a little while that she had there staied she mounted vp the siluer staires y â— carryed her vnto the throne whereas shaking with all parts of her bodie for the sorowfull or heauie newes which she looked to receiue she plast her selfe before the wise man who being in obedience of her soueraigne maiestie did somewhat decline his head whereat the princes receiued great admiration then she humbling her selfe vnto him saide these words following MOst mightie and famous Artidon the high fame of thy great wonderfull meruailes hath brought mée into these strange countries so farre of from mine and if it doe so fall out that I carrie from hence no more then I haue brought yet shall I think my trauaile well bestowed and my selfe verie well rewarded in that I haue séene and vnderstood thy great wisedome for as Plato the Philosopher saith for to sée and know a wise man a man ought for to trauaile throughout all the whole world which was the occasion that many times he passed from Athens vnto Sicilia for to sée his friend the wise and prudent Focion Apolonio Thianeo departed from Rome and trauailed through all Asia sayled through the Riuer Nilus sustained the cold of the mount Caucasus suffered the great heat of the mountaine Rifeos and crossed ouer the whole countries of the Masagetas till such time as he entred into the great India and all this trauaile and pilgrimage was for to see and communicate with the famous wise 〈◊〉 How much more would those haue passed greater trauailes for to haue séene those his meruailous workes if that in their daies and times they science and great wisedome had bene manifest I cannot say that this is the onely cause of my comming for to see thée as it is manifest vnto thee yet I doe say that if there were no other occasion this should bee sufficient for to come and see thée The great care which hath ben the occasion of my comming hether although I doe beléeue that thou doest know it yet will I declare it vnto thée for that he that loued so faithfully and firmely in his time will not meruaile at any force whatsoeuer it be that loue doth vpon humaine hearts I loue the knight of the Sunne aboue all other things in this world so that if my fortune and euill destenie doe permit that he take an other to be his wife I desire to know the trueth thereof for that I may remember my selfe take order what is best to be done It hath bene told mée that he is made sure vnto the princesse Lindabrides and that he loued her with all his heart therefore for that there is nothing hid from thée I doe desire thée for to tell mée if it be true and put me out of all doubt for whatsoeuer that thou shalt tell mée I shall beléeue it to be true and conformable therevnto I wil take order with my selfe what is best to be done This being saide the royall princes held her peace abyding the answere which should be pronounced by the wise man who as then opened his eyes which before were shut and saide as followeth OF trueth soueraigne Lady and Empresse for that your highnesse doth verie well employ the great trauâ—ile the which you haue passed in this your long iourney onely for the sight of those my workes much more may I thinke these my trauailes better imployed the which I had in making of them I being now gratified with so high a reward in that you are come for to sée them And I doe not meruaile that loue hath had so great power for to ouercome your highnesse for that alwaies against the most highest most worthiest of courage there doth he vse the greatest force but in especiall with the knight of the Sunne for that his fortune and destinie doth promise him vnto you as vnto her that in all the whole world doth best deserue him and for you alone is he kept and defended And touching the trueth of this which you haue demaunded of mée I tell you that the knight of the Sunne was neuer made sure vnto the princesse Lindabrides neither hath he hadde any more to doe with her then he hath had with you although the great and mightie Emperour Alicandro her father dyd giue her to him for wife and left vnto him his high mightie Empire of Tartaria with an infinite number of other kingedomes with the which he should be made the mightiest prince and lord in all the whole world And for that he would not receiue her and all the rest cleane contrarie vnto his will secretly in the night he departed and left the gran Cataia almost distract of their wits with great desire for to enioye the sight of your soueraigntie the which time he thought long and after he came to Constantinople and had that rigorous battaile with you the which contencion was so cruell vnto him after that he knew you that desperate and wearie of his life he would goe seeke his death to cléere himselfe out of this worlde So he departed out of Constantinople and went into the wildernesse of Grecia whereas he had battaile with one of the most valiantest and stoutest Pagans that was in all the Paganisme and yet in all that rigorous battaile he would neuer strike him with his sworde for that he hadde smitten you with the same And from thence he departed and went to sea whereas by a rough great tempest he was driuen vnto the Iland of the diuelish Fauno where as one desirous to dye and receiue the death he went a shore and had a meruailous battaile with two legious of infernall diuels and afterward with the diuelish Fauno wherein happened verie strange things as is apparant if you please to goe thether to sée where you shall finde him all alone without anie other companie more then his horse neither is there in all the Iland any other beast or foule There doth he leade and passe the most sharpest and asperest life that euer was holden by man with desire there to ende his dayes and neuer more to retourne and weare armour All this he doth for your occasion and you are in a great fault before God if you doe not finde remedie in the recouering of him againe for that by your occasion there doth languish and dye the best and worthiest knight in all the whole world and one that doth loue you better then any thing therein therefore it doth accomplish your highnesse out of hand to goe and sée him for it is so that if your succour doe stay long it may so fall out that after he shall haue no néede thereof for that at this present his life is in great perill In concluding of these words the wise Artidon closed his eyes againe did put himselfe as he was before without aunswering or speaking any word leauing the royall princes one way with so great ioy and pleasure that she almost knew not her selfe her comfort was so great
gran Cataio y â— knight of y â— Sun neuer left y â— princes Lindabrides insomuch y â— her great beautie coÌ„tinual coÌ„uersatioÌ„ wrought such effect within his heart that you were cleane blotted out of his remembraunce and the promise that he made vnto you cleane forgotten so y â— in the way of our trauaile he did offer himselfe whollie vnto her intreating of loue and made her prontise that so soone as they should come vnto the Gran Cataia he would marrie her the which promise she did accept by reason whereof she did make her defence till such time as they came vnto the court of the Emperour Alicandro where as they were with great pompe and maiestie receued So the daie of the marriage being appointed all the nobles of the land were called and assembled together and for the space of twentie daies that I was there they gaue themselues to no other thing but to bankets and feasting for the marriage of the Princesse whereas the knight of the Sunne did so high and wonderfull feates of armes that his fame will neuer be forgotten in that countrie To conclude I séeing that the time was short and at hande for the celebrating of the marriage with great sorow and griefe I departed from thence and made so great haste as possible I could for to come hether to giue you to vnderstand thereof So wheÌ„ that y â— Empresse Claridiana had heard these newes of so great dolour and griefe and vnderstoode the whole effect thereof there was no paine torment griefe that might be compared vnto hers at that present neither was there any sufficiencie in her heroicall and baliant courage wherewith she did quaile ouercome those terrible guards of the Princesse Elisea for to suffer and to dissemble so cruel contrarie and peruerst fortune but that losing the vse of her remembraunce as one past all hope she fell in a sownd in the armes of her Damsell Arcanie whereas she remained more then one whole houre before she came againe vnto her selfe in such sorte that Arcania who did helpe her thought verelie that she was dead altogether and did repent her selfe that euer she did declare vnto her those heauie newes In the ende the Princes came againe somewhat vnto her selfe who in mortall anguish did yeald out from her troubled breast such cruell sighes as though her life would follow after then she began to saie as followeth Oh high and soueraigne maiestie how is it that your diuine maiestie doth permit and suffer that your Empresse Claridiana should receiue so great treason and especiallie of him whom in al the world she best loued Oh false and traiterous knight now am I fullie certified or y â— occasion of thy long tarrying and thy dispitefull wordes and promises are manifest vnto me as also who doth detaine thée Oh knight of the Sunne what mist of darknesse hath daseled thy eyes that the sight of the princesse Lindabrides could so bleare and blot out of thy memorie the figure of Claridiana Be these the effect of thy amorous words which thou vtteredst vnto me comming by sea from Lidia and the fained teares that thou diddest impart with me How oftentimes diddest thou desire me for to receue thée to be mine after y â— I offered my selfe to be thine consider of thy promise made vnto mée the which now thou hast vtterlie falsified and broken If thou haddest well considered O thou traitor who I was how that my desert is without comparison thou wouldest neuer haue changed me for anie other and that which séemeth vnto me to be without reason is that thou hast matched with one that is not of thy lawe and faith What was become of thy wits and where was thy vnderstanding that thou diddest not see and consider how much thou hast offended the soueraigne creator with that marriage and how worthie thou art of punishment in committing of such wretched sin I doe not now much meruaile that thou hast not kept thy word and faith with me when thou hast not kept thy faith with the liuing God neither doe I meruaile at the committing of so great sinne for that not long since thou fainedlie diddest take the name to be a Christian the which I doe suspect thou hast reiected and denied And the better to bring thy pupose to effect thou doest publish thy selfe to be a Pagan Oh that the wrath of the diuine iustice might now descend vpon thée and the burning lightnings and thunder engendered in the high clowves might make reuengement on thée for thy great tniurie shewed Oh that thy misfortune had beâ—e such that thou haddest fallen into some of those perills and dangers that I suspected to chaunce to thée or else that thou hadst died with some sodaine vnlooked for death What cruell death punishment or euill fortune might bée conformable vnto thy desert in committing so great an error There is nothing that grieueth me so much as y â— thou wert the floure of all knights and being gone there is not in all the world that is worthie of my excellencie although I am not married yet doe I remaine a widow the greater my griefe to sée him y e which I thought should haue ben my husband in the power of another Oh fortune how contrarie haue you bene vnto me in that you haue giuen me so great beautie and soueraigne dignitie If thou haddest created me foule euill fauoured and of base birth then had not the one bene occasion of my pardition neither the other had reason for to destroie me If that my singuler beautie highnesse were not I might put remedie in my great griefe as Ariadne that was left of Theseus and Medea forgotten of Iason But who is there now in all the world with whom I may make change of so faithfull loue What woman is there in all the world that euer felt so great griefe for loue Trulie there is no comparison to be made vnto mine no not that of Deyamirâ— whom Hercules changed for Yo le nor that of Penelope for Vlysses nor of Phillis for Demophoon Let not that be spoken of Io that was conuerted by Iupiter to a cowe and presented vnto Iuno and that of Biblis that followed that cruell Cadmo Neither may be compared that of Tisbe and Prâ—amus nor of the Queene Dido that built Carthage for Aeneas Great reason had Gero for to bewaile her welbeloued Leander when she sawe him drowned and laie vpon the sandes of the huge riuer but yet comfort thy selfe with mée for that thy great dolour and griefe should I receiue for glorie if that I did sée the knight of the Sunne to die for my loue and with a great deale more spéede than Gero would I beare him companie in death Comfort thy selfe with me than Gofreda which was the occasion of his death that loued her best And if that File and Laudonia were comforted with their sodaine deathes Comâ—ort your selfe with me by y â— euil
the Sunne the which séemed vnto the Empresse to be a good occasion and coulour for her to enter into Grecia and to defie the knight of the Sunne she would not discouer her selfe vnto Medea but did dissemble with her saying that â—he did her great pleasure therein and would straight waies depart for Grecia But Medea who was meruailously in loue with her and loth to leaue her sayd that she would beare her companie for that she would be present to sée her make the battaile with the knight of the Sunne The Empresse was verie glad thereof and betwixt them was appointed the time of their departure So after that she had remained ther two daies they went to sea and ariued in Grecia and came vnto the citie of Constantinople in the order as you heard before In the meane time that they were in the forrest after the battaile made with the knight of the Sunne Medea was still deceiued beleeuing that the Empresse had bene a knight and for that they should remaine there all that night after they had supped with certaine vittailes brought thether by her damsels Medea did neuer â—eace requiring the Empresse of loue offering her selfe to be her wife and said that she would take her to be her husband without any other consideration and that it was not her will that she should returne any morâ— to combat with the knight of y e Sunne at the which words the Empresse would haue laughed very much if the great griefe which she had receued in her heart would haue consented to the same but by reason that one waye her minde was occupied in considering what she was of her selfe and to be forgotten for an other damsell And againe calling to remembrance in what estate the knight of the Sunne remained at their departure out of Constantinople she was so full of anguish sorow and griefe that she little minded the amorous words y â— Medea spake vnto her neither could the wrath and anger that she conceiued against the knight of the Sunne doe so much but that y â— loue which was printed within her heart could doe much more and caused her to repent her selfe for that which she had done and to receiue great griefe for y â— estate in the which she had left the knight of the Sunne Likewise in that she had proued his mightie force and courage her loue did so double and increase that she thought verely that there was not in the whole world but he alone that dyd deserue her to be his wife which was the occasion that her griefe was y â— more by reason that she was without all hope And it is to be belâ—â—ued as the wise Liâ—gandeo saith that there was neuer sorow of a damsel for loue equall vnto this of the royall Empresse Claridiana for that she séeing her selfe to be without compariâ—on as well in beautie fairâ—nesse as in all other graces which should be in a gentlewoman likewise in bloud and highnes none did passe her and séeing that a knight whome she did loue with all her heart and with whome she alonely might marrie confirmable vnto her highnesse and he receiuing her for his owne and now to haue forgotten her and changed her for an other of meaner estate And againe seeing that there remained not in all the world a Prince nor knight that is worthiâ— of her louâ— so that the had iâ—st cause to receue grief and sorow more then any other and as her cause is great so much more should her griefe be in especiall hauing as she had so excelent and cleare vnderstaÌ„ding for to conceiue the same So with this mortall anguish doth the Historie 〈◊〉 her Medea for to tell you of the knight of the Sun which was in his bedde How the knight of the Sunne came againe vnto himselfe and as one desperate for the battaile that he had with the Empresse Claridiana he departed the court of the Emperour Trebaâ—o Chap. 