aduenture my life for your vnstayned honour Then said the Princesse if in yéelding mine agayne were a satisfaction assure ye Prince Arlando I would doo it But if you loue me you would not haue anie liking that with the price of my fame I should pay so great debt Touching the battel which you intend to attempt for my honours defence I appeale to your owne selfe that haue tried my vnspotted chastitie Yet I vrge not this in my owne behalfe but it is anie Knights dutie whatsoeuer to helpe a wronged Ladie that standeth in necessitie with his sword This couragious Youth was somewhat comforted although he little enioyed that comfort for the furie of that vntamed King required a greater resistance althogh the battell was verie well fought but in the ende he tooke away his life and loue at one instant wherwith the gréefe of our Princesse increased the more who from a high gallerie sorrowfully beheld the mortall contention betwéene the two louers Shee then well vnderstood that the Pagan would goe thorough with his businesse that so soone had cléered fréeed himselfe of the Prince in whose death she would haue béen a companion not for that she loued him but to ende her trouble and gréefe Now I would you should consider what the sorrowfull Princesse suffered who liuing in hope from the 18. daye on which wee sent out a Damsell to séeke her worthie Brother till this which is the 24. and yet she is not returned I know not anie so hard hearted but would take compassion of so vertuous ladie that so vniustly doth suffer affliction Therefore faire knight I séeing the oâ—her Damsell returned not imboldened my selfe in the right and iustice of this poore Princesse to put away all childish and womanly feare and come foorth into these solitarye wayes publishing my misaduenture And now séeing I haue no reason to doubt hauing met so gallant a Warrier as it séemes you are I will not loose my hope but sée how your worthie arme wil returne vengeance for the infamie of that poore ladie And hauing so great equitie on our behalfe there is no doubt it wil little auaile the vniust and proud accuser though his huge proportion strength were doubled Héere you vnderstand sir knight the assured cause of my lamentation which deserueth to be pittied the more in regard of the â—louds of tears which euerie day are shed in the wofull and afflicted Court of France And if as most constantly my minde perswadeth mee there bee in you the valor which appeareth by that worthie countenance Fortune can neuer offer you so good occasion as this to shew it Here the heauie Damsel stayed ending her talke with a thousand sighes accompanied with pearly teares that distilled downe her chéekes which caused great compassion in the frée breast of the Dacian Prince who answered Of a truth faire Damsell you haue reason to séeke punishment for so great an euil as this is for there is no credite to be giuen to so vnreasonable a Knight as that false Pagan especially against the Daughter of so great a King But sure it gréeueth me that she suffered the amorous yong Prince of Alexandria to enter into that deadly combat although not long since I did know a Knight that would haue enuied him for to haue ended wyth hys death a great number of griefes that by his meanes hee suffered But for the principal matter though I loose my life in séeking to defend your Ladie I doo accomplish no more than that which I am bound vnto and now séeing it is more than time that we were on our way let vs trauell forward for I hope to giue comfort vnto the Princâ—sse And therewith he called his Page Fabio to bring to them his horse and the Damsells palfray and leaping into their saddles they tooke the direct waye towardes Paris This furious Dacian trauelled on a better horse than anie of the stéedes of Titan who in their course doo compasse daily the circle of the Earth the French Damsell carried his helmeâ— as well to honour him as for the desire she had to behold his excellent beautie And as they rid she noted the Deuice vppon his armour and gessing him a discontented Louer with some gréefe at his sorrow she said In truth sir Knight if your Mistres bee the occasion that you beare this sad Deuice she is without reason in that she hath not attained to know the much loue which the proportion of your person deserueth Herein iudge I that she is in fault because it séemeth vnto mee that you lacke nothing to make you a perfect Louer but some experience to make you shew the strength that Loue requyreth and follow the fashion which courtly Ladies in that case expect At another time could this gallant Youth haue answered with more passion than now when as his liberty was in the handes of them that made a iest of it but finding himselfe more at ease he answered Of truth faire Damsell you had reason to say that it is more néedfull to haue strength than anie other thing against this furious frenzie of Loue for that I had a frend who while he thought to haue cure in loue found first the ouerthrow of reason inforcing his sense contrarie to that which he willed rather than vnto the good which was ordeined although I now can boldly say both for him my selfe we know not to what part of loues rules to incline our selues Then it appeareth that you are not amorous sayd the Damsell No verily answered the Prince for that I could neuer know what it was to bee beloued therefore as â— neuer enioyed the name of a beloued I hate longer to be called a Louer for that he is not equally to bee iudged wise that passeth his time celebrating alwaies with ioy y e euening of death but rather I account him that liueth in this sort a wilfull foole than a discréete louer For each man should indeuour to lessen his gréefe and chéere vp his fainting spirites scorning to hope for or couet that desired gold which onely couereth the bitter pilles that by their hatefull operation purge the sense of all reason and vnderstanding The Damsell spéedily to this thus replyed In another Schoole haue you learned this erronious doctrine not in Loues Uniuersitie at Paris which through all the world is so much estéemed I am sorrie that I carry with me a Knight which estéemeth not a Louer to be most discréete What creature haue you in the world that liueth without loue What picture doth giue contentment to the eye if by the beautie the beholder presume not that the painter was enamoured of his worke vsing affection as his pensill It is well séene that where loue dwelleth gentlenes and valor haue their habitation What hath béen the occasion that the Gréeke Princes haue filled the world with their worthie actes but that they haue been amorous Against these faire Damsels answered the frée Dacian my iudgement reasons
not for that loue did giue them alwaies abundance of assured hopes easing therein and lightning the excessiue paine which the disdained Louer doth receiue But the accustomable conceipt raigning among beloued ladies is self opinion of their own worth a souereigne desire to be faithfully serued a glorie and pride in their Knights valor but when the full payment of his deserts as a true fée for Knights seruice is requyred then is the Ladies beautie muffled with clowdy discontent If she speake she checkes his audaciousnes if she looke she darts vengeance from her eyes and all the reward the Louer hath is this that others pittie him and are eye-witnesses of his true seruice which she wil scarce vouchsafe to acknowledge This gréeueth mee more than the rest sayd the gracious French Ladie to sée how you are vtterly falne out with loue in that you cannot obtaine to be the onely chéefe in account for the seruice of Ladies Tell mee I praye you is it not a high reward for a Louer to haue one gracious looke from his beloued Ladie nay is it not a salue for manie sustained sorrowes if hee but once attaine her desired sight Yes it were well aunswered the Prince and excellently for a Louers contentment to passe the heate of the day priuately in such contemplation where the Gallant may without let salute his Mistres but when such audacious entrie is made without the ladies special license I doo iudge it to be one of the most errours which is committed in the ordinarie erring Schoole of Loue. But let vs reckon the best méede the Louer hath for all his mone Doth shee bestow a smile Oh then hee is a happie man that one false sunshine is a sufficient comfort against manie bitter showers but if shee vouchsafe a kinde word a gentle touch or some little idle conference our kind yong louer is transported beyond all compasse hee writes pure Castalian walkes no where but in Tempe dwells with the Muses sings with Apollo Io Paeans in Loues praise Anone in the midst of all this iollitie on goes his Ladies frowning kercher and then his Eulogies are turnde to Elegies his mirthes to moane an vncouth caue couers his disgraced head a darke and queachie groue his pleasant garden the aire his counsellour Eccho his scoffer teares his drinke care his food and such a deale of foolerie vâ—xes this louing foole that I must néeds conclude him to be either desperately mad or questionlesse a verie Ideot Therefore of Loue and Louers this is my absolute iudgement Loue is a busie troublous foolishnes Those that commend it mad and reasonles With this amorous conuersation they traueled toward Paris when vpon the right hand of the Forrest they heard the swift running of a horse who came in such hast that before the Prince could put on his inchaunted helmet the furious Rider was in sight who séemed rather a Diuell than a Knight The occasion thereof was the reflection of the Sunne vppon his armour which was of shining stéele and colored blacke and so was his horse who made no show of steps vpon the grasse whereas he trode by reason of his swiftnesse The gallant demeanor which this Knight showed did giue great content vnto the Dacian Prince And here we thinke it good to leaue him with earnest desire to knowe what that Knight was and wee will get before him to Paris where we lefâ— the couragious Knight of the Images Torismondo Prince of Spaine who was healed of his wounds but not of the gréefe he receiued in the battel with the mightie Alpbebo This Torismond went out of Paris with purpose to séek some of his owne people and till he met them to trauaile a few dayes in those mountaines and to conclude manye aduentures so that in Paris there was no other talke but of the Knight of the Images As he trauelled he oftentimes sent vnto the Court to know and learne some newes of his Ladie by the Postes that came from Spaine and oftentimes he tarried for hys Pages returne at the Fountaine of Merlin being the resting place for Knights aduenturers trauelling in that Forrest One day as he was expecting newes from Spaine hee saw his Page comming with a countenance different from that he was wont to haue for that he came making of great lamentation which caused some suspition in the amorous Spaniard For alwayes a timerous heart touching a mans owne euill doth prophecie as it were insuing mischiefe as to affrighted Torismond at this time it prooued who gazing stedfastly on Arsilo thus questioned him What meaneth thy sadnes Arsilo haue the heauens depriued me of all my good and left poore Torismond to â—ament his Ladies absence This youth did confirme his suspition in that he did not answere one word The Prince as one wholy beside him selfe said ah fortune thou hast now shewed thy selfe who thou art nowe I feare not thy strength for that which I most feared with all thy malice is certainly befalne me Conclude Arsilo declare vnto me these newes that must redowne vnto my death What should I say soueraigne Prince answered the page but that it is as you suspect death pale meager death hath seazed oâ— your soules content This amorous and afflicted youth did not heare the rest for that he fel vpon the grasse without any sense or féeling til such time as his page brought him to himselfe againe Who in recompence said vnto him Oh vnfaithfull why hast thou called me from my ease what doest thou imagine that there is strength in me to liue without the life of her whom rigorous death hath taken from me I cannot nor I will not although I may liue being without that good which was my comfort How can he liue that only did sustaine his life in yéelding it into the handes of her who did receaue it with equal comfort Oh my chiefe good because I should know the despight of fortune she hath taken thée from me Oh déere déere loue how I doe number my wants excéeding all number with the onely lacke of thy soueraigne beauty Oh mournfull earth wherfore beginst thou not to lament thy lost ornament for my losse reacheth farther then the griefe of vnhappy Torismondo Oh warlike Spaine how maiest thou from this time forwards leaue off thy glorious name for that she who was the cause of al your courage is now conquered by al deuouring death Oh worthy knightes with what reason may you from this day forwards liue without courage since she who with her beauty did recreate you all faire heauen hath tooke away that heauen might be onely faire Oh deuine Floriana thou art a creature ordained to extoll the cunning worke of humane nature but the dieties enuying that earth should beare such perfect excellence found meanes for to vndoe so perfect a figure carrying with it all the grace beauty and perfection of the worlde ioyntly with the soule of this vnhappy body You ladies that were enuious at the brauery of mine
fortune had coÌ„passion of your griafe Thou hadst reason diuine Floriana to remaine doubtfull of séeing me at thy departure How ofteÌ„ didst thou vrge me with my plighted faith the which I will kéepe till such time as I am in thy estate without any feare to loose thée but to sée thée with these eies wherwith I now doe celebrate thy death Oh most happy land of Cantabria in times past pittifull to my lamentations how maiest thou from this day forwards begin to mourne for the lacke of such a Lady and Mistresse Now my louing father may you liue content with my fortune to see me liue without my Floriana who was so odious in your eies for that I loued her I am vexed still that you doe noâ— conceaue it was life to me to loue her and a swéete ease to suffer for her Nowe here I sweare by my high thoughts not to returne to Spaine but to destroy it once againe if any therein were the occasion of the death of my loues life although it were my naturall father Oh my Floriana what can I doe to liue content or who is able to giue it me but death onely the which if I suffer for thy sake I will receaue it gladly And hauing a desperate wil he pulled out his sword saying O happy sword being the sword of my Goddes with thée at her hands I receiued the order of knighthood I sweare by her beauty that none shal be able to disturbe me til this vnhappy body doth accompany her in death that did giue it so excellent a life At that instant he would haue lifted vp the skirt of his shirt of male to haue thrust his sword in thereat If the discréet Arsilo had not thrown himselfe before him and pulled it out of his murdring hands Then this grieued youth came to himselfe and saide Oh my Arsilo is this the loue you beare me to hinder me that I go not to accompany in death that which neuer departed from me liuing my friend permit it as thou wouldest the heauens to be more fauourable to thée then they haue béene vnto the sorrowfull Torismundo Worthy Prince and my Lord answered the discréete page I should offend much therein in the duety that I owe vnto you and your generous father and you offende more your owne discretion for that you cannot suffer that which the heauen doth ordaine the faire Dutchesse was not for you for that the commaunder of all beauty had chose her for himselfe Amongst worthy persons there is nothing more to be praised then to know how to beare and suffer the disgraces of fortune with such courage as they doe her fauours consider how little ease it should be to your griefe in killing your selfe Doest thou call it little said the grieued Knight that alone is sufficient to succour me wherewith should I end so many deaths which waited on me but in giuing my selfe one for the conclusion of all thys did euill agrée vnto