nomber wherewithall hee cleaued the flouds and swomme like a Dolphin as for his tayle it was great long and full of scales like a great fish flat in his hinder latitude wherwith he beat the waters turned himselfe most readely to what side he would by the mouing thereof his head he had eleuated great and puissant carrying in his throate foure great crooked and cutting teeth This horse Hippopotame such as I haue described to thee and which thou maist yet behold at the next Port where I haue left him with my men for hee is so great and mightie that he is able to carie easily many persons and other liuing creatures albeit he be a most wicked and dangerous beast specially when hee hath dronke too much Neuertheles I handle and tame him so well that I make him rideable thorough all waters yea and mayne seas after that I haue armed him with cōuenient harnesse on all sides Besides this by a certaine art wherof I haue the knowledge and experience I open his sides and plant in him great wings by the aid whereof wheu he hath spred them in the winde he goeth faster vppon the waters than the fowle in the aier This great horse Hippopotame being thus prepared to serue me when néed should require one day eleuating my light I perceiued alreadie the cataracts of heauen open the water pot of Aquarius turned vp side downe the sign of Pisces in exaltation Orion with his sword cutting the clowds and the most stinking hogs and the goose behinde me to noyce the open depths vnbounded seas At this great brute lifting vp my head I beheld a great and meruailous brook of waters impetuously comming to fal vpon the Region and way wherein I walked and to ouerwhelme with waues all the pilgrimes passengers in the way in putting out their cierges and liues wherfore the soonest that it was possible for me I tooke prouision of victualls sufficient for certaine dayes for me and mine who were most able to mount with mee vppon my Hippopotame by the foreknowledge that I gaue them of this brooke which I saw comming whereby some beléeued me and fled to the mountaines others would not and so were enclosed with the flouds I was no sooner mounted but my Hippopotame was eleuated vppon the waters which couered all the face of the earth and stiffled all the creatures therein Then began my marinall horse to swim with his flat séete and to spread his wings which hauing once taken the aire and winde transported vs into diuers Countries and Regions at the pleasure of the windes waues and horse to the great maruell of the people who hauing gamed the vppermost top of the barraine mountaines sawe vs ride vpon the waues a thing of them neuer before soene wherefore through great maruell which they tooke thereat they cried to vs of all sides with lowde voyces Gal Gal Gal which in their Armenian language signifieth Surmounting the waters by admiration thereof that they saw me great and puissantly mounted on horsbacke vpon the profound waters as it were on firme land whom I went and visited because I found that the greater part of them were vnprouided of victualls and hunger starued vpon the barraine tops of those high mountaines and distributed vnto them part of those things whereof I had made prouisiō especially of wine wherof I had great plentie I succoured those which wanted to comfort their heart for there is nothing that so soone slaketh extreame hunger as the liquour of wine And because that I gaue them it liberally be it spoken without vaunt or reproach they gaue me the title of Frank which in the Celtique language signifieth liberall and hardie so that afterwards the name of Franc-Gal remained to mee Haddest thou then quoth the Archier anie other name before than Franc-Gal Yea quoth he my proper name was Dysir but afterwards I was alwaies called Franc-Gal which name displeaseth me not at all Now tell mee Franc-Gal quoth the Archier howe could thine Hippopotame carrie thée so manie dayes with out being wearie or plunging himselfe in the waters and drowning of thée and thine Because quoth Franc-Gal his nature is such that so long as he hath aier and winde according to his wings and his féete in the water he mainteineth himselfe in his vigour and getteth more and more force and new legeritie fearing nothing but fire stones and is neuer perillous or dangerous but when hee drinketh ouer-much Wherefore my soueraigne care hath alwayes béen to kéepe him from his contrarie element fire stones and ouermuch drinking for the rest he is of the nature of the Camelion liuing of the aire and of his watrie element and so quiet that when we haue landed and hée retired his féete and abased his wings hee remaineth still without either kicking or biting and of as peaceable rest as he is of terrible legeritie and dangerous passage when his féete are in the water and his wings in the aire and his crooked téeth out of his throate Behold what my horse Hippopotame called Durat is vpon whom I surmounted the waters whereby the name of Gal was imposed vpon me After that the inundation of this great Riuer was come downe and the Cataclysine had taken end being wearie of riding amongst the fishes I came one day and landed in the Region of Scythia called East Tartaria where hauing recreated my spirites with the sinell of the new earth lately discouered and hauing refreshed my bodie with meate and wine féeling my selfe wearie of trauell beaten with continuall showers I laid me downe vpon the ground on sixe Lions skins sowed together which for that time serued me against the stormes and there I fell in a profound sléepe During the which this vision came to me It séemed to me that before me grew a faire plant of a flower called double Solsie otherwise named the friend of the Sunne which altogether séemed to encline towards me till that it had couered my legs Wherefore séeing this faire double flower bending towards me desire forced me to gather it both branch and roote and therfore with my dagger I digged it vp but vnder the roote thereof I found a serpents egge which being broken there issued out the thickin of a Basilisque otherwise called a Cockatrice which incoutinentlie becomming feathered and waxing great flewe away carrying my heart with him which he had taken out of my bodie wherewithall afright I waked and founde my selfe imbraced and clasped bodie and legs by some bodie casting it selfe vpon me which all at once I perceiued to be a yong maiden all naked of a great height whose shape of bodie surmounted the common sort and of an excellent beautifull face with bright golden haires glimmering like Phoebus beames her face white and coloured with red like to Aurora hereies grey and comely suruaulted with little browne eye lids hernecke streight and well proportioned her breast large highly eleuated with two round and incarnate dugs
