assailed him at his ease on y t one side and stroke at him with both his hands such an vnmercifull blowe that lighting vpon his helme which was néere hand as hard as a Diamond he cut it ioyntly with his head and being very sore hurt this vnhappie Knight fell downe to the ground at such time as the Prince was setling himselfe vpon his horse séeing Brandimardo downe so much bloud running from his head he did verely beléeue that hée was dead Wherewith his rage was so much that the fire came forth at his visor and setting spurres to his mightye horse he made him to mooue like the winde and said with a loude voyce O vile beastes that so villanously haue slaine him who is more worth then both of you Héere I doo sweare vnto you by the liuing God to force my power in such sort that onely w c two blowes I will send you vnto hell which is your habitation therwith he came vnto Mandroco who likewise came towards him stroke him such a blow vpon the helme that the strength thereof little profited him for by the fury of his arme he parted it in two péeces together w t the head so that the Giant fell down dead to the ground by reason of his great wayght y e fall séemed almost to shake the earth The Gyant Bulfar when he sawe his sonne dead with so desperate a blow roaring out against his Gods he lifte by his sword to strike the Prince but he who had as much pollicie as prowes spurred his horse a litle forwards with a furious leape he cleared himselfe from that blow and finding himselfe on the lefte side of Bulfar he threw at him so terrible a foyne that his harnesse deceiued him and his sword entered into his body vp to the hilts and at the pulling of his sword out he drew out therewith his infernall soule and he fell downe dead to the grounde Then when the people sawe the good successe that their desires had they began to crye out with mightie voyces saying Libertie Libertie and ranne vnto the Prince some kissing his handes some his skirtes of Maile and some his féete in such sorte they pressed on him that he coulde scantly stirre himselfe but by reason of the greate griefe and sorrowe which he had for his friend Brandimardo who coulde not receiue anie pleasure at all in this high and mightie victory and without any care thereof he alighted from his horse and went vnto him and tooke off his healme and lifâ—ng vp his head vppon his knées he called for a linnen cloath the which was strayght wayes giuen him wherewith he wiped and made cleane his face which was of a wanne colour Then this weake knight somewhat lifting vp his eyes and séeing himselfe in the armes of Rosicleer and vnderstanding that the battaile was finished to the honour of his Lady and mistresse with a féeble fainting voice he sayd Ah my Lord and perfect friend héere may you sée how contrarie fortune hath bene vnto me in that she woulde not consent that I shuld reioyce in y e triumph of this victorie it doth not gréeue me to die for that it is in defending the right of her whom I best loued There is nothing that doth gréeue me so much as that I cannot obtaine the reward I looked for Héere I do desire thee my Lord that by you she may vnderstand of all this my paine and doe my heartie commendations vnto that my great desired Archi. Héere he could not make an ende to speake her name but yéelded vp the Ghoast his vnfortunate bodie remaining in the armes of the Prince and with great wéeping he turned vnto the people that were there and sayd O you knights and Gentlemen of Lyra how déerely is this your libertie bought for in the recouerie thereof was slaine the best knight in all Asia Then he séeing that there was no remedie for the harme that was done he commaunded that hée should be carryed vnto the pallaice and by the agréement of all the nobles he was buried in that place whereas the kings of Lyra were accustomed to be buried So when Rosicleer had séene the funerall of his friend he would staie no longer in that kingdome but by the consent of all that were present he left the gouernement in the power of a worthie knight and noble gentleman of the realme and tooke his oth that straight waie they should surrender it to their quéene Ladie And therewith he departed out of the Citie when he came vnto the water side and woulde haue entered into the ship in the which he came he sawe nigh vnto it the barks wherein he was wont to trauaile and considering y t it should not be there without occasion without anie more deliberation he entered into the same who straight waie beganne to moue her selfe with her accustomed furie and so without tarrying in anie place he trauailed sixe dayes sixe nightes in the end of y t which the Barke brought her selfe a ground into a faire wide and sandie Baie whereas he sawe vppon the shoare manie knightes which made battaile against one alone knight The Prince seeing all that passed with great anger he went out of the Barke to helpe him who with great courage and pollicie did defend himselfe whereas now we will leaue them and retourne vnto Grecia for to make an ende of our first part You doe well remember how that the knight with the Emperiall head when he sawe himselfe cleere of that blow which the Queene of Lyra gaue him put himselfe into the forrest euen vnto the tâ—ickest of it and did not determine to goe to the Court at Constantinople about a certaine demaund which he came to make till such time as all y e knights and the rest of the people were in quiet When he thought that it was time he went vnto the Court and asked for the Emperours pallace when he came thether he alighted from his horse and went vp into the great hall wheras the Emperour was with all them of his Court exercising courtly pastimes and pleasures and without making anye reuerence hee went vnto the place whereas the Emperour was and he sayd Good and noble Emperour of Grecia this speake I for a truth according vnto that which I haue heard reported of thée that thou art one of those Princes that doth maintaine all iustice and equitie The subiects and vassalls doe not alone make this report but all the world is ful of it And as I vnderstand although it be euen against thy owne person yet thou wilt not let to doe that which is right iustice being demaunded of thée wherfore I doubt not but vnto me shall be graunted lisence héere in thy Countrie to put a demaund vnto whom it shall thinke me best certifieng thée that it shall be a iust thing The Emperour who knew him by the deuice that he had on his shéeld that it was he which made
same héere I do deny al your powers I do determine to honor y e God my father doth who wil not reward me so ill as you do and I doe acknowledge and confesse him to be the true God and you all full of mockings liberall in promising and slow in giuing from this daie forwards be assured y t I will not aske you of anie thing neither wil I accept any thing from your vile hands These and such like wordes sayd this new knight was in such anger that neither Page nor Marriners durst speake vnto him but to giue him contentment they rowed a pace towards y e bark whereas that dolorous woman went So in this â—ort they trauailed all the rest of the night that remained till such time as the daie began to be cléere and straight waie they discried land to which place with great hast they rowed till such time as the barke was a ground so this angrie young knight presently leapt a shore Masedonio carried his healme but hée tooke neither speare nor shéeld with him the Marriners folfowed him carried such victualls as they had they found no vsed way but one narow path the which they kept and it brought them vnto a mightie greate déepe riuer wheras he sate downe did refresh himselfe washed his hands face called for to eate of that which they had brought when he had eaten without anie more tarrying he begaÌ„ to trauaile alongst the riuer side he had not trauailed long when y â— they met with a poore countrie man with a great hatchet in his hand he was going to cut fire woode from those high mightie trées of whom they asked what countrie land it was he told them y t it was the land of Almania but yet sir knight thou must pardon me for y t I doe request thée to returne againe procéed no farther this way if thou dost estéeme thy life for in going on this way there is nothing to be had but death for y t the Lord of this riuer is a furious giant is called Marmoraton the riuers name is Ospriz this giant is y e most furious in all the world is of such might y t our Emperour doth feare him he hath also two sons who are no lesse furious then he is although they are now very sad for certaine news which were brought them how y t a brother of his who was Lord of an Iland in Spaine called Corsa was destroied and all his people slaine by sword none left aliue by force of cruell warre and in part of reuengement of all this harme done no longer then yesterdaye he brought hether a Ladie prisoner and they say that she was the occasion of the death of them all as I haue tolde you and straight way wheÌ„ he came a shore with a diuelish crueltie he did all to bewhip and beate her that it was very pitifull to beholde swearing that euery day he would so torment her till such time as her life and body did make their seperation and he hath all his Castle compassed round about with mightie strong and armed Knights and with them his two sonnes who doth kéep watch and ward for to defend the Castle for that they saye that the King of Mauritania doth followe and pursue them in a galley for to cléere and set at libertie this Lady This new Knight was very attentiue vnto the words which the countriman told him and although he spake in the Tuscan tongue yet he did vnderstand him for that he was broughte vp to vnderstand and speake all languages and thought verely that he with whom he had battaile in the galley was the King of Mruritania and thinking thereon it caused him to be more furious in his heart for that as you haue hearde he had the experience of his force and strength and thought by him he was ouercome and without saying anye word he followed on his way and did determine that if fortune did so fauour him to rescue and set at libertie this Ladie not for to let her passe till such time as the King did come in her demaund and if it were he with whom he had the battaile he would not deliuer her but with mortall battaile So trauailing with this thought the night came on it was so darke that he was constrained to seâ—ke some place to take his rest and laying himselfe downe vnder a mightie Pine trée he passed that night speaking a thousande blasphemies against the Gods Artemidoro declaring the acts and déeds of this Knight saith that he was the most furious in all the world and a very friend to aide and succour all those that could doo little for themselues and if he chaunced at any time to begin an enterprise that he could not wel compasse with double force he would prosecute it In such sort that many times he made resistaunce against inchantments for y t he had more strength and force than euer Knight or Giant had at any time before and did surmount very much his bretheren and Cousins He made no reckoning of loue in his youth by which he was iudged to be the Emperours sonne as in the third parte of this booke shall be tolde you So when y e morning was come this young Mars was not slothfull but arose vp and followed his iourney and his Page followed him with his helme he had not trauailed scarce halfe a mile when that he heard a pitifull lamentation of a woman who by reason of her great wéeping her voyce was very hoarce So he stayed to heare from whence that lamentable noyse should come and went towards that place whereas it was and saw a far off a high piller of stone out of the which there came foorthe a spoute of very faire and cléere water and thereat was bound a woman all naked her backe fastened to the piller and her armes backward imbracing the piller and there her handes fast bound Her skin was so faire and white that if it had not bene that he heard her lamentation he would haue iudged her to haue bene an image made artificially of Alabaster ioyned vnto the piller This warlike young Knight laced on his helme and came vnto the place whereas she was and when he saw her he thought verely that it was the Quéene of Mauritania of whom the countrey man told him and by reason of the coldnesse of the darke night and with her great lamentation and wéepings she was so full of sorow and affliction that she could scarce speake Likewise the Knightes heart so yerned at the sight of that vnhappie Lady that almost he could not looke on her for wéeping but with a sorrowfull sigh he sayd O cruell hands is it possible that there should remaine in you so much mischiefe that whereas there is â—o great beautie and fairenesse you should vse such basenes and villanie she doth more deserue to be beloued and serued then to
sharpe cutting sword raysed on high he discharged it with such excéeding force vpoÌ„ Bustrafo who receiued it vpon his shield that with y e great strength thereof it parted it in péeces and descended vpon his helme taking away with it all that it touched both of the harnesse flesh which fell together to the ground so that Bustrafo remained very sore hurt And when he sawe his owne bloud the battaile beganne a newe to kindle in such sort that in a very small time each of them were sore hurt in sundrie places wherout issued so much bloud that all y e hall was sprinkled therewith This fierce Bustrafo séeing himselfe so ill intreated his anger still more increased and gaue y e Sardenian such a blowe vnder the wast that it â—hewed his harde harnesse and parte of the swoorde was sheathed in the flesh wherewith he was very sore hurt so with the anguish and terrible paine that this Sardenian felt he gnashed his téeth together and with great furye he stroke at the head of Bustrafo who well knowing the waight of his blowes stepped a side which was the occasion that the whole force of the blowe could take no effect but with the poynt of his sword he cut him on the visor and it descended to his breast and so downwards insomuch that it diuided the harnesse and hurt him verye sore from toppe to toe by meanes of which wound he suffered great griefe especially being in the place where it was The déeds which in all this time chaunced vnto that valyant Rosicleer we will héere declare and leaue these two Giaunts with their perillous and well sought battaile till such time as occasion doo serue to to goe forwarde with the same You doo remember how that we lefte Rosicleer within his inchaunted boate sayling on the déepe seas vnder the protection of Neptune And so they trauailed for the space of fiue dayes and as many nights without séeing any thing but the starrie firmament and the furious waues of the sea with out knowing whether they did sayle In the sixt day of their nauigation they beheld comming towardes them another great Foyst who came with no lesse furie then their boate sayled and the course thereof was directed right with them So when they drewe nigh together the Foyst passed by so close that they might well sée and discouer who was therein and they perceiued within the same a damosell who séemed to be dead and by hir stoode a monstrous Giant and by the maste of the Foyst there was tyed a terrible Griffin which caused great feare in them that beheld it The Foyst made such great waye that Rosicleer hadde no time to leape into hir which caused him to be verye sorry and he was y e more inceÌ„sed for that he could not be throughly certified what this aduenture was and what the strangenesse thereof did signifie and with the anger that he hadde he began to curse all inchauntments and all them that vsed it but all this did profit him but little for that in a shorte time it sailed out of sight And looking about him he sawe two shippes which were in a great fight and very fiercely the one assaulted the other to whome the boate wherein the Prince was directed his waye with so swifte course that he almost had no time to put on his helme And with these two shippes was another boate which by the force of armes was brought in subiection and ouercome by y e other two shippes and all the people were slaine that was in her sauing a fewe which had withdrawen themselues into the poope of the barke for their defence amongst whome there was one of a verye great and excellent stature who with strong and mightie blowes caused all those that approached vnto the place where he was to withdraw themselues but by reason that they had bene very long in this battaile and that they had troubled him very much he could not choose but be very weake and wearie in such sort that if it had indured long he must néedes haue finished the sight with his death After that Rosicleer had well behelde and noted the great strength and fierce courage of the Knight it séemed vnto him to haue knowen him and viewing the deuice that hée hadde on his armour hée knewe that it was Zoylo the Tartarian and straight waie without anie more tarrying he leaped into the shippe and beganne to let them knowe the strength of his strong arme for in such sorte he besturred him that at the first blowe he cut off helme and head of one of his enimies and not being content with this he began againe to strike first on the one side and then on the other so that there was not one that was so hardie to abide his terrible blowes but when his aduersaryes sawe his furie there ioyned more then thirtie of them together pretending to assault him but amongst them there was one who séemed to bée the principall of them all sayde Returne you all backe againe and make an ende of that which weake and simple women would long since haue finished and let me alone with this knight that so rigorously doth behaue himselfe and with great furie he pressed forward and stroke the Prince such a blowe that hee made him astonyed but this miserable man little knewe that hée had to doo with the best Knight in the worlde for if he had he would neuer haue made resistaunce against him face to face And tourning to strike him once againe hée discouered the deuice that he had in his shéelde whereby he knew him and was verie much afraide of that which should succéede The Prince vnderstood by them that were in the shippe that this was he which did gouerne them he stroke such a blow at his right arme that he cut it cleane off so that arme and swoorde fell downe vpon the hatches of the shippe who séeing himselfe so ill intreated with a greate noise and pittifull shrike he entered in amongst his people and cryed for helpe and succour but all was in vaine for that the Nephew of Tiberio stroke him such another blow vpon the helme that he parted helme and head in two péeces so that he fell downe dead but when his companie sawe this they altogether fell vpon him with terrible furie thinking to make an ende of him but he receiued them in such order that quickly he made them to vnderstand the strength of his victorious arme for he neuer stroke blowe but either he slewe one or felled him to the grounde which was the occasion that their heartes fainted that not one of them which remained durst approch neuerthelesse they had so compassed him about that he could not neither on the one side nor on the other make anie waie for when he determined to put himselfe forwards one waie then the other began to laie on him behinde so that of necessitye hée was constrained in the end to set vpon them all at once
curtesie in the place he put himselfe at the Iust. So wheÌ„n signs were made they spurred theirâ—horses and made their incounter so strong that it was great griefe vnto him to put himselfe vpright again but the prince was caryed ouer his horse buttocks caryed the saddle with him betwixt his legges which was a great griefe vnto all them that dyd see him for that he was wel-beloued of them all This arrogant gyant was so encouraged so furyous that in a small tyme he left not a knight remaining in their saddles on horseback And being in this great pryde there was hard a great noyse and russhing in maner of a tumult in the place And loking what it should be they saw that it was the knight of the Damsells which entred who was armed with his riche and strong Armour all of Purple full of golden Starres And before him came the two Damsells which alwayes were in his company The Princes of Ierosolima caryed his shield the Princes of Mesopotamia his Speare Showing by his person the highnesse of his discent Who passed by the royal seat wheras the good King was in whose company was his sonne the prince armed with very rich armour also the lord of mount Libano a very auncient knight and of great authoritie So on the other side was the princes the daughter of the King of Nabatea who was the bryde a very fayre and comely gentlewoman and with her the Dutches of the valley and her Daughter And behinde them was the Earle of the déepe Lake who was still very weake of the passed battaile and was richly apparelled with blew cloth of Gold And as this knight passed by the knight arose vp and showed him courtesie The Dutches of the Ualley could not refraine hir selfe but that with a high voyce she sayd vnto the King Mightie king this is the knight in whom the gods hath put all their power strength that his valour may be more then theirs This warlike knight although he heard very well what the Dutches had sayde passed on and descembled as though he had hard nothing And when he came to the Iust he toke his shylde and his speare and prepared himselfe redy to the Iust. So strayght wayes being in a readinesse they sowned the Trumpets where at which great fury they moued their Coursers neither of them missed theyr blow at theyr incounter but by reason that the Gréeke had great good will to extol his fame he stroke the gyant so mightie a blow that he ouerthrew him to the ground So the prince passed alongest w t great magestie without any show of disdaine The people with a great shout sayde The great mightie royal Agilao is ouerthrowen to the ground so that his mightie strength hath little auailed him Then the prince of Fenicia would proue his aduenture with the Greke but with great ease he was turned to the ground So all the rest of y e knights that were of any estimation made their Iust but they were all w t great ease ouerthrowen to the ground in lesse then the space of two houres So at such time as the bright Febus would make an ende of his long iourney there apeared to enter in to the place the braue and mightie Gyant brother vnto the king of Silicia w t a mightie great speare in his hand whose glystering poynt of Steele showed through all the field He brought with him but one only squyer which brought with him another speare and without any care of courtesie due he put himselfe into the place And y e Squire which brought his other Speare went vnto Claridiano sayd Knight yonder valiant gyant doth send vnto thée this Speare and willeth thée that thou dost procure to doo the vttermost of thy power before that the Sunne doth set for that he will doo the like likewise he saith that he doth not only defie thée in the Iust but also to mortall battaile To whom Claridiano said Friend go thy waies tell this giant y t sent thee y t I doe accept his demaund although it doth gréeue me verie much for that without anie occasion he maketh this defiance in time of so great ioy and pleasure which is done in the honour of so mightie a king but séeing his will is moued with so great pride tell him y t I am readie to make my defence also y e shortly he shall repent him of this enterprise in saying these words he tooke the speare of y e squire put himself in y e standing at y e time he was verie nigh y e place where the king was who heard y e answere which y e Gréeke made for y t which he receiued great anger for y t the Giant in such sort shuld defie y e Knight w tout any occasion but it was no time as then to speake but to hold his peace prayed vnto his Gods for to take away his great pride and arrogancie At this time the two warriours tarryed the signe to be made by the trumpets which being giuen these Knights mooued their coursers with their speares in their rests with so great yre and desire the one to hurt the other that they both fayled in theyr incounter The Giant who was verye proude when he saw that he had erred his blow he returned against Claridiano carrieng his speare vppon his shoulder and comming nigh him vpon a sodaine and with great fury he tooke it from his shoulder and before the Gréeke could cléere him selfe he strake him a mightie blow vpon the armour so that his staffe broke by reason of the finenesse of the armour and made the good warriour to double his body backwards vppon the Horse crupper But when he saw the great villany which the Giaunt vsed with him his anger increased verye much taking his speare in the same sort he went towards the Giant and sayd Thou furious and proude beast what didst thou thinke to goare me lyke as thou wouldest doo a wilde Boare tarrie and I will make thée to vnderstand if I can make my knottie speare to flye in the aire and therewith he threw his speare at him with so great furie that he stroke him on the breast in such sort that the speare passed through his body and showed it selfe at his backe so that this Giant fell downe dead to the ground and all that were there present were very much amazed at the great-strength and force of this Knight At this time the Sunne had finished his course hauing nothing aboue the Horizon but his glistering beames then the Iudges of the feastes commaunded with sound of trumpets that the Iusts should cease make an ende of the day So the King descended from the place where he was into the Court with all his Knights for to receiue â—hat good warriour and desired him that he wold go with them vnto his pallaice to y e which he could not make deniall And when he should enter
alone I am verye well content sayd the King the which he spake with a great deale more meekenesse than his greate pride did giue him license or could suffer and all to see him within the castle for that he was perswaded with himselfe that if he were once within there were not in all the world one Knight that could ouercome him neither make any resistaunce against his power So Rosicleer commaunded that the gate might be open whereat the Giaunt entred and also his great Elephant When the King was entred the Troyan had great care and diligence to shut the gate again whom when the King knew the more was his griefe but w t the great anger that he had he made no stay till such time as he came into the great Court and there he mounted vppon his furious and great beast and Argolio brought vnto his Lord his horse and without profiting himselfe of the stirrop he leped into the saddle So when he was on horse back he layd hand on his sword and the Gyant on his great cutting fauchon either of them assaulted the other w t mortal blowes Héere it is requisit necessary to leaue these two warriors in their battell till time shal serue and I will tell you of the Emperour of Trapisond the great and mightie Alfebo who as you haue heard when he vnderstood how y â— proud Brufaldoro without all feare of his Epitaph had armed himselfe w t the armor of Bramarant he was straight taken in two extremities y e one for to accomplish y t which he had promised and the other for y t he would not leaue his Emperiall Empire but calling to remembrance how y t the Empres had a great delight in hunting one morning betimes before that they did arise he sayd My Lady Empres it is not vnknowen vnto you the dutie we owe vnto our noble courages and howe much we are bounde by our high estates to maintaine our foregotten honor y t which with great losse of our bloud and sweatings of our bodies we haue obtained And this is of a certaintie that he is more to be commended y t doth sustaine that which he hath gotten then he which now doth win it although y e fortune doth fauor him for many times when a man is in y e top of his highnes he graÌ„teth things y t although he be in the best of his quietnes rest taking his case yet he is bound to accomplish performe his promise It is wel knowen that y e armor of Bramaâ—ant was put for a Tropheo or memorie vpon a high and mightie Pine trée with an Epitaph written in the which my brother did promise giue his word to make defence against whosoeuer woulde take them away and I likewise did make the same promise It is come now vnto my knowledge that a Moore with his bolde courage hath not only made little accompt of that which we haue promised but also with the force of his arme he hath slaine my verye great friende Zoylo the Prince of Tartaria for the which I am bound to séeke out this Moore for that I cannot say against the will of my brother this is my pretence my good Lady and Empres and I would be very glad that it might be with your good will The Empresse who was very attentiue vnto y e words which y e Emperour Alfebo had spoken she sayd My Lord and Emperour from the first time that I heard these newes which you now speake off I did imagine that which now I haue heard and I cannot denie that in séeing my selfe without you it will be welnéere my death for that the heart with the which I doo sustaine my life will be absent but for all that considering that it is a thing that doth concerne your honour I will rather suffer the death in your absence then disturbe you in that which you are so much bound to fulfill Therefore you may ordayne your departure when your pleasure is and I doo desire you that your returne may be with as much breuitie as maye be and carrye with you in your companye the King Bramidoro The Emperour finding the aunswere of the Empresse so much to his contentment he imbraced and kissed her with great loue and straight he arose and procured to put in order his departure And arming himselfe with the armour of Meridia and mounted vpon his great horse he commaunded to call the King for to make himselfe ready to beare him coÌ„pany at the which he receiued great delight and being in a readinesse there was brought vnto him an Elephant vppon the which he mounted And so taking his leaue of his vassailes and subiects the Emperour gaue them great charge to haue respect of obedience vnto their naturall Lady Then the Emperour and Bramidoro departed from the Citie tooke with them in their company but one young gentleman who was sonne vnto the Duke gf Alafonte whose name was called Victorando and he was of a very good disposition so they trauailed sixe dayes without finding anye aduenture worth the telling but the seuenth day they chaunced into a great Forrest full of meruailous mightie and thicke Trées and by reason that the way was very narrow and not much vsed they strayed and lost their right way vnawares they were so inclosed amongst y e trées and bushes that they could not by any meanes finde where they had lost their way So all the rest of the day they did no other thing but ride héere and there in the Forrest amongst the trées but it was greate ease vnto them for that the wildernes was very plain grouÌ„d although full of trees The night came so vpoÌ„ them that they were constrained to alight from their horses and amongest those trees did eat of such victuals as VictoraÌ„do had brought with him and the Emperour and the King did passe y e time in such communication as they thought best to their coÌ„tentment In this order they passed the time till sleepe came vppon them whereas they rested till next morning the which beeing come the Emperour mounted vpon his horse and the King vpon his Elephant and they returned to seeke the way and going this way and that way to see if they could happen on the way which shuld carie them out of that Forrest they haâ—â—â—ed to come vnto a little mountayne all of harde stone in the which was a great caue and thether they went and alighting from their horses they entred into the caue found that on the one part it was fall of â—aye and vpon the walls was haÌ„ged many quarters of veÌ„â—on of other wilde beasts found no other thing at all therewith they returned out againe went vnto the top of that rocke ouer the caue looked about them on euerie side to see if there were any person thereabouts but they could see no body Then the King Bramidoro sayd it shall be good seeing that we haue flesh
