and beare you companie and will not departe from hence till that death doth conclude and make an ende of one of vs or both together The Knight of the Sunne was greatlie amazed as well at the gentle disposition of the Princesse as also at the great bountie and curtesie which shée offered vnto him and beléeued verilie as well in the riches of his armour as in all other thinges that hée shoulde bée some knight of highe estate and beeing verie desirous to gratifie his wordes hée sayde Sir Knight I doe giue you great thankes for this your curtesie and great good will which you doe offer vnto mée and I woulde if it were Gods will that my fortune might bée such that I were able to doe you anie seruice or pleasure but my fortune hath béene so contrarie and my euyll destinie hath brought me vnto this estate that I cannot affoorde my selfe to leade anie other lyfe than this which I doe now leade neither haue I remaining in mée so much power and libertie for to accomplish anie thing of this which you haue spoken vnto mée off for that according vnto the greate fire wherewith I am tormented I haue not anie more hope of my life neither haue I anie more certaine continuance than the flame that in hast consumeth a candle and he that hath his end so nigh at hande to what purpose I praie you should he goe and séeke his owne naturall Countrie for to die there for that it is death to leaue both both the one other and as wise men haue sayde That vnto man there is no Countrie proper but all the whole world is a common Inne touching this misâ—rable life and for that Grecia is my naturall Countrie in no part in all the world can the death be more grieuous vnto mée than there the lamentations of my parents the teares and wéepings of my brethren the complaints of my friends the cryings of my subiects all the which will be an occasion to me of greater torment and the griefe much more greater vnto them so that for to excuse all this I am determined to die there whereas nothing else but my sorrowful death shall be grieuous vnto me and there whereas I shall alwaies haue it in memorie and now séeing that my fortune will not suffer nor consent to anie other remedie I do most heartely desire you gentle knight to returne againe vnto the sea vnto your owne companie from whence you came and let mée remaine héere alone in this Iland and although it be solitarie yet am I accompanied with so many sorrowes griefes and tormentes that I haue no néede of anie other companie Héere the Princesse could not choose but féele at her hart verie grieuous the wordes of her knight but of his greate fidelitie she was verie glad and ioyfull and had great pittie of his sorrow and griefe and willing to proceede in farther talke with him she said Of truth worthie Prince I doe not knowe what euill this of yours should be so great and so stranâ—e that in this sort hath taken awaie your stâ—â—ngth that all the power you haue is not able to resist it if it bée not that the which could tame the mightie Samson the most strongest of all men and that Hercules that had so greate power and force against the Centauros which is Loue that did bring these in subiection and many others moe in the world if it be this which hath brought your life into this estate I knowe not what she shoulde bee that against you should shew her selfe so cruâ—ll except it be such as wâ—ll peruert the courses and naturall mouings for being as you are amonst Princes the most highest and amongst the most excellentest and inducd with all goodnesse of nature I doe beléeue that there is no damsell in the worlde of what estate and beautie so euer he be but would receiue great contentment and thinke her selfe happie to bée of you beloued knowing the loue that you beare vnto her to bée perfect and â—oiall and if it fall out not to be such beléeue mée for that I knowe thus much of women that first they will consent themselues to die burning in amorous fires than to make anie shew of loue vnto them that they thinke to haue their thoughtes occupied in other partes and so farre foorth as I can see they haue great reason for that the heart of a man being set vpon more than one there is none that hath anie parte in him neither can his loue with anie bée perfect the which you maye verie well iudge by your selfe in thinking of that which you would do if so bee that you did sée this to bée in her whome you at this present doe so earnestlie loue Ah good knight sayde the knight of the Sunne this is the hidden fire wherewith I am scorched and that wherewith the bones of this my mortall bodie doth consume This is that which hath me prisoner and hath inchaunted me and that to whom all my force and strength is yéelded without hauing anie other thing in mée to make anie resistance but to doe that which hée desired and suffer with a good will all such paines and tormentes as hée giueth mée estéeming much of the wound making poison to bée sauourie bitter swéete paine delectable torment ioy and pleasure and finallie death to bée verie swéete and easie And if that loue hath shewed her selfe so cruell against mée good knight doe not meruaile thereat for that that high and soueraine Damsell the which my fortune and destinie dyd permit mée to loue is of so greate valour and high desert that héere I doe confesse that I am not worthie of her for that fortune amongest humane creatures did exalt her most highest and nature did painte her in such sorte that putting a parte the power of God I am perswaded that there was to bée done no more on her This waie hath shée bene cruell vnto mée and not that waie Sir Knight which you haue giuen mée to vnderstand for that shée it is alone whom I loue and my heart is fixed vppon no other but onelie vpon her It is not néedfull that I saie anie more heerein for that my lyfe doth beare witnesse of my greate fidelitie for iâ— so be that I had my thought fixed in anie other place then should not my disfauour haue so much force and power ouer mée as to cause mée to receiue suche mortall griefe Then shée sayde of my faith Sir Knight according vnto your wordes and as you haue giuen mée to vnderstande by them it can bée no other for whome you doe suffer this sorrow and griefe but Claridiana the Empresse of Tâ—apisonda for that shée is a Damsell as well in highnesse as in beautie and gifts of nature that doth surpasse all other that be in the world and if this bée not true I tell you that you doe iniurie mée in this which you haue sayd for that I haue séene her and I doe beléeue that
a little while that she had there staied she mounted vp the siluer staires y â— carryed her vnto the throne whereas shaking with all parts of her bodie for the sorowfull or heauie newes which she looked to receiue she plast her selfe before the wise man who being in obedience of her soueraigne maiestie did somewhat decline his head whereat the princes receiued great admiration then she humbling her selfe vnto him saide these words following MOst mightie and famous Artidon the high fame of thy great wonderfull meruailes hath brought mée into these strange countries so farre of from mine and if it doe so fall out that I carrie from hence no more then I haue brought yet shall I think my trauaile well bestowed and my selfe verie well rewarded in that I haue séene and vnderstood thy great wisedome for as Plato the Philosopher saith for to sée and know a wise man a man ought for to trauaile throughout all the whole world which was the occasion that many times he passed from Athens vnto Sicilia for to sée his friend the wise and prudent Focion Apolonio Thianeo departed from Rome and trauailed through all Asia sayled through the Riuer Nilus sustained the cold of the mount Caucasus suffered the great heat of the mountaine Rifeos and crossed ouer the whole countries of the Masagetas till such time as he entred into the great India and all this trauaile and pilgrimage was for to see and communicate with the famous wise 〈◊〉 How much more would those haue passed greater trauailes for to haue séene those his meruailous workes if that in their daies and times they science and great wisedome had bene manifest I cannot say that this is the onely cause of my comming for to see thée as it is manifest vnto thee yet I doe say that if there were no other occasion this should bee sufficient for to come and see thée The great care which hath ben the occasion of my comming hether although I doe beléeue that thou doest know it yet will I declare it vnto thée for that he that loued so faithfully and firmely in his time will not meruaile at any force whatsoeuer it be that loue doth vpon humaine hearts I loue the knight of the Sunne aboue all other things in this world so that if my fortune and euill destenie doe permit that he take an other to be his wife I desire to know the trueth thereof for that I may remember my selfe take order what is best to be done It hath bene told mée that he is made sure vnto the princesse Lindabrides and that he loued her with all his heart therefore for that there is nothing hid from thée I doe desire thée for to tell mée if it be true and put me out of all doubt for whatsoeuer that thou shalt tell mée I shall beléeue it to be true and conformable therevnto I wil take order with my selfe what is best to be done This being saide the royall princes held her peace abyding the answere which should be pronounced by the wise man who as then opened his eyes which before were shut and saide as followeth OF trueth soueraigne Lady and Empresse for that your highnesse doth verie well employ the great trauâ—ile the which you haue passed in this your long iourney onely for the sight of those my workes much more may I thinke these my trauailes better imployed the which I had in making of them I being now gratified with so high a reward in that you are come for to sée them And I doe not meruaile that loue hath had so great power for to ouercome your highnesse for that alwaies against the most highest most worthiest of courage there doth he vse the greatest force but in especiall with the knight of the Sunne for that his fortune and destinie doth promise him vnto you as vnto her that in all the whole world doth best deserue him and for you alone is he kept and defended And touching the trueth of this which you haue demaunded of mée I tell you that the knight of the Sunne was neuer made sure vnto the princesse Lindabrides neither hath he hadde any more to doe with her then he hath had with you although the great and mightie Emperour Alicandro her father dyd giue her to him for wife and left vnto him his high mightie Empire of Tartaria with an infinite number of other kingedomes with the which he should be made the mightiest prince and lord in all the whole world And for that he would not receiue her and all the rest cleane contrarie vnto his will secretly in the night he departed and left the gran Cataia almost distract of their wits with great desire for to enioye the sight of your soueraigntie the which time he thought long and after he came to Constantinople and had that rigorous battaile with you the which contencion was so cruell vnto him after that he knew you that desperate and wearie of his life he would goe seeke his death to cléere himselfe out of this worlde So he departed out of Constantinople and went into the wildernesse of Grecia whereas he had battaile with one of the most valiantest and stoutest Pagans that was in all the Paganisme and yet in all that rigorous battaile he would neuer strike him with his sworde for that he hadde smitten you with the same And from thence he departed and went to sea whereas by a rough great tempest he was driuen vnto the Iland of the diuelish Fauno where as one desirous to dye and receiue the death he went a shore and had a meruailous battaile with two legious of infernall diuels and afterward with the diuelish Fauno wherein happened verie strange things as is apparant if you please to goe thether to sée where you shall finde him all alone without anie other companie more then his horse neither is there in all the Iland any other beast or foule There doth he leade and passe the most sharpest and asperest life that euer was holden by man with desire there to ende his dayes and neuer more to retourne and weare armour All this he doth for your occasion and you are in a great fault before God if you doe not finde remedie in the recouering of him againe for that by your occasion there doth languish and dye the best and worthiest knight in all the whole world and one that doth loue you better then any thing therein therefore it doth accomplish your highnesse out of hand to goe and sée him for it is so that if your succour doe stay long it may so fall out that after he shall haue no néede thereof for that at this present his life is in great perill In concluding of these words the wise Artidon closed his eyes againe did put himselfe as he was before without aunswering or speaking any word leauing the royall princes one way with so great ioy and pleasure that she almost knew not her selfe her comfort was so great
29. AFter that the knight of the Sunne had slaine that diuellish Fauno till such time as the Princesse Claridiana came vnto thé solitarie Ilande there was two moneths betwéene as saith the wise Lyâ—gandeo in which time he passed his life with sorrowes and complaints sighs and sobs all the daie long in the night time to sléepe vpon the hard ground although for to withdrawe himselfe in the time of water and raine and from the heate of the Sunne he made a cottage couered with boughs compassed round about with a fountaine scituated vnder a companie of thick trées this place was a great waie separated from that wheras the â—auno was slaine so that by reason that the Princesse was a foot as yet she was not come vnto that place but in all the time that this good knight was there he neuer eate anie other thing but such wilde 〈◊〉 and rootes as he found in the Iland so that with great hâ—â—â—nesse he did sustaine his liâ—e by which meanes as also for the greâ—t heauinesse and griefe which hee had taken in his heart he was brought verie loâ—â—e wared leaue and 〈◊〉 such sort that whosoeuer had seene him shuld not haue knowen him all the which he 〈◊〉 with great patience and determined in that sorte to ende his daies hâ—e was brought verie weake and feeble and could not long haue â—ndyred if remedie had not come in time neither could 〈…〉 to straight and wearie a 〈…〉 condition and strong of nature There was not in all the Iland anie person for to comfort him neither 〈…〉 thing to recreate his understanding but 〈…〉 which many times came that 〈…〉 him who one waie gaue him some comâ—ort when hee sawe him and another waie he did double his 〈◊〉 in calling to râ—membrance the great and worthie 〈…〉 that he did with him Likewise the 〈◊〉 of his friends turned him to great sorrow as â—he Emperour â—â—cbatio his father and the roiall Empresse 〈◊〉 his mother his good brother Rosicleer and of all the rest of his friends and he found himselfe verie solitarie without their companie but by reason that the griefe was much more which he printed in his heart in considering the misliking and euil loue of the Princesse Claridiana there was nothing sufficient neither that raging and solitarie life which hée suffered for to cause him once to change his minde for to departs from that place for that many times he said vnto himselfe séeing that the Princesse Claridiana desired his death and that she procured to giue it him with her owne handes hée desired to liue no longer in this world at least waies not in place where he might be séene of people Thus in the end of all this time that hée was there it chaunced the finall daie of all his troubles to bée verie hot and soultering and being passed a great parte of the same hée went forth of the cottage whereas hée was and went and put himselfe vnder the shadow of a companie of thicke trées whereas the water of the fountaine passed by with a swift course the place was verie pleasant and delectable and béeing sitten downe vpon the gréene grasse and the pittering leaues vpon those gréene trées béeing moued with a most swéete and peaceable winde ioyntlie with the cleere water of that fountaine running out betwéene the stones made so pleasant and delightfull a noise that the knight of the Sunne being ouerwatched with his continuall care fell asléepe and béeing in this order asléepe lying a longe vpon the gréene hearbes it chaunced to be the verie same daie that the Princesse Claridiana went to séeke him with great sorrowe and griefe because shée could not finde him neither aliue nor dead and by reason that shée went a foote and the daie verie hot shée waxed somewhat wearie for in all the other daie past and in that daie shée neuer ceased séeking of him round about in all partes yet notwithstanding her great wearinesse the greate care that shée had at her heart was the occasion that shée rested not till such time as fortune brought her whereas the knight of the Sunne laie vnder the trées in the shadow all along a sléepe but when shee found him whereas hée laie in that order vppon the ground and knew him there was no humane pleasure that might bée compared vnto that which shée receiued at that instant for shée remained a good space as if it had bene one transported into a new world without anie remembrance and it séemed verilie that it had not bene possible so greate ioy and pleasure should haue entred into her brest although to the contrarie when as she sawe that good knight the flower of all the knighthoode in the worlde to be so leaâ—e and wanne and put into so asper and straight life shee shedde great abundaunce of teares which ranne downe her faire face wherwith she was so bathed that when she came nigh vnto him she remained a pretie while as in contemplation and could not satisfie her selfe in beholding him for although hee was vnarmed and laie along vpon the harde ground yet dyd hée shew forth that soueraigne maiestie and graue semblance wherewith hée was adorned hee was apparelled in a doublet of cloth of golde somewhat worne out and his faire yeolow haire which séemed to bée â—kaines of golde was spread vppon the gréene grasse and his seuere countenance although it were leane and wanne did shew forth the gallant perfection wrought therein by nature For as the wise Lyrgandeo sayth and as it hath beene declared in many places of this Hystorie the proportion of his bodie hée saith that he had a long visage almost a spanae and a halfe long besides his beard which at this time was somewhat growen a broade forehead and bigge eies his eye browes compassing like an arke and almost a hande breadth from point to point his nose was somewhat sharpe a lyttle mouth and his lippes verie redde hee was of a gallant stature which was about eight foâ—te long and is sufficient for a Gyant and all his members so well proportioned that it séemed Nature dyd straine her selfe and indued him with all graces Therefore because hee was so bigge and well made in euerie part with that greate maiestie in his countenaunce as hée laie along vppon the grasse that sure it was a straunge thing to beholde and the Princesse dyd neuer vntil that daie sée him in apparaile that it better please her and giue her greater contentment which was the occasion that shée remained there a good while beholding of him as one greatlie astonished and it séemed vnto her that his shape dyd verie farre surpasse all humane vnderstanding and she sayd within her selfe that God had not created that knight of so good a disposition for to liue in the deserts and how that she deserued all euill for that she was the occasion of his sorrowe and troubles In the meane time that shée thus debated with himselfe the good knight began
she hath not her equall in the world The great sorrow and griefe of my heart said the knight of the Sunne vnto her alone I wold that it were manifest but for that I will not doe so great iniurie vnto so high a damsell aâ— you haue héere mentioned and again because you shall not saie that I lack reason in this which I haue said I giue you to vnderstand of a truth that she is the partie and now seeing y â— I haue tolde you I most heartelie desire you that so long as you do liue you keepe it secret for that séeing I must die for her sake yet I would not for all the worlde that she should be accounted culpable of my death Now wil I giue you to vnderstand said the Princesse that there is remedie put in all this your sorrow and griefe and that your fortune is much better than you did make reckoning of for that I doe know this damsell and am certaine that many daies since she hath trauailed in your demand with greate sorrow and care for to finde you and according vnto the wordes which I heard and the profound sighs which I haue séene her vtter I doe beléeue of certaintie that she doth beare you as much good loue as you doe beare vnto her if it bée so that you haue receiued anie disfauour or discurtesie at her hands it is not vnknowen that ouer much loue many times is the occasion of iealous thoughts conceiued against them whom they loue the which she might well haue in seeing you in companie with some other faire damsell afterward being certefied of your fidelitie repented her selfe and then the loue which before she bare vnto you to be a new redoubled in her for that there is nothing that doth inâ—ame and kindle the amorous hearts so much as dâ—th a false iealousie when that faithfullie they are certefied to the contrarie for then all wrath and anger is turned vnto loue and is the ocsion the more to augment and increase and so it may be now in Claridiana that if so be that you alonelie doe loue her then was it not possible the truth to be hid and now she being repented of that which is past it doth cause her as I haue tolde you to goe in your demand and with no other intent but to aske you pardon for that which is past the which you ought out of hand for to pardon and to go séeke her for that there is nothing more worthie to be pardoned than those errours which are committed by ouer much louing Then he said Ah sir knight tell me I praie you where you did see my Ladie and mistres the Empresse Claridiana and how you doe vnderstand y â— she trauaileth in my demand for that of truth if it be true I wil presentlie depart and go séeke her vnto the worlds end onelie for to sée her wherein there shall bée no man in all the worlde so happie as I. I will tell you how I doe know it said the Empresse for that it is not many daies since that I saw her and if thou wilt that I shal tell thée true not many hours and you shal vnderstand that yesterdaie shée ariued in this Iland in your demand and shée is a aland and not farre from you and I doe beléeue that that is shée that commeth yonder This she sayd pointing with her hand towards one part of the Forrest that waies which shée came Then the knight of the Sunne all amazed and ameruailed as of a thing in mockage and impossible did looke towards that part in the meane time the Princesse pulled her gantlets froÌ„ her white hands and tookeâ—off her helme wherewith all her rubicond haire which séemed to be skaines of golde spread abrode vpon her shoulders of so great length that it reached vnto the ground and shewed forth that faire face with so great strangenesse and maiestie that there was nothing in the worlde that might bée compared therevnto and the more her beautie shewed for that shée was hot in trauailing a foote by reason whereof her coulour was in her face and it séemed in the middest of her white chéeks to be two fragrant red Roses her faire and rowling eies glistered like vnto two verie fine and greate Emerodes glittering with a gréene cléerenesse in so profound wise that in them it might be naturallie sayd whosoeuer did beholde them to bée conuerted into stones for that all humane vnderstanding they did amaze and leaue as astonied But to conclude the soueraigne Princesse in all pointes séemed rather to bée a diuine thing than humane but the knight of the Sunne who with great attention was looking towardes that place whereas shée tolde him that shée was comming had not as yet seene the Princesse in that order till within a while after séeing that hée could sée no bodie comming hée tourned his head about for to aske the Knight where hée hadde séene and lefte her but when he sawe her healme off and knewe her by her fayre face it cannot bée sayde and tolde what that worthie knight at that instant felt within himselfe but remayned wonderfullie amazed and meruailing more than anie man in the worlde without anie power to speake one worde neither mooued hée anie eie lidde but stoode still beholding that seraphicall face out of the which he receiued so many dazeling sightes and glittering cléerenesse as though he had continuallie looked vpon the Sunne in the morning at such time as he spreadeth his golden beames abroade vpon the earth Then the royall Princesse séeing him in that greate perplexitie with the excéeding ioye and pleasure shée receiued clasping him about the necke and embracing him shée sayde Iust true and good knight séeing that I am shée alone that haue committed this errour and hath bene the onely occasion of all this your sorow and griefe I am héere come in presence to make a meanes for the same and to craâ—e pardon at your hands for all that is past for if I haue committed any offence beleue mee it was by the ouermâ—ch loue which I did beare you and your troubles and sorowes hath grieued mée as much and gone as nigh my heart as mine hath bene vnto you in such sort that if God of his infinit mercie and goodnesse had not permitted mée to finde you here of trueth I doe tell you that I would neuer haue departed from hence aliue for that I was determined to ende my dayes leading the most strictest sorowfull life that might be immagined in recompence of my great error In the meane time that the Princes spake these words the knight of the Sunne receiued so great ioye and pleasure in séeing him in the presence of his so desired mistresse that he embrased her excusing himselfe with such amorous swéet words that he thought himselfe transported into an other world and knew not whether he was in heauen or on the earth And comming vnto himselfe after that he had receiued
laced on their helmes and came forth to the ship side and asked what they were that would take them prisoners Then straight waies more than ten knights of a gallant proportion and wel armed came forth vnto them and sayd That vnto two alone knights as they were there was no néede for to make that account but yet for that you shall vnderstand vnto whome you shall yéeld your selues prisoners know that we are all belonging vnto the gran Cleonidas and we doe pardon vnto none their liues except they doe yéeld vnto vs at the first to be our prisoners Of truth sayde the Princesse this cannot be that you should be belonging vnto that rouer Cleonidas for that he is not in this world neuerthelesse if that you be in your workes and deedes as hée was you shall quicklie be wheras he is and that is with the diuell How is this sayd they is our Lord Cleonidas dead It is not possible for that there is no humane power neither yet diuine that is of so much power for to kill him Then you shall vnderstand of a truth sayde the Princesse that I dyd sée him slaine onelie with one blow But these knights would not beléeue it but thought verilie that they sayd it because they woulde deliuer and cleere themselues from their hands and one of them would haue laide holde vpon her and sayd False Knight they mocking shal little profite thée for in spite of thy heart you shall goe with vs prisoners Then the knight of the Sunne who heard and sawe all that passed without drawing anie sword stroke him with his armed fist such a blowe vppon the head that he buckled his helme into his braines and ouerthrew him dead at his féet Then all the rest greatlie amazed at that blow drew their swords and leapt altogether into their ship and beganne to charge them with their blowes in the best wise they could but these two who in the like conflicts were verie well experimented drew out their fine and slashing swords and so besturred themselues that with a few blows they slew sixe of them the other which remained making a great noise leapt againe into their ships out of the which came straight waies forth more than thirtie other knights who séemed to be verie good and well armed and altogether began to leap into the other ship and charged the knight of the Sun and the Princesse with their blowes all that euer they coulde but it wel appeared that they did not know their great worthinesse in that they approched vnto them without order but in a short space they lost all their brauerie for that in the space of lesse than halfe a quarter of an houre that the battaile was begun they ouerthrew more than twentie of them to the ground with such mortall blowes that the rest which remained aliue being terrified and amazed retyred backe vnto their ships and the knight of the Sunne and the Princesse followed them whereas they found a new resistance with certain fresh knights and other people that were in the ships who began to charge them verie greatlie and laide vpon them many heauie blowes but the knight of the Sunne taking the foreward of his mistres setled himselfe in such sort that if there had ben a thousand knights before him he wold haue estéemed them little and being verie desirous to bée reuenged on the long time that he was idle in the solitarie Iland he put himselfe amongest his enimies and charged them with such mortall blowes and without all pittie that if the battaile had indured but a little longer he had not left one aliue of all that were in the ships Then those which remained seeing there was no resistance to bée made against the furie of those two knights 〈◊〉 downe before them and craued pardon for their liues Then they who were redie to accomplish their requests did grant them their desires and vnderstanding the truth how they were rouers how that they had many prisoners in their ships they commaunded them to bring them forth before them Then they obeying their commandement carried them into certaine bigge cabbines in their ships whereas they found many men and women with chaines and boltes of yron and amongst them the knight of the Sunne knew his good Pages Binnano and Aurelio and the twentie knightes of Candia that were in his companie Likewise the auncient Pilot that tolde vnto him the storie of the diuellish Fauno of the which he was not a little glad for that they were deliuered by his handes But when they knew him as well by his armour as by his face for that at that time his beauer was lifte vp it is not to be spoken how greatlie they meruailed and what ioy and pleasure they receiued and as amazed they looked the one vpon the other and could not beleeue that he should be aliue and his two Squires as from themselues came vnto him and knéeled downe before him and began to kisse his armed hands and the skirt of shirt of maile saying O Lord God how can we gratifie this great curtesie which thou hast done vnto vs in letting vs sée before our deaths this excellent and worthy prince our Lord. The knight of th◠Sunne receiued them with great loue and raised them from the ground saying My good friends those who haue had you in their powers did not loue you so much as I haue done and I giue thankes vnto almightie God that I doe now see you and I doe desire him to giue 〈◊〉 so much libertie that I may gratifie you these greafe troubles the which for my sake you haue sustained for surelie it was a great griefe vnto my heart for to leaue you alone in that case without all comfort when I thought to goe and leaue my life Goe and kisse the handes of my Ladie and mistres the Princesse Claridiana who next vnto God hath deliuered me from death They hearing the same meruailed verie much thereat and went and knéeled downe before her and would haue kissed her hands but the Princesse caused them to arise and receiued them verie curteouslie for that she knew the knight of the Sunne did beare them great loue and for that she would not be knowen of the other she did not raise vp her beauer but commaunded that it shoulde not be knowen who she was Then the knights of Candia and the auncient Pilot came and kissed the hands of the knight of the Sunne giuing him greate thankes for their libertie which at his handes they obtained who receiued them with great loue and commaunded their chaines and shakles to be pulled off Then they asked the knight of the Sun what had happened vnto him in the Iland of the diuellish Fauno My good friends sayd the knight of the Sunne God of his infinit goodnesse and mercie gaue me power for to cléere and deliuer my selfe from him and to kill him for that in that Iland he may be serued being peopled as he hath
