by the Thespian land onely mentioned through her bordering on the Helliconian Mount the habitation of those sacred tryple Trinity of Sisters the diuine Muses Ioues-brayne-bred daughters Mothers of all learned Arts. To be short with incredible spéede delight he compassed the most part of the orbed earth for being acquited of Loues tributarie dueties his quiet mind had the more scope to subiugate his thoughts to admiration of these things So that now wearie of ease he wished an end vnto his trauaile that he might agayne exercise his often tryed forces to augment the perpetuitie of his glories which he thought were ecclipsed in the obscure cabbin of his honor-smothering bark yet he stil perswaded himselfe some great aduenture could not but awayt the end of this Nauigable toyle At length passing the Ilands Sygares in auncient times called Sydromades whose coastes to vnskilfull passengers is pitilesse death some fiue dayes after he sayled through the Mediterranean Sea where vpon a morne when glittering Phaebus mounted his fierie Carre the boate ran ashoare to the Princes great contentment who was almost tyred with this long nauigation Wherefore arming himselfe in his rich armour he leaped on land and mounting on his swift Tyrio accompanied onely with his good squier Fabio he tooke a narrow beaten path through which he went with great desire to know in what ayre he breathed So with an easie pace they trauailed not long that way but it brought them into a great wood whose vnknowen passage somewhat amazed the Dacian Lord. Yet was it no part to expell the great delight he did conceaue with the soft whistling murmure of the pleasant windes that seemed to daunce vpon the mouing of the shaken leaues on whome the whistling byrdes warbled their ditties in such accordant manner that agreeing in one consort of an inartificiall harmonie it arrested the amazed conceipt of the wandring Prince that continued his iourney along a Christal Riueret whose bending turnings brought him at last vnto his springing head whose purling brooke from a rockie quarie traced his continuall currant through a pibble paued channell that gathering in one a many runnings that from the naturall rocke did issue seemed so many spouts proceeding from an artificiall fount making the streame more great whose sweete noyse could not but remoue the Mellancholiest heart though neuer so much tormented with loue-oppressing passions euen from his deepest dispairing thoughts This pleasant spring was all incompassed with high cressend trees proud Cedars and loftie Pynes whose height seemed to controll the firmament aloft and scorne the lower plants beneath whose humble growth was accompanied with greene Palmes fresh Oliues and odoriferous Orange trees that euer flourisheth with springing habits Through these vpon the dyaperd ground with flowered tapestrie ranne the sportful wanton yong Deare that in aboundance increased the pleasure of this wooddie fount for some scudded along to out-strip the others in running others nibled the tender growing sapplings and others togither butted in wrangling pastime their horned foreheads The Dacian wrapt in a suddein admiratiō with the vnhoped sight of such miracles rested confounded in pleasant imaginations that perswaded him in a land so wonderfull of Natures wonders he should not but expect some vnlooked vnconceaued and unmerited happinesse Here to ease himselfe awhile he alighted and washed his sweatie face hands in those coole refreshing waters and then sitting on the grasse satisfied his hungrie stomack with such prouision as Fabio his page had brought with him from his ship The collation ended they discoursed of many matters to beguyle the time withall especially touching the Romane Ladies whose affection towards him shewen by the Princesse Roselia was not of meane respect wherevpon Fabio tooke occasion thus to beginne I cannot deare Lord sufficiently conceaue the hidden reasons of your strange proceedings in Loue. For when I remēber your extreame passions for the first robber of your heart Florisdama your second doting on Lidea your last affection towards Roselia with the maner of your sudden departure from her without a farewell in recompence of her many fauors which her accepting you for hers condemnes you in the highest degree of ingratitude in Loue besides her many other merites which I list not now memorate deserued no such sleight esteeme The consideration of which things drownes my witts in vncertaine thoughts Do you thinke when shee shall record her courtesies and your discourtesies she will not call you a dissembling Dacian a flattering friend a wauering changing Louer Wil she not complaine of her ill aboading starres exclame on fortune and banne your remembrance Nay how can shee otherwise hauing so great cause thereto For shame my Lord awake your slumbring sences and rayze vp againe the broken ruynes of your decaying credit let not the honor of your byrth be tainted nor the royall blood of Dacia stayned with an infamous blott of thanklesse ingratitude Let not Roomes quarrell begunne in the fathers continue in the children and be ended God knowes in what posteritie But pardon me my Lord for thus passing the limits of duety and the duetie of a seruant which only loue and zeale to your reputation hath moued me vnto In deede Fabio replied the Prince first thanking thee for thy care I must confesse in some respect I stand guiltie in Roselias sight for departing without her consent But yet God knowes it was not either by negligent forgetting or vnthankfully reiecting her deserued merits or the sleight regarde of her kindnesse for which and for her infinite fauors I euer shall rest debtor But leauing this I am perswaded the heauens in their iust doome haue not allotted her to me although her perfection a greater Monarche do deserue then me which I do the more beleeue because my trusty friend Nabato did assure me it touched me as neare as my life not to speake to her at my departure which I with some vnwillingnesse agreed vnto hoping the Princesse knowing my power to be yoked vnder her commaund would not take any serious conceipt at so sleight a trespas Yea but quoth Fabio women are so grieued by euery small occasion that little offences wayghed in their feminine scales are found to be excuses of inconstancie and selfe wauering affection and therefore are taken in the worste part For commonly women conceiue whatsoeuer is done for them must for so reason requireth proceede of duetie chiefely if moued by any amorous inclination hers was not little if I may beleeue her exterior motions when you were fiercest in your combate For by no better meanes doth a louer expresse his loue towardes the thing loued then when it is seene in any perill how small soeuer which things adde such credit to my doubt that I certainly beleeue shee hath vttered a thousand complaints against you moued with that inward and entyre affection shee beares you And to conclude her rare beawtie deserueth more then I can or am able to expresse This conference was here abruptly broke
of your sight All that you haue saide braue Ladie answered he is armour to defend my cause seing none could neuer loue vnlesse he liued with feare for he that doth not feare his losse with thousand sighes and Ielousies is to make the world knowe he is not trulie esteamed because ielousie is the aboundance of the soule that loueth with that he feares to loose the obiect loued Wherunto she answered In all things will you remaine sole cōquerour Heroyke Prince and herein will I witnes your true fayth making it knowne vnto your Lady that according thereunto she may reward you with fauors or disfauors and for the first there is no reason they should be ymployed on any that lesse loueth then you If deare Lady of my life sayd hee I might liue assured thereof who like me should tryumph ouer Fortune whoe should force strength out of a drooping heart to loue but I or who would feare a tempestuous storme hauing the assurance of so swéete a calme That and what else you will braue Prince sayd she is in your hands quietly to possesse onely admitting no new change for if you doe you shal receaue no wronge to be depriued of the fauors that your loue deserueth But make you ready for I perceaue a well rygged shippe make towards vs and I will in the meane while goe knowe who it is Lyke to a nimble Deare leapt the galiant youth out of his bed extreame ioyed of his Ladies promise and with his Squiers helpe hee armed him with the most rich armour of the great Romaine Brutus and mounting on the hatches where his Ladie did expect him with a low amorous congie he said to her Happie is the Knight that immerited hath obtained who with such care supplieth the faultes of my carelesnesse It hath not been so little saide shee but it might need all and looke yonder for I thinke I see a Tower built vpon the Sea vnlesse her bygnesse doe deceaue me Their barke quickly ioyned to it that they well perceaued it was as the Lady sayd So soone as they aryued to the foot thereof for it was the same where Rosabell was inchaunted they saw certaine greene Emerald letters to this effect No lesse courage and valour then good Fortune requireth the entrāce of the marueilous Tower for regarding what is in it demanding this nothing is required For first the vniustly loued of the two Sisters shall loose his fortunute armour ere so much as hope be got to liberate from hence the treasure of Niquea Long did the two Louers stand guessing to vnderstand the darke inscriptiō purposing to try the aduenture euen at the time that to them ariued in another barke two Knights of no lesse disposition then any they euer sawe attyred wyth most rich abillements of warre who no lesse admired their gallantnes and hauing their visors open and shewing their deuine faces yet they coulde not imagine who so braue Knights should be They that aryued after a solemne courtesie sayd sir Knights we greatly desire to know what aduenture this is and the maner how we might proue it It is so little since we aryued replyed the loued Dacian that we cannot certifie you of any thinge For if we had knowen how to haue entred it we had not stayed for you Somewhat abashed were the newe commers and he that read the Inscription thus spake Vnlesse I be deceaued Knights cōsidering the conditions demanded although you had founde meanes to proue it it would be too difficult for you Promising so much as it doth answeared the Dacian though more troublesome we had tried it for without a thinge be proued it cannot be called difficult But you that such confidence doe repose in your valour tell me in how many dangers haue you hazarded your person for a man that feares is an euident signe he hath been in some action whose end should séeme to haue béen difficult although heere a promised hope doth lessen any feare and therefore doe desire that I and you might trie our Fortunes in this attempt That were answered the Knight for you to expect and receaue helpe and ayde from my arme if you needed the Dacian was not of such patience therefore his rashnesse was condemned as to suffer so broade ataunt and so replied Truly Knight I neuer thought that the offering you my person should haue moued you to such presumption But prepare your selfe for I will shew you I haue no néede of your helpe Wherewith he closed his Beuer and drew foorth his sword finding his aduersarie in no lesse readinesse being no lesse then the gallant Don Argante of Phenicia and his companion was the valiant Torisiano whoe hauing set from the defended Iland were driuen thither by the tempestuous waues and with his armour and valour did imagine quickly to terminate that busines But he met with him that admits no comparison but with the Grecian Péeres who with the murthering sword of Brutus with a florish in his first assault kept it aloft till hee spyed occasion which offered no knight like he could neuer with more spéed or in time better take it he crost his good sword and setling himselfe for the blow vnderneath his shield he layd it on so fiercely that he forst his aduersary to staggar thrée or foure stepts backward He had scarce executed this blowe when with an Eagles swiftnes he leapt into his boate encountring him with his shield in his entrance so strongly that ouerbearing him a little of one side he had quite ouerthrown him There wanted none with shrill voyces to solemnize the valour of the Russet Knight for with the opening of certaine windowes on the toppe of the Tower the Heauens séemed to vnlocke their casements setting their Celestiall dwellers to the view for all the Ladies that there were inchanted being the Princesse Lyriana her Couzens setled thēselues to behold the battle for onely this libertie hadd they to recreate themselues although they were not suffred to know any because of their great griefe they might cōceaue by the sight of some not enioying their louers company for so did the Magician order that made that inchantment Nothing was the braue Phenician amazed to sée his aduersarye in his barke but reioyced because he thought hee might so better make his battle And with this as also with séeing such beauteous Ladies did behold their fight he turned vpon his enemie and with his Tellamonian blade discharged so braue a blow vpon his head that it made him bende hys knées in recompence of his bould entrance Nymble was the youth and so would second another but the Dacian frustrated it with his celeritie for with a thrust he forced him backe with as much spéede as euer he came And so at lēgth setling themselues firmely on their féete they began the brauest combate that euer was fought vpon those Seas for vnable to penetrate their sure armes all the force of their fight consisted on their valour and nimblenes which
they would be found by reason of the triumphes cōmaunded their ship to be guided to Arrissa a hauen some thing remote from the Citie where the eight day they arriued and taking land they entred through the grene Forestes taking the next waye to Constantinople but first determined to linger thereaboutes the time that wanted for the feastes which might be some vii or viii dayes So their Fortune led them to passe away the night hard by the place where the iealous Sarmatia bewailed her woes For after she had parted from Brandafidell she cast her selfe from her horse lamenting her misfortuns supposing that her beloued Oristides had forsaken her to Loue Floralinda wife to the Prince Meridean And they arriued at such time that forced by a Ielous spleene she said Oh rauning experience that before I can begin to Loue I must with Ielousie be tormented Oh Cupid if this be one of thy blowes established in all harts how is it possible thou shouldest be honored or to thee appeale why shold any as to the Soueraine Prince and Iudge of the earth how wilt thou haue that Ladies shall worshippe and adore thee if with such extreames thou plaguest their tender harts Apparent signes did I see in that valiant Prince to loue me but more certainer haue I met in Greece that he abhorrs me Oh happie Land only to me vnappie I blame not thee but curse my starres that doe oppose their influences to ruinate my glory who would haue tould me thou shouldest be a sepulcher to her that to thee came to seeke her life O Gods how farre better had I done to split my hart in Lacedemon with my deare friends swoord then to come to so great miserie in Greece mightie will be the wrong I doe to Ladies when my death shall be published to haue been because I was not beloued But wretch that I am why impute I in him the sin of disloyaltie hauing to his owne cost assured mée by militarie déedes his soule to be soly thine then rather procuring thy victorie then the conquest for himselfe And séeing it is yet doubtfull I will cherish my selfe till I know it and finding it so not that I loued him without hope of like but for the dishonor I did thereby commit against my puritie I will vpon my life execute the cruellest death that ere the world was guiltie of in recompence of my rash foolishnes and affection so ill repaied So somewhat quieted she could not so continue long remembring what the Lady had tould her whereuppon a little to prorogue her griefes shee tuned her voice with this Dittie to her Lute with a more melodious harmonie than Mercury did sound whē Iupiter did send him to bewitch with musick the hundred eies of watching Argos charge Perswaded still maye be My sowle and pensiue hart That If I liue in smart It is by louing thee His life was neuer sweete That euer learnt to loue Vnlesse his minde did meete With what his Loue did moue There doth he striue to liue Both with his soule and hart That If he die with smart His death his loue might giue The acte that most is praised And worthie of most renowne Is I Loues heauenly crowne That makes dispaire amazed Which when it shall assure The soule and amorous harte Then is a life no smart To Loue if it indure With so short a winded hay me ended the warrelicke Dame that the Princesse which ouer hard it could not but greatly pittie her hauing begun to tread thē inextricable maze of Loue not a little wondring to see how general that passion was where with they cheefely liued So afflicted remained the beautious Sarmacia that she could passe no farther giuing occasion to the Brother and Sister their beuers closed because they would not be knowne to go to her and the Ladie being naturally more tender to the other said What haue you felt Sir Knight to expresse parte of your hearts aboundance to the aire and part to these harde and sencelesse Oakes which is but to increase your smart the which if in any thing we may diminish we will effectually accomplish it At the noise did the Ladye start for being drowned in imagination shee did not remember her selfe and hauing her thoughts dispearsed abroad had giuen no eare to the Princesse wordes and so seeing those Knightes in that place shee said Greatly may you fauour me Sir Knight to leaue me to my solitude for that onely hath the power to ease my paine and strengthen my mynde to suffer it add greater if greater may be imagined And this I intreat vnlesse any necessitie requires my person which I will vse most willingly in either of your behalfes Braue Knight replyed Floraliza the sight of your present state so penetrated our harts that it caused this Knight and my selfe to come and demaund the reason of it offering our persons at your neede I doe highly esteeme your offer renowmed Knight aunswered Sarmacia which could not proceede but from you But my infirmitie is of such condition that the remedie on your partes will augment it and for mee to relate it were a griefe past griefe and a newe kinde of torment For I haue no leaue to publish it to any much more to you because it will but serue to refresh the memorie of passed griefes and present euils And therefore I praye you either to goe from mee or giue me leaue that I may doe it For the verie sight of companie is to mee troublesome I neuer sawe a Knight saide Floraliza so deepely possest with Loue but would delight to communicate his paynes and ioyes For the one he mittigates by communication and the other he encreaseth by relation And so I thinke you are a Nouice in Loue seeing you knowe not there is no griefe how great so euer but will by company be asswaged Rather replyed the Lacedemon Ladye this proues you a fresh Scholler in Cupids schoole seeing you ignorant what wrong is offered to the Ladye loued publishing her secretes For to immagine them is secrete treason committed against her And nowe I saye I woulde not keepe companie with a Knight that so quickely desyres to blabbe the thoughtes cloased in an amourous soule being soly to be imagined and not made common to euery voyce Oh how braue a louer woulde you make gyuing place in your hart for euery loue tale Oh that I knew your Mistres be assured she should not longer liue deceaued in her hopes although I thinke she doth not yf this be not to her vnknowen you speake more then befits you said the hastie Floraliza and with more bouldnesse then you should which belike our simple well meaning spéeches did cause that rather is answered Sarmacia the truest testimony that any can haue of his Fortitude and not the vaunting beasts that many vse and commonly bragge of And seing this way you haue brought it about restore me the honour I did you esteeming you in the degrée of a good Knight
aduantage knowne which made the spectators begyn a new ioy for the Pagans demaund had angred them all The acknowledgment of his aduantage was not so great but that the other might recouer it to the louers deare cost wearying him with assaulting auoyding warding and offending The people in the place celebrated euery blowe with promises aboue the skies But the impatient Moore blaspheming against his gods as thinking that his disgrace from them proceeded went to his enemie and with both hands let flye at him such a blowe that lighting on the side of his Helme he cut away all the buckles of the right side which had he spyed no doubt but he had made an end of him by againe recharging there But he with-held so long that the gallant Louer recouered himselfe and with both armes aloft marched against his enemie who in like sorte met him and with more horror then the furious waues beate vpon the flintie rockes they discharged their blowes vpon their Helmes with such puissance that both sencelesse fell on the ground the Nyquean without his Helme but the Pagan with his head scull and braynes broken scattered within his owne The people would haue gone to them had not the guard stayed them till they sawe what became of the Knights traunce But straight was the victorie proclaimed for the valiant Lindoriano returned and seeing him selfe in that manner flung to his weapons to assault his foe but seeing him so lye went to him and vnlaced his Helme saw his head broken in three or foure pieces it grieued him for he was but yong scarce hauing any beard But seeing he could not doe withall demaunded the Iudges if he had accomplished to his honour And in such manner replyed they most valiant Knight that for euer shall your memorie here indure Alreadie came the Emperour and all the Kings that were with him to receiue the Knight who knowing which he was prostrated himselfe vpon his knees requiring his royall handes to kisse them he would not do it saying He that hath them so good Sir Knight with more reason ought his to be demaunded then ours giuen and raysing him from the ground verie kindly imbraced him demaunding who he was he replyed excusing himselfe the best that he coulde saying that for that time he was called Venus Knight The Emperour would not suffer him to staye in the Tent but that he should be cured in court Where the Empres Bryana in company of all the Ladies in recompence of what for the Emperor he had done visited him which from death reuiued him to giue it him more sweeter with their hāds The Ioustes ceased by the Emperors commandement for eyght daies while the Knight was in cure where he was so much made of as if they knew him in estate to be one of the greatest Princes of the world So many things happened in these few daies that some of them maye not be omitted what they were the next Chapter memorateth CHAP. XI What happened to Don Eleno of Dacia after he departed from the Emperor in search of his deare Lady Rosamond of Callidonia I Cannot sweete Ladies but intermingle some pleasing matter amonge the turbulent hurleburlies of bloody Mars shewing thereby in part the thankfulnesse of my minde due for your willing patience hitherto showen for which your beauties admiration shall while these lynes endure eternally remain the which if the world as a strange new rarytie adoreth my self by louing though vnregarded cannot but esteeme it And while the reward proceedes from some danger harken faire Ladies what befell vnto the warrelike Louer Who departing frō the Emperor and the other Princes with the swiftnesse of his Tyrio returned the waye that he came thinking to meete with his Ladie it otherwise happened for loosing himselfe within the woodie thickets of that forrest wandering many daies hearing no newes of his sowle So great were the torments he indured and his exclaimes vnto the skyes that his voice was hoarce with plaints With his dagger on euery tree he mett he engraued this When Don Eleno shall forget thee Maye fortune then reiect mee And vnder it to explaine more the efficacie of his greefe how that waye he sought Rosamond he thus added Since Rosamond is Life And soule of him that seekes her T' obtaine it without strife Why should I cease to seeke her In this maner did the Datian Lord acquaint the buzing winds with the secrets of his pensiue hart regestring it on the hard okes as if they were able to redresse his woes but t is alouers cōfort to cōmunicat his greefs vnto the aire Angry with this fortune he past 4 daies in the end wherof hard by the sea side finding himself alone and seing his misfortune he thus began to sing thinking that none did heare him Deuinest Nimphes that in your shadie bowers Doe lead your Liues contentedly in Loue And you that free doe daily spend your howers Recording those that yours will neuer moue Harken to his that his poore heart deuowrse And pines in woes and doth in torments liue Bereft of Ioyes of glorie and of fame By loosing her in beauty cheefest dame See how on me Loues tyrannie is shewne By which the Heauens and cruell fates torment me My loue refus'd my constancie for sworne Through which my Ioyes in loue I once did see To shew some pittie now were some renoune When life when hope when Ioyes reiected bee This maye you doe by telling her I seeke That I would meete her ere the sunne doe peepe For pitties sake this fauour dain to do me For whilst I greeue she greeues except you tell her Because our soules in woes coparteners be And absence is a scourge and faithes abayter The which you know and well I woot doth she That lost our Ioyes by absence loues afflicter Once I did loue and was againe beloued Now I must weepe seing my loue remoued Of both I am a scholler to experience Insample to of aforgotten louer And though I liue proclaimed was the sentence That me condemnd to sorrowe hartes tormenter Yet all I sufferd but this plage of absence I cannot being my Ioyes remouer I pine she weepes and we would faine now meet Except you helpe we neuer shall regreet None of all the forrest Goddesses and Nymphes that in their shadie Celles were ending of their taskes but gaue it ouer and in such sort pittied the complaints of the wofull Louer that the gentle Datian sawe himselfe incompassed with a more then celestiall cōpanie all of them offering him their helps assuring him the happinesse that his constancie had obtained and that he which can so well suffer the hard crosses of absence should not loose the hope of his future good They all promised him to aduertise his Lady of the intollerable passions that for her sake he sustained They brought him to the next straight way and departing returned with matter ynough to talke off concerning the amorous Prince that with vnaccustomed pace
my former successes through your meanes the happie sight of your first approch so alienated my selfe frō my selfe that I was faine to submit my soule to hope some redresse for so great a change and yet thereby loosing the same hope of remedie through the vnhappie death of your deare brother though now I haue not altogether lost if of his life because that learned man that sent vs this shield hath vndertaken the care of his safetie But because I am and will be yours vntill the fatall Sisters of life and death shall abridge my soule of her breathing sacrifices I beseech you by the firmenesse of our sincere loue you will assure my hopes confirme my desires and set an end to my painfull longings With the end of which wordes with more boldnesse thē his feare required he kist her on the chéeke which done he dyed his own with such a bashfull tincture that it altogether stopt the passage of his spéech Well did the Lady perceaue his alteration who with some showe of anger replyed I would not Prince of Dacia that the committing of my honours puritie and my Maydens fame into your hands should be occasion of your little regard vnto the great respect due to the confidence I haue in you reposed wherein yf you neglect the dutie you owe thereto I will rather cast my selfe into these deuouring waters then the glorie of my chast thoughts shall endure any stayne And the receauing you for my Knight hath not been so smal a fauor but might sufficiently so content you that my kéeping you company thus alone to trust you with my immaculate vnstayned imaginations should be no cause to mooue you to this discourtesie And offering to goe frō the hatches the Prince with Millions of sighes proceeding from his soule stayed her by the arme with these wordes That I haue displeased you Imperious Princesse so torments me that I know not how to satisfie your discontent conceaued vnlesse you now will take a full reuenge for my many trangressions though it bee with effusion of my dearest dearest lyfe and yet what I did was forced by the motion of a pure sincere loue and not of any lasciuious thoughts So assured was the beauteous Rosamond therof that she thus made answere Since my happie starrs braue Prince haue put me in your hands they haue dryuen me to that necessitie that I must forget and forgiue any offence whatsoeuer but if you shall passe these lymits my selfe will execute on my owne life the cruellest death ere heard of With incredidle ioy the amorous Prince kist her hands for the fauor being warned by the palenesse of Cinthias shine that it was time to withdrawe themselues they returned to their seuerall cabbins comparable to any Monarches chamber where they past the night with such conformable thoughts that hadd they durst either to visite the other at that seasō it is doubtfull whether they would haue differred the glory attending on such attempts A little before the Messenger of morne began to lace the Heauens with her goulden hayre the Princely youth séeing himselfe so true a seruitor vnto the God of loue so derely to be loued raysed himselfe on the bed and leauing on his pillowe tooke his Lute in hand and making it sound the repetition of his ioyes he sung the felicitie that the heauens gaue him in the possession of so rare a Lady in these verses Let th'happiest dye with enuie of my state And as vnhappie haue a speedy fall If soule and thoughts tormented were of late T was to obtayne the soueraygnest good of all In whome deuyne Apelles with his art For beauties sake drewe forth her better part Dye fayre Adonis and Apollo perish Pyramus and Leander breath no more Endimion eake that did with fauors florish Well knowes the world my loue the heauens adore And as their estimation passed myne So in content let them so much declyne He ended with a sigh saying Oh loue with how greate reason art thou honored and like a God adored seing thou canst cherish him that hath not felt thy churlishnesse and on whom thou hast not extended the intollerable waight of thy rygorous power Well did the Princesse heare him ouer-ioyed to be loued by so braue a Prince imagening she could not hope for more hauing so great a good there present Notwithstanding she determined yet to dissemble her affection vntill the time did counsell her what she should doe and because the Sunne had begun his rysing in the East she made her ready putting on her white most rich armour went directly to the Princes cabbyn who with his new care had it not to clothe himself yet seing his Lady come he woulde rise but she staying him sayd I would haue had you done it afore Sir Knight for he that liues so carelesse should not belike doubt of his Mistres fauors and with my soule I would be glad to know her that I might aske her if she ioyes in so carelesse a louer Deuinest Princesse replyed the ioyfull Prince with nothing doe I more expresse my poore soules pensiuenesse then with such carelesnes which being well noted it will be iudged a carefull confidence for it cannot be more séene nor better deserued in any then in whome true loue hath rooted his conceipts for without care of anye thing else he doth onely busie himselfe in the swéete imaginations of his owne alienation Notwithstanding answered the Lady I doe condemne so great confidence almost grounded vpon an extremitie and in most respcts little respecting the Lady loued for the ouerielous louer did neuer but die confounded in his owne expects A care magnanimous and honorable is to be alowed excused and worthy of estimation but vtterly to bee ouer-whelmed in pensiue suspence and make you séeme nothing but a louer befits you not nor yet becoms it one boūd to accomplish so many things as you I doe ioy so much deare Mistres of my hart to loue and wholy to employ my selfe therein that I would shewe no signe that I can any thing otherwise and although I should doe so I do not requite the worth of my imployment for if I had a Thousand soules al were to few cōpared to the content of my imaginatiōs where al the good is decyphered the otherwise I might expect and I finde that being not this waye yf would be more then troublesome Sir Knight replyed she you doe so highly accompt the thing loued that I doe wish I were she to obtaine that glorie that neuer Venus did enioy though in beautie a Goddesse and it should be for no longer then I might knowe whether it be true all that you publish Thereof excellent Princesse replied he craue no better testimonfe thē the paine that I conceaued with your sight Then answered shee you cannot denie mee that to loue is more to feare then any other thing seeing you say that the first sight left you so wounded whereby I inferre your paine proceeded
