of my hart Sir Knight said Terismondo I giue you great thanks for that you haue said as for the rest it is very apparant my necessity néeded your strength and to both we may attribute the raunsome of those Ladies for my name I answer you as you do me it is not iustice to denie a thing to him that hath so much desire to make me pertaker who hee is Know then that I am Torosmondo Prince of Spayne whome fortune that neuer ceaseth to be mutable hath brought as vanished into this country being tormented with amorous fyre and there he declared vnto him all his life and amorous dealings wherewith the Dacian was bound to declare vnto him of his loues and the great troubles that he receiued At the which the Spaniard remained greatly contented and they were maruelous affectioned the one vnto the other and the friendship that was betwéene them did so farre extend that it indured to the death which was the alonely meane able to seperate their loue and not the rigorous battels which they performed as shall bee tolde you were not sufficient but that they were the greatest friendes in all the world for that in one age and in one Countrie and at one selfe time fortune had giuen them remedy of their griefe With this the Dacian told him the lamentable occasion wherefore he went to Paris at the which the Spanish Prince reioyced at the heart for that he should once again sée the gallant Dutchesse who was no lesse delighted with his great beautie thâ—n hee was rauished and enamoured with hers They passed all that night one declaring to the other their former Loues till such time as the Spaniard did tell him of the great affection he had to the Dutchesse but the Dacian séeing that it was not good for him shee béeing a married Ladie did cause him to leaue it off Which was no small matter for that a new passion if once it be grapled to the heart will sooner make an ende of one than leaue him but for that the remedie was at hand it was easie to be forgotten At which conceipt they did not a little laugh both of them knowing the wonderfull effect of the fountaine The Damsell that vnderheard some of their amorous discourses said vnto them Of truth faire knights it was no small gréefe which the wise man did to disdainefull Ladies which found so good a remedie against their strangenes Of my selfe I say that if I were beloued I would not vse as commonly it is séene now among Ladies to dissemble so much that it causeth wings to be added vnto knights thoughtes to séeke out so vnsauerie a Fountaine for that it feemeth to me by the knowen vertue of this place it will fall out that she shall remaine forsaken by her dissembling and her gallant knight shal liue content to see her iust paine gréefe a worthie reward for proud statelines For if a Ladie loue wherefore doth she dissemble and if she hate wherefore doth shee not make it knowne But wee women are so strange of condition that we thinke that it is sufficient to be women that all the world may serue vs. This is a thing too vsuall which ought not to bee accepted amongst discréet people although it may séeme that she onely is discréet who often doth vse this false dissimulation Considering that hee who loueth and is not dissembled with doth not deserue the name of a Louer This hath place with them that are strange and giue not part of ioy to mitigate the griefe of the heart which loueth them and I hold that Knight careles who may bee remedied if hee will vrge it and yet simply bearing wrong reioyceth in his griefe beeing content to bee dissembled with Oh faire Ladie answered the tender Spaniard how sweete should a Louers life bée if all were of your opinion and how manie gréefes might they daily auoyd for that Ladies doo dissemble the affection which they beare their Louers and vniustly intreate them to whome they haue giuen their hearts Hencefoorth let all Ladies deale with me so sayd the Dacian Peace Cynicke said the Spaniard let me goe forward It is good a Lady should be circumspectâ—â— yeilding her honour on any tearmes and to estéeme it when all the world doth know that she is faire but to vse it in such sort to make her Louer suffâ—r griefe she her selfe beeing passioned and yet makes rigorous showes Faire Damsell I take this to be one of the greatest tyranyes that may be vsed either to Knightes or against themselues considering Knights to gratefie their Ladies euery moment put their liues at deathes doore And should the Lady then be coye in his loue whome she loueth with all her heart if so shée deale who can condemne him truly that leaueth to know her for her owne frowardnes is cause of her forgetfulnes You haue great reason on your side answered the gracious Damsell but these so costly hopes I like not of that when they come they are with pure hope loathed for to my iudgement and I beléeue all those that try shall find that the best of all hope in loue is bought for more then it is worth In these reasoninges they passed away a great part of the night till such time as the two newe friendes being wearie they layed their heades vpon their helmets to take rest so likewise did the Damsell and their Pages The Iusting which Don Heleno and Torismundo had at their entring into Parris and what more chaunced vnto them Chap. 5. APollo had scarse shewed himselfe at his golden window beholding the large Circle that he had to runne when as the two valiant friends did arme themselues with their stronge and inchaunted armour and mounted vppon better horses then those which the amorous shepparde did shew and began to trauell towards Paris with great desire to be reuenged for the Infant Grisalinda In this sort they trauelled till after a little more then two miles they came vnto a great and faire bridge for to passe the mightie Riuer of Some nigh vnto the high walles which compassed the Citty There they saw many Knights staying for to haue passed and some of them were in battaile These furious friendes pricked forwardes for to sée the good Iusting that was there And asking of one wherefore those Iustes were it was tolde them that the valiant Alsino did make the Iustes defending the beautie of a Lady that a little before was come vnto the Court This was the Dutches of Sauoy and hee was the Nephew of the redoubted King Partomio that accused the Princesse who séeing that there lacked but one day did think to carry her away with him and the proude Alsino the Dutches. The Dacian whose bountie was well knowne did very earnestly require Torismundo that they would let him frée the bridge The Spaniard did it with a very euill will for that it gaue him great griefe whan as it was told him Alsino was in loue with the Sauoyan
were a fault not to defend her to y e death for there is no better loue than that which is confirmed with déedes And for that both of you are such Louers I shall receaue great content that you dâ—o confirme true frendship with him and I will sweare the sinne vnto his Ladie till such time as my fortune grants that I may sée her to confirme it and on this condition I doo girt ye with this sword not to offend but defend so meritorius a knight So taking him vp shee caused them all foure to imbrace vniting vndeuided frendship as Lisarte and hâ—s people expressed in the great warres at Constantinople where hee shewed his loue to the Troyan who with the rest greatly thanked the Princesse for confirming that league The Princes would foorthwith haue departed about the Damsells busines but at the request of the betrothed Ladie they taried ten dayes In which time the Troyan maintained a gallant Iust. The new betrothed princes in this time vsed such cunning although but yong beginners in Louers in wished delights y t then was begotten one of the mightiest knights among the Pagans proouing so valiant that he was held for one of the Gréeke Princes with whom he had great frendship but especially with Claramante as shal be declared in the second Booke of this third Part. The ten dayes ended the Princes vndertooke theyr iourney with great gréefe vnto the faire Flora who affected them greatly The new married Lisarte did greatly desire them to let him goe in their companie but they would not consent thereunto At their parting the braue Gréeke did declare vnto them who he was whereat they much gréeued séeing they had not done him â—he honour hee deserued In recompente whereof Lisarte promised to visite him in the Empire of Grecia although hee could not performe it so soone as he intended but when he went it was in companie with his Sunne and they were called the Knights of the Sunne vnder which name they dyd wondrous déeds Manie rich gifts being bestowed on the thrée Princes they tooke their way with the Damsell in Rosicleers inchanted Boate towards the famous Cittie of Lyra in the Kingdome of Lacedemonia where we will leaue them and returne into France to sée what amorous aduentures there hapned What chanced to Torismundo Prince of Spaine in the Kingdome of France the ende of his loue with the departure of Don Heleno Prince of Dacia WE left the faire Princesse Grisalinda amorously passionated with meditation onely on the Knight in the blacke armour which thought had so possessed her hart that her chast desires could no longer resist for this amorous fier where it findeth resistance burneth with more furie In such sort it troubled this tender Ladie that the conuersation of the Ladies was nothing pleasant vnto her all her content is now to conferre with her cousin the Duchesse and Alcisa for so was the Damsell called about her vnknown beloued Alcisa comforted her with manie examples of Ladies who merely hid their amorous gréefe and obtained a quiet and honourable end as the faire Oliuia the worthie Claridiana for saith she in the sea of Loue they alone can tell how to saile in faire weather that patiently endure the tempests knowing that in the end they shall attaine the desired port I my Alcisa said the Princesse if there were anie hope of obtaining it were somwhat like but for a Ladie to loue and take delight in her owne affection the beloued not knowing her faith what comfort can sustaine her or expressing first her affection how can it be but she erreth against y e modest order of Ladies who know by experience they are beloued before they make anie show of thankfulnes This said the Damsell is the greatest errour that is made in Loues warre for some in setting before them the simple poynt of honour haue conuerted their ioy into lamenting and dyed solitarie for that they would not liue companie How much more doth the royall priuiledge of loue stretch farther than this not iudging it dishonour to put backe a little honorable fame for the content which loue bringeth Leaue off then Madam this wayward nicenes and be not ashamed to vtter what your heart féeles If you will assure me to comfort this worthie Knight and honour him with your loue I will goe séeke him in the Forrest and make him the happiest among men Doo good Alcisa said the Princesse and binde me euer to be thine but I pray thée be not too lauish to vtter my affection yet bring him to the Court and sée how I will reward thée nay rather say my selfe will be his reward than he should be slacke in comming Alcisa promised to goe wherewith the amorous Ladie was somwhat comforted and dissembled the gréefe that she suffred for his absence and receiued content to sée the Iustes and Tornayes that were made for her sake Then flourished Knighthood in that Court more than in anie in all the world the occasion was that the King did intreate Strangers verie well in giuing honour vnto those that deserued lodging them within his Pallace insomuch that all the Court was full of Knightes who came at the fame and report of those Triumphs and to behold the faire Grisalinda They who shewed themselues most excellent were the Princes of Geneua and of Claramonte the last being a rough youth and verie amorous of the Geneua princes sister that was in companie with Grisalinda also the Duke of Pera all valiant Knights But aboue all for brauerie was the couragious Duke of Soma a yong Knight and a valiant who serued the Daughter of Armineo the Kings Brother She was verie faire and called Liciana nothing agréeued to be beloued of such a Knight making shew of her affection vpon all occasions To this great Court did the prince of Phrigia come being a yong knight of great strength who trauelling to séeke aduentures heard of triumphs and purposed to shew his Knighthood Thether came also the King of Carthage called Pontenio a valiant Youth and of the race of Giants The prince Riendarte of Phrygia when hee saw the great beautie of the princesse affected her entyrely but dissembled it till he had made shew of his person The Challengers were the Dukes of Soma and Pera and great prizes were ordained by the King to be giuen to the best Deseruer The Iustes were ordained to begin the first of May and end at Midsummer by which time they expected the prince Clauerindoes comming When the appointed time was come it séemed that Paris was a celestiall Cittie so much and so excelent musike was heard therein The same daye early the King banquetted all the princes that they might haue time for the Iustes which banquet ended the Challengers armed themselues and came foorth conformable to their estates Both had gréene armour full of Flower de Luces manie precious stones amongst them with their capparisons of the same each had to attend them fiftie pages
brother was to armes So soone as the newes came to Parato for so was Mandrocos Fathers name the griefe was such that hee dyed presently Gelasio not being there for that he was gone into Egipt to consult with a wise man was notwithstanding foorthwith certified thereof by the wise Lupertio for so was the Master of Gelasio called namely that all his brothers and friendes were slaine sauing one néere a Giantesse his sister of a goodly proportion the which hee brought with him in companie of Lupertio and would not returne vnto the Iland whereof they were Lords for that foorthwith Trebatio did fortifie the same â—ut sâ—ayed them with him till he had commensed farther in his â—ote and he was so diligent that hee came to bee one of the most famous in Egipt Then foorthwith making signes and coniurations to know in what place he might inhabit best for to make reuengement and follow his 〈◊〉 he learned that it shold be in the defended Iland whereof was 〈◊〉 a young Giant called Fangomadan one of the moste strongest amongst all the Giants Hee foorthwith concluded with him frendship helping him with his learning till such time as hee had brought himselfe thether and the Giantesse And finding the countrey so fit for his purpose hee wrought so much that thys fierce Giaunt fell in loue with his Sister till they were married together of whom he begate the Giants which were slaine by the Greeke prince and Meridian who vntill that time did alwayes liue by robbing of the countrie till such time as hee apprehended those princes and put them in that inchauntment And straightwaies he departed from his brother in law for that hee vnderstood the destruction of his Castle would come and ordained his habitation more inwards vpon the highest parts of the rocks in the most delightfull and freshest aire that was in the whole world and he knew that hee who should race out his generation should be the same Knight that slewe the most valiant Mandroco Whereat he felt so great griefe that he wâ—nt about to preuent the reuengment before the death of his Kindred At last by arte hee came to knowledge that of the first and fairest Ladie that hee apprehended should be borne a Sonne and a Daughter vnder such a Signe and planet that they should prooue the most valiantest princes in the world and how that in the parts of famous Assyria should be borne another prince that in force should be equall with the Greeke princes and at the same time in Phoenicia another and a fifth begotten by the mightie Sophy all of such excellent valor force and strength that they should bee the parties able to promyse him reuengement When he had certaine knowledge of these things and was assured that Floralinda was Fangomadans prisoner he tarried the time of her deliuerie which chaunced vnto her with great paines and throwes but all turned to her content when shee saw the fairnes of the Children although this ioy indured so small a time that the remembrance therof passed away for hauing them in her armes there entered in two furious Lyons with terrible roaring and tooke them from her leauing the féeble Lady with great griefe as you may imagine to bee in prison without her children of whom the wise man had as great care as though they had béene his neuewes Yet to make them to be the more fierce and furious they were nourished in hardnes and giuen them mingled with their nurses milke the milke of Lyons and furious beastes and they were nourished in such sort that the wise and learned man did recouer a great part of his lost comfort He gaue them names conuenient to the content of their parents for the Prince they named the hidden Celnido and his sister Floralisa whom others did cal the rigorous For that til such time as she was wounded with amorous passions she was very cruell as you shall heare At the same instant in the figure of diuers beastes hee brought the other infants The Assirian he called Don Clarisell of Assiria who died for the loue of Floralisa as you shall heare The Phoenician he named Don Argente of Phoenicia that