her company in his court as well to regard her with honour equall to her worthy deserts as also to mittigate the afflictions of his Nephewe the Prince Florendos who desired alwayes to fulfill those occaâ—â—â—ns that might witnes to her his faithful seruice But when he perceiued that his Lady made no account of his trauailes neither regarded the torments he endured for her sake he determined to guard her Shield againe vntill some other Knight did purchase his office by triall of his valour and if his misfortune happened to be so great as he should receiue the folie in this new attempt he vowed neuer more to beare Armes against any but euen to commit his whole course to the cruelty of Fortune séeing that all this while she would not allow him one fauourable looke CHAP. VIII Of the Combats that the Prince Florendos fought the second day after he had enterprised to guarde the Shield of the Princesse Miragarda WHen the Prince Florendos had passed one day before the Castle of Almaroll without any friendly countenance of his Lady or once comming into her presence he began to commune with himselfe of his hard fortune and what little hope he had to gaine his desired ioy because her frowardnes cast into contempt his faithfull seruice On the second day to expell the heauie thoughts wherewith he was so grieuously charged he came to the place before the Shield of his faire Mistresse which when he had aduisedly behold he vttered his complaines after this manner I knowe certainely swéete Lady that he which bestoweth his time in your seruice receiueth a very greaâ—â—â—compence by hauing the meanes to behold your faire Image in this portraiture which is of power sufficent to bring into his subiection the heart as hard as Adamant if the Goddesse would affoord those fauourable words vnto it which sometime she did to the image made by Pigmaleon how highly in so doing might she manifest her courtesie and what a precious Iuell were he enriched withall that gained so great an honour But I see well that you haue preuented such a happy cause in that this remaineth as a Net to entangle the mindes of them which liue frée from such thraldome in which extreamitie the party so inueigles desireth as well to be comforted by your gratious spéech as to be so gratiously tormented by your silent counterfeit for that it depriueth him of his former felicity As for me séeing there is no other remedie I must féede mine eyes with this entising shadowe and satisfie my fancy in midst of my shadow in that I behold the thing with mine eye which as a dagger stabbeth me to the heart and leaueth him depriued of any mean which might adde some ease to my misfortue But albeit your portraite is dumbe and sencelesse and cannot as I would it could perceiue my heauy aflictions yet so fond is my conceit that it maketh me weary of my wretched life hauing played the Mistresse thereof so deuoutly in my thoughts as in stead of thâ—person I reuerence her picture thinke then how dutifull I would be to your selfe that am so forward in estéeming your shadow And this foresaid content should be very welcome to me if I were perswaded that you tooke delight therein which hardly I can beleeue in that my long absence in your seruice and my presence now to offer you my dutie is not worthy to be once looked on this maketh me thinke that you haue committed me to forgetfulnesse therefore I account it as vaine to mourne any longer seeing the affection I haue alwayes so faithfully borne you is rewarded with such an vnkinde recompence While the Prince Florendos continued this sad discourse the Princesse Miragarda secretely behelde him at a â—hinke in the windowe for it was her woont to arise very earely in the mornings to heare the pleasant noates of the pretty chirping birds that would come and sing in the Trées planted by the Riuers side And when shee perceiued that his grieuous lamentations procéeded from the depth of his heart she was somewhat abashed thereat but yet in such sort as she did neuer the more pittie his dollorous estate for such a proud opinion she held of her selfe that the greatest desartes in the world were not sufficient to answere her beautie neither that Florendos could endure too much griefe for her such was her mercilesse iudgement of the passions of loue The carefull Prince abiding in his woonted mones on a sudden heard a great noyse not farre from him among the Trees which caused him to breake off his amorous lamentations and as he aduanced himself to sée what the matter was he espyed thrée knights come riding attired in very rich and costly Armour The first of them was in gréene Armour shadowed with siluer very beautifully and in his Shield he bare for his deuice this word writen in Greeke letters Normandie The Armour of the second was white and Azure mingled together artificially with streames of greene enterchangeably figured thereon and in his shéeld in a field of Sinople he had liuely pictured the God Apollo in his ancient habit The Armor of the third was Carnation colour all beset with Crossets of gold very gallantly and in his Sheeld in a field Gâ—ules he bare for his deuise Orpheus wrapped about with the flames of hall which was so ingeniously made as there wanted nothing but life to grace the picture The two foremost Knights came singing very pleasantly that the Prince Florendos tooke great delight to heare them and they accorded in such good musicke together as the Prince Floraman who was very well séene in that Art commended it aboue all that euery he heard in his life so sweetly did their voyces consent together beside the eccho of the Riuer the trées and the mountaines did answer their notes so familiarly that it was almost as commendable as an instrument which the Princesse Miragarda standing in her window tooke great pleasure to heare and it did very much comfort the sad mind of the Prince Florendos But the Prince of Sardignia being somewhat acquainted with the Song tooke a knife and engraued the same on the barke of a Tree that for the worthinesse thereof it might there remaine till time had consumed the Trée and as the Tree grew in bignesse so the letters might be séene in more leageable maner which when he had finished as well for his owne content as to marke the perfectnesse of the Song he rehearsed to himselfe in forme following The Song which the two knights did sing as they came riding to the Castle of the Giant Almarol and which was engrauen on a Tree by Floraman the Prince of Sardignia FAire Madame if you can vouchsafe to see the liuely picture of a carefull minde For lorne with griefe do you but looke on me and iudge if Fortune be not most vnkinde That he which sues and serueth faithfully Should be repaide with extreame cruelty Whâ—t greater torments to a gentle
minde then to be scorned where he liketh most What state of refuge can he hope to finde where each thing doth at his misfortune boast Condemnd confounded with rebuke and blame Yet ignorant from whence the causes came So heauy is the waighty yoake of Loue when queintest lookes affoord discourtesie That wise is he that doth the passions proue and yet can keepe himselfe at libertie But he whose wits is rauished by stealth Had need of Physick in his greatest health Some men in loue commend their happinesse their quiet sweete aâ—d delicate delight And I can boast of Fortunes frowardnesse Her extreame rigour and seuere despight But for the sweetnesse other men haue felt I came too late my part was else where dealt Yet can I say no man hath beene more iust nor seru'd his Lady with more due regard But she being gouerned by her owne mistrust denies her seruant his desirde reward This my misfortune waxeth more and more Yet will I suffer though I die therefore FINIS THe thrée Knights had no sooner espied the Prince Florendos walking before the Castle of Almaroll but they preseâ—tly left their singing and pulled downe the Beuers of their helmets because they doubted that they should be known and when they came before the Trée where the shields hanged they began greatly to commend his valour whose noblenesse had gained such braue prizes at length the knight in the greene Armour stedfastly beholding the portrait of the faire Miragarda began very brauely to vse his language as thus The beautie of that heauenly face which this Picture represents is of authoritie sufficient to bring to her obeysance the heart that neuer thought to loue yea of the worthiest knight in the whole world albeit my minde was farre otherwise before I sawe that with mine eye which hath béene daily coÌ„mended so much in mine eare Neuertheles if any of those Knights which hath enterprised to defend so rich a treasure dare be so hardy as to breake a couple of Lances with me I will doe my endeuour as becoÌ„meth a good knight on condition he prouoke me not to doe him more iniury then willingly I would because I feare that the Lady which oweth this faire Picture would very seuerely punish me for offering offence to any of her Knights as contrariwise shee will entertaine them with especiall fauour that take vpon them to enter the Combat for her to whom the Prince Florendos thus replied It were pitie Sir to put you foorth of so good a minde séeing your stomacke serueth you so wel for the purpose and because I am ready prouided for the Ioust I force not greatly to bestow the breaking of a Launce or two on you and therefore take the field at your pleasure for I will sanctifie you in this request With these words they parted to fetch their course and met together with such force that their Launces slewe vp into the ayre in pieces and so passed on brauely not being any thing shaken at this first encounter The Giant Almaroll seeing them destitute of Launces caused some to be brought forth of the Castle and being deliuered to their Esquiers they went and serued their Lordes withall who valiantly met againe to breake their Launces the second time but their encounter was so forcible that the Prince Florendos lost one of his stirroppes on which side he was in some danger to haue fallen besides his horse Neuerthelesse the Knight in the gréene Armour measured his length on the ground but he recouered himselfe againe quickly and being out of measure displeased at his fall drew his sword with these words Syr Knight for that I made the meanes to summon you to the Ioust albeit the foyle hath happened to me yet am I not offended thereat so that you will now so much honour me as to let vs trie one another a while with our swords and if in the ende it be your good hap to vanquish me your valour shall haue the larger estimation I knowe not answered the Prince Florendos how these Gentlemen in your company esteeme of your request because I sée them preparing themselues to offer me the Ioust therefore let my intreatie at this time perswade you from this desire in that we shall haue time enough to trie our manhood together when you shall not thinke your selfe greatly aduantaged nor I finde my selfe ouermuch iniured Thus concluding he gaue his horse the spurres and ranne couragiously against the knight in the white Armour mingled with Azure who in sooth receiued him very brauâ—ly breaking their Launces with so great force as the Prince Florendos lost both his stirrops but yet recouered himselfe well enough from the fall as for the other Knight the stroke of the Prince was 〈…〉 that his Horse and he sells 〈◊〉 both together and his horse tumbling vpon him did somwhat hurt one of his legs When Florendos had prouided himselfe of another Lance he gaue a signe to yâ— third knight to encounter with him which the Knight perceiuing and being somewhat moued at the misfortune of his companions failed not to put himselfe vpon the aduenture but such was the courteous regard he had of his fellowes as at the first offer they missed in their meeting whereupon they tooke the second caréere so worthily against ech other as they brake their Lances brauely and passed on for the third encounter The Prince Floraman and Almorall made great estimation of the noble behauiour theâ—e thrée Knights vsed and likewise the Princesse Miragarda did very much commend the noble exploites which Florendos and the other knights shewed before her presence but then the knight being desirous to try the end of his Fortune began to aduance himselfe forward and the like did the Prince Florendos when they met together 〈◊〉 couragiously that the knight was dismounted to the earth the Prince Florendos being in litte better case for had he not caught hold on themane of his horse he had bene forced to beare the knight company but he escaped the fall very well and being well mounted againe the knight with whom he had first Iousted came vnto him with these words Such is my earnest desire sir knight to try my fortune once more against you as I find my selfe very much agreeued till I haue felt as much by your sword as I haue done by your lance therfore as you are a Gentleman and one that hath worthily deâ—erued your knighthood let me gaine so much fauour at your hands as now presently you would satisfie my request the Prince Florendos shaped him this answer Your language is accompanied with such great honesty and couâ—teâ—e and beside I do esteeme thereof so well as it would be a great blemish to mine honour if I should deny your knighly desire and so alighting from his horse he drew his Sword to enter the Combate but the Knight which bare in his Shield the deuice of Apollo stepped betweene them after this sort Noble Florendos you haue good
by friendly counsell as much as in him lay to cause her forget this fearefull motion and Arlencea at the request of Alfernao came presently out of her Chamber but when she beheld yâ— furiousnesse of the water sometime listing the Ship vp as it were to heauen and then throwing it downe againe to the depth of hell the water likewise beating in aboundantly her heart would not serue her to kéepe the Mariners any longer company but she went in againe to her Chamber so full of dispaire and fearefull frightings as being not able to sustaine her selfe she laid her downe vpon a pillow betwéene two of her Damosels when wéeping very bitterly she entred into these spéeches I sée well Alfernao the small recompence they shall receiue which enterprise such déeds as are dishonourable and far from dutie and I beléeue certainely that the Diuine powers are determined to punish vs for the great iniury and disloyaltie we offer in séeking the death of this good and hardy knight who slue my brethren one after another in plaine fight not offering or taking any aduantage of them which hautie derds albeit I cannot let them passe without great maruell yet do they make me verily thinke that he fought in a good and a lawfull cause in that he despised the exceeding crueltie and tyranny wherein my proud and presumptuous brethren liued which disorder of life being rightly chastised by the prowesse of this Knight we set our selues against all reasonable regard in my iudgement to practise his death for well doing And we being forgetfull to sift the iustnesse of the cause goe about to depriue this good Knight of his life in the reuenge of whose innocencie the wrathfull anger of the Heauens is fallen vpon vs wherefore to auoyde and flie the extremitie betime least wee fall into a woorse inconuenience I am resolued to chaunge my angrie moode thinking it better to take the Ring from him which caused him to sléepe so soundly then thus to abide the sharpe countenance of the wreakefull powers whome whether I will or no I must obey Arlencea hauing spoken what pleased her commanded the Chamber doore to be opened where the knight of the Sauadge-man lay and when she had taken the Ring from him hee was in as good estate as hee was before yet not without great maruell in himselfe when he perceiued he was in a ship on the Sea and so compassed about with faire Damosells who wept verie grieuously to see themselues in so great daunger The Prince in this amazement came foorth of his Chamber when he saw how the furious waues of the Water did tosse and turmoyle their Barke and how the Pilot the Marriners and euery one in the Ship theyr harts were dead because â—hey knew no way how to helpe themselues Wherupon he beganne with noble words to chéere and encourage them but the extream feare they had generally conceyued caused them to make small estimation of his words Then was he more and more abashed but especially to sée himselfe in such a place where it was the least parte of his thought to haue come and how he came so Embarqued from the Castle where the Damosells came and entertained him so exceeding friendly at the Gate thereof This strange aduenturs made him oftentimes desirous to demund how and after what sort he chanced thither but the danger which hee saw imminent before his eyes would not affoord him so much leisure but compelled him to settle his thoughtes on that which was more necessarie The Marriners by the often intâ—eaty and friendly behauiour of the Prince began somewhat to comfort themselues which when as he beheld hee went into the Chamber to Arlencea where sitting downe by her hée beganne his spéeches after this order Madame I would I might intreate you to forsake those fearfull passions and to regarde him who estéemeth maruellous well of your diuine Beautie the tempest beginneth by little and little to loose his force and therefore let my perswasion somewhat appease you for these teares wherewith you offend your gratious countenance is as grieuous for me to beholde as it is bootlesse for you so much to hurt your selfe Arlencea hearing the courteous language of the Prince and noting withall his séemely countenance reioyced that shee had so spared his life at the intreatie of Alfernao and the malicious reuenge which she sought before was now changed againe into good opinion of Loue whereat the Knight of the Sauadge-man was very well pleased but Alfernao remained most grieuously passionate knowing well that his enterprise could come to no good ende The Night being spent at the breake of day the tempest calmed when the Pilote gaue them to vnderstand that they were arriued on the Coast of Spaine which words displeased Alfernao in the hearing and while he sate vttering silent complaints to himselfe the Pilote discouered the Cittie of Malaga which then was helde and kept by the Turkes then the Prince tooke Arlencea by the hand and led her foorth on the hatches to shew her the land when causing her to sit downe he desired her that she would report vnto him after what manner he was brought into the Shippe wherein he had slept so long without knowledge of himselfe Worthie Syr aunswered Arlencea so that it shall please you to let all former angrie occasions passe and pardon what I say in your Knightly courtesie you shall be resolued in your earnest desire and therewith assuring you that Loue hath brought mee into such estate and hath mooued such a forcible affection in mée towardes you so as I will not conceale any iote of the trueth from you Then shée recounted at large the whole enterprise of Collambra and the aged Knight Alfernao whose treason did so astonish the Prince as hee brake foorth into these spéeches Madame the desire wherewith I came to doe you seruice did not deserue the vnkinde dealing wherewith you haue vsed me but since it is so that my trauaile hath béene imployed in vaine I desire you to affoord me so much fauour as to report the guile whereby Alfarnao brought me hither who I knowe was perswaded to commit me to the cruelty of your Mother which should be so great towardes me as nothing would content her but my death And let it not offend you that I goe into my chamber to arme my selfe because I will compell all these in your company vnder my obeysance and this you may perswade your selfe that I will not forget your gentlenesse in any trauaile whatsoeuer but will maintaine your excellency being so bound by your good desertes whereto Arlencea thus replyed My Lord I desire you to consider that your singular courtesie ioyned with the vnfained good will I beare you caused mee to discouer this damnable treason intended against you which I thought too vnkind for him to whom I could find in my hart to submit my selfe in recompence whereof I desire you would remember that I shall not onely loose the presence of Collambra
with you in sorrow althougy not worthy comparison it may be in Soueraigntie And why you accompanie this Funerall with such heauie complaints considering the pleasures of the Court were more fit for your delights then the vncomfortable abyding in this solitary Desart Thus much on my Knightly Oath auouching that knewe I you had sustained iniury at the hands of any I would eyther cause him recount what hee hath done you in hishonour or constraine a reuenge on his dearest blood The Ladie hauing well noted the courtesie of Primaleon as well his Knightly offer◠as the good opinion shee conceyued of performance satisfied his Request with this gentle replye Syr Knight lesse I iudge you not to be and more being ignorant of your estate I may not terme yée Neuerthelesse if I fayle in the one let friendship yet forget the other Let suffice that I am one whom Fortune hath iniuryed euery way by mishappe and aduantaged no way by no good lucke so that to answere your demaund I am the onely Ladye who may compare with all for misfortune As touching my ame which may in some sort vrge you to remēber my meaning when you are not ignorant of me vnderstand that I am calld Pandritia daughter to the famous King of Lacedemonia and although at this present in this vncomfortable Wildernesses yet am I gouernesse of his Princely dominions And hereby in a Castle I passe forth my vnfortunate life hauing no other company then these whom you may behold who beare part in my mone and mishappe As for the estimation of my life the ioy is so small and the griefe so well acquainted that I am rather desperate to ende it then desirous to endure it And now I make my returne vnto my carefull Castle the which for that it is not vnprouided of faire Ladies such as you sée here present I haue tearmed it the Garden of Damosells wherein I receiue as much sollace by mourning as any Ladie tasting my mishappe can obtaine in myrth I am sure if you haue trauelled Countreys you are not ignorant how the King Ternaes my Brother who after the death of my Father was enchaunted into the Castle Des noires Oyseaux vntill such time as by the valiancie of the famous Prince Don Edoard he was deliuered out of so grieuous perplexitie This Prince afterward remaining with my Brother in Lacedemonia so long as him pleased where were such Tryumphes ordayned as might gratifie such an Honourable personage I the more vnfortunate I conceiued so good opinion of his valiant behauiour that I chose him as the honor of my life and Patron of my Loue estéeming all other but base in respect of him and hee to be as farre beyond them all as I was deceyued farre from my hope But my Cake was dowe and my labour spent to losse for that long before he had vowed his seruice to the faire Damosell Flerida to whom he was Espowsed when he departed foorth of this Kingdome Thus was my Loue despised my selfe disgraced and shée honoured with that Gallant whome I loued too soone and lost too late which causeth mee refraine all Courtly companie betaking me to the sorrow of my Folly that mist the good happe I desired in Faith And yet beholde in remembrance of this vnkinde Don Edoard I haue reserued this Picture as the chiefe ornament of my Chamber imagining the person present when God knowes he is farre enough from me in distance of place but farther off in good will of heart Yet often doe I blame the Picture for the Maisters sake whome had I but halfe so much power ouer as I haue of this Portrait hee should well know my Loue is more then he can possibly desire and so much that he can neuer liue to deserue And as you may perceiue this Picture addressed in manner of a Funerall which being depriued of all Hope I meane to Solemnize in this sorrowfull manner that interring it in my comfortlesse House of Sadnes I may forget the fond Loue I bare to such an vngentle Friend Which to sée accomplished this carefull companie as you may perceiue are ready to assist me in this heauy trauel And therfore courteous Knight if you please to sée my Funerals and Picture of that ingratefull Prince Don Edoard lifte vppe the Hearse and you shall beare witnes what I haue giuen you in words Pandritia concluding her discourse with an heauy sigh the Prince Primaleon lifted vp the Hearse where he beheld the liuely Portreit of his déere Friend Don Edoard so Artificially drawne that he doubted whether he had bene slaine thereabout or no for vnder his head were two Pillowes of blacke Veluet and on either side of the body two burning Tapers which enforced the Prince to turne his talke into teares and there he bar◠Pandritia company for all that Night enduoring her Comfort but her vowed sorrow would not suffer any perswasion in this case Ye would not Primaleon depart but bare her company into another valley what time faire Aurora began to shew her cheerfull countenance cloare Phoebus hastened to his chariot to run his course about the earth Through this valley ran a blacke and vgly Riuer beset with high Trées round about which made it very obscure and vnpleasant to the beholders In the midst of this Riuer was an Ile wherin was placed an ancient Mansion couered ouer al with black which declared smal pleasure to those who remained there great occasion of sadnes to any that should come there The chamber of his solitarie place were adorned with many pictures as witnesses of the great misfortunes that had happened to many Louers as the tragicall motion of Hero and Leander the sorrowfull end of Piramus and This bie accompanied with the mournful Philomela Then next her stood the vnhappy quéene Dido hauing the blade of Eneas pierced through her harmelesse heart the workemanship so cunningly ordred that you would haue iudged the fresh blood to drop from her faire body Medea Progne Arcana Fedra Arife were all worthily painted with the whole discourses of their liues There stood Orpheus wrapped about in the fire of Hell hauing in his hand his harpe which in times past could recouer him his wife Erudice Acteon bare company with these infortunate louers in the shape of an Hart and torne a péeces by his owne hounds by him stood Narcissus and diuers other which I omit for breuitie as 〈◊〉 fearefull to be too tedious Pandritia being now come to the dore of this foresaid mansion she caused the damosels to beare in the funeralls of the Prince Don Edoard then turning to Primaleon gaue him this farewel Sir knight lo here the rest of my misfortunes and last Sepulcher of my heauy trauels I shall request your company no further for that none must enter here but he that vowes to be partner in our pensiuenes and can abandon the name of all pleasures to expresse his mishaps in bemoning my funerals She entring the
thy hands from him that is conqnered and come deale with me who hopes to conquer thée and therewithall Primaleon being not fully prouided receiued such a cruell blowe on the head that it put him in some danger Primaleon séeing such a fearefull Enemie and what mighty blowes he still charged him withall he bethought him on his Friende Don Edoard whose helpe in this fierce assault might doe him no small pleasure Yet hee considered with himselfe that doubtlesse he was in some néede or so kept vnder that hee might not assist him else hee perswaded himselfe he would be as requisite to helpe him as hée ready to wish for him Then hee taking vp the Shielde of Pandare betwéene Alligan and himselfe began a hotteskirmish as the place where they fought altered in colour with theyr blood made manifest Yet Alligan for all his rough behauiour had little hope of any good successe because the hardinesse of Primaleon hadde both martyred his Shield and Armour in pieces so that he had no defence to beare off the blowes but by the fresh and eager Assaults of the Noble hearted Prince he brought him vnto such a lowe estate that he supposed he had quight slaine him Which mooued him to sitte downe to rest him for that faintnesse with losse of his blood and wearynesse in so long continuing Battell made him both glad and desirous of a little ease Dramusiande perceyuing the harde euent of this Combat and standing in doubt that Fortune by some sinister meanes or other would séeke his ouerthrowe and so depriue him of that he looked for and what his Aunte laboured for Armed himselfe presently and came foorth to Primaleon assailing him first with these wordes Syr Knight my Friend if you please my foe if you dare in the one you may finde comfort in your distresse in the other any incurable mischiefe to beare you companie in so great daunger Mee thinkesâ— it were more honour for you to yéelde with no blemish to your Knighthoode then to endure a fresh Assault which will be to your great hazarde So if you estéeme of my courteous offer I will sée your wounds cured at mine owne charge and your weake estate comforted as beséemeth a good Knight Primaleon well nothing the honest words of Dramusiande and fearing his faire talke might beare fauor of a shrewde meaning made him this answere If sir by the paine I haue bestowed sharpe encounters I haue eudured I might purchase yâ— deliuery of my dearest friend Don Ddward then would I not only make estimation of your courtesie but confesse my selfe during life yours euer bound by duty But as I iudge you meane nothing lesse and the reward of my trauaile desireth nothing more so my heart is bent vnto that hautie enterprise which if intreatie will not serue shall be gayned perforce and where courtesse is not estéemed compulsion may and shall command The oath I haue made my friend doeth discharge my heart of feare and the hope I haue of victorie bids me rather die then be vanquished so shall I award the reproch of the world and be true to my friend whose safetie I tender as my owne soule Dramusiande at this pause tooke occasion to reply in this manner Sir Knight for two causes I account it honour to vse thée courteously The first is that I greatly pittie the harme which may ensue to an vnuised heade which doth that in a brauerie for a fashion he is glad with bitter teares to bemoane in folly The second cause is that to conquer thée would rather discredite me then any honour were to be gotten by the victory considering thy vnfortunate and miserable estate with the Knightly puissance I shall bestowe on thee Neuerthelesse to charme the proud spéeches thou hast vsed correct the rash behauiour of thy vnstayed wit thou shalt know how I can tamâ— the mallepart bridle those that cannot rule their owne manhood Vpon these words he laid fiercely at Primaleon whose debility rather required quietnesse then such extreame strokes as hee must néedes suffer neuerthelesse hee employed himselfe to such nimble defence as his weary trauayle would permit him which mooued a great compassion in the minde of Dramusiande to sée the weakenesse of the body not agrée with the inuincible courage of the heart would not for any thing haue slaine him as very easily he might haue done but that hee once more would vse perswasioÌ„ which he discharged after this order Sir Knight thou maist sée I refuse the fight more for the griefe I sustaine in thy hurt then any feare I haue of thée to doe me harme in token whereof I set thée at libertie as one more willing to doe thée good theÌ„ any desire I haue to bereaue thée of life But if thou once more refuse my courtesie and desperately séeke thine owne destruction I promise thee that neither mercy may asswage my rygour nor any meane beside shall withhold me from reuenge for that he which is carelesse of his owâ—e life it were great pitie but he should loose it Primaleon casting his eyes vpon his armour which he perceiued al broken battered in pieces as also bathed in the blood which issued froÌ„ his wounds then calling to remembrance his Lady Gridonia whose heart might hardly brooke to heare any mischance of her best beloued walked a little by himselfe vsing these silent cogitatioÌ„s Madame behold the last day of our heauy departure my last farewell sent you in teares with a bléeding heart subiect to mine enemy whom I striue to conquere and yet rather desire the death then lose the honor of my name I know our next assault is the last Tragedie of my time which I must not refuse if I loue my friend and yet should forsake remembring your losse Wel hard is the hap wheÌ„ Fortune hath determined all to extremitie which if I should séeke to shunne would iustly repay me with deserued shame O famous Emperor and my renowned father whose thoughts are as far from my heauy case as my troubled heart is void of any comfort yet let this iust perswasion cut off the griefe you may sustaine that I liues for my friend whose fréedome was my felicity and now die for my fréend whose thraldome is my misery which I desire to finish ere I will shrinke one iot in the honour of knighthood Albeit the losse of my blood ouerchargeth mee with faintnesse and my long continuance in fight oppresseth me with wearines yet shall it neuer be reported Primaleon turned backe forgetting bounty or left the â—ield for one hauing already conquered twaine for the ioy I conceiue in finding my chiefest friend biddeth me die ere I leaue him so shall hee trie if I loue him And thinke not deare father nor my swéete Gridonâ—ia that I forget the duetie which law of nature willeth me to beare you or that I desperately run on mine owne death to increase your sorrowe and continuall mones But thinke as I haue ventured vpon
