fuerie of so villanous a shot that forgetting himselfe and the present perill wherein he was by ardant desire of reuenge and to recounter the murthering shooter and slayer of his Noëmia came out of his fort throwing himselfe like a wounded Lyon through the midst of the multitude breaking the preace beating downe all before him and with his strong shield repulsing all that he met furiously cried out Traiterous Archer murtherer o' Maidens where arte thou Why presentest thou not thy selfe before me Thou leaud coward and traitor to the end I may accompanie the most vnworthie of death that euer liued or that I may fill my selfe of reuenge with the cleerest of thy bloud Cruell Tiger lurking Serpent coward and wicked Crocadile that without offence hast giuen death to the liueliest vertue and after fliest away like a waspe leauing her venemous sting behinde her darest thou present thy selfe vnto mee So went Alector crying and furiously threatning striking and abating downe of men that no man how hardie soeuer he were durst stand against him vnlesse he ment to be slaine But whiles through desperate rage he layed so about him at randon striking vpon those whome were before him and taking no regarde to those who followed him soddainely hee founde himselfe assailed with sixe puissant men who by maine force toke from him his shield and so consequently one parte of his hardines and albeit hee made much resistance to the great hurt of his enemies yet neuerthelesse the multitude so oppressed and ouer charged him that his sworde fell out of his hand the which one of the brothers Gratians tooke vp with the shield So was Alector taken and led by force of people to the Potentate gouernour of the towne and chiefe Iustice called Diocles who seeing this faire young man of such a liberall countenance to bee accused by so many voyces speaking against him the one accusing him of Rape another of Treason another of fornication and others of many murthers To all which accusations he answered nothing neither demanded any thing but the death to accompanie his most deere and wofull Noëmia would not giue iudgemēt headlong but dooing the duetie of a Potentate like a most wise man knowing all these people to be passionated the one partie with furie and appetite of reuenge and the other with desperation griefe sorrowe enuie and contempt of life aduised himselfe to let both parties coole vntill the next morning when by their cold blood they might retourne to reason and their right sense whereupon adressing his speeche vnto the tumultuous people and chiefely to the two brothers complainants hee spake in this manner Lordes Gratians to morrow the parties being heard I will shew you right Meane while returne your selues in peace and I will keepe the offendor in sure custodie This saide they all retired themselues euill content enough Alector was then committed to the keeping and custodie of the Capitaine Palatine and the others departed to goe burie their dead amongst whome the foresaide faire Noëmia was founde slaine and buried with great lamentation of her brothers according to the vse of the countrie euen in the same place where she was slaine hard vnder the foresaid piller of the graces for the excellent giftes of spirite and bodie that in her life time beyond fortune they had ennobled her withall and in the stone was ingrauen this Epitaph Lo here Noëmia faire that constant Maide doth lie before these Graces who bewaile her want of breath That for Alectors sake her stedfast faith to trie hath felt the stroke of loue and dint of cruell death Of the accusation and processe against Alector and of his defence CAP. 2. THE next daie the Lorde Diocles Potentate and chiefe Iustice of Orbe sitting vpon the Tribunall seate in the great Basilicq caused to appeare and come before him the Gratian Lords complaināts and the Squire Alector defendant to vnderstand iudge of the commotion and slaughter happened by their cause in the assistance of all the Maiestrates Orders and Estates of the Citie of Orbe and of the greater part of the people there assembled and gathered together by reason of the case so new strange and of so terrible example The two brothers Gratians clothed in long garments of mourning cullour with visages sad and withered either for verie sorrowe or els by artificial cunning of some sulphurian smoke For oftentimes an Hegers mournefull cheere Through fained shewe dooth proue a laughter meere with shauen beardes haires rent and torne implored Iustice against Alector being there present a stranger a spie a foyler of maidenly beds a violator of hospitalitie a raptor of virginitie a theefe and breaker vp of noble houses a troubler of publique peace and a bloodie murtherer Declaring that at the perswasion of their late deceassed sister Noëmia Gratian a gracious maiden more peraduenture than was expedient for him vpon the recite of certaine valiant feates of Armes vnknowing whether they were truely or falsely giuen out they had receiued him into their house alwaies held noble of all antiquitie and estéemed a house of honour This fained and masqued Gentleman who vnder colour of a certaine courtlike ciuilitie wherein he seemed to haue been trained vp and by the allurement of a certaine beautiful youth in him by the giftes of nature shining had corrupted the good nurture manners of their sister being a simple and yong maiden and the best estéemed of this age and had tempted her honestie euen vnto the entring into her priute chamber at vnlawfull houres in the night abiding there the whole night alone with her wherby may be iudged the rest where after that by reuelation of some domestical and faithful seruants hee was discouered by breaking vp the dores he by fraction of the hospital lodging villainously violated polluted was leapt downe through a windowe into the lower court where againe hee hath committed many murthers aswell vpon the domestical seruants friends and familiers come to their succour as of their proper parents and alies yea and that hee had wickedly and cursedly slaine the yongest of the brothers Gratians and for that cause their so amiable sister by rage of furious loue had so lost her senses that she was come miserablie to be slaine in his armes neither was it knowne by whome vnlesse by himselfe who by holding her imbraced had slaine her as it is very likely And thereupon demaunded iustice to be giuen them aswel for the priuate interest of the persons of their brother sister parents friends and domesticall seruants as also for publique example of other such like disturbers of their publique peace stirers of ciuill discorde and corupters of good manners Concluding him to be worthie of the most ignominious death that could be adiudged The most wise and iust Potentate Diocles hauing in great and attentiue silence heard and vnderstood the action and complaint of the brothers Gratians only with his left eare and hauing alwaies held his right eare stopped with the palme
