you would easily forget whom you left in prison that I thought best to get company to séek you abroad if you ouerlong should tarry and with my owne hands take my reuenge which should not be litle rigorous Had I bene happie diuine Ladies said the Prince as to haue knowne this resolution to féele the pleasure that wounds giuen by those your sacred hands doo yéeld I would not haue so soone returned But yet knowing the falling into any forgetfulnesse in you seruice how litle soeuer was paine intollerable inforced me so soone to hasten my comming to be resolued of your will the which those Princes nor my selfe wil in nothing contradict I loue so truly to kéepe my word inuiolate heroicke Prince of Grecia answered the Ladie that I know not what more to say sauing this I doo altogither submit my fortunes to your order which during life I wil obserue assured that such a knight wil respect my poore immaculated honour the which although in some respect I doo repugne yet to frustrate my intended marriage I wil venture my person in any peril you shal vndergo therefore in this there is no more to doo but plot it as you thinke best for that is our determination And since the Gods haue in all things made you so absolute doo not gréeue if I take this Ladie in my company For shée will in no case remaine any longer in my Fathers Court whilest I absent my selfe In charge had I that you last spake of saide the Prince from my Lord and Vncle the Prince of Dacia but séeing she is pleased with what we al desired let vs no longer procrastinate our iourney making all things readie for the same two daies hence in which time you may send to our lodging those things you shall bee best pleased to take with you Be it as you haue said soueraigne Prince said Venus for hauing in our defence the mightie Alphebos sonne it is nothing wee haue vndertaken were it farre harder Occasion they had to demaund for the Persian which being not omitted things passed so plainly that the Gréeke reioyced to sée his friend so well imployed Any ones good would glad him though hée himselfe did want it He tooke his leaue of the Ladies with a thousand imbracements that had not Archisilora gouerned his soule and the reason of his thoughts it were no wonder had he stood a while ponderating the content thereof but he with one ordinarie courtesie in liew of so many fauours left them of themselues iealous with feare of that they should do although their comfort was that such Princes had vndertooke their safetie They straight beganne to order the preparations for their iourney from Xantho While the valourous Gréeke returned to the Princes that receiued him with excéeding ioy relating to them all their conference with the Ladies resolution which not a little contented them and moreouer said And I haue newe commends to the haughtie Bransiniano Prince of Persia for the Ladies demaunded for none but him and I am glad in my heart to knowe how matters passe and in faith I had not thought the Dacian Lord to bee so warie Valiant Gréeke said Don Eleno knowe that in matters of Loue the greatest concealement is greatest fire for nothing contents Cupid more then to sée how by the sole motion of the eyes two agres concluding more with the sight then others in an age in present daily continual discourses For nothing better blazoneth the soules newes then the eyes and if they so could no maruell they be agréed and greater matters can Loue so effect So with great content did they all expect the second day to take the Ladies from the Pallace for the men they sent for were by that come to the place appoynted The next day Fausta sent thrée or foure of the Ladies chests and the one and the others awaited the darknesse of the approaching night wherin befell them what the next following Chapter doth resite CHAP. VII How the Princes conueyed the Ladies out of the Pallace The battell they had about them with the Kings Knights and what more happened ALreadie had the starrie canabey of heauen darkened the earth with clowdie blacke obscuritie when the foure mightie valiant warriours clad all in rich and strong abilements of warre accompanied with the two fierce gyants and twentie knights leauing the rest to guard the Ladies Coffers and to aduertise the armie of their approach arriued closely at the Garden gate and making the accustomed signe Fausta with more courage opened where they found the Ladies so amazed with feare that they had no power to vtter one word It was no time for ceremonies so Claridiano taking Venus in his armes carried her out of the garden and deliuering her to the Prince of Croatia said Receiue this gift sir knight for by doing it I can-cel the bonds of my ingaged word He could not answer being ouercloied with ioy nor yet could she do otherwise He returned like the winde for Laissa that more courage had then the other hauing indured many perils and gaue her to the Prince of Persia whose gladnesse did excéed the greatest in the world He forgot not Palisandro for almost he plainly conceiued what happened in the Tower so deliuering Fausta vnto him spake Since thou canst so well dissemble thou deseruest to haue her in kéeping The Damzell was wittie and so replied I would not sir knight that after you haue played your owne parts you should thus ill rewarde me The want of power to care for so many kinde Fausta hath forced mee to commit you to his guarding that knows what torments do possesse me Therevppon Don Elenos Dwarffe stept in with these words I faith Prince of Grecia if you vse to pay all your Squires in this manner it will make mee rebell against Don Eleno my Lord for he liuing secure remembers not vs that be so destitute of fauours The Dacian made answere The not knowing thy minde friend Lesbio was cause I procured not thy remedie but now I knowe thy will I will ere long satisfie thy content With many iestes at length they arriued at their armie where after they rested the Gréeke would discharge his soule of part of her cares wedding the beautious Venus to the gallant Pollidolpho with such content of all the hoste that feared they not to be heard had exprest it with applauding shouts Here me thinkes said Eleno all the world flies from farther toyle which being so I will also do it by leauing the protection of this soueraigne Ladie so bestowing her to the Persian he saide To you sir Knight must I deliuer her being destitute of strength to guard her So well did Venus plead knowing how the Persian was affected that foorthwith they were both espowsed to their admirable ioy Content in pleasant chat were these Princes and also beeing night it was not much if they enioyed any secret ioyes I knowe not but to increase their pleasure the sencelesse trées were
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
witnesse of the strongest and purest amitie that can be oh let the knight in yealow satisfie it with the like and with endlesse seruice perpetually to honor you And wonder not to sée me thus attired for the successes that haue me befallen makes me admire how I haue escaped with life I wil not because I cannot sufficiently expresse excellent knights the ioy those Princes conceiued with my sight They imbraced me as I were their brother yet had I bene so they could not haue done more They plainly had perceiued I was inamoured of Pollinarda since to such manifest hazard of my life I durst aduenture to come to the Court He so richly performed the part of a Noble Prince that knowing I desired to be concealed and not to be intreated otherwise then a seruant he also séemed content that I should affect his sister Much better did the faire Ladie take my part saying Beléeue me henceforth none but I wil sollicit Iaroes affaires which should haue no il successe séeing he refuseth his other name so wil I procure to redresse the most difficultest that we may liue contented She forgot it not the next day going to visit my Lady in her chamber where she found her troubled with many amourous doubts now misconstring of her fauours showne me then iudging it not sufficient to my deserts and her loue We departed thence ouercome with ioy and being in our Chamber and the Prince laide in bed I betooke me to a window that looked into the Garden to recount the fauours I receiued where in briefe I omitted none singing vnto the silent night the pleasure of my conceiued happinesse vnable to deuise what meanes I might choose to be knowne vnto the Princesse She was so farre in loue and therein so much out of quiet no Louer had euer any that she ouerheard my song and I thinke she gathered thereby her selfe had only the power to glad my sorrowfull soule And as the Infant Solesia came afterwards and began to talke of me she so well dealt for me speaking more then I deserued that she altogither made conquest of her heart for me insomuch that she had almost discored it For that time the Ladie would not presse her any more which if she had Pollinarda would of force explaind her great loue towards me That night which was the last of my content she came to heare Musicke and as I alwaies vsed I tooke my Lute and went to the window where not thinking because it was so late any had heard me I began to sing and openly to expresse the soueraigne ioy of my heart in this maner Oh who would thinke that Bondage could be Free That deep-hart-woundings