that women those which are not able to weare armour are priuiledged for theyr speach and may talke without controlement and so Raiartes left him But the couragious Gentleman not béeing able to heare that contumely in his anger rose from where he sate and comming to the Souldan knéeled before him beséeching his grace to graunt this one sute the first which in his lyfe time hée had made The Souldan lyttle thinking what he would aske and louing him so well that what thing he demaunded it should haue bene graunted willingly said yea and bad him say on what it was that he desired The Gentleman of the Sun sayd my Lord that which I require is that you make me knight because it is high time that I receiue it I doe not thinke my selfe so young as to put vp wrong at anie mannes hande Those which were present were much troubled at the request of the Gentleman of the Sunne foreseeing the ende which was to answere the bolde Raiartes and the Souldan was greatly sory to haue bene so rash in making promise before he had knowen his suite wherefore he sate still without speaking yea or no diuising onely howe to satisfie the young Gentleman and to quite himselfe of his promise The gentleman of the Sunne doubting least the Souldan woulde linger and delay the time very angerly said vnto him If I cannot obteine this at your hands my Lorde I sweare by the high Gods that during my lyfe I shall not bée merrie and I will goe serue some other Lorde which more liberally will consider of my requestes The great Souldan loth to disquiet the young Gentleman of the Sunne whom he sawe attent vppon this matter albeit his promise greeued him much aunswered him thus sayeng Assuredly Donzel del Febo if you had demaunded any other thing of me more profitable for your selfe doubt you not but you had bene in possession of your desire by this time yea had it bene the greatest part of my kingdome But because I sée you are of tender yeres that the time is not yet for you to supporte the burthen of armour I would wish you to refraine and let fall your sute for this time or if you will not otherwise be perswaded hold you I yeeld vnto you watch this night in your armour and to morrow at day-breake I will giue you the order The Gentleman of the Sunne tooke him at that word and verie ioyfully kissed the Souldans hande for his gracious fauour Then from thence by soft paces comming to Raiartes he said vnto him Now that I haue license to parle with thée as a Knight I will answere thée Raiartes to the words which thou hast said vnto me and so I tell thée that if the Princesse Radamira will put hir quarrell into my handes I will defend hir right and take the battayle vpon me and be it that the Princesse Radamira dare not commit hir right vnto me yet I say that to be aduenged on thy reprochfull speaches which thou hast blowed foorth I will fight with thee and make thée to knowe that thou art more vniust and foolish then valiaunt and courteous as knights ought to be The Gentleman of the Sunne héere ended and the grimme sier Raiartes began a laughter with these wordes In déede if all follie were force maâ—â—e knights were couragious and strong for most of them are too too ventrous and if thy selfe wert of so great abilitie as thou art of forwardnesse the princesse Radamira should enâ—e hir quarrell by to morrowe night but thou deceiuest thy selfe and albeit I am halfe ashamed to take the battaile against a knight neuer before acquainted with arâ—â—â—r yet because thou shalt not want due correction for thy follye I accept the battaile which thou offerest as well for the one cause as for the other As this talke was at the hottest betwéene them the Princesse Radamira behelde the Gentleman of the Sunne verye earnestly noting as well his yeares as his person and albeit hée was then beardlesse Yet shée thus conceiued of him that hée was of noble courage and verye strong and besides this there appeared in his face somewhat which she iudged more then manlike And as she was wise so her heart gaue her that this young Gentleman had some diuine bloud in him which she thought to haue descended from some of her false Gods So neither lyghtly nor wantonly mouing but with great discreation and wisedome standing in the same place and musing what she ought to doe in the ende no other knight answering the challenge for her not altogether out of hope shée agreed to put her quarrell into his handes by deliverate counsaile concluding if hée were murthered her selfe to followe after and so shee spake to the Gyaunt on this wise Raiartes sith this Gentleman with so good will proffereth himselfe to maintaine my ryght agaynst thée I am verie well content to put my quarrell into his handes and from this time forth I will not séeke other knight The beautifull Princesse Radamira dooing thus the fierce Raiartes was sore mooued to sée that shée made so little account of him and so much trusted the boldnesse of the young Gentleman and foaming at the mouth like a wilde Boare he was not able to speake one word for the furie and choler which boiled in him The Gentleman of the Sunne thanked her goodly for the acceptation of his paines in her name In this manner the matter was put off till the next day but the Gentleman of the Sunne was not so glad to haue occasion offered to bée made knight as the Souldan and his friendes were sorrowfull to haue him fall into this daunger which they imagined to be to too sure because of the strength of Raiartes and the youth of the Gentleman of the Sunne They thought it a desperate case for him to wage this battaile with the sauegard of his honour Then the young Gentleman Clauerindo béeing of more yeares then Donzel del Febo was repented that hée had not aunswered for the Princesse both because hée thought it a blemish to his honour to haue excused himselfe from such a matter and his age was more then Donzel del Febos was and so might better acquite himselfe agaynst the force of Raiartes and especially fearing the perill of his friend he would néedes haue taken the battaile out of his handes but perceiuing the vnwillingnesse of the Gentleman of the Sunne hée would speake no more of it At Sunne set Florion came from hunting and hearing of the battaile which was appointed he was verie sad for Donzel del Febos sake because of Raiartes force and Donzels weaknesse and so he tooke vpon him to perswade Donzel del Febo to giue ouer the battaile and put it vpon some other in his right if it so pleased him But Florion and Clauerindo were both beguiled in Donzel del Febo albeit eyther of them were such knights as of the one hath ben rehearsed and of the other shal be shewed héereafter Raiartes
were and for that cause was to take the battaile vppon him nowe hée prayed him to weare this sworde lykewise for his sake which he woulde warrant to bee good The Knight did his message accordingly but Rosicleer making his excuse gentlye retourned the sworde with this auns were I humbly thanke the Kinges Maiestie for so high a present the not receiuing whereoff commeth not of any refusal but by a promise which I haue made as his Maiestie can testifie neuer to weare sword but if I winne it and therefore I craue pardon at his maiesties handes for this discourtesie otherwise I were greatly to blame if I thought not my selfe honoured by béeing girte in a Kings weapon The messenger delyuered Rosicleers auns were in the same wordes as Rosicleer hadde giuen it out so the King some-what lamenting the Knightes wilfulnesse as he thought weaponlesse to wage battaile with so abled a warriour mused vppon this and for the rest commended him to God All the standers by were sory to sée the new knight so couragious as to fight with a Gyaunt without a weapon and especially the beautifull Princesse Oliuia could not but be an angred at the new knights ieoperdous aduenture as if she had had no small title or claime to his person ¶ A daungerous battaile betweene Candramarte and Rosicleer Cap. 34. As they prepared themselues to the carrier the people gathered together to sée this daungerous fight betwéene the new knight and the Gyant Candramarte and they as glad to sée the issue vpon theyr light coursers with their Speares in their restes so violently hurled agaynst the other that the grounde yéelded vnder theyr féete the force of their strong armes ioyned with the furie of their horse in such wise that the Gyaunt made small shieuers of his great Speare and constrained Rosicleer to take his pillowe on his horse backe but the newe Knight gaue the Gyaunt so mightie a blowe that he made his stiroppes fall from him and quickly closing with the Gyaunt he drew him by force from the Saddle and threwe him to the grounde so that hée somewhat brused the Gyants shoulder bone and presently woulde haue tourned agayne vppon Candramarte to haue made a dispatch of all but that the Gyaunt being of greate courage and enforcing himselfe to indure the remnaunt got on his legges and addressing his shéeld before him with his Fawlchon in his hande awayted Rosicleer for so soone as Candramarte was downe Rosicleer then alyghted and sent his horse to his Tent Rosicleer now béeing on foote made towardes Candramarte Candramarte first assayled Rosicleer with these wordes What knight thinkest thou to fight with mée without a Swoord What if thou haddest a better then this which I weare of the Quéene Iulias making were all the Gods able therby to warrant thee out of my hands No and thou shalt déerelye repaye mée the paine which thou hast put me to in this fall Rosicleer comming néerer aunswered Candramarte spare not to do thy vttermost but cease thy reuilings for God which gaue me might to ouerthrow thée will also giue me power and strength without other weapon to subdue thée and although I bring no swoord with me yet I hope in the liuing God that thine shall profit me and serue my turne Then the Gyant was in such a rage that the furie of his choler with the blustering of his breath issued through the sights of his equimas in like sort as the smoake issueth out of a furnace And his second assault was with his Fawlchon with both his handes fetched compasse-wise against Rosicleer which séeing the blow comming with such force forward lift vp his shéeld therein to receiue the stroke but the blow was so mightie that it hewed the shéeld asunder and descending vpon the head péece made Rosicleer abate his lookes bowe his knées for sauegard to his fall The Gyant doubled vpon him but Rosicleer neuer yet daunted and recouering his courage almost against the hare stept aside that the Gyants blow was all in vaine being somewhat out of charitie with the first he determined no more to receiue anie such counterbuffes so that an halfe houre after the combat had lasted the Gyant might neuer hit him one blowe for all that he could doe For Rosicleer was so deliuer and quicke that he lightly auoyded them Candramarte séeing that Rosicleer would not abide by it chased him vp and downe and Rosicleer lead the Gyant a course likewise but so that the king and all the lookers on iudged that if the battaile should endure long that the new knight might neuer escape the death Rosicleer assaied many times to couple with the Gyaunt and to pull the Fawlchon out of his hands but Candramarte was so wily and so well aduised of the wordes which Rosicleer spake in the beginning of theyr battayle that he eyther kept himselfe aloofe off or in his pursute bare the point of his Fawichon before him but by this meanes the battayle continued to the no little discontentment of Rosicleer For although his armour was such that no weapon might wounde him on his bodie yet was he sore brused with trauaile and his bones were in a manner softened with the wearinesse he had felt for the length of the battaile As the one gaue lightly so the other pursued eagerly but as I say neuer fastening a right downe blowe but as he might ouerthwart and end-long slipping his blows and in his pride boasting out these and such lyke speaches O knight how costly shall the challenge of Quéene Iulias Swoord be vnto thée if for it thou must exchaunge thy lyfe Haddest thou not bene better neuer to haue beene at this mart But now know what valour Candramarte is oft for not all the worlde are of that credit with mee as to baile thée out of my handes For the fitting of his action wherevnto hée would shake his heauie Fawlchon so gallauntly and roare so terribly that euerie man tooke Candramarte rather for a Tyraunt in a Tragedie then a Iester in a Commedie And Rosicleers friendes with their pittifull lookes bemoned the poore Rosicleer as if hée had alreadie tasted of most cruell and bitter death in his gréene youth Amongest them the fayre and beautifull Princesse Oliuia although as yet altogether vnacquainted with Rosicleer was a spectatour neither carelesse nor curious but as one without hope she onely wished well to Rosicleer whose bruses were as déepe set in her sides as they were imprinted in Rosicleers flesh and euerie wagging of the most huge and monstrous Candramartes weapon stooke a salt teare from her faire eyes so was shée estraunged from her selfe altogether become anothers mans the new knight eyeng his mistresse became so desperate that he fully resolued either to close with Candramarte and wring his weapon from him or to die vpon him And watching the opportunitie when the Fawlchon was ouer the Gyants head bending his body stept within the Gyant that the Gyaunt had no other resistance but to
in their roomes to kisse the King of Englands hande as I am sure it will doo you good to haue acquaintaunce with his grace I am well pleased héere-with aunswered the Tartarian and so saieng he drewe out a fine sworde Rosicleer lykewise drawing his Thus beganne the braue Combatte in which they continued a long time no aduauntage béeing espyed on either parte by the beholders what was within them themselues best knewe But Rosicleer rather delighted then afraide at his enimies courage deuised by himselfe how to winne that valyaunt Knight for friende and to leaue the Combatte for vppon so flender a quarrell hée thought the hazarde would be too great Marrie for all that he did his best for when he felt the strong buffettes hée coulde not but yéelde the like The Tartarian Knight burning in rage rather to haue the masterie ouer so valyaunt Knights rather then for any ill will he bare to Rosicleer compassed how by maine force to subdue his aduersarie and in this thought be strake so furiouslye that with his charge and the others aunswere the noyse was so confused and great withall that it was hearde vppon the toppe of hilles as the shot of Artillerie When the Tartarian Knight was so well heated as you haue hearde he draue a blowe with both his handes full at Rosicleers head which lighting vpon the fine and inchaunted helmet notwithstanding depriued Rosicleer of his eye sight and inféebled his hearing at that time But Rosicleer coulde not so soone forget it and therefore while it was fresh in his remembraunce he restored the like blowe which in the descending missed the Tartarians creast otherwise it had put him in daunger but styding vppon his shoulder it was so heaue that it made the Tartarian stoupe to his horse backe The nexte daungerous blowe which the Tartarian gaue made Rosicleer boowe vnto his saddle both the sworde and the raynes fallyng from him Bargandel and Lyriamandro standing by fell there-with into a straunge admiration of the Tartarian in that hée not onely kepte Rosicleer playe but put him to his trumpes and by this time I thinke their desire to fight with him was well abated séeing they knewe nowe howe well hée coulde handle his weapon And Rosicleer hauing gotte greater courage through the griefe of his wounde kepte no more his seate but rising in his stirroppes and recouering his sworde which was fastened with a little chain vnto his saddle bowe he hit the strong Tartarian so great a blowe that the bloud gushed out both at his eares and nostrells and he laye for dead vpon the crouper the horse carieng him about the field til he reuiued After not without some abashment as one come out of another worlde the Tartarian when he felte the bould issuing in such measure lifte vp his hande and calling for helpe on his Gods saieng Assist me O my Gods against this fell knight for if I tarrie more of these blowes my life shall soone be ended And when he had so sayd as purposed to make an end of the fraye he tooke his sworde with both his handes and with all his force following the blowe he smote Rosicleer vppon the helmet to no great harme on his bodie but the waight thereof astonished him as much as if a Tower had fallen vpon him whereat Rosicleer waxed madde angrie and not remembring that which before he had premeditated as to ende the battaile in quietnesse hée repayed the trespasse with treble damage to the Tartarian For albeit the Tartarian might well be reckoned among the most famous Knights of elder time being couered with a helmet so well tempered as anye Prince might haue yet liuing in that age and encountering such Knightes his roome was but nexte the best And when hée sawe that terrible blowe ouer his head hée coulde haue wished a whole Mountayne betwéene him and it But there néeded no such impossible meanes to auoyde this misfortune for it was prouided by the diuine Maiestie of God that this noble Knight should dye a Christian and that great friendshippe shoulde growe betwéene these thrée Knightes and therefore God so directed Rosicleers hande that it fell not right but glauncing downe vppon the shoulder it notwithstanding tourned the Tartarian from his Horse with so great payne on his right shoulder that he might not rise himselfe vp againe with this fall his buckles brake and the naylings rent and being then halfe vnarmed he threwe his sworde from him putting his knée to the grounde to giue thankes to his immagined Gods for theyr delyuerye from so furious a blowe and then tourning towarde Rosicleer hée sayde Noble and valyaunt Knight the strongest and mightiest which I haue euer knowen or would haue beléeued euer to haue béne in this Courte or others pardon mée my rashnesse for I haue bene misaduised when my will first put mee foorth to contende with you onely your greatnesse of bodie and comelinesse might haue sufficed to teach me that you were more valyaunt and stronger than I am and sith I am nowe vanquished and rather by great myracle escaped with lyfe from your handes than by mine owne cunning saye on what you commaunde for I am preast to accomplysh all that which 〈◊〉 as agréed vppon before our Combatte and my duetye shall not bee slacked in anye poynt but I woulde rather fulfill more then all that for to gayne the societie of your worthye person and your companions for I neuer metie with more nobler Knightes for valour and bounteousnesse and so saieng hée yeelded himselfe By this speach the furie and chollar of Rosicleer was well slackte and being gladde to see the Knight so humbled before him hée aunswered Good Knight I accept in good part that which you haue sayde and it gréeueth me much to haue had the battayle with you for vnto a Knight straunger and valourous I had rather bée a meanes for procuring honour and ease then theyr trouble and incombraunce And as to the Articles of the couenaunt which you remember mée of beléeue mée I woulde not haue exacted them at your handes and it shall be yet in your choyce whether you will fulfill them or no and yet I feare not but that you shall well like of your seruice to the King Oliuerio himselfe being a good knight and a great honourer of straungers Likewise wée thrée shall take it as a signe of your good liking towardes vs if you make vs priuie to your name that héereafter we may know you and doo vnto you that honour which so good a knight meriteth Sir knight aunswered the Tartarian I haue great desire to goe and kisse the hande of King Oliuerio as well to know him as to satisfie that which I owe vnto you and will not faile to depart and take my way towarde the King But to your last demaund I am as I tolde you before a Tartarian and my name is Zoylo Prince heyre of that kingdome which I would with good will forbeare for some time if you
manner which had made him staye that good Knightes comming The Princesse Clarinea séeing the Giants bloud thus couer the ground was very glad and by r colour became fresh which increased hir beautie whereto also Fortune willing to be fauourable it was so that the prince Brandizel beholding hir was enamored of hir beautie and entirely loued hir For his heart now set on fire angmented his conrage and he buffeted the Giant so that in short time he vnarmed him in many places In the end the Prince desirous to giue end to the battaile raysed in his stirroppes stroke a full blowe at the Gyant vpon the shoulder that his sword entered a handful and the Giant fell dead The Prince seeing him fall presently leaped from his horse and pulling off his helmet went to the Princesse to recomfort bi r saieng Madame I beséech you accept in good part this little seruice at his handes which destreth to doo you much more The Princesse verye ioyfull to sée hir enimie on ground and more glad to sée hir friend so goodly a man curteously answered Noble knight you haue done so much for me that with all that which my father hath I shall not be able to requite it you but if you wil that this good which you haue done me doo like me indéede shew me so much fauour as to carrie me to the king my father for bether will come the residue of the Gyants knights then my libertie is to begin againe the Prince gently taking bath her hands in his kissed them said vnto her Madame if it please you we may retourne to the town from whence we came for I beléene that these knights of whom you spake are but few aliue to put vs in daunger I left my companions fighting with them who I am sure hane done their parts and yet they shall doo vs no wrong though they be many But in farre greater ieopardie am I of my life by you if you vouchsafe me not your seruice wherewith the Princesse was nothing offended for she liked very well his comely personage but she answered nothing The Prince séeing the Princesse without a paltray tooke hir vp behinde him and with easse paces rid towards the towne In which way the prince with many amorous words feasted the princesse and manifested to hir his loue and after disclosing himselfe also he beséeched hir to kéepe it secret which she did resoluing not withstanding if hir father were so content not to match otherwise Well néere the towne they came where they sawe a great troupe of Knights hasting so fast as they might and indéed they wer the King and his Knights more then 500. in number who by the report excited to succour their Princesse came to the towne and finding almost all the Giants knights taken or slaine by the prince Clauerindo and Armineo with such aide as the towne affoorded they altogether follow on in the pursute of the Giant which had led hir awaye Now there were of the companie which a farre off ascried the princesse behinde Brandizel and learning that it was the Knight which rode to follow the Giant they told it to the King whereat he was very glad and making much of the thrée straungers especiallye of Brandizel he spake on this wise Sir knight how shall I be able to requite this friendship which you and your companions haue shewed to me Assuredly I know not though I shuld giue you my kingdome for were it not for you I should haue lost this daye my daughter Clarinea and with hir my ioye and pleasure which béeing lost what ioye should I haue founde in rulyng But tell me I pray you how dealt you with that Gyant for he was strong and great Sir sayth Brandizel offering to kisse his handes which the King gentlye refused Sir saith he mightie Prince my companions I think our Fortune to be very good in that we are thether arriued where we may doo seruice to so courteous a Prince and it is reward sufficient your acceptation As touching the Gyant his ill purpose was his owne decaye for bée is already dead not farre from hence The King wondered to heare tell that the Giant was dead for by the report of his bignesse he thought it impossible that one only Knight should coape with him and then much more making of the Princes he imbraced them oftentimes and desired them to tell him their names which at length they did And the King vnderstanding of their birthes carried them with himselfe towards the towne where in the waye hée tolde them who that Giant was and what the cause was why he had come thether in such sort saieng My Lordes this Giant was called Lamberdo Lord of the Iland of Perda not farre hence he hath since the time he was first knighted neuer emploied his time to other aduantage but to robbing and spoyling and for this he hath an Iland excéeding strong but very little and scarce well peopled In this he may defend him from any enimie and bestowing his spies in euery corner to watche for some such cheuisaunce hée knew that my daughter Clarinea was in this towne with a few knights so hether he made a voyage and had stolne hir away but that God be blessed such valyant Knights as you came in such a time for hir succour While the King tolde this tale they were within the towne walls and as they entred through the stréetes the whole towne gathered together to sée the Prince which had staine Lambardo And then through the towne they came to the Kings pallaice where they abode a great while ¶ Rosicleer departeth from the Iland of Candramarte and meeteth with certaine aduentures on the sea Cap. 47. THe historie left the valiant Rocleer very sad in the Iland of Candramarte as well for his Ladies letter as for that the knight of the Sun departed from him so sodeinly that he could not know him For remembring himselfe of the words which the wise Artemidoro had told him as concerning his brother his minde gaue him that it might he he wherefore as without hope euer to sée him not hauing to comfort his afflicted spirits he burst out into feares sayeng O Fortune how hast thou bene froward to méee aboue all men First before I was borne I lost my father when I was borne my Mother was in sorrowe and care for mée and scarcely began I to knowe the world when I was bannished from her whome I loued better then my selfe And nowe by chaunce haue I hene brought to the companie of a noble knight with whome I might haue bene more friendlye acquainted but the waues rose vo against me and haue carryed him awaie from mée as if I were vnworthie of anie good When he had wept his fill he went to one of the Castles there to set such thinges in ordes as were disquieted by the death of theyr Lorde and so comfort the woful Gyantesse whom he afterward matched with one of the