the Sunne sent to the Princesse Lyndabrides SOueraigne Princesse of Tarâ—â—ria by one of your damsels I receiued a Letter of yours with the which is that I could make manifest by wordes all that I felt at my hart I doe thinke verilie that you woulde holde your selfe for satisfied and not to desire to haue of me more reueÌ„ge for y â— you see my whole hart burne in bright flames and hath not so much libertie as to quench one sparke of that fire Faire princesse do you not beléeue that the loue which you saie I was wont to beare vnto you with the great solempnitie of teares and profound sighes published is forgotten For héere I giue you to vnderstand that it hath hetherto indured and shall indure so-long as life doth last for that it was in such sorte rooted within my heart that first it shall consume into dust and ashes before the rootes thereof bée pulled cleane out I am hee that I was wont to be and in no point altered nor changed vnto that I haue béene before nowe and if you saie that before I was yours so I will now bée yours and yours all the daies of my life and you haue no reason to saie that there is in the world two knights of my name if it were so yet I am he alone that doth loue you and first I wil consent to death rather than anie héerein should beare me companie You doe saie that how is it possible that I should be he that was so dismaid-the first time that I saw you in the triumphant Chariot If it were a thing that you might sée and beholde what I felte and the greate alteration of my heart at such time as I sawe your Damsell onelie for to know the occasion of her comming with greater reason you might saie that you shoulde sée me in a greater confusiâ—n if you sawe mée now in your presence And whereas you doe saie that I had battaile with the Prince Meridian in the defence of your iustice I am now more readier in that quarell to combat with all that are in the world and first I wil consent to bee hewed all to péeces than in one-point to consent vnto your iniurie so that in conclusion high mightie Princesse in all things that shall accomplish your seruice my good will at this time is more prompt than heeretofore it hath béene and the knight of the Sunne you may estéeme him as wholie your owne sauing one thing which I doe reserue from your subiection which is my soule for that is immortall and the soueraigne creator did create it vnto his owne similitude and likenesse the which shall loose his whole price and estate if I doe yéeld it to be yours for to obey your commandement and therin I shall offend the diuine maiesâ—ie what greaâ—er offence may I commit thaÌ„ for to ioyne with you in matrimonie you being a Gentile and I a Christian. And againe you that doe presume to descend from the high originall of the high Gâ—ds vnto whome you shall doe great iniurie if that you doe ioyne issue and bloud with a knght that is contrarie vnto your lawe and profession I doe beléeue that you cannot long time suffer mée to bée your husband neither your vassalls and subiects obey mée for their Lorde for either I shall bée constrained for to turne mée vnto your lawe or else you and all yours vnto my posession All this I had forgotten when that as you doe saie we trauailed together towards the gran Cataia and nothing was the occasion of this forgetfulnesse but that it was so little past that I became a Christian that as then my soule was not well awaked out of that obscure and darke lawe in the which I was deceiued but afterwardes I called my selfe to remembraunce and I giue infinite thankes vnto almightie God that he hath giuen mée such inspiration that if it had not come from him according vnto the great loue which he bore vnto mee I had not ben able for to haue cléered my selfe from you but that néedes I must haue fallen into that perillous snare And by that I doe knowe that the vniuersall creatour of all things of his owne handes created with so greaâ—e exâ—ellencie the royall Princesse Claridâ—ana who for that shee is a myrrour without offending of the diuine maiestie I may receiue her for my spouse and with the sheelde of her beautie I will labour for to defend the encounters of your greate beautie the which is of so great sorce and strength that if I had not so excellent a sheeld there were not in me sufficient force for to make resistance but that néedes I must bée ouercome Therefore soueraigne and worthie Princesse haue patience and thinke because fortune hath bene so aduerse and contrarie vnto our desires and that our destinies woulde not permit the same that the diuine prouidence was not serued therein and as a thing that was neither conuenient for you nor mée hée woulde not consent nor giue that in this our purpose our willes shoulde bée accomplished You saie that you write to me briefe for that you will not write to me with anger wherein I receiue great curtesie for that being as I am so much yours it should grieue mée verie much that you should speake against me wordes of greate cholar And in that which you doe saie that whereas loue doth lack your brief reasons wil séeme vnto me prolixious and that you knowe to all thinges I will make my eares deafe if it were a thing possible without preiudiee for to open these my entrailes for to shew vnto you my heart wherein you might plainlie sée how you are deceiued for that there is nothing in all the world that doth delight mée more than in the receit of your Letter and in reading of the same so that if it were a thing possible I would it should neuer conclude You doe conclude in your Letter that you neuer will depart out of Crecia till such time as you haue of mée reuengement I would verie faine know in what order you would haue it because I would excute it my selfe and if it bée your pleasure and commandement that I put my self in your power giue me straight waies to vnderstand thereof and I will be as readie to obey as you for to command mée and I do not much estéeme that loue if you thinke that with my death you should remaine satisfied with the which I conclude kissing your emperiall hands The knight of the Sunne In the meane time that this faire Princesse was reading the Letter she shed so many teares from her faire eies that she was all to be sprinkled therwith and when the had concluded the reading thereof all her members failed her and her heart was ouercome her amorous passions were more kindled with the louing wordes that he wrote vnto her But when she saw cléerelie that the knight of the Sun did discouer the loue that he bare vnto
esteemed amongst all in the world But when that these two vnderstood with whome they had made their battaile it was no small ioy and pleasure that they receiued for that they desired verie much their friendship after such time as in the wildernesse of Grecia they sawe the one to kill the Gran Campion and the other dyd combat for them twaine with Bramarant but more was their ioy when that they vnderstoode what they had done in the deliuerie of the Emperour out of prison with the Ladies and all their damselles from the power of Roboan and his sonnes they knew not how to gratifie that great goodnesse but offered themselues to be their friends and craued pardon of all that was past And when they vnderstoode that the Emperour of his owne good will went vnto Grecia for to conclude a league of friendship with the mightie Emperour â—rebatio these two valiant knightes were excéeding gladde and ioyfull for that they had a most earnest desire to hee in that Court Thus after there had passed betwixt them many things their ioy and pleasure was such that it séemed to make void the remembrance of all troubles and aduersities past and so dyd prosecute their voiage â—owardes Constantinople The Prince Meridian was more ioyfull than the rest and receiued greater contentment for that he had with him his welbeloued spouse the Princesse Floralindia and againe for that hee went towardes Grecia whereas was the king of Macedonia forth vnto the Princesse with whom he hoped to make friendship in such sorte that he might haue her to wife which was the thing that the Princesse most desired After this sort they did nauigate by sea foure dayes with prosperous windes in the end whereof they ariued at Grecia in the mightie Porte of Constantinople whereas straight wayes they gaue to vnderstand vnto the Emperour Trebatio of their ariuall With which newes hée and all those of his Court were excéeding ioyfull for that they lacked no other thing entirelie for to celebrate the triumph of that victorie which they had got Then straight waies the Emperour Trebatio béeing accompanied with those mightie kinges and Princes and worthie knightes that were with him went forth of Constantinople for to receiue them at the port and the quantitie of people was so great that went forth with them that all those wide and broade fields and mountaines séemed to bée peopled with them and although the dead bodies by the commandement of the Emperour were burnt yet for all that all those fâ—eldes and plaines were stained with the bloud that was there shed When the Emperour Trebatio with all that royall and worthie companie came vnto the Port straight wayes the Emperour Alycandro and all those that came with him went a land whereas their receiuing was as vnto such personages did appertaine but in especial with those two Emperours for in a great space they were embraced together and did not loose the one from the other in which time there passed betwixt them many wordes of singular great loue as though they had béene alwaies before great friends and the Emperor Trebatio did giue him great thanks gratifying him for his comming into Grecia offering him great offers by word of mouth in such sort that the Emperour Alycandro thought himselfe fullie satisfied receiued more pleasure at that returne than he did at his first coÌ„ming into that Countrie Then straight waies the Emperor â—rebatio receiued with great curtesse the two Princes Meridian Brandimardo did embrace them with as much loue as he did his owne sonnes that came with them For you shal vnderstand that he was a Prince that in all the world could not be found his equall in maintaining honouring of good and valiant knights which was the occasion that whatsoeuer knight he was that once came into his companie could neuer finde himselfe in anie other place but onelie in his Court. Then he receiued the faire Princesse Lyndabrides in doing vnto her great curtesie and honour as vnto the highest damsell in al the whole world and vnto one that did deserue it But when the king of Maeâ—donia dyd see the faire Princesse 〈◊〉 his daughter and the Prince Mâ—rridian to demand his hands for to kisse them there was no â—oy and pleasure that might happen vnto a Father to be compared vnto â—is and hée went and embraced them keeping them betwiâ—t his armes a great while before that hée would let them loose Thus afâ—er one whole houre that there had 〈◊〉 betwixt them many 〈◊〉 at their meeting they all together with 〈◊〉 triumph tooke their waie towards the Citie of 〈◊〉 And it was a wonderfull thing to beholde and woâ—thie to bée noted to see so noble and worthie â—nightes to accompanie them that it might well bee sayde that there was neuer seene so highe and worthie a companie ioyned together Likewise at this present it was needfull of a better Painter than euer was Appelles or that worthie Pirgotiles for to paint and set forth the faire and rubicend face of the Princesse Lyndâ—brides by reason of the differences of varietie of coulours which went and came at such time as shée remembred how that the Princesse Claridiana shoulde receiue her in the Pallace of the Emperour Trebatio and also of that which the knight of the Sunne would conceiue in his heart when he sawe the same the which thoughts did make her to go in so great confusion as to your iudgement I doe referre it her loue was so great the which she bare vnto him that shée could not bée without great iuspition of alteration when that she considered of the great worthinesse and desert of the Princesse Claridiana So that the whole world was nothing in comparison that she would giue on condition that the knight of the Sunne might neuer sée the Princesse If she were sure thereof then were she fullie certefied that the knight of the Sunne would not chaunge her for anie other Ladie or damsel in all the whole world When they were entered into the Citie and came vnto the pallace those worthie Princes and knightes did descend from their horses those faire Ladies and damsels and being mounted into the great hall the Empresse Briana with the Princesse Claridiana and the Princesse Oliuia and Lindaraza with al the rest of those high and worthie Ladies Gentlewomen that were with them came forth and did receiue them with that honor that was requisite vnto so high and mightie personages And the Emperour Alycandro with Meridian and Brandimardo meruailed greatlie to sée the soueraigne beautie that was there assembled together which seemed vnto them as it was true that in all the whole worlde could not the like be séene but when the faire Princesse Lyndabrides went to embrace the roiall Princesse Claridiana Good Lord how her hart was troubled to see in her rubicond face al the beautie in the world to be comprehended and alâ—o how that her knight of the Sunne had his eies fixed on her
Lindabrides I request no paiment at her hands for being a damsel of the Princesse Claridiana I thinke it a great reproch to receiue reward of anie other Oh knight of the Sun how may the fame of thy great déeds from this day forwards cease the praise of thy high knighthood with the continuall report of thy great vertue increase the newes of thy disloialtie when the falsifieng of thy â—ord shall be knowen abroade all men will iudge of thy litle vnderstanding and will saie that thou lackedst reason for to acknowledge the good How is it good knight is your memorie past haue you lost your vnderstanding doe you not remember how the roiall Princesse Claridiana onely for your loue left her owne Countrie of Trapisonda came into Grecia at such time as you did offer your selfe to be her knighâ—â— shée accepted you as her owne discouering vnto you the great excellencie of her beautie wherby you did vnderstand that you were by her beloued thought at that time that there was not borne in all the world one so happie as you were How is it now that there remaineth in you so little force and so great villanie that the presence of the Princesse Lindabrides can worke more in effect than the memorie of the Princesse Claridiana Doe not you remember how that in the Court of the Emperour â—rebatio they were both present together whereas they did manifest their great beauties being with rich ornaments adorned who was then of you most estéemed and best beloued Call to remembrance the good wil which you had at your departure out of Grecia and ioyne it to that which you haue at this present then shall you sée and vnderstand how all things is changed cleane contrarie not for anie other thing but that you doe more estéeme the things present although they be small than those which are to come though they be more higher and of greater valour the which procéedeth of base thoughts and conditions Oh how fraile and miserable is humane nature that whereas is so much force and strength for to ouercome and conquere so many knights and gyants doth lacke heart and strength to make resistance against one thought and appetite If that you vpon the sheeld of memorie of my Ladie and mistres did receiue the blowes of the presence of the Princesse Lindabrides neither could the blowes be so strong nor the shéeld so weake but that with great ease you might remayne with the victorie But as you haue forgot your faith and promise so haue you forgot the remembrance of her greate beautie and high valour and verie easilie you were ouercome with the presence of the Princesse Lindabrides I doe therefore meane to returne vnto the Princesse my Ladie and mistres and make manifest your great disloialtie therefore the Lord bée with you When that Arcania had concluded these wordes without tarrying aniâ— answere she departed out of the chamber and went downe the staires whereas she had lefte her Palfraie in a readinesse and taking his backe she departed out of the Citie and tooke her iourney towards Trapisonda The knight of the Sunne receiued great griefe and sorrow for that the damsell would depart and rose out of his bed and went after her but séeing that she was gone hée made little account of her for that the loue of the Princesse Lindabrides had so inueigled him that although he did well vnderstand her wordes yet they did worke no more effect in him than in one that had béene cleere of all cares and passions till such time as he was laid againe in his bed whereas it did not let somewâ—at to alter his profound imaginations to remember what Arcania had said of the Princesse Claridiana and of his faith and worde giuen her to be her knight which was the occasion that ther grew in his thought a verie great alteration and troubled verie much his mind in such sort that it disturbed him from sléepe or taking anie rest but tumbling and tossing from one side of the bed vnto the other which did increase in him by little and little the remembrance of the Princesse Claridiana So after a while being somewhat in quiet by reason of the great disquietnesse that he had suffered his minde receiuing some ease and being in a slumber neither sléeping nor waking hauing all his senses occupied with the Princesse it seemed that she appeared before him with so great maiestie and beautie that it dazeled the sight of his eies equall vnto the shining of the Sunne when he appeareth out of the Orient her bodie al armed sauing her head face was wholie discouered with her yeolow golden haire which was disparsed behinde her eares and hung downe vnto the grounde like thréeds of golde she had her swoord naked in her hand and with an irefull semblaunce lifting vp her arme for to strike him she said Oh false and traiterous Knight thou art now at the extremitie and point to receiue the guerdon for thy great disloialtie Then the knight of the Sun who did behold her contemplating himselfe with her strange beautie accompanied with her great maiestie was straight waies ouercome with the force therof so that the Princesse Lindabrides in her presence séemed to be verie foule caused the sparkes of loue new to kindle within him which before were put out by the long absence from her and began so much to repent himselfe of that which was past that he fel prostrate vpon the ground before the Princesse crauing pardon at her hands but shee vnto his séeming came verie irefull making no account of that which he had said but alwaies séemed for to strike him with the sword she had in her hand who being meruailously amazed thereat did sodainlie awake out of that imagination or dreame with so great shaking quaking that all the bed shooke therewith So when he was come wholie vnto himselfe and considered well of al that had passed the presence of the Princesse remained so graued in his heart minde that it séemed vnto him that she was so naturallie before him in presence as when he last sawe her in the Citie of Constantinople and the old wound wherewith he was wounded at the first sight of her did now worke so much effect in him y â— the remembrance of the Princesse Lindabrides was cleane forgotten the loue of the Princes Claridiana so grassed in his hart that by no meanes he could take anie quietnesse or rest within his bed but calling to remembrance all y â— was past the marriage that was ordeined for the next day following he fell into a great perplexitie abhorred himselfe Wherefore vpon a sodaine and in great haâ—â— hee arose vp from his bed and put on his apparell looked about for his armour which he found hanging in a corner of his chamber wherewith he armed himselfe in all assaies tooke the light Torch that was in his chamber burning descended into the great Pallace and
daie it hapried that there came vnto her twelue ancient knights and of great honour from the Empire of Trapisonda all apparelled in blacke which did signifie great heauinesse who with sorrowful countenance did humble themselues on their knées before her and did kisse her hands as their Ladie and mistres and they gaue her to vnderstand how that the Emperour her Father and Empresse her Mother were both departed the world vpon a sicknesse that tooke them both together and so ended their daies how that all the nobilitie of her Empire did request her y â— out of hand the should depart to put in quietnesse and set in good order her high estate for her absence being without Lord might be the occasion of some great peril When that this dolefull newes was heard by the Princesse she receiued great sorrow at her heart for the death of her parents whom she loued verie much considering of her departure froÌ„ Grecia which was of compulsion her sorow did double increase yet was she somwhat coÌ„forted by the parents of the knight of the Sun who did honour her in all respects then she séeing y â— of necessitie she must depart out of hand she went vnto the Emperor Empresse Briana gaue them to vnderstand therof crauing lisence for her departure promising theÌ„ to returne againe as soone as she had put in order her estate set it in quiet The Emperor the empresse receiued great griefe at those dolefull newes also that the departure of the Princesse was of pure necessitie for that the loue which shée had recouered amongst them in the smal time y â— she was there was very much but séeing the iust reason that she had to 〈◊〉 in lamenting the death of her parents they saide that it was in her choice to vse her pleasure as she should thinke best and how that they were all at her commandement in anie thing she would imploie them This good Emperour did not alonelie offer vnto her knights of great renewin for to beare her companie into her Countrie but also did contend that himselfe in person would do the like This roiall Princesse surrendering great thanks for the same would not consent that the Emperor neither anie of his knights should go with her but alonelie her owne Ladies Gentlewomen in companie with those knights y e came froÌ„ Trapisonda So taking hir leaue of them all where amongst theÌ„ was shed many teares the roiall Princesse departed out of the great mightie citie of Constantinople accoÌ„panied with the Emperor the most principal knights of his court they did conduct her vnto y â— sea side whereas they did embrace her commend her vnto God She straight waies did embarke her selfe with all her companie began to saile towards the Empire of Trapisonda and the Emperor with all his knights returned againe vnto the Citie whereas he feit great griefe for the lack of his sons of the good knights that were absent for their respects from the court Now doth the Historie returne vnto the Princesse Claridiana saith that they found the wind so prosperous that in a short time they ariued at the mightie Empire of Trapisond whereas she was receiued of her nobles vassolls with great ioy and pleasure vnto theÌ„ all who receiued great content for y â— they had so noble faire a gouernesse y â— in all the world they beléeued was not her equall as truth is she was as well in beautie as in customes comlie grace that she had not her péere in her time So after y â— the funerall was concluded for the Emperor Empresse as did appertaine vnto their high estates the roiall Princesse was crowned for Empresse in the time y â— she remained her gouernment was such y â— in y â— as wel as in all other things appeared y â— God did vse great bountie in her behalfe aboue all other who with great care did pâ—sse the time many daies alwaies awaiting when she should heare newes of the knight of y â— Sun whose long absence was cocasioÌ„ of her great sorrow griefe in such sort y â— whatsoeuer pastimes pleasures her subiectes did ordaine to giue her conteÌ„t yet could she not receiue anie comfort or ioy neither could she put him out of her remembraunce a moment for that she was not in quiet neither could she not refraine from the great oppressions of her thoughts suspecting the great perill wherein the knight of the Sunne was with the continuall presence and conuersation that he hadde with the faire Princesse Lindabrides which séemed vnto her such that according vnto the great valour and desert of the knight of the Sunne with the soueraigne beautie and grace of the Princesse it were a thing impossible but that the one must néedes lone the other So with thiâ— great care and troubles of minde the storie doth leaue her for to tell you of the knight of the Sunne who in companie with the valiant Oristedes was trauailing through the gran Tartaria What happened vnto the knight of the Sunne and Oristedes trauailing through the gran Tartaria Chap. 4. WIth great trauaile and hast did these two great friends the knight of the Sunne the troian Oristedes make their iourneies ouer the mightie féedes of the mounre Tauro which was verie fresh and delightfull and polished with manie Castells and faire houses in which trauaile for the space of manie daies they did sundry feates of armes by reason that the inhabitants ther were verie barbarous so that euerie daie they were driuen to armore and to make their defence And in al places wheresoeuer they became they hadde contention with the dwellers there aboutes and although all that mountaine was replenished with Castiles and houses somwhat apart the one from the other yet did they passe the greatest part thereof with little daunger till vppon a night it happened being verie darke and they in the field where as they could not discouer neither castle nor house whether they might go to lodge themselues being in such a constillation as was very colde so that the first part of the night they passed with great trouble till such time as from far of they discouered a light of fier which séemed to be in a great and déeps valley they thinking that it was made by some shepherds that kept their shéepe there being very glad went thether wards And when they came nigh vnto the place they saw that it was a companie of more then thirtie barbarous people of y â— countrie being of a high and large stature and either of them had but one eye and that was in their foreheads as big as a smal looking glasse They were al apparailed with the skins of beares and of other beastes sitting round about a great fier which they had made and some of them were rosting of certaine Uenison and of other beastes which they had taken vpon spits of wood Their
satisfied But yet they durst not sléepe all y â— night fearing that those Tartarians which fled awaie would being some other of their companions trouble them so that they passed awaie that night in walking rounde about the fire discoursing of that wherein they receued most content alwaies haueing an eye vnto the maine chaunce least any should come vpon them on a sâ—daiue But they might verie well haue taken their ease without anie care for that those which were fled awaie were so scarred with the mightie great and terrible blowes of y â— knight of the Sunne that they thought it not for the best to retourne backe againe and although they were fled verie far yet did not they thinke themselues in anie securitie So when the daie was come these two knights did bridell their horses and mounting vppon their backes they departed from that place after trauailed manie daies vppon the skirt of the mount Tauro wherein chaunced vnto them manie notable aduentures the which the auctor doth omit for to make briefe coÌ„clusion of this first part but the Historie saith that after great trauaile straÌ„ge aduentures which happened vnto them in this iourney in the ende they came vnto the distroyed Troy whereof Oristedes was Lorde whereas they did repose and take their restes many daies In the ende whereof it was agréed betwixt theÌ„ not to soiourne there any longer but from thence to embarke theÌ„selues for the Empire of Grecia they straight waies coÌ„maunded to rig a ship that was in the port of Tenedon and to make her readie wel furnished with all things necessarie wherein they determined to make their voiage So being all furnished and readie to depart they put them selues within the ship their sailes were hoysed the maister directed his ship towards Grecia whereas the knight of the Sunne thought for to finde the Princes Claridiana hauing her beautie so printed within his brest that he thought euerie daie a whole yéere till he came vnto her presence Here the Historie doth leaue these two companions sayling on the Sea for to retourne to tell you what happened to the Princes y â— time y â— the remained in her empire of TrapisoÌ„da How the Emprisse Claridiana being in her Empire of Trapisonda there ariued her Damsell Arcania and declared vnto her the newes of the Knight of the Sunne which brought her almost to the point of death Chap. 5. WIth no lesse care then desire for to heare newes of the knight of the Snime remained this soueraigne Emprisse Claridiana in her Empire of Trapisonda which time séemed vnto her so long that ther entred into her heart no kinde of ioy nor pleasure although she did exercise her selfe in hunting and feates of armes procuring to put away y â— pensiuenesse of her thought but nothing would serue to put the remembraunce of the knight of the Sunne one minute of an houre out of her minde And there was nothing so acceptable vnto her as solitarinesse the better to vse her conceit in thinking on him alwaies wishing that y â— daie were come that the might sâ—e him And as she was one morning in hir chaÌ„ber at such time as the Sunne did spred abroade her beames out from the Orient vpon the whole Earth she addressed her face y â— way beholding the Sunne with a pittiful sigh which proceeded from the bottome of her heart she said Oh beames of the selestial Febo which commeth from y â— place wher as my heart is fixed Oh that I were now in thy celestiall course mouings that I might euerie daie sée him whome you doe sée beholde Oh that the diuine prouidence were so pleased that I might now haue some newes brought from him wherewith my soule should receue no lesse ioy then the immortal soules which doe comfort themselues continuallie in thy diuine presence Oh that I were fullie certified that he were now beholding the brightnesse of the Sunne with his eies as I doe with mine which thing alone would be some comfort giue me in part ease of this great sorow the which I doe féele wherof his absence is the onely occasion Oh you inuisible and swift windes that commeth from the Oriental Heauens blow some comfort into these my eyes if that peraduenture with your face you haue disperied abroad any of his golden locks Oh what comfort pleasure should it be vnto mée if that I were fully certified that you did encounter with him Oh you cleare and resplendant lights celestiall whose course doth compasse round about the whole world Oh that I had in one of you mine eyes fixed that I might with great ease behold the valour of my knight How swift should those celestiall mouings seeme vnto mée at their departure and how short should your returne seme to the contrarie Oh happie countrie of the Scitas that the valiant and worthie déedes of such a knight doth deserue to sée and happie Princesse that had so much power for to carie him out of my presence Oh Princesse of the Scitas how manie daies nights and houres hast thou enioyed the sight of the knight of the Sunne Suffer now pacience if that he doe depart from thée to come and sée mée Consider that God hath not created mée of so base and vnséemely beautie amongst all other ladies and damsells but that I should deserue y â— knight of most valiancie amongst all other knights Oh that I were now fullie certified that the knight of the Sunne were departed out of thy presence there is nothing in all the world that could giue mée so great contentment This and manie wordes more like in effect did this Empresse vtter making her complaint euerie morning when she did sée the Sunne to appeare in the Orient and at night when as she saw the Moone and the Starres where in manie times she did contemplate her selfe immagening that the Knight of the Sunne did likewise behold them Likewise manie times her immagination was occupied with suspection that the great beautie of the princesse Lindabrides with the continuall conuersation hadde with the knight of the Sunne should be an occasion by the force therof to bring him in such captiuitie that forgetting all other he should remaine in her presence for euer And hauing this in her remembrauance was the occasion of great sorow and to shed from her christalline eyes great aboundance of teares watering all her faire face and rubicond chéekes Yet otherwaies to the contrarie she did comfort her selfe when that she called to remembraunce the word and promise that her knight had made vnto her and saide within her selfe that he could not be of so small discretion and lacke of reason and vnderstanding to forget her for any other Ladie in all the world and in especiall the Princesse being a Pagan and he a Christian so that in this and in other diuers and contrarie thoughts did y â— Empresse Claridiana occupie her selfe looking euerie daie when that she should heare some newes