could beget all gladnes That most accurst could the most happiest bee That that which all count griefe should kill all sadnes Let all men note these myracles in mee Whom Loue hath raised from the depth of badnes Vnto the highest of all high degree Euen then when nothing rul'd my soule but madnes Blest be the heauenly powre whose powerfull might Hath duld the keen edge of her iust disdaining And euer blessed be her noble spirit That heard with pittie my sad soules complaining Blest be the griefe of past afflictions night Sith it more sweete doth make my present gaining Blest be the Tyme that lent me first her sight But treble blest the Tyme of grace obtaining You markes of bondage too which did inuest Me in these blessings euer be you blest Longer had I made my song but that I heard a noise which not only made me leaue but also with some alteration to draw my weapons not thinking my lifes happinesse would séeke me at that houre With my sword in one hand and buckler in the other I awayted the successe when in the way accustomed I espied that soueraigne Ladie so excellent bewtifull that with her only sight I thought my selfe transported into the skies Smiling she came shewing the heauen of her face full of ioyfull hopes She first said thus Methinkes that straunge and irefull kinde of entertainment for her that soly procures thy content Oh what swéete words these be they that now féede me in this cruell absence and more she said thus And in faith I haue not conceiued small pleasure hearing thée sing expressing the secrets of thy amourous heart and for the great loue the Prince my brother beareth thée I wil indeuour if you tel me who your Ladie is to get your libertie that you may better attend her seruice With my soule full of gladnesse I replied It is the condition most soueraigne Ladie of all powerfull Loue to pardon none among which number he hath from the beginning so subdued my heart that I haue alwaies delighted to treate of his affaires with my selfe being most alone although the Ladie I adore and idolatrize be resolued neuer to fauour me I haue not dared euen from the spring of my loues to do more then sing the ioy my heart conceiues to account my selfe hers Where to she answered And is it possible thou art so cunning in dissembling thy affection Now by my troth wert thou to be my gallant thou shouldest not suffer so many torments And beléeue me there is neuer any thing lost by discouering to the Ladie the interior secrets of the heart and how she is beloued for otherwise thus to dissemble is rather occasion of further euil because it is likely nay it often happens that the Ladie may place her affection on some other and so thou loose that benefit through silence I haue alreadie set my chiefe happinesse therein did I reply most beawteous Ladie and therefore I cannot but bee silent and loue although I die Well hath my Ladie vnderstood what I require and how I loue for mine eyes sometimes forgetting their other motions repairing vnto the heauen of that bewtie for some fauour are credible Embassadors of the hearts intent That is not sufficient said she to make her resolue to loue beeing beloued for as touching your gazing that is so common and generall among all men that the Ladies may iudge it as an ordinarie thing not considering the owner of those gazing instruments doth honour and loue her and therefore it is an error to dissemble when the paine is estraunged If in recompence of the greatnesse thereof most sacred Ladie said I the author of the same should be discouered and she acquainted therewith none with more reason ought to do it then I for there can be none that hath indured so much nor any loued with such firmnesse If there be assurance thereof replied the Princesse I say thou doest wrong thy Ladie in not letting her know how she is beloued if it be with such truth as you publish And therfore because I haue this day heard I know not what of the Princesse Solesia thou shalt tell me what I demaund and on my faith none shall know it but whom thou wilt You haue no reason to binde me to any thing excellent Ladie
sonne Rosuler that at Oliuas intreaties did stay Also the furious Brandafidel was with him on whose strength he reposed much hope The Gréeke Alphebo had no néed of aduertisement for the generallitie of the warres was come vnto his eares and so with the greatest power he could vnite withdrew himselfe to Tribizound accompanied with Braminoro and Tefereo who most gréeued at the Princes absence was the beautious Archisilora attributing the lacke of Claridianos presence to her owne strangenesse her sorrow was easily discerned by her outward semblance No lesse was Rosamondes to sée her so knowing the cause it so tormented her that for feare it should be perceiued she resolued to absent her selfe for commanding the Gouernors of her kingdome should with all conuenient spéede conduct the greatest power of well prouided men they could select â—ut of her Kingdome to Constantinople and there to rest vnder the Emperours gouernment They accomplisht their Quéens beheft for then she no Princesse was more with loue respected of subiects sending when time serued fiftie thousand of well armed men The day before her departure shee tooke her leaue of Rosamond with no fewe teares for neuer betwéene two Ladies was such simpathie of true amitie Very importunately she offered her coÌ„pany but as any good societie wold but aggrauate the Quéenes euill shee would not admit it saying shee might not leaue Greece and the Emperour in such necessitie Then her armes being the best the world contained she presented her Them shee also refused for Lirgandeo had prouided her with such as were requisit for safegard of her person which were of the same colour as Claridianos sauing that the sable barres were filled with flames of fire on her shield was a gallant deuise for out of a field full of odoriferous flowers a Ladie séemed to go in search of a knight after whom she in great haste ascended vp a craggie rocke from whence she looked after the content she lost and the Motto betwéene them thus Little hope of ioyes abide That leaue knowne ioyes for ioyes vntride Alone would the warlike warriour néeds go thinking her gréefe a sufficient company all the Court sorrowed for her absence but Lirgandeo assuring them of her safetie their discontent was lessened mounted on a lustie Courser shee crost the woods of Greecia thinking on her Lord calling her selfe a thousand times most cruell for that in being so shee had lost him and by the losse obtained so great torments Shee shipt her selfe in a barke bound for Alexandria resolute to trauell the whole world in pennance of her folly One night among the rest while the warriours slept she walked as she vsed on the hatches with her lameÌ„ts to make the watrie dwellers partakers of her gréefes at such time that another barke sayled by hers from whence might be heard some entermingled grones with sighes She could not knowe what it was so swift it went away After it with all possible spéede with ores and sayles she commaunded hers should followe it was done with such diligence till shee ouertooke the barke wherein shee sawe a Knight complaine of Loue and Fortune thus Ay me vnfortunate Prince said the knight is it possible there should be no euill but the extreamest sower it containes my perplexed soule shuld féele Why should I hope for any good when with mine eyes I sée it flie from me There is no inconuenience but haunts me except death with whom I cannot be acquainted Oh Gréekish Prince how happily mayest thou call thy selfe happie by being in thy infancie brought vp with the soueraigne of my life and hearts direction since that was an occasion for the obtaining of those rights solely due to to me Oh Liriano thy name being sufficient to asswage the gréefe that me torments who might by sacrificing my life into thy hands assure thée in faith thy Louer deserue not comparison with me To you to you Sea-Gods do I complaine Oh you I pray that séeing her celestiall habitation is in your vaste confused watrie kingdome a little intreate her for the vnhappie Bembo Oh Loue how rigorously hast thou in all things shewen thy crueltie against me Wherein haue I offended thée when disobeyd I thy commands when violated I thy lawes abolished thy rights or when did my painfull thoughts harbor or conceiue the least imagination against thy honour or deitie If this be so and not vnknown to thée why doest thou wound him with tyrannie that is orborne with weaknesse and thy disastrous chaunces Oh how many any pardon me faire Ladies be hereafter confident on your perfections your crueltie being as great as your beauties are incomparable if you reward him that can loue like him that onely liues to hate No more could the Ladie heare for the barke was guided by Lupertio but what she heard was ynough to increase her paine and raise some doubt that the named Prince was he whom she loued Oh generall plague said the gréeued Lady none canst thou forgiue shewing thy care in most tormenting them that are most carelesse of thée A shower of infinit teares rained the Quéene downe her pearled théekes procéeding from the extremitie of loue hauing so done séeing her selfe comfortlesse and not knowing whom to aske for hauing no notice of the Gréekes