Ireland and knew well how to defend himselfe but yet farre vnequall to the other who pursued him with so many huge weighty blowes breaking his shield and Armor in péeces that he caused the blood to issue foorth abundantly himselfe through the goodnes of his Armour not hauing receiued any wound so that it manifestly appeared which way the victory would bend it selfe had it not béene that the rest of Callapins company who perceiued him almost ouercome put themselues in his defence Héere againe the battell began to grow doubtfull they béeing eyght and all on horsebacke whereby they had the far greater aduantage which the good Knight perceiuing and séeing there was no way to auoyde this danger but by his owne prowesse gaue Callapin so sound a blow on the head that cleauing both Helme and head to the téeth caused him to fall dead to the ground and making as if he would haue fled hee came to Gillimo and mounting himselfe on horseback he incountred one of them who breaking his staffe on his good shield was sent besides his saddle to measure his length on the ground where to make him sure for dooing any further harme Gillimo tooke paynes to cut off his head But now was the other seauen come vnto him who all at once charged him with their Launces in such sort that his horse not béeing able to indure the incounter fel vnder him but soone was hée againe remounted by his Squire who brought him Callapins horse then began hee to lay on such blowes as well he gaue them to vnderstand that they could not long indure against him frō some cutting their armes from their bodies ouerthrowing others to the ground who neuer could rise againe for that the two Squires and Gillimo made them safe by cutting their throats thus continued the battell two long howres the Knight of the Lyons neuer hauing leisure to breathe himselfe so obstinate were they in the séeking of theyr owne deaths which by thys time sixe of them had gained the other two séeing theyr fellowes all slaine betooke thēselues to flight hoping thereby to saue theyr liues but béeing pursued by the Knight they were soone ouertaken leauing theyr liues for a satisfaction of theyr former offences Which when Molenda perceiued with her Daughter who by this time was come vnto her cast themselues at his féete and gaue him most hartie thankes for theyr deliuery proffering him all that they had if hée would accept thereof But hee raysing them from the ground willed them to render thankes to GOD who had sent him as a scourge to punish such wicked offenders as were those whom hee had vanquished Then taking theyr way into the Castle they remained there all that night where they were feasted by the Mother and the Daughter who séeing him so young and beautifull admired how he could be of such force to effect such déedes as hee had brought to passe therefore desiring to know what hee was Molenda beganne in this sort Most valiant Knight séeing you will not receiue any thing of vs whereby we might manifest vnto you the thankfulnes of our mindes yet I beséech you let vs know vnto whom we are so much bounden whereby in our prayers we may record this your memorable action The Knight aunswered As for that you demaund I cannot satisfie you because I know not mine owne estate but where I am knowne I am called the Knight of the Lyons by reason of these Lyons which I beare on my shield Farther they would haue questioned with him but fearing to displease him they gaue ouer and hauing brought him vnto his Chamber they committed him to GOD where that night by reason of his extreame wearinesse and his watching the night before hée slept very soundly Where wée will leaue him awhile and returne to declare what hapned in the meane time to Prince Edward of England whom you may remember in the former part of this History intended to demaund the beautifull Princesse Emilia of her Father the King of Fraunce CHAP. VII How the Prince of England demaunded Emilia of her father in marriage and of the strange aduenture that hapned in the French Court whereby all the chiefe Knights were forced to forsake the Court. IT is declared in the first part of this history how that Prince Edward of England being in the French Court where he ouercame the Duke of Orleance and after maintained the Princesse Emilia to be the beautifullest Lady in the world of whom hee grew so farre inamoured that hee determined to demaunde her of the King her father Wherefore one day being in a melancholly humor walking in a delightfull garden ioyning to the Pallace to recreate himselfe the King likewise came thether being accompanied with one page only and finding the Prince somewhat pensiue demaunded the cause thereof to which he replied The cause of this my dumpes in which you say I now am in procéedes partly from your selfe in regard I feare your deniall in a matter for which I minde to be a suter vnto you which feare driues me into a doubt whether I were best to speake in the same fearing to bee denayd or else conceals the same to my selfe which likewise may bréede a farther danger The King a while studying with himselfe what the matter might be at length gaue him this aunswere Most noble Prince the loue which I bare vnto you is