valiaunt Tartarian yeelded béeing distressed betwéene lyfe and death was ouerheard by noble Rosicleer who by chaunce pursuing him and his brother repaired to that place where the Moore lay wallowing aiming very well by his sorrowfull sighes that he indured heapes of passions rained his horse towards that way where hée heard so shrill these gronings and staieng a while to heare his pitiful complaints laid himselfe squat vpon y e ground not far froÌ„ whence y e dead pagan lay imbrued in his blood And wondering howe so déepe a riuer might chaunge his coulour by the losse of the bloud of one man began to tossâ— the dead corpes vp and downe presuming in himselfe that rather the passion of the minde or the weight of his armor then anie deadly blowe that he had receiued had brought him to this extremitie In the end séeing his visage so besmeared with bloud as he coulde not trulye gesse what Knight hée might bée insomuch as he neuer sawe him but in his Beauer Héerevppon hée wondred greatly partlye to sée that this Knight was so strong timbered but principally to sée his sterne and sowre countenaunce And by as much as he could gather by his foresayde complaints he imagined him to be the executioner of his owne bodie He pausing somwhat in a mase in viewing this lamentable slaughter of Bramarant without moouing his eyes either one waie or other vntill in the ende he looked vp béeing greatly afflicted in his minde and déeply sighing cast his eies that waie where the Moore his armour laie strawed as you haue alreadie hearde and séeing them to be so greate and strong he went about for to péece and lay them all in order which thing being done he knew by the deuice ingraued in them that this was Bramaraunt the More which lay thus murthered His stout heart coulde not brooke this sorrowfull Sacrifice but in considering of the miserable ende which did befall vppon this Tartarian he coulde not but shedde from his eyes some trickeling teares saying O wretched worlde what booteth so much the mightie limmes and excéeding forces of any man when as thou with thy smooth and flattering face doest drawe them at last that follow thy course to such a wretched end and at the pinch of all their pangs thou forsakest them O Bramarant Bramarant whose forces did resist the mightie Grecian armie the incomperable strength of my brother the tried knight of the Sunne and hast not had power to suppresse thine owne outragious passions Alasse thy valour and noble courage did require naye rather deserue more glorie and more guerdon then this Thy strong and fast knit members did merit to be entombed in a more rich Sepulchre then in this weat and small sandes and God knowes neuer deserued to be a pluming stocke to the rauenous Fowles of the ayre What did mooue thée O most vnhappie amongst all men to make thy angrie arme bereaue thée of thine owne lyfe It coulde bée nothing else I am sure but thy surpassing great pride What did moue thée to this vntimely death as it well may be tearmed sith thy fortune hath beene such I will not suffer thy bodye to bee pulled in fitters with hungrie beastes and rauenous Harpies neither will I sée thine armour dispearsed in such sort without bestowing vppon thée the due desert of honour which are sufficient witnesses of the sacrifice of thine owne bodie and a testimonie of that which thou diddest offer vp to thy Gods by sprinkling the pleasaunt â—ieldes and greene grasse with such a crimsin coulour And after hauing thus pittifully bewayled the Moore hée tooke his helmet and pulling out the murthering dagger which was nailed close to the hiltes in his bodie he digged a déep graue therewith wherein was interâ—ed the miserable bodye of the vnfortunate Tartarian Likewise he did hang the armour vpon a verie faire and high Pine apple tree which was néere vnto his graue and with the point of his Daggar did ingraue this Epitaph in the rinde of the Tree This Pine with stretched armes oreshades a valiant knight Whose bodie heere interred lieâ— and Bramarant he hight In strength and feates of armes he most men did surpasse A Pagan borne his natiue soile and land Tartaria was His owne right hand a wofull case himselfe did slay And reÌ„t his heart which neuer was subdude before that day Trebatios sonne first there this mightie More hath found Twixt life and death and with his hands ingrau'de him in this ground A Monument too base vnfitting his degree Whose bloud acts in tombe of gold interd deserud to be In this faire growing pine for honour of his name He did ingraue these lines to be a record of his fame And placed his armour heere forbidding anie Knight To take it hence vnlesse he be as stout as he in fight And who so shall it weare must warres continue still With Grecian Lordes as Bramarant did this standeth for my will Nowe hauing finished this péece of worke he sayde Pardon mee valiaunt Moore I beseech thee because at this time in this place I do not attribute so much honour to thée as thou deseruest yet I doo promise thée by the faith of a Christian knight to fulfill euerie point in this Epitaph I esteeme so much though it bée done with the losse of my lyfe And to make the more assuraunce of this my promise I vowe that no yeare shall passe but thaâ— I will come to visite thy Sepulchre to see and knowe who hath beene so hardie and ventrous as to thinke himselfe worthie to carrie away thy heroycall armour And in speaking these and such other lyke wordes hée did not forget to mingle them with some trickling teares his couragious heart was so tormented in meditating of the lamentable ende of this desperate More Hauing finished his talke and trauaile without longer abode he mounted vpon his coursâ—r and directed himselfe thorough the thickest of the Wood determining alwayes to accomplish y t which he promised although it did import so much in it as the weight of his life as you shall perceiue héereafter This valiaunt knight continued not without greate griefe of minde in remembring the order of y e death of Bramarant which did continually occupie his memorie And as he went thus drowned in suddeâ— of sorrowe he knew not neither cared he which way his horse did carrie him vntill the darknesse of the night surprised him so that hée coulde not passe anie further wherefore hée was constrayned to light from his horse to walke on foote and to remaine in that place all Night wherefore hée vnbrideled his horse and gaue him libertie to féede on the swéete grasse whereof he had great néede hauing endured much trauell before He likewise vnlaced his helmet and laying it vnder his head in steed of a pillow being a course bolster for an Emperours sonne rested his werie lims vpon y e gréene medowe And thus beeing alone and solitarie he could not suspend the remembraunce of
conference it hath not bene for any conceiued feare but the onely griefe of my conscience which is not a little afflicted with sorrowe to sée so worthy a personage as thou art so impiously to lead thy life admonishing thée friendlye to forsake thy former wickednesse and to reuoke the abhominable sentence of thy frowarde will séeing I haue both answered thy demaund thou vnderstandest my desire I would faine be certified whether thou wilt accepte mée for thy friend or defie me as thy foe that either by thy subuersion we may fauourably conclude or by thy persisting procéede to the combat for although for thy sake I chiefly wish for peace yet for mine owne part I am indifferent Great is the ioye aunswered the Giant that I conceiue at the sight of thée whose worthinesse is so much wondred at throughout the world and to the ende I may both trye thy famous strength and thou feele my renowmed force I accept y e battaile with this condition that if by thée I be now vanquished I will not onely in my armour blaze forth the honour of my conquerour but for euer héerafter I wil submit my selfe willingly to thy commaundement and if my Fortune be so friendly that I subdue thée thou shalt in satisfactioÌ„ leaue vnto me the thing thou most likest which is my life aunswered this noble Prince as a due rewarde for my weakenesse That were much more then I would willingly request replyed the Giant but if which indéede is doubtfull thou escape my handes thy horse shall suffice me if likewise hée féele not my furie in that as I suppose he is of so singular properties If thou obtaine the victorie aunswered the Prince I promise thée my horse which I will héere in safeâ—ye leaue both for that if thou winne him thou shalt be sure to inioy him and also for that I neuer vse in anye battell to fight with aduantage Wherewith with no lesse agilitie then courage he lefte the saddle and drawing out his sword couragiously he sayd Giant prepare for thy defence for beholde me readie to beginne the fight and therewithall hée gaue him so furious an ouerthwart blowe vppon the waste that the sparkes of fire fell burning to the grounde and the strength of the stroke constrained the Giant to stagger side-warde thrée or foure steppes deceiuing him for that time of the daungerous blowe which with his peysaunt clubbe he had prouided to indaunger the Prince But when he felte this course intertainment his cholar double increasing hée lyghtlye recouered and lifting his clubbe aboue his head he determined to repaye the Prince with such vnresonable interest that at that one blowe hée woulde ende the battayle which in déede if in the descending it hadde lighted on the Gréeke it hadde not a little indaungered him But the noble Prnce béeing of no lesse prowesse then experience and nothing vnacquainted with such skirmishes hauing an eye to the maine by the nimblenesse of his bodie made waye for the blowe which without harming him fell to the grounde with such terrible furye that it caused a resounding Eccho in the woodes and mountaynes there adioyning The valyaunt Knight of the Sunne greatlye misliking so monstrous a weapon as that â—lubbe was determined with as much spéede as possiblye he might to delyuer himselfe from the daunger thereof and before the Gyaunt coulde recouer another blowe with the same he strake againe at his handes with so great force and incredible furie that he cut his heauie clubbe a sunder and moreouer if he had followed his blowe both clubbe and handes had â—allen to the ground Then when the Giant remained with no more then a yeard of his club in his hand much meruailing thereat he threw the rest at him with such rage that it whisteled in the ayre but the knight perceiuing the tronchoâ— to approch stepped aside and let it passe by and closing with him with the strength of his Herculine arme he stroke him such a blowe vpon the thigh that the harnesse brake all to péeces although they were excéeding strong and wounded him vppon the thigh which wounde although it were not much yet the aboundaunce of bloud that ranne from it did greatly trouble him The Giant séeing himselfe so ill intreated with a wonderfull and outragious furie gaue terrible fearfull shrikes and out of his helmet issued foorth a thicke smoake and therewith he drew out his huge broadâ— swoord and shrouded himselfe vnder his strong shéelde and began with great furie to redouble his strokes vppon the knight the which the noble Prince with greate nimblenesse defended him from Now héere began y e brauest best fought battaile that euer was séene betwéene two knightes there might you beholde the whole strength and valiantnesse of giants there might you perceiue all the prowesse of knighthood with euery policy vsed in armes ther might you sée how these two knights pressed one vpon another and procured one to hurt another and also to warde the cruell blowes y t the one bestowed on the other there might you view the sparks of fire like lightening flash from their terrible strokes and the péeces of harnesse flying in the aire hauing no compassion the one of the others paines but each one séeking to haue the vauntage of his enimie trauesing grounde from one place to another that it was right wonderfull to beholde and howe lyke two ramping Lyons they endured for the space of two houres without receiuing anie rest neither could it be perceiued that anie of them both did faint but rather the longer they fought the more their furie kindled and their strength augmented of the which the Gyant much meruailed and féeling the great force of his aduersarie which was before him was not a little amazed but that which most gréeued him was that he could not fasten one blowe to his contentment vpon his enimie for which cause hée beganne to exclaime agaynst his Gods but especiallye agaynst Mars for thaâ— hée was perswaded that hée was descended from Heauen to make that combat with him whereby to worke his destruction And therewith his furie double increasing with an infernall anger he multiplied his blowes with so great hast and strength that he caused the Gréeke to bestur himselfe from one place to another to make his defence but he as one which was not idle but by these means the more inflamed letting slip the bridle of all patience his valiant heroycall courage double increased and his strength lightnesse did surmount in such sort that vnder his harnesse in more then ten places he hurt the Giaunt and although the wounds were not great yet the bloud that issued out was very much Then the Giant séeing himselfe in such a pickle threw his shielde from him to the ground and with both his handes tooke his great cutting sword heauing it aloft he let it fall with such wonderfull furie that it was verye straunge to beholde But this politike Prince séeing on
that I might enioye thy friendship Then the valiant Knight of the Sunne did cut off their talke to the ende he might declare vnto them all that happened with the other Giaunt Which when Tefereo heard he was sore abashed and with great sobrietie he saide Well séeing it is so that the flower of all Knighthood and the glorie of armes is possessed by you and your kinred I vowe that from this daye forwards I will not remain any longer my owne but nominate my selfe as onely yours and in deliuering these spéeches in the best manner be might he arose vp from the ground and with great loue imbraced them both And after salutations ended they entered altogether into the Pallaice whereas they remained all y â— night for to repose themselues considering the greate trauaile and paine which they had passed The next day in the morning although they hadde more néede to haue taken greater rest yet there altogether they mounted on their horse backs and tooke the way that lead them to Saragosa pretending to enter within the Citie and there with all humilite to craue pardon for all the iniurie that was past but their trauayle was all in vaine for that before time they of the towne hauing had sufficient triall of Tefereos crueltie would not by any meanes open the gates alwayes beleeuing the lamentable spectacle before their eyes and therefore fearing that they would deceiue them So that when these noble knights perceiued it was labour lost to stand long in contention these people though then causelesse being so incredible they returned backe againe towards the Castle and all the way they went being almost by the sea side these two Cousins sawe their ship comming towardes them in great hast and staieng their horses they saw that she was fast at y e waters side The knight of the Sunne perceiuing well that hir comming thether was for no other cause but to inuite them to come aboord hir which Eleno and Tefereo condescending vnto they presently did and sent word by a page of Tefereos to commaund all those of Sardenna that they should set at libertie all the Countrie and without farther delaye retourne vnto their owne houses These worthie Knights were no sooner entred into their Shippe but she beganne presentlye to spread her Sayles and shoouing from shoare in great hast shée launched in to the maine Sea wherein with prosperous windes they sailed two dayes but the thirde daye verie earlye in the morning they discouered a Galley gouerned with sixe Oares on a side which came rowing towardes them and béeing ioyned together they behelde that ther was in the same a verie faire Ladie whose haire of hir head was dispersed abroad and hir selfe very ill intreated by an vncourteous Knight This sad and distressed Lady with a sorrowfull voyce and pitifull lamentation cryed out for succour vnto the heauens at whose complaintes and vncourteous handling these Princes receiued great anger The valiant Dacian Don Eleno being in all poyntes prepared to fight layd fast holde on his sword and with great lightnesse leaped into the galley into the which he was not so soone entered but that these two vessells were loose and voyded the one from the other so that not one of his other friends had time to followe him the swiftnesse was such in the departure that in a small time either of them lost the sight of the other By reason of many accidents which are to be accounted in this historie it is conuenient I imitate the good musition who to content all those which attend to heare his melodie chaungeth into many tunes therefore now we will leaue these thrée knights and retourne vnto the Emperour to declare such things as chaunced in his Court. ¶ By what aduenture Floramonte was deliuered from the perill he was in and how the Princesse Claridiana was deliuered of childe and howe shee was comforted in all hir trouble by the wise Artemidoro Chapter 8. WIth great ioye and contentment departed the Pagans that carryed away the Inâ—ant Floramonte vnderstanding that Fortune hadde greatly fauoured them to bestowe on them so good a price Wherefore with great hast they got themselues to the Sea Wherein they had not trauayled long but that vppon a sodaine they discouered a shippe which was comming towards them all blacke and out of it procéeded verie fearefull and wonderfull lightenings accompanied lykewise with terrible Thunder seeming by the force thereof that the heauen opened and when the shippe drew nigh vnto the Gallie of the Pagans it was presently couered with the thicke and terrible lightenings in such sort that it depriued all them that were therein of their sight and with the great feare that they receiued they fell flat downe vppon the floore in the Gallie And when they came againe to themselues they looked about to sée if they coulde perceiue what it should be And then they coulde not finde the infant Floramonte for whose losse they lamented greatly You shall vnderstand that the wise Lyrgandeo by his learning had deliuered the infant from them to kéepe him close and in secret for that he vnderstood by his art of y e great warres that was pretended and made redie for in Grecia in the which warres shoulde be slaine the flower of all knighthoode and that it should be in greate daunger to be lost and vtterly destroied Also he did comprehend by his learning to knowe how this infant and one other that was then begotten but not yet borne should be the greatest help chiefe of this victorie comming by chaunce to the end of the conquest likewise he did knowe that if this childe should at anie time before this aduenture vse armour that he should be put in great perill of death This was the onely occasion that hée set him at libertie as you haue heard and did inchaunt him in such sorte that none other could cléere him of it but onely he which should be his companion and aide in the greate necessitie of these warres which was the sonne of the heroicall knight of the Sunne and of the Empresse Claridiana of whome thou shalt heare héereafter Thus this wise Lyrgandeo hauing deliuered this childe that none in all the Court knewe of it retourned thether againe and from that daye forwardes kept it secrete to himselfe not suffering anie to vnderstande thereof nor of anie other thing that hée foreknew in his heart by learning All those of the Court were verye sadde for that the Emperour was so sorrowfull forasmuch as hée coulde heare no newes of his sonnes as I haue before tolde you determined after hée hadde ended the hunting to retourne backe againe to the Citie And in the way as they shuld go they discouered comming towardes them a Wagon which did represent much dolor and this was that which Rosicleer did finde and there they remained to sée what it shoulde bée and when the Wagon drewe néere where the Emperour was they lyfted vp a cloth wherewith the wagon was
Gods is it possible that your deitie doth consent that alonely one man is so hardie couragious to enter into the field with me Emperour take to thée one hundreth of y e best knights y u hast about thée come for altogether I wil cut you in peeces for y t my gods will not permit y t he in whoÌ„ al their power consisteth shuld haue battel w t one knight in saying these words he did shew the great pride y t rested in his heart Héere you may iudge in what perplexitie y e Empresse and all her Ladies were in to sée so ill fauoured a monster before them I promise you they were all in a manner without remembraunce and cleane beside themselues but Claridiana neuer moued hir countenaunce but was verye quiet In this meane time while the Emperour was arming him selfe with as greate hast as he might the fierce Gyaunt which burned in anger thought that the Emperour tarryed verie long and sayd What doest thou Emperour why doest thou not cause thy knightes to arme themselues as I haue willed thée for that both of thy selfe them I pretend â—o end the weake dayes and in saying these wordes he went vnto the place whereas the Emperour was arming himselfe there the Empresse Claridiana put her selfe before him and stroke the Gyant such a blow on the breast with both her hands w t so great anger that she made him to withdrawe backwards and in the end was forced to fall and she sayd Thou diuellish beast what thinkest thou in thy heart to doe and what is thy pretended purpose and séeing the gyant in so great furie she cried out and sayde Oh holie God deliuer these thy knightes from all euill for he arose vp with such ire from y e ground that a great mountaine had not ben able to make anie resistance against him if it had not happened that in the same extremitie there entred into the hall that gentle valiant giant y e king of Sardenia who vnderstaÌ„ding y e contempt of y e other gyant how much he had misused y e emperor with his proud spéeches in the hall he was very greatly incensed y t the emperour shuld vnderstand y e great loue y t he bare vnto his sonne y e knight of y e Sun like a furious lyon he attempted the battell before the Emperour could be ready to make y â— assault lifting vp a great club which he had in his hand hee said O thou foule dissignred monster far more proud theÌ„ apperteineth to y e order of knighthood first before thou approuest thy strength with anie other thou shalt féele the force of me The great disdaine that was in this gyant whose name was Bustâ—afo argâ—â—â— y t he lâ—tle estéemed y e other but w tout replying any answere they began to flourish with their great mightie Mases that the greate noise of the Emperour neyther the shrikes of the Empresse and her Ladies woulde suffice to make them withdrawe themselues y e one from the other but terribly they let fall their heauie and mightie blowes one vpon another that their strong helmes were brused they inclined their heads vnto their breasts So then there began a cruell and mortall battell one of the most terriblest in the world for the strength of their blowes were so outragious that with the least blowe they gaue it was thought that the great hall would haue fallen downe The Empresse and her Ladies what with the great griefe they had and againe with the excéeding heate that began in the hall withdrew themselues into their Closettes and Chambers and likewise the knights that were present departed and left them alone in y e hall sauing the Emperour onelye remained at the doore to keepe the entrie y t none shâ—uld either goe in or out who was very well armed And Brandimardo and Claueryndo were with the Empresse Claridiana beholding this cruell battell not knowing who this great Gyaunt was that trauailed so much for the honour of the Emperour and his sonnes In all this time these Gyaunts had no other care but in brusing mangling one anothers flesh with so greate strength y t whosoeuer beheld them meruailed at their fiercenesse and without doubt all the furious rage of Gyaunts consisted in those two as it did appeare by the terrible and outragious strokes that they bestowed betwéene them for w t the great strength and the sound thereof the whole pallace did not onely shake but also the whole Citie in this sort they continued a greate while without taking anie breath and all the floore of the hall was full of hoales with the heauie blowes that had scaped by Thus they long continued without knowledge of anie masterie betwéen them but still they procured the one to indamage the other and to be reuenged one of another with so greate rage and in such sort that they séemed rather to bée rash and vnreasonable Gyauntes then expert and valiaunt knightes and in this their great furie they both lifted vp theyr great and heauie clubs in such sort that their blowes met and discharged together with such surpassing strength that the club of the King of Sardenna was parted in twain but the mace of Bustrafo discharged vpon the other although almost in vaine for that it had lost the former furie by reason of the first encounter neuerthelesse it made his healme to sound as an anfielde when it is stroken on with a hammer Then this king séeing he had such an aduersary thought it not good to vse delay but with great hast he drewe his sword and at such time as Bustrafo turned the second blow he could by no meanes shun or apart himselfe from it but bare it off with his sword and the fall of the blowe was such that the mace was cut cleane a sunder and the great end rolled on the flower in the hall Bustrafo seeing himselfe dispossest of his heauie mace threw the tronchon which remained in his hand at the King of Sardenna who receiued it vppon his shielde but the strength of it was so vnmeasurable that it glaunced on his shield and flewe vpright to the top of the hall and the king retired back thrée or foure steps so that it was a wonder he fell not to the ground In this time Bustrafo had space to draw his sword and to shrowde himselfe vnder his shield Nowe there began a new a more cruell and rigorous combat betwéene them then at the first for Bustrafo at his first blow stroke the King vpon y e shield and parted it in two péeces and with an infernall furie it descended on his helme and hurt his head but y e wound was not very great yet the blow rested not but glauncing on the harnesse fell to the ground whereas it made a great hoale but in the meane time this newe conuerted King was not idle neither did his aduersarie escape his paiment for the blowe past but hauing his
