he iudged her all diuine He was not constant for seeing the Gréeke Ladies he straight forgot Floraliza only the supremacy of bewtie making change in him Most part of the night past they with different thoughts for the Pagan was soly ouerwhelmed in Contemplation of the Ladies graces not daring to manifest his glorie for yet he was not sufficiently toucht with loues fierie euil The Lady though she was glad to haue such company were it but because he was an enemy to the Gréekes answered with her toong what her heart felt not which she had left in the possession of the Tynacrian whose absence was able to distract her thinking she should not sée him any more It is easie for the soule to beléeue the euil it is addicted too for as it liues fearful and in doubt of the desired good any contrary accident that happens taketh firme possession of the Louer In this conuersation were the vncontrowled Brauorant and the Ladie when they heard a great noyse like the fighting of many knights they tooke their way towards it neuer finding out where it was For the Magitian Lupercio had deuised it to conduct the Pagan to the keeping of the maruellous Tower So lost he the Lady which so extreamly greeued him that he had almost lost his wits wandring thrée dayes vp and downe those woods calling for her yet could heare no tydings till thinking she was shipt to sea he with his Page Artanio did the like He arriued at the Tower where he made his abode to the cost of many Fames sending those that went with him in the shippe to the land for his necessary prouision Where for this time we leaue him till other occasion that wil minister matter inough of his valiantnesse and the Lady in search of Polliphebo returning to Esclauonia for in so long delaie we mightily haue wronged the Princesse Venus CHAP. IIII. How the Prince Claridiano returned to prison first discouering him selfe to Don Eleno and what else happened FRom the famous Citie of Xantho went the two all-admired warriours most faire Ladies either enuious of the other to haue seene the haughtie Chiualries by their inuincible armes With ioy they met the Page and Dwarffe that expected them in the Forrest discoursing of the Fortitude wherewith they procéeded in the battle leauing their names in Xantho consecrated to eternitie Of great estéeme said the Dwarffe should those knightes prisoners be of hauing obtained such defence Thou sayest well answered the Gréeke for in the end according to their necessitie they were succoured with the valour of this knight to whom the palme of the victorie is due I wil not agrée thereto Syr knight said the Dacian since the experience you haue this day showne of your vnconquered arme witnesseth against any that on my behalfe may be alleaged But leauing this alreadie alighted from their horses it will glad my very soule to knowe who hath this day inacted so many wonders In comparison of yours said the Gréeke warlike Prince of Dacia mine are of so small name that they may boast of nothing more then to be atchiued by the fauours of your presence whose imaginatiō and the knowledge that Don Eleno of Dacia went in my defence made me draw strength from my weaknes to shewe that at least in something I may resemble to be your kinsman And therevpon he did put off his helme procéeding I should wrong the Darian Lord not to tell him who hath this day receiued such happie ayde His vncle did straight knowe him and with a ioyfull voyce embracing him said Vntill the death shall I complaine mee of this wrong most excellent Prince of Greecia in so long delaying the content I should receiue by knowing you For had I been witting of such deare companie I had still conceiued more assurance of the victorie My selfe being armed with that assurance Heroicke Prince replied the Gréeke made me reserue till now my discouerie purposing still frō the beginning to do it til the battell ended of whose good successe I nothing doubted seeing you therein and that you may bee assured by what meanes you haue bound me to your obseruance know that the combat was made for my libertie being called in this countrie the Dpairing Knight whose Princesse taking pittie of my wrong imprisonment procured meanes to liberate me and found one difficult ynough which was to let me out through her garden and gaue mée this armour that I disguised might for my selfe demaund the battell and since it hath so happened to our content let vs procure it for that Ladie by againe presenting my selfe in her handes your selfe beeing witnesse thereof for in nothing wronging the beautious Rosamonde little is aduentured therein It is iust replied the Dacian braue Claridiano that herein all our friends and kinsfolkes ayde vs and let vs go for whosoeuer stayes any delay is hurtfull Let vs away saide the Gréeke for more then is done resteth to be executed and in affairs wherein our hands must be inured For know that this Ladie one of the worlds beauties is inamored of the suspitious knight who is the Prince of Croatia that is prisoner whose amitie made me promise a thing inhumane reason almost impossible that maugre all the kingdome I would set her in his hands but now I sée fortune hath broght it to more facilitie conducting you hither and I assure you that his noblenesse and friendship deserueth any kindnesse wherto the Dacian spake It is ynough to effect it Heroicke Prince if you haue promised it for I by loosing my life do accomplish what I am bound to With these animating reasons they arriued to the doore where the Ladie expected them with so great feare seeing they staied so long that she was a thousand times about to go away The two haughtie warriours alighted and the Prince giuing his watchword the ioyfull Lady opened the doore and said I promise you dispairing knight you behaue your selfe so like an ill prisoner that another time there wil be no license to walke foorth hauing made this so long He replied I am so pleasant excellent Princesse with this imprisonmēt that I wold ere I returned bring company with me that the might participate of the ioy here enioyed A greater offence then the committed deserueth pardon with so good excuse Conditionally answered she that I know who he is for séeing with what courage he helped the Greeke Prince makes me suspect he is of that happie Countrey Claridiano replied So great is the desire I haue towards your seruice soueraigne Venus that it was able to bring in my aide and your seruice no lesse then my deare Lord and Vnckle Don Eleno Prince of Dacia Who had alreadie put off his Helme discouering his excellent complexion intreating the kissing of her white hand He that hath them so good said she is wronged in not commaunding that honor of all the Orbe Now may I liue content knowing that the protectors of all necessities abides in my Court And since
and states vnto vs. To which Archisilora replied In more then this soueraigne Quéen doth this Knight and my selfe desire to fulfill your will This Knight poynting at Floraliza is called the Knight of Hope and my selfe of the burning flames of Loue we came togither and therefore know wee not him to whom we are all so much indebted Yet more then this must you do at our intreaties said the beautious Rosaluira and for my sake vnlace your helmes vnlesse you will cancell the bonds of my indebted loue There is none but trembles at that word diuine Ladie and feares it will bee so aunswered the Qeéene and therefore for so much as it toucheth me I wil loose no fauor I may therby reap Who shall dare do otherwise said Floraliza excéeding ioyfull thereat thinking she spake with her Tynacrian At once they put off their helms and being somewhat heated by the battell there is no beautie comparable to the two Ladies Oh Prince of Assyria oh thou hast a heart of stéele to resist this blowe Many daies it was since hee sawe her yet presently he acknowledged her to bee the soueraigne of his soule Haue patience magnanimous Louer for gainst loues accidents there is no better shield So like was the Qu. of Lyra vnto the Prince Polliphebo that Garrofileo assuredly thought shee had her sonne before her she leapt out of the Chariot with an extazie of ioy and embracing the Quéene said Oh my deare son Polliphebo may it bee thou shouldest thus long be absent and not aduertise me of thy aduentures and happie successes crueltie more then inhumane it hath béen and were you not son to such a father I could not beléeue it of any but knowing whose you be I am assured of your naturall crueltie which makes mee resemble your tyrannous father The Quéen did straight perceiue Garrosileas deceit and by her words confirmed the report blazoned of her rigors she told her of it who she was which not a little admired the beholders and also when they knew her companion to be a Ladie a newe the Quéen imbraced them saying Pardon soueraigne Ladie my bolde intreatie for iudging you to bée the Prince Polliphebo my sonne hath made me commit this fault There hath béene none vnlesse intended mightie Quéene replied Archisilora but rather it is a fauour exéeding mercie which I thereby receiued By this the faithfull Earle of Modica was arriued with aboue thrée hundreth Knights and the Ladies vnwilling to be stayed craued leaue to depart You will not I am sure so wrong vs saide the Queene as to leaue vs absent of your company We can do no otherwise imperious Dame said Floraliza for the good successe of the aduenture this Lady and I haue in hand consisteth in briefe expedition If it be so heroicke Ladies and least you should loose that happie successe I am content to loose the great content I should reape by your conuersation wherevppon they kindly embraced and departed leauing in Tynacria eternal memorie of their beautie and brauery And whilest Lindariano made his excuse crauing pardon for his stay the beauteous Floraliza thus spake vnto Don Clarisell Pardon mée sir Knight for not doing this before but let our lawfull and vnauoyded businesse bee our sufficient excuse although it néeds not be giuen to him that may be assured all happie content is wisht him Words were these that gaue new life vnto the Louer nourishing it many yeares with these words The Prince taking her by the hand saide You haue done mee mightie wrong most sacred Lady to intreat him with these wordes that onely desires to liue perpetually at your obedience The Lady drewe away her hands not suffering him to kisse them but casting her armes about his neck said He that hath shewed his to be so worthie heroicke Knight is iniuried to haue mine but his rather are to be requested for that sacrifice And inquiring for Forsiana and Don Argante of Phenicia for they all loued one another like brothers she tooke her leaue of him refusing his companle which with his soule he offered alleadging how it behooued them to go alone And as one that with admiration gazeth on the splendor of the heauenly Sunne with his radiant beames illuminating the earth and on a suddaine sées it dasht with mystie vapors of a blacke clowde wherewith his light being obscured blinds and bereaues the poore beholders of his contented sight Euen so thought the Princely Louer he was left though glad to sée how gently his gentle Lady intreated him Towardes the sea did the Ladies take their iourney where they found two Barkes without any to guide them It was admirable for so soone as the Quéene entred in the one to helpe the Lady in so swift flies not the arrow loosed from a stéele bow as of it selfe it lancht into the déepe In a minute it vanisht out of sight leauing faire Floraliza so extreame sorrie that she was about to fling her selfe into the sea considering what she had lost What content canst thou hereafter hope for poore Ladie said the afflicted Dame being robbed of that good the heauens had imparted thée with her companie What mayest thou account happie hauing lost her swéete comfortable conuersation Oh fortune wouldst thou but waigh how little strength I haue left mee by thy inconstant changes thou wouldst among so many infortunate happes mingle one fained pleasure She shipt her horse in the other barke and waighing the anchors that held it to the shore lying along vpon the hatches of the same shée committed his gouernment to Neptunes mercie Yet it was not so ill looked too but the enuious Lupercio had taken charge of it who by all possible meanes assembled all the mightiest knights in the Hauen of Nyquea to transport them thence vnto the maruellous Tower for he had alreadie knowne there should bee a knight would win Theseus armor and his battell-axe wherewith the inchauntment should be ended and knowing he was an enemie procured to get and bring these so valiant Knights on his side and therefore did he guide Floralizas Barke who on the fourth day of her Nauigation met with her brother Don Cellindo with whom she fought a most cruell combat which for breuity is not recited but being known for her brother he entred into her Bark and were directed towards Nyquea méeting continually all their voyage on the seas infinit Galleis and shippes as well Christians as Pagans where beeing arriued wee must leaue them a while to remember Rosabell whom we haue long wronged with forgetfulnesse CHAP. X. What happened to the most valiant Rosobell departed from Grecia in the company of a Ladie WIth some gréefe of minde faire Ladies left wee Rosabell to sée himselfe absent from the swéete company of his deare Oristoldo and armourlesse with the Damzell was he shipt in the doubtfull Seas yet knew not whither some comfort was it to him séeing hee had not all his armes to haue the sword that erst belonged to Hector
