights to returne home commaunding them to tell his Father he was gon to seeke his sister and taking with him but one Squire he shipt himselfe towards Graecia in which voyage we leaue him returning to the aduentures that happened the new Louers CHAP. II. The dangerous aduentures that the Princes met nauigating towards Liguria and the maruailous end thereof WIth incredible ioy more then well may be expressed thankfully accepting the happy Fortune that the pleased heauens powred into their lapps at length they ariued to the inchaunted bark at such time as the glory of bright Tytans rayes would their splendor in the waterie Ocean of Hesperia leauing the earth vnto her nightly silence that to his better content the venturous Dacian might know of his Lady what shee was and in what reputation his yeelded soule was esteemed Arryuing at the shore he straight lept from his horse holding the styrrop that his Lady might do the like but not admitting it with a smyle alighting by the other side shee said you shall not thinke Sir Knight with so small a seruice to satisfie the great wrong you haue done me and imbracing him they staied til Fabio had shipt their horses the gladdest man aliue to sée what good Fortune had happened to his Lord and maister because he thought her beautie exceeded all compare wherein he nothing did deceiue himselfe For in deede the world contained fewe like vnto her Both which entered the Barke that launched from the sands with such vellocitie as do the inhabitants of Maiorica fling a stone with their steeled sling or with like vehemencie that the lightning flasheth through the ayre with such or more speede did the inchaunted Barke cut the salt waues of Neptunes bosome hauing withing it so great prouision and diuersitie of cates as if those Princes were serued with the greatest royaltie of Dacia And after supper hauing vnarmed themselues they sat them on the hatches of their Barke to take the coolenesse of a fresh ayre that softly blewe on their faces as also to behold the clearnesse of the pale resplending Moone that then shewed the vtmost pride of her waterie shine that with more ioy they might enioy ech others beautie waying in the ballance of true affection the perfections of the same resting so enuious of one another as amorous of eithers excellencies For she thought that Knight was he to whome her beautie was due and he that her merits deserued his true faith till death sacrifized with the fire of her valour But to breake off eithers silent imaginations he began Now is the time diuine Ladie seing the Heauens and the Seas inuite vs with their calme quietnesse that you would tell me whom I must acknowledge for the soueraigne Princesse of my soule paying the awfull fealtie of my due tribute as a true liege man to his sworne Prince I will not haue you thinke Sir Knight that with your great praising of my smal beauty you do pay me the much good that I wish you And because in all things I will haue you know that Ladies do commit greater sinne in being pittifull then in being austere in denying the requestes of their amorous gallants I will satisfie your demaund Know therefore I am called Rosamond yet know I not why since all things ioy in crossing me I am daughter vnto the King of Callidonia which is the countrey from whence we come being brought vp together with my brothers seeing them so greatly affected and giuen to hunting I determined also to keepe them company refusing no danger that might be offered me vntill our more yeares inabled vs to presume to mount on horses and with Boare speares follow the cruellest beastes that we met My brothers attaining to the age of xvi yeares were by my Father knighted who denyed me that honour supposing I would absent my selfe frō him because he heard me diuers times say how greatly I desired to passe vnto Graecia to visite the Empresse Claridiana whose fame through all the world especially in these kingdomes glorifies her with the name of a sole Paragon of beautie and only Myrrour of chiualrie I could not but grieue with my Fathers denyall yet I dissembled it still following the chase vntill this day two moneths there befell me what I will now tell you We came my brothers and I a hunting to this Forest called of the faire Fountaine and parting from them in pursute of that Hart on the toppe of a mountaine on the sudden a beauteous Lady set her selfe before me crying stay for without armour you cannot well passe forwards and vnbynding a little packet shee there had shee gaue me this armour saying they were them wherewith Semyramis did winne Babylon and that with them I should ouercome one of the best Knights of the world and in whome with most honor flourished a firme constancie although it should cost riuers of blood and with them she gaue me the sword wherewith she receiued the order of knighthood at the hāds of Artyne Emperor of Persia and that I should make peace with him that in the same honor should install me for that would be the sweetest This Sir Knight is the answere of your demaund the which seeing I haue with such liberall willingnesse perfourmed be not you too nyce to let me knowe who the murtherer of my brother is Magnificent Princesse replyed the Dacian my soule reioyceth to satisfie your request because you may know I am he that with most faith do procure onely firmely euer to obey you although I would not to you manifest the obscuritie of my lowe Fortunes Notwithstanding know my name is Don Eleno of Dacia Nephew to the Emperour of Greece and the onely sonne of his sole brother And beleeue me no lesse signes haue befell me in the course of my life then to you that I should come to this you haue saide For winning this armour in Rome hauing my hart as free as now captiue a wise man my deare friend commanded mee to depart thence without speaking to any woman vntill I should yeeld the Soueraigne commaund ouer me vnto the greatest Feminine enemie that in the whole earth I might procure for therein consisted the only quiet of my felicitie wherein I thinke the wiseman hath not erred because his sayings haue bene accomplished to the full For maugre the libertie of my hart and the content I ioyed therewith togither with all
horse and hurting none of vs through a sudden trance that surprized vs he had time to carrie away all the Ladies two by two and amōg them the Princesse except me and two other that are gone to beare these heauie newes vnto the citie Consider Sir Knights my distresse whether I haue not reason to bewaile it You haue it faire Lady aunswered Rosamond and so great that it had moued mee to such cōpassion that setting aside the duetie that al Knights are bound to in procuring her libertie I do here offer my person to raunsome her from bondage promising to be foremost therein Shee vttred it so quickly that the Prince could not showe his willingnesse in that case Yet did he hope that his Lady would commaund it him Within short time they arriued at the Temple which in their sights seemed no lesse gorgious then any they euer sawe For the stones so shined that they seemed of burnisht golde and so many Pyramides it had that the view thereof rauished the senses with pleasure So soone as the damzell saw it with teares she said That Sir Knights is the place that harbors him that stole the Princesse my Mistresse and her Ladies In a tryce dismounted the two gallant louers and leauing their horses to Fabio with their naked swords they went to the Temple which was with brazen barred gates fast shut on whome they read this inscription The entrance ef the auncient Temple of Hercules is granted but to one First swearing that he loueth and with a faith inuyolate for a house so amorous as this may not be allowed to any but such a one Forwards stept the Lady with whome nothing preuailed the Princes intreaties to make her leaue that dangerous enterprise but swearing what the entrance required and that so loud that the Prince might heare it so reioyced him that his senses with pleasure were bereft him For before shee knockt she said If my being in loue may any thing auaile then will I not loose what my constancie assures For I vow by my high thoughts that I liue by onely being so enuying none therein because I beleue I am the best bestowed of any that euer loued since it was knowen what loue did meane And so with a seld seene gallantnesse able to intrap the God of Loue shee rapt at the gates which were opened with no lesse noise then whē Theseus was entertained in hell bent to the rape of faire Proserpine She could perceiue nothing about the gates but flames of fire to defend them whose timerous sight was sufficient to affright the stoutest hart But shee that was borne to liue without it vnlesse it proceeded from a true loue entred wiihout feare of the fire Where not a little did she trye the vertue of het Babylonian armes whose inestimable stones did mittigate that heat Neuerthelesse that which entred through her Beuer was so extreame that it almost smoothered her Yet valiantly suffering it with much toyle shee passed forward till shee came before an Altar whereon they vsed to sacrifice to Hercules and leauing that shee went into a large yard free of the flames though not of the discontent shee conceiued when there shee sawe vpon the tarras of the same many Ladies lamentably bewailing ouer a Knight that shee supposed to be her deare Dacian who by foure was carried on a Hearse pearsed with many woundes saying O poore Prince how quickly haue the Fates conspired the ouerthrowe of thy content with so cruell death and turning to the Lady that in the yarde stoode dead with griefe they saide What auaileth thée Princesse of Callidonia to haue protested thou thou didst loue if so soone thou shouldest loose thy louer They gaue her no time to demaund the cause and manner of that sight For from a corner of the yarde there issued a most fierce Centaure bigger then the greatest horse who knowing her swifter then the Winde made towardes the Ladie with these wordes Stay captiue wretch and straight thou shalt knowe the gaines of thy presumption hauing vndertaken this enterprise accompting it an honorable act that Ioues-borne Hercules my greatest foe durst neuer imagine In his course he was an Eagle and so incountred her so mightily with his hayrie brest that with a grieuous fall he ouerthrew her on her backe Returne vpon her he desired but the furie that conducted him so farre did lead him that whē he turned the Lady was alreadie on her feete But here was she in the hands of death For the sauage monster brought with him foure mightie trees which he threwe in steede of darts whose force were able topsiturnie to ouerthrowe a well built edificie The Ladie was driuen to open her visar the better to see how to defend herselfe from the vnequall fight wherein shee did nothing amisse For the furious Centaure taking one with such puisance like to a small darte he hurled it Her nimblenesse saued her frō it which lighting on a stone of the wall in the yard it ranne vp to the middle ouerthrowing a great peece thereof So speedie was he in throwing that though shee freed her selfe of the second yet the thirde tooke her on the syde of her shield that it turned her three or foure times about that she was like to fall and so in this amaze he struck her on the Helme with the last that he laide her on the earth voiding much blood through her mouth and nostrels And herein is shee not to be blamed for the whole strength of all the Grecian Princes vnyted hadd not withstoode this furie In midst was his last tree broken so was he constrained to vse the strength of his armes and nayles that were longer then a spanne wherewith he embraced the tender Lady And because he could not penetrate her sure armor for that saued her life hee tumbled her vp and downe with such force that shee recouered her selfe in no small wonder to see her selfe in her enemies clawes She would not striue with him till shee tooke him at aduantage and so staying till hee turned her on her right side shee strained her selfe with such strength that shee scapte his nayles And not omitting that occasion before shee stept from him she wounded him on the brest so mightily with her so famous sword that the blood like spoutes burst from his vaines wherewith he stained the white paued yarde Hereat the Centaure beganne to rore so fiercely that the noise was heard of the Prince that was left without which so tormented him with feare of his Ladies daunger that without longer stay he cast himselfe through those fierie flames following the Eccho of the noise that stil increased for the the Heroyeke Lady had so wounded him on the legg that almost shee had cut it cleane asunder Admiration would the sight of this battaile breede for the nimblenesse and dexteritie that awayted on Rosamond cannot be imagined which had so tyred the Centaure as it had her selfe which he not able to suffer seeing his
