assured you will do no otherwise and this night will I send you horse and Armor whose sight will content you In the meane time hyde your selfe amongst these Pynes for hauing lost our selues it cannot bee but our Guard will seeke vs out The Gréeke now had no more will but to fulfill the Ladies and so taking his leaue of the young childe already olde in loue he thrust himself into the the thickest thereof Without a thousand embracements she had not sent him feared she not to be too much noted of wātonnesse yet with her eyes she exprest her hearts desire They are soueraign dames the tonguelesse messengers that best make knowne the paine and pleasure of the soules Better signes of like or dislike is there not then the motion of those spéechlesse speakers As one rapt in a dustie blacke clowde so séemed Eufronisa in absence of her sonne Ay me my Selia said the amorous Ladie what in auspicious lucke crosses my tendernesse to affect the knight that hath alreadie another granted the possession of his soule Who can loue him knowing hee affects another wherewith the heauens haue adorned mee and yet not made me proude for if he loues another how shall I loue him being sure that for my sight hee will not violate the promise of his sacrificed faith and yet who will not dote on him What inconueniences can restraine me from his loue what infamie what dishonour or what staine of maidens fame may befall me but my soule will regardlesse trample on so with equall loue her paines might be rewarded Why I doo not feare the foolish rude reports of common multitudes when they shall ioyne their mouthes to fames shrill trumpe far and neare to sound my shame when this my folly shall bee noysed abroad I will loue and dote on him and yet I do beléeue that doing so I do not sufficiently answere the merits of his valour nor noble carriage of his minde And though it be a torment intollerable to knowe another is inshrined in his brest I cannot refuse the diuine appoyntment nor what heerein my haplesse fates ordaine for otherwise none more happie then I in loue and I cannot beléeue he is as hee hath said to bee for these that haue the power to bee beloued of euerie one doo neuer disclose their true names countrie and estates wherefore wee must by all meanes procure to learne his certaine name for beeing intreated thereto I do not doubt but he will That he is easie to be knowne answered the damozell hauing him in our lodging for if he be in loue as he séemed to be being alone hee will publish it and perchance more then we now wish for intire loue cannot be husht in secret and euery one too much bragges of this blind opinion as to account the greatest comfort to participate the inward thoughts to stones to wals to groues to fields and windes Ay me my Selia by experience thou doest shew to haue ben in loue said Eufronisa who can discourse of seas of rockes of shallowes and of tempests but such as haue nauigated scapt and past them What is hée that feares his enemie that hath not béene wounded at his hands If this bee so and thou so skilfull I will repose the trust of this my businesse on thy discretion and experience Had it béene for nothing but to helpe you in this tempest soueraigne Ladie answered Selia I account the time well bestowed I spent in Loues toyes letting my soule confesse with content anothers superioritie I am well acquainted with Loues deuises and his allurements I know where he is resisted there enuiously hee striues to subiugate new forces causing afterwards greater paines for refusing his deitie and denying his prerogatiue ouer all the world as hee that can onely giue life or death with ioy Why then my deare Selia said the Princesse it is likely he wil not so cruelly tyrannize ouer me that willingly admitted the heauie yoake of his slauerie as he vseth against them that leuied armes and warre against his power Selia answered To demaund no condition of this God is best for gouerning absolutely by himselfe doth not being blinde consider the gréeuous paines the soule indures and many times with a little rests hee more content in the end hee is but a childe then if a thousand hearts were sacrificed to appease his wrath They could procéed no further in their sweet chat for many knights came to them that carefully did séeke them fearing some disgrace had befallen them They were glad whē they met them so altogither returned to the Cittie for the Princesse would no longer stay hauing alreadie foode to nourish her conceits The night beeing come they bound the armour in a bundle and the Ladie sent to a kinsman of hers whom shee trusted to make readie the best horse within the Cittie He did it desiring to do her seruice which when she knew making him sweare to keepe her counsell she bad him go with Selia for she had promised a knight to furnish him to prooue the Louers tent So leauing her they arriued in good time at the fountaine where they found the Gréeke ouerwhelmed in imaginations expecting the Ladies commaund After courtesies past on either side Selia said The Ladie sir Knight that met you here this day sendes you this armour and horse for seeing you promised her to prooue the aduenture of the Louers tent in her name shee thought good to furnish you with necessaries therefore Whereto the Gréeke replied Faire damzell you may tell that Ladie that with such a fauour a harder enterprise is assured They would not talke of other matters because of the olde mans presence more then to giue him direction for his way and therevpon departed leauing the Prince expecting the comming of the next morne wherein faire Ladies there befell him what you shall heare CHAP. XIIII What happened to the Prince Rosabell going to the Cittie to prooue the aduenture of the Louers Pauilion VNable to conceiue the cause why that beauteous Princesse should shewe him such kindnesse laye Rosiclers braue sonne vppon the grasse passing away the night in that thicket looking for the desired morne meane while taking some rest Two houres before it did appeare he awaked with the remembrance of his lost Ladie recording with what rigor fortune had crost his ioyes iudging his shipwracke was not yet an end vnto his troubles thinking that yet the blinde Goddesse was not content with his tried patience He hartily wished to know new meanes to indure such excessiue torments as he daily suffered This imagination so opprest him that to ease with passage his burthening passions he beganne to plaine him to the trées that with their stirring noyse mooued by the gentle blasts of Zephyrus séemed to pittie his laments breathed against her whose mutabilities are the plagues and scourges of mortall men They were not vttered with such silence but might bee heard by Astorildo Prince of Callidonia brother to the beauteous Rosamond that
the Prince Lysander my Gaylors tooke from me my gyues The Lady Mistresse of my life knew the night of my departure and hauing sometimes before written vnto me by her brother yet then she exprest the vtmost of her Loue for I was no sooner downe in the Garden ouer which the windowe was that I leaped through when among a certaine company of trées I heard a noyse Supposing it could be none that would do me such pleasure as I after receiued I drew my weapons and went towards that place where I was quickly pacified séeing a knight I well knew who with as much breuety as the case required tolde me that my Lady sent me a Letter with money and Iewels for my escape I tooke all not knowing how to deserue so much good as at her hands I had receiued and making my answere according to the merits of those déeds I tooke my leaue of the knight and went out of the Garden and trauelled till I thought I was out of daunger and hiding my selfe among certaine stéepie Mountaines I vnripped the Letters seale and by the clearenesse of the Moone that then shyned I read it thus Pollinardas Letter THe greefe kinde Florisiano to see thee so depart from her that had lodged thee in her brest is so great that it will not suffer me to be tedious although it bee my onely desire for seeing that going from mine with such affection it must rest in thy hands it were some comfort to me thus with thee to prattle longer But aye me for Fortune thinking we shuld enioy too great a happinesse thereby she doth bereaue me of my iudiciall sences and my bteath yet not so much but I haue strength to say though not libertie to auerre that I remaine thine till death which shall first attach me with his grim pawes then I will grant an other yea vnlesse it be to him that hath long since with such zeale and constant loue obtained and wonne my firme faith The Gods preserue thee me as they know I wish and thou deseruest Thine till death Pollinarda This Letter is it braue warriors that comforts me when my gréefe is at greatest and this is the foode vnto my fainting life whose tedious relation I am sure hath wearied you Wherto Claridiano said This knâ—â—â—â— and my selfe Noble Prince haue taken such pleasure at your Loues discourse that it cannot bee exprest insomuch it hath bound me to offer my life in your behalfe for I protest neuer to put on Armour more if I deliuer not that Lady into your hands in spight of all the world wherefore let vs straight bee gone although it gréeues my very soule to leaue this Knight but your necessitie forceth me thereto because her father to bee rid of that care may marrie her to the brother of the deceased Prince That onely is the thing which most tormenteth me answered the Apulian for doubtlesse it may happen as you Sir Knight haue imagined and may the heauens recompence what now and hereafter you shall do in my behoofe and I much desire to know who you are that I may venture with more securitie for all helpes will be necessarie to cope with so puissant a King and a knight so strong as Astrenio By the way you shall know that said the hastie Gréeke for daunger now awaites on our delay He tooke his leaue of his vncle with more loue then when Peâ—â—hous parted from Theseus he promised to séeke him if matters succéeded to his content They all rose the Gréeke Prince with Florisiano hasted to their ship wherein being imbarked they launched into the déepe Ocean where we must leaue them to bring Claramants to Constantinople CHAP. XXX What happened in the proofe of the Disamorous Tower and how Claramant arriued and prooued it WIth feare to bee condemned of too much prolixitie in the amorous discourse of the Prince of Apulias life being the thing I most dread and onely séeke to shunne and yet no small trouble did it cost mée to refuse it to so briefe a summarie as I haue the which I vrge for my excuse although it néed not if it be read by Cupids vassailes but whilest this is in question attend fairest of all faires most beauteous Ladies for the triall of the Tower is nothing but Loue. There was none left but went foorth to sée it because the fame therof drew them thither So many knights came from the shippes that the Cittie was not able to containe them all and euery one so richly armed that it delighted euery beholder The spacious yard was in a trice filled with people and the Ladies with their beauties made it more glorious then the heauenly Synode of the Gods For the trial there wanted no knights in that ere noone aboue two hundreth shields accompanied the others that were before hung vp yet none arriued so high as Brandimardo sonne to the great Affricano that died vppon the conquest of Lyra in Rosiclers presence as was declared in the second part of this Historie As the Emperours were about to withdraw to dinner there entred the place attended on with a maiesticke companie a cousin of Abstrusios no lesse valiant then he All in gréen armor hee was clad brauely garnished with halfe Moones the deuise on his shielde was a Griffion without head which in his countrie in battell he had slaine As nimble as a Roe he dismounted ascending the staires in such haste that euery one thought he would end the aduenture but arriuing where the deceased Pagan had done hoe was charged with so many strong blowes that Galtenor saith he could do no more then raise one legge to steppe higher which was the cause that with more rigor hee was thrust out and his shield placed according to his deserts next to Brandimardos Great honor wonne Salberno hereby so was he named and had in high estimation for his Cousin excepted that was borne for the seas whose Lieftenant hee was none could better order a Nauall battel then he as he shewed it in the warres of Grecia The Emperour to fauor the Captaine generall of his Fléetes inuited him which they much estéemed iudging the Gréeke Monarch the absolutest accomplished in all vertues of any in the whole vniuerse besides and themselues most happie to bee ioyned in amitie with such Princes Away they would go when a kinsman of Pollidolpho of Croatia shewed himselfe whose armes were of an Indian colour full of strawberries With gallant brauerie hee went towards the Tower where hee spedde not so ill as not to be accounted valiant for his shield was hung next to the Troyan Oristides To dinner went the Emperors glad to sée what happened in that triall where they were serued with such maiestie as their estates required By themselues sate all the Ladies so exceeding faire that Paris had doubted to which for beautie hee might giue the golden apple Nothing could please the beauteous Archysilora in absence of her Gréeke but rather gréeued to sée those feastiuals
