Knights Ladies and Gentlewomen Son quoth she to Galaor we will part hence this next ensuing weeke in the meane while take order for shipping and all things needefull for our voyage And therefore presently sent for sailers who hauing vnderstood his pleasure made immediate prouision of the very best Ship the King had and went aboarde the sixt day following Not farre had they sailed from the coast of Gaule but they descried a vessell on the Sea well fitted with the winde and making nimble speed the Pilot or Master striking saile so soone as hee espyed the Queenes shippe Whereupon the Knights of the Enclosed Isle thinking them to be Coursaires or Pirates forthwith armed themselues and to vnderstand the truth sent one of their Squires in a Squiffe towardes them to demand of whence they were and whither they intended The Squire drawing neare vnto them called out aloude vnto them saying Hoe aboard there they in the Shippe here not farre off from you in kindnesse sent to knowe what you are and whither you are bound My friend quoth a knight standing on the Decke there is a Ladie of honour in this vessell whose voyage tendeth to the Enclosed Isle Beleeue mee Sir replied the Squire then shee hath met with company if she be so pleased for they that sent mee to you are sayling thither and you may safely come aboard them Which words being ended he returned to them he came from In the meane space that knight that was aboue went downe to the Ladie and acquainted her with the Squires message by meanes wherof shee sent one in a Frigate presently away to vnderstand the truth and whether vpon the Squires words shee might safely come to them or no and so went nearer to the Queenes Ship where Angriote being first of all seene the other Knight spake thus vnto him Sir a Squire of yours not long since came to vs to know what wee were and whither our trauaile intended Wee gaue him answere that wee were bound directly for the Enclosed Isle and thither hee said was likewise your intention now Sir because wee haue in charge a Princeste of great esteeme we pray you giue vs some assurance of your companie Knight answered Angriote if you please to come aboord of vs the Ladie you talke of shall finde a Queene heere who wil gladly welcome her into her company and giue her as gracious entertainment as shee can desire to haue Sir said the knight I heartily thanke you for her and this I dare assure you that hauing heard her cause and the reason of her trauailing thus on the Sea you will so much compassionate her case as not to deny her your helpe if shee require it of you So taking leaue hee returned to the other vessell which presently came and ioyned with the Queens Then came vp a Ladie in a garment of black cloath shewing both she and all her companie very sad and disconsolate lookes whereat Angriote who well obserued them was much abashed reputing her by her countenance to bee a Lady of good discent and reputation And courteously saluting her demanded if shee pleased to ascend and visit the Queene Sir Knight quoth shee I will doe what shall please you neuerthelesse I pray you name her to me and them that are in her companie Madam said Angriote she is the Queene of Gaule my Lord Galaor her sonne is with her and three other knights of the Enclosed Isle whither we are sayling Then will I attend vpon her and you thither replied the Lady So Angriote supporting her by the hand brought her into the Queenes Cabin and shee hauing vnderstood all that you haue heard already welcommed her most gratiously but the Lady â—…ing much oppressed with griefe fell downe at her feete intending to kisse them which the Queene would not permit put raysed her gently desiting to know the cause of her sorrow Madam quoth shee though now I am left quite naked of all fortunes blessings and fauours hauing no other comfort or repose but only the recytall of my misfortunes yet you may beleeue mee that I was not long time since a â—…dy of great qualitie and married to the disceaâ—ed King of Dacia by whom I had two Sonnes and one only infortunate daughter and so much the more infortunate in hir Birth by being the death of the King hiâ— Father and the totall ruine of mee and her brethren for you must vnderstand Madam that after shee was married to the Duke of â—…tia one of the greatest neighbouring Princes to my Countrie by how much the day of her Bridall was pleasing by so much the more was this mariage wretched and miserable For very soone after the solemnitie the Duke my new sonne in Law beeing yong and ambitious of rule conspired the death of my husband and of my two other children the eldest of them hauing not as then attained to the age of fourteene yeares According to his proiect so did he performe it vpon my Lord appointing a day pretending an honest visitation of vs accompanied with a great number of his people which as hee said were brought with him for our greater honour the King my husband no way misdoubting the premeditated treason rode foorth to meete him and as hee embraced him tâ—… villaine drewe a pocket-dagger and cruely murdered him Both my sonnes in a faire fortunate hoâ—â—e for them came riding a good distance behinde their father and heairng of this bloody tumult returned in a maine gallop backe to the Citie where the traytor holds them as yet sharply besieged Then was I absent in a pilgrimage to our Ladie at a very ancient Church builded on the top of a high Promoâ—â—oâ—â—e and there I was aduertised of my mis-hap If then I was in woefull extreamâ—…y or no be you my iudge good Madame considering I in a moment found my selfe vtterly destitute of all remâ—â—â—e and forsaken of any hope so that but for the comfort and aduise giuen mee by these two Knights which keepe me company I had not liued one only houre They called to remeÌ„brance one nan ed Amadis de Gaule who is said to be the refuge and support of all afflicted Ladies neuer denying them his assistance Whereupon I haue attempted this long voyage to finde him at the Enclosed Isle where hee is affirmed certainely to be with a great number of other good Knights his companions in Armes When the wrong done me by this wicked sonne in lawe shall be knowne to that noble Lord and his other friends how extreamly hee maintaines the siege against mine owne naturall sonnes I hope hee and they will take compassion on me and giue mee such succour as by meanes thereof I shall expell the enemy out of my countrie for my subiects attend nothing else but to vndertake Armes against him they want but only a comamnder to leade them Greatly was the Queen mooued to pittie hearing the misfortunes which besell the Queene of Dacia and the three Knights were so nearly
any counsell that comes from you because if I should doe otherwise it will be the ending of my dayes Well vnderstood Melicia to what effect this answere tended yet would â—hee not seeme to yeeld any apparant note thereof but hauing concluded his first dressing sayd my Lord Brunco for my sake I pray yee receiue a little sustenance and afterward take some rest if you can Then calling for such foode as shee knew meerest for him and with a hand more white then Alablaster making it ready for his eating she quickened such delicate apprehensions in his soule that his eye went farre beyond his appetite So commanding euery one to depart the Chamber that the least noyse might nor offend him she said You haue promised mee that you will essay some repose let me see how obedient you will be herein till such time as I come to visite you againe Then her selfe departing she called Lasinde Bruncos Esquire and said vnto him Friend you know better then any other your Maisters conditions make demaund therefore of such things as you thinke fittest for him The Squire was not now to learne what entercourse of affection had passed betweene them and therefore presuming more boldly in his owne wit then one lesse skilfull hee returned her this answere Madame I wish no worse to my worthy Maister then that good fortune would conduct him to some such place where he might make acknowledgement of the fauours you affoord him But it appeares to me that such as are desirous to recouer a wounded body first of all they should apply helpe to the place principally offended Which kinde of Physick instructeth me to entreate your pittie to my poore Maister who endureth not so much paine by the hurt so lately receiued as by a disease of greater antiquity and you that are the onely cause can best minister the mittigation Friend quoth shee I can tell how to helpe an infirmity wherewith I am acquainted but secret soares are quite out of my curing Trust me Madame replied the Squire if the one seeme plaine to you the other is no lesse apparrant for you are not ignorant that the extremitie of his affection to you was the maine motiue why he went to behold the Images of Apolidon and Grimanese in the Enclosed Island Lasinde quoth shee they that become sicke by such a strange meanes had neede haue much time to compasse their amendment without vrging any other remedy then that which experience shall repute most necessarie And so she left the Squire who went forthwith and acquainted his Lord with all the conference that had past betweene him and the Infanta Melicia wherewith hee was not any way displeased perswading himselfe that she had thus discreetly answered reposing as yet but slender confidence in the Squire And like as true louers often vse to doe he conuerted all to his owne best aduantage being much better contented then euer heretofore and thanking God that Andadones hurting him had fauoured him with such an extraordinary felicity For vnder the happie fortune of this wound he oftentimes enioyed her gracious companie without whom life was most tedious to him Some few dayes after Amadis Galaor and King Cildadan walking together Galaor perceiuing the nere approch of King Perion hee went vnto him with these words Sir I most humbly entreate your Princely aduise in a matter something questionable with mine owne iudgement You know my Lord quoth hee to his Brother Amadis that you gaue me to King Lisuart commanding me to serue him and that I should be wholy his whereof I made him faithfull promise and you likewise Now beholding how great a differeÌ„ce hath happened betweene you two during the time of my absence I finde my selfe very strangely perplexed considering what errour I may commit by taking part with him against you as also how iustly I may be blamed by him forsaking him in a time of such vrgent necessity Wherefore most Royall father I humbly craue your opinion in this case to preuent my dishonour on either side and that reason may bee preferred before mine owne will Sonne answered King Perion you may not fayle to follow your Brother against a King so head-strong and vngratefull for if you gaue your selfe to his seruice against all men yet your brothers cause caâ—ies an exception herein in which respect you may well forgoe your attendance on him not onely because hee declares himselfe to Amadis in his owne person a deadly enemy but also to all his kinred and friends amongst whom you ought to hold the prime place Sir replied Galaor it appeares to me vnder correction that I shall greatly forget my selfe and runne into no meane blamefull imputation by withdrawing my seruice from him before his owne permission to that purpose for seeing in the times of peace hee gaue mee honour and good entertainment what will be noysed abroade of mee to forsake him when affaires of importance be fall him Well knew Amadis whereto the speeches of Galaor aimed and that hee had no will to keepe him company wherefore formalizing him-selfe answerable to his Brothers fantasie hee thus answered him Brother although we both stand highly obliged to obey the councell and commaund of the King our father yet I will humbly desire his pardon in telling my minde concerning your intention Seeing you are so earnestly addicted to returne into Great Brittan and to continue in the seruice of King Lisuart it likes mee well that you should doe so For in the case that concerneth our difference I doubt not but â—â—w many good Knights soeuer shall come to attend him God who is a iust Iudge will in the end make him know what wrong he hath done vs and his ouer-great ingratitude especially to mee that haue honoured him with so many well deseruing seruices Therefore may it so please our Kingly father hee may licence your departure for I am contented with it Why then quoth the King God be your guide and I will rest in this hope that you may one day be the meanes of compounding peace in so vnhappy a warre Thus Galaor obtayned his desire for departure and because King Cildadan would shape some honest excuse to goe along with him hee began in this manner My Lords it is sufficiently knowen to you all to what issue the battaile came which I had against King Lisuart who only by your meanes got the glorie of the day to my no little disaduantange for such honor as in Iustice appertained to mee conuerted to my great confusion in regard that by the couenants on either side concluded before I was constrained for a limitted time to acknowledge him as my Commander and to serue him 〈…〉 with all my knights which was no meane griefe in me to accomplish But valuing mine honor much dearer then life I yeelded to controule and checke mine owne will and according to my promise to bring him a number of my subiects in his assistance whereof already he hath giuen mee summons and no
dismounted from their horses to doe him reuerence whereupon he embraced them with so cheerefull a countenance that it might easily be noted by the whole company how pleasing their arriuall was to him His next demaund was concerthe auncient Damosell that came thither with them Sir answered Galaor we found her a while since in an Hermitage neere adioyning accompanied with twelue Kâ—…s and a young Gentleman the goodliest person that hath beene seene who as is giuen me to vnderstand hath trauailed from a far off Countrie expressely to receiue his Knight-hood so it stood with your liking to bestow it on him for hee will not haue it of any other as he saith himselfe Wherefore King Cildadan and I doe entreate yee most humbly that you would grant it him in regard that his lookes and behauiour doe speake no lesse but that he is well and worthily descended The King neuer vsed to affoord such an honour but where he knew it to bee especially deserued wherefore hearing this request made by Galaor leaning vpon King Cildadans shoulder he stood pensiuely a long while without any answere because that by denying them he imagined they would take it offensiuely and in yeelding to their motion it appeared vncouth vnto him and irregulare to his wonted custome Neuerthelesse hee demaunded of the Damosell whose sonne hee was Sir quoth she you may not know that as yet but I dare sweare vpon my soule that he is extracted of Royall seede by both sides What thinke you then my deare friend quoth the King to Galaor may wee make him Knight You may very well doe it Sir answered he without standing longer on any excuse for I presume he wil prooue of no meane merit On Gods name then be it so replied the King yet I would haue the Queene and her Ladies witnesses thereof and therefore goe you before to them and cause them to meete vs at the place where hee remaineth for bee well assured they all will be right ioyfull to see yee So the King tooke â—he way towards the Hermitage and Galaor with King Cildadan went to finde the Queeneâ— where you may well perswade your selues that neuer did men meete with more gracious welcome especially by the Princesses Oriana and Mabila for their hope was by them to heare some newes of Amadis and that they would worke his meanes for recouering the Kings fauour againe Hauing finished their best salutations on all sides Galaor told them that the King had sent for them and vpon what occasion to their no little ioy and contentment for euery one was desirous to see the yong gallant of whom Galaor had giuen such high commendations The Queene and her Ladies being all mounted made such speed to the Hermitage that they alighted there euen as the King was entring into the Chappell where beholding the twelue Shields placed about that which was altogether white and the young Gentleman very deuoutly at his prayers he appeared so pleasing in their eyes that the former report came far short of their present opinion of him for in their best of iudgement they had neuer beheld a more comely creature nor of a more setled and assured countenance He seeing such a goodly company of Ladies and Knights arose and gaue them most humble reuerence Then the King tooke him by the hand and demanded if he would bee a Knight Sir quoth he for nothing else haue I iourneyed from so farre a Country but to craue it at your hand so pleased it you so much to honour mee Trust me said the King you shall not be denied and he falling on his knees the King gaue him the Accolade according to the ceremonie then vsed in Knight-hood saying vnto him Be a Knight in the name of God and so tooke him vp Now quoth he for receiuing your Sword you may make choise of any in this company that stands fayrest in your owne liking Sir replied our new made knight I desire then that Madame Oriana may doe it for if she performe it I haue the thing that my soule most longeth after Is it euen so said the King I will solicite her on your behalfe and stepping to the Princes thus proceeded You heare how desirous the knight is that you would bestow such an honour on him let mee entreate yee not to denie him Now the faire young Princesse to whom neuer till then any such request had beene made neither knew what might be his reason that made the motion had so little power ouer her present condition that a most amiable blush mounted vp in to her cheekes Yet taking the Sword presented to her shee guided it to the knight after the vsuall maner Then spake the ancient Damosell to the King so low as none but himselfe could heare her Sir quoth shee seeing you haue done such honour to our knight he shall remaine if you be so pleased in your seruice with these twelue other knighâ—s that hitherto haue kept him company And because dutie commandeth so much in me as to returne againe to her that sent mee hither I must entreate your fauour for my departure first letting you know that he is named Norandell and is more yours then you imagine as you shal further vnderstand by this Letter which hauing verie closely conueied into his hand she tooke her leaue and rode on her iourney leauing him pensiuely perplexed at her words And because he doubted that the Letter might containe some more important matter hee feigned as if hee would returne to his huntsmen the better to reade the Letter where himselfe pleased desiring Galaor and king Cildadan to reconduct the Ladies backe to their Tents awayting there the houre of dinner while he in meane time would kill a Hart. But if I faile quoth he in comming to dinner expect me not till supper time So setting onward to the chase and finding himselfe accompanied but with few hee opened the Letter which contained as hereafter followeth The Letter from the Infanta Celinda to King Lisuart MOst mighty and excellent Prince by reading this Letter it may be you will remember that when you trauersed strange Countries and a Knight errant giuing end to many great aduentures Fortune directed your course into the kingdome of my Father who was lately before deceassed and you found me retired to one of my Castels called the Great Rosier where Antiâ—on le braue kept me besieged because I disdained to ioyne with him in marriage he being no way equall to me in nobility and a much lesse friend to vertue As he made good proofe thereof â—…r by force and tyrannie he vsurped ouer me a poore young Ladie the greater part of all my Countries when at â—…ur arriuall you offered him the Cemâ—…te in defence of my right which he accepting as trusting more to the strength of his owne arme then any iustice in his quarrell And therein heauen declared iust iudgment for you being farre inferiour to him in composition of body but much exceeding him in 〈◊〉 of courage
Lady â—…hom they meant al good to had thus deceiued them But that which redoubled the sorrowes of Amadis and Florestan was to behold their aged Father in such danger now vpon the very ending of his dayes this mooued them to such compassion as they could not refrain from weeping Neuerthelesse hee being a wise and vertuous Prince beganne not onely to be of courage but also to comfort them in this manner How now my Sonnes are yee so soone daunted at the dissemblings of Fortune are yee now to learne her mutabilities vpon my faith I did euer hold ye to be more strong and constant Let mee entreate one fauour from yee to lay no more affliction on me then I am possessed of already For your extremity of sadnesse doth so ouer weigh my soule as that is sufficient onely to be my death Therefore resume your wonted courage and let vs put our trust in God he is almighty and able to free vs from this place committing all care to him and resting perswaded of his prouidence But who could euer haue imagined that escaping the dangers in so bloody a Battaile we should fall into such an accident by the persuasions onely of a silly woman and vnder the couller of such a dumbe deuice Therefore louing Sonnes seeing we are not in case to dispose of our selues setting apart all naturall pitty and compassion which either you can haue of me or I of you let vs be patient and not mislike our fortune which we are not able any way to mend Amadis and Florestan hearing their Father speake with such a chearefull and constant resolution it appeared to them that they were disburdened of the heauiest load of their disaster and therfore concluded to reioyce in all tribulations whatsoeuer should happen vnto them And so they spent all the rest of the day without receiuing either meat or drinke till somewhat late in the euening at which time Archalaus came to them againe and opened the window accompanied with Danarda and two auncient knights bearing in their hands faire lighted Torches and calling to his prisoners he said Knights you that sleep so soundly at ease is not your appetite yet stirring to eate some good meate if you could come by it Sir answered Florestan if you were pleased to giue vs any By my soule replyed Archalaus I haue no will to giue yee any but rather to take meate from ye if ye had it Notwithstanding because ye shall not bee altogether discomforted to delight ye a little I haue some good tidings to tell yee whereof perhaps you will be ioyfull This euening two Squires and a dwarfe came hither making enquiry after certaine knights bearing Armes of Serpents them haue I also taken into my custody and allowed them as faire a lodging as yours is but if they tell me not to morrow morning of whence and what you are you cannot imagine a death more cruell then that I will put them to Heerein Archalaus did not dissemble with them for they in the Shippe perceiuing that not any of them returned againe sent forth Gandalin the Dwarfe and Orpheus the Arras-weauer to vnderstand what was become of them arriuing by chance at the same Castell where their Lords and Maisters were imprisoned The three knights hearing these newes were greatly discontented and not without especiall cause for they stood in doubt lest torment or some other meanes should cause them disclose whatthey would haue concealed Yet Amadis making no outward shew thereof returned this answere to Archalaus Trust me Sir when you shall know of whence and what we are I am well assured that you will allow vs better wel-come then hitherto you haue done For your selfe being a knight as wee are and perhaps heretofore falne into the trecheries of Fortune as now we are would finde the fauour of a friend as we could affoord the like to you stood you in the like necessity as we do And if any mater of manhood be in vs me thinks that might well instruct yee aboue all things else to offer vs no wrong How now Sir answered Archalaus haue yee learnde to prate so boldly you shall finde who it is that holdes dispute with ye and whether I offer ye wrong or right And let this bee your comfort that like fauous as I would vse to Amadis de Gaule were he in my power the very same and no other will I extend to you Vncle said Dinarda if you meane to send their heades to King Aranigne doe it not vntill seuerity of famine haue caused their death for suffering them to liue somewhile in misery death will then appeare the more welcome to them Beleeue me Niece quoth he it is well aduised and I am content to allow there-of whereupon hee said vnto them that they should haue some small mater of feding prouided they must resolue him whether hunger or thirst most offend them answere therefore on your faith which is the most irk esome to yee Seeing said King Perion you coniure vs so powerfully I could like well to haue meate but thirst doth afflict vs in much extreamer manner So quoth Archalaus I haue a piece of fat Lard which hath lien in powder aboue these three moneths that I am sure will quenche your thirst Presently it was brought and hee hurling it in at the grate said There take it friends make good cheare with it and say not now but you are kindly entertained So they departed leauing a Damosell at the window to listen what speeches should passe betweene them Much talke had she heard concerning the feature of person and manly prowesse of him that wore the golden Helmet especially that in the late battell against King Aranigne hee had declared such deeds of Armes as no knight else could performe the like This raised in her great pitty and compassion and for his sake she prouided a Flagon of wine and water which letting down softly to them she said Gentlemen be secret in this fauour I send ye and as I may I will defend ye from perishing The knights returned her most hartie thankes so shutting fast the window she bade them go to such rest as that foule place would assoord them Now concerning the entertainment of Gandalin and the two other that sought after King Perion and his company being falne into the hands of Archalaus as hath bin said already be it knowne to yee that they were suddenly shut vp in a darke vault ouer the Chamber where the supposed dumbe Lady had formerly lodged their Masters There they found two knights and a Damosell wife to the elder of the knights who had long time beene kept there as prisoners who declared to the Squires that by the window of their prison they saw three knights bearing Armes of Serpents brought in thither and very worthy welcome giuen them at the first Neuerthelesse quoth one of them at length they were let down into a deepe Dungeon by the most horrid treason that euer was heard of for the Bedde
when he offers to speake he may well be laught at for his foolish babbling Indeed Sir quoth the Emperour I onely am the cause of all this contending and therefore we must needs make an end together The amends said our knight is too much made already my Lord prouided that I may remaine in your good conceit and that you will remember me hereafter Let me tell ye Sir answered the Emperor that heereof you cannot fail nor in any satisfaction that I can make ye although you should stand obstinat against the permissioÌ„ Now albeit the Emperour spake these words in iest yet followed a time that they fell out to good earnest as you will finde more at large in the fourth Booke following Sir knight said Leonorina I know that I haue done you wrong and seeing it is not in my power at this present to make you a sufficient amends I beseech you to accept this Ring euen with as good a heart as I was desirous to know of you all that I demaunded Taking it from off her finger he stepped forward to giue it him but in steed of the Iewell he tooke her by the hand saying Madame this white and delicate hand is more worthy to be kissed then any other that I haue seene within this yeares compasse and the Ring may well repute it selfe happy to be circled with so high an honor therfore pardon me I pray ye and suffer me to kisse it All this Sir quoth she cannot hinder the Ring to bee yours so she presented it to him again whereof he durst make no refusall but in setting one knee to the ground took it sweetly kissed her hand Assure your selfe Sir said she that you haue so excellent a stone as I esteeme it to bee the onely one of that kinde albeit I haue the very like in the Crowne which you gaue me backe againe which two stones indeed should be but one So help me God replied our knight it is not to be admired that a thing so rare should bee in the power of the worlds choycest Lady for like as such a precious Iewell is not easily come by as hardly I think can all the East yeeld another to go beyond you either in wisdome knowledge and all good graces else therefore this Iewell is only fit for you before any other With that the Emperor stept in saying Let me tell ye Sir when you know from whence it came you wil make much greater estimation of it if you obserue the excellency of the Ring you will find it worthy of right good keeping For it is of an Emerauld as faire as possible can be and the rest is a Rubie of two colours by nature the one red as blood the other white as snow Then know Sir that Apolidon my Grand-father whose renown hath long time circled the whole earth though I know not whether as yet it came to your ears holding the place that now I doe among many other singular things giuen him by Filipane King of India he sent him twelue Crownes the very richest that could be seene And although they were of inestimable value yet there was one to be prized aboue all the rest and that is it which my daughter presented you first wherin the stone being whole was then enchased But Apolidon finding it to be so strange caused it to be cut in twain leauing one of the parts in the Crowne which he gaue to his Queen wife Grimenesa whoÌ„ he loued so dearely as more loyall louers were neuer heard of kept the other moitie for himselfe which hee wore so long as he liued in this Ring and which I pray you keepe for her sake that gaue it you with so good a heart And if at any time you haue occasion to part with it let it be to some one of your kinred to the end that if Fortune conduct him into these parts hee may know and serue the Lady that gaue it you if she stand in need thereof And so it came to passe after-ward for it fell into the power of Esplandian who for the loue of her some short while after performed many deedes of Chiualry as you shall vnderstand in the fift Booke Sir answered our knight I haue often heard speech of that Apoliaon who builded the Arche of loyall Louers in the Firme Iâ—â—and where I my self haue bin trauailing through the country of Great Brittaine there also I saw the figures of him and his faire Grimenesa with many other singularities which are there at this present Perhaps then quoth the Emperour you know the knight that conquered the Enchanted Palace whereof I heard so much report Sir said he I haue diuers times spoken with him and hee cals himselfe Amadis Sonne to King Perion of Gaule who is talked of in many places It is he that was found floting on the water whereupon hee was tearmed the Gentleman of the Sea In a plaine field of battell he vanquished Abies the most potent King of Ireland and there the King his father and his mother knew him to be their Sonne On my soule said the Emperour but that I am perswaded that so great a Lord would not vndertake so long a iourney I should thinke it were your selfe that you speake of and I should hardly bee altered otherwise Our knight made him no aunswere at all but changing into other conference at length they brake off and sixe whole dayes he remayned in Constantinople during which time neuer had man more honourable entertainment And because the time drew neere of his promised returne to Grasinda againe he purposed to take his leaue causing his Ship to be in a readinesse and finding the Emperour at conuenient leysure hee thus closed with him Sir you haue bestowed so much honour and respect vpon me as I can come in no place wheresoeuer but you may boldly say that I am your seruant ready to obey all your commaunds as often as you shall please to imploy me And because I intend shortly to bee in the marches of Romania according to a solemne promise made I most humbly beseech you to licence my departure Worthy Friend answeced the Emperour if it were possible that you could afford longer abiding heere you might doe me an infinite pleasure but seeing your promise hath so strictly engadged you God forbid that I should cause you or any other to falsifie your word Sir said our knight I dare assure you that my honour will bee highly wrongd in doing otherwise as it is well knowne to Master Elisabet therefore I entreat you to detaine mee no longer Well then quoth the Emperour I am contented prouided that without any contradiction you graunt mee three dayes longer stay Your will bee done Sir saide our knight seeing it is your pleasure to haue it so The saire Princesse Leonorina nor being present at this parlie shee sent for him into her chamber and being in the midst of her Ladies she said vnto him Sir you haue graunted the
so much forget himselfe to deliuer her to the Romanes And she had solemnely vowed betweene God and her soule that she should be no sooner on Ship-bord but she would throwe her selfe into the Sea and this was her finall conclusion Very well vnderstood Florestan that this close-couched Enigma concerned her selfe whereupon he thus replied Madame God being all made of mercy will neuer bee vnmindefull of them that put their trust in him for as yet hee neuer did and doubtlesse he will not now beginne with so desolate a Damosell As for my Lord Amadis assure your selfe that he is in perfect health continually in quest of strange aduentures so that his famous deeds in farre distant Countries renownes his name in all parts of the world All these words were ouer-heard by the Queene Sardamira and perceiuing that they spake of Amadis she said to Oriana God keepe him from the Emperours fingers for hee is the onely man in the world that he hateth most next to another Knight who soiourned some while in the Court of King Taffinor of Bohemia This Knight I now speake of not much aboue a yeare since ouer-came in open field the most gentle Knight Garadan the onely man in all the Romaine Armie except the noble Prince Saluste Quide who is now come into this Countrie to the King your Father to conclude a marriage betweene his Lord and you And hee beares him this hatred for causing the ouer throw of eleuen other Knights beside whose hope was to reuenge the iniurie done to their friend on the day following the Combate with the first knight being appointed so many to so many This misaduenture so dismayed the whole Romaine Armie that the Emperor was compelled according to a former-made couenant to raise his Campe and to render back to King Taffinor whatsoeuer he had conquered from him Afterward so briefly as she could the Queene reported the whole manner of the seuerall fights and to what issue they sorted as you haue heard already at large So helpe me God Madame answered Florestan although your Emperour should neuer looue him yet there are many other worthy men that wishe him all true happinesse and honour and in my poore opinion Lord Amadis needes not care for his malice Notwithstanding make knowen to vs faire Queene if you can the name of the man so much commended by your selfe Vnderstand Sir quoth she one while he cals him-selfe the Knight with the Greene Sword and another while the Knight of the Dwarfe albeit I am verily perswaded that neither the one or the other is his true name indeed But because hee weares a Sword that hath a scabberd of greene colour and a Dwarfe doth ordinarily attend on him these names haue therefore beene imposed on him and vsually he makes answere to them When Florestan heard these wordes he was very ioyfull knowing for a certaintie that it was Amadis the like did Oriana who had noted the same reportes before by many And because shee was now some hinderance to her that she could not haue any longer priuate conference shee arose thus speaking to the Queene Sardamira Madame in regard of your tedious iourney this day you cannot chuse but be weary wherefore a place of repose is more conuenient for you Then shee conducted her into a goodly Chamber and there leauing her to her owne desseignes went downe into the Garden accompanied with Mabila and the Damosell of Denmarke to whom shee declared all her former intelligence concerning the knight of the Green Sword whom they knew assuredly to be Amadis On my faith Madame said Mabila if it be so let mee tell you the Dreame which I had this last night past Me thought that wee were in a Chamber close shut vp and that we heard a great tumultuous noise without which made vs fearefull beyond measure but your Amadis suddenly comming thither brake the doore calling for you out aloud Then I shewing you to him me thought hee tooke you by the hand and so brought vs forth placing vs in a very strong Tower saying to vs Abide heere without any dread or terror and therewithall I happened to wake This makes mee verily beleeue that hee will set you at libertie and free you from their power that hope to haue you hence Deare Friend and Cousin answered Oriana you giue mee great hope and comfort and if I were worthy of such a happinesse I could desire our Lord to heare your good wishes otherwise that wee might both dye in one instant Forbeare such words replyed Mabila for he that is aboue all fortunes whatsoeuer will send you at his good pleasure a better issue out of all troubles then you can wish or imagine But conferre with Florestan and earnestly desire him and his friends to doe their best endeauour to breake the Kings intention that no such conclusion may passe for currant Now let me tell you that Galaor had already done so much as was possible for him not by any aduertisement or entreaty vrged to him on the Princesses behalfe but because he plainely perceiued what shame would ensue by disinheriting Oriana for the aduancement of her Sister Leonora For some day or two before Florestans arriuall at Mirefleure King Lisuart being returned from hunting tooke Galaor aside as they rode on the way thus speaking to him My louing friend I haue euermore found such fidelitie in you and reposed such trust in your counsell as I neuer intend to conclude any mater of importance without imparting it first to you You vnderstand what honour the Emperour hath done me and his embassage so lately sent me requesting to haue my daughter Oriana as his wife wherein as I conceiue our Lord hath wrought most graciously both for her and me because he is the onely potent and redoubted Prince at this day liuing in all Christendome In which respect hee being thus allied with me I shall neuer haue any neighbour or enemy that dare presume any way to offend me and I shal be more respected and dreaded then euer any King of Great Brittaine heeretofore hath beene Moreouer it is a matter almost impossible to seeke any better prouision for her for shee being wife to so mightie an Emperour Leonora shall afterward remaine sole Lady of my Dominions which otherwise may happen to be diuided to our no little detriment and danger And yet let me tell you I purpose not to doe any thing in this case without the aduice of the Lords and Knights of my Court but more especially of you whom I coniure by the loue and affection you haue alwayes borne me to tell me freely your opinion and without any dissimulation Much amazed was Galaor to heare the King vse such language perceiuing apparantly heereby that he meant wholly to disinherite his eldest Daughter and right heire to aduantage the second For this cause he stood a long while very pensiue without answering so much as a word till the King began again thus to rouse him Come Sir
him demanding how his Master fared My Lord quoth hee I left him at the Enclosed Isle in very sound health God be thanked for it and in good hope to see you shortly assuring you it will be no little griefe to him when hee shall heare of your long sicknesse As thus they discoursed Norandell entred the Chamber who knowing GaÌ„dalin asked if Amadis were come thither No my good Lord said he I left him at the pallace of Apolidon where hee refresheth him selfe after his many trauailes in Almaigne Romania and Constantinople My deare friend Gandalin quoth Galaor I pray thee tell mee what thou maist Gandalin declared all his Masters trauailes at large to the no little maruaile of the hearers especially when hee told all the manner of the fight with the monster Endriagus Alas said Galaor when shall I see him Soon enough answered Norandell if you would take some paines to recouer your health Beleeue it quoth Galaor I will do my vtmost endeauour not only for my health but to ease my longing desire to see him My Lord said Gandalin the King gaue me charge not to holde you with any long discourse in regarde of your feeble condition wherefore I pray you to spare my absence now and to morrowe I will keepe you longer company So Gandalin left them and returned to the King whom hee found studying on the businesse for his sonne Amadis and because hee would keep his purpose secret he determined to send Norandell into Great Brittaine although hee was but newly come to his friend hearing what a long sicknesse hee had Hereupon the next morning hee sent for him and euen as if instantly he had heard some nouell aduertisement hee said vnto him Worthy friend this day I haue receiued newes whereby for ought I can perceiue the King your father hath an enterprise in hand wherein your seruice may much auaile him and therefore I would aduise you to go to him But let me entreate you not to talke hereof to Galaor considering in what weake estate he is and it may bee greatly offensiue to him Sir answered Norandell I would bee loath to doe any thing hurtfull to him and humbly thanke your Highness for your good couÌ„sell to morrow with your leaue I meane to part hence and this day I meane to keep him company Changing this kind of discourse they fell to talke of other matters till Norandel withdrew to his friend Galaor speaking to him in this maner My honourable companion I promised King Lisuart when I parted from him to see him againe within a moneth after wherefore let not my departure so soone bee displeasing to you because I am thereto enforced and so much the rather in regarde I see that the worst is already past with you and you are much better amended then before Moreouer the small time of my Knighthoods employment many others may highly misinterpret by my so long remayning idle and hurle diuerse blamefull aspertions on me which I am sure will be but little pleasing to you knowing that you loue mine honour as deare as your owne Neuerthelesse if your sicknesse should holde on in any long continuance which heauen forefend I promise to see you againe so soon as possibly I can Galaor was much disconted at Norandels wordes because hee tooke great delight in his company notwithstanding thus hee answered vpon my faith albeit you haue great occasion to doe as you say yet your absence from mee will cause no meane griefe Neuerthelesse preferring your honor before my pleasure I am content to let you goe when you will desiring you most earnestly to doe my humble duty to the King assuring him that so long as life remaines in this body hee shall finde me his loyall and faithfull seruant So embracing each other very affectionately they parted but not without wette eyes Norandels Ship lying ready for him and hauing taken leaue of King Perion and his Queene the windes and Seas were so fauourable to him as in few dayes he landed in the port of Vindilisore where King Lisuart was preparing his Armie for the Enclosed Isle No sooner had Norandell set saile but King Perion mustered men from all parts and made shipping likewise ready for their passage to the Enclosed Isle so speedily as might be In the meane while Lasinde the Squire to Bruneo beeing come to the Marquesse diligently executed his commission and by pleasing perswasions compassed his intention also with Branfill who seeing his father somewhat slowe and tardie in the businesse cast himselfe at his feet saying My Lord I would I had beene with my brother to haue fought with the Romanes surely I should haue reputed it for one of the fairest fortunes that euer in this life can befall me But seeing my best starres haue fayled mee therein most humbly I entreat you in recompence of that losse to giue mee leaue to goe thither with such succor as you shall please to send I dare assure you father that it will be both for your honor and your sonnes who as you well know haue long time been much bounden to Amadis and his friends Sonne quoth he I am well contented and seeing you haue such desire to warre you shall haue Knights good store to beare you company As indeed hee had for while Branfill was fitting all things in due order for him selfe his father gaue charge for the other expedition of Souldiers Here you must likewise obserue that the good olde Gouernour Ysanio who was sent to King Taffinor of Bohemia found â—here very gracious entertainement knowing that hee came from the Knight of the greene Sword For after hee had deliuered his Letters and his further message fully vnderstood the King said vnto him I promise you Sir vpon my faith I will not fayle him in so serious a businesse but he shall haue all that hee can require Then he called his sonne Grasandor to whom hee declared all that Ysanio had tolde him and the cause of his comming demanding of him if hee would vndertake the voyage for the aide of Amadis who had called him selfe Knight of the greene Sword My Lord quoth he the greatest desire I haue in this world is to enioy the company of so good a Knight and I desire it of you most entirely But because I cannot leauy your army so soon may it please you to let mee goe on before accompanied onely with Twentie Knights then Count Galtines may follow mee and bring the rest with him Beleeue mee answered the King I am well contented and do allow of your aduice for beeing in so worthie a company your vertues will bee greatly encreased And I confesse my selfe so highly beholding to him that hee may well rest assured hee shall wholly dispose of mee and mine For which kindnesse â—sanio humbly thankt him and concluded to attend on Galtines to cause him make the more haste In the meane while Grasander embarked himselfe accompanied onely with twenty Knights and parting from the port put on
that hee should be the cause of perpetuall peace between him and Amadis as euen already in a manner hee saw performed and hauing discoursed all this in his minde thus hee answered Nascian Father albeit I had set downe my rest for death all mine with me or to haue the vpper hand in this warre yet seeing how matters haue happened I will follow your counsell and I entreat you most affectionately to worke so well with Amadis that hee may listen to peace which for my part I put into your hands to the end that you may hereafter testifie before God with what dutie I submit my selfe in this case These wordes were so pleasing to the good old Hermite as weeping for meere ioy hee fell before the Kings feet saying O most happy Prince the Lord almighty quite you for this kindnesse and blesse you with long and prosperous life The King taking him by the hand raising him vp said Father I wil perform what I haue promised you without any manner of reuocation Neuerthelesse I would haue al men to know that neither feare or defect of courage hath hereunto constrained mee but reason only and in such nature as you haue reuealed to mee Wherefore it shall be fitting for you to go into King Perâ—ons Campe before the truce bee fully ended to the ende that according to what you shall certifie me I may stand vpon my guard Sir said Nascian if God so please I will neither eate nor drinke till I haue spoken with Amadis and let me entreate leaue for my departure because occasion now frankly offers herselfe to me Hauing thus spoken the King hee returned to the Knights where they found Esplandian newly there ariued from Queene Brisena who had sent him from Vindilisore to King Lisuart only to vnderstand of his health whom when Nascian beheld hee knew him presently yet wondred to see him of so taule stature very neare ready to vndergo Armes which made him with meer ioy runne and embrace him But the young gentleman was much amazed to see the olde man so wonderfull kinde to him hauing wholly forgotten him and therefore blushed strangely notwithstanding soone after he both remembred the Hermite and his hermitage and falling on his knees before him kissed his hand when the olde man folding him in his armes said Beloued childe of God blessed be the houre of thy birth and praised bee the name of our Lord for prospering thee to such estate wherein I now see thee During this discourse the standers by were much amazed to see this holy man vse Esplandian so louingly and the King himselfe be-but newly aduertised that hee was grandfather to him mooued with a fatherly affection felt such ioy in his soule as neuer at any time hee receiued more So that the hatred which he formerly bare to Amadis and his friends became suddenly changed into amity extraordinary and hee demanded of the youth from whence he came Esplandian well enstructed by nature kissing a packet of Letters in his hand humbly presented them to the King answering thus Sir the Queene my Mistresse sent mee to you as there more at large you may be certified Then the King opened the letters wherein among other matters shee earnestly entreated him that by all meanes hee would listen to peace if hee might doe it with his honour After hee had ouer-read the Letters hee shewed them to Nascian saying Beholde good father it seems that my Queen knows already what is intended betweene you and me Sir said the Hermite shee counselleth you wisely and if God be so pleased that which shee so earnestly desireth shall bee put in execution before this yong gentleman returnes to her againe Wherefore let mee craue of your Maiesty to let him goe along with mee in companie to the end that during my trauaile I may conuerse with him the more easily Let it be so then answered the King for it is my will that hee shall not leaue you so long as you would haue him with you The Hermite most humbly thanked the King and presently mounted on his Asse as Esplandian did on his horse attended only by Sergill his companion who had come along thither with him So they departed thence taking the way towards King Perion and all that while the good olde man conferred with Esplandian euen till they were ariued at the watch There they were stayed to knowe wherefore they came and what they demanded but when they vnderstood that Nascian came to speake with Lord Amadis they conducted them both to his Tent and there presented them vnto him Here you must consider that he had neuer before seene the reuerend olde man and therefore knew not what he should thinke or what businesse hee might haue with such a person Looking likewise on Esplandian he had as little knowledge of him albeit hee had formerly spoken to him on the same day when he combated the Romanes on the behalfe of faire Grasinda when he being then very young begged the liues of the two Knights that else had been slaine by Amadis But Quedragant who had taken better notice of him when hee met him at his last returne from Great Brittaine went and embraced him saying Faire Sir you desired me and Brian also not long since to doe your commendations to the Greek Knight which wee accordingly performed and here he is himselfe to iustifie that wee failed not therein These wordes gaue assured testimony to Amadis that hee to whom Quedragant spake was his sonne which made him feele inwardly inestimable ioy And then the young Gentleman came and did him reuerence not as a sonne to his father beeing yet ignorant of him but as to the onely Knight of the world by whom he had hope to haue his knighthood so conceu ed in him on the very same day hee combated the Emperours Knights Notwithstanding the differences happening between the Knights of the Enclosed Isle and them of Great Brittain raised a wounderfull doubt in him that he should not attaine to his intention Then Amadis embracing him demanded if King Lisuart had granted leaue for his comming to him My Lord quoth he this good olde father Nascian will acquaint you with the reason of his comming to you Obserue here that Amadis had often heard of this Hermite who was reputed generally for a most holy man of life wherefore going to him hee said Father I pray you pardon mee for I knew you not at your entrance but now I vnderstand more of you and the honour that is due to you by desert Honour replied the Hermit be giuen to God only I am his poore humble seruant who in his feare desires to speake alone with you in secret if it shall please you but to heare me Yes on my faith answered Amadis And so taking him by the hand they went aside by themselues and Nascian began in this manner with him Sonne before you vnderstand the cause which hath mooued mee to come see you I