the seruice that thou owest mee sith to die is onelye profitable At this time answered the page I will die ere you shed one droppe of bloud Heare me a little my beloued Lorde that I may set before your eies examples for your comfort The Phrigians had excéeding cause to bewaile the death of valiant Hector and they did fill the ayre with immeasurable lamentations yet not one of them no not his Andromache though being deare to all to him she was most deare not one of them I say despairingly slewe himselfe but armed their resolutions against their enemies Who could waile a louers losse more than Venus her swéete Adonis whom she found discoloured and dead his faire body rent by a foule Boare yet she despaired not amidst her lamentations Sorrow for seperated friends I deny not is necessary but to die because they die is diuelish and damnabâ—e Despaire depriueth al grace doubteth of immortality and let not your excellence wrong Floriana so much to make quâ—stion of her immortall being Suppose her gone vnto a Princely habitation hauing enioyned you to perfourme aduentures for her loue Let your little short span of life be the progresse to that house your iourny done you shall enioy her sight Therefore consider worthy Prince and besides these reasons remember the royall bloud from whence you descend and the harme you should doe to many by your death who haue néed of that life that you so little estéeme Celebrate the death of your Mistresse and let me be the first in death if it may be any comfort vnto you But I am sure that it is rather an anger to Floriana who enioyeth a better estate than ours Therefore returne vnto your reasonable senses beloued Prince and conâ—ider that it is the ordinance of heauen for that you against the will of your father woulde loue her and might haue sought an other equall vnto your estate This grieued youth receaued great comfort by the discreete reasons of his page but not in such sort that it caused him to forget the griefe he felt The page séeing that he was somewhat quieted and eased drew foorth a letter saying This is the last worke that came from the hands of your Lady This worthy Spaniard did take it 〈◊〉 kissed it a thousand times and bedewing it with teares he opened it and read as followeth The letter of Floriana the Dutches of Cantabria to Torismundo Prince of Spaine VNderstand from me welbeloued Prince that I draw nigh vnto a new estate being appointed by the heauens and remembring with what truth you answered my firmenesse almost life scarce suffering mee to write these fewe lines I tooke strength to write vnto thée only for to desire thée by the faith which thou plightedst to bee mine to passe thy life in my absence with discretion as is required and Torismundo let not my death bee occasion of thy indiscréet dealing I would welbeloued Prince that I might in this worlde call thee my owne but to thy comfort in the other world I will thither goeth thy beloued Floriana hoping to sée thée when as the powers of heauen will stande our friend I can say no more for that my senses faile To God I leaue my beloued Torismundo Dying Floriana This afflicted Gallant concluded the reading of the letter giuing a harty sigh saying Oh chance and is it possible that now should be shewed vnto me so much euill and that she commaunds me to liue and I must performe it Oh my deare Mistresse how can I liue who liued onely with your presence Oh Fortune with how much discontent doest thou giue a little contentment Oh vnhappy heart so cruelly vsed in the beginning of thy age and tormented with thy excessiue torments Ah Floriana to remaine with life will be death vnto me but séeing that you receaue content therein I will liue imploying the rest of my life to loue in absence in the â—ame degrée as when I triumphed in your soueraigne beautye Now you may worthy Spaniard saide the Page
rest tarrying till the morning al praying vnto God to giue them victorie against so great an enemy When as the gallant Tytan had left the morning comforted and went to Thetis with new shewes of fairenes these foure warlike youthes being armed with their shyning armour went foorth into the Market place of their Cittie whereas the Kinges and knightes did abide their comming and did beare them company vnto the bridge leauing the Princesse with a thousand suspitions in her louing imagination whether hee that put himselfe in so great perill and danger were the knight whome she had printed in her heart or not yet for to giue them content and shew foorth her gallantnes she apparelled her selfe al in blew wrought vpon Salamander skins then being many bright shining Carbunkelles embroydred thereon with diuers Laces of her owne hayre which wee may equall with the thrids of gold which the Nimphes of Arcadia did spinne she made a sightly garland with so strange kinde of working that I knowe not what Artist could equall it Shee greatly contented her Louer in sending him a Beuer of blew like vnto her garment by her damsel who said vnto him with great curtesie Sir knight my Mistresse the Princesse Flora commends her vnto you and for that you doe goe to make battaile for her desires that you would vowchsafe to carrie this fauour for shée cannot as she would helpe you with more than with this The loued Tharsian answered faire Damsell say vnto your Mistresse the princesse y t he which so long time past doth liue bound to her perpetuall seruice hath little néede of such curtisie but being incouraged by her gift to present her the head of the King of Cilicia in recompence for the Beuer or in the demaund to loose myne owne life and being for such a Lady I account my death happie And therwith she returned to the Princesse who considered much of the answere of the Knight concluding to confirme in her amorous suspition that it should be her beloued prince Lisarte And therewith shee went vnto the windowe with her Damsels to sée the battaile with more fearefull care then euer shee had til that time cursing a thousand times that Giant that had done them so great wrong till such time as she did sée comming her welbeloued Louer who was the ioyfullest man in all the world for the fauour which the Princesse had sent him And when hee passed by the window he did obeysance and made his great horse to â—ow his knées with such a grace that made all the Ladies much affected to him to sée his gallant demeanure At his entring into the field hee put for iudge on his part the Kings brother and his Sonne vnto whome he had giuen libertie and caused all the army be in a readinesse if néed required The gallant Tharsian put his horne to his mouth making it to sound throughout all the Campe to aduise the King of his comming who came armed with his accustomed armour sauing that on his shield there was a Serpent carrying in his clawes a Lady which he tooke from a fierce crowned Lyon that had her with this Posie Stronger from strong doth take The pray he nill forsake This valiant youth did well vnderstand to what ende he had that deuise and for that the possession of her should bee gotten by strength of arme and not with reasoning wheÌ„ he came nigh him he said Giant it séemeth guiltines in him y t professeth to be a seruer of ladies to be negligent And hauing such confidence in your strength you might haue come sooner and assured your happines with my death And now séeing there is no more to doe because thou shalt vnderstand how little I estéeme thée these knights shall be witnesses and iudges on my part whome I commaund that if the Gods being enuious at me do help thée that they raise the siedge The couragious Prince of Tharsis looked for no other thing but turning about his horse hee behelde his Flora from whence he knew shuld come his courage strength and prepared his speare against the Pagan who likewise came against him Now haue I good occasion discréet Thalia to haue my rude tongue forged for that it is so blunt that I beléeue I cannot shew how these valiaunt Pagans incountered in the middest of their swift course with so great force that Mars himself would haue doubted to haue met with them and for that they were both strong without any mouing in their saddles they both passed the one by the other vpright without receiuing any hurt making the shiuers of their speares swift messengers of their strengths At one time they returned with their heauy Maces settling such blowes that both of them gaue shewe of their valors and fell both vpon the pommels of their Saddles as dead men and their horses carried them about the field til such time as the Tharsian came vnto himselfe and like a Lion he went against his enemy with his vttermost strength and before that hee recouered himselfe from that troublesome blowe he gaue him another vpon his shield so great that it sounded as though he had stroke vpon a bell breaking it all to péeces in his hand Who séeing that it was not for defence he let it fall and assalted the Tharsian with force and with both his hands settled such a blow vpon his shield that he made it to recoyle on his breast that almost with the great paine hee was without sense and therewithall staggred in his saddle but recouered it it was the occasion that he was wholy kindled in quicke choler and stroke so thicke vpon the cruell Pagan that hee seemed to grinde and bruse both bones and flesh entring and going backe with such dexterity that all who did behold the battaile greatly maruelled that they so long endured in equal degrée without acknowledging any bettering betwéene them But shée who receiued most blowes was the faire Flora who séeing her Knight before such an enemy and thinking him to be the same he was her colour went and came in her face diuers times shewing sadnes at euerie blow which her knight receiued which were such and so many that if she had not béene the reward of the battaile he could not haue sustained them but reinforcing his courage hee gaue such a blowe on the left side of his enemies helme that it lacked little to haue ouerthrowne him from his horse and made him to giue a fearefull shrieke with the griefe thereof The furious Giant did returne him an answere in such sort that it séemed to disquiet him it was so cruell there anew began their furious combate so that it séemed all the seruants of Cyclopian Vulcan were there ioyned together The braue Pagan did lift vp his Mace and went to the gentle Louer who withstood him and put himself so much forwards at the receiuing of the blowe that hee could not reach him but with his armes and let fall that heauy weapon with the
them a long oration concerning the hard seruitude which they were fréed of by the losse of the Giants And that hée would make them a Lord and a gouernour by his owne handes and told them who hee was the more to reioyce them And with the consent of them all they maried the discréet knight Briano with the daughter of Linerua and caused them to sweare him for their Lord. They all receiued content with that the Prince ordained and the new maried couple were verie ioyful to sée the liberalitie of the Prince although time dyd come when it was gratified and payde They were foure dayes in the doubtful Castle In the end of which the Princes did take their leaue of those of the Iland commending them vnto peace The like did the thrée frendes vnto the Tartarian which was no small griefe vnto the faire Grisanea and the Tartarian but séeing it could be no otherwise they tooke it forwell So they set their course towards Tartaria whereas they were receiued with all content possible worthy of a Prince so well beloued as was Andronio of whome in the third and fourth part shall bee made large mention where as we will leaue them for to declare of the Princes What succeeded the three Princes that went with the Damsell into Lacedemonia Chap. 11. THe thrée couragious warriers ingulfed in the Sea went towardes Lacedemonia talking of the Tartare their new frend of the gallant and braue discretion of his Lady So leauing on the one hand the Ausonian Sea the eyght day early in the Morning they entred the Port of the Citty of Archina for so Strabo doth call it whereat the Damsell receiued no small content and said that from that place to the great Cittie of Lyra was two dayes iourney There they disimbarked themselues and went a Land with their deuises changed leauing their ancient and knowen shields in their inchaunted boate they had al a like for in a gréen field this alone was written If against Loue we doe not fight We doe not feare our tryed might The Damsell reioyced at that Poste it came to good purpose for her busines and said vnto them Knightes oâ— reuengement so we wil now call ye I pray God that the end bee conformable vnto the Posâ—e and the iustice which we haue If you haue Iustice answered the Grecian account your busines done for that is able to giue vs forces more than we enioy Your strength doth well assure use gentle knightes said shee although it were for a matter more difficult but wee women haue this condition where we loue we are not in quiet but when we see them secure and I beléeue that it is generall for all that loue neuer to be assured of the good while they liue in hope the like we haue in our anger for that there was neuer woman that hath béene vexed but would procure at cost of their liues to recompence their griefe and rather yéelde vnto death then want reuengement God deliuer me said the gentle Troyan vnto the Damsell from falling into your wrath if you be so froward and therefore I say hee liueth a merrie and swéet life that hath neither ioye nor griefe caused by women For first for to get ioy he must serue a world of time and when he commeth to receiue a fauour it is with such trouble that ere hee féele it by and by with the turne of an eye all is turned to his disgrace But I beleeue women are of the opinion that griefe at their hands is an ease to a Louers heart It may bée gentle Knight sayd the Damsell that he that pondreth not the content that the Louer receiueth if the Lady beloued be estéemed being busied in easie things but doth remit the content onely to the odedience promised by loue and to receiue discontent for glory and for great content the griefe ordained by the Ladye and rigorous thornes for tender flowers comming from her handes Of truth Damsell answered the Troyan if this be all the fauour that Ladies doe giue and thereby no other daintie to comfort their Louers from this time I say he that liueth of this doth not knowe what is good She said It séemeth that your companions bee of your false league or els they will make shewe to defend my profound opinion and for this battaile I wil none of your ayde except ye be Louers There will not lacke answerers for you faire Damsell said Rosicleer for I doe know some that did liue in sorrow in respect of them that gaue it for it is a swéete discharge for them that loue to suffer if the minde be constrained by the fairenes of the beloued and this certaine imagination can doe so much that when sorrow commeth it is not felt the reason is for that the sences are found occupied with so excessiue content as commeth of a faire sight that it is not sufficient to vnlodge it out of the minde But there be some of so little heart that at the first encounter they yéeld without considering the grief that is procured to the beutie of his Lady giuing to vnderstand that he is not able to anymate his heart against the assalting griefe Who if he knewe howe to loue would contend and depart glorious from this battaile if hée estéeme this tryumph for most honorable Then answered the Troyan somewhat touched if an other should haue spoken it his swoord should haue defended it This is when as the Lady is correspondent vnto her louer with daintie fauours and sorrowfull for his griefe and receiueth it as her owne then is it no griefe that he doth suffer being certaine of his doubt Then said Meridian not one Lord Oristides being grieued did marke the discharge of his griefe for that it should not be meritorious before the Lady being certaine what he would haue and to lay before it the reward This doth exclude reason from perfect loue which is the notablenes of minde where with good is desired for the beloued and doth procure it with trouble and hath the reward not of that which is hoped for but of the acte wherewith it is done leauing the reward of his content vnto the generositie of the Ladie then is it giuen more liberally and more earnestly than when the Louer doth binde her in declaring what he did suffer Nowe you doe vnderstand Sir Knight said the Damsell to the Troyan the truth of my opinion and ye doe wrong to withstand it being so reprooued of all And I hope that before you depart from Lacedemonia you will change your iudgement according to the curiositie wherewith this truth is declared In this communication they spent the morning till it was high time to go to dinner in a fresh and gréen groue they dined recreating their sight with the pearlye Fountaines and swéet Medowes and their earâ—s wyth the swéet songs of the little birdes who flying the heate were there in the shadowe declaring their griefes with tunable chirpings The Princes
