Castle which gaue such an vnkind corsey to the heart of Florendos that now his mind was in some more outrage then before yea they were no sooner gone but he fell into such rigorous accusations against himselfe partly because timeritie withheld him from speaking to them and then againe how necessary his cause was to haue mooued speech so that betwéene the one the other he was euē as a man distraught of his wits Then began he to feele the seuerall accidents which loue imprinteth in the hearts of those that delight to dally vnder her Banner and how the little son of the Goddesse Citherea can pierce more déepe with his aiming shaft then the hardy enemie can enter with his launce so that he confessed himselfe to bee in more suretie when the Bullets flew about his eares then when Beautie had sent her charges to warre against his eies which was able to do more in an houre then the other had power in the space of a yeere Well sad as he was he walked to the Castell where finding the gate shut hee fell into his former agonies but by Fortune casting his eyes aside hee beheld a Shéeld hanging on the wall wherin was liuely giuen to view the Portrait of the Lady who was mistresse of his hart which he iudged to be handled in such perfection that it wanting nothing but in resemblance of the person Vnder this shéeld in golden letters was artificially written the name of Miragarda whereby Florendos verily supposed that it belonged to her who iustly deserued it because her beautie did not only merit to be viewed but would likewise inuegle the hearts of the stoutest that durst conceiue the hardinesse in themselues to come to her place of abode Yet were not those letters placed there to that in tent or purpose but only to aduertise such knights as took occasion to trauaile that way to be carefull to themselues for feare of the Giant Almarol who was Lord of that Castle and kept that Shéeld there in the behalfe of this faire Miragarda against any knight that durst presume to take it from thence While Florendos stood vsing a thousand amorous deuotions to this singular picture he espyed the Giant to come forth of the castle armed with a Iacke of Azier no lesse faire then strong and mounted on a sturdy blacke Courser when to Florendos he began to vse these words Credit me sir knight the mystery of these letters hath gottē such a maistery of you that I feare you will repent when first you saw them and that fortune was so much your enemy to conduct you to this place Trust me answered Florendos if I did not more fauour the portrait then I stand in feare of thy puissance and regard more her swéete face who owes it then I respect these words thou vsest in thy ruffe I should hardly shew her my desire or giue thée thy dutie which since thou wilt haue no forbearance but ready payment I will cause my sword at this time to seale thée quittance These words caused one either side cruell blowes with their weapons not so dangerous to the one but as doubtfull to the other yet fortune fauouring the Prince Florendos brought the Giant Almoral into such estate that he had bene made shorter by the head had not Miragarda presently discended who perceiuing Almoral brought into subiection vsed these words to the Prince Florendos Sir knight I desire you to make acceptation of the victory beare not such a bloody minde to desire the losse of his life but if for my sake you will do so much then fauour him to whom I am very much beholding as well for his gentlenesse as also because he did gard me and of this Fortresse Florendos séeing he had gotten such good lucke that he might speake to her to whom before he durst not requited her presently this answer Madame of such force are your gratious spéeches as also the good opinion I conceiue of your séemely selfe that I not onely vow my heart at your command but also my hand to mainetaine your cause wherefore I grant him his life desiring that your gentle nature wold afford me the like for that your beauty claimed such a conquest of me as none but your selfe can any way mitigate Miragarda giuing him great thanks for his curtesie departed into the Castle againe accompanyed with the Giant Florendos still remaining without complaining on the wound he receiued by her beautie and not of the hurts he had gained through the Giant In whose company he enterprised to kéepe the shéeld of Miragarda entring the Combat in her defence with all the Knights that made their iourney that way which indéed were nany through the singular report of her beautie yet fortune at that instant preferring Florendos caused him still to remaine the Conquerour Thus remained the Prince in extreame conflict of his loue frequencing dayly his Ladies picture with his amorous and pensiue complaints which Miragarda tooke such pleasure to behold that she fained for to loue him onely because she would scorne at his fond and foolish dealings But when Fame had blowne abroade the aduentures of great Brittaine how the knights were continually lost in the Castle of the Giant Dramusiande Miragarda conceiuing such an opinion of him did earnestly request that he would take his iourney thither perswading him that the aduenture of the Fortresse was only reserued to be finished by his valour Florendos loath to disobey her commandement tooke vpon him to crauaile that he arriued in England at such time as he heard the aduenture to be finished and the Princes were preparing themselues to come to the Castle where on the bridge he attended their comming and behaued himself against them as you haue heard before But now gentlewomen whose rare excellencie is such as you may perceiue that it vrgeth the gentle minde to attempt the déepest danger in your gratious seruice you shall be resolued how the faire Miragarda chanced to this Castle and why the Giant Almorol defended her as you haue heard At such time as the King Recinde was Prisoner in the enchanted Castle and that many Princes of Spain had betaken themselues to his search the Quéene remained in such gréeuous sorrowes that nothing could moue procure her to any pleasure Whereupon the Countie Arlae presented his daughter Miragarda to the Quéene to the end that we might receiue some pleasure by her company but the noble Gentlemen delighted with this rare péece of beantie enterprised Iousts and Triumphes onely to winne her to whom they were so affectioned So that expences of them were so great to doe her pleasure who litle regarded it that many of them were brought into great necessitie onely by the riotous charges her beauty set them at The Quéene séeing her Lord so long absent from his Kingdome and that the noble Gentlemen of the Court striuing to excell one another in braue and rich deuises were brought to an hard
exigent of many of their liuings which was onely procured through the loue of Miragarda by the aduise of the Countie and her honourable Councell who pittied to sée this great inconuenience sent for the Giant Almoral to whom were giuen certaine knights and Gentlewomen to attend vppon her and he should kéepe her till such time as he should appoint her Mariage which at that instant he could not dispatch because of the great discord that was risen about her amongst all the Princes and knights of the Court. And so he sent her to the Castle of the Giant Almoral vntill the princes should be in quietnesse againe where in the meane time she often vsed to walke in the gréene féeldes for to delight her selfe euen as she did at the time when Florendos come and found her and there she liued till some one might reléeue her from Captiuitie as hereafter you shall vnderstand how euery thing happened during the time of her abyding there CHAP. LIIII How Palmerin departed from the Realme of England and in his trauaile met with the Prince Gracian lying fast a sleep vnder a greene tree who gaue him to vnderstand of an hard aduenture befaln to the Prince Platir and Floraman And how he riding to helpe them met with a Damosell who brought him to the place where they were fighting the Combate and there Palmerin slew Dramaco who was Lord of the Castle and redeemed three Ladyes from their tirannicall seruitude SO Long remained Palmerin in the Court of the King of England with his noble father and his fréends who reioyced in his company that euery one supposed he would not trauaile again which he could hardly kéepe himselfe from all this while but that the earnest intreaty of the King with the Princes Flerida his Mother vrged him to stay longer then gladly he would At last when they perceiued al means could not serue to hinder his determination but that he laboured night day in pursuing his pretence they gaue consent he should depart whither pleased him so taking his leaue of the aged King his Father Mother and all his Fréends who were not a little sorrowfull to enioy his absence he gaue thē euery one a gentle Conge so left them in their great heauinesse But within a while after Don Florian séeing his Brother Palmerin was gone and how his honour was imbaced by staying so long from trauaile hee began a fresh sadnesse throughout all the Court especially to King Frederick whose affection was more inclined to him thē to the Prince Palmerin because hee had nourished him in his Court and therefore his loue was a great deale more surelie grounded on him But first to discourse what happened the Prince Palmerin who riding encumbred with a thousand conceites durst not take his way to Constantinople fearing to displease his Lady Polinarda but remembring how neere they were in affinitie he had good hope she wold make more estimatiō of his seruice Contenting himselfe with this thought hee rode on till he arriued in a very vnfertile Valley whose scarcitie of Trees or of any other thing delightfull to the eye vrged him to dispence with his thoughts a sudden sadnesse till at last after hee had ridden a good while he came to a faire and mightie bigge Tree whose compasse of Boughes contained a fine and very coole shadowe vnder it where he espied a Knight to lie fast asleepe hauing neither horse nor Esquire to beare him company which made him somwhat amazed and loath to leaue him in that dangerous estate he moued him with his lance and these spéeches Sir Knight this place is not for such an one as you to repose your wearie limmes in because you are as vncertaine of any safetie as you may assure your self it is to be feared The knight suddenly awaked and setting hand to his Sword presently started vp When Palmerin had knowledge of him to bee the Prince Gracian whose company was not a little welcome to him being in such a solitary and vnfrequented place of passage wherefore hee began in these tearmes following Sir Gracian let not my presumption be admitted to any offence but rather estéemed of in this sort that I am yours any way to command in seruice Graciā being glad to see the Prince Palmerin knowing that his puissance might remedy part of his misfortune which being willing to disclose he imbraced the Prince in his armes and in this order began to vtter his tale As it is not vnknowne worthy sir how your knightly chiualry hath brought to end the aduēture which was tearmed beyond any possibility so knowe I that your affection is inclined to ayde those whose misaduenture requiret the helpe so good a Knight and how happie your arriuall at this time is let the spectacle you shall shortly sée remaine as an vndoubted and infallible witnesse which because delay in words may turne to some danger thus it is If you follow on the way you sée right before you it will not be long before you shall come to the place where the Princes Platir and Floraman abide in great danger to whom you may yéelde maruailous friendly succour if you make hast to them who would gladly be so happy as to haue a sight of you In the meane time if Siluian will doe me the fauour that I may mount vp behinde him if we come not vnto you I desire you to except vs at the Forgetfull Stone where haue you no doubt but we will meete together Palmerin being sory to heare these newes but highly commending his Fortune that he came so luckely to the aide of the two Princes promising to fulfill the requst of Gracian he set Spurres to his Horse and rode as fast as possible he might towards them He had not rode very long but that he came to a place where two pathes seruing two seueral wayes made him to stand in a muse which way he were best to take but to driue him from his doubt he espied a Damosell come riding towards him vsing such heauy clamours as if one had pursued her to depriue her of her life Palmerin abashed at this vnlooked for aduenture stayed his Horse to question with her but she perceiuing his intent in a great feare gaue him these spéeches Good Sir offer me not the discourtesie to be a hinderance to my happy trauaile for that you may endamage me with greater harme if you stay me then the discourse of my misfortunes can yéelde you any content to heare which I am afraide to disclose because I doubt your valour can giue me no comfort in this great mishappe Trust me Lady answered Palmerin as for my valour I can hardly make you any warrant of it but so great is my desire at this instant that I must request you shewe me the cause of your grieuous lamentation Well Syr quoth shée since you are so desirous to vnderstand the exextremitie of my case come with me and you shall be certified hereof as much as you