which is vnable to suffer any Competitor in my loue and hopes But I let it alone to sée to what end my slauish turkish habit would sort vnto Sometimes I beheld her which was no small redresse to my afflicted minde yet was it tempered séeing her disconted which pure loue made me thinke was for Agesilao So one day walking neare her chamber window I met with my friend the Prince Lysander Euen from his secret cabinet did my heart leape with his suddaine sight He stayed to looke on mee and séeing me attired like a Turke with a turbant on my head and the rest of my apparrell neate and cleane he demaunded whence I was I aunswered of Carthage and that by great good happe I had freed my selfe from Argiers bondage He intreated me I know not if through affection to become his seruant I agréede thereto onely againe to trie my fortune that way Thence wée went to the Pallace where hée acquainted his new seruitor with his Parents My Lady was present whose presence made euery ioynt vain tremble within me in their seueral motion yet now and then casting my eyes vnto the Sunne-shine of her beautie I drew strength from it to support my weake minde to make reply to their demaunds for séeing me so young in that no hayre yet budded in my face they comiferated the relation of my troubles imprisonments and slaueries yet this nothing gréeued me saide I for I cannot remember when I was mine owne and therefore supposing I was marked to no other fréedome I did till now patiently beare my slauish bondage as if I had béene borne thereto and I beléeue it will neuer bée otherwise my fortunes so continued it Gladly would I haue had my Lady vnderstood it so shee might not knowe me and with what affection I did vtter it as hee that so long since was wholly deuoted to her perfections There was none in all the Court but tooke liking in me especially my Lord Lysander that fauored me that night to take mee with him with swords bucklers and priuie coates secretly to walke abroad crossing the backside of a Gardâ—â— that leaded him to his Ladie Solesias lodging His kindnesse and familiaritie was a meanes that hee did not intreate mee as a seruant but as if he had knowne me making mee the Secretarie of his Loues the surest token of true amitie that may bee in this age I cannot otherwise beléeue but that Cupid now at length thought himselfe wronged séeing Pollinarda so rebellious and cruell towardes him and me So she that could not loue Florisiano Venus sonne with his almightie power forced to affect poore Iaroe which name I would not change for vnder that title Fortune had offered me in obtaining the grace of Troyla Princesse of Argier Quickly did Pollinarda expresse manifest tokens of her change demaunding me whether I néeded ought if yea my demaund should be the effect of my desire Neither was I able to answere nor did I euer make known Florisianos great necessities but rather perceiuing what she ment as one skilfull in the Art I séemed straunge and regardlesse of her offer to be more assured of her faith that after no occasion might frustrate our expects My straungenesse effected what I wished for by this Iaroes Loue had made her more solicit I doubted not thereof noting the wooing motions of her eyes Oh they be the swéete silent Ambassadors soliciting the soules want Many times would I set my selfe at a window to ruminate alone the felicitie of my state then would I say to my selfe Oh who might deale some of my abounding fauours with disconted Florisiano Oh Gods how enuious became the Prince of Apulia to sée Iaroe so beloued and himselfe vtterly abhorred Oftentimes recounting my many fauors I found them so infinit that I was contented to let the Prince share with Iaroes glorie and happinesse One night oh happie night among the rest did the Lady at full make knowne her vehement passions for I being by my maister commanded to watch till one of the clocke because wee should then walke abroad I got me in that season not farre from her chamber I thinke there was some false doore for when I was giuing thankes to Cupid for the benefits I receiued I heard some busling there I started somewhat amazed and looking what it might be I sawe her that now gouernes my heart appeare more fairer then Diana A siluer Candlestick with a Taper she held in her hand With cap in hand for she was my Empresse I ran to take it from her Oh loue to none but whom thou lists thou dost distribute thy fauors She plainly excellent knights shewed her selfe to be soly mine for wanting the power to mooue the Organs of her voyce yet her eyes firmely fixed on mine she would not let the candlesticke go Oh Loues swéete warre In faith Noble Sirs you would haue smiled to sée the bewtious Pollinarda by silence and dumme action confesse she did loue acknowledging his soueraigntie and her tributarie dutie to his deitie granting those fauours as hostage of her faith vnto his seruant Iaroe Oh do not suffer him most sacred Lady said I so much to offend that was onely created to adore you With this spéech she perceiued the fault she had committed whervpon with consent we set the Taper on the table while she replyed The imagination Iaroe thou mightest ill suspect of this my comming thus to visit thée hath bereft me of all strength and vnderstanding but that thou mayest knowe wherefore I come it is thus I must haue thée tell me thy proper name for I am sure thou hast some other This will I not be denied vowing to kéepe it secret that thou mayest receiue no harme therefore You may well thinke how I might stand confounded with her demaund aunswere I could not which made her more eager to know it Againe she vrged me that I was inforced to say I cannot conceiue diuine Princesse why you are importunate to know the thing that will most of all others gréeue you oh let me not be the cause to renew your sorrow for I will first be my own murtherer The amorous Dame replyed Did I imagine to receiue any I would not demaund it but doing so I assure you you shall not in any thing more content me then in that I aunswered her thus Well for all this I am sure faire Princesse the knowledge of my name will vexe you Wherefore I humbly intreate you to holde this dagger in your hand that ending my spéech you also end poore Iaroes life Know therefore soueraigne Pollinarda I was borne as I said in Carthage but am called Florisiano I chaÌ„ged it because I heard that in times past one of this name had excéedingly displeased you by sleying the Prince of Calabria wherefore séeing how hated that name was in this house I durst not come hither with it fearing to refresh therewith the memorie of passed gréefes Oh excéeding power of loue for though Syr
It was séene farre off and therefore there were fewe vppon the seas but repaired thither although without it there had not failed to come the famous Bembo with the Souldan of Egypt which was a brother to him slaine yet farre more stronger Neither at his due time wanted the great Lord of Nyquea himselfe with a mightie Fléete For Lupercio found that Gréeke Prince should end the aduenture and maugre all the world beare away Lyriana and to forbid that no other Knight might approach to proue the aduenture he stirred vp and mooued the valiantest Knights in the whole vniuerse against the Gréekes as hereafter shall at large be exprest And yet by the signe the great Magician Nabato set all the flower of Grecia vnited was there assembled The mightie Brauorant could not but sée it for parting from the two famous Princes his Galley so nauigated the Mediterranean Ocean that he sawe the fearefull flames that issued from the Sea Desirous to sée such straunge aduentures was the stout and fierce Pagan and to proue himselfe therein ioying to haue left his Countrey to participate of his begunne sights imagining that his strong and valiant arme was sufficient to terminate such a déede he commaunded thither to be directed where quickly he arriued amazed to sée the Tower and the maruellous workemanship thereof vnable to conceiue who could frame so admirable a thing He read the superscriptions not regarding what Armes were required for that attempt he flung as Bembo had done at one of the Pillers whereon the Tower was built but at that instant there arose so much fire that all his fury strength nothing auailing him with want inough thereof he gaue ouer where his Armour stood him in no small stéed for being made of those bones that are most colde they were able to defend some part of the heate of that fire and blaspheming on his Goddes he stood looking if he could finde any other entrance and séeing none he thought it best to depart vowing to returne thither and defend that none other should trie it since he had not ended it it cost many liues and to performe it he commaunded his Pylot to make towardes Mauritania for he desired to be there to demaund his fathers Armes of Brufaldoro or loose his life in their pursuite The weather was faire calme and prosperous fauouring his voyage for in eight daies he landed there he was glad thereof and so tooke foorth a mightie roane Courser the best that all his Countrey did affoord of such force as it easily might beare the sturdie youth On another mounted his Squier Artanio and taking the largest path he beganne to pace foorth in haste to learne of some one if the king of that lande were there to séeke him Straight was he assured ther of reioycing greatly thereat being perswaded none could disturbe him from winning the Armour that once belonged to his deare father But to rest himselfe he entered through a faire Forrest passing that day there til it was time to sléepe which was but little by reason of that which befell him CHAP. II. What hapned vnto the mightie Brauorant with a strange knight and who he was SCarce was the middle houre of that same season past when rest in silent quietnesse surpriseth the waking eyes of euery one to make them cease their laborious daily toyle suffering the wandering passengers of gloomy darkenesse with night tripping Fairies to progresse throgh those walks that the absence of their exilde light doeth limit them in blacke obscuritie when a suddain new alteration inforced the haughtie Pagan from his accustomed vncontrowled sléepe For the heard not far from him the complaints of some one whose necessitie vrged him to lament He was as is said in nature contrary to all others of his kind and like his Father onely in strength For he pittied those distressed offering his person in theyr required aide hee rose and closing his Beauer went to the place from whence he heard the plaintes and by the pale shine of Cynthias watery beames he sawe sitting at the foote of a knottie Oake a well proportioned knight apparrelled in most rich Armour complaining of loue The Pagan knew not what it ment and therefore to sée his effects he got behinde another Trée verie neare vnto the knight who had not all that night slept bewayling his chaunce neyther would he do it but to participate his griefe to those that felt it not So not regarding because not séeing the Pagan he beganne with a thousand sighes witnesses of his soules sorrow to vtter the gréeued burthen it sustained and with such grace that Brauorant rested amazed iuding him some celestiall creature respecting the swéete harmony of his voyces he did with all attention listen and ouerheard the Louer in this maner sing against Fortune these verses following FOrtune is blinde she lookes on no mans need And deafe she hearkens vnto no mans call And cruell she respects not who doth bleed And enuious she reioyceth at ones fall No Bewtie can vnmaske her hood-winck't eies No Force can driue attention to her eares No Griefe make her dead-sleeping pittie rise Nor is her Enuie thaw'd with Vertues teares She at aduentures lets her Fauours flie Without proportion without due regards The base vnworthy now she mounts on hie And fatteth dunghils with her best rewards Anon they tumble to their first estate And other on the tottering wheele are set Who neuer finde repentance till too late And then they finde it in sad sorrowes net Such fortune is and oh what hap haue I To serue a Goddesse lighter then the winde Constant in nothing but inconstancy As also enuious cruel deafe and blinde Fortune is blind Oh what can me betide But blind mishap that serue so blind a guide With a breathlesse heart breaking hay me ended the Louer principiating her oppressed soules discharge thus What auailed it Oh what auailed it me heroycke warrior so to my honors cost reputations wrack to reueale vnto thée the tenure of my Loues secrets whose tribute is only due to thy incomparable merits It was more then became me violating those immaculate rytes of ours which are first to be intreated and then vpon sufficient proofe to like I knowe not on whom to complaine not of my selfe for neuer was any better imployed nor yet their thoughts higher sublimated No I complaine of my hard fortune for that the sacrifice of my will offered in his hands could be no meanes to confirme in part the hope he gaue me on the sandes of the Gréeke sea coast to be soly mine For if I so now vnderstood it who would be so weake and so mistrustfull a Louer as with so many sorrowes to séeke the thing loued and with a number of infinit sighes that vnsought for would méete me since I would not refuse what he admitted nor could my Loue fancie but what he desired louing But O griefe I cannot beléeue but that misfortune and my selfe were both borne Twinnes
loue for which hee promised her felicitie in her amours Against the two brothers that were causers of that vnhappy euent was the sentence read to this effect To the purgatorie of Iealousie and Enuie let them be carried where they may purge the paine that their rash vnaduised procéedings did put the famous Celio in Whom the mightie Iudge commaunded to be sent vnto the house of Hope where he might liue in ioy and sure he should obtaine a glorious and amorous ende deserued by his faith and that the remembrance of louing his sister should not annoy him This being done in presence of the Dacian who vnable to stirre with many flashes of lightning the heauens were somewhat darkened till all was past he founde himselfe in the open field hard by the bewteous Layssa and before them a Piller of fire with these words which Don Eleno did read in this maner The Purgatory of Enuiers shall here remaine iustly punishing the two Louers til the sonne of the cruell Lyonesse shall giue them libertie Discouering also the Castle of Hope whose wonders shall not be by any seene till the foure most fiercest Lyonesses shal meet at this Fount So greatly desired the Prince to see the scrole that hee sawe not the Ladie till turning about hee spyed her come towardes him a pace alreadie assured of the true manner of this successe and how she was sister to the dead yet knowing they remained but inchaunted ioyfully going neare him said I knowe not most soueraigne knight how I may satisfie the dutie you haue bound me too in hazarding your life for me in so manifest a perill although so braue a déed as this brings with it his due recompence It is sufficient excellent Ladie answered the Prince that it bée knowne I did you therein some seruice which bound all the world seeing what wrong you indured being kept heere to procure the remedie The comming of the shepheards Squire and Dwarffe intercepted their farther spéech Euerie one did their dutie to the Prince and Ladie Whom Don Eleno receiued as if he had not in a long time seene them At this time entred the same an infinit number of knights accompanying the king and the Prince Lindauro that galloped amaine to know the newes The shepheards aduanced themselues for reward of the newes saying that the russet knight which had ended the battel in the Cittie had terminated the Louers-aduenture It greatly gladded euery one for Laissas disinchauntment though being done by Don Eleno it nothing pleased the king that in his heart did hate him By this approached the Dacian on his mightie Tyrio bringing the Lady behinde him so faire that she affected euery one and had not Lindauro borne so great good will towards Venus doubtlesse he had elected her his Goddesse The King entertained him with better exterior shewe then inward minde thanking him for the good he had done in his kingdome The Dacian would not after hee had replyed with his becomming dutie treat of any thing touching the prisoners liberties but rather deuised other matter of discourse till they all fixed their eyes on a gallant Knight that descended downe the valley so well armed that it delighted euery one None there but gazed on him and the Ladie with somewhat more earnestnesse and with affection beganne to commend his brauerie He was mounted on a mightie Rone Courser his armor of a Tawnie garnished with many gréene flowers which brauely became him His shield about his arme in middest whereof was a knight