deuise she began to giue vent vnto her swelling thoughts singing these verses My heart will burst except it be discharg'd Of his huge load that doth oppresse it so Streames stopt oreflow the bankes if not enlarg'd And fire supprest doth much more fiercer grow Great woes ript vp but halfe the woe remaines But paines concealde doth aggrauate the paines Sing then my soule the storie of my losse Forme in sweete words the anguish of my minde Yet doo not singing ill becomes a crosse Rather sigh out how hard Loues yoke I finde Loue is a sicknesse singing a ioy And pleasure is no pack horse for annoy And must I then knowing Loue a disease That fils our soules with strang calamities Spite of my heart enforc'd my selfe to please And in mine owne armes hug my miseries And seeing still my state waxe worse and worse Must I of force embrace and kisse my curse I must I must Cupid hath sworne I must And t' is in vaine and bootlesse to resist Then be not Loue oh be not too vniust I yeeld me to thy rule rule how thou list For my reclaim'd rebellion shall bring foorth A treble dutie to thy glorious woorth Oh Loue sweete Loue oh high and heauenly Loue The Court of pleasure Paradice of rest Without whose circuit all things bitter prooue Within whose centure euery wretch is blest Oh graunt me pardon sacred deitie I do recant my former heresie And thou the gearest Idoll of my thought Whom loue I did and do and alwaies will Oh pardon what my coy disdaine hath wrought My coy disdaine the author of this ill And for the pride that I haue shew'd before By Loue I sweare I le loue thee ten times more Hast thou
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
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
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
at one selfe same birth O haughtie Tynacrian thinke not but it is a blot to thy immortall fame to shewe thy selfe cruel vnkind gainst him whom hath yéelded soule thoughts to thée It is a tyrannie altogither vnbeséeming whom thou art and what thou diddest protest at our departure The sterne fierce Pagan would not interrupt him but astonied to heare what he said hearkened vnable to resolue whether man or woman he was All the night past they away one in his laments and the other in his newe doubts vntil the appearing of Auroras shine began to giue warning of the morning Sunnes vprise And then leauing his stand went towards the Knight that séeing it was day had laced on his helme fearing to be knowne The knightly Gyant séeing him with excéeding courtesie that most adorned him he beganne to speake You haue inforced me sir Knight to passe this night so disquietted by hearing you publish your griefe that in recompence thereof I intreate you I may knowe the cause and if the hazarding of my person to woorke your content may bee a seruice accepted I shall rest happie to bee so imployed The Ladie well noted him thinking she had neuer séene a brauer nor better armed knight and his ciuill demenour bound her to a milde answere but she was in such an amorous rage that not considering the end replied Why then woorse will the day be to me then was the night to you knowing that you haue heard what the verie soule dares not trust it selfe withall and I know not what lawe of armes admits it Your fauour I refuse for hauing committed such an offence as to require the knowledge of a strangers deare hearts secret against his will that loues which if I declare how should I thinke it could be conceald by you So may you returne for the gréefe that mée torments is pleasant onely in concealement I had not thought replied the Pagan that through intreating thée with what amongst good knights is vsed should haue put thée in that arrogant confidence as to néede none others ayde beeing a thing so contrarie to reason If thou knewest the lawe of Loue replied the Knight thou should knowe there is no happinesse therein but to loue with secrecie for that is it that assureth any doubtfull hope But to recount my cares to one that cānot redresse them with more then a dolefull I am sorrie we sigh more in hauing a straungers companie then for discret circumspectnesse It cannot be exprest what rage the Pagan conceiued for being insolently bolde he was onely noted of immoderate rashnesse and so answered Then that thou mayest know that to haue told it me was thy aduantage I ingage thée to the battell that by taking away thy puling life the paines whereof thou doest complaine may also end Mars was not more fierce then the Louer beeing angered and so without longer stay drew foorth one of the worlds best blades Mightie hee was but hee met with that strength whereto Mylos forces neuer reacht through conceiued rage he was quicker in executing his blow discharging it on the shield of which to the ground hee threwe a péece beating the rest so heauily on his heade that it almost astonished him He stept in with his right foote and with a steddie strong thrust he forst him with staggering paces backwards he wold not yet leaue the chase for turning his sword vnderhand let it flie at his right thigh making his aduersaries flesh féele the cutting of his sharpe blade Neuer was Serpent in the desert Libia more rigorous then the Pagan now did returne vpon the knight and where he thought his blow would be of more effect thither hee strucke the other raised his shield but it was of no defence for although hee did not cut it through the finesse of the temper yet it so charged him that hee set his hands on the ground and ere hee rose hee felt another which made him thinke hee sawe the starrie firmament The blood congealed in his mouth and fréezed in his bodie séeing the fiercenesse of the Pagan which hee thought farre to excéede the Gréeke Princes He rose vp for hee was couragious minding to vse his nimblenesse but as therein the Scythian excéeded the swiftnesse of any Hart it auaild him not from receiuing most cruell blowes kissing the earth sometimes with his knées and sometimes with his handes Neuer felt he himselfe so persecuted nor at the poynt to loose the fame he had obtained for valour and therefore did hee redouble his blowes so strong and thicke that the Pagan was forced to deuise newe defensiue wards Excéedingly he reioyced to sée what braue knights he met in his iourney towards the parts of Grecia déeming him of that countrie where the Authors of his life were intombde This remembrance so vext him that hee supposed it cowardise to continue in single combat so long so letting a blowe flie aloft hee discharged the seconde with such mightie strength on his aduersaries helme that it rezounded like a bell and not able to penetrate it so heauily it waighed on one side that breaking all the laces buckles and riuets it strucke it from his head making the knight vpholde himselfe with his handes but at his rising Apollos beautie séemed not so faire that day as Floralizas great Alicandros Néece that wandring throgh straunge lands in search of her Poliphebo had arriued there In all his life did not the Pagan receiue such a blowe as with her sight for in all the same he forgot not the memorie of that day hee stayed his sword and stepping foorth vnlaced his helme setting to view his sturdie visage more faire then swartie yet with many wrinkled checkes and one great mole on his front approoued tokens of his excessiue strength his shield he cast away and taking his sword by the poynt through the newe tuch of loue hee spake with more ciuilitie then the most amorous Admired Goddesse I beséech you pardon my mad presumption although I féele alreadie the punishment thereof for the not knowing you forced me to it yet I repute it well if it redownde not to your farther displeasure which will be to me a more vnhappier death in that I haue séene the excellencie of beautie and valour and so intreate you as deseruer of farre more honour you will accept my sword in signe of victorie and I le defend that all the world doth owe it you It greatly delighted the Ladie to sée the knights courtesie and imagining he was of estéeme replied I will not sir knight haue you in all things take the better of the fight for the victorie is yours leauing not thereby indebted to your content Her handes to kisse then required the newe Mars thinking no greater good might bee expected then the present Shée drew them from him demanding who he was So yoaked was the Pagan that he could not denie it nor through contemplation say any thing yet thus he spake There was no reason diuine Goddesse