to me and for that she would so kindly pledge her selfe vpon the assurance she reposeth in my fidelitie Moreouer I promise you Sir I haue written to the King Recinde that he should not faile to send me the Prince Albayzar and I beléeue certainly it will not belong before he come hither wherefore I pray you to stay here till he come and in the meane time I will vse the matter so as the Turke your Lord shall be rid of his doubt and the Princesse Targian a satisfied to her owne contentment I am of the opinion said the Ambassadour that the Prince Albayzar will be here and that quickly for the Damosel who was sometime sent in secret to your mistresse was dispatched with her message twenty dayes before my setting forth that she should let the King Recinde and the Prince Albayzar vnderstand of my coÌ„ming and certifie them likewise of the liberty of our knights by meanes whereof they will not faile to come hither to your Court vntill which time I am determined by your licence to soiourne here but I will not declare my Lord the Turkes minde before I sée the Prince Albayzar neuerthelesse I here present you with his gratious letter and after you haue well vnderstood the contents thereof I will declare what I haue in charge There pausing he tooke forth of his bosom a letter written in pâ—rchment and sealed with the Armes of the great Turke the which he humbly presented vnto the Emperour who presently caused it to be opened and perceyuing thereby that the Turke willed him to giue faithfull credit to what the Ambassador said he desired him to report the cause of his arriuall whereto the Ambassador thus replyed My gracious Lorde I knowe you haue not forgotten the day when the Princesse Targiana came vnto your Court neyther the subtiltie wherewith she was entised and brought forth of her Fathers Courte by the guilefull dealings of your Nephew the Knight of the Sauadge-man who was hindered in such sort in his iourney as he could not bring the Princesse Targiana vnto your Court but she being here was entertained by your Excellencie the Empresse and the Princesse Polinarda in such gratious manner as she estéemeth her selfe during life bound to you for your manifolde courtesies And my Lorde the Turke in regard of your Noble fauour toward his Daughter would gladly in any thing hee could witnesse his beneuolent minde to you forgetting all iniuryes past for his faire Daughter Targianaes sake but with this condition by the way that your Maiestie offer him nothing against right or reason for if you doâ— hée shall be constrained by forcible strength to reuenge the shame and iniurie he hath receyued by the Knight of the Sauadge-man And for the substance of his minde it is thus in briefe he desireth you to send vnto him the Knight your Nephew because he would chastise him for his haynous offence And if you refuse to satisfie his request he commaundeth me to let you vnderstand he is your enemie and will so reuenge that Knights abuse as all the world shall take example by him I cannot belieue said the Emperor that the Turke your lord will seem to threaten him at whose hands he requireth nothing but Iustice the which I being very willing to doo cannot thinke well of your present procéedings for that in sooth you demaund no Iustice Besides it is not reasonable to graunt what your lorde requireth for if Florian be accused for bringing away his Daughter I answer that he did it at the earnest intreatie and desire of her selfe So that your lorde I perceyue trauelleth in vain after my Nephew the Knight of the Sauadge-man whom I will not send vnto him if I wist he should be as welcome to him as to my selfe And if I should seeme to content the will of your lord I cannot send my Nephew except he please himselfe and I am perswaded he will not consent vnto it much lesse his Father who is a Prince of great authoritie If this reason I haue made you will not content the will of your lorde the Turke I am willing to receyue whatsoeuer he please eyther to bring or send me but I am sorie I am so farre spent with yéeres that I cannot shewe him what I haue beene sometime Neuerthelesse for a sufficient witnesse of my selfe I will sende him the Knight whome hee demaundeth that hee may tell him what I would doo my selfe and let him be bolde that Knight will doo his errand to the vttermost As for other aunswere I wish you not to looke for at my handes wherefore I thinke it good you goe to rest your selfe and when the Prince Albayzar commeth if you â—inde the time so conuenient for you you may departe when you please and in the meane time I will honor you with such courteous entertainment as you shall thinke well off I was assured before answered the Ambassadour of the answere you would make me wherefore hauing fulfilled my charge I néede not for this matter henceforward vse any more words When the Ambassadour had thus concluded Pâ—lendos desired the Emperour that he would suffer him to entertaine the Turkish Infidell while he stayed there wherevnto the Emperour gladly consented and Polendos bringing him into his Lodging failed not to let him see that enimies were better welcommed in the Emperours Court then Friendes were to his lorde the great Turke Primaleon remained very well contented hauing heard the answer of the Emperor his father as also for that he had so defâ—ded the cause of the Knight of the Sauage man for the loue of whom the Princesse Leonarda was diuersely mooued fearing least he should fal into the great Turkes hands who would appease the anger of his stomacke in sacrificing the good and hardy Knight to his Gods The sudden dumps of this yong Princesse was well perceiued by her swéete friend Polinarda who hid her knowledge thereof for the present time vntill they had brought the Empresse to her chamber then they two walking together to their Lodging Polinarda demanded the cause of her griefe wherevpon the Princesse Leonarda being ignorant that Targiana had béene brought to Canstantinople by the noble Florian of the Forrest or how else the matter stood but she desired Polinarda if so it were her pleasure to declare how these occasions had happened When the Princesse had herein satisfied her minde shée remained in sorrow without measure as well by occasion of suspecting the beautie of Targiana as also to thinke on the ingratitude of the Knight of the Sauage man so that at that very instant she reputed him as a man without faith loue or regard of loyaltie and she would gladly haue deuised the meane whereby to banish the remembrance of him forth of her heart Which the Princesse Polinarda perceiuing and willing to preuent any mischance that should happen to her Couzin she began to vse her talke in this manner Madame thinke you the Prince Florian will be the same man
as he cried for succour to the king of Trebisonde with whose aide he returned to recouer what he had lost and at length made the meanes to get Argelao and the king of Bithinia thorow the preasse But he that had theÌ„ séene the prince Primaleon might plainly haue discerned his willingâ—es to preuails against his enemies for he laide on loade so on euerie side and following vpon theÌ„ with his traine so nobly as not one durst stand before him to endure his fury by this meanes he recouered horses againe to Floraman and Berolde but they were so wounded as they were glad to get forth of the battell Primaleon Palmerin of England and Florian of the Forrest with their traynes helde the king of Trebisondes second Squadron so hâ—te play as they wished themselues a little furder off But on the left hand of this Squadron was the most daungerous battaile betwéene Framustant and Dramusiande who had gotten great aduantage of his enemies by reason that Framustantes sword was broken to his hand but Albayzar sent two hundred Knights on foote to helpe the Giant which when Primaleon perceiued he spake to Palmerin of England in this manner I pray you Sir goe with me to succour our friend Dramasiande for I will neuer returne into the Cittie except I haue him with mée Without any more words they layd about them lustily and knockt downe euery one that stood before them vntill they came where Dramusiande was thither likewise came to defend him against his enemies the Knight of the Sauageman Florendos Platir Polinard Pompides the Sage Aliart Maiortes Frisoll Blandidon Don Rosiran de la Bronde Belcar and his sonnes being likewise accompanied with twentie of the most renowmed Knights in all the Armie and to aide Framustant came the Soldan of Persia and the king of Trebisond accompanied with a hundred knights of great authoritie and valour they being all on foote When Primaleon saw his friends without their horses he alighted likewise and so did the Prince Palmerin but when the other Christian knights heard that Primaleon fought on foote they forsooke their horses and came hastily running to defend him and now beganne such a cruell and fierce battell as on all sides it remained very doubtfull and dangerous Dramusiande and Framustant so layde vpon each other with their pommils of their swords as they were at length so sore trauailed as their stroakes could but little hurt them Primaleon and the king of Trebisonde buckled together but such was the fiercenesse of their fight as in the end they were constrained to pause a while the like happened to Palmerin of England and the Soldane of Persia but the Knight of the Sauage man slew two Knights who came traiterously and strooke him behinde his back and Florendos with the rest of his companions stuck so closely to their tackling as many of the enemies ranne like dogges away But Maiortes was so compassed in with his enemies as none of his friends might come to helpe him so that he had such gréeuous wounds giuen him as hauing slaine so many of his enimies as durst abide him hée fell downe dead to the ground himselfe Florian of the Forrest was so grieued when he saw him fall as the teares trickled downe his cheeks and albeit he was in extreame heauinesse yet he followed on them that had kilde Maiortes and reuenged his death nobly because the death of so braue a noble man was much lamented of them that knew his valiaunt minde but most