from my bouldnes It is reason sir Knight sayd she that Ladies should be rather loued and wooed then gallants by thē sued too for so they should disparage their fame though not with desire they shew oftentimes some disfauour but for that cause must the louer be discréete which is what in him is first required that he may note the one and take the other in good part attributing it to her feare and not to her desire and this consideration swéetenesse what is most sower Thus spunne they the webbe of their amorous liues whē the Damsell here cut off their discourse saying with some anger You Knight of the branch seeme to haue forgotten your promise and seing the night approcheth there is no more to doe but straight with me you enter in your Barke without any companie it behooues vs to goe Vnderstanding swéete damsell sayde Polliphebo that wee shoulde so manye dayes together Nauigate by Sea thought you woulde let mee enioy some on land but seeing it must bee so let ts away though great is the wronge you doo mee Greater is that which is suffered by whom néedeth and sent me for your person hauing power to request others that with more willingnesse would haue done it for though our stay here hath been but little not so small is the stayne that thereby your fame receaueth and my necessitie increaseth with a sorrowfull looke the Prince turned to the Ladie saying You see deare Lady my vnhappie chance expelling mee from inioying your swéete conuersation for which all my life I shall lead in griefe hauing not some assurance of hope to resee you againe for till thē the anguish I shall suffer wil be so great as to debarre me from alpleasure for I onely haue and shall haue in being yours Valiant Knight replyed she no lesse doe I féele it seing you thus to depart from me and my brother which is yonder Knight and as for the rest you may liue assured I tender you as my owne soule And if this picture may be any cause of your cōtēt take it for I will haue your coūterfeite for the same The gladdest on the earth he tooke it and falling on his knées a Thousand times kissing her handes hee intreated her to take him for her Knight The Ladye denied it not for loue had made her liberall and none did it euer touch but made him become an Alexander vpō paine of not knowing how to loue seing that one of the chiefest condition that yf requires is Magnanimetie And so seing with how great the Ladie had fauoured him he againe kist her handes and taking his leaue of them knowing who they were they entred the Barke which swifter then a towring Eagle ingulffed it selfe in the swelling Ocean Straight did they loose his sight leauing Floraliza greatly discontented the which her brother nothing demaunded the cause and relating it she ended with a sigh saying I greatly feare deare brother that this Knight will put me in mortall dangers for I iudge his libertie to be great and being Sonne and Brother to our deadly foes it will be difficult for him to consider if any pyne for him Let not the grieue you good Sister replyed Don Cellindo for if he loues he will easily doe it how much the more in my iudgement he departed captiue enough So thought I answered she but here is my vnhappinesse that trauelling through strāge countries he may see some one fayrer and being toucht with this infirmitie he will be apt to decline and so must be faine to wander in his search Let the feasts first passe sayd Don Cellindo and so I hope will this humor chang into cōtent Thus determined they stayed till the next mornings Suns vprising who knowing that Rosamond the Dacian should méete hastened his shining presence to see what happened in the next related CHAP. XII How the Prince Don Eleno of Dacia met with his deare Rosamond and what more befell them in their way towards the Cittie WIth as many teares as hast departed the Dacian louer from his beloued cozen of Tynacria entring within the Forrest where ouertaken with the night he past it with extreame anguish of his soule seeing the ympossibilitie of his content hauing it onely with the presence of his Ladie His foode was soly the fruit of those wilde trées and some of what Fabio had prouided but his conuersation was it which most pleased this woefull louer For memorating the troubles he had vndergone and the passions and violent sorrowes he had resisted animated him to tollerate this present accident Most part of the night spent they in this intermingling it with diuersity of matter to make him diuert from his pensiuenesse till yf was time to rest which made either part aside to sleepe yet small was the while that the Prince reposed Neuer yeilded this infirmitie any quiet till throughly possest Well may many speake it by experience though with a newe estate they be remoued from it with a Thousand sighes began the Dacian Lord to sing for onely in that he thought he founde pleasure And I my selfe neuer founde him otherwise while alone he trauelled with this passion If a remedie for loue be dayly to liue instrife come death and end my lyfe by my sweete ioyes remoue My payne and hard mischance makes fearelesse any death so I might loose my breath vntreading my woes daunce Whilst a remedie for loue is dayly to liue in strife come death and end my life from this my ioyes remoue The soule with paine opprest canne nere obtaine renowne come loue and treade it downe while t is in woes vnrest I tell thee t is no loue which dayly liues in strife come death and end his life that sees his ioyes remoue With some small comfort ended the Prince caused with his song and being day broade mounting vpon the earths best horse hee began to leaue that thicket delighting hys eares with Philomelas complaints making him a witnes of Tereus rape crueltie against her committed no lesse ioyed he with the others conceipts for though the Musitions were naturall yet kept they a wonderfull harmonie of an vnnaturall consort In this maner wondered he till about Nine a clocke of the Morning at the end of the groue hee sawe a Knight come toward him brauely mounted hee coulde not see his armour for ouer thē he wore a blewe coate ouer his shield a case of the same coulor Presently the disguised knight knew Don Eleno and hauing purposed what he ment to do vnbuckled but tooke not of his helme with extreme ioye to see him for no lesse had he suffered in his looking him arriuing sayd Sir knight my Lady hath tane my oath the méeting in Grecia with anye Knight that shoulde denie her beautie to be the greatest in the vniuerse I should defie him to the battle but this prouided that you bee in loue though your deuise sheweth the contrarie and therefore to mortall fight I challenge you for with
daunger hauing such strong enemies The gallant of Argentaria returned her his aunswere with such strength that he made her see more starres then in the heauens were But who bewayled the blowes in their soules with sighes and pearled teares were the two wofull Ladies seeing their louers in such daunger For Artimio alreadie bewailed Florisartes death alreadie calles the Heauens vniust alreadie complaines on Loue calling him a tyrant that liued by honouring Cupid a pittifull God If this way there is such excesse of griefe what shall the beautifull Princesse of Rome do seeing her Don Eleno with Lisarte For though he had the better her loue disliked it making her beleue what easily she credited But her sorrow helped not nor her louing with such intiernes auailed to asswage her passions They could not deuise no meanes to make the battle cease for as they were flesht in it they thought it impossible that any thing lesse then the death of some should part them for at this time it semed that with more fiercenes it increased The Tharsians dexteritie was it that defended him agaynst the angry Dacian yet was it not so much but being reached euery time he set both hands and knees on the earth he passed not much better for his aduersarie neuer gaue him blow but brused and tormented his body so that if he gaue he receaued In no lesse danger was Rosamond for onely her armour was it that in this battle saued her life Euen whē the Sunne would set widdowing the earth of his light there arriued the valiant Mauritanian Brufaldoro that following the search of the Tynacrian and not finding he came thither iudging that for feare he had hiddē himselfe And seing the crueltie of that fight hee could not but say Oh Iupiter what Knightly valour is this The fierce Pagan was gentle and affable of condition and so pittied the faire Pages that wéeping stood speaking thus Can you tell me pretie Pages the cause of this battaile which should not be little considering the fiercenesse thereof It is so small sir Knight replyed Artimio that it is gret pitie it should be continued to the end for so slight a thing the cause being only that this Knight pointing to Florisarte weareth asword which he in the Russet challengeth for his saying he would not part without it vnlesse it cost him his life No longer stayed the mightie youth but drawing foorth his sword put himselfe betwene them that were on foote saying Heare me sir Knights that seing ye haue no other reason then what these Squiers haue told me it were to be reasōlesse to leaue the world Orphant for so small a cause of your valour and for a sword The vndertaken battailes all discréet Knights should be grounde vpon some suffitiēt reason for that is it which assureth the victorye making hym more famous that prosecutes it with Iustice and not with passion to procure to maintain their fame vntill death well did the Dacian know him iudging him of great vallor seing he sustained himselfe to his honour against his Cosen Pollephebo and so replied It is not so small Sir Knight as you thinke it for that knights sword is mine and I requested it with much courtesie which was enough for him to giue it me he not only denyed it but allso threatned me till death if I more demaunded it which you see is sufficient for a-thousand battles and I knew that in no cause you would haue left it That were answered the beautious Arbolinda with many teares had not you giuen it willingly vnconstrained and with it leaue to be giuen to any hauing no action to require it and if like a Knight you gaue it you should no more haue rememberd it The Dacian thought he should know that voice to be of the Princesse of Scotland and so with some a maze answered how know you good page that I did giue this sword I was brougt vp in Rome replied the disguised Artimio sure enough to be vnknowen where I saw that in recompence of an inprisonmēt by the gentlest Gaoler in the world you gaue it All this while the most beautious Roselea did nothing but weepe currents of sault teares vnable to speake on word yet thus replied Don Eleno So many requires a peace valiant Sir that he should not deserue to inioy any that would deny it and so for this time I remit the battle so pleaseth these Knightes They will saie the woefull distressed Roman were it but to be more pittifull then you that forgetfull of your owne honour and what you are bound to do wander vp and downe challanging battles of whom you know not and without any reason More a mazed then at first with these things remained the Datian for by their voices he thought he knew them both and thinking long till he spake with them said to Rosamond in her language that it behooueth him to leaue that battle She that was borne to loue him woulde not therein discontent him And so stepping apart left the battle leauing the Princes so brused that they could scarce stand The king of Mauritania seeing the matter ended demaunded for the Knight of the Branch of whome Don Eleno gaue him the newes he knew not knowing he was shipt to Sea after he departed from him No longer stayed the Moore but in all hast possible with his wife tooke the way that the Dacian directed him and no sooner was he departed but Rosamonds louer mounting on his Tirio went to the Pages saying your spéeches gentle pages haue so confounded one that I wold giue ouer a Thousand battles so I might intreat you to tell me whether you know me or if my name in Rome bee knowen Wherto Artimio answered you haue no reason prince of Dacia to conceale your name and yet wee wish wee had not knowne you were it but because wee would not haue had a Prince so great an as you renowned haue erred against such excellent Ladies as the Princesses Roselia and Arbolinda for the former is with reason wronged with the discourtesie and ingratitude or rather crueltie wherwith you departed from Court she hauing shewed you so manye fauors which were suffitient for one that had a clearer iudgment then you to make him leade all his life with content but I feare you were onely borne to mocke poore Ladyes Then consider the blot of your fame and reputatiōs staine and the greatnesse that in Rome you are loued and moreouer the toyle and labourous trauayle that I and my companyon haue suffered in our tedious voyage to séeke you all which well pondered may bee some cause that leauing the present state of all thinges you returne where by minutes you are expected by them that fill the ayre with sighes And that you maye see it signed receaue this her better whose tenor I knowe not whose obdurate harte it woulde not mollefie but Don Elenos Prince of Dacia who tooke it not to be moued to Loue for therein he had not where
Zoylos affaires inlarging himselfe out of measure in them that it hath made me more labour in the abreuiation of this inchantment then if my selfe had newely built it indeede fearing that though the matter of it selfe bee pleasing yet the tediousnes of a harshe stile might prooue displeasing The discréete breuitie with it bringeth the content so it arriue not to a point of extremitie for then with the newe name turnes it to discontent by loosing that good which by a safe mediocritie it had obtayned Procuring this in all thinges I dare almost say that your beauties haue tane some delight in reading it which by the other way had not been so for though the Iusts that past in Constantines great Cittie deserued a large admiration yet wil I striue to flie a delightlesse prolixitie procurer in some respect of heauie Melancholy rather sinning by being short then offending with a little superfluous length So at length the terme appoynted for them being come deuynest purities of Natures treasurie scarce had the gallant sheapheard of the Heauens displayde his goulden Tresses ouer the earth in company of his chast Sister when the couragious Prince of Niquea with his bright Sunne-shining armour presented himselfe in the place to no small ioy of the Princesses seing how well the stranger maintayned their beauties Need he had to inure his hāds in toyle for he had no soner leapt into the listes when against him did present himselfe a well proportioned Knight clad all in gréene armour with so many pretious stones that it dazled the beeholders sight in the place a more brauer thing there was not séene In his shielde was pictured the face of a beautious Lady closing her eyes to a Prince that gaue her his soule with these wordes What auailes it to be strange My true-loue to disdaine When neither faith nor it doth range But will for aye remaine There was none but fixed his eyes on his gallantnes hauing it as he that was no lesse then the valiant Don Clarisel Prince of Assiria who departing frō Nyquea had taken his way towards Grecia where it had been better he had not arriued for by the swiftnes of their horses at length meeting they gaue one another such fierce incounters that the Gréeke Ladies gretly feared the miscarying of their knight who was incountred so strongly that hee lost both bridle stirrops and also was it maruell hee did not forgoe his saddle too if warily he had not got hold of his horse necke But with it he did a little prolong his honor making his horse passe forwards At this time the Assarian got the worst for being hit on his inchanted shield he was so hard thrust that he was throwen out of his saddle t was his good fortune to fall on his féet and so with incredible spéede recouering his lost saddle hee went out of the place leauing it glad to see the valour of the Ladies knight A rumour arose in the place with the coming of another for with the brauerie that he crost it no maruaile if Mars had feared he was apparelled all in cleere bright steele more blacker than the finest Iet of the same colour was his Courser sauing that he had some roane spots which greatly beautified him the plumes of his head on his owne Crest were all yellow agréeing best to his greeued thoughts In the middle of his shield which was like his armes was portrayed a Heart incōpased about with many flames of fier that seemed to burne it beneath was this Motto Whilst in Loues burning fier My heart findes no reliefe Why should it prooue a lyer Not shewing foorth his greefe A brauer Knight was not seene in Greece nor that better managed his horse he entred the Lists and being exceeding courteous he first did his dutie to the Ladies a thing that in euery one is highly to be comended What thinkes your Maiestie said the Prince Meridian to the Emperoure Trebatio of the aduentures gallantnes I doubt the Ladies Knight will incurre some disgrace for such disposition few obtaine Of the like opinion was the Emperour the most of the Court it was not much for more deserued the knight who with admiring puissance spurred against Lindoriano that doubting some mischance had taken fresh horse but it preuailed not for he in the Blacke encountring him in the middest of his shield did cleerely pierce it staying in his brest-plate hee thrust him so mightily that cleane ouer his horse-backe he fetched him to the ground with the saddle betweene his legges for yet in that would Fortune seeme to fauor him that som partial fauorits he had might attribute his fall to his horses fourniture and not for want of strēgth which was so well knowne to the cost of so many His stirrops lost the distressed aduenturer but he recouered them so soone that fewe noted it not he returned with such brauery that most were affected to him except the Ladies that extremelie sorrowed for their Knights disgrace It no lesse grieued Rosicler who fayning some indisposition went to arme himselfe for he would not haue it sayd that in Greece the strangers had got the best and putting on his inchanted armor he cast ouer them a russet coate that he might not be knowne And in this manner vpon a mighty horse hee went forth of the Citie determined to enter in the listes in Ladies behalfe astonished at the Knights valour vnable to imagine who it should be bethinking himselfe it might bee the Mauritanian Brufaldoro hauing heard him highly praysed Hereupon he stayed to let the day be farther past that the Knight might get more honor who like a fleshed Lion with the anguish that for his Lady he sustained t was pitie to behold his lamentable blows for eyther slaine or sorely woūded none escaped his hands Well did the Mirrour of Chiualrie Claridiano see it and had the like desire that his Vncle but he so despaired to see the strangenesse wherewith his Ladie vsed him that hee would not arme himselfe vnles he were commaunded And to moue it he stept to the Princesse Oliuia for with her the Queene of Lyra Archisilora still accompanied and to her he said I belieue most excellent Princesse that he in the black will so well he haue himselfe that he will force many to trie their fortune although some are so without it that not going with some particuler fauour they are like to meete with some greater misfortune Well did she perceaue with what affection hee hadd eyed the Queene and as shee was skilfull in that art by the cause shee spyed the effect and desirous to speake for him shee sayde Greate reason haue you braue Prince to require so iust a thing and if myne may in any thing preuaile from henceforth I giue it you though seeing what is betweene vs it should be attributed onely to Rosicler But here is the Queene of Lyra that will giue it if it be by cōmanding you for otherwise against her is the
alonge with this motto Did euer any see The Ladie that doth delight To equall her despight With that fier which burneth me Vnto the Iousts there entred not a Knight of whome a more generall commiseration was had The Prince of Hyberia did deserue it who for the loue of the Armenian Kings Daughter that bordered in this Confynes extreamely languished being therefore constrayned to tread the steppes of Pilgrimage through forraine lands arryuing at length at Constantinople hee was of high valour and one of them that shewed himselfe a capitall enemie to Greece his name was the vnfortunate Lindelfo They met with the puissance of their armes but what auailes it though the Dacian loose his raines and hould by his horse necke if at his turning he saw his aduersarie on the ground though quickly he leapt into his saddle he pittied him remembring the time when comfortlesse accompanied with nought but despaire to ease his torments hee wandered through the world in that manner So hee craued his pardon requesting him to accept him for a friend Generally was the yellowe Knight esteamed for the braue encounter hee had made and to ouerthrow him was alredie iudged impossible so furious so lucky did the Louer raunge about the yarde A sudden rumour buz'd through the place with the entring into it of one of the gallantest Gyants in the vniuerse and so loaden with fearefull weapons that the farthest of yet thought himselfe within his armes This was the courteous Brandafidell bringing with him the beauteous Floralinda being himselfe clad in rich armour of a mingled Red and Greene and garnished with many Lillies On his shield hee had figured a Tower wherein a faire Ladie seemed to bee inclosed himselfe standing at the Gate with that huge Mace and about this deuise were these wordes inrowled Being committed to my trust None euer past this way Nor Loue in proude aray There was no â—ady in all the place but with gret laughter applauded the gyants deuise seing the inequalitie betwene the Lady and him She was attired all in groâ—â— cut vppon Red blackt in such curious manner as if it were some workemanshipp of Heauen A thin sendall masked her face except the sparkling light of her twoo Sunnes whose beames exceeded Phaebus raies Euery one longed with desire to know what foolish Ladie that might be that so bestowed her beautie on so deformed a Gyant Forwards stept the courteous Pagan and knowing him in the Russet to be Cousin to him he highly honored was vnwilling in any thing to moue him and so said your admired valour Sir knight is so highly knowen that none dares hazard his reputation on the breaking of a Launce against you If I may intreat suffer me to runne on with your Companion rather to shew I am all in all yours then otherwise to offend you Well did the haughtie Matrone vnderstand it and also the whole place heard what the Gyant had said thereby more esteaming the Russet Knight The Ioust did the Lady demaund of her beloued Lord with feare ynough did hee giue it her and his shield with his soule None in all the place did mis-imagine of the knights hardinesse in the white though his companion seemed of a stronger constitution But she that fetcht her Pedegree from Hercules for a greater matter did encourage her selfe and so turning her Courser with no lesse grace then her louer they encountred with asmuch furie as the god of warre could haue done T was well for the Lady to hit the Gyant on the Beuer and bearing her launce with the vtmost of her strength which was equall to any she strucke of his helme from his head the paine whereof made him loose his owne blow no sooner had it fallen but presently the three Princes knewe him There no longer lingred the gallant Brandafidell but taking his leaue of the Ladie leauing her in opinion of valiant he went straight to the Theater and leaping from his beast he alighted the Ladie twixt his armes most ioyfull to see her selfe before her lord Meridian all her deare Father By her hand did the courteous Gyant lead her vp staires til euerie one knowing who they were seeing Rosicler rise though very weake of his last battle they did the like to accompanie him Along past the gentle Brandafidell saying I am sorrie most excellent Princesse that bringing such company with me to her will all the content be attributed wherewith I am receaued but I am glad of it to bee in recompence thereof discharged of my guaridng my Lady the Princesse Floralinda deliuering her vnto the Scythian prince for if he be the Meridian I belieue he will not be displeased with the gift By this time had she vnmasked her face discouering a more fayrer one then Apollos in the moneth of Maye The Prince imbraced his espowse vsing betwene them such ceremonies as is accustomed amonge those that like ioyes expected With such furie behaueth her selfe the Calidonian Matrone in the listes swéete sollaces of Melancholy hartes that I caÌ„not stand to rehearse these welcomes on all partes I remit it to your sober considerations for to repeate the manners of the gentle Brandafidell what with euery one he did and to euerye one did say were to inlarge with superfluous courtesies the breuitie of the Historie fall into that error I haue already condemned To be short euery one returned to their places except the old King of Macedonia who with the Emperors leaue went thence with his Daughter to know what had befallen her in so loÌ„g an absence Only swéet Ladies comforts of comfortlesse soules pitie Claridiano burning in the vnconsuming fier of loue that with his Ladies coynesse added the fewell of discontent vnto the selfe norishing flames of the reasonlesse warre of rude confused thoughtes The fauour of some smyling chance lightly in such accidents as these doth sometime leaue his contrarious maleuolence and so fortune at this instant brought him to meet with the Queene of Lyra that returned froÌ„ speaking to the Macedonian ladie no doubt but to see him so pensiue and for her sake shee became more milde She shewed it by these wordes but with such a hanging downe of her eyes that I knowe not what heart of Adamant could haue indured it Verie gladly woulde I haue you tell mee Prince of Grecia the cause of your sorrowe For I feare your euill doth proceede of Loue yf so and the Ladye bee amonge vs and my selfe able in anye thinge to fauour you may I but know hee and I will doe it in respect I am so much indebted to your vncle Rosicler Most excellent Queene answered the afflicted Lorde my infirmitie is of such equalitie that I knowe no remedie for it for to nominate the cause therof is a newe torment to augment it For that to doe so is certainelye to offende This onelye doe I knowe that I feele the approching of a longe lingring death and would yt make an end to come Oh happie it and I farre