lying along laying foorth his breasts to Cupid that with a dart angerly séemed to threaten him with this Motto Strike home the Gods will sure his woorth commend Who spoyles a wretch that wants meanes to defend His launce he carried in his hand and with such heroicke grace that excepting the knights which ended the battell they had not séene any of better disposition Approaching and doing his dutie to the king he straight knew Don Eleno by his deuise which not a little pleased him to méete him in those partes for he himself was the mightie Bransmiano Prince of Babilon Florions Nephew and sonne to Brandizel and hee that in Grecia was chosen for the third chalenger of the Imperiall Iousts and going with his father to Babilon was separated from him by a tempest The youth was not in loue but came in the last condition of béeing for turning about and looking on that Ladie in recompence of his sight hee gaue her both heart and soule and yet complained of himselfe to haue giuen her no more iudging her beautie to deserue farre more The king demaunded who he was ioying that such a knight should arriue at his Court But he excused himselfe the best hee could imagining that his discouerie might displease the Dacian The king would not séeme to importune him ouer much therein so turning about returned with all his traine to the Cittie It was alreadie knowne in euerie place what had happened Venus had aduertised the Greeke thereof who was excéeding glad of his Vncles aduenture All the popularitie entertained the Dacian with loude salutations of immortall praises saying Long liue the knight that hath so honoured our land It so vext Lindauro that a thousand times he was about to command them to silence but he dissembled it to conceale his euill intent So neare went the new Persian Louer to Laissa that all full of affection he tooke occasion to speake thus With reason may your soueraigne beautie complaine of all knights for being so remisse in procuring your libertie that they might loose theirs The Ladie well vnderstood him for shee was skilfull in the Art of Loue and now againe beginning therein plainly coniectured the end so replying to the purpose saide Of my selfe may I most lament sir knight to be borne with such lacke of fortune that I rather attribute my long imprisonment to it then to the fault of straunger knight for being ended by this knight that was the first which prooued it it might haue happened so to any other wherefore I am solely gréeued with mine owne misfortune and sorry would I be that my libertie should cause such losse as you speake of for I would haue none complaine of wrong by me They arriued at the Pallace where the beautious Laissa lighted in the armes of the Prince of Babylon being led by the aydes of Don Eleno and Bransiniano which content not a little increased her beautie More fairer then the sunne in May Venus expected her comming They embraced one another with that kindnesse that befitted their estates wherevpon the Princesse said I knowe not soueraigne Lady to whom this Court shall be hereafter most bound vnto whether to this knight that with his valour hath so honoured it liberating you from so iniust prison or to your excellencie that so hath beautified it The Dacian replying said Most beauteous Princesse bee assured that whilest you liue there will want none that shall bee in your debt lesse then with
sonne Rosuler that at Oliuas intreaties did stay Also the furious Brandafidel was with him on whose strength he reposed much hope The Gréeke Alphebo had no néed of aduertisement for the generallitie of the warres was come vnto his eares and so with the greatest power he could vnite withdrew himselfe to Tribizound accompanied with Braminoro and Tefereo who most gréeued at the Princes absence was the beautious Archisilora attributing the lacke of Claridianos presence to her owne strangenesse her sorrow was easily discerned by her outward semblance No lesse was Rosamondes to sée her so knowing the cause it so tormented her that for feare it should be perceiued she resolued to absent her selfe for commanding the Gouernors of her kingdome should with all conuenient spéede conduct the greatest power of well prouided men they could select â—ut of her Kingdome to Constantinople and there to rest vnder the Emperours gouernment They accomplisht their Quéens beheft for then she no Princesse was more with loue respected of subiects sending when time serued fiftie thousand of well armed men The day before her departure shee tooke her leaue of Rosamond with no fewe teares for neuer betwéene two Ladies was such simpathie of true amitie Very importunately she offered her coÌ„pany but as any good societie wold but aggrauate the Quéenes euill shee would not admit it saying shee might not leaue Greece and the Emperour in such necessitie Then her armes being the best the world contained she presented her Them shee also refused for Lirgandeo had prouided her with such as were requisit for safegard of her person which were of the same colour as Claridianos sauing that the sable barres were filled with flames of fire on her shield was a gallant deuise for out of a field full of odoriferous flowers a Ladie séemed to go in search of a knight after whom she in great haste ascended vp a craggie rocke from whence she looked after the content she lost and the Motto betwéene them thus Little hope of ioyes abide That leaue knowne ioyes for ioyes vntride Alone would the warlike warriour néeds go thinking her gréefe a sufficient company all the Court sorrowed for her absence but Lirgandeo assuring them of her safetie their discontent was lessened mounted on a lustie Courser shee crost the woods of Greecia thinking on her Lord calling her selfe a thousand times most cruell for that in being so shee had lost him and by the losse obtained so great torments Shee shipt her selfe in a barke bound for Alexandria resolute to trauell the whole world in pennance of her folly One night among the rest while the warriours slept she walked as she vsed on the hatches with her lameÌ„ts to make the watrie dwellers partakers of her gréefes at such time that another barke sayled by hers from whence might be heard some entermingled grones with sighes She could not knowe what it was so swift it went away After it with all possible spéede with ores and sayles she commaunded hers should followe it was done with such diligence till shee ouertooke the barke wherein shee sawe a Knight complaine of Loue and Fortune thus Ay me vnfortunate Prince said the knight is it possible there should be no euill but the extreamest sower it containes my perplexed soule shuld féele Why should I hope for any good when with mine eyes I sée it flie from me There is no inconuenience but haunts me except death with whom I cannot be acquainted Oh Gréekish Prince how happily mayest thou call thy selfe happie by being in thy infancie brought vp with the soueraigne of my life and hearts direction since that was an occasion for the obtaining of those rights solely due to to me Oh Liriano thy name being sufficient to asswage the gréefe that me torments who might by sacrificing my life into thy hands assure thée in faith thy Louer deserue not comparison with me To you to you Sea-Gods do I complaine Oh you I pray that séeing her celestiall habitation is in your vaste confused watrie kingdome a little intreate her for the vnhappie Bembo Oh Loue how rigorously hast thou in all things shewen thy crueltie against me Wherein haue I offended thée when disobeyd I thy commands when violated I thy lawes abolished thy rights or when did my painfull thoughts harbor or conceiue the least imagination against thy honour or deitie If this be so and not vnknown to thée why doest thou wound him with tyrannie that is orborne with weaknesse and thy disastrous chaunces Oh how many any pardon me faire Ladies be hereafter confident on your perfections your crueltie being as great as your beauties are incomparable if you reward him that can loue like him that onely liues to hate No more could the Ladie heare for the barke was guided by Lupertio but what she heard was ynough to increase her paine and raise some doubt that the named Prince was he whom she loued Oh generall plague said the gréeued Lady none canst thou forgiue shewing thy care in most tormenting them that are most carelesse of thée A shower of infinit teares rained the Quéene downe her pearled théekes procéeding from the extremitie of loue hauing so done séeing her selfe comfortlesse and not knowing whom to aske for hauing no notice of the Gréekes deuise she began to giue vent vnto her swelling thoughts singing these verses My heart will burst except it be discharg'd Of his huge load that doth oppresse it so Streames stopt oreflow the bankes if not enlarg'd And fire supprest doth much more fiercer grow Great woes ript vp but halfe the woe remaines But paines concealde doth aggrauate the paines Sing then my soule the storie of my losse Forme in sweete words the anguish of my minde Yet doo not singing ill becomes a crosse Rather sigh out how hard Loues yoke I finde Loue is a sicknesse singing a ioy And pleasure is no pack horse for annoy And must I then knowing Loue a disease That fils our soules with strang calamities Spite of my heart enforc'd my selfe to please And in mine owne armes hug my miseries And seeing still my state waxe worse and worse Must I of force embrace and kisse my curse I must I must Cupid hath sworne I must And t' is in vaine and bootlesse to resist Then be not Loue oh be not too vniust I yeeld me to thy rule rule how thou list For my reclaim'd rebellion shall bring foorth A treble dutie to thy glorious woorth Oh Loue sweete Loue oh high and heauenly Loue The Court of pleasure Paradice of rest Without whose circuit all things bitter prooue Within whose centure euery wretch is blest Oh graunt me pardon sacred deitie I do recant my former heresie And thou the gearest Idoll of my thought Whom loue I did and do and alwaies will Oh pardon what my coy disdaine hath wrought My coy disdaine the author of this ill And for the pride that I haue shew'd before By Loue I sweare I le loue thee ten times more Hast thou
shed teares those teares will I repay Ten teares for one a hundreth teares for ten Hath my proude rigor hunted thee astray I le loose my life or bring thee backe agen Each sigh I le quittance with a thousand grones And each complaint with a whole age of mones And when I finde thee as I finde the will Or loose my selfe in seeking what I loue Then will I trie with all true humble skill Thy pittie on my great offence to moue Till when my griefes are more then tongue can tel My daies are nights and euerie place is hell With a heauie sigh shee ended but as if singing had but in part discharged her sorrowes she beganne with saying to prosecute them as followeth Ay me Quéen of Lyra said the Ladie that hauing no cause to complaine do suffer thus deseruedly a iust pay for such deserts Of whom else might I hope to bee loued beeing by the Gréeke Prince adored On the earth of whom couldst thou expect any good if not from thy Gréeke Oh woe is me that the trust of my small consideration should bring me to this passe that I must make the winds witnesse of my paines and that to my vnblemisht honours cost I must hue and wander by sea and land demaunding for him Archysiloras loue when I mought haue liued with ioy with pleasure and in quiet by giuing him a little signe of that happinesse I my selfe receiued by being his but séeing it is thus brought about loue I will and patiently embrace this iust imposed toyle Here was her languishment renewed séeing a knight come directly towards her shippe lying a long the hatches of another exclaiming against Cupids ordinances Who euer suffered said he his heart to followe and séeke his owne dishonour What lawe allowes the soule to disclose that whose secrecie preserueth no lesse then life Accidents be these onely incident in loue for he as the King of extreames enforceth me not regarding my fame to procure anothers consent Oh most valiant Knight who shall beléeue thou shouldest with mee violate thy word Thou knowst I loue thée also the I follow thée but I know to aggrauate my woe thou fliest my presence What is become of those swéete words at our parting thou spakest where is the faith wherwithon my hands thou vowedst loyaltie protesting if any pleasure thou shouldest haue it would procéede only from thinking thou art mine Thou doest ill guerdon the bountie wherewith I laide open vnto thée the secrets of my soule making my selfe tributary vnknowne to whome I did it when thou iudgedst it newe life newe ioy newe ease and newe content But now altogither forgetfull thou fliest from me that liue to loue thée So ouerwhelmed in her owne thoughts was the bewteous Floralizar who departing from the furious Brauorant followed the searche of the Tinacrian whom shée so intierly affected that shée regarded not whether any heard her By the complaints did Archisilora knowe her to be a Ladie and pittying her caused her Barke to be grappled with the other and saide No maruell heroicke Ladie that since the lande hath alreadie beene acquainted with your constancie you nowe participate your faith vnto these inhospitable waters Be of good courage for you haue company in your woes and such as wil neglect his owne to remedie yours At the voyce rose Floralindas daughter and replied Who are you Syr Knight that so kindly doo commiserate my paine which is the greatest that euer was inclosed in any humane breast I am hée saide Archisilora who with my soule valiant Ladie will procure your quiet and therefore pray you accept such seruice as my Barke wil yéeld for it may be the recitall of your griefs to me and I mine to you wil be a mittigation of some sorrow I le not forgo the enioying of so good company as that you offer mee Syr knight said Floraliza intreating I may know who you be that alreadie knowes my gréefs The Ladies gallant behauior had attracted the Lirian Matrons affection who replied In more then this doo I desire to satisfie you soueraigne Ladie but first step into my ship where I wil do it at full To know your name answered Floraliza a harder enterprise would I attempt So leapt she into the Quéenes Barke saying Aduantage hath my Barke got sir knight with my absence to which being alone the winds and waters may now be more fauourable then when I was in it and since we haue this opportunitie deare sir defer not my desire With neuer a word the haughtie Quéene vnlaced her Helme resting more faire then was Latonas sonne when onely for loue he kept Admetus shéepe Floralizas was also of whose beautie was equalled by fewe and that want was with valour supplied Let it not gréeue you Soueraigne Lady said the Quéene that I knowe she cause of your mones for mine are no lesse which I suffer séeking for him that ought to dye louing but since I am the cause therof it is reason I endure the extremitie of gréefe and séeing loue hath equalled vs therein I le no longer kéepe from you who I am So she related vnto her euerie thing she could not naming Claridiano Why now said Alicandros Néece I do account my paine a pleasure being pittied by you and haue assured hope we shall quickly finde redresse wherto the Quéene answered Gladly would I know who he is to labor your content Any certaine thing I know not replyed she more then that I am an others for a brother of mine called Celindo and my selfe were brought vp without knowledge of father though since we receiued the order of armes we haue met with certaine tokens to be children vnto the prince Meridian Excéeding ioy conceiued the Quéen of the Ladies company resoluing to enioy it so long as she would They vowed firme amitie which towards the peace was of no small effect for this Lady was of highest estimation among the Pagans in the Grecian warres By little and little being tender of yeares and knowing that the manifesting of their loues was some ease to their borthering cares either vnderstood who was the Louer to the other Vppon which occasion Floraliza thus saide So that our fortune doth permit most Péerelesse Princesse the Gréeke Princes to tryumph ouer our hearts Séeing the heauens will haue it so excellent Lady aunswered the Quéene and so haue fauoured them from their birthes we cannot but acknowledge their Soueraigntie specially the Tynacrian Prince knowing how great his gaines are thus being loued To which Floraliza made aunswere Stay my good Quéene how well by knowing your selfe to be loued doo you iudge a straungers distresse who would not liue contented in middest of the greatest euill were wée certaine of that assurance What paine would not then be a pleasure or what could make mee a stranger to my selfe onely séeking the company of my woes But I feare illustrious Ladie that as the heauens haue made them absolute happie so some one of them wil place his felicitie