deseruer of that courtesie But Fortune now alreadie wearie and angrie the earth should longer containe them ordained Alcino should sée the imbracement who not knowing his brother by reason he was armed set spurres to his horse being also in armes The Louer closed his Vizor séeing the other come in that manner and mounting on his horse stept to him saying What séeke you in such haste sir knight Onely replied the second brother to let you know the little reason you had to offer violence vnto that Ladie Inraged as well indéed he might became the vnwary youth and not supposing he was his brother turned about his Courser and saide Why then staie bolde knight for this shall chastise thy rude rashe intention Alcino cowched his Launce making their incounters with as much noyse as if two shippes had met Of mightie forces were the youthes and so they prosecuted their battle with as much strength as crueltie that the Ladie which beheld them could not but pittie the blowes which Larsinio receiued with some teares for the loue she bore his brother forced her to shead them The second brother closed with Larsinio striking away at one stroke the halfe of his shield wounding him sorely on the arme which was occasiō they cast eithers armes about the other with such power that both fell from their Saddles to the ground Striuing vp and downe they tumbled on the grasse bespringling the earth with their blood When the haughtie Celio arriued who séeing the battle not perceiuing the Ladie there lept from his horse and drawing forth his sword went towards them and said In courtesie sir knights cease a while your fights which causelesse séemes to be so fierce Either was so flesht against the other thinking the Lady offended by eithers action that vnwilling to obey their elder brother that being also in rich abillements of warre was not knowne Alcino made reply Doo not you sir knight séeke to part our Combat whose cause we haue adiudged too sufficient Notwithstanding said Celio for my sake and intreatie I hope you will leaue it It will be then answered the youngest to make you confesse you are discourteous in wishing peace where none is desired And so he being got betwéene them and they both angred togither they discharged two such blowes vpon him that he repented to haue vndertaken that demaund but being of incomparable strength quickly setled himselfe among them beginning one of the fiercest fights in the world Aboue two houres they continued hacking and without pittie cruelly cutting their armes and fleshe that euery one had aboue eight wounds The Ladie feared some vnhappie chaunce whose heart was so deliberated with feare to sée Larsinio so wounded for the others shée knew not that she could not rise nor with her voyce giue notice shée was there so we gaue occasion vnto the lamentablest and most vnluckie act that euer was acted For Celio weary of so long delay defending himselfe of the second brother with a cruell thrust to his thinking bereaft poore Larsinio of his life whose death so extreamly gréeued Alcino as if he had knowne him that dispairing of life did cast his shield to the ground and closed with his brother who doing the like so long wrasled that both fell to the earth where drawing foorth their daggers with equall blowes either stabbed in the others bodie togither at once loosing their vitall breathing to the Ladies so great sorrow that she thought to burst She rose bewayling that accursed happe and went to Larsinio tooke off his Helme and séeing him like one dead she became more then dead Néedes would shée know the others which was cause of greater euil for their Helmes being off and knowne who they were a thousande lamentations did shée breathe into the aire banning her misfortune Shée fell in a traunce and twise or thrise lost the motion of her mouing powers and at length recouering her selfe and seeing the thrée Princes for her sake with such remorselesse sauadgenesse slaine tearing the golden tramels of her amber haire whose bewtie eclipsed Apollos light thus she began her lament Oh cruel heauens wherein haue I deserued this mortal plague Or how haue I offended you should so much maligne my hopes to oppose your happie influences with such dire euent against the springing of my ioyes Had you suffered me to kéepe my life within the limits of my solitary walks these Princes had not séene me and so not viewing my ill bestowed bewtie they had not desired what soly was due to one Oh deare Princes you should haue bene contented to see your brother beloued and your selues for his sake affected to desist the procurement of your pleasure with his and your owne deaths Oh chaste Goddesse why didst thou suffer so execrable a fact hatefull abhorred and detestable were my life vnto the world should I desire to liue that sawe the timelesse end of your vnripe yeares For this oh this vaine momentary fading bewtie How oh how may she valiant Princes recompence this déed this deare and amorous déed but to immitate you in death that did Idolatrize me in life Reason had Tysbe to suffer for her Louer and Hero rather to taste of the bitter waters of death then of the actiue fire of loue that in her entrailes burned None had such reason to die as I and in speaking it to prolong my despised life I doo offend which though I might I will not enioy in absence of those thrée that did so dearly loue me Thrée liues wold I haue heroike Princes to bestow on either one being debter vnto you for thrée but since I cannot to thée swéete Celio my soule and heart I doo bequeath my good will and affection to Alcyno and Larsinio and my poore chaste life with my immaculate and vnspotted thoughts to thée most sacred Goddesse do I I sacrifice in extenuation of my fault Wherevpon with mortall fury she drew Celios sword and setting her brest to the sharpe point she offered her life to deaths tryumphing spoiles Which no sooner was effected but the blew heauens with thicke fogs and mysts was clowded with thundring and lightning and innumerable horrible voyces that strooke deadly terror in the harmelesse people who with their flockes and heards of cattle perished Their bodies were neuer found nor if is not knowne what is become of them more then that their liues and deaths with the maner and occasion was found carued in carrecters vpon some Okes there adioyning where some shepheards haue often séene a Caue from whence issues such flames and smoake that it consumed the Trées neare to it and it is many yeares since none dares through feare let their flocks féed thereabouts This is sir knight what you haue demaunded and of so many reports the truest where the shepheard ended Naturally was the Prince couragious and desirous of such aduentures and so very earnest did he inquire for the Caue determining to enter and see what it contained The shepheards shewed it him
with many valiant straungers that about it were thither come As these two warriours passed through the stréetes al the peoples eies they drew after them admiring to sée them so well armed of so braue disposition Gallanter Knights were not in that Cittie séene of many yeares before As too and fro the streetes were crossed by passengers that went to the Court and they doing the like the sunnes splendent rayes reuerberated on their glittering armour as no sence could more desire The amorous Eufronisa lost not this sight for standing on a turret she sawe the maiesticke pacing of her gallant and said vnto her selfe shée had giuen him but litle to make him Lord only of her hart There is no. Ladie saide Loues newe Scholler that hath more reason to loue then I since in my opinion the Gods haue not reserued vnto themselues more grace more brauerie nor more woorth then they haue bestowed on this knight Somwhat did this deefied couple prick their horses and passing vnder the Ladies being the Gréek made his bend his knées to the ground and his head lower then his brest The Ladie séeing it raised her selfe to do him courtesie which as a fauor she bestowed not respecting how she might be noted for it Near her stood her wittie Selia that burst into these words I cannot blame you soueraigne Princesse for louing him that was borne to be beloued and if for him you suffer he hath with him a remedie for your greatest maladie and therefore doo not complaine for if you do I le sweare you do dissemble She answered If there wore any with him that would so well plead my deserts to him as hee hath here to read his merits to my beléefe it might bee I should bee able to dissemble my paine when it takes me yet can I not denie what thou alledgest for his gallant behauior is a comfort in middest of my greatest woes The two famous Knights alighted for the hall being one of the fairest in the world was full of knights that expected the proofe of the Louers Pauillion In the outward yarde they left their horses and as friends togither entred into the hall hauing round about an infinite of rich seates excepting a corner purposely hung and reserued for the Ladies that then entred whose beautie and brauerie delighted euerie heart The most beauteous Eufronisa would not differ in her colour of garments from the Brittains armor apparrelling her selfe al in white imbrodered with red roses that neuer to the Ladies sight it admitted no compare The Gréeke did note it well smiled at it This occasion expected Cupid to yoake the brest of warlike Astorildo that in scorne of him had long time led his life and so with the sight of the Ladies rare beautie he was beset with new desires féeling his heart subdued A wound was this he receiued that onely death cured for that solely had power to remedie it for the Ladie busied her eies gazing on the Gréek he thinking on Lyriana in whom his hopes life felicitie consisteth So that only Loue must please this third intruder for Astorildo alreadie loues his life depends on his alienation now he gréeues for appoynting combat with the Greeke séeing it toucheth what hee adores and with a word he hath euen now changed his opinion by beeing in loue and without hope euer to obtain any recompence for his distresse And yet the Ladie scorning the firmnesse wherewith he loues her placeth it in affecting him that laughes at her because he dotes vpon Lyriana So the Ladies sate them down being aboue a hundreth in number daughters to the chiefe Nobles of the Realme When all were silent an ancient graue man for so he was that brought the Tent did set it in middle of the hall A fairer péece was neuer séene it was all of blew Sattin imbroderad with Artechokes of golde set with so many stones that their splendor depriued the sight of it At the doore thereof appeared two knights richly armed that séemed to challenge the fight of euery one present within was séene a faire throne wheron sate a Lady of excéeding beautie holding in her hands a crowne of inestimable value Thus euery one expecting to knowe of the ancient knight the sum of the aduenture the Ladies and knights yéelding him gratefull audience he beganne to recite the cause of his comming whose relation deserues a new Chapter inferring mee to intreat of you faire wonders of natures beauties like attention for now haue I most néede thereof expressing a matter of it selfe so worthie to be knowne CHAP. XV. How the knight ending his relation of his aduenture his knights began to prooue it and what them befell MOst high and mightie King of Sylepsia began the ancient knight in the Southerne parts and regions of the world there sometimes dwelled a man in the hidden and secret misteries of Art and Nigromanticke spels the skilfullest of his time whose knowledge and great wisedome could not keepe him from the snares of deceitfull loue who intrapt him with the beautie of Belisa daughter to the king of Arabia the Felix one of the fairest Ladies on the earth who gouerned with higher thoughts admitted not the wise Nycostratos affection He atchiued many woorthie déeds in her seruice yet all would not preuaile to mooue the Ladies loue nor yet to shew him one counterfeited fauor which put him in such desperation as daily he neglected the estimation of his credit more more lost his health On this Ladie were also inamored two Princes alike in valour and deserts though one was more happie hauing the Ladies fauor who fedde him with those hopes that they are woont to giue their louers al which was woorse then death to the wise man as also to the other knight reiected So Nycostrato knowing it as also the approach of his liues fatall houre finding that Belisa was cause thereof purposed ere he lest the world to be reuenged so formed he this wondrous Tent where hée inchanted the Ladie bereauing her of iudgement for the litle respect she had made of his great loue Also he enchaunted the two louers to defend the entrance vntill there were a knight so amorous and valiant but as vnhappie as eyther that by vanquishing might restore them their lost libertie And Belisa by the Lady that without exception best deserued the tytle of constant Louer yet woorse rewarded for onely this to be fayrest must frée enchaunted Belisa In the estate they be they suffer many torments for so pleased it Nycostrato the more to satisfie his reuenge That knight that is fauoured by Fortune shall end the Combat must after leade the Lady that will prooue the aduenture In many courts of mightie kings haue we bene hoping to finde some knight to set a periode to our trauell but the Princes being valiant and the Lady very faire none hath preuailed no not so much as in the entrance Almost dispairing euer to finde remedie for these
thy helpe and for this requested thy good will But for all I am denied all I wil till death persist in this my pure loue and hope for no remedie euermore cōplaining alike of my self as of thy most inhumane barbarous cueltie And therwith flung out of the chāber bathing her chéekes in water of her eyes Shee sent him by Selia some Iuncates of her owne making to refresh him with for she knew he had eaten nothing all that day She intreated him to be answerable to the Princesse loue though it were but fained for according to the gréefe that hath possest her I doubt she will not liue till morning and consider what by her death wil be imputed to you when you shall bee called the murtherer of so faire a Lady I would to God gentle Damzel said he it were in my power to redresse the Princesse griefe but you know being heretofore sworne anothers it is impossible I should pleasure her without committing the greatest fault that euer knight hath none I wil no more importune you said the damzell for I shuld think my selfe much iniuried with your disdaine how much then a Princesse so faire and honourable That is it replied the Gréeke which hinders me for should I do what she requires it were but to satisfie her will against mine which were the greatest wrong that might bee done her for hauing pawned my faith vnto another I cannot violate it to pleasure her The damzel returned to her Ladie leauing the Prince the most perplexed in the world séeing himselfe in place where he could not vse his valor Selia found the beauteous Eufronisa tumbling on her bed drowned in teares What sayest thou my deare Selia said she to her to the tyrannie wherewith that cruel knight doth vse me what meanes may I vse I my selfe know it not nor doo thinke there is any and to desist to loue him thou séest is impossible for neither my affection will permit nor am I able to let it Shee spied neare her the Crownes shée had wonne and with a sigh that séemed to end her life said Oh glorious rewards to increase my harmes you were the sole cause of my vnhappinesse Now that she thought the Gréeke to bee in bed not able to bee quiet shee went alone vnto his chamber whose sight made the Prince offer quickly to rise shee stayed him saying I le not haue thée vse me with any of these ceremonious courtesies nor is my comming for them thou cruellest knight that euer the heauens did create but onely do I come not to intreat of thée what thou shouldest of thy selfe procure hadst thou thy perfect iudgement saue to demand of thée two things for with either of them shal I receiue some comfort and beléeue me they bee not to thy preiudice for were they I would not require them Most woorthie Princesse I nothing more desire of Fortune answered he then to haue that occasion offered wherein I might indanger my life in your seruice and would to God by loosing it I might cure your woes then should you sée with what willingnesse I would cast it on a squadron of deaths darts therefore demaund faire Ladie what you will for I wil at the instant accomplish it beeing with the conditions you propounded Without them most cruell Knight said she who durst require any thing of thee séeing thy straungenesse and barbarous disdaine so extreame against me The first thing therefore that for