other Princes when they sawe that sodain and soueraigne fauour which was come vnto them how that their enimies were brought into a greater straight than they were before although they were verie wearie and ouercome with labour yet the ioy which they receiued did renue in them so great strength that they returned vpon their enimies and slewe many of them with their terrible blowes the feare which the knights of Don Siluerio receiued by the great prowesse of the knight of the Sunne and the Troyan was such that there was not one that durst giue anie attempt but withdrew themselues all that euer they could for which cause Oristedes in companie with the king Sacridoro and the other Princes remained in the ship as sufficient for to defend the same and the two brethren leapt into the ship of their enimies as in 〈◊〉 and contention the one of the other they began to wound and to slaie their enimies and kept such a stur amongst them in killing some and making other some to fal into the water and other some to run away for to saue themselues that in a small time there remained in the ships none for to make anie defence Then Don Siluerio who did beholde all this that passed with great sorrowe and griefe of heart he complained against fortune for that she was so contrarie vnto him and for that hee knew not the knight of the Sunne but sawe with his eies the great wonders and valiant deedes done by him he thought verilie that it was some diuell of hell that was come to aide and succour Rosicleer in séeing the feare that his knights had of him y â— there was not one that durst appeare before him but ran awaie so that he was without all hope of the victorie which caused him with déepe sighs to saie Ah Oliuia now I see that it is not Gods will that thou shalt be mine At which time Fidelia had her in her armes in a sound and séeing the good successe which happened vnto them and how that fortune dyd shew her selfe fauourable with such diligence as she ministred vnto her she brought her againe vnto her selfe and sayde What is this my Ladie and mistres arise and comfort your selfe and beholde the great succour which God hauing compassion on vs hath sent vs in such sort that the victorie is verie certaine on your knights behalfe Then the Princesse who was as one halfe dead beholding the battaile when she sawe that there was none so hardie that durst abide before Rosicleer and his companions but ranne awaie from them as from their deaths she receiued therewith great consolation and comfort and had great hope of the victorie and being greatlie amazed at the high bountie of the Knight of the Sunne she asked of her damsell Fidelia who that valiant knight should be Ah my good Ladie and mistres sayde Fidelia in this thing onelie may you consider of the good fortune of Rosicleer for according vnto the wordes which hée sayd at his comming he should be his brother the knight of the Sunne who as I haue heard many times is the knight that in all the worlde is not his like but the other that is come with him I know not but his valiant demeanour doth shew that he is one of the best knights that I haue séene At which words the Princesse receiued great ioy and pleasure and with better comfort than she had at anie time before she arose vp and put her selfe to beholde the battayle â—he which did not endure long for that after that the two brethren had entered into their ship they almost did yéeld vnto them finding not one that durst abide their furie for the which Don Siluerio fearing â—he encounter and séeming a thing impossible for his knights to haue the victorie he determined to depart without all hope of good fortune finding her at that time so contrarie in all points So with great sorrow and griefe he commanded his ship to be vngrapled froÌ„ the ship of Rosicleer and the Pilots to hoise vp sailes and to depart the which was nothing grieuous vnto his knightes 〈…〉 greatlie at the mightie valiantnesse and 〈◊〉 blowes of their aduersaries The ship wherein was the knight of the Sun and Rosicleer remained but the other seauen departed with such people as were lost there were slaine more than halfe of them that came in companie with the Prince Don Siluerio So when these two brethâ—â— saw thâ—mselâ—eâ—â—◠〈◊〉 of their oâ—imies they did embracâ— one another with great loue and their ioy was such that they could scare speake At this time came vnto him Oristedes the knight of the Sun declared vnto Rosicleer who he was by whoÌ„ he was embraced with great ioy pleasure but the good Troyan was greatlie amazed at the great beautie of Rosicleer and how boistrous and stout he séemed when that hée was beholding the great wonders the which he did alone in the ship which caused him to saie within himselfe that not without great mysterie were these two brethren borne and created with such high bountie resembling another so much Then straight waies came vnto them the thrée Princes and y â— king of cornualia who were verie desirous to sée Rosicleer as those who sustained great trauaile in his demand he receiued theÌ„ with great ioy embraced them yéelding thanks for the great pleasure which they had done for him at that present Then came vnto them the good king Sacridoâ—o whoÌ„ they did embrace with great ioy amongst them all to méete together at that present whereas they gaue one another to vnderstand what they had passed and by what aduenture they came thether but when the knight of the Sun vnderstood all that was done passed with his brother Rosicleer and the Princesse Oliuia he gaue great thankes vnto God for that it was his will to bring him thether at that instant and hauing great desire for to see and know her he sayd that if it were their pleasures he would go speak with her So therewith they went vnto the cabin whereas the Princesse Oliuia her damsell Fidelia were who receiued no lesse ioy to sée her knight frée and at liberâ—e of that great perill and danger than if she had ben made Ladie ouer all the world And the knight of the Sun and Oristedes verie much meruailed at the great bountie beautie of the Princesse who séemed vnto them to be one of the fairest Damsels that was to be found in all the world Then the knight of the Sunne wold haue kissed her hands but she wold not consent thervnto but did embrace him with as great loue as though hée had ben her owne naturall brother the Prince Edward and thâ— gaue vnto him great thanks for that which he did in her succour To whom the knight of the Sun answered that not he alone doth owe that dutie but also all the world in consideration who she was ano that he gaue great thankes vnto
onely sonne and heire of his kingdome and then his daughter to be stolen and caried away requesting of them all fauour possible to helpe him to take reuengement for the same 〈◊〉 that to conclude some there were that for verie friendâ—â—ip and loue did ayde him And other some for the ill will they bare vnto the Gréekes of very enuie of their prosperiâ—iâ—es dyd ayde and help hâ—m and not onely with their people but with their owne proper persons 〈◊〉 vnto the King Oliuerio and there was so great hast and diligence made in the executing thereof that many daies was not past whan that in great Britaine there was ioyned together more then â—ne hundred and fiftie thousand knights where as the Historie doth leaâ—e them putting all things in good order as appertained vnto so valiant an enterprise for to tell you of other things that happened in the meane time How that the Princesse Lindabrides did craue of her father the Emperour Alicandro reuengement of the knight of the Sunne and how the Emperour at her request did call a Parliament and what happened in the same Chap. 9. IN great confusion and alteration remained the whole Court of the Emperour Alicandro for so sodaine departure of the knight of the Sunne but aboue all the rest was the fayre Princes Lindabrides whose lyfe was so full of sorow and griefe that manie times she was at the point of death And there was nothing that could comfort her in séeing that y â— knight of the Sunne was departed and returned to his owne countrie and was verie certaine that if once he came into the presence of the princes Claridiana it were past all remedie for him to haue her any more in his remembraunce so that she might vâ—rie well abandon her selfe of all hope euer to sée him any more the which was more bitter grieuous vnto her then death And coÌ„sidering with her selfe by reason of the great loue she bare vnto him that it should be great comfort vnto her and remedie for her griefe if that she did once againe returne inâ—â— Grecia by what maner of meanes so euer it was she cared not thinking by that meanes for to disturbe the knight of the Sunne that he shoulde not haue aâ—ie time nor space for to serue the Princesse Claridiana neither for to marrie with her for the which to put in effect the 〈◊〉 nothing so good as for to craue reuengement of the Emperour her â—ather for the iniurie done by the knight of the Sunne which might be the occasion that he with all his power should passe into Grecia and to tarrie her with him thether to be crowned Empres of Grecia séeming by those meanes the knight of the Sunne shall be constrained to doe perforce y â— before he wold not by his frée will the which she put in vre according vnto her thought And as many times the Emperour her father came into her closet to visit comfort her whereas she continuallie remained and neuer went abroâ—e vpon a daie when that hée was fullest of griefe comforting her whose sorrow pricked him to the verie heart for the greate loue hée bare vnto her The Princesse shedding many teares from her christaline eies said It is lost labour my Lord and Father for to comfort or giue anie consolation vnto this vnhappie and vnfortunate Damsell your Daughter for that thers is nothing that can remedie nor helpe mée but onelie the death the which if the high Gods were so pleased were so high â—ee that I could not make an end of this my speaking for that death were a great deale better vnto mee than to liue for to feele and suffer so great an iniurie as thaâ— which the â—nighâ— of the Sunne hath done against you and mee for if you my Lord would consider thereof as is right and reason you woulde leaue off comâ—orting of your Daughter and 〈◊〉 by all meanes that this our reproch may bée 〈◊〉 wherewith if pâ—esencâ—ie I should depart out of this world I should gâ—e with comfort but of the 〈…〉 that from their high Throâ—e they â—ill yeelâ—e 〈…〉 seeing that you doe so little esteâ—me it 〈◊〉 should other Damselles of base birth looke for 〈◊〉 that a Damsell of so high estate as I am 〈◊〉 oweth participate with the diuine 〈◊〉 of the hâ—gh Gods and being 〈◊〉 by one alone 〈…〉 griefe of her great wrong nor anie that will take vpon him to aunswere the quarrell With great reason therefore from this daie forwardes may your vassalles and subiectes take heart at grasse and bée bolde to rise vp against you seeing that you will put vp such an iniurie and euill proffer done against you by one alone Knight and an enimie vnto your lawe and will suffer mée that am your Daughter to liue without reuengement My Lord and Father I praie you beholde and consider your high estate which is such that all the kinges and Lordes of the Orient are obedient at your commandement and seruice and doeth honour and reuerence you as a parent and kinsman vnto the immortall Gods and if now you doe dissemble this great iniurie which vnto you and mée hath béene committed without making cruell reuengement you shall neither bée feared nor estéemed but had in lesse reputation than héeretofore you haue béene and your honour ouerthrowne from the throne which your predecessours vntill this present daie hath maintained and vpholden And that which séemeth to bée worst of all is that the diuine prouidence will féele and acknowledge part of this great iniurie the which I do most earnestlie praie and desire that they doe not execute against you their wrath in that you haue neglected to take reuengement For this cause onelie hath the diuine Gods giuen vnto you this high estate exalting and placing you aboue all other that are in the world because you should execute iustlie héere vpon the earth as they haue ordained in their diuine Consistorie This faire Damsell had not so soone concluded these her wordes when that the Emperour her Father vnderstanding the effect of her â—omplaint with great griefe and sorrowe vnto his heart béeing full of anger and wrath arose vp and laide his hand vpon his head as vpon a precious relike and said these wordes following Héere I doe sweare vnto thée by this sacred head and by the diuine Deitie that I doe participate of the immortall Gods for to goe with all my power into Grecia and in reuengement of this great iniurie to mée done I will destroie the Emperour Trebatio and giue a cruell and dishonoured death vnto his wife and children and crowne thée my daughter for Empresse of that Empire So with this conclusion without speaking anie moe words hee went forth of her Closet and calling together certaine of his counsaile he concluded that a Parliament shoulde bée proclaimed throughout all his kingdomes and dominions commaunding all Kinges Princes and Nobles of the same to come vnto the sayd Parliament in paine of death Lykewise hée
battaile were greatlie amazed and iudged it to bee equall vnto that combat which before hee had with Rosicleer his Brother Likewise the Emperour Trebatio and all those high Princes and knightes that were with him dyd not a little meruaile at the great bountie of that straunge knight saying that hée shewed himselfe to bée one of the valiauntest knightes that was to bée found in all the worlde for that hée had so long sustained battayle against the knight of the Sunne and Rosicleer who was at a windowe next vnto the Emperour his Father with the Princesse Oliuia with greate admiration dyd beholde the battaile and as one that had well experimented the strength and force of his brother dyd greatlie prayse the straunge knight for that he dyd so weâ—l defende himselfe agaynst him yet hée sayde God deliuer mée from the furie of my Brother It is now foure houres since the battayle beganne and now is the time that his wrath will bâ—gin to kindle then is there no resistance to be made against his last blowes So when Rosicleer had sayde these wordes it was not long after that it fell out true as hée had sayde for beeing more than foure houres since the beginning of the battaile at such time as the Sunne woulde sette the knight of the Sunne seeing that the daie woulde passe awaie in such sort hée beganne to rage and burne with ire that séemed vnto his aduersarie that his force dyd renâ—e and augment and that hée beganne the battayle a freshe for that his blowes were such and so thicke that manye times it made him to loose his remembraunce so that at that time the battaile was more terrible and cruell than it was all the daie before yet neuerthelesse the straunge knight was such that hée abated not one pointe of his mightie and soueraigne force but with renued strength hée so charged the knight of the Sunne that many times hée was without all hope of the victorie In this sorte the battayle remained in ballaunce almost all the daie without knowing anie vauntage betwâ—â—t them tilâ— such time as the Sunne had left his orisent and the night beganne to appeare then the straunge knight began to ware wearie and little and little his strength did abate in such sort that it was well seene that he had not the courage that hee had at the first for that hée lift vppe his armes with great paine and his swoorde turned in his hande the which was cleane contrarie to the knight of the Sunne who at that present was more stout and couragious than at the beginning and in such sorte dyd laye vppon his aduersarie that as one amazed he chased him rounde about the place but hée séeing that the vauntage of that combat was on his parte and how the straunge knight was the best knight that euer hée met withall next vnto his Brother Rosicleer hée withdrewe himselfe and lefte off his striking in such sorte that the straunge knight might take ayre and breath himselfe which was the occasion that after he returned vnto the battayle he shewed himselfe so valyaunt and strong that it séemed the daye woulde cleane passe awaie before the battayle woulde bée ended if they had let them alone but Medea who was meruailouslie in loue with the straunge knight as shée was beholding this braue battayle all daie thought it impossible for her knight to haue there anie victorie and béeing verie desirous to part them shée went vnto the Emperour and requested him for that the night â—yd approch for to commaunde that the knightes shoulde cease their battayle for that they hadde the next day following at their commandement for to conclude the same Then the Emperour who esteemed much of the straunge knight with great desire that the battaile might not come to conclusion for feare of euil withdrew himself from the window and descended into the great Court whereas he mounted vpon a mightie horse being accompanied with all those high Princes and knights he went vnto the place whereas those knightes made their combat and putting himselfe betwéene them he sayd Worthie and valiant knightes I doe most heartelie desire you y â— for this time you would cease and leaue off your battaile for that it is now night and neither of you hath hetherto lost anie point or iot of your honours Then came thether also the faire Medea mounted vpon her palfray and put her selfe in the middest of them and sayde Héere openlie I doe professe and saie that I hold my selfe verie well contented with the prowesse of my knight and I doe set him frée at libertie of the promise that he made vnto me in reuengeing of the death of Raiartes my Father without anie other condition I will straight waies receiue him for my husband So when the Emperour and Medea had sayde these wordeâ— the knight of the Sunne did straight waies withdrawe himselfe for that he did verie much estéeme of the strange knight saying that it was great pleasure vnto him to obey their commandement and not to contend for the end of that battaile Then the strange knight when he sawe the Emperour in the midst betwixt them also heard the words which Medea had spoken séeing that it could be no otherwise also withdrew himselfe although it was with great sorrow anger griefe for that he had rather haue ben slaine in that battaile than to escape with life So when that their battell was separated the knight of the Sunne went vnto the strange knight with determination to be his friend and to knowe him and being verie nigh vnto him readie for to speake the strange knight without the hearing of anie other sayd O Traitor and false Pagan how doth God permit that the earth doth sustaine thée Sâ—e that thou doest returne hether againe to morrowe in the morning for that héere in this place I will abide thy comming and will neuer depart from hence till I haue bereft thée of thy life for that it is against the diuine prouidence thou shouldest liue anie longer to deceiue others The strange knight had not well concluded these wordes whan that in his spech and vtterance of words as also in his proporcion gentill demeâ—â—or the knight of the Sun did know of a very certaintie that it shoulâ— be the royall Princes Claridiana for whome he had passed so great sorow and griefe theu knowing her and considering of the cruell and râ—gorous battaile that he made with her and being by her knowen and defyed he receiued so great sorow and griefe at his heart that he fell in a sâ—â—nd and cleane from all remembrance wherewith he fell from his Horse to the earth Then the Emperour and all the princes knights that were with him not knowing the occasion of that sodaine alteration but being greatly amazed to see that sodain â—al alighted from their horses toke him vp in their armes and pulled of his healme that he might receiue aire but it did little profit for that
the Sunne the which séemed vnto the Empresse to be a good occasion and coulour for her to enter into Grecia and to defie the knight of the Sunne she would not discouer her selfe vnto Medea but did dissemble with her saying that â—he did her great pleasure therein and would straight waies depart for Grecia But Medea who was meruailously in loue with her and loth to leaue her sayd that she would beare her companie for that she would be present to sée her make the battaile with the knight of the Sunne The Empresse was verie glad thereof and betwixt them was appointed the time of their departure So after that she had remained ther two daies they went to sea and ariued in Grecia and came vnto the citie of Constantinople in the order as you heard before In the meane time that they were in the forrest after the battaile made with the knight of the Sunne Medea was still deceiued beleeuing that the Empresse had bene a knight and for that they should remaine there all that night after they had supped with certaine vittailes brought thether by her damsels Medea did neuer â—eace requiring the Empresse of loue offering her selfe to be her wife and said that she would take her to be her husband without any other consideration and that it was not her will that she should returne any morâ— to combat with the knight of y e Sunne at the which words the Empresse would haue laughed very much if the great griefe which she had receued in her heart would haue consented to the same but by reason that one waye her minde was occupied in considering what she was of her selfe and to be forgotten for an other damsell And againe calling to remembrance in what estate the knight of the Sunne remained at their departure out of Constantinople she was so full of anguish sorow and griefe that she little minded the amorous words y â— Medea spake vnto her neither could the wrath and anger that she conceiued against the knight of the Sunne doe so much but that y â— loue which was printed within her heart could doe much more and caused her to repent her selfe for that which she had done and to receiue great griefe for y â— estate in the which she had left the knight of the Sunne Likewise in that she had proued his mightie force and courage her loue did so double and increase that she thought verely that there was not in the whole world but he alone that dyd deserue her to be his wife which was the occasion that her griefe was y â— more by reason that she was without all hope And it is to be belâ—â—ued as the wise Liâ—gandeo saith that there was neuer sorow of a damsel for loue equall vnto this of the royall Empresse Claridiana for that she séeing her selfe to be without compariâ—on as well in beautie fairâ—nesse as in all other graces which should be in a gentlewoman likewise in bloud and highnes none did passe her and séeing that a knight whome she did loue with all her heart and with whome she alonely might marrie confirmable vnto her highnesse and he receiuing her for his owne and now to haue forgotten her and changed her for an other of meaner estate And againe seeing that there remained not in all the world a Prince nor knight that is worthiâ— of her louâ— so that the had iâ—st cause to receue grief and sorow more then any other and as her cause is great so much more should her griefe be in especiall hauing as she had so excelent and cleare vnderstaÌ„ding for to conceiue the same So with this mortall anguish doth the Historie 〈◊〉 her Medea for to tell you of the knight of the Sun which was in his bedde How the knight of the Sunne came againe vnto himselfe and as one desperate for the battaile that he had with the Empresse Claridiana he departed the court of the Emperour Trebaâ—o Chap. 〈◊〉 GReat part of y â— night was the knight of the Sunne so farre out of all remembraunce that it séemed to be mortall till such time as was passed the dolour of his senses the which y â— sodaine griefe did cause vnto him and transported vnto a verie â—ound swete sléepe in such sorte â—hat all men did sée that he slept verie qâ—â—ietlie which was the occasion that the Emperour and those high Princes and knights went to take their restes and leâ—â— him all alone with his two squires Biniano and Aurelio In this order he â—lâ—pt a while and being past midnight he dremed that he was in battaile as the day before with the which he awaked and started vs as one that was scared but when he saw him selfe in his bed and by him certaine torches burning he straight way called to remembrance the battaile that he had had with the strange knight and how that it was his iâ—â—stresse the Empresse Claridâ—ana The remembraunce whereof did cause so great sorow and griefe that as a furious man and one from himselfe he threw all the clothes from him and arose vp from his bed and â—inding his apparell he put them on and began to arme himselfe without y â— hâ—lp of anie till such time as his squires wâ—â—â—ere a sléepe with the noyse thereof did awake and séeing what their Lord did with great meruaile they asked him why he did arme himselfe but the knight of the Sun made them no aunswere but made hast to be armed Theâ— they séeing that he made no accompt of their 〈…〉 and did helpe him till that he was wholly 〈…〉 being done he commaâ—nded 〈…〉 horse in a readinesse and â—o bring him 〈…〉 the pallace who séeing his Lord with so 〈…〉 durst not aske him any other question but 〈…〉 and went and made his horse in a redinesse and 〈…〉 were sadled and brydled and brought to the pallace gate the knight of the Sunne descended out of his 〈…〉 when he saw the horse of his squires 〈…〉 asked Biniano wherefore he had 〈…〉 owne who aunswered him and 〈…〉 with him I will none of 〈…〉 there shall none of you goe with 〈…〉 you remaine here with the 〈…〉 may gâ—atifie you for the gread good 〈…〉 vnto 〈◊〉 for that I dâ—e goâ— thether 〈…〉 haue no power to doe you anie good neither 〈…〉 whether euer I shall returne againe into this 〈…〉 no anie more When his squires heard him saye these wordes sor the great good will that they did heare him they began to lament and wéepe for verie griefe and their teares were so great that almost they could not speake yet Aâ—â—cho sake at such time as our father did giue vs vnto you to be our Lorde he did not giue vs for that you should make vs either Kings or Lords neither to giue vs anie recompence for our seruice for that he did not know you as then to be sâ— noble a prince but a trauailing knighâ— but his gift of vs vnto you was onely to serue you and
â—â—at We 〈◊〉 take you for our Lord all the daies of our 〈…〉 of any other reward but to learne of you good maners and conditions and new séeing it is so we doe 〈…〉 praye and desirs you that you would not leaue vs 〈◊〉 tute of your campanie with this excuse y â— you haue told vs for that we had rather die with you in what place soeuer it be then to haue all that the Emperour our Lord can giue vs and we shall haue great reason to complaine of you if that in the ende of so long time that we haue bene in your séruice you will leaue vs for surely our father will think no other occasion which driueth you to leaue vs but onely that we are not for to serue you With no lesse 〈◊〉 then Aurelio his brother Biniano said as much vnto the knight of the Sunne desiring him that he would think well of them and to take them with him in his companie who when he saw their great â—â—portunatie without speaking any word he mounted vpon his Horse and departed out of the pallace and his squires followed him and being foorth of the Citie they made so great haste in their trauaile that when the daie did breake they were a great waie of from Constantinople and fearing that some would follow after them they left the high waie and put themselues into a faire gréene fresh forest meruaâ—lously full of trées and in a part of the wildernesse of Grecia verie famous and notaâ—â—â— as well for the mightinesse thereof as to be verie plaine for that in one huÌ„dreth myles trauailing you could not finde anie one mountaine or hill the which was verie fresh and delightfull full of orchards and gardines and thick trées that few times they that doth enter into the same can finde the way out againe And trauailing in the same this valiant knight with his heart so furious and full of sorow griefe and anger that he thought it would breake within his bodie His squires séeing him so full of anguish and griefe they kept themselues a good waie behinde him for feare of his wrath and displeasure but he was so peâ—sâ—ue and heauie in his heart and minde that his Horse carryed him at his pleasure for that he made no accompt to rule him to the one side nor vnto the other and as he rode all alone in these pensine cogitations as you before haue heard they heard him saie as followeth OH traytor and false knight whether doest thou goe and what dost thou â—éeke how is it thâ—at thou doest now liue in the world hauing committed so great treason Oâ— earth why doest thou not open and swallow me vp into thy profoundnesse for that such a traitor as I am doth not delexue other sepulchre Oh if it were Gods will that thou diddest now open and that all the foure Glements might fall together vpon me as the fire did against Aleâ—bâ—atlâ—s the good Captaine of Grecia and the aire and water as against Pompeyo being drowned in the deep seas of Aegypt Alexander horne in Epiro and drowned in the â—iuer Lucano Likewise that the earth might bée against me as it was against him who with a great and mightie armie was drowned â—n the sants Oh high and coniealed cloudes how swéete and in peaceable sorte shoulde â—ound in my eares the timerous noise of your wonderfull and sodaine thunders if that from them might descend vpon me the beames of burning fire as they did descend vpon Carro Emperor of Rome in the wars of Tigre and vpon Hostiâ—â—o king of the Romanes who béeing in his pallace was slaine by two sodaine lightninges Oh that my force and strength were so contrarie now vnto me as was the force of Milo and that this my horse might drawe mée through this forrest or that by some other occasion I might end my life so that I dyd it not my selfe for the safegard of my soule and when that all these disasters dooth faile mée then doe I desire God that my wittes may faile me and my vnderstanding as did Hercules and Aiax Telamon the Gréeke for y â— I being mad furious as they were might not féele my misfortune and vnhappie lot What is he in all the world that euer felt anie anguish sorrow and griefe that may be compared vnto mine What shall I doo and whether shall I goe Why should I liue anie longer vpon the earth for that I haue not alonelie bene a traitour vnto my Ladie and mistres but also as a mortall enimie I haue laid vpon her with my sword What misfortune may happen worse vnto me than this to sée her desire my death in whome standeth all the state of my life yet haue I committed against her so great euill and errour that shée hath iust cause to procure my death and I lacke of reason for to excuse me but now séeing that it is so that I am abhorred of my Ladie I will not kill my selfe for the safegard of my soule lyke a faithfull Christian but I will thether whereas none shall know nor heare anie newes of me whether I hée aliâ—ie or dead yea there whereas the brute beasts cannot liue for that so false and distoiall a man as I am deserueth not to liue whereas they do receiue comfort of the Sun and the swéetnesse of the aire So saying these and many other things this good knight trauailed being verie furious not desiring anie other thing but wherein it might cost him his life And as he trauailed a space in this sort and being entered a good waie into the wildernesse looking before him that waie which his horse carried him he sawe come forth out of a narrow path from amongst a bushment of thicke trées a mightie bigge knight mounted vpon a mightie horse all armed in blacke armour so bigge membred that he lacked little to be a Gyant and as hée drew nigh vnto him hée sawe that hée carryed his â—eauer lift vp and that he was of so furious semblaunce and braue countenaunce and by his bigge stature and well proportioned members hée séemed to bée verie valiant and séeing him come in this manner he sayde within himselfe Oh that my fortune were such that this whom I now méete were that Milo or that mightie Hercules or some other of no lesse force strength and valiantnesse than they that might so â—orment my strength in such sorte that this my bodie so disâ—oial might remaine in these fieldes for â—oode vnto the brute beasts but my soule into the place of ease in eternall glorie for whome it was created In saying these wordes this bigge knight merâ—ailing verie much at the braue and gentle disposition of the knight of the Sunne dyd staie his mightie horse and beholding him hée sayd Tell mée Knight art thou by fortune of the court of the Emperour â—rebatio I am sayde the knight of the Sunne Then tell me if thou commest from thence if there remaineth a knight that is called the