THE FIRST PART of the Mirrour of Princely deedes and Knighthood WHERIN IS SHEVVED THE WORTHINESSE OF the Knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer sonnes to the great Emperour Trebatio with the straunge loue of the beautifull Princesse Briana the valiant actes of other noble Princes and Knights Now newly translated out of Spanish into our vulgar English tongue by M.T. Imprinted at London by Thomas East To the right Honourable the Lord Thomas Haward NOT beeing greatly forward of mine owne inclination right Honourable but forced by the importunitie of my friends to make some triall of my selfe in this exercise of translation I haue aduentured vpon a peece of work not indeed the most profitablest as intreating of armes nor yet altogether fruitlesse if example may serue as being historicall but the while either to be borne withall for the delight or not to be refused for the strangenesse farther I meane not to make boast of my trauaile for the matter was offred not made choice of as there appeared likewise little libertie in my first yeelding The earnestnesse of my friends perswaded me that it was conuenient to laie foorth my talent for increase or to set my candle on a candlesticke the consideration of my sufficiencie droue me to thinke it better for my ease either quite to burie my talent thereby to auoide the breaking of thriftlesse debtes or rather to put my candle cleane out then that it should bewraie euery vnswept corner in my house but the opinion of my friends iudgement preuailed aboue mine own reason So vpon hope to please them I first vndertooke this labour I haue gone through withall the rather to acquaint my selfe with mine olde reading whereto since the dispatch therof I haue made my friends priuie vpon good liking with request thereto I haue passed my graunt vnto them for the publication referring for my selfe the order for the dedication so as I shuld thinke best either for the defence of my worke or for some perticular merit towards mee And heerein I tooke no long leasure to finde out a sufficient personage For the manifold benefites receiued from your honourable parents my good Lord and Ladie quickly eased me of that doubt and presented your honour vnto my view whome by good right I ought to loue and honour in especiall as being of them begotten at whose hands I haue reaped especiall benefit The which benefit if I should not so gladly professe openly as I willingly receiued being offered I might well be challenged of vnkindnesse but were I as able to make good my part as I am not ignorant what may bee required at my handes I would hope not to be found vngratefull In the meane time this my trauaile I commend vnto your Lordship beseeching the same so to accept thereof as a simple testimonie of that good will which I bare to your parents while they liued then being their seruant now doe owe vnto their ofspring after their decease for their demerits Vnder your honors protection I shall lesse feare the assault of the enuious of your honours good acceptation I haue some hope in the mildnesse of your Lordshippes nature not doubting but that as your Lordship hath giuen no small signification in this your noble youth of wisdome and courage to so many as know you it being the onely support of your auncestors line so the same likewise will maintaine your auncestours glorie and the hope of your owne vertues with affabilitie gentlenesse which was the proper commendation of your parents The almightie increase this hope with the other vertues before named to the good hope of your Countries peace your Princesse safetie and your owne honour with the ioy of your kindred friends whom not a few your parents good deseruing hath assured vnto you and of whose earnest praiers you shall not faile to further your well dooing Amongst them though last in worthinesse yet with the formost in well wishing and desire of well deseruing your honour shall finde me Your honours humblie most assured Margaret Tyler M.T. To the Reader THou hast béere gentle Reader the historie of Trebatio an Emperour in Greece The commendation of the storie whether a true historie of him in déed or a fained fable I wot not neither did I greatlye séeke after it in the translation but by me it is done into English for thy profit delight The chiefe matter therein contained is of exployts of warres and the parties therein named are especially renowmed for their magnanimitie courage The authors purpose appeareth to be this to animate thereby to set on fire the lustie courages of young Gentlemen to the aduauncement of their line by ensuing such like steps The first tongue wherein it was penned was the Spanish in which nation by common report the inheritaunce of all worldly commendation hath to this day rested The whole discourse in respect of the ende not vnnecessarie for the varietie continuall shifte of fresh matter verie delightfull in the speaches short and swéete wise in sentence and warie in the prouision of contrarie accidents For I take the grace thereof to be rather in the reporters deuice then in the truth of this report as I wold that I could so well impart with thée that delight which my selfe findeth in reading the Spanish but seldome is the tale carried cleane from anothers mouth Such deliuerie as I haue made I hope thou wilt friendly accept the rather for that it is a womans worke though in a storye prophane and a matter more manlike then becōmeth my sexe But as for the manlinesse of the matter That a woman may vvrite of vvarre thou knowest that it is not necessarie for euery trumpetter or drumslare in the warre to be a good fighter That a woman may vvrite of vvarre They take wages onely to incite others though themselues haue priuie maymes and are therby recurelesse So gentle Reader if my trauell in Englishing this Authour may bring thée to a liking of the vertues héerein commended and by example thereof in thy Princes Countries quarrell to hazard thy person purchase good name as for hope of well deseruing my selfe that way I neither bend my selfe thereto nor yet feare the speach of people if I be found backward I trust euery man holdes not the plough which would the ground were tilled and it is no sinne to talke of Robinhood though you neuer shot in his bowe Or be it that the attempt were bolde to intermeddle in armes so as the auncient Amazons did and in this storie Claridiana doth and in other stories not a few yet to report of armes is not so odious but that it may be borne withall not onely in you men which your selues are fighters but in vs women to whome the benefit in equall part apperteineth of your victories either for that the matter is so commendable that it carryeth no discredit from the homelynesse of the speaker or for that
hewed it in péeces But that most valiaunt Gréeke no lesse strong then anie of his auncetors bearing his fine and sharpe swoord turned himselfe among them in such manner that he sheathed it in their bodies The first whom he met he cleaued vnto the eyes the seconds arme he cut off by the elbow being sore wounded hée ouerthrewe the thirde at another blowe neither staied hée héere but in his rage he dealt blowes and wounded many which for feare accounting him rather a Diuell of hell then a knight put themselues to flight Albeit they might haue recouered some courage in that they wer many and chosen knightes alwaies against one knight onely But the reason was for that at this time the Emperours knightes shewed themselues out of the woode So that indéede by the great manhoode of their Lord they found none left on liue saue two knightes of the kings which were knowen by their Hungarian bases Those the Emperour commaunded to be kept carefully for the thing before touched This béeing done the knights and other footmen which the Emperour had brought with him to guide his carriage tooke all the dead bodies vpon their horses without leauing any thing which was theirs altogether they caried them into the thicke of the woode from whence they before came out there in the thickest thereof they made a great pit into the which they threw the Prince and the knights saue the English bases the kings letters which were néedfull for his purpose they couered them with earth in such sort that there was neuer memorie of them At the time that the Prince was entered the Emperour beeing of conditions pittifull felt so great dolor in his heart that the teares issued abundantly from his eyes ruing the losse of so great a Prnce slaine out of his owne Countrie in the beautie of his age which also yéelding a great sigh which séemed to haue come from the bottome of his heart he saide with a troubled and low voice in this wise O vnhappie and vnfortunate Prince God knoweth how sorrowfull and grieuous thy death is to mée and howe faine I would haue giuen remedie in some other manner to that I most desired and although thou wast mine enimie and come in fauour of the king Tiberio to take from me my land and high estate yet would I not haue bene so cruell an enimie vnto thée but the entire loue of the princesse Briana draue me more thereto then mine owne enmitye Now I wish that by some other meanes I might haue bene relieued and not to haue bought my life by thy losse But as loue is tyrannous so meruaile not though he want pittie towardes thée which coulde not otherwise purchase it to himselfe Pardon me therefore O mightie and worthy Prince and iudge if thou wert aliue what thou wouldest doe if by my death thou mightest finde remedye of thy loue The Emperours knights which heard these words and sawe the teares trickling downe his manly chéekes perceiued well howe much the death of the Prince disquieted him And they sayde amongest themselues that by good right the Emperour deserued the prayse of the most noble and worthy Prince of the world But hauing made an end the Emperour caused to be brought before him the two knights belonging vnto Tiberio These two were very fearefull of the death séeing the things which were already done especially when they knew him to be the Emperor Trebatio whom they held as their mortall enimie Nowe when they came before him the Emperour said to them If you will do that which I command you kéepe secret that which I tell you I will not onely pardon you the death which I haue giuen to your fellowes but also I wil bring you with me into mine Empire where you shall bée verye well contented The knights better satisfied then they wer because he promised them life before not hoping but the death with good will they yéelded themselues to doe all that hée would with all swearing into his Emperiall hands their faith obeisance Then said the Emperour that which I wold haue you do is this I haue great desire to haue the Princesse Briana for wife this may not be done except I go in the name of Prince Edward to ensure my selfe to her in the monastery of the riuer for the which it is necessarie that you two being knowen of the queene the Princesse shuld go in my company say that I am Prince Edward Now sirs discouer not my secret to any person vntill that you be licensed therevnto by me and in so dooing you shall doo nought either against your Lorde or Kingdome sith in this bargaine the Princesse looseth not and the King with all his subiects win perpetually for that by this means the great warres and contentions begun shall take ende After that the Emperor had said these and other things whereby the Knights vnderstoode his will it greued them not a whit of this talke but they wer rather ioyous weieng the benefit which the King the kingdome the Princesse Briana and all his shoulde reape thereby and especially the Princesse by obtaining to husband the most noble and worthy Prince of all christendome as well for his person as for his estate and so with good will they submitted themselues to doo him pleasure and what els he commanded them With this the Emperour his Knights tooke the letters which wer directed to the Quéene the Princesse and with more hope to atchieue their enquest they put on the English bases which made them séeme English men then taking their way toward the Monestarie of the riuer In the way the Kings knights fold the Emperour how two of their felowes were gone before to giue notice vnto the Princesse of Prince Edwards comming and that therefore it were good to goe well aduised for they should méete them by the way The Emperour allowed their aduice charged his people vntil they approched néere them not to disclose themselues least they retiring their secretes might be layde open Now fortune iumped so euen with the Emperour as that all things succéeded on his side vntill the accomplishment of his desire which shall be recited in the chapter following ¶ The Emperour Trebatio was receiued at the Monestarie by the Archbishop of Belgrado and there betrothed by the name of Prince Edward Cap. 6. THe Emperour with his Knights departed from the woode where the vnfortunate Prince was slaine and tooke their way towards the citie of Buda vntill they came within vi miles of the Monestarie where they saw a farre the two other Knights which had retourned to bring the Prince on his way When their fellowes had espied them they told it to the Emperor vpon this the Emperor commaunded his Knights to kéepe together least they shuld be knowen and so they kept on till they met The other two séeing the English bases thought him to be the Prince of England with his knights But the Emperours
knights as soone as these were within their reach laid hold on their bridels and with curteous words staied them vntill the other two knights of the Kings had talked with them These two declared vnto the other that which had happened betwéen Prince Edward and the Emperour Trebatio and in the ende made plaine the meaning of the Emperour both praieng them to kéepe it secrete and threatning them with death if they did otherwise No doubt they wondred at that which chaunced but what the Emperour would that they promised him and were nothing repentaunt of their exchaunge The Emperour being assertained of their faith went with them towards the Monestary of the riuer whervnto being come they found not in the Monestarie but the Q. the Princesse and other Gentlewomen being seruitors to attend vpon them and the Archbishop of Belgrado which there taried for to ensure them This Archbishop receyued the Emperour at the gate and thinking him assuredlye to be the prince of England conducted him with his knights where the Quéene and the Princes were in the companie of beautifull and discréete Ladies abiding his comming When they had saluted each other and that the Emperor had taken a full view of the Princesse he was greatly abashed to see hir beautie for he coulde not be perswaded that so great comelinesse had bene in Helene although dearelye bought by his auncestors he iudged it more heauenlye or angelicall then humane or earthly besides she was of a goodly stature excelling the other Gentlewomen in height a spâ—n The Princesse when she saw the Emperor before hir she iudged him to be goodliest knight that might be in the world which his beautiful face pleasant countenance shewed especially When thus by the eyes each of them were indifferently satisfied the Emperor would haue kissed the hande of the Quéene Augusta but she with great good will imbraced him By and by turning himselfe again towards the Princesse he tooke hir by the hand and sayde in effect thus much The fame of your great beautie excellent Princesse hath in such sort passed through the world that the onelye report thereof hath forced the Prince of England to leaue his natural Kingdome and soyle to come and serue you in this Countrey and to beholde with his owne eyes that which his eares would scarcely beléeue God hath made me so fortunate that I haue obtained the good wil of the king your father of the Quéene your mother for to haue you to wife Only now I want the consent of your part which the King by his letters prayeth you to giue me and I for the desire that I haue to be yours beséech you not denie it me for with it I may account my self the happiest knight of all the worlde And with these wordes kissing the Kings letters he deliuered it into hir handes which the Princesse receyuing with a graue and sober countenaunce and after taking it to the Archbishoppe for to read the meane time made aunswere softly on this wise I wold to God most worthy Prince that I were such a one as with reason might deserue some part of the paines which you haue taken onely to sée me or that I might in some little respect recompence the great pleasure you haue done to me to all this kingdome in coÌ„ming to succor vs with your great force and power but sith desert doth want so much in me I will accomplish that which the duetie of obedience vnto the King my father forceth me vnto for that I must subiect my will vnto his commandement yet I so consider of this your offer and request as that from this time I will dare to compare with you in like happinesse While these words were in speaking the Archbishop began to read the Kings letters wherein onely was contained his consent with the desire of dispatch that presentlie vpon the Princes comming they should be married The Archbishop with both their consents taking their hands married them with all the ceremonies and wordes which the Church ordeineth After this the Emperor imbraced the faire Princesse and with vnspeakable gladnesse kissed hir on the white and red chéekes and from thence brought hir into a gorgeous chamber where they draue forth the rest of the day with very amorous and delectable talke which so much the more set his loue on fire as hée procéeded farther in his pleasaunt daliaunce Albeit ere night the most puisant Emperor was not altogether quieted in his thought for feare least some one which knewe the Prince might haue bewrayed them at length béeing certaine that none in the Monestarie had séene either the one or the other but onely the Kings foure knights his own men which kept the matter close inough When the houre of supper approched he supped with some pleasure so held on a great part of the night till it was time to take his rest Then the Emperour was ledde to one side of the Monestarie wherein there was a rich and stately lodging where he lengthened the night with manye fancies not hauing as yet reached into the very deapth of his enterprise albeit stilled a lyttle with that which alreadye had happened The beautifull Princesse after leaue taken of the Emperour accompanied the Quéene hir Mother Because vntill that the warre was ended betwéene the King hir Father and the Emperour she was desirous to kéepe hir selfe vnknown and so the king hir father and the Quéene hir mother had commaunded least if ought should happen amisse to the Prince in those battailes the Princes should haue remained both a maiden and a widdowe this deuise little auailed as shall be manifested in the sequele ¶ The Emperour Trebatio driueth in his conceit the order how to consummate the marriage which in the end he bringeth to passe accordingly Cap. 7. THE Emperour Trebatio remained thrée dayes in the Monestarie of the riuer not hauing opportunitie to talke with the Princesse alone because she was not willing to giue consent to his desire vntil the warre with the Emperour should be finished This inconuenience trobled his thought and increased his melancholy as nothing more for that the terme which the King had set for his returne was alreadie expired and béeing afrayde leaste the King would send for him whereby his fault should be discouered without giuing remedie to that which had bene the originall of his griefe in such wise he was tormented that he could neither sléepe nor eate And in his imagination he did naught els but gaze on the Princesse expecting time when he might alaie the heate of his amorous passion But whether it were Fortune or the will of God it fel so out that there was begotten betwéene them the fruite of their desire For one morning walking in his chamber he espied out of a windowe the Princesse alone in hir night gowne going towards a fresh and pleasant garden butting vpon his lodging the gardein before he had not séene Into this gardein entered none but the Princesse
drawen with foure horses in the top of it two great burning torches set in siluer candlesticks by the light wherof he saw a Lady in the chariot clothed with rich princely roabes and resembling so much the Princesse Briana that he verily beléeued it was she The gentlewoman leaning on her elbow and casting downe her countenaunce passed on still sighing as one enduring some great force torment The Emperour prieng about to sée who were the guides of the chariot perceiued that she was carried awaie by two strong and huge Gyants with great battell axes in their hands being on foote at the fore ende of the chariot These two had so fell and cruell lookes that they would haue daunted the courage of any man which should haue beholde them But the Emperour assured in his thought that this was the Princesse with great anger start vp and not remembring to call anie of his knights with his swoord he paced towards the Gyaunts where without either good euen or good morrowe he lent the first whome he approched vnto such a stroke that the Gyaunt woulde haue morgaged his part in the Ladie to haue made sufficient paiment of that blowe for lifting vp his battell axe to receiue the blowe the swoord cut it into the middest of the helme and from thence gliding downe vpon his armour hewed it into many péeces Then the other giant hastning to smite the Emperour layde at his head with maine force but the Emperour warded it on his shéelde in which the Gyants battell axe stacke so fast that he might no more drawe it out vntill the Emperour strake him on the right arme that hée made him forgoe his holde The two Gyauntes thus being left weaponlesse with much lightnesse more then was likely for theyr bignesse leapt into the Chariot whereby the Emperour had no time to bestowe another blowe on them Then a dwarfe beeing in the one ende of the chariot lasht foorth the horses so that they ranne with such swiftnesse as if they had fline With this noise the knights awaked and with their swoordes in their hands came to learne what it should bée in the ende much abashed to sée their Lord in such a heat as they demaunded of him what befell hée was so troubled in his heart the Princesse thus béeing lead away that he made them no aunswere but taking his horse he commaunded them to followe him The Emperour spurred his horse with such furie that he made him to runne as fast as the Swallowe flieth in the aire It could not be that the palfraies which drew the chariot were horses because his horse was one of the best most precious in the world this Lord hauing desire to ouertake the Princesse made him gallop more then an indifferent pace but the other were sprightes of the ayre and infernall furies I thinke forced by Arte Magicke both to flye and runne Yet the Emperour followed the chase without loosing the sight of them although it was all in vaine The knightes which remained in the woode béeing loth to be farre behinde theyr Lorde went to catche theyr horses but were it that naturally they feared the Gyants or that the wicked spirites had bewitched them they all brake out of the place and strayed héere and there so that the knightes spent more then two houres ere they might take them By this the Emperour was so farre from his knightes with the hast he made that they knew not what way to take and indéede it was not possible for them to get within the sight of him albeit they had helde on the beaten way which they thought that the Emperour had taken They rode one way and the Emperour belyke posted another way for they neuer met but the Emperour pursued so long vntill in the ende he came to the brinke of the riuer Danubia there where it diuideth it selfe into fiue armes at the shoare whereof there was a goodly and tall shippe as the Emperour might well sée béeing a bowe shot behind the giants In this they put the chariot withall hoised theyr sailes and through the middle arme sayled with good spéede Thus outraged the Emperour so that with spurring he caused his horse to fall downe dead vnder him Béeing thus left on foote notwithstanding hée dispayred not but helde on to that place from whence the Chariot was taken where he carefully lookt about him to see if peraduenture on the one side or on the other hée might trace out a waye to followe so loath hée was to loose the sight of it But as all this was deuised by enchauntment so lykewise it happened him to sée a lyttle Shippe sayling in the riuer with greate swiftnesse in the which there sate an olde man with a white beard by his countenaunce séeming to bée a verie honest man To him the Emperour called with a lowde voyce desiring him to take towardes the shoare The olde man which had the same thing in charge incontinentlye stéered towardes him and asked what hée woulde haue That which I would haue quoth the Emperour is to be conuaied in thy shippe to that other ship which rideth before vs. For they haue in it stollen from me the thing which I loue best in all the worlde This paines if thou wilt take for mée I will so well content thée as thou shall thinke thy trauaile well imploied Assuredly saide the olde man I am content to doe it because your courtesie induceth me to a greater hope of your merit Sailing this he guided his ship so néere the shore that the Emperour leaped vp into it and being on the hatches tourning himselfe to the olde man to giue him thanks the old man vanished away and the Emperour neuer saw him after The ship kept the same course that it began with and the Emperour was much astonished at it the rather for that he wist no man else aboord to rule the ship not knowing what else to say or think of this great wonder he then beséeched God so direct his voyage that he might yet obteine his lady for he verily déemed her to be Briana which was in the chariot In this order being still within sight of the former ship not straieng from the way which he had kept the Emperour sailed thrée dayes thrée nightes in the riuer without any lacke of sufficient foode By reason of this trauaile and thought the meate which he eate was no more then would suffice nature In the fourth day by morning the ship with the chariot was driuen into the great and large Sea called Pontus Euxinus through the which he yet sailed within the viewe of the other vntill the forward shippe arriued in a fayre and delectable Ilande where the Chariot tooke landing Halfe an houre after the Emperours shippe rushed on the shoare with such force that the shippe rent in péeces and with the violence of the rush threwe the Emperour vppon the banke flatlings on his backe where after hée had stretched
himselfe he began againe to trauaile on foote that way which hée gessed the Chariot had gone In this waie straunge things befell him as shall appeare in the Chapter following ¶ The aduentures of the Emperour in following the inchaunted Chariot Cap. 9. THE Emperour béeing as you heard cast on land he behelde well how the Ilande was as it were walled about with a faire and fresh water the fairest that euer hée had seene then looking further into the land he marked also how it was furnished with so manie trées and of so diuerse sortes that it was verye straunge in respect of their vnmeasurable height and greatnesse vnderneath these the grounde was beautified with swéet roses and other fragrant flowers amongst the beds whereof there ranne by chanells a verie cléere and christalline water able to delight the most weried sences and trauailed minde that might bée Besides these to make vp a full messe of disport there was a swéete and pleasaâ—â—t song of Birdes which séemed to reioyce in the bright and cléere morning besides a thousand other pastimes which I let passe too long to make a tale off But yet of all these the noble Emperour tooke no care for the thought of his Lady detained from him but onely he beat all both knowen and vnknowen wayes to finde out that wherein the Chariot had gone At length he winded one but an vnused waie which by all likelihoode was the same which hée would haue in that the grasse séemed new pressed downe This tract the noble Emperour followed on foote without that either the heauinesse of his armour or the length of the way made him to rest anye whit From the morning a-full halfe day the Emperour had continued his iourney not méeting anie person at whome he might aske newes of that which hée most desired But afterwards leauing the thicke and pleasaunt woode hee came into a faire gréene or medow full of roses and other swéete hearbes flowers of all coulours without anie other shade in all the medow then those trées which serued for an hedge vnto it The length of this medowe seemed thrée bowe shotte vnto the middest where was scituated a good Castle and in good proportion It was foure square hauing at each corner a tower and on euerie side one in the middest of the side all of them so high as if they should haus edged with the clouds This great castle was inclosed and shut in with a high thicke wall the siones whereof and the towres did shine like Christall or the well polished stéele against the Sunne beames Round about the wall there was a déepe moat the water being so broad as a man might scarce cast a stoue from the one side to the other Ouer the water ther was a bridge verie large and well towred so strong according to the depth of the water that it might haue withstood a thousand men Thrée towres it had in all one in the entraunce another in the middle and the third at the furthest end each of them verie high and great and wrought with the same stone that the great castle was builded with The two vttermost towres of the bridge as well the entry as that towards the castle were gated and barred with dores locks of fine filed steÌ„ele béeing so shéene that it serued for a looking glasse vnto the passengers The locks were so shut that vnlesse they were opened on the in-side it was vnpossible to vndoe them The good Emperour scanned vpon all this the like whereof he had not séene in all his life concluding fully that no such building might be made by mans hand yet he meruailed that of an Iland so faire and delectable there was no more noise bruted especially standing as it séemed to him in a sea so saileable He beléeued that the Princesse was within because there appeared to him no other building in all the Iland and therefore taking wide steps he passed on towards the gate of stéele where finding it closed he tooke a great hammer hanging thereby bounsed at the gate with such force vpon the sounding Stéele that the furie of the rap was heard through all the Towers and a great part of the Iland For all this stone showed themselues to make him aunswere although hée had stoods more then a whole houre calling and knocking at length with some trouble he departed from thence to coast the water if perchaunce he might light vppon anie other way into the Castle When he had gone a turne about at one part of the wall he happened vpon at Gentlewoman which was in a little boate newly taking lande at a posterne doore of yron when the Gentlewoman had taken footing on the land she opened the gates making shew as if she would haue entered leauing the vessell in the water The Emperour strained his voyce to call vnto her that she should stay but the seining as though she heard him not made to the wicket whereas she was to fasten the doore the Emperour cryed yet lowder then she turned toward him and as though she had but then espyed him she sayd vnto him What woulde you haue fir knight The Emperour prayed her to come néerer for that he would onely demand a certeine thing of her with this shée tooke her boat again and with a little ower rowed toward the land where the Emperour was when she came somewhat néere the banke there staieng she said vnto him What is it that you woulde haue sir knight in that you haue called me so lowde That which I would faire Gentlewoman answered the Emperour is that you would ferrie me ouer in your boate vnto the Castle for that I haue to do with one of the gyants which are within If you haue to deale with them said the gentlewoman they be no people on whom you may winne honour That is true sayd the Emperour I haue no desire to trouble them if they will doe that which I require them Sith it is so said the gentlewoman I will do your coÌ„mandement because you looke like a knight worthy of this seruice I giue you great thanks for your curtesie answered the Emporour with this he entred the boat shouing with the rudder towards the castle he got thether The Gentlewoman went in leading the Emperour with her closing the doore after her conducting him through a little court into another priuy dore which was not the coÌ„mon entry She opened a wicket with akoâ— which she had at her girdle and brought him farther into a garden the most delight some that art might deuise The Emperour nowe tooke himselfe to be in a terrestriall Paradise and gasing a while theron without remembring the occasion of his thether comming he was so estranged from himself Out of this garden by another doore they came into a large court of the castle built with bright Alabaster the excellencie wherof in the imagery workmanship caÌ„not be declared For in coÌ„parison of this inchanted castle
