eternall Maiestie of Heauen neuer to proffer the like iniurie againe but to liue in brotherly coÌ„cord and vnitie till the dissolution of their earthly bodyes So in all hast they went vnto the King and certefied him of all things that had happened and falling vpon theyr knées before his Maiestie requested at his hands the honour of Knighthood and leaue to depart in the pursute of their Father and the other Champions that were fallen in great distresse The King purposing to accomplish their desires and to fulfill their requests presently condiscended and not onely gaue them the honour of Knighthood but furnished them with rich abiliments of warre answerable to their magnanimious mindes First he frankly bestowed vppon them thrée stately Palphryes bred vpon the bright mountaines of Sardinia in collour like to an Irone gray bewtifyed with siluer hayres and in pace more swifter then the Spanish Ginets which be a kinde of horse ingendred by the winds vpon the Alpes that be certaine craged mountaines that deuide the Kingdomes of Italy and Spaine in bouldnes and courage they were like to Beucephalus the horse of Macedonian Alexander or to Caesars steedes that neuer daunted in the field for they were trapped with rich trappings of golde after the Moroco fashion with Saddels framed like vnto Irone chaires with backs of Stéele and their foreheads were beautified with spangled plumbes of purple feathers whereon hung many golden pendants the king likewise bestowed vpon them thrée costly swoords wrought of purest Lidian stéele with Launces bound about with plates of brasse at the toppes thereof hung silken Streamers beautified with the English Crosse being the crimson bâ—dge of Knight hood and honor of aduenterous champions Thus in this Royall manner rode these thrée young Knights from the City of London in companie of the King with a traine of Knights and gallant Gentlemen which conducted them vnto the Sea side where they left them vnto their future fortunes and returned backe to the English Couâ—t Now is Saint Georges sonnes noting 〈…〉 of the Seas making their first aduentures in the world that after â—ges might aplaude their atchiuement and inrole theyr fames in the records of honor heauen prosper them succesfully and gentle fortune smile vpon their trauailes for thrée brauer knightâ— did neuer crosse the seas nor make their aduentures into straunge Countries CHAP. III. How Saint Georges sonnes after they vvere knighted by the English King trauailed towards Barbarie and how they redeemed the Dukes Daughter of Normandie from rauishment that was assayled in a vvood by three tavvnie Negroes and also of the tragicall tale of the Virgins strange miserie vvith other acdents that happened MAny daies had not these thrée magnanimous knights indured y e dangers of the swelling waues but with a prosperous and succesfull winde they arriued vpon the territories of France where beeing no sooner safely set on shoare but they bountifully rewarded theyr Marriners betooke themselues to their intended trauells Now began their costly trapped Sâ—eeds to pace it like the scudding Windes and â—ith their warlike hooues to thunder on the beaten passages now began true honour to florish in their princely brests and the renowne of their Fathers atchieuements to incourage their desires Although but tender youth sate bunding on their chéekes yet portly manhood triumpht in their harts and althogh their childish armes as yet neuer tried the painfull aduentures of Knighthood yet bâ—re they high and princely cogitations in as great estâ—eme as when their Father â—lewe the burning Dragon in Aegypt for preseruation of their mothers life Thus trauelled they to the further Parts of the Kingdome of France guided onely by the direction of fortune without anie aduenture worth the noting till at last ryding through a mightie Forrest standing on the Borders of Lusitania they heard a farre off as it were the rufull cryes of a distressed woman which in this manner filled the ayre with the Eccho of her moanes Oh heauens sayd shee bee kinde and pittifull vnto a Maiden in distresse and send some happy passengers that may deliuer me from these inhumans monsters This wofull and vnexpected noyse caused the Knights to alight from their horses and to sée the euent of this accident So after they had tied their Stéeds to the bodie of a Pine trée by the reynes of their bridles they walked on foote into the thickest of the Forrest with their weapons drawne reaeie to withstand anie assailment whatsoeuer as they drew néerer to the distressed Uirgin they heard her breathe foorth this pittie moouing lamentation the second time Come come some curteous Knight or els I must forgoe that precious Iewell which all the world can neuer againe recouer These words caused them to make the more spéed and to run the néerest way for the Maidens succour At last they approached her presence where they found her tyed by the locks of her owne haire to the trunke of an orenge trée and thrée cruel and inhumane Negroes standing readie to despoyle her of her chastitie and with their lusts to blast the blooming bud of her swâ—ete and vnspotted Uirginitie But when Saint Georges Sonnes beheld her louelye countenance besmeareâ— in dust that before was as beautifull as roses in milke and heâ— christall eyes the perfed patternes of the Lampes of heauen inbrewd in floods of teares at one instance they ran vpon the Negroes and sheathed their angry weapons in their loathsome