Knight gyrt his Sword round about him and stood on Thornes till hee was set forward to seeke Martiall aduentures Hereupon these two Knights departed toward England and performed many noble deeds of Chiualrie by the way But amongst all others being in the Turkish Court this is worthy to bée noted for with one Boxe of the eare the Blacke Knight killed the Turkes Sonne starke dead for which cause by treason were their liues conspired and the following night had their Lodging entred by twelue of the Turkes Guard with an intent to murther them but by reason of the inchaunted Ring in the which they put both their little fingers the Guard of a sodaine fell all fast in a traunce hereupon the two Knights departed the Turkish Court But no sooner were they out of the Citie but a troupe of armed Knights pursued them and followed them so néerely that they were forced to enter a Castle that stood by the Sea side wherein no creature had abyding comming to the Gate the Fayerie Knight with his Sword strucke thereat an it presently opened wherein being no sooner entred but the armed Knights of the Turkish nation closed them fast in and caused the Gates to bée walled vp with Free Stone and so departed Now were these two Knights in more danger of death then euer they had beene in all their liues and sure they had starued had not good pollicie preserued their liues for the Castle walles were so high that none durst venture downe without great danger As in greatest extreamity mans wit is the quickest for inuention so the two Knights cut off all the Hayre from their heads which were very long and therewithall made along â—ooâ—sted Line or Cord with the which they slid from the top of the Wall to the Ground But this mischaunce hapned as the Fayerie Knight glyded downe the Coard broke and his body tooke such a violent blow against the stonie Ground that it strucke the breath quite out of his body no life by the Blacke Knight could bee perceiued but that his soule was for euer diuided This of all misfortunes was held the extreamest therefore in great griefe hee breathed foorth this lamentation Oh you partiall Fates quoth hee Oh you vniust Destinies Why haue you reft two liues by wounding one Now let the Sunne forbeare his wonted light Let Heate and Coulde let Drought and Moysture let Earth and Ayre let Fire and Water be all mingled and confounded together let that old confused Chaos returne againe and heere let the World end And now you Heauens this is my request that my Soule may presently forsake this flesh I haue no soule of mine owne for it is the soule of the Fayerie Knight for but one Soule is common to vs both then how can I liue hauing my Soule departed which spightfull death hath now separated Oh thou my Knightly brother though the Fates deny to giue thée life yet in spight of them I le follow thée You Heauens receiue this halfe soule of my true Friend and let not life and death part vs with Eagles wings will I flye after him and in Ioues celeâ—â—iall Throane ioyne with him in friendship We two in life were but one one will one heart one minde one Soule made vs one one life kept vs both aliue one being dead drawes the other vnto death therefore as wee liued in loue so will we dye in loue and with one Graue wee may interre both our bodyes How glorious and happy were my death to dye with my beloued friend Now doe I loath this life in liuing alone without my deare Brother whereupon drawing his Sword from his side hée sayd Oh thou wofull Weapon euen thou shalt be the meane to ridde my soule from this prison of body Oh faith vnfaigned Oh hand of sacred friendship I am resolued both with the force of Heart Hand and Armes to giue my Heart deaths deadly wound for now my noble Fayerie Knight this blood I offer vp vnto thy Soule But being ready with his Sword to pierce his owne heart hée saw a liuely blood spread in his friends face and those eyes that were so dolefully closed vp began now to looke abroad and the countenance that was so pale and wan receiued a fresh complexion whereupon the Blacke Knight stayed from his desperate resolution and from a bloody tragedian became the recouerer of his brothers life who after a while began to be perfect sencible so binding his bruzed bones together they went a Shipboard on a Shippe that lay at anchor at the next Port making for England so the next morning the wind serued well the Pilots hoysted sayle merily floting on the waters Ten wéekes had not passed toward the finishing of a yéere before they ariued on the Chaulkie cliftes of England vpon which they had no sooner set footing but with their warme lippes they gently kissed the cold earth This is the Land of promised glory said the Fayerie Knight to finde this Land I haue indured many miseries to find this Land I haue passed many Countries and in this Land must I seale vp the last quittance of my life here shal my bones rest for I am lawfully descended from the loynes of an English Knight peace bee in my ende for all my dayes haue béene spent in much trouble In such like discourses left they the shore side trauayling further into the Land they met with one of King Arthurs Knights named Sir Launcelat Dulake so old and lame that through his bruises in chiualry hée séemed rather an impotent creature then a