the staine of my desires for I sweare by the christall Towers of Heauen either to accomplish my intent or put thée vnto the cruelâ—est death that euer was deuised for anye damsell or maide at which wordes the most sorrowfull and disstressed Uirgin with a shewer of Pearled teares trickling downe her seemely blushing cheekes replyed in this order Thinke not false Traytor quoth she that feare of death shall cause me to yéeld to thy filthy desires no no I will accompt that stroak ten times happy and more welcome to my soule then the ioyes of wedlocke then might I walke in the Elizian fields amongst those dames that dyed true virgins and liue to behold the budde of my maydens glory withered with the nypping frostes of thy vnnaturall desires These wordes being well vnderstoode by the lustfull knight who with a countenance more furious then the sauage Lyons in the Deserts of Libia tooke her by the slender waste and rigorously dasht her body against the ground and therewithall spake these words Understand sâ—id he and be well perswaded thou vnrelenting damsell that either liuing or dead I will performe my will and pretended purpose for in my hart there burnes a fire that all the water in the Seas can neuer quench nor all the driâ—â—ing clouds of heauen if they should drop eternal shewers of raine but it is the water of thy swéet Uirginity that must quench my furious burning loue and thereupon in a madnes he cut off a great part of the traine of her gowne and bound it very fast to the hayre of her head which glistered like to golden wyers and dragâ—d her vp and downe the groue till the gréene grasse turned to a purple color with the bloud that issued from her body by which crueltie he thought to inforce her to hys pleasure but she respecting not his wicked crueltie and the more he procured to torment her the more earnestly she defended her honor When this cruell and inhumaine monster saw that neither his flattering spéeches nor his cruell threates were of sufficiencie to preuaile hee beganne to forget all faith and loyaltie he ought vnto the honor of Knighthood and the respect he should beare vnto women kinde but blâ—sphemed against heauen and tearing her cloathes al to peeces hee stripped her starke naked and with the haynes of the bridle of his horse he cruelly whipped and scurged her white and tender bacâ—e that it was full of blewe spoâ—tes and horrible circles of blacke and settled bloud with such extreame crueltie that it was a very gréeuous and sorrowfull sight to behold And yet this did profite him nothing at all for she continued in her former râ—solution He seeing that she still perseuerd in the defence of her honor he straight waies like a bloudy monster heaped crueltie vpon câ—uâ—ltie then he tooke and bound her wel prâ—portioned legs and christeline armes gréeuously vnto a withered trée saying Oh cruel and more cruell then any woman in all the world hath euer béene why dost then suffer thy selfe to bee thus tormented and not gâ—ue consâ—nt to procure my ease Dost thou thinke it better to indure this marterdome then to liue a moste louing swéete and contented life and therewithall his anger so increased that he stood staring on her face with his accuâ—sed eyes fixed in such sort that he could not withdraw them backe The which being perceiued by this distressed Uirgin as one farre more desirous of death then of life with a furious voyce she said Oh thou traitor thou wicked monster thou vtter enemy to all humanitie thou shamelesse creature more cruell then the Lyons in the desertes of Hercania thou staine of Knighthood and the blondiest wretch that euer nature framed in the worlde wherein dost thou contemplate thus thy self thou fleshly butcher thou vâ—mercifull Tyger thou letcherous hogge and dishonorer of thy progenâ—e make an end I say of these my torments for it is now too late to repent thee gore my vnspotted brest with thy bloudy weapon and send my soule into the bossome of Diâ—na whome I behold sitting in the celestiall pallace of heauen accompanied with numberles troops of vestal Uirgins ready to entertaine my bleeding goast into her glorious Mansion This vnpitifull knight séeing the stedfastnesse that she had in the defence of her honor with a cruell and infernall heart he tooke a silken scarfe which the Damsell had girded at her waste and with a brutall anger doubled it about her necke and pinched it so straight that her soule departed from her teresticall body O you valiant Knights that by your Prowes comes to the reading of this dismal Tragidy and comes to the hearing of these bloudy lines contained in this golden booke consider the great constancie and chastitie of this vnfortunate maiden and let the griefe thereof mooue you to take vengeance of this crueltie shewed without any desert So when this infernall minded Knight sawe that shée was dead he tooke his horse and rode after his company and in a short time he ouer tooke them and looked with so furious and Irefull a countenance that there was none durst be so hardy to aske him where my daughter was but one of his Squiers that bore me great affection for the kindnes and curtesie I ostended to him at his Ladyes and my daughters nuptials hauing a suspition by the great alteration that appeared in his Master and being very desirous to know what was become of the damsell for that he came alone without bringing the Damsell with him neyther could he haue any sight of her he then presently withdraw himselfe backe and followed the footings of the horse hee ceased not vntill hee came to the place where this crueltie was wrought whereas he found the maiden dead at the vewe whereof he remained almost beside himselfe in such sorte that hee had almost fallen to the ground The sorrowfull Squire remained a good while before he could speake but at last when he came againe to himselfe he began with a dolorous complaint crying out against the gods and fortune because they had suffered so great a crueltie to be committed vpon this damsell And making this sorrowfull lamentation he vnloosed her from the trée and layd her naked body vppon part of her apparell the which hee found lying by all besmear'd in blood and afterwarde complained in this pitifull sort O cruell Knight quoth he what an infernall hart remained in thy brest or what hellish furie did beare thee company that thy hands hath committed this inhumane sacrifice was it not sufficient that this her surmounted beauty might haue moued thée to pitty when it is of power to moue the bloody Camibal to remorse and constraine the sauage monsters to relent so with these and other like sorrowfull words that the wofull Squire spake vnto the dead corpes he cut downe branches from the trées and gathered grasse from the ground for to couer the body and left it lying so that it séemed to be a mountaine
armor and to search about the Castle to sée if hee might finde the place that harbored the Knight that made such sorrowfull lamentation So going vp and downe she by corners of the Castle all the latter part of the night without finding the aduenture of this strange voice or disturbance by any other meanes but that he was hindred from his naturall and quiet sléepes but by the breake of day when the darke night bâ—gan to withdraw her sable curtaines and to giue Aurora libertie to explayne her purple brightnesse he entred into a foure square parlor hunge rounde about with blacke cloth and other mournfull habiliments where on the one side of the same he sawe a tombe all couered likewise with blacke and vppon it there lay a man with a pale colour who at certaine times gaue moste meruelous and gréeuous sighes caused by the burning flames that procéeded from vnder the tombe being such that it séemed that his body therewith should bee conuerted into coales the flame thereof was so stincking that it made Saint George somewhat to retyre himselfe from the place where hee sawe that horrible and fearefull spectacle He which lay vpon the tombe casting his eyes aside espied Saint George and knowing him to be a humane creature with an inflicted voyce he said Who art thou Sir Knight that art come into this place of sorrow where nothing is heard but clamors of feare and terror But tell me said Saint George who art thou that with so much griefe dast demaund of me that which I stand in doubt to reueale to thée I am the King of Babilon answered hee which without all consideration with my cruell hand did pearce through the white and dilicate brest of my beloued daughter woe be to me and woe vnto my soule therefore for shee at once did pay her offence by death but I a most mizerable wretch with many tormentes doe dye lyuing When this worthy Champion Saint George was about to answere him he saw come foorth from vnder the tombe a damsell who had her hayre of a yellow and wan colour hanging downe about her shoulders and by her face she séemed that she should be verie strangely afflicted with tormentes and with a sorrowfull voyce shee said Oh vnfortunate Knight what doest thou séeke in this infernall lodging where cannot be giuen thée any other pleasure but mortall torment and there is but one thing that can cleare thée from them and this cannot be tolde thée by any other but by me yet I will not expresse it except thou wilt graunt mee one thing that I will aske of thée The English Champion that with a sad countenaunce stood beholding of the sorrowful damsel and being greatly amazed at the sight which he had séene answered and said The Gods which are gouernours of my liberty wil doe their pleasures but touching the graunt of thy request I neuer denied any lawfull thing to either Lady or Gentle woman but with all my power and strength I was ready to fulfill the same therefore demaunde what thy pleasure is for I am readie in all thinges that toucheth thy remedie And with that the damsell threw her selfe into that sepulcher and with a gréeuous voice she said Nowe moste curteous Knight performe thy promise strike but thrée stroakes vpon this fatall tombe and thou shalt deliuer vs from a world of mizeries and likewise make an ende of our continuall torments Then the inuincible knight replyed in this order whether you be humane creatures said he plaâ—st in this sepulcher by inchauntment or furies raisd from fiery Acheron to worke my confusion or no I know not and there is so little truth in this infernall Castle that I stand in doubt whether I may beléeue thy words or not but yet discourse vnto me the truth of all your passed fortunes and by what â—â—anes you were brought into this place and as I am a true Christian Knight and one that fights in the quarrell of Christ I vow to accomplish whatsoeuer lyeth in my power Then the Damsel began with a gréeuous and sorrowfull lamentation to declare as strange a tragedie as euer was told And lying in the fatall Sepulcher vnséene of Saint George that stood leaning his backe agaynst the wall to heare her discourse and lamentable Storie with a hollow voice like a murthered Ladie whose bléeding soule as yet did féele the terrible stroke at her death shée repeated this pittifull tale following CHAP. XI Of a tragicall Discourse pronounced by a Ladie in a Toombe and hovv her Inchauntment vvas finished by saint George vvith other straunge accidents that hapned to the other Christian Knights IN famous Babylon somtimes reigned a King although a Heathen yet adorned with noble and vertuous customes and had onely one Daughter that was verie faire whose name was Angelica humble wise and chast who was beloued of a mightie Duke a man man wonderfull cunning in the Blacke arte This Magitian had a seuere graue countenance and one that for wisedome better deserued y e gouernment than anie other in the kingdome and was verie well estéemed throughout all Babylon almost equally with the king for the which there ingendred in the kings heart a secret rancour and hatred towards him Thys Magitian cast his loue vppon the yong Princesse Angelica and it was the Gods will that shee should repaye him wyth the same affection so that both theyr hearts beeing wounded with loue the one to the other in such sorte that the fire kindled dayly more and more and neither of them had any other imagination but onelye to loue and not knowing how to manifest their griefes they indured sundry great passions Then loue which continually séeketh occasions did on a time set before this Magician a wayting maid of Angelicaes named Fidela the which thing séemed to be wrought by the immortall power of the Goddesse Venus oh what feare this Magitian was in to discouer vnto her all his heart and to bewray the secrets of his louesicke soule but in the end by the great industrie and diligence of the waighting Maid whose name was answerable vnto her minde there was order giuen that these two louers shuld méete together This faire Angelica for that she could not at her ease enioy her true Louer she did determine to leaue her own naturall Countrey and Father and with this intention being one night with her Loue she cast her armes about his necke and said Oh my swéete and welbeloued Frend séeing that the soueraigne Gods haue béen so kinde to me as to haue my heart linked in thy breast let me not finde in thée ingratitude for that I cannot passe my time except continually I enioye thy sight and doo not muse my Lord at these my words for the entyre loue that I beare to you dooth constraine me to make it manifest And this beléeue of a certaintie that if thy sight be absent from mée it will bée an occasion that my heart will lacke his vitall recreation