and make good chéere which they did as also the 24. noble men which were about the Pretoire to whom we likewise sent such meate as we were serued withall At the end of the banquet I tooke my cup of golde full of wine after I had presented it vnto the Quéene who tasted first of it I lift it vp and gaue signe and token that I drank to all in ioy of my spéedie departure and they likewise on the other side by shewing a signe of great ioy pledged me with gladsome acclamation The crie ended and the multitude appeased I descended with the Quéene and caused 24. of the sauage horses which I had tamed to be brought in together with 24. morrions of yron and as manie corslets made of the skinnes of wilde bores and bulls which I had taken in hunting and caused to be dressed in an hearbe called Aarons Oxe being an herb verie strōg sharp cutting hardning and binding leather in a little season likewise 24. shields made of Tillac strengthened with the sinewes of harts and bulls and 24. launces garnished at the ende with leopards téeth in stead of yron together with 24. swords whereof I alwaies caried a good number with me the which I put into the hands of the Quéene Priscaraxe These things made readie I caused mine owne men to ride the horses to make them bend turne to giue the carréere to caper to mount to leape and to fling thereby giuing example of discipline to the 24. strong men so to gouerne and handle them Then caused I them there to bée harnessed with the corslets and the morrions vppon their heads and then to all and euerie of them I gaue the Accolade made them Knights The Quéene girded their 24. swords about them and their shields and I presented to either of them a launce and a horse whereon easily they moūted without putting foote in the stirrop for they were ridden naked and handled easelie enough for their first riding together for that they were well tamed and accommodated After that for their first exercise and pastime I caused them to iust and turney with my men where after they had encountred with their launces they laid hands on their swords which they neuer before had handled foūd them meruailous faire in their glistering splendor beeing ioyfull to handle such weapons flaming like the Sunne Whereby they skirmished so couragiously that in the end the sport had turned into quarrell had I not caused them to cease and euerie one to take his armes againe exhorting them oftentimes to like exercises without strife and to all the duties of knighthood but specially to susteine defend their Queene Priscaraxe of whom with a last kisse and streight embracement without power of speaking of one word to her nor she to me by meanes of the great sorrowe of heart I tooke my leaue and of the 24. knights of all the people All which followed and accompanied me vnto the port and hauen where my people hauing trussed vp all my baggage were alreadie gone to prepare my good and great horse Durat Hippopotame whereupon being mounted with my companie he stretched out his long flat féete and raised his wings in the high aier where hauing once receiued winde presently he carried vs from the land into the high seas beholding neuerthelesse the shore where the Scythian men and the 24. new knights followed vs with their sight so farre as they could sée vs together with the Quéene Priscaraxe whome I had left with a transpierced heart whom I neuer since haue séene and am in doubt neuer to sée more The apparition and foresaying of Proteus the returne of the Queene Priscaraxe her childbearing the double birth of Alector his crowning nourishing and manners CAP. XVI HOw so quoth the Archier did thy Quéene Priscaraxe die then No no quoth Franc-Gal but as I haue since vnderstood by a messenger and letters which shée afterwards sent me after she had followed me with her eye vntill she had lost the sight of me shee remained with sorrowe and auguish colde stiffe and as it were past her selfe planted vpon the sea side like a statue of stone till they might sée the sea moue and boyle and from the bottome rise out on the foming water a great troupe of Phocques or sea calues and after them launched from the deapth a great Seaman olde and ancient to looke on with long grey haires white beard and monstaches dropping with salt water his skin yellow rough and full of scales his armes sinned with the finnes of fishes his body naked in humaine forme vnto the nauell the residue finishing in a grosse and great tayle of a fish wherewithall he beate the water and made it bound vp in sprinckling and bedewing all his Phocques which hée chased before him with a great wand made of a Whales bone which he carried in his hand who beholding Priscaraxe with his gréen and ougly eyes foretold her these propheticall verses which I haue here written in the barke of a trée And therewithall Franc-Gal pulled out of his bosome a roule of a white Phylire wherein were written certaine verses which he read and pronounced to the Archier in this sort Like as the time onee being past cannot returne againe Euen so the man which now departs though it be to his paine Vnto this place no more shall come For why in countries strange The destinies appointed haue that he long time shall range Wherefore thou Queene Priscaraxe now no longer him attend For once within eight turnes of Moone there shal of thee descend A fayre and noble bird the which shall be of double birth And at the last as King he shall bee crownd with ioie mirth Yea he a worthie Knight shall be and of such valurerare That euen his lookes shal cause the proud stronger sort to feare By vertue of an inward spirite that shall be him assinde Or rather to discrie the trueth descend to him by kinde Yet nathles thou shalt of him haue little cause to ioy Yea short the time shall be that thou with him shalt play or toy For scarsely fledgd with wings yspread his soaring flight shall take By cutting of the Ayre and shall his proper nest forsake A loftier seate for to obtaine Wherefore when time shall come That he will needs from thee depart doo notwithstand his dome For if thou wouldst thou canst not striue against the wil and minde Of the superiall powers who haue this lot to him assinde But now O Priscaraxe hencefoorth it shall with thee proceede Leauing three Faons in Gal his nest extract of Peacocks seede Thou shalt depart out of this soyle to seeke with moestfull cheere The flagrant flowre of withered tree whome thou dost loue so dere And then not finding that thou seekest by long and lingring paine The perfect shape of humane kinde new name shalt obtaine And with a worldly King as Queene thou shalt a while remaine In blis full ioy