to her thinking she liued neuer more to be séene of any This life did she lead till the age of fouretéene yeares for then did her beautie staine the sunnes in his mid-daies pride whose fame the other Nimphes of the Temple published abroad throughout the spacious world One day among the rest as Prince Celio accustomed to recreate himself descending this way on hunting he chansed to finde her neare a cleare fountaine that lies behinde this little hill called the Vnfortunate by reason of that which happened thereat Where Celio séeing her and of such admirable beautie blame him not if hée yéelded a thousand soules so many if he had for much more deserued her excellencies and most gracious brauerie Hee went towards her shewing by his alteration what he went for and how estranged from himselfe he should depart at the drawing of his attracted eies from her sight From her being rose the solitarie Goddesse discontented to haue met with that knight who séeing her disdaining coynesse followed to ouertake her stayning her with sighes that procéeded from the middest of his perplexed heart but the frée Ladie carelesse of his cares declared hers in onely hasting her swift running steppes turning her face from whom acknowledged her for his Goddesse Shee could not so far outrunne him but he at last ouertooke her and catching holde by her thin sléeue falling on his knées began thus Oh sacred Ladie why should you shew such crueltie against him that must liue onely to loue you hoping for no longer life then you shal grant admitting his deuotion but oh if you shall ioy to prosecute your strangenesse let mee not prorogue your vengeance on my selfe While this dagger is readie to execute your sharpe decree for so you do remaine without displeasure it will be my pleasure to satisfie your doome with my death The crueltie sir knight you speake of should I vse towards my selfe replied the disdainfull Laissa should I regard your prayers knowing how Capitall the offence is against the chaste Diana whose Nimphes of whom I being one are first afore all other things sworn to the puritie of a single life and so my selfe ioying in the swéetnesse of so choise a liuing as that led in solitude should not then cruelly tyrannize ouer my coontent procuring your ease to loose my libertie With many currents of pearled teares distilling from his eyes the amourous Celio answered Neuer sacred Goddesse did my imagination so much as thinke by louing to worke my content in any thing to abridge yours onely I beséech and this is not to offend you that though my merits deserue not your sight nor my selfe be woorthie to adore you I may to nourish my else dying life make you solely to my selfe the sole commandresse of my oppressed soule and that I may repaire to your glorious name with the tributarie duties of my poore hearts spoyles Somewhat milder grewe the sister of amorous Celio for there is no Ladie so cruell and vnthankefull but reioyces to be beloued for such vertue doth loue set in the Ladie loued that onely to deserue the gift to be beloued shée will loue She would haue answered but the comming of Alcyno the second brother interrupted her who almost before hee sawe her rendred his soule vnto her as a pledge of his true loue The like sacrifice did the third make of hs that then arriued which two last séeing their brother and with that Ladie ere they knewe how to loue exprest approoued tokens to be iealous To breake their silence the third brother said What good fortune is this good brother to méete with so gallant a Ladie in so solitarie a place So haue the heauens appointed it my deare brother replied Celio And being nothing iealous of them to feare to say his minde added that the power of my thoughts béeing imployed on her my soule may triumph in content to haue found such a Soueraigne Most woorthie is her beautie saide the second of the offer of my noble thought whose reliques may solemnize her brauerie neither is vnoccupied for Loue doth occupie them all And whilest Alcino speakes Larsinio gluts himselfe with gazing And if by chance all thrée be silent she by mouing the Organs of her spéech kindles the fire that vnconsumingly doth burne them Celio loues and the mollified Lady looking on him by the motions of her eye-resplending sunnes with infinit signes of hopes doth incourage him to persist in his moued sute and for his sake shée affects the other two knowing they were his brethren She exprest it by her kind words in answering them Such is the condition of loue most bewteous Ladies credit me it is knowne by experience that any amorous motion how fained soeuer is accepted of the Louer as a manifest token that onely he is he soly beloued In like maner fell it out with the brothers For as the Lady without straungenesse kindly spake to them the more to winne Celio to her selfe either of the others accounted themselues to be especially beloued The greatest part of the day continued they in pleasing that intangling themselues in the snares of that deceiuing net that there with thousand childish toyes did leape from bowe to bowe to insnare these poore Louers in their owne vnhappie conceits vntil the withdrawing time of the recluse Goddesse called her away which forced the thrée brothers to returne vnto their home purposing euery day to come thither in quest of whom they loued yet minding to take their seuerall way For nothing was sufficient to disswade the two brothers that they were not beloued to desist the prosecuting of their intented loues Sometimes after they spake with the Lady not knowing nor remembring she was their sister but she by all exterior meanes told the two younger she could admit none saue the elder Neuerthelesse so possest was loue of the two brothers soules that in such sort it blinded them that they would neuer beléeue it was as she said and their owne eyes sawe to be most true for the perfect sincere loue which nourish them caused them to deuise the expedients meanes to end their passionated labors They found it and to their liues cost for passing some moneths in this entertainment one day dismall and blacke to this Countrey since so much calamitie fel on it Larsinio the yonger brother hastened his comming to séeke his sister clad all in rich shining armor He met with her at the vnhappie Fountaine through their lucklesse euents so called in whose bubbling Current shée was washing her faire white Alabaster hands His Beuer lifted vp the Louer and nimbly leaping from his horse went straight towards the Founte To receiue him ranue the Ladie guerdoning his comming with a louing imbrace not as to her brother or Louer but so neare in ally to him whom with heart she tendred which the Prince attributed not to Celio in fauour nor his consanguinitie to Laissa saue to his owne pure loue which was so great that he iudged himselfe in respect of
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
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
shed teares those teares will I repay Ten teares for one a hundreth teares for ten Hath my proude rigor hunted thee astray I le loose my life or bring thee backe agen Each sigh I le quittance with a thousand grones And each complaint with a whole age of mones And when I finde thee as I finde the will Or loose my selfe in seeking what I loue Then will I trie with all true humble skill Thy pittie on my great offence to moue Till when my griefes are more then tongue can tel My daies are nights and euerie place is hell With a heauie sigh shee ended but as if singing had but in part discharged her sorrowes she beganne with saying to prosecute them as followeth Ay me Quéen of Lyra said the Ladie that hauing no cause to complaine do suffer thus deseruedly a iust pay for such deserts Of whom else might I hope to bee loued beeing by the Gréeke Prince adored On the earth of whom couldst thou expect any good if not from thy Gréeke Oh woe is me that the trust of my small consideration should bring me to this passe that I must make the winds witnesse of my paines and that to my vnblemisht honours cost I must hue and wander by sea and land demaunding for him Archysiloras loue when I mought haue liued with ioy with pleasure and in quiet by giuing him a little signe of that happinesse I my selfe receiued by being his but séeing it is thus brought about loue I will and patiently embrace this iust imposed toyle Here was her languishment renewed séeing a knight come directly towards her shippe lying a long the hatches of another exclaiming against Cupids ordinances Who euer suffered said he his heart to followe and séeke his owne dishonour What lawe allowes the soule to disclose that whose secrecie preserueth no lesse then life Accidents be these onely incident in loue for he as the King of extreames enforceth me not regarding my fame to procure anothers consent Oh most valiant Knight who shall beléeue thou shouldest with mee violate thy word Thou knowst I loue thée also the I follow thée but I know to aggrauate my woe thou fliest my presence What is become of those swéete words at our parting thou spakest where is the faith wherwithon my hands thou vowedst loyaltie protesting if any pleasure thou shouldest haue it would procéede only from thinking thou art mine Thou doest ill guerdon the bountie wherewith I laide open vnto thée the secrets of my soule making my selfe tributary vnknowne to whome I did it when thou iudgedst it newe life newe ioy newe ease and newe content But now altogither forgetfull thou fliest from me that liue to loue thée So ouerwhelmed in her owne thoughts was the bewteous Floralizar who departing from the furious Brauorant followed the searche of the Tinacrian whom shée so intierly affected that shée regarded not whether any heard her By the complaints did Archisilora knowe her to be a Ladie and pittying her caused her Barke to be grappled with the other and saide No maruell heroicke Ladie that since the lande hath alreadie beene acquainted with your constancie you nowe participate your faith vnto these inhospitable waters Be of good courage for you haue company in your woes and such as wil neglect his owne to remedie