would set before your eyes the great obligations wherein you are indebted to our Lord to the ende that you may henceforth encline your selfe to do such things as are best pleasing to him I make no doubt but am well assured you haue often heard how in the very first daies of your life you were forsaken of all friends and giuen ouer to the mercie of the Sea in a matter of small defence and without any other guarde but God by whose goodnesse you fell into their hands who afterwardes gaue you nourishment euen vntil you came to be a Knight and the most compleate knowne at this day For our Lord hath induâ—d you with strength to gaine the maistery of many Giants Monsters Tyrants and most cruell beasts whereby your renowne hath extended it selfe into all partes of the worlde Now seeing he hath enriched you with so many great graces mee thinkes it is no more then reason that you should acknowledge him for your soueraign Lord and labour in thankefulness to him by humbling your selfe before his face for otherwise all the fauours hee hath bestowen vpon you will turne but to your shame and disgrace Sonne you see how olde and decrepit I am nature almost decaied in mee Notwithstanding I haue not feared to vndertake so long a iourney to you because I heard euen in mine owne poore Hermitage the discord betweene you and King Lisuart with whom I haue lately spoken and found him to be such a man as a good Prince and minister of God ought to bee and ready if nothing keep you to the contrary to listen to peace which me thinkes you ought not to refuse as well for the quiet of your conscience as for the safety of your person And to the end that you may make no disguising of your affections let me assure you that I know more of your most intimate affaires then you imagine I doe for Madame Oriana vnder the seal of confession hath tolde mee a chiefe secret concerning you both When Amadis heard him speake so plainely hee knew well enough that he spake nothing but the truth wherefore hee thus answered Father if I could serue my God according to his graces and mercies bestowed on mee I might well esteeme my selfe the most happie Knight in the worlde But beeing a grieuous sinner as I am preferring too often mine owne pleasure before his glory I must needs faile as other men doe to my no little griefe Yet I hope knowing mine owne defects to behaue my selfe better then heretofore I haue done Humbly beseeching you good father not to feare or defer in telling me what you best thinke I ought to doe that may bee most acceptable to him for I will therein obey you to my vttermost power Ah my good sonne quoth he you do enough in taking this wholsome way whereby I hope to bee your guide not only for the tranquility of your countrie but also for the good of many soules Then he recounted to him how hee had trauelled to the Enclosed Isle where hee had conuersed with Oriana and by her consent was sent to King Lisuart and acquainted him with all hee had in charge especially the troth-plight marriage of them both the issue where-of was Esplandian And beleeue me childe quoth the Hermite the King hath heerein carried himselfe so vertuously and takes all in such good part that if you fall not off I hope to vnite a perpetuall alliance betweene you Now you may diuine whether Amadis heard these tydings gladly or no but I dare assure you they were so welcome to him as hee had no power to dissemble his inward ioy but presently returned this answere to the Hermite If it shall please the King to accept me as his sonne I promise you good father that hee shall finde me so tractable to him as I will be diligent in doing him any seruice There remaineth no more then replied the Hermite but that you both may speake together therefore aduise with your selfe both how and when it may most conueniently bee done Let me tell you answered Amadis I would haue you first go to King Perion my father and tell him the cause of your comming to me likewise your owne opinion that king Lisuart will now accept those offers which lastly were made to him in Great Brittaine on our behalfe by Quedragant and Brian de Moniaste concerning the Princesse Oriana if they might be once more tendered to him Say moreouer you are well assured that hee shall finde him reasonable and a Prince of peace euen as any other what-soeuer in the world And you may tell him that you haue spoken with me but I haue referred all to his disposition For the honour of God said the good olde man I pray you without any longer delaying to let me be brought where hee is Father replied Amadis my selfe therein will serue as a guide to you and for so good an occasion Vpon these tearmes they went instantly to King Perion who being aduertised of Nascians comming came to welcome him but beholding Esplandian with him he could not guesse who hee should be only hee appeared to be a very goodlie creature as any he had euer looked on in his life wherefore he demaunded of the Hermite whether he were his son or no Sir quoth hee hee is partly mine as beeing a foster father to him in his younger yeares and our Lord bestowed him on me almost miraculously It is very true answered the King if this be hee to whom the Lionesse gaue sucke at his beginning as I haue often heard and of whom Vrganda the Vnknowen hath foretolde many wounders and among the rest that he shal be the cause of planting peace and amity between King Lisuart and my sonne Amadis which I pray God induâ— him with grace to doe And beleeue mee seeing such faire fruit is to fal from his fortune hee well deserues to be both beloued and esteemed In truth answered the Hermite this is hee of whom you speake and when you haue further knowledge of him you will affect him more then you imagine as at better leasure I shal hereafter tell you Then hee called Esplandian and commanded him to doe reuerence to the King when the young Gentle man setting his knee to the ground would haue kissed the Kings hand but hee tooke him in his armes saying Gentle Sir you are so faire and vertuously quallified that such as see you or haue euer heard of you doth both loue and highly esteeme you And I am perswaded you will proue so worthie a man that Knighthood were very desertfully bestowed vpoÌ„ you Esplandian hearing himselfe so coÌ„mended began to grow somewhat bashfull thereat and perceiuing the King to blush likewise desired to know of the Hermite if he could tell whose sonne hee was Sir said Nascian to the King this young man as yet knoweth not any thing concerning his owne demand and as for my selfe I am very certaine that hee hath neither father or mother from whom as yet
rauishing beauties Now did Amadis steppe into the Emperours place so soone as hee was gone from Oriana feigning to doe him a great fauour in helping him to conferre with Queene Briolania But he had a quite contrary meaning and did it to no other end but that the rest of his friends should talke with their Ladies while hee might be alone with her whom hee most desired For hee had not conuersed familiarly with the Princesse since her ariuall in the Enclosed Isle wherefore finding time and place sufficiently commodious he beganne with her in this manner Madame I haue thought all my life time hitherto that no possibility remained in mee for acknowledgement of those great and gracious fauours which so long a while I haue receiued by your meanes only And last of all in being the cause that aged Nascian reuealed to the King your father what right wee had each in other whereby your sonne and mine became knowen to him and peace confirmed between them of Great Brittaine and vs. As for my selfe I shall stand much more obliged to you now then euer heretofore And therefore aduisedly consider what else remaineth for me to doe for I assure you I shall take no little delight in doing whatsoeuer you commande me When Oriana heard him deliuer such speeches hauing before her eyes what dutie euery woman of honour and discretion oweth to her husband shee thus answered My Lord in my poore opinion you doe both your selfe and me wrong and therefore I pray you speake to me henceforward as to your huÌ„ble wife seruant and not after those kind of phrases wheÌ„ I was no other then your friend Furthermore let mee humbly entreat you to tell me in what condition you left the King my father and how I am now esteemed of him Madame said Amadis if outward lookes may be true euidences I neuer saw man declare more contentment then he deliuered when we were together Albeit I coniecture considering his ineuitable danger in our last encounter when he hoped to recouer you from vs by meer force his thoughts are otherwise quite different Yet hee dissembles it so wisely as possibly can bee euen to hurle shame vpon himselfe and excusing what hath past betweene you and mee fully resolued as hee saith to bee more cheerefully disposed then euer hitherto he hath been Where-upon hee is returned backe to Vindilisore to fetch the Queene and your sister Leonora whom he hath promised in marriage to the Emperour Oriana was not a little glad of these newes saying My Lord these are matters of no meane comfort especially that I haue recouered my fathers grace againe for next to you I loue him aboue any man liuing notwithstanding all the hard sufferings as well you know hee hath put me to But further I pray you tell mee what is your opinion of Esplandian By my faath Madame quoth hee by his carriage and behauiour he plainely declares himselfe to bee yours And if good Nascian could haue preuailed hee had brought him hither to you But the King would needs haue him goe with him to please the Queene because shee knowes him not yet to bee her Grand-childe So breaking off this discourse King Perion who had all this while entertained Grasinda with talke tooke leaue of her and the company because it drew neare supper time Wherefore withdrawing thence into his owne lodging Amadis followed him there looking forth at a windowe till the tables were furnished hee thus spake Seeing sonne it hath pleased God that you haue ended all troubles with so great honour let the whole glory be ascribed to him and while you liue acknowledge thankfulnesse to your friends who to help you in so serious a business haue made no spare of their liues and goods which bindes you the more to loue and honour them recoÌ„pencing their kindnesse so much as in you lieth Considering that without their assistance it is most certaine you had beene in great danger not only of your liues losse but also of your honour which I account a thousand times dearer And because it is no more then reason that like as they haue beene pertakers of all paines and perils so they ought to be of pleasure and contentment which you haue receiued by their meanes let it therfore be no meane part of your care to respect them in especial manner by distributing such booty among them as is in your hands the Kings Aranigne Barsinan others being your prisoners Moreouer such as you knowe affected to those Ladies which keepe companie with the Princesse Oriana let them haue equal coÌ„tentment with your selfe by espousing them to whom their fancies are enclined For which cause I deliuer into your power your sister Melitia to giue her to him whom you thinke worthiest of her You haue likewise your Cosen Mabila and the Queen Briâ—lania to whom you stand highly obliged Grasinda also and the Queen Sardamira who haue suffered a great parte of Orianaes sorrowes me thinks they should participate in her fairest fortune and be aduanced as you think meetest Assuring you that the greatest comfort I can haue in mine aged yeares is to see your brethren Galaor and Florestan married that before I depart this life I may reioyce in issue from you all Consider hereof I pray you aduisedly further what I haue said to your vttermost power My Lord answered Amadis I will doe all that lies in me to please both you them It is enough quoth the King And so all things beeing aptly ordered they sate downe to supper In the morning a sudden summons was sent to all the chiefe Knights for an immediate meeting and when they were assembled Amadis entred into these speeches Honourable Gentlemen friends the great and labourious trauaile which you haue endured in these late warres doth very well deserue that now you should giue ease and respite to your spirits and in regarde of the deare debt wherein I stand engaged to you to essay my vttermost meanes to let you enioy those beatitudes which I know are pleasing to euery man among you For as by your most gracious assistance afforded in my very neerest extreamity I haue attained to that which I esteemed aboue all things else in the world namely the peaceable enioying of my long loued Oriana Euen so I beseech you with all my heart that each man would instantly declare if hee stand affected to any Ladie or Gentlewoman heere for I assure you on the faith of a Knight to preuaile so farre as I can with them that they shall not easily deny what I entreat on their friends behalfe Moreouer you know that king Aranigne Barsidan and many other beside are our prisoners defying those gracefull vertues whereto the order of knighthood truely tyed them and exercising so much as in them lay all cruelties and tyranny In regarde whereof they are not worthie of any ransome but iustly punishable for the grieuousnesse of their treasons and therefore I thinke it fit that
light vpon Vnderstand then sir that hee is Sonne to the fierce Giant Mandaffabull the same man that Amadis when hee tearmed himselfe the Bright Obscure slew and on the very day when the king my Master and he of Great Brittaine fought a hundred against a hundred wherein perished many other Giants all neighbours to this countrie and kinsemen to Balan whom you now enquire for By the death of his father he became and yet remayneth Lord of the Red Island where hee maketh his aboade at this instant it being one of the most fertill Islands in all the Easterne Sea and of the greatest reuenues by meanes of the frequent resort of strange Marchants that land there at all times of whom hee exacts an infinite tribute Now sir you are to obserue beside that if his father was valiant and not meanely experienced in Armes His sonne exceedeth him in all things only crueltie excepted For looke how much the one was a Tyrant and most inhumane the other is so much the more mild peaceable and gracious so that it appeareth almost a miracle in nature to see men issued of one the same linage to be so different in their qualities In this point I must tell you a generall opinion that this faire demeanour became hereditarie to him only by vertue of his mother who was one of the most modest benigne and affable Ladies then to be seene farre differing herein from the other Giantesse wife to Famongomad and her owne sister shee beeing the most foule deformed sluttish and vnhansome creature that euer was seen of her kind Whereby may bee collected that two such contrarie complexions seldome haue power to agree together being deriued from such discordant nature Notwithstanding the reason hereof in my poore opinion may be thus rendred that vertue most commonly is a companion with beauty and comely feature but is a meer stranger to vgly deformity and base disposition Now Sir I am further to tell you that it is more then twenty yeares since I was appointed Gouernour of the Isle where you found me therefore I can speake to you the more vnderstandingly as a man most frequent in knowledge of any thing you can demand of me For since the yongest years of the King my maister I neuer went out of this Climate by reason of the faithfull trust reposed in me especially in those daies when the rich golden Sunne shone not so aboundantly on him as in later times it hath done For by his prowesse and other high deseruings he married the daughter to King Abies of Ireland who was slaine by Amadis when hee entitled himselfe by the name of the gentleman of the Sea or the like kinde of appellation Beleeue mee Sir saide Amadis you haue done me a great pleasure so well to acquaint mee with the conditions of Balan whom I could wish for mine owne benefit to be of another kinde of Character then you haue now described him to me For if hee had beene indued with such plenty of vices as you haue giuen him to mee in vertues hee cannot expect when time shall serue for our meeting any hope in his owne ability of strength And let mee tell you till this instant I neuer stood in feare of his vtter-most power albeit I cannot now well resolue what to thinke of my selfe in a case of such strange contrariety Neuerthelesse come what can more precious to mee is mine honour then my life And let mee further entreate you to tell mee if hee be married and whence he had his wife In good faith quoth the Knight neuer man had better fortune in marriage then he enioying one of the most virtuous Ladies that can be she being daughter to Gandalack Lord of the Rocke of Galtares by whom he hath a sonne aged as I imagine about fifteen yeares Very sorrie was Amadis when he vnderstoode for a certaintie what alliance was between Balan Gandalack whom he loued dearely for the nourishing which his brother Galaor had of him in the time of his infancie and he could wel haue wished that this combate might haue been against some other person although it should fall out more doubtfull and dangerous to him But if it were against his owne brother hee could not now denie it in regarde of his promise passed to Darioletta And so long they held on discourse that darke night ouer-tooke them yet they sayled on merrily still till somewhat â—arely the next morning they discouered the Island with the red Tower whereby the whole countrey had her name because in the midst thereof was a goodly Castle builded enuironed with great Towers and such walles as were of no meane maruell to be seen Then the Knight seeing Amadis take some delight in beholding theÌ„ said Sir this Castle which you see yonder was not built as this day noâ— more then an hundred since but as you now see it so doe ancient Histories speake of it that he who first founded it was named Ioseph sonne to that Ioseph of Aramathia who brought the Sangreal into Great Brittaine at such time as the whole land consisted of Paganes But by his meanes the most part of the people conuerted to the faith of Iesus Christ not without suffering many incursions of hostile enemies that dayly came in vpon them grieuously molested them from time to time To preuent this annoyance this Tower was thus erected in manner as you now beholde it but after-wards as all things haue their changes with the alteration of times if fell into the hands of Giants who tooke great paines to re-people the Isle with worshippers of Idols excluded all them that honoured the true God Neuerthelesse our Lord prouided so wel for them that in despite of their enemies they still continued heere though not in so great a number or enioying such libertie as formerly they had yet partly by paying great taxations and tributes and other of lesse ability by continuall seruitudes to the Giants vntill such time as Balan came to bee Lord thereof who as I haue alreadie tolde you is debonnaire vertuous and of Catholique religion whereby hee is very naturally beloued of all his subiects Now although the Knight declared all these good qualities and many more in the Giant to Amadis yet all were but as fuell to fire enflaming him so forwardly that hee entreated him to goe before and to let the Giant vnderstand that a Knight of the Enclosed Isle was come thither with a Ladie whose sonne he had slaine and kept her husband daughter seruants prisoners And if by combating with him and vanquishing him they might be deliuered hee reque sted security against all men but himselfe otherwise let him not aduenture to come neare the Port because the challenger held it as his refuge The Knight forthwith entred into a small Skiffe leauing Amadis and his company at the hauen in expectation of his returne So soon as he came near the Giant he knew him as one whoÌ„ he had many times seene
without any iniury or disgrace done vnto him And to morrow thou shalt better see the disposition of thy father and gouerne thy selfe thereto accordingly for I dare assure thee that hee is in no perill of life True it is that without my request first propounded for him and the Knights affection to Gandalacke thy grandfather as him-selfe assured me he had smitten off his head therfore follow my counsell and better will befall thee then thou art aware of I will doe so answered Brauor if my mother shall allow of your aduise Goe then said the Knight to know her minde and in the meane while let euery man withdraw himselfe Brauor commanded his people to depart and keepe themselues farre enough off from the Caue least they should any way offend Amadis in the time of his going to the castle Where comming to his mother he declared all that the knight had said to him and how for the loue of Gandalack hee that had vanquished his father refused to kill him When she heard what her sonne had saide she presently imagined that he was Galaor whom shee affected as her own brother because they had been nursed together at the Rock of Galtares Whereupon she wished her Sonne to follow the Knights aduise for his father began much to mend By this meanes Amadis remained in peace yet standing still vpon his guard least hee should againe bee aslaulted by them of the Castle who stood still as his besiedgers but a great distance off from him CHAP. XXXIIII How Darioletta perceiuing Amadis to bee in such danger made great â—oaâ—e and lamentation And how Balan and hee were made friends WHen Darioletta perceiued Amadis to be besieged on all sids without any meanes of ayd or succour she began to grieue and lament very earnestly and in her weeping vsed these words Wretched and vnfortunate woman that I am must the only best knight in the world lose his life and by mine occasion How dare I hereafter appeare in the presence of the King his Father the Queene or any other of his friends knowing what harm I haue procured to him Miserable woman and much more miserable then I am able to tearme my selfe If I was once the meanes of sauing his life by inuenting that strange kind of cradle wherein hee was committed to the rude Seas mercy how farre vnkinde and contrarie am I now to him in causing the end of his dayes when I most expected and hoped for helpe by him Alas how misguided were my sences from reason and vnderstanding at the time when I met him on the Sea shoare and would not suffer him so much as turne back to the Castle of Apoliaon to take his leaue of madam Oriana and from whence hee might haue brought some other Knights with him by whom in this extreamity he should haue beene well supported Who therfore deserues iustly to be punished but only my selfe hated and despised of all good luck and performing the part of a light headed and indescreete Woman trusting ouer much to mine owne rash opinion All this while did Amadis beholde Dariolettaes sadde complaynings and how often times shee heaued vp her hands to heauen as requiring comfort onely from thence yet could he not vnderstand any one word she spake but enioyed this benefit of seeing her by light of fire made by them that watched him and for their better wearing away the cloudie night which also gaue him some feeling of her wofull condition and so afflicted him in soule as hee resolued to die or get out of the rocky caue because the nights obscuritie woulde therein more auaile him then day light could doe or delaying time till the morning Beside coÌ„sidering the doubtfull issue of his present estate it appeared plainlie to him that hee could not escape thence without eyther death or taking being ouer wearied with weight of his Armes want of naturall rest and extreamitie of hunger all of these beeing no meane enemies to any hopefull expectation Only his best helpe in this necessity was that he saw his guardes begin to nodde and sleepe and therefore so softly as he could and by little and little hee offered to steale out of the Caue hoping so to compasse his peace Well was this obserued by the Knight of the Infanta Island who considering what danger he might fall into what speeches had past betweene Brauor and the Gyants wife all tending to his good and safetie ranne presently to him and stayed him euen against his will as it were saying Sir Knight I pray you to befrend me so much as but to heare me before you aduenture any farther whereat Amadis stood still to listen what he would say and the other declared to him how hee had conditioned a truce with Brauor vpon hope of the Giants recouerie who already appeared to be out of perill and told him beside what you haue formerly heard Amadis hereat was very ioyfull beleeuing him to be an honest and kinde man that would bring him so good news and that no dread of death could cause him to inuent them where-upon he thus answered Courteous Knight for this time I both credit and will follow your counsell swearing to you by mine order of knight-hood wherein already I haue spent ten yeares seruice that I had much rather be hewn in peeces then the Lady for whom I haue contended with Balan should not be fully satisfied in her demaunde Both you and shee replied the Knight shall haue all that you can desire For I know Balan to be such a man as makes more account of his worde then hee doth of his life During this time the Gyant lay on his bedde not able to vtter a worde but panted extraordinarily as one that endured a strange kinde of perplexitie in his stomack wherby his breath began greatly to faile him and still one while after another he shewed with his left hand and poynted to the place where hee was most payned Which his Chirurgeons perceiuing who durst not as yet take off his garments as fearing much to stirre him they aduentured to obserue the place whereto he signed and found by present apparance that hee had great reason so to doe for more then the palme of a hands breadth round vpon the stomacke the flesh and bones were quashed and meerly broken as it were whereupon they applyed immediatly so many oyles vnguents and other helpefull remedies that before breake of day speech came to him againe and hee demanded what was become of the Knight and the Ladie Then the truth of all was tolde him for none of them durst tell a lie in his hearing which made him to call for his sonne Brauor and all the rest that kept Amadis so sharpely besieged and beeing come before him he began in this manner to his sonne Infamous villaine durst thou presume to falsifie my worde in any thing that I had promised Slaue as thou art what honour or what aduantage could redound to thee by so base a deed as thou
and his mother But seeing this submission cannot coÌ„tent thee command what else thou wouldest haue and it shall be granted For matters past betweene thee and me answered Amadis I am sufficiently satisfied but not in the wrongs that concerne the Lady I am ready replied the Giant to suffer any such condemnation as thou thinkest best whereby to please both her and thee with this consideration that the vnrecouerable life of her sonne stands out of my reach and therefore must needes bee answered by some thing remayning in my power First of all then said Amadis my will is that thou deliuer her husband her daughter and all their attendants out of thy prisons Next in steed of her sonne flaine by thee condemne thy sonne to make her amends by present marriage of her daughter For lâ—t mee tell thee â—â—lan her husband is as good a â—â—ntleman as thy selfe and as sufficiently enriched with meanes euen so faire as hee is gouernour of all those countries which the King my father commands in the lesser Brittaine When Balan heard him speake in that manner he began to obserue him more iâ—… then before and thus replyed I pray thee in curtesie withouâ—â—…onger delay to tell mee 〈◊〉 â—…e and thy fathers 〈…〉 father answered Aâ—… is the King of Gaule and I am his 〈◊〉 Amadis At these wordes the Giant lifted vp his head saying Is it possible that thou shouldâ—… be â—…s who slew my father It is very true quoth he for I beeing in ayde of King Lâ—… and perceiuing him to bee in vnauâ—ydable daâ—ger of death I slew a 〈◊〉 who was reported to bee thy father Before God answered Balan it can nâ—uer enter into my vnderstanding how thou durst bee so bolde as to presume so sarre into my â—…diction but only by my euer knâ—… hâ—â—orable renowne of keeping my faith and worde inuiolate in any cause whatsoeuer Or else the meer magnanimity of thy soule which neuer made reckoning of the very greatest perill but fuâ—thered thee in the haughtiest enterprises is thy continuall good guiding Angell And therefore seeing fortune is so fauourable to thee it were against reason that I should contradict her in thy happinesse hauing made so deare a proofe thereof my selfe already As concerning my sonne I giue him freely tâ—… thee to be disposed of at thy pleasure not in any fauourable respect of mee but as beseemeth a villaine that durst presume to breake his fathers faith For no goodâ—â—sse else can now remaine in him but what his conâ—…ce may well learnâ—â—…f thee as â—â—â—ing a true teacher 〈…〉 â—â—â—dodoning him so great an offence Then reaching forth his hand Amadis meeting it gently with his hee thus proceeded The husband to this Lady her daughter and all the prisoâ—ers else in my custodie shall forth with bee released accouâ—… the very fayrest fortune 〈…〉 did or can befall mee to be â—…ed as thy friend and so I bâ—…h thee to accept me That will I with all my heart answered Amadis And embracing him as he lay said I am so farre engaged in seruice to thy Father in Law Gandalack as for his sake onely I hold it an Article of my dutie to loue thee truely And as a beginning of our aâ—…e let mee entreate and perswade thee to cease and giue ouer this wicked custome which both against God and reason thou hast heere so long time maintained Also forgiue thy Sonne Brauor whose error rather ensued by folly of youth then otherwise commanding him withall that to morrow hee marrie this Ladies daughter that so wee both may stand discharged of our promises Where-to Balan gladly condescended and Darioletta with her husband were also well pleased and satisfied And not without great reason and much to our purpose doth our Historie speake of this mariage For from them two issued a Sonne named Galeote that married one of the daughters to Galuanes and the faire Giantesse Madasima whence descended the second Balan succeding euermore from father to Son in this Island of the Red Tower Vntill it came to the gentle knight Segurades brother to the knight that came to the court of â—ing Arthur being aged aboue sixscore yeares he hauing in regard of his age for borne the vse of Armes the space of twentie yeares did yet without the helpe of any Launce vnhorse all the famous knights that came to Câ—melâ—t This Segurades whereof I now speake was in the time of king Vtâ—r Pendragon Father to king Arthur and left one only Sonne Lord of this Island who was named Brauor le Bran who was slaine by Sir Tristram de Lyons as he conducted fayre â—seult wife to King Marke into Cornewall Of this Brauor le Brun issued the valiant Galehaut le Brun Lord of the farre remote Isles a great friend to Sir Lancelot du Lake as you may well remember if you haue read the histories of the Round Table where mention is made of the Bruns who descended all from the stock of Balan With whom we wil leaue Amadis attending the curing of his Wounds to tell you what happened to Grasandor after the hunts-man had done his message to him and knew assuredly that he was embarqued thence with the Lady his conducter CHAP. XXXV How Grasandor followed in the quest of Amadis and what aduentures happened to him in his trauatie NOt long since you read that Amadis being entred the Barque of the Ladie who purposely came thither to seeke him one of the Huntsmen came along the shoare to whom he called commanding him to bury the dead Knight and acquaint Grasandor with the reason of his so sudden departure Which being imparted to Grasandor hee was a long time pensiue maruailing what aduenture had befallen him to drawe him so farre off from him and Madame Oriana Hereupon giuing ouer further pursuing the game he desired him to conduct him where the dead Knight lay and being there ariued hee sawe him lie along quite disarmed but neither Shippe or sayle could hee disâ—â—ne on the Sea So carrying the dead body into an Abbey neare adioyning which Amadis had founded Grasandor returned to Oriana whom hee found with the Infanta Mabila and the other Ladies who seeing him enter without Amadis demanded whence hee came thus all alone From point to point hee related the whole aduenture according as hee had receiued it from the hunts-man yet with some regarde as fearing to afflict her ouer much whom it most concerned I meane Madame Oriana whose heart was so seuerely shut vp with griefe as shee could not for a long while vtter one word But when her soule had wonne more liberty then shee thus answered Surely I am perswaded that seeing hee hath leâ—â— you and taken no farewell oâ— meâ— hee departed not but vpon some very great occasion By my faith Madame replied Grasandor I 〈◊〉 of your minde for hee sent me word by the Huntsman that I should excuse his absence to you Alas quoâ—h the Princesse I know not what excuse to allow of neither what wee are
THE THIRD BOOKE Of Amadis de Gaule CONTAINING THE DISCORDS and warres which befell in Great Brittaine and there about occasioned by the bad counsell which King Lisuart receiued from Gandandell and Brocadan against Amadis and his followers whereby many good Knights afterward on either side cruelly concluded their Liues Written in French by the Lord of Essars Nicholas de Herberay Commissarie in Ordinarie for the Kings Artillerie and his Lieutenant in the Countrie and Gouernement of Picardie vnder Monsicur de Brissac Great Master and Captaine Generall of the said Artillerie Translated into English by A. M. LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES dwelling in Foster-lane 1618. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR PHILLIP HERBERT Knight Earle of Montgomerie Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter c. RIght honourable according to the saying of Cicero writing in the commendation of Histories he auoucheth them to be the Treasure of things past the patterne of those that are to come the picture of mans life the touch-stone of our actions and the full perfecter of our honour And Marcus Varro saith They are the witnesse of Times the light of Truth the life of Memorie the Mistresse of life and the Messenger of Antiquitie And in very deede Noble Lord Histories cause vs to see those things without danger which millions of men haue experimented with losse of their liues honour and goods making many wise by others perill and exciting imitation of precedent mens vertues only to reach the like height of their vnconquerable happinesse Wisdome wonne by experience proues oftentimes very perillous and questionlesse is so long in the comming that a man may die before hee can come neere it so that a second life were necessarily required and all in imployment only about it It is therefore to be hastened forward by the search of passed examples where of Historie affordeth the greatest plentie Warranted then by so worthie presidents but more especially by an honourable Ladies earnest importunitie for these two labours by mee vndertaken and now after longer delay then was intended fully concluded I am bolde to present your honour with these two Bookes or parts of Amadis de Gauâ—e the Third and the Fourth neuer extant before in our English and which long since had been with your Honor but that I had a purpose according to my promise to that most Noble Ladie to haue published the whole first five volumes together where-of three haue formerly though very corruptly beene translated and printed but these not till now May it please your Honour to accept these two in the meane time and to make amends for so long iniuring your worthie expectation in Michaelmas Terme next ensuing the two former parts the First and Second somewhat better suted then before will come to kisse your Noble hand And then the Fift and Sixt shall immediately followe with all the speed conueniently may be vsed and so successiuely the other volumes of the Historie if time will giue leaue to finish them all So humbly crauing pardon of your Honour for this my present boldnesse and but such kinde acceptation of my good will as may encourage mee to goe on with therest Among them that are fairliest affected to your continuall Noble and flourishing happinesse and wish it to eternall perpetuity Remaineth your Honors in all dutie A. M. THE THIRD BOOKE OF AMADIS DE GAVLE Contayning the discords and warres which befell in Great Brittaine and there about occasioned by the bad councell which King Lisuart receiued from Gandandell and Brocadan against Amadis and his followers whereby many good Knights afterward on either side cruelly concluded their liues CHAP. I. THE sonnes of Gandandell and Brocadan being as you haue formerly heard ouercome the Knights of the Enclosed Island came to seeke Angriote and his Nephew and with great ioy conducted them into their Pauillions But King Lisuart some small while before this victorie had with-drawne himselfe into his Chamber not for any good that he wished to the vanquished knowing alreadie the Treason of their wicked Fathers but because hee would behold nothing that might redound to the glorie of Amadis whom hee held in so great hatred as to let him the more familliarly vnderstand it he would hardly admit leisure to the two Conquerors to haue their wounds respected But very hastily sent commaund vnto them that they should depart out of his Country neuer presuming afterward to enter it againe least they would haue worse welcome then stood with their liking whichnewes were so displeasing to them that instantly they complayned to Dâ—n Grumedan Brian de Moniaste and other Gentlemen who often vsed to visite them And to them they said that seeing the King forgetting theâ— former seruices done vnto him held his fauours so far off and in such strange manner from them that himselfe likewise should not count it strange hauing thus forsaken them if they sought to displease him to their vtmost power Suddenly therefore arming themselues and mounting on horse-backe both they and their companions rode toward the Enclosed Island and the third day following arriued at an Hermitage where they found the Neece to Brocadan the friend of Sarquiles by whose meanes the treason had beene before discouered and because her Vncle had threatned her shee secretly absented her selfe from the Court when beholding Sarquiles shee came and embraced him and preuailed so fairelie with her as to leade her along with them But you must vnderstand that soone after Angriote and his associates were departed Grumedan who had beene their Conductor 〈◊〉 to King Lisuart and acquainted him with all that he had heard of Angriote whereon when hee had long considered he thus answered I know right well that patience is a vertue highly to bee commended and beneficiall Neuerthelesse often times of a slender euill it begetteth a most mightie ruine For proofe where of if I had at the first shewen such countenance to Agriote the rest as I should haue done and not entertained them so kindely as I haue done it may bee they had neuer entred into such boldnesse not onely to vse threatnings against me but also to enter my Country so preuily Notwithstanding hauing done according as reason perswaded me God with his owne good liking will allow it and it will no doubt redound wholly to my honour and their confusion which that it may bee the better knowne vnto them it is my will without any longer temporizing to send defiance to them and especially to Amadis who is the onely Authour of all this euill and so much the rather that by the very same meanes their pride may be chastised At this very instant Arban King of North-wales one of the wisest and most vertuous Princes in all the Land was there present who looking with discretion on this sodaine enterprise in the King spake thus vnto him Sir I am of the minde that before you doe what you haue intended you would vse the aduise of the chiefest men in
Mariners hoysed their Sayles whereon the windes bestowed their breath so bountifully as they soone lost sight of the Enclosed Island and on the sixt day following about day-breake in the morning they arriued at the Burning Lake where they secretly prepared Bridges and Boates for their easier and speedie landing For they well knew that the Count Latin was there with a great troupe of Knights for defence of the place and notwithstanding all their diligence they were discouered by the watch and intelligence was quickly carried to the Counte and Gâ—ldar de Rascuil who instantly armed their men came to encounter their enemies on the Sea-shore At their meeting there fel an hard conflict on either side the one for landing the other for withstanding and doe what they could the knights of the Enclosed Isle were beaten back to their Shippes Which being noted by Florestan Galuanes Agrayes Orlandin and some others of them they leaped forth into the water and in despight of the Countes people they got landing For they were followed by their friends with such fury as the other side retired falling into a confused rout Which the Counte perceiuing he drew backe faire softly not doubting but to enter the Towne at his owne pleasure But immediatly newes were brought him that the inhabitants had reuoked and that but one Port onely was kept for him Beside that Dandasida Sonne to the aged Giâ—…sse which the day before had beene brought prisoner into the Castle with about twenty other Gentlemen of the Towne had broken open the prisons as the guards laboured to supply the fight at the Sea-side and they haue quoth hee that brought the tidings broken all in peeces striking vp an Alarum in the Towne where the inhabitants haue slaine all them that you left to defend it This report was so dreadfull to the Count Latin and all his followers that they intended to turne backe and flie into the mountaines but considering at length that they might saue themselues by the Port kept yet purposely for them and so fall to some composition with their enemies they resolued on that course and made their retreate Whereupon Galuanes would not pursue them any further but caused his people to draw backe attending till the rest of the army might bee safely landed And as hee was taking order for his campe a Knight came to him being sent from Dandaside to aduertise him that without all further question he and his should bee Lords of the towne and Castle if they pleased to come with their imedeat succour For the Count and his troupes held no more but one sillie Port where they contended to recouer what they had lost and might easily bee disposed of at his pleasure Galuanes wanted no dilligence vpon this aduantage but setting on with his Armie marched directly towards the Towne conducts my Madasima all the way to quicken loue and spirit in his Subiects who came to welcome them with all honour and reuerence Thus the Knights of the Enclosed Isâ—and made their entrance and while the Ladies were conuaied to the Castle Galuanes calced a Councell for bâ—tter direction of what was further to be done and vâ—â—er expelling all his enemies because it appeared that they endeuoured to fortefie their Port which they held Agrayes spake first saying If my aduise bee worthy allowance I would not admit them the least leisure to repaire their decaied fortune but presently begin our assaut so liuely that not a man should possibly escape My Lord Agrayes answered Florestan wee shall doe much better if it like all our company without any further hazard of our men to send them a summons of yeelding them-selues to vs which perhaps they wil gladly accept and it will redound more to our honour then if we proceeded otherwise This opinion was generally commended and Aâ—griâ—â—â— and Grâ—â—â—te appointed as messengers to the Count where giuing 〈◊〉 to vnderstand what they had in charge and assuring him withall that if he did not sodainely yeeld that was the very day of assault and none would then bee admitted to mercie the Count was soone perswaded to submission especially all the rest that tooke part with him beholding their present condition of daunger no meane number of their fellowes being cruelly wounded and the whole Country already reuolted from them Therefore they rather chose to embrace the mercie of such worthy Knights then fondly to stand on the strength of our poore Porâ— or further to tempt their fortune by seeking safety abroade among Country Boores and Peazants This also was well liked by the Knights of the Isle for they were almost all wounded or so shrewdly shaken in the fight which lasted all the day that few were able to endure their Armes Howbeit this ioy was of no long continuance because well nâ—â—re in the same instant newes 〈◊〉 that King Arban of Northwailes and Gasquilan King of Swetia were entred on the Isle with more then a thousand Knights on the behalfe of King Lisuart which fell out to their no little amazement Neuerthelesse they concluded to stand vpon their best defence maintayning the place with their vtmost power and forbearing to fight vntill they had recouered better ability But because wee would not stray too far from Amadis and what ensued to him at his returne to the Enclosed Island with Bruneo wee will leaue these Gallants in expectation of their enemies to tell you that which next succeeded CHAP. II. How Amadis being in the Enclosed Island enquired of Gandales tidings concerning the Court of King Lisuart determining to passe into Gaule with Brunco to shake off his melancholly And of those aduentures which happened to him by a tempest that threw him vpon the Sad Island AFter that the Army by Sea had set saile and Amadis quite lost the sight of them hee and Bruneo returned into the Enclosed Island and because hee had no leisure to enquire of Gandales newes from the Court of King Lisuart by reason of his friends so sodaine departing the very same day walking alone in the garden hee called Gandales vnto him and entreated him to tell him if he saw the Queene and his Cousine Mabila Beleeue me Sir answered Gandales I spake with them both for ought I could perceiue they beare you very kinde affection especially the Queene who desires you by all possible meanes to make your peace with the King Then presenting him the Letter which Mabila had written he further said Madame Oriana and your Cousine Mabila commend them-selues very louingly to you and are much grieued at the hard opinion the King holds of you and Madame Oriana praies yee to remember what kindnesse and respect you some times found in the Court of the King her father and the Letter sent yee by your Cousine will acquaint yee more at large with other tidings Then Amadis turning his backe on Gandales doubting the alteration of his countenance opened the Letter and saw that his linage encreased Oriana being so neere the time
if possibly I may I will acquaint her therewith before wee come to Court Doe so quoth the king Galaor riding backward came to the Princesse and to him after some other conference had together she spake in this manner Sir Galaor I am perswaded that the Gentleman who was yesterday made knight hath beene a long while knowne to you in regarde you made choise of him as your associate and companion for I know not any knight in this Court but would thinke himselfe highly honored to be so graced by you yea though it were your brother Amadis Madame replied Galaor your comparison of mee with my Brother is so vnequall as the like speeches may be spoken of heauen and earth considering that in respect of me he may bee tearmed heauen and I compared to him farre inferiour to the lower element And therefore I repute it great presumption in any knight whatsoeuer to thinke himselfe his second for it plainly appeareth that fortune fauoured his election to hold the primarie place in valour feature and all other gracious gifts required in a Gentleman Full gladly did Oriana listen to these praises of her Amadis while inwardly shee thus spake to her selfe Alas poore Lady thy misfortune were vnmatchable if in being thus seuered from the presence of thy friend thou shouldst bee as farre distant from his intire affection in good sadnesse death would be a thousand times more welcome to mee then such a deepe discomfort But Galaor purposing a longer continuance of his discourse thus proceeded Let it be no matter of maruaile in you faire Princesse that I accepted Norandell into my company for you may bee well assured that I did it not but vpon great and good occasion and perhaps it will no more dislike you then it doth me when the cause is more familiar to yee I pray yee Sir quoth she if it bee a matter that your honour may dispence withall not to conceale it from me Madame said Galaor the secret were very important that I would not impart to you and vpon faithfull promise of your priuacie I will discouer it Rest boldly assured thereof replied the Princesse Vnderstand then Madame quoth Galaor that Norandell is sonne to the King your father and your Brother And so declared how hee had read the Letter from the Infanta Celinda and the king likewise which she had sent to the king with all the other speeches passed betweene them In good faith answered the Princesse I am highly pleased to know this new affinity betweene Norandell and me and now I giue you thankes withall my heart for the worthy honour you haue done him in accepting him to be your companion For in being with you hee cannot faile of proouing to bee a good man and a famous knight whereas should hee be otherwise addicted yet such a bad nature would be quite altered only by keeping your company as hee hath faithfully promised Madame quoth Galaor you haue power to say of me whatsoeuer you please as of him that is a most humble seruant both to the king and your self when and how it shall like you to imploy me So breaking off this enterparlance they rode to the Queenes lodging where Galaor dismounting the Princesse and hauing conducted her to her Chamber hee departed thence with his new companion vntill the next morning their going to the king who told them that hee purposed that night to sleepe aboord his Ships and the day following to set saile away giuing order for euery mans being in readinesse The Drummes and Trumpets summoning all souldiours to their collours they weighed Ankors on the morrow and had the winde so auspicious for them as quickly they loue the sight of Great Brittan but soone after arose a shrewde Tempest which made them very doubtfull of perishing Notwithstanding it calmed so fauorably in the end that on the fift day following they discouered the Isle of Mongaza where they landed neere to the place where king Arban lay encamped and fort fled awayting for their succour and supply 〈◊〉 long before they of the 〈◊〉 Lake had made a 〈◊〉 foorth vpon them and pursued them so violently as if king Arban men had not wonne the toppe of the mountaine they could not haue auoided discomfiture There did Florestan make good acknowledgement of his man-hood for meeting with Gasquilan king of Swetia hee wounded him so daungerously as euery one reputed him for dead Neuerthelesse Briande Moniaste aduenturing ouer forwardly into the throng with full intent to charge King Arban was taken prisoner being no way able to helpe himselfe so that on other side many good knights were wounded and layde along on the ground All which king Lisuart heard at his arriuall whereat hee was so displeased as no man could be more concluding to bee reuenged on them Which the better to performe hee gaue commandement thorow his Campe that no one should presume into the field without licence thereto first obtayned hoping that the enemie would come againe to assaile King Arban as formerly he was wont to doe before his comming thither But the other side had intelligence of this fresh succour in regard whereof they had retired themselues attending further fortune By this time the houre drewe neere when the Princesse Oriana should bee deliuered of her childe and her Fathers departure fitted it very well for within a day or two after his shipping thence the paines and throwes of child-birth grew so extreamely on her that about mid-night shee expected death euery minute Therefore she caused Mabila to rise as also the Damosell of Denmarke who had long before prouided all things in readinesse to bee required in such a necessitie They being come to her found her so ouercome with paine and anguish not daring to crye or vse any complaint that shee was vnable to hold out any longer But Heauen pittying her oppressions before the breake of day requited her sorrowes with the birth of a goodly Boy which the Damosel of Denmarke receiued while Mabila gaue further attendance on the Mother As shee was making it ready in the swadling clothes she discerned seauen Caracters vnder either little teate some as red as blood and the other as white as snow whereat being not a little abashed shee called Mabila and shewed them to her But neither of them had the skill to reade them for they were all Greeke Letters composed in Latin words in which report they forbare as then to acquaint the Mother therewith wrapping it vp in the clothes and laying it by the Mother till shee gaue order for conueighing it thence according as formerly hath beene determined which being done the Damosell of Denmarke departed to call her brother Durin In the meane while the Princesse holding the Infant in her armes and bestowing many sweete kisses vpon it spake in this manner Alas little Creature Heauen enlarge such blessings on thee that thou mayst proue to be as good and vertuous a knight as thy Father and make the beginning of
because I receiued Letters some few dayes since from him whereby he gaue me to vnderstand that neither he nor Florestan would stirre out of Gaule vntill they heard some newes from me I cannot chuse then replyed the King but maruaile of whence and what they are I know not quoth Galaor but whatsoeuer they are heauen shreld them from any il successe for neuer in my life did I looke on more braue and worthie Knights or men that could doe more for you then this day they haue done So spent they out the rest of the day in no other discourse almost but onely concerning the knights of the Serpents And raising their Campe on the morrow they went to Gandale where the Queene and Ladies awayted the Kings comming there also hee brake vp his Atmy discharging euery man to his owne home CHAP. VI. How the three Knights of the Serpents returning homeward into Gaule were by contrary fortune cast on the place where Archalaus the Enchanter dwelt who resolued on their death and what afterward befell them THree whole dayes together King Perion his two Sonnes kept theÌ„selues closely hidden in the Forrest as well for ease and refreshing after so great toyle as in expectation of a conuenient winde for shipping which on the fourth day fortunatly happened so they set sayle with a purposed intent for returning home into Gaule But it fell out farre otherwise with them for hardly had they attained into the maine Sea but it began to swel and rise in such dreadfull manner being stirde and enraged with contrary windes as if Heauen and earth had contended together and the Ship was so hurried by impetuositie of the waues that notwithstanding all the paines and endeauours of the Mariners they were constrained and driuen backe againe towardes the coast of Great Brittaine to land farre enough from the place where they tooke shipping There the three knights went on shore and mounting on their horses without any Squire to attend them they would needs seek after some aduenture vntill the Sea should be better setled hauing left expresse command with their men not to depart thence till their returne They had not ridden any great length of ground but descending downe a Rocke to a goodly plaine they â—…et with a Lady attended by threâ— Squires and two Damosels each carrying a Falcon on their fist as if they intended an hourely flight The Lady beholding them made way with her Palfray towards them deliuering mostâ— gracious gesture for their happy meeting and vsing ceremony of kinde salutation gaue them to vnderstand by apparant signes that she was bereft of speech and dumbe Most louely and faire she appeared to the knights which moued them to compassionat greatly her hard fortune and she going to him that had the golden Helmet making signes of embraces and offers to kisse his hand gaue outward notice both to him and the rest of request to haue them accept alodging in her castel which was at hand And lest the knights should mistake her meaning she made the like signs to her Squires who fully acquainted them with her desire entreeting them at their Ladies motion to accept of one nights entertainment in her Castell The knights being somewhat crazie and wearied with the rough tempest endured on the Sea imagined that her will accorded with their words and that no treason lay hid vnder this honest out-side yeelded to hers and their request riding softly on with her and entring into a pleasant seated Castel where they were most graciously entertained and conducted to a very goodly Chamber and there they vnarmed themselues When they were set downe at the Table for Supper diuers Damosels came each of them hauing an instrument and began to play most melodiously passing the time away in these pleasing recreations vntill the houre for rest drew neere Then withdrew the Musicians and the thred knights being left all alone layed â—hrm downe in one bedde together where soone after they fell asleepe as men that had some neede of repose Heere yee are to obserue that the Bed wherein the knights lay was fixed vpon a vice or screw to bee let downe and mounted againe without any noyse at all into a dungeon of twenty fathome deepe and there the knights found themselues in the morning at their awaking whereat they were not a little amazed perceiuing themselues to bee betrayed for they could not discerne any light at all nor deuise how they should bee transported thither At length they arose to finde either some window for aire or doore for passage to get forth but all was in vaine no likelyhood appeared anywhere of opening or that might yeeld them the smallest comfort But continuing on in this doubtfull maze they could heare the steppes and treadings of people ouer their heads and about seauen or eight houres after they saw a window opened vp aloft and a knight but meanely aged putting thorow his head demaunding very vnmanerly what new-come guests came so willingly to looke for good entertainment there By my faith lustie Roisters quoth hee since I haue gotten hold of yee I shall bee soundly reuenged of the wrongs ye haue done me but that your liues is not any part of sufficient payment I am not now to â—…arn that you are they which caused the ouerthrow of Aranigne and his Army maintaining the quarrell of that wicked Lisuart and let me now tell ye that you are in the power of Archalaus who will soone enough make knowne what loue hee beares yee Looke well vpon mee and if you neuer saw mee before this instant take good notice of me now to know me againe if you can scape from me Oh how glad a man should I bee if that villaine Amadis de Gaule were one among yee By my soule I would not sleepe till I had cut off both his nose and hands and put him to the most cruel death that euer was deuised Presently came the Lady who the day before counterfeited her selfe to be dumbe and said Vncle yonder youngest man pointing to Amadis is the knight that wore the golden Helmet who you said had so brauely behaued himselfe in Armes This Lady we now speake of was the daughter to Ardan Canile naming her selfe Dâ—…raa the most malicious and subtile woman that those times affoorded and had not come into these parts but only to take Amadis and procure his death which was the principall reason why she dissembled her selfe to be dumbe No sooner had she vttered these words but Archalaus went frem the window and shutting it againe in most churlish manner said to the knights Be as merry as yee may for before night I wil haue your heads cut off and then I le send them to king Aranigne in satisfaction of the iniuries hee receiued by your meanes Much more amazed now then euer was King Perion and his sonnes to see themselues thus in the power of Archalaus and perceiuing so palpably that vnder the counterfaited shew of dumbnes the
