take him out of his armes then he lyke a man awaking out of a slumber retourned vnto the king and sayde Most mightie Lord the great contentment that I do receiue at the sight of this young man hath caused me to forget to bee in thy presence and I did occupie my senses in such sort that I coulde not doe that which I am bound by duetie to do O king thou maist account thy selfe for happie for that thou hast obtained so much fauour as to bring vp so gentle a youth worthie to be had in as much reuerence as the mightie Iupiter and turning vnto the king he sayd There commeth a messenger froÌ„ Arginaria with a message nothing profitable therefore good king it doth stand you in hand for to make in a readinesse all your power and to suffer the furious warre that is ordeined against you Heere my Lorde I doe certifie thee that it had bene the more to haue bene feared if thou haddest found thy selfe without this young man in thy companie who is the flower of all men The king when he heard these newes could not but receiue some alteration and it was in such sort that he was constrained to sit downe to talke with Galtenor and sayd I sweare by God my friend séeing it is so let your discreation remedie that which mine is not able to comprehend that wee fall not into the power of so cruell an enimie Claridiano who was verie attentiue vnto that which Galtenor had tolde vnto the king and lykewise vnto the answere which y e king made kneeled downe on both his knées and with greate humilitie hée desired the king to graunt him two things the which he wold aske the which the king by the counsell of Galtenor did graunt and did lift him vp from the grounde imbrasing him verie louingly The Prince Claridiano sâ—eing that he had graunted it him hée sayde My Lorde the first thing that you shall dooe for mee is that you giue vnto mée forthwith the order of knighthoode and the second is that you doo giue me license to answere the messenger of Arginaria It grieued the King very much for that he had graunted him these two things for that he did well vnderstand his intent but séeing that he could doo no otherwise he was content Great pleasure receiued Galtenor to sée with what good grace Claridiano did aske these two things of the king and for to put away part of that discontentment which they shoulde receiue at the messengers hand he tolde vnto them some pleasaunt and ioyfull deuices So straight way it was accorded that Claridiano shoulde that night watch his armour the which was giuen him by Galtenor They were all white and bespangled with twinkling starres of golde and his shield was also all white and in it one onely Luzero which did occupie all y e whole shield all garnished with fine pearles that it made them that did looke on it almost to lose their sight the brightnesse was so great that procéeded from them and they were such that no Lorde in all the worlde had the like When this famous youth was armed with them the delight was so much that the king Delfo receiued to sée him so well set and so gallant that he could not refrayne but distill some salt teares from his eyes for very ioye and sayd My brother héere I doo desire the soueraigne Gods that they make me so ioyful with thy good fortune as I am now at thy sight The prince did watch his armour that night and the next daye with great solemnitie he was armed Knight and gaue that daye many and great gifts In the afternoone was ordained great Iustings and daunces of all sorts of very faire Ladyes and damosells which the King had commaunded to come together for the same effect But they who did most participate of all these pleasures and pastimes was the heroycal young man and his nourse whom he tooke to be his mother So that in the Kings Pallaice there was no other thing but feasts and pastimes tarrying for the Embassadour that shuld come and they of the Citie had care in the fortifieng of the same as well with victualls as repayring the wals and putting all the people in good order in such sorte that within eight dayes they found within the Citie tenne thousand Knights meruailously well appointed at the which Claridiano did receiue greate contentment The ninth daie after that hée was made knight there was brought newes how that the messenger of Arginaria was come a lande of the which the king béeing aduertised hée sate himselfe in his royall seate abiding his comming beeing accompanied with verie rich and well estéemed knightes and on his ryght hand was Claridiano and on his lefte hande the banished King of Arginaria and béeing all in this manner as hath béene tolde you the Embassadour Bruno entered into the hall with a furious countenaunce and without humbling or making anie kinde of reuerence he drew nigh vnto the king and with a wrathfull voyce he sayde King what diuell was that which put it in thy head to denie that tribute that thou wert wont to giue vnto my mightie brother and thou doest not onely denie it but I sée that thou makest thy selfe in a readinesse to make resistaunce for the which héere I doe tell thée that there is no punishment that can make satisfaction of thy boldnes and follie notwithstanding if thou wilt cléere thy selfe better then thy ouermuch pride doeth deserue giue mée straight waye double tribute of that which thou art bounde to paie but if thou doest it not by the mightie Gods I sweare to thée that he will take of thée and thine reuengement with such rigor that the mightie Gods shall tremble when they sée it All this he spake with so greate pride and wrath that it made them all to quake to sée his furious demeanour saue onely he to whome all the honour of Knighthoode belonged who did little estéeme his vnreasonable and proude wordes but with greate sobrietie he aunswered They dooe not denie anie thing which they ought for to giue vnto this tyraunt whome thou doest name for thy Brother and although he did loose the Ilande that he doeth nowe possesse yet shoulde hée loose nothing that hath bene his for that with tyrannie hée hath vsurped the same Therefore without anie more tarrying get thée hence and tell thy brother that the king of Trapobana wil not onely detaine from him the tribute which hée doth not nor neuer did owe him but also with armed arme he doth pretend to recouer againe all that which without reason he hath receiued carried awaie and he doth giue him to vnderstand that hée will not rest till such time as he doth thrust him out of y e Iland which with so great tyrannie he doth possesse from which he depriued my father Galtenor So w t this answere thou maist returne vnto him who sent thée hether w tout anie hope of other
striking of him but wheÌ„ the Prince felt himselfe cléere of the paine and that hée was able to lift vp his arme hée tooke the mase in both his hands and setled his féet verie strong on the ground and kept in his breath that he might with more strength discarge his blow detayning it till such time as the Gyants blow was stroke which was with so great strength that falling on y e ground the sword entered into the earth more then halfe of it and it was the occasion that the Prince had better time for to execute his mightie and determined blowe and discharging it with two of the balls of stéele which hung at the mases end he let driue such a blowe on the Gyaunt that he made him to stoope with both his knées to the ground and séeing him in that plight he stroke at him another blowe which was vppon his helme which gaue such a sound as though it had ben stroke vpon a bell wherewith he fell with all his bodie to the ground and stretched out his huge members making no more mouing and when this new knight sawe that he mooued not he pulled of his healme and perceiued that the blowe was such that it beate out his eyes and the braines out of his head Then the young Prince gaue thankes vnto the Gods for that he had no perfect knowledge of his descent nor anie lyght that he was a christian taking vp the mase he layd it on his shoulder and with great quietnesse he went vnto the Citie and straight way there came vnto him Galtenor the king Delfo with a great number more of knights that had bene beholding the furious battaile who did imbrase him with so great ioy and loue that I am not héere able to expresse it and did request him that he woulde goe and lye downe for that they iudged he should be verie weary He was so much importunated by so many knights that he could doo no otherwise but goe take his rest and lie downe wheras he was cured healed of such blowes as he had receiued which was black and blew and there was ministred vnto him such ointments as did mitigate the painâ—s and griefes which hée had receiued So all those which came with the Gyant when that they sawe their Lord was dead they receiued no sorrow nor griefe thereat for they could not 〈◊〉 his great pride euill conditions for they did not onely 〈◊〉 him but they did desire that he might die a naughtie death make a short and euill end And in this sort as you do sée the intreating of this Gyant of his subiects so are all them that be of so great priâ—e intreated in all the world he was scarce dead when y t all those of the kingdome of Arginaria were very ioyfull to sée it so come to passe and were verie desirous to yéeld vp vnto Galtenor his right and inheritance and sent straight waies Embassadours to the Citie whereas he was promising to giue him peaceable entring into the kingdome as vnto their naturall king Lord and iustly discharging themselues of all wherein they were found guiltie The messengers were meruailously well receiued of Galtenor and with great loue and he did accept their offer So it fell out that in one daye was the Gyant Geredeon king and Lord of Arginaria and in the selfe same daie was Galtenor with great contentment vnto all the people of the Ilande And when he sawe himselfe that he was Lorde of that which he so greatly desired he straight wayes dispatched messengers for his kingdome in giuing them to vnderstande of all that passed in the which they did reioyce verye much and with excéeding greate good will they receiued all the newes which was sent and were as glad of the death of Geredeon as they were of restoring of the kingdome vnto Galtenor In few dayes after was Claridiano come againe to his strength and made whole which was so great ioye and pleasure vnto the King Delfo that vnto his iudgement he needed not to desire anye other thing So when the messengers were retourned y t they sent vnto Arginaria they did determine for that all the countrey should â—e put in good order that Galtenor shoulde depart for that part out of hand who did procure to cary with him Claridiano but the King Delfo would not consent vnto it by any meanes for the which the king Galtenor went away greatly discontented And when he came vnto his kingdome they receiued him with great pompe and honour and with great delight to sâ—â— their naturall Lord and there was nonâ— that made any resistaunce against the receiuing of his possession for that one sonne which the Giaunt left and his brother Bruno were gone into the Iland of Vespeâ—a of whom in the third part of this historie shall be tolde vnto you And now it is necessarie to leaue the King Delfo and the King of Arginaria with the great delight of their victorie and to retourne vnto the noble Emperour whome we lefâ—e with his furious and well foughten battaile in the first part of this booke with the King of the Garamantes who had giuen the Emperour so great a blow that he left him without fâ—eling But when the Emperour was come again vnto him selfe he tourned about his horse with more fury then the Lioâ—s in the wayne of the mother Idea when that with a furious rage they moued against that sorrowfull Atis in y â— desart mountaines of Phrigia In such sort went this fierce Emperour with his sword all a lofte and stroke him such a terrible blow vpon his shield that parting it in two peeces ioyntly with his helme and head he fell downe dead to the ground the which did grieue the Emperour very much for that he could not performe that which he had promised vnto him So when this was finished the Emperour retourned vnto his pallaice whereas he was receiued with great soâ—â—â—nitie of instruments and vnarmed by the Empresse betwéene whom there passed many swéete and amorous spéâ—ches touching the communication that they had before the battaile began And the next day openly they returned vnto the same talke but they were cut off by a straunge aduenture which entered into the hall as shall be declared vnto you in this chapter following How a Damosell messenger from the Queene of Tinacria brought a letter vnto the Emperor of Grecia and of all that passed about the same Cap. 3. ALthough I alwayes purpose to seperate my selfe in my discourses froÌ„ y e fraudes which that most cruell Venus doth manye times vse accompanyed with the deceiptes of hir sonne yet am I constrained to speake some thing therof and to leaue the stout strong Mars with his sword in his hande tourning my pen for to tell vnto you her cruelties and disordinate customes You doo well remember of the amorous wrath that the Quéene of Tinacria had against the Emperour of Grecia and what in that furious rage
thy kingdome and for that effect thou hast had mée hetherto in thy kéeping Why doest thou now consent that my fame perish and decaie I remaining in this Ilande O immortall Mars to thée I do inuocate that being by thée holpen and with thy fauour I may stretch forth the bright beame which with thy partiall hande thou gauest me So vttering these and such like complaints he passed a few dayes till that vpon a certaine daye following his accustomed exercise hée saw comming towards the shore a Foyst which was gouerned with foure marriners and beholding who was therein he saw come from vnder the hatches a very faire Damosell who was all apparailed with mourning apparaile and with her two auncient Squires who led her by the armes apparailed in the same manner and guise This Ladies face was all to bedewed with teares and her countenaunce did declare and showe that she suffered great sorrow and anguish This valyaunt and worthy young knight very desirous to know the occasion of her greate lamentation mooued himselfe towards her and hauing saluted her he desired her if it were her plesure to declare vnto him the occasion of hir complaint The Lady turning vnto him who had demaunded the occasion of her sorrow and being greatly amazed in viewing his comely grace and gentle disposition she sayd Gentle knight if thou doest desire to knowe the occasion of all my harme bring me before that worthie young knight who slew Geredion Bendambul and ther thou shalt vnderstand the greatest wrong without all reason that euer was done to so noble a Damsell as I am The Prince taking pittie of her great sorrow aunswered I doe not not knowe for what effect purpose you doe aske after this knight but be it what it will be you shall vnderstand gentle Ladie that he whō you doe aske for is before you and séeing that it is so you may be bolde to declare your pleasure and héere I doe saie vnto you that if it be requisite and necessarie in your seruice I will venture my life without putting anie excuse for to remedie this your great sorrow and griefe which you do◠shew to haue And you shal vnderstand that I will do it without taking anie leaue of my Lord the king Delfo and there is nothing that dooth so much gréeue mee as that I am not armed This sorrowfull Ladie séeing her good fortune would not loose the occasion but with a new lamentation and complaint shée knéeled downe before him and kissed his handes for the great offers which he made vnto her the Prince did take her vp from the ground with great reuerence then the Ladie with amorous wordes sayde If that by the occasion of king Delfo gentle knight we shall receiue anie disturbaunce héere I doe desire thée by the honour which thou dost owe vnto all vertue that we make no farther delaie nor detainment for héere I doe giue you to vnderstande that there remaineth but a small time for the remedying of my sorrowe and griefe Well let it bée out of hand answered this valiant Gréeke and at our comming a land the first knight that we do méet either with his good will or ill will shall lend me his armour and therewith taking that faire Ladie by the hand they put thēselues into the Foist commaunding straight waye that they should retourne theyr voyage vnto the Sea so finding the time and winde fauourable in a verye short space they were passed on their waie so farre that they cleane lost the sight of anye land What shall I saie of the king Delfo and the Princes nurse when they could not heare of the Prince what was become of him but onely that he was departed awaie But if I did not put before me the great duetie which I do owe and consider the grauitie of a Prince I might saie that he did things more lyker a mad man then a Prince surely he had great reason for he had lost the companie of the best knight in all the world so this warlyke Gréeke did saile vppon the Sea with an indifferent thought béeing in companie with y e faire Ladie who likewise went verie well content for that with so great ease she had found and obtained him that she sought for But this I can certifie you of Claridiano that he had not forgot y e words which the dwarfe had tolde him but alwaies remembring the same it put him in great confusion in such sort y t he did not remember to demand of the Damsel the occasion of her griefe who with such dilligence went to seeke him At such time as Diana did spred abroad her golden haire ouer all those troublesome waters he discouered that there came towards them a barke in such hast that in a smal time they were come vnto them the which barke came without anie gouernment and he sawe sitting on the poope of y e barke a gyant who had his head and beard verie white and apparelled with roabes of estate who was straight wayes knowen by Claridiano to be Galtenor for the which he receiued great ioy When the barkes were ioyned together Galtenor went and imbraced the Prince saying Sonne do not thinke to depart awaie in such sort but that first I will reioyce my selfe with the presence for it shal be more profitable vnto thée then thou doest thinke for as well for the remedie and ease of thy thought as for the adorning and sauegard of thy bodie To whom the Prince aunswered and sayd I do verie well know my Lord that from you can procéede nothing but that which is good as alwaies hath bene the vse and custome hetherto Then the Gyant sayd vnto him This thou maist perfectly beléeue that so long as my soule is ioyned and knit with my bodie that it shall not exercise it selfe in anie other thing but in thy seruice And now for that thou stand est in néede of armor héere I doo bring it vnto thée for that before many daies come to an ende thou shalt haue néede thereof Also I doo bring thée a meruailous precious sword forged and made by my great skill such a one as in all the worlde there is not a better And this shall continue indure with thée till such time as thou shalt be in battaile with the Bastard Lyon then shall it loose his vertue and valor for that thou shalt recouer another of no lesse price and of a greater fame ioyntly with thy honor in the acknowledging of thy vnknowen parents and in that time thou shalt loose all thy seruice that euer thou hast done in the honour of Cupide béeing in company with the disguised Hinde all though altogether thou shalt not loose thy great loue till such time as by the Goddesse Venus shal be throwen at thée the African launce which shall pearce thy heart cleane through Then did he declare vnto him how he was stoln out from his mothers lap certefieng him that he was sonne vnto the mightiest
Priest told vnto the Knight of the Sunne his Cousin but the great sorrow that he receiued in the hearing of so great crueltie constrained a fewe salt teares to fall from his eyes from the which he could not refraine And procéeding forwardes in hir talke she said You shall vnderstand sir Knight that I am a Damosell belonging to the Countesse of Modica who is nowe in companie with the vertuous Quéene Garofilea in the Citie of Sarragosa héere in the lande of Tinacria by whom I was sent about certaine businesse and came nowe from thence Uerely the hearing of this terrible and heauie historie did verie much cause this noble Knight to lament compelled his hart to earne although on y e coÌ„trarie he did reioyce very much for that now in the beginning of his knighthoode he might imploie himselfe and his valiant courage in such terrible conflictes whereby he might winne to himselfe a renowmed name and reporte if so it please God that he may goe forward with this enterprise So he determined with himselfe to loose his lyfe in this quarrell or else to set the same Citie at libertie although hée gaue not the Damosell to vnderstand anie thing concerning this his intent who in the end of many good reasons and pittifull perswasions that shée vsed in counâ—ailing and perswading this worthy knight Don Eleno for to haue very great care and to looke well vnto himselfe that he did not fall into the handes of this cruell Giant she tooke hir palfray and departed hir way towards the Citie to the ende that she might enter in at the gates before the daye did breake whereby shee might not be discouered of the enimie So this Damosell departed and lefte the Knight in great anguish and sorâ—â—wâ— of minde as well in thinking of the crueltie of this vncharitable Giant as also for that the night was so long that he could not put his determined purpose in vre but in the end the gladsome daye appeared at which time this worthye Knight perused his armour and surely armed himselfe and lased on his helme and taking his horse he rode the waye which led towards the Citie béeing the same waye which the Damosell went He had not ridden farre when he discouered the Citie which was meruailously adorned with Towers and fortresses but yet round about it was to be séene a meruailous and dolorous spectacle of dead men and women torne in péeces and others hanged by the necke vppon Iybbets hard by the walls and some vpon trées which were in the field nigh at hand which caused the Prince to stay and to sigh with great sorrow and teares in the beholding of so inhumane crueltie and in bitternesse of heart he said O Lord how wonderfull be thy secrets y t thou sufferest this Knight to vse so great crueltie without punishing of him it cannot be without some great mysterie which thy diuine Maiestie doth pretend I beseech thée O Lorde to giue me so much grace and strength that I may cause this great crueltye to be taken away and vtterly to cease O noble Citie I cannot iudge what anger fortune should receiue of thée in y t she consenteth thou shouldest be subiect vnto such vnmercifull people so much without pitie and compassion Well I maye say that as Grecia may brag hir selfe of most excellent wise learned men which it hath brought vp euen so maist thou complaine that against thée hath bene fostered two terrible and abhominable tyrants And in saieng these wordes hee drew nigh the gates of the Citie which for feare of the crueltie of the Giant they kept shut taking hold at the ring therof he began to knock which he had not so soone done but y e lifting vp his eyes he beheld to descend from aboue out of a bulwarke a great frée stone which was cast downe by the hands of a Gentlewoman which came so sodainly that he almost had no time to deliuer himselfe from receiuing the fall theâ—â—of and if the lightnes of his horse had not ben the quicker he must néedes haue taken the blowe on his head which would not haue fallen out well with him But when this Gentlewoman sawe that the stone fell downe without doing anie harme with a gréeuous and terrible sigh that procéeded from her heart she sayd Art thou that cursed Tefereo through whose cause the most part of the mournfull matrones of this distressed Citie are made widowes and with great affliction are inforced to bewaile the losse of their louing husbandes and welbeloued sonnes Art thou he that doth not onely content thy selfe to kill them and teare them in péeces but also hangest them before our eyes and garnishest the walls of this our vnhappie Citie with the bodies of them Art thou that sonne of the diuell which without all feare of the Gods hath put our Citie in this extreame necessitie Oh cruell tyrant open the eyes of thy vnderstanding and let some sparke of pittie reigne in thy heart and suffer not that for thy cause onely so worthie a Countrie as this is should be destroied Let it suffice thée y t thou hast alreadie bene the occasion that all these noble matrones of this Citie haue lost their rest forgot their estate and are nowe become as scowtes in the warres and frame themselues to weare armour This gentle knight of Dacia would not suffer her to procéede anie farther but cut off her tale and with greate sobernesse he sayd Gentlewoman I am not he that you take me for but I come hether rather if so bée I maie by some meanes to procure your rest deliuer you from this outrage that is offered you Then this gentlewoman with much more anger answered O traitour doest thou thinke that by thy treasons and subtiltyes to increase our care more then hetherto thou hast done Get thée hence traitor for thou art the most falle cruell man in all the world for thy naughtinesse we doo well vnderstand and to all the world it is knowen O immortall Gods you doe well knowe that on the earth there is no strength sufficient to roote out this diuell and cursed tyrant from amongest vs why do not one of you come down from heauen and confound him with your deitie The good will which hath brought mée hether gentle mistresse aunswered Don Eleno doeth not deserue to be thus ill intreated of you who for to procure your libertie will put his life in aduenture I suppose I doe deserue better enterteinement at your handes Well let it be what it will bée sayd this Gentlewoman but touching thy comming into the Citie it is laboure lost to speake neuerthelesse if thou art not that cruell knight whom I did take thée for turne thée about and looke towards the corner of yonder towre which standeth amongest the gréene trees and there thou shalt finde him whom I doe beleeue without séeking for thou bringest with thée so without anie more speaking this Gentlewoman went from the wall and
séeke for continually with great sorrowe Therefore I doo desire thée O soueraigne Emperour if at any time thou hast passed the paines of loue that thou woldest pitie them that are so sore afflicted and vnfortunate and doo not denie me thy aide helpe for if I were the daughter of base parents yet in respect I am a woman thou arte bound to succour and aide me Much more for that I am Lidia the daughter of the King of Lidia who for the loue of that liberall Brenio of Lusitania I am coÌ„strained to proâ—ure his libertie and for the perfourmance thereof your highnes shall not denie me a promise or boone that I will demaund in so dooing thou shalt performe all that is due vnto thy Estate and by duetie thou doost owe vnto such as I am The Emperour who was meruailous attentiue vnto all that this faire Ladie had sayd very much beholding hir great beautie he aunswered and sayd Of my faith faire Lady I will not let to remedye this thy sorrowe much more then I am bound to doo by my high estate and will procure by all meanes to ease this thy afflicted euill Therefore now aske what thou séemest best for thy purpose for I am héere ready to performe all that by thée shall be demaunded of me The Ladie sayd I looked for no other thing but this of thy Emperiall dignitie Therfore â—ouereign Emperour it is requisite that alone without any other companie you goe with me to giue me this remedye The Emperour although hée sawe that it was a haynous thing at that time to leaue his whole Court and estate yet did he not showe any such countenance but with a valiant courage he called for his armor the which was straight way brought vnto him being all of russet colour and the shield of the same colour and ther was portrayed in it the picture of leane Death with a sharp flesh hooke in his hand All the Kings and Lords that were present at that time would haue disswaded him from this his enterprise but specially and aboue all the rest the auncient Prince of Clarencia sayde Soueraigne Lorde it is not conuenient nor agréeable vnto your high estate to venture your selfe in that which appertaineth vnto trauayling and vâ—ntrous Knights behold Lord Princes although they be liberall in promising yet they ought to moderate themselues in performing neither shuld Princes be so bountifull of themselues for many times by procuring to exâ—oll their fame they abate the worthinesse of their estate And againe he that hath not to whom to giue reckoning but vnto himselfe to him alone doth Fortune faile Notwithstanding thou O souereigne Emperour art more bounde to looke and haue a care vnto your owne subiects more then to your owne person And a good Prince ought rather to subiect his will to the fauouring of his people then to please his owne appetite For which cause honourable Lord you must pardon vs for that we will not willingly consent that onely for desire of this pompous same that you doo pretende we should loose your person Tell me noble Emperour if that Forâ—une shoulde as she was woont to doo tourne hir whéele and kéepe your honour from vs it would not onelye make an ende of you but also depriue vs of the most noblest and worthiest Lord vnder the Sunne All those that were there present and heard these reasons which the Prince vttered did greatly praise and allowe his discréete saieng So this honourable Emperour without shewing any alteration aunswered and sayd Noble Kings and Princes and my very friends I giue you great thankes for the good will you doo showe mée in that you would not that I shuld be absent from you likewise you shall vnderstande that it dooth as much grieue me to seperate my selfe from your companyes and I doo thinke my selfe blessed to haue such noble Knights as you bée vnto my subiects notwithstanding you must consider that as you doo loue the bodie and person of your Prince so likewise you should desire and procure his fame and honour for you knowe you haue many meates that are verye sauourie to the taste of anie man and yet to the contrarye verye hurtfull to the stomacke It is a verye good thing to liue vnder compasse and that gouerning is good by the which fame and honour is not diminished as this for that he that is bounde must procure perfourme and maintayne his promise For if I of my owne frée will and to féede myne owne appetite hadde procured and mooued this iourney you had had great reason for to haue disswaded mée but béeing sought for and procured héereto by this noble and distressed Damosell for hir defence then what reason is it that I shoulde abandon my faith Tell mée I praie you if now I should falsifie my promise what hope of confidence heereafter shoulde remaine in you of my vertue Of truth I saie vnto you that Prince which doth not keepe and maintaine his faith which hee hath promised in giuing his wordâ— hée is vnworthie of lyfe And séeing that I haue graunted this iourney although you be displeased therewith I beséech you comfort your selues for that by iustice I am constrained to goe trusting in almightie God to retourne againe vnto you with greate honour and renowne What woulde the worlde saie when that for feare of humane thinges I leaue to mainetaine iustice and righteousnesse and the obseruation and kéeping of my worde Surely they woulde report me for a Prince of small vertue déeme you so perswading mée not worthie of a good Prince for y â— many times God doth shew his power whereas the weaknesse of humane thinges be without all hope Therefore I doo desire you all my friendes that you will not withdrawe mée from this my pretended purpose for if I were not willing therevnto you were all bound to complaine of mée And making an ende of these his reasons he began to arme himselfe The Empresse that of all this thing was ignoraunt when shée vnderstood therof by some of them that were present with the Emperour shée came with shedding of manye teares for to hinder and withdrawe him from his iourney the Emperours heart was somewhat gréeued to heare hir sorrowfull words but with an heroycall courage he commaunded her to returne vnto her closet and willed all those that were present to goe and beare her companie and would that none should remaine with him but Brandimardo vnto whom the Emperour in greate secret sayd That when Rosicleer or the knight of the Sun should returne to the court that hee shoulde tell them that he was gone to Lidia at the instaunt of the Ladye for to restore her againe to her kingdome With this he did charge him verie much and that they shoulde straight wayes and without anie delaye departe for that place Brandimardo thought greate friendshippe in this which the Emperour commaunded and gaue him greate thankes with faythfull promise to accomplish the same and taking his leaue
sound like a bell and he without anie remembraunce fell downe backwards vppon his horse crouper the blowe was so terrible and deliuered with so greate strength that the bloud started out both at his eies and at his nose And as the Emperour would haue turned to haue stroken him againe he heard one with a great noise that called aloude and sayd Stand still vile knight and hold thy hands except thou wilt die the death The Emperour lifting vp his head to see who it was that with so great arrogancie threatned him beheld another Giant which descended downe from the Castell of a greater stature and séeming to be of more strength and furie then the other two which by reason of his greatnesse was faine to goe on foote for that there was no horse able to beare him When the Emperour sawe a thing so monstrous comming towards him he said with an angry voice Cursed he that euill and diuellish generation from whence such monsters doth procéede if it please God I will doe my best to abate this thy courage and in this time the Gyaunt was come to himselfe and rose vp againe and was prepared against the Emperour who seeing him so nigh with purpose to strike him tooke the aduauntage and stroke first with such an ouerthwart blowe that by the force therof it cut his throate necke and all so that the head fell downe to the earth and the bodie also like the corner of a great castell This other Gyant seeing his brother dead in such sort cryed out reuiling his Gods and with blaspheming of all creatures hee descended downe the hill and drew out his huge and mightie sworde pressing towards the Emperour with such furie as commonly the fierce Lyon doth after his praie which béeing wel perceiued by the Emperour he auoided a little on the one side with his horse lighted in greate hast and with his accustomed courage hee went to méete the Gyant who was readie with his sword in his hand came stroke at the Emperour a mightie blow which he receiued vpon his shéeld that did then deceiue him and by reason therof it fell downe vpon his healme and made him sâ—oope with both his knees to the grounde loosing somewhat of his sight by force of that furious blowe The Emperour seeing that it was not then time to sléepe and that the Gyaunt had his swoord ouer him to strike him againe he béeing somewhat troubled stepped aside and cléered himselfe from the fall therof and therwith preased to the Gyant before he could againe recouer his terrible swoorde to bestow on him a blow corespondent to his rage and stroke him vpon the arme but by reason that the Emperour was not wholy come to himselfe of the former blow he receiued he could not repaie him with his whole strength as his heart desired or as he would if hee had ben come to himselfe notwithstanding it was not so little but that his sword cut his arme to the bone wherwith he was so sore hurt that he could not lift his sworde from the ground with the paine whereof the Gyant did feele himselfe verie ill and was constrained to chaunge his sword into his left hand with the which he stroke blowes verie much out of order In this time the Emperour stroke at him so terryble and thicke that it did almost amaze him when the Giant sawe himselfe so ill intreated he began with a terryble voice to call for helpe of his people from the Castell The which béeing vnderstoode by the valyaunt and heroycall Emperour he sayd no thou traitour for neither thy strength nor thy Gods nor thy people shall deliuer thée but thou shalt die by my handes and therewith hée stroke at him the faster and with more courage but within a small time after he sawe descending from the Castell another mightie gyant and in his company more then fortie knights who with greate showting descended downe the hill the which beeing séene by the worthie Trebatio he was perswaded certainly that there hee shoulde dye And although he was somewhat wearie of y e great trauaile which had passed yet hée purposed to sell his lyfe verie déere determining that they should paie well for it before he lost it Then all they which descended from the Castell did compasse the Emperour rounde about and stroke him on euerie side without mercie or pittie whosoeuer had bene there to haue séene this worthie warriour should haue had iust occasion to saie that there was the valiant Emperour Trebatio the flower of all knighthoode for that he alone defended himselfe against his enimies in that great extremitie and if those gyants had not so pressed vpon him he had estéemed y e other knights verie little but it were the gyants that did most trouble and molest him neuerthelesse he that did come in the daunger of his blowes might thinke himselfe bewitched or to haue euill fortune for either he was slaine or else maimed or beaten downe to the grounde but yet all this valour that he vsed little profited him except hée did first procure to destroie these two diuellish Gyauntes who through their might brought him into great perplexitie making him sometimes to decline with his handes to the earth and at other times also to stagger heere and there And these shamelesse people by the importunate noise of their Lordes procured on euerie side to hurt and molest the Emperour and with the same noyse there descended from the Castell more then thrée score persons besides them that were there before But when the Emperour Trebatio sawe himselfe so euill intreated and beset on euery side round about he called vppon the name of God and desired him of pardon for all his sinnes and that he would haue mercie on his soule for that he thought verily there to end his life and therwith he encouraged himselfe a new and gathered such strength to his heart that what with the iust quarrell he had and the great anger he conceiued hee gaue vnto that Gyant who had called for succour such a terrible blowe vpon the wast that for all the greate force of his armour it had almost parted him in two péeces wherewith hée fell dead at his féet And at the verie same instaunt hée stroke one of the knightes such another blowe vpon the helme that he diuided both it and his head downe to the shoulders The other Gyant when he sawe such meruailous blowes began to exclaime out against Mars reuiling him that he had bestowed so much strength and force on one knight to declare such prowesse as there the Emperour shewed The rest of the knightes were somwhat afraide of that which they had séene done and durst not prease so nigh as before they did yet by reason of the great feare they had of the Gyant they did not let greatly to molest and trouble him and they preased vpon him in such wise that he waxed wearie so that his good heart and noble courage wold
