and other timber-work of the purest Ebony the covering thereof of pure Silk cross-barr'd with pure staves of Gold likewise an hundred of the Noblest Peers of Egypt Attired in Crimson Uelvet Mounted on Milk-white Coursers with Rich Caparisons attended the coming of St. George Thus were all appointed for his Honourable Entertainment which they performed in such Solemn Order that I lack Eloquence to describe it for when he first entred the Gates of the City he heard such a melodious Harmony of Heavenly sounding Mulick that it seemed in his conceit to surpass the sweetness of all that ever he had heard before Then they most Royally Presented him with a sumptuous and costly Ball of Gold and after invested him in that Ebony Chariot wherein he was Conducted to the Palace of King Ptolomy where this Noble and Princely-minded Champion surrendred up his Conquest and Uictory to the hands of the Beauteous Sabra where she with like Courtesie and more Humility requited his Bounty For at the first sight of the English Knight she was so Ravished with his Princely Countenance that for a time she was not able to speak Yet at last taking him by the hand she led him to a Rich Pavillion where she Unarmed him and with most Precious Salves imbalmed his Wounds and with her Tears washed away the Blood which being done she furnished a Table with all manner of Delicates for his repast where her Father was present who enquired of his Country Parentage and Name After the Banquet was ended he enstalled him with the Honour of Knighthood and put upon his feet a pair of Golden Spurs But Sabra who fed upon the Banquet of his Love conducted him to his Nights Repose where she sate upon his Bed and warbled forth most Heavenly Melody upon her Lute till his Senses were overcome with a swéet and sileÌ„nt sleep where she left him for that Night after his late dangerous Battel No sooner did Aurora's Radiant Blush display the Beauty of the East and the Sun shew his Morning Countenance but Sabra repaired to the English Champion's Lodging and at his first uprising presented him with a Diamond of most rare and excellent Uertue the which he wore upon his finger The next that entred his Lodging was the Treacherous Almidor the Black King of Morocco having in his Hand a Bowl of Graekish Wine which he offered to the Noble Champion St. George of England but at the receit thereof the Diamond the Lady gave him which he wore upon his finger waxed pale and from his Nose fell three drops of Blood whereat he started which sudden Accident caused the King's Daughter to suspect some secret Poison compounded in the Wine and thereupon so vehemently shrieked that a sudden Uproar presently overspread the whole Court whereby it came to the King's Intelligence of the proffered Treachery of Almidor against the English Champion but so dear was the Love of the Egyptian King to the Black King of Morocco that no belief of Treachery could enter into his mind Thus Almidor the second time was prevented of his practice whereat in Mind he grew more enraged than a chased Bore yet thinking the third should pay for all he expected a time wherein to work his wicked purpose which he brought to pass in this manner Many a day remained St. George in the Egyptian Court sometimes Revelling among the Gentlemen Dancing and Sporting with Ladies other times in Tilts and Tournaments with other Honourable Exercises Likewise long and extream was the Love that Beauteous Sabra bore to the English Champion of the which this Treacherous Almidor had Intelligence by many secret practises and many times his Ears were witnesses of their Discourses So upon an Evening when the Gorgeous Sun lay level with the Ground it was his Fortune to wander under a Garden Wall to take the coolness of the Evenings Air where unseen of the two Lovers he heard their Amorous Discourses as they sate dallying under a Bower of Roses Courting one another in this manner My Soul's delight my Heart 's chief comfort sweet George of England said the Love-sick Sabra Why art thou more obdurate than the Flint whom the Tears of my true Heart can never mollifie how many thousand sighs have I breathed for thy sweet sake which I have sent to thee as true Messengers of my Love yet never wouldst thou requite me with a smiling Countenance Refuse not her dear Lord of England that for thy Love will forsake Parents Country and Inheritance which is the Crown of Egypt and like a Pilgrim follow thee throughout the wide World On therefore knit that Gordian knot of Wedlock that none but Death can afterwards untie that I may then say The Sun shall lose his brightness the Moon her splendant beams the Sea her tydes and all things under the Cope of Heaven grow centrary to Kind before Sabra the Heir of Egypt prove Unconstant to sweet George of England These words so fired the Champion's heart that he was almost intangled in the snares of Love which before-time only affected Martial Discipline he yet to try her Patience a little more made her this Answer Lady of Egypt Can'st thou not be content that I have ventured my Life to free thee from Death but I should link my future Fortunes in a Woman's Lap and so bury all my Honours in Oblivion No no Sabra George of England is a Knight born in a Country where true Chivalry is nourisht and hath sworn to search the World so far as ever the Lamp of Heaven doth lend his Light before he tie himself in the troublesome State of Marriage therefore attempt me no more that am a Stranger and a Wanderer from place to place but seek to aim at higher states as the King of Morocco who will attempt to climb to Heaven to gain thy Love and good Liking At which speeches she suddenly replied in this manner The King of Morocco is as bloody minded as a Serpent but thou more gentle then a Lamb his Tongue as ominous as the screeching Night Owl but thine more sweet than the Morning Lark his kind embracings like the stinging Snakes but thine more pleasant than the creeping Vine What if thou beest a Knight of a strange Country thy Body is more precious to mine Eves than Kingdoms to mine Heart There stay Reply'd the English Champion I am a Christian thou a Pagan I Honour God in Heaven thou Earthly Shadows here below therefore if thou â—â—ilt obtain my Love and Liking thou must forsake thy Mahomet and be Christned in our Christian Faith With all my Soul answered the Egyptian Lady I will forsake my Countrey Gods and for thy Love become a Christian and therewithal she burst a Ring in twain the one half she gave to him in pledge of Love and kept the other half for her self and so for that time departed the Garden During all the time of their Discourse the Treacherous minded Almidor stood listning to their speeches and fretted inwardly to
almost equally with the King for which there ingendered in the Kings heart a secret rancour and hatred towards him The Magician cast his love upon the young Princess Angelica and it was ordained by destiny that she should repay him with the same affection so that both their hearts being wounded with love the one to the other they indured sundry great Passions Then Love which continually seeketh occasions did on a time set before this Magician a Waiting Maid of Angelica's named Fidelia the which thing seemed to be wrought by the immortal power of the Goddess Venus Oh in what fear the Magician was to discover unto her all his heart and to bewray the secrets of his love-sick Soul but in the end by the great industry and diligence of the Waiting-maid whose Name was answerable unto her mind there was order given that these two Lovers should meet together This fair Angelica for that she could not at her ease enjoy her true Lover she did determine to leave her own natural Country Father and with this intention being one night with her Love she cast her Arms about his neck and said Oh my sweet and well-beloved Friend seeing that my Destinies have been so kind to me as to have my heart linked in thy Breast let no man find in thee ingratitude for that I cannot live except continually I enjoy thy sight and do not muse my Lord at these my Words for the intire love that I bear to you constreineth me to make it manifest And this believe of a certainty that if thy sight be absent from me it will be an occasion that my heart will lack his vital recreation and my soul forsake her Earthly habitation You know my Lord how that the King my Father doth bear you no good Will but doth hate you from his soul which will be an occasion that we cannot enjoy our hearts contentments for the which I have determined if you think well thereof to leave both my Father and my native Country and to go and live with you in a strange Land And if you deny me this you shall very quickly see your loving Lady without life but I know you will not deny me for thereon consisteth the benefit of my welfare and my chiefest prosperity And therewithal sheding a few tears from her Crystal Eyes she held her peace The Magician as one half ravished with her earnest desires answered and said My Love and sweet Mistress wherefore have you any doubt that I will not fulfill and accomplish your desire in all things therefore out of hand put all things in readiness that your pleasure is to have done for what more benefit or contentment can I receive than to enjoy your sight continually in such sort that neither of us may depart from the others company till the fatal Destinies give end to our lives Or if it so fall out that Fortune frown upon us that we be espied and taken in our enterprize and suffer death together what more glory can there happen unto me than to die with thee and to end my life betwixt thy arms therefore do not trouble your self dear Lady and Mistress but give me leave for â—o depart your presence that I may provide all things in readiness for our departures And so with this conclusion they took leave one of the other and departed away with as great secresie as might possibly be devised After this within a few days the Magitian by his Enchantment caused a Chariot to be made that was drawn by the flying Dragons into the which without being espyed of any one they put themselves together with their trusty Waiting-Maid and in great secresie they departed out of the Kings Pallace and took their journey towards the Country of Armenia into the which Country in a short time they arrived and came without any misfortune unto a place where as deep Rivers did continually strike upon a Rock upon the which stood an old ancient building wherein they intended to inhabit as a most convenient place for their dwelling whereas they might without all fear of being found live peaceably enjoying each others love Not far from that place there was a small Uillage from whence they might have necessary provision for the maintaining of their bodies Great joy and pleasure these two Lovers received when they found themselves in such a place whereas they might take their fill of each others loves The Magician delighted in no other thing but to go a hunting with certain Country Dwellers that inhabited in the next Uillage leaving his sweet Angelica accompanied with her trusty Fidelia in that house so in this order they lived together four years spending their days in great pleasure but in the end time who never â—ested in one degree did take from them their â—est and repayed them with sorrow and extream misery For when the King her Father found her missing the sorrow and grief was so much that he received that he kept his Chamber a long time and would not be comforted of any body Four years he passed away in great heaviness filling the Court with Ecchoes of his beloved Daughter and making the Skies to resound his lamentations sorrow was his food salt tears his drink and grief his chief Companion But at last upon a time as he sate in his Chair lamenting her absence with great heaviness and being over-charged with grief he chanc'd to fall into a troublesome dream for after quiet sleep had closed up the closers of his Eyes he dreamed that he saw his Daughter standing upon a Rock by the Sea-side offering to cast her Body into the Waves before she would return to Babylon and that he beheld her Lover with an Army of Satyrs and Wild-men ready furnished with habiliments of War to pull him from his Throne and to deprive him of his Kingdom Out of this Uision he presently started from his Chair as though it had been one frighted with a Legion of Sâ—irits and caused four of the chief Peers of his Land to be sent for to whom he committed the Government of his Country certifying them that he intended a Uoyage to the Sepulchre at Memphis thereby to qualify the fury of his Daughters Ghost whom he dreamed to be drowned in the Seas and that except he sought by true Submission to appease the angry Fates whom he had offended he should be deposed from his Kingdom None could withdraw him from his Determination though it was to the prejudice of the whole Land therefore within twenty Days he furnished himself with all necessaries as well of Armour and Martial Furniture as of Gold and Treasure and so departed from Babylon privately and alone not suffering any other though many desired it humbly and very earnestly to bear him company But he travelled not as he told his Lords after any Ceremonious Order but like a Blood Hound searching Country after Country Nation by Nation and Kingdom by Kingdom that after a barbarous manner he might be
said she more sharp than the pricking Bryer with what inequality dost thou torment my wounded heart not linking my dear Lord in the like Affection of Mind O Venus if thou be imperious in thy Deity to whom both Gods and Men obey command my wandring Lord to return again or grant that my Soul may flie into the Clouds that by the Winds it may be blown into his sweet Bosom where now lives my bleeding heart But foolish Fondling that I am he hath rejected me and shuns my Company as the Syrens else had he not refused the Court of Egypt where he was Honoured as a King and wandred the the World to seek another Love No no it cannot be he bears no such unconstant mind and I greatly fear some Treachery hath bereaved me of his sight or else some stony Prison excludes my George from me If it be so sweet Morpheus thou God of Golden Dreams reveal to me my Love 's Abiding that in my sleep his shadow may appear and report the cause of his departure After this Passion breathed from the mansion of her Soul she committed her watchful eyes to the Government of sweet sleep which being no sooner closed but there appeared as she thought the shadow and very shape of her dearly beloved Lord St. George of England not as he was wont to be flourishing in his glittering Burgonet of Steel nor Mounted on a stately Iennet deckt with a crimson Plume of spangled Feathers but in over-worn and simple Attire with pale Looks and lean Body like to a Ghost risen from some hollow Grave breathing as it were these sad and woful Passions Sabra I am Betrayed for Love of thee And lodg'd in hollow Caves and dismal Night From whence I never more shall come to see Thy loving Countenance and Beauty bright Remain thou True and Constant for my sake That of thy Love they may no Conquest make Let Tyrants think if ever I obtain What e're is lost by Treason's cursed guile False Egypt's Scourge I surely will remain And turn to streaming blood Morocco's smile That damned Dog of Barbary shall rue The doleful Sâ—ratagems that will ensue The Persian Towers shall smoak with fire And lofty Babylon be tumbled down The Cross of Christendom shall then aspire To wear the proud Egyptian tripple Crown Ierusalem and Iudah shall behold The fall of Kings by Christian Champians bold Thou Maid of Egypt still continue chast A Tyger seeks thy Virgins Name to spill Whilst George of England is in Prison plac'd Thou shalt be forc'd to Wed against thy will But after this shall happen Mighty things For from thy Womb shall spring three Wondrous Kings This strange and woeful spéech was no sooner ended but she awaked from her Sleep and presently reached forth her white hands thinking to imbrace him but she