〈◊〉 GReat part of y â— night was the knight of the Sunne so farre out of all remembraunce that it séemed to be mortall till such time as was passed the dolour of his senses the which y â— sodaine griefe did cause vnto him and transported vnto a verie â—ound swete sléepe in such sorte â—hat all men did sée that he slept verie qâ—â—ietlie which was the occasion that the Emperour and those high Princes and knights went to take their restes and leâ—â— him all alone with his two squires Biniano and Aurelio In this order he â—lâ—pt a while and being past midnight he dremed that he was in battaile as the day before with the which he awaked and started vs as one that was scared but when he saw him selfe in his bed and by him certaine torches burning he straight way called to remembrance the battaile that he had had with the strange knight and how that it was his iâ—â—stresse the Empresse Claridâ—ana The remembraunce whereof did cause so great sorow and griefe that as a furious man and one from himselfe he threw all the clothes from him and arose vp from his bed and â—inding his apparell he put them on and began to arme himselfe without y â— hâ—lp of anie till such time as his squires wâ—â—â—ere a sléepe with the noyse thereof did awake and séeing what their Lord did with great meruaile they asked him why he did arme himselfe but the knight of the Sun made them no aunswere but made hast to be armed Theâ— they séeing that he made no accompt of their 〈…〉 and did helpe him till that he was wholly 〈…〉 being done he commaâ—nded 〈…〉 horse in a readinesse and â—o bring him 〈…〉 the pallace who séeing his Lord with so 〈…〉 durst not aske him any other question but 〈…〉 and went and made his horse in a redinesse and 〈…〉 were sadled and brydled and brought to the pallace gate the knight of the Sunne descended out of his 〈…〉 when he saw the horse of his squires 〈…〉 asked Biniano wherefore he had 〈…〉 owne who aunswered him and 〈…〉 with him I will none of 〈…〉 there shall none of you goe with 〈…〉 you remaine here with the 〈…〉 may gâ—atifie you for the gread good 〈…〉 vnto 〈◊〉 for that I dâ—e goâ— thether 〈…〉 haue no power to doe you anie good neither 〈…〉 whether euer I shall returne againe into this 〈…〉 no anie more When his squires heard him saye these wordes sor the great good will that they did heare him they began to lament and wéepe for verie griefe and their teares were so great that almost they could not speake yet Aâ—â—cho sake at such time as our father did giue vs vnto you to be our Lorde he did not giue vs for that you should make vs either Kings or Lords neither to giue vs anie recompence for our seruice for that he did not know you as then to be sâ— noble a prince but a trauailing knighâ— but his gift of vs vnto you was onely to serue you and
and beare you companie and will not departe from hence till that death doth conclude and make an ende of one of vs or both together The Knight of the Sunne was greatlie amazed as well at the gentle disposition of the Princesse as also at the great bountie and curtesie which shée offered vnto him and beléeued verilie as well in the riches of his armour as in all other thinges that hée shoulde bée some knight of highe estate and beeing verie desirous to gratifie his wordes hée sayde Sir Knight I doe giue you great thankes for this your curtesie and great good will which you doe offer vnto mée and I woulde if it were Gods will that my fortune might bée such that I were able to doe you anie seruice or pleasure but my fortune hath béene so contrarie and my euyll destinie hath brought me vnto this estate that I cannot affoorde my selfe to leade anie other lyfe than this which I doe now leade neither haue I remaining in mée so much power and libertie for to accomplish anie thing of this which you haue spoken vnto mée off for that according vnto the greate fire wherewith I am tormented I haue not anie more hope of my life neither haue I anie more certaine continuance than the flame that in hast consumeth a candle and he that hath his end so nigh at hande to what purpose I praie you should he goe and séeke his owne naturall Countrie for to die there for that it is death to leaue both both the one other and as wise men haue sayde That vnto man there is no Countrie proper but all the whole world is a common Inne touching this misâ—rable life and for that Grecia is my naturall Countrie in no part in all the world can the death be more grieuous vnto mée than there the lamentations of my parents the teares and wéepings of my brethren the complaints of my friends the cryings of my subiects all the which will be an occasion to me of greater torment and the griefe much more greater vnto them so that for to excuse all this I am determined to die there whereas nothing else but my sorrowful death shall be grieuous vnto me and there whereas I shall alwaies haue it in memorie and now séeing that my fortune will not suffer nor consent to anie other remedie I do most heartely desire you gentle knight to returne againe vnto the sea vnto your owne companie from whence you came and let mée remaine héere alone in this Iland and although it be solitarie yet am I accompanied with so many sorrowes griefes and tormentes that I haue no néede of anie other companie Héere the Princesse could not choose but féele at her hart verie grieuous the wordes of her knight but of his greate fidelitie she was verie glad and ioyfull and had great pittie of his sorrow and griefe and willing to proceede in farther talke with him she said Of truth worthie Prince I doe not knowe what euill this of yours should be so great and so stranâ—e that in this sort hath taken awaie your stâ—â—ngth that all the power you haue is not able to resist it if it bée not that the which could tame the mightie Samson the most strongest of all men and that Hercules that had so greate power and force against the Centauros which is Loue that did bring these in subiection and many others moe in the world if it be this which hath brought your life into this estate I knowe not what she shoulde bee that against you should shew her selfe so cruâ—ll except it be such as wâ—ll peruert the courses and naturall mouings for being as you are amonst Princes the most highest and amongst the most excellentest and inducd with all goodnesse of nature I doe beléeue that there is no damsell in the worlde of what estate and beautie so euer he be but would receiue great contentment and thinke her selfe happie to bée of you beloued knowing the loue that you beare vnto her to bée perfect and â—oiall and if it fall out not to be such beléeue mée for that I knowe thus much of women that first they will consent themselues to die burning in amorous fires than to make anie shew of loue vnto them that they thinke to haue their thoughtes occupied in other partes and so farre foorth as I can see they haue great reason for that the heart of a man being set vpon more than one there is none that hath anie parte in him neither can his loue with anie bée perfect the which you maye verie well iudge by your selfe in thinking of that which you would do if so bee that you did sée this to bée in her whome you at this present doe so earnestlie loue Ah good knight sayde the knight of the Sunne this is the hidden fire wherewith I am scorched and that wherewith the bones of this my mortall bodie doth consume This is that which hath me prisoner and hath inchaunted me and that to whom all my force and strength is yéelded without hauing anie other thing in mée to make anie resistance but to doe that which hée desired and suffer with a good will all such paines and tormentes as hée giueth mée estéeming much of the wound making poison to bée sauourie bitter swéete paine delectable torment ioy and pleasure and finallie death to bée verie swéete and easie And if that loue hath shewed her selfe so cruell against mée good knight doe not meruaile thereat for that that high and soueraine Damsell the which my fortune and destinie dyd permit mée to loue is of so greate valour and high desert that héere I doe confesse that I am not worthie of her for that fortune amongest humane creatures did exalt her most highest and nature did painte her in such sorte that putting a parte the power of God I am perswaded that there was to bée done no more on her This waie hath shée bene cruell vnto mée and not that waie Sir Knight which you haue giuen mée to vnderstand for that shée it is alone whom I loue and my heart is fixed vppon no other but onelie vpon her It is not néedfull that I saie anie more heerein for that my lyfe doth beare witnesse of my greate fidelitie for iâ— so be that I had my thought fixed in anie other place then should not my disfauour haue so much force and power ouer mée as to cause mée to receiue suche mortall griefe Then shée sayde of my faith Sir Knight according vnto your wordes and as you haue giuen mée to vnderstande by them it can bée no other for whome you doe suffer this sorrow and griefe but Claridiana the Empresse of Tâ—apisonda for that shée is a Damsell as well in highnesse as in beautie and gifts of nature that doth surpasse all other that be in the world and if this bée not true I tell you that you doe iniurie mée in this which you haue sayd for that I haue séene her and I doe beléeue that
esteemed amongst all in the world But when that these two vnderstood with whome they had made their battaile it was no small ioy and pleasure that they receiued for that they desired verie much their friendship after such time as in the wildernesse of Grecia they sawe the one to kill the Gran Campion and the other dyd combat for them twaine with Bramarant but more was their ioy when that they vnderstoode what they had done in the deliuerie of the Emperour out of prison with the Ladies and all their damselles from the power of Roboan and his sonnes they knew not how to gratifie that great goodnesse but offered themselues to be their friends and craued pardon of all that was past And when they vnderstoode that the Emperour of his owne good will went vnto Grecia for to conclude a league of friendship with the mightie Emperour â—rebatio these two valiant knightes were excéeding gladde and ioyfull for that they had a most earnest desire to hee in that Court Thus after there had passed betwixt them many things their ioy and pleasure was such that it séemed to make void the remembrance of all troubles and aduersities past and so dyd prosecute their voiage â—owardes Constantinople The Prince Meridian was more ioyfull than the rest and receiued greater contentment for that he had with him his welbeloued spouse the Princesse Floralindia and againe for that hee went towardes Grecia whereas was the king of Macedonia forth vnto the Princesse with whom he hoped to make friendship in such sorte that he might haue her to wife which was the thing that the Princesse most desired After this sort they did nauigate by sea foure dayes with prosperous windes in the end whereof they ariued at Grecia in the mightie Porte of Constantinople whereas straight wayes they gaue to vnderstand vnto the Emperour Trebatio of their ariuall With which newes hée and all those of his Court were excéeding ioyfull for that they lacked no other thing entirelie for to celebrate the triumph of that victorie which they had got Then straight waies the Emperour Trebatio béeing accompanied with those mightie kinges and Princes and worthie knightes that were with him went forth of Constantinople for to receiue them at the port and the quantitie of people was so great that went forth with them that all those wide and broade fields and mountaines séemed to bée peopled with them and although the dead bodies by the commandement of the Emperour were burnt yet for all that all those fâ—eldes and plaines were stained with the bloud that was there shed When the Emperour Trebatio with all that royall and worthie companie came vnto the Port straight wayes the Emperour Alycandro and all those that came with him went a land whereas their receiuing was as vnto such personages did appertaine but in especial with those two Emperours for in a great space they were embraced together and did not loose the one from the other in which time there passed betwixt them many wordes of singular great loue as though they had béene alwaies before great friends and the Emperor Trebatio did giue him great thanks gratifying him for his comming into Grecia offering him great offers by word of mouth in such sort that the Emperour Alycandro thought himselfe fullie satisfied receiued more pleasure at that returne than he did at his first coÌ„ming into that Countrie Then straight waies the Emperor â—rebatio receiued with great curtesse the two Princes Meridian Brandimardo did embrace them with as much loue as he did his owne sonnes that came with them For you shal vnderstand that he was a Prince that in all the world could not be found his equall in maintaining honouring of good and valiant knights which was the occasion that whatsoeuer knight he was that once came into his companie could neuer finde himselfe in anie other place but onelie in his Court. Then he receiued the faire Princesse Lyndabrides in doing vnto her great curtesie and honour as vnto the highest damsell in al the whole world and vnto one that did deserue it But when the king of Maeâ—donia dyd see the faire Princesse 〈◊〉 his daughter and the Prince Mâ—rridian to demand his hands for to kisse them there was no â—oy and pleasure that might happen vnto a Father to be compared vnto â—is and hée went and embraced them keeping them betwiâ—t his armes a great while before that hée would let them loose Thus afâ—er one whole houre that there had 〈◊〉 betwixt them many 〈◊〉 at their meeting they all together with 〈◊〉 triumph tooke their waie towards the Citie of 〈◊〉 And it was a wonderfull thing to beholde and woâ—thie to bée noted to see so noble and worthie â—nightes to accompanie them that it might well bee sayde that there was neuer seene so highe and worthie a companie ioyned together Likewise at this present it was needfull of a better Painter than euer was Appelles or that worthie Pirgotiles for to paint and set forth the faire and rubicend face of the Princesse Lyndâ—brides by reason of the differences of varietie of coulours which went and came at such time as shée remembred how that the Princesse Claridiana shoulde receiue her in the Pallace of the Emperour Trebatio and also of that which the knight of the Sunne would conceiue in his heart when he sawe the same the which thoughts did make her to go in so great confusion as to your iudgement I doe referre it her loue was so great the which she bare vnto him that shée could not bée without great iuspition of alteration when that she considered of the great worthinesse and desert of the Princesse Claridiana So that the whole world was nothing in comparison that she would giue on condition that the knight of the Sunne might neuer sée the Princesse If she were sure thereof then were she fullie certefied that the knight of the Sunne would not chaunge her for anie other Ladie or damsel in all the whole world When they were entered into the Citie and came vnto the pallace those worthie Princes and knightes did descend from their horses those faire Ladies and damsels and being mounted into the great hall the Empresse Briana with the Princesse Claridiana and the Princesse Oliuia and Lindaraza with al the rest of those high and worthie Ladies Gentlewomen that were with them came forth and did receiue them with that honor that was requisite vnto so high and mightie personages And the Emperour Alycandro with Meridian and Brandimardo meruailed greatlie to sée the soueraigne beautie that was there assembled together which seemed vnto them as it was true that in all the whole worlde could not the like be séene but when the faire Princesse Lyndabrides went to embrace the roiall Princesse Claridiana Good Lord how her hart was troubled to see in her rubicond face al the beautie in the world to be comprehended and alâ—o how that her knight of the Sunne had his eies fixed on her