Knight at Armes yet at the sight of these two aduenturous Knights his blood séemed to grow young and hée that before could not march a mile on foote for a Kingdome now went as tiuely as any of the two other Knights did First came they to London where for their fathers sake they were by the Gouernours most gallantly entertained the stréets were hung round with Arras hangings and Tape strie workes Pagiants were builded vp in euery stréet the Condâ—nts ran with Wine and a solemne Holy-day was then proclaimed to be kept yearely vpon that day To speake of Banquets prepared for them the Tilts and Turnaments and such honourable graces I thinke néedlesse In London in great content stayed they some twenty dayes in which time came noble messengers from the Court to conduct them to the King that then raigned for since the Blacke Knight and his mother departed the Land hapned thrée changes euery one maintaining the ancient honour of King Arthurs Knights of the Round Table whereof these two in presence of all the Nobilitie were in Knightly sort created After this the King ordained a solemne Iusting to be kept in his Court held in great honour for fortie dayes to which Knightly sports resorted the chiefest flowers of Chiualrie from all Countries as Kings Princes Dukes Marquesses â—arles Lords and Knights and for chiefe Challenger and Champion for the Countrey was the Fayerie Knight who for his matchlesse man-hood therein showne had this title giuen him by a generall consent to bee called The Worlds Wonder After this being desirous to sée the Citie of Lincolne where the Red-rose Knight was borne hee in company of his Brother true friend the Blacke Knight and old sit Lancelat Dulake rod thither at whose comming into the Citie the great Bell called Tom a Lincolne was rung an houre which as then was seldome showne to any excepting Kings and renowned warriours returning victoriously from bloody â—attles Here builded they a most sumptuous Minster which to this day remaines in great magnificence and glory Likewise here builded they a most stately Tombe in remembrance of their Parents the like as then no place of England afforded Thus hauing left the noble feats of Chiualry they liued a life zealous and most pleasing to God erecting many Alms-houses for poore people giuing thereto great Wealth and Treasure And when nature ended their dayes they were buried in the same Minster both in one Tombe which likewise was so richly set vp with Pillars of Gold that aboue all otâ—er Cities it grew the most famous whereupon since that time hath this old Prouerbe of thrée Cities grâ—wn common which is vsed in these words Lincolne was London is and Yorke shall be FINIS R. I.
their Loues practises Thus liued the most fayre Angelica many dayes in great griefe wishing his returne and desiring Heauen that the Destinies might be so fauourable that once againe before the fatall Sisters had finished her life she might behold her Infants face for whose presence her very soule thirsted for Here will we leaue the solitary Lady comfortlesse and without company except it were the King that sometimes visited herby stealth and report what happened to Tom a Lincolne in the Shepheards house CHAP. II. Of the manner of Tom a Lincolnes bringing vp and how he first came to be called the Red-rose Knight with other things that hapned to him GReat was the wealth that old Antonio gathered together by meanes of the Treasure hee found about the Infants attire whereby hee became the richest in all that Country and purchast such Lands and Liuings that his supposed Sonne for wealth was déemed a fit match for a Knights Daughter Yet for all this his bringing vp was but meane and in a homely sort for after he had passed ten yeares of his age hee was set to kéepe Antonioes Shéepe and to follow Husbandry whereby he grew strong and hardy and continually gaue himselfe to painefull endeauours imagining and deuising haughty and great enterprises yet notwithstanding was of honest and vertueus conditions well featured valiant actiue quick and nimble sharpe witted and of a ripe iudgement hée was of a valiant and inuincible courage so that from his Cradle and infancie it séemed he was vowed to Mars and martiall exploits And in his life and manners is decâ—phered the Image of true Nobilitie for though hee obâ—curely liued in a Countrey Cottage yet had he a superious mind aiming at state and maiestie bearing in his breast the princely thoughts of his Father For on a time keeping Cattell in the Field amongst other yong men of his age and condition he was chosen in sport by them for their Lord or Knight and they to attend on him like dutifull Seruants and although this their election was but in play yet he whose spirits were rauished with great and high matters first procuted them to sweare to him loyalty in all things and to obey him as a King where or when it should please him in any matter to command them to which they all most willingly condescended Thus after they had solemnly taken their oathes he perswaded them to leaue that base and seruile kinde of life séeking to serue in Warre and to follow him being the Generall the which through perswasion they did and so leauing their Cattell to their Fathers and Masters they assembled all together to the