such that it causeth me not to dissemble with you wherefore knowe that I cannot chuse but take these your spéeches in very vnkind part howsoeuer by you spoken for if the matter be reasonable which you would request then how farre you wrong mee in doubting my consent therein I referre to God only who knowes the thoughts of my hart If vnreasonable to your selfe who knowes what it is from ones friend to expect those things which hee cannot well without his great preiudice graunt wherefore declare boldly what it is that troubles your minde and assure your selfe you shall finde me willing to satisfie you therein if it bée not greatly to the preiudice of my honor and state of this my Kingdome The Prince hearing this friendly and to him ioyfull conclusion replied that he did greatly thanke his Maiestie for that great loue which hee did assure him of wherefore now putting all feare and doubte aside hée would declare the same vnto him which was this that being greatly wounded with the vertues and beauty of the Princesse Emilia his daughter whom in hart he had vowed to loue and fearing least he had otherwise disposed of her indéede was the cause of his pensiuenesse Which when the King heard with a smiling countenance made him this aunswere and is it possible that beautie can cause such alteration in you or else that loue can so soone take possession of your hart as comming frée to this my Court where you haue scarcely remained one month but indéede your combat with the Duke our Cosin and after hazarding your selfe in the same Challenge
did cause me in sort to imagine that you were somewhat intangled in those nets But now to the purpose as she is my daughter so doe I thinke shee will not make her choise without my consent neither I being her father will force her consent where she doth not loue but if by faire meanes shee may be wonne héereunto assure your selfe that the house of Fraunce is most willing to linke it selfe in loue and amitie with the Prince of England whose noble vallour deserues to bée highly had in estimation The Prince for this his kinde graunt would néedes haue kist his royall hands which the King would not suffer him to doe but imbracing him in his armes departed immediately into the Pallace and comming into the Queenes chamber of presence called for the Princesse Emilia and willing all saue the Quéene and her to a voyd the presence hee demaunded of her whether there were any loue betwéene her and the English Prince at which demaunde she dying her Princely chéekes with a maidenly blush and falling on her knées aunswered Most gracious father considering that in concealing the truth from you being therof demaunded I shall not only breake the bounds of duty by being disobedient but also offende God in making of a lie know therefore that since the day wherein he ouercame the Duke of Orleance I haue so intangled my selfe in his loue which before being by him sued vnto I made scorne of that I can finde no way to alter the same but by death only which rather then it should be to your dislike I would willingly indure were it neuere so cruell The King beeing ioyfull héereat yet séeming to be discontented said In faith and is it possible that thou most fond and foolish gearle shouldest so much forget the bounds of dutie and vertue as without my consent so to settle thy fancie on a stranger but I doubt not but thou wilt as soone repent thy choise as thou hast forgotten thy duty in choosing for who knowes whether he being a young amorous Prince hath not made some other choise already where then are thy hopes or what will become of thy loue The Princesse hearing her father in these tearmes knewe not well what aunswere to make but at length with teares in her eies and fetching a déepe sigh from her hart shée besought him to consider she force and power of loue which was of such might that who most sought to striue against it was the more cruelly therewith in the end wounded and that as yet her loue being knowne to none séeing it so greatly disliked his Maiestie she would for euer kéepe close although it did cost her her life which shée was sure it would doe séeing it had taken already such déepe rooting in her hart The King séeing her constancie loth to grieue her any farther tooke her by the arme raising her from the ground bid her to be of good comfort for séeing that her affection procéeded from vertue and not of any wanton or lustfull appetite hee did both alowe of it and yéeld consent vnto the choise which she had made willing her farther to estéeme of the Prince as one who not only déerely loued her but also was worthy to be beloued both for his vallor magnanimitie of mind of the greatest Lady in Christendome Thus leauing her not a little comforted he went to impart the same to the Prince vnto whom this newes was more welcome then to haue béene made Lord of the greated Kingdome of the world And taking order with the King for the day of their marriage against which time there should be prepared a great Turny hee also sent ouer into England the Duke of Yorke to certifie the King his father héereof which was to him most welcome newes béeing now greatly striken in yeares Also there were many Heraults