receiue some of his terrible blowes and his swiftnesse was such in rising into the ayre and falling downe that hée coulde not fasten one blow on him with his swoorde but he did hurt the Emperour with his clawes sometimes on the armes and sometimes on the healme but yet coulde he neuer haue anie fast holde on him to doo him harme for that he neuer stoode still but moouing héere and there shunning his blowes euen as a furious Lyon who in the time of sléepe is molested and troubled with small beasts créeping on him in all places which he féeling with his mouth snappeth héere and there on euerie parte rounde about so long til in y e end being throughly inceÌ„sed at once they paie for all the iniuries that they did him euen so this valiaunt Emperour vsed himselfe with this terrible Griffon flourishing with his swoorde round about on euerie side awaiting opportunitie at one time to requite him for all the sorrowe that hée did him but in the ende séeing that it did little profit him in dooing this he sodeinly bethought him of another remedie which was to kneele downe with one of his knees on the grounde that when the Griffin shoulde descend more lower to hurt the Emperour that then with as great lightnesse as he coulde he woulde rise vp and with more ease strike him which he presently did put in practise So this terrible Griffon descended downe and with one of his sharpe clawes he clasped fast holde on the Emperours healme Then the Emperour seeing this fierce Griffon now to descend down more lower then he did before at other times he thought it not good to be idle at anie time but with exceeding greate lightnesse he arose vp and carryed his swoord right vp with the point and by reason that heâ— was fast with his clawes vpon the helme hée could not loose himselfe so quickly but that the Emperour did hurt him in such sorte that he thrust all his swoord into his bellie And when the Griffin felt himselfe so sore hurt he pulled with so great strength that if the helme had not left his head he had pulled the Emperour vp into the aire with him which wold not haue fallen out well with him but God was so pleased that in that time the lases with the which it was made fast brake This Griffin féeling himselfe pearced with this mortall wound cut through the aire as a whirlwind with great and terrible shrikes but straight hée fell downe dead to the earth for that the wounde reached vnto his heart The Giaunt when he behelde his Griffin to be dead made no more a doo but entred into the castle to arme himselfe the which the Emperour well perceiued which made him to make spéede to fetch his shéeld whereas this infernal birde had let it fall So not long after this gyant came forth al armed with armour of a boyled skinne with a great club full of knots in his hande saying with a hoarse and terrible voice Doe not thinke thou knight of the Diuell for all that thou hast slaine the kéeper of my Castell that the entering is anie whit the more at thy commaundement and héereof thou maist be sure whereat the Emperour answered neuer a word but rather inuited him to battel they ioyned together like two furious tygers hauing their defence in their hands burning with great fury the one against the other Then they thrust themselues forwardes with meruailous force and spéede one against another discharging their great and mightie blowes that it was wonderfull to beholde But the Emperour did not determine to receiue the blowes of his enimie fullie and whole but rather procured that he shoulde discharge them in vaine and so hée did for the Gyaunt lift vp his greate and huge clubbe to strike him therewith a maruailous and mightie blowe which when the Emperour perceiued it to descend he stepped a side w t so great lightnesse that it séemed to be wonderfull in such sort that his clubbâ— fell downe to the ground without doing anie harme Then this valiaunt warriour before the Gyaunt had time to recouer and lift vp his heauie club againe stroke him on both his armes such a terrible and furious blow that he cut them both off and they fell to the ground When the Gyant sawe himselfe so sore arayed like a rauening Woulfe he ranne to him and would haue imbraced him but the Emperour with his accustomed knighthoode gaue a thrust at his breast that by the great strength thereof he thrust his swoorde cleane through his bodie so that the point came out at his backe almost the halfe swoord wherewith this Gyant gaue so great a fall to the earth that it séemed a whole Towre had tumbled downe When the Emperour sawe this good successe he had against his enimies and in so short time hee knéeled downe vpon his knées and gaue thankes vnto our Lord Iesu Christ for the victorie in ouercomming two such infernal monsters as they were The faire Ladie séeing the Emperour in battaile with so diuellish a monster ranne and fetched his helme which the Griffon had carried awaie brought it vnto him with all the spéede that might be The Emperour who perceiued the great care which this Ladie had and the diligence she vsed to helpe him in so great néede he gaue her heartie thankes and tooke his helme and put it on his head and made it fast and when he saw that there was none to disâ—urbe him of his entering into the Castell he went vnto the doore whereas he found the Gyaunt lying along at the thresholde and entered in thereat and lead this faire Ladie with him by the hande for that shée woulde neuer leaue him and so they entered in at the Castle gates without finding anie to disturbe them and passed on till they came vnto a faire large and great hall whereas by certaine windowes verie subtilly deuised from the toppe thereof they receiued light and in the middest thereof was a stately bedde adorned all with blacke clothes and vppon the bedde was the perfect figure of that Image of Christall which they sawe in the middest of the high waye The Emperour could not by anie manner of meanes refraine from shedding of some sorrowfull teares in séeing before him so lamentable a spectacle and to thinke that so greate crueltie shoulde be shewed vnto a womaÌ„ of such beauâ—ie This pittiful Emperour had great compassion when he saw first the counterfait of this tormented creature but much more without all comparison his sorrowfull heart lamented when hee beheld the naturall bodie for that all her flesh séemed to be christalline stones by the greate whitenesse and beautie it had shée had all her legges spoiled with the torments of cordes and all her bodie wounded with whippings and that cruell and strâ—ngâ—ing to well about her necke The Emperour was a greate while in greeuous contemplation in beholding of this lamentable sighâ— as I haue tolde you and with him was
sound like a bell and he without anie remembraunce fell downe backwards vppon his horse crouper the blowe was so terrible and deliuered with so greate strength that the bloud started out both at his eies and at his nose And as the Emperour would haue turned to haue stroken him againe he heard one with a great noise that called aloude and sayd Stand still vile knight and hold thy hands except thou wilt die the death The Emperour lifting vp his head to see who it was that with so great arrogancie threatned him beheld another Giant which descended downe from the Castell of a greater stature and séeming to be of more strength and furie then the other two which by reason of his greatnesse was faine to goe on foote for that there was no horse able to beare him When the Emperour sawe a thing so monstrous comming towards him he said with an angry voice Cursed he that euill and diuellish generation from whence such monsters doth procéede if it please God I will doe my best to abate this thy courage and in this time the Gyaunt was come to himselfe and rose vp againe and was prepared against the Emperour who seeing him so nigh with purpose to strike him tooke the aduauntage and stroke first with such an ouerthwart blowe that by the force therof it cut his throate necke and all so that the head fell downe to the earth and the bodie also like the corner of a great castell This other Gyant seeing his brother dead in such sort cryed out reuiling his Gods and with blaspheming of all creatures hee descended downe the hill and drew out his huge and mightie sworde pressing towards the Emperour with such furie as commonly the fierce Lyon doth after his praie which béeing wel perceiued by the Emperour he auoided a little on the one side with his horse lighted in greate hast and with his accustomed courage hee went to méete the Gyant who was readie with his sword in his hand came stroke at the Emperour a mightie blow which he receiued vpon his shéeld that did then deceiue him and by reason therof it fell downe vpon his healme and made him sâ—oope with both his knees to the grounde loosing somewhat of his sight by force of that furious blowe The Emperour seeing that it was not then time to sléepe and that the Gyaunt had his swoord ouer him to strike him againe he béeing somewhat troubled stepped aside and cléered himselfe from the fall therof and therwith preased to the Gyant before he could againe recouer his terrible swoorde to bestow on him a blow corespondent to his rage and stroke him vpon the arme but by reason that the Emperour was not wholy come to himselfe of the former blow he receiued he could not repaie him with his whole strength as his heart desired or as he would if hee had ben come to himselfe notwithstanding it was not so little but that his sword cut his arme to the bone wherwith he was so sore hurt that he could not lift his sworde from the ground with the paine whereof the Gyant did feele himselfe verie ill and was constrained to chaunge his sword into his left hand with the which he stroke blowes verie much out of order In this time the Emperour stroke at him so terryble and thicke that it did almost amaze him when the Giant sawe himselfe so ill intreated he began with a terryble voice to call for helpe of his people from the Castell The which béeing vnderstoode by the valyaunt and heroycall Emperour he sayd no thou traitour for neither thy strength nor thy Gods nor thy people shall deliuer thée but thou shalt die by my handes and therewith hée stroke at him the faster and with more courage but within a small time after he sawe descending from the Castell another mightie gyant and in his company more then fortie knights who with greate showting descended downe the hill the which beeing séene by the worthie Trebatio he was perswaded certainly that there hee shoulde dye And although he was somewhat wearie of y e great trauaile which had passed yet hée purposed to sell his lyfe verie déere determining that they should paie well for it before he lost it Then all they which descended from the Castell did compasse the Emperour rounde about and stroke him on euerie side without mercie or pittie whosoeuer had bene there to haue séene this worthie warriour should haue had iust occasion to saie that there was the valiant Emperour Trebatio the flower of all knighthoode for that he alone defended himselfe against his enimies in that great extremitie and if those gyants had not so pressed vpon him he had estéemed y e other knights verie little but it were the gyants that did most trouble and molest him neuerthelesse he that did come in the daunger of his blowes might thinke himselfe bewitched or to haue euill fortune for either he was slaine or else maimed or beaten downe to the grounde but yet all this valour that he vsed little profited him except hée did first procure to destroie these two diuellish Gyauntes who through their might brought him into great perplexitie making him sometimes to decline with his handes to the earth and at other times also to stagger heere and there And these shamelesse people by the importunate noise of their Lordes procured on euerie side to hurt and molest the Emperour and with the same noyse there descended from the Castell more then thrée score persons besides them that were there before But when the Emperour Trebatio sawe himselfe so euill intreated and beset on euery side round about he called vppon the name of God and desired him of pardon for all his sinnes and that he would haue mercie on his soule for that he thought verily there to end his life and therwith he encouraged himselfe a new and gathered such strength to his heart that what with the iust quarrell he had and the great anger he conceiued hee gaue vnto that Gyant who had called for succour such a terrible blowe vpon the wast that for all the greate force of his armour it had almost parted him in two péeces wherewith hée fell dead at his féet And at the verie same instaunt hée stroke one of the knightes such another blowe vpon the helme that he diuided both it and his head downe to the shoulders The other Gyant when he sawe such meruailous blowes began to exclaime out against Mars reuiling him that he had bestowed so much strength and force on one knight to declare such prowesse as there the Emperour shewed The rest of the knightes were somwhat afraide of that which they had séene done and durst not prease so nigh as before they did yet by reason of the great feare they had of the Gyant they did not let greatly to molest and trouble him and they preased vpon him in such wise that he waxed wearie so that his good heart and noble courage wold
hurte woulde haue risen vpright before but by anie meanes hée coulde not but recoyled backwarde with his crouper to the grounde which was yet in such sorte that Tefereo had time to goe out of the saddle with so greate anger that the bloud burst out at his nose and without anie feare before him he pressed at the knight of Prouince and thrust such a foyne at his breast that his armour coulde not denie the passage but that the swoorde came out at his backe so that hée fell downe starke dead to the grounde hée had scant drawen his swoorde out of the bodie of the knight when that without anie pollicie to defende himselfe hée receyued such a terrible blowe with the breast of the Gyantes horse which came with such greate furie that albeit agaynst his will he was constrained to fall tumbling vnto the grounde and although the fall was somewhat heauie and gréeuous vnto him yet with a trice hée was a foote againe and séeing both the Gyauntes readie prepared against him for his better defence he thought it good to put himselfe on the other side of the dead horse At this instant the knight of the Sunne came agayne to himselfe and looking towards the place whereas the battaile was he sawe that his friend like a furious Lyon made resistaunce against the two Giaunts My pen is not heere sufficient to signifie vnto you the great furie that on a sodaine came vnto this worthy knight of the Sonne so that I suppose no Diamond rocke had bene at that time able to make resistaunce against him for with a furious hoarce voyce he sayd Away away you vile Knights not worthy of these your great members and double forces which you doo possesse seeing that with so much shame this daye you haue maintained such great treason The prince carried his sword in his hand hauing reared it on high redy to strike him that first came in his way and raising himselfe in his stirrops he stroke the Giant with the Elephant so terrible a blâ—we vppon his shoulder that his double armour was not able to make resistaunce against this great force but that it passed thorough and diuided it in such wise that he cut off the one quarter thereof together with the head and the rest which remained fell downe to the ground with so great wayght that it made the earth to tremble The other Giaunt in the meane time had stroke the Prince such a terrible blowe vppon the healme that it made him to gnash his teeth together with the paine he felt which was the occasion that he was whollye incensed with anger insomuch that he pressed towards him with no lesse rage then the Hawke which pursueth the Hearon and stroke such a blowe at his head that for the defence thereof the Giant was constrained to lift vp both his armes and the blow descended in such sort vppon them that it cut them both in péeces and his sworde being fast in his handes they fell altogether to the ground All the whole Court greatlye meruailed at these fierce and terrible blowes and hauing thus concluded all that they had to doo the Prince returned vnto Tefereo and sayd vnto him Brother doo you remaine héere till such time that all be concluded that is héere necessarie to be done and in the wildernes of Ardenia you shall finde me in the very same place whereas we did rest our selues this day and I desire thee to procure to know who is that Knight with the gréene armour and whether he be dead or no. And without any more tarrying he spurred his horse who made as swifte waye as the thunderbolt and presently departed the Citie and neuer rested till he came vnto the place whereas he tolde his companion he would remaine Then Tefereo went vnto y e Iudges and asked them if there were anye more to be done in the defence and fauour of the Princesse and the Iudges answered that it was sufficient which was done and that ther was no other thing to be done in that matter When Tefereo sawe that all was done that was néedfull he went vnto the place whereas the Knight with the gréene armor was and pulling off his helme he saw that all his face was swollen with the terrible blowe that he had receiued and hée séemed as though he had bene dead At the same instaunt the King was come downe from his windowe into the place whereas the battaile was onely for to honor these knights and to knowe who they were And when he could not sée the Knight of the Sunne he asked for him and straight way it was tolde him in what great hast he went from that place and out of the Citie for the which the King was very sorrie and if they had not tolde him that it had bene labor lost to seeke him he would haue followed to see if he could haue séene him and haue made him to retourne to haue honoured him in his court Then the King with amorous wordes requested of Tefereo to tell him who that Knight was and he tolde him with a very good wil. And when the king knew that it was the Greeke Prince he receiued great sorow because he could not doo him the honour as vnto such a knight appertained But considering that they could not impute vnto him anie fault for the lacke thereof he commaunded that the Knight with the gréene armour should be carried vnto the Pallaice and asked his Knights what he was it was tolde him that he was the Prince of Spaine who was called Torismundo And when the King vnderstoode that he was a Knight of so high linage he commanded y t all his Phisitions shuld ioyne together and prouide all remedies possible for his recouerie and that they should apply no lesse core vnto him then vnto his owne proper person the which presently was done and they did apply the best remedies that could be gotten till such time as they brought him somewhat to his remembrance although it was with great labour The prince of Spaine when he sawe himselfe in his naked bed his sorrowe was verye much and calling to his minde all that which had passed the very griefe he receiued was almost the occasion of his death When Tefereo knew who that Knight was and that there was no more to be done without any tarrying he tooke his leaue of the King and of the Princesse who wept very sorrowfully at his departure Tefereo tooke the horse of the lame Giaunt who with very anger to see himselfe in that pickle woulde not consent to the receiuing of anye cure neyther would he eate any thing but there desperately dyed and leaping vppon him he went to seeke the Knight of the Sunne Where we will leaue them for that I am nowe inforced by the swéete dartes of Cupide to refresh the wearied eares of the hearers and to declare some of his louing woundes and to leaue the furious sword of Mars for a while Now to
retourne to the storie that is past whereas if you doo remember that the Prince Eleno of Dacia entered into that barke wherein the Knight was which would haue forced a Ladye and how that vpon a sodaine their gallyes did seperate themselues so that he lost the sight of his Cousin the Knight of the Sunne and of Tefereo and béeing entered he woulde haue made resistaunce against his aduersarie for to disturbe him that he should not commit the vyolence that he had offered But vppon a sodaine they were all vanished so that he sawe neyther Knight nor Ladye nor Marriners nor yet anye other person but onely himselfe in the Barke with his inchaunted Horse neither could he sée who brought him thether and thinking to reâ—ourne again into the galley whereas his cousin was he could not finde him but looking about he discerned no other thing but the Element the water When the Prince Eleno sawe himselfe absent from his beloued cousin his sorow was very great that he receiued and began to curse all the wise inchaunters and all those that doo permit suffer them for that they were the occasion that in the world ther was so much euill done When this Prince Eleno sawe himselfe all alone and not one with whom he might passe away the time there came vnto his minde his Florisdama which was the occasion that he tourned to his accustomed sadnesse and imagining that he was in her presence he said Oh cruell Ladie which dost now reioyce thy selfe and art at ease in the Kingdome of Dacia art thou fully pleased with these my paines Art thou now pacified y t thou hast brought me into this extremitie and trouble wherein I am in the power of I know not whom and doo nauigate I cannot tell vpon what Thy cruell heart I am sure is now content séeing that without desert for thée I doo suffer so many troubles which as yet I am not certaine whether thou hast pretended or procured it shuld be so or no. Oh cursed inchaunters how many euills haue you wrought by the help of diuells so that by reason of your inchauntments many worthye Knights are brought into such like troubles as I am Héere you may sée into what extremitie this Magicall arte hath brought me so y t I can by no meanes profite my selfe of the strength of these my young armes but am héere in the power of a diuel who wil ouerthrow this barke but that which doth most gréeue me is y t I am brought into a place to dye where of my death shall be lefte no memorie but must die disdained of that cruell Lady So with great sorrowe and trouble he passed thrée dayes in the end of which he discouered a very small Iland which was in the middest of the sea The barke made thether with great switnesse so that in a small time he was fast a ground vpon the sande It was not long after that the Prince leapt a shore when he found himselfe out of the barke he looked rounde aboute him on euery side And towards his right hand amongst a company of greene trees he sawe a small tent armed Toward which the prince directed his way with an easie pace and entring into the Tent he sawe no bodye although hee remayned a while and hearkened if he coulde heere any sâ—irring but he could neither heare nor see any thing but onely he found the print of a lyttle foote vpon the sand and hée had a great desire to know whose footesteps they were for that they seemed to be of some Lady or Damsell and finding the trace he followed them and the more he went it seemed vnto him that the more hast they made whosoeuer it was that had lefte that signe which made him more earnest in his desire to see the ende thereof So long he followed that trace that in the ende he came vnto a little mountaine whereas he found scattered about yeolow haire which seemed to be threds of golde and stooping for to gather them vp he perceiued that some of them were wet with spots of bloud whereby he well vnderstoode the great anger where with they were pulled of from the head Likewise he saw in diuers places how the earth was spotted with drops of liuely bloud Then with a more desire then he had before hée went vp to the top of that little mountaine and hauing lost the footsteps he recouered it by gathering vp y â— golden haire he had not trauailed farre vp the mountaine when that towards the water side he heard a great complaint which séemed to be the voice of a woman and by the faint sound ther of he might well perceiue that they waxed wearie for that a while they would rest and be still and straight way wold returne vnto their accustomed sorrow and complaint And the words which the Prince did well vnderstande were these Oh loue now shalt thou no more reioyce neither haue any longer dominion ouer me for that gentle death wil shew me so much fauour as to finish these my sorrowfull passioÌ„s and therewith vnloose and frustrate this string of loue with the which thou hast bounde me hauing a desire to aske reuengement of him which hath bene the occasion of all this euill I haue asked the same reuengement but it hath not pleased the Gods to heare my request nay rather they haue stopped their eares agaynst these my continual complaynts and with this she helde her peace giuing a very sorrowfull and terrrible sigh The Prince Eleno tourning his eyes towards that place from whence he heard this comylaint discouered amongst certaine gréene trées a Lady who was indued with maruailous great beautie It was so excellent that it depriued him of his heart which he neuer thought againe to haue lost She was with her haire all about her eares and meruailously ill intreated by the violence that she vsed against her selfe and leaning her chéeke vpon her delicate and white hand which was all to be spotted w t bloud in many places which was constrained by the scratching of her nayles The spots was the occasion to dissolue the great passion which the Prince did féele for his Florisdama representing in his heart the figure of this heauie and sorrowful Lady who seeing her of so great beautie and in such affliction was ouertaken and wounded with the demeanour of her faire face and gréeued to sée her so euill intreated in such sort that in a sound he leaned to a gréene trée amongst many other which were vpon that mountaine cleane without any remembraunce Oh Cupide thou béeing but a boye why doost thou vse these cruell kinde of feates Who hath taught thée to vse such deceits which is the occasion of great and endlesse vnquietnes Thou dost show thy selfe to be blind and yet thou art more quicke of sight then a Hawke How is it possible that thou doost make vs beléeue that without séeing thou canst hit so right with thy arrowes and that with so
and with a sweete and pleasaunt voice he sung these vearses following HArd is his hap that still of helpe hath neede crooked his chaunce that neuer â—ase can finde And great his care that fresh is forst to bleede By Cupides shaftes that tyrant most vnkinde who ceaslesse plagues the poore afflicted minde And hauing once possest at will the heart The same adornes with wailing woe and smart Amongst the crew of those that feele this care euen I my selfe may most of all complaine Which now haue twice bene caught in Cupides snare wherein I felt dolor distresse and paine with which oppression yet I doo remaine And so shall still for ought I can descrie Till friendly fates accord that I may die For why the Dame whom I in heart adore disdaines me not I will it not denie But doth with teares her owne mishap deplore in that a knight she loude from her did flie iudge then ye heauens what simple hope haue I. She followes him that left her comfortlesse And kills my heart that yeelded her redresse When he had made and end of this song with the great griefe that he sustained he fell into a sound so that his Lute fell out of his hands but within a small time he came againe to himselfe and crossed his fingers and wrong his handes and distilled from his eyes many â—alâ—e and sorrowfull teares and lifting vp his eyes vnto heauen he remained in this case a greate while without anie remembraunce This sorrowfull Ladie did well heare and vnderstand this swéete and cheerefull song but by reason that all her minde was vpon her cruell Brenio his delicate musicke had no strength to remoue â—ne â—ot of her loue In this sorte as you haue heard they passed all the night till the morning so â—he daie bâ—â—ing come this fayre and afflicted Ladie arose vp and went out of the Tent whereas shee â—ound the Prince walking vp and downe and with a sorrowfull and softe voyce she requested him once againe to take her out of that vncharitable Iland The Prince without anie tarrieng tooke her by the hande and lead her into his Galley wherin they were scant both well imbarked when that the Gally beganne to shoue from shoare and to saile with such swiftnesse that in a smal time they were in the deapth of the great Sea as though he which did gouerne it had bene the wise Artemidoro who for the deliuerie of this sorrowfull Damosell had ordeined all this that you haue heard This Ladie was verie much amazed to see her selfe carried awaie in that manner and durst not aske the prince anie manner of question for that he was verie sadde and pensiue Likewise the Prince Eleno considering the great sorrow and trouble that Lidia receiued dâ—rst not saie anie thing vnto her so in this sorte they trauailed all that daie and all the night till the next daie that they discouered lande without speaking one worde the one to the other and in a small time the Barke came so nigh the lande that they might discouer a verie faire and well â—owred â—â—tie the which was adorned with a verie faire hauen full of meruailous greate and strong shippes So this Galley sailed in amongest the thickest of them all till it came to the shoare side where at theyr ariuall they discouered a land a verie well foughâ—en and bloudie battaile beeing harde by the hauen which was made by verie manie knights which fought onely against thrée knightes who balyauntlye did defende themselues the one of them was Bargandel the other two Lyriamandro and Zoylo the Tartarian that if you dooe remember when that the vaylaunt Rosicleer in mortall battayle slewe the king of Tiro who was a verie mightie and strong Gyaunt and howe that they sawe a good waie from them two Foistes in battaile together the one with the other and determining to goe vnto them to see what it should bee the valiant Rosicleer leapt into his Galley which was carried another way with so great furie that Zoilo was driuen to remaine he departed in great hast So this Tartarian Zoilo remaining alone in his shippe directed it towards them that were in battaile and came vnto them at such time as they had great néâ—e of his succour for that they were oppressed by the same ship of the rouers that met with him and they were in a meruailous great fight but with the aide of the Tartarian they assailed them in such sort y t if they had not yéelded themselues to mercie they had sonke them all in the sea taking all their oths they made them to sweare that they shuld leaue that euill and naughtie life Then they all entered into the ship wherin the Tartarian was with determined purpose to proceede forwards whether their fortune would carrie them for to get them fame and to increase their honour So the weather constrained them to ariue in the port of Numidia whereas you haue heard tolde in that countrie they did constraine all knights that there did ariue to sweare vnto them to aide and helpe that traitour their Lord. These Princes would not be sworne except first they wold declare the cause wherefore and héerevpon they multiplied wordes which was the occasion of this cruell battaile which y e prince Eleno did see being in his Galley So it séemed vnto him to be a verie vnseemely thing and vnequall so manye against thrée knightes onely who according vnto the great and worthie feates which they did they gaue the lookers on to vnderstande that they were of noble estate and for to succour them hee woulde willingly haue leaped a shoare but first hee desired the faire Lidia to remaine in quietnesse vnder the hatches of the Galley for that he was determined to go forth to aide and helpe those thrée knightes And without anie more carrieng with great speed he leapt to the shoare carrieng his swoord in his hand and his sheeld on his arme he pressed in amongst them all saying O vile knightes cowardes and of small estimiation wherefore are you not ashamed so great a number of you to fight onely against thrée knightes and therewith stroke such a terrible blowe on him that he did first meet that he made him in two péeces to fall to the ground so that in a short time by his furious entering was knowen the greate power of his arme in such sort that whersoeuer he went he made a broad waie and with small trouble he ioyned with y e thrée knightes who when they knew of the helpe that was come vnto them each of them recouered new strength and did procure to doe straunge feates because the other should haue no aduauntage of them And they verie much meruailed who that knight should be of so great prowesse for y â— the blowes which he stroke might well be knowen from all the rest for if it had not bene by the armour that he wore they woulde haue thought him to be one of the sonnes of Trebatio