tread on the soyle of her deare knight hartily beséeching the immortal Gods to graunt her no other end of her desires then her faith deserued wherwith she sought him for she neuer imagined any thing but what increased loue to loue him and with vnfained constancy harbouring his affaires in the midst or her heart transferring them from thence vnto the soule to giue them there a place more quiet frée from the worlds perturbations and fortunes assaulting stormes and where she might better contemplate her happinesse being the Tynacrians Maisters They scruple of that litle they had from the Barke brought with more content in being there pursuing their Louers then were they in Constantinople féeding on the daintiest cates of the Emperors Court. Hauing done they a while discoursed of their knights thinking that time lost wherein they did not remember them The houre of rest being come the tender Ladies made their blanckets of their beds the earth and for pillowes tooke their Helmes and not without some teares to sée themselues in that manner and vncertaine whether their toyle would auaile them She that slept least not for louing most but fearing her affections zeale would not bee accepted was the Emperour Alicandros Néece that about midnight vnclasping the booke of her secret thoughts she found it so full of amorous arguments grounded on deare experience that it caused in her a newe griefe which tormenting her with some extraordinary passion to giue it passage she sat her vnder a loftie Pyne where supposing the Quéene of Lyra was not awake she began with more melodious harmony then his that descended into the vawtes of hell among those blacke inhabitants to fetch his deare wife to sing these verses Once I thought but falsly thought Cupid all delight had brought And that Loue had been a treasure And a Pallace full of pleasure Bur alas too soone I proue Nothing is so sower as Loue. That for sorrow my Muse sings Loue 's a Bee and Bees haue stings When I thought I had obtained That deare sollace which if gained Should haue caus'd all Ioy to spring View'd I found it no such thing But in steed of sweete desires Found a Rose hem'd in with Bryers That for sorrow my Muse sings Loue 's a Bee and Bees haue stings Wonted pleasant life adew Loue hath chaung'd thee for a new New indeed and sowre I proue it Yet I cannot chuse but loue it And as if it were delight I pursue it day and night That with sorrow my Muse sings I loue Bees though Bees haue stings With many Millions of sighs she ended The swéete melodie awaked the faire Archisilora ioying to sée her so firme a Louer Long did they not continue thus by reason that from the farthest side of the thicket they heard the trampling of many horses and now then the cries of outraged Ladies by violence opprest A little thing was inough to moue them being naturally bold togither they rose bridled their horses and swifter then the wind they spurd after the noyse In such haste went they that though they quickly got into the high way yet could they not know the cause They durst not sunder themselues for feare of loosing but rather referring their affaires to Fortunes dispose they followed along that way which was most beaten with horses hoofes Two myles they gallopt not finding what they desired til with the mornings suns vprise in a large faire plain they descried some 40. knights and 3. Gyants that guarded a waggon drawne with 4. horses Assured to haue found what they sought they let goe their Coursers reignes with more fiercenesse then Mars himself Neuer was such boldnes séen for the knights were mightie and for the enterprise chosen and the Giants euery one an Hercules Neuertheles the royall Ladies nothing doubting the fearful assault with their swords in hand entred among those knights as the hungry Lyon enters a heard of harmelesse shéep to séek his praie Against the Ladies strength their aduersaries stéele doubled shéelds nor fine tempored armor was no defence for their valor and puissance was infinit and the desire they had to frée the prisoners made them with more force floorish their swords among them Ere they were aware eight of their fellowes were slaine and the rest strooke the Ladies with many encounters but their Armor was such as they suffered no impression So the furie of their Launces being past Oh Archysilora who would not admire thée séeing thée raised on thy styrrops the shéelde at thy backe and with thy sword betwixt both thy hands range among those knights giuing no blowe but was deadly or deadly woūding At her héeles followed the Sythian Matrone that no lesse then she made her selfe feared with Camillas blade whose edge euen to the bone pierced their armor It séemed they both striued to excéed the other in déeds almost impossible in humane sight Abashed were the Gyants togither with a bigge Knight that was Lord of them all to sée how two knights hazarded their pryze with so much labour obtained to be rid of them two Gyants with croes of Iron made towards them crying to their knights Away away you cowards for shame blush to sée two Knights thus vsed Neuer were they by them obeyed more willingly then then for with the word they withheld their swords accounting that cōmand their liues which fighting with the two they aduentured on the dyce The two mightie Gyants on their styrrops stretcht themselues and shaking their armes threw the croes more fiercer then were they hurried from a Cannons mouth Carfully did the two Ladies séeing how it concerned them expectit that spurring their horses gaue way vnto the Iauelings and ioyning so neare their Maisters that ere they drew their Comitors they made them féele the waight of their armes So eager was Meridians daughters assault that she lost the strength of her blowe yet was it such that falling on his Beuer it dazelled his sight and wounded him at large on the fronte from whence the bloud issuing and dropping in his eyes blinded him to the Ladies great aduantage Forward she past swifter then lightning and with the same she turned at such time that the Gyant did so as furious as a bayted Bull with his Fawchon raysed against her that he wounded him and at once on either discharged the furie of their weapons A thousand starres saw the Lady within her rich helme but the Giants was filled with blood for the thin edged sword on the head woūded him dangerously This while was not the Quéene idle for in her assault she had brauely done he part and being longer winded and more vsed to the warre then Floraliza with Mars his strength she laid him on the side of his helme disarming all that part and on the head gaue him a mightie wound cutting away a péece of the skull and the blade discending downe the shoulder with like furie as the roaring waters runne through a lockt riuer it strooke away all his
most dangerous falles Him call I happie that least doth set his confidence in Fortune or hath least receiued of her blinde gifts terming her benifites the threatning of greater miserie What good is there on earth but is mingled with a thousand vnsauorie displeasing euilles and of discontents misfortunes and lamentable euentes such and so many that onely leaue him with his bare name ouerpressing the soule with torments and gréeuing the perplexed minde with most gréeuous and wofull paines After that by little and little the furie of the sea was asswaged he hasted to a coppes that not farre from thence he espied there to drie his clothes and himselfe There Trebatios haughtie Nephew disrobed himselfe leauing but his onely shert vpon him remembring with some tendernesse the troubles he had ouerpast iudging by the greatnes of them they would at length wearie of themselues bring him to a delectable sweete ende that then with the present happinesse he might ioyfully recount his former infelicities This consideration somewhat animated him suffering that distresse more patiently Example should they take by him that in lesse dangers forget to make vse of sufferance estéeming that death which peraduenture the celestiall powers doth but ordaine for tryall of theyr workes The Gréeke againe apparelled himselfe his vestments beeing drie and laid him downe to rest neuer more destitute thereof then at that instant it was little for straight hee wakened to séeke some path which might leade him to some Village hee found it but with some trouble for without it nothing desired is lightly obtained And going along the same there happened to him what the insuing Chapter doth mention CHAP. XIII What befell vnto the mightie Rosabell with certaine other Ladyes of whome hee learned the countrey wherein hee then was I Dare almost assure my selfe faire Ladies your bewties haue with some féeling except your harts be harder then the flint or more obdurate then the Dyamond attended the Gréeke princes shipwrack In faith his worthes deserue it for hee that with an ayme submits himselfe to gréefe maketh himselfe vnworthie of comiseration being in necessitie and yet neuer any merited fauour that denied it to the néedie Something destitute of it was Olyuias haughtie sonne but from the middest of his heart drew he strength to resist his woes who although incompassed on all sides with so many extreames did neuer forget her whose fauours were wont to cherish him and now in absence putting him to his tryall This vertue hath true loue remoueable by nothing from the soule where it buildeth once his rest opposing it selfe against all inconueniences though ordered by his Lady whereof being assured takes them as comforts to his distresse Many examples there are of this yet of them I wil recount but one witnesse my mothers sonne whom neither the changes of time nor time altering course of life nor yet the Mutabilitie of state in life can make him denie his Captiuitie nor omit the dulled accentes of an vnaccent passion with remeÌ„brance of his grones for his vnpittying warres And though she know it and the sinceritie of his affection yet turnes she away the pittie of her fauour one telling him his paines are too fewe Pittie so vnfortunate a Louer pittifull Ladies and yée that shall first heare of his griefe greater then that which neuer any had nor worse respected yet this comfort hath hee that a lady excéeded all worth of comparison moued with his laments said vnknowne by whom vngratefull truth may shee be called that thus intreateth this distressed Louer Venus and Cupid reward thée beautious Lady and suâ—â— I am hee wil when thou shalt desire Loues helpe against Fortunes tyrannie for the Gréeke Lord suffering his labours with constant sufferance in the ende obtained his Lyriana whose onely sight made him déeme all his former discontents most swéete contents With this hope trauelled hee on foote onely with his sword hauing taken the straightest and most troden path Hee had not gone farre but vexed with thirst although newe dryed of waters he turned vp a long by a cleare streame till he came to the head of the spring about which was builded an Allablaster Fountaine whose worke with the clearenesse of the waters inuited the Prince to drinke Which done he did eate of such frute as the frutefull trées did yéeld that round incompassed the Fountaine Tyred with his former toyles he laid him downe and slept a good while resting his rest wanting amorous ioynts Farre was he not from the great cittie of Golthuerg chiefe in the Kingdome of Sylephia lying betwéene Polonia and Bohemia and therefore at the instant he dreamed the swéetest Vision in all his life for thinking himselfe embraced his Lady the Princesse Eufronisa whose beautie was inferiour to none equalling the fayrest that met in Constantinople at the Tryumphes She was very young hauing not yet attained to 14. yeares which made her as children vse walke to sport her selfe about those woods that bordered on her garden and hauing lost her selfe with one Lady from the rest of her attendants so amazed was not Venus when she first saw the boy Adonis along the banks of Nylus as with admiration the bewtious Eufronisa was astonished with the Gréeke Princes sight that lay vpon the grasse séeming more faire then when young Apollo in habit of a shéepheard tended Alestes Goates He was big of body his other parts and liniaments are already set downe although now he entered into 20 they were better perfected With more desire did the Lady gaze on him then in the woods of Troy the thrée faire Goddesses expected Paris sentence So much she yéelded to the sight that shee began to féele a newe alteration neuer felt before in her heart for being but a childe she yet knew not the meaning of Loues pretie fooleries With some woonder she turned to her damzell with these words Hast thou euer séene more perfect bewtie then this gallant youth doth shew I beléeue that Nature at his byrth angrie with her selfe did thus create him to despight her selfe I cannot thinke but he is child to some of our immortal Gods that haue now sent him on the earth to alienate all straungers wits Which if it be so we Ladies must strengthen our selues with courage for I feare the wisest will néed it to scape frée of his sight so absolute is he in all things This aduice came too late to the tender Lady for Loue had already made her his Goddesse till the death neither had she power to vntie the knot wherewith blinde Cupid had bound her hart tying it so hard as he left it insoluble I pittie thée gallant Eufronisa that in the nonage of thy yeares thou shuldest begin so sower an office as to be subiect to an vnknown lord I wold willingly giue thée some consolation but so much I do want it as rather for both I should procure it No vaine no colour no fashion was in the Brytanickes face but she coted it within her very soule