he wrote vnto him Soâ— Rosicleer tooke the charge vppon him for to dispatâ—h the Dainsell vnto whome the Empresse his Mother gaue many rich and precious iewells And he wrote vnto the wise man a letter in the name of the Emperour such a one that he receued great pleasure in the sight thereof So after that this Damsell was departed from the Citie within fewe dayes after the prince Clauerindo departed for France and Baâ—gandel for Bohemia and the other princes euery one into his owne countrie Then the good king Sacridoro at such time as hée shoulde depart towards his Countrie hee went to take his leaue of his great friend Rosicleer who as vnto the best friende hee had in the worlde did embrace him and not without shedding of many teares he sayd Ah my good friends I had thought that all my euill fortunes had bene concluded that you might haue gone as is great reason to haue taken your rest and ease whereas you haue béene so long looked for of that worthie â—â—éene Oriselua but now I sée my fortune to be such that whâ—â— a man doth thinke himselfe to bée at most quietnesse aâ—d ease then doth shée beginne a new to giue mee troubles to that new I haue more néede of your helpe and aide thâ—n heeretofâ—â—e desiring of God to gratifie you for the same for that of my selfe I am not able and hee doth well 〈◊〉 how â—â—â—uous it is to mée as now to leaue your 〈…〉 considering the state of all thinges it is 〈…〉 I should be absent one daie from the Court Then the good king Sacridoro with great loue dyd embrace Rosicleer and sayd My good Lorde in nothing can fortune shew her selfe more fauourable vnto me than to ofâ—er occasion wherein I may imploie the good will that I haue to serue you onelie to paie parte of that wherein I am so greatlie bound vnto you and these which you doe call misfortunes are vnto mee good and happie fortunes as well to haue occasion not to loose your companie so soone which is so acceptable vnto me as also the more for the extolling of your fortune and my good Lorde you ought not so greatlie to 〈◊〉 that thinges should so fall out to make you carefull and put your friendes to trouble for that béeing your Father and brother and you of so great highnesse of puâ—e force you shoulde shew your selfe stout against enuie and enimie vnto them of the worlde for that the most highest Pine 〈◊〉 are more assaulted of the windes than the other lowe trâ—es and the highest mountaines more subiect vnto the thundering and tempests that are conicaled in the Clowdes Thus these and many other thinges passed betwéene these two good and perfect friendes till such times as with many teares they tooke their leaue the one of the other So after that the king Sacridoro had taken his leaue of the Emperour the Empresse and of all the rest of his friends hée departed out of the mightie Citie of Constantinople and comming to the sea side he dyd embarke himselfe in a good shippe and made saile towards the kingdome of Antiochia and Rosicleer remained in great solitarinesse for lacke of his companie for that the loue which hée bare vnto him was verie greate who séeing how much it did touch him that which shoulde happen although his father the Emperour Trebatio with great diligence did vnderstand in the prouiding of all things necessarie He likewise on the other part did all that euer he could for to ioyne together the armie and in writing vnto his friends giuing them to vnderstand of the great néede that he had of them But the absence of the knight of the Sunne was vnto him verie grieuous for that he would not that at that time he should bée absent from the Court and for to tel you what passed with him the Hystorie doth leaue the other till time How the knight of the Sunne came forth of the wildernes of Grecia and sailing by sea was by a mightie storme carried vnto the solitarie Iland whereas was the diuellish Fauno Chap. 14. VVIth great sorrow griefe did this Historie leaue the knight of the Sun trauailing through that wide long thicke wildernesse of Grecia after that he had made the battaile with Brandimardo in the which he trauailed many daies and could neuer find the waie out in which time there happened vnto him many great and notable aduentures the which the author doth leaue to rehearse for to make short this first part So after a good while that the knight of the Sunne had trauailed in that wildernesse alone with his two Squires in the end he came vnto the sea side whose fortune was such that at the same instant there was come a land out of a boat certaine Mariners y â— came to séeke fresh water for a ship that was at the sea a good waie from the land in the which ship was to the number of thirtie knights that came from the Iland of Candâ—a and were bound vnto Mâ—fia which is now called Transiluania vnto certaine triumphs and feasts that were there ordained and as the Mariners were returning for to imbarke themselues the knight of the Sun did request them to receiue him into their boate for y â— it stood him 〈◊〉 vppon to passe into y â— Country The Mariners séeing him of so gentle disposition wel armed they durst not say to the â—entrarie but said they were verie well content therewith So this good knight did alight from his horâ—e also his squires and entered into the boate with their horses the which being done the Mariners began to row with great force till such time as they came vnto the ship whereas they were verie well receiued of the knights for y â— the comlinesse of his person ioyntlie with the strange riches of his inchanted arâ—â—or caused all them that did beholde him to haue him in great estimation and to giue him the honour that he deserued but when that he did lift vp the beauer of his 〈◊〉 they were all meruailouslie amazed to see how nature had wrought so great perfection in his face Besides all this in his coâ—â—senance he shâ—wed so great grauâ—tie and 〈◊〉 that as he was tall and verie well made that there was 〈◊〉 one as the wise Arteâ—ndoro sayth that euer dyd see him but his heart did alter and waxed timerous And this was 〈◊〉 of the excellentest vertues that was in this Knight thâ—t hée neuer sawe knight in the face although he were a straunger or otherwise knowen that he would 〈◊〉 or make anie euill account of him and this vertue did increase in him from his youth till such time as hée came vnto the perfectnesse of his strength which was at such time as he had battaile with that stout and valiaunt Bramarant as shall bée shewed you in the sequâ—ale of this Hystorie for vntyll that time his force and strength as also the bignesse of his members did dailie increase
So hauing verie good entertainment by the knightes that were in the shippe one of them asked him of whence hée was and he sayde that hée was of Grecia and for that he sayde no more vnto them there was not one of them that asked him anie other questian although it séemed vnto them by his semblance that there was some thing that did trouble and grieue him verie much hée was so heauie Thus they trauailed two daies together with prosperous windes passing awaie the time in the best manner hée could but the third daie there arose a greate torment in so terrible sorte that the shippe wherein they were was in great perill to bée lost The windes dyd increase euerie moment more and more in such furious sort that all the cunning of the mariners did not serue for the gouernment of the ship but were driuen of necessitie for to yéelde her vnto the curtesie of the winde and seas driuing wheresoeuer it pleased them In this sort were they tumbled and tossed with that tempest all that daie and the night following without anie semblaunce of calmenesse and looked euerie minute for to bée cast awaie which put greate feare amongest them all sauing vnto the knight of the Sun who séeing the Sea so troubled and the mightie waues caused by those terrible windes fighting one with another he was not alonelie without all feare but also dyd lyke well thereof and it was agréeable vnto his minde as vnto one that was wearie of his owne lyfe but the next daie following at such time as they were without all hope to escape that danger fortune dyd so serue them that the storme beganne to asswage in such sorte that the Mariners might gouerne their shippe but they found that they were put a great waie leward from the place whether as they were determined to goe and sailing forwards on their iourney they discouered a farre off an Iland and out of the middest thereof they might perceiue ascend vp into the aire at times great flames and sparkes of fire with a terrible darke and thicke smoake as though they hadde béene burning of some drie things And when they came nigh vnto the same Ilande the knights were all desirous to goe there a land for to ease and refresh themselues for that they were out of quiet with the storme passed but the Marriners knowing the Iland haled iackes aboord and ran of from the land all that euer they could crying out saying they would not go thether for that it was the Iland of the diuell called the solitarie Iland and how that if they went thether they should all die the death When the knights of Candia heard these wordes they were all greatlie amazed for they hadde heard before time verie much of that Iland But the knight of the Sun who was inclined by his valiant heart to attempt high mightie things with great desire for to sée what it was that they so greatlie feared he asked of the Mariners wherefore they called that the Iland of the Diuell and why they feared so much the death if they should go thether And although all the knights that were there present had heard verie much of the great perill and daunger of that Iland yet there was none that could declare the certaintie thereof but an olde Pilot that came as passenger in the same shippe who had heard the whole truth thereof by certaine men which lefte the sayd Iland in respect of the great daunger and he séeing that the knight of the Sunne had great desire to knowe the mysterie therof in the presence of all the knights that were there present began to declare the same as followeth YOu shall vnderstand gentle Knight that this Ilande was called in times past the Ilande of Artimaga for that it was gouerned by a woman so called who was so abhominable and euill that neuer the lyke was séene nor heard of amongst women for that after she came vnto the age of fiftéene yéeres vntill the time of her death which was more than thirtie yéeres shée neuer beléeued in God but in the diuell and there was no daie that passed ouer her head but she sawe the diuell in the figure of a man and had talke and conuersation with her as though he had bene her husband and she did euerie daie twice humble her selfe vnto him and did worship him The father and mother of this Artimaga were verie euill and peruerse being Lords and gouernours of this Iland at their death they left this Artimaga of the age of ten yéeres little more or lesse and for that there was no heire male at their decease she was forthwith accepted for Ladie and gouernesse of the whole Iland who when she sawe that she was absolute of her selfe and all in her disposition she gaue her selfe so much vnto all the 〈◊〉 and viâ—es of this worlde that for her abhominable sinnes and wickednesse God dyd permit that when this Artimaga came vnto the age of fiftéene yéeres shée was deceiued with the diuell and would neuer consent vnto marriage for that shée would not submit her selfe vnder the obedience of her husband but yet she had more than thirtie gallants at her commaundement and had a great delight to chaunge euerie yéere so many more and with the greate conuersation that she had continuallie with the diuell she came to bée so wise and cunning in the art Magicke that there was none in all her time although hée were neuer so cunning that might bee compared vnto her Shée vsed so many and diuerse sortes of inchauntmentes that all those of the Iland dyd feare her verie much and although her abhominable and horrible liâ—e séemed verie euill vnto them all yet durst they doe no other thing but to obey her for their Ladie and gouernesse It so fell out that this cursed woman was neuer brought to bedde nor neuer was with childe although in consideration thereof many times shée woulde not for the space of two or thrée moneths together vse the companie but onelie of one man for the which shée receiued great sorrowe and griefe at her verye heart in séeing that shée coulde not haue anie issue of her bodie that might succéede her in the Lordshippe of that Ilande and many times when shée was in companie with the Diuell shee dyd complayne verie much thereof praying him earnestlie with greate deuotion to doe so much for her that she might haue a sonne with whom she might comfort her selfe and put some remedie vnto the great sorrowe which she receiued at her heart for lacke thereof Then the deceitfull diuell full of pollicie enimie vnto all humaine generatioÌ„ hauing great desire to bring vnto ende that euill fortuned woman the more surer to make his pray vpon her soule bethought himselfe of a meruailous euâ—ll and sayde that vnto that time he would not consent that she should haue any generation in consideration that she loued him so wel he wold not that she should conceiue by
all those y â— haue anie notice of this Iland doe not onelie refuse to land vppon it but also they dare not come nigh it with their ships for that many times this possessed Fauno hath ben séene enter into the sea a great stones cast when that anie ship or barke were nigh the shore and if that by misfortune those vnhappie trauailers doe fall into his hands there is none that escapeth with their lius for that with the horne that he hath in his forehead at one only blow he teareth a ship in péeces then after with his strong armes and vnmercifull téeth he rents teares in péeces all that is before him and there is no strength of man nor armour so strong that can withstand his â—urie for that his hoarie skin is of so great hardnes y â— it is not possible for anie weapon to enter it This is y â— occasion gentle knight y â— this Iland is so much spoken of and so feareful vnto all sailers that passeth this waie and why it is called the Iland of the diuell and that fire which we doe sée with that thicke smoake that ascendeth into the aire is all that which procéedeth out of the terrible and horrible mouth of that diuellish Fauno for that it is full of infernall diuells By this you may iudge what the monster should be that throweth from him such wonderfull and terrible infections This worthie knight of the Sun at this discourse of the olde Pilot was greatly amazed and so were all the knights of Candia that came in the same ship the which thing seemed vnto them to be one of the straungest that euer happened in all the world yet the straungenesse thereof was not so terrible vnto all the rest of the hearers as it gaue great desire vnto the valiant worthie knight of the Sun to go a land at that Iland and to goe and seeke out that possessed Fauno for that the hearing thereof did not cause anie feare or dread in his couragious heart as he who for such like attempts aboue all other stout knights was created did litle estéeme the venturing of his life whereas the honour and glorie of such worthinesse is put in aduenture and in especiall in that time abhorring himselfe in consideration of his fact he was so furious and desperate that he neither feared nor dreaded the entrie into hell much lesse the Iland Thus he béeing fullie determined to goe a land called vnto him Aurelio and Biniano his squires and calling them apart in shedding many salt teares which ranne down his graue countenance he sayd these wordes My good friends God doth know what great griefe it is vnto me for to declare this which I haue to saie and what sorrow I doe féele at my heart before I doe vtter it not so much for that it doth touch me although my misfortune aboue al other in the world is most strangest as it is for that I doe sée at such time as I should doe some thing for you to giue you reward for your great good seruice done vnto me I am constrained to abandon and leaue you alone without any hope euer to sée you more this is the thing that doth so grieue me ioyntlie to consider how my losse will bée lamented of my father and mother my brother and all my friends that to declare it my tongue doth faile mee Ah my good friends you shall vnderstand that my departure out of Constantinople was for no other intent but for to leaue the worlde and for to goe whereas I might shorten my daies and thether whereas it might not bée knowen vnto anie whether I be aliue or dead for that my euill fortune is such that it doeth not atcomplish mée for to liue anie longer héere amongest men and in consideration heereof I dyd at our departure so much request you that you should haue remained with the Emperour my Father for that he and my brother Rosicleer might reward you for the great seruice done vnto me for that I am not able to doe it and being at that time so much importuned by you that by anie meanes I could not leaue your companie but now the time is come that my sorrowfull destinie hath permitted that from this daie forwardes I am constrained to leaue you and to make reckoning that of you nor of my father and brother I was neuer knowen The occasion therof I will not declare vnto you for that alonelie my hart who doth suffer the inconuenience shal know it But thus much I will saie vnto you that if the perill in loosing of my soule did not disturbe me I haue sufficient cause to giue my selfe a thousand deaths with my owne handes and for that my life is so heauie and grieuous vnto mée and that my force strength is not sufficient for to suffer the same I am determined for to go a land on this Iland of y â— Fauno and there to end my vnhappie daies and if it so fall out fortune to be fauourable vnto me in that I do ouercome and kil the monster I shall doe great seruice vnto God in taking out of the world a thing so fierce and abhominable then afterwarde shall that Iland be verie solitarie and fit for my purpose where I meane to end my sorrowfull daies And if my fortune be such that I die in the power of the Fauno as sure I am that I owe a death then shall I there paie the death that is due vnto this my mortall bodie and the debt that is due vnto this vnhappie and troublesome world Therefore my good friends I doe most heartelie desire you for the great good loue which you dyd alwaies beare vnto me that at this present you will shew it to be more than héeretofore and to be conformable vnto my will and to thinke well of this my pretence and to haue patience and perswade with your selues in this my departure and to comfort your selues in that it is a great griefe vnto me for to leaue you and to conclude the lyfe of man is briefe and short and full of miserie and anguish and I praie and beséech the vniuersall creator that we may in the other world with more ioy quietquietnesse and pleasure So my will is that after I am departed you go with these knights vnto Transiluania and from thence to returne into Grecia and there to establysh your selues with the Emperour my father without giuing him to vnderstand of anie thing that hath happened vnto me since my departure out of the mightie Citie of Constantinople but saie that you lost me in the wildernesse of Grecia and remaine with him for that I am sure that hée and my brother Rosicleer will doe as much for you as though I were there my selfe and if at anie time by fortune you doe méete with the Empresse Claridiana you shall saye vnto her that at such time as I departed from you I left your companie for that I went out
contencion and the Rinoceront with the Crocadil the Egle with the Estridge the Elephant with the Minotauro and one man with an other and that which is worst women against men besides all these the continual wars and contencions that is amongst vs for that we haue the perills of death continuallie before our eyes What a number of things there is that doth put vs in great ieperdie threaten vs euerie moment vnto death the earth doeth open against vs the water doth drown vs y â— fier doth burne vs the aire doth disteÌ„per vs the winter doth runne through vs the suÌ„mer doth trouble vs with heate dogges doth bite vs Spiders doth poison vs Gnats doth pricke vs Flies doth ouerpresse vs Serpents doth â—eare vs and aboue all trauailes and cares doth ouer watch vs none can goe with securitie vpon y â— earth for y t euery pace men doth fiue stones to stumble at bridges wherof they fall brookâ—s wheras they are drowned hills froÌ„ whence they tuÌ„ble be ouerthrowne thunder cracks y â— maketh them afraide déepe 〈◊〉 that doth stay their passage thundeâ— bolts that both kill them And now séeing that both land and sea be all full of perâ—lls and whether so euer we doe flie death will ouertake 〈◊〉 I will say no more vnto you but that I am determined to goe a land on the Iland of the Fauno â—or I had rather die wheras I doe aduenture to get honor making my defence with my sword in my hand like a knight then to be drowned in the Sea or to kéepe my bed with sicknesse therefore my good friends I doe desire you to hoyse out your bote on y e water and procure no further to disturbe mée in this my pretence for that I will not let to accomplish this my desire â—or any thing that is in all the world and these my squires I pray you to carrie them with you and not to let them to folow mée neither to giue theÌ„ any ship or bote for y t their deathes shal be vnto mée much more greuous then mine owne Uerie autentiue were all the knights of Candia and the olde pilot vnto all that which the knight of the Sunne had said by the which they iudged him to be discreete wise by the vttering of his words as also in his semblance they iudged him to be valiant wherein he shewed so great grauitie of his person that ther was not one amongst them all that durst speak any more vnto him in y â— matter neither to disturbe him of his will determined purpose for that ther was not any that could say any thing vnto him but that he vnderstode it better thâ—n they yet they sâ—â—ing the perill he put himselfe in they all greued verie much thereat in such sorte that with their wéepings they coâ—ld scare speake but in especiall his two Squires who hauing heard all his speache and sawe the resolute determination of theyr Lord did beate their heads against the shippes sides and gaue such shrickes and cries as though they had bene cut of their wits and although the knight of the Sunne did comfort them with many swéete louing words yet all would not serue for the more he spake vnto them the more did increase their sorow and griefe Then he séeing that all which he did did little profit to goe with their good wills how y â— the longer he staied the worse it was he desired the mariners to hoise the boate into the sea who were not willing therevnto the which being by him perceiued as one which had as great forcâ— strength as anie man in all the world he tooke the boate in both his hands and without the helpe of anie other he hoised it into the sea and caused his horse to be put therein the which being done he would haue taken his leaue of theÌ„ all but his squires when they saw that he would depart they gaue such shrickes and cries that it séemed the noyse to reach vnto the heauens and fell downe at his féete shedding so manie teares that it was great compassion to behold theÌ„ desiring him that he would not leaue them in so great heauinesse and for that it was so manifest that he went to loose his life that he would take theÌ„ in his companie for to dye with him for y â— his life was no longer then he abode in their companie They complained verie much of him for paying theÌ„ with such reward after so long time that they had serued him but the griefe of this good knight was such for his two squires that with the great aboundance of teares that fell from his eyes he could scant speake vnto them one worde especiallie considering with what intencion he departed which was neuer to sée them againe in all his life neither returne anie more into Grecia for that he was determined if God did giue him victorie against the Fauno to remaine in that solitarie Ilande and there to ende his daies But for that he loued his squires verie well and likewise knowing the great loue that they bare vnto him his heart was readie to burst in péeces for to apart himselfe from them Likewise all those knights of Candia and y e olde pilot did labour all that euer they could for to breake him of his purpose but all would not serue and he séeing that his tarrying did him no profit he went vnto the shippes side and with a light heart he leapt into the boate and taking the oares in his handes he began to rowe towards the Ilande leauing so great sorow griefe amongst all them that were in the shippe that there was not one of them but wept bitterlie to see him depart in that sorte as one desperate to receiue a cruell death and being a knight that seemed vnto them all not to haue his lyke in all the world yet all the griefe which they receiued was nothing vnto that of his squires when they sawe their lorde depart who like desperate men would haue throwne themselues into the sea if those knights had not lette them and seemed vnto them to be true and loyal vnto their lord and of a good disposition so with the great care that they had of them they did kéepe them from destroying theÌ„selues After this good knight was departed within a shorte space he ariued at the Iland and those of the ship lost sight of him but there were some of the shippe that saide that it were good to tarrie ther a few daies for to sée what should become of him to whome the pilot saide that it was great follie so to doe for two causes the one for that he was certaine so soone as the knight should come a land with a trice he should be torne all to péeces by that diuelish Fauno so that it were lost labour to abyde anie more newes of him and the other for that all they should be in great perill of their liues if that
the Fauno should discouer the shippe and before that we could doe anie thing for to saile from him he would ouertake vs and giue vs all cruell deathes as he hath done to manie others heretofore In conclusion at these words the knights consented not to â—â—aie but to departe and according vnto the great feare which they receued they thought they tarried to long but the two squires when they saw that they departed and caryed them in their companie leauing their Lord in so great perill it cannot be declared the great complaints that they made requesting y â— knights and pylot for to carrie them vnto the Ilande wherewith they should receiue great contentment and be ioyfull but all their requestes were in vaine for that they would not consent that they should dye so desperate a death as also for the great peâ—ill which should be vnto them all they would not consent therevnto wherewith these good squires were so desperate that if time had serued them therevnto they would haue throwen themselues into the sea and by swimming as well as they could they would haue gon to the Iland of the Fauno but the knights caused them to be kept in the shippe and put into a cabin and locked the dore and caryed them in their companie till in the ende of certaine daies they ariued at Transiluania whereas they did disembarke themselues and went a â—and but the Squires were so leane so féeble for that they would not eate anie thing and againe by shedding of so manie teares that they could scarce stand vpon their féete And now to returne to the knight of the Sunne the Historie maketh no more mencion of them but when they came vnto Transiluania after that they had remained there two daies for to refresh and strengthen themselues they sought an other shippe where in they returned to seeke the Ilande of the diuelish Fauno with determined good will there to dye with their Lorde in which iourney they were taken prisoners so that they could not accomplish their desire as shal be declared vnto you in the processe of this Historie ¶ How the knight of the Sunne ariued at the Iland of the possessed Fauno and of the wonderfull and perillous battaile that he had with him Chap. 15. SO when the knight of the Sunne was departed from the knights of Candia he made such hast in rowing w t his great mightie strength that small bote that in a short space he ariued at the solitarie Iland and surelie it was a thing of great meruaile worthie to be put in memorie all that happened with this valiant and happie knight for one way the water stode in his eies and his heart was reâ—die to breake with soâ—â—w griefe and pittie to sée his Squirâ—s remaine so sorowâ—ull and without all comfort an other waie acknowledging in what peril he was of his life in that iourney and how he went to put himselfe in the greatest perplexitie that euer was man he remâ—mbred and armed himselfe with so great hardinesse courage that he thought the time long till he did sée that diuelish Fauno When that he came a lande he sawe that all the Iland was plaine and verie fragarant and fresh replenished with greene Trées although there appeared manie buildings the which were destroyed and fallen downe to the ground in such sorte that it well appeared that the people that there dwelled to be diuelish and abhoiminable And as he was beholding y e countrie which séemed to be verie good and fertill he straight waies discouered where the diuelish Fauno was yet was he not nigh him but a great waye of neither did he sée him but that which proceeded from him which was an infernall fier which seemed to reach vp vnto the Skies with so great a noyse as though it had thundred and as y â— wise Lirgandeo saith that there was no humane heart of so sufficient courage for to séeke out so terrible and wonderfull attempt as was this of that worthie valiant knight in whose heart neuer entred any feare but with so valiant and couragious a stomacke determined to seeke that mishapen and infernall beast â—ull of so manie legions of diuells And for that he would not that there should remaine any thing that might carrie him out from that Ilande hée drew the bâ—te that brought him thether a lande and with one of the oares with the which he rowed he broke it all to peeces and scattered them abroade alongst the water syde that the force of the waues might carrie awaie the péeces But before he departed from that place where he ariued he fell downe vppon his knées and with manie sorowful sighes triikling teares which ranne downe his chéekes in signe that he was a true and faithfull Christian he sayde as followeth OH soueraigne creator both of heauen and earth without whose good will there is no diuell that hath any power neither without it can men fowles nor brute beastes liue vpon the face of the earth nor be sustained nor gouerned without it the Elements would be confounded the heauens lose their course and naturall mouings The earth would quake and the high and mightie mountaines would fall The waters of the Seas would ouer flow the lande and no liuing thing should finde where to be sustained but thou by thy infinit goodnesse and mercie doest ordaine and sustaine all not for that it is to thée necessarie but for the profit of man Therefore séeing that thou doest vse so great pittie and mercie with them here Lorde I doe desire thée that in this perillous danger thou wouldest not leaue me and if I haue anie desire herein to gette the victory it is not for anie honor nor vaine glorie that I hope to maintaine thereby but onely to haue a little more time for to liue in this dispeopled and solitarie Ilande whereas I may fully repent mée for the life which hetherto I haue lead and for to doe some penance for the euills which I haue committed against thy diuine magestie But if it be thy will that I dye in this trance I doe most hartely desire thée not to looke vpon my sinnes and wickednesse but to haue mercie vpon this my soule which is immortal and by thée created to thy similitude and likenesse for eternal liâ—e and diddest redéeme it with thy most precious bloud the which I pray thée to pardon and to receiue at such time as it doth depart out of this wretched bodie my death doth not greue mée so much as that I haue not time enough to serue thée When this good kâ—â—ght had saide these wordes he arose vp vpon his féete and looking towards that part the which was toward Grecia with deepe profound sighes he saide OH Empresse Claridiana how ioyfull would it be vnto my heart if y â— I did know of certaintie that thou wert acquainted with this my daungerous attempt with the which I am bestead for that seeing that my
