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
they had receiued at his hands but offred vnto him all that they had And for that he found in them so great good will hée determined to way there certaine dayes to comfort and ease himselfe for that hee found his bodye in many places brused ill intreated with the battailes which he had with the Knights of the King Tiberio the Gyaunt and with his Knights when he set at liberty the Quéene Augusta for although his good armour did defend him from being wounded yet his body could not but receiue great damage hée tormented by the heauy waight and strength of the blowes which he receiued he felt himselfe vory sore therwith in such sort that he had great néede to be cured therof All which he declared vnto the lord of the castle vnto his sonnes who were very ioyfull receiued great contentment at the same as those who were very desirous to serue pleasure him in all that euer they could So the knight of the Sunne remayned ther certaine daies in which time he was meruailously well cured of his bruses by the gentlewoman who was cunning expert in chirurgery did it with a very good grace The Gentlewomans name was Oliuia and hir fathers name was Onorio and his sonnes names were Aurellio Binnano and they all did loue him very much and would that he should neuer depart from thence from their companie But at such time that hée would néeds depart the father requested the Knight to graunt him a bowne which was that he should receiue into seruice his two sonnes and cary them with him for his pages The Knight of the Sun knowing them to be young men of great vertue well proportioned and couragious in what so euer necessitie should happen hée tooke them with him and they did serue him for pages And time did serue that they did very well serâ—…e him and their Father and mother did recompence the loue which they bare vnto him as shall bée told you in the second part of this History So at this present wee wil leaue them departed from the Castell to tell you of other things which chaunced in this time 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 Britaine and of all that happened Chapter 11. THe great sorrow and heauinesse which the Grecians receiued for the losse of their Emperour Trebatio was not so much but that the ioye and pleasure was much more which they possessed for his vnlooked for retourne and that was well séene and perceiued generally in all estates the knights in ordeining and making great Iustes and Tourneies and other militarie exercises and others in inuenting new deuises of playes and occasions of ioy and pleasure in such sort that throughout all the whole Empire they practised no other thing but pastimes and pleasure as well in the one sort of people as in the other that which was most to bee considered of was that this mightie Emperour the more for to reioyce and pleasure his owne subiects dyd commaund to bée proclaymed a solempne Iust not onely in the Countries bée longing vnto the Empire but also in all the Kingdomes and Prouinces thereto adioyning giuing and graunting safe conduct to all that euer would come thether as well Pagans as Christians of what kinde of law and sect so euer they were and for that these Iusts were published in many parts and that the Emperour gaue frée and safe conduct what with some for to sée what passed and other some to proue themselues in the iusts there came so many knights that it was a straunge thing to beehold and euery day there was great Iusts and 〈◊〉 in the mightie Citie of Constantinople whereas the worthy and valiant knights dyd giue testimony of their great bounty and either of them did labour and trauaile for to get honor but they which did shew theÌ„selues most gallantest and valiant in those iusts were Rodamarte Pâ—…ince of Sardenia sonne vnto Alselo who was one of the twelue that went with the Emperour Trebatio to the Monasterie of the riuer Alpino Lord of Lemos and Rodofeo Prince of the Rhodes Artidoro Prince of Candia all yong men and amoroâ—…s who for their great knighthood dyd get exceeding same at these feasts and iusts In these pastimes ther passed many daies and euery day there came new and strange knights vnto whom y e Emperour Trebatio did much honour and did spend liberally amongst them a great part of his terasury and for that these feasts pastimes did indure very long that ther succéeded in them many strange things as shal be told you in this History let vs leaue them new béegun and tell of other things that succéeded in this tiâ—…e which is very needfull for this present Historie for as much as the returne and comming of the Emperour Trebatio was published in all places and that the manner of the death of prince Edward was knowen The newes of all this came vnto the eares of the king Oliuerio who although hée had almost forgot the losse of the Prince by reason of the long time passed since it happened yet these new news of his death was so dolorous that it did renue within his thought the great loue which hee bare vnto him as vnto his sonne that in a small time they thought verely hée would die with very sorrow but the principal remedy that he tooke for his comfort was to determine himselfe to take reuengement for the Princes death vppon the Emperour and although hiâ—… power was not so great as the power of the Emperour yeâ—… hée thought that the king Tiberio to fulfill the great oblygation in the which hée was bound vnto him would giuâ—… him aide and succour and againe the Prince Don Silueriâ—… would likewise succour him with all his power which waâ—… very great giuing him for spouse his daughter the Prince Oliuia according as he had determined And besides this the king of Spaine who was his very friend would succor him all that hée could héere with he might very well reuenge himselfe vpon the Emperour and destroy all his Empire All this the king determined in his thought the great passion and griefe which hée had for the death of his son would not suffer any other thought to enter in his breast with this determination he sent messengers vnto the king Tiberio to giue him to vnderstand how hée was determined to hée reuenged for the death of his son desired him of al friendship to aide him in his determination knowing how much hée was bound therto for that he was slaine in his seruice And touching all his determination he did write him a letter at large of the which he had an answere againe to his desire for that y e king Tiberio acknowledging how much hee was bound vnto him could doe nothing to the contrary but
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
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