himselfe with this â—oung Claridiano by the hande and sayd O good and bountiful king héere I do present thée a prâ—sâ—ntâ— y e greatest that euer was presenteâ— vnto any king 〈…〉 thée this childe looke vnto him as thou wouldest looke vnto thy owne person for you shal vnderstand that this is he that shall restore you into your kingdome and shall set you at lybertie from this subiection in the which you now are in and shall put me in my kingdome taking it out of that tyrantes handes who doeth now inioye it therefore O king doo not forget to doe this which I haue tolde thée for if wée dooe lacke or loose this remedie all the hope that wée haue in this the restoring of our kingdomes is lost The king which in the wordes of the Gyaunt had great confidence giuing vnto him great credite tooke the childe by the hand and set him vpâ—n his knée and kissing his faire face hée sayde Ah my good friend where hath béene séene a thing of so great beautie and of so fayre and perfect proportion it is not possible that amongest humane creatures shoulde be anie such but rather some of the Gods hath descended from aboue and hath ingendered him And héere I doe sweare by that which I doe owe vnto the deseruing of the mightie Apollo to haue him in possession and to intreate intertaine him as though he were my owne proper and naturall Lord and thinke my selfe in this dooing to be the most happiest king in all the worlde and thou my friend in the meane time procure to kéepe thy person from the most cruell dogge whome I dooe thinke is feared of the high throne of the supernal Gods one thing there is which onely doth gréeue me put me in greate feare which is that I would not we should bring vp so tender and faire a youngling as this childe is for to be a praye héereafter vnto so cruell and monstrous a beast as he Then the Gyant answered and sayd O king put thy selfe out of all doubt for hée shall not onelye abate the courage and furie of this great and sauage tyraunt but also in hearing him named all the countrie shall be in a feare quake trauaile therefore in no other thing but to bring him vp with all the maiestie that thou maist for thou shalt vnderstand that he is sonne vnto the most valiauntest Prince in all the worlde at which wordes the childe was in a great dumpe and blushed in such sorte that his face séemed to bée a Rubie so the Gyant tooke leaue of the king not without great sorrowe to a part himselfe from that young Prince The king tourned and gaue the childe againe to Formisa his Nurse vntill such time as he came to the bignesse and stature to exercise himselfe in learning and in feates of armes the which hée didde in so short time that it put them in great admiration that did teach him for that in lesse then the spare of thrée yeares he was so experte in both of them that they neuer hearde in times past of anie lyke vnto him Moreouer in speaking of all manner of languages hée was so perefect that it séemed how that all his lyfe time hée had béene brought vp in the place where eyther of all the languages were spoken His vnderstanding and pollycie was such in all manner of thinges that not onely the king but all others were perswaded that hée was the sonne of some of the Gods by reason whereof they did vse him with such reuerence as though hee hadde béene a thing sent vnto them front heauen And when he came to be twelue yeares olde hâ—e was of such greatnesse that hee seemed to bée twentie yeares olde his height was according vnto the mightinesse of his members which were excéeding well proportioned perticularly he shewed in his countenance a great grauâ—â—ie and sober disposition verie little talke but when hée spake it was with great discreation and his wordes verye well placed verie full of humilitie and if at anie time hée were angrie as verie seldome hée was it was in such sort that béeing blinded therewith he respected nothing The wise Artemidoro sayth that if this anger doeth procéede of base things it were a great vice and that it woulde ouershadowe and darken all other vertues that a man was indued withall but he sayth that it did not come vnto him but by too much force of the heart and that it was alwayes accompanied with reason which did nothing at all hurtâ— him but rather did the more exalt his déedes and if it did chaunce at anie time that hée were angrie in looking on them that were present he put them in greate feare Besides this hée was verye pittifull for that manye times hearing talke of anie terrible cruelties he woulde weepe for the compassion he had thereof The king which euerie daie did see his mightinesse and vertues more more increase thought himselfe verie happie to haue in his power so precious a iewell Manie other things I coulde tell you héere of the noblenesse of this Prince according as the wise Artemidoro doth discouer but the successe of his worthie father doth cause me to change my stile to tell you of his high and mightie deedes ¶ Of the great paine that the Prince did sustaine for the absence of his cosin and how he had battaile with a certaine knight that was verie dolorous through loue of all that which chaunced heerein Chap. 17. THE griefe was verie great which the Grecian Prince receiued for the sodaine absence of his cosin but he did comfort himselfe for that hée vnderstoode that the vessell was gouerned by the art of Lyrgandeo and perswaded himselfe that it was conuenient for that which should succéede and so dissembling his sorrowe in the best wise he could he went onwardes his voyage verie desirous to sée land purposing that if he went alande béeing on firme lande not as then to goe anie more to Sea and béeing still in this determination hee sailed forwardes two dayes The next daie following when that the Sunne had runne a greate parte of his course they sawe comming towardes them a greate Boate or Galley of which the winde with his blustering gale did fill theyr sayles and also it was roweâ— with foure Oares on a side and hadde the Sea lykewise fauourable vnto them and the Princes shippe lost her waie for that the winde was against her and therefore they stroke their sailes and made a staie intending to sée what was in the other Shippe drawing nigh them they hearde the sounde of a Harpe which made a meruailous sweete and pleasunt noise in the eares of all the hearers And beholding with good aduisement they sawe that within their boat they brought hanging at the mast an image which séemed to be of siluer of a meruailous great beautie with this title written thereon Floriana the daughter of the Duke of Cantabria Ladie of all the beautie of the
this vnhappie land the ofspring of that vnmercifull Trebatio graunt that I may establish in my heart so much anger that it may cause me to put from me the loue of that adulterous father Oh children born for a farther griefe héere I doo desire the mightie Gods that your beautie may haue so much force power that with the beames thereof you may take reuengement of the dishonour of your mother thou my daughter borne in the dishonor of thy generation by the losse of my virginitie â—éere I doo swere vnto y e celestial Iupiter y t thy beautie shal not be inioyed by any but by him y t shal giue thée in dowry the head of thy disloyal father y â— by it I may recouer part of my former glorie These other like wordes spake this afflicted quéene euen as she had sworne she put in practise publishing it through al her kingdome giuing information of the effect of her preteÌ„ded purpose sent messeÌ„gers into Africa Asia coÌ„cerning y â— same all which she did contrarie to the will of her subiects And because that they saw her so feruent in her anger wherto she was more prone by desire of reueâ—gement then vnto anie reason they did all determine to content themselues and shâ—e for to giue a better courage vnto them which knew her and vnto all such as woulde prosecute this enterprise shée gaue diuerse deuises so that they which did presume heerein were not fewe in number but verie many and right valiaunt knightes as héereafter I will declare vnto you So some there were which did offer themselues for the fairenesse of the mother before that her daughters beautie shoulde come to anie perfectnesse and other some for the loue of the daughter of which there were verie manie that lost theyr honours in Grecia and sundrie lost theyr liues and he which first did offer himselfe in this enterprise was the king of the Garamantes who by hearing reporte of her greate beautie was in loue with her And when he heard the message which was brought from the quéene by her Embassadours straight waie without giuing the quéene to vnderstand thereof hée went into Grecia trusting onely in his greate strength of whom when time serueth wée will speake And so it â—ell out that neither time nor anie other thing was sufficient to remooue from the Quéene this greate desire shée had to seeke reuengement but euerie daie her anger did more increase neither was the beautie of his children of so much force as to mollifie the furie of her stomacke although when they were at sixe yeares of age they were of so excellent beautie that the Tinacrians beléeued that they were the children of some of the Gods and not of anie humane creature their bodies and their beauties were so conformable for all they which did sée the young Prince would haue iudged him to haue double the yeares that he had and in his body and face he did so much resemble his brother the knight of the Son that it was a thing to be meruailed at Of the young princesse Lyrgandeo would not make anie description for that he said that whatsoeuer thing shoulde be spoken of her his pen were not sufficient to vtter the worthinesse of her beautie so this quéene was euer firme in this her thought for to giue them better to vnderstand she commaunded to renue the signes tokens and more that they should carrie her picture into all parts the which was the occasion that the court of y e quéene of Tinacria was meruailously increased in honour with so many Princes and knights which repaired thether to sée this Damsell When the queene sawe that her kingdome was so honourably nobled more then at other times she commaunded that vpon the gates of her royall pallace should be placed a title which was conteined in these words following Attempt not anie either Prince or king Within Tinacria Court his loue to shew Except that he doo first in dowrie bring Trebatios head our most detested foe The faithlesse father of this Damsell braue That restlesse griefe to me her mother gaue And when all this was finished she straight way dispatched a messenger to Grecia with a letter vnto the Emperour the which she sent by a damsel that was verie trustie one y t she loued well whereas now I will leaue them till time doo serue for to tell you of the knight of the Sun But first for y t it is necessarie to this our historie we will declare what Brufaldoro said when he knew of the death of Bramarando his brother king of Mauritania who béeing certified by them y â— escaped aliue out of the hands of the Tinacrians and wer verie sorrowful for the losse of their Lord and king and landing in their owne countrie they went and carried the newes vnto Brufaldoro the which when he heard he felt in himselfe so great paine sorrow that in a sound he leaned himself vnto a chaire because he would not fall he was so farre beside himselfe in which trance he did not long indure but came againe to his remembraunce and wish a terrible and fearefull voice he sayde Is it of truth that my brother is dead and the messengers aunswered and sayde that it was too true Oh traitours aunswered this fierce young man how durst you come before me except first you had taken reuengement of his death Then they aunswered and sayd He y â— did kill him is not a man so soone to take reuengement of for that after that we were cléere of his diuellish furie it was tolde vs that he was a christian and the Emperour of Grecia called Trebatio Oh vile people aunswered the Pagan yet will you replie against my words get you out of my sight if it were not but that I am letted for lacke of the order of knighthood I would with my owne handes teare you all to péeces Oh false Mahomet thou lyar periured without all faith is this the honour that my brother should haue out of Tinacria to be abated and slaine by one alone christian and in saying these wordes he entered into a chamber where he had the Image of Mahomet all of golde with twelue Angells on both sides this youth tooke a heauie club and with both his handes he stroke this poore God such a blowe vpon the head that he made him to fal to the ground and not resting with this he tourned against them that bare him companie stroke on them so many blowes that in a thousand péeces he made them fall to the ground and sayde O thou false traitour heere wil I giue thée thy paiment and reward for that which thou hast done vnto my beloued brother Héere I doo forsake and denie thée and all them that do beléeue in thée for that I wil neither beléeue in thée nor serue thee but if I did knowe the waie vnto the place where as the diuell hath thée I woulde
another way which did crosse ouerthwart the same way in which he was And studying with himselfe which waye to take it was tolde him that it was the waye which led strayght vnto Paris of y â— which he was very ioyfull and remained a while thinking which way he might take for to finde Tefereo And beeing in this muse he heard towards his right side a great rushing of armour and armed Knights and casting his head on the one side he saw that there was about a ten knights which came running towards him with their speares very low calling him traytor as soone as the Knight of the Sunne saw them he put downe the visor of his helme and layd hand on his sword and at the same time he beheld on the other side as many moe Knights armed which made towards him as the other did In the ende he was compassed rounde about on euery side with fortie Knights which all cried out saying kill the traytor let the traytor dye of the which the Prince did greatly meruayle So altogether they set vpon him and ranne at him with their speares and stroke him all at once yet for all that he mooued no more in his saddle then if they had made their incounter against a strong Tower but at the passing by he stroke one of them vpon the visour of his helme that he cut halfe his head a sunder and he fell dead to the ground All the rest retourned with their horses against the Prince some with their swords in their hands and other some whose speares remayned whole ranne at him againe what on the one side and what on the other they made a very fierce and strong incounter as of those which were the whole choyce of them that were in the Citie onelye to kill him When the Prince sawe himselfe so inclosed on euerye side his wrath and anger began to kindle in him insomuch that he tooke his sword fast in his hand stroke such blowes that whosoeuer he chaunced to hitte was either slayne or maymed At this present time arriued in those partes at the Sea side as I haue tolde you Brufaldoro and this was the battayle wherein he sawe so many Knightes against one onely Knight This Moore did stande and beholde them and was verye much amazed to see the power of one Knight who brought so many as they were into such great distres which made them to repent and were verie sorrie that euer they began that enterprise but by reason that they were all chosen knightes they would not but assault him verie fiercely which was the occasion of their farther harme destruction for that the Princes ire did so much increase that it caused him to double his blowes in such sorte that some he killed out right and some he wounded that in a small time he left not one vpon his horse but all brought vnto the state that they could make no resistaunce and when the Prince â—awe himselfe at more libertie he demaunded what was the occasion of this so sodaine conflict so one of those knightes which was verie sore hurt tolde him how that they were knights belonging to the Earle of Prouince which laye in waite for him to be reuenged of the death of his sonne for y t the whole circumstance of the battaile came vnto his knowledge So the Prince left them and woulde not speake anye word more vnto them but his intent was to get him out of the Countrie for that he well vnderstood that neither he nor Tefereo should haue anie good intertainment at their hands and when he would haue departed there came vnto him Brufaldoro and did salute him verie curteously the Prince did returne him his salutation and had a great pleasure to beholde his good grace and gentilitie So the Mauritanian began first to speake and sayd Gentle and valiant knight the first boone or gift that euer I did demaund since the time that I was borne is this that I will aske of thée and the occasion which doeth driue me to aske it is constrained by the great valour and prowesse which I haue seene in thée sure it is an easie thing on thy part to be fulfilled and therefore I doo desire thée to graunt me my request The heroycall Grecian which had his eyes fixed vpon him with great pleasure that he receiued at his gentle disposition answered As yet I neuer denyed anie thing that was demaunded of mée being iustly demaunded and in a iust cause neither had I anie respect whether it be easie to be done or difficult therfore geÌ„tle knight aske whatsoeuer pleseth thée for if it stand with iustice and reason that I may graunt it thée I doe promise thée to accoÌ„plish it in very ample manner not onely oâ—e boon but so many as thou wilt aske of me That which I wil aske thée said y e pagan is not to put thy person in any periâ— no nor y t thou shalt mooue thy horse one foot out of the place where he standeth but that thou wilt with thy valiant hand giue me y e order of Knighthood arme me knight the which thou maist doo without any doubt or sâ—rupulositie For heere I doo sweare vnto thée by my mightie thoughts that I am a crowned King This noble Greeke did accept his demand and asked of him if that he had watched his armour The Moore aunswered I suppose I haue watched them inough for that it is now eighteene dayes since I haue hadde them continually on my backe And for me there needeth no ceremonyes for that I am no Christian neither Pagan nor Moore nor Iewe nor Gentile neither doo I worship nor beléeue in God For that the God of the Christians I take him for my enimie and as for Mahomet I knowe he is little worth and can doo lesse and the Gentiles haue for their Gods stockes and stones and as for the Iewes I hate theÌ„ as base and vile people Therefore I doo neither worshippe the one nor beléeue in the other but onely follow my own proper appetite The Knight of the sunne could not refrain from laughter at his words in séeing him to be a man of so much libertie and aunswered him saying By God King I doo sweare vnto thée that I haue séene fewe or none of thy Religion but whatsoeuer thou art I will héere accomplish thy desire and request Then the Prince asked him Wilt thou be a Knight The King aunswered This I doo desire and séeke no other thing and putting on his right spurre he kissed him on the chéeke in token of honour and taking a rich sword which a page of his carried with him hée stroke him a blowe with it vpon his shoulder and putting of it vp againe into his sheath he hung it about his necke sayd Now King thy desire is fulfilled for y t thou art a Knight With great good reason may it be sayd that in the fields of Prouince was giuen the order of Knighthood vnto the most
you haue heard This good king neuer ceased in giuing thanks vnto the Emperour for the great curtesie which hee receiued at his hands and there they gaue order that all the whole camp should returne vnto their owne countrie for that which they came for was concluded and that their departure shuld be in such sort y t the people shuld not do anie harme y t which was straight waie accomplished they appointed for king ouer that countrie a valiant knight of whom we will intreate in the third part of this historie So all the people of the king of Cimarra without giuing anie occasion of anger or harme by the waie which they went came vnto the place whereas they left all their fléete of ships and there they imbarked themselues and committed theyr Sailes vnto the winde which they founde fauourable and prosperous and brought them quickly vnto Cimarra whereas the king did detaine them fifteene dayes although they were vnwilling At the end whereof they determined to depart their way towards Grecia and comaunded to fraight a very faire ship so taking their leaue and shipping themselues they had a pleasaunt and peaceable winde which brought them vnto the hauen Pireo in Grecia whereas they went all a shoare and all of them tooke horse sauing the great Gyaunt who trauailed on foote so they tooke their way towards Constantinople And when they came within two miles of it nigh vnto a great house of pleasure whereas the Empresse was at that time In the middest of the waye they sawe two knights which were in a very great and well foughten battaile Whereas we will leaue them for to tell you what the Morisco King of Mauritania did in the place whereas wée lefte him ¶ How that the two Empresses went for to recreate themselues vnto a house of pleasure and what happened vnto them in that iourney And howe the King of Mauritania found them in their pastimes and knowing who they were he would haue laide hold vpon the Empres Briana Cap. 27. BEfore in the historie if you doo remember the fierce Moore Brufaldoro came vnto the place whereas a companye of Ladyes and damsells were whereas he stayed to looke and beholde them and with them wer sitting knights of a good disposition and well proportioned At which time as we began to intreate of them I did not tell you who they were but now you shall vnderstand that they were the two Empresses of Constantinople and Trapisond who were come vnto that house of pleasure for to recreate themselues which was verye nigh vnto a faire village And the occasion of this theyr going foorth was the great estéemed Quéene of Lira of whom till now our historie hath made no mention nor of hir surpassing excellencies but hath referred them till time did serue Shée béeing manye times with the Empresse Claridiana heard her teil of some feates of knighthoode that had passed by her the which the Quéene with great contentment gaue eare vnto imagining within her selfe to be of as good disposition and haue as much strength as she yea and rather more and knowing that her strength was much she purposed verye secretlye to proue her selfe and taking this place whether as they went to recreate themselues to be very fit for to performe her will with all secrecie in the worlde she commaunded that her armour which Lirgandeo had presented vnto her should be carried thether which was fulfilled and done by the damosells for that they all had a great delight to pleasure and serue her she was of them so welbeloued and her excellent vertues deserued no lesse So when they were come vnto the house of pleasure she went foorthe to recreate her selfe with two Ladyes towards a fountaine somewhat out of the waye whereas the Empres her Ladyes were set downe And for that the Empresse Claridiana did vnderstand whether by her owne imagination or that Lirgandeo had aduised her that in such place commonly doeth fall out some aduentures she commaunded to giue vnto her her armour which she caused to be brought vnto that house and whilest she was arming came the Moore Brufaldoro thether who séeing so faire a company had a great desire to knowe who they were and comming vnto a damsell which was thereby speaking with great courtesie hée sayd Damosell let me obtaine I pray you so much fauour at your hands that you will tell me who they be that are in this faire company This damsell séeing that with so great curtesie and good manners he did request her and being a knight of so good disposition she said Sir knight they be the Empresse of Grecia and her Ladies which are come to this place to recreate themselues and haue brought hether for their sauegard these well proportioned knights When the Moore vnderstood that there was the Empresse of Grecia there entred straight way many things in his imagination and many thoughts troubled his minde till such time as he dermined to doo that which I will tell you So with a determined purpose he came vnto the place wher as the Empresse was and without saying any worde hée tooke her vy the arme and with great strength lifte her vp till he had her on his saddle bowe before him and tourning his horse about he tooke his waye towards that place from whence he came with purpose to imbarke himselfe againe in that shippe in which he came thether and so to carrie her away but the noyse and shrikes of the Ladyes and Damosells were so pitifull and lowde that there came vnto them the knights that were dispersed abroad in the forrest and other places And when they came and saw all that had passed they altogether followed the Moore so fast as theyr horse could runne and in a short time they came for to take away his bootie so that whether he would or not he was driuen to let her goe for to defende himselfe from y e blowes which the knights layd on him who on the one side and on the other began to strike fiercely at him but he made no more reckoning of them then the huge and mightie Rocke doth of the troublesome waues of the seas beating against it continually Euen so were the blowes which the Gréeke knights stroke vpon the Pagan who séeing himselfe hindered of his purpose drew out his sword and stroke one of those knights such a blowe vpon the shoulder that he cut him downe to the girdle so that he fell downe dead to the ground and not content héerewith but began so to bestur himselfe that in a small time he seperated them all some slaine and some very sore hurt wounded In this â—ime that these knights were in their battaile the Empresse Claridiano was armed and set vpon a mightie strong horse and came with great yre and sayd Oh infernall Pagan what diuell was that which made thée so bolde with those vyle wicked hands to come and take holde of the Empresse and in saieng these words she
THE SECOND part of the Myrror of Knighthood CONTAINING TWO SEVErall Bookes wherein is intreated the valiant deedes of Armes of sundrie worthie Knightes verie delightfull to be read and nothing hurtfull to bee regarded ¶ NOW NEWLY TRANSLAted out of Spanish into our vulgar tongue by R.P. IMPRINTED AT London by Thomas Este. 1583. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull and my verie good friend Master Edward Cordele Esquire ARISTOTLE right Worshipfull being demaunded what benefite he had obtained by Philosophie answered This is my gaine that vncommaunded I can doo that I ought and auoide dooing that I should not For saith he the ignorant for feare of punishment abstaine from euill but the sapient can shunne the same of their own accord noting that studious exercise bringeth experience and maketh as well ciuill pollicie as martiall prowesse apparant For which cause there haue bene sundry in times past and some in this our present age that haue not onely penned with great labour the laudable workes of Antiquitie but also with as much trauaile haue imitated certaine olde writers by inuenting of histories no lesse profitable to repulse other hurtfull pastimes then pleasaunt to passe away the tediousnes of time Amongst the number of which late workes there chanced about a three yeares since to come into my handes the first part of a Spanish translation intituled The Mirrour of Knighthood which beeing published was so accepted that I was importuned by sundry Gentlemen my very friendes to procure the translation of the seconde part whereto partly to accomplish their desires and partly for the vulgar delight of all I condiscended And finding this Spaniard adorned with all good exercises which pertained to the exalting of vertue and the extinguishing of vice I laboured as much as in mee laye to finde an English Patrone of conformable qualitie whose countenaunce might as well preferre him with the curteous 〈◊〉 protect him among the enuious But I had not long bethought me when the consideration of your worships courtesie with the good reporte of your vertue expelled that doubt and incouraged me to present you with this worke Beseeching you to accept in good part this poore present at the handes of him which wisheth to you long life with the continuall increase of vertue prosperitie and health and after this life endlesse felicitie Your Worships most assured T. E. To the Reader GEntle Reader I haue héere published the second part of the Myrrour of Knighthoode to the end that I might both satisfie thy desire and yeelde vnto thée the delight that by reading thereof thou mayst receiue About the veritie of the historie I will not contend neither would I wish thée to bée more curious to inquire then thou wouldest be desirous to â—ift the truth of each transmutation in the Metamorphosis of Ouid or â—uerie tale in the works of Aesope but to consider that as the one by the transformation of reasonable creatures into sundrie brutishe shapes shadowed the deformitie of their wicked liues and the other by the manner of his beastes figured the behâ—uiour of all the estates of men wishing a reformation of the â—uill and a confirmation of the good So our Author hath pleasantly compiled this present worke as well to animate these that are by nature forward vnto the exercise of armes for to exalt their fame as also to prouoke them that haue hetherto slept in the bedde of securitie to shunne their wonted sloth with desire rather honourablie to loose their liues in the defence of equitie then shamefully to liue with perpetuall infamie And whereas there are some so stoycall to contemne the reading of historyes alleadging that their vaine delight withdrawe manie from other vertuous studies I answere that in anie matter where vice is reprehended vertue is no waie hindered and although I must néedes confesse that the learned workes of the liberall sciences are principallye to be preferred so it cannot be denyed but that the pleasaunt stile of a well penned historie is as it were a wheâ—stone to the minde being almost dulled with continuall studie and albeit there shall peraduenture want the like grace of eloquence in the translation as is requisite yet I doubt not but the varietie of the matter shall make a sufficient recompence Moreouer curteous Reader I request thée to note that whereas the beginning of this part followeth not consequently vpon the same booke which was published in the name of the first part it is not to be imputed to any errour committed in the translation of this second part for that it is verely the selfe same that beareth the title of the second part in the Spanish tongue but the booke that lacketh is the seconde booke of the first part which with as much spéede as may be shall be ioyned therevnto In the meane time accept this in good parte which I now present wherein thou shalt finde the strange and wonderfull prowesse of the worthy Trebatio and his sonnes nephewes kinsmen and sundry other couragious knights mixed with many lamentable and sorrowfull histories together with the redresse of the wronged innocents And so I ende committing this my labour to thy curteous consideration and thy selfe to the Almighties tuition Thine T.E. ¶ THE FIRST BOOKE of the second part of the Mirrour of Knighthood wherein is intreated the valiant deedes of armes of many worthie Knights ¶ THE CRVELL BATtaile which past betweene the Knight of the Sunne and the fierce Gyant Bramaraunt in which bickering the Gyant perceiuing he must needs haue the worst murthered himselfe CAP. I. WHEN THE GLITTERING armour of Aeneas of Troie was at the request of his Mother Venus forged in Vulcan his shoppe the well sâ—eeled hammeâ—s did not temper and beate it with greaâ—er 〈◊〉 â—hen the heroicall sonne of Trebatio 〈◊〉 the stouâ— Pagan Bramarant through the middest of the Grecian woods did with his 〈…〉 blowes vpon his armour mangling by little and 〈◊〉 his strong and lustie bodie so much the more their choler increased as the combat did indure betwéene them There were present at this bickering the renoumed Emperour Trebatio Alicandro the king of Hungarie and his Grandfather with manie other puissaunt Princes and greate Lordes who with no small admiration did beholde â—he exceeding fiercenesse with which they let driue their blowes the one at the other which did resound an Eckoe in the aire and yéelded a terrible noise in the woodes This battaile did continue betwéene theÌ„ y e space of two long houres and albeit it was fierce and sharpe the valour of the incensed knight of the Sunne preuailed not to abate or exstinguish the rage of the Pagan much lesse could the force of the Tartarian quaile in anie sort the courage of the princely Grecian The skirmish being hot and the redoubted son of Trebatio perceiuing that it indured very long without certaintie who had the better héerevpon béeing greatly inflamed with furie lifted vp his peisant club aboue his head did discharge it vpon the pagan his left