either the sumptuous building of Mansolus tombe or the famous Pyramides of Aegypt or that maze of Daedalus making found in Crete may wel be forgotten And as the Emperour mused on all this the gentlewoman knowing him to be distraught caught him by the hand brought him to a paire of stayers the steps whereof were all of Iasper by them he mounted with her into a chamber foure square of the largenesse of a stones cast In this yet she opened another dore with thrée steps of siluer plate out of the gold-smiths shop through which she brought the Emperor into a more stately chamber foure square as the other was very rich whereof the séeling roofe were ingrauen gold embossed with many precious stones sending foorth such a light as it was meruailous The Emperour tooke no kéepe of the riches of the place but of the beautie of a nūber of faire gentlewomen whom he sawe sitting richly apparelled in euery part of the chamber among these one séemed to be the principall stalled in a seat higher then the other passing them all so well in beautie as rich apparell She as ladie and mistres aboue them all held in her hand a Lute whereon she played and sung together with such an harmonie that it was no lesse daungerous vnto the poore Emperour then the alluring song of the Mermaides should haue bene vnto Vlysses companie She sang swéetly and she with all reached her warbling notes so high so shrill that it much pleased the Emperour Her faire and golden haire hung downe her backe and couered both her shoulders And you must pardon the Emperour if by this he was wholy possessed with her loue and forgot his late wife the Princesse Briana The enterteinment was great and yet this chaunge procéeded not through she beautie of the enchauntresse for his owne wife was much fairer but rather by the secret vertue of the place which was thereto deuised according as shall be recited héereafter By this time the Emperour had cleane lost the remembraunce of his wife his Empire Countrey and what els pertained to him onely reioycing in the loue of Lindaraza for so this Ladie was called this he estéemed for his principall happe and good fortune When the Emperour had stoode stone still a while this Ladie rose from hir seate and laieng downe hir Lute which she helde in hir hande with hir Gentlewomen waiting on hir and with a good grace shée made towards the Emperour to take him by the hande saieng vnto him You are welcome most noble and worthy Emperour Trebatio for whose comming I haue long time wished The Emperour glad of such a welcome and making not straunge of his courtesie albeit he coulde not finde whereby she shoulde knowe his name he aunswered hir Madame my arriuall cannot be but good sith by it I may beholde the pricke and price of all the beautie in the world conspiring as it were in your excellencie sith you receiue me with such fauour I beséech you tell me who you are least by not knowing you I might foreslowe that dutie which I owe vnto your person This account replyed the Lady shall be made in better time Now knowe you that I am all yours and there shall not be done by me or my Gentlewomen other thing but to doo you pleasure in my Pallaice The Emperour was intrapped with hir pleasant speach and knew not whether he were in heauen or in the earth and willing to kisse hir hande for the grace she shewed him she thought no scorne of a kisse on hir chéeke when it was profered Then she led him by the hand vnto the place where hir owne throne was there the Emperor felt in himselfe a great contentment by the touching of hir white and delicate hands imagining with him selfe that he was transferred into a second heauen Some of the Ladies helped to vnarme him and other were not idle either plaieng on their harpes or singing and making such musick as well eased the mindes of the enamoured some brought rich robes to attire the Emperour withall other conserues and comfets very comfortable with delycate wine in great plates and cups of gold to refresh him as he had néede by reason of the trauaile he had taken on foote although other meate liked him better which was the sight of the faire Lindaraza and hir company and shée no lesse enamored with him behelde him goodly and with hir knife in one hand a napkin in the other she hir selfe carued vnto him of those plesant conserues I doo not think that the Emperour refrained vpon strangenesse but she to quicken his stomacke with many a pleasant deuise and other amorous perswasions made him eate a good and very swoote were those morsells vnto him When this collation was ended with some solempnitie the faire Lindaraza led him aside into a great bay window opening vppon the fresh and gladsome gardein through which the Emperour with the Gentlewomen had before passed Ther they both beguyled the time with pleasant speach and melody which the Ladies made in a fresh arbour vpon the top of two trées the Laurell and the Cipres the Tenor being maintained among them onely by Nightingales I denie not but the sauour also of the swéete smelling flowers refreshing their spirits did encrease their appetites and gaue hope of better ioye to come When it was time to suppe the tables being spred they were serued of exquisite dainties Supper being done the two estates fell to their wonted discourses It was now night and yet there néeded neither torch nor candle the brightnesse of the stones enchased in the walls made the chambers as light as the daye when it was time to sléepe the faire Princesse Lindaraza brought the Emperour to hir owne lodging richly adorned with silke and golde wherein was a rich and statelye bed and ther vnclothed by hir Gentlewomen both of them went to bed and remaining thus both of them reioyced of their loues to their contentations As the Emperor had thus liued wantonly many dayes depriued of his vnderstanding sauing onely in honouring hir which was before him In the ende the beautifull Lindaraza was great with childe and bare him a daughter of rare beautie called Lindaraza by hir mothers name from whom issued a great noble race which because in his place it shall be largelye declared I shall ouerpasse now briefly touching such occurrents as I read of in the meane time ¶ The Emperours knights finde not their Lord and the Hungarians misse the Prince of England Cap. 10. WHen the Emperour Trebatio was in his quest of the inchaunted chariot the storie telleth that his knights might not come néere him some because they could not take their horses and some because his horse ran so fast for hée ouercame in halfe a dayes iourney the trauayle of eyght dayes as I thinke for that he was caried both by his own desire the diuels driuing otherwise it had bene impossible to haue endured so
great paines For this cause I say although the Knightes rode so fast as they might yet they could not come within the sight of him nor find which way he was gone yet with sorrow griefe especiallye through the feare which they conceiued by his meddeling with the Giants they parted companies euery man taking a seuerall way to séeke the Emperour they agréed at the moneths end to méete at one place The month came when as yet none of them heard any newes of him although they sought him in diuers parts They all meruailed but not knowing what to say in the ende they determined at some other time to méete to enter into this quest againe For this time they altogether tooke towards the campe which they left before the citie of Belgrado where they abode not long but remembring thēselues of their promise they met at the place appointed deuided themselues accordingly The foure Hungarian knights fearing to be descryed by those which went to séeke Prince Edward the couertlyest which they might they went toward the campe of the Emperour and there remained some time after they followed into Greece where they tarried till the returne of the Emperour according as shall be mentioned héereafter Now by this time with no lesse care and diligence Prince Edward was sought by manie Knights in all the kingdome for that the King had giuen him no longer time to remayne in the Monestary of the riuer then thrée daies There was already told xx daies when he came not First then he sent many of his knights to knowe the cause of his tarrieng these returned vnto the king with an aunswere that they neither found him in the Minster nor could beare tidings of him by the waye Then the King dispatched other messengers to enquire after him his knights in all the land but they brought the like answere yet againe he sent more then 1000. well prepared for warre with authoritie of search through all his kingdome that they might bring newes of life or death but all was one Last of all fearing least peraduenture he had bene taken prisoner by his enimies he wrote vnto the Emperours campe to knowe the truth to the end he might raunsome him if so it were but not hearing anie newes he then bewailed the losse of the prince became very sorrowfull like as contrary wise the Emperials bemoned their Emperour These things happened so in the necke one of another that Tiberios iudgment failed to decide the truth and he pittied him with no lesse griefe then if he had bene his owne sonne partly for his daughters sake who must néeds be partner of hir husbands misaduenture partly for the Princes parents who could not without some sorow conceiue of his missing albeit all this happened more by the misgiuing of his owne minde then by anie certaintie he found You haue heard particularly the care of the king Tiberio now you must consider of the diligence of the king of Boheme by the semblable Another month had end and the knights botaries sped them homewards to the campe of the Emperour without anye newes of their Lord which no doubt much molested the whole hoast but in especiall it afflicted the king of Boheme to sée them come without him As they made declaration of the whole months trauaile it little pleased the king only for the loue he bare to the Emperour and the want of his presence in a time so daungerous he wept as sore for him as if he had séene his little childe giue vp the ghost The losse of the Emperour thus published through the armie there was no one which sorrowed not inwardlye for he had the loue of all his subiects Albeit this was bootlesse yet his loue beguiled him for the king yet charged more then 2000. knights with the search of the Emperor in all places as well by sea as by land but it naught auailed for the Ilande of Lindaraza helde him so sure that hée could not be found and if he had bene found yet he was so well garded that the whole hoast had not ben able to haue deliuered him from the inchanted castle While these things were in dooing the king of Boheme himselfe set the remainder on work to assault the Citie with full purpose not to leaue the siege till either he knewe where the Emperour was or had lien a halfe yeare longer at the end whereof he wold raise the siege so depart into Greece againe In this time the Hungarians issued out of their Citie against the Grecians there was betwéen them many cruell bloudie skirmishes the Greeks did nobly as you may read in their seuerall histories At this time because they are not of the substance of my matter I wil not name them only I wil recount vnto you the perticular truth of that which followeth ¶ The Princesse Briana taketh great sorrowe at the losse of Prince Edward Cap. 11. GReat was the diligence which the King of Hungarie commaunded his Knightes to make in séeking the Prince Edward and as great was his griefe in not finding him by the consideration of the towardnesse of the noble Knight and the dole of his Parents béeing their deere and onely sonne But greater must néedes be and inexpressible the mortall dalour which the Princesse Briana conceiued when she once heard of the misse of Prince Edward And as I read at the thrée moneths ende when nothing was reported for very anguish of heart besides hir often sowndings after when the recouered out of that traunce she seemed to them néerer the death then the Prince hir husband was as they thought for beléeuing that he was dead she woulde neither eate drinke nor sléepe but became weake and feeble and wasted hir dayes with sorrowe She layd a part all hir Princely roabes and precious Iewells and tired hir selfe in course mourning wéedes of a widdowe She kept hir selfe in a secret chamber onely with the comfort of hir Gentlewomen and comming not foorth one steppe demeaned rather the life of an Anchresse or religious woman then of a Princesse The Queene mother then abiding at Buda came oftentimes to visite hir and in hir companye other great Ladyes but they coulde not remooue the dulnesse of hir melancholy Ere the Princesse had long led this solitary life she felt hir selfe quicke with childe whence she tooke some ioy but yet fearing the disclosing of it vnto hir friends whom she wold not haue pertakers of it for all Hungarie before the solempnization of the mariage was openly performed and being notwithstanding desirous in time to séeke remedye therevnto she concionated hir secrete onely with one of hir Gentlewomen named Clandestria whom she best loued and with whome she was best acquainted for the good counsayle she often gaue hir She which was wise and discreete kissed hir Ladyes handes for the honour she did vnto hir in reuealing such a secrette onely a lyttle withstanding hir intent of concealement at the first and
the other kissing him vpon his chéekes and in déede rather obaieng the loue she bare vnto hir sonnes then regarding the feare she was wont to haue for béeing discouered albeit to say the troth the Princesse was of the better hande for all the good will she shewed hir Gentlewomen imagined to procéede of their beautie And yet to take all suspect away she could verie wisely moderate hir passions Clandestrias sister the supposed mother of those children and hir husband by name Armaran kissed the Princesses hands where she in token of good liking intertayned them as hir seruaunts from thence-foorth to remain with hir as their sister Clandestria did On this wise the Princes were nourished in their mothers presence without that any knew the right parentage whereof they came and they so enticed the Gentlewomen to the lyking of them that there passed not one houre without playing and dallyaunce with them This ioye on the Princesse part was vnspeakable I dare not say able to countermaund hir foreconceiued griefe but the worst was it was not durable For fortune euer mutable chaunged hir copie and became so contrary that the date of hir ease being out there succéeded disease mishap so that hir death should not haue bene halfe so yerksome as hir life was dolorous This shall you heare of in the next chapter ¶ Donzel del Eebo was lost by misaduenture Cap. 15. NOw the creator of all things minded to manifest the worthy déeds of the valiant Donzel del Febo which as yet lay hidden in the armes of the delicate Gentlewoman his foster mother and therefore in such sort he ordered the celestial influences and powers of the planets that scarcely had the young Gentleman fully reached vnto thrée yeares of his age when he was carried from the princely Graces of his vnknowen mother leauing hir pensiue and sad into a large and maine sea whence being tossed with waues and almost weather beaten at length he escaped Such an argument God lefte vs of his prowesse to come sith in so tender age he enabled him to subdue the most raging element that is And you which read this history may be brought by good reason to giue credit to this my report sith you your selues are witnesses of the euident presence of the Almightie in so certaine a daunger And as the learned well know Achilles hath his Pallas in Homere and Aeneas his Venus in Virgil Goddesses assistant vnto men in their daungerous conflictes Homere Virgil meaning no other thing then the care of God towards his why may not we beléeue that if it pleased God that this infant had the secret direction of Gods mightie hand in all his enterprises But mine Author willing to entreate somewhat of him setteth it downe thus That in the ende of a yeare these two beautifull boyes bâ—ing brought vp in the Monestarie of the Riuer with great pleasure of the Princesse and hir Gentlewomen one day in the month of May the comfort of the Sunne ther enforcing them to come abroad and séeke theyr solace vnder gréene boughes The Princesse and hir Gentlewomen leauing their lodging went into a large and faire orchard excéedingly well cast in one part of the Monestarie there they tooke vp their seates at a wells mouth ouer-shaddowed with trees that the heate of the Sunne could not annoye them and sporting with the little Rosicleer who was somwhat more giuen to play then his brother Donzel del Febo they so much delyghted in Rosicleer that they tooke no héede of Donzel del Febo sitting not farre off The little one being very young yet greatly discontent to sée the small account they made of him in a fume rose from the place where he was sette and by softe paces got from them without being espied by the Gentlewomen sauing of his mother so called which loued him no lesse then hir owne selfe She rising from the place where she was set followed him and looke him by the hand laughing a good to sée the choler wherein he was and walking among the trées so long with him that she came to a large and déepe water running thorough a parte of the great orcharde where hard by were great store of trées and whether the Princesse because the place was very pleasant often resorted with hir Gentlewomen to reioyce hir selfe When they were there the little boye seeing the water was desirous to playe with it The nourse though otherwise willing to haue contented him yet fearing the daunger of the water went farther to finde some sure place whereby to come vnto the water and taking a little boate at the banke which the gardeiner vsed in comming into the Orcharde put hir selfe in it and the childe with hir The boye leaning his breaste vppon the brimme of the Boate troubled the water with his handes and tooke vp some to wash his face a while after the water béeing calme and plaine he looked in it againe and séeing his shaddowe there he began to playe with it and stroke it with his hands now because it would not giue place but did that which he did waxing angrie he prayed his mother to giue him a rod which laye vpon the land to beate the babe withall It was a good pastime for hir to sée the displeasure which he had conceiued against his owne shadow and leauing him thus shée lept vpon the lande to reach him the sticke that he required Being thus on lande either with the force she put to the side of the boate in aduauncing hir selfe out of the boat or els because it was the will of God that the lyttle boye should then be prest to trye the hazarde of his constellation So it was that the boate being vntied it shoued from the shore the nourse not perceiuing it before she turned againe then was it more then two yeards from the land and not hauing whereby to take holde it bare so swiftlye downe the streame in a little time and so farre off that she lost the sight of it When she sawe the daunger wherein the little childe was not hauing power to succour it shée rent hir garments and tore hir haire and fel to the ground making such mone that the Princesse and hir Gentlewomen sitting about the Well heard it and much abashed rose from the place to know what the noyse meant When they sawe the pittifull dealings of the nourse vppon the ground quickening their pace they gate néere hir and demaunding the cause of hir great lamentation they founde hir so sorrowfull that she coulde not speake to them but rather the more she was comforted by them the more she outraged in crieng as that they iudged hir to be distraught So long lasted these hir cryes that the Princesse disquieted went towards hir leauing Rosicleer with one of hir Gentlewomen As the Princesse came towardes hir the nourse knewe hir and not hauing the boldnesse to shew how it fell out in respect of the griefe the Princesse would take for the losse of
Thus they fought halfe an houre and no man might iudge who should haue the better The great rouer strake with all his force at his enimie but the finall houre of his owne lyfe nowâ— edging néere him so it was that the couragious Prince anoided it and as he was alreadie entered into the good successe of his voyage hauing in his power the Gentleman of the Sunne so fired all with wrath his coulour as a man might say bewraieng his cholar hée gaue the rouer with both his hands such a blowe vppon the head that he felled him to the ground and before the rouer might get on his knées he gaue him another betwéene his helmet and his necke péece and laide him flat vpon the planks of the ship There the wretched Mambriniano with his gluttenous desire spit out his stinking and corrupted spirit and the noble Florion rested not héere but with a braue stout courage entered in the ship and laid about him on both sides The knights of the rouer to reuenge their Lords death wounded him on all parts but by by there boorded them twentie knights of the Prince all chosen men of warre and helped their Lord in such wise that in short time the greatest parte of theyr enimyes were slaine and the rest séeing their fall yeelded themselues to his mercie The battayle thus ended the Prince woulde sée what was in the ship for he beléeued that there was within great riches according as the dealings of the rouer had ben There was much treasure found but searching euery place of it they founde in a cabbin a knight of an indifferent age clothed with rich garmentes and by his graue countenaunce seeming to be of good account and néere vnto him a young Gentleman of foure or fiue yeres olde verie beautifull and seemely arayed in cloth of golde and about his necke a coller of golde set with rich and precious stones The young Gentleman was so gracious in behauiour that if Florion had not before seene the Gentleman of the Sunne hee had beleeued him to be the fairest and proprest Gentleman that euer hée had séene and desiring to knowe who they were he saluted them curteouslys willing the knight to tell him who they were He which had alreadie knowen Florions greate vertue in the battaile that hée had with the rouer rose with the young Gentleman from the place where hée was set and vsing an humble duetie to him aunswered Sir knight I am a prisoner to the rouer Mambriniano which tooke me and this young Gentleman at a place néere a hauen of the Sea and sith God by Fortune hath béene so fauourable vnto you that in a righteous battayle you haue slaine him wée remaine now for yours to doe with vs that which shall séeme best vnto you and we haue good hope that with a knight of so greate valour there cannot happen vnto vs so much euill as with him which tooke vs prisoners The Prince accepted well that which he sayde vnto him and prayed him to goe on in declaring who hée was for that by lacke of knowledge hée might forslacke to doe to them the honour that they merited Albet nowe the knight wished that hée might dissemble it for the daunger that might ensue yet in the ende putting his affiaunce in the Prince he sayde vnto him Sith it liketh you sir knight to know who we be onely to please you I will tell it you though I woulde gladly haue suppressed our names till Fortune somewhat more friendly vnto vs shoulde haue bewrayed it But knowe you that this young Gentleman is called Claueryndo and is the sonne of the king Oristeo King of Fraunce onely inheritour and successour of that great kingdome and I haue to name Armineo béeing brother to the king Oristeo and vnkle to this young Gentleman The whole order of this misfortune was in this sorte One daye for to sporte our selues in the company of many other knights we rode to a faire forrest néere vnto the Sea and the Knights which came with vs the most of them delighting in hunting seuered themselues for their disport in such manner that the young Gentleman and I with onely ten knights wer lest in a fresh and faire arbour about a well neere adioyning vnto the Sea In this time while our knights followed their game this great Rouer Mambriniano whether espieng vs or by chaunce taking land for fresh water wee knowe not but with more then twentie knights he beset vs and although we defended our selues some time in the end this Gentleman and I were taken prisoners and our ten knights slaine sore wounded before the other knights which hunted in the forrest might vnderstande of it He caried vs to his ships where it is more then a month that we haue bene in this manner as you haue séene vs close pent vp in this cage For my selfe Sir as I neuer hope for libertie so I respect not my imprisonment but for this faire young Gentleman my heart is sore wounded I had rather suffer ten deaths then any such misfortune shoulde happen to him Because that when such newes shall bée reported to his father he will beare it more impatientlye than his owne and that which worst is to me onely will he attribute this fault sith hauing committed his onely sonne to my gouernance I haue giuen so ill account of him Vnto these words the knight lent manie a teare sliding downe his face which well shewed the griefe he bore in hart The prince Florion in great compassion comforted him promising libertie of returne into his country when but by and by remembring the wordes which the wise man his vnckle had sayd he called it backe againe and in steede of his first promise he tourned his tale to the narration of his owne mishaps being on this wise I thancke you heartely for your courtesie in recounting to mée the whole discourse of your imprisonment and of this young Gentlemans captiuitie and I call the high Gods to witnesse what paine your misfortune hath caused in me and how ready my power shall be to remedie it when I maye For I meane toâ—giue you libertie of returne and with my men to conduct you homewards into Fraunce thus much occosioned in me by the deserts of your estate But fortune hath bene so contrary to me that except your retourne bée delayed I my selfe shall want my necessary help the whole state of the matter lyeng thus if it so please you to heare I am by name Florion king of Persia my father deceasing which was king thereof and so by iust title as to his onely sonne and heire the crowne of the kingdome descended to me This charge I sustained in mine owne person a good while but being young and lustie and in good age to follow armes I was desirous to wander in the world So leauing a gouernour in my kingdome I trauailed through diuers countries vntill the ende of thrée yeares at which I tooke ouer into Babylon where