Héerein sayd Meridian I am verie well content and am glad that so valiant a Knight as thou art wilt become my friend and héere I doe protest to bée yours and therefore you shall vnderstand that I am called Meridian and am sonne vnto the Emperour Alycandro Lord of the gran Tartaria Let all graces and thankes ascend vnto the high Gods sayd Brandimardo that a knight of so high bloud and diuine generation hath giuen himselfe this daie to bée my friend and therefore worthie Prince you shall vnderstand that I am called Brandimardo sonne vnto Affricano king of Media who was slaine in the warres at Babilonia of the which warres I am sure you haue heard off before this time hée was a knight verie much mentioned in all the Pagan Countrie Then Meridian who had heard great report and mention of his Father was verie gladde of his méeting and embracing the one the other they remayned great friendes and a conclusion was made betwixt them for to depart together vnto the Emperour Alycandro his campe at whose comming there was great ioy and pleasure This they put straight waies in execution and departing from that place they left the wildernesse of Grecia and in a few daies after they came vnto the great and mightie armie of the Emperour Alycandro who were not a little amazed to see so great a multitude of people and of diuerse Nations as were there ioyned together When they came vnto the Emperiall Tent they were knowen by the Emperour who receiued them with so greate ioye and pleasure at that present that there was nothing that could giue him more contentment for that many dayes hée was verie sadde and sorrowfull because hée coulde heare no newes of his sonne the Prince Meridian and thought himselfe at that present in so great securitie and quietnesse as though hée were in his owne Countrie of the gran Cataya Likewise all such Pagan Kings and mightie Lordes as were there present dyd honour Meridian as their naturall Prince giuing great entertainment vnto Brandimardo and receiued the Princesse Floralindia as spouse vnto so high and mightie a Prince The Emperour was verie gladde and ioyfull at his sonnes aduenture whereas the Hystorie doth nowe leaue them to tell of other thinges which happened in the meane time How the king Oliuerio with his mightie hoast ariued in Grecia and how by the industrie and pollicie of the good knight Rosicleer those of great Britaine had a cruell and bloudie battaile with the Pagans what happened ouer and aboue in the same conflict Chapter 24. IN the meane time of the successe as the Hystorie hath tolde you the king Oliuerio ceased not to make all the spéed possible towards Grecia with his great and mightie armie for after that they had once passed the Sea they crossed ouer land through Almania and Germania till they came vnto Hungaria whereas the king dyd giue and aide them with fortie thousand knights the which hée had in a readinesse more for to accomplish that the which hée was bound for to doe for the King Oliuerio for that his sonne was slaine in his seruice than for anie good will he had towards those warres for with a better good will hée would haue holpen the Emperour Trebatio for to make his defence against his enimies than to doe that which hée did but for â—onds sake When these two armies were ioyned together with all spéed possible they trauailed til they came into the Empire of Grecia and at their ariuall thrée miles from the Citie of Constantinople the Emperour Trebatio had aduertisement of the same Who séeing that almost all the whole worlde was risen vp against him he praied vnto God to be his aide and succour and that he would not permit that in such sort the Christian Countrie should be destroied Then the good knight Rosicleer séeing his Father in so great distresse and he himselfe verie desirous to knowe what people they were that were come from great Britaine hée went forth of the Citie all armed with new armour which was brought and giuen him by the wise Lirgandeo mounted on a verie good horse with his speare in his hand alonelie with one Squire which did beare him companie and went towards the hoast of the king Oliuerio when he came within a mile whereas they laie he went vppon a little mountaine which was nigh vnto the high waie from the which by reason that they marched forwards vpon plaine ground he might froÌ„ thence discouer and sée all the whole armie of the king Oliuerio and part of the hoast of the Pagans and séeing so gallant a companie of armed knights and so many Ensignes with red crosses to make warre against Christians the one agaynst the other he receiued great sorrowe and griefe at his heart séeming that all Christendome was then at the point to bée lost and praied vnto God from the bottom of his heart that he would not looke vpon the sinnes of the Christians but in that great extremitie to defend them with his owne hands Thus he being in this Oration he sawe come a farre off towards that place a knight with his galloping like vnto a post and séemed that he came from the armie of the Pagans Then he falling into reckoning what it might be as he that was of a rare and quicke vnderstanding straight waies he descended from the mountaine whereas he was and passed to the other side in such sort that y â— knight might not sée him and ranne with his horse all that euer he could towards the host of the king Oliuerio so that he was a good waie off from the mountaine and séeing himselfe a good distance from the knight he turned his horse about and little and little he trauailed dissembling as though hée had come from that mightie armie Then the knight when hée had discouered him who was a valiant Pagan and king of the Masageras called Antipatro and by the commandement of the Emperour Alycandro went for to discouer knowe what people they were for that it was tolde him that a mightie armie was entered into Grecia with Ensignes and flags with the armes of Christians and hée beléeuing that they came in the fauour and helpe of the Emperour Trebatio he sent the king to know who they were and what companie of people onelie for that hée had heart good will for to giue them battaile first before they could recouâ—r the entrie into Constantinople for that he was verie angrie and wrathfull for the other succour which came vnto him before and being within the Citie it was at the will of his aduersaries at all times to giue them battaile and to the contrarie to take their ease at their pleasures without anie sodaine alarum for to disturbe them The which was contrarie vnto the Pagans for that it dyd behoue theÌ„ at all times to be in a readinesse because they did not know the time nor houre when that their aduersaries would assault them for the
vpon verie gallant and well dressed palfries and mounted himselfe vppon a mightie great horseâ— and put himselfe in the middest betwéene them And béeing in this maner in the great and wide court whereas the Emperour and the Empresse with all those valiant kings Princes and knights did behold them and a new they began to meruaile to behold their great beauties and gallant dispositions And as it hath bene declared vnto you before in this Historie that Rosicleer was of a high stature and well proporcioned of his bodie according vnto his height for that continually vnto that time he did encrease daylie more more as well in the one as in the other and ioyntly with this his face was perfect and well proporcioned verie white and faire and of a merrie couutenaunce and there was none that did behold him but had a great delight to sée him he was at that time apparailed in a Iacket of cloth of golde garnished round about with a great number of precious stones and a hat vpon his head after the Gréeke fashion full of verie fine Rubies and Diamonds and carryed no other weapon with him but that precious sworde of the Quéene Iulia at his girdle which was suteable vnto the apparell he ware for that the scabbert was garnished with gold and precious stones he was mounted vpon a big and lustie horse all baye sauing he was full of black spots which became him verie well and being in this maner on horse 〈…〉 to be a Gyant and in beautie and fairenesse Narcissus On the other part was the Princesse Oliuiâ— with Arquirosa so faire and richlie apparailed that it was verie strange to behold and Rosicleer being in the middest betwixt them there could not a more gallanter sight be séeâ—e of thrée persons So in this order they tooke their leave of the Emperour of the Empresse and departed out of that mightie pallas being accompanied with all those mightie and valiqnt Princes and Knights till such time as they came into the fielde out of the Citie whereas at the request of Rosicler they all retourned back againe and they thrée alone wont toward the compe of the king Oliuerio being verie much looked at of at the people of the citie and with no lesse admiration they were looked at by them of the campe when they came nigh vnto them and not knowing the pretence of their comming they could doe nothing but behold them and abyde the time to vnderstand the effect of their comming When they were come vnto the camp they asked which was the tent of the king Oliuerio and being shewed by a knight that was there they neuer rested nor staied till they came vnto it at which time the king shas within accompanied with the prince of Lusitania and with the other princes of Scotland and Ireland consulting whaâ— were best to be done in their affaires but when they saw them knew Rosicleer and the Princesse Oliuia all apparailed after so gallant a sort they were wonderfully amazed and were silent to heare what should be their demand There was no mouing amongst them till such time as Rosicleer descended from his horse who straight waies alighted y â— princesse Oliuia and the quéene Arquirosa and taking them both by the hands they entred into the tent then the king and all that were with him did arise from their seates and dyd salute the one the other with such courtesie as appertained vnto so high persons and although that Don Siluerio was greatly amazed and his bloud did rise when that he saw the princesse Oliuia yet when that he saw her in the power of Rosicleer and considering the great reason she had therevnto he dyd not let to haue a great regard vnto the Quéene Arquirosa and liked very well of her and said with in himselfe that next vnto the princesse Oliuia she was the fairest gentlewoman that euer he saw in all his life and greatlie desired to know what she should be His desire was quickly accomplished for that Rosicleer putting himselfe before the king hauing the princes the Quéene by their hands said HIgh king of great Britaine I will not call you mightie for that according vnto the opinion of wise men there is none amongst mortall men can attaine to so glorious a name sauing alonely he may call himselfe mightie that is Lorde and gouernour ouer men and hath the power of all fortunes he at whose will the Heauens doth moue the windes doth blow the waters of the sea doth arise and rage and by him the earth with all beasts plants are sustained Here I doe giue you the name of high for that séeing your selfe in what estate you are in you may know how perilous and slipper it is and how readie you are and open vnto the thundering blowes of fortune Many things doth men begin and put in vre who cannot bring it to passe as they would and according vnto their mindes but in the ende it finisheth cleane contrarie vnto their expectation and this procedeth onely for that it is in theyr hands to begin them and in the power of God to giue the conclusion vnto his pleasure Our hearts he valiant and couragious for to attempt against all the whole world and doe not consider and sée that humaine force is so féeble and weake that one little and hidden euill doth ouercome it and whatsoeuer blow of fortune doth ouerthrow it This we ought to haue alwaies in our remembraunce because we should not put our selues in difficult things for that if afterwards it doth not fall out according vnto our mindes then should we not haue any occasion for to be angrie neither reason for to complaine vs of fortune for that the whole fault is in our selues and with more reason we may be angery with our selues You doe well vnderstand how that the Prince Edward your sonne with fortie thousand good knights of great Britaine came into Hungaria with what intent I doe not iudge but according as it was notorious and manifest vnto all he came for to destroy the Emperour my father for to make the king of Hungaria Lord ouer all Grecia and for that this was an attempt as vniust as difficult it was in his hands to begin the same but in the hands of him that hath power ouer all to conclude the ende according vnto his will If the Emperour my father was to be blamed herein iudge you and then sée if there be anie reason for him to make restitutioÌ„ to whome fortune would seme fauourable but now let that goe for that I doe beléeue you are certified And touching the marriage which I made with the princesse Oliuiâ— without your lisence I will giue you to vnderstand that if you doe well consider and looke into all these things passed then should you verie manifestlie and cléerelie sée that it is not for anie iniurie towards you but that the diuine prouidence hath ordained the same for to euitate and cut off the
Physicke You are wise and discréete therefore you shall vnderstand that all this which I haue said vnto you is onely to put you in remembraunce that the passioned minde can neither sée nor discerne things farre nor nigh hand And as concerning Don Siluerio I haue committed nothing against him wherin I am bound to make satisfaction neither hée to pardon me for if you haue promised vnto him the Princesse Oliuia for wife first before that she chose me for her husband God and my good fortune hath giuen her vnto mee so that hee hath not to complaine himselfe but of fortune that woulde not be fauourable vnto him for to recouer her so that I doe not take from him her that should haue bene his wife but I haue taken out of your and his power the same whome God did promise and ordaine to giue me for wife Notwithstanding for all this I euer hadde Don Siluerio for my friend and before that these things fell out in this order I beléeued that he had mée in the same profession I do greatlie desire that this friendshippe may procéede and goe forwards and if so be that anie lacke or fault hath béene of anie part let satisfaction be made for the which I for my part will make satisfaction vnto Don Siluerio in giuing vnto him for wife the most faire and precious Quéene Arquirosa Quéene of Thessalia and is this that is héere present with me who with all the power that shée could make came into Grecia to the aide and succour of the Emperor my Father it is in my power for I haue promised her to giue her a husband such a one as her estate beautie doth deserue therefore Don Siluerio consider sée if you can like of this 〈◊〉 for that there be few damsels or not one at this time â—o bée found in the world with whom you may be better married withall than her Now haue you vnderstood the effect of our comming and héere I doe desire you both straight waies to giue me your answere The king Oliuerio was verie attentiue vnto all y â— was spoken by Rosicleer and one waie he liked verie wel of their intent and it séemed vnto him that all things were placed in verie good order and another waie the gallant presence of Rosicleer with the faire Princesse Oliuia seemed to force constraine his heart to like verie well of the one to loue the other as his owne naturall children and seeing them with so great humilitie before him Rosicleer being so high a Prince hauing confidence y â— in his great bountie he came to aske him pardon forgiuenesse not mistrusting his highnesse the teares gushing out at his eies with the great loue he bare vnto either of them calling to remembrance that by him he was deliuered from death the daie before so that if it had not bene for him he had béen slaâ—â—e and all his people destroied and seeing the great clemencie that both Father and sonne vsed with him he comming to destroie them in his Countrie he found it great reason to vse the same with them and to forget the death of Prince Edward for that God had giuen vnto him in his place that valyaunt Prince and knight Thus hauing his minde occupied in these and other things hee remained a good while without 〈◊〉 wering them looking alwaies when Don Siluerio wold speake because the greatest part of y â— matter did touch him and till such time as he did knew his will he thought it not good to vtter his iudgement which was the occasion that he did importune him verie much to make the first answere as he thought best who after such time as the Quéene entered into the tent was continuallie with great attention beholding her whose beautie gaue him greater contentment than anie Ladies or Gentlewoman in the world next vnto the Princesse Oliuia And when he vnderstood the demand of Rosicleer in his life he neuer receiued greater ioy contentment in séeing that without anie demand or asking he offered vnto him so high a Ladie and damsell for wife had cleane forgotten all the anger and wrath that he had before conceiued and taken against Rosicleer with the friendship receiued of him the daie before in deliuering of them from death So perceiuing that the king would not answere in anie respect till such time as he had vittered his minde hée spake these wordes following HIgh and worthie Prince of Grecia of all that you haue héere so highlie declared as also of all other things that haue so prosperouslie fallen out on your part I do vnderstand no other thing but y â— God hath created you amongst all Princes the most highest amongst al knights the most noblest and in strength the most stoutest amongest men of vnderstanding the most wisest and aboue all fortune hath shewed her selfe fauourable and prosperous for whosoeuer doth consider the highnesse of your estate shall plainlie sée perceiue that there is none that commeth nigh vnto you for worthinesse none equall and to consider of your high knighthood they shall see that it is without comparison and almost aboue nature likewise considering how prosperous all things hath fallen out on your part they will not onelie saie that fortune is fauourable vnto you but also that you haue her at commandement to do al things at your pleasure and séeing that you haue so many and high things on your side what enimie is there that will resist you or friend that will loose your friendship The wise man saith that there are thrée things which ought to be feared the waues of the sea the thuÌ„derbolts of the heauens the furious wild beasts on the earth but yet aboue all things he saith ought to bée feared the enimie prosperous fortunable for that he which doth not nauigate at the Sea is out of all daunger of the waues and he that kéepeth his house is out of the danger of wilde beasts and the thunderbolts verie seldome strikath but from the prosperous enimie there is none that can apparte himselfe neither can he finde anie place whetherâ— to runne for whereas he thinketh himselfe most surest many times it falleth out that there is most perill and héere I say that fortune hath shewed her selfe more prosperous vnto you than vnto anie and vnto me more contrarie than vnto anie other for that she did not content her selfe in giuing you the victorie ouer me but the more to cralt you shée brought me into that extremitie that of necessitie I must be defended froÌ„ death and receiue life at your hands the which you gaue mée as a friend whereby you got of mee the greatest victorie that euer man had of his enimie Therefore God forbid that now I should haue anie enmitie with him who with the great force and strength of your arme dyd ouercome me and I doe yéeld my selfe vnto the strength of your worthinesse and this offer which you doe
Sunne was worthie of the great fame praise that was published throughout all the world and onelie for the sight thereof the knights of Spâ—ine thought their comming into Grecia to be well emploied Being alighted they entered into the Pallace whereas they were meruailouslie wel receiued of the Empresse Briâ—na and the Princesse Lindaraza and of all the whole companie of faire Ladies Gentlewomen of high estate that came forth to beare her companie and there passed betwixt them wordes of great loue friendship With great ioy pleasure and pastime they passed awaie all that daie in the which the Prince Don Siluerio and the precious Quéene Arquirosa were made sure and ioyned hands abiding the marriage to be made at such time as Rosicleer should be married and Clauerindo with other mo Princes and knights that did abide the same daie Then the next daie being come for that the Citie was meruailouslie pestered with the great number of people that were in it and could not verie well at their ease be lodged it was agréed betwéene the Emperour and the king Oliuerio that a trench should be made without in the field nigh vnto the walls of the Citie and there to pitch their tents whereas should be all the whole armie of the king Oliuerio and the halfe of all the Emperours knights Thus according vnto their conclusion it was commanded to be done which was a gallant and roiall thing to behold it was stronglie fortefied with déepe ditches and barres aâ— the entrie so that they were as sure within that trench as though they had beene within the Citie In this sort they were lodged in sight the one of the other betwixt the trenches of the Pagans the Christians there was a mightie great broad field whereas they might at their ease make their battailes At this time were the Pagans verie glad and ioyfull when that their enimies were come forth of the Citie and fortefied their trenches for that it was then in their handes to giue them battaile at all times at their pleasures they cared not although they were many in number more than before yet for all that of their part they were fiue for one How it was consented and concluded in the campe of the Pagans for to make a challenge to the Greekes and how it was accepted and by what knightes of the part of the Emperour Trebatio Chap. 26. NOw the Hystorie saith that on a daie the Emperour Alycandro being in his Emperiall tent accompanied with the most principallest of his whole hoast in great counsaile what was best for them to doe there were some amongst them that did not let for to praise the high knighthood of the Emperour Trebatio and of his knightes amongst whome the olde king Gedrosia did praise them more than anie other for to prouoke Bramarant to anger vnto whome he alwaies bare ill will after that hée had slaine his sonne the young man Graco To the which ther néeded not much matter for that straight waies this stout and furious Pagan arose vp with so fierce semblance that it feared all them that did beholde him and sayd these wordes THe heartes of cowards and base men doe feare small things and receiueth great admiration the which doth procéede because they are but for little matters all that doth surmount them doth seeme vnto them monstrous and almost aboue nature and by their great cowardnesse they doe feare and dreade more one enimie that is in the fielde prepared for to fight against them than one hundreth that are on their part although euerie one of them can doe much more than his aduersarie but vnto such as bée generous of heart and valiant high things do giue contentment and there is nothing that they do heare or sée that doth make theÌ„ to meruaile or wonder The force of a little thunderbolt y â— doth cleane a tower in the middest is much more than the strength of an Elephant that carrieth a Castle of timber vpon her backe and that of the little fish called Remora that staieth the ships against the force of the windes than of a man that cleaueth an armed knight asunder in the middest But you doe meruaile more at the one than at the other for two causes the one for â—â—e feare which you haue of the people at hand of your enimies and the other for that you iudge by your owne strength all the whole power of humane nature séeming farre to exceede yours I doe not meruaile that our enimies doe cuâ— knightes asunder in the middest and cleane them downe vnto the breast for lykewise â—doe the saâ—â—â—e cleaning them downe to the saddle yâ—t much was the strength of Mâ—lo that with the force of hâ—s strong armes did cleaâ—e asunder harde and great Okes and for that you shall perceiue and vnderstand how little I doe esteeme thâ— force of our enimies I will straight wayes make and send vnto the Emperour Trebatio a challenge 〈◊〉 shall bée that foure of the strongest and most renowâ—â—â— knights that he hath with him come forth to morrowe into the field to make battaile with me for that I alone wil combat with them all together in the face of both those mightie enimies and if he hath not foure such knights that durst take vpon them to accept this challenge I will doe the like with sixe or with eight and with so many as they will charge me withal for it shal be all one with me to be foure or to be fiftie for that I will tâ—â—t these cowards may sée how little I doe feare and estéeme the Gréekes This proude Pagan had scarce finished these wordes when that the gran Campion arose vp and saide that â—ee would send likewise to challenge other foure and make battaile with them altogether ioâ—nthe with his sonne Likewise there were other of no lesse valour and valiant courage than they who for that they woulde make manifest their great and mightie power woulde also enter into the challenge and there were of those super-valiant knights the strong and stout Meridian and Brandâ—â—ardo who had before either of them proued by experience the force of the Gréekes and knew verie well the generositie of their harts which was the occasion that they would not make the challenge but against other two for that they knew it was but a follie to charge theÌ„selues w t anie moe because the Gréekes should not haue the vauntage againe in the battaile past they sawe such knightes that gaue them inough to do to defend themselues Then straight waies arose vp that valyant Pagan Rodaran king of Arabia after him the strong king of Media aâ—d with them the king of Trapobana who was a meruailous strong knight and of so bigge bodie that hée séemed to bée a Gyant hée was called Zoroastes all the which said that they would enter into the challenge and at that time if that the Emperour Alycandro had not disturbed them there were a great number that
himselfe and kept his furious wrath in his heart for to reuenge y â— same when that time would serue And although that many that were there had great dread to sée Bramarant so furious and angrie for his eyes lightened like burning torches yet the two valiant and worthie knights Meridian and Brandimardo made no rekoning thereof for that either of them were of as valiant a courage as he and as stoute Then straight waies ther arose vp many other knights that would be in the battaile fiftene to fiftene amongst all at the request of the Emperour although his will was to the contrarie was the gran Campion and the two worthie princes Meridian and Branbimaâ—do and the stout Rodaran the king of Media Zoroastes king of Taprobana the prince of Cambray the king of the Gandaros that was the messenger and the prince of Aegipt all these were verie stout valiant knights and for to make vp the number of fiftene the Emperour commaunded that sixe of the most strongest giants that were to be found in all the whole armie should goe with them they were all bretheren and Lords of the Ilandes Diamantinas and are so called because there are found in them more Diamonds then in any other part of all the whole worlde they were all sonnes vnto the gran Thition the most famous giant that was in all Asia and for the great friendship that their father hadde with the Emperour they came for to serue him in those warres with a great number of their owne knights When that it was fully ordained and concluded who should goe forth in this challenge the king of the Gandaros straight waies departed and went to carie the aunswere vnto the Emperor Trebatio whereas the Historie doth leaue them till time serueth for to tell you of the faire Empresse Claridiana who went in the demaund of the caue of the wise Artidon ¶ How the Empresse Claridiana came vnto the caue of Artidon and what happened there Chap. 27. WIth great desire to come vnto the Caue of Artidon trauiled the royall Empresse Claridiana through the mightie kingdome of Russia in the companie of Elizea and her knight thinking the time verie long till she came thether for to know the trueth of that which had brought her into so great care and heauinesse the Caâ—e was greatly mencioned in all those parts and by reason of the great hast that they made within few daies after that they had entred into the kingdome of Russia they attained to the caue but when they came vnto the entrie thereof they were greatly amazed to sée the wonderfull fire that came foorth thereat which séemed to be some infernall thing But when they had read those letters and vnderstoode the propertie of the fire they straight waies entred in thereat but gaue the preheminence of the first entrie vnto the royall Empresse so after that they had passed the narrow lane they came into a faire great court whereas they were strangely amazed as wel at the greatnesse the which séemed to be in that great work as also at the mightie force which the bull séemed to show being fastned vnto the piller who in that order as they saw him began to giue such terrible and wonderfull brayings that all that mightie worke séemed to shake thereat And if it had not bene for the Princes who dyd animate and comfort them Elizea and her knight had retourned backe againe with the great feare the which they receiued after a while that they had beholden the great fiercenesse of the Bull sodainly 〈◊〉 their eyes aside vpon an other wal almost right against the same the which was vnder the gallerie of the pallace they saw grauen in the same verie naturallie the whole historie of the mightie and perillous battailes there done by Rosicleer and of all that had happened vnto him in that Caue the which being well vnderstoode by the roâ—all Princes and greatly wondered at those worthie actes not without shedding of a few teares which trickled downe her rubicall chéekes sayde Oh high and happie Emperour â—rebatio in how much art thou bound vnto God that out of thy noble loynes hath come foorth those that hath â—â—lled all the whole worlde with the fame of their wonderfull and immortall déedes Oh that my destinie would permit and my fortune be so fauourable that our blouds might ioyne together that some part of those worthie deeds of thy posteritie might be allotted in mée Therefore come that come will for that I cannot perswade with my selfe that from the descent of so cléere and worthie a stock may be comprehended so blind a iudgement but that they doe vnderstand the great valour of my desert And in saying these words she went forwardes and Elizea and her knight followed her and went all to gether vp the staires into the gallâ—â—â—es whereas a new they began to meruale at the strangenesse of that worke as also at the delightfull gardaines and orchards which they sawe out at certaine windowes after a while that they had well perused the same they proceded forwards with the great desire which the Pâ—inces Claridiana had to sée her selfe with the wise man she neuer rested till she came vnto the dores of shining 〈◊〉 that were shutte which was the entrie into the inchaunted hall but so soone as she had layd hand on them for to open them they straight waies opened of themselues with so great a noyse that all mightie woorke séemed as though it woulde haue sonke when the royall Princes entred in thereat whereas she saw the high and rich throne and thereon the wise Artidon with his breast all open shewing forth his heart which was a verie pitifull and lamentable thing to behold at which time there chaunced a great meruaile â—â—e which was neuer séene béefore but at suche time as Rosicleer entred into that inchaunted quadran and it was that when the royall Princes béeganne to enter in at the hall doores there began so swéete and peaceable Musicke that it rauished all the hearers of their sences and they semed as though they had bene transported into an other world and Elizea and her knights who were without at the swéete melodie thereof were likewise rauished and it séemed vnto them to be some celestiall noyse they would not presume to enter into that inchaunted hall till such time as the princes came forth for that they might haue space for to aske and know that which was their desire After that the princes had a while beholden the great wonders and straunge things of that inchaunted quadran she straight waies conceiued that the swéete Musicke was made which was the occasion that from that time she had a better hope then she had before of a good resolution of that she so long desired for wheras with such Musicke she was receiued she hoped her answere at her departing forth could not be but verie good So with the great desire she hadde to talke with the wise Artidon after
