hong on the highest of the shield his horse apperceiuing a fayre fountaine running at the foote of the mountaine amongst a sort of trees and being a thirst of his daily trauell stole away from vnder his master to goe drinke wherewithall Alector fell downe with his naked sword in his hand and the shteld after him And at the same instant he might heare a great laughter of one who mocked him with open throate Whereby thinking that there had béen some body hid there about who with laughing had mocked him at his fal he sodainly arose put the shield about his neck and the sworde in his hand as he was of nature cholerik enough and proude and as glorious of sodaine rising as shamefull of his fall with a fierce and long voyce sayde what art thou that laughest and mockest me in secret as though it were at a lubber for being falne not of féeblenes or ill attempt but by the stealing away of my horse who hild me vp Laugh not nor mock not but onely come and showe thy selfe in place and thou shalt be very highly mounted if I lay thee not a long more rudely than I my selfe am falne At these words the other began to laugh more louder than before wherewithall Alector being more moued how commeth it to passe quoth hee that there is such mockers in this countrie Ah villainous mockers coward and ouer hardy thou laughest and darest not showe thy selfe but I will finde thee well enough and guard thee well from laughing And so ful of impatient indignation he went searching frō one part to another this faire laugher who so much more continued and when Alector was in one place hee might heare him laugh in another right against him and when hée went the other it seemed that he laughed on the other side so as this inuisible laughter caused him with hot fury to run here and there from one side to another dispising threatning prouoking and beating the bushes and brakes with great strokes of his sword laid on in vaine through dispitefull wrath vntill such time as the night ouertooke him being very black and obscure Wherefore Alector being wearied and trauelled with running and turning with casting and flinging of his strokes in vaine as also with hunger and thirst which he had suffered a great while apperceiuing the obscure night to approach and fearing to lose his horse bethought him to leaue his laughter doing him no other harme neuertheles threatning and assuring him that the next day hee would finde him and make him change his laugbing into weeping whereat this ridiculous spirit as he was began yet more louder to laugh and in good earnest for Alector was well guarded that night from finding his laughter the next day Seeing therefore that he profited nothing in tormenting himselfe to seeke after him he tooke a Hare which he had stroken and flaine in a bush thinking that it was his mocker and by the cléerenes of the scabbard of his sword made of the Adders skin as I haue declared before he followed the trace of his horse towards the mountaines while he came to the tuft of trees where he found his horse laide in the grasse vp to the belly eating and reposing himselfe by a fayre and cléere fountaine issuing from the foote of the mountaine Then his choler being passed he said that his horse after his kinde was wiser than himselfe who after his labor tooke rest and food whereas he trauailed in vaine and hunger Wherefore his sword put vp into his scabbard and the shield which so much pleased him put about his neck and the thongs very straight knit and locked for feare of loosing it he toke his Hare flead panched her then washed his hands in the spring and dranke for with chafing himselfe with choler and trauell hee was very thirsty and so hauing pulled his Hare in peeces eate the flesh rawe which was no nouels to him somuch as he pleased and til he was satiscted then went hée againe to drinke to wash his mouth hands and face with the cleere water of the fountaine and being thus refreshed hee laid him down vpon his shield by his horse where being wearie with daylie trauaile he fell into a profound sleepe The apparition by night of the great black Knight challenging his shield of Alector what the Knight was and of the talke passed betweene them and how this black Knight carried Alector away in the ayre towards his Father at Tangut and let him fall laughing CAP. XX. TOwards midnight as Alector was in his most prosound sleepe him thought hee heard a fearefull voyce which in frightful wise said vnto him Alector thou theefe theese Alector and sacrileger restore me my shield which thou hast taken and strooken downe from the violated Trophie against all right and after for recompence hast sought to beate me with the strokes of the sword restore it me I bid thee At these words Alector wakened with fright and arose in haste and so hee might apperceiue before him a great black and fierce Knight with a pale visage like one who had beene dead long time before yet neuertheles one foote and armed in all parts with some of those armes which hee had seene the day before vpon the Trophie saue only that he wanted a shield Which great black Knight said to him againe thus Alector theefe sacrileger and periured thou hast robbed mee of my shield polluted violated the sacred Trophie and thou being none other than an Esquire against the vow of nobilitie hast taken armes against me who am or haue been a Knight seeking with all thy power to kill mee yea thou hast flaine and which is worse eaten one of my companions of housh old and now doost thou think to escape thus with thy rape and sacrilegious theft Restore mee my shield Alector vnderstanding himselfe thus iniured not in his beard for beard as yet had he none sauing that of flesh and blood but in his face and visage was merueilously chafed in his skin yet neuertheles waighing the reasons of the black Knight which soemed to him not vnreasonable like a youth well taught as he was answered him thus I haue not stolne the shield but haue taken it openly as a thing publickly abandoned of all men in the open sight of all men which would haue beholden me yea of the laugher who mocked at my fal and after hid himself I knowe not whether it were thine owne or not for if I knew But well I am no sacrileger at the least wittingly for I neuer knew til now what a Trophie was neither whether it were sacred or prophane truth it is I haue taken the shield because it séemed to mee fayre and necessary for mee and my body hanging there vnprofitably vpō an old trée the which notwithstanding I am ready to render to him to whome it shal be shown me iustly to appertaine otherwise not for it fitteth me well And to say that I haue falsified