The present appointed cause in the criminall accusation of the Gratians against Alector being obscure and doubtfull aswell on the one part as the other to the iudgement of men is nowe by heauenly Oracle sent to the diuine iudgement who shall condemne his fault by death or showe his innocencie vp victorie at the proofe of combat against the Auenger Serpent of the Theatre in the plaine of the Sands onely with his sword shield and an arrowe without a bowe Whereunto wee will sende him within thrée daies at the furthess This sentence pronounced was right well allowed and receiued of all the assistance who demaunded not the death of this yong Esquire but bore him secret fauor in hope of some merueilous aduenture of the combat as it came after to passe as also of the two parties For the Gratians thought verely that their offendor should incontinently be swallowed vp of the most horrible Serpent who onely with his venemous breath did slaie those who approached him Alector on the other side trusting in his hardines legeritie and promesse demaunded nothing but that the third day were come and enquired after if his sword and shield were safe To whome it was answered that hee should not care but that they should bee deliuered him the day of the Combat Wherewithall he wonderfullie reioyced and thanked the Potentate of his clemencie to the great abashment of all the people who meruelled to see him so assured in such a mortall and present perill And so by commaundement he was caried back to the lodging of the Captaine Palatine to be kept in his guarde where without ceasing he lamented his Ladie Noëmia speaking to her as though she had been present and promising her reuenge And in this his great complaint which euerie night from thrée houres to thrée houres hee awaked hee woulde crie out with a loude veice O Noëmia O Noëmia O Noëmia and reclayming incessantly the Sunne to aduance the day and time of his Combat against the Serpent wherof his care was so small as the thought was great how to finde out the murthering Arther of his Noëmia so remained hee there for that time During the which the soueraigne and most iust Iudge Diocles caúsed diligent and secret enquirie to be made to knowe who it was which in that tumult shot the arrowe wherewith the faire gracious and vertuous Noëmia was so accursedlie slaine wherewith all in generall were sad and sorrowfull For in the death of this noble Maiden was buried the flower of beautie and grace of all the Maidens of the Citie of Orbe for the which cause she was deplored bewailed and lameueet in common dueil all the people with one voyce crying vengeance and penall iustice of the murtherer But for all the diligent enquirie that could be made nothing could be found sauing a light presumption and suspition of a yong springall called Coracton who had sometime greatlie wooed her and of her had gotten nought but a conquest of refusall for the vicious nature which abounded in him but this presumption was not sufficient chieflie because at her burying this gallant mourned aboue all the rest msomuch that with force of teares he washed away all suspition The Iudge perceiuing he could finde no other thing went himselfe in person before shee was permitted to be buried to see the bodie of the faire Noëmia lying before the piller of the 3. Charites with such grace albeit dead that shee séemed swéetelie to sléepe more whiter than her snowie garments purplesied in bloud wherewithall hee himselfe beeing a most seuere man was mooued to teares and commanded the bloudie arrowe to be deliuered him the which after hée had beheld it lift it vp aloft demanding if no man knew it but no answere would be giuen And lifting vp his eyes he beheld the Charites of alabastre and saw that from their slonie eyes distilled aboundance of teares lamenting the death of their fourth sister which he shewed vnto the people who of such a miracle began to wéepe and crie vengeance for the fact And amongst these enterprises Diocles aduised betwéene the hands of two Charites a little scroll rowled vp the which hee secretlie tooke without the knowledge of anie man and after he had read it he closed it in his hand with the arrowe and retired to his lodging giuing leaue to burie the dead bodie which in open mourning was enterred before the statues of the 3. Graces with the enscription of the Epitaph as hath been before declared And the sepulcher was couered with flowers and perfumes strowed by the people in lamentation of the faire Noëmia The reuelation by night to Croniel Archier The arriuall of Franc-Gal The foretelling of the blacke Bird The mortall perrill of the Archier by a Lionnesse slaine by Franc-Gall The reincountrie and assemblie of the Archier and Franc-Gall with their deplorations CAP. 5. THE euening of that selfe same day the Archier Croniel beeing in the Temple at his nosturnall meditations as euerie night before he was accustomed to doo he receiued a certaine inward intelligence that the next daye after noone he should goe towardes the sea side by keeping the way of the sepulcher of Thanais and that hard by hee should finde a man who should saue his life him he should bring lodge in his house and of him should he learne much Croniel the next morning after sacrifice and dinner tooke his bowe and quiuer to passe the time at shooting chasing of beasts and birds in the field for seldome or neuer went he to the plaies at the Theatre by the occasion of his predecessor and taking with him same vinualls and a little wine if so he should noode it and so set forwards on the way toward the sea by the way of Portune to seeke out the beasts and birds of the field Now the same morning was arriued at the next Port the magnanimous Prince Franc-Gal Dysir Macrobe his men vpon a great Hippopotame being a huge merueilous sea horse swimming and Hying vpon the waters and flouds with the féete of Polype and wings called Durar This Franc-Gall through seas and lands went séeking his sonne Alector who on the Septentrion seas was rauished and carried from him by a horrible wind The whole proces hereof is showen in the 21 Cap he knew not whether and by fortune hauing taken land at the next hauen with his onely page held the high way to the great Citie of Orbe where appeared to him a blacke bird like a rauen but somewhat of lesser bodie with beacke and clées red who flying before him from trée to trée séemed to sing in humane voyce these words following Come with me come come come thou shalt goe to the Sands Where thou shalt finde thy Sonne come with me come come come For I a Prophet am whom thou no more shalt see Come with me come come come thou shalt goe to the Sands Franc-Gall hearkening to her and taking her song for an Augurie