such ougly fellowes At last hée beheld the Knights preparing themselues as it were to Iust when after he had done his deuotions in praiers as was his accustomed vse he receiued a Speare from his Esquire which he charged toward Pecinde the King of Spaine When Dramusiande sawe the courage of the Knight of the Sauage man they all came downe to the foote of the bridge meaning as it was their custome the Prince Don Edward should haue the first course but through intreatie the King Recinde got leaue first to trie his strength The Knight of the Sauage man béeing readie prepared encountred the King with great valure but such was his misfortune that he was sent to the earth Arnedes who had alway in trauaile borne him company preuailed through earnest desire that hée was granted the second Iust but he was inforced to beare the King Recinde company Primaleon séeing his friendes receiue such dishonour before his face without taking leaue of the Prince Don Edward tooke the Speare and ran couragiously against the Knight of the Sauage man when they brake their speares yet neither of them any thing shaken Dramusiande who desired to sée the ende of this noble exploit commaunded the Speares should be presently brought foorth when each of them tooke their choise and fell to their enterprise againe At the third attempt Fortune turning her backe to the noble Primaleon caused him likewise to be dismounted to the earth This mishappe greatly displeased the Prince Don Edward and hée taking one of the strongest Speares gaue the Encounter to the Knight of the Sauage man which was discharged with so great magnanimitie that both their Horses and themselues were layde on the ground Don Edward quickly taking his féete againe and maruayling at the puissant strength of the Knight of the Sauage man who came vnto him and saluted him with these wordes Trust me Syr Knight I would estéeme my selfe both honoured of Fortune and highly preferred vnto all good lucke if I were in a place where to doe you such seruice as is your reward through your braue behauiour For this assure your selfe that you are the Knight who ought to beare the general praise among men especially of me who in all his life time neuer sustained so sharpe a plunge as at this encountring you haue put me too Syr answered the Prince Don Edward I knowe not if my behauiour séeme so praise worthy to you but this I speake vnfainedly not to cause you conceiue a pride in your selfe that I neuer met with a stranger knight since I knew what belonged to the bearing of Armour Pandare came to ende their tale giuing these wordes to the Knight of the Sauage man Since Sir Knight you haue done more in the Iust then euery one supposed to bee in your power you must now endeuour your selfe to deale with me a while for that all such as enter this Valley are bound to fulfill this ancient custome But if your heart serue you not to fulfill this enterprise because feare may somewhat allay your youthfull courage I wish you to yéelde your selfe which will be more honourable then to hazard your life where you are certaine to lose it O sir quoth the knight of the Sauage man it séemes your Father was a Senator by your Clarkly perswasion and that you being his sonne would do more with words then he could with déedes but if your Father hath giuen you more wit then you can beare I meane to beate it out of you rather then you should be ouerburthened Pandare somewhat offended to heare these stumpes beganne to charge the Knight with his yron Mace and hée change blowes with his good swoord so that betwéene them passed such notable behauiour in fight that Dramusiande Don Edward and Primaleon commended marueilously the hardnesse of the Knight of the Sauage man At length such was the good Fortune of this noble knight that he brought Pandare on both his knées when he had sent his head from his shonlders had not the Giant Alligan come presently vpon him Then was he constrained to leaue Pandare and award the mighty blows Alligan charged him furiously withall but such was the great foresight of the knight of the Sauage man that he still bare off his strokes and would not strike againe as well to refresh his owne wearinesse as to make the giant somwhat stract with his long labour In fine when he perceiued his time and saw Alligan was out of breath with his long continuance in fight he came vpon him with such fresh deliuery blowes and followed his enterprise with such excéeding courage that he brought stout Alligan likewise vnder his obeysance This Combate was so well estéemed of all the Princes and so greatly displeased the minde of Dramusiande that he approched to the knight of the Sauage man as thus The good fortune Sir knight which hath returned you victorie beyond our expectations or your good assurance me thinkes should moue you haue respect to your bléeding wounds which may more â—â—damage your person then all the perill you haue sustained in fight Wherefore let me intreate you to finish your desire in this trauaile and to striue no farther but yéeld your selfe to my friendship and by my Sword I sweare to vse you in such honourable manner as shall be for your health and mine own honestie If you refuse this my curteous offer and a priuate pride shal cause you run without regard I shal be vrged to that I would be very loth to do which is to giue you a fresh assault when the estate you are in doth rather require ease which may be to your gréeuous detriment and to my great dishonour These courteous words aunswered the Knight of the Sauageman would serue very well to a faint hearted man or to him that is so sore as I in bodie but not to him that is so sound in minde wherefore I am to thanke you for your great pittie and would accept it if that I did conceiue any such pleasure But as it séemeth to me you are the Lord of this faire Castle that at this present doth deaine the flower of all Chiualrie wherefore I would gladly haue you to vnderstand that though my limmes be not in their best estate my heart is in such sure hope that my life shall purchase their present deliuery Dramusiande séeing he scorned his good will and estéemd his words of no better account presently returned him this raplie I perceiue Sir it is high time to cause you know what benefite you might haue receiued in following my Counsell and what danger shall happen through your owne folly so arming his head and commaunding his Sword and Shéeld to be brought him he charged the Knight of the Sauage man in this manner I would wish to ioyne combate with a Knight so hardy as your selfe so that the disposition of his health were such as my blowes might be well welcome vnto him But séeing your stomack so good yet your body
voyage of Palmerin whom aboue all I loue and in heart giue most honour yet will I not make him so priuy to my thoughts albeit I sustained the hazard of death because perhaps the beauty of Leoâ—arna Princesse of Thrace may alter the affection he hath vowed to me I beléeue quoth Dramaciana that inconstancy cannot harbour in the heart of him who proued himselfe so loyal in the aduenture of the cup but to preuent the worst if you will vouchsafe me the leaue I will in priuate talke vse such meanes with him as I shall quickly sound the depth of his intent Polinarda estéeming this deuiâ—e returned presently this aunswere I thinke so well Dramiciana of this pretty inuention that I am very well content that you procéed therein but of all Loues I pray you vse the circumstance of your matter in such sort that he perceiue nothing therein to be done with my will Polinarda thus concluding her speeches went and sate down by the Princesse Gridonia her mother mean while the English Prince remembring his hasty iourney as also the small kindnesse he perceiued in his Lady passed all the day in many silent thoughts But wheâ—â— the euening came he went to the Empres Chamber where the Knights and Ladies danced and doing his duty to them all he came and sate downe by Dramaciana with whom being very familiar he entred into these spéeches Swéet friend if I either might or could vtter my complaints to any by whom I had opinion to receiue redresse with verie glad consent I would but séeing my sorrowes grow to a greater extreame and to none but you I dare bewray them I will request so much courtesie at your hands as to resolue me in one or two questions and thus they are What is the cause my Lady Polinarda dealeth so hardly with me as to driue me to the vtter despaire and contempt of my life if she thinke me to deserue no greater fauour trust me I may iudge her ouermuch vnkind for that all my care is by what meane or motion to lay my heart at her foote in loyall serucice But she séeth full well my griefe and couereth her selfe with such a close conceit that she will not séeme to know it onely because she is either daintie of her courtesie or else thinketh scorne to recompence my trauell I desire you to beare witnesse with my faith which neither forceth paine torment or any miserie so that she would not forget the knight who suffreth al for her sake and cannot expresse what he would suffer so that it might but please her to estéeme thereof And trust me swéete friend I neuer in all my life entered so farre in spéech hereof to any person nor would I haue gone so farre at this present but that the proofe of your fidelitie hath constrained me to speake what you haue heard knowing very well that with a trustie friend a secret is buried in the bottome of the sea Sir Palmerin answerd Dramaciana the long time you haue absented your selfe from hence hath mooued me to thinke that your mind was addicted to some other purpose so that I iudge you rather complaine for custom then cause as you are al wont to do when you hold the fish with the baire which you greatly â—are not for whether you were best to take it or let it goe And now I am aduertised that you go to end the Enchantment of Leonarda the heire and princes of Thrace whose loue I feare me will cause you forget your old friends wherefore you may with greater ease beare so small a burthen Trust me answered Palmerin the beautie of Leonarda nor all the rich proffers of preferment in the world shal haue power to alter any qualitie in me by which I might be iudged either inconstant of faith or negligent in promise for which cause I haue the greater desire to speake with the princesse Polinarda that she may be assured of the loyaltie which this poore heart of mine shall continue to her to the death Well quoth she if your constancie be such as you report I thinke in so small a matter it will not be changed But as for speaking with my Lady I know at this time it is vnpossible wherfore for a further triall of your truth prepare your selfe to depart with the Damosell of Thrace and in your absence I wil so manifest your constancie that at your return you shall speake with her at your pleasure So that in yâ— mean time you wil promise me that no occasion be moued to offend so good a Princes To these words Palmerin thought to haue made answer but the Dancing being done he was hindered of his purpose so that Dramaciana and he were constrained to part company he being very glad that he had disclosed part of his griefe to her that would sollicite his sute in ample manner and this night he tooke better rest then he had done since his departure out of England The next morning he rose very early when a faire new armour was presented him and in his shield he bare a man torne in péeces by a Tiger Then went he with the Damosel to take leaue of the Emperor who brought him to the Empresse chamber to whom he humbly did his duty as also to Gridonia Bazilia and all the Ladies but such was his heauy farewell to the Princesse Polinarda as al the Ladies present could not refrain from teares Thuâ— left he the Emperour in great sorrow Primaleon Dramusiande and his brother Florian were very sorry to leaue them whom he most loued but notwithstanding all intreaty he departed with the Damosell and Siluian towards the kingdome of Thrace Soone after two Allemaigne Ambassadours arriued at the Court yéelding the seate and gouernment of the ancient Emperour Trineus deceassed to the Prince Vernar his sonne these newes were great griefe to the Emperour as also the Prince Vernar who left the Court accompanied with his Lady Bazilia being great with child and soone after deliuered of a goodly young Prince named Trineus after his Grandfather To accoÌ„pany these princes there went Florian of the desart Floraman Dramusiand Albanis of Freece Gracian PoÌ„pides and many other and when they came to the Citie of Cullen there was the prince Vernar chosen Emperor with such magnificiall Triumphs as neuer were séene the like in the dayes of â—is Predecessours Then sent he for his Brother Polinard to enioy such titles as were fallen vnto him and Florian with the other Princes and Knights stayed a while in the Court of the Emperor Vernar when soone after they departed to seeke aduentures as you shall at large perceiue in the second Volum of this History CHAP. XCVI Of the daungers which the King Polendos and the Princes passed conueying the Princesse Targiana by Sea And what happened to the Prince Florendos in the Fort of Astribor THe King Polendos the hundred knights that bare him company to conduct the princesse Targiana home againe sayling at their pleasure
maister as also what happened to him to be in that case My Lords answered Siluian I know well how to resolue you to your demand though the report be not so agréeable to you as I could wish then he discouered to them the misfortune of the Prince Florian and how his Lord was ridden after him to giue him succour But the aduenture is so dangerdus said Siluian wherein my Lord must assist his brother as his life will stand to extreame hazard before he can helpe him according as he would and beside it is doubtfull he shall come too late because his horse will hardly hold out to which words Platir thus replyed Siluian your Lord is so fortunate and hath finished such rare and incredible aduentures as I will not be perswaded but that he will deliuer out of danger his brother the hardy Florian of the Forrest and therefore content thy selfe for he which had the power to end such noble exploits as he hath done I am sure cannot faile this present occasion But for the departure of the Prince Florian trust me it did not a little offend me and being now by you aduertised that without present aide he is in danger to be lost both I and my companion will not faile to follow him because it were against reason to loose so good a Knight and go you to the place which you tell vs the Prince Palmerin hath commanded you and there shall you likewise heare tidings of vs so soone as we shall possibly haue the commoditie to send to you The Prince Platir vpon these words tooke his leaue of Siluian when he and his companion rid away very hastily where to the successe of their iourney we will leaue them remembring we forget the knight of the Tiger who after he departed from Siluian made such dispatch of way as at length he came to a little Village by the Seacoast where he entred a Venetian Gally to passe by Sea to the Island of Collambra which was very much famed abroad by reason of the Giant which possessed the same assuring you that no Vessell whatsoeuer might take landing there during the time these Giants liued because their crueltie was so insupportable to them which durst arriue in that Isle When this Galley came neare vnto the Island they were constrained to rowe close to the shoare because the winde was so sore vpon them as for two dayes they were greatly hindered and on the third day likewise the wind arose so extreame and violent as the Mariners iudged in the middest of winter it could 〈◊〉 be more rigorous so that they were driuen into a certaine place where diuerse other Ships being glad to auoide that troublesome tempest had taken Anker in one of these Ships was the Sage Aliart being very sore passionate least some misfortune should happen to Florian of the Forrest his Brother Neuerthelesse hée receiued some comfort in beholding the other vessels hoping that fortune might be so fauourable to them albeit the winde were so contrarie to their Nauigation they might yet happen vpon some coast or other as might happily bring them together to the Island of Collambra The knight of the Tiger vnderstanding that the Sage Aliart was there and also being acquainted with his aduise receiued great contentation in his minde and because the tempest endured all that day he left the Galley contenting the Maister thereof for his paines and came into one of those ships which were in the Hauen but he would not goe into that Vessell where the Sage Aliart was for that he doubted least their being together would be a hinderance to their seuerall determinations which while hee was considering how farre different they were the Princes Berolde and Platir likewise arriued there entending to beare Palmerin and the Sage Aliart company in their voyage But when they vnderstood how the Prince Palmerin desired to trauaile without their company they embarqued themselues with the Sage Aliart and setting forth of the hauen together they kept company with the sight of one another vntill the darke night did separate them asunder for the winde rising againe kept them in short time so farre aloofe the one from the other as they had cleane lost the fight of any land yet they sailed on couragiously not dreading the furie of any winde nor rough billowes of the water to the mercy whereof we intend to commit them The course of our History willeth vs now to returne to the redoubted Knight of the Sauage man who was conducted to Collambra in the order as I haue told you before by the commaundement of Ailencea the Damosell Giant who sayled with such a spéedy pace on the Sea as her pleasure was greater then I can speake of for that shée had in her custodie the Knight of the Sauage man with whome shée and those that bare her company in foure dayes and soure nights being so fauoured of the winde and weather came within the sight of the Island where the proude Giantesse Colambra made her residence into whose handes Fortune would not suffer to fall the Knight of the Sauage man but raised suddenly such a mightie tempest as they were all in doubt to be cast away and in little more then an houre they were cast so farre from the Island as the Pilot could not iudge into what countrey the winde had driuen them by reason whereof both he and the Marriners remained so far out of quietnesse as they could not tell to what Saint they should commend themselues for present succour When Arleneea perceiued this sudden alteration shée was likewise so inwardly vexed as she wished that she had neuer séene the Prince Florian for she had none in her company that could promise her any ayde except it were Alfernao and hée was so worne with age as he could lesse helpe then any of the other then she beganne to encourage the Pilot to defend her in causing the marriners to make expedition but al was in vaine for their hearts did so faint and their stomackes so failed them seeing so great danger and trouble towards them as the ayde which they should haue giuen to remedy this doubtfull trouble was not of any account at all and their vnderstanding did forsake them so amazedly as they knew no way to helpe the perils extant before their eyes Alfernao séeing the Mariners so out of heart came to Arlencea with these words Madame I desire you not to abash your selfe for in the assurance of your excellency consisteth all our liues and for this misfortune which hath come vpon vs it hapneth to them customably which frequent the seas and though now you see the waters so rough and impatient in a moment you shall sée them calme enough againe Wherefore I pray you come forth of your Chamber to the end the Pilot and the Mariners may behold you for I am perswaded that in séeing you they will receiue a fresh encouragement In this order as I tell ye Alfernao did endeuour himselfe
I am content that it shall be so according as your selues thinke best to order it The Giant went away as ioyfull as might be for he promised himselfe the victory and did verily make account to kill the knight of the Tiger before the knight of the Sauage man arriued there and in this ioy he came to his sister who sate wéeping and wringing her hands because her knights were so vanquished as also for the long tarryance of her daughter Arlencea fearing least some mischance should hinder them because they stayed so long the consideration hereof made her heart ouerwhelmed in extreame passions yet was she somewhat contented by her brothers presence who prouided such necessaries for himselfe as he should vse in the Combate in the day following against Palmerin of England The Giant being thus gone about his businesse the Prince Palmerin demanded of his friend for what cause the Giants Knights did enter fight with them whereto the Sage Aliart thus replied My Lord this Giant causeth a number of Spies for to lucke about this Countrey who seeing but any strangers to come on the land here or that any Ship do but once lie here at Anker they set vppon them with maine force presently in like manner chanced this misfortune to vs who comming on land in this place were no sooner offering to mount on horseback but we were assaulted with these knights from the Giant who came himselfe to encourage and animate them against vs we being ready to fall into extreame danger had not you so happily arriued being sent doubtlesse to succour vs that our enterprise might not come to an vnfortunate end which could not otherwise be in that the knight of the Sauage man is not yet brought hither Here making a pawse they went to séeke somewhat to sup withal and to prouide something to lay to a litle wound which Berolde had receiued on his arme for which cause Palmerin desired him that he would not aduenture the Combat the day following but Berolde would by no meanes be perswaded The Sage Aliarts Esquier tooke the Prince Palmerins horse he staying there all that day in his friends company all of them watching very diligently for the sight of any Shippe wherein the Prince Florian should be brought captiue into his enemies hands but when the darke night would not suffer them to looke any longer they entred all into the Shippe which had brought them thither for that they iudged themselues in more assurance there then to tarrie on the land all the darke night accounting them rather gouerned by arrogancy and folly then any wisedome or discretion that would trust them who made no account of their faith especially being their professed and sworne enemies CHAP. XVII Of the Combate betweene the Giant Espouuantable and the noble knight of the Tiger and of the battell betweene Berolde Platir and Sage Aliart and the three Couzins of the Giant CLeare Phebus had no sooner shewed his golden face on the earth the next morning but these foure Knights departed from the ship thrée of them being armed but badly by reason their armor had béene mangled very cruelly the day before but yet though they were so slenderly prouided they would not forsake the Combate against the Giants Couzins so leauing the Shippe in the custodie of the Marriners they rid on accompanied with their Esquiers who bare their Lances and their Shields vntill they came to the place where the Giant remained Being come thither they beheld before the Castle the place appointed for the combat which was paled round about very handsomly scaffolds made of very great height whereon was assembled an innumerable company of people who came onely to sée the Combat for that they iudged it would be the most famous that euer was fought in y◠Countrey wherein they heartily desired that the giant might be depriued of life for that he vsed the people with such extreame rigor and yet they durst not speake against him no not the chiefe nobles and gentlemen of the Country but they stood in awe of him for his cruell dealing being glad to honor him to his face though they scorned and disdained him behind his backe And thus he liued Lordly ouer euery one vsing all alike as slauishly as might be so that none durst displease or offend his rascall vassails least they should raise such a scandall among them as the tyrants punishment would be too hard for them to suffer so that many times they practised the death of the Giant that they might be discharged of his cruell oppressions but let vs come againe to the former matter The knights entred into this place which they knew was ordained for the combate and there they stood attending for the Giant who in short time after came to one of the windowes of the castle accompanied with his sister Collambra he being armed as he was the day before At last the Giant lifted vp the Beuer of his Helmet to the end the Christian knights might be dismaied beholding his sterne and vigorous countenance and I assure you albeit he was yong yet was he so mighty and tall of stature hauing such an vgly and fearefull face as was sufficient to terrifie the hearts of them who were not accustomed to sée such a hideous proportion For his face was alwayes bitterly frowning the skin whereof swart and wrinkled his lips bigge and boysterous and gaping so farre asunder as his téeth were séene very monstrously so that the Anatomie agréed well with his name he being called the Fearefull Giant The Giant stood leaning on a Cushion of blacke Veluet in the window and shewed to his sister the Knight of the Tiger desiring her to comfort her selfe for that he intended to reuenge y◠death of her sonnes on him because he that had slaine them was not as yet come this he spake because he would not let her know what talke had passed on the day before betwéene him and the knight of the Tiger lest she should chance to discorage her selfe or doubt of the sufficiency of his strength which both he and she estéemed equall to deale with ten good and hardy Knights In the meane while the Giant staied in the window there came an Esquire of his with men with him laden with armor into the place where the Combate should be fought and they comming before the prince and his company after that the Esquire had saluted them he entred into these spéeches Gentlemen my Lord the giant willed me to let you vnderstand that he is not accustomed to make a conquest of those knights who shal afterward excuse thēselues that their misfortune was for want of armor and because he will auoid such an impeachment he hath sent you here choice of armour willing you to take them which you shall thinke most conuenient for you And he willed me to bring him word whether you will rather yéeld to the mercy of his Sister Collambra or abide the triall of himselfe and his Couzins
which are no other but shapes without substance for in the beholding these you do but mispend your time looking for that recompeÌ„ce which they haue not the power to giue you And therefore it shall be more necessary for you to goe to them whom the Pictures represent who in time will more sufficiently content your hearts then your eyes receiue pleasure in looking on these toyes which Vrganda giueth you to see at this prefent by her Enchauntment Palmerin hearing the words of his Brother the Sage Aliart returned to him with this answere Doe you maruaile Syr Aliart if they which behold the liuely presentations of so faire and beautifull Goddesses finde good cause to busie their braines and receiue their memories Credite me I thinke no man but would be rauished in delight to sée things of so rare and excellent importance Palmerin spake in this manner because he would not haue his friends suspect his amorous thoughts so departing thence they went againe to the Castle where prouision being made they sate downe to dinner which being ended they concluded to depart from the Island wherevpon Palmerin caused Satrafort to be called into his presence with the other Gentlemen that came in his company when Palmerin speaking to his Brother the Sage Aliart began to vse his spéeches thus If I should not consider with my selfe my noble friend and Brother which way Fortune might aduance me to such estate as I should be able to recompence the manifold courtesies I haue receiued at your handes you might repute mée of a most base and ignoble minde wherefore to witnesse to you the great feare I haue least I should be condemned amongst the vnthankefull I here frankely and fréely giue you the Perillous Isle which I haue conquered with great trauaile and losse of my blood desiring that you would accept thereof in that it ought rather to be vnder your gouernment then any other that I know Wherefore I pray you not refuse my gentle gift and I would it were of such estimation as I could finde in my heart to bestow vpon you for I perswade my selfe that it was the will of Vrganda it should be reserued for you And for Satrafort I perceiue he is as willing hereto as my selfe desiring you that you would account of him as his noblenesse and vertue requireth that you may discharge the duty wherein I am greatly bound to him My Lord answered the Sage Aliart they of this Island haue good occasion to be offended séeing you will commit it into the handes of him who is not worthy to come within it neuerthelesse the earnest desire I haue to doe you seruice willeth me not to make refusall of your gratious offer and I accept Satrafort not as my fubiect but as my louing friend and companion as well for the valour of his person as likewise to let you perfectly vnderstand that I am he who vowes himselfe alwayes at your commandement Thus concluding his spéeches he offered to take she Prince Palmerins hande to kisse it but the courteous Prince would not permitte him then taking the Sage Aliart in his armes he beganne againe as followeth My louing Brother if Fortune rayse me to any such preferment as I may finde somewhat worthie your good desertes you shall well peceiue the affection I beare you in the meane while imagiae the best of mee The Prince Berolde and Platir commended marueilously the liberalitie of Palmerin whose presence was more acceptable to Satrafort then the Sage Aliart so that he would gladly haue changed his maister neuerthelesse he concealed his mind closely to himselfe doubting least he should purchase the displeasure of his new Lord to whom he aduaunced himselfe to giue him his faith for his dutifull obedience praying the Knight of the Tiger that he would continue him in his woonted noble fauour Palmerin vsed such friendly behauiour towards him as he remained well content withall and hauing left the Sage Aliart to giue order about the customs of the Isle he imbarqued himselfe in the ship with Argentao being desirous to goe on firme land so soone as he could possible considered also that hee would haue Arganto returne to his gouernment And because he would the more commodiously rip vp his secret griefe to Siluian he tooke his leaue of the princes Berolde and Platir giuing theÌ„ to vnderstand that he must of necessitie goe alone by himselfe for that hee had an aduenture assigned him where he promised to be on the day ensuing These three thus parting Platir and Berolde being glad to please the Prince Palmerin in any thing he thought méete they entred the same Foyst wherein they were brought thither and so humbly taking their farewell of Palmerin they sayled towards Constantinople the wind and weather seruing them so commodious as in few dayes they attained the firme land In like manner did the Prince Palmerin in another Countrey after he had taken his leaue of Argentao who likewise returned into the Profound Isle where his Subiects receiued him very â—â—atiously accounting them highly bound to the Prince Palmerin in ordaining them such a Gouernour who would in no case suffer the people of that Island to be so cruelly dealt withall as they had béene before of the bloody Giants CHAP. XX. How Alfernao arriued at the Emperours Court of Constantinople and of that which happened to him NOt many dayes after the Knight of the Sauage man was departed from the Citie of Constantinople the Emperor was aduertised of his losse by the Prince Florians Esquire which caused no small griefe thorow the whole Court but it came so to passe that Alfernao arriued there vpon the sudden euen as the Emperour sate leauing on the Table lamenting for the want of his Nephew Florian and when he had caused him to come before him Alfernao fell downe at his féete with these words Illustrious and most gratious Emperour I humbly desire your maiesty that you would thinke of me in your woonted fauour clemency not remembring my passed transgressions for if your Grace looke into the depth of them I shall be found worthy of most grieuous punishment which your royall clemency hath power to moderate in that you are accustomed to vse mercy to them whose offences deserue rigorous intreating I am dread Prince that ancient man who came and requested your highnesse assistance and dissembling with teares and faint spéeches which were nothing else but méere deceite that I had great néede of the ayde of one of your Knightes wherevpon you granted licence to your noble Nephew that he should leaue your Court and goe in my company but I intending deceit was deceiued my selfe and could not execute on him what I had determined Then began Alfernao to discourse to the emperor the whole successe of his Nephewe Florian of the Forrest who had sent him to informe his Maiestie of all that hapned to him that the report of the Esquire might be the better belieued whereto the Emperour thus answered Certainly
knights closed the dore so that Primaleon had not the meane to answer her neuerthelesse he staied to heare the sorrowfull clamors they made within which was no lesse irksome to his heart then had he séene the perfect interring of his brother Don Eodard At last hee departed dyrecting his course into such places where he thought soonest to heare tydings of his straied friend So trauayling on in good hope we wil leaue him a while And declare more at large the cause of Pandritia her great mourning as also what fortuned to the two yong Princes nourished in the Caue of the Sauadgeman CHAP. VII ¶ The cause why Pandritia led this solitary kind of life And how the yong Prince Florian straied from the Caue of the Sauadge man and by Sir Pridos was brought â—o the English Court and what further happened THe occasion why Pandritia bare such great affection to the Prince Don Edoard is at large declared in the Booke intituled Primaleon How that after the Prince had deliuered her Brother Tarnaes out of the Enchaunted Castle wherein his Father had deuised the way to enclose him and the came home with him into Lacedemonia Shee oftâ—â—â—â—emed to mooue good liking on her behalfe to the Prince Don Edoard but hee by no meanes could direct his fancy after her course for that his promise before passed to the Princesse Flerida withheld the consent she gladly looked for To auoyd therefore what might happen he refused to vse her company in talke as before hee was wont which very much displeased Bellagris who was SoldaÌ„ of Niquee after the death of Molerin his eldest brother For hee vnderstanding the secret affection and great good will that she entirely bare to the noble Prince Don Edoard aduentured to trie Fortune who so fauourably prospered his intent that vnder the tytle of Don Edoard he entred his sisters Chamber where acquainting himselfe with her to his desire and her deceit time brought thoâ—â— pleasure to a goodly Sonne named Blandidon of whom hereafter you shall be more largely certified But Pandritia giuing credite to her selfe that the noble Don Edoard had receiued the estimation of her honour grouuded such firme affection on him as was more then we ought and more then he would grant So kéeping his Picture in his absence and vnderstanding of his supposed death she vsed this soleunitie in honour of his Funeralles and attyred her selfe according as became her misfortune departing from the Garden of Damoselles to her House of sadnesse supposing thereto end her life with the losse of her loue So remaineth she in place where she shut the dore against the Prince Primaleon who is likewise endeuoring himselfe in his aduentures Returne we now to the two young Princesso whom the Sauage mans wife had carefully nourished vp as had they béene her owne Children she could not haue vsed more motherly compassion In short time they grew to such estate that their whole delight was to hunt the sauage Beastes in the Forrest wherevnto Florianâ— had more affection then his brother Palmerin for he vsed euery day to beare his bowe and leade the two Lyons that hee became more expert then the Sauage man himselfe and thus for ten yeares space liued these two young Princes beloued wâ—ll of him who before was their greatest enemie It fortuned on a Sunday morning the Princes Fletida walked forth into the Forrest as well to sorrow for her Luue as to lameÌ„t the estate of her infortunate life hauing accomplished what she desired she returned At this time Florian wandred about the forrest with his Lyons which he tyed vp meaning to take by force the first wilde Beast that should appeare in his sight Hauing long stayed without any prey he determined to returne but at last he espyed a mighty Hart in a groue of trées whereat he let slie an Arrow with such force that it passed cleane through the body of the beast The Hart féeling himselfe wounded prosently tooke flight which he perceiuing let slip the Lions after him but all in vaine for the swiftnesse of the Hart outreached the spéedy pace of the Lyons And Florian strayed so farre that he had lost the sight of the Lyons and the Harte as also the way to the Sauadge mans house which caused him to wander in heauinesse till the darke Night ouershadowed him when he espyed two Shepheards making a little Fire of stickes to warme them because the Night was excéeding colde Florian being there arriued hee sate him downe by a Riuers side in the very same place that his Mother brought him into the World where sitting a pretty while he espyed a Knight come ryding attyred in blacke Armor spotted with red bearing in his Shielde the figure of a Gryffon with a certaine Poesie which was vnknown to any his Lady and himselfe excepted This Knight was named Sir Pridos who still aduanced himselfe in the search of the noble Prince Don Edoard and he rode very pensiue and sad till casting his eyes vpon Floran his heart beganne somewhat to conceiue a maruellous inward Ioy for that his countenance bare the perfect Image of his noble Father Whereupon Sir Pridos fell in diuers demaundes with him which Florian very courteously answered So that Syr Pridos fell into great desire that he would beare him company to London wherein the Kings Court he would present him among the number of those whome renowmed Fame did euer accompany The young Prince Florian more desirous to leade his life among the braue Gallantes then so to passe his time so solitarie among the vnfrequenten places in the Wilde Forrest gaue his consent and iournyed with Sir Pridos to the English Court where he presented him to the King cloathed in the Skinne of an Harte a thing of no small admyration to the King yet did hee receiue him very graciously in that he supposed him to be one of the Sonnes of the Princesse Flerida vnto whose Chamber he walked with this young Prince and in this manner beganne to salute her Fayre Daughter among all the grieuous vexations that afflict your weake Nature loe heere the Honour Syr Pridos doeth present you withall who in searching your Noble Lord and my Sonne hath found this Iewell which hee offereth to you as the frustes of his labours And trust me the oftner I beholde his sweete countenance the more I conceyue Opinion of his Allyance to my Sonne Don Edoard The Princesse Flerida was not a little pleased with so glad a present in signe whereof shée imbraced her Sonne albeit vnknowen and went straight way to Sir Pridos who certified her that he found him sitting in the same place where the Sauadge man came with his two Lyons and tooke her two Children from her This mooued Flerida to suppose him for her Sonne but Fortune would not as yet suffer a perfect assuraunce that eyther hée should know her for his Mother or shee him for her Childe Neuerthelesse shée gaue him the name of Desart training him vp in the