especiallie of his Sonne Dridan who with anguish of mind cast himselfe amongst his enemies and within a while he behaued himselfe so well as the Turkes knew to their cost his extreame griefe for the death of his Father yet such was his vnhappie fortune in the end as being beset among the thickest of his enimies many cruell wounds giuen in diuerse places of his body he fell to the ground his vitall spirite forsaking him and made him follow his Fathers dead ghost which was no small griefe to the noble king Edward of England in respect of the great friend shippe and loue that had remayned of long time betwéene him and Maiortes And because he iudged that fighting thus on foote would be the death of many his deere friendes he commaunded his hard horses to breake through the ranckes whereto they presentlie obeyed and scattered the troupes of the enemies in such sort as all his friendes were mounteâ— on horsebacke againe and Dramusiande and Framustant were separated a sunder but at this second encounter the king of Trebisonde was slaine by the hand of the noble Palmerin of England Dramusiand and Framustant were so daungerously wounded as they were not able to hold out the fight any longer wherefore they were conueied thence the one to the Turkes Tentes and the other to the Cittie to be tendered with present regard according as their dangerous estates required When the conflict was thus broken diuers that had entred with the first squadron retired to take breathing but Primaleon Palmerin nor many of the Emperors Court beside were any of them for it was a pleasure to them to endure the trauaile of Armes such small account they made of their hurts and their enemies The Empresse and the Ladies séeing so great cruelty and the losse of so many noble Gentlemen withdrew themselues into their chambers where they lamented in such gréeuous maner as if they had seene the enimie entred into the Citie whervpon many Ladies of great authorite hearing their pittifull lamentatioÌ„s came vnto the Pallace reposing altogither their hope in the aged Emperor if the knightes in the Field should fayle of the victorie The king Tarnaes would haue denied the Ladies entraunce into the Pallace but it was more then he could well doo for hardlie can any man gouerne the common people especiallie when a generall feare of their liues is threatned before their eyes The Emperour himself whose debilitie in yéeres and griefe of minde conceyued by this vnlooked for stratageme depriued him of his woonted good iudgement and pollitique meanes to preuent so great mischéefe as he could not imagine with himselfe how to remedie this suddaine misfortune but euen with a Womans stomacke rather then the inuincible minde he had alwayes borne héeretofore fel into pusillanimitie and doubtful feare with himselfe vtterlie forgetting the auncient Adage Audaces Fortuna iuuat and Targiana the Princesse of Armenia and all the Ladies in the Turkes Campe were so fearefull and doubtfull of the victorie as the Ladies in the Emperours Court. King Edward being Generall of the Christian Armie desiring to witnesse his noble valour in the fielde hauing rested himselfe a pretie space dismounted thrée knights one after another with one Launce afterward drawing his sworde he charged the enimes on all sides about him so valiauntlie as they were glad to auoide and giue him place And the Prince Albayzar likewise séeking to honour himselfe this day with the renowme of the field came vppon the
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND HIS APPROued good friend Maister Frances Young of Brent-pelliam in the County of Hertfort Esquire and to the most kinde Gentlewoman and my Mistresse Susan Young his louing wife and my Mistresse as much happinesse wisheth as their owne hearts can desire SHould I right worshihful as flatterers are woont to doe set downe a Catalogue of your commendations and enter into a Laborinth of loue toward you I know your wits so good that you would quickly espie it and I confesse mine owne nature such as I hartily hate My present purpose then at this time is neither to rehearse your many stinde fauours which I knowe you rather loue priuately to enlarge then listen publikely to heare laide open nor report mine owne vnthankfulnes which I am sorie hath beene so much yet you will forget although it were farre more bui as a dutifull remembrance of both these though not able to be shadowed in one subiect yet sufficient in your conceits I know being but in part acknowledged I send you this honourable Historie of Prince Palmerin of England which cost mee no more paiues in writing then I hope it will be pleasing to you in reading The Epistle This first part is but to relish your tast how yee can like of such worthy Knights loues and memorable aduentures whereof at my last being with you in the Countrie I sawe yee vse no mislike Then finding such gentle entertainment as I make no question of the second part shall bee with you very speedily after So committing your worship and my sweete Mistresse your wife to the heauenly protection I remaine yours to my vttermost ⸪ A. Munday TO THE LADIES AND GENTLEVVOMEN OF ENGLAND THE Authour wisheth such a courteous moderation in iudgement that his labours be not hastily reproched nor hatefully receiued AMong the best choyse of flowers faire Ladies all are not sweet where is most varietie of Medicine some are not soueraigne so amongst all the conceits you shall finde in this Booke all are not pithie though the most pretie When the Lion roareth the Lamb trembleth when the Captaine taketh his Lance the Coward ferareth his life euen so the brauery of the learned is so great a blemish to him that hath little that he feareth to proceede not daring to step a foot without a pardon Such are the ingenious inuentiōs right noble minded and courteous Ladies so plentifully sent to your perusing that were it not the bountiful respect of your gentle iudgements did assure me to taste of your friendly fauour I should conuert my studies into so great despaire as the verie thought were sufficient to kill him that dieth euery houre fearing displease But as mercy doth alway accompany your noble sexe and mildnesse represse any cholerick chance so know I that rigor cannot dwell where is no desire reuenge but as of all men are faultie I shall be forgiuen for company Your most bounden by dutie A. M. In lucubrationes A. M. Epigramma R. W. VT legi placuit nec enim placuisse mireris Namque tuum nomen fronte libellus habet Laudo animum cupioque tibi sint saepe labores Grati suecumbas ne mala verba ferens Nomines Indoctos doctosque reuoluera scripta Indoctique cito fulmen ab ore venit Sed tu perge tamen tipis ornare libellos Persoluent sumptum gloria fama decus Quaeso feras animo patienti me tibi calcar Addere currenti sum tuus esto meus R. W. THE FIRST PART OF THE NO LESSE RARE THEN EXCELLENT AND stately History of the famous and fortunate Prince Palmerin of England CHAP. I. How Don Edward sonne to Fredericke king of England hauing obtained in marriage faire Flerida daughter to the Emperor Palmerin of Constantinople returneth home againe into England and going on hunting lost himselfe in the vnfortunate Forrest of great Brittaine by pursuing an inchated Bore which brought him to the Castle of the Giant Dramufiande where he remained Prisoner a long time AFter that Don Edward sonne to the aged Fredericke king of England had finished his long desired marriage with Flerida daughter to the renowned Palmerin d'Oliua Emperour of Constantinople not onely to his owne good liking but also to the content of his friends and familiars he tooke his voyage from the Empire of Greece as it is at large mentioned in the booke entituled Primaleon of Greece toward the realme of England accompanied with the Princesse Flerida his espoused Lady beside a traine méete to attend on so puissant a person as the Prince was Being arriued at the English Court to the no little ioy of the Knights Father and great delight of his kinsfolke and friends they were welcommed as beséemed their royall estates and ioyfully receiued to their hearts content It chaunced in short space after the Princesse Flerida waxed great with childe a thing of no small comfort to the aged king nor of little pleasure to the young Prince Now is the tediousnesse of their trauaile the wearisome labour of their long iourney cleane cast out of remembrance as of no account and the ioyfull Prince Don Edward deuiseth each dainty delight and each gallant attempt that either might procure the Princesse to pleasure or by any meanes giue her occasion of pastime And for because the pinching pangs which alway frequentetth one in her case might either cause doubt of her good deliuery or daunger in her well doing her person being somewhat ouercharged with sickenes the young Prince was as carefull in preuenting such ill chaunce as circumspect in prouiding to shunne any such chaunge Leaning the Court he walked with her in Prograce through the Forrest of England for that he supposed the sight of the spreading Trées and pleasant passages through the grassy groues would be an occasion of the vnminding her former fits and driue out of memory the sudden assaults that were incident vnto her féeble nature vsing himselfe very pleasantly and calling himselfe Iulian the more to encrease her mirth All this while remained the aged King in his Pallace where the English Prince being armed cast his eyes on the portrait of Gridonia hauing by her side a Lion and a tender infant the sight whereof was of such maruailous estimation in his conceiued thought both by the shew of beautie he held and shape of bountie he iudged in her that hée abandoned his naturall Countrey to trie his good fortune against the couragious Knight Primaleon For the more certaintie whereof you may at large peruse the effects of his valiancie in the discourse of his memorable aduentures and concerning the fortunate procéeings which passed betwéene them aswell the prowesse of the one as valure of the other I must needes say it was such and of so great authoritie as it bare the title of perfect magnanimitie But returne we to our matter The Princesse Flerida perceuing the courteous care and diligent endeuour that her royall spouse Don Edward vsed for her greater delight so louingly