of the Sophy for that he was the goodliest in y e world he named him the gentle Torisiano Hee nourished and brought them vppe with so great care that there was nothing too deare for their comfort The three infants were together in places different from the brother and sister who increased in fairenesse and wit in such sort that the wise man liued the meriest man in all the world When they came vnto sixe yeres of age it was a heauenly thing to sée them by reason of their beauty and either of them séemed to be of more yeres They did neuer sée the one the other till they woon the swords as shal be tolde you He exercised them in learning and all languages of the world and the worthy Floralisa learned in such sort that she grew equall with her brother When they entered more in yeres he gaue them bowes to shoote with and some daies caried them to the mountaines and had a great delight to sée with what brauery they would attempt to hunt with their mountaine kniues in this sort they passed their life in great delights The brother and sister would neuer depart the one froÌ„ the other their loue was such neither could the one liue without the other They called the wise man father and so did the other Princes who increased in like maner in all knowledge and were brought vp in the exercise of hunting alwaies respecting them as to such Princes it was conuenient Aboue the two he did preferre the Assirian youth who séemed to be no other but an angell in his beauty and soueraigne disposition Unto them all the wise man gaue hunting apparell whereof they were very glad for that they much reioysed in that life and when they did kill any wilde beast they brought it home with great ioy and content One day he would shew them the strange thinges of his house and the chambers of the faire brother and sister and for the same the day before he inuited the two Scithians to the hunt telling them that he would sende them to other newe places whereas was great store of venison So the next day the amorous Delphian pastour shewing his face the two well agréeing youthes came foorth with two pages which were nourished with them of the most principall of the Scithians the page of the Prince was called Atlante and that of his sister was called Severo who caried with them somewhat for their sustentation for that day for that they would not returne till the euening Their iackets were of gréene cloth of golde cut vpon white tinsell and wrought with curious workes but the Lady by reason of her haire wore a garland with an infinit number of pearles set with diuers colours and a gallant quiuer at her back and crimson buskins after the maner of
good successe hee had against the monster seconded his first blow couragiously and pared away a péece of the Satyres leg the diuelish furie finding himselfe so wounded would gladlye haue fled from the valiant Celindo but his wounds weakened his pace and the swift Youth fastened on him such and so manie violent blowes that the hideous monster fell groueling to the ground with a most horrible fearfull crye At the same instant the gallant and heroicke Princesse his sister had brought her aduersarie into like extremitie for returning vpon him with an inuincible courage she wounded him so sore in his legges and thighes that she had easie means by his fainting to cast a deadly thrust at him which entring the botâ—ome of his detested and hideous wombe he staggered awhile and fell to the earth with a more excéeding clamour than his horrible hatefull companion At the fall and crie of the first Satyre their two Pages came vnto them and séeing the Princes against such dreadfull aduersaries they fearfully exclaymed making the most gréeuous mone that might bee for feare of the danger that might ensue to their most beloued Lord and Ladie No sooner did the last Satyre fall which the admyred Floralisa ouerthrew but with angrie countenaunce she returned to the heartlesse Pages and thus reprehended their cowardise What meane ye you soft hearted and timerous wretches to vse these exclamations what danger doo you sée vs in that you thus crie out turne and behold our faynt ouerthrowne aduersaries where with turning about the bodies of the Satyres were vanished and an inchanted Castle erected in the place with a pillar before the gate hauing this inscription The Groue of Meruailes discoouered by the most excellent Brother and Sister shall be here tilâ— the Ownce which was at the Discouerie doth return and make entrie in companie with the furious Lionesse and beeing plagued with mad ielouzie doth seeke her remedie making free the enâ—rie to all with the rigor of her arme and then shall euerie â—ne know here in what degree they are beloued for so wil â—he ancient Medea that it should be And more lower was this inscription written From this time forwards may those that bee ouercome with loue prooue the Aduenture of the enamoured which was discouered by the hidden Prince in his infancie and prime of armes being the first blood that euer he shed euen the blood of my Sagittaries who shall neuertheles be the guarders of my dwelling house till such time as returning to enter they win the armes of the carelesse and loued Iason wheâ—ewith hee wonne the Golden Fleece from the I le of Colchos The Princes remained amazed to see the thinges that there hapned vnto them and determining to returne for that is was late they saw comming toward theÌ„ in great hast the reuerend wise man who they went to méete and he embrasing them said O felicitie of this present age with what praise shall I exalt the beginning of your most highest déedes that euer were done by Knights in truth I know not how to performe it with this my rude tung But here will remaine a memorie so long as the World shall endure and there shall not lacke Aduentures for anie Knight wherein to imploy himselfe whosoeuer commeth this way So taking them by the hands they returned and hee told them that there was an Inchantment but hee knew not that they should discouer it neither that it was in that place for that it was of more antiquitie than his Yet for all this you shall not goe from hence my louing children said the wise man if all things happen not as you desire for vnto this and more am I bound and so he carried them home leauing first by his arte on the piller these verses ingraued Louers that long to know with what regard Their deere lou'd Ladies them doo estimate Shall here perceiue their scorne or their reward To ease or end their sorrowes passionate This as a glasse to euerie Louers eye Shall shew his Ladies loue or iealozie Th'vntamed Hidden with the tender Lambe First found this wonder and aduenture rare Louers may blesse the time they hether came For in this place Loues chiefest secrets are Here shall they learne to flye and to pursue To craue and giue to yeeld and to subdue This writing said Gelasio for a token of the high and worthie beginning in which you haue made experience of your valors And I doo not doubt but they which haue gotten such an Aduenture as this is shall haue all other affaires for their contents although not to mine but it is so ordained by my destenies Discréete Father said Celindo the Gods wil not that we should atchiue anie thing wherein wee should receiue content and the same redownd to your discontentment to whom we are so much indebted If it were in your hands answered the wise man in good securitie might Gelasio liue to sée his reuengement But shortly Celindo shall you sée that which hath caused my paine and parents death and so shall you excellent Ladie but your affections shall be wounded you shall often wish death which will auoyde you and flye good fortune that shall follow you yet your heroicke déedes shall win you immortalitie therefore let not your hearts faile you And in telling them this hee brought them vnto theyr chamber which was of diuers colours and in the walls innumerable precious stones so placed that they gaue light to all the chamber Round about it were diuers figures of Ladies who in times past and at that time also flourished and were most famous There was the fayre â—uâ—â—a and the constant Penelope with her amorous web there was the affectionate Porcia with so manie showes of beautie that it caused in the princes great admiration Nigh vnto her they saw the negligent Egyptian Cleopatra at whose féete were three Emperiall Crownes wyth this saying Crowne Rule Fame Loue and glorious Emperie I sought scornd won and lost ingloriously The next vnto her was faire Campaspe with whome Great Alexander fell in loue and she was hand in hand with beauteous Helena who séemed to speake vnto Campaspe in this sort Once did my face consume Dardania When I was rapt by wanton Alexander But thine burnes him that burned Persia And of the vtmost Inde was Conquerer My Alexander was his Countries Fire-brand Thine burned others but preseru'd his Land On the second side was the mightie Empresse of Constantinople Briana and nigh her the faire Lindaraza The Empresse was compassed about with russet Crownes betokening her troubles for Trebatioes absence with thys Motto Crost Loue embracing gentle Patience Though long at last receiues Loues recompence This is she louing Children said the wise man that brought foorth the death of my royall blood of her were borne those vntamed Lions that haue raced out my Lynage More lower on the third side of that chamber was the â—aire Claridiana the princesse Oliuia with ioyous countenances in that they inioyed
their desired Loues and Oliuia séemed thus to say Thine is Alphebo mine is Rosicleer Thine match to mine mine thy Alpheboes peer They receiued great content to sée these two Ladies especially when they knew who they were and what stout Husbands they had In the same quadrant was the worthie Arguisilora armed against the brauest Knight in the World with her beauer vp the knight séeming to speake thus Beautie once Conqu'ror In vaine is Valor The knight séemed so beauteous that the Princesse by his Figures sight entertained amorous affections and asked of the wise man who they were Hee answered I am vnwilling faire Daughter to tell ye yet I will satisfie your request This Ladie is the worthie Queene of Lydia beeing in the Field shee will combate with Mars himselfe and you shall haue no better experience of her valor than to sée her in Fight with this Knight of Tinacria whom I most feare It was oyle to the valiant Ladies fire to heare the Lydian Quéene so much praised Then began to worke in her thought a thousand amorous conceipts procéeding from that sight and shee prooued the most perfect Louer in the world as shall be héereafter declared I am gréeued said the wise man for you Floralisa to sée how you are entred into Loues sea where faire weather is painfull the tempest perpetuall calmnes continuing with a thousand doubtfull hopes and yet for all thys thou néedest not feare drowning though the Nauigation prooue more violent than death Oh poore Ladie y t neither thy owne beautie tender age nor strong heart can winne thée to leaue loue but carelesly thou admittest entraunce to thy owne care Thou hast desire to loue wilt gréeue that the reward will not be correspondent to thy entire affections but be contented such are the variable effects of furious Loue. Oh that I could fauour and helpe thee in thy insuing paine and gréefe I doo foresée it so much and sorrow doth so increase in mee to vtter it that I must of necessitie passe from this place to the next roome where I will shew you another excellent figure of a faire Shepheardesse This the wise man did not for that the Ladie should loose her new thought but that her Brother should beare her companie So passing to the last wall they did sée so beautifull a Figure of the faire Rosaluria in the habite of a Shepheardesse that the tender yong Prince Celindo at that sight made her owner of his hart in such sort as death alone was able to take awaye the thought thereâ—f At her féete was this saying Lowly habite hides not beautie Loue in Kings and Clownes doth raigne To win loue and shew his dutie Phoebus was a Shepheards Swaiue You may well beléeue that this new louer did reade it with a thousand coulours changing in his tender face at first rather desirous to be iealous then fearefull if he attained sight of his welbeloued but before he can liue with his ioye with feare to loose her he shal sée much of his blood spilt make his eyes cléere fountaines hoping for a remedy at her handes that neuer accustomed to regard complaints With this new imagination they came vnto the last Lady which was called Lindabthdes who was figured within the inchanted tower and at the gate a stout and strong knight assaying to open it on which gate was this inscription Loue that liueth here obscured To these paines hath me inured The wise man did declare vnto them all the inchantment and that the knight was Alphebo wherat they receiued new passion and griefe but not in such sort that it did take away that which they had before conceaued So they went out of that pallace with lesse liberty then when they entred Now they receaued content to be alone that before thought it death to be seperated They loue solitarinesse wherein they finde ease to meditate of absent beauty which but by figure they neuer saw where we will leaue them till their fit time for that we haue a large course to runne What happened to the Dacian Prince Don Heleno in France Cap. 4. WE left the Dacian Prince in the forrest of Ardenia nigh the fountaine called the Disamorous because it chaungeth louers thoughtes He sate vppon the stocke of a winde broken trée tossing a thousand imaginations in his minde For his Florisdama he nowe lamented not neither did Lydias beauty any whit disturbe his thoughts but a fiery high kindled resolution lifted vp the noble heart of this long distressed Dacian and of his solitary life he was excéedingly ashamed Now he determines to visite the courts of Princes that before frequented forsaken caues he purposeth now to continue in peopled Cities that not long since loued the inhabitable deserts Hereto he was encouraged by infinite waighty and necessary considerations first the long absence from his countrey the disgrace he liued in with his friends his rash and vnaduised abuse of the inuincible Emperour his Unckle Trebatio which most of all he séemed to lament Bréefely our Dacian was vnlike the old Eleno that made trées brookes beastes foules fountaines secretaries of his vnséene griefes but as one that had long bin captiue hauing brokeÌ„ his bonds conquered his cruell master maketh his voice the mirthfull expressor of his hearts ioy that in his bondage had often manifested the moanings of his soule so this Dacian that had long béene Loues prisoner hauing now got fréedome tooke his Lute his Lute that many times had yéelded sad sounds to the wofull accents of his voice and finding his musike in another key he carroled out this ditty in Loues disgrace Let him that longs to know where loue doth dwell What God he is what Lordly soueraigne Attend to me who hauing learnt can tell His slightes his shifts his smiles and his disdaine His habitation is the fondlings thought His godhead forged and his power weake Fled he will follow flie when he is sought His praise alone doe fooles and madmen speake They that adore him most yet terme him boy But I conclude Loue is an idle toy As he was laying downe his Lute he saw a Damsell making great complaint who hasted as fast as her palphrey could runne The Prince purposed to stay her being desirous to know her griefe promising to helpe her in all that was néedfull So he went to méete her on his inchanted horse and when shee came nigh him hee saâ—de Damsell as you would that fortune should fauour you tell me part of your euill for I promise you I will put my life in hazard to doe you any pleasure you shall lawfully desire Sir Knight I giue you great thankes said the wofull Damsel for your gentle offer for any of lâ—sse courage then so noble a person as you séeme to be cannot help me my griefe is so great that whatsoeuer narration must be made in séeking remedy it more and more aggrauateth it for that my heauy lot hath determined the time so short that