the stone and hardlie on either side by reason of he two angles which came out of the Hemicicle which defēded him in so much he had not to defēd himself against his Enemies but onelie before which hee did so brauelie and with so youthfull corage and with so hot and boyling a bloud that hee neither thought of nor feared the perill being emboulded with the vertue of the shield which he carried rauished from the Trophe against the spirite of hardines See the whole processe of this in the 19. Cap. Withall which forces being garnished he enstalled himselfe in the midds of his crying enemies farre more fearing than approching nere him like a wilde Bore grounded and set in the wood against an infinite companie of doggs earnestlie but farre off baying yalping houling and crying amongst whome if any one begle ouer yong and foeble presumeth to assaile him in his furie and heate incontinent with his crooked and furious tusks hee setteth his gutts into the winde and his life into the ayre giuing example and feare to all the rest whose nature is that the one being hurt the others runne awaie Euen so were they in great multitudes about Alector crying threatning and dispiting him but not ouer passing the bodies of them who lay slaine before them Neuerthelesse the number still increasing he founde himselfe so charged with stones bullets and bars of wood with shafts arrowes and darts that if the Goddesse of health her selfe would haue salued him shee could not And therewithall issewed out of the pallace a yong maide of singuler beautie and of more soueraigne grace and this was the faire Noëmia Gratian sister germaine to the three brothers Gratians the one slaine and the other two fighting for reuenge children of the wiseman Euander Gratian and of the noble Ladie Agathagine the chiefe and auncient house of the Orbitains This yong maide who in truth was the Mistresse of Alector seeing her most dere friend in the middest of his mortall enemies brought to that stall of bucherie and so many staues and arrowes flying vpon him that hardly shee could see him vnder his shielde more replenished with arrowes then the back of a hedgehog with bristells could no longer stay her selfe but moued by a furious rage of loue setting a side all virginicall shame al maidenly feare and al honor of her noble blood exceeding the pastianimitie of her feminine kinde with more than a manlike heart ran through the mortall weapons of her brothers and parents assaylants vnto her friend the defendor of his owne life and the honour of them both She being vncorfed with her haires hanging downe faire like Phoebus beames with her visage sad and bedewed with teares neuertheles replenished with hardnes graue constancie her faire bodie being more white then the statues of the Graces of Alablaster which were there set vp and illuminated amids the white with a natural viue incarnat couered only with her petticote vnlaced and cast ouer with a light cloake of white damaske put her selfe betweene the two parties turning towards her friends and their adherents with a hardie and boldened voice shee began her speach as followeth My dere brethren and you my Parents and friends I beséech you cease your shooting stay your strokes and listen a while to me The assault which you make here vpon this faire young valiant and vertuous Gentleman whom you knowe not is either for the loue of mee your Sister and kinswoman or els for hate and reuenge of him your offendor as you suppose It is either for the one or the other or els for both by reasō of a certen sinister suspition which ought rather to be taken vp and concealed than notoriously discouered If it bee for the loue of me I beseech you for my sake to pardon Alector his life honour and libertie to whome as you your selues can tell I owe both life libertie and honour whereby he being once dead it is impossible for me to liue besides this in dooing him wrong with the vile vice of ingratitude contrarie to your nature and the surname of your house you shall violate the holie right of hospitalitie killing your guest in your owne house whom heartelie and worthilie you haue thereinto receiued and entertained And if the violence which you do him is to reuenge any fore-fault or offence of youth either of his or mine you ought rather to conceale than reueale it If you require vengeance for it take it of mee which am cause of the euill if any euill bee and vpon my bodie and heart for his vertue vowed vnto him to whom I shall be a pauoys and bulwark of defence that willingly spared not himselfe for me yea and am as readie and willing to receiue for him your shot and mortall blowes as new I goe to couer and imbrace him This spoken the faier and gratious Noëmia with bodie and armes cast herselfe vpon the worthie Squire Alector imbracing him straightlie kissing him tenderlie and hanging about his neck most louinglie their faces and breasts ioyned together which both of them had naked and couering al her body against the force of his assailants Which thing her brethren and parents perceiuing and hauing vnderstoode both her praier and protestation together naturall pittie and parentage mouing them began alreadie to retire and lay aside their armes when a wretch and cursed springall who long time had pursewed the loue of Noëmia and could neuer come to one onely smiling looke turning his sweete into sower and his loue and desire into disdaine and dispite with the great cherishing which he sawe her showe to Alector purposed to slay them both at once wherefore seeing his oportunitie he let fly an arrowe fethered with light inconstancie and hedded with a hed of cruell anger tempored with the venym of ielousie thinking to dispatch them both at one instant but the cursed arrowe lighting in the right side of Noëmia passed through her bodie whereby of a soddaine her beautifull flesh smock and cloke of white damaske changed their snowie hewe into a vermillion collour and the Damosell feeling her inwarde deadly wound pirtifullie cried out Alas I am wounded to the death for you my friende Alector briefe hath been the pleasure of our loues and sad the departure The flower of my beautie and youth is as soone vaded againe as the morning rose plucked vp and withered at night But the death is somuch lesse grieuous vnto mee in that I am slaine by sauing you from that mortall stroke and in that I die betweene your armes my deere friend leauing to you therefore the reuenge At these words her speach failed her and her eyes closing she inclined her mouth vpon the face of Alector who thinking to ease her pulled out the wicked arrowe but with drawing it out her life with her bloud departed and this not long before so faire and gratious a creature fell downe dead at the feete of her friend Alector so sad and so inraged with