sollace thou must forsake passe the remainder of thy dayes in sorrow I rue thy case but can giue thée no comfort I sorrow to thinke on thy misery and can giue thée no remedie blood will haue blood againe and cruelty will haue the like rewarded thou shalt féele the force of my chollericke moode and by reuengement will bee so sharpe as will be trebble griefe for thée to sustaine it The Prince being vanquished with a sudden feare to heare the Giant vse such words of fury put vp his hand where heâ— thought to finde his Sword but failing of his purpose he presently sayd In the greenest grasse lyeth the most deceitfull Serpent and in the calmest waters the deepest whirlepoole so in those places where aman thinketh himselfe farthest of all mishaps he is soonest assayled by some sudden mischance Well quoth the Giant though my anger doth vrge me vnto great impatience and that I cannot brooke the open iniury done vnto to mee but am bent seuerely to reuenge me on thée and all thy Kindred as my after dealings shall make manifest to their great dishonour yet will I kéepe thée being first chaunced into my hands that thou mayest witnesse to the rest my his displeasure As for thy life I franckly and fréely giue thée séeing the Kingly Lyon disdaineth to vaunt on his conquered Prey and the Princely Eagle scorneth to stoupe to a Flye Besides thy life is not of sufficiencie in such a cause as this beeing first the death of my Father next the distresse of my Friends now the present griefe of my selfe and lastly euer hereafter to all my issue an eternall sorrow which to appease the life of one no not of tenne no nor yet of an hundreth is able to make recompence or suffice to quench my rigour Neuertheles in poore and meanest sort I minded to vse thee not as thou list and as I like not to thine owne choyse but as I shall finde occasion so that to recount thy posted pleasure and also to thinke on thy present ensuing paine though it be griefe to mee to vse it and so harde thy hap that thou canst nor mayst refuse it shall witnesse a world of miseries that thou art to abide and the rarest Misfortunes that euer man did taste This is thy lucke and this is my law this thy hard hap and this my heauy hatred as 〈◊〉 thou departest thou shalt sufficieÌ„tly vnderstand and by that time thou knowst what and who I am that haue this authoritie thou shalt feele to thy greater woo my pretended iniurie Hauing thus finished his talke he caused him to bee carried into his strongest Prison which was in the top of the Castle and clapped a great pair of Gyues on his legs minding in this furie neuer while hee liued to take them off againe Don Edoard thus suddenly chaunged from Princely pompe to present penurie from the Court of his Father to the Cabbin of his Foes from the presence of his Ladie to the loathing of his life enclosed in a Castle so admirable in a prison so vncomfortable and in a Dungeon so dispaireable closing his armes together entred into these sorrowfull moâ—es Oh poore Prince is thy hope thou haddest of so great courtesie and so soone chaunged into extreame crueltie Didst thou credite faire wordes to be such troth and now doest thou finde them quite turned to treason Alas who sooner deceiued then the well meaning man and who more quickly beguiled then he that means most honestly Hath Fortune hetherto allowed thée honour and will shee now leaue thée to taste this horror hath all thy life hetherto beene spent in delight and shalt thou now end thy dayes in this direfull distresse Alas then hast no helpe to the contrarie wherefore thou must holde thée content there is none néere to succour thée wherefore suppe vp thy sorrow Thy aged Father will misse thée thy louing Ladie will lacke thée and all thy Courtly companions will sorrow for thy want And what of that Bucephalus will stoupe to none but Alexander and Mercuries Pipe will be scunded by none but Orphaeus Euen so my proud soo may no wayes be intreated but either must be conquered in strength or craftily deceyued in sleights which how farre my thought is from deliuery so farre from comfort is my poore oppressed heart O my déere Florida when thou shalt call thy vnkindenesse into question and my last departure from thy presence into a Womans opinion I know the care will no lesse trouble thy minde then my want of thy comfort causeth my miserie Alas though I haue thus left thee by follie yet thinke not but I still loue thée faithfully and although thy griefe as I knowe is great for my losse yet thinke not but my sorrowe putteth me to extremity of my life in that this Prison so amateth me with sadnesse as I am of opinion neuer againe to sée you without whose companie my life cannot long endure but eyther to dispaire vpon my hard Aduenture or presently die in so sharpe an assault O inuincible Prince Primaleon what griefe will you abide for losse of your brother and what sorrow will you conceiue for your deare Friend whose misfortune I feare will cause you leaue your Parents and whose tryed friendship mooue you put your life in perill Except the Soldan of Niquâ—e Maiortes Gatterit the King Tranies by their friendly perswasion may otherwise determine your purpose And though their méere Loue kéepe you at home yet I thinke my mishap will enforce them to be sorry So that some of them will endeuour to heare of me againe although it be vnpossible to giue mee succour except fauour may plead their cause wiâ—h the Lady of this Castle whose crueltie I feare will no way be intreated In these and such like rufull complaints the Captiue Prince spent his time vntill earnest opinion of his Ladie to be present with him vrged him to breake foorth into these spéeches Alas my good Ladie this cruell Prison is not cause of my death but to sée your person accompanie me in distresse when the Court were more méete to shrowde your séemely selfe then this vncomfortable Dungion for you to set foote in Whose presence procureth so fierce an assault in my hart that the feare of your safety is more to my perill then a thousand torments might be to my paine Wherefore good Ladie content yourselfe and suffer mee to moane blemish not your faire face with rufull teares for me the one may endanger your prosperitie and the other may no way be to my profite Thus clasping his armes together and entring into a farther conceit in his minde I leaue the extremitie of his griefe to those that haue tasted the like mishappe that where before he was equal with any for good fortune he is now aboue all respecting his ill lucke CHAP. II. ¶ In this Chapter is declared why Eutrope the Enchauntresse procured thus the hard hap of the Prince Don Edoard and what the Gaint was
with you in sorrow althougy not worthy comparison it may be in Soueraigntie And why you accompanie this Funerall with such heauie complaints considering the pleasures of the Court were more fit for your delights then the vncomfortable abyding in this solitary Desart Thus much on my Knightly Oath auouching that knewe I you had sustained iniury at the hands of any I would eyther cause him recount what hee hath done you in hishonour or constraine a reuenge on his dearest blood The Ladie hauing well noted the courtesie of Primaleon as well his Knightly offer◠as the good opinion shee conceyued of performance satisfied his Request with this gentle replye Syr Knight lesse I iudge you not to be and more being ignorant of your estate I may not terme yée Neuerthelesse if I fayle in the one let friendship yet forget the other Let suffice that I am one whom Fortune hath iniuryed euery way by mishappe and aduantaged no way by no good lucke so that to answere your demaund I am the onely Ladye who may compare with all for misfortune As touching my ame which may in some sort vrge you to remēber my meaning when you are not ignorant of me vnderstand that I am calld Pandritia daughter to the famous King of Lacedemonia and although at this present in this vncomfortable Wildernesses yet am I gouernesse of his Princely dominions And hereby in a Castle I passe forth my vnfortunate life hauing no other company then these whom you may behold who beare part in my mone and mishappe As for the estimation of my life the ioy is so small and the griefe so well acquainted that I am rather desperate to ende it then desirous to endure it And now I make my returne vnto my carefull Castle the which for that it is not vnprouided of faire Ladies such as you sée here present I haue tearmed it the Garden of Damosells wherein I receiue as much sollace by mourning as any Ladie tasting my mishappe can obtaine in myrth I am sure if you haue trauelled Countreys you are not ignorant how the King Ternaes my Brother who after the death of my Father was enchaunted into the Castle Des noires Oyseaux vntill such time as by the valiancie of the famous Prince Don Edoard he was deliuered out of so grieuous perplexitie This Prince afterward remaining with my Brother in Lacedemonia so long as him pleased where were such Tryumphes ordayned as might gratifie such an Honourable personage I the more vnfortunate I conceiued so good opinion of his valiant behauiour that I chose him as the honor of my life and Patron of my Loue estéeming all other but base in respect of him and hee to be as farre beyond them all as I was deceyued farre from my hope But my Cake was dowe and my labour spent to losse for that long before he had vowed his seruice to the faire Damosell Flerida to whom he was Espowsed when he departed foorth of this Kingdome Thus was my Loue despised my selfe disgraced and shée honoured with that Gallant whome I loued too soone and lost too late which causeth mee refraine all Courtly companie betaking me to the sorrow of my Folly that mist the good happe I desired in Faith And yet beholde in remembrance of this vnkinde Don Edoard I haue reserued this Picture as the chiefe ornament of my Chamber imagining the person present when God knowes he is farre enough from me in distance of place but farther off in good will of heart Yet often doe I blame the Picture for the Maisters sake whome had I but halfe so much power ouer as I haue of this Portrait hee should well know my Loue is more then he can possibly desire and so much that he can neuer liue to deserue And as you may perceiue this Picture addressed in manner of a Funerall which being depriued of all Hope I meane to Solemnize in this sorrowfull manner that interring it in my comfortlesse House of Sadnes I may forget the fond Loue I bare to such an vngentle Friend Which to sée accomplished this carefull companie as you may perceiue are ready to assist me in this heauy trauel And therfore courteous Knight if you please to sée my Funerals and Picture of that ingratefull Prince Don Edoard lifte vppe the Hearse and you shall beare witnes what I haue giuen you in words Pandritia concluding her discourse with an heauy sigh the Prince Primaleon lifted vp the Hearse where he beheld the liuely Portreit of his déere Friend Don Edoard so Artificially drawne that he doubted whether he had bene slaine thereabout or no for vnder his head were two Pillowes of blacke Veluet and on either side of the body two burning Tapers which enforced the Prince to turne his talke into teares and there he bar◠Pandritia company for all that Night enduoring her Comfort but her vowed sorrow would not suffer any perswasion in this case Ye would not Primaleon depart but bare her company into another valley what time faire Aurora began to shew her cheerfull countenance cloare Phoebus hastened to his chariot to run his course about the earth Through this valley ran a blacke and vgly Riuer beset with high Trées round about which made it very obscure and vnpleasant to the beholders In the midst of this Riuer was an Ile wherin was placed an ancient Mansion couered ouer al with black which declared smal pleasure to those who remained there great occasion of sadnes to any that should come there The chamber of his solitarie place were adorned with many pictures as witnesses of the great misfortunes that had happened to many Louers as the tragicall motion of Hero and Leander the sorrowfull end of Piramus and This bie accompanied with the mournful Philomela Then next her stood the vnhappy quéene Dido hauing the blade of Eneas pierced through her harmelesse heart the workemanship so cunningly ordred that you would haue iudged the fresh blood to drop from her faire body Medea Progne Arcana Fedra Arife were all worthily painted with the whole discourses of their liues There stood Orpheus wrapped about in the fire of Hell hauing in his hand his harpe which in times past could recouer him his wife Erudice Acteon bare company with these infortunate louers in the shape of an Hart and torne a péeces by his owne hounds by him stood Narcissus and diuers other which I omit for breuitie as 〈◊〉 fearefull to be too tedious Pandritia being now come to the dore of this foresaid mansion she caused the damosels to beare in the funeralls of the Prince Don Edoard then turning to Primaleon gaue him this farewel Sir knight lo here the rest of my misfortunes and last Sepulcher of my heauy trauels I shall request your company no further for that none must enter here but he that vowes to be partner in our pensiuenes and can abandon the name of all pleasures to expresse his mishaps in bemoning my funerals She entring the