I was matched with the daughter of the Souldan being mine vnckle Thether came Ambassadors from my subiects certifieng me that the king of Media the stoutest Pagan in all the heathen countrey with maine force had intruded vpon my kingdome I for to remedy it gathered a great hoast in the Souldans land and transporting into Persia at the first battell that I had with the king of Media the greater part of my people béeing slaine my selfe was ouerthrowen with great griefe by secret by-wayes recouered Babylon where I could willingly haue dyed for paine and anguish◠But one min◠vnckle a verie wise and learned man in Art Magicke recomforted me saieng that the time shuld come in which I should be restored to my kingdome with great honour that for this it behooued me to awaite on the sea til I met with two little boyes of excellent beautie with whome I should returne to Babylon for that they should be the principal cause of my redresse so giuing credit to his word I thus put my selfe in aray for this aduenture wher thanks be to the Gods all hath succéeded as the wise man fore-spoke it for within this thrée dayes I lighted vpon one being alone in a little boate hauing in him according to my fancie the very pride of all beautie the other must néeds bée this young Gentleman Clauerindo the fairest beside him that euer I knew so as I haue good hope héerby to reenter into my kingdome For this cause I haue in charge to bring these two to Babilon now sir knight I beseech you to take it in good part for he shall be as wel entertained in the court of the Souldan as in the court of the king his father when my good fortune will that my seat shal be established he you shall returne into Fraunce with my ships my people my self also if it be so conuenient When the prince had there staied Armineo was well contented with his talke taking him for a knight of great prowesse although the long stay that the prince Clauerindo shuld make in this country grieued him yet with hope to return in the end séeing it was not in his power to do otherwise he subiected his will to the princes commaund with courteous words rendred him thanks for the storie of his aduentures for the offer he had made them the pith of his aunswere being in few words this Be it as you haue sayd sir for I denie not but the Gentleman Clauerindo shall gain verie much by his bringing vp in yours and your vnckles so noble a court With these profers too fro Florion tooke Clauerindo in his armes entred in his own ship Armineo following him When Armineo had behelde within Florions shippe the young Donzel del Febo you must not meruaile though he blessed himselfe for there was none which had had but a blush of him within his tender yeares but tooke him rather to be a celestiall Seraphin shen an humane creature and beléeued that this might not bée done without some great misterie as if the young Gentleman shewing in his infancie the comelinesse of stature other excellent qualities wherwith he was endued besides the straunge finding him alone in the rage of the tempest did well foreshew his nobilitie in time to come But when they sawe him naked and the portraiture of the Sunne with the brightnesse that it gaue to the beholders it was so straunge that they called to minde Phaetons fall out of heauen comparing this young Gentleman with Phaeton as if he had bene Phoebus sonne like as Phaeton was although somewhat diuers againe in this for that Phaeton taking his fathers chariot for his presumption was drenched in the Sea this young Gentleman was preserued in the Sea as betokening some greater secrecie in Nature Armineo was best apayed to haue the companie of so excellent a Gentle man for the Prince Claueryndo Now by the way this may you learne that although they could not tell Donzels name yet by the tokens he had vppon him they named him the Gentleman of the Sunne somewhat in other tearmes in the Persian tongue but in signification all one with the name that his mothers Gentlewoman gaue him in Hungarie being worth the marking that both Persians and Hungarians should so iumpe in naming him But to make hast homewards they tooke the waye to Phrigia and with a good winde ere fitéene dayes they landed there and comming a shore they sent harbengers afore hande as well to aduertise the Souldan and Lyrgandeo of the Princes comming as to puruaye by the waye of lodging for the estates The two young Gentlemen being not a litle welcome vnto Florions two vnckles as you maye read in the next chapter ¶ Prince Florion with the two young Gentlemen entered into Babylon and were there honourably receiued by the Souldan Cap. 18. THe Prince Florion néeded not to haue giuen intellygence to the Souldan of his comming for the wise Lyrgandeo opened all which had chaunced as well as if he had bene a partie in the dooing of it So when the prince was in lesse then an halfe dayes iourney from the Citie the Souldan and his wise brother Lyrgandeo issued out with a great traine to receiue him and comming néere the wise Lyrgandeo espieng Florion with the Gentleman of the Sunne on his horse before him in great ioye rode a pace taking him in his armes spake these words O ye soueraigne Gods immortall thankes be giuen vnto you for the high fauour you haue shewed vnto vs in bringing into our power this rare Gentleman with whom you haue imparted of your most secret graces O that mine armes coulde once merite such an heauenly burthen O how well maye Babylon reioyce sith he is thether brought whose glorye shall no lesse glister through the earth then the bright Sun shineth in the world Who deserueth to haue his biding among the Demigods for his valour and mightinesse O how he shall race out the memorie of Ninus and Xerxes all the pride of the Assyrian Monarches From hencefoorth Assiria for béeing onely the cradell of this Gentlemans nourserie shall be famous throughout the whole world from hence-foorth men shall haue so much to doo to put in writing the worthinesse of this Gentleman that all the monuments of our auncestors shall quite dye and this man onely shall be our table-talke The wise man thus as it were rauisht and vttering his conceiptes in great gladnesse by inter-breathings the beautie of the childe sometimes amazing him and his diuinitie astonishing the hearers he kissed the young Gentleman held him in his handes till the Souldan drew néere as the Souldan approched he deliuered Donzel del Febo vnto him and tourned himselfe towards Clauerindo embracing him goodly but in more modestie of speach or lesse delight he said vnto him You are welcome noble and souereigne Prince I knowing how well knowen your name should be in the world
and defieng with a fierce semblance But as he cared neither for God nor man so he swallowed vp the knights words reputing the knight for a foole for he thought his name onely able to afray anie knight thus he replied Were thy handes foolish knight as good to fight as thy tongue is fine in preaching I would not meruaile though thou hadst the hardynésse to defame Africano But I will curtall thy copie with this currish answere Prepare thée to the battaile and take this premise at my hand that if I be ouercome I will leaue to Florion not onely the kingdome of Persia but also all that which I my selfe haue of possessions in Asia and so sayeng Africano made against the Knight but the Knight of the Sunne wisely to order his affayres aunswered him saieng Staye a little Africano heare that which I saie Thou knowest that alreadie this daie I haue twice fought with two of thy gyants and am forewearied if now I fight with thée thou subdue me what honour shalt thou get therby Will not men say that thou tookest mée at the aduantage when I was hurt before or wearyed as I am Appoint that our combat be to morrow and that assurance he had of this condition on either parts and say thou the sâ—â—â—e before the principall of thy armie that if perhaps I shoulde slaie thee in this battaile the Souldan should not neede to haue a new skirmish with thy people The deuise of the knight was fore against Africanos minde for he would willingly haue purged some parte of the cholerâ— which hée brought with him boiling in his stomack but séeing this auoidance could not bée at this time made with the warrantie of his honour he graunted to the conditions and thus aunswered him Let it be so as thou sayst foolish knight I will do thée a pleasure in delaieng the time of reuenge of my knights and thy foolish wordes but sith I may not refraine my anger hauing thée before me returne hastely to the citie and I will to my tent and with this he turned the raines of his horse and came to his pauilion where he fed vpon melancholy all the day not speaking to anie one The knight of the Sun deferred the battaile till the next daie not for that he was wearie but to aduertise the Souldan of that which was agréed vpon now the rather to assure himselfe returned to the Citie where hée was receiued with great idye and pleasure of all his friends and being within the Pallaice he told the Souldan to what issue he had brought the matter he was very ioyfull by reason of the wise Lyrgandeos prophesies which he hoped then to be accomplished partly doubtfull of the successe because Prince Florion knew Africanos strength was such as few were able to resist it he would haue had him not to deale in this aduenture alone requested him to ioyne vnto him some other companions namely Prince FlorioÌ„n Clauerindo which themselues laboured greaÌ„tly but he gaue them thanks and excused himselfe with this that it was so derréed but saith he there may be a time wherin you may imptoy your forces For he knew the people of Africano to be to hardie that if perchance their Lord should be slaine or be in daunger they would either succour their Lord or work his reuenge vpon the conquerour therfore he willed them to be in a redinesse So these two knights gladly accepted that charge all that day chose out of the people those which should the next day kéepe the field with them to be at hand for succors to the knight if any treason shuld be compassed against him The knight of the Sun tooke his rest merely till the daie wherein he prospered as you shall now heare ¶ A cruell battaile betweene the knight of the Sunne and Africano with the discomfiture of Africanos hoast Cap. 24. GO soone as the day appeared the noble Gréeke arose from his bedde and hée béeing now readie to arme himselfe the Souldan the Prince Clauerindo Florion and other knightes his friendes came into his chamber which all helped to arme him When he was all armed the wise Lyrgandeo came in also with a helmet in his handes the richest and most precious that euer was seene and the strongest also the best wrought that euer came on knights head for that the wise man had made it by obseruation of signes and Planets in such aspectes that no Swoord how good so euer might enter into it and hée had bene more then twentie yeares in making it to haue the true coniunction of the celestiall badyes which are apte for the operation of it besides all which hée had fetched from farre countries the stuffe whereof it was made for it was no common mettall This helmet was for workemanship so excéeding as for it onely Lyrgandeo wan his spurres and was commended aboue all the learnedst and wisest Magicians for none other hauing not attayned to the like perfection in Astronomie or Arte Magicke coulde haue euer made it Now as I sayde leâ—â—â—â—ing into the chamber where the Knight of the Sunne the Souldan the rest were and shewing his helmet be drous them all into a wonder at the beautie and riches of the helmet for although they knew not the hidden vertue of it yet for the brauerie of the stones they iudged it valuable to a kings delight He bare in it a field Azour of the likenesse of the Element in most quiet and peaceable manner not troubled with winde or cloudes in the chiefe there was a Sun guilded spreading his beames all ouer the helmet as it wer the mantling somwhat besides good armorie I think but well fitting for so gorgeous a péere of armour The Sunne shined so bright that it almost dazeled the eyes of the beholders This helmet christening him now by the name of the Knight of the Sunne as the Sunne in his left side named him the Gentleman of the sunne when he was first founde in the Sea by Florion The wise man came vnto the knight and tooke from him the helmet which he had already laced on and put on this other saieng My Lord you goe to fight with one so strong and valiant a Knight that neither may I report it for the strangnesse neither can you giue credite vnlosse you haue triall Now though the helmet you haue is very good yet being hacked and brused with the terrible blewes of the strong Raiartes it is not such a one as maye resist the waightie strokes of Africano but this which now I giue you make much of it for I knowing that this battaile ought to be foughten by you in the right of my Nephewe the Prince Florion haue this twentie yeares and more busied my selfe about it and fully finished it not past a yeare since The Knight of the Sunne triumphed now to bée made the master of so rare an helmet and in so néedefull a time saieng to Lyrgandeo in thankfull wise
the occasion of my hether comming In good time came you this way sayd Balides for by you I haue recouered my sonne and talking of such like matters they passed the time till supper was ready ¶ Rosicleer in Lyuerbas name slaieth Argion and remooueth the Iewes Cap. 29. THe supper being readie Rosicleer with Balides his wife and children sate at the table but there was little discourse at the boord saue that the beautifull Lyuerba felt so great griefe in the remembrance of Argions message that in lieu of meate shee fed on teares and her parents helped to beare a part with their sighes which made it a very melancholike supper vnto Rosicleer And in the necke of this ere the cloth was taken vp they heard great rapping at the gate looking who they were they sawe more then .20 knightes other seruing men with torches in their hands at the gates Those of the house demaunded what they wold one of them answered Tell Balides that Argion our Lord hath commanded vs to bring Lyuerba by and by for he tarrieth for her to haue her companie this night O how vnwelcome was this arrant vnto the parents how pittifull vnto the Gentlewoman which sounded at the hearing of Argions name all the householde wept bitterly Rosicleer for companie moued to great pittie with the best courage that he might to giue remedie vnto this outrage deuised a present shift bid some of the seruants to tell those which were without that they shoulde stay a while vntill the Gentlewoman were in a readinesse after that that shée should be sent vnto them Then he made the costlyest apparell which Lyuerba had to be brought vnto him clothed himselfe withall making for his head a perwicke of Lyuerbas haire binding it with a little chaine of gold so that being thus readily araied he was so beautifull as no gentlewoman thereabouts might parage him for grace or fauour His host hostesse were amazed in beholding him so well beare out the credit of a gentlewomas in his disguised habit neither yet knowing what he meant thereby nor yet minding to learne it of him vnlesse he first declared it But so soone as he was throughly arayed in this wise he softly rounded his host in the eare saieng My friend your mishap and the thraldome of this land hath had such force ouer me that hauing hope in God which brought me hether I will take vpon me to be Lyuerba will goe with these knights to the castle of Argion When I am alone in his chamber I will behaue my selfe God willing that I will frée you from this mans tyrannie Or though I be slaine in the execution of this enterprice yet it were a small damage in respect of so great a cure But I would haue you Balides your sonnes and your other acquaintaunce and friendes to arme your selues lykewise and lye couertly a little from the castle where if you sée that I make you anie tokens by the light at a windowe make account that Argion is slaine and be not afraide to come néere the gates which I will set open for you and so with little ado we will make our selues Lords of his castle When this is done we will publish it abroad to the inhabitaunts of the valley which being certeine of Argions death will rise to our succour Balides looked wistly vpon Rosicleer and wondered at his courage for he béeing so young it was in his fancie for the boldest match which he had heard off yet though it was impossible as he thought to come to their purpose for that he sawe how willingly Rosicleer had made this offer he consented to call his friends estéeming it farre better to die in such a quarrell then to see suffer so great a mischiefe The Gentlewoman Lyuerba béeing made priuie therevnto by her father knéeled downe before Rosicleer and shedding aboundance of teares said vnto him The God which created both heauen earth graunt you faire gentleman so good hap that both this land may be acquit from this tyrannie I deliuered from this villanie The knights which were without hasted to haue the Gentlewoman with them so Rosicleer putting swoord vnder his kirtle closely and surely that it could neither bée perceiuied nor fall from him he tooke his leaue of Balides his wife and his daughter Balides wishing him well and commending him to God accompanied him to the gates where the knightes were attendaunt and there poured out so many teares to the outward sight as if it had bene his daughter The people without hauing a glimps of Rosicleer by the light of the Torches tooke him to be fayrest Gentlewoman which they had euer séene and verye gladde to bring so good tidings vnto their master they set him vppon a palfraie prouided for the purpose onely they were agréeued at the time which was so short that they could not sufficiently gaze on her Their whole talke by the waie ranne vpon this that it were for Argion more conuenient to detaine her for wife then euerie wéeke to seeke a newe and laughing at theyr owne deuises they came to Argions Castle béeing verye greate and of building the most sumptuous in the valley as it had bene a kings pallaice In this they entered and helping the fained Lyuerba from her horse they lead her vp a paire of staires into a chamber where Argion awaited her comming Rosicleer kéeping a demure and sober countenaunce droue Argion into a great amaze at his beautie that gréedely beholding him hée arose from the place where hée was set and embraced him in these tearmes You are welcome hether my Lyuerba for you make me ryght gladde to haue your companie and for that your beautye is more then the rest I will doe you more honoure then to others The fained Lyuerba countenaunced out his counterfait with graue behauiour onely fixing his eyes vpon the grounde without aunswering a worde saue that hée thought vppon his purpose which he knewe woulde bée somewhat daungerous in that Argion was strong fowle and fierce of looke more then euer he had séene anie Argion tooke him by the hande and placed him next himselfe demaunding first how her parents did and from thence he fell to more amorous delights still staring on Rosicleers beautie which throughly kindled his lust and hée desired her to vncloath hir selfe and to come vnto him into the rich bedde This supposed Lyuerba framing a shamefast and bashfull looke with a lowde voyce gently aunswered him that vnlesse he commaunded his seruaunts to auoyde the chamber and the doores to be fastened she would not be séene naked in that companie Argion taking it to be an argument of great honestie did of his cloathes first and lept into his bed commanding his people to goe out and shut the dores after them They lighting a great candle set on a candlesticke of siluer went out and there remained onelye this Lyuerba with Argion leasurely vncloathing hir-selfe to
marriage betweene Brandidonio and Lyuerba whereat the tenaunts of the valley being present and séeing his personage so tall and goodly and ioyned with so good grace and gentle behauiour iudged him a person rather celestiall then mortall beléeued that God had sent him for their deliuerance from the miserable subiection wherin Arglon had holden them so they reuerenced and honoured him as if they had seene in him some vndoubted image of immortalitie But Rosicleer this marriage being finished hauing no more to doo made to assemble the greatest of the Country vnto whom he said that he had vowed a voyage which might not bée lefte off and therefore now at his departure hée prayed them to accept well of his so short tarrieng and in his absence to doo the honour diligently to Brandidonio and Lyuerba which was due vnto their liege Lorde and louing Ladie They ouer-charged with griefe for the lacke of him whome they loued as their nigh kins-man layed to stay by gifts and other offens but when it booted not they swore faith and obeysaunce towards their Lord and for a remembraunce of their loue they forced vpon Rosicleer an horse which was Argions a verie tall and strong Horse which he refused not as being verge commodious to trauaile with and then after this tooke his laue of Lyuerba hir Father and Mother and Brandidonio hir Husband Béeing ready to mount on horse-hacke a younger brother of Lyuerbas called Telyo throwing him-selfe on his knées before Rosicleer besought him to grant him his sute which Rosicleer willingly promised bidding him saye on Telyo then sayd Sir fith you are to trouâ—â—le alone and haue none to serue you by the waye maye it please you to shew me the fauour as to retaine me for your Squire Rosicleer well pleased with the good affection which Telyo bare towards him imbraced Tielio with much loue and thus made aunswere Telyo thou art before hande with me for I haue giuen thée thy request so that I maye not excuse my selfe of my former promise although I would aduise thée rather to tarrie at home in the delyghts of thine owne nation then to put thy selfe in daunger in a forâ—eine and vnknowen count râ—y Telyo gladder of this then of a good purchase prepared all things ready for their iourney and tooke his leaue of his Father Mother and kins-folke who were nothing miscontent of his choyce for that the companie was such as euerie one could haue wished his roome Rosicleer and Telyo tooke on their waye neither speaking to other for the thought of their so louing parting from their frieudes which as yet stacke fresh and gréene in their rememberaunce And sooth it is that within a while after Rosicleers departure to the ende the straungenesse of their deliuerie might be renued by their posteritie and no age shuld leaue to speak thereof they founded an House of Roligion with a faire Temple wherein at the one side of the high Alter they erected a piller of Marble verie faire and curious bearing the true counterfaite of Rosicleer with the Historie of Argion the fréeing of Lyuerba and all that consequently followeth in that storie so that long time after this monument of restoring the inhabitaunts was founde by our age in the pursuite of aduentures in that countrey Brandidonio and Lyuerba héere ruled long time in peace and tranquilitie and from them descended all the Lordes which since haue had the gouernaunce of that Valley But from thence to followe Rosicleer on his waye the Historie saieth that with his Squire Telyo he trauailed so long through Almaine that he came to an Hauen of the Sea in a manner direct against great Britaine in Picardie where there were two great and faire shippes tarieng for the winde to coast ouer into England Rosicleer hearing of this in his Inne went out of his hostrie to the hauens mouth there to speake with the master of the shippe for to become a passenger and comming thether he sawe manie Knights and seruaunts by lykelihoode of some worship passe too and fro which made him thinke it was no Merchaunts vessell but yet he entered the ship and there espieng two Knights young men richlye apparailed and placed in two seuerall feates to whome the either Knights in the shippe made their obeysaunce courned his face to haue gone out againe But the young Knights séeing Rosicleer and greatlye delyghted in his beautie and comelinesse of personage called to him Rosicleer courning towardes them mande is we reuerence as vnto so great estates The Knights receiuing him with as great courtesie demaunding of him gently what countrieman he was and what he sought there Rosicleer lookeing vpon them verie sadly and soberly aunswered I am come my Lordes from the Valley of the mountaines and I am desirous to sée great Britaine for my affaires which lye in that Countrey whether as I haue learned by others your shippes are prepared I am therefore to beséech you to doo me the pleasure as to graunt me passage in your companie They well contented with-all for that he was a young Gentleman excelling in beautie all those which they had séene tolde him they were willing therevnto and that if he needed ought vnto this iournes they would minister vnto his wants Rosicleer gaue them many thanks for this their courtesie but they demanded farther how he was called and of what linage he came To the first Rosicleer aunswered that his name was Rosicleer and minding to cut off the rest he desired them to spare him for the other at that time and to content themselues with this that he now came from the valley of the mountaines wherefore they beléeued that he was naturallye borne there By this meanes Rosicleer was enter tained with these Lordes and grewe farther in acquaintaunce with them that he knewe the one to be Bargandel the Bohemian cousin germane to the Emperour Trebatio and eldest sonne to the King of Bohemia the other to be the Prince Liriamandro brother to the Princesse Briana both of them of his night kinne The Fortune which linked and conioyned these Princes in this amitie was this The King of the great Britaine called Oliuerio considering that the losse of the Prince Edward his sonne noysed through his Empire for fiftéene yeares space had so appalled the courages of his Knights that neither feasts were made nor turneyes proclaimed nor anie disportes vsed with Gentlewomen in his Countrey where-by to fire the hearts of young men to the déedes of armes But that either all of them ouer-come with griefe and mourning still for his sonne forsooke to weare armour or els such as their owne good natures pricked forwards to trie aduentures departed out of his Realme in other Regions to become famous so that the Kingdome of England was verie naked of able Knightes to defend it whereas before it was best knowen in all the world for knighthoode and chiualrie The King I saye wisely casting of these things did not now so much lament the lacke
