haue my heart parted in twaine by the handes of him that is my greatest enemie then to remaine without your companie swéete mother let these my youthfull yéeres and this my gréene budding beauty incourage you still to reuiue and not to leaue me comfortles like an exile in the world but if the gloomy fates doe triumph in your death and abridge your breathing ayre of life and that your soule must néedes goe wander in the Elizian shades with Trufas shaddowe and with Didoes ghost héere doe I protest by the greate and tender loue I beare you and by the due obedience that I owe vnto your age either to deliuer this your letter into the hands of my vnkinde father or with these my ruthful fingers rent my heart in sunder and before I will forget my vow the siluer streamed Tygris shall forsake her course the sea her tides and the glistering Quéene of night her vsuall changes neither shal any forgetfulnes be an occasion to withdraw my minde from performing your dying requestes Then this weak Quéene whose power and strength was wholie decaied and that her houre of death drew néere at hand with a féeble voice she said O you sacred immortal Gods and all you bright celestiall powers of heauen iâ—to your deuine bosomes now do I commend my dying soule asking no other reuengmeÌ„t against y e causer of my death but that he may die like mée for want of loue After this the dead Quéene neuer spake word more for at that instant the cruell destinies gaue end vnto her life but when Rosana perceiued her to be dead and she left to the world deuoide of comfort shée began to teare the golden tramels from her head and most furiouslye to beat her white and yuorie brest filling the emptie ayre with clamors of her mones and making the skies like an eccho to resound her lamentations and at last taking her mothers letter in her hands washing it with flouds of teares and putting it next vnto her naked brest she said héer lye thou neare adioining to my bléeding heart neuer to be remoued vntil I haue performd my mothers dying testiment O work and the last worke of those her white and yuorie hands heere doe I sweare by the honor of true Uirgins not to part it from my bléeding bosom vntil such time as loue hath rent the disloyall heart of my vnkinde father and in speaking this shée kissed it a thousand times breathing forth millions of sighes and straight with a blushing countenance as radient as Auroras glistring beames she arose said what is this Rosana dost thou thinke to recall thy mothers life with ceremonious complaints and not performe that which by her was commanded thée arise arise I say gather vnto thy selfe strength and courage and wander vp and downe the world till thou hast found thy disloyal Father as thy true heart hath promised to doe These words being no sooner finished but Saint Georges Sonnes like men whose hearts were almost ouercome with griefe came from the pine trees and discouered themselues to the Damsell and curteously requested her to discourse the storie of all her passed mizeries and as they were true christian knights they promised her if it lay in their powers to release her sorrows and to giue end vnto her mizeries This Rosana when shée behelde these curteous and well dâ—meanur'd knights which in her conceit caried relenting mindes and how kindly they desired to be partners in her griefes she stood not vpon curious tearmes nor vpon vaine â—xceptions but most willingly condescended to their requests so when they had prepared their eares to entertaine her sad and sorrowfull discourse with a sober countenance shee began in this manner Lately I was quoth she whilst fortune smild vpon me the onely childe and daughter of this liueles Quéene that you beholde héer lying dead and she before my birth whilst heauen graunted her prosperitie was the maiden Quéene of a Countrie called Armenia adioyning neare vnto this vnhappie Iland whome in her yong yéeres when her beautie began to florish and her high renowne to mount vpon the wings of fame she was intrapped with the golden baite of blind Cupid so intangled with the loue of a disloyall knight cal'd the Knight of the black Castle who after he had florisht in the spoyle of her Uirginitie and had left his fruitful seede springing in her womb grew wearie of his loue and most discurteously left her as a shame vnto her Countrie and a staine vnto her kindred and after gaue himself to such lustfull and lasciuious manner of life that hee vnlawfullie maried a shepheards daughter in a forraine land and likewise rauished her own sister and after committed her most in humane slaughter in a solitarie woode this being done he fortified himselfe in his blacke Castle onely consorted with a cunning Nigromancer whose skill in magick is so excellent that al the knights in the world can neuer conquere the Castle where euer since hee hath remained in despight of the whole earth But now speake I of the tragical storie of my vnhappy mother when as I her vnfortunate babe beganne first to strugle in her womb wherin I wold I had bene strangled she heard newes of her knights ill demeanure and how he had wholly giuen himself to the spoile of virginitie and had for euer left her loue neuer intending to returne again the grief wherof so troubled her mind that she could not in any wise desemble it for vpoÌ„ a time being amongst her Ladies calling to remembrance her spotted Uirginitie and the séede of dishonor planted in her wombe she felt into a wonderfull and strange traunce as though she had béen oppressed with sodain death which when her Ladies and damsels beheld they presently determined to vnbrace her rich ornaments and to carrie her vnto her bed but she made signes with her handes that they should depart and leaue her alone whose commaundement they strait way obayed not without great sorrow of them all their loues were so déere This afflicted Quéen when she saw that she was alone began to exclaime against her fortune reuealing the fates with bitter exclamations O vnconstant Quéene of chance said shee thou that hast warped such strange webs in my kingdom thou that gauest my honor to that tirants lust which without al remorse hath left me comfortles t is thou that didst constraine me to set my life to sale to sel my honor as it were with the crier compelling me to do that which hath spotted my Princely estate and stain'd my bright honor with blacke infamie woe is me for my virginity y t which my parents gaue me charge to haue respect vnto but I haue carelessely kept it smally regarded iâ— I will therefore so chastice my body for thus forgetting of my selfe and be so reuenged for the little regarde that I haue made of my honour that it shall be an example to all noble Ladyes and Princes of high estate