Miragarda he could not chuse but confesse the aduantage she had aboue his Lady Targiana Neuerthelesse hée would put her will in due execution albeit that night he could not time was so farre spent but in the morning he presented himself before the Castle when Dramusiande aduertised of his arriuall armed himselfe and came foorth on Horseback so after a litle friendly greeting passed betwéen them they couched their Speares and at the third encounter sent one an other to the ground couragiously Then drew they forth their swords deliuering such cruell assaults to one another that Miragarda and her Ladies did highly commend them but yet shée stood in feare lest Albayzar should vanquish Dramusiande Albayzar who all his life time had not felt such hardy blowes thought not his promise so certain as when he departed froÌ„ the Princesse Targiana Dramusiande found his enemy so strong that he could hardly assure himselfe of any victory for so cruelly did they deale with one another and wounded one another in such grieuous maner that one would not haue thought how possible the life could remaine in them whereupon Dramusiande began thus to the faire Miragarda My good Lady doe not now refuse your seruant in so great a néede that he which hath neuer done you seruice shall cause your Dramusiande to lose the recompence which he thinketh by his trauels to haue worthily deserued On the other side Alybazar was in his coÌ„plaints to the Princesse Targiana desirign her but to remember him in fauor and that was sufficient to ouercom his enemy so commending him selfe to his God Mahound he began again afresh with Dramusiande Long they fought yet neither could preuaile for they thought themselues indifferently matched so that the night approaching on made theÌ„ to leaue off their Combat and to finish it on the next day if they could Dramusiand entred his lodging meaning on the morrow to ende their strife one way or other and Albayzar retired being of the same minde but knowing no where to rest him for that night that hee might the better deale with Dramusinde on the morrow he returned to the trée of the Shields where remembring the promise he had made to his Lady euery one being fast asleepe he tooke downe the shield of the Prinesse Miragarda which hée purposed to beare with him into Turkie But first he would passe the Court of the Emperonr Palmerin according as his lady Targiana had commanded him and fearing least he should be pursued he stayed in no place till he was twenty miles from thence bearing the shield couered that no body should know it And there where he lodged he stayed vntill his wounds were healed very sorrowfull because he could not vanquish Dramusiande to bring the perfect prize to his Lady Targiana CHAP. LXXII How after Albayzar departed with the Shield of Miragarda Dramusiande left the Castle of Almarol to followe after him And how Armello brought word to the Prince Florendos of the Shield which made him presently leaue his shepheards kinde of life and with his fellowe shepheard tooke themselues to trauaile NOw Dramusiande hauing dressed his wounds so well as he might in so short a space in the morning returned to the Trée intending to ende the Combate or to leaue his life in the field but when he began to gréete the Picture of Miragarda according as hée was wooâ—â— and found himselfe dispossest thereof hée was taken with such sorrow that he could abide in no place When he had sought all about the Trée and could not finde it he began to suspect that the Knight against whom he maintained the Combat had caried it away with him wherefore as secretly as might be he concluded to persue presently after him not staying till the Princesse Miragarda was certified thereof because hee could not yéelde account of that which shée had so faithfully committed to his kéeping Then was he determined to séeke all the world ouer but he would be reuenged on this discourteous Knight whose treason he rehearsed to the Giant Almarol of whom he tooke his leaue not staying til his wounds were healed nor yet thinking on the danger wherein he tooke himselfe to trauell After that Dramusiande was gone Miragarda vnderstood how her shield was stollen by a Knight after whom Dramusiande had determined to trauaile which made her to take it somwhat heauily thinking though Dramusiande were gone to recouer it againe yet when this mishap should be knowne to the Tristfull Knight he would now take his weapons to followe him that offered her so great discortesie for in him she reposed a better confidence then in Dramusiande Armello seeing the shield was stollen and that Dramusiande was gone in that order had good hope now of his maisters good Fortune which made him trudge in hast fromthe Castell and all the way he went by the Riuer Thesin till at last he found him kéeping Shéepe by a Fountaine where staying himselfe a while he heard the sound of a Flute which often stayed to vtter the complaints of an euercharged minde so that Armello was greatly mooued to heare his lamentations Then came hée a litle neere to behold his face which was so much offended with essuse of teares that Armello could not iusily say whether it was he or 〈◊〉 at his féete fate another Shepheard very simply apparelled and playing many delightfull deuises vpon his Flute so that Armello verily thought that place a wildernesse of woes The sight made him in such case that he knâ—w not how or which way to beginne his tale for well he knew his Lord had minded such a 〈◊〉 life at such 〈◊〉 as he left the Castell of the Giant Almarol yet hardly did he knowe that this was he wherefore encouraging himselfe he approched vnto them with these spéeches I pray you my friend to report to me if you can some tidings of a young knight whom Loue hath caused to vndertake a solitary kinde of life when his estate doeth rather command him to vse knightly Armes Trust me my friend answered the Shepheard I am my selfe so cruelly vrged with the outrages of loue that I can hardly endure to make you any answere for I am he whom Loue hath allowed to all misfortune but neuer to no day houre minute of quietnesse With that the Prince Florendos began in this order Oh sir doe not you séeme to blame Loue so much if you haue sustained any losse impute it to the féeblenesse of Fortune and not to Loue let me alone to complaine of Loue. Armello cast good view vpon him and knew that it was the Lord albeit he was changed out of all remembrance wherefore falling down at his féete he desired him not to execute on himselfe such extreame griefe as he would not fauour himselfe with some pittie which would greatly displease her who had power to command him otherwise Then was Florendos somewhat offended with himselfe if he had done any thing that might displease his best beloued which Armello séeing
fortune the enemy to their good hap discouered their good liking to the displeasâ—re of both It chanced that this Princesse being named Brandisia esteemed chiefly the seruice of Artibel which her Father misdoubting kept her close in a Tower but Loue had woon such a perfection betwéen them that Artibel accomplished a deuise without suspition as oftentimes to visite sollace with his faire Brandisia for by a Ladder of Ropes he climed so often to the window of the Princesse that time conuerted the issue of their delights to vna bellae figliola Brandimar passing oftentimes by the tower of Brandisia desirous to sée his delight which these walles enclosed one night by chance saw when Artibel came downe by his accustomed Ladder of ropes which made him so offended that forgetting the league of amity between theÌ„ he set vpon him where with their cloaks wrapped about their armes and their rapieâ—s drawn after a few words they fel to strokes which by fortune the king heard and comming thither with his gard he found Brandimar almost slaine Whereupon Artibell was committed to prison and Brandimar hauing declared all to the King shortly after yeelded his life The king knowing that his daughter was conceiued with child kept Artibell in prison till time of her deliuerance vpon which day hee caused him to be beheaded and in this Cup he sent her the hart of her beloued Artibell The Princesse perceiuing the cruell reuenge of her father and desirous to accompany her déere friend in death tooke the Cup and making a thousand complaints ouer the heart of Artibel she continued mourning so long till she had filled this Cup with her teares Afterward thinking this not sufficient to manifest the faithful loue she bare to the knight she tooke the Cup and sent it to her Father vttering to the Messenger these speeches Tell my Father that it may be he hath sent mee this true and faithfull token of my most affectionate loyall friend only that I should shew in the massaring of mine owne life my hart was iointly vnited with this harmelesse heart of my deare Artibell whom since I loued in life I wil not forsake in death neither for my Fathers rigor to him and cruelty to me but will honour his death with losse of my life my Father being the Author of all this euill So taking out the heart and the messenger departed with the Cup she tricked her selfe in her brauest apparel putting the heart of her friend Artibel between her brests with these words Oh Artibel receiue thine own Brandisia she cast her self headlong out of the chamber window where death tooke his due of this faithfull and constant Princesse The king sorrowfull for his Daughters death solemnized her Funerals with great honour and dignity and taking the Child whom he hath named Leonarda he put her in the self same tower accomâ—anied with Ladies gentlewomen where she was nourished for the space of foure yeeres At the end wherof he made an Enchantment halfe a mile from his place in a Valley wherein he likewise Enchaunted the yong princesse Leonarda which Enchantment he had vsed in such order that none might sée her nor yet come neare vnto her for a far off might be discerned a goodly Fortresse but when any endeuoured to come neare it it vanished away nothing could be séene When he had so done he tooke this Cup wherein he had congealed frozen the teares vsing his Art so vpon them that he hath brought them into this ougly blacknesse which you now behold And at the houre of his death seeing his kingdome should remaine destitute of an heire to succéed him he commanded this Cup should be carried into all Princesse Courts in the world to passe the hands of many noble Knights vntill the teares came to the first estate and condition So should the knight be found that surpasseth al other in worthinesse and constancy of Loue as also that is able to expell and end the enchauntment of the princesse Leonarda who ioyning mariage with her shall gouerne the scepter and Diademe of Thrace But if so be the Knight who hath the power to accomplish this aduenture shall haue vowed his faith to some other so that the princesse cannot marry with him the commandement of the king is such that the Princesse Leonarda shall ioyne in Mariage with him that this aforesayde Knight shall command Aud one thing more you shall vnderstand that if any knight may equal himselfe in faith and loyalty with him that hath the power to molifie these teares the aduenture is such as they wil turne to their former obscure estate againe but if such a one come as may not in that excellent gift be comparable to the Knight then is there nothing can cause them to to change their colour So that if any knight aduance himselfe to this cup and is not a faithfull and constant Louer the teares shall remaine as darke as you sée them at this present Likewise after the Enchantment shal be fully finished that the Lady