spouse and husband and doe you not consent vnto his death for if you doe I doe héere make a vow vnto God that at the very instant that he shall receiue his death with this sword I will cleaue mine owne heart asunder At which words Don Silueâ—io made no account although it was a griefe vnto him to vnderstand the great loue that she bore vnto Rosicleer by her outward semblance yet notwithstanding there were in that companie knights of the king Oliuerio that did reioyce to heare those wordes for to haue the better occasion to helpe Rosicleer without anie colour to attempt anie thing against the king their Lord amongst whom was the valiant Zoylo Bargandâ—l Lyriamandro and Almades of Cornwaile all which did beare good will vnto Rosicleer and were in the fore part of the ship readie to giue the first assault vnto the expectation of the rest At this time was Don Siluerio with thirtie of his knights entering into the ship of Rosicleer who receiued them with such mortal blowes that quicklie they ouerthrew sixe of them dead into the water and Don Siluerio had ben one of them if that his inchaunted armour had not defended him but yet for all that with his terrible blows he was so terriâ—â—ed that he withdrew himselfe backe and put his knights forwards and by reason that there were so many of them and euerie one did procure to enter into the shippe of the two knightes there was such a noise amongst them that they could not one heare another All this time was the Princesse Oliuia beholding the â—â—ttaile lamenting verie much to sée her Rosicleer in so great perill in such grieuous wise that it would haue moued anie man to compassion to haue séene her and with verie anguish she had vâ—ed there if that her damsell Fidelia had not béen who did comfort her in the best wise she could But this valiâ—nt and worthie Rosicleer séeing that they did in great hast compasse his shippe round about for to enter in with so great strength and courage as euer was séene in Knight hee besturred himselfe from the one part vnto the other defending the enterie of his enimies with such mortall blowes that hée might account himselfe vnhappie that was within the reach of his sword which was that of the Quéene Iulia and so noble a cutter and he so valiant who flourished therwith about him with so couragious a streÌ„gth as one which next vnto God hoped to set his lyfe at libertie for that hée neuer stroke blowe but that either hée slew or ouerthrew a knight so that all his aduersaries were wonderfullie amazed at him and not one amongst them all that was so hardie that dursâ— come nigh the place whereas hée was Likewise that good king on the other side did meruailouslie defend the enterie and gaue them wel to vnderstand by his terrible blowes the great good will that he bare vnto Rosicleer who dyd not estéeme to venâ—ure his liâ—e for his good friend and did so behaue himselfe amongst his enimies dealing such mortall blowes that hée slew and ouerthrew a great number of them in such sorte that all those which dyd beholde him by reason they knew him not were greatlie amazed At this time the thrée worthie Princes with the King Alamades séeing that it was high time for to succour and fauour Rosicleer with great lightnesse they leaped into his ship and returned against Don Silueâ—io with their swordes drawen in their hands and sayd Enforce and courage thy selfe valiant knight â—or wée that be heere are 〈◊〉 friendes And all together with a â—oude voice sayd â—aâ—taria Tartaria Hungaria Hungaria Bohemia Bohemia Cormualâ—a Cornualia So when Rosicleer by the naming of their Countries did know them he receiued great comfort and not hauing space for to answere them he did no â—ore but humble himselfe and for that his shéelde at that time was shieuered and broken all to péeces with the mightie blowes he had receiued he tooke his sword in both his hands and put himself amongst his aduersaries and did so great meruailes that all that did beholde him wondered greatlie and they which did not sée them afterward did thinke it a thing impossible and in declaring of it verie hard to be beleeued The thrée Princes with the king Alamades all foure together did defend the entrie of the shippe killing and wounding many of the knights of Lusitania and likewise receiued many blowes on euerie side The number of their aduersaries were so many that they were driuen into a meruailous exsegent But when that Don Siluerio sawe that the foure knights were on his contrarie part he receiued great dolour and anguish at his heart and with the great desire that hée had to take reuengement of them all together he encouraged and enforced his knights all that euer he could for to enter the ship and vanquish them and by reason that there were so many and verie valiant knights and continuallie entered in a fresh although that Rosicleer and his friends did incredible wonders yet in the space of one houre after that the battaile was begun they were put in a great extremitie for that Don Siluerio was verie wise and his knight valiant and experimented in the warres and battailes and did assalt their ship on eueriâ— side with great strength so that there was not one so soone slaine but another entered into his roome straight waies in such sorte that the other valiant knightes had no time for to ease themselues which was the occasion that in the end of two houres after that the battaile was begun all the water round about the shippes was dyed red with the bloud of the dead knights â—f Lusitania and the strong armes of Rosicleer and his friends as of mortall men beganne to ware wearie and their force and strength did abate and they could endure no longer yet their valiaunt and couragious heartes were prompt and readie for to receiue the death and neuer moued counteance thereat but determined there to die all together like valiant knightes without yéelding or surrendering in anie point but amplisying their forces with their valiant hearts making their defence in such sort that their aduersaries did not perceiue that anie wearinesse were in them so that the battaile at that instant was verie cruell and wonderfull and the noise verie great which they made in such sort that the inhabitants of Cerdenia came forth and did beholde that cruell and well foughten battaile dreadâ—ullie beholding the sea how it was stained with bloud could not beléeue thâ—y should be humane knightes that did defend themselues in 〈◊〉 ship alone against so many At this time were the good friends of Rosicleer verie wearie with the oppressing of so great a multitude of their contraries in such sort that they could not lift vp their swords at which time many knights of the Prince Don Siluerio beganne to enter their ship of the which Bramides was the first with a great number of other
other Princes when they sawe that sodain and soueraigne fauour which was come vnto them how that their enimies were brought into a greater straight than they were before although they were verie wearie and ouercome with labour yet the ioy which they receiued did renue in them so great strength that they returned vpon their enimies and slewe many of them with their terrible blowes the feare which the knights of Don Siluerio receiued by the great prowesse of the knight of the Sunne and the Troyan was such that there was not one that durst giue anie attempt but withdrew themselues all that euer they could for which cause Oristedes in companie with the king Sacridoro and the other Princes remained in the ship as sufficient for to defend the same and the two brethren leapt into the ship of their enimies as in 〈◊〉 and contention the one of the other they began to wound and to slaie their enimies and kept such a stur amongst them in killing some and making other some to fal into the water and other some to run away for to saue themselues that in a small time there remained in the ships none for to make anie defence Then Don Siluerio who did beholde all this that passed with great sorrowe and griefe of heart he complained against fortune for that she was so contrarie vnto him and for that hee knew not the knight of the Sunne but sawe with his eies the great wonders and valiant deedes done by him he thought verilie that it was some diuell of hell that was come to aide and succour Rosicleer in séeing the feare that his knights had of him y â— there was not one that durst appeare before him but ran awaie so that he was without all hope of the victorie which caused him with déepe sighs to saie Ah Oliuia now I see that it is not Gods will that thou shalt be mine At which time Fidelia had her in her armes in a sound and séeing the good successe which happened vnto them and how that fortune dyd shew her selfe fauourable with such diligence as she ministred vnto her she brought her againe vnto her selfe and sayde What is this my Ladie and mistres arise and comfort your selfe and beholde the great succour which God hauing compassion on vs hath sent vs in such sort that the victorie is verie certaine on your knights behalfe Then the Princesse who was as one halfe dead beholding the battaile when she sawe that there was none so hardie that durst abide before Rosicleer and his companions but ranne awaie from them as from their deaths she receiued therewith great consolation and comfort and had great hope of the victorie and being greatlie amazed at the high bountie of the Knight of the Sunne she asked of her damsell Fidelia who that valiant knight should be Ah my good Ladie and mistres sayde Fidelia in this thing onelie may you consider of the good fortune of Rosicleer for according vnto the wordes which hée sayd at his comming he should be his brother the knight of the Sunne who as I haue heard many times is the knight that in all the worlde is not his like but the other that is come with him I know not but his valiant demeanour doth shew that he is one of the best knights that I haue séene At which words the Princesse receiued great ioy and pleasure and with better comfort than she had at anie time before she arose vp and put her selfe to beholde the battayle â—he which did not endure long for that after that the two brethren had entered into their ship they almost did yéeld vnto them finding not one that durst abide their furie for the which Don Siluerio fearing â—he encounter and séeming a thing impossible for his knights to haue the victorie he determined to depart without all hope of good fortune finding her at that time so contrarie in all points So with great sorrow and griefe he commanded his ship to be vngrapled froÌ„ the ship of Rosicleer and the Pilots to hoise vp sailes and to depart the which was nothing grieuous vnto his knightes 〈…〉 greatlie at the mightie valiantnesse and 〈◊〉 blowes of their aduersaries The ship wherein was the knight of the Sun and Rosicleer remained but the other seauen departed with such people as were lost there were slaine more than halfe of them that came in companie with the Prince Don Siluerio So when these two brethâ—â— saw thâ—mselâ—eâ—â—◠〈◊〉 of their oâ—imies they did embracâ— one another with great loue and their ioy was such that they could scare speake At this time came vnto him Oristedes the knight of the Sun declared vnto Rosicleer who he was by whoÌ„ he was embraced with great ioy pleasure but the good Troyan was greatlie amazed at the great beautie of Rosicleer and how boistrous and stout he séemed when that hée was beholding the great wonders the which he did alone in the ship which caused him to saie within himselfe that not without great mysterie were these two brethren borne and created with such high bountie resembling another so much Then straight waies came vnto them the thrée Princes and y â— king of cornualia who were verie desirous to sée Rosicleer as those who sustained great trauaile in his demand he receiued theÌ„ with great ioy embraced them yéelding thanks for the great pleasure which they had done for him at that present Then came vnto them the good king Sacridoâ—o whoÌ„ they did embrace with great ioy amongst them all to méete together at that present whereas they gaue one another to vnderstand what they had passed and by what aduenture they came thether but when the knight of the Sun vnderstood all that was done passed with his brother Rosicleer and the Princesse Oliuia he gaue great thankes vnto God for that it was his will to bring him thether at that instant and hauing great desire for to see and know her he sayd that if it were their pleasures he would go speak with her So therewith they went vnto the cabin whereas the Princesse Oliuia her damsell Fidelia were who receiued no lesse ioy to sée her knight frée and at liberâ—e of that great perill and danger than if she had ben made Ladie ouer all the world And the knight of the Sun and Oristedes verie much meruailed at the great bountie beautie of the Princesse who séemed vnto them to be one of the fairest Damsels that was to be found in all the world Then the knight of the Sunne wold haue kissed her hands but she wold not consent thervnto but did embrace him with as great loue as though hée had ben her owne naturall brother the Prince Edward and thâ— gaue vnto him great thanks for that which he did in her succour To whom the knight of the Sun answered that not he alone doth owe that dutie but also all the world in consideration who she was ano that he gaue great thankes vnto