neither was there any prince in all the whole world that had the like the sight whereof dyd so trouble and amaze her that she was in 〈◊〉 dumpe with great meruaile knew not what to saye neither whether she should reioyce or be sorowfull for that one way she saw plainely that to be the Ilande whereas the knight of the Sunne ariued and an other waye those tokens with the wonderfull things which she hadde heard of that diuelish Fauno did put her in great feare that he was slaine and it séemed vnto her a thing impossible that any humaine creature could bring in subiection so diuelish and misshapen a beast Being in this thought for feare and griefe of the worst she shed so manie teares that they ranne trickling downe her faire chéekes that she was all to be bathed in them so after a while that she had bene there she mounted againe vpon her horse and went forewards but she had not gone farre from that place when as she saw the good horse Cornerino who was loose anâ— at his libertie in the fielde who like a wilde beast came running towardes her like vnto a whirle winde leaping and frisking in the ayre and neighed as though he receiued great ioye and comfort at the companie of the other horse as one that manie dayes before had bene there all alone but when the Princes sawe him and knew him verie well she thought verilie that her heart would haue burst with sorrow where with her eyes burst out with teares and hauing no power to speake one word she sayde with in her selfe Oh good horse how is it that thy maister hath left thy companie surely it cannot be well with him séeing that he hath left thée for thou art so good a péece that thou art to be estéemed of all the Princâ—â— in the world and neither thy maister nor thy selfe doth â—eserue to dwell in deserts But alas what shall I saye I am she that hath bone the occasion of all this and I beséech the soueraigne creator of all the worlde that it fall not out that I am the occasion of his death for if it be so that I haue ben y â— author and chiefe instrument of his death I will also with these my handes be reuenged on my selfe with cruell death and neuer depart from out of this Ilande but make it my sepulture for that one countrie shall possesse the bones of vs bothe so shall we remaine in death together although that cruell Fortune and my euill destinies would not permit and suffer that in our liues we could enioye the one the other In saying these words to her selfe the Princes procured for to take the horse somewhat for to comfort her selfe with his companie for that the knight of the Sunne manie times dyd ryde him but by no meanes she could not doe it for that the horse was fierce and couragious and would not suffer himselfe to be taken of anie other but of his maister the knight of the Sunne whome he dyd visit manie times and fedde diuerse and sundrie times before him in the place whereas he abode This séeing the royall Princes all to be bathed with teares which for her knights sake she shedde passed forwards on her determined iourney but she hadde not trauailed farre when as she came vnto the craggie and hard Rocke that he hadde so cutte and sheuered to péeces but yet such was his force and strength of his arme and the goodnesse of his sworde and vppon the toppe of the same shee sawe where hunge the rich sword of the knight of the Sunne with the scabbard and the hangers which were wrought and embrodered with gold and set with precious stones and knowing it verie well she was at that present more astonied amazed then she was before and comming nigh vnto it she reade that which was written in a plaine place of the same stone but when she had well understoode the effect thereof it cannot be rehearsed what she felt at that time at her heart considering of â—hrée strange meruailous things that was represented there of the knight of the Sunne The one the great loyaltie and reuerence that he had vnto her insomuch that he had stroke her with his swoord yet in the time of that great necessitie he left the same because he would not defile it with any other bloud An other in the great and soueraigne force and courage which he had for to goe fight with that diuelish Fauno without any sword The third in the great and incredible strength which he had for to cut and cleane that cragged and hard Rock sheuering of such greate péeces as verie plainely it might be séene that euerie sheuer was a blow with the sword all the which béeing by her considered the great ioy and pleasure which she should receiue in acknowledging the great loyaltie of her knight was tourned into great anguish and griefe in seing the rewarde he receiued at her hands in recompence of the great loue fidelitie he had borne vnto her And the more greater his wonderfull and excelent déedes séemed to be so much more she waxed penitent and repented her selfe and with so great griefe that it séemâ—d her soule would depart her bodie she saide as followeth OH my verie good friend if you be a liue how dare I presume to come into your presence that in recompence of so great fidelitie and loue which your déedes doe make manifest you had vnto mée and I to haue showed my selfe so cruell and contrarie vnto you And if it be so that you be departed this world what reuenge may I take of my selfe to make it equall vnto the great errour which I haue committed of trueth no other but with this thy sword I will open my entrailes and take out myne owne heart that ioyntly it may remaine in this solitarie and vnfortunate Iland as a signe and token of thy great fidelitie and faithfull good will vnto mée and contrariewise my great crueltie towards thy guiltlesse person and yet this wilbâ— but a small reuenge for so great an euill committed for the death of so high and eâ—cellent a Prince cannot be reuenged by my death In saying these words and other more of great dolour griefe and in shedding great abundance of teares she ouerwept her selfe and was verie desirous to proceede forwards to knowe what was become of the knight of the Sunne leauing the sworde hanging whereas shee found it shée departed from thence and as she trauailed for a great space with a sodaine feare that came ouer her heart in such sorte that all her members shaked that shée coulde not almost go forwardes still misdoubting the successe of the knight of the Sunne Then after a while hauing not trauailed the full quantitie of a mile a great waie before shée came whereas the Fauno was slaine shée sawe from a farre off the great bulke of the monstrous and mis-shapen bodie which seemed to be a great house ouerthrowen
it was so great and imagining what it should bée shée went that waie but when she came there shée was straunglie amazed to sée the infernall figure of that mishapen beast and yet more horrible and wonderfull it was than héeretofore it hath beene tolde you for that there was no vnderstanding of man that was sufficient to imagine the great deformitie of this beast beeing dead as hée was but the good Princesse had not much time to pervse the great vglinesse of this beast for when shée salve all the armour of the knight of the Sunne there laide vppon the stone and knew them verie well by the straunge and rich worke that was in them her heart was readie to breake with dolour and griefe and almost from her selfelshe fell from her horse downe to the grounde whereas she laie a good while vpon the gréene grasse in a sound and coulde not speake anie one worde but laie as though shée hadde bene dead but within a while after shée came againe vnto her selfe and arose vp and went forthwith vnto the armour and embracing her selfe with them shée vttered these wordes with so great sorrowe and griefe that shée would haue moued anie man to compassion to haue heard her but in especiall when that shée hadde read that which was written vppon the Stone which was in this manner following This is the diuellish Fauno sonne vnto the diuell begotten of Artimaga who was slaine by the knight of the Sunne Prince of Grecia who being determined to leaue the world would conclude and end his daies in this solitarie Iland this was his armour the which he doth leaue héerâ— in signe of the last victorie that hée concluded in his life time When the Princesse had concluded the reading of these lines shée lacked but a little to conclude her ende for that by those wordes shée conceiued that the knight of the Sun was dead especiallie when shée looked about on euerie side and could sée no other signe nor token of him shée conieâ—â—ured euill in â—er owne imagination and hauing net so much force and strength for to suffer that mortall griefe in great rage and anguish of her heart she embraced her self with the armour and sayd OH good knight what is become of thée that in this sort thou hast left thy excellent and precious armour God hath created thée of so great magnamitie aboue all other knightes in the worlde for to leade thy life in the desarts like vnto brute beasts and if it bée so that I am in â—ault and haue béene the occasion of all this euill héere I doe promise and make a vowe vnto thee neuer to depart from hence alone except it be in thy companie héere will I end my sorrowfull dayes héere will I for euer make my bedde on this hard ground and neuer laie my head vpon anie other thing than the harde stones for that with the hardnesse of them I may molliâ—iâ— my harde heart that was so hardned against thâ—e my sustenaunce shall bée no other thing but griefes and sighes and that which I will drinke shall be the teares that distilleth from the fountaines of my eyes and I will not haue anie other companie but alonelie this armour the which so many times and oft hath béene vppon the worthie bodie of that good Knight and defended him from my raging and mortall blowes These shall bée onelie my comfort and the myrrour whereon I will looke for that the memorie of them shall euerie moment increaâ—e my heauie dolour I will wander all alone in these desarts lyke the Turtle doue that hath lost her louing mate and giue shrikes in this wildernesse lyke vnto Narhâ—o to see if thou wilt aunswere mée as the Nymph Eco dyd aunswere him These and many other thinges spake the Princesse tormenting her selfe with exceeding greate anguish and griefe Then in the end of halfe an houre that she was there shee remembred how that the wise Artidon had tolde her that she should finde him in that Iland yet she doubted verie much of his life to see all that she hadde seene before although by that remembrance thee 〈◊〉 some hope Likewise shee called vnto her remembrance that hee sayde that shée should make hast in his demaund for that it might so fall out that his comfort might come to late by reason that he was brought into so great 〈◊〉 and daunger of his lyfe which doubt brought her 〈◊〉 so greate conâ—â—sion that hee heart sayled her and it 〈◊〉 that thee had neyther force nor strength sufficient for to 〈◊〉 anie farther forwardes but as ended dyd verie well beholâ—e that diuellishe and infernall Fauno to see how that râ—gorous battaile was 〈◊〉 shee sawe the greate and wonderfull horne that was broken off from his head and his scull broken all to péeces and his great and mightie clubbe lying thereby whereby she dyd vnderstand howe and after what manner he was slaine and giuing a greate and deepe sigh the sayde as followeth Oh excellent knight howe worthie are thy déedes to bee published throughout all the worlde and with great reason the déedes of all other knightes ought to bee put to silence and neuer more to bée spoken of for the worthinesse of thy deeds being so excellent as they are so manie and of so great admiration and dispearsed abroade in so many Countries that they cannot be séene neither be hearde of and those which doth not sée them how can they beléeue them Héere I doe desire the vniuersall creator that now neyther in the times to come they may not bée forgotten After that this royall Princesse had sayde these wordes in the praise of her knight shée departed from thence and began to goe and to séeke him and for that shée could not finde him there aboutes she woulde haue mounted vppon her horse to séeke farther into the Iland but it fell out whether it was with the feare of the Fauno or for to goe with the horse Cornerino by anie meanes shée could not take her horse but he fled from that place with so great swiftnesse that in a short space the Princesse lost the sight of him for the which shée receiued great griefe so by force shée was constrained a foote to goe and séeke her knight the which she dyd on euerie side but coulde finde no mention of him which caused in her great suspition to thinke verilie that he was dead so that many times she staied and was so troubled thâ—â— shée thought verilie shée should haue dyed with sorrowe In this 〈◊〉 shée passed all the daie and all the night till the next daie in the morning and neuer coulde finde the knight of the Sunne with so great sorrow and griefe as though her soule would depart from her bodie And for to tell you what passed with him the Hystorie doth leaue her till time doth serue The life which the knight of the Sunne lead in the solitarie Iland and how hee was found by his Ladie the Princesse Claridiana Chapter
that curtesie at her hands knéeling downe before her he tooke and kissed her lilie white hande perforce receiuing thereby more glorie then if he had bene made Lord ouer all the world Then the Princes a new did embrace him and almost by force dyd cause him to arise saying your highnes worthie Prince doth not consent that you vse with anie this courtesie much lesse with mée that am whollie yours Then the good knight said ah mistresse as you are all onely she in all the world next vnto God that may shew me courtesie so haue you now this my mortall bodie glad ioyfull and happie I am not onely bound vnto you to kisse your hands but if so be that the great loue which I beare vnto you doe not deserue it then is not my high estate sufficient that I deserue to enioye so great courtesie and héere in I doe receiue so great glorie that if continuallye I may enioy your presenâ—e with a verie good will I would forget all highnes and royall estates and liue and leade my lyfe here with as great ioye and pleasure in your companie better then in any royall pallace and thinke my selfe verely to be in eternall Paradise I would to God replyed the Princes that with our honors and emperial states we might accomplish the same leading our liues here together in this solitarie Iland for that for my pleasure and contentment I request no other thing but onely the enioying of your companie in place whereas I might not be desturbed one minute of an houre but for that fortune hath exalted vs vnto so high estate and that God hath not created vs with so great callings onely to serue our selues but we must as we are bound accomplish and performe our duties to our subiects and goe and sustaine our emperiall estates and in especially you hauing so excelent parentage you are the more bound for to goe and see them and to take from them by your presence the great and long heauinesse which they haue receiued by your absence Then the good knight saide Mistresse I doe receiue so great ioye and contentment of heart onely in beholding of you that as the happie saints vnto whome the losse of parents nor any worldly thing can cause them to féele anie paine sorow and griefe euen so I being in your presence there is no absence nor any other thing that can giue or cause vnto mée sorow and griefe but yet for all this vse you your will and discretion for that I haue no will but whereas is yours These and many other mo amorous words passed béetwixt these two true and perfect louers and yet could neither of them manifest entirely the great ioye and pleasure the which they receiued at their hearts After a while that they had passed the tune in this their ioyfull méeting they sate themselues downe vpon y â— gréene grasse in the shadow vnder those huge and mightie trées whereas with swéete words still more amorous then eloquent they discoursed the one with the other of all thinges that hadde happened vnto them since their departure out of Constantinople And the princes did giue the knight of the Sunne to vnderstand the occasion why and wherefore she made battaile with him and how much sorow and griefe the supition thereof dyd cause vnto her and how and in what sort she was put out of all doubt concerning the same Likewise she tolde him of all the great preparation to the warres which was made in Grecia at her departure and how she vnderstoode that all the whole Paganisme and a great part of Christendome came against the emperour Trebatio for which cause he dyd put himselfe in a redinesse to receiue them and was verie sad and sorowfull for his absence all which when the knight of the Sunne vnderstood he straight waies had a great desire to be in Grecia séeming that in time of so great necessitie there was no reason that he should be absent in especiall for that the chiefest occasion and greatest part of those warres were for his sake Being in this communication they could not be certified the one to heare the other they saw comming towardes them two damsells vpon two palfraies whome the princes dyd straight wayes know to be her Damsells whome she left in the shippe and being greatly amazed that the princes taryed so long and not retourned came a land and went in her demaunde with great sorow and heauines because they could not finde her but when they sawe her and knew the knight of the Sunne they were wonderfully glad as well for the ioye which theyr mistresse receiued therein as also for the strange things which they had séene in that Iland And surely they were verie sad thinking that the knight of the Sunne hadde bene dead because he had not bene heard of a long time When these two Damsells came vnto them they left ceased their amorus communication and receiued them verie courteously Presently vppon the gréene grasse they dyd eate of such vittailes as the Damsels had brought a shore from the ship for their Ladie mistresse whereas y â— knight of the Sunne with the great ioye and pleasure that he receiued at his heart the coulour and semblant of his face was chaunsed so that he séemed an other maner of man and shewed the true and perfectâ—perfection in coulour and presence the which nature had wrought in him And the Princes for to sée him in that sort was so glad ioyful that ther was no pleasure that might be compared vnto hers After that they had eaten well refreshed themselues the knight of the Sunne séeing his good horse Cornerino in companie with that of the Princesse he lured and straight waies he came vnto him for that he had vsed him therevnto so he tooke him and after that that of the Princes and being both desirous to depart from thence they tooke each other by the hande and went vnto the place whereas the knight of the Sunne had left his good armour there he armed himselfe againe with them being holpen by the princes for that her Damsells with the great feare which they had of the diuelish Fauno the which was dead durst not come nigh them And the knight of the Sunne séeing him so fauoured and holpen by the hands of his Ladie and mistresse was in that case that he knew not whether he was in heauen or vppon the earth and being in this glorie readie for to depart out of the solitarie Iland the Historie doth leaue them till time doe serue ¶ Of the strong and well foughten battaile that was betwixt the fiftene knights of the Emperour Trebatio with the fiftene of the Emperour Alicandro Chap. 30. WHen that the day was come of the challenge and that the battaile should be tryed betwéene the fiftene knights of the Emperour Trebatio and the other fiftene of y â— Emperour Alicandro they were all in a redinesse and the field whereas the battaile should
with although hée lacked but one finger bredth of eight foote high which was a gallant stature yet before the Gran Campâ—on he seemed nothing for that he was almost fiftene foote high neuerthelesse the blowes of the one and of the other was equall in furiousnesse for that Rosicleer did so charge with his furious blowes Bradaman that although he could not cut his armour yet dyd he all to torment and bruse his flesh and bones and with more lightnesse then was comprehended in him he made him to besturre himselfe and turne about on the one side and on the other the like dyd Bradaman vnto him for although that Rosicleer dyd saue and defend himselfe from the most parte of his blowes by his great nimblenesse and lightnesse yet for all that when he fastened a blow vpon him he made him to stoope both with knées and hands to the grounde and the armour of Rosicleer dyd make such a sound as though it had bene a bell and out of both their armours there flewe so great quantitie of sparks of fier as though they should be burned in them In this sorte the battaile betwixt them continued more then two houres in which time some of those Ladies that dyd behold them from the mightie pallace of the Emperor Trebatio were not much at quiet and ease at theâ—â— hearts for that the Princesse Oliuia séeing her spouse and loyall louer to combat so terriblie with that furious Pagan and monster her face began to be wan and pale and the bloud waxed colde within her bodie so that fell downe in a sound amongst the Ladies in the like perplexitie was the royall Empresse Briana for her husband and sonne and the faire Princes Lindaraza for her louing and faithfull spouse Clauerindo and the like hadde that faire Ladies Arquirosa for Don Siluerio Furthermore you shall vnderstand that after two houres was passed from the firste béeginning of the battaile and that there was not one of those worthie champions that hadde anie will or desire as it séemed to rest themselues then the good Emperour Trebatio béeing very desirous to make a final ende conclusion of his battaile with the vttermost of all his force he raysed himselfe in his styrrups with his sword in both his hands therewith stroke so strong and terrible a blow vpon the healme of the stout pagan Rodaran the which by reason that it was somewhat crazed with that battaile as also with other battailes before he altogether vnbuckled from his head and breaking his skull by the force thereof all to péeces he ouerthrew him from his horse dead to the ground and sayd Now shal it be séene if thou canst deliuer thy selfe from my handes and what can profit thée the subteltie desceit of the quéene of Carmania The which being concluded he withdrew him selfe a part and did behold the battaile of the other knights whereat all that were on his part receiued great pleasure and contentment but in especiall the Empres Briana who knew not where she was with the great ioye and pleasure she receiued But the sorow and griefe of the Pagans was very great but in especial the Emperour Alicandro who had Rodaran in great estimation for that he was one of the strongest knights that was in all the whole Paganisme as of trueth he was so But yet the griefe of his heart did not herein ende for that the worthie prince Brandizel at that instant ouerthrew at his féete the Gyant with whome hée had his battaile who was the eldest of the sixe brethren wherewith he vnlased his healme and cut of his head And it was not long after when that the two valiant brethren Don Claros and Arcalus did the lyke with their aduersaries which were the second and third brothers and were the most fiercest and strongest of them all and they withdrew themselues apart and dyd behold the battaile of them that remained Then straight wayes Bargandel dyd ouercome the valiant King of Taprobana and Liriamandro made for to yelde the Prince of Cambray and within a little while Don Siluerio dyd cut of the head of the stoute king of the Gandatâ—s and not long after the king Sacridoro and the Tartarian Zoylo ouerthrew theyr aduersaries to the earth who were the fourth and fift bretheren of the Gyaunts who as the other before did cut off their handes of all the which the Emperour Alycandro receiued great sorrow and griefe and the like did all the Pagans and they repented them verie much in making of that challenge Then Rodamarte tooke the Prince of Aegypt prisoner for being verie wearie and féeble of his owne good will he did yéeld himself to be prisoner so likewise the valiant knight Flamides dyd force so much vpon the youngest brother the Gyant that in the end he was slaine as the rest so that all the generation of the gran Thiteon was slaine in that batâ—aile It was not long after that the king Florion ouerthrew the king of Media at his féete and pulled off his healme helping him to arise from the grounde he tooke him prisoner and put themselues on the one side and dyd beholde the battaile of the other thrée that remained the which at that time were so entangled and furious that all those that dyd beholde them were put in great admiration meruailing greatlie how they could suffer so great long trauaile and make anie defence from so terrible and cruell blowes which were giuen of all partes Those which remained were those precious and valiant knights Meridian and Claueryndo aâ—d the mightie Troian and Brandimardo who in force and deâ—teritie were so equall that almost there was not anie one that could know anie aduauntage to bée of either parte and being nowe more than three houres since they first beganne the battaile and both partes agreeing therevnto they ceased for to take breath and to ease themselues in the which time they dyd beholde the great contention that was betwixt that valiant and worthie knight Rosicleer and the stout Pagan Bradaman the which was condigne and worthie to be séene for that without al order and measure they stroke their blowes with so great force that all the fields and the mightie Citie rong with the great noise of their battaile All this time did the faire and precious Princesse Lyndabrides from her triumphant Chariot beholde Rosicleer and the Emperour Trebatio and for that both of them did resemble verie much the knight of the Sunne shée reioyced greatlie to sée them although another waie her heart was verie sadde and sorrowfull for that she did not sée the knight of the Sunne amongst them and shée imagined within her selfe that hée should be in Trapisond with the princesse Claridiana which went vnto her verie heart and other waies she did argué within her selfe that hée should not bée in Trapisond for if he should bée there it were not possible but that hée shoulde vnderstand the great necessitie that his Father had of him and hauing knowledge
horse necke he hadde surely fallen to the ground And as ye he hadde not well righted himselfe in the saddle when that this stronge Pagan stroke him an other blow ouerthwart the healme that he daseled the sight of his eyes and it lacked little to depriue him of his remembraunce Then this valiant knight séeing himselfe so entreated of his enimie being all kindeled in wrath raysed himselfe in his stirruppes and with his sword in both his handes dyd strike such a furious blow at this stout and diuelish pagan vpon his enchanted healme that being depriued of his sight and remembraunce he declyned backewards so much that his head almost touched his horse buttockes in such sorte that if he hadde not straight wayes come to his remembrance and with all the strength of his legges and bodie procured to bustle vp himselfe againe with that alone blow hée hadde bene ouerthrowen to the earth then with great furie and wrath they began to charge the one the other with their heauie and fell blowes and according vnto the terrible force with which they stroke it séemed that the battaile began anewe Meridian and Brandimardo who dyd behold all that hadde passed sayde it may be that this is the knight of the Sunne who so long time hath bene absent and could not be heard in all the countrie of Grecia for that it is not to be beléeued that any knight in all the whole world should doe that which this worthie and valiant knight hath done in our presence except the knight of the Sunne They dyd also on the other part beholde the cruell and 〈…〉 had with the Gâ—aâ— Campion who likewise they dyd not knâ—w whereat they were greatly wondered and it séemed vnto them that those foure which at that present dyd there combat were foure of the most 〈…〉 in all the worlde and they sayde within 〈◊〉 that the Emperour Trebatio had not in all his court a knight that one to one could resist the great and mightie strength and furious rages of the two Pagans but onely the valiant Rosicleer whome they dyd iudge of a truth to bee the same that dyd combat with the stout Bradaman Now was it a good houre and a halfe since the battaile was begunne at which time the stoute and furious Bramarant séeing that his aduersarie endured his mightie and heauie blowes so long before him was readie to burst with anger and began to blaspheme and curse himselfe for that at one blow he could not cleaue him a sunder right downe from the toppe of his head to the wast the which strong resistaunce made him to thinke verely that he should be one of his false goddes or else all they together hadde placed their force and strength in that alone knight for to battaile against him which caused his great pryde the more to encrease and being troubled with that thought he forced himselfe by his pride for to surmount the diuine Goddes he tooke his heauie sword in both his handes and raysing him selfe all that euer he could in his stirruppes and like a furious whirle winde he went against the good knight of the Sunne and his wrath was such that I thinke there was no stéele or Diamonde nor any other hard thing in all the world that could make any resistance against that mortall and diuelish blow for that this fierce Pagan for to accomplish his furie forced himselfe all that euer he could to haue bereaued the valiant knight of the Sunne of life and â—im and his wrath was suche that the wise and learned clarke Lirgandeo was in doubt that againste that mightie force should support any thing the inchauntement of the armour which the wise man sent to the good knight of the Sunne but he who saw him come so wrathfull and furious with a mightie and valiant courage dyd abide him And at such time as he would haue discarged his heauie sword vpon his helme he lift vp his sword with both his hands for to ward the same and receiued that mightie 〈…〉 same for that the edge of his sworâ—e was 〈◊〉 finer fiâ—er and sharper then his it cut the sword of Bramarant a sunder in the middest and the péece which remained towards the hilt lighted vpon the healme of the knight of the Sunne and although it was not much yet dyd it depriue him of his sight Then the good knight being greatly amazed at the mortall furie of his enimie dyd pray vnto God from the bottome of his heart for to remember him not to forget leaue him in that perilous conflict It séemed at that time that he had great néede of the diuine fauour for to get victorie in that battaile at which time his wrath and yre increased with so great anger to sée himselfe so intreated before his mistres by one alone knight that he retyred backe somewhat from the place whereas they made the battaile from whence hée set spurres vnto his horse came against Bramarant with so great furie that the earth séemed to tremble vnder him and his fiercenesse was such that it séemed to put some dread into the heart of that fierce Pagan in the which before neuer entred any feare for I insure you who so euer had sene that furious knight with his sword aboue his head in both his hands and with what wonderfull furie he came against him would haue had no lesse feare of him then of the thunderbolt that falleth out of the ayre so in this sorte when he approched vnto the Pagan he stroke and chaunsed such a blow vpon his great thick and inchaunted healme with so great furie that it hadde bene sufficient for to haue clouen a Smithes stithe asunder in the middest and for that the fine cutting edge of his sword could not cut the magical arte and inchauntment of his strong healme yet dyd that blow so ouercharge his head by the great waight thereof that it tooke his remembrance cleane from him and lyke a dead thing he fell forwards vppon his saddle bow and horse neck hanging downe his head and out at the ioynts of his helme issued great 〈◊〉 of bloud and his mightie horse being tormented with the force of that blowe â—anne out of that place and put himselfe into the thickest of that wildernesse with his Lord then the knight of the Sunne who desired not to folow him retourned vnto Meridian and Braâ—dimardo saying Sir knights I doe desire you to pardon mée if you haue any anger against mée in that I tooke vppon mée the battaile with that proude knight that did combat with you for I ensure you that his great pride would not let mée to giue place vnto y â— I am bound to your great courtesie and bountie Then dyd Meridian and Brandimardo verie much behold him and were greatly amazed at his great strength and said within themselues that he was the most valiant in all the whole world for that he alone hath done that which the whole armie of the Emperour