wherein they lay was fixed on a screw or giuing vise which easily and without the least noyse conueyed them aboue twenty fathome in depth they being in a sound sleepe dreading no harme at all Full well knew Gandalin and the other that these knights were their Maisters thus betrayed notwithstanding they made no outward apparance thereof but as if they had neuer seene or knowne them Gandalin thus answered For ought I can perceiue most vnhappily came we hither where such worthy men are so cruelly handled of whom we haue heard much fame and faire report But is there no way or means whereby to succourand helpe them I am vndoubtedly perswaded that if they were deliuered our abiding heere would not be long Let mee tel ye answered the ancient knight the maine butte or end of the vice which supporteth the bed wherein they lye is vnder the plancher of this Chamber and heere you may behold it If all our strength labor will serue to turne it about and remount the bed vp againe to his former place they may easily get forth because the doore is neuer shut and moreouer the Guardes or Keepers of the Castell are now all in their deadest sleepe Let vs try quoth Gandalin what we can do so euery one set to their hand Such was their painfull labour endeauour that the screw of the vice turning by little and little the bed beganne to rise and King Perion being then not able to sleepe felt how it mooued wherefore awaking Amadis and Florestan hee said vnto them Doe not you feele that we are remounting vp aloft Assure your selues the villaine Archalaus will keepe promise with vs for doubtlesse wee are discouered to him I know not said Amadis what may be his meaning but hee that first layes hold on me to do me out-rage shall pay the reckoning for all the rest While thus they conferred by little and little the bedde drew vp neere to the plancher and attained to fixing in his first place Then our knights leaping lightly on their feete drew forth their Swords looking all about them to see who had thus raised them again But they could not see any body to their no little maruaile and they found their Armes in the same place where they had lefte them before they went to rest wherewith they armed themselues immediatly Afterward they issued forth so secretly that seazing the Guards they hewed and sliced them in pieces before any ey could take notice thereof vntill such time as by the great noise they made in breaking the bolts and barres of the gates and sharpe assayling such as they met withall Archalaus awaked and heard Amadis cry with a loude voyce For Gaule for Gaule this Castell is ours In great affrightment he rose and hauing no leysure to arme himselfe he ran into a strong Tower mounting to the top thereof and drawing vp the Ladder after him where seeing himselfe in safety putting his head out ata window he called to his people so loud as he could In the meane while our three knights had made way to Gandalin and the rest freeing them from the slauery of Archalaus whom they espied bawling aloft on the Tower with some other for their better safety And because they could by no possible meanes come at them they made a great fire and smoakt them in such sort as they were glad to descend into-he lowest vaults where they were likewise almost smothred with smoke At length the knights seeing the Castell all engirt with fire commanded their horses to bee led forth where mounting on them they coÌ„mended Archalaus to all his deuils and the Dwarfe cryed out Archalaus Archalaus remember how kindly thou didst vse me when thou tiedst me fast by the feete in the Castel of Valderin where I was as well perfum'd as thou art now The dwarfe deliuered these words so angerly with such a strange gesture as made them all to laugh hartily And when they were somewhat further off they looked behind them and beheld the Castell flaming gallantly perswading themselues that they were sufficiently reuenged on Archalaus and that he could no way escape with life By this time bright day appeared and they arriued at the place where they left their Ship there the Gentlewoman that had bin deliuered with the rest remembring the words of Amadis in the Castell when he cryed For Gaule for Gaule desired to know of Gandalin which of them was the man Gandalin pointing her to Amadis shee went and fell at his feete desiring pardon of him For quoth shee I am Darioletta that committed your life to the mercy of the Sea euen the very same day that you were borne But beleeue me my Lord I did it to saue the honour of the Qaeen your Mother who otherwise had bin put to death for no one did know but my selfe onely that the King your Father who is heere present with yee was as then married to her Amadis was much amazed heereat for he had neuer heard the cause wherefore he was left in such sorsaken manner so taking Darioletta by the hand he said vnto her Faire Friend I pardon ye perceiuing it was done vpon so iust an occasion and heretofore Galuanes hath often told me that he found me floating on the Sea but till this instant I was vtterly ignorant how it came to passe Then she related all from point to point without omitting any thing euen from the beginning of King Perions loue to his Queene Elisena and the successe of euery accident wherein the king tooke no little delight and often entreated Darioletta to repeat the sweet pleasures of his youth But while this company were thus in quiet and contentment the case of Archaiaus carried no correspondencie therewith for hee and hir remained inthe deep vault vnder his sower where he was as well fauouredly smoakt and perfumed as euer Rainard the Foxe was in his vnderground kennel And if his Niece Dinarda and some others had not succoured him hee had there miserably ended his dayes But they came to him so soone as the knights were gone finding him so suffocated and ouercome as he was not able to stirre either hand or foote Taking him forth of that smothering vault they threw vineger and cold water in his face so that soon after he began to breathe and opening his eyes beheld his Castell all on a sâ—â—me Then heauily sighing euen as if his heart would haue split in sunder he said Vile traytour Aâ—… how many iniuries hast thou 〈…〉 since thy birth Be well asâ—… therefore that if I can catch thâ—â— I wil be reuenged to mine own hearts contentment In the despight of thee I will neuer keep any knight falling into my power aboue one night but he shall dye the death to make him sure for scaping from me as â—ow much against my minde thouhâ—st done So calling for his Litter he wold presently bee thence conuayed to Mount Aldan For quoth he it vexetl my very soul to behold
well and that villaine that is with ye By Sainct Mary answered Ambades you doe mee wrong to thinke so badly of mee holding you in such reputation that if I could haue conquered two such as you are I could vaunt thereof among the best knights in the world for I hold ye to be but a couple of base Groomes These words mooued Norandel to such choller that he presently replyed Base Gromes Hast thou any such in thy pay or wages If thou holdest vs in no better esteeme come downe from thy Castell wall and thou shalt soone see that a Groom of my breeding can knocke a bigger knaue then thou art But if thou conquerest mee then boldly make thy vaunt to haue foyled one of the greatest enemies that eyther thou or Archalaus can haue Gentle words answered Ambades haue not I tolde thee already that I meane not to meddle with any such paltry companions what honour then can be had by so base conquest Tell not me of thy hatred to my Cousin Archalaus thou art vnworthy to speake of a man of his merit who as he cares not for thy loue or kindnesse so he dares thee to thy vttermost malice against him So bending a Turkishe Bowe hee let slye three or four arâ—owes at them which caused Galaor and Norandel to part thence smyling heartily to them-selues that they had bin so deceiued by two treacherous women And yet quoth Norandel mee thinkes they lik't their wine so well as they will grieue for the misse thereof when they remember vs. And howsoeuer they haue beguiled our expectation yet I can bee well content to be mockt so againe paying no dearer charges then wee haue done They rode on still thus merily iesting till about some three or foure dayes after they came to the Port of Arsill where they found a Barke ready bound for Gaule whereinto they entred and the winde sate so fitting for them that without hinderance or impeachment they landed where King Perion then soiourned At that instant Amadis was walking on the Sea-shore accompanied with his Brother Florestan he remembring his Oriana sent many a longing looke towardes London But so soone as hee beheld the Barke to cast Anker in the Port hee said to his Brother Florestan Let vs goe learne of them who are come hither to take landing if they can tell vs any happy tidings Goe we then replyed Florestan for perhaps we may meete with some of our acquaintance So walking downe to the Shoare Amadis saw Galaor already come forth of the Ship and Norandel following him wherepon he went and embraced his brother As yet hee had no knowledge of Norandel but Florestan had formerly seen him telling him that he was the bastard Sonne to King Lisuart and companion to Galaor as a so one of the best knights of his age so he did worthily declare himselfe in the battels at the Burning Lake where many men of marke ended their liues Neuerthelesse he was then scarcely knowen to bee the Kings Sonne neither would his Father make any auouchment of him vntill the ouerthrow of King Aranigne but there he performed such deeds of Armes that the King himselfe greatly gloried he had begotten so famous a knight therâ—fore cared not that day who tooke knowledge of him Not a little glad was Amadis of his arriuall and for his Sister Orianaes sake hee gaue him the more kind and gracious welcome sending presently to King Perion to aduertise him of their landing who came to meete them and embraced Norandel in most louing manner feasting them royally and magnificently three dayes together On the fourth day following Amadis who formerly had resolued on his departure from Gaule to pursue the search of strange aduentures finding the King at fitte and conuenient leysure he thus spâ—ke vnto him Sir my long abiding heere with you discontinuance from the vse of Armes hath bin the cause of much lauish language to my disgrace Wherefore I humbly entreate your Maiesty to licence my departure to morrow morning Sonne answered the King I hold your honour in such precious esteem that notwithstanding pateâ—…all loue and affection which well may make me loth to leaue your company I am content that you shall part hence at your owne pleasure By my saith quoth Galaor were it not for one quest whereto I and my companion 〈◊〉 haue religiously bound our selues by â—oath no occasion whatsoeuer could diuide vs from your company But we haue vowed the same before so many worthy personages and to continue our trauaile one whole yeare together as nothing must hinder vs from that we seeke for And what may bee the ground said the King of this serious inquisition Sir answered Galaor in King Lisuarts battaile with the seauen Island Kings three knights vtterly vnknowen to vs 〈◊〉 and tooke our part all armed alike except their Helmets for one was white another greene and the third gold and had no difference but their Shieldes emblazed 〈◊〉 Sâ—…ents Thâ—se three of whom I make reâ—… performed such admirable deeds of prowesse that the King 〈◊〉 and all his knightâ— with confirmation of the whole army beside ascribed the cause of our victory onely to heauen and them much did he in the white Helmet also he in greene but aboue all the golden Gallant might not bee mâ—â—ed And because none of vs could attaine to the knowledge of them by reason of their sudden parting thence vpon our victory my companion and I haue solemnely vowed and promised according to the custome of Great Brittaine to spend one whole yeare in the quest of them before we giue ouer or vndertake any other enterprise Sonne said the King when heauen pleaseth you may haue newes of those knights and sooner then you look for So spent they out the day discoâ—sing on many things till the due houre summoned them to rest The next morning Amadis being armed went to heare Masse and hauing taken leaue of the King mounted on horseback accompanied only with Gandalin and the Dwarfe Notwithstanding the King would needes bring him somewhat on the way out of the Citty and as they rode together Amadis thus spake Sir you know what trauaile my brother and Norandel haue bound theÌ„selues to by vow which will bee paines without any profit except you please therein to ease them for by no meanes possible can they compasse their intent but one of vs three must end their royle Wherefore I thinke it expedient if your Highnesse were so pleased that when you haue forsaken my company you would tell them the whole discourse and what we did in the seruice of King Lisuart Since you will haue it so replyed the King it shall be done Florestan was very desirous to haue ridden along with Amadis but hee would not permit it because in trauayling alone hee had the more free passage for his considerations concerning Oriana and beside he aymed at aduentures of no meane perill the honor wherof should be his owne onely Anadis being gone
as Fortune best pleased to direct him and the King with his company returned home to the Court he called for Galaor and Norandel with whom he discoursed in this maner You haue betaken your selues to a strange kinde of quest wherein I am certaine you will haue but slender successe except it be in this kingdome And therefore account your comming hither to be fortunate in that I can shorten your long-intended trauaile Know then that the knights you seeke after were none other then Amadis Florestan and my selfe So he declared the whole manner of their enterprise and how at the very instant of their proceeding Vrganda the Vnknowen sent them the coate Armours with the Serpents the golden Helmet for Amadis the white for himselfe and the greene for Florestan shewing all instantly to them and what harme had happened to them in the battel Sir said Galaor heauen hath bin very fauourable to vs considering our long-intended time of trauaile onely to enter the Combate with them and make knowne to the whole world beside in extinguishing their glory that one of vs deserueth asmuch as the best of them Yea quoth the King but it is much better to fall out thus as now it doth Then he reported to them how in their returning from the battell they chanced to bee imprisoned by Archalaus and in what vngentle manner he vsed them That villain answered Galaor not long after escaped out of my hands by a most queint and cunning treachery Relating at large how they met with him their courtesie to the Damosels and their treason afterward at the Castell of Ambades The King walked thence with them to his owne Chamber where all the Armours were whereof they had spoken which they presently knew as hauing well obserued them in the battell Norandel importuning the King so earnestly that he frankly gaue him them Afterward hauing remained there about the space of fourteene dayes they obtayned leaue to part thence and passing into Great Brittaine arriued at the Court of King Lisuart who not a little glad of their comming instantly sent for them to vnderstand what had befalne them in their quest Sir said Norandel wee haue brought ye happy newes and answerable to your owne desire In testimony whereof behold heere the Armes of them that perfourmed such worthy seruice for you and in such a time of vrgent necessity This white Helmet was then worne by King Perion and your selfe saw him in the place where it cost many the price of their liues This greene Helmet belonged to the gentle knight Florestan who well declared how hardily hee could handle his Sword And this of gold appertained to Amadis whom deeds of arms cannot be seconded by any for by his assistance the benefit of the battaile redounded to you but the honour thereof to his immortall glory How could they quoth the King come so conueniently to helpe vs Heereupon Norandel discoursed from point to point how euery thing had happened without the least omission to the great contentment of all the hearers Beleeue me said the King I perceiue that King Perion hath bin long time your fauourer and him I neuer saw out of his Armes albeit I greatly desire to know him You shall then know answered Norandel a wise vertuous and most magnanimious Prince And on my faith quoth Grumedan his Sonnes come not behind him in any of his best parts These words were hardly pleasing to the King though hee made no outward shew thereof but falling from this maner of discourse hee departed thence leauing Galaor and Norandel to whom Oriana and Mabila instantly comming they deliuered most kinde commendations to them both from Queene Elisena and the Princesse Mabila Declaring afterward that Amadis was departed from Gaule into farre distant Countreyes to seeke after straunge aduentures which tydings made them very sorrowfull because they feared to heare no newes of him in a long while after CHAP. VII How Esplandian was neurished by the old Hermite Nascian And what aduentures happened to Amadis in the meane while changing his knowne name and calling himselfe the Knight with the greene Sword ESplandian hauing attayned to the age of foure yeares or thereabout Nascian well knowing that now it was fit time to begin his instruction in vertuous exercises sent to his Sister that she should bring the childe to him which shee accordingly did The Hermit perceiuing his growth to be beyond the ordinary stature of such young yeares besides his beauty and commendable forme conceiued in his minde that heauen had thus preserued him to some especiall end so that if formerly hee presumed of his future happines he gaue more credit now thereto then euer he had done endeauouring by all meanes possible to haue him taught all commendable qualities fit for the knowledge of a Gentle-man embracing kissing and vsing him as if he had bin his owne naturall Sonne And surely it was not without great reason because the childe had alwayes declared as apparant signes of loue to him and rather more then to his Nurse whose brests hee suckt In regard whereof Nascian concluded to keep him still sending his Sister home to her owne house yet requiring the company of one of her Sonnes that might bee as a play-fellow to Esplandian who had suckt with him of the same milke whereto shee willingly condiscended From that time forward the Hermit was their sole guide and gouernour they liuing there in the nature of brethren and for their dayly delight and exercise he would send them to hunt in the Forrest so that at one time among other they rising earely in the morning to finde some game Esplandian waxing faint and weary sate downe by a Riuer side and fell asleepe The Lyonnesse whereof we haue formerly spoken comming thither and finding this new kind of prey smelling at his face began to fawne and moue his taile pleasingly euen as if Nature had made an especiall interdiction of touching or doing any harme to the creature which her selfe had before bin partly a Nurse vnto And appeared to know him so perfectly that had bin a while suckled with her milke as instantly without offering the least violence she couched down at his feete smelling and licking his hands and garments Which when his wakingcompanion perceiued being ouer-come with feare he ranne home to the Hermit crying to him that he had left his brother with a great dogge that would eate him as hee lay sleeping on the banke of a Riuer he not hauing any power to wake him The holy Hermite dearely affecting Esplandian grew doubtfull of his safety and commaunded his young Nephew to bring him where he left him which presently he did Drawing neere to the place he beheld the Boy and the Lyonnesse playing together when Esplandian beholding the Hermite saide vnto him Father doth this goodly dog belong to vs. Sonne answered Nascian shee is sent of God to whom onely all things appertaineth Truely Father replyed Esplandian I should well like his abyding with vs
blood issuing from the wound receiued in his arme hee had giuen his enemie more occasion of trouble and daunger then as now hee could doe in so weake an estate At length he found himselfe so spent and weary that to recouer breath hee thus spake vnto him Beleeue mee Knight of the greene Sword in regard that I now know yee better then euer I did I haue iuster reason of wishing worse to ye then before Notwithstanding because it appeares to mee that you beginne to waxe faint I am well contented to suffer yee for a while to rest and ease your selfe How replyed Amadis doest thou now talke of rest and madest vaunt not long since to haue my head so lightly Assure thy selfe thou shalt take no rest nor I neither till one of vs two rest in death on the ground and therefore looke to thy selfe I would aduise thee Thus speaking hee charged him fierce and fiercer and at last let fall such a weightie blow on the toppe of his Helmet as cleft quite thorow the steele head and braine together so that he fell downe dead in the field Whereat the Knight of the greene Sword was not a little glad not so much for the ill-will he bare him as for the displeasure he imagined to haue done the Emperour and especiall contentment of King Tafinor So wiping his Sword he put it vp into the sheathe rendring thankes to GOD for the victory he had giuen him Then came the King and embracing him demaunded how hee fared So well my Lord answered Amadis as I haue no wound at all to hinder mee from entring a fresh fight to morrow morning with whomsoeuer you shall please to appoint mee Nay by my faith quoth the King you haue done enough for this businesse Then was hee conducted into the Citty with the greatest triumphe that possibly could bee In the meane while the Romanes carried thence the body of Garadan so daunted with his death that all desire of farther fighting was vtterly lost but concluded together to tell the Emperour that their companion had engadged them in meere despight adn his owne rashnes to decide this difference by Armes wherein he would needes ouer desperatly aduenture himselfe alone and so lost the day No one was against this determination but a young knight named Arquisil a neere kinsman to the Emperour who perceiuing the bad disposition of the rest and the iniury they not onely should doe to the Emperour Patin and to them-selues but likewise to the whole Empire spake thus vnto them How now Lords will you thus forget your selues and lose the reputation of our Empire Shall it bee bruited abroade that eleuen Romane knights thorow feare of death were so cowardly-minded as not to combate with twelue Allemaignes grosse-headed fellowes and very slenderly experienced in Armes So helpe me God put me alone vpon the enterprise and if you stand in doubt of him that hath foyled Garadan leaue him onely to me and settle your selues to the other for I dare assure yee if our hearts bee good wee cannot but speed successefully and recouer that blemish to our honour which the misfortune of our friendes hath throwen vpon vs. Let vs fight then and die euery man of vs rather then deferre it any longer considering we rather ought to make choice of a death so honourable then liue hereafter in perpetuall shame or so wretched a condition of life as ours must needs be Assuredly the valiant words of this young Prince preuayled so farre vpon the others pusillanimity and made them so confounded with shame as they all resolued to tempt their fortunes and euen prostitute their liues to any perill rather then to depart thence with such dishonour They were not so prompt and ready for the Combate but the knight of the greene Sword hating all sloth and negligence was as forward to moue the King therein desiring that the next morning hee would appoint the other knights to be in readines acording to promise they would accompany them to the field But the King would faine haue deferred it longer in regard of the woundes he receiued by Garadan and being vnable to preuaile with him he thus spake Knight of the greene Sword you haue already done so much for me as I dare not well deny you any thing you can demand of mee And seeing you will needs haue an end of this controuersie my Sonne Grasandor shall beare you company for in a better occasion he can neuer aduenture his life nor with a man of greater merit Sir answered Amadis you should reserue him for a more serious businesse without hazarding him in so meane a matter and where there is so slender need Ah Sir knight replyed Grasandor would you offer me a greater wrong then any man else can doe By the faith I beare to my King and Father if I had so much power ouer you as I freely graunt you haue on me I would then entreat you so farre to honour me as that I might keepe you company all my life-time and I could rather wish that I had neuer beene borne then not to make one in this elected number and in a case of such importance Seeing it is your pleasure quoth the knight of the greene Sword and that you will needs be one in the fight I make no doubt but God will assist vs for being in your company it cannot chuse but wee all shall speede the better So euery one withdrew vntill the next morning when the King came to see his knight whom hee found ready armed and perceiuing his Armour to be greatly impaired he said My worthy Friend I think it not fit that you should enter into so dangerous a fight so slenderly prouided as you are Wherefore let me entreatye to take other Armes which in my iudgement will bee more conuenient for ye both in security ease and aptnes Heereupon he sent for an Armour which hee had kept a long while for one of the best in the world and presenting it to the knight of the greene Sword said Essay Sir whether it will sit ye or no and for my sake arme your selfe therewith which I bestow on yee with as good a hart as euer I kist Lady in my life Most humbly did Amadis giue him thankes and looking on the Sword perceiuing it so well appointed he drew it forth of the sheathe when it appeared so fair and goodly to him as he said to himselfe that he neuer saw one of more perfection then that belonging to King Lisuart and his owne which he dearely affected aswell for the goodnes thereof as because he wonne it by the power of loue as we haue formerly declared in the second Booke in which respect he would not leaue it for the best in the world But seeing that this other weapon did well deserue to come to the hand of some worthy knight he entreated the Prince Grasandor to accept it whereof he made no refusall As they were beholding the rest of the
by breake of day But as hee had a purpose to repose himself a while the remembrance of his Princesse Oriana ouertook him in his priuate meditations pressing him with extraordinary passions as he had no power to refraine from teares speaking thus to himselfe Alas sweet friend when shall I see the time that I may once more be so happy as to embrace you in mine armes Loue thou hast lifted mee to the highest felicity that euer loyall hart could attaine vnto But how looke how much my glory is vnmatchable in fauour the like height it carrieth in tribulation and torment for the more desirous I am to see ye the further of still my cruell starres doe send me And that which is my greatest hell of all is a grounded feare that my absence shall either betray me to forgetfulnesse or bring you to the entertainment of a new loue Then suddenly he beganne to reprehend himselfe saying Whence should this idle opinion proceede in me Deare sweete I haue found you so firme and constant that I doe commit a sinne in thinking amisse of you And such is the assured proofe of your fidelitie that the smallest sinister doubt is but mine owne shame For well I know that as my whole life is dedicated to your obedience so you can neuer haue iust occasion to wish me ill or couet any vnkinde reuenge on me except you take your selfe to be offended in being more intirely and constantly affected by me then any man else in the world can doe And yet I cannot tell whether Loue be desirous to punish me because in disdaining all other I made my selfe so wholly yours as many haue been by me neglected and discourteously refused But well I wot that my thoughts are so familiar in your heart and your matchlesse beauty so diuinely caractred and engrauen in mysoule as I may assuredly resolue that time will set a period to all oppressions either by my end or your accustomed loyaltie Spending thus the night in sighs and teares euen vntill the morning appeared he commaunded Gandalin to rise and being armed hee went to Church where he found the King at his deuotions Hauing heard Masse the King tooke him by the hand and leading him somwhat aside said My dearest friend seeing you stand resolued to part from me let me first tell yee that ye haue a King and a kingdome wholly at your command and heereof take knowledge wheresoeuer you shall come Me thinkes you should deferre no longer to let me know of whence and what you are promising you vpon the faith and word of a King that by me you shall not any way be discouered except it may bee done with your consent Sir answered the knight let me entreate yee heerein not to wrong me for I am minded neuer to disclose my selfe to any one except by force I shall be thereto compelled Then you doe me a great displeasure quoth the King God shield me replyed the knight from offending so good and gracious a Prince I will rather dispense with my vow and tell ye Sir I am that Amadis of Gaule Sonne to King Perion whose name you remembred when you agreed to the Combate of twelue knights to twelue By the faith I beare to God said the King my heart did alwayes perswade me so and rest your selfe assured that this knowledge of you is more acceptable to me then any thing else whatsoeuer in the world can bee Blessed be the Father and Mother that haue yeelded the world so worthy a man by whom so many people haue receiued both profite and pleasure Now was the King much more desirous of his longer stay but that Amadis most instantly vrged the contrary whereto he durst not make refusall Wherefore mounting on horsebacke by a goodly company he was conducted forth of the Citty and there being commended to all good successe hee tooke his way towards Romania seeking after strange aduentures as Fortune pleased to direct him CHAP. VIII How King Lisuart hunting in the Forrest where hee had left the Ladies accidentally met with a young Damosell who shewed him the way to the Hermitage where the good Hermite Nascian made his abyding And how the infant long time after was knowne to bee the Sonne of Amadis and Oriana IN the gay season of Mayes flourishing moneth King Lisuart hauing long soiourned in one place was entreated by the Ladies that hee would guide them forth on hunting wherto he very willingly condiscended and presently commaunded his huntsmen to prepare their toyles in the next adioyning Forrest and to erect their Tents by the Fountaine of the seauen Beech trees which was the most pleasing place in all the wood and best agreeing with the time Not farre off thence was the Hermitage where Nascian the holy man nourished Esplandian as already hath beene declared to yee It happened on the same day when the King had left the Ladies in their Pauilions hee so long pursued a Hart sore hunted and escaped from the toyles that he was enforced to take vp into the highest of the Forrest all along the side of a great hill very well couered with brakes and bushes So soone as he had attayned to the toppe there-of on the other side he espied a young Gentleman descending hastily aged as it might bee about fiue or sixe yeeres leading a Lyonnesse in a leashe who seeing the Hart so hotly chased hee let her loose after him and shee pursued with such speed that she tooke him downe before the King The young youth glad of so good successe ran a pace to the fall of the Deere and another childe that was his companion where seazing on the veneson hee tooke out a knife to cut his throate Then winding a horne very loud two little Bratches which ordinarily vsed to follow him came presently to him and both they and the Lyonnesse had their fees of the game This done hee tooke and coupled them in a leashe and hauing done the like to the Lyonnesse crossed again ouerthwart the wood The King seeing them make haste away from him was very desirous to know what they were and comming forth of the place where he had hid himselfe to note the behauiour of these children called to the young Gentleman who instantly stayed vntill such time as the King came to him vsing these words Prettie childe I pray thee tell me what thou art and where is thy dwelling Sir knight answered the youth Nascian the Hermite hath hitherto nursed me and as I thinke is father both to me and this my companion This answere made the King very pensiue for he could not comprehend in his thoughts that Nascian being aged and decrepit as also reputed for a man of most sanctified life should or could haue a childe so young and goodly wherefore as one couetous of further information hee demaunded where the Hermitage stood It stands quoth the youth on the top of this Rocke and shewing him a littly path lest him saying If it shall please yee to follow
this tract it will guide yee thither for I must needs after my fellow to the Fountaine where wee must dresse the venison which wee haue gotten this morning Then the King left him and ascending vp the Rocke espied on the height thereof the poore dwelling of Nascian so enuironed with great bushes as well witnessed the wonderfull solitude of the good Hermite Alighting from his horse he entred into the first room where hee found the holy man vpon his knees clothed in a religious habit and reading in a Booke of deuotion which hee gaue not ouer at his arriuall but hauing finished his prayers hee arose demaunding of the King what he sought for Father quoth he not long since as I crossed the Forrest I met with a goodly childe leading a Lyonnesse in a leashe I pray ye for courtesies sake to tell me what he is for at the very first sight of him my minde gaue me that he is issued from some good place While the King continued on this speech the Hermite so heedfully obserued him that hee knew him as being the man to whom he had done many seruices during the time that he followed Armes In regard whereof falling down humbly vpon his knees hee craued pardon for his error in not giuing him such entertainment as beseemed so great a Maiestie But the King raysing him vp tooke him by the hand saying Good Father will you not resolue me concerning the young childe which I mentioned to ye Assure your selfe vpon my faith that the knowledge you may giue me of him cannot but redound to his great benefit Sir answered the Hermite our Lord hath hitherto shewen great signes of loue to that childe and seeing hee hath so carefully kept him as I shall relate vnto ye it stands with good reason that you as a King should loue defend him in such sort as no harme or displeasure should bee offered him You haue as appeareth by your speeches an carnest desire to know what he is In trueth Sir during the time that I haue nourished him he may be tearmed mine albeit it is not yet fully sixe yeares since I tooke him from the teeth of a Lyonnesse that was carrying him to her whelpes Wherein our Lord apparantly declared that hee is the preseruer of all his creatures because the beast neuer did him harme but onely suckled it among her yong ones so that by the milke of her and of a little Ewe which then I had I compassed the meanes of fostring him for more then a moneth In expectation still of mine owne Sister Mother to the other yong Lad that keepes him companie who afterward comming to me she became so good a Nurse and Gouernesse to him that thankes be giuen to our Lord for it I am perswaded he is one of the goodliest creatures this day liuing And one thing more strange then all the rest I am to tell yee vnderstand Sir that as I was about to baptize him my Sister hauing taken off very rich clothes wherein he was swadled shee shewed me a letter vnder his right pappe as white as snow contayning the word Esplandian and on the other side directly against his heart were other carracters as redde as blood which I could neuer vnderstand because they are neither Latine nor of our language Now in regard of that name which at his birth it seemes he brought with him into the world I haue euer-more since caused him to be called Esplandian accordingly In good faith Father saide the King you haue tolde me wonders but seeing you found him in such fort as you say it is to be presupposed verily that he was borne not far off from this Countrie That know not I answered Nascian neither couet I to vnderstand more then what our Lord hath permitted Well then quoth the King to morrow good Father I pray you meete me at the Fountaine of the seauen Beeches where I shall be with my Queene and a goodly company of Ladies Bring Esplandian the Lyonnesse and your young Nephew with you to whom I intend some good for his Father Sergils sake whom I somtime knew to be a good knight Sir replyed the holy man I am bound to doe what you haue enioyned mee and desire of God that all may be to his honour and glory The King giuing him the good morrow rode thence and arriued at his Tents about midday Now because none there knew what was become of him each man was diligent in enquiry after him and although his most intimate familiars desired to know where hee had bin yet would he reueale nothing but commaunded to couer for dinner As he was ready to sit downe at the Table Grumedan came to tell him that the Queene entreated him to see her Tent before dinner about some nouell occurrences lately happening Whereupon hee went thence to her and being alone by themselues shee told him that as they came ryding from the Citty a very beautifull Damosell mounted vpon a light ambling Hobbie and conducted onely by a Dwarfe presented her selfe before her And she being very sumptuous in her apparell rode by all my Ladies and women â—quoth the Queene not vouchsafing one word to them vntil such time as she came before mee when she gaue me this Letter telling me that you and I must reade it this day before dinner because thereby wee should bee acquainted with admirable matters And no sooner had shee spoken that word but she rode away from me so fast as her horse could gallop without permitting me the least leysure of any answere So she gaue the King the Letter sealed with an Emerauld chased in golde with these words engrauen about it This is the Seale of Vrganda the vnknowne Then opening the Letter the King read the contents following The Letter of Vrganda the vnknowne to the mightie King Lisuart MOst high and powerfull Prince Vrganda the vnknowne who loues and desires to doe you any seruice doth aduise and councell you to your great benefit that at such time as a Gentleman nourishea by three diuers Nurses shall appeare before your Maiestie you would embrace entertaine loue and dearely respect him for he is the cause of your quiet by deliuering you from the greatest danger wherein euer you were He is deriued from blood royall on both sides and partaketh somewhat in the natures of those creatures that gaue him sucke By the first of them he shall be so strong and magnanimous as hee will darken all the valour of the very best Knights that haue gone before being neuerthelesse so milde and gentle that hee will be loued and esteemed of all men occasioned by the nourishment receiued from his second Nurse As for the third beleeue it Sir that neuer was Gentleman of better spirit more Catholique and compleate in all good conditions so that he shall addict himself to actions pleasing to God auoyding all vaine affaires wherein the most of other Knights doe commonly spend their time And that which exceedeth all the
bee partakers of your venison All this young discourse was deliuered with so good a grace and such pleasing life of gesture by Esplandian that it procured much loue and admiration enterchanged with smiles and amiable regardes In good sadnesse said the King his gentle nature is not to be wondered at for by that which hath bin declared to me by him who hitherto was his foster-foster-father faire destiny hath made large promises to him Therefore good Father quoth he to Nascian to the end that euery one heere present may vnderstand the trueth of his rare fortune I pray you once more to discourse that wherewith you acquainted me yesterday Sir answered the Hermite it is now more then fiue years since I found the childe in the mouth of this Lyonnesse carrying it to her young ones newly whelpt and I am verily perswaded that hee was not then fully a naturall day old Then hee declared the manner of his swadling clothes what countenance the Lyonnesse expressed when she first gaue him sucke and the care hee had all the while of his thus nourishing in expectation of his Sisters comming All this discourse was diligently listened vnto by Oriana Mabtla and the Damosell of Denmarke well knowing by the Hermites relation that Elplandian was vndoubtedly the Son to Amadis the Princesse which caused such pleasing contentment in them all that they knew not well how to dissemble it Old Father quoth the King to the Hermite you told me yesterday that seeing our Lord had hitherto so graciously preserued the childe I ought to haue care of him in his following-dayes wherefore if it like you to leaue him with me and his young companion likewise I will cause them to bee so commendably educated that if God be so pleased they shall both proue worthy men good knights and I desire that I may preuaile with you in this request Sir answered the Hermite they are yours seeing you are so desirous to haue them and I will heartily pray vnto our Lord God to endue them with such grace as they may hereafter do you some acceptable seruice Then he gaue them his blessing with these words My Sonnes seeing the King hath done ye so much honour to allow yee entertainment in his Court take paines to be obedient and pleasing to him The good olde man shed teares in great abundance during the time of this short sweete counsell when the King said vnto him Graue Father make no doubt but I wil so gouerne them that they shall become such men as I haue promised ye Then I beseech ye Sir said the Queene to the King that you would referre them to my direction till they bee more fitting for your seruice and your Daughter shall haue Esplandian and my selfe will haue care of Sergil Bee it as you please Madame answered the King I commit them both to your disposition Thus the childe was deliuered into his owne mothers gouerning who accepted him more gladly then any gift in the world that else could haue beene giuen her and long time hee continued with her vnknowen to any but those Ladies that were best acquainted with her most priuate occasions Now before Nascian departed thence she would needes be confessed by him wherupon vnder shrift she gaue him to vnderstand that Esplandian was sonne to her and Amadis and in what manner hee was lost by his carriage to nurse Beleeue mee Daughter answered the Hermite our Lord must needes be offended with you in offering such iniury to your owne soule thorow an inordinate and volupruous desire especially you being borne of so great parents and ought to be a miâ—… and example to all the other people aboue whom it hath pleased him to aduance yee Deare Father quoth she I know wel that I haue most grieuously sinned notwithstanding that which I haue done was as a woman to her husband for at the instant we affianced our souls mutually together Heereupon she reported how Archalaus had led her away and how shee was after succoured by Amadis according as already hath beene related in the precedent History Then the Hermit was reasonably well satisfied accounting the offence so much the lesse being vndergone with so good a condition for after this confession the effect followed because by this meanes though some long while before Nascian made peace with the King and Amadis being on the very point of entring into a sharpe and cruell battaile as you shall vnderstand more at large in the fourth Book following But Oriana hauing done pennance according as Nascian had appointed her he tooke leaue of the King and the whole Court to returne home to his Hermitage taking the Lyonnesse along with him and the King went back to the Citty to take order there for his further affaires CHAP. IX How the knight of the greene Sword being departed from King Tafinor of Bohemia came into the marches of Romania where hee met with Grasinda in the fieldes accompanied with many Gentle-men Ladies and Damosels Especially with a Knight named Brandasi dell who would compell him by force of Armes to come speake with the Ladie Grasinda and of the Combate they fought together YOu haue heeretofore heard how the knight of the greene Sword departing from King Tafinor tooke his way towardes the parts of Romania where hee made his abode no long time but had perfourmed so many worthy deedes of Armes that euery Prouince was filde with his praises But it was not without mighty sufferance of melancholy by continuall thinking on his Princesse Oriana It happened vpon one day among others that crossing the Country hee ariued at a Port or Hauen of the Sea whereupon was planted a Towne in the most pleasing manner of situation that euer hee had seene it being called Sarâ—… And because the houres of the day were not sufficiently spent he would not as yet make entrance but turned his course on euery side to make the better discouery at his owne best aduantage where obseruing the Sea coaste hee beganne to remember Gaule from whence it was now aboue two yeares since he parted which proued such an encreasing of his â—â—rrowes that the â—â—â—res trickled downe his cheekes amaine As hee continued in this pensiue humour he espyed a troupe of knights Ladies and Gentle-women comming towardes him among whom there was one more beautifull and goodly as it seemed to him then any of the rest for ouer her head was borne a Canopie of white taffata fastened to foure roddes of yron to keepe her from the heate of the Sun which was then very piercing and violent But because hee tooke no delight at that time to bee seene in such companie being so deuoutly addicted to solitude he kept off so farre as hee could from all resort that hee might with better disposition thinke on the former fauours he had receiued in Great Britaine Beholding this troupe to draw neerer and neerer hee wandred aloofe off yet was he not strayed so â—â—â—re but hee perceiued a comely Damosell comming
the second Booke that Patin being then no more then a meane knight without any great estate or possession liued onely in hope to bee heereafter Emperour of Rome when the death of his brother happened who had no procreated heire of his body This perswasion in respect of his loue to the Queene Sardamira whom he most intirely affected made him vndertake the voyage of Great Brittaine where he was most honourably entertained by King Lisuart especially after he knew him to be the Emperors brother There he grew forgetfull of his first loue beholding the beauty and comely graces of the Princesse Oriana whom he requested in mariage of the King her Father Vpon the answere made him he determined to shewe himselfe among the most valiant spirits in searche of straunge aduentures and combatting all errant knights he should meet withall Crossing through the Forrest whereas then Amadis was despairing of euer seeing his Oriana any more in regard of his banishment signified to him by Durin brother to the Damosell of Denmarke he beganne to sing the praises of the Princesse and to glorifie himselfe in the loue she bare him in his opinion At which time Amadis and he fought together where Patin was conquered and sore wounded in the head in regard whereof he returned to Rome without going backe to King Lisuarts Court leauing his marriage in suspence till some other time But it fell out so well for him that so soone as he was there arriued the Emperour his brother left his life leauing him sole heire to the Empire Whereupon he had far greater desire then before to finish the affection he had begunne hoping by reason of the great dignity whereto he was now aduanced he should the more easily compasse his long-desired marriage Which the sooner to effect he sent Ambassadours to King Lisuart with a new request of his daughter in marriage heereto were appointed Saluste Quide Prince of Calabria Brondariel de Roce the great Maister the Archbishop of Tarente and the Queene Sardamira accompanied with a gallant troupe of knights Ladies and Gentlewomen to bring home the Princesse Oriana as they hoped But matters happened to another end as heereafter more at large shall be related to you CHAP. X. How within some while after the Knight of the greene Sword had hoysed saile into the maine Sea and had quite left the Islands of Romania By hard fortune he was cast vpon the Deuils Island where he fought with a Monster named Endriagus THe Mariners hauing set their sayles with full intent for Constantinople so soone as they had lost sight of the Isles of Romania the Sea exalted it selfe in such sort and grew to such a dreadfull tempest that notwithstanding all paines the Mariners could take for best guiding and gouerning the Ship it was so tost with contrary windes and waues as very many times they were in manifest peril of shipwrack And being out of all further hope safety not appearing so much as in a glimpse of assurance they attended onely the mercy of God and continued in this extreamity the space of 8 dayes without knowing where or in what part they were For the tempest of winde haile and raine was so thick and continuall as it seemed that heauen and earth and the Sea would meete together But at length the Ship was throwen on Shoare about two houres before day and with such violence as they feared it would be split for it was driuen out of the Sea on drye land Notwithstanding they sustayned no harme at all which gaue them better hope then formerly they had so that when bright day appeared they knew themselues to bee in the deuils Island which by reason of a straunge Monster there abyding was so dispeopled as no liuing creature repayred thither Then a new feare seazed on them and now they despaired of their liues more then before so that they were euen ready to throw them-selues into the deepe when the knight of the greene Sword demanded of them what might be the reason of this terror Alas Sir quoth they where doe you imagine wee are landed what gulfe what shipwrack could haue beene worse to vs then this Now wee are in compasse of the Deuils power who in the forme of a cruell Monster ruinates all this Country How said the knight I see nothing yet that should thus amaze ye therefore tell me I pray ye what deuill or Monster is it that workes this great despaire in ye Then Maister Elisabet lesse dismayed then any of the rest spake for them al saying Vnderstand Sir that this Island wheron our disaster hath brought vs was not long since in the possession of a Giant the most bloody Tyrant that liued in all the Isles he had to wife an honourable Lady as wise milde and vertuous as hee was wicked and cruell of whom he begot a daughter named Brandaginda that was in her time one of the goodliest Ladies in the world And although many great Lords and men of high merite would gladly haue enioyed her in marriage yet notwithstanding the rigour of the Giant was so extreme as he still kept them off because by no meanes hee would haue her to marry In regard where-of this Mayden encreasing in yeares and those desires that would faine experiment what happinesse it was to liue with a man knowing withall that her father had set downe his resolution neuer to bestow her as a wife on any man preuailed so much by insinuating blandishments and incestuous demonstrances that she drew him to affect her and had his company carnally But that which was much worse shee machinated the death of her owne mother that the more boldly and without feare she might liue still in this horrid incest wherto the Giant gaue quick consent This Mayde that was perceiuing her selfe to grow great with childe one day as her mother and shee walked together in an Orchard passing by a deepe Well she thrust her therein so rudely as she brake her neck in the fall Now because the people began to murmure the Giant told them that he vnderstood by three of his gods one in the likenesse of a Griffon the other as a Lyon and the third in the shape of a man that of him and his daughter should bee borne a creature so much to be respected and feared through all the Countrie that none of his neighbours should dare to attempt any harme against him And vnder this colour he openly married his wicked daughter who within no long time after was deliuered of a Monster in such manner as I shall shew vnto ye It was so full of haire on the face feete and hands as it appeared to be a Beare all the rest of the body was couered ouer with scailes so hard and strong as no arroâ—…ot from a Bow could pierce them beside they were so broad great that they extended quite ouer the backe defending it like so many Shields so that no instrument of yron could enter thorow them From vnder