me thou must do is to tell me who thou art and the Ladies name to whom thou hast rendred that fréely will of thine The second thing I le demaund this being knowne for séeing I must be disdained and forlorne I wil know whom I loue and for whom I am not loued Your excellencie sacred Princesse so farre vrgeth this matter that I cannot thinke replied Rosabell why you wil know the thing that being knowne I am sure wil but augment your woes They cannot be greater then them I haue alreadie did she answere and therefore you must not breake with me vnlesse you wil be as disloyal as cruel I am content to do it said he though sure I am of your hate when you know me but that I may giue some ease vnto your gréefes I will kéepe promise Know therefore diuine Ladie I am Rosabel of Brittaine son to the Gréeke Prince Rosicle◠and his Princesse Oliuia espoused vnto Lyriana Princesse of Nyquea and he that in nothing wil take more felicitie then to procure your content But will you not excellent Princesse force mee beeing so inraged to breake that faith I vowed on her hands to be true Louer And now may you sée what reason mooued me to bee so obdurate finding that any remedie from me can but dishonour you And is it possible knight said she that you are sonne to the famous knight of Cupid whose woorthie déeds and loues haue with immortal fame filled all the world Wel had I no other cause but that you are sonne to such a father it were sufficient to make mee loue you till death I only intreat your leaue being alone opprest with these extream passions I may disburthen my cares by séeing the vnhappie Eufronisa is yours for so I shall receiue some rest Whereto he answered Most soueraigne Ladie Princesse of Sylepsia you sée what litle power is in me to graunt you that license for hauing no interest in my selfe I cannot without her will graunt any such thing Then saide shée tell mée where she kéepes for I le send to her for it So enuious hath fortune béene to my content that yet that I cannot say not knowing it because she rest her from my hands Well well replied the Ladie chopping her words in the middle and drowning them with teares because I aske I sée it is impossible I should knowe it least I might receiue some little comfort thereby And since the earth cannot affoord me any the second thing that you for me must do since you haue promised it and vowed by the faith of a knight is that with this dagger you bereaue me of my despised life séeing your sight gaue me so many deaths do not denie it for you haue promised it and if you do be sure I le trauell through the world proclaiming your disloyaltie And so she drew foorth a dagger from vnder her gowne and with manly courage she put it in his hands saying Through my breast hewe foorth a passage for my soule most cruell knight and yet I will not haue you make the wound vpon my heart least you should hurt your selfe modelde in the middest thereof The Gréeke tooke it so amazed that he knew not where he was But the resolute Ladie immediately discouered her brests the purest work that euer nature wroght Make an end thou fellon-stealer of my libertie to giue me som content by this expected death and stain with blood this constant obiect of thine eyes Oh rare force of loue faire Ladies whose power consisting on extreames makes all things
in the sea for beléeue me they are the flower of Armes Two of them replied the Prince I can tell you of the one Bembo by name King of Achaya and Lord Generall of the Souldans Fléete the other is a most strong Pagan King of Mauritania and mortall enemie to the Gréekes The last yet séeming of a bigger constitution of composed members I knowe not sauing that it was he which in our companie proued Rosilias inchantment being he we met in the Forrest in battell against the Emperor my father But the time is long and we may end any particular combat for I no lesse desire it then you since I crost him on the seas when I defended your ladder In this conuersation they came vnto a cleare riuer of fresh bubbling water which inuited them to find out his spring to passe away the heate of the afternoone for the Sunne hauing progrest halfe his course had alreadie dried the moysture of the earth Within a while they found a faire Fountaine where they allighted both to wash their faces and take such repast as Pollisandros prouision affoorded Thus they droue away the time with some content for Claridiano for his vncles sake controwled his greefes when his Ladies remembrance troubled him So béeing desirous to take a nappe they parted a litle one from the other to sléep Short it was for the Musicke of a swéete voyce awaked them at once Wherevpon Claridiano said Haue you euer heard braue Knight more swéet harmonie Beléeue me we haue met with some good entertainment for he that sings in my opinion should liue by being in loue We may not leaue the enioying of so swéete a note So they rose togither and putting on their helmes tooke their shields and followed the sound they heard and then ceased They came vnto a little groue beset with loftie Pynes there saw they a shepheard of the fairest disposition in the world and so beautifull that his sight wold haue made him enuious that kept Admetus flockes He séemed to be very young holding a Recorder in his hand to whose sound tuning his voyce he sung his soules gréefe vnto those sencelesse trées Credit me Prince of Grecia said Claramant that some chance in Loue hath made him so disguise himselfe for although there be gallant shepheards about these and other fields yet this his tender behauiors showes he hath not béene brought vp to tend shéepe Let vs attend him replied Claridiano for hee himselfe will resolue this our doubt They néeded not much perswasion to make them listen for the swéetnesse wherewith he sounded his Instrument was sufficient to mooue as did the Thracian Poet his melodie which when he ended he warbled foorth this Elegie Great must needs be the greef extreme must needs be the torments Which I do feele while I want faire Polinarda thy sight Esteeming thy sweet presence my sole happines in life How may thy long absence but be a death to my heart On this staie yet I liue in thy disgrace that I liue not For then in endles plagues damned I were to perish Rather as one whose sincere Loue was kindly regarded On the highest heau'ns-spheare placed I was by thy hand Golden dayes were those But now dispoiled of all blisse Like sad Bellerophon ioyles I wander alone In darknesse I do straie missing thy Sunne to direct me My day to night turnde is my delite into laments Vexed thus though I am Complaine on thee yet I cannot Of thee Ladie diuine for loue I had loue againe Spightfull Fortune it is that of all ioyes hath me bereaued And with deadly malice crost me with heauy mishaps Distrest by Fortune yet neuer will I be daunted Maugre her and her force will I loue and be belou'd Enuious ill Fortune cannot compell me to dispaire When she hath her worst done then can I be but a wretch Then when I most am a wretch most cōstant shal be my hope then Which without her compasse firmly by faith I do keepe Her force will not I feare nor seeke for her helpe that I lou'd be Oh fayrest of fayres on thee alone I depend In presence was I lou'd and shal be I doubt not in absence Lady in whom vertue like to thy bewtie shineth Constant as comely Bur alas that I must like a Pilgrime Wander a whole age thus through regions so remote Kingdomes farre distant where I wish in vaine to behold thee Where new sprung dangers hourely delaie my returne From thy sight banished whose siluer rayes be so splendent That therewith dazled Cynthia hideth her head Expect yet do I still and that day daily do looke for In thy sweete presence once yet againe to reioyce Conuerting sadnesse to gladnesse sorrow to singing Rapte in blisse then I shall perpetually tryumph In meane time resting on this so sacred a comfort This thy want perforce with patience I do beare Till the raging tempest of Fortunes fury be ore-blow'n And I of all turmoyles shall haue a happie release No more could the two valiant Gréekes vnderstand for the vehement grones that burst from his soule togither with hart-breaking sighes drowned the verie sound of his words Now that he had thus giuen a litle passage to his griefes by publishing them vnto those loftie pynes that by bowing their spreading braunches séemed to pittie his distresse with a breathlesse Ay me he began his laments in this maner Oh Loue how extreamly hast thou executed the power of thy rygor on me Oh my tender yeres eclipsed in the budding of your spring with the nipping winter of sower griefe Iniustly hast thou made me an example of the happiest Louer that euer was neuer hauing against thy soueraintie so much as in thought offended nor yet in any thing gainsaid or contradicted thy awfull power Oh I acknowledge it and do confesse what happinesse is obtained submitting true dutie to thy commaund as to the sole deitie able to giue life or swéetest death and yet for all thou art long since assured with what submissiue humblenesse I haue obeyed thy behests and with patience endured thy crosses so dearely bought at the highest rate and price of my content it pleaseth thée when the soueraigne Goddesse of my soule would most fauour me to exile me her presence by such cruell meanes On me and my poore heart that neuer did offend thée hauest thou tyrannized with all inhumanitie winking and pardoning the Conspirators against thy rule What hast thou got by absenting me from her stampt in my liuing soule wherein wert thou offended when I beheld her presence were it not I feare to be accounted Traytor vnto thy Crowne and Principallitie I would call and proclaime thée ouer and besides that thou art cruell to be enuious and if not so that Iealousie plague of mortals and immortals to sée me loue and liue thereby and in recompence of so firme a faith to hope for the glorie of being againe beloued hath forced thée to make me in exile wander thus from that her
who gaue him no longer time for this consideration for the two that on horsebacke remained returned to ouerthrow him Hee could not defend himself for the course was short and so headlong they ouerturned him Ere he could rise Celio stept to him with the greatest blow he had in al his life receiued for it had almost strooke him sencelesse laying him all along vpon the earth All this was no meanes to put the Dacian from his skilfull procéeding for ere he could second another like a furious Lyon he rose on his féet resolued to expect them Hee sawe himselfe in daunger of death for the two that remained on horsebacke with quicke and suddaine carriers so opprest him as he lost his hope with honour to issue out of that enterprise Among the horses he setled himselfe strongly A thing worthie his valour he did for his shield forwards he expected Larsinio that to incounter him had aduanced himselfe but no more he mooued him then if he had runne against a rock whom with his horse staggering back the Dacian forced to fall whereat the Prince was glad knowing that on foote he could better deale with them So he stept aside letting Alcino passe and as he went gaue him such a thrust which was it that assured him the victorie making him therewith maugre his strength to leaue his saddle For all this he had no cause to boast of the blowe for the inraged Celio ranne to him with both hands laying on his rich helme the temper gaue him his life else had his head downe to his necke béene diuided yet made he the blood in great abundance gush through his nose By this were the other two vp with their swords in hand It was a combat most worthie Cupids sight for the thrée are mightie and the Dacian the same he was woont and a foote stronger then Mars hée shewed himselfe like a cunning fencer setting forth at length his shield and sword to intice them to make offer Herein hee preuailed for most blowes he receiued on his shield which being inpenetrable they did not so much as race it In this manner a while he behaued himselfe but hee iudged it cowardise so to end the battell wherefore brauely he rusht among them well couering himselfe with his shield and as hee past he gaue the second brother such a counterbuffe on the helme striking away a great part of his vizor that it was aduenture he had not done so by his head Downe along the breast descended the sword making there a long daungerous wound with another he would haue ended that battell had the other two let him But the haughtie Celio with impoysoned rage entred so much inwards that at his pleasure hee could discharge his furie on the toppe of the inchaunted shield not able to cut it yet so waightie was the blow that thrée or foure steppes staggering backwards it forced him Larsinio was not ydle for with a strong point he thrust at his brest He felt the blow for it depriued him of his breaths passage The two brothers had not discharged their blowes when the wounded Alcyno returned and with both hands gaue him a most mightie stroke Rezound with Eccho did the gréene fields by the warriors sterne stupendious blowes And the angrie Iudge was astonished to sée with what crueltie they assayled each other Aduantage had the warrelike Dacian in his armour for though he was tired yet they had no scarre Otherwise was it with the brothers for the fielde was besprinkled with their blood Don Elenos celeritie much auailed him else he had not got the victorie so cheape but it and the surenesse of his armes makes it certaine Thrée houres haue they fought making no shewe of fainting in the end of which was the Dacian alreadie at the extreamest of his rage thinking he had the worst of the fight so casting his shield at his backe and with his sword twixt both hands began to brandish it among them quicker then the Cyclopian Smithes doo their crooked hammers and as he could not misse them he gaue no blowe but fetcht blood In the selfe same Coyne doo they paie him for the thrée more fiercer then Alcydes assayled him so brauely that if he giues he receiues and in greater quantitie with equall quallitie Now skill and dexteritie preuailes not with him all he remits to blowes wherewith he rents cuts and in péeces shiuers their armor priuy coates and shields He would first dispatch Celio which most troubled him so getting from the two entered to him and in his assault with a downright blowe he cut away his shield with al his vanbrace and a great péece of his shoulder Scarce had he done it whē with a point he turned against the second thrusting thrée parts of his sword vnder his arme pit where had he put foorth his arme as he mought for euer had he there laine Vpon Larsinos waste he discharged his furie so fiercely that it was a wonder he had not in two diuided him The heauens preserued him to paie his iealousie although against the Dacian Prince he lost thereby In his very soule was Celio vext to sée with what rygor that one knight handled them that taking his sword strongly in his fist aymed aloft giuing Alcyno time to giue him a dangerous blow on the thigh for falling betwéene a ioynt it made him a wound outwards so great was the paine as he could not stand on that legge which the brothers perceiuing and assuring themselues the victory began to oppresse him so vehemently as they depriued him of breathing Eager herein séemed the third brother and would make some shewe of his valour but it rezulted to his deare cost For Don Eleno noting his intent gaue back as fearing the rest and so let the third enter who being within his reach with incredible force laide him on the head he cut away most of his Helme with a great péece of his head tumbling him at his féete helping him thereto with another no lesse strong The other two closed with him lamenting the successe He could not refuse the wrasle He entred thereto aduisedly first drawing foorth his dagger quickly they fell on the ground where they tumbled a good while It was aduantage for the Dacian to be so for stretching foorth his arme in that place where before Alcyno was wounded on the front there againe Don Eleno strooke him making him loose his hold with the pangs of death Then he turned on the first whom for his valour he had affected but at that instant forgetting it let flie at his brest a most cruell stabbe wherewith he ended the brauest aduenture euer in that kingdome knowne The noyse which the haughtie edefice made vanishing away was heard through all the Citie of Xantho To Cupids Throne was the Ladie conueyed in that manner as she witnessed her brothers deaths whom the God of loue thanked for her amorous act in giuing her selfe the mortall stroke of death only mooued through zealous