assault for I neuer had doubt of them as full well I haue giuen them since to vuderstand but onely by descending without ladder or fraction with my hand set vppon the window easelie going downe to giue way and place to their furious insolence and threatning cries and for shunning of committing any act of hostilitie in a house of hospitalitie and also because I would not giue any dishonorable suspition to their sister whose honor if I had not had in more recommendation than they who haue brought it in question without leauing the place I had well defended their entrie and haue sent them with their parents like insensible fooles But hauing these two respects I thought better to stake my force and hardines and to giue place to their furie than to fight with mine hostes and giue scandall to their sister And if I had found no impeachment in the court no drop of bloud had béen shed by me in their house But you know O iust Diocles that it is permitted yea and necessarie by the righteous lawe of nature to repulse force by force and violence by violence Wherefore perceiuing my selfe ercluded from all way of flying combat and finding my selfe inuironed with a mightie companie of armed men who had sworue either my death or captiuitie who am free and sonne of free and liberall condition and assailing mee on euerie side without mercie or grace I retired my selfe towards the azile and sacred statues of the Charites and Graces thinking there to finde grace franchise and safetie Wherefore if in defending my bodie some ouer rash persons haue faine vnder my trenching sworde I say that it is not I that haue staine them for I neuer had will thereto and the iust lawe dooth not iudge but voluntarie deedes as for these they themselues like furious wilde Bores haue rashlie come to bee staine and therefore of their owne voluntarie death I pleade my selfe innocent To conclude whereas they charge mee with violence and Rape committed on the person of their sister I answere it is so farre from trueth as contrariwise their sister Noëmia being by the terrible and sauage Centaure rauished and without hope of recouerie from being euer lost I by valiance against violence haue brought her home safe and sounde and so restored her to her brothers Whereby if it were so that I had subtracted her to mee and appropriated her person to my will yet haue I no taken but that which ought to bee mine by good conquest and right of warre for that they lost her with ill keeping and I got here againe from the monsterous Centaure and therefore she should be mine by vniuersall right of people And thus concluding for mine absolution I craue full deliuerance and restitution of mine armes Or otherwise if I be found guiltie of death which shall lesse greeue mee after the death of my most deere Noëmia most instantly I beseech you O Lorde Diocles and all you the assistants that you will cause that murthcring archer to bee sought and found out that so traiterously hath staine the innocent Noëmia and after that you haue condemned him to cruell death as reason and Iustice require to put him into my hands that I may execute and take vengeance vppon him to the ende my soule after her departure out of this bodie may carrie agreeable newes to the spirite of Noëmia in witnes of the constant loue that in her life and after her death I haue borne her And for faithfull proofe of my wordes spoken and alledged in my defence let the domesticall seruants euen vnto the torture bee examined and asked who kept her companie when she was rauished by the Centaure and by mee deliuered out of his handes Likewise let Arcana her familiar chamber maide be examined who to all her deedes and secrets was most priuie The defense of Alector heard and vnderstood which seemed not vnreasonable the thoughts of the whole assistance by close fauor accorded to his absolution and deliuerance But the iust Iudge Diocles who beleeued not easely in simple words by the aduise of the Counsel caused Tharsides and Calestan domesticall seruants in the house of the Gratians to be sent for who had been in the companie and conduct of Noëmia present at her rauishment likewise Arcana her secret damosell was sent for who appearing before the Potentate Diocles were adiured in the name and by the faith which they ought to Soueraigne Ioue to tell trueth of all that they knewe and had seene betwéene Alector and Noëmia with threaten of death if they dissimuled any thing or if they concealed or disguised the truth of the matter as it was These poore seruile persons so adiured began to looke one vpon another without speaking word either of them fearing in himselfe to vtter or conceale the thing whereof they might be coargued by the other vntill Tharsides first tooke and addressed his speach to the Potentate in this manner A Narration of the Rauishment of Noëmia carried away by the sauage Centaure of her recouerie by Alector the beginning of their secret loue in the den and the continnuance thereof till her death CAP. 3. MY Lord Diocles and most iust Potentate in whose presence the most assured tremble for reuerence of thy seuere iudgement which receiueth neither fauor flatery nor lying I protest puerly and entierly to vtter that which I know without conceale or dissimulation There are two moneths alreadie past or there abouts that my Ladie Noëmia deceased whose Soule rest in peace was sent for by my Lady Callirhoa her cousen to her castel of the Greene-head to accompanie passe the time with her certaine daies whiles my Lord Spathas her husband was gone twelue iournies from thence toward an Augur beeing an ancient Hermit of a most straite life and a Diuine man resident about the horned rock to inquire and knowe of this holy man of certaine ordinarie and almost daily praies and slaughters which were done in his lands and woods of persons and beastes either staine rauished or incurably lost without knowing by whome or whether it were a Diuell a sauage beast or a man that committed these outrages For the bodies of those who were found staine were stroken and pierced with arrowes headed with the venemous teeth of Dragons or else marked and striken with round blowes without wound which gaue suspition that they were shot or stroken downe by the hand of a man But when any man followed them who were rauished there could none other trace be founde but the footing of a horse so soone vanished into the thicknesse of the wood that those who pursewed them oftentimes found themselues lost And for that cause my Lord Spathas was gone towards this diuine Augur to vnderstand and heare some certaine aduice of him In the meane while my Ladie Noëmia sent for by her Cousen Callirhoa with the leaue of her Parents and three brethren who had the charge and soueraigne recommendation of her after the death