and the Knight may beheld themselues in the teares they shall sée the perfect forme of those persons who are their dearest friends and their greatest enemies And if any will knowe those that are least in fauour vpon the taking of this Cup they shall féele a sauour so strong that they shall hardly be able to endure it and to the contrary he that is more beloued then his fellow by higher degrée in affection shall cause a greater brightnesse to be in the Cuppe Wherefore most redoubted Emperour I desire you that your Knights may try this aduenture and your selfe to giue the first attempt because you may the better declare the loue you beare to your gratious Lady the Empresse Lady quoth the Emperor you desire me to fall into troublesome extreames by desiring me to aduenture so great a matter Neuertheles I will once hazard vpon Fortune to please them that cannot finish this hard accident albeit I thinke my selfe not able to do it For the like matter haue I enterprised trying my selfe with the Glasse of the King Tarnaes being the like aduenture as this and ended by the vertuous and noble Prince Don Edward and â—s I thinke not to end this so shall the Empresse excuse me considering my ancient time Then arose a great noyse among the Knightes who desired to try the Cup beause their Ladies should bee the better assured of their constant Loue. CHAP. XCI Of those that came to try the aduenture of the Cuppe and of that which happened vnto them GReat affection had the Emperour to shewe somewhat his constant loyaltie in the aduenture of his Cup wherefore receiuing it at the hands of the Damosel he turned him toward the Empresse and said Trust mée Madame if it be true that faithful loue may conuert these teares then I perswade my selfe to haue some title in it So holding the Cuppe a great while and perceiuing that it changed not the colour he
iniuries but to séeke reuengement when they are thought to be out of all remembrance The Emperour tooke Dramusiande by the hand and reported to him how they were gathered together to sée who could finish the aduenture of the Cup wherfore he desired him to make trial therof to sée if he were so happy as to end it I shal quoth Dramusiand do what pleaseth your Grace to command mee and if Fortune stand so much my friend that I may preuaile aboue al in this enterprise I shall manifest the soueraigne duty wherein loue hath bound me but if I faile therin I shal haue the lesse cause of maruell because it is not the first time that fortune hath forgotten me So receiuing the cup of the damosel it became almost as cléere as it did in the hand of the Prince Florian whose hap was as yet supposed for the most perfect and then the Emperour commended Dramusiande to think that a person so strong and valiant shuld haue such faithfull countenance and honour in loue The day was so far spent that they al returned to the Pallace the Emperour desiring the damosel not to depart as yet because he would haue Albaizar and Florendos should make their trial likewise for he verily thought that one of them should haue the power to ende it The Damosell promised to accomplish his pleasure wherefore she walked with them and made her abiding in the Emperours Pallace CHAP. XCII How Florendos and Albayzar proued the Aduenture of the Cup and how Palmerin and Florian arriued at the Court. DRamusiande as the History reporteth hauing left Palmerin and Florian to followe the Princesse Targiana was aduertised that the Knight that carried her away had béene conquered by one who conducted her with him to Constantinople aud that it was the Prince Florendos who likewise had conquered the valiant Albayzar whereat hee was somewhat displeased because he thought none so woorthie to restore her shield as himselfe seeing it was taken thence at the time when he kept it Yet séeing that Florendos had gotten the aduantage hée dissembled his griefe in the best manner he could and tooke leaue of the Damosell who reported al this vnto him and stayed not till he came to Constantinople as I haue declared already where a while I will craue pardon to leaue him Palmerin of England and the Prince Florian of the Desart his Brother stayed twenty two dayes in the Monastery where the Giant Dramusiande left them and when they were very well healed and appointed with new Armour which Siluian had caused to made for them they departed thence greatly thanking the Religious for the good diligence they had vsed to them in their weakenesse When they were neare to Constantinople because they supposed it was not time as yet to enter the Citie they alighted from their horses to contemplate of diuers accidents that happened in their minds Elorian in whoÌ„ the passions of Loue could take no certaine place but dissembling euery thing to content his fancy layde him downe vnder a Trée to muse on the aduentures which Fortune should permit him to enterprise and Palmerin with many along looke towards the Citie recounted the great fauour he found in the Emperors Court as also his gentle departure from the Princesse Polinarda so that he was determined not to enter the Citie at all had not Siluian vsed his perswasions to the contrary When they had vsed their conceits about such matters as liked them best they mounted on horsebacke rode toward the Court where they arriued at such time as the Emperour was risen from dinner and the Empresse with her Ladies come into the great Hall to sée a farther triall of the Cup by the Prince Florendos and Albayzar who though they were not perfectly healed came foorth of their Chambers to manifest the constant loue that they alwayes conceiued in their loyall hearts Palmerin Florian went vp into the great Hall leauing Siluian at the Court gate least perhaps they should be knowne and when they were come before the Emperor Albayzar who lay vpon a cloth of blacke Veluet beholding the beautie of the Princesse Targiana arose tooke the Cup in his hand when it became as cleare as when the prince Floraman held it whereat Targiana receiued gread pleasure but Albayzar was not satisfied because he saw the aduenture was not concluded Palmerin who because he would not be knowen bare a Dragon for his deuise in his Shield and his Brother Florian standing with him séeing the Cup that was so blacke changed into such brightnesse in the hand of Albayzar began to conceiue a great occasion of maruaile desirous to knowe how the chance had happened The Emperor very often beholding them and iudging that they were persons of some great authority coÌ„manded that they should be placed by him where he began to discourse at large of the cup desirous to know likewise of wheÌ„ce they were but they excused themselues so honourably that the Emperor held himselfe coÌ„tented While these two English princes held talke with the Emperor the Prince Florendos who was leaning on the lap of his sister the Princesse Polinarda arose musing on the beauty of Miragarda he began in his mind to vse these spéeches madame now would I that you might sée the triall of my troth which might moue you hereafter to vse me according as you proue me loyall in truth So taking the Cup of the Damosell it receiued a farre more brightnesse then euer it had before and the teares were brought into such estate as though they had not béen frozen at all whereat the Emperour and Primaleon were very ioyfull to sée such a perfect proofe of Amitie in the Prince Florendos which made them to request of the Damosell if the aduenture were as yet ended Most noble Emperor quoth she the Cup teares are transformed to the greatest perfection that any yet could bring them but command them to come néere who haue not as yet made any proofe at all and then if the Cup receiue no change estéeme this Knight the most constant faithfullest Louer in the world But if so be the Cup do alter againe beleeue assuredly that that Knight shall excéede him either in knightly déeds of Armes or else in the Amorous constancy of a Louer The Emperour seeing that al his knights had assaied the cup he desired the Knight of the Dragon his fellow to make triall also but Palmerin was so busie in beholding his faire Polinarda that he heard not the Emperors words wherfore Florian who was frée from a Louers passions albeit he could dissemble with Ladies indifferently aduanced himselfe with these wordes to his Lady Targiana My Lady I defiâ—e your assistance in passing this danger and to forsake me in all other onely let me enioy this in recompence of my desert and as for the thing you hold of greater estimation reserue that for him to whom you are in greater affection Now as these words were
and the king Polendos seeing the knight of the Dragon had woūded Dramusiand so sore greatly doubted lest Berocant should now ouercome him but suddenly Dramusiand caused them to change their opinion for he followed his enemy with so great courage that he forced him to fall downe dead at his féete Then came the Iudges and with great honor conducted the thrée Conquerors forth of the field where the Emperor with his royall traine met them when Palmerin and Florian hauing opened their helmets came to the Emperour and with very great reuerence kissed his hand who receyued them with maruellous princely courtesie The Empresse Gridonia Bazilia and Polinarda attended the comming of the Emperour because they vnderstood that he brought with him the two English knights who when they came before them were receiued according to their knightly bounty When Palmerin came to humble himselfe before the princesse Polinarda such a sudden feare did ouercharge him that he could not withhold himselfe from falling to the ground and the Emperour supposing that it was caused through lesse of his blood commanded Primaleon Polendos Vernar and Berolde to cary him presently into a Chamber where he was respected with great diligence for his health Dramusiande and Florian were likewise honoured with very Princely vsage the Emperor remaining as ioyfull for this good hap as Albayzar was sorrowfull to sée the thrée Giants spéed so ill CHAP. XCV What happened in the Court of the Emperour after the combate of the Giants CErtaine dayes after this cruel Combat the prince Florendos seeing Dramnsiande and the English Princes out of any danger determined to restore the Shield of Miragarda in the place from whence the Prince Albayzar tooke it and to present him to her where he should abide the doome of her iudgement When he had well prouided himselfe of Armour and other necessaries he aduanced himselfe before the Emperour and his Father to desire their sufferance in this attempt but they were very loath he should goe least any danger should happen to him by the way through some treacherous meane deuised by Albayzar wherfore they gained of him to stay yet for eight dayes longer In the meane time the Emperour had concluded through aduise of his Councell to send the Princesse Targiana home againe to her Father accompanied with the King Polendes and diuers other Princes and Knights but first he would content the desire of her loue wherefore with great royalty he married her to the Prince Albayzar and to honour them the more he held open Court and caused many Triumphs and braue deuises to be accomplished to gratifie these honourable personages The Emperour ledde Targiana into the Chappell where he gaue her to the Prince Albayzar whose heart greatly reioyced to receiue the swéete content he had so long desired but the chiefest grief that eclipsed his ioy was because the Prince Florendos should present him to the faire Miragarda which thought made him not so pleasant with his beloued as otherwise hee would haue béene When time came for their departure Targiana humbly submitted himselfe to the princesse Gridonia and all the ladies but especially to the