haue parted and made peace betwixt them but the tumult was such and so farre out of order that by no meanes they could reforme it till such time as the King Tiberio heard that great rumour and noyse in the hall he came forth out of his closet and tooke his royall Septer in his hand and pressed in amongst the thickest of them very furiously and with great anger And when he came where as the Knight of the Sunne was and saw round about him so many dead persons and amongst them the Troyan Earle with great anger hée layde hold on him and sayd what is this O Knight that in such order thou dâ—…st disquiâ—…t my court and hast slaine my Knights so all the rest when they saw the King they immediatly dyd retyre backe and were in quiet Then when the valyaunt Knight of the Sunne knew him to be the King and heard what hee sayd hée forthwith dyd moderate his anger all that euer hee could and sayde it is your Knights that doth disquiet your Court and not I and if I haue slaine any it is in defending my self from the death which they doe procure to giue me Of this sayde the King I will informe my selfe punish them that hath bene the occasion héereof And in saying these words he demaunded of him his sword which he gaue him more for curtesies sake then for any other thing hauing it he also tooke the sword of Florinaldus and of all the rest that he suspected to be on his partye and straight wayes called beefore him all his Knights gard commaunded them to take the knight of the Sunne prisoner to carry him into a strong Tower which was on the one side of the Pallace likewise to take Florinaldus all those that were on his side to carry them vnto another Tower that was on the other side of his Pallace so that both the one the other were put in good kéeping but if the Knight of the Sunne had bene armed before he would haue ben taken prisoner he would haue made the King to haue giuen eare to hearkeâ—… vnto that hée would haue said in discharging himself but by reason that he was as it were naked he yeelded and had patience with all that which the King commaunded so they lead them vnto the Tower which was very high well walled And when hée was therin they made fast a very great chaine to his leg and for to kéepe him there was put thirty armed Knights and as many mo other men Then the Dutchesse of Panonia did send vnto him a very good Surgion to heale him of his woundes At this time the death of the Troyan Earle was published throughout all the Court and there was made for him great lamentacion for that the most noblest Princes and Knights that were there were of his kinsfolks So both the one the other complayned very much vnto the King of the Knight of the Sunne in such sort that hée was verye much inflamed agaynst him At this time there entered into the pallace the Countesse Lady and wife vnto the Troyan Earle in mourning appareâ—…l bringing with hir two young sonnes who entering into the Hall whereas the King was beeganne to powre foorth sorrowful complaynts destring iustice agaynst them that had slayne hir Husband and seeing him lye dead vppon the floore shee threw hir selfe vpon him and made such lamentation that it was a heauie thing to béehold at which sight if the King béefore were inflamed against the Knight of the Sunne his indignation dyd the more increase against him in béeholding the great sorrow of the Countesse and determyned in himselfe to doo iustice vpon the death of the Earle and hée ioyned vnto his indignation the great authoritie that hée had to bée called an executer of iustice which vnto manie yea very mightie Monarches oftentimes is very hurtfull the ende of those extremities obtaine them the infamous names of Tyrants Then the King commaunded that the dead bodyes should bee carryed out of the hall and buryed and the Troyan Earle was buryed with great honour and accompanyed with the most noble and principall Knights of the Court. Now hee béeing very sorrowfull for the death of the Earle many Knights that had affection vnto the Knight of the Sunne dyd labour with him for his discharge of béeing in any fault of that tumult and dyd informe him of the great cause that he had to do that which he did in his owne defence but there was nothing that dyd profit at all with the King but rather hée dyd shew himselfe very angry and wrathfull against them that dyd speake vnto him in the Knights béehalfe which was a great griefe vnto many which dyd know the valure and desert of the Knight of the Sunne for it séemed vnto them no reason that hée should bée intreated in that sort And béecause that the King Tiberio was daylie and hourely vrged on all parts the one crying and asking iustice and the other gayne-saying the same hée was for certaine daies very doubtfull not knowing how co determine what was best to bee done but aunswered them all to their little delyght By this tyme the â—…night of the Sunne was healed of his wounds and the Dutchesse of Panonia prouided for him all things necessarie in the prison performing it with as great care and diligence as myght bée But when hée knew the King was doubtfull of his determination and of the great iudignation hee shewed against him it dyd repent him that hée suffered himselfe so to be taken And hée immagined with himselfe what meanes might best be wrought sor to cléere himselfe of that imprisonment for that the nobilitie of his valyant courage could not abide to bée so shut vp and abyde the curtesie and pleasure of the King So in this order the storie doth leaue him till the tyme serue How the Knight of Cupido dyd take his leaue of the Queene Arguirosa and entred into the kingdome of Rusia where he found a strange aduenture Chap. 4. THE mightie déedes of the Emperour Trebatio and the worthy knighthood of the valiant Alphebo hath put almost in obliuion that excellent and worthy Knight Rosicleer whose amorous loue and inuincible deedes doo deserue a more eloquenter writer then my vnskilfull pen can performe Now if you doo remember in the Historie past how that one way Fortune caused him to be the most saddest and sorrowful Knight that euer was seene so full of bitter heauinesse that whatsoeuer thing hée dyd accomplish and bring to passe was not sufficient to make him merry And on the other side Fortune dyd show him very 〈◊〉 in putting beefore him marueilous and wonderfull things and aduentures of so great strangenesse that ouer comming them by his surmounted valoâ—…r in all the world was spred a broad the fame of the Knight of Cupido So after that hée had slaine that valyant 〈◊〉 from all the parts of Thesalia and the confines
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
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
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