for you haue giuen your word vnto this Damsell in a time limitted wherein if you faile she looseth her credit and she that sent her her honour and for this busines without impeach of your honor you may leaue it till another time The Troyan wold not denie the prince so they parted and left the Youth much praising his valiantnes and thereof the Troyan thus said The beautie which he hath and his few yeres maketh me to doubt for that in all my life I haue not séene a fairer Creature what he shuld be I cannot imagine except he be a kinsman to the Grecian prince for he resembleth much the prince of the Sunne your Brother All were doubtful whom he should be but most of all the Grecian for that his heart did giue him inwardly that he should be of his blood With this suspition they came to their pages and fell to such victualls as they had and determined to loose no more time because y e next was their vttermost day When dinner was done they demanded the matter of y e aduenture the which after she had cured the Troyans leg and told her iudgement of his libertie she began with a gallant grace to declare in this manner You shall vnderstand worthie Knights that of thys mightie Kingdome of Lacedemonia is King a most vertuous knight called Astrafio worthie of much praise for the prudent gouernment of his Common-wealth and as he deserued so had he the loue of all his people It was the will of heauens high Commander to blesse him with two Daughters at a birth so like that the difference is onely betwéene them in their names and so excéeding faire they were that they rather were estéemed of all to be celestiall Angells than humane Uirgins They were both brought vp and nourished in the royall pallace of their ioifull Father who was so delighted in their excellent perfections that he had no other ioye or contentment but to behold them and to bee conuersant in their companies The eldest is called Thomiriana and the yongest the faire Sarmacia who so delighteth in hunting and armes that she is among Knights compared with the Empresse Claridiana When she was of age to weare armour she was knighted by her owne Father and maintained a mighty Iustes to her eternall honour So farre was the prayse of these two sisters spred that Liuio the prince of Laodicea calling himselfe the knight of the Crownes came thether with one alone page and fell in loue with Thomiriana the eldest Sister his affection so increasing that he was forced to discouer it both to her selfe and to her Father who reioyced and the Ladie likewise that she was affected of so excellent a prince All the Court was wyth their loue delighted and she that most séemed to delight in it was the warlike Sarmacia who dailye conuerst with Liuio and her Sister when they were in their amorous conuersation So long she dallyed in beholding their dalliance that all her thoughts were captiued with Liuioes perfections and the more she striued by reasons of wrong against her Sister trespasse against her Father and iniurie against her owne fame to suppresse this fire the violenter it raged Solitarines contents Sarmacia if anie thing could content her but nothing can content her till Liuio know her hearts affection So one day as they wore a hunting she discouered it to him whereat the prince did not a little meruaile but dissembled it giuing her kinde words somewhat to quench her burning desire but whē this noble prince came vnto his Thomiriana he confirmed the faith he had giuen her with earnester shewes of affection than before The ielous Sarmacia was in presence and not able to indure the sight went foorth and wept but Liuio like a constant prince the more to assure his Thomiriana demaunded her of her Father in marriage who gladly graunted it But when the prince would haue kissed the kings hands as a Father y e furious Sarmacia stept betweene them and said Louing father it is not conuenient for the honor of Lacedemonia to giue my Sister to a Knight so disloyall who to your curtesie being bound is notwithstanding most vniust And this I will maintaine against all the world The Lord of Laodicea did wel vnderstand the cause of her accusation and thus answered Ualorous Princesse your too much vniust rage causeth ye to doo me wrong which in my honours defence much against my will you beeing a Woman I will approoue That may not be Prince Liuio said the King for by our law the accused maye not enter battell with the accuser but within two months bring one to answere for him It is no small wrong answered the Prince that being accused I cannot defend my selfe I am the gladder said the Lady for I am willinger to punish some other for your iniustice than your selfe because my Father loues ye Ah Ladie said the Prince you know I know the reason of this falshood but I will not publish your fault I know well said shee thou art impudently audacious and were not my Father present I would presently bee reuenged The King commaunded them asunder till the 2. months or the triall were past You may well gesse at my Ladie Thomirianaes gréefe who taking mée into her chamber after manie showers ofteares thus said O my faithful Damsell how doo the heauens deuide my life in parting me from Liuio by the tyrannie of my cruell Sister Hasten my death O you destinies if I may not liue to reioyce with so loyall a Prince for I vow if he be not Owner of my will to be Deaths bride ere I marrie any other liuing on the earth What hast thou got Sarmacia by this crueltie Is this my reward for participating with thée my hearts secrets Well thy gaine is that thou hast got the name of a cruell Sister and my hope is that I shall finde one able to disprooue thy falshood After this passion she coniured me with manie ceremonious protestations that I should with all diligence séek her a knight to combat her Sister whereby shee might obtaine Liuio for her husband So I promised her that no other than the princes of Grecia or some of their frendes I would bring for so iust a defence although therein I lost my life And nowe séeing my fortune hath fauored me to bring such high princes it is time for you to shew that which you haue promised to all women that should haue néed of your forces for on this dependeth the life of the Princesse Thomiriana and the noble Prince Liuio Faire Damsel said the Troyan your demaund is iust for it is no part of a sister to take away the content her sister receiueth for shee was rather bound to kéep it secret and further her that made her partaker thereof And though it be a hard thing to enter in battaile with a woman yet I wil take it vpon me if these valiant Princes bee therewith content Many thankes sir knight
vnto my simple lodging nowe those delicate handes hath so soone put me in such estate that I am not as I was wont to be visited To whom she said Sir Knight if this way you will carry it I wel could long â—re this haue giuen you entire health but I receauing content in your company haue delaied the cure at which fault of mine it séemeth you are malecontent neither can I blame you séeing the gallant Oliuia is not here by whome you should receaue all the contentment that may be giuen You doe well faire Princesse said Rosicleer so to put it off that I may more and more protest the seruices I haue sworne to the beauteous Floralinda which if weakenesse hinder not I wil on any occasion perfourme Cease now to talke of occasions said Floralinda I know ye haue béene alwaies a professed seruant to faire Ladies and therefore worthily were you called the Knight of Cupide and in their defences haue you shewen your selfe a second Mars But tell me certainely swéete Prince now Mars is vnarmed of his good sworde were it not a faire sight to sée Oliuia his Venus by his side Impossibilities said the Prince are not to be expected Oliuia is too farre from hence distant to be here with wishing but should the Knight of Cupide wish for Venus she were not farre to séeke Floralinda of Macedon beeing so nere With your leaue great Prince said Meridian if this be Venus and you Mars I dare ingage my honour the olde fable will prooue false for neither will you forsake Oliuia for this face nor my Venus make Meridian Vulcan for your valour Let vs leaue these iestes said Floralinda if we run into such coÌ„parisons for if the Prince or I had that intention yonder shines the same glorious Eie of daie that discouered to all the Gods the lustfull Mars and his faire minion in an iron net and the same sun would surely shewe our sinne to all the earth But the Grecian Prince wil neuer proue y e Mars said Rosicleer nor Floralinda so light a Venus Inough inough said the Troian Oriâ—tides Meridian is disposed to stand on nice tearmes it was not long since he was otherwise imployed but libertie now the possession of his faire Loue maketh him secure The Greeke Prince hath lost his Sword and his Oliuia is far distant Meridian may therfore be much merrier than his famous Rescuer Let vs intend our iourney towardes Greece and therefore worthie Knight of Cupide dispose we pray thée of this Castle and the curteous Giant as to thy bountie best séemeth I will giue vnto the Giant said Rosicleer that which his bountie and vertue deserueth being there too vrged by Meridian Floralinda and your selfe Therefore I praye you call him that we may finish our affaires here The Nephew of the Troyan was not slothfull to fetch the Giant who till that time would not speake with anie neither come foorth of his chamber with the gréefe he conceiued for the losse of his Father and Brethren all that while his Sister did cure him and giue him diet He came in a gowne of russet veluet cut vpon purple and the Giant Ladie with him who although she was great yet was shee well proportioned At their comming all the Princes arose vp which argued in them great and high curtesie and beeing all set againe the Greeke addressâ—d his talke vnto the Giant I doo wel vnderstand vertuous Brandafidell that neither the death of your Father and brethren neither to sée your selfe ouercome and in prison and your Castle in the power of a strange owner hath bin occasion to alter your heart as one that knoweth vnto what man is subiect liuing vnder the continuall chaunce and change of fortune It shall not therefore be needfull for your comfort to laye before you anie example of him that in one daye was a King and in the same was throwne into a cage or prison This I speake worthie Knight for that you should accept this present fortune as a thing you looked for and so you shall see that the euill shall neuer gréeue you because it commeth as a thing expected before The death of them all is a griefe vnto me and I should haue béen verie ioyfull if there had béene any other meane to haue preuented it but the imprisonment of these Princes being betwéene deserued that a better estéemed life then mine should be aduentured for their liberties It is now done and there could be no lesse don Therfore confirme your selfe vnto that which fortune doth offer which is the fréendship of these Princes and mine and if there be any other thing requisite and necessarie for the satisfaction of the dead you are at libertie and Lorde of the Castle as before for that these worthy Princes doe thinke it conuenient and séeing you are a néere neighbor vnto the Princes Countrie acknowledge him for your friend and he will fauour you in all he may And in satisfaction of the pain and griefe they suffered in the inchantment the losse of my estéemed swoord hée shall at our intreatie tell vs who is this great wise man and where hee dwelleth that in way of prophecie thus foretelleth wonders And therewith the Prince concluded his spéech giuing contentment vnto them all Then the stout Pagan aunsweared with a kinde of humilitie which procéeded from his vertuous disposition I will not â—â—ower of Knighthood for this present nor for that which is past newly binde my selfe to be more affectioned neither héerwith more extoll the noblenesse which you doe vse in doing that which is common to so soueraigne a Prince I liued in securitie and you being the victor I cannot say I am ouercome And being conquered by those warlike handes I do extende that nothing could to mee bee more glorious then to haue put my selfe in the field against him that Mars himselfe dare not contende with The libertie which you and these Lords doe giue I so estéeme of it as is good reason I shoulde but I woulde change it howsoeuer to be alwaies in your companie and employ it as experience should manifest in your seruice while life lasted ending therewith my swéete bondage I acknowledge all you my kinde Lords and friendes for that you demaund touching the inchauntment Many dayes past my mother did tell vs that in the Grecian house was borne my fathers death and now it is wel séen for that you haue giuen it him and she said that with very griefe to sée my father slaine shee should dye and that I shoulde see in her reuenge running brookes of Grekish bloud for that she had an Unkle the wisest man that is to be found in all those partes who neuer woulde carrie vs to sée his dwelling which is called the hidden Iland and they say that it was neuer séen of any since he dwelt in it And that for this reuengement he will ioyne together the greatest part of all the Pagans nourishing and maintaining fiue Knights which