vnderstande the discontent that Floriana shoulde receiue by your death and the wrong you shall commit in not sustaining your life And therewith the page caused him to eate of such foode as he brought although it was with an euill will But yet the heauens did ordaine a remedie worthy to comfort this wofull Prince for by reason of his great wearines he fell a sléepe a while although it was not much for that with a sodaine anger he arose vp saying Ah my Goddesse and is it possible that there shall remaine no memorie of thy glorie and my torment this commeth not of the loue I beare vnto thée But I doe promise to solemnize thy feast returning into Spaine and giue the world to vnderstand with what affection Torismundo loued thée and in saying this hee went vnto a great and mightie Poppler trée on whose barke he fixed with his dagger these verses Ye Fawnes and Satyres seruants to great Pan. And olde Syluanus all assemble yee Ye lightfoote Nimphes assist a wofull man Of wood or water whether ere ye be Wilde Forrest beasts shall helpe you in your song And roare a base to thunder out my wrong Not one must sing a meane in my lament Except the still streame gliding on the pebble Thus will we carroll out my discontent My wofull selfe will sing or cry the treble Or if ye will confusion marre our song For we are all confounded by deathes wrong On the other side of the Fountaine there was a rough and knottie ashe whereas he descyphred the swéete name of his fayre mistresse and concluded with this Ode Floriana had not dyed Had not Fates her Loue enuyed Torismundo impartiall Fate With a deadly killing hate Sought to punish but could finde Nothing to torment his minde Till the fatall Sisters fell Worse than those three hags of hell Chancing to behold Cantabria And her Soueraigne Floriana Heard her praise the Prince of Spaine Heard her for his lacke complaine Heard her say she was his ioy Heard her sweare that no annoy Could to Torismund betyde If she liude to be his Bride Where withall from her liues clue Hastely the thred they drue And with speed they cut the same When they heard my hatefull name So because I was enuied Gentle Floriana dyed This worthy louer being somewhat quieted depared and comming to the Christaline water hee washed his blubbred face and handes and drunke of the vertuous Fountaine which so quicklie did worke his necessarie effect that before he departed from the water hee knew not what had passed with him but the amorous life that before séemed to be a dreame although he remembred all yet not in such sorte that the death of the faire Floriana should giue him any perticuler griefe but rather seemed that he did wrong vnto Spaine that so quickly left it for blind affection Being in this new frée estate hee saw comming out of the thickest of the mountaine a Damsell mounted on a mighty blacke horse with a Lyon before her who at her arriual with a gallant demeanor alighted and comming to the Prince she said in the Spanish tongue Ualardus Torismundo a wise man who desireth thy good as to himselfe commanded me to bring thée this armour and horse and although their coulours are now contrary to the new and pleasant time and frée state which thy destiny hath brought thée yet the troubles are so many that you must passe in tormenting your couragious hart that you may from this present beare a deâ—ice conformable vnto that griefe and in recompence he will desire no more but that your heart faile not but alwaies haue in memory the noble bloud from whence you descend till such time as the tame Lionesse nigh to the place whereas now you vnderstood of the death of Floriana méete thée then shalt thou know of the frée life that shal be admitted thée and then thou shalt leaue this blacke armour putting on with better reason this which thou nowe wearest the which shall remaine vpon that poplar till all be finished that I haue here rehearsed vnto thée for so it is ordayned This swift Damsell tarried for no answere but with the spéede of an Eagle she put her selfe into the Forrest presently this young Mars did put of his pretious gréene armour with the which he did incounter the mighty Alphebo and hung it on the poplar whereas he found this saying He that takes thy armour hence which thou leauest for this blacke Shall againe in recompence giue thee ioy which thou wilt lacke With great ioy did this worthy Spaniard leaue his pretious armour and armed himselfe in the blacke armour of truth for that there were few like vnto it The armes as I say were all blacks but onely in the middest of the shield was painted Hope and Fortune Fortune saying thus With the turning of my Wheele all estates of men doo change Greefe or ioy they vsde to feele on a sodaine seemeth strange Hee had not well concluded the perusing of the shield with the deuice when that somewhat a farre off he heard a great troope of horse and sometimes the noyse of Women which séemed that they were by force constrayned which was the occasion that he leapt vpon his inchaunted horse and went into the high way with all spéed possible But by reason it was night and the Moone went verye low he could not sée nor know what people they were til such time as cléere Day appeared from the East then from a little hill whereon he ascended for to learne what it should bee hee discouered a mightie waggon drawen with sixe swift horse being full of people and to the number of 30. Knights with them and two furious Giants by which he conceiued that those in the waggon were caried prisoners Wherewith he descended from that little mountaine like an arrow out of a bow and ran with hys horse after them till it was in the afternoone and then hée was constrained somewhat to rest his horse in which time the Giants got vantage of the way for that the horses in the waggen were verie good After he had a while refresht his horse this warlike Youth went from thence more swift than the stone out of the sling till such time as in trauelling he saw a gentle Knight with russet armour and his shield of the same and in it the deuice of Cupide with two faces different vnto that hee was wont to beare for that they were now both closed This was the frée Dacian if you doo remember in amorâ—â—us conference with the French Ladie on their iourney towards Paris the Prince by the vertuous Fountainâ— changed had on his shield this Embleme written by the wise Lyrgandeo Sith my libertie is gained Close those eyes my heart that pained The Prince receiued great contentment when he saw the shield with that posie and willed the Pages that they should follow him softly after and spurring his inchanted horse he ran with more swiftnes than
Lady The Pagan gloried that he had slaine verie many and straight way they sawe when as hee had concluded to ouerthrow those which were there to prosecute their Iorney they sent vnto Alsino a Page to know the condition of the defence the which gaue the Knights great cause of laughter and the Dacian turning to the Spaniard said It séemeth that if we had not drunke of the water of the fountaine we should not haue had contention about the iustifiyng of the beauty of your auncient Mistresse Although this were not said the French Damsell vnto Don Heleno I would commaund you in recompence of the sodaine passions which I had in beholding the passed battaile that you should doe it in my name The Prince receiued great content in that which the damsell said and therewith shaking his Lance he entred But I am most certaine more than ordinarie sorrowe tooke seazure of her heart for the amorous Princes death So much for her I dare affirme for my selfe to be plaine with ye I had rather neuer haue a louer than to dissemble his reward for I delight not in their mourning sonnets neither am I pleased that euery eye should bee fixed on his dispairing face and euery finger point at my disdainefull folly If I perceiue hee deserue loue I will crowne him with Loues garland but if I finde him halting he shall be sure to know that I can play the cripple But faire Knights I am yet no Mistresse of any amorous gallant my thoughts are not captiued onely I find my selfe to your worths so many waies bounde as till I dye I will indeuor to deserue it with duetie And indéede she prooued as good as her word as ye shal after heare in the loue of Torismund and Grisalinda In this sort at tenne of the clocke in the morning they came vnto the great Citty of Paris at such time as all the place was full of people abyding the comming foorth of the mightie Partomio for that according to the lawes of the realme the Princesse not finding within the terme set any to come and conquer the accuser the King was to pronounce the sentence All the windowes and galeries of the Pallace were hanged with black and a heauie and sad rumor was heard amongst the people at which time the two valiant Friends entred the place whome the eies of those that were present did much behold wondring to sée their armor and horse They were straight waies known by them that were at the bridge and they began to say there commeth the valiant warrier that at one encounter made the Louer that kept the bridge sée starres vpon the ground The Damsell went verie gallantly betwéene them that were the flowers of Knighthood with her face couered in such sort that it made the people to suspect her to beâ— more fairer then she was Almost all the people in the place followed them imagining wherefore they did come and at the Pallace gate they alighted from their horses with so gallant demeanor that euerie one meruailed at them The worthie Spaniard did take the Damsell in his armes from her horse and so with them she went vp into the great Hall at such time as the King was going forth all in mourning apparell so sad and heauie that the princes to sée him had great compassion And for they would not delay the time the mightie Dacian did somwhat lift vp his beauer the better to expresse his words saying verie curteously God kéepe and deliuer thée from traitors thou mighty king of great France The fame of a wrong that is done to thy onely Daughter came vnto the Countrey where I dwell and it séeming vnto mee a thing impossible that the daughter of so royall a king should be carelesse in any thing that is agréeable to her honour and honestie it dyd constraine mee to come hauing better confidence in her right than in my valour but such as it is I will imploy it in her defence Affirming that she did not commit any such thing and besides that it is euill and dangerous that so rigorous a law cannot bee referred into the kings hand but to giue credit to whosoeuer without any more consideration that either for passion or for that a Ladyes will is not answerable to their loathsome demaunds wil then forsooth false knights as they are bee so bold to vse their slanderous tongues euen against Princesses and the royall chast Daughters of holye and Emperiall Fathers But least these traytrous accusers should say that â—nely with armes I come to defend that which is put to the tryall of battaile cause him to come foorth that doth accuse the princesse séeing time doth passe away and I will with armes answere him And heerewith he concluded his reasons leauing all but especially the King very wel satisfied with his words and gallant disposition In returne of answere the King said Sir Knight I do estéeme as it is reason the trauaile which you haue taken for my cause and the battaile which you will vndertake for my daughter and beléeue mee gentle Knight I doe liue deuoide of care for that I know truth or falshood wil haue successe answerable to their deserts but for that hee who doth accuse her is a King and a person that in all thinges is to be creditted and on the other side my lawe hath admitted it to battaile I hoped alwaies that some would be found which would combate for her and in signe of the confidence I haue in her right and your valor I refer all into your hand being perswaded your desert to bée much more I doe kisse your Royall handes answered the Dacian for the confidence you haue in me but whether it be much or little all is at your seruice There was y e Prince of Geneua and his Dutches who came in with the Princesse whan they vnderstood there was a knight that tooke vpon him her battaile he came and saluted the Prince of Spaine knowing him by his blacke armor and offered vnto him his lodging for the ayde and succour which he had done vnto them Unto whome the gentle Torismundo surrendred thankes but could not procéede any further for that they sawe comming the mightie king Partomio and his Nephew the sâ—out Alsino who for that they were lodged in the Pallace came foorth without armor and when hee came where as the king was hee sayd with a lowde voyce I do much reioce king of France that you haue knights that will accept this battaile and I come to giue them knowledge that whatsoeuer Partomio doth speake in pallace he knoweth how to defend it in field The wrathfull Dacian did put himselfe before him saying in this manner to his furious and prowd aduersarie Truly valorous king hauing such confidence in your strength you had no néed to raise anie slaunder against so excellent a Ladie Thou art verie bold answered the pagan the cause of it is in that thou séest me without armour to be plain I
returne and bring them to Gréece whereas the Princes will was hee should abide his comming They sawe that their shipp made such great way that it séemed it did â—lie bearing most towardes the Orient to the parts of the desert of Arabia In this sort they nauigated fiue daies till the sixth when as the golden heauen began to shew her fairenesse they discouered not farre from them a boate which sailed that course which they did and by reason that their Ship sailed so swiftly in a moment they ouertook it in it discouered a mightie Knight with white armour quartered with blewe full of many and costly stones and a gréene hat vpon his head of a strange work with many feathers full of spangles of golde which caused the lookers on to wonder hee was to seeme but of fewe yéeres but more browne than white of colour he was with a Lute in his hand as one that was intended to sing and play but when he saw the Princes in their ship likewise armed and well proportioned he reioyced much at their gallantnes but could not imagine who they should bee for that eyther of them had russet couerings vpon their armour and couers likewise for the deuises on their shields The Princes were verie ioyfull when they saw that wel proportioned knight who entred vnder hatches and came foorth again with his helme on his head and on his arme a shield of the same color of his armor verie gallant in whose fielde was portraied a Lady with a sword in her hand at her féete a knight with the same armor that he wore who was knéeling on his knées with this posie My seruice shall approue That I deserue thy loue The Princes receiued great pleasure at the deuice of the stout Knight The Troyan did request the other two Princes for that al the Country was fildwith their valors that they would suffer him to answere whatsoeuer that Knight should demaund The princes with very good will did grant it vnto him and in ioyning their boate vnto his there came foorth from behinde a wéeping Lady that caused great compassion who séeing that the knights did cause them that gouerned their inchaunted boate to ioyne with them being nigh she said Worthy knights as you would fortune to giue you rest in your desires tell me some newes of the Gréeke Princes or of some of their friendes for that I doe come in their demaund from a far countrie because I was giuen to vnderstand that they alone doo protect and defend those that cannot help themselues of which number I am one and shee that sent mee to séeke them another Comming from the mightie Citty of Lira in the kingdome of Lacedemonia and going to Sea I met with this gentle Knight who demaunded of me wherefore I came And giuing him to vnderstand my necessitie he made me answere Well séeing that those whome I came to séeke were so mighty as al the world doth know that although he went to receiue the order of Knighthood by the handes of the mightie King of Mauritania who is the most famous Pagan that is now knowne yet he ioyed to change his pretence and caused me to enter into his boate saying that he likewise would séeke them and demaund of them the order of Knighthood that of their great valors somewhat might come vnto him So it is answered this gentle youth as the Damsell hath said and it shall be greatly to our content to tell vs that we demaund The knightes greatly reioyced with the demaund of the Knight and the Troyan answered him Of truth gallant Knight you could not haue met anye that so perfect newes could giue you of these Princes as I for it is not long since my companions and I did departe from one of them although I beléeue it will be difficult to finde them now for that they goe in secret on a certaine aduenture For the rest I beléeue that there is none more friends to them theÌ„ we thrée for that their bounty is as an adamant to the will of him that will imitate them in their procéedings The Knight with the white armour answered Sir Knight I giue you great thankes for the newes you giue me of them and for that the finding of them is difficult it is sufficient for me to haue met some of their friendes for to giue mee the order of Knighthood and therefore I doe request you Sir Knight to giue it mee foorthwith although I haue not done you any seruice for I haue somuch to doe that the little time I am detained will be the occasion of my eternall lamentation Therefore doe it foorthwith and I shall receiue great content therein for that you are the first Knight that I haue met of the Christian sect and he of whome I haue demaunded first this thing Then the Troyan said I would gentle Knight as I am their friend that one of these Princes of Gréece were here for to make more certaine your honor as to receiue the order of knighthood at their handes yet seeing it cannot be otherwise but I must be hee that must receiue the curtesie to giue you that which you demaund with license of my companions although it were better to be done by them I doe giue you leaue for to shewe your power in defending all such as are in necessitie of your person And therewith he kissed him on the chéeke and hee remained armed the best knight of all the Pagans although without the feastes requisite for so high a Prince yet for all this the Sea did celebrate the day with bearing the name from that time forwards of Happy which indured a great time vntill it was stained with bloud as shall be told you in the fourth part of this historie This furious Moore was ioyfull and content that hee was an armed Knight and rendring thankes to the gentle Troyan he said Gentle Knight Iupiter rewarde you the honor which you haue done me in performing that which my soule so much desâ—red but although this exceeding great curtesie bindeth me to serue you al my life yet I beséech you receiue no griefe at that which I shall say for so I am commaunded and I wel vnderstand that the cause is more difficulte séeing by this charge I may assaile all the world But it is better to performe my word though my hart dye than not performing it to liue without honor in perpetuall infamie and disgrace of my Lady which I estéeme worse then rigorous death So setting apart whatsoeuer perrill and the duetie I owe you I say from this time foorth I defie in mortall battaile hee that will deny that the faire and soueraigne Princesse Flora of Argentaria doth not excéede all that liue and haue liued in fairenes and beautie and this I will defend against the princes of Gréece so estéemed in the world The cholar was great that entred into the Knight of Cupid and a thousand times he was about to answer him but