to you he enuied all other knights errant as wee did the like in loue to him Thus haue I declared the whole truth to you and humbly entreate you without any respect to mine offence to graunt mee mercy beyond all merit Our Knight beganne to be compassionate answering The mercy thou shalt haue is not to abridge the punishment thou hast iustly deserued but in hope that thou wilt become an honester man hereafter then hitherto thou hast bin in this regard thy life is spared But if thou fall to thine old byas assure thy selfe time will fitte me with a sharper reuenge r then now I can or will take on thee So leauing him they rode directly towardes the Towne and falling from one discourse to another our knight demanded of Angriote what newes he had brought out of Great Brittaine He resolued him all things that hee could and told him among other matters that a reuerend Hermite named Nascian had giuen King Lisuart one of the very goodliest young Gentlemen that euer was seene whom he recouered in his swadling clothes out of the teeth of a Lionnesse carying him for food to her young ones Also how the Queene had giuen him to the Princesse Oraina to serue her quoth he with my Sonne Ambor but there is very great difference betweene them because Ambor is mightily deformed and the other an incomparable creature You may quoth Amadis report of your Sonne as you please but if hee carry resemblance with his Father he wil proue a man of extraordinary merit To women let vs leaue beauty and faire feature who are curious and inquisitiue after such nicities would to God your Sonne were of age to follow me then should I require him of you and that very earnestly to keepe company with Gandalin on whom I purpose to bestow knighthood so soone as I shall returne into Gaule Trust mee Sir said Angriote Gandalin doth well deserue much at your hands and if my Sonne were so happy as you wish him my hopes would mount farre higher then as yet they can doe Falling from this into other talke Amadis demaunded how long since he and Bruneo had iourneyed together Since our departure from Great Brittaine answered Angriote we neuer abandoned one anothers company for any fight or Combat whatsoeuer could happen till yesterday and yet notwithstanding we haue ended many straunge and dangerous aduentures albeit all of them inferiour to your high fortune against that deuilish Monster Endriagus according as wee haue thereof bin aduertised Wherfore I beseech you to let me vnderstand how and in what maner you fought together We must referre that replyed Amadis till some more apt and conuenient leysure because we now are neere to the Towne and that will require a much larger discourse then the shortnesse of the way will permit vs. By this time they were arriued at Gransidaes Palace who hauing heard tydings of their comming came very kindly to welcome them conducting them to the Chamber where Bruneo lay who beganne to finde himselfe better and better by such good meanes as Master Elisabet had vsed to him But when hee saw them all three so well met together he was not a little ioyfull praising God for such a fortunate successe And as they parled on their passed aduentures our Knight of the Greene Sword declared to them the promise which he had made to Grasinda and what shipping shee prepared for passage into Great Brittaine whereof they were all exceeding ioyfull in regard of their long-desired returne thither In the meane while Bruneo grew to able strength and being in disposition to endure the Seas all things weare readily fitted for the voyage Grasinda and they going aborde with such a conuenient company as was thought meet So hoysing sayle they launched foorth into the Deepe where they were so assisted by successefull windes as in very few dayes they lost all sight of the Islands of Romania CHAP. XIII How the Queene Sardamira with the other Embassadours from the Emperour Patin arriued at the Court of King Lisuart hoping at their returne to beare thence the Princesse Oriana with them And of that which happened to certaine Romane Knights offering iniury to a Knight errant THe Embassadors from the Emperour Patin being come to King Lisuarts Court they were entertayned by him most honourably hauing vnderstood the occasion that drew them from Italie into Great Brittaine After audience graunted to their Embassie he told them that he would call a Councell of all his Lords together and then they should haue an answere yet hee gaue them this comfort that hee made no doubt but they should returne to the Emperour their Masters contentment At this time was not Oriana in the Court for hauing vnderstood the cause of their comming she feigned her selfe sick to auoyde all meanes of speaking with them and therfore was retired to Mirefleur The Queene Sardamira vpon this hopefull procrastination determined to go see the Princesse making her intention knowen to the King who liked well â—…of and for her better conuoy gaue the good olde Knight Grumedan charge of her On the morrow following shee set forth from the Court to let the Princesse vnderstand how the Emperour affected her dearely how honourably hee would receiue her and what rare singularities shee should see in Rome But herein she was much deceiued because her very meere remembrance of Amadis gaue her more sweete content in soule then any thing else in the world could doe Now was the season of the yeare exceedingly hot in which regard the Queene for her better refreshing on the way sent diuers of her seruants before to pitch her Tents neere a little Riuer that ran along within three miles of Mirefleure There she alighted accompanied with Grumedan and many Lords Ladies and Gentlewomen of her owne country among whom were fiue Romaine Knights who imagined so well of themselues as none in Great Brittaine could come neere them Being within their Tents their fiue Shields were hanged without at the entrance and their Launces likewise leaning against them which was a signall according to the custome obserued among Knights errant or trauayling that no one might passe by before them without triall of the Combate and these enstructions they receiued from Grumedan To whom they made answere that they would essay themselues against those of Great Brittaine to let them well know that they had better skill then they both in breaking a Launce and handling a Sword We shall see replied Grumedan how it will goe with you and yet I dare assure yee there may some such passe 〈◊〉 as will finde yee worke enough to doe As thus they held on their discourse they espied a farre off a Knight comming which was the gentle Prince Florestan who in vaine had trauayled through many countries to finde his Brother Amadis And now very pensiuely hee was riding to King Lisuarts Court hoping to heare some better news by the Romaines that so lately came thether as had beene told him by
foote vpon him and taking him by the legge dragde him a long to the miry puddle whereinto he fell at the first but the Laces of his Helmet chaunced to breake so that it fell off from his head and the fresh ayre driuing away his trance gaue him sight of his imminent danger which made him craue pardon of Florestan and cry out to the Queene for helpe By my faith quoth shee to Grumedan this shame and perill is iustly falne vpon him for by the same Law which he made him-selfe he must now receiue his enacted punishment Florestan looking angerly on Gradamor saide vnto him Canst thou craue mercie considering what couenant hath past betweene vs and on an edict willingly set downe by thy selfe Looke for none other fauor then what I am bound to by thy owne conditions Wretch that I am then answered Gradamor there now remaines no hope or comfort No quoth Florestan and so assure thy selfe except thou doest two things that I shall command thee Alas Sir saide Gradamor I am ready to obey you and to doe whatsoeuer you shal enioyne mee Write then presently replyed Florestan thy name and those of thy companions with thine owne blood vpon these Shieldes and afterward thou shalt know the rest of my will Gradamor was in such feare as hee seemed rather dead then aliue for Florestan stood with his Sword still ouer him ready at a word to smite off his head Whereupon he called for one of his seruants to bring him a Penner speedily and taking foorth a penne filled it with his owne blood and so perfourmed the commaund of Florestan On horse-backe mounted hee presently and taking a strong Launce from one of his Squires returned againe to Gradamor saying Base Knight this Launce was neuer made but for their reuenge whom thou hast hitherto cowardly and iniuriously abused thou diest thereon instantly except Grumedan entreate mee to saue thy life Alas Sir quoth Gradamor hee will neuer doe it Scarcely had hee finished these words but Florestan made a proffer to thrust it in his throate which made him fearefully crye out Ah gentle Knight Grumedan entreate some fauour for mee At this crye Grumedan came neere and returned him this answere Beleeue mee knight your great presumption hath brought you into this daungerous estate and if he whom you so audaciously threatned should smite your head off from your shoulders hee did no more then you haue iustly deserued Neuerthelesse for this time I will desire him to pardon and forgiue you Then Florestan turning to Grumedan said Lord Grumedan you haue power to commaund me and seeing it is your will that hee shall liue I am contented to remit him And therefore thou Romaine Knight thanke him for thy life and remember withall that so soone as thou art come to Rome thou report in the open Senate what honour all of you haue wonne against the Knights of Great Brittaine whom in your common talke you contemne and despise And if your Emperour take delight to heare you speake bee not neglect in telling him it often Because for my part I will make knowen to the Knights of the Enclosed Isle the great liberalitie of you Romaines in this Countrey by parting so lightly with your Armes Horses and Shieldes to men that you know not and when you are no longer able to defend them All these wordes vttered by Florestan could not procure the least answere from Gradamor but he held downe his head in no meane rage to see himselfe so flouted and scornde Which Florestan well perceiuing to torment him the more thus againe hee proceeded For ought I see gentle Cheualier you may carrie home to your huge Cittie the huger ouer-weening you brought with you hither because wee sillie Knights errant haue no other care but of ouâ— honest and courteous behauiour which you abhorre by birth and custome Yet if thereby you would compasse the affection of your faire friends let me perswade you to trauayle to the Arch of loyall Louers to make it apparantly knowen whether you haue as much looue as valour Perhappes you may thereby winne such honour and glory as will make you the more esteemed of your Countrie men and encrease fauour for yee among your gracious Mistresses who knowing your former approbation if they bee women of sound iudgement they will not all their life time chaunge you for worse Grumedan hauing heard all this conference nothing could better content him then to see these proud Romanes thus disgraced by one Knight onely On the other side Gradamor was in such tormenting affliction as without returning any answere to Florestan hee said to Grumedan I pray you Sir let mee be carried into one of the Tents for I feele my selfe so ill as it is not possible for mee to liue any long while Selfe doe selfe haue replyed Grumedan commaunding the Squires to beare him in returning afterward to Florestan saying Sir Knight if it agreed with your good liking I would gladly know of whence and what you are confessing my selfe therein the more beholding to you and so much the rather because a man of your esteem and merit ought not to conceale his name among his friends Lord Grumedan quoth he you must needes pardon me because I haue so highly offended the Queene and these Ladies heere present this day as I would not by any means be known although their excelling beauties were the onely cause thereof For seeing them all so faire my sences were so transported as I sate gazing on them not vsing any salutation to them Therefore I entreate you to pray them to pardon me or else to take such satisfaction of me as shall be liking to themselues then send me answere to the round Hermitage where I intend to repose my selfe all this day Assure your selfe Sir answered Grumedan for your sake I will preuaile with them so farâ—e as I may and I doâ—bt not but they will bee easily conteuted when they heare how honest an offer you make them I pray you Sir till me replied Florestan doe you heare any tidings of Lord Amadis Heere you must obserue that Grumedan loued Amadis as dearely as any man could doe and the meere remembrance of him caused the teares to trickle downe his reuerend beard and thus he replyed to Florestan So God mee helpe gentle Knight since the time that he parted from Gaule with the King his Father wee neuer heard what became of him and be you sure that if I could haue knowen anything of him I should take no small pleasure in telling it to you or any that is a friend to him In good faith answered Florestan I make no doubt of it for I know you to be so loyall as if all men were of your minde treason or villanie could finde no entertainment among men as now adayes they doe and that too commonly Thus speaking hee commended him to Gods protection and Grumedan returned backe to the Ladies â—ut very soone after hee espied one of Florestans Squires comming
awake your silent cogitation and tell me truely what you think Sir quoth he I beseech you to hold me excused for I finde my capacitie ouer feeble to yeeld you any faithfull counsell in a case so important Moreouer you are minded to congregate the chiefest Lords of your Land to commune with them in so serious a businesse and they no doubt like loyall subjects will direct you as becomes a King But yet quoth the King I would gladly first haue your aduice else you will giue mee cause to misconceite you God shield me Sir said Galaor from so doing rather I will liberally lay my heart open to you according to mine owne poore iudgment and the true integrity of my minde Sir said he whereas you say that in marrying your Daughter Oriana with the Emperour there remaines no possibility of a fairer fortune surely I am of a quite contrary opinion for she being your principall Heire and sent into so remote a Country to lose a kingdome already prouided for her you shall leaue her poore without meanes and subiect to a people but slenderly agreeing with the manners and conditions of this Nation And whereas you conceite that in being wife to an Emperour and dignified with the name of an Empresse her authoritie and renowne is the surer afterward before God Sir let mee plainely tell you that you wrong both your iudgement and reason therein Fore-thinke what may ensue and say shee haue heires male by her husband which is the sole comfort of any kingdome she becomming a widdow the first fauour her owne childe shall doe for her is to vrge her retreate to hold possession of the Empire by himselfe If he take a wife then it falles out far worse for her because the new Empresse will be second to none and then it is most certaine that your Princely Daughter lyes open to a thousand inconueniences and vnauoydable grieuous extreamities For first shee hath lost this Country which was certaine to her as being her naturall place of birth and breeding to liue in a strange land farre from parents subiects and seruants which is no common kind of affliction And whereas you alleage that by his alliance and fauour you are sure to be succoured and much feared Surely Sir I must tell you that thankes be giuen to our Lord for it you haue so many true friends and trusty Knights at your command as without any helpe of the Romaines you may easily extend your limites when you please And I am perswaded that in exspectation of support from them they will rather seeke to ruinate and destroy you then furnish you with any such assistance as you may imagine scorning all equality or any to bee greater then themselues Moreouer it is most certaine that they can couet no better meanes then by compassing some apt occasion to register you downe in their Chronicles to your shame and their glory vnder the shadow of some sleight fauour irregularly affoorded then which no greater mischiefe can happen to you and yours And alas Sir what reason haue you to send the Princesse Oriana so farre from you being your Daughter and chiefest Heire onely to aduance the Princesse Leonora who is her yonger Sister By my soule of a most vpright and vnpartiall King renowned through the wide world for the Authour of Iustice you will procure the greatest scandall to your reputation and wound your vntainted honour so deepely as neuer powerfull Prince or King did the like But I hope that Heauen will better direct your iudgement and settle more surer cogitations in your soule which I as the very meanest Knight in your Court doe hartily desire And beleeue it Sir that I durst neuer haue beene so bold to tell you the free censure of my soul but that you pleased so expressely to command me and I as a loyall seruant could doe no lesse And let this be your perswasion of me that during my life time I will keepe my promise faith and fidelity to you as one that stands much obliged to you for infinite good turnes and fauors done me Well declared King Lisuart by his countenance that he was scarsely pleased with Galaors remonstrance and he likewise as quickely apprehended it wherefore continuing on his speech he said Sir King Perion my Father hath commaunded mine attendance on him in Gaule so soone as possibly I can and because I meane to set hence to morow morning to the end you may not conceiue but that I haue counselled you faithfully if you bee so pleased whatsoeuer I haue spoken I will set downe in writing that you may acquaint them with it whom you intend to assemble together I pray you doe so answered the King And at these wordes they were come neere vnto the City which made them alter their discourse Being alighted the King betook himselfe to his Chamber where he sate downe very sad and pensiue and would not all that day be seene in any company The next morning Galaor tooke shipping according to his former determination for hâ—…ould not bee present at the resolution of this mariage as knowing certainly that the King would not bee altered from his purpose notwithstanding all aduice and councell to the contrary More-ouer he knew some part of the priuacies betweene Amadis and Oriana who all this while remooued not from Mirefleure whither the Queen Sardamira came to see her as you haue heard already finding her to be the onely fairest Princesse in the world What would shee then haue thought if she had seene her in her former condition before this continuall melancholy seized her for the absence of her Amadis and this new purpose for marriage which grieuously oppressed her Being now somewhat meagre pale and pensiue yet she appeared as if Nature had studied all her life-time to make her the mirrour of choicest perfection The Queene finding the day no way fauourable to acquaint Oriana with the cause of her comming deferred it till the next morning when resorting againe to see her and hauing first heard Masse together they walked along the allies of the Garden and proceeded so farre into the businesse that she told her how dearely the Emperour affected her what pursuite he made to enioy her as his wife and what supreme felicity attended her onely by this mariage But the answere of Oriana was so vntuneable as the Queene durst proceede no further with her but in the interim Florestan came to them who purposing to take his leaue that he might returne to the Enclosed Isle she tooke him aside declaring what infinite afflictions hourely encompassed her how shamefully the King her father dealt with her by compelling her to marry into a straunge Country and to the onely man of the world whom she least respected But beleeue it Sir quoth she if he continue in this humour the first newes he shall heare of me after my departure hence will be my death For come what may if he sunder me from this Country Death and the
Sea shall diuide me also For it is my full intent to drowne all my disasters in the waues who for euer shall remaine witnesses of my sorrowes and in them I exspect to find more compassion then in mine owne kinred countrie friendes and seruants And therefore honourable Lord Florestan I humbly beseech you for Gods sake to imploy some paines for disswading him from his intention otherwise vpon my faith it will be a great clogge of conscience to him and the very straungest mis-fortune wherein a poore disinherited Lady can fall being forsaken of God and men Thus speaking she wept so extremely that Florestan although he was one of the greatest spirited men in the world could not refraine from teares hauing his heart so confounded with compassion towards her as hee was not able to vtter a word Notwithstanding at last he got the maistrie of this oppressing passion and said Madame you shall doe me great wrong if you hold not this conceit of me that I am wholly yours ready to obey you in any seruice till death But to speake to the King your father as you would haue me it is a matter beyond all possibility for you your selfe do know what hatred he beares to me onely in the despight of my Lord Amadis forgetfull of so many high and worthy seruices as both he and all his linage haue euermore done to him And if he haue receiued any from me hee neuer needs to thank me for it considering I neuer did any for his sake but onely by the commaund of him who hath soueraigne power ouer me and whom I will not contradict at any time And that was the reason for my being in the last warre of the seuen Kings not as any helpe to them of Great Brittaine but onely for preseruation of your iust title and right thereto as shee that shall one day by Gods leaue bee Lady and Queene thereof Presume also Madame that you haue this interest in me that this which you haue told to mee I will thinke on and make knowen to King Perion and other good friends to procure some remedy for you in this distresse And I make no doubt but he will prouide for you in such sort as you shall haue occasion to rest contented Nor purpose I to soiourne in any place vntill I come to the Enclosed Isle where I shall finde the Prince Agraies who is very desirous to doe you any seruice as your selfe doth well know especially for the loue of his Sister Mabila There shall wee consult together what course is best to be taken in this case without spare of any thing remaining in our power But know you certainely quoth Oriana that Agraies is or will be there Yes Madame said he as Lord Grumedan hath assured me as hee receiued instruction by one of his Squires that came thence within these few dayes I beseech you then replied Oriana to relate vnto him amply what confidence I do repose in him And if you heare any newes of your Brother Amadis faile not to acquaint me therewith so soon as possibly you may There-of assure your selfe Madame answered Florestan With these wordes he tooke his leaue of her kissing her lillie-white hand and returning to the Queene Sardamira spake thus Madame I am constrained by force to leaue you and else where to seeke after my further fortunes but wheresoeuer I shall bestow my selfe be bold that I am alwayes your knight and seruant and so I pray you to account of me In good faith Sir said she they that refuse so faire an offer may wel be reputed but poore in iudgment because I am perswaded that you are held to be one of the best and most courteous knights this day liuing And God shield me from such monstrous ingratitude to deny a seruant of such honor and worth rather most louingly I accept your kindnes and returne you thankes with all my heart Florestan looking on her with an affectionate eye and beholding her to be so amiably faire said Madame I beseech our Lord who hath enriched you with such rare beautie to grant your own hearts best desires and thankefully I take your most gracious answere because now I can doe nothing else for you but remaine in ready willingnesse of seruice wheresoeuer you shall please to commaund me So taking leaue of her Mabila and the other Ladies he mounted on horsebacke desiring Lord Grumedan that if he receiued any tydings of Amadis he would let him vnderstand thereof so soone as he could at the Enclosed Isle whether he now went to see Agraies and his other associates CHAP. XV. How the Knight of the greene Sword who afterward stiled himselfe the Greeke Knight Bruneo de bonne Mer and Angriote d'Estrauaux embarked themselues in the company of the faire Grasinda and of that which happened to them afterward MAster Elisabet hauing taken good order for Shipping with all such necessaries answerable to the enterprise of Grasinda the windes also sitting faire and auspicious she went aboord attended by the Knight of the Greene Sword Bruneo Angriote and many other Knights Ladies and Gentlewomen as partly hath beene reported already Hauing weighed their Ankers and put forth into the large and spacious Seas sometimes be calmed and otherwhiles tempestuously afflicted at length by fauour of Heauen and the great diligence of Master Elisabet an extraordinary skilfull Pilot they passed by so many straites and Islandes that they discouered the coaste of Great Brittaine Then the Knight with the Greene Sword beholding the Country where he hoped to finde his best happinesse and comfort became exceeding ioyfull And because he would by no meanes be discouered he desired Grasinda and all the rest in his company to entitle him no other thence-forward but the Greeke Knight Then hee commanded Gandalin to bring the sixe Swords which the Queene Menoressa had giuen him at his departure from Coustantinople two of them he gaue to Bruneo and Angriote and himself guirded on one because he intended not to be knowen by that which hee vsually woare hauing a greene scabbard as oftentimes hath beene before remembred Comming neere to the place where King Lisuart then made his aboade Grasinda and hee being with-drawen aside he began to her in this manner Madame by gracious fauour of the Heauens wee are now very neere the Countrie whereto your heart hath alwayes pretended a most earnest desire and I dare assure ye that without spare of life or any trauaile I will endeauour to make knowen what bountifull graces you haue from time to time affoorded me Worthy Greeke knight quoth she such is my trust in God that he will not take his mercies from me and as he hath prouided mee of so good a knight to be my guide so hee will blesse me with the hope I aime at But I pray you Sir seeing wee are so neere to land let vs goe on shoare you Angriote Bruneo and my selfe without any more and there wee may priuately conferre together what is
face to Lazanor loaded him with such mighty strokes as if hee had not caught fast hold on the maine of his horse hee had falne to the earth But as he lay thus bowing the Greeke seized on his body and by meere strength of arme tearing the Shield from about his necke hee threw him against the ground Neuerthelesse quickly he receiued footing and went to helpe vp his brother In this time the Greeke was dismounted from his horse which he feared to loose because he ran about the fielde but minding more his present busines hee ranne pell mell vpon his enemies laying so stearnely about him on euery side as they were no way able to endure him Now gaue he good testimony of his valour and that hee was no learner in such extremities but as one of the Romanes was running about the Perrou and the other following speedily after him onely to auoide the Greekes keene edged Sword hee gaue Lazanor such a stroake on the right leg as it was well neere cut in twaine so that meere paine and anguish made him fall downe and piteously he craued mercy But the Greeke Knight pretending that either he heard or vnderstood him not he set his foot on his brest and so left him stretcht out along on the ground returning to Gradamor who fled to the king for warrantie of his life All which would not serue his turne for with his Sword he did beat him backe againe to the Perrou where being quite out of breath he fell downe all along where the Greeke setting foote on him smote so many blowes on his Helmet that it fell off from his head which hauing now at so apt aduantage he purposed to smite from his shoulders but that the other cryed out to him Ah gentle knight for Gods sake mercy I am ready to doe whatsoeuer you shall command me Remoouing his foote from off him he suddenly looked back and espied Lazanor creeping on his knees to steale away but he quickly caught hold on his arme and dragd him along to the Perrou laying him close by his brother Gradamor which made euery one imagine that there he would smite off their heads together Whereupon Don Grumedan who hated them to the death spake out so loud as euery man might easily heare him Mee thinkes the Greeke hath so well reuenged the wrong done to his Shield as Gradamor hath good cause to remember it while heâ— liues As he spake these words Esplandian came to him and the Greeke demaunded what hee would haue Sir answered Esplandian I beseech you for my sake spare the liues of these two Knights seeing they yeeld themselues as vanquished But he feigned as if hee vnderstood him not wherfore Esplandian prayed Count Argamont to interprete for him which he did Truely Sir quoth the Greeke I will gladly bestow their liues on this sweet youth prouided that you will tell mee of whence and what he is Beleeue me Sir replyed the Count I know not any man in this Court that heerein can resolue you for he was brought hither almost by miracle Then briefly he reported how and in what manner the aged Hermite found him I haue often heard of him said the Greeke in Romania and that he is named Esplandian by reason of certaine naturall letters or carracters vnder his brests You say true answered the Count and you shall see them presently if you please So he commanded Esplandian to shew his brests as accordingly he did whereat the Knight not a little meruayling said Faire youth I pray God to blesse thee and send thee good fortune in the highest degree So mounting on horse-backe againe he left the Romaines with young Esplandian and returned to Grasinda saying Beleeue me Madame I haue beene ouer-troublesome to you but I was compelled thereto as your selfe hath seene and could make no speedier dispatch Vpon my faith answered she you can neuer doe any thing but I shall very thankfully accept it let vs now then goe on-ward if you please So getting forth of the crowd they tooke the way to their Shippes in so high content on all sides as possibly could be Being come aboord they commanded the Mariners to set saile for the Enclosed Isle But because the Greeke Knight had some suspition that Don Grumedan would stand in need of Knights helpe to maintaine the Combat which he had vndertaken if so be it should go forward he desired Angriote and Bruneo to stay behind succor him in the meane while to vnderstand some tydings of Oriana if any way they could attaine thereto CHAP. XVII How King Lisuart sent for his Daughter Oriana to the Court that he might deliuer her to the Romanes And of that which happened to a Knight of the Enclosed Isle But more especially of the Combat which Don Grumedan had against them that defied him ALready hath beene declared to you that the Princesse Oriana being at Mirefleure the Queene Sardamira by the consent of King Lisuart went thither to see her and to acquaint her with the Emperours affection towards her as also with what magnificence she should be wel-comed to Rome Now in the prosecution of our History you must vnderstand that after full conclusion was past with the Romanes concerning her the King would haue her come to the Court commanding his Nephew Giontes to take two Knights more with him bring her thence away with all conuenient speed But he gaue him charge vpon perill of his life that none but they of her owne company should haue any conference with her For execution of the Kings command Giontes tooke Sadoce and Lazanor with him who being come to Mirefleure after they had acquainted her with her fathers purpose they made ready a Litter for her because otherwise shee was vnable to trauaile she was so weake and sickly by reason of her continual mourning yet on she needes must accompanied with the Queene Sardamira and other Ladies Betweene Mirefleure and Tagades where the King soiourned approaching nere to a goodly Fountaine enuironed with diuers young spreading trees they espyed in a little groue a Knight ready prepared for Combate bearing a Shield of Sinople and a Launce with a Banderole or Pennon of the same colour who calling to one of his Squires said Goe and tell them that guard Madame Oriana that in courtesie I entreate them to let me speake a word with her else I will striue to doe it whether they will or no. The Squire going to Giontes told him as his Master had commanded him whereat he beganne to laugh hartily that he being alone should send them such a threatning braue wherefore hee gaue them this answere Friend returne to the Knight and tell him that he cannot at this time speake with Madame Oriana moreouer that if hee contend violently to doe it he will not find it easie for him When Oriana heard these words she tooke them very vnkindly and said to Giontes Fair Sir why should you be offended at any mans speaking with
me Perhaps he brings me such good newes as may be very pleasing to me Madame quoth he the King hath commaunded vs on our liues that no one may come neere your person much lesse speak with you vntill you come to him The Squire returned his answere to his Master in the meane while Giontes misdoubting that hee must needes try the Combate made him ready for it As readily came the Knight who stiled himselfe the Greene Knight into the fielde and both giuing the spurre to their horses met together so furiously that their Launces flew in pieces and Giontes his horse being shouldered fell to the ground with his Maister vnder him so that he could not readily recouer himselfe Whereupon the Greene Knight trotting to him desired him once more that hee would permit him to speake with Oriana By my faith Sir answered Giontes if you do it is much against my will and by this mis-fortune of my horse Hardly had he concluded these words but the Greene knight heard Sadoce crying that hee should stand vpon his guard Wherefore leauing Giontes he ranne against the other and failed in the attaint which Sadoce did not but met him so manfully that his Launce flew in infinit pieces The Greene knight angry at his misse took another Lance and giuing his horse the spurre met Sadoce so powerfully that hee cast him quite out of his saddle Which Lazanor seeing and hoping to bee reuenged for his two companions couched his Launce against the Greene Knight with full perswasion to vnhorse him but they encountred so furiously with their bodies that Lazanors arme was broken and hee sate so amazedly on his horse as hee had not the power to stay him till hee had runne out his whole race because the Greene Knight in his passage by him had pluckt the bridle off his head and seeing him runne in that confused manner he fell a laughing at him Then came he to Oriana and humbly saluting her shee imagined him to be Amadis wherefore raysing her selfe in the Litter she welcomde him very graciously Then the Knight gaue her a Letter speaking thus to her Madame Agrais and Florestan doe duteously commend themselues to your acceptance and haue expresly sent me to you to bring you their mindes contained in that writ Wherefore consider with your selfe if you will command me any seruice to them for I must returne to them with all possible speed being well assured that although I am a man of slender valour yet they may stand in neede of my helpe before their enterprise will be ended Now trust me Sir quoth she they may well faile of meeting with a better Knight then you are witnes the paines you haue taken to speake with me But good Sir seeing you haue done so much for mee vouchsafe to let me know who you are to the end that I the more thankefully remember you heere-after when better I may performe it Madame they that know mee said he doe tearme me Garnate of the Dreadfull Dale whose griefe is not a little for your fathers vnkindnes and cruelty to you Notwithstanding hardly will he bring his purpose to passe it will first cost the liues of many good Knights who for your sake will defend you to their vttermost power Ah my deare friend Garnate quoth she I pray GOD giue mee the meanes whereby I may acknowledge this wonderfull loyaltie Madame said he I haue all my life-time desired to doe you some seruice as one that is your most humble seruant and now I must needes take my leaue of you For he saw the Queene Sardamira comming neere who beholding Oriana aduisedly imagined her lookes to be more chearefull and her present disposition much altered from the former whereupon she said Madame I doe not know the Knight that spake with you but he hath handled your guards as roughly as Florestan did them that had the charge of me so that now they need not mocke one another I know not whether it be the misfortune of the way or through their owne want of courage but well I wot that I neuer saw two worthier knights then this and Florestan Oriana faintly smyling answered I saw not how yours were dealt withall but as for these heere it seemes that they met with one who knew well enough how to chastise their harshnesse As they held on this merry mocking Giontes and the two other came towards them so much ashamed of themselues as they durst not hold vp their heads to looke them in the faces But setting on toward Tagades Oriana called Mabila into the Litter to her as desirous to haue her company So being together they closely read the Letter whereby Florestan aduertised the Princesse that Gandalin and Ardan the Dwarfe to Amadis were both arriued at the Enclosed Isle where they exspected their Master within eight dayes following according as hee had sent word thither and Galuanes Agraies beside many more good Knights were all purposely there met together onely to lend her succour so soone as they should haue intelligence of her shipping away to bee sent for Rome wherefore in the meane time she should comfort her selfe and be of good courage as now she had no other cause These newes were so welcome to both the Ladies as nothing else possibly could be more and they imagined that either they were newly reuiued from death to life or deliuered out of a darke dungeon into an incompatable glorious light And all the way as they rode along they could finde no other argument of talke neither so much as thinke on any thing else but only to reade and re-reade the Letter ouer and ouer which questionlesse they did an hundred times But being come to the Court new sorrow ouer mastered this iocund solace fearing lest the Knights of the Enclosed Isle should not be able to execute their enterprise Now so soone as Oriana was alighted she went to her own lodgings neuer going to the Queenes her Mother according as she was wont to doe making an excuse that she was not wel Whereof the King receiuing knowledge hee went to see her accompanied onely with Arban King of North wales No sooner was he entred the chamber but shee thrâ—w her selfe at â—is feet and euen as it were â—…wning her selfe in teares with a trembling voyce thus she spake Alas my King and Father for Gods sake remember your defolate daughter in compassion and bee not lesse fauourable to her then al your life-time you haue beene to meane Ladies Gentlewomen in requiring your ayde and assistance Ah my worthy Lord and Father when Archalaus led you away prisoner it was for the fame of your great goodnes in helping her that thereto vrged you And can it be possible that now you should forget so rare a vertue that euermore was most familiar with you will you deale worse with me then euer you did with any liuing body I haue heard that you will send me to the Emperor of Rome with intent that
I should be his wife But if you compell me thereto you shall commit a most haynous sinne for it must bee done in despight of my selfe and I am certaine that I shall sooner consent to mine owne death Deare Daughter answered the King think you that I respect not your good honor as I ought to doe Father quoth she I know not how you vnderstand my good honor but this I can assure you that if you separate me from you you will be an homicide to your owne blood Then she fell into such sighes and teares as the King was enforced to forsake the Chamber and leaue her shee moned so much pity in him Then Arban King of Northwales stept to her and hoping to comfort her said Madame you haue alwayes hitherto bin esteemed wise it appeares that now you will wander from that good reputation Do not you know that there is due remedie for all things It may be the King wâ—ll better aduise himselfe if you knew which way he might be won thereto Ah my royall Cousin answered she seeing Fortune is so aduerse to me determines to worke her vttermost malice on me depriuing you many more of al means of succouring me by force of arms wherein you haue past through infinit dangers to deliuer afflicted Ladies Damosels from tribulations let me then at least entreate you to helpe me with your good word in counselling the King from doing me such shame except he intends to tempt God and constraine that happinesse which alwayes to this instant hath attended on him vtterly to forsake and abandon him leauing in steed thereof all mischiefe and misery For Gods sake therefore returne againe to him and find some meanes to bring him hither once more with mine olde noble Vncle Count Argamont and Don Grumedan to the end that you three together may the better preuaile with him In vttering these words the wofull Princesse was so grieuously afflicted that she seemed rather dead then aliue for she fell downe on the ground in a swoune which King Arban seeing he departed out of the Chamber while Mabila and other Ladies who were then about her might minister some helpe to her in this extremity He went to the King and told him all that Oriana had said to him which moued him to such compassion as his inward distraction might be very easily discerned Notwithstanding for all the perswasions he could vrge vnto him he would not goe to her vntill Count Argamont and olde Grumedan were so earnest with him that at last he yeelded And as they entred into her Chamber they be held her former traunce as yet to continue wherefore he went neerer to her and taking her in his armes said Deare Daughter speake to me but she moued neither hand nor foote but lay as if she had bin dead At length by the helpe of Vineger and cold water her spirits came to her again she breathing forth a vehement sigh able to breake a strong heart in sunder seeing her Father so nere said vnto him An my deare father take pity on me Sweet child quoth he what wouldst thou haue me do Sir said she before you send me away from you I beseech you consider what harmes will ensue For neuer will I see Rome rather shall the Sea deliuer me from that hell and so shall you be the cause of two euils together First of my disobedience to you onely by your selfe enforced Next of the dismall homicide which your daughter must and will acte vpon her selfe By which meanes in thinking to combine alliance and loue with the Emperour he knowing my destruction wrought in the meere despight of him she shall receiue iust occasion of eternal hatred to you and not he alone but all such as shall heare of so lamentable a disaster So that looke how much you haue been renowned through the world for a benigne mercifull and vpright Prince so much the more will you then bee condemned for the most cruell pâ—…lesse and yron hearted man that euer â—…ed Pardon me deare Sir the extremity of my aâ—â—â—ction makes me speake what I doe which if you conceite to be vttered too vnreuerently take such due vengeance on my indiscretion as best shall like your selfe for you can inflict no paine or torment on mee so grieuous as that which already you haue prepared for me in depriuing me of your fatherly presence Daughter quoth he I vnderstand you very well your mother shall tell you what I am determined to do therfore do not thus discomfort your self but be of good cheare and perhaps you shall haue your own desire The King made her this promise because his heart was oppressâ—d with sorrow as he could not speak any longer And indeed the Queene then came in who beholding her Daughter in such wofull condition was much amazed thereat for Oriana no sooner saw her Mother but she fell into a swoun againe In which time the King left the Chamber committing her to the care of women who were not a little busie about her After the was somewhat recouered as the Queene demaunded how she fared the wofull Oriana opening her eies which in a manner were quite drown'd in teares beganne to looke vpon her very ruefully and with a voyce meerely forced said Alas deare Mother my present estate is much better then it should be or I in heart could wish it for Death now is my onely desire and thereto my spirit soly inclineth seeing my selfe vtterly forsaken of the King you Your intent is to send me to Rome but the voyage I shall make will not be halfe so far because I will leaue you my body whereof you haue disposed against all reason render my spirit to God who wholly hath souerainge power ouer it The Queene being moued with much compassion replyed thus Sweet Daughter the King loues you so dearely as he thinkes on nothing else but what may be for your good and best aduantage wherefore should you then thus torment your selfe Why Madame Mother answered Oriana doe you think this banishment of mine so aduantageous for me Why doe you say that the King my Father loues me shewing himselfe more mercilâ—… to me then euerany father did to his child Here you must vnderstand that during this woefull conference betweene the Queene and her Daughter the King was walking in his Garden accompanied with very few Count Argomâ—nt seeing him very pensiue and melancholy considering on what the Princesse had said vnto him conceited with himselfe that now he was become better aduised whereupon he went to him saying My Lord I think my selfe a most happy man that I can compasse any occasion to tell you that which duty bindeth me to doe knowing you a wise and vertuous Prince easie to vnderstand what good is got by euill meanes Neuerthelesse my late commiseration of your Princely Daughters present estate constrayneth me now to remember you of that which I heeretofore haue said concerning her And I humbly
long time in my house not like a great Prince and Lord as you are but rather in the nature of a meane Knight errant And you had reason to conceale your selfe from me for if I had so well knowen you then as now I do I should haue strouen with my best endeauour to doe such honour as you iustly deserue Sweete Madame said he neuer vse such words in regard you haue done so much for me as I remaine obliged vnto you while I liue Walking on in this conference they entred into the Palace of Apolidon where they found the Tables couered for dinner and the meate already serued in Scarcely were they set downe but Angriote Bruneo and the Damosell came in before them where we need make no doubt of their hearty welcome And as Amadis had questioned them what issue Grumedans Combate had against the Romanes they related to him that the King was fully minded to deliuer his Daughter to the Emper ours Ambassadours and that within three or foure dayes at the vttermost Heereat Amadis was so moued that his colour presently chaunged as being doubtfull that either they should not haue time enough for her rescue or that they of the Enclosed Isle would not partake with him in such an enterprise against King Lisuart Therefore to feele how they stood affected to his purpose so soone as the dinner was ended falling into much variety of discourse and growing into some reportarie of his long voyage at last thus he beganne with them My worthy and honourable friendes for ought I can perceiue matters are much altred in Great Brittaine since we haue bin out of it and the King hath got him another kinde of humour then he was wont to haue in precedent times For I haue seene and knowen that he would readily more regard the affaires of poore distressed Ladies then matters of most moment concerning himselfe Notwithstanding to my no little amazement he is bent to the destruction of his own naturall daughter that peerelesse Princesse Madame Oriana then whom neuer was childe more diligent and respectiue of her parents then from time to time she hath alwayes declared her selfe And yet as Angriote and Bruneo doe plainly tell me without regard of all this duty and obedience euen in the meere despight of her and contrary to the iudgement of all the Lords of Great Brittaine he hath relegated and confined her to the onely man in the world whom she most hateth which moueth me so much to commiserate her case as if you would both beleeue me and lend me your assistance we would free her from this thraldome and set her at libertie Sighing and pausing a while hee began againe in this maner What-soeuer I haue said my deare-esteemed kinsmen and friends assure your selues that I will not vndertake any thing without your counsell and furtherance And yet wee should all remember the solemne oath we made to the Queene Brisena at the very last Court held in the City of London where wee then sware neuer to suffer wrong to be done to any Lady or Damosell if she required helpe of vs. Shall we now then endure that she shall be captined and vyllie entreated of whom heeretofore we haue receiued so many honorable fauours Shall the Ladies and Virgins of her company be carried away perforce and for euer banished from their owne country Before God I speake it if we doe suffer this haynous indignity we are well worthy of eternall blame without any excuse or pretence to shield vs nay we shall fall into the base reputation of recreant and vnworthy knights regardlesse both of honour and Armes Let vs then aduise here together what you think meetest to be done For as concerning my selfe I determine to deferre a voyage long since by me intended as not many dayes since I made knowen to my Cousin Agraies Florestan and others by Gandalin and now with such Ships as I should finde heere labour so much as lies in me to breake the purpose of King Lisuart and rescue so many wronged Ladies Among whom next to the most wofull Princesse Oriana is vertuous Olinda whom the King in this new-deuised tyranny will compell to marry Saluste Quide albeit vtterly against his owne liking And now Lords let me mooue one matter to you I would gladly know by what autority he can warrant this crueltie to them that are none of his subiects neither borne within any of his Dominions There is my Cousin Mabila sent by the King her father into Great Brittaine not to be confined for Rome but to remaine with the Queene and keep the Princesse Oriana company to whom her loue hath alwayes bin such as neuer could bed greater betweene two Princesses And I much maruall that his whole kingdome doth not reuolt against him or at least some bold and hardy Knight vnder-take the cause to counter check his folly honorably by Armes We see deare friends that no one as yet steppes forth in the action and therefore I would entreate you that according to the ancient commendable custome diligently obserued among alknights errant you would be carefull that such a shamefull and dishonourable deed may not be done In so doing we shall winne more fame and true renowne then euer hitherto we haue done without any euill imputation or sinister misconstruction Tell me then what you thinke here-of to the end that according to some resolued conclusion we may take order for the most expedient execution Then Agraies whom it neerest concerned as well for his Sister as for the honorable affection he bare to Olinda as hath bin declared to you in the first booke answered before them all in this manner I know not where the man is that would be dull or slow in so acceptable an enterprise considering that before you my Lord and Cousin arriued here we were all assembled in this place to make prouision for this in conuenience And now that you finde vs so conformable to your will I am certaine that no man among vs is of any other minde but that Fortune meerely calles vs to vndertake the businesse and promises vs an vndoubted victory For she seemeth weary that she hath fauoured King Lisuart so long a time and he makes no acknowledgment thereof any manner of way Why should hee send my Sister against her wil into a strange countrie Did my Father giue her him to dispose of at his pleasure You all know that soone after our departure from Great Brittaine I demanded her of the Queene but she denyed me sending me word by Gandales that she would keepe and respect her as her owne person Is this then kindship or courtesie to keepe her in such sort as to ouer-throw all her fortunes in the end Mabila hath she no other place of retirement but to the Court of the Emperour Is not the kingdome of SCOTLAND of sufficient opulencie for her breeding and education Striking his hand on his brest with a very small pause he brake forth againe thus I