trembling hollow and deadlie voyce neuertheles incelligible pronounced these verses following The Pallaices and Sisters three aloft in haughtie towre I late haue seen beldameke that ther hath built her bowr Aboue the which consists a place wheras those blessed wights Remain who haue in faith troth taken their chief delights But I as one deseruing not so high for to aspire Because deceit and lying both haue been my whole desire Am iudged to the depth For why as yet I neuer told The truth till now yet gainst my will it is you may be bold For I must dy desprate death you know I may waile Must needes descend beneath the tower Lo thus my speach doth faile This said the head in hideous tourning shutting the téeth and closing the eyes sodainly waxed pale and died and the bodie by and by stretching foorth it selfe with pulling in the veynes fell downe flat dead vpon the plaine of the red and black Marble Then was accomplished which was presaged by the two fatall Sisters Calendre Clarence at the birth of this childe Desalethes These verses pronounced were heard and vnderstood of al the assistance set downe in writing or retained by heart of manie specially of me who kéepe them yet in memorie in such sort as I haue recited them Hereupon was the publique Clerke commaunded to mount vp to the scarfold of Must-dy and looke on the Marble stone what markes signes or letters the dead bodie had made with his finger and bloud The Clearke going vp found vpon the white Marble a bloudie writing of ten verses saying thus as hee pronounced them with a loud voyce I haue both tast and toucht by tombling ouer deepe The pangs of endlesse paines which being thick steepe Belowe the Tower round haue their foundation fast Whereas those wicked wights in prison strong arecast Who nein word ne deed haue taken ought delight But haue the sacred truth repugnd with all their might And for so much as I haue vsed all my life To sowe the seede of lies of discord wrath and strife By iudgement t is decreed and vnto you be it knowen That corpes head foorthwith into that gulph be throwen This writing thus pronounced and vnderstood all the Assistants were of the aduice that this sentence should bee put in effect albeit that they remayned verie hashfull of these nouels neuer before vnderstood of them either of the round Tower of the thrée Sisters of the olde Dame or of the obscure and déepe prison whereof we vnderstand not as yet the substance Notwithstanding the executioner being sent for and commanded by the Magistrate tooke the dead and hideous head and drewe the bodie with an yron hooke vnto the déepe pit whereof before we haue spoken and threwe them both therein from the depth whereof was presently heard a fearfull and lamentable crie as it were of innumerable persons gréenously wayling and desperately howling And therupon this depth closed in such firmnesse that there remained no apparance either of Tower trembling or opening of earth onely there appeared all plaine aboue the earth and no brute was anie more heard but euerie one by reason of the astonishment remained in pleasant silence and the Sunne began most brightfully to display his beames and thereafter ensued a right faire cleare and beautifull day which before had been darkened with thicke mystes blacke clowds and rainie weather Beholde the Historie wherein I haue made thée a verie long and peraduencure enuious digression quoth the Archier to Franc-Gal which hath onely béen to confirme thy saying verie likely to be true and by the vearses aforesaid agreeing with thy rehearsall to confirme the talke which thou hast begun of the immensall Tower of the three Stages of the three fatall Sisters of their auncient mother Anange resident in the highest thereof and of the low and blacke Prisons vnder the foundation of the same Which talke as thou hast begun I pray thee goe on forwards and make an ende thereof if it please thee For I haue great desire to heare thy discourse to the ende to see if thereby I might vnderstand the substaunce of the vearses which I haue recited to thee which me seemeth to bee verie much agreeing with thy forerehearsed narration I am content quoth Franc-Gall but let vs rise and â—olowe on our way and in going I will make an ende of the residue therof to render thee part of the pleasure which I haue receiued of thine which hath seemed neither long nor wearisome but rather most delectable for the meruailes which thou hast recited therein which are verie conformable vnto my discourse whereby I hope they shall be more lightened and expounded wherefore let vs rise and be going So these two wise men arose and forgetting not their armes baggage bowe quiuer bottle cup and napkin after they had once againe regarded the miraculous statues vpon the Tombe and wished rest to the spirites of the bodies there lying left the sepulcher and betooke them to their former way and first talke Franc-Gall thus continuing the same Of the auncient Ladie Anange of her great authoritie and puissance of the offices of the three fatall Sisters Cleronome Zodore and Termaine and of the cierges which they administer to the Pilgrimes comming to the Soueraigne Temple CAP. 12. IN the top of which great round towre was a comble in the fashion of a round lanterne so cléere as the bright day with windowes on euerie side in such sort that it had prospect euerie way there within was resident a great Ladie right ancient and of most redoubted authoritie hauing soueraigne puissance vpon all that is below her and casting her viewe ouer all whereby only accordingly as she stretched foorth or retired raised or abased her aspect of vniuersal conduct she aduanced or arrested drew vp or put downe both men and all humane affaires submitted to her without hindrance of anie who can by no meanes resist her neither she contrariwise doo otherwise than she dooth and for that cause she is called Anange because of necessitie al things must be as she hath ordeined and not otherwise not that she dooth anie thing with force violence or extortion either to nature or reason but because all things are gouerned by her onely regard and reduced to the final and right point of her eternall ordinance from which she suffereth nothing to diuert but incontinently causeth it ineuitably to returne So great is the authoritie and puisance of this auncient Ladie Anange and so did I sée her in the highest of the Tower when the white bird as I told you before drewe my spirite from me with a kisse and eleuated the same vnto the height thereof This ancient Ladie hath thrée fatal daughters named as it hath béen shewed Cleronome Zodore and Termaine resident below their mother in thrée inferiour stages of the Tower neuerthelesse both néere and passable the one to the other there it was their dutie to receiue the