bowels the leachers being slaine their bloods sprinckled about the Forrest and their bodies cast out as a pray for rauenous beastes to féede vpon they vnbound the Mayden and like curteous Knightes demaunded the cause of her captiuity and by what meanes she came into that solitarie Forrest Most Noble Knights quoth shée and true renounded men at armes to tell the cause of my passed miseries were a pricke vnto my soule and the discourse thereof will burst my heart with griefe but considering your Nobilities the which I perceiue by your Princely behauiours and your kinde curtesies extended towards me being a Uirgin in distresse vnder the hands of these lustfull Negroes whom you haue iustly murdred shall imbolden me though vnto my hearts great griefe to discourse the first cause of my miserable fortune My Father quoth shee whilst gentle fortune smilde vpon him was a Duke and sole commaunder of the state of Normandy a countrie now scituated in the kingdom of Fraunce whose lands reuenewes in his prosperitie was so great that hee continually kept as stately a traine both of Knights and gallant gentlemen as any Prince in Europe whereat the King of France greatly enuied and by bloody warres deposed my Father from his princely dignitie who for sauegard of his life in company of mee hys onely heire and daughter betooke vs to these solletarie woods where euer since we haue secretly remained in a poore â—ell or hermitage y e which by our industrious paines hath béen builded with plants of Uines and â—aken bows and couered ouer head with
haue my heart parted in twaine by the handes of him that is my greatest enemie then to remaine without your companie swéete mother let these my youthfull yéeres and this my gréene budding beauty incourage you still to reuiue and not to leaue me comfortles like an exile in the world but if the gloomy fates doe triumph in your death and abridge your breathing ayre of life and that your soule must néedes goe wander in the Elizian shades with Trufas shaddowe and with Didoes ghost héere doe I protest by the greate and tender loue I beare you and by the due obedience that I owe vnto your age either to deliuer this your letter into the hands of my vnkinde father or with these my ruthful fingers rent my heart in sunder and before I will forget my vow the siluer streamed Tygris shall forsake her course the sea her tides and the glistering Quéene of night her vsuall changes neither shal any forgetfulnes be an occasion to withdraw my minde from performing your dying requestes Then this weak Quéene whose power and strength was wholie decaied and that her houre of death drew néere at hand with a féeble voice she said O you sacred immortal Gods and all you bright celestiall powers of heauen iâ—to your deuine bosomes now do I commend my dying soule asking no other reuengmeÌ„t against y e causer of my death but that he may die like mée for want of loue After this the dead Quéene neuer spake word more for at that instant the cruell destinies gaue end vnto her life but when Rosana perceiued her to be dead and she left to the world deuoide of comfort shée began to teare the golden tramels from her head and most furiouslye to beat her white and yuorie brest filling the emptie ayre with clamors of her mones and making the skies like an eccho to resound her lamentations and at last taking her mothers letter in her hands washing it with flouds of teares and putting it next vnto her naked brest she said héer lye thou neare adioining to my bléeding heart neuer to be remoued vntil I haue performd my mothers dying testiment O work and the last worke of those her white and yuorie hands heere doe I sweare by the honor of true Uirgins not to part it from my bléeding bosom vntil such time as loue hath rent the disloyall heart of my vnkinde father and in speaking this shée kissed it a thousand times breathing forth millions of sighes and straight with a blushing countenance as radient as Auroras glistring beames she arose said what is this Rosana dost thou thinke to recall thy mothers life with ceremonious complaints and not performe that which by her was commanded thée arise arise I say gather vnto thy selfe strength and courage and wander vp and downe the world till thou hast found thy disloyal Father as thy true heart hath promised to doe These words being no sooner finished but Saint Georges Sonnes like men whose hearts were almost ouercome with griefe came from the pine trees and discouered themselues to the Damsell and curteously requested her to discourse the storie of all her passed mizeries and as they were true christian knights they promised her if it lay in their powers to release her sorrows and to giue end vnto her mizeries This Rosana when shée behelde these curteous and well dâ—meanur'd knights which in her conceit caried relenting mindes and how kindly they desired to be partners in her griefes she stood not vpon curious tearmes nor vpon vaine â—xceptions but most willingly condescended to their requests so when they had prepared their eares to entertaine her sad and sorrowfull discourse with a sober countenance shee began in this manner Lately I was quoth she whilst fortune smild vpon me the onely childe and daughter of this liueles Quéene that you beholde héer lying dead and she before my birth whilst heauen graunted her prosperitie was the maiden Quéene of a Countrie called Armenia adioyning neare vnto this vnhappie Iland whome in her yong yéeres when her beautie