protest before God this dealing of King Lisuart is both vile and dishonourable yea and so farre off from common reason that I had rather die a thousand deathes if it were possible for me then not to be reuenged and already I haue acquainted the King my Father herewith that he may prouide some remedie for it In the meane while let me entreate you al my honorable Lords and friends to lend me your assistance especially you whom this iniurie toucheth as neerely as my selfe it being offered not only to the person of my Sister your Cousin and neere kinred but also to Olinda others for whom according to our solemne oath and promise as my Lord Amadis hath well remembred wee ought in duty to steppe forth and stand as their protectors and defenders Lords said Quedragant as for my selfe I am ready to depart when it shall please the company and if I make any spare of my paines let me be excluded from all good opinion and I beleeue there is no man heere among vs but he will say as much as I haue done For if wee hazard our liues often and vpon little or sleight occasion we haue great reason now to aduenture further and not to be sparing of our very vttermost endeauour How say ye my friends haue I not spoken the trueth Then euery one answered that no danger or death should cause any deferring but it required quicke and speedy diligence to keepe the Romanes from passing through the straites of the Mediterranean Sea before any fight were made vpon them Easily quoth Amadis shal we make this prouision for to morrow morning wee will be all well shipt and winne the way before them which was set downe for a full resolue Now Grasinda was present at all this conference and she to giue them the more encouragement said Before God Gentlemen your enterprise is high and worthy of the greatest commendation considering that beside the good you shall doe to her whose helpe and rescue you intend you shal giue example to many other worthy Knights either of this or any other strange Country that heereafter by your imitation they suffer no shame or wrong to be done to any Lady or Gentlewoman whatsoeuer Wherein you will make your selues so memoratiue to them that she or they that now liue or shal many hundreds of yeares hereafter will sing rare Peans of your praises Madame answered Amadis God enable vs to effect our enterprise according as I know you heartily wish it In the meane while if you be so pleased you shal remain here in the company of Ysanie the good old Gouernour of this Island who shall be as obedient to you as to my selfe Maister Elisabet must go with me because I repose great trust in him My Lord quoth she you may dispose of me and mine according as to you seemeth best Amadis humbly thanked her and gaue command that euery man should bee prepared to go aboord those Ships by breake of day which Agraies and Florestan had there readily furnished according as they had order sent them by Gandalin Then the next day being all embarqued they set saile directly for Great Brittaine hoping to meet with the Romans as afterward they did CHAP. XVIII How King Lisuart deliuered his Daughter Oriana to the Ambassadors of the Emperour and other Ladies with her to be conueyed to Rome And how they were soone after rescued by the Knights of the Enclosed Isle THe day being come according to King Lisuarts promise that he would deliuer his Daughter to the Romanes to be conducted to the Emperour hee continuing constant in his wilful opinion without any possibility of alteration either of pitty to her importunity vsed by the Queene and all the graue aduice of his Lords to the contrary To effect the full issue of his owne humour he went to her Chamber where sitting downe by her and taking her by the hand thus he spake Daughter you haue euermore shewen your selfe obedient to my will neuer vsing any contradiction will you now hold on in the same mind according as Reason doth require You haue put on a sad and melancholy disposition at the marriage which I haue determin'd for you whereat I am not a little amazed Do you imagine that I would doe any thing but for your benefite and honor or can you conceipt any euill in clination in me towards you I sweare to you vpon my faith that the loue I beare you is so certaine as I do no lesse grieue for your farre absence from me then you can doe your selfe But you doe well know that it is impossible to prouide such an happines for you neerer home Wherefore I pray you that in vsing your wonted wisdome and discretion you would shew a more chearefull countenance reioyce in the great fortune ordained for you being wife to the greatest Prince in the world If you doe besides the high estimation generally to be made of you you shall glad your fathers soule who grieues at your strange alteration as no man possibly can doe more During all these speeches Oriana had her spirits so contracted that she was not able to shed a teare and therefore as a woman out of sense of her own sorrow seeing there was now no further remedy for her with a bolde and stedfast resolution thus shee replied My Lord you haue then for ought I can otherwise perceiue resolued on my mariage to the Emperor but therein happily you haue committed one of the greatest errors that any Prince aliue can doe For first so long as my life lasteth I shall neuer loue the husband you haue chosen for mee and next I am very certaine as oftentimes I haue told you already that I shall neuer see Rome rather shall the fishes vse their mercy to me then I will goe to a home that is my hell or dwel where I can haue no affection or desire And I am of the minde that you could not be heereto induced or perswaded but onely in the loue you beare to my Sister being desirous to leaue your inheritance to her and make mee heire to all the miseries in the world Neuerthelesse God who is iust will neuer suffer this your vnreasonable purpose to take effect sooner he will marry mee to my death When the King heard Oriana answere in this manner pitty and anger mixing themselues together made him likewise change his former language and thinking to win her by menaces said You play the foole with me and you will not yeeld for all the entreaties I can make but if you dallie thus with me any longer insteed of wiuing you to the Emperour I will wed you to the Tower and where you shall see neither Sunne nor Moone My Lord quoth she you can not commit me to a more hatefull prison then Rome and you shall doe me a great grace to make me an euerlasting dweller in your Tower Then arose the King very highly displeased and leauing her went to the Queene
your gracious fauours towards mee and I desire pardon for your greeuous feare which this rude encounter could not but put vpon you I heard none at all said shee I was so ouercome with extreame melancholy if Mabila had not told me of it I had bin as vtterly ignorant of any fight as they that dwell in Great Brittaine But tell me I pray you whether are you minded to cary mee Let mee coniure you deare sweet by all the loue you haue euer borne mee that seeing wee are now met together and in so good company you would speake nothing to me in any place that may returne to our preiudice but when you are willing to command any thing your Cousine Mabila may easilie enterpret betweene vs. My further intent is to be conuayed to the Enclosed Isle where I would gladly be till heauen afford more fauour for mee and my Father may vnderstand what wrong he hath done me Let me liue no longer Madame answered Amadis then to doe you my vttermost seruice wherefore you may well perswade your selfe that your will shall any way be accomplished And I hold it very expedient that you should make your mind known to Agraies Quedragant and Florestan who couet nothing more then to please you with their vttermost paines Well quoth Oriana when you meete in counsell together I will send your Cousin to them to know how they wil dispose of me So Amadis departed from her and called all the Knights of the Enclosed Isle in counsell to vnderstand which way they would take Many contrary opinions passed among them some thought it meet that Oriana should be conueyed to the Enclosed Isle others would haue her into Gaule to king Perion but the most part agreed for SCOTLAND till Mabila comming to them said My Lords Madame Oriana entreates you that she may bee conducted to the Enclosed Isle vntill her reconciliation with her father King Lisuart And seeing you haue already so well begunne this busines that proceeding on from good to better you would still stand fast for her as alwayes you haue done for distressed Ladies and Damosels requiring your help with due consideration had to the quality of her person Madame answered Quedragant I am sure that my Lord Amadis and al we of his company are determinately resolued to serue her till death without spare of coyne friendes or any thing else remayning in our power yea were it against the King her father the Emperour or any other that dare offend her not doubting but by the helpe of God and the iustice of our cause in doing her seruice we may lawfully make resistance against them Considering also that there is not a man among vs but hath solemnely sworne neuer to depart from this association vntill she be at perfect liberty And so you may safely assure her from vs concerning all which hath bin said as not to be denyed by any one in this company Mabila thanking them most affectionatly departed from them and comming to Oriana declared what the Knight had said vnto her wherof she was not a litle ioyful instantly all betook themselues to their seueral Ships And according to their former conclusion they set saile for the Enclosed Isle where in their voyage we wil leaue them to make an end of this Third Booke The end of the Third Booke A Table of all the Chapters contained in this Third Booke of Amadis de Gaule Chapter 1. OF the discords and warres which befell in Great Brittaine and thereabout occasioned by the bad counsell which King Lisuart receiued from Gandandell Brocadan against Amadis and his followers whereby many good Knights afterward on either side cruelly concluded their liues Fol. 2. Chapter 2 How Amadis being in the Enclosed Island enquired of Gandales tydings concerning the Court of King Lisuart determining to passe into Gaule with Bruneo to shake off his melancholy And of those aduentures which happened to him by a tempest that threw him vppon the Sad Island Fol. 12. Chapter 3. How King Cildadan and Galaor in trauailing towards the Court of King Lisuart met with twelue Knights and a Lady whâ— conducted a young Gentleman that entreated the King to make him Knight Fol. 21. Chapter 4. How King Lisuart fought a Battaile against the Knights of the Enclosed Island whom he vanquished And of the great liberalitie bee vsed towards Galuanes in restoring him to all the lands and Seigneuries belonging to Madasima Fol. 34. Chapter 5. How Amadis being with his Father King Perion found himselfe subiect to ouer-much melancholy to be so farre sundred from his Oriana And contrarywise Bruneo 〈◊〉 highly contented hauing so apt occasion to see and conferre with his Melicia at what time him-selfe pleased And of their seuerall enterprises to satisfie their owne humors Fol. 41. Chapter 6. How the three Knights of the Serpents returning 〈◊〉 ward into Gaule were by contray fortune cast on the place where Archalaus the Enchanter dwelt who resolued on their death and what afterward befell them Fol. 53. Chapter 7. How Esplandian was nourished by the olde Heâ—â—iâ—e Naâ—…n And what aduenture happened to Amâ—… 〈◊〉 the â—…ne â—…ile changing his knowne â—…e and câ—…g himselfe the Knight with the Greene Sword Fol. 69. Chapter 8. How King Lisuart hunting in the Forrest where he had left the Ladies accidentally met with a young Damosell who shewed him the way to the Hermitage where the good Hermite Naâ—cian made his abiding And how the Infant long time after was knoweâ— to be the Some of Amadis and Oriana Fol. 83. Chapter 9. How the Knight of the Greene Sword being departed from King Tafinor of Bohemia came into the marches of Romania where hee met with Grasinda 〈◊〉 the fieldes accompanied with many Gentlemen Ladies and Damosels Especially with a Knight named Brandasidell who would compell him by force of Armes to come speake with â—he Lady Grasinda and of the Combate they fought together Fol. 87. Chapter 10. How within short while after the Knight of the Greene Sword had hoysed saile into the maine Sea and had quite left the Islands of Romania By hard fortune hee was cast vpon the Deuils Island where he fought with a Monster named Endriagus Fol. 97. Chapter 11. How the Knight of the Greene Sword made knowen to the Emperour of Constantinople to whom the Island appertained where he slew the Endriagus the great fortune and victory he there obtained And of matters happening to him afterward Fol. 105. Chapter 12. How the Knight of the Green Sword departed from Constantinople to satisfie the promise which he had made to the faire Grasinda And of that which afterward happened to him Fol. 117. Chapter 13. How the Queene Sardamira with the other Ambassadors from the Emperour Patin arriued at the Court of King Lisuart hoping at their returne to beare thence the Princesse Oriana with them And of that which happened to certaine Romaine Knights offering iniurie to a Knight errant Fol. 129. Chapter 14. How the
alwaies beene reputed to fall into these â—…ties for the vertue of a discreet soule doth neuer so well expresse it selfe as in the tempestuous times of preturbations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that beare the title of a Queene â—…reason ought to be much more setled and constant then a weake Gentlewoman or any other person vnworthy to hold the place and ranke that you doe Doe not you know that fortune is mutable affording her fauours to whom she pleaseth and reuoaking them againe vpon her least distemper Consider then that the Emperors Nauie being thus vanquished and you in the power of the Knights of the Enclosed Isle it ensueth vpon meere necessity that you should haue patience and suport this accident with womanly discretion when you can haue no helpe to the contrary Especially being assured that you are in the power of them who will doe you all honor seruice and the very best entertainement that can be deuised And though Prince 〈◊〉 be dead what remedy you cannot recall him againe with your 〈◊〉 such chances are but 〈…〉 guerra and common to all that follow such affaires Wherefore Madame neuer make your 〈…〉 then needs but in vsing your â—…ted vertue and fortitude take 〈…〉 according as they happen 〈…〉 is ineuitable The Queene returned her this answere Lady it is easie for him that is in ioy to comfort as you doe one downe cast with griefe Neuerthelesse if you felt the woe that ouer-maistereth me you would complaine pehaps much more then I doe And yet I well know that you tell me truth although it is impossible for mee so much to command ouer mine own passions as instantly to follow your councell Wherefore for Gods sake let me entreat you that in excusing my imperfections you and all the Ladies here would rather helpe me in the due complaint of mine vnrecouerable vnhappinesse Madame answered Mabila if this greefe which you entreat of vs would doe you any good I dare sweare to you vpon my faith that in this company there is no one Lady as I thinke but willingly would doe it withall her heart But then you know withall that when it is so don there must be of necessitie an end of your mourning either by the compulsion of time or as wisdome commandeth Continuing in these remonstrances Oriana returned to them againe and found the Queene in more moderation of her sorrow During this time Amadis had giuen order to hoise sailes and make for the Enclosed-Isle which they discouered the third day following in regarde whereof Gandalin was sent before in a Skiffe to aduertise Grasinda of their comming which being vnderstood by her she was so highly pleased as none could be more especially when she heard of their victorie and conquest made of so many Ladies and Damosells but chiefly of Oriana whom she desired to see more then any other For which cause she prepared her selfe in the best manner she could deuise to entertaine her presuming so much on her selfe that without all doubt she should accomplish the aduenture of Apolidons Pallace and attaine to in her presence the verie highest degree of honour that euer Lady or Damosell might doe Seeing them approach some-what neere she entred into a Barge to meete them when Oriana demaunded of Bruneo of whence and what shee was Madame quoth he I beleeue it is Grasinda she that so lately obtained by the meanes of Lord Amadis the prize for beautie against all the fairest maides and Virgins in the King your fathers Court and surely I take her to be one of the wisest Ladies that euer I haue seene Then hee related at large the honour gracious entertainement and fauours she had affoorded them during their soiourning in her Countrie Beleeue me Sir said the Princesse you shall shew your selfe very ingratefull to her if you doe not make due acknowledgement of such courtesie when she hath occasion to imploy you As thus she concluded Gransinda came aboord their Ship Angriote stepping foorth to helpe her vp and presenting her to Oriana said Behold Madame this is the Ladie to whom my Lord Amadis Bruneo and I are beholding for our liues At these words the Princesse and Grasinda made reuerence to each other and so passing on into the port they went a shoare many goodly palfrayes very richly trapt and harnessed there wayting to receiue them whereon they all mounted Then being conducted by the Knights they rode on toward the Pallace of Apolidon and by the way discoursing what honour Amadis had wonne in King Lisuarts Court vnder the name of the Greeke Knight Oriana said to Grasinda I promise you Madame if I had knowne it you should not haue had such contentment without me but I neuer heard of any thing vntill it was ended That was my onely ioy answered Grasinda and the highest fauour Fortune could doe me for if you had beene present considering your rare and admirable beautie I hardly thinke that my Lord Amadis how good a Knight soeuer hee is would haue finished his enterprise to his honour and mine for the Crowne had beene due to you beyond all other in reason but you being absent the Conquest only was made for me As she ended these words she perceiued Amadis to be very nere and fearing least her liberality of speech had offended him in excusing her selfe she prayed him to pardon her For neuer quoth shee did mine eyes hope to behold so absolute a beauty as this of Madame Oriana therefore I cannot but confesse her right aboue all other Amadis being not a little pleased to heare her so highly commended whom beyond all things else he most esteemed smiling thus replied By my faith I should confesse my selfe voide of all good iudgement if I should thinke ill of the honour you doe to Madame Oriana she deseruing the title of the most vertuous Princesse that I know Oriana something abashed at such great praises could not so well containe her selfe but that a vermillion blush lept vp into her face which made her appeare tenne times more perfect Neuerthelesse thinking more on her instant happie Fortune then the due merit of her beautie she said to Grasinda I will not now contradict the good opinion which it hath pleased you to conceiue of mee for then I should contest with a person of most pregnant iudgement it suffiseth mee I dare assure you that such as I am all my life time I shall wish your welfare and aduancement so much as lies in the power of a poore disinherited Lady to doe for now you see me in no better condition So long lasted this kinde of discoursing that they arriued at the Pallace of Apolidon where they all alighted with the Princesse Oriana Now because it was one of the most sumptuous buildings in all the world I thought it not a misse to describe it by writing CHAP. II. A description of the Lignographiâ— and foundation of the Pallace which Apohdon had caused to be builded in the Enclosed Isle THE foundation of this most magnificent
Pallace with the Parke and Garden together was quadrangle and contained in length sixe hundred twentie fiue fadomes and in breadth three hundred three score and fifteene allowing sixe foote to the 〈◊〉 the foote to consist of twelue inches and euery inch sixe Barlie comes in length walled about with a high wall of black-marble with Dorick Colomnes of white-marble At the front of this foundation was planted the Pallace which had in his square an hundred fortie and one fadomes and at the foure corners was exalted foure huge Towers one of Azure stone the second of Iris or Opall-stone the third of Chrisolite and the fourth of Iasper which had in the Diameter of their circumference eight fadomes two foote and three inches In each of them was two Chambers foure warderobes and as many Cabinets comprehending in these the Defended Chamber which was in the Tower of Azure-stone Now in regard it was the most excellent of the rest I will describe the singularities thereof seuerally to you It was wainscotted about with vnicornes horne fashioned like to the feete of Lampes frettized with Lignum Aloes Balme and Cedar all wrought in antique engrauerie with fine gold thickly embellished with enamelled flourets The pauement was of Chrisolite carued in loue knots enriched with Corall and Cipres cut in little scales and fastened with threds of gold The doore and window worke was of Ebonie enchased with siluer mouldes and the glasse all Christall All the chinks and crannies of the Warderobes and Cabinets were stuffed with Agats cut in Lozenges wherein euen as it were naturally infinit figures of all kinde of creatures were plainely to be seene In the roofe of this Chamber hung two Lampes of gold at the bottomes whereof were enchased two Carbuncles which gaue so bright a solendour round about the roome that there was no neede of any other light But all this riches was of slender value in regard of a Mirrour or Looking-glasse of white Saphire the onely orientall that euer was seene which had three feete in square standing vpon a plate of gold so bordered and garnished with great Diamonds Emeralds Rubies and Pearles as neuer was seene a thing more to be admired Betweene those foure Towers whereof I haue told you were seated foure faire great Halls all of equall largenesse the worke being throughout of Porphirie-stone with Dorick pillers contayning thirtie foote in height fixed vpon bases of brasse couered with Chapeans of gold vnder Architranes of Porseline vpon which were Frizes of Iuorie with diuers deuises in all languages and aboue those Frizes were Cornishes of Topaze enriched with Turkesses Directly facing the portall of this Pallace had Apolidon formerly placed those Perrons whereof we haue spoken in the first and second Bookes and next to them the Arke of loyall Louers as already you had heard Passing on further you should enter into a very goodly Court contayning three and fiftie fadomes in square Orthogonally cornered by iust leuell of line being paued with Iasper-stone wrought in workes after the Mosaâ—call manner vnder which was a dungeon in the middle square being one fiftie fadoms an halfe in depth and in the midst thereof was a double vice for letting down and mounting againe contayning nine fadomes In the Diameter round about were foure other sumptuous Halls of twentie fadomes in height deuided by other Towers of no lesse beautie then the former The winding staires conducting to them were of guilded copper made in the forme of a lanterne retained by bowing pillers and sustained with Atticque Collomnes of Crateritestone very hard to cut after the ancient manner and the mounting of these staires met not together neither by line Orthogonall or Ambligonall in angle This dungeon had foure stages or roomes vpon one platforme wherein were sixteene great lodgings and in the midst rose vp the gyring staire and foure Pauillions beside the foure Towers wee spake of before which with the said Pauillions surmounted the platforme of two stages vnder couerture Now to tell you whereof this dungeon was made you must vnderstand that the first stage was of Chalcidonie-stone enriched with Dorick collomnes of very white Alablaster with mouldes and appurtenances answereable to the others height The second stage or roome was of greene Marble brought from Alexandria enriched with Ionick collomnes of fiue Topas mouldings heads bases and seatings like to the other The third stage was of red Marble with speckled Corinthian collomnes of Iuorie And the fourth was of Iacinthe with Proesme Tuscane collomnes of Emerald Easily might these repeated platformes beseene vnder which were the foure stages paued with Poiseline as also those of the foure Pauillions and all the rest surmounting the chiefe plat formes made of wood of Cypres Codar and Cethin which cannot be toucht by any corruption couered with mother of Pearle and the rest of them with glasse of fine transparant steele knit together with fillets of gold All the portalls of the Pallace were of pure Alablaster wrought in the forme of damaske worke with mouldings tympaines and frontissons of Amber and Vermillion Agath whereon were curiously engrauen in antique shapes euidently to bee knowne many battailes and redoubted seruices as well of the Greekes and Romans as of the Gaules and vnderneath them the Images of Prapus Mars and Apollo with those other of Venus Ceres and Miaerua of the best pollished white marble that euer was seene And Apolidon caused the moulding workes and portalls to be expressely made of Diamonds to the end that as they were opened they might shut againe of themselues euen by the meere vertue of that stone The Pauillions and Towers were seuerally garnished with sixe and fifty Chambers foure-score Warderobes and as many double Cabinets the best guilded and adorned that possibly might be Passing through this second Court entrance was into a Garden where according to the described measure of the buildings quarter it was naturally planted withall kindes of sluores and good hearbes that could be desired In the midst thereof stood a goodly fountaine the water issuing from the two dugges of a Venus mode of Agath mounted on a great piller of Emerald proesme and falling into an huge Basen of Azure stone This Image was so ingeniously cut and shaped as nothing but speech wanted because the Agath did so truely agree and come neere to nature as Venus in her 〈…〉 was not more beautifull Shee held in her right hand somewhat higher aduanced then the other the selfe same golden Apple which Paris adiudged to her when he was made the arbi rator for the three gaddesses in Ida Forrest whereon followed that vnfortunate warre betweene the Greekes and the Troyans This Apple was afterward stolne from Venus by Iuno through the meanes of iealous Vulcane and then in following time going from hand to hand happened to Apolidon who found it among the vnualuable treasures of the King his father with the Pearle otherwise tearmed the Vnton which Cleopatra long time had in her possession
there after the mariage was sollemnized between the Princesse Oriana and Amadis Moreouer there were many Ciuet and Maske-cattes which made the ayre so extraordinarily sweete as nothing could bee therewith compared and sometimes the Pellicane also made her sent there Great store of other worthy creatures liued there also as Harts Hindes Roes Goates Hares Connies c. withall diuersitie of Birdes and Fowles as it was wonderfull to heare the varietie of their noates especially the Nightingale and the solitarie Owsell affecting alwaies to be alone From forth of a nere neighbouring high Rocke descended a great water which filled the Lake whereof you haue heard iâ— the second Booke where the Hart lost his life narrowly pursued by the hounds as hath beene already related And thither vsually resorted the Beuer to bathe himselfe with an infinite number of Swannes Cignets Cranes Storkes Cormorants Heronnes with a plentifull store of all other Birdes But all these made not this Lake so singular as the frequent resort of a Mare-maide which was heard there were neere continually singing as neuer was heard more delectable hermony From this Lake issued many Riuers and Currents which made diuers little Islands in this Meadow In one of them was a Dedalus or Labyrinth contayning onely foure Acres in square planted with the most precious Balme that euer grew in Engadia And it was continually kept by two Serpents bred of his kinde that watcht the golden Apples in the Garden of Hesperides day and night Directly in the midst of this Dedalus was a Colossus of guilded Brasse contayning the height of sixe score Cubites holding in his left hand raised vp on his head a Lanterne of Christall and in it the rod yet burning wherewith Prometheus kept the fire which he stole from heauen yeelding such a bright splendour day and night without diminishing that for the space of an hundred miles round in compasse the Mariners made their resort thither as they did to Pharos neere Alexandria This flaming Rod Apolidon had gotten by great industrie from the Priests and Magitians of Chaldea And whosoeuer could looke on this vnextinguishable fire in his true nature and without couering in this manner hee should attaine to most mighty prouidence But the Serpents kept the place very strongly without doing any harm to them that tooke delight in the Parke prouided that they presumed not to enter the Dedalus for then they would belch forth such fire and flames as was able to daunt the boldest spirit And all this was thus ordained by Apolidon who was as you haue formerly heard one of the very greatest Enchanters in all the world yet when the matchlesse beautie entring into the Defended Chamber should come neere to this Colossus the Enchantments must cease and easilie might this admired fire bee looked on Now gentle Readers consider seriously with your selues if the like Pallace can now a dayes bee easily found accompanied with such plentie of singularities as Oriana saw there To proceed on now in our Historie the Ladies and Gentlewomen being brought to their seueral lodgings the Knights of the Enclosed Isle departed from them committing them to their good rest because in deed it was somewhat late Neuerthelesse the Princesse Oriana all that night could not sleepe partly through wearinesse on the Sea and partly by her fearefull conceite of harme that might ensue to Amadis vpon this bold and hardie aduenture which gaue her some reason to fore-thinke of an intestine warre betweene him and King Lisuart And now she beganne to consider with her selfe that to palliate the earnest affection betweene them there was necessarily required that she should gouerne her selfe much more discreetly then formerly she had done to kill all occasion of ill conceiuing of her Hereupon the next morning shee sent to Amadis and the other Knights requesting to haue a little conference with them and they who desired nothing more then to serue and honour her came immediatly vpon her commande and after courtesies past on either side Quedragant who had charge from the whole companie to vnderstand her will said Madame as we are enfourmed you haue sent to speake with vs let vs know what you will please to command vs In good faith Sir answered the Princesse commaunds are no matters for mee especially to them in whose power I am as a prisoner you may speake your pleasure Madame quoth hee but there is not a man among vs who is not willing to do you any seruice Oriana returned him many thankes and then replied thus Let mee entreate you then to bee so pleased that during the time of my residing in this place my women and I may be seuered from all other company and also to promise vs that none of you whosoeuer it bee may come to see vs without our leaue and permission for you well know that the surprizall you haue made of vs and of the Emperours people being once divulged abroade it will be hard to comprehend the end of your intention and our innocence but speeches may passe to disaduantage But when they shall heare the religion wherein we desire to liue till such time as the King my father recall mee into his good opinion I am perswaded that easilie they will conuert their harsh language into honest excuses for vs all who together make this request so reasonable to you wherein we hope you will yeeld vs no deâ—…ll being the first that euer we made to you Mâ—… answered Quedragant we are hâ—… to â—o other end but to obey you and beleeue that in this and all things else you shall please to commande vs no one of vs dare or will gainesay you Euery man among them affirmed as much allowing highly of her wisdome and prouidence And albeit Amadis imagined this their seperation a little too rigorous hauing no other felicity in the world then to be in her presence yet he was feigne to dissemble it being a matter so reasonable and for the conseruation of her honour whom he affected as his life Hoping notwithandsting that though the day time denied him such an happinesse yet the night would blesse him somewhat better albeit not so often as hee could wish it CHAP III. Of the Councell held among the Knights of the Enclosed Isle touching the businesse for the Princesse Oriana and what they further determined to doe YOV haue formerly heard the victory which Amadis had against the Romans by meanes whereof he got Oriana into his possession and the other Ladies that bare her companie which he accounted the happiest of all his other fortunes albeit he fore-saw in his soule that very hardly hee should appease the iniury which he had done not onely to King Lisuart but also to the Emperour In regard where-of questioning with his owne thoughts that it would require no meane might to withstand such potent Armies as from either side would be made against him yet notwithstanding hope conducted by the power of loue gaue him this resolution rather to die
a thousand deaths then redeliuer her to Patin without whom hee could not liue an houre He made no doubt of compassing some meanes to regaine her the former grace of the King her father and to breake the alliance else-where intended which that he might the better attaine vnto hee gaue the Prince Agrates and Quedragant to vnderstand that the Princesse had sent to pray this fauour For otherwise quoth he she intendeth rather to make a Sacrifice of her selfe then to fall into his power whom she more hateth then any man liuing Beside it shall no way redound to our honour to suffer such a monstrous shame hauing made so great and good a beginning for her deliuerance Quedragant returned him this answere I sweare vnto you Sir at our first and giddie-headed eye-sight we see so great a fire already kindled as we may easily presume is impossible to be quenched without a hard and daungerous warre which we may not well maintaine and endure for any long time without the ayde and succour of our deare friends and companions wherefore I thinke it expedient that all the rest which are here should be made acquainted there-with to know their opinions to the end that they may be the better enclined to sustaine the businesse if they shall conclude on warre I pray you then said Amadis that we may all meete together tomorrow and take the charge if you please to summon them wherto Quedragant gladly condiscended Hereupon the day following they met together and Amadis sitting in the midst of them beganne in this maner Honourable Lords yesterday Madame Oriana sent to pray me that we all would consider one some good meanes to winne againe the lost grace and fauour for her with the offended King her father qualifying in him if it bee possible that strange conceit of his to marry her with the onely Prince in the world to whom she beareth the least affection otherwise death will be much more welcome to her And therefore I thought it good after I had spoken with some of this company particularly to vnderstand from you all in generall what you thinke thereof For seeing wee haue beene friends and companions in the procuring of her libertie it is much more reasonable that we should all agree to maintaine it But before I enter into further speech I humbly desire you to fixe before your eyes that already your fame renowne is so knowne through the world by reason of the rare actions of Chiualry by you performed that at this day there is neither King Prince nor State but stand in feare of your high valour For they all well know that to winne immortall honour you haue contemned not onely the sumptuous treasures and kinde entertainments inherent to you in your owne houses but the deare blood of your owne bodies where-of you haue made no spare in giuing the boldest spirits to know the sharpe and keene edges of your swords to the mightie perill of your owne persons And as markes and testemonies of your prowesse the wounds receiued in many parts of your bodies may render such apparant faith as Fortune thinkes her selfe much obliged to you being willing to shew you how much her owne selfe is in debted to you And being desirous to recompence your former high deseruings she made plaine proofe thereof by deliuering this glorious victorie into your hands which you haue had against the two chiefest Princes of Christendome King Lisuart and the Roman Emperor Nor doe I speake concerning the ouerthrow of their men onely being farre inferiour to you in merit but of the worthie succour you haue giuen to the most wise debonnaire and vertuous Lady this day liuing Wherein you haue done a very acceptable seruice to God by executing that dutie whereunto you are expressely called namely to succour the a◅ted whē they are to endure wrongs beyond all reason Now if the King and Emperour thinke it good to be angrie yet seeing right is on our side and God who is iust will stand for vs also let vs giue them to vnderstand that if their owne experience cannot teach them iustice but by might and power they meane to assaile vs we are able to meete them with such resistance as shall remaine in memory while the world endureth Therefore let euery man speake his minde in this case what he conceiueth meetest to be done either to finish the war begun or else to motion peace by restoring Madame Oriana to the King her father according to her owne desire For as concerning my selfe know that I will neuer yeeld thereto except you be so pleased nor shall fond opinion ouersway me in this matter beyond the compasse so your liking I know you to be men indeed and your vertues of apparant as nothing can withdraw you from true valour and magnanimitie neither to aduenture on any action whereby your honour in how small a degree soeuer may receiue any base imputation So he ceased leauing the mindes of all the companie highly contented and satisfied by such an humble and gracefull remonstrance as he had made vnto them Then Quedragant commaunded thereto by all the assistants stood vp and answered Amadis in this manner Lord Amadis it is most certaine that our attempt made vpon the Emperour was not for any hatred wee bare to him but onely to keepe the faith whereto euery good Knight standeth obliged in maintayning and defending afflicted persons from wrong especially all vertuous Ladies of whom it is our dutie to be protectours And therefore I would aduise that before we vndertake any further warre wee should send to King Lisuart to let him fully vnderstand vpon what occasion we dealt with the Romans And if he be found discontented then in the verie mildest manner can bee deuised to shew him withall gracious demeanour what shamefull iniurie he offered to Madame Oriana vnder collour of marrying her to a forraigne Prince vtterly to disinherit her at home a matter euery way offensiue to God and not to bee suffred by his owne Subiects Pausing a very little while and clapping his fist vpon the boorde thus he proceeded If therefore it may stand with his good pleasure to forget his conceiued anger against her if there be any entred into his royall brest then we to offer deliuerie of her againe on this condition and not else If he refuse or disdaine the dutie wherein we send vnto him then to tell him resolutely wee feare him not a iote but if he will make warre vpon vs we are as ready to defend our selues In the meane while I hold it very necessarie that wee strengthen our selues with all such things as an action of such importance doth require as this is At least that he may not come vpon vs vnprouided whensoeuer hee determines to assaile vs if he be so minded albeit in mine opinion peace were much better then warre But this conclusion is not to be tardied by any meanes rather we must put our selues in due preparation dispatching hence
messengers to our kinred and friends to supply vs with their best succour when we shall require it Such was the answere of Quedragant and approued by all the Knights there present whereupon it was concluded that Amadis should send a messenger to his father King Perion of Gaule also Agraies into Scotland Brunco to the Marquesse his father and Quedragant to the Queene of Ireland of whom he should haue many able men if her husband King Cildadan brought no worse then he did to the ayde of King Lisuart This was made knowne to the Princesse Oriana and their finall deliberation for procurement of peace As thus they continued in these conferences some of them standing in the gazing windowes which had full view vpon the fields they espied comming from the coast that gaue entrance into the Isle a Knight all armed with fiue Squires attending on him who when hee drew neerer they knew him to be Briande Moniaste sonne to Lazadan King of Spaine of whose arriuall they were all right ioyfull for hee was an amiable bold and hardie Knight and as courteous as any whatsoeuer Hee espying so great a company there together vpon their comming foorth to meete him began to grow doubtfull that they had heard some euill tyding of Amadis for whose sake and search hee had expressely left the King his fathers Court But perceiuing that their intention was to salute him and seeing Amadis there among them he instantly alighted and running to embrace him said Trust me my Lord the quest I vndertooke to heare newes of you is sooner ended then I expected for I was giuen to vnderstand that you were so closely hid as it was a matter impossible to finde you but God be praised for it me thinkes I see you in very sound health Cousine quoth Amadis you are most kindely welcome hether assuring you that as Fortune hath released you from one toyle and trauaile so now she hath as readily fitted you with an other answerable both to to the time and place where your presence and imployment may much auaile vs as you hereafter shall heare more at large In the meane while I thinke it conuenient that you should be disarmed and then wee will tell you our mindes afterward So taking him by the hand hee conducted him to his lodging where as they were taking off his Armes seeing such store of Knights flocke more and more about him he sayd to Amadis My Lord I am verily perswaded that so faire an assembly of worthy and valiant men could neuer be thus met together but vpon some extreame vrgent cause therefore I pray you tell me what it is Hereupon Amadis amply related to him how and in what manner all things had past especially the churllish ingratitude which King Lisuart vsed not onely to the Knights that had done him infinite seruices but also to his owne children enforcing one of them through ouergreedie and great auarice to bee disinherited from her right and meerely against her will sent to Rome to be wife to the Emperour and that is Madame Oriana And this is the cause that so many of vs are here assembled together quoth Brian is the Princesse Oriana at Rome No replied Amadis we haue forcibly taken her from the Romans that had the charge of her conuoy And now at this present shee is here in this Pallace with all the Ladies and Gentlewomen that were in her companie Now shall we easily redeliuer thē except King Lisuart determine more respect of them then hitherto he hath done Afterward he told him what was resolued on by them all which Brian liked as well as they albeit hee conceiued that the iniuries of two such potent Princes by this defeature would not bee suddenly appeased Notwithstanding seeing that which was done could not be recalled he dissembled his cogitations and onely answered thus I know King Lisuart to be one of the most reuengefullest Princes this day liuing and very hard to endure an iniurie therefore you must quickly consider on some resistance if he shall offer to assaile you and I hold it more requisite to take order for all inconueniences which may ensue by his means then to consume time in friuolous words Of one thing I am highly glad that Madame Oriana and her women haue so happie a retirement and I would gladly see her if you please Let me tell you Sir answered Amadis my Cousine Agraies and my Brother Florestan are appointed to make her acquainted with our deliberation and you may goe along with them being well assured that it will be no meane ease to her to conferre with you on her misfortunes in priuate No time was delayed in going to her but before they would presume to enter her lodgings they sent her word that they came to her from the whole company Hereupon their entrance was admitted and she went to meete them especially Brian whom she had not seene in a long time and therefore as he did her reuerence she said vnto him Cousine you are come hither in a very good time to defend the libertie of a Lady who stands in great neede of such helpe as yours Madame said he I had not so long delayed my comming hither but that presently after the seuen Kings ouerthrow in Great Brittaine the King my father commanded my home returne to with-stand the warre which the people of Affrica made vpon him And scarsely was it ended but I vnderstood my Cousine Amadis was so farre distant from his friends through some conceiued griefe or displeasure as no tidings could be heard of him Wherefore fearing least he was lost for euer I resolued to enter vpon his quest both in the loue and reuerence I beare vnto him This was the occasion that drew mee from Spaine being fully perswaded that I should sooner haue notice of him here then in any other place else whatsooner And Fortune I thanke her hath guided mee hither where I haue met with apt occasion not onely to doe him seruice but also for you royall Princesse for which great kindnesse Oriana returned him infinite thankes But now before I passe on any further I thinke it very necessarie to tell you what was the principall motiue and reason why so many good Knights and worthy men should beare such honour and good will to this Princesse Asiure your selues it was not for any guifts or presents she had bestowed on them she being as yet voide of all meanes to that effect Much lesse for any fauour by Amadis borne to her the loue betweene them both being kept so secret as you haue heard at large in the precedent Bookes But indeed she was so humble wise and debonnaire that by her meere humility and courtesie shee knew how to steale the heartie affections of euery one A matter so apt and proper to heroyick persons and them deriued from great place as they haue no other powers or faculties but such as make them to bee more honoured praised and esteemed Consider then in what
reputation they ought to be held who by ouer-strange persumpsion haue delight in all immodest behauiour when all is duely weighed they beget the peoples disfauour a secret contempt among all good mindes yea and distaste of many of their owne appearing wel-willers that particularly desire their ruine to abate the ouer-weening pride they take in such wickednesse Gracious language apprehensiue grauitie and humble modestie are so proper and peculiar to Princes and great persons that whensoeuer they but speake it begetteth their subiects cordiall loue absolute obedience with a generall foare of offending And the contrary is so deadly daungerous as nothing can be more harmfull to them Let vs conceiue then how well it agrees with a knot of such base minded companions to put on a boasting spirit of brauerie as thinking by their outward glorious appearance to make them-selues respected and feared Before God mee thinkes they should consider both what they are and what they shall bee then they may easily know of them-selues that they are full of shame and all disgrace and for such I am content to leaue them returning againe to our former purpose Vnderstand now that after Oriana had a long while conuersed with Brian shee called for the Queene Sardamira and said vnto her See Madame here is the sonne to the King of Spaine I am sure you know him yet Then the Queene going neerer to him after she had very graciously saluted Brian entred into so serious a discourse with him that Oriana found the meanes of leauing them together So with drawing her selfe aside she called Agrates and Florestan to her entreating them earnestly to acquaint her with the cause of their comming Agraies wholly related to her whatsoeuer had passed among them in councell what true and honorable affection all the Knights did beare her and lastly what resolution they had agreed on concerning her cause desiring her withall to send backe her minde whether she liked their intention or no. Alas Sir quoth she they are all so wise and vertuous as no bad thought can preuaile among them One thing I would most humbly request of them that euen for Gods sake to seeke some meanes if possibly they may and agreeing with their honour to worke my peace with the displeased King my father Then pretending to whisper some thing in the eare of Agraies Florestan as one not to learne ciuility retired thence leauing them both together When Oriana perceiued she might speake at libertie she began her womed â—…onings to him in this manner Deare Cousine although I haue great hope in the prouidence of your kinsman Amadis and in the loyall affection which all these Knights doe beare me yet mee thinkes reason requireth that I should most of all relie on your fidelity in regard of my bounden dutie to the King your father and the Queene your mother affording me such princely entertainment in Scotland as also for gracing me with the companie of your sister Mabila of whom onely next vnto God I hold my life For without the comforts which she hath many times giuen me 〈◊〉 the very strongest 〈…〉 tunes a long time since I had beene buried and depriued of any ioy in this world And albeit I haue now no meanes or power to acknowledge either towards them or you so many obligations of due debt yet my hope is that time hereafter will better 〈◊〉 In the 〈…〉 thinke it not amisâ—e that familiarlie I let you vnderstand what heauie burdens of griefe I beare And for my first beginning sparing to speake what wrongs the King my father hath done me let mee entreate you to procure euen to your vttermost power an honorable peace betweene him and your Cousine Amadis For I make no doubt considering the ancient comitie betweene them and the iust occasion you all haue of scarse wishing him well that hardly will these matters begun grow to any other end then most heauie misfortune nay 〈◊〉 ruine on both sides except such 〈◊〉 as you shall make be well qualified with good counâ—… prouidence which I know is 〈…〉 abounding in you Wherfore once more I desire you as well to anoyde such a maine inconuenience as also to protect mee from suspition of forraine nations who may hereafter make doubt of my innocence and maculate my good reputation which is more precious to me then life that you would all consider what I haue said to you Madame answered Agraies as concerning the good entertainement you receiued in Scotland the King my father and the Queene did no more therein then they ought to doe and such I am sure was their affection towards you that in all things which their vnderstanding could reach vnto there wanted no loue or kindnesse in them to you as their best respected allie and kâ—â—fewomen Now as concerning my sister and my selfe our actions shall daylie make knowne to you in what vnfeigned respect we hold you desyring you to beleeue thet you may command vs as they that couet nothing more then your good and honour preferring them before our owne liues And whereas you wish me to forget the iniurie which the King your father hath done not only to mee but to all my kinred and friends assure your selfe Madame the wound was made so wide and deepe as it will neuer be healed while I liue It was no little ingratitude to vs denying my Lord Amadis my selfe and many other good Knights the humble request we made vnto him to giue the Isle of Mongaza to mine vnckle Galuanes who dearely deserued it and much more considering that it was conquered by his â—aâ—our and vertue that became an humble suter for it Neuerthelesse for your loue and honou I am content to dissemble my distaste and deferre for some time my iust occasion of wishing him ill especially for banishing vs from his Court so strangely euen as if we had beene his deadly enemies and neuer minding or respecting how many great seruices we had done for him And to let you know that I will wholly imploy my selfe to please you I promise you Madame I will essay to my vttermost to doe as you haue desired me But it would hardly agree with reason that it should be ouer-rashly vndertaken because if I should bee coole in speech now matters being altogether disposed for warre in stead of edging the courages of so many worthy Knights as are now met together in this Isle I should intimidate the greater part of them by hearing mee preach of peace and raise in them an apprehension that I vse such language as being the man first affrighted Wherein I must fall into two euills together which hereafter will redound to the great dammage of vs all but especially mine vnrecouerable shame But some being sent to the King your father and hauing heard his answere I will entreate my worthy friends to doe according as you haue aduised In the meane while mee thinkes you should greeue so little as possibly you may supporting both Time and