as I can for thy sake who art my kinsman and hast not any more neede thereof as also for the honor of my Father who hath valiantly conquered it and for the beautie and vertue which I see and feele to be in it and therefore goe rest thy selfe in thy sepulcher and let me sléepe in peace The Gallehault in a terrible and feareful voyce saide vnto him horribly Restore me my shield And in so saying the great black knight which was a spright in the forme of Gallehault tooke the shield with both his hands which Alector had surely fastned and buckled about his shoulders and which the more he hild and embraced Wherefore this vmbragious black Knight lifted vp the shield in the ayre by a certaine force and spirituall puissance and carried vp Alector also who was fastned to the shield and at an instant caused him to loose ground and raised him vp so high in the ayre that his horse which hee might perceiue by the light of the cléere mome and whom he bewailed to loose séemed to him but a little Hare lying vpon the grasse by reason of the farre distance and height that the phantastical Knight had eleuated him carrying him through the lesser region of the ayre by the field whereat this Esquire was fastned hanging for it was not lawful for the knight to touch his person causing him to trauerse the ayre and winds striuing the one against the other so rudely that with great paine could hee fetch his winde for that the sodaine mouing tooke away the facultie of taking breath in so much that in three or foure howres hée had carried him more then twelue hundred miles from the place where hee had found him and a little before day he abased himselfe the height of a launce from the ground ouer a fayre green and soft meddow where the black Knight shooke the shield to shake off Alector but hee had so well buckled it and held it so fast imbraced as though it had beene borne and vuited with his bodie and armes And yet neuerthelesse for all the shaking Alector was not a whit astonished but remained assured as though hee had beene on firme ground through vertue of the shielde which he would not leaue saying thus Or ere I shall it leaue I will be slaine Els with or on thy back returne againe Hee had not so soone spoken the word but hee felt the shield loosed by the black Knight and hee fell downe vppon the grasse all astonished aswell for the change of the ayre as for the fall which was reasonable high Wherewithall this Spirite of the black Knight who had brought him thether for his good and who tooke pleasure to chafe the hot bloud of his hardie youth began to laugh far greater and louder then euer he did in the same voyce which hee had heard him laugh the day before Wherewithall Alector beeing irrited arose on his feete in great anger saying Hay my Lord Diuell the laugher it is then thou gentle Gallhea that mockest and laughest at mee when by misaduenture I fell to the earth like a lubber but if I could catch thee Is this euill done to laugh without dooing other harme quoth the spright thou threatnest mee vainelie and with iniurie for hauing done thée a good turne for if I would it is not yet one houre passed but that I might haue let thee falne from aboue the clouds vppon the hard rocks where contrariwise I haue let thee fall downe easily vppon the grasse and soft ground for not hurting thee And if I haue a little plaide the Frog with thee to laugh at the fire of thy pleasant youth it hath not béene for thine euill but for thy good For I am thy Kinsman and I loue thee and take delight to helpe thee as hereafter thou shalt vnderstand at such time as thou shalt haue neede of mee And knowe that it was I which chased thy horse to the fountaine to make him steale from vnder thee and to make thee fall with the shielde For which the poore innocent beast is now well punished for the sauage beasts of mount Caucas are descended in great nomber at the sent of his fresh flesh and haue deuoured and eaten him as likewise they would haue done thee being not able to saue thy selfe with all thy force and hardines if I had not transported thee from that place where I haue dwelt two yeares and more conuersing about the tree and Trophie alwaies in watch to hearken and attend thy comming and to saue thee my shielde which belonged to none but thee And all those that haue assayed to take it before thy comming I haue cast them downe headlong and ruinated them after diuers waies and after another order then thou art falne in somuch that they returned no more to take it downe For I kept it for thee and I giue it thee carrie it with thee and keepe it well so it shall stand thée in great stead many times Now is my wrath and guard atchiued I wil returne to my repose where I shal alwaies be readie to ayde thée in thy extreame necessities Salute in my behalfe thy father Franc-Gal whom through my meanes thou shalt fee this day for if I had not this night brought thee more then 1200. miles thou hadst neuer seen him reccon vnto him the things which thou hast seene and showe him this shield Tell him that Gallehault Macrobe whom he knoweth sendeth him word that very shortly hee will visit him to reuenge the mortall wound which he receiued of him to God I commend thee And thus as Alector would haue thanked him and demanded an interpretation of his sayings he sawe him soddainely changed into a long and cleere flame of fire like a tayled commet flying through the ayre more swifter than the shot of a Crosse bowe mounting still towards the higher Region through the which hee had béene brought and followed him still with the eye vntill he had lost the sight thereof Wherevpon knowing not what other thing to doo hee laid him downe with his shield vpon the grasse and remembring in himself the calke which he had had with Gallehault the great black Knight with the clouen head hee fell a sleepe in the fresh of the morning a little before the breake of the day at such time as all liuing creatures take sleepe by reason of the moystnes of the night falling The sad Augure that happened to Franc-Gal his encounterie with his Sonne sleeping the mutuall knowledge and talke held betweene them The killing of Troluat the Sea monster Their departure from Tangut and the losse of Alector carried away by the wind and the lamentacion of his Father and thereupon the arriuall of the two old men at Orbe CAP. XXI THis night I had not well slept by reason of an euill Augure which was happened to me the day before for as I was at a windowe in the pallace of Tangut where I was lodged there came flying towards me a