princesse Polinarda who had vsed her very graciously during the time of her abyding there The Emperour with all his Knights rode with her two miles from the Citie committing her to the charge of Polendos and the other Princes who could not perswade Florendos but he would needes present Albayzar at the castle of Almarol to witnes his vnfained faith to his Lady Mistresse Miragarda The Emperor taking leaue of Targiana returned with his traine to the Cittie endeuouring himselfe to change the mind of Florendos but all was in vaine for two dayes after he departed from Constantinople accompanied with Albayzar whom he would not suffer to weare Armour but permitted him one of the Esquires belonging to Targiana and himselfe tooke twaine one to carrie the Shields of Miragarda which was couered and the other to carry his owne thus in their iourney we intend to leaue them The Damosel of Thrace séeing the Prince Palmerin in good disposition of health in the presence of the Emperour she spake to him thus Worthy Sir I thinke you are sufficiently certified that I cannot depart from hence without your company séeing you haue finished that which of many yeares haue béene thought impossible wherefore most humbly I beséech you that you would imploy your selfe to ende likewise the miserable estate of the distressed and most infortunate princesse of Thrace whose enchantment can no way be be expelled but only by you whose renown shall be more then I can speake of for you that shal ioyne in marriage with her and so make your selfe king ouer all Thrace But if perchance the desire you haue to follow aduentures wil not suffer you to ioyn with her in this honourable estate then shall she stand at your appointment to marry with such a one as you shall thinke méetest for her wherfore I desire you to set a part all excuses and to enter vpon this iourney so soone as possible you may Faire Lady answered Palmerin I am so much vsed to trauaile that I know the better how to continue it and neuer did I refuse to aide any person whose intent might be no preiudice to her whom I am alwayes bound to obey and therefore assure your selfe that so soone as I shall be prouided of Armour because Albaroco hath so disappointed me I will not stay to accomplish your desire The Damosell was very well pleased with this answer of Palmerin but the Emperor who wished more good to him then any other of his Nephews conceiued great gréefe to leaue his company so soone wherefore he went to the chamber of the Empresse who also was very sorry when she heard these newes Likewise the Princes Polinarda hearing that Palmerin should so soone leaue the Court went to her chamber amated with great griefe and many passions of the minde which Dramaciana perceiuing knowing well the cause of her heauines caine to perswade her in this manner Faire mistresse I neuer thought that any misfortune could depriue you of discretion which you haue alwaies vsed but if your gréefe be grounded on the departure of Palmerin why do you not consider y◠his desire is euer to be where he may behold you◠though in truth he deserueth to enioy the most excellent princes on y◠earth yet dare I assure you that your beauty is sufficient to yéeld the heart of him vnder your obeysance who onely desireth to be your swéet friend in loue And without good hope in this desire I know he could not long enioy his life but that he perswadeth himself to enioy that gladsom and long expected felicity wherfore I desire you to vse such courteous fauour towards him as may vrge him the sooner to returne to the Court. Folinarda hauing receiued some content by the words of Dramaciana made her answer in this manner How can I well brooke the sudden
imaginations Arlencea who was marnailously affected towards him seeing her companions were all fast asleepe went to the place where the Prince Florian was laid where sitting downe by his side she began to fall into these spéeches It séems to me most worthie knight of the Sauage man that the iniury which I heretofore haue done you doth as yet remain fresh in your memory in that you make no account of her who liueth and dieth onely for your loue And that I speake the truth you may be perfectly resolued in that without regard of mine owne honour I come to séeke you out the cause being this that my intreatie might moue you pittie her who preferreth the loue of none aliue but you which courtesie if you shall seeme to refuse my conceite of griefe will be so extreame as I must needs giue entertainment to my latest enemy who will set both soule and body in quietnesse when you that might haue comfort of both remaine dease and will make no account of me So breaking off she laid her head on the Princes breast fetching so many grieuous sighes and groanes as though the life would haue forsaken her body whereupon the Prince tooke her in his armes and with very amiable speeches though not such as she gladly looked for he began to comfort her thus Madame Arlencea I do not so little esteeme of you that I would willingly consent to doe the thing which should seeme displeasant or offensiue to your honour desiring you to thinke that before I was so much bound to you as now I am I inteÌ„ded to accomplish that which your selâ—e desireth but since the time that your great fauour deliuered me out of the daunger whereinto Alfernao brought me I forsooke altogether the folly of so vaine a humor being loath to reward her so vngently whose courtesie neither time nor death can make me forget And thus perswade your selfe that I haue prouided a husband for you according as your noble bountie doth well deserue yea he is so good a Knight as you will refuse to make choyse of the Knight of the Sauage man whom you may at all times vse as your friend and seruant There pausing he kissed her hand and brought her again to the place where the other Ladies sleyt and he departing againe to his owne lodging she began to be ashamed of her folly noting well the wittie words of the Knight of the Sauage man for whose loue she was so extreamely passioned as she was coÌ„strained to discouer the flame that did so torment her to one of her Damoselles the very same that gaue the fatall ring to the prince To her she ripped vp her whole discourse of the words which had passed that night desiring her earnestly with the teares trickling down her chéekes that she would giue her such assistance as she might enioy the loue of the Knight of the Sauage man the Damosell answered her Lady thus Trust me Madame you haue not any occasion to finde your selfe agréeued for by good reason the Knight ought not to satisfie your will in that such a Prince as he is ought not to trauell himselfe for Damoselles and then to receiue shame and dishonour by them but yet to content your minde and because you thinke me willing to doe you what pleasure I can I will goe to the knight and vse such friendly perswasions with him as I will vnderstand the depth of his intent Arlencea imbraced the Damosell for this genile answere and spake to her againe in this manner I know well my swéete wench that if I shall haue any remedie in this case I must enioy it by thy meanes wherefore I pray thée goe and fortune be with thée But if it come so to passe as neither perswasion nor any thing else will mooue him to loue me I pray thee intreate him that he would pardon the fault I committed in disturbing him of his quiet ease Madame said the Damosell repose yourselfe altogether on me and so she went to the Knight of the Sauage man whom she found in a slumber when sitting downe by him she began in this manner Me thinkes that he which enforceth Ladies to liue in sorrow because he wil vse no more regard vnto them ought not so easily to take his rest The Knight of the Sauage man hearing the voyce of a woman opened his eyes and séeing it was not Arlencea but the Damosell whom he loued best amongst them all he beganne friendly to embrace her giuing her better words then he did to the Giantesse her Lady whervpon the Damosell beganne to him thus againe Syr Knight I desire that you would vouchsafe to tell me what is the cause you make no more account of my Ladies loue séeing she hath for your sake forsaken her mother forgotten the cruell murdering her Brother and likewise hath lost the libertie of her selfe Madame answered the prince I feare I shall not haue time enough to discourse the whole matter to you because it is now vpon this point of day wherefore I intend to set Madame Arlencea a part a while and demaund of you for what occasion you haue forgotteÌ„ me séeing I remaine yours in affection since the day that Alfernao deliuered me into the power of your Lady Arlencea I pray you Syr said the Damosel that you would not be offended at my nicenesse all this while it was but onely to auoid the malice of my Lady in her abscence I pray you thinke so wel on me as you may be pleased for my displeasing you and I haue the better will to come to mooue my Ladies sute againe The Knight of the Sauage man hearing her courteous answer and that he might now breake a Launce in the face of Venus he tooke her in his armes but because the day came on apace and they vnwilling that any should sée their secret pleasure I durst not sée what they did for feare I should be shent for my labour CHAP. XXIIII Of that which happened to the Damosels Knight in going to the Castle of Almaroll VPon the point of day breaking the Damosell gaue her Ladie Arlencea to vnderstand the answere of the K. of the Sauage man the prince séeing the Ladies walking came and gaue them all the mornings courtesie afterward when they were all mounted on horseback they beganne to set forward on their iourney and because Arlencea was somewhat mooued with her euill Fortune that night past which the P. perceiued very well he came vnto her and vsed such kinde and gentle language to her as in a while she forgot the cares which had troubled her so much The Prince began to deuise pleasantly with the foure Damosels he woonne in the Forrest and iested with them in such merry conceites as the iourney séemed nothing troublesome vnto them but this pleased not Polyphemia who was the Damosell that Arlencea sent to mooue her sute to the Prince for she thought that shée deserued better countenance at his hands then all the