as you haue apt meanes if you please to accomplish your promise and vpon so iust a quarrell as possibly can bee offred According as Maister Elisabet shall further impart vnto you whom I humbly entreate you to credit on the behalfe of him that in all dutie kisseth the hand of your Imperiall Maiestie Your Highnesse loyall Knight and seruant Amadis de Gaule Such was the dispatch of Maister Elisabet who going aboord his Ship setting saile very soone after arriued in Greece The very same day Amadis gaue order to Tantiles Maister of the houshold to Queene Briolania to depart for the Realme of Sobradisa towards his Misâ—resse saying thus to him My deâ—â—e friend Tantiles thou knowest as well as wee our selues how we stand bound for the maintenance of warre and how highly mine honour will be endamaged if the end of this beginning fall not out to our intention goe therefore to thy royall Queene to whom after thou hast done my humble dutie say I desire her to send mee such a supply of soldiours as possibly shee may Thou maist at large acquaint her with all matters past the condition wherein we now are and into what daunger we may fall Moreouer tell her and bid her well remember it that this matter touching me concerneth her selfe as neerely being hers as she doth very well know My Lord answered Tantiles the Queene my Mistresse will conceiue more delight then you can imagin that she may compasse any meanes to let you know how desirous she is to doe any thing worthy your acceptance And beleeue it assuredly that so soone as shee shall heare these tydings she will take such order in the matter you send for as you shall quickly see me returned with a sufficient power of men Deliuer her then quoth Amadis this Letter and make what dilligent speed thou canst So he gaue him the Letter contayning these liues The Letter sent from Amadis to Briolania Queene of Sobradisa I Am perswaded Madame after you haue heard by Tantiles Maister of your Houshold the cause that mooues me to send to you in such haste that you will allow much fauour to what he shall tell you on my behalfe Assure your selfe that in making vse of your gentle breeding you will not now saile mee no more then you thinke I should doe being alwaies readie to set foote in stirrop for you where any necessitie can offer it selfe And because he hath beene euermore present at all such occurrences as haue happened to me since my returne into this Country and I haue giuen him charge to let you know them at large I will not be troublesome to you in reading ouer a tedious long Letter But earnestly entreat you that crediting him you will alwaies containe mee in your gracious fauour whereof I desire to pertake so long as I liue That Amadis who is yours So Tantiles departed and without soiourning in any place trauailed so deuoutly that he soone arriued in the Kingdome of Sobradisa On the otherside Gandalin was appointed to goe for Gaule for which cause Amadis taking him aside thus spake to him Gandalin thou art he who alwaies hath beene the guardian of my most intimate occasions by the loue which our youngest yeares bred in vs euen as if nature had inuited vs to a perfect brother-hood Thou knowest that my honour is thine and that thine concerneth mee as much as mine owne Thou seest what a businesse is begunne vpon me of what consequence it is and what conclusion is resolued on by all the Knights to imploy our friends and kinred for some powerfull ayde to withstand the forces of King Lisuart if he aduenture to set vpon vs. And for this cause I haue sent Messengers to diuers Princes from whom I hope to receiue such bands of men as shall make vp an able Armie Now albeit thine absence will be somewhat grieuous to me yet notwithstanding relying more vpon thy diligence then any other seruice now to be done mee I am determined to send thee to King Perion my father who of long time hath knowne thee and to whom better then any other thou canst disclose of what importance this warre will prooue to mee if King Lisuart doe begin it For as thou maist truely tell him in part it concerneth him the ingratefull King hauing done so many high disfauours to all them that are of our linage excluding them from his Court after such an infinity of great good seruices by them done to him what thou knowest spare not fully to acquaint him withall both what thou hast seene and in what necessitie thou didst leaue vs. And yet neuerthelesse boldly say vnto him and assure him thereof in the loyall dutie of a sonne that I feare not any power whatsoeuer hauing right and iustice on my side and so many worthy Knights to assist me in my cause Tell him moreouer Gandalin that I had neuer attempted so great an enterprise had it not beene that seeing God had called mee to the order of Knight-hood I neuer minded any thing more but to performe the dutie of a Knight defending to my power the wrongfull disgraces offred by many especially to Ladies and Gentlewomen who ought to bee preferred before all other persons and for whom I haue often put my life in perill without hope of any other recompence from them then pleasing God by so well a done deed and augmenting mine owne renowne through the world And this was the onely cause that mooued mee to forsake mine owne Countrie to seeke among strange nations for such as stood in need of my helpe where I haue met with many perillous aduentures as thou thy selfe hast seene and can at large recount Namely that arriuing in this Isle I was aduertised how King Lisuart forgetting the glory of God right towards men councell of his Lords and the verie naturall instinct which euery good father commonly beareth to his child would needs euen in a manner of extreame cruelty banish from his Kingdome Madame Oriana his owne daughter and principall heire to giue her against her will as wife to the Emperour Patin of Rome whom she hateth to the death Hereof shee made complaint not only to them of the Realme of Great Brittaine but require â—â—yde and â—uccour of all Knights bearing Armes as well by letters and messages as otherwise desiring them with heaued vp 〈◊〉 and fountaines of teares flowing 〈◊〉 her eyes to take pittie and compassion vpon her miserie And so much her prayers and oppressions preuailed that the Lord and ruler of all things locked on her with a mercifull eye inspiring the hearts of many good Knights to meete here in this place euen by miracle as it were where I found them as thou knowest resolued to aduenture their liues for setting her at libertie by force and other Ladies keeping her company Considering that in doing otherwise they should iustly deserue blame in following times giuing many occasion to presume that cowardise only kept them from this commendable ayde being
persons of so great quality as they all are and the case so important In which respect the conflict happened betweene vs and the Romans according as thou sawest it wherein we tooke many prisoners and reâ—â—ued he Ladies from their hands But to mediate the matter with King Lisuart and my Cousin 〈…〉 shall speedily part hence with expresse order from vs all to worke by humble intercession that he would take in good part what wee haue done and receiue Madame Oriana with all her attendants into his fauour againe And yet wee stand resolued that if he will not accept our honest offer but proudely despise it to stand vpon our guarde against him our good friends and kinred backing vs among whom Gandalin thou maist assure him that we reckon him as the chiefest and therefore doe humbly entreate him to helpe vs in so reasonable a necessitie See also the Queene my mother and kisse her hand on my behalfe Pray her to send hither my sister Melicia to keepe companie with these other Ladies among whom she may learne many singular qualities But before thou goest hence know of my Cousine Mabila if shee will command thee any seruice thither and make some means to speak with the Princesse Oriana who will not shew her selfe so strange to thee but that thou maist perceiue the estate of her good health and how her affection continueth towards me If Amadis was thus seriously busied about the procuration of good ayde Agraies slept not on the otherside for he instantly sent Gandales into Scotland with expresse charge to the King his father in what need they stood of his assistance Already Landin was gon for Ireland by whom Quadragant entreated the Queene his Niece to send such a sufficient power as possibly she might And yet not to let King Cildadan her husband know thereof for it was against all reason that hee should meddle in the matter considering the couenants and alliances betweene him and King Lisuart Moreouer hee had command to prouide so many shippes for warre as he could and to bring them along with him Brunco de bonne Mer who dearely affected Melicia sister to Amadis wrote to the Marquesse his father and to Branfill his brother about the same busmesse and deliuering his Letters to his Squire Lasinde spake in this manner My honest friend Lasinde thou seest what a number of Knights are here assembled notwithstanding thou must conceiue that the greater part of this businesse coÌ„cerneth Amadis principally whom beside the vnfeigned loue I beare him I would gladly ayde to my vttermost power for his sister Meliciaes sake to whom I stand obliged in seruice and to none other For should I doe any otherwise I am well assured I should procure his great discontentment which were worse to me then any death And therefore thou must wisely perswade my father to giue vs his best succour shewing him discreetly that this matter is as important to me as to any other and yet not vse one word of Melicia Onely tell him my obligation and dutie to Amadis who hath honoured me with his company in so many places is the onely motiue that commands me And my brother Branfill shall hereby winne more honor then so to sleepe in the cinders of negligence as he doth My Lord answered Lasinde I hope so well to accomplish your command that my voyage shall haue effect equall to your desire And so taking leaue he went away Nor was Amadis vnmindfull concerning the offers made him by King Taffinor of Bohemia at such time as he vndertooke his cause in Combate against Garadan whom he slue and afterward foyled eleuen other Knights belonging to the Emperour Patin Hereupon consulting with his owne cogitatioÌ„s he determined to send thither Ysanis the ancient Gouernour of the Enclosed Isle a worthy wise Knight to request ayde of him And pursuing this purpose he called for the good old man to whom he said Ysanio knowing the fidelity remayning in you and your euer-readie good will to doe mee any seruice I would entreate you to vndertake a iourney for mee about a matter of great consequence not knowing any Gentleman beside your selfe more apt and answerable for the businesse I would haue you goe to King Taffinor of Bohemia to whom you shall beare Letters of credence from mee giuing him beside to vndestand our occasions and what trust wee repose in his assistance Hee is a Prince magnanimous and bountifull and I trust will not faile me hauing formerly made mee such liberall offers My Lord answered Ysanio I promise you I will doe my duetie Well then sayd Amadis to morrow morning you shall set on-ward but aboue all things Ysanioâ— my deare friend I pray you vse dilligence Then hee gaue him the Letter which spake thus The Letter from Amadis to Taffinor King of Bohemia SIR if euer I did any seruice worthie your liking and acceptance the honourable and kinde entertainement which I receiued of you and yours all the while I remained in your Court hath made me much more readie so long as I liue to make no spare of my person but alwaies to be in due preparation for your continuall obedience and seruice Wherefore I humbly entreat you not to imagine that the sending of this present messenger to you is in expectation of any recompence but rather remembring the honest offers you made mee at my departure from Bohemia it drew me on to so much boldnesse as by this meanes of sending to you earnestly to desire you to giue mee aide in abusinesse which nerely concerneth mee and wherewith this bearer will further acquaint you I beseech you Sir to credit him euen as my selfe and to command his dispatch with all possible speed to rid him out of all dread that is readie to sacrifice his life for you And that is Amadis de Gaule sirnamed in many places The Knight of the greene Sworde euermore by you and yours to be commanded CHAP. V. Of the priuate talke which Oriana and Mabila had with Gandalin and what he gaue Amadis to vnderstand concerning them AMbassadours being dispatched to all parts as you haue formerly heard Gandalin being readie to depart for Gaule came to the lodgings of the Princesse Oriana according as his Maister before had appointed him And because no man might enter without command and permission from the Princesse the gate being alwaies kept by one of the auncientest women he sent word to Mabila to know from her if she pleased to write to the Queene her Aunte or to her Cousine Melicia Mabila being acquainted by the Gentlewoman concerning the motion made by Gandalin went and told Oriana thereof so loude as euery one might heare her saying Madame Gandalin is going for Gaule towards King Perion may it please you commaund him any thing to the Queene or to my Cousin Yes mary will I answered Oriana cause him come in that I may speake with him Then Gandalin was addmitted into the Princesse Chamber when seeing him she
Brian said Madame if you please to coÌ„mand any thing to the King your father or to your mother the Queen wee are appointed from this companie to depart for Great Brittaine about your businesse Now was Amadis withdrawn aside with Mabila while Agraies coÌ„ferred with Olinda and Florestan and Angriote with Grasinda And well we may conceiue that Amadis was in a strange perplexity seeing her so neare him whom hee loued aboue all creatures in the world and yet hee durst not so much as speake to her but regarded her with a stedfast eye whereto her eye also seemed to make answere euen as if an imparlance had passed between them which made his words to Mabila to sauour of idle and fond imperfection But shee well knowing the Saint of his deuotion to cure him of his ouer-awing fit bethought herselfe of the most honest meanes that could be both to quicken him and recouer some spirit likewise in Oriana saying soddenly Madame you promised Gandalin yester day that you would write to Queene Elisena and to Melicia and for ought I heare to the contrary he is presently to depart and you haue forgot your letters Oriana who vnderstood well enough at what marke shee aymed answered Let him come hither and by word of mouth I will as well satisfie him as if I had troubled him with my Letters Then one of the Damosels arose and going foorth of the Chamber called for Gandalin who presently entred with her Well had hee beene instructed by Amadis concerning what hee was to doe if the Princesse would speake with him before this company wherefore beeing come where she was hee made her an humble reuerence and then to his Master who talked all this while as I formerly told you with Mabila It was not long before Oriana who sate between Quedragant and Brian arose and taking Brian by the hand said to him I pray you Cosen to witnesse with mee what message I shall send by Gandalin to the Queene of Gaule and her daughter Melicia to the end that you may report it to the King my father if hee inquire any such matter of you In the meane while Lord Quedragant if so hee be pleased shall abide with the Queene Sardimira who knowes well enough how to entertaine him But Brian who was one of the most gentle and courteous Knights liuing would not follow her but with an amiable smile thus answered Madame you must pardon me for beeing appointed as I haue told you to goe to the King about your businesse my friends heere may grow suspitious of me and stand in doubt that I may be so subborned by your gracious speech as I shall shew my selfe more milde and tractable to him then consists in my commission and the charge I haue receiued from them Nay Sir replied Oriana heare but the reason why I would haue you acquainted with this message It is to no other end but by hearing mine owne tongue to relate my hearts tribulations wich I desire should bee knowen not onely in Great Brittaine but likewise in all countries of the world you would bee the more indulgent to mediate my peace and to deliuer al these Ladies from imprisonment And if you were affected to any one amongst them her vertue might preuaile against any sterne deliberation Oriana deliuered these wordes with such a gracious demeanour as they all tooke delight to heare and behold her Especially Brian who although he was young faire and of goodly forme yet was hee more addicted to follow Armes then loue and fewe Knights were more actiue then hee to handle his launce and sword for the defence of iniured Ladies whensoeuer they stood in need of his help Whereby hee became a friend to all in generall and did them infinite particular seruices which being desirous that Oriana should take knowledge of thus hee answered By my faith Madame you may esteeme of mee as you please but if I should long tarrie in so good company I greatly feare I should soone lose that which I haue alwaies held as mine owne since first I had knowledge of my selfe Therefore I had need to get me further off and leaue my roome to Lord Amadis your Cosen they may serue you for witnesses if they be so plâ—â—â—sed At these wordes euery one 〈◊〉 led for he retired with such a grace as declared some bashfulnesse of what hee had spoken leauing Oriana close by Amadis who neuer had any priuate conference with her since his departure from King Lisuarts seruice But now seeing opportunity so graciously fauour him as he might freely speake what hee vvould hee was so vtterly lost in ioy that â—â—e stood trembling as one vnable to vtter a vvord But Oriana laying her right hand vpon his arme caught holde vvith her other vpon his hand locking it fast in hers to testifie the vigour of her affection said Deer friend though no greater happinesse in this vvorld can befall mee then continually to enioy your â—…ed presence yet it hath been no mean discomfort to mee that beeing so neare one to another â—â—e houe bin barred from such a blessing Neuerthelesse I accoumpt my selfe highly beholding to fortune for deliuering me into your power as all my life time I haue desired and wherewith I hope also neuer to part so long as my soule shall liue in this body for it had as I thinke neuer beene created but only to be dedicated in seruice and obedience vnto you yet I knowe very well that we frequenting one with another as sometimes we did in Great Brittaine mine honour may receiue endamagement for the newes of my surprizall is alreadie so diâ—ulged that if wee dissemble not our priuate passions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby may ensue vnto vs. Therefore I hold it better to gouerne our selues rather by discretion then the lauish power of fond affection which if wee doe we may may alwaies presume that the charitable deed you haue done is no more than the commendable custome among all good Knights that make no spare of their liues to succour afflicted persons especially women so badly vsed as I haue beene And beleeue mee sweete friend if herein you will not follow my counsell by weening to borrow some stolne delight and contentment we shall but formalize an imagâ—…e happinesse lose that vtterly which the wise attending for time will vndoubtedly bring vs. Madame answered Amadis I neuer had any other thought but how I might best bee obedient to yâ—â— neither shall haue any other so 〈◊〉 as I liue because I haue no other maintainance for this poore life of 〈◊〉 But let mee be regarded in your pittie for if you thus 〈◊〉 â—p your sâ—lfe and suffer me to see you no oftner then I doe it is impossible but that the melancholie which ouer-masters mee will hasten my death very suddenly I doe not vrge those priuâ—… which your gracious fauours affordâ—â— me in Great Brittaine or that euery eye sâ—â—uld discern then but 〈◊〉 â—…ght may sometime befrend
vs â—…th especially by the means of my Cosen Now trust me Sir said Oriana I am not a little amazed that you hauing such assurance of the vnfained loue I beare you should now seeme doubtfull thereof doe you imagine that I desire not your ease as much as mine owne Before God I speake it I haue no pleasure but by you neither any ease but to see you satisfied But consider the tumultuous estate wherein we are and that if we were neuer so little discouered it would bee to the vtter ruine of vs both So many eyes obserue our behauiour here as neuer did the like when wee were in company with the Queen my mother And here our actions are so narrowly pursued as without exterme danger no such aduenture may be made as you speake of Excuse me therefore I entreat you let this remain for your settled contentment that I am so faithfully yours as both my oath and promise haue strictly bound me Madame answered Amadis I will practise how I may best please you and to bring my thoughts to your obedience albeit I much misdoubt that this compulsion will hardly holde out if it be not the better backt by your fauour from which it appeareth you seek to exclude me without offending either in worde or thought and that I dare maintaine on the perill of my soule With these wordes the teares gushed out of his eyes where at Oriana grieuing said Exclude my best comfort Sooner let me die ten thousand deaths I know the truth of your loyaltie and can desire no better testimony thereof then the iust apprehension of mine owne conscience And take not in ill part what I haue said to you for the feare of your so long absence from me as in these lauer yeares you haue beene was the onely motiue of this language What more advantage then can you require of me Let the King my father make peace or warre with you he can make me neither lesse nor more yours then resolvedly I am As shee would haue continued on these speeches Mabila who served to theÌ„ but as a shadow perceiving many eyes fixed vpon them spake thus closely Enough for this time every eye notes you Sweet friend quoth Oriana dry vp your teares and sit by your Cousin who will tell you some things that yet you never heard of and wherein I thinke you will take a little delight So she left them together returning againe to the Queene Sardamira and Brian In which time Mabila told him at large how Esplandian was borne and by what mishap he was lost in the Forrest as Durin and the Damsoll of Denmarke carried him to Nurse And last â—…ll adventures happening to him till hee came into his mothers protection againe as you haue heard more at large declared in the third Book Amadis heere at was to ioyfull as no man could be more and answered Mibila thus Beleeue me Cosin I was continually full of doubt for at my returne from Constantinople by chance I met with Angriote d'Estreâ—â—aus who reported all that to me which you haue told me concerning 〈◊〉 but he knew not whose sonne he was neverthelesse my heart was suddenly inspired with a perswasion that Madame Oriana and I together had some right in him And so much the father 〈…〉 bring the letter I received from you by 〈◊〉 being as then in the 〈…〉 whereby you gaue me to vnderstand that my lynage was encreased yet durst I not presume in what manner But now heaven be praised we are both well assured and better satisfied then ever before especially my selfe more contented then if I had conquered the greater part of the world not only for being father to Esplandian but because I begot him on her whom fortune hath preferred before all other both in vertue beauty and all other good graces Yet haue I suffered so much for her sake as if I were able to express but only a half part of those cares that kept mee company during her absenc your selfe would complaine much more then I haue done Here fetching a deepe sigh hee breathed a while and afterward thus went on But fortune made me a most honorable recompence sending mee in such a convenient season to deliver her from her enemies hand for if it had falne out otherwise questionlesse it had beene the death of vs both But that which now doth most offend me onely is feare of her sicknesse by her contiâ—…all griefe and melancholy shee being not in the company of the Queene her mother and in the King her fathers disgrace Wherefore I beseech you good Cosin comfort her so much as possibly you can by cherishing her hopes that heaven will giue furtherance to these affaires beside so 〈◊〉 good Knights are heere assembled together who will all be 〈◊〉 in the smallest peeces rather then she shall suffer any shame or 〈◊〉 And for this cause we haue â—…ded before any warre shall bee attâ—…d to send to King 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 to appeâ—… his 〈◊〉 and to 〈◊〉 againe his gratious favour for her provided that all alliance with the Emperour be quite broken off otherwise we are resolved never to deliver her Meane while we haue dispatched Ambassadours to all parts to procure aid and succour among our friends to the end that if he refuse our honest offer and will needs enter the field against vs wee may bee able like good men to make him answer Cosin answered Mabila I will do all that I can for you and never credite me but Madame Oriana doth highly applaud this her good fortune assuring you that we all endured such greivance by her in your absence but especially when she heard of her intended marriage to the Emperour as you would haue stood amazed to behold the sorrowes which I haue seene her suffer But because you vnderstand sufficiently both the reason of the cause and what iust right you haue in her I will loose no more time to remember you of that which needs not Let it suffice you that you haue brought her so farre into loues extremitie as possibly more cannot be Now in regard that the houre was come for Quedragant and the rest to depart thence and had-already taken leaue of Oriana Amadis and Mabila gaue over talking So the Knights went forth of the chamber giuing the goodnight to the Ladies returned to their owne lodgings Where now for a while we meane to leaue them to the end that wee may tell you how King Lisuart came acquainted with the death of the Prince Saluste Quide and ouerhrowe of the Emperours men CHAP. VI. How newes was brought to King Lisuart of the Romans foyle and ouer-throwe and how his daughter Oriana was taken from them where at he grieued greatly THE end of the third Booke related to you how King Lisuart deliuered his daughter to the Romans against the opinion of all his Councel And she being on Shipboard well appointed with Ships for the conuoy set on to Sea Afterward beeing
is so vrgently required by very strong reason then ought they to afforde it your daughter whom they haue knowne and well thought on so long a time Beleeue it my Lord they can receiue no shame by the deed and your selfe will confesse in the end that their attempt shold not bee displeasing to you they presuming it may be that you haue beene greatly importuned to this marriage and yeelded thereto against your liking I well perceiue quoth the King that you are not much offended with the matter but rather you can both like and allow thereof but I sweare by God I will make them dearely repent it So rising in a great rage hee flung out of the chamber entring into his owne sound there King Arban Grumedan and Guillan le Pensif who went not from him till hee had tolde them all the conference betweene him and the Queene and what an answere she made him Now because they saw him much incensed they thought good to conceale what the meant to say and mildely by little little brake off these speeches But it chanced on the morrowe following that as the Queene came from hearing Masse Durin brother to the damosell of Denmarke fell on his knee before her and presented her a Letter which Oriana had written to her as followeth CHAP. VII A Letter sent by the Princes Oriana beeing in the Enclosed Isle to the Queene her Mother MAdame although you cannot but be alreadie aduertised of my misfortune such as it is yet I thought it â—…ient to let you knowe part of my mournings And as a beginning to this Letâ—er I beseech you most humbly to consider how mishap hath continually followed mee since my banishment from your Countrie from the King my father and you also than which nothing could be more â—â—â—some to me Neuerthelesse not so satisfied I was burried by such a tempest that the Romans which conducted mee beeing ouercome wee were brought to the Enclosed Isle by them who knowing the wrong done vnto vs hazarded their liues to stay our passage any further And because I stand in doubt that such a matter will not be pacified betweene my father and them without great effusion of blood except you Madame haue some respect thereto I thought fit to send this bearer to you entreating you for the honor of God to take compassion on your poore desolate daughter and worke so much with the King that I may returne againe to him and reobtaine his â—…ed fauour hauing no way offended him except hee be displeased that I haue beene too obedient to him for therein onely I confesse my selfe culpable and not otherwise For the rest to tell you how they in whose power I am and the Ladies with me are minded they haue sent Ambassadours to my father as well to knowe how hee likes their succour giuen mee as also to mediate his pittie towards mee Herein Madame according as I haue giuen charge to Durin hee will further instruct you at his arriuall and lend a helping hand to plant peace if you can to such a dangerous warre begun by misfortune for her sake who remaineth Your most humble and obedient Daughter Oriana After the Queene had aduisedly read and re-read ouer this Letter but not without teares shee said to Durin that shee would speake with the King and afterwards giue him an answere And as shee was enquiring of him what entertainement Oriana and her company had in the Enclosed Isle the King came whom shee withdrawing into her Cabinet casting her selfe downe at his feet weeping bitterly shee thus spake to him Alas Sir for the honour of God take compassion on your daughter and read if you please this Letter which she hath sent me The King seeing the Queen so drowned in teares tooke her vp from the ground and receiuing the Letter from her read the contents thereof then to appease the extreamitie of her passions hee thus answered Madame the Ambassadours will soone be here that are sent from thence haue patience till I haue heard them speake They may perhaps giue me such satisfaction as the iniurie which I haue receiued will bee forgotten And they may bring such a message as I will rather consent to mine owne ruine and desolation of all mine estates than to peace Much better doe I affect to die with honour poore and disinherited than to liue amighty King miserably wretched faint-hearted clowded with the teares of you and your daughter Wherefore speake no more hereof to me except you purpose to offend me And so leauing her hee departed out of the chamber Afterward she called for Durin and said vnto him Friend Durin returne to my daughter Oriana and tell her that I can send her no answere vntill the Ambassadors shal be arriued here for the King till then knowes not how to determine on his businesse But assure her I will essay all possible meanes to do what she hath desired me And say I entreate her alwaies to fixe her owne honour before her eyes without which I shall desire her death Bid her remember that a wise and discreet soule is best discerned in aduersitie and not in the flattering times of prosperity And seeing our Lord hath suffered her to bee borne a Princesse and the daughter of so great a King reason doth require that vertue should bee more familier with her than with a body of baser condition in all aduersities whatsoeuer that can happen to her Alwaies committing the managing of her chiefest affaires to God whom I hartily pray to blesse her preserue her in his â—ase protection vntill such time as we shall meet againe together Durin being thus dispatched by the Queene tooke his way towards the Enclosed Isle and some few daies after his departure as the King was sitting downe to dinner in the great Hall an Esquire suddenly entred who gaue him a Letter of credence which when hee had read hee demanded of the Squire of whence and what hee was Sir answered the Squire I am seruant to Quedragant of Ireland who hath sent me to you about such a businesse as I will relate if you please to heare mee Honest friend said the King speak your pleasure Sâ—… quoth the Squire my Master Brian de Moniaste being sent from the Enclosed Isle are landed in your countrie to acquaint you with some especiall matters from Lord Amadis de Gaul and other Knights that are in his company But before they passe any further or come neare your Court they send you word by mee vnder your gracious fauor that they require safe conduct for their comming Otherwise they are determined to publish their message in all parts of your Land and in other kingdomes beside before they make returne to them that sent theÌ„ Wherefore Sir aduise your selfe and send them your intention Well knewe the King whereat the message aymed and therefore he thought it not conuenient that they should proclaime their cause thorough his kingdome a matter not to be done but
their enmity you must vnderstand that King Lisuart sending his eldest daughter for Rome hauing giuen her as wife to the Emperour Amadis de Gaule one of them who in your last lost battaile termed himselfe Knight of the Serpent and then wore as you well remember a golden helmet with a great many more met the Romans on the Sea set vpon them and ouercomming them slew the Prince Saluste Quide a near kinsman to the Emperour The rest were taken prisoners with the Ladies Gentlewomen whom they conueyed to the Enclosed Isle where as yet they keepe them Now indeede I cannot certainely resolue you what matter mooued them to begin this warre but I am well assured that King Lisuart in reuenge of this iniury gathers as great an Army together as hee can And Amadis hath sent into all parts for succour purposing to stand vpon his owne defence if he shall be assailed During these busie troubles Sir you haue an excellent occasion if you please to shew them as subtill a sleight as euer was done setting vpon them as I haue directed you And because at the very first sight you may discerne your victory to be certaine I will worke so much that Barsinan Lord of Sansuegna sonne to him whom the King burned at London and likewise all they of the linage of Dardan the Proude whom Amadis foyled at Vindolisore shall come to your aide with the King of the Profound Isle Wherfore perswade your selfe that being assisted with so great a number of good Knights there is no doubt to be made but you shall reach the height of your desire My worthy good friend Archalaus answered the King Aranigne you tell mee great matters and although I was fully determined neuer more to tempt fortune she hauing shewen me such slender fauor in times past yet me thinks it were a great folly to foreslowe such occasions as freely come to offer themselues for the augmentation of my honour and profit For if in such cases attempts managed by reason haue as happy issue as men can wish the fruit of such a labour is well gathered when desert holds vp the lappe to receiue it But if it should fall out otherwise yet at least that must be performed wherto all men stand bound by vertue for maintenance of their authority which is not to be valued by passed misfortunes as when a happy houre presents it selfe they should refuse to embrace it as declaring themselues to be dastardly minded and voide of all courage and magnanimitie Seeing then wee are so forward in tearms let it suffice that I faithfully credit you and desire you while I am prouiding mine Army to take order for the rest sending to Barsinan and our other friends for their effectuall ioyning with vs. Archalans hauing heard this resolution made no long stay with King Aranigne but taking leaue of him iournied so diligently that hee ariued in the countrie of Sansuegna where hee found Barsinan To him he tolde all the passed conference setting before his iudgement what an execrable iniurie King Lisuart had done to his father suffering to bee burned aliue by a tower from the toppe where-of afterward hee caused his brother Gandandell to bee throwne downe whom Guillan le Pensif had taken prisoner And doe you think quoth he that had it not been for this Amadis de Gaule but Barsinan your father had peaceably beene King of Great Brittaine But that villaine came and after hee had rescued Oriana from mee caused all the rest of my enterprise to bee vtterly voide But now you haue time conuenient to bee reuenged therfore except you will shew your selfe dull base minded delay no longer considering that King Aranigne is ready to assist you Easily did Barsinan beleeue all that hee had said and promised to appeare in field so soone as any need required So Archalaus departed thence to the King of the Profound Isle and gaue to him the very same instructions Hauing obtained what he desired he returned homeward and crossing the countrie aduised all the kindred of Dardan the Proude to be in a readiness to depart away when they should be commanded But at this instant our History speakes no more there-of but returnes to the fortunes of Quedragant and Brian being vnder saile for the Enclosed Isle CHAP. XI How Quedragant and Brian sayling on the Sea by a sudden and vnexpected tempest were cast so farre out of their course that hauing lost all knowledge of land they met accidentally with Queen Briolania And what happened to them QVedragant and Brian beeing on the maine Seas shaped their cōpasse for the Enclosed Isle but vpon a sudden the windes began to blow so stearnely and such a violent tempest arose as the best man of courage among them made little account of escaping seeing their saile yardes and tacklings broken in peeces and with such impetuous gusts of contrarie windes as trusting neither to stearne or any hope else but the mercy of God only and the waues they expected sinking euery minute So long they ran this disasterous fortune that the dead darke night ouer-tooke them with extreame thunders and flashes of lightning which was their best meanes for seeing one another till day-breake appeared the windes grew appeased and the Sea by little and little indifferently calmed Now they could plainely perceiue that they were cast farre enough out of their course for they discouered the coast of Sobradisa and as they were preparing thither they espied a goodly great Shippe sayling towardes them which they determined to call to to knowe who was aboard her Comming more neare they beheld vpon the decke diuerse Ladies and Gentle-women and some Knights among them discoursing together where-upon before they would presume any further they put forth a Frigate commanding one of their Squires to goe know of whence what they were The Squire performed his charge and going aboard the Ship humbly saluted such as he saw there saying Lords and Ladies there are Gentlemen in yonder ship who in curtesie desire to vnderstand what you are and whither you are bound Honest friend answered one of them say that the Queene of Sobradisa is here and longs to be at the Enclosed Isle These newes Sir answered the Squire will be very welcome to two Knights that sent mee to you who are also bound for the selfe same place Honest Squire sayde the Queene tell vs then their names if you may do it Indeed Madame quoth hee I stand charged to the contrary But thus much I dare tell you that they tooke shipping in Great Brittaine to returne to the Pallace of Apolidon where they had been before now if fortune had not hindred their voyage But I am very certaine that their ioy for meeting with you will make them forget all their passed danger wherefore I will returne againe to them and tell them what I haue heard of you So saying he went back to the Ship from whence hee came and declared to Quedragant Brian his answere
to Sea On the other side Landin who was secretly sent by Quedragant into Ireland found meanes to speake with the Queen who hauing vnderstood the cause of his comming to her called some of her trustiest seruants and commanded them that in the closest manner they could deuise they should gather a power of men to goe to her Vncle in the Enclosed Isle And although shee bare but little loue to Amadis hauing alwaies in memory the death of King Abies her father yet much more did shee hate King Lisuart for the yearely tribute he compelled her husband King Cildadan to pay Wherefore shee resolued helpe the one in hope to confound the other But now our History speaketh no more concerning her but leads you to another matter touching King Lisuart who had sent Guillan le Fensif to the â—…rour and other messengers to other friends to bee supplied in his purposed warre CHAP. XIII How Guillan le Pensif ariued at the Emperours Court of Rome Philipinell in Suâ—tia and Brandoynas in Ireland GVillan le Pensif being dispatched from King Lisuart had such speedie sayling taruaile as in lesse than three weekes hee landed in the nearest port to Rome Then taking horse according to the custome of the Knights of Great Brittaine he rode on to the Emperour who was then accompanied with a great number of Princes and Lords purposely sommoned to Court for the entertainement of Madame Oriana whose ariuall hee expected euery day For the Prince Saluste Quide and Brandaiell de Reque had written to him that King Lisuart had deliuered her to them and that they were continually vpon their parting towards him When the Emperour beheld Guillan he knew him immediately because he had seene him many times before and thinking hee brought him some newes of his long expected wish demanded where hee had left the Prince Saluste Quide and the rest of the traine Sir quoth hee King Lisuart my Master hath sent this Letter to you command that it may be read to you and then you shall be further satisfied in your demand then the Emperour tooke the Letter and although it contained some particular priuate credence yet he would needes haue it publiquely read and that hee in like manner should deliuer what hee had to say Sir said Guillan my Master King Lisuart greets you thus that in regarde of your perpetuall loue and alliance hee was well content according to the request made to him by your Ambassadours to giue you as wife Madame Oriana his eldest daughter principall heare And thereupon after many difficulties debated among the Princes Lords and Subiects of his Realme hee deliuered her to their hands who had power to receiue her on your behalfe but it came to passe that Lord Amadis de Gaule and diuerse others his complices well prouided with shipping lay as scouts in the way assayled them in their passage and after a long fight the Prince Saluste Quide was slame and most of the rest of your people led as prisoners to the Enclosed Isle where as yet they detaine Madame Oriana the Queen Sardamira and same others that were in their company Notwithstanding after-ward to make amends for the offence committed they sent Ambassadours to his Maiesty offring him diuerse good conditions which he would not accept before he vnderstood your minde because the iniury concerneth you as much or rather more than him Wherefore he commanded me to tell you that if you meane to reuenge this wrong hee will bring a good and sufficient Army into the field prouided that you for your part will doe the like And so your powers being ioyned together he and you shall easily drawe them to such reason as shall bee best liking to your selues When the Emperour had heard this neuer was man in greater choller and very apparantly he did declare it for like one improuident and vnfurnished of all foresight he began to sweare and euen enter into a meere lunacy saying to Guillan You know what is done returne to your Master and tell him I shall neuer enioy any rest vntill I be ioyned with him and with such a power as those Rake-hells of the Enclosed Isle shall well know how highly they haue offended me Sir answered Guillan you cannot come so soone as you shall finde the King my Master and his Army readie Haste home then answered the Emperour and make no longer tarying here Thus was Guillan constrained to get him gone without almost the leasure of receiuing any sustenance whereat hee was not a little offended especially for his slender entertainement and he made no long tarrying from Great Brittaine to make his complaint thereof to King Lisuart Beeing embarqued on the Sea he sayled directly to Vindilisore where hee landed not long after finding the King there expecting his ariuall to whom hee declared all that the Emperour had said and what small discretion hee bewrayed before so many Princes Lords And beleeue it Sir quoth he vndoubtedly that if they which come in his company haue as slender braines as hee neuer were seene men more vnmeet for warre nor worse gouerned then they will bee If they will be aduised by mee said the King I hope wee shall not be beaten for want of good guiding for they beeing mingled among vs we shall both help them and they vs. It shall suffice me that they be speedy in their comming because I haue this day receiued aduertisement that the Emperour of Constantinople and the Kings of Gaule Scotland Bohemia and Spaine doe enter Armes for the ayde of Amadis I heare also that King Aranigne with Archalaus and Barsinan do muster men from all parts but what their intent is I know not and therefore I holde it conuentent that wee should first bid our enemy battaile before hee win time to come vpon vs. Which wee may easily doe if they proceede not against the Romanes for Brandoynas is newly ariued from Ireland who assureth me that hee left King Cildadan mustring his forces and in forwardnesse to ioyne with vs. Philipinell likewise is comming home from Suetia and hath certified mee by his Letters that King Gasquilan will not faile to bee here within fifteene dayes with such a band of worthy Knights as are soundly setled in resolution As for the rest leauied heere at home in mine owne countries you may see all-ready more than fiue thousand trouping together in the next meddowe so that before a moneth be expired we shall be fully ready for marching hence But what of Galuanes said Guillan is he for you or no No answered the King hee hath entreated mee by Brandonynas that hee may at this time stand exempted Desiring rather to redeliuer vp the Isle of Mongoza into my hands then to go against Amadis and his Nephew And knowing that in other occasions hee may doe mee good seruice I am content to holde him excused So three weekes and more were passed ouer yet no newes heard either of the Emperour or of his Armie Whereat the King
was not a little mooued and fearing that hee would not keep promise with him a Brigandine was presently prepared and his Nephew Giontes sent in all haste to Rome to know the cause of this delay and so he parted from Vindilisore CHAP. XIII How Grasandor Sonne to the King of Bohemia sayling vpon the Sea met with Giontes and of that which happened to them YOu haue already heard that Grasandor hauing taken leaue of the King his father was shipt to Sea accompanied onely with twenty Knights sayling towards the Enclosed Isle Earely in a morning about sunne rising hee discouered the Brigandine wherein Giontes was which foorthwith hee boarded hauing the winde more at will than the other had Then Grasandor being desirous to know whether hee went commanded 〈…〉 should come before him for hee had no power of contradiction because hee had none but Manners aboard with him Wherefore hee gaue him to vnderstand that his voyage was to Rome thereto enioyned by King Lisuart entreating that hee might be no longer staied because his businesse required expedition Grasandor replied thus Before God quoth he hee that hath sent you is no well-wisher to Lord Amadis to whom I am an eternall vowed friend therefore you must reli mee your name and what commission you haue to Rome otherwise you cannot easily passe from me If by concealing what you demand answered Giontes the least iot of the King my masters honour might be deminished death could not compell me to disclose it But redounding to his fame with no meane aduantage being a matter of no great secrecy know Sir that my name is Giontes a Knight of Great Brittaine and Nephew to the King of whom I spake who hath sent me to the Emperour to hasten those forces formerly promised him for his intended warre against them that haue wrongfully surprised his daughter Oriana and diuerse other in her company vnder conduct of the Prince Saluste Quide and other Romanes whereof som were slain others takeÌ„ prisoners Now Sir hauing thus satisfied you I pray you let me be stayed no longer Goe a Gods name answered Grasandor and remember that your King and his Emperour shall sinde with whom they haue to deale if they aduenture to assaile Amadis and them that will be in his company So they parted Grasandor hastening towardes the Enclosed Isle 〈…〉 beeing ariued hee was most ioy fulle welcomed Amadis and the rest entertayning him in most 〈…〉 manner Then hee reforted to them how hee met with Gâ—…tes at Sea who went to hasten the Emperour of Romes Army and what other speeches had passed between them Also how the King his father was leuying men in his Kingdome to follow after him with all possible speed and very shortly they were to bee expected with Count Galtines and Ysario who stayed behinde only for their conduct In the meane while quoth hee I as one entirely affected to you am come before to offer you both my loue and seruice You are most heartily welcome answered Amadis the King your father binds mee more and more both to him and you in all I can Now obserue how from that very instant the Army for the Enclosed Isle gathered strength and grew compleate within fifteen daies after For King Perion ariued there with three thousand Gaules all well experienced and hardy warriours Galtines with fifteen hundred Tantiles for Queene Briolanis with 12 hundred Branfill brother to Brunes with six hundred Two thousand were sent by Ladasin King of Spaine to his sonne and other fifteene hundred came from Scotland sent to Agraies besides two thousand which Libeo Nephew to Master Elisabet brought from Grasindaes Prouinces all carrying Turkie Bowes Eight thousand likewise came vnder the conduct of Gastiles sent from the Emperour of Constantinople all these being encamped on a goodly plaine hard by the maine Rock of the Enclosed Isle couragiously expected the enemies comming And you must thinke that it was a goodly sight to behold so faire an assembly for there was not a man among them but his very lookes expressed the resolution of his soule and that hee was a warriour indeed which pleased Amadis so highly as nothing could more content him But the Princesse Oriana thinking continually on such mischances as might ensue in such cases had euermore her eyes filled with tears refusing all comfort that came from the women wherewith Mabila acquainted Amadis who was not a little grieued thereat And seeing he had no better meanes to delight her then to present before her eyes how many valiant men had vnder-taken Armes in her defence hee sent to entreate her that she would bee pleased to behold them on the morrowe all ordered in the forme of a maine battell and therefore secretly gaue the alarum which she and the other Ladies accepted verie pleasingly For from their windowes they could discerne all the field Amadis in the night time had closely ambushed an hundred men and three hundred Harquebuziers to confront them sayling all along the Sea shoar and about ten of the clock the next morning they entred into skirmish the Allarum being giuen on either side The morning after sunne-rising prooued very foggie and mistie so that the Ladies could not discerne any of the sport but after that the sunne had scattered the mists then the warriours ranged their battalions and the Harquebuziers plaied hotly with their shotte so that the Scouts and Centinells fearing to bee surprised on either side made their escapes queint and cunning Then was the whole campe so moued euen as if the heauens had thuÌ„dered by the noise of Drummes Trumpets and Clarions cheerfully sounding on euery side And as they laboured for winning of Ensines the men appeared like Ants very properly stealing abroad forth of their earth where all summer they made their prouision for winter In the meane while the Ladies were on all sides at their gazing windowes beholding this militarie controuersie which serued as a pleasing passe-time to them by reason of the intelligence Amadis had giuen them thereof the day before As thus they were pell mell together Mabila with a very gracious respect came to Oriana speaking thus By my faith Madame there are many great Princes and Potentates who haue not such plenty of men at command as you haue I referre my selfe to this instant spectacle before your eyes What say you yourselfe Is it not true How happy then were you in making due consideration hereof and how much you can command in him to whom this whole Army affordeth obedience I am perswaded that if King Lisuart and the Emperour which neuer shal be your husband did but beholde what you now doe they would consider twice on their enterprise before they ventured any further forth of their countries Wherefore it is no more then necessarie that hence-forward you should refraine your sighes tears and shew a much more cheerefull disposition then hitherto you haue done Deare Cosen answered Orania it is impossible for mee to be pleasantly
humoured when I consider mine owne instant miserie For well you know that if the King my fathers power and this belonging to your kinsman doe but once ioyne or meete together it will prooue to the ruine of the one or other or perhaps of both together Which were an vnrecouerable mischiefe to me as well for the dutie which nature commandeth in mee to my father as also the affection I beare to Amadis How then can I any way haue coÌ„tentment would God I were deade rather than I should liue to see such mighty inconueniences With these words the teares streamed aboundantly from her faire eyes Why how now Madame saide Mabila doe you thinke that our Lord hath forgotten you I dare promise you hee will no more leaue you now then hitherto hee hath done if you repose your trust in him For your innocence is generally knowne and that against your will this great a doe hath beene begun therefore neuer grieue your selfe so much because it may fall out the worse for you and be offensiue likewise to my noble Cosen and all the other worthie Knights who desire nothing more than to doe you seruice All this while King Perion since his ariuall had not seene the Princesse Oriana wherefore after this pleasant battaile was ended he demanded of Agraies if hee could compasse the meanes to speak with her because hee would gladly doe her reuerence Agraies made him answere that hee would worke the way for him and presently went to the Princesse acquainting her with King Perions desire Hee shall be most graciously welcome quoth she whensoeuer it pleaseth him to come But deare Cosen what is your opinion of my misfortunes Am not I the most vnhappy creature in the world to see so many great Princes and good Knights troubled and all about my business Madame said hee we are all yours and there is not a man among vs that will not gladly with a good heart be employed in your seruice and all account their paines sufficiently rewarded if you but vouchsafe to accept it Alas Sir answered she I know not how I shal any way be thankfull to you all for this great grace but I will entreate our Lord to requite it Madame replied Agraies if you dislike not what wee doe would be a little more cheerfully humorous then hitherto you haue been you should binde vs all in much more dutie to you Beleeue it Cosen quoth shee I will 〈◊〉 with my paâ—… much as possibly I can And because I vnderstand that the 〈◊〉 to the King of 〈◊〉 is also 〈◊〉 â—riued I pray you to let him come along with King Perion So Agraies tooke leaue of her and went to seeke the King of Gaule and Grassandor to whom hee declared that Oriana attended their coÌ„ming and that they should be most kindly welcome Wherefore without any further delaying they went vnto her accompanied with Amadis Florestan and diuerse others Entring into the Princesse chamber shee attended on by the other Ladies and Gontlewomen went to entertaine them And then King Perion who had not seene or spoken to her since shee aboad with the Queene of Scots demanded of her whether shee knew him or no. My Lord quoth she although I neuer saw you more then once yet I do well remember the request you granted mee when you made your sonne Amadis Knight It is true answered the King and seeing you were the cause of the first honour that euer he receiued I hold it reasonable that hee should bee thankfull therefore to you so long as he enioyeth life While thus they talked together Grassandor conferred with Mabila whom hee found so discreetly wise and endued with such singular graces as thence forward he grew enamoured of her so that he married her as you shall read hereafter In the meane space Queen Briolania discoursing with Quedragant shee said vnto him Sir but for our former intelligence of your mornings battaile neuer had women beene in the like terrour and amazement How Madame answered Quedragant was it more dreadfull then the late attempt of your Cosen Tiron No by my faith said shee for then I expected nothing else but death and but for you I had been in the greatest danger that euer could happen to any Lady or Gentlewoman but thanks be to God and your good succor I now haue time to be fully reuenged Madame saide Brian your beauty and vertue doe plainely deliuer that you haue no power to take any such reuenge as you speak of but rather speakes pardon in the fairest language and presumes of more loyalty in him hereafter then precedent times haue warranted from him Truely Sir quoth she I could well like of so good an inclination in him and if you think it meet wee will send for him immediately to vnderstand how his minde is affected assuring you that it would be no little ioy to me if I could kindly reconcile him in regarde he is young my very neare kinsman and of better spirit as I thinke then euer was in his father or other brethren Madame replied Brian you could neuer speake more vertuously then now you do I pray you send for him to the end if hee stand so addicted hee may promise fidelity to you in the presence of so many good Knights as now are here It liketh me well answered she for hee is prisoner to you two and none of mine and therefore dispose of him as you please Instantly was Tiron sent for who being come before so great a company expected no other arrest then death and therefore was not a little amazed when hee heard Briolania thus speake to him Tiron these two Gentlemen whom you know well enough haue entreated mee to shew you mercy and I am well enclined thereto neuer minding the treason of your deceased father against me prouided that you deliberate and promise mee hence-forward to follow vertue as zealously as your life hither to hath beene lewde and wicked Also to make amends for the wrong you haue done mee and endeauour to become a loyall faithfull seruant and doing so I will not vse you as a prisoner but as my Cosen and nearest kinsman Therefore tell mee presently without any dissimulation how you stand resolued for being issued from the royall blood of a King you should highly shame your selfe to deliuer now such wordes as hereafter should not be effectually performed Alas Madame quoth hee if you please to take pitty on me while I liue I will neuer more offend you and therfore I most humbly entreat you euen for Gods sake to forgiue mee As for my fathers transgressions I cannot yeeld you any reason for them considering I was then so young as all remembrance of him is quite bereft me But for mine owne particular I protest and promis to you Madam that I wil be iust faithfull to you if you please to forget my former errour towards you which rather was the guilt of my youth then any other willing sinne If