began to florish and her high renowne to mount vpon the wings of fame she was intrapped with the golden baite of blind Cupid so intangled with the loue of a disloyall knight cal'd the Knight of the black Castle who after he had florisht in the spoyle of her Uirginitie and had left his fruitful seede springing in her womb grew wearie of his loue and most discurteously left her as a shame vnto her Countrie and a staine vnto her kindred and after gaue himself to such lustfull and lasciuious manner of life that hee vnlawfullie maried a shepheards daughter in a forraine land and likewise rauished her own sister and after committed her most in humane slaughter in a solitarie woode this being done he fortified himselfe in his blacke Castle onely consorted with a cunning Nigromancer whose skill in magick is so excellent that al the knights in the world can neuer conquere the Castle where euer since hee hath remained in despight of the whole earth But now speake I of the tragical storie of my vnhappy mother when as I her vnfortunate babe beganne first to strugle in her womb wherin I wold I had bene strangled she heard newes of her knights ill demeanure and how he had wholly giuen himself to the spoile of virginitie and had for euer left her loue neuer intending to returne again the grief wherof so troubled her mind that she could not in any wise desemble it for vpoÌ„ a time being amongst her Ladies calling to remembrance her spotted Uirginitie and the séede of dishonor planted in her wombe she felt into a wonderfull and strange traunce as though she had béen oppressed with sodain death which when her Ladies and damsels beheld they presently determined to vnbrace her rich ornaments and to carrie her vnto her bed but she made signes with her handes that they should depart and leaue her alone whose commaundement they strait way obayed not without great sorrow of them all their loues were so déere This afflicted Quéen when she saw that she was alone began to exclaime against her fortune reuealing the fates with bitter exclamations O vnconstant Quéene of chance said shee thou that hast warped such strange webs in my kingdom thou that gauest my honor to that tirants lust which without al remorse hath left me comfortles t is thou that didst constraine me to set my life to sale to sel my honor as it were with the crier compelling me to do that which hath spotted my Princely estate and stain'd my bright honor with blacke infamie woe is me for my virginity y t which my parents gaue me charge to haue respect vnto but I haue carelessely kept it smally regarded iâ— I will therefore so chastice my body for thus forgetting of my selfe and be so reuenged for the little regarde that I haue made of my honour that it shall be an example to all noble Ladyes and Princes of high estate
armor and to search about the Castle to sée if hee might finde the place that harbored the Knight that made such sorrowfull lamentation So going vp and downe she by corners of the Castle all the latter part of the night without finding the aduenture of this strange voice or disturbance by any other meanes but that he was hindred from his naturall and quiet sléepes but by the breake of day when the darke night bâ—gan to withdraw her sable curtaines and to giue Aurora libertie to explayne her purple brightnesse he entred into a foure square parlor hunge rounde about with blacke cloth and other mournfull habiliments where on the one side of the same he sawe a tombe all couered likewise with blacke and vppon it there lay a man with a pale colour who at certaine times gaue moste meruelous and gréeuous sighes caused by the burning flames that procéeded from vnder the tombe being such that it séemed that his body therewith should bee conuerted into coales the flame thereof was so stincking that it made Saint George somewhat to retyre himselfe from the place where hee sawe that horrible and fearefull spectacle He which lay vpon the tombe casting his eyes aside espied Saint George and knowing him to be a humane creature with an inflicted voyce he said Who art thou Sir Knight that art come into this place of sorrow where nothing is heard but clamors of feare and terror But tell me said Saint George who art thou that with so much griefe dast demaund of me that which I stand in doubt to reueale to thée I am the King of Babilon answered hee which without all consideration with my cruell hand did pearce through the white and dilicate brest of my beloued daughter woe be to me and woe vnto my soule therefore for shee at once did pay her offence by death but I a most mizerable wretch with many tormentes doe dye lyuing When this worthy Champion Saint George was about to answere him he saw come foorth from vnder the tombe a damsell who had her hayre of a yellow and wan colour hanging downe about her shoulders and by her face she séemed that she should be verie strangely afflicted with tormentes and with a sorrowfull voyce shee said Oh vnfortunate Knight what doest thou séeke in this infernall lodging where cannot be giuen thée any other pleasure but mortall torment and there is but one thing that can cleare thée from them and this cannot be tolde thée by any other but by me yet I will not expresse it except thou wilt graunt mee one thing that I will aske of thée The English Champion that with a sad countenaunce stood beholding of the sorrowful damsel and being greatly amazed at the sight which he had séene answered and said The Gods which are