commodiousnes of the place haue forced me to beare you company although respecting the sorrow your armour doth expresse I belieue it will discontent you delighting in solitude a meanes that loue hath inuented to louers costes to ease their paines and incorage their pensiuenesse Amorous was the Pagan and vsed to saye hee merited not the to bee named a Knight that woulde not in a Ladies behalfe aduenture his life hazarding his owne affaires to doe them seruice and so answered In faith faire Damozell though all humane conuersation were troublesome vnto mee yet yours shall not bee so because I thinke you are a little schooled in the good of solitude a manyfest token that hee that spares none hath pleased to make you his tributarie these discourses beeing those the soule conuerseth al alone to haue nowe one to aunswere mee will make my paines more tollerable perswading my selfe of good lucke in all thinges in his lande where my fortune hath cast me being welcomed by such a good beginning where shee replyed It well séemes sir Knight you bee in loue seeing with your reasons you woulde so soone launche into the déepe of beautye a common thinge amonge Knightes that only loue for the present there is no cause you should assure mee of my beautye for with it the Fountaine restes more gladded then that wherein Narcissus gazed So that Sir Knight you must séeke other meanes then these to Court the Dames of Trebizound which is the Lande you nowe are in for this here is too common and they knowe it verye well that presume so on their beautyes for telling them of it is to increase their rygor against them that in this land so wooe I am much bounde vnto your seruyce pleasaunt Ladye replyed Bembo gladde to heare the chatte of the riggish Dame for this aduise for as a Nouice in thys lande not knowing the manners thereof I talked according to the practizes of other Nations at this time since there is no content to Ladies equall to the calling of them beautifull receauing griefe by the contrary and not the least in compting them not fayre although the heauens haue towardes them byn niggards in their influences making them not of the absolutest She answered They doe so that will not beléeue what they are contrary to vs in Trebizound and therefore be they pleased to be tearmed by what they are not giuing their louers fauors though faygned for it who more by insinuating then a firme faith procure the content of beeing beloued Not for all the Ladies so saying to their gallantes sweete damozell answered the Pagan Cease they to be liberall carefull and for their Mistres good most ready The damozell replyed with that t is so for it doth more euidently shew how the hart loues and on the last groūding what abroade is vsed I saye that Ladye is ingratefull that will not shew her pittie being assured shee may by a Thousande new fauors that her gallant may be animated knowing if he liues by louing that his fayth is also repayd by loue This is that which best assures the hoped good betwene louers on the Ladies behalfe their glory of being beloued Other maner of courting vse you here faire damozell sayd Bembo thē in those places I haue trauailed for the gallāts in my countrey onely procure by louing to assure their Ladies thereof that they may be pleased to condescend therto making their wills knowen vnto them In respect of the intollerable paines suffered do they neuer require any guerdō but only procure to propagate that magnanimitie wherwith they sacrifize thēselues vnto their Ladies setting in their hands their hearts soules expecting nothing hereby but the glorious sirname of their amorous knights Strange things haue you tould me sir knight said she gladly would I know whome you loue to be certified whether it be so or no but perswaded it is so I know not what the Trebizound Ladies meane so much to debase their beauties And far more thē to receaue a iewel of great prize would I esteeme to haue longer time to discourse with a knight so grande a seruitor to Cupid but the hast that cals me away constraines me to depart for my Lady the Princesse expects an answere of some busines by my returne who to rest a while remayned not farre hence in a house of pleasure and with her is the Princesse Artemisa of England and to my thinking not so frée as were conueniēt So sir knight I pray you pardon me for fortune maye appoint better occasion that I may enioy your amorous conuersation which hath not a little attracted me At all times faire Ladye replyed the Moore that you will so fauour me will I accompt past my deserts reputing it according to your many merits the discretion of so faire a dame And if my power may any way procure your content commaund me for with all diligence necessarie will I accomplish it With this she departed leauinst the amorous Pagan affected to her witty wantonnes And mounting on his horse he cōtinued on his way wherein befell him what the next recounteth CHAP. XXI What in the Forrest happened to the couragious Bembo with the Princesse of Trebizound and her guard with other aduentures MOunted on a brauer horse then anye they which drawing the goulden eye of heauen compasse about the Terrene Orbe somewhat after his meridionall decline trauelled the mighty Bembo with his pilgrime thoughts onely on his Lady that to driue him from them was the wanton damozels prettie chat no meanes desirous ere he left that Empyre to see that Court so famoused throughout the world by reason of the excellent Princes that gouerned there On this ranged his pensiue imaginations with some ease which the pleasant sounde of the chirping birdes mooued seing that to among them loue hath his cōmaund For if they will striue either to excell other in their notes it is because he raignes among thē that makes the rusticke countrey swayne more excellenter then Demostenes in eloquence of speech so he be toucht with loue What tongue or pen hath he subingated that hath béen poore in skill and not rich in wit who could euer vtter the aboūdance of a copious and artificiall tongue vnlesse mooued by the sonne of his moother Venus The Sarracine Prince did not call himselfe deceaued for yeilding of his faith but considering he had past any time without Loue he tearmed it lost and that life worse thē death that is not troubled with Cupids amorous passions In this and in a thousand complots which Loue propounded him was he occupied when from out a fragant thicket he saw comming a companie of Knights richly armed not farre after them there came three attending on a sumptuous Carre wherein he thought hee sawe some Ladies till approching more nigh he was assured it was so ouer-viewing the riches of the knights Two of them were of one deuise all gréen with the spanish armes vpon their shields wherby he
replied Soueraigne Princesse of Trebizound although this Knight had greatly wronged me I am content to leaue it in this estate so he will he will he will answered shee if he will leaue me debtor for that he hath done for me In what maner the voice surpriz'd him in the same he stood a good while hauing his power subiect to no more then to obay the beauteous Ladie to whome hee replied My aduantage being hereby the greatest most faire Princesse I wish it had been commaunded mee before not now this knight hath got the best that your soueraigne beauty might haue been assured of my will which is with my life to bee employed in your seruice vntill the death In what maner soeuer you doe it I accoumpt it no small fauour sir knight did Rosiluera answere since the cause to be respected is the wil that perfourms it till some of my attendants come I pray you alight that with some thing wee may binde your woundes Both from their horses leapt and being Louers set all their felicitie in obeying Ladies They put of their helmes faire was the gallant youth Don Cellindo more white then browne and of so braue a constitution that no Lady being in loue but would desire to be of him Shee bound his woundes with more gentlenesse then Venus did her Adonis when shee thought he had not been slaine These three the famousest Louers that euer Cupids amorous host did knowe sat them downe together vnder the couert of a spreading mirtle Where oh loue who may haue a tongue so exquisite sharpened in skill to accord thy discordes and order thy disorders In what dost thou delight thou scourge of humane liues To see the youthfull Don Cellindo fixe his eyes and thoughts on the beauteous Ladye making it norishment to his heart and all other thinges but to bee hers to accompt a death a plague a torment or to behold the Lady frée of his paine to explicate with her two earthly Sunnes the cause that doth augment hers within her selfe suffering a Thousand tormentes all of loue procéeding of louing the Achayan Bembo to drawe the pleasure for her soule from him to Don Cellindos cost who noting with his Iudiciall eyes with what affection the Princesse woulde cast hers vpon his aduersarie it was more then eternall payne which he suffered then which the hel of Loue wherein hee liued he Iudged could yeild no greater Ioyest thou destroier of the vniuerse not sparing the little little corner of my iniuried hart to sée the ingratefull More iest at Rosiluera hauing his thoughts there but his soule with Liriana in this liuing with ioye but of the other hauing onely of all his powers his body there on the plaine casting his eyes aloft vpon the towring Cypresses and odoriferous mirtles Some comfort was this to Meridians Sonne for to himselfe hee sayde It was not possible hee should loue where his sight did not gaze theron Oh valiant Princes who might please you displeasing neither pardon oh pardon mee swéete Ladies for my long progressing through the pathes of loues sincere puritie for Don Cellindo gazing on her he loues shee on him she had afore her on the other side made the last viewing her beautie iudge it but a parcell or an abstract drawen from the perfect modell of Lirianas perfections on whome his imagination did féede accompting the greatest euil for her sake to be his chiefest ioy The Lady spake for in loue discourses they haue greater power in this war of Venus then Hector amonge Mars his troopes sir Knight looking at Don Cellindo I doe greatly desire you would communicate your name to vs that Trebizound may know her creditor for my libertie nothing more then to obay her can the gallant so he replyed Most Soueraigne Princesse the certainest thing that I can tell of my name is to knowe nothing of the same In companye of a Sister of mine a wise man brought me vpp not telling vs who we are but that I was called the hidden Don Cellyndo though now the fortunate Knight I am termed It shold séeme they suspected this would befall me wherein I might doe you some seruice although it may bee more aptly attributed to the valour of this Knight Any other thing I know not of my selfe nor haue I the hart to declare it The last vnderstood the Lady as one wounded with that disease because she would not giue him farther occasion for that argument she thanked him for that hee had done and turning to her soule sayde Seeing sir Knight that by your valour you haue obtained to be my kéeper I must now haue you also declare your name vnto me In all things soueraigne Princesse am I bound to your seruice although of your demand I know lesse thē this Knight only can I tell that from my minoritie I haue acknowledged anothers soueraigntie ouer mee and for all my life dependes thereon yet was my name giuen me contrarie to this Knights calling mee the vnfortunate I am sure she will now bee weary of paines hauing reserued for mee in Trebizound such supreame good As the Lady was about to answere appeared Teferreo with signes that hee had fought for all his armor was dashed with fresh blood of others T was so for not far there had hee met with the 4 Knights whose vanquishment cost him no little trouble but in the end their heads payd for their bouldnes He toke vp the Lady behind him on the horse shūning the prolixitie of their gréetings tooke their way where the brothers of Spaine Artermisa were with whome after the passing of some iests betwene them about her flight they altogether went to the house of pleasure where the Emperour brauely welcomed them and the better knowing what had befallen them What intertaynement or with what pleasure they should intertaine the two Princes they knew not The one knewe no more of himselfe then what he had sayd The other neuer declared his name to any but Liriana There staid he eight dayes which was but a momentary instant for the Ladye that by a thousand meanes woulde haue made him knowe her affection but his was so great towards another that it woulde not so much as let him marke hers thinking hee had byn stayed a whole age in Trebizound Hee craued leaue for his departure to euery ones griefe for hee was louing who felt it worse then death was Rosiluera though she dissembled it in this she exceld all Ladies of her time Hee returned to Achaya where his frend Lupercio expected him who to expell his loue of Lyriana from his minde toulde him how she was betrothed to one of the valiantest Knights of the world and of the house of Grecia It grieued him so extremely that he fell into many infirmities although the wise man with hopes deluded him which was the cause of his recouery where we must leaue him and Don Cellindo feasting in vaine the gallantnesse of his Ladie Rosiluera because we must treat
was before his deare Quéene of Lyra he replyed Much am I behoulding to my griefe most excellent Princesse since it is the cause that causeth me to acknowledge an eternall duety to your high seruice for this kinde remembrance the which being immerited by a Knight so vnfortunate as my selfe stopps me from binding my selfe any more then that I heretofore do owe nor can I beléeue there shold be strength to aduance mee in any thinge more then I haue promised Neuerthelesse of my life maye your beauteous selfe dispose which to lose wil be a happines perpetual procuring yours thereby to your content the which to mee would be excéeding to knowe what waye you found hither to bring you No other hath it béen replyed she but the desire I was to sée you at libertie ioyned with the griefe I cōceaued imagining howe greatly yours would be with my Fathers offerred wronges For this daye walking to take the ayre into my Garden with this my Damosell amonge certaine bushes wee founde a Caue that hitherto arriues I lost all feare with the will I had to haue you from hence that I past the same till wee mette with this dore deferring our comming against this time and we heard you so bitterly complaine that I knowe not what to saye of the Quéene of Lyra whether she be in fault or the Prince of Grecia It ioyes mee to sée you so well bestowed though to ill repayd Stormes are they to the Laberithian Seas of Louers incident still pretending a more happy calme If therefore in the meane time that your content is absent you will receaue it by hearing to whom these wrongs are done we will tell it Greatly disconted rested the Prince hearing that the Ladye knewe him but hee dissembled it replying Well doe you expresse the greatnes of your Nobilitie moste gracious Princesse hauing procured lyfe to him that incertaine hadde it your owne affaires haue you therein done for it shall not lesse be employed then in your seruice though to deserue so great an aduenture as you this day haue discouered a higher person should haue béen knowen to celebrate with her due honour that it merits Touching the rest highlye shall I rest satisfied in reuealing my name and estate to none the which I haue tould onelye to my friende the Prince Pollidolpho of Croatia which is hee that is in prison and yet that were pleasant hadde hee but promise of some remedy not of libertie but of comfort patiently to beare the bondes wherein your perfections haue inthrald him More liuelyer colours then the blushing Rose possest in her chiefe pride be-paynted the deuine heauen of the beauteous Lady hearing what the Prince had sayde shee would not displease him through want of hope and therefore thus replyed I would not haue had you despayring Knight that with such despaire and to my cost tell me the ametie twixt you and that Prince But because you shall not saye that in Esclauonia there raigneth crueltie equall to that in Greece let vs order your libertie for after it shall not want for your friende for I will neither nowe nor at anye time gaine-saie what you shall appoint mee because a Knight of your valour and qualitie will not procure but what may most glorifie my honour The ioyfullest in the worlde would the Prince kisse her hands accompting Pollidolpho the happyest in the vniuerse hauing with so fewe soules tormentes and heart oppressing passions of a despayring Melancholie loue obtayned the most rarest Iewell on the earth the purest fayrest and most immaculte You sée valyant Prince fayde the Ladies what the Kinge my Father hath ordayned and the danger that your lyfe incurres yf for all the weakenes and debilitie you now are in you will vndertake the battle to morrow at this time I will prouide you with the best armour that my Fathers whole Kingdome doth containe neuer of any séene and the rest I refer to your discretion and that you may not be mist I had imagined that Fausta my damozell should remayne in bed in your stéede for in more then this doth shee desire to pleasure you and we will giue forth that you lye at the point of death because the King my Father may not send for you neyther for the challenge nor to sée the battaile Now consider whether this counsell likes you if not we will seeke some other better There is none deare Princesse answered the Prince farr more estéeming her for her wit discretion why then sayd she take rest and courage for to morrowe we will be with you and commaunde your Squire to publish what I said of your infirmitie for I haue vnderstood that by your valour you haue obtayned manye friendes in Court that will helpe you with the vtmost of their powers and I will procure that your friend shall commit his title right of the battaile to your good fortune And thereupon she imbrast him which Ioue had thought a happier lyfe had it béene done to him then to bee God of Gods and returned with her belooued Fausta to her Chamber where they past the night with repetition of Knights qualities and courtesies The next daye Palizandro published with manye teares though fayned the great infirmitie of hys Maister the despairing Knight and how he would not be spoken to by any by reason he was on the exteamest moment of his life Some there were that greatly bewailed his supposed end Others blinded with a fawning flattery at euery slight occasion to shew it séemed then to insinuate with the Kinge by ioyning with his vniust acte cause of the others ruine But the Heroyke Prince reserued to accomplish more difficult attēps reioyced at their follies when hee knewe what credit was giuē to his counterfeiting squire neuer suffitiently praysing the excellent perfections of the Princesse Venus iudging the Fate to none other but to her selfe due Who with the greatest care possible past the day imagining in what imminent perrill she had put the Prince though the confidence she reposed in his valour made her more assured then the cause required When they sawe tyme the twoo Ladyes by little and little conuayed the armour into the Garden that the Prince might there arme him and also his swoord which she had demaunded of her Vncle onely that she desired to behould the brightnesse that being drawen it yéelded he gaue it her not thinking on the good hee did for had it béene with any other he could not but hardly escape in the battaile They ascended to the toppe of the tower where the lustie youth expected them in his apparell and so strong that in all his life he knew not when better he felt himselfe so great was his desire he had to be reuenged on those Traitors The Ladie embraced him with these words Sir Knight I so feared yeaster-days combate because I was armour-lesse that I durst not come vnto the second wtout them though in your presence mine will but little preuaile Wherefore I will
Prince with such haughtie thoughts that Mars himselfe would haue feared him With furie at length they mette in middle of their course with most strong incounters But the Dacians Horse being the best in the world meeting with his aduersaries tumbled him on the ground and with a mighty fall made his Maister measure his length on the earth himselfe stumbling at a speares struchon Whereat the Prince fearing some mischance seeing him so stagger leapte from him with such nimblenesse that his gallantnesse as much delighted the Lady as it grieued her to see her brothers disgrace who fearing a sudden death with his sword drawne and his shield wel buckled about his arme made towards our Knight that in like manner expected him desirous to prooue the cutting of his Romaine blade wherewith he laide vpon the toppe of his enemies shield entring it with such might that al that quarter with a pece of his helme he threwe to the ground He seconded another not so dangerous yet more fearfull because lighting on his breast it gaue him a wide wound Trembling stood the Lady at her brothers chance though he like a valiant warriour setting his right foote forward so struck him on the leggs that had his sword been like the Dacians he hadd greatly hazarded his victorie Forward he stept with his other foote to make a stronger blowe and so thrusting at him with his point it chanced between the buckles of his skirts that had he not turn'd aside he had there been slaine out-right notwithstanding it made him a little wounde whereout issued some blood The Dacian thinking it to be greater like a furious Lyon before he was able to withdraw him vpon the little left him of his shield gaue him such a blow that parting it from one end to the other and the point slycing all the armour of his arme he threw his shield on the ground leauing all that side without defence With the feare of death rested the Knight amazed but incouraging himselfe with his sword in both hands he made against his aduersarie discharging on his shield so braue a blow that falling on his head he forst him to retire backe with staggering stepps which séeing he followed the aduantage with a point had almost ouerthrowne him But our new Louer firmely staied himselfe raysing aloft his Romain murthering sword at such time as the Ladie getting to her Horse cried out Knights withdraw your selues for this is no combate any farther to proceede But she came too late for ere shee mounted her brother groaned his last falling on the earth with his head parted in two which sudden death grieued euen the very soule of the vanguisht victorious Dacian But what the sorowfull Lady did admits no comparisō for casting her selfe from her Horse all the moouing motions of her breathing senses left her so disposest of Life as they hadde the Prince with this vnlook'd for accident He vnlaced his helme and sitting on the blood-dewd grasse he tooke the amazed Ladies head betweene his hands which he durst doe bycause the weapons of her excellencies through a pale ashie trance had left her beautie without defensiue armes and began to vse those meanes for her recouerie that his braue heart did neuer study and with bitter exclaimes he saide Oh cruell fortune may it be thou shouldest so soon temper with so sower a chance the first time thou wouldest a little fauor me Oh wise Nabato my professed friend why didst thou tell me thy care should alwaies be to cure my woes if all things now conspire against me to ouerthrowe my content In his owne helme hee caused some water to bee brought him and sprinckled it vpon the Ladies faire face till with a sighe proceeding from her oppressed soule she return'd vnto her selfe yet for all this did she remember the pitifull lamentes that the Knight hadde vttered and that the force of Loue did onely force him to But séeing the brother that she most affected lye before her besmeared with his owne blood so cruelly slaine she stepte from the Prince saying Let mee goe rude and discourteous Knight for the wronges you haue gainst me committed cannot be satisfied with lesse then the heart blood of your dearest life And casting her selfe on the dead carcase with such pitifull compassion that it would haue drawne teares from a Tygers eies she wailed her brothers losse and drowning his head and face with a pearled shower of water distilling from her two clowdie founts she thus began her plaintes May it be deare brother that the angrye Heauens should so oppose their happie reuolutions against our youth suffering the cruell fates to persecute thee and me with so lamentable a chaunce kept in store by that constant Lady of inconstācie giuing the world so great a losse thorow thy vntimely death who shall dare carye the vnlucky newes of thy vnhappie end vnto our Parents Oh Princes of Callidonia now must you take new weapons and put on armour of reuenge and build an alter to Rhamnusia offering thereon the cruell sacrifizes of Nemesis bloodie rites that she maye further your reuenging thoughts to take so iust a vengance For you haue this day lost a Prince of the best the brauest Ah tender youth so suddenly bereaft and ill enioyed Oh pittilesse inhumane death with what extreames dost thou performe thy cruelties hauing without mercie or respect of innocencie with such barbarous sauagenesse snacht from hence my poore Larsyno on whome the enuious worlde had placed all her hopes And if impartiall destinies inexorable Sisters you had determined this partiall doome within the consistorie of your counsell house why suffred you not sterne goddesses my brothers mortall wound also to fall on me and end in my hart and not leaue mee thus with life to feele so many deathes Thus did that beauteous Ladie poure forth her sorowes for her deare Larsyno But the inraged passiōs that did possesse Don Eleno when he vnderstood that he had slaine her brother whom he loued more then his owne soule had almost forced him with his owne dagger to drawe his owne harts blood to pacifie her rage if he had not feared eternall damnacion for so great a sinne yet esteemed he that a profitable death where nothing was hoped but what should be more cruell For all this he animated his drooping heart and turning to the weepyng Lady sayde Seing my more then vnhappie fortune deuine Lady hath permitted he should displease you and in this sort that was only borne to adore you soly desiring life to please you bethinke what satisfaction you will haue though it be with the dearest blood chambred in my soule and at your command these hands shall sluce it forth bycause with such a death my life will end with ioy if something it may extenuate part of your discontent conceaued Any reuenge most cruell Knight replied the sorowfull Lady will be but little in recompence of the highe wronge I haue receiued by those murthering handes guiltie of
my proper blood But for this time I will no other reuenge but your departure from my company leauing me sufficiently assured of your cruelty to my cost and I will liue for my misfortune will haue it so with the only desire of a more full reuenge Wherefore from hencefoorth I straight doe banish you my sight for I will haue it so If I shall depart in your disgrace most beauteous Lady I will not haue my life with your disfauour to torment me replied the Prince but since you desire to be reuenged on him that only would liue to admire you take it with this sword cawser of your woes and my misfortune and therewith strike of my sacrifized head to appease your wrath for I willingly offer it on your pities altar with all I else possesse already subiect to your will and only this doe praie that after you haue done it you would rent forth my harte for none shall witnesse your crueltie but your selfe and there shall you see your selfe engrauen though not so naturally yet with rarer perfections reasons suffcient to force me to elect you sole patronesse thereof The which remaining in your handes being loues thrall may moue clemencie towardes his Lord to sturre your anger to pitie your captiue euen with his owne reliques Wherewith prostrated on his knees before her with his eies closed with water holding the sword by the point againe thus said If only in my death great Ladie there rests any small comforte for mee it will bee the greatest that I may imagine receiuing it with this blade by your hands for Guerdon of my rashe attempts although if I had knowne what this dead increaser of your griefes did concerne you my selfe had only been the procurer of his life with farr greater care then for my owne which wil be hatefull to mee if still you will insist in your conceaued wrath Knight said she more barbarous then the Sauages of Hircania and the cruellest that ere my eies beheld thus I will not execute my reuenge for it will not be so cal'd performed with the offenders liking and bycause you said it is life and the sweetest to bereaue you thereof with my handes neither will I therin so much content you but expect and sollicite the heauens to order my reuenge after some other sorte The afflicted Prince hearing so sower and bitter answere conceaued such extreame griefe which with sobbes and sighes so besieged his harte that it berest him of his senses falling at his Ladies feete which was another new kind of torment to afflict her for abandoning all crueltie she tooke him in her armes and sitting on the ground she laid his head on her lappe which had the grieued Dacian felt he would not so soone recouer himselfe and bewailed this lamentable spectacle with new laments that moued the tender Ladye to breake into these exclaymes Oh blind despightfull Fortune enemy to my rest how well hast thou manifested thy mutabilities hauing so well pleaded for the greatest enemie I had that I am forst to cōmiserate his woes and pitie his distresse Oh Goddesse who might certenly knowe if with my death she would end her rigorous changing courses execute at once against my tendernesse the whole power of thy despight for the wrongs past hauing been the greatest that might befall mee or thou do mee will I with ioy accept bycause I know they come from thee for she that was borne to no good can receaue no harme to hurt her and with this deceipt may she passe her life that in the beginning hath felt the vtmost of thy cruell power Oh cruell Goddesse vnworthie of a better name because in all thy actions thou performest the deedes of an Hircanian Tyger And being vnable to doe otherwise she cōmanded Fabio to bring her some water wherewith the distressed youth obtained his loste senses and with a sighe that seemed to burst his weake harte he saide Vnhappy stars that gouern'd my natiuitie and more vnhappie I to liue to see my woes to conquer death that dares not approche where he is onely wished with his crueltie to end a life oppressed with cares Oh vnfortunate hap who would haue thought so long and tedious a nauigation should anchor in so vnluckie a Port Oh valiant friends now must I for euer in absence with ayrie words take my latest leaue for my fates saye he shall neuer see you more that onely liued with your deare sights Oh valiant Princes of Grecia what balefull newes will it be when you shall heare of my death whose life alwaies and content soly delighted yee And seeing himselfe in the Ladies lappe a little lifting vp his eyes with so many sighes and throbbing sobbs that might haue mooued a Lions fiercenes to relent but to the extreamest point was this Ladies furie come that it would admit no Impression of any mercy vnlesse it should altogether yeeld to pittie which she thought was yet too soone to doe he sayd Since no pietie noe pittie nor no mercie that are the vertues which glorifies all your sexe maye sturr a litle compassion in your obdurate breast then at once cruell Lady end the tormenting of my poore soule with so long prolonging a despised life and take what reuenge you will on this weeping hart subiect to your Imanitie Knight answered the Lady ill would it beseeme me if by yeelding to your request and in that maner to worke your content I should become cruell against my selfe I wil not take any reuenge that may rather redowne to my dishonour then honour But for this time only I will haue you grant me two things Being all in all yours replied he there is no cause why by promise you should séeke to winne my will which so truely doth acknowiedge your souerainetie Why then said she my first demaund is you giue mee the order of Chiualry and as for my other request you shall after know it I doe sayd he esteeme my happinesse farre greater now then a little afore I esteemed my selfe vnhappie in that deare Soueraign of my soule you haue deygned to imploye me and in affayres more difficult farre would I haue had you hazarded my life but séeing this is your will I am content to obaie and bycause I perceaue you want armour I do beseech you to accept these which were giuen me for good and I shall be more glad thereof bycause they shall obtaine a worthier owner I thanke you for your offer replied she But these of Semyramis nothing inferiour to those I had not long since on yonder vallie giuen me and that with them I should end the greatest aduenture of the world And so casting off her hunting garments she discouered the rarest armes that the whole earth could afford for they were all of Pearles and Dyamonds with such arte vnited that it made them farre strōger then if they were of fine tempered steele on one side they bare a painted harte but made of inestimable orient Rubies whose glister alyenated the