one of those which you receiued in Greece from Queene Menoressa well then said Amadis seeing it is so it shall be fittest for you that the night before you goe to the battel you performe the watch in the King my fathers Chappell in the morning I will present you Armed to him according as to order appertayneth because I holde it impossible to receiue your knighthoode from a wortheir man Vpon my faith my Lord quoth Gandalin I neuer had any other desire but to receiue it from your selfe Be it said Amadis as you please Lasiuda Squire to Brunâ—â— replied Gandalin not long since tolde me that his Master had likewise yeelded to his knighthâ—od and that hee and I should performe our watch together and so be companions in the battaile Aâ—adis answered him not a word but went into the Kings Tent who had giuen order that the Campe should march on earely the next morning because his scouâ—es and spies had assured him that the enemie approached neare So marched the two Armies each against other and on the third day following they came in sight halfe a mile off and there encamped performing many aduenterous skirmishes as well on horsebacke as on foot especially the Romanes who still pressed them of the Enclosed Isle to fight because they found the place aduantageable for them But King Perion vnderstood their meaning well enough fortefying his Campe with great trenches defending all passages with his artilery Thus they maintained them-selues three daies together skirmishing well-neare from morning to night and longer time they had thus temporised but that they receiued information how Archalaus had induced King Aranigne to the leuying of a powerfull Army and marched on speedily to encounter with them Hereupon the two Camps grew iealous of one another not knowing to whether side they inclined for King Lisuart imagined they came in ayde of Amadis and Amadis presumed the like for King Lisuart and this was their onely motiue of their falling to fight according as you shall heare hereafter But before it came so to passe Gasquilan King of Swetia who had expressely left his courtrie to fight with Amadis sent a Trompet to him who being come into his presence spake in this manner Lord Amadis the King of Swetia my Master sends you worde by mee that at such time as King Lisuart vndertook the warre against Galuaues in the Isle of Mongoza he then departed from his kingdome with intention onely to approue his manhood against you not for any hatred or malice hee beares you but onely in regarde of your great fame and renowne And being no way able to meet with you he was enforced being then wounded to returne home againe frustrated of his expectation And hee had not now left his owne lande againe but that hee was aduertised by King Lisuart of your vndertaking this hardy enterprise And continuing still in his former deliberation hee entreates you in meere curtesie that to morrowe you would breake three Lances with him for if you delay it till the day of battaile hardly shall you approue your selues each against other according to his honourable desire Trompet answered Amadis I haue long since heard of this which thou tellest me and of thy Masters earnest desire and doe also verily beleeue that it proceeds from true magnanimity of spirit in him Now although there is great difference betweene my actions and the fame noysed abroad of mee yet I am well contented that hee should holde such reputation of me as he doth and knowing him to bee no lesse then he is I could rather wish that his proofe of mee might be in some such place where hee might receiue more seruice by me My Lord said the Trompet he well remembers how matters past between you and Madraque the Giant of the Sadde Island and albeit they concerned him somewhat neare as a sonne to a father yet being aduertised of the curtesie you extended towards him hee reputeth you rather worthie of commendation then any manner of reuenge So this desire in him of triall with you is not for any enuiâ— he beares to your iust reputation but only thus that if hee happen to preuaile hee shall winne that which by no meanes else he could attaine vnto If hee sâ—staine the â—oylâ— yeâ— hâ—â— will holde his eâ—… the lesse the worlde beeing so 〈◊〉 ently informed of your maniâ—odâ— victories not only against the â—ery â—toutest and strongest Giants but likewise against most cruell and supernaturall beasts Depart then replied Amadis and to morrow morning thy Master shall fiâ—de me here ready on this plaine to accomplish his pleasure and so the Tromper returned thence before we passe any further I wil reporte the principall cause which mooued this great Prince Gasquilan to trauaile through so many countries onely to approoue him selfe against Amadis In the third Booke of our History hath been related to you that he was the soâ—ne of Madraque and of the sister to Laucine King of Swetia which Laucine dying without heires Cosquilan beeing knowne in many places to bee one of the most gentle Knights that the worlde yeelded was called by them of Swetia and elected to bee their King Afterward he fell in loue with a yong and beautifull Princesse named Pinela who was both an heire and orphane by death of her father and mother and many lands Seigneuries bordering and adioyning to them of Gasquilin belonged to her as her right and inheritance His extreamity in affection to her prouoked him to vndertake many bolde aduentures which hee worthily effected not without great perill to his person neuerthâ—lâ—sse kindnesse in her was but coole to him in regarde hee was deriued from a Giant so proude and cruell as by no meanes thee would accept him for her husband notwithstanding his most earnest and honest pursuâ—e Whereat Gasqâ—ilâ—â— growing discontented threatned intire â—…ine and detestation both of her and hers which one of her faithfull subiects fearing aduised her to vse a little dissimulation and to temporise hereon so well as shee could She lent such liking to this perswasion that at one time among many other Gasquilan vsing his wonted opportunities with goodly discourse protestations as louers in like afflictions can easily performe she as a Lady discreet and quicke of apprehension answered him in this manner My Lord seeing Heauen hath endowed mee with such riches as I now enioy no dread of danger or of death it selfe can make mee falsifie the promise I made to my deceased father which was neuer to marrie but vpon one especiall condition What was that sayde Gasquilan I solemnely swore quoth she to him before hee died neuer to ioyne in marriage but with the best Knight in the world if it lay in my power to winne him and although he were neuer so poore yet I would haue no other husband Hereupon I made diligent inquisition who might be this only man of men and haue receiued credible intelligence that Amadis de Gaule cannot be seconded
very fiercely And here you may be well assured that there was not only sharpe assailing but likewise as manfull defending some beeing grieuously wounded others slaine outright and many troden to death among the horses feet For King Cildadan came freshly in vpon them with a great number of his Irishmen and Gastiles also so well accompanied as heere now was the maine violence of the battaile because both the horse and foot were mingled together Neuerthelesse King Lisuarts side foūd themselues sorely oppressed by reason that Amadis Lasinde Gandalin Balays Landin and diuerse others their followers charged them in the rere and had driuen them to flight but for Floyan who shouldred vppe the re-enforce of the Romanes by him freshly rallied together againe Notwithstanding this hotte resistance lasted not long for Amadis meeting with Floyan slew him in the Emperours presence who hoping to reuenge his death ranne in vpon Amadis who knowing him well enough redoubling his strength only in the hatefull spleene he bore him as the Emperour lifted vp his arme with intent to smite him on the head Amadis aymed at him so directly that hitting iust in the shoulder ioynt hee parted it quite from his body and the griefe therof was so violent to him that instantly hee fell downe dead to the ground By meanes whereof the Romanes growing into great terrour and dismay began to turne their backes flying away so confusedly as neither King Arban or any other beside had power to stay them what-soeuer good wordes they spake vnto them Now did King Lisuart apparantly perceiue that Fortune stood not fauourable for him and his that day and the losse of the battaile could not bee auoided yet notwithstanding desiring rather to die with his sword in his fist than to saue life by a shamefull flight hee would needes enter in among the prease but King Arban staying him spake thus Alas Sir lose not your life desperately and with your owne consent Will you fight alone against a whole Armie doe you not see the Romanes in a confused disorder and the most parte of our owne men discomfited Oh let it please you to retire and saue the rest with whom wee may at some other time better deale with the enemy then now we can doe Wel knew King Lisuart that he spake no otherwise then true wherefore while his people retired he such as hee could best assure remained still vpon the rere defending them-selues against all pursute Slender warrant of safety had this beene to him or them but for Amadis who foreseeing what discontent it would bee to Oriana if the King her father should be vnterly foyled said to King Perion My Lord our enemies flie I pray you without arther hazarding our owne fortune let vs content our selues with the honour wee haue already this day receiued for if wee pursue on after him darke night will ouertake vs and it may bee like desperate men in reuenging their great losse wee may fall into no meane danger Leaue them then to their owne shame and let vs retreat our owne men that are ouer spent and wearie Be it so answered King Perion How said Agrates now that victory sweetely presents herselfe vnto vs shall wee willfully refuse her By God deare Cosen you are well worthie to be no better accounted of then as filly Knight errant Would you replied Amadis haue your men murder one another for lack of others to fight withall Is not the Sunne set and night so neare as if wee should holde on any further in fight wee shall not knowe our enemies from our friends I pray you Sir let vs rest thus satisfied Well knew Agraies to what end Amadis made this excuse wherefore without vrging any further reply in great choller hee turned bridle and gallopt on the other side because Amadis had caused retreate to be sounded Then euery man fell backe and King Perions Armie encamped in the same place where they had fought as a signall of victory hoping the next day to finish finally what they had begunne But soon after an Heralde came to demanded the the Emperours bodie and another truce for foure daies during which time they might bury their dead It was consented vnto contrary to the opinion of many but onely by the meanes of Amadis CHAP. XIX Of the conference which King Lisuart had with the Romanes after the fought battaile And how the holy man Nascian who had nourished Esplandian in his younger yeares hearing of this warre departed from his Hermitage to come to the two Kings to make peace betweene them THe truce confirmed as formerly hath been said King Lisuart gaue commande that the Emperors body shold be brought with the greatest magnificence that could be deuised and so to be placed in his owne Tent. Now because hee stood in some feare that the Romanes would fight no more because their chiefe commander was dead hee resolued to speake vnto them as well to encourage them as to vnderstand how they were affected Hereupon the day following hee sent to entreat Arquisill that hee would conduct them in order of battaile for their better apprehending what hee had to say vnto them Whereunto Arquisill gladly condiscended and hauing assembled them in a goodly meadow King Lisuart came vnto them and placing himselfe in the middle squadron spake as followeth Honorable and worthie friends you haue seene and experimented in these two encounters how Fortune hath showen herselfe our heauie enemy so that in bestowing her frownes on vs shee triumphes in the death of my kinde brother and your royall Master besides many other valiant Knights who by effects in seeking reuenge on his enemies were willing to finde what they sought for because it was the very fairest experience they could make of their vertue for gaining the glory they haue aspired vnto And for their better attaining thereto the hazard of their liues seemed as a matter of no moment vnto them but that it was much more honourable to die in defending themselues valiantly thē to escape by a shamefull recoile So that to auoide falling into such a high dishonour they rather gladly desired by expressing the very greatest magnanimity of courage to endure Fortune then yeeld to feare Nor doe I hereby vrge any taxation against them that haue escaped with life knowing well how worthily they haue all carried themselues but rather to entreate them that in preferring honour before sorrow for the losse of your friends companions you would essay the truce being ended to reuenge their misfortune fighting couragiously against them who swell in heart too proudly of their victory I am verily perswaded that wee ought no lesse expose our selues to hazards and dangers then if wee had preuailed against them as they haue done against vs nor to declare any abatement of courage either in assayling them or defending our selues if fortune should continue her disfauour to vs. Considering that if wee all die here it is an immortall glory to vs and a more honourable
buriall then any man can wish for For the whole earth in generall is the rightfull graue wherein to interre the bodies of men illustrious and famous whose memories are not so well preserued by priuate inscriptions epitaphes as by their owne legittimate renowne which extendeth and publisheth it selfe in the remotest nations who doe more discreetly consider in their soules the height and aduancement of their courage then the disaster which hath befallen them For it hath bin vniuersally obserued that negligence the fittest attendant for shame is much more irkesome and distastefull to a man that hath a found and entire minde then any death whatsoeuer happening to him by valour with vnconquerable hope of publike glory All this confirmeth my beleefe deare and worthie friends that scorning to degenerate from your famous predecessors you will performe so much that the world shall witnesse your great vertue and constancy and that the death of your Prince is not the stroke that strikes you all dead Wherefore I desire you to let mee vnderstand how you are addicted to the end that according to your resolution I may set in order such affaires as are needfull for my selfe Assuring you in the worde of a King that were I sure to dy a thousand deaths yet will I not depart from hence till I see the end of mine enemies or they of me These words so exalted the harts of the hearers that they answered as with a common consent they were now more willing to fight then euer for which King Lisuart thanked them most hartily All this beeing done hee gaue order that the Emperours body should be carried to the Monastarie of Lubania vntill better opportunity should serue to performe such sollemne obsequies funerall pompe as in like cases is required Then he sent his Chirurgions to haue dilligent care of the wounded to whom he gaue great gifts and promises as also to many Captaines of the Armie And this hee did not without great cause for euery mans hope next to the fauour of his Prince of honest â—eeâ—mpence for his pains makes hin Nâ—oft-times fight and aduenture 〈…〉 life the more boldly as now all these men were resolued to doe at their next encounter But God in whose hands all things doe consist ordered matters farre otherwise as forthwith shall be declared amply to you The fame of the marriage of Oriana with the Emperour of Rome had spread it selfe in so many places that the good olde Hermit who nourished Esplandian in his infant daies had intelligence therof especially of the Kings subiects dislike in compelling his daughter against her will to vndergoe a businesse so displeasing to her and lastly what succour was sent to Amadis in the Enclosed Isle wherupon two great Armies were met in field together Here I must also tell you that hee well knew the successe of their loue the estate and conscience of Oriana how she and Amadis had promised marriage ech to other vnder which contracted couenant Esplandian was begotten and therefore she could not be giuen in marriage to any other but our Lord would be highly displeased therewith For this cause hee concluded to trauaile to the Enclosed Isle to obtaine leaue licence of her to acquaint King Lisuart with so much as hee knew Here-upon so ouer-spent with yeares as hee was hee mounted on his Asle and accompanied onely with another good man bequeathed him-selfe to trauaile and ariued at the Pallace of Apolidon immediately after King Perions departure wherwith he was not a little discontented fearing hee should not execute his enterprise so speedily but that the two Armies would preuent him Oriana was quickelod quainted with his comming aâ—…ee entertained most humanely but she was much amazed why he should vndetake so long a iourney and at a time so vnbefitting hee being aged aboue three score yeares wherein shee being desirous to be resolued and taking him alone with her into her Cabinet falling into teares thus she spake Ah my good father it is much worse with menow then when I first saw you yet heauen I hope will send mee comfort Madame answered Nascian for this cause onely did I leaue my small Hermitage hauing heard that the Emperor of Rome and the King your father marched towards these limits to bid battaile to Amadis and others with him Now foâ—…ing what inconueniences will ensue if their intent growe to execution as well by the slaughter of many who must needes perish in such a purpose as also by the haâ—â—ous offence to heauen because as I am enformed this cruell warre began about your marriage to Patin I trauailed hither to you to vnderstand the truth of all and to esâ—ay â—f it bee possible to pacifie these troubles to the glory of God and to the honour and profit of his people For you know Madame that I aâ— not ignorant in some secrets of your conscience and what sinne you shall commit in beeing giuen as wife to any other then to him who already is your owne as heretofore you haue disclosed to me Pawsing a while and giuing a great sigh thus hee proceeded againe But deare Madame because I receiued this secret in confession it is not lawfull for me to reueale it without your owne good will and consent Wherefore matters standing on such tearmes as they doe mee thinkes you ought to be well aduised and to compasse some meanes whereby the King your father may be acquainted with the promise past between you and Amadis to the end that hee may no further sinne thorough ignorance And so much the rather because you are now in such a place where he is not able to do you any harme But if you should happen into his power as heretofore you haue bin yet you ought to preferre the feare of God before any other respect whatsoeuer although it extend to his displeasure which I hope well to moderate if you will permit me to speake with him Alas father said Oriana in you only lieth my remedy and comfort doe therefore what shall please you and entiâ—ate our Lord to respect mee in pittie Madame replyed Nascian I am assured hee will helpe you for hee listeneth to any sinner that turnes to him with a contrite heart and is sorrowfull for offending him And by his fauour also grace will be granted me to finish the taske I haue vndertaken both to his seruice and your contentment And because the two Armies are neare to one another and I feare their meeting before I shall bee come to them may it please you to let mee part hence this day least some inconuenience may happen by my negligence and the fruite I expect by my labour perish not through slothfulnesse Father said Oriana no doubt but God will be your guide and I earnestly entreat you that if you see young Esplandian to preuaile so much by your endeauour as to bring him hither at your returne Then shee commanded dinner for him and after hee had refreshed himselfe hee mounted on his
Asse ryding directly towards King Lisuart His aged trauaile was not so speedy but that the two Armies had fought twice together according as you haue already heard and hee came thither on the day before the second truce was finished As hee passed by the Campe he saw on euery side the interment of many slaughtered bodies whereat hee was so grieued that falling into teares and lifting vp his eyes and hands to heauen hee said O my Lord God for the honour of thine owne great name I humbly beseech thee to take pittie on this people and grant mee grace that I may pacifie this great disorder Passing on further hee came neare to the Tent of King Lisuart who quickly espied him and immediately knew him whereupon hee went to welcome him for he held this man of holy life in high esteem and well considered that but vpon some great occasion he would not haue left his Hermitage take so great iourney to him whereupon as hee embraced him hee said Good father you are welcome then taking him by the hand he led him into his pauillion and seating him by himselfe in a chaire of veluet hee commanded all to depart and leaue them two alone together and afterwardes fell into this discourse Holy father I know you haue not vndertaken so tedious a trauaile and ill agreeing with your age but vpon some vrgent necessity wherein I humbly desire you to resolue me You haue great reason Sir answered Nascian to conceiue so of me for vndoubtedly extreamity of yeares and the condition whereunto it hath pleased our Lord to call mee may well excuse me from beeing seene among men of blood Neuerthelesse considering the harme that may ensue I haue not feared the danger of my person as hoping to performe a seruice acceptable to God and wholesome to your soule Let me then tell you Sir that being some few daies since in the Hermitage whereunto happy chance was your guide when you and I conferred together concerning the most strange nourishing of Esplandian I vnderstood the occasion of this warre attempted by you against Amadis and his friends Yet am I well assured that you cannot accomplish what you would doe namely marrie my Ladie your daughter to the Emperour of Rome by which enterprise many grieuous mischances haue already happened not onely because it is not agreeable to the greatest and meanest of your kingdome as many times already hath beene told you but for some other reason Sir beside concealed from you yet manifest to mee and against which by Gods lawe you cannot contrarie Knowe then Sir that Madame Oriana your daughter is already vnited in marriage to another as heauen hath appointed and stands well pleased to haue it so The King beeing much amazed to heare the olde man speake in this manner coniectured immediately that weakenesse of braine begot this kinde of language that hee was troubled in his vnderstanding or else had beene misinformed of that which he spake where-upon hee said vnto him How father my daughter was neuer married to my knowledge neither did I euer purpose to giue her to any other then to the Romane Emperour to whome I promised her accounting it for her honour and benefit And God is my witnesse that I neuer intended to dis-inherit her as many haue inconsiderately immagined but only to combine alliance with so great a Lord by meanes whereof he and I so vnited together Christian faith might be the more augmented And therfore my intention beeing iust mee thinkes I should not be therin blamed Sir answered the Hermite that which I haue tolde you concerning some matters hidden from you yet to mee apparant I will presently declare vnto you for from none other then my selfe can you know them Vnderstand then my Lord that the selfe same day when by your command I came to the Forrest where for more delight of the Ladies then present with you your Tents were erected for view of the sporte I knowe not whether you remember it or no I brought you young Esplandian who presented you the Lionesse that gaue him suck at the first The same day the Princsse Oriana your daughter was confessed by me tolde mee in her confession that she had promised mariage to Amadis de Gaule at such time as he deliuered her from the Enchanter Archalaus to whom you had giuen her a little before that the Damosell by whom you were enchanted had brought your state and person into the greatest danger that could bee possible from which Galaor freed you And beleeue it to be very likely that our Lord himselfe gaue consent to the mariage for Esplandian is the issue thereof and of him Vrganda the Vnknowen foretolde many maruailes as you your selfe doe very well know Now in my poore iudgement you should not be displeased there-with considering that Amadis is the sonne of a King and accounted in all places to be one of the best and most gracious Knights in all the world I would aduise you Sir that in shewing your selfe to be such as you euer haue beene you should defend the honour and conscience of your daughter and making an end of this warre call her home again to you vse her hereafter as reason requireth In so doing our Lord will be well pleased with you who else will doubtlesse bee offended with you for the effusion of so much blood which you haue caused to be shedde vpon no occasion When the King had all this while listned to this discourse he shewed himselfe to be very pensiue and at last saide Good father is it possible that my daughter should bee married to Amadis Yes truely replied Nascian hee is her husband and Esplandian is your grandchilde O God quoth the King how ill hath it been for mee that I could not know this matter till now vpon my faith many good Knights had yet beene liuing which now to my no little griefe are dead Alas father why could not you sooner haue reuealed this I might not doe it answered the Hermite for it was tolde mee in confession and if now I haue made it knowne to you thinke it is done by such permission as I receiued from the Princesse your daughter for otherwise you had neuer heard it from mee But she is therewith well contented as well for the clearing of her soule as also to take away all occasion from you of further sinning herein through ignorance At that very instant meere conceit in the King presented before the eyes of his soule the seuerall seruices hee had receiued by Amadis and his kâ—â—â—ed and such they were as hee had not then beene liuing but only by them hauing so many times â—olpen him in very serious affaires Desert in Amadis pleaded iustly for his daughter and a greater gift if hee could bestow it on him and so much the rather because the Emperor to whom he had promised her was dead and beside Vrganda had tolde him many wonders concerning Esplandiâ—â— but aboue all the rest
hee hath receiued any great fauours Neuerthelesse our Lord hath hitherto preserued him and gaue him me at the first to loue and instruct him as mine owne childe At these wordes the King began to conceiue that hee would not conferre any further with him before so many by-standers therefore tooke him aside but the Hermite changed his discourse saying I beseech you Sir to beleeue that considering the condition whereto I haue been long time called and so many aged yeares already ouer-gone me I would not haue forsaken my Cell to bee seene among warres and contentions had it not been that my slacknes in so important a businesse might haue procured much euill wherewith our Lord would haue been highly offended And his displeasure would not only haue extended it selfe to you the people assembled in both these Campes but also to many other vnskilfull in the discords betweene you and King Lisuart with whom I haue already conferred so well perswaded him to peace as hee is ready both to listen thereto and to entertaine it according as I haue imparted to Lord Amadis your sonne who wholly referreth all to you Therefore I desire you Sir that preferring the good and tranquile estate of so many people before priuate spleens and passions not to disdaine what is freely offered you and which you ought rather striue to purchase Father replied King Perion God is my witnesse what griefe I haue endured for matters that are alreadie past with the losse of so many worthie men and how gladly I would haue gone another way if King Lisuart would haue listened thereto But hee alwaies carried so high a hand as notwithstanding all remonstrances made to him by our Ambassadours especially in reguarde of Madame Oriana whom hee sought to disinherite he made no account of vs at all presuming so much vpon himselfe that by the ayde of the Romane Emperour hee would ouer-run the whole worlde By this meanes hee made refusall not only to admit this difference to iustice but likewise contemned all hearing thereof Neuerthelesse if hee will yet submit to reason I dare repose such trust in my followers as they will bee ordered by mine aduice I haue euermore descanted on this discourse proceeding from no other occasion but whereto hee stands bound by right of nature and to his owne blood So that if hee will yet repeale the princesse his daughter into his former gracious fauour and not marrie her to any other person not onely to her and his owne people but to all them that know or heare thereof wee will deliuer her to him and continue his kinde friends if hee bee as desirous as wee Sir answered the good old man if God bee so pleased all this will come to passe Therefore if you thinke it conuenient elect two Knights on your behalfe to determine the differences where-about so many harmes haue alreadie happened King Lisuart shall likewise nominate two other for him and I standing in the midst between them will labour to ende all strife and contention Bee it so quoth the King Sir said Nascian I will not sleep before I hope to speed with such successe as the effects shall be answerable to your owne desire Instantly hee tooke leaue of him and the rest returning whence he came to finish what he had begun And presently King Perion sommoned all the chiefe of his Armie together speaking to them in this maner Lords endeared friends as we are bound to put our goods and persons in danger not onely for the defence of our honour but also to maintaine equity iustice so are wee likewise obliged to set aside all hatred and passion to reconcile our selues with our enemie when of himselfe hee profers vs peace For although it cannot be gaine-saied but that the beginning of warre may goe on without offence to God yetnotwithstanding in the end if through rash opinion fantisie and want of knowledge we estrange our selues from reason that which at the first appeared honest conuerts it selfe into iniustice And doe not thinke that I vse these speaches to you without cause Nascian a holy Hermite well knowen to the most part of you came lately to mee as you sawe to practise peace betweene vs and our enemie where-to King Lisuart is willing to yeeld if you mislike not Neuerthelesse I would not giue him any resolution till first I heard your deliberations For to mee it seemeth very reasonable that as you haue been made partakers of toyle and trauaile so should you also be of ease and tranquility And therefore I pray you that without any dissimulation you would all aduise for the best and God will therin further your counsell For my selfe according to the opinion of olde Nascian I holde it very meet that wee should make choyce of two Knights amongst vs and giue them ample power to determine with two other appointed by King Lisuart of all differences whereby this warre receiued originall Albeit I desire not to be credited in this case but rather will allowe of such aduise as you conceiue fittest for the good of all together Hereupon Angriote d' Estreuaus first presented himselfe of whom the King required his opinion Sir said hee you haue beene chosen chiefe of this enterprise as well for the dignity of a king shining in you as for the fauour and esteeme generally helde of you whereby you may resolue on the businesse of this warre as it shall seeme best vnto your selfe Notwithstanding seeing it is your pleasure that I shall first speake my minde I like it well vnder correction that if peace be presented vs by our enemy wee ought to accept it For as it falles out it is to our no meane aduantage hauing not onely the better of him already but Madame Oriana also in our owne power for whose cause wee first entred into the field Now for the naming two choyce men among vs to accord as you say all differences I know none more meet for such a businesse then the Lords Quedragant Brian de Moniaste They at the first vnderwent this charge when they were sent into Great Brittaine to excuse vs to King Lisuart for that which we had done in rescuing his daughter from the Romanes and I am peswaded they will vndertake the same charge againe if they were thereto entreated Now because this aduise found generall allowance Brian and Quedragant yeelded presently thereto whereat king Perion was highly pleased hoping the warre so hotly begun would by these meanes be calmely ended CHAP. XX. How Nascian returned towards King Lisuart with the answere heâ—receiued from King Perion THe Hermite being returned backe to King Lisuart gaue him to vnderstand all that he had agreed on with king Perion assuring him withall that hee would make them good friends before hee parted from them For I left him quoth hee with a purpose to conferre with the chiefe of his Army to winne them thereto if hee can Father saide the King hee dealeth most wisely therein
the ancient Adage Grumedan answered king Lisuart smiling I know very wel that whosoeuer contests with you in matters concerning the honour of Amadis shall finde worke enough to doe but much more to defende himselfe if extreamity should question the case by weapons Sir said Amadis Lord Grumedan hath reason to wish mee well for he hath neither friend or kinsman that oweth him more dutie and obedient seruice then I doe and for such a one I am certaine he will acknowledge and esteeme me By this time king Perion drew nearer and nearer and thereupon king Lisuart made forth to meete him whereof Amadis aduertised him by Durin wherefore he commanded his men to march a slowe pace and taking Gastiles Grassandor Brian de Moniaste and Tiron with him left Agraies to conduct the troupes because king Perion wel knew the ill-will he bare to king Lisuart and feared least discourteous language might passe between them at their meeting whereby the purposed peace should bee quite made frustrate So the two Kings went to meete each other giuing the spurre to their horses and embraced together very louingly king Perion speaking thus to king Lisuart My Lord and brother me thinkes your Armour is much impaired since you departed from the camp albeit I am well assured it lay not rusting in your Armourie while the fight lasted betweene your men and mine And for ought I haue heard they that brought it thus out of fashion haue receiued a payment beyond their expectation and little to their liking So they haue answered king Lisuart thankes be giuen therefore to God and the good helpe that you Amadis and these other Knights brought mee in so vrgent a necessitie as I am sure you haue heard already In good faith said king Perion I haue all my lifetime desired that my children might bee yours in peace and true amity I hope replied king Lisuart that so they shall be before wee parte and our kindnesse neuer to faile especially on my behalfe But seeing Prince Agraies not to be one among them hee enquired expresly for him hauing vnderstood his hatred towards him and desirous to reconcile him and make him his friend if possible it might be Whereupon king Perion made answere that hee stayed behinde as a conduct to the rest of the Armie which followed I pray you Sir said king Lisuart that hee may bee sent for because I purpose not to parte from this place before I haue both seene and embraced him My Lord answered Amadis then I my selfe will goe for him It is well aduised quoth king Lisuart because hee will doe more for you then any other whatsoeuer So Amadis rode directly to Agraies whom hee met not farre off and tolde him what you haue heard already earnestly entreating him that forgetting all discontentment hee would goe with him and giue king Lisuart so good lookes as could be My Lord and Cosen said Agraies you know that my liking or disliking lasteth vpon your pleasure and I heartily desire that the succour which you haue giuen him of whom you speake may be better acknowledged then all the better acknowledged then all the former haue been And further I assure you I am content to requit all the wrongs done to you mee and many more meerely offered in despite of you and without any occasion at all Then they rode on together to King Lisuart who so soone as he saw Agraies left all the rest going to embrace him saying Cosen doe you thinke this embracing as dangerous to me as that was which you gaue mee on the day of our last being together Before God Sir replied Agraies I hope to find this much better then the other for I was neuer to my knowledge in the like danger We will talke therof said the King at better leasure But now you see the king my brother tarries for vs let vs goe conduct him to Lubania where I will make you all the best entertainement I can So they returnd to king Perion and tooke the way towards the Citie King Lisuart had receiued diuers wounds in his bodie but the Chirurgions hauing seene them gaue him hope of speedy recouery yet hee kept his bed ten daies together beeing often visited by the Princes and Lords of his owne country as also the other who to delight him had almost no other talke but of the tricks and stratagems of Archalauâ— by meanes whereof hee compassed his purposes especially when hee carried the Princesse Oriana away prisoner and after-warde King Perion Amadis and Florestan by the subtiltie of Dinarda also in what sorte hee escaped from Galaor and Norandell faining himselfe to bee Branfiles Cosen-germaine to Grumedan But most of all his proiect plotted by the helpe of Arauigne against them all which surely had preuailed but that Amadis was the onely hinderance Such accidents answered king Lisuart doe often come to passe by such wicked wretches as hee is who dare endanger themselues in doing euill and therein make their most delight finding the entrance sweete and easie onely by the instigation of the Diuell who depriues them of all apprehension concerning what dishonour may happen to them beside misery of life which makes death much more welcome to them then life can be As Arauigue himselfe hath now some cause to confesse being in the power of his chiefest enemies and may well serue as an example to all other that are to be taxed with the like vice As hee ended these wordes the good olde Hermite Nascian came to them who had softly followed after king Perion and finding the Princes in such peaceable quietnesse praised God for it and the good aduice of young Esplandian causing Amadis to depart so speedily when hee came to the rescue of king Lisuart as king Perion made knowen before them all In troth saide king Lisuart I would gladly know who gaue the youth so good counsell Sir replied Esplandian my father Nascian sent mee to you to tell you what hee had concluded with king Perion but I could not finde you in the Campe wherfore Sergill I passing on further discouered the Armie of king Arauigne as they descended downe the mountaine Then I called to mind what I heard the Queene my Mistresse say at my parting from her that hee was your enemy and fearing what afterwards happened to you I made haste to aduertise Lord Amadis to the end hee might giue you succour as he did Before God sweet youth saide king Lisuart I shall not while I liue forgette so great a blessing happening to mee And folding Esplandian in his arms sweetly kissed him on the cheeke At that time king Gasquilan was brought thither in a Litter hauing softly followed as beeing vnable to sit on horsebacke by reason of the shrewd fall hee had when he would needes trie his manhood against Amadis on the first day when the two battailes met Into a reserued chamber hee was conducted by some of the chiefe in the companie especially Amadis who came saluted him saying
him that spake them and well vnderstood the end whereat hee aimed although hee would make no outwarde shew thereof but without any further contestation left him departing thence to his owne lodging to dispatch Ardan the dwarffe to Oriana that shee might knowe the warres finishing as also what-soeuer had passed between the Princes and Lords in the two Camps Moreouer hee gaue him a Letter directed to Ysanio whereby he gaue order that Brandaiell de Rocque the Marquesse of Ancona the Archbishoppe of Tarente and the other Romaine prisoners should bee sent to him So departed the Dwarffe who trauailed day and night vntill he ariued at the Pallace of Apolidon Hee presently sent worde to the Princesse byone of her womeÌ„ that hee would speake with her from Amadis Shee no sooner heard of his ariuall but fearing some vnhappy fortune became so afflicted in mind that she trembled exceedingly knowing that victory could not fauour either of the Campes but it would procure sorrow and griefe to her all her lifetime Then Ardan entred her chamber who de-declared by his looks that she had no cause of sadnesse or melancholie Neuerthelesse so soone as she saw him not hauing so much patience as to let him deliuer his message with teares in her eyes she said vnto him Alasse my deare friend Ardan tell mee I pray thee quickly in what estate hast thou left the King my father and is thy Master aliue or dead dead Madame answered the Dwarffe they neuer in their liues were so merrie together Then he reported to her all that which you haue heard already especially in what great danger King Lisuart was when Amadis came with his happy succour Also his royall entertainement to King Perion and lastly what loue he expressed to Esplandian by whose means Amadis came to the rescue of them of Great Brittaine which gaue such comfort to Oriana that lifting vp her eyes and hands to heauen shee spake so loude as all present might heare her O most mercifull God blessed for euer be thy diuine bounty shouring downe thus thy pitie vpon thy poore seruant and that happy childe who hath beene the occasion of this great goodnes Oh let thy mercy yet further permit that all those especiall predictions which the wise Vrganda deliuered of him may not faile in him All the Ladies there present perswaded themselues that shee vsed these wordes of Esplandian for the helpe which hee had procured to King Lisuart yet were ignorant of her further interest in him which wisely she concealed to her selfe Afterward shee demaunded of Ardan if he came thither about any other businesse Madame quoth hee I haue Letters from my Lord directed to the Gouernour Ysanio commanding him by mee forth-with to send him the Romaine prisoners What way then saide shee will he take and the King also Madame quoth hee for ought I can vnderstand they will not part each from other till all differences are fully concluded Honest Dwarffe said the Queene Sardamira tell me I pray thee how haue the Romaines behaued themselues are many of them slaine in the battaile Madame answered Ardan a great number of them haue ended their daies valiantly and well neere all the rest are sore wounded but since the death of the Emperour Floyan and Constant no man of name that I knowe hath perished among theÌ„ but was liuing when I parted from the Campe where I left Arquisill in serious conference with my Master As for your brother Flamyan he beginneth to growe strong and woundes are in a manner cured Ardan hauing receiued expresse charge from Amadis to make so little tarrying there as could be demanded of Oriana if shee pleased to command any thing to his Mastes Doe my most humble comdations quoth she to king Perion of Gaule Agraies Bruneo and Amadis to whom I purpose not to write because thou broughtest me no Letter from him So the dwarffe took leaue of her and went to find Ysanio giuing him the Letters from his Master and deliuering his further message beside Whereupon Ysanio tooke such order that before the week was expired the Romanes were all ariued at Lubania in presence of King Lisuart and the other Princesse and Lords But Amadis calling them into his chamber being there alone with them spake thus Lords I am sure you are not ignorant what issure this warre hath sorted to by meanes whereof almost all the Princes of the East they likewise of the West haue entred into Armes And because we are now vpon tearmes for a perpetuall peace I hold it reasonable that albeit you are my prisoners yet nothing shall be concluded till first it be imparted to you Now as this is the reason of your calling hither so am I like wise to entreat you that for my sake you would accept and elect Lord Arquisill as your Emperour For ouer and beside that there is not to bee found as I heare any man more neare in birth to the Empire then hee so am I well acquainted with his high deserts which mooues me the more in his behalfe to bee thus earnest with you In the dooing whereof you shall be get your selues two especiall graces The first by calling to the gouernement of so excellent a Monarchie a Prince wise valiant vertuous for your better conseruation and entertaining you in all loue and kindnesse The other that in my endeared affection to him I freely giue you with him liberty and all such ransomes as are due to me from you continuing moreouer while I liue your affectionate friend aduise therefore with your selues what answere you will make me to the end I may also consider how I shall carrie my selfe to you in matter of so important occasion Brandaâ—â—ll de Roâ—que beeing the ancientest of them all stood forth and made this answere to Amadis My Lord most true it is that wee are your prisoners and know very well what honour you haue done vs and the extraordinary entertainment wee haue receiued since our ariuall in the Enclâ—sed Isle Wherefore I speake not only for my selfe but all heere present that there is not a man among vs but will gladly employ himselfe in your seruice But wee cannot resolue in the matter concerning Lord Arquisill till wee haue first spoken with Flamyan and other â—…ine Captaines in the Armie wherefore we pray you permit that wee may conferre together swearing for our part that we will hold our hands for him whereby your desire may bee satisfied Well then said Amadis consult together and to morrow let me haue your answere So they withdrew thence to go finde Flamyan in his lodging for as yet hee kept his chamber not healed of the hurts which hee had receiued in the last encounter Then they declared to him what speeches had past betweene them and Amadis what offers and promises hee had made in fauour of Arquisill and lastly the answere they returned him Beleeue mee saide Elamyan Lord Amadis speaketh like a good Knights and no more then all wee
consideration should be vsed for diuiding their estates goods amongyou As for my selfe I deny any part or portion belonging to mee holding my selfe sufficiently satisfied if I can compasse any means of doing you any perticular pleasure or seruice When they that were not meanly affected to their Ladies heard him vse these wordes and knewe what power he had to forward them that way you may well imagine that they did not lende any deaffe â—are to such a pleasing motion especially Agraies who earnestly entreated him to giue his honourable furtherance for his marriage with the faire Olinda Bruneo with Melicia Grasandor with Mabila and Quedragant who neuer loued till then declared his affection to Grasinda saying I now sufficiently vnderstand that youth and time haue heretofore been contrary to my quiet hauing then no other care but for the managing of my Horse and Armes but at this instant yeares and reason constraines mee to another kinde of condition so that if it like Madame Grasinda to accept me as her husband I shal account my happinesse equall to any mans of what condition soeuer he be Before God said Florestan I was once determined to returne into Aliemaine so soon as the businesse concerning my Lord Amadis was ended as well to see my mother as many other mine endeared friends Neuerthelesse I know not with what eie I obserued the Queen Sardamira but this I am well assured that if I could compasse the meanes to marrie her I should easily forget mine intended voyage and all things else whatsoeuer But others more free from loues imperious subiection hauing their mindes wholly addicted to follow Armes spake in a quite contrary language desiring Amadis to imploy them in the conquest of Arauignes kingdome the countries belonging to Barsinan or any where else And we request quoth they no other part of booty but the means of winning renowne honour and Chiualrie Hereupon Amadis returned theÌ„ answere Seeing you are of this disposition with the good liking of the company I will make a present diuision On Quedragant I bestowe the countrie of Sansuega for his larger portion in marrying with Grasinda To you Bruneo I giue the kingdom of Arauigne with my sister Melicia And as for my brother Florestan I will worke so with the Emperour that hee shall giue him the countrie of Calabria with the Queen Sardamira whom hee so dearely affecteth As for my Lord Agraies and Grasandor they are thankes bee to God rich and mighty enough by means of their fathers will content themselues as I thinke to enioy those beauties that affect them What else remaineth shall be distributed particularly according to the merit of euery man so soon as King Lisuart shall be heere ariued Which they all liked well and so we leaue them returning to their lodgings attending the time when they should goe and conuerse with their Ladies according to their wonted custome CHAP. XXVI How Bruneo de bonno Mer and Branfill were appointed to iourney into Gaule to fetch the Queene Elysena and Galaor and of those aduentures that happened to them in their returning back againe SOme fewe dayes after that K. Perion and the other Knights were come to the enclosed Isle Agraies Brunco and they that had hope of speedie marriage fearing least the absence of the Queene Elysena and Galaor might cause a further deferring of that long desired day Came and humbly requested King Perion that he would send for them whereto he presently yeelded Whereupon Bruneo made first tender of his seruice saying Sir I humbly intreate you that none other then my brother and I may haue this charge for otherwise you shall doe vs wrong Well then answered the King smyling to himselfe if I should graunt your owne request I am perswaded you would more gladly keepe company with Melicia then vndertake so long a iourney from her In good faith Sir replied Bruneo to be alwayes neere her is the only happinesse I can desire notwithstanding I am willing to goe for the Queene and Galaor only in my earnest affection to doe them seruice By my faith said Angriote you must not performe this voyage without my companie Why then quoth the King goe you all three and heauen grant that you may finde my sonne in better estate then when I left him Sir answered Ysanio some few daies since certaine Merchants comming from Gaule gaue mee credible assurance that hee was well recouered because they had seene him complayning only that his countenance was as yet pale and Wan by reason of his long sicknesse These newes were highly pleasing to the King and all the companie in regard whereof Bruneo and his two other friends tooke shipping the next morning and sayled with such prosperous Windes that in few dayes after they landed where the Queene then lay of whom they were most gratiously entertayned especially by Galaor because hee longed to heare tidings from his brother and other friends And as hee embraced them with the tears trickling downe his cheekes hee said By my faith my good Lords misfortune hath so long kept mee companie that considering what iniurie she hath done mee in with-holding me all this while from you and the exercise of Armes it hath beene well neere a Thousand deaths to me My Lord quoth Bruneo wee haue brought you such newes as will make a sufficient satisfaction for all the anguish you haue endured So hee declared before the Queene the encounter and battailes betweene the Kings Perion and Lisuart what great dangers and perils they were in by the sudden onset of King Arauigne and Archalaus And last of all the league of loue and amity combined on both sides and the seuerall marriages consulted and agreed vpon hereat Galaor was somewhat amazed hauing neuer heard any thing of such attempts and answered Bruneo thus Is it possible that my noble Lord king Lisuart should be in such extreamity and I not neare him Vpon my soule I must now confesse that Fortune loued mee much better then euer she did For had I not beene sicke whatsoeuer dutie I owe to the King my father I should haue made no spare of my life to succor the other Yet it had fallen out worse for mee if in the time of my sicknesse I had receiued any certaine tydings of this matter vndoubtedly it had beene my death to faile him in a necessity so vrgent It is much better saide Bruneo that all things are past in so good order Then taking him by the hand thus he proceeded I receiued charge from my Lord Amadis to doe his re-commendations to you and to desire you that you would cheere vp and recreate your spirits in the best manner you can deuise for he is minded if you thinke it so conuenient to haue you ioyned in marriage with Queen Briolania so soone as you shall be ariued there And wee were expressely sent from king Perion to conduct the Queen to the Enclosed Isle where he attendeth her comming with a goodly traine of