yours At the voyce rose Floralindas daughter and replied Who are you Syr Knight that so kindly doo commiserate my paine which is the greatest that euer was inclosed in any humane breast I am hée saide Archisilora who with my soule valiant Ladie will procure your quiet and therefore pray you accept such seruice as my Barke wil yéeld for it may be the recitall of your griefs to me and I mine to you wil be a mittigation of some sorrow I le not forgo the enioying of so good company as that you offer mee Syr knight said Floraliza intreating I may know who you be that alreadie knowes my gréefs The Ladies gallant behauior had attracted the Lirian Matrons affection who replied In more then this doo I desire to satisfie you soueraigne Ladie but first step into my ship where I wil do it at full To know your name answered Floraliza a harder enterprise would I attempt So leapt she into the Quéenes Barke saying Aduantage hath my Barke got sir knight with my absence to which being alone the winds and waters may now be more fauourable then when I was in it and since we haue this opportunitie deare sir defer not my desire With neuer a word the haughtie Quéene vnlaced her Helme resting more faire then was Latonas sonne when onely for loue he kept Admetus shéepe Floralizas was also of whose beautie was equalled by fewe and that want was with valour supplied Let it not gréeue you Soueraigne Lady said the Quéene that I knowe she cause of your mones for mine are no lesse which I suffer séeking for him that ought to dye louing but since I am the cause therof it is reason I endure the extremitie of gréefe and séeing loue hath equalled vs therein I le no longer kéepe from you who I am So she related vnto her euerie thing she could not naming Claridiano Why now said Alicandros Néece I do account my paine a pleasure being pittied by you and haue assured hope we shall quickly finde redresse wherto the Quéene answered Gladly would I know who he is to labor your content Any certaine thing I know not replyed she more then that I am an others for a brother of mine called Celindo and my selfe were brought vp without knowledge of father though since we receiued the order of armes we haue met with certaine tokens to be children vnto the prince Meridian Excéeding ioy conceiued the Quéen of the Ladies company resoluing to enioy it so long as she would They vowed firme amitie which towards the peace was of no small effect for this Lady was of highest estimation among the Pagans in the Grecian warres By little and little being tender of yeares and knowing that the manifesting of their loues was some ease to their borthering cares either vnderstood who was the Louer to the other Vppon which occasion Floraliza thus saide So that our fortune doth permit most Péerelesse Princesse the Gréeke Princes to tryumph ouer our hearts Séeing the heauens will haue it so excellent Lady aunswered the Quéene and so haue fauoured them from their birthes we cannot but acknowledge their Soueraigntie specially the Tynacrian Prince knowing how great his gaines are thus being loued To which Floraliza made aunswere Stay my good Quéene how well by knowing your selfe to be loued doo you iudge a straungers distresse who would not liue contented in middest of the greatest euill were wée certaine of that assurance What paine would not then be a pleasure or what could make mee a stranger to my selfe onely séeking the company of my woes But I feare illustrious Ladie that as the heauens haue made them absolute happie so some one of them wil place his felicitie
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
giuing it the shadow and her heart the substance which being so tender and vnacquainted with change tooke such impression that neuer Lady yéelded more to loue then Eufronisa Now she desires to speake to him then feares she Already becomes she suspicious that neuer learned to loue Before she knew who he was she became so skilfull in the Art that she feared whether he loued whether he could loue or acknowledge anies soueraigntie Now she that staines the blushing of the mornings Sunne becomes enuious of her owne thoughts and doth distrust her owne worths séeking new deuises and inuented meanes to be beloued deseruing for her owne bewtie Ioues immortal worship Oh Cupids blind snares happinesse in misery a plague in pleasure and grief without remedy found vnsought for and yet a torment that contains a most swéete life By her amazednesse perceiued the damzel her Ladies maladie wherefore she merily said Let vs awake this knight and try whether his bewtie haue more force waking or sléeping Doo what you wil replied she although it be no modestie considering who we be Rather waighing that I thinke it best to do it said the wittie Selia to sée what he is that hath such power ouer Ladies for if his merits equals all other parts requisite in a good knight he may call himselfe one of the happiest in the world So long continued the Ladies in their amourous chat that the Prince awaked with these words Oh fortune how doest thou flatter my hopes for if thou giuest me any good t is only dreaming that when I wake to see it I finde it but an illusion He said no more for the Ladies sight staied him both from the publishing his woes as of the cause of them He rose admiring the Ladies bewtie who first spake thus You should séeme to haue fewe enemies sir knight séeing so carelesly you lye and sléepe in passages so open that any by you offended may at his pleasure right himselfe He answered So crosse and austere hath my fortune alwaies bene most bewteous Ladie that it did neuer let me knowe the state wherin I might say I had a friend for euen my owne thoughts doo most within my brest make warre against my rest wherefore hauing none to trust vnto forceth me to set my selfe in the hands of euery one that one in this generalitie would shewe the office of a friend by taking away my despised life then as such a one I should account him for by the déed giuing me one death he riddes me of a thousand that I suffer in continuall languishment and it might I wel call life for he liues well that féeles no more pain Great is your griefe answered the Ladie and of force to drawe commiseration from the hardest heart and greater it is séeing that none pities you were it but with a counterfeit remedie noting the waight of your complaints In faith faire Ladie said the Prince so mightie are my oppressions that although I know them and the paine I endure by them yet I must suffer them for if I liue it is by liuing in paine so that should I but neuer so litle ease this paine it would be séene in the want of my health If it doth so please you replied the Ladie vniustly you complaine and I thinke you greatly wrong your Ladie terming her cruel My complaints most soueraigne Ladie are not so much ment against my lifes directnesse as against my vnhappie starres that make me infortunate in fauours but not in my imployment for neuer was any better but in such a place where my griefs be scorned Some reason you haue said the Lady hauing this occasion to bewaile for where sorrow is not regarded there is a double griefe and gladly would I know who you are and where borne for you séeme a straunger in these parts I cannot but obey your soueraigne commaund most excellent Lady answered the Gréeke I was borne in the farthest Confines of great Tartaria and am called Corolano cast by fowle weather and tempest of the sea on this Countrey passing so many troubles that had I not receiued such vnexpected comfort with your faire sight no doubt but that my soule séeing the bodie drenched in misery and as vnworthie to containe it had it forsaken me but to enioy within it the view of your happie sight gaue life to her liuelesse habitation And that I may commit no error for it is impossible but I haue incurred some suffer my prayers by your admittance to make me deseruer to know the name of the land so happie in the possession of such admirable brauery Quickly doo you require a payment for the discouery of your name Sir knight replied Selia for the Princesse could not busied in her new and painfull businesse but because you shall not altogither iudge your selfe vnfortunate in your pretences know this land is called Sylepsia whereof this Lady is Princesse and going on hunting we lost our company and our selues yet wee haue not hunted ill hauing founde the amourousest knight in the world and so according to your showes none like you haue better assuraunce of the Louers Tent whose aduenture was newly brought into this Cittie and the proofe thereof shall within these foure daies be begunne and little shall you not please vs to hazard your person in the tryall I am so ill prouided of Armor and other necessaries faire damzell answered the tender Prince that though I were vnwilling to do it yet to content your bewties with them I would try it assured that for louing and being vnfortunate to me the glory is onely due This want shall not hinder you said Eufronisa for I will furnish you with the best armor that euer you saw earst belonging to the first king that raigned in this countrey named Tersio equall in soueraigntie of Fortitude and Wisedome strengthened by Art and skill wherewith he forged them and neuer were séene by any These I le send you by this damzell first swearing you shall not absent your selfe from this Kingdome without my leaue and in our Pallace shall you be cherished The amorous Lady spake so plainly as the Prince could perceiue Loues new wound There is none so destitute of iudgement but wold haue weighed what he obtained to be beloued of so faire a dame for if the Prince had euer séene pure bewtie she was the perfect stampe therof in whose creation Nature the olde Mars of liuing forme had shewed the vtmost of her skill modeling her liniaments more absolute then thought could wish Among so fewe yeares as they both had was neuer seene completer excellencies so he answered Who dares most soueraigne Lady shew himselfe so vngratefull to the fauours imparted by your rare bewty as to commit a fault so hainous to depart from you without your license I am so long since captiue to anothers wil as now to acknowledge it anew is no pain but rather chéefest happines knowing to whom I owe seruice Why then said she we may be gon