more certain than that within foure daies I shall depart from thée for so it is necessarie aswell for me as for the rest of the world to circuite which the things therein conteined I haue an immutable desire as also to accomplish a certain vow of pilgrimage that I haue made to the soueraign temple which I neuer saw neither know where to finde but I haue vowed it behooueth me to doo it neither will I cease trauelling till I haue found it Why then quoth she lead me with you leaue me not here desolate in danger of beasts men almost wild more dangerous than sauage beasts who séeing me imperfect of humane nature finishing in forme of a Serpent enemie to humane kinde will kill or burne me as a monster and with mee the fruite which is come of your séede in my wombe euen your Sonne as yet vnperfectly formed of whom the vaticinations haue promised so great things that onely might moue me to accept perpetuall companie with you in your farre voyages My great friend Priscaraxe quoth I if I shuld condiscend to your request made by simplicitie and ignorance of things and that I should accord to your demaund in leading you with me truly vnder colour of friendship and humanitie I should be a most cruell and vnnaturall enemie to you put you your child and mine to the hazard of cruell death For how long the wayes be how intollerable the trauells how fearefull the dangers truly your tender age and weake kinde can hardly gesse besides that according to the forme which you haue you are not able to trauell without legs on the land nor ride on my horse Hippopotame on the waters For aboue all his nature is that he carrieth no female kinde but he casteth and drowneth it and all the charge therewith so should you giue annoyance to your selfe to me mine and put vs all in mortall perill Wherefore it is necessarie that you remaine here in peace and sure rest where before my departure I wil cause you to haue not onely assurance of your honor and life but also authoritie and reuerence to your person And esteeme not your selfe abandoned of me seeing that of my proper blood as you assure me I leaue you another Me that is the child engendred by me in you who shall vnlesse my augurie deceiue me be valiant hardie and liverall and therefore so soone as he is borne if percase I be absent cause him to be named Alector For he is engendred vnder my Planet and shal be borne of the daughter of Phoebus in his plaine flower extract out of the serpents egge which is your bodie hauing the forme of a Basilisq that is to say Royall And so shall be accomplished the dreame which I phantasied when I found my selfe first embraced of you Wherefore leauing you a childe of my bodie you ought not to thinke me wholly seperated frō you Besides that be you assured that so soone as I haue atchieued an ende of my Peregrination which shall bee so soone as possibly I may I wil returne againe to you with great ioy and so I promise you by the faith of an honest man and of a true friend And in signe of this faith promised I giue and leaue you this ring of golde empaled with a most fine flaming Carbuncle giuing light in darknesse whose nature by composition and casting in worke vnder this Syderation is such that if I be prisoner or locked in anie straight it will become pale like the light of a raynie Sunne if I be sick it wil be heauie like lead if I be dead it will wholly lose the splendor and become blacke like a dead coale but if I be in libertie and in health it will hold his viue colour shining as presently you sée it Of al which effects the signification is written in these words Tant que viuray Wherefore my most dearly beloued I leaue you and giue you this ring for assurance and gage of my faith as the Ring is a proper Symbole of loue and faith praying you in this confidence and sure hope of my return for the loue of me to kéepe and often to behold it with curious inspection of my behauiour And this said I put the ring vpon her finger kissed her which she receiued both graciously and amiably but with abundance of vnfained heartie teares neuerthelesse somewhat consolated vppon hope of my faithfull promised returne shee appeased and comforted her selfe Now during the while that I tarried with her I passed away my time principally in two things the one was to get from the mountaines rocks and caues such dispersed and wandring men women children as for feare of the Cataclysme were fled for sauegard vnto the high places where they were become barbarous and almost sauage Whome neuerthelesse by sweete language and some good deedes I drew vnto me in the plaine field caused them to taste the fruites of the earth chiefly of grapes which at that time wer ripe for it was about the time of Autumne and ensigned him how to plant and dresse the vineyards to mollifie them and to draw the sweete liquor of wine from them thereof gaue them to taste which they found merueilous good and delicate the like did I of other fruites of the earth as of wheat and other séedes For before they liued with acornes and flesh like wilde bores wolues rauening beasts yea some liued with mans flesh and dranke nothing but simple water or els the milk of beasts which alreadie they knewe well to feede in the pastures of the mountaines Likewise I taught them to cut and felwood to square stones to temper fat earth and therewithall to builde houses and villages along the water side for their dwellings and sure defence of their persons and cattell against the iniurie of raine winde and stormes and against the violence of sauage beasts and to assemble themselues by nombers in redoubtable defence against those fierce and sauage creatures exhorting them to ciuil and honest companie to mutuall aide and not one to outrage and harme another to chastize and punish those who hurt one another by common accord and for the executing of Iustice to constitute a wise Gouernour ouer them to whom al with one consent shall beare reuerence as alreadie they had done to me All which things they willingly tooke and learned like men who are fellowlike creatures and easie to be disciplined and thus they assembled in great numbers round about my lodging along the faire Riuer of Tanais bearing honour and obedience to me The other part of my pleasure and daily pastime was to tame manie wilde horses which in that Region are excellent and to exercise my selfe in hunting and shooting whereby I slewe great numbers of Beares Bulls Buffles wilde Bores Harts Lyons Panthers rauening Wolues Pardalides Mustells Powle catts and other beasts of most faire and soft skin whereof there was great numbers and caused them