answere saw that they séemed to be Knights of estimatioÌ„ as wel by their rich armor which they had as by their good gentle dispositions determined to conduct them before the king their Lord for that he might determine with them at his plesure and so they brought them before their Lord who was king of Balachia which pretended to take the kingdome oâ—… Lufitania for that it bordered vpon him and entred into that countrie with a mightie armie and shée that was Lady gouernour at that time was widow woman called Lauinia who had a daughter whose name was Olimpa a verie fayre Damsell and by reason that shee had no husband neither power to bee compared vnto the King of Balachia was béesiged in the same Citie defending hir selfe within with such people as she had in the best maner y t shée might All this was told vnto these princes in y e way as they went before the king When they came before the king of Balachia they found him in his tent accompanied with many knights and on the one side of him there was a Gyant of a meruailous huge big stature and of so horrible and fierce a countenance that it would make one afraide to looke vpon him and wheÌ„ the king saw those three knights he asked of them of whence they were likewise if it pleased them to serue him in his wars The Tartarian Zoylo who could speake the language was requested of the rest of his companions to answere for them who sayde You shall vnderstand O king of Balachia that wée are trauailing knights of the countrie of Tartaria and do trauell into the world to séeke our aduentures and although we be exercised in the wars yet wée are accustomed to serue none in them except first wée know what our wages shal bée and it is in this order as I will tell you and therof there is not to be diminished or taken away any thing so that we thrée will iust with all such knights as will come foorth against vs till such time as wée bée ouerthrowen and if so fall out y t wee at the first encounter bée ouerthrowen then we thrée will serue thée one whole yéere for nothing and if it bée our fortune to ouerthrow any theÌ„ either of vs so many knights as is ouer throwen by vs looke how much wages all they together haue so much must either of vs haue according to the number that hée doth ouerthrow This is our vse and custome of seruice in the wars therfore O king looke if that this our manner of seruice content thée and if not giue vs lysence to depart that wée may goe to some other place to séeke our aduenture When the Tartarian Zoylo had made an end of this his spéech the king and all that were in his Tent laughed very much at that which was spoken not for that they did think much in the wages which they did aske but for that ther sée med to be amongst them Knights y t if they might come forth to the iust with them at the first should remaine and serue a whole yeare without any wages and for that they knew this for a certaintie the king did straight way graunt vnto all that which the Tartarian Zoylo had demanded and sayd that hée was verie well content to stand vnto that should happen and the matter being by all them agréed vppon these thrée Princes went out of the Campe into the plaine field wheras they might iust at their pleasure Likewise the King went foorth with his principall Knights such as did serue him for wages to sée what should happen Now the king commanded straight way perticularly the best and most valyauntest Knights that were in all the Camp should come forth to iust with the thrée Princes who were in a redinesse a horseback with their speares in their handes abiding the comming of those who should iust with them The first which came foorth to iust with them were thrée valiant Knights of a mightie proportion and stature such as in all the camp could not bée found the lyke and béeing in their places one agaynst another they made themselues ready vnto the iust but whosoeuer had séene them at that time would haue iudged the thrée Princes at the first encounter should haue remayned without any wages and especially the King who laughed at the accord which was made beetwixt them but it fell out cleane contrarie vnto their thought for that all sixe together mette in the middest of their course and the three Knights of the Campe broke their speares vpon the Princes without moouing of them in their Saddles but the Princes made their encounter with so great force that they hoised them out of their saddles in such sort that they tumbled vpon the ground and passed forwards so stiffe and vpright in their course that they put the King and all those that dyd beehold them in great admiration but not long after there came forth other thrée Knights to the iust which were also thrée of the best and most estéemed amongst all the rest and looke as these Princes dyd serue the first so dyd they serue those thrée and ouerthrew them to the ground and finally in the space of one houre they had ouerthrowen to the number of fiftéene Knights of the most valiantest worthiest amongst them all Then the King found himselfe halfe ashamed mocked with the bargaine he had made with them it seemed vnto him that according vnto their great valiantnes strength they would haue ouerthrowen all the knights that were in the campe the one after the other so that according vnto the bargaine all his treasure should not be sufficient to pay their wages When that mightie monstrous Gyant that was with the King saw him that he was somewhat sad heauy for that which the Knights had done he commaunded straight way to be brought vnto him a horse which was very great conformable vnto his bignesse straight way he leaped vppon him chose one of the bigest speares that he could finde amongst all the rest said vnto the king that he would iust with those Knights bad them come all thrée against him and that he hoped so to intreat them in the iust that afterward they should neyther bee able to take wages nor to weare armour The King receiued great delight when hée saw the Gyant on horsbacke was very certaine that his power and strength was to performe all that which hée had said yea if they had béene ten such knights together as they were And when this proud furtous Gyant was in a readines to the iust these valtant Princes who were very desirous to get honour either of them did procure to proue their aduenture with him but this mighty Tartarian with many requests vnto his companions did begin to iust with this mightie Gyant when the Gyant saw that alone knight did put himselfe before him he would
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
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
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