scant wise to put your intent to hap Perswade your selfe thus that the courage I haue to your foyle and secrecie I estéem of mine owne faith shall ere long giue an absolute answere whether I shal perish in my determination or thy selfe preuaile in what thou demandest which shall craue no longer forbearance then my Sword hath taught you manners that against my will would teach me your kinde of modestie Then fell they to a fresh Combate which was more dangerous then their first Assault when being wearied with Swords they endeuoured by wrastling to suppresse the strength of eache but the equal behauiour of their force was such as the losse of their blood was great yet their valorous hearts would conceiue no faintnesse The Knight of the Serpent had such a desire to knowe against whom he fought that once more he began to vse fair spéeches to him I perceiue Sir you more estéeme your earnest opinion then you stand in feare of the losse of your life which were more honour for you to deliuer vnto knowledge then such a seuere chaunce should happen vnto either of vs yet is my minde so affected that I will know both your secret and your selfe or it shall value my life As for my life qd Vernar I am so much the more willing to loose it by how much I perceyue you zealous to know what you shall not Wherevppon they beganne againe the third time albeit more faintly then before passed which caused their Esquyres standing by to enter into many heauy complaintes especially the Esquire of the Prince Vernar who as thus framed his mone Oh infortunate Emperor who is ignorant that Fortune at this time will depriue him of his ioy The Knight of the Serpent noting these words presently coniectured that it was the Prince Vernar sonne to the Emperour of Allemaigne against whom he entred Combat and how grieuous the Emperor Palmerin would take the matter if he heard of the losse of either of them both Beside himself would be loth any way to displease the Gentle Prince Vernar wherefore for more assurance of him he beheld his broken Shield wherein he perceiued the deuise of his Lady Bazilia coloured all in Purple with the halfe burning Heart in the midst and on the Armor of the Prince was her Portraite curiously drawne which gaue him perswasion that was hée to whom hee thus vsed his spéech Syr. Vernar my minde constraineth me to giue ouer the fight being right sorrie that I haue continued it so long for that the Princesse Bazilia is cause of your sorrow which you feared to vtter and now by my selfe declared Pardon your friende Belcar who is so hartily sorry that he rather desireth the death then to sée you in any distresse The Prince Vernar perceiuing that it was his friend Belcar ran to him embracing him in his armes giuing him a thousand thanks that he had so found the meane to cut off their quarrell Then taking their Helme to to theyr Esquires who did their best to binde vp their wounds they rode to the Citie of Brique which was not far from the Forrest recounting to each other what had happened them in their search of the Prince Don Edoard CHAP. X. ¶ How Eutropa gaue Dramusiande to vnderstand of the arriuall of a Knight at his Castell whose valiant behauiour should put him in some cause of feare which words made him presently to fortifie his Castell to auoyd anie perill that might annoy him And how Primaleon who was the Knight Eutropa spake of came to the Castell where he Iusted against his deare Friend Don Edoard in which Fight they had knowledge of each other And how in hope to purchase his deliuery he ouercame Pandare and Alligan two monstrous Giaunts entring into Combate likewise with Dramusiande who ouercam◠Primaleon and tooke him prisoner into his Castell DRamusiande still retaining in Captiuitie the Prince Don Edoard was on the sudden aduertised by the Enchauntresse Eutropa his Aunte that there should arriue a certaine Knight at his Castell whose valour and Prowesse should goe néere to attainte his Honour as also inforce his life to stand in some hazard He giuing credite vnto her perswasion and likewise somewhat carefull to auoyde the imminent perill fortified his Castel with such sure defence as he thought sufficient to award the Enemie and maintaine the intent he had vowed to prosecute For feare some times maketh a man to become wise that else in a desperate moode would set the world on whéeles So Dramusiande albeit famous in his déedes yet fearefull to be surprised by any danger vseth the industrie of his Aunte Eutropa with the helpe of his Friends whose courage he knew equall to their wise foresight to be reuenged on all Knights for the death of his father Frenaque Which the better to accomplish he entertained into his Castle two hardy and fearefull Giants the one named Pandare the other Alligan whose stature were no lesse in vglinesse then their strength cruell in resistance and because he would haue euery thing in due preparation he determined when néede should be how he would haue his Castle defended as thus The noble Prince Don Edoard against all Knights that came should haue the first honour of the fight next to him the Giant Pandare should giue a fresh assault which twaine if they should faile by misfortune as his Auntes words made him doubt of some mischaunce stout Alligan of the Obscure Caue would giue them their last welcome whose countenance was feareful to all that saw him and whose might was cruell to all that should hap to féele him Fortune bending her browes on the couragious Primaleon whom she had earst aduanced to honour and now determined to vnhappinesse directeth his course to this vnfriendly Castle where he should end his trauailes with his owne thraldome For after he had left the solitarie Pandritia in the realme of Lacedemonia he trauelled through Burgondie where happening among other Knights to come in place of a Triumph himselfe brauely mounted all in gréene Armor which colour somewhat asswaged his extreame Melanchollies and in his Shéelde on a ground of Azure a Sea brauely painted he bare for his deuice At this triumph he bare away the honour of the day so trauailing on in his iourney hée arriued in this manner at the Castle of Dramusiande And being come neare the Castle the Noble Prince Don Edoard came foorth vppon the bridge very valiantly mounted his armour all blacke whereon was a resemblaunce of little flames of fire tormenting a Louers heart which was engrauen in the middest of his breast His Shéelde was aunswerable in colour to his Armour in the middest whereof was curiously painted the Image of a sadde conceited minds so artificiallie framed that the beholders might easily iudge the heauinesse of the knight to be according to his sad Deuise Primaleon no lesse abashed at the brauery of the Castle then to sée a Knight so well appointed at Armes began in this order
languishing of his life The King well noting the intent of Floraman that he could not fancy his Fathers choise by secret treason in the Duke of Ciciliaes Court he found the meanes to poyson the fair Altea to the no smal griefe of her noble Father friends as also the Gentlemen that were in his Courte of whome her beauty was honored and the ciuility of her life greatly commended The Duke misdoubting that the vntimely death of his daughter was procured by some vnnaturall meane because she was so soone sicke and so suddenly gone sent for Allaricqua her bedfellow and by executing sundry torments on her she confessed that being hyred by the king of Serdignia she ministred the potion that cut off her flowring yeares When the duke hearde the discourse of his Lord and Soueraigns vnkinde dealing hee caused the Anatomie of his Daughter to be artificially figured which he placed vpon a Toomb representing her Funerals and thervpon in golden verses writ the Epitaph of her rare and vertuous life and by her was the image of Death very liuely drawn in perfect proportion This rare piece of workmanship he laid in a goodly fair Chariot and leuying a great army went against the King of Serdignia Of whose comming when Floraman heard he could not finde in his heart to enter Battel against his Ladies father but with a company of wel appointed knights he brake thorow the rankes and entred the Campe from whence he tooke the Chariot with the Picture of Altea So ryding presently to a Porte of the Sea he tooke shipping and coasted into the Turks Dominion and building there his solitary Castle he liued there bemoaning the vnkinde acte of his Father and the vnfortunate death of his faire Altea To whose Picture hee would often report the afflictions of his minde and with sundry Lamentable Sonnets discouer her praise and his owne paine which to his Lute hee often recorded as the onely meane to perswade him from any desperate intent In this place remained Floraman till such time as the Prince Palmerin visited him as you haue hearde and although it was the good Fortune of Palmerin to conquere him who was both wasted with mourning and growne into great debilitie by his excéeding sorrow yet was Floraman estéemed a Knight of singular Prowesse And when Palmerin was departed and hée entred into his Castle againe vnto his Ladyes Picture he appealed in this manner Alas my Altea impute not this Conquest to any right in mine Enemie but rather to the feeble and weake assaults of your seruant which extreame sorrow for your mishap hath caused and griefe of mine owne misfortune that so aduersly chanced Wherefore to make amends for this great mischaunce and that you may knowe your Knight estéemeth none but you I will in my aduentures so blaze your memorie that all Ladies shall report you are the onely Altea and cause them to know she is as yet vnborne that must be your equall Long he stayed in that comfortlesse place till at last the King his Father vnderstanding where he was sent for him and because hee would not shewe himselfe disobedient hee departed thence bearing with him his Ladyes Portraite still vsing his blacke Armour and the Shielde wherein Death was painted as the onely Sepulchre of his great sorrowes vsing no other name for himselfe but the Knight of Death And what rare Aduentures were by him atchieued in the honour of his Ladie and great reputation of himselfe you shall be at large certified in the sequell of this Historie CHAP. XX. ¶ Palmerin of England after hee was departed from Floraman the Knight of Death happened to come where he saw a combate fought betweene three Knights and the Knight of the Bull named Pompides who at the commandemens of a Lady kept the passage of a bridge and how the Knight of Fortune bare away the Victorie WHen the renowned Knight of Fortune had conquered Floraman the Knight of Death he with his brother Siluian procéeded on his iourney neuer shewing any signe of a liuely disposition but heauy and pensiue all the way as he rode which Siluian desirous if he might to remedy vsed these words vnto him Good sir wast not the time in woe that you should vse in pleasant recreation séeke not the ruine of your selfe for hee that regardeth so â—lenderly your profered courtesie rather extinguished her memory as she hath lightly left you or thinke on her when you iudge she is mindfull of you Vnto which words the knight of Fortune thus shaped an answere Siluian my deare Brother and friend if thou cauldest discerne the drops of blood that fall from my oppressed heart as thou perceiuest the moyst teares that issue from my head or if thou couldest iudge the world of woes I abide in my silent thoughts as thou doest perceiue some motion by outward appearance thou wouldest rather wish me in my graue then to sée me remaine in this remedilesse griefe which no way can be remedied but onely by the last extremity which is death And albeit as thou saist she estéemeth not my Passions but rather is merry when I mourne and laugheth when I languish yet shall it neuer be sayde but Palmerin liued without fraude and therefore dyed in faith preferring an honourable death before a haplesse life I would I had bene blinde when first I saw her beauty or that I had stayed with our Father then to enioy such an vngentle friend where wee might haue liued in quiet estate now not enioying one houre of rest for albeit I liue in spotlesse loyaltie yet am I rewarded with most vngentle loyaltie And what of that let it suffice she is vnkinde and thou vnhappie she bent to crueltie yet will thou liue and die in constancie desiring no longer life then I may be frée from any spotte in my promised Loue. And heereupon Syluian assure thy selfe her Beauty shall hazard my honour on a thousand Launces but she shall confesse her selfe Palmerin is aboue all in loyaltie Thus passing the time in talke one to an other the Knight of Fortune in great paine and Syluian still continuing his perswasion they arriued at a Bridge where they saw thrée knights before them who would haue passed ouer but were resisted by a Knight in fair white Armor who kept the Passage bearing in his Shield for his Deuise a Bulles head and was called the Knight of the Bull. One of the thrée Knights very couragiously gaue Combat to the Knight of the Bull but wan quickly set beside his saddle In fine the Knight of the Bull preuailed against them all thrée to their griefe and his glorie The Knight of Fortune knowing these thrée knights that had bene foyled to be of the Emperours Court as Luyman of Burgundie Germaine of Orleaunce and Tenebrant he was not a little sorrie for their mishappe and presently menaced his courage against the knight of the Bull who met so stoutly togither that they were both dismounted Then charging one another with
was well able to beare Armour he desired Orianda to accept that Castle in recompence of the paynes shee had bestowed on him in his weakenesse promising both to her and her Sisters his Hand and Sword when any néede should require the Ladies vsed large thankes vnto him for his so great courtesie desiring him to make knowne his Name vnto them that they might commend his memorie who had bene so good a friend vnto them To which request he thus answered Ladies my name is as yet so little knowne that I am the more vnwilling to shew it to any till I deserue to be estéemed among those whose noblenesse is no lesse then their Name Desiring you to accept of this auswere as now and thinke not that my déedes shall reproue my word but that at any time I will imploy my selfe in your seruice But first I must hazarde my selfe in the Aduentures of great Brittaine wherein so many Noble and famous Knights haue receyued great aduantage which if I may finish or in tryall safely escape you shall knowe the small estimation I will repose of my life to trye the déepest doubtes for such Honourable Ladyes Syr quoth Artinarda if our Prayers may preuaile or our wishes returne to any good effect doubt not but we wil be earnest therein for your prosperous successe in great Brittaine And estéeme your poore handmaides not stretching beyond the boundes of modestie yours so farre as courtesse may and shall commaund After many gentle salutations the knight of the Sauage man departed accompanied with Artisar his Esquire leauing the Ladies in more seuerity then he found them not offering them once iniury or disloyaltie for that hée estéemed the small faults of the noble and famous were worthy as seuere punishment as their hauty déedes of Armes did rightly deserue eternall commendation So in this maner he left them taking shipping with all spéede toward the realme of England CHAP. XXIX How the Emperour walked to comfort the Knight of Death who remained in great heauinesse for his faire Altea who by the perswasion of the Emperour determined to leaue that sorrowfull kinde of life and to imploy himselfe in seeking strange aduentures And how the Damosel Lucenda returned vnto the Court where shee gaue knowledge of the Knight of Fortune which greatly reioyced the Emperour and all the noble Knights of the Court. IT hath béene already declared vnto you the great displeasure which the Emperour tooke for the departure of the knight who bare the honour away vnknowne in the Triumph wherefore now you shall vnderstand how the Emperour remembring the heauie and pensiue estate of the knight of Death went accompanied with his Princes and Lordes to giue him some occasion of comfort which might bee a meane to driue foorth of his memory the continuall mournings he vsed for his faire Altea The Knight of Death being aduertised how the Emperour was comming came to the gate attired in a long blacke gowne agréeable to his sad and ioylesse kinde of life where he receiued the Emperour according to his obedient duetie Then would the Emperour vse to giue him such pleasant spéeches as might constraine him to forget his rufull complaints but he giuing small attendance thereto made answere to his Grace cleane contrary to the no small amazement of his highnesse as also his Courtly attendance who greatly maruailed to sée how vnfortunate desteny had ahe power to bereaue a man both of reason vnderstanding which was amply verified in this sorrowfull prince of Sargignia The Emperor to perswade the extremity of his fits would rehearse diuerse perswasions of his owne knowledge who had béene subiect to the like infirmity and either cut off their time by desperation or continued in a life bemoned of all persons vpon which words he tooke occasion to vse this talke I would sir Floraman not onely coÌ„mend your loyaltie but likewise attribute high honor to your constancy if teares could call the dead to life or the rufull monâ—s recouer your great losse Yet doe I consider with my selfe loue compels you to this and your setled affection hath brought you to an immoderate euill but compare the impossibility with the state and condition of your griefe you shal find the one as needlesse as the other is helplesse and the extreame to be refused when the maine can not be recalled Consider if sorrowe eate into the heart it is not presently to be withdrawne againe if vexation haue woon the chiefest place perswasion may weare her tonge to her téeth ere she can bridle the impatient desire so that if wisdome be not in man to intollerate his griefe it may cost him the dearest him before he haue a quiet life Doe but thus remember your selfe impatience bring sorrow sorrow sickenesse sickenes consumation consumation the miserable Anatomy of himselfe which is at error to his kinred an eye sore to his friends the delight of his enemy and the continuall heart breaking of all that loue him so that the sooner he ends the better he mends On the other side if a man apply himselfe to any exercise as either trauaile for the honour of himselfe fame of his Countrey or spending his time in martiall exploytes or according as his estateis the poore to take paine the rich paine with pleasure the Artificer and such to their handie craft the noble minde the Courtly Gentleman either to the exploytes of the field or such exercise as may auoide idlenesse Then is the eye directed the sence quickened the minde preserued the heart quieted the conscience vnpolluted affection gouerned loue bridled and lust banished the good name perfected vertue established honour well exercised and Fame enternized Sée here the difference betwéene heauen and hell betwéene the contempt in this life and conteâ—t eternall to the Soule which who so séekes shall finde but they that will not are ouer fonde Thinke thus with your selfe Altea is dead though I shrinke her beauty on earth yet is her substance shouelled in the clay though I delight in her Image and Picture yet hath Death made an Anatomie of her fayre person while she liued I loued her being dead I remember her and in her loue I liue for her as the honour I will enterprise shall witnesse and the aduentures I will hazard shall manifest So drowne this dulled desire in remembrance of your knighthood which you enioy for manhood not for mourning to display your worthy deedes and not to play in amorous Dities but one moneths vsing this Medicine trust me will extinguish this mallady When Floraman perceiued she earnest wordes of the Emperour to be both for the honour of his name and noblenes of his life he replyed thus Most gratious Emperour I see chat Goates blood will molifie the Adamant and the little drops of raine pierce into the hard Marble s wisedome reproouing wilfulnesse sheweth him his follie and perswasion piercing into the obstinate doth more by friendship then others can doe with force I confesse
pure in modesty so precise of her personage and so exquisite in her vsuall behauiour that many noble Gentlemen haue put their liues in hazard to deserue her good liking that was liked of all Great hath bin the intreaty of many Honorable personages to haue her in mariage which I haue alwaies denied till now making choyse of one aboue all the other I haue agréed to accomplish his importunate desire This being knowne to a knight who had long time béene a Suter yet neuer so fortunate as to gaine his intent now presumeth vpon his strength to take her from me perforce to iniure him that hath obtained my consent to espouse her In signe wherof pointing to the Pauillions of the other knight on the farder side of the riuer behold where he hath placed his Tents to inuade my Castle and through the helpe of his friends purposeth to ruinate this mine ancient dwelling to vse violence to her who is betrothed to another When I considered there was no meane to remedy the necessity of my case but eiter to kéepe my Hold and there be famished or yéeld me selfe to my foes and so be dishonoured I sent one of my Damosels to the English Court at whose request you are here arriued in this place where you may behold my vsurping enemy and the great danger I stand in of the hard award of fortune And once more haue I sent by way of intreaty to will them breake vp their siege and not to trouble me for her whom they cannot haue though they vse neuer such violence But such is the great mallice of this knight and his intent linked to such an extreme purpose that neither gentlenesse may intreate him nor faire demeanour serue to perswade him Wherfore noble Gentlemen as you respect the honour of an oppressed Virgin and the oath that your knighthood hath auouched in this behalfe stand now her friend who is voyd of all defence and maintaine her cause which is both for your renowne and her good fame for euer She hauing thus ended her coined protestation they stood debating with themselues what answer they ought to make herat last the prince Gracian they hauing referred all to his disposition tooke the Damosell by the hand and thus shaped his answer Faire Lady since this honorable company haue appointed me vn worthy to answer on their behalfe and that we are perswaded you would not informe vs of any misreport thus I dare awareant for them all that you shall finde them as ready to defend you as your enemy dare presume any way to molest you The Damosell hearing the answer of the Prince Gracian to be such as serued fit for her purpose gaue theÌ„ all hartg thanks and calling her teares againe into remembraunce vrged the knights to such pittie that they greatly desired to enter Combate with the other company Then returned the Damosell that had beene with the other knights informing them likewise of such a false report when being entred the Pauillion to the Damosel with curtesie she gaue forth these spéeches Mathe enemy to your honour and friend to his owne damage wil not be perswaded but will follow his enterprise and in derision scoffeth at this noble assembly reporting them to be so weake that they dare not shew themselues These words vrged Onistalde vnto such anger that he presently brake forth into these spéeches I beléeue that had they tryed those whom they haue aduentured to dare they should finde the chastisement of their peremptory bragges to be aunswerable in effect as they haue iustly deserued Tush quoth Polinarda it is easie for our enemy to talke his pleasure but when he shall find his trechery rewarded with due recompence hee will wish he had vsed himselfe more fréendely to this Ladie whom he hath so greatly iniuryed Then Francian was desirous to send them defiance which the Damosell would not suffer lest her dealings should be espyed but to worke the surer in her deceite she sent the other Damosell once more to will them to depart presently whereto if they made denyall that she should summon them in armes to prepare for the fight In maane while she was gone on her message this other craftie Gyrle vsed such familiaritie with the Prince Gracian and the other Knights that their heats were enflamed against them beyond the Riuer To whom the other Damosell had reported that the Prince Gracian and his company did endeuour themselues to take the Castle from her Mistresse perforce whereupon shée requested them to defend her Mistresse right and to cause them know they went about a disloyall enterprise The Prince Floraman hauing well pondered the words of the Damosell returned her presently this aunswer Albeit out duettie is to defend any distressed person and so gainsay the mishap of any iniuried Lady yet reason willeth vs ere we presume too hastily to be acquaiâ—ted with the cause and well aduised ere we begin such a rash attempt else may our enemie iudge we come more vpon a brauerie then Knighthood may awarrant our behauiour and so runne into danger our selues for that the rightful cause hath alwaies the victory Wherfore thus resolue your selfe wee will first know if your reportes be of trueth or no least we enter into such defectes as we may perhappes repent vs. With that the Demosell began to rehearse their promise at such time as she deliuered them Horses and Armour in their great necessitie for which cause she desired then to accomplish their promise threatning them that their Nobility might be defaced in denying their words Trust me answered Platir I haue such a good opinion in her dealings that she would not vse perswasion to vs of an vntroth Wherfore tell vs faire Lady doth your enemy still remaine resolute in his determination albeit my Companions deny to ayd you as they haue auouched yet will I abide by you to the death in what I haue promised Then the Prince Berolde coming to the Damosel began as thus Can we faire Lady sée you in such great hazard and not Imploy our selues to giue you succour No assure your selfe for mine owne part and so I dare auouch for the rest of my company that we will pawne the blood of our hearts ere we will sée you remaine in such a heauinesse The Damosel at these words returned to the Prince Gracian certifying them of their willingnesse to the fight and not long she stayd but returned to them againe her face all be sprent with teares which was chéefe vaile to couer her treason and thus she spake Now Gentlemen your quarrel is of more force then before for they haâ—ing my Lady and Mistres in their hold haue vowed not to let her depart without she will render to them her castle And moreouer they send you word by way of defiance that they are so ready to deale with you as they iudge you dare not come forth to them either to defend the cause of my Lady or to make proofe of your loyaltie
Armour to the aged King Fredericke who caused it to be placed in the House of Ensignes amongst the Armour of many famous Knights THe renowed Knight of Fortune whom through occasion we left to speake of remained so long in the house of the ancient Gentleman his Hoste that his woundes were perfectly healed and his body well able to endure the bearing of Armor When Siluian had prouided him new Armor like his other and a shield with his vsuall deuise of Fortune vpon it he departed which way he thought soonest to finde the Castle of Dramusiande At last arriuing at the foote of a mountaine he espied a little Pauillion wherein were a great many of lighted torches which because the darke night was somewhat entred gaue a very great shewe of light to the place This strange sight moued him to take his way thither as well to sée what it might be as to driue other fancies away that greatly annoyed his mind When he was entred the Pauillion he perceiued two séemely Knights the one lying on a sumptuous Béere more like a dead then a liuing creature the other making great lamentations and pittious bemonings ouer him whom hee presently knowe to be Don Rosiran de la Bronde the Cousin of the aged King of England which made him suppose that the Knight on the Béere was some man of great authority estimation Comming to Don Rosian and saluting him very friendly he presently had knowledge of him that he was the noble Knight of Fortune to whom he began in this manner following Sir I sée that Fortune hath greatly fauoured you in permitting you to sée the dead body of the Knight of the Sauage man to whom you were alway a mortall enemy yet could not bée he that should vanquish him in fight The Knight of Fortune hearing the wordes of Don Rosiran was ouercome with such heauinesse that the teares trickled down his chéekes when he began to frame his answere thus Indéede neuer had I more desire to preuaile against any man then my minde laboured to conqure this hardy Knight whose prowesse is no lesse bruted euery where then his knightly behauiour deserued But now since death so hath cut off this famed Champion whom I laboured to know yet could neuer attaine my wish I will end the enmity that hath bin betwéene vs with so sharpe a reuenge of his vntimely death as were it possible for his ghost to imbrace my friendship himselfe should perceiue his enemy is become as deare a friend to him as euer was any Wherefore of all courtesie shew me the place where he hath receiued this misfortune and I wil die on him that hath bene the death of so good a knight Trust me Sir answered Don Rosiram my arriuall hath bene here so lately that I am ignorant how he happened to this mischance neuerthelesse I was aduertised by one who departed not long before you came that at the Castle of Dramusiande where all the knights remaine that haue bin so long lost he hath sustained this vnfortunate hap yet not without iniuring him and his traine as the memory of this knight shall remaine to him while he liueth albeit Fortune would not suffer him to end the aduenture The knight of Fortune greatly displeased to sée this knight brought into such extremitie began to conceiue better estimation of the aduenture then euer he did before albeit he was greatly abashed that so good a Knight had failed in that enterprise Then began he to behold the Armour that lay there by him being defaced and hacked in so many places which vrged him to commend them that had the strength to vse it so but more the man that had the might to resist such an extreme danger wherevpon he saye I may well perswade my selfe that the hope to end this adventure is altogether lost the Knight béeng dead who had the puissance to finish all other At these words he approched to the Béere to sée if he were cleane depriued of life when lifting vp the shéete of Silke he perceiued his countenance so grim and hardy as it was at the time he entred Cambate with him As he stood wishly beholding this noble Knight his heart began greatly to conceiue an inward ioy and his minde began to muse on a thousand matters But chéefly the lesse of his Brother was his greatest thought whom he suspected this knight to be by diuers markes he knew ie his face for the better assurance whereof he called Siluian willing him to behold the knight and report as his minde serued his answer was comfortable to his Maisters opiâ—ions giuing credite that it was Florian who returned not after he departed with the Lyons Vpon this perswasion the knight of Fortune desired Don Rosiran to certifie him of the name of the Knight of the Sauage man insomuch as it should neither disprofite the one nor the other but that he might resolue him in a matter which caused him to vse great suspition to which words Don Rosiran thus answered Sir Knight in what I may or can satisfie your desire assure your selfe I will do my best As concerning his name neither my selfe nor any other that I know were so happy as at any time to vnderstand it for that he vsed no other name then to call himselfe the Fatherlesse But in times past he hath often declared vnto me that the best friend he had remembrance off was a Sauage man who nourished him a long time and whom he supposed to be his Father but because he could not certainly assure himselfe thereof he termed himselfe as I haue told you The Knight of Fortune whose minde was maruellously reuiued at the words of Don Rosiran perswaded himselfe that the knight of the Sauage man was his Brother Florian for which cause he offered to embrace him as he lay but on a suddaine there entred foure men who lifting vp the Béere vppon their shoulders departed away with it in very great hast The Knight of Fortune endeuouring to follow them they willed him to the contrary giuing him to vnderstand that such good prouision should be vsed to him as if the Diuine bountie would agrée therto his life would be preserued his estate recomforted With this perswasion heâ— returned to Don Rosiran to know which way he intended to trauaile because he had determined himselfe to go séeke the place where this good knight had bene so ill handled and reuenge his cause though it were the losse of his owne life Sir quoth Don Rosiran I meane presently to take my way towards London where I will present the armour of my deare Friend to the king mine Vncle at whose hands he receiued the order of knighthood that it may be reserued in such a place where the remembrance of his déedes done in his life time may eternize the memorie of his infortunate death With this answere the knight of Fortune was very well pleased desiring if he could shewe him the way to the Castle of