almightie God in that he did know her to be his soueraigne Ladie and sister Then the good Troyan Oristedes went and offered to kisse her handes and yéelded himselfe wholie vnto her grace The Princesse did surrender vnto him thankes and receiued great contentment to haue in her companie so high and valiant knights For with iust reason might be sayd that there was ioyned together all the bountie and prowesse of the whole world So all together with great ioy and pleasure they commanded their shippes to be made in a readinesse and sayled together towardes the Empire of Grecia And being at sea they met with a great and mightie shippe wherein came the worthie and valiant Prince Clauerindo who with the company of his vnkle Flamides brought with them the faire Princesse Lindaraza And when they knew the one the other there was great reioycing of all theyr partes buâ— in especiallie béeing giuen to vnderstand by what strange aduenture the Prince did bring her and of the good will which he had for to marrie with her at such time as they should ariue at the mightie Citie of Constantinople in the presence of the Emperour the ioy of the brethren was the more and they receiued Lindaraxa with great loue vnto whom she séemed to be in all points of great valour and she lykewise with more ioy and pleasure than euer she receiued before in all her life went along with them and gaue great thankes vnto God for that good fortune she had to meete them Then she embraced with great loue the Princesse Oliuia who with great ioy dyd receiue her being either of them verie much amazed at the strange beautie the one of the other and verie gladde that they should enter together into Grecia So with great ioye and delight they sailed on their voiage and had so gallant conuersation amongst themselues that they neuer felt the trauaile of the sea There dyd the Princes Zoylo Bargandel and Lyriamandro vnderstand of Rosicleer all his aduentures and what he had passed in them after that he departed out of England who receiued great pleasure to heare him although to the contrarie they did complaine much of him for that they taking so great paines in séeking of him with great desire of his companie he woulde not discouer himselfe vnto them So passing the time with these and other such like sports they sailed towardes Grecia and in few daies with prosperous windes they ariued at the port of Constanstinople and thinking it great reason before that they did disâ—mbarke theÌ„selues to giue the Emperour Trebatio vnderstanding of their ariuall it was concluded and agréed amongst them that the king Sacridoro should goe vnto Constantinople for that he knew the whole discourse of Rosicleer and sawe by experience the most part of his valiant worthinesse that hée might declare the same vnto the Emperour and Empresse and in what sort he doth bring with him the Princesse Oliuia and Clauerindo Lindaraza and how they are all together in the port of that Citie readie for to come a shore and by reason that the daie was farre spent and the night drew on they dyd inferre it till the next morning when that the king Sacridoro went a land and did his message How the knight of the Sunne Rosicleer and the other Princes and knigâ—tes with the Princesses Oliuia Lindaraza went a land and were meruailouslie receiued by the Emperour Trebatio and the Empresse Briana Chap. 7. WHen the next morning was come the good King Sacridoro went a land beeing armed with his whole armour verie richlie alonely with one Squire and entered into Constantinople who finding the Emperour Trebatio and the Empresse Briana in the great hall together without anie dolour he came in whereas they were who when they sawe him receiued him with great ioy and pleasure as well for that he was so great a friend vnto their sonne Rosicleer as also because they hoped to heare some newes from him the which they longed verie much for for of long time they had not heard from him Then the king went to kisse the hands of the Emperour who did embrace him with great loue and said King Sacridoro my verie good friend you are heartelie welcome into this Countrie for with your comming I doe receiue great ioy and pleasure Therefore tel me what is become of your greatest friend Rosicleer for that I meruaile greatlie that he is not come in your companie I am fullie perswaded that it is a great thing that should depart you a sunder Then the king after that he had done his due reuerence answered him and said Mightie Emperour I came in the companie of Rosicleer and God forbidde that so long as I liue I shoulde separate my selfe out of his companie for therewith I receive more honour and contentment than with all the whole kingdome of Antiochia the which I holde by his valyant worthinesse And héere I giue you to vnderstand most high renowmed princes that your mightie valiant most worthie sonnes the knight of the Sunne and Rosicleer are in the port of this Citie accompanied with worthie valiant princes and knights and doe bring in their companie the most excelent and faire princesse Oliuia daughter vnto the puisant king Oliuerio whome Rosicleer falling in loue with did by force of his strong arme take out of the court of the king her father and with one alone shippe in the which we are come made his defence at the sea against more theÌ„ sire thousand knights there did he shew vnto him a great part of all that had passed in that enterprise and of the great sorow which he receued for the worthie knight of the Sunne and of Oristedes his friend as also how by fortune at the sea they met with the prince Clauerindo who brought in his companie the faire Lindaraza with her vnckle Flaâ—nides with the whole discourse how he brought her out of the castle in such sort as he tolde them at the sea But wheÌ„ the Emperour and the Empresse heard these newes they receued great ioy and comfort thereat as those who haue great experience in cases of loue did not greatly meruaile at that which Rosicleer did for the loue of Oliuia likewise they receued content for that he had accomplished his desire being fullie certified that the princesse should inherit the kingdome of great Britaine after the deceace of the king her father and how that Rosicleer could not marrie with a damsell in all the world of more higher estate Also theyr ioy did encreace at the newes of the comming of the knight of the Sunne Then the Emperour and the Empresse dyd render vnto the king Sacridoro great thankes for that he would come to bring them so ioyfull newes And the Emperour did straight waies commaund his nobles and worthie princes knights that were then present in his court to be in a redinesse for to goe and receue them who in companie with them all with great pomp
onely sonne and heire of his kingdome and then his daughter to be stolen and caried away requesting of them all fauour possible to helpe him to take reuengement for the same 〈◊〉 that to conclude some there were that for verie friendâ—â—ip and loue did ayde him And other some for the ill will they bare vnto the Gréekes of very enuie of their prosperiâ—iâ—es dyd ayde and help hâ—m and not onely with their people but with their owne proper persons 〈◊〉 vnto the King Oliuerio and there was so great hast and diligence made in the executing thereof that many daies was not past whan that in great Britaine there was ioyned together more then â—ne hundred and fiftie thousand knights where as the Historie doth leaâ—e them putting all things in good order as appertained vnto so valiant an enterprise for to tell you of other things that happened in the meane time How that the Princesse Lindabrides did craue of her father the Emperour Alicandro reuengement of the knight of the Sunne and how the Emperour at her request did call a Parliament and what happened in the same Chap. 9. IN great confusion and alteration remained the whole Court of the Emperour Alicandro for so sodaine departure of the knight of the Sunne but aboue all the rest was the fayre Princes Lindabrides whose lyfe was so full of sorow and griefe that manie times she was at the point of death And there was nothing that could comfort her in séeing that y â— knight of the Sunne was departed and returned to his owne countrie and was verie certaine that if once he came into the presence of the princes Claridiana it were past all remedie for him to haue her any more in his remembraunce so that she might vâ—rie well abandon her selfe of all hope euer to sée him any more the which was more bitter grieuous vnto her then death And coÌ„sidering with her selfe by reason of the great loue she bare vnto him that it should be great comfort vnto her and remedie for her griefe if that she did once againe returne inâ—â— Grecia by what maner of meanes so euer it was she cared not thinking by that meanes for to disturbe the knight of the Sunne that he shoulde not haue aâ—ie time nor space for to serue the Princesse Claridiana neither for to marrie with her for the which to put in effect the 〈◊〉 nothing so good as for to craue reuengement of the Emperour her â—ather for the iniurie done by the knight of the Sunne which might be the occasion that he with all his power should passe into Grecia and to tarrie her with him thether to be crowned Empres of Grecia séeming by those meanes the knight of the Sunne shall be constrained to doe perforce y â— before he wold not by his frée will the which she put in vre according vnto her thought And as many times the Emperour her father came into her closet to visit comfort her whereas she continuallie remained and neuer went abroâ—e vpon a daie when that hée was fullest of griefe comforting her whose sorrow pricked him to the verie heart for the greate loue hée bare vnto her The Princesse shedding many teares from her christaline eies said It is lost labour my Lord and Father for to comfort or giue anie consolation vnto this vnhappie and vnfortunate Damsell your Daughter for that thers is nothing that can remedie nor helpe mée but onelie the death the which if the high Gods were so pleased were so high â—ee that I could not make an end of this my speaking for that death were a great deale better vnto mee than to liue for to feele and suffer so great an iniurie as thaâ— which the â—nighâ— of the Sunne hath done against you and mee for if you my Lord would consider thereof as is right and reason you woulde leaue off comâ—orting of your Daughter and 〈◊〉 by all meanes that this our reproch may bée 〈◊〉 wherewith if pâ—esencâ—ie I should depart out of this world I should gâ—e with comfort but of the 〈…〉 that from their high Throâ—e they â—ill yeelâ—e 〈…〉 seeing that you doe so little esteâ—me it 〈◊〉 should other Damselles of base birth looke for 〈◊〉 that a Damsell of so high estate as I am 〈◊〉 oweth participate with the diuine 〈◊〉 of the hâ—gh Gods and being 〈◊〉 by one alone 〈…〉 griefe of her great wrong nor anie that will take vpon him to aunswere the quarrell With great reason therefore from this daie forwardes may your vassalles and subiectes take heart at grasse and bée bolde to rise vp against you seeing that you will put vp such an iniurie and euill proffer done against you by one alone Knight and an enimie vnto your lawe and will suffer mée that am your Daughter to liue without reuengement My Lord and Father I praie you beholde and consider your high estate which is such that all the kinges and Lordes of the Orient are obedient at your commandement and seruice and doeth honour and reuerence you as a parent and kinsman vnto the immortall Gods and if now you doe dissemble this great iniurie which vnto you and mée hath béene committed without making cruell reuengement you shall neither bée feared nor estéemed but had in lesse reputation than héeretofore you haue béene and your honour ouerthrowne from the throne which your predecessours vntill this present daie hath maintained and vpholden And that which séemeth to bée worst of all is that the diuine prouidence will féele and acknowledge part of this great iniurie the which I do most earnestlie praie and desire that they doe not execute against you their wrath in that you haue neglected to take reuengement For this cause onelie hath the diuine Gods giuen vnto you this high estate exalting and placing you aboue all other that are in the world because you should execute iustlie héere vpon the earth as they haue ordained in their diuine Consistorie This faire Damsell had not so soone concluded these her wordes when that the Emperour her Father vnderstanding the effect of her â—omplaint with great griefe and sorrowe vnto his heart béeing full of anger and wrath arose vp and laide his hand vpon his head as vpon a precious relike and said these wordes following Héere I doe sweare vnto thée by this sacred head and by the diuine Deitie that I doe participate of the immortall Gods for to goe with all my power into Grecia and in reuengement of this great iniurie to mée done I will destroie the Emperour Trebatio and giue a cruell and dishonoured death vnto his wife and children and crowne thée my daughter for Empresse of that Empire So with this conclusion without speaking anie moe words hee went forth of her Closet and calling together certaine of his counsaile he concluded that a Parliament shoulde bée proclaimed throughout all his kingdomes and dominions commaunding all Kinges Princes and Nobles of the same to come vnto the sayd Parliament in paine of death Lykewise hée
anie humaine creature but onelie by him and that he determined to lye with her certifying that she should fullie persuade her selfe that y â— sonne that should be borne of her should be the most strongest that should be found in all the world and in respect of her loue that Iland should be spoken of in all the world These words of the diuell caused so great ioye and pleasure in Artimaga that as one from her selfe she fell downe prostrate at his féete and kissed them for that great benefit offered vnto her and with great importunaâ—ie she desired him straight way to put it in vre Then the diuell hauing no other determination but onely to deceiue her saide thou shalt vnderstande Artimaga that there is not giuen vnto mée so much power for to know thee nor no humaine woman in the forme of a rationall man but in some other figure and forme of a wilde beast that is furious and wonderfull the which is onely for to shew the difference that is betwixt our great power and that of men And againe that which shal be begotten by mee to be of much more force and strength When that Artimaga heard him say these wordes with the great ioye which she receiued she was voide of all care and saide vnto him that she should receiue great contentment and pleasure therein although he came in the most vgliest and fearefullest forme that might be So the diuell fell at agréement with her that vpon a certaine day she should goe into a Parke that was in that Ilande being full of meruailous great and thicke trées whereas she did manie times goe a hunting and that he would there tarrie her comming Then the diuell for to accomplish and bring to passe that which he had promised went vnto the desarts of Affrica out from the most highest and aspar parts of all the mount Atlas he brought forth a monstrous beast called Fauno the most terriblest amongst all beasts and they saie that by reason of the great abhomination vsed in times past by men hauing copulation with monstrous beastes did so alter humane nature that in processe of time it concluded in this so terrible and monstrous beast the fashion and forme thereof was as I will declare vnto you His bodie was as bigge as a great bull in forme and shape lyke a Lion with his féete full of rugged haire and the clawes of his féete as bigge as twice a mans finger and a span long his breast as big as of a horse and necked like an Elephant and from that part vpward both head and face like a man with a long beard of hard and thicke haire but the head was verie bigge and out of the middest of his forehead came forth an horne as big as a mans arme and as long whose force was such as also in his armes that there was no beast so furious and fierce that was able to indure before him Almightie God shewed great fauour vnto mankinde for that of these beastes there are but a few in the world and they are not to be found but on the highest parts of the mount Atlas which is all desert and no inhabitation for if they were whereas â—here is people one of these beasts alone were sufficient for to