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
vnto you to be a new world and this wise man was my father who for my better sauegard and honour did carry me vnto the courtof the king Polidarco wheras I continued certaine yéeres in the company of the quéene hir daughter Oriselua And béeing there the prince Don Lusindo fell in loue with mée insomuch that in the end of many daies he did so importune me that hée plighted mée his faith and troth to take mée for his wife and I hauing my confidence therein hée did obtaine of mée all that his pleasure was and although this was kept secret many daies yet in the ende it came to bée discouered for that my father was very old and knowing that his time was come that hée should die hée did procure to marry mée and giue mee vnto a husband according vnto my estate and honour And béeing very importunate with mée therein I was constrained of necessitie to declare vnto him y t I was made sure vnto the Prince Lusindo and how that hée was my spouse and husband And at such time as the king my father went vnto the prince for to know of him the truth he denyed it and sayd that there neuer passed beetwixt vs any such promise And all that euer my Father could was not sufficient to make him confesse the truth And hée séeing the great disloyalty of him determined before hée did die to bée reuenged of that iniury and likewise of me in such sort that in time ther might be some remedy so by his great knowledge he brought the prince hether vnto his habitation and put him into a quadran full of fire wheras he is continually burning and without ceasing he crieth out giueth terrible shrikes cannot come foorth of that quadran And when he was put therin he said that by no maÌ„ner of wise he could be cleere of that great torment and peine till such time as a knight who by his bounty prowesse should come vnto the fountaine of the sauage people and drinck of the water and drinking therof he shuld discouer the entry into this habitatioÌ„ as you haue discouered the same And how y t this knight by the great loialty of his loue should supply the great disloialty of the prince how hée should take him forth of that quadran wheras he is by y e force and strength of his armes first getting the victorie by battaile and how that after hée is deliuered from that place he should receiue aâ—…d take me to bee his spouse tell the truth of all that had passed This béeing ordained and done my father died and héere I doo remaine all alone very sad and sorrowfull for his death and with great griefe and compassion of the prince for that ther cannot be a more grieuous thing in the world theÌ„ to heare him shrike and lament And although the king his Father did know of a certaintie that the wise man his brother did bring him hether vnto this habitation to bée reuenged on him yet for all that hée could neuer finde the entrie into it although hée hath procured by all meanes y t euer was possible So that the king and the quéene his mother and all the rest of the kingdome doo liue in great sorrow and heauinesse for the losse of the prince for this habitation hath an other entry by a Caue which in all the world doth beare y e fame â—…ut the entrie thereof is so perilous and dark that there is â—…o humane knight dare enter it and there is none but I aâ—…one that doth know of this entry into the valley And séeing â—…hat you most ventrous knight is hée by whom my Father saide should bée concluded and finished this aduenture Therefore I pray and desire you to take compassion of this Prince and of mee who doo likewise in my hart féele euery way his paine and griefe and goe set him at libertie that possessing the same hée may goe and comfort his Parents giuing them the ioy and pleasure that in his recouering againe they might receiue And heere with the Gentlewoman made an ende of hir tale And the knight of Cupide remained and maruailed at that which he had heard And hauing a great desire to set at libertie the Prince Lusindo hée requested the damsell to shew him wher hée was hée would doo all that in him did lye for to set him at libertie And when hee had sayd these words the damsell did take him by the hand lead him through that floorishing gréene Ualley till they came vnto certaine high mighty Rocks wherewith all that valley was compassed about And there was cut out of one rock a paire of staires wher at this damosell and the knight of Cupide went vp till such time as they came vnto a dore where into they entred and came into very many great and faire roomes at the beauty wherof the knight of Cupid greatly maruailed for that béesides they were all cut out of the hard stone they séemed to bée the straungest kinde of work that euer hee saw in his lyfe And straight way when hée béeganne to enter in thereat they might héere the Prince Don Lusindo complaine with great and terrible shricke So they went forwards till they came vnto the Quadran of Fyer the doore whereof was open whereat hée saw the bright flames of Fyer of which the whole quadran was full which was a thing of great wonder And hée saw in the midst of the Quadran the prince all armed with his Sword in his hand sitting in a Chayre and could not mooue neither to the one part nor to the other and it was very pittifull to sée his demeanor And when they came thether the damosell sayd vnto the knight of Cupide worthy knight if you be amorous and haue not committed anâ—… disloyaltie against your friend you may without all leâ—… or feare enter into this fire which you sée béefore you and bring out the Prince from the place whereas hee is and the fire shall by no means hurt you but if you bée no loyall nor firme louer the fire will burne you as it doth the prince and you shall haue no power to goe forwardes with this enterprise for that the prince is a valiant knight and will make his defence very strongly for a good while The knight of Cupide when hee heard hir say these words had little care to make hir aunswere but without any more tarrying hee went in at the doore of the Quadran and went forwards till hee came whereas the Prince was and the fire did not hurt him any thing at all who as soone as hée saw him arose from the Chayre whereas hée sat and with his sword in his hand went to strike him and charged him with great and mighty blowes but hee who had no other desire nor determination but to procure his bringing out of that place drew not out his Swoord against him but with his mightie great and strong armes hée tooke
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
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