gouernours of my liberty wil doe their pleasures but touching the graunt of thy request I neuer denied any lawfull thing to either Lady or Gentle woman but with all my power and strength I was ready to fulfill the same therefore demaunde what thy pleasure is for I am readie in all thinges that toucheth thy remedie And with that the damsell threw her selfe into that sepulcher and with a gréeuous voice she said Nowe moste curteous Knight performe thy promise strike but thrée stroakes vpon this fatall tombe and thou shalt deliuer vs from a world of mizeries and likewise make an ende of our continuall torments Then the inuincible knight replyed in this order whether you be humane creatures said he plaâ—st in this sepulcher by inchauntment or furies raisd from fiery Acheron to worke my confusion or no I know not and there is so little truth in this infernall Castle that I stand in doubt whether I may beléeue thy words or not but yet discourse vnto me the truth of all your passed fortunes and by what â—â—anes you were brought into this place and as I am a true Christian Knight and one that fights in the quarrell of Christ I vow to accomplish whatsoeuer lyeth in my power Then the Damsel began with a gréeuous and sorrowfull lamentation to declare as strange a tragedie as euer was told And lying in the fatall Sepulcher vnséene of Saint George that stood leaning his backe agaynst the wall to heare her discourse and lamentable Storie with a hollow voice like a murthered Ladie whose bléeding soule as yet did féele the terrible stroke at her death shée repeated this pittifull tale following CHAP. XI Of a tragicall Discourse pronounced by a Ladie in a Toombe and hovv her Inchauntment vvas finished by saint George vvith other straunge accidents that hapned to the other Christian Knights IN famous Babylon somtimes reigned a King although a Heathen yet adorned with noble and vertuous customes and had onely one Daughter that was verie faire whose name was Angelica humble wise and chast who was beloued of a mightie Duke a man man wonderfull cunning in the Blacke arte This Magitian had a seuere graue countenance and one that for wisedome better deserued y e gouernment than anie other in the kingdome and was verie well estéemed throughout all Babylon almost equally with the king for the which there ingendred in the kings heart a secret rancour and hatred towards him Thys Magitian cast his loue vppon the yong Princesse Angelica and it was the Gods will that shee should repaye him wyth the same affection so that both theyr hearts beeing wounded with loue the one to the other in such sorte that the fire kindled dayly more and more and neither of them had any other imagination but onelye to loue and not knowing how to manifest their griefes they indured sundry great passions Then loue which continually séeketh occasions did on a time set before this Magician a wayting maid of Angelicaes named Fidela the which thing séemed to be wrought by the immortall power of the Goddesse Venus oh what feare this Magitian was in to discouer vnto her all his heart and to bewray the secrets of his louesicke soule but in the end by the great industrie and diligence of the waighting Maid whose name was answerable vnto her minde there was order giuen that these two louers shuld méete together This faire Angelica for that she could not at her ease enioy her true Louer she did determine to leaue her own naturall Countrey and Father and with this intention being one night with her Loue she cast her armes about his necke and said Oh my swéete and welbeloued Frend séeing that the soueraigne Gods haue béen so kinde to me as to haue my heart linked in thy breast let me not finde in thée ingratitude for that I cannot passe my time except continually I enioye thy sight and doo not muse my Lord at these my words for the entyre loue that I beare to you dooth constraine me to make it manifest And this beléeue of a certaintie that if thy sight be absent from mée it will bée an occasion that my heart will lacke his vitall recreation
presently by his Arte he prepared his yron Chariot with his flying dragons in a readines wherein they layd the murthered bodye of Leoger vppon a pillowe of mystle-toe and likewise placed themselues therein wher in they were no sooner entred with necessaries belonging to their trauelles but they flewe thorowe the ayre more swifter then a whirl-wind or a shippe sayling on the seas in a stormye tempest The wonders that he performed by the way be so many and miraculous that I want an Orators eloquence to discribe them and a Poets skil to expresse them But to bee shorte when Rosana was desirous to eate and that her hunger increased by his charmes he would procure birdes of their owne accordes to fall out of the skyes and yeild themselues vnto their pleasures with all things necessary to suffice their wantes Thus was Rosana with her fathers dead body caryed through the ayre b◠Magicke arte ouer hilles and dales mountaines and valleys wooddes and forrestes townes and Citties and through many both wonderfull and strange places and countries And at the last they arriued néere vnto the confines of Armenia beeing the place of their long desired rest But when they approached néere vnto the Queene of Armenias groue they descended from their inchaunted Chariot and bore Leogers body to his burying place the which they found since Rosanaes departure ouergrowne with mosse and wythered brambles yet for all that they opened