young Doue carrying in her bill a branch of bay leaues which she presented to my hands and rested vpon my sist and as I did contemplate and behold how iollie she was decked with feathers violet changeable and guilded round about her neck like an enameled chaine I saw comming towards me two great birds of pray the one a Rauen croking who rested vpon my head the other a red Vultur who rauished away the Doue with his clawes very far off and high insomuch that I lost the sight thereof and auon after he came flying by mee againe carrying alwaies the Doue with him which me thought was become a storke carrying in her bill a turning and wreathing serpent And therevpon came an Eagle who toke the Doue letting the serpent fall to the earth starke dead and the Vultur flying away in the ayre the Eagle carried away the Doue resembling a stork so long that I sawe him no more But the Rauen who was vppon my head beate mine eyes with her wings and would not depart vntill forceably I chased her away with the blowes of mine armes and hands so that at length shee was forced to arise crying and croking in mortall threatning wise This Augurie which of a trueth was very sinister and of an euil presage to me did so trouble mee and represented vnto mee so many cursed significations that I could not sléepe in all the night wherefore being wearie of my vnquietnes I arose before day hauing deliberated to depart very shortly I went towards the Sea to see how my Hippopotame fared wherevpon it happened that in passing through the meddow being yet somewhat dark I perceiued a far off a certaine long light stretched out nere the ground yelding such a brightnes that one might well sée that there was one laid thereby and still me thought I had séene this light before that time Wherefore approching more nere and Aurora already hauing chased away the darkenes of the night I saw a most fayre yong man sléeping ful swéetly at the first sight of whom mine entrailes moued within me and I might perceiue that he was laid vpon the gréene shield of brasse with the Cock of golde which partely I knewe to bee that which I had before time hanged vpon the Trophie meruailing much how he should come by it For after I had hong it vpon the trée and séeing it so fayre I had great desire my selfe to haue carried it away and did my endeuor to haue plucked it downe againe but it was in vaine for I might aswell haue plucked vp the trée by the roote but a grey Crowe iugging ouer mée cryed Labor no more to gaine the shield For t' is ordained for a twise borne Child Which when I vnderstood I left off estéeming that it should neuer happen to any for as a man dieth but once so is hée borne but once And thereupon I remembred my selfe of the double birth of Alector which the messenger had accounted to mée and therefore I imagined that the fayre Esquire might bee my Sonne Alector considering also the sworde which hee wore which incontinently I knew to bée the same that I had sent him with the shining scabberd which was that which I saw first glister beholding likewise his rich apparrell and the chaine of gold about his neck which were tokens of noblenesse Besides this I saw the streaks of his face resembling the forme and beautie of the Quéene Priscaraxe yea more fayre and more admirable and remembring with my selfe moreouer of the fodaine and great growth that I was informed of his aduanced youth All which things conferred together I assured my selfe for certaine that this young Esquire was my Sonne Alector which made my heart to throb and mine ryes to shed teares through pittie and Fatherly loue And thus as I beheld him through amorous affection hée began to stretch out his armes and to open his eyes so cléere as fine cristall and séeing me before him sodainely hee arose on his féete and after an honest reuerence hee began his speech with the first word of trueth saying to me thus good Father what would you that thus peaceably haue ouertaken me sléeping and thus atteutiuely beholden mee Fayre Sonne quoth I for that me thinks I should knowe thée and yet haue I neuer séene thée before this present houre for the which I render thanks to the Soueraigne And the first word which thou hast vttered in reuerence of mine age as I thinke in calling me by the name of Father is issued out of thy mouth by naturall instinction for I am thy Father and thou my Sonne borne of the Quéene Priscaraxe You are then Franc-Gal quoth Alector the great olde Knight with the swimming and flying horse For other Father will I not acknowledge vnder the Heauens Franc-Gal am I for certaine quoth I and to put thée in more assurance come with me and I will show thee my swimming and flying horse To this hée most willingly agreed so went wée deuifing together vnto the sea side where I showed him my great horse Durat Hippopotame the which he séeing so great so puissant and merueilous that a hundred terrestriall horses were not comparable vnto him hee was astonished desiring greatly to be mounted vpō him in lamenting his own which the sauage beasts had eaten Then knowing for certain that I was his Father Franc-Gal hee prostrated himselfe on his knées in humble reuerence before me acknowledging me and saying my Lord and my Father behold here your humble Sonne Alector which my Lady Mother the Quéene Priscaraxe hath sent your O how truly hath Gallehault the great black knight spoken and kept promise who told me that this day hee would set mee in such a place where I should sée my Lord and Father Franc-Gal without the aide of which good spirit it had béene impossible for mee euer to haue found you through so many long and diuers errors Hereupon I enquired of him who was that Gallehault Knight and that good spirit who had adressed him to me and in our returning and going towards Tangut hee accounted to mée all his adueutures and the conquest of the faire shield in such sort as I haue recited it whereby I vnderstood that it was the great and valiant Knight the théefe which I has ouerthrowne and slaine against my will through his owne obstinate courage and buried at the foote of the Trophie and then I knew that the shield was destinated to Alector but that the black Knight threatned to sée me shortly yea and to reuenge his death that gaue mee a sad signification with the euill auguries which I had the day before But the great ioy I had to see my Sonne Alector so fayre so well borne brought vp and taught and of so happie a beginning made mee forget all ill coniectures and to set a side all doubts and feares of infortunes which hong before mine eyes and which as yet are not ended And so deuising we returned to the palace