to me to climbe vppe to the highest toppe of heauen as to perswade my minde to yeeld to the fulfilling of your requests The pure and chast Goddesse Diana that sittes nowe crownde amongst the golden starres in heauen will reuenge my periured promise if I yéeld to your desires for I haue long since deepely vowed to spende my daies in this religious house in the honour of her diety and not to yéelde the flower of my virginity to any one which vow I will not infringe for all the Maiesty of Roome you know braue champions that in time the watery droppes will mollify the hardest Diamond and time may weede out this deepe roote and impression from my heart Therfore I request of you by the honour of true knighthood and by the loues you beare vnto your natiue countreyes to graunt me the liberty of seauen daies that I may at full consider with my heart before I giue an answere to your demaunds and to the intent that I may make some publike sacrifice as well to appease the wrath which the chast Goddesse Diana may conceaue against me as to satisfie mine owne soule for not fulfilling my vowe These wordes being no sooner ended but the champions incontinently without any more delay ioyfully consented and moreouer profered themselues to bee all present at the same sacrifice and so departed from the Monastery with excéeding great comfort The champions being gone Lucina called togither all the rest of the Nuns and declared to them the whole discourse of her assailment where after amongst this religious company with the help of some other of their approued friends they deuised a most strange sacrifice which hath since been the occasion that so many inhumaine and bloudy sacrifices hath bin committed The next morning after sixe daies were finished no sooner did bright Phoebus shew his goldeÌ„ beames abroad but the Nunnes began to prepare all thinges in readines for the sacrifice for directly before the doore of the Monestary they hyred cunning workmen to erect a scaffold all very richly couered with cloth of golde and vpon the scaffold about the middle therof was placed a faire table couered also with a Carpet of cloth of golde and vppon it a chafingdish of coales burning all this beeing set in good order the Emperor with the Christian Champions and many other Roman knights being present to beholde the cerimonious sacrifice who little mistrusting the dolefull tragedie that after hapned The assemblie béeing silent there was straightwayes heard a swéete and hermonious sound of Clarions and Trumpets and sundrie other kind of Instrumentes these entred first vppon the scaffolde and next vnto them were brought seauen Rammes all adorned with fine white woole more softe in féeling then Arabian silke with huge and mightie cragged hornes bound about with garlands of flowers after them followed a certaine number of Nunnes attyred in blacke vestures singing their accustomed songes in the honor of Diana after them followed an auncient Matrone drawne in a Chariot by foure comly virgins bringing in her handes the Image of Diana and on either side of her two auncient Nunnes of great estimation each of them bearing in their handes rich vessels of golde full of most precious and swéete wines then after all this came the beautifull Lucina apparelled with a rich Roabe of estate beeing of a great and inestimable value Thus cerimoniously they ascended the scaffold where the Matrone placed the Image of Diana behinde the chafingdish of coales that was there burning the rest of the Nunnes continued still singing their songs and drinking of the precious wines that was brought in the golden vessell this being done they all at once brought lowe the necks of the Rams by cutting their throates whose bloods they sprinckled round about the scaffold and opened their bowelles and burned their inward partes in the chafingdish of coales Thus with this slaughter they made sacifice vnto the Quéene of Chastitie at the sight whereof was present the surfetting Louer Saint George with the other sixe Christian Knightes armed all in bright armor and were all verye attentiue to this that I â—éere haue tolde you The sacrifice ended this Lucina commaunded silence to be made and when all the company were still she raysed vp her selfe vpon her féete and with a heauie voyce distilling many salte teares she said O most excellent and chaste Diana in whose blessed bosome we vndefiled Uirgins doe recreate our selues vnto thy deuine excellency doe I now commende this my last sacrifice crauing record of all the Gods that I haue done my best to continue a spotles maiden of thy most beautiful traine Oh heauens shall I consent to deliuer my Uirginitie willingly to him whose soule desires to haue the vse of it or shall I my selfe commit my vtter ruine and sorrowfull destruction the which procéedeth onely by the meanes of my flouring beautie the which woulde it had beene as blacke as the nightly rauens or like to the tawny tanned Moores in the furthest mountaines of India O sacred Diana thou blessed Quéene of chastitie is it possible that thou doest consent that a Uirgin descended from so royall a race as I am should procure to spotte the worthines of her predecessors by yéelding her Uirgins honor to the conquest of loue without respecting my beauty or regarding my chaste vowe I haue made vnto thy diety Well séeing it is so that I must néedes violate my selfe against all humane nature I beséech thée to receiue the solempnitie of this my death which I offer vp in sacrifice to thy deuine excellencie for I am héere constrained with mine own trembling hand to cut off the flourishing branches of these my dayes for this I sweare before the Maiestie of heauen that I had rather offer vp my soule into the sâ—cietie and sacred bosome of Diana than to yéeld the casâ—le of my chastitie to the conquest of anie Knight in the world And now to thée I speake thou valiant Knight of England behold héere I yéeld vnto thy hands my liuelesse bodie to vse according to thy will and pleasure requesting onely this thing at thy hand that as thou louedst mee lyuing thou wilt loue me dead and like a mercifull Champion suffer me to receaue a princely Funerall And last of all to thée diuine Diana doo I speake accept of this my bléeding soule that with so much blood is offered vnto thée So in finishing this sorrowfull speach she drew out a faire and bright shining sword which shee had hidden secretly vnder her gowne and setting the hylt agaynst the Scaffold little looked for of her Father and those y t were present shee sodainly threw her selfe vppon the poynt of that Sword in such a furious manner that it ryued her bloodie heart in sunder and so rendred her soule to the tuition of her vnto whom she offered her bloodie and ruthfull sacrifice What shall I héere declare the lamentable sorrowes and pittifull lamentation that was there made by her father and other Roman
that after this it may be called a place of dead mens wandring ghosts But fond wretch why doo I thus lament in vaine and bathe her bléeding bodie with my teares when gréefe by no meanes will recall her life Yet this shall satisfie her soule for I will goe a Pilgrimage vnto Ierusalem offer vp my teares to Iesus Christ vpon his blessed Sepulcher by which my stained soule may be washt from this bloody guilt which was the causer of this sorrowfull dayes mishappe These sorrowfull words were no sooner ended but hée tooke her bléeding limmes betwéene his fainting armes and gaue a hundred kisses vpon her dying coloured lips retayning yet y e colour of Alablaster new washt in purple blood and in this extasie a while lying gaue waye to others to vnfold their woes But his Sonnes whose sorrowes wer as great as his protested neuer to neglect one day but duly wéepe a sea of teares vpon their Mothers graue till from the Earth did spring some mournfull flower to beare remembrance of her death as did the Uiolet that sprung from chast Adonis blood when Venus wept to sée him slaine Likewise the other sixe Champions that all the time of their lamentations stood like men drownd in the depth of sorrow began now a little to recouer themselues and after protested by the honour of true Knighthood and by the Spur and golden Garter of S. Georges leg to accompanie him vnto the holy Land bare footed without either hose or shoo onely clad in russet gaberdines like the vsuall Pilgrimes of the world and neuer to returne till they haue payd their vowes vpon that blessed Sepulcher Thus in this sorrowful manner wearied they the time away filling the woods with Echoes of their lamentations and recording their dolors to the whistling windes but at last when blacke Night began to approach and with her sable mantles to ouer-spred the christall firmament they retyred with her dead bodie backe to the Citie of London where the report of this tragicall accident drowned their friends in a sea of sorrow for the newes of her timelesse death was no sooner bruted abroad but the same caused both olde and young to lament the losse of so swéete a Ladie The siluer headed age that had wont in scarlet gownes to méete in Councell sat now at home in discontented griefes the gallant youths and comely virgins that had wont to beautefie the stréetes with costlye garments went drouping vp and downe in blacke and mournfull vestures and those remorcelesse hearts that sildome were opprest with sorrow now constrained their eyes like fountaines to distill a floud of brinish and pearly teares This generall griefe of the Citizens continued for the space of thirtie dayes at the ende whereof Saint George with his Sonnes and the other Champions interred her bodie verie honourably and erected ouer the same a â—ith and costly Monument in sumptuous state like the toomb of Mausolus which was called one of the Wonders of the World or like to the Pyramides of Greece which is a staine to all Architectures for thereon was portrayed the Quéene of Chastitie with her Maydens bathing themselues in a christall Fountaine as a witnesse of her wondrous Chastitie against the lustfull assailements of manie a Knight Thereon was also most liuely pictured a Turtle-doue sitting vpon a trée of gold in signe of the true loue that she bore to her betrothed husband Also a siluer coloured Swan swimming vpon a Christall riuer as a token of