for that time giuing them to vnderstande that I was disposed to sleepe which courtesie they presentlye graunted me Nowe Cousin and worthie Prince of Greece you maye gesse what discontented thoughts what bitter imaginations what sodayne alterations of minde and what sundrie sorrowes I masked in beeing hemmed in betwéene dispaire and death I know not I assure you what humane or earthly bodie were able to sustaine so manye tortures or so often rakings as my oppressed minde did hauing not anie helping carde in my hande nor anie hope that my Fortune woulde prooue better In this perplexitie at midnight I arose vp and apparelled my selfe putting on my armour the which I thinke you haue séene Amongest these thicke bushes I caused a Lackie to make readie my horse with as much secrecie as might bée and taking my horse I departed out of the pallace without â—arrieng or resting in anie place a moment but with continuall sighs and sorrows in the end of eight daies I attained vnto this place where you finde me and perceiuing it to be so proper and conuenient to shed my complaints in I vnbrideled my horse in this wilde fieldes and determined with my selfe héere to ende my dayes wher I haue remained this two yeares demeaning this sorrowfull life wherein you sée me now nourishing my selfe with such fruites as this wildernesse doth â—éelde And somtimes the shepheards that come hether to shrowd themselues from the Sunnes parching heate doo fauourably bestow some pittance on me and kéepe me companie according to their leasure Thus haue I vnfolded vnto you most excellent prince the beginning not the ending of all my sorowes sée I beséech you if you can call to minde any remedie that may stay the rankling of my disease which hath continued so long and wasted me to the very heart Unneth had he rehearsed these wordes but his senses began to faile he was so ouercome with sorrow in rehearsing the tale ¶ How the Grecian Knight perswaded his vnckle the Prince of Dacia to accompanie him leaue that sorrowfull and desolate life and of that which after happened to him Chapter 5. THE ioye that the Princely Knight of the Sunne receiued in finding his Cousin in the pinch where some comforte woulde doo him good can hardly be héere expressed especially for that he knewe him to bée the sonne of the King of Dacia his Unckle of whome till nowe no mention is made in the booke before because of the long sicknesse that the King sustained and therefore was his name concealed and his valour clowded by meanes of his misfortune albeit in truth the heroycall déedes of his sonne did almost equall his auncestours in euerie degrée as shall be said héerafter And as I said before The Prince of Dacia remained in a traunce imbraced betweene the armes of the knight of the Sunne by reason of the wordes that he spake yet in the ende he wrought such meanes that he reuiued againe promising him that if anye thing did lye within the compasse of his power which might bannish his sorrowes he shoulde finde him readie to performe it and he would rather die then see him linger his life without anie sparke of comfort This great kindnesse was friendly receiued by the Dacian Prince and after many cogitations he thought it most conuenient to returne to his Countrie and also it seemed him best for his most safetie to cut the seas for beeing vnprouided of a horse he might fall into some daunger beeing strongly encountered Wherevppon without more tarriaunce the Prince armed himselfe with his guilt armour and girded his swoord close vnto him and mounted behinde the Prince and so going where Fortune would guide them and where the horse made choice of the waie in the end after a little space they came to the shoare of the sea where they found a straight and narrowe path hard by the same which seemed to them the direct passage to finde some hauen where they might trauailing imbarke themselues and in this manner as I haue told you they saw comming towards them in the sea a faire barke well rigged and trimmed wherin they saw no pilot to gouerne it but it made directly toward the place which when the two Princes sawe it came so néere the lande they alighted and drawing more néere there lanched forth a Gentlewoman all alone in a mild kinde of spéech she spake and sayde vnto them Noble Princes the wise Lyrgandeo which at this present is resident in Constantinople commendeth himselfe vnto you both and by me hath sent you this faire barke which with his art shall bring you where he hath extreame néede of your valour and farther he praieth you not to stand in suspition of that which I saie vnto you for y e truth is he hath great occasion to put in proofe your soueraign knighthood The knight of the Sun his heart throbbed with ioye to heare the newes which the Gentlewoman tolde him and especially for that it shoulde be his good Fortune to doo him pleasure which loued him so tenderly and had done so much for him in his childhood and héerewithall the Dacian Prince leapt into the bark and after him his noble cousin leading Cornerino by the bridle and tourning vnto the Gentlewoman he saide vnto her on this wise I am assured that mine olde and approued friende the wise Lyrgandeo doth fauour me so greatlye that he will not sée me staide for lacke of a shippe either to pleasure my selfe or to doe him a good turne The Gentlewoman hauing done great reuerence tourned her spéech to Don Eleno and sayd to him Ualiaunt and amorous Knight Lyrgandeo kisseth your royall hands and willed me to tell you that your captiued heart somewhat lately amended shall in the end bée throughly helped to your no lesse comfort then great ioy and because your present estate is sorrowful and fraughted with griefe he sendeth you this armour which is aunswerable to your mourning minde wrought with a Metaphore which declareth your passions alreadie passed and saying this shée tooke the trunke wherein the armour was laide albeit the Prince made hast to giue the Gentlewoman thankes shée was so nimble in vanishing awaie that his thankes came too short whereat he was more abashed then before The Knight of the Sunne tying his horse in one part of the vessell sawe standing by him another more beautifull the which he knew presently the Gentlewoman had brought for his cousin and making toward him to sée what armour the wise man had sent him béeing laide abroad sawe them wrought all with one worke LL and the shéeld was of strong and fine stéele the field blacke and therin was set a groue so liuely as there appeared to be nothing but trées and lykewise there was wrought in it many fine inuentions which did testifie to be the artificiall worke of the wise Lyrgandeo And in the middest amongest those trées there was a fayre Lady shaddowed apparelled in a straunge attire in her countenaunce
for that they did so trouble him In this time Zoilo had somewhat recouered his strength and was well eased of his wearynesse and séeing the valiauntnesse of his defender he went towards y e place where he was skirmishing with his sword in both his handes he beganne to make greate destruction amongst his enimies that the slaughter was so great and their enimies not able to make anie resistaunce but like miserable people determined rather to submit themselues to y e mercie of that newe come knight then to the force of theyr owne armes and falling all downe at the feete of Rosicleer they craued pardon of him for theyr offence and mercie for their liues the which he straight waye graunted and sayde It is great curtesie yea and no little charitie shewed toward the euill man in punishing him if that he pretende to goe forwardes and perseuer in his naughtie lyfe Neuerthelesse if you will promise me that from this daâ—e forwardes you will amend your liues and leaue this naughtinesse that you shall not alonely finde in me this which you doo aske but also true and perfect friendshippe at all times and in all things that you haue néede of to the which they did all willinglye sweare they woulde performe This béeing finished the Prince and the Tartarian embraced one another with great loue and friendshippe and Rosicleer asked of the Tartarian what was the occasion that brought him into so great perill and daunger of death The Tartarian sayde that by force of an aduenture he departed the Emperours Court but he did not declare the effect and how comming in that small shippe hée was taken with those rouers who brought him into that greate distresse that he had found him in Then Rosicleer againe threw his armes about his necke and with great loue he sayd Fortune dealt but frowardly to bring thée out of Constantinople in such a time for to leade thée vnto this perill and so beganne to tell him of all that he had passed in the Countrie of Greece And when he heard him name the Ladie Tetigliasa he shaked like the leaues of a trée and sayde Oh for Gods sake my Lorde let not my cares heare the name of that thing which my heart dooth so much abhorre and detest For heare I dooe sweare vnto thée that liuing I will burie my selfe in this Sea rather then to abide that speech At the which wordes the Prince was verie sore troubled but a certaine aduenture which chaunced him at that verie same time caused him to forgette this his troubled minde ¶ How the king of Tire gaue an assault to robbe the shippe where the Prince was and how the same king was ouercome Chap. 10. SOdeinly amongest the knightes of those rouers that had escaped from the handes of the Prince there arose a greate tumult and showting with terrible shrikes calling vppon their Gods for aide and succour and the Marriners in greate hast beganne to vngrapple and loose their shippes the one from the other and with as great hast as they coulde they hoised vp their sailes for to flye awaie and escape from the perill which they behelde verie néere at hande But when Rosicleer sawe this tumulteous crie with a verie angrie voyce he sayde What noyse is this amongest you captiue people What sodaine feare is this that is come vppon you that with so great hast you prepare your selues to runne awaye Lorde aunswered one of them greate reason wée haue to make all this hast which wée dooe for you shall vnderstand that there approcheth nigh vnto vs either dreadfull death or cruell imprisonment This noble and valyaunt Prince looked about on euerie side to sée what the occasion shoulde bée that shoulde cause them to worke this fact and straight wayes he discouered a verie faire and rich Gallie which came towardes the place where as they abode with theyr Sayles alofte and a prosperous winde so that the Gallie in a manner séemed to flye vppon the water Rosicleer without anie alteration asked them saieng Tell mée who is it that commeth in yonder Gallie that hath put you in so much feare Ualyaunt Knight sayde they there commeth in yonder Gallie the king of Tire a mightie and strong gyant being a rouer we are not able fullie to certifie you of his great strength and deformitie but of this wée are assured y t the verie Gods in heauen doo feare him his life custome is to rob all that euer he doth meete and if it so fall out that anie doe make resistaunce against him he straight commaundeth them to the point of the swoord with extreme crueltie so heere gentle knight iudge whether we haue cause or not to doo our indeauour for to auoide this great daunger The Prince hearing all this which they of the ship told him began to make himselfe readie to the battaile and laced on his helme and put all thinges in verie good order and when that all was readie he sayde vnto them that were with him O you people of little courage small strength I sée well you are all base minded and that there is no hardinesse in you but onely for vile matters get you downe and hide you in the pumpe of the shippe for I will not consent that anie of you shall runne awaie neither shal your cries excuse me of this battaile and so with a lowde voice he commaunded to beare vp the helme that the ship might runne right vpon the Gallie The Tartarian séeing that they pretended to giue the enterprise commaunded those that were with him straight waies to put his vessell in verie good order of the which it had greate néede so with as great hast and swiftnesse of saile as was possible they procured that the Shippe and Gallie might ioyne both together and in verie short time they were come so nigh each to other that anie man might well discouer and perceiue all that was in the Gallie of their aduersarie This valiaunt and worthie Rosicleer sawe the greate Gyaunt where hée sate in the middest of the poope of the Gallie in a Chaire where they verie plainely sawe his countenaunce was so terrible and his bodie so greate that all those which were present with Rosicleer were afraide to beholde him And when the Gyaunt vnderstoode that those which were in the ship would not alonely defend themselues but also offend their enimies his rage was such that in great hast he arose and with a mightie voice he called for his armour vttering these words O you people most vnfortunate froÌ„ whence hath come this hardinesse vnto you to offend the King of Tyre vnderstanding and knowing that I am not onely feared of men but also the Gods in the high heauens doo tremble at my name and desire to haue my friendship Then Rosicleer aunswered and sayd Make thy reckoning that thou hast sayd euen as much as nothing for of my selfe I speake that I am none of the Gods thou namest neither know I thée by
the name thou tellest nor yet doo I desire thy friendship nor any others that practiseth the like workes as thou dost neither doo I estéeme thy threatnings nor yet thy furious couÌ„tenance neither can thy great body put me in any feare And with this he commaunded the marriners to grapple the shippe Galley together very strongly Which when this fierce King sawe with great anger he arose out of his chaire and not tarrying to lace on his helme would haue entered into the shippe but Rosicleer perceiuing his pretence thruste him with so great force with both his hands vpon the brest that he made him to fall backwardes into his owne galley and sayd Stand backe thou infernall creature take thée to thy armor what doost thou thinke y t thou méetest with such as thou art wont to doo to feare them with thy diuelish countenaunce Thou shalt haue neede both of armour and hands for to delyuer thee from the punishment of the iust Iudge whose reward shal now be executed vpon thée for thy vniust workes and cruell customes wherein thou hast long continued There was neuer séene amongst sauage beastes so much anger as at this instaunce appeared in the Giant and with the madnesse of his heart he drewe out his mightie heauie sworde wherewith he woulde haue stroken Rosicleer but this valiant Knight with great discâ—etion stepped on the one side so that his blowe was discharged in vaine onelye it stroke vpon the side of the shippe and it fell with suche great strength that it cut the shippe downe euen with the galley This noble Gréeke was nothing at all idle but hauing his rare and precious Sworde which Queene Iulia had sent him in his hande hée stroke a terrible and fierce blow at the Gyauntes face but by reason he was so farre off he coulde not reach it but that the point of his sharpe Swoorde onelye passed through his chéekes but if he coulde haue comprehended more of his head with that blowe he had made an end of the battayle This furious Gyaunt when hée sawe his bloud before him he gaue a terrible groane and therewith tooke his broade swoorde in both his handes and with blaspheming and cursing his Gods hée lyft it vp for to strike this valiaunt Gréeke who séeing it to descende determined not to receiue so doubtfull a blow but with great and singular wisedome deliuered himselfe from it The blowe was such that if it had not doubled in the maine sayle which somewhat disturbed it it had béene sufficient to haue diuided the Shippe in péeces This valyaunt and martiall Prince which with greate discreation and aduisement sustayned this battaile had alwayes a verye good eye to the Gyaunt who for to vnloose his Swoorde where it was fast in the Shippe was inforced to put his lefte hande to holde fast by the shippe side whereat Rosicleer stroke with such furie that the Gyants hand remained fast to the Shippes side diuided from the arme But when this terrible and fierce Gyaunt sawe himselfe lame and that he had cleane lost his lefte hand hée began a newe to curse and blaspheme his Gods and procured to hurt this Gréeke by all meanes possible that hée coulde inuent but he prouided so to the contrarie that not one blowe which the Gyaunt stroke should eyther touch or hurt him in such sort that at last when this furious outragious diuel striuing to strike this Gréeke Knight was driuen to ballaunce his bodie thereby to reache at him this Knight let passe the same blowe euen as hée did all the rest of his blowes and in passing by hee gaue him such a cruell blowe vppon the right arme that he cut it off almost by the elbowe And when this miserable king sawe himselfe without hands he gaue a great crye and rored like a furious bull and therewith he clasped himselfe to the mâ—ste of the galley and with great case he pulled it out of his place and in an infernall rage he woulde haue entered into the shippe but Rosicleer with his handes once againe thrust him on the breast in such wise that he was constrained to fall downe vpon the side of the galley and by reason of his hugenesse great waight he lyghted with the one halfe of his body ouer boord and because he had not his hands he could not helpe himselfe but tumbled with his head forwards into the déepe and wide Sea wherein béeing drenched he finished his miserable and vnhappie dayes Then those which were of his Gallie séeing this his wretched ende and fearing theyr owne misfortune in a meruailous greate hast vngrappeled the Shippe which was done with such spéede that when Rosicleer remembred himselfe he had no time to offende them nor to doo them anie more harme Then those which were in his Shippe and had behelde this short and victorious battaile beganne a new to fall downe at his féet and most humblie craued pardon for their former feare Then the Prince turned towards the Tartarian who all the time of this conflict was beholding his excellent and mightie strength and much meruailed at that which he had séene and asked of him what he hadde determined to dooe And the Tartarian aunswered that he would in no wise depart from his commaundement and béeing in talke they vpon a sodaine sawe two shippes which séemed vnto them that they were in a great fight These Princes were meruailous desirous to be with them to vnderstand what they were So this valyaunt Greeke tourning to the Tartarian he said Prince of Tartaria followe mée and in greate hast he leaped into his Boate and he was no sooner entered therein but that it beganne to make waie lyke a Thunder-bolt in the ayre so that it séemed sparkes of fire flew out of the water in such sort that the Tartarian hadde no time to followe him but by reason of the swiftnesse he had quicklye lost the sight of him So for that it is requisite let vs leaue this Tartarian who was very sorowfull béeing lefte alone and commaunded the marrineers to make waye with his ship towardes the other two that were a fighting So this valiaunt Rosicleer sayled on in his inchaunted boate not without greate sorrowe for that vpon a sodaine he had lost his perfect friend neuerthelesse for that he did vnderstand that he was carried to conclude the things that were more for his contentment he was driuen to comfort himselfe with that which most he loued So with these great thoughtes he sailed two dayes without any aduenture worthy the telling But the thirde daye very early in the morning at such time as Appollo shewed abroad his glistering beames they discouered lande whether the barke with terrible furie made waye and it séemed vnto him to be a very small Iland where they arriued neuerthelesse by the prospect of the riuers it appeared to be a place of great delyght and full of meddowes and other gréene fieldes So by the resting of this barke a grounde Rosicleer
than hir selfe Thus his craftie and subtill perswasions so much preuayled by reason of the humilitie and loue he shewed in his wordes that I coulde not frame any excuse to the contrary he was so importunate but must néeds consent vnto his demaund O immortall Gods that in so secret wise ye made the heart of man that you onely can comprehende the good and euill that is hid in it Who would haue thought much lesse haue beleeued that this traiterous King by his swéete wordes and subtill speaches would haue robbed me of my onely daughter So straight waye when he had in his power y t which his soule so much desired he would not make any delay of his departure giuing me to vnderstande that he would not let any time but carrie hir vnto his wife for whose sight so much she had desired and at whose comming she would receiue great ioy contentment But what sorrow did I then féele nothing thinking of that which shoulde happen for that my heart was ignoraunt of the knowledge thereof but to see hir depart from me for whose absence my heart remained in so great sorrowe and heauinesse giuing to vnderstand by the outward showes by the teares that procéeded from my eyes the great paine and passion that the lacke thereof wold shortly procure in this sorrowfull sort I was forced almost without any remembraunce to retourne vnto y e pallaice And they were not so soone entred into his ships but as one very gelous to keepe close his treason he commaunded straight to hoyse vp sayles and commit them vnto the winde and hauing too good and prosperous a weather in a very short time he arriued in his owne Countrie whereas two leagues from the Citie he was receiued of his subiects with great maiestie who brought with them both horse and Palfrayes néedfull for the companie So beeing all in a readinesse he commaunded that they should beginne to martch forward towards the Citie This false King still persisting in his euill determined purpose commaunded as I sayde that all the company should procéed forwards and he with my sorrowfull daughter Herea remained a good waye behinde And when he sawe his company so farre before and they two alone together he stepped on the one side and ledde the waye into a little groue which was hard at hande fast by a Riuers side He without any more tarrieng carried hir into the thickest part therof and as it appeared he was well acquainted in the same and where he thought it most conuenient he alighted off from his horse and willed my most welbeloued daughter that she shoulde likewise alyght Shée in whose heart raigned no kinde of suspition alyghted and saâ—e hir downe by the Riuers side and washed hir fayre white handes and refreshed hir mouth with the same water Then this dissembling traytor could not refrayne but by some outward showes and darke sentences gaue hyr to vnderstande the kindeled fire of loue with the which he was tormented and in the ende he did wholy declare his diuelish pretence and determined purpose towards hir So my louing daughter Herea being â—ore troubled with his importunate and continuall requests with great anger yet not without aduisement she began to reprehende him giuing him to vnderstand all that was needfull against so diuelish a pretence This vncleane King when he heard that so earnestly and contrary to his expectation she aunswered and would haue rose vp from the place whereas she sate helde hir fast by hir apparayle and would not suffer hir to arise but began with softe and milde wordes to perswade hir to be quiet and sayde O my best beloued Ladie wherefore wilt thou consent that for thy cause I shoulde dye mayst now very well without being discouered of any giue mee remedie for the same Be not then obstinate to denye mée that which with so great loue I doo desire of thee Who is heere that can beare witnesse of this my priuie desire and bolde enterprise neither discouer thy gentle liberalitie shewed me not one surely but onely the immortall Gods Understande this for a certaintie my swéete Ladye that the God Iupiter doth receiue more griefe in this my sorrowe then in the paine which thou dost suffer This deceiued damosell when she sawe that he held hir so fast with his trecherous hande that she could not deliuer hir selfe with furious anger she sayde Traytor doo not thou thinke that these thy lecherous words haue power to moue my hearte to graunt and fulfill these thy filthie diuelish and lasciuious thoughts for héere I doo sweare vnto thee by the high and soueraigne Gods that first I will permit suffer my body to bée torne in péeces then to open my eares vnto the hearing of so great treason Therefore false King let me alone and consider with thy selfe that I am sister vnto thy wife whome I sée well thou hast forgotten by reason of this thy insatiable dronkennesse and greedye desire of fitâ—hye lust Therefore if it please thée determine to let mee alone and defile me not or else to the contrarie bee fully perswaded of this that I will rather dye the death in my defence Then this cursed king séeing that this shalt Ladye did defend her selfe he tooke fast holde by her necke and said Doe not thou thinke O cruell Herea that thou canst delyuer thy selfe out of my handes except first thou graunt vnto this my desired will and if not I doo promise thée in payment of this great pride which thou doest vse vnto me to put thee vnto the most cruell â—eath that euer was deuised for anie Damosell or maiâ—e This distressed Ladie was nothing dismaide to heare that shée shoulde die but without all feare she aunswered Thinke not false traitour that the feare of death shall cause mee to yéeld to thy filthie desire The which béeing well vnderstoode by the king he sayde Understande then and bée well perswaded that either liuing or dead I will performe my will and pretended purpose which so without measure and with vnquenchable fire doth burne in my heart Thus with great strength she did defend her selfe and with a manly courage she kepte her honour but this cruell and lasciuious king séeing that he coulde not fulfill his euill desire in a greate madnesse he cut off a greate parte of the traine of her gowne and bound it verie fast to the haire of her head in such sort that with the great strength he put thereto and the tendernesse of the same together with his euill intreating all the greene grasse was sprinkeled with the bloud that issued out whereat he beléeued that she would haue ben quiet and haue consented vnto him but she respected not the euill intreating but the more he procured to torment her the more angrie she shewed her selfe against him with continuall deniall When this cruell traitour sawe that all woulde not serue he beganne to forget all faith and loyaltie he ought â—nto knighthoode and the respect
doo returne it vnto you againe for with it I hope to be restored into the Kingdome of Lira And whiles she was saieng these words he girte himselfe therewith againe Then the Prince sayd Faire Lady I haue this sword nowe in such estimation that I doo beléeue no Knight maye estéeme more thereof nor haue it in greater price neither will I chaunge it for anie thing in all the worlde and héere I doo giue you great thankes for this your curtesie and desire of God spéedely to giue me occasion that I may pay this great debt in the which I am indebted And for that I maye the better satisfie my desire I doo request of you to graunt me a boone which vppon my faith I doo promise you is the very first that euer I did demaund of Ladie and that I protest by the honour I owe vnto the order of Knighthoode Uerilie sayde the Qéenne and it shall be the first that euer I graunted vnto anie Knight And beléeue me it is vnto mee no small pleasure and contentment that this my first grant should be giuen vnto a knight of so noble valour as you are let it be therfore what it shall be I will graunt it vnto you And being resoning in this manner they were cut off from their talke by the comming of the Empresse Claridiana who brought leading by the hand the Lady Oliuia who came from her closet whereas being together they heard of the newes of the arriuall of the Prince If Rosicleer did receiue great pleasure when he did sée Oliuia vnto them that haue reason and discretion of vnderstanding I leaue y e consideration so likewise he did much meruaile at the great leannesse of Claridiana for the which he was very sorrye and with some reasons he did comfort her as one y t knewe all the secreat of her heart All the whole Court receiued great ioye and pleasure for the comming of the Prince and all the Knights and Gentlemen came to visite him And being dinner time they sate downe at the table and at the end of the dinner when that all was taken vp they did determine and thought it good that out of hande they would procure to giue battaile to the Gyaunts vsurpers of the kingdome of Lira and that the Quéene and the Dutchesse should remaine in the Court and with this conclusion they commaunded that for the next daye should be made readie all that should be necessarie for their iourney In the Court was made great lamentation and sorow for that the prince wold so soone depart leaue it without anie knight of estimation or accompt to be made of for that they were all departed in the Quest and séeking of their Lord and Emperour whereas I will leaue them And the Princes Rosicleer Brandimardo going onwards in theyr voyage left y e Empresse with the gouernment of her Empire and in her company the Empresse Claridiana and the Quéene of Lira and the Princesse Oliuia Where let them rest and now I will tell you of the successe of the two children of the great Alphebo ¶ How the two children of the great Alphebo were stolne away by the Giant Galtenor and what afterward did succeede of the same robbery Cap. 16. WIthin the wide and déepe sea towardes the parts of India where the people are gouerned vnder the Pole antarticke and whereas the furious waters with their great waues terrible noyse with violent force doo make hollowe and vndermine the rockes strong defence of the port Palato and the sumptuous citie of Sina are two very faire Ilands the one of them is called Trapona a very great Iland and plentifull of all things wherein raigned a knight of great fame called Delfo which was not farre off from the other Iland named Arguinaria being like wise very aboundant of all kinde of vittailes very strong and was gouerned by a Giaunt called Gedereon Brandembul a very fierce man His power and strength was such that he was not onely feared of them of the Iland but also of all other Kings and Knights borderers and confines vppon his Iland He was fifteene cubites in height and his face very furious and wilde and his strength surpassed the power of men And aboue all he was very cruell and had vsurped that land of another Giant who by lineall descent should haue had the gouernment whose name was called Galtenor This was he which in a Serpentine figure entered into the chamber of the Empresse Claridiana and stole away her two children for that he did knowe by his arte Magicke in the which he was very cunning and expert that he could not recouer his Iland but by meanes of the young sonne whereof the Empresse shuld be deliuered For which cause he did steale them away in the forme as I haue tolds you I say two young children newly borne Then this Galtenor hauing these two young infants in his power trauailed onwarde his iourney and ouerpassed all Greece hée came vnto the vttermost partes and confines of Armenia And approching vnto a Castle by reason that the infants were out of quiet with hunger he vsed the effect of his arte and did inchaunt all them that were within the Castle and depriued them of their wits sauing onely one Lady that was newly brought a bedde whose childe straight dyed to whome he did commende the two infants And as at that time this faire Lady was not sufficient to giue them both suck for lacke of milke he did by his arte likewise prouide a Liones which had newly whelped and a she Goat which did helpe her with their milke to the nourishing of these two infants This Lady for the refreshing of the Infants did aske license to vnswaddle them which being graunted vnto her she vnswaddeled the young infant out of his ritch clothes wherein he was and in making cleane of his little bodie wiâ—h a fine linnen cloth she sawe on his breast a very fierie speare at the which she was greatly amazed for this occasion they gaue him to name Claridiano of y e speare and the other infant they called Rosaluira So in this order as I haue told you wer these infants nourished two yeres with these their nourses and euerye daye more then other their excéeding fairenesse and beautie increased so that they seemed to be heauenly creatures This Gyant did determin not to depart from that place til such time as they came vnto age for that the countrey did lyke them very well So they were there sixe yeres without remoouing from thence to any other place in the which time these Infantes were so great of body that they séemed to be of a dossen yeres of age Claridiano was of a meruailous and faire beautie but the infant Rosaluira was without comparison more then anie humane creature Then Galtenor seeing that it was time to carrie them vnto Trapobana he caused by his art to bée brought a Chariot which was drawen by two great Griphons and therein
euer was inuented in the worlde and most shamefully imputed vnto that innocent Princesse and by the thirde you shall get to your selues greate honour which is the thing that all good and valyaunt knightes doeth procure and desire in this worlde The Knight of the Sunne aunswered Wée knowe well that these thrée are to bée estéemed therefore fayre Damsell for my selfe and for my companion I thus much say that we dooe offer our persons with the conditions aforesayd In the meane time y t he spake these words the damsell did behold him very much and it séemed vnto her y t he was of a great valour and séeing him of so good a proportion and so well armed she imagined in her minde that he should be the knight of the Sun by all likelyhoods according as she had heard talke and declared oâ—â—en times in the Court of the French king and was perswaded that it was none other as appeared by all tokens that she before had heard comforting her selfe with these new and ioyfull thoughts she desired them to alight from theyr horses and that if it pleased them to sit downe vnder a faire greene arbour which was there at hand she woulde declare vnto them the greatest treason that euer was inuented in the world to the which these knightes did condescend with a verie good will and béeing set downe amongst those gréene hearbes the Damsell with a verie dolorous complaint began and sayd Noble knights and Lords you shall vnderstand that you are in the kingdome of France vnto the king wherof it pleased God to giue a daughter of so great beautie fairenesse that it caused greate admiration vnto all them that behelde her the which fame was spread abroade which caused verie manie great and valerous knightes and Lordes of this and other kingdomes to repaire vnto the Court amongest them all there came one who was sonne vnto the Prince of Scotland and named Dalior a man of a verie good grace gentle disposition one indued with al feats of good knighthood Likewise there was another who was sonne vnto the duke of Guyan one of the greatest noble men that was in all Fraunce a strong and stout man and of great pride and by lignage of the most valyaunt and strongest knightes in the worldâ— called Lidiarte These two Princes had discord betwéene themselues did contend in the seruice of this faire lady Artalanda The great contentmeÌ„t the which they receiued and the great brauery they vsed in apparell in this their seruice I cannot héere expresse But this faire ladie did so gouerne her selfe with discreation who was indued with it as much as with hir beautie y t she made as though she vnderstood nothing of their desire although alwaies she had a better affection to the good will of the Prince of Scotland then to the loue of Lidiarte and for that loue doth not permit y t anie thing which appertaineth therevnto should bée kept secret this vnbeloued knight did apparantly perceiue it by which occasion the great griefe which he receiued abated his coâ—â—our and he waxed verie leane and his face became yelow and wan and did determine to chaunge his apparaile oâ— ioye and gladnesse and all pleasures and to apparell himselfe in such sort that she might well vnderstande his great sorowe and heauinesse And to the contrary Dalior did shew himselfe in his apparell the great contentment that he receiued for that he did perceiue that his Lady did showe him some fauour the which was vnto the young Earle the cause of great sorrow and griefe Then Loue who neuer resteth from finishing his effects but alwayes doth with great efficacie make perfect his workes did wound with firme and faithfull loue towards Lidiarte a damsell whose name was Tarfina being in the seruice of this beautifull Princesse before named who loued him so firmelye that this miserable Damosell could finde in her selfe no kinde of quietnes nor rest and most of all she now tormented her selfe for that she â—awe so sodaine a change in her louer This cruell paine did so much constraine hir y t she of necessitie was driuen to seeke all meanes pollicies to procure how she might at her ease talke with him and giue him to vnderstand with her own mouth all the paine and griefe that she did suffer and the onely cause thereof And putting this her determination in vre it chaunced on a daye as she might saye bitter and vnfortunate after dinner when the Table was taken vp she founde time conuenient to declare vnto him all that her heart desired for finding her louer leaning against a cupboord all alone shee came vnto him and saluted him with greate curtesie the Earle did receiue her with no lesse gentlenesse beléeuing for that she was a Damsell of his ladie the princesse that she had come from her of some message she seeing so good opportunitie spake vnto him in this manner Many times noble Lidiarte I haue bene mooued to demand of â—oâ— what thing it shuld be that hath so much strength and force which onely doth not cauâ—e you to chaunge your gorgeous braue apparell but also doth take away y e colour from your gentle face and in this manner weâ—ken all your members Where is now all your brauerie and contentment that you were wont to hauâ— discouer vnto me all your paine and griefe and the occasion of all this your sorrowe Noble Lord let me heere vnderstand of all and being knowen of this thy seruaunt I will procure the best and most assured remedies that may be for thy redresse conuenient Tell me Lidiarte if it be corporall griefe or whether it be a wound hurte by the cruell force of Cupides dart My louing Lord I doo desire you to declare vnto me the cause of all your sorrowe griefe and heere I doo protest and giue my faith to procure with all my power and strength by pollicie other meanes to finde remedie for this your tribulation These and other such reasons with hir words well placed spake this Damosell vnto the Earle with hope that he would declare vnto her the cause of all his sorrow and from whence it did procéede These swéete perswasions and louing reasons tooke such effect in the Earle Lidiarte that he discouered all that was in his heart and the whole occasion as héeretofore you haue heard This damosell when she vnderstood the whole effect thereof it grieued her to the very heart although shée did dissemble it and kept it secret to hir selfe and would not suffer him therein to know her minde and straight wayâ— for her remedy the diuell put into her head a meruaylous wicked inuention And for to giue contentment vnto the Earle she tolde him that she would declare vnto the Princesse all the whole estate of this his sorrowfull paines and passionate griefe willing him withall to remember that the next daye at that houre he should méete her againe at y e same place for