for this way shall you treade the path that will leade you to a satisfied reuenge Oh suffer not remorcelesse Lady that it be sayd of you what is written of that inhumane and hellish sorceresse Medea whome with a sauage desire of reuenge most cruelly murthered her own children cōsider oh wonder of admiratiō it wil scandalize the glorie of your excellencies you shall yf you wil do it offēd the rarenesse of your beautie for neuer any could boast of it or worthely be nominated beautifull though she excell the brightnes of the brightest Sun vnlesse she do abandone the crueltie of an hardned hart the sole dishonor of all honor'd Ladies in steed wherof admit the pitie of a mollified brest pittie the splendor of your name pittie the tryūph of your victorie pitie the Trophy of your vertues this oh let this shine through your clouded clemēcy whose beams shall stellify your chiualries imortalize your fame infuze new life in me whose blod is alredy almost vtterly defused vnlesse your pitie gather it againe restoring it to him the wil only kéep as a memorial statue of this your eternal cōquest else otherwise the vnhappie death of your haplesse brother wil neuer by other means be suffitiently reuenged With so many teares sighes did the woefull Dacian vtter these wordes that they woulde haue melted a flintie rocke to distilling dropps of water much more her obduracie that was assured his true loue passions forced him to it and as she had already giuen him the principall commande ouer her will these his new spéeches made her thus replie Séeing my starrs braue Knight haue brought mee to such passe that I must consent to what you will I acquite you of this combate because I thinke the conquest thereof the mighty God of warre hath onely reseru'd to himselfe as a particuler honour due to his deitie Moreouer yf wee should stay till my Knights come there is no doubt but you shall incurre some great daunger for the losse you haue giuen them by the timelesse end of my deare brother or that I should carrie them the newes would be no lesse then yf they had seene the maner of his pitilesse death So I will neyther consent to the one nor do the other but am determined to depart in your company though it be troublesom vnto you vntill by others this infortunate chance be knowen So ioyfull became the afflicted Prince with the Ladies words that like a man ouer-ioyed he replyed I cannot most excellent Ladie for so high a fauor bind me anew more then I am already for since my happye destinies though with so many aduerse accidents brought me to the place where I might enioy your Celestiall sight I haue no power ouer my will more thē to obay what euer you shal command as the sole Goddesse of my earthly deuotion hauing to your behests for euer vowed deuoted dutie as a true seruitor And as such a one humbly prostrated on the lowly earth I beg I may be accepted in token of which graunt with like humilitie I craue that you would deigne to giue me your victorious handes on whose purity I may pay what all the world should doe She replyed I would not sir Knight you should so soone demand the cure of your distresse but because you shall not altogether despaire of my pitie I wil accomplish your request were it onely but to fulfill the first commande intreated by a Knight so great an enemie to my content And so shee raysed him and intertayned him as her Knight giuing him her beauteous handes which made the gallant Dacian thinke there was no other happinesse to bee wished in the circled Orbe and séeing himselfe so fauored by that excellent Lady hee sayd Make me at once diuinely happie diuyne Goddesse of my hart with the discouery of the Royall progeny of your Soueraigne stocke and the Kingly parentage of your high discent The same answered she was I determined to require of you sir Knight but me thinkes you are so armed with asking that you admit no leaue for my commaunde Which séeing it is so I am content in all things to content you but first let vs from hence least we be here taken by an elder brother of myne with whome it cannot be but you should run into some imminent perill for hee is reputed no lesse valiant then any of the Greeke Princes by the way I will discourse my byrth and parentage first intreating you to direct our course to Grecia for I greatly desire to knowe those Princes so highly famozed through the worlds spacious continents as also because I would bee resolued whether they be your kinsfolkes for I much suspect it And in great hast beginning to mount a horse-back with farre swifter speed out of the Forrest there yssued the Ladie that was wont to come to the Prince Don Eleno Straight did the Dacian Lord know her to whome with a chereful countenance he thus said How now deare friend tell me haue you any neede of my person Speake for you know my debt therefore I shall hazard nothing if for your sake I indaunger my selfe Your loues Sir Knight haue so much disquieted me as not long since I was for your friēd Torismundo But because I haue taken part of your griefes there is no reason but you should let me enioy some of the glorie and content you haue obtained by the admirable bountie of this excellent Lady whose beautie farre excelleth her for whose sake Troy was subuerted But because your departure cannot be excused my Vncle Lirgandeo sends you this shield that you may present it to this Lady that in such great danger did put your valour giuing her new armes that shee may altogether conquer you This said she drew foorth a shield of the like colour of the armour with so many precious stones that it well denoted the workmanship of so rare a workman it had the like deuise that Don Elenos had which was a Cupid with two faces for in that he greatly delighted saying that both in peace and warre it was iust to acknowledge him the tribute that ouer all things he claimes And to you braue lady he bid me saie you should not a little accompt of this Knight for it were life to manie to see him as you now doe and of your brother he wils you to loose your care leauing it onely to him for he hath it and will hereafter so regard al your affairs as his own She awaited no answer but with the turning of her Palfrey she made the Forrest make so great a noyse as if it had ben ouerwhelmed They looking what it might be saw at the foote of a tree a rich tombe admirable for curious works and so transparant that the Princes running to it they saw the Ladies brother as he fell with the cruell wound with certaine redd letters which the Prince thus read Here shall the wounded Larsino abide vntill his cruell murtherer shall make satisfaction with
his proper life satisfying those two that dearest in the world did loue They could not conceaue the meaning of those wordes though the vnderstāding he remained inchaunted somewhat comforted them and seeing it waxed late the Lady said Let vs go Sir Knight for I beleeue I shall one day see what I haue thought impossible for as I thinke my brother remaineth in this inchauntment So they began to take their way toward the Sea coast When the valiant Astorildo the Ladies eldest brother seeing shee was not to be found and finding his brother inchaunted caused all his Knights to returne home commaunding them to tell his Father he was gon to seeke his sister and taking with him but one Squire he shipt himselfe towards Graecia in which voyage we leaue him returning to the aduentures that happened the new Louers CHAP. II. The dangerous aduentures that the Princes met nauigating towards Liguria and the maruailous end thereof WIth incredible ioy more then well may be expressed thankfully accepting the happy Fortune that the pleased heauens powred into their lapps at length they ariued to the inchaunted bark at such time as the glory of bright Tytans rayes would their splendor in the waterie Ocean of Hesperia leauing the earth vnto her nightly silence that to his better content the venturous Dacian might know of his Lady what shee was and in what reputation his yeelded soule was esteemed Arryuing at the shore he straight lept from his horse holding the styrrop that his Lady might do the like but not admitting it with a smyle alighting by the other side shee said you shall not thinke Sir Knight with so small a seruice to satisfie the great wrong you haue done me and imbracing him they staied til Fabio had shipt their horses the gladdest man aliue to sée what good Fortune had happened to his Lord and maister because he thought her beautie exceeded all compare wherein he nothing did deceiue himselfe For in deede the world contained fewe like vnto her Both which entered the Barke that launched from the sands with such vellocitie as do the inhabitants of Maiorica fling a stone with their steeled sling or with like vehemencie that the lightning flasheth through the ayre with such or more speede did the inchaunted Barke cut the salt waues of Neptunes bosome hauing withing it so great prouision and diuersitie of cates as if those Princes were serued with the greatest royaltie of Dacia And after supper hauing vnarmed themselues they sat them on the hatches of their Barke to take the coolenesse of a fresh ayre that softly blewe on their faces as also to behold the clearnesse of the pale resplending Moone that then shewed the vtmost pride of her waterie shine that with more ioy they might enioy ech others beautie waying in the ballance of true affection the perfections of the same resting so enuious of one another as amorous of eithers excellencies For she thought that Knight was he to whome her beautie was due and he that her merits deserued his true faith till death sacrifized with the fire of her valour But to breake off eithers silent imaginations he began Now is the time diuine Ladie seing the Heauens and the Seas inuite vs with their calme quietnesse that you would tell me whom I must acknowledge for the soueraigne Princesse of my soule paying the awfull fealtie of my due tribute as a true liege man to his sworne Prince I will not haue you thinke Sir Knight that with your great praising of my smal beauty you do pay me the much good that I wish you And because in all things I will haue you know that Ladies do commit greater sinne in being pittifull then in being austere in denying the requestes of their amorous gallants I will satisfie your demaund Know therefore I am called Rosamond yet know I not why since all things ioy in crossing me I am daughter vnto the King of Callidonia which is the countrey from whence we come being brought vp together with my brothers seeing them so greatly affected and giuen to hunting I determined also to keepe them company refusing no danger that might be offered me vntill our more yeares inabled vs to presume to mount on horses and with Boare speares follow the cruellest beastes that we met My brothers attaining to the age of xvi yeares were by my Father knighted who denyed me that honour supposing I would absent my selfe frō him because he heard me diuers times say how greatly I desired to passe vnto Graecia to visite the Empresse Claridiana whose fame through all the world especially in these kingdomes glorifies her with the name of a sole Paragon of beautie and only Myrrour of chiualrie I could not but grieue with my Fathers denyall yet I dissembled it still following the chase vntill this day two moneths there befell me what I will now tell you We came my brothers and I a hunting to this Forest called of the faire Fountaine and parting from them in pursute of that Hart on the toppe of a mountaine on the sudden a beauteous Lady set her selfe before me crying stay for without armour you cannot well passe forwards and vnbynding a little packet shee there had shee gaue me this armour saying they were them wherewith Semyramis did winne Babylon and that with them I should ouercome one of the best Knights of the world and in whome with most honor flourished a firme constancie although it should cost riuers of blood and with them she gaue me the sword wherewith she receiued the order of knighthood at the hāds of Artyne Emperor of Persia and that I should make peace with him that in the same honor should install me for that would be the sweetest This Sir Knight is the answere of your demaund the which seeing I haue with such liberall willingnesse perfourmed be not you too nyce to let me knowe who the murtherer of my brother is Magnificent Princesse replyed the Dacian my soule reioyceth to satisfie your request because you may know I am he that with most faith do procure onely firmely euer to obey you although I would not to you manifest the obscuritie of my lowe Fortunes Notwithstanding know my name is Don Eleno of Dacia Nephew to the Emperour of Greece and the onely sonne of his sole brother And beleeue me no lesse signes haue befell me in the course of my life then to you that I should come to this you haue saide For winning this armour in Rome hauing my hart as free as now captiue a wise man my deare friend commanded mee to depart thence without speaking to any woman vntill I should yeeld the Soueraigne commaund ouer me vnto the greatest Feminine enemie that in the whole earth I might procure for therein consisted the only quiet of my felicitie wherein I thinke the wiseman hath not erred because his sayings haue bene accomplished to the full For maugre the libertie of my hart and the content I ioyed therewith togither with all
horse and hurting none of vs through a sudden trance that surprized vs he had time to carrie away all the Ladies two by two and amōg them the Princesse except me and two other that are gone to beare these heauie newes vnto the citie Consider Sir Knights my distresse whether I haue not reason to bewaile it You haue it faire Lady aunswered Rosamond and so great that it had moued mee to such cōpassion that setting aside the duetie that al Knights are bound to in procuring her libertie I do here offer my person to raunsome her from bondage promising to be foremost therein Shee vttred it so quickly that the Prince could not showe his willingnesse in that case Yet did he hope that his Lady would commaund it him Within short time they arriued at the Temple which in their sights seemed no lesse gorgious then any they euer sawe For the stones so shined that they seemed of burnisht golde and so many Pyramides it had that the view thereof rauished the senses with pleasure So soone as the damzell saw it with teares she said That Sir Knights is the place that harbors him that stole the Princesse my Mistresse and her Ladies In a tryce dismounted the two gallant louers and leauing their horses to Fabio with their naked swords they went to the Temple which was with brazen barred gates fast shut on whome they read this inscription The entrance ef the auncient Temple of Hercules is granted but to one First swearing that he loueth and with a faith inuyolate for a house so amorous as this may not be allowed to any but such a one Forwards stept the Lady with whome nothing preuailed the Princes intreaties to make her leaue that dangerous enterprise but swearing what the entrance required and that so loud that the Prince might heare it so reioyced him that his senses with pleasure were bereft him For before shee knockt she said If my being in loue may any thing auaile then will I not loose what my constancie assures For I vow by my high thoughts that I liue by onely being so enuying none therein because I beleue I am the best bestowed of any that euer loued since it was knowen what loue did meane And so with a seld seene gallantnesse able to intrap the God of Loue shee rapt at the gates which were opened with no lesse noise then whē Theseus was entertained in hell bent to the rape of faire Proserpine She could perceiue nothing about the gates but flames of fire to defend them whose timerous sight was sufficient to affright the stoutest hart But shee that was borne to liue without it vnlesse it proceeded from a true loue entred wiihout feare of the fire Where not a little did she trye the vertue of het Babylonian armes whose inestimable stones did mittigate that heat Neuerthelesse that which entred through her Beuer was so extreame that it almost smoothered her Yet valiantly suffering it with much toyle shee passed forward till shee came before an Altar whereon they vsed to sacrifice to Hercules and leauing that shee went into a large yard free of the flames though not of the discontent shee conceiued when there shee sawe vpon the tarras of the same many Ladies lamentably bewailing ouer a Knight that shee supposed to be her deare Dacian who by foure was carried on a Hearse pearsed with many woundes saying O poore Prince how quickly haue the Fates conspired the ouerthrowe of thy content with so cruell death and turning to the Lady that in the yarde stoode dead with griefe they saide What auaileth thée Princesse of Callidonia to haue protested thou thou didst loue if so soone thou shouldest loose thy louer They gaue her no time to demaund the cause and manner of that sight For from a corner of the yarde there issued a most fierce Centaure bigger then the greatest horse who knowing her swifter then the Winde made towardes the Ladie with these wordes Stay captiue wretch and straight thou shalt knowe the gaines of thy presumption hauing vndertaken this enterprise accompting it an honorable act that Ioues-borne Hercules my greatest foe durst neuer imagine In his course he was an Eagle and so incountred her so mightily with his hayrie brest that with a grieuous fall he ouerthrew her on her backe Returne vpon her he desired but the furie that conducted him so farre did lead him that whē he turned the Lady was alreadie on her feete But here was she in the hands of death For the sauage monster brought with him foure mightie trees which he threwe in steede of darts whose force were able topsiturnie to ouerthrowe a well built edificie The Ladie was driuen to open her visar the better to see how to defend herselfe from the vnequall fight wherein shee did nothing amisse For the furious Centaure taking one with such puisance like to a small darte he hurled it Her nimblenesse saued her frō it which lighting on a stone of the wall in the yard it ranne vp to the middle ouerthrowing a great peece thereof So speedie was he in throwing that though shee freed her selfe of the second yet the thirde tooke her on the syde of her shield that it turned her three or foure times about that she was like to fall and so in this amaze he struck her on the Helme with the last that he laide her on the earth voiding much blood through her mouth and nostrels And herein is shee not to be blamed for the whole strength of all the Grecian Princes vnyted hadd not withstoode this furie In midst was his last tree broken so was he constrained to vse the strength of his armes and nayles that were longer then a spanne wherewith he embraced the tender Lady And because he could not penetrate her sure armor for that saued her life hee tumbled her vp and downe with such force that shee recouered her selfe in no small wonder to see her selfe in her enemies clawes She would not striue with him till shee tooke him at aduantage and so staying till hee turned her on her right side shee strained her selfe with such strength that shee scapte his nayles And not omitting that occasion before shee stept from him she wounded him on the brest so mightily with her so famous sword that the blood like spoutes burst from his vaines wherewith he stained the white paued yarde Hereat the Centaure beganne to rore so fiercely that the noise was heard of the Prince that was left without which so tormented him with feare of his Ladies daunger that without longer stay he cast himselfe through those fierie flames following the Eccho of the noise that stil increased for the the Heroyeke Lady had so wounded him on the legg that almost shee had cut it cleane asunder Admiration would the sight of this battaile breede for the nimblenesse and dexteritie that awayted on Rosamond cannot be imagined which had so tyred the Centaure as it had her selfe which he not able to suffer seeing his
attributing due glorie to your seming merits and when you haue so done then doe what you wil for I giue you leaue What I will haue sayd the angry Ladie is to let you vndestand the discourtesie you haue committed which is greater then the strength you boast of Then stay replyed Oristides Lady and you shall sée how well I can shew the one when the other dependes thereof and so leaping on her light horse hee turned him about defying her to mortall battle In matters of warre woulde not the Macedonian Princesse dissemble with her brother much more with whom she knewe not and did challenge her Oh Appollo the desire to see so braue a combate made thée hasten Auroras splendor to her wonted light because without thy presēce none could witnesse their hawghtie déedes or was it because forgetfull of thy Alcestes loue thou wouldest surfeite on this beautie Which séeing it so why doest thou not dippe my dull penne in the Nectar of thy Diuinetie for if they each other wouunde this and my tongue must memorize it Now is the season thy liberall influence to impart with mee when the whole worldes beautie is here like to perish There was left no Cittie in the first Heauen to guard their habitations onely to be spectators of so rich a fight for euery of them would willingly loose their liues to bee wounded by such beautie They met by the swiftnes of their nimble Coursers in such manner that the strength of their incounters made the Brother shrinke at the viewe No harme happened betwéen the Ladies most gallantly passing by ech other their méetings serued but in shéeuers to sende their launces through the emptie ayre to Phaebus middle Mantion At once drewe they the two admirable swords the one of Camilla and the second of Pyrrhus by succession Come to Oristides who gaue it to his deare Sarmacia in Lacedemon as the president booke reported With them hoysted on high together did they ground them on their helms resting either alike assured of the others strength for the Heauens had in fortitude and beautie in euerie respect equald them They began one of the fiercest battailes that the world did euer recorde for being Ladies increasing in wrath their blowes were able to dissolue a Rocke But such were their strong armours that it assured them from all perils Neuerthelesse with such furious strength they layd vppon each other that the flesh more fairer then Venus in her chiefe pride they mangled The desperate Sarmacia gaue her gallant enemie a dangerous blow a little belowe her Beuer it was to no small effect for it made her bend her head below her Horse maine She would not omit the aduantage for sieldome like to this there happens none and so with both hands she layd on the circuite of her helme that shee struck her from all féeling made her blood run through her visor and mouth loosing the guiding of her horse which sencelesse bare her about the fielde a good while till recouering her selfe the rage that with furie ioyned to settle her firmly againe in her saddle is not set downe for casting her Romaine shielde at her faire backe she let flie at her helme with such strength that had she carried her arme stiffe that blow had terminated the controuersie Notwithstanding the blad vnable to penetrate the magick temper it went slyding downe the same falling on the shoulder lighting so heauily that shee thought all that quarter had been beate asunder She fell with her brest on her saddle pummell and with the weyght of the stroake the horse set both his knées on the earth Scarse had she executed this blow when worthy with admiration to be celebrated at the wounded Sarmacias rysing shee helped her with two thrustes one after the other with such force that her owne handes trembled therewith casting her aduersaries head vpon the horse croopper shee would close with her to ouerthrowe her with her Steede but with this desire she spurd hers with more force then néeded for it made him furiously passe further then she would that stumbling on her aduersarie she had like to fall which to preuent she nimbly leapt from her owne to the ground It was aduisedly done for the Lacedemon Ladye arriued with a stroake in such blinde furie that had she met her she could not but haue incurred certaine danger For not méeting her the blowe fell in middle of the saddle deuiding it the horse in two Tremble did the Prince with the sight of this blowe iudging the Knight of mightie valour in no lesse reputation did the aduerse Ladie accompt him that seing him in some amaze lying along the horse necke following the winde of the blowe with a leape she stept thyther casting her strong armes on her shee snatcht her from the saddle and séeing her in some confusion therby because one foote hung in the stirrope which shee could not take foorth shee so striued that shee pluckt her dagger from her backe Hereat the hawghtie dame séeing her disgrace feared a sudden death dishonourable and so shee had no other remedie but loosing her sworde with all her strength to drawe her to her and strongly setling her selfe on one foote she did in sight of her aduersaries brother a thing worthy her beautie for casting her arme at Floralizas dagger shee drewe it out of the sheath and with it hadd slaine Alicandros vnknowne Neece yf she had not stept away with feare seeing her owne weapons in her aduersaries handes It was no little good fortune for the valerous Sarmacia hauing thereby time to drawe her foote out of the stirrope and with hard plucking shee had almost disioynted which founde to her griefe for going to follow her enemie she could not treade thereon which was the cause she had almost fallen on her She dissembling yt as much as possible she might expecting her enemies comming which was not longe for like a chaffed Lyonesse seeing that was her first battle and what little honor vnlesse she spéedily did finish it she should get she flung against Sarmacia and with both handes she layde on her so thicke and so quicke that breathlesse shee hadde almost tyred her and yet she hawghtlie defended her selfe often making Floralindas daughter rest on the grounde both wyth handes and féete till the paine of her foote was paste and then she seemed but newly to begyn the combate for the ligeritie wherewith shee entred and salyed deserued admiration With a florish they crossed aloft their putting swordes procuring that way to conclude their warre But it lasted not long for Alicandros Néece thrusting her somewhat more inwards stepping in with her right foote and with imagined swiftnes she gaue her a venturous blowe for taking her vnder the skirt it wounded her though little on the thigh It was no newe matter for the Ladye to receaue such blowes it made her loose her patience and like a rauenous Vulture did shee become with the sight of her owne blood
Nowe seeke they no slyght no warde nor no agilitie to defende and offend but onely committe the hazarde of their Lyfe or Death to the strength of their armes and with the vttermost force that Sarmacia hadd possest with Pyrrhus blade twixt both handes shee layde on the aduerse helme making her with the force of the stroake to set her handes on the grounde which shee had not done when another was redoubled with no lesse furie lighting on her shoulders which she extreamely felt More nimble farre and more vsed to toyle then was Horaliza was the Lacedemon Ladie and so loosing her shield and sworde stayed till she rose and ere she setled her selfe closed with her casting her right arme with such force twixt her legs that ketching her some-thing suddenly she raised her from the ground and with a great fall cast her on the earth But as it often happens amonge the wrastling challengers at the Olympicke games so fel it out betwéen these Ladies For by how great the fall is by so much the more it strengneth the vnder lying to recouer his lost aduantage by amendment of his foyle euen so was it heere because as shee cast her on the grounde and both fell on their sides the Macedonian Lady found opportunitie by a sudden scape to ketch warlike Sarmacia vnder There perceaued Horaliza that shee had occasion by the front through so venturous a fal and so she set her knées vppon her and because she had no dagger for it had been taken from her she cast her strong arms about her for it was all she could The Ladies were so tyred with the former toile that this present labour left theÌ„ breathlesse for after they had thus contended a long houre without sence they stretched themselues vppon the earth to Celindos great sorrow who alinghting from his horse went to his deare Sister and vnlacing her helme found all hir face besmeared with blood pale like ashie Death His hart trembled when so he sawe her lye and leauing her that the aire might breath on her he went to see what Knight the other shoulde bee that had the power so to vse his Sister and when he also sawe she was a Lady with a shaking cold sweate was all his bodye couered But this was not through any newe passion but for the remembrance of Rosiluera which he sawe portrayed in his inchaunted habitation and seing her greatly to resemble Alphebos daughter no feare was equall vnto his thinking they were dead The which straight vanished for beginning to stur they shewed happy newes of their liues He would not so leaue them for it might be occasion of new quarrels and so taking his Sister before him because hee would not leaue so valiant a Lady without a horse hee caried her within the Forrest to see if he could finde any place where shee might haue the rootes of her hayre cured on her head For else woundes had she none because her armour did defend it And méeting with no place they were faine to alight there bringing water from a cleare springe whose current that way ran into the Sea paying his Tribute to the Ocean he cast it on her face till she recouered her sences And seeing her selfe in that manner shee thought shee had béen by her aduersarie vanquisht The coÌ„sideration of the caused griefe through these imaginatioÌ„s I leaue to you kind Ladies to suppose the which because I haue so much to doe onely wandering but vnder the shaddowe of your fauours I doe not explicate No lesse was the valerous Sarmacias who not able there to remedie it she rose and mounted on her Coâ—…rser determined to take her next way to the Cittie because the next daye the Tryumphes there began whose aduentures doe not immerited require a newe Chapter CHAP. IX How the Tryumphes began in Constantinople the wounders that in the Iustes did happen COme is the day most beauteous Nymphes of the chast Goddesse so celebrated throughout the world when the Christians with prayses and the Pagans with superstitious ceremonies doe solemnize the Natiuitie of the glorious St. Iohn Baptist on which the famous Tryumphs were begunne with the noise of so manye millions of millitarie instruments as if the Citie were at the point of warre Nothing was heard nor seen but what apertained to Martiall discipline nor through the citie no vesture appeared but might be shewen before their Princes Euery one would so adorne themselues as well in seruants liueries as on their own persoÌ„s Round about the place where the Iustes should be made were set great bigge pillers with fine chaines of steele that the battles might better be deserued vpoÌ„ them were painted all the haughtie deeds chiualries of all the Greeke Princes with so naturall liuely coulors that they wanted nothing but speaking At this time came the Emperor from his pallace with such maiestie as he seemed a God on earth For their horses coches chariots and attendants were numberlesse In one that was drawen with foure white Vnicornes road three Ladies whose beautie darkened the shepherds brightnesse that for loue left the golden eye of heauen They were the most excelleÌ„t Princesses Claridiana Oliuia Rosiluera with the faire Artemisa Princes of EnglaÌ„d that more deuine then a humane creature séemed The respleÌ„ding miror of beautie Fortitude Archisilora Quéene of Lyra would not be séene but on horseback with Capparizons with so rich imbroderie of stones pearles that scarse her excellencies could be deserued through their reuerberating rayes By the brydle was she lead by the Emperour Alphebo Knight of the Sunne his mother that on the vpper hand accompanied her did Sacridoro lead that knowing of these feasts had sent for his déere wife Orisilua who went in company of Lindaraza Archirosa of Portugall that already with Don Siluerio was arriued Al these were attyred in murry vestures cut vpon Gréene with diuersitie of curious workes More excellencie of perfect beautie gallantnes neuer did the worlds vast territories behold The three Princesse Oliuea Roseluera and Artemisa were clad in greene robes imbrodeed ouer with whit roses sett with infenitt stones of enestimable vallour The Empresse Clarideana came al in whit laid w e goulden twist w e Iewels shining like the sunne In this Maiesticke equypage ariued they vnto the proud stupendious theater that for their sight was built round about the place were scaffolds infenit set vp And after that with their presences it was Metamorphized vnto a brighter skie then the white Christall Heauen with their appearing out of the windows the chaleÌ„gers pauillioÌ„ was set vp all of greene with like roses the Ladies woare it was of no lesse woÌ„der then any thing in the place Through the which entered the Emperiall ensigne with twelue thousand men of guard the which did set it on the Pauillions top with such sound of trumpets as if that were the generall sessions of the world the which the ships Gallyes anchorde