catched nothing but brittle Air which caused her to renew her former Complaints Oh wherefore died I not in this my troublesome Dream said the sorrowful Lady that my Ghost might have haunted those inhumane Monsters which have thus falsly betrayed the bravest Champion under the Cope of Heaven for his sake will I exclaim against the ingratitude of Egypt and like Ravished Philomel fill every corner of the Land with Ecchoes of his wrong my Woes shall exceed the Sorrows of Dido Queen of Carthage mourning for Eneas With such like Passions wearied she the time away till twelve Months were fully finished At last her Father understanding what fervent Affection she bore to the English Champion began in this manner to relate Daughter said the Egyptian King I charge thee by the bond of Nature and the true obedience thou oughtest to bear my Age to banish and exclude all fond Affections from thy mind and not thus to settle thy Love upon a wandring Knight that is unconstant and without habitation thou seest he hath forsaken thee and returned into his own Country where he hath Wedded a Wife of that Land and Nation therefore I charge thee upon my Displeasure to Affect and Love the Black King of Morocco that rightfully hath deserved thee in Marriage which shall be shortly Honourably holden to the Honour of Egypt and so he departed without any Answer at all By which Sabra knew he would not be crost in his Will and Pleasure therefore she sighed out these lamentable words O unkind Father to cross the Affection of his Child and to force Love where no Liking is Yet shall my mind continue true unto my dear beloved Lord although my Body be forced against Nature to Obey and Almidor have the Honour of my Marriage-Bed English George shall enjoy my true Uirginity if ever he return again into Egypt and thereupon she pulled forth a chain of Gold and wrapped it seven times about her Ivory Neck This said she hath been seven days steept in Tygers Blood and seven nights in Dragons Milk whereby it hath obtained such excellent Uertue that so long as I wear it about my Neck no Man on Earth can enjoy my Uirginity though I be forced to the state of Marriage and lie seven years in Wedlocks Bed yet by the vertue of this Chain I shall continue a true Uirgin Which words were no sooner ended but Almidor entred her sorrowful Chamber and presented her with a Wedding Garment which was of the purest Median Silk imbossed with Pearl and rich refined Gold perfumed with sweet Syrian Powders it was of the colour of the Lilly when Flora hath bedecked the Fields in May with Natures Ornaments Glorious and Costly were her Uestures and so stately were the Nuptial Rites Solemnized that Egypt admired the bounty of her Wedding which for seven days was holden in the Court of Ptolomy and then moved to Tripoly the chief City in Barbary where Almidor's forced Bride was Crowned Queen of Morocco at which Coronation the Conduits ran with Greekish Wines and the Streets of Tripoly were beautified with Pageants and delightful shews The Court resounded such melodious Harmony as though Apollo with his Silver Harp had descended from the Heavens such Tilts and Tournaments were performed betwixt the Egyptian Knights and the Knights of Barbary that they exceeded the Nuptials of Hecuba the beauteous Queen of Troy which honourable proceedings we leave for this time to their own contentments some Masking some Dancing some Revelling some Tilting and some Banqueting Also leaving the Champion of England Saint George mourning in the Dungeon in Persia as you heard before and return to the other Six Champions of Christendom which departed from the Brazen Pillar every one his several way whose Knightly and Noble Adventures if the Muses grant me the Bounty of fair Castalian Springs I will most amply discover the Honour of all Christendom CHAP. IV. How Saint Denis the Champion of France lived Seven years in the shape of an Hart and how proud Eglantine the King's Daughter of Thessaly was transformed into a Mulberry-Tree and how they recovered their former shapes by means of Saint Denis 's Horse CAlling
glorious Attempts not only for hope of gain but for the desire of honour at which his illustrious and undaunted mind aimed to eternize his Deeds in the memorable Records of Fame and to shine as a Crystal Mirror to all ensuing Times So closing down his Bever and locking on his Furniture he scoured over the Plains before the Hunters of Jerusalem in pace more swift then the winged Winds till he approached an old unfrequented Forrest wherein he espied a huge and mighty Wild Boar lying before his Mossy Den gnawing upon the mangled joynts of some Passenger which he had murthered as he travelled through the Forrest This Bore was of wonderful length and bigness and so terrible to behold that at the first fight he almost daunted the Courage of the Spanish Knight for his Monstrous head séemed ugly and deformed his Eyes sparkled like a fiery Furnace his Tusks more sharp than pikes of Steel and from his Nostrils fumed such a violent breath that it seemed like a tempestuous Whirlwind his Bristles were more hard than seven times melted Brass and his Tail more loathsome than a wreath of Snakes near whom when St. James approached and beheld how he drank the blood of humane Creatures and devoured their flesh he blew his Silver Horn which as then hung at the Pummel of his Saddle in a Scarf of gréen Silk whereat the furious Monster turned himself and most fiercely assailed the Noble Champion which most nimbly leaped from his Horse and with his Spear struck such a violent blow upon the breast of the Boar that it shivered into twenty pieces Then drawing his good Fauchion from his side he gave him a second encounter but all in vain for he struck as it were upon a Rock of Stone or a Pillar of Iron nothing hurtful to the Boar but at last with staring Eyes which sparkled like burning Steel and with open Iaws the greedy Monster assailed the Champion intending to swallow him alive but the nimble Knight as then trusted more upon policy than to fortitude and so for advantage skipped from place to place till on a sudden he thrust his keen-edged Cuttle-ax down his intestine throat and so most valiantly split his heart in sunder The which being accomplished to his own desire he cut off the Boar's head and so presented the honour of the Combat to the King of Jerusalem who was then with his mighty Train of Knights but now entred the Forrest who having graciously received the gift and bountifully fulfilled his promises demanded the Champion's Country his Religion and place of his Nativity who no sooner had intelligence that he was a Christian Knight and born in the Territories of Spain but presently his patience exchanged into a great fury and by these words expressed his cankered stomach toward the Christian Champion Knowest thou not bold Knight said the King of Jerusalem that it is the Law of Iudah to harbour no uncircumcised Man but either to banish him the Land or end his days by some untimely Death Thou art a Christian and therefore shalt die not all thy Country Treasures the Wealthy Spanish Mines not if all the Alps which divide the Countries of Italy and Spain were torn'd to Hills of burnisht Gold and made my Lawful Heritage they should not redeem thy Life Yet for the honour thou haâ—â— done in Iuda I grant thee this favour by the Law of Arms to choose thy Death else hadst thou suffered a vigorous Torment Which severe Iudgment so amazed the Champion that desperately he would have killed himself upon his own Sword but that he thought it a more Honour to his Country to dye in the Defence of Christendom So like a true ennoâ—led Knight fearing neither the Threats of the Iews nor the impartial stroke of the fatal Sisters he gave this Sentence of his own Death First he requested to be bound to a Pine-tree with his Breast laid open naked against the Sun then to have an hours respite to make his supplication to his Creator and afterwards to be shot to death by a true Uirgin Which words were no sooner pronounced but they disarmed him of his Furniture bound him to a Pine-tree and laid his Breast open ready to entertain the bloody stroke of some unrelenting Maiden but such pity meekness mercy and kind lenity lodged in the heart of every maiden that none would take in hand or be the bloody Executioner of so bravea Knight At last the Tyrannous Nabuzaradan gave strict Commandment upon pain of Death that Lots should be east betwixt the Maids of Juda that were there present and so whom the Lot fell she should be the fatal Executioner of the Condemned Christian. But by chanee the Lot fell to Celestine the King 's own Daughter being the Paragon of Beauty and the fairest Maid then living in Jerusalem in whose heart no such deed of cruelty could be harboured nor in whose hand no bloody Weapon could be entertained Instead of Death's fatal Instrument she shot towards his Breast a deep strained sigh the true messenger of Love and afterwards to Heaven she thus made her humble supplication Thou great Commander of Coelestial moving Powers convert the cruel motions of my Father's mind into a spring of pitiful tears that they may wash away the Blood of this innocent Knight from the habitation of his stained purple Soul O Iudah and Ierusalem within whose Bosoms live a Wilderness of Tygers degenerate from Nature's kind more cruel than the hungry Cannibals and more obdurate than untamed Lions what merciless Tygers can unrip that Breast where lives the Image of true Nobility the very Pattern of Kinghthood and the Map of a noble Mind No no before my hand shall be stained with Christians Blood I will like Scilla against all Nature sell my Country's safety or like Medea wander with the Golden Fleece to unknown Nations Thus and in such manner complained the beauteous Celestine the King's Daughter of Jerusalem till her sighs stopped the passage of her Speech and her Tears stained the natural Beauty of her Rosie Cheeks her Hair which glistred like to Golden Wires she besmeared in dust and disrobed her self of her costly Garments and then with a Train of her Amazonian Ladies went to the King her Father where after a long suit she not only obtained his Life but Liberty yet therewithall his perpetual Banishment from Jerusalem and from all the Borders of Judah the want of whose sight more grieved her heart than the loss of her own life So this Noble and Praise-worthy Celestine returns to the Christian Champion that expected every minute to entertain the Sentence of Death but this expectation fell out contrary for the good Lady after she had sealed two or three Kisses upon his pale Lips being changed through the fear of Death cut the bands that bound his Body to the Tree into many pieces and then with a flood of salt Tears the motives of true Love she thus revealed her mind Most Noble Knight and
true Champion of Christendom thy Life and Liberty I have gained but therewith thy Banishment from Iuda which is a Hell of Plorror to my Soul for in thy bosome have I built my happiness and in thy heart I account the Paradise of my true Love thy first sight and lovely Countenance did ravish me for when these eyes beheld thee mounted on thy Princely Palfry my heart burned in Affection towards thee therefore dear Knight in reward of my Love be thou my Champion and for my sake wear this Ring with this Poesie engraven in it Ardeo affectione and so giving him a Ring from her Finger and therewithal a Kiss from her Mouth she departed with a sorrowful sigh in company of her Father and the rest of his honourable Train back to the City of Jerusalem being as then near the Setting of the Sun But now St. James the Champion of Spain having escaped the danger of Death and at full liberty to depart from that unhappy Nation he fell into many cogitations one while thinking upon the true Love of Celestine whose name as yet he was ignorant of another while upon the cruelty of her Father then intending to depart into his own Country but looking back to the Towers of Jerusalem his mind suddenly altered for thither he purposed to go haping to have sight of his Lady and Mistriss and to live in some disguised sort in her presence and be his Loves true Champion against all Comers So gathering certain Black-berries from the Trees he coloured his Body all over like a Blackmoor but yet considering that his Countrey Speech would discover him intended likewise to continue dumb all the time of his Residence in Jerusalem So all things ordered according to his desire he took his Iourney to the City where with signs and other motions of dumbness he declared his intent which was to be entertained in the Court and to spend his time in the Service of the King Whose Countenance when the King beheld which seemed of the natural colour of the Moors he little mistrusted him to be the Christian Champion whom before he greatly envied but accounted him one of the bravest Indian Knights that ever his eye beheld therefore he installed him with the honour of Knighthood and appointed him to be one of his Guard and likewise his Daughters only Champion Thus when St. James of Spain saw himself invested in that honourable place his soul was ravished with such exceeding joy that he thought no pleasure comparable to his no place of Elysium but the Court of Jerusalem and no goodness but his beloved Celestine Long continued he dumb casting forth many a loving sigh in the presence of his Lady and Mistress not knowing how to reveal the secrets of his mind So upon a time there arrived in the Court of Nabuzaradan the King of Arabia with the Admiral of Babylon both presuming upon the Love of Celestine and craving her in the way of Marriage but she exempted all their motions of Love from her chast mind only building her thoughrs upon the Spanish Knight which she supposed to be in his own Countrey At whose melancholy passions her importunate Suitors the King of Arabia and the Admiral of Babylon marvelled and therefore intended upon an Evening to present her with some rare devised Mask So choosing out fit Consorts for their Courtly Pastimes of which number the King of Arabia was chief and first Leader of the Train the great Admiral of Babylon was the second and her own Champion St. James the third who was called in the Court by the name of the Dumb Knight in this manner the Mask was performed First entred a most excellent Consort of Musick after them the aforesaid Maskers in cloath of Gold and most curiously imbroidered and daunced a course about the Hall at the end whereof the King of Arabia presented Celestine with a costly Sword at the Hilt whereof hung a Silver Glove and upon the point was erected a Golden Crown Then the Musick sounded another Course of which the Idmiral of Babylon was Leader who presented her with a Uesture of pure Silk of the colour of the Rain-bow brought in by Diana Venus and Juno which being done the Musick sounded the third time in which course St. James tho' unknown was the Leader of the Dance who at the end thereof presented Celestine with a Garland of sweet Flowers which was brought in by the three Graces and put upon her head Afterwards the Christian Champion intending to discover himself unto his Lady and Mistress took her by the lilly-hand and led her a stately Morisco Dance which was no sooner finished but he offered her the Diamond Ring which she gave him at his departure in the Woods the which she presently knew by the Poesic and shortly after had intelligence of his long continued Dumbness his counterfeit Colour his changing of Nature and the great danger he put himself to for her sake which caused her with all the speed she could possibly make to break off Company and to retire into a Chamber which she had by where the same Evening she had a long Conference with her true and faithful Lover and adventurous Champion and to conclude they made some agreement betwixt them that the same night unknown to any in the Court she bad Jerusalem adieu and by the light of Cynthia's glistering Beams stole from her Father's Palace where in company of none but St. James she took her Iourney towards the Countrey of Spain But this Noble Knight by Policy prevented all ensuing Dangers for he shod his Horse backwards whereby when they were missed in the Court they might be followed the contrary way By this means escaped the two Lovers from the Fury of the Jews and arrived safely in Spain in the City of Sevil wherein the brave Champion St. James was born where now we leave them for a time to their own contented minds Also passing over the hurly-burly in Jerusalem for the loss of Celestine the vain pursuits of adventurous Knights in sâ—opping the Ports and Havens the preparing of fresh Horse to follow them and the Bustering of Soldiers to pursue them the frantick passions of the King for his Daughter the mèlancholy moan of the Admiral of Babylon for his Mistris and the woful Lamentation of the Arabian King for his Lady and Love we will return to the Adventures of the other Christian Champions CHAP. VI. The terrible Battel betwixt St. Anthony the Champion of Italy and the gyant Blanderon and afterwards of the strange Entertainment in the Gyant 's Castle by a Thracian Lady and what hapned to him in the same Castle IT was the same time of the year when the Earth was newly deckt with the Summer's Livery when the Noble and Heroical minded Champion St. Anthony of Italy Arrived in Thracia where he spent his seven years Travels to the Honour of his Country the Glory of God and to his own still lasting Memory for after he had