they might scarce speake the one to the other For when they compared together the shortnesse of time in which they inioyed him and in that short time the great prowesse which hée had shewed before them they coulde not easilye ascerteine themselues whether they had dreamed of such thinges or séene them waking But if so bée they were not beguiled either by a dreame or some fantasticall illusion I dare warrant they thought that in regard of that which God hath wrought by him he could not bée but of a noble estate Well when there was no hope of following they haled vp their boat again to kéepe their course towardes Britaine hauing hope to méete him there otherwise appointing with themselues if they there failed to go in quest of him I may forget to tell you of his Squire Telyo but you may easilye thinke of his paines by the loue he bare his Lorde and I will leaue him to your seuerall considerations of your selues in lyke cases béeing farre from your Countrie and farther from your friends whom you haue preferred before your Countrie the rather to accompanie these noble Gentlemen vnto the coast of England which in their way still kept on their former dittie euer talking of Rosicleer either commending his good grace or bewayling his departure or blaming their owne misfortunes or extolling his strength and euer the foote of his song was what shoulde the swiftnesse of the boate meane and our sodeine acquaintaunce Vnto the depth whereof because they coulde not reach thereby to quyet themselues their sorrowe redoubled by misiudging the worst In the ende the Winde was so good that it set them on lande in the great Britaine not farre from London where the King was restaunt Where as soone as they came on shoare before they presented themselues to the King they dispatched out one of their shippes with some of their knightes and Telyo Rosicleers Squire to coast the same way which Rosicleer was gone to the ende if Fortune were so fauourable to bring some tidings of him Afterwards themselues with the maiestie that doth belong to so great princes tooke towards the great citie viewing on euerie side the great assembly of people all the fields and high wayes besides townes hamlets taken vp for knightes as well straungers as naturall and an infinite number of Ladies and Gentlewomen comming onely to sée the turnayes The two Princes sent two of their knightes before hand to giue vnderstanding vnto the king of theyr comming The king glad to haue the presence of so noble Princes at his high feast with a great traine of knights met them without the Citie and comming towards them embraced them with great loue The storie leaueth to recount the words of curtesie which passed betwéene them and sayth that they entered into the Pallaice with the king were lodged in one quarter thereof himselfe kéeping his newe guests companie that night and talking with Liriamandro as concerning his daughter in lawe At whom he learned the whole state of Hungarie with the appendices as touching that matter which in some respect made him very sorrowfull to heare of the continual affliction wherwith Briana tormented her selfe in the monestarie of the riuer And he was as greatlye abashed to heare that in Greece they knew as little of the Emperour Trebatio as in England he heard of the Prince Edward Then Liriamandro espyeng the king somewhat inquisitue procéeded farther with his talke in declaring the aduenture which had ioyned him and Bargandel and howe that they two met at the Hauen with a Gentleman called Rosicleer and so consequently of the battaile with the Gyant the king hearing of so many vertues in Rosicleer as Liriamandro did his vttermost to set them forth greatly wished to haue séene him Héere the storie leaueth the King and these Princes to the prouiding of things necessarie for the tilt and goeth on with Rosicleer whom these Princes left vpon the maine sea ¶ Certeine accidents which befell Rosicleer after his departure from the two Princes Cap. 31. ROsicleer made an ende of the battaile with the Gyant and the Gentlewoman so wel reuenged by his meanes knéeled downe before him to haue kissed his hand and to giue him hartie thanks for his great friendshippe shewed in working her deliuerie from the terrible Gyaunt Rosicleer tooke her vp and demaunded of her what shée was and by what aduenture she was brought into the Gyaunts hand The Gentlewoman aunswered Knowe my Lorde that I am named Calinda Daughter to the wise man Artimedoro of whome peraduenture you haue heard speaking before this time inhabiting in an Islande not farre from hence in the middest of the sea which may neuer against his will bée séene of anie bodie This wise man my Father hauing sent me on a message in this boate to a friend of his Lord of an Iland not farre hence my Fortune was such that when I retourned by this Gyantes Iland there entering on land for fresh water I was espied by this Gyant who made to me to haue taken me but I fled towards my boate which I could not recouer so soone but that he entered with me But as he shoued to land my boat droue backward into the streame had lost the sight of his Iland The cruell Gyaunt séeing this and thinking that I had done it by my knowledge woulde haue killed me and intreated mée in such sorte as you sawe Nowe as for the lightnesse of the boat sir I beléeue sayth the Gentlewoman that it is guided by my Fathers Arte and that we are on the waye towarde his Ilande Whereat Gentleman I beséech you take no thought although you haue lost your companie for I doubt not but that by my fathers cunning you shall be ioyned then my Father shall serue you loyally for the mercie you haue shewed me Rosicleer much wondered both at the Gentlewomans spéech and at the Gyants crueltie without good occasion and especially at the incredible swiftnesse of the boat sayling in the sea faster then a birde flieth in the aire which made him iudge Artimedoro to be a verie wise man in that hée had so greate authoritie ouer the Sea And therefore hée reioyced himselfe vppon hope to sée the wise man at whome he might demaunde some newes as touching Prince Edward his Father and Donzel del Febo his brother And for that he questioned with the Gentlwoman many things as concerning her Father of whom he learned many things Nowe as they talked of these thinges the boate stoode still as it had bene sanded Rosicleer much abashed thereat looked on euery side what it should be that staied it and gaged the water with a poale but he perceiued nothing wherefore he thought the peraduenture vnder the boat in the place there lay some Adamant stone of the vertue whereof he had read before times that it draweth yron vnto it and stayeth the Shippes which sayle ouer it And as he was much perplexed in his thought not knowing how
to remedie it he sawe before him a little Ilande the freshest and most delectable that in his lyfe he had séene and the Boate alreadie fastened to the banke Then the Gentlewoman bad him not to feare but to come out on land for the Ilande which he sawe before him was her fathers Iland This was straunge vnto Rosicleer to sée the lyquide Sea so soone conuerted to selide earth but he made not straunge to come on land at her bidding Where by and by the wise man met them a man by séeming verie aged his bearde all white and reaching to his wast with a little white rodde in his hande as some token eyther of his honour or profession The wise man for the great pleasure hée had to sée Rosicleer sayde vnto him on this wise Right noble and most worthie Rosicleer you are welcome vnto this my Countrie for by your comming I haue bene more at my hearts ease then during my lyfe I haue béene and many yeares past haue I longed for your presence For although I knew for a certeintie that hether you should come yet the time when I knewe not which hath hetherto bene concealed from mortall men and onely made knowne to God himselfe I knew lykewise so soone as my daughter Calinda was borne that shée should be set frée from cruell captiuitie and perpetuall dishonour by you onelye but the manner howe was not reuealed withall onely that it shoulde bée when the prouidence of God directed by his will committed the execution thereof to Fortune Thus may we men for all our cunning neither alter the course of thinges appointed by destinie nor yet finde other remedie then is permitted by the foreknowledge of God As this my Daughter coulde neuer haue béene saued but onely in that same manner as you gaue her succour The reason was because my knowledge coulde not wade so déepe as to foresée euerie thing concluded by destynies the selfe same thing béeing subiect vnder the line of destinie that I shoulde not perceiue it So my daughter went on land vnto the Gyaunts Iland which I neither foresawe to preuent nor could haue preuented if I had foreséene Yet that which was in my power I so ruled the boat that it came to your shippe thereby to haue reléefe at your hands for my care This haue I told you at large the inhabilitie of our cunning against the influence of the starres whereby you may perceiue howe much I am beholding vnto you the rather to make bolde vpon my seruice if in anie respect either my arte or my armour may doe you pleasure Rosicleer attentiuely listening vnto the wise mannes discourse in the ende gaue him greate thankes for his so lyberall offer promising lykewise the seruice of his bodie for other thing had he nought to doe his command in anie matter reasonable With this the wise man tooke him by the hand and lead him toward a great and beautifull pallaice seated vpon the shore Rosicleer with a curious eye gazed on each parte of the Pallaice so scituate in an vnknowen Iland and was neuer content for in déed the subtiltie of the workmanship surpassed farre the crafte of masonrie in our daies But héere he abode two daies with Artemidoro serued of delicate vyandes and straunge deuises able to quicken a dead mans stomacke being héere better pleased with his entertainment then he was euer otherwise One daye sitting at the boord with Rosicleer the wise man espieng him occupied in his thought about his iourney to England sported with him in this sort Rosicleer I sée well this Countrey bréedeth not such things as maye content your appetite I hold you excused for your desire coueteth after Mars and martiall feates wherefore as my learning sheweth me your lust carrieth your stomacke into England there to be knighted Truly faire sir you haue good reason there-vnto for the time is at hande where-in your knighthood must be manifested But for to do you honour I my selfe will attend you thether in respect both of your friendship past towards my daughter Calinda and other greater matters to come which I hope shall bée accomplished I knowe not in déede the time when it shall be neither the manner howe but this I knowe that by your meanes I shall once escape the death Now as well for your owne sake being for the very moment of your birth illumined with more then mortall graces as I haue already ingrossed the dolorous lyfe of the Princesse Briana so will I be also the Register of your actes to inroll your memorye in the Recordes of Fame that it shall be maintaineable against all Counter-pleas and forged Euidences This will I doo for-you besides the perpetuitie of my seruice in other matters And for your Brother Donzel del Febo hée hath alreadie founde a Chronicler meaning this by Lyrgandeo such as his worthinesse meriteth Rosicleer tickeled at his talk touching his brother Donzel del Febo bowed himselfe thankfully and requested him to goe on saieng Right honourable Sir seeing you haue entered into this discourse I pray you continue it for I knew naught as pertaining to this my brother saue that he was lost in the Sea béeing verie young I haue hethertoo thought that he had ben dead and sith nothing is hid from your knowledge I pray you likewise satisfie mée in the same manner as concerning the Prince Edward my Father that I may séeke him if there he hope of finding on this earth Most noble Prince aunswered the wise man you draw me vnto a long tale and in some poynt nothing pertinent to you But knowe for a truth that the Gentleman of the Sunne your brother is alyue alreadie Knighted and for his first prises he hath atchieued such meruailous déeds of armes as that it staudeth you in hand to besturre your â—eâ—fe if you minde to be matchable béeing the onely man as yet vnparagonized through the worlde Hée is nowe in a Countrey where without knowledge of his Estate he is notwithstanding much praised for his personage the Region farre distant from this our Clymate that if you put your selfe on the waye to séeke him your paine should be infinite and as I can learne néedelesse for ere that you passe out of this Countrey he will come to séeke you heere Nowe as to your demaund touching the Prince Edwarde whome you call your Father I doo you to wit that hee was dead before that you were begotten and that the royall Princesse your mother now destitute of an husbande shall in time recouer hir lawfull husbande and you shall knowe your Father for the greatest and myghtiest Prince christened Furthermore because it is forbidden me to discouer of the great secrets of God vntill it be his pleasure that all men shall know it I may not aunswere you but the euent shall witnesse with my Prohecie Now will I make readye for your passage into Britaine for there must be shewed the first flower of your manhoode Rosicleer was greatly confused in
beholders Now for that which followeth you must intend that the wise man vttered his speaches to the king in the audience of the whole multitude many knightes and other compassing him about to heare his arraunt so that few or none but were partakers of it Amongest them was Brandagedeon bearing himselfe within the lists as proudly as the Cocke of the game doth in the Cocke pit when the crauen is chased Then hearing that the tent was put for a rewarde to him which could vnhorse the young knight when he sawe time he cried aloud to Rosicleer saieng In good sooth new knight thou bewraiest thy folly and lacke of experience when thou sawest me stand in this place with my speare in my hand to make that challenge which shall not be in thy power to maintaine so surely but that I will be the master of thy pauillion yet Gods blessing on thy heart for bringing so faire a Iewell béeing indéede fitter for me then for thée Rosicleer whose courage neuer tainted aunswered as shortly It shal bée thine Gyant if thou winnest it and there shall no man forbidde thée the possession of it if thou ouerthrowe mée And without more words he tooke a great Speare from the ratter and tourning his horse head he rode softly to the place where the iustes were kept In his way thether Rosicleer lyfting vp his eyes to the Scaffold of the Gentlewomen he saws the beautifull Oliuia standing directlye against his face excéeding no lesse the other Gentlewomen in brightnesse then the Moone excelleth the starres in a frostie night O poore Rosicleer what a looke was that which locked thée from thy rest for with her beautie thou wast wounded at the heart that albeit in time the skinne ouergrew it and the flesh healed yet the skarre remained and neuer knight in the worlde loued more loyally then thou diddest For though the sight was short and the blowe quicke yet the wounde was déepe and the smart curelesse O full many a bolde enterprise diddest thou achieue ere thou gainedst a reasonable guerdon for thy greate good will And thou faire Princesse being within the hearing of the wise mans speach diddest not spare to lend thine eares to another mans tale and shine eyes to another mannes brauerie that thy succours béeing farre from thée thy heart had not the power to repulse thy aduersarie loue béeing the onely occasion of thy vnrest But Lord what alteration both of you felt by the enterchaunge of your lookes which serued likewise for messengers to tell your tales betwixt you And yet I cannot déeme but that this loue so enraged his courage against Brandagedeon as otherwise I maye thinke hée had not done so well But comming into the place hée addressed himselfe towardes Brandagedeon both of them now béeing in a readinesse The King at this time verie sorrowfull to see the newe Knight in his first batâ—aile to endaunger himselfe vpon a Gyaunt and woulde haue talked with Artemidoro about this matter but the wise man gaue no answere and to the end not to discouer more then was behouefull he conueyed himselfe out of the kings sight So the king held still his opinion of the young knights weaknesse till the issue disproued his thought For in the carryer when the two knightes met in the middest of the Tilt-yarde the Gyants Speare burst vpon Rosicleers head peace no more moouing him with the blowe then if hée had stroke agaynst a wall But Rosicleer hurling at the breast of Brandagedeon ouerthrewe him and his horse to the grounde the horse in the fall brusing the Gyauntes shoulder that his Knightes were faine to carrie him out of the preale whereat all the standers by with great admiration behelde Rosicleer euerye man being a Prophet as his heart gaue him that Rosicleer would proue the best knight in the world séeing that at his first encounter in tilt hauing neuer had to doe with anie knight before be had ouerthrowen so mightie a Gyant The King nowe thought that Rosicleer had well amended the greate corsie which hée had taken at his Knightes disgrace and the other Knightes were gladde to haue that huge monster ridde away bolder and willinger valyauntly to aduenture themselues agaynst Rosicleer then against a Gyaunt and their courage was the more for the richnesse of the tent which had inuegled theyr conetous mindes to venture the purchase But as the knightes entered to iust with him he ouerthrew them all béeing more then an 100. knightes without that anie man was able to sit the second iourney Then the kings knightes entered by name Brandaristes Brandidarte Allamedes the Princes Argiles and Orgiles Don Brunio Prince of Numidia other all which he threw downe so lightly as that they might not turne one course more that daie Some held more tacke with him as you shall heare héereafter but by the way the king turning to his Lords spake on this wise Truely my Lordes if I had not my selfe séene the valourous déedes of this Knight I should hardly haue credited another so incredible the truth is that one shoulde worke such masteries I would the iusts were ended that I might sée this knight vnarmed to knowe him and honour him as is reason True it is aunswered his nobles and for his valour there is not so puissaunt a Prince in the world but that he shall haue cause to be gladde of his seruice This was a breathing time for Rosicleer but yet I am perswaded that it was no plaieng time although no enimie appeared for he had a greater conflict within his bones then he professed outwardly and therefore his heart neither fully assured nor yet in daunger gased vpon the beautie of Oliuia Whereby the fire entering closely by the vaynes wasted and consumed his flesh sooner then hée felt the flame or coulde thinke of remedie but better considering that hée was within the compasse of loues segniorie and that his matter was to bee tryed at the great assise in loues dominion he tooke better aduisement to alter it to an action vpon the case of couenaunt against his mistresse the matter arising vppon exchaunge of lookes as you haue heard And for this cause he enterteyned Sergaunt hope to bée his Lawyer and féeyd diuers others to assist him but master Despaire an old stager had wonne the day of him had not the whole Bench and especially the chiefe Iustice Desert staied vppon a demurre which reléeued much Rosicleers courage and made him looke more freshly vpon hope to finde out better euidence for recouery of his sute But as Rosicleer thus plyed his cause at the Barre so gentle Cupide attended vpon his Mistresse faithfully seruing him and beating into hir head the remembraunce of his actes and the beautie of his personage that the windowes of hir desire being set wide open she viewed hir fill wishing yet to sée his face thereby to comfort hir selfe if his visage were aunswerable to his vertue Now Don Siluerio with an enuious eye minding to interrupte
attended vppon the Princesse Briana his mother in the monestarie of the riuer and that she had to name Arinda was glad to haue the opportunitie offered to serue the Princesses Oliuia and Briana and therefore rising from where hée sate he came before the king to whom he said Sir seeing it is Rosicleer whome this Gentlewoman seeketh that Brandagedeon hath sent for mée I beseech your maiestie to giue me lisence to goe in these affaires for it is out of reason to withslacke such worthie seruice to two so noble Princes The king loth of any occasion at all to be ministred wherby he should forsake the court least his returne would not be ouer hastie for he knew well that he was nothing addict to idlenesse yet seeing his importunitie both to aunswere the challenge and to employe his trauaile in the name of these two Princes would not gainsaie his purpose but wished him not to goe alone for that the Gyant was well manned with aboue 30. knightes for this cause Bargandel Liriamandro other Princes knights offered to go in his companie but they coulde not preuaile for he excused himselfe with this that it should redound to his disworship if he should take more companie then the Gyant looked for And by and by he craued pardon to departe to his chamber there to arme himselfe The Gentlewoman Arinda well knowing him but for that time suppressing it while Rosicleer buckled on his armour went to deliuer her message vnto the Princesse Oliuia vnto whome she tolde that the cofer with iewells was intercepted by a false harratour a Giant named Brandagedeon and that the new knight had taken vpon him to fetch them againe which when the Princesse heard although she was glad to vnderstand ought from the Princesse Briana yet was she sorrowfull when she hearde that Rosicleer would leaue the Citie and would goe alone thether where the Gyaunt abid him for her minde gaue her that she shoulde not see Rosicleer in hast but turning from this she demaunded of the Gentlewoman many things in perticular touching her Ladie so that the Gentlewoman stayed with her till Rosicleer being armed called vpon her Then the Princesse sayth if there be no other remedie you may go with him albeit tell the knight from me that I had rather the iewells were lost then he should put himselfe in so great a ieopardie Arinda sayde thée would doe her commaund and went downe to Rosicleer beeing alreadie on horsebacke with his Esquire Telyo she likewise tooke her palfray and they thrée rode through the Citie of London much gased after by the king and all the knights and Ladies which stoode in the windowes and battlements of the pallaice and with great sorrow pittied him to sée him goe alone perswading themselues that if Brandagedeon were slaine or in daunger that his men would rescew him ¶ A cruell battaile betweene Rosicleer and Brandagedeon with his knights Cap. 36. ROsicleer béeing thus accompanied with Arinda and Telyo his Squire willed the Gentlewoman to guide him on the waie to the place where Brandagedon was Arinda knowing him well inough sayde Noble Rosicleer I dare not so doe The Gyant is fierce and strong and hath with him many knights which if he haue néede shall helpe him and then shall I sée you in perill of your life Better were it Rosicleer that you should leaue this enterprise and take the way towardes Hungarie there to comfort the sorrowfull Princesse Briana which since your departure from the monestarie hath neuer ben merrie Rosicleer perceiuing well that the Gentlewoman knew him casting his armes about her neck sayd vnto her Why how now Arinda how is it that you know me and I haue not knowen my selfe since my comming into this land But tell me gentle sister how the Princesse Briana doth my good Ladie for whose sorrow I am much agréeued albeit to remedy it there were no reason in forsaking this enterprise which I haue taken in hand to doe her seruice therein Besides that I am determined not to returne into Hungarie before I canne heare some newes of the Prince Edward whether hée bée dead or aliue No sayth the Gentlewoman but let this matter alone for it were lesse losse that the two Princesses shoulde want the Cofer of Iewells then that you shoulde hazarde your lyfe in winning of it and more acceptable seruice shall you doe my Ladie in going to visit her then in seeking out the Gyaunt to fight with him The Gentlewoman with all tooke holde of the Bridle raynes to haue lead Rosicleers horse out of the waie whereat Rosicleer laughing a good aunswered her thus Arinda I should get a good reporte in the Court of king Oliuerio if for feare of a battaile with this Gyaunt I should tourne aside from this iourney which for the same cause I haue vndertaken If I were certaine of more then a thousande deaths I would not follow thy aduise héerein Arinda and so spurring his horse he kept on his way The Gentlewoman would not importune him farther but lead him towards the Gyaunt where not farre of they met another Gentlewoman on foot wéeping verie pitteously At her Rosicleer demanded the cause of her griefe which she vttered streight waies in these words O sir knight Fortune Fortune hath frowned on mée so that better welcome should be the death then the daye lyght Rosicleer yet requested her to speake more plainely and to tell wherein Fortune had wrought her such despite I will gladly sayth she and for truth sir knight I am a Gentlewoman belonging to the Quéeene of Lusitania which sent mee with a Brother of mine a verie valyaunt Knight hether to bring certeine Iewells for the Princesse Oliuia daughter to the King Oliuerio and for the Princesse Rodasylua her owne Daughter Now our mishappe was such that entering the shoare wee hit vppon a great and diuelish Gyant who examining vs whether we went and what we carried in our fardle because my brother made no aunswere flew him and putting mée from me palfraie tooke from me my horse and my fardle ouer and besides with this commaund to go vnto the king Oliuerio and to the knights of his court there to record my complaint against him Thus haue I my Lord satisfied your request now God be with you for I will on to craue some remedie With this the Gentlewoman parted from them but Rosicleer calling to her sayde Gentlewoman so it is that my arrant is for the same purpose to fight with the Gyant for the like trespasse by him committed agaynst this Gentlewoman héere with mée If you will returne with vs we shall be verie glad thereof and by Gods helpe I shall well qwell that Gyants insoleucie What sayde the Gentlewoman doe you purpose alone to fight with the Gyaunt I indéede aunswered Rosicleer and haue hope to reuenge this Gentlewoman and your brother God mate well giue you power so to do it it please him said the Gentlewoman but in respect of the