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
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
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
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
enemie to my rest it was worse then hell vnto mine eyes that saw it And in faith his song was but the méere truth although she was too cruell towards him yet was I the cause as I shal tell you No imperfection was noted in the continuance of his Harmonie So hauing done he laide by his Lute the which the Princesse bequeathed to Solesia who in compassion of my as shee thought ill placed affection warbled out this cold comfort Feare not faint-heart Tyme may prooue A soueraigne plaister for your Loue. Such a faith so firmely grounded Such a Loue so kindly placed From a Heart so deepely wounded From a person so well graced Needs must get the Hearts desiring Though hope yet seeme not to say it And though this Tyme seeme retyring Tyme heereafter may repay it Feare not faint-heart Tyme may prooue A soueraigne plaister for your Loue. I did not conceiue the meaning of her conceit vntill I vnderstood shee did suspect I affected her Couzen and so to put mee in hope being glad I accompanied her Louer shee animated me with that I did requite it when it pleased Loue to do by me as by then assuring her how intierly she was beloued of my friend whereof I had experience in the many daies I continued in Lucania I thinke Lysander did perceiue the affection I bore his sister yet hee shewed him so like a Knight that he not only dissembled it but séemed to reioyce wish my hopes might take place if that the Callabrian had not bin thē betwéen But being no longer able to indure the pestiferous plague of iealousie on the foure Gates of the Cittie I secretly caused so many shieldes to be set vp wheron vnder an vnknowne name I named my self maintainer of the ring an exercise and pastime much vsed in that land by reason it is near vnto the Spanish soyle whose nation challengeth the sole preheminence ouer this exercise as skilfullest and principall Authors thereof No knight in the Cittie would admit it séeing the Callabrian did refuse it vnlesse I did expresse my name the which in that I could not do without danger of my life I graunted notwithstanding that any should openly defend Pollinardas beautie which I by another name couertly maintained Therevpon Agesilao presently subscribed and and after him many prepared to winne at the ring The day béeing come you may thinke braue knights he would shew himselfe in the richest manner he could as a Prince so famous and happie So did the Ladie attired all in white adding such vertue to her excellencies that had I not béen inurde to suffer discontented paines my perplexed heart would haue burst The sport beganne wherein hee behaued himselfe according to his Ladies fauors with which it had not béene much hee had performed much more There were wee my friend Lysander and my selfe I meane in seuerall colours for his attire was gréene imbrodered with Artechokes of golde manifesting a maiesticke minde But I still with iealousie tormented durst not but differ from him apparrelled in yellow laced with blew and golde and mounted on a mightie Courser which from Apulia I had brought My companions posie agréed with his content My hearts heart likes my heart and I againe Like my hearts heart so both content remaine His Lady well vnderstood it for she tendered him as her soule Mine was dispairing in this manner Dispaire I yeeld sith all things do agree Into thy clawes to driue dispairing me Valiant was the gallant Lysander to whom I granted the first course whose prize he wonne which was a Pelican by nature cruell to himself onely to become kinde to his kinde It did Solesia receiue with greater ioy then I possessed séeing my Ladies bewtie so ill defended yet was I reuiued in my drouping thoghts hearing how all the multitude adiudged Pollinarda stil to be fairest After him I took my turne wherin the heauens so aided me that at euery carreire I tooke the ring on my lances point Then in signe of victorie I had a Crowne of golde deliuered me They could not haue giuen me a thing the more might please me at that occasion for I had an other ready made of purpose to present her if I issued victor Making my horse set his knées on the ground I presented them both but about my prepared Coronet I had caused to be engrauen this posie Well deserues her head a Crowne Who Crownes with praise all womankind Therefore Loue hath sent me downe As token of his louing mind A Crowne to Crowne the Crowne of Nature Soueraigne of all earthly feature Neare me was Agesilao whē I presēted the prizes He presently suspected I was hee that had vanquished the Iousts in the same colour since whē he noted it by many occasions as also how I affected his lady So trusting to many friends and kinsfolkes he had in the place yet chéefely thinking I was vnarmed and being spurred with a iealous frenzie he stepped to me so did my friend suspecting there would be some hurliburly He thus said I know not knight whereon thou hast grounded thy presumption so to deliuer the pryzes in such preiudiciall maner Wherupon to mooue him I replied To sée how ill the excellent bewtie of this soueraigne princesse is defended for if acccordingly some were so rewarded with fauour you might with as great right go without it as an other that I know He was bolde of his vallor and being toucht to the quick he drew his sword against me He had got nothing by the aduenture for sauing my head I was else all armed and with mine in my hande at two steppes I was within him so neare that he had not satisfied his boldnesse with lesse then his life but we were separated by the standers by that it procéeded no farther then in words Euery one blamed him which incouraged me without respect of displeasing my Lady to challenge cast him my honors gage as a warning he should be alwaies prouided against wheresoeuer we met We departed thence and I so angred that I thought it long til I incountred him Now the Reuels of that night being ended the two were contracted with the Fathers publike consent and the houre of rest approached euery one withdrew into his lodging so that Agesilao possest with excesse of ioy and forgetting my challenge he closely with two men got him vnder his Ladies window where knowing what pleasure she receiued with his Musicke he played this Dittie vppon his Lute What ere he is that would behold Imperious Cupids sporting place Here to gaze let him be bold On this bewteous comely grace Here doth rarest bewtie dwell On her brow doth Cupid sit This is she that doth excell Both for her bewtie loue and wit In her Cupid taketh rest Ioy and blisse with her haue end Who knoweth her is double blest Whose bewtie day to night doth lēd My rage swelling heart could not suffer him to procéed farther for with more fury then my feare would allow
which is vnable to suffer any Competitor in my loue and hopes But I let it alone to sée to what end my slauish turkish habit would sort vnto Sometimes I beheld her which was no small redresse to my afflicted minde yet was it tempered séeing her disconted which pure loue made me thinke was for Agesilao So one day walking neare her chamber window I met with my friend the Prince Lysander Euen from his secret cabinet did my heart leape with his suddaine sight He stayed to looke on mee and séeing me attired like a Turke with a turbant on my head and the rest of my apparrell neate and cleane he demaunded whence I was I aunswered of Carthage and that by great good happe I had freed my selfe from Argiers bondage He intreated me I know not if through affection to become his seruant I agréede thereto onely againe to trie my fortune that way Thence wée went to the Pallace where hée acquainted his new seruitor with his Parents My Lady was present whose presence made euery ioynt vain tremble within me in their seueral motion yet now and then casting my eyes vnto the Sunne-shine of her beautie I drew strength from it to support my weake minde to make reply to their demaunds for séeing me so young in that no hayre yet budded in my face they comiferated the relation of my troubles imprisonments and slaueries yet this nothing gréeued me saide I for I cannot remember when I was mine owne and therefore supposing