they rage diuelishly lightē wherby they are called of nauigators the hils of diuels These wicked spirits retired into their Acroceranicall castles the Sea in the space of two houres being setled became so tranquil calme quiet and equall that it séemed nothing but a field of glasse sauing that on the top thereof floated the neasts of some Sea birds builded cloased and enterlaced with vigne twigs and eares of corne by such naturall architecture that with paine could a man break them with the blowes of a hatchet of such faire and artificiall building that no basketmaker or topiarie workman could fashion the like And this was in the time of the Brume about the 14. of December and wintrie Solstice when the Sunne entreth the Tropick of Capricorne wherby I knew that the birds swimming in those faire nests were called Halcyones who in this time doo build couer and hatch their yong to which birds nature hath granted thus much grace and priuiledge that for the space of 14. dayes the waters and winds séeme to obay them and in this time which is the sorest part of winter to appease their rigor and to moderate themselues in such peaceable tranquilitie that the ayre and Seas are in rest and perigrinations sure which I think to be done by a secret fauour of nature to this little bird whereat I was much ameruailed could not finde the cause for what vtilitie either of the world or of this creature the most wise Lady dame Nature was so fauorable to these little birds as in this peruerse time to giue them the tranquilitie which she refuseth to affoord vnto mē which to my thinking is vnworthily done Wherefore eleuating my cierge higher to consider the cause more metaphysicallie I supposed the cause of this tranquilitie to be the returne of the Sonne who is the most illustrate Lord and ruler of the inferiour things into the Tropick of Capricorne But as I was resoluing on this poynt behold a voyce which séemed to issue out of the mouth of my horse saying T is not as thou dost think Franc-Gal this calme quiet space Of wind and seas ordayned is in figure signe and grace Of one I mean the child of peace the high Soueraignes sonne Who in the time of quiet rest into this world must come To bring to them th' eternall peace that will receiue the same With ioy or els refuse it to their owne confused shame Ne yet is this tranquilitie in fauour or respect Of this small bird who by foresight this calme doth not neglect To close hatch her tender yong when stormy winds do cease To show that wealth doth most abound in time of rest peace Inquire therefore no higher cause ne make no more a doo But keepe thy course and take the time while time dooth serue theretoo And hereupon the voyce ceased which séemed to procéed out of the throte of my horse whereat I was sore abashed and astonished and for that cause I demanded and saide how commeth it to passe Durat and when and where hast thou learned to speake and prophecie But he answering me not one word turned his head toward the West and tooke his direct course with enlarged féet and wings hoysted vp so that within a while I arriued at the ports of Dalmace and Sclauonia in Illyrica and so passing through the vnsatiable throtes of Scilla and Charibdis alongst the coast of Messina and Rliegium I discouered the Isles of Sicilia Sardinia Corsica all the coast of Apulia Calabria Naples Italy and entred into the arme of furious Adriatieum where at that time the rich towne without land was vnfounded Venice and so passed by the coast of Lygorne and ouertooke the ports de la Luna passed by the happie Gaule Narbonnoys and from them coasted the occidēt sea Hispaignia vnto the pillers of the high mountaine Calipe and Abyle where the great Oeean Sea maketh way to passe into the Mediterrane Sea and seperateth it selfe into the great Asia the rich Aphricque and the populous Europa And in all the places where my Hyppopotame tooke land there let I him repose certaine daies and in the meane while vpon other terrestiall horses or on foote as thou séest me now if the way were not long I trauersed the countries and Mediterrane Regions visited the townes people to learne know their languages lawes manners and fashions of liuing commending them if they had wealth and helping them if they had lesse according to the wisdome which the soueraigne had giuē vnto me In recōpence wherof I returned from them loaden with honours graces riches presents substance and victuals wherewith I charged my good horse Durat for the prouision of my voyage Now as I was reposing my selfe one day arriued a messenger come towards me on the behalfe of the Quéene Priscaraxe who had followed and sought me by sea and land continually and all places demanding Franc-Gal the great old knight vpon the flying and swimming horse of whom he had heard newes in al places by euidēt tokens yet neuertheles he had erred wandred by sea two whole yéeres before he could méet me vatil such time as I arresting at Cales he had means to finde me where he presented me letters of credit sent by the Quéene Priscaraxe conteining partly that which before I haue reckoned to thée without forgeting the faire child Alector who was twise borne the maner how his suddaine grouth but aboue all things shee sent mee word how that ordinarily beholding euery day and houre the ring which I had left with her wherein was set the changeable Carbuncle oftentimes she had found it somewhat changed one while being pale another while darke another while clere shining but that in the 4. yeare of my departure the 14. of the Moneth of December which was the day wherein I was tormented in the gulfe of the Diabolicall mountaines in beholding my ring she perceiued it very pale ashy almost extinct of all the light And thereupon she had dispatched this messenger to go séeke me through all seas lands to enquire of my health well doing fortunes and to reckon to me hers such as had hapned to her since my departure requiring me right affectuously to returne shortly And for that she willed me to giue faith and credit to the words of the bearer very curiously I asked him of such things as had hapned since my departure wherto he answered me very assuredly beginning at the apparitiō of Protëus the old man of the sea of his prophecie written in the barke of a trée which he deliuered mee and is that which thou hast séene O Archier vnderstood and read Then rehearsed he me the exercises of the knights the honors duties and presents done to the Quéene her childbirth the doubble natiuitie of Alector his coronatiō nurture maners exercises and his soddaine aduancement growing Whereof I had such ioy at the heart that I could conceiue no