vpon the coast of fruite full Aquitaine And of thy seede shall come the first of all those worthie wights Which after to the house of Lux shall giue their shining lights By twelue faire signes so shalt thou liue in perfect rest and peace Till at the length through curious care who will not seeme to cease Because thereof thou takest name to cast her eye aside And that disclose which thou hast sought with al thy care to hide And when those secrets thine shall be disclosd in mornefull wise Thou shalt depart that sappie soyle pearcing the heauens with cries Still loosing more more the forme and figure of thy Syre And shalt vnto thy Mothers shape thy selfe at once retire Now therefore get thee to thy house see thou looke not backe With carefull eye keepe thou thy child that nought he seem to lack And if thou wouldest learne his name that doth these things discrie Knowe that it is olde Protëus which neuer yet made lye These diuine verses pronounced quoth Franc-Gal continuing his purpose the old man plunged himselfe to the bottome of the Sea with his troupe of Sea calues so that nothing remained to be séene but the troubled superficialitie of the water and this paper of the barke of a white Phylire trée swimming to the shore which was taken vp and kept and afterwards sent to mee written in such verses as thou hast heard After then that this prophecie was pronounced and vnderstood the knights who were about the Quéene and had séene heard vnderstood and kept the prognostication of Protëus â—ame towards her to comfort her and leade her in with all the people consolating her and so two or those knights tooke her by the armes to comfort lead her away So they returned backe the Quéene Priscaraxe sliding so easily vpon her serpenticall taile being hidden and couered vnder her long trained gowne that her going séemed diuine yea like the Gods who go without moouing féete or knées the rather because she was so well apparailed richly decked and crowned with this illustrate crowne that it made her to shine like the daughter of Phoebus And when they were come to the Pallaice which I had caused to bee begun and well aduanced the Quéen Priscaraxe hauing sent away the multitude populare who had folowed her in admiration reuerence thanking them of their paines retired into her lodging and all the people into their houses and cabins But the 24. knights made their habitation the honestest that they could round about the Palaice royal to be alwaies readie at the coÌ„mandement of the Quéen who for honour and for pledge of their fidelities towards her tooke 12. yong boyes and 12. yong maides of the children of the 24. knights of either of them one to her seruice whom she caused to be clothed and decked with faire skins and precious iewels which I had left her gouerning and maintaining her self in such sort that she was beloued and honored of all And the popular people of all their fruits milch cattle venisons foule fish and to be briefe of all that they got by proy or conquest would giue her the first presents likewise did the Gentlemen knights who aboue all things honored and serued her and made her to be feared of her subiects by their ordinarie exercises of armes cheualrie which they vsed euerie day before her Pallaice continuing and encreasing better and better The Quéene in the meane season became greater and greater insomuch that at the ende of eight moneths being one night a bed in her secret chaÌ„ber all alone as one who for her lower parts kept her self the most couert that might be so as therwas none but two damsels onely the one called Piste and the other Siope that were priuie to her serpents form the anguishes and paines of childbirth came vpon her where after long fluxions of great dolour she brought forth a great lumpe in the figure of a long round egge farre excéeding in bignes the egge of an Ostrich of substance skinnie white cleare and shining like a transpiercing christall so as with in she might behold a most faire childe swimming in cleare water whereof this massie lumpe was full and the childe wound and wrapped vp in the midde thereof Which the mother séeing knewe not what to doo either to breake this lumpe to take out the naked childe which she long desired and whereunto motherly loue sollicited her or els to leaue it whole for feare of hurting the fruit within it which mortall feare forbad her Wherefore at length she concluded to let nature worke and for that cause she kept it alwayes in naturall heate neare to her bodie and naked flesh and in the most hot and couert places in the night shée put it in her bed and in the day vnder her furres vntill the end of nine dayes that in holding it betwéene the palmes of her hands which are of most temperate heate and warming it with her breath beholding still the enclosed sodainely it began to vnfould the members stretching out the bodie armes and legges and to turne round in such sort that it brake the shell wherein it was enclosed and so came foorth into the hands of the mother who receiued with great ioy this child twise borne crying in the infants voyce for the new sent of the ayre at the voyce whereof the two familiar damosels Piste and Siope came in who tooke it and washed it with water and wine luke warme and being once washed it appeared so faire as it was merueilous to behold so white as snowe with frizled haires as yellow as gold the bodie great and strong as it were of the age of three yeares strayning it self and incontinently going alone and which is more it began to laugh and play with the damosels and so soone as it saw the Sunne it lift vp the head and eyes in knowledge of his mothers Syre and saluted it by and by with loud voyce but somewhat lisping in singing these words I salute thee Whereat the Quéene and damsels began to laugh hartely although they were verie much abashed thereat the rather for that hee was borne booted with buskins of siluered skales and spurred with gilded spurs in token that he should be a magnanimious knight And it is verie like that for so much as he was borne with such armes that nature for not hurting the body of his mother had prouided this shelly vessell to emlose him withall Who after he was clensed hée was brought and rendred to his mother who receiued him with great ioy and remembring the name which his father had ordeyned called him after this maner Alector faire child the Soueraigne encrease in thée vertue honor liberalitie hardines and prowesse for of beautie thou hast not fayled and therewithall shée kissed him right tenderly The Childe as it were vnderstanding her voyce began right gratiously to smile and by a swéete laughter began to acknowledge his mother who caused to call