I was marked to no other fréedome I did till now patiently beare my slauish bondage as if I had béene borne thereto and I beléeue it will neuer bée otherwise my fortunes so continued it Gladly would I haue had my Lady vnderstood it so shee might not knowe me and with what affection I did vtter it as hee that so long since was wholly deuoted to her perfections There was none in all the Court but tooke liking in me especially my Lord Lysander that fauored me that night to take mee with him with swords bucklers and priuie coates secretly to walke abroad crossing the backside of a Gardâ—â— that leaded him to his Ladie Solesias lodging His kindnesse and familiaritie was a meanes that hee did not intreate mee as a seruant but as if he had knowne me making mee the Secretarie of his Loues the surest token of true amitie that may bee in this age I cannot otherwise beléeue but that Cupid now at length thought himselfe wronged séeing Pollinarda so rebellious and cruell towardes him and me So she that could not loue Florisiano Venus sonne with his almightie power forced to affect poore Iaroe which name I would not change for vnder that title Fortune had offered me in obtaining the grace of Troyla Princesse of Argier Quickly did Pollinarda expresse manifest tokens of her change demaunding me whether I néeded ought if yea my demaund should be the effect of my desire Neither was I able to answere nor did I euer make known Florisianos great necessities but rather perceiuing what she ment as one skilfull in the Art I séemed straunge and regardlesse of her offer to be more assured of her faith that after no occasion might frustrate our expects My straungenesse effected what I wished for by this Iaroes Loue had made her more solicit I doubted not thereof noting the wooing motions of her eyes Oh they be the swéete silent Ambassadors soliciting the soules want Many times would I set my selfe at a window to ruminate alone the felicitie of my state then would I say to my selfe Oh who might deale some of my abounding fauours with disconted Florisiano Oh Gods how enuious became the Prince of Apulia to sée Iaroe so beloued and himselfe vtterly abhorred Oftentimes recounting my many fauors I found them so infinit that I was contented to let the Prince share with Iaroes glorie and happinesse One night oh happie night among the rest did the Lady at full make knowne her vehement passions for I being by my maister commanded to watch till one of the clocke because wee should then walke abroad I got me in that season not farre from her chamber I thinke there was some false doore for when I was giuing thankes to Cupid for the benefits I receiued I heard some busling there I started somewhat amazed and looking what it might be I sawe her that now gouernes my heart appeare more fairer then Diana A siluer Candlestick with a Taper she held in her hand With cap in hand for she was my Empresse I ran to take it from her Oh loue to none but whom thou lists thou dost distribute thy fauors She plainly excellent knights shewed her selfe to be soly mine for wanting the power to mooue the Organs of her voyce yet her eyes firmely fixed on mine she would not let the candlesticke go Oh Loues swéete warre In faith Noble Sirs you would haue smiled to sée the bewtious Pollinarda by silence and dumme action confesse she did loue acknowledging his soueraigntie and her tributarie dutie to his deitie granting those fauours as hostage of her faith vnto his seruant Iaroe Oh do not suffer him most sacred Lady said I so much to offend that was onely created to adore you With this spéech she perceiued the fault she had committed whervpon with consent we set the Taper on the table while she replyed The imagination Iaroe thou mightest ill suspect of this my comming thus to visit thée hath bereft me of all strength and vnderstanding but that thou mayest knowe wherefore I come it is thus I must haue thée tell me thy proper name for I am sure thou hast some other This will I not be denied vowing to kéepe it secret that thou mayest receiue no harme therefore You may well thinke how I might stand confounded with her demaund aunswere I could not which made her more eager to know it Againe she vrged me that I was inforced to say I cannot conceiue diuine Princesse why you are importunate to know the thing that will most of all others gréeue you oh let me not be the cause to renew your sorrow for I will first be my own murtherer The amorous Dame replyed Did I imagine to receiue any I would not demaund it but doing so I assure you you shall not in any thing more content me then in that I aunswered her thus Well for all this I am sure faire Princesse the knowledge of my name will vexe you Wherefore I humbly intreate you to holde this dagger in your hand that ending my spéech you also end poore Iaroes life Know therefore soueraigne Pollinarda I was borne as I said in Carthage but am called Florisiano I chaÌ„ged it because I heard that in times past one of this name had excéedingly displeased you by sleying the Prince of Calabria wherefore séeing how hated that name was in this house I durst not come hither with it fearing to refresh therewith the memorie of passed gréefes Oh excéeding power of loue for though Syr
Knights I remembred the things she did most loue and hate she shewed no whit of alteration but returning my ponyard said Little néed had you Florisiano to alter your name for any such feare knowing that onely for it the first of the same had bene forgiuen Farther shee did not procéede nor more openly bewray her affection I dissembled my ioy sharing it with Iaroe whom now me thoght began to bee forgot I would therein recompence him for his former kindnesse towards Florisiano The time would no longer permit vs to chat for the houre of my departure being come I was constrained to tell her so She was content aduising me to be secret because shee would that way often visit me I imagine Sir Knights that you thinke both tongue and soule swore a solemne performance of her deare commaund and if you so thinke I assure you your thoughts deceiue you not for my soule that still hanged vpon her lips receiued her command with no lesse sentēce of the Delphian Oracle then rising with a pleasant smiling she said I pray Lord Florisiano let vs entreate your Turkeship Christianly to conduct vs to our lodging and then wée le license your departure All rauished with ioy not able to speake a word I went with her to her chamber doore and then falling on my knées and kissing her hand desiring her to account me hers I tooke my leaue leauing my soule in her bosome and returned to my Lords lodging where we prepared our selues for our walke He did an act that I iudged most kinde for he gaue me a garment that had bene mine saying Hold Iaroe for since Fortune robbed mee of his owner none hath better deserued it I put it on and greatly wondred how he knew me not Away we went arriuing to the window where his Lady expected him I stayed to guarde the passage with such resolution that all the world yea Florisiano of Apulia had not passed there with the first and with the fauoured last was Iaroe now in disgrace séeing the alteration of his fortunes So if with patience you will attend me the next Chapter shall vnfolde what else happened CHAP. XXIX How the Prince of Apulia ended the discourse of his amourous life to the Greeke Princes and how Claridiano pittying his estate departed with him WHat strong residence the power of Loues affection hath within an amorous brest faire Ladies the beawteous Pollinardas suddain and vnexpected change which Agesilao bought full dearely doth amply shew for not remembring how greatly she had loued him how bitterly she had taken his death and with what rigor she procured his reuenge she recanted and without consideration of her honours blemish doted on a slaue A iust guerdon that séeing she would not affect the Knight that with such firme proofes had approoued himselfe to be hers and by his déeds worthy of her estimate she now beheld the subiect of her ioyes with slauish markes and that her blinde and vaine passion might so far excéed as to say that for the second Florisianos sake the first had bene pardoned There is none that may safely build his assurance on such effects if once he haue opened his doores to Loues flatteries In pensiue imaginations had the Louer put the Gréekes with his amorous Historie that they would not so soone haue it end But the youth that aggrauated his woes with repetition of his former gréefes abreuiated saying There stayed I Heroicke knights gazing on the vesture that belonged to the Apulian till that my Lord Lysander hauing excused himselfe to his lady of certaine obiections layd against him I thinke it was but some iealous imagination they would assure all inconueniences by an espousall contraction especially befitting them both So hee came for me to be a witnesse thereto but ere he discouered himselfe he would néeds try the vygor of my armes comming an other way disguised for the purpose and being neare me he drew saying What madnesse hath brought thée to so suspitious a place where thy boldnesse shall reape no other againe then a remorcelesse death I was so carefull to let none passe nor to disclose who I was that without more ado or other answere I set vpon my