be angry with himselfe for that one alone Knight should so long endure against him But what did all his wrath and fury profit him for that hée hadde to doe with that strong and worthy Rosicleer the verye same who next vnto him was the best Knight in all the world And the same that if all the Knights in that place should moue attempt agaynst him his valiaunt and couragious heart should not faile him one iotte And séeing him selfe beefore the Emperour his Father and the Empresse his Mother if hée got noâ—… the victory of the battaile it would vtterly discouragâ—… him to come any more into their Court and presence which caused him to execute these rigorous blowes with so great force that it made the knight of the Sun to wonder at his great strength At this time the one was knowen so well to the other that the end of the battell was very doubtfull for that the greatest part of the day was past wherein the valiant worthy knights had combatted no lesse vantage to be iudged betwixt them then at the beginning At which the Emperour the princesse all the rest of the knights Ladies that were in the pallace very much meruailed and said that the knight of the Sun had met with his match Likewise the valiant king Sacridoro for that he knew the great force strength of the Knight of Cupid was greatly amazed that the knight of the Sunne should so long endure with him said vnto himselfe Surely not without great reason the high bounty of the knight of the Chariot is extolled that he alone doth maintaine himselfe against him that the sauage people of the inchanted fountaine could not endure one halfe houre and against him that the fierce Tiger and monstrous Gyant which were kéepers of the Prince Lusindo could not make any resistance And in saying these words hée desired God of his goodnesse to graunt the victory vnto his perfect friend for that beefore the Emperour Terbatio Empresse Briana his father and mother hée might not bée disgraced which would bée the occasion that hée should neuer come more beefore them In this time the blowes of these two valiant Knightes were so rigorous that all those which did beholde them were greatly amazed and two miles about that place was the noise of their blowes heard as though it had ben thunder putting the hearers in great feare and the lookers one waxed wery but they séemed with new force to begin the battell againe So in this sort these valiaunt Knightes did perseuer in their rigorous battayle without any ceasing but still executing their terrible blows the one vpon the other till more then sixe houres were past since the beginning of their combat and it séemed that the Sunne would seperate the battaile for that she began to withdraw hir selfe into the occidentall Regions At this time it séemed vnto the knight of Cudid that in all that day he had done very little and that the day was almost spent being very angry with himselfe hée said Oh lasie cowardly knight of Cupid with what face canst thou come into the presence of the emperour Trebatio acknowledge him to be thy father séeing that in his presence one Knight hath brought thée into this extremity Is it possible that I am that same Rosicleer who in the court of the king Oliuerio pushed out of their saddles so many knights gyants he who alwaies thought that ther was none but he that was worthy to put his thought care vpon the princesse Oliuia Now doe I sée that I haue no reason to blame that princesse for intreating me so euill for that with one alone knight I cannot defend the iustice of hir great beautie What is become of that great hardines wherwith I attemted the inchanted caue of Aridon the mighty force wherwith I did ouercome those two furious beasts Certainly I doe beléeue that all is lost and gone for that I cannot now make resistance against one knight It is possible that I am that Knight of Cupid that in all the battailes that he hath attempted in his life time got the victory No surely for that by one alone Knight I am at the point to be ouercome Now I doe sée that from this day forwards I must dye without all hope of any remedy for my sorrow and griefe for that I am impotent doe lack my force strength for to reuenge me of the prince Don Siluerio the occasion I hoped to haue giuen that the princesse Oliuia should haue vnderstood of hir errour Oh my loyall true perfect friend king Sacridoro what reason was it that did moue thée for to throw thy self into that profound déepe fountaine of the Sauages and againe for to leaue thy louing wife naturall kingdome for to beare kéepe company with a Knight who before thy presence is at the point by one alone knight to be ouercome And you Bargandel Liriamandro with the Tartarian Zoylo with what reason haue you left your mighty kingdomes tyauile in the world to seeke Rosicleer your great friend hauing other which doth ouerpasse him very much Oh knight of the Sun wher is now your singuler bounty and in what place haue you trauailed y e you haue not met with this Knight whereby might haue ben excused this great reproch that your brother doth looke to receiue this day Oh how it â—…oth grieue me not for to know you for that I shall not bée able to say that I am your brother At the same time the knight of the Sun with no lesse sorrow griefe said vnto himselfe Oh weake cowardly knight how much doth it stand thée in hand from this day forwardes to loose the name of the Snn for that all those which hath ben by thée ouercome vnder that name doe account thée for a coward of litle force séeing thée by one alone knight to be brought vnto this perplexitie Is it possible that I am hée that had so much courage was so hardy as to set my mind on two of the most highest damsells in all the world Of a truth if I be the same with great reason I ought to receiue of them my payment for this my great folly in considering what they are I at the point to be ouercome in their presence Oh royall princesse Claridiana how may you thinke your selfe mocked that comming from so far countries onely for to sée the wonderfull déeds of the knight of the Sun whose fame was so spred throughout all the world And in the first battaile which you haue séene him to make you doe see with the blowes of one alone knight brought out of his remembrance many times his horse to cary him as a thing dead throughout the field How can I from this day forwards without great shame come before you hauing receiued me for your knight and cannot in your presence defend your rare and singular
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
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