vs goe froÌ„ heÌ„ce lest the company of this hellish beast annoy vs. It hath not so much hurt me as you thinke sayd she and what it hath done I forgiue because it was the occasion that I saw your high valour And so they began to viewe the deformitie of the monster whose like was neuer thitherto séen Lyrgandeo sayth he was begotteÌ„ bred in Thessalie where more Centaures did inhabit theÌ„ in any other place his name was Monicho was general ouer those in the cruel war against the Lapithes on the foot of the mountain Othrys the greatest in al Thesalie whom the great Magician Nuranto Hercules speciall friend had their brought to guarde his Temple where hee performed many cruelties and one of them was the imprisonment of the Princesse and her Ladies who then appeared in sight comming from a chamber where the Centaure had put them the which being before the Knights it were to tedious to dylate the courteous ceremonies betwen them the one in receauing them and they in thanking them for the timely ayde Then ariued the King being aduertised what did happen who with incredible ioye embraced the Knights and his deare Daughter that one of the worlds chiefe beauties was humbly requesting the knights to repose theÌ„ a while in his Court where they should be intertained as their merits had deserued They would not accept it kindly excusing themselues how they could not doe it because it greatly did auaile them to take to Sea through the extreame necessitie of an aduenture that expected their persons in another place The Dacian told the King who he was which greatly gladded him which occasioÌ„ kindled in him a perfect fire of true friendship which one day he made it knowne vnto him And in his Daughter the vnconsuming flames of a true loue for the Princesse Rosamond supposing her a man in whose absence shee suffered the most grieued life with tormenting passions that euer louer did abyde vntill she past to Grecia where the truth extinguisht the effect of her deceipte and in recompence therof she receaued at Rosomonds hands a husbaÌ„d meriting her beautie with whome she acknowledged her selfe suffitiently satisfied for the paines she for her indured Hereupon the King his trayne departed to the Citie leauing the Princes in the Temple gazing on the pictures of the Chappell whose admiration did astonish them They saw al his labours that he suffered most liuely portrayed and the warres against the warlike Amazones and in the end thereof they saw the cruell sacrifice made of himselfe on Oeta mount in Thessalie with the blod poysned shirt which Nessâ—s with his venomde gore imbrued and by Deianyra his wife sent him It greatly delighted the Ladye to behould the haughty déedes of so braue a man because shee deryued her pedegrée from him And at length leauing the Temple they entred their barke taking their course to Greece in which voyage the wise man remaineth doubtful whether the happie louer did seale the assurance of his hopes only the heauens were witnesse to it vnyting together their happie influences with especial care in the forming one of the worthyest infants that his age did know With this newe and most sweete content on the eyght daye of their nauigation they anchored on the Gretian shores not farre from Constantinople to the Princes great Ioy. Hauing taken foorth their horses they began to trauell through an intricate groue of trees whose end began the entrance into a hunting parke But scarce had they set their feete on the sand when their Barke vanyshed whereby they vnderstood they shoulde not so soone leaue Grecia Their vysors they closed for feare of being knowen and with their launces in their handes they set forward on their waie Many steppes they had not gone but they hard a noise like to the clange of armour and in their entrance into the plaine they might see a little before them three Knights spurre away amaine with like celeritie but as his Tirios was the greatest of any Horse knowen and he thirsting with desire to know the matter he gallopt so fast that he left his beauteous Rosamond behind who like a furious Bazeliske spurred her Horse to ouertake her louer What befell them worthely deserueth a new Chapter CHAP. IIII. The aduenture that in Gretia befel Don Eleno with the Greeke Princes that in mortall battaile were combating with other strange Knights which is that controuersie begun in the last Chapter of the second Booke of the second part being the fift of this Historie WIth a more swifter course then doth Latonus sonne pace to the Antipodes did the warlike Dacian post through the Greekish Forrestes vntill the second houre after midday that hee sawe the fiercest and the most brauest battaile that euer he either heard or sawe of fower knights alone Some of them he knew by the deuises of thir armour and through the fame that with them they had atchiued and who best seemed was he in the purple armour that combated against a Knight that on the toppe of his healme ware a branch of siluer Of both he had heard wounders The third knight that fought with another of strong timberd members and in stature almost hygh as a gyant had on Ruset armour with stripes of blacke amell and grauen with gould on his sheeld his deuise was a branch halfe gould and halfe siluer This knight he hard saie to equall the valiantest in the vniâ—erus Of no lesse disposition did he Iudge his aduersarie that in his sight did greatly vexe him While he thus gazed on them arriued the three knights and the best disposed of them approched where they were in combate as if he wuld haue it with the great knight But first know these 3 knights were the valiant warriors Rosicler Meridian and Oristides that from the kingdom of Lacedemonia departed with great greefe for the losse of Rosabel and no lesse greeued was the ofspring of Priams destroied race for the gallant Sarmatia for whose loue he felt mortal paines especially for his sworde that he had giuen as a pledge therof So soon as Rosicler arriued narrowlie viewing the great knight he perceaued him to haue on the rich armour of that famous Bramarante that with his owne handes sacrificed his lifes bloud because he would giue none the glorie of his death And seeing his armes that Brufaldoro had taken to poore Zoylos cost as in the second part is mentioned with the greatest furie of the world he went against him stepping betwixt him and the Knight of the Branche that was his brother Poliphebo of Tinacria as in the last Chapter of the fift part of this Historie was related and defyed him to mortall battaile Thus farre haue I past treading without feare on the sharpe pykes of a bold presumption but no further dare I proceede without the implored ayde of some immortall helpe of your deuinest beauties perfect perfections of Natures pure rarieties whose honour shal with reading this simple
like for the strength of the blowe did driue her much backwards And returning to her selfe she spread her armour with tramels of more yellow haire than Apollo's in his most pride and shewed the beawtie of her face more glorious than the spangled couert of the heauen yet hers shined with more excellencie because adorned with the splendor of twoo goulden Sunnes Astonished with a sudden admiration stood the Greeke resting so farre hers that the mortall stroake of all conquering death was not able to bereaue him of the glorie that there he wonne Well did the Lady note it at that instant recording the remembrance of the Knight she did see portrayed in the Castle where she obtayned the siluer branch yet shee let it passe though not without infinite rapping alterations at the gates of her all wondring breast But possest with rage she closed with the Greeke that was prepared to receiue accomptlesse accompt of such fauours catching at his helme shee pluckt it off discouering a more fairer face than Alexanders causer of the deadlie discordes between the Greekes and the destroyed Troians There had shee kild him with the dagger that in her handes she had if the Prince had not embraced her with more strength then doth the Iuie incompasse the straight towering Elme and staying her hand said Soft soueraigne Ladie doe not at once expresse so many extreames hauing soly with that of your more than deuine beautie carried away the palme of a triumphing victorie from the battaile of an euer conquering minde and as a trophie of so memorable a cōquest I present to you my swoord as the spoyles of my subiection let it suffice for it is no true Nobilitie to require more of a vanquisht Captiue that willingly submitteth to your cōmaund to the which not onely I but all that in the circled Orbe doe breath ought to acknowledge I will mainetaine against them all yf you vouchsafe my life the which can be but short longer continuing in your disgrace Well conceaued the Ladie to what end his speeches were directed whereat she nothing grieued bicause in her pensiue thoughts she iudged him one of the fairest and strongest Knights vnder the compasse of Phaebus daylie shining course And so letting him goe to the Princes no small griefe shee said sir Knight I would not by so many waies rest vanquished it sufficeth mee to haue knowen the valour that the heauens haue adorned you with to acquite you of this combate The Emperour stopt his replie running in hast vnto the warlike Queene for euerie one did know her saying why how now Heroicke Queene I neuer had thought that your armes were bent gainst this your Gretian Empyre and especially to bereaue me of my Nephew whome I more tender then my soule I will craue the amends of Claridiana bicause she may take it for her sonne Most mightie Emperor replyed the amorous Matrone the honor of a distressed Ladie is well defended in Grecia that it makes me thinke I haue most cause of complainte and thereof will I intreate one of these Princes present poynting to the Knight of the Sunne the care to defend my reputation on my behalfe We are all yours great Ladie answeared he and chiefly to obay your commaund by how much the more the glorie is so great which at your hands Claridiano hath receaued that he for himselfe and vs shall acknowledge the dutie that we all doe owe you There did the Tynacrian well know his father and brothers and perceiuing that he in the Purple was his cosen highly reioyced to haue such kindred Notwithstanding seeing what little honour he had gotten in that battaile he saide vnto the Moore Thou seest King of Mauritania that these Knights haue knowen each other whereby it is impossible we should end our combate and bycause the night approcheth as also for that among them I haue such kinsfolkes that knowing me would disturbe vs therfore while they be thus busie take vp thy Lady behind thee and stay for me in the forrest whither I will followe thee and their onely death shall part our fight the which for many causes I doe For no lesse doest thou gréeue me wearing that armour then the Grecian Princes that demaunds them of thee Be it as thou wilt haue it replyed the furious Pagan And so with the swiftest running of their horses taking the Lady they thrust themselues through the woods But with the nightes approche the Tynacrian lost his waye wandring farre from the place the Pagan did expect him To each of them befell things worthie the rehersall as shal be mentioned in his due time For now the battaile betweene Rosicler and Eleno must not be forgotten which seemed but then to begin For either had rather dye then in that presence to shewe want of valour Well did the Greeke Alphebo knowe both deuises and therefore did he cast himselfe betweene them saying Giue ouer braue Knights for twixt cosens there is no reason to terminate so fierce a sight Both withdrewe togither and perceiuing their deceipt they vnlaced their Helmes the Dacian hauing his beard wel growen they remained so like that by their face none could distinguish them They went to kisse the Emperours hands who with a Fathers loue imbraced them with these words Oh happie day wherein my sonne and deare cosen are come to me By the change of your armor I know not which is Rosicler yet neuerthelesse shall not Fortune make me thinke but that I haue Don Eleno of Dacia between my armes to whom I will now satisfie the displeasure I did him in the Citie of Cymarra It is I replyed he that there fell in the greatest error that euer Knight committed And therefore I doe beseech your Soueraigne Maiestie to pardon it me and in signe you haue done so grant me licence to part For the first braue Cousin answered the Emperor you haue you wish for I dare not thinke my selfe secure within Constantinople Don Eleno being displeased But touching the last there is no excuse must serue for now I haue you in my power I will not let you so depart I promise your Maiestie replied the Prince by the faith of a Knight it is in my power to doe no otherwise hauing left my companie behinde and so it will be discourtesie if I do not retourne But I pawne mine Honor to your Highnes not to depart your Empyre til I haue done my duty both to your selfe to my Ladie Aunt the Empresse On that Condition I let you goe answered the Emperor though I shal not be mercy till you accomplish it Thereuppon demaunding a Launce and taking his leaue of his Cousins he retourned with more furie then doth a Comet blaze through the ayre leauing them all contented with his gallant disposition who with griefe for want of his Ladie tormented brauely his inchaunted horse in such sort loozing his way that before hee met her hee shed manye teares meeting with no small dangers what they were