nothing done he went to the Knights with these wordes Had I bene assured of so good helpes Sir Knights with more hope had I performed my combat Small neede had you of our ayd braue Knights said the amorous dame and if we came it was only to know you and the cause of your battel That was soly to right this Damsell answered Trebarios sonne the came in my demaund for certain businesse and so was she taken by these gyants that lyke vyllanes doe nothing else but robbe in the high wayes whose fame now your vallour hath liberated Touching the rest ther is no reasō I should disobey you I am called the Knight of the golden Branch and no other thing do I know of my stocke Euery one had heard wounders of him and so the ladie to bind him to asmuch a lighted frō her horse saying dismoūt braue warriors that we may rest To content her Don Celindo hauing some feeling of his sisters affection did so as much did the Tinacrian But the Dacian rather desiring to seeke his Rosamond excused him selfe the best that he could alleadging the necessity he had to part away but ere he went he tooke the vallorous Tinacrian aside and thus said I am sure Soueraigne Prince that you know me not but many daies a goe haue I had perfect knowledge of your hauty deedes and since our kindred bindes me to tell you whom I am knowe that my name is Don Eleno of Dacia your louing cosen he that for the liberty of your natiue soile imploied the vtmost of his power Immeasurable ioye receaued the Prince to knowe him and rendring him many thancks for it replied In faith none with more reason ought to liue contented but I seing my happie starrs so highly blest me as to create me kinsman vnto so mighty Princes though great is my bonde to procure by desert in something to resemble them and for this would not be knowen of the Emperor vntill my déeds might make me worthy to be estemed his Sonne Those are already so well knowen most valiant Prince replyed the Dacian that you maye deseruedly bee called the Sonne of such a Father and because it behooues me presently to depart I must commit you to God in me while life indures shal you be assured of a perpetuall friend his companye desired the Tynacrian but thinking it discourtesie so to leaue the knights that taryed for him woulde not admit it but taking his leaue of all he entred through the thickest of the Forrest leauing them in loue with his valour and gentlenes dismount did the Tynacrian and lifting vp his Beuer he went to the Lady that trembling expected him to whome she sayde I thinke sir Knight of the branch that yonder Knight in the Russet did knowe you considering how hee vsed you and I wonder not for some I knowe that only by hearing of your valour beare you no small good-will hauing left their farr remoted countries soly to enioy your sight That 's the conditiō of true magnanimety valiant knight replyed he that becomming affectionate in nothing doe they better shew the noblenes wherewith the Heauens haue inriched them then in honoring those in reputation inferior and in credit And therefore doe not I maruell that more to ingreten your fame then for any my deserts you haue vndertaken so great a toyle wherefore if gratefulnes there maye bee any for so great and vnderserued fauour or if the imployment of my person in your seruice be part of any payment I will doe it euen with my verye soule for of much more doe I iudge your worthines worthy of No lesse was hoped of you sir Knight of the branch aunswered the Ladye and you liue not deceaued in what is desired you This opportunitie looked Don Cellindo for to leaue his Sister alone who gaue him a Thousand blessings for it for taking occasion to stall their Horses went away frō them with such content of Floraliza to see her selfe so nere him she loued that she could not speake The gallant Tynacrian altogither toke of his helme for the Knights conuersatiō gretly pleased him but with such quicknes she put of hers that when he regazed on her the seemed to disgrace Venus in her pride a blow was it for the Tynacrian which he so sone forgot not for first it cost him much blood he was amazed and I maruell not for with more experience the like had befallen Apollo that did to the vnwarie youth Well did the Lady note it and was not sorrie for it but the ioyfullest in the world seing that occasiō said what haue you felt sir knight for as I thinke by your exterior signes you should not iudge amisse of the sight of Ladies Nay rather replyed the wounded youth so great is the ioy it giues me that the good was part to interrupt my sences as the thing that excéeded their dull conceipts More doth that astonish me sir Knight of the Branch replyed the Lady that you should make me belieue so difficult a thing yet I would credit it liued I not vndeceaued that the grieuous shewes of gallants many times prooues but conceipts by which they would obtaine their Ladies fauours onely due to those that truely loue Such as the former valyant Lady replied he do not with reason ponder how great good it is to liue alienated and for that cause fayning their losse demaunde a costly remedie And for them woulde I haue no other punishment then what a distrust doth cause them seing what fauors the true louers doe inioy Nay then sir Knight sayd the Lady the experience that you seeme to haue makes you condemne what others take for good A little is for that needefull sayde the sonne of Garrofilea hauing at hand the reason that shal confirme it Neuerthelesse sir Knight answered she you cannot perswade me but the thought of your good imploymēt makes you haue that opinion Neuer sayd he would fortune make me happie with so rich a fauour most soueraigne Ladie as to let mee taste of some good that by louing is obtained and so thinke I long for the hower to imploy my selfe that I may iudge thereof I say replyed she I would not haue for my gallāt a knight the onely procureth his owne pleasure As that must proceede from the Ladies hands answered he first should I measure my affection by her will and according to that proceede to her content and not mine Your purposes be not so ill said Floraliza but that if your deedes were correspondent to thē you might finde her that would loue you The Lady could speake no plainer nor he see euidenter tokens to be beloued but her beautie was so excellent that he thought all past but as chat to driue away the time Neuerthelesse he would once trie the fortune of his desire saying In these matters of loue most excellent Lady I haue often heard that Ladies are alwaies sharpe and coye towards their gallants and so this feare hath sometimes driuen me
lesse then with your honour or life I cannot satisfie the duetie that I owe vnto my Ladie Nay be it presently sayd Eleno insolent Knight for if my fortune had not been so aduerse fewe daies since I had a Ladie in my companie that Apollos light had darkened for whose sake against the mightie God of warre I would haue maintayned what thou hast vttered being so great an vntroth But here is Don Eleno that being hers is suffitient to chastise thy follie And without further spéech with such grace he turned his horse that a Thousand soules if so many she had she would haue giuen him And turning hers in a trice she tooke of her helme glorifyng her armour with fine tresses of Gould chaines wherein Apollo would giue his deitie to be fettered in In that manner she stayde for him hauing in like sort before vanquished him so Like to a furious thunder-bolt came the fierie Tireo till approching the rayes of that new discouered Sunne with such brightnes they penetrated his Beuer that it was a wonder they did not altogether blind him He stayde his Courser and without a worde stoode still thinking a vision what hee sawe vnable to beléeue so great a good coulde redounde from so strange and vehement torments To him stept the ioyfull Lady putting of his helme ioyning her mouth to the princes said I neuer imagined soueraign Prince the Don Eleno 〈◊〉 armes against his Rosamond for though the Prince of Dacia be displeased with the Princesse of Callidonia he ought not so soone shew it whereto he replyed I am indebted to Rosamond for her ayde else no doubt but the Princesse had incurred some peril dearest Ladie of my soule but I am so highly bound to Rosamond that it made me breake with all on paine of defending her rare beautie although thereby the Callidonian Lady might rest grieued But if the Prince of Dacia haue offended heere stands Don Eleno to render his amendes She answered for the loue that Rosamond beares him the Callidonian Princesse will not suffer him to take anye wronge And letting him goe they entred to passe the heate vnder the braunching trées in the thicket with the greatest ioy in the worlde discoursing what to either had happened Greatly shee rested content that her Lord had spoken to the Emperour other Princes but that which most ioyed her was the newes of the Tynacrian whom she greatly desired to know through the fame that in Callidonia she heard of him In conuersation past they till the hower of three that they tooke the next way to the Cittie for they heard that three dayes after the Iustes would begin ioying to see what multitudes thither resorted hoping for the day that they might approue before that sinode of Maiestie the valour of their armes In this and in other pleasing chat but most of loue for they were his slaues continued the louers and the ioyfullest that euer Cupid knew when the same way they had taken they saw towards them come two Knights of the best constitution in as rich armour as either of them had seen accompanyed with onely two Pages They quickly met and as among such their chiefest ornament is courtesie the biggest of them sayde Braue Knights can you tell vs any thing of the triumphs in Constantinople We sir Knight replyed the Dacian haue not been there but haue heard they are begun with greate solemnitie and it was yesterday told me the Emperour had commaunded them to cease for eight dayes and this is all we know whilst he replied he attentiuely gazed on his companion that spake to him that he espied his sword and looking well on it he knew it hauing many yeares before bene his and seeing it in a strangers hands he straight remembred he had lost it in Rome that night that he deliuered the Princesses from the Gyants as is in the former part recited so expecting no answer again said And you Knight who gaue you that sword which cost me no little blood in winning it and therefore must you either giue it me or prepare to defend for I will not part without it though it cost me my life Scarse had he said so when the esquiers knew him for the two Knights were the one Lisarte King of Tarsis and the other his sonne Florisarte Prince of Argentaria and the pages those that afore haue bene named to be the Princesse Roselea of Rome and Arbolinda Infant of Scotland The Louer was so much astonished as the Ladies to see him for the other said I do not denie but it may be yours Knight but the partie that me it gaue would with reason greatly be offended if I should so easily let it goe not shewing first that the parting from it is by force and not for that it was so willingly giuen me which animates me rather to dye then loose it Why then replied the Dacian defend thy selfe for by no meanes must I leaue it The Louer answered not but tourned his horse with such gallantnesse that Rosamond did greatly admire him The like did the valiant Dacian with the lightnesse of his horse he incountred the Argentarian so mightily that without any maner of motion he made him loose his stirrops getting hould by his horse maine for feare of falling while Eleno past like the wind And with like celerity he returned vpon his enemy with his sword in hand finding him in like preparation In Greece was neuer seene a more fiercer battle nor with more affection admired for the blow that Florisarte receaues on his helme doth Aâ—bolinda take it on her soule and that which Don Eleno on his sheeld doth Rosamond ouerthrowen him and with the furie of his Tyrio he ranne to the Tharsian and as he past with a flourish he gaue him a blow that on his horse necke he threw him He returned vpon him because he could not strike him with his sword he incountred him with his horse brestes so mightily that both him and his horse he tumbled to the grounde and leaping after him with more ligeritie then a nimble Hare ere he could prepare himselfe he closed with him and as his strength was greater he raised him aloft but holding him so strongly for feare of falling with him he was fayne to sett him downe and with a thrust made him staggering giue backe three paces and ere he could open his eyes was againe vpon him There had he wounded him if his sonne had not come and sydewayes gaue him so mightie a blowe that maugre all his strength he went foure paces backe Follow him would the haughtie Prince of Argentarie when the Ladye set her selfe before him with more wrath then a troden Serpent and with both handes laide on the youthes shield which like to a piece of Wood shee cleft cleane in two and myraculously he scaped his hande which remained with such paine that he could not stirre it Both the one and the other Father and Sonne incurred mightie
with all being possest by Rosamond notwithstanding he replyed In faith good squiers it greatly greeues me for the sorrow the Princesse doth sustain and of your trouble in seeking me Although all might haue been remedyed considering with what vyolence I was drawen away to leaue Rome so much against my wil seeing therein I offended those Ladies yet I could do no otherwise and so haue I not herein any cause to satisfie them in any thing In the rest that my Lady the Princesse hath done me fauors there is no satisfaction may come neere nor so much as be thought a little parcell vpon accoumpt in parte for so many and manifould benefits which she of her meere bounty magnanimity extēded on me inriching with them a poore forlorne Knight exiled from all content And so since at this time there is no leasure to write and we all intending to visit Constātinople there wil I giue you my answere And meane while if in any thing I may pleasure you commaund me for I will do it Valiant Prince replied Artimio what at this time will most content vs is your answer for thereon dependes Roseleas life and we will abide in Constantinople while the Tryumphes last Hereupon they tooke their leaues not without many teares of both the Ladies and he finding the Knights with Rosamond leauing them retorned to their intended Iourny till very nere the cittie the night ouertooke them and being in the summer they resolued to passe it in that wood among the trees and Odoriferous flowers vpon which they tooke their way Hauing supt the Lady demaunded him how he knew the pages and so much she importuned him that he tould her she nothing suspecting his faith being assured she was of him dearly Loued and therefore said So that Don Eleno you haue been in prison and in such a place where no doubt but you paid for so sweete a gaole he supposed she spake in earnest it is vsuall in louers wherfore he replied It is true dere lady the there I receaued fauors binding me to spend my life for those Ladies a generall debt due to al Dames but as my happie starres hadde predestinated mee to bee yours appointing the particularity of my soule for your seruice I could not staye there seeking onely your Heauen where my glory is inclosed And that you may no longer doubt what I once would haue assured with my lifes dearest blood le ts reade this letter which the Romaine Ladies haue sent me so Rosamond read it thus TO the forgetfull and excellent vnmindfull Prince of Dacia the forgotten Roselia health So much hath the anger of thy carelesse regarde vnkind and more vngratefull Prince preuailed with mee that the note wherewith the worlde may marke me for hauing fixt mine eyes with some affection on thy person could no way let me from doing this Notwithstanding I resolued to breake with my fame so I might let thee knowe the vnkindnesse and vnkind dealing thou shewdst me which the meanest Ladye in the worlde without reuenge woulde not haue indured I expect no remedie nor thy comming for hee that so soone departed and ioyeth therein his returne shoulde seem to be impossible although the law of Knight-hood binds thee to bee a prisoner My griefe not the continnance of my teares giues leaue to bee no longer being confounded with a Thousand contrarieties among which thou being the cause I rest wishing thou mayest yet acknowledge it The beauteous Rosamōd could not otherwise do but shew some féeling with the amorous letter but as the others discōtent might not be remedied but to her cost that quickly was ouerblowen remayning nothing penitent for it None enioying a good would euer loose it to please another and so she sayd In faith no reason hath this Lady to complaine of Don Eleno since hee is not bound to loue but her that first challenged him T is so most beauteous Princesse replyed he for many dayes after I had ynough to wéepe remembring I looked on her with any affection seeing the happines the Heauens had in store kept for mee In like discourse did these louers driue away the night where wee must leaue them preparing for the Iusts to record the matter in the next Chapter remembred CHAP. XIII The aduenture that the warlike Rosabell and his friende Oristoldo Prince of Antioche founde in the woodes of Grecia and how they disinchanted the gallant Tartarian Zoylo HOw greatly the Magician Selagio procured a dyre reuenge vpon the Princes of Gréece the course of this large History amply mētioneth for the desolation they had made of his whole progenie beginning with the mightie Mandroco whom Rosicler called the Knight of Cupid slue in the Empire of Gréece as was expreste in the second of the first part which desire hee still prosecuting he busied himselfe dayly in no other thinge thē the instant procurement of the vilde execution of his damned intent and being so great a Nygromant he founde by his art there should be in Gréece a most cruell warre wherwith it should be at the point of an vtter ouerthrowe Also he founde that the Souldan of Nyquea should be an ayder to the Gréekes the which to preuent hee stole away Rosabell so soone as he was borne from Oliuias armes and carrying him away he set him in Nyquea in the Souldans pallaice to be brought vp with two little children of his a Sonne a Daughter foreseing that louing and stealing her thēce might be the cause to mooue him with all his power to procure his reuenge for so gread a wronge This plot was not in vaine as hath and shal be shewed for by this meanes he disappointed Greece of this help So not pawsing here he made his coniurations and exorcismes wherewith hee tooke those fiue Princes which he educated in his Castle as the president part recordes hauing long before prohibited that the valiant Tartare might not enioy his beloued Tigliaffa because he knewe that by that Coniunction at the time that Lirgandeo succored him should be ingendred the mightest Knight in the world and he that should most be-friend the Grecians A great hinderance did he Iudge this for his pretence and therefore ordered that hauing drunke the amorous water which Lirgandeo in the Forrest gaue him as in the first booke of the second part is expressed hee shoulde meete with the mightie Brufaldoro making with him that cruell battle wherein he wished not his death but only that hee should not ioyne with his Ladie that came to seeke him finding him in maner already recited till she supposing hee had been dead he built him that admirable monumēt where he set the Ladie vnderstanding she should many yeres there remaine And though Lirgandeo hadd placed there for the Dame that keeper which the Emperour Alphebo slue trauelling that waye in companie of the valiant King of Cerdenna within there was others so stronge that the inchanter Selagio rested sure that none woulde haue the power to disinchant him hauing
wrong cōmitted it is well she may haue such a defender The haughtie dame hereby suspected somewhat and so gloryfiing her beautie with a heauenly tincture she replyed Little can a Ladies graunted fauour auaile for the valour of the Prince of the Greece most excellent Lady and rather there are some so happilesse in cōmanding that they put in doubt what the gallants with their fortitude haue assured Among these I accompt my selfe and in so much that I know not when I could call my selfe happie And this is the cause I dare not require any to goe forth in my name but beeing dryuen to that necessitye beeing able to doe it my selfe I neede not intreate it of any And because shee would not be more importuned shee turned to him in the blacke that more furious then a hungry Beare ran vpp and downe It was no small vertue in the Prince to indure with patience this bitter answere a Thousand cries would hee haue giuen publishing the iniustice done to hys faith vsing it with such cruelty he departed from thence for his sighes gaue him not leaue not so much as to take leaue of the sweete enemie of his tormented soule Who with attētion gazed on the amorous Knight that at this time with his owne hand had chosen a strong launce for at a corner of the place there entred two Knights no lesse to be wondred at then the former at the same instant entred two other no lesse gallant then the first These last were armed in Murrey armour with barrs of azure and gold on their shieldes he that seemed bigger of body had a Sunne in middle of a cleare heauen with these wordes Not any though neuer fauored And in his proofes hauing done But ioyeth in the Sunne His companion that a better disposition shewed had another Sunne ecclipsed with this Motto about it It changeth effect in me For gazing on his fier It augments griefe and desire These two Knights posies greatly delighted euerye one for if yee bee remembred they bee none other but Lysarte the mighty King of Tarsis and his sonne Florisarte Prince of Argentaria that came accōpanied with the two disguised Princesses they past the place with more grace then Achilles had done The like did the twoo first for both were armed in most rich armour hee on the right hand that was Don Argante of Fenicia had a siluer armor full of Lillies on his shield a Pyne tree and hee himselfe leauing against it with this posie In sollitude delights He that on loue doth dote But most he that 's remote That Knight is not like to want battailes that to ympeach the Ladies worthes shewes himselfe so free for as euery one liueth by being alienated they will presently put it to triall Now am I very glad sayd the beauteous Lindaraza that so free a Knight maye meete with him in the blacke that is so constant in his alienation No lesse dyd his companion shew himselfe vn-yoaked being the gallant Torisiano who was all in Carnation armour quartered with golde and azure a brauer temper was not seene in the place In the middle of his shield was set a knight languishing in loue accompanied with all his troubles with these words How sweet is that same sight That gazeth on his woes It doth his hart delight Though it with griefe vndoes Hauing approched they entred the Listes None of the behoulders durst take their eyes from them thinking in the meane time they should loose them so furiously they past forward The first that in Greece met with ill fortune was he of Phenicia that quicker then an Eagle spurerd against him in black he got little for the sorrowfull louer incountred him with the vtmost of his strength which only merited comparison with the Greeke Princes lightly fetching him frō his saddle threw him to the ground he receaued no small encounter for Don Argante was one of the strongest in the world he made him loose his raynes and forwardes passe more slowly then he would Great was the noyse that rose in the place as also among the Ladies that celebrated the fall with accustomed disdaine which well maye bee called death And that 's but little considering howe t is taken I almost speake by experience I maruell not at the Knights disgraces deare Ladies sayd the old King of Bohemia entring with your disfauour Your highnes speaketh with great reason answered the Princesse Oliuia to supplye which want I intreated the Quéene of Lyra that to shewe howe she loues me she would haue bestowed one fauor vpō a gallant that from it he might haue drawen valour to assure our busines that so goeth to wracke hee replyed There is no reason any thing should be denyed to so iust a demaund the which if my age did not disturbe I would haue béen he that should haue craued it A Thousand should your highnes haue obtayned replyed Archisilora But there wants not them that without any may returne the Grecian honor to their owners Their that was broken off by the peoples rumor for the mourning Knight with more strength thē Hector had did ouerthrow the braue Torisiano which displeased the Ladies Many suppositions past there who the blacke knight shoulde bee for some Ladies were affected to him And so with some pittie the Empresse Claridiana sayde to them that were with her Greatly doe I commisserate this Knight to sée with what crueltie his loue his repayd And if his fauors were equall to his strength none might more bragge of valour then hee Those that on a sudden begyn to loue answered the beauteous Rosiluera that in the secret of her soule had portrayed the knight with such coulors that none but death could wipe away any little occasion ministers vnto thē cause of Loue but le ts sée what shall become of the Knights of the Sunnes that séeme of a valiant disposition his Carrier had the braue King Lisarte taken incountring with the blacke knight so fiercely that he thought he had béen broken in pieces either past by the other without any moouing Of the valiantest was the Tarsian but he there met with Bembo then whom the Pagan nation neuer knewe more hawghtier and couragious knight who taking another launce incountred hym so mightily that hee brought him to the ground himselfe had almost accompanied him for loosing brydle and stirrops was fayne to stay himselfe by his horse neck Like to a fiery Dragon his amorous sonne ran with him thrée launces vnable to mooue eyther of them from the saddle to both theyr extreme griefes that like to bloodie Lyons they with their owne handes choosed their launces with the excessiuenesse of their forces incountred so puissantly that the beleued Argentariā came to the ground with his horse slaine betweene his leggs he leapt from him for feare of some disgrace The Achayan with the strong shocke staggering backwards lost his saddle falling on his féete but with so small féeling that though the couragious youth stept to him
foorth her shield whereon it lighted being a wonder she let it not fall so tormented remained her arme Shee entred againe with a point which Rosamond extreamely felt so sure was her reuenge that ere she retired she strucke her on the side of the helme she somewhat slackned her arme for else she had mortally wounded her but to the cruell swoord the hardest steele seemes softest waxe The imperious guider of the highest Orbes protected them to be instruments of his miracles in defence of his afflicted people for else with athrust the Gallidonian let fly she had ended that businesse On the out side she cut away all the harnesse vnder the arme making the furious blade appeare on the other part All the place had thought her to be slaine the like imagined Rosamond whereupon spurring her Courser shee would haue parted without payment but she thought it too late for the Quéene séeing her chance and amazed at the cutting edge of her aduersaries sword with all her strength she gaue her a blow that made her make a thousand signes of falling and altogether she had ouerthrowne her but that she feared the cruell slicing blade She procured to helpe her selfe with her dexteritie but it little auailes her for though the Calidonian Ladie be short winded her face within her helme besmeared with blood yet euery time she reacht her she cut both the armour and the most fairest skinne that the world did know O Claridiano who should approch thee with such newes that the blood which thou most adorest doth enamell the smallest grasse Ouerwhelmed in the studie of confused thoughts was the Loue-burning youth to see with what crueltie hee was entreated by his Ladie that hee neither heard nor saw what in the field was done Hard by him sat the beauteous English Artemisa who seeing him in such pensiuenes pluckt him by the arme with these wordes why how now excellent Prince is it possible there should be any loue should so estrange you if you please to participate your greefe with me receauing it to ease you therof it will be my content and in faith it is no small paine what I conceaue to sée you in these passions As froÌ„ a slepe newly awaked did the afflicted youth looke vp and hearing what that beauteous Lady had offered made this replie I doe most humblie kisse your Soueraigne handes most Soueraigne Princesse for the fauour done me in pittying what I indure yet is it but a small comfort for in the strangest maner hath crueltie plaste it selfe to my more plague in our place and my thoughts in another laboured in their striuing dutie setting apart all other things to procure at once one death a momentarie remedie for a long and painâ—full life Why then be assured said the Lady that this frensie of Loue is made gentle being tollerated and communicated with one that will like my selfe ridde you of it In all things replied the woefull Louer hath Fortune fauoured me animating my weakenes by so on high sublimating my hopes only it hath giuen me as a Crosse to this glorie the greatest euill that could be séeing I am comaunded bound by a constant faith to reueale my griefes to none I féele it though well considered it is my peace For discouering the cause thereof the present answere canne be no other then that my torments are too easie waighed with her merites So haue I chose in my bargaine to suffer and be silent although your noble offer shall not want his due regard in the duties of my loue why then said the Ladie I shall not anye more neede to importune you about the procéeder of your griefes But for this tyme leaue wee it to looke on the battaile of you foure Knights for valianter the earth doth not containe Your highnes hath reason for it replyed he for they that are newe come especially he of the flowers is the soonest in assaulting that I haue seene and it behooues him combating with a Knight that so warylie maks his battle as hee in the Russet And beléeue me I would gladly knowe his companion whose armor doth assure him what the others strenghth cannot loose FroÌ„ this were they interrupted for Rosabell thinking it towardise that a battle shoulde so longe last in presence of his Fathers lyke stormes of hayle threwe his blowes vppon his aduersarie which breathlesse made him almost goe vp and downe A wrastling would the Dacian verie faine haue been at thinking thereby to get more aduantage but the Gréeke that perceaued his intent suffered him to enter and in his closing with all his strength thrust at him betweene the ioynts of his armes harnesse he wounded him and with a litle more he had toucht the harts side but turning about he cast it outwards and becomming more fierce then a Bazeliske casting his shield at his backe with his handes he mounted his sword and discharged it on the Burgonet of Lirianas gallant louer it strucke him sencelesse vpon his horse filling his helme full of blood which ran froÌ„ his Beuer nostrels A better blow was not giuen in all the battle Well was it noted by the gallant Quéene that not a litle affected the knight of the Flowers both for his valour and courtesie She would needes helpe him so driuing Rosamond with a point apart sideling with her horse shee assaulted Don Eleno to wound him She got little by it for the Dacian was nimbler and stronger than shee and mounted on that Courser it was nothing to make her bow vnto his brest with the blowe hee gaue her at her entring and as she arose he still hauing the sword between his hands did let it flie at her the powers of heauen defended her for else so rigorous was the blow she had been parted in two All the corner of the shéeld was struck away he wounded her on the shoulder and cut the great band of her helme with part of her necke péece and made her tremble like an aspen leafe Then arriued the Callidonian Ladie and betweene them they hadde surely slaine her but she staied her sword thinking it cowardise to offend any with aduantage By this was the furious youth come to himselfe making against them Before him stept the Lady but with him shee could get nothing for in all thinges they were vnequall he let flye at the toppe of her burgonet such a blow that she thought she sawe the starrie firmament Like to a rauening Tygre she raysed her auntient sword whose inchauntment being made long afore any other there is no defence in Hectors shield for a peece therof she cast to the earth She came with another at his head he warded it fearing the swoord else had he fared ill neuerthelesse it extreamely opprest him In himselfe was not the amorous Lord séeing so mightie enemies impatient is hee of delaie his shield he hurles at his backe and with both handes hee reacht her though not at full vppon her rich helme it next to the