and fearing the harme that should happen vnto her Ladie she put her selfe ouer her bodie and gaue most terrible lowd and lamentable shrikes The King as one kindled in wrath and forgetting the naturall loue of a Father towards his Childe hee laid hand vppon his sword and said It dooth not profite thee Angelica to flie from thy death for thy desert is such that thou canst not escape from it for heere mine owne arme shall be the killer of mine owne flesh and I vnnaturally hate that which Nature it selfe commaundeth me especily to loue Then Angelica with a countenaunce more red than scarlet answered and said Ah my Lord and Father wil you be now as cruell vnto me as you had wont to be kind and pittifull appease your wrath and withdraw your vnmercifull sword and hearken vnto this which I saye in discharging my selfe in that you charge mee wthall you shall vnderstand my Lord and father that I was ouercome and constrained by loue for to loue forgetting all fatherly loue and my dutie towardes your Maiestie yet for all that hauing power to accomplish the same it was not to your dishonour in that I liue honorablie with my husband then the King with a visage fraught with terrible ire more liker a dragon in the woods of Hercania then a man of méeke nature answered and said Thou viperous brat degenerate from natures kinde thou wicked Traitor to thy generation what reason hast thou to make this false excuse when as thou hast committed a crime that deserues more punishment then humaine nature can inflicte and in saying these wordes he lift vp his sword intending to strike her vnto the harte and to bathe his weapon in his owne daughters blood whereat Fidela being present gaue a terrible shrike and threw her selfâ— vpon the body of vnhappy Angeâ—lica offring her tender brest to the furie of his sharpe cutting sword onely to set at libertie her déere Lady and Mistresse But when the furious King sawe her in this sorte make her defence he pulled her off â—y the haire of the hed offring to trample her delicate body vnder his féete thereby to make a way that he might execute his denermined purpose without resistance of any Fidela when she sawe the King determined to kill his daughter like vnto a Lyonesse she hung about his necke and said thou monstrous murtherer more crueller then mad dogs in Egipt why dost thou determine to slaughter the moste chaste and loyallest Ladye in the worlde euen she within whose lappe vntamed Lyons will come and sléepe Thou arte thy seâ—fe I say the occasion of all this euill and thyne onely is the faulte for that thy selfe wert so malicious and so full of mischiefe that shee durst not let thée vnderstand of her sodaine loue These wordes and teares of Fidela did little profite to mollifie the Kings heart but rather like a wylde Boare in the Wildernes beeing compassed about with a companie of Dogges doth shake his members euen so did thys King shake himselfe and threw Fidela from him in such sort that he had almost dasht her braines against the chaÌ„ber walls and with double wrath hee did procure to execute his furie Yet for all this Fidela with terrible shrikes sought to hinder him till such time as with his cruel hand he thrust the poynt of his sword in at her breast so that it appeared foorth at her backe whereby her soule was forced to leaue her terrestriall habitation and flye into Paradice to those blessed soules which dyed for true loues sake Thus this vnhappie Angelica when shee was most at quiet and content with her prosperous life then Fortune turned her vnconstant Whéele and cast her from a glorious delight to a sodaine death The yrefull King when he beheld his daughters blood sprinkled about the chamber and that by his own hands it was committed he repented himselfe of the déede and accursed the hower wherein y e first motion of such a crime entered into his minde wishing the hand that did it euer after might be lame and the heart that did contriue it to be plagued with more extremities than was miserable Oedipus or to be terrified with her ghastly spirit as was the Macedonian Alexander with Clitus shadow whom he causeles murthered In this manner the vnfortunate King repented hys Daughters bloodie Tragedie with this determination not to stay till the Magitian returned from his Hunters exercise but to exclude himselfe from the companie of all men to spend the remnant of his loathsome life among vntamed beasts in some wilde wildernes Upon this resolution he departed the chamber and withall said Farwell thou liuelesse bodie of my Angelica and may thy blood which I haue spilt craue vengeance of the Gods against my guiltie soule for my earthly bodie shall indure a miserable punishment Likewise at his departure he writ vppon y e chamber wals these verses following in his daughters blood For now to hills to dales to rockes to caues I goe To spend my dayes in shameful sorrow griefe woe Fidela after the departure of the King vsed such violent fury against her selfe both by rending the golden tramelles of her hayre and tearing her Rosie coloured face with her furious nayles that shee rather seemed an infernall Furie subiect to wrath than