assured you will do no otherwise and this night will I send you horse and Armor whose sight will content you In the meane time hyde your selfe amongst these Pynes for hauing lost our selues it cannot bee but our Guard will seeke vs out The Gréeke now had no more will but to fulfill the Ladies and so taking his leaue of the young childe already olde in loue he thrust himself into the the thickest thereof Without a thousand embracements she had not sent him feared she not to be too much noted of wātonnesse yet with her eyes she exprest her hearts desire They are soueraign dames the tonguelesse messengers that best make knowne the paine and pleasure of the soules Better signes of like or dislike is there not then the motion of those spéechlesse speakers As one rapt in a dustie blacke clowde so séemed Eufronisa in absence of her sonne Ay me my Selia said the amorous Ladie what in auspicious lucke crosses my tendernesse to affect the knight that hath alreadie another granted the possession of his soule Who can loue him knowing hee affects another wherewith the heauens haue adorned mee and yet not made me proude for if he loues another how shall I loue him being sure that for my sight hee will not violate the promise of his sacrificed faith and yet who will not dote on him What inconueniences can restraine me from his loue what infamie what dishonour or what staine of maidens fame may befall me but my soule will regardlesse trample on so with equall loue her paines might be rewarded Why I doo not feare the foolish rude reports of common multitudes when they shall ioyne their mouthes to fames shrill trumpe far and neare to sound my shame when this my folly shall bee noysed abroad I will loue and dote on him and yet I do beléeue that doing so I do not sufficiently answere the merits of his valour nor noble carriage of his minde And though it be a torment intollerable to knowe another is inshrined in his brest I cannot refuse the diuine appoyntment nor what heerein my haplesse fates ordaine for otherwise none more happie then I in loue and I cannot beléeue he is as hee hath said to bee for these that haue the power to bee beloued of euerie one doo neuer disclose their true names countrie and estates wherefore wee must by all meanes procure to learne his certaine name for beeing intreated thereto I do not doubt but he will That he is easie to be knowne answered the damozell hauing him in our lodging for if he be in loue as he séemed to be being alone hee will publish it and perchance more then we now wish for intire loue cannot be husht in secret and euery one too much bragges of this blind opinion as to account the greatest comfort to participate the inward thoughts to stones to wals to groues to fields and windes Ay me my Selia by experience thou doest shew to haue ben in loue said Eufronisa who can discourse of seas of rockes of shallowes and of tempests but such as haue nauigated scapt and past them What is hée that feares his enemie that hath not béene wounded at his hands If this bee so and thou so skilfull I will repose the trust of this my businesse on thy discretion and experience Had it béene for nothing but to helpe you in this tempest soueraigne Ladie answered Selia I account the time well bestowed I spent in Loues toyes letting my soule confesse with content anothers superioritie I am well acquainted with Loues deuises and his allurements I know where he is resisted there enuiously hee striues to subiugate new forces causing afterwards greater paines for refusing his deitie and denying his prerogatiue ouer all the world as hee that can onely giue life or death with ioy Why then my deare Selia said the Princesse it is likely he wil not so cruelly tyrannize ouer me that willingly admitted the heauie yoake of his slauerie as he vseth against them that leuied armes and warre against his power Selia answered To demaund no condition of this God is best for gouerning absolutely by himselfe doth not being blinde consider the gréeuous paines the soule indures and many times with a little rests hee more content in the end hee is but a childe then if a thousand hearts were sacrificed to appease his wrath They could procéed no further in their sweet chat for many knights came to them that carefully did séeke them fearing some disgrace had befallen them They were glad whē they met them so altogither returned to the Cittie for the Princesse would no longer stay hauing alreadie foode to nourish her conceits The night beeing come they bound the armour in a bundle and the Ladie sent to a kinsman of hers whom shee trusted to make readie the best horse within the Cittie He did it desiring to do her seruice which when she knew making him sweare to keepe her counsell she bad him go with Selia for she had promised a knight to furnish him to prooue the Louers tent So leauing her they arriued in good time at the fountaine where they found the Gréeke ouerwhelmed in imaginations expecting the Ladies commaund After courtesies past on either side Selia said The Ladie sir Knight that met you here this day sendes you this armour and horse for seeing you promised her to prooue the aduenture of the Louers tent in her name shee thought good to furnish you with necessaries therefore Whereto the Gréeke replied Faire damzell you may tell that Ladie that with such a fauour a harder enterprise is assured They would not talke of other matters because of the olde mans presence more then to giue him direction for his way and therevpon departed leauing the Prince expecting the comming of the next morne wherein faire Ladies there befell him what you shall heare CHAP. XIIII What happened to the Prince Rosabell going to the Cittie to prooue the aduenture of the Louers Pauilion VNable to conceiue the cause why that beauteous Princesse should shewe him such kindnesse laye Rosiclers braue sonne vppon the grasse passing away the night in that thicket looking for the desired morne meane while taking some rest Two houres before it did appeare he awaked with the remembrance of his lost Ladie recording with what rigor fortune had crost his ioyes iudging his shipwracke was not yet an end vnto his troubles thinking that yet the blinde Goddesse was not content with his tried patience He hartily wished to know new meanes to indure such excessiue torments as he daily suffered This imagination so opprest him that to ease with passage his burthening passions he beganne to plaine him to the trées that with their stirring noyse mooued by the gentle blasts of Zephyrus séemed to pittie his laments breathed against her whose mutabilities are the plagues and scourges of mortall men They were not vttered with such silence but might bee heard by Astorildo Prince of Callidonia brother to the beauteous Rosamond that
thing procéeding from you gentle Lady I le accept as a fauour answered the Gréeke being assured that since you know my will you will not be against my content which I shall estéeme most great to worke yours And they arriued at the Ladies lodging where they were forced to silence least they should be heard and the Prince tooke off the armor from his legs So went they euen where Eufronisa did expect him fairer then Diana yet so abashed and fearefull that though she saw him yet could not speake But from her weakenesse she drew strength to say embracing him now Loue began to helpe her I would not valiant knight haue you attribute this my boldnesse to more then to requite what I am indebted to you hauing this day to your high honour most noblely honoured our court where my selfe also had part through your valour of the glorious end of the aduenture In eternall records of liuing memorie to succéeding ages shall this remaine togither with this my wanton déed if it be knowne Hee replied There nothing happened this day most soueraigne Princesse but was atchieued vnder the name of your excellent bewtie And therfore vndergoing it as yours what difficultie could happen which I might not vanquish to enternize your glories Ay me strange Coriolano were I assured thereof what torment were so great which I should not account a pleasure and most swéete But oh cruell griefe it is thou that hast conspired with my malignant starres to make mee explaine my will before I know how it will be accepted Excéedingly content rested I séeing you at the Fountaine and conceiued such delight that therewith I liue and euer shall possesse this mancion of my life but if you knew or would vnderstand with what paines gréefes it was intermixed there were no heart of Diamond walled with Adamant but would pittie my distresse She there ended raining downe her christall rubie chéekes such a shewer of liquid pearle as it expressed her soules sorrow It was not vnconsidered by the Brittaine youth for he was M. of Loues schoole A thousand times cursed he himselfe complaining against the blinde guidresse of vnhappinesse reuoluing many inconueniences the least whereof were woorse then death for if he yéeld to the Ladies will hee sées the wrong he offers to his Lyriana and if he do it not hee feares she is resolued for aye to kéepe him there Both things hee ponderated wisely in his minde yet could not chuse which he might do or how to excuse himselfe Notwithstanding of these euils hee tooke the lesse yet greatest chusing rather to suffer a liuing death then to offend his deare Lyriana and so hee aunswered contrarie to her expectation thus I cannot but confesse most excellent Princesse how much you desire to fauor me altogither immeritable of your benefits and if ending the aduenture in your name may be thought any seruice for euer bee it happie for bringing me to this estate wherein if my woorthlesse life sacrificed to confirme your content may be any signe of thankfulnesse behold me here readie to yéeld it With a heauie sigh the Lady answered Woe be to thée vnfortunate Eufronisa since in thy tendrest years thou haste begunne to feele the bitter chaunges of inconstant Fortune Sure sure I am I shall remaine an example to all posterities through this vnséemly act made woorse by thy vnciuill vsage I do not require you cruell knight nor will not haue you hazard your life in now daungers of new enterprises onely I request séeing I loue oh Gods that I should say so you would do the like Most faire of fairest Ladies replied the afflicted youth I am yours and as such a one dispose of me for none with more will shall procure your content But yet doe not bestow your sacred faithfull loue on so meane a knight as I both in conditions blood and estate the which neither your Princely honour fame nor dignitie doth allow nor my selfe séeing and knowing your loosing choise bound by deserts vnto your worthinesse may permit without infringing the constant lawes of faith hospitallitie and thankfulnesse The which rather then I will commit these my hands will I staine with my owne blood for where there is such inequallitie of deserts I should be hated and abhorred of all men so to accomplish your languishing desire and therefore haue patience beauteous Princesse for there is nothing better then it to tollerate these hastie accidents in Loue. Oh inhumane crueltie said the wéeping Ladie how much doest thou extend thy power against me what auailes it thée hard hearted knight to procure my honour by giuing me a most vntimely death So shalt thou rather be called an homecide then a man seruitor of Ladies wel well I wot that my ouer liberall giuing thée my heart mooues thée to this strangenesse knowing there is no reason in that breft wher Loue commaundeth which were it in me I could not but see the increase of my honour by being silent but with such vehemencie was my paine augmented as I could no longer conceale it And if thou knowest what it is to loue this canst thou not iudge straunge when true affection could neuer yet be limitted and mine excéeding all others forceth me to say I onely liue to loue thée Héere she pawsed vnable to procéede further nor the Prince to replie the one intercepted by the gréefe the poore soule indured and the other to sée he caused it by being so obstinate and vnrelenting to her requests In the greatest confusion of the world was the Prince in to sée the Lady so determined and amorous and he himselfe be reaft of possibilitie to helpe her I hope most beauteous Eufronisa saide the Gréeke this conceiued anger against mee will bee pacified knowing how long since and afore this time Tyrant Loue had made mée his tributarie vassall delighting from mine infancie with those that were toucht with this euill and if the consideration hereof may mooue you knowing my weaknesse to satisfie your desire I hope you will desist from making your selfe guiltie of dishonour Ayme cruell knight answered she now I le not so much complaine of thy disdaine as of my owne lightnesse séeing what a capitall and hainous crime I haue therby committed not onely gainst me yet that is no matter but against all Ladies in the world besides that onely for the name deserue to bee sued and intreated But I ay mee that I as ill accounting of that name as of my pure honour haue yéelded to Loues triumph rather become a suter then reserue my selfe to bee sued vnto And yet doo not you thinke but I perceiue your minde is still busied imagining on an others absence this and many other things I knowe by experience since I first and last sawe you at the fountaine I do confesse it all and also my reputations wracke but a resolued mind in constancie cannot leaue lo loue nor will I otherwise though it treble my sorrowes eternally For this I did intreat