sent foorth to proclaime this great Turny which should beheld in the Citty of Parris at the nuptials of the Prince of England and the beautifull Emelia against which time there came daily many braue and gallant Knights from diuers Kingdomes as well Christians as Sarasines for that the King had graunted by his proclamations a safe conduct for all commers Now in this meane time the Duke of Orleance being throughly recouered of his wounds which he had receaued against Don Edward and finding that with the losse of his honor he had likewise lost his loue grew therewith into so great rage that he would haue slaine himselfe had it not béene for some of his seruants who alwaies gaue dilligent attendance vnto him and deuising with himselfe on reuenge at last resolued by vnknowne trechery to bring it thus to passe There was in this his Dukedome a great Inchaunter who with his accursed spells was able in a manner to pull the starres out of their places to this man the Duke resorted and making him priuie to his intent desired him to deuise some meanes how vnknowne hée might be reuenged on the English Prince The Inchaunter willing to showe his loue vnto the Duke immediately deuised a meane how not only to be reuenged on the prince but also on as many as were welwillers vnto him which he did bring to passe in this sort There was in the Kingdom of Fraunce some tenne leagues from Parris a great Forrest in which this Inchaunter by his deuilish art erected a stately Castle inuironed about with high walls déepe ditches so as it séemed one of the strongest and fairest Castles of the Kingdome likewise he inchaunted it in such sort that though a thousand Knights had sought for it yet notwithstanding there should none haue found the same but such as they thought should not be of such force as to conquer the gardants who were two fierce mighty Gyants farre excéeding the common stature of others of that kind Also there was a Knight a kinsman of the Dukes who being accōpanied with 20 or 30 attendants alwaies remained héerein the Giants who kept the gard the one of them was called Brandofell with him first must those Knights haue to doe that came to make triall of this aduenture the other was named Furioll excelling in strength all the Giants of his time to him belonged the combat with those Kinghts to whom fortune was so fauorable as to ouercome Brandofell In this manner hauing prouided for the garde of this inchaunted Castle they deuised a meane by which to bring the Prince vnto the same which was in this manner The Inchaunter Ligustargo for so was he called had a daughter indifferent faire who in dissimulation was as skilfull as her father in the art of Magicke for she had her teares at commaund and could so well frame her countenance to sorrowe that there was none but would haue taken her to be very sorrowe it selfe to her was referred the meanes to seduce the Prince who comming vnto the Court with her haire disperssed about her shoulders her garments rent and torne and beeing conducted into the
of men readie to incounter theyr enemies so much had the lacke of vse of Armes since the losse of theyr King altered that florishing kingdom which in former time did greatly abound with many stout hardy Knights a great number whereof were either dead or lost in the search of their King The one halfe of which Armie béeing giuen in charge vnto the Lords of Opencade Londen marched towards the Archbishop and his confederates who with the number of 12 or 14. thousand souldiers being on the other side the riuer of Estate began to spoyle and sack the Country putting to sword all those that made any resistance against them and hauing taken Cargue and Londen two Townes of great strength placed therein garrisons then marching towards Opencade they heard of the comming of the Lords of Opencade Londen and fearing to be taken at aduantage they altered theyr course towards Rensborge where the Earle Dowglasse with his forces was landed hoping to ioyne with him which the Lords of Opencade Londen vnderstanding pursued him so eagerly that béeing come within sight almost of the Scots they set vpon their rereward putting a great number of them to the sword and euen at the same instant was the other Army which which was ledde by the Lord Itsenho and the County of Mildrop likewise come in sight which caused a great feare in the harts of the Traytors so that had it not béene for a company of two thousand Scots which came to their rescue vnder the conduct of Sir Iames Lewrence Cosin german vnto the Earle they had béen all eyther slaine or put to flight but the comming of this succor so animated theyr almost fainting courages that where before they were in a manner ready to turne theyr backes they now began to recouer theyr ground that they had lost the fight growing very hote and bloody on both sides there béeing slaine of the States aboue a thousand souldiers and of the Rebels 800. Longer had the fight continued but that the Lord Harding and the Count Hermes fearing the comming of the other power which was hard at hand caused the retraite to be sounded and so with an easie pace marched to the Scottish Campe not minding if they could chuse to fight