full number of a hundred at the least vnto whom he seuerally gaue certaine Red Roses to be worne for colours in their Hattes and commanded them that euer after hee should be called the Red-rose Knight So in this manner departed he with his followers vnto Barnsedale Heath where they pitched vp Tents and liued long time vpon the robberies and spoyles of passengers in so much that the whole Country were greatly molested by them This disordered life so highly displeased the Parents of these vnruly Outlawes that many of them died with griefe but especially of all other old Antonio tooke it in ill part considering how dearely hee louâ—d him and how tenderly hee had brought him vp from his infancy therefore he purposed to practise a meane to call him from that vnciuill kinde of life if it might possible be brought to passe so in his old dayes vndertaking this tasking hee trauelled towards Barnsedale Heath into which being no sooner entred but some of the ruder sort of these Outlawes ceased vpon the old man and without any further violence brought him before their Lord and Captain who at the first sight knew him to be his Father as he thought and therefore vsed him most kindly giuing him the best entertainement that hee could deuise where after they had some small time conferred together the good old man brake out into these spéeches Oh thou degenerate quoth he from natures kind Is this thy duty to thy fathers age thus disobediently to liue â—â—cunding thy naturall Countrey with vnlawfull spoyles Is this the comfort of mine age is this thy loue vnto thy Parents whoâ—e tender care hath béen euer to aduance thy estate Canst thou behold these milke-white Hayres of mine all to rent and torne which I haue violently martyred in thy absence Canst thou indure to see my dim Eyes almost sightlesse through age to droy downe Teares at thy disobedient féete Oh wherefore hast thou infringed the Lawes of Nature thus cruelly to kill thy fathers heart with griefe and to end his dayes by thy vitiâ—uâ— life Returne returne deare Child banish from thy breast these base actions that I may lay I haue a vertuous Sonne and be not like the viperous brood that workes the vntimely death of their Parents And speaking these words griefe so excéeded the bounds of Reason that hee stood silent and beginning againe to speake teares trickled from his eyes in such abundance that they stayed the passage of his spéech the which being perceiued by the Red-rose Knight he humbly sell vpon his knées and in this sort spake vnto good Antonio Most deare and reuerent Lather if my offence doe séeme odious in your eyes that I deserue no forgiuenesse then here behold now your poore inglorious Sonne laying his breast open ready prepared to receiue Deaths remorselesse stroke from your aged hands as a due punishment for this my disobedient crime but to be reclaimed from this honorable kind of life I count it honourable because it taketh of manhood first shall the Sun bring day from out the Westerne Heauens the siluer Moone lodge her brightnesse in the Easterne waues and all things else against both kind and nature turne their wonted â—â—urse Well then quoth Antonio if thy resolution bee such that neither my bitter teares nor my faire intâ—â—aties may preuaile to withdraw thy vaine folly then know then most vngratious impe that thou art no Sonne of mine but sprung from the bowels of some vntanted Tyger or wild Liâ—nesse elâ—e wouldst thou humbly submit thy selfe to my reuerent perswasions from whence thou camest I know not but sure thy breast harbours the tyranny of some monstrous Tyrant from whose â—oynes thou art naturally descended Thou art no fruite of my body for I found thee in thy infancy lying in the Fields cast out as a prey for rauening Fowles ready to bee deuowred by hunger-starued Dogges but such was my pitty towards thée that I tooke thee vp and euer since haue fostered thee as mine owne Child but now such is thy vnbridled folly that my kind curtesie is requited with extreame ingratitude which sinne aboue all others the immortall powers of Heauen doe condemne and the very Diuels themselues doe hate therefore like a Serpent henceforth will I spit at thee and neuer cease to make incessant prayers to the iustfull Heauens to reuenge
conducted by what chaunce the Heauens has allotted him not one steppe hée knew aright nor what course to take to finde the direct way but it hapned that aâ—igniâ— fatuus as hee thought or a goeing Fire led him the right way out of the Forrest directly to the Castle where his dishonest Mother made her abode But comming néere vnto the Gates hée found all close and neere vnto the Castle the Black-moore set halfe way quicke into the earth hauing for want of foode eaten most part of the flesh from his armes whom the Blacke Knight soone digged vp and kept aliue to be a furtherance to his intended reuenge The poore Indian being thus happily preserued from dâ—ath reuealed all that had happned in the said Castle how his Mother liued in adultery how his Father was murthered why himselfe was set quicke in the earth and lastly for the loue of his dead Master hée protested to conduct him through a secret Uault into the Castle that in the dead of the night they might the easier accomplish their desired reuenge