one side of his helme which was verye fine mettall that he made it sound like a bell which caused him to turne vp the white of the eye and he was almost beside himselfe He had scarce giuen him this blowe when likewise y â— Earle of Modique gaue him another that made him to decline his head to his breast wherewith Fabinio gaue him also another blowe which bereâ—te him cleane of his remembrance insomuch that his horse caried him round about the field euen as one dead with his armes hanging downe The knightes of Tinacria with greate furie did followe him to sée if they coulde make an ende of this theyr battaile but straight waie hée came to himselfe and séeing how they had compassed him about and considering into what greatâ— perill they had brought him he recouered againe his sword the which hung by the wrist bande and tourning about his horse hee roared like a wilde Bull which had bene bayted and pressed vnto Fabinio and stroke him so furious a blowe that hée carryed awaie both his shéelde and healme with a greate parte of his head and hée fell downe dead to the earth Then the Earle of Modique forthwith stroke the Mauritanian such a blowe on his armes y t both of them were wounded but most of all the right arme for that the force of the blow was more on that side then on the other wherewith this furious African séeing him within his reach with his lefte fist hee stroke him vpon the visour of his healme so greate a blowe that without anie remembraunce hée made him to fall backwards vpon the crouper of his horse Then the Earle stroke at him an ouerthwart blowe vppon his healme with so greate force that hée made the sparkes of fire to flye out the which did gréeue him verie much and as one desperate hée lifte vp his swoorde with greate furie to strike the Earle who with verie much nimblenesse put himselfe on the one side and caused him to loose his blowe at the which he was verie angrie and flourishing with his swoord hée chaunced to light vppon the wast of one of them and cutting him in two péeces hée fell downe dead to the ground and not resting with this but continuing his furie he lyfted vp his sharpe and cutting sword and stroke another a blow vppon the left shoulder whome he diuided downe to the girdle At this verie same time the valyaunt Rubio of Yscla was come to himselfe and recouering his horse he leapt vppon his backe with excéeding great lightnesse and ioyned himselfe with the foure knightes which remayned of all the rest and there he beganne with greate furie striking on the Pagan in sundrie places and the Earle of Modique Mondeli likewise did multiplie their blowes in great hast At the which the Pagan was so furious that without all patience he beganne to redouble his strokes and stroke the Earle of Mondeli vpon his healme that hee made him fall to the ground verie sore hurt and voiding bloud out of his mouth yet this blowe was not giuen so much at his ease but hée must needes receiue for it foure blowes which had almost depriued him of his wits Heere Rubio of Yscla beganne to multiplie his blowes with so great hast and therewithall so mightily that he put the Pagan into great extremitie This furious king tourned for to strike him a blowe at his pleasure but the nimblenesse of this Tinacrian was such that many times he made him to loose his blowes at the which this Pagan was verie much amazed but because he coulde not strike him at his will as he intended hée determined to leaue him and to returne vnto the rest and at two blowes he ouerthrew two knights the one starke dead and the other verie sore wouÌ„ded so ther remained no more but he of Modique Rubio of Ysola the earle which turned again to horsback so like desperate meÌ„ without hope to escape they stroke at the furious Moore but hée seeing himselfe more at libertie began to worke wonders vpon them cutting them on the right hand and on the left in this order they trauailed more then two houres that the strength and valiauntnesse of the Moore was not sufficient to subiect them Then this Pagan seeing such resistaunce he firmed himselfe in his stiroppes and lifting vp his swoorde on high hee stroke such a blowe at him of Modique that without anie remembrance he made him fall vppon his horse crouper and woulde haue doubled that blowe for to haue made an ende of him but Rubio did disturbe him giuing him such a side blowe vppon his helme that hee made him to loose that which hée was striking causing his swoorde to faâ—â— out of his hande that he coulde not execute it and the Earle séeing him in that plight straight wayes retourned another on his lefte shoulder which gréeued the Pagan verie sore In this time the Earle of Modique was come againe vnto himselfe and setteled himselfe againe in his saddle and being firmed against the Pagan hée stroke him such a blowe that glauncing he gaue him a little wound whereout issued bloud The Moore féeling himselfe hurt retourned against him of Mâ—dique but this light Rubio was with him him at a pinch and stroke him another blowe on his shoulder that he made him shrinke in all his bodie of which hee made little account but desired onely to goe vnto him which had drawen his bloud who lykewise with greate courage did attend his comming hauing both his handes on his swoorde so they discharged theyr blowes both together which were verie mightie and strong wherewith he of Modique all his healme béeing bathed in bloud fell without anie remembraunce to the ground and the furiour Pagan in spite of his heart declined his head to the horse necke Then the valiant Tinacrian quickly turned to strike him and before that he could rayse vp himselfe againe hee stroke him so strong a blowe that without all remembrance he made him to stagger vpon his horse y t hée lacked verie little to fall to the ground The Tinacrian séeing him in this traunce neuer lefte striking him vntill such time as he did see that hee beganne to come againe to himselfe and knowing that hes power was not sufficient to make resistaunce hée tourned his horse head and with all hast rode towardes the Citie in such sorte that when the Moore was wholye come againe vnto himselfe the Tinacrian was in safetie wherein he did wiselie for if he had tarryed it coulde not haue fallen out otherwise but that hée must needes haue dyed by the handes of the cruell Pagan Then the Morisco king séeing all the field cléere and without trouble hée felte himselfe to bée verie sore vexed with the spéedie blowes which the Tinacrians had bestowed vpon him and commanded to carrie those knightes which were aliue from the rest vnto the tent whereas hée should 〈◊〉 and he likewise went to take his rest and ease
goe and séeke thée to giue thée to vnderstand that my furie is more then thy power And when he had concluded with this he went foorth of the chamber and with a terrible noise he called for his armour the which was straight waie brought vnto him and without tarrying to bée made knight he commaunded to arme him with armour that was all white made by art Magick thē he commanded a ship to be made readie furnished entred into it with intent to go to Grecia and there to aske the order of knighthoode of the Emperour when he had receiued it to defie him to mortall battaile but it chaunced not vnto him as he thought it would for y e the sea with some of his accustomed torments carried him vnto the coast of France by reason of his small patience once béeing a land he would not retourne to imbarke himselfe in his ship but remained with onely two lackeyes and commaunded the vessell to returne backe againe and so went traueling whether his fortune would carrie him two dayes The third day very early in the morning he heard a great rushing of armour amongst a company of trées going towards the same noise he saw a Knight of a very good proportion agaynst a great◠number of other Knights in a very fierce and vnreasonable battaile And for to tell you who it was it is requisite that we begin another chapter in the which I will declare the whole matter vnto you ¶ How that the Knight of the Sunne would haue tarried for Tefereo in the place whereas he appointed him and how he lost himselfe in a thick mountaine and of all that happened vnto him after that Cap. 24. THe knight of the Sunne who was purposed to tarrie for Tefereo whereas he appointed him put himselfe into the wildernes of Ardenia with a reasonable quicke pace but because of the great thicknesse of trées bushes being amongst them and againe troubled with thoughts wherewith his minde was occupied hée lost his way and in such sorte that although he tourned his horse euery way from one place to another yet could he not finde any way but rather did so intangle himself that when the night came he found himselfe so far from the place wher as he thought to haue remained that he was in doubt to recouer his waye and his company he knewe not when for the which he receiued great griefe which was the occasion that he died very euill words against himselfe So beeing in this cholar the night drew on which constrayned him to alight from his horse and sate him downe vnder a greene tree hauing set his horse to feede in the gréene grasse of the which there was abundaunce at hande and so in the best wise he could he laid him downe vpon the ground to take some rest for a while and towards his right hand he hard a great noyse of the running of water and being very drye he was constrayned to arise againe And so he went féeling following that pittering sound of water vntill such time as he found a little fountaine of very faire and cléere water and by reason of the great drought that he had without any more tarrying he knéeled downe to drinke thereof till such time as he had mitigated his great thirst and remayned there a while to refresh himselfe for that the place was very pleasaunt so after a while he returned vnto the place whereas he was before and layd himselfe downe to rest He had not remained there long but he felt the water to begin to worke in him For you shall vnderstand that this was one of the fountaines of Marlin which he made in that wildernesse and brought the water from the high mountayne of Olympo But this fountaine whereof the Knight of the Sunne did drinke was that of Disamore or without loue In such sort it did worke in him that he did not onely loose and forget the loue which he had to Lindabrides but also if it had not bene for the great force of matrimonye and for the pawne that he receiued of Claridiana he hadde likewise forgot her and had brought her as far out of remembrance as he did the Lady of Tartaria And this water did not onely cause forgetfulnesse but also it forced him to reprehende himselfe saieng Oh foole without any vnderstanding that so long hast had thy heart subiected vnto a Ladye that is a straunger vnto thy Religion intreating thée not as a man that dooth procéede from a high and noble generation but lyke the most basest and vilest wretch in al the world Tel me thou lost man who hath bene affectioned vnto a Moore without faith but onely thy selfe Who would haue left his naturall wife for to loue a stranger Barbarian but thou Who would giue so many sighes in vaine but I most miserable giuing occasion of euerlasting death and damnation vnto my soule Oh base and grose vnderstanding in what didst thou set thy loue What beautie didst thou see in her that thou wouldst follow her as one lost for her loue What blindnesse hath constrained thée considering the great valour of the royall Empresse and with what liberalitie she hath surrendred all her Kingdomes and her owne person into thy hands These and other like complaints he made against himselfe without taking any sleepe or rest but was sore troubled with this thought till such time as the morning came and that Phoebus with his golden beames couered all the earth then hée tooke his horse with a more lighter heart and cléerer of all thoughts then at the time he came thether for that he had as cleane forgot Lindabrides as though he had neuer séene her So all that daye he trauelled in that wildernesse not knowing which way to take and had eaten nothing neither had he any thing to eate the which did trouble him very much So when night drewe on he discouered a heard of cattell which were there féeding in the wildernesse and determined to goe towards that place whereas the heard men were who receiued him very well This Knight did aske of them if they had any thing to giue him to eate for that hée was very hungrie the heard men bad him that he should alight and that they would giue him of such as they had for themselues So he alighted did eate with a very good will and so good a stomacke as one which had not his heart nor minde occupied with the cares of loue and there with those heard men he passed all that night till it was morning So when it was daye one of the heard men did bring him into a very great occupied way to whom he gaue great thanks Then the Knight tooke that waye forwards which led him towards Prouince intending to sée if he could méet with his friend and did determine to trauaile thereabouts to sée if Fortune would bring him that waye he had not trauailed farre when that he discouered
you haue heard This good king neuer ceased in giuing thanks vnto the Emperour for the great curtesie which hee receiued at his hands and there they gaue order that all the whole camp should returne vnto their owne countrie for that which they came for was concluded and that their departure shuld be in such sort y t the people shuld not do anie harme y t which was straight waie accomplished they appointed for king ouer that countrie a valiant knight of whom we will intreate in the third part of this historie So all the people of the king of Cimarra without giuing anie occasion of anger or harme by the waie which they went came vnto the place whereas they left all their fléete of ships and there they imbarked themselues and committed theyr Sailes vnto the winde which they founde fauourable and prosperous and brought them quickly vnto Cimarra whereas the king did detaine them fifteene dayes although they were vnwilling At the end whereof they determined to depart their way towards Grecia and comaunded to fraight a very faire ship so taking their leaue and shipping themselues they had a pleasaunt and peaceable winde which brought them vnto the hauen Pireo in Grecia whereas they went all a shoare and all of them tooke horse sauing the great Gyaunt who trauailed on foote so they tooke their way towards Constantinople And when they came within two miles of it nigh vnto a great house of pleasure whereas the Empresse was at that time In the middest of the waye they sawe two knights which were in a very great and well foughten battaile Whereas we will leaue them for to tell you what the Morisco King of Mauritania did in the place whereas wée lefte him ¶ How that the two Empresses went for to recreate themselues vnto a house of pleasure and what happened vnto them in that iourney And howe the King of Mauritania found them in their pastimes and knowing who they were he would haue laide hold vpon the Empres Briana Cap. 27. BEfore in the historie if you doo remember the fierce Moore Brufaldoro came vnto the place whereas a companye of Ladyes and damsells were whereas he stayed to looke and beholde them and with them wer sitting knights of a good disposition and well proportioned At which time as we began to intreate of them I did not tell you who they were but now you shall vnderstand that they were the two Empresses of Constantinople and Trapisond who were come vnto that house of pleasure for to recreate themselues which was verye nigh vnto a faire village And the occasion of this theyr going foorth was the great estéemed Quéene of Lira of whom till now our historie hath made no mention nor of hir surpassing excellencies but hath referred them till time did serue Shée béeing manye times with the Empresse Claridiana heard her teil of some feates of knighthoode that had passed by her the which the Quéene with great contentment gaue eare vnto imagining within her selfe to be of as good disposition and haue as much strength as she yea and rather more and knowing that her strength was much she purposed verye secretlye to proue her selfe and taking this place whether as they went to recreate themselues to be very fit for to performe her will with all secrecie in the worlde she commaunded that her armour which Lirgandeo had presented vnto her should be carried thether which was fulfilled and done by the damosells for that they all had a great delight to pleasure and serue her she was of them so welbeloued and her excellent vertues deserued no lesse So when they were come vnto the house of pleasure she went foorthe to recreate her selfe with two Ladyes towards a fountaine somewhat out of the waye whereas the Empres her Ladyes were set downe And for that the Empresse Claridiana did vnderstand whether by her owne imagination or that Lirgandeo had aduised her that in such place commonly doeth fall out some aduentures she commaunded to giue vnto her her armour which she caused to be brought vnto that house and whilest she was arming came the Moore Brufaldoro thether who séeing so faire a company had a great desire to knowe who they were and comming vnto a damsell which was thereby speaking with great courtesie hée sayd Damosell let me obtaine I pray you so much fauour at your hands that you will tell me who they be that are in this faire company This damsell séeing that with so great curtesie and good manners he did request her and being a knight of so good disposition she said Sir knight they be the Empresse of Grecia and her Ladies which are come to this place to recreate themselues and haue brought hether for their sauegard these well proportioned knights When the Moore vnderstood that there was the Empresse of Grecia there entred straight way many things in his imagination and many thoughts troubled his minde till such time as he dermined to doo that which I will tell you So with a determined purpose he came vnto the place wher as the Empresse was and without saying any worde hée tooke her vy the arme and with great strength lifte her vp till he had her on his saddle bowe before him and tourning his horse about he tooke his waye towards that place from whence he came with purpose to imbarke himselfe againe in that shippe in which he came thether and so to carrie her away but the noyse and shrikes of the Ladyes and Damosells were so pitifull and lowde that there came vnto them the knights that were dispersed abroad in the forrest and other places And when they came and saw all that had passed they altogether followed the Moore so fast as theyr horse could runne and in a short time they came for to take away his bootie so that whether he would or not he was driuen to let her goe for to defende himselfe from y e blowes which the knights layd on him who on the one side and on the other began to strike fiercely at him but he made no more reckoning of them then the huge and mightie Rocke doth of the troublesome waues of the seas beating against it continually Euen so were the blowes which the Gréeke knights stroke vpon the Pagan who séeing himselfe hindered of his purpose drew out his sword and stroke one of those knights such a blowe vpon the shoulder that he cut him downe to the girdle so that he fell downe dead to the ground and not content héerewith but began so to bestur himselfe that in a small time he seperated them all some slaine and some very sore hurt wounded In this â—ime that these knights were in their battaile the Empresse Claridiano was armed and set vpon a mightie strong horse and came with great yre and sayd Oh infernall Pagan what diuell was that which made thée so bolde with those vyle wicked hands to come and take holde of the Empresse and in saieng these words she
vnto the rest of the Gods of this greate reprehension that thou hast done me And looking about he sawe all the rest of the ministers halfe amazed without speaking any word vnto whom he went with great hast and said vnto them Uile villaines what doe you tarry héere why doe you not go after the figure of that God whom you do worship and honour and laying on them with his club he killed sixe of them and so he would haue done with all the rest if they had not runne away Then one of the two Giants which were bretheren came vnto the Kings tent all armed with his strong armour mounted vpon a great Elephant and said Be in quiet my Lord and abate this thy vnsufferable anger and I will bring vnto thée straight waye him who hath bene the occasion of this thy disquietnesse and anger And without tarrying for any aunswere he tourned about his great and vnwieldie beast and went that waye whereas the Prince was who when he sawe him so well proportioned and furnished he had well thought that he had bene the King of Arginaria as one which had neuer séene any of so mightie a stature and there with he put down y e visor of his helme tooke vnto him a great knottie speare purposing not to spend the time in words Then Belerofonte for so the Giant was named sayd Art thou that bold Knight that with thy déedes hast so euill angred that mightie king and Lord of Arginaria The Prince who-by his reasons was certified that he was not the King replyed I am he whom with so furious yre thou dost séeke and if it be so that the King hath so much anger against me wherefore doth he not come forth in person to take reuengement The Giaunt when he sawe him speake with so bolde a courage with a dissembling laughter sayd O foole without all wit hast thou in so little estimation that great Geredeon that he for twenâ—â—e such Knightes as thou art shoulde arme himselfe come forth to battell hauing them which can excuse him thereof And séeing that thy great folly is come to this extremitie I doo require thée that if thou wilt remayne with thy life that thou dost leaue thy armour and yéeld thy selfe with both thy hands bound behinde thée and goe and aske forgiuenesse of him that if he will kill thée with his owne hands thou maist account thy selfe happy To whom the Prince aunswered Thy counsell doeth not please mâ— neither his honour will I receiue but rather I hope to send thée without a tongue before that infernall King as I sent Bruno without his téeth And for y t thou shalt not haue any more time to speake such folly and foolishnesse eyther retourne the way from whence thou camest and repent thy selfe of this thou hast sayd or els prepare thy selfe to mortal battaile The Giant when he heard that vnsauorye answere which he gaue he tooke vp his speare and put it on his sholder which was made fast in the middest of the staffe Darte wise and raised himselfe in his stirrops and threw it at the Prince with so great fary that by the force therof he hoped to haue concluded that enterprise But this new Knight séeing the speare comming he put his shield before him where on the sharpe poynt stroke pearced it through till it came to his fine and strong armour whereas it lost his force but with the strength wherewith it came it bowed in such sort that it brake in two péeces without hurting the knight or once mouing him in the saddle This valiaunt and stoute Greeke when he saw that in that sort he would haue slaine him he clasped fast his speare in his hande after the same manner and said Tarrie and thou shalt sée whether I can better throw a dart then thou And therewith he threwe his great speare at the Giant that without hauing anye power to defend himselfe from that blowe it pearced his shield and bored through his armour and not staieng there the sharpe poynt passed through his body from the one side to the other taking from him that miserable sâ—ule and the body gaue a terrible fall to the grounde At all that passed was present the proud strong Geredeon who with an infernall wrath threw fire from him and in great hast called for his armor at which time the other giant brother vnto Belorophonte no lesse irefull and furious whose name was Bolifo sayde with a great voyce Mightie Geredeon and Lorde let me take this reuengement for y t of right it appertaineth more vnto me then vnto thée And heere I dooe promise thée or els the Gods shall be false in dooing iustice and my strong arme without vertue that I will take cruell reuengement of that diuell and so without speaking moe wordes he went towards the place wheras this new knight was who without any feare with a great speare in his hand did tarrie his comming This Giant who was blinded with his vnreasonable anger without any reasoning he set spurs vnto his Elephant and likewise the new knight set spurres to his horse and met together in the middest of their course so that neither of them lost his blowe but the incounter was with so great force that the Gyant did pearce through the shéeld of the Prince without doing anie other harme the speare shiuered all to péeces but this warlike youth with his speare gaue vnto y e gyant so strong an incounter y t it perced through his shéeld made him to fall backwards vpon the crouper of his Elephant y t he made the great beast to double with his legs and falling downe he fell vpon one of the giants legs The Prince when he saw him in y e extremitie y t he could not arise he leapt from his horse w t great lightnes did help him to take out his leg from vnder y e Elephant likewise he did helpe him to arise vpon his féete and sayd Doe not thinke Gyant that thou shalt haue anye occasion to praise thy selfe in saying that by a disgrace I did subdue thee Therefore now doe what thou canst doo for to defend thy selfe The Gyant without any consideration of the curtesie showed him clasped fast his broad sword striking a terrible and fearfull blow at the Prince who by leaping on the one side caused him to loose his blowe stepping on y e other side he gaue him such a stroke vpon the waste that the harnesse broke and his sword hid it selfe in the Giants flesh and hurt him very sore whereat ran out very much bloud When the Giant sawe the great damage that he had done vnto his body by that blowe he thrâ—we his shield from him taking fast bolde of his great sword in both his hands and without hauing any power to shunne from it he stroke the prince such a blow vpon his shield that he cut it in two péeces and it descended downe vpon his healme