but the Queenes graue perfections bewitched euery vnderstanding Thitherto had not Rosabell put of his helme though excéeding glad to sée that great Emperour whome he accompted his Grande-father By that was Rosicler come yet somewhat weake who thinking him to bee his deare Sonne thus sayd Now is the time sir Knight you must performe the promise you made me to speake to vs ere you departed I am answered he and will be alwaies most ready to obay you most excellent Prince but yonder stands the Knight pointing to the Tartare ouer-ioyed to se his friends to whome I gaue my word not to vnlace my helme vnlesse it be in presence of all the Court for he will haue it so to doe the like Be it so replyed the Father of the supposed Sonne for here will we all onely procure your content Straight went they to the Royall pallace that stoode not farre from thence first agréeing that the prizes of the Iustes shoulde remaine at the two Ladies disposing They for Rosilueras sake bestowed them on the Ladies that in the beginning were fauorers of the Tryumphes they were Claridiana Oliuia Rosiluera and Artemisa This decrée was with admiration applauded and with the noyse of all sortes of Musicke they were all coÌ„uayde out of the place Being arryued in the great Hall their receauinges beganne anewe whose prolixitie doth not Lirgandeo set downe nor what past among the Ladies with their newe come guest most of whome remayned enuious of her beautie So when they were all quyet the three newe and faythfull friendes Rosabell the Tartare and Oristoldo with the beauteous Tigliaffa went towardes the Emperour and their dueties done Lirianas couragious louer thus began Comming some fewe dayes since most mighty Monarch vnto thy Court through fame of her greatnesse From far Countries my Fortune brought mee vnto an inchaunment where the Ladye and Knight meaning the Tartare were bereaued of their naturall powers I indeauored with the vtmost of my power though in the venture I shoulde loose my selfe to procure his libertie In the ende it pleased the Gods that I yet with some labour should enfranchize them hauing done I intreated theÌ„ to tell me who they were They answered that yf they should I being of such remoted parts could not know them neuerthelesse they promised to doe it here in thy presence In recompence whereof I offered them my companie and seing we are arryued to this passe may it please thy mightinesse I may by thy commaunde knowe them for I must without delay depart Here the gallant youth ended together with his awefull duetie expecting the Emperours answere who contented with the Knightes behauiour replyed Hee that hath receaued so great good worke at your handes sir Knight will not so ill satisfie you as deny you who he is No in faith answered the Tartare for he that so greatly is indebted as my selfe with hazarding my life I doe desire to acknowledge the beginning of my gratitude Alreadie was the Ladie vnmasked and the three valiant warriours without helmes Besides himselfe was the Emperour séeing the Tartare louing him as any of his sonns he imbraced him shedding some teares of ioy and said Braue Prince the Traytor that kept you so long from vs did nothing loue you as I doe The Emperour was not suffered to speake any more for all the rest rose to welcome the Tartare Oh who might expresse without some note of tediousnesse what Oliuia did with Rosabell T was long since she saw him euen since she was deliuered of him but scarce he had doft his helme when she knewe him rising swifter then an Eagle to imbrace him and spake without respect of her grauetie Oh deare deare Sonne the procéeder of my most deare hearts bloode may it bee that on this daye such happinesse was allotted mee Euerye one thereat were amazed till Rosicler declared it to them Agayne began their kindnes which were no lesse with Oristoldo The Gréeke Emperour that sawe such a Nephewe cloyde with ioye tooke him about the necke and kist him on the right chéeke hee was not more glad when he knew Claridiano Their content was greatly increased by the hawghtie Lysarte and his Sonnes discouering of themselues to the three Princes that wonderfully ioyed to see them without were the two disguised Ladies And Roselia seing Don Eleno in coÌ„pany of so braue a Dame presently dispayred of her hope and would returne vnto her Fathers Court But a better meanes then this did Nabato ordaine as shal be sayd By reason of these newe guestes the wofull Prince Claridiano had occasion thus to speake to his Mistres Nothing amisse did your soueraigne beautie most excellent Queene seeing the cowardise of the Knightes to maintayne your owne beautie but being so sure of the aduantage you had no neede to take your weapons She replyed I would not Prince of Greece haue you take that for an excuse to couer the remissenes of the gallantes of this Court that haue shewen it so great and since they haue done it t is well for the Ladies may liue without care to redresse their woes suffering them to languish seing they are content to bee so negligent and forgetfull especially in busines that so greatly concerned them They cannot choose deuine Princesse but by their carelessenes incurâ—e some fault and thereby merit some disfauour answered the fearefull Prince Neuerthelesse had any of them béen commanded to it no doubt but some would haue ioyed to spill their dearest lyfe vnder that behest That sayde shee had not been meritorious For the Ladye requiring it shee shoulde buy it at too high a rate The haughtie Archisilora saw him amazed so she went to chat with Rosamond whome shee greatly affected leauing the Prince in an obscure darknes whose maladie séemed dayly more and more to increase by the fading of his hopes In his pensiues leaue wee him a while to giue some ease vnto an easelesse spirit that wyth fresh courage it may set downe in the next Chapter what farther happened CHAP. XVII What happened in Court amonge the Princes and how Don Eleno departed with other successes WIth some content it may bee your perfections swéete beauties Mirrors haue with patience borne the bloody Iustes of Grecia And the cause of them being a iealous passion there is none that knowing howe good it is to bee estranged from himselfe should rest discontented For that affection fixed in a constant brest cannot bee called Loue vnlesse dispising all other fayrenesse it onely accompteth of his imployment imagining that if there bee any happinesse on earth t is that he soly doth adore This conceipte hadde bereft the Greeke Prince of his best sences seeing the coynesse and with what disdaine Archisilora vsed him intertayning all other gallantes in the Courte wyth farre greater signes of affection then him This was occasion to put him in no other state theÌ„ that he was in for as his thoughts were his only comforters they imployed in such high contemplations he
she more to bee ridde of her iealous feare since she was assured who the Ladie was that hadd so daunted her making her rather become iealous then amorous With millions of Loues sighes she left the Citie penitent of what vnwittingly she had breathed against her gallant She put her selfe among those thicke woods resolued to wander thereabouts till the Court were more quieter for she was sure Oristides would not absent himselfe thence being greatly estéemed of the Emperors of Trebizound and of Greece who determined to giue him an honourable charge in his Kingdome of Thessalie giuing him the Title thereof This not a litle ioyed her thinking shee might so well marrie him obtayning thereby such mighty friendes She alighted from her horse letting him féede on the gréene grasse and she put off her helme washing her face drinking of the water of a cleere spring whose brooke ranne all along that way passing the night in pleasant imaginations foulded in the good and euill of Loue. None in so short time loued so dearely nor none with more occasion became so iealous as she with that litle she conceaued by Floralinda She arryued to that point that Lirgandeo sayth she attayned the name of a firme Louer amonge those that most deserued to be so called She was affected to the Harmonie of concordant voyces hauing speciall grace in that vertue So leaning against a Mirtle trée she began raysing her voyce vnto the Cloudes in this manner That greefe which loue doth yeelde If he can loue that hath it Accompts it his foode mite To make his paine more milde None ere that truely lou'd Resting on it his life Though loue he calls his strife From it would be remou'd He is not a true louer That cannot indure his paine And knowing t is no disdaine That takes't not for a fauor This is a louer rare That thinkes his paine no smart Then knowes not his good hart The meaning of despaire For if he liue by louing The griefe his soule sustaines He calls it his true gaines Ioy to his paine still yeelding With a thousand amorous laments did the warlike Matrone bedewe the springing hopes of her concluding songe ioying to be so well imployed She that had lately band and cursed loue did now with Thousand Benedictions blesse him now without constraynt did the humble her selfe that had liued by denying him his Tribute to whome the whole world acknowledged awfull dutye who did euer Loue sayd the Ladye that did not thinke it a most pleasant lyfe There is on the earth no greater content then to loue to acknowledge an owner to haue him impressed in the middle of the hart No discommoditie in true loue was euer séene to bréede discontent since in saying I am not mine owne is included the glorie of sincere affection So maye I perish when I liue without it for if the earth affoordes any pleasure t is inserted on it as on the surest foundation to vphold such felicitie Not farre from whence she was with such content publishing her fayth arryued a Knight to ouerpasse the gloomie melancholy night intending to goe to the Iustes assured to obtaine the victorie and prizes So shee thought he heard her loue reasons but it was not so for the griefe that possest him had so amazed his sences that he not so much as heard his owne spéeches By this time would the Iealous louer of the Heauens display his fierie tresses ouer the world when the Knight that in the woods did lye began to expresse his firmenes with no lesse testimonie then the Ladie had done for to the mellodious discord of the chirping byrdes that celebrated the cōming of the lustie Sheapherd he tuned his voyce with this Sonnet Faire Lisiana if in so long an absence May any glory drowne my discontent T is by the thought of that most sweete content That makes my foule more richer by thy presēce I doe not speake sweete Goddesse by experience Wanting deserts to moue thee to lament Though I deserue to suffer any torment Yet might'st thou mittigate thy cruel sentence And since thou art assured to my cost The pure sinceritie of my true loue What canst thou get to shew thy selfe too rigorous Gainst him that his content hath lest Ioying to see his true harts ioye remoue T is but in vaine to be thus tyrannous With a sigh séeming with it to send forth his soule ended the More the famousest in all the Prouince of Peloponesus now called Morea whereof he was Prince hee had obtayned high Fame through a Thousand valiant deedes he had done in the seruice of Lisiana Princesse of Lituania whose beautie was accompted the greatest in the whole Paganisme which in deed was so for it did not a little cost Gréece Hauing ended his Sonnet the Lady would see who hee was the shewed himselfe so true a Louer and closing her Beuer shee went towards the place from whence shee hearde the voyce where she sawe a Knight tall of bodie well proportioned young armed in Rose colour armour with a halfe Moone in the middest of his shield something Ecclipsed by the rayes that procéeded from a Ladies eyes that gazed on it the Motto this If the Sunn becommeth darke She being in beautie one Then may she ecclipse the Moone So soone as the valiant Epirabio saw her so was the Pagan called he sayd What i' st you séeke sir Knight nothing replyed the Lady but to knowe the Knight that publisheth himselfe so amorous for if his outward signs may be credyted I thinke you are vniustly wronged in reiecting of your woes You haue sir Knight verie ill vnderstood my affection said the Louer for though the paines I suffer be greater then I make them the beautie of her that causeth them is such that if euery one were tenne times trebled it were nothing comparable to her merites and therefore haue I sought the difficultest meanes to make the Ladie sure how greatly she is loued Whereuppon I left my countrey to come to Grecia to giue her the prizes of the Iusts I haue heard held in Constantinople In the imaginatiō of such glorious thoughts a more harder enterprize if any be might be happily accomplished but as for the Iusts of Grecia they are ended were the famousest that any memory can comprehend and I am sure you had got little there in respect of the valiant Knights that there miscarried that reputed thēselues no lesse then you Discourteous thou art said the angrie Moore to iudge of anothers strength not knowing it by experience and that thou mayst not altogether be deceaued prepare thy selfe for the fight else it were a shame for Epirabio louing Lisiana to suffer any thing spokē to her praises extenuation If shee be so faire replied the Ladie as thou art bould it were not much if I esteamed her as thou doest and as her beautie deserueth More furious then the Sunne roze the Pagan and lacing on his helme with his sword drawne marched against the
him that had he not been so yoked to the beauteous Liriana surely some other had cured him for this Ladie was of the fairest in the world and hauing séene her valour might haue moued any ones affectiō yet was he a little amazed though applyed Phisicke doth not altogether heale yet at lest it takes away some hurting quames Remembring himselfe with a chéerefull looke he sayd In faith valiant Ladie I must néeds confesse I wrōged your beauty in taking the battaile from yonder Knight since by the one and by the other your honour was so great Shee answered I would not sir Knight haue you so soone shew your selfe against me iesting at that little the heauens haue on you imparted the which my good wil to worke your cōtent deserueth not specially since I saw you at the Iusts in Constantinople where I had been glad you had stayed to see the end of them that you might not be deceaued with my little beauty in that against so many Knights as thither came two Ladies wonne the prizes whose rare beauties made Cinthia pale and Venus blacke and I thinke Mars reserued not for himselfe more valour then he gaue them eyther was accompanied with a Knight no lesse then they adorned with grace and Fortitude who after were knowne to be the one for Nephewe and the other being Don Eleno Prince of Dacia couzen to the Emperour Trebatio The ladies were Archisilora Quéene of Lyra and the other Rosamond Princesse of Callidonia These be they braue knight whom the world should iustly serue and acknowledge for Soueraignes therof for their beauties doth deserue it You haue highly fauored me faire Lady sayd he telling me such famous Tryumphes as the Greekes haue had and you shal make it compleate binding me to your seruice to make mee partaker of your name and Eountrey I am content aunswered the Dame for in all things I desire to pleasure you my name is Sarmacia Princesse of Lacedemon and through a certaine aduenture in quest of a Knight I came to Greece which hath not a little contented mee hauing enioyed the sight of your valour With the greatest ioy in the world dyd Bembo rise and sayd Oh Soueraigne Princesse I beséech you giue mee your Royall handes for onely to me is this fauor due as to your couzen Bembo being the Knight that stands before you In her Countrey had the Ladye heard admirable report of that Princes valour and howe neere of kinne they were his Mother being her Fathers Sister In her soule did she reioyce to bee acquainted with him so she imbraced him vsing many kindnesse betwene them confirming the Consanguinitie among them with their pleasaunt couersation which was not to so small effect but after it greatlye auayled towardes the concluding of the geneall peace In their discourse hee could not but discouer to her his Loues and losse of Liriana which so tormented him with repetition thereof that hee could not but watter them with many teares more like a tender Louer then a warlike Knight whose enemies they be His faire couzen did comfort him with these words Courage braue Knight for onely it must set your Ladye in your handes and be not amazed nor wonder at Loues proceeding For his vnconsuming fier pardons none but rather shewes it selfe most furious against them that are with lesse care onely that it may bee knowen yf there bee anye plague worse then other in the world t is subiect to his more fiercer torments and that he is whom ought to be acknowledged for sole Supreame Lord of the vniuerse A mallady is yours so common that hauing many to bee companions in it it may be some cause to lessen the paine that particulerly is receaued And it is not possible the place where your Ladye is inchaunted should be so secret as not to bee knowne and being for what shall your valerous arme serue but to fetch her forth though in the enterprize wee loose our liues and my selfe from this time offer myne to bee imployed in any thing you shall néede That 's not it swéete couze that grieues me replyed the amorous youth but to haue heard the in her house company a knight was brought vp whom t was told me she loued as her soule t is suspected this was he that stole her from Nyquea though I was there assured that hee had also lost her why that 's an easie remedy sayd she by taking away the Knights lyfe from betwene you And if altogether fortune will persecute vs with barbarous crueltie there are other Ladies on whome you may imploy your thoughts that may be no lesse beautifull then the Princesse of Nyquea though hers be so matchlesse as you say whereto he replyed Onely that doe I feare excellent Lady that loue will bring me to that passe that I shall not loue what I doe now And in faith beleeue me to a true louer nothing but this is odious For he that loueth onely in this procures to propagate his Fame leauing in hand of inconstant fortune the remedie from the partie loued who seing how shee is loued and for her sake what is suffered she may bestow her guerdon not as this deserues but according to the liberall fauors that louers vse In this that were these amorous Princes when along the same meadowe they spyed a Knight comming in rich white armor with many knots of gold and greene about them on his shield in the middle of many flames was set a faire Cytie Straight did she knowe him and it was not a little she did in not manifesting her loue with the ioye she conceaued to see her deare Oristides who was he that came At that instant she laced on her helme saying to Bembo Behold yonder deare couzen the whole remaynder of destroyed Troy beleeue me the world hath not a better Knight I am glad you are in such an occasion present for I haue a combate to performe against him agreede vpon in Lacedemon where we had a certaine controuersie But that arryued the gallant Troyan verie glad to see them so well armed hee saluted them and sayd Can you tell me sir Knights any newes of a Knight in Indian colour armour with seauen starrs vpon his shield who maks me seek him with more care about these wods then I haue reason for The Ladie made answere we haue not seene him sir Knight but according to the care you saye you haue to seke him no maruel if you bee carelesse of a battle you appointed at Lacedemon for t is an ignominious wrong you offer to your person not to performe your promise hauing giuen as a pledge of your word fayth some of your armour In quiet did not the Louer liue after he departed from her he had present lamenting her absence with continuall teares a true token of his alienation yet coulde not he thinke that his Lady should depart from her Country to séeke him So he replyed Truely sir Knight you doe me wronge to charge
mee with what I neuer imagined I am more soryer for that replyed she then for any other thinge you should haue cōmitted For there nothing is more offensiue to their Fames that hath it like you then forgetfulnes of that which so much concernes them because I thinke I speake with the Troyan Oristides see here his sword which was giuē me there that I might come to séek him here make you know it had been better you had shewed your selfe careful in returning thither then to wander through these wods in search of other Knights Shee spake it so high that hee presently knewe it was she his hart had choosen for his soueraigne He leapt from his horse with more Maiesty then Mars could and sayd So euill entreated did I remaine of that battle sir Knight that I haue no strength to ende it now so is it my surest way to render the glorie of the victorie to your all-conquering hand Then he put off his helme shewing his faire face and holding the sword by the poynte he knéeled before the Lady Shee could not suffer it for she loued him as her life Shee also put of hers resting more faire then Apollo and with that loue as louers receaue the loued obiect shee imbraced him saying Seeing your forgetfulnesse braue Oristides t was not much that I ventured my life to seeke you He answered Deeds are these most Soueraigne Princesse nothing differing from your magnanimitie and I intreate you if anye offence your beauty hath receaued on my behalfe which cannot be little you wil with your owne hand take your reuenge then replyed the Ladie There is no such offence gallant Lord but thinking I remayned indebted for your comming to Lacedemon onely to combate with me I thought to require it by coming to Grecia not with warre but to craue peace of the Knight that vanquisht me I am and euer will be yours vanquished said the Troyan moste beauteous Ladie as one that onlye winnes therein Leaue this replied the amorous Ladie speake to the Prince of Achaya that is this Knight which comes with me who is not a little affected to you whereto the Troian spake All the worlde deare Ladie knowing how dearely I loue you is bound to doe me fauour Thereupon they receaued one another as befitted their Royalties In their that he vnderstood he was Cousin to his Ladie for with no smalle alteration was he till then supposing he loued her well did the haughtie Moore perceaue the affection that his Cousin bare to that Knight this passion can neuer be inclosed where t is well rooted It came to be so manifest that Bembo would winne the gallant Oristides by merrits assuring his glorie betrothing them there in his presence to all their high contents The two warriors contracted perpetuall ametie which in particuler they solemnly obserued for in generall in the Greeke warres Oristides could not forsake the great Trebatio hauing receaued so ma-many fauours at his handes The newe betrothed louers intreated the Prince of Achaya to goe and bee acquainted with the Gréeke Emperour but as hee liued in continuall woes he could not condiscend to their intreaties answering there would not want occasion to doe it another time hee tooke his leaue of them to all their griefes And mounting on his fierie Courser hee spurd through the thickest of the Forrest till he came to the Sea coast where hee shipt himselfe not directing his iourney to any certaine place more thē where fortune and the waues would conduct him The two louers desirous to see themselues alone past all the day in the Forrest which they thought but a minute where if the Troyan were couragious hee would not defer the end of their amorous desires It was not knowen for the trées kept silence but her time being expyred the Lady was deliuered of a Daughter whose beauty was imcomparable They named her Polixena at the Troyans request desirous to leaue some memorie of his antient stocke Lesse discords then the first did not this cause as the Fourth part doth recorde for a Gréeke did loue her to the death They returned to Constantinople where the Emperour receaued them with great ioy estéeming the Troyan as one of his children and knowing they were betrothed hee gaue them the Tytle and Crowned him Kinge of Thessalie an Acte that through the world was applauded with high prayses All the Lordes and Ladies celebrated his Coronation Festiualles with stately shewes and reuealings And the time of her deliuerie being come she and Rosamond were deliuered both in one day Sarmacias being publique but the beauteous Rosamond was deliuered in the handes of Archisilora to whome she disclosed this secret of a Boy the fairest that his age did knowe Both Ladies gaue his name according to his beautie he was borne with a most bright Starre in the middle of his brest they called him Roselindo A little they enioyed him for through the wall there entred a graue wise man that toulde them that the life of the Child consisted to be deliuered in his handes the Mother would by no meanes doe it But the Quéene would and so perswaded her to it They charged the wise man to instruct him in all thinges belonging to a good Christian This traytor Lupercio promised but did not accomplish it and rather conuayed him to the Kingdomes of Prusia farr remoted from Gréece where hee was brought vp with the Kinges Daughter shee from that time louing him as her life It shall be hereafter declared for Lyrgandeo is nothing briefe in describing the actes of this haughtie Prince equall in valour to all his kindered and a horse-backe he exceld them for a better Gennet neuer did the world containe where we must leaue these on the land returning to Bembo on the Seas CHAP. XX. What befell to Warlike Bembo Prince of Achaya with a Knight vpon the Sea at the Tower where Lyriana was inchaunted WIth some consolation did the Heroyck Bembo Prince of Achaya depart from his deare cozen Sarmacia Princesse of Lacedemon thinking he wronged his hawghty corage not to shew the magnanimitie of his mind against the rigorous causes of blinde Fortune with this desire he entred the first barke he found on the Sea shore desirous a while to Nauigate by sea seeyng how he languished on land The Maister and all the Marriners receaued him with great content iudging him of high accompt and deseruer of farre more courtesie He put of his helme discouering his faire and sturdy visage which more astonisht them binding thē more vnto more kindnesse His haires were of a darke yellow color verie thick curled a manifest token of his approoued strength His colour was white and his face full flesht well proportioned his eies séemed cherefull but being inraged they amazed the looker on with trembling feare he was double brested insomuch that no armour except purposely made woulde fit him hee was an enemie to effeminate men Neuer did fighting weary him nor neuer