Hath slaine our foe that did our death conspire After this psalme sung with great ioy and iubilation the Bishop Croniell spake vnto all the assistance in this manner This day haue you soene my Lords friends that thing accomplished which not long since I haue showed vnto you by diuine reuelation which is vnfaylable that is the publique health with our deliuerance from the common terror and vniuersell danger by the ouerthrow of the serpent which this young and valiant Esquire Alector sonne of the sage Franc-Gal hath slaine to the extreame hazard and perrill of his life So as by this most vertuous act he hath restored your whole citie to the wonted securitie for the which all in generall owe him thanks and honour and not onely to him with vouchsased to accomplish the meritorious act of so great a praise but also to his father who for vs and the common wealth of this citie hath brought into the World a Sonne of such vertue Now haue wee an ancient order and a most laudable custome not to bee ingratefull to the well meritors of our common wealth but ouer and aboue our verball regratiation to reward honour them with some notable publique déede and some guift of honorable prize wherefore prepare your selues to yeeld this fauorable grace towards these two strangers who to my thinking haue well desetued the same At these words all the multitude cried with one voyce we yéeld thanks to Alector our perseuer who hath exposed his life for vs against our internall mortall enemie and that hath deliuered vs from his dangers moreouer we giue thanks vnto his bertuous father Franc-Gal who hath sent vs such a worthie Sonne and we likewise declare both of them worthie of the rights of our citie of Orbe to be set amongst the estates of the Prytan and particularly the ciuill crowne to be set vppon the head of Alector as a deliuerer of the citie then quoth the Bishop are you all of this minde will and consent Who answered with one voyce yea then the Archier caused to bee brought by his ministers a most fayre crowne of gold fashioned like to the leaues of an Oake enamiled with greene and the bayes of waightie rubies and the acornes of sine emeraulds which when he had taken it in his hand he turned towards Franc-Gal and Alector saying vnto them in this wise My Lord Franc-Gal a man most vertuous and thou Alector Esquire most valerous the citie of Orbe vniuersally thanketh you for their wholesome deliuerance out of the danger and publique euill in acknowledging whereof the Lords Magistrats and all the people do grant vnto you being strangers all the rights and priuileges of this citie and from hensforth receine you for cittizens and Patrices of this towne of Orbe in assigning to you the estate of Prytan so great and honorable that it is onely ordeyned for the excellent benefactors who haue wel deserued of the common wealth Ouer and aboue the which for especial honor of thy vertue Alector of thy magnanimity valiant victory ouer the monstrous serpēt of the sands the internall enemy of the citie for thy worthie reuenging of Noëmias death slaughter of the sauage Centaure our external enemy for the excellent prize of honor for these thy valiant acts they presēt thée with this rich crown acknowledging thée for the liberator of their citie In this saying he lifted vp the faire and rich crowne and set it vpon the head of Alector who receiuing it graciously with a shamefast rednes resembled to one of Phoebus morning beames his Father Franc-Gal beholding him so affectionatly and fatherly with an extreame interior ioy at the honour wherein hee saw his Sonne a little before as an offendor condemned tooke such a suddaine ioy after the extreame dolors and deadly feares which hee had not long before conceiued aswell by his dreames oracles visions augures and proper prognostications as also of the perill wherein he had séen his sonne vnhoped for in combat with the serpent that his soule was almost out of himselfe through the violence of the vnspeakeable aduentures diuers encountries suddaine chances vnlooked for and strange mutations from sorrow into hope from hope into trauaile and dolor from trauel into doubt from doubt into feare from feare into vnhoped ioy and from ioy into incredible admiration by which diuers contratie and striuing passions being perturbated he resembled a liuing body in a rauished soule as in trueth he was neuerthelesse such a new ioy shined in his merrie vermilion face full of gracious chéerefulnes that it witnessed the pleasure which he receiued of the happy houre and honour of his crowned sonne as already from his infancie he had an euident signe Alector then séeing him thus repleat with ioy demanded if the crowne were properly appertaining to him and it was answered yea Then he lifting it from his owne head set it vpon the head of his Father Franc-Gal who through sodaine mutation which is perilous and oftentimes deadly from feare into assurance and from sorrowe into vnhoped ioy being alreadie halfe beyond himselfe and féeling this sonnelie pittie to crowne him through excessiue ioy and loue could no longer kéepe his rauished spirit from flying away through vehement exultation and at the same instant was séene a long streight and a most pure and clere flame issuing out of his eyes and mounting towards heauen through the top of the temple which in trueth was the light of his cierge put out the last day of his peregrination in the temple of the Soueraigne God according to the ordinance of the ancient Lady Anange and of her thrée daughters Cleronome Zodore and Termaine who as then ended the cierge of his life sight and way in such sort that he remained stif and departed in the same habitude of ioyfull and pleasant face which he had when with the extremitie of loue and ioy the crowne was set vpon his head by his dere sonne Alector in such sort that none thought he had giuen vp the Ghost but onely the good Croniell who before had reuelation of his departure and who by conferring the visions and oracles together and vnderstanding priuatly his speaches doubted the worst Wherefore hauing signified so much to the people in the presence of them all he lifted vp his head by the chin calling him thrée times by his name but it auailed not for there remained neither life soule nor spirit in him his Sonne Alector more sorrowful of his fathers death than before he had béen ioyfull of his new glorie embraced accolled kissed called and cried to him but hee might easilie perceiue him to be nothing but a statue of flesh seperated from the soule whereupon through great heauines and sorrowe which stroke him at the heart hee swounded in the chayre in such sort as it was thought that both Father and Sonne had béen dead the whole multitude being astonished of so suddaine a mutation from ioy into sorrow and from life into death
