trée and he went a foot towards that wonderfull caue When hée came nigh vnto it hée saw towards the right hand ingrauen in the hard Rock certaine Letters very fayre which séemed to bée of great antiquity and hée read them finding them to be as followeth This is the caue of the wise Artidon who dyed for the loue of Artidea daughter vnto king Liberio the onely heyre of this Kingdome who in recompence of hir cruelty doth and shall remaine héere giuing true aunsweres vnto all that shall bée demaunded of hir till such tyme as a Knight shall come who with his great bounty and force can ouercome the terrible kéepers of the entrie héereof and set hir at lybertie and then shall this entrie bée frée vnto all those that will know any thing of the wyse man When the Knight of Cupide had well read these Letters and vnderstood them hée very much meruayled at that straunge aduenture and strayght way it mooued in him a great good will and desire to prooue the same both to sée and know what was within the caue and euen as one that dyd abhor his owne lyfe so hée delyghted not in any other thing but in great and perillous aduentures indeuoured to giue the attempt vnto them when hée had opportunitie but by reason it was late and that it waxed dark he determined to let the enterprise alone till the next morning for that the night might be a hinderance vnto him for the performance And therewith hée pulled off his Horse Bridle to let him féede vpon the grasse there abouts and he as one that had no care of himselfe layde him a long vpon the gréene grasse and then his minde béegan a new to bée troubled with his accustomed thoughts not remembring that in all the day béefore hée had not eaten any thing neyther dyd he know where to get any meat to refresh himselfe at that tyme of the nyght and calling to his remembraunce the cruell words in the Letter of the Princesse Oliuia his heart suffered so great gréese and passions that tumbling himselfe vpon the grasse from the one side to the other hee sayde Oh earth that for all mortalytie thou openest thy selfe and receiuest them into thy bosome wherefore doost not thou now at this present open thy bowells and receiue mée into thée for béeing buried I should receiue great contentment I know not wherefore I lyue any longer or wherefore I am suffered in this world for that I haue lost all hope to sée any more the Princesse Oliuia Oh that this aduenture which I meane to prooue might bée the last and that I might dye héere within this caue although the occasion of my death bée neuer knowen nor heard of So these and many other words of great lamentation hée vttered that it was most gréeuous to heare and passed away a péece of the first part of the night with great sorrow And the nyght béeing very darke vppon a sodayne hée heard a noise and murmuring of people which caused him to aryse vp to sée what it should bée and hée saw at the foote of the Rock a great fire and round about the same there were a company of Shepheards and those were they which made that noyse And béeing desirous to know what they could say more of that caue hée determined to goe whereas they were and when hée came vnto them hée saluted them with very curteous words When the Shepheards saw him of so goodly a stature and armed with so precious and rych armour they receiued him as a Knight of estimation and gaue him very good intertainment and dyd inuite him to theyr supper which they had in a readinesse and after that hée had surrendered vnto them thankes for theyr courtesie hée sat downe amongst them by the sier Then one of the shepheards who séemed to be the chéefe among them and that had more vnderstanding and was of a better conuersation then all y e rest did demand of the Knight of Cupide what aduenture had brought him at that tyme of the night to that place The Knight aunswered and sayde I am a straunger in this Countrie and now it is three dayes since I first entered into this Kingdome and for that I dyd not know nor yet doo this countrie my fortune hath brought mee hether this euening and séeing that the night drew on fearing to bée intangled in vnaccustomed wayes I determined to remaine there hard by the Court till the morning pretending to prooue that aduenture when the day was come And afterward when I saw you together héere I thought it best to come into your cōpany as well to eate somewhat for that I am very hungrie as also to informe my selfe of you touching the aduenture of this caue of Artidon for till this euening that I did come hether and sée it I neuer béefore heard any mention therof Then the shepheards sayd sir Knight séeing that you haue given vs to vnderstand the occasion of your comming hether wee will now giue you to vnderstand what wée know and what at any time we could learne of the aduenture of this cause possiblie after you vnderstand it it will withdraw you from this great good will and determinatyon that you haue to giue the proofe and enterprise And in the meane time that which wée haue for our supper shall be made ready of such as wée haue with a very good will you shall eate your part for that your person and presence doth deserue no lesse Now that which wée doo know and of long time past haue heard say touching this Caue is that in time past almost out of memorie there was in this Kingdome of Russia a Knight called Artidon who being a Knight of great courage and high lynage and gentle of disposition was also the wysest in the magicall art that could bée found in many countries And in the chiefest time and flower of all his Knighthood and science this Kingdome was gouerned by a Ladie called Artedea who at the death of the King hir father was very yong but when shée came vnto the state of marryage thée was so fayre and of so great beautie that many Princes and Knights desired to haue hir for wife but among all those that in their seruice dyd most indeuour to obtaine hir loue there was not one of them that in so noble and valyaunt manner did demeane himselfe as Artedon dyd for not alone in déedes of armes but also by his science he dyd mighty wonderfull things in hir seruice But his fate misfortune was such that the quéene did not onely withdraw hir loue from him but did also hate abhorre him to the death all that euer he did in hir seruice did moue hir to be melancholike very angry This worthy Artidon had his loue so intirely fixed vpun hir that he would doe any thing for hir delight but all that he dyd was not estéemed of the Quéene which was the occasion that after he
Rosicleer dyd thinâ—…ke eueâ—…y day to bée 〈◊〉 whole yéere passed through many countries wheras happened vnto them many 〈◊〉 things worthy to be kept in memorie Yet the historie dooth let them passe for shortning of time But in the end of much trauaile they came vnto a port hauen of Holand whereas they found a ship that was readie to depart for England And being very glad for that they found so good oportunitie they entred into the saide ship wherein they found many Ladies and damsels accompanied with certaine knights who declared that they went vnto the Citie of London vnto certaine triumphs and feasts which was made at y e marriage of the Princesse Oliuia with the Prince of Lusitania for that in many 〈◊〉 bordering there about it was commanded to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Rosicleer heard that hée was very much 〈◊〉 not knowing what it should meane but the damsel 〈◊〉 who did very well know the determined wil of the Priâ—…cesse did straight way fall in the reckoning thereof 〈◊〉 â—…ir knight feare not and doo not dismay your selfe for without all doubt ther is no other thing in this matter 〈◊〉 bée 〈◊〉 but this which I will tell you and is that â—…he prince 〈◊〉 Siluerio hath very much importuned the king 〈◊〉 this marriage And he séeing the great necessitie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in for to maintaine these wars against the 〈◊〉 Trebatio and hauing néede of his aide and help will 〈◊〉 vâ—…to him his daughter in marriage although it bée against hir will But this one thing you shall vnderstand 〈◊〉 mée to bée for certayne and to builde vpon the Princesse â—…liuia that at such time as hir father will compell hir to doo 〈◊〉 thing perforce that first she will kill hir owne selfe theÌ„ 〈◊〉 vnto the same And so it â—…ell out true as the damsell â—…elia dâ—…d coniecture for that the sorrow and paine of the â—…nce Don Siluerio did so much increse seeing the little good â—…ll that the Princesse Oliuia dyd beare vnto him vpon a 〈◊〉 such time as the King was occupyed in preparing â—…ldiers in a redinesse and other things necessary and conâ—…ient for the warres the Prince finding him selfe all 〈◊〉 with him bée sayde That for so much as it was not 〈◊〉 vnto him of his promise made to giue 〈◊〉 the Princesse Oliuia for his wife hée destred him for to accomplish the same and to giue hir vnto him for his spouse if hée would that hée should performe that which hée had promised him of people for the warres for that to the contrarie hée would retourne againe into his owne Countrie with his Knights Then when the King saw with what determined will hée spake vnto him hée was very sorrowfull for the same and remayned a good space with-out makeing him any auns were in which time hée remembred how many and sundrie times hée had procured that marriage of his daughter and like wise how often hée had importuned hir for the same who alwayes dyd apart hir selfe by diuerse excuses as though shée had no great desire therunto So that if hée should grant vnto the Princes desire it must of force bée done contrarie against the will of his daughter wherein hée did hope of no good successe of that Marryage to bée done agaynst hir will for that in such cases the principall to bée considered amongst men as well in high estate as in meaner sort is to vnderstand thâ—… good will 〈◊〉 their daughters for that onely in them doth consist the forcâ—… of Matrimonie And if there bée lacking this poynt therein they may better say that it is violence then Marriage Anâ—… agayne the wound in his heart was so fresh for the death 〈◊〉 the Prince Edward his sonne that hée little estéemed to 〈◊〉 uenture his estate and lyfe for to bée reuenged for the samâ—… and as these grieuous passions after that once they bée 〈◊〉 ted in man dooth shut vp all their sences vnderstanding that they cannot haue any iudgement within themselues to consider any thing with reason Euen so the 〈◊〉 griefe which the King conceiued for the death of his sonne dyd so shut vp his vnderstanding that hée desired no 〈◊〉 thing but reuengement So hée determined for to force 〈◊〉 constraine his Daughter vnto that Marriage onely for satisfie his appetite and euill desire not hauing béefore 〈◊〉 eyes neither consideration that after that all should bée nished and done according as hée would haue it that 〈◊〉 sonne should remaine dâ—…ad and his daughter lost and 〈◊〉 away for that hée married hir against hir will and 〈◊〉 séeing that if he should deny to accomplish his promise vnto the prince he would returne againe into his owne country with all his people without him he could not doo that which he so greatly doth desire So after a while that he was trobled with these thoughts he returned vnto the prince said Worthy prince of Lusitania if I haue withdrawen my selfe in giuing you my daughter to wife according as you haue demanded hir of mee doo not you thinke that it hath beene neglected or that ther hath lacked in me any good will for that rather more then you I doo desire the same but the detraction héereof hath ben for two causes the one in part of my daughter for that she is young tender of age she hath no good will to be maried so soone the other in consideration of the great wars which we doo looke for and the great hast that we doo make for the same I would that first all these wars should be fiâ—…ished made an end of then afterwards with a great deale more quietnesse should your mariage bée celebrated with that honour highnes as is requisit vnto so high princes But now seeing it is so that you cannot suffer so long delay I wil accomplish performe all your request 〈◊〉 promise you to giue you my daughter for wife will diliuer hir vnto you as I haue promised before these wars begin I will at the celebrating of this mariage for that the princesse is the onely heyre vnto these kingdomes that tâ—…er be made great solempne feasts that it be proclaymed in all the kingdomes prouinces ioyning héereabouts for that this day two moonths I will haue it agréed concluded Wherae the prince Don Siluerio was very glad ioyfull thy force did kisse the kings hands offred vnto him all his knights his estate at all times when he would commaund them then the prince did take his leaue of the king straight waies it was knowen throughout all the citie the feasts were proclaimed But when the newes came to the eares of 〈◊〉 Oliuia hir sorrow griefe was so great that many times she was at the point of death was fully determined within hir selfe that at such time as hir Father would vse that force vnto hir that first before she would consent ther vnto shée would kill
siâ—…e they were all entered into theyr ship and the Greeke master of the same beeing all in a readynesse brought whom his ankers and hoysed foorth his sayles and beegan to nauigate vppon the calme waters of the Ocean sea for that at that present they found fortune and winde fauourable vnto them there was no glory in all the world that might bée compared vnto this of the perfect louer Rosicleer when hee saw so much at his ease and will and in his power hir for whom hée had passed so great sorrow and griefe Then when the Princesse Oliuia was come agayne vnto hir selfe shée tooke him in hir armes kissed him very often vttering woords of perfect loue although as yet shée was not cleane voyde of the alteration in the which shée was brought yet finding hir selfe in the armes of him whom shée so much loued shée receiued great pleasure contentment and much more to sée hir selfe frée from that great force which the king hir father agaynst all reason and iustice would haue constrained agaynst hir will to marrie with the Prince Don Siluerio and agayne calling to remembraunce what great sorrow and griefe which the absence of Rosicleer dyd cause hir to â—…ustayne shée therewith receiued so great contentment and â—…lorie to sée him in hir presence that shee thought hir â—…elfe to bée new risen from death to lyfe comforting and â—…eioycing hir selfe with the presence of him that shee so long â—…ooked for Then when the king Oliuerio and the Prince Don Silâ—…erio and the other Princes and knights that came with â—…hem when they approched vnto the water side and saw that the ship was departed and perfectly informed how that the knights and the princesse were therin they receiued so great sorrow griefe that the king was at the point of death and the Prince if they had not held him would haue leaped into the sea and for that they could not vnderstand nor know in whose power the Princesse was carried away their payne and griefe was the greater and in great hast they caused a great company of ships to bée made in a readinesse to follow them beeing all in very good order there entered into them many knights as well those of Lusitania as knights of England and being in this preparation ther was a marriner of another ship which came vnto y e king and said Mightie Prince a Damsell which was in the ship that is departed gaue mée this Letter to giue vnto your highnesse if that by fortune you should come hether Then the king béeing very much amazed not knowing who it should bée that left that letter hée tooke it opened it and saw that it was the firme of Fidelia and read the contents as followeth HIgh and mightie king of Englang Fidelia Damsell and seruant vnto the Princesse Oliuia dooth wish vnto thée health that therwith thou maist put away all sorrowfull passions from thy hart and to know how far the power of almightie God doth extend how subiect all Knigs and Princes and mightie Lords ought to bée vnto his ordinances and lawes as well for that they are good and iust as also béecause man hath not power to resist them Thou pretendest to marrie thy one and onely Daughter and heyre vnto all these kimgdomes giuing hir a husband vnto 〈◊〉 shée should bée continually obedient without any respect or consideration of hir good will and loue neyther of hir 〈◊〉 and quietnesse but onely for a desire which you haue to goe and take reuengement for the death of Prince Edward thy Sonne Béehold king Oliuerio that the lawes of God dooth not permit that thou shouldest dooe this force of matrimony which thou hast pretended to doo vnto thy daughter for that the reuengement of all things is reserued for vnto him who hath power for to doo it The soueraigne creator of all things would not permit that thou shouldst be an homicide vnto thine owne daughter as thou hadst ben if this present remedye had not preuented the same for that the princesse Oliuia had ordained to kill hir selfe the same nyght that they should haue ben made sure together but the diuine prouidence did so ordaine prouide that the greeke Prince Rosicleer thy very friend who being wounded with the loue of the princes thy daughter should come set at liberty this great outrage of forcing to take hir out of thy power to cary hir vnto the soueraigne empire of his father whereas with great maiesty conformable vnto hir highnes shall their mariage be celebrated therfore they I doo desire thee for that thy honor the honor of thy daughter shall be by this change greatly augmented that thou wouldst conceiue well 〈◊〉 to haue patience for that it can be no otherwise alwaies obeying as our duty is the diuine prouidence When the king had read this letter well vnderstood the â—…ontents therof he was one way greatly amazed to vnderâ—…tand that Rosicleer was aliue another way his paine and â—…riefe did double in him considering the two great iniuries â—…hat were done vnto him by the father the sonne as one 〈◊〉 himselfe with the great sorrow he receiued he wept 〈◊〉 out with a loud voice saying Oh fortune my great 〈◊〉 how much doo you shew your selues to be my eniâ—…ie that thou art not content that the emperour Trebasio 〈◊〉 my welbeloued son the Prince Edward but that now 〈◊〉 is come his son hath robbed me of my daughter 〈◊〉 onely heire of these kingdome Oh soueraigne creator â—…herefore dooest thou suffer so great arrogancy in these 〈◊〉 why dost thou not at once destroy them throw 〈◊〉 out of this world as thou threwest Lusifer out of heauen Oh kings princes of the world come ioyne your â—…elues all together in my fauour giue me aide for to take reuengement of two so notable iniuries Behold that the pride of Greece doth eueryday increase in such sort that in time they will be Lords gouernours ouer all the whole world put you all from your mightie kingdomes high estates Likewise the great lamentations that Don Siluerio made when he saw his mariage so changed was such that ther was none that heard him but was moued vnto great compassion In great hast was made in a readinesse twelue great ships diuers other small ships in the which ther was imbarked more then ten thousand knights very well armed and likewise with them did imbarke themselues the prince Don Siluerio with the thrée princes Bargandel Liriamandro the tartarian Zoylo in great hast they made saile that way which Rosicleer went although the thrée princes had another determination contrary vnto Don Siluerios for wheÌ„ they vnrerstood that he who had caried away the Princesse was Rosicleer they were as glad as euer they were in all their liues although they could not perfectly beléeue that hee should be aliue Then they called to remembraÌ„ce all that
was fully certified vnderstoode hir great crueltie hée sell into a mortall sickenesse being without all hope of remedy of the Quéene hée determined to reuenge himself on hir before he dyed So on a night by his great learning he tooke the Quéene out of hir bed brought hir vnto his caue that night there was thundring lightning that with the great noise therof they thought verely the whole world would haue sonke But in the morning when they saw that the Quane was gone could not finde hir they sought for hir in all parts but all was in vayne for that chauncing to come this way reading that which is there grauen in the Rocke they straight wayes vnderstoode that the wise Artidon had brought hir thether in reuenge of the great cruelty that she vsed to him Whervpon ther was diuers Knights that would proue the entrie into the caue and it fell out with them as you shall beare All such Knights as were in loue dyd enter in thorough the fier without receyuing any hurt but within a while after they were put back throwen out againe some â—…arke dead and other some very sore hurt and ill intreated And when it was demaunded of them what they saw within the caue and what happened vnto them they sayde â—…hat at the entry thereof ther was a great Bull which dyd â—…efend the entry and at the first encounter he stroke them with his hornes and dorue them out of the caue and this Bull was of so great and wonderfull bignesse and fierceâ—…esse that the like hath not béene séene his hornes were â—… so great hardnesse that they séemed to be stéele all such Knights as did not loue at the hoore that they gaue the enterprise they felt so great heate torment that they were constrayned to returne back again so y t they could not come vnto the knowledge of the Quéene neyther vnto this day hath ther bene any that hath had so much prowesse to come vnto the knowledge of hir although there haue come many Knights out of diuers and sundry countryes to proue this aduenture and it is now a great time past since any enterprise hath ben giuen and yet all the people of this Country do liue in hope that their Quéene shall be deliuered out of this inchantment so that euer since the time of hir inchanting this Kingdome hath ben ruled by gouernours and not one hether to hath borne the name of King but at such time as any doe enter into this ground they are sworne to deliuer the Kingdome vnto the quéene Artidea at such time as she is deliuered out of that inchaunted caue At this present he y t is gouernour of this country is a yong knight of great vertue wisdome whose name is Luziro and diuers then be y t be cunning in Art magicke that haue told him y t in the time of his gouernment the quéene shall be set at libertyâ—… from the Inchantment of Artidon so y t they doe looke for hir deliuery daily This is sir Knight that which I haue heard declared and spoken by ancient men and héere I do tell you of a truth that the kéepers of that caue haue caused so great seare in all this country that of long time there hath benâ—… no Knight so hardy to giue the enterprise vnto the caue â—… I doe not thinke him to be a wise man that will put himselfe to proue this aduenture for that hether to ther hath not bell a Knight of so much prowes as to conquer the first kéeper it is to be beleeued that the caue is not kept by that alone bull but y t ther is some other keeper as ill or worse then heâ—… The Knight of Cupid was glad and did very much reioyce at this good newes which the shepheard had told him of this aduenture giuing him great thanks for the same he said that for any thing he would not let but giue the en ter prise thereto if the day were come Whereat the shep heardes were greatlie amazed and did request him aâ—… that they might to leaue and giuâ—… ouer this determination and not to put himselfe into such perill for y t by no meanes he could escape the death or els to be very sore hurt At this time theyr poore supper was ready and set vpon the gréene grasse wheras they sate downe to supper together when they had supped the Shepheards went and tooke their rests slept the Knight of Cupid did solitarily put himself a part and sate downe vpon the grasse vnder a trée there passed that night with great desire to proue the entry of the caue thought the night a thousand yeere til that day was come How the Knight of Cupid entered into the dreadfull caue of Artidon and of all that happened there Chap. 5. SO the next day in the morning when the Sunne began to shew himselfe ouer all the earth the worthy Knight of Cupid arose vp and looked for the shepheards and saw them where they lay all a long vppon the gréene grasse and were all a sléepe very soundly without all care as those that were not troubled with any kind of sorrow for to disturbe them of their rest and calling to remembrance the great number of nights y t he had passed wholy without any sléepe or taking any rest of his great â—…ares and profound thoughts that did not all onely bannish â—…way all sleepe in y e night but also in y e day time it brought â—…im into excéeding admiration which did sore trouble his â—…houghts caused him to lift vp his eyes to heauen say Oh Fortune how little are we bound vnto thée all we whom thou hast brought into this world with dignitye â—…nd honour and caused vs to exercise and vse all military Knighthood it had béene much better for vs and with greaâ—…er ease quiet rest void of all care â—…to passe our times in â—… meane and a base estate héere in these gréene and flouriâ—…ing fieldes whereas is all the quietnesse in the world And not with so much pleasure in the courts of Kings and Princes whereas we doe see make captiue our owne liberties and venture our liues and honours euery houre agayne if it be not with losse of bloud and great perils he is not worthy of honour nor to beare the name of a Knight but doth greatly defame the order of Knighthoode wharas they sléepe passe the sweet nights with great quietnesse receiue no infamie nor rebuke but doe comfort and reioyce themselues all night long with the peceable freshnes of the aire wheras is all quietnesse of the wild beasts the silence of the birds the pittering noyse of the running of waters y e great freshnesse of the trees the swéet odoriferous smels of all flowers which I say is vnto the soule hart a continuall peace concord in the breake of the day a
Thundering and noise was past the Knight of Cupide saw that the entrie in at the doore was cléere and without any impediments so hée entered in thereat and came into another Quadran which was meruailous bright cleere onely by the vertue of precyous stones which were very big set round about the wals and in the middest of this Quadran there was in manner of a stage very straungelâ—…e wrought and round about it steps like stayres for to go vp vpon and vpon the same stage there was set in a chayre very richlie wrought the Queene Artidea who was very fayre royally apparayled who leâ—…ned hir head vpon hir arme and there was beeholding a Knight of a very good countenance and disposition who was all armed with guilt armour and brodered with precious stones kneeling vpon his knees béefore hir hauing his breast open shewing vnto the Queene his bloody heart and although his countenaunce dyd shew him to be dead yet the wound and the blood was so fresh as though at the same instant it had beene done This Knight was the wyse Artidon who willingly and with his owne handes dyd wound and open his breast after that hée had brought the Queene thether at the houre that the Knight of Cupide entered into that Quadran and saw all this the same houre was the inchauntment vndone and the Queene was at lybertie who when shée lyft vp hir eyes and saw him shée straight waies vnderstood that that Knight had finished that aduenture and set hir at libertie for the which béeing ioyfull shée arose from the place where shée was set and when the Knight of Cupide saw hir aryse hée went towardes hâ—… and dyd salute hir very curteously and shée spake vnto him saying O gentle Knight wherewith can I gratifie you for this great benefit which by your mightie bountie and prowesse this day I haue receiued in that I am at liberty and cléere of this heauy and sorrowfull prison in the which I haue béen so many yéeres dooing no other thing but liue in continuall sorrow and lamentation for the death of this Knight Tell me I pray thée who thou art and in what estate doth all my Kingdome remaine for that I béeleeue by reason of the long tyme that I haue béene héere there is no memorie nor mencion of mée Then the Knight of Cupid said Lady vnto god thou oughtest to surrender these thancks and not to mee for that hée hath beene the principal dooer and hée it is that hath deliuered thee out of this Inchantment and that which I of my part haue done it is sufficient satisfaction for y t I haue done it in the seruice of such a person as you are And as touching the rest which you doo aske of mée you shal vnderstand that I am a straunge Knight and was neuer in this countrie beefore it was within these foure dayes that I entered into it notwithstanding in this small tyme I haue vnderstood by certaine shepheards which I left héere without the caue that in all your kingdome there is great memory of you and that they doo looke for your retourne daylie and since your first entrie into this Caue vntill this daye the kingdome hath beene in power of gouernours and none hath beene called King And béeléeue this of a certaintie that your libertie will bée vnto all them great ioye and delyght and they will receyue you with no small honour The Quéene was very glad and dyd reioyce to heare those words And when shée saw the excellent beauty of the Knight of Cupid who had the beauer of his healme lift vp shée was greatly amazed thereat and thought within hir selfe that she could not make him better satisfaction for that which hée had done for hir then to take him for hir husband And thincking the tyme long to sée hir selfe cléere out of that place shée sayde that if hée were desirous to know the truth of any thing of the wyse Artidon that hée which was kneeling on his knées vppon the Scaffolde was the same and that hée would giue him the true and perfect aunswere of all things that should bée demaunded of him The Knight of Cupide who was very glad thereof went vnto the wyse Artidon and sayd O gentle Knight and wyse Artidon let now thy misfortune giue comfort vnto my sorrow which thou doost know is very great and how that it should bee vnto mée a gloryous death that in opening of my breast and shewing my heart vnto that cruell Lady I might cause hir to wéepe and it were but one teare of pittie to haue compassyon of mée Lykewyse thou doost well know the great misfortune of the Princesse Briana my Mother and how the Prince Eeward my Father and my Lord. hir spowse was lost and wée could neuer heare any newes of him and also my brother the Gentleman of the Sunne was lost béeing but an infant and neuer yet could newes bée heard of him now heere I besire thée that thou dost giue me some newes of them or to tell mée whether they bée alyue or dead or whether I shall goe to séeke them for that whatsoeuer thou shalt tell mee I shall hold it for a truth and when thou hast satisfied mee of the truth heerof then I will desire thée to tell mee some newes of that which passeth in the court of King Oliuerio and as for the Princesse Oliuia my mistresse I know well that I doo not deserue to know any thing of hir And when hee had made an end of saying these words straight wayes the wyse man dyd open his eyes dyd looke vpon the Knight of Cupide and when hée had wel beholden him hée answered and sayde Worthie Knight of Cupide thou oughtest to haue thy selfe in great estimation for that thou hast finished and made an ende of this aduenture the which many could not haue done although they were both mightie and worthie Knights that haue come hether and giuen the enterprise of the same although they haue done other wonderfull and great déedes of armes for the great compassion which thou hast hadde of my death I giue thée thanks therefore and in reward of the same I will tel thée straunge and secret things which shall giue thée great contentment touching that which thou hast demanded of mée of the Prince Edward of thy brother And in saying these wordes hée tolde him perticularly all the whole Historie of the great Emperour Trebatio from the first time that he was in loue with the Princesse Briana till such time as hée went out of the Castle of Lindaraza by the high prowesse of the Knight of the Sunne how he went in his company into Hungaria and how hee carryed the Princesse into his Empâ—…re of Grecia So likewise hée tolde him how that mightie and valiaunt Knight who tooke the Emperour Trebatio his Father out of the inchanted Castell was the Knight of the Sunne of whom hée was succoured béeing at the poynt of death in the Iland of
they had viewed all things that was to bée séene they went forth of that inchaunted Quadran descended into the fayre broad court returned a new and beheld that timerous battayle which was ther figured would not beléeue that in any humane Knight there should be so much force strength as was shewed to be vsed in those battayles So that after they had wel debated the matter touching y e valiantnesse of that worthy knight they all together went forth of the caue went vnto the city wheras that fayre Quéene was receyned with great honour admiration of all people within a few dayes after the Quéene and the Prince Luziro were made sure together at theyr Marriage there was made great feasts triumphs And héere the historye doth leaue them at this present for to tell you of two worthy estéemed Princes Brandizell and Clauerindo whom we left in the court of the King of Polonia How the two Princes Brandizell and Clauerindo departed from the Kingdome of Polonia and came into the Kingdome of Fraunce and of all the rest that happened Chap. 6. NOw wée must call to remembraunce those two valiaunt Princes Brandizell and Clauerindo whom wée left in the Kingdome of Polonia wheras the Prince Brandizel was well beloued of the Princesse Clarinea after that he had deliuered hir out of the power of the Giant Now the the history sayth that after these two Princes had soiourned ther certaine dayes they asked lisence of the King to depart for that they had great desire to goe seeke out their friend the Knight of the Sun without whom they could not bee in quiet one houre Likewise the Prince Clauerindo had great desire to goe and know his parents and although that the King was very sorrowfull for their departure yet he could not deny them but granted theÌ„ leaue did offer vnto them very many rich gifts but the two Princes would receiue nothing of him So one day beefore they should depart the Prince Brandizel had opportunitie to talke with the Princesse and in the end of great communication that passed betwixt them of loue he tooke his leue of hir promised hyr to returne againe into that Countrie with as much speed as might be Then these two Princes departed in their companie Armineo vnckle vnto the Prince and went towards the sea being entred into their shippe they began to nauigate towards the Kingdome of Fraunce that coast bare out from the Ocean sea towards the Septentrion which was the occasion that they trauailed fiftéene or sixteene dayes without happening vnto them any thing worth the telling till the seuenteenth day they ariued in a very faire and pleasaunt Port of Normandie which was vnto them all their great ioy and pleasure but in especiall vnto Armineo for that knowing the Countrye hee wept with great ioy for that hee was returned againe into it there they heard newes of Oristeo of the Quéene Olindia who were at that present in the famous Citie of Paris and were very sad sorrowfull for that they could neuer heare any newes of theyr sonne the Prince Clauerindo nor of his vnkle Armineo Then they accounted together among them selues what was best to be done and in the end of many debates they thought it best and did conclude that before they went to Paris or gaue the King to vnderstand any thing of their arriuall they would goe and proue the aduentures in that Kingdome and atchieuing some of them it might bée the occasion that they should bée knowen with more 〈◊〉 â—…nd according therevnto they prepared all thiinges and for the space of thrée noneths they went through all the countries did many wonderfull déedes of armes by the which they got so great fame that they had no other talke in all the Kingdome but of the two Knights with Flower de Luces for that either of them had for his deuise a Flower de Luce for that the King Oristeo was informed many times of the great Knighthood of these two Knights hée had much desire to see know them that he might doe them honour So after that these two Princes had in this time trauailed all the whole land they concluded betwixt them to goe vnto Paris ther first before they made themselues to be knowen vnto the King to maintaine a iust for the space of two moneths to put for the price therof a very faire tent which was giuen them by the wise Lirgandeo that was so strange and rich that the like was not to bée found Now when they came vnto the Citie they straight way went vnto the Tylâ—… yeard which was right before the Kings pallace ther they commaunded their rich Tent to be armed sent an Embassage vnto y â— King Oristeo giuing him to vnderstand of their comming crauing pardon for that they did not their duty in going to kisse his handes till such time as those iustes which they had ordained were finished WheÌ„ the King heard thereof he was very glad and reioyced as one that hadde great desire to know so good Knightes as they were and agayne to see some of theyr great bounty and valiauntnesse which hath béene tolde him And there with hée retourned them thankes for their Embassage and sent them word that hée receiued great pleasure that such Knightes as they were come vnto his Court and if it were so that they had néede or lacke any thing hée would commaund them to hée furnished of all necessaries To conclude for that this Historye cannot song remaine héerein for that which is to be spoken of the Gran Trebatio his Sonnes wholie I doe passe ouer all the wonderfull déedes of these two Princes but yet they say that in the space of two monethes these two Princes did maintayne theyr iust that there was not in all Fraunce a Knight of estimacion valure but was euerthrowen by these Princes in the presence of the King Quéene who were daily at the windowes to behold them thought that in the world could not be two Knights of more force strength But the King was somewhat sorrowfull in himself and thought it a great dishonour to his court for that there was not one Knight of valure but all were ouerthromen by the other but this sorrow griefe endured but a while for that the last day of the iusts the Prince Clauerindo dyd make himselfe knowen as in the chapter following shall bée told you ¶ How the two Princes Brandizell and Clauerindo being in the Citie of Paris there came thether a Giant called Brandafuâ—…el with whom the Prince Clauerindo had a verye strong and furious battayle Chap. 7. THE great fame which these two Princes gate in the iusts that they did maintaine in the Citie of Paris was such that not only the Knights of the kingdome but also diuers Knightes of other prouinces countries dyd come to proue themselues with them