Thus lingring secretly about the Castle till the middle of night a time as they imagined to bée the fittest for thée tragicall businesse at last the midnight houre came and through a secret Cell they entred vnder the Castle into the Lodging where his Father was murthred This is the place quoth the Negar where my sad eyes beheld thy Father both aliue and dead so goeing from thence into the Chamber which by chaunce and as ill lucke had appointed was through negligence left open hée shewed him the Bedde where these Adulterers lay secretly sléeping in each others Armes Oh dolefull sight This lust hath made mée fatherlesse and ere long this Weapon shall make me motherlesse â—o kneeling downe vpon his knées in a whispering manner hee said vnto himselfe Yée lowring Destinies now weaue vp the Webbe of their two liues that haue liued too long You infernall Furies draw néere Assist me thou reuengefull God Nemesis for on this Sword sits now such a glorious Reuenge as being taken the world will applande mee for a louing Sonne Hauing spoken these words hee sheathed his Sword vp to the hiltes in the boosome of the Knight of the Castle who lying in the armes of Anglitora gaue so deadly a groane that shée immediatly awaked first looking to the Knight that was slaine in her Armes thou percciuing her Sonne standing with his weapon drawne yet wreaking in the blood of the dead Knight meanacing likewise her death with â— wofull shrike she breathed out these words Oh what hast thou done my cruell Sonne Thou hast â—laine the miracle of humanitie and one whom I haue chosen â—o be my hearts Parramour and thy second Father Oh Lady quoth the Blacke Knight for Mother is too proud a title for thée what Furie driueth thee to lament â—he deserued death of that lewde blood shedder and not rather choose with heart-renting sighes to bewaile the death of my Father thy renowned Husband whose guiltlesse body euen dead thou didst dispise by buring him whâ—â—anly vpon a â—ounghill but Heauen hath graunted and Earth hath agréed â—etesting both thy misdéedes and hath sent mée to sacrifice thy blood vnto the Soule of my murthered Father Whilst hée was speaking these words Anglitora arose from her bed and in her smocke which was of pure Cambrâ—â—ke shée knéeled to her sonne vpon her bare knées saying Oh thou my deare Sonne whom once I nourisht in my painefull wombe and fedde thée with mine owne blood whom oft I choycely dandled in my armes when with lullababyes and swéet kisses I rocked asléepe Oh fatre bée it from thée my louing Sonne to harme that breast from whom thou first receiuest life Of thée my Sonne thy Mother begging life Oh spare the life that once gaue thée life with bléeding teares I doe confesse my wanton offences I doe confesse through mee thy Father dyed Then if confession of faults may merit mercie pardon my life Obscure not thy renowne with cruelty making thy selfe unkind and monstrous in murthering of thy Mother I charge thée by thy dutie that thou owest mee by all the bondes of loue betwixt a Mother and a Sonne by all the kindnesse shewed to thée in thy infancy let thy mother liue that begs life vpon her bare knées Doe not thou glory in my miseries let not my teares whet on thy cruellnesse let not thy minde bée bent to death and murther bee no â—â—â—age Monster bee not vnnaturall rude and brutish let my intreates preuaile to saue my life wound not the wombe that fostred thée which now I tearmed wicked by onely fostring thee what childe can glut his eyes with gazing on his Parents wounds and will not faint in beholding them Hereupon the Blacke Knight not able to indure to suffer his Mothers further intreaties least pittie and remorse might mollifie his heart and so graunt her life which to Heauen to take away hée had déepely sworne hée cut her off with these deadly words Lady I am not made of Flint nor Adamant in kinde regard of calamitie I am almost strucke with remorce but dutie must quite vndoe all dutie Kinde must worke against kinde all the powers of my body bée at mortall strife and séeke to confound each other Loue turnes to Hatred Nature turnes to wrath and Dutie to Reuenge for mée thinkes my Fathers Blood with agroning voice cryes to Heauen for Reuenge therefore to appease my Fathers angry spirit here shalt thou yéeld vp thy déerest blood Here was hee ready to strike and with his sword to finish vp the tragedie but that his grieued soule in kinde nature plucked backe his hand whereupon with a great sigh he sayd Oh Heauens how am I grieued in minde Father forgiue mee I cannot kill my Mother And now againe mée thinks I sée the pale shaddow of my fathers Ghost glyding before mine eyes mée thinkes hée shewes me the manner of his murther mée thinkes his angry lookes threatens mée and tels how that my heart is possest with cowardice childish feare Thou doest preuaile O Father euen now receiue this sacrifice of blood and death this pleasing sacrifice which to appease thy troubled soule I heare doe offer And thus in speaking these words with his Sword hée split the deare heart of his mother from whence the blood as from a gushing Spring issued Which when hee beheld such a sodaine conceit of griefe entred his minde considering that hée had slaine his owne Mother whom in duty hee ought to honour aboue all liuing women that hee rather fell into a frenzie theÌ„ a melancholy and so with a pale countenance and gastly lookes with spartling like to a burning Furnace began to talke idlely What haue I done Whome hath my bloody hand murthered Now woe vnto my soule for I am worse then the Uiperous brood that eates out their Dammes wombe to get life vnto themselues they doe but according to nature I against all Nature for I haue digged vp the boosome that