her Sister's Wedding The Ceremonies being no sooner performed and the day spent in pleasures fitting the Honour of so great and Mighty a Train but Castria requested the use of the Country which was â—his that the first night of every Maidens Marriage a known Uirgin should lie with the Bride which Honourable task was committed to Castria who provided against the hour appointed a silver Bodkin and hid it secretly in the â—amels of her hair wherewith she intended to prosecute Revenge The Bride's Lodging-Chamber was appointed far from the hearing of any one lest the noise of People should hinder her quiet sleep But at last when the hour of her wishes approached that the Bride should take leave of her Ladies and Maidens that attended her to her Chamber the new-Married Floridon in company of many Scythian Knights committed Marcilla to her quiet Rest little mistrusting the bloody purpose of her Sisters mind But now behold how every thing fell out according to her desires The Ladies and Gentlemen were no sooner departed and silence taken possession of the whole Court but Castria with her own hand locked the Chamber-door and secretly conveyed the Keys under the Beds-head not perceived by the betrayed Marcilla which poor Lady after some speeches departed to Bed wherein she was no sooner laid but a heavy sléep over-mastered her Senses whereby her tongue was forced to bid her Sister good-night who as then sate discontented by her Bed-side watching the time wherein she might conveniently Act the Bloody Tragedy upon a Court-Cupboard stood two burning Tapers that gave Light to the whole Chamber which in her conceit seemed to burn blue which fatal spectacle encouraged her to a more spéedy performance and by the light of the two Lamps she unbraced her Uestures and stripped her self into her Milk-white Smock having not so much upon her head as a Caul to hold up her golden hair after this she took her Silver Bodkin that before she had secretly hidden in her hair and with a wrathful Countenance upon whose brows sate the Image of pale death she came to her new Married Sister being then overcome with a heavy slumber and with her Bodkin pierced her tender Breast who immediately at the stroke thereof started from her sleep and gave such a pitiful shriek that it would have awakened the whole Court but that the Chamber stood far from the hearing of Company except her bloody-minded Sister whose hand was ready to redouble her Fury with a second stroak But when Marcilla beheld the Sheets and Ornaments of her Bed bestained with purple gore and from her Breast ran streams of Crimson blood which like to a Fountain trickled from her bosom she breathed forth this cruel exclamation against the cruelty of Castria O Sister quoth she hath Nature harboured in thy Breast a Bloody mind what Fury hath incensed thee thus to commit my Tragedy In what have I misdone or wherein hath my Tongue offended thee What cause hath been the occasion that thy remorsless band against Nature hath converted my joyful Nuptials to a woful Funeral This is the cause Replyed Castria and therewithal shewed her Womb grown big through the burthen of her Child that I have bathed my hands in thy detested Blood See see Marcilla said she the unhappy Bed wherein thy accursed Husband hath sown his Seed by which my Virgins honour is for ever stained this is the spot which thy heart blood must wash away and this is the shame that nothing but death shall finish therefore a sweet Revenge and a present Murther likewise will I commit upon my self whereby my loathed Soul in company of my unborn Babe shall wander with my Ghost along the Stygian Lakes Which words being no sooner finished but she violently pierced her own Breast whereby the two Sisters Blood were equally mingled together but now Marcilla being the first wounded and the nearer drawing toward Death she wofully complained with this dying Lamentation Draw near said she you blazing Stars you Earthly Angels you embroidered Girls you lovely Ladies and flourishing Dames of Scythia behold her woful end whose Glories mounted to the Elements behold my Marriage-bed here beautified with Tapestry converted to Death's Bloody Habitation my brave Attire to Earthly Mould and my Princely Palaces to Elizium shades being a place appointed for those Dames that lived and dy'd true Virgins for now I feel the pains of Death closing my Life's Windows and Heart ready to entertain the stroke of Destiny Come Floridon come instead of Arms get Eagles Wings that in thy Bosom I may breathe my murdered Ghost World fare thou well I was too proud of thy inticing pleasures thy Princely Pomp and all thy glistring Ornaments I must for ever bid adieu Father farewell with all my Masking Train Courtly Ladies Knights and Gentlewomen my Death I know will make thy Palace Death's Gloomy Regiment and last of all farewell my Noble Floridon for thy sweet sake Marcilla here is Murdered At the end of which words the dying Lady being faint with the abundance of Blood that issued from her wounded Breast gave up the Ghost No sooner had pale Death seized on her liveless body but Castria through the extremity of her wounds was ready to entertain the stroke of her fatal Sister who also complained in this manner Hearken to me you Loving Girls said she to you I speak that know what endless grief disloyal and false Love breeds in constant minds the thought whereof is so intolerable to my Soul that it exceeds the Torments of Danae's Daughters which continually fill Water in bottomless Tubs in Hell Oh that my Ears had never listened to his sugared spéeches nor never known what Courtly pleasures meant where Beauty lives a bait for every lustful eye but rather to have lived a Country Lass where sweet content is harboured and Beauty shrowded under true Humility then had not Floridon bereaved me of my sweet Uirginity nor had this accursed hand committed this cruel Murder But Oh! I feel my soul passing into Elizium shades where Croesus's shadow and Didoe's Ghost have their abidings thither doth my spirit flie to be entertained amongst those unhappy Ladies whom unconstant Love hath murdered Thus Castria not being able to speak any longer gave a very grievous sigh and so bad adieu to the World Now when the Morning Sun had chased away the darksome Night Floridon who little mistrusted the Tragedy of the two Sisters repaired to the Chamber-door with a Consort of skilful Musicians where the inspiring Harmony sounded to the Walls and Floridon's Morning Salutations were spent in vain For Death so stopped the two Princesses Ears that no resound of thanks at all re-answered his words which caused Floridon to depart thinking them to be asleep and to return within an hour after who without any Company came to the Chamber-door where he again found all silent at which suspecting some future event he burst open the Door where being no sooner entred but he sound the
Leaders directions along the Countrey of Egypt till they approach'd the sight of King Ptolomy's Court Which when the Noble Champīon of England beheld in this manner encouraged he his Followerss Behold said he you invincible Captains of Christendom yonder those cursed Lowers where wicked Ptolomy keeps his Court Those Battlements I say were they as richly built as the great Pyramids of Greece yet should they be subverted and laid as level with the Ground as the City of Carthage there hath that accursed Ptolomy his Residence that for preserving his Daughter from the burning Dragon Treacherously sent me into Persia where for seven years I lived in great extremity in a dismal Dungeon where the Sun did never give me light nor the company of People comfort In Revenge whereof my heart shall never rest in quiet till I see the Buildings of his Palace set on fire and converted into a place of Desolation like to the Glorious City in Phrygia now over spread with stinking weeds and loathsome puddles Therefore let all Christian Soldiers that fight under the Banner of Christendom and all that love George of England your chosen General draw forth your Warlike Weapons and like the angry Greeks overturn those glistring Battlements leave not one stone upon another but lay it as level with the ground as the Narvest Keapers do Fields of ripened Corn let your wrathful Furies fall upon these Towers like drop◠of April Showers or like Storms of Winters Nail that it may be bruited through the whole World what just Uengeance did light upon the Pride of Egypt Leave not I say as you love your General when you have subverted the Palace one Man alive no not a sucking Babe but let them suffer Uengeance for the wickedness of their King This is my Decree brave Knights of Christendom therefore March forwards Heaven and Fortune be your good speed At which words the Soldiers gave a general shout in sign of their willing minds Then began the silken Streamers to flourish in the Air the Drums chearfully to sound forward the Silver Trumpets recorded Ecchoes of Uictory the barbed Steeds grew proud of this Attempt and would stand upon no Ground but leapt and danced with as much Courage as did Bucephalus the Horse of the Macedonian Alexander always before any notable Uictory yea every thing gave an evident sign of good success as well senseless things as living Creatures With this Resolution marched the Christians purposing the utter confusion of the Egyptian and the woful Ruine and Destruction of Ptolomy's sumptuous Palace But when the Soldiers approached the Gates with wrathful Weapons ready to assault there came pacing out thereat the Egyptian King with all the chiefest of his Nobles attired in black and mournful Ornaments bearing in their hands Olive-branches Next them the bravest Soldiers in Egypt bearing in their hands broken Weapons shivered Launces and torn Ancients Likewise followed thousands of Women and Children with Cypress Wreaths about their heads and in their hands Olive-branches crying for Mercy to the Christians That they should not utterly destroy their declining Countrey but shew mercy to unhappy Egypt This unexpended fight or rather admirable wonder caused St. George to sound a Retreat and gave commandment through the Christian Army to with-hold their former vowed Uengeance from the Egyptians till he understood what they required Which Charge being given and duly observed St. George with the other six Champions came together and admitted the Egyptian King with his Nobles to their Presence who in this manner began to speak for his Countrey You unconquered Knights of Christendom whose worthy Victories and Noble Atchievements the whole World admires let him that never kneeled to any Man till now and in former times disdained to humble himself to any Potentate on Earth let him I say the most unfortunate Wretch alive crave mercy not for my self but for my Countrey my Commons Blood will be required at my hand Our Murthered Infants will call to Heaven for Revenge and our slaughtered Widows sink down to Hell for Revenge so will the Vengeance of Heaven light upon my Soul and the Curse of Hell upon my Head Renowned Champion of England under whose Custody my dear Daughter is kept even for the love of her be merciful to Egypt The former Wrongs I proffered thee when I sent thee like a guiltless Lamb into Persia was contrary to my Will for I was incensed by the slattery of that accursed Black-moor King whose Soul for ever be scourged with whips of wyre and plagued with the punishment of Tantalus in Hell If my life will serve for a just Revenge here is my naked Breast let my heart-blood stain some Christian's Sword that you may bear the bloody Witness of my death into Christendom or let me be torn into a thousand pieces by mad untamed Steeds as was Hippolitus Son of Theseus in his charmed Chariot Most Mighty Controulers of the World command the dearest things in Egypt they be at your pleasures we will forsake our Gods and believe in that God which you commonly adore for he is the true and living God ours false and hateful in the sight of Heaven This penitent Lamentation of the Egyptian King caused the Christian Champions to relent but especially St. George who having a heart beautified with a well-spring of Pity not only granted Mercy to the whole Country but vouchsafed Ptolomy liberty of Life upon condition that he would perform what he had promised which was to forsake his false Gods and believe in our true God Christ Iesus This kindness of St. George almost ravished Ptolomy with joy and the whole Land both Peers and Commons more rejoyced at the friendship of the Christians than if they had been made Lords of the Western World The News of this happy Union was bruited in all the parts of Egypt whereby the Commons that before fled for fear into Woods and Wildernesses Dens and Caves Hills and Mountains returned joyfully to their own Dwellings and caused Bonefires to be made in every City Town and Uillage the Bells of Egypt rung day and night for the space of a week in every place was seen Banketting Dancing and Masking Sorrow was Banished Wars forgotten and Peace Proclaimed The King at his own Charges ordained a sumptuous and costly Banket for the Christian Champions wherein for Bounty it excéeded that which the Trojans made when Paris returned from Greece with the Conquest of Menciaus's Queen The Banquetting-House was built with Cypress wood covered with the pure Adamant stone so that neither Steel nor base Iron could come therein but it was presently drawn to the top of the Roo◠As for the variety of Services which graced forth the Banquet it were too tedious to repeat but to be brief what both the Land and Sea could afford was there present The Servitors that attended the Champions at the Banquet were attired in Damask Uestments wrought with the purest Silk the Indian Uirgins spun upon their silver Wheels