vnderstande the discontent that Floriana shoulde receiue by your death and the wrong you shall commit in not sustaining your life And therewith the page caused him to eate of such foode as he brought although it was with an euill will But yet the heauens did ordaine a remedie worthy to comfort this wofull Prince for by reason of his great wearines he fell a sléepe a while although it was not much for that with a sodaine anger he arose vp saying Ah my Goddesse and is it possible that there shall remaine no memorie of thy glorie and my torment this commeth not of the loue I beare vnto thée But I doe promise to solemnize thy feast returning into Spaine and giue the world to vnderstand with what affection Torismundo loued thée and in saying this hee went vnto a great and mightie Poppler trée on whose barke he fixed with his dagger these verses Ye Fawnes and Satyres seruants to great Pan. And olde Syluanus all assemble yee Ye lightfoote Nimphes assist a wofull man Of wood or water whether ere ye be Wilde Forrest beasts shall helpe you in your song And roare a base to thunder out my wrong Not one must sing a meane in my lament Except the still streame gliding on the pebble Thus will we carroll out my discontent My wofull selfe will sing or cry the treble Or if ye will confusion marre our song For we are all confounded by deathes wrong On the other side of the Fountaine there was a rough and knottie ashe whereas he descyphred the swéete name of his fayre mistresse and concluded with this Ode Floriana had not dyed Had not Fates her Loue enuyed Torismundo impartiall Fate With a deadly killing hate Sought to punish but could finde Nothing to torment his minde Till the fatall Sisters fell Worse than those three hags of hell Chancing to behold Cantabria And her Soueraigne Floriana Heard her praise the Prince of Spaine Heard her for his lacke complaine Heard her say she was his ioy Heard her sweare that no annoy Could to Torismund betyde If she liude to be his Bride Where withall from her liues clue Hastely the thred they drue And with speed they cut the same When they heard my hatefull name So because I was enuied Gentle Floriana dyed This worthy louer being somewhat quieted depared and comming to the Christaline water hee washed his blubbred face and handes and drunke of the vertuous Fountaine which so quicklie did worke his necessarie effect that before he departed from the water hee knew not what had passed with him but the amorous life that before séemed to be a dreame although he remembred all yet not in such sorte that the death of the faire Floriana should giue him any perticuler griefe but rather seemed that he did wrong vnto Spaine that so quickly left it for blind affection Being in this new frée estate hee saw comming out of the thickest of the mountaine a Damsell mounted on a mighty blacke horse with a Lyon before her who at her arriual with a gallant demeanor alighted and comming to the Prince she said in the Spanish tongue Ualardus Torismundo a wise man who desireth thy good as to himselfe commanded me to bring thée this armour and horse and although their coulours are now contrary to the new and pleasant time and frée state which thy destiny hath brought thée yet the troubles are so many that you must passe in tormenting your couragious hart that you may from this present beare a deâ—ice conformable vnto that griefe and in recompence he will desire no more but that your heart faile not but alwaies haue in memory the noble bloud from whence you descend till such time as the tame Lionesse nigh to the place whereas now you vnderstood of the death of Floriana méete thée then shalt thou know of the frée life that shal be admitted thée and then thou shalt leaue this blacke armour putting on with better reason this which thou nowe wearest the which shall remaine vpon that poplar till all be finished that I haue here rehearsed vnto thée for so it is ordayned This swift Damsell tarried for no answere but with the spéede of an Eagle she put her selfe into the Forrest presently this young Mars did put of his pretious gréene armour with the which he did incounter the mighty Alphebo and hung it on the poplar whereas he found this saying He that takes thy armour hence which thou leauest for this blacke Shall againe in recompence giue thee ioy which thou wilt lacke With great ioy did this worthy Spaniard leaue his pretious armour and armed himselfe in the blacke armour of truth for that there were few like vnto it The armes as I say were all blacks but onely in the middest of the shield was painted Hope and Fortune Fortune saying thus With the turning of my Wheele all estates of men doo change Greefe or ioy they vsde to feele on a sodaine seemeth strange Hee had not well concluded the perusing of the shield with the deuice when that somewhat a farre off he heard a great troope of horse and sometimes the noyse of Women which séemed that they were by force constrayned which was the occasion that he leapt vpon his inchaunted horse and went into the high way with all spéed possible But by reason it was night and the Moone went verye low he could not sée nor know what people they were til such time as cléere Day appeared from the East then from a little hill whereon he ascended for to learne what it should bee hee discouered a mightie waggon drawen with sixe swift horse being full of people and to the number of 30. Knights with them and two furious Giants by which he conceiued that those in the waggon were caried prisoners Wherewith he descended from that little mountaine like an arrow out of a bow and ran with hys horse after them till it was in the afternoone and then hée was constrained somewhat to rest his horse in which time the Giants got vantage of the way for that the horses in the waggen were verie good After he had a while refresht his horse this warlike Youth went from thence more swift than the stone out of the sling till such time as in trauelling he saw a gentle Knight with russet armour and his shield of the same and in it the deuice of Cupide with two faces different vnto that hee was wont to beare for that they were now both closed This was the frée Dacian if you doo remember in amorâ—â—us conference with the French Ladie on their iourney towards Paris the Prince by the vertuous Fountainâ— changed had on his shield this Embleme written by the wise Lyrgandeo Sith my libertie is gained Close those eyes my heart that pained The Prince receiued great contentment when he saw the shield with that posie and willed the Pages that they should follow him softly after and spurring his inchanted horse he ran with more swiftnes than
of my hart Sir Knight said Terismondo I giue you great thanks for that you haue said as for the rest it is very apparant my necessity néeded your strength and to both we may attribute the raunsome of those Ladies for my name I answer you as you do me it is not iustice to denie a thing to him that hath so much desire to make me pertaker who hee is Know then that I am Torosmondo Prince of Spayne whome fortune that neuer ceaseth to be mutable hath brought as vanished into this country being tormented with amorous fyre and there he declared vnto him all his life and amorous dealings wherewith the Dacian was bound to declare vnto him of his loues and the great troubles that he receiued At the which the Spaniard remained greatly contented and they were maruelous affectioned the one vnto the other and the friendship that was betwéene them did so farre extend that it indured to the death which was the alonely meane able to seperate their loue and not the rigorous battels which they performed as shall bee tolde you were not sufficient but that they were the greatest friendes in all the world for that in one age and in one Countrie and at one selfe time fortune had giuen them remedy of their griefe With this the Dacian told him the lamentable occasion wherefore he went to Paris at the which the Spanish Prince reioyced at the heart for that he should once again sée the gallant Dutchesse who was no lesse delighted with his great beautie thâ—n hee was rauished and enamoured with hers They passed all that night one declaring to the other their former Loues till such time as the Spaniard did tell him of the great affection he had to the Dutchesse but the Dacian séeing that it was not good for him shee béeing a married Ladie did cause him to leaue it off Which was no small matter for that a new passion if once it be grapled to the heart will sooner make an ende of one than leaue him but for that the remedie was at hand it was easie to be forgotten At which conceipt they did not a little laugh both of them knowing the wonderfull effect of the fountaine The Damsell that vnderheard some of their amorous discourses said vnto them Of truth faire knights it was no small gréefe which the wise man did to disdainefull Ladies which found so good a remedie against their strangenes Of my selfe I say that if I were beloued I would not vse as commonly it is séene now among Ladies to dissemble so much that it causeth wings to be added vnto knights thoughtes to séeke out so vnsauerie a Fountaine for that it feemeth to me by the knowen vertue of this place it will fall out that she shall remaine forsaken by her dissembling and her gallant knight shal liue content to see her iust paine gréefe a worthie reward for proud statelines For if a Ladie loue wherefore doth she dissemble and if she hate wherefore doth shee not make it knowne But wee women are so strange of condition that we thinke that it is sufficient to be women that all the world may serue vs. This is a thing too vsuall which ought not to bee accepted amongst discréet people although it may séeme that she onely is discréet who often doth vse this false dissimulation Considering that hee who loueth and is not dissembled with doth not deserue the name of a Louer This hath place with them that are strange and giue not part of ioy to mitigate the griefe of the heart which loueth them and I hold that Knight careles who may bee remedied if hee will vrge it and yet simply bearing wrong reioyceth in his griefe beeing content to bee dissembled with Oh faire Ladie answered the tender Spaniard how sweete should a Louers life bée if all were of your opinion and how manie gréefes might they daily auoyd for that Ladies doo dissemble the affection which they beare their Louers and vniustly intreate them to whome they haue giuen their hearts Hencefoorth let all Ladies deale with me so sayd the Dacian Peace Cynicke said the Spaniard let me goe forward It is good a Lady should be circumspectâ—â— yeilding her honour on any tearmes and to estéeme it when all the world doth know that she is faire but to vse it in such sort to make her Louer suffâ—r griefe she her selfe beeing passioned and yet makes rigorous showes Faire Damsell I take this to be one of the greatest tyranyes that may be vsed either to Knightes or against themselues considering Knights to gratefie their Ladies euery moment put their liues at deathes doore And should the Lady then be coye in his loue whome she loueth with all her heart if so shée deale who can condemne him truly that leaueth to know her for her owne frowardnes is cause of her forgetfulnes You haue great reason on your side answered the gracious Damsell but these so costly hopes I like not of that when they come they are with pure hope loathed for to my iudgement and I beléeue all those that try shall find that the best of all hope in loue is bought for more then it is worth In these reasoninges they passed away a great part of the night till such time as the two newe friendes being wearie they layed their heades vpon their helmets to take rest so likewise did the Damsell and their Pages The Iusting which Don Heleno and Torismundo had at their entring into Parris and what more chaunced vnto them Chap. 5. APollo had scarse shewed himselfe at his golden window beholding the large Circle that he had to runne when as the two valiant friends did arme themselues with their stronge and inchaunted armour and mounted vppon better horses then those which the amorous shepparde did shew and began to trauell towards Paris with great desire to be reuenged for the Infant Grisalinda In this sort they trauelled till after a little more then two miles they came vnto a great and faire bridge for to passe the mightie Riuer of Some nigh vnto the high walles which compassed the Citty There they saw many Knights staying for to haue passed and some of them were in battaile These furious friendes pricked forwardes for to sée the good Iusting that was there And asking of one wherefore those Iustes were it was tolde them that the valiant Alsino did make the Iustes defending the beautie of a Lady that a little before was come vnto the Court This was the Dutches of Sauoy and hee was the Nephew of the redoubted King Partomio that accused the Princesse who séeing that there lacked but one day did think to carry her away with him and the proude Alsino the Dutches. The Dacian whose bountie was well knowne did very earnestly require Torismundo that they would let him frée the bridge The Spaniard did it with a very euill will for that it gaue him great griefe whan as it was told him Alsino was in loue with the Sauoyan
which you demaund but the one is contrarie to the other for if I doo not conclude this way I cannot lay hand on my sword so that it cannot be otherwise and therefore pardon mee who till now neuer denied anie thing that was requested of me The prince answered I will giue a remedie for the same if it be offence to none and take your hazard vpon my selfe I am content said the Moore because you shall perceiue that I will not refuse to giue you contentment and howsoeuer it bée beeing from hence I will hold you for my frend for that it séemeth to mée your worthines and curtesie doth deserue it Let it be so answered Meridian being much pleased with the gentle answere of the Moore and let vs goe thether where your Ladie is although it hinder vs of our iourney and there we will condition with her how this battell shal be concluded This giueth me greater content said the Moore for that the Goddesse of Beautie shall fully satisfie you with what great reason I doo defend her excellence Well séeing it is so said the prince I will imbrace you for a frend holding now in mine armes one of the best knights in the world It is I that doth profit thereby said the Pagan to sée mee in the conuersation of such companions There they all imbrased the one the other and Rosicleer tooke off his helme and discouered that deuine countenaunce which was such that the Moore said without all doubt this knight is one of the Princes of Gréece or els Mars himselfe for such proportion and shewe of valour I know not who hath attained except it be those whose fame in all the world is in equall degrée both for fairenes and valor In me Sir knight the prince answered is not that which you speake of yet at least I haue good will though I lacke force to imploy it in your seruice and I am verie glad that this battaile remaineth to bee yet decided that we may reioyce our selues in your companie all the time that we shall spend till wee come thether And I beléeue in this our boate we shall goe more at our content and to me and my companions a farther reioycing setting all anger apart if it will please you to serue your selfe of that we haue I giue you great thankes gentle knight answered the Pagan for the company you doo offer mee for although there is not in me any good part to deserue it yet there shall not lacke gratitude for to acknowledge it in such degree as it is reason And therewith hee caused his Page and People for to passe all into their ship but the Damse◠seeing that it would somewhat disturbe her going into Argentaria in time of so great necessitie said that shée would depart and take her iorney towards Greece for that if she should tarry so long she should fal into rebuke The which she would haue done if the Troyan Oristides had not stayed her and told her in secret that there was Rosicleer the Prince of Greece wherof she was verie glad that she had so good successe and aduised her to hold her peace and bee still till he told her more so therewith shee was quieted and put a fardle which she brought with her into the beat the which with the swiftnes accustomed began to nauigate the right way to Argentaria In this sort went these foure stout warriers in the boat debating of diuers things and finding fit opportunitie for the same the Prince Meridian in the name of the rest did request the Moore that hee would certifie them who hee was The curteous Moore answered I cannot but in all giue ye content séeing such Knights doth demaund me You shall vnderstand gentle and well disposed knights that I am the Prince of Tharsis the onely Heire of the kingdome after the death of my father and being a child I was tolde by wise men that in the beginning of my knighthood I should passe many perrils for loue and it séemeth to mee that it goeth forward accordingly this being the first which this Knight hath put me in I being in the Court of my Father the King of Argentaria passed by one part that lyeth vpon our Kingdome and brought with him his daughter of few yéeres but the fairest that euer nature framed the which Lady I being a child not knowing then what I did but now I should kill my selfe if I performed it not without any more consideration but with the content I receiued I made her a mansion in my brest where so long shée indured that in good earnest shée hath wholy possessed my soule Our Fathers were great friendes together at such time as they were aduenturous Knightes which was the occasion that hee detained them in Tharsis a long time but yet verie short for poore Lisarte for so I am called I am perswaded gentle knights that she did not gréeue to sée with what truth I did loue her she would neuer make any shewe thereof vnto me I might haue demaunded her of her Father and an easie thing it had béen to haue attained her for the release of my griefe considering the great frendship that was betwéene them but I did it not neither will I for that therby I should offend the affection I haue to her to procure loue by any other meanes than the right passions of a louer To conclude my fortune was such that her Father carried her to his kingdome I will not declare vnto you what griefe we two felt at our departure it were but to fill you with amazmentes but they shalt well feele it that haue knowen what benefit or losse cōmeth to be alienated or accompanied with the beloued I iudge as the one is a life the other is a death for the life I haue passed in her absence bringeth no content for that I was cléere without her sight and I beleeue it is an ordinary thing with Louers Now about a month past there came messengers from Argentaria to my Father demaunding succour for that a furious and fierce Giant being affectioned to the faire Flora doth demaund her in mariage and I doe beleeue that the heauens hath created vs for one To which she answered that first she wold teare her self in péeces rather thē marry to him At which answere he was so angry that at the instant hee ioyned together more then thirtie thousand men and fierce giants with whom he hath begun to spoile the Country My father for that he was bound went in person with much people and came thether in good time in such sort that they kept the Giant busie Amongst other things there came a letter vnto me from the faire Princesse y e which doth ease her absence when as it troubleth me And for that I know you wil receiue content therby I wil read it then you shall sée the reason I haue to loue her they al said that they should receiue great pleasure to heare it and therwith he