an earthly creature furnished with clemencie She sat ouer Angelicaes bodie wiping her bléeding bosome with a damaske scarffe which shee pulled from her waste and bathing her dead bodie in luke-warme tears which forcibly ranne downe from her eyes like an ouerflowing Fountaine In this wofull manner spent y e sorrowfull Fidela that vnhappie day till bright Phoebus went into the westerne seas at which time the Magitian retourned from his accustomed hunting and finding the doore open he entered into Angelicaes chamber where when he found her bodie weltring in congealed blood and beheld how Fidela sate wéeping ouer her bléeding wounds he cursed himselfe for that he accompted his negligence y e occasion of her death in that he had not left her in more safetie But when Fidela had certefied him how that by the hands of her owne Father she was slaughtered he began like a franticke tyrant to rage against heauen and earth and to fill the ayre with terrible exclamations Oh cruell murtherer said he crept from the womb of some vntamed Tyger I wil be so reuenged vpon thée O vnnaturall king that all ages shal wonder at thy misery And likewise thou vnhappie Uirgin shalt indure like punishment in that thy accursed tung hath bruted this fatall déed vnto my eares the one for committing the crime and the other for reporting it For I will cast such deserued vengeance vpon your heads and place your bodies in such continuall torments that you shall lament my Ladies death leauing aliue the fame of her with your lamentations And in saying these words he drew a Booke out of his bosome and in reading certaine charmes and inchauntments that was therein contained he made
dissolue his soule from his bodie and therewithal putting forth his hand somewhat trembling he tooke the Letter set him verie sorrowfully downe vpon the gréene grasse without anie power to the contrarie his gréefe so abounded the bounds of reason No sooner did he open the letter but he presently knew it to be written by the hands of his wronged Ladie y e Armenian Quéene who with great alteration both of hart minde he read the sorrowfull lines the which contayned these words following The Queene of Armenia her Letter TO thée thou disloyall Knight of the Blacke Castle the vnfortunate Quéene of Armenia can neither send nor wish salutations for hauing no health my selfe I cannot send it vnto him whose cruel mind hath quite forgotten my true loue I cannot but lament continuallye and complain vnto the Gods incessantly considering that my fortune is conuerted from a crowned Quéene to a miserable and banished caytiue where the sauage beasts are my chiefe companions the mournfull biâ—ds my best solliciters Oh Leoger Leoger why didst thou leaue me comfortlesse without all cause as did Aeneas his vnfortunate Dido what second loue hath bereaued me of thy sight and made thée forget her that euer shall remember thée Oh Leoger remember the day when first I saw thy face which day bee fatall euermore and counted for a dismal day in time to come both heauy blacke and full of foule mischances for it was vnhappie vnto me for in giuing thée ioy I bereaued my selfe of all and lost the possession of my libertie and honour althogh thou hast not estéemed nor tooke care of my sorrowfull fortunes yet thou shouldst not haue mockt my perfect loue and disdained the feruent affâ—ction that I haue borne thée in that I haue yéelded to thée that precious iewell y e which hath béen denied to manie a noble King Oh Loue cruel and spitefull Loue that so quickly didst make mee blinde and depriuedst mee of the knowledge that belonged vnto my royall Highnesse Oh vncurteous Knight beeing blinded with thy loue the Quéene of Armenia denied her honestie which shee ought to haue kept and preserued it from the biting canker of disloyall lâ—ue Hadst thou pretended to mocke me thou shouldst not haue suffred me to haue lost so much as is forgone for thy sake Tell me why didst not thou suffer mee to execute my will that I might haue opened my white brest with a pearcing swoord and sent my soule to the shady banke of swéete Elizium Then had it béene better for me to haue died than to liue still and dayly die Remember thy selfe Leoger and behold the harm that will come héereof haue thou a care vnto the pawn which thou leftst sealed in my wombe and let it bee an occasion that thou doost after all thy violent wronges retourne to sée me sléeping in my tombe that my childe may not remaine fatherlesse in the power of wilde beastes whose hearts be fraughted with nothing but with crueltie Doe not consent that this perfecte loue which I beare thée should be counted vaine but rather performe the promise the which thou hast denied me O vnkinde Leoger O cruell and heard heart is alshoode the firme loue that so faindedly thou didst professe to me what is he that hath béene more vnmercifull then thou hast béene There is no furious beast nor lurking Lion in the deserts of Libia whose vnmercifull pawes are all besmearde in bloud that is so cruell harted as thy self els wouldst thou not leaue me comfortles spending my dayes in solitarie woods where as the Tigers mourne at my distresses and chirping birdes in their kindes grieue at my lamentations the vnreasonable torments and sorrowes of my soule are so many that if my penne were made of Lidian stéele and my Inke the purple Ocean yet could not I write the number of woes But nowe I determine to aduertise thée of my desired death for in writing this my latest testament the fates are cutting a sunder my thrid of life and I can giue thée knowledge of no more but yet I desire thée by the true loue which I beare thée that thou wilt read with some sorrow these fewe lines and héere of the powers of heauen I do desire that thou maist dye the like death that for thée I now dye And so I ende By her vvhich did yeeld vnto thee her life Loue Honor Fame and Liberty WHen this sad and heauie knight had made an end of