one another about the strange conceyts they perceiued in this Caue which made them to iudge that in times past it had béene the solitary dwelling of some noble man exiled from his Countrey but therein they were greatly deceyued For this ancient edifice was erected by the Enchantresse Mellia who kept that place a great while during the raigne of the king Armace her Brother Vrganda and she liued both at one time as it is rehearsed in the History of the Emperour Splandian Sonne to the valiant most magnificient king Amadis and the Princes Oriana his Wife Quéene of the great Brittaine When the Princes and knights had satisfied their mindes in beholding this place they returned to the Pauillions to their Ladies who welcommed them all very louingly and Primaleon sitting downe by his sister Flerida rehearsed to her the manner of the Caue where the two Princes were nourished which did not a little content her minde in that the place was not ruinated and put into obliuion This night they reposed themselues in the Forrest as honourably serued as if they had béene in the English Court and in the morning they prepared themselues towards the Castle being all the way delighted with such fiue deuises sent by the cunning of the Sage Aliart that euery one tooke great pleasure in this Princely iourney There were Hunters who pursued wilde Bores Harts Bucks and all such noble game and came wearily falling downe at the Ladies feete but when they offered to touch them they were presently skipping on the farder side of the Riuer these deuises so pleased the Emperor with all the company that they gaue great thankes to Aliart who frequented them with such pleasant pastime al the way as they rode At last they arriued at the Valley of Perdition where they had a sight of the Castle of Dramusiande which went somewhat to the heart of the Princesse Flerida séeing the prison wherein her louing Don Edward had so long remained The Emperour Trineus king Frederick fel into great commendation of the sumptuous building of the Castle then which they had not often séene a fayrer which mooued theÌ„ to intreate Dramusiande who was the founder of such a singular péece of workmanship to which demand Dramusiande presently gaue this reply My gratious Lords this Castle was first builded by mine Aunt Eutropa through her meanes it hath remayned thus long out of knowledge Trust me said the Emperour Trineus a Fortresse of such strength and beautie ought not to be in the hands of one who could imploy it to such great abuse but commonly we sée the wicked do thriue as well as the good and enioyas great account in this world as they that maintaine all their actions by iustice and equitie So riding on at last Dramusiande willed them to a suddaine stay where he began in this manuer to vnfold the cause Me thinks I sée at the entrance of the Bridge a séemly Knight ready appointed to the Ioust but I can perceiue no body that offereth him resistance which maketh me supose that he hath attempted to kéepe this passage At this vnlooked for accident they stayed to behold the Knight who was very well mounted on a gray Courser his Armour spotted with white and blacke which greatly pleased the eyes of the beholders In his shéeld he baâ—e the naked body of a Lady the beauty of whose countenance was so excellently figured that Altea for whom Floraman accomplished such chiualricus déeds at Constantinople might not séeme to offer comparison to this beautifull spectacle neither the faire Princesse Polinarda might not presume to equall her selfe with the braue shape of this Lady and at the lower end of this shéeld in letters of Gold was written Miragarda While Princes occupied their eyes in beholding the singular forme compacted in his shéeld they perceiued his Esquire come towards them who after he had done his dutie to them all began to salute them with these protestations Faire Lords and Ladies the noble knight my Maister whom you behold on the Bridge by me giueth you to vnderstand the cause of his trauailes vnto this place He is of a far countrey from whence he had aduentured himselfe in honour of his good fortune and at the command of his Lady whose humble seruant he remayneth at this houre to try his knighthood at this Castle which hath béene blazed abroad to be most infortunate But being here arriued he is aduertised how the Enchantment is fully finished and the strength of the Giant Dramusiande with all his retinew conquered by the valour and hautie Prowes of a knight named Palmerin of England who hath deliuered the Princes that were kept Captiue by the cruell meanes of the disloyall Eutropa which newes are most welcome vnto him in that he desired nothing more Yet for that he is loth to returne to his Lady being at the place where knighthood hath bene tryed and he to passe backe againe not approued of any he craueth to enter the Ioust with such as are disposed referring the Combate of the Sword because he will aduenture for pleasure This challenge encreased such courage in the knights that they entred into strife who should first runne with the strange knight which the king perceuing returned the Esquire with this answer My friend tell thy Lord his enterprise is worthy perpetuall renowne if he containe such courage in proofe as both his Message and himselfe giueth in show his Lady shall haue occasion to vse him according as his valiant attempt deserueth The Esquire receiuing the kings pleasure returned to his Lord to whom he had no sooner made it knowne but Tremoran shewed himselfe before the bridge inuiting the strange knight to the Ioust who stayed not to accomplish his desire but encountring him with such a pleasant charge that Tremoran was forced to leaue his saddle This chance somewhat displeased Luyman of Burgondie who thinking to reuenge the repulse of Tremoran was sent himselfe to kéepe him company Belcar being desirous to shew his prowesse among the young Knights couched his Speare against the strange Knight who sent both Horse and man to the ground when presently Don Rosuell tooke the cause in hand and was made pertaker of the same mishap In like manner Guerin Frisol Blandidon Floraman diuers other were serued which moued the King Polendos vnto such choller that he would haue ventured against the strange Knight had not the prince Don Edward perswaded him to the contrary Then there went a great murmuring amongst the knightes who supposed the Sage Aliart had brought this Champion by his Art to be a disgrace vnto all their attempts and that he had vsed such meanes vnto him as he might not be vanquished but herein they greatly deceiue themselues for it was onely the noble force of the knight which was continually animated by beholding the faire face of his Ladie which was so brauely proportioned in his shield Floraman being greatly bent against the Knight and
to forget his duty or any occasion withdraw his mind from such an honourable attempt Then returning couragiously backe againe he aduanced himselfe against one of the Tigers at the corner of the Fountaine who like wise gaue himselfe in such manner against the Prince catching hold vpon his Shield so forceably that the handle brake off and detained it in such wise that the Prince could not by any meanes get it againe but charged him with such a sound stroke ouer the legges that the Tiger could not vse himselfe so well as he would To succour the féeble estate of the Tiger came the other thrée Beastes behauing themselues so furiously against the Prince that he thought this the most doubtfull aduenture in al his life time he had attempted Hauing wounded one of the Lions verie sore so that he was constrained to fall to the earth the Prince stouped downe to recouer his shield which the Tiger had abandoned but the other Lion approched so néere vnto him that catching hold vpon his Helmet he drew him within his reach so violently that hee was enforced to fall vpon his knées whan the other Tiger crushed him with his pawes so cruelly that had not his Armor been the stronger he had torne the Prince in a hundred péeces When he perceiued himselfe attainted with such an extremitie that his life stood on the very point of danger with his sword he saluted him so déepe through the heart that the Tiger sprawled on the earth cleane bereft of life In bréefe the courage of his noble minde did animate him with such hardinesse that albeit with great paine and trauaile hee made a dispatch of all their liues when then he sate him downe to take a little rest because the Tiger had pressed him to the ground with such extreame violence that he thought verily all his bones had bene broken After he had red him for a prettie while he went to the Fountaine being desirous to quench his thirst but he perceiued another little Posey which was so darkly couched that he could not gather any meaning of it wherefore he presently drauke of the water finding no more pleasantnesse in it then any other running Riuer or spring But he iudged both the Fountaine and the aduenture to be placed there by some cunning Enchantresse to disharten the timerous and glut the eyes of the valiant with a faire and pleasant show When he saw no other hazard to be tried in that place he went on still in the path that was made from the Fountaine but at last on a suddaine he espyed a very goodly and well fortified Castle so finely moated round about with a draw bridge at the entrance and the Trées shadowing it in such a delicate manner that his minde was altogether delighted in beholding this rare and seemely castle Before the gate there stood foure very faire Iasper pillars and vpon ech of them was hanged a knightly shéeld which Palmerin taking perfect view of beheld in the first vpon a Siluer ground this Posey No man dare conceiue the courage to take me downe No quoth Palmerin by your leaue I will be so bold as to trye for if the taking downe of a shéeld should feare me no matter if the aduenture did worthily foyle me and since your protestations are so hautie I will enforce you to humble your selfe to me as well to serue my néede because I want a shéeld as also to prooue the bragges contained in these words When Palmerin had fastened the shéeld to his arme he espyed a knight comming forth of the Castle with a verie great Maiestie béeing strongly armed who seeing the Prince without a Helmet the Lyon hauing brused it in such sort that he could not weare it proudlie began to vtter these spéeches He that will presume to take downe one of these Shieldes being not armed according to finish such an enterprise must taste the punishment due to his fault committed because hee may learne against another time to arme his head which standeth in most danger With these words not staying to heare the answer of Palmerin he began to charge him with very mightie strokes and still aimed to hit him on the bare head but Palmerin preuented his determination so well that closing fast vpon him hée brought him downe vpon both his knées making semblance as though he would haue slaine him the knight desired mercie and yeelded himselfe to the Princes courtesie Palmerin sauing his life demanded of him if hee had any more to deale withall to whom hee answered that the chiefest danger was behind wherupon the Prince arming his head with the Helmet of the vanquished knight went to the second Pillar whereupon the Shield in a Campe of Azure he read as thus I am more perillous and therefore worthie to be feared for in me consisteth the greatest danger Trust me quoth the Prince it may bée thou saist true yet shalt thou not supprise my minde with any cowardly feare and so leauing the first Shield he took downe the second when presently came forth another knight who spake to the Prince in this manner Trulie sir knight you haue done vnwisely to hazard your selfe in this place especially to take downe the shielde which requireth no rther ransome then your heart blood Sir answered Palmerin if you see that dutie or knightly behauiour hath failed in me behold me here ready to deliuer a recompence with my Sword so leauing their words and setting themselues stoutlie the one against the other in the ende the Prince reached him such a sure warrant on the Creast that the sword pierced so deepe into his head as he fell to the earth discharged of his life Then pausing a little while at last he went to the third Piller wherein the middest of the Sheild vpon a field of Sineple in Azure Letters was written these words By mee is to bee gotten the honour of this aduenture When he had taken it downe he expected the comming of the third Knight who very soone after came forth in great haste and without vsing any words entred a more dangerous Combate then the other twaine passed but I alemerin hauing cut off one of his armes and wounded him very sore in many places on his body brought him with long enduring the fight into such weaknesse that hée fell downe and yéelded vp the ghost at his feet This good Fortune caused the Prince to aduance himselfe to the fourth Pillar where viewing the Sheild he beheld in Letters of gold this good encouragement In me remaineth the happy victorie These words made him desirous to end this fortunate aduenture when taking downe the shield came out the fourth Champion with these spéeches I did not think your fondnesse had béene such that you could not content your selfe with a sufficient conquest wherefore that your paiment may witnes your iust desert prepare your selfe to receiue my hardy blowes Palmerin not accustomed to make answere in place where knightly strength ought to shew it selfe
into his custodie her Portrait as also the keeping of the passage against the Knightes that came thither HEre we must remember the Giant Dramusiande who after he had trauailed many strange Countries accompanied with Siluian to finde againe the Prince Palmerin arriued at the Castle of the Giant Almarol within a while after the Prince was departed from thence When he had beheld the Castle hee desired so long to sée and could perceiue neither any body néere or about it he came to the Trée which he saw was laden with the Shields of the vanquished Knights whose names being subscribed vnderneath euery one made him to haue knowledge of diuers that had bene there foyled At last at the soote of the Trée he espyed the armour shéeld of the Tristfull knight which made him greatly to muse that the Armour of the Conquerour should deserue no better estimation then to be placed there among the number of the vanquished Néere to the Armour he beheld Armello who hauing endured his teares and pittifull complaints a long time at length chanced to fall fast asléepe but Dramusiande desirous to heare some tidings vsed such meanes that he awaked him But when he vnderstood of the aduentures of the Fortresse as also the departure of the Tristfull knight he began greatly to rebuke himselfe in that his Fortune failed to encounter with so good a Knight whose Shield he would haue placed as highest on the Trée but that Armello desired him to the contrary Dramusiande taking good viewe on the picture of Miragarda was brought on a suddaine into such an alteration that his stout and hauty stomacke could not any way resist the cutting cares that ouercharged his mind yea he was brought into such a great quandary that he could not hold his Launce but trembling as a leafe stirred with the wind euē so he stood as it were cleane bereft of his sences whereupon he began to vtter these spéeches Madame beholding in this Portrait the beauty wherwith Nature hath plentifully adorned you I wish and desire to kéep this Passage that I might by my faithfull seruice make you renowned thorow the whole world For since your countenance hath the courage to conquere this heart of mine which as yet was neuer done by any I desire that vnder your noble conquest I may endeuor my strength to exalt your Princely beauty which who so dare presume to speake against shall receiue the punishment due to so great an offence While he continued in this amorous thought the Giant Almarol came brauely forth of my Castell whom Miragarda had sent being offended to sée the Giant Dramusiande wherefore aduancing himselfe in his presence Almarol deliuered him this greeting Sir Knight I thinke it might be more for your auaile to set your sheild in the rancke of the vanquished then thus to busie your selfe in beholding this Portrait which thing I would rather perswade you too by gentlenesse then to shew you the constraint that may happen by my force to which words Dramusiande replied thus If I were perswaded that the Mistresse of this picture wold be pleased with so small a matter I had rather accomplish thy desire then to doe any thing that might returns the contrarie for then my trauaile should be little my losse lesse and my heart at libertie where now it remaineth captiue And because I would gladly receuer it againe I entend to enter the Combats with thee to the intent thou maist report thy words could not foile mee nor yet thy workes had the puissance to daunt mee Almarol who naturally was accustomed to cruelty and not of such courtesie as was the gentle Dramusiande receiued these speeches in very angrie manner and being both ready prouided encountred with their Speares valiantlie together Being both throwne beside their Horses they charged one another very fiercely with their Swordes and Miragarda standing in her window to behold this exploite gaue great commendation to the behauiour of Dramusiande whom she feared would ouercome the Giant Almarol When they had sore hurt and well wearied themselues they retired a while to take a little pause when Dramusiande beholding the faire Miragarda was suddenly stroken into such amaze that the remembrance of the Combat was cleane out of his minde Almarol séeing into what estate he was brought only with beholding the face of Miragarda awaked him out of his study with such a sure stroke on the Creast that the Sword cleft it and wounded him very sore vpon the head Which Dramusiande taking in very il part returned to Almarol with so great fury that he inforced him to start this way and that way as glad to auoide the blowes wherewith he was charged At last Almarol fell to the earth when Dramusiande setting his foote vpon him vnclasped his Helmet because he would haue smitten off his head but Miragarda presently sent downe one of her Damosels named Lardemia who staied Dramusiande with these words Most noble knight the Princesse Miragarda by me doth sent intreaty that you would satisfie your selfe with the honor of your victorie and not to depriue the Giant of life whose losse might be more griefe to her then all your indeuours can any way recompence Madame answered Dramusiande I not onely grant him life at the request of such a gracious Princesse but vow my selfe to keepe her famous Shield if so bee she can except of my loyall seruice and if Fortune conduct any Knight hether that can conquere me I desire her setting all pittie aside that she will suffer me to enioy the death so shall both my trauailes and troubles possesse a long wished ende Lardemia hauing lead Almarol into the Castle out at the window returneth him this answere Sir knight my Lady and Mistresse sendeth you a thousand thankes and in recompence of your courtesie committeth the safegard of her shield into your hands wishing good Fortune may alway gouerne your enterprise Dramusiande at these words was greatly cōtented because he desired aboue all things to pleasure the faire Miragarda whose beauty had depriued him of his wonted libertie forcing him in loue to grow somewhat amorous For which cause he remained there kéeping this faire Portraite accomplishing such hautie déedes of Chiualrie as was altogether supposed incredible but the honour which he got had no long time of tarriance for that fortune hauing a while fauoured him at last in her anger she forsooke him euen as she is accustomed to falsifie her promise to those whom she perceiueth haue any entrance into prosperitie CHAP. LXIII How Dramusiande keeping the shield and passage of the Giant Almarol entred the Iust with the Prince Gracian and Don Rosuel of whom he had the victory and ended their strife with friendly acquaintance ON the next morning Dramusiande to accomplish his promise to the faire Miragarda came foorth and sate downe at the Tree where the Portraite and the Knightly Shields were placed vsing such grieuous complaints that Siluian marueiled to sée so mighty a man brought
stayed him thus Sir I haue taken the paines to come hither that you might vnderstand a matter greatly for your profite Dramusiande hath long time kept the shield of Miragarda and many knights hath he brought vnder her obeysance but such is the misfortune that her Shielde is stollen from thence by a Knight of whom she hath no hope to recouer it but only by your meanes Florendos to whose heart was already stroken a suddaine ioy began in this manner What will you Armello wish me to goe succour other seeing me scant able to helpe my selfe how may I in this weaknes presume against any one when being in my chiefest strength I could not conquer one onely knight Neuertheles because I wil not still remaine in sorrow which hitherto hath daily and vsually borne mee company I will followe the Knight that hath borne away the Shield of my Lady and will if I can make him to yéelde it me againe but if Fortune send him the victory against me then I shall be out of all troubles and sorrowes in this world Thus rising vp he desired his fellow shepheard who was his only delight to accompany him in heauinesse to beare him company and leaue that sad silent kind of life to follow the noble exercises wherin he had béene alwaies trained for albeit he was as then simple yet had he béene tried a good knight at Armes The knight though he was content with his sorrowful life yet had he not that power to refuse the request of the gentle P. Florendos for whose amitie they left their shéepe and went into a Towne hard by where they remained till they were strong enough to endure trauaile And in their time of stay there they made each of them a fine new blacke Armor both alike without any deuise at all because the Prince would not be knowne which made him not to send for his Armor at the Castle of Almerol Then departed they from thence and trauailed to séeke the shield of the faire Miragarda but they trauailed not lōg togither for that a misaduenture vnhappily parted them as you shall be certified more hereafter CHAP. LXXIII What and who the Knight was that bare Florendos company while he was a Shepheard and what was the occasion that they parted company And how Albayzar proceeded with the Shield of Miragarda BEcause you shall vnderstand who the knight was that kept Florendos company all this while the Historie declareth that after the Knights who were Prisoners with Don Edward were departed from the realme of England Floramā the prince of Sardignia tooke his trauailes on the Coast of Spaine purposing to trye the aduentures of the Princesse Miragarda And because he arriued at the Castle of Almarol when Florendos was gone into England to try the aduenture at the Castle of Dramusiand he had leisure sufficient to behold and muse on the faire Portrait of Miragarda which séemed apparant in his eye that he entred into prayses and surpraises of this beautifull Image Which made him desire that som knight would take his way thither to the intent he might shew some seruice to the gratious Princesse the seemelinesse of whose Picture caused him verily beléeue that there was none in the world might compare with her for beauty But as he remained in this opinion the old remembrance of Altea claimed one title in his cogitations which vrged some motion of strife to arise because he became no lesse affectionate to Miragarda then the knight that on her behalfe had won so many shields wherevpon hee began in this order O Floraman why wilt thou vndertake to exercise Armes séeing thou hast not the power to appease thy tedious trauailes but labouring to get out thou enrollest thy selfe the farther in Thou wast once content to be vanquished at Constantinople wherby thou mightst shun any more to follow this deceitfull Loue and art thou now desirous to enter Armour when both Fortune flies from thée and thou not able any way to endure it Oh blinded affection that must roue on euery stranger and knowest how strange Loue made thée of late But séeing too late I come to the knowledge of mine errour and haue gone so far that I cannot returne without my féet wet I purpose to pursue her by whom Fortune hath allowed mee a laboursome life resigning ioy to those that are wont to be familiar contenting me with heauines since I can no way eschew the happe And séeing a graue is meetest for a dead man a solitarie Wildernesse for a comfortlesse wretch I meane to beare her company with my mournfull heart so long that she shall die to sée me and I twise dead at any time to seeke her then shall my mishappes haue a ful conclusion and dispaire strike me dead once for all Thus breaking off his lamentations he walked along by the Riuer Thesin forsaking Horse Armour al knightly behauior entring a little shade of Trées where he determined to liue solitarie And the greatest contentation he had was when he sat kéeping Shéepe to play mournfull deuises vpon his Flute and to write and graue in the barke of Trées certaine amorous sonnets and Passions of a Louer which as the Trees grew so his seuerall Sonnets flourished vpon them And albeit he was resolute to liue from al company yet when Florendos came vnto him he found him so néere agréeing to his complexion and his manners and motion coyned in the like stampe that he was glad to receiue him for a partner in his heauinesse So that they liued together with Hearbes and roots pangs griefe sobbes sighes and salt teares the daily foode and sustenance of a Louer this was both their sollace and sorrow till Armello caused them to depart from thence as you haue heard discoursed already It so fortuned as these two careful Princes rode along by the Sea side they espied a little Galley comming towards them wherein sat a Lady endued with such singular beauty attyred in blacke and accompanied with such a modest behauiour as euery one might iudge her to bee some person of Nobilitie At this Ladies feete sat two aged women who espying these two Princes commanded the Marriners to row to the Shoare when beholding the Princes very rufully the Lady saluted them in this sort Sir Knights I desire the one of you to doe me so great fauour as to come abord my Galley to aide me in a cause which desireth the helpe of one onely Knight Faire Lady answered Florendos we beare Armes for no other purpose but to imploy our selues in the aide of distressed persons so entring the Galley he commanded Armello his Esquire to take his Horse and expect his comming at the Castell of the Giant Almerol where he would not faile to méete him Thus leauing the Prince Floraman the Galley launched forth that it was quickly out of sight wherefore he rid on desiring the company of Florendos to whom he became maruellous affectionate After he had trauailed thrée
the Esquires to leade him after him and so he rode to the City of Buda accompanied with the Duchesses and the Ladies who were very sorie for the death of Ditree and their other Knights but well pleased againe by the noble and hautie déeds of Palmerin CHAP. LXXIX Here shal be declared vnto you what and who the Giant Bracandor was wherfore he came to remaine in that place SVch report the History deliuereth vnto vs that in the Perilous Isle there remained a Giant named Bucarquant who ruled the Isle in such cruel maner that his subiects the did stand in more doubt of him the death So that to put him beside the gouernement of the Isle they concluded to conspire his death by poyson As for his Sonne Bracandor who was innocent of the wicked and diuillish déedes of his Father yet fearing that gouernement would prick him to the like cruelty they chased him out of the Isle giuing him no other company then his Nephew Astapardo These twaine went into the Kingdome of Hungaria where they purposed to people a little Mountaine to which they had giuen the name of the Inhabited Rock for in no other place might they be suffered to liue in quiet because reuenge would be sought for the cruell déeds of Bucarquant There they had gotten a company of bloody minded and dishonest knights liuing by robbery deflowring faire Virgins and Ladies and all villainous déeds that might be deuised till at last they heard of these Duchesses who went to sée King Frisol their Father in law accompanied with the Prince Ditree and other Knights Suddenly they came and set vpon them so that the Prince and the Knightes were slaine as also fiue of them belonging to Bracandor till to their rescue came the Prince Palmerin who behaued himselfe as you haue heard before When they were come to the Citie of Buda the King Frisol vnderstanding the death of his Sonne tooke it so heauily as such a great losse did forceable constraine him yet hee dissembled his griefe and came with the Duchesse to the Prince Palmerin giuing very great thankes for his courtesie and commanded he should be vsed with maruellous good respect till his wounds were healed and his strength somewhat better increased The Citizens tooke the giant Bracandor without the kings leaue they put him to death burning his bones that nothing might be left to be séene of such a cruell villaine Soone after King Frisol not able to withstand the extremitie of his griefe méekely yéelded his daies to the stroke of death which was no smal griefe to his noble Linage but as well to his loiall obedient subiects who greatly lamented the losse of such a gratious Prince His Obsequies and Funerales most magnifically finished Estrellant the Son of the Prince Ditree receiued the name of their rightfull and renowned king who committed the gouernment of the Scepter to one of the most noble Lords in all Hungaria because his time of ease was not as yet come but would follow the exercise of a valiant Knight at Armes And Palmerin staied a while in the Citie of Buda till his strength would permit him to beare Armour and then hee followed his intent which was alwaies to sée the places of greatest aduenture CHAP. LXXX How Don Florian being in the Court of the great Turke entred the fight with the Bastard Arduramet and vanquished him HEere must we remember Arduramet and the Prince Florian who being landed came to the Turkes Court where Arduramet receiued great thankes of the Turke himselfe for the Prisoners he had taken in his fortunate voyage Then comming to the Princes Targiana whose gentle nature afforded him a gracious welcome Arduramet deliuered his speeches in this manner My gracious Lady since the time I departed from your excellencie I haue endured along and tedious trauell to recouer my Lord and Brother Albayzar And albeit it was not my Fortune to méete with him yet haue I heard such report of his déeds as my heart is contented and my labours finished assuring you that he hath woone such renown against the Christians that they which haue no knowledge of him doe daily desire both to sée him and to make proofe of their puissant behauiour against him Beside I haue heard that he hath conquered the Shield of the faire Miragarda wherewith he is gone to the Court of the Emperor Palmerin to maintaine against all knights that dare auouch the contrarie your séemely selfe to be the onely Goddesse of beautie on the earth And during the time I was in his search it happened I tooke certaine prisoners among whom I found this Knight who both told mee newes of my Lord Albayzar and how hee had assigned to fight against him in the Emperours Court wherupon such words arose betwéen vs that we haue appointed a Combat to be tried and ended in this Court Florian séeing the great pride of Arduramet was stricken with such coller that hée began to vtter his mind in these spéeches Arduramet we are arriued in this place where I must entend the meane to accomplish my promise And albeit Albayzar is a valiant knight at Armes as the effect of his déeds do manifest no lesse yet will I maintaine and prooue against you that he hath not won the Shield by any manner of Conquest As for the Prince Targiana her beautie I both estéeme and confesse of such authoritie as he that ventureth the field in her fauour cannot chuse but spéed happily in all his déedes But if it shall please her to licence mee the Field I will defend against you Albayzar and all the Knights of your law that I rather deserue to be receiued in her seruice then you all or any that you can estéeme of Arduramet who could not suffer these braue words especially of one that was his prisoner in a rage cast his Helmet on the ground began to raile in these tearmes that follow Oh Mahomet why doest thou suffer in my presence a Christian to presume in so vile and presumptuous brags My gratious Lady I desire you to assure this miscreant the Field for I vow not to leaue him til I haue reuenged this rare and monstrous iniury Targiana commanded Florian to take of his helmet to whose will in gentle manner he presently obeyed but he was so offended with the words of Arduramet that his beauty was farre otherwise then it was alwayes accustomed for which cause the Princesse commanded Arduramet to depart and to make himselfe ready to enter the combate As for the Prince Florian her affection was so greatly placed on him that she tooke him prisoner vnder her protection and the better to assure him safe from danger she commaunded fiftie Knights should be presently armed to sée that none might come neare to hurt him during the time he should combate with Arduramet Then Florian kissing her hand departed to the place appointed for the fight and she vp into the Chamber to see how euery thing happened and