I doo not retourne againe into her Citie for I was so ill receiued the first time that I haue no will to retourne the second And more I desire her of my part that she doo intreate better and giue better intertainment vnto such Knights as I am then she gaue vnto me least she get vnto her selfe the name of a wrathfull Quéene and be accounted as one subiect vnto hir own opinion of all other things if any thing doo chaunce let her thanke none but her selfe for that she hath bene the onely cause therof And moreouer I doo desire her not to trouble her selfe in sending to séeke me for that I say not her power alone but all the power in Africa is not sufficient to retourne me againe into so great straights as once she had me in And so without any more speaking he spurred his horse and rode a reasonable pace towards the sea side which was not farre from that place and when he came thether he sought to sée if he could finde by chance any barke or galley to carry him whether he wold with his good will or els by force He had not gone farre when that he sawe a very faire and great barke at the sea side hard aboord the shoare The Emperour entered into it to sée if there were anye marriners his horse which was hard by him without being constrained by the Emperour very lightly leapt into the Barke He was not so soone with in when that the Barke began to make waye in such sorte that in a small time they were very farre at sea At y â— which the Emperour was greatly amazed but there was a voice which did satisfie him that sayd Mightie Trebatio Lyrgandeo doth gouerne thee at the which the Emperour was very ioyfull So he put his horse in a place by himselfe in the bark wheras he found sufficient of all things néedefull Likewise hée found all that was conuenient for his owne person which was ready vpon a table in very good order all kinde of dressed meates and béeing set downe to eate he was serued so bountifully and with so great diligence and care as though he had bene in Greece In this sort the emperour went sailing eight dayes in y e end of which he discouered land which had belonging vnto it a faire hauen or port and nigh vnto it a very faire and great Citie The Barke went straight into the hauen and brought her selfe to the shore Héere we will leaue y e Emperour in his barke in y e hauen and will tell you of the great lamentation y t the faire Garrofilea made for that the Emperour departed in such sort ¶ How the faire Queene Garrofilea made great lamentation for the departure of the Emperour and how at their last being together she remained with childe by the Emperour Trebatio Cap. 23. AFter that all the Knights of Tinacria haâ— ioyned themselues together and had made an ende of their battaile and trauaile they repaired vnto the citie with great ioy and gladnesse for their good successe Rubio of Yscla went to declare vnto the Quéene his message y t the Emperor had commanded him at y â— which the Quéene was so troubled that she could not in any wise dissemble it but in a great sound strayght way she fell downe as though she had bene dead This couragious knight when he saw her in this trance tooke her vp in his armes caryed her vnto her Strado or seate straight waies when the Ladies heard the noyse they all came forth to sée what the matter was when they saw their Quéene in that traunce they began to vse all meanes and remedies till such time as she came again vnto her remembrance And although it was with great trouble the quéene lifted vp her â—yes séeing that she was coâ—â—â—assed about with Ladies and others shee shut her eyes againe and gaue a great sigh which came from the bottome of her heart and in this sort she remained a greate while and her Ladies and Damosells seeing that she was so troubled determined to vncloath her and to carrie her to her bed Then she made signes with her hands that they should depart and leaue her all alone whose commandement they straight wayes obeyed not without great sorrow of all them that did beholde her for that the quéene was meruailouslye well beloued of her subiects There was not one that could vnderstand the cause of this sodaine euill but onely the earle of Modique who discréetly did imagine what it might bée who kept it close to himselfe at time vntil such time as time the matter it selfe shuld declare whether his imagination or thought should fall out true or no. This afflicted quéene when she saw that she was alone began to exclaime against her fortune putting forth these sorrowfull reasons When wilt thou be content thou peruerse enimie and without all reason Thou which hast warped such strange webbes in this Kingdome Thou gauest me into my power the Gréeke Emperour very poore and without all comfort of thée and absent from all his Empire This thou didst for that with his sight I should be wounded with the cruell dart of loue that without all remedie of anie comfort I most vnfortunate damosell shoulde be constrained to set my life to sale and to sell my honour as it were with the common cryar compelling me to doo vnto my selfe that which I onely did being made blinde by him which would y t all others were as blind as he himselfe is And although me life were set at libertie by him which without anie weapon bereaued me thereof yet am I not at so much libertie nor so frâ—e but that wheresoeuer he goeth my heart doth followe him Woe is me for my virginitie which my parents gaue me such great charge to haue a respect vnto that it hath bene so euill kept and so lightly regarded me I will so chastise my selfe for thus forgetting of my selfe and be so reuenged for the little regard that I haue had of my honour that it shall be an example to all others which be of high estate Oh miserable Quéene Oh vnhappie Lady thy spéech is too too foolish for although this thy desperate hand should pull out the despised heart of this miserable and afflicted bodie yet shouldest not thou make satisfaction of the dishonour which thou hast committed against thy selfe Oh cruell death why doest thou not with thy sodaine furie set at libertie me most vnfortunate from these gréeuous paines Oh Emperour of Greece those louing and amorous wordes which thou spakest vnto me I would they had neuer ben spoken O false and deceiuing Lorde thou shouldest haue suffered me to haue tasted death when with so great good will mine owne hand would haue ministred it to me and not now to cause me to indure a thousand deaths only by thy departure With these other like lamentations this afflicted Ladie passed awaie the time till at last she found
Clime hath béen vnhappie vnfortunate Take a good heart my Mistres comfort your selfe and be strong and bée not the occasion that I séeke my owne death héere I doe promise thée by thy vnhappie successe to bring thée into the Prouince of Lusitania or else to die Then this weake Lidia sayde Gentle Knight there is nowe no time all béeing past for that I doe féele my selfe that this is the last fight The sacred Gods will not permit that before my death I shoulde sée his face for if I did I verily beléeue that I should receiue some comfort O immortall Gods into your diuine bosomes I doe commend my soule asking no other reuengement against the causer of all my euill but that hée die of the same infirmitie And thou mightie Gréeke héere I do desire thée by the loue which thou doest séeme to owe me for that thou séest that my death cannot be excused and that Proserpina is tarrying for mée with both her armes abroade for to receiue my soule And againe that this shall be the last request that by me shall bée demanded of thée as also to verifie this loâ—e which thou hast shewed vnto me to be true so that I hope thou canst not by anie meanes denie me to doe it How is it possible my swéet Mistres sayd the Prince that now thou art in doubt of my loue I promise you that my true loue doth not deserue this suspition and héere I giue you to vnderstande that first the mightie riuer of Tigris shall forsake her course and runne backe againe before that anie lacke shall be found in me of that I owe vnto thy loue neither anie forgetfulnesse to bee the occasion to withdraw me from doing anie thing that you shall commaund me therfore swéet mistres aske what your pleasure is for that thou canst aske nothing at my handes but it shall be all thine This weak Ladie whose power and strength was wholy decayed and that her houre drew nigh at hande with a weake and feeble voice she said That which I desire gentle Lorde is that this my letter may come vnto the handes of Brenio wherein he may see how cruell he hath bene vnto his Lidia So this dead Ladie spake neuer a word more for at that instaunt the destinies concluded to cut the thrid of her lyfe a sunder Heere the Prince lacked both reason and patience heere he lost all his comfort and vnderstanding comming vnto the dead bodie of Lidia he fell in a sound when by the procurement of the Ladies and Damsells that were there present he came to himselfe he arose vp with a furious wrath saying Is it of truth swéete soule that thou art departed gone without me Is it possible my Lidia y t I shall not follow thée whether thou doest goe Alas what shall I doe where am I y â— I doo consent to let thée depart alone how is this my onely loue shall I loose thée What is it y t this cruell heart aileth that it renteth not in péeces O Eleno is this the loue that vnto thy Lidia liuing thou diddest shew At which great noise the other foure Princes entred into the chamber who were meruailously altered to heare his lamentations So either of them in the best wise he could did procure to comfort him but this amorous knight with the great anguish that he had fel in a sound in the armes of Clauerindo who requested the Ladyes and damsells which were there in companie with the dead bodie that they woulde ordaine some thing to bring him againe to his remembraunce and so with such remedies as they did make he came againe vnto himselfe who then with great rage crieng out called for his Lidia Oh my Lidia what is become of thée who for loue in another mans armes didst die now I die for thy loue Oh the whole staie of all my life where art thou my Lidia my comfort doest thou heare me Doest thou not carrie with thée this thy heart No no for yet I doe féele it Is it possible that I can liue or life will long sustaine me I hardly beléeue it Oh my ioy doest thou come againe I pray thée bée not so ingratefull but stay a while for I will come vnto thée For now I am certainely perswaded that I am altogether without life Fond Eleno if thou be dead wherefore doest thou talke so much of vanities wherefore doest thou not hold thy peace And with these such lyke reasons he remained without any feeling in such sort that it séemed that he was dead The other Princes which were there present séeing him in that case tooke him betwéene them and carried him vnto another chamber and procured that Lidia shoulde be buried which straight waie was done for that the King commaunded his Sepulchre shoulde bée open in which they put this dead Ladie The Prince of Hungaria did remaine in companie with the Prince Eleno for that he woulde not let him alone for hée loued him out of all measure because hée did resemble so much the valiaunt Rosicleer So hée remained there till such time as hée came vnto himselfe and the first worde that Prince Eleno sayd was Where is the Letter of my Lidia Liriamandro did giue it him who taking it in his hand he sayd Oh worke and the last worke of that white Iuorie hande héere I doe sweare vnto thée by the honour that I doo owe vnto knighthoode not to a part it from my heart till such time as the heart of that cruell Brenio bée cut it péeces and in speaking this hée kissed it a thousand times vttering a thousande varieties And straight waye with a furious anger hée arose vp and sayde What is this Eleno doest thou beléeue that with lamenting thou shalt recouer thy welbeloued Lidia and not performe that which by her was commaunded thée It is more requisite that thou doest trauaile and wander till such time as thou hast performed that which thou hast promised gather vnto thy selfe strength and courage for to performe that which thy heart is bounde to doo So with this anguish he arose vp at such times as Aurora with his glistering beames hadde spread ouer the earth ¶ How that Eleno before he would goe into the field would see the Sepulchre of Lidia and what chaunced in the battaile appointed with the Emperor his kinsmen friends Chap. 26. THE next morning when the daie was come all these stout warriours were readye on horse backe but Prince Eleno woulde first goe and sée the Sepulchre of his Lidia and going into the Temple of Mahomet hée went straight vnto the place whereas they tolde him that his Lidia was and hauing no strength to suffer the great griefe that his heart did féele he sayd Oh my swéete Lidia if thou doest heare my griefe and lamentation let it appeare by some outwarde shewe in these harde stones which hath bewrapt and inclosed thy white and delicate body that receiuing
assailed him at his ease on y t one side and stroke at him with both his hands such an vnmercifull blowe that lighting vpon his helme which was néere hand as hard as a Diamond he cut it ioyntly with his head and being very sore hurt this vnhappie Knight fell downe to the ground at such time as the Prince was setling himselfe vpon his horse séeing Brandimardo downe so much bloud running from his head he did verely beléeue that hée was dead Wherewith his rage was so much that the fire came forth at his visor and setting spurres to his mightye horse he made him to mooue like the winde and said with a loude voyce O vile beastes that so villanously haue slaine him who is more worth then both of you Héere I doo sweare vnto you by the liuing God to force my power in such sort that onely w c two blowes I will send you vnto hell which is your habitation therwith he came vnto Mandroco who likewise came towards him stroke him such a blow vpon the helme that the strength thereof little profited him for by the fury of his arme he parted it in two péeces together w t the head so that the Giant fell down dead to the ground by reason of his great wayght y e fall séemed almost to shake the earth The Gyant Bulfar when he sawe his sonne dead with so desperate a blow roaring out against his Gods he lifte by his sword to strike the Prince but he who had as much pollicie as prowes spurred his horse a litle forwards with a furious leape he cleared himselfe from that blow and finding himselfe on the lefte side of Bulfar he threw at him so terrible a foyne that his harnesse deceiued him and his sword entered into his body vp to the hilts and at the pulling of his sword out he drew out therewith his infernall soule and he fell downe dead to the grounde Then when the people sawe the good successe that their desires had they began to crye out with mightie voyces saying Libertie Libertie and ranne vnto the Prince some kissing his handes some his skirtes of Maile and some his féete in such sorte they pressed on him that he coulde scantly stirre himselfe but by reason of the greate griefe and sorrowe which he had for his friend Brandimardo who coulde not receiue anie pleasure at all in this high and mightie victory and without any care thereof he alighted from his horse and went vnto him and tooke off his healme and lifâ—ng vp his head vppon his knées he called for a linnen cloath the which was strayght wayes giuen him wherewith he wiped and made cleane his face which was of a wanne colour Then this weake knight somewhat lifting vp his eyes and séeing himselfe in the armes of Rosicleer and vnderstanding that the battaile was finished to the honour of his Lady and mistresse with a féeble fainting voice he sayd Ah my Lord and perfect friend héere may you sée how contrarie fortune hath bene vnto me in that she woulde not consent that I shuld reioyce in y e triumph of this victorie it doth not gréeue me to die for that it is in defending the right of her whom I best loued There is nothing that doth gréeue me so much as that I cannot obtaine the reward I looked for Héere I do desire thee my Lord that by you she may vnderstand of all this my paine and doe my heartie commendations vnto that my great desired Archi. Héere he could not make an ende to speake her name but yéelded vp the Ghoast his vnfortunate bodie remaining in the armes of the Prince and with great wéeping he turned vnto the people that were there and sayd O you knights and Gentlemen of Lyra how déerely is this your libertie bought for in the recouerie thereof was slaine the best knight in all Asia Then he séeing that there was no remedie for the harme that was done he commaunded that hée should be carryed vnto the pallaice and by the agréement of all the nobles he was buried in that place whereas the kings of Lyra were accustomed to be buried So when Rosicleer had séene the funerall of his friend he would staie no longer in that kingdome but by the consent of all that were present he left the gouernement in the power of a worthie knight and noble gentleman of the realme and tooke his oth that straight waie they should surrender it to their quéene Ladie And therewith he departed out of the Citie when he came vnto the water side and woulde haue entered into the ship in the which he came he sawe nigh vnto it the barks wherein he was wont to trauaile and considering y t it should not be there without occasion without anie more deliberation he entered into the same who straight waie beganne to moue her selfe with her accustomed furie and so without tarrying in anie place he trauailed sixe dayes sixe nightes in the end of y t which the Barke brought her selfe a ground into a faire wide and sandie Baie whereas he sawe vppon the shoare manie knightes which made battaile against one alone knight The Prince seeing all that passed with great anger he went out of the Barke to helpe him who with great courage and pollicie did defend himselfe whereas now we will leaue them and retourne vnto Grecia for to make an ende of our first part You doe well remember how that the knight with the Emperiall head when he sawe himselfe cleere of that blow which the Queene of Lyra gaue him put himselfe into the forrest euen vnto the tâ—ickest of it and did not determine to goe to the Court at Constantinople about a certaine demaund which he came to make till such time as all y e knights and the rest of the people were in quiet When he thought that it was time he went vnto the Court and asked for the Emperours pallace when he came thether he alighted from his horse and went vp into the great hall wheras the Emperour was with all them of his Court exercising courtly pastimes and pleasures and without making anye reuerence hee went vnto the place whereas the Emperour was and he sayd Good and noble Emperour of Grecia this speake I for a truth according vnto that which I haue heard reported of thée that thou art one of those Princes that doth maintaine all iustice and equitie The subiects and vassalls doe not alone make this report but all the world is ful of it And as I vnderstand although it be euen against thy owne person yet thou wilt not let to doe that which is right iustice being demaunded of thée wherfore I doubt not but vnto me shall be graunted lisence héere in thy Countrie to put a demaund vnto whom it shall thinke me best certifieng thée that it shall be a iust thing The Emperour who knew him by the deuice that he had on his shéeld that it was he which made
The giant stood did behold him very much with a fearful countenance his eies turned into a sanguin coulour laughing or smiling in manner of mocking he said I sée without anie outward proofe but onely by thy foolish wordes that thou art but a young and new made knight as such a one I wil estéeme intreate thée if my comming hether were not more for a messenger then for a warriour for this thy boldnesse which thou dost shew I would vse thée in such sort y t thy answere shuld little auaile thée yet I should remaine satisfied of all y e anger which thou hast caused me to haue The prince Claridiano when he heard that with so great disdaine he was rauiled with as much anger he went towards him and with an altered voice he sayd By all the Gods that are in heauen I sweare vnto thée if I did not consider respect the curtesie which is due and ought to be shewed to Embassadours I would bereaue thée of this thy brauerie in such sort y t when thou art before such a king as now thou art thou shouldest bridle thy tongue euer after haue in remembraunce y e punishment y t I would giue thée but not respecting thy follie but onely my estate I will stay my selfe from correcting of this thy ouermuch pride The wrath of this Gyant was so much wheÌ„ he heard himself so reuiled y t he could not by anie meanes refraine himselfe but layd hand on his sword and went towards the Prince Claridiano and threatened him with a very mightie and strong blow striking at his head The prince when he saw the blow comming retired with a light leape which was y e occasion y t he failed of his blowe by reâ—son of the great strength wherwith it was stroke the sword fell out of his hands and flew along the floore of the great hall the Prince without drawing his sworde with a trice ioyned with him entering in at his left side with his fist he stroke him so strong and mightie a blow vpon y e mouth that if his hand had ben armed it had ben the last which the Gyant should haue receiued yet for all that it did so much harme that his téeth fell out leauing his mouth all bloudie with the great strength of the blow it made him to fall backwards on his backe and with the great paine which he felt he scantly knew where he was The Prince when hée sawe this stayed without doing anie more harme for y t hée would not disgrace the king but put himself on the one side the king did shew himselfe verie much gréeued for y t he was an Embassadour for if it had not ben done by him which did it who so euer els should haue done it would hardly haue escaped w tout punishment And for to appease y e messenger he arose out of his seat and did helpe to take vp the Gyaunt looking toward Claridiano he sayd Brother I would y t this thing had not chaunced by thy hands for that all this harme which you haue done vnto Bruno is done vnto me not vnto him TheÌ„ this valiant Prince sayd Hold your peace my Lord for those vâ—â—urteous messengers such as do digresse goe from that which they are commaunded should not alonely be intreated in this sort but also loose their liues and haue their tongues cut out Bruno did complaine him verie much of the griefe seeing himselfe without téeth and so dishonoured he blasphemed against his Gods but this inuinsible Gréeke made little account of any such thing but turned himselfe toward Bruno sayd Now maist thou returne in the diuells name tel thy brother the Prince of pride that he doth commaund to plaister and cure thy téeth for that from hence thou goest well cured of thy great folly Also thou shalt tell him of my parte that as I haue hurt thée with the strength of my fist so I will vse him with the sharpe edge of my sworde gouerned with the selfe same arme that vnto thée hath done this damage And I doe héere hope in such sort to search that proude bodie of his that all the worlde may take an ensample by him and his pride Bruno who was at the point of death with the great paine he felt vnderstood all that was spoken and without making anie aunswere hee went out of the kings Pallaice and returned vnto his Galleyes where hée was cured and put his Sailes into the power of the winde and in a verie short time he ariued at Arginaria and went a shoare carrying all his face wrapt and bound with bondes and rowles of linnen cloth and his mouth all to be plaistred In this sorte he went and presented himselfe before his brother and sayd I haue giuen thy Embassage vnto king Delfo as thou hast commaunded me and to giue me aunswere there arose vp a new and young knight whom I doe beleeue and as I haue proued the same that he hath in his bodie all the infernall strength and in his fistes all the Legyons of diuells that are in hell as it did appeare by the greate furye wherewith he hurt mée that he did not onely strike out my téeth but also threw me to the ground as though I had bene a child This proud Gyant the king of Arginaria when hée heard all that his brother had sayd with a terrible blaring noise that he made all the Pallaice to shake sayde O vile coward and is it possible that with fistes lyke a vile vilaine he made thée to fall in such sorte that thou diddest kisse the ground with thy mouth Bruno answered Brother I dooe sweare vnto thée by the high Iupiter that if thou hadst proued as I haue done the strength of his â—istes thou wouldest not reuile me in this sort And héere I do giue thée to vnderstand that he sayd and bad me in his parte to tell thée that if from me he hath taken awaie my fore téeth that he will not onelye take awaie thine but also thy double téeth and thy life But when this Arginarian king heard this hee arose vp and went from him with so much wrath and anger that he séemed rather a Diuell then a man and without taking anie farther counsell he commaunded to assemble all his people together and that they should bée called with all the spéed that possible might bée and when they were come all together he found that there were two thousand horse men and sixe thousand foote men made Captaine generall ouer them two Gyants brothers y t were Lordes of one Iland ioyning vnto his Iland called Bisperia And he commaunded them to imbarke themselues with great furie and when they wer all imbarked he commanded to hoyse vp anker and to commit their sayles vnto the winde y t which they found prosperous and brought them vnto the Iland of Trapobana and without any impediment or disturbaunce
fast of his helme that head and all came to the ground Then he which remained séeing the fiercenesse of his aduersary would haue runne away But the Dacian perceiuing it before that hée could put in execution his desire he stroke him such a blow vpon his helme that being parted in péeces with the head he made him to beare company with his dead companions So when he had concluded this battaile he went vnto the dead Lady and hauing great sorrow to sée her he pulled the bloudie sword out of her body and commaunded Fabio that in the best manner he could to make a graue and to bury her The Dacian did helpe him all that he could and béeing done vnto their contentment he put an Epitaph ouer her which was in this wife Lucklesse Felina heere interd doth lie whom traitor false within this forrest wide Defloured first of hir virginitie She loathing after long a liue to bide Vpon his blade her tender breast did cast A bloudie offring to Diana chast So when he had written this Epitaph ioyning this great sorrowe vnto that which he had before he leapt vppon his horse and put himselfe amongst a companie of troublesome trées among the which he had not trauailed long when hée heard one playing on a shephardes Rebucke which made a very swéete sounde and tourning his horse that waye from whence the sound came hée chaunced to come whereas hée founde certaine Shepheardes who by theyr countenaunces appeared to bée verye sadde and they sate vnder a Walnut trée where they passed awaye the great heate of the daye These Shepheards when they saw the Prince arose vp and with great ioye they did salute him The Prince retourned vnto them their salutations and did alyghte from his horse which he gaue vnto Fabio his Page that he might put him into some voyde Pasture together with his Palfraie whereas they might féede on the gréene grasse in the shadow from the heate of the Sunne The Prince sate downe vnder the Walnut trée and asked of them if they had anie thing to eate the which was giuen him with a verye good will being such as they had prouided themselues and he eate of it for that he had a verie good stomacke so héere to take some ease I doe referre the rest till the next Chapter ¶ How the Dacian Prince did meete with Brenio to whom he gaue the Letter of Lidia and what Brenio did aunswere therevnto Chap. 4. IN the meane time that the Prince and his Page did eate of y t which y e shepheardes had giuen them they neuer withdrew their eyes from the Prince but did verie much behold him and reioyced to sée him so well proportioned and so fayre but yet they meruailed to sée him so sadde and pensiue musing what should bée the occasion of his great heauinesse and one of the shepheardes did aske him and sayd Knight what great heauinesse is this which you séeme to haue for according vnto the outwarde shew it séemeth to procéede of loue Ah my friend aunswered Eleno is it possible that thou doest know anie parte of those euills for that me thinketh loue ought not to be remembred of them that doe dwell so farre from anie townes or companie as you which in these sharpe and cragged mountaines doe make your habitation How do we know answered the shepheard he is of such strength and subtiltie that he doth not onely shew his force vpon vs but also he is the occasion that we doo occupie our imaginations in his delights which is so greate a torment that we cannot receiue a greater he maketh that our cattell that doe not deserue anye such harme lacke their good féeding which wée shoulde procure the which our small regarde doeth appeare in theyr weake and leane bodyes lowing more time for hunger thē for too much féeding or good pasture Ah Knight what shoulde I tell you of that which he hath caused all vs that be héere to suffer and when we doo talke of it there is not one of vs but doth muse at the other how he hath the force strength to beare it The Dacian knight sayd I know well that he doth pardon none neither is ther any that doth escape from his power such is his pride and ambition therefore it is not much to be meruailed at séeing that he doth as well walke the fieldes as the dwelling townes But sith it hath pleased Fortune the more for my paine and griefe to méete with them that are wounded with loue I doo desire you that I may take some pleasure in your musicke and in hearing some songs that you haue made to publish your true and perfect loue withall This we will do with a very good will aunswered the shephearde and for that you doo séeme vnto vs for to be of high estate we will playe on our instruments to giue you some comfort and we will publish our paines and griefes with our own mouths and taking the Rebeck in his hand which was meruailously well wrought he beganne to playe vppon the same very swéetely and likewise did associate the musicke with these pastorall verses YOu Louers all assist my song and helpe me to declare The slights of craftie Cupide strong the worker of my care Whose shafts and shifts be of such might they make one heart to guide Two bodies and by outward sight two soules in one doo bide O vnion sweete by loue so knit O life adorde to be If this were all the harme of it it could not hurtfull be But Cupide vseth such delaies such spites for to oppresse The heart that one may pine alwaies and neuer finde redresse Yet if the parties firmly loue his spite cannot preuaile My minde therefore shall neuer moue vntill my life doo faile With great paine and with a gracious countenaunce in his musicke this shepheard did sing his song and when he had made an ende he said Ah knight if you did knowe the cause of this my song you would take as much griefe sorrow at it as of my paine you shall vnderstande that I did loue a Pastora very much and doo beléeue she repayed me againe with the same loue and no longer agoe but yesterdaye she was taken out of these fieldes and carried vnto Tinacria vnto the Quéene Garrofilea The shepheard vttered this with so great abundance of teares that he could not speak a worde more so one of the other shepheardes tooke the Rebecke and began to sing as followeth THe troubled minde afflicted is when changed thoughts appeare Of paine and glory bale and blisse which still disturbe mans cheere And if that griefe the goale doth win the heart doth then remaine By this debate inclosed in with thought of passed paine Euen so my hart afflicted is I no defence can make My wonted mirth I so doo misse I no delight can take My heauie minde is clogd with care my glory ouerthrowen And sorrowe lotted for my shar◠my griefe so great is growen Yeeld
wounded hart in sunder torne fith thou no gaine canst get Cease off thy sute thou art forlorne by thee she naught doth set Let Death dissolue thy bitter griefe and glory in the same For therein thou shalt finde reliefe and blaze thy Faith by Fame This louing shepheard when he had made an ende of his song giuing a great and sorrowfull sigh let the Rebeck fall out of his hande The third shephearde with a dissembling laughter arose vpon his féete and sayd Oh soueraigne gods that this Loue might be séene whom all you doo account to be a God Lord that you might at your ease reioyce in his simplenes know him that hath brought you out of all vnderstanding remeÌ„brance as it doth appeare by your variable resons ill placed words which without anye order be vttered so y t I promise you if we shuld turne make rehersall at night of all y t which you do talk on in y t day you shal not finde y t ther is any agréement therein as by their songs gentle Knight you may know with what Philosphie they wold giue vs to vnderstand y t two bodies haue but one hart And héere I sweare vnto you by y t might power of Alfebo y e restorer of our Countryes by the great valor of the Dacian Prince y t in what sort soeuer you will tumble and tosse these variable reasons ther is no vnderstanding of man can cause me to beléeue y e two bodies are gouerned by one heart alone at least wayes I would not be he that should be without a heart Likewise heare the reasons of my other companion who tumbleth together and maketh a mixture of glorie and paine and paine and glorie as though we should mixe honnie and gall together and if I should let them contend much they woulde goe about to make me beléeue that which neuer chanced but remaine you with these your amorous thoughtes or as I might better saie with your foolish conceits and let me haue continually my cattell well fed and gouerned and in as good plight as now they are béeing so fat as the skinne may holde and not to be as you are that hath lost all your owne reason and vnderstanding and therewith forget and loose the care that you should haue of yours who for lacke of looking vnto be so leane And making an end in saying these words he sate himselfe downe and séemed to bée verie angrie to sée his coÌ„panions so without reason vnderstanding and blinded with loue The which words was the occasion that the Prince Eleno was constrained to doe that which since his departure out of Dacia he did not which was that he laughed to heare the simplicitie of this shepheard and taking in hand to aunswere him he sayd Friend I doe tell thée that thy resistaunce is great likewise thy vnderstanding is verie much that being conuersant dayly and hearing the great complaints and communication of so amorous sheapheards thou art not intangled with the same And héere I do desire thée that thou hold thy selfe firme in the same and kéep thy selfe still as thou art least peraduenture that which thou doest now call follie héereafter thou wilt call discreation and wisedome Thou mayst now well account thy selfe happie for that without all care and sorrow thou mayst reuile them who doth complaine of so manie miseries With a greate laughter this shepheard aunswered and sayd Nowe gentle Knight I doe tell thée that I will as little contend with thée as with thy companions for that it séemeth vnto mée that thou art also a vassall vnto that foolish loue and I doe more estéeme my libertie thus simple as thou doest sée mée then all the wisedome which thou dost presume to haue it is much better for the shepheard to haue care and kéepe of his cattell to guide them in good féeding and not euerie small time to call for his crowde and singing two thousand songes the which the Diuell cannot vnderstand and although they sing them yet I thinke they vnderstand them not themselues So one of his companions cut off his reasons and sayde Tarido doest thou not know how at mine owne libertie in times past I did gouerne my selfe and mocking and iesting at them who did publish the lyke complaintes Héere I dooe desire the Gods to maintaine thée in this estate and to kéepe thee y â— loue doo not extend his furie vpon thée for if hée do he will make thée repent a thousand times these wordes which thou hast sayde And héere gentle Knight without giuing anye attension vnto this Rusticall shephearde â—éere I dooe desire you for that I sée you bring that which is necessarye that you would plaie and sing for that the manifesting of thy sorrowe in some vearse may be an occasion to mitigate somewhat of our paine The Prince to shew pleasure vnto the shepheards and vsing his accustomed magnificence tooke his Lute in his hande and played and song these vearses following CAliope from Pernasse hill proceede and shew thy sacred face with teares bedewd Let Gods and Nymphes prepare themselues with speed to heare my plaints that are by loue renewd And with thy moanes O mournfull Muse assist My wailing song which doth on woe consist And then may I at large paint out my paine amongst these pastors which desire the same And after I haue ended to complaine gainst him whom iustly I haue cause to blame Except these shepheards too vnciuill be They will with sobs assist the sighs of me Time weares out loue it is reported so and so it may I will it not denie Yet I haue tride long time and this I know Time giues no ease vnto my miserie But rather Fortune Time and Loue agree With cruell paines ceaslesse to punish me O rare report yet too too common found that Loue should murther man with such despight Thou blinded boie which dost so aimelesse wound and in the griefe of louers hast delight Cease off to shoote and though thy eyes be blinde Let mercie now at last possesse thy minde I neuer heard of anie yet so praisde for constantnesse that might thy force gainsaie I cannot shew the mischiefe thou hast raisde nor bring one proofe my passions to allay For by thy furie kingdomes are subdude And trenchant blades in peoples blouds imbrude Wherefore all you that heare my mournfull song and tasted haue the griefe that I sustaine Complaine with me gainst cruell Cupids wrong whose slights almost my louing heart hath slaine Shunne his deceipts so subtill false and slie His poisoned baits for euer seeke to flie With the great paine and sorrow that Eleno felt he was not able to goe forwardes with his song for that there came to his remembraunce the sodaine departure of Lidia which constrained him to leaue it of and one of the shepheards that was there sayd Oh gentle knight how the queene our Lady would reioyce to heare you for that she is likewise afflicted