of her parents went to the Greene-head accompained with Calestan and mee of her hastard brother called Floridas and this her waighting maide Arcana and there we tarried three weekes with ioyfull cheere vntill the retourne of my Lorde Spathas who brought no other answere from the wise wan but this obscure probleme afterwards by him found but ouer veritable The cruellrauisher is neither Man no Beast Who of the snowie Hind shall shortly make conquest By killing of the Leopard that sought her to defend And chasing of two Harts who durst him not attend But there shall come a twise borne child whose worthieforce Shall her redeeme and stay this monster sanz remorce And for his fact receiue that flower as a prize Whereof shall shortly'nsewe abundant plaints and cries My Lord Spathas for that time vnderstood not this obscure answere neuerthelesse he could get none other wherevpon he returned as euill aduised as he went albeit hee kept this aenigme still in minde Who interpreting the worst and fearing least the euill should fall vpon his house or vpon those who were there in specially on his faire Cousin Noëmia which he coniectured to be the snowie Hind on the next morning in an euill houre sent vs towards Orbe For in passing by the wood of Hazards as wee rode cheerefullie one morning vnder the shaddow of the great leaued trees giuing eare to the melodious tunes of the chirping birds we heard a great brute like the trampling of a droue of beastes approching vs. And suddainely wee perceiued a most horrible monster of greatnesse grosenes enormious hideur who vnto the lower part of his belly had an humaine shape rather Giantous than natural with a great hoarie head brusking vp like the brussels of a wild Bore with a visage fierce and lookes feare full his mouth opened discouering his great teeth his bodie and armes full of veynes couered with cleere haire not much vnlike the silke made of a fleese And the rest of his bodie in the forme of a great red horse exceeding the common bignes of other horses running flinging and leaping vpon foure horse legs strong and light right towards vs carying a great massy Club hanging at his girdle made of a greene and croked branch of hasell with his leaues and a number of arrowes at his side and a bowe in his hand wherewithall hee let flie an arrowe and stew the horse of Floridas who feeling his horse to fall vnder him readily set foote on ground and hand to his weapon to defend his faire sister Noëmia whom he loued most decrely against this horrible monstrous Centaure running foorth right to rauish her Wherefore Floridas postposing his life to the health of his sister came onely to him with his sword But the Centaure gnaying with dispitefull laughter drew out his grosse mare and gaue him such a heauie stroke vpon the reines that hee broosed all his bones and then trode him with his horsely feete till hee brake his hart Seeing this wée fled abandoning my Ladie Noëmia whome farre of turning our selues wee sawe rauished by the Centaure who hauing mounted her vp behinde him was entred into the thick wood And after her her Damosell Arcana running on foote with her haire about her eyes for the Mule whereon she was mounted being afraide of the Centaure as a Mule is a phantasticall and vmbragious beast had throwne downe his charge and by maine running returned to the Castle of Greene-head from whence wée were departed Whereupon after wee had lost the sight of my Ladie Noëmia we came flying towards Orbe to declare vnto her friends this sorrowfull newes And as for other things I knowe none but that the next daie after at night we sawe her arriue safe and sound whom wée supposed to haue béen vtterly lost in the companie and conduct of a right faire Squire whome you may behold here present Who euer since hath remained in the house of the Lordes Gratians behauing himselfe most graciously towards all and most louingly with my Ladie Noëmia like a young Gentleman with a faire Gentlewoman If there bee any other thing I knowe let Arcana be asked who ought to know more for as touching my attestation Calestan can beare me witnes Then arose Calestan affirming the déed to be so adioyning therewithall that in flying the Prophecie of the wise man came to his memorie to bee verified For this monstrous Hippocentaure was neither man nor beast but of doubble stature rauishing and murthering as for the snowie Hinde conquered it was Noëmia the Leopard who is a beast bastard to the Lyon and the Pardatide was Floridas the bastard staine the two Harts did flie being them two seruants Tharsides and Calestan who through feare had abandoned their dame by flight But of the rest of the probleme he protested to vnderstand nothing as one not knowing the consequent effects whereof Arcana may bee asked Arcana then at the commandement of the Iudge arose and protesting by her faith to report the trueth vpon paine of her life began as followeth All that which Tharsides and Calestan haue related is according to trueth and veritie my Lord Diocles after whose flight and my Mules I being on foote knewe not what better to doo than by extreame dolor which brought my desperation of life to runne after my Lady Noëmia whome my soule could not abandane in following the trace of the Centaure by an vnknowne way which I sawe him hold in crying and lamenting so high that all the wood rang the only Eccho filled mine eares who with mee seemed to bewaile the misfortune of my Ladie Noëmia At my hautie cries clamors in the wood I met with a right fayre yong and braue Esquire which was Alector whom you see present before you mounted vpon a goodly Courser who seeing mee so to run halfe out of my witts demaunded the cause of my dolor which when he had vnderstoode he required me to conduct him to the place where I had seene this monster saying that he would deliuer my Lady or else there die the death I comforted with this promise in so much that I seemed to be as light as a hinde ran before towards the thick of the wood whereinto I sawe this monstrous Centaure enter and the Squire followed mee a gallop vntill at length wee perceiued the Centaure hauing discharged his pray and training her by force into the hollowe of a high Rock enuironed with xv great Okes right thick and leauie Alector seeing him cried from farre leaue that Maiden thou byformed monster and addresse thy selfe to me who will chasten thee for thine outrage The Hippocentaure hearing and seeing him come with bridle losed and the sworde in his hand let flie at him an arrowe wherewithall hee had peirced him through if he had not been couered with his impenetrable shield Wherefore fearing least his horse should be slaine set foote on ground and adressed himselfe to the monster with merueilous hardines whereat the Centaure being