called Argenia for it seemed to be of Argenâ— that is as much as to say of Silver During the time of the Champion's pleasurable walk which continued from the break of day to the closing of the Evening happened a woful Tragedy near unto the Queens Pavilion committed by the Monstrous Gyant whom St. George brought from the Enchanted Tower For that same Morning when the Sun had mounted some few Degrées unto the Firmament seven of the Quéens Uirgins in Sabra's Company walked into a pleasant Thicket of Trees adjoyning to her Pavilion not only to take the pleasure of the Morning Air but to hear the chirping melody of Birds in which Thicket or Grove under a Pine-tree this Gyant Lodged the passed Night but no sooner came these Beautiful Ladies under the Branches of the Trees but the Gyant cast his Eyes upon them whose rare Perfections so fired the heart of the Lustful Gyant that he must either quench his desires with the spoils of their Chastities or end his days in some Monstrous manner therefore he started up from the place where he lay and with a wrathful Countenance ran amongst the Ladies and catching them all eight at once betwixt his Arms he bore them to the further side of the Grove where he Ravished seven of the Queens Maidens and afterwards devoured them alive into his loathsome Bowels Sabra being the eighth of that woful number which in her sight she beheld Butchered by that bloody Wolf but continuing the time of their Ravishment she made her supplication to the Gods that they would in mercy defend her Chastity from the Lustful Rape of so wicked a Monster and immediately upon these words the saw an ugly Toad come crawling before her through which by Policy she saved her life and preserved her Honour For she took the Toad betwixt her hands and crushed the Uenom from her impoisoned Bowels wherewith she all besprinkled her Face so that presently her fair Beauty was changed into loathsome Blisters for she seemed more like a Creature deâ—ormed with Leprosie than a Lady of excellent Feature At length she being the last of all her time came that she should be Deâ—loured and the Lustful Gyant came to fetch her but when he beheld her Uisage so envenomed he loathed her sight seeking neither to Ravish her nor proffering to Devour her but discontentedly wandring away greatly grieved at the committed Crime and sorely repenting himself of so wicked a Deed not only for the spoil of the seven Uirgins but for the wrong proffered to so Noble a Knight who not only granted him liberty of Life but received him into his Service therefore he raged up and down the Grove making the Earth to tremble at his Exclamations one while cursing his Fortune and hour of Creation another while banning his Sire and Devillish Dam but when he remembred the Noble Champion St. George whose angry Frown he would not see for all the World then to prevent the same he ran his Head most furiously against a knobbed Oak and brained himself where we will leave him now weltring in his Blood and speak what became of Sabra after this bloody Accident for after she had wandred up and down the Thicket many a weary step incensing Heaven against the Gyant 's Cruelty the Sun began to set and the dark Night grew on which caused her thus to complain Oh you Immortal Powers of Heaven and you Coelestial Planets being the true Guiders of the Firmament open your bright Coelestial Gates and send some fatal Planet or some burning Thunder-bolt to rid me from the Vale of Misery for I will nevermore return to my Lord since I am thus deformed and made an ugly Creature my loathsome face will prove a Corrosive to his heart and my Body a torment to his Soul my sight will be unpleasant my Company hated my Presence loathed and every one will shun my sight as from a Crocodile therefore I will remain within this Grove till Heaven either bring me to my former Beauty or end my Languishing Misery yet witness Heaven of my Loyalty unto my Lord and in what extremity I have maintained my Chastity in remembrance of my true Love here will I leave this Chain of Gold for my beloved Lord to find that he may know for his sake I have endured a World of Woe At which Speeches she took her Chain which was doubled twenty times about her Neck and left it lying all besmeared in the blood of those Uirgins whom the Gyant had Ravished and slain and so betook her self to a sad solitary Life intending never to come in the sight of Men but to spend her days wandring in the Woods where we will likewise leave her for a time and speak of St. George who by this was returned to the Queen's Pavilion where he missed his Lady and had intelligence how that she in company of seven other Ladies walked in the Morning into a pleasant Grove to hear the Melody of Birds and since that time no News hath been heard of them for as then it grew toward night which caused St. George greatly to mistrust that some Mischance had befallen his Lady Then he demanded what was become of the Gyant but answer was made that he was never seen nor heard of since Morning which caused him greatly to suspect the Gyant 's Treachery and how by his means the Ladies were prevented of their purposed pleasures Therefore in all haste like a frantick man he ran into the Thicket filling every corner with Clamors and resounding Ecchoes of her name and calling for Sabra through every Bramble Bush but there he could neither hear the voice of Sabra nor the answer of any other Lady but the woful Ecchoes of his Exclamations which ratled through the leaves of the Trees Then began he to wax somewhat Melancholy and Passionate passing the time away till bright Cynthia mounted on the Hemisphere by whose glistring Beams he saw the ground besprinkled with purple gore and found the Chain that Sabra was wont to wear about her Neck all besmeared in Blood he bitterly complained against his own Fortune and his Ladies hapless Destiny for he supposed then that the Gyant had Murdered her O discontented sight said he here lies the blood of my beloved Lady the truest Woman that ever Knight enjoyed that Body which for Excellency deserved a Monument of Gold more rich than the Tomb of Angelica I fear lies buried in the Bowels of that Monstrous Gyant whose Life unhappily I granted Here is the chain besmeared in blood which at our first Acquaintance I gave her in a Courtly Mask this Golden Chain I say stained with the blood of my dear Lady shall for evermore be kept within my Bosome near unto my bleeding heart that I may still remember her true Love Faith and Constancy But fond fool that I am why do I talk in vain it will not recompence her murthered Soul the which methinks I hear how it calls for Revenge in every
corner of the Grove It was I that left her carelesly within the danger of the Gyant whom I little mistrusted therefore I will meet her in Elysium shades and crave remission for my committed Trespass for on this Oak I will abridge my Life as did the worthy Knight Melmeropolion for the Love of Sillara Which Lamentation being no sooner ended but he took the Chain of Gold and fastned one end to the Arm of a great Oak and the other end to his Neck intending presently to strangle himself but Heaven prevented his desperate intent after a strange manner for under the same Tree the brained Gyant lay not yet fully dead who in this manner spake to St. George O stay thy hand most Noble and Invincible Knight the World 's chief Wonder for admirable Chivalry and let my dying Soul convert thee from so wicked a Deed Seven Virgins in this Thicket have I Ravished and buried all their Bodies in my accursed Bowels but before I could deflour the eighth in a strange manner her bright Beauty was changed into a loathsome Leprosie whereby I detested her sight and left her Chastity undefiled but by her sad complaints I since have understood how that she is your Lady and Love and to this hour she bath her Residence within this Thicket And thereupon with a doleful groan which seemed to shake the Ground he bad adieu to the World Then St. George being glad to hear such Tydings reverted from his desperate intent and searched up and down the Grove till he had sound Sabra where she sat sorrowing under the branches of a Mulberry-tree betwixt whom was a sad and heavy greeting and as they walked back to the Queens Pavilion she discoursed to him the truth of this bloody stratagem where she remained till the Amazonian Queen had cured her Leprosie by the secret vertue of her skill of whom after they had taken leave and given her thanks for her kind courtesies St. George with his Lady took their Iourney towards Persia where the Christian Armies lay Encamped at whose arrival you shall hear strange and wonderful things the like was never done in any Age. CHAP. XVII How St. George and his Lady lost themselves in a Wilderness where she was Delivered of three goodly Boys The Fairy Queen's Prophecy upon the Children's Fortunes Of St George's return into Bohemia where he Christened his Children and of finding his Father's Grave over which he built a stately Tomb. SAint George having Atchieved the Adventure of the Enchanted Tower and Sabra the Fury of the Lustful Gyant they took their Iourney towards Persia where the Christian Champions lay Encamped before the Souldan's great City of Belgor a place most strongly Fortified with Spirits and other ghastly Illusions by the Enchantment of Osmond whom you heard before in the last Chapter to be the rarest Necromancer in the World but as the English Champion with his Lady Travelled thitherward they hapned into a Desart and mighty Wilderness overgrown with lofty Pines and Cedar Trees and many huge and mighty Daks the spreading branches whereof seemed to with-hold the light of Heaven from their untrodden passages and tops for exceeding height to reach into the Elementsâ— the Inhabitants were Silvanes Satyrs Fairies and other Woody Nymphs which by day sported up and down the Forrest and by night attended the pleasures of Proserpine the Fairy Queen The Musick of silver-sounding Birds so chearfully resounding through the Woods and the whistling Wind made such Melody amongst the Leaves of Trees that it ravished their Senses like Harmony of Angels and made them think they had entred the shades of gladsome Elysium one while they wondred at the Beauty of the Woods which Nature adorned with a Summers Livery another while at the grown and fragrant grass drawn out in round Circles by Fairies Dances so long till they had lost themselves amongst the unknown passages not knowing how nor by what means to recover the perfect Path of their Iourney but were constrained to wander in the Wilderness like solitary Pilgrims spending their day with weary steps and the night with vain imaginations even as the Child when he hath lost himself in a populous City runneth up and down not knowing how to return to his native dwelling even so it hapned to these two lost and disconsolate Travellers for when they had wandred many days one way and finding no end of their Toils they retired backward to the place of their first setting forth where they were wont to hear the noise of People resounding in Country Uillages and to meet Travellers passing from place to place but now they heard nothing but blustring of wind ratling in the wood making the Brambles to whistle and the Trees to groan and now and then to meet a speckled Beast like to the Rain-bow weltring from his Den to seek his natural sustenance in their Travel by night they were wont to hear the crowing of the Cock recording glad tydings of the chearful days approach the neighing of Horses in Pasture-fields and the barking of Dogs in Farmers Houses but now they were affrighted with the roaring of Lions yellowing of Wolves the croakings of Toads in roots of rotten Trees and the ruful sound of Progne's Ravishment recorded by the Nightingal In this solitary manner wearied they the rowling time away till thrice three times the silver Moon had returned her borrowed Light by the which time the burthen of Sabra's Womb began to grow painful and the Fruit of her Body ready to wax ripe the hour of her Delivery drew on wherein she required Lucinas's help to make St. George the Father of a Princely Son time called for Midwives to aid and bring her Babe into the World and to make her a happy Mother but before the painful hour of her Delivery approached St. George had provided her a Bower of Uine-branches which he erected betwixt two pleasant Hills where instead of a Princely Cabinet behung with Arras and Rich Tapestry she was constrained to suffice her self with a simple Lodging covered with Roses and other fragrant Flowers her Bed he made of green Moss and Thistle-down beset cutiously round about with Olive-branches and the sprigs of an Orange tree which made it seem more beautiful than Flora's Pavilion or Diana's Mansion but at last when she felt the pain of her Womb grow intolerable and the Seed ready to be reaped and how she was in a Wilderness void of Womens Company that should be ready to assist her in so secret a matter she cast her self down upon her Mossie Bed and with a blushing Countenance she discovered her mind in this manner to St. George My most dear and loving Lord quoth she my true and only Champion at all times and seasons except at this hour for it is the painful hour of my Delivery therefore depart from out of the hearing of my Cryes and commit my Fortune to the pleasures of the Heavens for it is not convenient for any man's eye to behold
Champions with entiring delight whom he purposed to keep as Prisoners therein then fell he again to his Conjuration and bound a hundred Spirits by due obedience to transform themselves into the likeness of beautiful Uirgins which in a moment they accomplished and they were framed in form and beauty like to the Darlings of Venus in comliness comparable with Thetis dancing on the silver Sands and in all proportion like Daphne whose Beauty caused Apollo to descend the Heavens their Lâ—mbs were like the lofty Cedars their Chéeks to Roses dipt in Milk and their Eyes more brighter then the Stars of Heaven also then seemed to carry in their hands silver Bows and on their baâ—ks 〈…〉 of goâ—den Arrows likewise upon their breasts tâ—ey had 〈◊〉 the God of Love danâ—â—â—g upon Mars his knee Thus in the â—hape of beauteous Damâ—selâ— caused he these Spâ—â—â—ts to enter the Câ—râ—stianâ— Army and with the golden Bait of their entiring Smiles â—o tangle the Champions in the snares of Love and with their sinning Beauties led them from their Souldiers and to bring them Prisoners into his enchanted Tâ—nt Which Commandment being no sooner given but these Uiâ—gins or rather internal Furies â—â—ore swift then the Winds glideâ— into the Christians Army where their gâ—istering Beauties so dazled the Eyes of the six Christian Champions and their sâ—ber Countenances so entraâ—ped their Hearts with desire that their princely Ualours were aâ—â—ted and they stood gazing as their excellent proportions as though Medusa's shadow had been pictured upon their faces to whom the inticing Ladies spake in this manner Come princely Gallants come away with Arms forget the sounds of bloody War and hang your angry weapons on the power of Peace Uenus you see hath sent her Messengers from Paphos to lead you to the paradise of Love there Heaven will rain down Nectar and Ambrosia sweet for you to feed upon and there the melody of Angels will make you Musick there shall you fight upon beds of Silk and encounter with inticing Kisses These golden promises so ravished the Champions that they were enchanted with their Loves and vowed to take their last farewel of Knighthood and magnanimous Chivalty Thus were they led from their warlike Companies to the Necromancer's enchanted Tent leaving their Souldiers without Guiders in danger of confusion But the Queen of Chance so smiled upon the Christians that the same time St. George arrived in Persia with a fresh supply of Knights of whose noble Atchievements I purpose 〈◊〉 to speak For no sooner had he entred the Battel and placed his Squadrons but he had intelligence of the Champions misadventures and how they say Enchanted in a Magick Tent sleeping in pleasure upon the laps of internal Furies the which Osmond had transformed by his Charms into the likeness of beautiful Damosels which unexpected news conâ—â—rained St. George to breathe from his sorrowful heart this woful Lamentation Unconstant Fortune quoth he why dost thou entertain me with such bitter news Are my Fellow-champions come from Christendom to win immortal Honour with their Swords and lie they now bewitcht with Beauty Come they from Europe to fight in coats of Steel and will they lye distraught in Tents of Love Came they to Asia to purchase Kingdoms and by bloody War to ruinate Countries and will they yield their Victories to so foul Disgrace O shame and great