destroie a whole kingdome So the diuel finding out this monstrous beast he entered within him and brought him vnto this Iland and tarried within the Parke till the comming of Artimaga at the houre appointed who with the greate desire that she had to conceiue by the diuel detracted no time but kept her houre and although she had great astonishment at the fiercenesse and terrible semblance of that monster yet for all that it did not abate her courage beléeuing of a certaintie that it was the diuell and for that the diuell was within the monster hée spake by the mouth of y â— Fauno all that was requisite To conclude he deceiued Artimaga and by the permission of God for her sinnes and abhominable desire she was conceiued by that diuellish Fauno in such sort that she remayned with child Then she returned againe vnto her house and the diuell carried the monster vnto the place from whence he brought him and in the end of thrée moneths she felt her selfe with child for the which she receiued so great ioy and contentment as euer she did in all her life beleeuing of a certaintie that the sonne that shoulde be borne of her shoulde bée the most strongest and mightiest in all the world and neuer ceased giuing thankes vnto the diuell for that he was the author and father thereof But in consideration that his originall is euill and hath no other desire nor delight but to deceiue all humane generation euen so all his workes and déedes cannot be but euill and in great daunger preiudice vnto our soules So the time was expired the houre come that Artimaga should be deliuered and she was so big broade and swelled that she could not moue her selfe from one place vnto another in such sort that all that dyd sée her were greatlie amazed for that shée séemed to be foure times so bigge as she was before and by reason that the fruit of her cohabitation was deformed monstrous and diuellish they had no hope of anie naturall birth by ordinarie course but rent and tore the bellie and entrailes of the mother wherewith shée dyed and yéelded her soule vnto him whom shée so much beléeued and worshipped and the childe came forth the most horriblest and terriblest creature that euer nature formed This childe was scarce out of his mothers wombe when that with a diuellish furie he tore in péeces all that euer were before him and ran out oâ— the doores and tooke the field destroying and killing all that euer hée met withall and neuer ceased till he came vnto the Parke and woode wheras he was begotten and there he remained certaine dayes and neuer came forth till hée was growen to a bigger stature although then when he was borne he was as bigge as reasonable Lion He had not remained full halfe a yéere in these woodes but he increased so much that he séemed to be as bigge as an Elephant his forme and figure was much more horrible than that of his father although he did resemble him verie much and besides all this he had a whole legion of diuels within his bodie who in a figure of armed men many times came forth at his horrible mouth and did great harme whereas they went so that for this occasion he is called the diuellish or possessed Fauno So afterward when that he was come vnto his full strength which was within halfe a yéere he left the woods went throughout all the Iland did so much harme that he left none aliue where he became some slaine and other some hearing the report of his crueltie fled awaie so y â— the Iland is lefte desolate and no inhabitants therin neither anie other liuing thing So
of the worlde because that in liuing I shoulde not bée odious vnto her nor cause her anie more anger and of one thing she shall bée sure that so long as shée liueth shée shall neuer haue anie newes of mée When the knight of the Sunne had sayd these wordes these two his good Squires did weepe so bitterlie that they had no power to speak in a good space in the end they caught him by the armour and held him fast saying Oh our good Lord wherefore is it you pleasure for to leaue vs in so great sorrow and care and to cause your father and mother brethren and friendes alwaies to liue in great heauinesse and griefe What great griefe is this that you haue conceiued which is the occasion that you doe desire the death What greater euill may happen vnto the world than to haue the lacke sustaine the losse of such a knight as thou art Consider our good Lord that if you doe performe this which you saie you will you doe not alonelie loose your life but also your soule for in conclusion it is a desperate death For the loue of God our good Lord let not such things passe once into your thought for that no man in all the world can imagine a thing of a worser determination and héerein you shall also loose both bodie and soule and shall be the occasion of the death of the Emperour Trebatio your father and of the Empresse Briana your mother for as they doe loue you more than themselues they will die with verie anger and griefe when they shall heare of your perdition vnto none it wil be so griouous as vnto the Empresse Claridiana who is the occasion of all this your sorrow What shall we doe vnhappie as we are when that wée shall finde our selues all alone without your companie How can we returne vnto Grecia when that the subiects doth lacke their so greatâ— estéemed Prince With what semblance or countenance can we come in the presence of your Father not daring to declare the losse and death of his sonne Ought not we greatlie to be sorrowfull to thinke how our hearts must be hardned that when your brother and friends shall demaund of newes of you and we knowing the conclusion dare not be so hardie as to vtter it What is he that can suffer so great griefe or dissemble so great sorrow God forbid that euer anie such thing shoulde bée permitted wée will first consent to bée drowned in this déep sea than to returne into Grecia without your companie And if you doe still contend to goe a land on that Iland of the diuellish Fauno we will goe with you and beare you companie for that wée shall thinke our deaths happie to loose them with yours and had rather ioyntly to die with you than to liue one moment in this worlde for to lament and feele the griefe of your death These and many other thinges in effect sayd these good Squires shedding many salt teares for to withdrawe their Lord the knight of the Sunne from his determination but all did profit nothing for although it was great anguish and mortall griefe vnto him for to depart from them yet was he so firme in his determination to accomplish that which he had said that if all the whole world had bene there present for to disswade him yet had they not ben sufficient for to withdrawe him from the doing thereof And therewithall he requested the Mariners to launch out their skiffe on the water But when the Mariners and all those knightes of Candia did vnderstand his determination and sawe how pittiâ—ullie his Squires did wéepe for him they were greatly amazed thereat and thought him to be a desperate knight and one that was wearie of his life that wold giue attempt to so strange aduenture hauing heard the wonderfull thing that the olde Pilot had tolde them of that Iland who beeing there present saw with what determination he wold goe vnto the Iland and with what efficacie he dyd demand the skiffe for to goe a land before them all hée sayde these wordes I greatlie meruaile at you Sir knight hauing heard the wonderfull things that I haue tolde vnto you of this Iland of the diuell and yet you haue so great will to go thether of truth I cannot iudge that it doth procéede of anie strength or couragious heart but of some desperation that you haue with you whereby you doe abhorre your owne life for that stout and couragious Barons doe neuer put their liues in aduenture but whereas they haue hope to get honour and victorie but that man which doth put himselfe there wheras he doth aduenture no other honour but to die the death it may be wel said y â— it is more of desperatioÌ„ than of force or courage What account doe you make of your owne strength I saie if it be equall with that of Hercules that of Thebano yet were it not sufficient to escape from the hands of that possessed Fauno if once you goe a land and it is well knowen that all the people of the Iland coulde not make anie defence against him although there were amongst theÌ„ more than thrée thousand knights besides other common people verie stout and clubbish and yet will you take vpon you alone the enterprise surelie it is a plaine thing to vnderstand that you will kill your selfe for that you will put your selfe in that aduenture whereas it is impossible to saue your life the which is a thing most abhorred before God and this proceedeth onelie of the lacke of wisedome weaknesse and want of patience and to the contrarie each one where wisedome remaineth with equal hart and valiant courage doth suffer all humane troubles not for euerie little trouble doth straight waies abhorre themselues and so from a little euill fall into another far greater What other thing haue you in al this world that maketh a man more to abhore and hate himselfe and his owne life than afflictions and troubles And it is manifest vnto vs as it is spoken by the wise that troubles appertaineth onelie vnto men Likewise that holie and afflicted Iob saith that for trauailes and troubles man was borne but those which haue no patience nor strength for to suffer aduersities thinketh that al things that doth not fal out according vnto their desire and appetite that they haue iust occasion to desire and procure the death and vpon the sodaine they are in such a rage that for euerie light thing they doe not onelie anger themselues against fortune but also against themselues and that which is worst of all they are out of patience with God that dyd create them vsing against him wordes of greate abhomination as though that if God did not all things vnto their willes then doth he them great iniurie but vnto them that bée wise what state so euer God doth send them they accept it in good part if it bée with prosperitie and ioy they
promise vnto me with the precious Quéene Arquirosa is of so great highnesse valour that with iust reason I may thinke that shée will bée the occasion that I shall conclude friendship with you yet God who doth know the secrets of all things I doe take to witnesse that I am not constrained by loue to take you for my friend but onelie your great vertue doth binde me therevnto and this being a meane betwixt vs I saie that this is the greatest friendship that euer I might receiue of anie humane creature this thing which you doe â—ffer vnto me not being of me dâ—serued to giue me so high a damsell and worthie a Princesse to be my wife whom from this time forwards if she be so pleased I do receiue for my Ladie and Mistres likewise I do desire her to conceiue so wel of me to take me for her owne héere I do desire the king Oliueâ—io my Lord to aunswere vnto the rest y â— remaineth I hope in God y â— his answere shall be such as he is bound to giue vnto so excellent a sonne and therewithall Don Siluerio concluded his reasons the king with great contentment with that which he had said but the answere which the king made was in embracing Rosicleer and the Princesse Oliuia with shedding many teares that trickled downe his chéekes with pure loue he said Oh my welbeloued children God forbidde that in mée should raigne so great ingratitude against his soueraigne maiestie and to let you vnderstand and know the great curtesie that he hath shewed vnto me in giuing mée so good fortune as by his owne handes is come vnto me so precious children héere I doe receiue you and I doe loue you and will not haue neither do I looke for anie other contentment in all the world The almightie God doth know and he is a good witnesse therevnto that I came not forth out of great Britaine with so great a multitude of knightes for anie euill will that I had but for to accomplish that wherein I was bound vnto the Prince Don Siluerio and now séeing that he is content and satisfied there remaineth no other thing but let vs goe vnto the Citie of Constantinople whereas I may acknowledge and know the Emperor and Empresse for my brother and sister and aide and helpe him with these few knights that doth remaine When the king had sayd these wordes Rosicleer and the Princesse Oliuia did knéele downe before the king and by force did kisse his hands but the king with words of great loue did cause them to arise embracing them many times and went and embraced the faire Quéene Arquirosa and said I doe now acknowledge that all these things are ordained by the will and disposition of almightie God in that I doe see so excellent a Damsell hath béene reserued and kept and now at this time come hether to the satisfactiâ—n of the Prince Dâ—n Siluerio and I beséech his almightie maiestie to giue you so good fortune as I doe desire for my selfe and therewithall Rosicleer and Don Siluerio did embrace one another from that daie forwards there was betwixt them great loue and friendshippe Therewith came all the rest of the worthie Princes and Knightes such as knew him in great Britaine and talked with him who neuer forgot the greate friendshippe that was betwixt them Lykewise the knighâ—â—s of Spaine for the valiant déedes which they sawe him 〈◊〉 in the battaile as also for the greate fame which 〈…〉 heard of him with excéeding good will came and offered themselues to bée his friends Then hée who had them in great estimation did offer vnto them the like and estéemed them for the most stoutest and valiantest knights that were in all the armie Thus after that they had bene together in these ceremonies receiuing the one the other a good while they all mounted vpon their horses and the princesse Oliuia and the Quéene Arquirosa vpon their palfraies and tooke their waie towards the Citie of Constantinople the Prince Don Siluerio lead the Quéene Aâ—quiâ—osa by the bridle with whom he vsed many loue trickes and amorous discourses and shée likewise answered him with a gallant grace and curteous demeanour giuing thankes vnto almightie God for that so worthie a Prince had gâ—uen him vnto her for to be her husband and receiued great contentment They had not long trauailed in this order towards the Citie but theâ— sawe a farre off come out of the Citie a great companie of gallâ—nt and glistering knightes comming towardes them it was the Emperour â—rebatio accompanied with all his nobles and valiant knightes who beeing aduertised by a Page of Rosicleers of all that passed and of their comming towardes the Citie issued out to méet them and when they came nigh the one vnto the other the king and all those that were with him weâ—e greatlie amazed at the gallant and gentle disposition of the Emperour and of all those worthie Princes and knightes that came with him and sayd that all the flower and worthinesse of knighthood in the world was there ioyned together Then straight waies the Emperour went towardes the king Oliuerio and the one receiued the other with so great loue and with such excéeding courtesie as commonlie is vsed betwixt so high persons and at that instant was there confirmed betwixt them such and so great friendship that neuer after so long as they liued was separated Then the Emperour receiued the other knightes with so gallant grace and demeanour that they all receiued great contentment at the sight of him but most especiallie the king Oliuero that was talking with Bargandel Lyriamandio and the Tartarian Zoilo and the king Alamades who all together went and kissed his handes crauing pardon of all that was passed Then he with great loue did embrace them all pardoning all the rancour and euill will that he had against them and it séemed verie well vnto him in y â— they had shewed themselues so faithfull and had accomplished all that they ought could doe no lesse but beare the like to them againe So from thence they all returned vnto the Citie but when they came vnto the mightie Pallace the king and all those that came with him were in great admiration to sée and behold vpon the fore front of the same all y â— who le Histories of the knight of the Sunne and said that by his figure he resembled verie much Rosicleer which was verie true for that there was no more difference betwixt them but that the knight of the Sunne was somewhat in his face more furious and more fatter of his bodie but of one stature in all other proportions of their bodies were all one and resembled one another verie much so that the remembrance of those valyant and worthie déedes which were there so naturallie set forth vnto them that knew not thereof that it put in them so great admiration that they saide with great reason the knight of the