comforter and I will giue you knowledge of that little loue I haue and I am so certain that it will be shortly that I shall not erre ere long to say God giue you ioy of your alteration Meane while let vs depart for feare we be too long mist. They gone the Tartare stood confounded at the grace of Grisanea at length he said vnto his Frends Of truth worthie Princes although I had verie earnestly iniurde you yet you could not haue taken better reuengement than to bring me to a place where I haue lost my libertie not knowing who hath tooke mee captiue The harme is so common sir Knight answered the Spaniard that it is estéemed as the most certainest thing among Gallants which professe the seruice of Ladies But it is so strange to me answered the Tartarian that I cannot iudge thereof but according to y e gréefe which it causeth Thus conferring and on the death of the Phrigian Lord they tarried the retourne of the Damsell who likewise gréeued that the Princes were forced to giue so long attendance At last they came both in their petticoates vnto y e window the princely Ladie trembling to sée her selfe before her beloued Knight imagining what offence she did vnto her fame in comming in such sort but the amorous passion did ouercome all so that they came vnto the window without feare and made a little noyse for a signe So the prince came vnto the window which was somwhat low and hauing no power to speake a word he knéeled on his knées demaunding her hands to kisse They both remained silent which thing is common betwéene them that loue well for when they méete their eyes onely speake their tungs are mute The Ladie séeing his dumbe passion making strength of weaknes said I would not sir Knight that my comming hether at so vnfit an hower should cause you to iudge it rather rashnes than the bond wherein I stand bound to you for the good you haue done me Besides Alcisaes perswasion is the greatest cause of this boldnes Deuine Princesse answered the fearefull Youth I sée well that your excellence intendeth euerlastingly to binde mee more and more by your manie fauours That I should conceiue either rashnes or lightnes in this your humble visitation of mee were agaynst my soule irreligious sacriledge and against your deuine curtesie vnpardonable blasphemie I rather blesse my Fates that haue reserued me to this happie hower honor your pittie that hath respected my passions and acknowledge my dutie to Alcisa for solliciting my sute so effectually Your owne deserts sir knight said Alcisa was onely the solliciter in your loues sute I for my life and precious honours preseruation am till my death your bounden hand maid And though vppon my soule I durst vndertake that neuer anie disloyall thought will enter into your couragious breast yet is my Mistres charie of thys loue bargaine for gentle knight manie knights haue dealt vngently with gentle Ladies Therefore ye must protest déeply ere she will beléeue and kéepe religiouslye what you doo protest Ah gentle Damsell said the Spanish Prince to myne harts sorrow your eyes haue béen the witnes And if yee doubt me I sweare by the religion of true knighthood by all the vnstained honour of rightfull armes by the famous remembrance of my thrice reuerent Predecessors if Grisalinda will be gracious to her vowed knight of a more constant seruant should no Lady in the whole world boast I doo confesse sir knight said the princesse that I am infinitely bound vnto you and your vowes I verely beléeue for true but you shall pardon me for setting my affection much more for plighting my faith to a knight whom I know not Souereigne princesse said the Spaniard after I had séene you and that this Damsell declared vnto mée your worthines I haue procured things that redound vnto your honour séeking the certainest meanes to performe the same and I haue not found any thing with more content than to put my life in your seruice and desire no other paiment but your acceptance Touching my birth I assure you I am the Sonne of a most royall king and sole Heire of a rich and populous kingdome all which hopes with my true hearts spotlesse loue I humbly offer at your féete The Princesse held her peace awhile pondering the weightines of the cause but the discréet Alcisa said vnto her You néed not Madam make anie stay hereat but performe his sute although it be the greatest curtesie y t may be granted I will be his suretie he will be thankfull and neuer contradict your pleasure séeing with what plainnes you doo accept him And therewithall perforce shee tooke her hands and gaue them vnto the Prince who inclosed them in his not hauing anie power to speake till y e princesse said At my pleasure I make no question but I shal be reuenged for so manifest wrong done thus against my will The prince séeing her somewhat angrie sayd Faire Ladie if the righting of these wrongs must bee satisfied with my death let me now receiue it and I will account it welcomer than death And therefore answered the princesse will I not this time with deserued death punish you Doo not procéed anie farther said the Damsell but pardon vs and therewith he offered to kisse her hands Then she told him the next day she should goe to a house of pleasure charging him not to leaue France without her licēse Thus parted they he returning to his Frends the ioyfulst man liuing and so his passion led him that hee spake not to them till they came to their pages The princes markt it wel and laughed thereat and the Dacian though he were somwhat drowsie requested to be partner in his ioy He would haue answered but their desire to sléepe with another accident that happened which shall be handeled in the next chapter brake off his pleasant discourse at that time What chanced to the Princes by Brandarte King of Cyprus and his Knights and how they deliuered out of his power all the Queenes and Princesses that he had taken prisoners Chap. 9. THe worthie Torismundo rauished with ioy to sée himselfe so fauoured intended to pertake his ioy with two frends who being wearie were laid to sléepe and hée hauing as much néede meant to beare them companie but they wer scant asléep when a noyse of horses did disturb them yet they let them passe till by and by there followed others which disquieted thē in such sort that they prepared to take horse and followe them but on a sodain the Damsel who before had broght them their armour came foorth with a fardle and making her selfe knowen vnto them she said The Wiseman my master commendeth him to you and biddeth you to weare this armour to day and to you valiant Tartare for the ayde and helpe that one daye the Empire of Grecia shall haue of you he doth send these armes for with them shall happen the greatest first content
bee alone to make frée the passage and not to leaue some of vs without libertie The Hollandesse did well vnderstand her meaning but she dissembled and answered cleane contrarie to the matter saying I pray God that he be sufficient to cause them to surrender their armour vnto our guarders They had made their defiance with swift running of their horses they came the one against the other and méeting in the middest of the way they gaue such an encounter that it séemed they had pearced one an other thorough The Moore lost his right stirrop and in â—â—ming of his foote because he would not fall he made a foule wauering which was séene of all but purposing to make amendes for the same he tooke another great speare and went against the Tartare and encountred him with so great force that the vexed Moore lost his Saddle and the Tartare his reines which was the occasion that his horse carried him verye nigh vnto the Chariot but in recouering them hee made him returne and did a thousand gallant trickes with him al the which were pleasing actions to the heart of the faire Grisanea who could not chuse but say This Knight faire Cosin seemeth much like vnto him that yesterday had the praise of the Iustes The like thought the other two Ladies but the Dutches broke it off saying it cannot be he for that he would not come without his companion neyther durst any of them come for the death of the Phrigian Prince The procéeding forwards on their talke was cut off by the cruell Iustes of the two knights for in the middest of their carréere they met in such sort that it séemed it had bin two great rocks the one passed by the other w t great vp rightnes the one being greatly amazed at the strength of the other and taking other great Launces with all the swiftnes possible they encountred and shiuered them all in péeces which whirling in the ayre declared the force of their rigorous armes The Moore did a little stagger on the one side but not in such sort to bee accompted notable neither so but they did all praise his great force but that of the Tartare was iudged in fauour amongst the Ladies and amongst the knights with enuy not onely vnto them but also to proud Mars if hee were there for giuing them so great force They returned with the great furie wherewith they were indued and encountred in the middest of their course shiuering their Launces in small péeces which was the occasion that it pearced not their armour but so oppressed the knights that the horse of the Tartare bore backward thrée or foure paces and settled his buttocks on the ground which made them that were present to thinke that all would haue come together but he séeing how much it stood him in hand and more there then in any other occasion it was néedful for him to profit himselfe of his strength and to hold him fast vnto the necke of hys inchaunted horse and pricked him so stiffe that hee made him to leap forwards which caused the Ladies to be verie desirous to know who he was The curteous Andronio returned and thought that the encounter had beene of small effect wherwith he saw that the fierce Moore lay along on the ground and by him his horse that did beare him companie who with the force of that strong encounter the one remained without life the other without sence Wherewith verie lightly hee leapt on foote and went vnto the yéelded pray and it grieued him for that he thought he had bin dead he lay in such sort and when hee came vnto him hee tooke his helme from his head to giue him freshe ayre so that he might come vnto himselfe who at his return séeing himself in the power of his enemie that willed him to yéeld he answered Ualiant knight it is not fit that you should demaund more than the honor which you haue got in ouerthrowing me in this sort it had béene greater content vnto me that you had ended my life and sustaining my honor then to leaue me so voide thereof The Louer Andronio was greatly affected vnto the discréet words of his aduersarie and without any more wordes hee gaue him his hand and helped him from the ground and craued pardon of him for the death of his horse Nigh vnto them there was a French Knight who was ashamed that hee was ouerthrowen by the Moore who hauing no respect vnto reason but vnto the passion which guided him said you haue not to receiue any griefe valiant knight of the Serpentes for this for that it was first ordained that he who lost his saddle should loose therwith his horse and it is rather a vantage and that hee should not inioy that which an other inioyeth not The Tartare could not but receiue griefe to sée the signes of sorrow that he made to receiue that shame which the French knight had vsed toward him but Fortune did quickly giue him his hands full of occasion for to be reuenged on all But the Moore vsing the licence and libertie which the Tartare gaue him without taking leaue of any tooke an other horse out of the Tent and with his companion entred the same forrest and left the tent for the knight to do therewith his pleasure who for that hee had surrendred it vnto the Ladies of the Chariot on foote as hee was for that they sent to call him he went vnto them And vsing great curtesie wherof they were worthy comforting his troubled brest he said vnto them Faire Ladies although I doe not know for whom I haue done this little seruice yet I come to aske my discharge with offer of my good will for any other matter of great importance Thankes vnto you gentle knight answered the affected Hollandesse for this newe offer with securitie that for so much as you imploy your selfe in shewing your strength in the fauour of Ladies there could not fal better occasion than is this wee haue séene to frée this passage els we should haue béene driuen to séeke others The louing French Knights did not let to blush at the words which the Princessâ— said but dissembling they made no answere for to heare what Grisalinda did say vn-the knight Worthy Knight of the Serpents said she you shal content these Ladies and me in declaring vnto vs your name and who you are With a gallant grace answered the heroycall Tartare I would willingly faire Ladies that as fortune hath put into my hands life for to imploy it for your seruice that it woulde giue mee strength and power for to doe a thing so iust as to leaue my name in your handes But fortune enuying the glory that should follow héerof forbiddeth me by a former charge to tell who I am for that in telling thereof it will bee more costly to my fame than vnto my life The Holland Lady with great content would haue answered him to the purpose but greatly fearing that