where euery one as well Strangers as others were most royally feasted The Portingale King séeing his kind entertainement in the English Court where he was vsed more like a Friend then an Enemie had small care to returne home but â—rolik'd many a day amongst the English Lords whose loues vnto strangers be euermore most honourable But so great were the courtesies that the Noble King Arthur bestowed vpon the Portingales who for their proffered disgraces requited them liberally with honour and not onely sent them home ransomlesse but promised to lend them ayde and succour from England if occasion required So bearing them company to the Sea side hee most friendly committed them to the mercy of the winds and waues which were so fauourable that in short time they arriued safe in their owne Country where many a day after they remembred the honourable kindnesse of the English-men and caused the Chronicles of Portingale to record the renowne of King Arthur and hiâ—â—â—â—â—â—ts of the Round Table CHAP. IIII. How the Red-rose Knight trauelled from the King of Englands Court and how he arriued in the Fayerie-land where he was entertained by a Mayden Queene and what happened to him in the same Country NOw after the Portingales were thus conquered and sent home with great honour the English King and his Lordes rested themselues many a day in the Bowers of Peace leauâ—ng their Armours rusting and their pampered Steedes standing in their Scaâ—les forgetting their vsuall manner of wrathfull warre which idle ease greatly discontented the magnanimious Red-rose Knight who thought it a staine to his passed glory and a scandall to his Princely mind to entertaine such base thoughts and considering with himselfe how ignorant hee was of his true Parents and from whence hee was descended hee could not imagine therefore hee purposed to begin a new enterprise and to trauaile vp and downe the World till hee had either found his Father and Mother or else yéelded his life to Natures courle in that pretended Journey so going to the King full little thinking that he was sprung from so Noble a stock crauing at his Graces hand to graunt him such liberty for to try his Knight-hood in forraine Countries whereas yet did neuer Englishman make his aduenture and so eternize his name to all posterity rather then to spend his life in such home-bred practises To this his honourable request the King though loath to forgoe his company yet because it belonged to Knightly Attempts hee gaue him leaue and withall furnished him a Shippe at his owne proper cost and charges giuing free Licence to all Knights whatsoeuer to beare him company amongst which number Sir Launcelor du Lake was the chiefest that proferred himselfe to that Uoyage who protested such loue to the Red-rose Knight that they plighted their Faiths like sworne Brothers and to liue and die together in all extreamities So these two English Knights with the number of a hundred more all resolute Gentlemen tooke leaue of the King and with all spéede went a Ship-boord wherein being no sâ—â—ner entred but the Pylot hoysed Sayle and diâ—anâ—hored and so committed their liues and Fortunes to the pleasure of Neptunes mercie vpon whose 〈◊〉 Kingdome the 〈◊〉 many dayes sayled but Aeâ—â—us brazen gates â—uâ—st open and the Windes so violently troubled the swelling waues that euery minute they were in danger to end their liues in the bottome of the Seas Thrée moneths the winde and the waters stroue together for supremacie during which time they sawe no land but were driuen vp and downe to what place the euer-changing Destenies listed so at last they sayled beyond the Sunne directed only by the light of the Starres not knowing which way to trauell towards land but in such extrenity for want of Uictuall that they were forced to land at a certaine Iland in the Westerne parts of the world inhabited onely by women where being no sooner on land and giuing God thanks for deliuering them from that mortall perill but the Red-rose Knight cast vp his eyes towards the higher parts of the Countrey and espied more then two thousand women comming foorth at a Citie gate all most richly armed with Breast-plates of Siluer marching in trim aray like an Army of well approoued Souldiers the which number comming néere to the Sea side they sent two of their Damsels as Messengers to the English Knights willing them as they loued their liues presently to retire againe back to the Seas for that was no Countrey for their abode But when the Red-rose Knight of England had vnderstoode the hold message of the two Damsels he was sore abashed considering the number of armed women he saw before him and the great dangers they had suffered before on the Sea for want of vâ—â—â—uals that he knew not in what manner he were best to answere them but hauing a good