hauing taken so vniust reuenge guiding thy selfe thereto by a blinde selfe voluntarie passion and not by royal wise and discréet reason And least thou shouldest hereafter pretend ignorance knowe thou haste iniuried such Princes that will straightly call thée to strickt account of all these wrongs Of whence or what you be and of your pride and insolencie we néede not care to know said the king for it manifestly appeares in your last committed faults And that you may sée how little I respect your haughtie menaces I commaund you on paine of death to depart my kingdome within these foure daies if not I le séek till the death pursue you with an hoste of armed men Before this had wee determined our departure replied Pollidolpho abhorring longer to abide in Court whose king so little doth respect true iustice and so do I hope to sée the time thou shalt thy selfe confesse the euil committed to be ruled by the opinion of self passionate men whom fortune hath rewarded according to their malicious intent Plainly vnderstood Lindaura it was ment by him but vrgent necessitie was betwéene them that he durst not speake They departed from the king leauing him readie to burst with rage and Lindaura in the same manner that had no other comfort but to thinke his estate sufficient to warre against the whole world He required since all matters were quietted to be married to the Princesse Venus The Father could not denie it being pleased therewith nor the Lady might not recall her word giuen to obey him although she deferred the day alleadging she and her damzels were working certaine things against that time which forced her to deferre it eight or tenne daies for séeing they were assured of her graunt that terme was little Her father reioyced and much more the dishonoured Louer of Liconia to sée that for all his troubles and vnhappie chances he obtained his Venus Who altogither of a contrary desire sought meanes how to aduertise the Prince and to conferre with them of her resolution The Gréeke well knew it who being without the Cittie taking some rest at the fountaine although it was some to be at libertie and in the company of such friends as those on whom for their valors a greater matter then that and difficulter might be reposed He expressed his determination thus So great is my soules ioy mightie Princes of Dacia and Babylon that my tongue cannot expresse it in that it pleased the reuoluing Mistresse of vnconstant time to order your commings hither for otherwise what the Prince of Grecia promised without your handes had béene impossible for him to atchiue Before the king imprisoned mee my helpe was craued by his daughter against the force her father would commit to match her with a husband she disliked to whom I offered my person so did this warlike Prince of Croatia louing as her beautie doth deserue no lesse the faire Venus and of himselfe he made her sole Empresse I well perceieud it presuming more then my strength could beare promising to set her in his handes in despight of the Syconian Sophy to whom she is assured by the king because hée is so great a Lord. In prison talking with her and telling her my opinion she altogither yéelded thereto and that shee would in nothing contradict me So must I now go to her presence and resolue her of my intent that according to our time limitted wee may vse the most conuenientest remedie I do therefore intreate your aduise and counsell in these waightie affaires The Dacian thus replied I knowe none here excellent Prince that will deny his ayde vnto so mightie a Lord as the Prince of Croatia and therefore there is no reason but we all hazard our liues to woorke his content and moreouer it behooues me to take from hence the bewteous Laissa for hauing bought her libertie at so beare a rate I wil not leaue her in a straungers power for I intende to intreate the Prince of Persia to carry her vnto his Empire til I otherwise doo purpose and the company of so braue a Lady will be gréeuous to none And since we be héere togither I I am of opinion that the Prince of Greece goe to night to knowe the Ladies resolution and against when they will bee readie to depart thence Whereto the Croatian Lord thus said I cannot most excellent Warriours and soueraigne Princes protest nor binde my selfe to more then I haue alreadie only this I can within two dayes haue heere twelue thousande men that expect my comming to the sea that til I commaund them the contrary wil not depart from thence And within the Citie I haue fiftie knights and two Gyants to helpe vs if we shall néede their aide And we may safely vnséene go to our lodging in the Citie and there order our businesse Euery one was glad that the Prince was so well prouided and lest longer delaie should prooue more harmefull they straight mounted and tooke their way backe towards the Citie They entred vnto their lodging vnséene of any through the obscuritie of the night From thence they sent two of the chiefest of the fiftie knights to poste to the Sea side to commaund the Captaines and Leaders of the souldiers that euery Commaunder should leade the most and best of their charge vnto the Valley of the Louers and that the rest should be in vigilant readinesse guarding the Gallies The knights obeyed most willingly as they that intirely loued their Prince being also of his subiects so affected The Gréeke Prince leauing them onely with his sword and the strong priuie Coate that Venus gaue him he left his Chamber taking the next way to the Garden which was the place he thought to meete the Lady at which indéed was so For accompanied with Fausta and Laissa whom she had made partaker of her Loues and also how she estéemed the Persian Prince were both determined to go with them being assured what great Princes they were if that meanes might debarre that vniust marriage Claridiano comming to the doore gaue his signall which Fausta knowing opened saying In faith sir knight I now sée you cannot but be happie in your owne Loues being so carefull of anothers The Prince thereto answered This is my vnhappinesse to sée by experience anothers faith well guerdoned and liue my selfe in the greatest dispaire that euer knight in the world did It may be answered said she you are onely euil conditioned for by all your other parts you deserue the wide worlds admiration That is not so much said the gallant Prince as my misfortune is great that guides it this way Well leaue we this replied she and go we where my Lady and the faire Laissa doo expect you and haue patience for this is but the touchstone whereon the Ladie by true proofe makes triall of the Louer By this came the two Ladies fairer then Apollo and Venus stepping foorth said I did so greatly feare dispairing knight that séeing your selfe at libertie
in scorning her shall most intierly loue him And if any there be that wil most truly verifie my doubt it wil be the sonne of that most cruel Garrofilea For what could procéed from so cruel a mother but so cruel a sonne to reiect the constantest faith that any age ere knew Let it not so gréeue you bewteous Floraliza said the Quéene that the knight of the Braunch doo wander in absence of your presence so we distrust not of his loue And you doo not well to condemne him of ingratitude for I le pawne my word vnto you vowing by my high thoughts to procure with all my power your chéefest ioy for it were iniustice another should call him hers you being alone in the world that deserue him This liberall promise was some comfort to Floraliza as thinking that in her company she should not méete with any inconuenience although she perswaded her selfe she should not hope euer to be by him beloued In pleasant discourses of Loue and Armes they past away their else ouer tedious voyage vntil the fiftéene day of their Nauigation that they arriued at the fruitful land of Tinacria where what aduentures there befel them another Chapter shall relate CHAP. IX The aduentures that happened vnto the two Ladies in Tynacria with certaine Gyants that had by stealth imprisoned the Queene Garrofilia and her bewteous daughter Rosaluyra GLad in their glittering rich abillements of warre landed the two warrelike Ladies bringing on shoare the Quéenes Horse which she offered to Floraliza that would not take it but would goe a foote which made Archifilora doo the like with maiesticke pace leading her Courser by the bridle Along a broade and beaten pathe trauelled both these Princes of bewtie and Bellonas in valour They had not gone scarce a mile when they espied thrée knights of gallant disposition and well mounted comming the same way a crosse the same lane issued an other then whom the Ladies had not séene many of more liberal and brauer carriage his deuice and armes were discribed at the Tryumphes in Constantinople for this was Don Clarisel of Assyria Floralizas great Louer Well did the Lady know him and although the faith he shewed her could no whit withdraw her affection from the Tynacrian Neuerthelesse it pleased her to giue him that content that Ladies vse to yéeld in pleasant chat reseruing the best for their soules beloued She tolde the Quéene how shee knewe that Knight but it behooued her to bee then concealed for that she told her At length they all met and none of them but incessantly gazed on both the Ladies None of the thrée Knights were so courteous as the Assyrian Prince and so the one said It were some case Sir knights for one to ride while the other went on foot and so by turnes to vse your horse Because we will not trouble our selues answered Floraliza to mount and dismount so often we haue chosen thus to trauell togither vntill by some good chance we get an other horse This countrey doth yéeld so fewe said he Sir knight that I feare it will be very hard to get one Notwithstāding I had rather haue my hopes replied the lady thē thy vnciuill answere whereto the knight said What comming on foot and with such little shew of valour dare you make comparatiues with my words which were you better mounted then I am I would not suffer especially comming as you doo There is no fault said the Lady but may bee found in a discourteous knight and therefore hauing committed this there is no doubt but you haue all the rest yet if you will try your much strength with mine I am content to doo it conditionally that he which shall forgoe his saddle loose his horse and armour Had you a horse said the knight I would not much care to doo it were it but to disburthen you of your armed loade which now in hotte weather will be surely troublesome Let not that gréeue you said shee for my companion will lend me his horse and be content to loose him if you ouerthrowe me Eare he could answere with such grace she leapt into the saddle that the Quéen and Prince were amazed and brandishing her Lance she went towards the knight saying Go too discourteous knight now is the time to trie whether of the two can better kéepe his armor Forced through the challenge hée had made and the presence of his companions he turned about his great horse which was the last he did in all his life For meeting although the Ladie receiued a strong incounter hers was such that making three parts of the lance appeare at his backe at one instant he lost horse armour and life No longer stayed the other two séeing their friend slaine but ranne against the Ladie no more stirring her then if they had run against a rocke The Quéen was abashed seeing how basely the Knights behaued themselues so drawing foorth her good sword at two steps shee was where Floraliza stood with Camillas in her hand The Quéen entred sidelong with her sword aloft which valiantly discharging on the Knights helm she strooke him from his horse and with another on the ground ended his life which done quickly mounted his horse confounding the Assyrian with admiration who turning about sawe the Ladie beate the other Knight vnto the earth with a most pitteous wound whose paine ere it left him left him lifelesse The Quéene went to her and laughing said In faith sir Knight wee haue now horses for Pages had we brought any if they were on foote wanting armour here we want no choise A greater punishment then this said Floraliza deserued their discourtesie and turning to the Assyrian thus spake Haue you any néed sir Knight of our helpes for since we haue got horses a little haste else calles vs away By the voyce he séemed to know her whose figure he had impressed in his heart and so in some amazement did replie Not at this time sir Knight more then comming in time that I might enioy the sight of your high déed I would not loose the conceiued content of gazing on them especially being atchiued by whom deserues the honour of euery victorie So fearing the Prince had knowne or that by longer conuersation she might be discouered she tooke leaue of him and with the Quéene entred into a thicket adioyning to rest not of the battell toyle but of the seas wearinesse They allighted letting their horses féed on the grasse where shee recounted who Don Clarisell was and how sincerely he published himselfe to bee her Louer and how vnknowne to either they were brought vp in one wood She did recite the aduentures with such passion that the Quéene verily he should certainly marry her In many diuers matters did the two Ladies chat away the afternoone leauing vntil the next day their approach vnto the great and famous Citie of Tynacria where so many aduentures happened vnto the mightie Emperour Trebatio It greatly pleased Floraliza to