I doe beléeue said Alcisa that at these new triumphes they being Knights and desirous of honor first they will shewe their valiantnes in the Court before they will depart out of the Countrie whereas I know they haue found some remedie for the griefe they brought Then they are amorrous answered the ielous Princesse No said the Damsell but I heard them praise a Ladie much and said they should neuer forget her if memorie did not faile them to remember the good which by her they had receiued But séeing it groweth somewhat late it shall be good that we depart whereby the Ladies do not conceiue any thing of our long being heere for it will be no small occasion of suspition So they departed leauing the two frends in obscure darkenes séeing her absent that with her presence did ease those inward desires which the Spaniard suffered although he was greatly content to haue séene by experience the loue which the Princesse did beare him that without knowing who he was or any farther consideration she was so wholy surrendred to him and feared hee would not omit her faith Then the worthy Dacian said Lord Torismunde we may now goe with great securitie worke some meanes to comfort your Lady and it shall bee some ease to your griefe in reuiuing her to morrow we will be at the fountaine against the Damsell come and of her wee shall vnderstand the order that wee must vse in this our busines for by her helpe wee shall make the way easie to take her from France carrying her for Spaine considering with whome she is her father will easily pardon her and if it doe not chance to your content they shal cut in péeces the Dacian Prince before they shal haue her from our power With this they turned out of the garden and went towards their lodging where as their Pages tarried for them with great griefe for their long absence but when they saw them they were glad and slept quietly the rest of the night that remained but at the breake of the day couering their armor because they would not be known they went into the Forrest where as the Damsell should come to giue thē knowledge what had passed in the court Who in the morning being masked went foorth vpon her Palfrey right vnto the place appointed but missing a little the way in wandring amongst the trées foure knights met with her who séeing her beautie and disposition they would haue vnhorsed her but she vsing the vsual weapon of women cryed out and the Princes did heare her who were hard by The braue Spaniard finding himselfe fullest armed a foote as he was went vnto them they were all alighted with the poore Damsell who cryed out for succour And when he came thether hee knew her not but being choloricke he put himselfe amongst them with his sword in his hand saying Away vile Knights and laye no handes on the Damsell if you doe you shall dye for it and reaching the first vpon the head in reward of his folly he cut it downe to the shoulders The thrée which remained séeing the death of their companions and that he was but one onely drew their swoords and went to him But this warlike youth so behaued himselfe amongst them that he stroke the second such a blow vpon the arme that arms and swoord fell both to the ground who séeing himselfe lamed he beganne to cry out and runne into the forrest whereas within a while after he yéelded vp the ghost the other two purposing to be reuenged they assalted him He séeing their ouermuch contempt payed them in such sort that at two blowes he made them beare the first company with great content to the Damsell for that she saw it was her knight And taking off her maske she went vnto the Knight with her armes open saying I did well know Sir knight that if any succour did come vnto me it should be from this mightie arme Happy Alcisa that hath come to knowe the best amonst knightes in her behalfe This amorous Torismunde reioyced in his soule when hee sawe the Damsell and knewe her and said vnto her with great content those false Knights faire Damsell did not so much estéeme you as I doe that so against your honor and my content would haue displeased you Thankes be to God Sir Knight and your strength said shée which gaue them their payment as they deserued and according to my will which shall bee alwaies ready in whatsoeuer for your content At this time came the worthy Dacian with his swoord in his hand whereat they did not a little laugh and the Damsell said vnto him It well appeareth sir knight who hath most care to doe mee frendship for if I should haue tarried for you I beléeue mine honor had bin lost now I say that the lacke of care in the seruice of Ladies is verie euill for at such time as it may bee lacked that after it cānot be remedied with life the which I would haue dispatched if these false knights had gon forwards with their rigorous intent but séeing that betwéen you two there is so great frendship it seemeth that being remedied by your companion I am bound to serue you both which I wil do to my power And therwith she declared why she came to seeke them and gaue them to vnderstand of all that passed in the Court and what the Prince of Phrigia purposed in loue towards Grisalinda At which the Spaniard was so angry that he said I vow that I wil no more put on armour if this go forwards and foorthwith I will go paie him the reward of his boldnes The Dacian when hee saw him so determined said that hee should quiet himselfe for that in these matters hast is not profitable This knight is in France and he cannot be so strong to resist vs and séeing you haue not gone forth to the Iuste you may goe thether and deale with him This Irefull Youth was somewhat appeased but not in such sort but that the Damsell plainly saw the good will which he had vnto the Princesse and séeing it would not be taken in euill part she said What is it to you gentle knight that the prince doth imploie his thoughts vpon Grisalinda The Prince answered to sée the euill he doth to an other in procuring to loue where he deserueth not And how are you certaine answered the Damsell of this euill which he doeth My poore armes giueth testimonie thereof answered the Spaniard Then sir knight you are he that excéedeth the prince of Phrigia in loue Not him alone answered the youthful prince but all the world and vpon this I wil enter into the field with all the world Nowe am I glad answered the Damsell for that you shal haue néed of Alcisa And how is it y t he must haue néed said the Dacian what are you so much in fauour with the Princesse touching this knight it is due to our desire in procuring her cōtent
pure stéele There lacked not some Knights which were come thether desirous to get honor who prooued their aduentures with the prince but by reason all went on his side some he left without life by his rigorous incounters and others without anie desire to returne and prooue him againe till such time as they saw thrée Knights euerie one in a sundrie part to enter into the Court Hee that came first was the prowd Tribano King of Argier although after he humbled himselfe to the amorous yoake of Cupide and thereby lost a great part of his pride and so now he went séeking at whose hands he should loose it altogether and by chance his good Fortune brought him to the Dacian Youth He came armed in purple armour full of gréene Aâ—tichokes and of great price There was painted vpon hys shield the God Cupid with that rigorousnes as in auncient time he was painted with his bow golden arrowes his face somwhat discouered and he compassed about with foure most furious lions whom he séemed to lead bound in a slender thrid with this posie Loue the Lions heart doth quaile No powers against his darts preuaile All remained greatly delighted with the Deuice on his shield as wel as at his gallant disposition for in showing it he put himselfe to encounter with the Dacian parting the one from the other with the lightnes of their horses méeting in the middest of their course they gaue heauie blowes but they passed with great swiftnes without anie moouing the like hapned at the second and third courses Then taking new launces they encountred so stronglye that their speares with a thousand shiuers flew into the ayre and they méeting together with their horses it séemed as though a great house had fallen downe And by reason that y e strength of the princes horse was so great there was no resistance found in his contrarie but that hee and his Owner came to the ground and the prince staggered so on the one side that hee could not stay himselfe and because he would not be noted hée tooke it for the best remedie to leape from his horse the people giuing a ioyfull cry for they all affected him verie much By this time the valiant Spaniard had left his loue-trance seeing his frend afoote spurred his horse with such grace that the sight of the ladies followed him When hée came to Heleno hee intreated him to giue place that he might as well manifest his strength as he had showen his loue The Dacian departed the place and the Spaniard with a great speare in his hand put himselfe at the lyâ—ts end There wanted not one to come into the Lyâ—ts with desire to get more honour of that new Knight than the diuel that was past The first which entred was the dreadfull King of Cyprus who did meruailously affect the faire Orosia This Moore came in red armour full of golden Sunnes their beames stretching foorth with diuers coulours which beautefied the show and on his shield there was a nosegay of flowers which a faire hand séemed to giue vnto a knight that stood before it with this posie From this hand there commeth flowers That comfort all my vitall powers They came the one against the other so fast as their horses could runne and encountred with so great force that it séemed to the Spaniard hee was run cleane thorough but the valiant Moore descended to séek flowers in y e field hauing it destined for that the encounter séemed to come from the hands of death and rising vp with shame foorth he went purposing to giue as much occasion of wéepyng as there was then of laughter There is no question but the princesse reioyced at this to whom Orosia sayd It séemeth vnto me fair princesse your knight hath handled his affaires to day with discretion reinforcing his courage by your beautie in the tyme he spent in beholding you whilest his Frend did kéep the place of Iusts At least answered the amorous Ladie if the content which he receiued in the beholding it should be the occasion of courages increasing I doo assuredlye beléeue that he alone will ouerthrow all the knights present Foorthwith appeared another gallant knight being a valiant Tartarian cousin vnto the vnhappie Zoylo that was slaine in the woods of Grecia by the hands of Brufaldoro about the armour of Bramarant He came in quest of his kinsman and vnderstanding of his death hee returned into Tartarie for that he did inherit the kingdome Zoylo being dead and remained no lesse affectioned vnto the Gréeks then his cosin and did shew it at due time that to him they did owe the restoring of Gréece He was called the curteous Andronio who came vnto the Spaniard and said gentle Knight I shal receiue great curtesie that before we do Iuste you tel mee if you bee any of the Gréeke Princes for that my Launce shall bee more to serue them then offend them Of truth Sir knight answered the generous Spaniard I would bee one of them if it were but to inioy your frendship I am none of them although I hold my selfe for one of their frends Then I request you gentle Knight that our Iuste may be with speares of Iuste for that I haue sworne by the faith of knighthood neuer to them nor to any of their frends to be contrarie for the frendship which they kept and doe kéepe with the mightie Tartarian Zoylo whose body they haue in their Country I am content Sir Knight to doe it in this and in all what you please shall be granted so they went to take each of them a Lance he pendring in his mind of the force of vertue that bringeth with it people of so farre and remote Countries And taking their Speares they returned the one against the other with the swiftnes of their horses and broke their speares as though they had runne against a Rocke without any harme dooing and the like vnto the third then they encountred on their shields so strongly that they came vnto the ground although the Spaniard with the reines in his hand went to helpe the Tartare whose horse was slaine with the blowe and had one of his legges vnder him And pulling it out he gaue him the preheminence of the battaile requesting him for to remaine in his place The which although he did estéeme it yet he wold not do it he was foorthwith serued of another horse in the behalf of the King for that the Spaniard would not mount on his til such time as it was brought to him for he esteemed him much neither would the Moore goe foorth of the place for the content he had of the knight but foorthwith tooke of a sandal that was vpoÌ„ his shield discouered the fairest figure that might bee imagined Which was the face of a woman the most bright and shining in the world insomuch that there were few in the place that might behold it the brightnes was such and taking it in
hands of the best Knight in all y e world and he which hath most done for the honour of France and to serue him all the dayes of my life shall be my glory and I will thinke all my trauell ease If this Knight had his Ladie héere said the Hollandesse he had little néed for to watch hauing so earnest a Frend for him as you he may liue without care of the great woe that those are woont to haue which he touched with this passion I perceiue by this said the French Ladie you know well this euill by experience for that ther is none that can cast these doubts but they that haue felt Loues gréefe Things are known ladie said Grisanea without experience for we may iudge of them by report Not touching the euill that Louers do suffer said Orosia for that it neuer commeth to a certayne and limitted end for when the Louer thinketh his pain is pittied after he hath spent his life therein he is still abhorred I beléeue Madame said Grisanea you that haue bin such a seruant to Loue can tell all the troubles thereof Faire Princesse answered the Sauoyan Lady I hope also to sée the time that you may talke by costly experience and not be beléeued so easely as you beléeued me without knowing my glorie or gréefe And in recompence hereof in the behalfe of these Ladies I doo request you to let vs bee pertakers of your voyce for according as it is héere sayd there is not the like to bee heard in this Countrey You shall sée Madam said Grisanea I will obey you in all I may but I shall now put you out of all doubt my voyce is not so good as it is reported And there with she tooke a harpe and began to tune it with so excellent order and agréement that her gracing the gracious concord began new discords in the princely Tartarian who prepared his hart to giue in recompence for faire Grisaneas musique Pittie it was to sée the amorous Princes new passion but on these greéefes t is bootlesse to shew compassion for the beloued onely can giue ease The faire Ladie began making the heauens a witnes who reioycing at her musick did with their influence inspire the harts of all that were present kindling in them new cares of loue more than all the rest the gentle Tartarian was rauished his magical armour not being sufficient to withstand it but her diuine voyce penetrated his soule Line you secure that I doo liue secured From Loues allures his witchings and his woe I to his guiles will neuer be inured Ne doo I long his needlesse lawes to know Downe downe I sing hey downe as merely As Louers sigh and mone incessantly Loue is a ioy ymixt with endlesse sorrow A clowdie heauen a bright tormenting hell To day content but quite vndone to morrow A flowring banke that harbors serpents fell Downe downe I sing hey downe as merily As Louers sigh and mone incessantly Thus scorning Loues sad weeping weladay I sit secure and smile at others greefe And cheerly chaunt a gladsome roundelay While they wring hands and beg refusde releefe Downe downe I sing hey downe as merily As louers sigh and mone incessantly This frée Ladie had scarce concluded to make show of her libertie being shortly after taken by the gallant Tartarian when as the faire Grisalinda said Wee liue not héere gallant Princesse