Ladies in beauty yet shew you your selfe excelling all other in that singular gift to ouercome him that hath conquered so many For I perswade my selfe you wil not fauor him that hath done you such wrong as disloyally to beare the Shield from your Castle but let me that am your true and faithfull seruant giue you the honour of this hautie attempt and afterward deale with this cursed carkase of mine euen as it shal stand with your gratious pleasure After this they fell to to the combate a fresh when the Emperor séeing the small defence they had for themselues supposed they could not long continue the fight and Primaleon through opinion which came by nature in griefe of mind receiued perfectly the cruell wounds of the Blacke knight as though he had felt them vpon his owne body because he supposed him to be of his linage And by the cruell behauiour they vsed to ech other the Empres Gridonia departed as not able to abide the grieuous sight of these two champions who after they had griped one an other by the closing their arms Albayzar â—s too weake to resist any longer fell to the ground whereat the Blacke knight reioyced and vnclosed his helmet to haue smiten off his head but the Emperour called to him to vse more mercy yet he makking as though he heard not lifted vp his sword when the Princesse Targiana fell before him on her knées with these spéeches Syr Knight first I desire you to strike off my head and afterward proceed in what shall please you for loth would I be to see him die that hath ventured his life in danger to do me such honourable seruice The Blacke Knight seeing the modestie of the Princesse was moued with pittie wherewith he granted Albayzar his liâ—e and then the iudges came into the field to haue the Blacke Knight honoured according as became a victorious conquerour But he would not depart out of the Field before the Portrait of the faire Miragarda was placed in the middest where against all reason the Princesse Targiana supplied the roome whom he led with him to be honoured according as her hie estate did deserue The Emperour commaunded Albayzar should be led into his Tent meane whiles the Blacke knight kissing his highnesse hand vpon his knee began in this manner Most dread and mighty Emperour I desire that this Princes may be regarded aboue all in your Court for you ought to shew more honor to her then to any other person that I know WheÌ„ the Emperour knew that the Blacke knight was his noble nephew Florendos his heart was supprised with an vnspeakable ioy and chiefely his Father the Prince Primaleon who caused Albayzar to be brought into the Palace vnderstanding that Targiana was the daughter of the great Turke lodged her with the faire Princesse Polinarda his daughter who greatly desired it at the hands of the Emperour and there was we as honorably serued as had she béene in the Court of the great Turke her Father the Prince Florendos and Albayzar had great care vsed to their dangerous wounds and the shield of the Princesse Miragarda was now held in chiefest estimation CHAP. XC How a Damosell of Thrace brought a strange aduenture to the Court of the Emperour Palmerin WHile Florendos and Albayzar remained at the cure of their wounds the Empresse and Gridonia as glad that the victory chanced to Florendos would often come and visit him reporting their iudgements on the singular forme of Miragarda which talke partly wrought as much for his health as the medicines that were applied to his wounds Likewise the Emperour and Primaleon would often visite Albayzar vsing comfortable speeches wherby he might forget the griefe he sustained because he was vanquished but Albayzar dissembled with a good countenance deuised with himselfe how he might worke iniury to Florendos which afterward he did as you shall perceiue at large in the second volume of this Historie In the meane while the Court of the Emperour was stored with the most renowned knights and Ladies of incomparable state of beautie in all the world so that there wanted no other thing there theÌ„ the two renowned Knights of England whose presence in the Court made the Emperor to thinke yâ— then no force might preuaile against him While they were in their triumphing the Empresse Gridonia Targiana and Polinarda sitting vnder the Cipresse Trées néere a very faire Fountaine a Lady of a maruellous and mighty stature presented her selfe before them whose séemly iestures and sumptuous shew in apparell made them beléeue shee was of great authoritie Her attyre was of Sattin cut and laide out with cloath of siluer a purple Robe compassing her bodie wheron was placed a number of rich and costly precious stones her long sleeues hanging downâ— were thicke beset with Birds Harts and other braue deuises of Foules and Beasts of gold that the eie could neuer be wearied beholding a thing of such inestimable value there attended on her two Knights the one hauing in his armes a very faire coffer which was closed with little Lockes of Gold and brauely garnished with Pearles and precious stones of maruellous cost and reputation When the Emperour and all were placed to regard the cause of her arriuall she receiued the Coffer of the Knight and with a little Key of Gold that hung about her necke she opened it whereout she tooke a curious and costly Cup which was so artificialle composed that beholding the outside might easily be discerned what was within which was nothing but water so hard congealed and frozen that it was impossible to moue any moity thereof After she had held it a while in her hand she deliuered the Coffer againe to the Knight whereon she set the Cup and looking wishly vpon all the company at last she began to vtter these speeches Most noble Emperour I haue been in so many Princes Courts to make triall of the strange aduenture contained in this Cuppe that not finding any to ende the same I am wearie to seeke auy further as also out of opinion of any good hap Except that now in your Highnesse Court which is most honoured and esteemed vpon the whole earth I may find such expected Fortune as of long time I haue failed in which doth encourage me somewhat considering there is not the like But first before the triall be attempted I will discourse the cause of this rare aduenture because each one of these noble gentlemen may be the better affectioned to her who holdeth his heart as chiefe Mistresse of his thoughts There was sometime ruling in Thrace a king who was name Sardamant so excellent well séene in the Art of Magique that for the qualitie of that gift he surpassed all other liuing in his time This King had a daughter of no lesse beauty then Courtly behauiour who was greatly beloued of two knights the one called Brandimar the other Artibel but they kept close their secreat loue from each other til
began to be somewhat offended with himselfe wherefore the Damosell receiued it againe of him and to mooue him from sadnesse gaue him these spéeches My gratious Lord I sée that age hath decayed the force of your affection but had this aduenture béene deliuered you when time was I know it could not haue remained thus at this present Primaleon presently came and tooke the Cuppe but his Fortune was no more fauoured then the Emperor his Father which vrged him to some cause of anger fearing that Gridonia would haue giuen him but slender thankes Then came the Prince Vernar and in his hand the Cup receiued a little brightnesse whereby the Ladies knewe that the Damosell had reported nothing but the trueth After Vernar came the King Polendos and in his hand the Cup became as blacke againe as euer it was whereat the Ladies began to laugh and the Damosell of Thrace spake to him in this order Syr Polendos if the loue you beare your Lady be of no more effect then it séemeth at this present I iudge she hath cause to be but little beholding to you Gentlewoman answered Polendos it is so long time since amorous thoughts haue let me that it is no maruaile if Fortune séeme so aduerse to me now Then arose the prince Gratian thinking to end the aduenture by the faithfull loue he bare to his faire Claritia and in his hand the Cup receiued more brightnes then it did when the Prince Vernar had it whereat his heart was rauished with vnspeakeable ioy and giuing the Cup to his brother Guerin it became as blacke againe as euer it was The ladies greatly delighted to sée the variable quality contained in the cup so that they had an assured meane to sée which of their knights might excel in loyaltie of loue Berolde P. of Spaine the onely beloued of the faire Onistalda aduanced himselfe to take the cup vsing this silent opinion to himselfe Madame I haue euer desired your helpe in all mine affaires but at this present I craue no succour at your hands for that the merit of my constancy promiseth me a large title in this honourable aduenture Then taking the cup it seemed brighter then euer it had béene and the frozen teares began somewhat to melt which mooued the Princesse Onestalda to so great pleasure that she could not conceale it but the Ladies sitting by did perceiue it After him came the P. Platir the knight of Fidelia daughter to the king Tarnaes but albeit he bare her great good will the Cup was not so bright in the hands of Berolde but while he held it it became as black Then came Bellizart seruant to the faire Denisia Dramian the knight of Florian but both of them sped alike in their enterprise Francian who loued the faire Bernard tooke his turne next to trie the Cup but he sped so ill that he wisht himselfe out of the place for in his hand the cup lost all the brightnes that the other knights had brought it into whereat he was greatly agrieued and the Emperor laughing a good at him began merrily in these words Sir Francian you may cōmend your fortune to be in such libertie for the Ladies will not receiue any hastie occasion whereby they may thinke good to fal in loue with you and you may shape your selfe of like disposition at no time to be hastie in trusting them After him came Frisol Onestalde Estrellant Tenebrant Luyman of Burgondy Pompides Bla didon Germaine of Orleance Dridan Polinarde Tremoran Baromont Albanis of Freeze amongst which company the best fauoured were Polinarde Beromont and Germaine of Orleance yet none of them might be compared to the Prince Berolde The Damosel of Thrace was in great despaire thinking the aduenture would not be ended in the Emperours Court when presently came the sorrowfull prince Floraman at the Emperors request he tooke the cap saying My Lady remember the danger wherin you sée me as also the griefe I sustaine for your sake wherout you may deliuer me if you please set me once againe in my ioyfull state When he had ended his spéeches the Cup receiued such a maruellous brightnesse the congealed teares melted so suddenly that the whole assembly thought the aduenture to be fully finished but the Damosell knowing the contrary went to the Emperour who in her presence spake thus to the Prince of Sardignia I know well Sir Floraman that this aduenture was reserued for you because the firmenesse of your faith gaue mée a great deale more assurance then the experience I haue to report this enterprise and trust me I am very glad it is so fallen out because now all other will hold you in the estimation that my selfe of long time reposed in you The ladies who euer bare good affectiō to Floramá were now a great deal more vrged towards him which y◠damosell perceiuing that euery one supposed the aduenture to be ended to the Emperor she began in this maner My gratious Lord I desire you that all y◠knights may abide in this place for albeit the cup is brought into this good effect yet is not y◠brought to passe which must be finished I know said Floraman that fortune is wont to cause me begin euery enterprise with ioy but at the conclusion thereof she threatneth my death Then Don Rosuel diuers knights assaied the Cup some spéeding well some ill euē as their constancy did differ in quality At last whē the whole cōpany were minded to retire for y◠time they espied a knight in gréene Armour to present himself before him whose stoutnes of behauior caused al to feare that tooke occasion to behold him there was none y◠knew him but Primaleō who presently said that it was the giant Dramusiand wherfore he desired the Emperor to stay a while when aduancing himself to méet him Dramusiand came imbraced him with very great reuerence When he had opened his helmet Primaleon brought him before the Emperor where humbly vpon his knée he began in this maner I desire you my gratious Lord and Father that you wil receiue this knight with your accustomed honor for that his valiant and noble behauior hath made him as much renowned as any on the earth The Emperour knowing that it was Dramusiande would not suffer him to kisse his hand but imbracing him in his armes began as followeth Albeit your friendly dealing did long time detaine my life in an vnexpected danger yet the good report of your Prowesse and noble behauiour since that time hath vrged mee to forget all vowing my selfe your friend to command and so I pray you for euer to vse me Dramusiande very often thanked the Emperor and Primaleon presented him to the Empresse and Gridonia who albeit they made a shew of a friendly welcome yet could they not do it hartily considering the griefe they sustained for the imprisonment of Primaleon For they say it is the nature of women not to forget and forgiue their
and the king Polendos seeing the knight of the Dragon had woūded Dramusiand so sore greatly doubted lest Berocant should now ouercome him but suddenly Dramusiand caused them to change their opinion for he followed his enemy with so great courage that he forced him to fall downe dead at his féete Then came the Iudges and with great honor conducted the thrée Conquerors forth of the field where the Emperor with his royall traine met them when Palmerin and Florian hauing opened their helmets came to the Emperour and with very great reuerence kissed his hand who receyued them with maruellous princely courtesie The Empresse Gridonia Bazilia and Polinarda attended the comming of the Emperour because they vnderstood that he brought with him the two English knights who when they came before them were receiued according to their knightly bounty When Palmerin came to humble himselfe before the princesse Polinarda such a sudden feare did ouercharge him that he could not withhold himselfe from falling to the ground and the Emperour supposing that it was caused through lesse of his blood commanded Primaleon Polendos Vernar and Berolde to cary him presently into a Chamber where he was respected with great diligence for his health Dramusiande and Florian were likewise honoured with very Princely vsage the Emperor remaining as ioyfull for this good hap as Albayzar was sorrowfull to sée the thrée Giants spéed so ill CHAP. XCV What happened in the Court of the Emperour after the combate of the Giants CErtaine dayes after this cruel Combat the prince Florendos seeing Dramnsiande and the English Princes out of any danger determined to restore the Shield of Miragarda in the place from whence the Prince Albayzar tooke it and to present him to her where he should abide the doome of her iudgement When he had well prouided himselfe of Armour and other necessaries he aduanced himselfe before the Emperour and his Father to desire their sufferance in this attempt but they were very loath he should goe least any danger should happen to him by the way through some treacherous meane deuised by Albayzar wherfore they gained of him to stay yet for eight dayes longer In the meane time the Emperour had concluded through aduise of his Councell to send the Princesse Targiana home againe to her Father accompanied with the King Polendes and diuers other Princes and Knights but first he would content the desire of her loue wherefore with great royalty he married her to the Prince Albayzar and to honour them the more he held open Court and caused many Triumphs and braue deuises to be accomplished to gratifie these honourable personages The Emperour ledde Targiana into the Chappell where he gaue her to the Prince Albayzar whose heart greatly reioyced to receiue the swéete content he had so long desired but the chiefest grief that eclipsed his ioy was because the Prince Florendos should present him to the faire Miragarda which thought made him not so pleasant with his beloued as otherwise hee would haue béene When time came for their departure Targiana humbly submitted himselfe to the princesse Gridonia and all the ladies but especially to the princesse Polinarda who had vsed her very graciously during the time of her abyding there The Emperour with all his Knights rode with her two miles from the Citie committing her to the charge of Polendos and the other Princes who could not perswade Florendos but he would needes present Albayzar at the castle of Almarol to witnes his vnfained faith to his Lady Mistresse Miragarda The Emperor taking leaue of Targiana returned with his traine to the Cittie endeuouring himselfe to change the mind of Florendos but all was in vaine for two dayes after he departed from Constantinople accompanied with Albayzar whom he would not suffer to weare Armour but permitted him one of the Esquires belonging to Targiana and himselfe tooke twaine one to carrie the Shields of Miragarda which was couered and the other to carry his owne thus in their iourney we intend to leaue them The Damosel of Thrace séeing the Prince Palmerin in good disposition of health in the presence of the Emperour she spake to him thus Worthy Sir I thinke you are sufficiently certified that I cannot depart from hence without your company séeing you haue finished that which of many yeares haue béene thought impossible wherefore most humbly I beséech you that you would imploy your selfe to ende likewise the miserable estate of the distressed and most infortunate princesse of Thrace whose enchantment can no way be be expelled but only by you whose renown shall be more then I can speake of for you that shal ioyne in marriage with her and so make your selfe king ouer all Thrace But if perchance the desire you haue to follow aduentures wil not suffer you to ioyn with her in this honourable estate then shall she stand at your appointment to marry with such a one as you shall thinke méetest for her wherfore I desire you to set a part all excuses and to enter vpon this iourney so soone as possible you may Faire Lady answered Palmerin I am so much vsed to trauaile that I know the better how to continue it and neuer did I refuse to aide any person whose intent might be no preiudice to her whom I am alwayes bound to obey and therefore assure your selfe that so soone as I shall be prouided of Armour because Albaroco hath so disappointed me I will not stay to accomplish your desire The Damosell was very well pleased with this answer of Palmerin but the Emperor who wished more good to him then any other of his Nephews conceiued great gréefe to leaue his company so soone wherefore he went to the chamber of the Empresse who also was very sorry when she heard these newes Likewise the Princes Polinarda hearing that Palmerin should so soone leaue the Court went to her chamber amated with great griefe and many passions of the minde which Dramaciana perceiuing knowing well the cause of her heauines caine to perswade her in this manner Faire mistresse I neuer thought that any misfortune could depriue you of discretion which you haue alwaies vsed but if your gréefe be grounded on the departure of Palmerin why do you not consider y◠his desire is euer to be where he may behold you◠though in truth he deserueth to enioy the most excellent princes on y◠earth yet dare I assure you that your beauty is sufficient to yéeld the heart of him vnder your obeysance who onely desireth to be your swéet friend in loue And without good hope in this desire I know he could not long enioy his life but that he perswadeth himself to enioy that gladsom and long expected felicity wherfore I desire you to vse such courteous fauour towards him as may vrge him the sooner to returne to the Court. Folinarda hauing receiued some content by the words of Dramaciana made her answer in this manner How can I well brooke the sudden
spent so many yéeres began as now so happily to prosper This Damosell being very well knowne and highly honoured through all the kingdome great resort of people came from many Cities and Townes to receiue her ioyfully who had béene so long time absent The people beholding the prince Palmerin gaue foorth these spéeches to one another Behold our gratious Lord and Soueraigne happy shall his subiects be to be vnder the gouernment of such a noble Prince in whom remaineth both courage and clemency who shall finish the enchanted estate of our Princesse enioy her as his onely Quéene and Lady and gouerne the Scepter ouer vs according as our deceased Prince did appoint it But Palmerin applied his whole cogitations how he might manifest his loyaltie to the Princesse Polinarda more then he respected the honour which was done vnto him and though hée had good hope to ende his enterprise his intent was presently to returne to his Lady and mistresse In this opinion they rode on togither til they came to the city of Limorsana where the principall lords and rulers came to receiue him with all triumphes possible conducting him to the royall Pallace and in all respects vsing him as their king and Emperour Then came he to the chamber of the Quéene Carmelia who was Aunt to the princesse Leonarda where doing his duty vnto her she receiued him as nobly as had he bene her owne sonne because she verily thought he should marry with the Princesse But she was farre from the intent of the English Priuce who séeing them so verily to beléeue that he should be their Gouernour of Thrace was somewhat offended remembring his promise to his Lady Polinarda Wherefore he tooke leaue of them courteously bowing himselfe to the Quéene Carmelia went to his chamber where he was vnarmed by Siluian and the Damosell that came all the way in his company At supper he was accompanyed with the Quéene Carmelia many Lords and noble Gentlemen of that country who shewed great courtesie to the English Prince till the houre of rest came when euery one departed to their chambers and Palmerin to his lodging where he could take no rest because he desired so much the deliuery of the princesse Leonarda In the morning Siluian armed him very early so that when the Lords came to his chamber they found him ready to depart thence wherfore they accompanied him to the Chappel where seruice was solemnized very royally by the Archbishop of the cittie and then they rode with him neare the place where the Princesse was Enchanted reporting to him the dangers and feare that in this aduenture should chance vnto him CHAP. XCVIII How Palmerin tooke his way to the Enchaunted Princesse and of that which happened to him IN short time the Lords had brought the prince to the place where Leonarda remained enchanted where he beheld in a pleasant valley a company of braue and stauely Towers among the gréene trées the buildings séeming so excellent to the eye that nature could not haue inuented them more gallant so that he thought them to be framed by the Celestiall powers rather then by any earthly creatures Palmerin was glad to sée a thing so pleasant though he were sorrowfull to be absent from his Lady Polinarda and comparing the great felicitie of him who should enioy the Princesse Leonarda with the mournfull thoughts that frequented his mind he could make choyse of nothing but onely the hope hée had to be fauoured of his lady whose remembrance caused this aduenture to promise him more pleasure then the hazard of such a doubt could moue him to feare A thing which truly is a great grace in a discréete man because that diuers tunes we sée the doubtfullest things to haue the pleasantest issue and that which séemeth most pleasant at the beginning doth proue to be the sharpest danger in the ending Euen so this noble Prince Palmerin contained such a courage and magnanimity of mind that no feare or dismaying had power to supplant his thoughts because good fortune suffered him to returne from euery attempt with honour One of the chéefe knights that kept him company presented himselfe to him in this manner Most worthy Sir to whom Fortune hath alway béene so great a Friend that no danger or distresse could offer to dismay you séeme not now to discourage your selfe in this aduenture for your accustomed prosperity can not forsake you at this present Yet sometime a raw procéeding returneth an vnexpected and vndeserued punishment but as this case standeth your noble selfe accompanied with so great aduised care cannot moue a foote further then vertue shall warrant your safety Pardon me good Sir if I haue béene ouer lauish in my spéech which I intended to no other issue but onely to aduertise you that this aduenture is perillous and therefore craueth the more héed and that a friendly admonishment is better then too late repentance Sir answered Palmerin your counsaile shewing so great grauity and foresight I estéeme a great deale more then at this time I will vtter for if Fortune spéede me in this enterprise I will not be vnmindfull of your friendly good will This promise presented with so great humanitie enflamed a suddaine enuy in the hearts of some there present who for the hope they had to sée him king began to enter into more dissembling prayses then any true or faithfull subiect would séeme to offer For they began to perswade him that no aduenture how dangerous soeuer it proued might attaine the power to astonish his person but he declining from such vainglorious prayses as was the dayly gifts and workes of flatterers courteoussy tooke his leaue of them all and set spurs to his Horse riding towards his determination An example surely worthy of great praise to all Princes and rulers liuing on the earth that they should not incline and leane to such who onely study with swéete words flattering tales and false reportss to rest and bring them asléepe in so vile an exercise Which painted faces if they would suppresse their Subiects Friends and Seruants should bée equally regarded their renowne plentifully encreased and accordingly honoured yea the vertuous should be richly rewarded and the vicious rightfully for euer reproched then would not the plaine dealer be gouerned by such as haue béene noted but the good should be openly discerned from the euill and all enioy one hope for a continuall quiet but to our matter Palmerin being come somewhat neare the place the light beganne to darken the Ayre to be maruellously troubled and mistie so that the Lords of Thrace were ouercome with such feare that some fell beside their Horses some hurt themselues very sore and they all made hast to the Citie as fast as they could where tho darkenesse likewise was very terrible Siluian whom Palmerin had willed to stay behind him séeing this suddaine feare tooke such courage that he would follow his Maister but the Enchantment would not suffer any to enter there saue
his friends and companions The Quéene Carmelia sent a Coach to the Castle wherein the Princesse Leonarda was brought to the Pallace of her Vnckle who receiued her as became her high estate and dignity and the Prince Palmerin likewise they vsed great honour and Princely obeysance but when he came to the Camber he found there Siluian who was not a little glad to sée his Lord so sauely returned CHAP. CI. Of that which Palmerin did while he remaineded in the Court of Thrace NOw at the request of the Quéen Carmelia Palmerin granted to stay in the court of Thrace for eight dayes in which time the Lords to fulfill the commandement of their deceassed King went to the Camber of the Queene Carmelia in whose presence they charged the Duke Rialdo to giue the English Prince to vnderstand what their King Sardamant had commanded to be fulfilled On this they all came to the Princes Chamber where they found him talking with Siluian as concerning his speedy departure from thence which they knewe he had appointed as the next day following but they making themselues ignorant therof at last the Duke Rialdo entred into these spéeches My Lord as I thinke you haue not forgotten what commandement our deceassed king Sardamant left to be performed in the marriage of the Princesse Leonarda his Néece So it is that willing to accomplish his straight and heauie charge as also not to suffer such a noble Prince who hath merited so graciously to be ingratefully recompenced likewise on our parts that we cannot esteeme for ourselues a more happy felicity then such a King to rule vs whose déeds rightly deserue to be Monarch of the whole world these causes considered and nominated we humbly desire you to accept your owne by right and our dutie to sée faithfully accomplished which is to be our gratious King and Seueraigne so that our happy and tranquill estate remaine feared of the stranger and beloued of our friends and neighbours Except the increase of wealth doe alter the noble mind which had alwaies hitherto continued vpright as to some it happeneth but falling into so great mishap your estimation would be the lesse accounted of So that the honourable pains you haue bestowed to restore vs the princesse Leonarda our Queene should be blotted with such obliuous reports as though they had béene neuer séene or done I assure you Sir answered Palmerin the refuse which I make to accept a reward so happie and fortunate is onely because I verily iudge the Princesse Leonarda ought to be kept for such a one as may better my estate in wealth and worthinesse The Damosel of Thrace who had brought him thither standing by and hearing the answere he made came vnto him in this manner Sir Palmerin I know right well that loue hindreth you to enioy what your déeds hath deserued and causeth you to muse on such a one as peraduēture thinketh not so well of you which is the onely cause that you refuse the recompence of your honorable and famous labours The words of the Damosell séemed very reason able to the Duke and his company but séeing they could obtaine no other answere of Palmerin they returned againe to the Quéene Carmelia concluding that he should giue a noble Lord to enioy the Princessé Leonarda according as the King Sardamant had so ordained whereto Palmerin gladly agréed saying I account this honour worthy Gentlemen the greatest that euer fortune could sent me in suffering your Princesse to ioyne in Marriage according to my minde and therefore thus assure yourselues that I shall bestew such a Prince vpon her as both she and you shall be contented to receiue The Lords of Thrace gaue him very harty thankes reporting his answere to the Queene Carmelia who made such acceptation thereof as it worthily deserued but Leonarda was somewhat offended and would haue fallen into anger had not the Damosell of Thrace vsed these words vnto her Faire Princesse me thinkes you should not thinke so ill of the constant faith and loyaltie of the Prince Palmerin who wil kéepe his vowe he hath made to her which perhaps is nothing inferior to you in beauty and wealth and this I can assure you that Palmerin hath a brother a Prince so saire and vertuous in all his déedes as if he ioyne you in marriage with him I know you will gladly held your selfe content The Damosell vsed her perswasions so well that the Princesse Leonarda was very well pleased of whom Palmerin tooke his leaue that night because he would be gone somewhat early in the morning which the Quéene Carmelia seeing she tooke him aside and thus charged him I pray you Sir to remember my Couzin Leonarda and to send her such a Lord as her birth and worthinesse hath continually deserued And if you thinke it good that I might cause her to be brought to the Court of the Emperour Palmerin I should estéeme it the greatest honour that in all my life time might happen vnto me For that I perswade me he would so wel entertaine her as the faire Polinarda who is his Néece with whom she would likewise greatly delight her selfe Furthermore because all the chiefe knights of the world be at the Court of Constantinople I would gladly this kingdome should be ruled by such a Prince as hath bin trained vp by that famous Emperour Madame saide Palmerin I assure you the Emperour will estéeme this honour highly and entertaine her according as she doeth deserue therefore I wish you to send her so soone as may be because the sooner she commeth the better shall she be welcome I pray you quoth the Quéene how estéeme you of the Damosell that brought the Cup thither Truely answered Palmerin I know no one so conuenient by reason of the good spirit and wit she hath which doeth greatly grace her in reporting her message Presently the Quéene called for the Damosell giuing her to vnderstand what was determined Wherevpon there were letters of credit made for her which done Palmerin tooke leaue of the Quéene and the Princesse Leonarda being accompanied with most of the nobles foorth of the Citie where after many circumstances of friendly departing they left him and returned againe to the Citie Palmerin being very well armed still vsing his Shield to be called the Knight of the Tiger trauailed on in his iourney accompanied with Siluian yéelding his body to trauaile and his heart to his Lady and Mistresse as in the second part you shall sée very gallantly discoursed FINIS THus Gentlemen you haue heard the first part of our English Princes labors wherin if you find the Translation altered or the true sence in some place of a matter impaired let this excuse answere his default in that case A worke so large is sufficient to tire so simple a workeman as himselfe and beside the Printer may in some place let an error escape So betweene these two reasons let the Author passe vncontrowled which will hasten him the sooner to send