let vs goe on to the Pallace of Apolidon where the Ladies doe attend your comming for they are already aduertised of your ariuall and there we may much better conferre together With all my heart quoth shee and calling the two young Squires forth of the Frigate placing the one on her right hand and the other on her left she went on with the King and troupe then calling Esplandian to her thus shee spake I promise you faire youth I haue had better remembrance of you then you can imagine And beholde I haue brought hither these two Gentlemen to keepe company with you because you will stand in much need of their helpe when you shall bee in the greatest heate of all your businesse Wherefore hence forwarde I pray you to affect them euen as deare as your sefe Then perceiuing the Ladies cōming to meet them shee gaue ouer talking to doe them reuerence and as shee kissed each after other comming to Oriana shee spake out so loude as all might heare her Beleeue me Madame neuer was I better pleased then being in such cōpanie for hardly can elsewhere be found such store of bright beauties enriched with all rarietie of choyce perfections Madame answered Queene Brisena no doubt but your words would be very true if all here were such as you speake of So taking her by the hand she conducted her into her chamber where the Knights left them that they might conuerse more priuately together CHAP. XXIX Of the conference which Amadis had with his Cosen Dragonis in giuing him the kingdome of the Profound Isle and the Princesse Estoilleta to wife whom he had loued a long time DRagonis was not with Amadis when he made partition of king Arauignes countries and them belonging to the other prisoners but followed a Damosell that guided him from the Monastarie of Lubania to fight with Angriffort Lord of the Deep Gulffe who kept her father in prison to compell him surrender vp a Castle belonging to him And the Combate was wonderfull between them for Angriffort was the most hardy and valiant Knight then liuing in all that countrie Notwithstanding Dragonis had the victory and made him promise to meete him at the Enclosed Isle within twentie daies next ensuing there to craue mercy of the Princesse Oriana This Dragonis that we speake of was young actiuely disposed and an excellent warriour as hee well declared in the Isle of Mongoza when King Lisuart came thither to assault Galuanes For the more part of his confederates beeing defeated and fled he kept a narrow passage with very few men and performed there such deedes of Chiualrie as hee became famous thereby all his life time after Now he could not come to Amadis so soone but at his returne from the Deepe Gulffe he went to Galuanes and being both together they receiued Letters from king Lisuart whereby Galuanes was requested to come beare him company according as formerly hee had made promise By this meanes Dragonis and he iourneyed thither together and so soon as they were come to the Enclosed Isle Amadis remembring what good seruices his Colen Drogonis had done for him in the late foughten battailes what wrong should be offered him if hee did not pertake in the like pleasures and contentments equall with his other companions being alone by them-selues together thus hee spake to him Cosen since such time as you left vs diuerse marriages haue been cōcluded on of the chiefest knights here present and those gracious Ladies whom they haue so long time intirely affected Moreouer by generall aduice and consent the countries belonging to king Arauigne Barsinan and our other prisoners haue beene diuided and you therein forgotten by reason of your absence Yet there is further consideration had of you as you shall presently vnderstand I haue beene lately aduertised by a Squire that since our parting for Lubania the King of the Profounde Island being grieuously wounded before died on the Sea some fewe dayes after sayling homeward from recouerie of his health In which respect his kingdome shall become yours and likewise you shall enioy in marriage the beautifull Estoilletta by you long time beloued meerely as due desert she being a faire wise and vertuous Princesse descended from Kings by eyther side and as deerely esteemed by Oriana as any that I know mee thinkes that for your own contētment no better satisfaction can be made you Then to enioy her whom you loue and esteeme as choysely as your selfe Dragonis being not a little pleased to heare Amadis speake in this manner knew not at the first what answere to make For he was once purposed to goe along with Brunco and Quedragant in conquest of those lands which Amadis had diuided to them and from thence to seeke after strange aduentures in Sardaignia then to ioyne with king Florestan and assistt him in his serious affaires Notwithstanding considering how Amadis affected him and what zealous care hee shewed on his behalfe he promised to obey him Whereupon the next day following hee and Estoilletta were affianced together in presence of all the Knights Ladies and Gentlewomen to generall ioy on euery side expecting the long lookt for day when these marriages should bee celebrated and accomplished The same night Amadis desired of King Lisuart the Dukedome of Bristoy for Guillan le Pensif who gladly granted it and the widdow to the deceased Duke also for whose sake he had so much suffered as thereby he got the name of Pensiue CHAP. XXX How the marriages of Amadis with Oriana and the other Princes and Ladies Were solemnly Celebrated in the Enclosed Isle Where the selfe same day Oriana made proofe of the Arch of loyall Louers and likewise of the Defended Chamber THe day being appoynted when the amorous knights should receiue from their Ladies the fruite of their longing expectation and that the mariages so long time delayed were come to the pointe of celebration the holy man Nascian prepared himselfe for that office and after the solemnity in such cases vsed a comming from Masse Amadis spake thus to King Lisuart My Lord most humbly I begge one boone of you which reasonably you cannot deny me Son and my best friend quoth hee I grant it with all my heart what soeuer it bee Then I entreate you sir said Amadis command Madam Oriana your daughter before wee sit downe to dinner to make proofe of the Arch of loyall Louers as also of the Defended Chamber Whereto she would not as yet by any means listen by all entreaties made vnto her Howbeit I haue such confidence in her loyaltie and likewise in her excelling beautie that shee will obtaine the honor of the place whereinto for more then a hundred yeares neyther Lady or Gentlewoman could bee so happy as to enter And hereof I doe so much the rather assure my selfe hauing often times seene the statue of Grimanesa which is portrayed in hir chiefe and most eminent perfection neuerthelesse I am verily perswaded shee neuer was
equall to your daughter And therefore by her meanes wee may all enter this day into Apolidons Chamber and there finish the solemnitie of this festiuall Sonne answered King Lisuart these are matters not appertaining to me and it is to bee doubted that such an enterprise as this is may induce some trouble or molestation in so worthy an assembly as heere are met together For we see many times desire to compasse a case of importance may dimme both the eyes and vnderstanding of the attempter and that in such sort as he may mistake one thing for another and so runne riot from all course of reason whereby he seemed at first to make his entrance My Lord said Amadis I still containe my former opinion and that the successe will be answerable to my desire free from all harme or offence but rather to the content of all this companie Well quoth the King your will shall be fulfilled So hee called Oriana whom the kings Perion and Cildadan Bride-like guyded by eyther hand and thus hee spake to her Daughter your husband hath requested a boone of mee which I haue granted although I greatly doubt that very hardly in my opinion it will bee accomplished according to his hope neuerthelesse you know that I haue alwayes kept my word and therefore aduise your selfe in doing that you shall bee enioyned Oriana being not a little ioyfull to heare the King her father speake so familliarly performing very great reuerence to him thus replyed My gracious Lord and father commande what you please I amready to obey you Then daughter quoth the King before you sit downe as a Bride at the table you must essay the aduenture of the Arch of loyall louers and likewise that of the Defended Chamber this is the boone I haue granted to Amadis When these wordes wher heard by the other Ladies a secret murmur ran suddenly among them some for the loue they bare to Oriana fearing least shee should not finish so high an enterprise and to her honour others more addicted to selfe conceit made promise to them of going beyond her Notwithstanding this striuing had but a small continuance because the King had a hand in the businesse and he well knowing that Olinda and Melicia were desirous to accompanie his daughter in her fortune entreated them thereto very earnestly But theire choyce friends and new married husbands were of a quite contrarie minde and laboured to alter them from this humor fearing their falling into danger of loosing that which they were not able to winne themselues and therefore they desired no such triall but were satisfied with enioying their long expectation By the faith I beare to God said the King you can no way mislike their forwardnesse but rather should highly allowe thereof because for ought I can perceiue they couet to make testimonie of their loyalty by better meanes then you your selues are able to iudge of and it is my minde that they shall make their proofe before my daughter Oriana do attempt it This pleased Amadis extraordinarily knowing wel that they could not enter into the Defended Chamber before her and this disfauour to them would be the higher augmentation of her honour So Melicia and Olinda went on towardes the Arch of loyall louers vnder which they passed without any impeachment Then the Brazen Statue began to sound so melodiously as euery one tooke great delight to heare it but especially Agraies and Bruneo aboue all the rest Going on further the two ladies entred into the Garden where they beheld the Statues of Apolidon and Grimanesa As they were busily looking on them they espied Orania almost vnder the Arch looking behinde her if Amadis followed her and instantly such an amiable blush mounted vppe into her face that with her owne naturall pale complexion made her appeare most sweetly beautifull No sooner was she iust vnder the vault of the Arch but the Image soūded much more harmonious pleasing then euer before had been heard by any casting forth of his Trumpet Gilliflowers Pinkes Daisies Colonbines Pauuces and a thousand other kinde of flowers the most oderiferous that euer were smelt Then entring into the Garden Melicia and Olinda called her to shew her the figures of Apolidon and Grimanesa but she was alreadie come to the Iasper piller where shee found all their names newly engrauen but could not ghesse how or by what meanes Herupon she called them to see what shee had done and thence they returned to the Images which they found to be so ingeniously framed as nothing wanted but life it selfe and speech especially that of Grimanesa which seemed so exceeding faire as Oriana grew distrustfull of her entrance into the Defended Chamber But this doubt had no long lasting for shee going neare to the Venus made of Agate only to take water of the fountaine the Statua put forth her right hand presenting her the Apple while snatching away the most excellent pearle hanging in her eare she made the like tender of it with the other hand Now albeit her two companions loued her very singularly yet could they not preuaile ouer their owne passions but beholding this extraordinary fauour some secret sparks of enuy took fire against her yet she beeing willing to leaue nothing vnperfected went to the Dedalus in the midst where-of as I haue alreadie tolde you was the Colossus of Brasse holding the Lanterne where the diuine fire was kept by the Serpents who looking on Oriana beganne fawningly to moue their tailes and bow downe their heads in signe of humiliation By this meanes without any other hinderance shee passed on to the midst of the Labirinth there beheld at her owne pleasure the theft of Prometheas which in the presence of the three Ladies vanished away and neuer was after-warde seene by any one nor the Serpents neither Wherefore the Ladies returned backe againe to the place where the Knights and other of the company attended for them If now their amorous friends were in the maine height of contentment iudge you faire Ladies that haue made proofe of loues sweetest fauours For mine owne parte I would gladly make you beleeue that they all felt such a heauen of happinesse as I could hertily wish to my selfe Now listen what followeth and perhaps you shall heare matters no lesse pleasing and delightfull The Ladies hauing ended these aduentures ás you haue lately heard Grasinda beeing much offended that shee had not followed on with them concluded in her selfe to approue that of the Defended Chamber before any of the other and thereupon comming to Amadis spake thus My Lord although my beauty cannot satisfie mine owne desire yet it is not so distrustfull of it selfe but it dare essay the aduenture of the staires or ascending to the Defended Chamber For if that be likewise ended without some of my paines imploiment all my life time afterward will be but irkesome and tedious to mee Therefore let come what can or may if I obtaine entrance my minde will bee satisfied
answered Darioletta you haue but one only meanes whereby to relieue mee in this vrgent extremitie and that is instantly to goe with mee whether I shall conduct you Amadis pausing hereon a while suddenly replied how Lady I haue no armes to fight withall but my Sword only and this bugle about my neck this hound in my leash I hope you will allow me some better fournishing then they are As for Armes replied Darioletta deferre no further dallying but vnâ—ase this dead Knight and put them on for if you stand on any trifling it redounds not only to my death but also such another as you loue as well if not more deerely then you doe me Speaking these words she drowned her faire cheekes in teares and held Amadis fast about the legs not suffering him to stirre from her whereby hee became so moued to pitty that he yeelded to her request Foreseeing very well that if hee returned back to Oriana hardly hee should gaine leaue to goe along with the Lady and as their necessity vrgently required Whereupon arming himselfe with the Armes of the dead knight and taking vp his Shield he entred into the barke As they were puting off from the shoare one of the huntsemen came to whom Amadis called saying friend goe seeke Lord Grasandor and tell him that I am constrained in meere pittie to goe with this Lady whom I met on the Sea-sands but ere while euen in such mournefull manner as thou beholdest her Pray him to pardon me and to intreate as much for me of Oriana not to be offended with my suddaine departure but rather to allow thereof because I could no way excuse it but to my great reproach and dishonour For thy selfe I pray thee giue buriall to that dead knights body in recompence of his Armes which I haue taken from him Scarcely had he ended these words but a lustie gale of winde filled the Sailes and in a moment they were so farre off from Land as Amadis could not heare the huntsmans answere As they sayled on Amadis seeing the Ladie to take no truce with her teares earnestly entreated her to relate whither she intended to conduct him and also the occasion of her mourning whereto gladly she yeelded beginning in this manner Vnderstand Lord Amadis that at such time as the Queen your mother departed from Gaule trauailing towardes the Enclosed Isle according as the King your father had sent for her she sent a Lackey to my husband in little Brittaine where hee was gouernour of your lands willing him that both he and I should meete her at the Pallace of Apolidon where the marriages of you my Lords your brethren were to be solemnised My husband ioying not a little hereat and my selfe much more suddenly prouided a good Ship wherein wee imbarqued our selues with my sonne whom you sawe dead on the sands and also my daughter hoping to bestowe her on Madame Melicia your sister But night comming on vs the waues and windes were suddenly tempestuously mooued so that by their extreame violence the sailes rudder and tacklings of our Shippe were all split in sunder Our Pilot also was so distracted in minde as all knowledge of his Compasse or Quadrant vtterly forsook him wherby it came to passe that our Ship remayning at mercie of the waues and weather we were driuen vpon the Red Island vtterly vnknowne to any of vs where the Giant Balan abydeth of whom you haue heretofore heard there we landed At that very instant we were enclosed seazed on by the Guards of the Port and forcibly brought before the Giant who presently demanded of vs if wee had euer a Knight in our companie My husband made answere that both hee and his sonne had long since vndergone that order It behooueth then saide the Giant that according to the custome of this countrie you fight with mee one after an other and if you can holde out but an houre only you and yours shall goe free but otherwise you must remaine my prisoners and therfore make choyce of which you thinke fittest for you And one thing I will acquaint you withall before hand that performing your manhoode as true Knights ought to doe you shall finde so much the more loue courtesie in me but if through faintnesse of courage you faile in any the least point whereto the honour of Chiualrie bindeth you I will vse yee like villaines and cowards and lay you where neither Sunne or Moone can be seene and so you shall remaine ten yeares together My husband hearing these threatnings and obseruing the high stature of the Giant could warrant no assurance of himselfe Neuerthelesse knowing what it was to faile any way forgetting all feare hee replied Basely are they bred quoth he and ill is Armes bestowed on them that through dread of danger shall refuse to fight for their owne liberty Nowitstanding what assurance shall we haue of your promise if wee maintaine an houres fight against you according as you haue proposed Nothing else said the Giant but my worde onely which neuer was or euer shall bee broken for any good or ill that can befall mee For rather will I consent not onely to mine owne death but likewise to my sonnes and kinred and seruants beside as alreadie I haue made them to swear and promise Before God answered my husband cause our horses to bee restored vs and the Armes belonging to my sonne and mee and then begin the combate when thou pleasest The Giant commanded them to be deliuered But my sonne too rash and ill aduised desired of his father that he might begin the first fight which being granted him he was so ill intreated by the Giant that euen in the first encounter he ouerthrew him so mainely and his horse vpon him that both their neckes were broken in the fall Whereat my husband beeing offended thinking to reuenge the losse of his sonne ran against Balan and brake his Lance manfully on his Shield yet the Giant stirred no more at the shock then if his bodie had beene a huge and strong Tower But as my husband perfected his carrire hee tooke him by the arme and in despight of all hee could doe to the contrarie lifted him out of his saddle and carried him into his Castle without any more harme done to him but shutting him vp in a chamber and I and my daughter with him Pondering there on our great misfortune hauing lost the life of my sonne my husband daughter and my selfe imprisoned and our seruants no way able now to sted vs I fell into sad complaints and spake so loude as it seemed that the Giant heard me All good king Perion said I if thou or any of thy sonnes were heere I am sure our wrongs would bee quickly reuenged but I knowe you are all too farre hence When the Giant had heard my wordes and the Kings name hee demanded of me what knowledge I had of him and whether he was the father to one named Amadis de
hast done was it in thy power to recall my life if death had pleaded possion of it Or how canst thou excuse this treason in pursuing that villanie which thou hast so impudently begunne against a worthy Knight who had not entred vpon my land but vnder the assurance of my worde Didst thou euer know hitherto that for any thing hapning to me I was any way false or iniurious in my promise Haue I not euermore iustly kept my word to my power as valuing it farre aboue thee or the deare esteeme of mine owne life By the faith I beare to God but that nature somewhat speakes for thee thou shouldest instantly bee hanged ouer my Castle wall as an example to all such villaines as thou art enemies to truth and vertue Take him take the wretch binde him hand and foote and so bear him to the Knight then tell him from mee thus I haue sent the traytour that not only abused him but mee much more and say I entreate him to take such vengeance on him for vs both as hee hath worthily deserued Not any man among them durst euer contradict what hee had cammanded wherfore Brauor was presently seased on strictly bound and so carried thence to Amadis But his mother fearing least such seuerity might be fall him as Balan had vrged and knowing also what wrong the Knight had receiued departed secretly out of the chamber and ranne after her sonne Neuerthelesse she was not so swift of foot but Brauor was presented to Amadis before shee came and in such manner as the Giant had appointed Whereof notwithstanding Amadis made small account but pardoned him honourably and vntied his bonds himselfe euen as the good Ladie came to him whom she presently knew for hee had taken off his Helmet because it was ouer burdenous to him but shee could not imagine how he would deale with her sonne Brauor wherefore shee threw her selfe at his feet and weeping said Alas Lord Amadis doe you not know me Now albeit he very wel remembred her and that shee was the sister to Gandalack yet for a while he would not let her perciue so much but somewhat fiercely answered Ladie I know not who or what you are and desire neuer to come among such bad and wicked people as I haue mette withall in this place Alas Sir said shee if you thinke it meet that I shall conceale your name I am well contented to doe it neuerthelesse I know you to bee Lord Amadis de Gaule brother to Galaor whom I so dearly affect as in honour of him and for his sake I humbly entreate you to pittie and pardon my sonne These wordes moued his noble heart to such coÌ„passion as he could no longer dissemble his displeasure but taking the Lady gently from the ground he thus spake to her Madame my brother my selfe haue receiued such benefits curtesies from Gandalack your Father as I would hazard my person to any perill yea euen to my very latest gaspe to doe him the best seruice consisting in my power or any of his friends for his sake But as concerning your Sonne these men here present know right well that I pardoned him before you could come to begge it of me nay more I vnbound him with mine owne hands before your arriuall without desiring any other reuenge on him but only on such as maintaine wicked and vnlawfull customes Among whom I name your â—usband as the chiefest man whose knowledge of my name I care not for because he may hold himselfe well assured that I will neuer depart froÌ„ this Isle vntil he haue satisfied the lady that came hither with me And therfore if he be so iust and true of his word as he would haue it appeare by open publication let him meete mee in place conuenient for vs both and then he shall know whether he was carried away from mee by right or wrong after I had obtained the mastery ouer him Againe she fell vpon her knees saying beleeue me sir hee will doe you reason in any thing you can demand of him as you may well perceiue that hee was vtterly ignorant in that which his people haue done contrary to his worde For then hee had neither sence nor vnderstanding which may well serue in his excuse Wherefore I sweare to you vpon my faith that if you please to goe along with me to him because he cannot by any meanes come to you before you part one from another I doubt not but you will bee reconciled louing friends Madam answered Amadis I haue not any susption of you But I greatly doubt the condition of Gyants who are coÌ„monly little gouerned by reasoÌ„ but carried away only by furie and crueltie It is true Sir quoth shee and yet notwithstanding I know his goodnesse to bee such as you may well cred it him on mine assurance Your word â—hen answered Amadis shall be my warrant And so I will goe along with you So lacing on his helmet fastening his shield about his neck and grasping his Sword fast in his fist he entred the Castle with the wife to Balan who quickly had aduertisement of their arriuall and therfore requested the knights presence in his chamber No sooner were they entred but the Giant raysed himselfe on his bed so well as hee could saying that he was most heartily welcome Balan answered Amadis I know not how thou meanest but I haue iust occasion to complaine of the villanie offered me by thy men being come vpon thy words warrant to combat with thee and vrge reason for thy wrong to the Lady that conducted me hither And albeit I had the better of thee yet cowardly they assaulted me although I thinke it was not done by thy command being then in disposition not to doe it But be it howsoeuer seeing thy Iustice vpon thine owne Sonne I acquit both thee and them also but not in the case of right appertayning to the Lady for death it selfe cannot hinder me from my duty in her behalfe which makes mee the more louingly dersie thee to giue her contentment Otherwise I must bee constrayned to finish vpon thy Bodie that which I haue already begunne a matter much displeasing to mee for Gandalacks sake whom I dearely affect esteem to whom as I am enformed thou art nearely allied in some nature of affinity Knight replyed Balan although my extreamity of griefe is such to see my selfe vanquished by one Knight only as death would be a thousand times more welcome to me yet both these are of no value at all with me in regard of that dishonour acted by my sonne and seruants And did my strength so much fauour me as but to execute mine owne determinations thou shouldest sufficiently perceiue how farre the power of my word extendeth For the instant I could doe no lesse or yeeld thee any better testimony of my truth then deliuer him into thy power that began so foule and iniurious an offence albeit he is of no meane esteem both to me
the World with him from his mothers wombe and surely in mine opinion they are the very same Notwithstanding if you had not quickned my memorie I should neuer haue thought on it And therefore make no complaint of your Fortune if you faile in this enterprise because for ought I can perceiue you haue begot him that must carrie this honor from you Amadis musing to himselfe while suddenly starting said I am of your minde for so haue I gathered by the Table on the Image of Brasse Return we then back againe quoth Grasandor and leaue the rest to bee ended by him to whom the destenies haue made their promise So we must bee inforced to doe saide Amadis albeit I am somewhat offended that I may not carrie away his sword with mee By my faith replied Grasandor if you should offer to get it your hinderance may be more then you imagine and yet it may fal out not to proue so good a sword as your owne Moreouer when I consider how you obtained it neuer could any Knight attaine to a fairer fortune nor more beseeming a man than yours was then This hee spake in regard that Amadis wonne it by approouing himselfe to bee the most loyall and perfect louer that euer loued according as in the Second booke of this Historie hath been oftentimes declared vnto yee Hereupon they returned backe by the same way they came and passing againe among the Antiquities Amadis stayed there a while better to beholde them The more hee looked on them the more hee commended their rare perfections both in moldings friezes chapters lying among the ruines of those famous buildings And no way could hee turne his eye but he beheld many fractures of singular carued parsonages the very muscles obserued to the life and such perspectiue where occasion required it that in his opinion it relished more of some diuinitie then to be performed by the skill of man in workemanship As hee continued in these meditations a knight armed with a white Armour and holding his sworde ready drawen came to them courteously saluting them as they did the like to him Then he demanded of theÌ„ whether they were of the Enclosed Isle or no We are answered Grasandor but why doe you moue that question Because quoth the other I found a Batque beneath and men therein who tolde mee that two Knights belonging to the Pallace of Apolidon were ascended vp this Rocke but they concealed their names from mee as I did mine from them Nor desire I any thing else but peace and friend-shippe with them beeing casually come hither in pursuite of a knight who by trompery is escaped from mee with a Damosell forcibly carried away by him Friend said Grasandor in courtesie let me entreate you to take off your Helmet or to tell vs your name If you will swear to me replied the Knight whether you know my Lord Amadis or no and that you will doe the like to mee I am well contented otherwise you speake but in vaine By my faith quoth Grasandor we are two of the best friends hee hath and therefore you may well be knowen to vs. So the Knight disarmed his head saying You may now knowe mee well enough if you be such as you haue sworne your selues to mee Hardly had hee concluded his wordes but Amadis ran and caught him in his armes saying Brother Gandalin is it possible that fortune should cause vs to meet in this maner Much amazed was Gandalin to see himselfe thus embraced and by a man vnknowne to him and vnable to coniecture who he should be wherefore Grasandor suddenly said Why how now Gandalin Haue you forgotten your Lord Amadis Amadis answered Gandalin may it bee possible Then falling on his knee whether he would or no hee kissed his hand before Amadis could any way preuent him but then demanded of him how and by what meanes he came thither Beleeue me my Lords replied Gandalin your equalls in loyalty of affection would gladly know as much concerning you as you now demand of me you being as farre from them as this place is from their abyding Neuerthelesse to giue you content I will declare the whole truth vnto you Know then that being with Bruneo and others who are yet in conquering the countries of Arauigne Sansuegua returning from a cruell battayle which the Kings Nephew gaue vs at our entrance and wherein many worthy men lost their liues one day among other a Damosell belonging to the kingdom of Norway attired all in black came into the Tent of Agraies desiring him on her knees in no mean plenty of teares to giue her rescue in a wrong done vnto her Agraies causing her to rise and sit downe by him demanded the cause of her sad complaint and hee would redresse it so much as lay in him to doe Alas Sir quoth she you haue good reason to helpe mee because I am both a subiect and seruant to the King who is father to Madame Olinda your wife for whose sake and honour I desire you to assist mee with one of your Knights for recouery backe of my daughter whom the Lorde of the great Tower on the Sea shoare hath forcibly taken from mee being thereto onely emboldened because I would not giue him her in mariage And my reason is in regarde hee is neither so noble nor descended of so good a house as my husband was but rather is of base and seruile condition vsurping the place he possesseth vpon his neighbours whom he hath since expelled The father to my daughter was brother to Don 〈…〉 honour 〈…〉 of Great Brittaine 〈…〉 I at any meanes for the recoâ—… of her without you because notwithstanding all the earnest entreaties I haue vâ—ed to him the wicked man is so cruelly minded as hee doth dayly deny mee so that my dayes can haue no long continuance except by Armes he be compelled to restore her Damosell answered Agraies why doth not your King do you iustice as in right to him belongeth My Lord quoth she he is so ouerspent in yeares and decayed in bodie as hee is not able to gouerne himself or any other neither doth hee euer come forth of his bedde only through his extreamitie of age and sicknesse The man then you speaks of replyed Agraies is his abyding farre from hence No Sir quoth shee in lesse space then a day and a halfe the winde sitting conueniently wee may by Sea easily sayle thither Then I made tender of my seruice as willing to goe along with the Lady But my Lord Agraies would not consent thereto except I made him faithfull promise of returning backe againe to him after I should haue combated the Knight without attempting any further if with honour I might safely doe it My promise made to that effect and I sufficiently furnished I went aboard with the Damosell in a Barque which shee had purposely brought with her and the Sea was so calme and fauourable to vs that on the morrow about mid-day we
on their affaires the others left them alone and departed thence Then King Arauigne demanded of him what hee conceiued of his hard Fortune And breathing forth a sigh sufficient to haue broken a bigger heart hee stood along while silent as being vnable to deliuer a word till at last thus he spake Ah my deare friend Balan if your Father Mandafabull were now liuing how Irkesome would my mishap be to him And to speake truely matters are mightilie altered since his death For it is not fully a yeare since I stood vpon no meane tearms of being the very greatest King in all the West but now I am beecome the poorest and most miserable man in all the World How Sir replied Balan it seemes you distrust the mercy of the almighty in whose power it is to dispose of you as best liketh him If Fortune haue once frowned on you is her wheele so fast nayled or printed as shee cannot lift you to the place from whence you are fallen Let me perswade you Sir not to bee thus discomforted but in kingly patience to thanke God for all and hee will not forget you Walking on along with him hee beganne thus againe I knowe very well Sir that hardly can you expresse constancie or courage in such cases of so sharpe affliction and vneasie to bee endured as your imprisonement is Yet I can desire no better experience therein then the like misfortune hath ministred to mee in permitting mee to bee vanquished by the same man that was the worker of your downefall Notwithstanding let mee take it ill or well bee pleased or offended at my foyle I see no other remedy but only to arme my selfe with patience and sooner to forget the iâ—iurie I haue receiued then my selfe For the rest I am of opinion that it is possible to treate on some good agreement betweene you and these Princes who I am perswaded will therein listen to you if such a motion proceede from your selfe How can that be done quoth the King except in forgoing all which they pretend to haue conquered from me and I had rather die bearing the name of an imprisoned King then to liue a begger at libertie If after death saide Balan life were easie to bee recalled backe againe I should ioyne with you in this opinion but hauing nothing dearer to vs in this worlde wee should preserue it so long as is possible for vs. My worthy friend Balan replied the the King doe with mee what you please into your hands I commit my selfe my life my goods honour beseeching you intirely to remember my businesse in such nature as I make no doubt but you will Now because they saw Enill comming in to them they altred their discourse and Balan taking leaue of him went to finde Galuanes and Galaor who staied his returne in the Tent of Agraies There hee declared what speeches had past between him and the King Arauigne And in my minde quoth he considering the humor wherein I left him I thinke it were good to make him some offer giuing him some countrie of his own for a place of retirement where hee may weare out the remainder of his dayes and be contented to resigne vp all the rest The whole company was well pleased heere-with and highly allowed the aduise of Balan for to speake vnpartially hee was one of the wisest men and as sound in iudgement as any where else was to be found Wherupon they entreated him to mediate this matter with Arauigne committing all to his discretion because indeede they themselues were halfe tyred and grew wearie of the warre On the next morning hee went to the King Arauigne and among diuerse others remonstrances told him how at his request and only by his meanes hee had so well preuailed with the Princes of the Army that they were all contented to leaue him parte of the Isles of Landes in full and intire soueraignty Which liked him well considering it was much better for him to continue King of a little then to be Lord of nothing Hereupon the City was surrendred and certaine Shippes and victuals were giuen him for his retreate into the Isle of Liconia And the very same day Brunâ—o was crowned king with great magnificence So hauing receiued their homages and faithfull aleagance for the whole Countrie their Army being in this time well refreshed they set away to the Citty of Calaffan in the Realm of Sansuâ—gua Whereof the people being aduertised assembled themselues in great numbers and electing Captaines and Commaunders among them resolued to attend their comming and bid them battaile before they would suffer any besieging But they tarried so long for their mustered forces that I am loath to dâ—lâ—y you in so idle an expectation Let it suffice then that the Countrie of Sansuegua was conquered and because it is not any thing 〈…〉 or incident to our Historie to tell you in what manner it was performed we will bee silent therein at this time leauing the â—…e to them of the Enclosed Isle and now wee will tell you what happened to King Lisuart after his reâ—… into Great Brittaine CHAP. XXXVIII How King Lisuart being hunting was taken prisoner by Enchantment and very strangely ALthough our History hath long discontinued from speaking of King â—isuâ—â—t and of any thing happening to him since hee went imbarqued from the Enclosed Isle returning home to his Countrie of Great Brittaine yet I now finde apt occasion to bee no longer forgetfull of him but to declare how afterward hee caâ—ied himsese as being a matter fit for our purpose in this place â—…sten then to mee Lords and faire Ladies and you shall vnderstand a new kinde of subtiltie which fortune made him taste of to let him the better know what slender assurance he had of her fauours for at such time as hee thought to bee most at quiet after so many warres discords passed wherwith already you are fully acquainted this accedent ensuing hapned to him First he resolued with him selfe to make some indifferent long soiourning in the Citty of Fâ—nusa because it was seated in a very sweete ayre and highly comodious for Forests and faire Riuers well stored with all kindes of beasts fit for game wherein he tâ—…e no meane delight and pleasure And albâ—â—t his aged yeares required ease and rest as most meetest for him yet such was his forward will and noble magnanimitie of spirit as he would by no meanes yeelde thereto but rather daylie sighed and sorrowed that he could not performe what formerly he had done and bee seene in such aduentures and combats as continually befell him in the beginning of his raigne This disputable questioning betweene his desire and ability of body drew his soule into an vnacâ—ustomed sadnesse making him become so pensiue and melanâ—â—â—lie as hee would â—â—nder himselfe from all company and delighted in no other pastime but to walke abroad sometimes with his Cross-â—ow to strike a heart â—inde or â—idde in the Forrest Hereupon it fortuned that
comfort her Only they pitied her distresse and she often looking on Grumedan with an eye that truely spake sorrow froÌ„ her heart saide An Grâ—medan if euer thou didst mee any seruice now when I finde my selfe forsaken of all hope and neuermore to receiue any the least pleasue I pray thee giue ende to my griefes by some sudden way to death which will hee highly welcome to mee especially by thy hand rather then liuing longer iâ— such languisâ—…g as I doe But Grâ—medan to alter 〈◊〉 desperate disposition in her comforted her in the best manner hee could but all would not passe for currant payment it proued rather to encrease her anguish more and more In which regarde both hee and the rest compassed the meanes for conuaying her to the nearest village sending immediately to the Cittie for skilfull Phisitions who found her so feeble and such a debility in her vnderstanding as they stood greatly in doubt of her recouerie Neuerthelesse they expressed their paines so diligently applying such cordialls and other soueraigne comforts as within two daies she began to 〈◊〉 knowledge againe And calling for Grumedan after some few â—…des passing between them hee saide vnto her Beleeue 〈…〉 you doe not well to take 〈◊〉 â—n such sort as you doe considering I haue heard you say an hundred times that the vertue of prudence 〈…〉 not to be discerned in any person but in such as are most solicited with sorrowes and afflictions Whereby plainely appeareth that the counsell you were wonte to giue to others is now most necessarie for your selfe Are you now to learne that Fortune hath two daughters the one called by many Fâ—… the other Infelicity If 〈◊〉 hath kept companie with you all your life time till now and Infelicitie comes to visite you in her steed arme your self as becomes a vertuous Queene with the deâ—encible weapons of courage wisedome and constancy euen to enter the lists with the mother herselfe which will so daunt her vnhappy daughter as shee will â—e 〈◊〉 to follow you any longer but giue you ouer euen in the open 〈◊〉 Consider good Madame what I say vnto you because otherwise I â—oreâ—ee two necare approaching and irreparable accidents threatning danger to you the one is vâ—â—er perdition of your selfe and the other of my Lord the King if at his returne hee findes you dead Say he should be lost why these are but wordes for hee cannot bee so closely hidden but he will be seen And if wee can heare no speedy tidings of him either in this country or else where yet his captiuity in any prison cannot be so strong but by the helpe of your Subiects and fauour of your friends and kinsemen he will be quickly thence deliuered And therfore I beseech you Madam setting aside these sorrows which threaten danger to you you would round engirt your selfe with good Councell and comfort to reach the height of that which is much more needfull for you in this case The Queen liking this discourse yeelded to Grumedans aduise and thereupon purposed to send Brandoynas to Amadis to let him vnderstand the Kings losse and in what extreamity she her selfe was by him she sent this Letter following The Letter from Queene Brisena to Lord Amadis My Lord and Sonne if heretofore the estate of King Lisuart your Father hath beene defended and augmented by your meanes a season better now then euer presents it selfe for your employment considering the perill prepared for him to keepe and preserue all still in perfect condition For some small while since by his enemies as it appeareth most likely he is carried away and imprisoned none of vs knowing where or why which makes mee beleeue that but vpon occasion of a farre greater enterprise this Treason would neuer haue beene vndertaken Now because it is a matter concerning you next to my selfe more then aâ—â— other I haue sent to aduertise you there-of by Brandoynas this bearer who hath seene and vnderstands all and who can acquaint you with my instant aistresse better then I am able to set it downe in wrighting Wherefore I pray you to credit him as my selfe and consider on the rest Your wofull Mother Queene Brisena This Letter written and deliuered to Brandoynas he set on towards Amadis and the Queene with her company went directly to London to call a councell and set all things in order Here you are to vnderstand that soone after the romor of the Kings losse spreâ—d it selfe so liberally in all places that Quedragant Bruneo and the rest being then in Sansuegua had intelligence there-of and they honorably considering what preiudice might redound therby to Amadis if any neede should happen in Great Brittaine concluded on the speedy goeing to the Enclosed Isle to vndertake whatsoeuer hee should command them Here-upon hauing planted Garisons in all needefull places they sayled thence with so faire a winde that they landed at the Pallace of Apolidon the very same day as Brandoynas arriued there As Amadis was comforting Oriana by reason of the news formerly receiued the comming of these Knightes was made known to him but hee being loath to leaue the Princesse alone intreated Grasandor to goe meete them and acquaint them with the occasion of his staying behinde which accordingly he performed finding them in good forwardnesse on the way Then he declared to them what hee had receiued in charge from Amadis desiring them to excuse him if this day did not alow them to see him but early the next morning hee intended to visite them Now because the affaires they came about required some speed dilligence they entred into Councell and Brandoynas was called before them all where amply he declared what he could say concerning the Kings losse and in what dangerous condition hee had left the Quene Many opinions passed among them but at length it was resolued that they all should pursue the quest of him both by Sea and Land hoping Fortune would be no lesse fauourable to them herein then heereto-fore shee had beene in the like attempts Scarcely had they concluded on this deliberation but one of their Squires came and tolde them that a Ladie was come forth of the great Serpent and in their opinion it was Vrgania the Vnknowen If it be shee said Amadis then the case will goe well with vs. So they all set forwarde and met her almost at the Parkes entrance mounted on a goodly Palfrey which her two Dwarffes led by the bridle reines The first she addressed her selfe vnto was Galaor whom shee kindly saluted and all the rest and being in the midst among them she thus began How now Lords did not I lately tell you that I should finde you heere againe assembled in this place about some businesse then vnknowne to you You did Madame answered Galaor I remember it very well so doth Madame Oriana likewise who wil not be a little ioyfull for your ariuall And partly to comfort her quoth shee is the cause of my now comming So they entred
into the Pallace and being dismounted from horse-backe they conducted her to the chamber of the Princesse who so soone as shee sawe her caâ—e and fell at her feet and weeping incessantly said Alas madame you that knowe future accidents as well as them present why did you not take order for the King my fathers mis-fortune hee beeing your so dearely esteemed friend I may well assure my selfe that when you fayle him his case is vtterly voide of any remedie Madame answered Vrganda I pray you doe not thus discomfort your selfe Know you not that the more men are mounted to high degrees the more subject they are to as great tribulations Although wee are all made of one and the same substance all obliged to vices and passions yea equall alike to death yet the omnipotent Lord of all hath made vs diuerse in enioying the goods of this world To some hee giues authority others are subiect to seruility and vassalage Some are made poore and very miserable others enioy aboundance and prosperity and all according to his owne good pleasure So worthy Madame comparing the great blessing you now enioy with such sorrowes and vexations as you haue sustained put all your present afâ—ictions into one seale and your passed fortunes into another and they will no way be answerable in weight As for the King your father I knewe long agoe this which hath happened to him and yet notwithstanding I could not help it For so it was appointed by diuine pre-science who in time will also permit that he shall returne home againe into his owne countrey with as much contentment as euer heretofore hee enioyed Then conuerting her speeches to Amadis others there present thus shee proceeded When I departed last from his companie I did then assure yee that at such time as Esplandian should receiue his order of Knight-hood I would meete you againe in this place for this cause to keepe promise both with you and him and to discharge you of a labour you are entring into I am come hither as you see And this I tell you that if all the men this day liuing and so many more as shall come hereafter doe attempt the quest of king Lisuart and to deliuer him out of the place where hee is they loose all their paines Therefore let mee aduise you to desist from the promise you haue made each to other Requesting you beside that you will all be my guests in the great Serpent with Esplandian Telanque Manelie the King of Dacia and Ambor Sonne to Angriote presently giuing order for your Horses for the houre now inuites vs. They not daring to denie her did as shee commanded and giuing good rest to Oriana accompanied her to the Sea side where they found a Barque ready which conueied them to the place where the great Serpent lay Entring thereinto they left their horses in the great Hall where taking Esplandian and his companions with her shee led them into a Chappell to performe their watch and prayer according to the ancient custome before any man might be made a Knight Afterward she returned againe to the rest and bad them sit downe to supper which they found ready prepared for them and in most royall manner The tables being with-drawne she sent them to keep company with them that watched in the Chappell Then shee and her two kinsewomen Solisa and her Sister followed them Vrganda carrying a Habbit or Coate of Male very black Salisa an Helmet of the same colour and the third a shield answerable thereto Now albeit at the beginning all other Knightes were armed with white Armour yet would shee needs haue him to differ from them in this manner So soone as shee was entred the Chappell shee called Esplandian to her saying Most happy yong Gentleman see what accoutraments I haue brought for you as testimonies of the power wherewith your heart will hereafter bee enueloped partaking in some measure with the naturall disposition of the king your grand-father Moreouer it is to put you in minde that as other when they are made Knights receiue this honor with white Armour and brightly polished in signe of ioy and cheerefulnesse so these thus black and vnsightly are bestowed on you by destinie to remember you many times of those sorrows and tribulations wherein all your friends are at this present So they three armed him from head to foote only his Sword excepted and demanded of Amadis his opinion therein By my faith Madam quoth he if he had a Sword hee were in case me thinkes both to defend himselfe and to assayle any other You know answered Vrganda as well or better then any other in this troup where one hath been kept for him aboue two hundred years past and you haue seene it in the Rock of the Damosell Enchauntresse who left it there by apointment of the fates only for him And therefore hee must needes goe thither to conquer it for I dare assure you hee will performe such actions of arms as shall eclipse the bright fames of many that haue shined most cleerely in all partes of the worlde As shee spake these wordes foure other Damosells came in each one bringing furniture for a horse and an Armour as white as snow hauing a blacke crosse in the midst thereof and these foure other Damosells armed him therewith All this while was Esplandian on his knees before the Altar deuoutly imploring the assistance of heauen to giue him grace and meanes wherby to accomplish those things destined to him as well for the deliuerance of King Lisuart as any other enterprise whatsoeuer wherein hee coueted not his owne priuate glory Thus remained the Knights all night in prayer euen vntill the next morning when a mishapen ill fauoured Dwarffe beeing mounted on the very height of the serpent winding a Cornet with such loudnes as the whole Island returned the Eccho therof from all parts the Ladies ranne vp to the Towers in the Pallace of Apolidon to see and obserue whence this noyse came Then went Vrganda from the Chapell with them that had watched all night whom she conducted vp near to the Dwarffe And inwardly came sixe other Damosels attired all in blacke each bearing a Trumpet of golde in her hand and Vrganda calling Balan to her saide Friend Balan euen as nature hath preferred you before all other of your linage making you an enemy to vice to follow reason and vertue so will I aduaunce you for the loue I know Amadis beares you and euery other Knight in this company and doe you such an honour this day as all that haue beene before you or are liuing at this present could not nor can attaine to the like And this it is that Esplandian who shall be esteemed the best Knight in the worlde must haue his order of Knighthood from your hand Balan fearing to displease Amadis and the rest excused himselfe very honourably but they all preuailing with him hee tooke Esplandian by the hand and asked