her beautie for as the Swan excelleth al other fowles in whitenes so she for beautie excelled all Ladies in the world I leaue to speake of the curious workmanship of the pinacles that were framed all of the purest â—eat the pummels of siluer and Iasper stones Also I omit the Pendants of gold the Scutchions of Princes the Armes of Countreyes that beautefied her Toombe the discourse whereof requires an Oratours eloquence or a penne of golde dipt in the dew of Hellicon or Pernassus Hill whereas the Muses doo inhabit Her Statue or Picture was carued cunningly in alablaster and layd as it were vppon a pillow of gréene silke like vnto Pigmalâ—ons yuorie Image and directly ouer the same hung a siluer Tablet whereon in letters of golde was this Epitaph written Here lies the vvonder of this vvorldly age For beautie vvit and princely maiestie Whom spitefull death in his imperious rage Procurde to fall through ruthlesse crueltie In leauie sports within a fragrant wood Vpon a thornie brake she spilt her blood Let Virgins pure and Princes of great might With siluer perled teares imbalme this tomb Accuse the fatall sisters of despight For blasting thus the pride of natures bloom For here she sleeps within this earthly graue whose worth deserues a golden tomb to haue Seauen yeares she kept her sweet Virginitie In absence of her true betrothed Knight When thousands did perceiue her chastitie Whilst he remaind in prison daye and night But yet we see that things of purest prize Forsakes the earth to dwell aboue the skies Maidens come mourne with dolefull melody And make this monument your setled bower Here shed your brackish teares eternally Lament both yere month week day hower For here she rests whose like can nere be fouÌ„d Her beauties pride lyes buried in the ground Her wouÌ„ded hart that yet doth freshly bleed Hath causd seuen knights a iourny for to take To faire Ierusalem in Pilgrimes weed The furie of her angrie ghost to slake Because their siluane sports was chiefest guilt And onely cause her blood was timeles spilt Thus after the Toomb was erected and the Epitaph ingrauen in a siluer Tablet and al things performed according to Saint Georges direction he left his Sonnes in the Cittie of London vnder the gouernment of the English King and in companie of the other sixe Champions he tooke his iourney towards Ierusalem They were attired after the manner of Pilgrimes in russet gaberdines downe to their foote in their hands they bore staues of Ebon wood tipt at the endes with siluer the pikes whereof were of the strongest Lydian stéele of such a sharpnes that they were able to pierce a target of Tortoys shell vppon their breasts hung Crosses of crimson silke to signifie that they were Christian Pilgrimes trauelling to the Sepulcher of Christ. In this manner set they forward from England in the Spring time of the yeare when Flora had beautefied the earth with Natures tapestrie and made their passages as pleasant as the Gardens of Hesperides adorned with all kinde of odoriferous flowers When as they crossed the seas the siluer waues séemed to lye as smoothe as christal yce and the Dolphins to daunce aboue the waters as a signe of a prosperous iourney In trauelling by land the wayes séemed so short and easie and the chirping melody of birdes made them such musique as they passed that in a short season they arriued beyond the borders of Christendome and had entred the confines of Africa There were they forced
in sted of downie beds nightly to rest their wearie limmes vpon heapes of sun burnt messe and in sted of silken curtens and curious canopies they had the clowdes of heauen to couer them Now their naked legs and bare feet that had wont to stride the stately stéedes and to trample in fields of Pagans blood were forced to clyme the craggie mountaines and to endure the torments of pricking briers as they trauayled thorough the desert places and comfortlesse solitarie wildernesses Manie were the dangers that hapned to them in theyr Iourney before they arriued in Iudea and most princely their atchieuements and honourable their aduentures which for this time I passe ouer leauing the Champions for a time in their trauell towards the holy Sepulcher of Christ and speake what happened to Sa. Georges thrée Sonnes in visiting their Mothers Tombe in the Cittie of London CHAP. II. Of the strange giftes that S. Georges sonnes offered at their Mothers Toombe and vvhat hapned thereupon hovv her Ghost appeared to them and counselled them to the pursute of their Father also hovv the Ki. of England installed them with the honor of knighthood and furnished them vvith abiliments of vvarre THe swift foote stéedes of Titans fierie Carre had almost finished a yere since Sabraes Funerall was solemnized in which time Saint Georges thrée Sonnes had visited their Mothers Tomb oftner than there were dayes in the yeare and had shed as manie teares thereon in remembraunce of her loue as there were starres in the glistering veyle of Heauen but at last these thrée yong Princes fell at a ciuill discord and deadly strife which of them should beare the truest loue vnto their Mothers dead bodie and which of them should be held in greatest estéeme For before manie dayes were expired they concluded to offer vp thrée seuerall deuotions at her Tombe and he that deuised a gift of the rarest prize and of the straungest qualitie should bee held in the greatest honour and accompted the noblest of them all This determination was spéedily perfourmed and in so short a time accomplished that it is wonderfull to discourse The first thinking to excéed his brothers in the strangenes of his Gift made repaire vnto a cunning Inchauntresse which had her abiding in a secret caue adioyning to the Cittie whom he procured through manie rich giftes and large promises by arte to deuise a meane to get the honor from his Bretheren to haue a gift of that strange nature that all the world might wonder at the report thereof The Inchauntresse being won with his promises by her artes and magicke spells deuised a Garland contayning all the diuersitie of flowers that euer grew in earthly Gardens and though it were in the dead time of winter when as the siluer ysicles had disroabd both hearb and flower of their beauties and the Northerne snow lay fréezing on the mountaine tops yet was this Garland contriued after the fashion of a rich Imperial Crowne with as manie seuerall Flowers as euer Flora placed vppon the downes of rich Arcadia in diuersitie of colours lyke the glistering Raine-bow when as it shineth in her greatest pride and casting such an odoriferous sent and swéete sauour as though the Heauens had rained downe showers of Campheere Bisse or Amber-gréece This rare and excéeding Garland was no sooner framed by Inchauntment and deliuered into his hands but he left the Inchauntresse sitting in her Ebon chaire vpon a blocke of stéele practising her fatall artes with her hair hanging about her sholders like wreaths of snakes or inuenomed serpents and so retourned to his Mothers tombe where he hung it vppon a pillar of siluer that was placed in the middle of the Monument The second Brother likewise repaired to the Tombe and brought in his hand an yuorie Lute wheron he plaid such inspiring melodie that it séemed like the harmony of Angels or the celestiall musique of Apollo when hee descended heauen for the loue of Daphne whom hee turned into a Bay trée The musicke being finished he tied ys Lute in a damaske scarffe and with great humilitie hee hung it at the west ende of the Tombe vppon a knobbe of Iasper stone Lastly the third Brother likewise repaired with no outward deuotion or worldly gift but clad in a vesture of white silke bearing in his hand an instrument of death like an innocent Lambe going to sacrifice or one readie to be offered for the loue of his mothers soule This strange manner of repaire caused his other brothers to stand attentiuely and with vigilant eyes to behold the conclusion First after he had submissiuely and with great humilitie let fall a shower of siluer teares from the cesternes of his eyes in remembrance of his Mothers timeles tragedie he prickt his naked breast with a siluer bodkin the which he brought in his hand from which there trickeled downe some thirtie drops of blood which he after offered vp to his Mothers Tombe in a siluer bason as an euident signe that there can be nothing more dearer nor of more precious price than to offer vp his owne blood for her loue This ceremonious gift caused his two other Brothers to swell in hatred like two chased Lions and with furie to run vpon him intending to catch him by the haire of the head and to drag him round about their Mothers Tomb till his braines were dasht against the marble pauement and his blood sprinkled vppon her graue but this wicked enterprize so mooued the Maiestie of heauen that ere they could accomplish their intents or staine their hands in his blood they heard as it were y e noyse of dead mens bones ratling in the ground And thereupon looking fearfully about the Toombe seemed of it selfe to open and thereout to appeare a most terrible and ghastly shapâ— pale like vnto ashes in countenance resembling theyr Mother with her breast besmeard in blood and her bodie wounded with a hundred scarres and so with a dismall rufull looke she spake vnto her desperate Sonnes in thys manner Oh you degenerate from Natures kinde why doo you séeke to make a murther of your selâ—es can you indure to sée my bodie rent in twaine my heart split in sunder and my wombe dismembred Abate this furie staine not your hands with your owne bloods nor make my Tombe a spectacle of more death Unite your selues in concord that my discontented soule may sléepe in peace and neuer more be troubled with your vnbridled humours Make hast I say and arme your selues in stéeled corslets and follow your valiant Father to Ierusalem for he is there in danger and distresse of life Away I say or els my angry ghost shall neuer leaue this world but haunt you vp and downe with gastly visions This being said she vanished from their sight lyke to the brictlâ— ayre whereat for a time they stood amazed and almost distraught of their wits thorough the terrour of her words but at last recouering their former senses they all vowed by the