with so greate strength and waight that against his will it made him to stoope with his knées to the ground and to staye himselfe with one of his hands because he should not fall downe all together This diuelish giant when he saw him in that case would haue stroke him another blowe but at such time as he would haue discharged it this inuincible Knight arose vp with so great wrath y t a thicke smoke came out of his visor and without any more tarrying he threw the péece of the shield that remained from him and with a light leape he ioined with his enemie and stroke him so horrible and furious a blow vpon his helme that it did little profite him the strength of the stéele but he cut it in two péeces head all and he fell downe to y e ground Oh what great disturbance and feare this vnmeasurable blowe caused vnto all the people as well to those of the Citie as to those of the contrary part But aboue all this Geredeon was much amazed And with the great anger and wrath which he had to see the two Giants slaine before him he thrust himselfe amongst all the people w t so great rumour as when a strong rocke by force of an earthquake when the fierce and furious winde dooth take it and teare and rent it out of the place and scituation whereas it was wont to stand and with the terrible great noise and sound thereof not onely all the shepheardes and heard men of the field be scarred and afraide but also the great blow doth remaine in the aire with a great and rumbling ecko euen with the like furie this Arginarian king rushed amongst and through his people Claridiano without shewing anie kinde of trouble did abide his comming with so strong and couragious a heart as doth the crooked cragged rocke abide to make defence against the force and vnbrâ—â—eled â—urie of y e restlesse Neptune So with great hast went the Gyant against the new knight and as he came before him he coulde not coniecture who or what vntamed young man that should be for that he neuer at anie time heard anie speaking of him and with the lyke confusion he sayd Knight I know not what to saye vnto so hainous a matter that by thée is committed against me for séeing thy great boldnesse which thou hast had to disquiet and anger me it doth cause me to procure to haue reuengement of thée And to the contrarie I sée thou art one alone knight and therefore I dooe take it for a dishonour and rebuke to lift vp my furious arme agaynst thée Therfore that which I desire thée is this that thou doest returne vnto the citie and cause to be gathered together one hundreth of the best knights chosen out from amongest the rest and sée that you come straight againe for that of you all together I wil take this my desired reuengement And yet for all this I doe tell thée I shall not be satisfied for the great anger wrath the which I haue against thée Whosoeuer had bene present to haue heard him speake these wordes woulde haue trembled with feare but hee in whome feare could neuer take place and one which tooke no care nor did not esteeme his words sayde I doe not knowe wherevppon thou doest staye if thou doest meane to take reuengement of him who hath so much offended thée especiallye hauing him before thée but thou shalt vnderstande thou diuellish Gyant that thy furious looke nor thy beastlye body neither thy monstrous members can put me in feare for y t being as thou art furnished w t a cruell heart so great a friend vnto tyranie héere I tell thée y t the aduauntage which thou biddest me to take I doe not desire it neither I will not take it but rather I will thée that thou make thy selfe readie for thy defence and procure if thou canst to driue me out of the field and when thou hast ouercome me and got the victorie then maist thou make thy combat with y e other ninetie and nine And with this he did put himselfe a parte shaking his sword with a meruailous good grace When the Gyant sawe this in manner of mocking he sayd Go get thée hence thou vile thing and take vnto thée the fauour and aide which I doe will thee and doe not thinke that thou shalt obtaine of me so honourable and end to be slaine of me in equall battaile Héere this new knight by anie meanes coulde not suffer his outragious arrogancie but sayd vnto him Thou cruell tyrant subiect to all pride defend thy selfe and leaue off these reuilinges and boastes And in saying these wordes the Prince pressed to the Gyant and stroke at him so strong a blow vpon one of his thighs that his strong armour did falcifie and he made a little wound out of the which issued very much bloud When this infernall monster felt himselfe thus hurt and séeing that he made little account of him but rather despised his wordes without anie more tarrying he lift vp a verie heauie mase of yron which was greate and long and had hanging at the ende thereof fiue balles of stéele each of them hanged by a stéele chaine of greate strength The king Delfo was meruailously troubled when he sawe the deformed weapon which was raised in the aire making a greate noise and with greate furie readie to be discharged vpon the head of this warlike knight who when he saw it comming with his accustomed lightnesse did procure to deliuer himselfe from so horrible a blowe and in such sort it came that all those fiue balls fell together on the ground at which fall by reason of the great waight of the mase he was constrained to fall forwards with the blowe The Prince which at that time was not without care but séeing him in that sorte hée stepped quickly vnto him stroke him so mightie and great a blow vpon his strong helme y t with y e great strength wherwith it was giuen did constraine the gyant by pure force to put both his hands on the ground but straight waie he arose againe and lift vp his monstrous weapon and stroke at him another terrible blowe the knight woulde once againe hauâ— cléered himselfe from that blow but he could not do it but y e one of those balls did glaunce vpon the visour of his helme in such sorte that it made him to giâ—e thrée or foure steps backwards he was so amazed wherewith he was readie to fall downe which without all doubt he had if that he had not laboured to staie himselfe by falling forwards with his hands to the ground the which was not so quickly done and he recouered but that the Gyant had his mase in the aire ready to strike him againe but hauing time he cléered himselfe thereof so that he stroke that blow in vaine wherewith the prince fastned so mightie a blow at the Gyant vpon his backe
striking of him but wheÌ„ the Prince felt himselfe cléere of the paine and that hée was able to lift vp his arme hée tooke the mase in both his hands and setled his féet verie strong on the ground and kept in his breath that he might with more strength discarge his blow detayning it till such time as the Gyants blow was stroke which was with so great strength that falling on y e ground the sword entered into the earth more then halfe of it and it was the occasion that the Prince had better time for to execute his mightie and determined blowe and discharging it with two of the balls of stéele which hung at the mases end he let driue such a blowe on the Gyaunt that he made him to stoope with both his knées to the ground and séeing him in that plight he stroke at him another blowe which was vppon his helme which gaue such a sound as though it had ben stroke vpon a bell wherewith he fell with all his bodie to the ground and stretched out his huge members making no more mouing and when this new knight sawe that he mooued not he pulled of his healme and perceiued that the blowe was such that it beate out his eyes and the braines out of his head Then the young Prince gaue thankes vnto the Gods for that he had no perfect knowledge of his descent nor anie lyght that he was a christian taking vp the mase he layd it on his shoulder and with great quietnesse he went vnto the Citie and straight way there came vnto him Galtenor the king Delfo with a great number more of knights that had bene beholding the furious battaile who did imbrase him with so great ioy and loue that I am not héere able to expresse it and did request him that he woulde goe and lye downe for that they iudged he should be verie weary He was so much importunated by so many knights that he could doo no otherwise but goe take his rest and lie downe wheras he was cured healed of such blowes as he had receiued which was black and blew and there was ministred vnto him such ointments as did mitigate the painâ—s and griefes which hée had receiued So all those which came with the Gyant when that they sawe their Lord was dead they receiued no sorrow nor griefe thereat for they could not 〈◊〉 his great pride euill conditions for they did not onely 〈◊〉 him but they did desire that he might die a naughtie death make a short and euill end And in this sort as you do sée the intreating of this Gyant of his subiects so are all them that be of so great priâ—e intreated in all the world he was scarce dead when y t all those of the kingdome of Arginaria were very ioyfull to sée it so come to passe and were verie desirous to yéeld vp vnto Galtenor his right and inheritance and sent straight waies Embassadours to the Citie whereas he was promising to giue him peaceable entring into the kingdome as vnto their naturall king Lord and iustly discharging themselues of all wherein they were found guiltie The messengers were meruailously well receiued of Galtenor and with great loue and he did accept their offer So it fell out that in one daye was the Gyant Geredeon king and Lord of Arginaria and in the selfe same daie was Galtenor with great contentment vnto all the people of the Ilande And when he sawe himselfe that he was Lorde of that which he so greatly desired he straight wayes dispatched messengers for his kingdome in giuing them to vnderstande of all that passed in the which they did reioyce verye much and with excéeding greate good will they receiued all the newes which was sent and were as glad of the death of Geredeon as they were of restoring of the kingdome vnto Galtenor In few dayes after was Claridiano come againe to his strength and made whole which was so great ioye and pleasure vnto the King Delfo that vnto his iudgement he needed not to desire anye other thing So when the messengers were retourned y t they sent vnto Arginaria they did determine for that all the countrey should â—e put in good order that Galtenor shoulde depart for that part out of hand who did procure to cary with him Claridiano but the King Delfo would not consent vnto it by any meanes for the which the king Galtenor went away greatly discontented And when he came vnto his kingdome they receiued him with great pompe and honour and with great delight to sâ—â— their naturall Lord and there was nonâ— that made any resistaunce against the receiuing of his possession for that one sonne which the Giaunt left and his brother Bruno were gone into the Iland of Vespeâ—a of whom in the third part of this historie shall be tolde vnto you And now it is necessarie to leaue the King Delfo and the King of Arginaria with the great delight of their victorie and to retourne vnto the noble Emperour whome we lefâ—e with his furious and well foughten battaile in the first part of this booke with the King of the Garamantes who had giuen the Emperour so great a blow that he left him without fâ—eling But when the Emperour was come again vnto him selfe he tourned about his horse with more fury then the Lioâ—s in the wayne of the mother Idea when that with a furious rage they moued against that sorrowfull Atis in y â— desart mountaines of Phrigia In such sort went this fierce Emperour with his sword all a lofte and stroke him such a terrible blow vpon his shield that parting it in two peeces ioyntly with his helme and head he fell downe dead to the ground the which did grieue the Emperour very much for that he could not performe that which he had promised vnto him So when this was finished the Emperour retourned vnto his pallaice whereas he was receiued with great soâ—â—â—nitie of instruments and vnarmed by the Empresse betwéene whom there passed many swéete and amorous spéâ—ches touching the communication that they had before the battaile began And the next day openly they returned vnto the same talke but they were cut off by a straunge aduenture which entered into the hall as shall be declared vnto you in this chapter following How a Damosell messenger from the Queene of Tinacria brought a letter vnto the Emperor of Grecia and of all that passed about the same Cap. 3. ALthough I alwayes purpose to seperate my selfe in my discourses froÌ„ y e fraudes which that most cruell Venus doth manye times vse accompanyed with the deceiptes of hir sonne yet am I constrained to speake some thing therof and to leaue the stout strong Mars with his sword in his hande tourning my pen for to tell vnto you her cruelties and disordinate customes You doo well remember of the amorous wrath that the Quéene of Tinacria had against the Emperour of Grecia and what in that furious rage
perfect true loue which I bare to thée shuld bée accounted vaine and wouldest not performe the faith which without asking in a verie short time thou diddest grant vnto me oh cruell Brenio oh hard heart is this the firme loue that so fainedly thou diddest professe to me what is he that hath ben more vnmercifull then thou hast bene There is no furious beast Tiger nor Lyon vnto whom at theyr will thou diddest deliuer me that with theyr vnmercifull nailes they might cruellye intreat my flesh but would haue accompanied me with more pittie and haue holpen me to lament my cruell destinie Ah Brenio the great paine which I suffer will not consent to declare the vnreasonable torments troubles and sorrowes the which for thée I haue passed so that I néede not to referre it vnto them who doth know it very well but of one thing alone I will giue thée to vnderstand that in the ende when thou diddest leaue all alone and at my waking I could not finde thée my dolorous paine was so great y t I did not think to escape with my life But my mishap which hath bene alwaies vnto me contrarie and the more to increase my paine was such that my lamentation was heard by a knight who béeing moued with compassion did aske of me the occasion of all this my harme and griefe and when y t I had told him whether it was by motion of loue the which I had wholy giuen vnto thée or by the ouermuch compassion which he had of my paine he brought me out of that solitarie place wheras thou diddest leaue me and carried me wheras I made an end of all my great paines and passions Ah Brenio when I wrote these few lines my body was almost colde and without all strength redie to yéeld vp my soule which is I know to thée great contentment and for that thou shouldest bée satisfied of thy desire I did determine to aduertise thée in giuing thée to vnderstand of my desired death thou béeing the onely occasion thereof Oh Brenio now are the Faâ—es cutting of the thrid of my life asunder I can giue thee knowledge of no more But yet I doo desire thée by the true loue which I bare thée y t thou wilt read these fewe lines w t some sorrow héere of y e Gods I do desire y t they do make thée to passe the â—ame euill which thou hast ben the occasion of vnto me till such time as it bringeth thée to die the like death that for thée I now die And if thou doest desire to know any farther of this matter he which bringeth thee this can informe thée of the whole state thereof for that now I haue no more time neither my strength will consent vnto it The teares were in so great abundance which this sad heauy knight did shed in the time that he was a reading this dolorous letter that he all to wet the same y e messenger likewise did not let to beare him companie and to solempne his heauinesse with so many more teares distilling froÌ„ his eyes The great sorrow lamentation was such so much that in a great space the one could not speake vnto the other but afterward their paine being somewhat appeased Brenio began to speake say Oh messenger from her with the remeÌ„brance of whose wrong my soule is wounded being vndeseruedly of me euill rewarded Tell me for Gods loue if thou doest know where she is shew vnto me her abiding place that I may go thether giue a discharge of this my great fault in yéelding my selfe to death Oh cruell without all loue answered Don Eleno what discharge canst thou giue vnto her y t already through thy crueltie is dead buried thou shalt do much better to arise take vnto thée thy armor defend thy selfe from him that will procure thy death to make satisfaction of the debt y t she without anie dutie did pay Is it possible answered Brenio that Lidia is dead it is possible answered Eleno and she is dead by the occasion of such a forsworne knight as thou art This penitent pained knight when he vnderstood the certaintie of all this euill with a sodaine and hastie furie stroke himselfe on the breast a great stroke with his fist and lifting his eyes vnto the heauens in manner of exclamation against his Gods giuing déepe and sorrowfull sighes he threw himselfe to the ground and tumbled wallowed from the one part vnto the other without taking anie ease or hauing anie power or strength to declare his inwarde paine and griefe the which at that time he felte but with an inward lamentatioÌ„ which did torment his hart he called continually vpon Lidia and with that diuellish fury wherin he was he drew out his dagger and lifting vp the skirte of his shirt of mayle he thrust it into his body and giuing himself this vnhappy death with calling vpon Lidia he finished his life The Dacian knight remained in a great confusion to see this sodayne chaunce and that in such sort that he could put no remedy therein but with the great heauines and sorrow that he receiued he fell downe in a sounde without any remembraunce of himselfe The Page which Eleno brought with him did then procure all remedies that were possible for to bring him againe vnto his remembrance and laboured to doe it with great loue but yet for all y t he could do or procure ther was no possibilitie of his recouery til such time as Phoebus had made an end of his iourney that Diana had begun hir gouernment theÌ„ he began to come a litle to himselfe looking on the one side and sawe that Brenio lay dead by his side with a dolorous voice he said vnto his page Ah Fabio wherefore hast thou procured to put remedy vnto my bodye and consented that it shoulde indure so terrible paine and euill thou shouldest haue sufferd me to haue dyed and not to haue ben the occasion that now I liue dying and hauing no more power to speake he held his peace At this time he had great néede of the force and strength of his christian courage for to assist him that he did not that which should cause him to beare company with this dead Brenio His Page Fabio did very much comfort him and did procure by all meanes to giue him ease but all that euer he could doo did profit very little or giue any contentment vnto his paine till such time as he hearde a greate noyse of armed knights which was the occasion that he came vnto himselfe and for that he would not be discouered he put him selfe into the thickest of the bushes with the helpe of Fabio he carryed Brenio drawing him from the place wher he was and couered him with boughes and leaues till such time as they might haue opportunitie to burie him as héereafter you shall vnderstand So there he continued all that night
all his euill déedes and workes and without tarrying for an aunswere he lifte vp his sword all to be bathed with the bloud of the dead Gyant and stroke at him so terrible a blowe that hée gaue him to vnderstand very well the strength of his mightie arme The Giant who felt the blowe to be very strong drew out from his side a broad and heauie sword and stroke at him such a blow that almost it brought him to y e ground if it had not bene for the great force which he put in firming himselfe in his stiroppes which was the occasion that in a trice he setled himselfe againe in the saddle séeing himselfe so euill intreated he pressed towards him and began to laye on him so sharpe and strong blowes that he made the sparks of fire flie out of his armour and although he was meruailously occupied in striking of the Gyant yet did he not forget to haue alwayes an eie vnto Chariot wheras the captiue Ladies were to sée if they did procure by anie meanes to do them harme or damage and he sawe that they went about to take them out of the waggen and to put them a land for to imbarke them which made him to make more hast in his battaile and knowing the strong enimie that he had before him and inraged with that sodaine sight to sée them imbarking and that if they should carry them to sea then by no meanes he could neither fauour nor succour them he receiued so great wrath that he threw his shield at his backe and tooke his cutting sword in both his hands and went vnto the Giant on his left side and firming himselfe in his stirrops he stroke him so terrible a blow that he made him to â—ull vppon his beastes necke without anye remembraunce and to void at his mouth and nose great abundance of bloud and without anie tarrying he spurred his horse and in great hast he went towards those knights that had those Ladies in kéeping began to sturre himselfe amongst theÌ„ in such sort that when they remembred themselues to make resistance there was thrée of them slaine then all the rest ioyned themselues together put backe to backe made a round circle with their swords in their hands to make their defence At this time the prince Eleno had forgot the great vertue which his horse had but because he wold not y t they shuld kill him he alighted from him the which was the occasion that he put himselfe in great trauaile and perill notwithstanding with the great anger which he had he pressed in amongst them stroke wounded them on euery side without taking anie rest y t it was a wonder to sée and he so besturred tossed his cutting sword vpon them that made resistaunce y t he made them to know and féele his great strength although that they were chosen valiant knights they did not let to intreate him very euill in such sort that many times they made him to stoope féele the griefe of their blowes notwithstanding the courage strength of Eleno was such y t in a very short time he brought twelue of them to the ground before him The marriners which sawe the great furie that was in that one knight in great hast put of their barke from the waters side and with the feare which they had likewise to be there slaine retourned vnto their shippe forcing their barke with the great strength of their armes striking in the water with their oares and when they came to the ship they called aloud giuing making a great noise vnto the rest of the knightes that were in the ship which was to the number of twentie that they shoulde come and giue aide and succour to those which were a land for that some of them were slaine some verie sore hurt and other some standing stil in their defence In the meane time this furious Dacian did so behaue himselfe amongst them in such sort that quickly he had cléered himselfe of all those if at y e present time y e Gyant which was before astonied beside himselfe had not come wheras they were for being come againe vnto himselfe and sawe y e great perill wherein he was brought I cannot nor am not able to declare héere the great and vnmeasurable furie the which hée had and it did the more increase in him when he saw so many knights slaine and dead onely by the power and strength of that one knight his wrath was so greate that he began to cry out against his Gods and alighted from his beast toke his sword into his hand and with a furious pace hée went towards whereas the Prince was but when the valiant Eleno sawe him he could not but thinke that he shoulde passe great trouble with him notwithstanding for that he sawe no other thing but death amongest those barbarous and rude people he did determine to sell his life verie déere had good regard vnto the blows which the Gyant shuld strike at him and in the best wise he could he cléered himselfe from them In this sort went this valiant knight maintaining his quarrell damnifieng his enimies when opportunitie did serue and alwayes had a good hope to cléere himselfe of that battaile although that there were come a land thrée and twenty other knights against whom he made his defence at his plesure for that they feared his terrible blowes and had hurt wounded them in many parts although the wounds wer not very great for that he could neuer fasten on them one blow to his contentment At this time there came another Gyant a shore out of the barke which had remained in the ship and with him came other twentie knights and thirtie men with hatchets and other weapons which made great hast to come a land At such time as this warlyke Dacian was intangled in battaile with the other this gyant came before all y e rest and stroke this knight behinde him so terrible a blow that it made him to bow both his knées to the ground but his mightie courage which in such like chaunces alwaies recouered strength with great hast a valiaunt heart he put himselfe a foote againe and looking about him to sée who it was that so tormented him he sawe that it was a mightie and terrible Gyaunt who with a greate clubbe was readie to giue him the second blowe the Prince with good aduisement did put himselfe a part from the force thereof and made him to spend his blowe in vaine and tooke his sworde in his handes and pressed vnto the Gyant before he could defend himselfe and stroke him such a terryble blowe vpon the right knée that he cut it a sunder in the middest and the heauie and fierce Gyant fell dead to the ground At this time all those that came out of the ship pressed on him for to kill him that by reason of their thicke and
with his sword in his hand inuiting him to mortall battaile Zoylo who sawe his determination did procure to defend himselfe and offend his enimie Oh my Muse that nowe I had so much discreation and eloquence for to set out and declare the greate harme that this daie happened in this vnfortunate Forrest This valiant Tartarian when his enimie came vnto him stroke him so terrible a blowe vpon the visour of his helme that with the furie thereof he made sparkles of fire to issue out thereof with great abundaunce and to bowe downe his head vpon his breast The Pagan did returne vnto him his salutation and stroke him such a blowe vpon his helme that with the great noise therof it made a sound in all the mountaines Now began betweene them a meruailous and fearefull battaile at the great noise whereof Fortune willing to vse her extremitie for to amplifie a farther euill caused the Princesse Tigliafa in the companie of her Ladyes and Damsells to come vnto that place whereas these knightes were in â—attaile and straight waie she did knowe her welbeloued Tartarian and séeing him in so dangerous a battaile she was in great anguish with her selfe These Knights thought on no other thing but either of them procured to bring his aduersarie to his ende striking at eache other suche terrible blows and with so great fury that many times it made eyther of them to loose his féeling and both séeing the greate force of one another were meruailously incensed with anger This fierce Tartarian threw his shield at his backe that with more force he might strike and hurt his enemie and therewith gaue him so strong a blow vpon his helme that all astonied he forced him to fall vpon the crupper of his horse who carried him a great space round about the fielde without any féeling But when he came againe vnto himselfe this fierce Mauritanian setling himselfe in his saddle stroke at y e Tartarian so terrible a blow that if it had chanced on him it would haue turned him to much griefe but with great discretion he cléered himselfe therof in such sort that it was stroken in vaine and with great lightnesse hee retourned and stroke the Mauritanian so that he made him once againe to fall vpon the crouper of his horse all astonyed and there appeared by the visour of his helme the abundaunce of bloud that issued out of his mouth and his horse béeing gréuéd with that blow stooped with his forefeete to the ground and being amazed with great fury he rose vp with his great kicking and flinging backwards he did defend that the Tartarian could not come nigh to hurt y e Mauritanian which was the occasion that he could not haue any time for to giue him the second blowe although he neuer left to follow him to see if he could make an end of y e enterprise which would haue made much of his part not to haue giuen way that this fierce Mauritanian should haue retourned to himselfe so quickly which was in so short time and with so great anger that the smoake which came from his mouth seemed like a myst about his helme so that almost it could not be seene Then this furious diuell set spurres to his horse blaspheming against his Gods hauing his mortall sword very fast in his hande he ranne towards his enimie who without any feare of his fury went forth to receiue him and when they met together they discharged their blowes at once but it fortuned that the Mauritanians blow did first fasten with so great strength that for all the helme which Zoylo had was so good it was not sufficient to make defence but that with the diuellish furie wherwith it was discharged it bended in such sorte that it brake all to péeces the scalpe of that vnhappie Tartarian wherewith he gaue a terrible fall to the ground So when the Pagon sawe his enimie on the earth with a loude voyce he sayde Nowe shalt not thou bée he that shall disturbe mée that I carrie not this armour with mée This sadde and heauie Princesse when she sawe her swéete and welbeloued friende on the earth with great suspition what was happened beganne to wéepe bitterly And as a Lyon who séeing before her her young Lyon euill intreated of the hunter euen so she leapt from her Palfraie and ranne vnto her welbeloued Zoylo and with greate spéed shée pulled off the healme from that wounded head and with a fayre linnen cloth she wiped of the bloud from his mortall face and when she was certaine that it was hée that cost her so déere the séeking and that he was without lyfe with furious madnesse she tore her attire from her head and all to rent her golden haire tearing it in péeces and retourned againe and wiped that infernall face making such sorrowfull lamentation that whosoeuer had seene her woulde haue bene moued to haue had compassion Then shée tooke the head betwéene her handes and did procure without dooing it anie harme to lifte it vp and to put it vppon her lappe and séeing for all this that there was no moouing in him she ioyned her face vnto the face of that vnfortunate Zoylo and with sorowfull wordes shée sayd Oh my loue open thine eyes and beholde me open them I saie and looke vppon this thy Ladie most vnfortunate and while lyfe remaineth giue mée some contentment if fortune be so fauourable Oh my Lorde strengthen thy selfe to looke vpon me wherein I shall receiue such delight that willinglye I will beare thée companie Ah Zoylo and my onely loue séeing that in former time my teares were not sufficient to reclaime thée in anie parte make me satisfaction for the greate trauaile which I haue taken in séeking thée out come nowe in death and inioye this thy vnfortunate louer and dye not without séeing me open these eyes and beholde mée giue me I praie thée some comfort Ah my Lorde I know not whether in séeing me thou shalt receiue paine or no for that at anie time thou neuer delightedst in anie thing that was mine but now I will gratifie thée in dying with thée and séeing that in thy lyfe time I coulde not reioyce in thée nor haue anie companie with thée I will now in thy death séeke thée and peraduenture thou wilt nowe haue more pittie on mée The Princesse sorrowfull lamentations and greate weepings were such that she almost sounded But this discomforted Ladie comming to her selfe and sawe that her loue made no appearaunce of lyfe shée beganne againe to wipe his face for that it was againe all to bée bathed with bloud and with her white hande she felt his eyes and mouth and all his face and his head till such time as shée chaunced to put her hande on the mortall wounde and when shée knew that there was all the harme she held her hand still and looking on him whether he mooued or no with the greate feare which she had that he woulde die