courage hee at last spake to the two Damsels in this sort Right Noble Ladies I haue well vnderstood your spéeches therefore I desire you for to shew such fauour vnto wandering Trauailers as to tell vs in what Country Fortune hath brought vs to and for what cause we are commanded by you to returne to the Sea Surely Sir Knight answered one of the Damsels this Countrey whereon you are ariued it is not very bigge but yet most fertile and commodious and is called by the name of the Fayrie-Land And now to shew you the cause why you are commaunded to returne this it is Not many yeares agoe there raigned in this Countrey a King which had to name Larmos for wisedome and prowesse not his equall was found in any of these parts of the world This King had such continuall warre against the bordering Ilanders that vpon a time he was constrained to muster for the same warre all the men both young old which were found in his Kingdome whereby the whole Countrey was left destitute of men to the great discontenâ—ment of the Ladies and Damsels that here inhabited whereupon they finding themselues so highly wronged liuing without the company of men they generally assembled themselues together with the Daughter of King Larmos which is called Caelia no lesse in Beautie then in Uertue and Wisedome These Ladyes and Damosels beeing gathered together with a generall consent dispatched certaine Messengers to the King and to their Husbands willing them to returne into their Countrey and not to leaue their wiues and children in such extremity without the comfort and company of man Upon which the King answered that hee had besieged his Enemies in their Townes of Warre and before one man should returne home till he came with Conquest his Country should bee lost and made desolate and the Women giuen ouer to the spoyle of his Enemies Which answere when the Ladies had receiued they tooke it in such euill part that they conspired against their King and Husbands and put to death all the men children that were in the Countrey and after determined when their Husbands Fathers and Friends
the sleeping Potion shée was presently cast into a traunce which shée poore Lady supposed death The Doctor greatly admiring at her vertuous minde erected her body against an aged Oake where he left her sléeping and with all spéede returned to the hatefull Quéene and told her that he had performed her Maiesties command who gaue him many thanks and promised to requite his secrecie with a large recompence But now speake we againe of Prince Valentine who had intelligence how the onely comfort of his heart had ended her life by Poysons violence for which cause he leaues the Court and conuerted his rich Attire to ruthfull Roabes his costly coloured Garments to a homely russet Coat and so trauailing to the solitary woods he vowed to spend the rest of his dayes in a Shepheards life His royall Scepter was turned into a simple Shéepehooke and all his pleasure was to kéepe his Shéepe from the téeth of the rauenous Wolues Thrée times had glistering Phoebe renewed her horned winges and deckt the elements with her smiling countenance Thrée moneths were past thrée Moones had likewise runne their wonted composse before the Grecian Emperou mist his Princely Sonne whose want was no sooner bruted through the Court but hee ecchoed foorth this horrour to himselfe What cursed Planet thus indirectly rules my haplesse course or what vnâ—outh dryery Fate hath bereaued me of my Princely sonne Ioue send downe thy burning Thunderbâ—lts and strike them dead that be proâ—urers of his want But if swéet Venus he be dead for loue houer his Ghost before mine eyes that hee may discouer the cauâ—e or his inflictions But contrariwise if his life be finished by the fury of some murtherous mind then let my exclamations pierce to the iustfull Maiestie of Heauen that neuer Sunne may shine vpon his hated head which is the cause of my Valentines decay Or that the angry Furies may lend me their burning whips inceâ—santly to scourge their purple soules till my Sonnes wrongs bee sufficiently reuenged Thus or in such a like frantick humour ranne hee vp and downe his Pallace till Reason pacified his outragious thoughts and by perswasion of his Lords he was brought into his quiet bed Meane space Diana the Quéene of Chastitie with a Traine of beautifull Nimpheâ— by chance came through the Wood where Dulcippa was left in her traunce in which place rousing the Thickets in purâ—uit of a wilde Hart the Quéene of Chastity espied the harmlesse Lady standing against a Trée and beheld her swéet breath to passe through her closed lips At whose presence the Quéene a while stood wondring at but at last with her sacred shee awaked her and withall asked the cause of her traunce and by what meanes she came thither Which poore awaked Lady being amazed both at her sodaine Maiestie and the strangenesse of her passed Fortune and distresse with farre fetcht sighes shee related what happened to her in those desart Woods The heauenly Goddesse being moued with pitie with a most smiling voyce cheared her vp and with a Lilly taken from the ground she wiped the teares from off Dulcippa tender chéekes which like to a riuer trickled from her Christall eyes This being done Diana with an Angels voyce spake