neither was there any prince in all the whole world that had the like the sight whereof dyd so trouble and amaze her that she was in 〈◊〉 dumpe with great meruaile knew not what to saye neither whether she should reioyce or be sorowfull for that one way she saw plainely that to be the Ilande whereas the knight of the Sunne ariued and an other waye those tokens with the wonderfull things which she hadde heard of that diuelish Fauno did put her in great feare that he was slaine and it séemed vnto her a thing impossible that any humaine creature could bring in subiection so diuelish and misshapen a beast Being in this thought for feare and griefe of the worst she shed so manie teares that they ranne trickling downe her faire chéekes that she was all to be bathed in them so after a while that she had bene there she mounted againe vpon her horse and went forewards but she had not gone farre from that place when as she saw the good horse Cornerino who was loose anâ— at his libertie in the fielde who like a wilde beast came running towardes her like vnto a whirle winde leaping and frisking in the ayre and neighed as though he receiued great ioye and comfort at the companie of the other horse as one that manie dayes before had bene there all alone but when the Princes sawe him and knew him verie well she thought verilie that her heart would haue burst with sorrow where with her eyes burst out with teares and hauing no power to speake one word she sayde with in her selfe Oh good horse how is it that thy maister hath left thy companie surely it cannot be well with him séeing that he hath left thée for thou art so good a péece that thou art to be estéemed of all the Princâ—â— in the world and neither thy maister nor thy selfe doth â—eserue to dwell in deserts But alas what shall I saye I am she that hath bone the occasion of all this and I beséech the soueraigne creator of all the worlde that it fall not out that I am the occasion of his death for if it be so that I haue ben y â— author and chiefe instrument of his death I will also with these my handes be reuenged on my selfe with cruell death and neuer depart from out of this Ilande but make it my sepulture for that one countrie shall possesse the bones of vs bothe so shall we remaine in death together although that cruell Fortune and my euill destinies would not permit and suffer that in our liues we could enioye the one the other In saying these words to her selfe the Princes procured for to take the horse somewhat for to comfort her selfe with his companie for that the knight of the Sunne manie times dyd ryde him but by no meanes she could not doe it for that the horse was fierce and couragious and would not suffer himselfe to be taken of anie other but of his maister the knight of the Sunne whome he dyd visit manie times and fedde diuerse and sundrie times before him in the place whereas he abode This séeing the royall Princes all to be bathed with teares which for her knights sake she shedde passed forwards on her determined iourney but she hadde not trauailed farre when as she came vnto the craggie and hard Rocke that he hadde so cutte and sheuered to péeces but yet such was his force and strength of his arme and the goodnesse of his sworde and vppon the toppe of the same shee sawe where hunge the rich sword of the knight of the Sunne with the scabbard and the hangers which were wrought and embrodered with gold and set with precious stones and knowing it verie well she was at that present more astonied amazed then she was before and comming nigh vnto it she reade that which was written in a plaine place of the same stone but when she had well understoode the effect thereof it cannot be rehearsed what she felt at that time at her heart considering of â—hrée strange meruailous things that was represented there of the knight of the Sunne The one the great loyaltie and reuerence that he had vnto her insomuch that he had stroke her with his swoord yet in the time of that great necessitie he left the same because he would not defile it with any other bloud An other in the great and soueraigne force and courage which he had for to goe fight with that diuelish Fauno without any sword The third in the great and incredible strength which he had for to cut and cleane that cragged and hard Rock sheuering of such greate péeces as verie plainely it might be séene that euerie sheuer was a blow with the sword all the which béeing by her considered the great ioy and pleasure which she should receiue in acknowledging the great loyaltie of her knight was tourned into great anguish and griefe in seing the rewarde he receiued at her hands in recompence of the great loue fidelitie he had borne vnto her And the more greater his wonderfull and excelent déedes séemed to be so much more she waxed penitent and repented her selfe and with so great griefe that it séemâ—d her soule would depart her bodie she saide as followeth OH my verie good friend if you be a liue how dare I presume to come into your presence that in recompence of so great fidelitie and loue which your déedes doe make manifest you had vnto mée and I to haue showed my selfe so cruell and contrarie vnto you And if it be so that you be departed this world what reuenge may I take of my selfe to make it equall vnto the great errour which I haue committed of trueth no other but with this thy sword I will open my entrailes and take out myne owne heart that ioyntly it may remaine in this solitarie and vnfortunate Iland as a signe and token of thy great fidelitie and faithfull good will vnto mée and contrariewise my great crueltie towards thy guiltlesse person and yet this wilbâ— but a small reuenge for so great an euill committed for the death of so high and eâ—cellent a Prince cannot be reuenged by my death In saying these words and other more of great dolour griefe and in shedding great abundance of teares she ouerwept her selfe and was verie desirous to proceede forwards to knowe what was become of the knight of the Sunne leauing the sworde hanging whereas shee found it shée departed from thence and as she trauailed for a great space with a sodaine feare that came ouer her heart in such sorte that all her members shaked that shée coulde not almost go forwardes still misdoubting the successe of the knight of the Sunne Then after a while hauing not trauailed the full quantitie of a mile a great waie before shée came whereas the Fauno was slaine shée sawe from a farre off the great bulke of the monstrous and mis-shapen bodie which seemed to be a great house ouerthrowen
29. AFter that the knight of the Sunne had slaine that diuellish Fauno till such time as the Princesse Claridiana came vnto thé solitarie Ilande there was two moneths betwéene as saith the wise Lyâ—gandeo in which time he passed his life with sorrowes and complaints sighs and sobs all the daie long in the night time to sléepe vpon the hard ground although for to withdrawe himselfe in the time of water and raine and from the heate of the Sunne he made a cottage couered with boughs compassed round about with a fountaine scituated vnder a companie of thick trées this place was a great waie separated from that wheras the â—auno was slaine so that by reason that the Princesse was a foot as yet she was not come vnto that place but in all the time that this good knight was there he neuer eate anie other thing but such wilde 〈◊〉 and rootes as he found in the Iland so that with great hâ—â—â—nesse he did sustaine his liâ—e by which meanes as also for the greâ—t heauinesse and griefe which hee had taken in his heart he was brought verie loâ—â—e wared leaue and 〈◊〉 such sort that whosoeuer had seene him shuld not haue knowen him all the which he 〈◊〉 with great patience and determined in that sorte to ende his daies hâ—e was brought verie weake and feeble and could not long haue â—ndyred if remedie had not come in time neither could 〈…〉 to straight and wearie a 〈…〉 condition and strong of nature There was not in all the Iland anie person for to comfort him neither 〈…〉 thing to recreate his understanding but 〈…〉 which many times came that 〈…〉 him who one waie gaue him some comâ—ort when hee sawe him and another waie he did double his 〈◊〉 in calling to râ—membrance the great and worthie 〈…〉 that he did with him Likewise the 〈◊〉 of his friends turned him to great sorrow as â—he Emperour â—â—cbatio his father and the roiall Empresse 〈◊〉 his mother his good brother Rosicleer and of all the rest of his friends and he found himselfe verie solitarie without their companie but by reason that the griefe was much more which he printed in his heart in considering the misliking and euil loue of the Princesse Claridiana there was nothing sufficient neither that raging and solitarie life which hée suffered for to cause him once to change his minde for to departs from that place for that many times he said vnto himselfe séeing that the Princesse Claridiana desired his death and that she procured to giue it him with her owne handes hée desired to liue no longer in this world at least waies not in place where he might be séene of people Thus in the end of all this time that hée was there it chaunced the finall daie of all his troubles to bée verie hot and soultering and being passed a great parte of the same hée went forth of the cottage whereas hée was and went and put himselfe vnder the shadow of a companie of thicke trées whereas the water of the fountaine passed by with a swift course the place was verie pleasant and delectable and béeing sitten downe vpon the gréene grasse and the pittering leaues vpon those gréene trées béeing moued with a most swéete and peaceable winde ioyntlie with the cleere water of that fountaine running out betwéene the stones made so pleasant and delightfull a noise that the knight of the Sunne being ouerwatched with his continuall care fell asléepe and béeing in this order asléepe lying a longe vpon the gréene hearbes it chaunced to be the verie same daie that the Princesse Claridiana went to séeke him with great sorrowe and griefe because shée could not finde him neither aliue nor dead and by reason that shée went a foote and the daie verie hot shée waxed somewhat wearie for in all the other daie past and in that daie shée neuer ceased séeking of him round about in all partes yet notwithstanding her great wearinesse the greate care that shée had at her heart was the occasion that shée rested not till such time as fortune brought her whereas the knight of the Sunne laie vnder the trées in the shadow all along a sléepe but when shee found him whereas hée laie in that order vppon the ground and knew him there was no humane pleasure that might bée compared vnto that which shée receiued at that instant for shée remained a good space as if it had bene one transported into a new world without anie remembrance and it séemed verilie that it had not bene possible so greate ioy and pleasure should haue entred into her brest although to the contrarie when as she sawe that good knight the flower of all the knighthoode in the worlde to be so leaâ—e and wanne and put into so asper and straight life shee shedde great abundaunce of teares which ranne downe her faire face wherwith she was so bathed that when she came nigh vnto him she remained a pretie while as in contemplation and could not satisfie her selfe in beholding him for although hee was vnarmed and laie along vpon the harde ground yet dyd hée shew forth that soueraigne maiestie and graue semblance wherewith hée was adorned hee was apparelled in a doublet of cloth of golde somewhat worne out and his faire yeolow haire which séemed to bée â—kaines of golde was spread vppon the gréene grasse and his seuere countenance although it were leane and wanne did shew forth the gallant perfection wrought therein by nature For as the wise Lyrgandeo sayth and as it hath beene declared in many places of this Hystorie the proportion of his bodie hée saith that he had a long visage almost a spanae and a halfe long besides his beard which at this time was somewhat growen a broade forehead and bigge eies his eye browes compassing like an arke and almost a hande breadth from point to point his nose was somewhat sharpe a lyttle mouth and his lippes verie redde hee was of a gallant stature which was about eight foâ—te long and is sufficient for a Gyant and all his members so well proportioned that it séemed Nature dyd straine her selfe and indued him with all graces Therefore because hee was so bigge and well made in euerie part with that greate maiestie in his countenaunce as hée laie along vppon the grasse that sure it was a straunge thing to beholde and the Princesse dyd neuer vntil that daie sée him in apparaile that it better please her and giue her greater contentment which was the occasion that shée remained there a good while beholding of him as one greatlie astonished and it séemed vnto her that his shape dyd verie farre surpasse all humane vnderstanding and she sayd within her selfe that God had not created that knight of so good a disposition for to liue in the deserts and how that she deserued all euill for that she was the occasion of his sorrowe and troubles In the meane time that shée thus debated with himselfe the good knight began