could hardly withhold my selfe from leauing your company The first is because you were nourished and brought vp in this Court being likewise my kinseman friend which hath made me the more willing to regard your trauailes The other to satisfie the earnest intreatie of Dramaciana to whom I perceiue you are a greater friend then to me but seeing the fault is in mee I will rather blame mine owne timeritie then you though you séeke to satisfie your desire without any consideration of my honour whereby you let me sufficiently vnderstand what smal regard you haue of the danger wherein you may fall sooner then you thinke for only through your vnaduisednesse I cannot deny but I am greatly indebted to you yet in no such déepe summe but I can easily come forth of it without any preiudice to my renowme for I do not estéeme it reasonable to recompence your noble seruice with mine owne disaduantage because the good fame and commendation you haue gotten may content you if you haue no other reward But if your good will be so great towards me as by your spéeches you séeme to make it it is méet for you to make it known to the Emperor your Grandfather and mine as also to the Prince Primaleon my Father not doubting but they will be very willing to match vs both together as for me I shall estéeme it the greatest good fortune that may happen to me hauing gained the loue and liking of you whose prowesse and Princely desertes are worthy most gratious estimation Thus if consent knit vp the long desire of vs both we may ioyne in one agréement of gladnesse and this I prgy you to accept as my answer for without their good wils I neither may nor can accord vnto you I promise you Madame aunswered Palmerin it is very hard for me to receiue contentment in their commending my déedes whom I cannot regard or make any account off and if I should séeme to refuse to go to the Emperour and the Prince Primaleon I might be thought very vnwise but first I would be perswaded thorowly of your good will which is the principall in this action And if it so fall out that they will not consent vpon the words I shall vse to them yet when I am resolued of your acceptation I shall take the boldnesse on me séeing time and place so seruing to let them vnderstand our sure and inuiâ—lable consent and loyalty together And albeit my fond timeritie vsed towardes you may cause you iudge me farre vnable to speake with such aâ—dacitie in this cause I would haue you yet this to thinke on me now that the faithfull affection wherewith I haue continually serued you will compell me enter in this boldnesse to them as tell you And if they doe â—oi séeme to leane me to be contented by such laudable recompence as I may receiue at others handes it is the regard they haue of my trauailes and aduentures daily vsed in the honour of your name and no other maketh me thinke to deserue this great fauour But if your nature cannot then agrée when they would be loth I should be any otherwise rewarded I must and will content my selfe to obey your pleasure yet shall I finde my selfe deceiued in the opinion I haue hitherto conceiued in that to be depriued of the presence of his Lady is the chiefest misfortune that can happen to a faithfull Louer What then is left to comfort such a carefull minde None but this that the absent friend hath this commoditie to fit and rip vp many sad and sorrowfull discourses wherewith he may chase away the remembrace of their deceytes whose presence was dearer to him then life it selfe But yet such is the custome of Loue to mingle among the sharpest conflicts some hope If it be but onely to swéeten their mouthes a little with some delightfull taste who waste their time in ieast and dalliance vnder his amorous Ensigne And with this gay foyle he graceth his Copper for curant Gold being the only meane to shaddow his deceitfull dealings yet a number that spend their liues in his seruice gaine such knowledge of his trumperie as in the end they are glad to forsake him Which I dare not take the hardinesse on me to doe for that I am so surely bound to him as when I shall leaue him I desire to be loued of none but you in regard of whose good will I haue thrust my selfe into all dangers whatsoeuer returning victor rather by the aide of your incomparable beautie then by the force or valour that remainâ—â—â— in my selfe there pausing she replied in this manner I did nor thinke Syr Palmerin to receiue any such answere for the words I gaue you wherefore you make me iudge that they are of no estimation at all with you But since I perceiue that loue hath so fondly blinded you as he will not suffer you to sée the more then modest readinesse in me to pleasure you I am content to giue you yet a further and greater assurance of me for I would not that such a noble and renowned Prince as you are should depart from me offended or iniured perswading my selfe that you will not séeme to enterprise any thing whereby but a motion of impeachment may come to mine honour for if you did I should thinke very hardly of the diligent seruice you haue done to me all this while Therefore once againe I humbly intreate you to speake to the Emperour and Primaleon my Father to knowe the estate of their good willes whereof if you should faile I giue you perfect assurance of mine if this answere which truely dutie accounteth but bad obedience to my superiours wil not suffice you I will verily perswade my selfe that the loue you séeme to beare me is rather to disgrace then preserue my honour If now swéete Madame answered Palmerin I refuse to doe as you aduise me it were but reason you should thrust me foorth of your seruice knowing as I doe that the ouerthrow of my blisse and erecting me to happinesse consisteth duely in my gratious Mistresse Thus concluding he tooke her by the hand which he kissed a number of times together not without the expence of many a salt teare and reking sighes which made the Princesse blush and grieue at inwardly pittying to sée the great humilitie of the Prince Palmerin to whom she betrothed her selfe in the presence of the Princesse of Thrace and Dramaciana who gaue him counsell to vse the matter in that order by whose meanes Polinarda so soone contented They being altogether at the windowe the matter was knit fast for the more assurance and there did Palmerin kéepe them company all that day and must part of the night till pittying to sée 〈◊〉 lady stand so long compelled him to take his leaue for that time CHAP. XXXV How certaine Knights arriued at the Court of the Emperour Palmerin who were aduertised how the Turks had prouided a great Armie to come and besiege
séene when the spirit is troubled with newe imaginations the heart must néedes be tormented with infinite passions Euen so was hee molested with so many newe cares as he was constrained to come forth vnder the Ladyes Chamber window hoping that seme of them would take pitie on him then laying him downe among the gréene leaues and folding his armes crosse ouerthwart his stomacke he entred into these discourses I know well that loue is enuious at my libertie for that I haue séene the Dames of England of Greece of Spaine and of Nauarre without remaining affectionate to any of them but now being in Fraunce I am suddenly inneigled by foure Ladyes who onely delight to depriue me of life And that which tormenteth me most is this I loue them all and am as much affected to one of them as I am to all the other thrée for when I regard the one my heart biddeth me forsake all to yéeld to her and beholding the second I finde my selfe in the same alteration So that when I would forgette such vncertaine assaultes I sée them the more readier to be extant before me which maketh me thinke it cannot be true loue that doth tosse and turmoyle in so many sorrowes and yet doe I imagine my griefe the lesse remembring that I endure it for their sakes But me thinkes the case is very hard when no one of them will séeme to make account of me wherefore I sée well I shall be charged with more extreame cares then as yet I am O vnfortunate knights that vnder their names prepare your selues to giue me the Combate The Ladies who were at the window heard very well the complaints of the strange knight whereupon Mansia spake the rest in this manner I thinke it good my friendes that we goe vnto him and spend a little conference with himfor séeing the night is long and troublesome I iudge we cannot better driue it away How dare you sayde Torsia be so hardie to goe visite the man who maketh no account to kill them that come in his presence It is not for you aunswered Telansia to make any shew of fearefulnesse now for if any mischance happen to vs you are the first that shall be voyde of it This discoursing to one another at last they departed all togither being in their Petticoates and their Mantells wrapt about them to shielde the Deawe from falling on them After these foure Ladies were come to the place where the strange Knight lay lamenting they hauing saluted him Mansia beganne thus It is so Syr Knight that we are desirous to knowe who you are and vpon what occasion you vtter these complaints and if you séeme to hide these demaunds from vs wee shall be enforced to cause you loose that without Armes which you haue obtained of other by Armes Indéed Ladie answered the strange Knight one of you hath power sufficient to vanquish me then shall you offer me great iniurie to addresse your selues all foure against me Trust me Syr saide Telansia wee repute you so good a Knight hauing séene sufficient occasion to cause vs think so as that some of vs remaine yet in doubt by reason of the knowledge we haue of your Noble déedes If my déedes faire Lady the strange Knight replyed were accompanied with any shew of estimation it procéeded only by being imployed in your seruice which séeing they are so agréeable to you I shall attempt to Conquere all the Knightes in the French Courte vnder your names but I sée you denie your fauour and I am out of hope euer to purchase it I pray you Syr saide Torsia let me aske you one question Haue you bene in Loue heeretofore or no Certainly Madam answered the strange Knight I haue bene many times practising to follow the will of the little god of loue who compelleth by his envenomed shafts both Gods and men to loue And haue you bene quoth Torsia so greatly tormented then as you séeme to be at this present No Madam qd hee for that I gaue my selfe to the seruice of one whose loue I hope to enioy in time by my Trauels but now that I haue aduentured to loue foure one of them séemeth to forsake mee to the ende the other may deale with me in the same sort And I assure you Madame I neuer loued in any place where I séemed to be depriued of my life but now I desire to be consumated being fallen into so extreame occasions I pray you Sir said Torsia doe not molest your selfe so for he that is accustomed to trauaile countries can shake off these passions well enough I warrant ye I thinke it good that you grant to satisfie Madame Latraniaes desire which is that you would conduct her to the Castle of Almaroll where you must enter the Combate vnder her fauour against the knight that kéepeth the portraiture of Miragarda or else that your traâ—aâ—â—e to séeke the Knight of the Sauage man from whom you must take by force of Armes the Damoselles that are in his company You will me Lady a charge against all dutie for I aduertise you he that gardeth the Princesse Miragardaes Shield is not now at the Castle of Almaroll but I am well content to search the Knight of the Sauage man and to enter the Combate with him vnder the fauour of Madame Latrania who shall beare me company and you all likewise for I cannot liue being depriued of your presence I perceâ—ue saide Latrania you can excuse your selfe well enough but I hope the Knight of the Sphere will reuenge the squemishnesse you vse towards me Latrania thus breaking off her purpose they al foure tooke their leaue of the strange knight because the desire of sléepe compelled them so to doe and being entred their Chamber they discoursed among themselues sometimes commending the knights noble valour and then againe his gracious and Princely behauiour whereupon they determined to shew him better countenance then as yet they had done The strange Knight remained in extreame passions because they departed from him so suddainely and â—earing he had vttered somewhat that they could not like off hée passed the night in many melancholly conceites vntill in the morning his Esquire brought him some refection And during the time he was at breakefast the Knight of the Sphere came secretly to the Monasterie where these Ladies were who by reason of their late watching kept their beddes as yet but because the strange knight should not eâ—py him he went sate downe at the foote of a 〈◊〉 And hauing taken off his Helmette he beganne to recount his manifold misfortunes he had endured which when he had aduisedly considered he found them not to be compared to the violent afflictions that he suffred for the loue of Latrania whose beautie was of no small estimation with him in that he had promised for her sake to enter the Combate against the Knight of the Sauage man the Sonne to Prince Edward his Lord and especiall good friend CHAP. XLII What