the same high way where hée went a great number of Knights which seemed vnto him that they were in battaile they so beesturred themselues and therewith hée did amend his pace to know what it should meane and when he came nigh vnto them hée saw that it was more them twentie knights who had compassed about one alone Knight who was a of a very big stature and armed with blackarmour who made battaile with them all and did defend himself verie stoutly and strongly and had ouerthrowen wounded to the ground sixe of them so that hée séemed to bée a valyant Knight and of good estimation When the Knight of Cupide had well marked him and saw him so valiantly defend himselfe he receiued great contentment and determined to succor him in that conflict perswading him that the truth and right was on his part for that there was so manie against one and without any more tarrying hée set spurres to his Horse sides and with his Sword in his hand hée put himselfe in the middest of them that had compassed him about and before that hee stroke any blow hée sayd Knights holde your handes and bee in quyet a while and let mée vnderstand what is the occasion of this battaile that so manie Knights are against one All of them did well heare and vnderstand what he sayd but the answere which they made vnto him was that they all stroke at him as they which made no reckoning of him which was a sorrowfull houre for some of them for that when the knight of Cupid dyd sée their villanie his anger dyd presently increase and he lift vp his strong arme and stroke one of them vpon y e healme that â—…e cloue his head downe to his shoulders so that he fel from â—…is horse dead to the earth he was scarce downe when the stroke another vpon y e shoulder so that hée cloue him to the breast and besturred himselfe amongst them with so great fury that béefore they did perceiue their losse and harme hée had ouerthrowen halfe of them to the ground When this mightie knight who first made battaile with them all saw himselfe succoured and aided in that time as hee thought his life to bée lost hée receiued great ioy and contentment and was very much amazed to sée the straunge curtesie of that Knight and the furious strokes which hee gaue vnto his contraries the which was such that if hée had not seene it with his owne eyes hee would neuer haue beeléeued it and with that new and vnlooked for aide succour his strength and courage did so increase that he stroke such a blow vpon the arme of one of them that was next him that hee cut it cleane a sunder and it fell to the ground holding his shéelde fast and hée stroke another vpon the head that hée cloue it to the eyes and ouerthrew him from his horse to the ground so that afterward they could not strike any more blows for that the rest of the Knights séeing the great slaughter and effusion of blood which those two Knights made thought their liues in small securitie and fled away with all the hast they could béeing to the number of sixe or seauen knights so that these two valiaunt knights were left alone when the knight with the black armour saw himselfe cléere from his contraries hée lift vp his beauer and went vnto the knight of Cupide saying O gentle knight the best that euer was séene for I beleeue that in all the world is not thy like wherewith she bée able to greatifie this good turne which you haue done vnto mée I cannot surely with lesse then to offer my life so that next vnto God by you I haue my life at least wayt deliuered mée that I was not carried away prisoner whiâ—… would haue béene vnto mée more grieuous then my deaâ—… Sir knight saide Rosicleer your great valour doth deserâ—… far more then this and I doo account my selfe verie wâ—… satisfied for that I haue done dooing it for so worthie knight as you neuerthelesse I desire you to tell mée if yâ—… are of this Country what is the occasion that you had this battaile against so many knights To whom this Knight replied This question which you doe demannd of me doth require long time to declare and for that these Knights belongeth vnto the King of this Countrie whom we haue had this controuersie with I doe beleeue that when these that be run away shall come before him he will send a number more of knights after vs therefore me thinkes it shall doe well that we apart our selues out of this way goe vp towards the mountaine there we shall be sure not to meete with them and riding by the way I will declare vnto you the whole effect of this that you doe demaund These words which he spake liked well the Knight of Cupid therewith they departed from that place and went towards certaine mountaines which were towardes the right hand then the knight with the blacke armour began to make relation vnto the knight of Cupid and said Sir Knight you shall vnderstand that I am called Sacridoro not long since was King of Antiochia as rich and prosperous as any other king could bée but Fortune hath pursued me in such sort shewed hir selfe so rigorous vnto me that in a very short time I haue lost my Kingdome and am left all alone bannished from a great number of very good knights which I had continually with me some of them â—…e dead slaine other some in prison the occasion of all this hath bâ—…n that the king Polidarco lord of this country hath a daughter whose name is Oriselua a very faire damsell endurd with many good graces Princelike conditions to whom I did do at this present beare great loue which was the occasion that I did demaund hir in mariage of the king hir father who would not giue hir vnto me in consideration that in times past he had certaine controuersies with the king my Father for which cause I did moue wars with him thinking by force to get that which by â—…he way of request I could not obtaine Wherevpon either of vs did ioyne and gather together the greatest armie that possible we could so that in the end we ioyned in battaile wheras my cruell fortune destinie would that all my campe was broken destroyed I escaped out of the field by great aduenture by reason that I had no people knights nor souldiers for to defend my kingdome in few daies they made a conquest of all without leauing me either towne or village wherein I might rest my selfe yea although I doe sée my selfe so destroyed ouerthrowen yet the loue is so great that I haue vnto the princesse Oriselua that I cannot goe out of this country for that I would euery day heare some newes of hir although I haue procured to goe in all the
hide my selfe from you vnderstand then that I am Rosicleer sonne vnto Trebatio the Emperour of Grece and the â—…mpresse Briana daughter vnto the King Tiberio of Hungaria and by my misfortune I am out of fauour and cast off by a precious Princesse whom I doe loue with all my heart by whom I am constrained to trauaile these straunge countries onely with the name of the Knight of Cupid for that no newes of me might come vnto the eares of that cruell Princesse who with the same condition did graunt vnto mee my life And héerewith the knight of Cupid made an ende of his wordes When the King Sacridoro vnderstoode who that Knight was that gaue him so good and sound counsaile and so liberally did offer vnto him his company he did sodainly conâ—…eiue in his hart a great loue and friendshippe in so ample â—… manner that he neuer had the like to any other Knight the which thing did shew it selfe as in this History shall appeare So he went vnto the Knight of Cupid and said Oh worthie most excellent prince now may I say that I haue no occasion to complaine on Fortune for that it hath not taken from me so much as I haue this day onely in knowing of you seeing in you so great a comfort for certainlie I do beléeue hope that if I haue your soueraigne bounty with me not onely to get againe my lost kingdome but also to haue the kingdome in my power of the king Polidarco my enimie Unto thée O mercifull God I doe giue inâ—…inite thankes for that I acknowledge this my remedy doth procéede from thée from thy hands and so I will accept it therefore soueraigue prince héere I doe accept receiue the great curtesie that you offered vnto me will pâ—…sse into Anâ—…iochia in your company with no lesse ioy assurance then as though I were in the middest of a mightie strong army With these other words of great curtesie betwixt them they passed on their way when they were departed out of that high way they trauailed forwards by the siâ—…es of high mighty mountaines verie craggy which were vpon the right hand being there the king Sacridoro said vnto the knight of Cupid You shall vnderstand worthy prince that for to passe into Antiochia either we must proceed forwards this way in which we now are by the plaine country or else wée must trauaile ouer these high mountainâ—…s which be héere before vs by either of them there is great perill daunger for if we trauaile this plaine Country we must of very force passe through a great part of the Country of the king Polidarco and considering the number oâ—… spies that he hath laide in wait for mée it cannot be choseâ—… but that I shall bée knowen so that euery day wée shalâ—… haue great and perillous battailes with the knights of thâ—… King and againe if wée doe passe along the toppes of 〈◊〉 mountaines they say that it is not inhabited but all 〈◊〉 and that there is on them verie many terrible and furiouâ—… beastes so that of long time since there hath none 〈◊〉 that way for feare of them therefore valiant knight consider vnto which of these two daungers we shall offer our selues The knight of Cupid did study a while vpon y e same and afterward aunswered said Of two euills it is good alwaies to eschue the worst and it seemeth vnto me that to passe this plaine through the land of the king Polidarco is not onely perillous for the battailes which we doe looke for with his knights but also it is very hurtfull vnto vs for you be knowen whereby we shall not at ease enter into your kingdome Therefore it séemeth best vnto me that we take this way by the mountains for although ther be wild beasts as you say we shall with more ease ouercome them then armed men for that God did make man Lord giuing him power ouer all wilde beasts what by strength or by pollicie ther is no kind of wild beast be he neuer so furious but by man he is subdued and brought into subiection When the knight of Cupid had vttered these words vnto the king Sacridoro his counsell did like him very well therewith they tooke their iourney towardes the top of those mountaines which were of so great height that all that day the next day following they had enough to doe to get vnto the top of them when they were aboue they saw that it was verye plaine although they saw in them many great thick woods and full of bushes which made it to be more hard to passe for lack of trauailing that way ther was no vsuall path which was the occasion that their trauaile was more troublesome vnto them but for that the harts of either of them were more harder then that countrie with a valiant and sâ—…out courage they followed their iourney till such time as ther happened vnto them that which shall be tolde you in the next Chapter following Of a straunge aduenture which happened vnto the knight of Cupid and the king Sacridoro trauailing by the mountaines of Phenicia Chap. 19. AS these two worthye and valiaunt knights trauailed together vpon those sharp and fragrant mountaines the one imparted vnto the other all the whole estate of their amorous pessions so that both in declaring as well of the one as the other it seemed vnto them that they did not â—…eele the wearinesse of their iourney and in this sort they trauailed two daies without eating any thing but of such wild fruit as they found in euery place whereas they went So the third day at such time as the Sunne was about an houre high trauailing without anie care by a forrest which seemed to be a more quiet peaceable Country then that which they had before trauailed in Upon a sodaine their horses started their haire began to stand vpright they were afraide braied snorted in such sort that they could not make them procéede forwarde and looking about them towards euery side to sée what it should be that caused the same on a sodaine ther came forth of the most thickest of the Forrest two great sauage wild men who in the bignesse of their bodies seemed to be giants who were mounted vpon two Lions very furious which serued them for horses without any bridle or other kinde of thing but they had each of them in their handes a mighty great heauie knotted club with the which they did gouerne their Lions to goe what way it pleased them and when they had discouered the two knights they went towards them and when they approched them the feare was so great that their horses receiued that all the pollicie and strength which the knights could vse was not sufficient to make them goe towards the sauage men So before they could haue leasure to alight from their horses these sauages were come vnto
armes for that in those partes there was neuer séene knight of so much strength that could compare himself with him it is to be supposed that Iupiter was neuer so mightie strong as he is of whom he is reported to descend So when these two Princes came vnto age ther was a great contention amongst the kings mightie Lords subiects vnto the Emperour which of these two should be sworne for Prince soueraigne ruler of that great estate empresse after the death of the emperour for that in those countries as wel the daughter as the Baron if she be first borne doth succéede in the kingdome and this controuersie was not onely amongst the subiects but also betwixt the Emperour Empresse for that the Empresse did loue least the Prince Meridian the Emperor did affect most the Princesse Lindabrides was very desirous that she might succéed him in his estate in the meane time that this contention endured amongst them the Emperour commanded to call together all the wise men as could be found in art magicke these he charged that they should giue their iudgement prognosticate vpon the succession of these two Princes to declare which of them would best reserue his diuine linage his high consecrated estate Now all these wise men gaue their iudgement in the end of many daies the most part of them especially the wisest did ioyntlie conclude that by the off-spring of the Princesse the Tartarian Princesse shoule be exalted and the linage of the Emperour should be by hir better reserued for that they found how a knight in a nother Empire in Europe should marrie with hir who should come to bée the most highest puisaunt Prince in all the world of whome should succéede very famous knights Other wise men ther were which did prognosticate the contrary said that the Princesse would be the occasion that that high mightie estate should be destroyed ouerthrowen that hir wedding should be lamented in all Asia much more then the wedding was that was made with Helena the sonne of Priamus When the Emperour all his nobles did sée the great controuersie betwixt the wise men well vnderstood their iudgements prognostications they came to a conclusion betwixt themselues did determine that the Prince Meridian and the Princesse Lindabrides should come in this sort as you haue séene into this great Empire of Grecia for that they found that there was no other Empire in all Europe that they should trauaile through all the kingdomes prouinces in the Empire And if it be so y t the princesse Lindabrides did finde a knight that could ouercome the Prince Meridian in battaile that he should enter into the Chariot sit downe in the Princesse chaire that afterward he should defend hir great excellent beautie for the space of thrée moneths in the court of the Emperour if in the meane time he found not a knght that could ouercome him that then he should returne with the Princesse to the court of the Emperour Alicandro and ther he shall be married vnto hir made heire of that great Empire And if it be so that the Prince Meridian do trauaile through all these kingdomes Prouinces finde neuer a knight that can ouercome get the victorie of him in battell that then he should remaine for prince successour of all the great estate of that empire the like preferment should be giuen vnto him whosoeuer should ouercome him that ouercame the Princesse And this we holde for certainty that the prince Meridian shall remaine with the Emperor or els he that shall succéed him shal be the best knight that is to be found in all the world And in this sort it séemed best vnto y e Emperour all his nobles to appease the controuersie and the best way that the truest prognostication should come to effect So the emperour the empresse being very well content héere with commanded that this chariot of triumph to be made with the maiestie which you haue séene so that it is now two moneths since we entred into the Empire of Grecia we haue passed Dalmasia Dardania and Missia Thessalia Macedonia and Archadia and other Prouinces in the which the Prince hath had manye battailes And as yet he could neuer finde knight but that he ouercame him had the victorie with great ease but now he is very sad and heauie as one that hath some great care for that comming vnto the court of the King of Macedonia after he had ouercome the Prince many other knights he was striken with the loue of the Princesse Florabindia daughter vnto the king of Macedonia who is the fairest damsell that euer I saw in all my life except the Princesse Lindabrides our Lady mistres now the way wée take is towards Constantinople for that it hath bene told vs that ther are ioyned together the most highest Princes valiantest knights of all the empire Wheras our prince Meridian may the better shew his great bountie for that according as he is of might power I doe beléeue the Gréekes shall haue inough to talk of him all the daies of ther liues Now héere haue I told vnto you gentle knight all your desire therefore I commit you to the Gods and I will depart the Chariot is gone a great way before therefore pardon mée for I cannot tarrie any longer And in saying these wordes this damsell departed vppon hir Unicorne and the knight of the Sunne remained very much amazed at that so straunge an aduenture and was very glad and reioyced within himselfe for that his sicknesse might haue some remedie although he thought that he was not worthie of so great a benefit yet he had heart and stomacke to giue the attempt vnto a thing of greater importaunce and did little estéeme any knight in the whole world and yet hée had no courage to conceiue that he was worthie to come to so high an estate and so hée remained amazed a good while and by reason that his new sicknesse did trouble him verie much he lacked vnderstanding to direct him in what hée had to doe till within a while after he came vnto himselfe and broched his Horse with his spurres hée rode forwards and saide What is this wherevpon doe I stay for that I sée it is impossible for mee to liue if I left to comfort my selfe with the diuine beautie and sight of the Princesse And with this he put himselfe before the chariot with great good will to speake vnto the Prince Meridian and as hée turned his horse for to béeholde that faire face of the Princesse his tongue fayled him and as one boyde of reason and vnderstanding hée stood still with his horse without speaking any word till such time as the chariot was passed by and gone a great way So when the knight of the Sunne was come againe vnto his
who by the commaundement of the knight of the Sun went in the quest of the knightes of the flower dâ—… Luses trauailed through many and diuers countries till such time as he came into the kingdome of Fraunce comming at length vnto a bridge which was vpon the riuer Rodano he saw two knights very fierce by séeming valiant who were brethren vnto Brandafuriel that mighty and strong Gyant which the Prince Clauerindo slew in the great citie of Paris and they were come vnto that place for no other occasion but to kéepe passage to doe all the damage they could vnto the king Oristeo his knights The one of them was called Crudamonte the other Rocardo being of their bodies lims as giants they had in that place taken diuers prisoners slaine many knights before that Florinaldus did passe that bridge he must néeds iust with one of them his fortune was such y t by the strong encounter he receiued his Horse himself fell downe to the ground in such sort that one of his legs was vnder his Horse so that he could not make any longer battaile the mightie Rocardo which was he that made the iust with him if hée had not imbraced himselfe about his Horse necke had likewise fallen downe to the ground with that strong encounter which hée had receiued So Florinaldus was taken prisoner put into fast hold but it was not long after that the newes of these two knights came vnto y e court of the king Oristeo being vnderstood by y e two princes Clauerindo Brandizel they in great secret departed from the court to make combat with them And when they came vnto the bridge ther was betwixt theÌ„ foure a very fierce and stout battell in which the two Princes found themselues greatly perplexed for y t these two were very stout valiant knights yet for all y t the goodnesse of their armour did stand them in great stéed againe they were of such courage that in the end they got the victorie and slew them and cut off their heads sent them vnto the king Oristeo requested of him pardon for that they had departed without lisence certifieng moreouer that they were gone to seeke out their friend the knight of the Sun And in as short time as possibly might bee they would returne againe vnto the court Now when these two bretheren were dead the two princes did set at liberty all the prisoners that were there amongst whom was Florinaldus when he saw the deuise of the slower de â—…uses he straight way knew that those wer the knights in whose demaund he had trauailed And therwith he went vnto them declared the Embassage of the knight of the Sun And when they vnderstood the same if ther had ben giuen vntâ—… them all the world at that present they could not haue receiued greater pleasure especially after that Florinaldus did tell them all that he had done in the Iland of Lindaraza afterward how that the Emperour Trebatio entered into Hungaria of all the rest So that these two princes wer as men amazed to heare him tell of those high mighty deeds and thought the time very long till they did see him With this great desire they all departed from that bridge trauailed till they came vnto Marsella wheras they â—…id imbark themselues and tooke their way towards Grecia Whom the Historie leaueth till fit time for to declare of the Knight of Cupid whom we left in the kingdome of Phenicia ¶ How the Knight of Cupid and the King Sacridoro departed from the kingdome of Phenicia for the Empire of Grecia Chap. 30. VEry great solempne feasts were celebrated in the kingdome of Phenicia at the marriage of the valiaunt and well esteemed King Sacridoro and the Prince Don Lusindo with the faire Pinarda and also for â—…o giue delight and pleasure to the Knight of Cupid whom they did honour had in so great estimation as the worthiest most valiant knight in all the world were all greatly amazed as well at his great grace vertue as at his bounty and strength yet notwithstanding for that hée had alwaies in his memorye the discurtesie of the princesse Oliuia any thing whatsoeuer hée did sée could not make him merry neither giue him any contentment so that continually he was very sad heauy for the which his great friend the King Sacridoro was very sorry roceiued great griefe for that hée knew from whence his euiâ—…l infirmitie procéeded did comfort him as much as possibly he could in saying that per aduenture the princes Oliuia had she wed him that discurtesie for that she did not know who it was that it did not agree neither was it requisite for hir honour to shew fauour vnto any knight except he were a king or prince such as with all honour maiestie she might receiue for hir spouse but said he possibly when she knoweth that you are sonne vnto thâ—… Emperour Trebatio the Empresse Briana she will repent change hir minde and that he was such a Knight as that princesse Oliuia should receiue great delight to receiue him into hir seruice And then hée gaue counsell that he should goe into Greece make himselfe knowen vnto his parents from thence he might take his iourny into England ther to proue once againe his fortune And in saying these other such like words in effect this good king Sacridoro comforted the Knight of Cupid And after that the feasts triumphs were ended he said that he would depart go towards the empire of Greece And with that determination he asked leaue of the king Sacridoro but he which bare him no lesse good will then vnto the quéene Oriselua his wife sayd that in no manner of wise he would consent vnto to his departure except he were in his company for that he would beare him company vntill such time as he made himselfe knowen vnto the Emperour Trebatio his father but the knight of the Sun would very faine haue excused that iourney saying vnto him that it was not a thing that beséemed him to be absent at that present time from his country being new married for that possible the king Polidarco his father in law the Quéene Oriselua his wife would be angry but all that did profit very liâ—…le for the king was determined to goe with him and although hée thought againe to loose all his kingdome yet would he not leaue his company So that the Knight of Cupid was constrained against his will to take him in his company the which he refused thinking that the king Polidarco the Qâ—…éene Oriselua would receiue some griefe anger for his departure and yet hée had so great delight in his familiaritie friendship that it séemed vnto him in all his life time he neuer met with a knight so conformâ—…ble vnto his neither that with a
to bee with that Pagan Rodaran with so valiant a courage that hée thought more of the time that hée should bée absent from the sight and companie of his Ladies theÌ„ of the braue and 〈◊〉 battayle which hée should haue with Rodaran and although tenne of the most brauest and valyaunâ—… Knights in all the world did abide his comming for to haue contention with him yet for all that it should not bee any occasion to put from him his amorous thought and great care neither cause him to receiue any feare in his valiant couragious stomacke And being inguâ—…sed with these his amorous passions his horse caried him whether he wold And calling to remembraunce the Princesse Claridiana and the fatre Princesse Lindabrides the absence of them was the occasion that he thought verily his hart wold haue parted a sunder in two péeces In this sort hee trauailed towards the bridge the first day and the second day that he departed out of Constantinople trauailing in a great broade vsed way he saw a far of comming towards him a knight of a big stature and mounted vpon a mighty couser and armed with verie rich and precious armour and brought in his company a ladie of great beautie meruaylouslie well apparaâ—…led and mounted vppon a Palfray And when hée approched nigh vnto them hauing a great pleasure to beehould the Knight he stayed his horse and saluting them with great curtesie hee asked of them if they were of that Countrie and whether they trauayled Then the Knight who was greatlie amazed at the singular disposition of the Knight of the Sunne and the straungenesse of his armour and horse dyd answere him and sayde that they were not of that Countrie but straungers And what should bée the occasion to mooue him to aske that question The Knight of the Sunne replyed agayne saying for no other intent but to doo vnto you all the pleasure that in mée dooth lye for your gentle disposition caused mée to demaund this question I pray God that I may gratifie your great courtesie sayde the straunge Knight And héere I doo giue you great thanks for your good will offered vnto mée beeing as I am You shall vnderstand sir knight that I am of a Countrie very straunge and far from this land and I am come hether in the demaund of a knight who is called the Knight of the Sunne whose fame is such that I am come foorth of my Countrie to séeke him Therefore sir Knight if you canâ—…e giue me any newes of him and â—…ell where I shal finde him you shall doo mée great pleasure and curtesie therein At which words the Knight of the Sunne was very much amazed hearing that a knight of a strange countrie should come in his demaund and beeing very desirous to know his Embassage hée answered and sayd Of a truth sir Knight you could not haue met with one that better could haue giuen you newes of this knight then with mee for I can giue you to vnderstand where you shall finde him before one houre bee past but yet first before I doo tell you where he is I shall receiue great curtesie if you do tell mee what the occasion is that you doo come in this sort to séeke him The knight was very glad and ioyfull when he heard that newes for that it was the thing that at that time hée most desired and thinking the time long to know where hee might finde him hee sayd Of a truth sir Knight although there had béene no occasion of your part to binde mée to declare vnto you the occasion of my comming your great curtesie and gentle disposition is sufficient to cause mée to declare vnto you that which you doo demaund and to binde mee to doo in your seruice any other thing whatsoeuer your pleasure is to commaund mée And now you shall vnderstand that I am King Lyseo of Lydia and this Lady whom I bring with mée is my wyfe and our euill hap and misfortune hath beene such that at such time as wée were most prosperous and receiued greatest ioy and contentment in our Kingdomes and most at our ease a cruell tyrant and King of Arcadia in respect of certaine contentions which chanced beetwixt vs two being trauayling knights hée is now risen vp against mée and as a mortall enimie dooth inuade my kingdome with so great puissâ—…nce of Knights and Gyaunts and hath entered into the same and hath spoyled and taken all sauing one alonâ—… Citie called Lydia whereas I haue defended my selfe for the space of two mooneths with those small companie of knights which remayned with great trauayle and euerie day is presented vnto vs death béefore our eyes So in the ende of this time I seeing that the strength and power of the king dyd dayly increase and that mine did still diminish and that I had no remedie to defend and deliuer that Citie which is the principall force and strength of all my Kingdome the remnant of my knights called a counsell together and commaund what was best to bee done therein and they all with one consent thought it best that I should goe and séeke some aide and succour wherewith wee might defend our selues from our enimies and giue mee theyr words that they would defend the Cittie till such time as I returned And I séeing that it was the thing that dyd â—…éehoooue mée very much I fell at a consent with them that they should make their defence abide my retourne for the space of two moneths and ie it so fell out that in that space I did not returne againe that they should conclude a truse with y e king of Arcadia for a certaine space as they thought best This béeing agréed vpon in great secrecie I and my wise departed out of the Citie with determination to seeke out some aide and succour wherewith I may defend the Citie of Lydia for in making defence thereof almost the whole Kingdome is defended And that béeing lost it is without all hope euer to recouer the same againe And béeâ—…hinking my selfe vnto what king or Emperor I were best â—…o goe to procure succour I could not imagine any place wherein so short time I might accomplish my desire as to â—…éeke out that valyaunt Knight of the Sunne whose fame is â—…o much spread abroad throughout all Asia after the great â—…arres of Persia so that the great confidence which I haue 〈◊〉 him hath brought mée into this Countrie and I am fulâ—…y perswaded that if I dooe carrie him in my companie to â—…idia that hée alone is sufficient for to raise the siege from â—…he Citie for that all the force and strength of that warre â—…nd great power dooth consist in the death of the king of Arcadia and if that the Knight of the Sunne doo giue vnto â—…im the death it is sufficient to conclude and end the wars â—…r when all the rest of his armie shall finde themselues â—…ithout their king and Lord they will returne agayne inâ—… theyr owne
béefore him the fayre Princesse Claridiana not hée alone who loued hir as his owne soule dyd receiue contentment but likewise the Emperour the other princes knights did reioyse very much had hir in that reputation as hir high estate deserued So in this sort they passed away all that night in great pastimes pleasure till the next day in the morning in the which the king Liseo went vnto the â—…mperour and vnto the Knight of the Sun asked of them what their pleasures was to doo with the king of Arcadia Rodaran for that they were their prisoners To whom the Emperor said that those prisoners did béelong vnto y e knight of the Sun and how that hée would giue order what should bée done with theÌ„ The knight of the Sun when that he heard that he would very faine haue excused himselfe therof but it did little profit him his excuses but that generally it was concluded that all should be done as he would command it So hee seeing their determination coÌ„manded to bee brought before him Rodaran and the king of Arcadia vnto whom hée said The high estates great riches soueraine gifts which fortune yéeldeth in this world by the wil of god is departed amongst men often times is the occasion that pride doth increase the more in them hauing cleane forgotten that they are mortal and subiect vnto any misfortune Contrary vnto all reason they put themselues in exercises to comprehend things of great waite and no lesse perilloâ—…s as though there were not a god to withstand theÌ„ thinking themselues to haue power ouer all fortune from whence doth proceede that wheÌ„ they thinke theÌ„selues most surest and most highest in their throne lacking the chiefe and principall ground of reason and iustice the whéele of their hope being very swift and of no securitie turneth about and throweth downe vnto the ground that which is most highest in such sort that ther is no humaine creature able to resist so great force And so it hath happened vnto you for being made Lords and kings ouer great and mightie Kingdomes and likewise endewed with force and strength yet there increased in you so great pride that all séemed little the which you had of your owne but against all reason iustice you came to séeke that which at such time as you thought all concluded and ended then were you farthest of and brought in that estate that you doo well vnderstand know how little the power of men is wheÌ„ in wrongfull causes you apply your selues Now in the behalfe of the Emperour my lord these knights I require you to sweare to be true to King Liseo and his kingdome but returne vnto your owne Countries Kingdomes and procure to defend them and kéepe your selues therein and not to giue from hence forwards any such attempts as hetherto you haue done for if you doo you can looke for no â—…ther thing but losse of your liues or else shame vnto your persons And first béefore all other things to make satisfaction vnto the King Lyseo of all such hurts and damages as hath béene done in his kingdome and likewise to surrender and yéelde vp all such things as you haue taken from him lands and otherwise without any delay At which words of the knight of the Sunne the two Kings receiued no great contentment for they were so rooted in pride mischiefe that it could not be rooted out till such time as they were vtterly ouerthrowen and lost in the fields of Grecia but now seeing in what estate they were how that it did behoue theÌ„ to shew more patience then they had they swore before the Knight of the Sunne to performe fulfill all that he would demand them for theyr libertie which they receiued at their hands they gaue great thanks And so they with the Quéene Carmania taking thir leaue of all theÌ„ they departed thence and went towards their owne Countries and kingdomes wheras they had inough to doo to tell of the knights of the Emperour Trebatio so that in the most part of all the Pagan Countrie his name was feared Whom at this present this historie dooth leaue till time dooth serue How the Emperour Trebatio with all his Princes and knights departed out of the Kingdome of Lidia towards Constantinople Chapter 51. THrée daies after the departure of the King of Arcadia and Rodaran remayned the Emperour in Lidia with all the rest of the Princes and Knights in great myrth and pastime with the King Lyseo and all his nobles in the ende whereof they thought it time to goe and sée the Empresse and the rest of Greece whom they were well assured to bee very sad and sorrowfull for theyr absence So concluding together they determined the fourth day in the morning to depart The time beeing come they all dyd take theyr leaue of the Quéene who shed many teares to sée them depart and the king Liseo went to beare them companie till they came to the sea side for they could not by any meanes cause him to abide in the Citie So they trauailed seauen daies in the ende whereof they came vnto the Sea whereas the king did take his leaue of them embracing them all offering himselfe at their commaundement at all times when occasion should serue And after that hee was departed froÌ„ them hee found himselfe very solitary without their company and in especiall without the companie of the Knight of the Sunne for that hee esteemed more his company and friendship then all his whole Kingdome The Emperour and all those that went with him dyd imbarke themselues in a very good Shippe and tooke their way towards Constantinople and hauing the winde and weather very fayre and prisoners they made theyr nauigation whith great ioy and pleasure generally amongst them all but in especially the knight of the Sunne who finding himselfe alwayes in presence of the royall Princesse Claridiana hee was as pleasant and ioyfull as euer hee was in all his life and although many times all the rest that were in the ship were at the ship side sporting themselues when that hee had opportunitie to speake and vtter his minde yet for all that hee had so great respect vnto hir that â—…t seemed vnto him that hee lacked bouldnesse to vtter vnto â—…ir his paine and griefe and for that the royall Princesse â—…either more nor lesse then hée was troubled with â—…morous â—…assions dyd not let at all tymes to make some outwarde â—…ew thereof which was the occasion that it caused him so â—…ake heart at grasse and speake vnto hir who with no â—…sse curtesie and 〈◊〉 as the Pagans 〈◊〉 vse when â—…ey doo 〈◊〉 and worship theyr false Gods in such sort hée béegan to speake and said Excellent and royall princes of Trabisond your soueraigne highnesse and the diuine excellencie of your royall person béeing by the Knight of the Sunne séene and knowen how far it dooth extend dooth make him not to bee