he closed so nigh him that he could not saue only cast his strong arms about him with his dagger ere he could helpe himselfe or be succoured gaue him a troublesome wound vpō his left arme with one leape was Rosabell with them and so strucke a downe right blow on the furious Bembo that cutting away all his skirt on that side he grieuously wounded him on the right thigh which forst him to let his aduersarie goe and though it so well fell out yet it grieued the hawghtie Gréeke to sée the euill procéeding in that battle and with what shamefull disorder Greatly did he desire that his were on horse-backe the better to succor his friend whome he knewe to bee in some distresse but yet he resolued to hazard it at once So he went vnto the Pagan that like a bayted Bull did roare and warding a mightie blow he stept in with his right foot forward striking him on the outward side the almost he cut his thigh cleane asunder Great was the noise throughout the place and greater the doubt of the victorie fiue woundes and all verie dangerous hath the Pagan two on his brest one in his throat another on his shoulder and the last on his thighe All the field doth he bedewe with blood hadd for all that wounded Rosabell in three places and so tyred him that he was scarce able to sturre Hee closed with the Gyant on such a sudden that amazedly he had verie neare throwen him downe for as he had fore-thought it he entred somewhat lowe and taking him betwéene his legs he hadde almost raysed aloft but against his owne shoulders did the Gyant stay himselfe and so both so long striued that both fell downe togither They were not on the ground when the valiant youth with his poniard would terminate that warre But the Pagan with all his strength suddenly snatcht it out of his hand wherewith he had there slaine him had not hee drawen the Gyant with which either procured to end the others life A happie starre did here defend the Prince for casting himselfe aside he scapt the danger of the blow hauing his armour but a little scracht therwith But he happening on a better place thrust his to the middle into his belly wherat with a fearefull grone he loosed his aduersary both stept to their swords but the Gyant being so weake could not moue about which being noted by the youth seming to feare him gaue back suffering the Pagā to follow him who was scarce wtin his reach but drawing strēgth frō weaknes he gaue him such a thrust that had it bin with more aduise he had out-right kild him yet rested he not without wounding or receiuing the greatest blow that in all that day he had felt which falling on the toppe of his Helme where not able to penetrate it slyste away all the brimme vnto the shoulder where staying with mightie force it made him set his knees on the earth Follow the blowe would the Gyant but the youth knowing his danger set his sworde long-wayes betweene them which made him staye till he well recouered his feete Alreadie was the Pagan through wearied and so he would end that long lasting fight with one blowe which at his aduersary he cast who assured of the perill with a leape made him loose it togither with his life for he fell vpon his owne sworde following the furie of his armes The which no sooner did Rosabell perceiue but with both hands he laide vpon his left syde and as there commonly the armour is weakest he opened it euen to his entrailes where he likewise parted his heart and giuing passage for his life to receiue a deserued death he flang him dead at his feete Hee was not slowe in taking of Bollador that famous horse belonging to the dead Gyant and mounted thereon at such time as sencelesse he saw his good friend carryed about the field vpon his steede Immeasurable was the griefe that he conceiued supposing him dead and so he set himselfe before the stoute More that followed him saying Stay Knight for to strike him that cannot defend himselfe rather diminisheth then augmenteth the fighters honour Mylde and one of the courteoust in the worlde was the incomparable Louer but he then was so cholericke that stumbling on him the aunswere he gaue him was a heauie blowe which the Greeke so felt that like an Aspicke he turned seeing the discourtesie of his enemie that with both handes he discharged on his inchaunted Helme so braue a blowe that it sounded like a bell casting him in a traunce along his horse backe shedding an infinite quantitie of blood through his mouth Which when the Souldan sawe and supposing by his behauiour he shoulde be his sonne he cast downe his golden Scepter fearing his life saying Knight haue done for I yelde the battaile for this Knight and also adiudge you both free thereof Mightie Lorde aunswered the Prince I do reioyce in my very soule to haue this occasion that I may shewe part of the great desire I haue to serue you being by duetie bound thereto And seeing there restes no more to doe as also because I and my companion that alreadie was there haue much to doe in another place where wee be expected Commaund my cosen the King of Garamantes and his friends to be deliuered vnto mee for wee can no longer staye That replyed the Souldan though you haue obtained the victorie of the fight remaines to my disposing because their fault was against my state and Crowne and so I wil see it corrected Great is the wrong offered vs said Rosabell and farre greater is it done vnto your owne person by vyolating your royall worde which the meanest and basest Knight would to his vtmost strength procure to keepe Your vnreuerence Knight is so great replyed the Souldan that it deserues no other aunswere but the sharpe punishment that against such as you the law in my kingdom doth allow If that lawe agreeth with the first touching your promise sayde Oristoldo you may glorie to bee a wise Legislator Not farre was the royall guard that seeing the Knights arrogancy began to lay about them determinng to imprison them Betweene them stept the valiant Bembo desyring the Souldan to liberate the prisoners the like did Don Clarisell that rested greatly affectionate to Rosabell And seeing that not onely they would not deliuer the prisoners but also offered violence vnto the Knightes which their noblenesse not permitting drewe foorth their swordes to helpe them Which then was needelesse for in the fielde were alreadie alone twentie thousand disguised who going where the Kings were had cast them weapons who were not slacke in arming themselues for the tumult began greatly to increase Whereupon Oristoldo set him selfe at the staire foote executing wounders in their defence giuing neuer a blowe but was mortall till the Kings descended and were mounted which being done the furious Greeke said It is no time now to fight valiant
Nowe seeke they no slyght no warde nor no agilitie to defende and offend but onely committe the hazarde of their Lyfe or Death to the strength of their armes and with the vttermost force that Sarmacia hadd possest with Pyrrhus blade twixt both handes shee layde on the aduerse helme making her with the force of the stroake to set her handes on the grounde which shee had not done when another was redoubled with no lesse furie lighting on her shoulders which she extreamely felt More nimble farre and more vsed to toyle then was Horaliza was the Lacedemon Ladie and so loosing her shield and sworde stayed till she rose and ere she setled her selfe closed with her casting her right arme with such force twixt her legs that ketching her some-thing suddenly she raised her from the ground and with a great fall cast her on the earth But as it often happens amonge the wrastling challengers at the Olympicke games so fel it out betwéen these Ladies For by how great the fall is by so much the more it strengneth the vnder lying to recouer his lost aduantage by amendment of his foyle euen so was it heere because as shee cast her on the grounde and both fell on their sides the Macedonian Lady found opportunitie by a sudden scape to ketch warlike Sarmacia vnder There perceaued Horaliza that shee had occasion by the front through so venturous a fal and so she set her knées vppon her and because she had no dagger for it had been taken from her she cast her strong arms about her for it was all she could The Ladies were so tyred with the former toile that this present labour left theÌ„ breathlesse for after they had thus contended a long houre without sence they stretched themselues vppon the earth to Celindos great sorrow who alinghting from his horse went to his deare Sister and vnlacing her helme found all hir face besmeared with blood pale like ashie Death His hart trembled when so he sawe her lye and leauing her that the aire might breath on her he went to see what Knight the other shoulde bee that had the power so to vse his Sister and when he also sawe she was a Lady with a shaking cold sweate was all his bodye couered But this was not through any newe passion but for the remembrance of Rosiluera which he sawe portrayed in his inchaunted habitation and seing her greatly to resemble Alphebos daughter no feare was equall vnto his thinking they were dead The which straight vanished for beginning to stur they shewed happy newes of their liues He would not so leaue them for it might be occasion of new quarrels and so taking his Sister before him because hee would not leaue so valiant a Lady without a horse hee caried her within the Forrest to see if he could finde any place where shee might haue the rootes of her hayre cured on her head For else woundes had she none because her armour did defend it And méeting with no place they were faine to alight there bringing water from a cleare springe whose current that way ran into the Sea paying his Tribute to the Ocean he cast it on her face till she recouered her sences And seeing her selfe in that manner shee thought shee had béen by her aduersarie vanquisht The coÌ„sideration of the caused griefe through these imaginatioÌ„s I leaue to you kind Ladies to suppose the which because I haue so much to doe onely wandering but vnder the shaddowe of your fauours I doe not explicate No lesse was the valerous Sarmacias who not able there to remedie it she rose and mounted on her Coâ—…rser determined to take her next way to the Cittie because the next daye the Tryumphes there began whose aduentures doe not immerited require a newe Chapter CHAP. IX How the Tryumphes began in Constantinople the wounders that in the Iustes did happen COme is the day most beauteous Nymphes of the chast Goddesse so celebrated throughout the world when the Christians with prayses and the Pagans with superstitious ceremonies doe solemnize the Natiuitie of the glorious St. Iohn Baptist on which the famous Tryumphs were begunne with the noise of so manye millions of millitarie instruments as if the Citie were at the point of warre Nothing was heard nor seen but what apertained to Martiall discipline nor through the citie no vesture appeared but might be shewen before their Princes Euery one would so adorne themselues as well in seruants liueries as on their own persoÌ„s Round about the place where the Iustes should be made were set great bigge pillers with fine chaines of steele that the battles might better be deserued vpoÌ„ them were painted all the haughtie deeds chiualries of all the Greeke Princes with so naturall liuely coulors that they wanted nothing but speaking At this time came the Emperor from his pallace with such maiestie as he seemed a God on earth For their horses coches chariots and attendants were numberlesse In one that was drawen with foure white Vnicornes road three Ladies whose beautie darkened the shepherds brightnesse that for loue left the golden eye of heauen They were the most excelleÌ„t Princesses Claridiana Oliuia Rosiluera with the faire Artemisa Princes of EnglaÌ„d that more deuine then a humane creature séemed The respleÌ„ding miror of beautie Fortitude Archisilora Quéene of Lyra would not be séene but on horseback with Capparizons with so rich imbroderie of stones pearles that scarse her excellencies could be deserued through their reuerberating rayes By the brydle was she lead by the Emperour Alphebo Knight of the Sunne his mother that on the vpper hand accompanied her did Sacridoro lead that knowing of these feasts had sent for his déere wife Orisilua who went in company of Lindaraza Archirosa of Portugall that already with Don Siluerio was arriued Al these were attyred in murry vestures cut vpon Gréene with diuersitie of curious workes More excellencie of perfect beautie gallantnes neuer did the worlds vast territories behold The three Princesse Oliuea Roseluera and Artemisa were clad in greene robes imbrodeed ouer with whit roses sett with infenitt stones of enestimable vallour The Empresse Clarideana came al in whit laid w e goulden twist w e Iewels shining like the sunne In this Maiesticke equypage ariued they vnto the proud stupendious theater that for their sight was built round about the place were scaffolds infenit set vp And after that with their presences it was Metamorphized vnto a brighter skie then the white Christall Heauen with their appearing out of the windows the chaleÌ„gers pauillioÌ„ was set vp all of greene with like roses the Ladies woare it was of no lesse woÌ„der then any thing in the place Through the which entered the Emperiall ensigne with twelue thousand men of guard the which did set it on the Pauillions top with such sound of trumpets as if that were the generall sessions of the world the which the ships Gallyes anchorde
daunger hauing such strong enemies The gallant of Argentaria returned her his aunswere with such strength that he made her see more starres then in the heauens were But who bewayled the blowes in their soules with sighes and pearled teares were the two wofull Ladies seeing their louers in such daunger For Artimio alreadie bewailed Florisartes death alreadie calles the Heauens vniust alreadie complaines on Loue calling him a tyrant that liued by honouring Cupid a pittifull God If this way there is such excesse of griefe what shall the beautifull Princesse of Rome do seeing her Don Eleno with Lisarte For though he had the better her loue disliked it making her beleue what easily she credited But her sorrow helped not nor her louing with such intiernes auailed to asswage her passions They could not deuise no meanes to make the battle cease for as they were flesht in it they thought it impossible that any thing lesse then the death of some should part them for at this time it semed that with more fiercenes it increased The Tharsians dexteritie was it that defended him agaynst the angry Dacian yet was it not so much but being reached euery time he set both hands and knees on the earth he passed not much better for his aduersarie neuer gaue him blow but brused and tormented his body so that if he gaue he receaued In no lesse danger was Rosamond for onely her armour was it that in this battle saued her life Euen whē the Sunne would set widdowing the earth of his light there arriued the valiant Mauritanian Brufaldoro that following the search of the Tynacrian and not finding he came thither iudging that for feare he had hiddē himselfe And seing the crueltie of that fight hee could not but say Oh Iupiter what Knightly valour is this The fierce Pagan was gentle and affable of condition and so pittied the faire Pages that wéeping stood speaking thus Can you tell me pretie Pages the cause of this battaile which should not be little considering the fiercenesse thereof It is so small sir Knight replyed Artimio that it is gret pitie it should be continued to the end for so slight a thing the cause being only that this Knight pointing to Florisarte weareth asword which he in the Russet challengeth for his saying he would not part without it vnlesse it cost him his life No longer stayed the mightie youth but drawing foorth his sword put himselfe betwene them that were on foote saying Heare me sir Knights that seing ye haue no other reason then what these Squiers haue told me it were to be reasōlesse to leaue the world Orphant for so small a cause of your