in two or thrée daies because of the wearines of his souldiers who comming newly from Sea were many of them distempered The States likewise hauing ioynd both theyr Armies intrenched themselues thus lay they by the space of seauen dayes within view of each other daily skyrmishing together in which the States alwaies had the worst through theyr vnskilfulnesse in martiall discipline where we will for a while leaue them and returne to speake of other matters CHAP. XV. Howe the Prince Iago naming himselfe the Knight of Fortune departed out of England and arriuing in Fraunce trauailing through the Forrest of Towers hee deliuered a Lady from a mighty Giant PRince Iago hauing deliuered the Lady Beleriza naming himselfe the Knight of Fortune was greatly honoured in the English Court where at the intreatie of the King hee stayed by the space of a month where daily hee heard many strange reports of the Inchaunted Castle in the Kingdome of Fraunce and beeing desirous to try the aduenture thereof his Squire giuing him to vnderstand that there was a shippe ready bound for the Riuer of Nainse determined to passe ouer therein wherefore taking his leaue of the King and Quéene and others who had shewed him great honour during his abode in England the Lady Beleriza hauing made him many large proffers for the vnspeakeable kindnesse which shee had receiued at his hands all which hee refused but because hee would not shew himselfe altogether discurteous hee receiued a fayre Diamond which he promised alwaies for her sake to weare vpon his finger And now hauing prouided all such things as he had néed of and agréeing with the Maister of the ship for his passage he went aboord and hauing the wind fayre they set to Sea in so happy a time that within sixe dayes they arriued at a Port called Old-bay where going on shore they directed theyr course towards the Citty of Nanse where he staying awhile to rest himselfe he vnderstood that the Quéene with a great trayne of Lords Ladies were lately arriued at the Citty of Towels whether because it lay not much out of his way he determined to trauell to sée the fashion of the French Court which then florished with noble Dames among whō was the Princesse Emilia and her fayre daughter Oliua whom as before wee haue saide was begotten by the famous Prince Edward her betrothed husband the night before he departed towards the inchanted Castle together with a goodly sonne called Hendritio both which Children were very carefully educated by the good King Carolus theyr grand-father And béeing nowe come vnto the age of sixtéene yéeres the young Hendritio was exercised in riding of horses running at tylt wherin he shewed himselfe not any way vnlike to the noble Prince his Father hauing a great desire to be knighted whcih by no meanes his Grand-father would permit fearing least he would hazard himselfe in that aduenture whereof there had so many failed The Princesse Oliua in like sort béeing of most singuler and rare beautie could scarce be suffered to be once out of the sight of her Grand mother who loued her more then any of her owne Children and being now as we haue said at the Citty of Towers the Quéene partly for her owne content but chiefely for to delight the Princesse Emilia her Daughter who continually since the losse of the English Prince had spent her time in great sorrow onely the comfort which shée had in her children did a little mittigate the same did daily vse to ride foorth on hunting into the forrest which was euen hard adioyning to the Citty in which forrest there was great store of all manner of wilde Beastes And béeing the same day that the Knight of Fortune was comming to the Court gone foorth very early the Huntsmen had roused a mighty Hart which making way before the hounds caused all the Lords and Ladies to follow after and gallopping very swiftly through the Forrest had quickly separated themselues into many companies so that with the Quéene there was left no more but the Princesse Oliua and two or thrée other Ladies and some three or foure Knights when suddenly a mighty great Giant all armed issued out from the thickest of the wood and with a meruailous fierce countenance came towards them to the great astonishment of the Quéene the other Ladies who began to flie as fast as their horses could carry them One of the Knights that was with the Quéene béeing more hardie then his fellowes stayd to make resistance whilst the others escaped but alas small was the defence which hee could make being vnarmed against so mighty a foe whose huge Armour he was not able to pierce although thereon he brake his Borespeare which