eares Then passing forwards hee came vnto the two Moores said Away with the ladies you like while my fellowes kéepe these diuelish Knights busied So the king of Cyprus his Cousin and the Giant went vnto the Chariot and tooke each of them a ladie lamenting could not auaile them Yet in this hast the king of Cyprus tooke not his beloued Dutches but the princesse of France with whom like an Eagle spurring his furious horse he went directly towards the sea side The mightie Giant tooke for his lot her whom Apollo would haue chosen for himselfe for with him he carried the beauteous princesse of Holland and his Cousin the faire Orosia at whose shrikes the Tartar recouering his sense followed the Giant as fast as his horse could runne thorough a bushie way vnto a great plain where he ouertooke him two howers before day and ere the Giant could â—et down â—he Ladie he smit him so rash a blow that the princesse was in perill to be troden vnder the horse féete and the Giant remained without sense Andronio gaue a second blowe that wounded the Giant in the necke which caused hym to come to himselfe and like an infernall furie with hys dreadfull fawchion he came against the Tartar and both together stroke such blowes vpon their helmes that they quickly made show of their great force The noyse was such that it caused the trembling Ladie to come the sooner to her selfe and beholding the battell shee perceiued the Knight fought for her libertie against that monstrous Giant wherfore on her knées she desired the giuer of streÌ„gth to strengthen him When the Tartarian saw the pearly teares distill from her sun-bright eyes with the poynt of his sword hee went against the furious Giant who wyth his fawchion aloft came towards him but by reason of the swiftnes of his horse he thrust his sword into the Giaunts bodie and drawing it backe drew â—oorth his life withall the Giant falling to the ground with so fearfull a crie that the princesse trembled though she were fréeed by the Giants death With no smal ioy the prince alighted comforted her when he beheld it was his beloued Ladie and pulling off his helme he discouered his faâ—e beeing high coloured with the heate of the battell No lesse ioyfull was the faire princesse in séeing him so well proportioned a Knight who when he came vnto her kneeled downe said Receiue faire princesse this smal seruice with more intire good wil than my tung can expresse Then answered the affected Ladie Ualiant Knight so much haue ye done that I can no way reward ye but by publishing â—our force which is the mightiest that I haue séene for that I should estéeme tell mee your name and withall carrie me where the Quéene my Mother is whom I beléeue remaineth sorrowfull for my absence Madam answered the ioyfull Tartar I haue no will but to accomplish your will and receiue great ioy that you wil imploy me in any thing I am Andronio the Prince of Tartarie and in telling you this I doo discharge my promise to you yesterday when I left my dagger in pawne and receiued this rich iewell in place thereof which because it hath been on that faire necke added abilitie to my weake strength and boldens me to request ye that I may wear it as your knight in whose name I wil execute all my dooings The Lady was verie ioyous in séeing him she loued to bée the Knight that succoured her said I craue pardon worthie prince in that I haue not intreated you according to your desert but I am excusable by reason I knew you not All is satisfied said the Prince if you accept me into your seruice You aske quicke payment replied the Princesse but lest you should condemne me of ingratitude let it be according to your wish This ioyfull Youth did perforce kisse her hands washing them with teares through the content he receiued which nothing gréeued the Princesse when she saw with what affection he did it accompting her self happie to be beloued of such a prince The which this couragious Youth perceiuing and incited by their solitarie béeing he said vnto her halfe trembling Faire princesse after all this happines it would gréeue me if Fortune enuying â—ny good should tread downe my glorie and bestow it on another you might if you please time and place so fitting assure mee of happines and rid nice of all doubt Your spéech is strange to meâ— said the vexed princesse to my reason it séemeth conuenient being intertained wyth this gentlenes you should consent your selfe Nothing is more certaine faire Ladie answered this fearefull Youth than the curtesie which you alreadie haue shewed me in receiuing me for the knight of your seruice is sufâ—icient reward for more than all my worth yet to assure my good make me happie by a husbands name Sir Knight said she you are too forward and if I thought anie misbehauiour in me caused this boldnes in you I would let out that lightnes with my life These words and the sharpenes of their deliuerie so wounded the Tartarian that he fell sensles on the princesses lap who séeing him in y e case was readie to beare him companie but with teares cryings she recalled him and he reuiuing said Ah haplesse Tartarie twice bereft of thy natural Lord who by disdaine in France is seazed on by death Oh my valiant and new Frends no more shall I contentedly reioyce wyth you And you cruell Ladie may triumph in his death that hath defended your honor and life Ah worthie knight said she God knowes what sorrow I suffer for that with my honour I cannot worke your content there being such difference in our Religions yet rather than you shal thus afflict your self sweare to me to be bapâ—isde and I do yéeld my whole estate into your hands Expresse I cannot the Tartarians ioy he vowd to be baptisde possest his wish and with his betrothed wife rid toward the house of pleasure and on the way she told him how the Giants first set vpon them by the riuers side We will leaue these Louers on the way and declare the end of the battell betwéene the two princes the Giants who held them so hard that they could not preuent the carrying away of the Ladie The valiant Dacian to conclude the battell stroke the Giant such a blow that it tooke away his sight and at that time had the Spaniard made his aduersarie stoop on his saddle bow And beeing nigh the Dacian he stroke him so surely on the buckling of the helme that head and all fell to the ground and then with two blowes they both together dispatched the other Giant Then without any stay they folowed those that carried away the Princesses and ouertaking them at the edge of the mountaine they cried False Knights leaue your pray the same will cost you your heads And therewithall they smit two such blowes that they made them leaue their Ladies
frée time with his welbeloued frends till on a day at the taking vp of the tables there entred the Damsell which the wise man had sent him so many times who making great curtesie vnto the king she went vnto the prince Heleno and gaue him a letter from the wise Lirgandeo who did read it aloude being as followeth REmembring and acknowledging wherein I was bound so long time past vnto your father and you valiant prince studying how much I may shewe it for your conduct I haue found it coÌ„uenient that you leaue the dainties of the Court and return to the auncient trauels now void from your warlike mind and with the armor which my damsel shall giue thée thou shalt depart foorthwith aduising the Tartare thy frend that the princesse in recouering more strength to sustaine so long a iorney hee returne thether wheras with great necessitie he is desired and to haue me in the number of his frends for I wil deal faithfully in his affaires he who gouerneth the world be thy kéeper giue thée forces to suffer that which is tarying for thée In concluding the reading of the letter the Damsel said that foorthwith he shuld arme himself for that it was conuenient with all spéed he should go foorth of France wheras so quickly frée hearts do humble their necks vnto the amorous yoke of Cupid and therewith she tooke out a russet armour and began to help to arme him and gaue him a shield with the ancient deuice of Cupid with two faces They al receiued content to sée the riches of that armour but not without griefe to consider that the owner should so long be absent so he tooke his leaue of them all not admitting the company of any he embraced his good frends not without some sorrow but especially to the Ladies So the valiant Heleno went out of France leauing them to talke of his great strength for many yéeres and when he came to the Sea side he found his inchanted boate who ingulfed him into the sea in such sort that hee lost the sight not onely of them that did beare him companie to the Sea side but also of the most highest rockes that were there All the Knights returned vnto Paris much lamenting the absence of y e Prince although it was a ioy to sée the bringing vp of the yong Princes euerie day more and more increasing in beautie till the time came that the Tartare with his faire wife †yong Sonne did imbarke themselues in a wel appointed ship to saile towards Tartaria at whose departure the faire Grisalinda was left solitarie who with motherly affection did bring vp her Sonne the Prince and her cosin till they came to the age of fourtéene yéeres who in the bignes of their bodies and gallant disposition séemed to bee of many more yeares where as wee will leaue them for to tell of that which hapned to the Tartare trauelling to his Country What hapned to the mighty Tartare Andronio at the Sea with a ship of Rouers of the ayde and succour that Rosicleer and his companions gaue him Chap. 10. TOwards Tartaria went this curteous Andronio with his welbeloued Princesse Grisanea verie ioyfull for the good chance which fortune had giuen him in accomplishing his desires with so little gréefe vnto his minde In the same degrée of ioy was the faire Grisanea dryuing away the painful voyage with the presence of her welbeloued Andronio and the faire Prince Andronisio from whom the amorous Lady did neuer depart accompting that life to be death with the absence at least of one of them So they trauelled with prosperous gales Aeolus shewing to them greart frendship til the tenth day of their nauigation they beheld two ships with full sailes bearing their course by and by the worthy Tartarian began to put in order his knightes in the most dangerous parts of his ship because they should not come vpon them vnprouided not without many teares of the faire Princesse Grisanea who began to complaine on fortunes mutabilitie On the contrarie her Louer went vpon the fore-castle of the Ship being armed with his strong and shining armour and at his going foorth met with his beloued Lady who greatly increased the couragious minde wherewith he was indued At this time the two great Ships were come so nigh that they might discerne who came to them for at the ships side appeared a furious fierce and vnséemely knight that lacked little to be a Giant wâ—â—â— with many moe other knighâ—s beganne with great noise to bid them yéeld But the Tartarian séeing that with such people it was not boote to reason answered them with their swoords in their handes and caused his ship to be grappled with that of the great knight with more courage then if he had the victorie of that battaile secure so there began betwéene these two one of the most rigorous battels that euer was séene at sea For that the Rouer was one of the most valiantest amongst the Pagans At their méeting they settled two so myghtie blows that both of them with the griefe gaue testimonie of the force of his enemie Our valiant Andronio redoubled an other on the deformed knight which lighted on a Target of fine stéele which he had for a shield which being done with great cholar he saw him to step backe thrée or foure paces wherwith he entred after him thinking all had béen ended but in a moment before hee could enter into the Ship of his contrarie he was with a sharp assalt disturbed by the great Knight who stroke him vpon the shield and although it could not enter by reason of the Magicall temper yet he droue it to his helme with so great force that it made him not onely to loose that which he had got but all his standing by the force of the blowe wherewith began such a battaile that it séemed to bee of many more Knights Those on the Tartares side did well defend themselues and offended their contraries but when the second ship came and boorded her on the other side it was cause that the curteous Andronio left the battell with the other and supplyed the greater necessity and did great wonders for whereas he went hee made a broad way amongst them that were so bolde in troopes to enter into his ship trusting in their strengths because they were so many There he found the lacke of help that his good frends had done for him and was assured if they had béene there those people had béen but a few to haue withstood their forces Likewise it grieued him to sée the wéeping Princesse with her Sonne in her armes from vnder hatches beholding the bloudy battel committing all her charge vnto the high maker of all the world and that hee would not permit the losse of her husband before he were Baptized which he had so earnestly promised to perform At that time the afflicted Lady did sée that they entred into the ship in thrée other places that
came to the head or sping of a gallant Christall Fountaine which was vnder certaine myrtle trées and there they alighted and let their horses taste of the water of that swéet and cléere spring and the gréen grasse that was there Then did their Pages bring forth such victuall as they brought from the doubtfull Castle making on the gréene grasse a more daintie Table than they had in Grecia and they passed Dinner with as great content if that Meridian had not disturbed it with the remembrance of the losse of his wife although he was somwhat eased with the confidence in Brandafidell and they all no lesse reioyced at the swéet musike which the birds made in the shadow than of that which they were wont to haue in the Royall Pallaces but the one and the other they did leaue for to heare a delicate voice which at the sound of a Harpe they did heare not far off and considering what it should be they heard that it began with a prosound sygh in this sort Though I be scornd yet will I not disdaine But bend my thoughts faire beauty to adore What though she smile when I sigh and complaine It is I know to try my faith the more For she is faire and fairenes is regarded And I am firme firme loue will be rewarded Suppose I loue and languish to my end And she my plaints my sighes my prayers dispise O t is enough when Fates for me doe send If she vouchsafe to close my dying eyes Which if she doe and chance to drop a teare From life to death that balme will me vpreare With an other sygh no lesse than the first did the wofull voice conclude which gaue occasion to the frée Troyan to arise and taking his shield he desired them to tarie for that hee would know who hee was that with so great griefe did publish his sorrow and went directly thether whereas the voice was and vnder a high and great pine trée he saw lying along a knight armed in armor all plated siluer like ful of gréen Roses without his helm which lay by him and a shield of the colour of his armor in the middest of the field in place of the flower was this Posie Nor frownes nor scornes preuaile Resolued loue to quaile The knight was very yong one of the fairest that euer he saw his eyes were swollen with wéeping The Troyan had great desire to know who he should be but stayed for that he saw he would return to his doleful song in this manner Let heauen and earth let Gods and men conspire To adde more griefe vnto my greeued minde So my faire Saint doe know my true desire I haue enough content therein I finde Loues bonds are heauen dull freedome is a hell Come all worlds woe yet loue can make it well This louing Youth intended onely to make the ayre pertaker of his gréefe so turning himself vpon the gréen grasse he said Oh Loue why in the beginning of my â—eÌ„der yeres hast thou made me place my felicitie in a person that hates mée Ah swéete Mistres I doo acknowledge your desert and giue my gréefe to witnes it yet if I may say it without offence as you are rare in beautie so I am a Phoenix in loue Oh that it pleased the heauens I might shew you my louing heart there should you sée how faith sustaineth the same against the extremitie of all your crueltie This afflicted Youth could procéed no further for that he was disturbed by the Troyan who desirous to know what he was in this sort saluted him I would fain faire Knight know what hath brought you into this estate if you stand in néed of my person I will imploy it in your helpe I néed not your companie said this disturbed Louer much lesse your helpe depart I pray you for your presence doth me wrong Thou art vncurteous answered the Kinsman of Hector so to reply vnto my Knightly offer Nay then I perceiue said the Youth you are ignorant what pleasure solitarines bringeth to the passionated Louer I answered the Troyan and hope euer to be ignorant of such pleasing sorrow O heauens how hast thou liued said the Youth art not amorous Now God defend me said Oristides from that madnes O generous thoughts of mine replied the Youth is it possible that Rosabel