vnto her as followeth Swéete Uirgine for so it séemeth thou art farre better would it befit thy happy estate happy I terme it hauing past so many dangers to spend the remnant of thy life amongst my Traine of Nimphes whereas springeth nothing but Chastity and purity of life Dulcippa though in her loue both firme and constant yet did she condiscend to dwell with Dianas Nimphs where now instead of parly with courtly Gallants shée singeth Songs Carrols Roundelayes in stead of Penne and Incke wherewith she was wont to write Loue-letters shee exerciseth her Bow Arrows to kill the swift-fat Deare and her downie Beddes are pleasant Groues where pretty Lambes doe graze But now returne wée againe to the raging Emperour who sifted the matter out in such sort that hee found the Empresse giltie of her Sonnes want and the Doctor to bee the instrument of Dulcippas death who being desperat like one that vtterly detested the cruelty of the Empresse would not alleadge that he had but set the Lady in a traunce but openly confessed that he had poysoned her for that fact was willing to offer vp his life to satisfie the Law therefore the angry Emperour sweares that nothing shall satisfie his Sonnes reuengement but death and thereupon straightly commaunded the Empresse to be put in prison and the Doctor likewise to be lockt in a strong Tower but yet because shee was his lawfull Wife and a Princesse borne hee something sought to mittigate the Law that if any on within a tweluemonth and a day would come and offer himselfe to combate in her cause against himselfe which would be the appealant Champion she should haue life if not to bee burnt to ashes in sacrifice of his Sonnes death all which was performed as the Emperour had commanded But now all this while the poore Prince liues alone within the Woods making his complaints to the flockes of Séepe and washing their waell with his diâ—â— ressed teares His bedde whereon his body rested was turned into a Sun-burnd bank his chaire of state couered with grasse his musicke the whiâ—â—ling winds the Rethoricke pittifull complaints and meanes wherewith he bewayled his passed fortunes and the bitter crosses of his vnhappy loue The solitarie place wherein this Prince remained was not farre â—distant from the Groue where Dullcippa led her sacred life who by chaunce in a morning at the Sunnes vprising attyred in gréene vesiments bearing in her hand a Bow bended and a quiuer of arrowes hanging at her backe with her hayre tyed vp in a Willow wreath least the Bushes should catch her golden Tresses to beautifie their branches in this manner comming to hunt a sauage Hart she was surprized by a bloody Satire bent to rape who with a bloody mind pursued her and comming to the same place where Prince Valentine fedde his mourning Lambes hee ouertooke her whereat shee gaue such a terrible shrike in the Wood that shee stird vp the Shepherds princely mind to rescue her but now when the bloody Satyre beheld a face of Maiestie shrowded in a shepherds clothing immediatly hée scudded through the Woods more swifter then euer fearefull Deare did run But now gentle Reader héere stay to reade a while and thinke vpon the happy méeting of these Louers for surely the imagination thereof will lead a golden witte into the Laberinth of heauenly ioyes but being breathlesse in auoyding passed dangers they could not speake a word but with stedfast eyes stood gazing each other in the face but comming againe to their former senses Vailentine brake silence with this wauering speach What heauenly wight art thou quoth hee which with thy beautie hast inspired me I am no Goddesse replyed shée againe but a Uirgin vowed to kéepe Diana companie Dulcippa my name a Lady
thought of your vnchast desires the losse of which swéet Iemme is a torment to my soule more worse then death Consider with your selfe most worthy Prince the blacke scandall that it may bring vnto your name and honour hauing a Quéene a most vertuous and loyall Princesse Thinke vpon the staine of your mariage bed the wrongs of your wedded phéere and lasting infamie of your owne gloâ—ie for this I vow by Dianaes bright maiesty before I will yâ—â—ld the conquest of my virginitie to the spoyle of such vnchast desires I will suffer more torments then mans heart can imagine therefore most mighty Soueraigne cease your vnreuerend suite for I will not loose that matchlesse Iewell for all the treasure the large Ocean containes And in speaking these words shée departed thence and left the loue-sicke King in the Arthur complaining to the emptie ayre where after hée had numbred many determinations together this hee purposed Neuer to cease his suite till he had gained what his soule so much desired for continually at the break of day when â—irans beautie began to shine and Auroraes blush to appears would hee alwayes send to her Chamber window the sweetest Musicke that could bée deuised thinking thereby so obtaine her Loue. Many times would hee solicite her with rich gifts and large promises befitting rather an Empresse then the Daughter of an Earle profering such kindnes that if she had a heart of Iron yet could shee not choose but relent and requite his curtesies for what is it that time will not accomplish hauing the hand of a King set thereunto