which merueillously pleased them aswel for the brightnes of the burnished yron flaming like the sonne as also for the sound and clattering of the harnesse and for the beautie of the helmets and shields painted and guilded But if there were no man to whome these habillements of such hard and impenetrable yron and of such refulgent splendor séemed braue yet was Alector cleane rauished with admiration in such sort that forgetting all wantonnes and loue he desired nothing more than to be made Knight to the end he might weare such warlike habits and see himselfe once armed and mounted on horseback garnished with shielde and speare as for a sworde he could haue no fairer nor better than that which I had sent him In these thoughts and desires Alector beheld the Knights being al armed in white and to proue their spurres began to prick their horses who being not long before sauage neuer accustomed to bee tickled in that order began to runne with the bridle betwéene their teeth to fling and leape so rudely that a man could sée nothing in the Meadowe but Knights abated to the earth and vnbridled horses running through the field Notwithstanding they mounted agame and pricking their horses more moderatly accustomed them by little and little to the spurre and bridle So Iusted they certaine houres and fought with swords hatchers of armes and clubs bauing most great pleasure to heare their hard armor so to sound and to giue one another such great blowes without burt Thus Iusting and fighting a space for their exercises euerie one went to disarrue himselfe and afterwards came all to supper into the pallate where the Queene made them right good and ioyfull chéere And after much talke at supper held of mee of my liveralitie towards them and of the beautie and bountie of the armes wherewithall I had garnished them in whose brighenes they beheld their valour as Ladies doo their beauties in Christall glasses vppon sure confidence therein they enterprised and expedition to goe make Warre vppon the monsterous and fearce beasts kéeping their Caues in the Mount Imaus who from day to day issuing out of their hollowe rockes spoyled their cattell and destroyed their flockes and from thence to passe the foresaid mount of Imaus to fight with the Giants of India who oftentimes accustomed to enter vpon their marshes and to rauish their fayre wiues and children And vpon this concluded deliberation which afterwards was accomplished euerie one retyred himselfe to rest But Alector who had gotten the flea in his eare with the desire which he had to be made Knight and to beare fayre white harnesse could not sléepe for the gneying of horses the bruit of armour the clattering and brusing of lances and the blowes and strokes of swords which hee thought alwaies to heare awakened him vncessantly neither did hee ought but studie whether hee might depart before day without taking leaue of his mother to goe séeke out Franc-Gal his Father whose renowme pricked him forward more than any other thing but consioering on the other side that it should bee villanie and dishonour to himselfe and griefe to the Quéene his carefull Mother Motherlie pittie and naturall honestie willed him to demand lycence of her which hee hoped his intent considered should not be deuied him and vpon this resolution hee slept till the morning which being come he spéedily arose and appareled himselfe and so came against the rising of the Quéene to giue her the Boniour and in humble reuerence presenting himselfe to her on his knées hée began his pretended suite in this manner Madam the birds of Heauen holding of the elementarie purenesse of the ayre and resenting in part somewhat of the celestiall diuinitie following nature the surest guide as by experience I haue seene doo couer and nourish in their nests their young ones during the time that they be small naked vnfethered and not able flie but when they be great puissant and able to defend and saue themselues from other birds of pray and that they be once fledge and fethered sufficiently to beare and eleuate their bodies in the ayre then doo they disnest them and after they haue taught them to slye about their nest they leade them euery day further and further finally at length let them flie without way or trace through the emptie séeming field of the ayre at their voluntary pleasure and fréely abandon them with as little thought by assurance of their greatnesse as before they had care and affection of their smalnes by reason of their infirmitie and so send them at aduenture albeit they sée the immensall space in the ayre of a 1000. wayes vnmarked and without signe or token as the earth is and neuer hope either their returne reuision or reknowledge Yea and when as yet they would not leaue their nests but liue idly therein like Cokoes their parents beate them with their wings gripe them with their clawes and nib them with their bills vntill such time as they haue chased them by force out of their nests wherein no bird of good fught ought or wil remaine after it be flegde sufficiciently fethered to rise in the ayre this I haue spoken Madam and to aduance my selfe further to speake in your honorable presence youthfull shame motherly reuerence and childish feare doo defend me but I knowe your wisdome to be so great that you vnderstand well enought whereto my spéeches doo tend Then the Quéene Priscaraxe who by an occult and ingenious prudence giuen her by Phoebus her Syre knewe what he would haue saide by the only opening of his mouth and who was not ignorant that by this gentle figure of the bird her dere Sonne Alector demanded of her priuie leaue to go search strange aduentures and Franc-Gal his Father could not abstaine from shedding foorth grosse ceares in harkening too and beholding her Sonne speaking on his knées before her vnder such humble and figuratrue spéech of the bird not daring openly to discouer the request of his desire which sufficiently hee declared vnder the image of the birds which brought the Quéene in memory of a dreame which she had the night before wherein it seemed to her that her little sparrow which in delices she had nourished so tame that it would flye round about the house reasonable farre off but so soone as shee called it it would at her call returne and come to her fist and in her sleepe she had seene it soddainely to become a right faire and great bird of braue and diuers plumage with a face of horne a bearde of flesh neck and legs like to a Griphon breasted like a Lyon and sighted like to an Eagle which departed from her further and further and would not returne for all the calling shee could make but flew so farre and so high that shee lost altogether the sight thereof Moreouer there appeared to her in vision that shee lost three other in a cage to goe séeke this and through great desire to