all his euill déedes and workes and without tarrying for an aunswere he lifte vp his sword all to be bathed with the bloud of the dead Gyant and stroke at him so terrible a blowe that hée gaue him to vnderstand very well the strength of his mightie arme The Giant who felt the blowe to be very strong drew out from his side a broad and heauie sword and stroke at him such a blow that almost it brought him to y e ground if it had not bene for the great force which he put in firming himselfe in his stiroppes which was the occasion that in a trice he setled himselfe againe in the saddle séeing himselfe so euill intreated he pressed towards him and began to laye on him so sharpe and strong blowes that he made the sparks of fire flie out of his armour and although he was meruailously occupied in striking of the Gyant yet did he not forget to haue alwayes an eie vnto Chariot wheras the captiue Ladies were to sée if they did procure by anie meanes to do them harme or damage and he sawe that they went about to take them out of the waggen and to put them a land for to imbarke them which made him to make more hast in his battaile and knowing the strong enimie that he had before him and inraged with that sodaine sight to sée them imbarking and that if they should carry them to sea then by no meanes he could neither fauour nor succour them he receiued so great wrath that he threw his shield at his backe and tooke his cutting sword in both his hands and went vnto the Giant on his left side and firming himselfe in his stirrops he stroke him so terrible a blow that he made him to â—ull vppon his beastes necke without anye remembraunce and to void at his mouth and nose great abundance of bloud and without anie tarrying he spurred his horse and in great hast he went towards those knights that had those Ladies in kéeping began to sturre himselfe amongst theÌ„ in such sort that when they remembred themselues to make resistance there was thrée of them slaine then all the rest ioyned themselues together put backe to backe made a round circle with their swords in their hands to make their defence At this time the prince Eleno had forgot the great vertue which his horse had but because he wold not y t they shuld kill him he alighted from him the which was the occasion that he put himselfe in great trauaile and perill notwithstanding with the great anger which he had he pressed in amongst them stroke wounded them on euery side without taking anie rest y t it was a wonder to sée and he so besturred tossed his cutting sword vpon them that made resistaunce y t he made them to know and féele his great strength although that they were chosen valiant knights they did not let to intreate him very euill in such sort that many times they made him to stoope féele the griefe of their blowes notwithstanding the courage strength of Eleno was such y t in a very short time he brought twelue of them to the ground before him The marriners which sawe the great furie that was in that one knight in great hast put of their barke from the waters side and with the feare which they had likewise to be there slaine retourned vnto their shippe forcing their barke with the great strength of their armes striking in the water with their oares and when they came to the ship they called aloud giuing making a great noise vnto the rest of the knightes that were in the ship which was to the number of twentie that they shoulde come and giue aide and succour to those which were a land for that some of them were slaine some verie sore hurt and other some standing stil in their defence In the meane time this furious Dacian did so behaue himselfe amongst them in such sort that quickly he had cléered himselfe of all those if at y e present time y e Gyant which was before astonied beside himselfe had not come wheras they were for being come againe vnto himselfe and sawe y e great perill wherein he was brought I cannot nor am not able to declare héere the great and vnmeasurable furie the which hée had and it did the more increase in him when he saw so many knights slaine and dead onely by the power and strength of that one knight his wrath was so greate that he began to cry out against his Gods and alighted from his beast toke his sword into his hand and with a furious pace hée went towards whereas the Prince was but when the valiant Eleno sawe him he could not but thinke that he shoulde passe great trouble with him notwithstanding for that he sawe no other thing but death amongest those barbarous and rude people he did determine to sell his life verie déere had good regard vnto the blows which the Gyant shuld strike at him and in the best wise he could he cléered himselfe from them In this sort went this valiant knight maintaining his quarrell damnifieng his enimies when opportunitie did serue and alwayes had a good hope to cléere himselfe of that battaile although that there were come a land thrée and twenty other knights against whom he made his defence at his plesure for that they feared his terrible blowes and had hurt wounded them in many parts although the wounds wer not very great for that he could neuer fasten on them one blow to his contentment At this time there came another Gyant a shore out of the barke which had remained in the ship and with him came other twentie knights and thirtie men with hatchets and other weapons which made great hast to come a land At such time as this warlyke Dacian was intangled in battaile with the other this gyant came before all y e rest and stroke this knight behinde him so terrible a blow that it made him to bow both his knées to the ground but his mightie courage which in such like chaunces alwaies recouered strength with great hast a valiaunt heart he put himselfe a foote againe and looking about him to sée who it was that so tormented him he sawe that it was a mightie and terrible Gyaunt who with a greate clubbe was readie to giue him the second blowe the Prince with good aduisement did put himselfe a part from the force thereof and made him to spend his blowe in vaine and tooke his sworde in his handes and pressed vnto the Gyant before he could defend himselfe and stroke him such a terryble blowe vpon the right knée that he cut it a sunder in the middest and the heauie and fierce Gyant fell dead to the ground At this time all those that came out of the ship pressed on him for to kill him that by reason of their thicke and
without giuing her anye comfort to speake vnto her she made a meruailous and great lamentation and cryed out with terrible shrikes the which did augement much heauinesse and sorrowe in them which were in companye with the Princesse and she sayd Ah my loue how many troubles and great trauailes haue I passed in seeking thee by mountaines and hils by vallies wilde fields and high wayes watering them with my amorous teares alwayes demaunding for thee and alwayes in vaine calling thée yet was I neuer desolate of the true loue which I bare vnto thée Oh howe many times in calling for thée haue I bene answered by the ecko which was vnto me great dolor and griefe and nowe that fortune hath brought me into the same place whereas thou art for to recreate and reioyce my selfe with thy beutie the same fortune would that it should be for the more increasing of my dolour and griefe in finding thée in this sort as now thou art Oh cruell Fortune I haue not deserued to be thus ingratefully vsed at thy hands for when I thought to be cléere of all sorrow and trouble now I finde my selfe most afflicted therewith Ah my Lord séeing that in thy lyfe time thou gauest me so bitter and euill a life for that thou didst hate abhorre me now in thy death giue me some comfort Open these swéete eyes and behold me lift vp this wounded head and giue me some comfort before thou dyest Ah Zoylo my ioye if euer thou didst beare me any loue it is now time to giue me to vnderstand thereof before thy soule depart from thy body and in saying these lamentable words she was constrained to hold her peace for that she saw that this woūded Tartarian recouered some strength who opened his eyes and when he sawe himselfe in the armes of her who at that time he so much loued before by force of inchauntment he hated he sodainly arose vp and recouering strength he sate himselfe on the ground and cast his armes aboute the white necke of the Princesse and they ioyned theyr faces the one with the other distilling betwixt them manye salt and bitter teares in such sort that it would haue moued the wilde beasts vnto compassion and with a féeble weake voice this vnfortunate Prince sayde Ah my Ladie and mistres let me recreate and comfort my selfe in inioyeng this thy mouth the time that I shall remaine aliue and before that my soule doth depart the company of this my body giue me my Lady some comfort doe not make any excuse although without all reason I haue bene pitilesse vnto thée in making thee to trauaile with great sorow séeking him y t because he would not see thée fled alwaies in shunning thée now I come to desire thée Héere must you shew me in what estimation you had me in in giuing me succour before that I do leaue thée in this wildernesse alone with my dead bodie colde and wan Oh my loue giue me a thousand kisses let me onely haue this delight for the little time I haue to tary afterward I desire thée to giue my body his sepulchar This sad and discomforted Ladie answered Ah Zoilo what doest aske of me what wouldest that I shuld giue thée I alwayes was thine I haue nothing of mine owne I am all thine it were now a straunge thing to beginne a new to loue thée for all that euer I could giue thée I gaue it thee long ere this oh my loue why doest thou not vnderstand this alasse what shall I saie I that am without all good fortune for now I sée that thy time draweth on that my contentment ioy and comfort is verie short Ah my Lord dost thou request of me to giue thy bodie a Sepulchre well I see that it is requisite to séeke some to giue it vnto vs both And without strēgth to procéede anie farther in spéeches she kissed the face of her welbeloued so long desired Zoilo with great sobbing sighs making within her selfe a terrible conflict tarrying for the answere of her welbeloued friend who with no lesse paine anguish of death sayd Ah my Ladie and mistres I do know that thou wert alwaies mine I thine That which I will now desire of thée is for that I was beloued of thée in my life time that now in my death I may be fauoured of thée Oh cruell loue oh what a wish is this a case neuer the like heard of before that I shuld desire the death of her that so long time hath trauailed and taken paines and sorrowes with terrible wéepings and sighs for my sake Ah my mistres how happie shoulde I be that thus imbracing one in the others armes we might depart together Oh what a happie death would it be oh swéete Fortune I haue no other griefe with me but to leaue thée behinde me Oh vnhappie that I am I neuer determined to desire thy death but nowe and onely for that I woulde not leaue thy companie The Princesse béeing very much troubled with griefe and sorrowe aunswered him and sayde Oh my loue therein take thou neyther griefe nor care for héere I dooe promise thée by the greate loue that I doe beare vnto thee that if death doe shew himselfe any thing contrarie vnto mée that I will procure it with mine owne handes for that the Gods will not consent that I should liue and thou die therefore I saye that if hée doe contrarie mée I will giue thee this contentment for that without thée I shall finde héere no ioye nor comfort at all for me neyther yet any ease of this my great griefe so that I shall thinke it for the best to loose all my ioye and now I doe finde in my selfe that death will be my friend Ah my swéet loue and Lord ioyne thy face vnto mine let vs kisse together and let vs make our departure both together The Prince béeing troubled with the anguish of his hastie death sayd Héere I doo desire thée my Tigliafa by y e firme faithfull loue which thou doest beare me not to consent that I be the occasion that with a cruell death thou doest finish thy life but to sustaine maintaine it so long as the Gods doth permit the same and when that I am dead which shall be verie quickly let me receiue this fauour at thy handes that thou wouldest vouchsafe to giue a Sepulchre vnto this my bodie for with great ease and comfort shall I depart séeing that I die in the armes of my Ladie and mistres and a greate deale more comfort shall I receiue if I knew of a certaintie that thou woldest performe this that I doe craue and desire at thy hands Oh my loue doe not denie this my supplication and for that I am certified that thou wilt performe the same héere I take my leaue of thée farewell the Gods preserue thée and take me to theyr mercies And when he sayde these wordes he inclined his necke vpon
thée that thou shalt not depart without thy reward and punishment neyther I without taking vengeaunce of thée The valiant Moore who verie well heard and vnderstoode his wordes made little account of his proude spéech but sayd Make an end thou furious diuell and come vnto the battaile delaie not I saye that thou mayst beare these thy companions companie Then the Gyant lifted vp his arme aboue his head hauing fast in his hande that greate and mightie Speare which was all full of knots with the barke remaining still thereon and threw it at him with so great strength that it made a meruailous sound in the aire but this valyant Mauritanian was not without great care of the comming thereof but with a counter pace he put himselfe on the one side with so greate pollicie that the blowe passed on the one side and the Speare stuck fast in the ground and by reason of the greate force wherewith it was throwen it made it to shake as though it would haue flowen in a thousand péeces and turning round like a Snake when she doth make hast to goe awaie from him that woulde kill her Then the strong and stout Mauritanian being very irefull to sée so great villanie he ranne vnto the speare and with great strength he pulled it out of the ground and in throwing it againe at the gyant he said O thou furious beast take vnto thée thy dart It did wel appeare that it was not throwen by a sluggish arme for that by reason of the great strength striking on his shéeld it pearced it through yet it did not ther remaine but likewise pearced his armour and shirt of maile and neuer stayed till such time as it shewed it selfe at his backe all to be bathed with bloud wherewith the Gyant fell downe dead to the ground whose fall was so terrible that it made the earth tremble and all the trées that were there about to shake as though they woulde haue fallen downe When Brufaldoro saw that the foure gyants were dead who wer the kéepers of that faire ladie he went towards her who was alreadie on foote abiding his comming The valyaunt Moore did pull of his healme and did discouer his face which did represent a great maiestie seueritie such as his state did require and although he was of a great stature bignesse of bodie yet his faire face did giue greate delight vnto all them that did beholde it and when he came nigh vnto the faire ladie he knéeled downe on the ground and said Faire Ladie I know not whether you are discontented or haue receiued a small benefit or seruice in this which I haue done but of this be you assured that my determined thought was to doe you seruice beléeuing that so faire a Ladie shoulde not with her good will keepe companie with so monstrous people she with with great curtesie did aunswere him sayd Gentle knight I cannot denie but that I was constrained by force to kéepe companie with these proude and ill conditioned Gyants and much lesse can I kéepe in secret the great ioy which I haue to finde my selfe at libertie and cléere from them but one thing there is which I doe greatly feare that is that nowe I falling into thy hands and power I dread to come into a new prison therefore I beséech you to giue me frée libertie with the seguritie which belongeth vnto my honour The Pagan who was verie attentiue vnto the words of the Ladie would haue made her answere but this faire lady did disturbe him desiring him first to sit downe by her for that she was perswaded that with the great trauaile which he had taken in the battaile with the Gyants it could not be but that he was wearie and therewith taking him fast by both the hands she made him to sit downe to whom Brufaldoro sayd Ah fayre Ladie if I did knowe that my heart were as frée and cléere of your loue as you are sure of me for offering you anie violence then with great reason I might account my selfe happie as well in the doing of your seruice as in giuing you libertie but I am he Ladie that must aske libertie of your beautie desiring you not to haue anie doubt of me So with déepe sorrowful sighs this Moore did giue her to vnderstand how his troubled heart was tormented with excessiue loue The Ladie when she vnderstoode and knewe that she had of him so sure a pawne was nothing discontent with all for that he séemed vnto her to be a knight of a verie good disposition and of great value more then anie other and for that he shuld receiue some contentment she answered and sayd Sir I am verie well satisfied that a knight in whom is comprehended so great beautie cannot be without the curtesie requisite in so worthie a warriour for the which cause I doe deliberate and put all my honour into your handes and beléeue me that time shall not lacke to put remedie in this your new griefe and paine without incurring vnto my selfe anie rebuke but to maintaine and kéepe my honour as belongeth vnto the royall bloud from whence I do descend in y e meane time gentle knight I would craue one boone at your hands which in telling you I would not haue it denied me Oh how great was the ioye that this valyant Pagan receiued when he vnderstoode so good hope which she pronounced vnto him and therewith he turned vnto the Ladie and whether shée would or not he kissed her hands with great thanks for the grace and fauour which she shewed him and therewith reremembring the wordes which passed by the Nymph at the riuer he sayd vnto himselfe How is it that not long since I made a mocke and a iest of the aduice the which was giuan me and now I doo sée that I made a mocke a iest of the aduice which is turned into good earnest And in saying these words he returned vnto the Ladie and sayde What is that faire Ladie that I should binde my selfe vnto you to do nay what is it that lying in my power to accomplish I woulde not do being wholy yours for y e my heart is your prisoner my libertie subiect to your wil so y t there is no occasion y t you shuld desire the graunt of me but commaund me to fulfil all your will and request but yet fayre Ladie before that you doe procéede to your request I doe desire you that I maye know the occasion of your kéeping companie and trauailing with these foure furious Gyants in this Countrie of Grecia This wil I declare vnto you with a verie good will answered this fayre Ladie You shall vnderstand that I am daughter vnto the king of the Ilandes of Spaine my parents had no more daughters but I alone the which was the occasion that I was the more made off and estéemed of them And by reason of my beutie they put me into a strong tower which was nigh the
Emperour in all the world but more light then this hée would not giue him neither the place wheras his sister was lost and therwith he tooke out from vnder the hatches of the barke a fardle which was bound vp the which he did delyuer vnto the Marriners that they should laye it vp safe and imbrace him againe with great loue and put vpon the finger of the heart on his left hand a King which had in it a precious Diamond that was of so great cléernesse that in a darke night it gaue as great a light wher it was as though a torch were lighted This did he straightly charge him to kéepe for that it was of so great vertue that so long time as he had it about him there was no inchauntment that should hurt him This excellent young Knight woulde haue surrendered greate thankes for his precious giftes but at such time as he wold haue giuen it Galtenor was departed vpon a sodaine a greate space from them who made so much hast that in a verie small time he lost the sight of him This young knight remayned with greate contentment in knowing that hée did descende from so high a generation and lykewise for the succour he receiued in the armour hée had brought him the which he commaunded to bée very well kept till such time as occasion shoulde serue that he had néede of them in this sort he passed away all the nighte thinking vpon the wordes of Galtenor So the next morning this young knight sitting on the poope of the Foyst with this faire Lady he requested her to tell him the whole occasion of her comming to séeke for him The which this Lady with great lamentation began to tell him saying Gentle Knight you shall vnderstand that I am daughter vnto the King of Mesapotamia which is a prouince scituated betwéen the two great riuers Euphrates and Tigris Of long time was I of him welbeloued and made very much on till such time as my fathers Court was in great heauinesse for y t they could not heare any newes of a brother of mine who was prince of that kingdome whose absence at this time is verye grieuous vnto me There came from the other side of the riuer Euphrates a prince whose dominion was ouer the Prouince Palestina He was the proudest and arrogantest Knight that euer hath bene séene in such sort that by reason of his fiercenesse he was not onely feared of them who of dutie did owe it him but also of all the Prouinces that ioyned with his kingdome which extended from that riuer vnto the mayne sea of Phoenicia the mount Libano Gamogenia and the high and mightie cragged rockes and mountaines Nabateos To conclude almost all Asia did trēble at his furie This knight at the great fame which was vttered of my beautie came vnto the famous and large Prouince of Mesapotamia vnto the great citie of Mesos whereas I was of him meruailously intreated and requested of loue but yet all that euer hée did or could doo did little profit him for that by any meanes I coulde not admit him into my seruice and the occasion was because of his great and vnmeasurable pride So like wise came thether the Prince of Chaldaea a Knight of great price and adorned with many vertues vnto whom I alwayes showed a better countenaunce and made acceptation of his seruice Then Brandemoran the Prince of Palestina who was so called when he vnderstood thereof was in a great confusion and receiued greate griefe in such sort that he determined no other thing but with his mischieuous heart to persecute mée it so fell out that the Prince of Chaldea whose name was Gelerosio béeing ouercome and forced by loue hauing opportunitie and place conuenient with dolorous reasons he did discouer vnto me all his whole heart but whether it was his ill hap or my froward fortune I knowe not but at such time as he vttered vnto me his minde it chaunced that Brandemoran had his eares attentiue vnto all that was spoken betwixt vs and when he heard that my answere was such that it caused great ioye and comfort vnto Gelerosio vnto him great paine and torment with a mischieuous heart he went vnto my Father the king and before him he did accuse mée of whooredome When the king my father heard it the great ire and wrath which he receiued was so farre out of reason that without taking anie farther counsell he caused mée to be apprehended and lykewise the Prince Gelerosia and both of vs to be put in prison but after a while when his cholar and anger waxed colder he commaunded to call together all the nobles of his counsell and men of honour who did perswade with my father that by reason of the greate pride and mischieuous stomacke of the Prince Brandemoran he might doo it of presumption or else by the greate ill will which he bare vnto his contrarie Gelerosio he had raised vp this slaunder that they thought it good to be put into the triall of armes with condition that in the space of thirtie dayes I shoulde bring a knight that would defend my honour and by reason the valour of my cruell enimie is so mightie there is not one in all the kingdome that dares take in hande to defend my cause and I seeing that the time passed awaie with a loude voice I began to complaine against fortune and reuiled Brandemoran calling him coward and wretch y t against a Damsell he hath raised so great treason and falsehoode who hearing me to reuile him he answered and sayd Princesse for that thou shalt sée how little I do estéeme all the knights of the worlde I will giue thée one whole yeares space that thou thy selfe in thine owne person goe and séeke him who hath the best fame in armes that may be found and bring him hether to defend this accusation which I haue laide against thée and so lykewise I desire the king thy Father to consent and graunt vnto the same of whome it was graunted and consented and lykewise of all the knights that were counselers of my cause beléeuing that it might be the occasion of some remedie And therewith I tooke leaue and 〈◊〉 and departed from Mesos with onely these two Squires committing my selfe into the great riuer Euphrates in this Foist and so long we sayled that we entered into the Mediterraneo sea wheras was giuen vnto vs knowledge of your great valour and mightie force which was the cause y t made vs take our waie towards the place of your abode somtimes with great torments and sometimes with faire weather in such sort that in the ende we ariued whereas you were in so good time and order as mine owne desire coulde not haue wished better Héere you may sée and vnderstand worthie knight the extremitie of my euil and the cause of my séeking for you At the which relation of this sorrowfull Ladie the Prince remained verie pensiue and had great pittie on
theiâ— arose vp from the ground a mightie Gyant of so great height that he séemed to be a great tree and when he saw the knight he layde hand on a mightie great club which he had by him and with great lightnesse he went towardes him and sayd in the Chaldaean tongue O vnhappie trauailer what didâ—â—st thinke that héere was no bodie for to defend thée this way What was it the smell of the roasted Deere in thy nose which caused thée to make so greate hast hether The Prince when he sawe him stayed his horse and sayde Holde thy hand thou furious Gyant and staie for that I haue not procured thée anie euill but rather I doe desire thée that of thine owne free will thou wouldest giue vs whatsoeuer thy pleasure is to bestow vpon vs O man of small valour aunswered the Gyant what dost thou thinke by craft and subtiltie to aduantage thy selfe of me Well for that thou shalt sée how little I doe estéeme thee tarrie a while for with my fists and buffets I will beate out thy braines without the helpe of my club And in saying these wordes he threwe his heauie club from him and came towardes the Prince with his fist bent for to strike him in the like sorte did this noble warriour and for to strike him at his ease he was constrained to raise vp himselfe in his stirops otherwise he could not reach his head but yet he lent him so terrible a blowe vpon the forehad that he droue the bone to the braines and beeing therewith amazed he fell downe to the ground and with the great force and strength that he put to strike that blowe it lacked little that he fell not from his horse but incontinent he stroke him againe the second blowe wherewith he made an end to beate out his braines and there remayned dead The Prince was greatly amazed in beholding him for as he lay along vpon the ground he séemed to be a greate Oake blowen downe with the winde the knight could not refraine himselfe but that he must néedes laugh and sayd Of truth I am a notable guest for that before I doe enter into my lodging I doo paye the shot At this instant the Ladies came to that place with as much ioy at that present as before they were sad and sorrowfull When the Princes Antemisca did see the greatnesse of the Gyant and the deformitie of his body she sayd vnto the Prince If thou shouldest giue like payment worthy Trapobanian vnto all them that should receiue thée for guest I doo not know nor I cannot beléeue that they woulde take the paine to serue them that shoulde come after thée I know not what will happen aunswered Claridiano but I am sure that I haue giuen this his payment according vnto the intertainment he gaue me somewhat better cheape then that Gyant which was in y e mountaine who thought with his owne body to haue quéesed mée to the death but yet I doo certefie you that after his death I receiued greater battaile then when he was a liue Then sayd the Gentlewoman that was released out of prison if I had not feared a farther perill with the great ioye which I receiued when I sawe him fall downe I promise you I could haue laughed hartely to sée how he trauailed to catch holde of you Tush all this was nothing sayd Antemisca neyther did I estéeme of it but had it not bene for the great sorow which I receiued when I saw him fast in his clawes tumbling and tossing from one place to another I promise you if the perill had not bene so great I could not but haue reioyced ioy to sée how he rowled him vp down and by reason that the armour was very iust vnto his body and lykewise very hard it was a pleasure to sée him biting at it with his téeth and when he sawe that all his greate labour was lost he tourned vnto his first office rolling and tumbling our Knight as though he wold haue rocked him a sléep I doo promise you of my faith Ladies sayd Libernio with greate feare that I had to haue receiued some knocke or blowe I neither receiued pleasure in the one nor griefe in the other Then the Princesse said vnto the Gentlewoman her companion it shall be better for vs to goe and sée what victualles our host hath prepared for vs to eate for the good hope that I haue to prooue of that which he hath ordayned for vs hath taken from me the great care and sorrow which I had as you may sée and in this sorte as they were they went towards theyr hostes house the Gyant and they sawe that it was a great barne cut out of the hard stone and wrought of the rocke And entring therein they saw that he had put to rost a whole Déere which was a very great one and séeing that which should giue them comfort euery one of them fell to worke hoping for their trauaile to eate part of that déere The olde Squire tourned the spit and the Ladyes made the fire and the Prince pulled out coales so that there was none idle in hope of the benefit to come and with the great hunger they had and desire to eate that when the déere was scant hot on the spit they thought it ouer rosted and halfe burned likewise they procured to sée if they could finde any breade Claridiano descended into a roome he had vnder the caue whereas he found two great loues so great in compasse as the cyrbe of a well and two great flagons full of béere with great ioy and pleasure the Prince came forth out of the caue and for to giue contentment vnto the Ladyes he brought it forth shewed them what he had found And when the Ladies saw so good prouision they made hast of the déere and hauing nothing wherewith to cut their victualls the Prince vsed his sword at that time in stéed of a knife So y e Prince and the Ladies began to cut and to eate at their will but Libernio by reason that he was occupied in tourning and rosting he could not profit himselfe with his hands for to eate and when he saw that the déere was almost halfe eaten hée sayd Of truth if I make long tarrying I shalbe made Lord ouer the bones and not of any flesh if you goe forwards in eating as you doo begin Tarrie a while longer sayd Antemisca and then you shall see how it will fall out for y â— nowe in this time of hunger we doo not remember any curtesie therefore procure to catch and eate whereas thou canst or maist for thou didst very well shift to hide thy selfe amongst the bushes when as thou didst see the Gyant to whom Libernio sayd I would this morning you had giuen vs some counsell and not now that you are so liuely and liberall in eating Then Claridiano sayd Good olde man it shall be better that thou doest put thy iawes to worke and
for to make his defence he tooke his good cutting sword in his hand and shrouded himselfe with his hard and strong shéeld and tarryed the comming of that vgly monster and when the furious beast sawe that there was whereon she might imploie her sharpe téeth she stroke with her wings and with her clawes she griped and laid fast hold vpon his hard shéeld pretending to haue swallowed whole this couragious warriour fastning her sharpe tusks vpon his helme which when she found so hard she let go her hold pulled at his shéeld with so great strength y t she pulled it frō his arme but the knight stroke at her a mightie blow vpon y e head with his sword but could not hurt her by reason of y e the hard shels wherwith it was armed though he gaue hir no wound yet for all that she felt the blow in such sort that it made her to recoyle to the ground to fall vpon her long taile This oppressed Knight made great hast to strike her another blow but he coul◠not for y t she stretched her selfe of so great height before him But fortune was so fauourable vnto him that he might strike her on the belly whereas she had no defence with shells nor any other thing but feathers whereas he gaue her a great wound but if y e blowe had bene ouerthwart as it was right downe he had surelye slaine her at that time but yet it was not so little but that it was mortall whereout issued much bloud This great Serpent when she felt her selfe wounded stroake at the Knight with her tayle so terrible a blow that if he had not séene it comming it had bene sufficient to haue parted him in péeces and by reason of the narrownes of that place they could not a part themselues the one from the other but she leaped in the aire with so great lightnesse that it seemed to be ten paces from the ground which was the occasion that her furious blow did not hurt him She was scant descended to the ground when that with bot◠his hands he stroke her so terrible a blow vpon those hard shels that it made her to fal with her breast to the ground but straight way she raysed her selfe vp againe and would haue stroken the Knight againe with her vnmercifull taile The Knight for to cléere himselfe thereof fell downe flat on the ground for that hée had no time to make any other defence But that terrible blow was not so soone passed ouer him but straight waies he was on his feete at such time as the furious beast came towards him Héere the Prince hauing a great confidence in his owne strength did so high and valiant prowesse that you may put in obliuion all the valiantnes that euer was done by his predecessors and put this in perpetuall memorie For that he threw his sword out of his hand and went vnto this monster and imbraced himselfe with her did so quease her betwixt his mightie armes with so much strength y t the furious beast could not profit her self of her sharp clawes but only with her wings she beat him on euery side this valiant warriour would neuer let her loose but stil remained holding her fast betwéene his armes continuing this perillous wrastling being all imbrued with her beastiall bloud y ◠issued out of the wound which was a great helpe vnto him against y e furious fiend which was the occasion y t she lost a great part of her strength Long time indured this great daungerous wrastling that infernall beast fast vnto the noble and valiant breast of the Gréeke Prince till such time as he plainly perceiued y t this monster begane to waxe faint to loose hir strength likewise it could not be otherwise but y t the prince waxed somewhat wearie notwithstanding he did animate himselfe séeing y e great weaknesse of y e Serpent which was by reason of the great quantitie of bloud which came frō her wound hauing opportunitie he tooke his sword wherwith he thrust her into the heart with so great strength y t he cloue it in two peeces and so this infernall monster fell downe dead to the ground and carried the Prince with her for that they wer still fast together and by reason that she lacked her strength to make her defence he quickly cléered himselfe out of her clawes and recouered his sword and when he sawe certainly that he was cléere from y e cruell monster he knéeled downe and gaue great thankes vnto his Gods the poyson was great which this monster threw out for to infect the knight but by reason of the greate vertue which was in the armour that Galtenor gaue him there was nothing y t could hurt him although he remained verie wearie vnquiet and was constrained to sit coole and refresh himselfe by a well which was full of water there hard by whereas y e furious beast came forth when he found himselfe somwhat refreshed he looked about him and sawe a paire of staires wherat he determined to go vp he had not ascended many steps but at the clift of a doore which he found he saw sitting at a great table many people eating and drinking and at the vpper end ther sate the gyantesse and next vnto her by her side a mightie great furious Gyant such a one as he had neuer séene the like hearkning what they did say he heard y t the giantesse said Now hath our reuenger his dinner betwéene his clawes for that hée is so quiet although he hath bene a great while in making of it ready then y e gyant asked said Was ther anie of you which saw what armor this knight brought what recognices he had then one which was there eating said I did sée what recognices he had then the old magicall witch said vnto her sonne now that you certainly know he is dead I wil tell you who it was You shall vnderstand y t it was the knight that slew my two sonnes thy brothers The gyant when he heard this stroke with his hand a great blow vpon the table saying Oh Gods wherefore did you not tel me thereof before that I with my own hands might haue taken the reuengment cursed be thine inchantments for y t they are the occasion y t the mightie force of my armes do loose the glorie y t they do deserue All this which was spoken the knight heard by their reasons he knew that they were all of the lineall desent of those gyants which he slew for to set at libertie y e Princesse of the valley hearing himselfe so vilely spoken of he could not indure to stand there long for his cholar did so ouercome him y t he could not longer refraine but set his shulder vnto the doore with so terrible strength y t he threw it downe to the ground at which fal it made a terrible noise which