with so much fréedome nor in our Court doo we estrange the contents of loue for wee sée with how much sharpnes those are chastised that do declare themselues for rebells against imperious loue but though we be not snared we feare the time and so maye you shortly for all your disdaine We haue had manie amongst vs that haue to day abhorred loues lawes and to morrow repented it accusing their rashnes and acknowledging the same as to a Prince to whom now they pay iust tribute And for that I doo desire it I should reioyce to sée you begin to loose some what of your strangenes for that I am perswaded with some new meanes Loue pretendeth to demaund accompt of the time you haue spent from vnder his banner and seruice Let vs not put her in so much feare said the faire Orosia for that in flying from it she may finde a partie whereon to imploy her thought and not finding him hold her selfe happie if shee had neuer knowen so much libertie Then said Alcisa wil I reioyce to sée how that is admitted which now so earnestly she condemneth and taking the harpe out of her hand shee gaue it vnto the Princesse Grisalinda who tooke it saying I know not faire Cousin whether in behalfe of Louers I can say anie thing with an instrument tuned with so frée hands The thrée Knights attended hir song and verie earnest was the Tartarian who said vnto his Frends I doo not meruaile that in France there bee so valiaunt Knights for that there be Ladies to animate those whom they loue and kill them that they scorne In this sort said the Dacian ther is vantage in louing if from thence procéedeth to be valiant And perceiuing some new passion had hapned to him in hearing them sing hee said Come nigher let vs heare what they will say in fauour of Louers The Tartarian if it had not béene for discouering them would haue exclaimed against loue because yet his wound was gréene but so it festred that at length he prooued the truest louer of his time The Spaniard was so desirous to heare his Ladie that he scarce heard what past betwéene them yet hee and the Moore at last went verye nigh the window When she began to play shee gaue a heauie sigh as a request to beg attention of him whom she little thought to be so néere her Where Loue lackes can be no life But an endlesse dying paine Compassed with care and strife Idle bootlesse wretched vaine Loue is heauenly Loue is holly They that scorne it wait on Folly Loue combynes two hearts in one By sweet Loue all ioyes increase Whence Loue dwells departeth mone At his sight doth sorrow cease Loue is heauenly Loue is holly They that scorne it wait on Folly To be free and not to loue Sauage freedome I it hold Yet Loues fier Beasts doth moue Taming Tygers fierce and bold Therefore say I Loue is holly They that scorne it wait on Folly I sing this swéet Cousin said the Princesse for that y◠shall vnderstand as I told you how reuerently wee doo estéeme of Loue. It well appeareth answered the Hollandesse that you acknowledge an Owner if it be so let me know it for vnto mee you may disclose the secretes of your heart God deliuer me said Orosia that I should impart my thoughts vnto so frée a Ladie for she neither knoweth how to ease gréefe nor rightly to pittie the grieued When I see faire Grisanea said the French Princesse that the absence of your Louer dooth paine and gréeue you then shal you finde me a
comforter and I will giue you knowledge of that little loue I haue and I am so certain that it will be shortly that I shall not erre ere long to say God giue you ioy of your alteration Meane while let vs depart for feare we be too long mist. They gone the Tartare stood confounded at the grace of Grisanea at length he said vnto his Frends Of truth worthie Princes although I had verie earnestly iniurde you yet you could not haue taken better reuengement than to bring me to a place where I haue lost my libertie not knowing who hath tooke mee captiue The harme is so common sir Knight answered the Spaniard that it is estéemed as the most certainest thing among Gallants which professe the seruice of Ladies But it is so strange to me answered the Tartarian that I cannot iudge thereof but according to y e gréefe which it causeth Thus conferring and on the death of the Phrigian Lord they tarried the retourne of the Damsell who likewise gréeued that the Princes were forced to giue so long attendance At last they came both in their petticoates vnto y e window the princely Ladie trembling to sée her selfe before her beloued Knight imagining what offence she did vnto her fame in comming in such sort but the amorous passion did ouercome all so that they came vnto the window without feare and made a little noyse for a signe So the prince came vnto the window which was somwhat low and hauing no power to speake a word he knéeled on his knées demaunding her hands to kisse They both remained silent which thing is common betwéene them that loue well for when they méete their eyes onely speake their tungs are mute The Ladie séeing his dumbe passion making strength of weaknes said I would not sir Knight that my comming hether at so vnfit an hower should cause you to iudge it rather rashnes than the bond wherein I stand bound to you for the good you haue done me Besides Alcisaes perswasion is the greatest cause of this boldnes Deuine Princesse answered the fearefull Youth I sée well that your excellence intendeth euerlastingly to binde mee more and more by your manie fauours That I should conceiue either rashnes or lightnes in this your humble visitation of mee were agaynst my soule irreligious sacriledge and against your deuine curtesie vnpardonable blasphemie I rather blesse my Fates that haue reserued me to this happie hower honor your pittie that hath respected my passions and acknowledge my dutie to Alcisa for solliciting my sute so effectually Your owne deserts sir knight said Alcisa was onely the solliciter in your loues sute I for my life and precious honours preseruation am till my death your bounden hand maid And though vppon my soule I durst vndertake that neuer anie disloyall thought will enter into your couragious breast yet is my Mistres charie of thys loue bargaine for gentle knight manie knights haue dealt vngently with gentle Ladies Therefore ye must protest déeply ere she will beléeue and kéepe religiouslye what you doo protest Ah gentle Damsell said the Spanish Prince to myne harts sorrow your eyes haue béen the witnes And if yee doubt me I sweare by the religion of true knighthood by all the vnstained honour of rightfull armes by the famous remembrance of my thrice reuerent Predecessors if Grisalinda will be gracious to her vowed knight of a more constant seruant should no Lady in the whole world boast I doo confesse sir knight said the princesse that I am infinitely bound vnto you and your vowes I verely beléeue for true but you shall pardon me for setting my affection much more for plighting my faith to a knight whom I know not Souereigne princesse said the Spaniard after I had séene you and that this Damsell declared vnto mée your worthines I haue procured things that redound vnto your honour séeking the certainest meanes to performe the same and I haue not found any thing with more content than to put my life in your seruice and desire no other paiment but your acceptance Touching my birth I assure you I am the Sonne of a most royall king and sole Heire of a rich and populous kingdome all which hopes with my true hearts spotlesse loue I humbly offer at your féete The Princesse held her peace awhile pondering the weightines of the cause but the discréet Alcisa said vnto her You néed not Madam make anie stay hereat but performe his sute although it be the greatest curtesie y t may be granted I will be his suretie he will be thankfull and neuer contradict your pleasure séeing with what plainnes you doo accept him And therewithall perforce shee tooke her hands and gaue them vnto the Prince who inclosed them in his not hauing anie power to speake till y e princesse said At my pleasure I make no question but I shal be reuenged for so manifest wrong done thus against my will The prince séeing her somewhat angrie sayd Faire Ladie if the righting of these wrongs must bee satisfied with my death let me now receiue it and I will account it welcomer than death And therefore answered the princesse will I not this time with deserued death punish you Doo not procéed anie farther said the Damsell but pardon vs and therewith he offered to kisse her hands Then she told him the next day she should goe to a house of pleasure charging him not to leaue France without her licēse Thus parted they he returning to his Frends the ioyfulst man liuing and so his passion led him that hee spake not to them till they came to their pages The princes markt it wel and laughed thereat and the Dacian though he were somwhat drowsie requested to be partner in his ioy He would haue answered but their desire to sléepe with another accident that happened which shall be handeled in the next chapter brake off his pleasant discourse at that time What chanced to the Princes by Brandarte King of Cyprus and his Knights and how they deliuered out of his power all the Queenes and Princesses that he had taken prisoners Chap. 9. THe worthie Torismundo rauished with ioy to sée himselfe so fauoured intended to pertake his ioy with two frends who being wearie were laid to sléepe and hée hauing as much néede meant to beare them companie but they wer scant asléep when a noyse of horses did disturb them yet they let them passe till by and by there followed others which disquieted thē in such sort that they prepared to take horse and followe them but on a sodain the Damsel who before had broght them their armour came foorth with a fardle and making her selfe knowen vnto them she said The Wiseman my master commendeth him to you and biddeth you to weare this armour to day and to you valiant Tartare for the ayde and helpe that one daye the Empire of Grecia shall haue of you he doth send these armes for with them shall happen the greatest first content
her cosin had béen she that had subiected his wil yet séeing that it was impossible to get any more of the Moore she said vnto him of truth Sir knight it seemeth well by the companie that you bring with you vpon your armour that you conforme your selfe well with them for they haue not vsed the crueltie as you haue done with those knights in taking from them their honor yet will not tell vs who you are Faire Mistresse answered the amorous youth my small aduenture hath béen the forger of this deuice but I doe giue you my word that within thrée daies with another deuice that shall not shewe so much rigor to tell my name and who I am or els to send you word thereof if I cannot be the messenger By your word Sir Knight said the Sauoyan Lady wee remaine sure it will be so Assuredly answered the amorous Tartare that with earnest truth I speake it and first my life shall faile me ere I breake my word besides I wil leaue for a pawne one of my weapons And so with a soueraign gallantnes he tooke out his dagger which the great wise man Gelasio had sent him with the armour and knéeling downe he put it in the handes of the Princesse of Holand and with it his heart more amorous then euer any knight of his Countrie and said With this faire Lady it shal be Iustice in you to take reuengement if I faile in that I haue promised It were not amisse Cosin Grisanea said the amorous French Lady séeing with what affection you haue taken that dagger that hee which hath giuen you a gift should carrie in the place thereof an other from vs being bound thereunto The faire Dutches in the behalf of the Moore did helpe to take a rich Iewell from the neck of the Princesse Grisanea and with a gallaunt grace said vnto him Sir Knight weare this for a remembraunce of your promise and assure ye that on your Knighthood we expect the performance I remaine bound faire Ladies sayd the Prince for this great fauour and on a Knights word I will keepe my word so mounting his horse hee returned into the thickest of the Forrest leauing the Ladies praysing his discretion and valor Grisanea could not hyde her ioy but sportiuely thus began I am prouided Ladies of an armed Tent and a Dagger what hinders me now to be a souldier So pulling the dagger out of the rich sheath the pictures of a Knight and a Ladie with certaine Letters were grauen thereon which the Dutchesse of Sauoy thus read Grisanea Princesse of Holland true Owner of the mightie Tartarian Andronio Indéed said the French Princesse I sée now Cosin you are a souldier though dissemblingly you yesterday denied your Captain Cupid for neuer would so worthy a knight haue grauen your picture on his dagger without your consent I shal hardly be beléeued said the Holland princesse but I protest I neuer heard the name nor spake with the Knight before neither doo I beléeue hee is a Tartarian my Louer to be plaine with ye I pray God he prooue At this the other ladies laughed and she to make them more merrie confessed she was Loues captiue So hauing the ritch Tent brought after them they passed towards the House of pleasure nigh which by Sunne set they had attained where a while wee will leaue them to tell you of the discontented King of Cyprus At the Triumphs in Paris among manie that Torismundo ouerthrew the prowd King of Cyprus was one who left the place with purpose to be reuenged for as I told ye before he earnestly loued Orosia Duches of Sauoy And for that occasion neuer fitted him to declare his loue vnto her he determined to steale her away being boldned by his great force and the strength of foure most valiant Giants that he brought with him and a cousin of his that was the Knight at the Passage and ambushing the rest of his Companie nigh vnto the House of pleasure whether the Ladies went These were those that the mighty Andronio ouerthrew who intending reuenge ioyned with the Giants and ambushed Knights and this was the noyse that the Princes followed to the fresh and gréene field where the Tartarian requested that hee might cléere the passage for the Ladies and hauing ended so greatly to his honor being ioyfull of that rich iewell he returned vnto the Knights and gaue them knowledge of all that had succéeded which delighted them verie much by reason of their frendship confirmed with the Tartarian So he alighted to rest hymselfe and tarried til it was night that they might all thrée goe together to the house The faire Moone had scarce begun to impart her light receiued of the Sunne when these three Frends rid towards the house of pleasure yet being vncertaine of the way they wandred till it was almost midnight and then came into a mightie great field where they be held trauelling a verie faire Chariot and before it two most furious Giants armed with strong plates of stéele in the midst two knights who séemed to be of great strength and after the Chariot other two mightie Giants mounted on light horses with fearful iauelins in their hands When they came nigher vnto them they heard that those which were within the Chariot made great lamentation wherby it appeared they were forced The enterprise was difficult yet they determined to succour them and to incourage them theretoo the Dacian sayd Worthie and valiaunt Frends now is the time to shew the courage of your hearts in attempting so doubtfull an enterprise do you two assaile those that are before and I will prooue my fortune with those Giants behinde On this they agréeed and the Dacian was the first y t approached with his furious horse at the noyse whereof the two Giants turned about and séeing him alone they thought him a very Foole and one of them onely went against him whom the Prince in the incounter ouerthrew dead to the ground By this the two valiant Louers had entred battell with the other foure with such a noyse as if there had béen an hoast of Knights The Dacian heard this furie being in combat with the other Giant considering what néed his Frends had of helpe hee hasted the battell giuing the giant such a blow vpon the helme that he tooke his sense from him thinking he had béen dead he entred like a Lion amongst the Giants and Knights saying Upon them stout and valiant Knights for they are vile people and too few to withstand our forces That frendly voice was heard aswell of y e two princes as of the Ladies that were in the Chariot who iudged them to bée their louers according vnto the Knighthood they shewed At this time the Giant which the Dacian ouerthrew had recouered his heauie fawchion and with mortall furye came to the Tartarian striking him such a wonderfull blow that he made him fall on his horse necke voyding blood at his nose and