displeasure without vsing any remembrance at all of the Prince Florian of the â—esart whom shée had now altogether thrust into forgetfulnesse and was so sore troubled for want of the presence of the Prince Florendos as she tooke her farewell of the restored prisoners to whom for griefe she could not vse such gratious behauior as she had done the day before Florendos rid certaine dayes in the company of Albayzar and Floraman when he concluded to trauell to the Castle of Almaroll to sée what entertainment the faire Miragarda would make to the Prince Albayzar and whether she could now â—nde contrary to her former custome his noble imployed seruice agréeable to her curious nature These thrée knights following their enterprise they perceiued after they were entred somewhat within the Realme of Spaine at the foote of a mountaine a knight standing very sadly betwéen two great Oakes he was armed in blacke Armour and bare in his Shield a white Bull in a fielde of Sable and mounted on a very gallant Courser so that these thrée Knights conceiued very good opinion of him and to him they would haue approached but that suddenly an Esquier stept before them who hauing saluted them very courteously deliuered his minde after this order Gentlemen the knight which standeth by these Dakes giueth you to vnderstand that he hath enterprised to guarde this passage in that he hath kept it a loÌ„g time against many knights not for that he hath desire to offer any knight discourtesie but onely to satisfie the will of a Lady to whom he remaineth affectionate loyal and obedient Therfore if it may stand with your liking to grant such things as he will demand the passage shall be at libertie for you but if you enterprise to doe the contrary he will put in triall to make you confesse perforce that which you cannot reasonably deny or refuse to grant Declare vnto vs quoth the Prince Florendos first the wil of thy Master and soone after we will make thée answere because very hardly can we determine of the matter whereof we are ignorant by reason that thou concealest it so closely Hee will cause you to confesse answered the Esquier that Arnalce the Princesse of Nauarre is the fayrest creature vnder heauen and most worthy of knightly seruice It séemes to me sayd Albayzar that we shall find this same knight who to shunne the Combate at her Castle hath accorded and promised to fulfill her impecious conditions Therefore I iudge it in mine opinion for good cause I know it assuredly that his enterprise is very dangerous and ought no longer to be maintained Let it happen what pleaseth Fortune sayd Florendos and afterward turning to the Esquire he answered him in this order My friend you may goe assure your maister of the Iouste While the Esquire was busie in spéech to the Prince Florendos Floraman no sooner perceiued him to returne to his maister but he desired Florendos that he would graunt him the Combate against the Knight that kept the passage which request he would not denie him wherevpon Floraman gaue the spurres to his horse and ran couragiously against the Knight of the princesse Arnalte they both encountring together with such great force that they were both dismounted to the earth with their héeles vpward but they recouered themselues promptly and like good knights set their hands to their swords wherewith they began to strike one another very daungerously vsing such knightly dexteritie as Florendos and Albayzar greatly delighted to behold them And for that Floraman was reputed for a good Knight they were abashed greatly that any aduantage should happen to the Knight of the Princesse Arnalte for the loue of whom hée fought very brauely But that which was most displeasant to Floraman who did his dutie like a good and vertuous knight was least the Princesse Florendos and Albayzar shoulde take any euill opinion of him On the other side the Knight of the passage thought on the bonde wherein the loue of the Princesse Arnalte had tyed him which did the more harten and encourage him These two knights continued Combate so long that being ouercome with extreame trauaile they were constrained to retire to take breath the straunge knight reioycing thereat began to vse this language towardes Floraman I know Sir knight that you might better breake your will and saue your life then be depriued of them both for when you shall come to confesse that the Princesse Arnalte is the fayrest Lady aliue you shall not be any iote spared by fauour alwayes considered that you shall but confesse the truth If I did consent to thy will answered Floraman I should maintaine a thing farre beyond any dutie for in how much Arnalte is faire and worthy to bée serued by so much the rather thou makest me to thinke that the world enioyeth some such to whom she is not in any thing to be compared for that diuine beautie hath made them so singular faire as the Princesse of Nauarre may in no wise be equalled with them And on the other side I haue in time past loued a Lady my selfe in respect of whom the whole world being filled with the report of her prayse I will rather die then accord to the presumption thou wouldest haue me confesse Floraman had no sooner concluded his spéech but they returned a fresh to yâ— Combat charging one another more suriously then they had done before so that it could not be iudged whether the one had any aduantage of the other or who was likelyest to win the victory they maintained the sight so brauely But in the end the Knight that kept the passage beganne by a little and a little to feele that feeblenesse somewhat assailed him and that stroke by stroke his word turned in his hand and his Armour was broken in many places and likewise the Armour of Floraman was in no better case then his enemies but he followed his strokes more wisely and dealt so gallantly at this second charge that once againe they were constrained to retire Floraman who was accompanied with such gratious gifts as imbraceth the heart of a vertuous Prince would proue if he might possible chaunge the Knight from his fonde opinion Whereupon he spake to the Knight in this maner Sir Knight you sée very well that your enterprise is not truth according as you haue iudged it in conceit wherefore I pray you to confesse that there are many Ladies in the world whose beautie the Princesse Arnalte may no way paragon I know well Sir sayd the Knight of the passage that the weakenesse where into you sée me brought giueth you the hardinesse to vse me with such perswasions of reproofe but so it is that I am so greatly affectionate towards the Princesse Arnalte as I haue deliberated with my selfe to sustaine yâ— death before I will graunt to that which you say When he had deliuered the end of his purpose he charged Floraman afresh who in short time laide
came the first whereof was Felistor who hauing the Damosell by the arme made great protestation of his amorous good will but she rid wéeping very bitterly and so did the good Lady her mother Sixe knights were in company with Felistor and foure more he had caused to stay in the Ladies Castle so when Palmerin had sufficiently viewed them all he came to comfort the Ladies in this manner Faire Ladies your teares are so gréeuous for me to behold and your present danger hath conquered me with such surpassing pittie as I must aduenture my life for your deliuery when I will either purchase your former quietnesse or leaue my life to content your enemies yet haue I often heard that small force will serue to chastise those persons that haue no regard to their owne honour because being confounded in their enuious stomacke by their owne disloyall actions they containe so little manhood as the report of knightly dignitie being but laide before them no brauer conquest then their owne manifest disgrace Felistor hearing the Knight of the Tiger to vse such braue language became so offended with himselfe as he had not the power to make any answere but in the middest of his choller without remembring to arme his head he began fiercely to assaile the Knight of the Tiger who saluted Felistor with such a friendly blowe on the head as hée cleft it downe to his shoulders and valiantly addressing himselfe to the other Knights he behaued himâ—elfe with most maruellous prowesse The Damosell séeing the Prince in so great danger and fearing hée would hardly escape their hands gaue her Palfrey the bridle and so rode solitarily musing along the forrest which the knight of the Tiger perceiuing began very much to gréeue at neuerthelesse so valiantly he dealt with the other knights as when he had slaine thrée of them the rest tooke themselues presently to flight whereupon the knight whose horse was attainted with trauell and who had so pleasantly iybed with the Prince came and humbly yéelded himselfe desiring that he would not remember what discourteous words had passed from him whereupon the knight of the Tiger according to his courteous nature did very gently entertaine him The Lady séeing her enemies so happily vanquished receiued in her heart vnspeakeable ioy but when she looked about and could not sée her daughter her ioy was presently amated with sorrow wherefore that she might the better recouer her againe she came and fell downe before the knight of the Tiger giuing him most humble thankes for his so noble succour and desiring if it might so please him as to lend her his assistance till she had found her daughter for whose absence she remained more oppressed with gréefe then she was before being in the danger of her cruell enemies Madame quoth the knight of the Tiger you should attribute the honour of this victory to the misfortune of your vnkinde aduersaries in that such as they do alwaies receiue recompence according as the wickednesse of their liues deserueth for diuine iustice will not suffer them to escape vnpunished who are carelesse in coÌ„mitting such heinous offences As for your daughter I iudge her to be within this Forrest therfore it is good that we trifle no time in vaine but hastily besturre our selues in the present search of her for I promise you I will not leaue you till I haue safely deliuered her into your owne security whereto the Lady replied I sée well Sir knight that both vertue and magnanimitie shineth brauely in your noble heart and I would that my poore power were of sufficiencie to requite your princely bountie neuerthelesse I trust that God will repay your good deserts which I am farre vnable to do at this present yet will I remaine all my life time dutifull in good will to shewe what acceptable thankes I can at your noble commaundement Thus the Lady concluding her spéeches the Knight of the Tiger Siluian and the Lady rode on which way they iudged the Damosell had taken but they iourneyed all that day and most part of the night yet were they neuer the nearer their purpose and it is not to be maruailed why she should stray so far for that the feare she had least her honour should be impeached caused her to take those occasions vpon her which in her iudgement might best preserue it They hauing thus trauailed very late they were constrained to alight to ease their horses which Siluian did presently vnbridle that they might refresh themselues in the Pasture then gaue he to his Lord and the sorrowfull Lady such prouision for their sustenance as he carried with him wherewith they sufficed themselues so well as they could for that they knewe in such a desolate place it were very strange to looke for courtly dainties Faire Auba had no sooner deliuered the faire morning in sight but they presently mounted on horsbacke and rode about the whole Forrest yet not finding her they so gladly looked for which made the Lady conceiue so great griefe as the Knight of the Tiger by no perswasion could appease wherefore he desired her to goe to her Castle in that it was vnfit for her to take such vnaccustomed paines wherewith with much adoe at last she consented then they rode to her Castle where they arriued about the Euening but the entrance thereof was garded with the foure knights which Felistor had giuen charge to remaine there This began a fresh to vexe the Lady first to sée her daughter so vnhappily lost and then to be forbidden the entrance into her own house these two extreames mouing many other passions caused her to repute her selfe as the vnhappiest vnder the Sunne The Knight of the Tiger séeing the Lady in so great affliction beganne to flatter the eyes of the Knightes with showes of most gratious behauiour as it is the custome among aduenturous mindes to dissemble their intents with deuises of amiable conceit which sometime preuaileth more in pollicie then déedes that manifest knightly power And so it fortuned that the Knights of Felistor came to receiue them for they being so many made them so venturous but their chiefest intent was to haue murthered the knight of the Tiger and then to cary backe the Lady with them But herein they found themselues greatly deceiued for the Knight of the Tiger perceiued no sooner the bride to bee let downe but he entred thereon and beganne very valiantly to charge these foure knights who setled themselues altogether against him and one of them began to vse these words I perceiue well Sir Knight that your great folly will be an occasion of the present ending of your life which séeing you are wilfully come to séeke we will deliuer you answerable paiment to your bold enterprise These words the Knight of the Tiger nothing at all regarded but dealt so roughly with them as two of them were quickly dispatched of their liues and their fellows fearing least they should be brought into like estate cast downe
which he alighted speaking thus to the Damosell I sée well Damosell that you haue taken a place of small assurance to your selfe for that your knight will deliuer you into my hands which if he should not doe he should presently perceiue the estate of my displeasure whereto the knight of the Sauage man thus answered Trust me Syr you are deceiued as farre as I can perceiue for here is none that oweth you dutie much lesse any that will stand in feare of you and I doubt not but the disloyall tyrannie which thou vsest shall well enough be tempered ere thou and I part These wordes caused a sore Combate betwéene them the brauery whereof much delighted the aged Hermit who still prayed for good successe to happen to the Knight of the Sauage man but so gallantly did hee continue the fight that the Giant was enforced to take a breathing which was very acceptable to the Prince in that his Shielde was greatly defaced and himselfe surcharged with very much trauaile but yet he was in farre better state then the Giant who séeing his blood trickle downe his Armour so fast began to vse these spéeches How comes it to passe that one Knight hath the power to preuaile so much against me Certainly I feare me that the hope I haue alwayes had to vanquish those Knights that slew my Brethren by this one Knight will be brought into some doubt yet if I must néedes end my life I had rather it might be at one of their handes for that their valour carrieth so large commendation then by this Knight who is vtterly vnknown to me Thus concluding he began to charge the Knight of the Sauage man with very rough and forcible strokes who notwithstanding so duly awaited his oportunitie as at length he brought his enemie vnder his subiection when taking off his Helmet he presently parted his head from his shoulders the sight hereof was no small ioy to the aged Hermit as also to the Damosell who came and humbled her selfe to the Prince in this manner It is vnpossible for me Sir Knight to render you thanks according to your worthy deserts neuerthelesse I will report such laudable language of your Knightly déedes in the Court of Vernar the Emperor of Allameigne whither at this present I direct my course as your Fame shall remaine in continuall memory And very gladly would I bee acquainted with your name which I the more earnestly desire for two causes the one that I might the more exactly discourse your noble valour to the amazement of all other that cannot deserue so well the other that I might know the noble Gentleman whose gratious bountie I might repay with my contiuuall prayers Faire Damosell quoth the Prince if you desire to knowe my name that I may doe you seruice to the vttermost of my power I will declare it vnto you rather for that cause then any other but I assure you my déedes are of so small estimation as credite me you may more worthily cast into discountenance then giue them any such praise as it hath pleased you to vtter And let it not séeme in your eares as an vnaduised spéech which at this present of necessitie I must disclose because mine eye and my heart haue tasted both on fierie Plannet but rather let it obtaine such an acceptable opiniō of beliefe in your modest thoughts as I remaining captiue and at your mercy may finde you as ready to pittie me as your beauty was to wound me vpon these spéeches the Hermit tooke occasion to begin thus Sir Knight it is a déepe point of wisedome to flée the subtill temptatiō of beautie which is not so glorious in the eye as it is grieuous in the heart nor so swéete in conceite as it is sower in triall the reason is for that iealouzie frenzie beggerie murder with many other mischiefs are always waiting on her as yok-fellowes You haue already escaped one extreame danger and now are like to fall into a more greater for the one could haue béene but hnrtfull to the body the other hangeth more waity on the soule remember this my son for thy fall will be as grieuous to me as to thy selfe Father said the Prince Beautie is so familiarly welcome into the eyes of all men as you sée they haue no power to escape from her and her delights so agréeable in their hearts likewise as were they of flint she would mooue affection euen so if you did but contemplate the heauenly grace of this beautifull Damosell you could not otherwise chuse but offer your selfe as her humble seruant which if you did refuse to doe I should perswade my selfe that good nature had altogether forsaken you as also I might iudge him very colde in kindnesse that could not be moued by such a forcible motion I see well quoth the Hermit that the pleasure of the flesh makes thee forgetfull of the health of thy soule wherefore I will pray that thou maiest be conuerted in time least thou féele the punishment of thy follie when it will be too late for thée to helpe thy selfe whereto the Prince answered thus I pray you Father tell me can you conquere these earthly delights when you sit wresting many matters in your Study Or wil the looking on your booke abate the secret inflamations of your heart I haue heard of many of your calling and profession that haue laboured to kill that in other which for all their learning hath quickned in themselues and by seeking to draw a throne out of anothers heele haue prickt themselues therwith to the very heart tush father be religious in reason I haue seen an olde Billet burne fresher then a young Bauen and you for all your holinesse if I should inueigh against the secret delight of Loue would take me for an heretique but it is good that I argue to shew my folly and that you allow not to declare your wisedome Well quoth the Hermit I will betake my selfe to my Oratorie and you to your youthfull and worldly pleasure the desert whereof will no doubt in the end reward you And so he went into his Cel making such speed til he had shut the doore after him as if the Giant Brocalon had beene aliue againe and had followed him wherat the knight of the Sauageman laughed heartily then comming vnto the Damosell he began to salute her in these tearmes I could wish faire Lady to be seruant to so kiude a Mistresse if it might as shall like you to allowe me your seruice in sooth I iudge you would like of my behauiour if you doe not I will be content to auoide when it is your pleasure Worthy Sir answered the Damosell I cannot be so much ingratefull for your great good will in defending me when I was in greatest distresse but that to my power I must witnesse some shew of a thankfull minde in mean time I desire to haue your company for these two or thrée dayes till I be out of these places
the Prince Platir answered the Esquire thus Trust me my friend I cannot thinke it méete to receiue thy Maisters armor which we thanke him for that he would so courteously send vs because I carry this mind with me that it is better for vs to loose our liues without his aid them hauing his armour to fall into his hands vanquished for our armour his not so much spoyled but we may very well endure the triall of this Combate wherefore we will trie our Fortune in this armor we haue considering skill must be vsed as well as defence which if we imploy as we ought there is no doubt but we shall haue the victory I am content to follow the aduise of Platir said Berolde And since you find it so conuenient quoth the Sage Aliart me thinkt it were good the messenger returned backe to his Maister and let him vnderstand that he may come when please him into the field I reioyce greatly saide the Esquire in the counsell of this young knight that you will not take this Armor which my Lord the Giant sendeth you therefore let him that hath the aduantagr boast of his winning in the end Thus the Esquire departed into the Castle of Collambra againe giuing the Giant to vnderstand what the Knights had said whereat he fumed and fretted greaely to sée what disdaine these Christian knights made of him wherevpon he tooke his leaue of his Sister in this maner Madame I pray you abide at this window all the while the Combate endureth for I shall be greatly iniuried if I want your presence So departing he went vnto his Couzins who were all in blacke armor conformable to their griefe and sorrow and bearing for their deuices in their shéelds the portraitures of Brocalon and Baleato their Couzins figured in a field of Sable they promising neuer to change their deuises vntill they had reuenged the death of the Giants the sons of Collambra who were déerely beloued of their vnckle the Giant Espouuantable With them he tooke his way to the place appointed for the combate the people reioycing when they saw him comming with his Couzins who were in stature able to deale with sixe such as the thrée knights were which made the Giant to ride very merily perswading himselfe that the knight of the Tiger and his companions should loose their liues in the field that day then comming somwhat néere them he began to vse these words In sooth my friends it were better for you to yéeld your selues then to abide the terrour of my combate Not so sir answered the Knight of the Tiger but albeit thy arcogant pride should séeme to fray vs in these peoples iudgements we are content to abide the vttermost not doubting God aiding vs but to bring downe thy haughty stomacke and these likewise that beare thée company Vpon these words the Giant ran against the knight of the Tiger and his Cozins against the other knights that the trampling of the horses made the earth to groane and they were not so quicke and spéedy in their course but the knight of the Tiger and his companions were as nimble as they méeting so brauely in the middest of the Carrire where the Giant broke his lance on the Prince Palmerins shéeld with so great force as he was constrained to catch hold on the mane of his horse otherwise he had fallen beside him neuerthelesse the Giant was cast out of his Saddle with great violence against the ground whereat he was maruailously offended but the knight of the Tiger reioyced that he had broken his lance so well The other six knights were all likewise dismounted except the Prince Flatir who kept his Saddle still yet was the charge so rough vpon him as he had almost borne his fellowes company but that he recouered himselfe gallantly hauing lost both his stirreps The knight of the Tiger séeing the Giant comming towards him cast himselfe beside his horse quickly because he feared the Giant would haue kiled his horse then being on his féete he spake to the Giant thus Content thy selfe a while thou counterfeit Monster and let thy Cozins procéede in that they haue enterprised for they that deale with him are such as they shall find sufficient to abate their lofty minds and after they haue tried their fortune because we will not hinder them neither do they the like to vs thou and I will quickly decide our controuersie when do not doubt but thou shalt perceiue the little regard I haue of thée and the vttermost thou canst doe I sée well answered the Giant that because thou hadst so good fortune to dismount me it makes thee so bold to speake thus brauely but I receiue greater contentment thē thou canst deuise to see thee here in this place where at mine owne pleasure I shall giue thee punishment and with my sword repay the shame of my fall Then drew he his sword forth of the scabbard saying to the Prince that he had caused that weapon to be made onely to take reuenge therewithall for the death of his Couzins Brocalon and Baleato with these words he ran fiercely on the Knight of the Tiger and gaue him such cruell and forcible stroakes as had he not defended them worthily his life would haue bene in great danger Verie rigorous was the blowes the Giant gaue the prince so that most part of his shield was cut in peeces and he had very little left to award his enemy and a great while it was before he could wound the Giant yet at length he gained such opportunitie as he wounded him grieuously in three or foure places which made the Giant to faint and waxe somewhat wearie both with the great losse of his blood and also with his extreame sweating and chafing to see himselfe so hardly matched by one knight but all his fretting the prince regarded not he followed his intent so worthily and redoubled stroake after stroake so roughly vpon him as the Giant was constrained to retire to take breathing awhile The knight of the Tiger was not sorry therat for that he as gladly desired rest of the giant though not by any such extreame occasion considering also he desired to see how his three friends continued the fight with the giants three Couzins who in sooth were brought to such a narrow point as they had not the power to defend their enemies for they both had and did charge them so worthily as the Prince did much delight himselfe in beholding them they being so couragious nimble and quicke as they were at the beginning of the Combate But the Prince Platir dealt so gallantly with him that was his enemy as he had the general praise and was iudged worthy the honour of that day aboue his other two companions The Giant beholding his Couzins in such danger and himselfe to haue lost the most part of his blood likewise that he had such a strong and puissant enemy his heart began to faint but because he would not haue them
Profound Isle did greatly maruel to sée strange sights in like manner did Platir and Berolde albeit they were good and hardy knights yet did they admire with the other for company extolling his hauty and noble prowesse who by his famous conquest brought the Island to be inhabited After they had a long time discoursed on the singularitie of this Fountaine they tooke their way to the Castle where hard by the riuers side stood foure faire Iasper pillars whereon hanged foure shieldes like vnto them which Palmerin won from the foure Knights and there stood the images of the Knights in Columbs of Marble hauing the like Armor and Shields as the liuing knights had and standing as though they vsed regard to their shéeldes whereon their seuerall names were written in letters of Gold Palmerin was as greatly amazed at the fight hereof as he was the same day he approoued the aduenture while the kuights tooke pleasure to behold this strange monument he perceiued to come ouer the Bridge an Esquire who was sent thither by Satrafort the gouernor of the Castle the Esquire had no sooner séen the knight of the Tiger but he presently returned into the Castle to giue his Maister to vnderstand that the Lord of the Island was arriued there wherevpon Satrafort come forth to receiue him and with humilitie conducted him into the Castle wherein they were no sooner entred but Platir began after this manner Me thinkes the strange fights of this Countrey is farre contrary to them in all other parts of the world in that these motions shew the great danger of the aduentures passed and the brauery of this castle doth euidently witnesse that the skull and knowledge of the Sage Vrganda ought to be estéemed aboue all other The Prince Platir could not chuse but maruell very much séeing the sundry rare monuments which the Sage Vrganda had erected in that place where she made her continuall abyding because she would alwayes ayde those whom she made account of for her so speciall friends as you may reade at large in the booke of the valiant Amadis of Gaule But to come againe to our former purpose these Knightes hauing séene the lower parts of the Castle at last came to the place where Palmerin of England in times past found the Giant Demetail the fight hereof caused them to passe on further and after they came to the blacke riuer wherein the malicious Eutropa cast her selfe when the Prince Palmerin tooke her by the hand being ou the plancke which was so dangerous the sight of this perillous aduenture made them forget all the brauery they had séene before Siluian began to thinke on his masters fortunate successe in atchieuing such a worthy famous aduenture and the conceit of the manifold troubles he had passed was of such force in the gentle Esquiers minde as he began to shed teares but the Knight of the Tiger perceiuing how Siluian wept while his other friends were busied in beholding the occasions there present he came and embraced Siluian vsing these words I would haue thée thinke my good friend Siluian that the knight who hath the rare beauty of the princesse Polinarda imprinted in his heart could not faile to accomplish these aduentures how dangerous so euer they were at first to him and I assure thée that the vnfained leue I beare to her made me to trie the hazard of this vncouth place from whence in the soueraigntie of her name I returned victor wherefore I pray thée refraine thy teares and perswade thy selfe assuredly that the earnest desire I haue to do seruice to my Lady encouraged me in all my trauailes Then he left Siluian and came againe to his friends and companions speaking to them in this order I pray you my friends to forsake this place which doth nothing else but trouble your thoughts with silent vexations of griefe thinking on things of so small importance for me thinks Satrafort saith it is time that we go to supper At these words the knights departed thence commending highly the valour of the knight of the Tiger and Satrafort brought them into a faire great chamber the windowes thereof being ouer a faire Garden very thicke beset with trées and a prettie small riuer taking his course thorow it In this place the knights were set to supper being serued with such great pompe and state as there wanted nothing that could be deuised and Satrafort being desirous to witnesse their great welcome into the Perillous Isle shewed himself surpassing bountifull and beside he was so glad of the presence of the noble Palmerin of England as he spared no trauaile to purchase those things that might yéeld him contentation All Supper time they delighted themselues in pleasant discourses vntill the tables being withdrawne they arose with courtesie one to another and then Satrafort brought ech of thē into his chamber which were hanged with rich cloathes of tapistrie that the Enchantresse Eutropa and the Giant Dramusiande had left there because the house should be decked at all times that when any of his friends came they might haue the better entertainment as for them whom he thought not well on they durst not be so bold as to presume thither because as he vsed his friends with courtesie so did he his enemies with crueltie CHAP. XIX Here is yet continued what happened to Palmerin of England in the Perillous Isle THese foure knights were no sooner risen on the next morning but they walked into fields about the Castle which were very faire and fragrant to behold in that the Sage Vrganda did take great delight in her life time to be very busie there during the time the Spring lashed in planting and setting yong and tender grafts which were done in the manner of walks and Arbours hauing kept such iust proportion and measure in setting them as surely they would content any friendly eye The walkes were paued with large stones of colour of white and gréene and the trées about them were so brauely branched as in the Summer time the Sunne could not offend any with heate there was such a delicate shaddow and in the winter the cold and sharpe winde could not come at them by reason the trées were so thicke and high In the Garden there stood a goodly Cesterne to receiue the water that fell when it rained and from it by pipes and other deuises the water was ronueyed into all the necessary roomes in the Castle this cestern was inclosed round about with Christal and bound with barres of siluer maruailous beautifully These knights could not sufficiently content their eyes with the diuersitie of braue deuises about the Castle and so long they walked till a messenger came and called them to dinner when though they were loath to go so soone in againe yet remembring their courteous Hoste they went presently The rest of the day they spent in their former exercise vntill the night came stealing on them and euery man being in his loding could not