caused al them that were ther to be greatly amazed but yet their wonder was much more to sée that the knight was at libertie cléere from that vgly beast who they thought had ben dead and deuoured by her but when they sawe him they all procured to hide themselues and to runne away so that the Gyant remained all alone in that place rising vp from the boord stretching himselfe on his féet he said O my Gods I do giue thanks for y ◠you haue deliuered this vile knight frō y e power of y t furious beast that I with my hands may take reuengment of him And in saying these wordes hée drew out a mightie sword which he had hanging at his side went towards the prince striking at him a terrible blow from y t which this Gréek did cléere himselfe with his accustomed lightnesse being past y t blow he sayd Gyant goe arme thy selfe and héere I will tarrie for thee by which meanes thou maist defend thy selfe and make thy reuengement as thy heart desireth and do not thou thinke that I will glorie in the abating of thy courage but with the great valour the which my high minde doth demaund The Gyant when he sawe himselfe derided and that the knight made little account of him was with the greate anger which he receiued almost beside himselfe and sayd Oh vile and miserable creature is it possible that the Gods will doo me so great outrage as to consent that I shall take armour against thée and that thou hast so much force as to driue me vnto that necessitie And in saying these words he lift vp againe his broad mightie sword against the prince who lykewise cléered himselfe of that blow as he did of the first Then the Prince sayd vnto him Thou deformed beast without any humane reason doo not procure by thy greate pride to spot or staine the nobilitie of my person to cause me to strike thée without hauing any armour to make thy defence The Giant made little accompt of y e counsell he gaue him but rather assalted him with more terrible blowes But all that euer he did was in vaine for that the Prince with great experience and lightnesse cleered himselfe from them and tarried y e time that he might haue opportunitie to close with him for to shew him the fruites of his fists for at that time he had not drawen his sword A good while they were in this contention till such time as those Knights which ran away which was to the number of ten had time to arme themselues and to returne againe into that place whereas they were eating who came all in a readinesse with theyr swords in their hands When the Prince saw the great perill which was towards him he was constrained to drawe out his sword for to make his defence against that wicked company The olde Witch called with a mightie voyce vnto her sonne that he should enter in and arme himselfe for that she suspected as a Deuine what should happen O cursed heart that is so great a friend vnto cruell reuengment how dost thou procure to heape vpon thy selfe such shame reproch seeking without all Iustice to doo that which it wer better for thee to haue left vndone Full little did it profit this olde Witch her great crying out and inchauntments for that the Giant would not hearken vnto her but followed his pretēce vnarmed as he was against him who although he had bene armed his furie would little haue profited him so by reson that y e other armed Knights did so much trouble him with their blowes it was the occasion that the Giant did the more molest him causing him many times with the fury of their blowes to boow his knées to the grounde the which did constraine him to vse all his power against them striking about him on the one side and on the other that in a small time he ouerthrew fiue of them dead to the ground yet for all that the other fiue which remained did not let to vse all the extremitie they could against the Gréeke and likewise that furious Gyant whom the knight would neuer offer to strike with his cutting sword but alwayes waiting opportunitie that he might close with him for to giue him one blowe with the pomell therof and when time did serue he would not loose it but being verie nigh him he stroke him so mightie a blow with the pomell of his sword vnder his eare that he droue it into his braines wherewith the Gyant fell dead to y e ground The other fiue knights when they sawe that terrible blowe they threw their swords vnto the ground and yéelded themselues vnto the curtesie of y e Gréeke knight The olde Gyantesse when she sawe her sonne dead and those knights yeelded with a great furie and terrible shriking she put her selfe before the knight and sayd O cruell Butcher the destroyer of my welbeloued sonnes make now an end of her who doth more deserue the death then they and doe not thinke that thou shalt obtaine so much victorie as to carrie me awaie with thée aliue and if that with thy cruell hand thou wilt not make an end of her that is without all good fortune I promise thée that I will procure to giue it my selfe with my owne hands And in saying these wordes shée went vnto the place whereas he sonne lay dead and layde holde on his sharpe sword and with a trice she thrust it into her bodie that none that were there present had anie time to withdraw her from doing it which béeing done her miserable soule was scant out of y e vnhappie bodie when y t all the Castell began to shake and with the noise of a terrible thunder clap it vanished awaie in such sort that all those y t were there present remained in the plaine field without anie signe or token of castel to be there or anie other kind of buildings for that you shall vnderstand that this Castle was made by Art of inchauntment by that olde Witch Surely it caused great admiration to all them that remained a liue but much more was the griefe of the Ladies which tarried for y e comming of y e Prince when they saw y t he tarried so long also afterward when they heard that great noyse of thunder at the breaking vp of that inchaunted Castle It was no lesse to be wondred at to sée the huge and mightie Serpent the great giant with his mother and the fiue knights that were slaine vnderstanding that the Prince had made all that destruction So the fiue Knights which yéelded thēselues gaue the Prince to vnderstand who the Giants wer and how the olde Giantesse had ordained that Castle for to take reuengement on him for the death of her two sonnes The Greeke Prince gaue thankes vnto his Gods for that they had deliuered him out of that terrible snare and gaue the Knightes frée libertie to departe
and goe whether they would Then the Prince and his company retourned onwards to their iourney making greate hast in their trauaylyng that they might get out of that great Woode before that the night shoulde come vpon them whereby they might get to some towne nigh at hand And at such time as the glistering Apollo began to hide his face and to couer himselfe according to his accustomed order they came vnto a fayre Castle which was a little without the woode whereas of the Lorde thereof they were verye well receiued yet much more royal was their entertainment and farre greater was his affection towards them when he knew of y e destruction of that inchaunted Castle for that he had felte and knowen the inconuenience of that ill neighbour ¶ How that the king of Nabatea had vnderstanding of the great destruction that the Greeke Prince made in the castle and how he commaunded that the serpent and the heads of the Gyants should be set at the entrie of the gate of the Pallaice for a perpetuall memorie and how that the triumph began that was ordeined and of all that passed in the time of the feasts Cap. 14. THE fame of the valiant knight Claridiano with his accustomed gentillitie was noised throughout all those Prouinces of Nabatea publishing his heroicall actes and feates of armes naming him to be the knight of the damsells and when he drew nigh vnto Nabatea there did not lacke them which gaue the king to vnderstand of all that passed When the king heard of so mightie and valiant déedes and in speciall of that which was done in the inchaunted castell and of the furiousnesse of the serpent he commanded straight y t men shuld be sent thether for to bring them vnto his presence which straight way was accomplished and when the King saw so great worthinesse he commaunded that forthwith for a perpetuall memory of y e knight they shuld be hanged at y e pallaice gate desirous to know y e knight to haue him in his court for to do him honor but they which had more desire to sée him wer y e Dutchesse of the valley and her Daughter Who were at that time come so the Court and declared the greate prowesse of the Prince and thought long for the daye of the Triumphes for as then hée promised without faile to be at Nabatea so the daie of the feastes were come at the fame wherof resorted thether a great number of great valour and strength Amongst whom was the prince of Phoenicia with a goodly company of noble persone and the Prince of Camogenia with many and very well proprtioned Knightes Likewise came thether the King of Arabia with greate maiestie and with no lesse maiestie came the king of Silicia and a brother of his who were both Gyants So likewise came thether the king of Cappadocia all these be Prouinces that doth border the one with the other the most part of these Princes are vassalls vnto the Prince of Palestino all these Princes came thether for to honour that good king of Nabatea for that he was very well estéemed of them all and as they came to honour the King so likewise they came to proue themselues and to get fame and name the praise that belongeth therevnto It was supposed of all the companie the king of Silicia would haue the prowesse and praise of all the rest for that he was a gyant of verie bigge members although his brother was taken to be more furious who determined not to iust for that his brother shuld get the honour praise but it fell out otherwise as heereafter you shal vnderstand So when the daie was come all the Ladies and Damsells put themselues in places for to beholde y e feasts and euerie one procured to set out her selfe with the greatest brauerie y t might be and the great court full of people which came thether for to see the feasts and triumphs What shall I saie heere of the daughter of the Dutchesse of the valley who was of so great beautie y t she was noted amongst them all So the knights began to enter into the place of iust and he which was the first that entered was the Prince of Camogenia who was mounted vpon a verie faire and well adorned courser he was armed with blacke armour all to bée spotted full of Martines brought with him fiftie knightes all apparelled with the same liuerey and with great◠maiestie he went round about the place making obedience vnto all the Ladyes and Damsells after him entered a Pagan knight who was Lord of Siria and armed with armour of a Lyons coulour accompanied with an hundreth knights all apparelled in veluet of the same coulour and passed round about the place shewing great curtesie as the other did which being done he sawe that the Prince of Camogenia was tarying to receiue him at the iust and straight way they began to sound the instruments giuing to vnderstand that they must make themselues ready These Knights were nothing vnwilling but spurred their coursers with great fury The Prince of Camogenia made his encounter whole stroke the Pagan without missing any poynt but the pagan stroke the other in such sort that he heaued him out of the saddle he fell to the ground wherewith the Pagan Knight remayned with great pride and gladnesse In the meane time that these two wer in the Iust there entred in a Knight of Phenicia who entred in with great pompe and pride who when he saw that the Prince of Camogenia was ouerthrowen he put himselfe vnto the Iust. Little did profite him his great pride and arrogancie outward show to be a strong knight against him of Siria for that at the first encounter he ouerthrew him to the ground in like sort did he vse other fiftéene Knights of diuers Prouinces So straight way entred the Prince of Phoenicia who was a meruailous well proportioned knight armed all in white armour wrought with excellent knots of gold and he brought in his companye an hundred Knights all apparailed in white satten and riding about the place he shewed his obedience vnto the King and all the Ladies Then he put himselfe at his standing for at that time ther was not a knight to iust withall So straight way they sounded the trumpets at which noyse the Knights mooued themselues to the Iust with their horses and made their encounter so strong with so great fury y t the strong Pagan was cast to the grounde and the like he did to other sixe ventrous Knights which entred into the place Straight way entred the braue King of Silicia who was armed with glistering armour of very fine stéele and was mounted vppon a very mightie and rich courser and brought in his cōpany two hundred Knights all apparailed with rich cloth of golde accompanied with greate musicke of minstrelles which was a pleasaunt noyse to be heard and after that hée had made the accustomed compasse and
intreated of a proude Giant aunswering him he sayde In truth I haue defyed thy brother who semeth to haue more discresion then thou hast And in y e same demaund I doe defie thée to mortall battaile In the which I think to make thée know the vylenesse of thy reasons the basenesse vsed in thy wordes And take from that huge membred body thy head with the force of this my stronge arme At which wordes the Gyant who first apeared and was putting on his armour sayde vnto his brother This knight of his owne vertue and bountie doth come to be slayne or els procure lybertie to the Princes and he semeth to haue souerayne hardinesse and strength and there is no reason to shew thy valour in speaking so proudly vnsemely words but with the fury of thy vntamed arme And if the Gods doe graunt vnto him to haue the victory ouer me there shal remayne time for thée to showe thy valoure And there with he made him to withdrawe himselfe from the windowe leauing Rosicleer verie well satisfied with his courtesie So within a lyttle while after he heard them opening the gates of the Castle letting downe the draw bridge Then the couragious Gréeke tooke the bridge and put himself within the castel into a very faire large court all adorned round about with rich windowes and on the one side a verie faire Orchard accompanied with verie sweete odoriferous flowers all manner of sweete hearbs in the which were many that were drossing those trées and hearbes putting them in order some were occupyed in making of fine hedges and arbours others in husbanding the trees and cutting of them others in digging of the ground others in setting of hearbes who when they sawe Rosicleer they all stayed from their worke imputed that knight to be verie vnwise to giue that enterprise and amongst them was the Gyant who last of all spake vnto Rosicleer at the window with a mightie great club in his hand and for the defence of his bodie a simple harnesse who sayde vnto Rosicleer Come in come in thou hardie foole for that thou shalt receiue the paiment of thy vndiscréet foolish boldnesse The Prince without making anie aunswere went on forwards entering in at the other gate he came into a very faire and paued Court the which was compassed about with three faire galleries one aboue another the Prince receiued great delight to sée the excellent worke of them So not long after there descended downe a paire of staires the first giant armed with strong armour his shéelde on his arme and a great broad cutting sword in his hand who without speaking anie word assaulted him with mortall battaile The worthie Gréeke was in a readinesse for to make his defence with his sword in his hand The Gyant stroke at him a terrible blow right down but the Gréeke with a light leap made him to misse his blow and his swoord fell downe vpon the pauement in such sort that it made a great number of sparkes of fire to flie out as soone as the blowe was passed the Greeke stroke him vpon the arme which blow was not verie great for that he could not verie well reach him vnto his contentment yet for all that it did not let to cut his armour flesh and all vnto the hard bone and although the Gyant did feele the wound somewhat greeuous yet did he procure to dissemble the feeling of the paine and griefe and with the great anger he had to feele himselfe hurt he threwe his sheelde from him to the ground and tooke his greate sworde fast in both his handes and returned thinking to haue stroke the Gréeke with double force more thē before but he did procure to cléere himselfe as he did at the first striking a blow at the Gyant thinking to haue stroke him againe on his armes but hee could not reach him but it lighted vpon the Gyants sword and the blowe was such that the force of the steelie blade was not sufficient to make resistaunce but that the swoorde of the Gréeke did enter in and made a great gappe but the Gyauntes third blowe was such that without resistaunce it chaunced vppon the Greekes shéelde and all that euer it hit it carryed to the grounde and parte of it lyghted on his healme in such sort that Rosicleer was constrained to stoope with his knées to the grounde but with greate lyghtnesse he arose vp againe and béeing verie wrathfull that he had receyued such a blowe hée let loose his shéelde and stepped to the Gyaunt with his sworde in both his handes and stroke him vpon his left shoulder and the blowe glaunced but if it had chaunced to haue stroke him full at that blowe hee had made an ende of the battaile but for all that hée remayned verie sore hurt and his swoorde fell to the grounde and raised manye sparkes of fire The Gyaunt was verye much amazed at the power and strength of his enimie but not in such sorte that it shoulde cause in him anie weaknesse but rather with a newe courage hée retourned vnto his begunne battaile with so greate courage as though he had receiued no hurt at all at that time both of them stroke the one at the other with great strength power although the Gyaunt was verie much disturbed by reason of his wounds but yet for all that he shewed greate prowesse This battayle and contencion betwéene them continued more then two long houres in which time there went from his wounds great aboundance of bloud so in the ende whether with werinesse of the long contempt or with the losse of so much bloud the Gyaunt could not kéepe himself on foote but fell downe vnto the ground as one y t were dead The prince who had thought he had bene dead did not receue much delight for that he was a reasonable Gyant and of much vertue and courtesie But yet in great hast he went to pul of his helme and then he hard that out of the Castel they began to crye out and sayde holde thy hande euill knight and doe not make an ende to kill our naturall Lord for in doing it thou shalt dye the death And loking about him to sée who it was that spake vnto him those threatning wordes he saw desending downe at a broade payre of stayres to the number of fiftene knights who with a great rushing and noyse being all very well armed and semed to be very good knights for that they were of a good disposition And as he saw them cōming with a furious courage he encountred them and sayde The name which you haue giuen me I will make that hereafter you shall vse it no more or els I will lose my lyfe And therwith he put himselfe amongst them with so great furye as the cruell and hongery Wolfe doeth amongst a company of simple sheepe and stroke the first with so great strength that with the fury of his arme he
but it fell out better with him then hée thought for that falling he rowled a good waye from the place whereas the Gyant fell and straight waie with a trice hée arose vp againe and found himselfe all to be compassed againe with the seruants who battered at him with staues and stones as many times a wall is battered with Artillerie Some of them woulde haue runne and embrased themselues with him thinking that he had not beene so nimble as he was but when they sawe him on foote they retyred backe againe with greate feare At this time the Gyaunt beganne to arise although it was with great trouble but the Gréeke who was verie angrie to see himselfe so intreated with boies and seruants with a trice he was with the Gyant and before that he could put himselfe on foote he stroke him so terrible a blow with both his hands vpon the head that he cut it in two péeces and he fell dead to the ground These seruantes when they sawe that their Lord was slaine they all ranne awaie making a great noise This worthie Greeke when he saw that the fierce giant was dead and that he was cleere from that conflict hee went towards that place whereas he left the first Gyant when he came vnto him he pulled off his healme at which time he heard one which from 〈◊〉 windowes made a greate noise and sayd O cruell knight let this suffice thee cease thy furie with the great harme which thou hast done and do not shew thy wrath vpon that Gyant who hath no power for to make his defence and if that his valour is not sufficient for to abate thy ire let this sorrowfull infant moue thee to compassion whom thou hast caused to suffer great paine griefe The Prince looked vp and procured to sée who it was that spake vnto him and he perceiued that it was a maide of a meruailous great disposition of bodie and verie faire of face and wéeping vnto whom he sayd Faire Gentlewoman the cause of my crueltie hath bene for to disturbe the great crueltie which you haue vsed with the sonnes of the Emperour Alicandro within this Castell and touching this knight you may beléeue me that his death will be as much griefe vnto me as vnto you for the great curtesie which I haue seene in him At that time the Gyant was somewhat come to himselfe for by reason that the aire had catched him he had some remembraunce of the which the Prince was verie gladde and turning vnto the Ladie he sayd Faire Gentlewoman if there be anie seruants in this castell commaund them to put this knight into some place that he maye be cured of his woundes and therewith he heard great knocking at y e gate and for to see who it was he left the Gyaunt and went thether and asking who was there that with such hast did call he did vnderstand by his wordes that it was Orislides the Troyan who could not come thether anie sooner for that â—ée went a foote To whome the Gréeke did open the gate with great reioycing and shutting the gatâ— againe they 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the Couâ—t When the Troyan sawâ—â—o greate â—â—aughter which was done there he straight waie vnâ—erstoode that the knight was not come thether for nothing This Gentlewoman was with her brother and did greatly wéepe bewaâ—le his vnhappie misfortune who althoâ—gh he was somâ—what come to his remembraunce 〈…〉 to arise vpon his 〈◊〉 The Prince commaunded that with great discretion â—e sâ—old â—e taken vp by 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and so carryed vnto his chamber whereas without causing him for to recâ—iue grief he sâ—uld be vnarmed y t which was done with great diligence and he was cured by the hands of his sister who made great lamentatiâ—n 〈◊〉 him whom Brandâ—fidel for so was the Gyaunt called did comfort with â—â—â—ye swéete and amorous words the which caused the Prince to haue a great affection towards him and it was with greate reason for that the gyant was adorned with very much vertue Oristides séeing all things in so good order left y e Prince who was seeking of the Princesse and tooke a horse of the Giants and a palfray and returned to fetch Meridian So after that Brandafidel was â—â—red the Prince demaunded in great hast for the Princesse and the Giants sister was constrained to go with him to bring him whereas she was So they entred into a faire large hal which led them into a parler whereas was an old giantesse of a maruailous good proportion who made great lamentation for that it was tolde her of all that had passed in the Castle who had in her company more then thirtie Ladyes and Gentlewomen which did comfort her to whom the sister of the Giant sayd Lady this Knight to whom the Gods hath giuen so much power doth demaund the Princesse of the Scitas our prisoner for whose cause all this harme and euill happened vnto vs. This Lady with a grieuous sigh beholding the Prince said O cruell murderer of my welbeloued sonnes and faithfull seruaunts make an ende to execute thy crueltie showing the same and like vpon this vnfortunate Quéene whose power hath profited her very little This good Gréeke béeing tender harted when he heard so great lamentation he sayde Quéene doe not meruaile for those which doo offend God doo hope of no other thing but punishment for their sinnes so those that liue with pride cannot let but to be payed with the like I doo desire thée to commaund the Princesse to bée giuen vnto me whom thou hast in prison for that she doth not deserue to be intreated amongest you as a prisoner but as a Lady The Quéene without giuing him any aunswer threw vnto him two keyes which she had tied at her girdle and afterward sayd vnto him Under these thou shalt finde that which thou seekest and enioye the glory which thou hast got by this occasion til such time as he doth come who with his mightie arme will reuenge the great wrong which thy good fortune hath brought to passe The Gréek tooke y e keies and being led by that Gentlewoman who wold neuer leaue him they went out of that parler and went vp a payre of staires which brought them vnto another hall of no lesse bignesse then the first and with the keye she opened a doore and sayd Enter O Knight which hast as much crueltie as prowesse and strength and there thou shalt finde her whome thou séekest Faire Gentlewoman sayd Rosicleer I doo not determine to enter but that your highnesse shall goe before This Princesse giuing a grieuous sigh entered in first and brought him into a faire chamber and then opened another doore wherin they entred into another hall very well garnished with many and faire windowes which was towardes the Sea at one of the which there sate the Princesse who was combing of her faire haire and with her there was a Damsell the which helde the glasse in her hands before her
vertue which doth remaine in thée to frustrate al iniuries past This I do desire you to consent vnto in that you are bounde vnto it by your high estate and not for anie desert dew vnto such a poore knight as I am Poore sayde Antemisca héere I doe sweare vnto you by that which I owe vnto all vertue due vnto mine owne person that I doe determine in seruing of you to doe as much as in the seruice of Iupiter for y t I take thée to be one of the Gods as it hath appeared by the greate valour which I haue seene shâ—wed by thée And whatsoeuer your pleasure is to commaund to be dâ—oâ— vnto this dead bodie although he doth not deserue it it shall be wholy accomplished and straight waie it was put in vre This valyaunt knight remained there certaine dayes whereas he was serued with great maiestie in which time the two louers weâ—e married wheras was made meruailous great 〈◊〉 and triumphs the which for auoiding tediousnesse I doe on it aâ—d will make no mention thereof for that this valiant knight was prisoner to the Pastora he neither receiued contentment nor ioy in his heart in so long â—arrying which was the occasion y t Claridiano tooke his leaue for to depart of y â— Princesse of Chaldea which was cleane contrarie â—â—to the good-will of Antemisca for that she loued him merâ—ailousâ—y for his great vertue and with many teares she tooke her leauâ— of him giuing him certaine presents and gifts necessarie for his trauaile so he departed taking his iourney onely with Fidelio his squire towardes the plaines of Ierosolima and pâ—sâ—ed by Armenia the great whereas happened vnto him many straunge aduentures ¶ How that Claridiano trauailed by Armenia and of the straunge aduentures which hapned him in that countrie Cap. 20. THE valiaunt Gréeke Claridiano trauailed through Armenia the greate with no companie but his Squire although his thought was not solitarie but alwayes represented in his heart the cause of all his griefe and sorrow So in this sort he trauailed a while till it chanced one morning at such time as the Sun began his accustomed iourney that he must passe a great mightie riuer ouer a bridge and at the end thereof there was a fortresse wrought after the fashion of a Bulwarke for that below at the beginning it was verie bigge hauing in the midst of it a great tower with a louer hole and vpon the same was put a standard which with the winde was mooued from the one side to the other The Prince following his iourney ouer the bridge without anie impediment would haue passed forwards on his waie but by anie meanes he could not by reason of a great broade and déepe ditch which was made on the other side beginning from the Riuer and making a compasse lyke a whoope which inuironed all the whole fortresse and came againe and ioyned vnto the sayde Riuer on the one side so that the fortresse remayned in the middiest and there was no other waye to take but that they must néedes passe through the fortresse So when the Prince came vnto a verie strong gate of yron hée tooke the King in his hande and gaue three greate blowes at the noise wherof there was a windowe opened whereat there appeared a Gentlewoman of a middle age who séemed to haue her eyes swollen with wéepings who said Knight what is it that thou doest séeke héere in this infernall Castell if thou wilt haue passage séeke it by some other waye and it shall bée better for thée for in procuring to passe this waie thou shalt get no other thing but death but and if thou wilt not turne backe by reason of the good opinion which thou hast in thy great valour and strength take and â—ound that horne which hangeth ther vpon that piller on the right hand which béeing heard the entrie shall bée fréely giuen vnto thée but the going out is vnpossible And in saying those words she shut the windowe in greate hast and went in The Prince cast about his horse towards the right hand whereas he sawe a piller of the height of a man therat hanged a rich horne and by it a péech of parchment rowled vp and laying hand vpon the horne he could not moue it although he did striue mightely to doe it and vnderstanding y e first he must vndoe the Parchment and read that which was written in it he tooke it and vnrowled it and saw that it constained that which followeth At this present raigneth a King in Arabia and although he bee a Pagan yet hée is adorned with noble and vertuous customes and had onely one daughter that was verie fayre humble and chast and was beloued of the Duke of Fedra vassall vnto the same king the Dukes name was Velegrato a young man with a seuere and graue countenaunce who deserued better the gouernment then anie other Pagan hée was verie well estéemed in all the Kingdome almost equally with the king for the which there ingendered in the kings heart a secreat rancour and hatred This Duke did loue the Princesse who was called Damelis and it was the Gods will that shée should repaie him with the same loue â—o that both theyr heartes beeing wounded with loue the one to the other the fire kindled dayly more and more in such sort that neither the one nor the other had anie imagination but onely to loue and not knowing how to manifest theyr griefes they indured sundrie greate passions Then loue which continually seeketh occasions did on a time set before this duke a Gentlewoman which thing seemed to be wrought by the order of y e Goddesse Venus Oh what great feare this knight had for to discouer vnto her all his heart but in the end by the great industrie of this Gentlewoman there was order giuen that these two louers should meete together Heere I will not detaine them that shall read this in telling of the great delight which both of them receiued to sée themselues together but such it was that she was made a Ladye This faire Damelis for that she coulde not at her ease enioye her Velegrato she did determine to leaue her own natural countrey father and with this intention one night being with her louer she cast her armes about his necke and sayde Oh my sweete and welbeloued friend séeing that the soueraigne Gods haue bene to me so grateful that I doo deserue to haue a louer let me not finde in thée ingratitude for that I cannot passe my time except continually I enioye thy fight and doo not muse my Lord at this that I doo say for that the ouermuch loue that I haue to you doth constrayne me to make it manifest and this beléeue of a certaintie that if thy sight be absent from me if will be the occasion that my hart shal lacke his vitall recreation And you doo well know how that the King my father doth beare you no good