reading this dolorous letter hee could not restraine his eyes from distilling salte teares so great was the griefe that his hart sustaned Rosana did likewise beare him company to solemnize his heauines with as manye teares trickling from the Conduite of her eyes The greate sorrowe and lamentation was such and so much in both their hartes that in a great space the one coulde not speake vnto the other but afterwardes their griefes being somewhat appeased Leoger began to say Oh Messenger from her with the remembrance of whose wronge my soule is wounded being vndeseruedly of me euill rewarded tell me euen by the nature of true loue if thou dost knowe where she is showe vnto me her abiding place that I may goe thither and giue a discharge of this my great fault by yeilding vnto death Oh cruell and without loue answered Rosana what discharge canst thou giue vnto her that alreadye thorow thy crueltie is dead and buryed onely by the occasion of such a forsworne knight This penitent and payned knight when he vnderstood the certaintie of her death with a sodaine and hastie fury he strooke him selfe on the 〈◊〉 with his fist and lifting his eyes vnto the heauens in manner of exclamation against the Gods giuing déepe and sorrowfull sighes he threwe him selfe to the ground tumbling and wallowing from the one part vnto the other without taking any ease or hauing anye power or strength to declare his inward griefe which at that time he felt but with lamentations which did torment his hart he called continually on the Armenian Quéen and in that deuilish furye wherein he was dreâ— out his dagger and lifting vp the skirt of his shirt of 〈◊〉 he thrust it into his body and giuing himself this vnhappy death with calling vpon his wroÌ„ged Lady he finished his life and fell to the ground This sad and heauie Ladie when she beheld him so desperately to gorge his martiall breast and to fall liuelesse to the earth she greatly repented her selfe that she had not discouered her name and reuealed to him how that shee was his vnfortunate Daughâ—er whose face before that time he neuer had beheld and as a Lion though all too late who seeing before her eyes her yong Lionâ—sse euil intreated of the Huâ—ter euen so she ran vnto her welâ—eloued Father and with great spéed pulled off his helme froÌ„ his wounded head and vnbraced his armour the which was in colour according to his passion but as strong as anie Diamond made by Magicke arte Also she tooke away his
in sted of downie beds nightly to rest their wearie limmes vpon heapes of sun burnt messe and in sted of silken curtens and curious canopies they had the clowdes of heauen to couer them Now their naked legs and bare feet that had wont to stride the stately stéedes and to trample in fields of Pagans blood were forced to clyme the craggie mountaines and to endure the torments of pricking briers as they trauayled thorough the desert places and comfortlesse solitarie wildernesses Manie were the dangers that hapned to them in theyr Iourney before they arriued in Iudea and most princely their atchieuements and honourable their aduentures which for this time I passe ouer leauing the Champions for a time in their trauell towards the holy Sepulcher of Christ and speake what happened to Sa. Georges thrée Sonnes in visiting their Mothers Tombe in the Cittie of London CHAP. II. Of the strange giftes that S. Georges sonnes offered at their Mothers Toombe and vvhat hapned thereupon hovv her Ghost appeared to them and counselled them to the pursute of their Father also hovv the Ki. of England installed them with the honor of knighthood and furnished them vvith abiliments of vvarre THe swift foote stéedes of Titans fierie Carre had almost finished a yere since Sabraes Funerall was solemnized in which time Saint Georges thrée Sonnes had visited their Mothers Tomb oftner than there were dayes in the yeare and had shed as manie teares thereon in remembraunce of her loue as there were starres in the glistering veyle of Heauen but at last these thrée yong Princes fell at a ciuill discord and deadly strife which of them should beare the truest loue vnto their Mothers dead bodie and which of them should be held in greatest estéeme For before manie dayes were expired they concluded to offer vp thrée seuerall deuotions at her Tombe and he that deuised a gift of the rarest prize and of the straungest qualitie should bee held in the greatest honour and accompted the noblest of them all This determination was spéedily perfourmed and in so short a time accomplished that it is wonderfull to discourse The first thinking to excéed his brothers in the strangenes of his Gift made repaire vnto a cunning Inchauntresse which had her abiding in a secret caue adioyning to the Cittie whom he procured through manie rich giftes and large promises by arte to deuise a meane to get the honor from his Bretheren to haue a gift of that strange nature that all the world might wonder at the report thereof The Inchauntresse being won with his promises by her artes and magicke spells deuised a Garland contayning all the diuersitie of flowers that euer grew in earthly Gardens and though it were in the dead time of winter when as the siluer ysicles had disroabd both hearb and flower of their beauties and the Northerne snow lay fréezing on the mountaine tops yet was this Garland contriued after the fashion of a rich Imperial Crowne with as manie seuerall Flowers as euer Flora placed vppon the downes of rich Arcadia in diuersitie of colours lyke the glistering Raine-bow when as it shineth in her greatest pride and casting such an odoriferous sent and swéete sauour as though the Heauens had rained downe showers of Campheere Bisse or Amber-gréece This rare and excéeding Garland was no sooner framed by Inchauntment and deliuered into his hands but he left the Inchauntresse sitting in her Ebon chaire vpon a blocke of stéele practising her fatall artes with her hair