and take part of those continuall paines and torments the which not only for the hate I beare thée but also to bee reuenged on her for her most odious whorish and execrable dissimulation towards me I meane to inflict vppon thy wretched carkas The good King being no longer able to forbeare these inhumane and oprobrious reuilings proffred him by his currish and spightfull enemie replied in this sort Griffory I cannot but muse how God hauing indued thée with reason and vnderstanding like vnto other men that thou notwithstanding shouldest abound in vicious wicked and detestable conditions aboue all other men which canst not be content with the miserie which thou séest me brought into being thy prisoner and at thy disposition to be either kept or ransomed wrought by the most base odious meanes that might be yea after such a sort that the beriest Infidell vnder the heauens would not so much as once haue gone about or imagined but also now contrarie to all humanitie reuilest me with such oprobrious spéeches whom héeretofore thou durst not to looke me in the face for feare and also reuile at her whom neither thy selfe nor no man liuing is able to touch with that least crime whatsoeuer and that would I make good against shée and thrée of the best of thy Knights with my body were I at libertie hauing horse and armor T is true t is true replied the Duke we knowe your vallor to be great but we will soone abate that your hote courage and place you where your Goddesse whom you so much estéeme shall neither haue power nor meanes to helpe you Doe thy worst replied the King and sith it is the will of God to inflict this punishment vpon me I will indeuor my selfe with patience to indure what torments soeuer shall happen hoping in the world to come to inioy therefore eternall blessednesse but in the meane time thinke not thou but that thou maist fall in like mishap and that I haue yet remaining in the Kingdome of Denmarke such Subiects that when they shall knowe of this my ill fortune and thy crueltie will not leaue bearing Armes till such time they shal haue layd wast this thy accursed Country not leauing thée any Towne or Fort to hide thy selfe from their reuengefull swords wherefore aduise thee and determine either to set me at libertie or otherwise expect those euils which will surely fall on thy Country If thou consent to my inlargement for my ransome thou shalt receaue a whole million of gold which shall bee payed thée foorthwith out of my treasurie No no replied Griffory thy gold is but drosse and cannot worke in me that content which my hart shall inioy by thy imprisonment neither doe I feare thy power which thou so much vauntest of for thou shalt sée and that shortly that I will not onely possesse my selfe of thy darlings County of Flaunders but also by the strength of this right arme in despight of all thy power Crowne my selfe King of the Kingdome of Danske whilst thou in the meane time shall lie rotting thy bones in my prison Thē turning about to a Knight of his named Sir Ragdand hee willed him to conuay the vnhappie King prisoner vnto his Castle of Coruew and there to put him into the dungion of the sayd Castle and to alowe him euery day for the continuance of his most wretched life a quart of water and apound of bread made of the coursest branne thinking this that continually pining away by reason of his course faire would be a farre greater paine and torment vnto him then any present death whatsoeuer Likewise for the more sure keeping of him hee ordained a gard of fifty Knights alwaies to bee within the Castle who should sée that no Knight should enter therein This Castle of Coruew was of meruailous strength inuironed about with déepe ditches and mighty heigh walls and had but only one way in which was ouer a drawe bridge the which was alwaies defended by ten of the sayd fifty Knights fiue at the one end and fiue at the other this gard grew at length to a custome by reason of the hundred Knights of Denmarke which went in search of their King and was deuised only to intrap and imprison them as you may reade towards the latter end of this booke Héere now will we leaue the woful King inclosed in a miserable prison bewailing his crosse fortune where hee passed away many a yeare although his fare was as we haue sayd before both course and short yet did God so blesse him that he continued alwaies healthy and stronge of body neuer grieued with any kind of sicknes sauing onely discontentednesse of minde which with patience he much delayed returne we to speake of Martinus who had not long after the imprisonment of the King quietly inioyed the cittie of Hanstance withall the profits thereof before granted him to the extreame griefe of the chiefest of the Cittie who disdained much to bee in subiection to so base a person for the Duke some eight daies after possession deliuered fell in consideration with himselfe of the great benefit which hee had lost by giuing away the chiefe Citty in his Dukedome deuised which way he might with his honor recouer the same againe at length hauing resolued with himselfe he brought it thus to passe One day béeing with diuers of his Nobility and Martinus béeing in company the Duke fained himselfe to be very merry and in his mirth for his further content desired Martinus to declare how hee hapned to take Frederick prisoner Martinus not distrusting any thing began to make a large repetition beginning with his former life in France then the cause and manner of his banishment and their ariuing in Denmarke with their robbery and murder committed in the Forrest of Maiance with their cruell storme sustained at Sea as is before declared by which they were put on that Coast and lastly the profer of a hundred thousand pound by the King which hee