of gréene grasse or a thicket of springing trées and then determined with himselfe in the best manner that he could to dissemble the knowledge of the bloudy facte hee tooke his horse and went the way towards the Castle in which hee rode so fast that he ouertooke the Knight and his companie at the entring of the gates whereas the lustfull tyrant alighted and without speaking to any person he entred into his closset by reason wherof this kinde and curteous Squire had time to declare all things hee had séene to the new maried Lady and the dolorous end of the constant Damsell her Sister This soddaine and vnlooked for sorrowe mixed with anger and wrath was such in the Lady that shee caused the Squire not to depart from the Castle vntill such time as more occasion serued and to kéepe all thinges in secret that he had séene and she her selfe remayned making meruailous and great lamentations to her selfe all in secret for that she would not be perceiued yet with a soft voyce she said Oh vnfortunate Lady borne in a sorrowfull howre when some blazing and vnluckie Comette raigned oh vnhappie Destenies that made me wife vnto so cruell a knight whose foule misâ—déedes hath made the verye Elements to blush but yet I know that Fortune will not be so far vnkinde but that she will procure to take a strange reuenge vpon his purple-stayned soule oh you immortall Gods reuenge me on this wicked Homicide if not I do sweare that I will with mine owne hands put in practise such an enterprize and so staine my vnspotted heart with wilful murther that all the Gods aboue and all the bright celestiall powers of heauen shall looke from their immortall Palace and tremble at the terror of my hate This being said she tooke in her hand a Dagger of the knights and in her armes her younge sonne being but of the age of fortie dayes saying now do I wish so much euill vnto the worlde that I will not leaue the sonne of so wicked a fathâ—r aliue but I will wash my hands in their accurssed bloodes if they were in number to King Priams children and so in this irefull order entred she the chamber where the knight her husband was and finding him tumbling vpon his bed from the one side to the other with out taking any rest but in his furye renting and tearing the silken Ornaments with a sorrowfull wéeping and terrible voyce she called him Traitor and like a fierce Tigresse with the Dagger that she brought in her hand before his face she cut the throat of the innocent Babe and threwe it to him on the bed and therewithal said take there thou cruel Traitor the fruite that thy wicked séed created in my bodye and then threwe she the Dagger after him in hope to haue killed him but Fortune would not that it shoulde take effecte for it strooke against the testerne of the bed and rebounded backe vnto her handes which when the Lady sawe that it nothing preuayled she returned vppon her selfe her outragious furie so taking the bloodye Dagger she thrust it to her heart in such sorte that it parted it in two péeces and so she fell downe dead betwixt his armes that was the occasion of all this bloody crueltie The great sorrowe that this false and vnhappy knight receiued was so strange that he knewe not what counsell to take but thinking vppon a seuere vengeance that might succéede these cruell actes he straight wayes procured that the body of the Lady should be secâ—â—ely buryed which beeing doone by him selfe in the saddest time of the night in a solitarie garden vnder his castle-wall where he heard a hollows voyce breath from the â—â—epest vawltes of the earth these manner of speaches folâ—â—wing That for the bloody facte which he so lately had committed his lyfe drewe néere to a shamefull end and that his Castle with all his treasure therein should be destroyed or fall into the handes of him whose Daughters he had so cruelly murthered After this he determined to vse a secret policie which was to set watch and warde in euery passage néere vnto his Castle and to arrest all such trauellers as by aduenture landed vpon that Island not suffering them to passe vntill such time as they had promised him by oath to ayde and assist him euen vnto death against all his enemies In the meane time the aforenamed Squire which had séene and heard all the tragicall dealings that hath béene héere declared in the best wise he could returned againe vnto my cottage tolde me all that you haue heard which was vnto me very sorowful and heauy newes iudge here then gentle knights and ye beholders of this woful tragedy what sorow I vnfortunate wretch sustained and what angwish I receiued for at the hearing therof I fell into a senceles sounde and being come againe vnto my selfe I all to besmear'd my milk white hayre in dust that before were as cleare as the tryed siluer and with my teares being the true sings of sorrow I bathed the bosome of my mother earth and sighes pressed with such aboundance froÌ„ my tormented heart that they staide the passage of my speach and my tongue could not reueale the griefe that my wofull thoughts conceiued In this dumbe silence and sorrow of minde I remained thrée daies and thrée nightes numbring my silent passions with the minutes of the day and my mightie griefes with the starres of heauen when frostie bearded winter hath cladde the elements with twinkling Diamons but at last when my amazed griefes were something abated my eyes almost blind with wéeping required some sléepe thereby to mitigate the sorrows of my heart I made my repayre into a pleasant meddow adioyning néere vnto my cottage where amongst the gréen springing downes I purposed to take some rest and to locke vp the closets of my tearfull eyes with golden slumbers thinking it to be the greatest content my sobbing heart required But before I could settle my sences to a quiet sléepe I was constrained to breath this wofull lamentation from my oppressed soule O vnhappie chaunce quoth I O cruell fortune why didst thou not make me passe this bitter and sorrowful life in my childhood or why did not the heauens permitte and suffer me to be strangled in my mothers wombe or to haue perished in my cradle or at my nursses pap then had my heart neuer felt this sorrowe my eares neuer heard the murther of my children nor mine eyes neuer to haue wept so many helplesse teares O you mountaines you vntamed beastes O you déepe Seas you lustfull heauens and you powers of reuengefull hell come all I say and willinglie assist mee in this mortall Tragidie that these my aged handes which neuer yet practist any hainous crime may now be stainde in his accursed bloud that hath bereau'd me of the prop and stay of declined age my daughters I mean whose bléeding goastes will neuer bee appeased nor neuer sléep in quiet vpon
with Princely pallaces very sumptuous to behold likewise they discouered from the Hill a fayre fountaine wrought all of marble like vnto a Pillâ—r out of which did proceede foure spoutes running with water which fell into a great Cesterne and comming to it they washed their handes and refâ—eshed their faces and so departed After they looked round about them on euery side and toward their right handes they espied amongst a company of gréene trées a small Tent of blacke cloth towards which these yong Princes directed their courses with an easie pace but when they had entred the Tent and sawe no bodie therin they remained silent a while harkning if they could heare any sturing but they could neither see nor heare any thing but onely they found the print of certain little féete vpon the same which caused them more earnestly to desire to know whose foote steps they were for that they séemed to be of some Ladies or Damsels so finding the trace they followed theÌ„ and the more the knights followed the more the Ladies séemed to hast so long they persued after the trace that at the end they approached a little mountain wheras they found scattered about certaine lockes of yellow haire which séemed to be thrids of golde and stooping to gather them vp they perceiued that some of them were wet with spots of blood whereby they wel vnderstood that in great anger they were pulled from some Ladies head lik wise they saw in diuers places how the earth was spotted with droppes of crimson blood then with a more desire then they had before they went vp to the top of that litle mountaine and hauing lost the footesteps they recouered it againe by gathering vp the hayre where they had not traueled far vp the mountaine but towards the waters side they heard a gréeuous complaint which séemed to be the voice of a woman in great distresse and the woordes which the knights did vnderstand were these O loue now shalt thou no more reioyce nor haue any longer dominion ouer me for death I sée is ready to cut my thrid of life and finish these my sorowful lamentations how often haue I askt reuengement at the powers of heauen against that wicked wretch that hath bene the causer of my banishment but yet they will not hear my request how ofte haue I made my sad complaints to hell yet hath the fatall furies stopt their eares against my woful cryes And with this she held her peace giuing a sorowful sighe which being done the thrée christian knights turned their eyes to the place from whence they heard this complaint and discouered amongst certaine gréene trées a Lady who was endued with singuler beautie being so excellent that it almost depriued them of their harts captiuated their sences in the snares of loue which libertie as yet they neuer lost she had her haire about her eares which hung defusedly downe her comely sholders through the violence she vsed against her selfe and leaning her chéeke vpon her delicate white hand that was all to be spotted with blood which was constraind by the scratching of her nailes vpon her Rosie colored face by her stood another damsel which they coniectured to be her daughter for she was clad in virgin colored silk mor whiter then the Lillyes of the fields and as pleasante to beholde as the glistring Moone in a cleare winters fréezing night yet for all this delectable sight the thrée princly knights wold not discouer theÌ„selues but stood closely behinde the thrée pine trées which grew néere vnto the mountaine to heare the euent of this accident but as they stoode cloaked in silence they heard her thus to confer with her beautiful daughter Oh my Rosana quoth she the vnhappie figure of him that without pitty hath wounded my heart and left me comfortles with the greatest cruelty that euer knight or gentleman left Lady how hath it béen possible that I haue had the force to bring vp the child of such a father which hath bereaud me of my libertie O you soueraigne gods of heauen grant y t I may establish in my minde the remembrance of the loue of thy adulterous father oh girle borne to a further griefe héere doe I desire the guider of thy fortunes that thy glistring beautie may haue such force and power whereby the shining beames thereof may take reuengement of the dishonor of thy mother giue eare deare childe I say vnto thy dying mother thou that art born in the dishonor of thy generation by the losse of my virginity héere doe I charge thée vpon my blessing euen at my houre of death swear thée by the omnipotent God of heauen neuer to suffer thy beauty to be enioyd by any one vntill thy disloyal fathers head bee offered vp in a sacrifice vnto my graue thereby somewhat to appease the furie of my discontented soule and recouer part of my former glorie These and such like words spake this afflicted quéene to the wonderfull amazement of the thrée yong Knightes which as yet intended not to discouer themselues but to marke the euent for they coniectured that her woful complaintes were the induction of some strange accedent Thus as they stoode obscurely behinde the trées they sawe the young and beautifull Damsell giue vnto her dying mother paper penne and Inke the which shée pulled from her Iuorie bosome wherewith the gréeued quéene subscribed certain sorrowful lines vnto him y t was the causer of her banishment and making an end of her writing they heard her with a dying breath speake vnto her daughter these sorrowfull words following Come daughter quoth shee beholde thy Mother at her latest gaspe and imprint my dying request in thy heart as a table of brasse that it neuer may be forgotten time will not giue me longer respit that with wordes I might shewe vnto thée my déepe affâ—ctions for that I féele my death approaching and the fatall sisters ready to cut my thrid of life a sunder betwéene the edges of their shieres insomuch that I moste miserable creature do féele my soule trembling in my flesh and my heart quiuering at this my last and fatal houre but one thing my swéet and tender child doe I desire of thée before I dye which is that thou wouldest procure that this letter may bee giuen to that cruell knight thy disloyall father giuing him to vnderstand of this my troublesome death the occasion whereof was his vnreasonable crueltie and making an end of saying this the miserable Quéene fell downe not hauing any more strength to sit vp but let the letter fall out of her hand the which her sorrowfull daughter presently tooke vp and falling vpon her mothers brest she replyed in this sorrowfull manner O my swéete mother tell me not that you will dye for it ads a torment more gréeuous vnto my soule then the punishments which Danaus daughters féele in hell I would rather be torne in péeces by the fury of some merciles monster or to