transported into another world So taking the letter of his lady mistres he did kisse it many times for that it had ben many times in hir hands did open it wâ—…eras was written as followeth The Letter of the Princesse Oliuia to Rosieleer IF the paine which I receiue in writing were not confirmable to that which thy desert doth deserue then should not I haue any 〈◊〉 to write neither resoâ—… to aske pardon for that which is past but yet ob Rosicleer the great force strength which caused your highnes to make defence was the occasion to make the wound more greater in my hart I did send to bannish thée out of my presence for that I might not perill my selfe with thy continuall presence but in dooing that I did bannish my owne soule from my body whose absence shall continue endure so long as thou art absent from me am so far from reason so void of memory since the time that thou departedst from this court that when I doo consider of my owne life I know not whether I liue or dreme or whether I am a woman or monster for that life is odious vnto me and I doo abhorre all pleasure the company of my damsels is great griefe vnto me when I am alone I am tormented my eares are deafe doo not heare my eies blind cannot see my tongue dumbe and cannot speake except it be to name Rosicleer in such sort are all my sences prisoners vnto thee that in no other thing they doo occupy themselues in but onely in accusing me for the error the which I haue committed against thee my eies say that they are blinde for that they cannot see the goodnesse that they were wont to see my eares deafe for that they cannot heare that continuall praise which they were wont of thy person the telling of thy mighty deeds the victorye of thy perillous battailes the great fame of thy high knighthood and the continuall prayse of thy high and wonderfull attempts My memorie saith that it doth remember that onelie with thy presence all the whole Kingdome of England was glad and ioyfull In the Court of the King my father thou didst exalt such as were good Knights and didst â—…onour them and didst chastice and 〈◊〉 such as were euill and proud Gyants didst thou make humble â—…eeke Likewise Damsels dyd trauayle all alone for that onely in thy name they went in great securitie And the Princesse Oliuia in onely seeing thee was alwaies ioyfull and gallant aboue all the rest And now my vnderstanding dooth tell mee that all is changed topsie turuie and cleane contrarie vnto that it was wont to be all the whole kingdome of England very sad sorrowful the court of the king Oliuerio ouerthrowen for that good knights lacke therin the euill doth increase and such as are proude doth augment and damsels as Orphants doo truâ—…ile with no securitie but dooth mâ—…strust all knights all doth finde lack of they presence all doth weepe and bee wâ—…ste thy departure all dooth curse the houre of thy departure the occasion that mooued therevnto But what shall Oliuia now doo who hath beene the occasion of all this and yet vnto hir hath thy departure béene more greeuous Oâ—… a truth if that with my death I could haue made a meanes for all this with a very good will a thousand times I would haue béen glad to haue receiued it and should haue thought iâ—… the least of all my deadly sorrows But alas what shall I doo if I doo lack death for my remedy thâ—… shal I loose all the hope I haue to sée thee the which if I doo loose I shall thinke my soule far more then lost in this sort I shall not make any recompence for this great errour neither you satisfied for the great hurt and harme receiued so that I take â—…t for the better choyce to liue sustayning my life with this â—…ope for that I doo greatly feare that my life cannot long endure if thy comming bee not with breuity therefore I doo â—…end this Damsell to seeke thee for to desire thee in first parâ—…oning of that which is past that thou wouldest not permit that my soule depart out of this world till such time as my eyes may reioyce themselues with the sight of thée for that onely therewith I shall thinke my selfe happie and for that in all other matters thou mayst giue perfect credit to this my faythfull secretarie and vnderstand all my sorrowfull passions I doo inlarge no farther but remaine prayeng vnto God to keepe defend thy person and to direct thy paths arighi When Rosicleer had read this Letter and knew it to 〈◊〉 hirs what shall I say vnto the great ioy pleasure which hée receiued but that it was equall vnto the great sorrow and griefe which hée suffered for that as one from him selfe hée was reading 〈◊〉 did not contemplate himselfe with those swéet and amorous words of his Lady and mistres and the great loue which shée dyd professe in hir letter and how 〈◊〉 did repent hir selfe of all that was past of all the which hée receiued so great ioy and contentment that all his sences were occupyed therewith in such sort that hée 〈◊〉 him selfe transported into the celestiall glorie so that hée had no tongue for to speake vnto the King Sacridoro neyther féete for to remoue himself out of that place nor eies for to looke vpon Fidelia but onely occupied in recreating himself in that contemplation reading and béeholding that Letter many times In the ende hée remembred himselfe as one that dyd awake out of a dreame and went vnto the King Sacridoro and embraced him sayd Oh my Lord perfect friend I desire you to put me out of all doubt of this doubtfull thing which I haue béefore mée for that you shall vnderstand that looke how much the glorie is which at this present I receiue so much more will the paine and griefe bée vnto mée if it fall out otherwise Therefore tell mée I pray you whether I doo sléepe or am awake or whether it bée true that I doo now sée or whether it bée one of those dreames which I was wont to haue doo not let mée I pray you to liue deceiued for that is â—…ot reason one so vnhappie and voyde of good fortune as I am should recreate and content himselfe with so high a benefit as this is Béehould how I doo dreame that the Princesse Oliuia hath sent mee a Letter by hir secretarie Fidelia and hauing compassion on mee shée would that I should bée hirs and to goe into England for to serue hir and bée at hir commandement and doth write to me such amorous words that there is no humane creature that dooth deserue the same much lesse a man that is so forgotten as I am Béehould héere Fidelia heere is the Letter the hand and seale of my Lady and mistres the Princesse Oliuia Tell mée I
bed he passed away that night as shall be tolde you in the first Chapter of the next booke Thus endeth the second part of the first booke of the Mirrour of Knighthood THE TABLE OF all that happened vnto the Emperour Trebatio and the Princesse Briana in their way vnto the Grecian Empire Chapter 1. Folio 1. How the Emperour Trebatio and the Princesse Briana ariued in the Empire of Grecia Chap 2. fol. 7 How the departure of the Emperour Trebatio the princes Briana was knowen in the court of kiâ—g Tiberio what passed about the same Chap. 3 fol. 8. How the knight of Cupid did take his leaue of the Queene Arguirosa entred into the kingdome of Russia where hee found a strange aduenture Chap. 4. fol. 13. How the knight of Cupid entered into the dreadfull caue of Artidon and of all that happened ther. Chap 5. fol. 18. How the two Princes Brandizel and Clauerindo departed from the kingdome of Polonia came into the kingdome of France and of all the rest that happened chap 6. fol. 26 How the two Princes Brandizel and Clauerindo beeing in the Citie of Parris there came thether Branbafuriel with whom the Prince Clauerindo had a very strong and furious battaile Chap 7. fol. 28. How the knight of the Sun escaped out of prison where hee was and perforce departed from the Court of the king Tiberio Chap. 8. fol. 31. Of all that passed in the court of the king Tiberio after the knight of the Sun was departed and how the bretheren of the Duke of Pannonia and Aridon of the wildernes did determine to reuenge themselues of the king Tiberio for that he would not pardon their deaths chap. 9. fol 34. How the knight of the Sun came vnto a Castle whereas hee did deliuer a Gentlewoman recouered two Pages whom hee carried with him Chap. 10. fol 42. Of the great triumphes which were made in Constantinople for the comming of the Emperour Trebatio and how the death of the Prince Edward was bruted in great Brittâ—ine and of all that happened Chap 11. fol. 45. How the three Princes Bargandel Liriamandro and the Tartarian Zoylo who went in the demaund of Rosicleer came into the kingdome of Lusitania and of all that happened vnto them there Chap. 12. fol 47 How the three Princes Bargaâ—…del Lyriamandro and the 〈◊〉 Zoylo issued fooâ—…th with such people as were in the Citie vnto the Camp of their enâ—…mies and of the mightie deedes of armes that they did there Chap. 13. fol 50 How these three Princes went forth the second time into the camp were taken prisoners by their enimies cap. 14. 〈◊〉 52 How the Knight of the Sunne gâ—…eing towards the 〈◊〉 of Grecia should haue beene taken by treason at a bridge and of all that pasâ—…ed therein chap. 15. fol. 54 How Florinaldus would haue taken the Knight of Sunne by treason and how he slew his knights receiued Florinaldus to his 〈◊〉 of all that happened besides cap. 16. â—…o 56 How the Knight of Cupide departed from the Kingdome of Russia and of all that happened vnto him in his iourney Chapter 17. folio 58 How the Knight of Cupid ariued in the Kingdome of Pheâ—…cia whereas he deliuered from death a Knight who afterward was a very great friend of his Chap. 18. fol. 63 Of a straunge aduenture which happened vnto the Knight of Cupid and the King Sacridoro trauayling by the mountaines of Phenica chap. 19. folio 68 How the three Princes Bargandel Liriamaâ—…dro and the Tartarian Zoylo came vnto the fountaine wheras the King Sacridoro was lamenting the death of his great friend the Knight of Cupid and how they were aduertised by him who he was and of all that hapned therein chap. 20. fol. 70 Of a strange aduenture which the Knight of the Sunne found trauavling towards the Grecian Empire chap. â—…1 fol. 72 Of a stout and well foughten battaile beetwixt the Knight of the Sunne and the Prince Meridian and of all that happened afterward chap. 22. fol 78 How the Prince Meridian did leaue the Chariot of the Princessâ—… Lyâ—…dabrides his sister and how hee went with the armour and horse of the Knight of the Sun vnto the 〈◊〉 of the King of Macedonia chap. 23. fol. 83 How the Knight of the Sunne and the Princessee Lindabrides trauayled towards Constantinople and sent messengeâ—… to the Emperour Trebatio to giue him to vnderstand of theyr comming chap. 24. fol. 84 Of the entering of the Knight of the Chariot and the fayre princesse Lindabrides into Constantinople cap. 25 fol. 86 Of a straunge aduenture which happened vnto the Princesse Claridiana beeing a hunting chap. 26. fol. 89 Of that which hapned vnto the sorrowfull Knight of Cupid after he was carried to the fountaine of the sauage people chapter 27. folio 93 How the three Princes Bargandel Liriamando the Tartarian Zoylo went vnto Constantinople whereas they gaue vnderstanding of the death of Rosicleer chap. 28. fol. 96 How Florinaldus came into the kingdome of France wher he was taken prisoner at a bridge and how by two Knights that came thether hee was set at libertie whom he knew to be the knights of the flower de luces which he sought cha 29. fol. 98 How the Knight of Cupid the king Sacridoro departed froÌ„ the kingdome of Penicia for the Empire of Greece ca. 30. f. 99 Of a fierce perrillous battell which the knight of Cupid had wiah a famous Giant in the Grecian Empire cha 31. fo 100. How the knight of the chariot returned to defend the beautie of the Princesse Lindabrides in the mightie citie of Constantinople whereas hapned straunge things chap. 32. fol. 104 How the knight of the Sun returned to defend the beautie of the princes Lindabrides what hapned besides ca. 33. fol. 108 How the knight of the Sun did defend the beutie of y e princesse Lindabrides and how there entred into the iusting place the Knight of Cupid and the king Sacridoro chap. 34. fol. 109 Of the wonderfull and cruell battell made betwixt the knight of the Sunue and the Knight of Cupid and of the perillous ende and successe thereof chap 35. fol. 112 How the Knight of the Sunne and the knight of Cupid were come againe vnto themselues and how they were knowen to bee brethren by a meruaylous meanes chap. 36. fol. 119 Of the great feasts and triumphs which were made in the great Citie of Constantinople for the acknowledging of the Princes and of a certaine aduenture which came at that time thether whereat all the Knights of the Court were at the poynt to bee lost Chap. 37. folio 129 Who the valiaunt Rodaran was and the damsell and the occasion wherfore they came vnto the court of the Emperour Trebatio chap. 38. folio 137 How the prince Brandizel went to combat with Rodran and of the strong and rigorous battaile they had cap. 40. fo 148 How the Prince Rodamarte went vnto the bridge of lasp for
to combat with the valiant Rodaran chap. 36. fol. 144 How the King Sacridoro went to combat with Rodaran and of all that happened vnto them therein chap. 41. fo 156 Of the stâ—…onk and well foughten battayle that the valyaunt Rosicleer had with that stout Pagan Rodaran and of all that happened vnto them therein chap. 42. fol. 158 How the Prince Don Siluerio returned and demanded of the King his daughter the Princesse Oliuia to wife and beccause she wold not marrie with him she returned with hir knigâ—…ts and of all that chanced therein chap. 43. folio 171 How the knight of the Sun went to combat with Rodaran and by a demand he left his determined iourney cap. 44. fo 173 How the Knight of the Sunne and the King Lyseo went out into the campe of their enimies and of the cruell battayle that they had with them chap. 45. fol. 172 How Rodaran sent vnto the Emperour demaunding more Knights and who went forth in the demaund cap. 46 fo 176 How it was knowen in Constantinople the imprisonment of the Emperour and what was done in consideration thereof Chapter 47. fol. 181 How the Knight of the Sunne the King Liseo went foorth the second day against their enimies and of the high Knighhood which they shewed in their battaile chap. 48 fol. 185 How Rodaran came to lande and by great aduentue hee came vnto the Kingdome of Lidia chap. 49. fol. 189 How the Knight of the Sunne went out the third time into the camp of the King of Arcadia and what hapned therein Chapter 50. folio 195 How the Emperour Trebatio with all his Princes and knights departed out of the Kingdome of Lidia towards Constanâ—… chap. 51. fol. 198 How the Empresse Briana was deliuered of a sonne and of the great feasts that were made at his birth Chap. 52. fol. 201 How the princesse Lindabrides beefore the Emperour Princs and Knights of the Court did aske a boone of the Knight of the Sunne and hee graunted it vnto hir which was the occasion that hee must depart out of the Empire of Greece Chapter 53. folio 202 How the Knight of Cupid in companie with the King Sacridoro went vnto Constantinople and of all that happened more chap. 54. fol. 206 How the Knight of the Sunne and the fayre Princesse Lindabrides went forwardes on their iourney towardes the great Tartaria and of the stout battaile that the Knight of the Sun had with the Troyan Oristedes chap. 55. fol. 215 How Rosicleer and the king Sacridoro came into England what happened with them there chap. 56. fol. 223 How Fidelia went vnto the Princesse Oliuia and gaue hir vn derstanding of the comming of Rosicleere chap. 57. fo 22â—… How Fidelia departed from the court went to speake witâ—… Rosicleer at the monastery wheras she left him ca. 58. fo 22â—… How the great Triumphs and Feasts of the marriage of thâ—… Princesse Oliuia were celebrated and of all that happened therein chap. 59. fol. 23â—… How at such time as the king Oliuerio the mights Princâ—… and knights of the court were ioyned together that the Priâ—… cesse Oliuia and the prinee Don Siluerio should take hand Rosicleer the King Sacridoro entred into the mightie 〈◊〉 lace and what happened therein chap. 60. fol. 2â—… How the Troyan Oristedes came vnto the court of the Eâ—… perour Alicandro and gaue him vnderstanding of the coâ—… ming of the Princesse Lindabrides cap. 61. fol. 2â—… How the two Princes Brandizel and Clauerindo deparâ—… from the court of the Emperour Trebatio and what hapâ—… ned vnto them beeing at the sea chap. 62. fol. 2â—… How the Prince Brandizel was deliuered from the tormenâ—… the sea what hapned vnto him afterwards 63. fol. 2â—… Of the great triumphs and feasts that were made in the 〈◊〉 of the Emperour Alicandro chap. 64. fol. 2â—… FINIS
¶ THE SECOND part of the first Booke of the Myrrour of Knighthood IN WHICH IS PROSECVTED THE ILLVSTRIOVS déedes of the knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer Sonnes vnto the Emperour Trebatio of Greece With the valiant deedes of armes of sundry worthie Knights very delightfull to bee read and nothing hurtfull to bee regarded NOW NEWLY TRANSLAted out of Spanish into our vulgar tongue by R. P. LONDON Printed by Thomas Este. 1599. TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Master Thomas Powle Esquire Clarke of the Crowne in hir Maiesties high Court of Chauncerie COnsidering right Worshipful that such men as haue excelled others in vertue or anie excellent quallitie doe shine through perpetuall fame all abroad and are like the bright Sunne beames surmounting without comparison the small and speedie decaying candles of the rude ignoble and seeing that this brightnesse of fame hath and doth not onely shine in men by vertuous studies and contemplatiue exercises but also in most worthie feats of chiualrv and martiall prowesse the knowledge practise whereof Cicero that most wise and learned Senator deemed as necessarie as learning and other good gifts of the minde to maintaine an orderlie common weale Considering also that as well the spirit of God hath by the hands of Moses and of many good men since published and that greatly commending them the valiaunt acts and puissant exploits of sundrie both good and mightie men at armes as did Homere Titus Liuius Salust with many mo the right martiall and euer memorable acts of the Greekes the Romans c. All which records of Chiualrie â—ending to animate others vnto imitating the like and beeing â—s a spur to instigate and prick vs forwards vnto prowesse who â—lse would bee idle and lie in obscuritie I haue thought it â—ot fruitlesse to publish this Mirrour of Knighthood also inâ—ented and set forth rather to encourage dastards and to teach â—he readie minded what excellencie is in puissant and inuinciâ—le mindes passing common iudgement then to feede the reader with an vntruth Now sithens custome hath made it to bee as a law in mens hearts obserued that they account bookes published not to haue sufficient warrant except they bee dedicated to some worthie personage of authoritie I am bolde to present vnto your Worship this Booke entituled The second part of the Mirrour of Knighthood done out of Spanish and now newly printed beeseeching your Worship rather to accept of my good will shewed than to respect the simplenesse of the gift Thus ceasing to be tedious I commit you to the tuition of the Almightie who blesse you and all yours Your VVorships most assured T. E. To the Reader I Haue good Reader according to my forepassed promise prosecuted the Second part of the first Booke of the Mirrour of Knighthood after which likewise beefore the second part alreadie Printed followeth another booke which is intituled in the Spanish worke The third part of the first Booke c. Which with as much expedition as may bee shall bee published wherby both the quaint beginning and the quoy abruption shall bée brought to a concord though no conclusion Yet shall the whole story bée concluded with diligent spéede if thou accept with thy wonted curtesie these passed impressions Desiring thée not to think the fulnesse of the history to bée deferred of malice but by euill luck wherefore good Reader I beséech thée beare with the abruptnesse of the translation the errours of the impression and the good meaning of the Authour and thinck not euerie Actor a right Grecian Lord no more then euery Chremes a Corinthian churle but contrary that as Terence shewed the figure that then was so our Author shadoweth the forme that should be in all Nobilitie to wit Chiualrie and curtesie Committing therefore the consideration of this worke to thy acceptance I conclude Thine to vse T. E. G. G. To the Reader IF learned Maro merited such prayse for penning downe Aeneas trauayles strange Or if to heauen they Nasoes name doe rayse that writ of men and beasts trans form'd by change Then shall our Spaniards toile I trust obtaine Though no such praise yet pardon for his paine For as their pens did paint the rare euents of things succeeding fitting for their time Euen so doth hee declare in his contents the verie meanes to Honours top to clime Accept his will doe not disdaine his worke In simplest shew doth truest meaning lurke FINIS ¶ THE SECOND PART of the first booke of the Mirrour of Knighthoode in which is prosecuted the illustrious deedes of the Knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer sonnes to the Emperour Trebatio of Greece OF ALL THAT HAPPEned vnto the Emperour Trebatio and the Princesse Briana in their way vnto the Grecian Empire CHAPTER I. WIth great ioy and contentment the Emperour Trebatio and the Princesse Briana trauailed towardes the Grecian Empire as well for the fruition of hir contented ioy as the pleasure and ease which she hoped to haue at such time as shée should come vnto the Empire And if it had fallen out that their departure should haue bene knowen yet at their ease they could not follow them for that most of their trauaile was by deserts and vninhabited places and not by peopled townes vilages and this was the occasion that they could not come so seene vnto Grecia as they might if they had taken the frequented waye And so in great peace and quietnesse they trauailed certaine daies without any accident happaning that is worth the noting till such time as they had passed through y e kingdome of Hungaria entered among certaine mountaines which wer very craggie troublesome to trauaile in where they chaunced vpon the skirt of the mountaine Sarpedo which is verye great and was inhabited with very furious and vnciuile people This was the cause which made them to trauaile by the lowest part of the mountaine where they continued on their iourney till the third day at such tyme as the Sunne was in the extreamest of his parching heate which caused them to haue an earnest and great desire to drinke for that they were thyrstie by reason that all that daye and the other day past they could finde no water nor any other thing to drinke And béecause the great thirst which the Empresse sustayned was more griefe vnto the Emperour then his owne hée diligentlye searched in euery place where he came to sée if hée could by any meanes finde any Towne Uilage or Fountayne where they myght haue water to quench theyr thirst And hée as trauayled in this care and sorrow within a whyle after hée discouered a certayne valley which entred in by the one side of the Mountayne in the middest thereof there was as it were a sluce which procéeded out of the Mountayne and it séemed vnto him that it could not hée without water for that the ground about it was very fresh and pleasant And presentlye leauing theyr way that they then followed they tooke
the next way which lead them vnto the valley and with great trauaile they came thether in the ende whereof they found sufficient of that whereof they had such néede For that out of the foote of a high mightie Rocke the principall beginning of that mountaine there was a small valley lyke vnto a medow being verie gréene and fresh on the one side it was inclosed with that mightie Rocke and on the other side inuironed with great and thicke trees of all sortes both delectable and pleasaunt This valley was very playne and out of the cliftes of that rocke there issued a sweete and a christalline fountayne of most excellent cleare water which ran into the middest of that valley whereas it made a stange béeing very pleasaunt to beholde Likewise they saw in that high Rocke certayne steppes cut out of the hard stone like vnto stayres which assended vp vnto a dore which was in the sayde Rocke and it séemed to bée aboue fiftéene â—…adome high And they saw that by the dore there was cut out of the same Rocke holes like vnto windowes which made them thinke there should be some habitacion or dwelling in the same And for that the place was very delightfull it dyd in a manner inuite them to refresh themselues There the Emperour alighted from his horse and made him fast vnto a Trée and tooke the Empresse in his armes from hir paulfrie the lyke dyd hee to all the Ladyes and Damosells and they went vnto the Fountayne whereas they did satisfie themselues of theyr desire thinking all their trauaile well béestowed to come vnto that pleasant and delightfull place Then they sate themselues downe by the head of that spring and did eate of such meate as Clandestria hadde brought with hir and this mighty Emperour had for his table the lappe of the Empresse which he did more estéeme then all the great abundance of siluer and gold and other furniture in his royall and princely court Also they receiued wonderfull great pleasure and contentment at the swéete and pittering noyse which the running water made which by reason of the swiftnesse of his course séemed to bee a Fountayne of christall for the great clearenesse thereof And when they had eaten and well refreshed themselues with that which they brought the Emperour dyd pull of his healme and stretched out his body vppon the gréene grasse and laide his head on the Princesse lappe And after that hée hadde discoursed with the Princesse many â—…wéet and amorous spéeches hée fell a sléepe wherefore â—…he Princesse hadde great care of him and commaunded â—…ell hir Gentlewomen to kéepe silence and to make no noyse for feare of waking of him and she was well contented in hir minde that they were passed the Kingdome of Hungaria hoping in a short time to enter into the great Empire of Grecia But all this in comparison was nothing vnto the great loue contented ioy that she receiued to sée that noble Emperour lie a long with his head on hir lap and subiect vnto hir loue very much beholding the great seueritie and couragious countenaunce of his faire face marking his mightie members and the good proportion of his whole bodie And as hee lay vpon the grasse it seemed to hir that inall the world ther was not his like to be séene he was of so excellent a stature and worthy to bée béeloued aboue all other And for that the Princesse by experience was fully perswaded of his noble prowesse shee sayd vnto hir selfe that ther was not in all the world lady or gentlewoman that had better chaunce then she affirming that although Fortune in times past did shew hir selfe cruel yet at that time she had recompenced hir with more honour and delight higher dignitie and prosperitie then euer she possessed or thought at any time to attaine vnto But as it is a thing both generall and common that at such time as a man thinketh himselfe to haue most felicitie in this mortall lite he is néerest vnto perills hauing sodainlye all his mirth tourned into mourning with mischéefes vnlooked for so at this present it happened for in the meane time that the Emperour tooke his rest vpon the lappe of the fayre Princesse and shee likewise remayned in the toppe of hir prosperitie all hir Gentlewomen being at a Fountaine washing their hands and faces with that fayre and christaline water vpon a sodaine and vnaware they heard a great norse amongst the trées and shrikes that séemed to be of women that came toward the place wheras they were with sorrowfull weepings and lamentecions The Princesse and all hir Gentlewomen béeing amazed at that sodaine noise saw come forth from among the trées towards the Fountaine a mightie great and deformed Gyant all armed sauing the beauer of his healme was vp and mounted on a mightie horse hauing in his hand a great boare speare which had a very sharp and long blade of a span broad and he had a fierce and furious countenance which caused great feare vnto all them that did behold him After him there followed ten men meruailous vglie and ill fauoured to behold and no lesse dreadfull which wer on foote all vnarmed with a certaine kind of vnvsed wepons in their hands who brought in the middest amongst them two knights vpon one horse with their hands fast bound and two Ladies vpon two palfrayes which gaue very great and sorrowfull shrikes But when the Princesse saw that monstrous Gyaunt come foorth of the thicket shée gaue lykewise a great shrike and quaked for feare in such sort that shée had no more coulour in hir face then a dead body at which noyse as well of the Ladyes and Gentlewomen as of the Princesse the Emperour awaked out of his sound sléepe as one that had béene greatlye afrighted and looking about him hée saw that monstrous and vglie Gyant with all his internall company comming towardes them wherefore with a trice hée rose vp and laced on his healme and came vnto the Princesse who was as one that had béene dead and sayd vnto hir Take a good hart and bée couragious for it grieueth mée very much to sée you in this plight for I doubt not such courage receiue I by your presence but principallie God asisting mée to deâ—…iuer you from this monster The Princesse was so trouâ—…led and in such feare that she had not any power to anâ—…were him one word agayne And at that time she would â—…aue giuen all the Grecian Empire yea the whole world â—…f it had béene hirs to haue séene hir selfe and the Empeâ—…our cleere from that monstrous Gyant At this time the â—…reat Gyaunt came vnto the place whereas they were â—…nd greatlie meruailed to see them there although to the â—…ontrarie reioycing and verye much delighted with the â—…are and excellent beautie of the Princesse with a dreadâ—…ull and horse voyce hee sayde Oh my Gods what a rich pray is this that you haue reserued for mée these fiftéene yéeres haue I attempted
that place to séeke water for the great necessitie they had thereof and there the Emperour requested them that at theyr retourne into theyr Countrie they would go vnto the Court of King Tiberio and kisse his handes in his beehalfe and declare vnto him how and in what sort they found him at the Rock When these Knights vnderstood the whole matter by the Emperour they could not satisfie them in musing at so soddayne and straunge a méeting And falling on theyr knees beefore the Emperour and the Princesse they required theyr hands to kisse them but they with great ioye and pleasure dyd make them arise from the ground and after that beetweene them there had passed many delightfull words of cōference the Emperour sayd that hée would go sée what was within the Rock and so hée ascended vp the stayers tyll hée came to the doore which hée found shut in such sort that by no meanes hee could get in neyther would they open the doore for all his great knocking And as they might perceiue those that remayned within that Rock were household seruaunts and two sonnes of those Gyaunts béeing about the age of tenne yéeres whom they saw at the windowes béeholding all that had passed and they shut the doore very fast and durst not open it for that they thought verily y t Knight would destroy them all in so much that the Emperour was constrayned to retourne back agayne After a while that the Emperour and all the rest of the companie had eased and refreshed themselues by the Fountaine hée and the Princesse determined to depart and the Knights with their wiues would haue borne him company and dyd desire very earnestly the Emperour to suffer them so to doe yet hée wold not consent thereto but desired them to returne vnto theyr owne Countrie and to let them so alone as they were for that he had greater pleasure to trauaile in that sort then with any more company When these Knights vnderstood his determination they would not stand in contention with him nor importune him any farther but taking theyr leaue of the Princesse they and theyr wyues dyd retourne vnto theyr owne countrie hauing inough for all their lyfe tyme to declare that which they saw of the worthie Emperour Trebatio and of his high bountie béeléeuing that in all the world there was not a Knight like vnto him And when they came into theyr Countrie they left theyr wyues there and strayght way departed toward the Court of King Tiberio to shew vnto the King theyr Embassage from the Emperour to declare vnto him the whole matter how and in what order they were delyuered from theyr great perill as shall in this Historie by declared And when they came vnto the Court they were meruaylously well receiued as you shall heare in this Chapter following How the Emperour Tiberio and the Princesse Briana ariued in the Empire of Grecia Chap. 3. WHen the comming of the Emperour Trebatio and the Princesse Briana into Grecia was knowen vnto the Prince of that Prouince who was a yong Knight and one of his subiects hée was very much amazed and lykewyse all his Subiects for that they thought verily that many yéeres past hée had béene dead and there was no other reckoning made of him neyther would they béeléeue his comming to bee true till such time as euerie one of them dyd sée him with their owne eyes And béeing certefied thereof they dyd receiue him with such maiestie as the Emperour dyd remaine and would not procéede any farther but first wholy and perfectly informed himselfe of the estate of all things with-in the Empire And there was giuen him to vnderstand how that the King of Bohemia had béene and was gouernour of all the whole Empire and how that hée had ruled and gouerned it with great discretion and iustice And how that all people generally were very wel content with his gouernement at the which the Emperour receiued great pleasure and sent vnto him giuing him to vnderstand of his comming with the Princesse Briana certifying him by a briefe letter of all that hée had passed and willed him to méete him at Constantinople When the King and all the nobles of the Empire who at this present were in Constantinople heard these newes I am not héere able to expresse the great admiration that they had and the excéeding ioye that they in theyr hearts conceiued for that sodaine newes in such sort that if each of them had receiued his owne Brother they could haue possessed no more pleasure hée was so well beeloued So in a short space these newes was published throughout all Constantinople and was a meruailous thing to beehold the great pleasure and sports that were in the Cittie and generally amongst all the people Then the King of Bohemia with all those noble Princes and Lords dyd ioyne themselues together and departed toward Dardania whereas they receiued the Emperour and the Princesse Briana and conducted them vnto the great Cittie of Constantinople with such maiestie and pomp that neuer Prince nor Romane Emperour was so receiued into his countrie And when they were come vnto Constantinople that faire and royall Princesse Briana was crowned Empresse of Grecia at which coronation was made the greatest Feasts and Triumphes with such pompeous solempnity as neuer was in all the world béefore that time To which Triumph and Feasts there dyd not onely come all the Princes noble men and valyant Knights naturall of the Empire but also of all the Kingdomes and Prouinces which were nigh adioyning vnto whom the newes came of the ariual of the great Emperour Trebatio And for that the excellent and mighty déedes which the worthy Knight of the Sunne did in the Castell of Lindaraza should bée manifest vnto all people and that the memory thereof should not bée forgotten the Emperour commaunded to call together all the best Painters that were in Grecia and commaunded them to paynt vpon the fore front of his Pallaice which was next adioyning vnto the great Court in singular perfection naturall sort all the whole Iland the Castle the gates and the terrible and wonderfull kéepers and gards with the mightie and perilous battayle that the Knight of the Sunne had with them and of all the rest that happened for to cléere him of that inchantment as hath bane told you in this Historie past And when it was concluded and set foorth in coulours it was a thing very straunge to béeholde and of great admiration to all people that dyd looke thereon insomuch that they could not béeléeue that any humane man was able to dooe so great déedes of armes as was done by the Knight of the Sunne And all people had great desire to sée him although the Emperour had much more desire with no lesse loue and good will then if hée had knowen him to bée his naturall Sonne And for that this great triumph shall bée more spoken of in this Historie at this present it doth leaue them tyll
round about there came many people for to sée him as a thing of great admiration in the time that hée there remainâ—…d for to place the Queene Arguirosa in full possession of all hir landes and that all hir vasalls and subiectes were quieted and setled in good order For by reason that he was on the Quéenes side in few dayes they were all in peace and quyet Now when hée saw that there was no more to bée done hée was very desirous to go vnto some other place wheras in recompence of the great honour and seruice done vnto him hee might bee in some solytarie desart to béewayle his misâ—…ortune Then remembring himselfe hee determined to take his leaue of the Queene Arguirosa who bare him great good will and dyd loue him as hir selfe And if shée had not perceiued that his heart was prisoner in some other place shée would with a verie good will haue chosen him Lord of hirs and receiued him for hir husband without any desire to bée informed farther of his estate and discent for she rested wholely satisfied in that which shee saw by experience of his royall worthinesse and bountie And when the Knight of Cupido dyd declare vnto hir his desire to depart and craued licence for the same she receiued so great sorrow therat that in a long space she could not make him any aunswere So after a whyle that shée had remained in that traunce distilling from hir christaline eyes abundaunce of teares which ran downe vpon hir faire and lyllie white chéekes lyke vnto orientall pearles shée vttered vnto him these words Worthie Knight this thy departure which thou dost pretend is vnto mee so great a griefe that I hartely wish I had not knowen you although it had cost mée a great part of this my Kingdome For considering how much I am bound vnto you and remembring the great desert and baâ—…our of your person I doo not thinck neither can I wel béeâ—…éeue that there is any thing in all the world able to make me merry or minister vnto me any pleasure or contentment but onely your presence Oh I would God if hee were so pleased that I might know your hart at libertie 〈◊〉 therby â—…ée able to repay you part of the great benefit whicâ—… you â—…aue showed vnto mée in making you Lord ouer all this â—…ingdome and there-with I should accompt my selfe the happiest Gentlewoman in all the world but séeing it is so that another hath possessed that place before mée and deserued to bee Lady of your libertie this one thing I doo desire of thee that wheresoeuer you become to remember mée and this my Countrie and Kingdome the which you may take as your owne at all tymes when occasion shall serue for that there cannot bée a greater pleasure vnto mée then for you to commaund mée in any thing that is requisit And if at any tyme Fortune bring you into this countrie with more delight then at this time you séeme to be indued with all I shall thinck my selfe most happie that as I haue râ—…ceiued at your hands this kingdome so I may lykewise obtaine a husband at your appoyntment for receiuing him at the hands of so worthy a Knight it cannot be but very conformable vnto my honour and conuenient for my estate All this the Quéene spake for the great loue shée bare vnto Rosicleer giuing him honestly to vnderstand that if it were his pleasure to receiue hir for his wife shée was very wel content therwith but Rosicleere who had his thoughts very far from hir purpose would not aunswere any thing wherby shée might take any hold yet gaue hir great thanks for hir curteous proffer made vnto him and promised hir alwayes to haue hir in remembrance and to serue hir in all that euer hée could And although at that time â—…e dyd excuse himselfe as much as hee might to cléere himselfe of that charge in prouiding hir a Husband of his owne choyce yet time did serue that Rosicleer had opportunitie 〈◊〉 dyd estéeme it very much hée dyd pacifie very great and troublesome controuersies hatreds and discords by which shée might haue receiued great damage harme as in this History shall bée shewed vnto you So in the ende of many curtesies béetwéene them Rosicleer tooke his leaue of thâ—… Quéene and would receiue nothing of hir but onely a good horse which she commanded to bée giuen him so hée departed out of the Citie and in few dayes after out of the kingdome and in passing through Dardania and Dacia hée trauayled many dayes in the which there chaunced sundry aduentures that I omit to come vnto the effect of this historie And béeing foorth of the Realme of Dacia the history sayth that hée entered into the kingdome of Russia wheras it was told him there were great and meruaylous aduentures So it happened that the third day in the morning he entered into that Countrie and came vnto a plaine mountaine so fresh and delectable as might be posâ—…ible and he trauayled so long therein till at the last his way dyd part in twaine the one way was more vsed then the other and by reason that his minde was troubled in thincking vppon his Lady the Princesse Oliuia hée was so far from his remembrance that hée respected not which way hée tooke but followed that way which his horse voluntarily went who entered into that which was lesse vsed hée trauailed forwards in that way the most part of all that day and béeing tormented with his loue he remembred not to eate neither had hée mynde of any other thing til such tyme as his horse for very hunger stayed and would goe no farther but striued to eate of the gréene grasse which was in the way And by this occasion the Knight of Cupide came vnto himselfe and saw that hee had lost his way and was entered into that path and considering the most part of the day was already past hee quickened vp his spirits and trauayled with better remembrance then béefore hée had done making great hast to come vnto some place where hée might haue somwhat to eate and not suffer himselfe to dye desperately with hunger So hée followed that euill accustomed way till such time as it was almost night and it brought him vnto the sight of very high and mightie Rocks which were in the middest of that wildernesse vnder the which he saw a thing that dyd put him in great admiration which was that out of the mouth of a caue vnder those Rocks there came foorth great flames of fyer accompanied with darke and thick smoake which seemed to bée some infernall den the mouth of the Caue was so great that a Knight on Horsebacke myght well enter in thereat and béeing â—…rous to know what it should bée hée drew nigh vnto it but his horse was so fearefull that hée could not come so nigh as the Knights will was but was constrayned to alight from his back and made him fast vnto a