declaring vnto him that by no meanes hee ought to striue against the iudgement of the Potentate of Orbe which also by any humame force hee could not praying him to haue patience and good hope in the bountie and reuelation of the Soueraigne God Ioua by faith in whome hee assured him that Alector shoud depart conquerer who in the meane while fought valiently with his monstrous enemie and hauing vnderstoode the crie of Franc-Gal and apperceiuing the shield with the sunne knew that his father was there present who with all his force would haue helpt him whereby his courage encreased and his forces redoubled by the presence of his genitor to whome hee cried My Lorde my Father trouble not your selfe neither haue doubt of me but assure your selfe that within a while I will come to salute and imbrace you being once victorious of this wicked beast in the meane while your onely presence and sight shall be my sufficient ayde This hardie and confident speach hild Franc-Gal aboue other things neuerthelesse trembling like a leafe at euery assault the serpent made who was aboue thréescore foot in length and a yard in greatnes about with a profound throate and gaping Who séeing himselfe frustrate of his purpose and that his inuasions were imployed in vaine by reason of the legeritie and swift turning of the vigorous Alector was chafed in his colde nature and so prouoked that his throate was all swolne with horrible venyin which hee had gathered together through spightful anger that he found resistance in one onelie man Wherefore hée wound himselfe into a great roule and soddainely by plunging out himselfe hee would assayle Alector who readily leaping aside lent him great blowes ouerthwart the bodie and giuing him many wounds but not déepe enough by reason of the hardnes of his seales wherewithall hée raised the Sand. Neuerthelesse once hée rouled vp his long tayle so impetuously wherewithall hée whipped Alector who tooke not good heede of it with a blow so violent that hée stroke him to the ground and soddainely turned his head and great throat to haue deuoured him Then Franc-Gal was out of countenance his spirit was troubled and his knées fayled him likewise all the people became sad estéeming Alector for ouercome and lost but the couragious Champion séeing the deadly throat of his enemie open ouer him with his right hand gaue him such a prick that hee made a déepe wound in his throat whereout did spring black bloud and thick red venym in great aboundance and with his left hand couered himselfe with his shield The furious serpent perceiuing in the shield the figure of a goloē Cock highly eleuated which naturally he feareth smelling withall the sauor of the scabberd which was made of the skin of a kinde of Serpent what with suddaine feare and with the paine he felt of the wound in his throate he quickly retired himself in such sort that the gentle champion had leasure to rise pursue his enemy who fearing the shield the Liberian scabbard the poynt of the sword which he had felt to the quick would not cast himselfe vnaduisedly vpon Alector but began to play againe with his tayle to strike him to the ground But Alector who once had bin stung therewith before tooke better héed euery time that the serpēt stroke at him with his taile hee would nimbly spring vp into the ayre in such sort that his strokes were imployed in vaine vpon the sands which caused this dragonlike monster to chafe in his fury and with great ire turned his head toward Alector who still put before him the shield which he knew to be a feare vnto him and for that hee sawe that the blowes of his sworde would but little preuaile vpō his hard skin he thrust the steely poynt of his good sword so firmely into his scales that it ran so déep in pierced so rudely as Alector could not pluck it out againe the serpent being a beast of merueilous force in turning himselfe with a strong pluck snatched it out of his hand Then new feare assailed Franc-Gal al the beholders losing the short ioy which they had receiued of the two wounds made in the throate back of the serpent where at bloud venym issued most aboundantly for that they knew not whether they were deadly or not they remained doubtful betwixt feare and hope In the meane while the serpēt being impatiēt of his dolorous griefe which he felt turned his head towards his back and biting with his toeth the hilts of the sworde whose point sticking fast gréeued him so much plucked at it and with force of anger so wrong it alwaies widening tearing the wound that at the length he pluckt it out and cast it on the sands not without great losse of the most part of his téeth And then perceiuing his enemy vnarmed he cast himself furiously vpō him Alector not hauing any thing wherewith to defend him presented him his shield remembring the arrow which hee had stuck at his girdle pulled it out readily and placed it so betwéen the iawes of this wicked beast that he could not shut his téeth to gripe the arme of Alector for the more he stroue with it the faster it stuck moreouer he found himself grieuously offended with the body of the arrow which made of Asse being an Alexit herian wood and naturally contrary to the serpents kinde Wherupon this monstrous dragon retired in wreathing himselfe horribly through the great dolor anguish which he felt not only of the wounds arrow but also of the wood therof being wholy against his nature kind for the plucking out whereof he had neither féet nor hands wherefore he thrust into his mouth the end of his taile which auailed him nothing being ouer féeble and hauing lost his force by reason the seale of his back was broken Whereupon this monster finding himselfe thus wounded ouercharged with the wood and head of the shaft contrary to his kinde affeabled of his force and his aduersary nere at hand carrying the Cocke and scabbard where were so fearefull vnto him and who againe had recoueted his sword would no more assaile him but retyring himself by turning and wreathing as fast as it was possible for him sought to enter againe into his Cloaque which hee could not spéedily doo because the breaking of his back hindred his former legeritie whereby he thought to haue entred his hoale the which Alector séeing and knowing his great aduantage by the crye and brute of the beholders ioyfully clapping their hands got before and cut off the way to this flying monster by turnning his head with great stroakes of his sword vpō his iawes and on his taile when he began to resist him with it so strongly and so often that by little and little the Serpent began to ware so feeble and his fiercenes so to diminish that not able longer to hurt he sought wholly to slye In such sort that