the midst among them a verye faire Damsell who was very heauie and sorrowfull leaning her chéeke vpon her hand The Pagan being nothing afraid of the Giants did kéepe his way till such time as hée came whereas the Giants were laid and he came so nigh that he might sée the face of the Damsell which séemed not to be any humane creature by reason of her excellent beautie with hir golde yeolow haire dispersed all vpon her backe and her Lilly white hand whereon she leaned her chéeke discouering her faire face with her eyes shut which showed her well set browes from vnder which distilled many toares which séemed to be orientall pearles dispersed vpon her faire and white face and sundry times giuing déep and sorrowfull sighes which declared the great paine and griefe that she did suffer The Pagan when he saw her great beautie and fairnesse vpon a sodaine his hart wounded with the cruell dart of Cupide in such sort and with so great fury that nothing could giue him ease thereof but onely death wherewith hée straight remembred that which of late he heard the Nimph to sing and considered within himselfe how her words and threatenings chaunced to fall out true which caused him to giue a terrible sigh whereat one of the Giants did awake setting himselfe vppon the grounde he sayd How hast thou bene so hardie that thou darest to put thy selfe before vs without any feare of our great strength thou â—ast shewed signes and tokens of loue At these words which the Giant spake this Lady did open her eyes and when she saw y e Pagan she coulde not refraine her selfe so much to holde her peace but that she must néedes giue a sigh wherat this fierce Moore was fully certified that she was forced by those Gyants and with that thought he sayd Gyaunt my déedes shall beare witnesse of these thy proud words therefore for that the time shall not passe away and be spent in reasonings one thing I doo demaund of thée whether this sorrowfull and wéeping Lady goeth with you of her owne proper good will or els constrained by your force and violence The Gyaunt with greate pride put himselfe on foote and in lacing and making fast his helme he sayd My sword shall wholly and fully certifie thée of all that which thou dost demaund and in speaking these words the one pressed towards the other But the Pagan for that he would not that he should kill his horse was constrained to put himselfe somewhat on the one side and lighting from the saddle he lefte his horse alone and layde hold vppon his sword wherewith his enimie stroke at him a mightie terrible blow who with a strange lightnesse caused it to be stroken in vaine in stepping on the one side and therewith hée closed with the Giant and threw at his breast so terrible strong a foyne that his armour was not sufficient for to make resistaunce but that the fury thereof must be executed and pearced him thorough vnto the backe wherewith y e Giant gaue a terrible fal to the ground at which noyse y e other thrée Giants did awake and one of them put himself quickly on foote and without tarrying for to put on his healme or to take his shield but blaspheming against his Gods he ran against the Pagan who abode his comming with such like courage as his presumption did require The Giaunt with both his hands stroke at him so monstrous a blow that if it had chaunced on him it would haue put his life in great ieopardie But this valiant Brufaldoro with his accustomed pollicie did cléere himselfe from the same The great broad sword of y e Giant had not so soone passed downe when y e Pagan pressed vnto the Giant before he had any leasure to lift it vp again with an ouerthwart blow he stroke him with so great strength vpon the head that all from the eares vpwardes he brought vnto the earth wherewith the Gyaunt fell downe dead to the ground whose fall was so terrible and made so great a noyse that it séemed a mightye towre had tumbled downe whosoeuer at that time hadde some that faire Ladie might verie wellâ—haue discouered the great ioy that her heart receiued to sée two of those of her enimes dead before her and did not let to praie vnto her Gods for the accomplishment of the whole victorie against y e other two which remained And therewith the other Gyant lyke a furious Lyon blaspheming against his cursed Gods not tarrying to arme himselfe with more armour then at that present he had for that there they were all with their healmes vnlased and from their heads he tooke holde of a great heauie club that was there with both his hands and pressed forwards with a large pace against the Pagan with determination to take reuengement of the others death but this young furious Brufaldoro did tarrie and receiue him with his accustomed courage and valiauntnesse the fearefull Gyaunt did strike at him so terrible a blow with his club that swinging with it in the aire it made a fearefull sounde but the Pagan who without all feare did abide the comming of the blowe determined with himselfe to let it passe in vaine as hee hadde all the rest before and so it fell out that when he sawe the blowe descend he stepped on the one side in such sort that the club fell to the ground with so terrible a waight strength that the blowe made all the trées that were nigh at hande to tremble This terrible blowe was no sooner passed to y e earth when that this valiant Mauritanian stroke a blowe at his armes which was with so great strength that he cut them both off by the wristes and his hands béeing fast to y e club they fell all to y e ground The Gyant who felt himselfe wounded lame would haue imbraced with the Pagan thinking by his great strength to haue crushed him to death but this Mauritanian with great valiantnesse did put himselfe before him his sword in his hand with the point forwardes so that the Gyant with the great paine that he felt of his wounds and the great anger he had in his heart without anie consideration he pressed himselfe forwardes the Pagan followed in his determination in such sort that the sword entered into the Gyants bodie vp to the hard hilts falling downe dead to the ground with no lesse noise then the rest Then y e fourth Gyant which remained did put himselfe on foote who was of a greater and huger stature and bignesse then the other which were dead and taking in his hand a great and mighty speare which laie on the ground by him with a terrible and fearefull voice he sayd O thou infernall diuell for that thou canst not be other séeing thou hast slaine my three companions for I tell thée that the Gods in the heauens did tremble for feare of them Héere I doe promise
her aunswered saying Ladie I am verie much bound vnto your highnesse that you haue taken so much trauaile and paine to seeke me for that ther are other a great number of more valour that are bound to defend your greate iustice and make your defence notwithstanding for that it hath ben your pleasure to attribute vnto me the honour héere I doe promise you to take vpon me your iustice and defence with th◠small valour of my person vntill I put my life in daunger for the small experience done in your seruice I looked for no other thing at your hande gentle knight answered the Princesse and for that thou hast recouered so greate fame renowne onely in dooing of one great déede of armes it is not without great reason y t although I haue ben hetherto infortunate in all my aduentures yet now I do finde my selfe happie for that I haue found such a worthie knight to remedy my euill So vpon this matter there passed betwixt those verie many reasons but the marriners which gouerned the Foyst were greatlye amazed and meruailed verie much to sée the greate swiftnesse of the Foyst and the great way that it made because they knew not the occasion but the Prince did well vnderstand how that Galtenor who helped him was the occasion of the great swiftnesse In the end of ten dayes trauaile vpon the sea they did ariue in a Port or Hauen of the Nabateos whereas they did determine to goe a shoare and from thence to take their waie vnto the place whether they shoulde goe and with this determination he commanded to take out two horses which they brought with them in their Foyst and a palfraie and likewise the fardell which Galtenor brought him and commaunding it to be vndone he sawe that there was in it verie faire purple armour all to be spotted with starres of golde much after the sort of the armour he was wont to weare and the shéeld was of the same sorte sauing that in the purple field there was no deuice made and there the Prince proued the armour and it was so iust and fit for his bodie as they had bene made by measure and béeing therwith armed he séemed to be of a faire disposition vnto all them that looked on him by reason that he was of a goodly stature and proportion then straight waye he set the Ladie vpon her palfray and he leaped vpon one of the horses and the two squires vpon the other and in that sort they began to trauaile and commaunded the Marriners to returne the same waie they came and they tooke their waie through a narrowe path which lead them vpon an high mountaine by reason of the great quantitie of huge mightie trées the great companie of them y t were there they were constrained to go one after another for y ◠otherwise they thought it vnpossible to attaine vnto the top thereof and the thicknesse of the trées were such y t they withstood the Sunne that it could not enter in to warme comfort the cold ground in this sort they trauailed with greate care till such time as the darke night approched although the Moone did shine vpon them yet by reason of the great thicknesse of trées they thought they trauailed in a darke land were constrained to alight from their horses put themselues apart out of the high waie and chaunced nigh vnto a faire fountaine which was vnto them a delightfull hospitalitie for that it was in the spring of the yeare there they sate downe vpon the gréene grasse wherwith the ground was adorned and called for some thing to eate y t which was straight waies giuen vnto them although it was not eaten with such contentment as their hearts required so their stomackes being satisfied euerie one of them withdrew himselfe into his place to take his rest this newe knight tooke vp his helme and shéeld and went to rest in that part which lead towards the mountaine and making of his sheeld a pillow he laide him downe to rest without hauing care of anie other thing but onely to seeke out his lineall descent from whence he came and what he was and therewith he fell a sleepe but his rest indured but a small time for that in the beginning of his rest or first sléepe he heard a verye lamentable complaint which séemed not to be farre from the place where he had chosen to take his rest the which complained at sundrie times and not hastely so the breake of the daie drew on being desirous to knowe what it should be y e made so great complaint and heauinesse he arose vp and laced on his healme and threw his shield on his shoulder and went vnto the place where the Princesse Antemisea was at her rest and sayd vnto her I haue heard this night a meruailous greate lamentation which hath bene the occasion y t I haue not had anie rest at all and therefore I do determine to goe and procure to know if I can who it is that doeth so lamentably complaine and the occasion of their great griefe for that my heart cannot suffer me to heare so great lamentation but néedes I must procure to séeke remedye for the same if it be possible to be had Therefore in the meane time I doe desire your highnesse to take your rest in the the thickest of this Forrest that you may be séene of no body for that I am sure that my returne shal be very quickly for that this complaint doth sounde verie nigh vnto the same place whereas I laie to take my rest all the last night The departing of the Prince was verie gréeuous vnto the Princes Antemisca and she vnderstanding that it was in vaine to say to the contrarie by reason of his determination she pretended to beare him companie and sayd vnto him Sir knight know this for a truth that your departure is vnto me verie greeuous but in that you desire me that I doe remaine héere I doe not admit the same for that surely whersoeuer you goe thether will I also with you for I am not determined to loose your companie The Prince Claridiano could not dissemble but that he must néedes laugh at y e spéech of Antemisca and with a pleasaunt countenaunce he sayde Ladie I will not bée against your determination in anye thing for that it shall be vnto me great honour that you bée in presence whatsoeuer aduenture doe happen vnto me for y t in beholding of you my valour shal increase and taking her by the hande leauing the two Squires to kéepe their horses they went into the thickest of the woode towards the place whereas he had heard those great sighs and complaints but they had not gone verie farre when they heard that heauie voice and going straight waie towardes the place whereas they thought it was the farther they went forwardes the néerer they heard the voyce so that they might cleerely perceiue that it was
and mightie clubbe hée pressed towardes this couragious knight who when hée sawe him comming did abide him w t such courage as his valiant heart did constraine him and hauing his sword in his hand he commaunded the damsells to put themselues a part on the one side This furious diuel hauing his club in the aire fast with both his hands he did discharge the same at the prince who with great lightnesse did cléere himselfe from the furie thereof and caused it in vaine to fall vppon the grounde which was with so greate strength that it made the Prince and all the ground there aabouts to tremble like an Earthquake but in this time the Prince did not sleepe but séeing himselfe cléere from y e blow pressed vnto that monster on the one side stroke him such an ouerâ—hwart blow vpon his knée in the very ioynt that he cut it cleane a sunder with so great ease as though it had bene a Glasâ—ie or such like wherewith the monstrous Gyaunt fell downe to the ground with so great strength and weight as though it had béene a mightie tower he was not so fallen downe but the knight put the point of his sworde into his mouth the Gyant séeing him so nigh he tooke holde vpon the skirt of his shirt of maile with so great strength y t he made him perforce to come néere him and as he had his sword fixed in the Gyants mouth what with the strength that the gyant vsed to pull him towardes him and likewise y e strength which the knight forced it caused the sword to passe through his throate in such sort that straight waie he remained dead and voyded a great streame of bloud Oh that I were héere able to declare vnto you the great ioye that those Damosels receiued when they sawe that greate diuell dead and with chéeréfull countenances they went and receiued the knight although the great feare which remained in that naked damsell would not let her wholy to inioye and reioyce in her lybertie who sayd vnto the Prince Valiant knight and our succour now doth it stand vs in hand to make the more hast before the sonne of this great diuell come vnto vs for that he is more terrible of more strength then his Father is to whome this couragious knight sayd Feare not faire Ladie for that the Gods will helpe and succour vs in such sort that his great furie and force shall little auaile him These words he spake with a chéerfull countenance lifting vp his helme did shew his great seueritie So he tooke them by the hand and went their waie towards the place where they left their squires kéeping of their horses and at his comming thether he straight waie mounted the two damsells vpon their Palfrâ—ies and he and the rest vpon their other horses and began to trauaile their former iourney they had not trauailed verie farre when as they heard a great rushing which séemed to be of many people amongst those thicke trees which caused them to staie to sée what it should be as you shall vnderstand in the next chapter following ¶ Of the battaile that Claridiano had with the fierce and timerous Gyant sonne vnto the other Gyant which he had slaine and of all that happened in the battaile Chap. 9. THE great noise which the valiant Knight heard was no lesse then that which Fauonio made in the Antartike sea nigh vunto y e Tartarian coast which is all replenished with high and mightie trées of Pine apples so the Prince and all the rest staied to sée what it was that caused all that noise and rushing and they sawe that it was a furious fierce and terrible Gyaunt that came from the thickest of the woode hée was thirtéene cubites of height all full of rough and thicke haire and hée had in his hande a greate and heauie club which séemed to bée the mâ—st of a mightie shippe but whosoeuer had séene the faces of the Damsells at that time woulde haue iudged their alteration to be lyke vnto the Sunne when he is eclipsed with y e Moone at noone dayes but this inuincible Claridiano made no signe of anie mutation but rather did make himselfe readie vnto the battaile séeing that the Gyant did make towards him the great blaring noise which the Gyant made was so terrible that it caused great feare in all them that heard it sauing onely in him who put himselfe in defence and tarrying for the comming of the enimie the great pride which this Gyant did vse hauing his club in the aire comming towards the knight was much more then that which Belona vsed when she sate in her armed chariot being gouerned with â—urious Dragons ouer all the fields the horse whereon the Prince rode séeing so straunge and seldome seene a monster before him raged in such sorte that this couragious warriour hedde not so much strength to gouerne him but that by pure force he cast himselfe about in the ayre flying from the presence of that vglie beast but the valyaunt Prince fearing the greate peryll which might happen vnto those Damoselles with greate lightnesse leapt from his horse leauing the saddle and béeing on foote he quickly tourned towardes the Gyaunt and sawe that at one blowe he had broke all to péeces one of the Ladyes Squires whereat the Prince tooke greate griefe to sée so great an outrage done and without all reason and with an irefull voice he sayd Thou furious beast without lawe or reason come to me for I am he which hath bene the occasion of thy anger if thou hast anie This infernall monster went towardes Claridiano with his club all aloft and with great furie he did assault him Oh almightie God saue kéepe and deliuer thy knight from this infernall furie and doe not permit that he dye in the hands of so cruell an enimie but first he knowe that thou art his true and perfect God This valiant Greeke stoode still when he saw that terrible blow comming till such time as he beganne to discharge it at which time with a straunge lightnesse he made him to loose the furie thereof and with his swoord in both his handes he stroke at the Gyaunt a mightie blowe which chaunced vppon his clubbe with so great force that he cut it a sunder in the middle this furious diuell when he sawe that he had erred his blowe with much more furie and double strength hée lift vp his mightie clubbe againe and discharged it at the Gréeke who in the same sorte as before he cléered himselfe from the force thereof making him to strike in vaine that terrible blowe vpon the ground and with the great strength wherewith it was stroke the rest of the clubbe which remained did breake in péeces at which time the Prince was not idle but with greate lightnesse he entered in to him and with both his handes he stroke him a terrible blowe vppon the wast which made his armour to faile but by reason of the
for to make his defence he tooke his good cutting sword in his hand and shrouded himselfe with his hard and strong shéeld and tarryed the comming of that vgly monster and when the furious beast sawe that there was whereon she might imploie her sharpe téeth she stroke with her wings and with her clawes she griped and laid fast hold vpon his hard shéeld pretending to haue swallowed whole this couragious warriour fastning her sharpe tusks vpon his helme which when she found so hard she let go her hold pulled at his shéeld with so great strength y t she pulled it frō his arme but the knight stroke at her a mightie blow vpon y e head with his sword but could not hurt her by reason of y e the hard shels wherwith it was armed though he gaue hir no wound yet for all that she felt the blow in such sort that it made her to recoyle to the ground to fall vpon her long taile This oppressed Knight made great hast to strike her another blow but he coul◠not for y t she stretched her selfe of so great height before him But fortune was so fauourable vnto him that he might strike her on the belly whereas she had no defence with shells nor any other thing but feathers whereas he gaue her a great wound but if y e blowe had bene ouerthwart as it was right downe he had surelye slaine her at that time but yet it was not so little but that it was mortall whereout issued much bloud This great Serpent when she felt her selfe wounded stroake at the Knight with her tayle so terrible a blow that if he had not séene it comming it had bene sufficient to haue parted him in péeces and by reason of the narrownes of that place they could not a part themselues the one from the other but she leaped in the aire with so great lightnesse that it seemed to be ten paces from the ground which was the occasion that her furious blow did not hurt him She was scant descended to the ground when that with bot◠his hands he stroke her so terrible a blow vpon those hard shels that it made her to fal with her breast to the ground but straight way she raysed her selfe vp againe and would haue stroken the Knight againe with her vnmercifull taile The Knight for to cléere himselfe thereof fell downe flat on the ground for that hée had no time to make any other defence But that terrible blow was not so soone passed ouer him but straight waies he was on his feete at such time as the furious beast came towards him Héere the Prince hauing a great confidence in his owne strength did so high and valiant prowesse that you may put in obliuion all the valiantnes that euer was done by his predecessors and put this in perpetuall memorie For that he threw his sword out of his hand and went vnto this monster and imbraced himselfe with her did so quease her betwixt his mightie armes with so much strength y t the furious beast could not profit her self of her sharp clawes but only with her wings she beat him on euery side this valiant warriour would neuer let her loose but stil remained holding her fast betwéene his armes continuing this perillous wrastling being all imbrued with her beastiall bloud y ◠issued out of the wound which was a great helpe vnto him against y e furious fiend which was the occasion y t she lost a great part of her strength Long time indured this great daungerous wrastling that infernall beast fast vnto the noble and valiant breast of the Gréeke Prince till such time as he plainly perceiued y t this monster begane to waxe faint to loose hir strength likewise it could not be otherwise but y t the prince waxed somewhat wearie notwithstanding he did animate himselfe séeing y e great weaknesse of y e Serpent which was by reason of the great quantitie of bloud which came frō her wound hauing opportunitie he tooke his sword wherwith he thrust her into the heart with so great strength y t he cloue it in two peeces and so this infernall monster fell downe dead to the ground and carried the Prince with her for that they wer still fast together and by reason that she lacked her strength to make her defence he quickly cléered himselfe out of her clawes and recouered his sword and when he sawe certainly that he was cléere from y e cruell monster he knéeled downe and gaue great thankes vnto his Gods the poyson was great which this monster threw out for to infect the knight but by reason of the greate vertue which was in the armour that Galtenor gaue him there was nothing y t could hurt him although he remained verie wearie vnquiet and was constrained to sit coole and refresh himselfe by a well which was full of water there hard by whereas y e furious beast came forth when he found himselfe somwhat refreshed he looked about him and sawe a paire of staires wherat he determined to go vp he had not ascended many steps but at the clift of a doore which he found he saw sitting at a great table many people eating and drinking and at the vpper end ther sate the gyantesse and next vnto her by her side a mightie great furious Gyant such a one as he had neuer séene the like hearkning what they did say he heard y t the giantesse said Now hath our reuenger his dinner betwéene his clawes for that hée is so quiet although he hath bene a great while in making of it ready then y e gyant asked said Was ther anie of you which saw what armor this knight brought what recognices he had then one which was there eating said I did sée what recognices he had then the old magicall witch said vnto her sonne now that you certainly know he is dead I wil tell you who it was You shall vnderstand y t it was the knight that slew my two sonnes thy brothers The gyant when he heard this stroke with his hand a great blow vpon the table saying Oh Gods wherefore did you not tel me thereof before that I with my own hands might haue taken the reuengment cursed be thine inchantments for y t they are the occasion y t the mightie force of my armes do loose the glorie y t they do deserue All this which was spoken the knight heard by their reasons he knew that they were all of the lineall desent of those gyants which he slew for to set at libertie y e Princesse of the valley hearing himselfe so vilely spoken of he could not indure to stand there long for his cholar did so ouercome him y t he could not longer refraine but set his shulder vnto the doore with so terrible strength y t he threw it downe to the ground at which fal it made a terrible noise which
caused al them that were ther to be greatly amazed but yet their wonder was much more to sée that the knight was at libertie cléere from that vgly beast who they thought had ben dead and deuoured by her but when they sawe him they all procured to hide themselues and to runne away so that the Gyant remained all alone in that place rising vp from the boord stretching himselfe on his féet he said O my Gods I do giue thanks for y ◠you haue deliuered this vile knight frō y e power of y t furious beast that I with my hands may take reuengment of him And in saying these wordes hée drew out a mightie sword which he had hanging at his side went towards the prince striking at him a terrible blow from y t which this Gréek did cléere himselfe with his accustomed lightnesse being past y t blow he sayd Gyant goe arme thy selfe and héere I will tarrie for thee by which meanes thou maist defend thy selfe and make thy reuengement as thy heart desireth and do not thou thinke that I will glorie in the abating of thy courage but with the great valour the which my high minde doth demaund The Gyant when he sawe himselfe derided and that the knight made little account of him was with the greate anger which he receiued almost beside himselfe and sayd Oh vile and miserable creature is it possible that the Gods will doo me so great outrage as to consent that I shall take armour against thée and that thou hast so much force as to driue me vnto that necessitie And in saying these words he lift vp againe his broad mightie sword against the prince who lykewise cléered himselfe of that blow as he did of the first Then the Prince sayd vnto him Thou deformed beast without any humane reason doo not procure by thy greate pride to spot or staine the nobilitie of my person to cause me to strike thée without hauing any armour to make thy defence The Giant made little accompt of y e counsell he gaue him but rather assalted him with more terrible blowes But all that euer he did was in vaine for that the Prince with great experience and lightnesse cleered himselfe from them and tarried y e time that he might haue opportunitie to close with him for to shew him the fruites of his fists for at that time he had not drawen his sword A good while they were in this contention till such time as those Knights which ran away which was to the number of ten had time to arme themselues and to returne againe into that place whereas they were eating who came all in a readinesse with theyr swords in their hands When the Prince saw the great perill which was towards him he was constrained to drawe out his sword for to make his defence against that wicked company The olde Witch called with a mightie voyce vnto her sonne that he should enter in and arme himselfe for that she suspected as a Deuine what should happen O cursed heart that is so great a friend vnto cruell reuengment how dost thou procure to heape vpon thy selfe such shame reproch seeking without all Iustice to doo that which it wer better for thee to haue left vndone Full little did it profit this olde Witch her great crying out and inchauntments for that the Giant would not hearken vnto her but followed his pretēce vnarmed as he was against him who although he had bene armed his furie would little haue profited him so by reson that y e other armed Knights did so much trouble him with their blowes it was the occasion that the Giant did the more molest him causing him many times with the fury of their blowes to boow his knées to the grounde the which did constraine him to vse all his power against them striking about him on the one side and on the other that in a small time he ouerthrew fiue of them dead to the ground yet for all that the other fiue which remained did not let to vse all the extremitie they could against the Gréeke and likewise that furious Gyant whom the knight would neuer offer to strike with his cutting sword but alwayes waiting opportunitie that he might close with him for to giue him one blowe with the pomell therof and when time did serue he would not loose it but being verie nigh him he stroke him so mightie a blow with the pomell of his sword vnder his eare that he droue it into his braines wherewith the Gyant fell dead to y e ground The other fiue knights when they sawe that terrible blowe they threw their swords vnto the ground and yéelded themselues vnto the curtesie of y e Gréeke knight The olde Gyantesse when she sawe her sonne dead and those knights yeelded with a great furie and terrible shriking she put her selfe before the knight and sayd O cruell Butcher the destroyer of my welbeloued sonnes make now an end of her who doth more deserue the death then they and doe not thinke that thou shalt obtaine so much victorie as to carrie me awaie with thée aliue and if that with thy cruell hand thou wilt not make an end of her that is without all good fortune I promise thée that I will procure to giue it my selfe with my owne hands And in saying these wordes shée went vnto the place whereas he sonne lay dead and layde holde on his sharpe sword and with a trice she thrust it into her bodie that none that were there present had anie time to withdraw her from doing it which béeing done her miserable soule was scant out of y e vnhappie bodie when y t all the Castell began to shake and with the noise of a terrible thunder clap it vanished awaie in such sort that all those y t were there present remained in the plaine field without anie signe or token of castel to be there or anie other kind of buildings for that you shall vnderstand that this Castle was made by Art of inchauntment by that olde Witch Surely it caused great admiration to all them that remained a liue but much more was the griefe of the Ladies which tarried for y e comming of y e Prince when they saw y t he tarried so long also afterward when they heard that great noyse of thunder at the breaking vp of that inchaunted Castle It was no lesse to be wondred at to sée the huge and mightie Serpent the great giant with his mother and the fiue knights that were slaine vnderstanding that the Prince had made all that destruction So the fiue Knights which yéelded thēselues gaue the Prince to vnderstand who the Giants wer and how the olde Giantesse had ordained that Castle for to take reuengement on him for the death of her two sonnes The Greeke Prince gaue thankes vnto his Gods for that they had deliuered him out of that terrible snare and gaue the Knightes frée libertie to departe