tread on the soyle of her deare knight hartily beséeching the immortal Gods to graunt her no other end of her desires then her faith deserued wherwith she sought him for she neuer imagined any thing but what increased loue to loue him and with vnfained constancy harbouring his affaires in the midst or her heart transferring them from thence vnto the soule to giue them there a place more quiet frée from the worlds perturbations and fortunes assaulting stormes and where she might better contemplate her happinesse being the Tynacrians Maisters They scruple of that litle they had from the Barke brought with more content in being there pursuing their Louers then were they in Constantinople féeding on the daintiest cates of the Emperors Court. Hauing done they a while discoursed of their knights thinking that time lost wherein they did not remember them The houre of rest being come the tender Ladies made their blanckets of their beds the earth and for pillowes tooke their Helmes and not without some teares to sée themselues in that manner and vncertaine whether their toyle would auaile them She that slept least not for louing most but fearing her affections zeale would not bee accepted was the Emperour Alicandros Néece that about midnight vnclasping the booke of her secret thoughts she found it so full of amorous arguments grounded on deare experience that it caused in her a newe griefe which tormenting her with some extraordinary passion to giue it passage she sat her vnder a loftie Pyne where supposing the Quéene of Lyra was not awake she began with more melodious harmony then his that descended into the vawtes of hell among those blacke inhabitants to fetch his deare wife to sing these verses Once I thought but falsly thought Cupid all delight had brought And that Loue had been a treasure And a Pallace full of pleasure Bur alas too soone I proue Nothing is so sower as Loue. That for sorrow my Muse sings Loue 's a Bee and Bees haue stings When I thought I had obtained That deare sollace which if gained Should haue caus'd all Ioy to spring View'd I found it no such thing But in steed of sweete desires Found a Rose hem'd in with Bryers That for sorrow my Muse sings Loue 's a Bee and Bees haue stings Wonted pleasant life adew Loue hath chaung'd thee for a new New indeed and sowre I proue it Yet I cannot chuse but loue it And as if it were delight I pursue it day and night That with sorrow my Muse sings I loue Bees though Bees haue stings With many Millions of sighs she ended The swéete melodie awaked the faire Archisilora ioying to sée her so firme a Louer Long did they not continue thus by reason that from the farthest side of the thicket they heard the trampling of many horses and now then the cries of outraged Ladies by violence opprest A little thing was inough to moue them being naturally bold togither they rose bridled their horses and swifter then the wind they spurd after the noyse In such haste went they that though they quickly got into the high way yet could they not know the cause They durst not sunder themselues for feare of loosing but rather referring their affaires to Fortunes dispose they followed along that way which was most beaten with horses hoofes Two myles they gallopt not finding what they desired til with the mornings suns vprise in a large faire plain they descried some 40. knights and 3. Gyants that guarded a waggon drawne with 4. horses Assured to haue found what they sought they let goe their Coursers reignes with more fiercenesse then Mars himself Neuer was such boldnes séen for the knights were mightie and for the enterprise chosen and the Giants euery one an Hercules Neuertheles the royall Ladies nothing doubting the fearful assault with their swords in hand entred among those knights as the hungry Lyon enters a heard of harmelesse shéep to séek his praie Against the Ladies strength their aduersaries stéele doubled shéelds nor fine tempored armor was no defence for their valor and puissance was infinit and the desire they had to frée the prisoners made them with more force floorish their swords among them Ere they were aware eight of their fellowes were slaine and the rest strooke the Ladies with many encounters but their Armor was such as they suffered no impression So the furie of their Launces being past Oh Archysilora who would not admire thée séeing thée raised on thy styrrops the shéelde at thy backe and with thy sword betwixt both thy hands range among those knights giuing no blowe but was deadly or deadly woūding At her héeles followed the Sythian Matrone that no lesse then she made her selfe feared with Camillas blade whose edge euen to the bone pierced their armor It séemed they both striued to excéed the other in déeds almost impossible in humane sight Abashed were the Gyants togither with a bigge Knight that was Lord of them all to sée how two knights hazarded their pryze with so much labour obtained to be rid of them two Gyants with croes of Iron made towards them crying to their knights Away away you cowards for shame blush to sée two Knights thus vsed Neuer were they by them obeyed more willingly then then for with the word they withheld their swords accounting that cōmand their liues which fighting with the two they aduentured on the dyce The two mightie Gyants on their styrrops stretcht themselues and shaking their armes threw the croes more fiercer then were they hurried from a Cannons mouth Carfully did the two Ladies séeing how it concerned them expectit that spurring their horses gaue way vnto the Iauelings and ioyning so neare their Maisters that ere they drew their Comitors they made them féele the waight of their armes So eager was Meridians daughters assault that she lost the strength of her blowe yet was it such that falling on his Beuer it dazelled his sight and wounded him at large on the fronte from whence the bloud issuing and dropping in his eyes blinded him to the Ladies great aduantage Forward she past swifter then lightning and with the same she turned at such time that the Gyant did so as furious as a bayted Bull with his Fawchon raysed against her that he wounded him and at once on either discharged the furie of their weapons A thousand starres saw the Lady within her rich helme but the Giants was filled with blood for the thin edged sword on the head woūded him dangerously This while was not the Quéene idle for in her assault she had brauely done he part and being longer winded and more vsed to the warre then Floraliza with Mars his strength she laid him on the side of his helme disarming all that part and on the head gaue him a mightie wound cutting away a péece of the skull and the blade discending downe the shoulder with like furie as the roaring waters runne through a lockt riuer it strooke away all his
departing from his sister in Greece glad in his soule to sée her so well bestowed trauelled to séeke aduentures through the world performing many braue déeds vnder the name of the knight of the Griffon all which are at large set downe in the Chronicles Lupercio writ of all the Pagans acts Galtenor doth not here mention them because they appertained not vnto the storie he composed So now was the frée Pagan ouerhearing the Gréekes complaints he was not mooued at thē for he had not yet yéelded his libertie to loue A while he stayed thinking the cōplaint would further procéed It fell out as hee would haue it for hee vttered many pittifull exclaimes afore Auroras shining in the heauens yet could he not by them iudge who he was more then the constancie he publisht of his Loue who was so carefull to go vnto the Cittie that in the instant he put on the rich armour Eufronisa had sent him Such were they as appertained to a nouell knight all white bur garnisht with many flowers of precious Rubies They greatly pleased him being of the best in the world as also because with such of like colours he departed from Nyquea and combatted with his father His shield was like his armour in middle thereof bearing the picture of Faith held by a white hand which for all that two Serpents with their stinges did pricke would not loosen it The word this Loues greefes the longer Holds Faith the stronger Though orepressed still my selfe Clad in these faire armes and mounted on a lustie Courser did Trebatios haughtie Nephew pace on towards the famous cittie glad to sée it with so many Danubious streames which made it one of the fertilests soyles in the world The same way did he spye the valiant Astorildo in faire gréene armour full of Pomegranates and on his shielde a fearfull Griffon Wonders had Rosabell heard of him reioycing to sée him of such braue disposition so did he admire the Gréeke supposing he was him that in the Forrest he had heard complaine hee gazed on him a while iudging his behauiour to excel his that in Grecia had ouerthrown him Hauing each met with the other they extended such courtesie as they iudged eithers merits to deserue The Callidonian spake first in that countrie language saying I would gladly knowe sir knight who you are for it séemeth to mee I haue séene you farre from hence In the same tongue replyed the Gréeke beeing well skild in most I am sir knight of such remoted countrie that though I should tell my name you could not knowe me notwithstanding through those places I haue trauelled and where I am best knowne I am called the Knight of the Flowers beeing by stormes and fortune of the seas cast on this land where I vnderstood there is in the Kings Court a certaine aduenture arriued very lately which ere I did depart I was willing to know and prooue it hazarding but little thereby being on Ladies behalfes whose seruice brings with it a reward for any paine how great soeuer although it should be thought none done in a Ladies name There is reason replied the Callidonian to procure their content with perill of our liues but this must be with assurance of reward Whereto the Gréeke answered Then deserues he not to bee beloued that doth it for reward Neuer sir knight was that loue famous whereto a recompence was proposed which must by deserued loue be obtained for as loue is the motion of a noble act for which all good is desired to the thing loued so doth not hee merit that honoured title that séekes it for any other thing vnlesse it bee to let the world admire the rarenesse of his quallities not inclining to the other which rather is a price prefixt for loue dishonouring the reputation of the Louer and disableth his worthes through the hopes of that guerdon which otherwise might make him most happie And well it séemes you knowe not what it is to bee anothers alleadging such an irronious opinion condemned of all that knowe what happinesse it is happily to loue which makes me smyle to thinke how safe the Tent is from you for being to be giuen to louers your libertie excludes you from that priuiledge which by being one you haue obtained I would not haue you so rashly iudge by what you knowe not replied the Pagan for you may be deceiued How should I be said the Gréeke hearing you so plainly vrge your libertie Nay then returned the Callidonian that you may know the vnaduisednesse of your iudgement I say none shall prooue it vnlesse he first prooue mee vpon the spéeches wee haue vrged for who the diuell hath euer loued without hope of something That hope answered Rosabell somewhat mooued the Louer must not haue but leaue it in the Ladies dispose for it is shee must consider the merits of that faith wherewith shee sées shee is adored and according to those deserts and her bountie she yéeldes the due reward And I am sorrie wee should with new brawles enter into the Pallace and I beeing first aduertised of the aduenture the first triall ought to bee mine And so about both matters hauing now opportunitie let our battell be with this condition least we want time for the aduentures promised that hee which forgoeth first his saddle shall not sée the aduenture vnlesse he be commaunded by the conqueror Nothing doth better please me said Astorildo that you may know your error by your loue So these two famous warriours turned their horses brauely confronting each other More horror makes not the furious waues beating on the stonie rockes then they by their incounters The Pagan was one of the greatest that the Gréeke had receiued for it cast him backwards on his horse with losse of both stirrops but the Pagan chaunced woorse for Mars on horsebacke equalled not the Prince that met him so strongly that fetching him cleane from his saddle he fel on his féete Recouer he would his seate before the Gréek returned hauing the bridle in his hand but the horse starting at his offer mounted aloft and put him from it that the Gréeke when hée turned sawe him on the ground where hee required the combat with the sword We should so stay ouerlong said the Greeke for fear therof made me condition thus but we shall haue time ere you depart this land to do it the which I promise to performe bee it but to disswade you from your heresie And that you may beginne to credit me I am content you first prooue the aduenture so shall you sée what aduantage you should haue not hauing this opinion which your libertie makes you maintaine Otherwise could not the Pagan do for noted he would not be of discourtesie so he promised to accomplish it and mounting againe like two great friendes they tooke their way to the Cittie arriuing there at the first houre after noone when all the principall thereof repaired to the Pallace to sée the aduentures proofe togither