dishonour to Christendom O spot to Knighthood and true Chivalry this news is far more bitter to my Soul than was the poysoned Dregs that Antipater gave to Alexander in his Drunkenness and a deadsier pain unto my Heart than was that Juice that Hannibal suckt from his fatal King Come Souldiers come you Followers of those cowardly Champions unsheath your warlike Weapons and follow him whose Soul hath vowed either to redeem them from the Necromancer's Charms or die with honour in that Enterprize If ever mortal Creatures warred with damned Furies and made a passage to enchanted Dales where Devils dance and warlike Shadows in the Night Then Souldiers let us march unto that Pavilion and chain the cursed Charmer to some blasted Oak that hath so highly dishonoured Christendom These resolute speeches were no sooner finished but the whole Army before daunted with fear grew so couragious that they protested to follow him through more dangers than did the Grecian Knights with noble Jason in the Ifle of Colcos Now began the Battle again to renew and the Drums to sound fatal Knells for the Pagan Souldiers whose Souls the Christians Swords by numbers sent to burning Acheron but St. George that in valour exceeded the rest as much as the golden Sun Turpasseth the smallest Stars in brightness with his Sword made lanes if slaughtered Men and with his angry Arm made passage through the thickest of their Troops as though that Death had been Commander of the Battel he caused Crowns and Scepters to swim in Blood and headless Stéeds with joyntless Men to fall as fast before his Sword as drops of Rain before Thunder and ever in great danger he encouraged his Souldiers in this manner Now for the Fame of Christendom fight Captains be now Triumphant Conquerors or Christian Martyrs These words so encouraged the Souldiers hearts with invincible Ualour that they neither feared the Necromancer's Charms nor all the flaming Dragons nor-flerce Drakes that filled the Air with burning Lights nor daunted at the strange encounters of â—estish Legions that like to armed Men with burning Fauchious haunted them so fortunate were their Proceedings that they followed the invincible Champion to the enchanted Tent whereas the other Champions lay surfeting in â—â—â—ve whilst thousands of their Friends fought in Coats of Steel and merited Renown by their noble Atchievements for no sooner arrived St. George with his warlike Followers before the Pavilion but he heard as it were the melody of the Muses likewise his ears were almost ravished with the sugered Songs of the enchanted Uirgins which like the Musick of Orpheus's Harp caused the Stones and Trees to dance and made the Elemeâ—ts to shew more brighter than the morning Beauty with drops of Honey trickling down their crystal Cheeks the Doves did kiss when they began to sing the running Waters danced and every senceless thing did seem to breath out Sighs for Love so pleasant and heavenly were the sights in the Tent and so delightful in his Eyes that he had been enchanted with their Charms if he had not continually born the honour of Knighthood in his Thoughts and that the dishonour would â—edound to Christendom's Reproach therefore with his Sword he let drive at the Tent and cut it in a thousand pieces the which being done he apparently beheld where the Necromancer sat upon a block of Steel feeding his Spirits with drops of blood whom when the Champion beheld he caused his Souldiers to lay hold upon him and after chained him fast to the root of an old blassed Oak from whence neither Art nor help of all his Charms nor all the
that it was wonderful to Discourse The first thinking to exceed his Brothers in the strangeness of his Gift made repair unto a cunning Enchantress which had a biding in a secret Cave adjoyning to the City whom he procured through many rich Gifts and large Promises by Art to devise a means to get the Honour from his Brethren and to give a Gift of that strange nature that all the World might wonder at the report thereof The Enchantress being won with his Promises by Art and Magick Spells devised a Garland containing aâ—l the diversity of Flowers that ever grew in earthly Gardens and though it were then in the dead time of the Winter when as the silver Iâ—cleâ— had diâ—â—obâ—d both Herbs and Flowers of their Beauties and the Snow lay freezing on the Mountain tops yet was this Garland contrived after the fashion of a rich Imperial Crown with as many several Flowers as ever Flora plated upon the Towns of rich Arcadia in diversity of colours like the glistering Rainbow when it shineth in greatest Pride and casting such an odoriferous Scant and Sanour as tho the Heavens had rained down showers of Champhire Biss or sweet smelling Ambergâ—eece This rare and exceeding Garland was no sooner framed by Enchantment and delivered in his hands but he left the Enchantress sitting in her Ebon-Chair upon a block of Steel practising her fatal Arts with her Hair hanging about her Shoulders like wâ—eaths of Snakes or invenomed Serpents and so returned to his Mother's Tomb where he hung it upon a Piller of Silver that was placed in the middle of the Monument The second Brother also repaired to his Mother's Tomb and brought in his hand an Ivory Lute whereon he plaid such inspiring melody that it seemed like the harmony of Angels or the celestial Musick of Apollo when he descended Heaven for the Love of Daphne whom he turned into a Bay-Tree the Musick being finished he tyed his Lute in a Damask-Scarf and with great humility he hung it at the West-end of the Tomb upon a knob of a Iasper-stone Lastly The third Brother likewise repaired with no outward Devotion or worldly Gift but clad in a Uesture of white Silk bearing in his hand an Instrument of Death like an innocent Lamb going to Sacrifice or one ready to be offered up for the love of his Mother's Soul This strange manner of repair caused his other Brothers to stand attentively and with diligent Eyes to be hold his purpose First After he had submissively and with great humility let fall a showre of silver Tears from the â—isters of his Eyes in remembrance of his Mother's timeless Tragedy he prick'd his naked Breast with a silver Bodkin the which he brought in his hand from whence there trickled down some thirty drops of Bloud which he after offered to his Mother's Tomb in a silver Bason as an evident sign that there could be nothing more dear nor of more preâ—ious price than to offer up his own Bloud for her Love This ceremonious Gift caused his two other Brothers to swell in hatred like to chased Lyons and run with fury upon him intending to catch him by the hair of the Head and drag him roâ—nd 〈◊〉 their Mother's Tomb till his Brains were dashed against a Marble Pavement and his Bloud sprinkled upon her Grave but this wicked Enterprize moved the Majesty of Heaven that e'er they could accomplish their Intents or stain their hands with his Bloud they heard as it were the noise of dead Mens Bones ratling in the ground whereupon looking fearfully about them the Tomb seemed of itself to open and thereupon to appear a most terrible gastly Shape pale like unto ashes in Countenance resembling their Mother with her Breast besmeared in Bloud and her Body wounded with a number of Scars and so with a dismal and ruful look she spake unto her desperate Sons in this manner Oh you Degenerate from Nature's kind why do you seek to make a Murther of yourselves can you indure to see my Body rent in twain my Heart split in sunder and my Womb dismembred Abate this fury stain not your Hands with your own Blouds nor make my Tomb a Spectacle of more Death Unite yourselves in Concord that my discontented Soul may sleep in Peace and never more be troubled with your unbridled Humours Make hast I say arm yourselves in steel Corslets and follow your valiant Father to Ierusalem he is there in danger and distress of Life away I say or else my angry Ghost shall never leave this World but hunt you up and down with gastly Visions This being said she vanished from their sight into the brittle Air whereat for a time they stood amazed and almost distraught of Wits through the terrours of her Words but at last recovering their former Senses they all vowed a continual Unity and never to proffet the like Iniury again but to live in brotherly Concord till the dissolution of their earthly Bodies So in haste they went unto the King and certified him of all things that had hapned and falling upon their Knées before his Majesty â—eâ—uelled at his hands the honour of Knight hood with leave to depart in pursuit of their Father and the other Champions that were fallen into great â—isteess The King purposing to aâ—complish their Desires and to fulfil their Requests presently condescended and not only gave them the honour of Knight-hood but furnished them with â—iâ—h Habiliments of War answerable to their magnanimous Minds First be frankly bestowed upon them three stately Palsâ—yes bred upon the bright Mountains of Sardinia in colour of an Iron-gray beautified with silver Hairs and in â—ate switer than Spanish Iennets which are a kind of Horse ingendred by the Winds upon the Alpes certain cragged Mountains that divided the Kingdoms of Italy and Germany for boldness and courage like to Bucephalus the Horse of Alexander the Macedonian or Caesar's Steed that never danted in the Field and they were trapped with rich Crapyings of Gold After the Morocco Fashion with Saddles framed like unto Iron-chairs with backs of Steel and their Fore-heads were beautified with spangled Plumes of purple Feathers whereon hung many golden Pendants the King likewise bestowed upon them three costly Swords wrought of purest Lybian Steel with Lances bound about with Plates of Brass at the tops where of hung silken Streamers beautified with the English Cross being the crimson Badge of Knighthood and Honour of Adventurous Champions Thus in this royal manner rode these three young Knights from the City of London in company of the King with a train of Knights and gallant Gentlemen who conducted them to the Sea-side where they left the young Knights to their future Fortunes and returned back to the English Court. Now are St. George's Sons floating upon the Seas making their first Adventures in the World that after Ages might applaud these Atchietements and enroul their Fames in the Records of Honour Fate prosper them successfully and gentle Fortune
her nightly Reposes upon the green Grass shadowed with the fable Eurtains of the Skies and the 〈◊〉 that were provided against her Delivery were Nymphs and Fayries dancing in the night by Proserpine's Commandment 〈◊〉 in great Grâ—ei continued sâ—e many days contenting her self with her appointed Banishment making her Lamentations to wispering Winds which seemed in her conceit to re-answer her Complaints at length the glistering Moon had ten times borrowed light of golden Phoebus and the nights that Candle was now almost exâ—inguished by which time approached the hour of her laboursome Travel where without helâ— of a Woman she was delivered of me her unhappy Daughter where ever since I have been nourished in these unfrequented Woods and many times when I came to years of Discretion my woful Mother would discourse unto me this Iamentable Story of both our Miseries the which I have most truly declared unto you Likewise she told me that many times in my Infancy when she wanted Milk in her Breasts to nourish me there would come a Lyoness and sometimes a she-Beat and gently give me suck and contrary to the Nature of wild Beasts they would many times sport with me whereby she conjectured that the immortal Powers had preserved me for some strange Fortune Likewise at my Birth Nature had pictured upon my Breast directly betwixt my two Paps the lively form of a purple Rose which as yet doth beautifie my Bosom with a Uermilion colour and this was the cause that my Mother named me Rosana answerable to my Natures Mark. After this we lived many a year in great Distress Penury and Want intreating Time to redress our Woes more often then we had lived Hours the abundance of our Tears might suffice to make warry Seas and our Sighs counterhall the Stars But at last the fatal Sisters listning to my Mother's Moans and to my great Sorrows deprived her of Life where now I am left a comfortless Orphan to the World attending the time until I find some courteous Knight that may conduct me to the Black Castle where my disloyal Father hath his Residence that I may there perform my Mother's dying Will. These words being finished Rosana stood silent for that her extream Brief hindred the passage of her Tongue and her Eyes rained such a shower of pearled Tears upon the liveless Body of her Mother that it constrained St. George's Sons to express the like Sorrow where after they had leâ— fall a few salt Tears down from their sad Eyes and had taken teâ—ce for a time with Brief they took Rosana by the hand which before that time never touched the hand of any Man and protested never to depart from her contâ—any till they had safely conducted her to the Black Castle Thus after this when the Christian Knights had pitifully bewailed the Misery and untimely Death or her Mother they took their Daggers and digged a Grave under a Bay-tree and buried her Body therein that hungry Ravens might not seize upon it nor furious Bears tear it in pieces nor ravenous Harpies devour it and after with the point of their Daggers they engraved this Epitaph in the rinde of the Bay-tree which words were these that follow The Epitaph over the Grave of the unfortunate Queen of Armenia Here lies the Body of a helpless Queen Whose great Good-will to her small Joy did Bring Her willing Mind requited was with Teen Though she deserv'd for love a Regal King And as her Corpse inclosed here doth lie Her luckless Fate and Fame should never die So when they had made this Epitaph and covered her Grave with green Turfs they departed forward on their Iourney towards thee Black Castle where we will leave them in their Travels and return to the disloyal Leoger and how he fortified his Castle by Magick Art according to the learned skill of a â—unning Necromancer and of the Adventure that hapned to St. George with the other three Christian Champions in the same Castle therefore grant you immortal Powers of invention that my Pen may be dipt in the Water of that learned Fountain where the nine Sisters do inhabit that by the help of that sweet Liquor my Muse may have a delightful Uein so that mixing the speech of Mercury with the prowess of Mars I may discourse the strangest Accident that ever hapned to wandring Knights CHAP. VIII Of the preparation that the Knight of the Black Castle made by Magick Art to withstand his Enemies and how the Seven Champions entred the same Castle where they were Enchanted into a deep Sleep so long as seven Lamps burned which could not be quenched but by the Water of an Enchanted Fountain THe wicked Leoger as you have read of before being the Knight of the Black Castle and one that for Wealth and Treasure surpassed moâ—â— of the Potentates when he grew detested and abhorted in every Company as well by Noble Knights as Gallant Ladies for â—ne spoil and murther of those three Uirgin Iames whose pitiful Stories you heard in the two former Chapters and fearing sudden Uengeance to fall upon his Head he fortified himself strongly in his Castle and with his Treasure hired many fuâ—â—oâ—e Giants to defend it wherein if they failed and should chance to be overcome he consorted with a wicked Necromancer that he with Charms and Spels should work wonders in his Castle which Magical accomplishments we will pass over till a more convenient time because I purpose to explain the History in good order to the Reader First speak we of St. George with the other Christian Knights that came in revenge of the Shepherd and his unfortunate Daughter who with good Success arrived upon the shore of the Island where this wicked Leoger and the Mâ—gâ—can had fortified their Black Castle in which Country the Champions like the invincible Followers of Mars fearing no danger nor the â—rowns of unconstant Fortune betook themselves to the readiest way towards the Castle in which Iourney they were almost ravished with the pleasure of the Island for entring into a narrow and straight Lane gâ—rnisheâ— on both sides with Trees of divers sorts they heard how the Summer Birds recorded their pleasant Melodies and made their sweet and accustomed Songs without fear of any Man to molest them In which row of pleasant Trees that delighted them on both sides there wanted not the green Lawrel so much esteemed of learned Scholars nor the sweet Myrtle tree loved by Ladies nor the high Cypress so much regarded of Loâ—ers nor the stacely Pine which for his flourishing height is called the Prince of Trees whereby they judged it to be rather an habitation for Gods and Goddesses than a terrestial Country for that the Golden Sun with his glistering Beams did pass through those green and pleasant Trees without any hindrance of black Clouds for Skies were clear as tryed silver likewise the Western Wind did softly shake the shivering Leaves whereby it made as sweet a Harmony as if they had been