to forbid it nor to breake their order This was the famous Abstrusios Nauie then who vpon the seas was neuer any more skilfuller and bringing with him so many men well furnished vesselles with an ifinit number of braue Knights aduancing aloft the Gréeke armes hee passed through his enemies with winde-blowne sayles and oares in mosthorrible manner crying Grecia and his countrey He kept such good order that ere he lost it he made mortall destruction on his enemies for his smaller barkes entring where greater could dot did nought but cast wilde fire melted pitch and scalding Leade which was present death to those that onely defended themselues with the sword Armed like Parthians were Abstrusios followers with bowes and arrowes wherewith before they fell to handy blowes they bereft a number numberlesse of liues Which horror of shafts being past it was admirable to sée with what brauerie they betooke themselues to their weapons They were all expert and exercised in warre because they liued in it continually against theyr neigbouring Ilanders Wherefore the Sea began a newe to floate with dead trunckes of men with such horrible outcries of the wounded because they could not before death reuenge themselues that there is no heart so stony and remorcelesse but would haue bene mooued to pittie Sylla that wished to sée riuers of purple goare had here bene satisfied with sight of seas of blood The mightie generall Abstrusio did set himselfe vpon the hatches of his galeon doing what Mars durst not imagine on either hand Lysart did accompany him with his sonne Florisart desiring to make manifest their affection to the Gréeke The Gyants that were appointed to guarde the fayre Serynda were cyzed like tall high mastes clad all in steele with Iron Maces in their hands A better defended vessell was not in all that Fléete for not dreading any thing it went forwards sinking all it met The furious Bembo hauing séene the mercilesse destruction of his men and Gallies had commaunded his to be vngrapled from the Gréeke Emperors to send succour where it most néeded He was straight espied by Abstrusio that presently sent those that followed him to boord her leauing way for his encounter The beake of whose Galleon was all of Iron fastened euen downe to her kéele which made him presume on more then was lawfull on the seas So séeing how well his Gallies had assailed his aduersaries not omitting his intent Abstrusio entered with his running with such force against the side of his aduersaries that he split her cleane in two and had almost endangered himselfe for trusting to his strength he would haue leaped into her when shee began to sinke and they within her cryed out for boates to saue themselues Oh Bembo here diddest thou shew thy selfe to be whom thou art for leaping into a small Barge he opposed himselfe against Abstrusio as if he were in as good a Galleon as his The Pagan laughed at his folly and noting him more narrowly by his colours he knew him to be his enemies Generall It gladded him thinking to haue taken him prisoner But the haughtie Louer that had his life reserued to endure greater troubles made his valour there knowne to the vttermost and how in déeds of armes he would be second vnto none for though he was beset on all parts he so bestirred himselfe that neither his aduerse Generall nor Lysarte with his sonnes power could enforce him from his standing Presently was he succoured and taken into Lindauros Admirall dyed in blood and so inraged that he would speake to none nor any durst looke on him To be in such vnaccustomed brunts amazed him and more not able to learne nor gesse whom his aduersary was that making such destruction of his had succoured the Gréekes From this imagination was he put hearing the entry of the other Fléete nothing inferior to the first Diuers were the voyces heard for some cryed Babylon and Persia some Antioche others Croatia and all at once Grecia and then let flie such volleyes of shaftes that no lesse hauocke they made then Abstrusio Whose arriuall vtterly vanquished that wing of the Pagans And Sacridoros Admirall where Oristoldo was past close by the Tower which none else had done It astonied both Father and Sonne to looke vpon the two Competitors Bramarant and Brufaldoro who with their ponderous blades suffered none to approach the Arches to doo the like arriued Bembo making himselfe strong betwéene the Pillers that sustained the Tower where he animated himselfe with gazing on the Ladie he most affected that opening the Casements then knowing none of them had set her selfe to behold the battell She appeared like the Sunne of Maye in all his glorie chasing away the duskie Clouds from about him that would obscure his brightnesse There was none in all the Fléetes but turned their eyes to gaze on her bewtie Many knew her whereof one was Oristoldo who thus said to his Father This is the season wherein we must procure to liberate you Ladies thence For the fayrest of them is Lyriana whose carrying from Nyquea cost our friend Rosabel and me so much blood and more labor And beléeue me not dread Lord and Father if these knights haue not purposely takē their standings there that none might proue the ascending to the Tower As they were thus talking they descried two knights of rare disposition comming in seueral Barkes The one was presently knowne to be Don Eleno of Dacia whome being departed from Pollidolpho Nabato had guided thither Of his helpe there was no néed for the Pagans had then the worst yet he entred as he was accustomed couering the frothy waues with dead carkasses He assaulted no particular knights but the fierce Gyants Quickly was Rosamond aduertised of his comming whereat she straight commaunded her Royall Galley to waft her where he was she met him Her Armor was well knowne of euery one and so her beloued Dacian also knew her He leapt into her Galley imbracing one another with intyre loue It was no time for long discourses so hauing kist the Emperors handes the two Louers began to performe such déeds as were incredible but not to those that to their cost beheld them The other knight clad all in Rose colour Armour none as then knew but approaching neare the Tower and viewing his Lady he conceiued such content that he suspended his fight til he had well noted the possessor of his heart He became so fierce with that sole sight as he iudged nothing the subduing of both Armies Casting his shield behind him and taking Hectors sword twixt both hands at fewe blowes he was known to be Rosabel to the excéeding content of all his friends In this inchaunted Boate he flung to the Arches of the Tower but he found them so wel defenced that neither his friend Aristoldos helpe nor his owne strength could make his way to them For the thrée famous warriors being in a rancke with such brauery behaued themselues that euery one iudged the
her comming for they intierly loued Then the Emperor sent for Venus and Layssa who brought with them their two litle daughters whose bewtie euery one admyred There also the graund Trebatio greatly thanked Pollidolpho for his good aide And euery one in generall were busied in the entertainment of so woorthie a successe Through all the Fléete the Emperour commaunded the two knights to be sought for that had ended the aduenture but not finding them he was aduertised how they departed in the greatest haste possible After them had the Emperor sent but that Nabato staied him that would not depart without visiting his Dacian and speake to the Emperor who entertained him as his déeds and merites deserued He made reply according to his wisedome perswading them not to gréeue for the two knights absence whom they should sée in other new contents which the one should conceiue vntil death although the other is so tormented with amorous cares that the earth can affoord him no pleasure because the giuer thereof is in this shippe None could directly suspect who he was yet some iudged him to be Claridiano and they were the two gallant Ladies Rosamond and Archysilora who was comforted with hope to sée him in Grecia where she would assure him of his glorie and how that if she were beloued he was no lesse It was presently knowne by spies how their enemies were withdrawne homewards It nothing gréeued them in that for Lyrianas sake they willingly would haue accorded to any good motion Before that Nabato departed he aduertised them they should not dissolue theyr Hostes for that they would returne vpon Crecia with the greatest powers on the earth against which the fierce Lyonesse would rise stirred vp by the Russet Lyon With this he tooke his leaue of the Gréekes leauing them much bound vnto him A great while he conferd with Don Eleno to whome he declared the cause of the future warre and that since he was the greatest cause thereof he should procure to make knowne the vtmost of his vallor because that partie which should most respect him would most oppresse him and would many times put him in imminent daungers of his life yet all should honorably ende to his lasting fame and Rosamonds So he imbraced him vanishing far from thence The next morning the victorious Gréekes in tryumphant manner made towards Constantinople hauing finished the famousest nauall fight that was heard or read of Forewards did King Sacridoro put forth to be the first should beare those happy tydings vnto the Empresse which he accordingly performed And with prosperous windes not long after they arriued all at Constantinople in whose welcome there happened what the next Chapter shall declare CHAP. XXIIII How the Emperour Trebatio with all his Fleete arriued at Constantinople His welcome with what else happened NO sooner were the furious horses of the Sun harnest in theyr bright Caparisons of shining light readie to drawe the golden Charriot of heauens glittering eye through the Christal paued wayes of the Azure skies expelling thence the duskie Cloudes of leaden melancholy darkenesse when the Gréekes gallant Fléete containing so many Princes and braue Knights appeared in sight of the famous Citie of Constantinople sounding so many millitary Instruments as if that were the instant of the earths generall desolation Such thicke smoake of smothering fiery mysts raised the discharged ordinance in wel ordred peales that one vessel could not discerne the other Which past the Gallies and Shippes beganne to showe themselues daring the windes with their proude streamers and all their toppes with dauncing Banners made of silke whose méeting displayed in the aire rauished the beholding sences with ioy which on the other side was a corsiue to the hearts of the afflicted prisoners séeing theirs as trophies of the victorie set vp among their aduersaries The eccho on the water of mellodious harmony of concordant Musicke was a comfort to the poore wounded souldiers who were all committed to the warlike Troians charge The discréet Citizens were not all this while carelesse but rather in preparations to feast their Prince had bene most carefull All the Castles in the Citie welcommed them according to their vsuall custome placing on the highest of euery one the Emperours Imperiall standards To the sea side came all the gallant youthes brauely Armed and euery one a blew scarfe and in their hands swords and daggers wherwith they skirmiged as they went In two parts they diuided themselues to take the Princes in the middle that then were comming forth of Abstrusios Admirall A most faire Bridge they set vp from the Galleon to the shore with many stately Arches all couered with gréen cloth of golde and they with many curious Pictures containing all the Gréeke Princes Battles and aduentures Who issued foorth in this manner First marched the Emperor Trebatio betwéene his two sonnes representing such Maiestie and chearfull semblance that therewith his subiects were much gladded A little behinde them appeared those thrée Myrrors of beawtie Lyriana Archysilora and Rosamond who to please the Princesse of Nyquea had put off their strong abillements of warre They were all thrée attyred in gréene cut vpon cloth of siluer and tackte with knottes of Pearle and betwéene euery cut a button of rich Dyamonds on whose sparkeling light the reuerberating sun dazeling thereon depriued the beholders of the Ladies sight Large wide were their garments with long sléeues hanging to the ground all richly Embrodered euen much like the fashion now vsed in France Other shorter they woare on their arms laced ouer with great Orient Pearles with cuts drawne through with finest cloath of Golde faced with white and crimson according to the vsance of the Parthians Their disheueld hayre dangled downe in tramels whereon there is not any but would haue hung thereon a thousand soules and iudge them too fewe for their merits To conclude they were so excéeding absolute in all perfections that Apollo blushed to bee excelled in bewtie by humane creatures who to enioy the contemplation of their excellencies and surfet in imaginary conceits of their rarieties curbed with his raignes the hastie galloping of his fierce and vnstayed stéeds A little after them followed other thrée no lesse bewtifull then they These wer the gallant Venus the braue Layssa with the faire Syrinda They would not change colour and therefore were all in Crimson cut vpon Golde Next to them the excellent Empresse Claridiana attired according to her Maiesticke state and grauitie yet with such exquisit bewty that the former sixe became enuious of her faire She passed on with the mightie Abstrusio whom all the Gréekes much affected The rest of the ladies were al richly apparelled At the end of the bridge vpon a tryumphant arch stood thrée images most liuely representing the first thrée ladies Not far from them thrée Syrens with Amber tresses dangling to the ground came forth and playing on seuerall Harpes sung seuerall notes one after the other thus From the Lillies is she
in the sea for beléeue me they are the flower of Armes Two of them replied the Prince I can tell you of the one Bembo by name King of Achaya and Lord Generall of the Souldans Fléete the other is a most strong Pagan King of Mauritania and mortall enemie to the Gréekes The last yet séeming of a bigger constitution of composed members I knowe not sauing that it was he which in our companie proued Rosilias inchantment being he we met in the Forrest in battell against the Emperor my father But the time is long and we may end any particular combat for I no lesse desire it then you since I crost him on the seas when I defended your ladder In this conuersation they came vnto a cleare riuer of fresh bubbling water which inuited them to find out his spring to passe away the heate of the afternoone for the Sunne hauing progrest halfe his course had alreadie dried the moysture of the earth Within a while they found a faire Fountaine where they allighted both to wash their faces and take such repast as Pollisandros prouision affoorded Thus they droue away the time with some content for Claridiano for his vncles sake controwled his greefes when his Ladies remembrance troubled him So béeing desirous to take a nappe they parted a litle one from the other to sléep Short it was for the Musicke of a swéete voyce awaked them at once Wherevpon Claridiano said Haue you euer heard braue Knight more swéet harmonie Beléeue me we haue met with some good entertainment for he that sings in my opinion should liue by being in loue We may not leaue the enioying of so swéete a note So they rose togither and putting on their helmes tooke their shields and followed the sound they heard and then ceased They came vnto a little groue beset with loftie Pynes there saw they a shepheard of the fairest disposition in the world and so beautifull that his sight wold haue made him enuious that kept Admetus flockes He séemed to be very young holding a Recorder in his hand to whose sound tuning his voyce he sung his soules gréefe vnto those sencelesse trées Credit me Prince of Grecia said Claramant that some chance in Loue hath made him so disguise himselfe for although there be gallant shepheards about these and other fields yet this his tender behauiors showes he hath not béene brought vp to tend shéepe Let vs attend him replied Claridiano for hee himselfe will resolue this our doubt They néeded not much perswasion to make them listen for the swéetnesse wherewith he sounded his Instrument was sufficient to mooue as did the Thracian Poet his melodie which when he ended he warbled foorth this Elegie Great must needs be the greef extreme must needs be the torments Which I do feele while I want faire Polinarda thy sight Esteeming thy sweet presence my sole happines in life How may thy long absence but be