to sing aloud cléere in the Scythicq language Cokolostis which is to say Victorious And thereupon the Fisherman led him to his cottage and washed his wounds in warme wine and Miske with sage applying thereto leaues of the hearb Peoesne with the skin cut from the Wolfes foote which hee flead off whiles it was hot wherewith hee couered his arme so iust as though it had been a sleeue made expressy for it In the meane while an olde wife which hee had put some fish into the pot to boyle and other some vppon the gridion to roast then spread shee on the ground a large Hearts skin cut round and set thereon Barlie Bread reasonable white baked vppon a tyle with dried Raysins and Apples with Wine made of Hony and water enuiting simplie their Guest to eate and drinke whereto hee accorded most willingly as one that had neede thereof Whereupon they sat downe with their leggs a crosse about this fayre table cloth without seame where the olde wift serued them with boyled and rosted fish and with store of fruite So they eate and dranke at their ease deuising of the adueuture and how the impetuous flood had carried him vnknowing in what country hee was The Fisherman tolde him that he was at the foote of the mountaines of Armenia Then Alector demanded of him if hee knewe no newes of mee giuing him tokens of my swimming and flying horse The Fisherman tolde him that aboue two yeares passed hee had seene mounting against the riuer such a great and huge horse carrying diuers persons and other things but amongst the rest a strong great and fayre personage armed with the skins of Lyons vpon a white harnesse carrying a great shield with a Sunne of gold in a fleld of Azure and afterwards that he had vnderstood how this great man had discomfetted and ouerthrowne a great companie of theeues which robbed and spoyled the whole Region for which cause the countrey had done him great honor As touching the fact hee spake troth for in my voyage by Sea coasting the riuages all the mouthes of the Riuers which I founde I was accustomed to enter them to sée and knowe the Townes and Countries lying there about in the continent whereby it happened that passing the Persian gulph alongest Arabia and viewing the mouthes of this fayre Riuer Tygre falling into the Sea I entred into the same and so mounted against the streames And by fortune apperceiuing a Carauanne of Arabian theeues and robbers who vnder the conduct of a puissant and valtant but a wicked Knight enfested the whole Countrey In so much that hauing vnderstood the popular complaints I landed with my men whereto those théeues had likewise fainedly enuited vs to rob and spoyle vs and so set vpon this Cauaille euill harnessed company with such hardines and exployt that of a great nomber of them there remayned but fiue who saued themselues by flight and wee pursued them to Mount Caucasus where wee ouerthrew them all together with the great Knight who bearing a shield with a Cock of gold defended himselfe so long as hee could and yet neuertheles would neuer render himselfe Wherefore with a great stroak of my sword I cloue his head in twaine and then hong I vp their armes the shield aboue them all vpon an old trée which was in that place in the forme of a Trophie caused the valiant Knight to be buried at the foote therof who through obstination to my great grief had caused himself to he slaine And so for that time we purged the countrie This done one night I returned into the Persian sea by the other mouth of Tygre for it emptied it self into the sea by two mouthes the one notwithstanding not far distant from the other tooke my way towards Madagascar Zanzibar and the Isles of the Grifons Alector hearing this news of me was wonderful glad wherefore rising frō the table he thanked his host hostis for their gentlenes And for that he had found the sléeues which was made of the skin of the Wolfes leg to be very fayre and wel beséeming him for hee had his armes naked for so much as the sléeues of his coate did not couer him but were open and hanging by like a coate of armes he required the fisherman to flea the other leg for his right arme and to flea and giue him both the skins of the Wolfes which the good man most willingly performed and Alector more willingly arcepted them and thereof made fayre bardes for his horse saying that he had well merited to haue part of the spoyle for that he had béen participate of the danger and done his dutie in the fight Wherein this yong youth well declared that he was come of a franke and noble nature and birth hauing thus harnessed and barded his horse with these fayre skins of the rauening Wolfe hee mounted vpon him and tooke leaue of his hoste hauing vnderstood that I had gained the heigth he determined to follow me and to mount vp against the impetuous riuer of Tygre not by the rauishing way which had so carried him away but by the surest way of the land And rode so long by many iournies that one day at Sonne going downe he found himselfe at the foote of one side of the mount Caucasus in a plaine deuided into thrée high waies where was a place of reasonable space ample enough and in the mids a Trophie erected vpon the body and branches of a great olde and dead tree charged with all sorts of harneys Launces swords and shields In contemplation whereof Alector who had a singular pleasure in armes alighted letting his horse feede on the fayre grasse which was about the trée and with great contemplation began to behold these sorts of armes hanging vppon the Trophie of the tree But aboue all the rest his eyes following his affection were most fixed vpon one fayre and great shield made in forme of an egge and couered with a plate of brasse whereon was eleuated a Cock of gold armed and spurred with Gules in a damasked field of greene synople the Cock being raised on his tiptoes beating his wings and looking vp a loft This shield so pleased this young Alector as youth is delighted with such pleasant pictures that he concluded to take it off and carrie it away for the couerture and ornament of his body as also he would haue done the other armes but that hee fame them ouer great for the corpulence of his age as also for that he had béen aduertised that to put on harnesse before he was knighted appertained not vnto him Wherefore considering that he was but an Esquire to whome it is lawfull to carrie a shield as armes of defence and not of offence and ignorant that the Trophies are inuiolable like to Sepulchres through simple affection and desire mounted vpright on his horse and reaching as high as he could with the poynt of his sworde tooke downe the shield which