answered him thus I am content because you know me so well that you shall not take a surfeit by loosing your desire and if you will stay till my 〈◊〉 be brought hither I will breake this Lance on you because you presumed to refuse it and afterwards I will entertaine you with the Combate when I doubt not but to giue seuere chasticement to your proud and mallapart stomacke I would with all my heart aunswered the Damoselles Knight that thou weâ—t armed for my mallice is such against thee as I cannot tell it but thou shalt féele it Albayzar presently sent for his Armour and the King séeing their fury and noting the high wordes that had passed betweene them came down into the field to them to the end he would not that Albayzar should fall into any misfortune before he had bene first in the â—â—perours Court to which place the Turke had sent the imprisoned knights because he would recouer home again Albayzar 〈◊〉 for which cause the king Recinde would not permit them to trie the combate and scantly would he suffer them to ioust together so greatly he feared lest the Damoselles Knight would endaunger the person of the Prince Albayzar The Quéene was verie well pleased in that by the meanes of the Damosels knight she perceiued the valor of the knights of the Spanish Court and the Damosels albeit they reioyced not in their ill fortune which were vnhorsed yet they greatly commended the prowesse of their knight that had defended them so well And still they looked for the comming of the Spanish Ladies to them delighting that they had no better seruants to venter for them but the Ladies themselues gréeued to see their good friends so vnfortunately foyled CHAP. XXIII How the Damosels Knight and Albayzar Iousted together NOt long it was before the Prince Albayzars esquires returned with their maisters armour which was blacke and streamed all ouer with little stroakes of Gold and when the Prince of Babylon was armed and had taken the same Lance which Florian refused he came before the king speaking to him in this manner I desire you my gracious Lord that you would not disswade me from my enterprise because I know my selfe able to reproue this Knight that shewed himselfe so disdainfull towards him whom I am sure you would not haue receiue any shame in your Court to which words the king thus replyed Albayzar I am so earnest in regard of your well doing as I would be sorry any thing should happen to you here but well wherfore to grant you the Combate against the strange knight trust me I neither dare nor will consent to it as well for the care I haue of your person as for that I will giue no occasion to the Emperour Palmerin whereby he may thinke any ill by me Well then quoth Albayzar I hope this Lance shall do so much as I would haue it but if it do not I may well complain on your highnesse in that you will not suffer me to punish the pride of this knight Good Sir said the Damosels knight doe not thus waste the time in needelessé words it were good you prepared your selfe to the Ioust and if I be prouder then you would haue me punish me as you see occasion but yet doe no more then you dare do for if fortune so friend you as you remaine victor ouer me let my paiment be such as you shal please and there is an end I pray you quoth Albayzar do me so much fauour as to tell me who you are for I assure you I would gladly know for two causes the first that I might not be ignorant of the knight whom I shall vanquish the second if so be I speed not according to my desire that I may the better enquire after you as I trauaile abroade the answer of the Damosels Knight was this It is not my wil to satisfie thy honor so much but perswade thy selfe that I am the greatest enemy that euer thou hadst in all thy life and I gréeue that I may not haue libertie of the Combate against thee because I long haue wished to haue my fill on thee but since it is the pleasure of the King it shall not be I will not presume to exceede his highest will neuerthelesse I will awaite the time when I may deale with thee according to my desire If I be not deceiued answered Albayzar I think I know know you for I thinke I haue seene you sometime in the Castle of Dramorant the Cruell where you made your selfe so bold to vse such language as I haue not yet forgotten wherefore assure your selfe that the speeches thou diddest vse there the brauery thou seemest to haue at this present shall be the destruction of all such as dare afford their ayde in the iniury I haue receiued But for that I may a little ease my stomacke both in taking reuenge and quailing thy vsurping boldnesse which I cannot so deale with all as I would till fitter time serue or my purpose I desire that thou wouldest breake one Staffe with me vnder the name of some â—word Lady that I may see whether she deserue better in praise then my Lady whom I run for the â—aire Princesse Targiana I will take her said the Damosels Knight which is the sâ—mplest in beautie of all these in my company for my fauourite at this time in her seruice I am determined to ioust against you I would wish quoth Albayzar because the Lady I haue named is the gratious Mistresse of my fight is knowne to be of great and high authoritie that you would name your most fauoured to be such a one as may be thought worthy to equall her You presse me ouermuch answered the Damosels knight in that you would haue me reueale that which I will not but this I aduertise you that Fortune hath made me seruant of a Lady in whose gratious fauour I 〈◊〉 and will not let the soueraigntie of her name be shâ—wen in any 〈◊〉 but onely such as are of great importance yet since I see you afâ—ect so much I am content to breake one Lance with you for her sake And because your thoughts may be the better satisfied I assure you that she is tarre more excellent in beautie then the Princesse Targiana and so singular aboue her as her name is not worthy to be talked on in respect of my royall and incomparable Mistresse And I desire that you would not request to know her name because I haue vowed to keepe it in secret that I may the better make others maruaile what and who she should be I cannot suffer said Albayzar thy reproachfull spéeches especially when thou seemest to dispraise her whose beautie no Lady liuing can any way equall Then these two Knights departed to fetch their carâ—ire and ranne together with singular courage Albayzar hauing before his eyes the loue of his Lady Targiana and the miâ—â—ie that his enemie had offered him and the Damoselles Knight
was accompanyed with the secret good will of the Princesse Leonarda in briefe these two Knights were so greatly affectionate towards their Ladies that they encountred together with such force as their Launces flew vp into the aire in pieces and so they passed on not being shaken any thing at all When they were come to the end of the race they failed not to take newe staues which were broken againe like as the first were and yet no further aduantage on either side The King of Spaine made great estimation of the noble valor which he perceiued in the Damosels Knight and deuised how he might accomplish the meanes to knowe who he was for he doubted not but Albayzar would discharge his dutie wel enough because the Shield of the Princesse Miragarda had made his valiancy well knowne the Court of the Emperor Palmerin These two Princes were very much amazed séeing they could haue no more aduantage ouer one another wherevpon they tried the third Launce wherewith they mette together so forcibly as the Damolles Knight lost one of his Stirroppes and was cast vppon the croupper of his Horse in like manner Albayzar forsooke both his stirropes and was constrained to catch holde about the necke of his Horse and greatly offended they were both of them hauing Iousted so many times and yet could not speede of that which they seuearely desired wherefore they determined not to depart then before one of them should bee cast beside his Saddle Then these two redoubted Knights went to prooue their fourth Launce which hauing in their hands Albayzar spake to the Damosels knight thus I pray you Sir fauour mee in dooing that which I must demand of you the Damosels Knight would passe no further before he had returned him this answere Of trueth Sir I am thus intended not to depart hence before I see you on the ground therefore I pray you trauaile not your selfe in desirig any other thing of mee Certainely Sir said Albayzar I would not haue thought you had béene so vncourteous neuerthelesse I will yet intreate you once more that you would goe present your selfe before the giant Almaroll if so be I prooue so fortunate as to foyle you and say to him that by your meanes I haue acquited the bond wherein the Princesse Miragarda so straitely tied me in that she may see the Knight that Iousted against the beauty of my Lady Targiana and if it happen that fortune fauour you with the victory I will doe any thing you shall command me You offer me so faire play said the Damosels Knight as I cannot otherwise choose but consent to your request Thus they pointed to fetch their course and they met together so directly as their Launces being broken they buckled together mightily with their bodies hauing giuen each other such a rough gréeting as the Damosels knight was compelled to forgoe both his stirrops greatly amazed but Albayzar measured his length on the ground so sore shaken as he lay in study a prety while The Damosels knight séeing him so astonished said vnto him You may know what aduantage you haue gotten in that you haue not leaue to trie the Combate with me Then he caused his Helmet to be opened that he might receiue some aire and when he had sitten a good space grieuing at his misfortune especially in the presence of the King Recinde hée arose being holpen vp by Gentlemen whom the King commanded to honour him so much wherevpon the Damosels Knight beganne thus againe Albayzar you may perceiue how little fortune fauours you and what aduantage I haue woon maintaining the beauty of my gratious Mistres the princesse of Thrace to whom I pray you present your selfe when you shall arriue in the Emperour Palmerins Court and there you shall say to her thus That a strange Knight who calleth himselfe the Damosels Knight hoth vanquished you commanded you to submit your felfe to her excellency And when thou hast séene her let thine own eies be iudge whether the beauty of Targiana may presume to compare with hers when it thou be not too deepely drowned in thine owne conceit thou wilt recant thy former blasphemous error and thou maist assure her how I am greatly grieued that this present seruice is of no more importance being the first that she hath receiued of me as yet Albayzar in a rage made this answere I will not faile in kéeping my promise to thée and if the gods vouchsafe me liue so long I will present thy head to my Lady the Princesse Targiana in reuenge of the shame I haue this day receiued at thy hands I would be sory said the Damosels Knight that thou shouldest die in this minde then returning his face to the King Recinde he said I desire your Grace that you would suffer me to depart and that you would not be offended because I declare not who I am but this you may perswade your selfe that there is no one Knight in the world that doth more wish your good and is readier to doe you seruice then my selfe to which words the King thus replyed Since it is not your will Sir Knight then you would be knowne I will not be he that shall moue you to the contrary but if at any time you passe this way I desire you to visit me for in sooth you shall be welcome I thanke your Grace most humbly answered the Damosels Knight and the great honour and courtesie I haue found at your hands shall not be forgotten so long as I liue Then taking one of the Launces that were left he gaue a reuerent shewe of obeysance to the King the Quéene and all the Ladies who tooke great delight in him beholding his knightly behauiour and so he departed with his company The King returned into his Castle accompanied with the Prince Albayzar whose heart was so intruailously ouercome with griefe as he would not speake to any nor suffer any to speake to him The quéene and her ladies were sorrie they had no further knowledge of the Damosels Knight and beside they were offended at the Prince Albayzars foile as well because his gentle behauiour was such as for the reputation he gained when he carried away the Princes Miragardaes Shield The Damosels Knight was not very farre from the Citie but the darke night drew on and they being in a Forrest and néere to a faire Fountaine concluded there to rest themselues for that night so after they had refreshed themselues they laid them down among the gréene leaues the Prince himselfe he went and lay a pretty space from the Damosels and laying his head on the roote of a Trée the beautie of Leonarda the Princesse of Thrace presented it self in his amorous thoughts charging him with so many contrary Passions as all that night he could not lay his eye lids together yet was his loue so irresolute as the lest thing in the world could haue made him forget all quite While the Prince Florian lay thus busied with a thousand
Knights he whose good fortune serued him to ouercome vs your grace must well thinke that it will be hard to bring him hither except he list himselfe Trust me said the King it makes me maruell very much that he is accompanied with so many Damosels in that one Knight cannot long endure to be patient being in the conuersation of but one woman With these wordes the King departed from them and the knightes withdrew themselues into their chambers being not offended that the Damosels knight had vanquished them because he had showne such incredible prowesse in that Court against the Prince Albayzar But returne we to the Damoselles knight who made such expedition in his iourney as he came néere to the Castle of the Giant Almaroll wherefore he stayed a while by the Riuer Thesin speaking to the Damoselles in this manner We are now arriued at the place faire Ladies where it is conuenient to display the force of your beautie in fauouring him that will enterprise the Combatte on your behalfe for I assure you the picture of the Princesse Miragarda is here at the Castle which is of such excellency as the knight who hath the kéeping thereof cannot as yet be vanquished the cause is as I iudge rather by the singularitie of this faire Princesse then the force or valour that is in the knight against whom I intend to try my selfe Wherefore I pray you faire Ladies to seperate your selues asunder and bethinke your selues vnder whose name I shall enter the Combate and be you all present by for I know I shall purchase some aduantage by your company Poliphemia who had the greatest opinion of beauty in her selfe amongst them all spake to the Prince in this order I know very wel Sir knight that the victory which they gaine that enter the Combate for the Princesse Miragarda procéedeth of their force and loyall friendship which truely is very far off from you wherfore if Fortune chance to forsake you in the Combate she doth no more then you deserue séeing the great inconstancy of you towards them on whose behalfe you séeme to enter the Combate The other Damoselles were somewhat abashed hearing Poliphemia spake so plainely wherevpon the Prince Florian returned her this answere I perceiue Lady that you are very iniurious towards me without any great occasion and you offer truly great discourtesie to conceiue so bad an opinion of me wherefore to put you out of such an ill suspition I am determined to enter the Combate vnder the fauor of your beautie when you shall well perceiue that you were in a very contrary iudgement So riding on they came at last to the Castle at what time Miragarda and her Ladies came forth to recreate her selfe vpon the water being accompanied with the Giant Almoral The Damosels knight no sooner beheld the beautie of thâ—â— faire Princesse but his heart was presently depriued of libertie yet had he a good qualitie for the passions that tormented him by the beautie of Ladies was of no longer continuance then while they were before him After that Miragarda was gone a pretty distance off he said to the Damosels What say you to the beautie of this gallant Princesse We say answered Poliphemia that you should not dismay your selfe any iote in that each of vs conceiueth this opinion of our selues that we may equall her in beautie Miragarda was no sooner returned againe but shee sate downe a while at the Castle gate greatly delighting her selfe to behold so faire a company Florendos who was not farre off being Armed for all assailes was somewhat moued séeing her that made him liue in continuall langout and the Giant Almorall beholding him beside knowing well that Miragarda did greatly delight to sée him Combat with strange Knights called to him with these words Sir Florendos doe that which your dutie commandeth you for the Princesse Miragarda stayes onely to behold you Florendos taking good view of the Damosels and séeing the Knight prepare himselfe to the ioust he presently mounted on his horse backe and comming to the Knight he began in this manner to salute him I pray you Sir Knight to tell me vpon what occasion you are come hither if so be you are compelled to bring these Damosels to this place as your pennance and would be gladly deliuered of them peraduenture I may fortune to do you such a pleasure I promise you Sir Florendos answered the Damoselles Knight I came not hither to enterprise to take the guard from you whereof you make so great estimation but onely to see if these Ladies did repose any trust in the prowesse of him who hath conducted them thorow many countries I cannot tell said Florendos what answer I should make him that hath so good knowledge of me neuerthelesse I would desire you breake a couple of Lances with me that we may giue a little pleasure to the Princesse Miragarda And if it so fall out that the ioust be more hindrance to the one then to the other it shall be lawfull for him to enter the combat the Damosels knight answered thus Sir Florendos I would be loth to Combat against you although I dare be so bold to iust a little as well to satisfie your desire to the Princesse Miragarda as to delight these Damosels that beare me company for whose sakes I will likewise breake two Lances with Sir Almaroll himselfe and force not greatly to enter the Combate with him afterward I know very well said Florendos that the assurance you haue in your owne deeds makes you vse such hardy language Therefore I agree to whatsoeuer you iudge reasonable and you may assure your self that Almaroll will not faile to accomplish your own desire CHAP. XXVI Of the Iousts which were enterprised betweene the Damosels Knight and he that kept the Shield of the Princesse Miragarda And of the Combate which the Damoselles Knight had with the Giant Almaroll WHile these knights were preparing themselues to the ioust Almaroll steppee betweene them desiting them to stay a little till the Princesse Miragarda who was beneath on the ground might goe vp into the Castle and take her place at the window The Knights who were readie to Ioust set their staues to the ground and staied till the Princesse Miragarda was come to the window Florendos contemplated her face a while and hauing taken his leaue on her gaue his horse the spurres against the Damosels Knight who met him in the middest of the Carrire with such great force as the trunchions of their lances flew vp into the aire and they passed on nothing shaken at all Then their Esquiers brought them new Lances wherewith they ran together againe couragiously and burst their staues as nobly as they did before wherevpon they prepared for the third triall Florendos was somewhat agrieued hauing felt the prowesse of his aduersarie and feared least any misfortune should happen to him in the presence of his Lady And the Damoselles Knight was in great doubt
strength to defend you against me So without any more words he strooke at the Prince with his Mace who put his Shield before him to resist the stroke which was so rigorous as his Shield flewe in two pieces the Prince was somewhat offended hereat wherefore drawing his sword he gaue the Giant such a blowe on the arme as afterward he could hardly strike to any great purpose The Damosell remaining still in extreame feare by the cruell intreatance the Gigant had vsed to her would haue departed to hide her selfe in the Forrest because she iudged the Knight of the Tiger vnable to subdue her enemy which Siluian perceiuing came vnto her and counselled her to see the end of the Combat wherevpon she gaue him these words I pray you gentle esquier and my friend that you would not séeme to hinder me for this Giant nay rather a Deuill whose force none is found able to resist will assuredly put me to death after that he hath slaine your maister I would yet said Siluian that you would stay to sée the ende of the fight for peraduenture it may happen otherwise then you expect The knight of the Tiger who was destitute of a Shield to auoid the cruell strokes of his strong enemy behaued himselfe so politiquely and nimbly as hee lent the Giant many sore blowes who was cōstrained because he could not lift his mace in his right hand to vse his left thinking yet to deale well enough with the Knight of the Tiger but the Prince was so fierce vpon him hauing giuen him many grieuous and mortall wounds as his heart began to faile him so that he retired not able to resist so many waighty strokes neuertheles the prince séeing he had almost brought him to buy let flie still so fiercely on him as he could not haue the meane to charge him againe The Giant perceiuing himselfe in such extremitie leaned his backe against a Trée when he defended himselfe a great while so well that the Prince could hardly reach to hurt him hee waged fight euery way so precisely with his Mace which hee held in both his hands watching the time when he might giue the Prince such a stroke as he willingly would The knight of the Tiger he might not preuaile against the Giant without hazarding his person in great danger he went and rested himselfe against a Trée like wise which when the Giant beheld he spake vnto him in this order I pray thee Sir Knight let me find so much friendship at thy hands as to let me vnderstand what is thy name because I haue euermore thought that no ten of the best knights on the earth could not do as much as thou hast done neither that they could haue bene able to resist me halfe this while I am content answered the knight of the Tiger to satisfie thy will so much on condition thou wilt promise to tell me thy name and the cause why thou doest pursue this Damosell So much quoth the Giant thou shalt commaund at my handes wherefore thou shalt vnderstand that I am called Vascalion of Ocrance Sonne to the Giant Lucran who was slaine at Constantinople by the hands of Primaleon with whō he was so hardy as to enter the Combate to reuenge the death of Don Perrequin of Duas and to haue in marriage Gridonia the duchesse of Ormeda who was afterward espoused to Primaleon At what time my father was slaine he left me in the kéeping of one of my Brethren named Dramoque who is likewise slaine be one of the sonnes of the Prince Don Edward of England and this Knight is yet in the search of Knightly aduentures But I assure you I am not a little agréeued to sée my selfe in this case becanse I am almost depriued of any hope to reuenge the Death of my Father and his Brother before I dye And for this Damosell it is so that fortune caused me to méet with her to day and as I vnderstood by her she is going to the Court of the Emperor Palmerin to visite Leonarda the Princesse of Thrace now for that I am desirous to do all the iniurie that I may to any of that Emperours Court I endeuored my selfe to rauish this Damosell But at the time I was about to fulfill my pleasure on her an Esquire of hers who had escaped my hands came and hindered me with the ayd of fiue Knights whom I haue left to hold Combat with ten of my Knights because I would follow this Damosel who tooke her selfe to flight so soone as the fiue Knights began to charge me Thus haue I told you the whole circumstance of my minde now it remaineth that you reueale your selfe to me according as at first you promised Beléeue me Vascalion answered the Knight of the Tiger it is necessary that thou shouldest receiue sharpe chastisement for vsing thy life in such wicked actions the proofe hereof thou mayst now behold thy selfe for thou being not content with the death of thy Father and his Brother séekest to reuenge thy villainous will on this innocent Damosell I let thée know therefore that I am a kinseman to Primaleon and the same man that slew thy Fathers Brother which made me be called Palmeran of England Sonne to prince Edward and faire Flerida the Sister of Primaleon for whose sake I intend to take thy life from thée before I depart Vascalion at these words began greatly to dismay himself for he knew well that his strength was not sufficient to hold out long against him but yet he presently aduanced himselfe to shew what desire he had to be reuenged on him that had slaine his Vuckle Palmerin being very glad when he perceiued the Gianc had forsaken the Trée which serued him all the while as a Rampire of defence assayled him with such furious strokes as the Giant would gladly haue rested himselfe againe but the Prince followed him still so earnestly as at length he tumbled on the ground before him when not content to sée him so conquered he set his foote vpon him and when he had taken off his Helmet he presently parted his head from his shoulders The sight hereof made the Damosell so glad as she had now forgotten the feare wherein she was when the Giant pursued her and then came the Knight of the Tiger to her with these words Faire Damosell I iudge that the fiue Knights who are in Combate for your occasion cannot otherwise chuse but be in great daunger wherefore I will goe séeke them foorth to succour them in the meane while you may come faire and softly after with my Esquire who for your better ease shall take you vp behinde him on his horse Then tooke he that way which he saw the Giant come when he pursued the Damosell and it was not long before he heard the clanching of the Swordes wherevpon he gaue his horse the spurs and neuer left gallopping till he came to them where he sawe they had slaine foure of the Giants knights and of the
séene when the spirit is troubled with newe imaginations the heart must néedes be tormented with infinite passions Euen so was hee molested with so many newe cares as he was constrained to come forth vnder the Ladyes Chamber window hoping that seme of them would take pitie on him then laying him downe among the gréene leaues and folding his armes crosse ouerthwart his stomacke he entred into these discourses I know well that loue is enuious at my libertie for that I haue séene the Dames of England of Greece of Spaine and of Nauarre without remaining affectionate to any of them but now being in Fraunce I am suddenly inneigled by foure Ladyes who onely delight to depriue me of life And that which tormenteth me most is this I loue them all and am as much affected to one of them as I am to all the other thrée for when I regard the one my heart biddeth me forsake all to yéeld to her and beholding the second I finde my selfe in the same alteration So that when I would forgette such vncertaine assaultes I sée them the more readier to be extant before me which maketh me thinke it cannot be true loue that doth tosse and turmoyle in so many sorrowes and yet doe I imagine my griefe the lesse remembring that I endure it for their sakes But me thinkes the case is very hard when no one of them will séeme to make account of me wherefore I sée well I shall be charged with more extreame cares then as yet I am O vnfortunate knights that vnder their names prepare your selues to giue me the Combate The Ladies who were at the window heard very well the complaints of the strange knight whereupon Mansia spake the rest in this manner I thinke it good my friendes that we goe vnto him and spend a little conference with himfor séeing the night is long and troublesome I iudge we cannot better driue it away How dare you sayde Torsia be so hardie to goe visite the man who maketh no account to kill them that come in his presence It is not for you aunswered Telansia to make any shew of fearefulnesse now for if any mischance happen to vs you are the first that shall be voyde of it This discoursing to one another at last they departed all togither being in their Petticoates and their Mantells wrapt about them to shielde the Deawe from falling on them After these foure Ladies were come to the place where the strange Knight lay lamenting they hauing saluted him Mansia beganne thus It is so Syr Knight that we are desirous to knowe who you are and vpon what occasion you vtter these complaints and if you séeme to hide these demaunds from vs wee shall be enforced to cause you loose that without Armes which you haue obtained of other by Armes Indéed Ladie answered the strange Knight one of you hath power sufficient to vanquish me then shall you offer me great iniurie to addresse your selues all foure against me Trust me Syr saide Telansia wee repute you so good a Knight hauing séene sufficient occasion to cause vs think so as that some of vs remaine yet in doubt by reason of the knowledge we haue of your Noble déedes If my déedes faire Lady the strange Knight replyed were accompanied with any shew of estimation it procéeded only by being imployed in your seruice which séeing they are so agréeable to you I shall attempt to Conquere all the Knightes in the French Courte vnder your names but I sée you denie your fauour and I am out of hope euer to purchase it I pray you Syr saide Torsia let me aske you one question Haue you bene in Loue heeretofore or no Certainly Madam answered the strange Knight I haue bene many times practising to follow the will of the little god of loue who compelleth by his envenomed shafts both Gods and men to loue And haue you bene quoth Torsia so greatly tormented then as you séeme to be at this present No Madam qd hee for that I gaue my selfe to the seruice of one whose loue I hope to enioy in time by my Trauels but now that I haue aduentured to loue foure one of them séemeth to forsake mee to the ende the other may deale with me in the same sort And I assure you Madame I neuer loued in any place where I séemed to be depriued of my life but now I desire to be consumated being fallen into so extreame occasions I pray you Sir said Torsia doe not molest your selfe so for he that is accustomed to trauaile countries can shake off these passions well enough I warrant ye I thinke it good that you grant to satisfie Madame Latraniaes desire which is that you would conduct her to the Castle of Almaroll where you must enter the Combate vnder her fauour against the knight that kéepeth the portraiture of Miragarda or else that your traâ—aâ—â—e to séeke the Knight of the Sauage man from whom you must take by force of Armes the Damoselles that are in his company You will me Lady a charge against all dutie for I aduertise you he that gardeth the Princesse Miragardaes Shield is not now at the Castle of Almaroll but I am well content to search the Knight of the Sauage man and to enter the Combate with him vnder the fauour of Madame Latrania who shall beare me company and you all likewise for I cannot liue being depriued of your presence I perceâ—ue saide Latrania you can excuse your selfe well enough but I hope the Knight of the Sphere will reuenge the squemishnesse you vse towards me Latrania thus breaking off her purpose they al foure tooke their leaue of the strange knight because the desire of sléepe compelled them so to doe and being entred their Chamber they discoursed among themselues sometimes commending the knights noble valour and then againe his gracious and Princely behauiour whereupon they determined to shew him better countenance then as yet they had done The strange Knight remained in extreame passions because they departed from him so suddainely and â—earing he had vttered somewhat that they could not like off hée passed the night in many melancholly conceites vntill in the morning his Esquire brought him some refection And during the time he was at breakefast the Knight of the Sphere came secretly to the Monasterie where these Ladies were who by reason of their late watching kept their beddes as yet but because the strange knight should not eâ—py him he went sate downe at the foote of a 〈◊〉 And hauing taken off his Helmette he beganne to recount his manifold misfortunes he had endured which when he had aduisedly considered he found them not to be compared to the violent afflictions that he suffred for the loue of Latrania whose beautie was of no small estimation with him in that he had promised for her sake to enter the Combate against the Knight of the Sauage man the Sonne to Prince Edward his Lord and especiall good friend CHAP. XLII What
knight as was Dramusiande After his departure the King and Quéene rode to the Citie where they daily commended the singular prowesse of the strange Knight in that he kept his charge so well The Ladies of the Court would not depart thence before they first might haue the Garlands their seruants had lost wherevpon they came all togither to the trée and caught them all away violently the strange Knight not daring to resist them CHAP. XLV Of that which the strange Knight did the day following garding the Valley WHen the King and all his Courtly attendants were thus departed the foure Ladies tooke their way to the Monastery and the strange Knight went into his tent where he sate downe to rest himselfe afterward as he kept it for his custome he went and walked vnder the gréene Trées and the Ladies determined who should this night goe visite this amorous Louer Mansia who this night must go parley with the knight had put on a wastcoate of blew Taffata wrought all ouer the body with netâ—worke of Gold wherein were composed diuerse ranckes oâ— very rich Orient Pearles and by them were placed Stones of inestimable value Her haire was wound in fine plats about her head being couered with an imbrodered Garland of blewe Veluet wherein was set a faire Plume of white Feathers very beautifully adorned with spangles of Gold In this order as I haue declared to you Mansia came and sate downe by the strange Knight and to auoide suspition shee tooke off her Garland not fearing to be hurt or impeached by the Serena or else for the desire she had to be the perfecter séene Then laying her hand vpon his head she beganne as followeth I will Syr at this time forbid any manner of complaint in that your selfe shall not deny how all the paines past are to be forgotten and all seruices are to be recompenced by gratious visitation especially seeing I take pleasure to fauour you so much at this time The strange knight was supprised with such excéeding ioy as he could not possibly make her any answer for the beautie of Mansia had so rauished his vnderstanding as he was not mindfull in vsing any gracious language wherewith he ought to haue entertained her but after this sodaine ioy was somewhat calmed he then failed not to account of her maruellous honourably wherewith she remained verie well contented and to giue her further occasson of spéech he began to court her in this manner Madame I know wel that your good nature is to sée the deserts of doubtfull trauailes requited and he that should iudge otherwise were vnworthie the gracious visitation you haue afforded me assuring you that this is the most especiall recompence can happen to me hauing the meanes to contemplate your excellent beauty which no other may presume to paragon And if you your selfe haue not the same opinion trust me you shew your selfe very ingratefull to Nature who hath framed you such an one as may iustly be called the Phoenix of beautie whom I haue so déepely imprinted in my heart as I shall be extreamely tormented when I shall be depriued of your swéete company Yet I am greatly abashed how you digest it so wel to sée him suffer such paine and greefe who deserueth to be better estéemed of you you hauing the power to cause him liue contentedly or die presently I pray you Sir saide Mansia before you passe any further tell me if you vse these spéeches to Latrania or no Trust me Lady quoth he her curiositie was so much as I did not make any great account of her when she was with me and then perhaps I might be forgetful of many things especially to her whom so many Knights are bound to for when the mind is else where grounded all amorous representations are thrust in obliuion which is not so madame towardes you who may altogether dispose of my seruitude euen as she that hath the only power ouer me Then séeing it is so I pray you humbly good Lady to iudge to which of you foure I am most affectionate after you haue wel aduised your self on the seueral perfectioÌ„s of the other ladies you caÌ„not yet denie but you are aduantaged aboue them all in beautie grace and authoritie so that I estéeme my selfe most fortunate being depriued of my libertie altogether vowed to obey you Mansia being not able to withhold her selfe from giuing credite to the strange knights golden words and not thinking how he had vsed Latrania in the same manner she beganne to come more néere him and laying her hand on his shoulder she shaped him this answer If this matter be so Sir as you séeme to make it I humbly desire you to tell me who you are to the end I may with the greater assurance ioyne my beléefe to your perswasions I perceiue then answered the strange knight the small assurance you repose in me so saying he tooke her by the hand which she suffered very quietly And so amorous he was in words as at last he bewrayed himselfe vnto her and perswaded her that the griping one another by the hand was a certaine beginning of loue So that this little fauour made him somewhat more bold and furder he would haue procéeded but the Lady left him and departed being as glad that she knew who he was as she had left him without hope to purchase his intent The strange knight was extreamely passioned séeing that her quicknes and the light regard of loue wherewith she was accompanyed made him so scornefully entertained yet could he not blame her alone for that he was so vsed of them all In many sad conceits he passed away the night ripping vp the intricate sorrowes he â—as bound to suffer but when the day appeared he mounted on horsebacke vowing to reuenge the iniurie he had receiued that night on any Knight he should happen to deale withall But he found himselfe farre deceiued in his intent for the knights of the French Court had giuen ouer for comming any more to trouble him whereat he was somewhat offended neuerthelesse he dissembled his gréefe that the Ladies might behold his wonted passions Latrania was very much displeased because the Iousts were not continued as they were woont againe she doubted least the Knight of the Sphere had sustained the foyle in the Damoselles cause by reason he was so ouercharged with trauaile before he went The which she would be very sorry should so fall out for that by his prowesse he had giuen the aduantage ouer her companieos for which cause she remained continually affectionate towards Dramusiande As concerning the aduenture he followed the history maketh no other mantion of it but this that the Damosell was sent by the Sage Aliarts meanes onely to succour the liues of these two knights to be imployed in ayding the Emperour of Constantinople to which place the Damosell had caused Dramusiande to take his way albeit he was very loath to forsake Latrania After that these sixe dayes