thing procéeding from you gentle Lady I le accept as a fauour answered the Gréeke being assured that since you know my will you will not be against my content which I shall estéeme most great to worke yours And they arriued at the Ladies lodging where they were forced to silence least they should be heard and the Prince tooke off the armor from his legs So went they euen where Eufronisa did expect him fairer then Diana yet so abashed and fearefull that though she saw him yet could not speake But from her weakenesse she drew strength to say embracing him now Loue began to helpe her I would not valiant knight haue you attribute this my boldnesse to more then to requite what I am indebted to you hauing this day to your high honour most noblely honoured our court where my selfe also had part through your valour of the glorious end of the aduenture In eternall records of liuing memorie to succéeding ages shall this remaine togither with this my wanton déed if it be knowne Hee replied There nothing happened this day most soueraigne Princesse but was atchieued vnder the name of your excellent bewtie And therfore vndergoing it as yours what difficultie could happen which I might not vanquish to enternize your glories Ay me strange Coriolano were I assured thereof what torment were so great which I should not account a pleasure and most swéete But oh cruell griefe it is thou that hast conspired with my malignant starres to make mee explaine my will before I know how it will be accepted Excéedingly content rested I séeing you at the Fountaine and conceiued such delight that therewith I liue and euer shall possesse this mancion of my life but if you knew or would vnderstand with what paines gréefes it was intermixed there were no heart of Diamond walled with Adamant but would pittie my distresse She there ended raining downe her christall rubie chéekes such a shewer of liquid pearle as it expressed her soules sorrow It was not vnconsidered by the Brittaine youth for he was M. of Loues schoole A thousand times cursed he himselfe complaining against the blinde guidresse of vnhappinesse reuoluing many inconueniences the least whereof were woorse then death for if he yéeld to the Ladies will hee sées the wrong he offers to his Lyriana and if he do it not hee feares she is resolued for aye to kéepe him there Both things hee ponderated wisely in his minde yet could not chuse which he might do or how to excuse himselfe Notwithstanding of these euils hee tooke the lesse yet greatest chusing rather to suffer a liuing death then to offend his deare Lyriana and so hee aunswered contrarie to her expectation thus I cannot but confesse most excellent Princesse how much you desire to fauor me altogither immeritable of your benefits and if ending the aduenture in your name may be thought any seruice for euer bee it happie for bringing me to this estate wherein if my woorthlesse life sacrificed to confirme your content may be any signe of thankfulnesse behold me here readie to yéeld it With a heauie sigh the Lady answered Woe be to thée vnfortunate Eufronisa since in thy tendrest years thou haste begunne to feele the bitter chaunges of inconstant Fortune Sure sure I am I shall remaine an example to all posterities through this vnséemly act made woorse by thy vnciuill vsage I do not require you cruell knight nor will not haue you hazard your life in now daungers of new enterprises onely I request séeing I loue oh Gods that I should say so you would do the like Most faire of fairest Ladies replied the afflicted youth I am yours and as such a one dispose of me for none with more will shall procure your content But yet doe not bestow your sacred faithfull loue on so meane a knight as I both in conditions blood and estate the which neither your Princely honour fame nor dignitie doth allow nor my selfe séeing and knowing your loosing choise bound by deserts vnto your worthinesse may permit without infringing the constant lawes of faith hospitallitie and thankfulnesse The which rather then I will commit these my hands will I staine with my owne blood for where there is such inequallitie of deserts I should be hated and abhorred of all men so to accomplish your languishing desire and therefore haue patience beauteous Princesse for there is nothing better then it to tollerate these hastie accidents in Loue. Oh inhumane crueltie said the wéeping Ladie how much doest thou extend thy power against me what auailes it thée hard hearted knight to procure my honour by giuing me a most vntimely death So shalt thou rather be called an homecide then a man seruitor of Ladies wel well I wot that my ouer liberall giuing thée my heart mooues thée to this strangenesse knowing there is no reason in that breft wher Loue commaundeth which were it in me I could not but see the increase of my honour by being silent but with such vehemencie was my paine augmented as I could no longer conceale it And if thou knowest what it is to loue this canst thou not iudge straunge when true affection could neuer yet be limitted and mine excéeding all others forceth me to say I onely liue to loue thée Héere she pawsed vnable to procéede further nor the Prince to replie the one intercepted by the gréefe the poore soule indured and the other to sée he caused it by being so obstinate and vnrelenting to her requests In the greatest confusion of the world was the Prince in to sée the Lady so determined and amorous and he himselfe be reaft of possibilitie to helpe her I hope most beauteous Eufronisa saide the Gréeke this conceiued anger against mee will bee pacified knowing how long since and afore this time Tyrant Loue had made mée his tributarie vassall delighting from mine infancie with those that were toucht with this euill and if the consideration hereof may mooue you knowing my weaknesse to satisfie your desire I hope you will desist from making your selfe guiltie of dishonour Ayme cruell knight answered she now I le not so much complaine of thy disdaine as of my owne lightnesse séeing what a capitall and hainous crime I haue therby committed not onely gainst me yet that is no matter but against all Ladies in the world besides that onely for the name deserue to bee sued and intreated But I ay mee that I as ill accounting of that name as of my pure honour haue yéelded to Loues triumph rather become a suter then reserue my selfe to bee sued vnto And yet doo not you thinke but I perceiue your minde is still busied imagining on an others absence this and many other things I knowe by experience since I first and last sawe you at the fountaine I do confesse it all and also my reputations wracke but a resolued mind in constancie cannot leaue lo loue nor will I otherwise though it treble my sorrowes eternally For this I did intreat
Galtenor saith the Ladie forgot her paines enioying many daies the fruition of the Gréeke Louers bedde vnder that deuise telling him that a wise man her great friend had for some time fetcht her out of the inchantment to accompany him in that distresse Much bound did the Prince thinke himselfe to him for so good a turne So farre wrought the vertue of the Crowne that all the time shee enioyed him by that deceit the Gréeke could comprehend no more but tooke what Fortune offered him At length Eufronisa iudging it reason to let him go féeling her selfe with childe conferred with Selia that approoued it Shee tooke off the Crown kissing it a thousand times for hauing enioyed by it her harts content She had no sooner set it by the other when it was presently taken away not knowing by whose hands A voyce shée heard which thus comforted her Haue patience Ladie for the heauens will haue it so and till you knowe the fruite that by this deceit shall rise neuer looke to sée it more So soone as it was taken away the Gréek thought all that he had past but a dreame hauing scarce the remembrance thereof What time hée had so spent he knew not but stayed for the Ladies comming to giue her his answere which shee determined to refuse because shee would not be bound vnto him for it She entred his chamber with her damzell thus speaking How are you determined most cruell knight of the Flowers that according to your resolution she may liue that loues you He answered I am sure excellent Princesse you haue had time to consider the wrong you do me to inforce me breake my word yet I am yours and will bee till the death and so may you dispose of mee at your pleasure Whereto she thus returned Euer since most glorious Prince of Greece that Fortune or the powers of Loue made my heart obedient to your will I onely procured but a graunt from your mouthe by so many meanes as you haue séene solely deuised to affect you and that you might knowe I loue you And since you are assured thereof and now to comfort my sorrowes in your absence I wil haue you leaue with me some remembrance and let it be your dagger for which you shal haue mine that wherewith I intreated you to end my life which now I le kéepe to imploy it in your loue and beléeue me braue Prince while this soule shal haue power to breath this affection shall neuer decay And therewith with excéeding ioy she embraced him and taking his ponyard she gaue him hers bidding him prepare his departure against the next morning The Prince did so somewhat abashed to haue béen so importuned Hee tooke his leaue of the Ladies not without many teares for trust mee hee was beloued in the highest degrée that euer knight was A verie rich Iewell the Ladie gaue him at his departure All armed in precious armour and mounted on a lustie Courser giuen him by Eufronisa hee went out of the famous Cittie of Golthuerge whose departure she tooke most heauily yet some comfort she conceiued to be big with childe by him Straight the two Ladies beganne to deuise how they might kéepe close Eufronisas trauell who being a straunger to such matters gréeued thereat Onely this consolation she tooke to looke from the toppe of a high turret towards Grecia whither her ioy was gone calling it a heauie land to bring forth such fruite Thus this bewtious Lady passed away the season vntill her time of deliuerie which being the first she felt extreamely She was deliuered of two boyes the fairest that the heauens created for he which was first brought forth had on the face of a Lady fairer then the sunnes Splendor in his pride The other a heart thrust through with a dagger with the wound so fresh as it séemed then to bléed Selia shewed them her saying Reioyce faire Princesse with the issue sprung from that deceit which is such that it frées you from any fault The tender mother embraced and kist them saying Oh may the powerfull heauens deare children of my heart let you liue to know your warlike father for though he vsed me with all crueltie yet are you his sonnes Blesse you may the Gods make you as happie as I am vnhappie although I may now call my selfe the happiest on the earth onely by being your mother So carefull Selia tooke them away and through a secret doore in the garden she gaue them to the old ancient knight to see them nursed in some Village At their carriage away a thousand kisses and blessings did the louing mother giue them as diuining the long time shee should be ere againe she saw them With much care did the olde knight carrie them to a Village where he had prepared a nurse for them That hee might passe more couertly he cros◠the Forrest bearing the children in two baskets on a litle Asse by the way hee rested and tooke downe the boyes to quiet them from crying Scarce had he done when a chased Lyon ran thitherward being hunted by shéepheards with their dogs The knights age and the Lyons sight put him in such feare as he fell downe in a trance As then the cruel beast ment not to take any pray but to escape his pursuers In this manner lay the old man and the children crying for hunger when by great chaunce a mightie Lord dwelling on the confines of Sylepsia past that way with his wife that had bene at the Cittie to to sée the tryumphes there With them was an auncient Lady lately deliuered of a childe that dyed in Golthuerge So soone as the Lords wife saw the children and hauing none her selfe tooke such affection on the babes séeing theyr woonderfull bewtie that she commaunded the other Lady carefully to nurse and bring them vp In this manner were these two Infants carried by this Lord and tendered as his owne He that had the Ladies face they named Clarabell And the other with the wounded heart Leobello Who so grew in yeares and bewtie that they were accounted children of the Godds Where we will leaue them nourished by the good Knight Sergio for so was hee called omitting also their afflicted mothers sorrow for theyr losse and a while must remember the mightie dispayring knight Claridiano of the Sphere already departed from Croatia CHAP. XVII What aduenture the Prince Claridiano met in the I le of Creet where he disinchaunted his Vnckle Claramant FOr a while faire Ladies I am constrained to leaue Loues amorous discourses and trust mee with some gréefe but hauing to treate of many things I must describe them with diuers styles And now the warlike Gréeke with an Adamantiue power attrackts me to lighten him from the darke center of obliuion who departing from the most bewteous Venus and gallant Laysa lanched into the Adriaticke sea downe the which hee Nauigated foure dayes and the fift hee crossed into the Affrican and happening on no aduenture deseruing memorie
happie presence I neuer haue séene tokens of a perfecter Louer in my life said Claridiano and as I am a Knight if it lie in mee to helpe him I will doo it to the daunger of my life Of this and more is the Louer worthie of answered his vncle but I would not haue had you bound your selfe vnto so much wherby you should omit your iourney to Constantinople the which would gréeue my very soule especially loosing your company To doo so would increase my sorrow in the highest degrée said the Prince because our loue bindes vs to gréeue at others absence yet will not I remit to procure his coÌ„tent that know how to loue so intierly and it may be I shall this way find some measure for my torments knowing that her sight Commandresse of my soule will but augment my paines by being in disgrace and what great glorie it were to bee imbraced in her grace But go we to him that learned to loue and not feare the plague of absence for neuer yet did any féele it but iudged it woorse then death Let vs go replied the frée youth for it is charitie to helpe him in al thinges Wherevpon they made a little noyse that the carelesse shepheard might heare their going With some alteration he did rise supposing some other matter But when by Mooneshine hee fawe those two knight the riches of their armour and so gallant disposition hée went to méete them beeing no lesse courteous then any and saide What is it you this way séeke braue knights for although Fortune hath brought me to the last poynt to make me dispaire of my selfe so I may in any thing worke your contents beléeue mee I will be glad shee should for that time lengthen my despised life then which I could not be more plagued Whereto Claridiano made answere Wee come this knight and my selfe to offer our persons to procure your content courteous sheppheard if your necessities requires them the which we shal hazard with more will then you to imploy them There is no satisfaction nor yet gratefulnesse sufficient to ballance your most kinde offer gallant Knights replied the shepheard but in doing it you haue made known the valor and magnanimitie of your heroicke minds whereto by bountie you were bound Oh may Loue recompence it if it hath not bene possible to denie his soueraigntie with more ioyes then I at his hands haue receiued but now any comfort whatsoeuer will but augment my gréefe the which hath so far extended it selfe that no remedy nor salue can cure it Then Claramant tooke occasion thus But althogh phisicke doth not alwaies whole cure the inueterated Mallady yet many oftentimes it preuents and expelles many dangerous accidents that would else excéedingly aggrauate the infirmitie and so for all it may not now please you to communicate it to those that will féele your sorrow it will be some consolation to sée theÌ„ pittie it were it but to be answered with take comfort for others haue bene vsed with like crueltie and you are not alone despised in the world It is euen so said the amorous shéepheard for amongst all the greatest consolations inuented to mittigate the paines in loue to communicate them is the cheefest yet in me to discouer them it is an offence against the partie I loue But to tell the torments I haue endured and what happinesse they had obtained and my extreame fall from that high felicitie were to wrong my selfe in the recitall for it will be but an argument of little sufferance in me