Twelue wearydayes King Arthur spent in woing of Angellica before hee could obtaine his hearts happinesse and his soules content at the end of which time she was as plyant to his will as is the tender twig to the hand of the Husbandman But how their secret meaning required a pollicie to keepe their priuie leues both from King Arthurs Quéene and from old Androgius Angellicas Father and that their secret ioyes might long time continue without mistrust of any partie whatsoeuer this deuice they contriued that Angellica should desire liberty of her Father to spend the remaine of her life in the seruice of Diana like one that a bandoned all earthly vanitie honouring true chastity and religious life So with a denâ—ure countenance and a sober grace shee went vnto her Father and obtained such leaue at his hands that he willingly condiscended that shee should liue as a professed Nunne in a Monasterie that the King before time had builded in the Citie of Lincolne and so furnishing her foorth with such necessaries as her state required he gaue her his blessing and so committed her to Dianaes seruice But now Angellica being no sooner placed in the Monastery and chosen a Sister of that fellowship but King Arthur many times visited her in so secret a manner and so disguisedly that no man suspected their pleasant méetings but so long tasted they the ioyes of loue that in the end the Nunne grew great bellied and bore King Arthurs quittance sealed in her wombe and at the end of forty wéekes shée was deliuered where in presence of the Midwife one more whom the King largly recompenced for their secrecy shee was made a happy Mother of a goodly sonne whom King Arthur caused to be wrapped in a Mantle of gréene Silke tying a Purse of Gold about his necke and so causing the Midwife to beare it into the Fields and to lay it at a Shepheards gate néere adioyning to the Citie in hope the old man should foster it as his own by which means his Angellicaes dishonour might be kept secret from the world and his owne disgrace from the murmuring reports of the vulgar people This his commandement was so spéedily performed by the Midwife that the very next morning she stole the young Infant from his Mothers kéeping and bore it secretly to the place appointed there laying it downe vpon a turffe of gréene grasse if séemed prettily to smile turning his christall eyes vp towards the Elements as though it foreknew his owne good Fortune This being done the Midwife withdrew her selfe some little distance from that place and hid her selfe closely behind a well growne Oake diligently marking what should betide the comfortlesse Infant But long shee had not there remained but there flocked such a number of little Birdes about the young harmelesse Babe and maâ—e such a chirping melody that it fell into a silent slumber and slept as swéetly as though it had béen layde in a Bed of softest Silke By this time the golden Sunne began to glister on the Mountaine top and his sister Luna to withdraw her waterish countenance at which time the pleasant Shepheards began to tune their Morning notes and to repayre vnto their foulded Shéepe according to their woonted manner Amongst which crue of lusty Swaines old Antonio approached foorth of his Gate with a chearefull countenance whose Beard was as white as polished Siluer or like to Snow lying vpon the Northerne Mountaines this bonny Shepheard no sooner espied Angelicâ—es swéet Babe lying vpon the gréene Hillocke but immediatly hee tooke it vp and viewing circumspectly euery parcell of the rich Uestments wherein it was wrapped at last found out the Purse of Gold which the King had tyed vnto the Childs necke whereat the Shepheard so exceedingly reioyced that for the time he stoode as a man rauished with pleasure and was not able to remoue from the place where he stood but yet at the last thinking with himselfe that Heauen had senâ— him that good fortune not onely giuing him Riches but withall a Sonne to be a comfort to him in his latter yeares so bearing it in to his old Wife and withall the Purse of Gold and the rich Mantle with the other things who at the sight thereof was as highly pleased as her Husband when he found it first so being both agréed to foster and bring it vp as their own considering that Nature neuer gaue them in all their life any child incontinently they caused it to be thristened and called by the name of TOM A LINCOLNE after the Towne where it was found a name most fitting for it in that they knew not whom were his true Parents But now speake wee againe of the Midwife that after shée had beheld how kindly old Antonio receiued the young Infant shée returned backe unto Angelicaes Chamber whom shee found bitterly lamenting the losse of her tender Babe thinking that some Fayry Nimph had sâ—olne it away but such was the kind comfort which the smooth tonged Midwife gaue her in that extremity whereby her sorrow seemed the lesse and her mistrustfull feare exchanged into smiling hope yet neither would the King nor the Midwife at any time whatsoeuer make knowne vnto her what was become of her little Sonne but driuing her off with delayes and fond excuses lest hauing intelligence of his aboâ—d she should through kinde loue and naturall affection goe visite him and so discouer