a death to my heart On this staie yet I liue in thy disgrace that I liue not For then in endles plagues damned I were to perish Rather as one whose sincere Loue was kindly regarded On the highest heau'ns-spheare placed I was by thy hand Golden dayes were those But now dispoiled of all blisse Like sad Bellerophon ioyles I wander alone In darknesse I do straie missing thy Sunne to direct me My day to night turnde is my delite into laments Vexed thus though I am Complaine on thee yet I cannot Of thee Ladie diuine for loue I had loue againe Spightfull Fortune it is that of all ioyes hath me bereaued And with deadly malice crost me with heauy mishaps Distrest by Fortune yet neuer will I be daunted Maugre her and her force will I loue and be belou'd Enuious ill Fortune cannot compell me to dispaire When she hath her worst done then can I be but a wretch Then when I most am a wretch most cōstant shal be my hope then Which without her compasse firmly by faith I do keepe Her force will not I feare nor seeke for her helpe that I lou'd be Oh fayrest of fayres on thee alone I depend In presence was I lou'd and shal be I doubt not in absence Lady in whom vertue like to thy bewtie shineth Constant as comely Bur alas that I must like a Pilgrime Wander a whole age thus through regions so remote Kingdomes farre distant where I wish in vaine to behold thee Where new sprung dangers hourely delaie my returne From thy sight banished whose siluer rayes be so splendent That therewith dazled Cynthia hideth her head Expect yet do I still and that day daily do looke for In thy sweete presence once yet againe to reioyce Conuerting sadnesse to gladnesse sorrow to singing Rapte in blisse then I shall perpetually tryumph In meane time resting on this so sacred a comfort This thy want perforce with patience I do beare Till the raging tempest of Fortunes fury be ore-blow'n And I of all turmoyles shall haue a happie release No more could the two valiant Gréekes vnderstand for the vehement grones that burst from his soule togither with hart-breaking sighes drowned the verie sound of his words Now that he had thus giuen a litle passage to his griefes by publishing them vnto those loftie pynes that by bowing their spreading braunches séemed to pittie his distresse with a breathlesse Ay me he began his laments in this maner Oh Loue how extreamly hast thou executed the power of thy rygor on me Oh my tender yeres eclipsed in the budding of your spring with the nipping winter of sower griefe Iniustly hast thou made me an example of the happiest Louer that euer was neuer hauing against thy soueraintie so much as in thought offended nor yet in any thing gainsaid or contradicted thy awfull power Oh I acknowledge it and do confesse what happinesse is obtained submitting true dutie to thy commaund as to the sole deitie able to giue life or swéetest death and yet for all thou art long since assured with what submissiue humblenesse I haue obeyed thy behests and with patience endured thy crosses so dearely bought at the highest rate and price of my content it pleaseth thée when the soueraigne Goddesse of my soule would most fauour me to exile me her presence by such cruell meanes On me and my poore heart that neuer did offend thée hauest thou tyrannized with all inhumanitie winking and pardoning the Conspirators against thy rule What hast thou got by absenting me from her stampt in my liuing soule wherein wert thou offended when I beheld her presence were it not I feare to be accounted Traytor vnto thy Crowne and Principallitie I would call and proclaime thée ouer and besides that thou art cruell to be enuious and if not so that Iealousie plague of mortals and immortals to sée me loue and liue thereby and in recompence of so firme a faith to hope for the glorie of being againe beloued hath forced thée to make me in exile wander thus from that her
Court was then full of knights that serued her And in faith beleeue me that how far soeuer the report of her prayses excéeded beléefe so farre and more did I finde them to limp behinde her excellencies I noted In my opinion the heauens haue not created a more absoluter bewtie because Enuie it selfe hath found no meanes to seize thereon and therefore is become the Herauld of her worthes You may think Noble Sir these were new snares to intrap my captiue soule Asumptuous tryumphe was ordained in the Citie which in auncient times was called Frossa which in the Assyrian tongue signifieth happy It was so indéed and euen from the beginning for she neuer had a Quéene but was also in bewtie so This occasion did Fortune offer me oh she did further me to make my mishaps the greater placing me neare vnto a brother of hers by name Lysander a knight both young and valiant and in loue too with the Infant of Campania that in court accompanied the princesse Pollinarda high Solesia no lesse bewtifull then kinde who knowing how she was beloued wold not ill repay Lysanders faith and so the gallant liued in some respects assured of his hopes Oh yet neuer had any full assurance if he still will be amorous On the aduerse part was Leader the valiant Prince of Calabria Agesilao by name the happiest that I knew in that without the panges of passions and soules afflictions he obtained to be beloued of Pollinarda and in such open manner that the whole popularitie did know it It did not gréeue my Ladies father but rather it so pleased him that in open shew he exprest it which more animated the Lady to grace him with new fauours which were sharpe poynted daggers stucke in the heart of wofull Florisiano for so am I named Oh it could not be lesse beholding with my owne eyes my own sorrow At length the Iousts began wherein my starres vouchsafed a little to aduance me which did attract Lysanders affection with such true zeale that there cannot bee firmer friendship then that hee hath shewen me yea although against his sister The whole multitude turned their gazing eyes on my deuice which was blew armes crost with yeallow barres It accorded to the ill my iealous soule endured On my shéeld was portrayed suspition in her naturall colour as in auncient times she was paynted bearing a scrowle with this word Wisely who can her despise That onely doth employ her eyes To spie out Loues subtilties There was no Ladie in the place but noted my iealous colours and so as I after vnderstood some that were more pittifull prayed for my victorie which maketh me think their orizons and good will abode me the honour of the iousts So Lysander that greatly affected me and I cleared the place that none wold more aduenture and hauing don yet did I not disclose my selfe neither to him nor any other although the King himselfe was very importunate to know me onely this they got that I was called the iealous Knight Sure I am that my Ladie béeing so busied wtth Agesilao shee did not note my déeds but rather for it was told me she was displeased that I vnknown had vnhorsed her Louer in the Liftes Néedes would the Prince Lysander haue mee to his owne lodging professing himself so intier a friend that he hath wonne me to the death the which I will gladly receiue to procure his content In greater bonds did he tie me altogither expressing his much noblenesse by discouering vnto me the sinceritie of his loue towards Solefia Infant of Campania I could not but highly estéeme of the trust he reposed in me being but a Knight possessing nought but armour and horse He intreated me to accompanie him that night in a Maske because the king his father in honour of the iousts feasted all the Princes with shews and reuellings It pleased me in my soule in that I shuld behold her presence that gouerned my heart In two long robes of cloth of golde we issued masked yet would not I go so vnprouided but that I had on a priuie coate which in my wandring daies I vsed bearing armes In this manner we entered the Pallace when the reuels began Euery Ladie that had her gallant there fauoured him to daunce with him Of these was my deare friend Lysander one whose Mistresse was attired in the same colour that we were They daunced with such grace that Cupid himselfe could not but like it Next to him did Agesilao take Pollinarda Princesse of beautie by the hand I cannot denie what the heauens had imparted them for their grace and Maiestie admired all the Hall Many excellent changes and tricks they vsed yet the iealous passion of my gréeued soule stirred vp more in my face by comming and going of my running colour Had not my friende bene there rather then I would haue suffered it my heart vpon a two edged sword should haue bene split or I reuenged The beloued youth was famoused to be an excellent Musitian as indéed he was So his Lady or rather espouse for her father had agreed thereto gaue him a Lute to play thereon Hee accepted it for he was fully bent to performe her will and began to touch it with more swéeter musicke then hee that descended to the infernall Vaultes to fetch his wife Then with a cleare voice he warbled forth this Dittie the which my memorie carried away the more to increase my paine That brow which doth with faire all faires excell Those eyes that shining lends the world his light That gracious mouth where all the Graces dwell That dimpled chin the whetstone of delight Those two rare Mounts of Lillies and of Roses That in their swelling all content encloses That brow eye mouth chin and most daintie cheeke Doth call keepe hold bind and in giues restraine My heart eye eare my thought and iudgement eeke That no wise force can free me thence againe Yet do I loue my pleasing paine so well That boue all ioyes I prize my heauenly hell Let dunghill basenesse and the earthy mind His summum bonum place in what he list My soule which strange diuinitie doth find Within thy faces centure to consist Will not consent that any other bee My onely good but onely onely thee Thy brow shall be the dreadfull snowy Barre Where I will daylie for thy mercie plead Thy shyning eye my path-directing starre Thy mouth the Lawes which I must keepe shall read Thy chin and cheeke shall equall power beare The first to cheere the last to keepe in feare And thou thy selfe Goddesse of my desire In my Hearts temple dayly I le adore No other Deitie will I admire No other power diuine will I implore Great Goddesse keepe me in thy fauour shine My heart eye eare my thought and iudgements thine Thus did he runne vpon the treble with such heauenly melodie that had he not bene Agesilao that sung beléeue me braue knight I would haue liked it but being done by the
enemie to my rest it was worse then hell vnto mine eyes that saw it And in faith his song was but the méere truth although she was too cruell towards him yet was I the cause as I shal tell you No imperfection was noted in the continuance of his Harmonie So hauing done he laide by his Lute the which the Princesse bequeathed to Solesia who in compassion of my as shee thought ill placed affection warbled out this cold comfort Feare not faint-heart Tyme may prooue A soueraigne plaister for your Loue. Such a faith so firmely grounded Such a Loue so kindly placed From a Heart so deepely wounded From a person so well graced Needs must get the Hearts desiring Though hope yet seeme not to say it And though this Tyme seeme retyring Tyme heereafter may repay it Feare not faint-heart Tyme may prooue A soueraigne plaister for your Loue. I did not conceiue the meaning of her conceit vntill I vnderstood shee did suspect I affected her Couzen and so to put mee in hope being glad I accompanied her Louer shee animated me with that I did requite it when it pleased Loue to do by me as by then assuring her how intierly she was beloued of my friend whereof I had experience in the many daies I continued in Lucania I thinke Lysander did perceiue the affection I bore his sister yet hee shewed him so like a Knight that he not only dissembled it but séemed to reioyce wish my hopes might take place if that the Callabrian had not bin thē betwéen But being no longer able to indure the pestiferous plague of iealousie on the foure Gates of the Cittie I secretly caused so many shieldes to be set vp wheron vnder an vnknowne name I named my self maintainer of the ring an exercise and pastime much vsed in that land by reason it is near vnto the Spanish soyle whose nation challengeth the sole preheminence ouer this exercise as skilfullest and principall Authors thereof No knight in the Cittie would admit it séeing the Callabrian did refuse it vnlesse I did expresse my name the which in that I could not do without danger of my life I graunted notwithstanding that any should openly defend Pollinardas beautie which I by another name couertly maintained Therevpon Agesilao presently subscribed and and after him many prepared to winne at the ring The day béeing come you may thinke braue knights he would shew himselfe in the richest manner he could as a Prince so famous and happie So did the Ladie attired all in white adding such vertue to her excellencies that had I not béen inurde to suffer discontented paines my perplexed heart would haue burst The sport beganne wherein hee behaued himselfe according to his Ladies fauors with which it had not béene much hee had performed much more There were wee my friend Lysander and my selfe I meane in seuerall colours for his attire was gréene imbrodered with Artechokes of golde manifesting a maiesticke minde But I still with iealousie tormented durst not but differ from him apparrelled in yellow laced with blew and golde and mounted on a mightie Courser which from Apulia I had brought My companions posie agréed with his content My hearts heart likes my heart and I againe Like my hearts heart so both content remaine His Lady well vnderstood it for she tendered him as her soule Mine was dispairing in this manner Dispaire I yeeld sith all things do agree Into thy clawes to driue dispairing me Valiant was the gallant Lysander to whom I granted the first course whose prize he wonne which was a Pelican by nature cruell to himself onely to become kinde to his kinde It did Solesia receiue with greater ioy then I possessed séeing my Ladies bewtie so ill defended yet was I reuiued in my drouping thoghts hearing how all the multitude adiudged Pollinarda stil to be fairest After him I took my turne wherin the heauens so aided me that at euery carreire I tooke the ring on my lances point Then in signe of victorie I had a Crowne of golde deliuered me They could not haue giuen me a thing the more might please me at that occasion for I had an other ready made of purpose to present her if I issued victor Making my horse set his knées on the ground I presented them both but about my prepared Coronet I had caused to be engrauen this posie Well deserues her head a Crowne Who Crownes with praise all womankind Therefore Loue hath sent me downe As token of his louing mind A Crowne to Crowne the Crowne of Nature Soueraigne of all earthly feature Neare me was Agesilao whē I presēted the prizes He presently suspected I was hee that had vanquished the Iousts in the same colour since whē he noted it by many occasions as also how I affected his lady So trusting to many friends and kinsfolkes he had in the place yet chéefely thinking I was vnarmed and being spurred with a iealous frenzie he stepped to me so did my friend suspecting there would be some hurliburly He thus said I know not knight whereon thou hast grounded thy presumption so to deliuer the pryzes in such preiudiciall maner Wherupon to mooue him I replied To sée how ill the excellent bewtie of this soueraigne princesse is defended for if acccordingly some were so rewarded with fauour you might with as great right go without it as an other that I know He was bolde of his vallor and being toucht to the quick he drew his sword against me He had got nothing by the aduenture for sauing my head I was else all armed and with mine in my hande at two steppes I was within him so neare that he had not satisfied his boldnesse with lesse then his life but we were separated by the standers by that it procéeded no farther then in words Euery one blamed him which incouraged me without respect of displeasing my Lady to challenge cast him my honors gage as a warning he should be alwaies prouided against wheresoeuer we met We departed thence and I so angred that I thought it long til I incountred him Now the Reuels of that night being ended the two were contracted with the Fathers publike consent and the houre of rest approached euery one withdrew into his lodging so that Agesilao possest with excesse of ioy and forgetting my challenge he closely with two men got him vnder his Ladies window where knowing what pleasure she receiued with his Musicke he played this Dittie vppon his Lute What ere he is that would behold Imperious Cupids sporting place Here to gaze let him be bold On this bewteous comely grace Here doth rarest bewtie dwell On her brow doth Cupid sit This is she that doth excell Both for her bewtie loue and wit In her Cupid taketh rest Ioy and blisse with her haue end Who knoweth her is double blest Whose bewtie day to night doth lēd My rage swelling heart could not suffer him to procéed farther for with more fury then my feare would allow