in thereat and were consumed and the earth shut vp againe so that there remayned no mention of them And when the Knight of Cupide saw all these straunge aduentures he was wonderfully astonyed at them as on that had seene very few of such lyke inchauntments so hée recouered his sword which hée threw from him and put it vp in his sheath and looked round about bee thinking himselfe what was best to doe and as hee looked about him hée saw vpon a wal that was right before him vnder one of the galleries in that court a thing which put him in great admiration which was that he saw there portraied his owne figure and lykenesse with the deuice of his armour and the entering into the Caue and all that happened in the contencion hée had with the Bull and the Dragon till such time as they were consumed into the earth euery thing perticularly aâ—… it was that hée himselfe could not declare it so perfectly aâ—… it dyd appeare there vppon the wall and the Bull and the Dragon appéered there so fierce and furious as though they had béene a liue And when hee had well perused all this hée sayde within himselfe that the wisedome and knowledge of Artidon was great and remembring the great passion and sorrow of loue which hée passed and suffered and the great disâ—…ing and hatred which hée found in hir whom he so entirely loued hée gaue a great sigh sayde Oh cruell tyrannous loue there is no wisdome and vnderstanding able to refraine himselfe leaue thée neither any strength sufficyent to make resistance against thee so that I béeléeue thy power and strength is more in the wise and most ripest of wit and strong of courage much more then in any other baler person as the fire is most furious of force béeing made with strong hard timber but yet thou respectest no estate neither one nor other neither the strong nor féeble person they ought not to paint thée with thy eyes shut for so much as all they which do serue thee are blinde and thou with thy shut eyes dost béehold all theyr sorrowes and troubles and giuest them their payment for theyr seruice And in saying these words hée went from that place and on the other side hee saw a great broad payre of stayres very wel wrought which went vp vnto the gallaries and it séemed to bee the way which hee should take wherefore hée ascended vp the stayres and when hee came into the galleries hee saw that they were very broade and well wrought with straunge worke thrée of those galleries were on that side the court whereas hée had the contention with the monsters and on the other side toward a very fayre Orcharde fresh and delectable full of all sort of gréene trées and sweet flowers whereas hee heard a meruailous sweet harmony of many â—…yrdes which were in that Orchard and on the other side of the Gallerie was there meruaylous great and straunge buyldinges and in the same Gallerie there was a doore open for to enter into that worke so the Knight of Cupide entered in and came into a Quadran which appeared very cleere bryght and fayre and on the one side thereof there was a doore which séemed to be shut on the inside who had to keepe and gard the same a mighty great and dreadfull Gyant with an yron Mase in his hand who as soone as hee saw the Knight with both his hands lift vp his Mase aboue his head and dyd abide till such time as the Knight should come vnto him with so terrible countenaunce that any man would haue thought it great solly to haue aâ—…utted â—…im and ouer the doore was written Letters to this effect When this doore shall bée open then shall the Quéene Artidea bée at lybertie and the entrie heerein shall bee free vnto all people And when he had read it he thought within himselfe that for to make an ende of that aduenture hée must néedes haue battayle with the Gyaunt And so without any more tarrying with his sword in his hand hee went towards him When the Gyaunt saw him nigh hée discharged from a lost his great and mightie Mase thinking to strike the Knight of Cupide on the head but hée who alwaies had in rememâ—…e what was best for him to dooe with a meruailous great lyghtnesse leapt on the one side in such sort that the â—…eat yron mase fell downe vpon the floore and with the fury wherwith it was stroke it made all the pallace to shake this â—…ghtie blow was not so soone giuen when that the worthie Knight threw a some at him and stroke him on the breast and according vnto the great strength wherwith it was giuen it had beene sufficient to haue passed through the Gyants body although hée was armed with strong yron but his armour was made by such art that it made the point of his sword to double and bow vnto the hilts and made no signe therof in his armour Then the Gyant lift vp his mase againe to strike him another blow but this valiant Knight séeing the smal harme that he could doo him with his sword determyned to assault him by some other meanes and seeing that the Gyant dyd discharge his blow hée entered in soclose with him that hée was constrayned to fall downe on both his knees for to cléere himselfe from the fury thereof and rising vp againe with great lightnesse finding himselfe nigh the Gyaunt hée threw his sword from him and with both his handes layde fast holde in the middest of the Gyaunts Mase and pulled at it with so great strength that hée pulled it out of his hands and was very ioyfull for the winning thereof But as soone as the Gyaunt had lost his mase vpon a sodaine hée vanished away that hee was neuer more séene and the Knight of Cupide remayned all alone very much meruailing at such sodaine and straunge things as hee saw there and when he perceiued that there was no more to doo but to open the doore hee went to it and prooued to open it but hée could not mooue it neither on the one part nor on the other although hée put great strength to open the same séeing that he colde not profit with his strength hée tooke the Gyants Mase in his hands and sayd It dooth come all to one purpose to breake thee by force as to open thée by policie or art therewith hee stroke a mightie blow in the middest of the doore that hee brok it all to small péeces and vpon a sodaâ—…ne at the same time hée heard a great and terrible noyse of Thunder that the heauens séemed to open therewith and in all the Kingdome of Russia was heard that terrible noise which caused all men to feare and wonder for that the day was very fayre and cléere could not imagine what should bee the occasion to mooue any such thing in the Region of the Ayre and after that this great
and as it is a common thing the fame in especiall of such not able iusts doe flie abroad into all parts It happened at that time ther dwelt in a litle Iland in y e Ocean sea néere vnto Normadie a Gyant called Brandafuriel of a very great stature deformed with whom the King Oristeo was glad to hold friendship peace for the great damage and harme which he did vpon the sea at all times when it pleased him And for that this Iland was compassed with high mightye Rockes which made it so strong that all his power wer not sufficient for to doe him anye harme hée beeing within when the fame of these two Knights which were in Paris came vnto the Gyants eares and of the rich Tent that was prepared for the prise of this Iust it strayght wayes gaue him a desire to goe thether as one that was certaine that ten such Knights as they were were not sufficient to defend the Tent but that by his prowesse he must bring it away And to execute his determination he strayght way departed from the citie of Paris caryed in his company to the number of ten Knights and came thether one day before that the two moneths of the Iusts did end wheras the two Princes were doing of meruailous deedes of armes And as the great place was full of Knights as well straungers as those naturally borne in that Kingdome at which time the great furious Gyaunt entred in amongst them bidding them to make him way with a loud terible voice And when they saw him so great ill fauored they al feared him made him a large brode way that he might passe forwards And when the Ciaunt saw the rich Tent where it was hee went towards it and did behold it with great admiration and it 〈◊〉 onto him to be very rich and straunge and after 〈◊〉 he â—…ad satisfied himselfe with the sight thereof hee said which bee the Knights which doth defende this Tent. The Prince Clauerindo who was nighest vnto him sayd I am hee that doth defend it with an other Knight my companion therefore say what thy pleasure is That which I will say said the Gyant is That where you are but two Knights for to defend it I would you were twentie together For winning of it it will be vnto me more honor to win it of twentie then of two alone Knights But séeing that you are no more come on let vs goe vnto the battayle and come both of you against mée For that with one alone blow I will hoyse you both out of your saddles the one of you with my laâ—…ce anâ—… for other I will take him vnder my arme The Prince Clanerindo was very much offended and angry at 〈◊〉 pride of the Gyaunt answered him saying It is alwaies the custome of you Giants to abound in to â—…h arogancie and pride which maketh mée not verie much to maruaile of any thing that thou hast saide Therefore take vnto thée thy speare and I alone will defend the tent from thee And if thou dost ouerthrow mee from my horse the Tent shall bée thine without any deniall of mee or my companion The Gyaunt when hee saw him-selfe so little estemed of one Knight he was so full of fury and wrath that hée could not refraine his yre but drew out a mighty great and broud fauchon which was hanging at his girdell and went to strike the Prince Clauerindo vppon the healme thincking there-with to cleaue him downe vnto the wast But the Prince who was a very stout and pollitike Knight and in many things dyd resemble his friend the Knight of the Sunne béefore that the Faulchin could execute the Gyaunts determination hee gaue a great leap with his horse on the one side that the Gyaunt lost his blow and it was sticke in vaine And by reason that the blow descended right downe hee stroke his owne horse vpon the head that hée cloue it in two peeces and hee fell downe dead to the ground with his maister so that the Gyant could not rise vp againe without great paine and griefe for that the horse in his fall caught the Gyaunts leg vnder him The King and all that dyd behold them fell in a laughter and had great pleasure in that which the Gyant had done Although his comming thether was a great griefe vnto manie For according vnto the great fame which he had in those parts they thought verely that the two Knights could not haue sufficient force and might for to defend the Tent but that hee would win it and carrie it away When the Gyaunt saw himselfe without a horse with great yre hee arose vp and went towardes the Prince who with a trice leaped from his horse back for that hee would haue no aduantage of him drew out his sword and did abide his comming so that beetwixt theÌ„ there began â—… very angry and well foughten battaile striking on euery â—…e that it was strange wonderful to beehold The prince Clauerindo was mighty of person well proportioned light and strong beesides all this hee had his aâ—…monr made and tempered by art magicke which was giuen him by the wise Lirgandeo of the which hée was sure that whatsoeuer blow his aduersary dyd fasten vppon him it should not hurt him which was the occasion that although the Gyaunt were of much more force yet hée should maintayne himselfe verie wel against him and make him to abate his great arrogansie and pride And by reason that the Gyant was bigge and heauy the Prince did strike him at all times at his pleasure and many times hée did cut his armour and flesh whereat issued out great abundance of blood The King and all those that did béeholde the battaile greatly maruailed at the prowesse of that Knight but aboue all his vnckle Armineo was very glad and ioyfull that hée made his partie so good in the battaile said within himselfe that it hée dyd perseuer and bring it vnto a good ende that with great honour the Prince might discouer him selfe vnto his Parents and dyd pray to God with all his hart to aide and help him in that battaile for that it continewed still very dangerous and full of perill For that thiâ—… great and furious Gyaunt when hée saw that his Fauchon could not enter nor deminish the armour of his aduersarie Hee dyd procure all that euer hée could for to strike him vppon the healme to astonish him for that hee neuer chansed to strike him vppon the Healme but that hee made him sometimes to bow his knées to the ground and other times to stoope with his hand to keepe himselfe from falling in such sort that the battaile was in ballance very doubtfull for more then an houre that there was knowen no vauntage béetwixt them but onely that the Gyant was wounded and the Prince not It was a great incouraging vnto the prince Clauerindo to sée himselfe in presence of his Parentes
and hoped that very shortly he would giue them to vnderstand thereof And this was the occasion that made him to bee the more furyous against his enimie The Gyant when hée saw himselfe wounded and all the ground be sprinckled with his blood hée greatly wondred at the strength and resistance of his enemie and finding all things cleane contrary vnto his expectation before hee began the battell hâ—… was almost ashamed yet hée béeléeued that the state of his victorie dyd remaine onely in the striking of one full blow vpon the Helme of his aduersary And therewith hee tooke his great Fauchon in both his hands and went towards y â— prince making a show as though hee should strike him vpon the heade whereat the Prince stooped on the one side and the Gyaunt dyd stay the striking of his blow till afterward vnaduisedly at his pleasure he stroke him vpon the Inchanted Healme that it made all them that looked on to maruaile how hée could sustaine or suffer such wonderfull fury for that it was sufficient to haue cloue a great rock asunder but by reason of the vertue of his armour made by that wyse Lyrgandeo for such necessities that the Prince receiued no damage of that furious blow but by the great strength wherewith it was giuen hee thought verely all his skull had béene broken to péeces and therewith hée bowed his knées to the ground remayning for a good space all astonied that hée could not arise vp When the furious Gyant saw him in that trance hée turned againe and lift vp his mightie Fauchon and stroke him an other blow in the verie same place and by reason that with the other blow his fauchon was crased with the force and strength of the second blow it brake in thrée péeces in such sort that there remayned in his hands but onely the hilt which was the occasion that the blow dyd no harme otherwise it had cost him his lyfe and with the noyse thereof hée came vnto himselfe and arose vp somewhat amazed and with the furie of that great blow hee dyd not see that the Gyaunt was without a Sword but entred in with him in a great rage and stroke him such an ouerthwrat blow vpon the thigh that hée cut his armour and flesh vnto the hard bone of the which the Gyaunt felt himselfe verie euill The Gyant séeing himselfe without wepon he wold haue entred in with his enimy to haue caught him in his armes but the Prince vnderstanding his pretence recoyling back threw a foyne at him which chaunced on his beauer which was broken and thrust him thorough and through the head wherewith this firce and vglie Brandafuriell fell downe dead to the ground it was vnto all them that dyd béeholds what passed a great admyration and wonder when they saw so sterce and mighty a Gyaunt who in all those parts was greatly dreaded feared in so short space ouerthrowen and slayne by one onely Knight and for that the King could not away with him for certayne angers and griefes which continually hée dyd vnto him hee was very glad and receiued great ioy for his death and thought long to know the Knight who had done that valyaunt and worthie deede being certified within himselfe that there was not a Knight in all the world lyke vnto him in courage and strength When the Prince Clauerindo saw himselfe cleere of that monstrous Gyant hée lifted vp his eyes to heauen and gaue great thankes vnto the almightie God and put his sword into his sheath and went towardes the Prince Brandizell Armineo his vnckle who receiued him with great pleasure and ioye séeing the honour prayse which hee had won in that place and said amongst themselues that it was not then time to kéepe them any longer vnknowen but great reason to discouer themselues And therewith they all thrée together went towards the place wheras the King and the Queene were accompanied with all the principall Knights of the Court and when they came beefore them without taking of their healme they dyd their duetie and reuerence the King receiued them verie gladlie and reioyced much with them Them Armineo beegan to speake and saide Most mightie King you shall vnderstand that these Knights are come from straunge Countries vnto this thy court not so much to get honour héere amongst thy Knights as to giue thée certaine newes at the which thou wilt receiue great ioy and contentment which are concerning thy sonne the Prince Clauerindo who many yeeres past was lost beeing carried away by a great rouer from his Countrie who at this present is a liue and doth very well and is waxed such a Knight that in the whole world you haue very few lyke vnto him and in company with him is his vnckle Armineo with no small desire to come and sée thee and euer since they were taken by that Rouer they haue béene alwaies together and as wée doo vnderstand they wil not bée long from hence The King when hée heard these ioyfull newes with a loude voyce sayde Oh mighty God is it possible that my Sonne Clauerindo and my Brother Armineo bée aliue and that there hath béene in my court who hath seene them and neuer tould mée till now and so long time past And in saying these words hée turned vnto Armineo and said Gentle Knight séeing that you haue brought mée so ioyfull newes I pray you also tell mée where you dyd leaue them that I may send to séeke them so shall I haue my ioye wholy fulfilled It shall not néede that your highnes doo send to séeke them said Armineo for that they are within the Kingdome of Fraunce and will bée héere very shortly When Armineo had sayde these words the King was in a great doubt whether this which the Knight had told him was true and whether hée spake it in manner of mockage The Quéene who was present when shée heard these words thought it a thing impossible to bée true Then the King arose vp from the place whereas hée sat and went vnto Armineo and cost his armes about his neck saying O gentle Knight tell mée if this bée true which thou hast sayde or whether thou boost it to mocke with mée for that my sad and sorrowfull hart cannot beeléeue this ioyfull newes to bée of truth Then Armineo sayd I will not tell any thing vnto your highnesse but that which is of truth and for that you shall bée put in greater admiration vnderstand that hée which slew in your presence that vgly and monstrous Gyaunt Brandafuriell is the Prince Clauerindo your Sonne and the other Knight his companyon is the Prince of Persia and I am thy Brother Armineo And in saying these words they all thrée pulled of theyr Healmes and strayght wayes the King and the Quéene did know Armineo and although the Prince was lost in his tender age yet in the proportion of his face they did very well remember him at which words with a sodaine and vnlooked
for ioy they ran vnto him and clasped their armes about him and remained a great while embraced together and could not speake one word with the great ioy and pleasure which they receiued So in the end when that their harls and armes had contented themselues with that louing and ioyfull méeting they fel into communication wheras béetwixt theÌ„ ther passed a great discourse of their liues whereby the King and the Quéene was fully satisfied of all that the Prince Clauerindo and Armineo had passed after such time as they were taken prisoners by the power of that great rouer Mambriniano So when the king and the Quéene heard of the great misfortunes traualles that their son had passed was now in their presence accompanied with that mightie Prince Brandizel with whom hee was brought vp there was no ioy that might be compared vnto theirs and they gaue great thanks vnto God for such his mercifull benefits shewed vpon them When these newes was published abroade I am not héere able to declare the general ioy pleasure which was made not alone in the great Citie of Paris but in all the kingdome ther was great and solempne feasts made the which endured a long while And for that the Historie hath verie much to tell of other Knights at this present it doth leaue to speake any more of them and returneth vnto the Knight of the Sunne whom wée left prisoners in the court of King Tiberio How the Knight of the Sunne escaped out of the prison where hee was kept and perforce departed from the Court of the King Tiberio Chap. 8. THe Historie sheweth that the Knight of the Sunne was thirty daies prisoner in the tower wheras we left him at the great Citie of Ratisbona in which time the king Tiberio dyd neuer determine what should bée done-touching the death of the Troyan Earle but was rather in a great doubt not knowing what to conclude therein for that on the one side the wife and children of the Earle and all his parents and kinsefolkes who were verie manie and of the principallest of the Court dyd euery daye and houre importunate him for to doo iustice vpon the Knight and on the other part considering the great valure and deserr and the soueraigne excellencie that seemed to bee in him he could not consent in his hart that such a Knight as he was should dye although his offence had béene farre greater then his was and as the king remained in this doubt the Knight of the Sunne was no lesse perplexed séeing himselfe so long time in prison that the King would not determine what his will was therein Likewise the same time Florinaldus was prisoner in another tower vnto whom the payne and trouble of his imprisonment was not so much griefe as his desire was earnest to bée reuenged on the Knight of the Sunne in especiall for the shame which hée receiued at his handes beefore his Lady Albamira as much as for the death of the Troyan Earle and for that hée was a vallaunt Knight hée could not perswade himselfe that the Knight of the Sunne should haue anie vauntage of him if hee entered battaile with him by the sword and thought within himselfe that by no other meanes hee could make satisfaction of his honour but to defie him to mortall battayle for the death of the Earle his brother and to demand of the King lisence for the same and as hee determined hee put it in execution and called vnto him a Squier of his and sent him vnto the Knight of the Sunne for to tell him that it was not vnknowen what words dyd passe beetwixt them and how that hée had slaine the Troyan Earle his brother â—…o that vpon the same occasion hée dyd defie and challenge him to mortall battayle and if it were so that hée accepted battayle hee for his part would procure lysence of the King for the same So the â—…uyer went with his message and declared it vnto the Knight of the Sunne who was verie glad and ioyfull thereof not for any good will 〈◊〉 he had to make battayle with Florinaldus for that he had no desire to dishonour or shame him but the chiefest occasion of his ioye was to recouer his horse and armour wherewith to defende himselfe and not to suffer himselfe to bee taken and carried againe vnto prison And there with he saide vnto the squyer that hée should tell his Lord that hée was very sorrie for the death of his Brother and that hée dyd well know that hee was in the fault of all that passed to that neuerthelesse seeing hée demaunded the battayle hée could doo no otherwise but make his defence and so hee promised to accept the battaile as far foorth as the King wold giue them lysence Then the Squyer retourned with this answere vnto his Lord who when hée heard the meeknesse of the Knight of the Sunne his stoute courage dyd the more increase and sent strayght way vnto the King a certayne Knight of his part for to aske lisence that hée the Knight of the Sunne myght enter battayle about the death of the Earle affirming that it was his request against the Knight of the Sunne Now you shall vnderstand that it was the vse and custome of that Country that the Brother or any other vnto the fourth degree of the kindred might reuenge the death of his brother or any other kinseman of him whatsoeuer hée were that committed the murther and the law beeing such the King could dooâ—… no lesse but giue lysence vnto all that which Florinaldus did request When Florinaldus dyd vnderstand the same hee was well content and the next day following the battayle was appoynted to bee held in the middest of the great court The day béeing come the King sent vnto the Knight of the Sun his sword and when the houre approched that they should make theyr battayle the King commaunded 500 Knights and as many more foote meâ—… to 〈◊〉 and keepâ—… Florinaldus and the Knight of the Sunne that they might haâ—…e the field in quyet and safetie And beesides all this they had all the principals and Knights of the Court to accompany them so that they went out of the prison wheras they were with great hâ—…nour And when they came into the place the King and all the rest of the nobles were at the windowes and the people in other places wheras they might best sée the battaile Incontinentlye all those which did beare them company at the commandement of the King did a part themselues from the two Knights were appointed for Iudges the Duke of Austria the Earle of Denmarke who were the best esteemed in all the Court did deuide the space betwixt the two Knights put each of them in his place When the Knight of the Sunne saw himselfe at liberty he sayd vnto himselfe Oh mighty Emperour Trebatio how maist thou blame me of forgetfulnes towards thy maiestie for that I haue not performed the vow which
offer himself in all y t he might to help him although he wished for his part that all were excused for it séemed vnto him that if the Emperour Trebatio slew the prince Edward it was with his speare in his hand in battell one with the other lyke knights and therfore he should not be blamed in such sort to take such reuengement against him and although he had all this within his thought was well content to haue y e Emperour for his son in law yet hée wold not giue any body to vnderstand therof for that he was a king which alwaies had a great respect in matters of estimation and honour which was the occasion that the king Oliuerio as aforesaid had of him a very good answere and to his contentment Likewise hée wrote to the king of Spaine who also did offer vnto him all hee requested when hée had néede thereof In the meane time that all this passed y e king Oliuerio trauailed with the Princesse Oliuia his daughter that shée should think wel to receiue for hir spouse the Prince Don Siluerio laying before hir his great valure and the necessitie hee had of him so considering this matter many times the king did importunate hir sometimes with requestes and other times with threatenings in such sort that this fayre Princesse was in the greatest perplexity that euer Lady or Gentlewoman could bee and euerie moment shee desired death whereby she might be cleeâ—…e from his continuall requests and which she had determined to giue hir selfe when shee did sée that there was no other remedie Likewise it was knowen in England that Rosicleer the young knight who had left so great fame in all that countrie was sonne vnto the Emperour Trebatio and the Empresse Briana which newes did greatly content all people And when the Princesse Oliuia vnderstood the whole misterie one way hir ioye surmounted in seeing that hee whom shée loued more then hir owne selfe was sonne vnto so mightie an Emperour and that ther was not betweene them the kindred which shee thought had béene and another way shee dyd greatly repent hir selfe of that which shée had done against him and the more was hir griefe when shee called to remembrance all that which had passed insomuch that shée did nothing else but wéepe at all times when shée was alone Now after the king hir father had receiued an answere from the King Tiberio and from the King of Spaine talking with Don Siluerio hée gaue him to vnderstand his determined purpose a new hée diâ—… offer vnto him his daughter the Lady Oliuia for his spouse saying that first béefore hee did performe the same it should be great reason that he returne into his kingdome of Lusitania and giue his parents to vnderstand thereof and to let them know all the warre that hee did determine to béegin against the Emperour Trebatio for that hée might haue his people in a readynesse for to him giue all the ayde and succour that possiblie hée could for that the Prince dyd inâ—…irelie loue the Princesse Oliuia hee desired nothing more then to plesure the king in all that hée could so that straight way hée did promise the King to performe all that hée had commanded So all things beeing in a readinesse that was necessarie for his voyage hee went to sea and tooke his way towardes the Kingdome of Lusitania whom this Historie dooth leaue till time dooch serue for to tell you of the thrée worthie Princesse Bargandel Lyriamandro and the Tartarian Zoylo of whom a long time wée haue not spokâ—…n of How the three Princes Bargandel Lyriamandro and the Tartarian Zoylo who wâ—…nt in the demaund of Rosicleer came into the Kingdome of Lusitania and of all that happened vnto them there Chap. 12. THis Historie hath verie long forgot to speake of these thrée excellent Princes Bargandell Lyriamandro and the Tartarian Zoylo not for that their worthie deedes of Knighthoode are not worthie to bée spoken off but onely for that wee haue so much to intreate of Trebatio and his children that this historie hath inough to doe to declare their morthinesse you doe remember how these thrée Princes all together with a very good will and one consent departed from the kingdome of â—…ngland to goe and seeke out their vory friend Rosicleer and after a long time that they trauailed by sea in the ende they ariued in the Empire of Trabisond whereas they saw that fayre Princesse Claridiana who dyd put them in great admiration onelie for to bée hold hir high and mightie deedes of knighthoode and hir straunge demeanour with the excellent grace and curtesie that she vsed with all men so in the end of certaine daies that they there remained they did take their leaue of the Princes and departed out of that Countrie and went againe vnto the Sea without any other determination whether to goe but onelie whether theyr fortune would bring them Now the History saith that in this sort they dyd nauigate by Sea a long time till it happened vpon a day verie earely in the morning they discouered land which being knowen by the marriners they said that it was the Kingdome of Lusitania And when these three Princes vnderstood the certantie thereof they determined there to goe a land hoping y t they should heare some newes of their friend Rosicleer for that they were certaine whersoeuer hee did beecome his noble valiantnesse was such that it would be noised throughout all the Countrie Wherefore they left the sea and beeing a land they tooke their Horsses and followed the way which they liked best and trauailed by it a good while which in the ende brought them vnto the top of a mighty 〈◊〉 from whence they did discouer somwhat a far of a mighty great plaine and in the most therof was scituated a faire Citie hard by a riuers side which seemed to be very great huge Also they saw without the citie in the fiâ—…lds a great armie of knights and men of war with many tents 〈◊〉 by which these thrée Princes vnderstood that the Citie was besiged and thervpon they consulted amongst themselues what was best to be done so in the ende of many spéeches they determined to goe into the camp ther to informe themselues of the occasion of those wars knowing the truth they would leane vnto the part that they thought had most reason therewith they descended into the plaine trauâ—…iled by it til they came vnto the armie straight way there came out against them more then twentie knights to know whether they were their friends or their enimies Then these Knights did compasse the Princes round about demanded of them froÌ„ whence they came what they sought in those parts and they answered that they were straunge Knights and not knowen in that countrie and for that they had seene their camp they came thether as Knights that doth sâ—…rue for wages Then those of the camp when they heard their
great danger yet by 〈◊〉 mighty courage he was without all feare put himselfe amongst them in such sort that in a short space he sleâ—… â—… uerthrew very sore wounded to the ground the most par of them the rest which remained returned went forth â—… the same dore whereby they entred in spite of Florinaldâ—… that did kéepe it among them that went forth the Knighâ—… of the Sunne did likewise goe forth the first that â—…e mâ—… withall was Florinaldus which séemed vnto him to be â—…o of all the rest as well by the rich armour that he wore â—… by keeping the rest that they should not flye he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a blow vpon his healme that he made him sâ—…oup boâ—… his knée to the ground as the History hath told you 〈◊〉 naldus was very proud of hart of great strength neuâ—… lacked courage to attempt any thing against the 〈◊〉 the Sunne seeing himselfe at that time in so great extrem tie he would proue his fortune against him 〈◊〉 stroke him so strong and mightie a blow vppon his 〈◊〉 that the Knight of the Sunne did féele the paine 〈◊〉 of verâ—… grieuous and ther with he stroke Florinaldus another in 〈◊〉 compence of that which he hadde 〈◊〉 with mucâ—… more strength that hée made him féele his great suâ—…y anâ—… nothing dismaying thereat hée pressed vnto him and 〈◊〉 tempted a braue furious battaile for that his 〈◊〉 was very good and made by art magicke which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occasion at the first although the 〈◊〉 of the Knâ—…ght the Sunne were very strong and terrible they 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 much harme but as this valiant and sâ—…out gréekes anger fury increased more more you might haue seene how that the proud knight sometimes he stouped with his knées to the greund and sometimes with his hands that he hadde inough to defend himselfe and to arise vp so that he had no time to strike at his aduersary but was almost out of his wittes with anger and thought vnto himselfe that hée had all the force of the world against him and when he saw that his life could not long endure but néedes he must haue patience vnto fortune that his power and strength was not sufficient to goe through with his intention he determined to yeeld himselfe vnto the mercy of him whom God good fortune was fauourable vnto and to root out from his hart that euill intent which he alwaieâ—… pretended against him therwith he pulled off his Healme put himself before him saying Oh worthie and valiaunt Knight the best that euer was girt with sword héere I doe acknowledge and confâ—…sse my great offence and that I doe deserue a worser punishment then death for that which I haue conspired against thee and my euill determination hath increased euery day more and more fince the time that I was ouerthrowen by thée at the passâ—…ge of a bridge which I kept Now heere I doe pray and desire thée that thou wouldest pardon and forgiue mée all that is past and receiue mée into thy friendship which I shall more esteeme of then any thing in all the world When Florinaldus hadde sayde these wordes and that the Knight of the Sunne didde know him all the blowes that he receiued that night did not trouble him as that did penitrate into his hart and abate his great courage and ire for that hée did not onely pardon him with a very good will but did also forgiue all the harme that euer he had done vnto him or vnto any other of his parents or friendes for that hée didde acknowledge the same and was very sorry and repented himselfe not withstanding for to proue whether that which he had said were but dissembled because he saw himselfe in that great extremitie he said Of a truth Florinaldus I doe not pretend by any meanes to receue thee into my company friendship lesse will I put any confidence or trust in thee till such time as thou dost accom plish one thing which I will tell thee In this I shall thinke my selfe most happie said Florinaldus that you would commaund me to doe the thing wherein I may shew the great desire that I haue of your friendship conuersation That which I will you shall do said the knight of the Sun is that out of hand you doe depart hence and take your iourney throughout as many Countries as you can but especiallye through the countrie of Fraunce in the demaund of a Knight which hath a Flower de luce for his deuise whose name is Clauerindo when you haue found him do my commendations vnto him tell him that I doe goe straight vnto Constantinople how I doe meane to tarry ther till such time as I doe heare some newes from him With all this I am very well contented said Florinaldus then these two dyd embrace one another from that day forwards they were perfect friendes as more at large shall bée told you in this Historie So the Knight of the Sun with his Pages departed from this Castle towards the Empire of Grecia and Florinaldus in the demaund of the Knight with the Flower de Luce. And héere this Historie doeth leaue them till time doth serue â—… returneth to tell you of the noble knight of Cupid wheras we left him in the Kingdome of Russia How the Knight of Cupid departed from the Kingdome of Russia and of all that happened vnto him in his iourney Chap. 17. CErtaine dayes the Knight of Cupid remayned in the court of King Luziro by the earnest request of him and the Quéene who did honour and loue him and had him in prise aboue all the Knights of the world in such sort that they would he should haue remayned with them in their company alwaies neuer depart from thence but for that he could neuer be in quiet neither take pleasure or comfort in the honour which they did vnto him after that he had heard the newes of the Princesse Oliuia certaine daies passed he tooke his leaue of the king Queene who did offer vnto him very largely at all times whensoeuer he should haue any neede of them or of their estate And being departed from the Court hée determined with himselfe what was best he should doe thought that it should be good to passe into Grecia there to know his father the mighty Emperour Trebatio to giue him to vnderstand that the mightie valiant Knight of the Sun was his sonne likewise his brother whom he had a very great desire to sée calling to remembrance that which he did for him in the Iland of Candramarte receiued great ioy contentment in himself to haue such a valiant worthy knight vnto his brother to be sonnes vnto so noble a father also the great remedye that was had for the sorrowfull losse of the Princesse Briana his mother But as he did delight himselfe