where my men attended me vnknowing but that I was yet in bed because in the morning at my departure I had firmed my chamber doore and was issued without the knowledge of any one for euery man slept soundly Being thus returned to the Pallace after I had declared to my men who and what Alector was all of them receiued him with great ioy with admiration of his beautie and good grace dooing to him most great honor and reuerence yea more than to my selfe as many doo rather worship the Sunne rising than going down for the which I was neither sorie nor enuions for his great beautie vertue and honestie did well merit it hereupon the tables were couered and wee went to dinner most gorgiously And amongst other communications which were held at the table Alector declared to me the great grief that Priscaraxe had of my long tarrying and of the earnest desire which shee had of my returne for the accomplishing whereof she most affectuously required me by him which he also on his part most earnestly desired saying that hee had promised and sworne to the Quéene his Mother neuer to returne againe to her vnles he brought me with him beséeching me with humble reuerence to doo him the fauor to satisfie his promises Wherefore I who was no lesse affectionated towards the Mother and Sonne than they towards me deliberated and made him promise assuredly to depart the next day and for that cause I commanded my men to trusse vp harnesse and baggage to appoint and make readie my good horse Durat which they did with great and good diligence The whiles I and Alector went to take leaue of the King of Tangut rendering him thanks for his hospitalitie who on the contrarie thanked vs of the good succor which I and my people had done him with our great Hippopotame against a horrible monster of the Sea called Trolual so great as a little Isle in the Sea or a great mountaine on the earth who at euerie ful moone would cast himself into the hauens ports and créekes deuouring and destroying all that he met and swallowing vp men women and children aliue yea horses kine and other beasts This monster Trolual séeing our great Hippopotame going vpon the Sea and we mounted vppon him thrusting and breaking the waues before him lanched himself with terrible impetuositie against vs and our great horse where he thought to haue had aboundant pray but he found mauchat maurat or maurat mauchat A Prouerbe in France when one meeteth with his match for our Hippopotame who is the most hurtfull creature and greatest dooer of harme in all the world when he is puised thereto with violence as the Trolual opened his mouth so large as the arch of a gate to haue swallowed him vp and vs therewith hee caught him with his two great teeth before by the lip in raysing him out of the water so high as we were wherby presently I thrust my launce into his throate with the poynt sticking fastning in his roofe and the great end planted in his iawe belowe so as the monster found himselfe fast in the téeth of mine Hippopotame gagged with the launce and not able to shut his mouth for the paine of the yron piercing his sensible parts the which one of my men called Cetophon apperceiuing with a merueilous hardines and readines with his naked sword in his hand leaped into the deapth of the monsters throate so far that he found out his verie entrailes and heart which he hurt and wounded with so many blowes of his sword that he might féele the monster weakened wherefore sodainely he retired himselfe out of this monsterous body and rendred himselfe to vs againe The horse Durat in the meane while flinging with his féete and training with his téeth this monster vnto the shore who through anguish of death beating the water with his tayle had like a tempest moued and disquieted all the Sea boyling and dyed with the aboundance of bloud which hee shed so as three stades round about it séemed to bee the red sea betweene Arabia and Aethiopia when we were arriued at the shore Durat let goe the monster Trolual vppon the sands whome by reason of his waight hee could no longer draw because his life was fayled and through dead to the great Ioy of all the people dwelling about the Sea coasts And this was the cause why the King of Tangut and all his people rendred vs so many thankes with most rich and houourable presents This selfe same euening Alector stirred vp with a most ardent desire and impatience of longer tarrying with most earnest expostulation humbly prayed me for the first request of the Son to his Father that if I loued him at the selfe same houre I should make him Knight which I as one that could not refuse to do any thing for him easily yelded to his request for the accomplishment whereof going about to speake the solemne words and to lift vp mine arme to giue him the accolade all humaiue puissance failed me as though I had had the paisie of tongue arme and all the parts of my bodie and when Aleft off my puissance and force came againe to mee and as I would haue proued to reiterate the same twise or thrise so often this paisey came vpon me whereby I coniectured that either the time serued not thereunto or ets that I was not he ordained of the heauens that should giue Alector the order of Knighthood And therefore for that time I left off to make any more proofe deferring it till another time and place to my great shame and no lesse sorrowe of Alector in this fearefull confusion all of vs went to rest and the next day wée mounted vppon the great horse Hippopotame betaking our selues to the high Teptentrionall Seas where Durat stretched out his large stoating feete and reared his wings carrying vs away so lightly that he rather seemed to flye that goe Whereof Alector who neuer had ridden ouer the fishes was so much 〈◊〉 and glad as cóuld bee wherefore through great desire of discouering the furthest part of the immensall space of the Seas like a young greedy and nimble youth as he was he mounted now goe I 〈◊〉 my mortall griefes hee mounted alas hee mounted to the top of one of the wings of my horse Duraâ— armed alwaies with his sword and shield which hee would neuer abandone And as hee was perched in the highest beholding on the one side the mountaines of the region of Bator and the hils Anubies which seemed to flye from vs and on the other side the great Seas without bottome or shore and I feaâ—ing least he should fall called on him to descend But behold alas beholde a strong winde arose from the Hyperborian parts or rather a strong Steay and wicked trouble some spirit who taking him by the shield eleuated into the ayre my deer Soune Alector crying from the ayrie Region so loude as he could helpe 〈◊〉 my