to moue himselfe and turned into another place and began to distill from his eies so greate abundaunce of teares that it was a griefe to beholde Then she because she woulde not wake him quicklie withdrew her selfe on the one side and stoode behinde a trée where she tarried to sée what he would doe but could not satisfie her selfe in beholding him and giuing thankes vnto almightie God for that she had found him aliue All this time the good knight was in a dreame and dreamed that the Princesse Clandiana his mistres was come into that Iland and how that she went round about in seeking him and could not finde him and he hauing a desire to goe vnto her procured himselfe to arise but by anie meanes he could not for his strength would not serue him and shee séeing that she could not finde him returned againe vnto the Sea side whereat he receiued so great sorrow and griefe that he wept and shed those teares which the Princesse had séene Likewise it séemed vnto him that she was departed which caused in him so great anguish and griefe that in the end he awaked as one scared and amazed but when he saw it was but a dreame his griefe increased the more tumbâ—ing himselfe from one part vnto another wiâ—h mortall griefe and raging anguish he said Oh loue how is it that thou art new become lesse pittifull and more cruell than anie furie and more stronger and terrible than anie of the elements All things created hath but one kinde of death but against mortal men thou hast so many and so different kinde of torments for to cause them to die as there is difference in the diuersitie of thy thoughts and desires but yet if God were so pleased that some of them might make anâ— end and separate this soule from this my sorrowfull and heauie bodie for that it might be cléere from this outragious and burning fire but this is thy order of crueltie to kill him that is liuing not him that hath time to bewaile his death Let it suffice thée Loue this great disfauour that I haue receiued at thy hands and let it content thée in that I was of the world and now thou hast banished me into this solitarie Iland and doe not now giue mee anie new kindes of tormet in making me beleeue in dreames that the Princesse Claridiana my mistres doeth come to seeke me and to set me at libertie of this exile to the which I am committed How is it possible that shee should haue anie care sorrow or griefe ouer me she lifting vp the sword with her rigorous arme for to kill me and againe so high and soueraigne a Ladie shoulde come and seeke a knight so vnfortunate and abased as I am It may well be said that it is a dreame being a thing so variable and out of all consert and I doe now well vnderstand that it is a new procuration of loue to call vnto my remembraunce setting before mine eies that high and soueraigne glory that after being deceiued and finding my selfe frustrate and not worthie thereof it may be the occasion that my sorrow and griefe maye the more augment But now Loue vse thy will against me and let fortune shew me as much crueltie as she can for that the crueltie of the one nor the tyrannie of the other is sufficient for to make me to leaue off and not for to loue the Empresse Claridiana my Ladie Mistres and louing her for to suffer abide anie kinde of torment whatsoeuer for her sake for that the daie will come that the life shall leaue this mortall bodie the burning fire which continuallie flameth shall cease his furie In saying these wordes the knight of the Sunne expressed so great sorrow throwing from him such profound sighs that the Princesse did verie well vnderstande the greate griefe that he had at his heart and thought it not at that time perillous to giue vpon a sodaine knowledge of her being there for that she could not suffer anie longer to hide her selfe but would put remedie to her euill but yet for that shée would that that pleasure should enter into him by little and little she pulled downe the beaueâ— of her helme in such sort that he could not know her and began to goe towards him making a noise with her going that the knight of the Sunne heard it and looking about to see what it was he was greatlie amazed to sée that knight there a foote and one of a gallant disposition and well armed wher withall he straight waies arose vp vpon his féete and did abide his comming then the Princesse changing her voice all that she could saluted him saying God defend and kéepe thée noble and famous knight for that as I vnderstand and according vnto the things which I haue séene in this Iland you should be the knight of the Sunne who hath slaine the diuellish Fauno So the Lorde increase in you gentilitie and worthinesse Sir Knight he answered truth it is that I am the knight whom you haue named and meruaile greatlie to see you in this place for that many daies past there hath not landed at this Ilande anie other person but I alone I doe verilie beléeue it sayde the Princesse for that this was not a Countrie that anie other should enter in of lesse bountie valiant force than y â— of yours for that there is none other in al the whole world amongst humane creatures but onelie you that was sufficient for to cléere and set at libertie the entrâ—e into this Iland And you shall vnderstand that by the force of a greate storme that wée had at the Sea we were driuen vnto this Ilande and being desirous for to knowe what Countrie it was I came ashore whereas I haue seene so many strange things that so long as I doe liue I shall haue inough to do to tell of the same and I giue great thankes vnto almightie God who hath brought mée hether as well for that I haue séene some parte of your worthinesse as also for to importune and desire you for to leaue this solitarie life which appertaineth vnto brute beasts and to departe from hence turning a new to vse and exercise your armour for that such a worthie Knight as you are shoulde not bée absent from the worlde and héerin you commit great offence against God for that hée hath employed in you so greate bountie and you not to vse it you shall vnderstand that God did not giue it vnto you for your selfe alone but also for to defend and succour all such as hath neede thereof Lykewise it cannot bée without grieuous offending of the almighte God to cause vnto your parents so great sorrow and griefe alonelie for your absence which is no lesse griefe vnto them than the death and for my parte heere I doe aduertise you that if you doe not out of hande departe from hence in my companie that I wil remaine héere with you
she hath not her equall in the world The great sorrow and griefe of my heart said the knight of the Sunne vnto her alone I wold that it were manifest but for that I will not doe so great iniurie vnto so high a damsell aâ— you haue héere mentioned and again because you shall not saie that I lack reason in this which I haue said I giue you to vnderstand of a truth that she is the partie and now seeing y â— I haue tolde you I most heartelie desire you that so long as you do liue you keepe it secret for that séeing I must die for her sake yet I would not for all the worlde that she should be accounted culpable of my death Now wil I giue you to vnderstand said the Princesse that there is remedie put in all this your sorrow and griefe and that your fortune is much better than you did make reckoning of for that I doe know this damsell and am certaine that many daies since she hath trauailed in your demand with greate sorrow and care for to finde you and according vnto the wordes which I heard and the profound sighs which I haue séene her vtter I doe beléeue of certaintie that she doth beare you as much good loue as you doe beare vnto her if it bée so that you haue receiued anie disfauour or discurtesie at her hands it is not vnknowen that ouer much loue many times is the occasion of iealous thoughts conceiued against them whom they loue the which she might well haue in seeing you in companie with some other faire damsell afterward being certefied of your fidelitie repented her selfe and then the loue which before she bare vnto you to be a new redoubled in her for that there is nothing that doth inâ—ame and kindle the amorous hearts so much as dâ—th a false iealousie when that faithfullie they are certefied to the contrarie for then all wrath and anger is turned vnto loue and is the ocsion the more to augment and increase and so it may be now in Claridiana that if so be that you alonelie doe loue her then was it not possible the truth to be hid and now she being repented of that which is past it doth cause her as I haue tolde you to goe in your demand and with no other intent but to aske you pardon for that which is past the which you ought out of hand for to pardon and to go séeke her for that there is nothing more worthie to be pardoned than those errours which are committed by ouer much louing Then he said Ah sir knight tell me I praie you where you did see my Ladie and mistres the Empresse Claridiana and how you doe vnderstand y â— she trauaileth in my demand for that of truth if it be true I wil presentlie depart and go séeke her vnto the worlds end onelie for to sée her wherein there shall bée no man in all the worlde so happie as I. I will tell you how I doe know it said the Empresse for that it is not many daies since that I saw her and if thou wilt that I shal tell thée true not many hours and you shal vnderstand that yesterdaie shée ariued in this Iland in your demand and shée is a aland and not farre from you and I doe beléeue that that is shée that commeth yonder This she sayd pointing with her hand towards one part of the Forrest that waies which shée came Then the knight of the Sunne all amazed and ameruailed as of a thing in mockage and impossible did looke towards that part in the meane time the Princesse pulled her gantlets froÌ„ her white hands and tookeâ—off her helme wherewith all her rubicond haire which séemed to be skaines of golde spread abrode vpon her shoulders of so great length that it reached vnto the ground and shewed forth that faire face with so great strangenesse and maiestie that there was nothing in the worlde that might bée compared therevnto and the more her beautie shewed for that shée was hot in trauailing a foote by reason whereof her coulour was in her face and it séemed in the middest of her white chéeks to be two fragrant red Roses her faire and rowling eies glistered like vnto two verie fine and greate Emerodes glittering with a gréene cléerenesse in so profound wise that in them it might be naturallie sayd whosoeuer did beholde them to bée conuerted into stones for that all humane vnderstanding they did amaze and leaue as astonied But to conclude the soueraigne Princesse in all pointes séemed rather to bée a diuine thing than humane but the knight of the Sunne who with great attention was looking towardes that place whereas shée tolde him that shée was comming had not as yet seene the Princesse in that order till within a while after séeing that hée could sée no bodie comming hée tourned his head about for to aske the Knight where hée hadde séene and lefte her but when he sawe her healme off and knewe her by her fayre face it cannot bée sayde and tolde what that worthie knight at that instant felt within himselfe but remayned wonderfullie amazed and meruailing more than anie man in the worlde without anie power to speake one worde neither mooued hée anie eie lidde but stoode still beholding that seraphicall face out of the which he receiued so many dazeling sightes and glittering cléerenesse as though he had continuallie looked vpon the Sunne in the morning at such time as he spreadeth his golden beames abroade vpon the earth Then the royall Princesse séeing him in that greate perplexitie with the excéeding ioye and pleasure shée receiued clasping him about the necke and embracing him shée sayde Iust true and good knight séeing that I am shée alone that haue committed this errour and hath bene the onely occasion of all this your sorow and griefe I am héere come in presence to make a meanes for the same and to craâ—e pardon at your hands for all that is past for if I haue committed any offence beleue mee it was by the ouermâ—ch loue which I did beare you and your troubles and sorowes hath grieued mée as much and gone as nigh my heart as mine hath bene vnto you in such sort that if God of his infinit mercie and goodnesse had not permitted mée to finde you here of trueth I doe tell you that I would neuer haue departed from hence aliue for that I was determined to ende my dayes leading the most strictest sorowfull life that might be immagined in recompence of my great error In the meane time that the Princes spake these words the knight of the Sunne receiued so great ioye and pleasure in séeing him in the presence of his so desired mistresse that he embrased her excusing himselfe with such amorous swéet words that he thought himselfe transported into an other world and knew not whether he was in heauen or on the earth And comming vnto himselfe after that he had receiued
the Sunne sent to the Princesse Lyndabrides SOueraigne Princesse of Tarâ—â—ria by one of your damsels I receiued a Letter of yours with the which is that I could make manifest by wordes all that I felt at my hart I doe thinke verilie that you woulde holde your selfe for satisfied and not to desire to haue of me more reueÌ„ge for y â— you see my whole hart burne in bright flames and hath not so much libertie as to quench one sparke of that fire Faire princesse do you not beléeue that the loue which you saie I was wont to beare vnto you with the great solempnitie of teares and profound sighes published is forgotten For héere I giue you to vnderstand that it hath hetherto indured and shall indure so-long as life doth last for that it was in such sorte rooted within my heart that first it shall consume into dust and ashes before the rootes thereof bée pulled cleane out I am hee that I was wont to be and in no point altered nor changed vnto that I haue béene before nowe and if you saie that before I was yours so I will now bée yours and yours all the daies of my life and you haue no reason to saie that there is in the world two knights of my name if it were so yet I am he alone that doth loue you and first I wil consent to death rather than anie héerein should beare me companie You doe saie that how is it possible that I should be he that was so dismaid-the first time that I saw you in the triumphant Chariot If it were a thing that you might sée and beholde what I felte and the greate alteration of my heart at such time as I sawe your Damsell onelie for to know the occasion of her comming with greater reason you might saie that you shoulde sée me in a greater confusiâ—n if you sawe mée now in your presence And whereas you doe saie that I had battaile with the Prince Meridian in the defence of your iustice I am now more readier in that quarell to combat with all that are in the world and first I wil consent to bee hewed all to péeces than in one-point to consent vnto your iniurie so that in conclusion high mightie Princesse in all things that shall accomplish your seruice my good will at this time is more prompt than heeretofore it hath béene and the knight of the Sunne you may estéeme him as wholie your owne sauing one thing which I doe reserue from your subiection which is my soule for that is immortall and the soueraigne creator did create it vnto his owne similitude and likenesse the which shall loose his whole price and estate if I doe yéeld it to be yours for to obey your commandement and therin I shall offend the diuine maiesâ—ie what greaâ—er offence may I commit thaÌ„ for to ioyne with you in matrimonie you being a Gentile and I a Christian. And againe you that doe presume to descend from the high originall of the high Gâ—ds vnto whome you shall doe great iniurie if that you doe ioyne issue and bloud with a knght that is contrarie vnto your lawe and profession I doe beléeue that you cannot long time suffer mée to bée your husband neither your vassalls and subiects obey mée for their Lorde for either I shall bée constrained for to turne mée vnto your lawe or else you and all yours vnto my posession All this I had forgotten when that as you doe saie we trauailed together towards the gran Cataia and nothing was the occasion of this forgetfulnesse but that it was so little past that I became a Christian that as then my soule was not well awaked out of that obscure and darke lawe in the which I was deceiued but afterwardes I called my selfe to remembraunce and I giue infinite thankes vnto almightie God that he hath giuen mée such inspiration that if it had not come from him according vnto the great loue which he bore vnto mee I had not ben able for to haue cléered my selfe from you but that néedes I must haue fallen into that perillous snare And by that I doe knowe that the vniuersall creatour of all things of his owne handes created with so greaâ—e exâ—ellencie the royall Princesse Claridâ—ana who for that shee is a myrrour without offending of the diuine maiestie I may receiue her for my spouse