sorrowful newes vnto all them especiallie when they vnderstoode of the death of the Gran Campion and how that their valiant and worthie knightes did euerie daie decrease and waxe fewer in number on their part and how that on the part of the Emperour â—rebatio they dyd increase euâ—rie daie more more yet was all this nothing in comparison vnto that griefe which the fayre Princesse Lyndabrides felt when she vnderstoode how that the knight of the Sunne in companie with the Princesse Claridiana was come into Constantinople vnderstanding verilie that he was continuallie with her in presenceâ— all the time that he was absent out of Grecia and how that he had taken her to be his wife It cannot bée heere rehearsed the greaâ— griefe and exceeding anguish the which the felt within her selfe in such sort that many times shée was readie to die therewith and putting her selfe in a closet by it selfe in her tent she dyd nothing but wéep complaining against her selfe and fortune and after that many contrarie thoughtes had occupied her minde and senses fighting one against an other without finding anie comfort or case in thinking of them with great wrath and anguish of heart shée tooke paper and Inke and with her owne hand shée wrote a Letter vnto the knight of the Sunne the contents were as followeth A Letter written by the Princesse Lyndabrides vnto the knight of the Sunne IF the diuine Gods and my cruell destinie had permitted that as I am constrained to loue thée I might I 〈◊〉 had so much libertie for to forget thée then had not I returned againe into Grecia neither had consented that the Emperor my Father with so infinite a number of people had enterâ—d into this Countrie for to be reuenged of thée for that it had béene a sufficient reuengement and satisfaction vnto mée for to leaue thée and not to thinke that I was shée that was of thée forgotten but to leaue thée as one â—nworthie of my great beautie not deseruing to inioy my emperiall and consecrated estate But oh my euill fortune and mishap which caused mée so firmlie to loue and beare thée good will that there remaineth no part within mee but it is yeelded to bée all thine neither haue I so much power as for to put thée one moment out of my remembrance I knowe not what cruell and vniust lawe is this of Loue for the more that thou diddest vnderstand and know that I did loue thée thou haddest the greater libertie for to forget mée and the more that thou wert cruell and forgetfull of mée the more did my loue and good will increase towardes thée I am aduertised that thou and the Empresse Claridiana are come together to Constantinople the companie of so worthie a Damsell is not to be left neither is there anie reason to speake euill of her but for her that doth loue thée as I doe it cannot bée without suspition for that my sorrowfull heart hath deuined it and mine eyes doth now sée that thou doest desire her to bee thy wife and shée is not displeased therewith but when that I doe imagine with my selfe what thou hast bâ—ne and consider lykewise what thou nowe art I cannot thinke anie other thing but that there are two knightes called of the Sunne in this world and that thou art another and not the same that was wont to bee all at my commaundement Is it possible that thou art hee who at the first time that thou diddest beholde mée in my triâ—mphant Chariot â—ert troubled in such sort that if thou haddest not been succoured by thy Page and my Damsell thâ—u haddest follen from thy horse vnto the ground Art thâ—u by fortune that same knight of the Sunne that for to defende my iustice thou tookest vpon thée that strong and perilloâ—s contention with the Prince Meridian 〈◊〉 brother 〈…〉 not bee that thou shouldest bee that knight of 〈◊〉 Chariot that diddest so long time defend the great and singular beautie of the Princesse Lyndadrides in the Court of the Emperour Trebatio Of truth it must néedes bée some other that did shew so great and entire loue vnto mée and so absolutlie dyd publish himselfe to bée all and whâ—lie at my commaundement What is become of those amorous and swéete wordes that thou wert wont to vtter and speak vnto mée and those deepe and profound sighes with the which thou gauest mee to vnderstand the greate griefe that thou receiuedst for my loue Is it possible that thou hast forgot thy selfe or hast thou lost thy wits and memorie With what great ioy and contentment thou wentest in my companie towards the gran Tartaria hoping at thy comming thether to be married vnto me and how many times I was required of thée in that iourney Hast thou forgotten that for the celebrating of our nuptials thou diddest cause in the gran Catâ—ya to bée ioyned together all the kings and mightie Lords almost all the Pagans how that my father the Emperour Alyâ—andro had receiued thée for his sonne and all his subiects for their Lorde Of truth I doe verilie beléeue that all this thou hast forgotten and doest not remember anie of these things of the which I doe not greatlie meruaile for that hee who did forget the lawe of the diuine Gods and doth renounce the same it is not much that hée doe forget and denie all this that betwixt him and mée hath passed My verie heart doth cleaue and part a sunder and my soule is readie to depart my bodie with great griefe when that I doe thinke thereof and the great abundance of water that dailie distilleth from my eyes doth declare and testifie that it cannot indure long but that my life will likewise distill and consume awaie the which I do beséech the immortall Gods that it might shortlie come to passe for it shall bée vnto me a great glorie to lacke lyfe rather than to féele such excéeding great anguish and mortall paine I woulde write vnto thée more at large for according vnto the great reason the which I haue to complaine my selfe of 〈◊〉 although I dydde nothing else in two dayes yet should I haue matter inough against 〈…〉 thinges which doth withdrawe my handes and my will not to consent that I shall doe it the one is that they who haue borne thée so much good will and loued thée as I haue done it is not good for to inlarge much with anger for that vttering with passion causeth for to saie that which after doth repent them the other for whereas doth lack loue and good will many times briefe reasons doth séeme large and prolixious the third is for that I doe know that all whatsoeuer I shall write vnto thée thou wilt stoppe thy eares thereat so that all my writing shall bée in vaine and therefore I am determined to bée quiet and holde my peace and conclude with this that either the bones of this sorrowfull and vnfortunate Princesse Lyndabrides shall remaine in Grecia or else
manifest so high and worthie things for one waie the mightinesse of these two Emperors did make mée to wonder for that to bring in subiection the whole vniuersall world they lacked nothing and another waie I did greatlie meruaile that the great number of so manye worthie and valyant knightes who according vnto their great valour shewed in the battaile for to come of either of them might be made a perticular Hystorie But when that it commeth to my remembrance that I shall finde that shining Alphebo in the same battaile I am then tongue tide and my wittes troubled to thinke that I doe put my selfe for to declare his déedes for although I had so manye and more eies than Argos yet were they not sufficient for to beholde them Who lykewise should beholde the other son of Trebatio and the sonne of the gran Campion shall finde that their actes are not worthie of anie lesse memorie I knowe not whether you doe remember or not the names of those two valiant Pagans Meridian and Brandimardo that onelie in hearing them named the earth doeth tremble as much more shall be done by their equalls the Prince of â—raunce and the mightie Troyan Let not bée forgotten the mightie Emperour of Grecia with all the remnant of the inclite and generall knighthood of his soueraâ—gne Court for according as they are all most valiant and stout so are they sufficient to make the whole vniuersall world to be their owne What shall we then doe if we remember so many thousands of Pagans which are vnder the banner and at the commandement of the worthie Emperour Alycandro amongst whome besides the Nations of strong Gyantes that came from the Orientall Ilandes of the Gran Campion there were one thosand more of Gyants who were so bigge mightie and strong that they were sufficient to bée accounted walles vnto a great Citie I knowe not what you do thinke of this you that doe reade this Hystorie but I for my parte when that I doe thinke of things of so great worthinesse my memorie and wittes doth faile mée And I am fullie certefied that if you did see this great battaile concluded all the Hystories that heeretofore you haue read and séene treating of loue and of wars if that they were laide before this you woulde account them as nothing I will not contend anie farther héerein with reasons but certefie you that I béeing determined to staie here and procéede no farther yet for all that as the wearied horse being forced by the sharpe pricking spurre to bée quicke in his course euen so the ouermuch affection the which I haue vnto those high and worthie Dames and valiant Knights doth constraine mée to procéede forwardes till such time as I doe conclude the first parte of this mightie Hystorie and in that my weake and wearied vnderstanding cannot comprehend let my affection supplie the same the which hath mounted my wittes so high that although with great trauaile yet haue I translated that which I thought neuer to comprehend séeking it out of greate volumes from the originall written by the wise Artemidoro who béeing holpen by the wise Lyrgandeo and the Magitian spirite lefte it in writing according as héereafter you shall heare declared At such time as the daie apprâ—ched of that heauie and sorrowfull time wherein was â—ought that generall and bloudie battaile in which was concluded the expedition of new Rome was séene great wonders and tokens terrible to beholde and sufficient for to terrifie the heartes of those valiant and stout warriours for that the heauens and the earth did manifest the excéeding great griefe which they felt of that mortall destruction and it séemed verilie vnto them that the end of the worlde was at hande by manifest tokens which were séene that daie for that there was neuer so great multitude of people séene slaine in one daie as appeared afterward by the greate streames of bloud which was in so great abundance that it was sufficient for to chaunge the coulour of the great Sea of â—geo into Fuxino In testimonie whereof at such time as the daie shoulde breake the same daie of the battaile all the whole region of the aire séemed to bée on fire with great abundaunce of lightnings accompanied with so many and dreadfull thunder clappes that all the celestiall moouinges séemed to haue fallen vpon the earth and at such time as the daie dyd somwhat appeare the dew that was wonted to fall from heauen in the mornings appeared to bée of red bloud wherwith al the grasse and flowers in the fieldes of Grecia was laden Likewise there were that sawe that whereas the shining starres alwayes at the breake of daie dyd vanish and take their leaue that now at that instant many Comets of fire dyd fall from heauen into the campe of the Pagans and did as much harme as thought they had béene thunderbolts amongest them And at such time as the Sunne shoulde shew her selfe they sawe plainlie how that it had lost his rubicond coulour and was chaunged into the coulour of bloud but after that this earthquake and storme of lightening and thunder was past yet there appeared not one clowde in all the whole region and compasse of the aire and the daie was verie obscure and darke by reason of the sorrowfull and vnaccustomed coulour the Sunne shewed The earth quaked and trembled verie terriblie whâ—ch was the occasion that many edifices dyd fall and were ouerthrowen downe and many high mountaines dyd sinke and were censumed so that with the one and with the other all the people were greatlie amazed and there was not one although hée were neuer so valiant and strong but at those sighes and tokens receiued both feare and dreade sauing onelie that superbious Pagan the sonne vnto the gran Campion who saide within himselfe and spake it plainlie that the heauens and the earth dyd shew those signes in token of the great abundance of bloud that should be shedde that same daie 〈…〉 of the death of his Father andâ— thought it 〈…〉 such time as the battayle was begunne and their companions ioyned together that he might execute his mortall furie but it was not long after that his dâ—sire was accomplished for that that worthie and valiant Emperour Trebatio séeing that the daie was come of the battaile verie earlie in the morning at the daie breake was in the field accompanied with all those valyant and worthie knights putting in order all his people in the best manner they could for to execute their battaile and although they dyd sée those wonderfull signes and tokens which caused them to haue some feare and dreade yet for all that the good Emperour neuer once abated anie whit of his valiant courage but had great hope and confidence in the onelie liuing God that he with his mightie hand and outstretched arme woulde defend the whole state of Christendome and did continuallie in his heart call vppon God requesting him of his infinite mercie and goodnesse for to graunt
encounter with the other Kinge who was called Leopardo and dyd so valiantlie herein that he dyd verie well make apparant the high progenitie from whence he dyd descend for being verie strongly encountered with that Giant which made him to loose the raines of his bridle and his stirruppes and to embrace him selfe with his horse necke yet dyd he make his iust with so great force and strength that he ouerthrew him and his Elephant downe to the ground one vpon an other and by reason of the great waight of the fall which dyd bruse him so â—ore that he could neuer arise but dyed presentlye in the place whereas he laye Now at such time as these encounters were made betwéene the fire knights the two first battailes were ioyned together whereas was so great a number slaine on the one part and on the other that the liuing could not passe but vpon the dead bodies and by reason of the great dust that dyd arise amongst them they could scarce see any other thing but the great number of horses and Elephant that ranne loose out from the thickest of the pâ—eace And sure it was a most pitifull and lamentable thing to heare the great shrickes and cryes of those that were hurt and maymed for without all doubt manie a thousand of them might haue bene cured and haue liued if they could haue bene by anie meanes holpen to arise and come forth but by reason of the great preace and multitude they dyed a miserable death vnder the horse feete But who so euer hadde séene at that present the knight of the Sunne in presence of his mistresse the princes Claridiana how y â— in a smal time he ouerthrew â—â—ew more then thirtie of those giant knights that came with Bramarant some of them he cutte off their armes other he cloue their heads and othersome he cloue down to their breasts in such sort that in so small time there was neuer séene so great a slaughter done by one alone knight And the royall Princes with Oristedes who followed him many times did with draw themselues from fighting for to beholde the meruaiuailous actes that he dyd and the sight thereof dyd so alter them that the bloud within their bodies séemed to ware colde to see the terrible and mortal blowes which he stroke and although they for their parts dyd kill and ouerthrow all that came before them yet had they enough to doe to â—olow him his furie was so great wherewith he put himselfe amongst his enimies and his souldiers that dyd behold the wonders which those thrée dyd tooke meruailous courage themselues in such sorte that in a little time the battaile had bene ouer come if it had noâ— bene for that strong and stout Bramarant who played y â— diuell amongst the Gréekes killing all that euer he could reach with his long broade cutting sword against the which they could make no more resistance then against a thunder bolte This daye was the death of the Gran Campion vnto many verie deare and sorowfull for that his sonne for to make cruell reuengement for the same with furious wrath and mortall anger doth destroy ouerthrow all that commeth before him wherewith he doth increase the streames of bloud in the fielde that it flowed with great aboundance The kings likewise of the Oriental Ilands such as remained dyd healpe him verie much in this slaughter for that they were great Gyants and deformed the people fled away before them as from the diuell of hell Likewise all the rest of the people that came with the gran Campion from those Ilands by reason that they dyd surmount in stature and bignesse the people oâ— Grecia and more in number dyd kill and destroy manie oâ— them and in that place whereas they went they had the better hand so that y â— battaile was in ballance for that on the one side the Grâ—â—kes 〈◊〉 and on the other side the Pagans lost and had the worst In this sort the battaile mingled together and on both parts was done great slaughter till such time as they ioyned with the second battiles But these worthie knightes séeing howe their people were ouercome and fled before their enimies and the great destruction that was done vppon them they turned about their horses for to rescue them and the knight of the Sunne procured to come to that place whereas Bramarant was and when that he came thether one of those Gyants that was with him stroke so terrible a blowe at the Princesse Claridiana vpon her helme y â— it made her eies to sparkle with fire and againe if that she had not embraced her selfe about her horse necke she had falne to the ground But this Pagan dyd not aduaunce himselfe of that blow for that béeing séene by the knight of the Sunne who was all kindled in ire with a mightie courage he raised himselfe in his stirops and stroke him such a blowe vppon his left shoulder with so great furie and force that he cloue him downe to the saddle bow in such sorte that hee fell downe to the ground in two péeces with so great wonder vnto all them that sawe that terrible blow that they could not perswade with themselues that he shuld be a humane knight and the royall Princesse who verie well sawe the execution of that blow was verie glad and ioyfull at her heart for that shée had so nigh her so valiant aide and succour and being almost ashamed to sée her selfe so euill intreated before him she tooke her sword in both her hands and stroke such a blow at another of the Gyants who had his sword in the aire all aloft readie for to discharge it vpon her that she cut both his armes a sunder that his hands sword and all fell to the ground and the gyant ranne awaie and put himselfe in the middest of the battaile roaring and houling like a Bull. From that time the worthie Alphebo and the roiall Princesse so behaued themselues in the thickest amongst their enimies that what with killing and wounding all that euer they could reach in such sort that they were greatlie feared of their aduersaries At this time the good Troian was not idle but all to be raied with the bloud of them that he had slaine and at one terrible thrust which he threw at one of the Gyant kings hée passed his sword through his bodie so that hée fell downe dead to the ground But when that Bramarant sawe the great destruction the which these thrée knightes made amongst his people he rowled his eies in his head as though fire would flie out of them and with great wrath he came towardes the knight of the Sun for that it séemed vnto him that he was the knight that stroke the mortallest blowes of all the rest and when hée came vnto him he stroke him such a terrible and ouerthwart blowe vppon his healme that he made the sparkes of fire to flie out a great waie off and with the
all order and with so great furie that if they had béene two Rockes they hadde broke them all to péeces and the anger and courage of eyther of them was so great because they could haue no victorie that they left one another and put themselues into the battaile whereas they slew and ouerthrew to the ground and couered the fields with dead bodies as the Mower with his Sith couereth the sorrowes with corne The knight of the Sunne put himselfe amongst those monstrous Gyants of the Orientall Indias and made so great slaughter amongest them that those which were liuing although they were fierce and rough people did flie before him he put himselfe with so great furie amongst them that the stout Oristedes remâ—ined behinde him and could not followe but yet with the great desire that he had to kéepe him companie hée did strange exploits and of great wonder Then the knight of the Sunne looking backe and seeing him all alone did tarrie his comming making a breade waie in euerie place whereas hee went at which time came forth against him a rough and 〈…〉 named Othibeâ—â— and was Lord ouer the Iland of 〈◊〉 his armour was edged round about with golde and precious stones of great price who stroke so strong a 〈◊〉 at the knight of the Sunne vppon his helme that he somewhat aâ—â—â—med him But this proude Pagan departed aduancing himselfe thereof but was rewarded for his boldnesse with his head clouen asunder to his breast so that he fell downe dead to the ground yet ther lacked not another more hardie than wise that thought to make reuengement for the same There was a king called Armelion who hauing a great confidence in his strength and in the excellencie of his armour wherewith hee was armed and was verie good went towards him and stroke him a mightie blowe vpon one of his shoulders but he that had receiued so many of that furious Bramarant receiued that of him as nothing but in paiment of his great follie the sonne of Trebatio stroke him such another vppon his head that both helme and skull he stroke into his braines the which being done he staied not but procéeded forwards on not finding anie that did disturbe him in his waie and alwaies he had an eie vnto such as séemed vnto him to bée the principall of his enimies so it chanced he discouered two mightie great and deformed Gyants that were both together with mightie mases in their handes and made great slaughter and destruction vpon the Gréekes these Gyantes were two brethren and Lords ouer an Iland in the Indian sea The one was called Zario and the other Drago and in all the whole hoast was not to bée found two Gyants more mightier and fuller of pride than they were But as this gallant louer of the royall Empresse Claridiana hadde séene them without anie consideration that they were two and hée all aloneâ— hée tooke a Speare from a Pagan that was next him and seâ— spurres to his good horse Cornerino and with so great fuâ—ie that hée séemed a whirle winde he went towards those Gyants who were séene aboue all the rest more than two â—ubites and in sight of all the people he encountered witâ— one of them in the middest of the breast in such sort that â—â—though his armour was twelue plates thick yet did he thrâ—st his Speare a good yard through his bodie that the sharpe point of his Speare appeared at his backe and this great Gyant fell downe dead to the ground and made so great noise as though a tower had fallen downe and at such time as this good knight dyd passe alongst in his course the other Gyant that did abide his comming with his yroâ— mase in his hand all alofte hee discharged such a right downe blowe at him that if hee had chaunced to fasten the same it had not gone well with him but the great furie and swiftnesse of his horse Cornerino was such that before hée coulde discharge the same hée was passed by with his Maister so that the blowe fell downe to the ground and entred into the earth thrée spans and as yet hée had not lift vp his mase when that the knight of the Sunne tourned about his horse with great lightnesse and ioyning himselfe with the Gyant hée cast a thrust at him with the point of his sword in the middest of his bellâ—e and put so great force and strength ther vnto that without anie staying it passed through his double and thicke armour and entered into his guts vp to the hard hiltes and pulling his sworde out his guttes followed after And therwithall the Gyant with an infernall furie stroke such a terrible blowe with his mace on his backe that hée hadde ouerthrowen him to the ground if that he had not embraced himselfe with his horse necke But so soone as this blowe was giuen the mightie Gyant fell downe dead to the earth and the knight of the Sunne doing theâ—e and many other great meruailes passed forwardes on discoueringâ—through all the whole battaile beholding the mightie deedes greate meruailes and highe knighthood which was done by the famous knightes on his part vnto whome it seemed that they alone were a sheelde and defence vnto all his people for without them they had beene all ouercome and dispearsed for that in comparison there were a great number more on the paâ—t of the Pagans than there was on theirs Hee lykewise looked about for Rosicleer and sawe where hee was all alone so berayed and bathed in bloud that scarce hée could bee knowen from another knight but onelie by the incredible deedes which he did and seeing him in that sorte all alone without anie of his confortes that could come vnto him for to succour him hee fell greatlie in loue with him and his estimation and praied vnto God with all his heart to saue and defend him from all perill and daunger Likewise hee sawe in another place the good Emperour his father in the middest betwixt the two Spanish knights who went all three together with equall courage and magnanimitie and made exceeding great slaughter amongst the Pagans At this time the good knight would not staie anie longer to beholde them but thrust himselfe into the middest of the battaile and went from one place vnto another ayding and helping there whereas hee sawe was the greatest perill At this time the daie was wel spent for it was past noone and the knight of the Sun â—éeling the wether to be hot as he that had trauailed more than the rest for to refresh himselfe and to take some aire as also to sée in what estate the battaile was went out of the camp stood vnder a little wood side that was there hard by the Campe and alighted from his horse and pulled off his helme and dyd from that place beholde all that passed and sawe that on euerie side all the whole fields was full of people and by reason of the greate multitude he could not knowe those
their terrible blowes all that euer they could At which time Bramarant thought not that the Emperour Alycandro had bene spoiled and lost the victorie but rather suspected that the Greekes had lost the field but verie quicklie hée was put out of that doubt for that by reason of the great noise which they made in their battaile the Emperour Trebatio and all those worthie Princes that were on his part came thether whereas they were for as then they were all ioyned together put themselues round about these two warriours with determination for to part them from that contension but this valiant and worthie pagan when he saw them in that sort and knew them hee was greatly amazed and straight waies suspected that they had got the victorie who as then with a hoarse voyce and proude semblant sayd Oh fortune how is it that thou hast had so great power for to shew thy selfe so contrarie against the pagans who is that mightie and valiant prince that hath had so great force for to ouerthrow the mightie Alicandro and the gran Campion my father who was sufficient to set fier on all the whole worlde To whome Rosicleer answered and said if thou wilt know him it is easie to bee vnderstood for I doe giue thée to vnderstand that all which is here done commeth alonely of him that dyd create and make all things and hath power ouer all men and at his will is gouerned both nature and fortune And this is Iesus Christ true God and man in whome all christians doe beleeue and worship and it hath bene his pleasure to giue vs the victorie against so many thousands of Pagans by the which thou maist vnderstand how false and deceiuable be your Gods who were not able for to ayde and succour the Emperour Alicandro who presumeth to desend from the race and stocke Then this proude Pagan replyed and sayde I neuer beleeued in any gods neither am I now determined to beleeue in any for that both their gods thyne and all the rest I holde them for my enimies and I will spoyle them all where soeuer I may finde or méete with them And in saying these words he raysed himselfe in his stirrups and with his sword in both his hands he stroke so strong a blow at Rosicleer vppon his inchaunted healme that it séemed a Thunderbolt to haue fallen from heauen the noyse was so great which made him somewhat astonished But when this Pagan sawe that he was compassed about with so much people that it was night he thought it not good to abide there anie longer but set spurres vnto his horse and rushed thorough the thickest of them ouer threw to the ground all them that was in his way lyke a whirle winde he runneth through those fields and neuer stayed till he came into the wildernesse of Grecia with intension not to depart from thence till such time as he hadde very well and to his contentment reuenged the death of his father Rosicleer would verie faine haue followed him for that he hadde a great desire for to conclude and giue ende vnto that battaile but the Emperour his father and those that were with him dyd distrube him Then when they sawe themselues together and missed the knight of the Sunne they were greatly amazed and seperated themselues some one way and some an other waye and went into all places for to séeke him but when that in all the whole field they could not finde him they could not immagine where hée should bée for the which they were all very sad and sorrowfull but in especiall the royall princes Claridiana for that she thought euery hower a yéere till she hadde spoken with him and trauailed from one place to an other with great care in his demaund but could not finde him nor haue anie newes of him till in the ende of great enquirie it was tolde her by a souldier that he dyd sée him embarke himselfe in a shippe and all that he procured was for to know some newes of the Emperour Alicandro When she heard this she was somewhat quieted in her selfe and went and informed the Emperour Trebatio thereof who with all the rest of the other princes receued great ioye and began at that instant to celebrate and reioyce the laâ—e victorie wonne and in very good order retourned to the Citie of Constantinople where as they were in the armes of those Ladies with such ioye as the reader may iudge yet I must néedes say that if the absence of the knight of the Sunne had not mittigated somewhat the extremitie of their pleasure there had neuer bene in Grecia the like ioye and triumph Let vs now leaue them in all their pastimes for that I am sure this long chapter hath somewhat wearied you and let vs retourne to tell you of other thinges wherein you shall receiue pleasure and delight ¶ How that the Emperour Alicandro sayling by sea was through a tempest by the which he was driuen vnto the strong Iland whereas they were taken prisoners he and the princes Lindabrides with all her Ladies by the Gyant Roboan and his sonnes ¶ Chap. 39. WIth great sorrow and heauinesse of heart dyd the Emperour Alicandro nauigate the Sea with the faire and precious Princes Lindabrides in companie with a small number of Knightes that entred into the ship with him who when they considered with what great pomp and force they entred into the Empire of Grecia with what disgrace they departed from thence their hearts were readie to breake with sorrrw for that they saw no other thing of so great a number of thousands of people that they brought with them out of their countries but onely the water of the Sea couered with bloud and a few other shippes full of people that had escaped from the furie of the Gréekes some one way and some an other without any order but whether soeuer the wynde fortune would carrie them The night was very dark so that the ship of the Emperor was all alone fortune who would shew her selfe more contrarie for to giue â—im to 〈…〉 what small trust there was in her it happen that in the night there arose a great â—â—mpest that dyd not onelie hinder them of their iourney but also dyd put the shippe many times in great daunger to be drowned so that the marriners and such as were in the shippe had enough to doe for to voyde and cast out the water that was forced in by that tempest and the faire princesse Lindabrides with all her ladies and gentlewomen receiued so great feare that they all amased remained as dead persons although vnto this faire princesse the griefe was not so much in beholding before her eyes that great perill of death in the which they were brought as to sée her selfe in that sorte for to depart from Grecia where as remained the knight of the Sunne and againe to consider how euell her purpose and desire was brought to passe so