haue my heart parted in twaine by the handes of him that is my greatest enemie then to remaine without your companie swéete mother let these my youthfull yéeres and this my gréene budding beauty incourage you still to reuiue and not to leaue me comfortles like an exile in the world but if the gloomy fates doe triumph in your death and abridge your breathing ayre of life and that your soule must néedes goe wander in the Elizian shades with Trufas shaddowe and with Didoes ghost héere doe I protest by the greate and tender loue I beare you and by the due obedience that I owe vnto your age either to deliuer this your letter into the hands of my vnkinde father or with these my ruthful fingers rent my heart in sunder and before I will forget my vow the siluer streamed Tygris shall forsake her course the sea her tides and the glistering Quéene of night her vsuall changes neither shal any forgetfulnes be an occasion to withdraw my minde from performing your dying requestes Then this weak Quéene whose power and strength was wholie decaied and that her houre of death drew néere at hand with a féeble voice she said O you sacred immortal Gods and all you bright celestiall powers of heauen iâ—to your deuine bosomes now do I commend my dying soule asking no other reuengmeÌ„t against y e causer of my death but that he may die like mée for want of loue After this the dead Quéene neuer spake word more for at that instant the cruell destinies gaue end vnto her life but when Rosana perceiued her to be dead and she left to the world deuoide of comfort shée began to teare the golden tramels from her head and most furiouslye to beat her white and yuorie brest filling the emptie ayre with clamors of her mones and making the skies like an eccho to resound her lamentations and at last taking her mothers letter in her hands washing it with flouds of teares and putting it next vnto her naked brest she said héer lye thou neare adioining to my bléeding heart neuer to be remoued vntil I haue performd my mothers dying testiment O work and the last worke of those her white and yuorie hands heere doe I sweare by the honor of true Uirgins not to part it from my bléeding bosom vntil such time as loue hath rent the disloyall heart of my vnkinde father and in speaking this shée kissed it a thousand times breathing forth millions of sighes and straight with a blushing countenance as radient as Auroras glistring beames she arose said what is this Rosana dost thou thinke to recall thy mothers life with ceremonious complaints and not performe that which by her was commanded thée arise arise I say gather vnto thy selfe strength and courage and wander vp and downe the world till thou hast found thy disloyal Father as thy true heart hath promised to doe These words being no sooner finished but Saint Georges Sonnes like men whose hearts were almost ouercome with griefe came from the pine trees and discouered themselues to the Damsell and curteously requested her to discourse the storie of all her passed mizeries and as they were true christian knights they promised her if it lay in their powers to release her sorrows and to giue end vnto her mizeries This Rosana when shée behelde these curteous and well dâ—meanur'd knights which in her conceit caried relenting mindes and how kindly they desired to be partners in her griefes she stood not vpon curious tearmes nor vpon vaine â—xceptions but most willingly condescended to their requests so when they had prepared their eares to entertaine her sad and sorrowfull discourse with a sober countenance shee began in this manner Lately I was quoth she whilst fortune smild vpon me the onely childe and daughter of this liueles Quéene that you beholde héer lying dead and she before my birth whilst heauen graunted her prosperitie was the maiden Quéene of a Countrie called Armenia adioyning neare vnto this vnhappie Iland whome in her yong yéeres when her beautie began to florish and her high renowne to mount vpon the wings of fame she was intrapped with the golden baite of blind Cupid so intangled with the loue of a disloyall knight cal'd the Knight of the black Castle who after he had florisht in the spoyle of her Uirginitie and had left his fruitful seede springing in her womb grew wearie of his loue and most discurteously left her as a shame vnto her Countrie and a staine vnto her kindred and after gaue himself to such lustfull and lasciuious manner of life that hee vnlawfullie maried a shepheards daughter in a forraine land and likewise rauished her own sister and after committed her most in humane slaughter in a solitarie woode this being done he fortified himselfe in his blacke Castle onely consorted with a cunning Nigromancer whose skill in magick is so excellent that al the knights in the world can neuer conquere the Castle where euer since hee hath remained in despight of the whole earth But now speake I of the tragical storie of my vnhappy mother when as I her vnfortunate babe beganne first to strugle in her womb wherin I wold I had bene strangled she heard newes of her knights ill demeanure and how he had wholly giuen himself to the spoile of virginitie and had for euer left her loue neuer intending to returne again the grief wherof so troubled her mind that she could not in any wise desemble it for vpoÌ„ a time being amongst her Ladies calling to remembrance her spotted Uirginitie and the séede of dishonor planted in her wombe she felt into a wonderfull and strange traunce as though she had béen oppressed with sodain death which when her Ladies and damsels beheld they presently determined to vnbrace her rich ornaments and to carrie her vnto her bed but she made signes with her handes that they should depart and leaue her alone whose commaundement they strait way obayed not without great sorrow of them all their loues were so déere This afflicted Quéen when she saw that she was alone began to exclaime against her fortune reuealing the fates with bitter exclamations O vnconstant Quéene of chance said shee thou that hast warped such strange webs in my kingdom thou that gauest my honor to that tirants lust which without al remorse hath left me comfortles t is thou that didst constraine me to set my life to sale to sel my honor as it were with the crier compelling me to do that which hath spotted my Princely estate and stain'd my bright honor with blacke infamie woe is me for my virginity y t which my parents gaue me charge to haue respect vnto but I haue carelessely kept it smally regarded iâ— I will therefore so chastice my body for thus forgetting of my selfe and be so reuenged for the little regarde that I haue made of my honour that it shall be an example to all noble Ladyes and Princes of high estate
the infernall Serpent remained fast vnto the noble and valiant breast of the English Knight till such time as he plainly perceaued that the Monster began to wexe faint and to loose her strength Likewise it could not be otherwise but Saint George wexed somewhat wearie considering the former fight he had so lately with the Giants Notwithstanding when he saw the great weaknes of the Serpent he did animate himselfe with courage and hauing opportunitie by reason of the quantitie of blood that issued from her wounds he tooke his trustie sword thrust it into her heart with such violence that he cloue it in two péeces so this infernall Monster fell downe dead to the ground and carried the Christian Champion with her for for that they were fast closed together and by reason that the Serpent lacked strength hée quickly cléered himselfe out of her clawes and recouered his sword But when he saw certainly that hee was cléere from the Monster that she had yéelded vp her detested life into y e brittle aire he knéeled downe and gaue thankes to the immortal maiestie of God for his safe deliuerie The venome was so great that the Serpent threw out to infect the knight that if his armour had not béen of a precious vertue hée had béen impoysoned to death After the victorie was obtained and the Monster dead he grew verie wearie and vnquiet and was constrayned to sit and coole himselfe by a Well which was full of water standing by in a corner of the Caue from whence the monstrous Serpent first appeared and came foorth And when he found himselfe refreshed he repayred to the Inchaunted bed whereupon the other sixe Champions laye sléeping dreaming of no such straunge accident that had happened to him to whom he purposed to reueale the true discourse of all the dangers that had befalne him in that accident But no sooner approached he vnto that inchaunted bed and had set himselfe downe vpon the one side thereof and thinking to begin his discourse but he presently fell into a heauie and dead slumber There will we leaue them sléeping and dreaming vpon the inchaunted bed not to be wakened by anie means and returne to the Nigrâ—omâ—ncer that was busied all the time of the Serpents incounters with Leoger in burying of the dead Giants But now he knew by his arte that the Serpent was slaine and likewise Saint George oppressed with a charmed sleepe in companie of the other Champions vpon the inchaunted bed from whence hee purposed that they neuer more should awake but spende their followed fortunes in eternall sléeps Then by his deuilish artes he caused seuen Lampes to burne continually before the entry of the Caue the properties whereof were so strange that so long as the Lampes continued burning the Champions should neuer be awaked and the fiers should neuer be quenched but by the water of an inchaunted fountaine the which he likewise by magick arte had erected in the middle of the court guarded most strongely with fearefull shapes and the water should neuer be obtained but by a Uirgin which at her birth should haue the forme of a Rose most liuely pictured vpon her brest These thinges being performed by the secrets of the Magitians skill added suth a pleasure to Leogers heart that he thought himselfe eleuated higher then towers of heauen for he accompted no ioy so pleasing vnto his soule as to sée his mortall enemies captiuated in his power and that the Magitian had done more by his artes then al the Knights in Asia could performe by prowesse we will not now onely leaue the Champions in their sleeps dreaming of no mishap but also the Magitian with Leoger in the blacke Castle spending their time securely careles of all insuing daunger and speake now of the olde Shepheard whome the Champions at their first entring in at the gates of the Castle where they left him to looke vnto their warlike palfries as they fed vpon the gréene grasse but when this olde man coulde heare no newes of the Champions returne he greatly mistrusted their confusion and that by some trecherie they were intercepted in their vowed reuengement therefore he protested secretly with his owne soule in that for his sake so many braue Champions had lost their liues neuer to depart out of those fieldes but to spend his daies in more sorrow then did the haplesse King of Babilon that for seauen parching Summers and as many fréezing Winters was constrained to féede vpon the flowers of the fieldes and to drinke the dewe of heauen till the haires of his heade grewe so stiffe as Egles feathers and the nailes of his fingers like vnto birds clawes the like extremitie he vowed to indure vntill he either reobtained a wished fight of those inuincible knights the flowers of chiualry or else were constrained by course of nature to yéeld vp his loathed life to the furie of those fatall sisters In this déepe distresse will my wearie muse likewise leaue this old shepheard mourning for the long absence of the English Champion and the other Christian Knights and returne vnto Saint Georges valiant Sonnes whome we left trauelling from the Quéene of Armenias graue with her vnvappy daughter Rosana to take reuengement for her disloyal Lord being the Knight of this blacke Castle of whose vilanies you haue heard so much of before CHAP. IX How Saint Georges three sonnes after their departure from the Queene of Armenias sepulcher in companie of her Daughter Rosana met with a Wilde-man with whom there hapned a strange Aduenture and after how they entered the Blacke Castle whereas they quencht the Lamps and awakened the seauen Champions of Christendome after they had slept seauen dayes vppon an inchaunted bedde with other things that chanced in the same Castle THe budding Flowers of Chiualrie the valiant Sonnes of S. George to performe their Knightly promises to accomplish what they had protested to Rosana at the Quéene her Mothers graue which was to deliuer her safely into the Blacke Castle where her vnkinde father had his residence First they bought her a Palfray of a silke colour of Spaine traynd in that Countrey with certaine chaines and iewells that she wore about her necke and wrestes which stéede was furnished with blacke Capparisons in signe of her heauy and discontented minde his forehead beautified with a spangled plume of feathers Thus trauailed they day and night from the Confines of Armenia with succesfull fortune till they happily arriued vpon the Iland of the Blacke Castle where they were constrained to rest themselues manie nights vnder the shaddowes of gréene leaued trées where the melodie of siluer tuned birds brought them to their swéete sléepes and in stéede of delicate fare they were forced to satisfye their hungers with swéete Orenges and ripe Pomegranades that grew verie plentifully in that Iland But vppon a morning when the skies appeared in theyr sightes verie cléere and pleasant and at such time as when the Sunne began to spread his