in these thoughts straight way there came vnto his remembrance that which the wise Artidon had told him of the Princesse Oliuia which caused vnto him so great a sorrow griefe that all his pleasure and great contentment was forgotten it made him to abhorre his owne lifâ—… all y e world thought within himselfe to goe wher all they should neuer after heare newes of him For that hee could not perswade with himselfe thinking it a thing impossible for him to liue in the world neither to receiue any comfort amongest his parents and friends When that he should vnderstand how that the Princesse Oliuia was in the power of any other Knight thus he trauailed in a great confusion could not determine with himselfe what was best for him to doe and being troubled in his mind he passed the Kingdome of Russia trauailed other thrée daies in another kingdome adioyning thervnto by reason that his minde was alwaies occupied with these profound contrary thoughts all his trauaile for the most part was out of the high wayes many times he was benighted in the fields would passe a whole day without eating any thing So it happened one day very early in the morning hauing lost his way he found himselfe amongst a great number of mountaines was so far ingulfed amongest them that he could not finde the way to come out neither did he know where he was till the most part of the day was past then he discouered a mountaine which was higher then all the rest determined to goe vp to the top of the same to see if hée could from thence discouer any way or towne whether he might resort Then hée went vp vnto the top of that mountaine although it was with great trauaile being at the top hee was there a good while looked round about him towards all parts did discouer a mightie Country very plaine that place wheras he was was the craggedst part of all that country Also he discouered a narow way for to descend from those mountaines into the plaine wher he saw a mighty broad vsed way which passed alongst by the foote of that mountaine as he would haue descended towards that place he saw somâ—… what a far of comming towards him a company of knights whose armour glistered very much among them he saw one that was more higher then all the rest from the breast vpwards he seemed vnto him although it was a far off to be a Giant being very desirous to know who they should be he stoode still till such time as they drew nigher then he saw that in the middest of that ambush of knights ther came other thrée Knights on horseback with their helmes off their hands bound behind them whom he did well perceiue to bée carried prisoners against their willes These were the thrée Princes Bargandel Lyriamandro the Tartarian Zoylo which were carried prisoners in the power of the giant at the commaundement of the King Balachia and the Knight which they saw come downe from the mountaine towards them as the History hath told you be fore was the knight of Cupid who seeing theÌ„ to bring those knights prisoners very desirous to know who what it should be did descend downe the mountaine towardes the high way whereas they should passe when he drew nigh vnto them hee straight waies knew them to be the thrée Princes his very great friendes very much meruailed to see them in that case vpon a sodaine the water ran downe his cheekes his hart was ready to burst with great sorrow griefe to sée such péerelesse princes caried in that sort and being straight waies desirous to venture his life in that present daunger for to performe that wherin he was greatly bound for the defence of his friends he put himselfe into the middest of the high way with his speare in his hand the great giant Fulgoso came formost of all the rest mounted vpon a mightie horse armed with very thick strong armour of fréele with a speare in his hand so bigge that it séemed to be a Pine tree the beauer of his healme vp that a far off one might discerne his monstrous euill fauoured countenance and when the Knight of Cupid saw that it was but labour lost to talke with that sort people words spent in vaine he broched his Horse with the spurres and with so great fury that it séemed to be a Thunder bolt he made his course against the giant who when hée saw him come running against him with so great a noise furious a violence one way he thought he had bene some foolish Knight beside himselfe to y e contrary he very much meruailed to see him comming with so galiaÌ„t a grace furious courage without any more tarrying â—…e set spurs vnto his mightie Horse and went forth to méet him so fast as his Horse could run and in the middest of their course they mette both together and this worthy and valiant knight of Cupid stroke the pâ—…ant in the middest of his body his speare being made of the hart of a Câ—…pres tree the head of very fine tempered stéele which was giuen him by the king Luziro for a very precious and excellent good one at his departure from him his encounter was so strong that before his spere did breake the sharp well hardned head did pearce through the ill tempered harneis of that great giant ran through his body appearing at his backe therwith he fell downe dead to the ground with the mightie fall he brake the strong staffe of the speare the Knight of Cupid receiued so great encounter of the Giant that it made him loose his stirops to let loose the raines of his horse bridle passed forwards without receiuing any more harme before that he came wheras the other Knights were he had recouered both his stirops and the rames of his Horse againe When the three Princes and the Knights of the Giant saw that great terrible encounter they very much meruailed thereat remayned astonied and amazed and thought it so wonderfull that they could not tell what to say vnto it and with great sorrow and griefe for the death of their Lord all the knights together assaulted the knight of Cupld and with great shrikes and shoutes they compassed him round about and laid vppon him with all the power and strength they could and although they were many yet this stout valiaunt knight did quickly abate their courage for that at the first three blowes which hée stroke at them which came formost hée ouerthrew thrée of them to the ground very sore wounded and almost dead and after besturred himselfe amongst the rest with so great fury that it was a wonder to sée The thrée Princes who did béeholde all that passed knew not what to
meruailed at the other knight that câ—…me with y e three princes for that they saw the great slaughter which hee made amongst his enimies with his sword in his hand and wheÌ„ these soure Knights saw the gates of the Citie opened they did retire by little little vpon the bridge vntill such time as their enimies dyd leaue off following them as well for the mortall blowes they gaue them as for the great harme they receiued by them which were vppon the walles of the Citie so that they had time at their pleasure to enter into the Cittie and when they were within they shut the gates and receiued them with great ioye and carried them beefore the Queene whose ioy was so great for the returne of these three Princes that I am not able to expresse it for that hir comfort and hope that shee had in them was very much and theyr imprisonment was a grieuous corsie vnto hir heart So there they did repose rest themselues all that day and all the next following with a great deale more ioy then at any time beefore The next day béeing come the knight of Cupide and the thrée Princes commaunded that all such people as they thought could doe any thing to arme themselues vnto the battaile and so in very good order they went forth into the field against their enimies and ouercame and brake the Campe and slew the King and the most part of those that were with him and the rest ranne theyr way so that those of Lusitania remained with the victorie and pursued theyr enimies till such time as the night dyd withdraw them backe and made them to retire and it was a thing to be wondered at to see the great feates and deeds of armes that the knight of Cupide did that day for it may bee sayde that hee alone was the occasion of breaking vp of the Camp of their enimies and the destruction of all the whole armie of the king of Balachia so that on the one part as wâ—… as one the other they verie much meruayled of the incridyble déedes which they saw done in that battaile Noâ—… when the night was come the knight of Cupide seeing that there was no more néede of his help hée determined to depart very secretlie for that hée saw by the determination of the thrée Princes that it was a thing imposible to kéepe himselfe close long but that hee must bee knowen by them Therefore hee called a knight of the Citie a side and sayde vnto him that at such time as the people were gathered together and entered into the Citie hée shuld tel the Quéene and those thrée strange knightâ—… that hee was departed and gone about certaine businesse that dyd importune him verie much and that they should not by any meanes follow him neither hope of his returne for that hee knew not whether hee should euer returne againe or no and so hée departed ont of the Camp and with a trotting pace trauayled all that euer he could that night very sorrowfull in his hart for that hée could not reioyce himselfe in the company of his verie friends who with so louing and perfect friendship went to seeke him With these sorrowfull thoughts that night hée trauailed so long that hée came vnto the sea the next day in the morning hée entered into a Ship of merchandise which ariued at that place to refresh themselues with fresh water and were bound vnto Alexandria Now to returne vnto the thrée Princes the Historie saith that at such time as they had gathered theyr people together and would haue entered into the Citie they found wanting the knight of Cupide and béeing very sorrowfull for his absence they went séeking him and asking for him of all that they met till such time as they came to the knight with whom the knight of Cupide had talked and he tolde vnto them his â—…mbassage and all that hee had sayd vnto him And when the â—…hree Princes vnderstoode of his departure they were verie â—…orrowfull for the same and remembring the valiant déedes â—…at they saw him doo and the great boud in the which they â—…ere bound vnto him they were verie desirous to haue â—…owen him and to haue had him in their companie and â—…ery one of them thought in his minde that hée should bée â—…osicleer for that they were fully resolued amongest themâ—…ues that there was not a knight in all the world y t was â—…le to doo for them that which hee did but onely Rosicleer but straight way they put this thought from them in saying that if it were Rosicleer there was no occasion wherfore he should keepe himself from them not be knowen seeing that hée vnderstood that they went in his demaund Thus with a great desire which they had to know who this knight shuld bee all y t night they would not enter into the citie but sent vnto the quéene requesting hir to pardon them they straight way departed to go seeke out the knight of Cupid the next day in the morning they came vnto the sea side vnto the Port whereas hée did ship himselfe there they had newes of him by the tokens that they gaue So from thence they departed in his demaund in an other ship that the Quéens Lauinia commanded to bée giuen them and héere the history doth leaue them trauailing by sea and returneth vnto the knight of Cupide who departed and went béefore them How the knight of Cupid ariued in the kingdome of Phenicia whereas hee deliuered from the death a knight who afterward was a very great friend of his Chap. 18. THE great sorrow and griefe which the worthie knight of Cupide sustained in his hart cannot bée héere expressed as well for the louing of his déere friends in those couÌ„tries not making himselfe knowen vnto them as for the newes which was giuen him to vnderstand in the caue of the wise Artydon concerning the princesse Oliuia and béeing sore afflicted with thâ—… thoughts they sailed sixe daies with a prosperous winde but the seuenth day they were taken with a mightie great anâ—… perillous torment which made them loose their way werâ—… constrained by the furious force thereof to take port in thâ—… kingdome of Phenicia whereas the merchants determinâ—… to goe a land and there to rest themselues certaine dayeâ—… for that they were verie wearie and Sea sick by reason â—… the great storme the which they had past When the knighâ—… of Cupid was a land and saw that the countrie séemed but him to bée very fruitfull fresh and pleasant hée determined with himself to see the countrie in the meane time that the marriners did trim their ship make prouision of all that was necessarie and so hée tooke his horse went alone from the port taking the way which led him vnto a mighty great Citie that was but sixe miles from that port And when he had trauailed two miles froÌ„ the port hee saw a far of from him in
secret possibie yet it hath ben giuen the king to vnderstand therof who caused forth-with many knights to bée put in diuers places either for to kill me or to take me prisoner and these knights with whom I made the battaile were the kings so that if it had not bene for your good succour I had béene slaine or els caried before the king their lorâ—… who I doe beléeue would straight waies haue commaunded to bée put to the most cruell death that could be inuented for that in times past my father slew his father in battaile since which time he had alwaies this rancour great enmitie against me This is sir knight y â— whole effect of that which you demanded of me now séeing that I haue giuen vnto you the whole relation of my life I doe heere very much desire you to tell me your name of what Country you are that I may know to whom I haue discouered my selfe to whom I shall remaine in dutifull obligation all the daies of my life When the King Sacridoro had made an end of declaring this the knight of Cupid was moued vnto great compassion and iontlie therewith hée had singuler affection vnto him for that he séemed to be a person of great valour and of like desert and for that his high bounty did deserue to bâ—… had in reputation of any good Knight especially for that the passions of loue had ben the occasion y t he was brought into that state the which alone was sufficient to moue any to haue compassion on him for that there is â—…o other griefe sorrow peruerse fortune nor aduersitie more worthy to bée pittied theÌ„ that he was a great while before he could make him any aunswere in which time his aduersitie did grieue him very much but in the end he spake vnto him said Of a truth worthy king this discourse which you haue made vnto mée of your estate hath béene vnto me very sorrowfull grieuous for that so terrible a fall of fortune is sufficient to ouerthrow any valiant hart or stout courage especiallie being wounded with loue as you haue told me that thing alone is sufficient to cause me to haue compassion on you all this being true your aduersity very great yet it cannot be denied but y t your hart must be more stouter valianteâ—… if that with a good stomacke you doe passe it ouer and not hold it as a new thing happened vnto you but as a thing which of long time past before it chaunced was knowen vnto you daylie looked for for that the valiant courage doth mittigate weaken the hardinesse of fortune with the vertue of the spirit in nothing it is so quickly knowen as in the greatest extremities of their aduersities Fortune may very well ouerthrow a strong knight but yet his valiant courage may be such that the shall haue no power to get the victorie of him Hée is ouerthrowen that doth thinke himselfe vanquished he that hath all his hope void as a thing dead 〈◊〉 whose courage is such that all remedies doth séeme vnto him dissolute You haue lost your kingdome very slightie by the losse of one battaile so likewise it may fall out that by another battaile you may get it againe for it is a common thing in wars to ouercome to be ouercome many times we do sée those which one day hath victorie when the day béefore they lost it Possiblie worthie king you will say that touching this which I haue sayd you haue no prouision are alone without any army neyther any power requisit whereby you should haue any hope to recouer againe your Kingdome To this I auns were that I haue your aduersary the King Polidarco in a far more weaker estate and that it may so fall out that you shall â—…ee equall in the field for that hee hath your kingdome by tyrannie and against all reason all those whom hée hath on his side and in his behalfe or at least waies the most part of them in the end will returne against him and be on your side behalfe for that many infinit times it hath beene séene a tiranous King doth finde himselfe alone without company being in the midst of all his subiects yea at such time as he thinketh himself to haue the most company to be in power the most strongest And it may bée worthy King that this your sodaine fall misfortune is the punishment of almightie GOD giuen vnto you for some secret iust cause and being by you acknowledged he hath giuen you to vnderstand therby how what a fraile thing all humane power and strength is at such time as we doe lack his diuine fauour if it be his pleasure he will returne you againe vnto your honour high estate Therfore if God be so pleased you haue no néede to seeke any inconueniences neither to breake your head how and in what manner it shall be brought to passe but to strengthen and comfort your selfe to fortifie your valiaunt courage against all that shall happen This I saye for that it séemeth vnto mée that you shall doe well to leaue trauailing in this Countrie for so much as you doe it in great perill and daunger and profite you very little and retourne vnto Antiochia your owne Country there to talke and conferre one with an other and procure to gather together your friendes and most principallest sâ—…biectes such as you were wont to haue and to trust For that it cannot be but there bee some that do remain aliue who with feare or else thinking y t you are not aliue or perhaps lost dare not discouer themselues and then when you haue gathered together some of your party euery day you shall finde your selfe increased then time will tell you what you shall doe according vnto your disposition strength as y â— time shall serue I for my part do assure you although I haue to goe another way yet for the great sorrow griefe that I receiue for this your misfortune I will goe with you into your Country will not goe forth one step out of your company till such time as I doe see how all thing will passe in this your enterprise and prouing of fortune And in that you doe aske of me my name and what Country man I am Surely I am so desperate doe so much abhorre my owne life that not many daies since by chaunce I met with the greatest friends that I haue in the world who trauailed in my demaund and without making my selfe knowen vnto them I departed left them for that I would not that they should vnderstand that I am aliue but now séeing that you most valiant worthy knight haue declared vnto me and very plainly the whole discourse of your trauaile the secret of your hart estate it now seemeth vnto me that I shall haue no reason to
the king Sacridoro was lamenting the death of his great friend the knight of Cupide and how they were aduertised by him who hee was and of all that happened therein Chap. 20. YOu do well remember how that we left the thrée Princes Bargandel Lyriamandro the Tartarian Zoylo in the kingdome of Lusitania in the demaund of the Knight of Cupide Now the Historie sayth that the thrée princes had béetwixt them a great controuersie which of the two should bée most valiantest and of higher bountie eyther the Knight of Cupide or theyr very friend Rosicleer and were very desirous to heare some newes as wel of the one as of the other with this great desire they did trauayle till they came to the same Port whereas the knight of Cupid had imbarked himselfe whereas they heard newes of him of very many the which had seene him and therewith they put themselues in a good ship committed themselues vnto God and sayling by the sea they were taken with the same storme and torment that wee spake of in the Chapter béefore And whether it was by the great wisdome of Artemidoro or by fortune I know not but theyr Ship dyd aruie in the Kingdome of Phenicia in the same Port wheras the knight of Cupide did disimbarke himselfe and this was the next day following after that they had entered in and of the merchaunts that were there they vnderstoode newes of the Knight of Cupide and how that the day before hée was departed into the Countrie and hauing these newes they straight way departed and followed him and dyd aske of euery one that they met for him So they were certified by certaiine shepheards as there were very many on the skirts of those mountaines how that hee and the king Sacridoro did take their way towards the wildernesse When the thrée Princes had fully certified themselues therof with great ioy they followed him so long that in the ende they came nigh vnto the fountaine of the sauage people and before they came vnto the fountaine they found the Horse of the King Sacridoro and of the Knight of Cupide which ran about the fields drawing after them their saddles and bridles and when they saw them and knew the one of them to bée the horse of the knight of Cupide they were greatly troubled in their minds and knew not what to say but looked one vpon another and seemed that it could not be well with their masters sèeing their Horsses runne in such sort about the field and for that they were all of a meruailous strong and stout courage they did offer theyr liues into what so euer perill or daunger should happen Thus they went round about from one part to another séeking these two Knights and in the ende they trauailed so much that they came vnto the great and faire fountaine whereas they saw the wonderfull slaughter of the sauage people which lay alongst the ground and found the King Sacridoro stretched vpon the earth as one that had neither reason nor vnderstanding but béeside himselfe with the great sorrow wéeping and grieuous lamentation which hée passed that night past and all the day béefore and when they saw him in this case and likewise the great slaughter made vppon that wilde and furious sort of people they receiued great admiration and thought verily that the king Sacridoro had béene dead and iudged that hée and the Knight of Cupide had done the same and for to certifie themselues the â—…etter they all thrée alighted from their Horsses and came â—…nto the King and pulled off his helme and therewith they â—…ooke water out of the Fountayne and threw it vpon his â—…ce and for that hee had receiued no other harme but drounesse with watching and wéeping hée quickly came vnto â—…mselfe and when hée saw those Knights beefore him hee â—…gan a new both to sigh and wéepe verie piteously shedâ—…any teares and hée saide O sir knights wherefore haue you done vnto mée so much harme as to cause mée to come agayne vnto my remembraunce you should haue suffered mée to dye that I might not haue felt any more such euill fortune let mée pray you malte an ende of this sorrowfull lyfe for that there is no other thing that can comfort mée Oh Trebatio Emperour of Grecia who shall beare vnto thee this heauie newes of thy sonne the knight of Cupide Who dare come before thy presence to giue thee to vnderstand of this grieuous and delorous misfortune These and other many such words said this good King Sacridoro lamenting the death of his great friend When these three Princes vnderstood that hée was sonne vnto the Emperour Trebatio whose great fame came vnto their eares very much amezed and sore troubled they dyd béeholde one an other and knew not what to say vnto that which they had heard spoken And being very desirous to know to what ende it was spoken they came vnto the King Sacridoro and dyd comfort him in the best wise they could and desired him to tell them what was béecome of the knight of Cupide for that of long time they had trauailed in his demaund So when the King saw the thrée Princes which as well in their armour as in their disposition séemed vnto him to bée knights of great estimation With many teares and great sighes hee tolde vnto them all that which had happened vnto him and vnto the knight of Cupid with the sauage people and in what sort the monster dyd carrie away the knight of Cupide into the deapth of that Fountaine Also hee tolde them that this knight was called by his other name Rosicleer and was sonne vnto the Emperour Trebatio and of the Empresse Briana When the princes vnderstood that the knight of Cupid was Rosicleer their very friend eyther of them receiued so great sorrow and heauinesse as though hée had béene dead béefore them And hauing no power to suffer so dolorous newes euerie one oâ—… them threw himselfe vpon the ground and without speaking any word eyther of them dyd wéepe and bée waile thâ—… death of their friend very grieuouslie When the king Sacridoro vnderstood that those thrée Knights were friends vnto the Knight of Cupide hée receiued a new sorrow and griefe in his heart to sée them lament sorrow for his death and with this great rage and mortall anguish hée went vnto the Fountaine and standing vpon his feete hee dyd beehold the profound deepenesse of the water thrée times hée was ready to throw himselfe therin and many times hee retired back againe but in the ende the wise Artemidoro saith that hée said these words Oh worthy and valyant knight of Cupide séeing that my cruell destinie will not permit that in lyfe time I cannot enioye thy company and friendshippe my death shall now follow â—…hine and one Sepulcher shal possesse both thy bones and mine And in saying these words hée slipped forwardes with his féete into the fountaine all armed as hée was and with the great
vnto himselfe did arise out of his bed imagining whether it should be a dreame or some other fantasie which had entred into his thought and he had such great desire to haue the day come that he might returne comfort himselfe with the Angelicall vision that he thought euery houre to be a whole night But it was not the knight of the Sun alone that was troubled in thought but also the princesse Lindabrides tumbled tossed in hir bed as one to whom such amorous thoughts passions was very rare for she had hir hart out of quiet could not sléepe one houre in all the night but alwaies had in hir remembrance hir new gest which was lodged in hir Chariot his straunge meruailous countenance was so printed in hir mind that she did verilie beléeue the Gods had sent him vnto hir as a thing of their owne choice for that he was in all points agréeable vnto his valour strength In this sort did the one the other passe away that night till the next day was come then they did as shall be told you in this next Chapter following How the Knight of the Sunne and the princesse Lindabrides trauailed towards Constantinople sent messengers to the Emperour Trebatio to giue him to vnderstand of their comming Chap. 24. WHen the next day was come the knight of the Sun did arise from his bed his Pages did help to arme himselfe with that gallant and strong armour of the prince Meridian likewise did gird about him his rich sword and when he was armed it was straunge to bée séene how well it did become him And when he vnderstoode that the Princesse Lindabrides was vp ready and that she would come forth he went towardes hir chamber doore but when he should come before hir presence his flesh trembled as though a whole armie of knights would assalt him And when he was entered into hir chamber he found the faire Princesse accompanied with hir damsells ready to come forth shewing vnto him great curtesie whom the Princesse was not a little ioyfull to see she spake vnto him said Sir Knight how hath it ben with you all this night in your new lodging Uery well faire Ladie answered he I could well haue slept in that rich soft bed which I had if other occasions had not troubled my mind caused me to watch thē according vnto your saying sayd the princesse you haue not slept well No forsooth Lady sayde the Knight for that cares be enemies to rest sléepe doe bannish away all ease especially when they be new conceiued The Princesse did very well vnderstand to what intent their words were spoken and it did nothing grieue hir to heare them rehearsed yet because she would not make any outward shew that she vnderstoode them she saide Unto all sorts of men it is naturall to be carefull ther is none that can liue with so great felicitie in this life but at one time or other he shall be troubled with carrs therfore let vs goe vnto our seates and commaund that the chariot may goe forwards on our iourney for that it is time And in saying these words she went forth of hir chamber and the knight of the Sun did take hir by the hand they went together till such time as they came vnto their seates wheras they sate downe vnder the arks of that triumphant chariot straight waies the Damsells mounted on their Unicornes the gyants did put themselues in order in the same maner as when the knight of the Sun did see them the day before straight way they began to take their way towards Constantinople So when this Alphoebo did sée himselfe set downe by that precious faire Princesse he was as one in an extasie with the great ioy pleasure that he receiued it séemed vnto him that his ioy was equall to the celestiall glorie which the faithfull inioy after their departure out of this world And this faire Princesse did as greatlie reioyce to haue by hir him whom she loued with all hir heart but hir great maiestie that she shewed in outward appearance was such that the knight of the Sunne durst not be so bold as to make manifest vnto hir his loue but rather had hir in estimation as though there had ben present Iuno his principall Goddesse In this order they trauailed certaine dayes till such time as they came within one daies iourney of Constantinople and then the knight of the Sunne said vnto the Princesse that it should bée good to send some messengers vnto the Emperour Trebatio to giue him vnderstanding of their comming for that hée was a Prince that would very much reioyce and haue great pleasure therein Which thing séemed good vnto the Princesse and she called straight way béefore hir foure of those Gyaunts which were on Horsebacke who were Kings and had crownes of siluer vpon their heads and dyd informe them what they should say and sent them vnto the Emperour Trebatio So these foure kings went vnto Constantinople and they entered into the great Court at such time as it was full of diuerse armed knights for to celebrate the Feastes and triumphes which were there ordained And at such time as the Emperour Trebatio and the Empresse Briana were at the windowes of the pallace beholding the great feasts and Iourneyes which were there made And when these foure Gyants did enter into the great Court all people dyd very well beehould them and made them way that they might passe whether they would So they demaunded for the Emperour who beeing certified what they were they went vnto the Pallace gate and did alight from their Horsses and went vp whereas the Emperour was and much people followed them to know wherefore their comming was béeing so sodaine And when they came béefore the Emperour one of the Gyants saide these words following Most high and mightie Emperour you shall vnderstand that in the Orientall regions of Scythia the diuine Gods dyd create a Damsell who is endued with so great grace and beautie that shée is had in no lesse estimation then a celestiall creature who is daughter vnto the mightie Emperour of the Tartarians King of kings and Lord ouer all the Lords in the Orient This Damsell is called Lyndabrides and shée hath a brother called Meridian of so great bountie and strength that it is to bée béeléeued in all the whole world his equall is not to be found and by reason that both these Princes were borne together at one birth there hath growen a great controuersie as well béetwixt the Emperour Alicandro and the Empresse as amongst all his subiects which of these two should bée sworne for Prince successor of all those kingdomes And in the ende of many and diuerse iudgements of prognostications and deuination it was concluded that these two Princes should come into this thy Empire of Grecia in such triumphaunt
manner as you shall quickly sée in such sort that if there be any knight that in part and defence of the Princesse Lindabrides did enter into battaile with the Prince Meridian and ouercome him that the same knight should possesse the place of the Prince and for the space of two months defend and maintaine the beautie of this Princesse in thy Court. And if it so fall out hée bée not ouercome by any nother knight that theÌ„ hee shall haue for spouse the faire Princesse Lyndabrides and shall bée successour with hir in the great Empire of Tartaria and hee that shall ouercome the other and make hir defence for the space of two months shal haue the like And to the contrary if the Prince Meridian after that hée hath trauailed throughout all the kingdomes and prouinces of thy Empire is not ouercome but doth maintaine still the victorie that then hée should bée sworne for Prince and euerlasting successour of the whole Empire So that in this sort and for this occasion they came vnto your Empire And after that the Prince Meridian had trauayled through some kingdomes and ouercome many Princes and knighis the diuine gods did permit them at length to meete with a knight of so much bountie and force that entering into battaile with the Prince hee got the victorie and dyd ouerthrow him from his horse to the ground with one blow with his sword that hée gaue him and that béeing done hée entered into his place and béeing readie with the Princesse to come hether to this thy court they first determined to send vs hether vnto you from them wée should desire to kisse your Emperiall hands and to request you that you would accept and receiue their comming in good part for that their intension is for no other thing but to serue you This is onely our comming hether therefore your pleasure may bée to consider héereof and to giue vs our aunswere The Emperour and the Empresse and all those which heard what the Gyants had sayd very much meruailed at so straunge an aduenture and the Emperour did not let to thinck within himselfe that possiblie the knight which dyd ouercome the Prince Meridian should bée the knight of the Sunne his great friend for whom hée looked euery day and did very much meruaile at his long tarrying whom hée loued with no lesse good wil then if hée had knowen him to bée his sonne and was very desirous to know of the Gyaunts what signes tokens hée had and the deuise vpon his sheeld and armour but hée could not learne of theÌ„ by any means for that they were willed béefore that they should not tell him For the knight of the Sunne was determined to enter into the Court vnknowen and dyd call himselfe the knight of the Chariot Then the Emperour arose vp from the place whereas hée sat for to giue answere vnto the Gyaunts of their Embassage and sayd Friends you may declare vnto your Lady the Princesse Lyndabrides and vnto the knight that doth come with hir that the Princesse and I receiue great pleasure for their comming into this Countrie and wee shal deeme it no small courtesie that they wil come vnto this court at what time so euer their pleasure is and I promise you héere shall bee done vnto them all the seruice wee can although it will not bée sufficient for so high and mighty a Lady And héere with the Giants tooke their leaue of the Emperour and the Empresse and retourned vnto the Princesse declaring vnto hir and the knight of the chariot the whole answere of the Emperour who decréede the next day to enter in Gonstantinople When the night was past they did the day following that which shall bée tould you in the next Chapter Of the entering of the knight of the Chariot and the faire Princesse Lyndabrides into Constantinople Chapter 25. YOu remember the great feasts triumphs which the Emperour Trebatio commanded to bée published not onely in the Grecian Empire but also in other kingdomes lands and Prouinces adioyning there vnto and of the safe conduct that he gaue vnto al knights as wel Pagans as Christians that wold come vnto him Now the Historie saith that when the time drew nigh that these feasts and triumphs shuld bée celebrated ther were so many knights gathered together as wel strangers as naturals y t they could not bée all reciued into y e great citie but that the Emperour was constrained to commaund to arme a great number of Tents in the fielde wherein were lodged verie many Knights and neuer in Grecia vntill that day was séene so great gallant a number of knights together for that the most part of all them that came vnto those feasts were knights of estimation and armed very richle and the mightie Emperour héereat receiued great delight and dyd shew vnto them great liberalitie in such ample sort that they all greatly meruailed and said that hée was the mightiest Prince in the whole earth So these feasts béeing béegun ther was one day in the great place of Constantinople meruaylous iustings and full of armed Knights and all the windowes and galleries were replenished with people And those which that day dyd best béehaue themselues was Artidoro Prince of Candia and Alpino Lord of Scicilia and Dardante Prince of Dalmatia but they which more then all these dyd shew themselues gallant and stout were Rodomarte Prince of Sardenna and Rodafeo Lord of the Iland of the Rhodes who had ouerthrowen so manie Knightes that day that all people did thinck verily they would carrie away the price of the iust thée which was very rich which the Emperour dyd ordayne and apoint for them who most worthiest and stoutest dyd béehaâ—…e themselues in those triumphes The mightie Emperour Trebatio the Princesse Briana was at a window of their great Pallace béeholding those iustes with very great ioye and contentment to sée such a number of glistring Knights as were in that great place and at such time as they were in the chiefest of the iustes and most hottest with all their force and vigor vpon one side of the place there beganne amongst the people a great â—…umult or wondering straight way they heard a noyse and sound of Trumpets wtih so great violence and force that it made houses to tremble in such sort that one could not heare another what was spoken So after that the Trumpets had left sounding they heard Musicke of sundrie Instruments whose melodie was so Heauenly and sweet that all those which heard it thought they had béene rauished in their sences and the noise of that Musicke was so loude that it might bée heard throughout all the whole place At which sodaine and swéet noyse all the people tourned theyr eyes that way whereas they saw entering into the great place a number of Damsells mounted vpon Unicornes meruailous richly apparailed so that euerie one of them séemed to bée a Quéene and they entered in order in two