refused onely to pleasure the Duke All which when Griffory had attentiuelie listned vnto hée suddenly start vp from the place where hée sate commaunding the standers by to lay hands on Martinus saying that it was not lawfull to suffer such a one who had so many waies deserued death as by his owne confession did appeare neither to liue nor to be accepted into the societie of men wherefore he willed thē forth-with to leade him to the place of execution Which when Martinus perceiued and saw that the Tyrant was fully minded to execute whatsoeuer he had said hee fell downe on his knees desiring mercy and offering for the safegard of his life to redeliuer his right of the Citty of Hanstance But hee who neuer was acquainted with mercy or compassion doubtting if he should pardon him his life the whole world would condemne him of iniustice and séeing he might as well by his death as his life inioy his will aunswered that by the Law hee had deserued
féet out of the stirrups lightly recouered himselfe againe and adressing his shielde on his arme with his sword in his hand hee marched towards the Castle gate minding séeing that he had procéeded so farre either to enter or die in the pursute But before hee was come fully to the entrance the fiue Knights who were appointed to combat first with him came foorth and all at once assaulted him then beganne there a most fierce and bloody fight very hard and vnequall by reason they béeing fiue and he but one and also before ouerlabored with his former trauell was not able to doe as otherwise he would yet notwithstanding he layd on such cruel blowes that euery one iudged himselfe happiest when as he was farthest from him the lookers on admiring how it was possible for one alone Knight to shewe such prowesse as by defending himselfe against so many but at last being ouer-wearied wounded in many places hauing lost much of his blood was forced through faintnes to fal to the ground hauing before his fall slaine two of them out-right and very sorely wounded the others then béeing no longer able to resistance he was carried prisoner into the Castle where he had his wounds bound vp dressed being pittied of many who had beheld his vallor but béeing cured of his wounds and examined of whence he was hee was committed prisoner into the dungion where the wofull King lay thereby thinking the more to grieue him Who no sooner was let in-the dungion but they one knew the other making the greatest lamentation and sorrow that might be but at length comforting themselues as well as they might they made relation of their fortunes each to other hoping that in time God would send them deliuerance from all theyr troubles Héere will we leaue them to tell a little what hapned in the Kingdome of Denmarke through the mallice of the Gouernours one to another CHAP. XIX How the Archbishop of Maiance the County Hermes the Lord Harding disliking the gouernment went about to make a King amongst them THe Kingdome of Denmarke hauing béene without their King by the space of 17 yeares and vnder the gouernment of a certaine company of States elected as is before declared many beganne to dislike with the gouernment therof amongst whom the chiefe and principall were the Archbishop of Maiance a man very well learned but giuen altogether vnto nouelties and change the County Hermes and the Lord Harding all thrée great men and such as were in a manner the only Authors of that gouernment and the first yeare were themselues chiefe gouernours in that established estate as appeareth in the fourth Chapter of this present Booke Yet notwithstanding al this and their solemne vowes ratified vnder their hands and seales for the continuance and performance of that kind of state and gouernment they were in a manner the first that repined against it séeking by all the meanes they could to ouerthrow and extinguish the same either for the enuy they bare towardes those who were Gouernors or for that themselues had neuer since the first yeare hapned to be of the twelue or else and that which I thinke to be most likeliest beeing stirred vp by the deuill they desired greater superiority then either became them or by any waies they were worthy of yet doubting to agrée within themselues being but thrée hauing the gouernance in their owne hands determined therefore to elect and chuse a King who beeing by them so raised could not chuse likewise but to be rulde by them and that vnder the cullour of the King they might reuenge themselues of their enemies and likewise preferre their friends to honor and dignitie And hauing thus resolued betwéene themselues they solicited the Scottish King to accept of the Diadem promising him by their letters that if he would but send ouer tenne thousand Souldiers vnder the conduct of some expert Leader or Captaine that then they would so ayde him that in lesse then a yeare he should haue all Denmarke in his subiection conditionally that they thrée might continually haue and inioy to themselues the chiefe offices belonging to that Kingdome The Scottish King harkning vnto this iolly proffer at the first made small account thereof but afterwards waying with himselfe the great benefits and proffits which