him vntill the head corps entrailes flesh bones and sinewes were cleane consumed into stinking ashes together with the murthering arrow Such was the diuine vengeance that fell vpon the traitor and enuious paricide Coracton wherewithall the people were astonished in feare and terror of the great vertue and more than humaine puissance supernaturally giuen to this young Esquire who forthwith was taken by the Potentate Diocles accompanied with all the Assessours Magistrats and Lords of the towne and led into the chiefest place of the Theatre wher with Croniel the pontifical Archier was Franc-Gal so rauished with ioy for the health victorie of his sonne Alector that he was beyond himself not knowing whether hee were man or spirit quick or dead sensible or vnsensible And neuertheles his son Alector came before al the multitude saluted him with humble reuerence childly cherefulnes saying vnto him My most honorable Lord father thanks be vnto the soueraigne that beyond al my hope in spight of the rauishing trāsport of the wicked spirits we are againe assembled vnited together and so shal continue if God please who hath vouchsafed to grant me a sight of you after so long a depart you to finde me after so long vncertain a search which I verily beleeue you haue made Franc-Gal vnderstāding his sonn answered him thus Alector my most dere child the soueraigae God Ioua increase thee with vertue hardines honor Then beholding his shield and eleuating his eyes to heauen began againe his speach saying Thanks be vnto the Soueraigne and to thée most high sonne for that before my departure out of this mortall life which shal be very soone wherein I haue liued nine ages more I sée before me my most déere Sonne Alector borne of my Lady Priscaraxe Quéene of Tartary and haue seen his first prowesse promises of farre greater in tune to come with his first honors done vnto him in a strange countrey yea that amongst his enemies such as had vowed his mortall destruction my child I pray the soueraign Ioue that the order of knighthood may bee giuen thee by some valiant and magnificall man for of me thou hast fayled the receining therof when as thou shalthaue receiued it perseuer to honour Soueraigne Ioue and to giue him praises euerie houre both day and night Lift vp thy spirit and eyes towards heauen from whence thou hast taken original and thy courage to high enterprises hardines prowesse honour alwaies accompanie thee vertue freedom and liberalitie neuer abandon thee be freend to the good an enemie reuenger to the wicked My Sonne the hand of the most puissant most great and most good God blesse thee and my fatherly blessing take thou in a good houre Saying this he put his hand vpon the head of his sonne and then adressing his speach to the Croniell Archier hee said thus I likewise thanke thee most vertuous Archier for thy faithfull conduct honest company and of thy good and veritable foretellings which haue consolated me and giuen me to vnderstand that the end of my perigrination is at hand and that shortly the vaticination of Proteus shall bee accomplished I haue liued and perfected the course which nature hath giuen me To be briefe my great Image shall goe vnder the earth and the flame of my Cierge remount vp to Heauen from whence it came cause my departure to be signified to my faith full companions who are at the next port with my Hippopotame but aboue al send word into Tartary to the Queene Priscaraxe to let her vnderstand of my departure to the end she stay no longer for mee Croniell promised him to accomplish his request if the mortal thing should chance to happen which seemed to him neither to bee ready nor nere at hand considering at that present hee was both in perfect health and bigor In the meane while the Magistrates lords multitude with great silence beheld these two persons strangers the father and the sonne in great admiratiō of their heroycal comelines and equall and like beautie according to the difference of their ages together with their excellent magnanimities valiant facts and aduenturous déedes and of their fortunate encountrie and mutuall knowledge the one of the other in that place of the Theatre in such sort that either without speach or mouing vniuersally they held their immutable eyes vpon Franc-Gal and Alector Then Croniel the Archier sayd Yee men of Orbe who vpon these 2. strange men doo cast your view in great admiration know yee that our Soueraigne God Ioua hath sent them into these regions frō far Septentrional countries for the publique health of our citie and destruction of our domestical and internall enemie whom you your selues and in your presence haue séene slaine and discomfited by the sonne of this wise man who likewise before hath deliuered the woods and fields round about vs from the danger of the terrible Centaure whom he slew and deliuered the fayre Noëmia from his hands which afterwards was the occasion of the scandale that now hath turned to our great common good for therewith we are bound to him and owe the greatest and chiefest honor and praise next vnto God To whome first of all let vs goe and render thanks in his temple where we wil deuise further with what prise of honor wee shall acknowledge the merit of this young man Al the people general answered hereto So be it Of the thanks giuing in the Temple the publique praise the prize of honour assigned with the ciuill crowne giuen to Alector Of the death of Franc-Gal the lamentation for him his elenation and translation of the losse of Hippopotame and of the bird sent away as a messenger CAP. Vlt. AT these words the Archier betwéene the Father and the Sonne went right to the temple whereto hée was followed of the Potentate Magistrats Lords and the greater part of the people And being come thether there were set on the highest degree before the altar thrée chayres In the middlemost the Archier tooke his place in the two others Franc-Gal and Alector were placed and the Potentate with the other Lords counsellors and other Magistrates betooke them to their accustomed seats This done all of them following the example of their Bishop bowed their knées and enclined their heads in silent prayer and thanks giuing and afterwards rising vp at the suite and imitation of their Priest Croniell and his ministers with the founds of all forts of instruments according with the voyce in harmenious Musick they sung this song following Thanks be to Ioue our great and Soueraigne Lord Who hath vs brought out of these mortall dangers Honor and praise we people him afford That hath vs saued by the hands of strangers O blessed spirits and sacred Angels bright Vouchsafe now to present before his throne Our gratefull psalme and song of sweet delight Acknowledging that through his grace alone The worthie child and Sonne of vertuous syre