like Men newly recovered from a Trance being ashamed of that dishonourable enterprize they long time gazed on each others Face being not able to express their minds but by blushing looks being the silent speakers of their extream sorrows Yet at last St. George began to express the extremity of his grief in this manner What is become of you brave Europe Champions said he Where is now your wonted Valours of late so much renowned through the World What is become of your surmounted strengths that hath bruised enchanted Helmets and quail'd the power of mighty Multitudes What is become of your terrible blows that have subdued Mountains hewed in sunder Diamond Armours and brought whole Kingdoms under your subjections Now I see that all is forgotten and nothing worth for that we have buried all our Honours Dignities and Fames in slothful flumbers upon a silken Bed And thereupon he fell upon his knées and said Thou that art the Guider of all our Fortunes unto thâ—e I invocate and call and desire thee to help us and do not permit us to have our Fames taken away for this dishonour and let us merit Dignity by our Victories and that our bright Renowns may ride upon the glorious wings of Fame whereby the Babes as yet unborn may speak of us in time to come fill whole Volumes with our princely Atchievements These and such like Speeches pronounced this discontented Champion till such time as the Elements cleared and that golden faced Phoebus glistered with splendant brightness into the Cave through a secret hole which seemed in their conceits to dance about the Uail of Heaven and to rejoice at their happy Deliveries In this joyful manner returned they up into the Court of the Castle with their Armours buckled fast unto their Bodies which had not béen unbraced in seven days before where they met with the three Knights coming to salute them and to give them the courtesies of Knighthood But when Saint George saw his Sons whom he had not seen in two years before he was so ravished with joy that he swounded in their bosoms being not able to give them his blessing so great was the pleasure he took in their sights Here I leave the joyful greeting betwixt the Father and his Sons to those that know the secret love of Parents to their Children and what dear affection long absence bréedeth For when they had sufficiently opened the integrity of their Souls to each other and had at large explained how many dangers every Knight and Champion had passed since their departure from England when as they began their first intended Pilgrimage to Jerusalem as you heard in the beginning of this Book they determined to search the Castle and to find out Leoger with his associate the wicked Enchanter that they might receive due punishments for their committed offences but they like wily Foxes were fled front the Hunters traps and had left the empty Castle to the spoil of the Christian Champions but when Rosana saw her dismist from her purpose and that she could not perform her Mothers will against her disloyal Father she protested by her Mothers name never to close up her chearful eyes with quiet slumbers nor ever rest her weary Limbs in bed of Town but travel up and down the circled Earth till she enjoyed a sight of her disloyal Father whom as yet her eyes did never see Therefore she conjured the Champions by the love and honour that Knights do bear unto poor distressed Lavie to granâ— her liberty to depart and not to hinder her from her intended Travel The Knights considered with themselves that she was a Lady of a divine Inspiration born unto some strange Fortune one by the heavens appointed which had redeemed them from a wonderful misery Therefore they condescended to her desires and not only gave hee leave to depart but furnished her with all things belonging to a Lady of so brave a mind First they found within the Castle an Armour fit for a Woman the which the Enthanter had caused to be made by magick Art of such a singular nature that no weapon could pierce it and so light in wearing that it weighed no heavier than a Tygers Skin it was contrived after the Amazonian fashion plated before with silver plates like the Scales of a Dolphin and riveted together with golden Nails so that when she had it upon her back she seemed like to Diana hunting in the Forrest of transformed Acteon Likewise they found standing in the Stable at the East side of the Castle a lusty limbed Steed big of stature and of a very good hair for the half parts forwards was of the colour of a Wolf and the other half was all black saving that here and there it was sported with little white spors his feet were cloven so that he needed not at any time to be shod his neck was somewhat long having a little head with great ears hanging down like a hound his pace was with great Majesty and he so doubled his neck that his mouth touched his brest there came out of his mouth two great tusks like unto an Elephant and he did exceed all Horses in the World in lightness and did run with an exceeding good grace This likewise bestowed they upon the Lady the which did more content her mind than any thing that ever her eyes bad seen before that time Also the ten Christian Knights gave her at her departure ten Diamond Rings continually to wear upon her Fingers in perpetual remembrance of her courtesie This done without any longer tarryance but only thanking them for great kindness shewed unto her in distress she leapt into the Saddle without the help of stirrup or any other thing so rode speedily away from their sights as a shower of rain driven by a violent Tempest After her departure the Champions remembred the old Shepherd whom they had almost forgotten through the joy that they took in their happy Meetings he as yet remained without the Castle Gates carefully keeping their Horses whom now they caused to come in and not only gave him the honour due unto his age but bestowed frankly upon him the state and government of the Castle with store of Iewels Pearls and Treasure only to be maintained and kept for relief of poor Travellers This being performed with their general consents they spent the remnant of the day in banquering and other pleasant conference of their passed adventures when the night with her sable Clouds had over-spread the days delightful countenance they betook them to their rests the seven Champions in a Chamber that had as many Windows as there were days in the year the old Shepherd by himself in a rich furnished Parlor and St. George's three Sons in the greatest Hall in the Castle CHAP. X. How after the Christian Knights were gone to bed in the Black Castle Saint George was awaked from his sleep in the dead time of the Night after a most fearful
revenged upon his Daughter for her Disobedience And as he travelled there was no Cave Den Wood or Wilderness but he furiously entred and diligently searched for his Angelica At last by strauge Fortune he hapned into Armenia near unto the place whereas his Daughter had her residence where after he had intelligence by the Commons of the Country that she remained in an old ruinated Building on the top of a Rock near at hand without any more delay he travelled unto that place at such a time as the Magician her Husband was gone about his accustomed Hunting where coming to the Gate and finding it lockt he knockt thereat so furiously that he made the noise resound all the House over with the redoubling Eccho When Angelica heard one knock she came unto the Gate and with all speed she did open it where when she thought to imbrace him thinking iâ—to be her Lover she saw that it was her Father and with a sudden alteration she gave a great shriek and ran with all the speed she could back into the House Her Father being angry like a furious Lyon followed her saying It doth little avail thee Angelica to run away for that thou shalt dâ—â— by this revengeful hand paying me with thy Death the Dishonour that my Crown hath received by thy Flight So he followed her till he came to the Chamber where her waiting-Maid Fidelia was who likewise presently knew the King upon whose wrathful countenance appeared the Image of pale Death and fearing the harm that might happen unto her Lady she put her self over her Ladies Body and gave most terrible loud and lamentable shrieks The King as one kindled in Wrath and forgetting the natural love of a Father towards his Child he laid hands upon his Sword and said It doth not profit thee Angelica to flie from thy death for thy desert is such that thou canst not escape from it for here mine own arm shall be the killer of my own flesh and I unnaturally hate that which nature it self commandeth me especially to love Then Angelica with a Countenance more red than Scarlet answered and said Ah my Lord and Father will you be now as cruel unto me as you had wont to be kind and pitiful Appease your Wrath and withdraw your unmerciful Sword and hearken unto this which I say in discharging my self of that you charge me withal You shall understand my Lord and Father that I was overcome and constrained by love for to love forgetting all fatherly Love and Duty towards your Majesty yet for all that having power to accomplish the same it was not to your dishonour in that I live honourably with my Husband then the King with a visage fraught with terrible â—re more like a Dragon in the Woods of Hircania than a Man by nature answered and said Thou virerous Brat degenerate from Natures kind thou wicked Traytor to thy generation what reason hast thou to make this false excuse when as thou hast committed a Crime that deserves more punishment than humane nature can inflict And in saying these Words he lift up his Sword inâ—ending to strike her into the heart and to bath his Weapon in his own Daughters blood Whereat Fidelia being present gave a terrible shriek and threw her self upon the Body of unhappy Angelica offering her tender Breast to the fury of his sharp cutting Sword only set at liberty her â—ear Lady and Mistress But when the furious King saw her in this sort make her defence he pulled her off by the hair of her Head offering to trample her delicate Body under his feet thereby to make a way that he might execute his determined purpose without resistance of any Fidelia when she saw the King determined to kill his Daughter like unto a Lioness she hung about his neck and said Thou Monstrous Murtherer more cruel than the mad Doggs in Aegypt why dost thou determine to slaughter the most chast and loyallest Lady in the World even the within whose lap untamed Lions will come and sleep Thou art thy self I say the occasion of all this evil and thine only is the fault for that thy self wert so malicious and so full of mischief that she dâ—rst not let thee understand of her Love These Words and Tears of Fidelia did little profit to molifie the Kings heart who rather like a wild Boar in the Wilderness being compassed about with a company of Dogs most irefully shook his Limbs and threw Fidelia from him in such sort that he had almost dasht her Brains against the Chamber Walls and with double Wrath he did proceed to execute his fury Yet for all this Fidelia with terrible shrieks sought to hinder him till such time as with his cruel hand he thrust his Sword into her Ladies Breast so that it appeared forth at her back whereby her Soul was forced to leave her terrestrial habitation and flie into the wide Air after those which dyed for true loves sake Thus this unhappy Angelica when she was most at quiet and content with her mean kind of Life then Fortune turned her unconstant Wheel and cast her from a glorious delight to sudden death The ireful King when he beheld his Daughters blood sprinkled about the Chamber and that by his own Hands it was committed he repented himself of the Deed and cursed the Hour wherein the first motion of such a Trime entred into his mind wishing the hand that did it ever after might be same and the heart that did contrive it to be plagued with more extremities than was miserable Oedipus or to be terrified with her Ghostly Spirit as was the Macedonian Alexander with Clitus Shadow whom he caustelly murthered In this manner the unfortunate King repented his Daughters bloody Tragedy with this determination not to stay till the Magician returned from his Hunting Exercise but to â—â—clude himself from the company of all Men and to spend the remnant of his loathsom life among untamed Beasts in some wild Wilderness Upon this resolution he departed the Chamber and withal said Farewel thou liveless Body of my Angelica and may thy blood which I have spilt crave vengeance of the Fates against my guilty Soul for my Earthly Body shall indure a miserable punishment Likewise at his departure he writ upon the Chamber Walls these Uerses following with his Daughters Blood Now unto Hills to Dales to Rocks to Caves I go To spend my Days in Shame in Sorrow Grief and Woe Fidelia after the departure of the King used such violent fury against her self both by rending the golden Tranunels of her Hair and â—earing her Rosie-coloured Face with her furious Nails that she rather seemed an infernal Fury subject to Wrath than any Earthly Creature furnished with Clemency she sate over Angelica's Body wiping her bleeding Bosom with a Damask Scarf which she pulled from her Wast and hathing her dead Body in luke-warm Tears which forcibly ran down from her Eyes like an overslowing Fountain In thâ—t woful