séeing that the least of my suffered paines was sufficient to withstand a thousand deathes But now to consider they haue let me suruiue oh there is no euill comparable to it nor none can I deuise worse For had I then bene depriued of my abhorred life I shuld not haue bene so familiar with sower gréefe yet to sée that after the loosing of that soueraigne good my life doth still persecute me with woes that death fearing to come neare them flyes from me when I most do call him oh there is no patient that can endure this nor I haue power to tollerate it but with millions of continuall teares to bewaile this losse and my misfortunes Farther hée could not proceede for his teares interrupted him which so mooued the tender hearted Prince that they intreated him to make them pertakers of his gréefs that they might iudge whether he haue reason so to gréefe Then the shéepheard said I am sure it is good to relate the tenor and processe of my woes vnto such Knights yet my distressed soule refuseth to refresh the memorie with so many euilles but that you may know how small this my languishment is sit you down and you shall heare the greatest iniustice that euer was vsed towards any he being assured of my faith that doth reward it not as it deserues but according to his pleasure as a Tyrant They all sate them downe vnder the couert of a spreading Oake where the Gréekes put off their Helmes whose bewties admyred the shéepheard who with some sighes moouing them to silence he began Since you be pleased Sir knights to haue me recount the Pilgrimage of my oppressed life and who I am so that séeming to receiue content thereby I shall not néed to intreate you to yéeld me that attencion my manifold sorrowes do deserue Know therefore most Noble warriors how that imperiall power that doth command both Gods and men pardoning none of no kinde I meane Loue soueraigne of all soueraignes hath inforced me into this disguised habit And yet when I ponder how extreamely the blinde Goddesse is bent against me I finde my selfe not secure therein for I haue ere this bene honored and as a Prince acknowledged vntill my â—â—arre-crost loues exilde me through the world This heart-infecting Deitie gallant Knights when in greatest pompe and iollitie I liued in Apulia whereof the Heauens allotted me Prince sent and conducted thither those whose tongues were tuned with the dulced notes of the gallantnesse and bewtie of the Princesse of Lucania With such déepe roote did her faire name insert it self within my frée thoghts that it is now impossible to leaue to loue her in that both she and I haue by a hidden grace accorded in one thing But I doubt it is the nature of our climate or they that breathe therein by custome to bee subiect to like misfortunes What shall I remember Hanniball who had hee not knowne Apulia then had hee not beene insnared in this passion but béene Lord of Rome and not through loue ouerthrow his eternall honour wonne with such losse of his owne blood Yet was not this example of any force to diuert me from my new imaginations but rather in greatest haste I prepared my iourney towards Lucania whither I went onely with a Page my horse and Armour soly to sée Pollinarda and if her perfections equalled the fame of her bewtie I arriued in time when it most florished because the
Court was then full of knights that serued her And in faith beleeue me that how far soeuer the report of her prayses excéeded beléefe so farre and more did I finde them to limp behinde her excellencies I noted In my opinion the heauens haue not created a more absoluter bewtie because Enuie it selfe hath found no meanes to seize thereon and therefore is become the Herauld of her worthes You may think Noble Sir these were new snares to intrap my captiue soule Asumptuous tryumphe was ordained in the Citie which in auncient times was called Frossa which in the Assyrian tongue signifieth happy It was so indéed and euen from the beginning for she neuer had a Quéene but was also in bewtie so This occasion did Fortune offer me oh she did further me to make my mishaps the greater placing me neare vnto a brother of hers by name Lysander a knight both young and valiant and in loue too with the Infant of Campania that in court accompanied the princesse Pollinarda high Solesia no lesse bewtifull then kinde who knowing how she was beloued wold not ill repay Lysanders faith and so the gallant liued in some respects assured of his hopes Oh yet neuer had any full assurance if he still will be amorous On the aduerse part was Leader the valiant Prince of Calabria Agesilao by name the happiest that I knew in that without the panges of passions and soules afflictions he obtained to be beloued of Pollinarda and in such open manner that the whole popularitie did know it It did not gréeue my Ladies father but rather it so pleased him that in open shew he exprest it which more animated the Lady to grace him with new fauours which were sharpe poynted daggers stucke in the heart of wofull Florisiano for so am I named Oh it could not be lesse beholding with my owne eyes my own sorrow At length the Iousts began wherein my starres vouchsafed a little to aduance me which did attract Lysanders affection with such true zeale that there cannot bee firmer friendship then that hee hath shewen me yea although against his sister The whole multitude turned their gazing eyes on my deuice which was blew armes crost with yeallow barres It accorded to the ill my iealous soule endured On my shéeld was portrayed suspition in her naturall colour as in auncient times she was paynted bearing a scrowle with this word Wisely who can her despise That onely doth employ her eyes To spie out Loues subtilties There was no Ladie in the place but noted my iealous colours and so as I after vnderstood some that were more pittifull prayed for my victorie which maketh me think their orizons and good will abode me the honour of the iousts So Lysander that greatly affected me and I cleared the place that none wold more aduenture and hauing don yet did I not disclose my selfe neither to him nor any other although the King himselfe was very importunate to know me onely this they got that I was called the iealous Knight Sure I am that my Ladie béeing so busied wtth Agesilao shee did not note my déeds but rather for it was told me she was displeased that I vnknown had vnhorsed her Louer in the Liftes Néedes would the Prince Lysander haue mee to his owne lodging professing himself so intier a friend that he hath wonne me to the death the which I will gladly receiue to procure his content In greater bonds did he tie me altogither expressing his much noblenesse by discouering vnto me the sinceritie of his loue towards Solefia Infant of Campania I could not but highly estéeme of the trust he reposed in me being but a Knight possessing nought but armour and horse He intreated me to accompanie him that night in a Maske because the king his father in honour of the iousts feasted all the Princes with shews and reuellings It pleased me in my soule in that I shuld behold her presence that gouerned my heart In two long robes of cloth of golde we issued masked yet would not I go so vnprouided but that I had on a priuie coate which in my wandring daies I vsed bearing armes In this manner we entered the Pallace when the reuels began Euery Ladie that had her gallant there fauoured him to daunce with him Of these was my deare friend Lysander one whose Mistresse was attired in the same colour that we were They daunced with such grace that Cupid himselfe could not but like it Next to him did Agesilao take Pollinarda Princesse of beautie by the hand I cannot denie what the heauens had imparted them for their grace and Maiestie admired all the Hall Many excellent changes and tricks they vsed yet the iealous passion of my gréeued soule stirred vp more in my face by comming and going of my running colour Had not my friende bene there rather then I would haue suffered it my heart vpon a two edged sword should haue bene split or I reuenged The beloued youth was famoused to be an excellent Musitian as indéed he was So his Lady or rather espouse for her father had agreed thereto gaue him a Lute to play thereon Hee accepted it for he was fully bent to performe her will and began to touch it with more swéeter musicke then hee that descended to the infernall Vaultes to fetch his wife Then with a cleare voice he warbled forth this Dittie the which my memorie carried away the more to increase my paine That brow which doth with faire all faires excell Those eyes that shining lends the world his light That gracious mouth where all the Graces dwell That dimpled chin the whetstone of delight Those two rare Mounts of Lillies and of Roses That in their swelling all content encloses That brow eye mouth chin and most daintie cheeke Doth call keepe hold bind and in giues restraine My heart eye eare my thought and iudgement eeke That no wise force can free me thence againe Yet do I loue my pleasing paine so well That boue all ioyes I prize my heauenly hell Let dunghill basenesse and the earthy mind His summum bonum place in what he list My soule which strange diuinitie doth find Within thy faces centure to consist Will not consent that any other bee My onely good but onely onely thee Thy brow shall be the dreadfull snowy Barre Where I will daylie for thy mercie plead Thy shyning eye my path-directing starre Thy mouth the Lawes which I must keepe shall read Thy chin and cheeke shall equall power beare The first to cheere the last to keepe in feare And thou thy selfe Goddesse of my desire In my Hearts temple dayly I le adore No other Deitie will I admire No other power diuine will I implore Great Goddesse keepe me in thy fauour shine My heart eye eare my thought and iudgements thine Thus did he runne vpon the treble with such heauenly melodie that had he not bene Agesilao that sung beléeue me braue knight I would haue liked it but being done by the
I rusht vpon him saying The time and place doeth now fit discourteous Prince that the death of one of vs shall testifie the vallor of the other I being alone and himselfe accompanied with two made them the bolder all thrée to assaile me I refused them not but valiantly put my selfe among them I mortally wounded one which gaue me way the sooner to méet with the vnhappie Prince who so litle liued to enioy his louing hopes for driuing him before me til he was vnder his Mistresse window with a strong thrust I ranne him through where the blinde Goddesse of Chaunce séemed yet to fauour him as to be stucke to his Ladies wall At the last grone wherewith he yéelded his soule I heard another the fearfullest that euer before or since I heard because it procéeded from Pollinarda It so daunted me that I had like to haue bene taken all the knights guard with others being thither come As secretly as I might I shrunke away til I had time to set my safetie on my féete getting to my Lodging saying nothing of what had happened vnto my friend yet had he questioned me about it he could not but haue perceiued it What else befel the next Chapter shall rehearse CHAP. XXVIII How the Prince of Apulia with much pitie continued the discourse of his life vnto the Greeke Princes TO proue how many daungers and perillous inconueniences the disordinate passion of inconsiderate Loue doth cause there shall néede no arguments nor preambles of large discourses to auerre it for the experience that euery one sustaines by paines and griefes thereof togither with the opinion of that famous Philosopher that said If this disordered Motiue of intemperate and furious motions had not bene indengered in the breasts of mortalls as some plague and scourge for euils infinit and Capitall deadly crimes had neuer bene committed nor imagined Well is this saying confirmed by the vnhappy death of the Calabrian prince at the hands of the Apulian Florisiano who with equal grace and griefe prosecuted the tenor of his woes thus The bitter exclamatios that sounded in the Pallace braue knights and the hurliburly of the Citie séemed no lesse then had it bene round begirt with enemies Dead as he was he was carried to the Lady so she gaue in charge for louing him so dearly in his life she would not in his death forsake him She did lamentably bewaile ouer the murthered Corpes when I disguised came thither for I could not but go and sée her of whose sorrow I had bene the causer Oh cruell heauens said the wofull Ladie with what barbarous immanitie haue you extended your rygorous power on me more then on any Ladie else Oh Sauadge and inhumane wretch murtherer of my soule may it be there shall want Iustice where such bloodie déedes haue abounded Ay me vnfortunate Prince how cruelly in thy tender yeares art thou by an vntimely death persecuted A thousand times did she sound vpon the deceased Truncke holding it in her lappe So extreame were my passions Syr knights that to sée him in that manner I almost became iealous iudging I had fauoured him by so sheading of his blood that in death were it not sencelesse to enioy so swéete a fauour Considering my great intyer loue my state for his I would haue chaunged By little and little I approached so neare her that lifting vp her eyes she met with him that was cause of all her sorrowe shée supposing it cried out aloude and saide Why doo you suffer the bloodie murtherer with such presumption to appeare thus before the murthered Oh Gods sufficient strength did I then desire sufficiently to be reuenged Some of the dead Princies Allyes did suddainly arise which forced me without farther regard to shewe my selfe guiltie of the fact by drawing my weapons Aboue fortie swords did presently flie about mine eares The Pillers of the yarde whither I was got following Pollinarda defended my backe whereby hauing slaine thrée or foure the rest with feare retired giuing me leaue to returne vnto the place where the Ladie continued her laments There I said I would yeelde both my selfe and my weapons into the Princesse hand So ioyfully I resolued to accompany the dead prince to please the Ladie and therevpon taking my sword by the point prostrated on my knées I said Most excellent Ladie if any offence hath bene committed it hath beene with this wherewith you may take what reuenge you will on mée that was the executioner thereof Beléeue me heroicke knights there is no crueltie like to that kindled within the breast of an angry woman peremptorily resolued for so she may haue her will no life she doth respect She tooke the sword and with inraged courage she offered to execute what I had accounted my happinesse so she were contented but her strength fayled her in the execution of the blow falling after the blade in a traunce whose point scratching my Front did let foorth my blood And though greater wounds then that I had not felt yet that I noted when the Lady returning to her selfe I spied my deare blood on her face as the spoyles of her intent A sufficient marke was that braue knights to asswage the greatest paine Millions of thankes gaue I Fortune for it attributing that hap to her for being so rare it could not but procéed from such a blinde distributresse of vnexpected benefits I had no power to defend me from those that assailed me being weaponlesse who had giuē me a thousand deaths much more one but that my friend and faithfull Lysander arriued at the instant who drawing his sword approued his friendship to be great by shielding me from a shamefull death though not from a rygorous prison where the King commaunded me that night to be cast in shewing himselfe to be most excéedingly angry and gréeued You may easily suppose woorthie Syrs what I might féele being in that sort imprisoned especially when the next day I was adiudged in the open place to bee beheaded I did not so much sorrowe to be ledde to die as to depart in my Ladies disgrace Who moste like an eager Tyger of Hyrcania stil cryed and yelled out for reuenge But it pleased my inconstant chance from whence I gather I was reserued to suffer greater paines that I should knowe my Iaylor being a knight both gentle and kinde whom by deserts I had bound to pleasure me for in former times I had no lesse saued him then his life defending it from them that would haue spilt it Hee much encouraged me saying he would for my sake vndertake any perill béeing thereto long since indebted His kindnesse did much comfort me although I neuer imagined to steale from prison for all he would haue set mee at libertie for I was resolued to die louing her by that meanes working my Ladies content that she might sée I suffered the deserued punishment on me inflicted for so displeasing her I onely intreated him by the amitie and loue I had