the house quoth the Archier is none other then Reason and Sapience sent by the Soueraigne by whome all this house is ruled and gouerned for being from my natiuitie vowed to sacred things which ought purely to bee handled neither my body nor heart consenting haue euer been polluted with woman nor other fleshelie attouchings nor shall not be I hope For hauing by diuine grace kept the virginicall puritie wherein I was borne vntill this present age which is foure hundred and fiftéene yeares till white snowes and colde frosts which lye on the tops of the mountaines sufficiently declare that there shall not bée much more heate belowe in the valleys And for so much as by reuelation made in the assembly of the people I was constituted Archier that is to say Prince or chiefe of the sacreds and not an Archer shooter although for the auoyding of idlenes the Mother of all vices commonly I exercise my selfe to shoote in a Bowe at the beasts and birds estranged from men in which act thou foundest mée and sauedst mée from the beast enemie to man of whome I tooke no héede And so I was and am yet Arch-priest and principall sacrificer of the temple of Ioue By whose reuelation and admonition I knew of thy comming into this countrey before I saw thee and to encounter and receiue thée I was sent by him to the place where thou didst stude mée the rest I will communicate vnto thée to morrowe for now the houre of nightly prayer calleth me to mine office get thée to rest in peace This spoken the Archier went to the temple wherein he entred all alone about the first Vigile of the night making fast the doore after him On the other side two Ministers with two candlesticks of siluer and two cierges of pure and swéete waxe conducted Franc-Gal into a faire chamber al wanscotted with Cypres and said him in a bed of Ebonie garnished with clothes of red veluer with fringes of sattain the curtaines of taffatie changeable white and black and the teasterne of gréene and broune sowed with teares of siluer At all which things Franc-Gal who was one of the wisest men in all the nine ages tooke great héed with obseruation of the euill presage which all these things shewed in signification of his death nere at hand for he knew vs well that the Cypres was a funerall sepulchear trée and that the cerges belonged to buriall that the Ebonie was a good sinking to the bottome of the waters the red fringed with sky colour to be the vermillion life turning into leadie and mortall heauines and the changeable curtaines of white and black to be a signe of change from light to darkenes from life to death Wherefore Franc-Gal who was of singular and almost diuine wisdome remembring his oracles visions threatnings sent him by the spirit of the black Knight the Augurie of the Rauen rauishment of his Son Alector knew by foresight that his death was ordained and which hee concluded to bee neere at hand without any feare or sorrowe saying onely that he had not séene his welbeloued Priscaraxe and his deere Sonne Alector once before his death For the humaine condition of mortall men is such that neuer man how infortunate soeuer hee bee dieth without sorrowe of some thing left imperfect Notwithstanding Franc-Gal after many and diuers thoughts tormenting his heart finally concluded to that which was necessarie and humbly to submit himselfe to the diuine immouable ordinances and with this resolution after long waking he fell into a doubtfull sleepe about the second crowe of the Cock a little before the breake of day at such time as the moisture of the night falling either into dew or hoarie frost bringeth drousie sleepe vpon all creatures The mornings Adoration of the Orbitans the discription of the temple and the manner of prayer and sacrifice The Sermon of the Archier and chiefe Priest and the common prayer of all in Musick CAP. XXII THe next day after the Sunne was vp the Archier led Franc-Gal to the the temple whose gates were already open the people come thether in great multitudes to the morning adoration Franc-Gal went on one side of the altar knéeling downe to prayer and the Archier remained before the altar prostrate in long and silent prayer with the heart and not with the mouth Likewise all those who came into the temple presently adored him whome they sawe not in prayers of onely thought without mouing of tongues or lips but with their eyes eleuated on high in most déep and admirable silence for the emperiall reuerence of the place which was in perfect roundnes mounted vpon thirteene pillers onely but so great and massiue by reason of their height which séemed to reach vp to heauen that the thirtéene arches were most large and spacious with the top and round pinacle ouer the mids by agreat round hoale of thrée fadom in the diameter giuing open view and prospect to the heauens and the curtaines of the walls cōposed on thirtéen porches with galleries erected one aboue another whereto they mounted by foure vices of stayres found out at the third seaueuth tenth and thirtéenth piller and in these galleries whose windowes were of clere glasse open behinde and carued before were builded seats of marble to sit in and desks before to knéele and leane vpon The lower part also was round about garnished with seates and vaults of Cedar Ebanie Cypres white Arabie browne nut trée and all other wood meete for workemanship which bancks and seates were assigned for the women to sit in As for the beautie and magnificence internall of the temple it was not like to a grange or desolate house voyde of ornament but it was in all parts filled and repaired with many diuers and fayre figures images statues and paintings of stone wood iuorie and other things guilded siluered azured and coulored with all fayre and illustrate pigments and mettalls which images and statues naturally and liuely represented not onely the beroycall persons of men and women of vertue but also all beasts birds and fishes which flye go or swimme in the earth ayre or waters Neither were the liuing creatures onely pictured but also the insensible creatures which are in the two inferior elements each one hauing his seuerall deuise in short writing appoynted according to their naturall propertie in attestation of the greatnes puissance glory and grace of the Soueraigne God whome they named Ioua As for example Vpon the statue of the man was written Of straightnes God hath giuen thee a gift That thou to heauen thine eyes shouldst lift Vpon the statue of the woman Thou art endewd with beautie and grace That vertue in thee might haue a place Vpon the statue of the Elephant Of bounty and great puissance Is our great God his essence And belowe God to the good dooth not denay Both prudence force and life for ay Vpon the figure of the Serpent He that is borne to doo euill