in twice two yéeres before he was so rauished with ioy that he swounded in their bosomes and not able to giue them his blessing so great was the pleasure he tooke in their fights Héere I leaue the ioyfull gréeting betwixt the Father and his Sons to those that knowes the secret loue of parents to their children and what deare affection long absence bréedeth For when they had sufficiently ostended the integritie of their soules each to other and had at large explained how many daungers euery Knight and Champion had passed since their departures from England where as they begun first their intended pilgrimage to Ierusalem as you heard in the beginning of this booke they determined to search the Castle and to finde out Leoger with his assosiate the wicked inchaunter that they might receiue dew punishments for their committed offences but they like wylie foxes were fled from the hunters traces and had left the emptie Castle to the spoile of the Christian Champions But when Rosana sawe her selfe dismist from her purpose and that she could not performe her mothers will against her disloyall Father she protested by the mightie God of heauen neuer to close vp her carefull eyes with quiet slumbers nor neuer rest her wearie limbes in bed of Downe but trauell vp and downe the circled earth till she inioyd 〈◊〉 of her disloiall Father whome as yet her eyes did neuer see Therefore shee coniured the Champions by the louâ—â—nd honor that knights should beare vnto Ladies in 〈◊〉 to graunt her libertie to depart and not to hinder her from her intended trauell The Knights considered with themselues that shée was a Lady of a deuine inspiration borne vnto some straunge fortune and one by the heauâ—nâ— appointment which had redéemed them from a wonderfull mizerie Therefore they condescended to her desires and not onely gaue her leaue to depart but furnished her with all thinges belonging to a Ladye of so braue a minde First they found within the Castle an armor fit for a woman the which the inchaunter had caused to be made by magick arte of such a singuler nature that no weapon could pearce it and so light in wearing that it wayed no heuier then a Lions sâ—in it was contriued after the Amazonian fashion plated before with siluer plates like the scales of a Dolphin and riuetted together with golden nayles so that when she had it vppon her backe shée séemâ—d like to Diana hunting in the Forrests of transformed Acteon Likewise they found standing in a stable at the East side of the Castle a lustie limbed Steed big of statâ—râ— of a verie good haire because the halfe part forwards was of the colour of a Wolfe and the other halfe was al black sauing that here and there it was spotted with litle white spots his féete were clouen so that he néeded not at anye time to be shod his necke was somewhat long hauing a little head with great eares hanging downe like a houÌ„d his pace was with great maiestie and he so doubled hys necke that his mouth touched his breast there came out of his mouth two great tuskes like vnto an Elephant and hee did exceede all horses in the world in lightnes and dyd runne with an excéeding good grace This likewise bestowed they vppon the Ladie the which did more content her minde than anie thing that euer her eye had séene before that time Also the teÌ„ christian Knights gaue her at her departure ten diamond rings continually to weare vpon her ten fingers in perpetuall remembrance of their curtesies This being done without anie longer tarriance but thanking them for their great kindnes shewed vnto her in distresse she leapt into the saddle without helpe of stirrop or anie other thing and so rode spéedely awaye from their sights as a shower of raine driuen by a violent tempest After her departure the Champions remembred the olde Shepheard whom they had almost forgotten thorough the ioy that they tooke in their happie méetings he as yet remained without the Castle gates carefully kéeping their horses whom now they caused to come in and not onely gaue him the honour due vnto his age but bestowed frankly vpon him the state and gouernment of the Castle with store of iewels pearles and treasure onely to be maintained and kept for the releefe of poore Trauailers This being perfourmed with their generall consents they spent the remnant of the day in banquetting and other pleasant conference of their passed Aduentures And when that Night with her sable clowdes had ouer-spred the Dayes delightfull countenaunce they betooke them to their rests the seauen Champions in a chamber that had as manie windowes as there were daies in the yere the olde Shepheard by himselfe in a rich furnished Parlour and Saint Georges three Sonnes in the greatest Hall in the Castle CHAP. X. How after the Christian Knightes were gone to bed in the black Castle Saint George was awaked froÌ„ his sleep in the dead time of the night after a most fearefull manner and likwise how he found a Knight lying vpon a tombe that stood ouer a flaming fire with other thynges that hapned vpon the same MOst swéete were the sléepes that he sâ— Pâ—incely minded companies took in the Castle all the first part of the night without molestation eyther by disquiet dreames or disturbing motions of their mindes till such time as the glistering Quéene of night had runne halfe her wearie Iorney and had spent the better part of the night for betwixt twelue and one being the chiefest time of feare and terror in the night such a strainge alteracion worked in Saint Georges thought that he coulde not inioy the benefite of swéete sléepe but was forced to lye broad waking like one disquieted by some sodaine feare but as hee laye with wakefull eyes thinking vppon his passed fortunes and numbring the minutes of the night with his cogitations hée heard as it were a cry of night Rauens which flew beating their fatal wings against the windows of his lodging by which he immagined that some direfull accident were néere at hand yet being not frighted with this fearefull noise nor daunted with the croking of these Rauens he lay silently not reuealing it to any of the other Champions that lay in the sixe seuerall beds in the same chamber but at last being betwixt waking and sléeping hee heard as it were the voice of a sorrowfull Knight that constrained these bitter passions from his tormented soule and they contayned these words following Oh thou inuincible knight of England thou that art not frighted with this sorrowful dwelling wherein thou canst see nothing but torments rise vp I say from thy sluggish bed with thy vndaunted courage and stronge arme infringe the charme of my inchauntment And therewithall hee séemed to giue a most terrible grone and so ceased This vnexpected noyse caused Saint George without the knowledge of any of the other Champions to arise from his bedde and to buckle on his
and my soule forsake his earthly habitation You knowe my Lorde how that the King my Father dooth beare you no good will but doth hate you from hys soule which wil be the occasion that we cannot enioy our harts contentments for the which I haue determined if you thinke well thereof to leaue both my Father and my natiue Countrey and to goe and liue with you in a strange Land And if you denie me this you shall verie quickly sée your welbeloued Ladie without life but I know you will not denie me it for thereon consisteth the benefite of my welfare and my chéefest prosperitie And therewithall shedding a few teares from her christall eyes she held her peace The Magitian as one halfe rauished with her earnest desires answered and said My Loue and swéete Mistres wherefore haue you anie doubt that I will not fulfill and accomplish your desire in all things therefore out of hand put all things in a readines that your pleasure is to haue done for what more benefite and contentment can I receaue than to enioy your sight continually in such sort that neither of vs may depart from the others companie till the fatall Destenies giue end vnto our liues But if it so fall out that fortune frowne vpon vs that wee bee espied and taken in our enterprise and suffer death together what more glorie can there be vnto my soule than to dye with thée and to leaue my life betwixt thy armes Therefore doo not trouble your selfe my swéete Ladie and Mistres but giue me leaue for to depart your presence that I may prouide all things in a readines for our departures And so wyth this conclusion they tooke leaue one of the other and departed away with as great secrecie as might possibly bee deuised After this within a fewe dayes the Magitian by hys inchauntments caused a Chariot to bee made that was gouerned by two flying Dragons into the which without being espied by anie one they put themselues in companie of their trustie wayting Maid and so in great secret they departed out of the Kings Pallace and tooke theyr iourney towards the Countrey of Armenia in the which Countrey in a short time they arriued and came without anie misfortune vnto a place whereas deepe riuers doo continually strike vpon a mightie rocke vpon the which stood an olde and ancient building wherein they intended to inhabit as a most conuenient place for their dwellinges whereas they might without all feare of beeing found liue peacefullie in ioying in each others loue Not farre from that place there was a small Uillage from whence they might haue necessarie prouision for the maintayning of their bodies great ioy and pleasure thâ—se two Louers receiued when they founde themselues in such a place wheras they might take their ease and inioy their loues The Magitian delighted in no other thing but to goe a hunting with certaine Countrie dwellers that inhabited in the next Uillage leauing his swéete Angellica accompanied with her trustie Fidela in that stronge house so in this order they liued together foure yeares spending their daies in great pleasure but in the end time who neuer resteth in one degrée did take from them their rest and repayed them with sorrow and extream mizerie For when the King her father found her missiing the sorrowe and griefe was so much that he receiued that he kept his chamber a long time and would not be comforted of anie bodie Foure yeares he passed away in great heauinesse filling the Courte with Ecchoes of his beloued daughter and making