so And so it may I will it not deny Yet have I tryd so long and this do know Time gives no end to this my misery But rather Fortune Time and Fate agree To Plague my heart with woe eternally Ye Silvan Nymphs that in these Woods do shrowd To you my mournful sorrows I declare You Savage Satyrs let your ears be bow'd To hear my woe your nimble Selves prepare Trees Herbs and Flowers in Rural Fields that grow While thus I mourn do you some silence show Sweet Philomel cease thou thy song a while And will thy Mates their Melodies to leave And all at once attend my mournful stile Which will of mirth your sugred notes bereave If you desire the burthen of my Song I sigh and sob cause Ladies I did wrong You furious Beasts that feed on Mountains high And restless run with rage your Prey to find Draw near to him whose brutish cruelty Hath cropt the bud of Virgins chast and kind The only thing yet rests to comfort me Repentance comes a while before I die Since all agree for to increase my care What hope have I for to enjoy delight Sith Fates and Fortune do themselves prepare To work against my soul their full despight I know no means to yield my heart relief T is only death which can dissolve my grief I muse and may my sorrows being such That my poor Heart can't longer life sustain Sith daily I do find my grief so much As every day I feel a dying Pain But alas I live afflicted still And have no hope to heal me of my ill When as I think upon my Pleasure past Now turn'd to Pain it makes me rue my state And since my joy with woe is over-cast O death give end to my unhappy fate For only death will lasting life provide Where living thus I sundry deaths abide Wherefore all you that hear my mournful Song And tasted have the grief that I sustain All lustful Ravishers that have done wrong With tear fill'd eyes assist me to complain All that have being do my being hate Crying hast hast this Wretches dying state This sorrowful Song being dâ—ne he laid himself an along upon the green grass closing up the closers of his eyes in hope to repose himself in a quiet sleep and to abandon all discontented thoughts in which silent contemplations we will leave him for a while and return to Rosana the Queens Daughter of Armenia that bold Amazonian Lady whom you remember likewise departed from the Black Castle clad with Enchanted Armour in the pursuit of her disloyal Father whom she never in her life beheld This courteous Lady to perform her Mothers Will travelled up and down strange Countries with many a weary step yet never could she meet with her unkind Father unto whom she was commanded to give her Mothers Letter neither could she here in any place wheresoever she came where she might go to seek him In which travel she met with strange Adventures which with great honour to her Name she finished yet still she wandred over Hills and Dales Mountains and Ualleys and through many solitary Woods till at last she hapned by fortune into the Wilderness whereas this discontented Knight lay sleeping upon the green grass near to which place she likewise reposed her self under the branches of a Chess-nut Tree desiring to take some rest after her long travel But upon a sudden being betwixt waking and sleeping she heard towards her left hand a very dolorous groan as it were of some sorrowful Knight which was so terrible heavy and bitter that it made her to give an attentive car unto the sound and to see if she could hear and understand what it should be So with making the least noise that she could possibly she arose up and went toward the place whereas she might see who it was and there she beheld a Knight very well armed lying upon the green grass under a certain fair and green Myrtle Tree his Armour was all Russet and full of bars of black Steel which shewed to be a very sad sorrowful and heavy Enamelling agreeable to the inward sadness of his heart He was somewhat of a big stature of body and well proportioned there seemed by his disposition to be in his heart great grief where after she had a while stood in secret beholding his sorrowful countenance in a woful manner he tumbled his restless body upon the green grass with a sad and heavy look he breathed forth this lamentation Oh heavy and perverse Fortune said he why dost thou consent that I so vile and cruel a wretch do breath so long upon the Earth upon whose wicked head the Golden Sun disdains to shine and the glittering Elements deny their chearful lights Oh that some ravenous Harpy would welter from his Den and make his loathsome bowels my fatal Tomb or that my eyes were sightless like the miserable King of Thebes that I never might again behold this Earth whereon I have long lived and committed so many cruelties I am confounded with the curse of sad mischance for wronging that Maiden Queen of Armenia in the spoil of whose Uirginity I made a triumphant Conquest O Leoger Leoger What fury did induce thee to commit so great sin leaving her stained with thy Lust and dishonoured by thy disloyalty O cruel and without Faith thou wert nursed with some unkindly milk of Tygers and born into the World for thine own torment Where was thine Understanding when thou forsookest that gracious Princess who not only yielded to thee her Liberty Love and Honour but therewith a Kingdom and a golden Diadom and therefore woe unto me Traytor and more woes fall upon my soul than there be hairs upon my head and may the sorrows of old Priam be my last punishment What doth it profit me to fill the Air with Lamentations when that the Crime is already past without all remedy or hope of comfort this being said he gave a grievous and terrible sigh and so held his peace Rosana by those heavy and sorrowful Lamentations together with his Reasons which she heard knew him to be her disloyal Father whom she had so long travelled after to find out but when she remembred how that his unfaithfulness and unkindness was the death of her Mother her heart endured such extream pain and sorrow that she was constrained without any feeling to fall down to the ground But yet her couragious heart could not remain long in that passion but straightways she rose up again upon her feet with a desire to perform her Mothers Will but yet not intending to discover her Name nor to reveal unto him that she was his Daughter So with this thought and determination she went unto the place where Leoger was who when he heard the noise of her coming straight ways started upon his feet Then Rosana did salute him with a voice somewhat heavy and Leoger did return his salutations with no less shew of grace Then
the Amazonian Lady took forth the Letter from her naked Breast where so long time she had kept it and she delivered it into his hands and said Is it that thou art that forgetul and disloyal Knight which left the unfortunate Queen of Armenia with so great pain and sorrow big with child among those unmeriful Tyrants her Country Men which banished her out of her Country in revenge of thy committed Crime where ever since she hath been companion with Wild Beasts that in their natures have lamented her Banishment Leoger when he heard her say these Words began to behold her and although his eyes were all to be blubbred and weary of waeping yet he most earnestly gazed in her face and answered her in this manner I will not deny to thee gentle Amazonian said he that which the very clouds do blush at and the low earth doth mourn for Thou shalt understand that I am the same Knight whom thou hast demanded after tell me therefore what is thy Will My Will is said she thou most ungrateful Knight that thou read here this Letter the last Work of the white hand of the unhappy Armenian Queen At which Words the Knight was so troubled in thought and grieved in mind that it was almost the occasion to dissolve his Soul from his Body and therewithal putting forth his hand somewhat trembling he took the Letter and set himself down very sorrowful upon the green grass without any power to the contrary his grief so abounded the bounds of reason No sooner had he opened the Letter but he presently knew it to be written by the hands of his wronged Lady the Armenian Queen and with great alteration both of heart and mind he read the sorrowful Lines which contained these Words following The Queen of Armenia her Letter TO thee thou disloyal Knight of the Black Castle the unfortunate Queen of Armenia can neither send nor wish salutations for having no health my self I cannot send it unto him whose cruel mind hath quite forgotten my true love I cannot but lament continually yea and complain unto my Fates incessantly considering that my fortune is converted from a Crowned Queen to a miserable and banished Caitiff whereas savage Beasts are my chief Companions and the mournful Birds my best Solicitors Oh Leoger Leoger why didst thou leave me comfortless without all cause as did Eneas his unfortunate Dido what second love hath bereaved me of thy sight and made thee forget her that ever shall remember thee O Leoger remember the day when first I saw thy face which day be fatal evermore and counted for a dismal day in time to come both heavy black and full of foul mischances for it was unhappy unto me for in giving thee joy I bereaved my self of all and lost the Possession of my liberty and honour although thou hast not esteemed nor took care of my sorrowful Fortunes yet thou shouldest not have mockt my perfect love and disdained the servent affection that I have born thee in that I have yielded to thee that precious Jewel the which hath been denyed to many a Noble King O love cruel and spiteful love that so quickly didst make me blind and deprived me of the knowledge that belonged to my Royal Highness Oh uncourteous Knight being blinded with thy Love the Queen of Armenia stained her honesty which she ought to have kept and preserved it from the biting canker of disloyal Love Hadst thou pretended to meck me thou shouldst not have suffered me to have lost so much as I did forgo for thy sake Tell me why didst thou not suffer me to execute my Will that I might have opened my white Breast with a piercing Sword and sent my Soul to shady Banks of sweet Elizium Then had it been better for me to have dyed than to live still and daily die Remember thy self Leoger and behold the harm that will come hereof have a care to the Pawn which thou hast sealed in my Womb and let it be an occasion that thou mayst after all thy violent Wrongs return to see me sleeping on my Tomb that my Child may not remain Fatherless in the Power of Wild Beasts whose hearts be fraughted with nothing but cruelty Do not consent that the perfect love which I bear thee should be counted vain but rather perform the Promise which thou hast made to me Oh unkind Leoger O cruel and hard heart is falshood the firm love that so unfeignedly thou didst profess to me What is he that hath been more unmerciful than thou hast been There is no furious Beast nor lurking Lyon in the Desarts of Lybia whose merciless paws are all besmeared in blood that is so cruelly hearted as thy self else wouldesâ— thou not leave me comfortless spending my days in solitary Woods whereas Tygers mourn at my distresses and the chirping Birds in their kinds grieve at my lamentations the unreasonable torments and sorrows of my soul are so many that if my Pen were made of Libian Steel and my Ink the purple Ocean yet could I not write the number of my Woes But now I determine to advertise thee of my desired Death for in writing this my last Testament the Fates are cutting asunder my thread of life and I can give thee knowledge of no more but yet I desire thee by the true love which I bear thee that thou wilt read with sorrow these few lines and now I desire the Destinies that thou mayst die the death that for thee I now do and so â—end By her which did yield unto thee her Life Love Honour Fame and Liberty WHen this sad and heavy Knight had made an end of reading this dolorous Letter he could not restrain his Eyes from distilling salt tears so great was the grief that his heart sustained Rosana did likewise bear him company to solemnize his heaviness with as many tears trickling from the conduits of her Eyes The great sorrow and lamentation was such and so much in both their hearts that for a great space the one could not speak unto the other but afterwards their griefs being somewhat extenuated Leoger began to say Oh Messenger from her with the remembrance of whose wrong my heart is wounded being undeservedly of me evil rewarded tell me even by the nature of true love if thou dost know where she is shew unto me her abiding place that I may go thither and give a discharge of this my great fault by yielding unto Death Oh cruel and without love answered Rosana What discharge canst thou give unto her that already through thy Cruelty is dead and buryed only by the occasion of such a forsworn Knight This penitent and grieved Knight when he understood the certainty of her Death with a sudden and hasty fury he struck himself on the Breast with his fist and lifting his Eyes unto the Clouds in manner of Exclamation against the Fates giving deep and sorrowful sighs he threw himself to the ground tumbling and wallowing from one
to place the King again in his Kingdom CHAP. XIV How the seven Champions of Christendom restored the Babylonian King unto the Kingdom and after how honourably they were received at Rome where Saint George fell in love with the Emperors Daughter being a professed Nun of the mischief that ensued thereby and of the desperate end of young Lucius Prince of Rome THE valiant Christian Champions having as you heard in the Chapter going before performed the Adventure of the Enchanted Monument accompanied the Babylonian King to his Kingdom of Assyria as they had all solemnly promised him But when they approached the Confines of Babylon and made no â—ucstion of peaceful and Princely entertainment there was neither sign of peace nor likelihood of joyful and friendly Welcome for all the Country raged with intestine War four several Competitors unjustly striving for what unto the King properly and of right belonged The unnatural Causers and stirrers up to this Blood-devouring Controversie were four Noble men unto whom the King unadvisedly committed the Government of his Realm when he went in the Tragical pursuit of his fair Daughter after his dreamed illusion that caused him so cruelly to seek her Death And the breaking our into this hurliburly grew first to head in this manner following Two years after the Kings departure these Deputies governed the publick State in great peace and with prudent Policy till after no tydings of the King could be heard notwithstanding so many Messengers as were into every quarter of the World sent to enquire of him then did Ambition kindle in all their hearts each striving to wrest into his hand the sole possession of the Babylonian Kingdom To this end they all made several Friends for this had they contended in many fights and now lastly they intended to set all their hopes upon this main chance of War intending to fight till three fell and one remained Uictor over the rest whose Head should be beautified with a Crown But to Traytors and Treason the end is sudden and shameful for no sooner had S. George placing himself between the Battels in a brief Oration shewed the Adventures of the King and he himself to the People discovered his reverend Face but they all shouted for joy and hauling the Usurpers presently to Death they re-installed him in his antient Dignity their true lawful and long-lookt for King The King being thus restored married Fidelia for her faithfulness and after the Nuptial Feasts the Champions at the earnest request of S. Anthony departed towards Italy where in Rome the Emperor spared no cost honourably and mòst sumptuously to entertain those never-daunted Knights the famous Wonders of Christendom At that time of the year when the Summers Queen had beautified the Earth with interchangable Ornaments S. George in company of the Emperor with the rest of the Champions chanced to walk along by the side of the River Tybur to delight themselves with the pleasant Meads and beautiful prospect of the Country Before they had walked half a mile from the City they approached unto an ancient Nunnery which was very fair and of a stately Building and likewise encompassed about with Chrystal streams and many green Meabows furnished with all manner of beautiful Trées and fragrant Flowers This Nunnery was consecrated to Diana the Queen of Chastity and none were suffered to live therein but sâ—â—h chast Ladies and Uirgins as had â—owed themselves to a single Life â—aild so keep their Uirginities for ever unsported In this place the Emperors only Daughter lived as a proâ—â—ssed Nun and exempted her self from all company except it were the fellowship of chast and religious Uirgins This vertuous Lucina for so was she called having intelligence before by the Dverséers of the Nunnery how that the Emperor her Father with many other knights were coming to visit their Religious Havitation against their approach she attyred her self in a Gown of white Satin all laid over with gold Lace having also her golden locks of Hair somewhat laid forth And upon her head was knit a Garland of sweet smelling Flowers which made her seem like some Celestial or Divine Creature Her beauty was so excellent that it might have quailed the heart of Cupid and her bravery excéeded the Paphiâ—n Quéens Never could nature with all her cunning stream more beauty in any