witnesse of the strongest and purest amitie that can be oh let the knight in yealow satisfie it with the like and with endlesse seruice perpetually to honor you And wonder not to sée me thus attired for the successes that haue me befallen makes me admire how I haue escaped with life I wil not because I cannot sufficiently expresse excellent knights the ioy those Princes conceiued with my sight They imbraced me as I were their brother yet had I bene so they could not haue done more They plainly had perceiued I was inamoured of Pollinarda since to such manifest hazard of my life I durst aduenture to come to the Court He so richly performed the part of a Noble Prince that knowing I desired to be concealed and not to be intreated otherwise then a seruant he also séemed content that I should affect his sister Much better did the faire Ladie take my part saying Beléeue me henceforth none but I wil sollicit Iaroes affaires which should haue no il successe séeing he refuseth his other name so wil I procure to redresse the most difficultest that we may liue contented She forgot it not the next day going to visit my Lady in her chamber where she found her troubled with many amourous doubts now misconstring of her fauours showne me then iudging it not sufficient to my deserts and her loue We departed thence ouercome with ioy and being in our Chamber and the Prince laide in bed I betooke me to a window that looked into the Garden to recount the fauours I receiued where in briefe I omitted none singing vnto the silent night the pleasure of my conceiued happinesse vnable to deuise what meanes I might choose to be knowne vnto the Princesse She was so farre in loue and therein so much out of quiet no Louer had euer any that she ouerheard my song and I thinke she gathered thereby her selfe had only the power to glad my sorrowfull soule And as the Infant Solesia came afterwards and began to talke of me she so well dealt for me speaking more then I deserued that she altogither made conquest of her heart for me insomuch that she had almost discored it For that time the Ladie would not presse her any more which if she had Pollinarda would of force explaind her great loue towards me That night which was the last of my content she came to heare Musicke and as I alwaies vsed I tooke my Lute and went to the window where not thinking because it was so late any had heard me I began to sing and openly to expresse the soueraigne ioy of my heart in this maner Oh who would thinke that Bondage could be Free That deep-hart-woundings could beget all gladnes That most accurst could the most happiest bee That that which all count griefe should kill all sadnes Let all men note these myracles in mee Whom Loue hath raised from the depth of badnes Vnto the highest of all high degree Euen then when nothing rul'd my soule but madnes Blest be the heauenly powre whose powerfull might Hath duld the keen edge of her iust disdaining And euer blessed be her noble spirit That heard with pittie my sad soules complaining Blest be the griefe of past afflictions night Sith it more sweete doth make my present gaining Blest be the Tyme that lent me first her sight But treble blest the Tyme of grace obtaining You markes of bondage too which did inuest Me in these blessings euer be you blest Longer had I made my song but that I heard a noise which not only made me leaue but also with some alteration to draw my weapons not thinking my lifes happinesse would séeke me at that houre With my sword in one hand and buckler in the other I awayted the successe when in the way accustomed I espied that soueraigne Ladie so excellent bewtifull that with her only sight I thought my selfe transported into the skies Smiling she came shewing the heauen of her face full of ioyfull hopes She first said thus Methinkes that straunge and irefull kinde of entertainment for her that soly procures thy content Oh what swéete words these be they that now féede me in this cruell absence and more she said thus And in faith I haue not conceiued small pleasure hearing thée sing expressing the secrets of thy amourous heart and for the great loue the Prince my brother beareth thée I wil indeuour if you tel me who your Ladie is to get your libertie that you may better attend her seruice With my soule full of gladnesse I replied It is the condition most soueraigne Ladie of all powerfull Loue to pardon none among which number he hath from the beginning so subdued my heart that I haue alwaies delighted to treate of his affaires with my selfe being most alone although the Ladie I adore and idolatrize be resolued neuer to fauour me I haue not dared euen from the spring of my loues to do more then sing the ioy my heart conceiues to account my selfe hers Where to she answered And is it possible thou art so cunning in dissembling thy affection Now by my troth wert thou to be my gallant thou shouldest not suffer so many torments And beléeue me there is neuer any thing lost by discouering to the Ladie the interior secrets of the heart and how she is beloued for otherwise thus to dissemble is rather occasion of further euil because it is likely nay it often happens that the Ladie may place her affection on some other and so thou loose that benefit through silence I haue alreadie set my chiefe happinesse therein did I reply most beawteous Ladie and therefore I cannot but bee silent and loue although I die Well hath my Ladie vnderstood what I require and how I loue for mine eyes sometimes forgetting their other motions repairing vnto the heauen of that bewtie for some fauour are credible Embassadors of the hearts intent That is not sufficient said she to make her resolue to loue beeing beloued for as touching your gazing that is so common and generall among all men that the Ladies may iudge it as an ordinarie thing not considering the owner of those gazing instruments doth honour and loue her and therefore it is an error to dissemble when the paine is estraunged If in recompence of the greatnesse thereof most sacred Ladie said I the author of the same should be discouered and she acquainted therewith none with more reason ought to do it then I for there can be none that hath indured so much nor any loued with such firmnesse If there be assurance thereof replied the Princesse I say thou doest wrong thy Ladie in not letting her know how she is beloued if it be with such truth as you publish And therfore because I haue this day heard I know not what of the Princesse Solesia thou shalt tell me what I demaund and on my faith none shall know it but whom thou wilt You haue no reason to binde me to any thing excellent Ladie
replied I knowing I will till death obey your commaund Shee answered Why then we shall not so ill disagrée as I thought the thing therefore I would knowe is thou must tell me if thy Lady be heere or no and her name withall without delay and circumstance for I shall thereby receiue the greatest pleasure in the world and with the contrary excéeding discontent which will bee immerited and no iust guerdon for what I meane to do for thée You may easily conceiue valiant Knights what conflicts I might indure of contrarious thoughts not knowing the successe that might ensue if by telling troth I did condiscend vnto her demaunde Somewhat amazed stoode I a while in so much that shee saide you must not deuise excuses for it will fall out woorse if you offend me so I answered None did I deuise diuine Pollinarda but I rather began to incourage my selfe to passe my life in your disgrace for nought else can redowne heereby but kindle your fléeping wrath Bee it what it will saide shee for I am pleased with the knowledge Why then replied I know soueraigne Princesse shée is in this Cittie and of the selfe same name that you are of in which repitition I offend her Shee procéeded further saying And haue you neuer spoken with her now did I tremble with feare and then imagined a thousand deuises yet in the end I replied Soueraigne Ladie your excellency so farre vrgeth this matter that I cannot steppe from hence fearing to méete with death vnlesse you seeke his lifes ouerthrow that was borne to serue you She replied I wil haue you tel me all for I wil take it as one that procures your good as you haue partly séene Whereto I answered falling on my knées Presuming on your Royall word and fauours sacred Ladie I cannot deny but I am yours imploring pardon for this fault if it be any worthie of worse punishment then death It did not gréeue her to heare me say she was the Quéene my heart had chosen to imperate ouer it and my soule but rather taking holde by my King the marke of my slauery which for my pleasure I often put on shée raised me saying Very plainely hast thou Florisiano exprest thou louest me and if thy constancie wherewith thou doest it be as thou saiest so I may enioy a heart so sincere and second to none I giue thée leaue to do so stil regarding the secrecy due to my honor vntil the heauens shall minister those meanes wherewith I may asswage thy griefes I required her hands I could doo no lesse to kisse them more glad then had I bene inuested sole Emperor of the wide world and yet that had not so pleased me She commanded me to take off my King séeing Fortune had now fauoured me wherto I replied Oh let not your excellency commaund me to put off that thing wherewith the heauens haue begun to worke my ioy lest Fortune enemy to all content séeing me no more a slaue should tryumph ouer my glory And though I be a king in louing and the most glorious and frée in being beloued let me kéepe this as a memoriall I am and wil be yours while my life shall endure the which loosing it in your seruice will be the happiest and richest losse in this terrene Orbe If it be so weare it replied the Mistresse of my life and yet the taking it off should nothing impaire my affection which now is only imployed in your Loue. Thus was the Soueraigne of my soule weauing this swéete webbe of my life on the delicate Loome of both our contents when blinde Fortune Mistresse of mischaunce being weary and angry that she had helped me that litle moment of time brought it about I know not by what meanes that our Loues till then became suspitious in Court nay further procéeds my woes Oh I cannot without teares say more it came to the Kings eares who desirous to be assured of so dishonourable a déede as to be beloued of the Princesse he had hidde himselfe in that roome vnknowne to me that very night and séeing by experience what he had suspected he issued forth inraged like a mad mā I yet was on my knées when he came forth and finding me in that manner he tooke me by the collor and drawing my ponyard said Oh infamous miscreant Turkish dogge hast thou thus wronged the trust reposed in thée The punishment inflicted on thée shall bee a sufficient example to all others such disloyall wretches as thy owne selfe I had no eyes to looke him in the face nor tongue to answere him though I wanted not hands to shead his blóod had not my Ladyes and my friend Lysanders displeasure and discontent thereby stayed me Hée snatched at her so furiously that shee almost fell vpon her face saying I had not thought Minion thy wanton boldnesse would so haue made thée passe the limits of shame and grace as to bestowe thy affection on a slaue He cried to those that awaighted without whereat foure knights rushed in who straight conueied me to prison where I thoght they would closely murther me the which I had gladly receiued so shee were not hardly handled that had so bountifully fauoured mee The king did commit her but knowing our affection had beene no other then he had séene hee straight for hee loued her dearely forgaue her turning all his rage vpon poore Florisiano Oh magnanimious Knights with how many millions of brinish teares did I bewayle that losse it was beléeue me the greatest in the world for none in so short time could bee so happie as I nor none againe so vnhappie Nothing I did but exclaime lamenting and with woes tormenting my afflicted selfe At length being so many some pierced the high heauens moouing the immortall Gods to pittie and comiseration appointing a meanes on earth to redéeme me for the Noble Lysander being mooued at my disgrace by pollicy procured my Gailors to release me of my Irons and boltes that I might escape through a window and saue my life I gréeued no lesse to depart from Pollinarda at that time though in her grace and fauour then at first when like an enemie I ran from her Yea more then this did my friend sollicit in my behalfe for hee went to his sister and discouered to her the whole secret of my affaires telling her I was the Knight in yealowe and hee that slewe her Agesilao then louing her more then now I neuer would tell any who else I was because I vowed it from the beginning onely to procure her fauour or disfauour without that regard and respect wherein I might bee hadde beeing knowne to bee Prince of Apulia and had not your valour and curtesies bound me thereto none should haue knowne it The Lady did not gréeue at this swéete complot of Loue but rather it kindled in her some new affection So was I visited in prison from her which reuiued my hopes and added new life to my dying powers To pleasure