the Quéene who fell in a deadly sound so remained more then one houre but in the meane time this inuinsible Knight not making any stay at the death of the Gyaunt without departing froÌ„ the king Lyseo did such wonderfull déedes round about him that they durst oot come nigh him to assalt him by a great space but with great sorrow withdrew themselues béecause their liues depended in receiuing but one blow of his hands if hée chaunced to hit them right and although a far off they threw at him Darts Launces and swoords as well at his Horse as at him yet they did him little harme for that his armour was such as the historie hath shewed and his horse was all couered with a very small and light mayle made by such art that ther was no weapon able to cut nor pearce it for so the Prince Meridian had caused it to bee made of whom hée wonne his armour as you haue read which dyd not a little profit in the mightie and immortal deeds of this inuinsible knight for if that his owne armour and the armour of his Horse had not béene of so great force and strength it had not béene possible for him to haue finished and brought to an ende so many perillous battayles and contentions as hee hath done When this good knight saw that his enimies with great feare dyd flye from him and gaue him way hée went vnto the king Lyseo and tooke him in his armes and rubbed and chafed him in such sort that hée came againe vnto himselfe and when hee saw the great perill and daunger wherein hée was brought and the great slaughter which the knight of the Sunne hadde made hée lift vp his hands to heauen and gaue great thanks vnto almightie God and with a very good courage hée ioyned with him and with great and mighty blowes hée béegan to help him with desire to reuenge the great perill in which his enimies had brought him in this sort these two knights put themselues into the thickest of their enimies making sâ— great slaughter that they were iudged rather to bée diuells of hell then mortall knights and there was none that was so bolde that durst withstand them in their way and by reason the night drew on they béeing all bloodie and almost wearie with killing and wounding of theyr enimies they beegan to take theyr way towards the Citie with so great quietnesse as the rauening Lyon after she hath had hir pray doth depart through the feeble and weake heards of cattel but the King of Arcadia when hee saw them depart so quietly and to their contentment by his outwarde shew he séemed to bée so furious full of wrath that not one that was about him durst come in his presence but with many vprobrious woords hée rebuked them saying Oh vile people and of base courage how is it y t you are not ashamed that two alone Knights against so many as are of you hath had so great courage and boldnesse to enter into our camp hath slaine so many of your brethren kinsfolks and friends and to suffer theÌ„ to depart in so quiet sort as they doo as though they had done vs no barme at all Héere I doo make a vow and sweare by the high Gods whom I estéeme but little that to morrow if they returne bether agayne to arme my selfe with mine owne hands to take reuengement of him that all you together cannot doo At that time there was in presence with the King many stout and valiaunt Knights who thought it a great shame and small manhood to bée so many against two alone Knights and therefore they would not arme themselues that day who when they saw the King to bée so angry and wrathfull euery one of them made a solempne oath to take cruell reuengement of those two Knights if the next day they dyd come foorth againe In this time if the sorrow griefe was verie much with them in the Camp the great ioye and contented pleasure of them of the Citie to the contrarie was as great when they saw those two valiant warriours returne together and caused the gates to be opened and went foorth to receiue them and â—ould not satisfie themselues in honouring of them gaue great thancks vnto God in that hee had sent vnto them so valiant a knight for when they saw his great and singular bountie they were all fully perswaded that God had sent him vnto them for to aide succour them in this great necessitie But when they came vnto the Kings pallace I am not héere able to recite the great ioy pleasure wherewith the Quéene receiued them who thought of a certaintie that the king had béene dead but when shée saw him by hir shée knew not what to doo for ioy but with hir owne hands dyd vnarme the King and the Knight of the Sunne and would not consent that any other should help hir and béecause theyr armour was so strong and exceeding good in making defence they had not receiued any one wound that was néedfull of curing So there was brought vnto each of them strayght wayes a new gowne and putting them on they sat downe vnto supper and passed away that night with more contentment ioye then any night béefore since the King of Arcadia came into that Kingdome Whom at this present the historie dooth leaue for to declare vnto you what passed in the Court of the Emperour Trebatio after the knight of the Sunne was departed from the Court. How Rodaran sent vnto the Emperour Trebatio demanding more Knights and who went foorth in the demaund Chapter 46. EIght daies remained Rodaran at the bridge of Iaspe tarrying for some knight that should come from the Court of the Emperour Trebatio for to combat with him in the ende of the which when hée saw that none came hée sent a damsell of the Quéene of Carmanias vnto the Emperour Trebatio giuing him to vnderstand how that all those Knights which were sent by him were prisoners and that hée should send more Knights and if not how that hée was determined to depart into his owne Countrie with those Knights which hée had in his power So the damsell departed with this hir message at such time as the emperor with other princes knights wer in the great hall of the pallas this damsell entrrd in theratand without acknowledging any courtesie she went before the Emperour and said Rodaran king of Arabia my Lord doth send me to giue thée â—…o vnderstand emperour Trebatio how that all those knights which thou didst send vnto him are prisoners doth me wil â—…hee to send other knightes such as may with their great bounty strength set them at liberty if not he is determined to depart into his owne country and to cary them with him prisoners that already he hath will declare in all places that ther were no knights in thy court that durst come forth to combat with him When
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
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