him by the wast and in spite of his hart hée lift him vp from the ground and carried him through the Quadran till hée came vnto the doore whereas the fayre Damsell did tarry for them and when hée had brought him thether the Prince beegan to make great resistance in his defence as one that were beeside himselfe and ignoraunt of the good that should come vnto him The knight of Cupide séeing that the Prince did set all his strength against him hée likewise inforced his strength and ouerthrew him downe to the ground out at the doore wheras straight way the Prince did finde himselfe at libertie â—…f that terrible fire and paine hée suffered And béefore hée â—…ould arise vp the knight of Cupide did pull off his Healme â—…nd said vnto him You are but dead Prince Don Lusindo 〈◊〉 you doo not acknowledge this Damsell to bée your wyfe â—…nd when the Prince saw the Damsell and dyd know hir â—…ée receiued great delyght to sée hir there and sayd Of a â—…uth gentle Knight for this thinge which you doo aske of â—…ée there is no néede to certifie mée with the feare of death 〈◊〉 that I haue very much repented mée of the great disloialtie I haue vsed towards hir and there is nothing that I desire more then to take hir vnto my spouse and wyfe as surely shée already is In saying these words the knight of Cupid did a part himselfe from him and gaue the prince his hand helping him to arise from the grouÌ„d And being on foot hée did imbrace the fayre Pinarda with great loue for so the damsel was called And the prince returning vnto the knight of Cupid hée gaue him harty thanks for that which hée had done for him and requested him to giue him to vnderstand of whom hée had receiued so great a benefit and hée tould him that hée was called the knight of Cupide and how that he was of the kingdome of Hungarie And when the Prince saw that he made no more declaration of himselfe he would not be importunate with him for that he perceiued wel how hée was vnwilling to bée knowen and for that it grew to be very late the faire Pinarda did request them to take theyr rest that night in that habitation whereas they were both of them very well serued and ther grew béetwixt theÌ„ great friendship So the next day they all thrée together descended out of that habitation by y e same staires wherby the knight of Cupide did goe vp and descending downe into the gréene valley they saw comming towards them a knight of bigge stature and very well armed whereat they were all much amazed but straight waies when they drew nigher hée was knowen to be that valiant and worthy king Sacridoro who as it hath béene tould you did throw himselfe into the depth of the fountaine whereas hée found himselfe in that gréene and flourishing medow and hée went to séeke out the knight of Cupide greatly amazed at that which hée saw for that it séemed hée was in a new world And wheÌ„ the knight of Cupide knew him with the greatest pleasure and delight iâ—… all the world hée went towards him and there they did imâ—… brace one another as though they had not seene one anotheâ—… a long time and there they declared the one vnto the otheâ—… what had happened vnto eyther of them And straight waâ—… the knight of Cupide made knowen vnto the Prince Lusindo his friend the king Sacridoro and gaue him to vnderstand that by his occasion and for his cause hée came vnto that fâ—…taine of the Sauages and that hée ought to thank him for his libertie The Prince who had knowen him béefore and knew of the great loue that hée bare to his sister Oriselua with great ioy and pleasure hée dyd imbrace him and promised him that he wold doo so much with his father that they should bée friends and giue him the Princesse for his wife with the which the King Sacridoro was so ioyfull that he was as one beside himselfe with the great pleasure which hée receiued and gaue thanks vnto God for that benefit shewed vnto him in méeting with that good knight of Cupid who was the occasion of his remedie So after that béetwixt them there had passed very much talke they determined to goe vnto the court of the king Polidarco and they departed from that place hauing in their company the faire Pinardo went through the famous caue of Phenicia wher of hath béen spoken so much there they did vnderstand the occasion of that terrible fearefull noyse which continually was there heard for the which there was none that durst giue the enterprise to goe into the caue and was by reason of the valley which the knight of Cupid found himselfe in at such time as he was taken into the fountaine of the Sauaâ—…es was so déepe and compassed about with such high and â—…ightie rocks so that neuer any man could enter in neither â—…ould they climbe vp vnto the top of those mountaines nor â—…ome to the knowledge of any such valley that was in that â—…ace amongst those rocks and vnder those rocks and mouÌ„â—…ines there was a caue that passed through which was veâ—… obscure and darke and also narrow by reason whereof â—…gether with other open parts in the same Rock the ayre â—…d enter in passing through from the one side vnto the â—…her and the noise was so great that it made in the same â—…ue and by cliffes thereof that it was very timeâ—…s and fearefull to béehould in such sort that there â—…s none durst enter in there at wherevppon it was â—…led the terrible Caue of Phenicia So the Knight of Cupid and the king Sacridoro and the prince Don Lusindo with the princesse Pinarda went foorth of the caue and all foure together went vnto the court of the king Polidarco Who when hée vnderstood of the comming of the Prince Don Lusindo his sonne the great ioy and pleasure which hée and the Quéene did receiue cannot bée expressed and the honour which was done vnto them for the time that they remained there In which time the king Sacridoro was made sure vnto the princesse Oriselua for whose sake he had passed great misfortunes and troubles And the prince don Lusindo was married vnto the faire Pinarda at which marriage ther was made great feasts and triumphs in all the kingdome And héere the Historie doth leaue them till time doo serue How the three Princes Bargandel Lyriamandro and the Tartarian Zoylo went vnto Constantinople whereas they gaue vnderstanding of the death of Rosicleer FUL of sorrow and heauinesse departed the princes Bargandel Lyriamandro and the Taâ—…tarian Zoylo out of the kingdome of Feniciâ—… for y e losse of their great and especiall frienâ—… Rosicleer as those who certainely béeléeuâ—… that hée was dead And without receiuiâ—… any comfort or consolation they trauayled many daies 〈◊〉 Sea till in the ende they ariued in the Empire of Grecia whereas
they vnderstood of all y t had passed with the Empâ—… rour Trebatio and the Empresse Briana But when Lyâ—… mandro did vnderstand and know the good fortune of 〈◊〉 sister hée did therewith mittigate the great sorrow that 〈◊〉 suffered for the newes hée brought And hauing a great 〈◊〉 sire to sée the Empresse and to know the Emperour thâ—… all thrée accorded together to goe vnto Constantinople Aâ—… in that time y e fame was so great in all parts of the knigâ—… of the Chariot that in what place wheresoeuer they caâ—… â—…her was no other communication but of him of his great prowesse of the knightes that euery day he did ouerthrow to the ground And by reason that this was the occasion to bring vnto their remembraunce the high bountie of their friend the knight of Cupid they could doe no other thing but wéepe sigh with great sorrow saying to themselues that if they had him in their company they might get honour in Constantinople for that the knight of the chariot could not be of so high a courage and force but that he would vnhorse him and get the victorie So when they were come vnto Constantinople they did one day enter into the great place at such time as it was full of knights as well straungers as of their owne country And the knight of the Chariot had ouerthrowen the worthiest best knights that wer ther. So these three princes did proue themselues with the knight of the chariot but he ouerthrew them all to the ground But first they had broken with him ech of them thrée two speares which was vnto theÌ„ no small honour for that vntill that time there was not one knight that had fastened themselues to breake two speares and it was the occasion that they were well estéemed of all the beholders And so without any more staying they went to make themselues knowen vnto the Emperour to the Empresse who were very desirous to know who they were But wheÌ„ the empresse did know hir brother the Emperour was informed who they all thrée were I cannot expresse the great ioy pleasure which they receiued at their comming thether according there vnto they gaue them entertainment For â—…hat the desire which the empresse had to heare newes of hir brother was very great béecause shée loued him excéeding well likewise to know somewhat of hir sonne Rosicleer â—…or that they two were very great friends And as it is a â—…hing naturall that when a person is most at his contented â—…oy and pleasure in this life sodainly they are mixed with â—…reat sorrow and bitter heauinesse And it now fell out for â—…hat these thrée Princes did not know that Rosicleer was son vnto the Emperour the Empresse Baiana at such time as both parties were in the chiefest of their delight â—… receiued great contentment Liriamandro did declare all that happened vnto them by Rosicleer of his great strength worthinesse of all that which he had done for them being vnknowen but in the end he told of his strange dolorous losse in what sort the king Sacridoro did throw himselfe after him was sâ—…ke downe into the depth of that fountaine When the Empresse vnderstood this of hir sonne Rosicleer she thought verily to haue died presently with the great sorrow which she receiued and ther with she fell downe to the ground in a sound Then the mightie emperour who did verie well vnderstand the occasion did vse all diligence to coÌ„fort hir for that those newes were a corsie vnto his heart likewise but yet dissembling his sorrow with great courage he toke the empresse in his armes did comfort hir all that euer he could And when these newes were published through out all the citie they began to make great lamentation in such sort that the feasts iusts did cease stay for certaine daies Likewise the thrée princes were very sad sorrowfull that they had brought such heauie newes their great sadnesse 〈◊〉 paine did increase more then before when they vnderstood that their perfect friend Rosicleer was sonne vnto so high mighty parents as also so nigh kinsman vnto Bargandel Liriamandro So they remained there certaine daies whereas the Emperour the Empresse did them much honour were with them very royally entertained and for that the two princes Bargandell Liriamandro had great desire to sée their loues Rodasilua Siluerina in one night very secretly they departed out of Constantinople and taking the way towards England they trauailed till they came vnto a part of the Ocean sea which was in Rone ther they dyd ship themselues came into England wher they were very well receiued of the King Oliuerio béeing asked for theyr friend Rosicleer they gaue him to vnderstand of the sorrowfull lesse of him for whom the king receiued great griefe 〈◊〉 sorrow for that he loued him very well But wheÌ„ the newes caâ—… vnto the vnderstanding of the Princesse Oliuia there could be no sorrow equall vnto hirs neither any tongue so eloquent for to expresse the halfe part therof for that the did loue Rosicleer more then hir owne selfe and at that present death had ben more welcome vnto hir then such sorrowfull newes so that at the sodaine hearing thereof she remained one whole houre without any remembrance in such sort y t she séemed rather to be dead then aliue And when she came vnto hâ—…r selfe hir sorrow did double increase and in a more deadlie traunce then before she fell downe vpon hir bedde wheras she lay the most part of all the day without speaking any word till such time as a damsell that was with hir fearing that she had ben dead ran told the king who straight way went vnto his chamber accoÌ„panied with many knights And being very much amazed to sée his daughter in y t case he procured for hir many remedies by which this faire princesse did come againe vnto hir selfe although hir desire was rather to die then to liue And séeing hir selfe in the presence of hir father of so many knights she could not manifest the great griefe which she felt in hir hart which was the occasion that hir paine was the more And it is to be beeléeued that at that present she had died if God had not preserued hir for a farther benefit more then she did hope for or thinke off And because that all this great sorrow griefe of the princes was for hir more glory pleasure in time to come The History doth leaue to speak any more of hir till occasion serue sheweth of other things which happened in the meane time How Florinaldus came into the kingdome of Fraunce where hee was taken prisoner at a bridge how by two knights that came thether hee was set at libertie whom hee knew to bee the knights of the flower de luces which he sought Chapter 29. THe good Lnight Florinaldus
people doth permit many continuall persecucions done by the vnbeléeuers vpon the Christians to make them the better to know him to leaue all their euill wickednesse 〈◊〉 to returne vnto him Yet for all that hée neuer doth so abhorre leaue them for to bring the Christians vnto vtter confusion end as it hath apeared in the old and ancient times amongst the lawes customes of men nor neuer will so long as this world shall endure You doe well remember how that in this history hath â—…en told you that at such time as the worthy knight of the Sunne did first sée the Princesse Lindabrides hee did partly vnderstand of the mighty power of the emperour Alicandro hir father how that he was king ouer the Scithians emperour ouer the Tartarians Lord ouer all the Indians Regions orientals from whence it grew that he was had in reputation of the greatest mightiest prince in all the world Likewise he was lord of the great Cataya wheras is that mighty citie which is of one hundreth miles compasse of all the rest that is in the Orientall India in that part wheras amongst all his subiects he was called the mightye king of kings Emperour of the Tartarians the Lord of the Orientall Indians son heirs vnto the high Gods This title they gaue vnto him because the people of these countries had it for a law custome amongst them alwaies had in reuerence his predecessours which were Emperours before the emperour Alicandro to be sons heires of their false gods in whom they did all beléeue worship Besides all this this mighty emperour had in his subiection all the kings lords that were in the orientall part of the Indians vnto the meridionall which are nine kingdomes all very great mighty and full of great riches so that with great reason they might say that he was the mightiest emperour king in all the worâ—…h Heere the History saith that many â—…e deceiued to thinke that this mightie empire should be christians for although they haue amongst them some part of the law which God gaue vnto that great Captayne Moses yet theyr law doeth differ very farre from the true and perfect law of Iesus Christ for that they bee all Idolaters and euery one of these kings doeth béeléeue in that which seemeth vnto him best for that there is no law nor commaundement to make them incline to anye kinde of goodnesse for the sauegarde of their owne soules So it happened on a time as this mightie Emperour Alicandro was in his great city of Neptaya which is in Cataya the great very pensiue sad for that hee could héere no newes of the children y e Prince Meridian the Princesse Lindabrides reprehending himselfe very much for hee had so sent them foorth into the world One day béeing accompanied with all his mightye Knights lords his subiects he receiued so great sorrow and griefe in the remembring of his children that it caused him to wéepe And leaning his chéeke vpon one of his hands hée shed forth many salt teares which ran down vpon his white face The which being séene by those péeres his subiects they were all very much amazed what should bee the occasion that the Emperour should wéepe So before that any did arise vp to demaund of him the occasion ther arose vp amongst them a king who was king of Gedrosia an old man of more then one hundreth yeares who amongst all the rest present was estéemed to be the wisest in Astrologie deuination that could be found in all Asia And all they did giue so great credit vnto that which he did tell them should happen as though it had ben all ready accomplished the which king dyd wéepe very bitterly with so great sorrow that almost he could not speake but yet he said Oh high mighty king of the Scythians Emperour of the Tartarians if you had as good iudgement of the knowledge of things to come héere after as now to conceiue in matters present then woâ—…ld you leue of this great wéepings for your children who are very well in health in place whereas they are very much honored and had in estimacion as they doe deserue For that the time will come y t thou shalt wéepe and bewaile thine owne losse and desteâ—…ction of all thy vassalles and subiectes with whose blood all the féeldes of the mightie Empire of Greece I doe see be sprinkled and yet I cannot atchiue to know how nor the occasion therof but onely I doe sée by great signes and notable tokens of the colestiall influences and my knowledge doth so farre extend that I doe know that my daies doth draw vnto an end and I cannot endure long In the grecian Empire he that is the most mightiest king Emperor greatest Lord in all the world shall loose his great strength haâ—…ing lost his owne liberty the most valiantest worthyest knights that shall be ther at that present shall loose their liues and the quantitie shall be so great that the waters of Inno shall loose their christallyne colour and shall be changed into red blood which shall giue testimony of the greatest destruction of Knights that euer hath bene in the world The which I cannot by my knowledge atchieue nor thinke to fall vpon any other but vpon thée for that at this present thou art the most mightiest Emperour in all the world And if it bée so that vnto my words you or any of yours do giue any credit procure out of hand with great wisdome to seeke remedy to preuent the same and to cut off so great an euill as is prognosticated against vs. And if vnto these my words you will giue no credite the time it selfe will giue a perfect testimonie of this that I haue said when that you shall haue no time nor space for to giue any remedy at all vnto the same Without saying any more this old king of Gedrosia did set himselfe downe againe in his place leauing this mighty emperour all the other kings and Knights that were in that great hall very much amazed at the words which hee had spoken knew not what to say but being amazed they did looke one vpon another spake neuer a word But this mighty Emperour who alwaies found the prognosticating deuining of this old king to be true yet he thought this to bée a thing impossible not to giue any credit thervnto but yet to heare farther what he would say after a certaine space that he had bethought himselfe he said The great wisedome which I doe know to bée in you good king of Gedrosia and the truth which you haue sayd that the cause of my wéeping was the remembraunce and talâ—…ing to minde my louing children and the great sorrow and griefe which I doe receiue by their absence is a sufficient peswasion that I all that be heere present should giue wholy credit
vnto all this which you haue said but yet it is not knowen vnto you all this nobility that my power and strength is such of so great force that if all the whole world should ioyne together make their confederacie against me yet were they not sufficient to bring me vnto that estate to be ouercome neither once to abate any point of my mighty power much lesse the Empire of Greece for that I am fully perswaded that the least of you héere present with the power which you haue in your kingdome is sufficient to destroy it to consume it with fire vâ—…ter ruine if any occasion of controuersie should be betwixt vs as yet ther is none neither is ther any mistrust of the same for that it is a couÌ„try very strange vnto vs and likewise very far of from this Country When the Emperour had said these words hée helde his peace shewed so mery semblance and countenance that it séemed vnto the king of Gedrosia that the Emperour gaue but small credit vnto that which he had said who with great anger arose vp againe and sayd High and mighty Emperour the great confidence trust that you haue in your high estate and power doth cause you to make a iest at these things which I haue told you for that it séemeth a thing impossible without any consideration how that ther is no securitie of worldly things for when a man doth thinke himselfe to be most surest then he is farthest off as it doth happen vnto all estates so likewise high mighty Princes doe fall and come vnto destruction euen at such time as they account themselues to be in the greatest fauour of Fortune then is their fall the greater And héere I doe tell you againe for a certainty that all that which I haue told is of a truth shall come to passe without failing any iot therof And for that you shall not put so great confidence in the mighty power strength which you haue héere I do giue you to vnderstand that before one yéere doth come about thâ—…r shal be â—…oyned together in the great citie of Constantinople which is in the empire of Grecit that you haue in so little estimation such a number of Knights although not very many yet they shall be such that they alone shall be sufficient being together for to destroy the greatest and mightiest army that you and all your subiects in their kingdomes Lordships can ioyne together And if y t out of hand you do not procure that these knights or at the least the principallest of them may loose their liues to auoide the inconueniences that are pronounced against vs. And if you wil not héere I doe returne say to you againe that the sharpe edges of their â—…ine cutting swords shall vse such cruelty vpon yours that the small brookes shall be turned into great Riuers with their blouds Therfore considering my duty that which I doe owe vnto your high estate to giue whole credit vnto these my words to prouid such remedy as shall be conuenient for so great a perill prepared against vs. Without speaking any more wordes this olde king of Gedrosia set himselfe agayne in his place leauing this mightye Emperour and all those Kings and Nobles that were ther present much more amazed then they were at the first although they were fully perswaded and béeléeued of a certainty that it was impossible to finde in all the world so many Knightes that might compare themselues with them that were at that present in that court no not by a great deale whith was the occasion that wheras beefore they did not giue full credit vnto those wordes which the King Gedrosia had sayde At this time they gaue lesse and made a mocke at him and at his diuinations but yet for that the Emperour Alicandro was verye wise and hadde great experience of the small security that was in the prosperous estates of this transitorye worlde with a wan colour sorrowfull semblance he fell in a great imagination déepe thought musing vpon the words which the King Gedrosia had said And as the Emperour was in this sort a great while without speaking any word but very pensiue heauie amongst the rest of all those kings nobles that were in that great hall the valiant Rodaran arose vp put himself on foot who was king of Arabia subiect vnto the Emperour Alicandro a young man so valiant that in all Asia there was not a knight to be found that by a great deale was able to compare himself with him in mighty prowesse feates of armes and for that he was so furious and stubburne he was feared of all all that were in the whole Empire of Tartaria were very desirous to pleasure him and not one that durst anger him in any respect except it were that valiant Prince Meridian with whom he would neuer contend nor procure to combat yet ther was neuer other knight nor Giant that euer did abide the battaile with him one houre This Rodaran with great courage and anger as though fire should procéed out of his eies béegan and said as followeth I doe not know high mighty emperour of Tartaria with what reason is attributed vnto thee the name of the diuine the parentage that you haue of the high diuine Gods that you doe suffer in your presence in the presence of so many mightie kings lords your subiects that the king of Gedrosia should be so bold hardy to speake these blasphemies the which he hath said for that I do beléeue that if all the power of the gods the rest of all the whole world besides shuld ioyne themselues together by the Deity that you haue receiued by your predecessors if they were all ioyned together yet were they not sufficient to comprehend this the which the king hath saide much lesse the Emperour of Greece and the knights that shall there be assembled and ioyned together And héere I doe sweare vnto you by the order of Knighthood that I haue receiued and by my kinglie estate that if I had theÌ„ all together in the fielde against mée I doo thinke to kill and destroy them all or make them to yeeld as prisoners And againe if it be so that the diuinations of this olde King of Gedrosia doo put any feare or dreade into your harts and that his words should séeme vnto you to bée true and that the remedy the which hée hath ordained will bée sufficient for to auoide the great inconueniences in making away those knights Heere beefore your diuine highnesse and béefore all that bée héere present I doo promise that at such time as these knights shal assemble and ioyne together in the Citie of Constantinople to bée there present in that Court and will maintaine and defend that the Quéene Carmania my well béeloued Lady and mistris is the most fayrest Lady in all the world
And with all those that shall say vnto the contrarie vppon the same reason I wil combat with him vntill such time as one of vs bée dead or yéelded prisoner vnto the other vpon condition that hée who hath the victorie shall vse his pleasure with him that is ouercome So that in this sort either they shall remaine the most weakest and cowardliest knights in the world or else I will bring them prisoners béefore your presence for that the king of Gedrosia may loose the great feare which he hath conceiued of them When hée had made an ende of speaking there was not one King nor Knight amongest all them in the great hall that durst make any answere vnto those proude words of Rodaran but onely the king of Gedrosia who rising vpon his féete did answere him saying If thou wert so valiaunt of armes and déedes Rodaran as proude in thy words then should I bée fully certified that thou wouldest bée sufficient to accomplish much more then héere thou hast said and that there were not in all the world a Knight that might compare himselfe with thée but for that thy strength and prowesse is far different and contrarie vnto thy great pride héere I doo giue thée to vnderstande that this day twelue moneths there shall bée such Knights assembled and ioyned together in Constantinople that whereas thou shalt excéede them in the one they shall excéede thée in the other And it shall happen vnto thée many houres in the daye that thou shalt acknowledge this to bée true all this which I haue sayde vnto thée although at this present it séemeth vnto thée to be a fable and lye And I doo desire no other reuengement for the iniury which I haue receiued at thy hands but onely the reprehension which thou thy selfe shalt make at such time as it shall bée vnto thée well knowen And for that my words shall séeme vnto thée to be of lesse credit and that thou shalt haue farther experience of that which I by the starres and celestiall opperations doo vnderstand and know héere I doo giue thée to vnderstand that if thou doost goe forwards with this enterprise which thou hast promised thou shalt finde in the Citie of Constantinople a woman who with hir singular beuty fairnes shal far excel the beuty of y e quéene of Carmania thy lady with the great force strength of hir arme shall abate thy courage and make thée to yéeld And therewith hée held his peace but the great pride of that valiant Rodaran encreased in such sort when hée heard those words of the olde King Gedrosia and his anger was so great that if the Emperour and those kings which were there present had not disturbed him with determined purpose hée went towards him to haue throwen him out at the window But when hée saw that hée could not execute his pretence with great anger and courage he went out of the hall swearing great oathes that hée would accomplish and performe all that which hee had promised that béeing finished to take reuengement of the great iniurie which hée had receiued of the olde king Gedrosia Wherewith hée left all that were ther present greatly amazed at his pride and hardinesse And so departed vnto the kingdome of Carmania whereas all his ioy was for that hée was amorous of the Quéene of Carmania who was in great royaltie and estate and very faire And in processe of time finding himselfe in great fauour with hir and hauing hir aide and help to his contentment hée straight way gaue hir to vnderstand of all that which had passed with him in the court of the mightie Emperour of Tartaria and of his promise that hée had made béefore all those which were there present in saying that he could not in any maner of wise excuse the same but that hée must néedes béegin the enterprise of his iourney towardes Greece out of hand The Quéene Carmania was very wise and of a good iudgement and vnderstanding if it had béene in hir power shée would very faine haue hindred this iourney and for that shée knew very well the condition of this valiaunt and stout Rodaran and that there were none that were able to perswade him from the contrarye of this his determined purpose shée wold not by any means say ought against him but with a merrie countenaunce shée dyd offer hir selfe to goe with him into Greece vpon coÌ„dition that hée would grant vnto hir one thing that she would demand of him if his pleasure were that shée should goe with him The which with a very good will hee did graunt vnto hir And shée promised him to beare him companie Then dyd they ordaine all things necessary for to carry with him on his iourney but halfe the yéere was almost past before they could begin to trauaile for that the quéene coÌ„manded a net of yron to be made very arteficially cunningly wrought it could not bée made an ende of in any shorter time And although that Rodaran did often times aske wherefore the same was made yet for all that the Quéene would neuer tell him but after that this net was made and all things in a redinesse this valiant Rodaran the Quéene departed out of the Countrie of Carmania carried in theyr company certaine knights and Pages which were necessary and after that they had passed many and diuerse countries they came vnto the port of Tenedon whereas they did imbarke themselues and tooke their way towards Greece And although there happened vnto this mightie Prince in his iourney many strange and wonderfull things béecause it is not necessarie this Historie doth not make any mention thereof but onely in the ende of many daies and great trauaile they ariued in Greece not far from Constantinople This valiaunt Rodaran was determined to execute his enterprise within the Citie of Constantinople but the Quéene of Carmania did disturbe him and sayde that now was the time come that hée should performe the gift that hée had promised hir béefore hée did depart out of Carmania which was that the contension which should passe with him and the Knights of Greece should not bée executed in the Citie of Constantinople but in the place whereas shée would appoynt it The which Rodaran although it did grieue him very much yet durst hée not say against it béecause hée promised hir So they nauigated all along the shoare till they came vnto the Bridge called Iaspâ—… which is the first passage ouer Danubia towards the sea and was the most strongest that was vpon all the riuer and furnished full of Towres and battlements and especiallie thrée towers of great force and admiration the one at the entrie vppon the Bridge and the other in the midst and the third at the farther ende all wrought with fine white Iasper stone of so great strength that it séemed impossible to bée taken or wonne by force of armes And this Bridge was mayntained and kept by the Emperour
Balisea Great thanckes doe I giue vnto the high and immortall Gods for that I was fully certified within my selfe that so valyant a knight as thou art could not bée borne in this Countrie therefore héere once againe I doo desire thée that thou wilt tell mée the occasion that so mightie a Prince as thou art and beeing a Pagan that thou dooest abide and recreate thy selfe in straunge Countries and to shew thy selfe so great a friend vnto Christians Tell mée I pray thée if thou hast receiued their lawes and customes and left the law of the Pagans Thou doost demaund of mée great account sayd the Prince but for that thou shalt not béeléeue all that which thou hast saide I will bee briefe giue thée to vnderstand in few words I doo béeléeue that thou doost know or at the least wayes hast heard of the great battailes and contentions that passed betwixt my Father the King Florion and the mightie Africano who had vsurped and taken away my Fathers kingdome I haue heard the same said Rodaran and I was called vnto the sayd warres and for that I did sée that Africano had neither reason nor iustice I dyd refuse the iourney and would not goe with him Then the Prince sayde you shall vnderstand that in these warres my Father got the victorie and recouered all his lands the which hée had lost but especially by the great force strength and bountie of the valyaunt Knight of the Sunne and Sonne vnto the Emperour Trebatio who at this present remayneth in his Court and by the prowesse of the Prince Clauerindo sonne vnto the king Oristeo of Fraunce both the which béeing verie young were lost and both found at the Sea by the king my father who carried them with him whereas they two and I were brought vp all thrée together and from that time there dyd grow so great loue and friendship béetwixt vs which was the occasion ioyntly with the dutie which I owe vnto them that I am come in theyr company into this Countrie cannot certifie my selfe neither am I at quyet but when I am with them and in their companie and conuersation This is the occasion wherefore I am come into this countrie béecause you are so desirous to know héere I meane to remaine so long as these princes abide in y e Emperours Court Oh Prince Brandizel saide Rodaran now I plainely sée and perceiue how that the high Gods are very angrie with the Pagan people and will plague and punish vs by the hands and power of the Christians for that wée haue now at this present more then at any time héeretofore so great confidence in them Oh Prince of Persia if the losse and destruction of thy naturall Countrie doo cause in thée any sorrow or the destruction of the Pagan people doo cause any griefe then would thy hart lament and cause thée to leaue off this great friendship which thou hast with the Christians and take vpon thée mortall warre against them for héere I doo giue thée to vnderstand béefore the great Cane king of the Cambalos and Emperour of Tartaria and béefore all Kings and Lords his subiects and vassals the King Gedrosia who is one of the wisest in deuination and Astrologie that is to bée found in all the world to whom at that present I gaue but small credit hee dyd declare and pronounce that in our dayes and times should be stayne and destroyed the most part of all the Pagan people in the fields of Greece by the mightie force and power of the Knights that bée therein and that there the greatest and mightiest Kings in all Asia shall loose theyr gouernment estates Unto whose words I made no contradiction for that it séemed vnto mée to bée a thing impossible And moreouer hée said that in the Empire of Greece there were such Knights that if meanes were not found by one way or other to disturbe them that they alone were sufficient to accomplish and bring to passe all this which I haue sayd And for this occasion I departed out of my Kingdome and Countrie and dyd promise the Emperour Alycandro neuer to retourne againe vnto the same till such time as I came vnto the Empire of Greece and there with my power and force to take prisoners the best Knights that bée in all the Empire and to carrie them away with mée vnto the Emperour Alycandro now séeing that you doo know my determination and purpose and the great profit that will grow thereof vnto all Asia I doo desire thee by the seruice and dutie which thou dost owe vnto the high Gods that leauing the great friendship which thou hast with the Christians let vs two procure to take and carrie them prisoners into our Countrie that by them wée may raunsome and set our selues at libertie from the great destruction which is prognosticated to bée done vnto vs by them which by no meanes can bée excused except first wée doo this which I haue tolde thée Then the Prince Brandizel answered and saide Let the Pagans remaine in their Countrie and let the Christians alone in theyrs for that this remedie which thou hast taken in hand Rodaran will verie little profit to excuse the harme which thou hast spoken of béeing a thing determined by the high powers And héere I dooe giue thée to vnderstand that there doth remaine many Knights in the Citie of Constantinople and such as ten such knights as thou art be not sufficient to take one of them and to bring him vnto prison And héere I doo advise thée to take good héede and béeware of the furie of the Knight of the Sunne béefore whom there is no humane â—…reature able to make any resistance And in that thou â—…oost request mée to leaue of theyr friendship and to béeâ—…ome theyr enimie speake no more thereof vnto mée for I â—…oo more estéeme their friendship and loue and to bée friend â—…nto the sonnes of the Emperour Trebatio and his friends â—…hen to bée a Prince yea more then to bée Lord ouer all Aâ—…ia And if thou wilt leaue off this demaund which thou bringest with thée and goe vnto the Court of the Emperour Trebatio and become a brother in our friendship there shall bée done vnto thee the honour that to such a knight belongeth and if not let vs returne againe vnto our battell and hée which of vs two shall bée ouercome let him doo all that the other who winneth the victorie shall commaund and so shall bée excused all the requestes that are béetwixt vs two Héere Rodaran was very sorrowfull béecause hée found so small comfort of the Prince in this his determination and beléeuing that onely in the ouercomming of that knight dyd consist the accomplishing of his aduenture and that it might so fall out by the victorie of him to end his demaund for that which the Prince had tould hée could not béeleeue neyther giue credite that those knights which dyd remayne béehinde in the court should bée