courages of women to shew signes of gréefe or ioy as they doo receiue cause by the successe of the battell I thanke ye faire Princesse for your ioy aunswered the Grecian But their conference was broke off by the manie embracings which the Tartare vsed to the Grecian for the frendship which hee had with that vnfortunate Zoylo whom in the face Andronio did much resemble yet he had more strength than he that was dead Then searched they Castle and found the Wiues of the Giants making great lamentation for the death of their husbands After they had dined they required Briano and some of the Knights of Tartarie to goe and release the prisoners All the seruants and people when they vnderstood the death of the Giants gaue their obedience vnto the Princes more reioycing to receiue them for Lords than those cruell Giants Then they demaunded the keyes of the prison of one of the Giants Wiues who séeing themselues in the power of their enemies ioyned together with the keyes in their hands at a window that opened vnto the sea wherein desperately they threw themselues rather than they would liue pittied It was so high from whence they fell that ere they came to the water they were starke dead That rash déed could not but gréeue them all but séeing it might not be remedied they commaunded that the doores of the prison should be broken open which was done by the pages of the Princes verie sodainly They being aduertised what number of prisoners were within the seuerall dungeons commaunded them to be brought foorth into the Court aswell women as men and manie children Who when they saw people enter thinking they were of the Giants sending they began to say WheÌ„ butcherly people more crueler then the furies will you ease so many deathes with taking away of our liues what profitte find you in executing your fury on them that cannot make resistance Then said Argolio the Page of the Grecian Prynce wee are none of those peruerse people which you thinke but we are seruants vnto certaine knights who haue gyuen you liberty One could not heare another the noyse of pleasure was so great made by those miserable Captiues some referring it to God like good Christians others thinking that it came from Mahomet So that there was none but gaue thankes vnto them whome they acknowledged for their Gods With infinite ioy and great shewes of contentment came foorth all those miserable people and when they came into the court and saw the Sunne they all knéeled on their knées and gaue thankes vnto God for their libertie and those venterous knights They were in all more than thrée hundreth persons which caused no small compassion vnto the Princes who with some pittifull teares did accompany the people Amongst them ther were some knights and people of respect principally two women and thrée or foure men which were together on the one side The valiant Gréeke went downe thether and with him the other princes with their helmes off They receiued them with so great noise that the one could not heare the other till they all came and knéeled downe before the Grecian But they who most reioyced were the companye of the two women that were seperated on the other side for one of them and a knight holding their hands together went a great pace vnto the Greeke Lord and with a loud voice said Oh flower of the Gréeke nation was it not enough that in the beginning of your Knighthood and my tender yéeres you gaue me a husband and defended my honestie at the cost of your person Speake vnto me Prince of Grecia for I am that Linerua your detter of life and honor I am shée for whome you did not refuse the habite of a woman to defend my life honor and fame This is the husband you gaue me now Lord of the vally of the mountaines The Prince stayed for to behold them and by and by he fell into reckoning who they should be and did embrace them with great loue as hee that had to them great affection when hee heard that which they declared And taking her by the hand he went with her to the Princesse that shee might prouide her of apparell and her companions and gaue charge to the discréet Briano that he should likewise prouide for al the rest of the people that hee had set at libertie And there afore them all did this Lady tell who she was saying O valiant Prince how I doe estéeme my selfe happie since my eyes haue séene that which so long since I haue desired for since you departed in the habit of a youth from the valley of the mountaines we neuer left desiring to knowe to what end came so high a beginning as not being an armed knight you did for me and declared vnto him that which in the beginning of this great historie you haue heard when as he changed with the apparell of this Ladie who was called Linerua and slue that cruell Argion and made voide that abhominable custome which he obserued til such time as Lelio my brother your Page at his returning from the great Britain for your absence told vs he did vnderstand that you were of Grecia and no lesse then a Prince Son to Trebatio Emperor of Constantinople If Linerua and her déer beloued husband Brandidonio reioyced hereat you may put it out of doubt So foorthwith when we knew the happie news of the Prince your brother we did procure to sée you Then we left those your Castles in the guard and kéeping of my brother Telio and with onely two Pages this daughter we departed the Ualley towards Grecia in a Ship that was well prouided but fortune did take from vs the good and content which we should haue receiued in séeing you and so altered the Sea that it droue vs to thâ—se partes although we haue learned there is no more betwéene this and that place but one day and a night sayling beeing faire weather we were straight apprehended with my daughter who was then but little and we were put in a darke prison where as I had no other good but séeing him whom you gaue me for a husband and Lord and my daughter which is here It goeth now vpon thirtéene yéeres heroycall Prince that wee haue béen in prison without knowing any thing of my Father and brother And héerewith the Lady concluded with teares of ioy for that she sawe the Prince Hee did not so much estéeme your vertue as I doe answered the Gréeke that so cruelly hath intreated you but thankes be vnto God that hath giuen you libertie for vs to sée one the other and nowe you are not to take any griefe for that which is past but to giue order howe they may know of you in your countrie and to remaine in this till order bee taken whether you shall goe thether or remaine héere The next day hee commaunded that all those of the Iland should ioyne together and hee made vnto
them a long oration concerning the hard seruitude which they were fréed of by the losse of the Giants And that hée would make them a Lord and a gouernour by his owne handes and told them who hee was the more to reioyce them And with the consent of them all they maried the discréet knight Briano with the daughter of Linerua and caused them to sweare him for their Lord. They all receiued content with that the Prince ordained and the new maried couple were verie ioyful to sée the liberalitie of the Prince although time dyd come when it was gratified and payde They were foure dayes in the doubtful Castle In the end of which the Princes did take their leaue of those of the Iland commending them vnto peace The like did the thrée frendes vnto the Tartarian which was no small griefe vnto the faire Grisanea and the Tartarian but séeing it could be no otherwise they tooke it forwell So they set their course towards Tartaria whereas they were receiued with all content possible worthy of a Prince so well beloued as was Andronio of whome in the third and fourth part shall bee made large mention where as we will leaue them for to declare of the Princes What succeeded the three Princes that went with the Damsell into Lacedemonia Chap. 11. THe thrée couragious warriers ingulfed in the Sea went towardes Lacedemonia talking of the Tartare their new frend of the gallant and braue discretion of his Lady So leauing on the one hand the Ausonian Sea the eyght day early in the Morning they entred the Port of the Citty of Archina for so Strabo doth call it whereat the Damsell receiued no small content and said that from that place to the great Cittie of Lyra was two dayes iourney There they disimbarked themselues and went a Land with their deuises changed leauing their ancient and knowen shields in their inchaunted boate they had al a like for in a gréen field this alone was written If against Loue we doe not fight We doe not feare our tryed might The Damsell reioyced at that Poste it came to good purpose for her busines and said vnto them Knightes oâ— reuengement so we wil now call ye I pray God that the end bee conformable vnto the Posâ—e and the iustice which we haue If you haue Iustice answered the Grecian account your busines done for that is able to giue vs forces more than we enioy Your strength doth well assure use gentle knightes said shee although it were for a matter more difficult but wee women haue this condition where we loue we are not in quiet but when we see them secure and I beléeue that it is generall for all that loue neuer to be assured of the good while they liue in hope the like we haue in our anger for that there was neuer woman that hath béene vexed but would procure at cost of their liues to recompence their griefe and rather yéelde vnto death then want reuengement God deliuer me said the gentle Troyan vnto the Damsell from falling into your wrath if you be so froward and therefore I say hee liueth a merrie and swéet life that hath neither ioye nor griefe caused by women For first for to get ioy he must serue a world of time and when he commeth to receiue a fauour it is with such trouble that ere hee féele it by and by with the turne of an eye all is turned to his disgrace But I beleeue women are of the opinion that griefe at their hands is an ease to a Louers heart It may bée gentle Knight sayd the Damsell that he that pondreth not the content that the Louer receiueth if the Lady beloued be estéemed being busied in easie things but doth remit the content onely to the odedience promised by loue and to receiue discontent for glory and for great content the griefe ordained by the Ladye and rigorous thornes for tender flowers comming from her handes Of truth Damsell answered the Troyan if this be all the fauour that Ladies doe giue and thereby no other daintie to comfort their Louers from this time I say he that liueth of this doth not knowe what is good She said It séemeth that your companions bee of your false league or els they will make shewe to defend my profound opinion and for this battaile I wil none of your ayde except ye be Louers There will not lacke answerers for you faire Damsell said Rosicleer for I doe know some that did liue in sorrow in respect of them that gaue it for it is a swéete discharge for them that loue to suffer if the minde be constrained by the fairenes of the beloued and this certaine imagination can doe so much that when sorrow commeth it is not felt the reason is for that the sences are found occupied with so excessiue content as commeth of a faire sight that it is not sufficient to vnlodge it out of the minde But there be some of so little heart that at the first encounter they yéeld without considering the grief that is procured to the beutie of his Lady giuing to vnderstand that he is not able to anymate his heart against the assalting griefe Who if he knewe howe to loue would contend and depart glorious from this battaile if hée estéeme this tryumph for most honorable Then answered the Troyan somewhat touched if an other should haue spoken it his swoord should haue defended it This is when as the Lady is correspondent vnto her louer with daintie fauours and sorrowfull for his griefe and receiueth it as her owne then is it no griefe that he doth suffer being certaine of his doubt Then said Meridian not one Lord Oristides being grieued did marke the discharge of his griefe for that it should not be meritorious before the Lady being certaine what he would haue and to lay before it the reward This doth exclude reason from perfect loue which is the notablenes of minde where with good is desired for the beloued and doth procure it with trouble and hath the reward not of that which is hoped for but of the acte wherewith it is done leauing the reward of his content vnto the generositie of the Ladie then is it giuen more liberally and more earnestly than when the Louer doth binde her in declaring what he did suffer Nowe you doe vnderstand Sir Knight said the Damsell to the Troyan the truth of my opinion and ye doe wrong to withstand it being so reprooued of all And I hope that before you depart from Lacedemonia you will change your iudgement according to the curiositie wherewith this truth is declared In this communication they spent the morning till it was high time to go to dinner in a fresh and gréen groue they dined recreating their sight with the pearlye Fountaines and swéet Medowes and their earâ—s wyth the swéet songs of the little birdes who flying the heate were there in the shadowe declaring their griefes with tunable chirpings The Princes
came to the head or sping of a gallant Christall Fountaine which was vnder certaine myrtle trées and there they alighted and let their horses taste of the water of that swéet and cléere spring and the gréen grasse that was there Then did their Pages bring forth such victuall as they brought from the doubtfull Castle making on the gréene grasse a more daintie Table than they had in Grecia and they passed Dinner with as great content if that Meridian had not disturbed it with the remembrance of the losse of his wife although he was somwhat eased with the confidence in Brandafidell and they all no lesse reioyced at the swéet musike which the birds made in the shadow than of that which they were wont to haue in the Royall Pallaces but the one and the other they did leaue for to heare a delicate voice which at the sound of a Harpe they did heare not far off and considering what it should be they heard that it began with a prosound sygh in this sort Though I be scornd yet will I not disdaine But bend my thoughts faire beauty to adore What though she smile when I sigh and complaine It is I know to try my faith the more For she is faire and fairenes is regarded And I am firme firme loue will be rewarded Suppose I loue and languish to my end And she my plaints my sighes my prayers dispise O t is enough when Fates for me doe send If she vouchsafe to close my dying eyes Which if she doe and chance to drop a teare From life to death that balme will me vpreare With an other sygh no lesse than the first did the wofull voice conclude which gaue occasion to the frée Troyan to arise and taking his shield he desired them to tarie for that hee would know who hee was that with so great griefe did publish his sorrow and went directly thether whereas the voice was and vnder a high and great pine trée he saw lying along a knight armed in armor all plated siluer like ful of gréen Roses without his helm which lay by him and a shield of the colour of his armor in the middest of the field in place of the flower was this Posie Nor frownes nor scornes preuaile Resolued loue to quaile The knight was very yong one of the fairest that euer he saw his eyes were swollen with wéeping The Troyan had great desire to know who he should be but stayed for that he saw he would return to his doleful song in this manner Let heauen and earth let Gods and men conspire To adde more griefe vnto my greeued minde So my faire Saint doe know my true desire I haue enough content therein I finde Loues bonds are heauen dull freedome is a hell Come all worlds woe yet loue can make it well This louing Youth intended onely to make the ayre pertaker of his gréefe so turning himself vpon the gréen grasse he said Oh Loue why in the beginning of my â—eÌ„der yeres hast thou made me place my felicitie in a person that hates mée Ah swéete Mistres I doo acknowledge your desert and giue my gréefe to witnes it yet if I may say it without offence as you are rare in beautie so I am a Phoenix in loue Oh that it pleased the heauens I might shew you my louing heart there should you sée how faith sustaineth the same against the extremitie of all your crueltie This afflicted Youth could procéed no further for that he was disturbed by the Troyan who desirous to know what he was in this sort saluted him I would fain faire Knight know what hath brought you into this estate if you stand in néed of my person I will imploy it in your helpe I néed not your companie said this disturbed Louer much lesse your helpe depart I pray you for your presence doth me wrong Thou art vncurteous answered the Kinsman of Hector so to reply vnto my Knightly offer Nay then I perceiue said the Youth you are ignorant what pleasure solitarines bringeth to the passionated Louer I answered the Troyan and hope euer to be ignorant of such pleasing sorrow O heauens how hast thou liued said the Youth art not amorous Now God defend me said Oristides from that madnes O generous thoughts of mine replied the Youth is it possible that Rosabel should liue and heare Loue slandered tarrie thou false Knight for with thy blood I trust to write vpon these trées the glorie of them that be Louers And therewith like a viper trodden on he arose vp to lace on his helme sodainly cast a thrust at y e Troian that hee made him retire backe thrée or foure paces almost past memorie Ere hee recouered the Youth strooke him so on the Uisor that hee made him sée starres in his darke helme and doubled another vpoÌ„ his shoulder that shrewdly pained him By this the Troyan did plainly sée that the Knight with whom hée dealt was aswell Mars his sonne as Cupids seruant and therefore rowsing himselfe he smit him such a blow vpon the shield that he made him put one knée vpon the ground The Youth was cunning and at the discharge of y e blow hurt the Troyan so on the legs that his red blood distained the gréene meadow With excéeding furie tooke Oristides his sword in both his hands and doubled two such extreame blowes that the young Knight knew not where he was but quickly recouering himselfe he retourned a double paiment A thousand thoughts came vnto the Troian in imagining who this valiant Youth might bée yet so he dealt with him that he made him sweat drops of blood At the noyse of this rigorous battell came the two Princes at which instant the Youth had feld the Troyan to the ground whence quickly recouering and with his sword seeking to reuenge the Princes stept betwéene them saying Part Knights it is not iust to permit this battell to come to an end without knowing the cause It is sayd the Youth because this Knight counteth a Louers life vnhappie which occasion is not so small but if I liue with his life he shall answere it Sir Knight said Meridian let not this flight quarrell hinder our important busines the matter being no more but you thinke Loues bondage swéet and he in libertie findes his content But that you shall perceiue doubt of his ablenes is no cause of this I will warrant that within these ten dayes either here or where els soeuer you will appoint this Knight shall ende the battell I am content aunswered the yong Knight for that your gentle disposition doth more binde mee than this Knights arrogancie therefore let the battell be here where onely accompanied with my solitarie thoughts I will attend you Stand aside said the valiant Troyan in cases that concerne my owne honour I am more bound than to wait on strangers therefore there is no reason to disturbe vs till the battell be ended It cannot be said Rosicleer