her to enter in that sort they arose to sée what was the occasion of so great chaunge and trouble Floria straight way did know the King who had a wrathfull countenaunce she fearing the harme which shuld happen vnto her Lady put her selfe ouer her gaue terrible and loud shrikes The King as one kindeled in great wrath forgetting that which hée had promised vnto the Magitian laide hande on his sword saying It doth not profite thee Damelis to flie from the death for thy desert is such y t thou canst not escape it for héere my owne arme shall be the killer of mine owne flesh Then Damelis answered and sayd Ah my Lord and father will you be now as cruell vnto me as you were wont to be pittifull appease your wrath and withdrawe your vnmercifull sword and harken vnto this which I will saie in discharging my selfe in that you charge mée with all You shall vnderstand my Lord and father that I was ouercome and constrained by loue for to loue forgetting thy fatherly loue and my duetie yet for all that hauing power to accomplish the same it was not vnto your dishonour for that therwith I doe liue honourablie with my husband Then the king sayd oh false traitor and without faith holde thy peace what reason hast thou to make this excuse hauing committed so great an errour And in saying this he lifte vp his sword for to strike her the foure damsells y t were there with terrible shrikes they threw themselues vpon that vnhappie Damelis offring their bodies vnto y e furie of that cutâ—ing sword for to set at libertie their Ladie mistresse The king who sawe them in this sort make her defence with his left hand he pulled them off from her some by the haire of y e head and some by the shoulders for to make waie that hee might execute his determined purpose and none to make anie resistaunce against him Floria when she sawe the King determined to kil his daughter like vnto a Lionesse she hung about his necke and sayd Oh mad dogge what determination is this that thou doest bring for to do euill vnto y e most chast and loyall Ladie in all the world is it a new thing for loue to vse such like déedes vnto thy selfe may be attributed the occasion of all this euill and thou art in the fault thereof for that thou wert so malitious and so full of mischiefe that she durst not giue thee to vnderstand of her sodaine loue The words and teares of Floria did little profit with the king but rather like a wilde Boare in the wildernesse béeing compassed with a companie of dogges doth shake himselfe euen so the king did shake his members and threw Floria from him and with double wrath he did procure to execute his furie out the damsells with terrible shrikes sometimes one and sometimes another did disturbe him till such time as with his cruell hande betwéene the Damosells he thrust in the poynt of his sharpe sword and with the force of his wretched arme he thrust it till it passed through her breast came forth at her backe The wise Democrites when that he receiued the greatest contentment in his heart would weepe to thinke vpon the great vnquietnesse and discontentment that should followe euen so this vnhappie Damelis when shée was most at quiet and delight with her prosperous life then fortune did turne it vnto her sodaine death At this time the Magitian came into the chamber and when he saw the king contrary vnto that which he promised him had done y e wilfull act he began to blaspheme against himselfe for that hée had bene the occasion of all that euill and with an yrefull voyce he sayd O cruell murderer that in this sort hast deceiued me I will giue thée thy paiment according vnto thy deserts in placing thy cruell body whereas thou shalt continually lament this thy daughters death leauing a lyue the fame of her with thy lameÌ„tation And in saying these words he drew a booke out of his bosome and reading on it hee made a great cloud to appeare in the skyes very black which was brought by terrible and hastie windes the which came with a very great tempest and storme and when the skies waxed cléere then was there séene héere this fortresse where in this cruell King of Arabia is inchanted and this sorrowfull Velegrato and his Damsells and he that is desirous to sée how and in what sort let him blowe this horne and straight waye the gates shall be open but heere I doo aduertise him that the going out will be doubtfull And héerewith be made an ende of this lamentable Historie the rest you shall vnderstand in the chapter that followeth ¶ How that Claridiano after he had read the historie in the parchment blew the horne wherewith the gates wer opened and how resistaunce was made at the entrie of all that passed about the same Cap. 21. THe Gréeke with great strength did blow the inchaunted horne in such sort that all along the riuer the sound was harde At the verye same instaunt they began to open the gate with so great noyse as when they opened y e hundred gates of the Temple of Appollo at the sight of the couragious Troyan So when this valâ—ant Claridiano saw the gate open he looked in thereat to sée if he could sée any thing and he saw that it was very darke and for to enter in thereat he saw that it was requisite to leaue his horse and with great lightnesse he left the saddle and deliuered him vnto Fidelio for to kéepe him and without any care whatsoeuer shuld happen he shrowded himselfe with his shield and his sword in his hand he thrust himselfe into that darkenesse and when he was tenne paces within without séeing of any he receiued a blow the thing y t stroke him howling like vnto a Wolfe which is all night alone in the wildernes and with the blow which he receiued it was so furious that it made him almost recoyle so farre backe as he had entered which caused in y e Prince a great deale more courage and as a man beside himselfe he began to lay about him striking on the one side and on the other not knowing where he did strike and in this sort he went forwards his way through that great darkenesse till such time as he sawe light and going farther in he came into a great court in the which he could sée but one little doore towards the which hée went but he could not come nigh it for that he was disturbed by a furious beast which arose out of the court went towards the doore whether y e Prince went with great swiftnesse This couragious Gréeke did not let to féele some alteration to sée a beast so deformed It was of body bigger theÌ„ an Elephant and was all couered with hard partie couloured shells and scales the taile was very long and somwhat bigge and it
ring that gaue so much light that he might plainely sée all that was in the hall the which was verie great and wide and vpon the walls were painted the figures of many fiends and diuells and on the one side of the hall he sawe a tombe all couered with blacke and vppon it there laie a man with a pale colour who at certaine times gaue a meruailous and gréeuous sigh caused by the burning flames that procéeded from vnder the tombe beeing such that it seemed his bodie should be conuerted therewith into burning coales the flame was so stinking that it made y e Prince somewhat to retire himselfe from the place where he sawe that horrible spectacle He which laie vpon the tombe casting his eyes a side sawe the Prince and knowing him to bée an humane creature with an afflicted voice he sayde Who art thou sir knight that art come vnto so sorrowfull a dwelling for that thou canst sée nothing in it but great torments Then the knight sayde but tell me who art thou that with so mâ—ch griefe doest demaund of me that which I stande in doubt to tel thée I am a king of Arabia answered he which without all consideration with my cruell hande did pearce through the white breast of my welbeloued daughter wo be to me for that she at once did paie her offence by death but I a miserable wretch w t many torments doe liue dying When this worthie knight was about to answere him he saw come forth from vnder the tombe a damsell who had a verie yeolow and wanne colour and by her face it séemed y t she should be verie sore afflicted and with a sorrowfull voice she sayd O Claridiano vnfortunate what dost thou séeke in this infernal lodging wheras cannot be giuen thée anie other pleasure but mortall torments for y t thou wert so bold as to kil my kéeper of y e doore there is but one thing that can cléere thée froÌ„ it this cannot be tolde thée by anie other but by me and yet I will not tell thée except thou doest graunt me one thing that I will aske of thée The Prince who was greatly amazed of all that he had séene and verie much beholding the countenaunce of the damsell that was verie leane and féeble aunswered and said The Gods who are gouernours of my libertie will doe their pleasures but in that touching the graunt of thy request I neuer to Ladie nor Gentlewoman denyed anie thing that they would demaund of me being a thing that I could put remedie in but with all my power and strength I was readie to fulfill the same therefore demaund what thy pleasure is for that I am readie in all things that toucheth thy remedie Then she sayde Claridiano looke well and haue a respect vnto y t which thou dost promise and sée y t thou dost performe thy promise for thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d that thou fulfilling the same doest giue libertie vnto thy selfe and vnto me Gentlewoman aske what thy pleasure is said y â— knight that which I demaund sayd the damsell is y t thou giuest mée the ring which thou hast vpon thy finger for thou shalt vnderstand that in it is my remedie In demaunding of that said the Prince thou doest rather procure my harme therfore it doth not behoue me to giue it thée To whom she said O euill and false knight that doest not performe that which thou hast promised sée that thou doest accomplish the same or else to the contrarie thou shalt liue dying Oh false Magitian cursed witch sayde Claridiano doest thou thinke by thy deceitfull threatnings to deceiue me It is not thy inchantments neither thy fained words y t shall get the ring froÌ„ my finger TheÌ„ she said thou shalt sée how little thy great streÌ„gth shal profit auaile thée against me if thou wilt tarry a while and therewith vpon a sodaine she laide holde vpon his hande with so great strength that it lacked but little of pulling the ring from his finger but this politike Gréeke helped his left hand with his right with so great strength that he put away that Magitian y t she could not pull it off This false inchanter did still stand in this contention to get the ring from him and contended in such sort that he forgot the respect that hee should haue vnto Ladyes and Gentlewomen and stroke her with his right hand that was armed such a buffet vpon the chéeke that her fantasticall bodie gaue a great fall vnto the ground shée was not so soone fallen when that with a timerous noise she threw her selfe into that dolefull Sepulcher making a terrible and wonderfull howling within and this vnhappie king bare her companie with his gréeuous lamentations of the which the Prince had great compassion and it séemed vnto him that he heard a voice which came forth of the tombe which did offer to talke vnto him that he might vnderstand his reasons he drew nigh vnto the tombe heard that he sayd these words Oh knight borne in Grecia nursed and brought vp in Trapobana if thou wilt go out of this place and make an end of my continual torments procure to giue thrée blowes vpon this my Sepulchar with the which thou shalt deliuer thy selfe and me likewise and all those that are héere put in this infernal lodging This inuincible young man sayd There is so little truth in this house that I stand in doubt whether I may beléeue thy words or not notwithstanding tell me who thou art then shall I know whether I may giue credit vnto thy wordes Then he sayd I am that vnhappie Merlin borne in Gallia and deceiued by her who would haue deceiued thée therfore thou â—â—ist beléeue me for that I doe tell thée the truth and if thou doest as I doe tell thée ther will come vnto both vs great profite Tell me Merlin sayd the Prince how doest thou know that I was borne in Grecia and brought vp in Trapobana if thou dost know I pray thée tell me who was my father and of what Empire or kingdome he is Lord. To whom Merlin said Trebatio is thy grandfather and thy father is the great Alfebo the excellent Claridiano is thy mother from whome Galtenor did steale thée in companie with thy sister the most fairest creature in all the world And in saying these words he helde his peace and with dolorous grones he began to curse himselfe and it was so gréeuous that the Prince withdrewe himselfe because he would not heare it without anie more tarrying he embraced his shéeld and laide hand vpon his good sword and with great violence he went vnto the Sepulcher and as he would haue stroke therat there appeared before him a giant the which the Prince tooke to be y e gyant that he slew in the mountaine Nabateos who stroke the Prince vpon y e brest with both his hands y t he made him to recoile backe a great way whether he
for that we haue not seene one another by reason of the great and terrible darknesse that is heere Wel sayd the Prince come forth if heereafter you can defend and kéepe your selues from other prisons so it is for of this from this day forwards you are cleere and in saying these words he ascended vp the staires and after him the man which opened the doore Then the prisoners in great hast came vp the staires and comming foorth whereas the Knight was they all fell downe on their knées giuing thankes vnto God for that he had giuen them libertie and afterward they kissed the Knights hands desiring God to increase his powers and honour who with a very good grace gaue them such answer that they were all very well content Amongst them there was one prisoner of a very goodly disposition and faire face and of a double stature more then the others who with a seuere countenaunce and well placed wordes did surrender vnto the Knight great thankes for that good tourne which he receiued at his hands he spake to him in the Tuscane tongue It séemed vnto the Prince that he should be a person of estimation and asked of him his name and what countriman he was To whom the prisoner sayde My name sir knight is Florisarte sonne vnto the Duke of Bauiera brother vnto the good Emperour Ladislao of Almania who was taken prisoner villainously by these euill Giants The Tinacrian receiued great contentment for y t he had done so great seruice vnto so mightie a Knight and Lord and with a merry countenance he tooke him by the hand went vp a paire of staires after him went all those that were deliuered out of prison which were to the number of fortie knights of squires pages other seruants to the number of an hundred So when they were aboue in a great hall the knight commaunded that there shuld be brought them somwhat to eate for that they had great need thereof This new knight was walking vp and downe with Florisarte of Bauiera in y t hal and went vnto a window which opened towards that place whereas he lefte his company and blewe his horne with so great strength that they heard it and knew the sound and being thereof very glad and ioyfull they arose vp and wente vnto the Castle In the way whereas they went they saw the Knights that were slaine and the Gyants and were verie much amazed at so great slaughter and went forwardes till they came vnto the Castle whereas they found y e prince who was very glad and reioyced much of that which was done and commaunded straight way that the Lady shuld be very well looked vnto and healed of her harme receiued ¶ How Poliphebo did prosecute his iourney for to goe into Grecia how in the way he met by aduenture with certaine Clownes forcing of a Ladie and would haue slaine her and of all that happened of that Ladie Cap. 25. THe space of thrée daies was Poliphebo in the Castle of the giant in which time he did procure all kinde of remedies y t was possible to bring the Quéene againe vnto her health to be healed of her euill So with the great care be had and the good diligence which was vsed she recouered her health receiuing y e castle for his owne he put good order therin for their gouernment The fourth day he determined to depart to prosecute his iourney to carrie in his company y e quéene Espinela the gentle knight Florisarte His pretence was to passe through all Almania Hungaria till he came into Grecia for to sée his father make himselfe knowen vnto him did procure to doo such déeds y t with great honor he might name himselfe to be sonne vnto so noble a father The occasion why he did carry y â— quéene Espinela with him was for y t he vnderstoode that y e king of Mauritania wold come to séeke her to perform his promise not to deliuer her without mortall battell he wold not loose her company And so leauing y e castle in the kéeping of a knight of Almaine in y e name of y e Emperor Ladislao he tooke his iourny towards Espira wheras at that time y e Emperor kept his parliament commanded y e marriners to returne vnto their barke he in company w t the Quéene Florisarte his Page Macedonio tooke their iourney as aforesaid When y e quéene saw the knights determination vnderstood his pretence with sorrowfull teares she called for her king but all her sorrowes griefe did little auaile for y t the knight wold not by any meanes chaunge his pretence by reson of y e great sorrow griefe heauie chéere of the quéene it was y e occasion y t all trauailing venterous knights which sawe her did procure battell with the newe knight for to set her at libertie So they trauailed viii daies wherin they passed y e Alpes went through all y e dukedome of Bauiera by Minique Aspruch being ouertaken by the night they wer constrained to take their rest by a very faire cléere fountain wheras they did alight refresh theÌ„selues likewise they did eate of such meate as they had And when they had satisfied themselues euery one prepared himselfe to take his rest being wery of their iourny they fel al a sléep sauing only Poliphebo who was awake hauing in remembraÌ„ce such things as ministred him most care being in this thought he heard a certaine lamentation which séemed to be a far off the better to heare what it was he arose vp on his féete being very attentiue he plainly heard perceiued that it was a womaÌ„ as a knight y t alwaies did procure to help succor those which could do litle he laced on his helm threw his shield at his necke with a reasonable pace he went towards y e place wheras he heard y e lamentation the more he went the plainer he heard the lamentatioÌ„ he had not gone far when y t he saw two clownes had bound a Ladie all naked vnto a trée one of them had a sharp knife in his hand redie to murder her The prince séeing them w t a loud voice said Oh vile villaines holde your hands for if you doo not it shall cost you your liues And with these words he layâ—â— hande on his sword and with great lightnes he ran where those villaines were these miserable clownes with two forches which they had in their hands did abide his comming stroke with them vpon his hard shéeld each of them a blowe but this knight with other two blowes did ouerthrow them dead to the ground and went vnto the Gentlewoman cut the cords wherewith she was bound did help to couer her with her owne clothes This heauie Gentlewoman though she did see her selfe frée from the villaines at libertie yet did
countenance and said Héere thou hast before thée they whom thou dost demaund for beholde vs well and let not thy youthfull courage deceiue thée giuing enterprise vpon that of which the sonnes of the Emperour Trebatio would make doubtfull therefore looke what thou doest determine and giue vs our aunswere and that quicklye The Knight of the Braunch in the meane time that Rodelando was saying these wordes did verie much beholde and viewe him and it séemed vnto him that hée was a Knight of greate valour but yet for all that his strong members did not dismaie him but with a graue spéech and seuere countenaunce he aunswered If thou hast so much haste to knowe my determination héere I doe saye that in the accusation that thou hast put against Clarentina thou doest lye lyke a false Knight and that thy cosin lyke a cruell murtherer doth deserue the death for killing of his owne Brother committed by his owne handes who was more worthie in all respects then he is Then Firidefonte with great fury answered and sayd O vile ribalde howe can I suffer so greate euill to bée charged with that which that naughtie woman hath committed and caused to be done if thou wert not before the Emperour it should cost thâ—e full déere and out of hand thou shouldest haue thy payment for this great lie but yet I doe comfort my selfe for that verie quickly I will bée reuenged on thée I cannot declare the great anger which the knight of the Braunch receiued for that he tourned vp the white of his eyes and all his face waxed wanne and blacke and trembling with very anger moouing his pace he sayd I doe promise thée thou traitour that I will make thée with thy owne mouth confesse this great treason which thou hast committed and if it were not but that I am before so high an Emperour héere in this place without going anie farther with my fists like a vile traitour I would make thée to confesse it Héere Firidefonte had no patience to heare these things spoken to his face but like a tyger he leapt vnto him and wrapped his cloake about his arme and drew out his sword and went against the knight of the Braunch This worthy warriour thereat made no kinde of mouing but did abide his coÌ„ming making an outward shewe of the greate valour of his heart Firidefonte did strike at him with his sworde but the knight of the Braunch stepped on the one side and made him to loose his blow so that his sword stroke on the ground and like vnto the winde he closed with him and stroke him with his hands on the breast with so great furie and strength that without hauing anie power to saue himselfe he gaue a great fall backwards to the ground Rodelando séeing that on the best side entered to him and did imbrace him and held him verie strongly betwéene his armes Then this gentle knight drew out his swoorde and hauing his arme aloft he stroke a blowe the which chaunced vpon a young man called Polio of Velduque sonne vnto the Duke of Velduque and that cruell sword did light vppon his head and cutting it in two parts the young man fell downe dead to the ground Nowe was it not requisite that the Tinacrian should remaine in the armes of Rodelando but with great strength he did ruste him selfe threw him from him At y t time the whole Court was in a tumult for the death of Polio and euerie one drewe out his sworde and did verie sore assalt the knight of y e Branch but he with his sworde made such a slaughter amongest them that they did verie well feele and vnderstand the valiantnesse of his heart the great noise crieng out of the Emperour neither his emperiall presence was sufficient to appease them At this time the Emperours gard came into the hall who were coÌ„manded that with their halberts they shuld indeuour to part them then the Emperour went to lay hand on Firidefonte the beginner of all this tumult but he putting himselfe in defence went forth of the hall so likewise did Rodelando y e Emperour séeing that laide hand on the Bauiero who with great humilitie did obey his Lord he would haue done y t like vnto Poliphebo but he put the point of his sword before him said Kéepe your highnesse backe for that I am none of them that so lightly wil be taken prisoner take put in prison thy owne vassalles such as hath had little respect vnto thy presence let not them which are not of thy kingdome pay for this thy anger The emperour very angry said If my vassalls are in the fault they shall haue theyr punishment thou also if thou dost deserue it therfore yéeld thy self to prison if not vnderstand that it wil be to thy cost I know not what will fall out héerein said the Tinacrian but w t my good will neither you nor all yours shall triumph of my imprisonment before that this doth come to passe I wil make more then one thousand of them that do pretend to take me prisoner loose their liues Then the Emperour with a loude voice commaunded to fake him at which wordes all the whole gard together pressed at him but this valiaunt knight did determine that in spite of them all he woulde cléere and set himselfe at libertie there did he begin to doe wonderfull feates of armes breaking and cutting a sunder those sharpe Halberts and killing and wounding that it was terrible to beholde All the people feeling and séeing the effect of his rigorous arme did giue him waye and let him goe tyll hée came to the stayres there they beganne to assault him a newe with verye much people and amongest them some armed knightes The Knight when he sawe that he coulde not passe in quiet he was cleane without anye patience and not fearing death but forgetting pollicie he firmed himselfe and throwing his shield at his backe he tooke his sword in both his hands and layd about him on euerye side lyke vnto a furious Lion he pressed amongst the people cutting killing and wounding for to haue way to descend y e staires At that time was the Knight in great perill for that those which were before him did persecute him with the sharpe poynts of their halberds and likewise those which were behinde him did the like in such sorte that the Knight béeing on the staires could not tourne himselfe at his pleasure but yet all that euer they did did little auaile or profite them for that with the great furie which he had he pressed vpon them that were before him and what with killing and wounding he forced them to giue him way to descend downe y e staires where hée founde many people fallen downe with the great hast they had to flye from him And when he saw that hée could not passe by reason of the people he gaue a great leap with wonderfull lightnesse he passed ouer the
he alone with his person will defend it And if so be that your highnesse will not dooe this right and Iustice he is determined to doo vnto you all the harme and damage that hée maye And to conclude in defence of this right he dooth defie thy Emperiall Crowne and all thy royall estate and the better to satisfie thy minde he will deliuer vnto thée Candisea for that of her thou shalt vnderstand all the whole truth of the matter with condition that she receiue no hurt nor harme vnto her person for that she hath repented her selfe of the fact done The Emperour who was very attentiue and hearkened vnto the Embassage sent with so great pride was in a maze and greatly meruailed in such sort that he could not speake but when he came vnto himselfe he sayd Oh God and what may this be that ther is so much power and strength in this one Knight that within my kingdome yea within my pallaice he doth these actes without feare and with this yre hée tooke Florisarte by the hande and entred into his chamber whereas betwixt them there was very much a doo with hold and keepe So when he was wel aduertised who the knight and the Lady were he was fully determined to set at libertie Clarentina and Macedonio and to send them vnto the Knight ioyntly with the Lady that Florisarte shuld beare them company till such time as they had deliuered them vnto the Knight and that they shuld of his part request him to remaine in the Court for that therewith he shoulde receiue great contentment so according vnto the Emperours commaundement Florisarte went and in his company Laurentino who when he saw his sister cléere of so great euill was very ioyfufull So they stayed not in anye place till such time as they came vnto the passage whereas they found that inuincible knight who when he saw them he was right ioyfull and receiued meruailous delight and much more when they tolde him that Clarentina was at her libertie and whē he heard the message of the Emperour in requesting him to remaine in his Court he surrendred vnto him great thanks for the same and sent to request him to pardon and forgiue Candisea There Florisarte and Laurentino did promise him on their parts to importunate the Emperour therevnto and heerewith they tooke their leaue the one of the other the Tinacrian did passe ouer the riuer and the rest returned vnto the Citie with the knights aunswere the which 〈…〉 vnto the Emperour and when he saw that he 〈◊〉 not tarry and remaine with him he was very sorrowfull Laurentino when he saw the Emperours sorrow sayd High mightie Lord he was by vs very much perswaded who doeth kisse your highnesse hands and sayd that he could not in any wise staye longer for that he had other great matters in charge which néedes must be accomplished and doeth most heartely request your highnesse to make reckoning of him as of your owne wher and in whatsoeuer your highnes wil or shall commaund him and for a recompence of the same he doth request your highnesse for to pardon forgiue Candisea all her fault offence for that she was blinded by loue and againe her fault doth deserue pardon for that she sought remedy against that false accusation Likewise we doo pray and desire your highnesse of our part to performe the same The Emperour did straight graunt vnto all their request as the yre and wrath did loose their superioritie ouer him he showed himselfe to be very sorrowfull to haue lost out of his court so valiant a Knight Then Laurentino did importunate his sister for to aske license of the Emperour for to returne vnto Tirol the which was graunted them so they carried in their companye the Bauiero and passing through Augusta they came vnto Minique whereas they remained a time with great feasts and triumphs And when they saw that it was time to depart they tooke their way to Espruch a Citie of the Earledome of Tirol and passing ouer the Alpes they were taken prisoners by a mightie Giaunt and twentie armed knights vpon such a sodaine that they could not make any defence but all their company were slaine the rest prisoners as the two knights Florisarte and Laurentino and the Lady his sister The Gyant and his companye tooke their way through the mountaines towards the land of Esguizaros but the third day of their captiuitie and imprisonment they sawe comming downe by the Riuers side a knight armed with very rich armour his stature was such that he seemed to be a very good Knight and in his companie he had two very faire Ladies This Knight came all readye to the battaile his shield in good order and his speare in his hand put vpon his right thigh with a very good grace and demeanour But before I doo tell you who this Knight is I must first show you of all that happened vnto the Tinacrian after that he departed from the Emperour ¶ How the Emperour Alphebo would haue perswaded the Princesse Tigliafa to leaue that lamentable life and how she refused to doo it and went from them how the two Knights departed and of all that happened vnto them in their igurney Cap. 27. THis valiant Tinacrian trauailed so fast ouer the Mountaines that in a short space he left them behinde him So likewise he did thorough Hungaria Samaria and passed thorough Thracia Misia Dardenia and Macedonia and came vnto the principall parte of all Grecia vnto Constantinople This Tinacrian chaunced vpon many aduentures in this his iourney as recompencing of griefes and rightening of wrongs and setting at libertie of compulsions as well vnto knights as vnto Ladies and Gentlewomen but in especiall against Giaunts in battaile killing and destroying In such sorte that the fame of the Knight of the Braunch was in all partes and especially amongst the Knights of Grecia insomuch that they did not talke of any actes and déeds past of Emperours and Princes but all was of this valiant Tinacrian Likewise y e fame of the Purple Knight was there amongst them which was no lesse then that of the Tinacrian And if it be so that I do tell you no more of this good Tinacrian it is not for y e Artemidoro hath not declared it but considering the great antiquitie of the time it was because he y t did write this could not read it therfore he doth declare that which he could read This Historie sayth that when this Tinacrian came within a mile of Constantinople the night came vppon them he did determine to passe it away in a thicke Orcharde that was there nigh the high waye and hanged his shielde vppon the bough of a tree and by reason of the wearinesse of his iourney he slept as one that was without all care The Lady put her selfe farther into the orchard and in this sort they passed away the night till the morning came At which time there chaunced
stomacke yet he coulde not perswade himselfe to the contrarie but he waxed so leane and féeble in such sort that it appeared in his face his great affliction Coridon which did well perceiue his griefe wringing both his hands he said Ah faire and gentle shepheard very apparant thou dost giue to vnderstand thy sorrow and griefe and likewise by my sonets thou doost vnderstand my paine This is the Pastora that hath all these valleyes full of the amorous fire of loue and looke in how so much Nature hath indued her with beautie and fairenesse euen so great a maiestie hath she accompanied with her crueltie that there is no shepheard that can suffer it This is the Pastora for whom the name of this flowred fielde is lost whether as all Shepheards doth resort to kéepe and féede their shéepe but once hauing a sight of her then all their care is lost their shéepe goeth a straie and they giue place vnto cruell loue to enter into their heartes and there he doth satisfie his cruell appetite in such sort that all their delight is to paint and set forth their amorous songs beléeuing thereby to abate the crueltie of her stonie heart and yet there is no more shew of remorse then is in the hard rocke beaten with a mightie storme of haile Ah Filepensio I sée nowe that thou art a new louer and yet by beholding thée thou séemest to bée an olde louer This new shepheard would haue made him answere but he was cut off by a heauie noise which he heard amongest the trées which seemed to be of the Pastora and crying out with more vehemencie he heard that it were shrikes of the Pastora and Galismena which being heard by the shepheards with great alteration they ranne that waie whereas the noise was by reason that in lightnesse and loue this new shepheard did excéede all the rest he was the first that came vnto the place and sawe that there was a Gyant and with him a well proportioned knight who had fast hold of the Pastora and with the point of his sword pricked the hands of Galismena to make her let goe her holde for that she imbraced the Pastora in her armes with great strength At that time came Filepensio and with a greate noise he said Thou vile knight and false traitour I charge thée stand still and not laie hands vpon the delicate Pastora and taking his shepheardes crooke in his hande which was both knottie and hard with the same hardinesse as though he had bene armed with complet armour he pressed towards them The knight with great anger for that which the shephearde had sayde drew out his sword pretending with one blow to returne those words of the shepheard but he that knewe verie well how to vse himselfe stepped on the one side made him to strike his blow in vaine at which time the shepheard entered in to him by the one side and stroke him so terrible a blowe with his crooke vpon the left shoulder that he ouerthrew him to the ground without anie remembraunce The Gyant being greatly amazed at the power of the shepheard beléeuing that the knight had ben slaine with a great shrike let goe the Pastora and set spurres vnto his horse thinking to ouerrun him but it chaunced not with him as he thought for that the shepheard was not idle but hadde recouered the sword of the ouerthrowen knight and hauing it in his hand with great discreation he did a part himselfe from the furye of the horse and in passing by stroke him on the hinder legs with so great strength that he cut them both a sunder and he fell downe with his master to the ground but in such sorte that the Gyaunt might well cléere himselfe from his horse without receiuing anie harme at all and béeing on foote he presentlye layde hande vppon his greate and broade Fauchon and beeing voyde of all patience with a diuellish furie he discharged his blowe at the vnarmed head of Filepensio but the Shephearde did not determine with himselfe for to abide the comming of that vnmeasurable blowe but with great lightnesse he put himselfe on the one side so that he stroke his blowe in vaine and because his Pastora should sée the great strength and force of his armes hée tooke the sworde fast in his hande and firmed himselfe on the ground and stroke the Gyaunt on the wast on his left side that although his armour had béene made of harde and fine Diamonds it had not béene able to haue made resistance against the furie of that great and mightie blowe which was in such sorte that the Gyaunt was cut a sunder in the middest so that the one halfe fell on the one side and the other on the other side All the Shepheards that were there present were verie much amazed and lykewise the Pastoras to sée howe the newe shephearde at two blowes had ouerthrowen two such knightes as they were The Pastora when shée sawe her selfe cléere from that perill went vnto Filipensio for to imbrace him and with amorous wordes she said What reward can I â—oore Pastora giue for to make satisfaction and gratifie the great good which at this present you haue done mée surely I haue no other thing but to put my selfe into your handes that with mée you may doe your pleasure hauing a respect vnto my honour Oh happie Pastora that hath deserued by thy beautie that such a shepheard shoulde yéelde himselfe vnto thée Who could declare the great contentment that Filipensio receiued when he sawe himselfe embraced with the thing that in all the world he best loued and with that contentment he sayd Oh Goddesse of all beautie and fairenesse wherewith can I gratifie the God Pan for the great force and strength which he gaue mée at this present What sacrifice can I make to paie this benefite and ioye that I doe féele in hauing this my shepheards bodie imbraced and compassed about with these delicate armes This great force and strength I maye attribute vnto you my swéete Pastora for that by your fayre sight my small strength did the more augment which was the occasion that I deserue so greate fauour Fayre Pastora I desire no other thing of you but onely to accept this which I haue done in part of a recompence of the great seruice which this shepheard doth desire to doe vnto me At this time the knight that was without remembraunce was come vnto himselfe againe put himselfe on foote the which when Filepensio sawe he ceased his communication ranne vnto him with a wrathfull furie and before that he coulde well settle himselfe he laide holde vppon his healme with so great strength that he pulled it from his head breaking all the buckles and lacings and when they saw the knight without his healme he was knowen of all the shepheards to bée the shepheard called Tarsides Then Alphesiuio went vnto Filepensio and requested that he would mittigate his ire the which this new