valour and for a sword The vndertaken battailes all discréet Knights should be grounde vpon some suffitiēt reason for that is it which assureth the victorye making hym more famous that prosecutes it with Iustice and not with passion to procure to maintain their fame vntill death well did the Dacian know him iudging him of great vallor seing he sustained himselfe to his honour against his Cosen Pollephebo and so replied It is not so small Sir Knight as you thinke it for that knights sword is mine and I requested it with much courtesie which was enough for him to giue it me he not only denyed it but allso threatned me till death if I more demaunded it which you see is sufficient for a-thousand battles and I knew that in no cause you would haue left it That were answered the beautious Arbolinda with many teares had not you giuen it willingly vnconstrained and with it leaue to be giuen to any hauing no action to require it and if like a Knight you gaue it you should no more haue rememberd it The Dacian thought he should know that voice to be of the Princesse of Scotland and so with some a maze answered how know you good page that I did giue this sword I was brougt vp in Rome replied the disguised Artimio sure enough to be vnknowen where I saw that in recompence of an inprisonmēt by the gentlest Gaoler in the world you gaue it All this while the most beautious Roselea did nothing but weepe currents of sault teares vnable to speake on word yet thus replied Don Eleno So many requires a peace valiant Sir that he should not deserue to inioy any that would deny it and so for this time I remit the battle so pleaseth these Knightes They will saie the woefull distressed Roman were it but to be more pittifull then you that forgetfull of your owne honour and what you are bound to do wander vp and downe challanging battles of whom you know not and without any reason More a mazed then at first with these things remained the Datian for by their voices he thought he knew them both and thinking long till he spake with them said to Rosamond in her language that it behooueth him to leaue that battle She that was borne to loue him woulde not therein discontent him And so stepping apart left the battle leauing the Princes so brused that they could scarce stand The king of Mauritania seeing the matter ended demaunded for the Knight of the Branch of whome Don Eleno gaue him the newes he knew not knowing he was shipt to Sea after he departed from him No longer stayed the Moore but in all hast possible with his wife tooke the way that the Dacian directed him and no sooner was he departed but Rosamonds louer mounting on his Tirio went to the Pages saying your spéeches gentle pages haue so confounded one that I wold giue ouer a Thousand battles so I might intreat you to tell me whether you know me or if my name in Rome bee knowen Wherto Artimio answered you haue no reason prince of Dacia to conceale your name and yet wee wish wee had not knowne you were it but because wee would not haue had a Prince so great an as you renowned haue erred against such excellent Ladies as the Princesses Roselia and Arbolinda for the former is with reason wronged with the discourtesie and ingratitude or rather crueltie wherwith you departed from Court she hauing shewed you so manye fauors which were suffitient for one that had a clearer iudgment then you to make him leade all his life with content but I feare you were onely borne to mocke poore Ladyes Then consider the blot of your fame and reputatiōs staine and the greatnesse that in Rome you are loued and moreouer the toyle and labourous trauayle that I and my companyon haue suffered in our tedious voyage to séeke you all which well pondered may bee some cause that leauing the present state of all thinges you returne where by minutes you are expected by them that fill the ayre with sighes And that you maye see it signed receaue this her better whose tenor I knowe not whose obdurate harte it woulde not mollefie but Don Elenos Prince of Dacia who tooke it not to be moued to Loue for therein he had not where
wrong cōmitted it is well she may haue such a defender The haughtie dame hereby suspected somewhat and so gloryfiing her beautie with a heauenly tincture she replyed Little can a Ladies graunted fauour auaile for the valour of the Prince of the Greece most excellent Lady and rather there are some so happilesse in cōmanding that they put in doubt what the gallants with their fortitude haue assured Among these I accompt my selfe and in so much that I know not when I could call my selfe happie And this is the cause I dare not require any to goe forth in my name but beeing dryuen to that necessitye beeing able to doe it my selfe I neede not intreate it of any And because shee would not be more importuned shee turned to him in the blacke that more furious then a hungry Beare ran vpp and downe It was no small vertue in the Prince to indure with patience this bitter answere a Thousand cries would hee haue giuen publishing the iniustice done to hys faith vsing it with such cruelty he departed from thence for his sighes gaue him not leaue not so much as to take leaue of the sweete enemie of his tormented soule Who with attētion gazed on the amorous Knight that at this time with his owne hand had chosen a strong launce for at a corner of the place there entred two Knights no lesse to be wondred at then the former at the same instant entred two other no lesse gallant then the first These last were armed in Murrey armour with barrs of azure and gold on their shieldes he that seemed bigger of body had a Sunne in middle of a cleare heauen with these wordes Not any though neuer fauored And in his proofes hauing done But ioyeth in the Sunne His companion that a better disposition shewed had another Sunne ecclipsed with this Motto about it It changeth effect in me For gazing on his fier It augments griefe and desire These two Knights posies greatly delighted euerye one for if yee bee remembred they bee none other but Lysarte the mighty King of Tarsis and his sonne Florisarte Prince of Argentaria that came accōpanied with the two disguised Princesses they past the place with more grace then Achilles had done The like did the twoo first for both were armed in most rich armour hee on the right hand that was Don Argante of Fenicia had a siluer armor full of Lillies on his shield a Pyne tree and hee himselfe leauing against it with this posie In sollitude delights He that on loue doth dote But most he that 's remote That Knight is not like to want battailes that to ympeach the Ladies worthes shewes himselfe so free for as euery one liueth by being alienated they will presently put it to triall Now am I very glad sayd the beauteous Lindaraza that so free a Knight maye meete with him in the blacke that is so constant in his alienation No lesse dyd his companion shew himselfe vn-yoaked being the gallant Torisiano who was all in Carnation armour quartered with golde and azure a brauer temper was not seene in the place In the middle of his shield was set a knight languishing in loue accompanied with all his troubles with these words How sweet is that same sight That gazeth on his woes It doth his hart delight Though it with griefe vndoes Hauing approched they entred the Listes None of the behoulders durst take their eyes from them thinking in the meane time they should loose them so furiously they past forward The first that in Greece met with ill fortune was he of Phenicia that quicker then an Eagle spurerd against him in black he got little for the sorrowfull louer incountred him with the vtmost of his strength which only merited comparison with the Greeke Princes lightly fetching him frō his saddle threw him to the ground he receaued no small encounter for Don Argante was one of the strongest in the world he made him loose his raynes and forwardes passe more slowly then he would Great was the noyse that rose in the place as also among the Ladies that celebrated the fall with accustomed disdaine which well maye bee called death And that 's but little considering howe t is taken I almost speake by experience I maruell not at the Knights disgraces deare Ladies sayd the old King of Bohemia entring with your disfauour Your highnes speaketh with great reason answered the Princesse Oliuia to supplye which want I intreated the Quéene of Lyra that to shewe howe she loues me she would haue bestowed one fauor vpō a gallant that from it he might haue drawen valour to assure our busines that so goeth to wracke hee replyed There is no reason any thing should be denyed to so iust a demaund the which if my age did not disturbe I would haue béen he that should haue craued it A Thousand should your highnes haue obtayned replyed Archisilora But there wants not them that without any may returne the Grecian honor to their owners Their that was broken off by the peoples rumor for the mourning Knight with more strength thē Hector had did ouerthrow the braue Torisiano which displeased the Ladies Many suppositions past there who the blacke knight shoulde bee for some Ladies were affected to him And so with some pittie the Empresse Claridiana sayde to them that were with her Greatly doe I commisserate this Knight to sée with what crueltie his loue his repayd And if his fauors were equall to his strength none might more bragge of valour then hee Those that on a sudden begyn to loue answered the beauteous Rosiluera that in the secret of her soule had portrayed the knight with such coulors that none but death could wipe away any little occasion ministers vnto thē cause of Loue but le ts sée what shall become of the Knights of the Sunnes that séeme of a valiant disposition his Carrier had the braue King Lisarte taken incountring with the blacke knight so fiercely that he thought he had béen broken in pieces either past by the other without any moouing Of the valiantest was the Tarsian but he there met with Bembo then whom the Pagan nation neuer knewe more hawghtier and couragious knight who taking another launce incountred hym so mightily that hee brought him to the ground himselfe had almost accompanied him for loosing brydle and stirrops was fayne to stay himselfe by his horse neck Like to a fiery Dragon his amorous sonne ran with him thrée launces vnable to mooue eyther of them from the saddle to both theyr extreme griefes that like to bloodie Lyons they with their owne handes choosed their launces with the excessiuenesse of their forces incountred so puissantly that the beleued Argentariā came to the ground with his horse slaine betweene his leggs he leapt from him for feare of some disgrace The Achayan with the strong shocke staggering backwards lost his saddle falling on his féete but with so small féeling that though the couragious youth stept to him
commodiousnes of the place haue forced me to beare you company although respecting the sorrow your armour doth expresse I belieue it will discontent you delighting in solitude a meanes that loue hath inuented to louers costes to ease their paines and incorage their pensiuenesse Amorous was the Pagan and vsed to saye hee merited not the to bee named a Knight that woulde not in a Ladies behalfe aduenture his life hazarding his owne affaires to doe them seruice and so answered In faith faire Damozell though all humane conuersation were troublesome vnto mee yet yours shall not bee so because I thinke you are a little schooled in the good of solitude a manyfest token that hee that spares none hath pleased to make you his tributarie these discourses beeing those the soule conuerseth al alone to haue nowe one to aunswere mee will make my paines more tollerable perswading my selfe of good lucke in all thinges in his lande where my fortune hath cast me being welcomed by such a good beginning where shee replyed It well séemes sir Knight you bee in loue seeing with your reasons you woulde so soone launche into the déepe of beautye a common thinge amonge Knightes that only loue for the present there is no cause you should assure mee of my beautye for with it the Fountaine restes more gladded then that wherein Narcissus gazed So that Sir Knight you must séeke other meanes then these to Court the Dames of Trebizound which is the Lande you nowe are in for this here is too common and they knowe it verye well that presume so on their beautyes for telling them of it is to increase their rygor against them that in this land so wooe I am much bounde vnto your seruyce pleasaunt Ladye replyed Bembo gladde to heare the chatte of the riggish Dame for this aduise for as a Nouice in thys lande not knowing the manners thereof I talked according to the practizes of other Nations at this time since there is no content to Ladies equall to the calling of them beautifull receauing griefe by the contrary and not the least in compting them not fayre although the heauens haue towardes them byn niggards in their influences making them not of the absolutest She answered They doe so that will not beléeue what they are contrary to vs in Trebizound and therefore be they pleased to be tearmed by what they are not giuing their louers fauors though faygned for it who more by insinuating then a firme faith procure the content of beeing beloued Not for all the Ladies so saying to their gallantes sweete damozell answered the Pagan Cease they to be liberall carefull and for their Mistres good most ready The damozell replyed with that t is so for it doth more euidently shew how the hart loues and on the last groūding what abroade is vsed I saye that Ladye is ingratefull that will not shew her pittie being assured shee may by a Thousande new fauors that her gallant may be animated knowing if he liues by louing that his fayth is also repayd by loue This is that which best assures the hoped good betwene louers on the Ladies behalfe their glory of being beloued Other maner of courting vse you here faire damozell sayd Bembo thē in those places I haue trauailed for the gallāts in my countrey onely procure by louing to assure their Ladies thereof that they may be pleased to condescend therto making their wills knowen vnto them In respect of the intollerable