any place where the Marriners could wish him for his best auayle one day aboue all other hée was assayled with an exceeding tempest the waues tossing the vessell in such sort as sometime one would haue iudged it had touched the firmament and afterwards would fall downe as it were to Hell in which trouble both the Pilot and Marriners were so disstraughted of memory as they could not deuise in what partes they should be but euen run which way Fortune pleased for the space of three dayes at the end whereof they came to a mighty huge mountaine the top thereof seeming to touch the clouds The Knight of the Sauage man desirous to know what Countrey this was caused the Marriners to set him on shore and for that the Mountaine was not to be trauelled on Horse back he went vp on foot comming at last to the other side of the Mountaine where he entred a goodly fayre Field which was inclosed round about with huge Rocks like to that he passed at the entrance In the middest of this field was a strong and admirable Castle both for the beauty as also the height beeing founded of the same Rockes as were about it at the gate of this Castle was hanged a Garland of Tryumphe wherein letters of Golde was written thus This is the Pallace of the Queene Melia. The Knight of the Sauage man seeing the gate open tooke the boldnes on him to enter in but when he beheld the meruailous height of the Halls and Chambers in this Castle belonging to the Queene Melia he iudged it to be the most stately Mansion that euer he came in For I assure you the Towers Galleries and other buildings were so ingenuously carued out of the same Rocke as one would haue thought the whole Castle to haue consisted of one péece whereupon the knight of the Sauage man was much abashed that this Fortresse was vnknowne to the Knights of the Emperours Court of Greece At length he thought good to visit this Castle further because hée saw at the foure corners thereof foure gates and the entrance into them was not forbidden him by any but he espied an other Gate which was made fast with two great stroug Chaines of Iron vppon the Gate béeing engraued many auncient Histories which were vnknowen to the knight of the Sauage man and long hée stayed not to beholde this Gate for that he perceiued he trauelled iu vain if he should offer to enter in therat Theu passed he through one of the other Gates and came into a goodly great Hall in the middest wherof was chased in Gold the picture of an ancient woman who had deuised and caused that Castle to be builded this Monument was garnished on either side with goodly marble pillars and when he had behold this sufficiently he passed to viewe the rest of the Castle But turning him about to goe forward hée espied hard by him a mightie Serpent of Brasse fashioned and made so artificially as it was a thing most strange to behold in that it was of such a monstrous highnesse as it reached to the very rafters that held vp the couerture of the Hall This Serpent held his necke stretched out along with his countenaunce so vigorous and fearefull as being made by very singular workemanship and cunning it was able to affright them that did behold it But the Knight of the Sauage man whose heart no terrour or fearefull motion could dismay approached to this Serpent and hauing viewed very circumspectly espied a key tied about his necke with a Chaine of Gold the Chaine being wound about his necke in a great many foldes wherevpon he presently imagined that in this key consisted the principall aduenture of this Castle which when he had visited in many places he returned againe to the brazen Serpent to marke if this key would serue to further him in his intent And as he came to take off the Chaine with the key he perceiued in the Serpents necke a little chinke or creuise at which sight he began somewhat to comfort himselfe so that he tooke the key and hauing the meanes to vse it at his owne pleasure he opened therewith a little window which was made in the Serpents necke and looking in he might discerne the hollownesse of the Serpent round about Then did he behold foure Tapers of waxe which stood on foure Candlestickes of Siluer two of them placed towards the East and the other two to the West and burning with a maruellous spendant brightnesse yet the waxe séemed not to diminish any thing at all Betwéene these foure lights was couched on a pallad the faire Leonarda Quéene of Thrace and his wife and ouer her head hung a fayre Cannapy of gréene Veluet at this sight the Knight of the Sauage man was so abashed as he doubted whether he might giue credit to this motion before his eyes or no. But when he had taken good view of her apparell knowing it to be the very same she had on when she was carried forth of the Forrest he perswaded himselfe that it was she wherevpon he called aloud to her desiring her to vse more regard vnto him but he was neuer a iote the néerer his purpose for she was enchaunted into such a sound sléepe as she had not the power to vnderstand him which when the knight of the Sauage man perceiued and being earnest in the good will he bare her he spake to her after this manner Madame what glory or contentment can my victories yéeld me or the manifold perillous aduentures which I haue happily finished if you séeme now to forsake me in this present aduersitie whereon both my honour and life dependeth Let this good Madame enter your courteous minde how since your straunge departure from the Emperour of Greece I haue not failed to visite many Prouinces to finde you out and euen at the very time when I was out of all hope to finde you I chanced to the place where I may behold you but yet to my no small griefe in that I cannot come to you neither wil you vouchsafe to heare me in this extreame affliction of my poore heart Here pausing a while he began to waxe maruellous angry when setting his haâ—d to his Swoord and snatching it furiously foorth of the sheath he layde many violent strokes on the Serpent thinking to destroy it in pieces that he might come to his Lady but hee was faâ—re deceiued in his intent for the Serpent was conuerted into a flame of fire and passed so suddenly away as the Knight of the Sauage man lost the sight of it cleane Then fearing least his Lady should abide any cruell torment because the Serpent was so changed away into fier he sate downe on the ground in great heauinesse curssing his ill fortune very bitterly and intending neuer to depart from this Castle without he might haue the company of his lady again But while he was in this perplexitie his Brother and friend the Sage Aliart who would not
memorie there hath such quarrels and seditions sprung vp amongst them that they haue murthered one another which happening many and sundrie times hath not suffered them to put their pretence in execution Wherefore to auoid any more such mischance as also to fauour you in the euil which may happen they haue sent vs to your Highnesse with certaine conditions the performing whereof shall end all hatred and ioyntly ioyne them as your continuall friends The first is that you shall send Polinarda Daughter to the Prince Primaleon your sonne to the Soldane of Persia aged about xxv yéeres a Prince as much renowned as he is puissant and incomparable in riches to whom shee shall bee espoused as beséemeth such a noble Prince The second that Florandos his Sonne shall promise to marry with Armenia Daughter to the Soldane before named who is a Princesse of such singular heauty that shee is thought to excell all Ladies liuing on the earth To her Dowrie the Soldane will giue all the title hée hath in these parts about your Empire without desiring any other recompence on the behalfe of the faire Polinarda but onely that it might stand with your pleasure to send to the great Turk a Christian Knight who as I remember is named Florian of the Desart for that by his deceit he hath brought his Daughter Tragiana from thence into your Court whose mariage he hath already prouided to the Prince Albayzar now Soldan of Babylon because the Soldane his Father is lately deceased Thus haue I reported the whole summe of my Ambassage attending how your Highnesse shall answere the same and if you wil not agrée with the Heathen princes these Giant haue in charge to tell you that which perhappes may enforce you to a greater maruell The Emperour hauing noted the words of the Damosell smiling thereat began to say Truly Lady I desire to heare what the Giants must report because perhappes I shall haue a better opinion of their words then of those which here you haue spoken As concerning the amitie which your Princesse request with me the conditions are lincked to so many contraries that I rather chuse perpetuall warre wherein my selfe my friendes and subiects will more willingly die then to hold league with them in any such order And for the Knight whom you request to haue I am altogether ignorant where he abideth but if hée were here present in my Court I would not suffer him to receiue any iniury and I perswade my selfe as the Princesse Targiana is rather come hither with her will then by any compulsion that hath béene vsed to her No other answere haue I determined to giue you wherefore let your knights declare what they haue in commission With that one of the Giants aduanced himselfe before the Emperour and very vnreuerently entred into these spéeches The Heathen Princes whose iust law full request you thinke scorne to grant by me doe send defiance to thée and to all that dare vndertake by any meane or motion to offer thée succour Yea I pronounce open warre against thée and on their behalfe call my gods for my record that we not onely intend thy death but all those who dare presume to beare Armour against vs. The places of most renowne in thine Empire shall be changed to a wast and desolate wildernesse as thou shalt well perceiue when thou séest thy men to be murdered thy women cruelly spoyled thy Virgines violated thy Children martired yea and the Infant torne from the mothers breast and gored on the tops of our Lances in witnesse of our great grieuous and vnspeakeable fury The Channels of thy stréetes shall powre foorth the blood of thy murdered subiects thy Citie which now standeth abounding in wealth excessiue in pride and surpassing in prodigality shall with fire be vtterly consumed thy whole kingdomes and signories raced and ruinated so that they which shall escape this bloody tiranny may sit downe and sighing say Here sometime stood the citie of Constantinople there and in thâ—se places were sometime faire cities braue buildings and incomparable habitations for riches and prospect now are they equalled with the ground not one stone left on another in witnes of any ancient Monument but buâ—ned consumed and all in generall defaced and spoyled thy selfe being the onely cause of this cruell and horrible iudgement wherein they will be sufficiently satisfied of their iniury receiued before this thy citie Thus haue I manifested the charge which I receiued from the Soldane of Persia and in refusing pis prâ—ffer I say thou shewest not the duty of a Prince and if thy Knight es dare presume to maintaine the contrarie my Companions and I will vndertake to enter the Combate with seuen of the stoutest of them and will vrge them to confesse the fault thou hast made or seale the pledge of our endeuour with deliuering thée theyr heades in recompence of the follie thou hast showen in refusing to enter leagâ—e with the Soldane of Persia The Giant here breaking off his spéech one of the other Giants named Berocant deliuered the scrole of the defâ—ance to the hand of the Emperour who séeing the stearne countenances they made began to smile and answered them thus I sée Gentlemen such a cholericke humour arise in you that I stand in doubt to grant what you demand Beside I iudge if I should grant to come in league with the Soldane of Persia that my Néece Polinarda would not consent to goe with you but as concerning the Combate you haue enterprised against my knights I would wish you to vse your selues with more discretion and not to shame your selues vtterly with them who thinke it shame to enter the fight with you you While the Emperor continued these spéeches the Knight of the Dragon was so incensed with anger that hee could not content himselfe to rest in any place wherefore diuers knights arose being fully resolued to accept the challenge but the Giant Dramusiande hinderes them all turning to the Emperour on this wise Most high and mightie Emperour the great benignity and courtesie of Princes is often an occasion to encourage a wilful offendor euen so the lenity of your noble heart with the gratious patience that gouerneth all your actions hath caused these presumptuous Pagans to conceiue such boldnesse that they neither respect the place nor the person the rigour of a Prince nor the follâ— of their owne rediculous vsage Which to punish according to desert I as one at your gratious command will enter the field with one of them where I shall giue Berocant to vnderstand that pride must haue punishment in place of Iustice And if none of these other knights will enter the fight with the other my selfe will defie them all coÌ„ming one by one thus desiring your highnesse not to thinke amisse of me my hand is ready to performe which my heart hath suffred me to pronounce The knight of the Dragon Florain of the Desart approched presently to Dramusiande
desiring him that he would suffer them to assist him as defending the challenge of the other two giants Dramusiande séeing them so well prouided would not refuse their knightly offer whereat Gracian Berolde Pompides and Floraman were somewhat offended because ther was none of them al but would gladly haue taken part with the Giant Dramusiande The Giants named Arbusar Albaroco and Berocant refused the offer which was made them answering that if there were no Giants for them to deale withal they disdained to take armes against men of no more might Elorian hearing them speake so arrogantly in a chafe tooke Arbusar by the arme saying Thou counterfeit Monster sâ—me not to excuse thy selfe so fondly from entring the Combate for in recompence of thy deserts I will present the Emperor with thy head from thy shoulders And to giue thée the better occasion to fight thou shall vnderstand that I am the Knight who brought the princesse Targiana into this Countrey and for this Knight thou séest with me I knowe his hardinesse will suâ—â—er him to deale with Albaroco now refuse the combat iâ— you dare The Giants hearing him to confesse that he had brought the Princesse Targiana from her countrey became so full of choler that they desired the place might be assigned where they presently determined to hazard the fight The Emperor commanded the place should be showen them whereabout he caused such good regard to be placed as in such dangerous affaires he was woont to doe but it was somewhat displeasant to him that â—orian should venture on such ougly follows iudging the other knight to be Palmerin of England he was in great feare least now he should chance to lose them both At such time the knights were entring the Field the Damosel of Thrace taking Florian aside secretly vsed these words vnto him Sir knight if Fortune bend her selfe against you that in this dangerous attempt your strength doe faile you commend your selfe to the clemency of some lady and doubt you not but to escape the hazard luckily God forbid said Florian that I should trust in them who haue not the power to helpe themselues much lesse can they any way send me succour or that I should prostrate my selfe to deâ—ice their fauour whose greatest libertie is continuall thraldome to an aduenturous minde With these words they all mounted on horsebacke and rode into the field the Emperour with all the Ladies and Knights hied themselues to the windowes to sée this hautie exployt and Albayzar likewise desirous to sée it came to one of the windowes desiring that the victory might fall to the Giants as he had good hope beholding their valiant and noble courage CHAP. XCIIII What happened in the fight against the Giants AFter that the Iudges were placed to discerne the fight the Trumpets sounded and they encountred one an other very couragiously euery one dealing so roughly with his enemy that this was supposed the most dangerous Combate that euer was séene The Emperor was still affectionate to behold the marueilous courage of the Knights of the Dragon as for Dramusiande and Florian they behaued themselues with such deliuer behauiour that Primaleon Florendos and all the Knights gaue great praise to the hautie valour of them all The Empresse Gridonia departed from the window greatly pittying the danger on either part but the Princesse Polinarda staied to sée the end accompanied with Targiana who was as much gréeued to sée the boldnes of Florian as she was pleased in beholding the courage of the giants by whose helpe she thought to haue reuenged the great inconstancy shee found in the prince Florian. And then he gaue the damosel of Thrace to vnderstand that it was not for want of strength he preuaild no better in the triall of the cup for albeit the giant Arbusar desended himself well he could not resist against Florian who saluted him with many mighty and cruel strokes driuing him into such wearinesse that he could hardly indure to stand on his féete At last faintnesse and wearinesse constrained them to retire when Berocant séeing his fellows so dangerously wounded began to rage with himselfe in this manner O gods is it possible that the force of Berocant Arbusar and Albaroco so highly estéemd throughout the whole world should be brought into subiection by one only giant and two knights why grant you not vs our accustomed strength but in our greatest néed leaue vs destitute of all succour How happy might I estéeme my selfe if I might vanquish him who sometime conquered Dramusiand and deliuered the number of knights he kept as Prisoners If you will not suffer me to haue aduantage ouer him then would I that here were with him foure of the best knights on the earth so losing my life on them I might the better broke this my hard fortune The Knight of the Dragon had no other recourse for his amorous thoughts but only to the beautiful face of his Lady Mistâ—es whose vngentle words at his departure from CoÌ„stantinople armd him with greater patience to abide the death if his froward hap should now prouide it for him As for the prince he had no body to apply his thoughts vnto but only coÌ„mitted himselfe to the gouernment of Fortune whom he only kept for his Lady and Mistresse Euery one vsing some pretty fancy to himselfe during the time they remained breathing assalted one another again very valiantly when the knight of the Dragon hauing brought Albaroco to his foote to honor his mistresse with his conquest he opened his helmet and before her part his head from his shoulders as glad of the victory as before he stood in doubt how to obtaine it Then he aduanced himself to assist Dramusiand against Berocant at whom he fiercely let fly a stâ—oke but their often trauersing the ground caused the blow vnfortunately to fall on Dramusiande giuing him a greater wound on the shoulder then any he had receiued at the hands of Berocant wherfore Dramusiand turned to him with these words Trust me sir knight I estéeme the succour you giue me to be oppression and no friendship wherefore I pray you suffer me to end this cause my selfe and if perhaps you sée me vanquished then put your valour in triall to kill him who shall remaine victorious ouer me for the death I rather chuse then the shame which may fall to me by this vngentle manner of ayde The knight of the Dragon hauing thus against his will iniuried his friend Dramusiande retired greatly displeased with himselfe and Aâ—busar was reduced into such weakenesse that Florian quickly gaue him his paiment so sore wounded himselfe that the Iudges would haue had him carried out of the field but he would not consent thereto before he had séene the issue of the fight which was so displeasant to Albayzar and Targiana because the giants were so cruelly vsed that they went from thence as not able to suffer such a gréeuous sight The Emperor Primaleon
affectionate and he was in good hope to be rewarded with her if they woonne the victorie in his Shield was figured Hope in a gréen vesture like a young beautifull Ladie and vnderneath her was written in letters of golde the name of the Princesse Polinarda The king of Gaspia was in Tawny Armour streaked ouer in diuers places with blacke in signe that he had bene vanquished in the Combate past and in his shielde he bare for his deuise a Beare hauing his clawes al bloody in a field of Sable whereby hee gaue them to vnderstand that he had good hope to bathe his hands in the blood of his Enemies The king of Trebisonde was in red Armour all ouer figured with little siluer Birds hauing their wings spread abroad in manner as they were flying and carryed the picture of god Mars in his Shielde with the Minotaurs-head that he conquered in Creete this deuise was in a golden Field The king of Sparta was in white Armour and in his shield was portrated a Lyon torne in pieces because he had torne a Lion himself when he was in his youthfull time The king of Aetolia was in blacke Armour bearing for his Deuise in his shielde a blacke Bull in a field of Geules The king of Armenia was in Azured Armour wrought all ouer with roses of golde and in his shield was figured a Phoenix in a fielde of Azure whereby his meaning was that his Ladie was the onely Phoenix of beauty in the world to whome no other might equall her selfe The king of Gamba was in guylt Armour with his Bases of siluer and in his Shield was pictured a golden Lion in a siluer fielde The king of Bythinia was in gréen Armour crosse-streaked with bonds of siluer coupling in manner of knots and in his shield he caried a golden Tiger rampant against a Rock of Christal in a field of Sinople The Prince Argelao of Arfasia had his Armour like to the king of Bythinia Many other of the Prince Albayzars knights came into the fielde being very brauely Armed but I will let them passe vnnamed at this time assuring you that Framustant and the other Giants were armed very gallantly behaued themselues with such report in the field as they thought verily to dismay the Christians with their countenance CHAP. LXIII ¶ Of the first Battell betweene the Christians and the Turkes and the successe thereof THe Armye on eyther side being appointed in good and decent maner the Potentates Kings Princes and persons of most Authoritie would néeds goe place themselues in the formost rancke holding this opinion that in such a renowmed Battell wherein the perill of all Christendom consisted they which presented themselues the foremost in Fight should deserue the greatest honor and glory in the Field which consideration made the Captaines leaue theyr charges to their Lieutenants and come and place themselues in the face of the Battell Then the Drummes and Trumpets sounding gallantly on either side the Soldane of Persia marched on with his traine to receiue the first Squadron of the Christians and meeting togither Primaleon encountred the King of Caspâ—a and brake his Launce so brauely on him as himselfe forsooke both his stirrops but the king of Caspia had such a forcible stroake as hee was sent headlong to the Earth very sore wounded Palmerin of England serued the king of Aetolia in the same manner albeit he was reputed amongst the Turkes for an especiall good Knight at Armes Florendos and the king of Armenia fayled in the Ioust but they met so forceably togither with theyr bodyes as both they and their Horses tumbled to the ground the Prince Florendos recouered himselfe againe quickly but the Turke was so amazed with his fall as hee could hardly tell where he was whereupon his two Couzins came vnto him and conducted him betweene them to his Tent. Berolde of Spaine and Floraman of Sardignia addressed themselues to the Prince Argelao and the king of Bithinia and encountred with them so furiously as they were all cast forth of their saddles being not able to mount themselues againe because the number was so great the fight so hâ—te where they were Recinde and Arnedes ranne against the Kings of Gamba and Sparta they being all vnhorsed except the king Recinde who kept his horse valiantly The Soldane Bellagris and the King of Trebisonde mette together and brake their Launces verie brauely not béeing any thing shaken in the encounter The Soldane of Persia who desired to haue himselfe séene in the field had no sooner espied the knight of the Sauadgeman but he gaue his horse the spurres and encountred with him so nobly as the knight of the Sauadgeman lost both his stirrops which he recouered againe presently but the Soldane was so sore shaken as he lay along on the necke of his horse and had tumbled to the ground if one of his traine had not immediatly succoured him Among them that dealt in the first encounter Dramusiande and Framustant was most to be regarded for they fayling at the breaking of their Launces met in such couragious manner together with their bodies as both horses and men were sent to the ground and recouering themselues nimbly againe they beganne a furious and cruell combate and to the example of all other knights charged one another with most puissant stroakes All the Princes of the Emperours Court were at this first encounter except King Edward the Emperour Vernar and the king Polendos who would not depart from their Squadrons fearing least they would disparse themselues out of order and the Giant Almaroll kept them company likewise because he saw no more Giants in the foremost rancke but Framustant with whome Dramusiande fought very gallantly After thyy had thus encountred with their launces and many knights throwne to the earth some slaine outright and other some in little better case they drew their swords on all sides and began the most cruell Battaile that euer was séene and the Captaines returned againe to their seuerall charges because they would not haue them fall out of order Argelao and the King of Bithinia fighting on foote against Floraman of Sardignia and Berolde of Spaine were succoured by the Soldane of Persia who like a noble captaine praunced among the ranckes to animate and encourage the mindes of his friends and assembling them in sundrie companies hee came where these foure continued the fight still fiercely but the Soldane Bellagris with his traine shewed such prowesse on the fresh commers as with in a while both the Soldane of Persia himselfe and the companie he brought with him were enforced to giue them place against their willes leauing Argelao and the king of Bithinia in such danger as had not the king of Trebisonde come vpon them with the second Turkish SquadroÌ„ they had béene slaine by the hands of Floraman and the Prince Berolde The Soldane of Persia was so greatly gréeued séeing his men so vanquished and they that were left so out of heart
as he cried for succour to the king of Trebisonde with whose aide he returned to recouer what he had lost and at length made the meanes to get Argelao and the king of Bithinia thorow the preasse But he that had theÌ„ séene the prince Primaleon might plainly haue discerned his willingâ—es to preuails against his enemies for he laide on loade so on euerie side and following vpon theÌ„ with his traine so nobly as not one durst stand before him to endure his fury by this meanes he recouered horses againe to Floraman and Berolde but they were so wounded as they were glad to get forth of the battell Primaleon Palmerin of England and Florian of the Forrest with their traynes helde the king of Trebisondes second Squadron so hâ—te play as they wished themselues a little furder off But on the left hand of this Squadron was the most daungerous battaile betwéene Framustant and Dramusiande who had gotten great aduantage of his enemies by reason that Framustantes sword was broken to his hand but Albayzar sent two hundred Knights on foote to helpe the Giant which when Primaleon perceiued he spake to Palmerin of England in this manner I pray you Sir goe with me to succour our friend Dramasiande for I will neuer returne into the Cittie except I haue him with mée Without any more words they layd about them lustily and knockt downe euery one that stood before them vntill they came where Dramusiande was thither likewise came to defend him against his enemies the Knight of the Sauageman Florendos Platir Polinard Pompides the Sage Aliart Maiortes Frisoll Blandidon Don Rosiran de la Bronde Belcar and his sonnes being likewise accompanied with twentie of the most renowmed Knights in all the Armie and to aide Framustant came the Soldan of Persia and the king of Trebisond accompanied with a hundred knights of great authoritie and valour they being all on foote When Primaleon saw his friends without their horses he alighted likewise and so did the Prince Palmerin but when the other Christian knights heard that Primaleon fought on foote they forsooke their horses and came hastily running to defend him and now beganne such a cruell and fierce battell as on all sides it remained very doubtfull and dangerous Dramusiande and Framustant so layde vpon each other with their pommils of their swords as they were at length so sore trauailed as their stroakes could but little hurt them Primaleon and the king of Trebisonde buckled together but such was the fiercenesse of their fight as in the end they were constrained to pause a while the like happened to Palmerin of England and the Soldane of Persia but the Knight of the Sauage man slew two Knights who came traiterously and strooke him behinde his back and Florendos with the rest of his companions stuck so closely to their tackling as many of the enemies ranne like dogges away But Maiortes was so compassed in with his enemies as none of his friends might come to helpe him so that he had such gréeuous wounds giuen him as hauing slaine so many of his enimies as durst abide him hée fell downe dead to the ground himselfe Florian of the Forrest was so grieued when he saw him fall as the teares trickled downe his cheeks and albeit he was in extreame heauinesse yet he followed on them that had kilde Maiortes and reuenged his death nobly because the death of so braue a noble man was much lamented of them that knew his valiaunt minde but most especiallie of his Sonne Dridan who with anguish of mind cast himselfe amongst his enemies and within a while he behaued himselfe so well as the Turkes knew to their cost his extreame griefe for the death of his Father yet such was his vnhappie fortune in the end as being beset among the thickest of his enimies many cruell wounds giuen in diuerse places of his body he fell to the ground his vitall spirite forsaking him and made him follow his Fathers dead ghost which was no small griefe to the noble king Edward of England in respect of the great friend shippe and loue that had remayned of long time betwéene him and Maiortes And because he iudged that fighting thus on foote would be the death of many his deere friendes he commaunded his hard horses to breake through the ranckes whereto they presentlie obeyed and scattered the troupes of the enemies in such sort as all his friendes were mounteâ— on horsebacke againe and Dramusiande and Framustant were separated a sunder but at this second encounter the king of Trebisonde was slaine by the hand of the noble Palmerin of England Dramusiand and Framustant were so daungerously wounded as they were not able to hold out the fight any longer wherefore they were conueied thence the one to the Turkes Tentes and the other to the Cittie to be tendered with present regard according as their dangerous estates required When the conflict was thus broken diuers that had entred with the first squadron retired to take breathing but Primaleon Palmerin nor many of the Emperors Court beside were any of them for it was a pleasure to them to endure the trauaile of Armes such small account they made of their hurts and their enemies The Empresse and the Ladies séeing so great cruelty and the losse of so many noble Gentlemen withdrew themselues into their chambers where they lamented in such gréeuous maner as if they had seene the enimie entred into the Citie whervpon many Ladies of great authorite hearing their pittifull lamentatioÌ„s came vnto the Pallace reposing altogither their hope in the aged Emperor if the knightes in the Field should fayle of the victorie The king Tarnaes would haue denied the Ladies entraunce into the Pallace but it was more then he could well doo for hardlie can any man gouerne the common people especiallie when a generall feare of their liues is threatned before their eyes The Emperour himself whose debilitie in yéeres and griefe of minde conceyued by this vnlooked for stratageme depriued him of his woonted good iudgement and pollitique meanes to preuent so great mischéefe as he could not imagine with himselfe how to remedie this suddaine misfortune but euen with a Womans stomacke rather then the inuincible minde he had alwayes borne héeretofore fel into pusillanimitie and doubtful feare with himselfe vtterlie forgetting the auncient Adage Audaces Fortuna iuuat and Targiana the Princesse of Armenia and all the Ladies in the Turkes Campe were so fearefull and doubtfull of the victorie as the Ladies in the Emperours Court. King Edward being Generall of the Christian Armie desiring to witnesse his noble valour in the fielde hauing rested himselfe a pretie space dismounted thrée knights one after another with one Launce afterward drawing his sworde he charged the enimes on all sides about him so valiauntlie as they were glad to auoide and giue him place And the Prince Albayzar likewise séeking to honour himselfe this day with the renowme of the field came vppon the