giuen by thy Oliuia thou wilt now pay her so euill reioycing to goe to shed her bloud This gaue him a greater desire to know who the youth should be and could not imagine that it should be his Sonne for then he thought Oliuia would haue tolde him of it In this doubt the night ouertooke him not far from a shéephouse where hearing noise he went thether and asked part of their poore sustentation to whom they gaue it with great good wil for that he was of a gallant proportion wel armed He sate down with them to supper and when hee pulled off his helme they receiued great content to sée him so faire and Maiesticall being at Supper the chéefest said vnto an other Shepheard haue you séene one so like the knight that was héere yesterday The Prince did well vnderstand them for that hee could speake the language and asked them where he might find that knight they talked of It may be said the shepheard y t he wil be here to night for he told vs yesterday that he must remaine hereabout a few dayes Can you tell me said he whom he is No answered the Shepheard onely somewhat of his valor wee can tell For one day being here at dinner there came a chased Liones who would haue run vppon vs and without doubt haue slaine vs if he had not béen here who arose vp and at one blow cut her in two péeces sat downe as though he had done nothing Wee carried the Liones for a present to our holy Temple and at our returne we saw him ouerthrow two Knights at one Encounter the one with his launce the other with his armed fist without more tarrying he put himselfe into the thickest of the Wood. The prince reioyced at that he heard imagining him to be his Brothers Sonne So passing away a good part of the night he parted from the Shepheards leauing his horse with them and went a good way off putting his shield vnder his head he fell asléepe till Cynthia gessing the yong knight who lay not farre off to bee Endimion shined with more than ordinarie brightnes and with her light beames awaked both the knights at once the yong knight bidding sléepe farewell with a great sigh Then taking a Harpe he began to sing so swéetly that y e Greek prince with héedfull attention hearkened to his song Of Loues great power eternall be my Song His praise be still the subiect of my verse And as I sing let me the praise reherse Of my harts Souereigne though she worke my wrong Be still my â—ung thou speakest blasphemie Wrong is not offered by her Deitie She looketh strange because I should intreat For it is reason mortalls suppliant bee To Saints indude with heauenly Maiestie And such is Liriana or more great Therefore I must not count it iniurie What seeming harme so ere she offers mee The amorous Youth with new sighes concluded hys swéet song and then thus complained Ah Liriana what hath Rosabel deserued that thus he must liue a dying life banished from your presence If it be that hereby you desire to haue your beauties fame spred by my hearts affection let me be a little comforted by knowing that I am affected Now would the Nephew of Achilles haue gone vnto him but was againe stayed by his swéete and delicate voyce that sounded in this manner Let be my greefes why doo you mee assaile In vaine in vaine my death you doo intend My thoughts alone my feeble life defend And cheere my dying heart when it would quaile Then Greefe auoyd since thou canst not preuaile For why my thoughts my absent Ladie see And that conceit alone giues life to mee It giues me life a wearie wearie life Come therefore greefe thou maist at last haue gaine For my heart faints afflicted by disdaine Sad hope yeelds vp vnto the murdring knife Of blacke despaire whose terrors still are rife And driue all ioy from wretched wretched mee Because my thoughts no smiles but frownes doo see But Griefe away againe I bid adieu No more no more I will thee intertaine I will embrace my freedome once againe No more will I desire her face to view Whose wrongs so long I bootlesly did rue But liue I will contemning louers life Wherein all good is geason wrong is rife O impious blasphemer sodainly cride out this youth shall Rosabell euer presume againe to sée the Sunne that against Loues power hath so blaspheamed Repent thée Rosabel repent thée wherewith he againe thus sung Sweete Loue shew pittie shew pittie For I haue thee offended I doo disclaime my hatefull dittie Which I so rudely ended Thou art almightie Loue alone Life without thee there is none The Louer of Oliuia would no longer stay but pacing swiftly to the Youth counterfetting his voyce somewhat like the Troyan thus said Up Knight and defend thy louing life for I am come without my companie because I would not be parted til I haue proued libertie the swéetest life I doo much estéeme of you sir Knight said the vnknowne Nephew of Trebatio not onely for comming but for comming thus vnto mee alone and therewith lacing on his helme hee assailed the Gréeke Prince in such sort that at thrée resistlesse blowes hee ouerthrew him to the ground O infernall Furies to which of you shall I compare our Prince when he saw himselfe by one alone Knight so handled for rising againe at two blowes hee left him almost senselesse but recouering there began the greatest battell in the world Witnesses they wanted not anie for the Forrest Nymphes and Satyres beasts tame and wylde were their beholders the Shepheards also awaked with the noyse of their strokes stood wondring at their furious fight Foure howers the faire Moone gaue light to their heauy blowes and then leauing the worlds charge to her amorous brâ—ther she left for pittie the â—ight of that pittilesse battell the contenders beeing so wearie that they were forced to breath themselues the couragious yong Knight imagining that except some diuell had possest him it could not be the knight with whom he combatted the night before touching true loue free libertie So thought the Gréeke prince himselfe for neuer anie but his brother brought him to that estate With this conceit his choller so increased that without speaking any word he went against his Enemie whom he found not vnprouided and together they stroke such blows that they both stooped on their knées Foure howers they thus continued much wearied but nothing discouraged And in the midst of this contention the wise Lyrgandeos Damsell came foorth of the Forrest and put her selfe betwéen theÌ„ saying Stay Knights awhile and heare me speake for hauing done yee both seruice I am come to aske a boon of you Both the Knights knew her and presently granted it Leaue off your battell then said she and though it be my request yet is it for both your benefits Rosicleer was somwhat mooued yet at last hee said Damsell for
your sake I am content if this knight be so pleased I am not pleased said the yong knight to haue the battell cease I will exclaime on you said the Damsell if you doo procéede to be a false knight and recreant of your word For you promised me when I guided you to the Caue of y e wise Artidon where you demaunded the ende of your loue and whose Sonne you were that you would neuer deny me a lawfull request and this is most iust for it requisite that betwéene you there be eternall frendship and héere I am certaine it must begin And in ending these words shee vanished away leauing them much amazed Both of the knights put vp their swords and the Grecian thus began Most valiant knight it séemeth this Damsell knoweth more of our estate than we our selues and séeing she saith we must be frends for my part I offer it you with most intire affection being likewise heretoo mooued with certain inward motions which I cannot expresse Inuincible knight answered the faire Youth great is my benefit to haue frendship with the best knight in the World and I may well say they told me true that certefied me my best good should méete me in Lacedemonia And heere looke I for as much good as I haue in Grecia thogh there remain my Souereigne Oliuia whom you for then had the yong Knight tooke off his helme so much represent as were it not that I know she is not giuen to armes I should beléeue it were her selfe therefore faire Sir resolue my suspitious heart of whence you are What my selfe knows I will acquaint you with replide the Youth The Soldan of Niquea brought mee vp in companie of Doriano hys Sonne and Liriana my diuine Mistres his matchlesse Daughter Till I was of age to beare armes I tooke the Soldan for my Father who then knighting me thus said Rosabel thy Parents are to me vnknowen for a lionesse brought thée to mée an infant and by a white Rose on thy breast thou hadst thy name a Scroll shee brought in her mouth which said thou shouldst be my greatest enemie till the Swan put peace betwéene vs. Though it somwhat gréeued me to be of vnknowen Parents yet my hope to enioy Liriana possessed me with ioy and she a little cherished my hope till on a sodaine shee forbad mee to sollâ—cite her with loue and with her coynesse banished me the Countrey So discontent I imbarked my selfe for Russia purposing there at the Caue of the wise Artidon to enquire touching my birth but I was driuen by tempest on this Coast where I was no sooner landed but I heard a voyce that said Welcome the glorie of Greece and honour of great Britaine the greatest Frend your Father hath sends you this armour and willeth you to leaue off that you weare And séeing no bodie this armour was laid by mée which you sée fitteth my bodie as it had béen made for me While I was arming mee therewith a Dwarffe came vnto me and said Take courage Rosabel for you shall in this armour méete one of the valiantest knights in the world and him shalt thou assaile with bitter hate beeing most bound to yéeld him loue After the Dwarffe departed came the Damsell that parted our battell saying to me Rosabel grant me a boon and I wil bring you to the wise Artidon This being the thing I most desired I promised her anie iust thing whereupon immediately shee brought me thether Being there the wise man vnto my demaund thus answered That it was not conuenient as yet to know my parents but he said they were such as in Grecia most flourished for armes that my loue should in the ende after manie sorrowes prooue succesfull And for a token of the truth hee said that I should méete in Lacedemonia the Knight that discouâ—red the Caue whom verily I gesse to be your selfe and desire thereof to be resolued for of my selfe I haue said all I know With great affâ—ction the Gréeke Prince answered Were the discouerie death faire Knight yet would I satisfie you in that yée aske Know then that I am Rosicleer Brother to Alphebo Emperour of Trapisond and he that discouered the Caue of Artidon when once I departed discontent out of Great Britaine from Oliuia the Princesse thereof now my beloued Wife The content that Rosabel receiued excéeded and in his ioyfull passion he brake out O that Fortune so fauoured me right worthie Prince that I might call you Father in the meane time let me honour ys as my Lord. And therewith would haue kissed his hands but Rosicleer kissing his chéek said Were I blessed with such a Sonne I would thinke the heauens on earth had giuen me all happines But I will intreat you to go into Greece with me where of Oliuia we shall be resolued and I will afterwards with all my Frends goe with you to Niquea whence if she consent we will bring the Ladie you so much loue Oh with what content remained Rosabel he could not but embrace his suspected Father who with like affection infolded him As they sate thus ioyously together Meridian and Oristides came to y e place who wondred to sée the Grecian so familiar with y e young Knight But Rosicleer resolued them of his suspitions began to perswade the Troyan that he should not offer to procéed with the battell in defence of frée life for sayth hée I perswade me this Knight will put the matter into my hands So will he too doubt ye not said Meridian for Oâ—istides is alreadie Loues sworne Champion Therewith alighting and all fitting together the gentle Scythian discoursed from poynt to poynt the whole manner of the Combat betwéene the changed Troyan and the faire Sarmacia whereat Rosicleer excéedingly laughed but Rosabel rose vp and embracing the Troyan said Being Frend to this worthie Gréeke Prince I am bound to you in dutie but being a true Conuertiâ—e in recanting the heresie you held yesterday and becomming Loues seruant my loue to you is more increased As the Troyan began to reply he was disturbed by the swift comming of a verie well proportioned Knight in blacke armour who being néere them said Worthie Knights by your armour I sée you are the same that yesterday in the Pallace of Lira wrought meruailes Farre off is my natiue Country where that I might iustly report I haue dealt with such a Knight my desire is to proue my self with him that made the last battell The Troyan stept foorth and said I am the Knight ye looke for It séemes you are indéed said the blacke Knight therefore mount you and defend this that you shall heare You did not in the Combat yesterday the part of a Defendant ye should haue forced your aduersarie to confesse the wrong done to the accused and not haue so delayed the time to make an end without victorie Doo you know sir Knight said the Troyan who was my contrarie A woman said the other Knight but that is not
to the second he stroke him so on the head that he made his braines flye in the field therewith quenching the desire they had vnto the Damsell In the meane time Fabio his Page had vntyed her who greatly maruelled at the valiantnes of the knight and came vnto him saying The heauen Sir Knight reward you for this you haue done for me For from thence commeth the reward of them that giue such succours which with my life likewise I will repay I giue you thankes faire Damsell said the prince but I pray you tell mee what was the occasion that these Knightes did thus misuse yee as also what Countrie this is where I am The Damsell humbling her selfe said most valiant Knight for euill persons to put in execution their kankred will little or no occasion at all serues So it is as I walked on my way in this Forrest I met with them and laying hold vpon me without any other occasion they put me in that sort as you found me and by and by began their battaile to try who should first make spoile of my honor And to the â—est touching this Countrie you shall vnderstand worâ—hy Knight that you are verie nigh vnto the great â—ittie of Rome for in two daies iourney you may â—â—me thether The gentle Dacian was ioyfull to bee in that famous Countrie so praised thoroughout al the world with many thankes he departed leauing the Damsell much bound to his seruice and verie ioyfull that she had séene so warlike a knight she went onwards on her way The Dacian took his way towards Rome and came that night vnto a faire and delightfull groue of poplers where he intended to passe away the night being sommer so there he alighted from his horse and made his Target his pyllowe but about aleuen a clocke at night he was waked by the noise of two shepheards who not farre from him were a talking but he imagining it to be some other thing buckled on his helme went by little and little amongst the trées to sée who they were y â— talked til by the light of the Moone he saw two shepherds set downe vnder a huge pine trée talking together And as one that was frée from the grief of amorous cares he receiued content to heare their talke the one who séemed to be yonger then the other with some shew of anger said It is not to be doubted frend Lisio that the brauerie of my shepperdesse excéedeth for onely with her beautie hath nature atchiued the name of famous Which causeth Aliano to affirme his shepperdesse is she that deserueth Apollo for her shepherd If he receiue content to come forth it is onely to behold her but not to giue her light for hee doth well know the eyes of my shepherdesse excéedeth his beames brightnes And this