shéelde at his necke and béeing readie hée mounted vpon his horse and tooke his Speare in his hande which stoode hard by leaning against a frée and with a verye reasonable pace hée followed after him and when he was nigh vnto the Prince he sayd Knight with more pride and better adorned with rich armour then with good manners or courtesie you must iuste with me for that making thée to kisse the ground constrained by my terrible incounter thou shalt learne in another place to vse curtesie The heroycall Prince with his accustomed méekenesse aunswered If my salutation gentle knight was not as it becommeth a traueling knight the distaunce of the waye was the occasion thereof and this being true which I haue said then haue you no reason to blame me Thou hast lesse reason sayd the Knight of the fountaine for to excuse thy selfe from the iuste which I doo aske of thée therefore take thy choyce of the field and procure to settle and firme thy selfe well in the saddle The Gréeke seing his pride asked of Coridon his shéeld and a speare which they brought with them and hauing it in his hand he saw that the field was all purple very smooth and a knight made in it armed with purple armour striking another Knight armed likewise in purple armour ouerthwart the eyes and it was all full of starres of golde The Prince was meruailously amazed and troubled at the great cléerenesse thereof so that he was constrained to hide his eyes with his owne hands but the calling out of the Knight of the fountaine did cause him to chaunge his purpose and called for his speare and with a furious course he went foorth vnto the incounter The Knight of the fountaine did breake his speare not making the Prince to mooue any more then he had stroke vpon a hard Rocke but the Princes incounter was such that he ouerthrew him to the ground with the fall he brake his arme in two parts who hauing no power to mooue himself and with the great paine griefe he felt made a pitifull complaint The Gréeke séeing him in that case sayd Knight it had bene better thou hadst remained without any salutation quietlye then nowe quarrelling thervpon thou hast thy arme broken and remainest vnable to helpe thy selfe and without saying any other thing he did departe determining to prosecute his former iourney So within a while after he heard a great noyse of calling and looking about to sée who called him he saw that it was the rest of the Knights which followed with greate spéede There he determined to staye their comming and made himselfe ready vnto the battaile if they would demand it of him These seauen knights came with great yre to sée the other knight in that perplexitie and forgetting the custome of Grecia of long time obserued and kept amongst the Knights they all seauen together with their speares on their rests they made their incounter vpon him and stroke the Gréeke with their firmed blowes some on the sides and some on the breast with great furie yet the Prince remained more firme thē an Anfield of yron They all brake their speares on him but at their passing by he stroke one of them such a blow vpon the healme that he ouerthrew him deade to the ground The rest which remained returned vnto him with their swords in their hand laying vpon him very terribly like knights that were both valiant and couragious but the Prince moued his horse amongst them with so great lightnesse and strength that quicklie his power and force was knowen vnto them he did so torment them with his mightie blowes And the more they did grieue him the worse it was for them for hauing lost all patience he threw his shield at his backe and did assault them with such fury that in a short time he remained with onely two of them in the field who séeing the other of their companions dead procured to saue their liues tourning their backes vnto the Gréeke pricking their horse with the spurs they put themselues into a broad waye This furious Knight followed after them procuring to ouertake them and to make that not one of them shall beare newes of the successe of the battaile but by reason they had some vauntage of the waye and againe their horses were very good for all the hast that he coulde make he could not ouertake them till such time as they came whereas were many tents armed in the field and at that place ther was a knight y e stept before him to defend the other two which ran away who were armed with verie strong and straunge armour Who if you doo remember was the Emperour Alphebo and our Knight was his sonne who with his sword in his hand all bloudie followed the other two knights The Emperour Alphebo seeing them come running from y e one alone Knight called vnto them and sayd Tell me wherefore doe you runne away you cowards and dishonourers of the Gréekish genealogie of whom are you afraide of one alone Knight Soueraigne Lord sayd one of the Knightes he that doeth follow vs is no Knight but a diuell and thy surmounted strength is néedfull to make resistaunce against his So at that time the Prince approched as I haue tolde you and likewise the Emperour Alphebo who did verye much beholde his goodly stature and disposition the Prince did likewise behold the Emperour and the straungenesie of his armour The Emperour was the first that beganne to speake and sayd Tell me knight what hath my Knightes done vnto you to cause you to vse intreat them so straightly Then the Prince who had lost all patience sayde Procure to make their reuengement and doo not aske mée the cause of their cowardnesse For that it is verye apparaunt that they themselues are in fault of their ill intreating This good Emperour as one that made little reckoning of his words very méekely sayd If they are in the fault it lyketh me very well therefore I doo desire to know the occasion if it be thy pleasure to tell me that I may altogether lay the fault vpon them The Prince with a high voyce sayde By the Gods I doo sweare vnto thée that it is true that I haue tolde thée The Emperour when he hearde him name those false Gods without any more tarrying drewe out his sword and sayd Defende thy selfe Pagan for it shall cost thée thy lyfe for laying hands vpon Christians who are more worth then thou art Now doo I not desire to knowe the occasion for that they are Christians and thou arte a Moore And I saye that they are in no faulte So there they assaulted one another with most terrible and mortall battayle Oh Nimphes borne in the Hill of Helicon and whose habitation is in the Mountaine Olympus and ye Ladies of the sacred Cabolino vnto all you I doo inuocate to ground in me wisedome and vnderstanding as you did into him who did make the Gréeke dedicated vpon
little preuaile him but that he must néedes be ouercome and slaine The sad and sorrowfull Ladie Lidia when she sawe the Emperour in such great perplexitie with crossing and wringing her hands and with bitter wéepings she sayd O most vnhappie and vnfortunate wretch that I am it had bene much better that I alone had suffered these my paines and passions then that this noble Emperour should loose his life in my quarrell which will be the occasion of verie much sorrowe and great tribulation vnto the most high and noblest ladie in the world O famous knight of the Sun oh renowmed Rosicleer what may you saie when you shall heare that for my cause your father that worthie Emperour should be slaine it had ben better for me miserable as I am to haue bene transported into a plant as Daphne was not to haue caused that for my comfort so much harme should be done vnlesse it had pleased y e Goddesse Iuno to make an euerlasting memory of this my true and perfect loue as she did by Celos in so many Nymphs of whom vnto this daie their memorie doth surmount the high Throne of their celestiall seates Oh noble Emperour who by thy surpassing excellencie hast brought thy selfe to die amongst barbarous people whereas without all hope of anie helpe or anie respect of thy mightie estate thou must receiue the death Héere I do make a vowe that before death doth depriue thée of this great valour and strength to destroye my selfe in recompence of the great wrong that I haue committed against thée The valiaunt Rosicleer which at that time God and good fortune had brought into y e place did cause hir to cease this hir sorrowful lamentation If you do remember this is the battell I tolde you of whereas I lefte Rosicleer beholding the great wrong and outrage that so many did against one onely knight And likewise he did consider the surmounted prowesse which that one knight vsed and because he was armed with contrarie armour he could not know who it was and much meruailing at that he sawe without anie more tarrying he lighted from his horse and laide hand on his swoord with great furie and anger he pressed in amongst these false knights and the first that he did encounter with was y e disordinate Gyant to whom he lent such a blow vpon the legge that he cut it a sunder and with the force thereof he hurt the other legge by the knée in such sort that he must néedes fall to the ground not being able by any strength to sustaine or helpe himselfe The Gyant séeing to his paine féeling so furious a blow cryed with a loude voice saying Upon them valiant warriours for they are of no force nor abilitie to resist at which noyse the Emperour tourned his head aside and sawe whereas the Gyaunt laye all along on the earth by force of that most terrible and cruell blowe Also hée sawe howe this noble knight besturred himselfe amongest the rest of the Gyauntes knightes which was a valyaunt sight to bée séene wherfore he remained a good while in beholding and viewing him till at the last he knewe him to bée his worthie sonne euen that renowmed and inuincible Rosicleer I néede not héere to declare the excéeding great ioye and comfort which this worthie Emperour receiued in seeing him and especially at such a time beeing in great neede and necessitie for of long time before that hée had not seene him neither had he thought euer to haue séene him after that time anie more if at that instant hee had not come vnlooked for in y t he coulde not choose but to haue bene slaine by those barbarous and vnciuile people Then gathering vnto himselfe newe strength and courage he pressed in amongst those false and wicked knightes in such sorte that they beganne to runne awaie as well because they sawe their Lordes and Captaines slaine as also for that they coulde not in anie wise abide the terrible blowes of the Prince So these two valiaunt warriours besturred themselues that they were constrained in hope to saue theyr liues to tourne their backes and tooke the waie vp the hill towardes the Castell but this valiaunt Rosicleer followed them with so greate lightnesse that before they came halfe waie vp the hill hée had slaine the greater parte of them Then the rest which sawe themselues so euill intreated tourned altogether and pressed on him in such sorte that by theyr force they hadde almost constrained him to tumble backwarde downe the hill at which hée was meruailously wroth and therewith like a couragious Knight hée pressed amongest them with so much furie that with cutting off armes and heads hée made them lesse then they were by the one halfe The Emperour by reason of his great wearinesse and trauaile which he sustained remained at the foote of the hill whereas the first incounter was but when he heard the moouing and rushing of the people hée tooke the waye vp the hill with so great lightnesse as though the battaile had but then begun and after him followed the fayre and beautifull Lidia but when the Emperour came in sight he beheld how the Prince with great courage followed after those wretched people euē to the gate of the Castle for they thought to saue themselues if they might by anie meanes get in at the gates pretending to make it fast vnto them but this valiant Greeke pursued them with so great swiftnesse that they had no time to fulfill that which they hadde determined for at such time as they would haue shut the gates he approched them and disturbed their desire with cutting and hewing them in such sort that he entered into the Castell in spite of their heartes and those that were within would haue made resistaunce at such time as he was in the great Court but this valiaunt Prince did threaten them saying O you wicked contentious villains yéeld your selues prisoners for be certainly perswaded you shall finde more in me by humilitie thē by making resistaunce There was one knight which remained and hauing more ciuilitie then the rest aunswered and sayd Ualyaunt Knight if we hadde thought euer to haue found in thée so much mercifull clemencie as wée haue found mightie courage verily long since we wold haue yéelded our selues now therefore we doe desire thée if there bée in thée anie iot of pittie to manifest thy clemencie vnto vs for considering wée were seruauntes vnto those Gyauntes we were by duetie bound to defend them and on the contrarie to our powers offend you Then this noble prince promised them their liues conditionally that they should yéeld and surrender themselues In this time the Emperour letted not to inlarge his pace for to come to the aide and defence of the Prince but when he came thether he found that he was in quiet that all those that were left in the Castle requested peace and when the Emperour sawe that it was then time to discouer himselfe
valiantest Moore in all the worlde and by the hands of the best Knight that euer was The King was very glad to sée himselfe a Knight and gaue great thankes vnto the Prince for the same requesting him very earnestly that hee woulde tell him his name for that he might know at whose hands he receiued the order of Knighthood the which the Prince with a good will declared And when he knew that he was sonne vnto the Emperor Trebatio whom he accounted for his mortall enemie altering his voyce he sayd Oh Mahomet thou vile God and full of all treasons thou hast not lefâ— to persecute me euen vnto this present time for thou hast brought me to receiue the order of Knighthoode which was the thing that I most desired at the hands of him which is sonne vnto my mortall enimie Héere I doo say vnto thée valyant prince that I would it had cost me my kingdome that I had not receiued knighthood at thy hand for that thou art sonne vnto the Emperour Trebatio the falâ—est traytor that euer hath bene séene The prince somewhat angry aunswered him saying King it is not séemely in such as thou art to speak words which be so false It is very true that the Emperour is my father and the mightiest Prince in the vniuersall worlde And not as thou doest account him a traytour For the which cause I doo tell thée that thou doost falsly lye like the most vilest Pagan in all thy kingdome and in the defence thereof I will driue thée out of the field and depriue thée of this order which I haue giuen thée that thou shalte not excercise it by taking from thée thy life This miserable Pagan who straight way was subiect vnto his furye with great alteration sayd Oh wretched and vnfortunate knight doost thou thinke that I am one of those Knights that will be tamed by the strength of thy arme I wish thée not to beléeue it For if thou doost proue my strength thou shalt bée sure to finde another manner of rigor and force then thou hast found in those with whom thou hast got thy honour the prince whose patience could not suffer such great pride but as wrathfull as a Lyon replyed Thou proud Pagan arme thy head and prepare thée to the battaile for by God I doo sweare that I will doo my best to cut of such an enimie from the Emperour my father The Pagan without any more replying caused his helme to be â—ased on and layd hande on his sworde And the Prince likewise was readie to discharge his blowe who raysing himselfe vp in his stirrops stroke so strong a blowe vpon the pagans helme that the sound was heard a great way in the fieldes and it inforced him whether he would or not to make reuerence to holde downe his head béeing so astonyed that it séemed a great tower had fallen vpon him and as he woulde haue setteled himselfe againe in his saddle he stroke him such another vpon his shield that he droue it vnto his head which made him to tourne vp the white of his eyes with the great griefe which he receiued and to kéepe himselfe vp from falling both he and his horse staggered on the one side which made the Prince to loose many a blow notwithstanding he pressed on him so fast that he had no time to tourne him to strike againe This Moore was verye much amazed at his great force and strength and strake at the prince so furious and strong a blow that he made him to loose his vnderstanding and almost to stoope with all his body vpon his horse necke The prince came straight way to himselfe and returned vnto y e Moore with so much furie striking such a blow vpon his shield which although it séemed to be as hard as a Diamond yet for all that he cut it in two péeces and the blow descended vpon his sholder with such a great waight that the mountaines eckoed with the noyse which made the pagan for feare of falling to hold himselfe fast by the Horse mane very much marueling y t in one Knight there shuld be so much strength Then he threw from him the rest of his shield which was left and tooke his broad sword in both his hands and droue such a blowe at the Prince that lighting vpon his visor it depriued him of his sight forced him to fall vpon his horse necke without any remembrance This stout Pagan would haue retourned to strike him again but he could not for that his horse béeing skarred with y e blow lept on y e one side which saued him froÌ„ it Yet y e pagan folowed to accomplish his will which he could not doo so spéedely but that the Prince did settle himselfe in his saddle and recouered againe his sword and committing himselfe to God as he alwayes was accustomed to doo he sayd Oh holy Iesu for thy names sake ayde and helpe me And therwith he spurred his Cornerino with great furie that he made him runne like the winde and in his course he sayd Tarry tarry thou man without faith and doo not thinke that thy blowes hath done any other thing on me but onely caused my yre anger to increase the more for to procure to bring thée to thy ende and to sende that excommunicated soule of thine to the diuell and in the running of his horse when he drew nigh him he threatened him with his sword shaking of it in such sort that he gaue him to vnderstand that at the next blowe he would make an ende of the battaile and therewith he stroke him such a blow on his helme that the bloud ranne out at the visor thereof and he fell downe backwards vpon his horse crouper almost dead The great force that the Prince gaue to strike him was the cause that he brake the lether of his right stirrop and therewith he fell to y e ground from his horse But strayght way with great lightnesse he arose vp againe and in the best manner he could he made it fast and leaping into the saddle he retourned towardes his enemie who was with great trouble setling himselfe in his saddle and looking vp to the heauen he showed a pittifull countenaunce as though he had bene very sore hurte as in truth he was And when he sawe himselfe so ill intreated and all his head bathed in bloud he beganne to crye out agaynst Mahomet saying Oh Mahomet thou art the falsest God amongst all the Gods cursed be all they that doo trust in thée and beléeue in thée And of this be thou sure that I doo not beléeue now in thée neither will I so long as I liue and this I doo promise thée that wheresoeuer I finde anye Temple or Image of thine to breake them downe with the strength of mine owne hande and furious arme And with this anger he lifte vp his sword alofte going towards the Prince who was tarrying for him in the same manner and with like furie
and the more for that his death was so shamefull and odious But they rested not till they came to the Kings Pallayce whereas they were receiued and were vnarmed and commaunded the dinner to be made readye whereat they were meruailouslye serued And when that dinner and all was ended the valyaunt Giaunt began to speake in this manner Worthy Princes and my Lords and friends you doo well know and héere you haue séene how that all our trauayle which we haue had for to defend this king hath bene greatly against our honours and that neither our threatnings nor words were sufficient for to disturbe the will of the Emperour héerein for that he knew that his quarrell was very certaine and iust which was the occasion that the punishment of this fact in all things hath bene fauourable according vnto his desire And for the better verefieng of the same at that present time you saw come in place his worthy son accompanied with my brothers sonne my cousin that with their aide he should conclude to put in execution his iuste true desired reuengement which hath bene a great reproch and ignomy vnto vs all neither was there in any of vs so much force or stâ—ength to withstande or disturbe him but after the king being slaine as you all did sée they tyed him to the stirrops and dragged him through all the fielde So that now you â—hal vnderstand the king being dead our oatâ— is frée and we at libertie neither stand we bound vnto anye other thing And that which we ought at this present to bée agréeued at is for that we are out of the grace and fauor of our Lorde the Emperour Therefore one of vs being his brothers sonne another his sonne in lawe and another his brother in lawe and all the rest his déere and intire friends for that we doo well know that he was not the occasion of this our fonde offence Let vs now acknowledge our faulte and procure to enter againe into his fauour and friendship and goe altogether and discharge our selues for that it is nâ— shame vnto vs to aske pardon for our faults and offences Héere haue I declared vnto you my opinion and my will I promise you I am determined to doo this so that eueryâ— one may héerein doo as best shall please him and as he shall sée occasion The first that aunswered héerevnto was thâ— vaâ—â—ant Tartarian and sayd Excellent king your counsaylâ— héerein doth like me very well and we ought not to take anie other counsaile but this onely which thou hast giuen vs for that we sée playnelye that it hath pleased God to punish vs for that we would defende and maintaine such euill and naughtinesse and without any farther counsayle we did subiect our selues by our oathes therefore I doo determine my selfe to followe thy pretended intention So likewise this counsell séemed good vnto the rest of the Knights and Princes repenting themselues of all that had bene past Don Eleno who was almost confounded for the controuersie that was betwixt him and his Cousin with an altered and angrye voyce he presently replyed I doo not deny but that this which hath happened hath bene to our infamie as much as may be by the which it is knowen y t we haue not maintained y e truth But for all that I wil not giue vnto the Emperour nor vnto y e rest so much glorie but let them make an end to triumph ouer our basenes for as for my part I wil first die be cut all to péeces then to goe and yéeldo my selfe vnto them nor to anye person in the whole world Let euery one doo as he thinketh best for that the Dacian Prince will not let to be the same which his fortune hath ordained and therewith he arose vp from the table and made as though he went vnto his chamber but he did not for incontinent he called a Lackey of his and armed himselfe and commaunded him very secretly to carrie his horse out of the Citie and to tarrie for him there and the lackey did as the prince had commanded him So when he was out of the Citie he leaped vpon his horse and carried in no place till he came vnto the waters side and by chaunce he came vnto the place whereas the barke was that brought his cousin thether into which he entered and his lackey put in his horse He was no sooner in when that with great swiftnesse the barke began to make sayle wheras we will leaue him till time doo serue Now I will retourne vnto the Princes who after many reasonings determined to goe foorthwith vnto the Emperours tent and went vnto the chamber of Don Eleno to perswade him to doo the like but when they came ther they neither found him nor his armour for the which they were very sad and sorrie imagining straight waye what he had done And séeing that it was labour lost to goe and séeke him they themselues determined to departe without him And when they came vnto the scowtes of the host it was asked them what they fought and what they would haue The Giaunt sayd vnto them Friends goe vnto the Emperour and tell him that héere are the Knights with whom he had all his late contention that are very desirous to speak with him So the scoutes sent a messenger straight way vnto the Emperor And when he had told it vnto him he commaunded that they should presently let them passe When the Emperour vnderstoode that they drewe nigh vnto the Tente with his mightie courage and with his accustomed noblenesse hée went out to méete them with his royall armes spredde abroad and so by one and one he louingly imbraced them all and also desired them â—hat there might be no communication of that which had past for that it would be the occasion to disturbe their ioye and mirth which they ought to vse together meeting by aduenture together in straunge Countries so he cast his eâ—e aside to sée where his cousin the Prince Eleno was but when he could not sée him he asked for him and it was tolde him all that had passed and the dolorous end of Lidia for y â— which they were verie sorrowfull but especially the knight of the Sunne for that he loued him verie much and if the Emperour his Father had not disturbed him he would haue gone to haue sought him Likewise the great ioy and contentment which the Gyant receiued in séeing his cousâ—n Tefereo was no lesse then Tefereos to sée his vnckle so that the delight of all of them apparantly appeared In this sort they passed awaie the time till it was night without féeling anie paine of their passed trauaile The next daie in the morning the king of Cimarra did arise meruailouslye richlye apparelled with roabes of cloth of golde and went vnto the knightes giuing them to vnderstand that he was more contented and in quiet then anie other king in that he was reuenged in such sort as
stoore maye shewe the singlenesse and cleane loue of Garofilâ—a and that with the lyke solemâ—nitie may be broken in péeces the heart of him which was the causer of her dishonour And in vttering of these such like sorrowes she tooke forth a naked sword which shée brought readie for the same effect and put the pomell to the ground and cast her breast vpon the point the which she did with so great hast that the Emperour nor anie of all y t were there present could not succour her nor take her from doing that fact All that were present remained verie much amazed to see so sodaine a mischaunce The Emperour verie full â—â— griefe of this successe withdrew himselfe into his closet would not consent that any one should speake a word vnto him The couragious Empresse with a royall stomacke great discretion dissembling her griefe in the best wise shée could commaunded her body to be caried out of the pallaice and in the Court of the pallaice she commanned to be made a rich tombe in the which she was buried there was made her proportion which did shew what chaunced vnto y e damsell and about the tombe was written an Epitaph which did declare the occasion of her death All the time that this damsell was a burying the Emperour neuer came forth out of his closet neither would he haue come forth when hée did and if it had not bene by the great importance of y e Empresse Whereas now we will leaue them for to tell you of the chaunces and aduentures which hapned vnto y e Prince Eleno the time that he trauailed in the world the which for that he was as noble as warlyke and of great strength it is not reason that he should passe so long without making any mention of him You doo well remember how he wente out of Numidia with one onely Page putting himselfe to sea in that inchaunted barke of the Knight of the Sunne He was so heauie and sorrowfull for the death of his Ladie and Mistresse that he was cleane changed and appeared not to be him that he was woont neither had he so great wisedome to gouerne himselfe In this manner he trauayled almost a whole yeare and neuer could méete with Brenio vnto whom he was commaunded to giue the letter from Lydia neither could he heare in any place whersoeuer he came where he might goe to séeke him in which his trauaile he did not let but to méete with some aduentures the which with great honour to his person be finished Yet for all this he could haue no ease of his sorrow griefe which brought him in such perplexitie that if he had not considered y e great losse of his soule many times he would haue slain himselfe So it happened y t one morning very early the barke had put her selfe a ground giuing him to vnderstand that it was requisite there for him to goe a lande The Prince who was very desirous thereof quickly went a shore and after him his page who as you haue heard that by reason of the great hast that the barke made he coulde not retourne a lande to Numidia His name was called Fabio who was to his master such companye that many times he would comforte the Prince when he was most troubled with very comfortable words and perswasions and did serue him with great loue and fidelitie The Prince and his Page began to trauayle a foote with an easie pace through a narow and straight path and with a meruailous and diligent eye he did beholde that countrey and it séemed vnto him that he should know it that before that time he had passed by that waye but the firme loue that he had to Lidia was the occasion that it was out of his remembraunce So with this sorrowe he trauayled till such time as Phoebus had passed the fourth parte of his iourney when that being wery with the long way the great waight of his armor he was forced to take some rest ease vnder the fresh gréene mirtle trées whose leaues did hath themselues in a faire cléere fountaine whereas he began a new to haue in remembrance his former paine complaining of Fortune he published his great griefe making thow of the great sorrow that he felt although he was wery of complaining seeing himselfe so without all remedye he called for his lute for that Fabio did alwayes carry with him taking it in his hands onely to giue some ease vnto his tormented hart he began to sing these verses following SInce heauens accord for to increase my care what hope haue I for to enioy delight Sith Fates and Fortune doo themselues prepare fully to worke gainst me their worst despight I know no meanes that may yeeld me reliefe But onely Death which can dissolue my griefe I muse and may my sorrowes being such that my poore heart can longer life sustaine For that God wot I finde my griefe so much as euerie day I feele a dying paine But yet alas I liue afflicted still And haue no helpe to heale me of my ill When as I minde my paine and pleasure past together mixt it makes me mone my state And since my weale with woe is ouercast O Death giue ende to my vnhappie fate For onely death will lasting life prouide Where liuing thus I sundry deaths abide His Page Fabio did cause him to leaue off his singing for with the great attention that he gaue to heare his Master he likewise heard a lamentable sound which séemed to be of a Lady Likewise the Prince when he had ended his swéete musicke did hearken to heare it and giuing a very attentiue eare that although she did complaine with a lowe voyce yet he might heare that the sound of the voice came forth of the thickest from amongst those trées and without any more tarrying he left his lute with his Page and went that way from which he thought the voyce came and the farther he went the better he might heare that weake and féeble voyce Still he went forwards til such time as he might see who it was that made that lamentation And he saw that it was a very faire Lady that was bound vnto a trée all naked to the skin she had all her haire spred abroad vppon her naked backe The Prince came vnto her and before that he sayd any word he did vntie her and cut the cordes wherewith she was bound and tooke a gowne which was there of the Ladyes and couered her delicate and white bodye The Ladie was very much ashamed to sée her selfe loose and at libertie and sitting downe vnder a gréene Oake the Prince asked of her who he was that without respect of his owne honestie and honour had lefte her in that sort This fayre Lady sayd Knight thou shalt vnderstand that I am Daughter vnto a verye good Knight and Gentleman who was Lorde ouer thrée Castles of the best in all this Countrey My
Fathers name was Cosdros he was one of them that was slaine by the handes of Bramarandus whom afterwardes the Emperour Trebatio slew in battaile So I remained all alone very much made off well beloued of the widdowe my mother and we kepte our selues in a very faire castle of ours not far from this place whereas we did passe our solitary liues So I was required of loue of a Gentleman more richer in goodes and landes than in linage or vertue and I vnderstanding his litle estimation did alwayes esteeme him as little and neuer made any reckoning of his messages the which was the occasion that his desire was the more stronger in such sorte that he séeing himselfe by me not estéemed but put off with the great griefe that he receiued for my loue he dyed and at the houre of his death he neuer left naming of Felina the cause of all my harme At such time as he dyed there was a brother of his present and hearing him to declare the causer of his death there kindeled in him so much anger and wrath that he bare vnto me a perpetuall hatred and did procure to haue amends for the death of his brother So it hapned on a time that I went out of the Castle without any mistrust in the company of other two damsells at which time I was stole away by him and other foure Knightes who broughte me vnto this place which is to my great sorrow and gréefe whereas they bound me in that sort as thou hast found me gentle Knight and not content héerewith but for my more paine and sorrow they left me naked with greater desire to die then to liue This Ladye coulde not let but to associaâ—â— her tale with great lamentations wherein this Dacian did beare her company and sayd Of truth sorowfull Lady fortune hath vsed with me great liberalitie to bring me hether in this time for to set you at libertie from this great captiuitie and to make reuengement of thy honour and héere I doo offer my selfe and doo giue vnto thée my fayth of knighthood to perfourme it or to loose my lyfe This faire Ladye was somewhat comforted with the offer of the Knight and gaue him great thanks for the fauor which he did offer her In this sort they passed the rest of the night that remained till such time as the Sunne of Tona did shew his glistering face spreading all abroad his golden beames accompanyed with y e swéet and rosalyke Aurora at which time they were all readie a foote for to goe onwards on their waie straight wayes they heard amongest the thickest of those trées a still sound The Prince being verie desirous to knowe what it was and comming thether he saw that it was his horse the which was brought thether by the order of the wise Lyrgandeo from the place whereas he lefte him at such time as hée did imbarke himselfe The Prince receiued great delight at the sight of him and taking him by the bridle he leaped on his back and went to séeke the Ladyes Palfraie which was let loose amongst those thicke trées and they found him feeding in a faire and gréene medowe adorned with many fresh and swéete flowers So his page leapt on his backe tooke the Ladie behinde him and trauailed through a narow and well beaten path which brought them into a broad waie that carried them into a verie great and large plaine at 〈◊〉 the ende thereof there was a verie faire Castell and in the middest of the plaine they sawe foure knightes which came towards them and when they were nigh together the one of them sayd Tell me knight who made thée so bolde as for to vnloose this Ladie from thée place whereas she was made fast What is this that thou askest sayd Eleno is it possible that thou art hée that forgetting all the honour that thou doest owe vnto the order of knighthood madest fast this Ladie The knight anâ—wered sayd I am he that did it hée that will take awaie thy life from thée in recompence of thy great boldnesse to vnloose her So without anie more tarrying the Prince Eleno turned about his horse towards him When this sorrowful Ladie â—awe him y t was the occasion of all her euill she leapt downe from her Palfray began with a new sorow her gréeuous lamentation Those foure knights came all against y e prince some with their speares he y t had none came w t his swoord in his hand with great furie one of the foure who thought himselfe to be more valiant theÌ„ all y e rest came formost with his sword in his hand all a high stroke him a mightie blow vpon his helme with all his strength but this Dacian Prince made little account thereof and passing by he stroke him a blow vpon his shield and for that his blow could extend no farther he remained with his life otherwise it had cost him the price thereof for it parted his shield in two péeces The Knight returned and gaue him another blow that it made the sparks of fire to fly out of his healme Then the Dacian full of yre let goe his shield and clasped fast his sword in both his hands and stroke him so terrible a blow vpon his helme that he cut helme and heade in two péeces and he fell down dead to the earth The other seeing their companion dead all thrée together set vpon him but this valiant Dacian who in such like aduentures neuer had any feare did receiue them with his accustomed furye striking on them both on the right and lefte hand with mortall blowes In the meane time this afflicted Lady when she sawe the Knight dead which caused her dishonour lyke a furious Lionesse she went towards him and sayd Oh howe the gods haue giuen thée thy paiment for the dishonor which thou hast done me yet she said O heauie Felina what doth this reuengement profite thy honour being lost it were very great riches vnto me that by the death of him which hath robbed me of it it might be restored me again Oh my gods I am in no falt in the loosing of my chastitie for that it was violently taken from me in the thicke forrest There shall be none able to disturbe but that I will execute my fury vppon my selfe although I doo not deserue the same and in saying these words she tooke the sword of that dead knight and put the poynt to her breast and threw her selfe thereon in such sort that Fabio could not succour her although with great hast he would haue done it The Dacian Knight casting his head on the one side and saw the harme done he pressed forwards with great furie and yrefull wrath and lifte vp his sword and stroke such a blow at one of them vppon his right arme that arme and sworde together fell to the ground and strayght tourned vnto another and with an ouerthwart blowe he stroke him on the making