loue for which hee promised her felicitie in her amours Against the two brothers that were causers of that vnhappy euent was the sentence read to this effect To the purgatorie of Iealousie and Enuie let them be carried where they may purge the paine that their rash vnaduised procéedings did put the famous Celio in Whom the mightie Iudge commaunded to be sent vnto the house of Hope where he might liue in ioy and sure he should obtaine a glorious and amorous ende deserued by his faith and that the remembrance of louing his sister should not annoy him This being done in presence of the Dacian who vnable to stirre with many flashes of lightning the heauens were somewhat darkened till all was past he founde himselfe in the open field hard by the bewteous Layssa and before them a Piller of fire with these words which Don Eleno did read in this maner The Purgatory of Enuiers shall here remaine iustly punishing the two Louers til the sonne of the cruell Lyonesse shall giue them libertie Discouering also the Castle of Hope whose wonders shall not be by any seene till the foure most fiercest Lyonesses shal meet at this Fount So greatly desired the Prince to see the scrole that hee sawe not the Ladie till turning about hee spyed her come towardes him a pace alreadie assured of the true manner of this successe and how she was sister to the dead yet knowing they remained but inchaunted ioyfully going neare him said I knowe not most soueraigne knight how I may satisfie the dutie you haue bound me too in hazarding your life for me in so manifest a perill although so braue a déed as this brings with it his due recompence It is sufficient excellent Ladie answered the Prince that it bée knowne I did you therein some seruice which bound all the world seeing what wrong you indured being kept heere to procure the remedie The comming of the shepheards Squire and Dwarffe intercepted their farther spéech Euerie one did their dutie to the Prince and Ladie Whom Don Eleno receiued as if he had not in a long time seene them At this time entred the same an infinit number of knights accompanying the king and the Prince Lindauro that galloped amaine to know the newes The shepheards aduanced themselues for reward of the newes saying that the russet knight which had ended the battel in the Cittie had terminated the Louers-aduenture It greatly gladded euery one for Laissas disinchauntment though being done by Don Eleno it nothing pleased the king that in his heart did hate him By this approached the Dacian on his mightie Tyrio bringing the Lady behinde him so faire that she affected euery one and had not Lindauro borne so great good will towards Venus doubtlesse he had elected her his Goddesse The King entertained him with better exterior shewe then inward minde thanking him for the good he had done in his kingdome The Dacian would not after hee had replyed with his becomming dutie treat of any thing touching the prisoners liberties but rather deuised other matter of discourse till they all fixed their eyes on a gallant Knight that descended downe the valley so well armed that it delighted euery one None there but gazed on him and the Ladie with somewhat more earnestnesse and with affection beganne to commend his brauerie He was mounted on a mightie Rone Courser his armor of a Tawnie garnished with many gréene flowers which brauely became him His shield about his arme in middest whereof was a knight lying along laying foorth his breasts to Cupid that with a dart angerly séemed to threaten him with this Motto Strike home the Gods will sure his woorth commend Who spoyles a wretch that wants meanes to defend His launce he carried in his hand and with such heroicke grace that excepting the knights which ended the battell they had not séene any of better disposition Approaching and doing his dutie to the king he straight knew Don Eleno by his deuise which not a little pleased him to méete him in those partes for he himself was the mightie Bransmiano Prince of Babilon Florions Nephew and sonne to Brandizel and hee that in Grecia was chosen for the third chalenger of the Imperiall Iousts and going with his father to Babilon was separated from him by a tempest The youth was not in loue but came in the last condition of béeing for turning about and looking on that Ladie in recompence of his sight hee gaue her both heart and soule and yet complained of himselfe to haue giuen her no more iudging her beautie to deserue farre more The king demaunded who he was ioying that such a knight should arriue at his Court But he excused himselfe the best hee could imagining that his discouerie might displease the Dacian The king would not séeme to importune him ouer much therein so turning about returned with all his traine to the Cittie It was alreadie knowne in euerie place what had happened Venus had aduertised the Greeke thereof who was excéeding glad of his Vncles aduenture All the popularitie entertained the Dacian with loude salutations of immortall praises saying Long liue the knight that hath so honoured our land It so vext Lindauro that a thousand times he was about to command them to silence but he dissembled it to conceale his euill intent So neare went the new Persian Louer to Laissa that all full of affection he tooke occasion to speake thus With reason may your soueraigne beautie complaine of all knights for being so remisse in procuring your libertie that they might loose theirs The Ladie well vnderstood him for shee was skilfull in the Art of Loue and now againe beginning therein plainly coniectured the end so replying to the purpose saide Of my selfe may I most lament sir knight to be borne with such lacke of fortune that I rather attribute my long imprisonment to it then to the fault of straunger knight for being ended by this knight that was the first which prooued it it might haue happened so to any other wherefore I am solely gréeued with mine owne misfortune and sorry would I be that my libertie should cause such losse as you speake of for I would haue none complaine of wrong by me They arriued at the Pallace where the beautious Laissa lighted in the armes of the Prince of Babylon being led by the aydes of Don Eleno and Bransiniano which content not a little increased her beautie More fairer then the sunne in May Venus expected her comming They embraced one another with that kindnesse that befitted their estates wherevpon the Princesse said I knowe not soueraigne Lady to whom this Court shall be hereafter most bound vnto whether to this knight that with his valour hath so honoured it liberating you from so iniust prison or to your excellencie that so hath beautified it The Dacian replying said Most beauteous Princesse bee assured that whilest you liue there will want none that shall bee in your debt lesse then with
once shewen him séeing my death was not to be auoyded and that I might leaue the world contently he should procure the deliuerie of a letter from me to my Ladie for it would be my latest happinesse He had before that noble knights heard mee complaine and vtter my true harts sorrow togither with the cause thereof which made him bid me write for he would with his owne hand conuey it to hers and also get me an aunswere To which courtesie I replied Had I much more done for you then I haue sir knight this your kind offer is a sufficient satisfaction for the same binding me anew ouer and aboue your loue to procure your content in any thing I may to effect which desire oh would I had a long life that a déed so rare and in such distresse offered and performed might with sufficient recompence bee guerdoned Thus animated I writ my letter whose coppie I haue about mee the which though it may séeme troublesome to you I wil read togither with the answere and then you will say I haue reason to complaine He drew his letter and opening it with a sigh hee reade it thus Florisianos Letter to Pollinarda NOt without fear most soueraigne Princesse of Lucania euen at the last moment of my life do I presume to write not intreating that I may liue for that nor the intiernesse of my Loue to your seruice will permit it nor yet can I perswade my selfe it would sort to any good effect because I am the petitioner for although it sometimes passed throgh my pensiue thoughts to demaund it to imploy the same to your content It presently vanisheth like ayre with remembrance of the vnhappie successe of your distressed Louers vntimely fall And although my fault may haue some hope of pardon beeing committed through the aboundance of pure Loue yet is it crost because it was against thee when I onely should haue dissembled my paine and not procuring to asswage it increase thine in the highest degree But I am resolued to die seeing you and my misfortunes will haue and haue ordained it so I do not offend beseeching thee that with thy leaue I may intreat to be carried to the place of execution along by thy windowe for the sight of thy presence wil much abate my greefe and tertor of so sharpe a death It shall be a fauour that with content wil license my departure when this haplesse bodie trodde downe with woes shal be dispossest of life The immortall Gods preserue thine as they can and he wishes that expects the approaching of the expiring minute of his Hauing done to the Court did the Iaylor sir knights high him He was a man in whom the King and al the Nobilitie reposed much trust so might he enter vncontrowlde into fair Pollinardas chamber whom as he tolde me he found clad all in mourning still continuing her laments By little and litle in their discourses hee forced her by occasion to demand for me whereto he replied I was one that momentarily expected his death from whom I tooke this letter finding it on his Deske and séeing it was directed to your Highnesse I heere bring it to be burnt least it import some further euil He did so cunningly deliuer it and skilfully perswade the reading that she thought him ignorant of the tenor Shee tooke and perused it from whence redounded the procéeding of the greatest crueltie euer heard of From Medea and Progne hath Pollinarda taken their names of cruell for her aunswere denotes her much more inhumane the which I do intreate you to attend that you may be assured what power a womans rage is of to execute her will The contents of her reply be these Pollinardas answere to Florisiano COnfounded was I twixt two extreames by thy Letter most bloodie knight and the cruellest that was euer borne the one increased my paine thinking on thy presumption and my ignorance in receiuing thy lewd scribled paper because it came from him that bereaft mee of my life murthering that vnhappie Prince The other which I account woorse then hell to be constrained to answere thee because to dissemble with thy letter were to giue ayme to thy boldnesse with occasion that thou mightest think it pleased me by my silence to graunt thy request admitting thy least euill the which my selfe denying it and adding tenne times more tortures to thy deserued punishment it would be termed no new crueltie proceeding from mee so exceedingly wronged and offended My sight thou hast no need to desire if it shall any thing auayle for thy content for hee that spoyled mee of my ioy hath no reason to demaund any And since thou murderedst his life that did not merit it thou hast merited the cruellest death that may be deuised the which I will hasten to execution I cannot wish thee life to ende mine because I doo procure thy death to comforte mee He hath reason noble Knights saide the Prince hauing ended to pine to languish to trauell without ioy and content that liued to sée so kinde a letter as mine aunswered with such disdaine and rigor Who hath euer heard of such crueltie as this I had no tongue to complaine of her nor power to banne my luckelesse starres For considering how I did offend her I thought this course of wrath too little But I desired so dearely did I loue Pollinarda it should bee saide of her shee had with greatest bountie and noblenesse forgiuen the greatest enemie of her content and sole spoyler of her ioy for that had béene a manifest token of selfe-conquest ouer her owne anger and reuenging thirst which is the sole glorie aboue all others to eternize an honourable minde because it is generally accorded that to bee a greater triumph obtained ouer our proper selues then to vanquish either heauen or earth Onely for this is that Ladie much bound to me that I neuer desired nor imagined any thing but to the aduancement of her honor and fame My gentle Kéeper greatly comforted me knowing how intierly I loued He performed an act the which hauing since without affection often déeply wondred with my selfe yet could I neuer resolue mee of the cause more then the motion of a vertuous inclination to comiserate a haplesse chance It was that being throughly gréeued to sée I should the next day be openly beheaded against which execution my deare friend Lycanders intercessions nothing preuailed that entring my chamber with a courage resolue he thus spake vnto me You sée sir knight what the king hath determined on your affaires it doth so gréeue my very soule that to saue your life I would gladly loose mine and hazard my credit with his Maiestie wronging his reposed confidence in me and will giue you libertie through this Tower for it is impossible you should scape by this Gate by reason of the strong guard that kéepes you And gréeue not thus to discontent your Ladie for the processe of time will lessen her concealed sorrowe for Agesilaos death