one Creature than was upon her Face nor never could the flattering Syrens more beguile the Traveller than did her bright countenance enchant the English Champion for at his first entrance into the Nunnery he was so ravished with her sight that he was not able to withdraw his eyes from her beauty but stood gazing upon her rosie coloured Cheeks like one bewitched with Medusi's shadows And to be short her beauty seemed so Angelical and the burning flames of love so fired his heart that he must either enjoy her company or give end to his life by some untimely means Saint George being wounded thus with the Dart of Love dissembled his grief and revealed â—t not to any one but departed with the Emperor back again to the City leaving his heart behind him closed in the 〈◊〉 Moâ—astert with his lovely Lucina All that ensuing night he could not enjoy the benefit of sléep but did contemplate upon the Divine Beauty of his Lady and slaughted his mind with a thousand several cogitations how he might attain to the love being a chast Uirgin and a professed Nun. In this manner spent he away the night and no scouer appeared the mornings brightness in at the Chamber Window but he arose from his restless Bed and attyred himself in Watchet Uelver to signifie his true Love and wandred all alone unto the Monastery where he revealed his deep affection unto the Lady who was as far from granting to his Request as the Skies from the Earth or the deepest Seas the highest Elements for she protested while life remained within her Body never to yield her Love in the way of Marriage to any one but to remain a pure Uirgin and of Diana's Train No other resolution could Saint George get of the chaste Nun which caused him to part in great discontent intending to seek by some other means to obtain her love so coming to the rest of the Christian Champions he revealed to them the truth of all things that had hapned who in this manner counselled him that he should provide a multitude of Armed Knights every one bearing in their hands a Sword ready drawn and to enter the Monastery at such time as she little mistrusted and first with Promises and fair and kind Speeches to seek her love but if she yielded not to fill her ears with cruel threatnings protesting that if she will not grant to requite his love with like Affections he would not leave one Stone of that Monastery standing upon another and likewise make her a bloody offering up to Diana This Policy liked well Saint George though he intended not to prosecute such Cruelty so the
Coursers with their Spears in their Rests with so great fury and desire the one to unhorse the other that they both fail'd in their Encounter The Giant who was very strong and proud when he saw that he had missed his intent he returned against Saint George carrying his Spear upon his Shoulder and coming nigh unto him upon a sudden before he could clear himself he struck him such a mighty blow upon his Corslet that his Staff brake in pieces by reason of the â—â—neness of his Armour and made the English Knight to double his Body backwards upon his Horses Crupper But when he saw the great villany that the Giant used against him his anger increased very much and so taking his Spear in the same sort he went towards the Giant and said Thou furious and proud Beast thou scorn of Nature and enemy to true Knighthood thinkest thou for to entrap me treacherously and to gore me at unawanes like to a savage Boar Know as I am a Christian Knight if my knotty Spear have good success I will revenge me on thy incivility And in saying this he struck him so furiously on the breast that the Spear passed thorow the Giants body and appeared forth at his back whereby he fell presently down dead to the ground and yielded his life to the Conquest of the fatal Sisters all that were present were very much amazed thereat and wondred greatly at the strength and sorce of St. George accounting him the fortunatest Knight that ever wielded Lance and the very pattern of true Nobility At this time the golden Sun had finished his course having nothing above the Horisen but his glistering Beams whereby the Iudge of the Turnament commanded with sound of Trumpets that the Iusts should cease and make an end for that day So the Emperour descended from the Imperial Throne into the Tilting place where all the Knights and Gentlemen were for to receive the Noble Champion of England and desired him that he would go with them into his Palace there to receive all Honours due unto a Knight of such desert to the which he could not make any denyal but most willingly consented After this the Emperours Daughter in company of many Courtly Uirgins likewise descended from her place where Alcida bestowed upon Saint George her Glove the which he wore for her favour many a day after in his Burgoner The other six Christian Champions although they merited no honour by his Turnament because they did not try their Adventures therein yet obtained they such good liking among the Grecian Ladies that every one had his Mistress and in their presence they long time fixed their chief delights where we must leave the Champions in the Emperours Court for a time surfeiting in pleasures and return to St. George's Sons travelling the World to seek out Adventures CHAP. XVI How a Knight with two Heads tormented a beautiful Maiden that had betrothed herself to the Emperours Son of Constantinople and how she was rescued by Saint George 's Sons and after how they were brought by a strange Adventure into the Company of the Christian Champions with other things that hapned in the same Travels This Renowned Emperour within whose Court the Christian Champions made their abodes of late years had a Son named Pollemus in all vertues and Knightly demeanours equal with any living This young Prince in the spring time of his youth through the piercing Darts of blind Cupid fall in love with a Maiden of mean Parentage but in beauty and other precious gifts of nature most excellent This Dulcippa for so was she called being but Daughter to a Country Gentleman was restrained from the Emperours Court and denyed the sight of her beloved Pollemus and he forbidden to set his Affection so low upon the Displeasure of the Emperour his Father for he being the Son of so mighty a Potentate and she the Daughter of so mean a Gentleman was thought to be a match unfit and disagreeable to the Laws of the Countrey and therefore they could not be suffered to manifest their loves as they would but were constrained by stealth to enjoy each others beloved and much desired company So upon a time these two Lovers concluded to meet together in a Ualley betwixt two Hills in distance from the Emperours Court some three miles whereas they might in secret devoid of all suspition unite and fix both their hearts in one knot of true love and to prevent the determination of their Parents that so unkindly thought to cross them And â—o when the appointed day drew an Dulcippa arose from her careful Bed and attired her self in rich and costly apparel as though she had been going to perform her Nuprial Ceremonies And in this manner entered she the Ualley at such time as the Sun began to appear out of his Golden Horison and to shew himself upon the face of the Earth glistering with his bright beams upon the silver-floating Rivers Likewise the calmy Western Winds did very sweetly blow upon the green leaves and made a delicate harmony at such time as the fairest Dulcippa accompanied with high thoughts approached the place of their appointed meeting But when she found not Prince Pollemus present she determined to spend the time away till he came in trimming of her golden hair and decking her delicate Body and such like delightful pleasures for her contentment and recreation So sitting down upon a green Bank under the shaddow of a Mirtle Tree she pulled a golden Cawl from her Head wherein her hair was wrapped letting it fall and disperse it self all abroad her back and taking out from her Cristalline breast an Ivory Comb she began to comb her hair her hands and fingers seemed to be of white Alabaster her Face staining the beauty of Roses and Lillies mixed together and the rest of her Body comparable to Hyrens upon whose love and beauty Mahomet did somewhat doâ—e But now mark gentle Reader how frowning Fortune crossed her desires and changed her wished joys into unexpected sorrows For as she sate in this Divine and Angelical likeness there fortuned to come wandring by an inhumane Tyrant sirnamed the Knight with two Heads who was a Ravisher of Uirgins an Oppressor of Infants and an utter Enemy to vertuous Ladies and strange travelling Knights This Tyrant was bodied like unto a man but covered all over with locks of Hair He had two Heads two Mouths and four Eyes but all red as blood Which deformed creature presently ran unto the Uirgin and caught her up under his Arms and carried her away over the Mountain into another Country where he intended to torment her as you shall hear more at large hereafter But now return we to Prince Pollemus who at the time appointed likewise prepared to meet his betrothed Love but removing to the place he found nothing but a silver Scarf â—he which Dulcippa had let fall through the fearful frighting she took at the sight of the Two-headed Knight No
bestow upon thee Farewel Knighthood farewel honourable Adventures and Princely Atchievments Never may this dauntless arm brandish Weapon more in honour of the Christian Cross For death awaiteth at my back to cut off all such noble hopes and I by Tyranny am betrayed thereto These Speeches being uttered he was forced to stand silent and in the presence of the King with many hundreds more was constrained to yield his Body to the fatal stroak where his Head being laid upon the Block was by a base Eâ—ecutioner quickly dissevered from the rest of his manly Members Which being no sooner done and the Champion lifeless but the Elements beset with cloudy exhalations sent down such a terrible Thunder-clap that struck presently dead the Knight of Saint Michael that accused him the Executioner with others that were at his Attachment at which strange and fearful spectacle the King himself grew so amazed that he deemed him to be a blessed Creature and that he had suffered wrongfully and how his cause for which he so willingly rendred up his life was the true cause which all must have a desire to die in Wherefore incontinent from a Pagan the King turned Christian and caused the same to be proclaimed through all his Provinces ordaining Churches to be built in remembrance of this great Man And likewise in the place where he suffered he caused with all speed to be built an Hermitage of relief for poor Pilgrims to find succour in and such as travelled in the honour of that God in whose Name this good Champion dyed Thus received France the true Faith in which we leave it flourishing and speak of Saint James the Spanish Champion and how he dyed CHAP. XX. Of the Tyrannous Death that the Spanish Champion was put unto and how God revenged the same in a strange manner and of other things that hapned HEre gentle Reader with a sad eye prepare to give Entertainment to the dolorous manner of the Spanish Champions Death who by Tyranny and cruel Dealing of the Intidels was likewise made away For Age and Time as upon the former grew upon him and so enfeebled his strength that he was no longer able to manage the Adventures of Chivalry nor sight the Battels of his Saviour Wherefore resolving to spend the remnant of his days in peace he desired leave likewise to commit his Fortunes to the Queen of Chance which as the other did he quickly obtained and so leaving Constantinople he put himself to travel towards the Country of his first Being not decked in his shining Armour nor mounted on his Spanish Gennet but poor and bare in outward habit though inwardly furnished with Gold and Jewels of an inestimable value which he had sowed up in the patches of a russet Gaberdine the better to travel with where instead of a bright shining Curtle-Axe his Pilgrims Staff served him to walk with and for his Burgonet of glistring Steel he covered his head now as white Thistle-down with Age with a Hat of gray colour broached with a broad Scallop-shell his Princely Lodgings were changed to green Pastures and his Canopies to the Skies azured covering where the Nightingale and Lark told the times passage These were now his best contents and comforts that time and age bestowed upon him In which manner travelling many days and nights giving still as he went the poor and needy such small pieces of Silver as he well could spare he arrived at last upon the Consines of Spain Where in honour of that God for whom he had fought so many Battels he builded up at his own charge a most sumptuous Chappel to this day bearing the Name of Saint Jacque's Chappel and for the maintenance thereof purchased divers Lands adjoining with Quiristers to sing a Day and Night therein Allelujah to his Redeemer This Celestial gift and glorious customs so prepared begot such love of the meaner sort of People that they esteemed him more than a Man with a reverence of such regard bestowed upon him that the very Name of this Noble Champion won greater admirations than the high Tilts of their Countries King who being then a cruel Tyrant and proud King maintaining Atheism by his Government grew so envious thereat that he caused good Saint Jacques with the whole Quire of his Celestial Singers to be closed up together in the Chappel which the Champion had erected so starved them to death Oh bloody butchery and inhumane cruelty a death of more terrour than ever was heard of Nero in ripping up his Mothers Womb to see the Bed of his Creation was not half so cruel But to be short hunger prevailed and they dead their Bodies purrified and in time consumed away to dust and mould whereupon the Lord to shew how they died in his favour and the love of Heaven inflicted such a light in the Chappel that it shined Day and Night with such a glorious brightness as if it had been the glorious Palace of the Sun and likewise continually was heard therein though no Creature remaining such a Quire of melodious Harmony as if it had been the sound of Celestial Musick Which strange pleasures both to the eyes and ear bred so great an amazement to the whole Countrey that all with the common consent accused their King for the tyrannous putting to death of these good men so cruelly murthered but especially the noble S. Jacques that they purposed to hold him for their Countrys Saint and Champion till the Worlds dissolution The proud King perceiving now his own rashness and his common hate against him for this deed doing took an inward conceit of grief that without taking any food ever after he languished away and died Thus have you heard the Tragedy of the Spanish Champion whom we likewise commit to the sweet sleeps of Eternity and pass on further to more dreadful Accidents CHAP. XXI Of the Honourable and Worthy Death of the Italian Champion how in the height of pleasure in his own Countrey death by a Prophecy seized upon him AFter all these aforesaid Proceedings Nature the common Nurse of us all so wrought in the heart of Saint Anthony the Champion for Italy that he undertook the next Tragical Enterprize and leaving Saint George with Saint Andrew resting their crazed Bones in the Emperours Court of Constantinople where they lately atchieved so many Praises of Knighthood he took his Journey towarns Italy and knowing by the course of Nature that his Days were not many he purposed there to set up his lives rest and in Death to finish up all Earthly Troubles So coming after a long Journey to the City of Rome where the Emperour Domitian kept his Court and the City being then in her chiefest Pomp and Glory won great desire in the Champions Mind to see the Monuments of the same So upon the Morning going from his Lodging he walked up and down the streets with admiration and fed his eyes with many delightful Objects First with great wonder he stood gazing upon