and goe whether they would Then the Prince and his company retourned onwards to their iourney making greate hast in their trauaylyng that they might get out of that great Woode before that the night shoulde come vpon them whereby they might get to some towne nigh at hand And at such time as the glistering Apollo began to hide his face and to couer himselfe according to his accustomed order they came vnto a fayre Castle which was a little without the woode whereas of the Lorde thereof they were verye well receiued yet much more royal was their entertainment and farre greater was his affection towards them when he knew of y e destruction of that inchaunted Castle for that he had felte and knowen the inconuenience of that ill neighbour ¶ How that the king of Nabatea had vnderstanding of the great destruction that the Greeke Prince made in the castle and how he commaunded that the serpent and the heads of the Gyants should be set at the entrie of the gate of the Pallaice for a perpetuall memorie and how that the triumph began that was ordeined and of all that passed in the time of the feasts Cap. 14. THE fame of the valiant knight Claridiano with his accustomed gentillitie was noised throughout all those Prouinces of Nabatea publishing his heroicall actes and feates of armes naming him to be the knight of the damsells and when he drew nigh vnto Nabatea there did not lacke them which gaue the king to vnderstand of all that passed When the king heard of so mightie and valiant déedes and in speciall of that which was done in the inchaunted castell and of the furiousnesse of the serpent he commanded straight y t men shuld be sent thether for to bring them vnto his presence which straight way was accomplished and when the King saw so great worthinesse he commaunded that forthwith for a perpetuall memory of y e knight they shuld be hanged at y e pallaice gate desirous to know y e knight to haue him in his court for to do him honor but they which had more desire to sée him wer y e Dutchesse of the valley and her Daughter Who were at that time come so the Court and declared the greate prowesse of the Prince and thought long for the daye of the Triumphes for as then hée promised without faile to be at Nabatea so the daie of the feastes were come at the fame wherof resorted thether a great number of great valour and strength Amongst whom was the prince of Phoenicia with a goodly company of noble persone and the Prince of Camogenia with many and very well proprtioned Knightes Likewise came thether the King of Arabia with greate maiestie and with no lesse maiestie came the king of Silicia and a brother of his who were both Gyants So likewise came thether the king of Cappadocia all these be Prouinces that doth border the one with the other the most part of these Princes are vassalls vnto the Prince of Palestino all these Princes came thether for to honour that good king of Nabatea for that he was very well estéemed of them all and as they came to honour the King so likewise they came to proue themselues and to get fame and name the praise that belongeth therevnto It was supposed of all the companie the king of Silicia would haue the prowesse and praise of all the rest for that he was a gyant of verie bigge members although his brother was taken to be more furious who determined not to iust for that his brother shuld get the honour praise but it fell out otherwise as heereafter you shal vnderstand So when the daie was come all the Ladies and Damsells put themselues in places for to beholde y e feasts and euerie one procured to set out her selfe with the greatest brauerie y t might be and the great court full of people which came thether for to see the feasts and triumphs What shall I saie heere of the daughter of the Dutchesse of the valley who was of so great beautie y t she was noted amongst them all So the knights began to enter into the place of iust and he which was the first that entered was the Prince of Camogenia who was mounted vpon a verie faire and well adorned courser he was armed with blacke armour all to bée spotted full of Martines brought with him fiftie knightes all apparelled with the same liuerey and with great◠maiestie he went round about the place making obedience vnto all the Ladyes and Damsells after him entered a Pagan knight who was Lord of Siria and armed with armour of a Lyons coulour accompanied with an hundreth knights all apparelled in veluet of the same coulour and passed round about the place shewing great curtesie as the other did which being done he sawe that the Prince of Camogenia was tarying to receiue him at the iust and straight way they began to sound the instruments giuing to vnderstand that they must make themselues ready These Knights were nothing vnwilling but spurred their coursers with great fury The Prince of Camogenia made his encounter whole stroke the Pagan without missing any poynt but the pagan stroke the other in such sort that he heaued him out of the saddle he fell to the ground wherewith the Pagan Knight remayned with great pride and gladnesse In the meane time that these two wer in the Iust there entred in a Knight of Phenicia who entred in with great pompe and pride who when he saw that the Prince of Camogenia was ouerthrowen he put himselfe vnto the Iust. Little did profite him his great pride and arrogancie outward show to be a strong knight against him of Siria for that at the first encounter he ouerthrew him to the ground in like sort did he vse other fiftéene Knights of diuers Prouinces So straight way entred the Prince of Phoenicia who was a meruailous well proportioned knight armed all in white armour wrought with excellent knots of gold and he brought in his companye an hundred Knights all apparailed in white satten and riding about the place he shewed his obedience vnto the King and all the Ladies Then he put himselfe at his standing for at that time ther was not a knight to iust withall So straight way they sounded the trumpets at which noyse the Knights mooued themselues to the Iust with their horses and made their encounter so strong with so great fury y t the strong Pagan was cast to the grounde and the like he did to other sixe ventrous Knights which entred into the place Straight way entred the braue King of Silicia who was armed with glistering armour of very fine stéele and was mounted vppon a very mightie and rich courser and brought in his cōpany two hundred Knights all apparailed with rich cloth of golde accompanied with greate musicke of minstrelles which was a pleasaunt noyse to be heard and after that hée had made the accustomed compasse and
hart doth grow Make soft thy hart and do not him disdaine That doth adore thy beautie so diuine Pittie my plaints abate my grieuous paine With scoffes and scornes constraine me not to pine Either graunt grace els flatly nay reply That I may know if I shall liue or dye When he had made an ende of this song he let the Rebeck fall out of his hand stretching himself on the grene grasse crossing his hands he put them to his mouth as a man ful of passions griefes began to say w t a weping voice O my Pastora let thy cruelty now suffise thée it is now time that thou helpest thy Pastor out of so long and great sorow Consider mistresse that thou dost intreate me very euil for y t thou dost wel vnderstand y t I am wholly thine not mine owne as thyne own thou maist ordaine dispose me I am wholly subiect vnto thy will whether it be good or ill what so euer thy pleasure is vnto either of them I am agreable for y t I am wholly thyne The Prince saw y t with this shepard was an other in his company who whan he saw y t the other hild his peace he toke an other Rebeke which he had w t no lesse musicke then y e other he began to play sing as followeth by y e which he did show to be clere at libertie of y e paines of loue That tyrant Loue shall neuer wound my brest I will not loue nor yet beloued be The louers lyfe I doe in hart detest which now in myrth are straight in misery ¶ I being free doe Cupids customes scorne Reiect his lawes disdaine his wounding dart And let who will be with his passions torne He neither can nor shall possesse my hart This shepheard left off his song playing all at one time as one y t made no reckoning nor estéemed loue but the amorous shepheard gaue so terrible a sigh y t it sounded throughout all the field Then making a heauie sound he said O happie shepheard that loue hath giuen so much libertie vnto great is thy good fortune that thou maist fréely publish thy lybertie and blame my captiuitie Let the Gods vnderstand let it be published that I am brought vnto that estate that in my songes sonets I doe delight to vtter the swéete conuersation that I haue with my loue But how much more ioy should I receiue if I could sing as thou doest in seing my selfe at lybertie Oh mightie Iupiter doe not take away this excellent ioy which I doe féele in louing lyke wyse I do desire thée that thou wouldest giue me strēgth for to passe ouer my payne and griefe therewith he toke againe the Rebick and soung this song as followeth EXcept I loue I cannot haue delight It is a care that doth to lyfe belong For why I hold that lyfe in great despight That hath not sower mixt with sweete among And though the torments which I feele be strong Yet had I rather thus for to remaine Then laugh and liue not feling louers paine This Shepard was troubled in his song could not procede any farther for that he hard a great rushing noyse amongst the bushes and trées And loking who it should be he saw that it was a Pastora who was apparaled with a white peticoate of very course cloth She had hir golden haire dyspersed abroade on hir backe behind hir eares and had in hir hand a shepheards hooke very well wrought with the which she gouerned a fewe shéepe that she had the charge of Hir face semed so faire as Diana at such time as hir beames hath most force And when the Shepard saw hir he began a new to make vnto hir pitifull lamentations But for all that the Pastora made no rekoning to giue any eare vnto him nor to his complaints but rather with a smiling laughter made of it as a iest which caused vnto the Shepehard more torment Then Cupide who was tarying his tyme opportunitie at y t time discharged his golden Arrow with great furie in such sort that the heart of the Prince who aforetime was voyd at libertie was now brought in subiection made subiect vnto his lawes customes For so sone as he had séene this Pastora he straight way remembred the Pastora which y e Princes of Ierosolima had told him of also of y t which he saw in the inchanted Castle leaning on hir breast at the Yron grate And remēbring himselfe he cast his head a side to behold hir that was y e occasion of his new harme but for y t she was passed alongst with hir shéep he could not sée hir Then he began to complaine against his vnhappie fortune saying Ah heauy hart that in the time y t thou wert a knight at libertie thou diddest subdue and hadst power to ouercome so many strong warriors wher is now thy strength become wherwith thou didst ouercome thē Art not thou he who did ouercome those two mightie giants in Trapobana Art not thou he which w t thy fury didst abate y e strength courage of y e mightie Geredion what is become of thy potensie wherwith thou diddest bring down y e pride of y e two Tartaros what is become of the fury wher with thy fystes thou slewest y e great giant of the moūtaines Nabatea wher is thy strēgth wherwith thou didst win thy mightie horse Zefiro I do sée y t it is all yelded vnto a poore simple Pastora Oh hart it doth not greue me for y t thou art brought in subiectiō but only for y t thou art at y e wil power of a Pastora It is a signe y t my lignage is not of such valour estimation as I was perswaded by my friend Galtenor But what do I say do I finde fault in the desert of my Pastora And although I wer of y e most highest lynage in the world yet that faire face is more then any humaine creature doth deserue And in saying these words he fell in a sownd to the ground And forsomuch as he was absent taried a long time y e ladies saw he came not they went out to seke him found him in y e sort as I haue told you which caused great disturbance vnto them Notwithstanding in the best maner they could with bowing of his finger other diligences they brought him againe to his remembraunce but not in so perfect sort that he knew who was with him in presence And therwith he gaue a greuous sigh sayd Oh merciful Iupiter show vpon me thy power do not permit that Cupide may haue so much might against this sorowful knight And therwith a new he fel down in a sownd as at the first Both the princes wer greatly amased not knowing what it should be which hath caused so much alteration And therwith Fidelio ran vnto the riuer for water wherwith they
middle and procured by casting him about to ouerthrow him in such sort that he had almost ouer throwne himselfe but the Prince layde such holde with his hands embrasing the Troyan that betwixt them there began a terrible wrastling eche one procuring by polisie to ouerthrow the other The Troyan dyd force himselfe by little little to cary Rosicleer towards the place whereas the Serpent was but Rosicleer perseuing it dyd procure to make resistance vsing policies for to clere himselfe from that perill But alwayes he found that the Troyans strength did not increase And by reason that the mightie strength of Rosicleer was such the Troyan could not by his force make any resistance but that he must néedes be caryed out of a compasse that was marked of iust thirtie paces from the place where as the Serpent was And when that he had brought him out of that compasse not being able to make resistance the Troyan fell to the ground without any féeling leauing Rosicleer somewhat discomforted But yet he sawe that for to go forwardes in his enterprise it was requisite to ioyne battayle with that flying Serpent And without resting himselfe he strayte wayes toke a great and mightie speare and with a valyant courage he went towards the place wheras the Serpent was who seing him comming and that he was within the compasse she put hir selfe on foote and beating with hyr wynges she gaue two wonderfull shrykes and with greate lightnesse lyke a byrd she came towards Rosicleer puffing out of that terrible mouth a mightie thicke smoake like vnto a mist. This valiant and couragious knight when he sawe her cōming he put the great end of his speare vnto y e ground and firming it fast with both his hands the point forwards he tarried her comming This furious Serpent without making any account of the spere with the great desire she had to lay hold on the knight put her selfe forwards with great furie so that the speare chaunced into one of her great wide nosethrills that almost it ranne vp into her braines but if he had held the point of the Speare a little lower he had giuen the most worthiest blow in all the world but yet for all that it did not let to make a mortall wound This furious serpent with the great fiercenesse she had she brake the speare so that there remained in her head more then two spans thereof and therewith she stroke at the knight with her nailes so terrible a blow that she ouerthrew him in such sort that he tumbled on the ground The beast who was troubled and astonied with that cruell wound againe by reason of y e great swiftnesse and furie she could not take anie holde of his armour but passed forwards on insomuch that the knight had time to arise and put himselfe on foote and finding by him the tronchon that remained of the speare he turned and firmed himselfe therewith procuring as he did at the first to receiue the blow which he saw comming with great swiftnesse and fortune was so fauourable vnto him that he chaunced with the tronchon of hir Speare vpon one of his strong hornes and by reason that his speare was strong and ful of knots it was fast vpon one of them and by her great swiftnesse broke it cleane from her head wherwith she remained with that great blow astonied and amazed with y e terrible paine The tronchon of the Speare was driuen out of his hande so that hée was costrained to laie hand on his sword and to shrowde himselfe vnder his hard and stéele shéeld to make his defenc◠against the blowes that might come This cruell Serpent beeing verie much troubled with the greate paine of the woundes with double furie giuing wonderfull shrikes and grones she assaulted this knight The couragious Knight who was not without great care of his defence did abide her comming and stood stil and the wounded Serpent séeing her selfe nigh vnto the Knight with great beating of her wings arose vp in the aire thinking thereby to gripe fast hold with her sharpe nayles and to carry him into the aire and from thence to let him fall downe to the ground to destroye him The courage of this Knight was very much and likewise his iudgement for that this Serpent had not so soone began to beate with his wings when that he suspected in what order she would assault him but he lifted vp the poynt of his sword on high and likewise his strong shield that she might thereof make her praye This furious serpent assaulted him to take her holde in such sort that the sharpe sword ran into her belly and guts and so the heart but if that wound had not chaunced in the same place at that time the Knight had bene meruailous ill intreated for that the serpent tooke her hold with her long clawes in the midst of his body in such sort that by her great strength she made his bones to crack but by reason of the sharpnesse of the sworde which opened the wound wide and cloue her heart asunder the Serpent fell downe dead to the ground leauing the Gréeke verye sore troubled and amazed When the Knight sawe that she was dead he gaue great thankes vnto God for his aide and succour heerein So straight waye he went to sée who was the Knight that was bound at the trée with the Snakes comming nigh him he knewe him to be the Prince Meridian for the which he receiued great sorrow There he remained a while thinking how he might vnloose him and set him at libertie and comming vnto the serpents with his Herculine hand he layde holde on the necke of them that were at his féete in such sort y t he made him to loose his strength to forget the vse of his cruell office leauing y e others féete winding about his arme that he was constrained to procure to cléere himselfe but all was in vaine for that it was so firmly fastened about him that of necessitie he must vnloose it as he would vndoo a company of knots and the more he vndid the more it wounde about with such wreathings from one place vnto another that it was very straunge that if it had not bene by the great strength he vsed in quéesing of the serpent he could neuer haue cléered himselfe thereof but in the ende it fell downe dead to the ground Then he laide holde of the other hauing no lesse trouble with it then he had with the first and slew it lykewise so that the féet of this tormented Barbarian were at libertie of his greate paine who gaue meruaylous and gréeuous shrikes Then that cruell Uulture which was vppon one of those trées séeing what the knight was a dooing with greate hast shee descended downe for to strike and wounde the knight vnbewares which was executed with such furie striking him with her sharpe bill so terrible a blowe at such time as hée went to lay holde on the Serpents
had foure feete and each of them had two long clawes with verye sharpe nayles the necke was a yearde long and it had the face of a woman and out of her heade procéeded two mightie great and huge hornes verye sharpe Her spéech was very perfect and cleere and made aunswere in any language that was spoken vnto her She would make battaile with none but it should procéede of questions and aunsweres and as Galtenor doth affirme and say that the inchaunted Merlin was shut vp in that beast This furious beast when she saw that the Prince went towards that little dore she put her selfe before him and disturbed his going this couragious Knight shrowded vnder his shield did abide her comming Then the beast sayd Stay thy selfe and stand still Claridiano and doo not trouble thy selfe so much for a thing that for all the dominions and Empires of thy father thou woldest not haue begun neither haue giuen the enterprise Let mée first knowe what did mooue thée to enter into this infernall house whether thou wert mooued by thy great courage and strength or pretence to set at libertie those that are heere detained or for to knowe somewhat of thy linage The Gréeke meruailed verie much when he hearde himselfe named and of the greate reasons which the beast spake vnto him To whome he sayde All that thou hast sayde and spoken of I woulde be verie gladde to atchieue and goe forwardes with for that thereof I shoulde gette vnto my selfe great honour notwithstanding if thou doest know anie thing of my linage I doe desire thée to tell me This furyous beast sayd Desires and prayings can doo verie little with me neither mooue me except it come of mine owne good wil for to tell thée but for that I doo knowe after that I haue told thée it shall profite thée very little by the knowledge thereof for that if thou doost moue battaile with me thou shalt remaine broken all to péeces therefore for this cause I will tell thée Giue me heerein my desire sayde this couragious knight and for the rest let each one as it behooueth him procure to defend himselfe Then the beast with a smiling laughter and as one that did make a iest of all that which was spoken sayde Although it will profite thee verye lyttle in giuing to vnderstand therof yet will I tell thée thy generation Thou art sonne and nephew to the two mightiest Emperours in all the world and the most adorned with all vertues Thy mother is the most worthiest Matrone that euer hath bene and none like but she which was kept for thee if thou hadst not entred into this Fortresse Thus in fewe words I haue told thee of thy descent and from whence thou dost proceede if thou wilt vnderstand it and more I doo say vnto thee that thou art not worthie to accompt thy selfe of such a linage for that they be Christians and thou art a Pagan therefore aske me no more for I haue tolde thée inough And now séeing I haue accomplished thy will and desire haue a respect what thou wilt doo with thine own person for if thou wilt retourne without making any battaile with me thou must of two things choose to doo one of them which is to returne backe againe that waye which thou camest or els to declare vnto me the resolution of a question which I will demaund of thée The couragious Gréek said For the one which is to returne backe againe y e way which I came thou shalt vnderstand that I will not graunt vnto and touching the second say on whatsoeuer it be thy plesure that I shall declare and I will make thée aunswere thereof if I can and when I cannot with my tongue héere is my sword that doth know how to make relation of questions be they neuer so obscure and hard Thy sword Claridiano sayd the beast will do as all other haue done héertofore that haue taken vpon them y e same enterprise their masters remaining dead in recompence of their bolde hardinesse Leaue off these reasons sayd Claridiano and demaund what thy plesure is or els suffer me to go forwards on my iourney and if of necessitie for to make an end héereof I must haue battaile with thée come on let vs begin without any more tarrying Hast thou so much hast said the beast I doo promise thée that quickly thou shalt sée thy selfe in that perplexitie that thou shalt repent thy speede Tell me Claridiano what beast is that when it is first borne that goeth on foure féete and afterward on two and in y e end on three If thou declare vnto me my question I am content to let thee passe and to followe thy iourney This question did put this valiant warrior in great thought in himselfe his eyes â—ixed on the ground searching all his memorie and vnderstanding but yet he could not happeÌ„ to know what thing it should be that was demaunded and lifting vp his eies hee sayd I doe not know with my small vnderstanding what to aunswere thée therefore my sword shall accomplish that which in my wit doth lacke And in saying these words hee imbraced his shéeld and firming his sword in his hande hee began his terrible and timerous battaile The furious beast hissing like vnto a Snake did withdrawe himselfe somwhat backwards and with great violence did stretch out her long necke and bearing her head somewhat lowe she pretended with her hornes to make her encounter the Prince stood still till that the beast drew somewhat nigher him and wold not at that time abide the furiousnesse of the blowe but rather cléering himselfe from it by stepping on the one side with a light leape towards the left hand and passing this furious beast by missing her blowe he stroke an ouerthwart blow at her with so great furie and force which lighted vpon the middest of her taile that although she carried it verie low for her most aduauntage for that therewith she did most offend and defend yet for all that the Princes fortune was such that the blow chanced betwéene two scales with a trice it was cut a sunder in the middest Oh how furious and outragyous was this deformed beast when she felt her selfe so sore wounded and turning her selfe as the wind against y e Prince before he could make his defence that needs he must receiue vpon his strong armour a blowe with those long and sharpe hornes the blowe was giuen him with so great force that it ouerthrew him to the ground and seeing him in this sorte with a diuellish rage and ire she ranne towards him procuring to claspe him betwixt her sharpe clawes and by reason of her great furie and rage she had not so much time but passed by and could not fasten anie hold on him The Greeke was meruailously troubled at that mightie blowe which hée receiued the beast with double furie returned vnto y e knight to strike him as shee did before the Gréeke did abide his comming