paines suffered do they neuer require any guerdō but only procure to propagate that magnanimitie wherwith they sacrifize thēselues vnto their Ladies setting in their hands their hearts soules expecting nothing hereby but the glorious sirname of their amorous knights Strange things haue you tould me sir knight said she gladly would I know whome you loue to be certified whether it be so or no but perswaded it is so I know not what the Trebizound Ladies meane so much to debase their beauties And far more thē to receaue a iewel of great prize would I esteeme to haue longer time to discourse with a knight so grande a seruitor to Cupid but the hast that cals me away constraines me to depart for my Lady the Princesse expects an answere of some busines by my returne who to rest a while remayned not farre hence in a house of pleasure and with her is the Princesse Artemisa of England and to my thinking not so frée as were conueniēt So sir knight I pray you pardon me for fortune maye appoint better occasion that I may enioy your amorous conuersation which hath not a little attracted me At all times faire Ladye replyed the Moore that you will so fauour me will I accompt past my deserts reputing it according to your many merits the discretion of so faire a dame And if my power may any way procure your content commaund me for with all diligence necessarie will I accomplish it With this she departed leauinst the amorous Pagan affected to her witty wantonnes And mounting on his horse he cōtinued on his way wherein befell him what the next recounteth CHAP. XXI What in the Forrest happened to the couragious Bembo with the Princesse of Trebizound and her guard with other aduentures MOunted on a brauer horse then anye they which drawing the goulden eye of heauen compasse about the Terrene Orbe somewhat after his meridionall decline trauelled the mighty Bembo with his pilgrime thoughts onely on his Lady that to driue him from them was the wanton damozels prettie chat no meanes desirous ere he left that Empyre to see that Court so famoused throughout the world by reason of the excellent Princes that gouerned there On this ranged his pensiue imaginations with some ease which the pleasant sounde of the chirping birdes mooued seing that to among them loue hath his cōmaund For if they will striue either to excell other in their notes it is because he raignes among thē that makes the rusticke countrey swayne more excellenter then Demostenes in eloquence of speech so he be toucht with loue What tongue or pen hath he subingated that hath béen poore in skill and not rich in wit who could euer vtter the aboūdance of a copious and artificiall tongue vnlesse mooued by the sonne of his moother Venus The Sarracine Prince did not call himselfe deceaued for yeilding of his faith but considering he had past any time without Loue he tearmed it lost and that life worse thē death that is not troubled with Cupids amorous passions In this and in a thousand complots which Loue propounded him was he occupied when from out a fragant thicket he saw comming a companie of Knights richly armed not farre after them there came three attending on a sumptuous Carre wherein he thought hee sawe some Ladies till approching more nigh he was assured it was so ouer-viewing the riches of the knights Two of them were of one deuise all gréen with the spanish armes vpon their shields wherby he
of the Princesse whose aduantage in not small by the exchange None in kindnesse went beyond Bembo and therefore made this reply Most Heroyke Knight the Gods defend that through my meanes you loose the merits deserued by your person and worthy to these Knights for if I must attend on the Ladies it shal bee as your friend in your companie or otherwise I will returne the way I came Wee will not haue you sayd one of the Spanyards to vanquish vs in all thinges and since the condition was ours there is no cause why we should not suffer it and so le ts speake to the Ladies for t is time they were going Be it as you wil haue it sir Knight answered Bembo seing I must not diobay Already approched the Charriote with the Princesses who in respect of the Knights séemed sorrowfull though the beauteous Rosiluera was the ioyfullest in the world seing how wel the Knight in the blacke had defended himselfe so she spake I beléeue Knights we must impute to our small merits and lesse good fortune the cause of our changing new guard which being so henceforth sir Knight begin to execute your new charge which I feare you will thinke painefull procuring better lucke now then our kéepers had before Abashed were the vanquished with Rosilueras words who accompted him in the blacke the sole owner of her hart who made her this reply I doe rather remaine so fearefull of my Crosse fortune most excellent Princesse that seeing howe aduerse she hath still shewen her selfe will now with newe paynes discharge her selfe of this my present so I feare momentary good which last if it be equall to the former no hart is able to indure the griefe though mine hath had the power to promise it selfe to be yours vntill the latest minute O God how great was the ioy the Lady receaued with the answere thinking t is common amongst them that loue he vttered it with the firmenesse of his soules truth and not as words of course tending on the ceremonious dutie that her kindnes bound him too They toke their way to the purling of a clere bubling brooke that sprung somewhat more within the thicket minding there to passe the heate of the afternoone where the Princesse séemed the ioyfullest in the world seeing him goe close to her stirrop whom shee had pictured in her hart whose silence she thus brake How fare you Sir Knight with your new office I am in doubt it makes you already repent to haue it vndertaken T were so most soueraigne Lady replyed the gallant Achayan Did I not cōsider the supremacie of the high glorie wherin my thoughts haue placed me combinde thereto stopping al passage to my imagination of hoping other happines loosing the present I do enioy Hereupon the beauteous Artemisa tooke occasion thus We would not sir Knight you shold so soone haue acknowledgd it onely passing with the imagined glory of the Princesse commaund he made answere As my hart beauteous Lady hath alwaies byn full of continuall miseries torments now feling it selfe discharged of his heauy oppressing loade it straight iudged that fortune prepared greater paines yeilding mee this present extenuation in middest of which thought to expell the worse from remēbrance made me breake into that passion I call it so for though I séeme being not continuall as such a one but litle to féele it publishing it with such rudenesse how should I doe were it perpetuall but oh inconstant chance why name I a perpetuitie when I know this good more then felicity is but the prologue to an vnterminate end of greater paines by bringing me to the accōplishing of your commaund whose greatnes excéeds all worth of happines cōpared here Artemisa replyed Why sir Knight we required not to know more thē the princesse demanded for whosoeuer doth guard our chariot must haue his hart so exempt of imaginary thoughts that his care may be only busied on the present obiect of his eie with these and such like spéeches they arriued to the fount where the ladies descended ioying to refresh their heated beauties in the coolenes of the water or to speake more aptly to purifie it with their presence The like did the foure Princes the Achayan discouering his louely countenance Newe amorous launces to pierce the tender brest of the all wounded Lady though not knowing who he was she would not disclose it to any willing rather to suffer liue with her maidē honor but with paine then to blemish it by other meanes yet the eyes wherewith she gazed on him with such particuler care were euident ynough of her affection had the Prince noted it Together hand in hand the two Ladies walked into the thicket alone to enioy the freshnes of the aire which was so pleasant that it made them go further then they would and being thicke without pathes they could not when they would returne which not a little grieued thē Wherupon the Princesse said What shall become of vs Lady if we shold remaine in this remoted place great hath béen our carelessenes to part so far without the companie of our Knights for we might vnhappily miscarrie if any wilde beast should yssue out of these woods I maye goe secure replyed Artemisa for seeing you I shal be left to repaire vnto the fayrest Hay me sayd she I pray thee saye not so for my flesh trembles to heare it In these Feminine feares were they busied when frō the wood there came a mighty bigge Knight in bignes like a gyant all in armor with foure Knights with him of no lesse force then the Maister who was Lord of the famous Isle of Rhodes situate in the Carpatian Sea not far disioynd from the Frōtiers of Egypt and Lycia he was called Valdanio the stronge who inamored by heare say of Rosiluera came to Trebizoūd with 16 Knights whome hee disperst foure seuerall wayes for this intent which was by anye meanes to steale her away for once in safety set in his Isle gainst all the vniuerse he would defend her In seing the Ladies he knew whom he loued and with extreame ioy hee cryed out Oh Ioue may it be thou hast kept for me such good fortune I wil acknowledge it with rich sacrifices vntil the death He would not deferre it supposing there might bee thereabouts her attendance so went he to the Ladies that séemed more like dead coarses then liuing creatures She whome he loued did she barbarous Gyant take in his armes a better prize neuer any made had Fortune fauored him to the end The English Lady had more courage so she ran into the thicket whether the Knights would not followe her but seing their good occasion spurring with greatest spéede their horses toke their way to the Sea coast where their Galley expected thē with her sayles ready spread This while had Artemisa time to send her clamors through the emptie aire kéeping on her slight whose eccho broght her where their knights expected thē to whom
in most pittifull maner she recounted the Princesse misfortune Which thing excéedingly gréeued euerye one with sudden amazement except it were the furious Bembo knowing which way she went more swifter then the passage of the racking Cloudes vpon his fierie Courser thē which the world yeilded not two better he followed the villanous Gyant with the Princesse who in a trance was carryed till hauing run the space of some two miles in the myddle of a spacious field at the foote of a spreading Caedar shee sawe a knight lye clad all in armor that with the noyse was risen to knowe the reason of it So soone as the Lady sawe him with great lamentation she sayd So the heauens in all your actions blesse you sir Knight suffer not this moste vniust outrage to bee done mee Straight did the Knight knowe her for many dayes since had he made her the proper loue of his owne soule tributarie to hers For this was the haughtie Don Cellindo of the hidden groue where he hadde séen the portrature of that Lady who by chance was sundered frō his Sister nothing sorrowing for it to goe to Trebizound sée that Princesse that so had captiuated him Nothing slow was Alicandros Nephew for swifter then an Eagle he ioyned with the Gyant thus Set downe thy burden vntutred beast for lesse then thy head it shall not cost thée he durst not run against him for hitting of the Lady but being more nigher sayd againe Stay villanous Knight for so easilye is not the fairest Flower of Trebizound to be carried away in whose defence first will I loose my life then see her sustaine the least iniury Otherwise then set her downe could not the Rhodian Lord doe sure to remoue that blocke out of his way and glad to that his Knights as he thought would not stay long but himselfe being better mounted they loste their waye in the wood where they paid full dearely for their presumption for the furious Teferreo committing Artemisa to the Spaniards kéeping committed his fortunes to the running of his horse til he met with thē as shal be expressed returning now to Don Cellindo wo seing himselfe before his Lady that battle to be for her libertie he couched his launce with such gallantnes that the Pagan somewhat feared they encountred with more noise thē the méeting of two Rockes mighty was the Moore yet notwithstanding receaued he a dangerous wound on his left breast from whence issued much blood The gallant Cellindo past forward with losse only of his stirroppes ere the horse turned againe hee recouered them and drawing foorth Quéene Iulias famous blade marcht against his aduersarie beginning betwéen them one of the fiercest best fought combate euer made in Trebizoūd For the warriors being mightie strong of lusty courage gaue receaued puissant blowes the one cutting both armor flesh of the other he brusing tormenting the body of his aduersary within his inchanted armor which though it tired him yet he had made the Moore almost faint with losse of blood from his many woundes receiuing the last dangerousest on his breast with such horror that it awakened the Lady which all that while did lie sencelesse without féeling who seing how brauely her knight behaued himselfe with more ease she sat gazing on the battaile perswading her selfe hers would be the victorie but to the vnfortunate euery litle thing is a let to their pretence For Don Cellindo imagining it would not meanly benefite his loues to bind the Ladies kindnes by vanquishing that Gigantine knight made all the hast possible for the Conquest and in faith for greater matters was his valour suffitient had not the Goddesse of indirect procéedings diricted the therward the Tygrian Bembo setting him in middest of that faire plaine whē the Prince ended his stroke Through the velocity of his Courser he quickly ioined with thē his launce aboue hand he acted a déed worthie of the Achayan Lord for setling himselfe strongly on his stirrops he darted it to the mighty Pagan taking him ful in the middle of his side had it byn twise thicker it had pirest him a third part therof appered on the other side There is no asking