hanging about her sholders like wreaths of snakes or inuenomed serpents and so retourned to his Mothers tombe where he hung it vppon a pillar of siluer that was placed in the middle of the Monument The second Brother likewise repaired to the Tombe and brought in his hand an yuorie Lute wheron he plaid such inspiring melodie that it séemed like the harmony of Angels or the celestiall musique of Apollo when hee descended heauen for the loue of Daphne whom hee turned into a Bay trée The musicke being finished he tied ys Lute in a damaske scarffe and with great humilitie hee hung it at the west ende of the Tombe vppon a knobbe of Iasper stone Lastly the third Brother likewise repaired with no outward deuotion or worldly gift but clad in a vesture of white silke bearing in his hand an instrument of death like an innocent Lambe going to sacrifice or one readie to be offered for the loue of his mothers soule This strange manner of repaire caused his other brothers to stand attentiuely and with vigilant eyes to behold the conclusion First after he had submissiuely and with great humilitie let fall a shower of siluer teares from the cesternes of his eyes in remembrance of his Mothers timeles tragedie he prickt his naked breast with a siluer bodkin the which he brought in his hand from which there trickeled downe some thirtie drops of blood which he after offered vp to his Mothers Tombe in a siluer bason as an euident signe that there can be nothing more dearer nor of more precious price than to offer vp his owne blood for her loue This ceremonious gift caused his two other Brothers to swell in hatred like two chased Lions and with furie to run vpon him intending to catch him by the haire of the head and to drag him round about their Mothers Tomb till his braines were dasht against the marble pauement and his blood sprinkled vppon her graue but this wicked enterprize so mooued the Maiestie of heauen that ere they could accomplish their intents or staine their hands in his blood they heard as it were y e noyse of dead mens bones ratling in the ground And thereupon looking fearfully about the Toombe seemed of it selfe to open and thereout to appeare a most terrible and ghastly shapâ— pale like vnto ashes in countenance resembling theyr Mother with her breast besmeard in blood and her bodie wounded with a hundred scarres and so with a dismall rufull looke she spake vnto her desperate Sonnes in thys manner Oh you degenerate from Natures kinde why doo you séeke to make a murther of your selâ—es can you indure to sée my bodie rent in twaine my heart split in sunder and my wombe dismembred Abate this furie staine not your hands with your owne bloods nor make my Tombe a spectacle of more death Unite your selues in concord that my discontented soule may sléepe in peace and neuer more be troubled with your vnbridled humours Make hast I say and arme your selues in stéeled corslets and follow your valiant Father to Ierusalem for he is there in danger and distresse of life Away I say or els my angry ghost shall neuer leaue this world but haunt you vp and downe with gastly visions This being said she vanished from their sight lyke to the brictlâ— ayre whereat for a time they stood amazed and almost distraught of their wits thorough the terrour of her words but at last recouering their former senses they all vowed by the
and my soule forsake his earthly habitation You knowe my Lorde how that the King my Father dooth beare you no good will but doth hate you from hys soule which wil be the occasion that we cannot enioy our harts contentments for the which I haue determined if you thinke well thereof to leaue both my Father and my natiue Countrey and to goe and liue with you in a strange Land And if you denie me this you shall verie quickly sée your welbeloued Ladie without life but I know you will not denie me it for thereon consisteth the benefite of my welfare and my chéefest prosperitie And therewithall shedding a few teares from her christall eyes she held her peace The Magitian as one halfe rauished with her earnest desires answered and said My Loue and swéete Mistres wherefore haue you anie doubt that I will not fulfill and accomplish your desire in all things therefore out of hand put all things in a readines that your pleasure is to haue done for what more benefite and contentment can I receaue than to enioy your sight continually in such sort that neither of vs may depart from the others companie till the fatall Destenies giue end vnto our liues But if it so fall out that fortune frowne vpon vs that wee bee espied and taken in our enterprise and suffer death together what more glorie can there be vnto my soule than to dye with thée and to leaue my life betwixt thy armes Therefore doo not trouble your selfe my swéete Ladie and Mistres but giue me leaue for to depart your presence that I may prouide all things in a readines for our departures And so wyth this conclusion they tooke leaue one of the other and departed away with as great secrecie as might possibly bee deuised After this within a fewe dayes the Magitian by hys inchauntments caused a Chariot to bee made that was gouerned by two flying Dragons into the which without being espied by anie one they put themselues in companie of their trustie wayting Maid and so in great secret they departed out of the Kings Pallace and tooke theyr iourney towards the Countrey of Armenia in the which Countrey in a short time they arriued and came without anie misfortune vnto a place whereas deepe riuers doo continually strike vpon a mightie rocke vpon the which stood an olde and ancient building wherein they intended to inhabit as a most conuenient place for their dwellinges whereas they might without all feare of beeing found liue peacefullie in ioying in each others loue Not farre from that place there was a small Uillage from whence they might haue necessarie prouision for the maintayning of their