Prince I doe most hartelye desire you to tell me who these valiant knights be and from whence so excellent a companye should come Then presentlie the knight of the Sunne who did esteeme verye much of him declared vnto him who they were and by what aduenture he had found them there At this time the Emperour and all the rest of the Princes and knights had taken off their â—…elmes and the king Liseo was the gladdest man in all the world and went to kisse the emperours hands saying May it please your soueraigne highnesse to giue your handes to kisse them for that through you I am restored vnto my lost kingdome This high and worthy Emperour did embrace him with great loue so likewise did all the other Princes knights ther passed betwixt theÌ„ many curtâ—…ous words yet for all this was not the royall princesse Claridiana knowen And being desired by the emperour all the other princes knights to giue them vnderstanding who what hée was she straight way pulled off hir helme wheras he dyd discouer hir yeolow haire which was bound vp with a net of gold very richly wonderfullye wrought by reason of hir great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which she receiued in the passed battaile hir colour was somewhat mooued wherwith she shewed so perfect singuler beauty that verily she séemed vnto them all to be rather some diuine creature then any humane person ther was neuer a one there but she séemed vnto them to bee some celestiall thing Then the Emperour and all the rest of the knights that did know hir being as much amazed at hir beauty as to see hir ther at that instant went all vnto hir did welcome hir with great curtesie And the emperour said My Lady mistres this liberty the which I and all these princes knights haue receiued it cannot bee but by the hands of so high a damsell as you are I pray God that we may be able to gratifie you for the same Unto the knight of the Sunne said the Princesse ought you to surrender and giue these thankes for that for him is ordayned and kept the atchiuing of all good aduentures and to giue the finall conclusion of y â— same What might heere be thought of the great ioy and pleasure which this amorous and valiant knight conceiued when that in that time and place hée found himselfe in the presencé of his Lady and mistres hauing seene what shee had done for him beefore hee knew hir Truely this mirth and gladnesse was so much that hée thought all his vnderstanding to bee transported into a celestiall glory whereas the chosen doth remaine and going towards hir he said Your soueraigne beauty may please to giue vnto mee your seâ—…re hands that I may kisse them in acknowledging of the great curtesie which all wee haue receyued by your soueraigne aide and succour and for that all enterprises which I doe take in hand may haue credit it shall be done in your seruice and prayse as I am bound and likewise all good and valyaunt Knights in the world Then the Princesse who receiued great contentment at his words layd hir armes vpon his shoulders and sayd Worthie Prince your politike dealings and excellent bountie sooth so far excell that it is not needefull for mée to expresse the same neyther any other but onely to béehold what is done by your valiant hands heere in this Camp and vnto this there is good witnesse who is the king Liseo and all his knights And passing beetwixt them many other amorous words the Knight of the Sunne dyd tell them all how and by what aduenture hée came thether and all that happened with him after hee departed out of Greece The like dyd the Princesse Claridiana so that all the whole companie vnderstood by what order they were there assembled and ioyned In the meane time that they were in this acknowledging one another those of Lidia were not idle for they minded no other thing but to robbe and destroy all that were in the Tents and Campe of the King of Arcadia and finding there great store of riches and treasure which the king had brought euery one of them did so lade themselues that euer after they remayned very rich and thought their long and great trauaile to bee well employed the end fell out so prosperous vnto them Then the Emperour Trebatio out of hand commaunded that the Quéene Carmania should bée brought béefore him for there should bée no harme done vnto hir who when shée thought verily that Rodaran had béene slayne tare hir haire and dyd such iustice on hir selfe that they thought verily it would bee hir death And asking of them whether the king of Arcadia and Rodaran were aliue or dead they went straight wayes vnto the place whereas they lay a long vppon the ground and commaunded that theyr Healmes should bée pulled off and fresh water to bee throwen vpon their face to refresh them straight wayes they came agayne vnto themselues and when they vnderstood in what estate and perplexity they were all this time their sorrow and griefe was such that they thought it had béene better for them to haue beene slaine then to suffer so great misfortune but when the King of Arcadia dyd lookâ—… about him for his armie and could sée neuer a Knight on his part but those that were slayne and lay in the field with very sorrow and griefe hée thought verely his heart would haue burst Likewise when Rodaran saw all his prisoners at libertie and hée ouercome by one alone Knight the great sorrow and griefe which he receiued could not bée héere expressed and if hee had had his helme and his swoord and on horsebacke hee would haue tarryed there no longer Then strayght wayes the King Lyseo dyd desire all these worthie warriers to repaire vnto the Citie for to refresh themselues and to take their ease who consented vnto his request and went towards the citie and carryed with them theyr prisoners whereas they were receiued of all the Citizens and nobles of all the kingdome that were there present with so great ioy and triumphes that the whole Citie seemed to bée on 〈◊〉 with the great bonefiers other lights which were made in euery streete of the Citie not remembring any of their troubles past So when they came vnto the Queenes pallace who was very wyse and discréete shée receiued them with such courtesie as was requisit to so noble persons whereas they were all vnarmed and recreated with verie swéet waters and oyntments requisit for such hurts and bruses as they had receiued For although theyr armour dyd defend them from wounding yet could not their flesh bée free from bruses by the force of such terrible blowes as they receiued And in especiall the knight of the Sunne in the battaile which hée had with Rodaran and the King of Arcadia although hee estéemed it in nothing with the great contentment and pleasure which hee receiued in seeing
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