whether the blow pleased the lady louing the black dearer thē her own soule He that to the death grieued therat was Don Cellindo not able to smother his anger sayd It ill besemed thée bold knight seing me in fight with the other to procede as thou hast done because to liberate the Princesse my arme was suffitient néeding not the ayde of thy pride Mild courteous was Bēbo before he was angred but being he made his hearers trēble So somwhat with a hoase voice he replied The offence if any hath byn cōmitted is in thee audacious knight for doing anothers busines we should not stay one for the other either procuring the liberty of one Lady And that thou maist know how I vse to guerdon those that are discourteously arrogant lauish of their tongue Defend thy selfe for the ones head shal be witnes of the others right wherupō with that celerity he in al things vsed he drew forth his magick tempered blade better thē which the earth cōtained not T is requisite that with new corage the Prince fortifie himselfe whose armor not a litle auailes the defēce of his body for else in ten thousand péeces with his Herculean arme had Bēbo cut him Like Lions Bazalisks or rauening wolfs did they make their battle Of corage inuincible were they both euery blow of power to deuide a rocke for all their armor was inchanted yet their strēgth guiding their sharp swords māgled it cut it away bruised their flesh woūded it in many places with dangerous wounds with the crimson blood that yssued from them was the grasse inamelde their armor died their horses all be-sprinkled Their nimblenes in auoyding quicknes in assaulting with their skill shewen in euery blow was admirable The worst of the 2 sped Meridians son so much that being continued to the end either he shold suffer a valiant death or scape with eternal dishonor for with a blow that Bēbo gaue him on his visor he struck him all along vpon his horse without sight and féeling he followed the chase where he had surely slain him had he not heard a voice that staied him It was the Ladies that considering what the knight had done for her would not be vngratefull for it but in signe thereof caused the battaile to cease thinking as indeed it was her Bembo had the better She roze from whence shee came and in great hast ranne to him in the blacke with these wordes For my sake sir Knight leaue this battaile whose victorie will yeild but little profite and it were ill to repay his good will so that with such liberalitie offered to free me frō the dead knight he saw though he was angrie that the Ladie had reason in her wordes and so
I more disobay it The Father imbrast her with extreame ioy seing the thing effected which he thought impossible Presently was it published through the Cittie where many tryumphes were ordained by the Citizens The next day the King woulde haue it solemnized and inuited the chiefest of the Citie reioycing in his hart to haue as he thought the marriage sure and also to haue the despairing Knight in his Court to glad it wyth his haughty deeds He did it but with death and bitter lamentations of many The King would needs haue them all Dine in his great hall that ouer-looked the riuer but the Ladies apart At once together in that pallace was there neuer séen more nobility for besides the King there was Eleauen Princes some disguised some woūded with loue were come to sée the beauteous Venus imagining in their Countries that she which had such a name could not but in beauty be Venus her selfe This Lady bride came forth al in white of which coulor was the Prince also attired with all his pages with so costly rich ornaments that it was well séene loue was his instructer After dinner hauing sat to it something long yet ere their reuealing began they Cōmenst discourse of seuerall matters Very nere Lindauro sat the Gréeke prince only with his sword dagger cloathed in yellow black a deuise which wonderfully became him About that quarter being all youths in the May of their yeres Ladies seruitors that chose their argument euery one to prayse the beauty he had séen or most affected The Prince Pallidolpho knowing who the Gréeke was assured that the Gréekish beauty admitted no comparatiue with the world beside set a foote praysing the Ladies of Grecia the gretest tumult that euer there was séen for Lindauro with his accustomed pride thinking hee might there safest speake answered That may b◠to them that knowes not the good of Esclauonia nor cānot conceaue it but to them that liue without partiall affection there is nothing faire on the earth nor absolute but here The amorous Gréeke with the onely sight of Venus was so transported in the contemplation of his Lady that he had scarce vnderstoode what had bin discoursed but rather gaue occasion of a farther mischiefe by a sigh that burst from his hart which made euery one note the griefe that possest him Well did Lindauro perceaue it hauing the death of the brothers sticking in midst of his hart thought that with so many as there was to take his part hee coulde by no meanes scape his hands sayd to him What haue you felt despairing Knight for in such a place as this more lyke a Knight thē otherwise must the faith sacrificed to the Lady be approued The Prince had already vnderstood what had been ventilated and hearing himselfe so plainely taunted with cowardise was mightily incensed with wrath he refraynd it yet not so but he was forced to this reply My thoughts ending the imaginarie consideratiō of my Ladies perfections seing the wrong the world commits against her not yeilding to her the supremacie of all excellencies I acknowledged it with a sigh But least you shoulde thinke I haue no hands or dare not mainetaine my words I here defie thée to mortall battaile where thou shalt see that if I now here shew my selfe milde through the gallantnes of the loued obiect in field I am fiercer then an angred Lyon being toucht with her beautie Néere him was the Brother who with like confidence of being there spake thus In these parts and chiefly in this Kingdome any challenge is prohibited in time of peace and he is worthie of seuere punishment that led by an inordinate passion of selfe pride doth disturbe it The most in the hall agréed with him therein being also approued by the kings Nephew a king that but the night before was come thither The King himselfe did ratefie it whose Guard expected no more to lay violent hands on the twoo Princes to imprison them but it was to their euill for the Greeke like an Hyrcanean Tigre leapt from his place drawing foorth his swoord wounded Lindauro the Bridegroome most dangerously on the head he would haue made an end of him but that the Brother stept betwéen wounding the Prince a little on the arme but he thrust at his shoulder so furiously that sencelesse hee threw him at his féete At this time was not the Croatian idle hauing on the ground before him twoo of those Princes although himselfe were wounded well did the Greeke perceaue it banning his fortune to be without armour for in spight of them all he had scapte them he had no other remedie but taking his friend behind him betooke himselfe to the doore that went vnto the Ladies chamber They all succoured them especially the beauteous Venus that with teares of blood celebrated the wonders which the Prince perfourmed at the dore backt by her gallant Louer So great was the increased multitude which incompassed the Prince that his lyfe was in extreme dāger though at his féet there lay 10 dead All were not suffitient to defend Trebatios Nephews lyfe had not an Vncle of the Ladies her Mothers brother who greatly grieued at the marryage although he dissembled it by reason of the King that being affectionated to the Gréeke seeing his gallantnesse and valour thinking that with him though he were worth but one horse armor his cozen might with greater honour match then with the proude Lindauro He arose and went straight to the Kinge that in all hast cryed for more ayd In all thinges did the Kinge credit this his brother who thus spake Thy fame for Iustice most mighty King is spread ouer all the earth and therefore haue the Gods magnified thée making thée happy with such a Daughter as thou hast and Emperour of so large a Monarchy Let not then the conceite of rash wrath which by other meanes may be reuenged be at this time the occasion of the wracke of thy supreme honour till now euer increased for which thou art bound by Iustice to giue euerye one his due and therefore suffer not yonder Knight to be slaine with such vnequall aduantage hauing giuen no cause for it and thou oughtest to maintaine his right These wordes tooke such impression in the King that without more adoe he cast his warder in the hall that euery one might withdrawe and taking his brother in law by the hand went towards the Gréeke that was wounded in many places whose paine he felt not so gret was his conconceaued rage but seing the King comming he with-held his sword saying I had not thought mighty Prince in thy Pallace he should be suffered to indure any wrong that wished nothing more then to serue thée soly expecting this daye to doe it It behooued him to saye so séeing his manifest dāger being in place where he could not vse his own valor Come with me knight sayd the King I will doe you right
defendors So furious rested the Pagan that thorowe his mouth hee foamed lyke a Boare a thousand times intreating the King to permit the battaile to the Knight but hee so feared the Prince that by no meanes hee woulde agrée thereto perswading himselfe he had his reuenge more surer that way Neuer was gelded Bull nor mountaine Lyonesse nor hee himselfe in all his lyfe more madde then Claridiano was at that instant to sée himselfe inclosed within a stonye wall which made him roare like a chaffed Beare Lirgandeo saith that as hee hadde afore béene a Pagan hee so let his tongue passe the limittes of reason that forgetting his profession hee let slippe some blasphemies Galtenor no other mentioneth saue that he would not that night sup nor go to bed for all what the Phisitions and Chirurgions vrged it so behooued for his health All the night walked he imagining what remedie he might deuise to yssue foorth to be reuenged on those villaines he was about to cast himselfe downe the Tower but it was timeritie considering the heighth In no lesse anguish was Pollidolpho yet something more comforted with Alanios kindnes that reputed him a person both of valour and high estéeme In nothing could he better shew it then in that extremitie But the beauteous Venus a thousand plottes deuised mooued with pure loue to sée if anye woulde preuayle None was good nothing pleased her saue solitude that was her comfort and if merily she looked on her Father it was with dissembling her inward gréefe which was the greatest that euer Ladie did indure With Fausta her gentlewoman shee disburdened her heart for Thousand doubts perswaded her she should suffer some danger which she thought could be but little how great soeuer happening for remedie release of those Princes for whom she would hazard lyfe and honour Sixe dayes of the thirtie were past and no Knight appeared to accept the battle nor none in the Court durst doe it iudging madnesse to vndertake it against the Father and Sonne Verie fewe were in the Court but lamented the lamentable certaine death of the Knightes and aboue all Alanio not knowing what meanes to deuise to eschewe it because the King still insisted in his rygorous obstinacie vrged therto with continuall perswasions of that trecherous Lindauro of Syconia Her griefe did the fayre Venus smother outwardly but alone she shed more teares thē the first of that name did whē she bewayled the obsequies of her deare Adonis One after-noone with her discréete Fausta shee walked into a Garden where none but she and her Damozells vsed to sport them in tyme of solace to giue her thoughtes the lybertie of their vnbrydled pensiuenesse which by so manye wayes was assayled It was their good Fortune by the Fates appointed that those Princes should not so iniustly dye to leade them to a place where they satte downe hard by certaine thicke growen bushes and as Fausta pluckt vppe some of the rooted braunches to sit vpon she spyed a great hole like to a Caues mouth She was astonished thereat supposing some beast or Adder to bee in it that might hurt them the cause thereof demaunded the afflicted Venus and being tould yt the amorous Ladye sayd Oh I would to loue it were so that by taking away my lyfe it would end so many deaths which I indure for there is no hart longer able to tollerate so much She rose with more courage then her tendernesse allowed taking away the bushes to sée what it was they espied a Caue that towards the Pallace bended of such widenes that twoo armed men might easilie passe through it She expected no other resolution for couragiously and with great bouldnes for in the end she was in Loue she entred it commaunding Fausta to followe her for though shee lost her life shee would know what was in it and find the end therof your beautie will vnder-goe too great a bouldnes said she and I would not for any thing we should be spied There is no danger to bee feared nor yet that wee should be seene sayde Venus for considering the safetie of the Garden it is impossible that any should haue come hither They had not gone Fiftiepaces when they founde themselues at the foote of a stone wall yt was so darke that verie litle light they could sée but yet they felt what it was They went about hand in hand for let go they durst not to sée if they could finde any steps or stayres in the wall because the Caue there ended At length they met with their desire but it was so narrowe that one could scarce goe vp They put of their Pantoffles to doe it better the Princesse began to mount trembling like an Aspen leafe so did Fausta who though she helde her Mistres be her sléeue yet was not able to goe vpp a step which were aboue Fortie and with extreme feare hauing ascended them whē they came to the top they were so wearie they could not stirre They sate thē downe awhile to breath speaking so softly that they themselues could not almost heare one another what shall wée doe faire Princesse said Fausta if in the Pallaice our absence shal be found no doubt but it will be noted and iudged I feare for wantōnesse That the Caue would bring vs replied Venus to the tower of the despairing knight then would I not care what the world should say for he being set at libertie the same would he procure to vs all Such goodnes will not our hap abode vs said Fausta to let it be so for then who with a more iust title could bragge of felicitie let vs rize said Venus for my hart is passing light and let vs sée where we shall arriue They went softly féeling fearing to be heard till they met of the same stone one of the fashion of a doore that arteficially was set in the wall they were not able to stir it because it was to be opened on the inside of the tower though many hūdred yeres t was it had not bin opened the was the reason none of the Court neither knew it nor any such thing euer imagined Lirgandeo saith it was made by a Persian king that fell in loue with Licida daughter of Xātho who being lodged in the tower and séeing her walke in that garden with the force of his armes brake downe the wall till he came to the earth where with more facilitie he prosecuted his amorous intent making then that Caue as they found it by which meanes he obtayned the Ladies will bringing her that way vnto his chamber till he found time to steale her and conuay her to his Kingdome To this rape doth Astildo attribute the cause of Persias desolation by the Father of the stolen Ladie This was the dore that now the Ladies found where attentiuely hearkening because it was very nigh to the bedde of the despayring knight they might heare him with Millions of sighes complaine him in this manner O Quéene of