the skies to resound his lamentations sorrowe was his foode salte teares his drinke and griefe his chiefe companion But at last vppon a time as he sate in his Chayre lamenting her absence with great heauinesse and beeing ouercharged with griefe he chanst to fall into a troublesome dreame for after quiet sléepe had closed vp the closets of his eyes he dreamd that he saw his daughter standing vppo a Rocke by the sea side offring to cast her body into the waues before she would returne to Babylon and that he beheld her Louer with an Armye of Satyrs and wilde men ready furnished with habiliments of warre to pull him from his Throane and to depriue him of hys Kingdome Out of this vision he presently started from his chaire as though it had béen one frighted with a legion of spirits and caused foure of the chéefest Péeres of his Land to bee sent for to whom he committed the gouernement of hys Countrey certefying them that he intended a voyage to the Sepulcher at Memphis thereby to quallifie the furie of his Daughters ghost whom he dreamed to be drowned in the seas and that except he sought by true submission to appease the angrie heauens whom hee had offended by his vnnaturall sorrowes hee should be deposed from hys Kingdome None could withdraw him from this determination though it was to the preiudice of his whole Land therefore within twentie dayes he furnished himselfe with all necessaries as well of armour and martiall furniture as of golde and treasure and so departed from Babylon priuately and alone not suffering anie other though many desired it humbly and were verie earnest to beare hym companie But he trauelled not as he told his Lords after any ceremonious order but like a bloud-hound serching Countrey after Countrey Nation by Nation and Kingdome by Kingdome that after a barbarous manner hee might be reuenged vpon his Daughter for her disobedience And as he trauelled there was no caue den wood nor wildernesse but he furiously entered and diligently searched for his Angelica At last by strange fortune he happened into Armenia néere vnto the place whereas his Daughter had her residence where after he had intelligence by the Commons of that Countrey that she remained in an olde ruynated Building on the top of a rocke néere at hand without anie more tariance hee trauelled vnto that place at such a time as y e Magitian her louing Husband was gone about his accustomed hunting where comming to the gate and finding it lockt hee knockt thereat so furiously that hee made the noyse to resound all the house ouer with a redoubling Eccho When Angelica heard one knocke she came vnto the gate and with all spéed did open it And when she thought to imbrace him thinking it to be her Louer she saw that it was her Father and with a sodain alteration she gaue a great shrike and ran with all the spéed she could backe into the house The King her Father being somewhat angrie like a furious Lion followed her saying It dooth little auayle thée Angelica to run away for that thou shalt dye by thys reuengefull hand paying me with thy death the great dishonour that my royall crowne hath now by thy flight receaued So he followed her till he came to the chamber where her wayting Maid Fidela was who likewise presentlye knew the King vpon whose wrathfull countenance appeared the image of pale death
dissolue his soule from his bodie and therewithal putting forth his hand somewhat trembling he tooke the Letter set him verie sorrowfully downe vpon the gréene grasse without anie power to the contrarie his gréefe so abounded the bounds of reason No sooner did he open the letter but he presently knew it to be written by the hands of his wronged Ladie y e Armenian Quéene who with great alteration both of hart minde he read the sorrowfull lines the which contayned these words following The Queene of Armenia her Letter TO thée thou disloyall Knight of the Blacke Castle the vnfortunate Quéene of Armenia can neither send nor wish salutations for hauing no health my selfe I cannot send it vnto him whose cruel mind hath quite forgotten my true loue I cannot but lament continuallye and complain vnto the Gods incessantly considering that my fortune is conuerted from a crowned Quéene to a miserable and banished caytiue where the sauage beasts are my chiefe companions the mournfull biâ—ds my best solliciters Oh Leoger Leoger why didst thou leaue me comfortlesse without all cause as did Aeneas his vnfortunate Dido what second loue hath bereaued me of thy sight and made thée forget her that euer shall remember thée Oh Leoger remember the day when first I saw thy face which day bee fatall euermore and counted for a dismal day in time to come both heauy blacke and full of foule mischances for it was vnhappie vnto me for in giuing thée ioy I bereaued my selfe of all and lost the possession of my libertie and honour althogh thou hast not estéemed nor tooke care of my sorrowfull fortunes yet thou shouldst not haue mockt my perfect loue and disdained the feruent affâ—ction that I haue borne thée in that I haue yéelded to thée that precious iewell y e which hath béen denied to manie a noble King Oh Loue cruel and spitefull Loue that so quickly didst make mee blinde and depriuedst mee of the knowledge that belonged vnto my royall Highnesse Oh vncurteous Knight beeing blinded with thy loue the Quéene of Armenia denied her honestie which shee ought to haue kept and preserued it from the biting canker of disloyall lâ—ue Hadst thou pretended to mocke me thou shouldst not haue suffred me to haue lost so much as is forgone for thy sake Tell me why didst not thou suffer mee to execute my will that I might haue opened my white brest with a pearcing swoord and sent my soule to the shady banke of swéete Elizium Then had it béene better for me to haue died than to liue still and dayly die Remember thy selfe Leoger and behold the harm that will come héereof haue thou a care vnto the pawn which thou leftst sealed in my wombe and let it bee an occasion that thou doost after all thy violent wronges retourne to sée me sléeping in my tombe that my childe may not remaine fatherlesse in the power of wilde beastes whose hearts be fraughted with nothing but with crueltie Doe not consent that this perfecte loue which I beare thée should be counted vaine but rather performe the promise the which thou hast denied me O vnkinde Leoger O cruell and heard heart is alshoode the firme loue that so faindedly thou didst professe to me what is he that hath béene more vnmercifull then thou hast béene There is no furious beast nor lurking Lion in the deserts of Libia whose vnmercifull pawes are all besmearde in bloud that is so cruell harted as thy self els wouldst thou not leaue me comfortles spending my dayes in solitarie woods where as the Tigers mourne at my distresses and chirping birdes in their kindes grieue at my lamentations the vnreasonable torments and sorrowes of my soule are so many that if my penne were made of Lidian stéele and my Inke the purple Ocean yet could not I write the number of woes But nowe I determine to aduertise thée of my desired death for in writing this my latest testament the fates are cutting a sunder my thrid of life and I can giue thée knowledge of no more but yet I desire thée by the true loue which I beare thée that thou wilt read with some sorrow these fewe lines and héere of the powers of heauen I do desire that thou maist dye the like death that for thée I now dye And so I ende By her vvhich did yeeld vnto thee her life Loue Honor Fame and Liberty WHen this sad and heauie knight had made an end of reading this dolorous letter hee could not restraine his eyes from distilling salte teares so great was the griefe that his hart sustaned Rosana did likewise beare him company to solemnize his heauines with as manye teares trickling from the Conduite of her eyes The greate sorrowe and lamentation was such and so much in both their hartes that in a great space the one coulde not speake vnto the other but afterwardes their griefes being somewhat appeased Leoger began to say Oh Messenger from her with the remembrance of whose wronge my soule is wounded being vndeseruedly of me euill rewarded tell me euen by the nature of true loue if thou dost knowe where she is showe vnto me her abiding place that I may goe thither and giue a discharge of this my great fault by yeilding vnto death Oh cruell and without loue answered Rosana what discharge canst thou giue vnto her that alreadye thorow thy crueltie is dead and buryed onely by the occasion of such a forsworne knight This penitent and payned knight when he vnderstood the certaintie of her death with a sodaine and hastie fury he strooke him selfe on the 〈◊〉 with his fist and lifting his eyes vnto the heauens in manner of exclamation against the Gods giuing déepe and sorrowfull sighes he threwe him selfe to the ground tumbling and wallowing from the one part vnto the other without taking any ease or hauing anye power or strength to declare his inward griefe which at that time he felt but with lamentations which did torment his hart he called continually on the Armenian Quéen and in that deuilish furye wherein he was dreâ— out his dagger and lifting vp the skirt of his shirt of 〈◊〉 he thrust it into his body and giuing himself this vnhappy death with calling vpon his wroÌ„ged Lady he finished his life and fell to the ground This sad and heauie Ladie when she beheld him so desperately to gorge his martiall breast and to fall liuelesse to the earth she greatly repented her selfe that she had not discouered her name and reuealed to him how that shee was his vnfortunate Daughâ—er whose face before that time he neuer had beheld and as a Lion though all too late who seeing before her eyes her yong Lionâ—sse euil intreated of the Huâ—ter euen so she ran vnto her welâ—eloued Father and with great spéed pulled off his helme froÌ„ his wounded head and vnbraced his armour the which was in colour according to his passion but as strong as anie Diamond made by Magicke arte Also she tooke away his
presently by his Arte he prepared his yron Chariot with his flying dragons in a readines wherein they layd the murthered bodye of Leoger vppon a pillowe of mystle-toe and likewise placed themselues therein wher in they were no sooner entred with necessaries belonging to their trauelles but they flewe thorowe the ayre more swifter then a whirl-wind or a shippe sayling on the seas in a stormye tempest The wonders that he performed by the way be so many and miraculous that I want an Orators eloquence to discribe them and a Poets skil to expresse them But to bee shorte when Rosana was desirous to eate and that her hunger increased by his charmes he would procure birdes of their owne accordes to fall out of the skyes and yeild themselues vnto their pleasures with all things necessary to suffice their wantes Thus was Rosana with her fathers dead body caryed through the ayre b◠Magicke arte ouer hilles and dales mountaines and valleys wooddes and forrestes townes and Citties and through many both wonderfull and strange places and countries And at the last they arriued néere vnto the confines of Armenia beeing the place of their long desired rest But when they approached néere vnto the Queene of Armenias groue they descended from their inchaunted Chariot and bore Leogers body to his burying place the which they found since Rosanaes departure ouergrowne with mosse and wythered brambles yet for all that they opened the Sepulcher and layd his bodie yet freshly bléeding vpon his Ladies consuming carcasse which beeing done the Magitian couered againe the graue with earth and laid thereon gréene turues which made it séeme as though it neuer had béen opened All the time that the Magitian was perfourming the ceremonious Funerall Rosana watered the earth wyth her teares neuer withdrawing her eyes from looking vppon the Graue and when it was