might be honorably buried as afterwards they did and the bodie of the Centaure to haue proofe of mysaying as also for pleasure of the sight and vengeance The which byformed body was brought in a chariot with foure whéeles and foure horses so great so monstrous and so to bee wondred at that the beastes of the wood durst not approach and the men of the towne scarce behold The which monster after they had made shewe thereof to all the people wondering thereat they caused it to bee fleed and the skin to bee stuffed with many swéete and drie herbes and set it with the foresaide massie Club vpon one of the gates of the house where it séemeth to be yet aliue and to defend the entrie with lookes so hidious and threatning that as yet may be séene to the great honor praise of the vanquisher that hath destroyed such a Diuell the which is Alector here present to whom the brothers Gratians in acknowledge of benefit done to their sister offered and abandoned their house and all that was therein which Alector accepted most agréeably for the loue of my Lady Noëmia whom he loued right tēderlie and whome oftentimes hee came to visit cherish and make honest loue without villanie dishonor or passing to my knowledge the girdle If there bee any other forfeit either true or by false accusation intended whereby so much euill hath preocéeded I protest to knowe no more than that which I haue alreadie spoken And therewithall she hild her peace Consultation vpon the criminall processe of Alector The commaundement of the Oracle by the Archter The slaughter of the Prophet Calliste which was cause of the deuouring Serpent in the Theatre Capitall sentence prenounced vpon Alector that he should be deliuered to the Serpent CAP. 4. DIocles after he had paused a while vpon all these foresaid things alledged and approued retired himselfe into the Counsell chamber with the principall of the bench where the matter was diuerslie discoursed some cōsenting to the absolution of Alector as one that was not conninced of any other crime than of amorous youth and of worthy act in defence of his bodie others chiefely the old men and such as had daughters mariageable in their houses and to whom asmuch hong in their eye saide that it was an euill example against good manners and a great presumption of domesticall rape deseruing at the least punishment if they did but procéede according to his owne confession And were it but the homicide of so many men staine by contumace rebellion of not obaying to Iustice hee was culpable of death But other vnwilling to condemne him to death gaue sentence that he should be chastened with some ignominious and corporall paine with banishment And as these diuers opinions were in question and the Iudge Diocles waying the one with the other behold one of the Ministers of the temple Deacon to the Archier that is to say to the chiefe Priest and Prince of the Priests of Ioue his temple the great and foueraigne God of Orbe came from the said Archier named in his proper name Croniel to speake secretly to the Potentate Diocles. Which done he sodainlie departed for it is not permitted to such holy men to assist in capitall iudgement The Deacon being departed Diocles spake to those of the Bench and said My Lords the Archier of the Temple of Ioue the holie man Croniel hath sent me word presently that he by reuelation which is come to him this last night in watching and praying in the Temple for the prosperous estate of our Common wealth was commanded by an Angell of Souereigne Ioue to aduertise and defend vs from giuing capitall sentence vppon this yong straunger other than that which is ordeyned by Ioue himself that is to put him into the Threatre of the Sands onelie with his shield sword and an arrow without a bow to fight with the great Serpent of the Sands so to make proofe of his innocencie if he vanquish or to suffer pain for his offence if he be ouercome This diuine sentence was allowed of all yea of the most rigorous who thought hee should neuer escape the force téeth and venim of the Serpent and so shuld he giue pleasure to the people and spare one of their owne men the most iust hoping neuerthelesse that he who had discomfited the biformed Centaure would deale well enough with the Serpent and so deliuer the Theatre and Towne of a cruell beast and inward enimie Now is it to be vnderstood that certain yeres before the Archier Croniel there was in the Temple another Archier called Calliste a man of great vertue holie and a Prophet who in the festiuall dayes when the people assembled themselues at the spectacles in the Theatre or at the Sands he would come into the mids of the people and openlie and eagerlie reprooue them of their vsuall vices and prophecie vnto them that of the iust bloud shed the earth shuld bring foorth a terrible and cruell reuenger who should deuour their entrailes vntill such time as the twice borne childe comming from towards the Pol-Artick deliuered them thereof Thus did this holie man goe erving through the Theatre and the Sand so as he hindred the plaies comedies spectacles and other publique pastimes insomuch that one day the people prouoked by commotion and populous furie with casting of stones chased him vnder a gutter or sinke of the Theater and therein stoned him leauing his bodie in the filth which notwithstanding the next day after the populous furie passed was drawen out by the Ministers of the Temple and honorably buried in the entrie of the Gutter where he was staine in a sepulcher of blacke marble highlie crected with his Prophecie written therein which stopped vp the mouth of the gutter Neuertheles it hid not so close the murder of this holie man but within one yere and a day after an horrible reuenge of that fact publiquelie appeared for as the people in great multitudes were assembled to behold the dancing of an Elephant behold from betwéene the gutter stones the sepulcher issued out a most horrible serpent who flying vpon the people with his taile throate destroyed a great number the residue with terrible feare running out of the Theatre which thing euerie 3. day hee vsed to execute on the people who by no engine or humane force could finde remedie yea he would spoyle them in their houses vntill at length they were aduised euerie wéeke to giue him 2. capitall offenders whom presently he would carrie into the gutter and hold himselfe therewith content Then vnderstood the people that the Prophecte of the Archier Calliste was pattly fulsilled but not wholly at an end Two dairs after the processe of Alector was the time to giue the Serpent his proye wherefore the great Potentate Diocles comming out of the Counsell the Benchers standing about him and he himselfe set in the iustice seate Alector being presented vnto him thus pronounced sentence