Countrie And that which now doeth most grieue mée gentle Knight is that it is now fortie dayes since my departure out of Lydia and by reason of a great storme and foule weather which happenyd vnto vs at the Sea wée could not ariue héere in this Countrie any sooner So that there resteth vnto mée no more but twentie daies of the time that I set with my Knights for to returne who cannot by any meanes doo otherwise after that time be expired but to yéeld vp the Citie for they haue no victualleâ—… for any longer time and although at that instaunt I 〈◊〉 finde out the Knight of the Sunne yet shall wée haue inougâ—… to doo to come thether in time So gentle knight this is alâ—… that I can aduertise you of that you haue saked and demaunded of mée therefore I pray you now to tel mée wheâ—… I may finde this knight of the Sunne for that accordinâ—… vnto the great excellencie and vertue which is spoken 〈◊〉 him throughout all the world I béeléeue that there will bâ—… nothing to the contrarie to disturbe him but that hée 〈◊〉 haue pittie and compassyon vppon mée for that God 〈◊〉 not created a knight of so great estimation but onely to 〈◊〉 mend such great wrongs done in this world When the Knight of the Sunne had vnderstâ—… the demaund of the King Lyeso in all his life hée dyd 〈◊〉 finde himselfe in so great confusion and trouble for that 〈◊〉 the one part the demaund which hee made against Rodâ—…ran and the imprisonment of his great friends dyd cauâ—… and binde him not to leaue off his enterprise béegun and 〈◊〉 the other part the great and extreame necessitie of 〈◊〉 King and of that sorrowfull quéene who in the meane tiâ—… that the King dyd declare vnto the Knight of the Sunne 〈◊〉 you haue heard did wéepe verie pitteouslie the which 〈◊〉 ued him vnto great pittie in such sort that for any thiâ—… as hée thought hée could with no reason leaue hir but gâ—… them sucâ—…our and help and séeing that the time was short that the King Lyseo should returne vnto the Citie Lidia it séemed vnto him a thing impossible first to concluâ—… the demaund of the Pagan Rodaran the which hée detâ—…mined and afterward to giue them aide and succour whâ—… was the occasion that hée was in great doubt and for a good space hée could not speake one woord till such time as the king asked him wherfore hée did not answere him Whereto the Knight of the Sunne answered and sayd Mightie King and Lord doo not you muse nor meruayle that vntill this time I haue not aunswered you for that at this instant hath happened vnto mée two things of great importaunce and if I leaue eyther of them vndone it will bée vnto mee as grieuos as death The one of them is that Rodaran king of Arabia is at the bridge of Iaspe which is â—…n the confines of this Empire of Greece and I am going â—…hether to combat with him for that he hath prisoner a broâ—…her of mine and many other Knights of the Emperour Trebatios court And the other is your demaund and great â—…ecessitie the which doth grieue mée as much as though it â—…ere vnto my selfe béecase you shall vnderstand that I am â—…he knight of the Sunne whom you doo come to séeke and â—…lthough there bée not in mée that bountie which you haue â—…oken of yet there shall not lack good wil for to put my life 〈◊〉 aduenture in your seruice And because this my demaund 〈◊〉 Rodaran hath chaunced at this instant and likâ—…wise your â—…reat necessitie which dooth not requyre any delay hath 〈◊〉 the occasion that I am thus troubled and in this great 〈◊〉 for that I cannot accomplish them both according 〈◊〉 my desire but now séeing it is so fallen out and that 〈◊〉 in the confidence the which you haue had in mée you 〈◊〉 left to seeke and procure aide and succour in other plaâ—… And now the time is very short and you cannot otherâ—…ise procure for your selues hap what hap shall and come â—…hat shall come I am determined to goe out of hand with 〈◊〉 And in the meane time that wée shall with the fauour 〈◊〉 God cléere our selues and set our selues at libertie from 〈◊〉 war I doo béeléeue that Rodaran will not depart out of 〈◊〉 for that in the Court of the Emperour there doo reâ—… many valiaunt knights with whom hée will haue iâ—… to doo béefore hée canne ouercome them all But wheÌ„ the king Liseo vnderstood that hée was the knight of the Sunne and with what determination hée dyd offer himselfe in their aide and succour in all his life hée did not receiue greater ioye and pleasure and went vnto him and embraced him saying Great and infinit thankes dooe I giue vnto my Lord God for that it hath pleased him to let mée sée so high and worthie a Knight and I may well perswade my selfe that you béeing a knight of so strange and gentle disposition can bée no other but hée whose fame is in all the world and not a little amazed at your straunge and excelleâ—…t bountie And now séeing that it is my fortune to come into this great extremitie and that you of necessitiâ—… must make an ende of this your pretendâ—…d enterprise God forbid that euer you should leaue this your determined pretence for to accomhlish my necesâ—…itie it were much better that I loose my whole Kingdome then to hazard the liueâ—… of so precious and valyaunt knights Therefore I will returne againe into Lidia and procure to bée with my knightâ—… béefore my time bée expired and there offer my selfe vnto death with them for to accomplish performe that which I haue promised Then the Knight of the Sunne who waâ—… wholie determined to goe with the King sayde I am fullie determined to accomplish all that which I haue sayde and if it bée so that you are not content therewith héere 〈◊〉 dooe sweare vnto you by the order of Knighthood that 〈◊〉 am purposed to goe thether all alone for that your necessâ—… tie dooth not requyre anie delay And for this my demauâ—… which I haue beegunne I shall haue time inough for thâ—… Rodaran cannot depart towards any place but I shall find him to execute my fury on him And likewise there 〈◊〉 remayne in Greece many valyaunt Knights who will 〈◊〉 taine him for the time and I am very sure that it was 〈◊〉 possible for him to apprehend those knights whom hée 〈◊〉 prisoners in his power except it were by some treasonâ—… falsehood At which time the King Lyseo would with a verie 〈◊〉 will haue stayed with the knight of the Sunne from 〈◊〉 determined pretence all onely for that he would not that he should haue left his first demaund but by any meanes hée would not be perswaded thervnto so that in the best waies he could he did gratifie his great courtesie good will offered vnto him still perswading to the contrary in
I will bee ther very quickly Doe all things according vnto your pleasure said the king I pray God to giue vnto you such victory that our enemies might vnderstand know that as yet the king Liseo is neither dead nor ouercome So when the night waxed dark the king in the best maner hee could he toke the qâ—…eene behind him on his horse embrased the knight of the Sunne shedding many teares he toke his leaue with the queene departed by a narrow lane which he knew very well went towards the citie although he met by the way with diuers yet for all that hauing no feare by reason that he spake the language very well they made litle reckoning of him did not mistrust y t he should be any of their enemies Then the knight of the Sun when he supposed that the king had passed the campe he toke his speare in his hand dreâ—… nigh vnto his enemies when he saw them that they were with out watch or care of any euill that might â—…appen vnto them â—…e committed himselfe vnto God put himselfe amongst his enemies with his speare he began to kill to destroy so many of the knights other souldiers that his great force strength was quickly knowen by the number thâ—…t lay dead in the field For that in a short space he had flame more then fiftie of them at the noisâ—… of whom with a triâ—…e all the whole camp was in an vproâ—… and cried vnto armour And after that this valiant knight had broken his 〈◊〉 with his swoord in his hands he pressed still forwardes amongst them in such sort that he seemed to be some infernal creature And without finding any great resistaunce he approched vnto the tents that were in the field which were very many rich wheras he found in them very many that seemed to be valiant Knights who at the noyse vprâ—…are of the souldiers wer all armed in their company many great and deformed giants that séemed to be great towers who when they saw all the people run away saw not their enemies follow them being greatly amazed therat they stood still knew not which way to depart but when the valiant knights drew nigh vnto them the first knight that he met withall he stroke him such a blow vpon his helme that cléeuing it his head downe vnto the breast he ouerthrew him dead to the ground turning himselfe about he stroke another vpon the wast that he cut him a sunder in the midst ouerthrew him from his horse likewise dead to the ground which made all the knights that wer ther not a litle to meruaile for that this valiant worthy knight would not at that time tary any longer he set spurs vnto his furious horse passed through the camp with so great fury that ther was not one knight that could get before him being seene by one of the most valiantest giants amongst the rest with a great mase in his hand he followed him pretending to strike him with the same The knight of the Sun perceiuing it tourned about with his horse before that the giant could execute his mighty blow with his mase he stroke him so terrible a blow vpon the wast that his sharp cutting sword entred into his bowels that he fell down from his horse dead to the ground and then without any stayinâ—… he put himselfe in the middest of the whole campe and made so great a spoile amongst his enemies that hée whom hee found in his way might well thinke himselfe vnhappy So that they all fledde and ran béefore him as from some infernall creature that according vnto the great destruction that he made amongest them they thought him to be no other In this sort this valiant knight went throughout the whole camp without finding one that was so hardy to disturbe him slew w t his own hands more they two hundreth knights being all embrued in blood he came vnto the gates of the citie wheras he found the king Liseo who being knowen by his knights subiects did open the gates did abide his comming And when they saw the knight of the Sun to come all to be raied with blood the knig straight waies did imagine what had passed with him embraced him saying Oh my good perfect friend now I am fully perswaded that it hath pleased god to give mée full remedy set at liberty all my kingdome onely in that I haue your valiant person héere with me At this time the most principallest of all the knights of the citie came vnto them with great contentment ioy to sée their Lord and king they entred into the citie commanded the gates to be shut very strongly excéeding good watch ward to bée kept they altogether went vnto the pallace wheras they were of the quéene meruailously well receiued entertained and did vnarme the knight of the Sun with hir own hands and there they did repose rest themselues that night not without great care complaints vnto their king to see themselues in such great affliction almost all the people in their Country lost Likewise also was the valiant knight of the Sun sore troubled with his amorous thoughts of the faire princes Lindabrides and of the princesse Claridiana which thoughts were more troublesome vnto him then the furious battaile which he should haue with his enemies the next day following But when he remembred his brother and the rest of his friends that were prisoners with Rodaran he receiued so great sorrow griefe that he thought long till the day was come had a good trust and confidence in God that very shortly he should sée himself cléere from his enemies for to haue time to returne vnto the bridge of the iaspe to conclude his pretence to combat with Rodaran Likewise at this time all those that were in the campe of the king of Arcadia did not take their rest in perfect quietnesse but when they remembred that which dyd passe with the beginning of the night they all trembled with theyr great feare which they receiued of that worthy valiaunt knight And when they had made relation of all that had hapned vnto the king of Arcadia he began to blaspheme against his gods for that it was not his fortune to méet with him they were all amazed because they could not vnderstand know who that valiant Knight should bée And againe they were fully perswaded that it could not be the king Liseo for that he was not a knight of so great valour for to make such destruction amongst them for that they had combatted with him diuers sundry times likewyse others had ben so ventrous as to enter into their camp but neuer did shew so great force the King being very desirous to know who he should be to sée him he passed away all that
of beautie after the great trauaile that she had passed that it was as great meruaile to behold hir as Diana in breake of the day the queene the princesse were greatly amazed at that great wonder looked the one vpon the other beleeuing it rather to be a dream then of truth all that which they saw But in the end being fully satisfied the queene and the princesse did imbrace hir giuing hir great thanks for that she had done for them So they remained there all the rest of that day all the night and the next day in the morning the princes ordained made lord of that castell a knight of the giants for that he séemed to be a good knight the quéene the princesse with all their ladies gentlewomen did depart from thence the princesse did beare them company vnto the port And in the way as they went they met with the damsell that ran away who for very shame would not come in presence of the quéene although they all had great mirth pastime with hir for the small confidence she had in the princes So when they came vnto the port they all imbarked themselues in the same ship wherein the princes came into that country hauing the time wind very prosperous the next day they ariued at Hiberia they had not all fully disimbarked themselues a land when that thether came the King with more then two thousand knights who went in the demaund seeking of Orbion whohad caried away the queene when he met them ther vâ—…derstood of them all that had passed his ioy pleasure was such as to the iudgement I reter me but when he was fully certified by the quéene who the knight was that put them at libertye hée went towarde the princesse said Worthy Lady â—…iue me your royall hands that I may 〈◊〉 them for I owe it vnto you for this great benefit shewed vnto mée all kings princes in the world are bound vnto your great highnesse bounty The princesse did then imbrace him saying Unto God doo I giue great thanks for his great benefits showed vnto me in that he hath permitted that I haue done this great seruice vnto the quéene vnto the princes and likewise in excusing your trauaile begun to sake out Orbion And now séeing that there is no more to bee done héerein in your seruice I doo most hartely desire you to giue me lisence to depart for that I haue very much to doo in other places And so very much against the kings wil he tooke leaue of hir offred himselfe all his kingdome at hir commandement So she departed from them traâ—…ailed eyght daies without finding any aduenture till in the end she was cleane out of Hiberia entred into another kingdome vpon a sodaine at such time as the knight of the Sun was past she discouered a great way off from hir a mighty army oâ—… knights with very rich tents ancients likewise she saw nigh vnto that army a great well 〈◊〉 citie out of the which there went foorth one alone knight within a littlâ—… while after shée saw him to make battaile with the most strongest knights that euer she saw in beholding this fierâ—… battaile the history leaueth hir till opportunitie ¶ How that the Knight of the Sun and the king Liseo 〈◊〉 forth the second day against their enemies of the higâ—… knighthood which they shewed in their battell Chap. 48. IN the kingdome of Lidia was not the knight of the Sun idle neither receiued he much ease in the time y t he was there for that calling to remeÌ„brance the imprisonment of his friends and also the great loue which hee bare vnto the princesse Claridiana whom he exceedingly loued also vnto the faire princesse Lindabrides was the occasion that he could not take any rest but was put in the greatest care doubt that euer he had in all his life Not knowing when to cleare himselfe of that which he had promised vnto his new friend the king Liseo And because that the time shuld not passe away 〈◊〉 wares The next day after the battaile as the history hath told you the king Liseo determined to goe foorth againe in his company Then the knight of the Sun bid request him very much to let him that day goe foorth alone for that they should haue other dayes wherin they would goe soorth both together The which the king Liseo by no meanes would consent therto saying that first he would consent to loose all his kingdome for that it did accomplish him so to â—…ee rather then to consent to sée him in y â— camp amongst his enimies alone But the knight of the Sun hauing a great desire to goe forth alone said Héere I doo sweare vnto you my good Lord that if you doo not like wall héereof that I will leaue all your friendship the which I doo esteeme very much depart whereas you shall neuer heare more of me Then the king when hee saw him so determined saide My good friend doo your pleasure yet consider I pray you what pleasure I can receiue to see you in y e midst of mine enimies and not be a partner of your paine notwithstanding séeing you are therewith content I will not contend against any thing you will command So this valiant Knight béeing armed with his strong and rich armour and mounted vpon his horse somwhat before that the Sâ—…nne had any sorce hée went foorth out of the Citie at which time the king and the quéene all the kinghts and Ladies were vpon the towers of the citie and at the battle ments for to behold see what should passe with this valyant warlike knight who before that he came into the camp did set his horne vnto his mouth did blow it so strong and loud that ther was no knight so stout in all the camp knowing who he was that did sound it but his hart would tremble thereat and such were there that would gladly haue giuen all that they had vpon condition that they had not entred into the kingdome of Lidia although to the contrary ther were many other which did neuer proue his blowes were very valiant stout who did arme themselues and at the commandemeÌ„t of the king they went forth against him the first that went foorth amongst them was one named Alberro borne in Seras being a Knight arraunt he came in company with the king of Arcadia to those parts was counted for one of the most valiauntest knights that was amongst the pagans his armour was so excellent good and made by such art that ther was no blow of sword able to cut it who was mounted vpon his horse with great prid and arrogancy and went towardes the knight of the Sun and without any other salutation or curtesie hee said It shall well appeare foolish and simple
receiued when he saw that terrible and wonderfull blow for that his cosin was very rich a knight that was best beloued aboue all other knights that he had and also for that he conceiued within his mind that if that knight should endure long that hée would not leaue one knight aliue in all the whole camp that is of any reputation So with the great griefe which the losse of his knights caused him to haue with a trise he caused himselfe to be armed with his strong armour which was a finger thick of very fine stéele and so good as any was in all the world and being mounted on a strong light horse he went out of the camp with his speare in his hand saying Oh that my fortune wer so good that as I go against this valiant knight I might make battaile against all my false gods in whom I haue beleeued put my confidence for if they were all against me they were knights in this world I think verily to ouercome them all make them to know vnderstand that the power strength of this knight is much more then theirs The king had not fully concluded in saying these words when the valiant Pirro with one blow that the knight of the Sun gaue him with his swoord fell from his horse as though hée had béene dead but when the King saw that with wonderfull force he went towards him with a great broad fauchon in his hand he stroke the knight of the Sun vpon the helme that it tooke way the sight of his eyes depriued him of his vnderstanding and his horse caried him a while about the field for you shall vnderstand that y e king of Arcadia was so stout couragious a knight that neuer any knight with whom he did make battaile with could endure with him a whole day in the field was of great fame and feared amongst the pagans but yet he did not goe away boasting himselfe of this blow for the knight of the Sun before the king could strike him the second returned came again to himself set spurs vnto his horse came running against the king like a whirle wind with his swoord in both his hands he stroke him such a blow vpon his healme that hée made him to fall forwards vpon his horse necke the blood ran out both at his mouth nose and his horse carried him round about the field out of his remembrance as though he had ben dead at which time Alberro was come againe to himselfe and he and Gruto together did terribly assault the knight of the Sunne chargeing him with great and heauye blowes the which he felt and grieued him very much for though his armour did defend him from wounding yet for all that it could not excuse him but that his flesh must haue béene very fore brused with those mighty strong blowes and it had beene better for him to haue contended agaynst the whole armie then against those foure knights for that béeing embraced with a great number the valiant knights could neuer haue so good opportunity to execuse their mightie blowes vpon him but in such sort these valyaunt Pagans did so charge him that hée felt himselfe sore troubled but yet for all this not faynting nor loosing one point of his courage but rather increasing more and more did so béehaue himselfe with those two stout Pagans that in a small time hée had ouercome them if the king of Arcadia had not come againe to himselfe and Pirro mounted againe vpon his Horse who séeing themselues so euill intreated with great fury and courage they went to help theyr companyons which was the occasion that at that time their battell was more kindled and better foughten then it was in all the day béefore for when these stout Pagans saw themselues all foure together theyr courage and force did the more increase and héerein the knight of the Sunne was nothing behinde them for the more they did charge him the more his strength increased At this time it was more then three houres since their battaile béegan without taking any rest either of them and those that beeheld them waxed wearie and likewise the Pagans meruailously tormented with the mightie blowes which they had receiued and the knight of the Sunne more angrie wrathfull then hée was all the day beefore and his anger did so far exceede and his force so much increase y t at one blow he ouerthrew the stout Gruto to the ground and with an other blow he ouerthrew Pirro but the valiant Berro stroke him so strong a blow vpon his helme that hée made him to stoupe decline his head to his horse neck but he made no brags therof for that the knight of the Sunne returned his payment with so great furie and force that buckling his helme breaking therewith all to â—…éeces the skull of his head hée ouerthrew him dead to the ground and with a trise hee turned vpon the king of Arcadia who was comming against him to strike him and strok him such an ouerthwart blow on the one side that he ouerthrew him on the other side Then this valiant and worthy knight without any longer staying amongst them but with as great fury as a whirle wind he put himselfe in the midst of the whole armie and wounded slew so many that al the way wheras hée went hée left it full of dead bodies so that ther was not one in all the camp that durst make resistance against him but passed through amongst them as commonly the bayted Bull beeing well pricked with darts dooth passe through a coÌ„pany of men At this time the day passed away and night came on and this valiant Knight somwhat wearie with wounding and killing of Pagans all to bée brued with blood hée departed out of the Camp and without any following him he came vnto the gates of the citie the which were straight wais opened and hée found at the entrie in therat the king Lyseo all armed in a readinesse to goe foorth in his aide and help if hée were driuen to any necessitie of whom hée was receiued with great ioy pleasure and the gates béeing shut they went vnto the pallace whereas with great mirth and ioy they were receiued by the quéene and supped together with great ioy and pleasure and tooke their ease all that night and the knight of the Sunne determined not to goe foorth other two daies to the battaile How Rodaran came to land and by great aduenture hee came vnto the kingdome of Lidia Chapter 49. WIth great pride did this Pagan Rodaran nauigate by sea with his rich pray of the prisoners which hee carryed for to present them béefore the Emperour of Tartaria who was no lesse endued with wisedome patience theÌ„ with force and strength for to suffer that terrible and cruell blow of Fortune alwaies abiding the good houre that fortune would vse vpon them and
as so many knights as well in vertue as in prowesse was not wholie forgotten of God as appeared héere at this present for that hée did ordaine theyr fortune in such sort that the ship in the which they were carried and dyd ariue in the Kingdome of Phrigia and for that it was the right way to goe vnto Tartaria Rodaran and the Quéene went a land and commaunded that the prisoners lykewise should bée taken out of the ship who were all bound in chaynes so that they were carryed very strongly and in good order So in this sort they trauailad fiue daies without happening any thing vnto them worth the telling in the ende of the which they came into the Kingdome of Lidia and came in the sight of the camp of the King of Arcadia and Rodaran demaunded whose armie that same was and it was declared vnto him the truth thereof who receiued great ioy and contentment therat for that the king of Arcadia was a very great friend of his for béeing in the Court of the Emperour of Tartaria and a trauailing knight he had great acquaintance and frequentation with him and hauing great desire to sée him and giue him vnderstanding of his pray the which he carried hée sayd vnto the Quéene Carmania that hée would goâ—… vnto him for to sée him and shée thought it good and consented thervnto So they went and carried their prisoners béefore the king and when they came vnto the tent of the king of Arcadia they alighted from theyr horses and entered in â—…herat and as soone as hée knew that it was Rodaran with â—…reat curtesie pleasure he receiued them for that this was he greatest friend he had in all the world And wheÌ„ hée vnderstood the occasion wherfore he came into those parts and â—…f the prisoners hée brought with him the King very glad â—…nd ioyfull caused them to bée brought into his tent wherâ—… hée honoured them very much and gaue Rodaran to vnderstand of all that euer he had passed and done in the kingâ—… of Lidia how that hée had brought his enterprise vnâ—… that estate that hée had almost taken that last citie and â—…w that there was come to help them a Knight the most â—…liantest strongest that euer in all his life hée had séene and gaue to vnderstand of all that hée hath done in thrée times that hée came foorth to battaile with his people at the which Rodaran was greatly amazed and as one that all rancour and mallaice was not cleane rooted out of him hée had great desire to sée that knight and to combat with him beleeuing that he should conclude and make an ende of that which the whole armie béefore could not dooe So Rodaran remayned till the next day hoping therein to sée that valyant Knight Whereat the King of Arcadia receiued great ioy contentment thincking that if hée and Rodaran might haue the knight of the Sunne béetwixt them that hee could not by any meanes escape but either be slaine or taken prisoner In this sort they passed away that day and the night with great pleasure although it was vnto the prisoners ouer much sorrow and griefe alwaies with patience abiding the good houre of Fortune How the Knight of the Sunne went out the third time into the camp of the king of Arcadia what happened therein Chapter 50. THE next day after that Rodaran came into the Kings Camp the knight of the Sun was determined to go out into the field with the great desire he had to cléere himselfe of that enterprise for to returne again into Greece as well to combat with Rodaran as to recreate himselfe with his Ladies the absence of whom was vnto him no small griefe likewise hée was put in great perplexity and care for that according vnto the great number of people which the king of Arcadia had with him in his Camp it was not possible for him to cléere himselfe so soone as hée thought hée should which was the occasion that very earely in the morning béefore the Sunne did shew hir selfe this valiant warriour béeing armed with his rich strong armour and mounted vpon his great and light horse with a mighty sâ—…eare well steeled in his hand hée went out of the Citie and very much against the will of the King Lyseo whom hée caused to tarrie within the Citie in a readinesse for to come foorth to ayde and help him if any cause of necessity did call him and to giue him his whole contentment hée would not say any thing agaynst him that his pleasure was to dooe So when this couragious Knight came vnto the Camp hée blew his horne with so great strength that it was heard throughout all those wide and broad fields and put great feare in the most part of all them that wer in the Campe for that there were very few of them that had any securitie salling into his hands Then the King of Arcadia vnderstanding the demaund of the Knight dyd straight wayes commaund the most valiauntest and strongest in all the armie to arme themselues and commaunded to set thayres without the doore of his tent whereas hée and Rodaran sat downe to sée and beehold from thence all that the Knight of the Sunne should doo It was not long after that there went out of the Camp a valiaunt Pagan called Alriâ—…o who was mounted vpon a mightie great Horse and armed with guilt armour â—…ull of rich precious stones which certified them that he was of high estate and went towards the Knight of the Sun and with a great speare in his hand with the which hée gaue him a verie strong encounter in such sort that his speare was sheeuered all to péeces and the Knight of the Sunne thereat made no mention of moouing 〈◊〉 his saddle but he made his encounter so strongly against â—…is enimie that by reason of the stiffenesie of his Speare â—…nd the fineneste of the others armour that would not content to bée broken with the force of that blow hee was hoiâ—…d out of his saddle and throwen ouer the horse crouper to â—…e ground tenne pâ—…ces from his horse and the blow chaunâ—…ed vnder his breast in such sort that béefore hée came vnto â—…e ground his breath was gone and hée starke dead and though at this blow all the Pagans wondered greatâ—… yet for all that came foorth another Knight no lesse arâ—…gant and proude then valiant who at the first encounter 〈◊〉 beare Alrifo companie Then after him came foorth ten knights together of the valiantest and strongest that were in all the whole armie all the which this valiant and worthie warriour dyd ouerthrow to the ground some starke dead and other some so euil intreated and brused with theyr falls that afterward they would serue to vse no armour And this béeing done there was not one Knight in all the camp that was of so great force that durst go foorth to combat with him so that he was there tâ—…rrieng a good while to
die or to be at liberty like mad dogs they put theÌ„selues amongst their enemies slew many of them but in especiall the good king Liseo who neuer stroke blow but that he slew or ouerthrew a knight to the ground by reason of the great hurt damage which they of the camp receiued on that side hauing great néed of aid succour they all did leaue the battaile at the tent and went thether although there remained not so few agaynst the Princesse but that she had mough to doe Now when the Knight of the Sunne was cleere of his enemies he saw the prisoners wheras they were in a corner of the Tent all of them with great chaines at their legges and knowing them on the one part he shed many salt teares from his eies for to see so high and mightie Princes brought into so great extremitie and on the other part he was as ioyful as euer he was in all his life because his fortune was so good to bring him to giue them their liberty and lifting vp the beauer of his helme he went and knéeled downe before the Emperour his father and tooke his hand and kissed them but the emperour with a tender loue more then of a father in shedding many teares that ranne downe by his chéekes with great ioy and pleasure he did embrace him saying I was very certaine sure my welbeloued son that we should not lack your aid succour in the time of this our great necessitie heere I giue great thanks vnto the soueraigne creator that by his mightie power you were sent at this time to giue vs liberty Then Rosicleer and all the rest of those mighty princes and knights did embrace him could not beleeue that he should be the knight of the Sun with the great ioy contentment they receiued when they saw him who pulled off all their chaines set them at liberty tooke from one of them that was ther slaine the keies of certaine chests wheras was all their armour so that they lacked not one peece of them for that Rodaran the queene Carmania commanded all to be kept very well that none should be lost All this time was the quéene Carmania hidden in a closet of the same tent so heauy sad to see all y t passed that she thought with very sorrow to haue died And in the meane time that the emperour the rest were arming of themselues in great hast the knight of the Sun returned to succour and help that Knight whom he left defending of the doore of the tent that none should enter in therat it was that worthy royall princesse Claridiana whom he found very brauely and stoutlye combatting with a great number of knights and hadde before hir at the entry of the Tent very many slaine and wounded and for that she kept hir selfe in the inside of the entry she defended hir selfe the better from all that came against hir But when hée came amongst them with his mightie blowes he made all his enemies to a part themselues from the doore of the Tent for when they saw him comming euery one dyd procure to make way all that euer they could from him for that they thought verily hée could be no mortall man doing that which they saw him doe At this time the good king Liseo came with all his knights together in an ambushment in the midst of the camp killing and wounding his enimies that they thought them to be all rauening Lions but yet in the end if they had endured long ther could not one of theÌ„ haue remained aliue for they were but a small number their enemies very many valiaunt So at this time the good emperour and all the rest of those worthy princes knights were armed with their swords drawen in their handes with the greatest fury in all the world they went out of the tent and as those which had a great desire to reuenge themselues in a small time they made such a slaughter amongst their enimies that they thought it best to giue them way so that they had time space inough to prouide themselues of horses of those which ran round about the field of the knights that were slaine when they were all mounted on horsback they ioyned themselues together in an ambushment put themselues in the midst of all the battaile with so great fury stroke such cruell mortall blowes that ther were none in all the camp that durst abide beefore them Who so had séene the good Emperour Trebatio at that present in the middest of his two sons killing wounding so many that hee was all to be bathed in blood did well appeare by the blowes hée gaue the great good will which he had to reuenge himselfe that valâ—…aunt prince Rosicleer did strange feates that whosoeuer had séene him might well know him to be brother vnto the knight of the Sun Likewise the mightie furious Prince Brandizell with king Sacridoro Rodamarte it might well be said that all they were a sepulchre vnto their enimies for that they were very many that were slaine that day for that ther was none that did know the princes Claridiana seeing the mortall blowes which she gaue and the wonderfull things which shee did they all meruailed much not knowing who that mighty strong Knight should be they had a meruaâ—…lous great desire to know him To conclude for that this excellent company kept themselues together they made such a slaughter amongst their enimies that which way so euer they went they made a broad way in a small time they came ioyned with the good king Liseo his knights who were wonderfully amazed when they saw the knight of the Sun accompanied with so many stout valiant knights and could not by any meanes imagine what it should meane being all ioyned together those that were with the king Liseo receiued great conrage their enimies harts failed and much the more because they had no captain to gouerne theÌ„ put them in courage mistrusting the worst many of theÌ„ ran away out of the campe procuring each one to saue his owne life when the rest saw some of their coÌ„panions run away they out of hand did the like in such sort that in the end of one houre the prisoners were at liberty ther remained not one in all the camp of the king of Arcadia except it were those that were slaine wounded which were more then halfe of them And when they saw themselues at liberty cléere of their enemies not finding one with whom to â—…ight the king Liseo went vnto the knight of the Sun and pulled off his belme and embraced him saying Ah my good Lord and perfect friend how can I gratifie this great good benefit the which this day I haue receiued of your great worthinesse for by you I haue recouered my lost Kingdome therfore worthy
shewing hir selfe pleasant many times they asked of hir the occasion offering to doe all that was possible whereby she might receiue ioy And she answered them with great dissâ—…mulatton saying that ther was nothing that caused hir to be so sad but onely because shee could neuer heare any newes of hir brother the prince Meridian since his departure from hir Then the Emperour beleeuing it to be as she had told him presently sent abroad knights into all parts to seeke him dailye did comfort the princesse 〈◊〉 that beefore long hir brother Meridian would come thether Likewise at this time the good knight Rosicleer was not altogether at his ease for that idlenesse and eass was the occasion that he called to remembrance things passed in such sort that the old wound of his loue began to renue feaster againe so that within few daiâ—…ee that he had remained in Constantinople his owne naturall country habitation waxed 〈◊〉 vnto him the â—…onuersation of his father mother brother for that he could not receiue any pleasure or delight did cause vnto him great 〈◊〉 griefe did abâ—…orre their companie all his delight â—…as to be alone to any place wher mirth pastime was â—…e could not abide All the which increased in him so much that in the end he determined with himselfe to doe that as â—…eereafter shall bée told you ¶ How the Empresse Briana was deliuered of a sonne and of the great feasts that were made at his birth Chapter 52 IT is said in this famous history that the mightie emperour Trebatio had another and the third son by the faire empresse Briana of whom is made great mencion in the second part of this history for that was one of the most mightiest famous knights in all the world that next vnto his singuled bretheren the knight of the Sun Rosicleer ther was none equall vnto him many times combatting with his bretheren vnknowen he put theÌ„ in great hazard with either of them he hath maintayned battaile almost a whole day in the end it was very small the vantage they had of him so that this valiant knight did finish so many mortall déedes that they deserue to be spoken of to be put in the number of his bretheren in all other things as in body stature he was conformable equal vnto them did resemble so much the knight of the Sun in his face that many times he was taken for him if it were not that he was of fewer yéeres with great difficulty might you know the one from the other This valiant fortunat prince as the wise Artemidoro saith was borne straight after the emperour and all his company came from the kingdome of Lidia for that when that stout Pagan Rodaran came into Greece the empresse was very big with child It doth apéere that the wise Lirgandeo doth make difference for hée doth make no mencion of this yong gentleman till the conclusion of the great battailes which they passed betwéene the emperour Alicandro of Tartaria and the Emperour Trebatio of Greece from which time he doth declare meruailous wonderfull things done by him I doe beléeue that the occasion of this is because that the wise Lirgandeo did not sée him till such time as he came into Greece made no mention of him till all the battaile was finished at such time as the emperour all the rest tooke their rest with great ioy pleasure after the great trauaile which they receiued in the wars past for that at this time the young gentleman was verye tender of yeares passed not sixe yéeres of age so that till that time ther is no more mention made of him then is in this chapter but afterwards these two wise men doe begin to writ of him meruailous great wonderfull déeds doo both agrée in their writings When the time was come that this royall empresse should be deliuered ther chaunced a thing of great admiration meruaile which did shew declare a very high and great mistery in the birth of this â—…hild which was that night and very moment that he was borne the Moone did shine so bright cleere threw from hir such glistering beames of light that it seemed to bee the Sun the most part of all the earth was so cléere as commonly it is in the morning when the Sunne doth spred hir beames abroad This was seene iust at midnight did endure for the space of halfe a quarter of an houre iâ—… it put all those that saw it in great admiration those which afterwards heard tell thereof greatly meruailing thereat they demaunded of the wise men what that strange token might singnifie ther was none that could declare the signification therof but onely the wise Artemidore who was at that present in Constantinople who did tell them plainly that it did proâ—…nosticat shew that the features deedes of that yong prince should so cléerely shine in the obscure dark regions of the barbarous people as the moone did shew hir shining light in the obsure darknesse of the night And time did come that it was perfectly seene proued to be true all that this wise man had told them for that by his occasion the most part of the orientall regions were turned into the christian faith and true beléefe in Iesus Christ. After this which the wise man had told him as also for that the child was borne very faire The Emperour and the empresse his sons were very glad ioyfull all the knights of the court the citizens began to make great feasts and pastimes for the birth of the new prince the which endured in the Citie for the space of one moonth afterwards as the child did increase in yeeres so did he increase in bounty and bignesse of body in such sort that all men meruailed greatly ther at and said that according vnto the wonderfull tokens séene at the birth of that child it could not be but that hee should recouer as great fame be as singuler in bounty as his bretheren And many times the princesse Claridiana the faire princesse Lindabrides did take him in their armes and shewes him great ioy loue for that he was brother vnto the knight of the Sun said that neuer in all their 〈◊〉 they saw a childe of so great perfection but this was nothing to that which they would haue done if they had knowen how that be should quench the fury perillous discord that was betwéene them for certaintie if it had not ben done by him neither the oue nor the other should haue liued in security and for that this history shall make perfect relation in his time at this time ther shall be no more said till such time as the wise men in their writing of this happy prince shall agree in one be conformable which shall be at