should liue and heare Loue slandered tarrie thou false Knight for with thy blood I trust to write vpon these trées the glorie of them that be Louers And therewith like a viper trodden on he arose vp to lace on his helme sodainly cast a thrust at y e Troian that hee made him retire backe thrée or foure paces almost past memorie Ere hee recouered the Youth strooke him so on the Uisor that hee made him sée starres in his darke helme and doubled another vpoÌ„ his shoulder that shrewdly pained him By this the Troyan did plainly sée that the Knight with whom hée dealt was aswell Mars his sonne as Cupids seruant and therefore rowsing himselfe he smit him such a blow vpon the shield that he made him put one knée vpon the ground The Youth was cunning and at the discharge of y e blow hurt the Troyan so on the legs that his red blood distained the gréene meadow With excéeding furie tooke Oristides his sword in both his hands and doubled two such extreame blowes that the young Knight knew not where he was but quickly recouering himselfe he retourned a double paiment A thousand thoughts came vnto the Troian in imagining who this valiant Youth might bée yet so he dealt with him that he made him sweat drops of blood At the noyse of this rigorous battell came the two Princes at which instant the Youth had feld the Troyan to the ground whence quickly recouering and with his sword seeking to reuenge the Princes stept betwéene them saying Part Knights it is not iust to permit this battell to come to an end without knowing the cause It is sayd the Youth because this Knight counteth a Louers life vnhappie which occasion is not so small but if I liue with his life he shall answere it Sir Knight said Meridian let not this flight quarrell hinder our important busines the matter being no more but you thinke Loues bondage swéet and he in libertie findes his content But that you shall perceiue doubt of his ablenes is no cause of this I will warrant that within these ten dayes either here or where els soeuer you will appoint this Knight shall ende the battell I am content aunswered the yong Knight for that your gentle disposition doth more binde mee than this Knights arrogancie therefore let the battell be here where onely accompanied with my solitarie thoughts I will attend you Stand aside said the valiant Troyan in cases that concerne my owne honour I am more bound than to wait on strangers therefore there is no reason to disturbe vs till the battell be ended It cannot be said Rosicleer
midst of the Court and wondred at the gallant building at last he rose and came to a gate of stéele that had thereon this writing Whosoeuer wil win the Armour of the beloued Iason let him knocke with the pomell of his sword and he shall find the entrance dangerous Celindo for all the threatning knocked presently and the gate opened but on either side stood two deformed Sagittaries with hatchets of stéele in their hands readie to strike hauing their armes aloft At which sight the Prince was somewhat amazed but taking courage he ran vnder one of the Sagittaries armes which did not onely cause the Sagittarie to loose his blow but both hys hands for his fellâ—w ouer-reaching to hit the Prince pared them away by the wrists while the prince giuing the Sagittary on the further side a blow on the thigh that almost parted the bone rusht into the hall whether the one handlesse the other halfe leglesse followed him both whoÌ„ at two deadly thrusts he left dead and stopped to a Table whereon lay the richest armour y e was euer séene which before he could well touch there issued a Ladie with two faire Children to him saying It repenteth mee not that this armour made for the faithlesse Iason that forsooke me and these two children fitteth such a knight I charge you to be confident in seruice of Ladies especially your owne Ladie and let my example which I will in this ditty decypher bee to you a looking glasse With which word excellent musique sounded and the Lady thus sung I was of Colchos the admired Wherein the fleece of gold desired Of many knights their liues that lost Remaind vntucht the seekers crost With bloody death till I did see The face that won my libertie O my fortune fortunelesse To loue so soone my hearts distresse Old Aesons snone whom I reuiued Of life and beauty me depriued The Dragons fierce for him I quaild Against the keepers he preuaild All my deere Countrey I forsooke And him for all I gladly tooke O my fortune fortunelesse To loue so soone my hearts distresse For when I thought I was beloued And for his good my Arte had proued To Creufa he his sauour lent And falsly from Medea went Who iustly moou'd with kindled yre Slew these two Babes burnt her in fire O my fortune fortunelesse To loue so soone my harts distresse Then discoursed she to him all the storie of Iasons loue to her for shee was the inchaunted Medea and remember said she the Ladie you shal loue is of Grecia To the Prince of Scythia haue respect for by Nature you are thertoo bound and how euer by Gelasio you are charged to the contrarie yet loue the Grecian princes and much good fortune follow you Herewith she and the Children vanished and he ascended armed vp vnto his Sister who thoght long of his comming but at his sight was excéeding ioyfull especially embracing him for performing the Aduenture When either had sufficiently delighted themselues in saluting other they returned to the Castle not entring by the ordinarie gate but by the Fountaine Court where were the precious Daggers which Floralisa woon for all her Companions by the death of a Sea monster that assailed her as she passed by the Fountaine The wise Gelasio brought all the princes for by then Clarisel Argante and Torisiano wer returned from hunting into the chamber where the pictures were where Floralisa fixed her eyes vpon the Image of the Tinacrian Poliphebo Clarisell gazed on her and Celindo on Rosaluiras Counterfet Who knowing his loue was of Grecia determined to trauell thether and to this the Wise-man agréeâ—d for that they should defie the princes Clarisel went alone full of passion and solitarines best fitted his disquieted thoughts The Brother and Sister went the next day and the daye after their departure Argante and Torisiano followed hauing first vowed eternall frendship Them will we now leaue till time giue vs leaue to talke of them and return to the faire Roselia and Arbolinda of Scotland that followed Heleno prince of Dacia apparelled like pages What chaunced Roselia and Arbolinda in seeking Heleno Prince of Dacia Cap. 18. YOu are not ignorant I am sure that of all gréefes none equalleth the sorrow we receiue to be seperated from those we do affect nor anye paine is easier ouerpassed than the trauell to follow them whom we desire to sée Roselias example and Arbolinda her kinde Frends may serue for proofe for they pursued the Dacian through all dangers of sea and land Roselia led by loue of him and Arbolinda by affection to her One day the Dolphins dauncing on the vntroubled waters there came a ship hulling along by the barke wherein these boy-like Ladies sayled in which ship were Lisarte prince of Tharsus and Florisarte his Sonne who beholding the beautie of the two pages for so they tooke the princesses to bée caused their ship to stay and Lisarte thus said Faire pages doo this yong Knight and me so much fauour as to tell vs to what Knights you doo belong and in what Countrey you were borne Arbolinda who at the sight of yong Florisarte was enamoured thus answered Faire sir wee haue no Masters but were borne in Thracia and are now going toward Scotland to certayne Triumphs where we hope if good Fortune prouide not better for vs before to finde some famous Knights that shal be our Lords I would said Florisarte with an affectionated sigh that my Father the King of Tharsus Florisarte his sonne were so happie to entertaine ye Arbolinda noting the affection the prince spake with replied We shal be happie to be entertained of such royall Masters Lisarte like one ouerioyed embraced them both and discharging the Marriners they tooke the Princesses aboord their ships and demaunded their names Mine said Arbolinda is Artimio and this my fellowes is Roselio Lisarte tooke Roselio for his Page and Florisarte entertained Arbolinda in whome hee so delighted that he wholy to her surrendred his heart not knowing whome hee loued yet promised he to loue none but whom Artimio his page appointed Who therof excéeding ioyfull gaue him her own picture in a table whereon he dayly contemplated Lisarte ioyed no lesse though farre in other sense in his Page and as they sate swéetly conferring the Dacian passed swiftly by in his inchanted boate to whom Roselia cryed Knight stay for them that follow thée Arbolinda séeing her faynt and the Princes wondred at her sodaine change cherished her vp first and told Lisarte that the Knight in the russet armour had done his fellow and him much wrong Artimio said Lisarte I will not liue if I reuenge not your wrong Roselia greeuing to heare the Dacian threatned said many haue said much and failed in the enterprize And while they were in this conference came by the gentle Brandafidell who was going with Floralinda into Gréece the Princesse sitting aboue hatch somewhat discontent being grieued at her long being at Sea Lisarte noting the Giants
for rescue nor if they had cried could they haue béen heard the noyse and tumult was so great for the Ladies that waited on them sent out shrill cryes able to haue pierced the clowds but the heauie groanes of dying men deadly brayings of wounded horses so filled the place that â—ootlesse were all their lamentations For now Rosabel was mounted and Liriana before him the two Bretheren had her two Kinswomen and Lisarte their Sister Before them rid Oristoldo and Florisarte filling the iawes of death wyth heapes of dying men that fondly sought to hinder theyr swift escape For Marcello had commanded the chaynes that serued for pales to the place of Tornay to bee taken downe that all the Cittie being armed might enter and inclose the Knights strangers to reuenge the death of the Egyptian SoldaÌ„ the gates indéed it was folly to close because a great wal was ouerthrowne to ioyne the field adioyning to the Pallace gréene that the Court for Tornay might be more spacious Through this place passed our sixe Princes all men making meanes to giue them way but not one so mad to follow them And quickly comming to the place where they left their knights and pages there they set downe their amazed Ladies who began lamentably to complaine But when they knew what Knights they were their feare was turned vnto ioy and Liriana aboue the rest reioyced in her Rosabel Neuerthelesse considering the danger wherein the Souldan her Father was it was thought necessarie that Rosabel Florisarte Oristoldo should returne to the battaile whereuppon determining they changed their horses helmes and shéelds because they would not be knowen and posted to Niquea with all spéed In the meane time the pleasant Celandian princesse to chéere vp Liarana that drooped for the absence of Rosabel carrolled out this swéete dittie in praise of Fortune When Tyrants will had neere constraind Our Virgins state to haplesse stay And in our hearts we all were paind With thinking on the wedding day Then Fortune turned our distresse To endlesse ioy and happinesse The hatefull obiects of our harts Plumde in their pride did threat the skie And them we liked for deserts As exiles forced were to flie Yet Fortune that our griefes did see Prouided vs of remedie She sent our frends that quaild our foes She gaue vs life when death was nigh To ioy she turned all our woes Downe cast with greefe she raisd vs high Her Godhead therefore we adore And praise sweet Fortune euermore By this the thrée princes entred the Battell finding the Soldan vnhorsed defending himselfe against two giants whom Rosabel at two strokes cut in sunder With this y e King of Garamantia approched saying Soldan retyre thy knights and if I or my fellow kings bee guiltie of this daies tumult or thy daughters rape let vs die He speaketh reason said Rosabel heare him great prince For your desert I will said the Soldan on that condition and therewith he caused retreat to be sounded And so the kings submitting themselues to bee tryed that they were innocent of conuaying the Princesses away they were deliuered vnto an aged Prince to kéep and the thrée Princes with swift spéed returned to their Loues where in the middest of their delight a crosse accident barred their pleasure as shall bee expressed in the next Chapter How the Princesse Liriana and her companions sweetly conuersing with their loues and brethren were sodainly surprized by the wise Lupercio and inchaunted Chap. 22. THis vaine world wherein pleasures are gotten with much paine giueth no certaine continuance of the good wee toyle for but rather an houres storme of euil snatcheth from vs all the content that in a whole age with care we haue gathered Experience of this these Princes sodaine griefes shal be who had scarcely obtained a breathing time of ioy but a world of sorrow was heaped on their heads If you be remembred in the beginning of this historie where Brandafidel described the estate of FangomadaÌ„ and the cause of the inchauntment to Rosicleer Meridian and Oristides after y e death of his Brother he telleth theÌ„ of one Lupercio a wise man in Egipt that was master of his Unkle Gelasio and taught him his deuilish Artes. This Lupercio being acquainted with the successe of all things at Niquea by his Arte and knowing also where the Princes and Princesses were put himselfe into an inchanted Chariot drawen with foure furious Griffons and departing from his deuilish habitation came néere the pleasant place where these Princes fearelesse of such execrable euil were delighting themselues with amorous conuersation Neither did this Lupercio hate them for any other thing than because his scholler Gelasio was by them so crossed imprisoned It was about the houre of twelue at midnight when after long toyle the Knights intended to take rest the Ladies offering to watch be their kéepers Liriana begun a ditty to bring them all a sléep in whose vndersong Roselia Arbolinda the Soldans néeces and the Princesse of Celandia assisted her with voice and musique Sleep while we sit and be your Guard Your tyred lims rest in our laps Your endlesse faith be our reward Then care we not for after haps Lyke you lay Mars on Venus knee While she did sing her Lullabee Lullaby Lulla Lullaby So sweetly Warre with Loue doth lye Thou wert the substance of my griefe But art the ground worke of my ioy Thy absence causd my sorrow cheefe But now thy sight exiles annoy I mournd for thee thou weptst for mee Yet sing I now ioyes Lullabee Lullaby Lulla Lullaby So sweetly Warre with Loue doth lye The Knights had not closed their eyes nor the musique fully closed in due straines with the conclusion of the Ladies song when sodainly a fierie chariot drawen by â—oure Griffons descended and out of the chariot issued two fearfull Centaures that snatching vnder either arme a Lady carried away to the Chariot Liriana her two Cosins and the Princesse of Celandia with such swiftnes that the Princes were not able to rise ere the Chariot was mounted in the ayre the Ladies making such lamentation as the senselesse trees assisted by the whistling of the winde among their leaues séemed to sigh for their sorrow Liriana being heard alowd to cry Oh Rosabel why am I taken from thée when in thée was all my ioy And with this the chariot and Ladies were out of sight O tragicke Sister that beutifiest thy writings with griefe-discoursing lines a little lend me thy all able help that in concluding this booke I may straine teares from the pittying eyes of the Readers when they shal conceiue the sorrow that the princes conceiued at this sodaine accident All of them so gréeued as the dull earth drunke with their teares sent foorth from her pierced bosome salt and brackish springs that yet remaine in the forrests of Niquea as endlesse testimonies of that sad midnights misaduenture the chast Moone clouded her bright countenance