and the worthie Knight Serran thereof made his brauados the rich King Hugon labouring in his golden chariot thereby kept amagnificall estate to showe that he was extract of so high and generous a race as that of the noble Lord Kamat and the vertuous Ladie Sophroisne whose successors were called Macrobians men engendred of good lawfull and shamefast blood vnder good consteflation well and temperately nourished with the first and best fruites of their most wholsome and fertile Region scituate in the high Aethiopia betwéene the East and the South vnder the most temperate Climate of Meroë abounding in all goodnesse in swéete and wholesome waters and in a most pure and beautifull aier like a continuall Spring people of a most faire forme of bodie of members strong and boisterous of good and liberall spirite louing and exercising iustice equitie and liberalitie reuerently honouring age their fathers mothers parents and betters their auncitors and God aboue al who is auncienter than all things and elder than time it selfe Such were the Macrobians to whom by fortune or rather by prouidence happened the first best and most durable cierges which they carrying keeping and gouerning wisely liued two three and foure times so long as other men And to me which am of their race befel one deliuered me by Cleronome long straight well waxed and tempered durable and of cleare light Where is it then quoth the Archier hast thou offered it vp alreadie or hath it failed or gone out by the way No no quoth Franc-Gall for if it were our I should then bée dead Shewe it me then quoth the Archier that I might sée the fashion thereof Then Franc-Gall smiling said vnto him thus show me also thine that Cleronome gaue thée in the beginning of thy Pilgrimage Mine quoth hee I haue none that I knowe of for I am no Pilgrime neither haue I anie remembrance that euer any cierge was giuen me Neither hast thou remembrance quoth Franc-Gal of thy first shirt which neuerthelesse hath béen deliuered to thee so likewise hath thy vitall light been giuen to thée as mine hath béen to me but they are vnuisible to our corporall eyes for euerie oue carrieth them not vppon him but within himselfe Of whose flame we féele the naturall heate which faileth when they be extinguished by their light we sée outwardly and vnderstand inwardly how we ought to guide them in our peregrination wherein we be Pilgrimes from our youth and by diuers wayes aduentures and dangers doo bend our course toward the soueraigne Temple where wee are promised rest as if it were to the retourne of our proper and paternall house How quoth the Archier I had thought we had not had other light than the dayly Sunne the Moone and nightly starres and the burning fire to conduct vs. Thou art not sufficiently aduised for so good an Archier quoth Franc-Gal for when this light which in the beginning is giuen vs by Cleronome for our conduct commeth once to be put out then wee sée and knowe nothing albeit wee haue our eyes open and that the Sunne the Moone the Starres and the cléere light of candles and torches shine vppon vs. Wherefore thou maist well vnderstand that neither our light which we vse in our pilgrimage nor the cierge of our sight life and way which was giuen vnto vs by the first Fatall Sister Cleronome consisteth of those externall lights I vnderstand well nowe quoth the Archier oh how thou hast lightened the eyes of my vnderstanding and illuminated my light with the clearnesse of thine Well at this instant begin I to knowe my selfe and thy mystirall secret talke which is verie profitable and delectable vnto me wherefore I pray thée if it shall not be ouer tedious vnto thée to goe forward vnto the ende thereof Marke well then quoth Franc-Gall After that I had receiued of Cleronome this faire cierge great streight full of good matter well made and garnished with manie swéet and flagrant sauours and that the second fatall Sister named Zodore had lightened it with a cléere and liuely fire I carried it high and straight without doing it force or iniurie in such sort that it hath alreadie lasted and conducted me 900. yeares and more continually flaming and in most illustrious manner shining aswell before as behinde me round about me below me and aboue me yea euen vnto the heauens By the cleare light whereof I haue walked by the benefit of the long daies yeres and worlds wherein I haue liued I haue séene a farre off the gouernance of things both before and behinde me although I sée not the one so well as the other because I must tourne my head a tene side to beholde them Likewise I haue beholden the circumstances aswel on the right side as on the left together with the things which haue falne vnder my féete and the imminent perils which haue hong ouer my head from the high point of my Saturnian Planet whereunder I was borne And all this by length of the time haue I seene through the resplendaunt brightnesse of my cierge by the which I haue viewde the causes of things and the consequences and progresse of of the same and as I was not ignorant of the antecedents so compared I the similitudes adioyning to the present the things to come so that thereby I haue foreseene the whole course of my Peregrination which hethertoo hath been long durable and diuers through strange countryes and regions of the East West North and South not without suffering of manie labours trauels fortunes and strange aduentures Of the preuision of the Cataclysme of Durat Hippopotame the sea horse whereon Franc-Gal surmounted the waters whereby he was sirnamed Cocke and of his encountrie with Priscaraxe a my-serpentlike woman CAP. 14. FOr one day eleuating my cierge towards Heauen I perceiued an exorbitation of the eight Sphere from the West vnto the East contrariwise from the East vnto the West approching and drawing together aboue the center of Aries and Libra not in stretching wise of the right course in length but of exorbitant moueing in height and bredth by equation approching and drawing together making two small circles of exorbitance wherby after long progression of time this exorbitant mouing was come to the point of the small circle the Zenith being regarded by the Signe of Pisces and Aquarius of the Planets of Orion and Hyades then knewe I well by proofe that the Cataclysme of inundation should be shortly Wherefore for the auoyding of all perills that might happen I tooke in the great riuer of Nylus in Aegypt a yong Hippopotame that is a watrie horse hauing head and bodie like a horse but without comparison farre exceeding in greatnes strength and belly other terrestrial horses hauing legs accordingly sauing that the feete finished in large and flat cartilages in the fashion of a goose foote for swimming the better neither had he onely foure feete like a terrestriall horse but manie and a great