the Sepulcher and layd his bodie yet freshly bléeding vpon his Ladies consuming carcasse which beeing done the Magitian couered againe the graue with earth and laid thereon gréene turues which made it séeme as though it neuer had béen opened All the time that the Magitian was perfourming the ceremonious Funerall Rosana watered the earth wyth her teares neuer withdrawing her eyes from looking vppon the Graue and when it was finished shee fell into this most sorrowfull and distresfull lamentation following Oh cruell Destinies said she sith your rigours haue bereaued me of both my Parents left me to the world a comfortlesse Orphane receaue the sacrifice of my chastitie in payment of your vengeaunce and let my blood here shed vpon this Graue shewe the singlenesse of my heart And with the like solemnitie may all their hearts be broken in péeces that séeke the downfall and dishonor of Ladies As she was vttering these and such like sorrowes shee tooke foorth a naked sword which she had readie for the same effect and put the pummell to the ground and cast her breast vpon the poynt The which shee did with such furious violence and such excéeding hast that the Magitian although he was there present could not succour her nor preuent her from committing on her selfe so bloodie a fact This sodaine mischaunce so amazed him and so gréeued his soule that his heart for a time would not consent that his tung should speake one word to expresse hys passion But at last hauing taken a truce with sorrowe and recouering his former speach he tooke vp the dead bodye of Rosana bathed all in blood and likewise buried her in her Parents Graue and ouer the same he hung vp an Epitaph that did declare the occasion of all their deathes This being done to expresse the sorrowes of his heart for the desperat death of such a Magnaminious Lady and the rather to exempt himselfe from the company of all humaine creatures he erected ouer the graue by magicke arte a very stately Tombe the which was in this order framed First there was fixed foure pillors euery one of a very fine Rubie vpon the which was placed a Sepulcher of Cristall within the sepulcher there seemed to be two faire Ladyes the one hauing her breste peirced thorowe with a sword and the other with a Crowne of golde vpon her head and so leane of body that she séemed to pine away and vpon the sepulcher there lay a knight all along with his face looking vp to the heauens and armed with a coarselet of fine stéele of a russet enamelling vnder the sepulcher there was spread abroad a great carpet of gold and vpon it two pillors of the same and vpon them lay an olde sheapheard with his shéep hooke lying at his feete his eyes were shut and out of them distilled manye pearled teares at euery pillor there was a gentlewomā without any remembrance the one of them séemed to be murthered and the other rauished And néere vnto the sepulcher there lay a terrible great beast headed like a Lyon his brest and body like a wolfe and his tayle like a scorpion which séemed to spitte continually flames of fire the sepulcher was compassed about with a wall of yron with foure gates for to enter in therat the gates were after the manner and cullour of fine Diamonds and directly ouer the top of the chiefest gate stood a marble pillor whereon hung a table written with red letters the contentes whereof were as followeth So long shall breath vpon this brittle earth The framer of this stately Monument Till that three children of a wondrous birth Out of the Northerne climate shall be sent They shall obscure his name as fates agree And by his fall the fiendes shall tamed bee This Monument being no sooner framed by the assistance of Plutos legions and maintained by their deuillish powers but the Nigromancer enclosed himselfe in the walles where he consorted chiefly with furyes and walking spirits that continually fed vpon his blood and left their damnable seales sticking vnto his left side as a sure token and witnes that he had giuen both his soule and body to their gouerments after the date of his mortall life was finished In which inchaunted sepulcher we will leaue him for a time conferring with his damnable mates and returne to the christian knightes where we left them trauelling towardes Babylon to place the King againe in his Kingdome CHAP. XIII How the seauen Champions of Christendome restored the Babylonian King vnto the Kingdome and after how honourably they were receiued at Rome vvhere Saint George fell in loue with the Emperours Daughter being a professed Nunne Of the mischiefe that insued thereby and of the desperate ende of yong Lucius Prince of Rome THe valiant Christian Champions hauing as you heard in the Chapter going before perfourmed the Aduenture of the inchaunted monument accompanied the Babylonian King home to his kingdom of Assiria as they had all verie solemnly and faithfully promised to him But when they approached the Confines of Babylon and made no question of peacefull and princely entertainment there was neither signe of peace nor likelihood of ioyfull or frendly welcome for all the Countrey raged with intestine warre foure seuerall Competitors vniustly striuing for what to the King properly and of right belonged The vnnaturall causers and stirrers vp to thys blood-deuouring controuersie were the foure Noblemen vnto whom the King vnaduisedly committed the gouernment of his Realme when hee went in the tragicall pursute of his faire daughter after his dreaming