was before his deare Quéene of Lyra he replyed Much am I behoulding to my griefe most excellent Princesse since it is the cause that causeth me to acknowledge an eternall duety to your high seruice for this kinde remembrance the which being immerited by a Knight so vnfortunate as my selfe stopps me from binding my selfe any more then that I heretofore do owe nor can I beléeue there shold be strength to aduance mee in any thinge more then I haue promised Neuerthelesse of my life maye your beauteous selfe dispose which to lose wil be a happines perpetual procuring yours thereby to your content the which to mee would be excéeding to knowe what waye you found hither to bring you No other hath it béen replyed she but the desire I was to sée you at libertie ioyned with the griefe I cōceaued imagining howe greatly yours would be with my Fathers offerred wronges For this daye walking to take the ayre into my Garden with this my Damosell amonge certaine bushes wee founde a Caue that hitherto arriues I lost all feare with the will I had to haue you from hence that I past the same till wee mette with this dore deferring our comming against this time and we heard you so bitterly complaine that I knowe not what to saye of the Quéene of Lyra whether she be in fault or the Prince of Grecia It ioyes mee to sée you so well bestowed though to ill repayd Stormes are they to the Laberithian Seas of Louers incident still pretending a more happy calme If therefore in the meane time that your content is absent you will receaue it by hearing to whom these wrongs are done we will tell it Greatly disconted rested the Prince hearing that the Ladye knewe him but hee dissembled it replying Well doe you expresse the greatnes of your Nobilitie moste gracious Princesse hauing procured lyfe to him that incertaine hadde it your owne affaires haue you therein done for it shall not lesse be employed then in your seruice though to deserue so great an aduenture as you this day haue discouered a higher person should haue béen knowen to celebrate with her due honour that it merits Touching the rest highlye shall I rest satisfied in reuealing my name and estate to none the which I haue tould onelye to my friende the Prince Pollidolpho of Croatia which is hee that is in prison and yet that were pleasant hadde hee but promise of some remedy not of libertie but of comfort patiently to beare the bondes wherein your perfections haue inthrald him More liuelyer colours then the blushing Rose possest in her chiefe pride be-paynted the deuine heauen of the beauteous Lady hearing what the Prince had sayde shee would not displease him through want of hope and therefore thus replyed I would not haue had you despayring Knight that with such despaire and to my cost tell me the ametie twixt you and that Prince But because you shall not saye that in Esclauonia there raigneth crueltie equall to that in Greece let vs order your libertie for after it shall not want for your friende for I will neither nowe nor at anye time gaine-saie what you shall appoint mee because a Knight of your valour and qualitie will not procure but what may most glorifie my honour The ioyfullest in the worlde would the Prince kisse her hands accompting Pollidolpho the happyest in the vniuerse hauing with so fewe soules tormentes and heart oppressing passions of a despayring Melancholie loue obtayned the most rarest Iewell on the earth the purest fayrest and most immaculte You sée valyant Prince fayde the Ladies what the Kinge my Father hath ordayned and the danger that your lyfe incurres yf for all the weakenes and debilitie you now are in you will vndertake the battle to morrow at this time I will prouide you with the best armour that my Fathers whole Kingdome doth containe neuer of any séene and the rest I refer to your discretion and that you may not be mist I had imagined that Fausta my damozell should remayne in bed in your stéede for in more then this doth shee desire to pleasure you and we will giue forth that you lye at the point of death because the King my Father may not send for you neyther for the challenge nor to sée the battaile Now consider whether this counsell likes you if not we will seeke some other better There is none deare Princesse answered the Prince farr more estéeming her for her wit discretion why then sayd she take rest and courage for to morrowe we will be with you and commaunde your Squire to publish what I said of your infirmitie for I haue vnderstood that by your valour you haue obtayned manye friendes in Court that will helpe you with the vtmost of their powers and I will procure that your friend shall commit his title right of the battaile to your good fortune And thereupon she imbrast him which Ioue had thought a happier lyfe had it béene done to him then to bee God of Gods and returned with her belooued Fausta to her Chamber where they past the night with repetition of Knights qualities and courtesies The next daye Palizandro published with manye teares though fayned the great infirmitie of hys Maister the despairing Knight and how he would not be spoken to by any by reason he was on the exteamest moment of his life Some there were that greatly bewailed his supposed end Others blinded with a fawning flattery at euery slight occasion to shew it séemed then to insinuate with the Kinge by ioyning with his vniust acte cause of the others ruine But the Heroyke Prince reserued to accomplish more difficult attēps reioyced at their follies when hee knewe what credit was giuē to his counterfeiting squire neuer suffitiently praysing the excellent perfections of the Princesse Venus iudging the Fate to none other but to her selfe due Who with the greatest care possible past the day imagining in what imminent perrill she had put the Prince though the confidence she reposed in his valour made her more assured then the cause required When they sawe tyme the twoo Ladyes by little and little conuayed the armour into the Garden that the Prince might there arme him and also his swoord which she had demaunded of her Vncle onely that she desired to behould the brightnesse that being drawen it yéelded he gaue it her not thinking on the good hee did for had it béene with any other he could not but hardly escape in the battaile They ascended to the toppe of the tower where the lustie youth expected them in his apparell and so strong that in all his life he knew not when better he felt himselfe so great was his desire he had to be reuenged on those Traitors The Ladie embraced him with these words Sir Knight I so feared yeaster-days combate because I was armour-lesse that I durst not come vnto the second wtout them though in your presence mine will but little preuaile Wherefore I will
to gett one by some other meanes for this is impossible My patience replied the Prince cannot brooke so long a stay therefore you shal giue it me or your life vpon it With the point of his launce would the knight haue strucke him but ere he could turne it the Prince had taken it out of his hand casting his strong armes about him he pluckt him from his saddle his shield falling from him to the grounde what the Gréeke did was an act worthy of Claridiano for houlding him between hys armes wyth a swinge hee flunge hym aboue 20 paces frō him falling with a heauy fall among certaine thorns bryers that before he rose the Gréeke was gott within the Cittie for quicker then an Eagle taking the shield he leapt a horse-backe saying Le ts goe sir Knight pardon mee yf in any thinge I haue disparedged your estate by my deuise for beléeue me my present extremetie vrged mee to no lesse The Dacian could not aunswere him for laughing but hys Dwarfe sayd In fayth sir Knight you are so nimble in it that I dare say you haue vsed this office aboue once Thereby answered he maist thou gather in what necessities I haue bin for in them there is nothing seueral to one alone so as much was this horse mine as his that brought him I am sure he curses the Law that any such thing doth allow sayd the dwarfe Yf he doe so answered the Prince that of a good man might haue moued him of courtesie to haue done it séeing that my present want requested it And because sir knight we are so nigh the Cittie le ts not loose our selues or vnaduisedly cast our selues awaye by reason I am so greatly knowen here and therefore it behooues you to speake yf you do not ignore the language demaunding battaile for the ymprisoned Knights the one called the Despayrer the other the Suspitious As you sir Knight aunswered Don Eleno will haue it so shall it be and belieue mee I neuer delighted I in any knights company more thē with yours That is proper to good men replyed Claridiano that with their vertues adorne him whose parts deserue but meane regard Thus arriued they at the pallace about Ten of of the Clock when the King was in the great Hall shewing some exterior extraordinary discontent for the newe infirmity of the dispairing Knight Then entred the two most graciousest Princes of the earth who with a Soueraigne behauiour hauing made their due obeysance with an audible voice the Dacian thus began It is so little since we ariued in thy kingdome Might king of Esclauonia this knight and my selfe that we more desired thy high seruice by reason of the great fame that of thee the wast orbe doth publish then by other means to procure thy displeasure But hauing vndestoode the imprisonment of two Knights we are constrayned they béeing challenged and their owne persons from the fight prohibited to vndertake it for thē only relying on their Iustice if any they haue and not on our weake valours I am behoulding to you Knights replied the King for the kindnes you offer me the which I shall not want will to gratifie hauing occasion to shew it As for the rest the battaile cannot be denied to any that for them will vndertake it if they please to giue their consent for which let them be sent for Straight went they that had charge of the Prisoners to aduertise them But the discréet Palisandro made the Kings Nephew belieue that the Gréeke was at the point of death who stept to the bedside without light telling him what did happen With no little feare did Fausta answere that seing hée could not goe hée rezined his power to the suspicious knight admitting whatsoeuer he should doe With this reply returned the young man the which the King allowed it highly contented the Lady Venus that in her face till then had changed to more colours then the Raynebow euer had awaighting for the answere wherwith she reioyced together with the sight of her fréed knight who had brought another with him in her iudgement of no lesse valour then himselfe Presently came the Prince of Croatia that was aduised without feare to graunt the battaile to any that should demaund it he greatly thanked thē for what they did saying So strange Braue Knights is this countreys law that it constrayneth vs in necessitie to trouble those whome most we should desire to serue It is not any for vs Sir knight said the Dacian for contentedly we shall die in your seruice loosing our liues my companion and I and seing we néed no more delay be our battaile straight This could not Balurdano dissēble the sitting by the King said Make not such hast knights to séek your deaths for you shall haue time ynough yet now knowing you must haue it against me I feare you do repent your foolish hardines Considering the desire wee haue replyed the Gréeke counterfeiting his voyce more furious then a Lyon to chastice thy mad insolence we stay to long A mighty shrike gaue the Gyant going to flie at the knights though to his liues cost had not the king Lindauro stayed him by his armes whom with the fury that possest him a prety way had dragged them after him Take thy armour weapons infernall beast sayd the angry Gréeke the more to inspense him for with them the verye ffeldes shalt thou iudge to little to containe thée such worke we will employe thée in The king cōmanded them to silence to go vnto the field to stay for the gyants At their going forth as the Gréeke saw the beauteous Venus he could not but make a courteous signall vnto her with his gauntlet she answered it w e a kind nod most glad to sée the two stout warriors the more furious then a thunderbolt past forwardes They cōmanded Fabio to go forth of the Citie least that vild people should at the battles end offēd them for thē stay at their méeting place for all this had the dwarfe made prouision because to the purpose onely he was come with Don Eleno who on his horse ranne round about the listes expecting the combate whose strang accidents deserueth being the last a large newe Chapter CHAP. XXVI The cruell battaile that past betweene the twoo Princes and the Gyants with the end thereof THere remained none Deuinest Ladies able to come in all the Cittie of Xantho but in multytudes flocked to sée the famous battle of the foure rare in valour The little children left their Schooles to gorge their desires with the skilfull blowes of the haughty warriors The gallāt gentlemē forsoke their other pastimes delights to learne new wards new maner of defēces that thē by their experiēces they better iudged might learne thē in any schoole of the wide world besides The yonge amorous youths for the time oh admiring thirst of armes to forget their loues onely to witnes the memory of