other side right ouer against them were mounted the trumpets who at the commandement of the Iudges sounded to giue signe And so soone as the barriers were open the gallant light horse issued out to the course and the Knights to the lifts to iust euerie one assaying to carrie away the prize and honor being no les pricked forward by the sharp regard of the fayre maydens then their horses were moued with the sound of trumpets and prick of the spurs and thus you may perceiue what the Hippodrome was The third building was the Prytan or publique house of the citie in theforefrunt whereof was a large lower court and from thence one mounted by 10. stayres of ston into a right great and large hall garnished all along the walls with benches and at either end a great chimney aboue the benches the walls were couered with bookes and rastles whereon were hanged al sorts of armes swords lances corselets morraines and other harnis in abundance In this hal the people assembled in the last wéeke of December to change the magistrates of the yere before and to chuse new for the yeares following and to take aduise what was to be done for the vtilitie of the common wealth Ouer and beside this great hall there was a walking place squared and cléere on all sides with many windowes Through this was a way into another lesse hall both close secret with a treble port and three vshers to guard them Where the politick gouernours of the towne who were 12. in number consulted and concluded the waightie affaires concerning the common wealth of Orbe Nere to this part of the building was another great court and in the mids thereof a fountaine with two cesternes whose top being of alablaster cast out water through thrée pipes in great aboundance beyond this court on the back side of this publique house was another great and large part braue sumpruous and magnifical comprehending two great hals the one below eleuated notwithstanding eyght stayres high on the one side and on the other side in the fashion and forme of a ladder the other aboue of like greatnes hauing their kitchins and offices on the one side the other opening with treble windowes into the court which two halls were garnished with tables of Cedar and with stooles and chayres sutable round about them and two gréene beds of repose the residue being hanger with rich and fayre capistries wherein those who dwelt there came to cate drinke walke and deuise one with another that is to say such as by any good work or profitable inuention either by wisdome valour liberalitie or other vertuous act both honorable and profitable to the Citie had well merited of the common wealth For whom in prize of honour and fauor this fayre lodging was appropriated where they were at the common expence nourished and entertained gorgiously with dayly banquets in the foresaid halls serued with officers and seruants at the common expence withall meates and dishes in rich vessel of gold siluer and christal and with prerious lyunen besides this they were accompanied euerie day with the most apparant and noble Lords and Ladies of the towne recounting vnto them often times their meritorious good déeds with praise and thanks Moreouer they receiued euerie morning euery of them a fayre flower according to the season with humble reuerence a swéet kisse of the most fayrest maidens of the citie And to retire themselues priuatly apart was ordeyned a great gallerie transuersing the foresaid halls and parted into 24. chambers all garnished a like with rich beds of imbrodery with tables tressels wrought and furnished with tapistrie delicious linnen euery chamber hauing adioyning vnto it a wardrop cabin with a page proper and ready to serue them the prospect of which chambers was partly easterly and partly southerly into the most ample gardens bowers and medowes where the birds continually delighted them with their swéet melodious songs all which was done at the expence publique of the Citizens Besides this euery yeare was made in the great hall below a Panegyricall oration in the honor and praise of the wel deseruers of the common wealth all which things were done and maintained in the Prytan house to moue and giue courage to al vertuous young men to do such acts whereby they might get such fauour and meritorious praises as that they might be nourished nobly entertained at the expence of the common wealth in reward of their desert good déeds which they estéemed a most great honor procéeding of iust cause as in trueth it was and thus you may perceiue what the Pritan was Now resteth the Theatre and the Sands whose proportion was in fashion like to an egg conteining 2000. paces about the wals wherof being of diuers coulored marble were deuided in thrée rāks of admirable arches below in the middest aboue eleuated of an incredible height euery ranke conteyning 72. arches among those aboue were placed so many fayre statues as there were pillers to vpholde the arches beside ouer and aboue the rankes of arches was another ranke with 72. large and ample windowes giuing light to the halls about the Theatre whereby the people might looke in and out of the same the entrance whereof was through 12. gates into the place where for the ascending vp were eleuated 45. seats of stone the highest whereof had compasse 1098. foote and the twentieth seate after in descending which was the middle degrée had 726. foote in compasse and the lowest and last of all had 300. foote in compasse whereby a man may coniecture what the other 42. seates did conteine in compasse wherein 25000. people might sit at their ease to beholde the pastimes euerie one of them hauing one foote and a halfe for his place without reckoning the largenes of the 12. gates At the foote of these degrees was the Orchestre wherein sat the Lordes and Magistrates and before them a little belowe was the place and platforme where for the solace of the common people and to win their fauor the richest and notablest Citizens oftentimes did vse and exercise all manner of playes and pastimes In the same proportion right before and in the sight of the Theatre was a great long large and ample place emptie and discouered which was called the Arenes because the ground was strawed all ouer with sand to the end that both beastes and men might haue furer footing which came thether to the chace to fight for the best game or for the exercise of their bodie for wrastling running leaping casting the barre or for fighting with cudgells or sharpe swords naked or armed or to chace and fight with all sortes of fierce and cruell beastes At the end of which place was the sepulchre of the ancient Archier Caliste before the mouth of a cloaque or gut where the great Serpent abode against whome Alector the same day should fight Such was the Theatre and Sands of Orbe and of such