bodies great ioy and pleasure thâ—se two Louers receiued when they founde themselues in such a place wheras they might take their ease and inioy their loues The Magitian delighted in no other thing but to goe a hunting with certaine Countrie dwellers that inhabited in the next Uillage leauing his swéete Angellica accompanied with her trustie Fidela in that stronge house so in this order they liued together foure yeares spending their daies in great pleasure but in the end time who neuer resteth in one degrée did take from them their rest and repayed them with sorrow and extream mizerie For when the King her father found her missiing the sorrowe and griefe was so much that he receiued that he kept his chamber a long time and would not be comforted of anie bodie Foure yeares he passed away in great heauinesse filling the Courte with Ecchoes of his beloued daughter and making the skies to resound his lamentations sorrowe was his foode salte teares his drinke and griefe his chiefe companion But at last vppon a time as he sate in his Chayre lamenting her absence with great heauinesse and beeing ouercharged with griefe he chanst to fall into a troublesome dreame for after quiet sléepe had closed vp the closets of his eyes he dreamd that he saw his daughter standing vppo a Rocke by the sea side offring to cast her body into the waues before she would returne to Babylon and that he beheld her Louer with an Armye of Satyrs and wilde men ready furnished with habiliments of warre to pull him from his Throane and to depriue him of hys Kingdome Out of this vision he presently started from his chaire as though it had béen one frighted with a legion of spirits and caused foure of the chéefest Péeres of his Land to bee sent for to whom he committed the gouernement of hys Countrey certefying them that he intended a voyage to the Sepulcher at Memphis thereby to quallifie the furie of his Daughters ghost whom he dreamed to be drowned in the seas and that except he sought by true submission to appease the angrie heauens whom hee had offended by his vnnaturall sorrowes hee should be deposed from hys Kingdome None could withdraw him from this determination though it was to the preiudice of his whole Land therefore within twentie dayes he furnished himselfe with all necessaries as well of armour and martiall furniture as of golde and treasure and so departed from Babylon priuately and alone not suffering anie other though many desired it humbly and were verie earnest to beare hym companie But he trauelled not as he told his Lords after any ceremonious order but like a bloud-hound serching Countrey after Countrey Nation by Nation and Kingdome by Kingdome that after a barbarous manner hee might be reuenged vpon his Daughter for her disobedience And as he trauelled there was no caue den wood nor wildernesse but he furiously entered and diligently searched for his Angelica At last by strange fortune he happened into Armenia néere vnto the place whereas his Daughter had her residence where after he had intelligence by the Commons of that Countrey that she remained in an olde ruynated Building on the top of a rocke néere at hand without anie more tariance hee trauelled vnto that place at such a time as y e Magitian her louing Husband was gone about his accustomed hunting where comming to the gate and finding it lockt hee knockt thereat so furiously that hee made the noyse to resound all the house ouer with a redoubling Eccho When Angelica heard one knocke she came vnto the gate and with all spéed did open it And when she thought to imbrace him thinking it to be her Louer she saw that it was her Father and with a sodain alteration she gaue a great shrike and ran with all the spéed she could backe into the house The King her Father being somewhat angrie like a furious Lion followed her saying It dooth little auayle thée Angelica to run away for that thou shalt dye by thys reuengefull hand paying me with thy death the great dishonour that my royall crowne hath now by thy flight receaued So he followed her till he came to the chamber where her wayting Maid Fidela was who likewise presentlye knew the King vpon whose wrathfull countenance appeared the image of pale death
Knights that were present at this vnhappie mischance so great it was that the walles of the Monasterie ecchoed and their pittifull shrikes ascended to the heauens But none was more gréened in mind than the afflicted English Champion who like a man distraught of sense in great furie rushed amongst the people throwing them downe on euerie side till he ascended vpon the scaffold approaching the dead bodie of Lucina hee tooke her vp in his armes and with a sorrowfull and passionate voyce he said O my beloued ioy and late my only hearts delight is this the Sacrifice wherein through thy desperatenes thou hast deceiued me who loued thée more than my selfe is this the respite that thou requiredst for seauen dayes wherein thou hast concluded thy own death and my vtter confusion Oh noble Lucina and my beloued Ladie if this were thy intent why didst not thou first sacrifice mee thy Seruant and Loue wholly subiected vnto thy deuine beautie Woe be vnto mee and woe bee vnto my vnhappie enterprise for by it is she lost who was made souereigne Ladie of my heart Oh Diana accursed by this chaunce because thou hast consented to so bloodie a tragedie by the eternall powers of heauen that neuer more thou shalt be worshipped but in euerie Countrey where the English Champion commeth Lucina in thy stead shall be adored For euermore will he séek to diminish thy name and blot it from the golroll of heauen yea and vtterly extinguish it in eternitie so that there shall neuer more memorie remaine of thée for this thy bloodie Tyrannie in suffering so lamentable a Sacrifice No sooner had he deliuered these speaches but incensed with furie he drew out his sword and parted the image of Diana in two péeces protesting to ruinate