will I defend against them that be honored for Goddesses in the great Tinacria And therewith taking foorth his wel tuned rebecke he began this song with great swéetnes My Loue is of the Heard beloued Yet by his teares she is not moued In the sand his words she writeth And rends the songs that heinditeth O this she me with scornes requireth If I say I will not loue her My eyes teares my griefes discouer I must loue though she doe hate Sue though she disdaine my state And sing in teares this life me best delighteth At the end of this song thus answered the other Shepheard Aliano thou dost loue and takest it for the best life I doe not condemne thée but rather conceiue as thou desirest the fame due to thy Shepheardesse For this is the course of euerie louer to say that his Shepheardesse is a Phenix and for such a one doth hold her his crow must néedes be a swan who euer gainsaie it and yet there can be but one excellent and if yours be she whome doe all other Shepheards praise especially Poncenio The cholar of the amorous shepheard would not let him procéede any farther but he said It is sufficient frend Lisio I can with my rough crooke make knowne that Poncenio is an heryticke in affirming that his Shepheardesse deserueth the merit of mine and being ouercome with cholar at two leapes he put himselfe nigh vnto Poncenio with his knottie crooke in one hand and in his other his Ierkin and said Defend thée shepheard for it is time to sée if thou hast hands to maintaine that which thou hast so falsely published Poncenio was not a shepheard that would take such reprochfull words so with the swiftnes of a hawke hee put himselfe in the same order as his contrarie was where you should haue séene one of the prettiest contentitions in the world for as the shepheards did estéeme theÌ„selues to be louers they did not forget to be valliant The Dacian Prince reioyced in beholding them and greatlie wondred at the power of Loue that amongst shepheards shewed this rigor but he suffered them not to procéed forwards for that the contention would be perilous And so with a quicke pace came amongst them saying giue way gentle Shepheard it is not iust that this contention shuld goe forwards Valiant knight answered Poncenio it is not so small a matter as you thinke if you haue fasted loue you can say it is the greatest and most iust quarrell and rather to choose death than in this case to leaue off contention yet for all this for my loue said the Dacian I will that ye would be frends Of truth gentle Knight answered Poncenio many daies past haue I procured thys frendship with all plainnes in y e world and I beleeue because it was so simple it hath bin occassion that this shepheard doth thinke I doe it of necessitie he knowing which all the world shall know that if he loue I liue by louing a shepheardesse who in beautie discreation and proportion equalleth the most excellent I cannot said Aliano but acknowledge the many good parts of your shepheardesse brother Poncenio yet for all this you know that my shepheardesse hath caused her to yéeld These are passions sir knight said Lisio so long time past that it would be tedious to declare them But since you haue taken the matter in hand I pray you perswade them to leaue off contentions past and become frendes for frendship doth ease the sower troubles of this amorous euill And therewith the Dacian Lord went directly vnto the Shepherds very ioyfull that he had séene that controuersie and he tooke them perforce by their hands and made them frends which endured vnto death And the more to binde their frendship they all foure together sate downe on the gréene and fresh grasse making a signe vnto Fabio to bring the horses and likewise to inioy the frendship of the shepheards The gallant Youth did pull off his helme and shewed foorth his faire countenance but he had not so soone pulled it off wheÌ„ as the shepheard Lisio fel down at his féete saying O warlike Prince of Dacia what a happy day
the Chariot forbad it and vnto the Dacian the Damsell thus said Roselia the Emperors Daughter being the Ladie in gréene accompanied with the Princesses of Scotland in red desireth to know your name and that you would accompanie her to the Emperours pallace The Daâ—ian being nigh the Coach shewed his faire face and at his eyes drew to his heart her fairnes both being enamoured either of other at length with verie great reuerence he said Souereigne Ladies pardon I beseech you the vnwilling gréef I haue giuen vnto these knights the fauors are this Damsells that fauoured meâ— with hers and where your Excellencie askes my name and commaudeth my vnworthie attendance this is humbly my answere I am bound from both till I haue finished an aduenture which ended I will both answere and attend on you On that condition said the princesse we are this fauor giuing him a iewell and bee as spéedie as you may for I will expect your returne The Dacian boowing himselfe promised his attendance and so parting he put himselfe into the thickest of the wooâ— they wondring at his worthines returned toward the Cittie Our Dacian being in the wood and alighted could not forget the beautie of Roselia yet loath to entertaine loue thoughts he tooke his Lutâ— and to the sound thereof sung in thys manner Fond affection hence and leaue mee Trie no more for to deceaue mee Long agoe thou didst perplex mee Now againe seeke not to vex mee For since thou leftst off to assaile mee Power nor passion could not quaâ—le mee As the Lambe the Wolfe I flye thee As my foe Loue I defie thee Wend a way I care not for thee Childish tyrant I abhor thee For I know thou wilt deceaue mee Hence away therefore and leaue mee Till euening in contrarie imaginations he rested and was then disturbed with the noyse of two Giants foure knights who were come so néere him that he might easily heare one of the Giants say Are you sure our princes of Gibia are acquainted with our comming They are said the other Giant but will not bee séene till wee haue tane away the Ladies Then said the first Giant let vs hast to the pallace for as I get the Scottish Ladies for our princes so will I haue the Emperours daughter Roselia for my Sonne and in this talke they poasted toward the Cittie Our Dacian glad of this occasion was not farre behind but at the entring of the gate rushed among them To whom one of the Giants said For thy hast fond hardie knight either tell vs what thou meanst to make such speed or leaue with vs thy horse for thy presumption My horse I will neither leaue said he nor tell ye my busines But thou shalt said the other Giant tel me and as he was laying hold on the princes arme with the great end of his speare he ouerthrew him to the ground and with a light leape cléered the gate for his page and himselfe stepping aside to sée which way they tooke The Giants thought him some diuell and by reason of their busines would not follow him but being guided by a knight that knew the way they went directly to the pallace Orchard and mouÌ„ted the wall sending their horses to a place appointed Alwaies the prince was within the hearing leauing his horse with Fabio followed them ouer the wall by which time they had reared a ladder vp to the Princesse chamber window and one of the Giants beeing almost at the top the nimble Dacian ran and ouerthrew the ladder so that with the fall the Giant brake both his legs making such a crie that the Court was straight in an vprroare Our Gallant in this time was not idle for that betwéene him the other Giant began a rigorous battell which hee had quickly ended but that the foure knights who were verie strong greatly troubled him but he soone dispatched two of them and in the seconds fall the Giant smit the prince so rudely on the helme y t made him to kisse the earth but it was little for his good for as he thought to catch him in his armes the Prince arose with y e point of his sword vpright which vnder the skir of his armour passed through his heart As he was falling the other cripple Giant ful of mallice came créeping to doo a mischiefe but the prince quikly deuided his head from his body wherat y e knights vainly sought to flée for the heroicke Eleno stept before them and parted one to the breast the other falling at his féete he tooke to mercie because he shuld reueale the treason to the Emperour before whom and the prince of Almaine who were now with twenty armed knights come and before the Ladies that from the windowes beheld the battell all was by the knight confessed and the manner of the princes following them by himselfe told Whereat the Emperour standing amazed y e Dacian knéeled down and to the Prince of Almaine he said Receiue worthie Prince this little seruice for the gréef I put ye too yesterday When the Prince perceiued it was the Knight that ouerthrew him he imbraced him saying valorous knight vse to me no such curtesie for I am infinitely bound vnto you for this seruice done vnto my Lord the Emperour The Emperour hauing heard of him before and beheld the mightie strokes on the dead giants and knights could not speake for ioy but taking him by the hand led him to his Daughters chamber and finding her with the two Princesses of Scotland he said Daughter I haue broght you this knight prisoner kéepe him safe but vse him well for I know you are not ignorant of his desert And turning to the Dacian he said Where my best ioy is ther I leaue you and I deâ—â—re ye to tell me your name I am of Tartarie and called the Knight without loue My small desert most royall Emperour meriteth not this gracious fauour but your kindnesses are euerlasting bonds to binde me to your seruice The Emperour left him to his rest his lodging being appointed hard by the princesses but neyther he nor she possessed their wonted rests Merlins water hauing now in his breast lost the operation and Dianaes rules beginning to dye in hers Arbolinda the Scottish Princesse was Roselias coÌ„forter but our Heleno was alone till carefull Fabio maruelling at his masters long stay knockt alowd at the Court gate and made earnest enquirie for his master The Emperour had vnderstanding thereof who caused him to be conueied to his master that was not a little ioyfull of his comming Being in the chamber and suspecting no hearkners to be nigh Fabio said the Prince in anie case confesse not that I am Heleno Sonne to the King of Dacia but call me the Knight with out loue of Tartarie for so to y e Emperor haue I named my selfe for betwéene his Maiestie my Father was a great quarrell when they were Knights Aduenturers which is not yet ended The
against their likings we haue attempted with these knights at the Turney to take theÌ„ away hauing to that end twentie thousand more knights in readines at Sea and in the tumult also to bring away our sister and to haue sought you through the world Rosabel was so glad to heare that Liriana loued him so thankful to the Princes y e his inward affection to all appeared in his silent embracing And while hee was preparing fit words to gratulate such fauour a Page came riding to them from a goodly proportioned knight whose armour was very precious and two Lyons in his shield and chalenged them all to the Iustes The yonger brother of Celandia would néeds begin but was ouerthrowen in the encounter Salernio had the like successe Lisarte lost his saddle and the strange knight his stirrops and Florisarte and he passed each by other like two inuincible rockes Then Rosabel prepared himselfe but the knight lifting vp hys Beuer said Farre be it from Oristoldo sonne of Sacridiro king of Thessaly to runne against any that so much resembleth his fathers déerest frend For know Sir knight in my other encouÌ„ters I marked your beauteous face while the visor of your helme was vp and sawe you to be so like the picture of Rosicleer Prince of Gréece that I offer my small abilities to your seruice beséeching pardon for Iusting against your frends O heauens how happy am I said Rosabel to be couÌ„ted the son of a father so much loued And therwith they al embraced Oristoldo acquainting him with their busines he vowed the aduenture of his life Then spake Lisarte who had most experience thus aduised them We wil take shields like vnto Rosabels whose deuise was iealozy leaning vpon faith and wee sixe will onely enter the Iustes taking with vs one Page to certifie this hoast of knightes that shall attend vs somewhat néere the Citty of our procéedings At the turney we wil be against the Soldan of Egipt whom about Sun set we will finde occasion to kill then when the tumult is greatest ascend the gallerie for in some gallerie it is like the Ladies shall stand and bring away the Ladies which to effect if we want help the page shal certifie these two thousand knights who being fresh and couragious wil assure our enterprize Al liked this Counsel so leauing Artimio and Roselio with the two thousand knights they tooke Alirio Rosabels page and entred Niquea when the Turnayes were ready to begin It pleased the Soldan of Egipt for so requested the Soldan of Niquea that the Egiptian knights and the Giants hee brought shuld ioyne with his courtiers and the Captains of the knights strangers should bee the Kings of Media of Garamancia and Armenia The king of Garamancia was all in Lyon coloured armour and on his shield a knight mouing a Globe with this posie I feare not strength but Fortune The other two kings were in armour full of pearced hearts and on their shâ—ews the same deuice with this posie Forgetfulnes of loue is cause of death They had following them ten thousand knightes and some Gyants among whom our fiue princes put themselues TheÌ„ entred on the other side the knights Courtiers beeing so magnificent that it shewed manifestly the great maiestie of their Prince After theÌ„ followed the Soldan of Egipt all his furniture being red set with a number of precious stones his deuise was a Lady apparrelled in the colour of his armour and a knight holding her by the hand hauing at his féete Loue and Fortune with this Posie Commaunding these this is mine owne His Nephewes were armed in siluer coloured armour Loue smiling beeing painted in their shields Then came the Soldan of Niquea and after him diuine Liriana with her Cosins and the Princesse of Celandia with such admirable beautie and excellent sound of instruments as if they had béene Angels and the place celestiall But the Soldan of Niquea the Ladies and other aged Princes vnfit for fight were no sooner placed but the dreaâ—full trumpets sounded the encounter Against the Soldan of Egipt and his Nephews â—an the kings of Garamanâ—ia Media and Armenia and at the first encounter tumbled their proude bodies on the earth which so enraged the Soldan that he â—â—fied them to mortall battel where 30 sierce Giants rushed in on his part and ouerthrew many of the knights strangers putting the king of Garamantia in great distresse being vnhorsed then stepped Rosabel vnto him and lighting from his horse perforce mounted him thereon which the king and all his knights tooke very gently but especially when they sawe his manner of mounting Rosabel went to a huge Giant and pulled him to the earth mounting in his saddle and dooing such wonders that on him and his fellowes who by this time at thrée encounters had ouerthrowen twelue Giants all the beholders eyes were â—ixed The Soldan of Egipt grew to impacient that neglecting the duety of armes hee turned the ioyfull Turneyes to a battaile most dangerous and calling for a huge and mightie Giant named Penastrol that entred like a mighty Pine hauing also in his hand a speare bigger than an Argosies maine mast ouerthrewe an infinite number of the knights strangers But Rosabel beholding Liriana put himselfe before this furie and as he had been a warrier sent from the clouds pearced the bosome of this deformed Penastrol that he fel vpon the ground couering a great part thereof with his vnproportionable bugenesse All the beholders shouted at the fall and câ—yed Inuincible are the knights of iealozie and the great Gods blesse theÌ„ w t â—auours the power of stends cannot stand against theÌ„ The Princesse of Celandia and her sad neeces being neere her Liriana said vnto them My minde giues mee you knight that ouerthrâ—w Penastrol with the dâ—uice of iealozie is Rosabel for stil his eye is on this place As they were answering her they were disturbed by the noise of the old Soldan of Niquea who cryed froÌ„ his seate saying knight saue his life for it is my Sonne And looking what it was they saw Rosabel hauing vnarmed the Soldan of Egipts head and making himselfe deafe at the old Soldans crying cut off hâ—s head and vaunting afore Liriana 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sée how thy forced Loue spéedeth And at the same inâ—tant Oristaldo and Florisarte had dispatched his two neâ—hewes When Lisarte like wise rescued the two brethren 〈◊〉 Celandia from two furious Giants that had vnhorsed â—hem at two strokes dispatched their 〈◊〉 The furious Soldan séeing the death of him hee meant to make his Sonne in law came downe in his armour and sent to raise all his Knights Lisarte perceiuing rage to grow vnreasonable and glimmering twilight readie to draw the obscure curtaines of night whereby their purpose might be shadowed he with the yongest of the Celandian Princes his sonne and Oristoldo following them mounted in to the gallerie and seazed on the Princesses who sounding through feare had no vse of speach to call