Gyauntes strength it will not sinke into my brest that 100. such knights as you are can chastise him Well sayd Rosicleer if you will go with mée you may at leasure when you see the euent deliverate what to doe If ye will not fare you well for lesse shall bée your hope of remedie in kéeping your waye as you nowe doe Rosicleer helde on and the Gentlewoman viewing his goodly personage thereby perswading her selfe that it were but little losse to turne backe with him determined to proue his good Fortune And as she was not fully assured in her thought she spake on this wise Be not displeased with me but for the loue of God faire knight haue some greater regard of your owne safetie not to cast your-selfe away for the recouerie of my damage it is no great matter for me to take some paines in going with you but it will be some griefe to returne againe laden with a fresh complaint of a new murther And therefore for God sake let the Gyant alone Rosicleer sayde I may not but seeing you haue promised your companie get vp behinde my Squire and cast your care vpon God which will preuaile for your ease as best shall lyke him So they foure trauayled towardes the place where the Gyants abiding was and comming neere vnto the shoare they sawe him hard by the water where he sate vppon a great horse and more then thirtie knightes in a Crayer not farre off as if they purposed to boord a tall ship which was on floate in the Sea halfe a mile Brandagedeon by and by knew Rosicleer to be the new knight by the rich armour he bare the selfe same being worne by him in the iusts wherein he was hurled to grounde for which cause preuenting Rosicleers salutation with a lowde and hollow voyce he cried vnto him Now sir knight may I magnifie my Gods for that I haue thée in such a place wher I may be auenged of thée at my pleasure for the despite thou hast done me and all the world shall not raunsome thée from my hands God of heauen shall be my borrow aunswered Rosicleer which also shal correct thy wickednesse and tread vnder foote thy intollerable pride and arragancie But to tell thée my message I challenge thée for to make satisfaction vnto these gentlewomen of the wrong thou hast done them or to prepare thy selfe to mainteine thy miichiefe Brandagedeon spake no word but signified his meaning by his demeanour for be tourned his horse head in great rage and tooke a beauy speare with him the other vnderstanding his signe did as much This first iourney brake their staues and made them trie the rest of the battaile on foote The Gyant being cleane vnhorsed Rosicleers horse giuing backe so that he rusht against the ground but the successe was diuers and vnequall in the riders themselues For Rosicleer keeping his saddle selt no harme in his body the Gyant throwen violently to the earth was well shaken with the fall But the combate is not yet ended for Brandagedeon béeing strong and mightie helde Rosicleer verie harde as indéede it could not be otherwise for betwixt them alone the fight continued two houres all the meane time neyther part giuing ouer nor making anie semblaunce of discomfiture In the end the knight hauing treble aduantage ouer the Gyaunt first the Queene Iulias swoord which hit sore secondly in Artemidoros harnes which held out the force of the Gyants weapon and thirdly the nimblenesse of his bodie readie both to assaile stronglys and to decline as lightly from the others blow by which meanes hauing made a wide hole in the Gyants armour he wounded the Gyant at his pleasure The execution of this challenge to so little displeasure on Rosicleers parte made Arinda thinke it long till shee shoulde blase it at home in the monasterys of the Riuer but her pleasure was soone ouercast for there was ministered vnto her a cup of colde water in stéede of better lyking to alay her thirst All this happening beyond her expectation by that Gyants knights which séeing their master at such an exigent although in no euident appearaunce of his ende in greate furie came to lande and at once all of them with theyr swoords fell vpon Rosicleer This was no euen match thirtie Knights and a Gyant to set vpon one silly knight before almost tired with two houres battaile against the Gyant But what thing may resist Gods ordinaunce The Gyants knights laide on with such courages that it reuiued the Gyaunt for they were all chosen Knightes but I doubt not but that Rosicleer besturred himselfe for so many as he met he either maymed wounded flewe or threwe to grounde And béeing ouer-awed by number and fresh onsettes he was fayne for defence to his backe to withdrawe himselfe into the Sea there to stand in the water and receiue theyr blowes before him Now Telyo his Squire and Arinda the Hungarian séeing him forced to this extremitie were very woe begon but the Gentlewoman Lusitanian as desperate of all succours by his meanes gallopped from thence vpon her palfraie which stoode by the shoare no lesse complaining the daunger wherein shée left this good Knight then recurelesse lamenting the vniust death of her brother As she had ridde some part of her way towards Oliuerios court there were two knights in her iudgement verie lustie and armed at all points which made all the hast they might to get néer◠her The Gentlewoman comming within the hearing of them and minding to preuent other questions cryed vnto them a farre off For the passion of God my good Lords if all noblenesse and vertue be not cleane buried in you make hast to succour a Knight the best in the world which is now enuiroued with his enimies being about thirtie knights besides a Gyant The two knightes with these newes posted a maine by the same way which the Gentlewoman came in short time got a sight of Rosicleer which at that time stoode in the water against 11. or 12. of them for so many were left on liue of thirtie persons those also which then liued beeing well nurtured by Rosicleers discipline that they would prease vppon him without good warrantise Now vy that time that the two knightes came Rosicleer had killed more then twentie leauing a passage so well trode as they might easily trace out his foote steppes At their first breaking in among the Gyants knights they burst their staues vpon two of them ouerthrowing them and then drawing their swoordes strake so lustely that the assaylants were gladde to leaue Rosicleer and to defend themselues against the two knightes Rosicleer hauing so good helpe at hande although he was stirred with the continuall heate of the foote battaile woulde néedes be a partie player in the last act of this Tragedie and therefore chose out Brandagedeon to deale withall and with his sharpe swoord gaue him so fierce a stoccado that the bowells trayled after the weapon and the Gyant
fell downe Now béeing thus put in possession of his desire he came to the two knights vttering these or such like spéeches I beséech you noble knights to let me knowe at whose handes I haue receiued so good maintenaunce that I may the better giue you thankes according to the state of your degrée and your demerites towardes mée One of the knights auns wered You are not to thanke vs for your owne hand had wrought your escape before our comming but neuerthelesse at your request we are content to discouer our selues streight way they vnlaced their helmets whereby Rosicleer knew them the one to bee Bargendel and the other Liriamandro his dâ—re friendes Rosicleer after his presupposed thankes so happely stumbling on his friendes helpe fell to other matters and first asked of them for what cause they came thether they made aunswere that the onely feare they had least the Gyants knights should at once inclose him mooued them to abandon the court for his rescewes And as this talke was interrupted by the comming of the two Gentlewomen and Telyo Rosicleers squire to demaund leaue of search in the Gyaunts beate for the coffer and fardle which had bene taken from them so after the Gentlewoman with leaue obteined departed for to search these thrée knightes beganne a déepe consultation of their owne affaires and what they ought to doe Bargandel spake first in this wise We haue this moneth and more leitered verie idlely in king Oliuerios Court without exercise of armes or armour therefore it wer not mis-beséeming vs knights if we shuld for a time forbeare our returne to practise déedes of armes that our good name honour may inlarge our credit in this kingdome and be a meanes of the sure setling of our memories in this land and the rather thereto am I lead for that I will not feare anie disworship or vanquish in your companie I am content sayth the new knight with this or any other thing which you shall deuise But what shall we doe with these Gentlewomen Marie saith Liriamandro they shall returne to the court with the dead bodie of the Gyaunt there to present his carcase before the Princesse Oliuia as a token from thée Roficleer and in parte of payment for the great dishonour which the Gyaunt hath prosfered her in with-holding her iewels They may lykewise when they be ther make all our excuses vnto the king for our so sodeine departure By this time the Gentlewomen returned with their owne carriage and what with the length of the battayle and other accidents the daye was so farre shutte in that beeing verie darke they were constrained altogether to tourne into a kéepers house néere at hand where they were welcome at such warning For hée knewe the three knightes at the greate feastes wherefore hée enterteined them as honourably as he might That night not hauing wherewith otherwise to busie themselues and the opportunitie of the bearers putting them in minde of their mistresses they gaue themselues to enditing euerie man of seuerall letters vnto his loue and Ladie Bargandel and Liriamandro deliuered theirs vnto the Gentlewoman of Lusitania but the other not willing to make manifest his choyce for that time tooke Arinda a letter closely to carrie vnto the Princesse Briana his good Ladie afterwards amongest other talke he required to see the coffer of iewells which the Princesse Briana sent to Oliuia as if it had bene onely to haue seene the riches therof Arinda gaue him the coffer which he opened and tossing vp and downe as if to sée all the iewells he secretly conuaied his letter to Oliuia vnder all the papers and redeliuered the coffer without being suspect Well to make an end the talke had an end when the rest went to their rest Rosicleer fell into his ordinarie humour driuing in his thought the whole order of the deliuerie and her receit with her manner of turning ouer the papers to view euery iewell this being but the first assay of the humour but when his fancie brought him to the finding of the Letter Lord what a fight he susteined for the better vnderstanding whereof you must imagine a young scholler but lately entered into schoole points ouer seeing of his theame before he bring it to the reuiewe of his Shoolemaister and beléeue mée in farre greater double hung Rosicleer of his Ladies liking then the boye doth of his maisters For in his reading of the blotted Coppie as distinctly as if hée were to gesse Oliuias coniecture vppon euerie sillable good God into what a hard censure was the poore payer subiect as if euerie sentence had bene then arayned before him For almost at euerie lines ende hée would say Either this was too much eyther this was too little or this is maimed or this is too rude and vnlearned or this was not well and finely penned or that was not plaine inough or this is faultie or this should be amended and to drawe all into a summe in euerye péece hée woulde blame either the little wit in inuention or the lacke of eloquence in the deliuerie of the matter but chiefly his owne ouer boldnesse in presuming vpon so high a Princesse with so rude a discourse and yet I dare saye it did him good to beguile the Princesse with this Letter in the coulour of a Iewell which shée must receiue and read through ere she should learne the contents thereof or know the pen-man And beginning to recken a fresh after this comfort hée stayed himselfe vppon these two pointes first that sith he was diseased his remedie must begin by making his griefe knowen second that his conscience tolde him there was nothing in the letter the truth whereof hée durst not auouch as concerning either his owne person or the Princesses and this was his nightes rest as I suppose ¶ Rosicleer and the two Princes seeke aduentures in the land of Britaine and the two Gentlewomen carrie the Gyants bodie to Oliuerios court Cap. 37. NOT much out of the same manner was the other Knights sléepe dreaming of their delights other such toyes but the next day they arose and armed themselues taking leaue of their hoste and the Gentlewomen But Rosicleer tarryed behinde to conduct the women a lyttle on their waye and to haue more secret conference with Arinda about the Princesse Briana the remorse of his conscience stinging him for stealing away so priuely from the Princesse in the course of this talke he woulde sometimes name the Princesse his Ladie sometimes his foundresse by which name he requested Arinda to make offer of his humble seruice with the best excuse the might for his long absence in that he had alreadie entered the quest of séeking the Prince Edward or Donzel del Febo his brother and in such speaches he brought them on their waye afterwarde taking his leaue with a friendly imbrace hée posted after his companie whome hée ouertooke in shorte time Sire dayes these thrée knights rode together with-out happening vpon
and these Knights woulde vouchsafe your acquaintaunce and companie for I haue more desire to trauaile in these partes then in that Countrey from whence I came because there is no continuall affoorde of Knights and fresh accidents as I finde in this kingdome and I shoulde more highlye estéeme of the friendship and societie of such noble and worthy knights then of anye riches in the worlde And nowe for that I haue declared who I am I shall thinke my selfe farther in your debte if you make your selues farther knowen vnto me Rosicleer and his companions gladlye hearde of his birth and lignage but much gladder of the friendship wherto he requested them so they gaue him manie thankes and tolde him who they were Diuers speaches of great courtesie passing betweene them whereby their amitie was so sure confirmed that it remained vnto the death euerie one labouring to be founde most friendlye And this done they appoynted that Prince Zoylo shoulde goe to the Court onely to haue a sight of the King and that Rosicleer with his companions shoulde abide him thereabout then they foure to trauaile together whether Fortune would carrie them This being concluded the Prince of Tartarie tooke his way toward the court of king Oliuerio thinking long to finde the time for his returne They tooke the way towards a forrest where the historie leaueth them to intreate of the Gentlewomen in the meane time which brought the bodie of the great Brandagedeon vnto the court of king Oliuerio ¶ The Gentlewomen brought the bodie of Brandagedeon to the Court and the Princesses receiued the Letters of their knightes Cap. 38. GReat was the griefe which the Princesse Oliuia felt by the absence of Rosicleer that neyther her high estate nor the courtly disports sufficed to make her forget her care or helpe her to couer her lyking but in her lodging she would be without â—â—mpanie in the daie and in the night without sleepe euer wishing to sée him againe whom she loued more then her selfe for her minde prophesied to her that she should not sée him verie quickly and as it is naturall for the patient to communicate his griefe with the Phisition iudging this some ease where the principall remedie wanteth So the faire Princesse as vnacquainted and to begin in such passions not being able at the first to counsaile her selfe otherwise thought it best to discouer her griefe to one of her gentlewomen named Fidelia the faithfullest and most secret of her householde the which many times had importuned her to knowe the cause of her sorrow and one night as she was alone with her the Princesse sayd to her Thou knowest my Fidelia how among all the Ladies Gentlewomen which I haue I haue chosen thée onely for the faithfull treasorer of my secrets I haue not done nor thought the thing which I haue not imparted with thée which hath come to passe onely by the loiall good seruice wherein I haue alwayes found thée plyant and diligent with the lyke confidence vnto that which I alwayes haue reposed in thée I will vnfolde vnto thée a secrete which none in the world my selfe except and thy selfe shall learne at my hande in the concealing whereof vnto this daye I haue a thousand times indured little lesse then death And the matter is such that it is vnfitting for anie one to be a dealer therein but my selfe and thy selfe whome I account as my selfe At a worde my Fidelia that tyraunt loue which spareth neither high nor lowe hath taken possession of me by the great prowesse and beautie of the new Knight and I am sure that but my death nothing canne set me frée although I haue studyed all possible meanes of my lybertie and thereto haue set the defence of my honestie and greate estate to withstande this conceit yet for all that I canne doe as long as this Knightes race is vnknowen I cannot ease my selfe my former remedies seruing me onely against the temptation of the flesh and not to driue out the rembraunce of his personage whence my desire springeth And truely I cannot perswade my selfe other then that this knightes of-spring is ryght noble he being of so courtlyke behaviour and knightly prowesse the truth héereof being somewhat more incredible then the lieng fables of our auncient Poets Nowe if hée bée a Prince borne the onely hope to haue him for husband my father and be being therewith pleased may yéelde one some comfort in the meane time while opportanitie serueth for the finall accomplishment Wherefore mine owne Fidelia seeing that I haue fully laide open the bottome of my heart that which remaineth on thy part is to frauile with his Squire or some other to wit of what parentage Rosicleer is Fidelia had listned verie attentiuely to that which her Ladie had sayd and as she was verie wise so perceiuing by the drift of the speech that neither her mistresses maladie could be remoued by counsaile nor that she would accept of it if it were bestowed besides that that her desire was lawfull to match with Rosicleer if there were no disparage in his stocke She could not gainesaie her mistresse in ftat-tearmes but made auns were that sith her grace had layde that charge vppon her shée was confent to receiue as also readie to offer her sermce in anie other thing for this matter which she now moued she sayde that sith her graces purpose was so good she should not néede to remember her farther in it for that so soone as Rosicleer should returne she woulde bée in hande with his Squire to boult out the truth of euerie thing and yet saith shee I cannot beleeue by reason of his magnanimitie but that bée is descended from some noble progenie which if it so bée I lyke verie well that your grace is so affectioned towardes him otherwise I dare not aduise you but yet I will tell you my fancie it were better for you to abide some payne then to make your head of your vnderling The beautifull Princesse was well apayde at this counsayle so iumping with her former determination and it greatly asswaged the mallice of her passion in that shée had bewrayed it to her trustie seruaunt The next day the Gentle women entered into the pallaice driuing a horse before them loved with the Gyants bodie At their enterance the hurly burly in the court was so great euery man running to sée the wonder that the king with all those which were with him and the Princesse Oliuia with her Gentlewomen ranne to their windowes to sée what the matter was and when they sawe the Gyaunt they knewe him and as newly abashed at Rosicleers vertues they began to commend of him as of the best knight in the world The Gentlewomen presently were brought before the king which receiued them curteously and they in order declared vnto him and the rest that which had chanced to Rosicleer since his departure from the citie The king lyked verie well of all saue that when they
tolde him that the knightes could not reteurne presentlye as minding to pursue aduentures For the King feared least by béeing so much enclined to knightly déedes theyr good successe should carrie them farther off then shoulde be for his pleasure But the Gentlewoman departed from the king to do their message vnto the Princesse Oliuia whom they found in her chamber with the other two Princesses in her companie Comming before her they delyuered theyr message with commendation from Rosicleer and the two Princes which had sent her that Gyant so dead as a satisfaction in some parte for the detayning her Iewells The Princesse pleasauntly laughing at that present caused the Gentlewoman to goe on in that Storie and to make reporte of all occurrentes in theyr iourney which they did so faythfully that the Princesse in the telling was not able to coulour her affection towardes Rosicleer This tale ended Arinda gaue into her handes the packet which the Princesse opened and tourning ouer the Iewells found a Letter which shée put in her bosome taking it to bée Brianas and in lyke sorte the Gentlewoman of Lusitania made deliuerie of Bargandel and Liriamandros letters vnto their Ladies with the cofer vnto Rodasilua The two Princesses Syluerina and Rodasilua béeing great friends went both together in a closet to reade without interruption their louers Letters so eloquent and so fraught with amorous speaches which much reioyced the young Ladyes to bée beloued of so good knightes and not to breake off their seuerall commendations of theyr knightes and Lords we wil speake of the Princesse Oliuia who being left alone for the companie of the the two Princesses dispatched her other gentlewomen into diuers parts of the chamber to haue a more secret suruaye of Brianas letters When shée had read on through that which was deliuered with the packet she tooke that other out of her bosome which shée had founde in ransacking the packet and opening it shée sawe in Capitall Letters ROSICLEER subscribed whereby she knew it to be his and somewhat troubled she folded it vp quickly againe minding to learne by what meanes that Letter was hid among the iewells And therefore calling Arinda she asked if that anie one had vnlocked the coffer after that her Ladie had deliuered it vnto her Arinda supposing that the Princesse had wanted some thing answered No truly Madame for I haue alwaies kept the keies no bodie euer had them at my hands but Rosicleer which requested to sée the iewels when we were in the kéepers lodge and in my presence he shut it restoring me the keies and not taking out ought wherof I can accuse him The Princesse smelling out Rosicleers shift and somewhat smiling withall to heare whervnto Arinda had construed her meaning replyed merily thus I asked it not gentle friend for that I thought there wanted anie thing in the cofer for it was wholy lost when it was in Brandagedeons power but I asked it for that I meruailed it fell out so well when Brandagedeon was the kéeper Arinda waxing bold héereat Nay marie saith shée with your fauour noble Princesse Brandagedeon misgiuing in his minde how little time he should inioy it tooke little care for the opening So this question who opened it was concluded in a laughter and little talke continued after The Princesse thinking it long til she might alone read Rosicleers letter and therefore somewhat earlier then she was wont shée withdrew her selfe into her bed chamber with onely Fidelia in her companie to sée her in bed When the doore was fastned she drew out Rosicleers letter not hauing power her selfe to read it she gaue it vnto Fidelia The tenour of the louing letter was this which héereafter followeth ¶ Vnto the most excellent Princesse the Princesse Oliuia THat which is appointed by God mightie Princesse may not by mans power bée altered nor peruerted as in my selfe I proue it for since that mine eyes first tolde me of your beautie and my iudgement gaue consent thereto and that my will hath procured liking therof in my affection I haue felt an alteration in me so incurable that striuing with it both by art and nature I haue not hetherto found my remedie which thing good madame I trust cānot séeme more vnlikely to you thē it hath ben to me in the feeling terrible The clap of thunder is the greater when it méeteth with the thicket able to make more resistance longer lasts the kinled fire in the builded Oke then in the parched strawe and more vehement is the fight betwéene two enimies then when the one yéeldeth What force loue hath as I could wel wish your Ladiship to consider in me or to feele in your selfe so at least I beséech you to way by others and to beléeue report how that with light assaults be beateth downe the stoutest courages and with gentle cords bindeth the biggest armes that his force neither the wisest nor the mightiest were able to resist that from his subiection not Iulius Caesar the greate Monarche of the worlde coulde frée himselfe that hée quelled the pride of the mightie Carthagenian in the delightes of Capua and fettered Mars and Iupiter two Gods of the Gentiles in chaynes of yron that he transformeth men into sundrye shapes and as it were by sodeine inchauntment framed the arme-strong Hercules to the distaffe and spindle Aristotle to be bridled and saddled that he climbeth the highest Towres and stretcheth to the lowest valley that hee diuideth the harde rockes and bloweth through the easie passages to conclude nothing so stronge and inuincible but that loue canne ouerthrowe and doth what him listeth So that if I confessed my selfe yéelden vnto so mightie a conquerour I shoulde yet bée blamelesse for my cowardise Yet what haue I not attempted If eyther counsayle of friendes or mine owne wit eyther Phisickes cure or might of companie-might haue warraunted my quietnesse So God good madame spéede my writing as I meant not to trouble you with my Letters But the weake complaine and the dieased séeke remedie as what griefe is so greate or wounde so wide but it hath some redresse or other prouided in nature To you therefore good madame thus boldly haue I discouered my vnrest that by your meanes whence onely I may hope for it I may receiue comfort And so attending your highnesse aunswere either of lyfe or death I humblye kisse your Princely hand Thine resolued to loue or not to liue poore Rosicleer Rosicleer penned this letter either not well in his wits or els greatly perplexed in his thought so hard it is to find an issue but I beléeue rather that it came from heart to hand was so set downe without farther aduise Yet in the meane time that Fidelia read the letter the faire Princesse broad awake to heare those amorous words féeling them in her heart with the like loue wherein Rosicleer wrote them When it was ended heaping out abundance of sighs vpon the argument of the letter she said vnto
will separate from you your former conceit And if none of these will suffice there is another remedie behinde which is to bestow your lyking vpon such a one as may be matchable to your estate For as one naile driueth out another so men say that the new loue dispossesseth the old which remedie as I haue read was put in practise by Assyrius the king of Persia And this is my opinion which it may bée your grace would not mislike were it not somewhat troublous but it you haue an eye to your benefit thereby I doubt not but that you will well ouercome the trouble and I praie you spéedely take some way or other but the best I saie still is the former for to alaye the heate The next is to take away the wood and so to forget loue is to remooue from beloued for otherwise that which you quench in a moneth will be kindled in an houre Now the meanes to atchieue your purpose is by writing your selfe to Rosicleer to this effect that hée abandon your presence for euer my selfe will bée the carryer although I haue some compassion on his paine The princesse knowing the wholesome counsaile which her Fidelia as a faithfull friend had giuen her answered louingly but yet with some conscience for her owns smart in these words Those which are whole can easily giue good counsaile to the sicke euery remedy séemes to them easte and possible as in lyke sort thou Fidelia not yet attainted with loue tellest mee of many remedies which not onely séeme conuenient vnto thée but also so easie that thou sayest it lyeth iâ—â— my hands to make my selfe frée from the passion which tormenteth mée I tell thée truely that I know both that I am not worthie of Rosicleer and that besides it behoueth me to banish him from my presence This I know my Fidelia but alas shall this be easie to me Perhappes I may make him auoide the Court and Countrie by the meanes thou hast prescribed but what then I haue a greater aduersitie within my selfe which makes this match not so euen as thou wéenest I knowe that when Rosicleer shall haue departed the land that my lyfe will well néere depart my bodie and I shall not easily forget mine owne choyce but yet as thou willest me I will aduenture to put him from his hope though I beare parte of the smart and I had rather my bodie shoulde paye for it then the honour of the Princesse Oliua shoulde bée blemished nor neuer shall the force of loue be able to disparage her In this heate she called for pen inke and paper which béeing brought she wrote to Rosicleer as you shall heare héereafter I cannot thinke that for all her greate stomacke to mainetaine her honour agaynst Rosicleers basernesse that she could drawe those cruell lines with drye eyes but when she had made and ende and closed vp the Letter as if she had got some memorable conquest sayth shée Now dare I compare with the Romane matrones which for the preseruation of their honestie sacrificed themselues vnto their Gods for what haue I done else but in a manner sacrificed my selfe to God when for my honour sake I haue bounde and lynked my selfe to such a continuall martyrdome and perpetuall imprisonment as the absence of Rosicleer will bréede in mée and neuer more will liue as a Princesse but rather lyke a vowesse But holde Fidelia take it at which worde shée sent out such a sigh and wept so bitterly as if her heart had rent asunder Fidelia promised to doe the message and after she had comforted her Ladie departed spéedely I thinke fearing lest the Princesse should reclaime her opinion ¶ Fidelia beeing on her waie to carrie the Letter to Rosicleer was taken by sixe knights and from them deliuered by Rosicleer Cap. 40. FIdelia hauing alreadie taken leaue of the Princesse to execute the cruell sentence pronounced vppon poore Rosicleer was vppon better aduise called backe by her Ladie and made stay till the morrow The next day comming before her Lady to giue her warning of her departure scarce might she obteine leaue to goe or tarry And when shée vrged the necessitie of her going still the Princesse would staye her with some swéete spéeches Swéete Fidelia tarrie yet yet a little longer swéete Fidelia tarrye till my lyfe leaue this carefull bodye it will not bée long my sorrowe prognosticates of my ende if thou tarrye till I haue ended this my wearie lyfe goe in Gods name then to Rosicleer it will bée to some purpose to let him vnderstande that though my bodie bée dead yet I meant mine honour shoulde remaine sure for him Fidelia payned her selfe to comfort her Ladie and thinking it not best to enter anie long talke as if shée had gone of some other erraunt stale awaye princlye from her mistresse in the companie of other Gentlewomen the lesse to bée suspected and mounting vppon her palfraye shée roade through the Citie of London all disguised to séeke Rosicleer Ere long shée came to the kéepers house where the thrée Princes had lodged at whome shée learned that they were not farre from thence so with great dilligence she hasted after them and as their knightly prowesse lefte behinde them the memorie of their béeing there so wheresoeuer shée came shee still hearde of them and within eight daies after that she had lefte the kéepers lodge shée came within lesse then one dayes iourney of the place where their abode was That day passing alone through the thickest of a Forrest there came out against her sixe knightes which tooke her horse by the bridle sayeng that she should goe with them which when she denied and began to plead for her deliuerie with wordes of curtesie one of them drew out his swoord and sayd he would stay her vnlesse she prepared her selfe to their companie but whether she would or no they made her palfray goe by force with them towarde the Forrest Then Fidelia séeing that they meant héerein some dishonour to her personage leapt from her palfray and one of the knights perceiuing it alighted to fetch her vp againe but she getting from him ranne thence as fast as shée might and by her good Fortune it came to passe that when the Knight had ouertaken her and helde her in his armes to put her vppon her horse that Rosicleer and the two Princes Bargandel and Lyriamandro then passed through the Forrest to séeke the selfe same Knightes and to bée auenged vppon all the euills in which they had wronged that Countrie These thrée bearing the scréeches and outcryes which Fidelia made got néere the sound to know the matter in the ende they sawe that the knights would carrie a Gentlewoman â—lâ—aie against her will At which albeit Fidelia was so wâ—ll muffeled that none of them knewe her they were all displeased and Rosicleer more angrie then the rest sayd Sir knights what is the cause that you force this Gentle woman to go with you against