considering the deuise which the shield had he did imagine to what ende it shuld apply and likewise of the words which the damosel had sayd And béeing troubled with these thoughts and such lyke he prosecuted his waye and when he came foorthe of that narrow and straight way he came into a great plaine in the which he saw a Castle scituated vppon a rocke and a mile from that place there was another Castle which séemed to be very strong And in the Castle that was in the plaine there was a great noyse and strayght way there issued out a company of Knights and amongst them a valyant Giaunt who with great pride came towards the Knight and when they came nigh and saw that he was mounted vpon the giaunts beast with great anger and fury they assaulted him they were to the number of twentie Knights This couragious young Knight was nothing troubled to sée them but rather did abide their comming with his sword in his hand and with as much courage as though he had had as manye more in his company to help him And when they had made their encounter vpon him yet he remained as firme in the saddle as a strong and hard Rocke but yet at their passing by he stroke one of them such a blow vpon the shoulder that cutting it in two péeces he ouerthrew him to the grounde At that time approched the Gyant who by reason of his deformitie in bignesse his horse could not trauaile so fast as the others did He brought in his hand a strong speare wherewith he made his encounter against the young Knight that he made him to leane on the one side in the saddle but with a trice he setled himselfe againe and throwing his shielde at his backe he tooke his sword strongly in both his handes stroke his beast with the spurres who with a light leap was with his enimie and discharged his blow vpon the Gyants shield with so great furie that he cut it in two péeces and it descended from thence vpon his hard and stéelie healme with so great strength that he made him to fall vppon his Horse necke without anye remembraunce and retourned with his sword thinking to giue him the seconde blowe which by no meanes he could for that the Knights did so assault him on euery side but it did little profite them all that euer they did or could doo for returning against them with his light beast he intreated them in such sort that when the astonished Giant came vnto himselfe there were fiftéene of his Knightes ouerthrowen to the ground Oh how angrie and wrathfull was this Giant when he saw so great slaughter who with a furious rage drew out his fawchon with both his hands he stroke him such a blow vpon his fine and hard helme that he did depriue him of his vnderstanding His furious beast being scarred with that terrible blowe began to run about the field in such sort that if the knight had not quickly come to himselfe he had carried him into the Castle but remembring himselfe he rayned the bridle of the beast and came against his enimie with such fury and with his sword all aloft he stroke him such a blow vpon his helme that cleauing it in péeces with the head downe to the shoulders hée fell downe dead to the ground The rest of the Knights which remained when they saw that terrible blow wold haue run away but sodainly they sawe come forth out of the other Castle as many moe knights as came at the first and with the like pride and fury as the others did they assauted Poliphebo who séeing that new assault and that there came another Giant in their company he made himselfe readye for his defence and procured to doo his best to deliuer himselfe from them and taking a speare which was one of the dead knights and being shrowded vnder his shield he went foorth to mtéee the Gyant who when he saw him come addressed himselfe They made their incoūter very strongly vpon their shéelds and the Giant did no more but breake his speare in small péeces but he neuer moued the Tinacrian in his saddle who made his encounter so stronglye and stroke him with so great fury vppon his shéelde that by reason of the great sharpnesse of his speare it rested not there but pearceing it thorough and also his armour it appeared behinde him at his backe in such sort that he ouerthrew him dead to the grounde Oh meruailous and valiant déedes done by one Knight that in one daye by thrée blowes he ouerthrewe and slewe thrée great and strong Giants The knights that came foorth of the Castle when they sawe that mightie déede with greate showtes and shrikes they compassed him round about striking vppon him manye a furious blowe and although they thought that of the last battail◠he remained verie wearie they were greatly deceiued for that he began with greater wrath to strike and wounde them then at the first In suche sort he behaued himselfe amongst them ouerthrowing and wounding on euery side that in short time they left him at his libertie the like he would haue done if there had bene as many more before him his anger and fury was such the rest which remained being about the number of six knights put themselues vnto flight The Tinacrian would not follow them neither made he any reckoning of them but entered into the Castle and did alight from his great beast and went into a broade Courte whereas were all the Giauntes household seruaunts and when they saw him they began to runne away and to hide themselues as from theyr sodayne death The knight did call them againe and bad them be in quiet and not to feare for that he would not hurt them if they would shewe him where the prisoners were in the castle Then one of them said Prisoners there are but what shall it profite to showe thée the place when thou canst not deliuer them for that ther be such kéepers to kéepe them Let it be what it will be said the Knight for once thou shalte showe me where they are As for their kéepers they haue but smal defence neither haue you any occasion to feare for that this daye they haue made accompt and payd all the euills harmes y t they haue done The man when he heard this without any replying tooke a bundle of keyes and came out of the kitchin into the Court whereas he opened a doore and entred therein they descended downe a paire of staires into a déepe dungeon whereas they heard a very sorrowfull and lamentable noyse The knight spake with a lowde voyce sayd Who is it that lyeth so lamenting within this darke dungeon To whom was aunswered with a verye dolorous voyce Héere lyeth the most grieuous and afflicted knight that may be found in all the worlde in his company other Knights brought vnto this place by forcible vyolence why I doo not know
countenance and said Héere thou hast before thée they whom thou dost demaund for beholde vs well and let not thy youthfull courage deceiue thée giuing enterprise vpon that of which the sonnes of the Emperour Trebatio would make doubtfull therefore looke what thou doest determine and giue vs our aunswere and that quicklye The Knight of the Braunch in the meane time that Rodelando was saying these wordes did verie much beholde and viewe him and it séemed vnto him that hée was a Knight of greate valour but yet for all that his strong members did not dismaie him but with a graue spéech and seuere countenaunce he aunswered If thou hast so much haste to knowe my determination héere I doe saye that in the accusation that thou hast put against Clarentina thou doest lye lyke a false Knight and that thy cosin lyke a cruell murtherer doth deserue the death for killing of his owne Brother committed by his owne handes who was more worthie in all respects then he is Then Firidefonte with great fury answered and sayd O vile ribalde howe can I suffer so greate euill to bée charged with that which that naughtie woman hath committed and caused to be done if thou wert not before the Emperour it should cost thâ—e full déere and out of hand thou shouldest haue thy payment for this great lie but yet I doe comfort my selfe for that verie quickly I will bée reuenged on thée I cannot declare the great anger which the knight of the Braunch receiued for that he tourned vp the white of his eyes and all his face waxed wanne and blacke and trembling with very anger moouing his pace he sayd I doe promise thée thou traitour that I will make thée with thy owne mouth confesse this great treason which thou hast committed and if it were not but that I am before so high an Emperour héere in this place without going anie farther with my fists like a vile traitour I would make thée to confesse it Héere Firidefonte had no patience to heare these things spoken to his face but like a tyger he leapt vnto him and wrapped his cloake about his arme and drew out his sword and went against the knight of the Braunch This worthy warriour thereat made no kinde of mouing but did abide his coÌ„ming making an outward shewe of the greate valour of his heart Firidefonte did strike at him with his sworde but the knight of the Braunch stepped on the one side and made him to loose his blow so that his sword stroke on the ground and like vnto the winde he closed with him and stroke him with his hands on the breast with so great furie and strength that without hauing anie power to saue himselfe he gaue a great fall backwards to the ground Rodelando séeing that on the best side entered to him and did imbrace him and held him verie strongly betwéene his armes Then this gentle knight drew out his swoorde and hauing his arme aloft he stroke a blowe the which chaunced vpon a young man called Polio of Velduque sonne vnto the Duke of Velduque and that cruell sword did light vppon his head and cutting it in two parts the young man fell downe dead to the ground Nowe was it not requisite that the Tinacrian should remaine in the armes of Rodelando but with great strength he did ruste him selfe threw him from him At y t time the whole Court was in a tumult for the death of Polio and euerie one drewe out his sworde and did verie sore assalt the knight of y e Branch but he with his sworde made such a slaughter amongest them that they did verie well feele and vnderstand the valiantnesse of his heart the great noise crieng out of the Emperour neither his emperiall presence was sufficient to appease them At this time the Emperours gard came into the hall who were coÌ„manded that with their halberts they shuld indeuour to part them then the Emperour went to lay hand on Firidefonte the beginner of all this tumult but he putting himselfe in defence went forth of the hall so likewise did Rodelando y e Emperour séeing that laide hand on the Bauiero who with great humilitie did obey his Lord he would haue done y t like vnto Poliphebo but he put the point of his sword before him said Kéepe your highnesse backe for that I am none of them that so lightly wil be taken prisoner take put in prison thy owne vassalles such as hath had little respect vnto thy presence let not them which are not of thy kingdome pay for this thy anger The emperour very angry said If my vassalls are in the fault they shall haue theyr punishment thou also if thou dost deserue it therfore yéeld thy self to prison if not vnderstand that it wil be to thy cost I know not what will fall out héerein said the Tinacrian but w t my good will neither you nor all yours shall triumph of my imprisonment before that this doth come to passe I wil make more then one thousand of them that do pretend to take me prisoner loose their liues Then the Emperour with a loude voice commaunded to fake him at which wordes all the whole gard together pressed at him but this valiaunt knight did determine that in spite of them all he woulde cléere and set himselfe at libertie there did he begin to doe wonderfull feates of armes breaking and cutting a sunder those sharpe Halberts and killing and wounding that it was terrible to beholde All the people feeling and séeing the effect of his rigorous arme did giue him waye and let him goe tyll hée came to the stayres there they beganne to assault him a newe with verye much people and amongest them some armed knightes The Knight when he sawe that he coulde not passe in quiet he was cleane without anye patience and not fearing death but forgetting pollicie he firmed himselfe and throwing his shield at his backe he tooke his sword in both his hands and layd about him on euerye side lyke vnto a furious Lion he pressed amongst the people cutting killing and wounding for to haue way to descend y e staires At that time was the Knight in great perill for that those which were before him did persecute him with the sharpe poynts of their halberds and likewise those which were behinde him did the like in such sorte that the Knight béeing on the staires could not tourne himselfe at his pleasure but yet all that euer they did did little auaile or profite them for that with the great furie which he had he pressed vpon them that were before him and what with killing and wounding he forced them to giue him way to descend downe y e staires where hée founde many people fallen downe with the great hast they had to flye from him And when he saw that hée could not passe by reason of the people he gaue a great leap with wonderfull lightnesse he passed ouer the
greate hast they called for the barke looking round about them to sée if they could espie their enimie they sawe him on the other side of the riuer vnto whom with a loude voice they called did defie him to mortall battell the knight of the braunch when he heard them call he made himselfe readie entering into the barke he said Tarry ther I will come ouer to sée if you do séeke me or not and therwith he made great hast with the barke wheÌ„ he came nigh vnto the shore he mounted vpon his mightie beast with a light leap he was a land Then one of those knights with an high voice sayd Now sir traitor thou shalt pay y e great offeÌ„ce which thou didst vnto me before y e Emperour for thou shalt vnderstand y t I am Rodelando this other is my cosin Firidefonte When y e Tinacrian heard this without tarrying for any more words he set hand vnto his sword said Oh traitors how your faults hath brought you to receiue y e paiment for your treason at my hands now in place wher your tresons shal not profit you and in saying these words he stroke Rodelando such a blow y t he made him to fal backwards vpoÌ„ the horse crouper Then Firidefonte entered in to him on the one side stroke the Tinacrian such a blow vpon the helme that it made a sound as though he had stroke vpon a bell made him decline his head vnto his brest but quickly he setled himselfe againe lift vp his rigorous arme stroke him such a blow vpon his shulder y t it made him to shrink in his bodie with the great paine he felt at y e time Rodelando was come vnto himselfe setled againe verie much troubled at y e great valor of y e knight throwing his shield vnto y e ground he stroke the knight such a blow on the one side of his helme y t he made him to decline his head vpon his beasts neck who being scarred with y e blow gaue a great leap from theÌ„ which did not a little vantage the Tinacrian for y t Firidefonte came to discharge his blow vpon him by reason y t the beast did leap on the one side he could not execute that blow in which time w tout receiuing any other blow the prince setled himself againe in his saddle found nigh vnto him Firidefonte who followed to strike him to whom he gaue such an ouerthwart blow vpon his bâ—uer y t with the sparkles of fire which flewe out thereof he singed his browes eye lids made him to fall backwards vpon his horse crouper without any remembrance therewith Rodelando pressed vnto the Tinacrian whereas began a great perillous battell this Tinacrian w t great lightnesse entered in out with his enimies without receiuing any harme stroke them with so great furie y t they wist not what to doe it could not be chosen but y t he must néeds receiue some harme for y t he dealt with two of the best knights in al Almaine In this sort they endured two houres he had brought these two knights into great wearinesse all their bodies were couered with bloud and feeling themselues so troubled Firidefonte hallowed with a loude voice At which call there came forth out of a little groue ten armed knights with their speres on their rests and made their way against the Tinacrian who séeing them comming was nothing afraid but pricking his great beast with the spurres he put himselfe betwixt the two cousins which was the occasion that these ten Knights could not execute ther furious blowes The Tinacrian did throw his shield at his backe tooke his sword fast in both his hands and firmed himselfe in his stirrops and stroke Feridefonte such a blowe vppon the helme that although it had bene of a fine Diamond he had broken it all to peeces for the furie of his blowe was such that he cloue the heaâ—me and head of that furious Firidefonte down to the breast so that he fell downe dead to y e ground and hauing done this he founde himselfe compassed about with all the other knightes vppon whom he began to strike meruailous great and furious blowes in such sort that in a small time he brought sixe of them to the ground Rodelando hauing opportunitie with both his handes stroke him so terrible a blow that he made him with his beauer to touch the eares of his beast theÌ„ all the rest laid vpon him but they did no more harme then if they had stroke vpon an Anfield but when the Tinacrian was come vnto himself finding Rodelando by him who without all pittie laide vppon him hée tuâ—ned his sword about his head stroke him such a blowe vpon his left arme his sword being gouerned by the force of his worthy hand y t he brake the steely armour and cut flesh bone with so great fury that the head with the right shoulder blade was deuided from the body and he fell down dead to the ground Then all the rest which remained when they sawe so great slaughter trusting more vnto the lightnesse of theyr Horses then vnto the strength of their armes determined to flye But the Knight of the Braunch perceiuing it and hauing a very light beast put himselfe betwixt them and theyr waye saying If you will not receiue the death staye and doo that which I will tell you and I will let you goe at libertie and they séeing y t if they did it not with a good will they should doo it spite of their heartes they did strayghte waye consent vnto whatsoeuer he would commaund and returning them all he did commaund them to take the bodies of Feridefonte and Rodelando and to put them vppon two horses and that from him they should carrye them vnto the Emperour and tell him all that which he shoulde saye vnto them So they did accomplish his commaundement and they came vnto the Courte at such time as the night began to appeare These were the two dead bodies which the Emperour sawe brought into the Court at such time as they had little care of anye such matter So they that brought these dead bodies went vp into the great hall and when they wer before the Emperour they sayde High and mightie Emperour the Knight of the Braunch doth sende vnto your highnesse two furious Knights Rodelando and Feâ—â—â—efonte in this sorte as you doo sée them desiring your â—â—ghnesse to sende vnto him his Ladye and his Page and lykewise to cléere and delyuer out of prison his companion and that fayre Clarentina for that it is very apparaunt that she was falsely accused as hée and the Dukes sonne of Bauiero doo well knowe of whome your Highnesse maye very well certefie your selfe Likewise if there be anye Knight in all your Courte that will stande in contention and defende the contrarie béeing one or tenne that
who by the strength of the arme of this knight was slaine and the Gyaunt which he slewe by the riuer of Euphrates was the king of Cilicia himselfe the occasion of his comming and who all the rest were shall more at large appeare in the processe of the historie When the Gyaunt knewe him with a diuellish countenaunce he sayde Tell me knight by fortune art thou that famous warriour who in the iustes of Nabatea as hath béene tolde me carried awaye all the honour and praise and ouerthrewe the king of Cilicia to whome the Gods did shew themselues enimies and the same which likewise slew his brother if there be anie curtesie in thée I desire thée to tell me This valiant Prince aunswered and said I do not know to what end thou doest aske it of me but let it be for what it shall be thou shalt vnderstand that I am the same that thou didst speake off And for that thou shalt be the better certefied of this thou shalt vnderstand that I am he who in shepheards apparaile onely with my shepheardes crooke at one blow brought that traitor the Prince of Polismago to the ground without remembraunce and likewise with another blow with the sword of the said Prince I slew the King of Cilicia and am the same who will doo the like with thée if thou dost not deliuer vnto me that faire Pastora who was brought hether by force by that naughtie Prince of Polismago The Giant was very sorrowfull for that which hée heard and showed by his countenaunce to be very wrathful At that time there descended downe the staires another Giant who with a furious voyce sayd vnto the first Gyaunt Brother put thy selfe apart on the one side and let mée take reuengement of this vile Knight that is before thée without speaking any more words he lift vp his great and heauie fawchon and stroke a mightie blow at the Knight but this pollitike Knight stepped with great lightnesse on y e one side which was the occasion that his blow fell downe vppon y e pauement in vain this terrible blow was no sooner down when the Knight closed with him and stroke him with his sword so mightie a blow vpon the right arme that he cut it cleane a sunder and it fell downe to the ground sword and al. The Giant when he saw himselfe so wounded gaue a terrible shrike and threw his shield from him and would haue taken the sword in his other hand but the Prince woulde not suffer it but stroke him another blow on the same arme and euen as he did by the other he cut it a sunder by the elbow so that he was lame of both his armes Yet for all this the giant did not loose his furie but roaring like a Lion he opened the stumpes of his armes which did remain thinking with them to imbrace the Knight and by his greate force to ouerthrowe him As he he laboured to enter in the Knight put the poynt of his sword before him in such sorte that what with the strength and furie of the Giant and the force that he put therevnto the sword passed through his body that he fell downe dead to the ground At this time there descended downe the staires in great hast a Knight of a mightie proportion whom Claridiano knew to be the Prince of Polismago This Gréek Knight receiued great delyght at the sight of him Then the Prince of Polismago said Thou peruerse dogge come and take reuengeme for the griefe and wrong which thou doost publish héere to haue receiued for I am the Prince whom thou dost seeke for and in saying these words he did assault him with terrible blowes Then Claridiano did returne vnto him y e like but not in so terrible a sort as he might for the great compassion that he had of him considering that the pangs of loue cause a man to doe that sometimes which afterward he doeth repent himselfe off So héere betwixt them began a mightie and well foughten battaile the one striking the other on all parts great and terrible blowes In this sort they indured a while without knowing any aduauauntage betwixte them the occasion was for that the Gréeke woulde not vse the rigor of all his strength And béeing in this controuersie the Gréeke lifte vp his eyes and sawe at a windowe the faire Pastora who was beholding them in their battaile at which sight he receiued so great plesure and delyght that the strength of his armes did faile him and he had no more power to lifte them vp When the Pagan saw that he did assault him with more courage the Gréeke had no power but onely to beare off the blowes and recoyled till such time as he came right vnder the window which made the Pagan to thinke that he was ouercome and that he had got the victorie At that time the other Giant was very well armed went vnto the Pastora and tooke her by the haire of y e head and pulled her from the window and sayd Apart thy selfe from that place thou which art the cause of all this euill for that thou shalt not content thy selfe in séeing him who doeth procure thy libertie although it be impossible and I do sweare vnto thée by my Gods that the great damage which thy nicenesse hath caused thy head shall paye for Oh howe wrathfull this Gréeke was when he saw the Giant intreat her so euill for a giuing a terrible shrike he lift vp his right arme with his sworde and stroke at the Pagan so mightie a blowe vpon his healme so that if it had not bene inchaunted he had cut it in two péeces and put the head in great perill but yet he escaped not but he sell downe to the grounde without anie remembraunce and there ranne out of his mouth great abundance of bloud When Claridiano sawe him in this plight he made no more reckoning of him but with a furyous hast he went to goe vp the stayres at such time as y e Gyant came downe with great violence but when the sonne of Gran Alfebo sawe him he returned and did abide his comming in the court and sayd Make an end thou great beast and descend downe that I may giue thée thy paiment for thy boldnesse which thou hast vsed against the goddesse of Pastoras The Gyant with the great furie which he had vnderstood not what the knight had sayde and therefore he made him no aunswere and if that he woulde haue done it yet his great wrath woulde not consent vnto it but with his Fauchon all aloft he went towards the Gréeke assalting him with mortall battaile The like did this strong knight making betwixt them a terrible battaile and striking the one the other where they thought to do most hurt Who had then seene the great lightnesse of the Gréeke in besturring himselfe would haue well iudged that the worst part should not be his for that he so handled his enimie in breaking of his harnesse
the telling The thirde daye entering in amongest the thicke and craggie mountaines she lost her waie amongest a companie of high and thicke Pine trées amongst the which she gaue a thousand turnes not knowing which waye to take to bring her selfe out thereof So with this sorrow and griefe she passed all that daie till night came vpon them at such time as they had found a verie narow and not much vsed way which lead them vp to a high and mightie stéepe mountaine in which place they determined to rest themselues til such time as Phoebus should make her returne passing awaie the night in verie gooâ— communication with her Gentlewomen and did sup with that which they continually were prouided off So when the breake of the daie was come the Quéene dyd very well peruse her armour and put her selfe on horsbacke and for that the waie séemed to be somewhat daungerous she put on her helme and carryed her Speare in her hande and with great trauaile they followed that way when they had well néere spent the third part of the daie and had made an end of the going vp that mountaine being vpon the toppe thereof they looked about them on all partes and towardes the right hand on the foote of that high mountaine they sawe a companie of armed men and by reason that they were so far of they could not discerne what it shuld be So straight way they descended downe the mountaine and whan they came at the foote therof they looked round about to see if they could discouer that which they had seene from the top of the same and sawe that there were to the number of twentie knights verie well armed and amongest them a Gyant who brought with them two knights prisoners armed with verie rich armour all sauing their heads with them a Ladie who was as sad and sorrowfull as faire and beautifull and with her certaine Gentlewomen which did beare her companie Thesâ— were the vnhappie Earle of Tirol and his sister and Don Florisarte of Bauiera who as I haue tolde you were taken prisoners in the way going towards Esprich whom this valiant matrone did sée coÌ„ming downe the Mountaine when this worthie Gentlewoman did sée this great force wrong done she was verie desirous to know y e occasion what shuld moue them to doe that outrage or else to procure to set them at libertie hasting on her waie larging her pace more then she did before she in a short space came and ouertooke them and by reason that the Queene made great hast and the noise of her comming was great the Gyaunt was constrained to looke backe to see what it was that caused so great a noyse and when he sawe that it was a knight that came after him he determined to staie and abide his comming And when she was come nigh him this couragious Ladie with a manly voice sayd Tell me Gyaunt what euill hath these prisoners committed that so without all reason thou doest carrye them so manakled and bounde The Gyaunt did staie and beholde her with great frowning and aunswered her with a wrathfull voice and sayd What honour and prowesse is it to thée for that thou art so desirous to know and with so great pride doest aske the question No other thing sayd this vnknowen Gentlewoman but to make friendship where none is and againe if of thee they doe receiue anie griefe or wrong to amend the same for that I doe knowe that the condition of all Gyaunts is nothing but procuring to doe all wrong therefore determine to tell me or make thy selfe readie to thy defence The furie of the Gyant was verie great when that he heard these words in such sort that it séemed fire flew out of his eyes and with that furie he spurred forwardes his horse The like did that worthie matrone at that time they set spurs to their horses and with a swift course they made their incounter and stroke their Speares vppon their stéelie sheelds the Speare of the Gyant made his stay vpon the finenesse of the inchaunted sheelde but this Ladie did not onely pearce through his armour but also through his breast and bodie ouerthrowing him dead with great furie to y e ground whereas he gaue a terrible fall that he made the earth to tremble and the Quéene passed a long so quietlye as though she had done nothing and with great lightnesse she turned about her horse with her naked sword in her hand and saw that the Gyaunt laye a long on the grounde dead When the Knightes of the Gyaunt sawe that furious incounter and that their principal refuge was dead without any more tarrying they altogether did assault her and this worthy matron put her selfe against them who was with them incountred on all sides round about but yet they did not moue her from her saddle little nor much but she retourned against them in such sorte that she with her mightie blowes made their harnesse and redde bloud 〈◊〉 rounde about the fielde These Knights were all chosen Knights and did trouble her very much making her sundry times to loose the sight of her eyes y t which did bring her very much in cholar in such sort that she threw her shield at her backe and taking her sword in both her hands she bestarred her selfe on the one side and on the other about their heads and wounding of knights ouerthrowing of them to the ground dead in such sorte that when she remembred her selfe there was no more but fiue of y e Knights left aliue who when they saw so great slaughter in so short time they determined the seperation of the controuersie and to put more confidence in their horse féete than in their owne defence and putting it in vre they ranne away This Lady made no reckoning to follow them but went straight waye and did vnloose the Prisoners Unto whom Don Florisarte of Bauiera did giue thankes for all the rest desiring him that he wold declare vnto them his name for that they might knowe vnto whom they were bound for that great benefit done vnto them The Lady did answere them with great courtesie and sayd Gentle Knightes my name is of so small valour that I cannot be knowen by it but that which I may doo to giue you contentment is to pul off my healme and in séeing my face you shall sée if that at any time you haue heard any mention of me and in saying these words she her selfe did vnlace and tooke off her helme And looke with what beautie the Radiaunt Sunne dooeth showe himselfe vppon a sodaine when all his beames hath bene hidden with a darke clowde euen so and rather more did this excellent and beautifull face show it selfe after that she had pulled off her healme the which before did couâ—r the same The Knights when they saw her great beautie they very much meruailed and beléeued that in the proportion of his great beautie it shuld be Poliphebo of Tinacria