and swéet Venus in her spheare lookt more discoloured than when the son of Mirrha was murdred by a sauage Boare and the Day-Starre refused to lead backe the hoast of heauen to giue way to the next daies morning but mourned in the skies euen as when Ceyx his sonne was drenched in the Seas But if all these Planets Earth Springes and Princes sorrowed y e grief and rage of Rosabel so much excéeded all as neither the fortunelesse Mother of those fourtéene Sons and Daughters slaine by the son and Daughter of Latona could with her griefe equall his sorrow nor the wrath of Alcides wheÌ„ he sacrificed himselfe on the mountaine of Oeta be compared to this yong princes rage And surely had not the wisedome of Lisarte preuailed he had desperatly ended his life who perswading him and the other princes that by the words on the Christaline piller which supported the tower where Rosabel was inchanted it was very likely they were borne thether and therwith combining themselues neuer to cease trauel til they had found them out both Rosabel and the other princes were somewhat quiet So parting themselues two and two Rosabel Oristoldo went backe to Niquea to answere for the imprisoned kings and there to hearken if they might heare of the Ladies the two princes of Celandia sent home their ships and knights and onely with two pages followed this aduenture so did Lisarte his son another way accompanied onely with the two disguised Ladies their pages And séeing their heauy parting hath tyred my wearied spirits I wil end this book after that for your better memory I haue collected the places together where we left our knights and Ladies The gallant Torismundo prince of Spaine we left reioycing with Grisalinda the princesse of France his yong son the valiant Tartarian with Grisanea princesse of Holland and their sonne trauelling to his country from the doubtfull Iland where Rosicleer made Lord after the death of Bruncaldo the Rouer and his brethren the Giants the discreet knight Briano giuing him to wife the imprisoned Damsel daughter to Rosicleers old frends the Lord Lady of the valley of the mouÌ„taines Rosicleer Meridian and the new Louer Oristides we leaue going to Sea from Lacedemonia ful of sorrow for the losse of Rosabel The faire Sarmacia ful of iealous passion we left in y e forrests of Grecia and not farre off Brandafidel and Floralinda in the Castle they had gotten from Friston the inchanter Gelasio inprisoned by Lyrgandeo Liriana her Cousins and the Celandian princesse borne away in the Chariot How Rosabel and his frends parted you heard before onely wee haue not béen copious enough in expressing Roselias sorrow for the Dacians absence whom she last saw passing by Lisartes ship in his inchanted boat where also wee last left him And heere will wee leaue off intending with him to begin our next Booke FINIS
strength of the blowe leauing the poore Knight that he séemed as though he had been stonned and being so nigh the King sawe hee could not hurt him with weapon he layd hands on him and griped him in such sort that hee made him to doe the like whereas was séene a gallant wrastling and by reason they were both of great force the one could not recouer of the other any aduantage but were forcing each other with the contention of their wrastling that they made their horses to stoope on their knées They were but mortall and to shewe they were such it was not much after foure houres battaile so well fought that Mars would haue bin weary that they loosed one from the other and breathed a while then taking againe their Maces they began to lay on without any pittie procuring the spéediest way they could ouercome it chaunced that the Tharsian did looke vp to the windowe where as his Lady was and seeing that shée stirred not leaning with her chéeke on her hand hee thought it was because she sawe in him some weaknes wherewith hee prâ—ssed to his enemy and stroke him vpon the helme such a blow that he voyded bloud at his mouth and fel vpon his saddle bowe Euerie one thought he had béen dead for that they saw his horse carry him about the field but within a while he came to himself without comparison much more malitious then the angry Uiper in the sandy Libia and with both his handes he gaue an answere to his contrary so rigorously that hanging down his armes and voyding bloud it made him in that state that his horse carried him towards the window wheras the Princesse was who séeing her Louer in that case her heart would not suffer her to sée so heauy a sight but she turned her back at such time as the gréeued youth came vnto himselfe and séeing the backe of his Flora considering from whence it did procéed he pricked foorth his great horse and assalted the Pagan and raysing himselfe in his stirrops with both his hands he gaue him such a blowe vpon the crest of his helme that he buckled it vnto his head wherewith he had a great fal to the ground with so great griefe vnto his people that it forced them against reason and without considering what their Lord had commaunded trusting in their great multitude to giue an assalt saying Strike downe and make dye that euill knight that hath slaine our Lord but that incouraging was to their hurt and damage for y t the valiant louer séeing them to be a vile kind of people returned to them so rigorously that quickly hee made a broad way whereas he went Those of the Cittie were not forgetful nor the valiant Princes for in a moment they opened the gates of the Citty whereout came all the knights and before them the thrée pillers of Knighthood and set vpon their enemies who were without Captaine making great slaughter wounding and killing with such force that quickly the field was witnes of their crueltie all to besprinckled with Cilician bloud and in such sorte they did presse them that at the euening they had almost none to fight with followed the chace vnto the seaside there it was that the Argentarians did most at their content make reuengement and remained rich with the spoiles for many yéeres and being honored foreuer they returned to their Citty with little losse yet they slew that day more then thirty thousand men besides a great number of captiues They were all amazed to sée the Knightly déeds of Rosicleer whome they estéemed in equall degrée with Mars The Kings receiued them all with that content as they were wont to receiue such as were victors increasing more their ioy with the hope they had to know what they were who said that it should be done in the pallace Then the gentle Lisarte caused to cut off the Pagans head and made his Page to keep it til he came at the Pallace whither they went And being all set down the valiant Tharsian rose vp with the head in his hand went knéeled down before his Lady who was the ioyfullest woman in the world saying Sir Knight Iupiter reward you for that you haue done this day for me for me to reward you I will not binde my selfe thereunto neither doe I beléeue that if I should venter my life for you it would bee a iust reward considering what for me my father this day hath bin done by you your valorous frends whome and you in the behalfe of these kings I desire to pull off your helmes and tell vs who you are which shall be in regard of no duety for that which is done is sufficient but to leaue vs a memorie of your vertue and noblenes I am therewith content faire Princesse said Lisarte more than this doth the time that you spent when we were nourished together bind mée vnto I am Lisarte the Prince of Tharsis and haue not made my selfe known till such time as I had concluded this little seruice which hath béene according vnto my strength but not coÌ„formable to your desert And therewith he pulled off his helme which caused great consentment to all that were present and his father had no end of ioy in that he knew his sonne to bee so valiant The King Father vnto the Princesse séeing that the Prince of Tharsis was a mean to raise the siedge from his Cittie and to obtaine so glorious a victory hee went vnto the Princesse and taking her by the hand he gaue her for spouse vnto the valiant Tharsian whereof hee was wonderful ioyous and she no lesse delighted which ioy I leaue to the consideration of true Louers This gallant Lisarte when hee sawe his fortune sure turned to his new and welbeloued spouse and said for that worthy Princesse you shall bee more certified of my firmnes and with what truth you are estéemed I haue tarried vnto this time for to haue you girt me with my swoord although this Knight pointing to the Troyan gaue me the order of Knighthood hee would not neither I my selfe would suffer it but at your hand yet foorthwith I defied him to mortall battaile Then he told them the occasion of the battaile the agréement whereat they all maruelled But the faire Princesse because she would not be ingratefull for that which the thrée knighets had done for her said with a soueraigne grace Welbeloued Lord I am content you knowe that if I loued you I doe loue you should make it manifest to all the Knightes in the world But yet I doe conclude this battaile in that I sée you haue better occasion to make long frendship then bréede any rigorous enemitie in séeing what this knight his frends hath done for you it is no iustice y t you so euil reward theÌ„ and the rather in that he loues and estéemeth his beloued Ladie which is reason and liues to honour her which is his dutie and it
were a fault not to defend her to y e death for there is no better loue than that which is confirmed with déedes And for that both of you are such Louers I shall receaue great content that you dâ—o confirme true frendship with him and I will sweare the sinne vnto his Ladie till such time as my fortune grants that I may sée her to confirme it and on this condition I doo girt ye with this sword not to offend but defend so meritorius a knight So taking him vp shee caused them all foure to imbrace vniting vndeuided frendship as Lisarte and hâ—s people expressed in the great warres at Constantinople where hee shewed his loue to the Troyan who with the rest greatly thanked the Princesse for confirming that league The Princes would foorthwith haue departed about the Damsells busines but at the request of the betrothed Ladie they taried ten dayes In which time the Troyan maintained a gallant Iust. The new betrothed princes in this time vsed such cunning although but yong beginners in Louers in wished delights y t then was begotten one of the mightiest knights among the Pagans proouing so valiant that he was held for one of the Gréeke Princes with whom he had great frendship but especially with Claramante as shal be declared in the second Booke of this third Part. The ten dayes ended the Princes vndertooke theyr iourney with great gréefe vnto the faire Flora who affected them greatly The new married Lisarte did greatly desire them to let him goe in their companie but they would not consent thereunto At their parting the braue Gréeke did declare vnto them who he was whereat they much gréeued séeing they had not done him â—he honour hee deserued In recompente whereof Lisarte promised to visite him in the Empire of Grecia although hee could not performe it so soone as he intended but when he went it was in companie with his Sunne and they were called the Knights of the Sunne vnder which name they dyd wondrous déeds Manie rich gifts being bestowed on the thrée Princes they tooke their way with the Damsell in Rosicleers inchanted Boate towards the famous Cittie of Lyra in the Kingdome of Lacedemonia where we will leaue them and returne into France to sée what amorous aduentures there hapned What chanced to Torismundo Prince of Spaine in the Kingdome of France the ende of his loue with the departure of Don Heleno Prince of Dacia WE left the faire Princesse Grisalinda amorously passionated with meditation onely on the Knight in the blacke armour which thought had so possessed her hart that her chast desires could no longer resist for this amorous fier where it findeth resistance burneth with more furie In such sort it troubled this tender Ladie that the conuersation of the Ladies was nothing pleasant vnto her all her content is now to conferre with her cousin the Duchesse and Alcisa for so was the Damsell called about her vnknown beloued Alcisa comforted her with manie examples of Ladies who merely hid their amorous gréefe and obtained a quiet and honourable end as the faire Oliuia the worthie Claridiana for saith she in the sea of Loue they alone can tell how to saile in faire weather that patiently endure the tempests knowing that in the end they shall attaine the desired port I my Alcisa said the Princesse if there were anie hope of obtaining it were somwhat like but for a Ladie to loue and take delight in her owne affection the beloued not knowing her faith what comfort can sustaine her or expressing first her affection how can it be but she erreth against y e modest order of Ladies who know by experience they are beloued before they make anie show of thankfulnes This said the Damsell is the greatest errour that is made in Loues warre for some in setting before them the simple poynt of honour haue conuerted their ioy into lamenting and dyed solitarie for that they would not liue companie How much more doth the royall priuiledge of loue stretch farther than this not iudging it dishonour to put backe a little honorable fame for the content which loue bringeth Leaue off then Madam this wayward nicenes and be not ashamed to vtter what your heart féeles If you will assure me to comfort this worthie Knight and honour him with your loue I will goe séeke him in the Forrest and make him the happiest among men Doo good Alcisa said the Princesse and binde me euer to be thine but I pray thée be not too lauish to vtter my affection yet bring him to the Court and sée how I will reward thée nay rather say my selfe will be his reward than he should be slacke in comming Alcisa promised to goe wherewith the amorous Ladie was somwhat comforted and dissembled the gréefe that she suffred for his absence and receiued content to sée the Iustes and Tornayes that were made for her sake Then flourished Knighthood in that Court more than in anie in all the world the occasion was that the King did intreate Strangers verie well in giuing honour vnto those that deserued lodging them within his Pallace insomuch that all the Court was full of Knightes who came at the fame and report of those Triumphs and to behold the faire Grisalinda They who shewed themselues most excellent were the Princes of Geneua and of Claramonte the last being a rough youth and verie amorous of the Geneua princes sister that was in companie with Grisalinda also the Duke of Pera all valiant Knights But aboue all for brauerie was the couragious Duke of Soma a yong Knight and a valiant who serued the Daughter of Armineo the Kings Brother She was verie faire and called Liciana nothing agréeued to be beloued of such a Knight making shew of her affection vpon all occasions To this great Court did the prince of Phrigia come being a yong knight of great strength who trauelling to séeke aduentures heard of triumphs and purposed to shew his Knighthood Thether came also the King of Carthage called Pontenio a valiant Youth and of the race of Giants The prince Riendarte of Phrygia when hee saw the great beautie of the princesse affected her entyrely but dissembled it till he had made shew of his person The Challengers were the Dukes of Soma and Pera and great prizes were ordained by the King to be giuen to the best Deseruer The Iustes were ordained to begin the first of May and end at Midsummer by which time they expected the prince Clauerindoes comming When the appointed time was come it séemed that Paris was a celestiall Cittie so much and so excelent musike was heard therein The same daye early the King banquetted all the princes that they might haue time for the Iustes which banquet ended the Challengers armed themselues and came foorth conformable to their estates Both had gréene armour full of Flower de Luces manie precious stones amongst them with their capparisons of the same each had to attend them fiftie pages