contents thereof so galled him at the quicke that for verye griefe his senses forsooke him and he fell vpon the ground there remaining an whole houre without moouing foote or hand and Fidelia departed so soone as Fidelia was gone Telyo Rosicleers esquire came that way to seeke his Lord for he had departed from him before to fetch fresh water at a Fountaine hard by Now when Telyo approached and sawe Rosicleer stretched in that manner vppon the ground as if he had bene dead he made the greatest dole that euer poore creature made and alyghting from his horse hée plucked off Rosicleers helmet casting water in his face if perhaps he might reuiue In the ende Rosicleer yéelding foorth a groane as if his heart strings had burst withall came wholly to himselfe and stretching his ioynis vppon the gréene grasse began to speake in this manner O fell Fortune and euer spightfull why hast thou not made an ende of my lyfe with the ende of my ioy and why lyue I sith that thereby my lyfe is berefte mée Leaue mée alone I praye thee and my griefe shall not grieue me without thy compauye aboue all welcome death the vndooer of my care welcome my death in what manner I care not suffer not a Knight so vnfortunate to appeare amongst men nor to receiue common sepulture Cato not to beholde the conquerours face slew himselfe with his sworde and Sophonisba poysoned hyr selfe to bée frée from bondage Nowe what reason was there in them by death to flye common and ordinarye mishaps if I maintaine my life to the abiding of farre greater torments then are in death And whence commeth this mischaunce vnto mée from Loue. O Loue Loue farre more outragious then Fire and Water and farre more daungerous to deale withall then Chaunce or Fortune Thou art straunge in all thy purposes straunger in the execution of them and in the ende thereof straungest of all Howe commonly doo thy practises excéede the working of Fortune for she neuer giueth payne but in pleasure neuer griefe but in gladnesse and she neuer ouerthroweth but at the toppe and pitch so that there is yet some comforte to haue bene high but I which in true loue towardes Oliuia had neuer countenaunce of comforte nor pleasure of any height am nowe so disgraced and haue fallen so lowe as no aduersitie of Fortune can match it Artemidoro tolde me my kâ—â—ited shoulde not let our marriage But nowe farewell my friendes by name Oliuerio King of the great Britayne my louing Lorde Bargandel and Lytlamandro Princes inheritours and my louing companions and farewell Zoylo Prince of Tartarie as my last acquaintaunce Fortune did but shewe vs to each other when we hoped of great acquaintaunce and farewell all my comforts for I will hence to some darke and clowdie Countrey that not so much as the lyght of the Sunne maye bring tidings of my smart This saieng Rosicleer rose vp and mounting on his Horse rode towarde the Forrest which leadeth vnto the Sea with full determination to leaue the Countrey presently his esquire Telyo which both sawe and heard his complaint with great griefe followed him not yet daring to speake a worde for feare of disquieting him Rosicleer in this iourney made great hast and before night got to a huge and hollowe rocke about tenne miles from the place where he receiued the letter Thereon he cast himselfe turning his horse loose vpon the cliffes Now being alone as his maner was he renued his complaints with many a siker sigh In the morning when the Sunne cast his beames vppon the large Sea Rosicleer rose from the ground to looke if he might sée any ship wherein he might put himselfe When he espied none he commaunded Telyo to ride vnto the next hauen about two miles off ther to prouide a ship himselfe promised in the meane while-vnder that couert to abide his comming Telyo presently did as his Lord commaunded him and made as much spéede as he might not to leaue his Master comfortlesse but ere Telyo had got to the towne it chaunced that Rosicleer hauing great desire to be solitarie mounted vpon his horse and rode a contrarie waye In which way he saw a little ship making towards the land and out of this ship from vnderneath the hatches there appeared a Gentlewoman verie high and big of body but of a good complection and straungely attired as was hir Countrey guyse This Gentlewoman as soone as the anchors were cast caused the cocke-boate to be let downe wherein she entred and comming to lande she tooke hir Palfraye to gallop vp the sandes but espieng a knight alone whome by all semblaunce she tooke to be Rosicleer she framed a sorrowfull countenaunce and in great ruth saluted him to whom he rendred the lyke salutations demaunding what hir griefe was The Gentlewoman still counterfaiting a show of great sorow as not able to speak any thing till béeing importuned by him with much adoo she as it were forced out these speaches Alas sir tell me if you can some newes of a newe Knight which hath wonne the prises at the great Feastes in London Wherefore séeke you him fayde Rosicleer I séeke him aun swered the Gentlewoman for that I heare so much of his glorie as that I am pers waded that hée onely is like to giue remedie to my trauaile Rosicleer to make hast away for feare least his esquire should finde them opened himselfe vnto the Gentlewoman saieng that he was the newe Knight The Gentlewoman séeming to be verie gladde for to haue found him knéeled downe but he lyfted hyr vp and desired by r to faye on presentlye what hyr sorrowe was for he woulde willinglye vndertake hir demaunde the Gentlewoman sayde on this wise Sir knight not farre hence there is an Iland where my father dwelled a plentifull land and auncient inheritaunce to our line This land my father gouerned a great time in peace and ease till that Fortune loath to preserue things in one estate chaunged hir coppie and that which grieueth me most found meanes by me to work the discontentment of my friends For being young and marriagebale and my Fathers onely childe it happened that I had many suters but to be short my Father thinking it safest for the continuaunce of his line and the peaceable gouernment of his people which hadde rather haue bene subiect to their naturall Countrey-man then an Alien matched me with a lustie Knight both best beloued for his worthinesse and of greatest possessions in all that Countrey Now amongst my other suters there was one of great liuelood worthye for his wealth to haue bene preferred before all the rest if himselfe had bene as worthye but this Lorde was refused by me and taking it as some parte of disgrace he kineeled his cholar and wrath against my Parentes and me and at a time conuenient which was not manye nights past and when we least immagined it he burst in vpon my parents where he found but weake resistaunce but
beare out my former facte I let the matter passe as it hath done what shall then become of mée I knowe not howe to lyue hée being bannished from my presence whome I loue better than my selfe But Fidelia as thy parte was in the first counsayle to bannish Rosicleer so nowe put too thy helpe that Rosicleer maye retourne againe without the blemmish of mine honour Verye ioyfull was Fidelia to heare the Letter and béeing well content that hyr Mistresse hadâ—â— kepte hyr former conclusion in this matter as touching the marriadge of Rosicleer if his Parentage were not so farre inferiour soberly aunswered Madame leaue off your complayntes and be more gladde then euer you were sith God hath bene so fauourable vnto you as to make Rosicleer of so high estate that he may merite you For in good sooth I stoode in doubt whether of your paynes were the greater and I knew no meanes howe to slake them But fith now this secrete is disclosed the remedie is in our handes and not so difficult as you make it For bée it that you shall send vnto Rosicleer to demaunde pardon of him for the offence which you haue committed against him shall you thinke you doe your selfe anie wrong therein in respect of your princely estate No for assuredly he loueth you loyally and because he is of nigh parentage with you you may therein beguile suspitious eyes and after his retourne you maye boult it out of him whether he loue you yea or no if hée doe without peraduenture you maye acquite him and loue of all thinges woulde bée rewarded I dare warraunt that your loue shall detayne him with vs and to this purpose madame your hande and my head which ioyntly committed the former fact shall nowe together make the recantation and crye Pecaui The effect maye bee onely to will him to resourne to your presence and my selfe will bée the messenger and I promise neuer to refourne into this Countrey till such time as I finde him and haue deliuered your Letter to his handes Withall sayth shée this ought prsently to bée put in practise for by the griefe Rosicleer tooke at the sight of your Letter I gesse that hée is eyther departed this lyfe or auoided the Countrie The Princesse was verye well content with her hast as the thing which she most desired and so embraced she Fidelia gladly and spake vnto her Fidelia nowe I knowe the good will which thou hast to serue mée and I confesse that I haue not made thee priuie to my heauinesse without greate hope of comfort at thy handes therefore I beséech GOD once to rewarde thée as I wish but bring mée penne Inke and paper for I will straight way followe thy counsayle héerein Fidelia brought vnto her penne inke and paper wherewith the Princesse wrought hir reclayme with as manye sugered woordes as the other letter had sharpe and sower This letter the sequele will shewe vnto you when we come to the meeting of Fidelia and Rosicleer but before that time the letter written after this manner was delyuered vnto Fidelia and it was agréed vppon betwéene themselues that vppon the nexte daye shée shoulde goe to séeke him This night they tooke theyr rest the one for the better enduring of hir long trauaile which she shoulde sustayne the other to make satisfaction for hir broken sléepes Ere broade morning Fidelia was vp and hauing conuayed Rosicleers letter where she founde it shée went vnto the Princesse to take hir leaue of hir When as they were departing Oh my good Fidelia sayde the Princesse doo as much as thou mayst to retourne agayne spéedely for if thou stayest long I shall lyue but a small while there is nothing that may so soone shorten and cutte off my dayes as to hope without successe and to dreade the worst I tell thee that till thy comming agayne my nightes will be tourned to watchinges and I shall recken the clocke hourelye awayting thy presence O God Fidelia when the daye commeth I will looke for the night then when as the night is ouer-passed I will make account of the daye to come and I will neuer leaue casting of perilles till that I shall heare thée bring some tidings of that good Knight Fidelia was verye sorie to thinke of the cares which hyr Ladye was lyke to receiue and principally for that shée shoulde teaue hir alone wanting with whome to communicate hir payne Where-with béeing somewhat troubled and also fore-seeing the long time of hyr absence so shée departed wéeping in this manner Madame it is néedelesse for you to charge mée farther in the affayres the paines wherein I leaue you are sufficient to hasten my iourney I woulde to God my Fortune were aunswerable to the desire which I haue to serue you in this matter But be of good courage and hope for the comming of your Knight or els looke not for me With these they broke off and Fidelia went to hyr fellowes vnto whome she tolde that she woulde soiourne with hir parents in the Countrey for a season after going to the Sea side she entered into a shippe prepared towardes Almayne wherein the History leaueth hyr saylyng to recount of other things which chaunced in the meane time ¶ Rosicleer was betrayed into the Ilande of Candramarte that Gyaunt whose handes hadde bene cut off before by Rosicleer Cap. 43. YOu haue hearde howe Rosicleer departed from the great Britaine in the companie of the straunge Gentlewoman neuer hoping to returne agayne into that land onely for the accomplishing of the exile where-vnto hée was bound by his Ladyes appoyntment Nowe the Historie saith that the Gentlewoman with whome he was in the boate was sent by Candramarte whose handes Rosicleer had cut off before the King Oliuerio for Quéene Iulias rich sworde and that she was sent vnder coulour of a distressed Gentlewoman to bring him to hyr Fathers Ilande there to be aduenged of the hurt and shame which hyr Father had receyued This deuice was thought fittest both for that Rosicleer as a noble Knight pittyed such oppressed Gentlewomen and that for other cause then to shewe himselfe Rosicleer coulde not be brought out of Englande In this Ilande Candramarte had two young Gyauntes to his sonnes whome for that purpose he hadde knighted béeing in making no lesse than himselfe Besides these Candramarte hadde fortye chosen Knightes all which hée armed to assaulte Rosicleer least bée shoulde escape them By this guyle the Ladye Gyauntesse Daughter vnto Candramarte carryed him to hyr Fathers Ilande wherein without anye farther aduice hée aduentured himselfe for verye griefe of hearts which hée conceyued to sée himselfe abandoned his Ladyes presence But nowe sire dayes haue they bene on the Sea at the ende whereof the winde was so fauourable that they came within kenning of the Ilande to his iudgement verye strong and to the shewe verye pleasurable This béeing discouered by the Gouernour the Gentlewoman sayde that that was the place wherein hyr Parents and Husbande were taken crieng
aduenture which brought mée hether hath béene by occasion of a storme which draue me on this shoare and this is the first lande whereon I set foote since this tempest tooke my shippe and courtesie commaunded mée to lend mine aide when I sawe you ouermatched with number And thus much for aunswere to your demaund but now agayne that I haue tolde you that which you required so I praie you tell me your name and for what cause this cruell battaile hath béene fought betwéene these Gyaunts and you While the Knight of the Sunne spake thus Rosicleer beheld him verie sadly and hearing him say that he was the Knight of the Sunne and that he knew no more of his estate hée thought that peraduenture this same might bée his brother of whome Artemidoro had tolde him such meruailes but leauing this suspition till he might question of it more at large he satisfied the knight of the Sunne as to his question in short speach after this manner Your friendshippe was great and so I make reckoning of it otherwise I should not haue happened on so good a time to tell you my name in which because you would learne of mée you shall vnderstand that my name is Rosicleer and that I was of good report in the Court of king Oliuerio the king of great Britaine although my mishappe causing it I doubt me so much that my name is once mentioned amongest them but that matter I will leaue off as not pertinent this which you require about our fight sprong vpon this occasion and so he shewed the whole order both of the receiuing of his Auant Cheualier at the kings hands the first dayes iusting the seconds dayes combat with Candramarte the honour of the iusts the enuie of Candramarte point by point the whole storie as you heard before Which tale Rosicleer had searcely finished when the Gentlewoman which all this while remained in the ship cryed out whereat they turning their heads sawe in what manner shée outraged saieng O spightfull Fortune doe what thou canst for the succour which I haue wanted on lande I hope to finde in the bottome of the Seas and the God Neptune which hath power ouer the swelling waues shall kéepe me from farther vengeaunce wherewith she leaped into the Sea but being clad in large garmentes shée could not drowne presently The knight of the Sunne and Rosicleer séeing her in that estate pittyed her greatly but she was too farre off for them to wade néere so the knight of the Sunne tooke his boat hastely to helpe the Gentlwoman where otherwise then he looked for the boate was carried by violence another way and albeit hée stroue to bring it towardes her yet preuailed he nothing for it sayled in the Sea as swiftlye as sometimes the cloudes racke in the aire béeing driuen by the windes presently Rosicleer with greate griefe lost the sight of the boate werefore fetching a déepe sigh as for that his former hope was cleane dashed to haue found his brother he said as followeth Fortune the thing which I most detest therein thou shewest thy selfe most fauourable vnto me This is my life which now twice thou hast restored me without my wish but that which my heart most desired and with which my lyfe should finde most ease therein thou shewest thy selfe an aduersarie to me so that whatsoeuer good happeneth vnto me thou makest me thinke that it happeneth for the worst for the longer I liue the more are my paines increased Now by that time that he had lamented a while for this sodeine losse of the straunge knight he sawe the gentlewoman cast vppon the sandes not yet dead whome he caused those Knightes which were escaped in the battayle to carrye vnto the Castle and there to finde some remedie for her Thus the knights did with whom he went to one of the Castles where for this time we will leaue him to follow the knight of the Sunne on his iourney by Sea ¶ The Knight of the Sunne was carryed to the Ilande of Lindaraza where hee atchieued manie straunge and fearefull aduentures Cap. 44. WIth great swiftnesse and incredible hast the Boate whereas the Knight sayled was carryed passing in short time the déepe Atlantike and West Occean néere the vttermost Cape of the Ponent till from thence it droue vppon the Pillours of Hercules where his mightie arme and stéeled forke made place for the Occean to enter and water the earth This Sea is called Mediterraneum Sea and into this Sea the Knight of the Sunne shooued his Boat where he found well peopled Townes and greater delight then appeared in the winde and West Occean and he beganne to receiue some ioye of his hether arriuall as if not without cause he were carried in such hast and that some great thing was thereby hoped for but as sorie for his sodaine acquaintaunce with Rosicleer he beséeched his Gods with all his heart that they might once méete againe and at more leasure recount each to other of theyr aduentures Well on all griefes whether for his fréendes Brandyzel and Claueryndo or this vnacquaynted Rosicleer or the vnskilfulnesse of his waye were extinguished by that his learned Gouernour guyded theyr Barke whether it was conuenient So still hoping for the Porte and Hauen wherein his little boate shoulde ride he sayled as I sayde in the middle earth Sea where on the lefte hande he sawe Spaine Portugall and those Countreyes where he coulde gladly haue bestowed himselfe but that he was not to commaund the stéeres-man but in good time came he thether as shall be recited in the Historie heereafter Although by shoare on the right hande he lefte Affricke Carthage and Tures and forwarde as he sayled he discouered the Ilandes Baleares and Sardinia with the warlyke Italy and the fertill Sicily where the flames of Aetna hill a while stayed him There might hée sée the ruinous Relyques of olde Syracusia and many perilious Mermaydes haunting those shoares much feared by all the Marriners Then sawe he the fresh water of the riuer Nylus which entereth the Sea by seauen mouthes From thence on the other hande might hée sée Greece where-with hée woulde more willynglye haue fed his eyes if he had then knowen the right which he hadde theretoo But from thence he lawnched into the broade Euxino where the wide Sea conuayed all thinges out of sight that nought appeared but clowdes aboue and waues beneath Long thus he sayled meruayling when his Nauigation shoulde take ende After this as it were a faire calme following a stormy tempest there appeared aboue the water a faire Iland vnto the which his boote draue whereat he was merry and pleasaunt thinking that there abode him some aduenture wherein he might trye his manly prowesse and full fayne he was to leaue the Sea héere I saye at this Ilande his Barke stayed whereby he knewe that his iourney was thetherward Then the Knight leaped to lande vppon the enterie whereof there was a banke cast of harde stone
it a great curtesie in you if you would staye héere till I were knighted for by such noble Princes might I bée honoured In the meane while the courtesie which our Court canne affoorde shall be accomplished to the full and after that you may tourns you to your purposed iourney The Princesse had thus sayde and straight wayes there came from the forrest thirtie Gentlewomen on rich palfrayes and in long wéedes of gréene Taffata among them also a troupe of more then thirtie Knightes all surely armed with their Speares in their hands comming to séeke the Princesse which béeing better horsed then they had killed the Boare long before theyr approch The princesse when shee sawe them sayd to the thrée Princes My good Lordes if you thought it not amisse I would sée what my Knightes woulde doe in my defence Bargandel aunswered Noble Ladie the thing cannot displease vs which contenteth you we will endaunger out persons to serue you The Princesse then called her knights and sayd vnto them In good time my friendes are you come These thrée Knightes whome you sée héere woulde haue carried mée away against my will But I praied them not to offer such wrong to a Gentlewoman and if they woulde therewith satisfie themselues I offered them that of my knightes so many as they shoulde hurle downe or vnhorse they should haue so many of my Gentlewomen for reward and themselues or anye of them were ouerthrowâ—n that then the partie fauiting shoulde forfeâ— hâ—rse and harnesse Hâ—ereâ— oâ— they haue agréed now doe the best you canue to defend the Gentlewomen which are in your companie Héere the Prince Zoylo which knewe the Princesse meaning sayde vnto her Nay madame let vs first knowe whether the Gentlewomen will yeeld to our couenant or no let their knights speake for them Marie answered the knights we are content Yea but so are not we said the gentlewomen shall we say they venture imprisonment vpon our knights and they loose nothing they maie befraie vs if they will but we feare rather that it will not be in their power Yea marie answered the knights you are now wise but if you be so fearefull we pray you alter the iusts to the triall of the swoord and you shall 〈◊〉 presently these knightes both ashamed and vnhorsed Nay but yet quoth the Gentlewomen we had néede of better warrants then your wordes but if you will deale with our knights as we woulde haue you you must wager your horse armour to be giuen them with vs if you faile and héereto wée request these knightes straungers otherwise to discharge the Princesse of her promise The thrée Princes fained to mislike the Gentlewomans deuice and the knightes of the Countrie were angrie to see howe lyttle hope theyr Gentlewomen hadde in them So comming vnto the three Princes they sayde vnto them Sir knights you may beholde théere that our Gentlewomen are not content with the first maâ—ch therefore wée will vnbinde it and loose as much as you should therefore take to your selues so much of the field as you shall thinke good and let vs to the iust for we will deceiue the women of the little hope they haue in our vertue Thrée of the knightes at this alarme prepared themselues to iust and the thrée Princes did as much gladde to shewe there theyr manhoode The thrée first knightes were horne downe horse and man to the greate discomfort of the Ladies whereof one mockt her knight for his courage crieng Marie it séemes sir Knight that I myght haue béene safe betwéene your armes when you knowe not how to sit sure within your saddle Which words caused as great laughter in the princesse as shame and confusion to the Knights which were on ground Then came thrée other which doing as much as the other were in lyke manner welcommed So that to make short tale from thrée to thrée the Princes vnhorsed whole thirtie and no man offered a seconde course but yet the shame of their falles so egged them on that they demaunded the combat with the Swoordes Héereat the knightes which knew well inough the Princesse purpose made a great staye as it were to consult with their power being straungers and but thrée in the end say they You knowe that the prise which was ordeined at these iustes were your horse and armour the which you haue lost if you will therefore néedes vrge vs to the combat with the sâ—woordes lay awaie your horse and armour which are ours and come your wayes Otherwise you must beg the vse of them at these Gentlewomen to whome we surrender our whole title Marie saide one of the Gentlewowen My Lordes we accept of your courtesie and heere we else staye the combat for wée will not giue them leaue the second time to hose both themselues and vs The Knightes were so ashamed as well for the Princes wordes as for the Gentlewomans rebuke that altogether with their swoordes drawen they woulde haue rushed vpon the straungers if the Princesse comming betweene had not stayed them speaking to the straungers That this was sufficient and it greatly liked her that they had thus shewed their valour Whereto Prince Zoylo aunswered Madame wée haue besides to demaunde our prises which wée will not otherwise remit but to your selfe whereat smiling they all vnbuckled their helmettes Bargandel and Lyriamandro being then of the age of xx yeres séeming so beautiful that as well the Gentlewomen as the knights were amazed at them After them the Tartorian shewed himselfe who although he was a Morian borne and somewhat of colour tawnie yet had he a manly countenaunce therewithall pleasaunt that he pleased them as wel as his companions With this there are no mo foes to be feared as it appeareth sayd the Princesse if you challengers vnarme your selues but if it be no griefe to you let vs goe together to the Citie of Trabisond not being farre off for at your instance I may the sooner receiue the order The Princes thanking the Ladie for that fauor prepared themselues to obey hir commaund so rid they on with the Princesse towards Trabisond where they stayed about xv dayes much increasing their honour at the feasts proclaimed for the knighting of the inheritresse they béeing made knowen to none but to the Princesse Héere likewise the great prowesse which the Princesse Claridiana shewed were such that euery man was amazed at them albeit the thrée princes neuer iusted against hir but héereafter you shall heare sufficiently of hir and them Nowe to the two Princes Brandizel and Claueryndo whom we left in the kingdome of Persia very sad for the losse of their déere friend the worthy knight of the Sunne ¶ The two Princes Brandizel and Clauerindo stale secretly out of the kingdome of Persia to seeke the Knight of the Sunne Cap. 46. NOw you are to remember your selues of the two volyant Princes Brandizel and Clauerindo which remained in the kingdome of Persia verie pensiue for the losse of their friend