the Monasterie within whose walls the deuice of this bloodie Sacrifice was concluded The sorrow and extreame gréefe of the Romane Emperour so excéeded for the murther of his Daughter that he fell to the câ—rth in a senselesse swâ—und and was carried halfe dead with gréefe by some of his knights home to his Pallace where he remained spéechles by the space of thirtie dayes The Emperour had a Sonne as valiant in armes as anie borne Italian except Saint Anthonie This young Prince whose name was Lucius seeing his sisters timeles death and by what meanes it was committed he presently intended with a traine of a hundred armed Knightes which continually attended vpon his person to assaile the discontented Champions and by force of armes to reuenge his sisters death This resolution so incouraged the Romaine Knyghtes but especially the Emperors sonne that betwixt these two companies began as terrible a battle as euer was fought by any knights the fearcenes of their blowes so excéeded the one side against the other that they did resounde ecchoes and they yeelded a terrible noyse in the great woods This battell did continue betwixt them both sharp and fierce for the space of two houres by which time the valor of the encensed Champions so preuailed that most of the Romaine knights were discomfited and slaine some had their handes pared from their shoulders some had their armes and legs lopped off and some lay breathles wâ—ltring in their owne blouds in which incounter many a Romaine Ladie lost her husband many a widowe was bereaud of her Sonne and many a childe was left fatherles to the great sorrow of the whole country But when the valiant young Prince of Roome sawe his knightes discomfited and hee lefte alone to withstand so many noble Champions he presently set spurs to his horse and fled from them like to a heape of oust forced by a whirlewinde After whom the Champions would not persue accountting it no glory to their names to triumph in the ouerthrow of a single knigâ—â— but remained still by the scaffolde where they buried the sacrificed Uirgin vnder a marble stone close by the monasterie wall The which being done to their contentments Saint George ingraued this Epitaph vppon the same stone with the point of his dagger which was in this wise following Vnder this marble stone interd doth lye Luckles Lucina of beautie bright Who to maintaine her spotles chastitie Against the assailment of an English Knight Vpon a blade her tender breast she cast A bloodie offering to Diana chast SO when hee had written this Epitaph the Christian Champions mounted vpon their swift foote stéedes bad adieu to the vnhappie Confines of Italy hoping to finde better fortune in other Countries In which trauell wee will leaue them for a time and speake of the Prince of Rome who after the discomfiture of the Romane knights fled in such hast from the furies of the warlike Champions After which hee like a starued Lion trauersed along by the Riuer of Tybris filling all places with his melancholy passions vntill such time as hee entred into a thicke groue wherein he purposed to rest hys wearie limbes and lament his misfortunes After he had in this solitarie place vnlaced his Helmet and huried it scornfully against the ground the infernal Furies began to visite him and to sting his breast with motions of fierie reuenge In the end he cast vp his wretched eyes vnto heauen and said Oh you fatall torches of the elements why are you not clad in mournâ—full abiliments to cloake my wandring steps in eternall darknes shall I be made a scorne in Rome for my cowardise or shall I return and accompanie my Romane frends in death whose bloodes me thinkes I sée sprinkled about the fields of Italy Mee thinks I heare their bléeding soules fill each corner of the earth with my base flight therefore will I not liue to bée tearmed a fearfull coward but dye couragiously by mine owne hands wherby those accursed Champions shall not obtaine the conquest of my death nor triumph in my fall This being said he drew out his dagger and ryued hys heart in sunder The newes of whose desperate death after it was bruted to his Fathers eares hée interred hys bodie with his Sister Lucinaes and erected ouer them a stately Chappell wherein the Nunnes and ceremonious Monkes during all their liues sung Dirges for his Childrens soules After this the Emperour made proclamation through all his Dominions that if anie Knight were so hardie as trauell in pursute after the English Champion by force of armes bring him backe and deliuer his head vnto the Emperour he should not onely be held in great estimation through the Land but receaue the gouernment of the Empire after his decease Which rich proffer so encouraged the mindes of diuers aduenterous Knightes that they went from sundry Prouinces in the pursute of Saint George but their attempts were all in vaine CHAP. XIIII Of the triumphs tilts and turnaments that were solemnly held in Constantinople by the Grecian Emperour and of the honorable aduentures that wer there atchiued by the christian champions with other strange accidents that happened IN the Easterne Parts of the world the fame