finished shee fell into this most sorrowfull and distresfull lamentation following Oh cruell Destinies said she sith your rigours haue bereaued me of both my Parents left me to the world a comfortlesse Orphane receaue the sacrifice of my chastitie in payment of your vengeaunce and let my blood here shed vpon this Graue shewe the singlenesse of my heart And with the like solemnitie may all their hearts be broken in péeces that séeke the downfall and dishonor of Ladies As she was vttering these and such like sorrowes shee tooke foorth a naked sword which she had readie for the same effect and put the pummell to the ground and cast her breast vpon the poynt The which shee did with such furious violence and such excéeding hast that the Magitian although he was there present could not succour her nor preuent her from committing on her selfe so bloodie a fact This sodaine mischaunce so amazed him and so gréeued his soule that his heart for a time would not consent that his tung should speake one word to expresse hys passion But at last hauing taken a truce with sorrowe and recouering his former speach he tooke vp the dead bodye of Rosana bathed all in blood and likewise buried her in her Parents Graue and ouer the same he hung vp an Epitaph that did declare the occasion of all their deathes This being done to expresse the sorrowes of his heart for the desperat death of such a Magnaminious Lady and the rather to exempt himselfe from the company of all humaine creatures he erected ouer the graue by magicke arte a very stately Tombe the which was in this order framed First there was fixed foure pillors euery one of a very fine Rubie vpon the which was placed a Sepulcher of Cristall within the sepulcher there seemed to be two faire Ladyes the one hauing her breste peirced thorowe with a sword and the other with a Crowne of golde vpon her head and so leane of body that she séemed to pine away and vpon the sepulcher there lay a knight all along with his face looking vp to the heauens and armed with a coarselet of fine stéele of a russet enamelling vnder the sepulcher there was spread abroad a great carpet of gold and vpon it two pillors of the same and vpon them lay an olde sheapheard with his shéep hooke lying at his feete his eyes were shut and out of them distilled manye pearled teares at euery pillor there was a gentlewomā without any remembrance the one of them séemed to be murthered and the other rauished And néere vnto the sepulcher there lay a terrible great beast headed like a Lyon his brest and body like a wolfe and his tayle like a scorpion which séemed to spitte continually flames of fire the sepulcher was compassed about with a wall of yron with foure gates for to enter in therat the gates were after the manner and cullour of fine Diamonds and directly ouer the top of the chiefest gate stood a marble pillor whereon hung a table written with red letters the contentes whereof were as followeth So long shall breath vpon this brittle earth The framer of this stately Monument Till that three children of a wondrous birth Out of the Northerne climate shall be sent They shall obscure his name as fates agree And by his fall the fiendes shall tamed bee This Monument being no sooner framed by the assistance of Plutos legions and maintained by their deuillish powers but the Nigromancer enclosed himselfe in the walles where he consorted chiefly with furyes and walking spirits that continually fed vpon his blood and left their damnable seales sticking vnto his left side as a sure token and witnes that he had giuen both his soule and body to their gouerments after the date of his mortall life was finished In which inchaunted sepulcher we will leaue him for a time conferring with his damnable mates and returne to the christian knightes where we left them trauelling towardes Babylon to place the King againe in his Kingdome CHAP. XIII How the seauen Champions of Christendome restored the Babylonian King vnto the Kingdome and after how honourably they were receiued at Rome vvhere Saint George fell in loue with the Emperours Daughter being a professed Nunne Of the mischiefe that insued thereby and of the desperate ende of yong Lucius Prince of Rome THe valiant Christian Champions hauing as you heard in the Chapter going before perfourmed the Aduenture of the inchaunted monument accompanied the Babylonian King home to his kingdom of Assiria as they had all verie solemnly and faithfully promised to him But when they approached the Confines of Babylon and made no question of peacefull and princely entertainment there was neither signe of peace nor likelihood of ioyfull or frendly welcome for all the Countrey raged with intestine warre foure seuerall Competitors vniustly striuing for what to the King properly and of right belonged The vnnaturall causers and stirrers vp to thys blood-deuouring controuersie were the foure Noblemen vnto whom the King vnaduisedly committed the gouernment of his Realme when hee went in the tragicall pursute of his faire daughter after his dreaming
Knights that were present at this vnhappie mischance so great it was that the walles of the Monasterie ecchoed and their pittifull shrikes ascended to the heauens But none was more gréened in mind than the afflicted English Champion who like a man distraught of sense in great furie rushed amongst the people throwing them downe on euerie side till he ascended vpon the scaffold approaching the dead bodie of Lucina hee tooke her vp in his armes and with a sorrowfull and passionate voyce he said O my beloued ioy and late my only hearts delight is this the Sacrifice wherein through thy desperatenes thou hast deceiued me who loued thée more than my selfe is this the respite that thou requiredst for seauen dayes wherein thou hast concluded thy own death and my vtter confusion Oh noble Lucina and my beloued Ladie if this were thy intent why didst not thou first sacrifice mee thy Seruant and Loue wholly subiected vnto thy deuine beautie Woe be vnto mee and woe bee vnto my vnhappie enterprise for by it is she lost who was made souereigne Ladie of my heart Oh Diana accursed by this chaunce because thou hast consented to so bloodie a tragedie by the eternall powers of heauen that neuer more thou shalt be worshipped but in euerie Countrey where the English Champion commeth Lucina in thy stead shall be adored For euermore will he séek to diminish thy name and blot it from the golroll of heauen yea and vtterly extinguish it in eternitie so that there shall neuer more memorie remaine of thée for this thy bloodie Tyrannie in suffering so lamentable a Sacrifice No sooner had he deliuered these speaches but incensed with furie he drew out his sword and parted the image of Diana in two péeces protesting to ruinate the Monasterie within whose walls the deuice of this bloodie Sacrifice was concluded The sorrow and extreame gréefe of the Romane Emperour so excéeded for the murther of his Daughter that he fell to the câ—rth in a senselesse swâ—und and was carried halfe dead with gréefe by some of his knights home to his Pallace where he remained spéechles by the space of thirtie dayes The Emperour had a Sonne as valiant in armes as anie borne Italian except Saint Anthonie This young Prince whose name was Lucius seeing his sisters timeles death and by what meanes it was committed he presently intended with a traine of a hundred armed Knightes which continually attended vpon his person to assaile the discontented Champions and by force of armes to reuenge his sisters death This resolution so incouraged the Romaine Knyghtes but especially the Emperors sonne that betwixt these two companies began as terrible a battle as euer was fought by any knights the fearcenes of their blowes so excéeded the one side against the other that they did resounde ecchoes and they yeelded a terrible noyse in the great woods This battell did continue betwixt them both sharp and fierce for the space of two houres by which time the valor of the encensed Champions so preuailed that most of the Romaine knights were discomfited and slaine some had their handes pared from their shoulders some had their armes and legs lopped off and some lay breathles wâ—ltring in their owne blouds in which incounter many a Romaine Ladie lost her husband many a widowe was bereaud of her Sonne and many a childe was left fatherles to the great sorrow of the whole country But when the valiant young Prince of Roome sawe his knightes discomfited and hee lefte alone to withstand so many noble Champions he presently set spurs to his horse and fled from them like to a heape of oust forced by a whirlewinde After whom the Champions would not persue accountting it no glory to their names to triumph in the ouerthrow of a single knigâ—â— but remained still by the scaffolde where they buried the sacrificed Uirgin vnder a marble stone close by the monasterie wall The which being done to their contentments Saint George ingraued this Epitaph vppon the same stone with the point of his dagger which was in this wise following Vnder this marble stone interd doth lye Luckles Lucina of beautie bright Who to maintaine her spotles chastitie Against the assailment of an English Knight Vpon a blade her tender breast she cast A bloodie offering to Diana chast SO when hee had written this Epitaph the Christian Champions mounted vpon their swift foote stéedes bad adieu to the vnhappie Confines of Italy hoping to finde better fortune in other Countries In which trauell wee will leaue them for a time and speake of the Prince of Rome who after the discomfiture of the Romane knights fled in such hast from the furies of the warlike Champions After which hee like a starued Lion trauersed along by the Riuer of Tybris filling all places with his melancholy passions vntill such time as hee entred into a thicke groue wherein he purposed to rest hys wearie limbes and lament his misfortunes After he had in this solitarie place vnlaced his Helmet and huried it scornfully against the ground the infernal Furies began to visite him and to sting his breast with motions of fierie reuenge In the end he cast vp his wretched eyes vnto heauen and said Oh you fatall torches of the elements why are you not clad in mournâ—full abiliments to cloake my wandring steps in eternall darknes shall I be made a scorne in Rome for my cowardise or shall I return and accompanie my Romane frends in death whose bloodes me thinkes I sée sprinkled about the fields of Italy Mee thinks I heare their bléeding soules fill each corner of the earth with my base flight therefore will I not liue to bée tearmed a fearfull coward but dye couragiously by mine owne hands wherby those accursed Champions shall not obtaine the conquest of my death nor triumph in my fall This being said he drew out his dagger and ryued hys heart in sunder The newes of whose desperate death after it was bruted to his Fathers eares hée interred hys bodie with his Sister Lucinaes and erected ouer them a stately Chappell wherein the Nunnes and ceremonious Monkes during all their liues sung Dirges for his Childrens soules After this the Emperour made proclamation through all his Dominions that if anie Knight were so hardie as trauell in pursute after the English Champion by force of armes bring him backe and deliuer his head vnto the Emperour he should not onely be held in great estimation through the Land but receaue the gouernment of the Empire after his decease Which rich proffer so encouraged the mindes of diuers aduenterous Knightes that they went from sundry Prouinces in the pursute of Saint George but their attempts were all in vaine CHAP. XIIII Of the triumphs tilts and turnaments that were solemnly held in Constantinople by the Grecian Emperour and of the honorable aduentures that wer there atchiued by the christian champions with other strange accidents that happened IN the Easterne Parts of the world the fame