maled sléeue To his defence came that Gyant entring with his left foot forwards It was what the Dacian desired For by his nimblenesse auoyding the blowe for on foote his companion hadd no aduantage ouer him he gaue him another on the toppe of hys helme He stretcht not foorth his arme to much fearing his aduersaries lightnes and therefore was not his blowe mortall neuerthelesse it cut away all the Collet of his plumes and with them a great péece of the Burgonet with some of his scull Yt descended to his shoulder bearing away a péece of the fine stéeled Targe that in stead of a shield he vsed It did not a little auaile him to leaue the pursuite of his assault because the Gyant turning his heauy Semiter discharged it in middest of his shéelde It did not cut it but it ioyned yt with such strength to his heade as if a Tower had fallen thereon It made him stagger two steps backward He followed him close thinking hee had him sure with a mighty thrust of his sharpe sword Aduised was the Dacian and so expected him opening his legges to stande more firmer all was little ynough for a Thousand signes of falling didde hee make Hee was so abashed heereat that like a Lyon hee turned vpon his enemie At once they discharged such mighty blowes that at the noyse all the fielde left séeing of the Gréekes combate to gaze on this His knees bended Don Eleno thinking that the latest momēt of his life hee so felt the blowe the bloode that through his Beuer yssued witnesseth asmuch Hee so remained for so soone to rise he had not power The Gyant did the like with his sword hand vpon the ground wanting al that part of his helme with a most dangerous wound on his right side and the sword descending to the brest though thrée fold double it was it cut it downe right vnto his thighes with al his coate of male Trembling like a shaken sappling with Boreas breath stoode the knight Iudging the battle lost the like did Lindauro with the sight of such blowes who sitttng next the Kinge was animated by him saying he should not grieue thereat for he purposed to deny the prisoners Hereuppon they turned to wonder at the Gréeke for the earth contayned not a better sight then to behould the ligeritie strength wherewith he combated and had couered the gyant with his own blood he stayed for him for he well saw his amazednes so did the Gyant who in that science was most skilfull perceauing the Gréekes intent whereby both stoode fore-warned The furious Gyant woulde execute his blowe which was the Gréekes desire the which hee had scarce intended when swifter then a bird he closed letting fly at his knées to make him forsake his standing but his nimbles yssued too costly for the Pagan being Maister of his arme stayd the blow till then discharging it with his strength vppon his helme Miraculously héere God defended him for his head hée had strucke cleane off bearing aloft his blade yet was it such a one that it cut away part of his burgonet wounding him a little on the head it made him fall on his face a thing that all the place hung the head to sée especially the beauteous Venus that in hart shed teares of blood seing the disgrace of her Princely Champion Héere the Nephewe of great Trebatio was not slow nor remisse for it is dangerous in war quickly setting himselfe on foote not losing his blow prepared It was venturous and that which to his little cost did assure the victory for it cut him to the bone making a fount whence procéeded more blood then had an Oxe béen there kild Forth stept the Gréeke saying Now shalt thou sée infernal beast that here do déeds more auaile then insolent proud words that thou maist know gainst whom thou fightest I am the Despayring Knight Some feare conceaued he at the name seing himselfe so sore wounded But his pride was so great that he salued that saying Then stay base Knight thou shalt sée how neither heauen nor earth are able to kéepe thée from my hāds by which I wil disioynt thée bone by bone Whervpon he wold haue flung after him which had bin his death for his knée vnable to support him hee staggred that hee almost fell with his head forwards The Gréek seing it thoght himselfe sure of the victory so desirous to terminate the war he toke his sword with both hands letting it fly at his head with all the strength that he could fetch He mist his blowe which caused in many great griefe striking his sword vpon the earth that therein it ran to the middle himselfe falling vppon the pummell Very neare him was his Vncle that in his soule did sorrow for it so desirous to succour him with a point thrust the Gyant from him at two steps was with the Gréeke at such time as the mightie Ballurdano with both his hands raised his heauy semiter He had slaine him had he not arriued who at his armes let fly that venturousest blow of the world for it was with such strength that his left arme from the elbow it snatcht away leauing the other so tormēted that his sword fell from it loosing the execution of his owne stroke Great was the content himselfe the fielde receaued at the good ayd hee had giuen his companion But specially the gallant Venus that almost swonded with ioy not knowing who the knight in the Russet might be that more furyous séemed then the Sunne in his hastye course Who hauing that good occasion hearing the Sonne side-waies comming in his Fathers defence went towards him séeing the Gréeke already dangerlesse and as both went with mighty strength and hast they could not choose but méete with more horror then a blazing Comett renteth through the Cloudes Both went to the ground breathlesse to the admiring wonder of all that beheld the battaile The furious Giant for all he was maymed would go to helpe his sonne but Claridiano stept before him saying Stay vilde beast for ere he returne vnto himselfe thy head shalt thou leaue with me He warded a stronge blowe which made him see more starres then did the Heauens containe yet was it no part to driue him from casting his Herculean armes about him The like did the Pagan but wanting one arme and his mortall wound on the knée with a trippe he fell with the Louer vpon him that not forgetting his dagger thrée times he stabd it in his body drawing it foorth with his hart blood Concluding that warre with the fiercest Pagan of all Syconia himselfe remayning so weary that not able to stand he made a seate of the Gyants tronke making all the spectators laugh to sée what stoole he had found The Dacian was alredy risen excéeding glad to sée that the knight had ended his battaile He continued not long with his for hauing his aduersarie mortally wounded with two blowes he laid him on
vnacquainted may distinguish and he shall sée the reason he hath not to complaine for that were to wrong the Ladie but to publish his gréefe his vnluckie happe to sée himselfe his loues hopes disgraste I know not deuine Ladie wherein I haue offended vnlesse it were in making thée soueraigne Dominatrix of my soule And if because this Monarchie is too small I doe deserue so cruell an exile In that I did presume to acknowledge it I now languish in eternall punishment for that offence doe not behould those twoo celestiall sunnes of thine the lodestarres of mine affects the guiders of my actions and the light to lighten my eternitie Now banish from my friends societie I wander through vnknowen groues and desert wildernesses cōuersing with huge bigge oakes complayning to them vnder their shadye couertures the anguish of my soule the which a fresh blowing gentle Zephirus conuayes among a companie of straight towring Cypresses who with funerall obsequies in tombes it in the aire Not farre from him was there a Knight with different thoughts for he only sorrowed for not hearing from his Ladie hauing assurance by his good fortune that he might cōtentedly trauell amiddest his greatest absence hee rose for through like tempests hee had recouered the quiet harbor of a delightfull loue Hee closed his visor and went were he ouer-heard the knight hauing done in his going made some noise which was a warning to the louer that clasping his beuer started vp by the brightnes of the Moone they could ouerviewe each other Either admired the others disposition Straight did the Gréeke knowe the Knight by his armour reioycing to méete him there in such time attributing therby a happie conquest to his aduenture for hee that he sawe was no lesse then the gallant louer Don Eleno Prince of Dacia who by order of Nabato that fore-saw Claridianos necessitie would helpe his couzen by sending him thither wherein he nothing erred for few else with honour could haue terminated that battle What is it you require sir knight demaunded the glad Prince for if of my person there be anye néede I will imploy it in any danger to doe you good I was only hither moued to come replyed he by hearing thy lamētations braue Knight and the recompting of thy griefes to these sencelesse trées resolued to loose my life or to my power redresse thy woes For such a knight lesse could not be hoped answered the Gréeke although the infirmitie that possesse me cannot be cured but by my death To despaire was yet in such cases neuer good sayd the Dacian he spake by experience for sometimes the Lady giues a Thousand disfauors onely better to proue her louer specially if hee bee a person whom the Vulgar sort admireth so ought they to be taken as fauors Neuer were any I haue receaued sir Knight replyed he which haue byn infinite called by that name For thē in middest of them would my grieued life finde content but so plainely she tould me how little she respected my actions that I thought it was to wronge her longer to abide in her presence cōming to liue in this country many miles remoued from my owne I greatly desire to know in what kingdome we are for this is the first night that I arriued in the land after we will trace some plot for your remedy In all things I wish to satisfie you sir Knight replyed the Prince because I iudge your person worthy of much more obediēce And therefore know you are now in the kingdom of Esclauonia very nere the famous Citie of Xantho where wtin these few daies there hath happened many things amōg the which was the comming of a knight called the Despayrer who vāquisht foure brothers that the Princesse beauty defended from thence he tould him all the the former Chapters haue rezited So that sir Knight the worthy in the yellow with his Chāpion must die through the greatest iniustice of the world And imbouldened with his Iustice not my valor I left this night the Citty resolued to returne vpon the mornings rysing to demaund the combate though I greatly doubted the successe considering the aduersaries fiercenes But my misfortune that neuer is weary to persecute me ordayned that in my cōming forth hauing occasion to alight tie my horse vnto a trée certaine théeues did take him frō me wold not stay my iust reuenge I woulde haue taken hauing at such a time bereft mee of my stéede not giuing them occasion for it Truely sir knight answered the Dacian you accomplish the valor of your boūty in hazarding your life in so iust a cause though my deserts containes not what so haughty an enterprize requireth I offer neuerthelesse my person to accōpany you till death defending any from receauing outrage or wronge and want I hope you shall not a horse by some meanes or other I doe not doubt it replyed Claridiano for we haue time ynough so he thanked him with soueraigne prayses his bounteous offer which coulde by no lesse degrée be correspondent to his gallant disposition But little rested the two kinsmen with diuersity of thoughts And therefore scarce had the golden shepheard regent of the worlds splendor shewen his light but they ryzed the valiant Dacian presēting the Gréeke the best horse that euer the world knew Mount thereon valiant Knight sayd Claridianos Son for I am vsed to gooe a foote and trauelling softly it may bee we shall méete with some to helpe vs. They had scarce gone out of the wood when from the Citie they spyed a Knight comming horst on a mighty Courser and séeming of great valour Le ts returne into the thicket sayd the Gréeke sir knight for if any thing befall me with this Knight none may witnesse it but these trées for sometimes for a man to doe such trickes it is no infamie The Dacian turned his horse highly pleased with the Knights behauiour Alreadye approched the Knight carelesse of that which happened before him did Claridiano set himselfe saying A fauour should I receaue sir Knight yf you would tell mee whither you trauell No further sayd hee but to walke into these fieldes and run my horse because for a good one it was giuen me I am verie glad thereof replyed the Prince for now to a man that hath such néede of one and of a shield as my selfe and going to so difficult a busines intreating you to lend it him you shal nothing loose therby but it wil rather be a liberality that wil more aduance your person for I must combate with this Knight he onely stayes till I get one I would gladly pleasure you therein replied the Knight but truely you demaunde a thinge that neuer was séen I had rather take the battle for you That maye not be answered the Gréeke for he hath challenged me and I must defend my owne honour Yf he must stay for you sayd the Knight you shall not want occasion