armor and to search about the Castle to sée if hee might finde the place that harbored the Knight that made such sorrowfull lamentation So going vp and downe she by corners of the Castle all the latter part of the night without finding the aduenture of this strange voice or disturbance by any other meanes but that he was hindred from his naturall and quiet sléepes but by the breake of day when the darke night bâ—gan to withdraw her sable curtaines and to giue Aurora libertie to explayne her purple brightnesse he entred into a foure square parlor hunge rounde about with blacke cloth and other mournfull habiliments where on the one side of the same he sawe a tombe all couered likewise with blacke and vppon it there lay a man with a pale colour who at certaine times gaue moste meruelous and gréeuous sighes caused by the burning flames that procéeded from vnder the tombe being such that it séemed that his body therewith should bee conuerted into coales the flame thereof was so stincking that it made Saint George somewhat to retyre himselfe from the place where hee sawe that horrible and fearefull spectacle He which lay vpon the tombe casting his eyes aside espied Saint George and knowing him to be a humane creature with an inflicted voyce he said Who art thou Sir Knight that art come into this place of sorrow where nothing is heard but clamors of feare and terror But tell me said Saint George who art thou that with so much griefe dast demaund of me that which I stand in doubt to reueale to thée I am the King of Babilon answered hee which without all consideration with my cruell hand did pearce through the white and dilicate brest of my beloued daughter woe be to me and woe vnto my soule therefore for shee at once did pay her offence by death but I a most mizerable wretch with many tormentes doe dye lyuing When this worthy Champion Saint George was about to answere him he saw come foorth from vnder the tombe a damsell who had her hayre of a yellow and wan colour hanging downe about her shoulders and by her face she séemed that she should be verie strangely afflicted with tormentes and with a sorrowfull voyce shee said Oh vnfortunate Knight what doest thou séeke in this infernall lodging where cannot be giuen thée any other pleasure but mortall torment and there is but one thing that can cleare thée from them and this cannot be tolde thée by any other but by me yet I will not expresse it except thou wilt graunt mee one thing that I will aske of thée The English Champion that with a sad countenaunce stood beholding of the sorrowful damsel and being greatly amazed at the sight which he had séene answered and said The Gods which are gouernours of my liberty wil doe their pleasures but touching the graunt of thy request I neuer denied any lawfull thing to either Lady or Gentle woman but with all my power and strength I was ready to fulfill the same therefore demaunde what thy pleasure is for I am readie in all thinges that toucheth thy remedie And with that the damsell threw her selfe into that sepulcher and with a gréeuous voice she said Nowe moste curteous Knight performe thy promise strike but thrée stroakes vpon this fatall tombe and thou shalt deliuer vs from a world of mizeries and likewise make an ende of our continuall torments Then the inuincible knight replyed in this order whether you be humane creatures said he plaâ—st in this sepulcher by inchauntment or furies raisd from fiery Acheron to worke my confusion or no I know not and there is so little truth in this infernall Castle that I stand in doubt whether I may beléeue thy words or not but yet discourse vnto me the truth of all your passed fortunes and by what â—â—anes you were brought into this place and as I am a true Christian Knight and one that fights in the quarrell of Christ I vow to accomplish whatsoeuer lyeth in my power Then the Damsel began with a gréeuous and sorrowfull lamentation to declare as strange a tragedie as euer was told And lying in the fatall Sepulcher vnséene of Saint George that stood leaning his backe agaynst the wall to heare her discourse and lamentable Storie with a hollow voice like a murthered Ladie whose bléeding soule as yet did féele the terrible stroke at her death shée repeated this pittifull tale following CHAP. XI Of a tragicall Discourse pronounced by a Ladie in a Toombe and hovv her Inchauntment vvas finished by saint George vvith other straunge accidents that hapned to the other Christian Knights IN famous Babylon somtimes reigned a King although a Heathen yet adorned with noble and vertuous customes and had onely one Daughter that was verie faire whose name was Angelica humble wise and chast who was beloued of a mightie Duke a man man wonderfull cunning in the Blacke arte This Magitian had a seuere graue countenance and one that for wisedome better deserued y e gouernment than anie other in the kingdome and was verie well estéemed throughout all Babylon almost equally with the king for the which there ingendred in the kings heart a secret rancour and hatred towards him Thys Magitian cast his loue vppon the yong Princesse Angelica and it was the Gods will that shee should repaye him wyth the same affection so that both theyr hearts beeing wounded with loue the one to the other in such sorte that the fire kindled dayly more and more and neither of them had any other imagination but onelye to loue and not knowing how to manifest their griefes they indured sundry great passions Then loue which continually séeketh occasions did on a time set before this Magician a wayting maid of Angelicaes named Fidela the which thing séemed to be wrought by the immortall power of the Goddesse Venus oh what feare this Magitian was in to discouer vnto her all his heart and to bewray the secrets of his louesicke soule but in the end by the great industrie and diligence of the waighting Maid whose name was answerable vnto her minde there was order giuen that these two louers shuld méete together This faire Angelica for that she could not at her ease enioy her true Louer she did determine to leaue her own naturall Countrey and Father and with this intention being one night with her Loue she cast her armes about his necke and said Oh my swéete and welbeloued Frend séeing that the soueraigne Gods haue béen so kinde to me as to haue my heart linked in thy breast let me not finde in thée ingratitude for that I cannot passe my time except continually I enioye thy sight and doo not muse my Lord at these my words for the entyre loue that I beare to you dooth constraine me to make it manifest And this beléeue of a certaintie that if thy sight be absent from mée it will bée an occasion that my heart will lacke his vitall recreation