dearest friend In faith I reioyced to sée how wel he behaued himselfe although I knew him not but I being throughly incensed I began to follow him in such sort that I droue him among the hedges of the Orchard faithfully discharging my dutie It behooued him to speake least some danger had happened so he raysed his voice miscalling me therewith which more gréeued me then if he had mortally wounded me for séeing me with eager furie presse to take aduantage at full to hit him he said Oh Turkish dog what doest thou I knew my Lord Lysanders voyce and beléeue me Noble warriors I was neuer more vexed but that I tendered him as my soule Iaore had surely kept him from enioying his loues yet I stayed my hand considering his friendship towards the Prince of Apulia So I tooke my sword by the poynt and intreated him to pardon me for my not knowing him had forced mee to commit that fault The faith answered he wherewith friend Iaroe thou backest thy Maister brings with it thy excuse for neuer had any knight a better seruant thē I But that thou mayest know how I estéeme thée come for I will haue thée be a witnesse to the faith I will plight vnto Solecia to bee her firme Louer Hee bounde mee eternally by the act And the Moone then shyning bright it shyned iust in the middest of the Ladies windowe where she stayed and credit mee shee séemed bewtifull Shee had so affected Florisiano Prince of Apulia that séeing mee with his owne garments shee could not but pittie him calling mee to memorie With my hatte in hand as a seruant ought I stood still but she called me saying Come thée hither friend Iaroe for I will haue this assurance passe in thy presence and my ioyes should I account compleate were the owner of thy apparell in thy place Oh if that were so my deare espouse sayde my tender-hearted fréende what greater content could wee more desire Towards whom might the blinde Goddesse shewe her selfe more fauourable then to vs had she now sent vs that valiant knight crost with so many troubles Some teares did I espie in their eyes which so greatly moued me that I could no longer dissemble and going more neare them I thus spake My very soule would ioy most soueraigne Princes although I lost this good to sée that knight here who is the happiest in the worlde to be beloued of such Princes for then should fortune neither bereaue Iaroe of this content oh Gods I could scarce make an end nor yet should the dispairing Knight be so persecuted by her as not to enioy your happie presence by experience sée with what faith he is affected And if you regard him behold me here for more troubles yet reserued And since I am eye
better then yours may now satisfie her reuenge Let it be so and by this meanes reserue your life bee it but to imploy it in louing her for it is not the part of a noble breast to dispaire of euery thing but it rather belongs to a couragious minde to nourish his decaying hopes with bolde confidence He so well perswaded me most famous knights that I resolued to preserue my life by that sower remedie And first to comfort him for the depriuation of his estate which he willingly did forgo to escape away with me I tolde him for whom I vndertooke that daunger discouering my selfe vnto him It gladded him and therevppon hee tooke off my boltes and Gyues wherein my aduerse fortune had bound me and so the night being come we descended the Tower by a corded ladder through a window that ouerlooked the sea coast where he had prouided a well rigged Barke entring therein a maine wee lancht from the Cittie of Frossa not without many sighes teares from my heart thinking how much I did displease the Ladie of my life thereby in that her pleasure consisted on my death Thrée daies did wee nauigate with a faire gayle which made mee thinke I better fared on the seas then on the land The second time would not Fortune let me repeate it for conspiring with Eolus they both would néeds trie their fiercenesse on my patience with the cruellest storme that hath béen séen for the waues beginning to swell threatning the heauens and strongest rockes what might not we feare that were tossed on their billowes sometimes hoysed to the cloudes and then cast lower then the center of the earth So that he which suffered lesse paine was glad to submit to deaths stroke Such and so many flashes of water came tumbling into our weather-beaten vessell that full against our willes wee were forced to taste the sauor of Neptunes saultest licquor On the sudden we were surprized with such a whirlewinde that we lost all hope of recouery for the persecuted Barke laie wallowed vp and downe aboue halfe an houre vntil a contrary winde ouermaistring the tempest cast it neare the shore and running on a shole it splitted in the midst Our clamors and shrikes then are not to be beléeued nor wil I rehearse them for my tongue is insufficient He that by chaunce got then any aduantage was by fastning on some péece of boord a litle to prolong his life It was so hideous darke that none could sée the other nor light any fire could we for the winde dispearcing it would blow it out Thus grapled on a planke I left my friend and wrastling with the seas fortune and death the Gods permitted me yet I know not why to saue my abhorred life And about the dawning of the day I found my selfe on the sandie Hauen of Argier so brused and tired that I could not stand on my féete for besides my toyles I had not slept in foure daies before still by moments expecting my neare approching death I was willing to take a nappe before I would go into the countrie so stepping among some growing wéedes I slept a good while receiuing a little rest and ease Quickly was it bereaft mee falling in the hands of those barbarous Infidels of that Sconse that neither pitlie nor pardon any though they bee of their owne sect so much they trust to the strength of that their Castle They carried me vnto a rich Turke Lieftenant of the Fortresse who bought me for two hundreth Chequins to serue him with his other slaues I imployed the vtmost of my power therein which redownded to such effect that hee trusted me aboue all his other seruitors My painfull diligent and carefull seruice came to the kings hearing that he would néeds haue me from his Lieftenant paying the double that my first Maister had done for me I will omit valiant Princes how I might gréeue to be so hurried from Market to Market to be solde It pleased my fortune to let me so farre obtaine the Kings grace as that hee let mee go at libertie without bands but marked in the front as his slaue I learned to speak the language which much auayled me would I haue violated my faith consecrated to my Ladie for Troyla his daughter did euen dote on me but to him that had vowed his soule to Pollinardas excellēcies and wanting the consolation of her presence that increased his torment I purpose to shunne her importunities once of so many times they had iniustly bought and solde me to runne away One night among the rest I resolued to do it the which I might easily accomplish considering the much libertie I had yet would I not do it without a farewell of the beauteous Troyla because I would not séeme vngratefull for her loue and fauors You may imagine how she might take it affecting me in my opinion as her selfe neuerthelesse her true loue teares could not stay poore distressed Iaroe so was I called by the Turkes Shee seeing me thus obstinately determined requested to know who I was then which shee required no other comfort I did not hazard much thereby and therefore satisfied her It somewhat quieted her protesting to come to my kingdome or neuer to receiue husband but at my hands Therevpon I tooke my leaue a thousand times embraced by her for I durst not do it fearing thereby to wrong her that is the load-starre of my ioyes Shée gaue me more necessaries for my iourney then I néeded and therewith departed from Argier where I nothing got but like a slaue to be marked in the forehead I could not rest so tormented was I with variable cogitations yet in the end I resolued to returne into Lucania sure to be knowne of none for that my cares and the troubles of the seas had impaired and altered my countenance as also my slaues marke And considering how long since I was yoaked and captiuated with Loues slauerie I nothing gréeued at the signes thereof for accounting them giuen me as by Pollinardas hands I did therein repute my selfe most happie In these tempestuous toyles and turbulent shipwracks spent I one yeare and an halfe which was too much to be forgot though not in my Ladies Pallace I thought that Fortune by ayding me with prosperous gales would now at length séeme to pittie me for in fewe daies I arriued in Lucania where I inquired how matters passed I was informed that one of the strongest knights now knowne the Gréeke Princes that admit no comparatiue excepted was thither come The deceased Princes younger brother he was but farre valianter for there is no Gyant able to withstand him Hee solicited and wooed by all means to obtain the Ladies good will knowing there past no more betwéene her and his brother then an exterior affection confirmed with espowsed faith Yet doth he insist therein 〈◊〉 haughtie and proude is Asternio the fierce so is he named Many times was I about to buy horse and armor to trie my fortune