thereby might rise not onely to him but to all his Kingdome and Subiects if he might so easily obtaine the same as in their letters they made showe of and beeing againe by them solicited anew writing vnto him in their letters that vnlesse he accepted thereof they would giue it vnto the King of England or some other Prince whom they knew would more thankefully accept of their kind offer The County Hermes in a priuate letter besides wrote how that if his Maiestie would hauing conquered the Kingdome make him Viceroy or Deputy thereof he would send ouer his eldest sonne to remaine as pledge vntill such time as he had performed whatsoeuer hee made promise of and that then he would render him such tribute as by his Maiestie should be thought fit Now when he had himselfe perused these letters and cast all doubts he could he made them knowne to his priuy Counsell who after long deliberation at length gaue him this answere that they were also of the minde his Maiestie should accept their proffer of the Kingdome a gift well worth the acceptance and farther to graunt them their owne desires in that which they should demaunde till such time as beeing Maister of the Country hee might at his pleasure then alter any thing that he would In the meane time to receaue pledges of their meaning least otherwise he might repent too late Thus hauing determined the King sent ouer secretly vnto them to certifie them of his intent assuring each of them the greatest dignities and honor that the Kingdome would yéeld intreating thē likewise to send ouer their Hostages vpon whose arriuall his forces should be ready to be shipped vnder the conduct of his Cosen the Lord Douglasse a man for his experience and vallor excellent These letters being thus secretly conuaied were most welcome newes vnto those arch Traytors to their Country who foorthwith sent for Hostages the County Hermes his eldest sonne a gallant young youth and one whom in time might haue prooued an honorable man The Lord Harding had but one only daughter and her he sent vnder cullour to be brought vp with the Scottish Princesse for the Arch Traytor Archbishop I would say was sent an Nephew of his an excellent good Scholler a notable Pollitician These being sent into Scotland they appointed the Kings forces to be ready by the tenth of May then next insuing and they in the meane time made all the prouision that might be where we will likewise leaue them CHAP. XX. Of a strange aduenture hapning in the Court of Saxonie and how the Gentleman of the Forrest and Iago were Knighted and how the aduenture was ended THere was in the
Knight of the Lyons with their cōpany some others to the number of two hundred would not at all ioyne themselues with any of the troopes but in a loose manner would make a tryall to breake in on the backs of their enemies as soone as the battell should begin each one of thē for their better knowledge to theyr friends wearing on their Helmes a crosse of gréene and corronation coloured silke in this sort was ranged the whole battell of the States On the contrary side the Earle Dowglasse placed his Army in another maner making as it were but one maine battaile of his whole Armie in the midst whereof he placed for his owne gard fiue thousand Scots the rest he intermixed with the Danes the greatest part whereof hee placed in the forefront of the battaile his wings consisted most of a light kind of people which did vse to cast Darts beeing armed onely with a short sword and target with which when they came to ioyne blowes they did great spoyle to theyr enemies And now both Armies béeing thus ranged in battaile aray the Drummes Trumpets sounded making a most ioyfull sound to them whose harts not daunted with feare desired to incounter with their enemies euery Captaine incouraging his men to fight valiantly and to doe their best to winne the victory The chiefe of the states incouraging theyr souldiers with the iustice of theyr cause as beeing vrged to fight for their fréedome and liberty of their Country By this time were both Armies come together the Lord Louden giuing the first charge vpon his enemies brake his Launce valiantly and drawing out his sword beeing followed by his company made way through his enemies ranks but soone he was stopped from going farre and had it not béene that the Duke of Litsenbege and the Lord of Opencade came with fresh succours they had béene all put to the sword For the Scots séeing the violent rashnesse of the Lord Louden and the Count Mildrope opened theyr ranks of purpose and hauing suffered them to enter inclosed them round about but now at the cōming of the Duke the battell began to grow very hote insomuch that there were many slaine of both sides The Scots euer kéeping themselues close together made themselues the stronger whereas the States for want of skill and knowledge suffered theyr troopes to breake theyr ranks to theyr great dammage Which the Earle Dowglasse perceiuing with some twelue or fouretéene thousand entred in amongst thē making great slaughter where they went The Earle this day shewing that his yéeres had not any way taken away the vallor which in his former dayes he had showed for it was thought that this