and with the sheelde of her beautie I will labour for to defend the encounters of your greate beautie the which is of so great sorce and strength that if I had not so excellent a sheeld there were not in me sufficient force for to make resistance but that néedes I must bée ouercome Therefore soueraigne and worthie Princesse haue patience and thinke because fortune hath bene so aduerse and contrarie vnto our desires and that our destinies woulde not permit the same that the diuine prouidence was not serued therein and as a thing that was neither conuenient for you nor mée hée woulde not consent nor giue that in this our purpose our willes shoulde bée accomplished You saie that you write to me briefe for that you will not write to me with anger wherein I receiue great curtesie for that being as I am so much yours it should grieue mée verie much that you should speake against me wordes of greate cholar And in that which you doe saie that whereas loue doth lack your brief reasons wil séeme vnto me prolixious and that you knowe to all thinges I will make my eares deafe if it were a thing possible without preiudiee for to open these my entrailes for to shew vnto you my heart wherein you might plainlie sée how you are deceiued for that there is nothing in all the world that doth delight mée more than in the receit of your Letter and in reading of the same so that if it were a thing possible I would it should neuer conclude You doe conclude in your Letter that you neuer will depart out of Crecia till such time as you haue of mée reuengement I would verie faine know in what order you would haue it because I would excute it my selfe and if it bée your pleasure and commandement that I put my self in your power giue me straight waies to vnderstand thereof and I will be as readie to obey as you for to command mée and I do not much estéeme that loue if you thinke that with my death you should remaine satisfied with the which I conclude kissing your emperiall hands The knight of the Sunne In the meane time that this faire Princesse was reading the Letter she shed so many teares from her faire eies that she was all to be sprinkled therwith and when the had concluded the reading thereof all her members failed her and her heart was ouercome her amorous passions were more kindled with the louing wordes that he wrote vnto her But when she saw cléerelie that the knight of the Sun did discouer the loue that he bare vnto
thâ—â— more and better then if all the knights in his court had spoken and sworne it And as a thing verified to be most true the King commaunded the Quéene that straight wayes she should deliuer vnto the Duke the faire Polisena for that she had chosen him to be her husband Now sir knights I pray you iudge what the gentle Lusiano might féele in his heart who found himself present at all that passed and had more conâ—â—dence in the loue and loyaltie of the Dutches then of the credit of those knights with great payne did suffer that reproch for that he would not discouer the secret betwéene them But when that he vnderstoode that which the king had commaunded he as then could not suffer it any longer but put himselfe before the king and said Lord and soueraine here I doe saie that all which the Duke Roberto and these knights hath saide against the Dutches of Austria is the greatest treason and falsehood that euer was sayde or inuented For that that shée is my legittimate spouse and she neuer gaue her faith neither her loue vnto any other knight in all her life but vnto mée and this will I proue vpon the Duke or vpon any of these thrée knights This Prince had â—â—arce concluded these words when that the Duke and these thrée knights layde hand vpon their swords against him and he dyd the like against them so that there had bene done great harme if that the king had not put himselfe betwixt them and parted themâ— commaunded that either of them should kéepe his house and not to come abrode Then the king being verie desirous to knowe whether it were true or not which the Prince Lusiano had said commaunded that the Dutches should be brought before him and asked her if that the Prince Lusiano were her husband or not Then she séeing that it was not at that time to kéepe it in silence sayde that it was true that he was her spouse and none other When the king vnderstoode that he commaunded that the Dutchesse should bée put prisoner in a strong tower beléeuing verilie that shée had made her selfe sure and giuen her word vnto both of them and the great good will which shée bare vnto Lusiano was the occasion that shee did falsifie and denie that which shée had promised vnto the Duke Roberâ—o and for that hee would cléere this doubt by iustice he gaue straight waies sentence that the Duke and the thrée knightes that were his witnesses should maintaine and defend that which they had spoken and sworne and that Lusiano and the Dutchesse should in the space of one moneth bring knightes such that vpon their iust quarrell shoulde take and make combat with them in this sorte that if those which are of the Dukes partie doe get the victorie that then the Dutchesse should bée his and straight waies to bee deliuered vnto him and to the contrarie if the Prince and â—is knightes doe get the victorie that then the beautifull and faire Polisena should be his the which sentence being declared vnto them they were all consent therewith for that the Duke thought that in all the whole world there were not to be found foure knights that against him and his companions were able to wage battaile And Lusiano hoping in his iustice as much as in his strength presupposed the victorie to be on his part but alasse Fortune hath fallen out cleane contrarie vnto his expectation for that this is the last daie of the moneth and in all this time he could neuer finde anie knight that durst take his part in the battaile one waie for that the other foure knightes were commended to bée so strong and valiant and féared of all others and other waies for that they thought of a truth that the Duke Roberto had reason for that it was verified and affirmed by thrée knights of so great credit so that now the Prince séeing himselfe al alone is determined all alone to goe forth vnto thâ— battaile this daie against those foure knights for that first he wil suffer himselfe to be slaine rather than to sée the faire Polisena deliuered into the power of the Duke so that this euening the battaile shall be tried the which cannot otherwise bée but that the gentle Lusiano must be slaine whose death vnto all people will be verie grieuous and he shall not bée so soone slaine when that the Dutchesse will kill her selfe with her owne hands for so she is determined to doe if that in the meane time God doth not ordaine some remedie for the same This is the occasion gentle knights of all this my great sorow which causeth me to come forth into these fields and high waies making my cries vnto the heauens and because I doo know the truth héereof better than anie other I cannot suffer to abide in the Citie to sée before my eies slain such two persons by a treason so manifest euill but come to sée if that in this short space I could méete with anie knight that wold haue compassion on them and now séeing God hath permitted that I haue met with two such knights as you doe séeme to bée héere I doe desire you by the great obligation in the which you bound your selues at such time as you receiued the order of knighthood that you would take compassion of that gentle knight Lusiano and of that sorrowfull and afflicted Ladie the Dutches if it so fall out that you shew them anie curtesie they be persons that will verie well gratifie the same and because you shall be fullie certefied of their iustice héere I doe sweare vnto you by that God that created and made both heauen and earth and afterwards by his death and passion dyd redéeme vs that all this which I haue told you is the verie truth of all that hath passed and againe the more to certefie you héerein you haue néed of no other thing but to beholde the ill fauoured face and barbarous countenance of the Duke and the gâ—eat beutie of Polisena whereby you may iudge the great vnlikelihood y â— the dutches should treate of loue with him in secret When the damsell had concluded the whole discourse of this treason the two knightes who were replenished with all vertue were moued vnto great compassion and gaue thankes vnto almightie God that he had brought them thether at that instant and thought it long till they saw themselues in battaile with the Duke and said vnto the damsel that they would goe with her and take 〈◊〉 with Lusiano for to defend his right towards the Dutches. And shée who verie well noted their gentle dispositions and the great riches of their armor by the which she was fullie perswaded with her selfe that they were knights of great estimation that her trauaile and comming thether was well emploied for that there was some hope by their aide on the parte of Lusiano much better than to battaile alone for the which she asked
aboue their heades readie for to strike them that shoulde giue the attempt for to enter in at the doore and had so furious and fierce semblaunce that they caused great feare in all them that did beholde them and aboue ouer the doore were written Letters which seemed to be of golde which afterwardes were read by those worthie Princes who were meruailouslie amazed in beholding that straunge and wonderfull worke and looking for the Coch wherein the faire Princesse was carried they saw it of so great height that it was equall with the Clowdes and within a little while after in the sight of them all the two Dragons descended downe out of the aire and lighted vppon the Tâ—wer who ioyntlie with the Coch consumed into the Tower and could not anie more bée séene Whereat all that were there present meruailed greatlie and for that they knew not what it should meane they requested the two wise men Lyrgandeo and Artemidoro to tell them who answered them to nothing but said Let vs go reade the writings that are vpon the gates and then afterwardes they wold declare vnto them the whole circumstance of that remaineth Then straight waies the two Emperours with those worthie Princes and knights descended out of the pallace into the Court when they came vnto the gates of the tower they saw in thrée parts written in Gréeke letters on each side one and in the middest the third which was as followeth The first sayd This is the disloiall tower into the which let none attempt the entrie except his heart be voide of all loue for if he doe you shall vnderstand that the first Porters will defend the entrie The second sayd Heere within is the precious Princesse of the Scitas who aboue all other Ladies in her time doth deserue to bee Ladie of this tower shall not goe forth of the â—ame till such time as commeth a knight who with his great force and strength shal conquere the entrie and mount into the tower and conclude this aduenture And the third said He had neede of great force and strength that is able to comprehend to see the great meruailes of this tower When that these writinges were read they were all greatlie amazed but the wise Lyrgandeo séeing them in that dumpe said My Lordes héere is nothing to be mused at but if it bée your pleasures that the faire Princesse Lyndabrides shall come forth of this tower it is conuenient that you proue this aduenture for it is a thing without remedie and not to be spoken off that she shall not come forth héereof till such time as all things bée accomplished according as these writings haue declared and héere I doe saie vnto you that so farre as I doe or can vndersâ—and by this aduenture that long time shall passe before anie shall come for to finish the same although on the part of the Princesse there shall no time bée lost for that shée shall goe forth out of the Tower according vnto nature of the same age that shée is now of although shée remaineth there one hundreth yéeres and in all this time shée shall not want anie thing but of all ioy pleasure and pastime shée shall haue vnto her contentment for that the Quéene Iulia knowing what should happen and come to passe héereafter for the good will and seruice that shée dyd owe vnto the Princesse her Ladie and mistres dyd ordaine this aduenture the which will fall out more for her honour and glorie But when the wise man had concluded his wordes it grieued much the Emperour Alycandro for that hée loued the Princesse verie much and doubted whether he shoulde liue so long as to sée the deliuerie of his Daughter The like care receiued the valiant and worthie Prince Meridian her Brother The like griefe receiued all the rest of the whole crue that were there present for that they loued her verie much for her great valour and desert but in especiall it grieued the knight of the Sunne as of one that to forget her néeded the processe of a long time yea and the trauaile vnto the mount Olympus and if it had not béene that there was in his presence his welbeloued and royall Princesse Claridiana hée would haue detracted no time but haue béene the first to haue giuen the attempt to proue that aduenture of the Tower but for that hée woulde not giue anie suspition of that which he felt in his heart he brideled his affection and desire till time some other knights went and armed themselues and proued the entrie of the Tower as shall bée declared vnto you in the next Chapter following How the valiant and worthie Princes did proue the aduenture of the disloiall tower and what happened of the successe thereof Chapter 49. WHen the knightes beganne to come forth armed for to proue that aduenture of the disloiall Tower straight waies the Emperor Trebatio and all those high Princes and knightes went put themselues at the windowes of that mightie pallace The lyke did the Empresse Briana with the rest of those principall Ladies and Damselles for to sée what should be done with those knights in y â— attempt of y â— tower The first knight that came into that Court was that valiant and worthie Prince Lyriamandro brother vnto the Empresse â—riana who was armed with guilt armour set full of rich stones and alighting from his horse with his sworde drawen in his hand he went towardes the gate of the tower without receiuing anie feare or dreade at the furious and fierce countenaunce of the two Gyantes but as one whose amorous effects towardes the faire Princesse Rodasilua dyd make him more couragious and bolde But yet nothing might bée more contrarie vnto him as now it happened than for to see the secretes of this faire Tower for that as he woulde haue put his foote vppon the thresholde before he was within one of these Images discharged vppon him a terrible blowe with such force that it astonied him and ouerthrew him to the ground without the gate that he seemed to be dead Whereat they all meruailed greatlie as well at the mightie blowe which the Gyant stroke as to see the Prince in that perplexitie but quicklie their feare that they hadde of the Prince was quieted for that so some as they had pulled off his healme and gaue him aire he came againe vnto himselfe and was as well as he was before but hauing no will to approue the attempt anie more he withdrew himselfe It was not long after when that his good friend Bargandel came forth into the place who as one that loued with all his heart the faire Princesse Rodasilua did no more in that aâ—tempt than the prince Liâ—iamandro for that at the first blow of the Image he was ouerthroweÌ„ to the ground without the gate so that it was verie wel vnderstood by them all according vnto the letters that was written how y â— these two knights were amorous which was the