began battle but assuredly thought the Iustice on his side Being Conquerour hee would more plainely shewe the generositie of his minde attracting the wills of the conquered with singuler clemencie saying that so rare a vertue ought not to be extinguished by the honour of a bloody victory and so would take the conquest on hymselfe as the conquered Finally Lirgandeo sayth that exceping his Competitors the world had not a better Prince his loues distracted him of his best sences for imagining that another loued his Lady and was of her beloued he lost the raignes of patience with sighes publishing what his soule indured vrged thereto by the aboundance of his swelling hart as nowe hee did with in the shippe he went For the fourth day of his Nauigation seeing himselfe more ouerwhelmed in his imaginarie thoughts then in the waters whose furious billowes his barke plowed hee rose about midnight sitting on the hatches to ease his moanes hee sighed forth these loose rymes Hart without ioy and woes with woes opprest The power of loue is with more force adrest To make me slaue to vylde captiuitie Loosing all hope of hoped libertie There is no sweete vnlesse from her it comes That Lillies white and Roses red still shames What ioy without Liriana can be pleasant In absence of her beauty nothing's decent But if she send the ioy it is past ioye A buckler gainst all paines and dyre annoy It yeeldes in torment pleasure and content And when t is worst t is voyde of discontent I must nor not I dare not hope for any Since loue my woes procures by waies so many Bereauing me by stealing her of rest Changing my ioy to paine my peace t'vnrest Oh thou vast sea through which was no man dryuen Oh watrie waues clere skie and brightest heauen If any pittie you on earth bestowe Shew it on me that am by loue trodde lowe Maistred with woes inchain'd without all pittie Made poore in hope but rich in miserie Acknowledging content in discontent Calling that ioye where no ioy ere was ment She 's faire but coy excuse me in dispaire For all my ioy is in desire made bare There wanted no louing sighes wherewith the valyant youth bemoaned his paines and the glorie that from them he conceaued calling the Sea Gods and Goddesses to witnes his passions who hearing what the gentle Louer published could not but pittie him So past he the night till about the bright lacing of the high heauens he sawe a barke more swifter then the winde passe by his along thereon lay a Knight all armed no lesse lamenting his griefes then he and yet with more reason he went saying Oh loue may it bee thou shouldst by all meanes seeke to ruinate my onely hopes being so long since assured that if I liue t is but to loue yeilding to thée the awefull tribute of my tributarie selfe as liedge man to thy deitie and that for all these spoyles hauing my hart as hostage of my faith thou shouldst delight to permit the enemie of my death to vse mee thus giuing me life to liue in such distresse No more could the amorous Pagan heare by reason of the celeritie it carryed though by it he vnderstoode the wrong he suffered and seing howe generall it was sayde Oh woefull Prince what little remedie is there left thée seeing t is denyed to euery one there is no hoping for it by liuing Oh pestiferous plague how much art thou wrapt within the poyson of thy torments and yet how wished is it to the dire cost of louers poore soules that with such bitter lamēts doe celebrate their swéete woes By this did he sée that the bark was stayed not farre from the foot of a stately edefice builded vppon the sea The Achayan Lord rested amazed with the sight and to knowe what it was commanded his to bee dirrected thither he entred by the side of the inscriptions in sight of the Knight that was already ryzen resembling Mars himselfe by his magnificence with the first scrowle that Bembo mett with was this The entrance of the marueilous Tower is granted to none not bringing the armor of the ingratest Louer of the earth Naturally bould was the furious youth and not respecting the contents of the scrowle hee flunge at one of the pillers thinking that way was the ascending to the Tower But he had scarce taken it with his handes when sodainely there arose so much fier that the Knight seemed all of a kindled coale and certainely he had incurred mightie daunger of his life had he not had on the armes of Saturne whose nature resisted that element Notwithstanding he parted frō it almost stifled with the heate that entred through his visor Well did the other Knight sée it that not farre from thence gazed on those that looked towardes the occident seeing the fier that had risen though more ready he seemed for his graue then to smile yet he laughed so high that the fierce Pagan heard it that not a little was abashed thereat and not able to dissemble it sayd I would gladly knowe sir Knight the cause of your content since with such exterior signes you haue shewen it None other replyed hee in the yellowe of this colour was his armour but to haue séene sir Knight with what vehemencie that flame would haue imbrast you within your armour It cannot bee exprest what rage entred within the Pagan by the aunswere he turned to the dispayrer saying It had been farre better since you haue séene armour to haue tryed the sauor of the fier of the pillers in that the scorching flames of Loue you haue already published along the sea in your Nauigation and now I dare affirme you are with reason thus suffred to liue considering how much you flie from labour Wise and aduised is the Ladye that from so cowarde a Knight detaines her fauors But since you haue séene with what audacitie I embrace yonder fier prepare your selfe for to your cost will I make you know how I can defend the inclosed in my hart There was no need to aduise him therof for with Mars would he haue fought touching what Bembo there had vrged Neuer vpon the doubtfull seas nor on the certaine Lande was there euer séene of a single fight a more fiercer cōbate For the warriors are the flower of Christendome and Paganisme and the dispayrer was no lesse then the Greeke Prince Claridiano who out of hope in loue as Lirgandeo hath related departed from Grecia None of the waterie Gods woulde loose such a battle for neyther Faune nor Nymphe but came to behold it And not so much but the amorous Trytones lifted vp their heads to looke on the twoo sole rare in the world In sight did the angry swelling waues neuer séeme more milde then nowe Peace did Eolus and Neptune make together with all their seuerall attending traynes raynging along the gréene azured waters till they came to the place where the battle was to be fought The gentle
in most pittifull maner she recounted the Princesse misfortune Which thing excéedingly gréeued euerye one with sudden amazement except it were the furious Bembo knowing which way she went more swifter then the passage of the racking Cloudes vpon his fierie Courser thē which the world yeilded not two better he followed the villanous Gyant with the Princesse who in a trance was carryed till hauing run the space of some two miles in the myddle of a spacious field at the foote of a spreading Caedar shee sawe a knight lye clad all in armor that with the noyse was risen to knowe the reason of it So soone as the Lady sawe him with great lamentation she sayd So the heauens in all your actions blesse you sir Knight suffer not this moste vniust outrage to bee done mee Straight did the Knight knowe her for many dayes since had he made her the proper loue of his owne soule tributarie to hers For this was the haughtie Don Cellindo of the hidden groue where he hadde séen the portrature of that Lady who by chance was sundered frō his Sister nothing sorrowing for it to goe to Trebizound sée that Princesse that so had captiuated him Nothing slow was Alicandros Nephew for swifter then an Eagle he ioyned with the Gyant thus Set downe thy burden vntutred beast for lesse then thy head it shall not cost thée he durst not run against him for hitting of the Lady but being more nigher sayd againe Stay villanous Knight for so easilye is not the fairest Flower of Trebizound to be carried away in whose defence first will I loose my life then see her sustaine the least iniury Otherwise then set her downe could not the Rhodian Lord doe sure to remoue that blocke out of his way and glad to that his Knights as he thought would not stay long but himselfe being better mounted they loste their waye in the wood where they paid full dearely for their presumption for the furious Teferreo committing Artemisa to the Spaniards kéeping committed his fortunes to the running of his horse til he met with thē as shal be expressed returning now to Don Cellindo wo seing himselfe before his Lady that battle to be for her libertie he couched his launce with such gallantnes that the Pagan somewhat feared they encountred with more noise thē the méeting of two Rockes mighty was the Moore yet notwithstanding receaued he a dangerous wound on his left breast from whence issued much blood The gallant Cellindo past forward with losse only of his stirroppes ere the horse turned againe hee recouered them and drawing foorth Quéene Iulias famous blade marcht against his aduersarie beginning betwéen them one of the fiercest best fought combate euer made in Trebizoūd For the warriors being mightie strong of lusty courage gaue receaued puissant blowes the one cutting both armor flesh of the other he brusing tormenting the body of his aduersary within his inchanted armor which though it tired him yet he had made the Moore almost faint with losse of blood from his many woundes receiuing the last dangerousest on his breast with such horror that it awakened the Lady which all that while did lie sencelesse without féeling who seing how brauely her knight behaued himselfe with more ease she sat gazing on the battaile perswading her selfe hers would be the victorie but to the vnfortunate euery litle thing is a let to their pretence For Don Cellindo imagining it would not meanly benefite his loues to bind the Ladies kindnes by vanquishing that Gigantine knight made all the hast possible for the Conquest and in faith for greater matters was his valour suffitient had not the Goddesse of indirect procéedings diricted the therward the Tygrian Bembo setting him in middest of that faire plaine whē the Prince ended his stroke Through the velocity of his Courser he quickly ioined with thē his launce aboue hand he acted a déed worthie of the Achayan Lord for setling himselfe strongly on his stirrops he darted it to the mighty Pagan taking him ful in the middle of his side had it byn twise thicker it had pirest him a third part therof appered on the other side There is no asking whether the blow pleased the lady louing the black dearer thē her own soule He that to the death grieued therat was Don Cellindo not able to smother his anger sayd It ill besemed thée bold knight seing me in fight with the other to procede as thou hast done because to liberate the Princesse my arme was suffitient néeding not the ayde of thy pride Mild courteous was Bēbo before he was angred but being he made his hearers trēble So somwhat with a hoase voice he replied The offence if any hath byn cōmitted is in thee audacious knight for doing anothers busines we should not stay one for the other either procuring the liberty of one Lady And that thou maist know how I vse to guerdon those that are discourteously arrogant lauish of their tongue Defend thy selfe for the ones head shal be witnes of the others right wherupō with that celerity he in al things vsed he drew forth his magick tempered blade better thē which the earth cōtained not T is requisite that with new corage the Prince fortifie himselfe whose armor not a litle auailes the defēce of his body for else in ten thousand péeces with his Herculean arme had Bēbo cut him Like Lions Bazalisks or rauening wolfs did they make their battle Of corage inuincible were they both euery blow of power to deuide a rocke for all their armor was inchanted yet their strēgth guiding their sharp swords māgled it cut it away bruised their flesh woūded it in many places with dangerous wounds with the crimson blood that yssued from them was the grasse inamelde their armor died their horses all be-sprinkled Their nimblenes in auoyding quicknes in assaulting with their skill shewen in euery blow was admirable The worst of the 2 sped Meridians son so much that being continued to the end either he shold suffer a valiant death or scape with eternal dishonor for with a blow that Bēbo gaue him on his visor he struck him all along vpon his horse without sight and féeling he followed the chase where he had surely slain him had he not heard a voice that staied him It was the Ladies that considering what the knight had done for her would not be vngratefull for it but in signe thereof caused the battaile to cease thinking as indeed it was her Bembo had the better She roze from whence shee came and in great hast ranne to him in the blacke with these wordes For my sake sir Knight leaue this battaile whose victorie will yeild but little profite and it were ill to repay his good will so that with such liberalitie offered to free me frō the dead knight he saw though he was angrie that the Ladie had reason in her wordes and so
a while of Claridiano whome with obliuion we haue greatly wronged CHAP. XXII How Prince Claridiano arriued in the Kingdome of Esclauonia and what aduentures there befell him AFfectionate to the valoure of the Blacke Knight departed the Gréeke Prince vnable to imagine whom so faire a Lady shold bee which hee iudged to remaine within that tower inchanted but as he in sorrow progrest hee woulde with nothing ioy nor in any delight thinking he wronged his Ladye to conuerse with pleasing thoughts hauing forsaken Grecia in her disgrace He crost all the Macedonian Sea sayled alonge the Coast of Panonia Foure dayes and on the fift his inchāted bark furrowed the raging billowes of the Illyrium Sea till the Tenth day that it ran alande in an vnknowen port where he leapt on shoare hauing nor méeting any of whom he might demaunde where he was arriued Vpon his Zephirus he mounted that horse which he with such immortall honour wonne at the Nabatran Feasts as the second part rezited His Heroyke cariage better denoted him to bee the Sonne of Mars then Claridianas of-spring his shield he caryed at his backe and his launce on his shoulder with his Beuer vp In this maner laden with Millions of grieuous passions he tooke in hast the most vsed path through which hee had not far gone when the same way he saw a knight comming as fast as his horse could runne He stept before him demaunding the cause therof but he was so grieued that he could or would not tell it Whereat the afflicted Prince beeing abashed with the Knightes discourtesie hauing his launce aboue hand strucke him with it from his horse saying Now discourteous Knight shall you perforce tell mee what I intreated you or else I will let foorth your life So did he set the pike of his launce at his brest threatning him with death if he tolde not who fearing it replyed Pardon me sir Knight for the greefe I had made mee thus forget my selfe but know you are in the kingdome Esclauonia very nere the auntient Citie Zantho where at this time the King kéepes his Court accompted one of the famosest in the world He hath a Daughter for her beautie called the second Venus whose excellencies are sayd to surpasse the Mother of Loues Of this Lady the Sonne of the Siconian Sophi became amorous who hath with him foure Brothers no lesse mighty then himselfe he hath shewen himselfe so affectionate towardes the second Venus that he demaunded Lycense to keepe a brydge in her name maintayning that hee alone deserues to bee beloued of her and none like him to loue her It is knowen she nothing respectes him as he would for which cause many do aduenture against him but most vnequall and vniust is the fight in that yf any ouerthrowes them all with the launce they altogether assault the Conquerour with their swords and they being so valiant many in the enterprize haue lost their liues and others their Fame amonge the last was a couzen of the Prince of Croatia that at the third incounter was ouerthrowen So I was going to aduertize the Prince my Lord thereof that no lesse then the Siconian doteth on the beauteous Venus who by a certaine aduenture was stayed at the Sea coast where we all landed with two fierce Gyants to guard him hym went I to call to reuenge the misfortune of his couzen This sir Knight is all I knowe of this Country in which I haue not béen foure dayes The Prince greatlye thanked him for his relation and parting from him entred to passe the heate of the day among those braunched trées from whence there rose a spring wherein he washt his face and drunke of the water vnbrydling his horse that he might féede on the grasse For himselfe would he no other foode but the glory of his thoughts Vppon the grasse hee laye himselfe alonge breathing forth his soule in sighes which still with euerye no thing séemed to increase to the Louers good where he began to extend the eyes of his imaginations through the vast Sea of passions wherein he was ouerwhelmed thinking that by little and little his life consumed remembring how disdainfully the Quéen of Lyra had reiected him louing her more then himselfe and not able to conceaue wherein he had offended her Hee had no other comfort then to exclaime on loue not because he was his vassayle but that he had made him so vnfortunate as that although hee had admitted the greatest paine for his speciall consolatiō yet it was prohibited from her knowledge which cōsideration bereft him of his wits but that he set his hopes on Galtenor to procure all possible meanes for his redresse A while to ease his sorrow he would communicate it to the gentle buzing wind and flowred field with more grace and swéetnesse then the famoused Thracian Poet. To strengthē his voice and helpe his thoughts he sate him downe vnder a Béech not farre from the spring singing thus Suspicious doubts that in my amorous minde Do still make warre against my good opposed Sometimes I happie victorie doe finde Ouer the mortall euill me inclosed Sometimes you immitate the angrie Dame To banish me my Ioy from her sweet name Yet happie be my thoughts more happie I Thinking her present in my miserie Who hath not ioy'd in woes and smilde in paine Seing his Ladie causer of his griefe Who is' t of any sorrow doth complaine Hauing his Loue at hand to yeild reliefe Who hath not been preseru'd who ere destroy'd The title of true Loue that ere enioy'd Hauing to witnes of his mortall paine She that can only rich him by her gaine There is no good compared to her presence Without her sorrow sollace doth confound In whome we well know by experience The Louer findes a salue for his deepe wound As by her presence heauie harts are eased So by her absence harts sores are increased Since none may therefore liue an absent life Pittie oh pittie loue and end this strife Here brake of the Gréeke with many sobs pitifull grones giuing a begining to his lamēts in this maner O tēder yeres to to much tried on the tuch-stone of my ladies coynes O cruelty shewē against none but him that liues by louing ioying in nothing but to be anothers wherefore soueraigne Quéene leftst thou me with life yf shold I liue dying tutord in nothing but thy loue and in my soule to adore thy perfections What honor hast thou swéete Lady got to banish me from thy sight with such crueltie what didst thou loose admitting my paine caused by the effect of thy beautie I did not procure manifesting the same thou shouldest loue me or comiserate my harme but I prayed leaue to loue languish till the death acōpting that a swéet life imployed in this But to forbid me yet alone to worshipp thée who will reioyce in such crueltie but Achisilora whose disdaine I haue do féele to equall her perfectiōs more thē humane A noyse he
scarce possible to expresse the alteration that surprised the Prince of Croatia imagining the letter came from Venus that seing the haughty déedes which he had done and also his faire constitutioÌ„ she was enamored of him certifying him therof by that meanes The Gréeke put him froÌ„ those dumpes calling him saying In the end hee was wounded with anothers hand Le ts see braue Prince what this Lady requireth that should haue no small néede of our succour strengthning her necessity with our weake helpes binding vs thereby to loose our liue in her defence T will bee an act procéeding of your magnanimitie haughty dispayring knight to procure that none suffer any iniurie replyed Pollidolpho and from this time doe I offer my person The like did the Gréeke and opening the Letter were amazed to sée the name neuerthelesse he read it thus The Princesse Venus Letter to Claridiano IMagining valiant dispairing Knight to whom that name deuise is iniustly permitted thou art come to knowe the power of loue rooted in a true hart and how it onely repaires vnto the harme acknowledging the causer vnable to doe otherwise I write yet assured that my Letter will denote me of some immodest wantonnesse for the lawes of Loue frees euery one of paine excepting that which from it doth proceede By this shalt thou knowe the wronge my Father intendes to doe mee marrying me against my will to a husband of his choise But oh what death is it to see that Fortune should bring me to the estate that I must rather loose my life then obay his coÌ„mande though a daughters obedience binds me thereto but doing it it is an offence and capitall crime which I do coÌ„mit against my immaculate faith and also to whome I haue sacrificed it I am sure since thou hast receaued the order of armes to protect and defend the vnblemisht honor of distressed Ladies thou wilt leÌ„d me thy ayd as she that hath most neede thereof And so shall I draw strength out of my Faeminine feare to execute what ere thou shalt ordaine It is suffitiently knowne of all who it is that procures me of al things I expresse a Resolution by thy answer which will be the incourager of my brest The Gods haue thee in their keeping and giue thee more ioy then eyther I haue or thy deuise doth betoken The Princesse Venus Wonderfull greatly did the Princes hauing read the Letter estéeme the confidence reposed in them of so waightie a matter whose yssue they could not auoyd without great aduenture and danger of their liues well had the Gréeke vnvnderstoode the Princes affection and thinking he that way might binde him sayde Excéedingly doth Fortune fauour you great Prince hauing by such meanes ordred the putting in your hands so faire a Lady And I vowe neuer to put on armor more yf I performe it not although more perrils depend thereon he made answere Most excelleÌ„t knight I doe confes the Gods had appointed mee to méete you that seing my great necessitie you should take pittie of the same I will not againe rebinde my selfe for these magnanimous offers but onely set my life and state in your handes to gouerne dispose of them to your pleasure for that will bee mine in nothing derogating from your direction Why theÌ„ sayd the Gréeke I find no better remedie theÌ„ to remoue froÌ„ betwene you the knight that hath shewen himselfe your coÌ„petitor in loue and that it may be effected it will be good we aduertise the Ladye to yéelde to her Fathers request and I with vnknowne armes will challenge him procuring his or taking my death to quiet your life Afterwards it will be easie to take the Ladye from the Pallaice but for this it will bee requisite you haue some number of men for it is impossible but wee shall haue some conflict with the kings people whereto he replyed That is already prouyded for my couzen I being with onely my twoe Gyants departed from my Kingdome came to séeke mee with twelue Thousand men well armed and couragious for anye dangerous exployte T is ynough answered the Gréeke to set her on the Seas where wee will defende her maugre all their strength With this agréement they concluded their dyscourse wherewith Pollidolpho remayned the gladdest in the worlde séeing howe well his affaires were ordered towards the procurement of his ioyes The war-like Gréeke writ his answere deliuering it to the Damozell that mist not to come for it carrying it straight to her Lady that with many pittifull lameÌ„tations beséeched the Gods they would not permit so vniust a marriage but rather to end her sorrowfull dayes which should bee her greatest good that liued exempt of all content Though she receaued it excéeding with the Gréeke Princes letter whose seales hauing rent open it contayned this effect Claridianos Letter to the Princesse Venus SO great is the wrong most excellent Princesse done vnto thy beauty so much the duty I acknowledge vnto Ladies that hauing not written but only giuing me the least notice of thy care both things had put me in the greatest that I euer conceaued to procure venturing therein the hazard of my life that in nothing thou shouldest sustayne iniurie and thereof liue secure that whylst this thy afflâ—cted Knight dooth liue so vnequall a Marriage shall not be effected And the better to perfourme it it is needefull you giue your graunt vnto your Father doe it without anye feare For eyther I will loose my lyfe or Lindauro shall not one daye enioye the name hee dooth not deserue it to bee thyne The Gods haue thee alwayes in their keeping and with good successe end these affaires The despayring Knight The teares of ioy ran down the Ladies eyes in gret abundaÌ„ce with her soule thanking the knight for what he vndertoke on her he halfe calling that Lady vnworthy of any good that ioyed in the sorrow of so valiant a Knight with whose loue any might accompt her selfe happie and had she not known he had on another bestowed himselfe hee had been the first whome the second Venus had made Patrone other hart with more loyalty then Cupids mother did yeild her selfe vnto her louer Almost with the letter in her hand did her Father take her for the Syconian Prince woulde not let him rest wyth his imrortunities he required her to obay his behest regarding how well it became her to marrie him one of the greatest Princes of the world being his neere neighbor which might moue her to doe it more willingly shee answered Deare Father nothing can be told me of the Syconian Prince more then I knowe and haue considered it exceeded my deserts to receaue him for my Lorde husband but so tender is my age and my yeres so few in their vnripenes that I thought I shoulde nippe the springing hopes of the same by vnder-going the heauie yoake of Matrimonie Neueerthelesse seeing both you he so much desire it your will be done for now nor neuer will
I more disobay it The Father imbrast her with extreame ioy seing the thing effected which he thought impossible Presently was it published through the Cittie where many tryumphes were ordained by the Citizens The next day the King woulde haue it solemnized and inuited the chiefest of the Citie reioycing in his hart to haue as he thought the marriage sure and also to haue the despairing Knight in his Court to glad it wyth his haughty deeds He did it but with death and bitter lamentations of many The King would needs haue them all Dine in his great hall that ouer-looked the riuer but the Ladies apart At once together in that pallace was there neuer séen more nobility for besides the King there was Eleauen Princes some disguised some woūded with loue were come to sée the beauteous Venus imagining in their Countries that she which had such a name could not but in beauty be Venus her selfe This Lady bride came forth al in white of which coulor was the Prince also attired with all his pages with so costly rich ornaments that it was well séene loue was his instructer After dinner hauing sat to it something long yet ere their reuealing began they Cōmenst discourse of seuerall matters Very nere Lindauro sat the Gréeke prince only with his sword dagger cloathed in yellow black a deuise which wonderfully became him About that quarter being all youths in the May of their yeres Ladies seruitors that chose their argument euery one to prayse the beauty he had séen or most affected The Prince Pallidolpho knowing who the Gréeke was assured that the Gréekish beauty admitted no comparatiue with the world beside set a foote praysing the Ladies of Grecia the gretest tumult that euer there was séen for Lindauro with his accustomed pride thinking hee might there safest speake answered That may b◠to them that knowes not the good of Esclauonia nor cānot conceaue it but to them that liue without partiall affection there is nothing faire on the earth nor absolute but here The amorous Gréeke with the onely sight of Venus was so transported in the contemplation of his Lady that he had scarce vnderstoode what had bin discoursed but rather gaue occasion of a farther mischiefe by a sigh that burst from his hart which made euery one note the griefe that possest him Well did Lindauro perceaue it hauing the death of the brothers sticking in midst of his hart thought that with so many as there was to take his part hee coulde by no meanes scape his hands sayd to him What haue you felt despairing Knight for in such a place as this more lyke a Knight thē otherwise must the faith sacrificed to the Lady be approued The Prince had already vnderstood what had been ventilated and hearing himselfe so plainely taunted with cowardise was mightily incensed with wrath he refraynd it yet not so but he was forced to this reply My thoughts ending the imaginarie consideratiō of my Ladies perfections seing the wrong the world commits against her not yeilding to her the supremacie of all excellencies I acknowledged it with a sigh But least you shoulde thinke I haue no hands or dare not mainetaine my words I here defie thée to mortall battaile where thou shalt see that if I now here shew my selfe milde through the gallantnes of the loued obiect in field I am fiercer then an angred Lyon being toucht with her beautie Néere him was the Brother who with like confidence of being there spake thus In these parts and chiefly in this Kingdome any challenge is prohibited in time of peace and he is worthie of seuere punishment that led by an inordinate passion of selfe pride doth disturbe it The most in the hall agréed with him therein being also approued by the kings Nephew a king that but the night before was come thither The King himselfe did ratefie it whose Guard expected no more to lay violent hands on the twoo Princes to imprison them but it was to their euill for the Greeke like an Hyrcanean Tigre leapt from his place drawing foorth his swoord wounded Lindauro the Bridegroome most dangerously on the head he would haue made an end of him but that the Brother stept betwéen wounding the Prince a little on the arme but he thrust at his shoulder so furiously that sencelesse hee threw him at his féete At this time was not the Croatian idle hauing on the ground before him twoo of those Princes although himselfe were wounded well did the Greeke perceaue it banning his fortune to be without armour for in spight of them all he had scapte them he had no other remedie but taking his friend behind him betooke himselfe to the doore that went vnto the Ladies chamber They all succoured them especially the beauteous Venus that with teares of blood celebrated the wonders which the Prince perfourmed at the dore backt by her gallant Louer So great was the increased multitude which incompassed the Prince that his lyfe was in extreme dāger though at his féet there lay 10 dead All were not suffitient to defend Trebatios Nephews lyfe had not an Vncle of the Ladies her Mothers brother who greatly grieued at the marryage although he dissembled it by reason of the King that being affectionated to the Gréeke seeing his gallantnesse and valour thinking that with him though he were worth but one horse armor his cozen might with greater honour match then with the proude Lindauro He arose and went straight to the Kinge that in all hast cryed for more ayd In all thinges did the Kinge credit this his brother who thus spake Thy fame for Iustice most mighty King is spread ouer all the earth and therefore haue the Gods magnified thée making thée happy with such a Daughter as thou hast and Emperour of so large a Monarchy Let not then the conceite of rash wrath which by other meanes may be reuenged be at this time the occasion of the wracke of thy supreme honour till now euer increased for which thou art bound by Iustice to giue euerye one his due and therefore suffer not yonder Knight to be slaine with such vnequall aduantage hauing giuen no cause for it and thou oughtest to maintaine his right These wordes tooke such impression in the King that without more adoe he cast his warder in the hall that euery one might withdrawe and taking his brother in law by the hand went towards the Gréeke that was wounded in many places whose paine he felt not so gret was his conconceaued rage but seing the King comming he with-held his sword saying I had not thought mighty Prince in thy Pallace he should be suffered to indure any wrong that wished nothing more then to serue thée soly expecting this daye to doe it It behooued him to saye so séeing his manifest dāger being in place where he could not vse his own valor Come with me knight sayd the King I will doe you right