that she remained without all hope or remedie And prayed vnto her gods and fortune not to appease the torment but to be so contrarie vnto their iourney that they might retourne againe by the force thereof into Grecia either a liue or dead for that she thought in her heart that there was no death could be more crueller vnto her then to retourne into her owne countrie whereas she should lose all hope euer for to sée the knight of the Sunne In this sort vttering great and profound sighes which procéeded from the bottome of her heart she sayd as followeth Oh my soule depart and leaue this my sorowfull and afflicted bodie séeing that my fortune and cruel destinie wil that I shal leaue the land whereas the knight of the Sunne doth remaine Oh you wyndes and celestiall mouinges that doth carrie the shippes vpon the Seas here and there in all places carrie vs now into some parte whereas wée may be taken prisoners by some Grecian and carryed before the Emperour Trebatio for that it shall be vnto mée more comfortable to be prisoner and 〈◊〉 in his pallas then to be Quéene in the gran Scithia or Empresse in Tartâ—ria Oh you blouddie waues â—ossed vp and downe by the furiâ—â—s wyndes and forced into riuers show your selues so fauorable vnto mée that when by this torment and storme we shal be drowned you would dead as I shal be left carrie me vnto some part of Grecia for that possible the knight of the Sunne hearing of my death will not be so cruell but that he will giue sepulture vnto this my vnhappie bodie and at times remember mée and be sorrowfull for this my vntimely and cruell death Ah when that this shall lacke in him yet shall my sorrowfull bones take comfort in that they shall remaine in so glorious and happie a land In vttering of these and manie other things of great griefe did this sorrowfull princesse nauigate and with so great trouble of minde that I doe verelie beleeue if the knight of the Sunne had heard them he would haue hadde great compassion on her Likewise it was of no lesse sorow griefe to sée the demeanour of the Emperour Alicandro for that the day before he saw himselfe in the estate to bée lord ouer all the whole world and at this present for to be a land in his owne countrie he would haue bene content to haue had the gouernement and to be lorde of a poore castell an estate vnlooked for they that doe thinke to sléepe in great securitie whome fortune hath put in the highest part of her mouable and inconstant whéele they may well behold this Emperour for that possible he may be vnto theÌ„ a greater securitie and cause them to loose the condicion of hope that alwayes they had in her for that alwaies when that she dothe once beginne to frowne and to tourne her back vnto any she is not content to touch them with a little aduersitie but will so follow them as their fall shal be equal vnto their first triumph of exalting as by experience you shall sée in this Emperour who was not content to bring him into this estate of perplexitie but straight waies did ordaine a greater and crueller conclusion greatly to be considered of for that the next day in the morning at such time as the Sunne did arise the furious force of the windes and seas did carrie their ship into the port of any land with so great extremitie that it brake all to péeces and they with great trauaile escaped being all wet out of comfort and in a place vnknowen and for that you shal be certified of the comfort and ease that they found there You shall vnderstand that this was called the strong Ilande the most famous in all the Tirreno Sea it is called strong for that it is all compassed round about with the Sea on the parts towards the sea high and mightie Rockes and hath no entring into it but onely one part in the which the Emperor Alicandro and his companie were driuen by force of that great tempest at the entrie of the same sort was two great high and mightie towers and of great strength and at the foote of them into the Iland a great and large plaine in the which was manie gallant peaceable and freshe fountaines that dyd inuite all them that passed by to take their ease and repast and beyond the same plaine there was a beautifull mountaine vppon the which was edified a verie faire castell and strong compassed round about with a high wall and watch towers with a 〈◊〉 very broade déepe vpon the which was a drawen bridge of timber and before the same a gallant little plaine in maner of court The highest part of the tower was full of windowes and galleries some towards the Sea and others towards the entrie of the saide Castell so that for strength and beautie in all the whole Sea was not an Iland to be found equall vnto the same but onely that of Lindaraza the which was edified and made by arte of inchantment The Lord of this Iland was a Gyant called Roboan who by liniall dissent doth procéede from Nemroth he that built the high and statelie tower of Babel and from his time to that daye hath bene maintained and gouerned by that linage as appeared by olde and ancient writings which they had amongst them This Roboan was verie bigge of bodie and of strength more thâ—n anie other Gyant and he hadde foure sonnes all young men the most stoutest and grymmest that was to be found amongst all the Ilands of the Sea So that by the 〈◊〉 of them as also 〈◊〉 the great strength of the Ilande Roboan 〈…〉 all the whole world if they coem against him which was the occasion that he dyd great harmâ— and robberies at the Sea And dyd maintaine in his Iland an ill custome which was that euerie time at the wayne of the Moone he did sacrifice two damsells the most fairest that could be found and when that the Moone did increase he dyd sacrifice two knights the which they dyd by the encreasing of their great sinnes whereby his aâ—ncestours did fall into a great and abhominable Idolatrie to honour and worship the Moone without knowing any other God or Lord but onely her saying that with her brightnesse she dyd illuminate the earth and cause it to engender Gyants and that she waâ— the occasion that the earth dyd bring forth all maner of fruites and hearbes for the which occasion they hadde her for their Goddesse and Mother Also they sayd that when the Moone was in the waine she dyd hide her brightnesse for that she was angrie with men for which cause they did sacrifice vnto her two damsels because with their bloud as they saide her anger was appeased And at such time as she did beginne to increase they did sacrifice vnto her two knights in giuing to vnderstand that they did acknowledge her for their Goddesse
know that this is the strong Iland and how that Roboan is Lord of the same who ioyntlie with his sonnes doth maintaine so euill and abhominable a custome that whatsoeuer good knight hée bée he ought for to aduenture his lyfe for to cause the same to be broken as well in the great Idolatrie vsed in the worshipping for God his creatures as also in the great crueltie vsed agaynst all knightes and damsells so that I am come hether and haue so great hope and confidence in the diuine iustice to doe so much that you shall not perseuer with this great violence and if that thou art Roboan or anie of his sonnes determine and put order to amend thy life or else come presentlie with me to battaile Then Langereon with great laughter and disdaine said Of truth Sir Knight thy great boldnesse and courage is the greatest that euer I haue heard or seene that thou hast so valiant a heart for to approch and giue attempt in that which all the whole world is not sufficient but because thou shalt sée and vnderstand that thy attempt is more of follie than of anie valiant courage or feare doe now what thou canst against me for that I am one of the sonnes of Roboan whom thou hast named And in saying these words this worthie and valiant youth did lift vp his great trencheant and stéelie hatchet and therewith went towardes the knight of the Sunne with so terrible and dreadfull semblance that it was sufficient to put great feare in anie good Knight But vnto him who had béene accustomed vnto such lyke enterprises it was not onelie without feare and dreade but also a Spâ—are which hée had in his hand and taken from one of those knightes which hée stew hée threw vnto the ground and drew out his sword and went towardes Langereon who was greatlie amazed at that which hée did so that these two the one against the other charged each his aduersarie with such terrible blowes vpon their healmes that with the great force thereof they caused perâ—orce their horses to stoope downe to the ground and by reason that the healme of the Gyant was not of so fine mettall as it should haue béene it was clouen by the knight of the Sunne in such sorte that hée made a lyttle wounde in his scull out of the which procéeded great abundaunce of bloud that fell in his eyes and about his face the which did disturbe him verie much in this battaile and this Langereon meruailed exceedinglie at that terrible blowe which he had receiued which was the mightiest that euer in all his life he had felt and being verie desirous â—â—raight wayes and out of hand to bée reuenged of the same for that in continuing in battaile it might fall out vnto him verie perillous and daungerous hee flourished with his stéelie hatchet about his head and with it in both his handes hée stroke so strong a blowe at the knight of the Sunne ouerthwart vppon his conâ—â—aled healme that he thought verilie a whole Tower had fallen vpon him it so amazed and astonied him and with a trice hee redoubled another blowe with no lesse force and strength with the which the knight of the Sunne had passed great daunger if that he had stroke it full and right but with the force and strength that hée put in striking of the first blowe the bloud of the wound in his hâ—ad burst out a new and fell with greate abundaunce downe about his eyes in such sorte that whereas hée thought to haue stroken the worthie and valyant knight of the Sunne hée was deceiued and stroke his horse hard by the poâ—â—ell of the saddle that without anie staying hee cut him cleane asunder in the middest so that he parted him in two péeces and hee straight wayes fell downe dead vnto the grounde whereby hée was constrayned to ouerthrowe his Maister but this valiant knight was not so soone fallen but he arose vp againe on his féete and meruailed greatlie at the mightie force of the Gyant and seeing himselfe so intreated he sayde within himselfe that it did well appeare that there was not present his Ladie and Mistres the Princesse Claridiana for that one alone knight had brought him vnto that extremitie And in saying these wordes he did abide the comming of Langareon who approched with his hatchet aboue his head for to strike him another terrible blowe and at such time as he would haue discharged the same he stepped on the one side with so great dexteritie that the blowe fell downe to the ground and as the Gyant by reason of the force wherewith it was stroke dyd bowe his bodie and armes after the same the Knight of the Sunne laide holde on the gorget of his healme with so greate strength that hee brake the lacings and buckles thereof and pulled it from his head and ouerthrew him from his horse to the ground and before that hée could arise hee stroke him with his healme vppon his vnarmed head that hée astonied him and layde him a long vpon the earth and not willing to doe him anie farther euill hée left him and tooke his hatchet and mounted vpon his horse the which was both bigge and verie swift And looking towardes the Castle to see if another did come forth hée chaunced to cast his eyes vp vnto the battlements therof whereas hee discouered the persons of the Emperour Alycanidro and the fayre Princesse Lyndabrides and some of her Ladies and Gentlewomen who were beholding and dyd sée all that passed in the battayle with the Gyant and by reason that all his armour was berayed and imbrued in bloud and neuer made cleane since the greate battayle that was fought in Grecia and againe that he had not his horse Cornerino they coulde not imagine or deuise who he shoulde bée but the Princesse Lyndabrides sayde within her selfe Oh how I would pardon and forgiue fortune all these trauailes and aduersities which she hath giuen vnto mée that my fortune might nowe bée so good and happie that this might be the myrrour of all knights or his brother Rosicleer or some of his friendes that might doe so much in this Iland as to carrie vs prisoners into Grecia But when that the knight of the Sunne dyd sée that faire and rubicâ—nd face of the Princesse he was not so greatlie troubled with the mightie and terrible blowes which he hadde receiued of the Gyant as he was for to see her who some times was gouernesse of his heart in that place wherwith he trembled and shaked striking himselfe vpon the brest as one that walketh by night in securitie and without feare discouereth vpon a sodaine some vision or fantasie before him And being somewhat amased he remained a good while beholding her without mouing of hand or foote that he thought all his sences were disturbed with the sodaine sight of this faire Princesse whose beautie was so rooted within his heart and the olde sore so festered that of truth it was very
of the Sunne was taken prisoner by the parents and friends of Florinaldus they were strangelie amazed to see the great and mightie edifices of the Castle that â—eemed weâ—e burned and destroyed and such relikes as remained as péeces of towers and wallâ—s with their foundations did put gâ—eat admiration in al them that passed thatâ— waie and béeing veâ—ie desirous to knoâ—e what was the occasion of so great destruction they stayed and procured â—o sée if they could fiâ—de anie 〈…〉 that could giue them relation thereof and by câ—aunce they found certaine men that did dwell in the sâ—me place wâ—o declarâ—d vnto them the whole circumstance of that which the knight of the Sunne had there done from the first contention that he had with Floâ—â—naldos till after he was clâ—â—re out of prison whereas he was and how the Castle with all the towers wer destroied and left in that order as they â—aw it the which when they vnderstoode without lacâ—ing anie part thereof they were wonderfullie amazed as well aâ— the strange buildings which séemed to haâ—e 〈…〉 at the valiant and worthie 〈◊〉 of the knight of the Sunne and they who had séene by experience many of his wonderfull deedes sayde that with great reason they ought to put in obliuion the acts done by the ancient and fâ—mâ—us knights of whose worthie deedes the world doth resound for that the knight of the Sunne was such a one that not one of them might bée compared vnto him In this sorte when they had heard the whole discourse of their desire béeing verie glad and ioyfull thereof they gaue great thankes vnto him who had made it manifest vnto them and departed from thence and hauing vnderstanding how that the king was in a â—itie called Viana which was vpon Danubia they tooke their iourney along the riuer vpwardes towards the said Citie and hauing trauaâ—led many daies thetherwards in the end they came within thrée miles of the mightie Citie about the houre of one of the clocke in the after noone at which time the great heate of the Sunne vnto such as doe trauaile is most troublesome and beeing troubled with the great heate these two knightes determined to put themselues out of the high waie and to enter into a verie faire and fresh Orchard that was there at hand and there to rest and recreate themselues till the force of the heate were past and looking towards the Citie they sawe comming towards them a damsell mounted vppon a Palâ—â—aie with so great speede as her palsraie coulde runne and as one that made hast to accomplish some great necessitie And séeing her to come with so great hast they were verie desirous to knowe the occasion thereof which made them for to staie vntill her comming thether and drawing more â—gher vnto them they â—awe that the wept and made great lamentation in such sorte that shée was all wet with teares But when shee sawe the two knightes shee began to weepe more pittifullie and to lift vp her lamentable voice saying after this sort Oh iusâ—ice of God how do you permit that so great treason be done vâ—to so high a damsell as shée is that there is not a knight in all the world that will defend her iustice and qâ—arrâ—ll Thâ—se two knights when they heard these words were more desirous than before to vnderstand the effect thereof and put themselues before the damsell and staying her haâ—â—ie iouâ—ney one of them said Damsell we praie you to let 〈◊〉 a while this your complaint and wéeping and declare vnto vs the occasion of this your great sorrow for that we are knightâ— that with a verie good will will offer our persons to put remedie therein if it bee a thing that with reason and with our honours wee maye performe Then the Damsell when shee heard those curteous wordes did verie much beholde them and sawe that they were knightes verie stronglie and richlie armed and of a gallant and stout proportion shee coniectured that they shoulde bée knâ—ghts of great bountie and straungers in that Countrie for that at anie time shee had not seene in the Court of the king 〈◊〉 of so gallant and warlike disposition and hauiâ—g more hope than shee brought with her shée answered them 〈◊〉 sayd Sir knights a heauie thing it is that you doe demaund of mée to cause mée now for to stay and declare vnto you the dolorous care that I haue within mée the which onely for to expresse will cause my griefe to renew and increase and I doe beléeue that there is no heart so hard but of my sorrow will take great compassion But for that you haue vsed vnto mée so great courtesie in your words and againe the good disposition of your persons doe giue mée to vnderstand that my labour shall not be in vaine for to giue you to vnderstande of the greatest treason that euer you haue heard of the which was done vnto a faire Damsell of high estate and is the occasion of all this my sorrow You shall vnderstand sir knights that in the court of the king Tâ—berio of Hungaria who is at this instant in the citie of Viana the Quéene Augusta wife vnto the king Tiberio â—ath in her companie manie Ladies and gentlewomen of great beautie and high estate of all the principallest of Germania amongst whom there was one who as well in beautie as in riches and estate did passe and surmounâ— all the rest and is the Dutches of Austria called the faire Polisena for that her great beautie and fairenessâ—e as they say is equall vnto that that was of the daughter of Pâ—â—aâ—o When this damsell came vnto the age of twelue yéeres her father dyed and for that she was so young and tender of age although heire vnto that high estate the Queene Augusta did take her into her companie and it is now full foure yéeres since her first comming into the court In which time as she increased as well in beautie as in yéeres manie worthie knights of high estate and renowme that saw her dyd procure by all meanes possible for to marrie with her amongest whome there was none that she could fancie or beare any good will or perfect loue vnto but the gallant Lusiano prince of Suâ—uia who was the gallantest proporcioned and stoutest knight that at this present is to be found in all the prouinces of Germania It is now more then thrée yéeres since this Prince did begin to loue and serue her in which time for her sake he did many valiant deedes worthy to be put in memorie Likewise the faire Polisena being no lesse ouercome vanquished with his loue did not loue him with any other entension but to marrie with him thinking that with no other knight she might better match her selfe then with him so that these two were verie conformable together in their wills and desires as I who was a third person betwixt them do know and am a witnesse to the same and also doe iustifie that betwixt
their hands for to kisse theÌ„ for the great curtesie they offered vnto her and therewith she returned with them towards the Citie againe and sayd Oh that it were Gods will Sir Knightes that my fortune might be this daie so happie and prosperous as it was vnto another damsell in times past who brought vnto this Court a strange knight for to defend an honourable Ladie from the power of the stout Aridon who alonelie dyd not kill him in battaile but afterwards had so much power and force for to defend himselfe from all the power and force of the King 〈◊〉 maintaining battaile a great part of the daie with more than two thousand knightes till such time as night drew on and they all thought it best to leaue him so that he went free awaie and none of them all able to hurt or doe him anie outrage who afterward was tolde vs to bée the knight of the Sunne and sonne vnto the Emperour â—rebatio and of the Empresse Briana daughter vnto my Lord the king Tâ—berio and if it were not for the greate warres as is tolde vs that doth detaine him and also for the great 〈◊〉 that the king hath against him the Dutchesse would haue sent vnto him in commending her whole cause in hope that hée woulde haue had some compassion on her All this time Rosicleer and Lyriamandro did greatlie reioyce to heare tolde the wonderfull acts and déedes of the knight of the Sun for wheresoeuer they went they found all the world full of his great fame Thus in trauailing they talked of these and many other things till at thrée of the clocke in the after noone they entered into the mightie Citie of Viana at such time as the great place was full of people tarrying for to sée the battaile that should bee made betwixt the Prince Lusiano and Duke Roberto Then they put themselues into such a place whereas they were verie secret and commanded the damsell to goe forth at such time as the Duke and his knightes were in the place that then she should come and tell them for that they woulde not bée séene till such time as they were in the field and for that in this next Chapter you shall vnderstand the whole truth of all that which passed I doe conclude this and referre mée to the next Of the great treason that the Duke Roberto ordained for to haue the faire Polisena to bee his wife Chap. 44. NOw the Hystorie faith that all that which the damsell had told vnto Rosicleer and Liriamandro was most certaine true but yet there was another secret vnknownen and knowen vnto none but vnto the Duke and another damsell of the Dutchesse which was this insomuch as the Duke Roberto had lost all his hope for to haue at his wil the faire Dutchesse Polisena he determined within himselfe to vse some other meanes which was the worst that euer was procured or done by anie knight for when hée sawe nothing could preuaile him he then laboured with all diligence for to know which of the damsels that waighted vpon the dutches was y â— basest of linage poorest for y â— these two things in inconstant minds be easiest to accoÌ„plish their lusts and desires And when he had learned out this and found that there was one amongest them that serued the Dutchesse which had these qualities or better to saie inconueniences he did secretlie practise to talk with her the which being done what with requests gifts and faire promises in the end he brought her vnto the bent of his bow and hauing her at his commandement as he would wish vpon a night at such time as the Moone did shine most cléerest hée practised with her that she should apparell her selfe with the same apparell attire of her head that the Dutches her Ladie did weare the daie before being so attired shée shoulde come forth into a gallant fresh garden which was vnder the window of the Dutches whereas many times shée would recreate her selfe with her damsells and could not bee seene of anie by reason that the wals were so high being there she should present her selfe to be the faire Polisena and hee would méete with her in the sayd garden whereas betwixt them they would plight their faith troth of matrimonie how that he would take her into his armes as though she were his spouse and lawfull wife When this and all the rest which the Duke requested was concluded with that damsell he then began to increase the friendship which before he had begun with those thrée knighâ—s Ricardo Carmelio Ambardo who were thrée of the principallest knights of most credit that were in all the Court vnto whom many times before because he would haue their friendshippes more surer he did impart the secret great loue which hée haâ— with the Dutches did not onelie declare vnto them the sharpe answeres which she gaue him but rather sayd that he was verie well beloued of her and how that she had promised him many times to receiue him for her husband although shée dyd delaie the time from one night vnto an other Then after a while when that they were partlie perswaded of the truth the daie before the night that he had conâ—orted with the Damsell to come forth into the garden hée went vnto these three knights and in great secret he sayde vnto them these wordes It is not vnknowen vnto you my Lordes how long time I haue trauailed with sorrow for to conclude this loue that I haue alwayes had with the Dutchesse to no other intent and purpose but to marrie with her and to haue her in that honour as her high estate and great worthinesse doth deserue shée hath driuâ—n mée off from daie to daie dilating the time and hindering mée of that great glorie and contentment the which I hoped long ere this to haue inioyed as you doe verie well knowe but now by the good successe that alwayes I hoped for of this my Matrimonie it hath pleased God that the Dutchesse hath now conserted with mée that this next night that commeth she will come forth into a garden that is on the backe side of her lodging where as she willeth me to méete her and there she wil accomplish all that I haue desired and for that I doe know and haue proued by experience the inconstancie and varietie of womens heartes I am verie desirous that you my Lordes would shew me so much pleasure as to go with me thether and to be in secret there whereas you may heare and sée all that passeth because if it shoulde so fall out by my euill fortune that the Dutchesse of Austria for feare of displeasing the king or Quéene or by anie other occasion that shuld moue her now pretended purpose shall denie and flie from this her promise that then you if occasion did so serue as witnesses of that ye sawe may declare the truth of all that which you haue séene
in this Chapter following How that Rosicleer and Liriamandro and the gentle Lusâ—ano had battaile with the Duke Robertâ— and his companions Chap. 45. AFter that the Damsel of the Dutches was departed from Rosicleer and Liriamandro she went straight waies into the place appointed for the battaile whereas she kept her selfe verie close till such time as the Duke and his companions came foorth all foure together and armed with rich and glittering armor mounted vpon a great and gallant horse had with them so gallant semblance that they semed to be knights of great valour worthinesse as well in their armour as in their gallant proporcion In this â—ort they ridde about the place and when that the king Tiberio and the Quéene Augusta with all the principallest of the court were set in their places at the windowes of the mightie pallace then straight waies came farther the gentle Lusiano all armed in blew armour garnished about with golde and rich stoones which was conformable vnto his estate and was mounted vpon a mightie horse trapped with blewe veluet and bordered with gold and was in all things of so gallant and gentle disposition that ther was not one in all the place but when they saw him did receue great sorrow and griefe in such sorte that there was amongst them a great sound in maner of a lamentation for that they made rekoning that he was a dead man and there were fewe amongst them but would haue giuen a good part of their goods vpon condicion that the gentle Lusiano might cleere himselfe of that enterprise in especial the king and the Queene who loued him almost as well as though he had bene their owne sonne and would haue bene verie glad if y â— the prince 〈◊〉 would giue ouer that demaund for that they beleued y â— the Duke Roberto had reason on his side and again as it was likely they thought it impossible that he should escape from that battaile with his life Then the king commaunded that the Dutches should be brought foorth for to see and behold the battaile that was ordained for her sake who very much against her will was brought vnto a window of the pallas but when she saw her gentle spouse her heart was all couered with sorrow and griefe and as dead she fell down to the ground whereas her life had bene in great perill if that within a short space she had not bene comforted with the comming of the two knights So soone as the damsell saw that it was houre time with a trice she went vnto the In whereas she had left Rosicleere and Liriamandro and giuing them to vnderstand of that which had passed and how that they were readie to goe to battaile They straight waies mounted vpon their horses and with all the spéede possible came vnto the place at such time as the Iudges did part the Sunne and the field vnto the knight readie to leaue them to their battaile And as they pressed to enter into the place all the people dyd make them large and broade way for to passe as well to cleere themselues from the furie of their great hast as also for that they sawe them to be armed with so precious and rich armour and of so gallant proporcioÌ„ that straight waies they thought they came vpon some set purpose and determination When they came vnto the place whereas the knights were without speaking euer a woord they plased theÌ„selues the one on the one side and the other on the other side of the Prince with their speares in their hands readie for to goe vnto the battaile Then the Damsel who was well knowne went vnto the king and saide You shall vnderstand worthy and mightie king Tâ—berio that I this daye going forth of this citie because I would not see the death of the priâ—ce Lusiano by my good fortune I met with these two knights who wheÌ„ as they vnderstood by mée the occasioÌ„ of my sorow and griefe hauing no other occasion but as they are bound by reason and Iustice are come hether with mée and will defend the cause on the part and behalfe of my Ladie the Dutches. Therefore on their parts I am come vnto your highnesse to request you to graunt theÌ„ licence for the same for so much as they be strangers and would not erre in any thing that is dewtifull vnto your seruice The king who all this time dyd verie well behold the two knights and lyked them meruailously well was very glad and ioyefull at the words of the Damsell and hauing some hope more then before of the deliuerie of the Prince by the ayde of those two knights aunswered and sayde that the Duke and his companions were foure so that Lusiano might likewise take vnto him other thrée companions and that there was no reason in him for to denie them therefore the knights might doe what their pleasure was and that he should be well content therewith The Duke and his companions when that they sawe how that Lusiano had companions made no rekoning theroff for that if they were tenne of them they hoped before an houre were ended they would bring them vnto their endes But the Prince when that he sawe himselfe in the middest betwixt two such knights receiued no small contentment for that they séemed to be of high estate great renowme as well in their rich armour as of their gallant and stoute proporcions But in especiall Rosicleer for that there was not a knight in all that place but he had foure fingers vauntage of him in height so that it séemed vnto him that in all his life he had not séene a knight of a gallanter disposition And hauing no time for to speak vnto them he bowed downe his head in token of humilitie giuing them thankes for the great courtesie which they shewed vnto him At this time the houre was come and the trumpets began to sownde making a great noyse whereat the Duke his companions with their speares in their hands set spurs vnto their horses running with al furie possible The other thrée knights sâ—acked no time to runne and receiue them so great furie that it séemed a whirle winde and made their encouÌ„ters the one against the other in this sort The Duke Roberto and the gentle Lusiano made their encounters together all alone in such â—ort that by reason they were both â—rong and valiant knights they brake and sheuered their spâ—ares all to péeces but iustling together with their horse and bodies they both fell downe vnto the ground who with great lightnesse arose vpon their feete anâ— as mortall enimies made battaile together with their swords Liriamandro made his encounter with Ricardo who was a gallant knight And now whether it was for that he was in presence of his parents or by his great bountie and worthinesse Liriamandro ouerthrew the stout Ricardo horse and man to the ground And although by the force thereof he lost his stirrups yet lyke a good knight