day hee slew with his owne hands aboue thréescore Knights Now beganne the Danes to fly trusting rather to their héeles then the defence of their swords which the Lord Itzenho and the Lord Rensberge perceauing came in with the rereward and againe renewed the fight which before was almost ended gathering together the disperced troops of the Duke But alas to small purpose had this their new onset béene had it not béene that the King with his company of Venturers hauing fetched about a great hill which lay on the side of the battaile came at the same instant on the backe of their enemies and withall their might charging them entred pell mell amongst them killing a great many before such time as they could turne their faces to knowe from whence this mischiefe came The King accompanied with the Knight of the Lions Adresto and the Lord Gwaltero made a plaine way for the rest to follow them especially the Knight of the Lions who neuer strake stroke but was either the death or dismembring of some Knight The Lord of Menew and Sir Henault did likewise the part of noble Knights so as in short space the odds beganne to appeare on the side of the States who before were euen vanquished Which when the Earle Dowglasse sawe and grieuing to behold he with his elected company came to make head where he sawe most danger and perceauing that the Knight of their Lions was in a manner the whole ouerthrow of his Armie hée set spurres to his horse and comming vnto him gaue him a great blowe on his Helme causing him to bend his head forwards But he soone requited the same for lifting vp his sword he gaue the Earle such a blowe that had he not warded the same with his shield hee had ended therewith his life for notwithstanding his defence it caused him to fall from his horse in a traunce and so was taken prisoner to the great discouragement of the whole Armie who presently put themselues to flight but were so hotly persued that they were but few that escaped but were either slaine or taken prisoners Of men of name there was slaine of the States the Duke of Litsenburge the Lord Londen and the Count of Mildrope And of the Scots traytors there was slaine Sir Iames Lewrence the Earles Cosin the Lord Crecon a Scot and the Count Hermes with some twenty thousand of the Commons There was taken prisoners the Earle Dowglasse the Vicount Barwicke the Archbishop of Maiance and the Lord Harding which two latter were the next day executed for their rebellion Thus the victory béeing obtained by the States they gaue thanks to GOD with publique solemne prayers then causing the wounded to be cured they called a counsell to determine on their affaires where all the chiefe of the Armie béeing assembled euery man commended the great vallour of the Venturers but especially that of the Knight of the Lyons the gréene Knight which was Adresto and the two tawny Knights whereof the one was the King the other the Lord Gwaltero The King now séeing it was not good longer to conceale himselfe stoode foorth in the midst of the Assembly and taking of his Helme discouering his face spake with a resonable loude voyce My friends welbeloued Countrimen I perceaue the long absence of your King hath worne out in many theyr naturall loue obedience which they ought to haue to theyr natiue Country and also in most of you the knowledge of me who by the prouidence of God and vallour of this noble Knight poynting to the Knight of the Lyons am deliuered from a long and grieuous imprisonment which my Cosin Gwaltero and many others héere present can well witnesse and now am come vnto the ayde of you my true and louing Subiects Wherefore it is my will that the chiefe of those conspirators who haue raised this rebellion be to morrow next to the example of all others hangd drawne and quartered The whole Assembly hearing séeing theyr King who for the space of twenty yéeres they all imagined to be dead with one voyce cryed aloude Long liue King Fredericke to raine and rule ouer vs and withall ranne each striuing to come first to kisse his hands and welcome him into his kingdome greatly desiring to heare the cause of his long absence which was deferred till some other more conuenient time This newes was presently spred through the whole Army to the great ioy of all men which they euidently shewed by their shoutes and bonfires which they made that night The next day the King hauing séene the execution of the chiefe Traytors and pardoning the rest dismissing all his Army sauing some few which he sent to the Townes that were in rebellion which presently yéelded vnto his mercie he departed towards Maiance hauing still in his company the Knight of the Lyons and Adresto whom he intirely loued and to whom he made many large proffers if they pleased to haue stayed in his kingdome And being come to Maiance he was receiued with the greatest ioy that might be by the Cittizens where he remained by the space of a month in the greatest ioy that hart could wish saue onely the remembrance of his Quéene did something hinder the fulnes thereof which was awhile swéetned with the delightfull company of his vnknowne sonne where I will leaue them and so conclude the second part of this history FINIS