had passed at the fountaine of the sauages with them and were fully determined that if it were certainly Rosicleer did ouertake him that first they would consent to their owne death rather then he should receiue any harme for that they were all thrée of them such friends vnto Rosicleer that except it were the king Sacridoro in all the whole world hée had not the like So they waied their ankers hoist sailes began to take their iourney after the other ships with as much saile as euer they could make they did nauigat through the great ocean sea with as much spéed as euer they could the king Oliuerio returned back againe vnto his citie pallace very heauy sorrowfull wheras straight waies with great speed he began to gather together people for the warâ—… Writing vnto the mightiest kings in all christendome desiring them for to aide succour him with all the people that were possible for the furniture of his wars giuing them to vnderstand the great iniuries which he had receiued of the emperour of Greece his son how greatly he was bound for to reuenge himself of the same Wheras the history doth leaue them all time doth serue for to tell you of the knight of the Sun who remained at y e broken citie of Troy of y e troian Oristedes who was trauailing towards the gran Cataia ¶ How the Troyan Oristedes came vnto the Court of the Emperour Alicandro and gaue him vnderstanding of the comming of the â—…rinceffe Lindabrides Chapter 61. THe history saith that Oristedes the Troian made so great spéed in his iourney towards the gran Cataia wheras the emperour Alicandro was after that he had passed the first two Scithias in the end of fiftie daies he entered into the third which did belong vnto the Emperour Alicandro the gran Cataia was in the confines of the third Scithia which fallethmore towards the Orient vnder the which was the mighty emperour of Tartaria the great many other kingdomes subiect vnto the emperour Alicandro wherby he was estéemed to be the mightiest lord in the world Besids all this all the kingdomes Lordships of the Orient were subiect to him So when this good knight Oristedes was entred into the third Scithia within one moonth after be entred into the gran Cataia wher hée vnderstood that the emperour was in â—… citie called Neptaia which had aboue an hundreth fiftie thousand householdes within the wals when he came vnto the said citie he went vnto the pallaice entring in therat he found the Emperour in the great hall accompanied with many kings and Lords that were his subiects And entring in therat he pulled of his helme went knéeled downe before that mightye Emperour for to kisse his hands but he who knew him very well very glad for to see him ther made him to arise vp on his feet againe did embrace him saying Oristedes my very good friend thy absence hath not caused vnto me so much sorow grieâ—…e as now tâ—…y comming doth cause me to be glad and ioyfull Then Oristedes said my good lord emperour you shall receiue much more contentment when that you dooe vnderstand the newes that I dooe bring vnto you for that you shall vnderstand that the princes Lindabrides your daughter is comming very nigh vnto this country doth bring in hir company a knight the most valiant est that euer the gods did create in all the world and hauing the prince Meridian your son trauailed throughout many countries till he came vnto the empâ—…re of Grecia neuer could find any one knight that in bounty force was equall vnto him But this alone knight who did ouercome me in equall battaile since hée hath defended the beauty of the Princes Lindabrides with the best knights that is in the world And when he came vnto Troy whereas I doo dwell defending the passage of the bridge kept by old antiquitie hauing battaile with him hee ouercame me And at his coÌ„mandement I am come hether for to bring you newes of their comming And for that you shall sée vnderstand how fauourably the gods hath béene vnto the princes in giuing vnto hir so valiant a knight you shall vnderstand that if hee dooe excéede in bounty of knighthood there is no lacke in him of maiestie and high estate for that hee is sonne vnto the Emperour of Grecia béeing accounted the mightyest Prince that is amongest all the Christiane So when the Emperour Alicandro hadde well vnderstoode all that Oristedes hadde tolde him hée was so full of ioy and mirth that hée thought that in all his life he neuer receiued the one halfe of so great comfort pleasure for that he louod the princes Lindabrides much more then the prince Meridian And would giue a good part of his estate so that the Princesse might remaine with the whole Empire And for that he was fully certified of the high bounty of Oristedes of the prince Meridian his sonne That he was certaine suer that the knight that should ouercome them in battaile should surmount all other knights in the whole world And so with great ioy he did embrace Oristedes gaue him great thanks for his comming All the other lords and knights that were in the great hall they were greatly amazed when they vnderstoode that one alone knight did ouercome in battaile two such valiant knights as they were For that they thought verily that in all the world could not bée found others that could be equall vnto them So strayght waies the Emperour Alicandro caused these newes to bée published throughout all his kingdome lordship commanding all his vâ—…ssailes subiects to prepare make themselues in a redines to be at the great triumphs feasts which hée doth pretend to make at the mariage of the princes Lindabrides his daughter All this while the knight of the Sun went tranailing in his triumphant chariot the more that y e conuersation of the princes did continue so much the more dyd his hart burne in the flaming fier of hir loue in such sort y t he neuer remembred the faire princes Claridiana neither the emâ—…erour his father nor Rosicleer his brother neither his two perfect friends Brandizel Clauerindo of all his memory he was cleane void forgetting his owne naturall country all transported kindled in the amorous loue of the princes and onely in contemplating himselfe in beholding hir great beautie was all his ioy delight so that he remembred no other thing Wherat none ought much to meruaile for that the surpassing beautye of this noble princes accompanyed with so high and soueraigne maiestie was such that I doo beleeue that there was neuer knight borne in this world that kéeping continuall company with hir as the knight of the Sun dead hauing before him that perillous sight that could cléere himselfe or withstand the firie darts of loue although
we may well dessemble the great loyalty that it told of other knights for that it is to tell of things surmounting nature or els it is so â—…ar to extoll knights for to make them to beare off to be men So that if the knight of the Sun with the presence of the princesse had forgot himselfe to the contrary the princes with the presence of him was the pleasantest lady in all the world receiued great contentment onely in thinking that at their comming vnto the court of the emperour hir father their marriage should straight wayes be celebrated So after that they had trauailed one mooneth in the mighty Asia they entred into the second Scithia wheras they saw so many so strange formes of people and customes that the Knight of the Sun went very much amazed and although many things worthy of telling hapned vnto them in this iourny yet this history doth leaue them for that if he should detaine himselfe in telling of them he shuld leaue off to declare the principall for that the greater part is vntold To conclude in the end they entred into the country oâ—… the gran Cataia Then the emperour when he vnderstood that they were within a daies iourney of Neptaia whereas hée was hée went foorth to méet them accompanied with morâ—… then fiftie kings lords his subiects euery one a crowne 〈◊〉 gold vpon his head and more then a thousand knights thaâ—… went in gard And when they came whereas they met thâ—… triumphant chariot they alighted from their horses wenâ—… kissed the hands of the princes Lindabrides embraced thâ—… knight of the Sun hée receiued them with great ioy coâ—…tentment when the emperour drew nigh the knight of thâ—… Sun knéeled downe before him for to kisse his hands but thâ—… emperor with great pleasure meruailed at his mightie prâ—…portion gallant semblance would not consent therevntâ—… but embraced him with great loue kissed him saying dooe desire the high mighty gods my sonne to graunt you health that you may enioy many yéeres your youthfulnesse for that your comming into this country hath made me very glad ioyfull And I doo desire them my good lord said the knight of the Sun to preserue your person emperiall estat for that all we your subiects may doo our duties in your seruice Then Oristedes the troyan came vnto him as one that had a great desire to see him the knight of the Sun embraced him with great loue all those kings knights meruailed much at his mightie proportion musing how that 〈◊〉 knight of so few yéeres should consist so great force streÌ„gth So after that all had giuen him entertainment the emperour went vnto the triumphaÌ„t chariot ascended vp into it the faire princes did fall downe vpon hir knees kissed his hands the emperour likewise kissed hir receiued hir with great loue passing béetwéene them many words of great pleasure he set himself downe in the triumphant chariot in the midst betwéene the princes the knight of the Sun all the other kings lords mounted vpon their horses compassed the Chariot round about taking their iourney towards the mightie Citie of Neptaya whereas of an infinit number of people as well women as men with great solempnitie they were receiued being all much amazed at his gentle and gallant disposition Likewise the knight of the Sun did very much meruaile at the mighty greatnes of that citie and of the great abundance of people that were therin and saide vnto himselfe that not without great reason the Emperour was estéemed for the mightiest Prince in all the world So likewise when they came vnto the mightie pallace he was no lesse amazed to sée the great sumptuousnes and riches thereof for that in all his life hée neuer saw the like no not by a great deale for that it seemed â—…o bée a citie compassed about with verye strong walles and high towers When they came thether they all alighted from their horses entred into that mighty pallace whereas they passed away the rest of the day that remained all that night in great solempne feasts And it was concluded amongst theÌ„ all that within fifteene daies they should begin to make the great triumphs feasts for the mariage of the knight of the Sun the princes Lindabrides at the which triumph shal be present the most strongest king and knights in all the pagan country for to see by experience the great bounty that hath ben published of the knight of the Sun who all this time receiued great ioy contentment for the time drew on to finish his great desire although the loue of the princes hir great desert were the principall occasion that he should bée desirous to marry with hir Likewise considered he might thinke himselfe happye to haue to wife the daughter of so mightie an emperour heire vnto so high estate With this determination firme loue he passed away that time verie much honored of the emperour respected of all those lords kings his vassailes for that they all had a great delight pleasure in him Whom the historye doth leaue at the present to tell of other things that hapned in the meane time ¶ How the two Princes Brandizel and Clauerindo departed from the Court of the Emperour Trebatio what happened vnto them being at the sea Chapter 62. AFter the departure of the knight of the Sun the two princes Brandizel Clauerindo did a bide certaine daies in the court of the emperour Trebatio of whom likewise of all his knights they were honoured esteemed by reason of the great loue which the Prince Brandizel bare vnto the princesse Clarinea she could not take any rest nor be at quiet Sâ—… vpon aÌ„ day béeing in conuersation with his friend Claueryndo hee sayd That for so much as the Knight of the Sunne was not there with them mée thinckes it should bée good in the meane time till hée returned agayne to fly from this idlenesse in the which wee are and to go and seeke some aduentures for to increase our honour and to exercise militarie Knighthood The which counsayle lyked the Prince very well and vnderstanding the will of Brandizell hée strayght wayes sayde that hee should dooe all that his pleasure was for that hee should receyue great contentment therein So both of them asked lisence of the Emperour for to depart promising him to returne againe so soone as they heard that the Knight of the Sunne was returned agayne So the Emperor although very much against his will and by theyr great importunancie did grant leaue vnto them So these two perfect friends departed from Constantinople and when they came vnto the waters side they entered into a ship which they found readie to depart towards the kingdome of Polonia After that they were departed had sayled on theyr voyage foure dayes there beegan to
declared vnto Flamides the great loue which hee bare vnto Lindaraza and â—…esired him that he might haue the carrying of her vnto the Court of the Emperour hir father for that his determinaâ—…ion was to demaund hir for his wife and according vnto â—…he great loue and friendship that was beetwixt them they â—…éeleeued verily that shee should not bée denyed Then Flamines who receiued greater contentment thereat then at any other thing sayd that hée was very well content and that hée should doo him great pleasure therein So béetwixt them both it was consented that they all together should depart from thence the next day Whereas this Historie dooth leaue them till time dooth serue for to tell you what happened vnto the Prince Brandizel How the Prince Brandizel was deliuered from the torment of the Sea and what happened vnto him afterwards Chapter 63. IN great peril to be drowned the prince Brandizel found himselfe in that furious torment which chaunced vnto them at the Sea but God would not permit that such a knight as hée was should dye but first to acknowledge his Christian lawe dyd direct his fortune in such sort that the planke wheron he swam was carryed by those vniuersall and great rouling waues vnto the shoare which séemed to bée very good fresh and fertiel When this wearyed and afflicted Prince was a land hée knew the Countrie for that hée had béene in it béefore and it was the kingdome of Polonia whereas hée did deliuer and cleere out of the power of the Gyant the fayre Princesse Clarinea his Lady and for that hée knew the Countrie very well one way hée was very sad and sorrowfull for the great perill in the which remained hir very friend Clauerindo otherwise hée was the gladdest man in all the world for that hée was in that Countrie and so nigh vnto the Princesse his Lady but when hée considered with himselfe that hée was on foot and so euill intreated with the sea hee was ashamed so to shew himselfe béefore the King neyther knew hée noâ—… what to doo nor whether hee might goe for to remedie him selfe in that necessitie The time of the yéere as then was very hot and after that hée had dryed himselfe in the Sun hée put himselfe into a gallant fresh greene Forrest which was along the sea side comming vnto a fountaine of very cleere 〈◊〉 christalline water shadowed with boughs of verye greene 〈◊〉 odoriferous treâ—…s he stooped and dronke of the same wateâ—… after he had well refreshed himsâ—…lfe he saâ—…e downe vpon 〈◊〉 gréene grasse pulled off his helme laid himselfe downe what with the pittering of the leaues of the trees 〈◊〉 with the pleasant aire likewise with the swéet noise of the running of the water he fell in a sound sleepe being ther a 〈◊〉 the king of Polonia who was on hunting in the same forrest chanced with his knights for to come vnto the same place when the king his knights did first see him they were greatly amazed to see a knight of so gentle disposition to lie along vpon the grasse especially in that place but by reason his helme was off they did very much behold him in the end they knew him to be the prince Brandizel 〈◊〉 great friâ—…nd at the which he was greatly amazed for to see him ther alone without any horse yet was he the gladst man in all the world did alight from his horse went vnto him and shaking him by the armes the prince did awake out of his sleepe when he knew the king he was much amazed with a trise hee arose vp and went for to kisse his hands but the king who did loue him very well did embrace him with gâ—…eat loue and asked him how he came into that country all alone by what aduenture To whom y e prince said with great desire to serue your 〈◊〉 there he declareâ—… vnâ—…o him all that hapned vnto him vnto the prince Clauerindo vnderstanding all the king was very sorowfull for the great perill and danger in the which the prince Clauerindo remained although he thought all for the best was very glad to see in that country the prince Brandizel for that he had a great dâ—…sire to maâ—…ie him vnto the princes Clarinea his daughter for that it séemed vnto him to be one of the beâ—…t knights in all the world So after that there had passed béetwixt them manye things the king commaunded a horse to be giuen vnto the prince so they departed together vnto the citie of Poloniâ—… which was but foure miles from that place whereas they were meruailouâ—…ly well reteined but especially of the princes whose ioy pleasure was such that it could not be rehersed at such time as she vnderstood of the comming of him whom hir hart so greatly desired and whom she thougâ—…t so long for his comming The history cannot héere detaine him selfe long but onely how that the prince remained ther certaine daies in the which time the wise Lirgandeo vnderstanding the great care in the which he was in for that he duâ—…st not marie himselfe without the lisence of his father did send him letters from the king Florion and from the quéene his mother by the which they gaue him lisence to mary with the princesse Clarinea desired him to returne sée them so soone as it was possible the prince being glad therof dyd shew them vnto the king who likewise did reioyce therat So straight wsies the mariage was made in such sort that the prince did inioy the princesse Clarineo wheras the history doth leaue them till time doth serue ¶ Of the great triumphs feasts that were made in the court of the Emperour Alycandro Chapter 64. THe day drew on in the which the mariage of the knight of the Sun with the princesse Lindabrides should be celebrated the whole citie of Neptaia with the wide broad fields were all furnished with valiant worthy well estéemed knights which séemed to be a mightie army amongst them ther lacked not high mightie kings valiant stout knights for that all the flower of the pagans were ioyned together in the court of the emperour Alicandro Wherat the knight of the Sun was greatly amazed for that if he had not séene it he could not haue beléeued that the power os any one Lord in all the world could not haue extended so far At this time the knight of the Sun was estéemed and honoured of all those mightie kings Lords and knights who thought long for the day of the triumphs for to sée by experience some part of his great bountie that was so noised abroad for that they could not beléeue that he should bée of so great force strength but that ther were a great number of pagans in that court that would shew themselues more valiaunter then he In this time the great ioy contentment which the
language mighty king Captayne or Champyon and was Lord ouer the Iland Serpentaria which is the most biggest and principallest amongst all the Orientall Ilands The wise Artemidoro sayth that this was hée that dyd compile the mightie déedes of he Knight of the Sunne in those parts whereas this Bradaman dwelt was the most mightiest and valyauntest Gyaunt that euer was seene and hee who had most power ouer all the Gyaunts of the Orient all Ilands for that by reason of the great fiercenesse of that nation there was neuer any that had so much power as to bring them into subiection but in the time of this Bradaman Campeon they were constrayned to bée subiect vnto him in such sort that in onely hearing him named they did tremble and quake and in respect of him they did not onely take him to bée theyr Lord but did also serue and obey all such kings as were put in by him into any of those Ilands and would not suffer any for to raigne longer then it was his will and pleasure This great Campeon seeing his strong companyons so ouerthrowen and loose the victorie hée receiued thereat neyther sorrow nor griefe but was rather very glad and ioyfull to sée the great valour of that knight for that as he hoped to to ouercome him he might theÌ„ the better shew foorth his great bountie although it seemed vnto him to get verie little honour in ouercomming of him considering the great encounters and iusts which hée had made béefore with so many Gyants and Knights and approching vnto the knight of the Sunne vpon his mighty Elophant which seemed to bée a great tower hée sayde Sir Knight thou oughtest to haue thy selfe in great estimation for that thou hast with so great lightnesse ouerthrowen my companions which are the most strongest Gyants in all my Kingdomes and for that thou shalt not deceiue thy selfe of thy victorie the which thou hast got of them neyther thy bountie to make thée so hardie for to enter with mée alone into contention I will giue thée to vnderstand that I am Bradaman Campeon Lord ouer the Orientall Ilands hée that if all the Knights in the world were ioyned together in the 〈◊〉 agaynst him hée dooth thinke to put them vnto the sword first beefore they should ouercome him by armes Likewise â—…or that I would not that the reproch of my companions should bée left vnreuenged I will giue thée this libertie for to choose fiftie knights of the best that thou canst find in all this company and that you come all together to combat with mee and not to let mée take any rest till such time as I doo kill and vanquish you all The great brauerie of the Gyant for all that dyd not put any feare into this worthy knight although he séemed vnto him to be one of the most deformedst of stature that euer he saw in all his life yet his valyant courage was such that with the help of god he hoped to abate his pride with that confidence he answered said I do giue thée great thanks Bramadan for this tale which y u hast tolde vnto mee although for to giue occasion to haue thée in greater estimation it had been better that an other had giuen mee to vnderstand of thy great fame and not told me by thy selfe For that there can nothing be wel done wheÌ„ that it is aduanced and set foorth by the dâ—…er thereof but must néedes loose a great part of the â—…ertue and touching that whereas thou sayst that I should choose vnto mée fifty Knights for to help mée I giue thée no thanckes for the same for that I am fullie perswaded that thou doost it for vaine-glorie and to boast thy selfe more than for any honour or profit thou doost meane towards mée therefore take vnto thée thy weapon and come forth against mée for with the fauour and help of God one of lesser stature then thou art although his better seruant did quell a Gyant as thou art so likewise may I ouercome thee for that thou mayst the better know the great miracles of god and how mighty they are Bradaman who very well vnderstood what the Knight of the Sunne had sayd makeing a great laughter hée sayd Knight if béefore I had thée in reputatioâ—… of valyaunt I now accompt thée for simple and foolish for that thou wilt attempt things that are béeyond nature and vnpossible so that I doo accompt it rather to folly then to any manhoode or strength take into thy companie the Knights which I doo will thee otherwise it will bée a great reproch to mée when it shall bée knowen in my Countrie that I doo take a speare to iust with one alone Knight Then the Knight of the Sunne sayd it is more honour to ouercome one knight than to bée ouercome by one hundreth And if in thy Countrie it bée a great shame for to iust agaynst one alone Knight so lykewise 〈◊〉 my countrie a great dishonour wheÌ„ it shall bee knowen that for to combat with thée I séeke companie and help therefore I will combate with thee alone if thou wilt if not make thy returne backe agayne from whence thou camst and let other good Knights come vnto the Iust who dooth thincke long for the Same Bradaman at these words was very angrie and lykewise for the Knight of the Sunne beecause hée would continue with him alone and as one amazed hee remayned not knowing what to dooe one way séeming to bée great necessitie in him to combate with him alone and an other way great reproach and shame to leaue his companions quarrell vnreuenged The Emperour and all those thâ—…t were with him dyd well heare and vnderstand all that passed beetwixt them not a little wondering at the fiercenesse of that monstrous and valiant Gyant and dyd greatly feare his strength and vnreasonable stature séeming vnto them vnpossible that anie humane Knight should ouercome him Now when Bradaman saw that his brauenesse nor importunations dyd little preuayle him to perswade the Knight of the Sunne not to enter into battayle with him alone with great furie hée tourned the raynes of his mightie Elephant and broching him with his spurrs hée 〈◊〉 Well séeing that thy follie hath so disquieted mée if all the Gods in the Heauens should ioyne together with tâ—…eyr powers for to succour and aide thée yet shall they not bee sufficient for to deliuer thee out of my hands and more hee sâ—…yd Oâ—… 〈◊〉 and reprochfull Bradaman at the mensioning of whose name all the whole earth almost doth tremble and now one alone knight so valiuant and hardie that hee dare put himselfe in the field against mee how and which way might I take reuengement of this so great oâ—…trage And in saying these words with a mightie great speare in his hand which seemed to bee as bigge as a Pine Tree and as faâ—…t as his Elephant could runne hée went agaynst the Knight of the Sunne who calling vpon God for hâ—…s ayde and
of Greece by reason that the people which doth inhabit on the one side of the fiue armes which procéedeth from Danubia and runneth into the sea Fuxino they are very barbarous furious and beastlie and many times they doo enter into that Countriâ—… and doo very much harme therein And although the Emperour would make a conquest ouer them as diuers times hée hath put it in practise yet hee cannot for that they haue neyther Cities Townes nor villages neyther any dwelling houses but onely great Caues vnder the ground whereas they doo make theyr habitation béecause they are so beastlie and brutish In consideration whereof it dyd behoue the Emperour to haue that bridge very stronge and excéeding well kept and it was for that alongst the Riuer there was none other passage When this valiant Rodaran and the Quéene ariued at that bridge saw it to bée a place very conuenient for their purpose straight way the prince Rodaran did prepare himselfe for to win the same béeing armed in very good order hee tooke the quéene by the hand and without any more company they went towards y e gate of the bridge knocked therat for that they were all alone the gate was straight way opened When they were entered within the first Tower this valiant Rodaran commanded those that were the keepers therof that they should yéeld vp the towers and bridge and that they should depart with quietnesse Who séeing him alone they so many wold not obey his commandement but did procure to defend the towers the bridge and wold not suffer him to perswadge any farther But this valiant Rodaran in a smal time did so béehaue himselfe amongst them that wounding and killing the most part of them the rest were constraynd thought it good for the sauegard of their liues to yéeld and to doo all that hée commaunded them And so they deliuered vnto him all the keyes of the gates and towers and departed thence at their liberty with the losse of the most part of their companions and although they were ashamed so manye to bée slaine and ouercome by one alone Knight which made them to refraine comming into the Emperours presence yet ther did not lack who béefore Rodaran did enter into Constantinople that did aduise the Emperour thereof At such â—…ime as hée came thether hée was very angrie with himâ—…elfe for that hée was so bolde to giue that enterprise and if â—…t had not béene for the disturbing of their great feasts and â—…riumphs which were made there for their sons hée would â—…aue sent thether such as should haue rewarded him vnto â—…is contentment for his boldnesse But when that Rodaâ—…an was come vnto the Court and the Emperour fullie saâ—…sfied of his demaund hée was very glad and ioyefull for that hée had so good opportunity whereby hée should receiue his pâ—…yment for his boldnesse and small account that hée made of him and his estate So when this valyant Rodaran and the Quéene of Carmania saw themselues Lords and gouernours ouer the whole bridge and their Towers they commaunded all those that came in theyr companie to enter in thereat whereas they dyd establish their abiding and caused the ship wherein they came thether which was at the sea to enter into the riuer and to surge close vnto the bridge wheras they did let fall their ancker and made hir very fast for that in the same Ship Rodaran did determine hauing ouercome the most part of the best and principallest knights in all Greece to put them prisoners into the same ship and returne with them into his owne Countrie So after that the Quéene of Carmania had well perused the scituation of the bridges of the towers she saw that the tower that was in the midst of the Bridge was made in such sort that beneath it was round like vnto an arke and hollow without any gate but as broad as the bridge was wheras shée caused the net of yron to bée hanged in the highest part of the hollownesse within in such sort that it could not bée séene nor descerned without but it was so large that it occupied all the bignesse of the vaut within and in such sort the Quéene of Carmania caused it to be hanged that in pullling of a cord ordained for that purpose the whole nâ—…t should fall downe When Rodaran saw the net hanged vp and put in good order he was very desirous to know to what purpose it was put there and did importune the quéene so much that in the end shée was constrained to declare it vnto him saying You shall vnderstand my Lord that the great loue which I dooe beare vnto you hath caused mée to feare that which your valyaunt and singular bountie doth assure mée and put mée in great doubt of and although that I am fully perswaded that there is not in all the world a knight that can compare his bounty vnto yours yet it séemeth vnto mo that hauing to do with so many who wil prooue themselues against you it cannot bée chosen but there must néedes bée some amongst them that will trouble you so much béeing wearie that you shall receiue some harme on your person And therefore béeing mooued with the great loue that I doe beare vnto you I haue caused to bée made and put in this yron net which you sée that at what time so euer béeing in battaile with those Knights you shall finde your selfe to bée in any extremitie that then you may retire your selfe with him whom at that present you doo combat till that you are both right vnderneath this net and béeing there then presently both you and your aduersarie shall take your ease And this Sir is the whole cause and effect why I haue caused this net to bée made And if it bée so that this which I haue done dooe cause in you any disconentment or griefe héere I doo craue pardon and doo request you to attribute the occasion as a fault committed by a woman for when an offence is committed for loue and good will it is the easier to bée pardoned and forgiuen This valiaunt Rodaran in all his life time dyd not receiue so great grife and sorrow as at that present when hée did vnderstand sée what the Quéene had ordayned and it seemed â—…nto him that she had doubt of the victorie that hée hoped to haue of the Greekish Knights yet for all that the loue that hée bare vnto hir was such that hée would not say against that which shée had done but shewing himselfe to bée very angrie for the same hée saide Lady and mistres it doth griue mée very much that the Prince of Arabia is so little knowen vnto you What â—…oo you thinke that in all the world there is one for one â—…hat is of so great strength that of himselfe hée is sufficyâ—… to bring mée into so great extremitie in battaile that I â—…hall bée driuen to séeke for rest and succour for to bring
â—…nto an ende this my enterprise which I haue vndertaâ—… And if the battell which I had with the Prince Meridian in your kingdome of Carmania doth cause you to suspect or haue any doubt in mée You doo well vnderstand that the occasion doth grow by the Deitie that is in him of the immortall gods from whom hée all his progenitors doth desend and would not consent nor suffer that by any humane knight he should bée ouercome so that our battell was separated without any victorie of eyther of our part The which was no small fauour and honour vnto mée that the Gods would make mée equall vnto their diuine bountie And séeing that the Prince Meridian is hée who onely is pertaker of the diuine Deitie and no vauntage betwixt vs two for very certaine sure I may account the victorie of my part against the Gréekish Knights without thinking of any néede of help in the bataile that I shall haue with them The Quéene was very discréete and wise and with hir amorous and sweet words dyd pacifie him in such sort that the net dyd still remaine as shée had commaunded it to bée put for a farther effect then shée dyd giue Rodaran to vnderstand And although at that time it did cause in him great anger and griefe yet béefore many daies had passed hée receiued great contentment and pleasure therein so that this was the occasion that mooued this valiant Rodaran and the Quéene of Carmania to come vnto the Court of the Emperour Trebatio and the occasion of this their demaund How the Prince Rodamarte went vnto the bridge of Iaspe for to combat with the valiaunt Rodaran Chapter 39. WIth great care and small rest the â—…alyaunt Prince Rodamarte did passe away the night thincking long till the morning was come for to depart vnto the bridge of Iaspe for to combat with Rodaran for that the day béefore he liked him very well séemed to be a knight of great valour Yet for all that he was of so valiant a courage that he had no feare of his might big proportion but very early in the morning before that the sun had couered the earth he was armed with very strong armour his horse trymmed dressed very richly with cloth of gold which did signifie vnto all people his high estate So in this sort he went foorth of Constantinople with but onely one page which did carry his speare his shéeld And hauing his minde occupied on the loue of the princesse Analiria he trauailed so much that the next day he came vnto the bridge of the Iaspe But Rodaran the quéene with great quietnesse contentment did abide the comming of the gréekish knights So when Rodamarte came vnto the gate of the first tower he found that it was fast shut he commanded his page to call there at who with the ring that hong at the gate he gaue great and mighty blowes straight way apeared one of the kéepers out of a window somewhat high perceiuing that it was a Knight of the emperour Trebatio he willed him to tarrye a while the gate should be opened vnto him The kéeper straight way went told his Lord Rodaran who incontinently did arme himselfe with his strong rich armour and requested the Quéene that she would with hir owne hands help him said Lâ—…dy now shal you 〈◊〉 the difference that is betwixt the greekish Knights your 〈◊〉 and how euill shalbe accomplished the prouisâ—…es of that king of Gedrosia So when that all things was in very â—…ood order he commaÌ„ded that the gate of the first tower shâ—…uld be open so that y e Prince Rodamarte did enter in there at and comming on the Bridge in the space that was betwixt the first Bridge and the second which was as long as y e corse of a good horse might indure There he found Rodaran mounted on Horse backe with his speare in his hand who was so bigge and of so great stature that he lacked but little to be as bigge as a giant And at the farther end of the great space that was from the first tower vnto the middle tower vnder the vaut therof was the queene Carmania sitting in a chaire of estate with cushions pillowes of cloth of gold very richly curiously wrought with silk So when the prince came vnto the place wheras Rodaran was he did salute him very curteously said Thou shalt vnderstand Rodaran that I am a knight of the Emperour Trebatio one of them that thou didst disceiue openly in the great hall of his Court. And for the loue of a faire Lady whom I doe serue I am come hether for to chastise thée for thy great folly which thou spakest beefore the most fairest damsels most valiantest knights in all the world Therfore turne thy horse for to Iust with mée or els turne deny all that thou spakest ther. With great laughter disdaine Rodaran answered vnto the prince Rodamarte said of a truth knight if that my Lady the quéene of Carmania were not before me in presence possible it were better for me to deny that which I haue spoken then to iust w t you for that you doe seeme to be a gentill valiant knight But for so much as she is present I know not how to excuse my selfe but first consent to loose my life then to commit any such offence Therfore as reason doth require séeing that you do know who I am let me likewise know by whom I shall be ouercome I am said he Rodamarte prince of Cypres vassayle vnto the emperour Trebatio Therfore leaue of these thy words let vs come to the effect of déedes y t thou maist beléeue of certainty that which thou hast now spoken in mockage gesting Unto the immortall gods I doe giue great thanks said Rodaran for that so far as I can perceiue by your gentil semblance that you do seme to be a knight of great estimation if my iudgement doe not disceiue me And therewith all these two valiant knights did depart the one from the other Rodamarte toward the foote of the bridge whereas he entred in Rodaran toward the place whereas the quéene was And when he came nigh vnto hir with great pride hée saide Lady I pray you to giue very good entertainment vnto this prisoner for that he is the prince of cypresse And therewith all the one moued against the other with so great fury that it séemed the bridge did shake vnder them And in the midst of their swift course these two made their encounter in such sort that their sâ—…aues were sheuered in péeces they passed forwardes on without any mouing by the force thereof till such time as they iustled together with their bodies horse man And by reason that the valyant Rodaran was bigger of body of more force strength he stroke the prince in such sort that he ouerthrew him horse all to