which thou hast in hande for the Princesse Arguirosa and from thencefoorth that thou abide in my Court where I will doo thée that honour which thy person meriteth and I will bestow a liuing vppon thée wherewith thou shalt liue contentedly Rosicleer héere well perceiuing what hée went about sayd vnto him I would willingly Rolando that as thou hast in shew offered me great honour for the which I thanke thée so that thou wuuldest in déede performe another thing which should be lesse impayre to my present honour then the leauing of the battaile the battaile as thou sayst would I gladly end not onely for mine owne daunger which I am like to be in but for thy sake whom I rather wish to amend his fault by liuing and restoring the Ladye to hir owne then by dying in a wrong cause to hazarde the vtter perdition of thy soule and for truth take this that I will choose to dye than to suffer hyr cause to be lost by my collusion Take therfore some other meanes to leaue this battaile for this will not succéede or let vs fight it out for I hope in God that he will defende the innocent When Rosicleer had sayde this Rolando thinking that his owne gentle speach had made his enimie more bolde became mad outright and forgetting hys wearinesse tooke his sworde with both his handes and therwith he strake Rosicleer so hard on the headpéece that he made him boowe both handes and knées vnto the grounde the blow being so heauie as if a Tower had fallen vppon him Rosicleer rising vp acquited it him that he made him stagger fiue or sixe paces backward And betwéene them the combat was renued Nowe this especiallye refreshed the poore Princesse Arguirosa that hir Knight troubled his enimie more now then at the beginning And not long after it was apparant that Rosicleer had the better for Rolando began to be wearie and coulde not moue out of his place Rosicleer knowing the aduauntage and willing to ende the battaile the sooner both for the contentment of the Princesse and the safetie of Rolandos life whome he iudged to be a valiaunt knight offered againe the conditions before mentioned but it was not Rolandos good hap and true it is that those which liue so wickedly dye commonly as desperately least they should repent their faultes and finde mercie But Rolando more then madde at the curteste which was offered him wold heare naught but strake at Rosicleer with all his force Rosicleer stept aside and the sworde fell vpon the ground sticking vp to the hyltes The whiles that Rolando haled at his sworde Rosicleer discharged his blowe with great strength and cutte the necke in sunder from the bodie Wherewithall the whole multitude showted but in diuers tunes some for sorowe of the Tyraunts death but most crying Liue thou Arguirosa our Quéene and Ladie Then albeit some of the Kings friendes woulde haue aduenged his death they durst not signifie it the people being so bent after the newe Quéene The Knight of Cupide when the battaile was ended thanked God and demannded of the Iudges whether ought els were to be performed for the restoring of the Princesse Arguirosa to hir kingdome To which all sayde no and the Trumpetts sounded Yet sate the Princesse vppon hir Palfraye till there came to hir of the most principall Knightes and others Citizens which now all feare set aside durst discouer their good affection The Princesse therewith and the knight of Cupide with hir vnckle Alberto rode in great honour to the Pallaice where that present day the princesse was crowned Quéene the chiefe Lords kissing hir hand in the name of the Gentlemen and Commons After this there was no talke but of the marriage of the Quéene euery man as he wished naming the Knight of Cupide which hir selfe more desired then they all but knowing that the Knight of Cupide had else where bestowed his liking which she gathered by likelihoode of speaches which she had heard in the ship by the déepe sighes which he hourely fetched and especially by his deuice which did not argue in a newe beginner she ruled hir passion the best she might and for this time moued him not therein Afterwards she sent for Rolandos wife hir mother in lawe to kéepe hir companie but the report was that for anguish of minde she had slaine hir selfe Well yet she commaunded them both to be interred as belonged to the Kings and Quéenes of that land Rosicleer remained in that Kingdome sixe dayes at the great intreatie of the Quéene to helpe all things to good order After feelyng the wound which sate more déeply imprinted in his heart then the Image thereof in his armour he departed thence And so let vs leaue him to recount of the Emperor Trebatio and the Knight of the Sunne who were lefte sayling vpon the Sea ¶ The Emperour Trebatio and the Knight of the Sunne are in their waie to the Kingdome of Hungarie Cap. 49. THe Emperour Trebatio and the Knight of the Sunne departing from the Ilande of Lindaraza were lefte sayling in the Sea Euxino Nowe the shippe wherein he was hauing so good and skilfull a Gouernour as wée haue tolde you was carried so swiftlye that within two dayes they entered the mouth of Danubia and béeing vppon the riuer thrée dayes and thrée nightes the fourth day in the morning they were set on lande ere that they wist The Emperour looking about him knew the countrey verye well since he had followed the Chariot to the selfe same place And béeing glad to haue arriued to Hungarie so safe and so shortly he imbraced the Knight of the Sun for ioye telling him that this was Hungarie where the Princesse Briana lyued So he deuised with him in what manner he might best make himselfe knowen to the princesse and conuaye hir into Greece The Knight of the Sunne being so friendly asked his aduice aunswered as faithfully My Lorde it is requisite for vs first of all to knowe where the King Tiberio is and in what order the Princesse now abideth which being done you may the better compasse that which you purpose You say right well aunswered the Emperour let vs kéepe along the shoare that if perhappes we méete with any one we maye enquire what newes there are So on foote they walked thorough a Forrest leading vppon the Riuer wherein they trauailed halfe a daye without meeting anye one after 〈◊〉 weried they sate them downe to rest themselues where they fed on such vyandes as they had brought with them from the boate An halfe houre after when they had 〈◊〉 indifferently they sawe néere at hande a Gentlewoman vpon a palfraye making as much haste as shée 〈…〉 hir a Knight on foote with a naked sword 〈…〉 the stayed not when he ouertooke hir to 〈…〉 through The Gentlewoman séeing the Emperour 〈◊〉 the Knight of the Sunne leapt from hir palfray 〈…〉 good Knights for this trayterous Knight â—anish me The Emperour rose vp and comforâ—â—â—â— the Gentlewoman
stayed a while till the Knight 〈…〉 â—â—â—des on hir then he sayde Sir Knight elâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 this gentlewoman alone or tell vs why thou wilt carrie hir against hir will The Knight which was both 〈…〉 pâ—euish aunswered him I will carrie hir away maugre your téeth and I haue no charge to make you other aunswere but as to the cause wit you well it is formy selfe and for no other whereof you shall be no let I warrant you But you carrie hir not away sayde the Emperour for sooner shall you dye then touch hir honour The Knight thus ouer-awed in words thought to make amendes in déedes and sodainly he hit the Emperour vnder the ribbes The Emperour to yéelde it him againe strake at his head which he receiued in his shielde not daring to abide another he fledde through the Forrest as fast as he might neither the Emperour nor the Knight of the Sunne would follow him but demaunded of the Gentlewoman why that Knight pursued hir Alas my Lordes sayde she my fellowe and I came riding through the Forrest where we were met with foure Knightes which would haue carried vs away by force my selfe fledde this waye my campanion another and but if you doo helpe hir these wicked Knights will doo hir villanie The Emperour â—auing alone begun the battaile desired the Knight of the Sunne to abide there The while he tooke the Gentlewomans palfray to succour the other Ladie The Knight of the Sunne woulde rather haue taken that trauayle vppon him then to expect the report but not to importunate the Emperour he promised to staye his comming or to followe him The Emperour tooke vp the gentlewoman behinde him to conduct him on the way and being brought by hir to the midst of the forrest about a flight shot they heard the scriching of some Gentlewoman and following the sound they finde foure knights laieng hands vpon a Gentlewoman whereat she cryed out The Emperor presently as he saw it dismounted from his horse and cried to the knights saieng Knights let this gentlewoman alone for it is great villany to force a woman One of them hearing the Emperour cried againe Who made you a Iustice or doo you looke for an Atturneyes fée and they all thrée layde at the Emperour but it had bene better for them not to haue bene so hastie for ere long they receiued iust reward for their insolencie For the Emperour cleaued one of them to the scull and another from the shoulders downward the other as he made hast to escape was taken shorter by the legges For the Emperour albeit very inclinable to any reasonable pitie yet was he in this poynt very rigorous not to spare the dishonourers of virginitie his saying was That it quenched the naturall loue betwéene father and mother sister and brother betwéene kiffe and kinne that the bastard borne seldome came to good purpose that it was partlye the sinne of Sodomy c. And for his owne fault it was in déed méere ignoraunce or rather constraint and thereby the more pardonable or perhappes the detesting of it himselfe made him more seuerely exact the kéeping of chastitie in others But forward with our matter The Emperour beholding this Gentlewoman whome he had succoured knewe hir presentlye to be Clandestria a Gentlewoman belonging to the Princesse Briana wherewith he was the gladdeit man in the worlde as hoping to heare some good nowes at hir handes Yet to couer himselfe he made the Gentlewomen sit downe himselfe sitting by them and to tell him whether they went and wherefore they were in those partes The Gentlewomen glad and faine that they might without daunger tell of what Countrey they were and what theyr arraunt was thetherwarde aunswered Sir Knight we are belonging to the Princesse Briana Daughter to the King of this lande the cause of our comming is that long time agone our Ladie lost hir Husband the prince Edward prince of Britaine I hath neuer since heard of him For his sake shée hath remayned a widow in the Monestarie of the riuer demeaning a verye sorrie lyfe as pent vp in a religious Cloyster Hir beléefe was alwayes that he was dead till within these fiftéene dayes she dreamed that she sawe him aliue and that hée came by Sea to this land verie merrie of the same age which hée was off when he first lefte her which dreame she hath dreamed thrée nightes together the last night of the thrée there appeared to her an auncient man much rebuking her for her distrust whereat the Princesse though hardlye perswaded yet béeing so admonished the better hath credited that nights vision and hath sent vs to a religious house dedicated to our Ladie the blessed virginne with rich offerings and many good deuotions for his safe returne Whence after we were retourning by this Forrest these Knightes beset vs and had rauished vs but that wée cryed so lowde that you hearde vs and you haue thankes bée to God well eased vs of them and for your so greate curtesie if it so please you to ride with vs I doubt not but our mistresse will well consider you The Emperour much reioycing at the great constancie of his wife Briana and desiring to discouer himselfe asked the Gentlewomen if anie of them had séene the Prince Edward or no. Whereto Clandestria aunswered Yea sir Knight verie well and I woulde that God woulde once shew him me I should knowe him by his louely face excelling all other knightes which I haue euer séene I will sée that presently sayde the Emperour and so sayeng hée put off his helmet and how now saith hée whome take you me for O say they both your selfe are Prince Edward knéeling downe before him would haue kissed his handes and they earnestly intreated him to goe with them to the monasterie of the riuer The Emperour consented gladly For I haue saith he as great desire to sée her but héere not far hence there is a knight which stayeth for me him must we séeke and carrie in our companie for hée is the man next vnto God to whome I am most beholding for by him haue I béene deliuered from prison and from inchauntment The whole storie I will tell you by the waie So the Emperour made the Gentlewomen to mount vppon their palfrayes and himselfe tooke one of the horses perteining to the dead Knight for himselfe and another for the knight of the Sunne by the waie hée discoursed as he promised of his owne estate with Lindaraza till that they met with the Knight of the Sunne with whom the Emperour communicated of his good aduenture to light vppon Brianas maides and what newes he had heard of them Whereat the Knight of the Sunne became as ioyous and they made a merrie iourney towardes Belgrado which helde them foure dayes trauaile from that place ¶ The Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne riding towards the monestarie of the riuer are by an aduenture separated Cap. 50. THE Emperour by the waie declared to
the Gentlewomen and to the knight of the Sunne who he was not Prince Edward as they thought but in his name Brianas bridegrome and so forth of that matter which you may conceiue by that you heard before Whereat the Gentlewomen were not a little amazed but nothing sorrie And with the knight of the Sunne the Emperour entered into farther counsaile in what order he might make the king Tiberio priuie to his fact and carrie the Princesse Briana into Greece Whereto the knight of the Sunne counsailed thus My Lorde you knowe the faith of a Prince a bond verie straight for kings and great Lords as touching the preseruation of their honour in promise for which many times many haue preferred the trust laide vpon them before the safetie of their neere kindred This I say for that peraduenture Tiberio will be right glad to haue matched his daughter with you yet for the Prince Edwards sake comming vnder his safe conduct hée may not take it in good part or if he did had not king Oliuerio iust cause to be angrie being so abused as vnder his word to haue lost his sonne and subiects withall my counsaile is therefore for the better dispatch of your businesse and auoiding of béeing shent if you venture rashly vppon an enimie not reconciled that you go secretly to the monasterie and carrie awaie the Princesse from thence scarce letting her selfe know whether she shall goe saue that behinde you you may leaue a letter which shall signifie the whole effect of that which is passed By this meanes if the king of England bewaile the death of his sonne the king Tiberio may complaine of the losse of his daughter and in time when these fores are skinned there maye friendshippe be made on either part The Emperour liked well this counsaile and giuing him many thankes tolde him that he would put it in effect So two daies they kept companie in the meane time happening nothing worth the telling The third daie comming to a crosse ware well trode they sawe a pauilion pitched and not farre off twelue Gentlewomen clothed in blacke and hauing verye sadde countenaunces at the tent doore they sawe thrée knightes which were theyr kéepers When the Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne approched the Gentlewomen cryed out whereat the knight of the Sunne stayde and spake vnto them Gentlewomen as well by your countenaunces as by your outeries we perceiue you are distressed Shew vs now the cause thereof and if the thing be such as that we may remedie it we will doe our best to doe it One of the chiefest of them aunswered Sir your curteous words makes vs the bolder to vtter our griefe Therefore knowe you that I haue a sister called Elisandra Dutchesse of Pannoma and marryed to a Knight the most wicked man that was euer borne for hée hath staundered her with such a misreport as the lyke hath not bene heard off So it is that my sister and he haue béene marryed eyght yeares and haue had no children wherefore he fearing that after his decease the Dukedome shoulde retourne to her kinne as by right it should béeing her onely inheritaunce and minding to establish the state in his owne name hath subborned a desperate person to challenge her of adulterie By which meanes she being executed as false to her husband all her lands and goods are forfayted to the husband as it were to make him amendes of his wiues wrong Nowe this slaunder is apparaunt to all men but because the Duke offereth that the combat shall bée graunted to him which shal gaine-saie the slaunder the matter is made the lykelyer and is borne out though not by strong hand yet by pollicie and yet no man dare oppose himselfe to the challenger For there is a knight in the land called Aridon Lord of the blacke woode by reporte the strongest Knight which euer was in these partes albeit verie like vnto the Duke in his ill liuing him hath the Duke made his friend and accuser of the Princesse For a plot of ground adiacent to his segniories his accusation lyeth thus that with himselfe shée committed adulterie whereas though he was a long soiourner in his Court yet he neither perswaded her to it or woulde euer moue her in it for hée knewe his aunswere But the matter was thus canuased the while the Duke kept at the Court of the King Tiberio thether word is brought of the false packing of the Dutchesse and Aridon The Duke presently complayneth to the king and both parties are sent for in all hast Aridon being first asked confesseth it and is acquited by his confession As by the waie our lawe in this case acquiteth the man once confessing it though otherwise neuer so greate an offender and onely stretcheth to the woman in respect of her faith giuen at marriage Nowe what coulde the Princesse doe standing before the King and accuses not of beare saie but by himselfe with whome shée is fayde to haue lyen yet denyeth shée it Well the Duke charging her with it and shée purging her selfe shée was faine to require respite for prouiding a sufficient Knight to maintaine her innocencie Yet was shée commaunded to prison vnder sure kéeping and there is a daye set for the tryall Arydon beeing the accuser agaynst whome I doe not thinke that anie man in her defence though the cause bée righteous dare shewe himselfe for we haue tarried héere these 20. dayes and haue not founde anie Now because héere are crosse wayes in which it is likely that many knightes should passe we determine to abide the rest of the prefixed time And this is the cause sir knight why we mourne and so she ended wéeping bitterly The Emperour and the Knight of the Sunne pittyed them much meruailing so vngodly dealing coulde haue anie place to rust in Hungarie but God is wise saye they yea and séeth his time So the Knight of the Sunne talking a part with the Emperour sayde to him My Lorde you sée good cause binding me to pittie the Dutchesse in her extreame néede if you bée pleased therewith I will goe aunswere for her in the Court of king Tiberio In the meane time it will be best for you to goe to the monasterie of the riuer the most secretly that you maye and I will not fayle to certifie you from the Court if I heare ought which might auaile you being knowen This béeing done I will with Gods helpe come to Greece where I looke to finde you verie merry The Emperour was loth but séeing the vrgent necessitie he was content and answered that he wold not be against his pleasure although it would grieue him to be so long without his companie but at Constantinople shall we méete Therevppon the Knight of the Sunne tourned to the Gentlewomen saieng Gentlewomen your mourning hath so much gréeued this Knight and mée that although his affaires lie other where and that he cannot be present yet for his sake will I goe with you to the Court
any thing worthy the recitall The seauenth day in their waye they sawe a farre off a Knight very tall and bigge made vppon a faire stéede by séeming a Knight of great account There followed him two Squiers the one bearing his launce the other his helmet for the heate of the day had made him vayle his head-péece to put on a lyght hat of Taffeta and comming néere they sawe that he was of a good countenaunce somewhat of coulour duskie and blacke but in making both manlike and of good proportion his ioynts well knit and somewhat large withall which foreshewed great likelihood of strength and courage This knight straunger first saluting these thrée Knights riding by spake vnto them thus Tell me my Lordes I praye you whether you be of King Oliuerios Court or no Bargandel aunswered him Truly we are if we list and so long as our lyking lasteth but wherefore demaund you this I will tell you sayd the Knight Sooth it is that I am a Tartarian borne in that parte of Tartarie which bordereth vppon Europe and trauayling to séeke aduentures I was cast by tempest of the Sea vppon the Countrey of Zealand where I hearde that manye Knightes shoulde assemble in this Realme at a great Feast and Iustes proclaymed by the King with a safe conduct warraunted out vnder his owne signet for all Knightes Christians and Pagans or of all Nations else besides whatsoeuer thether to come and prooue theyr valour I am as I saye a wandring Knight and haue no other erraunt but to sée such good Knightes and to trye my selfe amongest them Vppon the reporte héereof as soone as my shippe was rigged and trimmed and that the winde serued for my purpose I entered in my shippe to arriue in this lande Nowe whether that the waye long and daungerous by the ignoraunce of my Pylot shut me from my hope or that the reporters mistooke the daye or rather knewe it not Since my comming to lande I haue in manie places bene assertained that the Feastes are long agone ended and that the most parte of the Knightes haue taken shipping and departed into their Countreyes notwithstanding leauing behinde them such a good memorie in the mouthes of euerie man as much it grieueth me to haue lost my labour For this cause last remembred I am in purpose for one monethes space to ride through this lande and to deale with all Knightes commers to prooue whether their credite be not aboue theyr desertes wherevnto I haue sette this condition that if any of them dismount me or make me yéelde that then I must faithfully accomplish all that which the vanquisher shall will mée But if I vnhorse anye of them or take anye of them prisoners then the vanquished shall commende mée to the King Oliuerio and make offer of his or theyr lyues and goodes at his courtesie as a simple token of my great good will towards him Since this determination thrée dayes haue I iourneyed in this lande and I haue encountered ten knights whome I haue sent accordinglye to King Oliuerio And my Lordes whether are you retaining to the English Courte or no for if you be I maye not breake my vowe although by your semblaunce and riding you shewe to me as the best Knightes which I haue séene in my lyfe This sayde the Knight straunger and the other thrée Knightes were easelye brought to the allowing of the conditions Wherefore Bargandel which hadde vndertaken to aunswere sayde Syr Knight wée thanke you for the large recounte you haue made vnto vs of your hether comming and as to your ouer-late arriuall and the conditions set to the Tilte albeit I maye not mislyke them being so equall yet for my parte I aunswere and for these Knightes that we would not gladlye deale with you vppon so lyght occasion for rather will we honour straunge Knightes then in anye wise be an incombraunce vnto them but sith it is your earnest sute that therein we shall doo you seruice we will not refuse you and by the leaue of these my Lordes and fellowes my selfe will be the formost But by God sir Knight there is the Ladie Syluerina in the English Courte and if I faile not of my purpose I will make you kisse hir white handes ere you bée manye dayes elder But Bargandel fayled in déede of his purpose for though hée was a verye valyaunt Knight yet was hée but young and the Tartarian was both mightie and well exercised After the Tartarian had buckeled on his helme and Bargandel had obtained leaue of his fellowes to bée the first in this aduenture either of them clapped their spurs to the Horse sides and their encountrye was such that Bargandel brake his speare in small shiuers in the shielde of his enemie causing the Tartarian to loose the raynes and to wreathe some-what in his saddle But the Tartarian ouerthrewe Bargandel horse and man to the grounde and with the tourne to recouer the raynes dressed himselfe in his saddle passing forth gallantly while Bargandel laye on the ground verie angrie and desirous to haue had the Combat with the sword Rosicleer and Lyriamandro much wondred at theyr shockes Lyriamandro then tooke the nexte tourne and Rosicleer because the straunger wanted a speare sent his owne staffe vnto him which peraduenture if hée coulde haue foreseene the euente hée woulde not haue done for by it Liriamandro was hurled to grounde and the Tartarian almost vnhorsed his stirroppes béeing broke and himselfe cast vppon the arson of his saddle The Tartarian Knight was much abashed at the great force of these two Knights for he had not thought to haue met two so strong Knightes in all this lande and when there remayned none but one Knight and hee lykewise with-out a staffe to iuste with-all hée came to this one and bidde the base to the sworde playe in these tearmes Sir Knight sith both of vs want speares to iuste with all it shall be well to make vp this lack with our swords that you maye reuenge the shame of your companions or else goe with them for companie and all thrée present your selues prisoners to the King your Lord. Whose Court notwithstanding I shall highlye commende of for the great vertue whereof my selfe hath had proofe sufficientlye in your fellowes Assuredlye sir Knight sayd this odde man which was Rosicleer were it not for the duetie which I owe to my companions and for that you should ill acquite their courtesies if you shoulde leaue me scot-frée to scorne at their mishappes I woulde that this Combatte with swordes shoulde be excused for that I am not accustomed to fight for so small a cause but sith that both my companions challenge this at my handes and that it is a poynt of cowardlynesse to leaue the combatte and also that you will not haue vs to breake companies I condiscende to your deuice with this Prouiso that if by good Fortune I ouercome you my companions shall be freed from your charge and you shall goe