errour for that my dutie in the which I was bound by mine ancestours to maintaine this custome as also lacke of knowing you was the occasion that I haue committed this ouer-sight and for that Oristedes dyd know of the demaund that the Prince Meridian did bringe out of his countrie he demanded of the Princesse for him And shée tolde him how that the Knight of the Sunne had battell with him of all that passed betwixt them both The which when Oristedes vnderstood hée dyd comfort himselfe very much for that it séemed vnto him to be no reproach for to be ouercome by so valiant a knight by whom Meridian was first ouercome who thought that ther was not a knight in all the world that could match him So receiuing great contentment for the acknowledge of the Princesse as also to know that shée should bée married to so valiant a knight with great ioy plesure hée said For that which vnto so high a princesse as you are is due I think it is no reson that in this sort alone you shuld enter into the gran Cataia wheras are assembled y e mightiest lords in the world in the emperors court therfore if you please I will go before and carry them the newes of your comming that they may receiue you as your high estate dooth deserue for that I am sure that the Emperour wil bée as glad as euer hée was in all his lyfe with the newes and I shall receiue great contentment to finde my selfe present in the Court of the Emperour Alycandro at the celebrating of so high a marriage and at the great triumphs feasts as shall bée there made as also for my bounden dutie for the great good will which alwayes the Emperour bare vnto mée The Knight of the Sunne would very fayne haue disturbed the voyage of Oristedes for to haue excused the great trauayle which hée should receiue in that iourney for that it was very long and needes must passe through very strange Countries but hée offered this with so great good will that it did profit nothing all that euer he could doo for to disturb him of his iourney So for that day they all went vnto the Citie whereas they were meruailously wel receiued and were serued of al things very abundantly Then the knight of the Sunne lookeing out of a high window of the pallace hée saw péeces of walls and towers of old antiquitie which was a memorie of the great Citie of Troy and round about the same the wide and broad fields whose sight caused the teares to fall from his eyes when hee remembred the great number of worthy knights as wel Greeks as Troyans that were there slaine and béehoulding the great circuite thereof which dyd extend from the one side vnto the other foure miles the smalnesse of the Citie at that present and the great demonstration of towers other mightie building hee said within himselfe Oh weake miserable and feeble life of man what confidence or securitie canne mortall men haue in the great riches and pompe of this world considering with great attention the sodaine vncertaine mouings changes of humane things how sodainly they are ouercome destroyed Who had seene the great citie of Troy compassed about with so strong wals and fortified with so high and great towers and furnished with sumptuous buildings full of people gouerned by so mighty a King and defended by so famous captaines who had knowen the King Priamus Lord ouer the principall regions Orientalls and Meridionalls of the great Asia Who had séene his mightie power his great riches his pride and high estate the great number of vassalls and subiects the worthinesse of his Captaines the singular force and strength of his sons and all these vpon a sodaine and vnlooked for the great Citie of Troy destroyed and beaten downe theyr strong walls ouerthrowen with their towers theyr mightie pallaces and buildings flat vpon the ground King Priamus and his sonnes gored to death Hector drawen about the fielde Policena hir throat cut the Quéene stoned to death Andromica with the notable Matrons of Troy defiled the whole Citie destroyed the Citizens 〈◊〉 and their wiues and widowes banished from theyr naturall Countrie with their young sonnes in theyr armes dispearsed throughout the world all is lost and all is goâ—…e and no memorie left but that which is for a farther griefe in remembring that which is past leauing béehiâ—…de that which doth giue vs continuall sorrow and griefe and considering thereof it dooth make vs greatly to mernayle in séeing how that fortune sometimes dooth exalt vs aloft and at other times dooth throw vs downe tossing vs this way and that way lyke a tennis ball Now I know of a truth that with great reason the Marriners doth call â—…he tempest Fortune and not without great occasion wise â—…en dooth say that it is very troublesome to suffer prospeâ—…itie and that it is requist for to learne to suffer the aâ—…undaunce of Fortune for as that wise Poet Lirico sayth 〈◊〉 the high and mightie Pine Trées are oftenest beaten 〈◊〉 tormented with the windes and the highest Towers 〈◊〉 the greatest falls and on the high mountaines and 〈◊〉 dooth the thunder-bolts commonly strike It is said 〈◊〉 the humane highnesse of it selfe is vnquiet and withâ—… securitie for that there is nothing that can bée so secret 〈◊〉 it commeth to bée discouered as care trauayle enuie 〈◊〉 feare wéeping and in the ende death And lykewise I doo now know to bée true that how happy so euer the béeginning is the end is vncertaine and doubtfull for that all humane things dooe turne about lyke a whéele and after a quyet and calme Sea followeth tempests and troubled waters and after a cléere morning a clowdie euening Therefore comfort your selues you Greekes and Troyans that haue béene banished in these fieldes of Troy for that the fame of your mightie déedes is out of the subiection of Fortune and it cannot bée that by hir you bée ouerthrowen so long as the world endure In saying these and many other words the knight of the Sunne remained a good while at the same window with great sorrow and griefe which the remembrance of all those things did cause vnto him So night drew on and euery one went to take their rest after that they had stayed there two dayes the knight Oristedes tooke his leaue of them and tooke in his companie two Pages and departed out of the Citie tooke his iourney towards the gran Cataia and gran Tartaria vnto the court of the Emperour Alycandro which was in the gran Cataia So that at this present the Historie doth leaue him with the Knight of the Sunne and the Princesse Lindabrides till time serueth How Rosicleer and the king Sacridoro came into England and what happened with them there Chapter 56. MAny dayes trauailed Rosicleer and the King Sacridoro towards the kingdome of England with so great desire to find themselues there that
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
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
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