defendors So furious rested the Pagan that thorowe his mouth hee foamed lyke a Boare a thousand times intreating the King to permit the battaile to the Knight but hee so feared the Prince that by no meanes hee woulde agrée thereto perswading himselfe he had his reuenge more surer that way Neuer was gelded Bull nor mountaine Lyonesse nor hee himselfe in all his lyfe more madde then Claridiano was at that instant to sée himselfe inclosed within a stonye wall which made him roare like a chaffed Beare Lirgandeo saith that as hee hadde afore béene a Pagan hee so let his tongue passe the limittes of reason that forgetting his profession hee let slippe some blasphemies Galtenor no other mentioneth saue that he would not that night sup nor go to bed for all what the Phisitions and Chirurgions vrged it so behooued for his health All the night walked he imagining what remedie he might deuise to yssue foorth to be reuenged on those villaines he was about to cast himselfe downe the Tower but it was timeritie considering the heighth In no lesse anguish was Pollidolpho yet something more comforted with Alanios kindnes that reputed him a person both of valour and high estéeme In nothing could he better shew it then in that extremitie But the beauteous Venus a thousand plottes deuised mooued with pure loue to sée if anye woulde preuayle None was good nothing pleased her saue solitude that was her comfort and if merily she looked on her Father it was with dissembling her inward gréefe which was the greatest that euer Ladie did indure With Fausta her gentlewoman shee disburdened her heart for Thousand doubts perswaded her she should suffer some danger which she thought could be but little how great soeuer happening for remedie release of those Princes for whom she would hazard lyfe and honour Sixe dayes of the thirtie were past and no Knight appeared to accept the battle nor none in the Court durst doe it iudging madnesse to vndertake it against the Father and Sonne Verie fewe were in the Court but lamented the lamentable certaine death of the Knightes and aboue all Alanio not knowing what meanes to deuise to eschewe it because the King still insisted in his rygorous obstinacie vrged therto with continuall perswasions of that trecherous Lindauro of Syconia Her griefe did the fayre Venus smother outwardly but alone she shed more teares thē the first of that name did whē she bewayled the obsequies of her deare Adonis One after-noone with her discréete Fausta shee walked into a Garden where none but she and her Damozells vsed to sport them in tyme of solace to giue her thoughtes the lybertie of their vnbrydled pensiuenesse which by so manye wayes was assayled It was their good Fortune by the Fates appointed that those Princes should not so iniustly dye to leade them to a place where they satte downe hard by certaine thicke growen bushes and as Fausta pluckt vppe some of the rooted braunches to sit vpon she spyed a great hole like to a Caues mouth She was astonished thereat supposing some beast or Adder to bee in it that might hurt them the cause thereof demaunded the afflicted Venus and being tould yt the amorous Ladye sayd Oh I would to loue it were so that by taking away my lyfe it would end so many deaths which I indure for there is no hart longer able to tollerate so much She rose with more courage then her tendernesse allowed taking away the bushes to sée what it was they espied a Caue that towards the Pallace bended of such widenes that twoo armed men might easilie passe through it She expected no other resolution for couragiously and with great bouldnes for in the end she was in Loue she entred it commaunding Fausta to followe her for though shee lost her life shee would know what was in it and find the end therof your beautie will vnder-goe too great a bouldnes said she and I would not for any thing we should be spied There is no danger to bee feared nor yet that wee should be seene sayde Venus for considering the safetie of the Garden it is impossible that any should haue come hither They had not gone Fiftiepaces when they founde themselues at the foote of a stone wall yt was so darke that verie litle light they could sée but yet they felt what it was They went about hand in hand for let go they durst not to sée if they could finde any steps or stayres in the wall because the Caue there ended At length they met with their desire but it was so narrowe that one could scarce goe vp They put of their Pantoffles to doe it better the Princesse began to mount trembling like an Aspen leafe so did Fausta who though she helde her Mistres be her sléeue yet was not able to goe vpp a step which were aboue Fortie and with extreme feare hauing ascended them whē they came to the top they were so wearie they could not stirre They sate thē downe awhile to breath speaking so softly that they themselues could not almost heare one another what shall wée doe faire Princesse said Fausta if in the Pallaice our absence shal be found no doubt but it will be noted and iudged I feare for wantōnesse That the Caue would bring vs replied Venus to the tower of the despairing knight then would I not care what the world should say for he being set at libertie the same would he procure to vs all Such goodnes will not our hap abode vs said Fausta to let it be so for then who with a more iust title could bragge of felicitie let vs rize said Venus for my hart is passing light and let vs sée where we shall arriue They went softly féeling fearing to be heard till they met of the same stone one of the fashion of a doore that arteficially was set in the wall they were not able to stir it because it was to be opened on the inside of the tower though many hūdred yeres t was it had not bin opened the was the reason none of the Court neither knew it nor any such thing euer imagined Lirgandeo saith it was made by a Persian king that fell in loue with Licida daughter of Xātho who being lodged in the tower and séeing her walke in that garden with the force of his armes brake downe the wall till he came to the earth where with more facilitie he prosecuted his amorous intent making then that Caue as they found it by which meanes he obtayned the Ladies will bringing her that way vnto his chamber till he found time to steale her and conuay her to his Kingdome To this rape doth Astildo attribute the cause of Persias desolation by the Father of the stolen Ladie This was the dore that now the Ladies found where attentiuely hearkening because it was very nigh to the bedde of the despayring knight they might heare him with Millions of sighes complaine him in this manner O Quéene of
the fauor of your mightie arme I maye recouer that felicitie that my teares and your valour shall purchase I would it were no more but so deare Rosabell replyed the Prince of Antioch for it should more easier be accomplisht then the busines wee goe about And because I thinke it fitte we returne to the Kings that so well ayded vs we may set forwards in our way and let me not see you no more so passionate for you will but grieue me And more torments and more paines indured your father in his louing pilgrimage yet neuer had the like fauour that yesterday you possest neuerthelesse he did not desist with content to prosecute his Chiualries let therefore his magnanimitie no lesse shine in the Sunne nor in mee no lesse loue and true amitie then my Fathers towards yours till in your behalfe I sacrifice my soules life to winne your happines But let vs goe for now your sorrow wil be iniust hauing one so to mittigate it and let vs take all aduantage in these affaires admitting no battle one without another though we both demand it we must suffer so many to vndertake yt on their part For this Souldan is verie subtle hauing many Gyants his frends certainly it is like he wil to some of them commit that battaile so his intent might be accomplished supposing that none wil dare to attempt it For the Kings through feare of them Thus discoursed these two deare friends till they approched so nigh the citie of Nyquea that her gates winked vpon them on the bank of whose riuer they alighted to passe the tediousnesse of the night in pleasing chat of that peerelesse Lady and of the great desire they had to passe into Grecia There he recompted the battaile he had with his Father in Lacedemonia vnknowen whereby he vnderstood he was his sonne In this prattle continued they till it was time to sleepe and so departing one a little from the other they made their shields their pillowes and so rested the greatest part of the night Whē they awaked togither either full of carefull thoughtes for the others griefe For therin is ciphered the true patterne of perfect friendship And seeing thus pensiuely they heard the grones of some Knight that complained togither they rose and taking their shieldes and Helmes without any worde they went softly to heare what he saide And being nigh him they saw by the reflecting light of Cinthias beames a well proportioned Knight clad all in blacke armour who lying vnder a bigg growen Oake complained against the skyes loue and Fortune Oh heauens said the afflicted More how long will you suffer him to liue from whome death doth fly Why giue ye me life that nothing thanke you for it because t is hatefull to me Why permitted ye my ofspring to be from thence if on the earth I shall liue dying Oh suffer not Bembo Prince of Achaya to liue with so many passions when you may end it with one gentle death that neuer better welcome may come then now Oh soueraigne Princesse of Niquea how iustly maist thou complain of me that louing thee so deerely haue bene so remisse to visite thee Oh forgetfull louer if thou didst liue in Achaya louing why didst thou then so long proroge thy comming knowing that Liriana was in Niquea whereby thy delay is the cause thou must dye not seeing her being thy only desire as the most happiest life and now Prince of misfortune behooues it thee to pilgrimage throughout the worlds vast continents to know her habitation which thou hadst saued comming in time then who would haue bene able or somuch as presumed to thinke in his trembling harte to take her from thy hāds Oh hawtie and presumptuous Knight who may know what thou art that I might make thee acknowledge the wrong thou hast done me taking what only to my worthinesse was due How maie I call my selfe Nephew to that mighty Bembo the scourge terror of all Greece suffering another to inioy whome thou dost loue neuer more would I haue put on armour if I did not make him confesse this fowle iniurie And yet there is no reason why for seing Liriana was of beautie Angelical it was like others would loue her and if fortune did fauour him to carry her away I haue no cause to lament bewaile but my slow hart and sluggish thoughts that spurd me not afore this to visit her Oh my friend Nicandro how maie I complaine of thee bycause it is thy fault for hadst thou by thy skill aduertized me of this successe who would haue deferd such a voiage though it had coste him a thousand liues and come were it only but to see her whom to me thou didst canonize for beautie as the sole meritor of my faith So pensiue rested the braue greeke Rosabell seing what that Knight did and hearing what he said against his reputation affecting that Ladie that more then his proper life he loued that he knew not how to resolue himselfe till Oristoldo perceauing his alteration stept to him saying Valiant Prince seing by delaie the Kings doe incurre so great danger it is not lawfull you should procure now new battels and especially he knowing they are prisoners about the stealing of the Princes it cannot be but he will offer himselfe in that demaund and thē in their defence will your combate be more iustified thē at this instant for though he loues whome you do the extremity of contrarie passions may excuse you but being assured of her loue towards you great reasō haue you to forgiue him Great is the wrong heerein I doe my Lade replyed Rosabell but your will be fulfilled for I am determined altogether to follow your coūsaile All that Oristoldo had said was true for Bembo was then thither come for no other purpose but to maintaine that the prisoners were consenting to the Princesse stealing And had not Rosabell and Oristoldo staied to defend it there had byn none able from him to beare away the victorie because he was one of the worthies of the world and he that most persecuted Greece in the great warres He was verie yong and the most courteous of all his Nation He would not suffer his subiects to crown him King till he had traueld the worlde and so created he gouernors ouer his kingdome and accompanied with his valour onely he departed from Achaya with that mornfull deuise that many thought it signified more then it did He was the amorousest that euer woman brought foorth and he that was most loyall to Liriana for after he knew her to be married he still doted on her alleaging that he did loue and had referd the guerdon of his loyaltie to the graciousnes of his Lady but if she reiected his true loue passions yet he would not forget her for it were to iniurie his faith that from the beginning he had consecrated to her beautie And had fortune but a little fauoured him he had bene one of
the famous Princes of the worlde but seeing himselfe so cruelly by loue persecuted did often make him loose part of his high valour From him departed the two friendes returning where they had left their horses expecting the mornings approch which scarce appeared saluting the brightnesse of the Sunnes vprising when mounted on their coursers they had not galloped farre but the glittering of Nyqueas gates reflected on their armours Not long after did the valiant competitor do the like vpon a great mightie Bay Courser without any spot and of the best broode that euer was seene for as such a one it was giuen him by his louing friend the wise Nycandro So soone as he sawe the two Knightes before him with a little more then ordinarie speede he ouertooke them being nigh them he demauÌ„ded in the Arabian tongue the better to dissemble what countrey that was It is so little sir Knight since we ariued here answered Rosabell that we are altogether ignorant of your demaund hauing not met any of whome wee might knowe what you desire The ariuing of another Knight of as braue apparances as any of them interrupted his replie This was Don Clarisell that guyded by Lupercio Gellasios maister was come in the Souldans behalfe though he ariued too late for he had already sent to that purpose for a subiect of his the fiercest of many Gyants that he knewe being come to them with great courtesie he requested what Bembo had done before But as euerye one dissembled their knowledge they stayde till they might meete with some of whome they might learne their doubt Long stayed they not but they saw a Page in great hast come weeping from the Cittie and méeting with the foure Princes sayde Ah me braue Knights if in you there be what your gallantnes doth manifest now you may approue it by succouring of three Kinges that vniustly are accused of the rape made of the Princesse and her couzen by the deformedst giant in the vniuerse I am sure they are in no fault Leade the way good Page sayd the couragious Rosabell for I wil for them hazard my person in any danger and I will mine if it be néedfull sayd Oristoldo The Assirian that was somewhat bould would no longer forbeare but sayde I woulde not haue on my part Knights so resolute Then be you of the other sayd Oristoldo and you shall see that our resolution is grounded on our armes and not on our tongues without more stay they rayned about their Horses and with their swiftest pace they straight went to the Cittie The lyke did the other two remayning with great desire to combate with such confident Knights specially he in the black whome Rosabells behauiour highly pleased hee had reason for on horse-backe fewe were like him At length the first two arriued at the pallaice after the Souldan had Dyned being accompanyed with his chiefe Nobilitie because he would haue the Kinge of Garamantes cause tryed before them for he would not beléeue but he had consented to the rape And that he might be more sure of his reuenge he had called the proude Grantelâ—rio Lorde of the Altana Isles and subiect vnto him though like a friend he vsed him because of hys power There were no 20 Knights so hardy as one houre to withstand him in the fielde This Gyant was also in the great hall for the Souldan to honour him more had inuited him And straight he commanded the three Kings to be brought with suffitient garde to whome the Souldan sayd Knights you see what all my subiects doe obiect against you that you were confederates in my deare Daughters rape but I because I woulde in some respect beléeue the contrarie haue put it to the tryall of a battell and so within foure days may you present your Champion to combate against him that my counsell hath assigned who is the King of the Altana Isles that is here The King of Garamantes thus replyed Greatly are we wronged mighty Lord to haue this battle taken from our armes knowing none in thy Kingdome on whom we might repose so waightie a charge I haue already vrged that sayd the Gyant and intreated the Souldan that you three might be admitted thereunto but seeing hee sayth there is a law inuiolate that forbids it take no care for that for I giue leaue and will admit Ten Knights in your behalfe against all whom together I alone will maintaine you were confederates in the rape of the gracious Liriana Princesse of Niquea As the fearefull King was about to answere the couragious Greekes stopped foorth backe with his friend Oristoldo who doing his humble obeysance vnto the Souldan sayd vnto him in the Assirian tongue the which he knewe he could well speake In the entring of thy great Cittie great Monarch of this faire Empire comming to séek for the King of Garamantes my Lord and soueraigne I vnderstoode what on thy behalfe was against his honour obiected And my selfe being assured of his vertues relying thereon I am resolued to vndertake the battle for him and for the rest to the extremest hazard of my life because I am certaine of his right Greatly reioyced the imprisoned Princes seeing him come in such opportunitie for they straight knewe him by his azure deuise to whome the Souldan replyed The tryall sir Knight is already remitted to bee arbitrated by combate and so there remaines no more then that these Kinges doe graunt it and then may you straight performe it Braue couzen sayd the King of Garamantes to Rosabell I for my part giue you all my power thereto resting not a little assured of the good successe hauing so great iustice on my side and so braue a knight to defend it We graunt the like sayd the other Kinges Seing this is done sayde the Gréeke humbling himselfe for the imposed charg command mightie Souldan turned to him the apparance of the chalenger and I beseech you that the prisoners may bee set in place that the battle ended they may without impediment depart Like a deuillish furie did the furious Pagan steppe foorth saying Why how now Knight so sure art thou of the end that before thou séest me thou darest demaunde the prize of the battle But now consider knowing what thou hast to doe against whom whether thou wilt yet affirme thy spéeches Not only doe I it sayd the hawghty youth but sayd it waxeth late till it be done Then I aduise thee Knight replyed the Gyant that if thou wilt thou mayest chose to ayd thée besides thy companion eight knights more for to that nuÌ„ber haue I chalenged Gyant replyed the couragious Gréeke all your broode thinks that with soly the outward shew you may end any aduenture therefore presume you to vtter such blasphemies not vnderstaÌ„ding that he which estéemes himselfe a knight wil admit nothing with aduaÌ„tage And so maist thou go arme thy selfe for onely with these armor weapoÌ„s that I haue the iustice of my cause I
to gett one by some other meanes for this is impossible My patience replied the Prince cannot brooke so long a stay therefore you shal giue it me or your life vpon it With the point of his launce would the knight haue strucke him but ere he could turne it the Prince had taken it out of his hand casting his strong armes about him he pluckt him from his saddle his shield falling from him to the grounde what the Gréeke did was an act worthy of Claridiano for houlding him between hys armes wyth a swinge hee flunge hym aboue 20 paces frō him falling with a heauy fall among certaine thorns bryers that before he rose the Gréeke was gott within the Cittie for quicker then an Eagle taking the shield he leapt a horse-backe saying Le ts goe sir Knight pardon mee yf in any thinge I haue disparedged your estate by my deuise for beléeue me my present extremetie vrged mee to no lesse The Dacian could not aunswere him for laughing but hys Dwarfe sayd In fayth sir Knight you are so nimble in it that I dare say you haue vsed this office aboue once Thereby answered he maist thou gather in what necessities I haue bin for in them there is nothing seueral to one alone so as much was this horse mine as his that brought him I am sure he curses the Law that any such thing doth allow sayd the dwarfe Yf he doe so answered the Prince that of a good man might haue moued him of courtesie to haue done it séeing that my present want requested it And because sir knight we are so nigh the Cittie le ts not loose our selues or vnaduisedly cast our selues awaye by reason I am so greatly knowen here and therefore it behooues you to speake yf you do not ignore the language demaunding battaile for the ymprisoned Knights the one called the Despayrer the other the Suspitious As you sir Knight aunswered Don Eleno will haue it so shall it be and belieue mee I neuer delighted I in any knights company more thē with yours That is proper to good men replyed Claridiano that with their vertues adorne him whose parts deserue but meane regard Thus arriued they at the pallace about Ten of of the Clock when the King was in the great Hall shewing some exterior extraordinary discontent for the newe infirmity of the dispairing Knight Then entred the two most graciousest Princes of the earth who with a Soueraigne behauiour hauing made their due obeysance with an audible voice the Dacian thus began It is so little since we ariued in thy kingdome Might king of Esclauonia this knight and my selfe that we more desired thy high seruice by reason of the great fame that of thee the wast orbe doth publish then by other means to procure thy displeasure But hauing vndestoode the imprisonment of two Knights we are constrayned they béeing challenged and their owne persons from the fight prohibited to vndertake it for thē only relying on their Iustice if any they haue and not on our weake valours I am behoulding to you Knights replied the King for the kindnes you offer me the which I shall not want will to gratifie hauing occasion to shew it As for the rest the battaile cannot be denied to any that for them will vndertake it if they please to giue their consent for which let them be sent for Straight went they that had charge of the Prisoners to aduertise them But the discréet Palisandro made the Kings Nephew belieue that the Gréeke was at the point of death who stept to the bedside without light telling him what did happen With no little feare did Fausta answere that seing hée could not goe hée rezined his power to the suspicious knight admitting whatsoeuer he should doe With this reply returned the young man the which the King allowed it highly contented the Lady Venus that in her face till then had changed to more colours then the Raynebow euer had awaighting for the answere wherwith she reioyced together with the sight of her fréed knight who had brought another with him in her iudgement of no lesse valour then himselfe Presently came the Prince of Croatia that was aduised without feare to graunt the battaile to any that should demaund it he greatly thanked thē for what they did saying So strange Braue Knights is this countreys law that it constrayneth vs in necessitie to trouble those whome most we should desire to serue It is not any for vs Sir knight said the Dacian for contentedly we shall die in your seruice loosing our liues my companion and I and seing we néed no more delay be our battaile straight This could not Balurdano dissēble the sitting by the King said Make not such hast knights to séek your deaths for you shall haue time ynough yet now knowing you must haue it against me I feare you do repent your foolish hardines Considering the desire wee haue replyed the Gréeke counterfeiting his voyce more furious then a Lyon to chastice thy mad insolence we stay to long A mighty shrike gaue the Gyant going to flie at the knights though to his liues cost had not the king Lindauro stayed him by his armes whom with the fury that possest him a prety way had dragged them after him Take thy armour weapons infernall beast sayd the angry Gréeke the more to inspense him for with them the verye ffeldes shalt thou iudge to little to containe thée such worke we will employe thée in The king cōmanded them to silence to go vnto the field to stay for the gyants At their going forth as the Gréeke saw the beauteous Venus he could not but make a courteous signall vnto her with his gauntlet she answered it w e a kind nod most glad to sée the two stout warriors the more furious then a thunderbolt past forwardes They cōmanded Fabio to go forth of the Citie least that vild people should at the battles end offēd them for thē stay at their méeting place for all this had the dwarfe made prouision because to the purpose onely he was come with Don Eleno who on his horse ranne round about the listes expecting the combate whose strang accidents deserueth being the last a large newe Chapter CHAP. XXVI The cruell battaile that past betweene the twoo Princes and the Gyants with the end thereof THere remained none Deuinest Ladies able to come in all the Cittie of Xantho but in multytudes flocked to sée the famous battle of the foure rare in valour The little children left their Schooles to gorge their desires with the skilfull blowes of the haughty warriors The gallāt gentlemē forsoke their other pastimes delights to learne new wards new maner of defēces that thē by their experiēces they better iudged might learne thē in any schoole of the wide world besides The yonge amorous youths for the time oh admiring thirst of armes to forget their loues onely to witnes the memory of
so braue a cōbate thither came The old men ioyed to sée what their age prohibited The beauteous Dames and rarest Ladies to sée by example the power of their working beauty came glad vnto the field making that more brighter then the imperiall heauen because glorifyed with the radiant splendor of more dazeling Sunnes with admiration to eternize that warre And once againe with more attention silence awayted the gallant louers the discharging of euery blow for euery one the was worthy note procéeded from the force of loue And all in generall greatly argued which of the two Knights should be most valerous for both so well pleased with their gallantnesse the spectators that most with a partiall voyce expected the combate Of thosē that least feared was the Princesse Venus none who at that instant accompanyed with manye Ladies more glorious then Apollos shine had set her selfe at her windowe that ouer the Knights looked all apparelled in gréene to let the dispayrer know how much she relyed on his valour On her head a Coronet of her owne haire shee had set remayning with such a naturall true perfect beauty that I know not who at the verie sight would not haue made her Soueraigne of his soule Is this the Lady demaunded the Dacian gainst whome the wrong is done and we séeke to right And I thinke it a happy lyfe to loose it in the seruice that shal aduance her content For her beauty doth deserue it and few or none there is that may compare with hers It is so Braue Knight answered the Prince that you may knowe what fauour wee haue on her behalfe The noyse that the common people made with the comming of the Gyantes interrupted their talke from farther procéeding Many Knights Nobles to please the Kinge and the Prince Lindauro accompanied them yet none would they trust with their heauy weapons but their owne timbered shoulders Both had one deuise on their Indian coulord armour grauen with many Lillies on the same were mounted on mighty horses for such they had néed be to support their hugenes Hauing marshalled the field with the vsuall rites they set the Knights each opposite against the other and the Iudges tooke their places Balurdano was by nature so insolent that séeing they somewhat ouer-long did stay said haue done with your new inuented folish ceremonies for longer you are about them then I vse in the winning of a pitched field Peace proude hellish beast said the Gréeke him hauing sorted and required for his enemie for now thou art in place where déedes must more helpe thée then arrogant vaine boasting woordes He would not answere for he could not his rage so choaked him He turned his horse with such a curuet that aboue foure trēbled borne to armes and valour All of them placed themselues to fling against his enemie thinking the fearefull signall ouer-long was kept But O yée Angels of chastitie Vesta's only virgins and Ladies of all rarieties you that hitherto disquieted with desire haue expected this instant now setled before the sacred sinode of your perfections in presence of your celestiall beauties they beséech that with all intention possible you make them Victors with your conquering lookes For considering the ligeritie of the foaming Tyrio champing on his bit no maruaile if by a little diuerting your sunny eyes you loose the enioying of so braue an encounter as the Dacian made who being mounted on the earths best horse was first in méeting of his enemies They encountred with more terror then the noise of two discharged fild Cannons That happened to the Sonne which the Father would not haue beléeued for the bigge launces shiuered in thousand péeces they met so furiously with their horses that the Gyant with his tumbled to the ground sore bruised with the fall The lusty Tyrio by the force of the shocke was driuen backwards thrée or foure steps so disorderly that the Dacian to auoyde occasion of some disgrace leapt from him like to a long wingd hawke leauing the behoulders not a litle affectionated to him and no lesse the beauteous Venus that in her hart reioyced with the braue encounter that the Knihgt had made All the spectators commended him with loude voices not regarding the gréefe that the King and the Sophy might conceaue with that successe imagining that the Knightes would beare away the victory of the fight since the one began to shew it by so gallant an incounter But stay a while you shal sée what our Gréeke doth that backing his stolne horse representing Mars on earth but far more angry tooke his Carrier somewhat long to take surer ayme with hys launce They met like the incountring in the wide vast Ocean of two well furnished shipps carryed with the furye of contrarious windes Timerous in sight semed the vgly gyant mounted on so great a Courser but he that was borne without feare stronglye resting his launce stayed it in the middle of his shield that in fouldes excéeded Aiax yet cannot it resist the strength of that Herculean arme that easily pierced it with his brest casting a brace of launces on the other side vnder his arme All the spectators thought he had slaine him but it was not so for it onely past twixt his armour coate of male yet he thrust him so hard that he threw hym from his saddle tumbling like a Rocke vppon the ground And the Gréeke guirded his horse so strongly with his leggs for feare of falling that with the strong incounter he made his Courser burst vnder him He would not so long stay but in sight of all the place setting his hand on the pummell with such lightnes he leapt forwards ouer his necke head that on his féet with his sword in hād he stūbled very neare where the Gyant with great payne was rysing He helped him with a lofty florish that finding him something carelesse yt strucke away all the helme top and part of his armed scull woūding him a litle on the head he returned with another before he could be setled on his féete that almosted had layde him againe alōg which lighting on his visor vpō his front it made him a long and daungerous wound Neuer was the like afore séene in that place which made the beholders séeke newe meanes of prayses for the knight saying aloude it was impossible for Mars to doe with what such facilitie the Gréek had done The gallant Venus alone celebrated in her soule the Gréeks haughty Chiualries hauing there none with whom she might communicate them Of higher estimation seing what he did was the Knight reputed then the Dacian Who emulating the sound of those high lawdes with his inchaunted Romaine blade made against the Gyant and in his first assault he strucke the more to mayme him vpon his sword arme That was not a place strong ynough to resist the blow therefore was it to some effect for it tooke away all his defēsiue armour with a great piece of the